Under the proposed dog-breeding measure, people could only have 50 breeding dogs and would be required to feed animals daily, provide annual veterinary care and not breed animals more than twice every 18 months. Breeders also would have to follow rules for the dogs’ living space and house animals indoors with unfettered access to an outdoor exercise yard. . . “We’re tired of being known as the puppy mill capital of the country,” Schmitz said. “We’re tired of having dogs being treated in such a substandard and cruel way.” . . . Schmitz’s group says Missouri has about 3,000 high-volume breeding facilities.  . . (more)

Apparently Missouri  legislators were unable to address the issue so Missourians for the Protection of Dogs collected 190,000 signatures to get it on the ballot.

New York Post
“My Dog Ate What?” Tomorrow at 10 on National Geographic Wild‎

Having survived Leo, our Rhodesian Ridgeback who himself survived stealing and eating: 500 Tums, one glass cookie jar filled with two pounds of cookies, three chickens, 26 donuts, five pounds of eggplant Parmigiana, 100 honey balls, 20 granola bars (with wrappers), and the only pair of Chanel shoes I’ve ever owned, I couldn’t wait to watch the new weekly show, “My Dog Ate What?”  No dog could have been as bad as Leo and lived — right? Wrong. . . .(more)

Fox News
Labradoodle Pioneer Regrets Fashioning ‘Designer Dog’

The man who bred the first labradoodle – and in the process made the mutt a desirable accessory – says it’s the great regret of his life. The coveted accessory has pushed out other breeds in terms of desirability. . . (more)

Oregon Live.com
Win $500,000 for your local dog park

How would you redesign your local dog park if you had $500,000 to spend on its renovation? Answer that question and your ideas will reshape your local park into the WagWorld Dream Dog Park. . . (more)

Allentown Morning Call

New U.S. stamps raise awareness of shelter pets

If you want to spread the word about the need to adopt shelter pets, meow is the time. A postage stamp aimed at spreading the word goes went on sale Fridayon sale Friday.  .  . To help publicize the campaign nationally, comedian Ellen Degeneres has promised to donate 1 million meals to shelters nationwide.

Coyote vs. Greyhound: The Battle Lines Are Drawn by Juliet Macur  “Unlike the greyhounds familiar to most Americans as racers and pets, Hardzog’s are trained only to chase and kill coyotes for sport.” 

That is a disturbing story.

Justices Reject Ban on Videos of Animal Cruelty
By ADAM LIPTAK “The Supreme Court, in a major First Amendment ruling, voted 8-1 to strike down a federal law that made it a crime to create or sell dogfight videos. . . ”

Dog-Fighting and the First Amendment  Huffington Post (blog) commentary by Geoffrey R. Stone on the above decision.  “The proper response of the government is to punish dog-fighting and other forms of animal abuse more severely, but not to prohibit speech that is otherwise …”

USA Today

Family dog is my father’s keeper through his heart ache
by Janice Lloyd
“A dog has come to the rescue in an unfolding family drama that has no clear end in sight. My oldest brother has a Golden Retriever who has adopted my father since last Thursday, giving him a comfort he can find no place else right now. My dad is 93 and showing signs of dementia . . . Sophie, my brother says, seemed to sense immediately that Dad needed a care taker. She rose to the occasion. She curls up with him on the sofa and puts her head in his lap. My dad rubs her head and smiles at her. My brother says “she doesn’t even do that with me.”

Carrie Underwood wants you to help feed shelter dogs by joining Pedigree’s Facebook group in 2010.  “For every new Facebook fan in 2010, Pedigree will donate one bowl  of dog food to animal shelters (they’ve already donated 877,000 bowls of food!), and will match a portion of monetary donations to the non-profit Pedigree Foundation, which has so far raised $323,000 to date. . . “

St. Petersburg Times

Fort De Soto dog park makes Southern Living’s Top 5 in South 

by  Waveney Ann Moore  “Southern Living has named Fort De Soto’s Paw Playground, which includes a beach for dogs, one of the South’s five best dog parks. . . .Southern Living was wowed by the pooch-friendly amenities — drinking fountains for pets and owners, plastic bags for poop clean-up and doggie showers.  “We loved that they included hoses to wash your dogs down,” Thuston said, noting that it’s no fun to carry a sandy dog home. . .”

St. Petersburg Times

A veterinarian provides a hospice service for pets
By Alexandra Zayas Apr 19, 2010

“. . . McVety is a hospice veterinarian, part of a growing movement to revolutionize the way animals die. It’s modeled after human hospice, focusing on pain and grief management and creating a comforting scenario for families and pets when the end comes. Some veterinarians have been doing these things for the past few decades, but hospice care is only now becoming a recognized field in veterinary medicine. It’s no surprise. Pets have evolved into family members, and better medicine means they’re living longer with serious illnesses. Meanwhile, more and more people have had good experiences with human hospice. The demand is high. McVety performs five in-home euthanasias a week. In one day this week, she had four. . .”

New York Times

Where Creativity Wags Its Tail 
By JOHN BRANCH  April 18, 2010
“Competitors at Intergroom used clippers, hair spray, glitter and paint — among other tools — to transform dogs into works of art. . . . Angela Kumpe had won the “creative challenge” event the past two years at Intergroom, one of the more prestigious competitions on the calendar. First, she clipped and colored a standard poodle into an ode to Elvis Presley — Elvis on one side, a guitar on the other. Last year, she turned a dog into a peacock. She is one of the best at canine topiary. . . ” (photo – Sami Stanley and Skye, who had a dragon on her side)

Hobbit says he would never allow anyone to do that to him!

The House of Barking Dogs 
By MOLLY J. MURRAY – April 14, 2010
LUCCA, ITALY — We called it “The House of the Barking Dogs.” It is about half a mile down a twisty road from us and sits high above the road. We called it that because the man who lived there kept, it is said, about 40 large dogs in his small, two-level garden. The area was surrounded with chicken wire and a corrugated metal roof provided some shelter for the animals. The dogs were a three-minute warning for us. When we heard them bark we knew that somebody had passed under their enclosure and was on their way to see us. . .”

Can You Hear Me Now? 
By ALEX KUCZYNSKI
. . . a few months ago, a new family moved into the neighborhood, with large dogs that live outdoors. They bark. If we walk by in the street, or open the front door, or open the rusty garage door, or receive a delivery – or, it sometimes seems, if we do so little as turn over in bed – they bark. . . . I tried listening to those barking dogs.  What did they want? Were they cold? Angry? Sad? Hungry? I tried a few traditional, neighborly methods to lessen the barking – a genial conversation – and didn’t get much traction. A friend, who is a dog trainer, recommended a device that emits a fixed high-frequency ultrasonic sound that deters the dog from barking. It looks like the remote control for a garage door. If you’re nearby and the dogs start barking, you press a button and the device emits a sound that is annoying and puzzling enough to the dogs that they stop their yapping. After a week of using my handy deterrent, the dogs stopped barking automatically as soon as they saw me. ”

I don’t approve of  punishment type devices as a rule because I believe in positive reinforcement as an effective mechanism of dealing with problem behaviors.  However what to you do when the problem behavior is someone else’s dog and they are not dealing with the problem? 

The Hydrant blog has this to say about the device “. . .I could rattle off a list of a dozen such products, all of which have earned them seriously low-achieving marks after a few short weeks in play.  Because it’s almost always the same in the end:The product works great at the outset …  only to lose its mojo quickly down the line once the inevitable desensitization sets in.  Why? Because the success of these devices relies on the simple element of surprise. Most dogs, in fact, are merely baffled into bark inactivity. They still have the basic desire to bark away their boredom, or howl out their anxiety, they just happen not to have a reason to do so now that they’ve been so oddly interrupted, and thankfully distracted … for now, anyway. . . I have serious reservations about the philosophy that underlies the need for such products.”

Television

PBS

“Through a Dog’s Eyes“  a documentary narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, based on the book by Jennifer Arnold, will air on Wednesday 4/21/10  at 8:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. Central on PBS.

“Through a Dog’s Eyes will change the way you feel about your own dog. The documentary follows a handful of people as they journey through the heartwarming and often challenging process of receiving their service dogs. Jennifer Arnold, founder of Canine Assistants, discusses her teaching methods and the life-changing impact these dogs have on the recipients and their families. She gives us a glimpse of puppy-rearing and training, and takes us inside the intense and sometimes nerve-wracking experience of matching people with their dogs. Ádám Miklósi, Ph.D., one of the world’s foremost experts in dog cognition, also discusses the science behind Jennifer’s training philosophy.  You’ll also follow the families home and watch their relationships with their dogs unfold. Sometimes what began as love at first sight deepens. Occasionally the initial chemistry doesn’t last. Overall, it’s a bonding process that, as with any relationship, takes work and time.”

On the show’s website, you can view a series of videos on dog/human relationship topics:

Dogism #1: Dogs don’t speak human. Learn how to communicate better with your dog.

Dogism #2: Dogs Evaluate Situations Differently Than Us.

Dogism #3: Dogs don’t deliberately do things to make us angry.

Dogism #4: Dogs are emotional creatures.

Dogism #5: Dogs work for rewards.

Dogism #6: Dogs learn better what is ok rather than what is not.

Dogism #7: Dogs need physical and mental stimulation.

The New York Times

An Insomniac’s Best Friend  By LILY BURANA

As far as late-night companions go, you could do worse than a dog.

Ever anxious in my sleeplessness, I cherished the uplift that came from the familiar circle, circle, plonk of my 100-pound, unusually tall yellow Lab throwing himself onto the checkerboard rug by my side. Devoted in the extreme, he was so determined to be near me that someone once exclaimed, “He’d crawl into the corner of your eye if he could.” I’d put aside my cares for a moment and pick up one of his great webbed paws, sniff the tough, street-blackened pads and exclaim, “Your feet smell like Fritos!” I’d tickle the divot of his belly button, or rub his velvety cutlet ears. He’d shift position, leaving behind an aureole of hair so thick it looked as if all his follicles had sneezed at once. . . .

The Virginian-Pilot

Peninsula man sues pet shop after slipping on dog feces
By Tim McGlone April 1, 2010

Robert Holloway really stepped in it when he went to PetSmart to pick up some bird seed and dog food. According to a lawsuit filed in federal court, Holloway slipped on a pile of dog feces a year ago at a Newport News PetSmart and badly hurt his back. He also struck his head, knocking out four of his false teeth, the suit says. He’s suing the chain for $1 million. . . . The suit says PetSmart and its employees “negligently allowed animals to enter the premises and deposit feces in such a manner as to create a dangerous and hazardous condition.” . . . However, speaking generally, White said employees are trained to clean up messes and customers are encouraged to clean up after their pets. Every store has “oops” stations, clearly marked, with clean-up supplies. “They’re animals. There’s always going to be accidents,” she said from Phoenix, where the company is based.

The Miami Herald

Family escapes burning home thanks to dog barking

CLEARWATER, Fla. — A family dog can be called a hero for saving a Clearwater family from their burning home. The family’s 1-year-old puppy-size Shih Tzu named Scooter woke up the family early Sunday morning with his constant barking. The family was able to escape a fire that started in a car parked in the driveway of their home. . . .

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Free Eye Exams for Service and other Qualified Working Dogs

She has been blind for 13 years. So, when Lisa Davidson, of Warminster, PA found out about the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam event, she was elated. She completely relies on her guide dog, Eagle for assistance. “I think it’s great these animals are being represented because they have a very special job to do,” says Ms. Davidson. “Eagle has opened many doors for me, to allow me to become independent. It’s so important that his eyes are working.”  And, that’s exactly the reason for the event. Guide dogs, handicapped assistance dogs, detection dogs, search and rescue dogs, and therapy dogs (such as Delta Society Pet Partners) selflessly serve the public. So, for the month of May 2010, the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) is launching the 3rd annual ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam Event to help serve these dogs who dedicate their lives to serving us . . . .

Magazine

The Whole Dog Journal 

The April issue is out and here are some articles:

Walking An Excited Dog
You contemplate taking your dog for a walk with mixed emotions. You love the idea of going for a companionable stroll through the neighborhood together, but it’s a major hassle to get out the door. When you pick up his leash he becomes the Tasmanian Devil – body slamming you, racing around the foyer, and bouncing off the plate glass door with such intensity you’re afraid he’ll crash right through it. Here are five suggestions for turning this potential disaster into the enjoyable outing you dream of.

Canine News You Can Use: April 2010
On December 1, 2009, Merial published an open letter to veterinarians, announcing a shortage of Immiticide (melarsomine dihydrochloride), the only drug licensed for use in treating heartworm infestations in dogs. The shortage is due to a manufacturing site transfer. The company expressed hope that the shortage will not persist beyond the first quarter of this year. An apparently unrelated problem is responsible for Merial’s announced shortage of Heartgard (ivermectin) tablets, which may be unavailable until 2011. Heartgard prevents canine heartworm disease by eliminating the “tissue stage” of heartworm larvae for a month after infection. Fortunately, Heartgard chewables and other ivermectin products (including products made by other manufacturers) remain available, so a shortage of the tablets is not cause for concern. The Immiticide shortage, however, has alarmed veterinarians and shelters (who see a lot of heartworm-positive dogs) across the country.

Multi-Dog Household Aggression and Fighting
Knowledgeable dog people are quite aware that not all dogs get along with each other, despite the fact that canis lupus familiaris (domestic dog) is a social species. Hey, we humans are a social species, and we certainly don’t all get along! Dog-dog aggression is unhappily common in our world. As a professional behavior consultant who works with aggression cases, I probably see more than my fair share of it. By far the most difficult and most distressing presentations of dog-dog aggression are intra-pack aggression cases: dogs in the same family who aren’t getting along with each other. I’ve had a spate of these clients in recent weeks. Even our own Lucy and Missy, a Cardigan Corgi and Australian Shepherd who don’t always get along seamlessly, seem to have experienced an increase in relationship tensions this winter.

Canine Kidney Stone and Bladder Stone Prevention
Humans aren’t the only ones who get kidney and bladder stones. Our dogs develop these painful and dangerous conditions, too. But much of what is said and done about canine urinary tract stone disease (also known as bladder stones, urolithiasis, urinary stones, ureteral stones, urinary calculi, ureteral calculi, or urinary calculus disease), including its causes and treatment, is either incorrect, ineffective, or potentially harmful. Here’s the information you need in order to make informed decisions on behalf of your best friend. Veterinary studies conducted around the world on millions of urinary stones show similar demographics. Although kidney and bladder stones can afflict dogs of both sexes, all breeds, and all ages, those at greatest risk are small, female, between the ages of 4 and 8, and prone to bladder infections.

Canine Sports: Herding Competitions
Fetch. Drive. Flank. Come-bye. Go-bye. Way to me. Outruns. Flight zones. Pressure point. That’ll do! The sport of herding has a unique vocabulary that distinguishes it from all the other canine sports. In addition to basic obedience cues such as sit, down, stay, and come, dogs are trained to respond to cues that tell them when to start moving livestock, in which direction to move them, when to stop moving them, when and how to move them into pens, and how to use their physical presence to pressure the stock to move but not to scare them into running or stampeding. There is dirt, there is dust, there is livestock that can break bones and bruise a body, and there is livestock poop. And herding teams love it all.

Detecting Canine Anal Sac Problems
Anal sacs are located on either side of your dog’s anus, between the external and internal sphincter muscles. Depending on the dog, they range in size from that of pea to a lima bean. Sebaceous glands within the lining secrete a foul-smelling liquid. Under normal circumstances, the sacs empty on their own during bowel movements via a pair of ducts. This natural, routine emptying serves as a means of olfactory communication and establishing territory. Each dog possesses his own unique scent, which is why ritualized dog-to-dog greetings include copious rear-end sniffing. When a dog presents his rear for information gathering, the muscle movements involved in raising the tail apply pressure to the sac, prompting the release of additional scent.

The Bark Magazine

The April/May issue is out.  Here are some articles and stories.

Inspired by Dog  Majora Carter and her dog Xena, transforming the world.

Juliette of the Herbs Juliette de Baïracli Levy pioneered a natural approach to animal care. By Eleanor K. Sommer

Finding Farley Karsten Heuer’s family and their dog make a canoe excursion across Canada, retracing Farley Mowat’s literary adventures.

Wanted: Forever After Breed rescue—thousands step up to meet the challenge and save lives. By Julia Kamysz Lane

Tips on Unemployment By Lisa Levine

Village Dogs A woman, a man and a dog—three lives intersect. By Bim Angst

The Perfect Garden Dog By Nancy Taylor Robson

Love, Italian Style By Justine van der Leun

New York Times

Chilewich Creates Mats for Dogs

Sandy Chilewich, a Manhattan designer who makes place mats, floor mats and bags from woven vinyl, now makes mats for pets too.

USA Today / The Indianapolis Star

Dogs’ lives may offer answers

By Dan McFeely
Purdue University researcher David Waters hopes a bunch of old dogs will be able to teach scientists news tricks about aging and cancer. Waters has embarked on a 23-day trek across the country to meet face-to-snout with 15 of the oldest-living Rottweilers in the United States. Waters, head of the Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation at the Purdue Research Park, West Lafayette, Ind., has been leading a research team that studies aging and cancer in pet dogs. Over the past three years, the team has compiled a database of scientific data on 140 Rottweilers through breeders and fan clubs. Only 15 are still alive, prompting Waters to put together his “Old Grey Muzzle tour.”  ”These dogs have lived 30% longer than average,” Waters said. “They have dodged cancer and we believe studying them can shed light on what it takes to live well (more)

St. Louis Today

FDA looks into complaints about dog treats made in Mo.

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing concerns that a Missouri-produced pet treat has caused serious illness or death in dogs, a spokesman said Thursday.  The FDA is looking into complaints about Real Ham Bone for Dogs, sold throughout the U.S., an agency spokesman said. If warranted, he said, it will take appropriate action and notify the public. The product — a smoked pig femur sold as a dog treat or chew bone — is distributed under the Dynamic Pet Products label of Frick’s Quality Meats in Washington, Mo (more)

The Guardian

Hachiko: A Dog’s Tale

Philip French

Richard Gere is a musicologist in Lasse Hallström’s saccharine shaggy-dog story . . .There’s a statue in Edinburgh to Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye terrier who sat by his master’s grave for 14 years in the 1860s. His tale has been filmed, as has that of his Japanese equivalent, an Akita dog called Hachiko, whose years of waiting for his late master at Shibuya station in the 1930s is also commemorated by a bronze statue. For no very good reason Hachiko’s story has been re-created in an idyllic Rhode Island community, where a Japanese puppy turns up one day by accident and is adopted by commuting musicologist Richard Gere and his wife (more).

Magazine

PC World

FujiFilm’s Latest Camera Aims at Dogs, Cats

Martyn Williams - ‎Mar 12, 2010‎

If you own a dog or a cat then there’s a good chance you’ve spent hours with a camera trying — and probably failing — to get a perfect picture of them. Now, technology is coming to the rescue.  FujiFilm’s Finepix Z700 features a face-detection function that can recognize canine and feline faces, and it can snap a picture automatically when they look towards the camera lens. . .

Newspaper

The Dallas Morning News

The darker side of dog parks: abandoned pooches
By LORI STAHL March 7, 2010
“. . . But a new breed has emerged. You can sometimes see them when the park closes at night. Their owners have removed the dog collars and walked away. Jim Christian, 76, a regular at the park with his three large dogs, estimates as many as 50 dogs have been abandoned at the park during the past 18 months. Once he tried to confront a man who was leaving his pet. When that didn’t get a response, he flagged down police officers patrolling the lake on bikes. “The policeman looked at me like I was crazy and said, ‘We don’t have any laws against dumping dogs,’ ” Christian said.  . .  (more)

When we lived in Seminole Heights, occasionally dogs would be dumped in the Giddens Park dog run.  I don’t know if this has occurred in the Lutz Dog Park.

Daily Telegraph

Crufts on alert for dogs in make-up
By Alastair Jamieson
“Organisers of Crufts have warned dog owners not to break competition rules amid concerns some are resorting to using make-up and beauty treatments such as coat dye and hair removal creams on their animals. . . .One British company, HUB International, based near Reading, now offers nose paint, black and white dyes to change the colour of the dog’s coat, as well as hairspray and make-up. . . (more)”

San Fransisco Chronicle
Tails of the City blog

By Amelia Glynn
The Pawscars: best animal performances
“Before we get too caught up in Sunday’s much-anticipated Hollywood hoopla, I thought an animal-centric spin on the Oscars was in order. This year, several of the nominated films received the American Humane Association’s “No Animals Were Harmed” disclaimer, including Avatar, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Certified animal safety representatives monitor the use of animals on more than 1,000 productions each year to ensure these four-legged actors stat healthy and free from harm. . .Trainers speculate that Uno, the Neapolitan mastiff rookie animal actor had been abused by a previous owner because she would cower around loud noises and crouch to the floor when someone approached her too suddenly. But, while working on the set of “Harry Potter,” surrounded by a patient training crew and affectionate cast, she gained confidence and trust and adored the attention everyone gave her. Trainers believe Uno is destined for stardom. . . (more)”

Clarksville Leaf Chronicle

Dogs on chains draw complaints in Clarksville
By Mark Hicks
“. . .On Monday, county commissioners are expected to vote on a resolution that would change regulations for restraining dogs, effectively making it illegal to chain a dog to a fixed point for more than an hour. The proposed change does not mean outside dogs can’t be chained, but rather it means the restraint method will need to be different to allow more movement. . . There are variety of reasons to not restrain dogs 24/7. Among them are statistics showing that chained dogs are five times more likely to bite children and are three times more likely to bite adults. Because dogs are territorial animals and possess a fight-or-flight instinct, when they are chained and confronted, they are unable to flee so they respond aggressively.  Chained dogs experience “social isolation,” which can result in excessive barking and howling. Additionally, restraining dogs with a chain or tether, or even confining them in a close space, is considered inhumane by many people. . . . (more)“

This is interesting.  Perhaps we could get this law passed here.

Magazines

The Whole Dog Journal

We just received our latest Whole Dog Journal with great articles as usual.   Of all the dog publications out there, this should be your first choice.

Unwanted Dog Food Guarding Behavior
Canine resource guarding may be a natural, normal dog behavior, but it’s alarming when your own dog growls – or worse, snaps – at you over his resource. Resist your first impulse to snap back at your dog. Whatever you did that caused your dog to growl, stop doing it. Immediately. If you were walking toward him, stand still. If you were reaching toward him, stop reaching. If you were trying to take the toy or bone away from him, stop trying. Your next action depends on your lightning-fast analysis of the situation. If your dog is about to bite you, retreat. Quickly. If you’re confident he won’t escalate, stay still. If you aren’t sure, retreat.

Less Stressful Veterinary Visits
“A training friend suggested that I read Low Stress Handling, Restraint, and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats, by applied animal behaviorist Sophia Yin, DVM, MS. As an owner whose dogs have taken their fair share of visits to vet clinics, I really liked what I read. Dr. Yin’s text takes a critical look at how our pets are often handled in veterinary clinics – and it’s not pretty, as you may have seen yourself. Fortunately, she also offers common sense advice on approaching veterinary care so as to make it as stress-free as possible for our pets. Popular myths abound that force is needed to get animals to behave. Instead, Dr. Yin focuses on how to modify behavior quickly in a veterinary setting using a systematic and positive approach. Her methods involve classical conditioning to change the pet’s emotional state; setting up the veterinary environment to ensure the pet’s comfort; teaching us how to handle animals with appropriate, rather than stronger, restraint; and how to behave around animals so as to avoid creating problems.”

This works.  We had an an episode with Hobbit where he lost it and tried to bite our vet.  We did a session with our trainer Jacque Munera of Courteous Canine and she taught me the positive training I needed to use. After some  work Hobbit goes to the vet now without any issues.

Letting Your Dog Sleep on Your Bed With You
Contrary to the strongly held opinion of some training and behavior professionals, I’m generally pretty comfortable with allowing canine family members on their humans’ beds. In our family, two of our five dogs sleep with my husband and me. Scooter, a Pomeranian, routinely sleeps with us; Dubhy, our Scottish Terrier, graces us with the privilege of his presence on our bed only from time to time. Trainers who adamantly oppose dogs on the bed mostly fall into the old-fashioned training camp, and often, they also buy into all the dominance stuff that’s been pretty much discredited by behavioral scientists. Chances are good I would differ with them on many dog training and philosophical issues, not just this one. The dog who wants to sleep on your bed isn’t trying to take over the world. He just wants to be close to his humans -and comfortable!

I nap on the couch with the dogs.  I like it and they love it.  However we like our sleeping space so our bed is for us.

Canine Hospice Care Options
When we first adopt that pudgy puppy, or spring that delinquent adolescent canine out of a shelter, our new dog’s senior years and final days are far from our thoughts. But if we’re lucky enough to enjoy a long life together, eventually, we’ll spend a number of months or years caring for him as a senior dog – and sometimes, a challenging and emotionally difficult time seeing him through to a peaceful death. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help us support our beloved canine companions – even those who have been diagnosed with chronic or terminal illness – in maintaining the best possible quality of life before they die. Hospice care, or “pawspice,” the term coined by Alice Villalobos, DVM, former President of the American Association of Human Animal Bond Veterinarians (AAHABV) and founding member of the Veterinary Cancer Society, is supportive assistance in evaluating and managing our pets’ quality of life as they near the end of their days, a time period that can span from days to months.

Credible Canine Health Information on the Internet

When you or a loved one develops a medical issue, chances are you’ll be inclined to do some Internet research. While I say, “More power to you!” other medical professionals might roll their eyes at the thought of “wasting” valuable time discussing potentially whackadoodle notions gleaned from cyberspace. Whether veterinarians like it or not, the Internet is here to stay. What can you do to make your online research more productive and your discussions about it with your vet more palatable? Here’s how to find instructive, accurate, credible Internet information while avoiding “online junk food” -and how to comfortably discuss what you’ve learned online with your veterinarian in a way that promotes collaborative discussion. By the way, although I’m a veterinarian teaching people how to better care for their dogs, this information is also applicable to your own healthcare! So, let’s begin. How can you determine whether or not a website is dishing out information that is worthy of your time?

Canine News You Can Use: March 2010
Arkansas canines and their humans have very good reason to celebrate the start of the new decade. That state’s new rule allowing for a three-year rabies vaccine became effective January 1, 2010. This means dogs in Arkansas will need to be vaccinated only every three years (after their initial first-year booster) instead of annually, as was previously required. The majority of states in the U.S. now allow for the three-year vaccination schedule. Despite a slightly premature announcement from the Rabies Challenge Fund (rabieschallengefund.org) last August that all 50 states had accepted a three-year protocol, a few still do not. Rhode Island’s Rabies Control Board approved a change in April of 2009 accepting the three-year vaccination, but as of yet no effective date has been set. Until that happens, Rhode Island dog owners are still required to vaccinate their canine companions every two years. West Virginia also requires vaccination bi-annually. There may be a few others. Still, every state that approves a three-year schedule is one step closer to that 50-state goal.

St. Petersburg Times

Dog food recipes for your four-legged friends? Why not?
By Laura Reiley, Times Food Critic In Print: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
“La Maison Gourmet in Dunedin has had many incarnations, as retail kitchen store, restaurant and cooking school. Last month, about 20 people convened for what may have been the bay area’s first “cooking for your dog” class. The four-legged were not invited to participate (a large photo of Lewis’ dog stood on the wide kitchen counter giving benediction), but the assembled dog owners were eager to talk about their absent companions.” (more)

Los Angeles Times

West Hollywood City Council votes to ban most puppy, kitten sales in pet stores
February 19, 2010 | 8:02 pm
“The West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve new legislation that prohibits most sales of puppies and kittens in pet stores within city limits. Under the ban, which takes effect later this year, pet stores will be permitted to offer animals from local shelters rather than those purchased from for-profit breeders. That business model has been mplemented in recent years by several L.A.-area pet stores, including Melrose Avenue shop Orange Bone.”(more)

Louisville Courier-Journal

Indiana Inmates train dogs to work with children

by Julie Crothers

“The shrill barking of nine Labrador retriever puppies Thursday gave way to blissful laughter from their new trainers:18 inmates at the Plainfield Correctional Facility. One by one, the 8-week-old pups were pulled out of their crates and introduced to the men who will care for them and help them learn to assist children with physical or mental disabilities.” (more)

Columbus Dispatch

Photographs whimsically juxtapose canines, humans
by Christopher A. Yates
“It reveals Erwitt’s love affair with the canine community. Sixty-five prints produced from 1946 to 2000 are included. Among the most remarkable themes in the exhibit is his ability to capture moments in which expression, stance or gaze link human and dog.

South Carolina 1962 captures a farmer in overalls leaning against a car. He shields his eyes from the bright sun with the brim of his ball cap. In the front seat of the car, a hound sits. Just like his human master, he also shields his eyes. But, instead of a ball cap, the dog uses the shadow from the open window.” (more)

Blogs

The Huffington Post

Must Love Dogs
“This post is dedicated to Mr. Hershey Kaplan, born April 4, 1997. When I was six years old, what I wanted more than anything else in the world was a dog.” (more)

Newspaper

New York Times

Hype, Money and Cornstarch: What It Takes to Win at Westminster

To win at the big dog shows, lots of money is needed for professional handlers, groomers and even ad campaigns in publications like Dog News and The Canine Chronicle.

Why Do Sled Dogs Run?

By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
They don’t run for a reward or toward a goal, and they don’t catch or flee anything, yet they would keep running if the musher fell off his sled.

They Bark, They Rule

They Bark, They Rule
By PENELOPE GREEN
A Humane Society benefit and party for the new book âItâs a Dogâs World: The Savvy Guide to Four-Legged Livingâ brought dogs and their humans to the Muse Hotel.

A Neuroscientist Studying the Structure of Dog Brains

A Neuroscientist Studying the Structure of Dog Brains
By CLAUDIA DREIFUS
In his Princeton laboratory, Samuel Wang uses dog M.R.I.’s to research the relationship between brain structure and behavior.

Los Angeles Times

Dogs no longer left out of the Twitter craze

If it seems like everyone and their dog is using Twitter, that’s not actually too far from the truth: Toy company Mattel Inc. has announced its plan to release a new product called Puppy Tweets, which purports to allow dogs to “tweet” their daily activities for their owners’ entertainment. Of course, dogs can’t actually type, so the product — which will retail for $29.99 — uses a sound and motion sensor to determine what pets might be up to.

Radio

Voice Of America

Avalanche Rescue Dogs at Vancouver Olympics on Alert

Eric Seelenfreund and his dog Murphy are unmistakable against the white snow of the Whistler Olympic venues. Eric wears a bright red and black parka with a …

TV

New York’s PIX11 / WPIX-TV

Brooklyn Dog Gets Mugged While Owner Buys Milk

While some prefer to steal candy from babies, others – specifically in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn – have opted to steal coats from small dogs.

New York Times

Surgery to Quiet Noisy Dogs, or Debarking, Is Losing Favor …

By SAM DOLNICK Published: February 2, 2010

Debarking, a procedure to quiet noisy dogs, is falling out of favor with veterinarians and animal rights advocates.

“Although there is no reliable estimate as to how many dogs have had their vocal cords cut, veterinarians and other animal experts say that dogs with no bark can readily be found — but not necessarily heard — in private homes, on the show-dog circuit, and even on the turf of drug dealers, who are said to prefer their attack dogs silent. (more)”

The Tao of Temple

By JILL ABRAMSON February 2, 2010

According to Temple Grandin, the revered expert in animal behavior, itâs fine to treat your dog like a child

“We’ve bred them to be hyper-socialized,” said Ms. Grandin, who is autistic and thinks in pictures, which, in the case of highly visual animals like dogs gives her special insights into animals. Decked out in Western gear, including a royal blue, satiny shirt decorated with horses, Ms. Grandin offered funny stories about the dogs of her youth as well as a helpful overview of dog behavior. “We’ve kept their puppy characteristics, so it’s natural that some people treat their dogs like children,” she explained. “And they are very attuned to us. (more)”

Miami Herald

Fla. dogs getting sick from iguanas killed by cold

A/P Miami Herald 2-6-10‎

There’s a new danger for dogs in South Florida: iguanas killed by the recent cold snap. The carcasses litter some neighborhoods, and have been deadly for some dogs. They seem to be contracting botulism, an infection causes paralysis. (more)

Fresno Bee

Hunting dog triggers shotgun, hits master

By Lewis Griswold / The Fresno Bee

“A hunter trying to retrieve duck decoys got a surprise when he was accidentally shot by his own dog (more).”

Magazine

The New York Magazine

The Rise of Dog Identity Politics

Dogs are increasingly rootless souls, country bumpkins in city apartments. But is a vegan pup still an animal?

“If learned helplessness sounds like an urban condition, it may be because the dog is more and more an urban species. Even in the suburbs, the dog’s unleashed, unfenced, carefree outdoor life is largely at an end. The dogs are in the house, even in the bed. (The doghouse is now mostly for husbands.) There are no rules to this evolving, increasingly intimate arrangement, and it can give rise to a kind of canine identity crisis. Outside of its country context, the dog plays an ever more human role. Which can make things very confusing. “We’ve seen a linear explosion in pet populations in Western countries over the past 40 years,” Serpell tells me, and notes a correlation with the depressing statistics in Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone. “People are living more isolated lives, are having fewer children, their marriages aren’t lasting. All these things sort of break down a social network and happen to exactly coincide with the growth in pet populations. I think that what’s happening is simply that we’re allowing animals to fill the gap in our lives. (more)”