The Top Products For Green Dogs

There’s a new publication in town.  It’s a quarterly zine put out by the Green Party of Saskatchewan.  It’s editor, and one of it’s three columnists, is none other than yours truly.  That’d mean me!  😉

My column is called Pawsitive Ecology, and it deals with being a green pet person.  Making choices that benefit your animal family members AND the environment.  It’s not always easy being a green animal lover.  Having pets often means our ecological PAW print is higher than we’d like.  Pawsitive Ecology is about finding balance, and learning to keep that foot print down while still enjoying the love and companionship our pets have to offer.

Check out my first offering today.

There are a lot of “green” pet products on the market today, but not all of them are truly green or eco-friendly.  This article outlines my top picks!

http://www.puregreenius.ca/pb/wp_894bc12c/wp_894bc12c.html

Dog Show Season

I’m well-known as a bad blogger during dog show season.  My mind is occupied with ring training, travel plans, and ribbons.  This year has been a nice quiet year (mostly by choice).  We’ve scaled back quite a bit, and I’ve only accepted a very few dogs for training or handling.  We hit two shows in April, and two in May, but are only planning on one for each remaining month.  It’s just been too long away from home when I have a wee girlie (who’s now 22 months old) waiting for my return.

In a couple of weeks we head off to Nanaimo.  We’ll be flying to this show, which will be a new experience for me.  Normally my assistant, Jewles, and I drive everywhere.  This one is a 20 hour drive, and I’m only taking two client dogs – so it’s looking like flying will be the most cost effective way to get there and back.  Wish us luck.  🙂

Here are some candids of Sunny (Hileigh’s Blazing Sunshine) and I in the ring at a few different shows, and one of him relaxing in one of our many hotel rooms with Jewles.

Sunny in the ring at his first show, in Battleford Saskatchewan

Sunny at the HCKOC show in Saskatoon, SK

Sunny, self-stacked, in the group ring in Regina, SK.

Enjoying some off time at the Tropical Inn with Jewles.

Sunny is now sitting on eight points, and has already earned his first major – all as a Junior Puppy.  Also accompanying us to this next show will be Claire, a lovely black and tan girl who has earned four points being owner handled.  Wish us all luck as we head off to B.C. in June.

Glowing Dogs Cloned in South Korea

On this one, I have one thing to say….  Wow!

I’m a little overwhelmed by the idea is all.

Scientists in South Korea have claimed to have cloned the worlds first “glowing” dogs.  A litter of Beagle puppies, dubbed “Ruppies”, a combination of the word ruby and puppies, were engineered to glow red under ultraviolet light.  The puppies parts where the skin is normally more thin, appears red at all times, regardless of the light conditions.

Read the entire story at http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Health/wireStory?id=7447906

Yep.  Just what the world needs….  scary glowing puppies.  If nothing else, I truly hope the genes introduced into their DNA do not compromise their health or ability to live normal functioning lives.

Dangerous Dogs – Warning

If you own, or are considering adopting or purchasing a dog from your county, city, province, or state’s “dangerous dogs” list and also have children, be very careful. It only takes moments for tragedy to strike. When it happens, there is no going back. No way to undo what’s been done. Please, never leave your children alone with your dog – even for a minute.

The picture below is proof of what can go wrong.

You’ve been warned.

Take care… for everyone’s sake!

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Tragedy for Bull Terrier

Just think how embarrassed this poor dog will be at the park…

This kind of tragedy can be avoided.

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This post was done in good humor… but the truth is, dogs and children should not be left alone together. It really does only take a moment for things to go wrong. Regardless of the breed, be watchful. Children hurt dogs, dogs hurt children. Neither understands one another really well, and the results can be scary. So be aware. Be safe.

There are no bad dogs, only bad owners!

Stolen Dog Alert – American Cocker Spaniel in Saskatchewan

On Monday February 23rd, Max was taken from his backyard in Warman Saskatchewan. His family let him out to potty in their fully fenced and secure yard, to discover only minutes later that he was gone. Max is a five month old black American Cocker Spaniel puppy.

Here is a message from his breeder:

Hello everyone,
I am asking for everyone in the Warman,Saskatchewan area to be on the lookout for a black male American Cocker Spaniel puppy,5 months old,his call name is “Max”. On Monday night,Feb.23rd he was let out to go potty and 5 minutes later he was gone.This was a fenced yard.There were footprints in the snow leading out the gate,but none from the puppy.The people who own him got a hang-up call at 3 am and 6 am on the Sunday evening,which they thought was strange,then Max disappeared the following morning.Please,if you hear or see this puppy,we need him to come home.If you know of anyone who just got a black puppy and are the least bit suspicious,anything,please let me know!He is wearing a red collar with his name and address.He has a beautiful little girl named Sarah who is only 4 and they are best buddies.Being his breeder I am beyond worried!
Kim Hartz
kimhartz@sasktel.net
www.tanahillcockers.com

Please, if you’ve seen this boy, or have any information on his possible whereabouts, contact Kim. I know she is terribly worried. I’m always happy to post this type of alert for anyone who has a dog go missing, but this particular alert is of personal importance. Kim is a member of my extended family, and is deeply worried. So please, any tips or leads are appreciated.

Feel free to share this url with anyone who may have any information. Pass it on far and wide. Lets help get Max home!

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (or) Chihuahuas are Small but Mighty!

As a dog lover in general, and a Chihuahua fancier in particular, you knew I’d eventually have to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Well… not much I can say about this stinker of a movie except PEEEE-U. Wow. It was really THAT bad. I thought, if nothing else, it should be cute. But no. I can’t even say that about it. The story was lame, the acting was bad, the voice overs were dull, the CGI was horrible. Aye Chihuahua!

The only redeeming part of this movie, was the scene in the Aztec ruins. “Small but Mighty”. I’ve been saying it for years.

Chihuahuas are not the yippy, shaking, fufu dogs that some people seem determined to turn them into. They are a lot of dog. They are incredibly intelligent, and run circles around any novice human cohabitants. There is a reason people talk about them as if they are “bad dogs” – it’s because the outsmart their people on a regular basis. Love, love, love these dogs. They are MY breed… but they are SOOOO not for a novice dog person. They really do require someone who knows dogs, understands dog language, and can give them the credit they are due.

I’m a Chihuahua lover, and like any devotee of a particular breed, I’m the first in line to tell you all the reasons a Chihuahua is the wrong breed for you. Still sticking around after that long list? Then maybe you might be ready for one.

Small but Mighty – Fine Art Reproduction by TD Yandt
Click here to see more products featuring the Small but Mighty design.

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Click the following link for an FAQ on the Chihuahua – http://www.noselicks.com/pb/wp_9f6619e0/wp_9f6619e0.html

Or visit my site devoted to these incredible little dogs – http://www.chihuahualovers.com/

The First Dog to be a PWD!

The Obama family have decided on a Portuguese Water Dog as the “First” Dog.  This is good news.  Previously the family had been cited as being undecided between a “doodle” and a Porty.  Many dog enthusiasts are breathing a sigh of relief, as designer mutts simply don’t need the extra attention of a doodle in the White House.

Asked about the time frame that the public can expect this new family member to appear, Michelle responded by relaying a cute back-and-forth between herself and Sasha (7 y/o):

“So Sasha says, ‘April 1st.’ I said, ‘April.’ She says, ‘April 1st.’ Got to do it after spring break. You can’t get a new dog and then go away for a week.”

Well said Mrs. Obama, and good on you for sticking to your guns.

So there you have it.  The new First Dog, a PWD, can be expected in April – AFTER spring break.

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Original Story at http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29385494/?GT1=43001

Aggression Begets Aggression

A new study proves something that dog professionals have known for years:  people who attempt to dominate, are more likely to to elicit aggressive behaviors from their dogs.  While this isn’t exactly “news” to those of us who’re involved in the art of training positively, it will definitely rate as news to some.  And in either case is worth noting.

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If You’re Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study

ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2009) — In a new, year-long University of Pennsylvania survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified

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The full story can be found here:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141540.htm

Michael Vick’s Dogs – The Road to Recovery

This is the kind of dog news that makes me so happy there are advocates for the American Pit Bull Terrier. The wonderful dogs in this story wouldn’t have had a chance without them. There were so very many people working to have them all put to sleep, believing they’d never be rehabilitated… yet here they are. Ready to try again, to love someone fully and completely as only a dog can.

As a trainer and behavior expert, I can’t say enough good things about the American Pit Bull Terrier – and this article really has nailed it on the head. A fabulous read.

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There are the perky, high-energy sorts like Lucas, all wagging tails and let’s-go-play vivaciousness. There are the runners like Curly, who never saw a fence line or dirt trail they couldn’t wear down. And there are the divas like Georgia, who go on publicity junkets and stay at the Beverly Hilton, wearing rhinestone-studded collars and hot pink tank tops that say “Biscuits are a girl’s best friend.” They could be your dog, your neighbor’s, even one of those you see in a magazine being doted on by a celebrity owner. These, though, are Michael Vick’s dogs. Fourteen months after some experts left them for dead – in fact, said they should die – they are alive and thriving at the Best Friends Animal Society in the rocky red hills of Utah, rewriting the book about what pit bulls really are and what they can be….”

Read the full article at: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gVao8CtqoHhjvlBvJA430ekDD8ogD9669T0G0

Teen Works to Make Debarking Illegal

A fifteen year old boy is working to have a bill passed that would make surgical debarking illegal. I know debarking is one of those hot button topics for many, but I have to admit, I see this as a good thing. I see debarked dogs at the shows all season long, and often there is reason behind their attempts to vocalize… It’s up to their families to find that reason and work with the dog. While a difficult nuisance behavior to deal with, recreational barking can be trained away from. It takes a lot of dedication, and watchfulness, but it can be done. And if the sound of a dog vocalizing is a mind-numbing pain for some, perhaps they should consider that before adding a dog (especially of a breed known for being highly “talkative”) to the family.

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Teen files bill to make vocal surgery illegal
Putting a bite into debarking
By Laurel J. Sweet

Needham High freshman Jordan Star doesn’t claim he can talk to the animals, but as the surprise driving force behind a bill to outlaw the surgical silencing of dogs and cats, the teen is doing a fine job speaking on their behalf.
“To take a voice away from an animal is morally wrong,” Star, 15, said of convenience devocalization, the removal of a pet’s vocal cords so Fido and Fluffy are seen, not heard.
Star tackled the topic after encountering a dog who’d been debarked, then abandoned.
“It was just horrible,” he said of the dog’s struggle to get his attention. “It was just like a hoarse, wheezy cough. In a shelter, all they are is a mutilated animal, which makes them harder to adopt.”
Under his proposed law, to which Democratic House Majority Whip Lida E. Harkins and Republican Sen. Scott P. Brown have signed on as sponsors, devocalization would be illegal in Massachusetts unless a veterinarian licensed in this state certified for a town clerk or, in Boston, the police commissioner, that the operation was a medical necessity.  Anyone breaking the law would face up to five years in state prison and a mental-health evaluation. If enacted, it will be known as Logan’s Law for a debarked Belgian sheepdog Gayle Fitzpatrick, founder of Friends of the Plymouth Pound, and her husband Tom adopted from Texas.
“The reaction of people whenever he was outside was, ‘Does your dog have laryngitis?’ I tried to explain he had no voice box and people were pretty horrified by that,” Fitzpatrick said. “We always said to him, ‘We hear you,’ because he tried so hard to bark.”
The MSPCA-Angell Animal Medical Center refuses to perform non-medical devocalization, saying, “The responsible owner is willing to socialize and train a pet that is vocalizing excessively.”
Vera Wilkinson of The Cooperative Dog is a Chestnut Hill certified trainer, who heads the dog division of the International Association of Behavior Consultants.
“You have to get to the root of the problem. If the dog is barking, the dog is barking for a reason,” Wilkinson said.  “There’s a lack of understanding between people and dogs that leads to conflict, and unfortunately the dog often pays the price.

Full story can be found at http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1149346