Puglet the Pug features in this video to encourage us to do the right thing on Earth Day and every day. Have a wonderful (and sustainable) week!
Posted in dog breeds, Dogs
Tagged Earth Day, pug, Puglet, sustainability, video, YouTube
At the meeting of the Society for American Archeology this week, two University of Cincinnati professors, Jeremy Koster and Ken Tankersley, presented their results of research into hunting dogs in lowland Nicaragua.
The indigenous communities of the Mayangna and the Miskito in Nicaragua survive on subsistence hunting in the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is part of the largest unbroken tracts of neotropical rainforest in Central America, north of the Amazon. 85% of the mammals that are hunted are caught with the assistance of dogs.
Nicaraguan hunters and their dogs on a hunt, photo by Jeremy Koster, University of Cincinnati
The research team found that as both male and female dogs reach three years of age, they tend to increase their hunting success. Older, male and female dogs in the study population returned more game to their owners than did younger dogs.
Bigger dogs are able to track and corral bigger prey, which increases their hunting return rates. Since male dogs are generally larger than females, the males had the greater success rates.
As far as sustainability is concerned, the researchers found that dogs are more suited to wildlife sustainability than other hunting options available. Hunters with firearms tend to disproportionately hunt prey that lives in trees, including slow-breeding primates. Hunters with dogs tend to harvest relatively fast-breeding animals such as agoutis, pacas and armadillos.
Their main conclusion: With age comes greater success!
(Let’s hope the same applies to us; I could use all the help I can get :))
Our local newspaper ran a story recently about a little dog that woke her owners when their garage caught fire. Luckily, the damage was fairly minor and all (including the dog) escaped harm.
It was that story that got me thinking about all of the stories we hear, year in and year out, about dogs that act instinctively to warn their owners of danger or to get help. Here’s just a few dog hero stories that I’d like to share about dogs who have saved their owners or alerted others about fires.
_____________________________________________________
Brutus alerts sleeping family to burning garage (February 2012)
Dog alerts sleeping family to house fire (December 2011)
Dogs saves owner during house fire – Clyde the Great Dane! (November 2011)
Dog warns Daytona man of fire in house (November 2011)
Dog warns man of house fire (October 2010)
And one last video, taken from the camera on board the vehicle of an Alaskan State Trooper – showing the family dog Buddy leading the officer to the family’s home which was on fire…
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in special dogs and awards
Tagged Alaska, alert, Brutus, Buddy, Daytona Beach, Dog, fire, german shepherd, house fire, Max, owners saved, rescue, state trooper
A massage client asked me this question earlier this week. The dog in question is a Boxer (beautiful boy) who happens to be suffering from degeneration in his spine.
Although he is doing well with regular swimming, acupuncture and massage therapy, his owner knows that he is comparatively young (8) and she wants him to have a good quality of life for a long time. So that’s when we started talking about changes she could make to his physical environment to make things less stressful for him (ramps, steps, etc.)
Would a raised feeder help my dog?
Raised feeders can be a real advantage for a dog with orthopaedic problems or arthritis. Eating from a raised feeder helps to relieve strain on the neck and back, allowing the dog to eat without dramatically altering their posture and helping them to retain balance.
But – some studies have shown that dogs who are susceptible to bloat have an increased risk from eating from a raised feeder. The most notable reference for this link is an article by Dr Larry Glickman in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 17, No. 10.
Gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV) is known by the common term ‘bloat’ and other terms such as ‘stomach torsion’ or ‘twisted stomach.’ Regardless of what name you use, the condition is life-threatening. Dogs can die of bloat within several hours. Even with treatment, as many as 25-33% of dogs who develop bloat will die.
In bloat, the stomach fills up with air and puts pressure on the other organs and the diaphragm. The pressure on the diaphragm makes it difficult for the dog to breathe. The air-filled stomach also compresses large veins in the abdomen, preventing blood from returning to the heart.
Filled with air, the stomach can easily rotate on itself, pinching off its blood supply. This rotation is known as volvulus. The stomach begins to die and the entire blood supply is disrupted. A dog with this condition can deteriorate very rapidly – meaning a trip to the vet as an emergency.
Purdue University ranks Boxers as the 16th breed most susceptible to bloat (Great Danes are the highest). So, in this case, the owner decided not to opt for a raised feeder. Not only is her Boxer on the higher risk list, but he also is a gobbler – making quick work of his food!
This is just one example where it pays to do a little research. An idea that seems like a good one may not be so.
Posted in dog care
Tagged acupuncture, American Veterinary Medical Association, arthritis, bloat, Boxer, elevated feeders, gastric dilation volvulus, GDV, great dane, hydrotherapy, journal of the american veterinary medical association, Larry Glickman, massage, Purdue University, raised feeders, research, swimming, torsion, veterinary medical association
A Pit Bull named Little Red is proving to many folks that Pit Bulls are lovable creatures deserving of a good home. I’m proud to say that I’m one of Little Red’s 2,765 Facebook friends (and she’ll probably have more by the time you read this).
Little Red was rescued from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz kennels. From there, she traveled to Kanab, Utah to the Best Friends Pet Sanctuary for rehabilitation. Known as ‘Vicktory Dogs,’ all of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s properties were segregated from all non-staff at the Sanctuary under court order.
It took years to see Little Red come back to a state where she could be adopted. Her adoptive owner, Susan, never gave up hope about Little Red after seeing a photo of her shortly after her rescue. Susan sponsored Little Red and kept in touch about her progress. By February 2011, Susan was able to go to the Sanctuary to visit with Little Red. In September 2011, she was cleared to be Little Red’s foster mother.
This is their story:
There are still those who believe in breed-specific legislation and it is dogs like Little Red that prove that these rushes to judgement are unnecessary and unwarranted.
Thank heavens for the good people at Best Friends who took in so many Vicktory Dogs and worked with them on the long journey to rehabilitation.
Source: Best Friends Sanctuary Stories
Posted in dog adoption, dog breeds
Tagged Best Friends Pet Sanctuary, Facebook, Kanab, Little Red, Michael Vick, Pit Bull, rehabilitation, Utah
Dog heroes come in all shapes and sizes. This story, from St Petersburg, Florida is just another example.
Mabeline was being walked by a teenage shelter volunteer when a sex offender assaulted the girl. Mabeline barked and scared the man away. He was later arrested.
Mabeline, the Rhodesian Ridgeback cross, who was adopted from Friends of Strays (photo: Fox News)
The Friends of Strays shelter was able to place Mabeline with a new owner, who only found out about Mabeline’s heroics after the dog came to live with her. This proves that it was Mabeline’s sweet nature that was her best asset – her courage was an added bonus!
Source: Fox News
The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs is a high-end, pet-friendly resort that has a long history associated with animals. Many dignitaries including US presidents, actors and actresses, and others have stayed in the luxurious surroundings.
But my preference is the resort’s Pitty Pat Club.
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
Pet guests are welcomed to the Broadmoor’s own unique Best Friend in Residence Program. A $50.00 per pet per day fee is added to your room charge. With that surcharge, your pet receives a special Broadmoor identification tag to wear throughout their stay. There are designated outdoor pet areas with clean up packs provided. The 24-hour Pitty Pat Pet Menu offers room service including Blue Buffalo adult dog food and health bars in three flavours: apples and yogurt, bacon, egg & cheese, or chicken liver.
You are also encouraged to take your dog off-property in a safe manner. A map of dog exercise areas is provided. These off-property areas include:
A comprehensive list of other services is also given to dog owners. This includes information on local veterinary practices, pet stores, and groomers. Dog sitting and walking services can also be arranged.
If Colorado is on your list of destinations, then why not indulge yourself and your dog and stay at The Broadmoor?
The animal history (and how the Pitty Pat Club got its name):
Back in 1880, the land that the resort is situated on was a dairy farm. In the 1890s, the owners realised that they could make more money by selling parcels of land for residential and commercial development. A casino was built that was purchased in 1916 by Spencer Penrose, an entrepreneur from Philadelphia, and he began its transformation into a resort.
Mr Penrose saw the value of promoting Colorado Springs as a tourist destination. He built the Pikes Peak Road leading to the summit as an alternative to the Cog Railway and he established the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which is still considered one of the finest privately owned zoos in the United States. Hence, another strong connection to animals.
Mr Penrose’s wife was Julie and she was accompanied everywhere by a Poodle named Pitty Pat. So, when the resort decided to offer pet-friendly accommodation, it was a natural fit to name the program after Pitty Pat!
Posted in dog-friendly accommodation
Tagged Bear Creek Park, casino, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Cog Railway, Colorado Springs, Dog Loop Trail, Garden of the Gods, North Cheyenne Canyon, off-lead exercise, off-leash areas, Pike's Peak, poodle, resort, Spencer Penrose, Stratton Open Place, The Broadmoor, travel, vacation
Our 4-day Easter weekend is coming to a close (sigh); here’s something to make you smile as you return to work tomorrow:
Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone that is released during the act of touching and hugging. For these reasons, the hormone is often referred to as ‘the cuddle hormone’ or ‘the love hormone.’ (The hormone is also released during childbirth, by the way).
As a dog owner, your relationship with your dog is likely to involve you and your dog triggering the release of oxytocin in one another. Temple Grandin, animal behaviourist and autism researcher, has found that ‘A dog’s oxytocin levels rise when his owners pet him and petting his dog raises the owner’s oxytocin too.’ In other words, this hormone plays a role in the human-animal bond.
In 2003, J.S.J. Odendaal and R.A. Meintjes of the Life Sciences Institute at Pretoria published research into the blood levels of endorphins, oxytocin, prolactin, B-phenylethylamine and dopamine (all associated with pleasure response or relaxation) and cortisol (a known stress hormone) in people and dogs both before and after they interacted with each other. The researchers compared levels of the neurochemicals under three scenarios: 1) after people petted their own dogs 2) after they petted unfamiliar dogs and 3) after they sat quietly and read a book.
In both humans and dogs, the levels of the pleasure-response chemicals rose after 5 to 24 minutes. At the same time, cortisol levels in humans fell as they spent time with their pets. The increase in oxytocin was highest in the group where people interacted with their own dogs, as opposed to dogs that were unfamiliar to them.
In 2008, Miho Nagasawa’s research team in Japan showed that only eye contact was necessary between dogs and their humans to increase oxytocin levels. After 30 minutes of contact with their dog, owners showed an increase in oxytocin levels.
Dr Kerstin Uvnäs-Moberg from Uppsala University, studies oxytocin and its effects. Her 2010 study showed that women and their dogs experienced increases in their oxytocin levels after only 10 minutes of contact. When compared to a survey of the women, their oxytocin response was in direct correlation with the quality of the bond they felt for their pet.
For those of us who have experienced this bond during our lives, it is probably not surprising that there is a scientific reason for our feelings and that it is hormone-related. But it’s nice to have science on our side.
For those of you raising puppies, these studies show that there is a good scientific reason to ensure your puppy is socialised. It is not surprising that dogs involved in hoarding cases or puppy mills are withdrawn and in many cases frightened of humans. They aren’t accustomed to the positive effects of oxytocin release and in many cases have suffered other traumas.
Hey Daisy, give me a hug…I need the oxytocin.
Have you hugged your dog today?
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Here’s the Fox 5 story of rescue dog ‘Red’ – one of the last surviving rescue dogs from the 9/11 attacks. Red has arthritis and degeneration in her back and has undergone stem cell therapy at a Virginia clinic.
9/11 Search and Rescue Dog Receives Stem Cell Therapy at Va. Clinic.
Posted in Dogs, special dogs and awards
Tagged 9/11 attacks, arthritis, Fox 5 news, Red, rescue dogs, search and rescue, stem cell therapy, virginia
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