Cruelty-free shopping guide

Posted on August 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

Many of us are ‘animal people’ who are concerned about animal welfare in general and not just the health and well-being of our dogs.  When it comes to the products we buy, we’d like to choose ethical products – products that haven’t been tested on animals.

Here in New Zealand, you can download a copy of the SAFE Shopping Guide to help you make the right purchasing decisions.

SAFE is a non-profit charitable organisation financed solely through donations.  It is dedicated to changing attitudes and nurturing compassionate values by educating the public about the inherent value of animals.

SAFE has been working in New Zealand for 75 years and so they know their stuff.  Visit the SAFE website here.

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It’s raining cats and dogs

Posted on August 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

It’s been raining since last night here and the long-range forecast is that it will continue for the next few days.  And so that has gotten me thinking – what is the origin of the saying It’s raining cats and dogs?

On the face of it, this phrase just doesn’t make sense.  Some say that it comes from the days when all the animals in the household were kept in the rafters of the thatch-roofed cottages.  When it really rained heavily, the animals would fall out…

What does the Library of Congress say about this phrase (including de-bunking of the thatched roof theory)?

Read here for a well-referenced look at the origin of It’s raining cats and dogs

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The Throver – the throw made with dogs in mind

Posted on August 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

I don’t give product recommendations very often but I have to say that the Crypton® Throver is  made with the dog owner in mind.  These all-purpose throws come in various designs, some including dog motifs.  I purchased the Dogland pattern when I purchased my new settee.  Now both Daisy and I enjoy our new furniture.  Here she is.  She’s comfortable and happy and the settee isn’t covered in dog hair.

Throvers are made from Crypton® super fabric that is permanently stain, moisture, mildew, bacteria and odor-resistant.   Made in the U.S.A., this fabric is perfect for the dog-owning household.  We’ve had our Throver for several months, it’s in constant use and it still looks new.  Pet beds and mess mats are also available in this durable fabric.

The Throver is more expensive than other throws on the market (currently retailing for $99.00 for a throw measuring 48″ x 54″) but it’s worth it.

Purchase your throver online from Crypton®.

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Congratulations, Massachusetts – a job well done

Posted on August 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

I’m very proud of my home state of Massachusetts.   Last week, Governor Patrick signed bill  S. 2192 “An Act Further Regulating Animal Control” into law.

The new law:

  • Creates a statewide spay/neuter program to reduce the number of homeless animals and will, in turn, also reduce the cost to cities and towns for housing and sheltering these animals. This is funded by a voluntary tax check off.
  • Adds enforcement provisions to section 139A (the spay/neuter deposit law for animals adopted from shelters and animal control facilities) to ensure homeless animals can’t reproduce.
  • Requires animal control officers to receive training.  This is funded by the tax check off.
  • Prohibits carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gas as a means to “euthanize” dogs and cats.  (Anyone who saw the HBO documentary One Nation Under Dog knows why this important)
  • Improves the dangerous dog law in a breed neutral manner
  • Allows pets to be included in domestic violence protection orders

The law will also create some statewide oversight for animal control, which previously did not exist in the state; creates categories for kennel licensing; creates consistency in the holding time for stray dogs and provide other meaningful updates to the state’s antiquated animal control laws.  An amendment to the bill also added some restrictions on the tethering of dogs.

This new law will not cost money, it will actually minimize costs to cities and towns by reducing the number of homeless animals and the associated cost to house and take care of them. In addition, ensuring that animal control officers are trained, and improving the dangerous dog law to protect public safety, will provide indirect cost savings.

Best of all, this bill proves that animal welfare agencies can work together.  The bill was drafted as a collaboration between the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts (ACOAM), the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the state’s Bureau of Animal Health within the Department of Agricultural Resources and the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA).

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Myths about dogs

Posted on August 6, 2012 | 1 comment

Some information that circulates about dogs just isn’t true.  Here are some examples:

Mutts (mixed breeds) are healthier

Actually, any dog can have health problems but pure bred dogs commonly have more genetic disorders.  Mixed breeds, according to many vets, have hybrid vigor.  This term refers to superior qualities that appear when genetically different animals are crossbred.   The technical term for hybrid vigor is heterosis.

Licking helps to heal a wound

This is not necessarily the case.  Some dogs obsessively lick a wound and this does more damage than good.  You should consult your veterinarian if your dog is worrying a sore or wound.

Puppies and dogs don’t need house training because they naturally know where to go (wolfs, from where dogs descended,  won’t soil their den)

Nice try but most dogs and puppies need to be trained to do their business outside.  Some dogs (like children) are easier to train.

If a dog wags its tail, its friendly and happy

This isn’t always the case.  A wagging tail can mean a dog is excited or agitated.  Unless you know a dog, the best precaution is to ask its owner before you pet it.

Only male dogs ‘hump’ or raise their leg to pee

Female dogs will also do this,  particularly if they are dominant. Spaying does not affect this behavior.

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Posted in dog care

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International Assistance Dog Week

Posted on August 4, 2012 | Leave a comment

International Assistance Dog Week runs from 5-11 August this year.

The week is all about the dogs who  help people manage life with disability.  The goals of the week are:

  • Recognize and honor assistance dogs
  • Raise awareness and educate the public about assistance dogs
  • Honor puppy raisers and trainers
  • Recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our communities

The IADW website contains information on events near you (primarily in the USA) but hopefully my home country of New Zealand will join in next year.

By the way, I support:

What dog assistance charities do you support?

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Posted in Dogs, special dogs and awards

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Michael Vick wants a dog (for his kids)

Posted on August 1, 2012 | 1 comment

His 3-year ban on dog ownership is coming to an end and Michael Vick wants a dog, for his kids, he says.

Let’s not forget the dogs Mr Vick owned in the past – 13 dead, 51 seized from Bad Newz Kennels in 2007, with 47 ultimately surviving after being rehabilitated at places like Best Friends Animal Society (Best Friends took in 22).

Lucas and Mel are just two of the “Vicktory Dogs” seized from Michael Vick and placed with the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Photos by Gary Kalpakoff for Best Friends.

Read more about this breaking story here.

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Doggy quote of the month for August

Posted on July 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

“Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail.”

– Richard Friedman

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William Wegman – The Hardly Boys

Posted on July 29, 2012 | 1 comment

Photographer William Wegman is well known for the photos of his Weimaraners.  A show called William Wegman:  Hello Nature at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art in Brunswick, Maine which runs until October 21, 2012  shows the side of Wegman that isn’t so focused on his dogs but rather his attachment to Maine.

The exhibit will include an airing of Wegman’s documentary The Hardly Boys, which features his dogs but was also filmed in Maine.  The film is a spoof of the detective novels featuring The Hardy Boys.  Courtesy of YouTube, here’s an excerpt from that documentary (complete with subtitles).

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Posted in Dogs

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One Nation Under Dog

Posted on July 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

I’ve just finished watching the HBO documentary One Nation Under Dog.  I hope many of you were able to see it and, if not, to catch it when it repeats.

This documentary is segregated into three themes:  Fear, Loss and Betrayal.  Fear covers the experience of some people caught up in legal fights over dangerous dogs and the fate of vicious dogs (euthanasia); Loss shows owners who tell their stories of grief over the loss of their beloved dogs; Betrayal shows the ugly side of the homeless dogs problems in the United States.  Be prepared for actual footage of a gas chamber and meet people who are involved in dog rescue including liberating dogs from a Tennessee puppy mill.

Highly recommended, here are a couple of clips from the documentary thanks to YouTube:

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Posted in dog adoption, Dogs

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