Tag Archives: animals

Doggy quote of the month for July

Posted on June 30, 2021 | Leave a comment

Man has much power of discourse which for the most part is vain and false; animals have but little, but it is useful and true, and a small truth is better than a great lie.

– Leonardo da Vinci

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Posted in dog quotes, Dogs

Tagged animals, Leonardo da Vinci

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Doggy quote of the month for September

Brigitte Bardot quote

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Posted on August 30, 2019 in dog quotes, Dogs

Tagged animals, Brigitte Bardot, purity

Home’s Best Friend – airing at the Oscars

Posted on February 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

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Posted in animal welfare, dogs in advertising

Tagged Adopt a Pet, animals, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Homes for Dogs, oscars, project partnership, YouTube

Spa weekends

Posted on September 22, 2013 | 1 comment

In my opinion, part of owning an older dog means ensuring you devote time to them for bonding, love, attention and care.

Daisy and I are just finishing a Spa Weekend.

Daisy’s spa weekend started on Friday with a regular acupuncture session. Daisy gets acupuncture every 5 weeks:

Daisy is happy to lay still while Dr Susanne Anderson places her acupuncture needles

On Saturday, it was then time for Daisy’s hydrotherapy session. Daisy swims every fortnight (2 weeks) to keep her muscles strong and to keep range of motion in her hind legs:

And today (Sunday), it was time for Daisy to enjoy a massage and laser treatment – lovingly delivered by me – her personal massage therapist and DoggyMom:

The only thing that was missing from Daisy’s spa weekend was a bath. But that’s because she had a bath last weekend!

How do you spend quality time with your elderly dog?

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Posted in dog care

Tagged acupuncture, animals, bath, Dr Susanne Anderson, health, hydrotherapy, laser therapy, massage

Dog and pony show?

Posted on September 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

Today, in conversation, I used the term ‘dog and pony show’ as in ‘David and Larry are going to do a dog and pony show on xxx.’ And then I got a question I didn’t expect – ‘what does that mean?’

The term dates back to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when there were many traveling circuses to entertain. It was often the dog and pony show that was promoted as a headline act.

Quite literally, this was when dogs and ponies/horses would perform together – often wearing costumes and decorations.

As time has gone on, ‘to do a dog and pony show’ means to publicize a presentation that is designed to impress or sell a product. It’s debatable about whether the saying is one of scorn – some dog and pony shows could be well-researched and professional as well as glitzy, others not.

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Posted in dog quotes, Dogs

Tagged animals, Dog, dog and pony show, pony, traveling circuses

Going postal

Posted on September 10, 2013 | 1 comment

A mailman meets a boy and a huge dog. ‘Does your dog bite?’ asks the mailman. ‘No,’ replies the boy. And the dog bites the mailman’s leg. ‘You said he doesn’t bite!’ yells the mailman. ‘That’s not my dog,’ replies the boy.

Letter carriers and other delivery personnel regularly face a hazard when delivering to properties with untrained or unrestrained dogs. Although there are many cartoons and jokes about dogs and postal workers, the issue is no laughing matter.

In the United States last year, nearly 5,900 letter carriers were bitten by dogs. Letter carriers are encouraged to report homes with dogs that appear menacing and they may choose not to deliver to a property or even a neighbourhood if dogs are running loose.

Ken Snavely, Acting Postmaster of Los Angeles, says, ‘Working with animal behavior experts, the Postal Service has developed tips to avoid dog attacks, and for dog owners, tips for practicing responsible pet ownership.’

These tips include:

How to be a Responsible Dog Owner

Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior and help owners control their dogs in any situation.
Dogs can be protective of their territory and may interpret the actions of a letter carrier as a threat. Please take precautions when accepting mail in the presence of your pet.
When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room or on a leash.
Dogs that haven’t been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.

The US Postal Service also keeps statistics on dog bites, with the City of Los Angeles topping the list of incidents.

Fiscal Year 2012 U.S. Postal Service Dog Attack City Ranking

Ranking	City, State	Attacks
1	Los Angeles, CA	69
2	San Antonio, TX and Seattle, WA	42
3	Chicago, IL	41
4	San Francisco, CA	38
5	Philadelphia, PA	34
6	Detroit, MI	33
7	St. Louis, MO	32
8	Baltimore, MD and Sacramento, CA	29
9	Houston, TX and Minneapolis, MN	27
10	Cleveland and Dayton, OH	26
11	Buffalo and Brooklyn, NY	24
12	Denver, CO	23
13	Dallas, TX and Tacoma, WA	21
14	Wichita, KS	20

Source: US Postal Service media statement

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Posted in dog care, dog ownership

Tagged animals, dog bite prevention, dog bites, dog training, Los Angeles, mailman, postal workers, postman, responsible dog ownership, US Postal Service

Bag balm

Posted on August 25, 2013 | 1 comment

Bag Balm® is a tried and true product that has been around since 1899. Originally designed as a salve for irritated cow udders, it is also a great product for your dog.

Bag Balm® contains lanolin and is ideal for irritated and dry noses, healing/softening of paw pads and minor scratches. For dog walkers with chapped hands in the winter – it’s also great!

In my canine massage practice, I deal with a lot of elderly dogs and when they are not ambulatory, the skin on their paw pads can build up and become rough and cracked. Bag Balm® works wonders.

I have no concerns in endorsing this product for your dog. In a pet market that is flooded with products, isn’t it nice to know that something pure and effective has been around for over 100 years?

***This is not a paid endorsement. I purchased this product for use in my canine massage practice***

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Posted in dog care, products for dogs

Tagged animals, Bag Balm, chapped hands, dog walkers, lanolin, paw pads, rough noses, skin irritations

And baby makes four…

Posted on August 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

Today, new photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with baby Prince George were released. The family dog, Lupo, also featured.

I’d like to salute the royals for proving that the addition of a new baby isn’t a reason for ditching the family dog. Every day, here in New Zealand, there are ads in Trade Me which read ‘Free to a good home – we have a baby now and don’t have the time…’

Bringing a dog into the family should be a life commitment, as is bringing a child into the world. Please be a good example to your children and do not treat the family dog as disposable. And remember – the dog was there first!

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Posted in dog ownership

Tagged animals, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, lifestyle, Lupo, new baby, Prince George, royal baby

Dog fighting: the voiceless victims

Posted on August 15, 2013 | 3 comments

Dog fighting is a crime and one where the victims (the dogs) have no voice. Luckily, animal welfare agencies such as the ASPCA are involved in investigating and prosecuting cases.

Successful prosecution is not easy – it takes a lot of effort to investigate and raid dog fighting rings. Increasingly, dogs who are rescued are assessed for behaviour and may be directed to welfare agencies for rehabilitation rather than immediate euthanasia.

These photos were taken at the dog fighting temporary exhibit sponsored by the ASPCA at the Crime Museum in Washington DC. They give a small glimpse into the plight of dogs used for fighting…

Scales such as these are used to weigh fighting dogs before they enter the ring

The investigation into Michael Vick’s kennels was a turning point in many ways; for the first time there was an offender who had the finances to pay reparation that would support rehabilitation of fighting dogs.