tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49349440787247128102024-03-24T00:10:11.223-07:00Finding Fuzzybutt FourA Blog about "Raising Indiana" (Hudson's little brother), Pet Adoption, Responsible Pet Ownership, and how to raise & train a happy, healthy, social dog. We're going to discuss serious topics in the animal health, training and behavioral world and have a little fun, too.2 Fuzzybutts and a Big Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460613932152973920noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-82334819834372520492012-04-02T05:54:00.001-07:002012-04-02T05:55:01.979-07:00Thank YouTo everyone who not only helped find Indiana, our Fuzzybutt number Four, but subsequently helped find homes for so many other fuzzybutts in need. We accomplished a lot on this blog but I have to focus now on the<a href="http://2dogs2000miles.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-am-2-dogs-2000-miles.html" target="_blank"> mission</a> now.<br />
<br />
I'll be phasing this blog out over the coming weeks. Thank you for your contributions, passion, and commitment to animal welfare. Keep the faith & puppy up!2 Fuzzybutts and a Big Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460613932152973920noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-16670621952951032422012-02-16T16:26:00.003-08:002012-02-16T16:34:59.355-08:00Adopting Sonic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5TV98NAbrrq87V2HyI7FIowI_HMqEBulzVhPycg-_ywclks0eIg-rsytGMxosaXRShbQk8Wr3ohiUaCWNLOvLwtQ9sGB-57zGPsf44yAejeoey6FhX1CRLJZ1Ad54iq1CWDSA1-6TDc/s1600/DSC_1183.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709895121761884530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5TV98NAbrrq87V2HyI7FIowI_HMqEBulzVhPycg-_ywclks0eIg-rsytGMxosaXRShbQk8Wr3ohiUaCWNLOvLwtQ9sGB-57zGPsf44yAejeoey6FhX1CRLJZ1Ad54iq1CWDSA1-6TDc/s320/DSC_1183.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span> </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Don't miss the Raising Indiana interview with P.E.T.S. LLC owner, Kyle Peterson, at <a href="http://raisingindianana.blogspot.com/">http://raisingindianana.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">P.E.T.S. LLC was an important aspect of Sonic finding his way to his forever family with Emily. Thanks Kyle & P.E.T.S. LLC! </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Adopting<br />Sonic.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Author,<br />Emily Booth<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For the past<br />two years all I have heard about from my fiancé is how the first thing that we<br />were going to do as a couple once we had our own home was to adopt a dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have both always had a pet in our homes<br />growing up and really wanted our very own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we even signed the papers on our first home we were searching<br />petfinder and other similar sites for our perfect dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After researching endless options – anyone<br />who knows me will tell you that I over-research everything – we decided we<br />really wanted to rescue a dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had<br />already decided that a young, untrained puppy was not something we would have<br />the time for at the time and decided to start searching for a year or two old dog<br />that needed rescuing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even begin<br />to count the number of rescues I contacted in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state> alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw so many dogs online that they were<br />honestly all starting to blend together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Initially we had decided that we would only adopt a dog that was located<br />in CT as we felt strongly about ensuring that we had a connection with the dog<br />we chose… I knew I would feel terrible if we had a dog transported here and it<br />simply wasn’t a good match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Jim saw<br />Sonic online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about his<br />picture jumped out at us, and for the first time we actually got excited about<br />a specific dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a friend that<br />evening and couldn’t stop talking about this goofy looking dog that we found<br />online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I contacted the rescue that<br />sponsored the listing and was eventually led to speak with the foster family…in<st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tennessee</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hesitant but something told me I had to<br />find out more about this awesome looking dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spoke with Sheila (Sonic’s foster) extensively and the more she<br />described Sonic the more I knew this was the dog for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell that Sheila truly loved Sonic<br />because of the passion she had when telling me all about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt confident that she was being honest<br />with me about not only Sonic’s high points but also kept me informed on the<br />areas he still needed training on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I<br />told her about our lifestyle and what we were looking for and in the end we<br />both decided that Sonic belonged with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in the end, despite the fact that we went<br />into the process not looking to transport a dog from out of state, that is what<br />we ended up doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We now have the most<br />amazing dog that we could have ever asked for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sonic is happy, energetic, lovable, and is loving experiencing his new<br />environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are so thrilled that we<br />made the decision to rescue a dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We<br />ended up working with rescue organizations, a foster family, and a transport<br />service that really cares about making sure that dogs receive the family that<br />is the perfect match for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Transporting Sonic was extremely easy and<br />relatively stress free for all involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being able to view the transport service online eased any of our<br />concerns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Sonic arrived in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state> I could tell<br />that although he was a bit anxious, he was healthy and well cared for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still remember hearing his adorable howl<br />when they opened the transport door!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The<br />transport team ensured that each dog was united with their forever family and<br />any questions were immediately answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we begin looking for a second dog for our family I will absolutely<br />be looking out of state for our next amazing rescue dog!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Emily Booth<br />is Sonic’s loving forever mom and makes her home with her fiancé in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As Sonic’s<br />foster mom I cannot thank Emily and her fiancé enough for opening their life<br />and home to a dog from another state, especially the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When rescuers, fosters, potential adopters<br />and reliable transport services work together thousands of otherwise unwanted<br />animals gain a new chance at love and life!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A huge thank<br />you goes out to Kyle & Pam Peterson from P.E.T.S. LLC for saving over<br />34,000 animals since 2004, and helping to connect Sonic with his forever<br />family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For more<br />information visit <a href="http://www.petsllc.net/index.php">http://www.petsllc.net/index.php</a></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-32457949049135891302012-01-23T18:38:00.000-08:002012-01-24T11:49:09.171-08:00Upcoming Raising Indiana Guests<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Raising <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state> airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on </span><a href="http://raisingindiana.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://raisingindiana.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">So who’s going to be Indy’s guest in 2012?</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">January 26<sup>th</sup></b>--Part 3 of our fantastic interview <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">with Patricia McConnell, PhD</b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr. McConnell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), highly-sought after dog trainer, speaker and the author of much-acclaimed books including <u>The Other End of the Leash.</u></span></span><br />
<u><a href="http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></u><br />
<u><a href="http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></u><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">February 2<sup>nd</sup>--Ian Dunbar, PhD<sup> <o:p></o:p></sup></span></span></b></div><sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr. Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist and dog trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Dunbar is the author of numerous books and DVD series including <u>AFTER You Get Your Puppy.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1982, Dr. Dunbar designed and taught the world’s first off-lead puppy socialization & training class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re speaking to Dr. Dunbar as SIRIUS Puppy Training celebrates its 30th birthday!<o:p></o:p></span></span></sup><br />
<sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.siriuspup.com/index.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.siriuspup.com/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></sup><br />
<sup><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.dogstardaily.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.dogstardaily.com/</span></a></span></sup><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></sup><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 9<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Kyle Peterson with P.E.T.S. LLC Transport <o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kyle and Pam Peterson’s animal transport company has saved the lives of 34,326 pets since their</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>beginning in 2003!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chat with the star of Animal Planet’s <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last Chance Highway</i></st1:address></st1:street> about animal<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>rescue, long-haul drives and his love of puppies.</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.petsllc.net/index.php"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.petsllc.net/index.php</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We have a cool blog addition to this podcast that follows the life on a rescued dog in <st1:state w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:state>, Sonic, through his foster home (with me and my family), his journey with P.E.T.S. LLC to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state> and his life with his new forever family! </span></div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Valentine’s Day Special—February 16<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Sheryl Matthys of leashesandlovers.com <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Should we set Luke up with an online dating profile?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Valentine’s Day Special Podcast is all about </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">the love and connection pet owners share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sheryl Matthys is the founder of leashes and lovers online </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">match-making service and author of the book by the same name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want to miss this Raising </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state> podcast!</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><a href="http://leashesandlovers.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://leashesandlovers.com/</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">February 23<sup>rd</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Jackie Obando, DVM<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Obando was born in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region> where she studied veterinary medicine, afterward traveling to <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> to </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">further study homeopathy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chat with Dr. Obando about homeopathic therapies and raw food</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">nutrition.</span><br />
<a href="http://mercyvet.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://mercyvet.com/</span></a><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 1<sup>st</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Jill Gainer with Nature’s Variety <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Nature’s Variety is a natural pet food company passionate about providing proper, holistic nutrition </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">for our pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our conversation with Ms. Gainer continues a theme on Raising Indiana to provide</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">accurate information about the importance of what our pets eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your dog has allergy be sure to tune in!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.naturesvariety.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.naturesvariety.com/</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 8<sup>th</sup>--Cathy Ball, <st1:city w:st="on">VMD</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">MS</st1:state> with CEVA Animal Health</span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">How do I prevent fleas and ticks is a common question we hear at Raising Indiana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Ball </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">discusses how the CEVA Animal Health line of products including Vectra for Dogs and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Vectra3D can help prevent fleas and ticks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hudson</st1:city></st1:place> tested and approved!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.summitvetpharm.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.summitvetpharm.com</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 15<sup>th</sup>--Linda Westin from Friends of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cookeville</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Putnam</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Animals <o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">President of the FOCPCA, Mrs. Westin, has exciting news about the first-of-its-kind P.E.T. Care </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Campus being designed and built in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cookeville</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:state></st1:place> from funds raised by this non-profit</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shelter Directors, Humane Society Directors and animal welfare caregivers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">should not miss this podcast!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.friendsofcpcanimals.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.friendsofcpcanimals.org/</span></a><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 22<sup>nd</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Dr. Jean Dodds of Hemopet <o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Dodds founded Hemopet, a non-profit animal blood bank & greyhound rescue/</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">adoption program, in 1986.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a highly-respected authority of endocrine disorders</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">in dogs, titer testing and vaccinations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be speaking with Dr. Dodds regarding the later topic—</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">vaccinations of our pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Dodds will return to Raising Indiana later in the year to discuss her</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">other various expertises.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.hemopet.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.hemopet.org/</span></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We had an overwhelming response of audience questions for Dr. Dodds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be presenting an accompanying blog for this podcast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Dodds was kind enough to answer all of our questions there.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">**We want to disclaim that Raising Indiana is not against vaccinating our companion animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the safety of our pet population it is important that the majority of the herd population be vaccinated against common diseases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please discuss all vaccine options with your veterinainian.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">March 29<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Lisa Spector<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Luke is in his element with Lisa Spector from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Through a Dog’s Ear</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you know Luke used to sing opera </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">to his first dog, Malcolm?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, we can’t wait to discuss the applied theories of calming your pet in </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">various situations with classical music!</span><br />
<a href="http://throughadogsear.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://throughadogsear.com/</span></a><br />
<a href="http://throughadogsear.com/lisa-spectors-blog/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://throughadogsear.com/lisa-spectors-blog/</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">April 5<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">--Robert Mueller, co-founder of BARF World<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We so enjoyed our first podcast with Mr. Mueller that we jumped at the chance to have him back to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">discuss disease and diet with Luke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Catch up with the first interview here:</b> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBW2ZfCrLg0&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=9&feature=plcp"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBW2ZfCrLg0&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=9&feature=plcp</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">h<a href="http://www.barfworld.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">ttp://www.barfworld.com/</span></a></div><a href="http://www.barfworld.com/blog/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.barfworld.com/blog/</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">This has been a popular topic with many audience questions that Mr. Mueller will answer in an accompanying blog post.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">April 12<sup>t--</sup> Nick Dodman, BVMS from Tufts’ <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cummings</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> of Veterinary Medicine<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr. Dodman will be joining us and Indy to discuss his books <u>The Well-Adjusted Dog</u> and <u>Puppy’s<o:p></o:p></u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>First Steps</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Dodman is one of the world’s most celebrated veterinary behaviorists and prolific</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">authors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also has a book about dogs behaving badly—watch out Indy!<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.thepetdocs.com/who_nick.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.thepetdocs.com/who_nick.html</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">April 19<sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">-- Susan Lauten, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We are so excited for Dr. Lauten’s Raising Indiana podcast on nutrition!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As our pets grow and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">mature one of the most defining aspects on their health is nutrition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Lauten began Pet Nutrition Consulting in 2001, and she works daily with veterinary specialists, pet owners and veterinarians to provide the appropriate nutritional recommendations.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.petnutritionconsulting.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.petnutritionconsulting.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">April 26<sup>th</sup>--Dog Scouts of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Dog Scouts of America was founded in 1995 as a non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">pet owners and their dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to be fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DSA has so many fun programs and events—</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">they love learning new things & so does Indy!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.dogscouts.org/MI_camp_photos_C899.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.dogscouts.org/MI_camp_photos_C899.html</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">May 3<sup>rd</sup></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">-- Kat Martin<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Kat Martin from <st1:city w:st="on">Nashville</st1:city>’s Dogs and Kat has been voted <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Nashville</st1:city></st1:place>’s Best Dog Trainer 4 years in a row! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Not to mention that she runs the very fabulous See Spot Eat boutique and treat shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll chat with Kat about puppy socialization and training.</span><br />
<a href="http://dogsandkat.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://dogsandkat.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Indy, Luke and myself have many more exciting guests coming up on future Raising Indiana podcasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Don’t forget we’ve had amazing experts on for previous podcasts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Stanley Coren and Dr. Sharon Startup, to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can listen to all the past podcasts at </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana</span></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Raising <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state></st1:place> airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on </span><a href="http://raisingindiana.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://raisingindiana.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Here’s to Raising Indiana and all of our pets to be the best they can be!</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Raising <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state> Producer, Sheila Rinks</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in;"><br />
</div>2 Fuzzybutts and a Big Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460613932152973920noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-44942947894231305952012-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:02:47.296-08:00Who Needs Words?<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span><span style="color: #333333;">Who Needs Words? Crows? You? Wild Gorillas? Alison<br />
Krauss?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="addthisdynamicwrapper2"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span><u> </u> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="addthisdynamicwrapper2"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #30659c; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" stroked="f"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><v:formulas><span style="color: #333333;"> </span> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="" button="t" href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/who-needs-words-crows-you-wild-gorillas-alison-krauss/##" id="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 0.75pt; width: 0.75pt;" title="'" type="#_x0000_t75"><br />
<v:imagedata href="http://a.abcnews.com/blogs/technology/wp-content/themes/abc/img/transparent.gif" src="file:///C:\Users\sheila\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif"><br />
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="color: #30659c;">A wo</span>nderful piece<br />
by Bill Blakemore and ABC News.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Thanks to Jan Casey for sharing. </span>Read the<br />
entire article at the link below.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">"B</span></o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">ut various<br />
mammals, including not only dolphins and whales but African wild dogs and<br />
Norwegian rats, many species of bird, and even spiders and insects are now<br />
being discovered by scientists around the world to have complex vocalizations<br />
and other sound-wave communication systems so complex that old notions that<br />
human language is somehow fundamentally unique are being thrown in doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It’s also opening<br />
up a broad new field in which scientists are exploring that ancient question:<br />
whether and how the mental experience of animals is different from ours:<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Are animals’<br />
thought-processes, self-reflections, feelings for others, sense of enjoyment,<br />
and even possible moral systems and consciousness itself (whatever that is)<br />
different only by degree and complexity from ours, or is there a more<br />
fundamental divide?<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">These expanding<br />
scientific studies can also be great fun. Animals tickle our fancy in many<br />
ways, and often fascinate us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white; line-height: 11.25pt;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Most recently, the<br />
fact that countless millions of humans around the world click on thousands of<br />
videos of animal behavior found on the World Wide Web is itself evidence of<br />
some form of intense communication in them — often without “words” or any other<br />
sounds from the animals."<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/who-needs-words-crows-you-wild-gorillas-alison-krauss/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/who-needs-words-crows-you-wild-gorillas-alison-krauss/</span></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">by Bill Blakemore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of ABC News and Bill Blakemore</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-82860110595438463782012-01-20T11:56:00.000-08:002012-01-20T11:56:50.888-08:00Novartis Suspends Production of Some Medications<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWnd07cA4SON9zCUdsSKkXlbcqFGxOdSJA_uZ_YeEjvVGhCC8AUT0QrqOFLtUbaePwYTU4b7lb3IoN8Qvs8dgj9t6dvHR_aiw-k2FODytmgQL_fRGALlHTr53iuo0Eyc0E1I2tu7D-Dus/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWnd07cA4SON9zCUdsSKkXlbcqFGxOdSJA_uZ_YeEjvVGhCC8AUT0QrqOFLtUbaePwYTU4b7lb3IoN8Qvs8dgj9t6dvHR_aiw-k2FODytmgQL_fRGALlHTr53iuo0Eyc0E1I2tu7D-Dus/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><b></b><br />
<b>Novartis Suspends Production of Interceptor, Sentinel,<br />
Program, Clomicalm and Deramaxx<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">January 18, 2012<o:p></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Please discuss all<br />
medication options and changes with your pet’s doctor—even natural supplements,<br />
over-the-counter meds and store bought flea and tick treatments. And don't miss our upcoming Raising Indiana conversation with Cathy Ball with Vectra3D regarding medications and flea/tick treatments.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Over the past month<br />
Novartis closed an important manufacturing plant in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Lincoln</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Nebraska</st1:state></st1:place><br />
in response to consumer complaints it has received regarding a number of its<br />
leading human consumer medications. The FDA issued a highly critical report of<br />
that plant (<a href="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofGlobalRegulatoryOperationsandPolicy/ORA/ORAElectronicReadingRoom/UCM285976.pdf" target="_blank" title="FDA Novartis Inspection Report">see here</a>) after an<br />
inspection in June of last year. On January 8th, Novartis announced in a<a href="http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2012/1575836.shtml" target="_blank" title="Novartis Announces Voluntary Recall"> press release</a><br />
that it was voluntarily recalling a number of its leading human products<br />
produced at the plant including Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X while it<br />
strengthens quality standards. On January 5th, Novartis sent a letter to<br />
veterinarians informing them that it was suspending production and shipments of<br />
the following Novartis Animal Health (NAH) brands including Interceptor Flavor<br />
Tabs, Sentinel Flavor Tabs, Clomicalm, Program Tablets and Suspension, and<br />
Milbemite. The letter also noted that production of Deramaxx which was just<br />
recently moved to the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city><br />
plant will also be affected although the company will continue to ship that<br />
product from existing inventory.<o:p></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">The production<br />
suspension is leaving pet owners looking for these products subject to the<br />
inventory on hand with their local veterinarian and with discount suppliers<br />
such as VetDepot.com As those supplies are exhausted, veterinarians will be<br />
obligated to prescribe competing substitutes such as <a href="http://www.vetdepot.com/heartgard.html" target="_blank" title="Heartgard">Heartgard</a>,<br />
<a href="http://www.vetdepot.com/trifexis-for-dogs.html" target="_blank" title="Trifexis for Dogs">Trifexis</a>, <a href="http://www.vetdepot.com/advantage-multi.html" target="_blank" title="Advantage Multi">Advantage Multi</a>, and <a href="http://www.vetdepot.com/rimadyl.html" target="_blank" title="Rimadyl">Rimadyl</a>.<br />
After learning about the situation, some consumers are asking for alternatives<br />
even when stocks are on hand. Novartis has not given an indication of when<br />
production might resume however they have stated that the recent actions were<br />
coordinated with the involvement of health authorities. With the FDA’s<br />
involvement, there is the possibility that the closure could be lengthy if it<br />
reaches the level of problems recently experienced at facilities owned by<br />
Johnson & Johnson, Genzyme, and Hospira.<o:p></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of http://blog.vetdepot.com/novartis-suspends-production-of-interceptor-sentinel-program-clomicalm-and-deramaxx<br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-89714423392079513262012-01-19T15:56:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:25:54.045-08:00Motion Sickness<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaZUgsxz8DUGXIQsXYgGA6wUrQoI24Wzksf9KKLpDOnn7f-4wzYAPqsGcXNovAZziBSHGgN8MYNzgaGngX2beQlfB2E4tdmLg0MJI6sXUXRsnLCu5jyLLZsv4Ax-rW7wlwvXzbqIn6T4/s1600/IMG_0568b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699493952676500754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaZUgsxz8DUGXIQsXYgGA6wUrQoI24Wzksf9KKLpDOnn7f-4wzYAPqsGcXNovAZziBSHGgN8MYNzgaGngX2beQlfB2E4tdmLg0MJI6sXUXRsnLCu5jyLLZsv4Ax-rW7wlwvXzbqIn6T4/s320/IMG_0568b.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 261px;" /></a><br />
<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> Bailey enjoying a fall car ride</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We had just turned into our subdivision--the finish line of<br />
a successful car ride and visit to Dr. B in sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at him in the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">rearview mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked back with that familiar expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We weren’t going to make it…</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motion sickness is more commonly seen in puppies than adult<br />
dogs primarily because the ear structures used for balance are not fully<br />
matured yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many adult dogs that<br />
still experience motion sickness long after the ear structures develop<br />
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Bailey is one of those dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Whether puppy or adult there are a few things you can do to<br />
make travel easier and more fun for you and your pooch.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">First schedule an appointment with your pet’s veterinarian<br />
for a physical and to discuss the issue. </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Granted getting to those<br />
first few appointments may be a little stressful so consider </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">crating your dog or placing several old towels or blankets down </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to make clean up easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also often helpful if the pet faces<br />
forward during travel to eliminate sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>A secure doggie seat belt will help with proper placement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If Sadie is riding in the front passenger seat please be aware that </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">passenger airbags can pose a danger to pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And remember, your dog is not nauseous on<br />
purpose (would you be?) so never punish or ridicule a pet with motion<br />
sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A simple “That’s okay, we’ll<br />
clean it up when we get home.” or “Does your tummy feel better now?” in a<br />
soothing voice may make you & the dog feel a little better. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Teach Sadie that car rides are a wonderful experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the car parked </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">and engine off, lead Sadie close to it and offer a yummy treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Now open the car door and offer the yummy treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Working slowly </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">over several days or weeks (at your dog’s comfort level) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>place Sadie in<br />
the car or have her jump into the seat as yummy treats rain down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">When your pooch learns that the car is a fun place, start the engine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">You’ll slowly add backing down the driveway and touring your </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">neighborhood before venturing out for longer trips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Move at a pace<br />
comfortable for Sadie and her tummy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she does suffer nausea don’t </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">become frustrated, simply go back one step and<br />
work forward from there.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once your dog has the hang of things you may want to phase out </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the yummy treats since an empty tummy is best for travel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">If it’s safe, crack or open the car windows slightly when<br />
traveling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will help equalize air pressure in the vehicle and allow </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">fresh air to circulate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping the car cool will help, too.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Bailey and I once traveled two hours in 15 degree weather with </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">three windows open (we repeated the 2 hour trip the next day with 4 inches </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">of snow on the ground).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, all heat vents were pointed in my<br />
direction and on full blast!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping fresh air moving is key to keeping </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Bailey’s tummy happy—my toes can thaw out later.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Ginger has a calming effect on tummies, so you might try<br />
offering one or two gingersnap cookies 15 minutes before your next car trip.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Try changing vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe your pooch has grown to associate </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">mom’s SUV with motion sickness but dad’s sedan makes a car trip </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">easier on her tummy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have a friend whose dog must ride in the family truck, on the </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">middle of the backseat, facing forward. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Making your destination a fun one will help build a positive<br />
reinforcer that car travel equals fun trips to the dog park, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">hiking and pet store for browsing for a new toy.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">If you have more than one dog, try putting both dogs in the<br />
car together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some pooches feel more<br />
secure if their playmate is with them on car trips.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">If these suggestions do not relieve the problem then you may<br />
want to discuss the option of medication with your vet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Never give Sadie any medication, even over-the-counter,<br />
without first discussing it with your vet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Anti-nausea drugs, antihistamines and phenothiazine all work to calm<br />
nervous tummies and riders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as with<br />
any medication therapy, it should be an owner’s last option for treatment.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bailey is in the small percentage of pooches for which the above classical </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">conditioning and natural remedies have not been effective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He<br />
does require medication for even the shortest trips.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A little patience, practice, planning (car trips are not<br />
spontaneous for Bailey) and a positive attitude can help both </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">pooch and owner overcome motion sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">***We should note that some dogs may have a learned fear of<br />
travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may foul a vehicle through<br />
no fault of their own but because of a previous traumatic experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Maybe they were dumped onto a roadside from a<br />
car?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with motion sickness, the animal<br />
should never be punished for this behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Please speak with your vet about this behavior, seek help from a<br />
certified animal behaviorist and ask your local positive reinforcement trainer<br />
for tips on classical conditioning.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
Photo courtesy of Amy Callahan Photography <a href="http://amycallahan.com/">http://amycallahan.com/</a><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div></span><br />
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</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-84266388395980190452012-01-19T10:32:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:22:53.690-08:00Raising Indiana<div>Hey Puppers! Don't forget that Indy has his own website now-- <a href="http://raisingindiana.com/">http://raisingindiana.com</a> My how they grow up fast!</div><div></div><div>And tonight we have Part 2 of our interview with Dr. Patricia McConnell of <a href="http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/">http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/</a>. Dr. McConnell is THE source of positive information for training and animal behavior.</div><div></div><div>You can find all of our previous podcasts at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana">http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana</a>.</div><div></div><div>If you haven't heard Raising Indiana yet... what are you waiting for?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-89955229214693026942012-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:26:34.201-08:00The Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty Part 2<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD_2Sr-75D79sCqHdM_TwtcWiRHH3YfoxZMyDYGlZprHFwsEXjtBVLGY1ZPauZcql97rrmu4wzT5HHSVy7Sul-oNwoWYTRmaDrMTXJnRFvs6X4QKF-oc-__arMly1ujASb1XHY-TzzFA/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698816775871736786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD_2Sr-75D79sCqHdM_TwtcWiRHH3YfoxZMyDYGlZprHFwsEXjtBVLGY1ZPauZcql97rrmu4wzT5HHSVy7Sul-oNwoWYTRmaDrMTXJnRFvs6X4QKF-oc-__arMly1ujASb1XHY-TzzFA/s320/IMG_0482.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bailey was adopted from our local animal shelter so I know<br />
nothing of those critical early weeks of life when puppies should be properly<br />
introduced to the world and socialized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>I also have no genetic history of his parents or grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some experts, such as Dr. Stanley<br />
Coren and Dr. Ian Dunbar, who suggest that if an animal is not properly<br />
socialized and nurtured before the age of three months that the animal may have<br />
a learned behavioral deficit if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Was Bailey doomed by being a shelter puppy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was there anything I could do to make up for<br />
the lack of nurture and love that I assume he missed between birth and three<br />
months?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to second guess the experts<br />
but all of my current pets, minus Jack-Jack, were acquired after the critical<br />
adjustment and learning period that experts speak of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I would classify most as “normal”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could they be better?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>But so could I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot worry<br />
for a period of Bailey’s life that I had no control over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only move forward with him.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">At nine months of age I saw the first marker of rage from<br />
Bailey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uncontrollable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of ordinary and out of character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Frightening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life changing.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">I was looking at not a sweet Retriever, nor a gentle <st1:place st="on">Pyrenees</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was<br />
watching what can best be described as the rage and “red zone” actions of a typical<br />
bully breed pushed beyond reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to<br />
stereo type bully breeds, all breeds can exhibit “red zone” behavior.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We had, had dog fights before in our home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With two adult male (neutered) dogs, fights<br />
were not common or severe but we were schooled in the proper handling of fighting<br />
animals to ensure safety for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But<br />
that day in the backyard I knew more would be needed of me to help Bailey.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Always interested in animal behavior and training, I threw<br />
myself into learning all I could. </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">I knew that I was Bailey’s only hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had adopted him, I loved him, and I had an<br />
emotional bond with him that if rehomed his next owner might not have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned that dogs who are rehomed have a<br />
high rate of being returned to shelters or worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easily explained by thinking that the<br />
first owner loved an animal and each consecutive owner may love or care a<br />
little less about the animal until the pet becomes a burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not to say that rehoming should never<br />
be an option for owners or that those owners are failures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The exact opposite is true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rehoming may save an animal’s life when the<br />
only other option is euthanasia due to aggression or biting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But those animals should only be placed with<br />
experienced owners fully capable of handling those behavioral issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bailey is now three years old and the tantrums, as we will<br />
call his actions for the sake of story telling, continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have learned that he has resource guarding<br />
issues—food, his owners, toys, cardboard boxes, pretty much anything…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also discovered that two of our dogs<br />
readily back down to Bailey’s growls and warnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deciding it is better to let the crazy dog have<br />
his card board box than fight over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>That leaves Supermax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does not<br />
back down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He prefers to think the box<br />
should belong to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Until recently Bailey has ignored our two cats, Lazarus<br />
& Jack-Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he does not want<br />
the kitties near his “things” or even near him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>If the kitties take one step too far down the hall then all hell breaks<br />
loose.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">I cannot figure out why Bailey’s wrath is now fully focused<br />
in on the cats.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">But I saw equal part odd and funny thing yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behind my back I heard the familiar growling<br />
and chasing of Bailey after a kitty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We<br />
have adopted an “Ignore” treatment when he misbehaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We simply remove Bailey from the situation<br />
without a word and place him in his “time out” area for 10-15 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked Bailey away from the scene to his<br />
spot of thought and ponder, I heard the spitting and growling of Jack-Jack fast<br />
approaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack-Jack had decided to<br />
retaliate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was all puffed up, bushy<br />
tailed and spitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He chased Bailey<br />
right out the back door.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">It gave me a new perspective on this Saga.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe Pupper vs. Kitty is not correct at<br />
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it should be the Saga of<br />
Kitty vs. Pupper.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Recommended <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Reading</st1:place></st1:city><br />
for this week- Mine! By Jean Donaldson available at <a href="http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB740">http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB740</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-63326822364332816142012-01-17T18:35:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:27:04.385-08:00Lissette<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzOgp5p3AZAJPcuj-o8qXC_C4YPRTDOzt2sJVgH83Z9KnfwkKVxKmBeVG4z6qiRjgYb-Ec34p51uxMPDhmMTIHK1NsHstqaodeMBSBmmrkQlw9LO6lsuMOIczMswruI1_iUgfWgjb-mo/s1600/86423036.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698793242523129746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzOgp5p3AZAJPcuj-o8qXC_C4YPRTDOzt2sJVgH83Z9KnfwkKVxKmBeVG4z6qiRjgYb-Ec34p51uxMPDhmMTIHK1NsHstqaodeMBSBmmrkQlw9LO6lsuMOIczMswruI1_iUgfWgjb-mo/s320/86423036.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 306px;" /></a><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYj_4z1jwhkPRSRVNTBIZi_qQAiMRulv-_Q0lLGl9Zo8eM-eqCeDX_EEmgbsgMAH88RSba0MZiqLe10yMXumTzPv4ug93yhFEW5ioV1TyLxjtKk8KnUJ4RPDcCnEzCRpppp9LUx1xM1Q/s1600/86310569a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698793240005347666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYj_4z1jwhkPRSRVNTBIZi_qQAiMRulv-_Q0lLGl9Zo8eM-eqCeDX_EEmgbsgMAH88RSba0MZiqLe10yMXumTzPv4ug93yhFEW5ioV1TyLxjtKk8KnUJ4RPDcCnEzCRpppp9LUx1xM1Q/s320/86310569a.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 282px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-HGjxJCRR3fCgVmJnboeFob7Vd6Ti1qkI7Phyqjd1mg3UTbwYERKSCyS-MQK0k6qYRCpizoDbXV2GDmf_nmUAM2TPhyphenhyphenyLkKccaqMuFgfaPLoj-YYegxZx4YYF66dhmlVvEKCudcnuic/s1600/86310569.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698793236378293522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-HGjxJCRR3fCgVmJnboeFob7Vd6Ti1qkI7Phyqjd1mg3UTbwYERKSCyS-MQK0k6qYRCpizoDbXV2GDmf_nmUAM2TPhyphenhyphenyLkKccaqMuFgfaPLoj-YYegxZx4YYF66dhmlVvEKCudcnuic/s320/86310569.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 302px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We have a new addition in our home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lissette, a </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Great Pyrenees/Deerhound mix, is our newest foster dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">What a beauty she is, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside and out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At only a year old </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">she is a curious combination of puppy and elegance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s<br />
lithe and spirited just as a Deerhound should be, but turn </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">her loose in the backyard after nightfall and she is all Great Pyrenees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">That is a very polite way of saying she has the vocal chords of a </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">large guardian breed and she isn’t afraid to use them.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Lissette came to us from a local rescue group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was rescued from an </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">area shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her life before the shelter is a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is well </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">groomed and housebroken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could she have been an<br />
adored pet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her left ear bears an odd split at the tip-an exact cut, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">not a tear and well healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she marked in some way by a farmer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">She is severely underweight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was she a stray without food or the victim of<br />
the slow economy with a family no longer able to feed her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her trusting </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">ease with humans and other animals does not suggest she was abused </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">or neglected but then one never knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does any of this really matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">She’s safe now with a happy, healthy future ahead.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She is inside as I write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And very curious about her<br />
surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My four huntsmen, as I affectionately call my Great Pyrenees, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">are so settled in their ways and know what is expected of them </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(not that they always deliver) that life moves at a predictable speed </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know every table, chair, picture frame and dust </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">gathering knick-knack this old house has to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s a very special<br />
perspective when a new animal enters our lives and household.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lissette insists on investigating every inch of the home and yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s entertaining watching her sniff, crawl under tables and chairs </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and maneuver between the couch back and wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">None of the huntsmen are able to accomplish that last one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">She is happy, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can tell by her gate, bright eyes and fluffy </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">raised tail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes the frosty winter walks worth each<br />
step and the extra work not as tedious.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Fostering an animal is a commitment to the unknown—temperament,<br />
training, health, time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know how long Lissette will call this place </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">“foster home”, some fosters reside with their families for months </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">before adoption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Attachment is inevitable--especially when the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">animal is as beautiful and sweet as Lissette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s difficult to say<br />
goodbye not matter how long a dog is with you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But fostering is one of the single most rewarding acts<br />
anyone can do to help save lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing<br />
you have helped save a life and have had a hand in selecting a dog’s forever<br />
family makes the extra work, cold nights and teary goodbyes a little easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lissette is available for adoption through AARF in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tennessee</st1:place></st1:state> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.adoptapet.com/pet6682039.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.adoptapet.com/pet6682039.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There<br />
are thousands just like her waiting to be adopted or fostered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">like to adopt or foster an animal please contact your local animal </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">shelter or Humane Society, or visit Petfinder.com </span><a href="http://www.petfinder.com/index.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.petfinder.com/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div><br />
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<div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-52714717250055442362012-01-17T14:32:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:32:36.356-08:00Just how much do our dogs empathize with us & other animals?<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Just how much do our dogs empathize </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">with us and other animals?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Author, Bob McMillan<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Dogs, writes Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, are the only animal </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">prone to make friends across the board with other species. In his </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><b>The Dog Who Couldn't Stop Loving</b>,<br />
he suggests that a wolf in the wild might cozy up to a rabbit — </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">but only to eat it. Many dogs will adopt a litter of rabbits and </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">nurture them. Masson believes dogs have uniquely benefited from </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">their thousands of years with man by learning empathy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">He says that man, likewise, has learned to be more loving and </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">empathetic by sharing his home and life with dogs. A lot more </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">patient, too, I’d say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">While he does draw on recent research, the book is mostly </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">anecdotal, Masson’s observations about Benji, his golden lab who </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">flunked out of blind guide dog school because he was too stubborn, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">but who never met a person or other animal he didn’t love.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’m behind in my reading. But it’s winter, a cold rain is coming </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">down and even Sully, my beagle mix, just stands at the door </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">scanning for summer. Nothing but mud. So, I get to read while the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">dogs sack out in disgust. The book pile is big. Masson’s book came out in 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Masson’s theory is pretty broad. After all, some other animals, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">elephants and dolphins, say, become friends with particular dogs or cats, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">and you can watch chimps with their “pet” dogs on YouTube. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">On the other hand, some dogs, because of genetics or abuse, don’t </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">want to be friends with <i>any</i>one. I empathize. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">But Masson writes that canines are predisposed towards love. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">What sets dogs apart from their wolf cousins is thousands of years </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">of living with man, and being molded by man through breeding and selection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">My Irish wolfhound, Finn, is who I think of when I read Masson’s </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">stories about Benji. I’ve lived with several dogs, but Finn constantly </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">makes my jaw drop. His heart matches his huge stature. He goes </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">well out of his way to make new friends. He thrives on it and </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">complains when I won’t let him cross a busy<br />
street to greet another new dog. He bathes our old, cranky cat at night. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">He rubs noses with donkeys, parrots and babies. He moves between </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">dogs when they play too rough. Finn looks at me disapprovingly </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">if I raise my voice to one of the other dogs. Sometimes I think </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’m on the wrong end of the leash.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">But there’s Cuchulain, my previous giant hound, who barred </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">his sizable teeth when strangers approached. He flipped cats </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">off his spot in the couch. He chased squirrels and cows. He looked </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">at me disapprovingly when I raised my voice at <i>him.<br />
</i>Every dog is different.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Still, there’s a growing body of research that suggests that dogs </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">are keenly tuned to our feelings and are, in fact, capable of altruism. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">You’ve probably seen a bigger dog pull his punches when he plays </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">tug with a small one. Dogs show signs of a sense of fairness. They follow a moral code.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">An article in <b>New Science</b> in 2000 looked at a study by researchers in </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Budapest</st1:place></st1:city> that found dogs mirroring the moods of their owners, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">much like a human child is fearful if the parent is overtly afraid, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">or is willing to explore new things as long as the<br />
parent (or owner) was nearby. The stronger the bond, the more </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">likely the dog was to be in sync with the owner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">A similar study by the <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Porto</st1:placename> in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Portugal</st1:place></st1:country-region> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">found similar empathetic displays in dogs. They concluded that </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">dogs, being kin to wolves, are hardwired to cooperate with their “pack,” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">and that dogs, as they learned complex skills<br />
like herding and hunting with humans, may have gained a more complex<br />
understanding of human thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Which is what Masson was getting at. Dogs know us better than any other animal and<br />
still <i>like</i> us. For at least the last 15,000 years and probably much<br />
longer, we’ve lived side by side. We like horses and pigs, too. But a horse is<br />
too big to live and sleep inside with you and a pig isn’t the first one you<br />
want to cuddle after he’s rolled in the mud. For us, dogs are the perfect<br />
companion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Masson doesn’t ignore cats. He acknowledges that they’ve </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">evolved alongside man, too. They’re by nature solitary hunters. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">After thousands of years of being fed, housed, groomed and petted </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">by man, they ... well, they tolerate us. But dogs,<br />
sociable pack animals, crave our company and thank us for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">The prevailing theory of human-canine evolution is that the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">first domesticated dogs hung around human garbage heaps for </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">scraps and slowly lost their fear of people. Then they evolved </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">through training and selection into herd dogs and<br />
hunting dogs. Where’s the love? Masson suggests it’s </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">a happy side-effect, and one of the main reasons we keep dogs </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">with us today even when we don’t raise herds or hunt. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">The dog’s natural environment today? In our homes with the family.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Over time we’ve selected the dogs that didn’t bite, that </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">cooperated with us, that </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">made us feel good with their antics and </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">loving companionship. They’ve tuned into our feelings for other </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">animals and they’ve learned there are advantages to<br />
not gobbling down the family chicken or biting the family cow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">As they acquired empathy — an understanding of the feelings of others — </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">dogs have extended those insights to other species. And become </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">“dogs who couldn’t stop loving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">As I was writing this, a friend e-mailed photos of a dachshund </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">raising a baby pig with her own litter of pups. I understood the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">look of love and bliss in the mother’s eyes as she sheltered the </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">little pink pig. Many researchers caution against anthropomorphism,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">reading human feelings into something an animal does.<br />
Many still hold that animals have no feelings at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Bunk. When Finn plunks his food bowl down in front of me, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I know exactly what it means. He’s not commenting on the stock market. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">When he head-butts me into a seat and nudges my arm around him, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’m pretty clear on what that means, too. He<br />
wants to cuddle. I empathize. And not just because he’s </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">too big to resist. His heart is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Bob McMillan is lead paginator for the<br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-37168011404272117302012-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:002012-01-17T13:48:21.702-08:00Pets Gone Wild!<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0.75pt; width: 100%;" width="100%"><a href="http://www.jeandonaldson.com/understanding-dogs-mainmenu-39/32-evolution-and-behavior/72-pets-gone-wild"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Pets Gone Wild!</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="small">Written by Perfect Paws </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday, 17 February 2010 21:23 <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></td><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></tr>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0.75pt;" valign="top"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>From thunderstorm phobia to outright aggression, our pets can<br />
suffer from a variety of behavioral maladies. Thankfully, modern science has<br />
given us new therapeutic tools, like anti-depressants, that appear to help<br />
our pets cope with these issues. But, have we gone too far in pushing these<br />
pills on our pets? </strong><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">According to a recent marketing survey, about 17% of all dogs exhibit<br />
signs consistent with a condition known as separation anxiety. Video footage<br />
of pets left alone can show excessive pacing, extreme vocalization and, in<br />
some cases, a rampage of destruction. Doors are chewed, furniture destroyed<br />
and other pets go as far as injuring themselves on their cage or other<br />
objects. Sadly, some owners won’t or can’t tolerate this sort of behavior and<br />
the pet ends up being relinquished to a local shelter and often euthanized.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Beyond separation anxiety, other pets suffer from an obsessive compulsive<br />
type of behavior known in veterinary circles as abnormal repetitive behavior.<br />
Dogs that endlessly chase their tails, big cats in zoos and even stalled<br />
horses who pace tirelessly are all examples of this compulsion. Our pets can<br />
also suffer phobias due to thunderstorms and even fireworks.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Veterinarians noticed these pets were behaving similarly to people with<br />
mental disorders. Various human ant-depressants and selective serotonin<br />
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were tried to lessen these behavioral issues. In<br />
some cases, the medications appear to have a lasting beneficial effect. Now,<br />
drugs like Lilly’s Reconcile® are commonplace in a veterinarian’s arsenal of<br />
dealing with behavior issues.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">In fact, many owners prefer the convenience of a medication to the hard<br />
work, time requirements and discipline of behavior modification. It is not<br />
uncommon for pet owners to request a pill despite the fact that the right<br />
type of positive behavior modification or changes in the pet’s environment<br />
might do the trick.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Of course, there are critics who feel that we have focused too much on<br />
medicating our pets and not enough on how to enrich our pet’s environment. In<br />
a New York Times article, Dr. Ian Dunbar, a noted veterinary behaviorist, is<br />
quoted as saying that he has never needed to resort to drugs to resolve a<br />
behavior problem. Although he acknowledges that pharmaceuticals can help in<br />
some circumstances, his main thrust is that we shouldn’t set up pets in<br />
unhealthy lifestyles and then rely on drugs to correct it. Sound advice for<br />
humans as well!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Valarie Tynes of Premier Veterinary Services<br />
wonders if “we are not putting dogs in realistic, appropriate situations and<br />
are we not teaching them how to behave in unusual situations.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Likewise, Dr. Melissa Bain, a veterinary behaviorist with UC Davis has<br />
commented that our own expectations of how we interact with pets have changed<br />
drastically in the last 30 years.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">So, what’s the best way to make sure that your family won’t experience a<br />
behavioral “meltdown” with a pet?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">First, realize that pets are not an item of convenience. Unlike video<br />
games or electronic gadgets, our pets can’t be turned on and off at our<br />
discretion. They need a stimulating environment and plenty of activity to<br />
thrive in our homes. Owning a pet requires a commitment to the animal’s<br />
mental well-being in addition to their physical health.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Next, look at your schedules. If both parents work full time jobs and the kids<br />
are busy in multiple school activities, who is going to engage with the pets<br />
on a regular basis? Pets left alone often are at a higher risk to develop<br />
abnormal behaviors.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Investigate and learn about the type of pet you want. For busy, on the go<br />
families who aren’t home much, an energetic dog like a <st1:place st="on">Labrador</st1:place><br />
or a Dalmatian might not be a good match. There is definitely a genetic basis<br />
to certain behavior issues, and some breeds have a strong need to “work”.<br />
Failure to provide the pet with the proper stimulation and socialization can<br />
set them up for potential behavioral problems.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Finally, always consult with your veterinarian if any abnormal behavior<br />
occurs with your pet. Some behaviors are linked to medical conditions, so a<br />
good physical examination could help resolve the issue. Your veterinarian may<br />
offer a referral or you can find veterinary behaviorists at </span><a href="http://www.avsabonline.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">www.avsabonline.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">. Another option<br />
would be a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists at </span><a href="http://www.animalbehavior.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">www.animalbehavior.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">And, although they are not “cure-alls”, there is a place for some<br />
medications in dealing with issues relating to our pet’s mental health.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Dr. Tynes reminds us that we shouldn’t fixate on the “Disney Dog stereotype<br />
of perfect pets”. For whatever reason, we tolerate less imperfection in our<br />
pets, yet we are failing to prepare them for what is a novel and rapidly<br />
changing world.” Be sure to bookmark </span><a href="http://www.myvnn.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">www.MyVNN.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
as your sources of up-to-date and accurate pet health information. And get<br />
answers to your pet medical or behavior questions at </span><a href="http://www.petdocsoncall.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman;">www.PetDocsOnCall.com</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><u><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Courtesy ofhttp://www.jeandonaldson.com/understanding-dogs-mainmenu-39/32-evolution-and-behavior/72-pets-gone-wild<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></u></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-9226159716582690412012-01-17T13:38:00.000-08:002012-01-17T13:38:52.567-08:00Introducing Pets to New Babies<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://positively.com/2011/10/06/introducing-pets-to-new-babies/"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Introducing Pets to New Babies<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></a></span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Posted by Victoria Stilwell </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It seems like every few weeks, a fresh news story about a family pet<br />
seriously injuring or killing a baby hits the airwaves. And every time, we all<br />
say and hear the same well-meaning and accurate but tired talking points about<br />
how devastating it is, how it could have and should have been avoided, who to<br />
blame, who not to blame and what to do about the problem. The general theme is<br />
that the ultimate responsibility lies with the parents and/or dog owners, not<br />
the children. That any breed of dog can bite, and any breed of dog can be a<br />
good family pet. That parents should never leave their kids alone with any<br />
animals unsupervised. That government should focus on penalizing irresponsible<br />
dog owners, not certain breeds of dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">And I agree with all of that. I've said much of it myself in interviews on<br />
national press many times. And yet still, these tragic incidents keep<br />
happening. And that's even not to mention the millions of dog bites that go<br />
unreported and don't require professional medical attention. In the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> alone, there<br />
are over 4.5 million reported dog bites each year, 800,000 of which require a<br />
trip to the doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">What we're doing is not working.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">That's why I've dedicated myself and my company's resources to try and make<br />
a difference and reduce the number of dog bites that happen each year. I'm in<br />
the process of setting up the first ever Dog Bite Prevention Task Force, which<br />
is charged with determining what the root causes of the problem are and how to<br />
effectively address them once and for all. Comprised of trainers, behaviorists,<br />
legal professionals, legislators, animal control specialists, pediatric<br />
surgeons and reconstructive surgeons around the country, we will be bringing<br />
together the best and brightest minds to figure out how and why dog bites<br />
happen, what precedes them, how they are investigated, who should be held<br />
responsible, and most importantly, how to stop them from occurring.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">For example, by digging into the data from some of the most high profile<br />
cases involving canine homicides (the term used when a dog kills a human),<br />
we've found one fascinating common thread in almost all scenarios: one<br />
component of the scenario is unnatural. That means that in every case, either<br />
the child is being looked after by grandparents, the dog is being house-sat by<br />
an uncle, the whole family (including the dog) are visiting relatives in a<br />
different house, etc. There's almost always one part of the equation that is<br />
not the everyday norm for either the dog, child, caregivers, or environment.<br />
This important revelation can help us determine how to most effectively educate<br />
dog owners and parents of children about what to look out for in an otherwise<br />
seemingly normal situation. If we can stop just one beautiful little child from<br />
losing his or her life, it will be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">But my goal is even larger than that.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Last year, I had the opportunity to meet with the lovely <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Anderson</st1:place></st1:city> family. Just over a year ago, they<br />
lost their beautiful daughter, Ashlynn, in a fatal dog attack. I met the family<br />
when I was in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:state>,<br />
and I was struck by their determination to do everything they can to help other<br />
families avoid a similar tragedy. They have set up a non-profit organization<br />
called </span><a href="http://www.dadd4ashlynn.com/#1" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Dads Against<br />
Dangerous Dogs</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">, and though they lost their little treasure to dogs, one of<br />
the most remarkable things about them is that they have not jumped to the most<br />
obvious target. They do not blame any specific breed for Ashlynn's death,<br />
rather they are focused on increasing awareness about the fact that any dog -<br />
any breed, any size, etc - can be a danger to little ones if not properly<br />
managed.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Obviously, education is the key to stopping this from happening. We all know<br />
that. But we've known it for a long time, and yet the message isn't effective<br />
enough to make a significant difference. As a society, we must figure out a<br />
more successful way to get the message across.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" stroked="f"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></span></span></v:shapetype></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">That's why I've decided to support the </span><a href="http://www.americanhumane.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">American Humane<br />
Association's</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> safe handling initiative - Pet Meets Baby. This is an<br />
easy-to-read, comprehensive free booklet that can help dog owners and parents<br />
of children without pets by making them aware of how to safely and effectively<br />
introduce pets to new babies and vice versa. By widely distributing this<br />
information in maternity wards, pediatricians' offices and beyond, we hope that<br />
this will make a difference. It's important to note that even parents of<br />
children without pets should read Pet Meets Baby, since all kids end up<br />
interacting with animals at some point, whether at grandma's house, on<br />
playdates or walking in the park.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I've donated some great prizes (Positively t-shirts, signed books, <em>It's<br />
Me or the Dog</em> DVDs, etc) to a free contest anyone can enter by providing<br />
some brief feedback about Pet Meets Baby. Plus, one lucky winner will win the<br />
grand prize - a 30 minute phone consultation with me where we can talk about<br />
your dog and anything else you can think of!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.americanhumane.org/interaction/programs/humane-education/pet-meets-baby.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Enter the contest by visiting the Pet Meets Baby homepage!</span></a> Contest is closed.<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://positively.com/?p=5525"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">More info about the Pet Meets Baby contest.</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Read my </span><a href="http://positively.com/?p=4742"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Safety Guide for Children and Dogs</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="color: #660066; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Courtesy of <a href="http://positively.com/author/victoriastilwell/"><span style="color: blue;">http://positively.com/author/victoriastilwell/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="color: #660066; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">No child and animal should ever be left unattended!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-70441007114017776692012-01-17T13:18:00.000-08:002012-01-17T13:18:13.969-08:00KPA Tip: Dog in Your Face!<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span><br />
<h1 style="margin: 1.5pt 0in 1.15pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #660066;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">KPA Tip of the Day: ACK! Dog in Your Face!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #999999;"><span class="submitted1"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7pt;">By Helix Fairweather on 01/17/2012 </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7pt;">Filed in </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 7pt;">Courtesy of http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3426<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;">What can you do with a young dog that climbs up on your lap, pawing at your face for<br />
attention? Teach him about your personal "bubble."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;">When your dog is moving toward you, click and toss a treat behind the dog. Repeat several<br />
times. Soon you will see your dog hesitate as he approaches. Good! Repeat the<br />
exercise until you see the dog slow down and pause. Perfect! Now, insert a<br />
"sit" or "down" <a href="http://www.clickertraining.com/glossary/17#term217"><abbr title="A stimulus that elicits a behavior. Cues may be verbal, physical (i.e., a hand signal), or environmental (i.e., a curb may become a cue to sit if the dog is always cued to sit before crossing a road). "><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="color: blue;">cue</span></span></abbr></a><abbr title="A stimulus that elicits a behavior. Cues may be verbal, physical (i.e., a hand signal), or environmental (i.e., a curb may become a cue to sit if the dog is always cued to sit before crossing a road). "></abbr> when the dog pauses. Your dog's new default <a href="http://www.clickertraining.com/glossary/17#term199"><abbr title="Any observable action an animal does."><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="color: blue;">behavior</span></span></abbr></a><abbr title="Any observable action an animal does."></abbr><br />
will be to approach you to the edge of your bubble, pause, and sit or down—a<br />
new way to ask for your attention. Be sure to give your dog appropriate<br />
attention for such appropriate behavior!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<em><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;">KPA Tips of the Day are brought to you by <a href="https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Karen Pryor Academy</span></a> <a href="https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer"><span style="color: blue;">Certified<br />
Training Partners</span></a>. You can find more great tips <a href="http://www.clickertraining.com/blog"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-326748043720220942012-01-17T13:11:00.000-08:002012-01-17T13:11:03.769-08:00Is Anthropomorphism A Sin?<div>Thinking about Dogs as If They Were People: Is Anthropomorphism a Sin? </div><div></div><div>Comparing dogs to people is sometimes useful and sensible. </div><div></div><div>Published on November 21, 2011 by <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/experts/stanley-coren-phd-frsc" title="View Bio">Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C.</a> in <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner">Canine Corner</a><a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/punishment" title="Psychology Today looks at Punishment"> </a></div><div></div><div>Courtesy of <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner">http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner</a></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span></div><div></div><div>I recently gave a talk to an audience of scientists and university professors during which I referred to the "<a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/personality" title="Psychology Today looks at Personality">personality</a>" of dogs and the fact that dogs can experience emotions such as love and disgust. One well known animal researcher rose and accused me of excessive "anthropomorphizing." In everyday language he was suggesting that I was treating dogs as if they were simply four-footed people in fur coats. Among people who study dogs or any other animal this is considered to be a cardinal <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/morality" title="Psychology Today looks at Morality">sin</a>. The word anthropomorphism comes from comes from the Greek words anthro for human and morph for form and it is meant to refer to the habit of attributing human qualities and emotions to non-human beings. It is something that we humans do quite automatically. This accusation of anthropomorphism on my part reminded me of a conversation that I had with Donald O. Hebb in the early 1980's. He was a brilliant psychologist whose research first gave us an understanding about how interactions with the environment actually help to change the structure of an individual's <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/neuroscience" title="Psychology Today looks at Neuroscience">brain</a>. Hebb had finished giving a series of lectures at the university and we were now sitting in a colleague's living room chatting. As I reconstruct his comments in my mind they started after I mentioned to Hebb that I was thinking about writing a book on the <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/intelligence" title="Psychology Today looks at Intelligence">intelligence</a> of dogs and then perhaps following it up with a book on the personality of dogs. </div><div></div><div>He smiled and said in his gentle Nova Scotia accent, "You'll get into trouble with your scientific associates if you use words like 'personality' or 'intelligence' to describe the results of research on dogs. They'll accuse you of 'anthropomorphizing.' Most likely they will assume that you are some soft-headed thinker who believes that animals are pretty much just fur-covered humans that think and act the way people do. It'll probably do your <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/career" title="Psychology Today looks at Career">career</a> more harm than good." He took off his rather severe looking glasses and wiped them absentmindedly as he continued. "Back in the 1940's I worked for two years in the Yerkes Primate Research Laboratory trying to describe the temperaments of some of the captive chimpanzees that they used for behavioral research. At the time there was official prohibition against using anthropomorphic descriptions in the scientific reports of any animal research completed there. I certainly never would have dared to use the word 'personality' in talking about a chimp. I was told that that even to say something like 'that animal was afraid' was not good practice since it hinted that the animal felt <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/fear" title="Psychology Today looks at Fear">fear</a> the way that humans do. Instead I was expected to simply describe the conditions that might have stimulated behaviors and then to describe those behaviors objectively. Like when I showed chimps a life-sized model of a human head with no body attached, I was supposed to say that the animal ran to the back of the cage and cowered down and screamed or whimpered, instead of simply saying that 'the animals were frightened by sight of certain unusual or strange objects.' To hint that the animal was 'afraid' would have been considered to be anthropomorphizing. "Well the truth of the matter is that when I did try to objectively describe the temperaments and behavior patterns of the animals without using the words we use to describe human emotions all that I ended up with was a giant mess. I mean all that I had created was this immense list of specific acts and specific situations. You really couldn't find any order, pattern or meaning in that kind of data. Unfortunately at the practical level, focusing attention only on specific acts and behaviors was also a bit dangerous. A couple of times I was so caught up in recording behavior descriptions that I missed the animal signalling that it was annoyed or unhappy with me, and I nearly had some fingers bitten off--or worse. "While I was going through all of this, I couldn't help but notice that the staff or keepers (you know the people who cared for the animals on a daily basis and who don't have advanced degrees and don't need to worry about research purity) didn't seem to have any problems. They used the same kind of <a class="pt-basics-link" href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/intuition" title="Psychology Today looks at Intuition">intuition</a> that we normally use when we observe the behavior of people. Because of that they could describe one animal as having a 'dominant personality,' another as being 'nervous,' another was considered to be 'a friendly beast,' still another was 'shy' and there was even one that they claimed was 'bashful.' These were clearly anthropomorphic statements which suggested that, like people, the animals had distinct and individual personalities and that you could use their personalities to predict the animals' future behaviors. "If I were trying to be a totally objective researcher, especially given the scientific attitudes of that time, I should have rejected their statements as speculative, anthropomorphic, nonsense, but to be truthful I didn't. You see, the words that the animal care staff used to characterize the behaviors of those animals were useful and helpful. When they described an animal in this way to a newcomer (or even to a psychologist who was not too arrogant to listen) this 'personality' information allowed that person to predict how the animal would respond and to safely interact with it. "Their anthropomorphic descriptions obviously suggested that each animal had certain attitudes and behavior predispositions. It also implied that each animal experienced predictable emotional changes. Whether this is so or not I can't say, but it did provide an intelligible and practical guide to the behavior of those animals. It clearly worked with the chimps, and I think that it should work with any animal including dogs." If Hebb were still alive today I believe that he would be pleased with research which has accumulated in the last 20 years indicating that in some ways dogs are very much like humans-at least very young ones. Research suggests that the mind of a dog has much the same mental abilities and is roughly equivalent to the mind of a human child aged 2 to 2 ½ years of age. This means that a bit of anthropomorphizing, or thinking about dogs in the same way we think about humans actually turns out to be useful. I am not suggesting that dogs are simply hairy little humans, but rather that thinking about the behaviors of dogs in the same way that we think about the behaviors of young humans can help us to understand and predict the behavior of dogs as long as we restrict the scope of our thinking. If we use as a starting point the fact that behaviors and abilities of dogs are apt to be similar to that of a 2 ½ year old human, then talking about basic emotions in canines, like love and fear is sensible. If we accept the fact that dogs, like toddlers, have personalities, in the sense that they also have consistent predispositions to act in certain ways, then we can use the same kind of thinking that we use with people to predict canine behaviors. This is not anthropomorphism it is simply common sense that recognizes those similarities that exist between the mind of a person and the mind of a dog. Stanley Coren is the author of many books including: <a class="ext" href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Stanley+Coren+Dogs&x=5&y=26" target="_blank">Born to Bark, The Modern Dog, Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? The Pawprints of History, How Dogs Think, How To Speak Dog, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, What Do Dogs Know? The Intelligence of Dogs, Why Does My Dog Act That Way? Understanding Dogs for Dummies, Sleep Thieves, The Left-hander Syndrome</a></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Don’t miss Dr. Coren on our Raising Indiana podcast</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61v5_Aw8Ds&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=2&feature=plcp"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D61v5_Aw8Ds&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=2&feature=plcp</span></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-78026444955409979572012-01-12T15:48:00.000-08:002012-01-12T15:48:57.413-08:002 Million Dogs Foundation Donates to Princeton<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" stroked="f"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></span></v:shapetype></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> 2 M</span>illion Dogs Foundation Presents<br />
$50,000 Donation to Princeton <br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmLrOc-orXk&feature=plcp&context=C3e6518cUDOEgsToPDskIGKLg6iOoFUfFIXgxfqgqI</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
The 2 Million Dogs Foundation presented a check for $50,000 <br />
to Princeton University on Wednesday, January 11,<br />
to help fund the school’s Molecular Study of Canine Mammary Tumor<br />
Development and Progression: from Genome To Clinical Outcome.<br />
The 2 Million Dogs Foundation is committed to<br />
discovering the common links between canine and human <br />
cancers and the causes of these cancers through comparative <br />
oncology research. The money presented was raised by holding a series of<br />
walks, called “The Puppy Up! Walk.” The events served not only <br />
as a fundraiser, but also brought attention to the field of comparative <br />
oncology, which is relatively new. 2 Million Dogs hopes to educate<br />
people about its tremendous potential through a global campaign <br />
of strategic partnerships, seminars, speaking engagements, <br />
social media, events, broadcasts, and other forms of media. <br />
“Through The Puppy Up! Walk, we are building the largest<br />
pet and people cancer community in the world; from business <br />
people to artists to scientists and humanitarians, a partnership <br />
forged with the singular purpose of ridding the world of its <br />
deadliest disease,” said Luke Robinson the organization’s Founder.<br />
The organization’s scientific objectives are: Broadening<br />
our understanding of the links between human and companion <br />
animal cancer, creating a cross institutional collaborative <br />
platform, developing new approaches to research, and funding <br />
translational cancer studies that benefit both pets and people.<br />
Mammary tumors are the most common<br />
tumors in intact female dogs, and in humans, breast cancer is <br />
the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women - approximately <br />
one in eight women develop breast cancer during their lifetime. <br />
Mammary tumors in dogs and breast cancer in women<br />
have many similarities, both in terms of risk factors and biology.<br />
An important challenge in fighting breast cancer is understanding <br />
the malignant progression of tumors. 2 Million Dogs foundation is <br />
funding a genome-wide study of the molecular alterations <br />
associated with this progression based on<br />
canine mammary tumors at different stages of transformation.<br />
In order to be able to do this research, Dr. Karin Sorenmo of the University<br />
of Pennsylvania has established a Shelter Canine Mammary <br />
Tumor Program. This research is a combination of her clinical <br />
expertise and Dr. Troyanskaya’s group (Princeton University) <br />
expertise in cancer genomics and bioinformatics.<br />
Robinson says “Collaborating with Princeton<br />
University and the University of Pennsylvania<br />
is an intersection of great ideas and great expectations and <br />
we feel the research will provide us with invaluable insight into <br />
the most prolific cancer afflicting women in the United<br />
States.”<br />
This Program thus forms a true bridge between clinical and <br />
translational research, integrating clinical care<br />
with cutting-edge biomedical science while providing homeless dogs with the<br />
high quality treatment they need to survive. By providing this care they are<br />
able to utilize their clinical information and tumor tissue for research<br />
purposes, thus providing care; advancing research. This research is <br />
to our knowledge the first genome-wide molecular study of natural <br />
tumor progression in dogs or humans.<br />
For more information about 2 Million<br />
Dogs visit <a href="http://www.2milliondogs.org/">www.2milliondogs.org</a> or contact Ginger Morgan at <a href="mailto:ginger@2milliondogs.org">ginger@2milliondogs.org</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-37021897429514892592012-01-12T14:03:00.000-08:002012-01-12T14:03:47.975-08:00Raising Indiana 2.012Our Indiana is all grow'd up and has his own spot for the Raising Indiana podcast at <span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><a href="http://raisingindianana.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>raisingindianana.blogspot.com/</a>. How cool!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Tonight we have a special guest--Dr. Patricia McConnell of theotherendoftheleash.com.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">You can still listen to our previous podcasts at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana">http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana</a>.</span>2 Fuzzybutts and a Big Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12460613932152973920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-3252714731264149292012-01-09T14:03:00.000-08:002012-01-09T14:03:32.104-08:00KPA Tip: Warm Up Your Dog Before Training<div>KPA Tip of the Day: Warm Up Your Dog Before Training Session </div><div>By Dawn Gilkison on 01/09/2012 </div><div>Filed in </div><div></div><div>Courtesy of Karen Pryor Academy </div><div></div><div>Your dog needs to be alert and focused on you for learning to take place. Try this test before you start a <a class="glossary-term" href="http://www.clickertraining.com/glossary/17#term260">training session</a>. Click and drop treats at your feet. Does your pup eat them readily and look up at you? If the answer is yes, then ask for an easy <a class="glossary-term" href="http://www.clickertraining.com/glossary/17#term199">behavior</a>, such as a sit. Click and treat a correct response. Repeat a few times and notice your dog’s body language. What tells you that your dog is ready to work? Wagging his tail? Ears slightly forward? Eyes on you? A bounce to his step? Now he is ready to start learning something new!</div><div></div><div>KPA Tips of the Day are brought to you by <a href="https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/">Karen Pryor Academy</a> <a href="https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer">Certified Training Partners</a>. You can find more great tips <a href="http://www.clickertraining.com/blog">here</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-491009617644500432012-01-08T20:34:00.000-08:002012-01-08T20:34:19.756-08:00Do Dogs Love People More Than They Love Other Dogs?<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Do Dogs Love People More Than They Love Other Dogs</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Data suggests that we have bred dogs to love people. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Published on January 3, 2012 by <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/experts/stanley-coren-phd-frsc" title="View Bio"><span style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C.</span></a> in <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner"><span style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Canine Corner</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Our<br />
domestic dogs are not wolves, and some interesting evidence about the<br />
difference between dogs and wolves comes from the way that they form<br />
attachments with other living beings. It may well be the case that we have<br />
selectively bred dogs to love humans more than they love animals of their own<br />
species. I use the word "love" even though psychologists and<br />
behavioral biologists tend to <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/shyness" title="Psychology Today looks at Shyness"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">shy</span></a> away from the word,<br />
and prefer terms like "<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/attachment" title="Psychology Today looks at Attachment"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">attachment</span></a>" or<br />
"bonding". Many scientists have the feeling that the word<br />
"love" is reserved for poets and songwriters, rather than hard-nosed<br />
researchers. Furthermore, a number of researchers who accept love as a valid<br />
feeling to reference to humans, still have doubts as to whether dogs can<br />
actually experience that same emotion.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"> </o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">As is often the case, we are often led to<br />
wrong conclusions about the nature of dog behavior based upon observations of<br />
captive wolves. Over the past half century it has become common place to assume<br />
that since dogs were likely domesticated from wolves that we get a clearer and<br />
undistorted look at the natural behavioral predispositions of dogs by looking at<br />
what wolves do. Thus it is well known that wolves that are isolated from other<br />
members of their pack become anxious. If they are in unfamiliar settings they<br />
seem to draw comfort from having members of their pack around them.<br />
Furthermore, wolves seldom form close attachments to their human captors. From<br />
this people have assumed that dogs naturally bond with other canines, and their<br />
attachment to people is secondary.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 2.25pt 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Related Articles <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">·</span> <br />
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/200902/are-breeders-creating-less-intelligent-dogs-science-truth-and-journalism"><span style="color: #236fb5; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Are Breeders Creating Less Intelligent Dogs? Science, Truth and<br />
Journalism</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">·</span> <br />
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201106/national-census-mixed-breed-dogs"><span style="color: #236fb5; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A National Census of Mixed Breed Dogs</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">·</span> <br />
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201108/why-are-some-litter-pups-uniform-in-appearance-while-others-are-mismatched"><span style="color: #236fb5; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Why Are Some Litter Pups Uniform in Appearance While Others Are<br />
Mismatched?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <br />
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201001/why-dogs-touch-noses-communication-and-more"><span style="color: #236fb5; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Why Dogs Touch Noses: Communication and More</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">·</span> <br />
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201104/where-does-your-dog-rank-the-new-list-ranking-breeds-popularity-is-now-ava"><span style="color: #236fb5; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Where Does Your Dog Rank? The New List Ranking Breeds by Popularity Is<br />
Now Available</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: currentColor; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="display: none; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; mso-hide: all;">Bottom of<br />
Form</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">I<br />
recently rediscovered a research report that had been published in the Journal<br />
of Comparative Psychology by a research <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/teamwork" title="Psychology Today looks at Teamwork"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">team</span></a> headed by Michael<br />
Hennessey of <st1:placename st="on">Wright</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">State</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype>,<br />
along with some scientists from <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Ohio</st1:placename><br />
<st1:placetype st="on">State</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place><br />
(David Tuber, Suzanne Sanders and Julia Miller). This study shows just how<br />
domesticated our pet dogs have become and how their orientation seems to have<br />
shifted more towards humans than to other dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">The<br />
animals involved in this research were eight mixed breed dogs who were 7 to 9<br />
years of age. They had been living as littermate pairs in kennels since they<br />
were eight weeks old. All these dogs had been fully socialized when they were<br />
young and were quite comfortable around people. They were being looked after by<br />
one <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/caregiving" title="Psychology Today looks at Caregiving"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">caretaker</span></a> who, at least as<br />
far as the dogs were concerned, was their owner. The important factor for us is<br />
that when the experiment began these kennel mates had not been separated from<br />
each other (even for a few minutes) over the previous two years, and had seldom<br />
been apart during their entire lifetimes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">To<br />
test their attachment to each other, one member of each pair was removed from<br />
the kennel for four hours and the remaining animal was observed. If you take a<br />
puppy away from its litter mates it will usually whimper and act distressed<br />
until it is reunited with its litter mates, however these adult dogs, when left<br />
alone in their kennel, did not show any evidence of anxiety. They rarely barked<br />
or paced, and the level of the <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/stress" title="Psychology Today looks at Stress"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">stress</span></a> hormone, cortisol, in their blood<br />
didn't change as a result of their separation from their kennel mate. This was<br />
true as long as the remaining dog was left in its familiar pen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">The<br />
situation was quite different when the dogs were placed alone in an unfamiliar<br />
kennel. Now they clearly showed signs of unease and apprehension. They became<br />
agitated and their stress hormone level went up by more than 50 percent. The<br />
most important finding is that this increase in anxiety happened whether the<br />
dog was alone or if it had been moved to the unfamiliar place in the company of<br />
its kennel mate. In this unfamiliar place the dogs did not interact very much,<br />
and did not seem to draw comfort from the presence of their usual partner as<br />
shown by the level of stress hormone in their blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">The<br />
situation was quite different, however, when their human caretaker sat quietly<br />
with each dog in this new and strange situation. Under these circumstances the<br />
dog would stay close to the human and would try to get him to interact and make<br />
contact. In response to this comfort-seeking behavior, the caretaker would<br />
briefly stroke the dog. This interaction with a human seemed to be enough to<br />
reduce the dogs level of anxiety almost completely. This was verified by the<br />
fact that the stress hormone level remained very close to normal in the<br />
presence of the person.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">The<br />
conclusion that one can draw from this is that these dogs were behaving as if<br />
they had a stronger bond with their human caretaker then with their brother or<br />
sister, despite the fact that they been in the company of that dog for all of<br />
their lives. This was true even though these dogs have not led the same kind of<br />
living experience as a pet dog has, and therefore have not had continued<br />
intimate contact that pet dogs have with their human owners.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">If<br />
we are to draw any comparison between dogs and wolves based on this research,<br />
it would be to note that dogs, like wolves, do have territories, at least in<br />
the sense that they feel most comfortable when they are in familiar places. We<br />
know that in the wild, wolves can move to new places without any rise in their<br />
stress levels, as long as they are in the company of members of their pack. The<br />
same is true of dogs, however it appears that the most significant pack member<br />
is likely to be a human (usually the dog's owner) and not another individual of<br />
its own species. For most dogs their owner has been a constant feature in their<br />
lives since they were puppies. It appears that we not only bred dogs to accept<br />
dogs and humans as relevant social partners, but to view humans as being more<br />
significant socially than other canines.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">This<br />
has important implications for when dogs are being re-homed. Shelters often<br />
feel that dogs who have lived together in pairs must only be adopted out to a<br />
new home which is willing to take both dogs. If we extrapolate from the present<br />
research this seems like an unnecessary practice, as long as the home to which<br />
each dog is going has an individual human that the dog can bond with.<br />
Fortunately research has shown that dogs can quickly bond with a new human<br />
being based upon only a few minutes of friendly attention over a couple of days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;">Dogs<br />
are not wolves. We now have data that suggests that we have selectively bred<br />
the domestic dog so that it is strongly <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/bias" title="Psychology Today looks at Bias"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">biased</span></a> to love humans (or at least one<br />
human) more strongly than it loves other dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Stanley Coren</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"> is the author of many<br />
books including: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Stanley+Coren+Dogs&x=5&y=26" target="_blank"><span style="color: #333333;">Born to Bark, The Modern Dog, Why<br />
Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? The Pawprints of History, How Dogs Think, How To Speak<br />
Dog, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, What Do Dogs Know? The Intelligence of Dogs,<br />
Why Does My Dog Act That Way? Understanding Dogs for Dummies, Sleep Thieves,<br />
The Left-hander Syndrome</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Courtesy of http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201201/do-dogs-love-people-more-they-love-other-dogs</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-67376733915153072002012-01-08T20:15:00.000-08:002012-01-08T20:15:28.542-08:00Can you count on your dog to perform?<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SXn2OwCP8pF3YCbTpk-B7Emgr2FT3YXL4RkPTUhaQ3NNzUbVgaTX0W6nL4SlHl1L_SfiGs2n1uheX9p3UVVnDLyL47VYIOibbtMYWi0TaI1vvTyHLg7SJFYuixl7Ai33aSpey1DAnJk/s1600/Buzz.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695479316039633426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SXn2OwCP8pF3YCbTpk-B7Emgr2FT3YXL4RkPTUhaQ3NNzUbVgaTX0W6nL4SlHl1L_SfiGs2n1uheX9p3UVVnDLyL47VYIOibbtMYWi0TaI1vvTyHLg7SJFYuixl7Ai33aSpey1DAnJk/s320/Buzz.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 213px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>Buzz doing his Dock Diving Thing!<br />
<div align="left"><span lang="">Can I Count on the Dog to Perform?</span></div><div align="left"><span lang="">Author, Jan Casey</span></div><div align="left">For me, there is no greater pleasure than working with a dog and watching him catch on to what it is this silly human is asking him to do. Without a doubt, if my Buzz could talk, one of his most common questions would be "You want me to do <i>what</i>?" Trainers ask for bizarre behaviors – playing dead, weaving through legs, throwing rear feet on to a wall. As we start down the path of learning yet another ridiculous trick, Buzz usually gets quite vocal. I think I'm glad there is no such thing as a Doglish-to-English translator. Once learned, can I count on him to perform the behavior reliably?</div><div align="left">What does it mean for a dog to have a behavior that is "reliable?" Basically, when you ask the dog to perform a behavior, he does so at least 80% of the time (or 8 out of 10 times for those who equate math to a foreign language). That means 20% of the time (2 out of 10 times), the behavior may not happen. What? You mean the dog doesn't do as asked <u>every time</u>? Is he rebelling? Doesn't he know who is boss? I mean, we are the superior beings who must be obeyed, right?</div><div align="left">There's a saying in the training world that a behavior must be repeated 1000 times before a dog is considered to be proficient at that behavior. That means if you practice the behavior 10 times a day, it will only take 100 days before the dog performs that behavior reliably. Now think about the last time you tried to teach your dog something new. Did you practice that behavior 10 times a day, every day, for 100 days? Most likely not. You have a life and that life often includes other things like a job, eating, sleeping, and family. How many behaviors has your dog practiced 1000 times?</div><div align="left">Perhaps one of the worst descriptions of dog behaviors I've heard is "He's blowing you off." Wow – you mean the dog is equating me to a leaf in the wind? Chances are, he's not. Dogs fail to respond to cues for a variety of reasons. One of the most common is the dog does not really know the behavior completely. Humans too often feel if they train the behavior in the living room at home, the dog will understand the behavior everywhere. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The behavior must be trained in a number of places with a variety of distractions. Try this simple experiment. Ask Princess to sit. Now ask her while your back is turned to her and then again as you are lying on the floor. Unfortunately, "sit" probably only happens when you are standing in front of her, with your hand lifting upward while you give the verbal instruction to sit. Continue the experiment in new places with distractions like tennis balls rolling by. How well does Princess really know the cue to sit?</div><div align="left">If you've been a good owner, training your dog in the behaviors that are considered necessary for him to be well-mannered, perhaps the most frustrating experience you will have is when your dog backslides, he fails to perform a behavior that you know he knows, one you've practiced in all types of situations. Is he angry with you and trying to make you look foolish? Probably not. It is so important to initially rule out any kind of medical problem since a change in behavior is often the first sign that something is wrong with the dog physically. For instance, it makes no sense to try to fix a lapse in house training if the dog has a thyroid problem. He has no control over the need to urinate.</div><div align="left">So what do you do when your dog stops being reliable and it's not physical? You back up. Yes, it's that simple. Make the behavior a little less challenging. Reduce the duration and the distractions and the distance. Bring the clicker back in to the picture, break the behavior into smaller steps, and increase the rewards when you get a response that shows the dog is headed back in the right direction. It's amazing how well dogs respond to something simple and familiar. The best part is it won't take long to regain the same excellent behavior you had previously.</div><div align="left">Check your signals and communication to your dog. One of the great agility tee shirts states "Great dog. Shame about the handler." Double check your own body language, your cues. Have they changed? Is there something you are doing differently? Our dogs are so in tune with us that even slight changes in our cues can confuse them.</div><div align="left">Retaining one's composure, accepting that the dog is not disrespecting you, can be far more challenging than it appears. I've seen experienced trainers lose their cool and incorporate physical punishment in an effort to correct a less-than-perfect behavior. A swift kick might get the dog back into alignment for a heel, but at what cost? When the pressure is on during a performance, will the dog associate that behavior with punishment or reward? What one gains in position may be lost in confident body language. I've never been willing to trade my dog's trust in me for a ribbon. Are you?</div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
<br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Jan Casey is a<br />
reward-based trainer in <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Florida</st1:state></st1:place><br />
at Courteous Canine, Inc. <a href="http://www.courteouscanine.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.courteouscanine.com</span></a><br />
and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span><a href="http://www.smilesandwags.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.smilesandwags.com</span></a>. Mrs.<br />
Casey is a <span style="color: black;">member of the<i> Association of Animal<br />
Behavior Professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span>Mrs.<br />
Casey is a <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">columnist</span><span style="color: black;"> for the <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Cookeville</st1:city>,<br />
<st1:state st="on">Tennessee</st1:state></st1:place><i> Herald-Citizen <u>Pet<br />
Pages</u> and <u>Kid's Korner </u> . </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This column was originally written for the Herald-Citizen <a href="http://www.herald-citizen.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.herald-citizen.com</span></a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> <br />
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</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br />
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</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-7027556048915638892012-01-08T20:01:00.000-08:002012-01-08T20:01:33.954-08:00Anger & Anger Management<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> A</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-large;">nger & Anger Management</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0.67em 0in;">Courtesy of Dr. McConnell</div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>CAN DOGS GET ANGRY? </strong>Yup, I’m here to say that they can. Do<br />
they get angry as often as humans? Nope, and thank heavens for that. If they<br />
did, I doubt we’d live with them, given that they have carpet knives in their<br />
mouths. Just like people, they vary tremendously in how often they experience<br />
or express anger. I’ve known some dogs who appeared not to have an angry moment<br />
their entire lives. More commonly, I’ve worked with dogs who, on occasion, are<br />
clearly frustrated at not getting what they wanted or expected. And rarely,<br />
I’ve worked with a small number of dogs who appeared to live in a state of<br />
‘road rage’ for weeks, months or years on end. So even though I would never say<br />
that anger in dogs is an exact replica of anger in people, both in its<br />
frequency and how we experience it, it is a basic biological fact that dogs are<br />
capable of experiencing anger. Here’s why:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Anger is as primal</strong> an emotion as fear, and if an animal can<br />
experience fear, then one is wise to assume it is capable of experiencing<br />
anger. The two, it turns out, go hand in hand. Both are mediated primarily in<br />
the amygdala and both evolved to protect us. Fear is the emotion that signals<br />
the body that it is in danger, and motivates us to take some kind of action to<br />
protect ourselves. Anger is the emotion that backs up fear when being on<br />
defense is not enough. Roger Abrantes tells a compelling story of when he was<br />
about to be in hand-to-hand combat as a young soldier. As he stood in a trench,<br />
watching the enemy soldiers run toward him with bayonets drawn, he was<br />
initially terrified. But at the last minute, just as the soldiers were within a<br />
few feet of him, he was overwhelmed with a burst of rage. That’s the emotion<br />
that poured energy into his body and allowed him to move forward to fight for<br />
his life.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>That’s what anger does:</strong> it floods the body with energy,<br />
increases the heart rate, pumps blood into our muscles in preparation for<br />
action. Anger demands action; that’s why it can be so problematic. Have you<br />
ever done something you wish you hadn’t when you were angry? If not, please<br />
consider either offering life coaching sessions for the rest of us, or ask your<br />
parents if you actually are an alien. Anger, at varying intensities, compels us<br />
to do SOMETHING, anything, and thus… we sometimes do something we shouldn’t and<br />
get ourselves in hot water until we learn to take a breath and let our emotions<br />
settle. The same thing can happen to dogs. If you’re interested in following<br />
this thread, I write more about the biology of emotion in <em><a href="http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/for-the-love-of-a-dog-understanding-emotions-human-dogs"><span style="color: blue;">For<br />
the Love of a Dog.</span></a></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Dogs have all the same wiring </strong>(and external expressions)<br />
related to anger as people. They just, as I said, don’t seem to experience it<br />
as often as we easily-angered primates do. (Ever seen chimps lose their<br />
tempers? It’s common, and it’s not pretty.) Of course, like all emotions, dogs<br />
exhibit a vast range of intensities of experiencing anger, from being slightly<br />
irritated, to being truly frustrated, to downright mad to being in an<br />
out-of-control rage. All of those are manifestations of anger, just at<br />
different levels, and all are within a dog’s capability. Of course, dogs don’t<br />
have the same complexity of cognitive overlays as we do; their experience of<br />
anger has got to be different in many ways than ours. But that doesn’t mean<br />
that we don’t share the basic, fundamental emotion of anger. As I’ve said<br />
before, glass half empty or glass half full, both are equally accurate.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Here’s a photo </strong>of a dog illustrating what I claim is an<br />
angry emotion. Note the furrowed brow, the offensive pucker and the hard stare.<br />
Any one of those things by themselves would not be enough to suggest an<br />
internal emotion of anger, but without the fur and black nose, this is exactly<br />
the face of an angry person.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" preferrelative="t" spt="75" stroked="f"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas> <v:path connecttype="rect" extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t"> <o:lock aspectratio="t" ext="edit"><br />
</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></span></span></v:shapetype></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>ANGER MANAGEMENT?</strong> Here’s something else we share: a need to<br />
learn how to handle being frustrated or angry. Many of the behavioral problems<br />
I’ve seen in my practice relate to either dogs who have never learned how to<br />
handle being frustrated and lose their tempers when they don’t get what they<br />
want, or owners who, uh, have the same problem.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Dogs need to be taught to be patient and polite</strong> (the basis<br />
of the </span></span><a href="http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/feeling-outnumbered"><em><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Feeling<br />
Outnumbered</span></em></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> program), and we need to learn to take a breath, or two or<br />
twenty, before expressing anger or frustration at our dogs. I needed this<br />
advice just recently: until recently Willie had stopped harassing Sushi with<br />
his obsessive indoor herding, but after his long, long period of inactivity and<br />
Sushi now being inside more because of the weather, the problem cropped up<br />
again. I found myself starting to get truly frustrated about it, until I put on<br />
my beh’ist/trainer hat, took a breath and put Willie in his crate when I found<br />
myself unable to do anything constructive. (Things are improving again, whew.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>I’d love to hear your thoughts: </strong>How do you interpret the<br />
dog above? What are your best coping strategies for dealing with your own<br />
frustrations, and helping your dog through his or hers? Never happens at your<br />
house? Ever? Really? Wow. Can I come over?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
This is courtesy of Dr. Patricia McConnell from her site theotherendoftheleash.com<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-79756679416130714452012-01-06T13:41:00.000-08:002012-01-06T13:41:49.193-08:00BUYER BEWARE: There is no such thing as a certified animal behavioralist<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXikOw7EpUOqphb-A9PyRq4OLurWWa3vJDyIQUcDNf1dlLOYZreV3Tf2hY_tHIxPlOy2HqoMi0BR7UlY8_vNZfNQ3wXFTGud-YY_5OwA8VgXF4-CixHAnZErEXWA-nEeeyH9E5mCt6uZ0/s1600/Ginger+and+Opal.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694633649205328898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXikOw7EpUOqphb-A9PyRq4OLurWWa3vJDyIQUcDNf1dlLOYZreV3Tf2hY_tHIxPlOy2HqoMi0BR7UlY8_vNZfNQ3wXFTGud-YY_5OwA8VgXF4-CixHAnZErEXWA-nEeeyH9E5mCt6uZ0/s320/Ginger+and+Opal.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 239px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>Ginger and Opal</div><div align="center"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <br />
</span></div><div align="left"><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Tahoma; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: small;">BUYER BEWARE: There is no such thing as a certified animal behavioralist!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <br />
</span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Author, Cindy Ludwig<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There is no such thing as a "Certified Animal Behavioralist." If someone claims to be a<br />
behaviorist (not "behavioralist" - big telltale sign right there in the spelling), ask specifically what degree they have and what specific certification they have as well as the granting organization!<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There are board-certified veterinary behaviorists (veterinarians with specialized training and</span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">certification in behavior) and their credential is the DACVB (Diplomate of the American College </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">of Veterinary Behaviorists), applied animal behaviorists (CAAB) with the Animal Behavior Society (individuals with advanced degrees and professional certification) and now CCPDT </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Certification Council for Professional </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Dog Trainers) certified animal behaviorists (CBCC-KA - </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">certified behavior consultant canine - </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">knowledge assessed) and Veterinary </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Technician specialists (VTS) </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">who specialize in and are certified i</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">n behavior by the AVBT </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians).<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">There are a few other organizations granting certification in canine behavior such as the </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Association of Companion Animal Behavior Consultants (CBC - Certified Canine Behavior Consultant)</span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">to individuals who have an advanced degree, at least 24 credit hours in behavior and additional</span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">required coursework in psychology, counseling and statistics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) certifies individuals </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">as a CABC (Certified Animal Behavior Consultant) with a minimum of a high school diploma </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">and at least 3 years and 1000 hours in animal behavior consulting plus 400 hours of education and training <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Association for the Study of Animal Behavior (ASAB) in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> certifies animal behaviorists with advanced education and extensive clinical experience as Clinical Animal Behaviorists.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A real animal behaviorist will, I hope, know what they are - a behaviorist, not a "behavioralist." The<br />
fact that someone purports to be a" behavioralist" suggests to me this person does not even know the correct terminology! Remember, anyone can call him or herself a "behaviorist." Check out the individual's credentials - and remember, not all certifying bodies have the same standards! Beware - there are people out there calling themselves "behaviorists"<br />
who are giving out bad advice!<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="background: white;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Cindy Ludwig, M.A., KPA-CTP<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Master of Arts in Education, <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Karen</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Pryor</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Academy</st1:placetype></st1:place> Certified Training Partner)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Owner, Canine Connection LLC<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Website: <a href="http://www.dubuquedogtraining.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.dubuquedogtraining.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div style="background: white; margin-left: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Cindy Ludwig is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and owner of Canine Connection<br />
LLC in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Dubuque</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Iowa</st1:state></st1:place> (<a href="http://www.dubuquedogtraining.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.dubuquedogtraining.com</span></a>). She is a member of the Association of Pet </span></div><div style="background: white; margin-left: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Dog Trainers and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-29328386229466407232012-01-02T10:25:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:27:39.299-08:00What is the AAFCO?<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">The AAFCO or the Association of American Fee Control<br />
Officials is a local, state and federal association of officials whose job it<br />
is to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feed & drug remedies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">An association that has become under fire at times because<br />
membership is voluntary and the AAFCO has no regulatory authority, it does<br />
provide a forum for discussion of issues the affect the health of animals and<br />
humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, can be a useful resource<br />
for pet owners.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">One of the AAFCO’s main roles is to make certain the<br />
manufacture, distribution and sale of animal feeds meets scientific studies<br />
that result in regulations, standards, definitions control.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">If you are a pet owner who feeds a homemade or raw food diet<br />
the regulations and research provided by the AAFCO at their site </span><a href="http://www.aafco.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">www.aafco.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"> can provide data on what types<br />
and amounts of nutrients are necessary for canine health.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-53624496841538103612012-01-01T12:10:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:28:06.588-08:00Matchmaking for Pet Lovers<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We all know how easy it is to strike up a conversation with<br />
others when we are out with our pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Even when our pets aren’t with us at a dinner party or lunch meeting,<br />
one of the first things we all do is whip out our cell phones to show off our<br />
adorable Spikes and Bellas.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Meet a stranger and need a quick ice breaker to begin small<br />
talk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask about their pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It opens doors to even the toughest most<br />
standoff-ish people.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Now imagine being single and trying to meet that perfect<br />
someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a nerve-racking experience<br />
for all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if you have the<br />
perfect, fluffy wingman on a leash?</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With more and more people meeting their significant others<br />
online, it makes sense that dating/match making services for pet lovers has<br />
become a big business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheryl Matthys of the online social community, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leashes and Lovers</i>, says people often<br />
trust their dog’s instincts more than their own when meeting new people.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Members of the fee-based service<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.leashesandlovers.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">www.leashesandlovers.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
add photos and videos of themselves and the pooches to their profiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also have access to monthly teleseminars<br />
by experts on health, relationships, dog health and training—combining looking<br />
for love and raising a happy, social dog into one location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">What a great way to connect with other singles who have a<br />
love for their dog as strong as you do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Might we suggest the local dog park as a first date choice?</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div><br />
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</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-74173661612258490202011-12-30T14:05:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:30:24.472-08:00Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHq8Kq9T0JdsQbmkKcSON5cY1cCpPJjIfdL_cYhUEh1seHeBF_Wq6MD_YF-xR5sagah74_ml7AP4AdeihdIySx4AuvaoewNp_f_DX0sPiTSb95ORjDO6sKKwGHTWWoMD_X3rjevNjAR8/s1600/DSC_0246.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692045010463020642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHq8Kq9T0JdsQbmkKcSON5cY1cCpPJjIfdL_cYhUEh1seHeBF_Wq6MD_YF-xR5sagah74_ml7AP4AdeihdIySx4AuvaoewNp_f_DX0sPiTSb95ORjDO6sKKwGHTWWoMD_X3rjevNjAR8/s320/DSC_0246.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our home is never boring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bailey makes certain of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Bailey is my three-year old Golden Retriever-Great Pyrenees mix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And from the moment he arrived at three months of age he has been a handful (more on that later).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">If you will permit me the privilege of anthropomorphism the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty</i> will be<br />
easier told. </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">We have a new behavioral problem in our home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bailey has decided he no longer likes our two<br />
cats, especially our four-year old tripawd, Jack-Jack.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">While Bailey’s sudden dislike of the cats is new, his temperamental attitude is not—we have worked with Bailey on anger management, resource guarding and impulse control since the age of nine months when his first outburst occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we are not new to this behavior, its trails, struggles or dangers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve also witnessed improvements along the way that we are thankful for.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Life in a multi-pet household is all about management.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told that I could never have four adult<br />
male (neutered) Great Pyrenees living in harmony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were too stubborn, independent and territorial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while we’ve had our challenges; especially as our two youngest puppies matured and hit those all important growth markers at 9, 12, 18 and 24 months of age, we have all survived declaws intact. </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">After Bailey’s first outburst at nine months of age, I immersed myself in animal behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span>Already friends with a wonderful positive trainer, Jan Casey, I<br />
surrounded myself with every book, website and recommendation she offered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jan successfully lives with a reactive dog so I knew she not only had the training to offer advice but that she knew first<br />
hand what life would be like for Bailey & I.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">I would estimate that half of all multi-pet households have some sort of relationship issue at one time or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Human-Dog, Dog-Dog, Cat-Cat, Dog-Cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how do we maintain safety and work through the “problem behaviors” to live a happy life together?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have all the answers but as Bailey, Jack-Jack & I work through our issue we’ll share what we are trying, what is<br />
working and what isn’t.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Hopefully, it will give you some ideas to help your pets get along better with their housemates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As<br />
always, I’m not an expert, professional, animal behaviorist or trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just an owner looking for answers.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">As we begin the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty</i>, our first requirement is to maintain safety in our<br />
homes for all involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have severe behavioral issues—growling, lunging, chasing, biting, or guarding—please separate your animals so they cannot reach one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be an inconvenience to fill your home with baby gates and crates, or leave Spike in his fenced backyard but safety comes first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, schedule an appointment with your animal’s vet for a checkup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the issue is an animal-animal issue it may be best to take both pets to the doctor (separately) for a physical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discuss all behaviors and issues you are concerned about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Health problems can<br />
lead to a pet acting out in a physical manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just as we have to maintain safety first, we must rule out any health issues second.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">There’s homework involved in this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lesson #1—Pick up a few books to get you<br />
started.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>The Other End Of the Leash</u>, <u>For The Love of a Dog</u><br />
and <u>Feeling Outnumbered?</u> All by Dr. Patricia McConnell and available at </span></span><a href="http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Once we’ve accomplished those three things we’ll meet back here for the next installment of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty</i>.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div><br />
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</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934944078724712810.post-7674580748423597402011-12-30T12:38:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:30:55.543-08:00PooPrints?<div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Really?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Okay, I’ve heard of fingerprints in humans. Unique nose prints in cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But poo prints in<br />
dogs???<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Turns out the BioPet Vet Lab in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Knoxville</st1:city>, <st1:state st="on">Tennessee</st1:state></st1:place> has come up with a new way to encourage owners to pick up after Beau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The canine genetic testing lab has begun the PooPrints Green Initiative to promote proper handling of companion animal waste.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Under this initiative and program, dog owners who live in apartment complexes, condo associations and other developments would be required to submit a DNA sample in the form of a noninvasive cheek swab to BioPet Vet Lab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">In return the registered pets would receive a PooPrints collar tag as a reminder of their owner’s pledge to pick up waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should an owner fail to clean up after Beau on his daily walk or exercise time, BioPet can trace the remaining waste to the offending dog and owner.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Move over CSI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sense a new detective show on the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of cool shades, Doggoles!</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">For more information visit: www.pooprints.com</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.</span></div><br />
</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0