Least Obedient Dog Contest
Sunday, August 28, 2005
I'm sure many of you reading this will think they have a shot at winning $2,000.00 for owning the
world's least obedient dog. Well, you have until September 30, 2005 to get your videotape into Hasbro.
Hasbro, the well known toy maker, has a line of toys called, "FURREAL FRIENDS", which they're marketing as "plush-pets", or what most of us refer to as "stuffed animals". (It's SO not PC to say "stuffed animals").
Anyways, the FURREAL FRIENDS have little electric motors in them that cause them to do cute and cuddly things. Hasbro has a FURREAL FRIEND called, "Smoochie Pup" (as if we all had a dog named "Smoochie Pup"), that craves your attention. Hence justifying the contest for the most disobedient LIVE dog.
Interestingly, Hasbro also a FURREAL cat. On its website, there is a page for
frequently asked questions, and one of them is, "How do I make my FURREAL FRIENDS Cat hiss?". Their answer? "
To activate the hiss feature, you must hold the tail for several seconds."
Great educational toy, huh?
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Medi-Crunch Pill Delivery
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Here's "fairly" new product designed to trick a dog into taking a pill.
Medi-Crunch is similar to the other types of treat-based pill enclosures, except that it has a hard crunchy shell. The inside is soft, allowing you to push a pill into it.
But because the outer shell is hard, it triggers a dog's reaction into biting it.
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FindPetCare.com - Book Kennels Online
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
FindPetCare.com, Inc. announced their new online service for pet owners allowing them find and book pet-day care facilities online. Both pet owners and travel agents can use FindPetCare.com to locate kennels and day care centers for dogs and cats.
The system works just like other online travel booking sites, allowing you to pick the accomodation dates, the number of pets, and the distance from your home. The results show all the available facilities. Some will allow you to book online, while others require you to call directly.
The company is
looking to add more pet day care facilities to their listings.
Source:
CoolWebsiteIdeas
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Mental Health Care Book for Animals
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Blackwell Publishing announced today that it has released what it claims is the first ever veterinary text book focusing on mental health for animals, "
Mental Health and Well-Being in Animals".
The book comes at a time when pet owners and animal activists are taking a keener interest in the emotional feelings of animals, ranging from mental cruelty, stress management, emotional suffering, et al.
The book is authored by Franklin D. McMillan, DVM., who is on the adjunct faculty of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. McMillan claims that pet owners could very well be trying to correct behaviors in their pets that may actually be due to mental health disorders.
The book is being marketed to veterinarians and vet techs.
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Dog Condoms
Sunday, August 21, 2005
"Birth control for a more humane world".
Are you concerned that neutering your dog will leave him looking less than natural? But, you want to be proactive in preventing unwanted puppies?
Maybe
dog condoms are your answer.
They come with a meat scent to enhance both dog partners. Keep Ol' Roy confident and virile, while keeping the dog population under control!
Actually, you can't buy 'em, but it's still funny.
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Ultrasonic Music Device Stops Dog Barking
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Ah! Music soothes the savage beast.
I suppose that's the philosophy behind this new piece of dog tech. Your dogs will no longer bark, because now they can enjoy sweet music.
The
K9 Kalmer plays ultrasonic musical compositions that dogs can hear, but are inaudible to humans. The company that makes it, Variety International Inc., says the music is proprietary, but is designed to soothe your poodle's inner-mongrel. In fact, you might call these melodies the "Top Ten Doggie Hits".
To use the K9 Kalmer, you just turn it on, and let 'er go. By reducing a dog's stress, the music will stop them from barking. The company says that excessive barking should be reduced or eliminate within 3 days.
You can buy one from their
website.
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Off the Chain - Pit Bull Underworld
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
A new DVD documentary begins shipping on August 30, called, "
Off the Chain", taking a close look at the underworld of Pit Bull Fighting. It travels to the back alleys and dark corners of the inner city and as far as the backwoods and other rural communities to uncover the truth behind Pit Bull Fighting.
Eric L. Sakach, Director of The Humane Society of the United States, had this to say about the DVD...
"This film goes inside the belly of the beast, and the beast isn't the pit bull terrier, it's man. This is the ultimate betrayal of man's best friend. The director exposes the fastest growing crime in America -- dog fighting. "OFF THE CHAIN" is a horrifying glimpse into the world where the special relationship between man and dog has been perverted. It will grab you and shake you, and hopefully it will stir you into action."
Bobby J. Brown, director of the documentary, spent three years infiltrating the underground subculture of dogfighting. He was able to gain the trust of well established "dog men" who allowed him to film their secrets of pit bull training.
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Dog Powered Scooter
Friday, August 12, 2005
If we had
one of these when we were kids, we would've been stoked! There were plenty of dogs in the neighborhood, and their owners would've been happy to have us take their dogs out for exercise.
But if your dog(s) weren't trained well enough it might not work. That is, just because you've have "Ol' Roy" strapped up to the thing doesn't mean he's going to start running.
Proper obedience training says that the dog is always going to walk by your side, and not move until you move. You'd have to completely erase that, and teach it become something more like a sled dog.
But if you can manage it, and your dog seems to have fun with it, then hey! Have fun.
Via
RealTechNews
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Camping and RVing With Dogs
Friday, August 12, 2005
Camping and RVing With Dogs is a new 314-page book with a comprehensive directory of RV-friendly campgrounds as well as information about pet-friendly businesses, parks and other public facilities. Authors Jack and Julee Meltzer provide advice about how to care for a dog on the road and deal with medical emergencies.
The Meltzers are full-time RVers who travel with two german shepherds. They wrote the book because they felt there was no similar reference available. "Even though other pet guides cover things to see and do with a dog, they're aimed at travelers who stay in hotels and motels," said Julee Meltzer, who spent a year researching campgrounds where dogs are not only allowed but welcomed.
The Meltzer's best advice for RVers is to always call a campground before showing up with a pet. "It may state in a campground directory that a place is dog-friendly, but that may not necessarily be true," said Meltzer. "It's not unusual for an RVer to arrive with large animal only to be told, 'Oh, we only accept dogs less than 25 pounds.'"
The Meltzers estimate that about one-fourth of all campgrounds charge extra for a pet. "Most often it's $2 a night for one or more dogs," Julee Meltzer explained. "Sometimes there's a charge for each dog, but not often."
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Pet Rescuer Jailed for leaving Dog in Car
Friday, August 12, 2005
Here's a
strange story. Patricia Siems, President of All Dog and Cat Angels animal rescue in Lawrenceville, was put in jail after having left her pit bull in a hot car for nearly 2 1/2 hours.
She claims it was a stupid thing. Sounds like it. But rescuing animals has been her life's work, and she's a veterinary technician at that.
According to the police report:
...she left Hank in her car for two hours and 25 minutes, and a Department of Agriculture animal protection inspector measured the temperature inside the car at 103 degrees. Siems, 42, wishes she had left Hank at home. She contends, though, that Hank was not in danger. She left the windows rolled halfway down, left him with water, and periodically returned to check on him and run the air conditioner, she said.
So if she was checking up on the dog periodically, leaving him with water, and running the air conditioning, then it clearly was intentional. I'm not suggesting she meant harm, I'm suggesting that she planned it out.
That's beyond stupid. Considering her life's work with rescuing animals and being a vet tech, I can't figure this one out.
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Man walks 25 dogs at the same time
Thursday, August 11, 2005
John Garcia hopes to get his name in the Guinness Book of World Records as having
walked the most dogs at the same time. He walked 25 of them for 1 kilometer.
He plans to break his own record next year.
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Airline Dog Fatalies for June
Thursday, August 11, 2005
The Department of Transportation
released data on dog incidents occuring aboard airline flights for the month of June. So far, the numbers don't look bad at all.
Five dogs lost their lives on airplanes in June, while four others were injured, and one more lost. Last month, we blogged that
four deaths occurred in May.
This is in stark contrast to reports from the Airline Transportation Association that some 5,000 pets are killed aboard airlines each year. After two months of reporting thus far, it looks like the reality is probably around 60 pets year. And on top of that, many of these incidents are due to owner negligence.
Animal rights groups have used the data from the Airline Transportation Association to
recommend that pet owners only transport their animals by plane is absolutely necessary.
So, is anyone compiling statistics on the number of pets killed, injured, or lost while travelling in automobiles? How many sudden stops result in a pet getting injured inside the car? How many dogs jolt out of the car at a rest stop, and get hit? How many pets are left inside the car while parked at a rest stop?
Obviously, no one compiles these statistics. But if only about 60 pets are killed each year aboard airplanes, then I think it's clear that more pets are killed while vacationing by car.
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StylePouch by Designer Pet Solutions
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Designer Pet Solutions announced their new "StylePouch" today. The new pouch has a clip on the back to hang from your belt or pocket, and comes with a strap to wear over your shoulder.
There is a clear cover in front of the pouch to insert a picture or ID. Behind the designer "paw print" is a lining where you can keep treats separate from other contents. The paw print is flourescent and reflects light at night.
The StylePouch also comes with 12 disposable bags and a small hand sanitizer, so dog owners can clean up after their pooches and keep their hands clean.
There are two pockets inside the StylePouch to store an assortment of valuables, including stuff like a cell phone, camera, keys, or a MP3 player. Several different colors are available.
The product is expected to become available from the
company's website as early as a month from now, according to Gwendolyn Brooks, the company's President. Retailers and e-tailers interested in distributing the StylePouch can contact Brooks at:
Designer Pet Solutions Inc.
1465 E. Lexington Avenue, #11B
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 749-7858
e-mail:
gwen7149@cox.net
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Frozen Dog Poop Spray
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
What's this?? Frozen dog poop spray?
This nifty looking bone-shaped contraption contains liquid nitrogen, that can be used to spray on a pile of poop your dog left behind. Liquid nitrogen, of course, is extremely cold, so much so, that anything you spray it on freezes instantly.
The high-tech fecal-freezer device is the design of a couple of Chinese students who used this contraption to win the 2005 "
D&AD Student of the Year Award". They were sponsored by the British Aerosol Manufacturer's Assocation.
Via
Creative Match
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Gas Station Dog Wash
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
GinSan, the maker of self-serve car-washes for gas stations has a coin-operated dog-washing station, marketed as the "
GinSan Pet Wash". It's designed to be set up at gas stations and car-washes.
The product is all stainless steel, and runs on a timer, and charges users $5.00 for 8 minutes. A control panel gives them a variety of options including shampoo, flea & tick shampoo, skunk odor remover, air dry, and others.
Gas stations and self-serve car-washes are already
starting to put them in, trying to capitalize on the booming business of pet care.
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Biker Dog for your Bicycle
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
I remember when we were kids, one of the things we'd love to do was take the neighborhood labrador out for a run. One of us ride on a skateboard while holding the dog's leash. The others would ride bikes, and the labrador would follow them, pulling the kid on the skateboard.
You had to start out slow, or else the lab would yank you right off the skateboard. The lab would run about as fast the other kids could peddle their bikes. The thing is that the skateboard didn't have any brakes. You had to jump off the board and run to a stop. Sometimes a pebble on the street would make the board come to a screeching halt, sending you airborne! But those were the days when it was ok for kids to get scraped up in the name of fun. Today, well...?
Anyways, that's the first thing that came to mind when I saw the "
Biker Dog". It's a bracket that mounts to the rear-frame of a bicycle. Obviously, this would not lend itself to turning your dog into a alternative source of energy. But, it's a great way to ride your bike while taking the dog out for a run.
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Don't Teach Your Dog to Dial 911
Monday, August 08, 2005
A woman in Lake Parsippany, New Jersey claims she successfully
taught her dog to dial "911" in the event of an emergency. It took several attempts, but she finally prevailed.
But there was a problem. Three police cars showed up at her home, after they received numerous "911" calls from her telephone.
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Legislative Briefing
Monday, August 08, 2005
Morgan County, Indiana - The local Humane Society is
pushing for an ordinance that would require dogs in the county to be spayed or neutered. This comes as a result of an 83 year old man who was mauled to death by four dogs, none of which were neutered.
Plattsburgh, New York - City council members
modified the city's leash law such that dogs must be leashed at all times when not fenced in. Previously, the law allowed owners to take them off-leash if the dog would obey commands. This came as a result of a pit bull that attacked another dog.
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View your pet's vet records online
Friday, August 05, 2005
The Angell Animal Medial Center launched a
new website for its clients last month, allowing them to view their pet's veterinary records online.
The website is password protected and requires each pet owner to establish an account. Once logged in, they can view their pet's records, refill prescriptions online, update their account information, schedule new appointments, and pay their balances.
The website also provides articles specific to each animal's medical condition.
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Local Authorities threaten to shoot all stray dogs
Friday, August 05, 2005
After a girl was bitten by rabid dog, authorities in Rankin Inlet, in the northern reaches of the Canadian Arctic, announced they are threatening to
shoot any dog found wandering loose.
The Nunavut Territorial Health Department issued a warning for all dog owners to get their dog's vaccinated and to "tie them up".
More details on this story
here.
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Dog gets cremated without owners knowledge
Friday, August 05, 2005
Dorothy Ostergren left her dog with a kennel while she went away on vacation. When she returned, she learned the dog had died, and to make matters worse,
it had been cremated.
Michelle Moellenberndt, the kennel operator, could not explain why the dog died, but only noticed that it was lethargic. Moellenberndt claimed the owner did not provide the name of the dog's vet, and therefore, couldn't do anything.
I guess I find that to be a lame answer. The reason why one leaves a dog with a kennel is so that there are people there to take care of it, particularly when such emergencies arise.
Perhaps when you put your dog's life into someone else's hands, you can never do enough to be sure that they're capable hands.
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Dog Cloning for Best in Show
Thursday, August 04, 2005
The news yesterday that a South Korean scientist
successfully cloned an Afghan Hound has many people thinking. Today, an
article in Wired Magazine wonders if dog cloning has any applications with dog breeding contests...
According to a representative for Genetic Savings and Clone, a pet-cloning company in Sausalito, California, the demand for cloned show animals exists.
"Although they could go to a breeder and get a fairly similar pet, they want the most similar pet possible," said Ben Carlson, a spokesman for the company. "They want a later-born identical twin, so they come to us."
Many in the dog breeding circles seem to disagree, arguing that cloned animals have no place in dog shows. But then again, that's based on the assumption that traditions never change.
But there's a funny thing about traditions; they never stay the same.
Now that scientists have completed the
dog genome, it stands to reason that perfecting the dog cloning process could create a lucrative industry in supplying perfect dogs to a variety of applications: bomb-sniffers, hunting, herding, dog-racing, guide-dogs, guard-dogs, and police-dogs. Professional breeders can even acquire a set of cloned dogs tailored for families, and produce a large supply of puppies.
If we ever see a world where cloned dogs are common place, it stands to reason the AKC will accomodate these dogs and create a special registry for them, simply out of the need to track them and their offspring, particularly if mated with "natural" AKC registered dogs. And that's when cloned dogs will find their way into shows. How that dynamic will affect the shows is anyone's guess.
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Another Editorial on Pit Bull Banning
Thursday, August 04, 2005
The Daily Herald, a newspaper serving central Utah, published an
editorial on pit bull bans spreading across the country. It's worth reading.
The author seems to take a very pragmatic, yet sensible opinion on banning specific breeds, acknowledging that banning pit bulls would obviously reduce the number of dog attacks, but questions if it's really worth the effort.
Likewise, not all pit bulls and Rottweilers are vicious killers. But if you got rid of them, you most certainly could reduce the number of human deaths in the jaws of dogs. We're just not sure it's worth the effort. Far more people are killed in accidents around the home every year than the paltry 150 deaths attributed to nasty dog breeds.
I just find it interesting to see that newspapers like this one, and the
Wisconsin State Journal are evaluating this rationally.
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Man plans to walk his dog for 500 miles
Thursday, August 04, 2005
David Cohen, a real estate agent from Sonoma County, CA, plans to take his dog for a
very long walk. He plans to spend 13 days walking 500 miles, all for charity.
David and Molly, a 7 year old labrador, will start on September 12 from Lucasfilm's Golden Gate Bridge and make their way to Southern California with the goal of raising funds for Kids of Hope, a California-based public charity helping children in Sri Lanka impacted by the tsunami.
Molly has an interesting story, in that she overcame a disability at birth, just to be able to walk. David will be earmarking 10% of the funds raised from the walk-a-thon to aid programs that help pets separated from the tsunami.
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Send your dog to Fat Camp
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
PDSA, the UK's leading animal charity, is looking to find eight overweight pets to take part in a new
diet and exercise challenge.
The charity says that nearly half (48%) of all pet owners spoil their pets daily with extra snacks and human treats outside of regular meals, and that this is resulting in too many fat pets.
The eight lucky participants will be selected by celebrity health and fitness expert Kevin Adams and PDSA senior veterinary surgeon Elaine Pendlebury. These eight animals will follow a 100 day diet and exercise program that will be regularly monitored by their local PDSA PetAid hospital. At the end of the program, the pet with the greatest proportional weight loss who best stuck to their new exercise regime will be crowned PDSA pet fit camp champ, winning the owner and their pet a weekend away at Knoll House Hotel at Studland Bay in Dorset.
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More Pit Bull Bans to come
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
A city councilman in
Wheeling, West Virginia wants to ban pit bulls. He quotes...
"I don't know if we're going to completely ban them. That is what I am going to recommend. They're a dangerous animal. It's not like having a mixed bread dog."
Actually, I've seen some pretty vicious "bread dogs".
Meanwhile, the city council in
Port Neches, Texas will be holding a meeting on a planned ordinance to ban pit bulls. One local pit bull owner, Briane Justice, was asked what she thought about breed bans becoming popular...
"...then where are the bans on sex offenders and convicted felons? These people are much more dangerous than any dog could ever be and it seems that they should be addressed before worrying about what type of dog someone owns."
A ban on convicted felons? Is that like an "oxymoron"?
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Editorial on Pit Bull Ban gets responses
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Last week I
mentioned the Wisconsin State Journal had published an editorial on Denver's pit bull ban. Today, they published several
responses submitted by their readers.
Most of the responses were against the ban, though I saw at least one that seemed in favor of it.
I particularly liked the first response from Cindy Lease, who smartly pointed out that Denver's pit bull problem is a monster they created, simply because they failed to enforce the existing laws on dog ownership.
My kinda woman!
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Retractable Dog Leashes are Dangerous
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
A woman in Massachusetts want to let everyone know not to use a retractable dog leash, because they can cut your finger off.
That's what happened to her. She was using a retractable dog leash made by
Flexi. She had the retractable cord wrapped around her finger. When the dog jolted forward and ran, the cord grabbed her finger, pulled her down to the ground, and snapped her finger off.
An
article published by NewsCenter5 said they did some background research, and found that this happened before, as many as 30 similar incidents going back to 2002. In one case, Flexi was sued, and settled out of court.
Flexi's website clearly provides instructions not to wrap the cord around your finger, and even says that doing so presents an amputation hazard.
But who's fault is it? Flexi's or the user? The issue is not so much that the leash is retractable, but that the retractable cord itself is narrow, and is better able to separate fingers. But most people do have a habit of wrapping cords and leashes around their hands and fingers, so I wouldn't blame human nature.
However, more people have been injured in automobile accidents than with dog leashes, but that's no reason to ban automobiles. There is a right way and a wrong way to operate automobiles. The same goes for the retractable dog leash. Ultimately, the end user is responsible for his or her own safety. But, let buyer beware!
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Scientists have Cloned a dog
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
First they cloned a cat. Now, scientists in South Korea have cloned a dog. An
article in Newsday gives a pretty good report.
The cloned puppy, named "Snuppy" came from an Afghan Hound, but his embryo was implanted into a Yello Labrador Retriever.
Scientists created 1,095 embryos, that were implanted into 123 dogs. Only three of them "took". One miscarried, one died three weeks after birth, and the other was Snuppy.
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Purina launches Dog Litter E-mail Campaign
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Nestle Purina PetCare, today,
announced it's plans to boost trial use of its Secondnature brand of "doggie litter". The plan centers around e-mail campaign that will go out to 500,000 Purina customers.
Secondnature has been on the market for a few years, but has never been marketed to any large degree. This e-mail campaign represents the first such move. The dog and cat litter market is estimated at $732 million in annual sales, according to Information Resources, though dog litter represents a tiny portion of that figure.
Purina notes that while the trend in dog ownership is getting hotter, the really hot trend is in tiny dogs, like Paris Hilton's chihuahua, a perfect target for dog litter sales.
The e-mail will also include tips and training on how to get your dog to relieve itself on the litter.
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Blacks Dogs are high in demand in India
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
A popular superstition in India is creating a
booming market for black-colored dogs, fueled by claims that Saturn is spreading back luck, and that the only way to protect yourself, is to buy a black dog.
One woman, Priyadarshini, paid double the normal price for a black labrador believing it will save her from Saturn's "evil eye":
"It's been nearly one month since I purchased him and I am already feeling much better than before. He's still a puppy and I am feeling much better."
Dog sellers are raking in the bucks during this special moment. A black cocker spaniel sold for $184.00, instead of the usual $46.00. Breeders are getting orders for black puppies that haven't been born yet. Other breeders are looking to import black dogs from neighboring Indian states.
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Great Dane wins 2005 Broadway Barks Hero Award
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Rudy, a 10-year-old Great Dane, received the 2005 Hero award at the seventh annual
Broadway Barks. The award was granted in recognition of Rudy's work with the children of
Grandfather Home, a home and charter school for physically, emotionally, and sexually abused children located in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Receiving the award on Rudy's behalf was Laurie Zoock, Public Relations Director of
MAGDRL, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League, Inc.
The Broadway Barks Hero award is a certificate of recognition awarded to an animal or individual who has made a significant contribution to the community and/or to animal welfare.
"Rudy is a fine example of the many wonderful Danes that come through our rescue every year", says Debra Rahl, President, Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League. Many who have experienced similar neglect and abuse still, like Rudy, have it in their hearts to love and trust people and to give back ten fold."
Rudy's story is indeed inspiring. He originally lived in New Jersey, and his owner was a drug abuser. During his drug binges, the owner neglected Rudy. One day, neighbors found the home abandoned, but with Rudy still there, hungry and howling. Through the generosity and committment of great folks at MAGDRL, Rudy now gives back to the community by providing friendship to abused children.
Read more about Rudy.
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Dogs on the Bus
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Bus ride
Originally uploaded by lakerae.
""
I wonder if these dogs are riding on a Greyhound Bus?
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How do you pronounce "Xoloitzcuintle"?
Monday, August 01, 2005
If you have trouble pronouncing various names of dog breeds, don't feel singled out. An
interesting article published today in the Monterey County Herald looks at some of the harder-to-pronounce names of dog breeds, and helps you learn how to master them. No more will you have to muzzle your voice when talking about that cute Xoloitzcuintle.
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