Gus was a "famous" dog who you might have seen in your email box after he won the "World's Ugliest Dog Contest" held in California in June of 2008. His "less-than-handsome" look made him popular in office email forwards and on sites like digg.com.

Gus' owner was using the prize money from the contest to pay for Gus' cancer treatments, but, alas, he fell victim to the terminal canine illness on November 10th, 2008.

Full news article found here

In this current economy, the dog supplies business is showing less signs of a slowdown than most other sectors, but businesses that can cut costs & pass the savings onto dog owners will be more attractive to cost-conscious consumers.

Dog beds are a category where many middle class shoppers like to go "upscale" and spend more money to get a premium class product. A furniture-grade dog bed (made from the same materials as human furniture, and often manufactured by subsidiaries of large furniture companies) usually cost between $80-$200, depending on the size of the bed and type of fill (for example, orthopedic foam is more expensive than poly-fill).

However, the hidden cost of a dog bed is usually the shipping price. These can be big, heavy items. The larger sizes usually ship in what UPS deems to be an "oversized" box, which adds a heavy premium to the shipping cost. The average price to ship a dog bed across the country can be from $30-50.

Most online retailers don't charge a stated shipping rate that high, and usually take a smaller margin to build some of that cost into the price. But make no mistake about it, when shipping prices go up, the price of dog beds go up.

One new solution is to use special vacuum-packing technology to shrink wrap the bed in plastic before putting it into the box. While this doesn't change the weight of the package, it does eliminate the additional fees for the "oversized" boxes, which can easily save $20 or more on the shipping bill.

Examples of beds shipped this way are the Microvelvet Doggy Lounger and the Duke Dog Bed.

The only downside to the vacuum packing process is that, when the bed is unwrapped, the fabric cover will usually have some wrinkles. But this is easily fixed by putting the cover in the dryer.

As of today, this technology isn't used often, because the machines required are very expensive, and out of the price range of most of the upscale dog bed makers (which are usually very small companies).

With all the discussion over which breed of dog the Obama family should get as their White House dog, they should visit a local shelter, and adopt one of the "pit bull" breeds.

If anyone can change the way America looks at pit bulls, then the President ought to be able to do so.

Maybe Obama can use his "star power" to finally get people to stop persecuting what has emerged as America's most discriminated dog.

Labels: Pit Bull Bans

Seems like there's always someone out there with a fascination for dog poop.

While dog poop calendars are not necessarily a novelty anymore, there's still plenty of room for creativity. I thought this particular 2009 calendar has some humorous looks at doggie dukey...

http://www.monthlydoos.com/

But I think they're dog poop greeting cards are even more funny.

I noticed they also sell a dog poop candle. I wonder if it's scented with real dog poop?

Labels: Dog Poop

Yummy Chummies is a brand of dog treats produced by Arctic Paws, LLC, a company based in Anchorage, AK.

It's focus on the benefits of salmon, specifically the heart-healthy nutrients of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. The omegas are said to boost immunity, mobility, join, and skin, and for dogs, a nice shiny coat.

The company sent me a bag of their "Original" variety. They several other varieties, all based on salmon, but with other flavorings like Bacon and Chicken. Hmmm, bacon-flavored salmon?

So I gave some pieces to Max and Mia, and watched their reaction. Sure enough, they liked it.

Well, when it comes to giving your dogs some treats, it's really about satisfying yourself. I don't know too many dogs that would turn down a treat.



The photo above makes these pieces look like they're hard, like crackers. But they're not. They're chewy, but not necessarily soft as the package says. They're more like stiff fig-newtons.

The typically retail for about $4.99 per 4oz bag.

Visit Yummy Chummies online at...

http://www.yummychummies.com

Ingredients

Wild alaska salmon, wheat flour, vegetable glycerin, propionic acid, natural smoke flavor, citric acid, garlic, calcium carbonate, natural mixed tocopherols, and rosemary extract.

Labels: Dog Treats

Today, the American Kennel Club announced their top ten dog breeds for 2007 based on registration statistics of its members...

2007 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S.

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd Dog
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Bulldog

For the first time since 1935, the Bulldog has broken into the top 10. The organization says that this breed has recently gained appeal to a very wide range of dog lovers. The Bulldog is both docile and adaptive, and can thrive in small or large homes. It's also one of the few dog breeds to be adopted as a mascot for some sports teams.

The Bulldog was first recognized by the AKC in 1886, just two years after the organization's founding, and was most popular in 1915 when it peaked in 5th place. The breed's popularity ebbed and flowed throughout the mid-20th century, but since hitting a low of 41st place in 1973, its ranking has steadily increased.

The AKC published statistics by cities...

• The Bulldog is most popular in Los Angeles where is it currently ranked 2nd right after the Lab.



• Atlanta, GA did not include the Bulldog in its top 10, despite being the home to University of Georgia's "Bulldogs".



• The Poodle and Dachshund, who each once enjoyed the top spot in Manhattan (2006, 2005 for the Poodle and 2004 for the Dachshund) now share a tie for 3rd place, ousted by America's top choice, the Labrador Retriever.



• Detroit, Knoxville, Miami, Honolulu and Orlando are the only cities that do not have the Labrador Retriever in the top spot. Detroit and Miami favor the German Shepherd, Orlando puts the Yorkie in 1st place, Honolulu the Golden Retriever and Knoxville the Boxer.



• Salt Lake City is the only city to place the Shih Tzu in one of its top two spots. It moved from 3rd in 2006 to 2nd in 2007.



• The only cities to not have the Yorkie on their lists are Buffalo, Milwaukee and Des Moines.



• Des Moines had the most unique list of all 50 cities, considering that it shared only four dogs with the national Top 10.



• The Miniature Schnauzer, which was displaced on the national list this year by the Bulldog, still claims top dog status in Oklahoma City where it ranks 3rd, higher than in any other U.S. city.



• San Francisco and Los Angeles were the only cities in the nation to include the French Bulldog in their Top 10 lists.

Other interesting dog breed preference facts...

• The Miniature Schnauzer was bumped off the Top 10 list in 2007 to make room for the Bulldog.



• The Yorkshire Terrier held steady in 2nd place, after making news last year by displacing the Golden Retriever and German Shepherd.



• The Havanese, a small dog with a coat type that is a good choice for people with allergies, has enjoyed the greatest surge in popularity since 1997, increasing 994%. It now ranks as the 37th most popular breed.



• Other small dogs (under 20 lbs.) that have gained popularity in the past decade include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (+406%), the French Bulldog (+404%) and the Brussels Griffon (+157%).



• Large dogs with notable increases are two Swiss breeds -- the Bernese Mountain Dog (+74%) and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (+127%) -- as well as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (+130%).



• Breeds on the decline include the Rottweiler (-81%) and the Dalmatian (-96%). Many breeds of Asian origins are also waning in popularity: Chow Chows (-84%), Pekingese (-79%), Akitas (-76%), Lhasa Apso (-75%), Chinese Shar-Pei (-73%) and Shiba Inu (-38%).



• The Beagle is the only breed that has consistently been included in the Top 10 list since 1915. It reigned as the most popular breed from 1954 to 1959.



• Poodles enjoyed a long reign as the most popular dog for 23 years (1960–1982), the longest any breed has held that position consecutively.



• Cocker Spaniels ranked number one from 1936-1953 (replaced by the Beagle in 1954). Cocker Spaniels made a comeback and were number one again from 1983-1990, making them the dog with the longest total reign in the top spot at 25 years.



• The Toy group has been steadily on the rise since the 1970s, when it made up only 12% of the registry versus 23% today.



• The Working group peaked in the 1990's at 17%, most notably due to the Rottweiler being in the Top 10 at that time, including several years in 2nd place.

You can read more about the AKC's top ten dog breeds here...

http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3408

Labels: American-Kennel-Club, Bulldogs

The Center for Consumer Freedom, a non-profit trade group representing the interests of manufacturers and retailers, formally petitioned the Commonwealth of Virginia to reclassify PETA as a "slaughterhouse".

An official report filed by PETA itself shows that the animal rights group put to death nearly every dog, cat, and other pet it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 animals. The organization killed 2,981 of the 3,061 "companion animals" it took in.

According to David Martosko, Research Director for CCF...

"It is absurd to classify PETA as a 'humane society' when its employees are slaughtering nearly every companion animal they bring in. PETA has killed over 17,000 pets since 1998. Given the group's astonishing habit of killing adoptable dogs and cats with such ruthless efficiency, it's only fair that the state of Virginia refer to PETA as a slaughterhouse."

CCF's petition was directed to Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. If approved, the new classification would force PETA to abide an entirely new set of laws and regulations.

The Center of Consumer Freedom has set PETA in its sights because PETA has targeted the companies that CCF represents, such as food makers, department stores, and textile companies.

PETA's most successful publicity campaigns have been those against the fur industry, arguing that killing animals for fur is akin to cruelty. Yet ironically, PETA itself is killing thousands perfectly healthy and adoptable animals for no better reason than just ideology.

Labels: PETA

I guess what the television world needs now is an "Iron Dog Trainer" show, similar to the Food Network's, "Iron Chef".

Dogtime ran an article that compares Cesar Millan with Ian Dunbar, and paints Millan as the bad guy, with Dunbar as the good guy, as if Dunbar is the sigh of relief in a world of shock dog trainers.

Most of us don't know Millan, or Dunbar for that matter. All we know about Millan is what we see on television.

What gets missed in all the Millan debates is that dog training is an art, not a science. There is no "best" way to train dogs. Each trainer has their own beliefs and methods on what works best. Just like in healthcare, whether you're talking about allopathic or holistic, each practitioner has their beliefs, and you as the consumer take responsibility on whom you hire.

So why does Millan continue to take his knocks? Because he has a successful television show, period. It's not about his beliefs or methods. In fact, there are other trainers who share similar beliefs and methods as him, yet they never become the subject of debate. If not for Millan's television show, we wouldn't be talking about him.

That means only one thing. Some people out there can't stand it when someone else with differing viewpoints, get so much media attention. Had Ian Dunbar gotten the nod as "Dog Whisperer" instead of Millan, then he too would be criticized by those with differing viewpoints.

Labels: Cesar-Millan, Dog-Training, Ian-Dunbar

In 2006, PETA apparently took in 3,061 companion animals, of which it killed 2,981. This information supposedly comes from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

The Center for Consumer Freedom, an advocacy group representing the interests of manufacturers and retailers, issued a press release today that made light of this figure.

The press release goes on to report that the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 34.7 percent in 2006, compared to PETA's kill rate of 97.4 percent.

Apparently, the Commonwealth ordered PETA to submit a report of its operations for all of 2006, and PETA finally complied 9 months after the deadline.

You can read the rest of the alarming details here...
http://www.prnewswire.com/..../www/story/01-10-2008/0004734363&EDATE=

Those of you who have followed this blog for a long time know that I've been a big critic of PETA, charging them to be hypocrites in the most vile kind of way.

They campaign for our donations on the grounds that they're going to take care of these animals, love them, and protect them, and yet it appears they use that money to buy syringes, plastic bags, and pentobarbital.

They're opportunists. When an animal tragedy occurs, such as the Michael Vick story, they capitalize on the situation with their, "I told you so" advertisements, and leverage donations from our emotions.

What's worse, PETA, or Michael Vick?

No one who calls themselves an animal lover can stick a needle into a perfectly healthy and adoptable dog, and tell it that they're doing this for love.

If you're going to argue that a "kinder, gentler death" is better than a cruel one, then you're just as clueless as Michael Vick.

Labels: PETA

The Seattle Times ran an article about a local woman who started an organization called, "Families and Dogs Against Fighting Breeds". She wants the city to either ban pit bulls or at least a mandatory sterilization of them.

Colleen Lynn, who was attacked by a pit bull, said the following...

"I have to prepare myself to be massively intimidated. But we need to recognize the problem. Our community is suffering."

Are we looking at another Denver, another Windsor, another fascist state where hundreds of well-tempered dogs are ripped from their homes and put down like Jews in a concentration camp, just because a few dog owners weren't acting responsibly?

Like I've said countless times here, we already have laws and remedies against irresponsible dog owners, the problem is that local governments don't want to go after the bad apples. It costs money. They'd rather take the easy road by burdening everyone.

The irony of that approach is that only the law-abiding citizen abide by laws. The irresponsible citizens, who don't abide by laws, are the problem.

How will another law address the people who don't abide by laws?

You've heard the old saying, "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns". It's the same principle.

Read the full article...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/..../2004112928_brodeur08m.html

Labels: Pit Bull Bans

This is why people shake hands and say "hello"...

Labels: Photos

A labrador named "Dingo" in Vienna, Austria was drunken with alcohol without having consumed any alcohol.

The culprit was mass quantities of pastries. The dog managed to sneak half a kilogram of fresh yeast dough from its owner's kitchen. The yeast in the dough fermented in the dog's belly and produced alcohol...

Drunk Dingo presented a pitiful sight, Carl Hofbauer, the vet looking after the intoxicated labrador was quoted as saying in reports. His charge had been barely able to stand on its own four paws and needed to be held up when walking. Moreover, the dog smelled like a beer hall, the vet said.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/170132.html

Labels: Strange Stuff

Here's a sad story about a man who lost his dog last Halloween, only be called on the phone by some kids threatening to kill his dog unless he paid $600.00. And then apparently, they killed the dog anyways...

http://news.yahoo.com/..../missing_dog_extortion

Police have arrested at least one 15-year old boy in the case, but the whereabouts of the dog is unknown.

The judicial system needs to come down much more hard on low-life scum such as this. If you read the article above, it's clear these kids are not just playing games, and will certainly grow up to commit bigger crimes.

I'm tired of compassionate courts.

People like these are beyond rehabilitation, and the courts need to excise these little tumors before they metastasize into cancers, and send a message to rest of America's youth.

Labels: Dog Cruelty

Here's a weird story, a frozen dog, kept at a pet crematory, exploded as it was put into an incinerator.

As ABC News reports...

"He revealed that a frozen dead dog in the furnace was the cause of the overheating chimney, as frozen dogs sometimes explode when cremated."

I wouldn't want to be the one to clean up that mess.

According to another report, this happens occasionally at this crematory.

Labels: Strange Stuff

Do you like to take a shower with your dog? Or, at least have it there with you?

One couple in Bremerton, WA fought over this issue, as they prepared to take a shower together. According to the Associated Press...

The woman told her boyfriend that if the dog doesn't stay out, she didn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. He replied that maybe his next girlfriend would appreciate the dog more, and called her a name.

The police report said the woman punched him in the face several times and the man dislocated his shoulder after the naked couple grappled. He told police his girlfriend threw a picture frame, which broke and cut him.

Now she's in jail.

My wife and I never close the bathroom door when we shower, but for whatever reasons, Max doesn't seem to want to watch. Mia, however, follows me around everywhere, and will lay down on the bathroom floor and wait for me to finish showering.

Labels: Strange Stuff