According to news reports, about 12 psychics have now joined the hunt for the missing show dog, which has now been missing for a week...
Although a tipster claimed to have seen the whippet around JFK Airport a few days ago, the dog hasn't been spotted since. However, droppings consistent with the 30-pound whippet's were found Monday behind an airport cargo building, and so there is still reason for hope.
The dog's owners have posted a reward of $5,000 for her return.
But each year, dozens of dogs and cats are lost and found on Kennedy's 5,000 acres, which stretch from the busy parkways in the north to Jamaica Bay's marshes in the south.
The lost dog problem at Kennedy became so bad that about five years ago, Bobbi Giordano set up a no-kill animal rescue shelter called Bobbi and the Strays in the airport's Cargo Area C, which is across the short-term parking lot from the terminals. It rents space at the airport and shares a building with the airport's pet hotel, which charges by the day and the pound, and a stable for horses being shipped by air.
But for Ms. Giordano and her workers, Vivi is merely the airport's fourth lost dog this month.
"We feel terrible about this show dog, but honestly, lost dogs are nothing new to us here," Ms. Giordano said yesterday. "In fact, it's the reason we set up here in the first place."
[dog news]
[dogs]
Missing Dog Spotted?
A New York woman says she may have seen the missing whippet from the Westminster Dog Show...
New York Post
February 18, 2006 -- The missing Westminster Dog Show whippet may be alive and well and living in a construction site, according to a tipster who says she saw the prize pooch early yes terday morning near JFK Airport.
The dog's excited owners spent yesterday searching the streets around South Conduit Avenue and 145th Street, not far from the runway where Vivi was last seen Wednesday, running away from cargo workers after she got loose from her cage.
The tipster "sounded like she knew what a whippet was," said Vivi's breeder, Bo Bengtson. Heidi Singer
[dogs]
[dog news]
New York Post
February 18, 2006 -- The missing Westminster Dog Show whippet may be alive and well and living in a construction site, according to a tipster who says she saw the prize pooch early yes terday morning near JFK Airport.
The dog's excited owners spent yesterday searching the streets around South Conduit Avenue and 145th Street, not far from the runway where Vivi was last seen Wednesday, running away from cargo workers after she got loose from her cage.
The tipster "sounded like she knew what a whippet was," said Vivi's breeder, Bo Bengtson. Heidi Singer
[dogs]
[dog news]
Pit Bulls - Monster or Myth?
Great article on pit bulls in today's Seattle Times.
As someone who NEVER considered owning a pit bull, I have to say that most of the pit bulls and pit bull mixes I met while working Katrina rescue were wonderful dogs. The ones that weren't had all been fought and had the scars to prove it. Many of these scars were caused by people, not dogs. One of the dogs I looked after had ... a scar that covered his entire back, probably caused by someone throwing boiling water or oil on him in the ring. The fighting dogs were all terribly abused, and understandably aggressive to people and other dogs.
My own little pitty, Miss Peaches, had her ears cut off in a "backyard crop" - someone just held her down and hacked them off. Yet she is as affectionate and loving as any dog I have ever known.
The problem is never the breed; it's the owner.
Pit bulls: Most dangerous of dogs or most misunderstood?
By Lisa Wogan
Special to The Seattle Times
In early January, Sarah Smith went walking in her leafy North Seattle neighborhood. Not far from her house, she saw two of her neighbor's pit bulls running loose. Before she could do anything the dogs rushed her, attacking her small terrier.
"I was screaming. I was out of my mind," says Smith, who asked that her real name not be used for fear of retaliation by the dogs' owner. "I was tangled in my leash, and I closed my eyes because I didn't want to see my dog ripped up."
The dog's owner and neighbors helped break up the attack. It wasn't until Smith got home that she discovered bloody puncture wounds in her own arm.
While she and her dog are on the mend physically, Smith is still emotionally shaky.
"It's kind of consumed my life," she says. "I can't work."
Smith works in a dog-friendly office that includes a pit bull. Yet despite the attack, she disagrees with those who would ban the breeds. "Pit bull" is a catch-all used to describe American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire terriers, American pit-bull terriers and any mixes involving these breeds.
"I am afraid of pit bulls now," she says, "but I see this as an owner problem."
Still, anything involving pit bulls has a way of taking on a political life of its own, fueled by news accounts of attacks and public disagreement that spills into town halls and Internet forums.
In the debate over banning, the questions persist: Are these dogs vicious by nature or victims of irresponsible owners and breeders? Or is their strained place among us, as some have argued, a combination of genetics and circumstance?
The recent history of the pit bulls has been tough. After decades as an all-American favorite (from Stubby the World War I hero to Pete in "Our Gang"), the pit bull was embraced for its more pugnacious qualities.
It happens all the time: A strong dog becomes widely popular for its ability to intimidate. In the past several decades, Dobermans, Akitas, Rottweilers, German shepherds and even shaggy St. Bernards developed short-term reputations as a public menace.
Unfortunately, unlike fads of the past, the pit-bull craze has endured for nearly three decades, putting enormous stress on the various breeds that are called pit bulls and keeping them constantly in the headlines.Adding to the cost of popularity is the pit bulls' tendency to attract owners drawn not by its historic family-dog role but by its reputation as the premier fighting dog.
"It's the dog of choice for drug dealers and young males 12 to 23," says Don Jordan, executive director of the Seattle Animal Shelter.
At best, these owners are too young to take responsibility for such a demanding breed. At worst, they campaign them in dog fights and abandon losers. They often leave their dogs tethered in the backyard, neglect and abuse them and fail to socialize them — all of which can contribute to aggressiveness.
Changing temperaments
While American pit bulls have historically done well in temperament testing (see table), current circumstances may be taking a toll.
"When we first got pit bulls in, they were always friendly. They were always nice dogs," says Diane Jessup, a former animal-control officer in Olympia. Jessup has raised many pit bulls and written several books about them. "I will say now, in the last five years, 50 percent of the dogs are fearful, fear-biters with horribly unsound temperaments."
The number of pit bulls coming into Seattle Animal Shelter continues to increase — from 362 in 2001 to 559 in 2004. Given their reputations, these dogs are difficult to place. More than 1,000 were euthanized during this same period.
Five years ago, Web-site designer Carol Chapman adopted a black-and-tan brindle American pit bull named Sampson through the Pit Bull Project, one of three local rescue organizations that helps place abandoned dogs in homes and improve their public image.
Sampson was among many dogs used as a stud in a home-breeding operation in Bremerton. When his owners were arrested on drug charges, it was a month before animal control learned that 20 pit bulls had been abandoned on the property. By the time officials arrived, 10 dogs were dead and five were so sick they had to be euthanized. Sampson was among the five who survived on trash in the house.
The experience did not ruin Sampson. "He's really mild-mannered and kind of a coward," says Chapman. "He breaks up cat fights. He's kind of like a peacekeeper."
That gentleness, as well as a certain goofy charm, are overlooked aspects of the pit-bull personality, say owners, and among the traits that endear them to these breeds.
Elvie Arnobit, a sales representative from Redmond, didn't know much about pit bulls' darker reputation when she fell in love with an American pit-bull puppy named Marauder-Ivie League's Harvard — Harvey, for short.
With soulful eyes and a sweet disposition, she says, "I had to have him."
At 70 pounds, a white-and-red fawn coat and a giant dog tag that proclaims "Lick Monster," Harvey perches human-style on a chair next to Arnobit as she scrolls through a slideshow: Harvey dressed as a king, as a poodle and in a tuxedo with a cigar in his mouth. As she describes his silliness, Harvey offers her his leash — repeatedly.
Under Arnobit's constant care, Harvey became a United Kennel Club confirmation champion, with an agility title, therapy-dog certification, an obedience title and his own Web site, kingharvey.com. He high-fives for treats, punches the automatic door openers at handicapped entrances and he's a favorite at Paws-Abilities, a dog-training facility in Tukwila.
Controlled cattle
Still, a docile dog is not the breed ideal. According to the United Kennel Club, which registers American pit-bull terriers, the dog should embody the virtues of a warrior: "strength, indomitable courage and gentleness with loved ones."
Pit bulls descend from bulldog-terrier mixes that were first bred in Elizabethan England. They were known as the Butcher's Dog because they controlled cattle by biting and holding the nose of wayward cows heading for the market.
This evolved into a sport where bulls were tormented by the dogs in contests of strength. When "bull-baiting" was outlawed in the early 1800s, these contests were moved to clandestine pits between dogs. Today, fighting is illegal in all 50 states, but is still widespread.
"It's not sensible to get an animal bred for bringing a 2,000-pound bull to its knees and say I'm going to treat this like a soft-mouth Labrador," says Jessup, the former animal-control officer. She blames novice owners, as much as actual criminals, for bringing the breed into disrepute. "It's a capable animal, and it's got to be treated as such."
Jessup does not believe the solution to the pit-bull attacks is to dilute the dogs' core character. Training her four dogs in obedience, tracking and Schutzhund (an obedience, tracking and protection sport originally developed for German shepherds) is one way she channels their energies.
For some, the issues of owner responsibility and the dog's stellar qualities don't complete the picture.
Kory Nelson avoids the debate over whether pit bulls are more aggressive than other dogs. As an assistant city attorney for Denver, Nelson has successfully defended repeated challenges to the city's 16-year-old pit-bull ban, one of the oldest big-city bans in the country.
He concedes that there is no definitive proof that pit bulls bite or attack more often than other dogs or even that they are fundamentally more aggressive.
Statistics about fatal bite attacks, though widely reported in stories about pit bulls, are generally considered unreliable or incomplete.
Instead, Nelson has successfully argued that pit-bull attacks are more severe and more likely to be fatal than other dog attacks because pit bulls bite into deep muscles, and hold and shake, ripping tissue. The dogs are also less likely to retreat in a fight and can strike without warning.
Nelson uses this analogy: Other breeds are to firecrackers as pit bulls are to hand grenades.
"They may have the same equal chances of going off accidentally," he says. "But we can agree that a hand grenade would cause more damage should that event take place."
Some Washington communities agree. Buckley, Pierce County, Enumclaw and Yakima have banned pit bulls. At least eight other Washington jurisdictions have pit-bull-specific restrictions including a special registration, spaying or neutering, muzzles in public, and sometimes owners are required to post a bond.
In this environment, responsible pit-bull owners find themselves in the hot seat. One owner with children said she'd been called an unfit mother for having the dogs. Others are used to seeing pedestrians cross the street to avoid them.
"As an owner you realize you can never make a mistake. Regardless of the situation, it's always going to be your dog's fault," says Jamie Samans, a spokesman for the Pit Bull Project.
When it comes to pit bulls, he says, "there is no room for error."
[dog news]
[dogs]
[dog info]
As someone who NEVER considered owning a pit bull, I have to say that most of the pit bulls and pit bull mixes I met while working Katrina rescue were wonderful dogs. The ones that weren't had all been fought and had the scars to prove it. Many of these scars were caused by people, not dogs. One of the dogs I looked after had ... a scar that covered his entire back, probably caused by someone throwing boiling water or oil on him in the ring. The fighting dogs were all terribly abused, and understandably aggressive to people and other dogs.
My own little pitty, Miss Peaches, had her ears cut off in a "backyard crop" - someone just held her down and hacked them off. Yet she is as affectionate and loving as any dog I have ever known.
The problem is never the breed; it's the owner.
Pit bulls: Most dangerous of dogs or most misunderstood?
By Lisa Wogan
Special to The Seattle Times
In early January, Sarah Smith went walking in her leafy North Seattle neighborhood. Not far from her house, she saw two of her neighbor's pit bulls running loose. Before she could do anything the dogs rushed her, attacking her small terrier.
"I was screaming. I was out of my mind," says Smith, who asked that her real name not be used for fear of retaliation by the dogs' owner. "I was tangled in my leash, and I closed my eyes because I didn't want to see my dog ripped up."
The dog's owner and neighbors helped break up the attack. It wasn't until Smith got home that she discovered bloody puncture wounds in her own arm.
While she and her dog are on the mend physically, Smith is still emotionally shaky.
"It's kind of consumed my life," she says. "I can't work."
Smith works in a dog-friendly office that includes a pit bull. Yet despite the attack, she disagrees with those who would ban the breeds. "Pit bull" is a catch-all used to describe American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire terriers, American pit-bull terriers and any mixes involving these breeds.
"I am afraid of pit bulls now," she says, "but I see this as an owner problem."
Still, anything involving pit bulls has a way of taking on a political life of its own, fueled by news accounts of attacks and public disagreement that spills into town halls and Internet forums.
In the debate over banning, the questions persist: Are these dogs vicious by nature or victims of irresponsible owners and breeders? Or is their strained place among us, as some have argued, a combination of genetics and circumstance?
The recent history of the pit bulls has been tough. After decades as an all-American favorite (from Stubby the World War I hero to Pete in "Our Gang"), the pit bull was embraced for its more pugnacious qualities.
It happens all the time: A strong dog becomes widely popular for its ability to intimidate. In the past several decades, Dobermans, Akitas, Rottweilers, German shepherds and even shaggy St. Bernards developed short-term reputations as a public menace.
Unfortunately, unlike fads of the past, the pit-bull craze has endured for nearly three decades, putting enormous stress on the various breeds that are called pit bulls and keeping them constantly in the headlines.Adding to the cost of popularity is the pit bulls' tendency to attract owners drawn not by its historic family-dog role but by its reputation as the premier fighting dog.
"It's the dog of choice for drug dealers and young males 12 to 23," says Don Jordan, executive director of the Seattle Animal Shelter.
At best, these owners are too young to take responsibility for such a demanding breed. At worst, they campaign them in dog fights and abandon losers. They often leave their dogs tethered in the backyard, neglect and abuse them and fail to socialize them — all of which can contribute to aggressiveness.
Changing temperaments
While American pit bulls have historically done well in temperament testing (see table), current circumstances may be taking a toll.
"When we first got pit bulls in, they were always friendly. They were always nice dogs," says Diane Jessup, a former animal-control officer in Olympia. Jessup has raised many pit bulls and written several books about them. "I will say now, in the last five years, 50 percent of the dogs are fearful, fear-biters with horribly unsound temperaments."
The number of pit bulls coming into Seattle Animal Shelter continues to increase — from 362 in 2001 to 559 in 2004. Given their reputations, these dogs are difficult to place. More than 1,000 were euthanized during this same period.
Five years ago, Web-site designer Carol Chapman adopted a black-and-tan brindle American pit bull named Sampson through the Pit Bull Project, one of three local rescue organizations that helps place abandoned dogs in homes and improve their public image.
Sampson was among many dogs used as a stud in a home-breeding operation in Bremerton. When his owners were arrested on drug charges, it was a month before animal control learned that 20 pit bulls had been abandoned on the property. By the time officials arrived, 10 dogs were dead and five were so sick they had to be euthanized. Sampson was among the five who survived on trash in the house.
The experience did not ruin Sampson. "He's really mild-mannered and kind of a coward," says Chapman. "He breaks up cat fights. He's kind of like a peacekeeper."
That gentleness, as well as a certain goofy charm, are overlooked aspects of the pit-bull personality, say owners, and among the traits that endear them to these breeds.
Elvie Arnobit, a sales representative from Redmond, didn't know much about pit bulls' darker reputation when she fell in love with an American pit-bull puppy named Marauder-Ivie League's Harvard — Harvey, for short.
With soulful eyes and a sweet disposition, she says, "I had to have him."
At 70 pounds, a white-and-red fawn coat and a giant dog tag that proclaims "Lick Monster," Harvey perches human-style on a chair next to Arnobit as she scrolls through a slideshow: Harvey dressed as a king, as a poodle and in a tuxedo with a cigar in his mouth. As she describes his silliness, Harvey offers her his leash — repeatedly.
Under Arnobit's constant care, Harvey became a United Kennel Club confirmation champion, with an agility title, therapy-dog certification, an obedience title and his own Web site, kingharvey.com. He high-fives for treats, punches the automatic door openers at handicapped entrances and he's a favorite at Paws-Abilities, a dog-training facility in Tukwila.
Controlled cattle
Still, a docile dog is not the breed ideal. According to the United Kennel Club, which registers American pit-bull terriers, the dog should embody the virtues of a warrior: "strength, indomitable courage and gentleness with loved ones."
Pit bulls descend from bulldog-terrier mixes that were first bred in Elizabethan England. They were known as the Butcher's Dog because they controlled cattle by biting and holding the nose of wayward cows heading for the market.
This evolved into a sport where bulls were tormented by the dogs in contests of strength. When "bull-baiting" was outlawed in the early 1800s, these contests were moved to clandestine pits between dogs. Today, fighting is illegal in all 50 states, but is still widespread.
"It's not sensible to get an animal bred for bringing a 2,000-pound bull to its knees and say I'm going to treat this like a soft-mouth Labrador," says Jessup, the former animal-control officer. She blames novice owners, as much as actual criminals, for bringing the breed into disrepute. "It's a capable animal, and it's got to be treated as such."
Jessup does not believe the solution to the pit-bull attacks is to dilute the dogs' core character. Training her four dogs in obedience, tracking and Schutzhund (an obedience, tracking and protection sport originally developed for German shepherds) is one way she channels their energies.
For some, the issues of owner responsibility and the dog's stellar qualities don't complete the picture.
Kory Nelson avoids the debate over whether pit bulls are more aggressive than other dogs. As an assistant city attorney for Denver, Nelson has successfully defended repeated challenges to the city's 16-year-old pit-bull ban, one of the oldest big-city bans in the country.
He concedes that there is no definitive proof that pit bulls bite or attack more often than other dogs or even that they are fundamentally more aggressive.
Statistics about fatal bite attacks, though widely reported in stories about pit bulls, are generally considered unreliable or incomplete.
Instead, Nelson has successfully argued that pit-bull attacks are more severe and more likely to be fatal than other dog attacks because pit bulls bite into deep muscles, and hold and shake, ripping tissue. The dogs are also less likely to retreat in a fight and can strike without warning.
Nelson uses this analogy: Other breeds are to firecrackers as pit bulls are to hand grenades.
"They may have the same equal chances of going off accidentally," he says. "But we can agree that a hand grenade would cause more damage should that event take place."
Some Washington communities agree. Buckley, Pierce County, Enumclaw and Yakima have banned pit bulls. At least eight other Washington jurisdictions have pit-bull-specific restrictions including a special registration, spaying or neutering, muzzles in public, and sometimes owners are required to post a bond.
In this environment, responsible pit-bull owners find themselves in the hot seat. One owner with children said she'd been called an unfit mother for having the dogs. Others are used to seeing pedestrians cross the street to avoid them.
"As an owner you realize you can never make a mistake. Regardless of the situation, it's always going to be your dog's fault," says Jamie Samans, a spokesman for the Pit Bull Project.
When it comes to pit bulls, he says, "there is no room for error."
[dog news]
[dogs]
[dog info]
It's A Hard Dog's Night
Two very different dog films have been released recently, and both are worth seeing.
The first film, Dealing Dogs is HBO's latest "America Undercover" documentary, and although an excellent film, is difficult to watch.
Dealing Dogs chronicles the undercover operation of Last Chance for Animals, an animal rights organization. They sent in an investigator("Pete") with a hidden camera to document the activities for six months. During that time, "Pete" worked for the owners of Martin Creek Kennel in Arkansas (a pastor of a local Church of Christ and his wife, no less!). "Pete" collected some gruesome and sickening images.
This is not a film for the faint-hearted.
However, the ending is upbeat: The evil owners are arrested, are heavily fined, lose their kennel and property, and may yet serve some jail time. (I'd rather see them get sold to a lab for experimentation, but we'll take what we can get...).
Best of all, the rescued dogs find love and new forever homes. So tune in to Dealing Dogs - and don't forget the tissues.
The second film, Eight Below, is the latest offering from those eternal purveyors of cute animals, Disney Films. And it's another fine film from the House of the Mouse, with lots of adventure, pathos, humour and sentiment - in short, something for everyone.
In Eight Below, eight sled dogs are left behind in the frigid artic while their trainer and sled master, Gerry, races against time to save them. Featuring a slew of fabulous huskies and malamutes, doing wonderful and astonishing things, in frigid, jawdropping scenery.
SPOILER ALERT: Not all the dogs make it. May be hard to take for little kiddies. Don't let that put you off, though. Keep reminding yourself that it's only a film, and keep passing the popcorn.
And of course, you'll want to rent the Eight Below DVD when it comes out, and snuggle up with your snookums (of course I meant the dog!) for some quality time on the couch.
This one gets an enthusiastic paws up.
[dog news]
[dog info]
The first film, Dealing Dogs is HBO's latest "America Undercover" documentary, and although an excellent film, is difficult to watch.
Dealing Dogs chronicles the undercover operation of Last Chance for Animals, an animal rights organization. They sent in an investigator("Pete") with a hidden camera to document the activities for six months. During that time, "Pete" worked for the owners of Martin Creek Kennel in Arkansas (a pastor of a local Church of Christ and his wife, no less!). "Pete" collected some gruesome and sickening images.
This is not a film for the faint-hearted.
However, the ending is upbeat: The evil owners are arrested, are heavily fined, lose their kennel and property, and may yet serve some jail time. (I'd rather see them get sold to a lab for experimentation, but we'll take what we can get...).
Best of all, the rescued dogs find love and new forever homes. So tune in to Dealing Dogs - and don't forget the tissues.
The second film, Eight Below, is the latest offering from those eternal purveyors of cute animals, Disney Films. And it's another fine film from the House of the Mouse, with lots of adventure, pathos, humour and sentiment - in short, something for everyone.
In Eight Below, eight sled dogs are left behind in the frigid artic while their trainer and sled master, Gerry, races against time to save them. Featuring a slew of fabulous huskies and malamutes, doing wonderful and astonishing things, in frigid, jawdropping scenery.
SPOILER ALERT: Not all the dogs make it. May be hard to take for little kiddies. Don't let that put you off, though. Keep reminding yourself that it's only a film, and keep passing the popcorn.
And of course, you'll want to rent the Eight Below DVD when it comes out, and snuggle up with your snookums (of course I meant the dog!) for some quality time on the couch.
This one gets an enthusiastic paws up.
[dog news]
[dog info]
Where's the Missing Whippet - That's the $25,000 Question
The award-winning whippet that escaped from her carrier at JFK Airport has not yet been found. Now authorities are calling off the formal search.
The 3-year old, brindle and white C'est la Vie is valued at $25,000, and somehow escaped while she was being loaded on the tarmac. The details are not clear, but what is clear is that there are some very unhappy and worried owners tonight...
Official search for dog called off
BY LUIS PEREZ and DENISE FLAIM
STAFF WRITERS
February 16, 2006, 3:04 PM EST
The formal search for the award-winning show dog named Vivi, who bolted from her cage Wednesday at Kennedy Airport, was officially called off at midday today.
In the past 24 hours, "the searchers covered the entire airport property of nearly 5,000 acres but did not spot the dog," said Alan Hicks, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Officers patrolling the area, however will continue to "keep their eyes open" for the wayward whippet, he said, adding that Vivi's owners "have left the airport and did not wish to speak to the media."
"I'm just hoping that she's hiding in the wooded area," the dog's breeder, Bo Bengston, said this morning. "If she headed south through a fence into the marshland the cold water would be bad for her. The most horrible thing would be cold water. It could mean the worst."
Bohem C'est La Vie, aka Vivi, was headed home to Los Angeles on an 11:55 a.m. Delta flight when she ran from her cage.
"She's a very tough, calm sensible dog," Bengston said, adding however that "she'd be very hungry by now."
The 3-year-old brown and white whippet, that is worth about $25,000, won an Award of Merit at this week's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.
Her owners Jil Walton and Paul Lepiane, of California, today said they will stay in New York as long as it takes to find their beloved canine. The couple, who are staying at a Holiday Inn near the airport, said they haven't slept or eaten much since Vivi went AWOL. This morning the Port Authority police drove them around the airport complex searching for the dog.
Asked if a reward will be paid to anyone who finds the dog, a visibly shaken Walton said: "Just get the dog ... anything you want."
The Long Island Breeders Coalition said they have permission from the Port Authority to use her dogs to look for Vivi. The 45,000 JFK employees have been put on alert and the couple have received calls from around the country offering support and practical help.
"I'm sure she's terrified," Walton said today. "I'm hoping she comes out and starts looking for people."
Vivi was last seen in the marshes at the end of the airport runway, and the Port Authority dispatched a helicopter to help locate her. "She's ... totally unflappable, but by now, who knows?" said Bengtson, who also is editor at large of Dogs in Review, an influential show dog magazine. "She's running very far and very fast."
Whippets are elegant, graceful, medium-size hounds that were originally bred by the English working class to hunt rabbits and race for sport.
Vivi was wearing a black wool coat and a collar with her owner's phone number. She has been microchipped, which when scanned reveals the owner's contact information.
Time is of the essence, said Cindy Scott of Colorado Springs, Colo., vice president of the American Whippet Club, who has lost -- and recovered -- four whippets, one on the desert grounds of a maximum-security prison. "If you don't catch them in the first day or two, they hide. Survival takes over and that's all they care about."
Vivi, like other show dogs is valuable, but that's the furthest thing from Walton's mind. "She's my dog -- she sleeps in my bed at night," she said. "She's priceless."
With The Associated Press
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
[dog news]
[dogs]
Bully for Westminster Dog Show
Rufus the Colored Bull Terrier Wins Best in Show at Westminster
By BEN WALKER
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Rufus won by a head. A colored bull terrier became America's top dog Tuesday night, winning Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club, thanks to his most prominent feature.
His perfect, egg-shaped noggin...
"The classic profile of a colored bull terrier," judge James Reynolds praised.
The tan-and-white canine was the first of his breed to win at the nation's most prestigious show. He was picked over a popular golden retriever, a Rottweiler handled by a former Florida State linebacker, a prize pug and a spirited Dalmatian.
Rufus' handler, Kathy Kirk, said she was "ready to pass out" from the pressure on the green carpet at Madison Square Garden. Her nearly 6-year-old dog that she playfully calls "Puppyhead" took it all in stride.
He stacked in style holding his pose for the judge and wagged his tail when he won. Later, he'll "hucklebuck" that's how Kirk describes how he jumps up and bangs his behind into a door.
At a show that drew 2,622 entries in 165 breeds and varieties, Rufus really earned this victory. He beat out a favorite Norfolk terrier named Coco and a Dandie Dinmont co-owned by Bill Cosby just to reach the final ring.
When it got down the last seven, he also topped an old English sheepdog and a Scottish deerhound.
Rufus left the Garden around midnight. He'll certainly be dog tired by Wednesday night.
He had about a dozen TV appearances set for Wednesday, starting at 6:45 a.m. Plus there was the annual Dog Fanciers luncheon at the famed restaurant Sardi's, where he'll get a meal of chopped sirloin.
Terriers have dominated in 130 years of Westminster, now winning 44 of 99 times that Best in Show has been presented. But usually it's fancier kinds, such as the wire fox, that take home the silver bowl.
This time, the dog registered as champion Rocky Top's Sundance Kid won the prize for owner Barbara and Tom Bishop of Holmdel, N.J. It was his 32nd overall Best in Show victory, including a win at NBC's National Dog Show last November. By any standard, it was his biggest.
"I'm kind of numb," Barbara Bishop said. "This is his last show. It's amazing."
A day earlier, Kirk celebrated his upset win in the terrier group by going shopping. And her new outfit, looking like a black tux, proved lucky.
"Armani was good to me tonight," she said.
This show was full of newcomers. Of the seven breeds to reach the Best in Show ring, only the old English sheepdog and pug had won it all.
Boomer the Dalmatian made a strong bid to take home the title. The black-and-white special was a crowd favorite on Monday night in the nonsporting group and again while facing Rufus.
"I thought the Dalmatian was perfect," Kirk said.
No Rottweiler had ever won the working group until owner-breeder-handler Keith Carter guided Shaka to victory Monday night on the green carpet.
Carter is accustomed to winning on another green field. He played with Deion Sanders for coach Bobby Bowden's Seminoles in the late 1980s, won four bowl games and carried on a fierce rivalry with Miami.
"This is bigger than the 'Noles-'Canes," he said after his early win. "This is very different than football, but it really gets your competitive juices going."
Dermot the pug won the toy group at his final event. He traveled about 50,000 miles last year by motor home, and had 65 overall Best in Show wins.
But when it came time for Reynolds to check him, he backed off on the judging table.
Margot the Scottish Deerhound took the hound group, Smokin' the old English sheepdog won the herding group and Andy the golden retriever was the top sporting dog.
Goldens are the second-most popular breed in America, yet have always been shut out at Westminster.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright © 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures
[dog news]
[dogs]
[dog photos]
The Muttly Crew - Dog Photos 3
Miss Peaches. Where to start with Miss Peaches, the Katrina pit bull mix?
To start at the beginning, I first met Miss Peaches at Lamar-Dixon Shelter. She was filthy, skinny - only weighed about 20 pounds - and was too terrified to come out of her crate.
When I coaxed her to emerge, it was obvious that I was looking at a dog who was in bad shape long before Hurricane Katrina. Her spine jutted... under a dirty coat, and she had no fur left under her filthy collar. It was also obvious that her awful ear crop was the result of a backyard hack job. Standing there, coated in flood scum and dried dog poop, she shook and trembled ceaselessly. I stroked her gently, and she flinched under my hand, clearly expecting violence.
As I continued to stroke her, speaking softly all the time, the look on her face changed to one of confusion. It seemed that she was too familiar with harsh treatment from people, but had never experienced kindness, and didn't know how to react to it.
She broke my heart.
While I was at Lamar-Dixon, I tried to find ten or fifteen minutes every day to spend a little time with her. By the time I had to leave, she would wag her tail in greeting, and willing come out of her crate for me. But as I left, I knew that her future was extremely uncertain.
Most, if not all, of the pit bull rescue groups choose dogs that are immediately adoptable. Clearly, this dog would never get picked. Her socialization skills were minimal, at best. She was fearful and tense, and although she demonstrated no aggressive tendencies, she did not present well. She needed patience, love, rehabilitation, and most of all, time. And time was the one thing she was least likely to get. I knew that the chances were that she would go from shelter to shelter until the Katrina deadline for owners to claim their dogs had passed. Then she would be euthanized.
And there didn't seem to be much I could do about it right then.
When I got home, I immediately began contacting pit bull rescues and asking them to consider taking her. None of them could promise that they would take her, and when I looked at their criteria for taking a dog, my heart sank. I knew that these groups would see so many pit bulls that were so much better candidates for adoption than my little pitty. I knew she didn't stand a chance. And so I tried to put her out of my mind, reminding myself that "You can't save them all."
Except that I couldn't forget her. She haunted me.
I contacted a local person I had worked with at Lamar-Dixon, and asked her to keep track of this pit bill. My plan was to foster her as soon as HSUS opened up the adoption/foster process. As the next hurricane rolled in, she was still logged in at Lamar-Dixon. When the huricane left, she had disappeared. No one seemed to know where.
I hit the phones and began calling every shelter listed as having accepted Katrina animals. On the third day, I found her at the Dixon Correctional Institute, where she had been transferred to their inmate program.
I flew back to Louisiana, picked her up and brought her home, and named her Miss Peaches, for her soft little peach-fuzz head.
Miss Peaches (or The Peaches-Smeeches) is a wonderful, loving, and lovable dog. She is dog-friendly to a fault and is finally beginning to relax around new people. She trust me without reservation, and the fact that she is willing to trust anyone after her early experiences sometimes makes me choke up. We're going to start a training class in a couple of weeks, to try to get her even more socialized around other people.
Until then, I'll continue to try to wear her out with chasing snowballs (it hasn't worked yet - she has more energy than everybody in my house combined!) and long hill climbs.
And lots and lots of Peaches-Smeeches lovin'...
[dog photos]
[dogs]
The Muttly Crew - Dog Photos: Part 2
This is Nola, another of my Katrina dogs. She came from Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, the big triage shelter, where I found her without food or water in her crate. There was a note on the crate that said "Did not feed or water. Too aggressive." The time on the note was 36 hours previously...
Nola had obviously been caught in the flood waters, and her skin was caked with a kind of greasy black residue. She was terrified, and had been tagged with an "Aggressive" marker, but what she really was, was scared. And as tiny as she is, instead of cowering, she was kickin' butt and takin' names. I loved her spirit. When I first got her home, I thought she was some kind of Jack Russell and Chihuahua mix. I was calling her "Little Rat Dog" for about a week, when I discovered that... she is a little Rat Dog! A Rat Terrier, to be exact - a breed I'd never heard of before, but which is recognized in the show ring.
Nola has the appetite and heart of a dog a hundred times larger than her puny self, and loves to chase after the larger dogs, barking furiously and non-stop. She also loves to cuddle, and likes nothing better than to snuggle on my chest, place her ear against my heartbeat, and go to sleep.
She is also a bit asthmatic, and snores thunderously. When she first arrived home, her tummy was still affected by the stress and all, and she was an air polluter without equal. Happily, that is no longer the case, but for a while there I was driving around in the November with the car windows rolled ALL the way down!
She has a wicked sense of humor, and loves to play hide and seek in the bedclothes. And even though she is a yapper - it's that terrier thing: it kinda goes with the territory - and she definitely ain't wired right, she makes me laugh all the time. And I knew, very early on, that she was a keeper.
Since I never, ever thought I would ever own a yappy ankle-biter, we are an interesting pair. I guess it just goes to show that you really can't choose who you fall in love with...
[dog photos]
[dogs]
Exercise Goes to the Dogs
From the February issue of the American Journal of Peventive Medicine comes some news that all dog lovers know. Your best friend may help you keep your New Year's Resolution to shed those excess ounces...
That's the conclusion of a Canadian study that finds dog ownership nearly doubles the amount of time spent healthily walking.
"There's this extra dog obligation that helps get people up and out for their exercise," study co-author Shane Brown, a physical education instructor and researcher at the University of Victoria, said in a prepared statement.
The study of 351 adults in Victoria, B.C., found that dog owners walked an average of 300 minutes a week compared to 168 minutes for those without a dog.
Interestingly, other than walking, the dog owners in this study actually got less overall exercise than people without dogs. This suggests that when dog owners go for walks, they do it partly because they choose to be active with their pets, Brown said.
"There's a lot of common sense around the idea that if people have dogs in an urban setting, they're going to walk a lot," Sylvia Moore, director of the division of medical education and public health at the University of Wyoming, said in a prepared statement.
Community infrastructure -- such as dog-walking parks -- may help determine how active urban dog owners will be, Moore and Brown noted.
Despite the findings, Brown said he's certainly not recommending people get a dog just to help them get exercise.
"We're definitely not saying, 'Everyone go out and get a dog.' We are saying that for those of us who have dogs, or those who are thinking of getting a dog, this is an added benefit," Brown said.
[dog news]
[dog info]
[dogs]
That's the conclusion of a Canadian study that finds dog ownership nearly doubles the amount of time spent healthily walking.
"There's this extra dog obligation that helps get people up and out for their exercise," study co-author Shane Brown, a physical education instructor and researcher at the University of Victoria, said in a prepared statement.
The study of 351 adults in Victoria, B.C., found that dog owners walked an average of 300 minutes a week compared to 168 minutes for those without a dog.
Interestingly, other than walking, the dog owners in this study actually got less overall exercise than people without dogs. This suggests that when dog owners go for walks, they do it partly because they choose to be active with their pets, Brown said.
"There's a lot of common sense around the idea that if people have dogs in an urban setting, they're going to walk a lot," Sylvia Moore, director of the division of medical education and public health at the University of Wyoming, said in a prepared statement.
Community infrastructure -- such as dog-walking parks -- may help determine how active urban dog owners will be, Moore and Brown noted.
Despite the findings, Brown said he's certainly not recommending people get a dog just to help them get exercise.
"We're definitely not saying, 'Everyone go out and get a dog.' We are saying that for those of us who have dogs, or those who are thinking of getting a dog, this is an added benefit," Brown said.
[dog news]
[dog info]
[dogs]
The Muttly Crew - Dog Photos: Part 1
Cho Cho San is my first dog. She was skinny, stinky and crap-brown when I got her from the pound and...was slated to be euthanized the very next day. Luckily, I got to her first! She is my angel dog,and the most perfect dog ever, wonderful with other animals, all people, and especially with little kids. She is the kind of person I should be, and her generousity of spirit is truly inspiring.
Ever since I brought her home, Choobie's favorite place to hang out is on the wall of the front porch. From here, she can watch the world go by. She is an extremely social dog, and loves making new friends. In fact, she has more of a social life than I do(!) and regularly gets invited to dinner. She has a set of pearls for such occasions, and displays impeccable table manners.
[dogs]
[dog photos]
The State of the (Dog) Union Address
Rex, the famous bomb-sniffing Iraq veteran, got a front row seat at the State of the Union address tonight.
Rex, who was the subject of Legislative action, was the guest of First Lady Laura Bush. Ever the diplomat, Rex has not revealed his opinion of the State of the Union Address.
Bomb-Sniffing Dog Gets Good Seat at Speech
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
First lady Laura Bush's guests at her husband's annual address to Congress certainly were diverse. One, in fact, wasn't even human.
Rex, a 5-year-old German shepherd, fit in with the other Iraq war veterans who were guests of Republicans and Democrats.
Rex sniffed out bombs in Iraq. He's been the subject of congressional legislation. He's famous, and Wednesday night he became one of Mrs. Bush's guests at the State of the Union speech.
How Rex landed such a coveted seat — actually a spot in the aisle labeled "Rex" on the official seating chart — is quite a tale.
His owner, Air Force Tech Sgt. Jamie Dana, awoke in a military hospital last summer badly injured by a bomb in Iraq and crying for her bomb-sniffing dog. Someone told her Rex was dead.
Later, Dana found out that wasn't true. But it would take an act of Congress before she could take him home to Pennsylvania.
The Air Force said it had spent $18,000 training Rex and that, by statute, he needed to finish the remaining five years of his useful life before he could be adopted. Dana's congressman, Rep. John Peterson (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., helped abolish that policy in an end-of-year defense bill, the White House said.
No less interesting were the other guests of Republicans and Democrats, ranging from parents of fallen soldiers to the mayor of Washington to survivors and rescue personnel from Hurricane Katrina.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., hosted Cindy Sheehan, whose vigil for her 24-year-old soldier son killed in Iraq, Casey, reinvigorated the anti-war movement. But Sheehan was arrested and removed from the House gallery before Bush began speaking. She was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor.
Also in Mrs. Bush's box were the family of Marine Staff Sgt. Dan Clay, 27, who was killed Dec. 1 in Fallujah.
Democrats offered a gallery seat to Benny Rousselle, president of Plaqemines Parish, La., which was heavily damaged by Katrina.
___
Conspicuously absent from the table of powerful House Republican leaders was Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who sat there for a decade as the vote-counting GOP whip and schedule-setting majority leader. He was forced to step down from the post last year after being indicted on state campaign finance charges and connected to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at the table instead were the candidates to succeed him: Acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt of Missouri, Ohio Rep. John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) and Arizona Rep. John Shadegg (news, bio, voting record). House Republicans choose a new majority leader Thursday.
Spokesman Kevin Madden said DeLay was sitting near a podium from which members debate opponents. Madden said DeLay arrived in Washington around 5 p.m. and planned a full slate of broadcast interviews after the speech.
___
Seated below the gallery were the most members of the Supreme Court to attend the annual address since the late 1990s.
Two new faces appeared: Chief Justice John Roberts and newly confirmed Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Joining them were Justices Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas.
Breyer is the only court member to attend all the State of the Union speeches since 2000, when none of the justices showed up.
The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist was not a regular at the State of the Union address. He last attended in 1998.
It is unusual for all nine justices to attend a State of the Union address. Throughout the mid- to late 1990s, at least five justices turned out to hear the president speak.
___
Rep. Ben Cardin and former Rep. Kweisi Mfume, two rivals for the Democratic Senate nomination from Maryland, sat next to one another, chatting occasionally.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
[dog news]
[dogs]
Rex, who was the subject of Legislative action, was the guest of First Lady Laura Bush. Ever the diplomat, Rex has not revealed his opinion of the State of the Union Address.
Bomb-Sniffing Dog Gets Good Seat at Speech
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
First lady Laura Bush's guests at her husband's annual address to Congress certainly were diverse. One, in fact, wasn't even human.
Rex, a 5-year-old German shepherd, fit in with the other Iraq war veterans who were guests of Republicans and Democrats.
Rex sniffed out bombs in Iraq. He's been the subject of congressional legislation. He's famous, and Wednesday night he became one of Mrs. Bush's guests at the State of the Union speech.
How Rex landed such a coveted seat — actually a spot in the aisle labeled "Rex" on the official seating chart — is quite a tale.
His owner, Air Force Tech Sgt. Jamie Dana, awoke in a military hospital last summer badly injured by a bomb in Iraq and crying for her bomb-sniffing dog. Someone told her Rex was dead.
Later, Dana found out that wasn't true. But it would take an act of Congress before she could take him home to Pennsylvania.
The Air Force said it had spent $18,000 training Rex and that, by statute, he needed to finish the remaining five years of his useful life before he could be adopted. Dana's congressman, Rep. John Peterson (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., helped abolish that policy in an end-of-year defense bill, the White House said.
No less interesting were the other guests of Republicans and Democrats, ranging from parents of fallen soldiers to the mayor of Washington to survivors and rescue personnel from Hurricane Katrina.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., hosted Cindy Sheehan, whose vigil for her 24-year-old soldier son killed in Iraq, Casey, reinvigorated the anti-war movement. But Sheehan was arrested and removed from the House gallery before Bush began speaking. She was charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building, a misdemeanor.
Also in Mrs. Bush's box were the family of Marine Staff Sgt. Dan Clay, 27, who was killed Dec. 1 in Fallujah.
Democrats offered a gallery seat to Benny Rousselle, president of Plaqemines Parish, La., which was heavily damaged by Katrina.
___
Conspicuously absent from the table of powerful House Republican leaders was Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who sat there for a decade as the vote-counting GOP whip and schedule-setting majority leader. He was forced to step down from the post last year after being indicted on state campaign finance charges and connected to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at the table instead were the candidates to succeed him: Acting Majority Leader Roy Blunt of Missouri, Ohio Rep. John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) and Arizona Rep. John Shadegg (news, bio, voting record). House Republicans choose a new majority leader Thursday.
Spokesman Kevin Madden said DeLay was sitting near a podium from which members debate opponents. Madden said DeLay arrived in Washington around 5 p.m. and planned a full slate of broadcast interviews after the speech.
___
Seated below the gallery were the most members of the Supreme Court to attend the annual address since the late 1990s.
Two new faces appeared: Chief Justice John Roberts and newly confirmed Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Joining them were Justices Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas.
Breyer is the only court member to attend all the State of the Union speeches since 2000, when none of the justices showed up.
The late Chief Justice William Rehnquist was not a regular at the State of the Union address. He last attended in 1998.
It is unusual for all nine justices to attend a State of the Union address. Throughout the mid- to late 1990s, at least five justices turned out to hear the president speak.
___
Rep. Ben Cardin and former Rep. Kweisi Mfume, two rivals for the Democratic Senate nomination from Maryland, sat next to one another, chatting occasionally.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
[dog news]
[dogs]
Do You Speak Dog?
There are people who think that any form of dog training is "cruel" to the dog - but nothing could be further from the truth.
You see, dogs are both pack animals and creatures of habit. They like to know who's in charge, they like the top dog to call the shots, and they like to know what's going on. Of course, the top dog should be you, and dogs who don't have a recognizable pack leader feel they have to make up the rules as they go along. That's when the trouble starts...If you have a timid dog, the chances are that they will act out their fears in various ways, like destructive chewing, or excessive barking. Bolder dogs will often behave in socially undesirable ways, like jumping up on people, and ignoring your commands. Either way, it's NOT a good thing.
The solution for many problem dogs lies in training the owner. Yes, that's right - training the owner. Because the problem almost always starts with the owner. Unfortunately, even people who make the effort to train their dogs often approach dog training from the perspective of changing the dog's behavior, while not thinking about changing their own behavior.
I speak from experience here. When I began training my own dogs, I believed that I was supposed to make the "understand". And there was the assumption that onece they "understood", the job was done.
Ah, what fools we mortals be!
Then the light bulb went on. If I looked at life from the DOG'S perspective, it suddenly became obvious that what was very clear to me, was not clear at all to her. For example, alpha dogs (or "Top Dogs") don't make high-pitched sounds. They make low-pitched sounds in a low tone. I was telling my dogs to "Come" in a high-pitched tone, and letting the inflection go up at the end. This is not the sound of a dog in charge. So it was obvious to my dogs that my request was not serious, and could be safely ignored. As soon as I lowered my voice and changed the inflection, my "return rate" increased.
I am fascinated by the whole animal psychology thing. It's like learning another language and another culture. Very, very cool.
[dog training]
[puppy training]
[dogs]
You see, dogs are both pack animals and creatures of habit. They like to know who's in charge, they like the top dog to call the shots, and they like to know what's going on. Of course, the top dog should be you, and dogs who don't have a recognizable pack leader feel they have to make up the rules as they go along. That's when the trouble starts...If you have a timid dog, the chances are that they will act out their fears in various ways, like destructive chewing, or excessive barking. Bolder dogs will often behave in socially undesirable ways, like jumping up on people, and ignoring your commands. Either way, it's NOT a good thing.
The solution for many problem dogs lies in training the owner. Yes, that's right - training the owner. Because the problem almost always starts with the owner. Unfortunately, even people who make the effort to train their dogs often approach dog training from the perspective of changing the dog's behavior, while not thinking about changing their own behavior.
I speak from experience here. When I began training my own dogs, I believed that I was supposed to make the "understand". And there was the assumption that onece they "understood", the job was done.
Ah, what fools we mortals be!
Then the light bulb went on. If I looked at life from the DOG'S perspective, it suddenly became obvious that what was very clear to me, was not clear at all to her. For example, alpha dogs (or "Top Dogs") don't make high-pitched sounds. They make low-pitched sounds in a low tone. I was telling my dogs to "Come" in a high-pitched tone, and letting the inflection go up at the end. This is not the sound of a dog in charge. So it was obvious to my dogs that my request was not serious, and could be safely ignored. As soon as I lowered my voice and changed the inflection, my "return rate" increased.
I am fascinated by the whole animal psychology thing. It's like learning another language and another culture. Very, very cool.
[dog training]
[puppy training]
[dogs]
Year of The Dog
Happy New Year!
This the the first day of the Chinese New Year, and it's a good one for all dog lovers. Because it's theYear of The Dog. Yay!!
Even Google has gotten in on this, with Google AdSense ads featuring dogs. I have to admit - they look rather cool.
In just a few weeks, Miss Peaches and I will be starting obedience school. Although the classes are nominally for the PeachesSqueeches (it's too late for me - or so I've been told) I'm sure they'll be good for both of us, because I am not the greatest disciplinarian. My other dogs are so easy, but Peaches is a bit of a handful, so I'll have to make an effort to be more consistent than is my normal urge.
I know what I should be doing, but quite frankly, there are days when I am so tired, that I just don't have the energy to be firm. And that means that I'm inconsistent - death to good training, as any animal behaviorist will tell you..
Mea culpa.
Surely the Year of the Dog is a good omen for us all...
[dog news]
[dog training]
[dogs]
This the the first day of the Chinese New Year, and it's a good one for all dog lovers. Because it's theYear of The Dog. Yay!!
Even Google has gotten in on this, with Google AdSense ads featuring dogs. I have to admit - they look rather cool.
In just a few weeks, Miss Peaches and I will be starting obedience school. Although the classes are nominally for the PeachesSqueeches (it's too late for me - or so I've been told) I'm sure they'll be good for both of us, because I am not the greatest disciplinarian. My other dogs are so easy, but Peaches is a bit of a handful, so I'll have to make an effort to be more consistent than is my normal urge.
I know what I should be doing, but quite frankly, there are days when I am so tired, that I just don't have the energy to be firm. And that means that I'm inconsistent - death to good training, as any animal behaviorist will tell you..
Mea culpa.
Surely the Year of the Dog is a good omen for us all...
[dog news]
[dog training]
[dogs]
Every Dog Has His Day...
This just goes to show that your dog doesn't have to be an angel dog to be a great dog!
Belatedly, a Bad Dog Finds His Forte: Selling Books
By Dinita Smith
LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Why this dog and no other? Why has "Marley & Me," the story of an overly friendly, wildly energetic, highly dysfunctional yellow Labrador retriever, spent the last three months on the best-seller lists, climbing to the No. 2 spot on the forthcoming New York Times hardcover nonfiction list?
"I was pretty confident the book would be big, but not this big," said John Grogan, the book's author and Marley's owner, sitting in his large brick house surrounded by fields and woods in rural Pennsylvania. So far, "Marley & Me," published by William Morrow in November, has sold close to 500,000 copies. It is now in its 20th printing, with 870,000 books in print, the publisher said.
As readers of the book know, Marley is dead, but as Mr. Grogan, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, said, "Marley's ghost is everywhere."
"Here, he was locked in here," he said, opening the basement door. He pointed to where Marley had scraped at the wall with his claws and gnawed at the door frame trying to escape. "The wood door frame was totally gone to the studs," Mr. Grogan said. ("He was an obnoxious greeter of guests," he explained later. "For the sake of our company, unless they were really, really good friends, we would lock him there so they could come over without being slobbered on.")
Then he walked over to another spot where Marley had scraped at the drywall and gnawed at the wood corner piece. "I sanded it and filled it with putty and painted it," he said.
Marley was, in a way, a dog who loved too much. He would hurl himself through screen doors to get to Mr. Grogan or his wife, Jenny Vogt. When they locked him in a metal dog crate, he separated the steel bars.
"It looked like the Jaws of Life had pulled it open," Mr. Grogan said. Marley flung drool on guests. He stole Ms. Vogt's underwear. He ate her jewelry. Thunderstorms gave him anxiety attacks, and then he would chew through things, mattresses, the couch.
But "Marley & Me" is not just a book about a dog. In fact, it is a love story, of Mr. Grogan and his wife, a young married couple contemplating having a family. "We were young," the book begins, irresistibly. "We were in love." Ms. Vogt was nervous about caring for a baby and thought a dog "would be good practice," Mr. Grogan writes. A breeder offered them a discount on a puppy. "The little guy's on clearance," Ms. Vogt begged her husband as Marley somersaulted into their laps, gnawed on their fingers and clawed his way up to lick their faces.
Reviewing the book in The New York Times, Janet Maslin called it "a very funny valentine to all those four-legged 'big, dopey, playful galumphs that seemed to love life with a passion not often seen in this world.' "
"It's a book with intense but narrow appeal," she continued, "strictly limited to anyone who has ever had, known or wanted a dog."
The book follows the couple through their efforts to have a child. When Ms. Vogt suffered a miscarriage, Marley seemed to mourn with her.
"His tail hung flat between his legs," Mr. Grogan writes, "the first time I could remember it not wagging whenever he was touching one of us. His eyes were turned up at her, and he whimpered softly."
When their three children did arrive, he became their guardian, delicately licking their faces and ears, allowing them to crawl all over him. The problem, Mr. Grogan writes, was not keeping Marley from hurting one of the babies, but keeping him out of the diaper pail.
After Marley died in 2003, Mr. Grogan wrote a column about him for The Inquirer and was stunned when he got 800 responses from other dog owners. He thought Marley's story might make a book and wrote a proposal; the final manuscript was sold to Morrow for $200,000.
Lisa Gallagher, William Morrow's publisher, said she began to suspect the book would do well when she noticed staff members passing it around among themselves. Morrow printed nearly 6,000 readers editions and sent them to booksellers. It also gave away copies at last June's BookExpo America, the industry trade show, in New York. In a nod to the book's tearjerker qualities, the company distributed tissue with Marley's image on it at regional bookseller meetings; it also sent Frisbees with the book's title on them to stores.
Dan Mayer, who buys pet books for Barnes & Noble, was enthusiastic about the book because, he said, it is "more of a memoir." And then there's the book's cover, a photograph of Marley as a puppy looking appealingly up at the reader. "It's really hard to walk past the cover of this book and not want to pick it up," Mr. Mayer said. Barnes & Noble chose "Marley" for its Discover program, which earns a book prominent display space in the company's stores and on its Web site, reviews in in-store brochures and often priority for advertising and author readings.
Of course, a large part of the book's appeal is that Marley was a very, very bad dog. And the book is a lesson in unconditional love. The Grogans tried obedience school, but Marley was expelled. They sent him again, and this time he came in seventh in a class of eight. The dog behind him was "a psychopathic pit bull," Mr. Grogan writes. Marley ate his own obedience certificate.
These days, Marley lies buried in an unmarked grave in the garden at the edge of the woods. The Grogans now have a successor, Gracie, who is 18 months old. She is a female Lab. Like all Labs, she is exuberant and high-spirited.
"But what she has is what Marley didn't have," Mr. Grogan said, "the ability to calm down."
"We call her the anti-Marley," Mr. Grogan said.
Copyright: The New York Times
[dog info]
[dog news]
[dogs]
Belatedly, a Bad Dog Finds His Forte: Selling Books
By Dinita Smith
LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Why this dog and no other? Why has "Marley & Me," the story of an overly friendly, wildly energetic, highly dysfunctional yellow Labrador retriever, spent the last three months on the best-seller lists, climbing to the No. 2 spot on the forthcoming New York Times hardcover nonfiction list?
"I was pretty confident the book would be big, but not this big," said John Grogan, the book's author and Marley's owner, sitting in his large brick house surrounded by fields and woods in rural Pennsylvania. So far, "Marley & Me," published by William Morrow in November, has sold close to 500,000 copies. It is now in its 20th printing, with 870,000 books in print, the publisher said.
As readers of the book know, Marley is dead, but as Mr. Grogan, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, said, "Marley's ghost is everywhere."
"Here, he was locked in here," he said, opening the basement door. He pointed to where Marley had scraped at the wall with his claws and gnawed at the door frame trying to escape. "The wood door frame was totally gone to the studs," Mr. Grogan said. ("He was an obnoxious greeter of guests," he explained later. "For the sake of our company, unless they were really, really good friends, we would lock him there so they could come over without being slobbered on.")
Then he walked over to another spot where Marley had scraped at the drywall and gnawed at the wood corner piece. "I sanded it and filled it with putty and painted it," he said.
Marley was, in a way, a dog who loved too much. He would hurl himself through screen doors to get to Mr. Grogan or his wife, Jenny Vogt. When they locked him in a metal dog crate, he separated the steel bars.
"It looked like the Jaws of Life had pulled it open," Mr. Grogan said. Marley flung drool on guests. He stole Ms. Vogt's underwear. He ate her jewelry. Thunderstorms gave him anxiety attacks, and then he would chew through things, mattresses, the couch.
But "Marley & Me" is not just a book about a dog. In fact, it is a love story, of Mr. Grogan and his wife, a young married couple contemplating having a family. "We were young," the book begins, irresistibly. "We were in love." Ms. Vogt was nervous about caring for a baby and thought a dog "would be good practice," Mr. Grogan writes. A breeder offered them a discount on a puppy. "The little guy's on clearance," Ms. Vogt begged her husband as Marley somersaulted into their laps, gnawed on their fingers and clawed his way up to lick their faces.
Reviewing the book in The New York Times, Janet Maslin called it "a very funny valentine to all those four-legged 'big, dopey, playful galumphs that seemed to love life with a passion not often seen in this world.' "
"It's a book with intense but narrow appeal," she continued, "strictly limited to anyone who has ever had, known or wanted a dog."
The book follows the couple through their efforts to have a child. When Ms. Vogt suffered a miscarriage, Marley seemed to mourn with her.
"His tail hung flat between his legs," Mr. Grogan writes, "the first time I could remember it not wagging whenever he was touching one of us. His eyes were turned up at her, and he whimpered softly."
When their three children did arrive, he became their guardian, delicately licking their faces and ears, allowing them to crawl all over him. The problem, Mr. Grogan writes, was not keeping Marley from hurting one of the babies, but keeping him out of the diaper pail.
After Marley died in 2003, Mr. Grogan wrote a column about him for The Inquirer and was stunned when he got 800 responses from other dog owners. He thought Marley's story might make a book and wrote a proposal; the final manuscript was sold to Morrow for $200,000.
Lisa Gallagher, William Morrow's publisher, said she began to suspect the book would do well when she noticed staff members passing it around among themselves. Morrow printed nearly 6,000 readers editions and sent them to booksellers. It also gave away copies at last June's BookExpo America, the industry trade show, in New York. In a nod to the book's tearjerker qualities, the company distributed tissue with Marley's image on it at regional bookseller meetings; it also sent Frisbees with the book's title on them to stores.
Dan Mayer, who buys pet books for Barnes & Noble, was enthusiastic about the book because, he said, it is "more of a memoir." And then there's the book's cover, a photograph of Marley as a puppy looking appealingly up at the reader. "It's really hard to walk past the cover of this book and not want to pick it up," Mr. Mayer said. Barnes & Noble chose "Marley" for its Discover program, which earns a book prominent display space in the company's stores and on its Web site, reviews in in-store brochures and often priority for advertising and author readings.
Of course, a large part of the book's appeal is that Marley was a very, very bad dog. And the book is a lesson in unconditional love. The Grogans tried obedience school, but Marley was expelled. They sent him again, and this time he came in seventh in a class of eight. The dog behind him was "a psychopathic pit bull," Mr. Grogan writes. Marley ate his own obedience certificate.
These days, Marley lies buried in an unmarked grave in the garden at the edge of the woods. The Grogans now have a successor, Gracie, who is 18 months old. She is a female Lab. Like all Labs, she is exuberant and high-spirited.
"But what she has is what Marley didn't have," Mr. Grogan said, "the ability to calm down."
"We call her the anti-Marley," Mr. Grogan said.
Copyright: The New York Times
[dog info]
[dog news]
[dogs]
Adjusting to your new puppy
from MSNBC:
Got a new puppy? Advice on how to adjust...
Preparation and patience is the key, says ‘Today’ pet contributor Tamar Geller. Here's more advice on how to build that everlasting bond
By Tamar Geller
"Today" Pet Contributor
Jan. 10, 2006
Bringing home a new dog for the holidays is a big adjustment for any family. But with a little preparation and patience, starting that everlasting bond with your canine companion can be a lot easier. “Today” pet contributor Tamar Geller gives tips on how to get adjusted to the new member of the family.When you bring your new dog home, remember that initially he will be a bit disoriented. The dog doesn’t know you, your family or your home. It’s similar to when you start a new job. This adjustment period rarely lasts for more than two weeks. Here are a few things you’ll need to know to welcome the latest addition to your family.
Be patient
Please be patient with your dog. Most of us have an idea of some ideal dog in our mind and when reality doesn’t match the dream, we can lose our patience. Just like building on the talent that a child has in sports, your dog needs to have a good coach in order to become that ideal dog.
Take your dog to the vet immediately
Take him to the vet right away to check that he’s healthy and to microchip him. The microchip is inserted with a needle in the back of his neck and is no big deal. This can be a lifesaver by helping you locate your dog in case he gets lost.
Be consistent when training
Make sure that as his coach, you give him clear and consistent messages. Determine the dog rules and make sure that ALL family members are consistent with enforcing them — such as what rooms are okay for him to use, if he’s allowed on the furniture and where he’s allowed to sleep. The key is that any time you catch your dog in behavior you don’t like, use a disapproving tone of voice and then show him what you would like him to do instead. Do not hit or use physical abuse to correct your dog. This can cause him to become nervous aggressive, which means he could bite to defend himself.
Keep to a schedule
Dogs like routine. Have a schedule that he can get used to — when he gets fed, bathroom breaks, walks — and then stick to it.
Consider crating
Crates are a great way to house-train your dog. They should be a size that allows him to stand up, turn around and lay down, but no bigger. Because you’re teaching him to hold it, you don’t want it big enough for him to pee on one side and then lay down on the other. If you’re completely adverse to using one, consider a puppy play pen. One of my clients even used a small shower as the dog’s room — it was very easy to clean! To clean accidents, use paper towels to thoroughly absorb the liquid, then spray with a neutralizing cleanser.
Have the basics: Collar and leash
You’ll need a collar and leash before you bring your dog home. Puppies are constantly growing, so don’t invest in an expensive collar until they’re fully grown. Instead, purchase a simple, flat nylon collar that you can adjust or replace as he grows out of it. Periodically check to see if the collar is too small — you should be able to fit two fingers under the collar at all times. Small breeds should wear a harness when walking. Attaching the leash to a collar can put undo pressure on the neck and result in a collapsed trachea. If your new puppy is too small for even the smallest dog collar or harness, get one designed for a cat.
Get a four- or six-foot leash for walking. DO NOT use a retractable one, as this will teach him that the more he pulls on the leash, the more he is able to pull, simply reinforcing your dog’s pulling behavior when you walk.
I am against using a choke chain or prong collar, particularly when starting a new relationship with your dog. My personal opinion is that using this equipment causes pain that will not strengthen the loving relationship and may actually do just the opposite.
Food and water bowls
The best food and water bowls are Pyrex, glass or white ceramic that have been certified for human use — do not use plastic bowls. The problem with most ceramic dog bowls is that they are not regulated and may contain lead, which is potentially very harmful to dogs.
Treats
The best yummy treats should be used when your dog has gone to the bathroom outside. Generally speaking, give treats to reinforce your dog's good behavior. Try not to give your dog treats for free — for just being cute.
Exercise and games
Dogs learn through games, so don’t teach your dog biting games or games where he runs away from you. Games are also the way your dog will bond with you. He should think, “Wow, this person is really cool!” Games and exercise also help make sure your dog isn’t bored. Dogs come up with naughty behaviors — such as archeological digging in the yard, redecorating your house by chewing up the furniture or barking — to alleviate boredom.
Toys
Have at least five or six Kongs on hand since you don’t have to replace them as you do with other toys. You can make them interesting and different by stuffing them with a variety of treats, so it’s always new and exciting for your dog. And they’re dishwasher safe. There’s a great plush toy you can play tug-of-war with called Dr. Noy’s that doesn’t have messy stuffing that your dog can choke on, and has a hidden compartment so that you can remove or replace the squeaker after your dog has “killed” the squeak (as most dogs do within seconds). Greenies are great chew toys for dogs (and they also help freshen their breath). Just as you would with a teething baby, supervise your dog whenever they’re chewing on something in order to prevent choking. Take it away from them when it gets down to a stub. Get one as big as can comfortably fit in your dog’s mouth — the bigger the greenie, the more time your dog will spend enjoying it. Bully sticks and tennis balls, particularly the squeaky kind, are also great toys to keep your dog occupied.
Investing the time now to coach your dog and help him be the best dog he can be will only strengthen your bond. In time, you will come to the point when all you have to do to communicate with your dog is look at him a certain way, and he will know what you want. In turn, you will learn to read his looks and body language to know what he wants. If you follow this, I'm sure you will have a rewarding and beautiful relationship to look forward to.
For more information on the dogs you saw in Tamar's segment on the show, visit Animal & Care and Control of New York.For information on animal protection, visit The Humane Society of the United States.
Tamar Geller is an animal behaviorist and founder of Southern California's first cage-free boarding and daycare center, the Loved Dog Company. Click to learn more.
© 2006 MSNBC.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10628490/
[pupy training]
[puppy training tips]
[adopt a dog]
Got a new puppy? Advice on how to adjust...
Preparation and patience is the key, says ‘Today’ pet contributor Tamar Geller. Here's more advice on how to build that everlasting bond
By Tamar Geller
"Today" Pet Contributor
Jan. 10, 2006
Bringing home a new dog for the holidays is a big adjustment for any family. But with a little preparation and patience, starting that everlasting bond with your canine companion can be a lot easier. “Today” pet contributor Tamar Geller gives tips on how to get adjusted to the new member of the family.When you bring your new dog home, remember that initially he will be a bit disoriented. The dog doesn’t know you, your family or your home. It’s similar to when you start a new job. This adjustment period rarely lasts for more than two weeks. Here are a few things you’ll need to know to welcome the latest addition to your family.
Be patient
Please be patient with your dog. Most of us have an idea of some ideal dog in our mind and when reality doesn’t match the dream, we can lose our patience. Just like building on the talent that a child has in sports, your dog needs to have a good coach in order to become that ideal dog.
Take your dog to the vet immediately
Take him to the vet right away to check that he’s healthy and to microchip him. The microchip is inserted with a needle in the back of his neck and is no big deal. This can be a lifesaver by helping you locate your dog in case he gets lost.
Be consistent when training
Make sure that as his coach, you give him clear and consistent messages. Determine the dog rules and make sure that ALL family members are consistent with enforcing them — such as what rooms are okay for him to use, if he’s allowed on the furniture and where he’s allowed to sleep. The key is that any time you catch your dog in behavior you don’t like, use a disapproving tone of voice and then show him what you would like him to do instead. Do not hit or use physical abuse to correct your dog. This can cause him to become nervous aggressive, which means he could bite to defend himself.
Keep to a schedule
Dogs like routine. Have a schedule that he can get used to — when he gets fed, bathroom breaks, walks — and then stick to it.
Consider crating
Crates are a great way to house-train your dog. They should be a size that allows him to stand up, turn around and lay down, but no bigger. Because you’re teaching him to hold it, you don’t want it big enough for him to pee on one side and then lay down on the other. If you’re completely adverse to using one, consider a puppy play pen. One of my clients even used a small shower as the dog’s room — it was very easy to clean! To clean accidents, use paper towels to thoroughly absorb the liquid, then spray with a neutralizing cleanser.
Have the basics: Collar and leash
You’ll need a collar and leash before you bring your dog home. Puppies are constantly growing, so don’t invest in an expensive collar until they’re fully grown. Instead, purchase a simple, flat nylon collar that you can adjust or replace as he grows out of it. Periodically check to see if the collar is too small — you should be able to fit two fingers under the collar at all times. Small breeds should wear a harness when walking. Attaching the leash to a collar can put undo pressure on the neck and result in a collapsed trachea. If your new puppy is too small for even the smallest dog collar or harness, get one designed for a cat.
Get a four- or six-foot leash for walking. DO NOT use a retractable one, as this will teach him that the more he pulls on the leash, the more he is able to pull, simply reinforcing your dog’s pulling behavior when you walk.
I am against using a choke chain or prong collar, particularly when starting a new relationship with your dog. My personal opinion is that using this equipment causes pain that will not strengthen the loving relationship and may actually do just the opposite.
Food and water bowls
The best food and water bowls are Pyrex, glass or white ceramic that have been certified for human use — do not use plastic bowls. The problem with most ceramic dog bowls is that they are not regulated and may contain lead, which is potentially very harmful to dogs.
Treats
The best yummy treats should be used when your dog has gone to the bathroom outside. Generally speaking, give treats to reinforce your dog's good behavior. Try not to give your dog treats for free — for just being cute.
Exercise and games
Dogs learn through games, so don’t teach your dog biting games or games where he runs away from you. Games are also the way your dog will bond with you. He should think, “Wow, this person is really cool!” Games and exercise also help make sure your dog isn’t bored. Dogs come up with naughty behaviors — such as archeological digging in the yard, redecorating your house by chewing up the furniture or barking — to alleviate boredom.
Toys
Have at least five or six Kongs on hand since you don’t have to replace them as you do with other toys. You can make them interesting and different by stuffing them with a variety of treats, so it’s always new and exciting for your dog. And they’re dishwasher safe. There’s a great plush toy you can play tug-of-war with called Dr. Noy’s that doesn’t have messy stuffing that your dog can choke on, and has a hidden compartment so that you can remove or replace the squeaker after your dog has “killed” the squeak (as most dogs do within seconds). Greenies are great chew toys for dogs (and they also help freshen their breath). Just as you would with a teething baby, supervise your dog whenever they’re chewing on something in order to prevent choking. Take it away from them when it gets down to a stub. Get one as big as can comfortably fit in your dog’s mouth — the bigger the greenie, the more time your dog will spend enjoying it. Bully sticks and tennis balls, particularly the squeaky kind, are also great toys to keep your dog occupied.
Investing the time now to coach your dog and help him be the best dog he can be will only strengthen your bond. In time, you will come to the point when all you have to do to communicate with your dog is look at him a certain way, and he will know what you want. In turn, you will learn to read his looks and body language to know what he wants. If you follow this, I'm sure you will have a rewarding and beautiful relationship to look forward to.
For more information on the dogs you saw in Tamar's segment on the show, visit Animal & Care and Control of New York.For information on animal protection, visit The Humane Society of the United States.
Tamar Geller is an animal behaviorist and founder of Southern California's first cage-free boarding and daycare center, the Loved Dog Company. Click to learn more.
© 2006 MSNBC.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10628490/
[pupy training]
[puppy training tips]
[adopt a dog]
Intro post
Welcome to The Smiling Dog Blog! This is the new house blog of A Dog's Wish.com, and we're not sure where where we're going with this - except that wherever we go, it'll be interesting, and I hope, fun. (or else, what's the point, right?)
Although the store sells dog supplies, including dog bowls and dog beds, the postings here will be on anything that catches my fancy, with an emphasis on anything that will make you or your dog smile.
I spent three weeks in Baton Rouge, helping at Lamar Dixon with the Hurricane Katrina dog rescues, and have now brought the number of resident dogs up from one, to four. In a small, Victorian cottage (750 sq feet) with 5 resident cats, it makes life interesting, to say the least!
So we are now a Shiba Inu/cattledogthing/something mix (Cho Cho San, my original, first, and angel dog), a Rat Terrier (Nola - that girl just 'ain't wired right!), a Pit Bull (Miss Peaches, as sweet a Southern girl as her name), and a Miniature Poodle (Dr. Pepe, or Pepito - he answers to both).
The cats, who outrank everybody and everything in the house, are Angus, Sam, Clyde, Gordita, and Z-Man. I'll post bios in a bit, but that will have to suffice for now, since the dogs are seriously jonesing for their walk!
Although the store sells dog supplies, including dog bowls and dog beds, the postings here will be on anything that catches my fancy, with an emphasis on anything that will make you or your dog smile.
I spent three weeks in Baton Rouge, helping at Lamar Dixon with the Hurricane Katrina dog rescues, and have now brought the number of resident dogs up from one, to four. In a small, Victorian cottage (750 sq feet) with 5 resident cats, it makes life interesting, to say the least!
So we are now a Shiba Inu/cattledogthing/something mix (Cho Cho San, my original, first, and angel dog), a Rat Terrier (Nola - that girl just 'ain't wired right!), a Pit Bull (Miss Peaches, as sweet a Southern girl as her name), and a Miniature Poodle (Dr. Pepe, or Pepito - he answers to both).
The cats, who outrank everybody and everything in the house, are Angus, Sam, Clyde, Gordita, and Z-Man. I'll post bios in a bit, but that will have to suffice for now, since the dogs are seriously jonesing for their walk!
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