Chars Dogs and Dog Info

It appears as though President-Elect Barack Obama has come down to two choices with regards to what breed of puppy to obtain for his White House household. The two breeds are a Portuguese water hound or a Labradoodle. We all knew that the new puppy had to be hypoallergenic because of Malia having allergies. These two types of dogs are perfect because of this. 

According to Obama, “We’re closing in on it. This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary.” I have seen so much written up about the Obama’s getting a puppy. The reporters have made such a big deal out of it that Obama is almost continually asked about the new puppy. I bet at times he wishes that he hadn’t made it public. 

The Portuguese water hound is noted for how well these dogs swim. The fisherman in Portugal love this breed of dog because of their skill at driving the fish into nets and also because the water hound has webbed feet.

The Labradoodle is a special breed that mixes the standard poodle with the Labrador retriever. The breed was created in 1989 to try to get a guide dog that didn’t shed very much. 

I still hope President-elect Barack Obama and his family choose to adopt the puppy from a shelter or rescue group. This would be a perfect example for the United States citizens.

A three year old Dalmatian, by the name of Button, gave birth to a huge litter of 18 puppies by Caesarean section on December 23, 2008. Button lives in the United Kingdom and this is a Dalmatian birthing record for the UK. Button is the daughter of a dog who appeared in 102 Dalmatians, the Disney movie. Last year she gave birth to 16 puppies in a litter. 

The human grandparents of the puppies feed the new pups several times a day since Button cannot handle all those pups. All of the 18 puppies are in great health and doing well. They all have new homes to go to and the human’s are going to keep one puppy from the litter. They will name their new puppy Rudolph. The family states that they do not desire to breed Button again. I guess 18 puppies this time and 16 puppies last year is enough and I don’t blame them a bit.

(Illustration by Tim Mattson)

The above picture was created by artist Shepard Fairey to be utilized as a poster for the new Adopt-a-Pet.com campaign that hopes to spotlight the animals that are at shelters across the United States that are up for adoption. Mr. Fairey also designed the “Hope” image for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. 

Fairey said that the picture of the dog on the poster reminded him of a mutt dog he had as a pet when he was young. An estimated 7 million adoptable animals are put to death in the US every year according to Adopt-a-Pet.com. They feel that by teaming up with Fairey, they are able to persuade individuals to go to a local shelter to adopt a new pet. 

As we all know, if individuals adopt a new pet from a shelter, they are saving a life. With the recession going on, more and more family pets are being forced out because of foreclosing of homes and there is a higher necessity of finding homes for these pets. I feel that Shepard Fairey has designed an icon out of the common mutt, establishing that a common mutt is a work of art. 

I really hope this increases adoption of pets from animal shelters and rescue groups. They are so much in need of good homes right now. 

It is winter time in most part of the United States and cold weather, snow and ice can be dangerous for our furry friends. Dogs are just like humans in the fact that if they are out in the cold weather for too long, they can get hypothermia. This condition can happen when a dog is left out in the cold and also gets wet. Different breeds and sizes have different tolerances to the cold weather. Larger dogs can be out in the cold longer than the little dogs. Dogs can get hypothermia in 40 degree weather if they are wet. When the temperature reaches single digits or below, dogs need to be kept inside most of the time. 

Another thing to think about is the salt that is on the streets and sidewalks. This salt can damage paws and if ingested, can cause stomach upset. Dogs can also get pieces of ice in their feet which can cause cuts. 
Also be careful about leaving antifreeze puddles around. Antifreeze is toxic to dogs if ingested and can cause severe health complications and even death. Since antifreeze is sweet smelling, dogs are attracted to it. 

Just try to be a little more careful when the cold weather is upon us. 

If you are like me who live in the part of the United States that gets snow and ice, you’ve probably got a lot more of that nasty stuff this year than most years. It seems like almost every day, you are hearing about ice or snow coming. And, if you are like me, you don’t want to slip and fall when you walk out to your vehicle, so you spread some de-icer on the sidewalk and driveway. Well that fantastic working de-icer could be a problem for your dogs.

I only put de-icer on my front porch, sidewalks and driveway because my dogs almost never go out the front door. The only time they do is if they have to go to the groomer or vet, but I would definitely not take them if it was bad weather outside anyway. I do not spread the de-icer in the back where they always go out to do their job. 

This de-icer can burn your dog’s paws if they walk over it on your pavement. If you want to buy de-icer, buy either the pet friendly kind or the type that does not contain chloride. This is the ingredient that can burn your doggy’s paws. 

As everyone knows, I am all for adopting a new dog from either a shelter or a rescue group. I feel that should be the first choice in obtaining a new dog for your household. However, if you are bent on getting a specific breed and want to go to a breeder, there are some warnings that should alert you to a puppy mill and not a reputable breeder. 

When you visit with the breeder, here are some red alerts you should look for:

1. The breeder will not give you references.
2. The breeder has puppies that have not seen a vet.
3. The breeder won’t let you see the breeding facility.
4. The breeder doesn’t socialize the puppies with other puppies. 
5. The breeder facility smells badly or does not look clean. 
6. The breeder breeds more than one specific breed of dog.
7. The breeder won’t give you any type of guarantee. 
8. The breeder won’t let you see the puppy’s mom or dad.

If you find any of the above mentioned items or the place looks a puppy mill, stay away!

All of my five dogs, but one, was adopted from shelters or rescue groups. The one puppy that I got from a breeder was Rocky and the breeder he came from was thoroughly checked out before I got him. I did look at the regional shelters and rescues for a miniature schnauzer, but was unable to find one. That is when I decided to go to a breeder. There are some very reputable breeders out there. You just need to find them. 

There are numerous common household products that we think are harmless that can be deadly to our furry kids. In 2008, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets being exposed to toxic household items, including beauty and cleaning supplies, insecticides and prescription medications. 

Here are some of the most common items that poisoned our pets in 2008.

1. The number one dishonor goes to human medications that made up for about 50,000 calls to the Animal Poison Control Center’s hotline in 2008. Pet are known to grab pill containers from nightstands or kitchen counters or just find a pill on the floor that they just eat like candy. You need to keep all your medications, both prescription and over the counter meds, put behind closed cabinet doors so that they can’t get to them. This means even Tylenol or Advil as well as decongestants and anti depressants. All of these can be lethal to pets. 

2. Nearly 39,000 cases of pets exposed to rodent bait and insecticides were reported in 2008. Be certain to place all toxic rodent baits way out of reach of nosey dogs who might think they smell good and eat it. Furthermore, make sure all types of insecticides are kept behind closed cabinet doors that dogs cannot get into. 

3. There were more than 13,500 calls of pets eating human food that was dangerous to pets. These items include raisins, avocado and citrus. Believe it or not, chocolate ingestion counted for more than half of those calls. Keep the chocolate products away from your pets!

4. Common household plants are pretty and keep your air clean, but if your furry friends decide to nibble on the stalks and stems of these plants, it could cause severe gastrointestinal troubles. There were more than 6,300 calls made about a pet chomping on plants. 

These are only the top poisonous items that the poison control center received calls on. It is best to keep anything that might be toxic or poisonous stored away from your pet at all times. 

Today is the first day of the new year of 2009. Happy New Year! 

I don’t do New Year’s resolutions for myself, since I don’t seem to be able to keep them for very long. I have made some New Year’s resolutions for my dogs though. Here they are:

1. All dogs will only have one treat every morning when they go outside. They will not have three courses of treats as in the past. That is absolutely ridiculous!

2. Rocky will stop tipping over Daddy’s trash can, digging in it, and throwing all the garbage all over the room.

3. Rocky will also stop going on Mommy’s bed and trashing the covers so that it is a mess when she’s not around.

4. Fritz will quit going in Mommy’s room when she is in the bathroom getting ready to go to bed and snatching Bubba (the teddy bear) off her bed onto the floor. 

5. All dogs will come inside the house when called, especially Shelby.

6. Midnight will not get into a fight with Shiloh and tear her fur out.

7. All dogs will clean up their toys and put them back when done and not leave them strewn throughout the house for Mommy and Daddy to pick up.

8. Midnight will not try to jump over the fence to meet the new next door doggy Sidney.

9. Shiloh and Rocky will stop running after rabbits in the backyard.

10. Shelby will quit chewing up her teddy bear so that Mommy doesn’t have to keep sewing the bear up. 

I’m sure our five pups can stick to these resolutions!

Yeah right!!! 

There has always been a rule for actors and actresses: Never star with an animal or children-they will upstate you. Evidently, Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston didn’t listen to that old adage. They are the parents that adopt Marley, the disorderly Labrador retriever that steals the show in this movie. Marley wiggles his way into the couple’s hearts even though he loves to tear up things like chair cushions, home electronics and pillows. They even try obedience training, but Marley flunks out of that too.  

During assorted scenes in the movie, 18 dogs were used to represent Marley during different states of his life. The American Humane Association (AHA) supervises animals while they work on parts in movies and TV so that they aren’t harmed or misused in any way. AHA always has a safety representative on the set to make certain the animals welfare is taken care of. They will even shut down production if they see that an animal has worked too hard in one day. 

Shelters are where most of the dogs used in films are found. Some dogs were found through breeders, trained to do specific jobs and made certain that the dogs who played a certain role look the same. There are a number of times that crew members fall in love with certain dogs who work on the set and end up adopting them once they are done with their job. 

I think it is fantastic that most of the dogs used on the set of Marley and Me were adopted from shelters. That just means more dogs are saved from uncertain death and are brought to a forever home where they can be loved the rest of their life. 

The dog is still at large and hasn’t been caught but his image is on security tape after shoplifting at a Murray, Utah market. The name of the store was Smith’s Food and Drug Store and the thief was a dog. The dog gingerly enters the store through the front door, as any customer would, sniffs a small girl at the checkout counter and proceeds through the store like he knew what he was after. The dog acted like he really knew what aisle to go to-the dog food aisle. The manager of the store said he had never seen the dog before.

Once the dog reaches the correct aisle, he picks up a rawhide bone and proceeds to exit the store. However, he is busted by the manager who asks the dog to drop the bone. The dog ignores him. Since the manager wanted to keep all his fingers intact, he didn’t try to take the bone away from the dog. The dog went past the manager and out the front door of the store. This was all captured on video by the security tape. 

WOW! What an amazing and smart dog! I hope he’s enjoying his Christmas treat!