Well first off, I hope your Holidays were spectacular. I hope your guests were polite and gentle with your four legged roommates. There were some two legged guests who came over to our house that we had to speak with - sometimes they can be so pushy and rude! The two legged ones often forget that the four legged ones live here and thus should be accorded the same sort of deference as my husband and I.
I received an email over the holidays that after some investigation, I thought I would share with you. I couldn't find anything overly weird about it other than the fact that the website is offering money to the winners (I can't help it - I always ask questions when they are giving away money!). There is a pet photo contest that has daily prizes of $25 and weekly prize of $125. You can find info about it over at http://anamigo.com/ under "PetPhotoContest". If you decide to join up and participate, please post and let us know that your pet's picture is on the site. The website is a "social network for pet lovers".
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Featured Rescue Followup!
Well, I've been posting for a few months now and thought I'd put a follow up post about the Featured Rescues that I've blogged about. I'll try to remember to do this periodically.
Pepper the Border Collie
Pepper the Border Collie
Status: ADOPTED
Featured on October 14, 2008
Follow blog link here to read.
Edwin the Labrador Retriever
Status: ADOPTED
Featured on October 17, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Edwin had 10 brothers and sisters *he was #11* and it looks like they are all adopted. YAY
Ginger the Airedale TerrierStatus: ADOPTED
Featured on October 22, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Follow blog link here to read
Jake the Australian Shepherd
Status: Assumed ADOPTED - Petfinder Listing removed
Status: Assumed ADOPTED - Petfinder Listing removed
Featured on October 28, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Sebastien the Boxer
Status: ADOPTED
Featured on November 3, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Calli the Cocker SpanielStatus: ADOPTED
Featured on November 7, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Riggs the Shih Tzu Puppy
Status: Assumed ADOPTED Listing Removed
Featured on November 21, 2008
Follow blog link here to read
Monday, December 22, 2008
Lazy Owner Rant? Or Concerned Parent? Re: Allergies
I like to keep an eye on Craigslist to see what's going on in my local area. I also check out other major cities just in case I find something of interest. I found this posting and it made me think a lot about allergies and how it has become a big problem but also a convenient excuse.Before I go further, here's the post from CraigsList. For your ease, I have made a screen-cap of the posting. Below is the direct link. Or, click on the picture to the left to enlarge.
This poster brought up a good point. There are MANY people who get rid of their pets due to allergies. Either themselves or their children develop allergies to the pets. Some of them really do have severe allergies, but I have found that most really don't. Most people find that if they have a runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, etc then they get rid of their animals.
Don't forget the others who have begun using this as a good excuse to dump their unwanted animals at shelters that would otherwise refuse (even if they don't have allergies).
For most people's allergies, they get irritated eyes, nose and throat. This can easily be controlled by taking common allergy medications. I had always thought that allergies were something to be managed - my father has asthma and allergies to both dogs and cats that send him into asthma attacks. He can manage this with the use of meds and willpower.
Severe allergies can be more than problematic and often can't be controlled with meds - where one touch can send the skin into a rash that may break open or bleed. I hadn't realized that this existed until I met my husband who can't touch a cat (he's fine with dogs though). Perhaps you have to cover your baby with cream to prevent the dander/hair from touching? For those who have severe allergies, I know your frustration ...
That being said, however, I do believe that you CAN manage all allergies if you will it to be so. How? Below are some examples of what you can do:
- Have your dog/cat groomed regularly (every 3-4 weeks) This removes excess hair and dander
- Keep good quality bathing supplies handy so that if the dander gets too much you can bathe them yourself between grooming dates (no more than once a week though or you'll do damage to their skin and fur!)
- Brush them every day for minimum 30 minutes. Change types of brushes every other day to get different fur/dander out.
- Get a hepafilter vacuum and vacuum your house daily
- Keep your house dusted
- Wash your curtains regularly
- Vacuum your couches, etc.
- If you have carpets, you could have them removed or have them steam cleaned regularly (we own a steamcleaning machine to keep costs down)
- Keep your furnace filter clean (you'd be surprised how much hair and dust is caught here!)
- Go to a naturopath and ask about allergy shots - most people don't know you can desensitize your body by taking a shot once every 2 weeks for a few months!
Holidays are coming everyone ... why not put one of these things on your wishlist? All those people who want to get you something? Tell them all to contact one another and pitch in to buy you a steam cleaner or hepa-vacuum. Tell them you need the good quality, Oatmeal shampoo and conditioner for your dog but it's $30 each bottle and you'd like it for your Stocking.
Allergies can be bad and they can affect your life, but don't let them control it.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Training Rant - Further to the Dog Walkers Rant ...
So, further to my rant a few days ago, I found this post on CraigsList after putting together my previous training post. I thought I'd follow up with it. An interesting look at Dog Walkers.
Here's the link to the CraigsList posting. It's too long to Screen-Cap, so I copied and pasted instead. I have not edited this posting, nor have I removed the name of the Dog Walking company mentioned. Everything below this dotted line is verbatim to the post.
After reading this, do you find that it changes your opinion of Dog Walking? Do the good things still outnumber the bad? (Personally, I don't think it's changed my opinion either way)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
dogwalker/petsitter to avoid (mississauga, ontario)
I recently had a bad experience with a person offering dogwalking and dogsitting services under the name "At The Very Leash".
She had been walking, feeding and exercising my dogs on weekends. I was also looking for someone to stay with the dogs for 5 days while we went away, and she said she was available. She had references, is involved in cat rescue, and said her schedule would be very light that week.
The entire time I was gone, I was unable to reach her by phone or email. The one time I did finally reach her, she was very vague about what was going on.
When I came home, my dogs were highly stressed. They clearly had not gotten sufficient exercise. Our young dog had an open sore on her paw, which I now realize was because she was left alone and confined for so long that she licked her paws raw.
There was a very bad smell in our spare bedroom, and the couch in that room was covered in white fur that was clearly not from either of our dogs.
I called and emailed her. Her response: the key left in the mailbox. She is supposed to walk my dogs on weekends - the only way I can go to work, as I work very long hours on weekends - and this was her way of quitting. No notice, no discussion. Just left me high and dry with no explanation.
Several phone calls and emails later, she finally emailed me. (She has never returned my phone call and has not spoken to me about this to this day.) She had a long story about how busy and insane her life became the week she was supposed to house-sit for us.
She admit that the dogs were alone from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day. That may not sound like much to some people, but it is not what we agreed. My younger dog is crated when we're not home, and we *never* leave her crated for that long. And that's if this person really came home at 4:00.
I understand that life happens and we can all become busier than we expected. HOWEVER, most of the things she was so busy with, she would have known in advance. If she was too busy to house/dog-sit, she shouldn't have accepted the gig. And other things that came up that week, such as cat rescue, she could have turned down for one week.
The bad smell and white fur in the spare bedroom turned out to be critically sick kittens she was fostering. She never asked my permission to bring kittens in the house, or informed me she was doing this. Obviously if I hadn't seen the fur and asked about the smell, she never would have told me about them.
I have asked repeatedly what condtions the kittens have. I would like to ask my vet if it's contagious to dogs. She has never responded.
"At The Very Leash" is not mature enough or reliable enough to run her own dogwalking and pet-sitting business. Please avoid her!
In case she changes her "company" name, her own initials are LH.
Here's the link to the CraigsList posting. It's too long to Screen-Cap, so I copied and pasted instead. I have not edited this posting, nor have I removed the name of the Dog Walking company mentioned. Everything below this dotted line is verbatim to the post.
After reading this, do you find that it changes your opinion of Dog Walking? Do the good things still outnumber the bad? (Personally, I don't think it's changed my opinion either way)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
dogwalker/petsitter to avoid (mississauga, ontario)
I recently had a bad experience with a person offering dogwalking and dogsitting services under the name "At The Very Leash".
She had been walking, feeding and exercising my dogs on weekends. I was also looking for someone to stay with the dogs for 5 days while we went away, and she said she was available. She had references, is involved in cat rescue, and said her schedule would be very light that week.
The entire time I was gone, I was unable to reach her by phone or email. The one time I did finally reach her, she was very vague about what was going on.
When I came home, my dogs were highly stressed. They clearly had not gotten sufficient exercise. Our young dog had an open sore on her paw, which I now realize was because she was left alone and confined for so long that she licked her paws raw.
There was a very bad smell in our spare bedroom, and the couch in that room was covered in white fur that was clearly not from either of our dogs.
I called and emailed her. Her response: the key left in the mailbox. She is supposed to walk my dogs on weekends - the only way I can go to work, as I work very long hours on weekends - and this was her way of quitting. No notice, no discussion. Just left me high and dry with no explanation.
Several phone calls and emails later, she finally emailed me. (She has never returned my phone call and has not spoken to me about this to this day.) She had a long story about how busy and insane her life became the week she was supposed to house-sit for us.
She admit that the dogs were alone from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day. That may not sound like much to some people, but it is not what we agreed. My younger dog is crated when we're not home, and we *never* leave her crated for that long. And that's if this person really came home at 4:00.
I understand that life happens and we can all become busier than we expected. HOWEVER, most of the things she was so busy with, she would have known in advance. If she was too busy to house/dog-sit, she shouldn't have accepted the gig. And other things that came up that week, such as cat rescue, she could have turned down for one week.
The bad smell and white fur in the spare bedroom turned out to be critically sick kittens she was fostering. She never asked my permission to bring kittens in the house, or informed me she was doing this. Obviously if I hadn't seen the fur and asked about the smell, she never would have told me about them.
I have asked repeatedly what condtions the kittens have. I would like to ask my vet if it's contagious to dogs. She has never responded.
"At The Very Leash" is not mature enough or reliable enough to run her own dogwalking and pet-sitting business. Please avoid her!
In case she changes her "company" name, her own initials are LH.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Featured Rescue - Dharma the Dachshund
When I went looking for a Dachshund in rescue to post as the Featured Rescue for today, I hadn't prepared myself for the alarming numbers of this breed to be listed as "No Kids, No Cats"!
Does anyone have experience with these dogs who can tell me why this is found more often with this breed than others? My initial reaction is the "Small Dog Syndrome". I have never owned one myself so therefore it is just a theory/opinion, but have seen this occur with others. What do you think?
Anyway, that aside, I have found a lovely looking dog called Dharma. She seems to do well with other dogs and is guestimated to be 2 - 3 years old.Thursday, December 18, 2008
News Reel - Shelter Fire Kills 150
150 Cats Killed in Animal Shelter Fire
Here's the link. An Ontario Shelter in the Durham region caught fire yesterday in the wee hours of the morning. News articles have only given us estimates on the numbers affected ... 150 cats. 5 dogs.
Here's the link. An Ontario Shelter in the Durham region caught fire yesterday in the wee hours of the morning. News articles have only given us estimates on the numbers affected ... 150 cats. 5 dogs.
Training Rant - Dog Walkers?
I have read many things about dog walkers, and I often see many advertisements for them. I view them with mixed emotions.
On the one hand, they can be a valuable resource for the busy person. They will take your dogs and walk them daily for a fee. This may offer an outlet for extra energy as well as bathroom breaks to your dog. They will also likely have other dogs with them which may offer your dog some socialization on leash that it may otherwise be lacking.
On the other hand (I feel like Tevye from Fiddler On the Roof!), most dog walkers aren't trained in any formal program, they may not have the ability or resources to work with behavioural problems, and may not be bondable. There is no guarantee that your dog will be safe in the hands of a Dog Walker, and if your dog has a bad experience you may be in for more than you bargained for. What is your Dog Walker training your dog?
What do you think? Are dog walkers worth the gamble? Would you take the risk not knowing the other dogs that person is walking at the same time?
Personally, I wouldn't use one for fear that something may happen. (I'm a control freak, have you figured that out yet?) I find that long hikes on weekends (4+ hours or more - less in winter) will sufficiently tire most dogs out and regular walks/play time through the week uses energy and prevents boredom. I like to spend time with my dogs as I find it calming. Even taking your dog outside for some good one on one ball/retrieve time.
(Not to mention the question of, why would you have a dog if you don't want to spend time with it? Why not get a cat??)
On the one hand, they can be a valuable resource for the busy person. They will take your dogs and walk them daily for a fee. This may offer an outlet for extra energy as well as bathroom breaks to your dog. They will also likely have other dogs with them which may offer your dog some socialization on leash that it may otherwise be lacking.
On the other hand (I feel like Tevye from Fiddler On the Roof!), most dog walkers aren't trained in any formal program, they may not have the ability or resources to work with behavioural problems, and may not be bondable. There is no guarantee that your dog will be safe in the hands of a Dog Walker, and if your dog has a bad experience you may be in for more than you bargained for. What is your Dog Walker training your dog?
What do you think? Are dog walkers worth the gamble? Would you take the risk not knowing the other dogs that person is walking at the same time?
Personally, I wouldn't use one for fear that something may happen. (I'm a control freak, have you figured that out yet?) I find that long hikes on weekends (4+ hours or more - less in winter) will sufficiently tire most dogs out and regular walks/play time through the week uses energy and prevents boredom. I like to spend time with my dogs as I find it calming. Even taking your dog outside for some good one on one ball/retrieve time.
(Not to mention the question of, why would you have a dog if you don't want to spend time with it? Why not get a cat??)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
New Search Feature
Just a quick sidebar note - I have created a Google Search Feature. This allows you to search my blog for keywords. (It uses the Google Search Engine, but will not search Google - only dogsdeservefreedom.blogspot.com)
From my testing, it seems that it will NOT pick up keywords in the titles - only the body of the posts. Hopefully this will allow for easier navigation through older posts.
From my testing, it seems that it will NOT pick up keywords in the titles - only the body of the posts. Hopefully this will allow for easier navigation through older posts.
Rescue Numbers - Curiousity Killed the ...?
Sorry for not posting for a few days - busy times around the holidays! Also, I was asked to start working another dog (there are 5 actually, but I am starting with 1 - they learn in stages and I can only have 1 dog in stage 1 at a time otherwise I couldn't work my full-time paying job!). BYBer GSDs ... nice dogs, but scaredy cats right now - if they're not developed properly, they'll turn into fear biters. They always take more time in the beginning - once they enter stage 2 or 3 I can start looking at working another one.
On October 17, I posted some numbers from petfinder listing the amount of certain breeds available for adoption. I may be odd, but I sometimes wonder how things are going for all those animals and whether or not things are getting better or worse out there (especially when I start working a new dog!). I'm not posting this to depress anyone, but I believe that people should all be aware of the sheer numbers we face out there.
Here are the numbers from that day:
Beagle - 8,106 dogs
Black Lab - 5,197 dogs
Border Collie - 4,794 dogs
Boxer - 5,792 dogs
Chihuahua - 7,895 dogs
Dachshund - 3,888 dogs
German Shepherd - 7,852 dogs
Labrador Retriever - 20,075 dogs
Pitbull Terrier - 9,984 dogs
I chose these 9 breeds because they are the breeds we see most listed in rescue. They have the highest numbers. Why? Probably because most people aren't properly prepared for the high level of maintenance these dogs require.
Here are the updated numbers as of today (2 months later):
Beagle - 7,851 dogs
Black Lab - 4,860 dogs
Border Collie - 4,829 dogs
Boxer - 5,793 dogs
Chihuahua - 7,434 dogs
Dachshund - 3,787 dogs
German Shepherd - 7,504 dogs
Labrador Retriever - 19,845 dogs
Pitbull Terrier - 10,355 dogs
Is that different? Yes, some. The numbers went from 73,583 to 72,258. That's 1325 dogs. That's a lot of dogs! Considering since they often come in just as fast (if not faster) than they get adopted and go out. If the number went down by 1300, we can hope that the dogs are being adopted faster than they are coming in *knock on wood* Let's hope we don't get a resurgence of all those "Holiday" puppies.
I'm going to add 6 other breeds that have high numbers from petfinder.
American Staffordshire Terrier 3,276
Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler 3,212
Australian Shepherd 3,424
Rottweiler 3,535
Shepherd 8,650
Terrier 7,204
Don't forget that some of these dogs will be listed twice due to mixes listed. Anything over 3,000 I have listed - anything less than that I have considered a managable number. That brings our running tally to 101,559.
What does this mean? Spay and neuter your pets people. We don't need any more dogs regardless of how kyoot your poopsie-poo is. Take a note from those dogs in shelters and rescue and remember what breeds they are ... we don't need any more of that breed unless they are super duper dogs (think their parents should be winners of ... SOMETHING other than the kyoot awards!).
If you want to breed your lab (or other) because you feel like it and think you could make some money off it ... think about those 19,845 labs waiting for homes! Maybe you think your children should see the "miracle of life"? Don't you think the owners of their parents didn't think the same? Do you care?
And for everyone else, please remember, don't give an animal this holiday as a gift. If you are going to give something like that, go to the shelter and Sponser an animal! Often, that person you want to give a puppy/dog/kitten/cat to doesn't have one because they don't want one. The dog/cat you buy them will just end up in a shelter so you may as well just sponsor. It would do more good and the person may appreciate it more.
On October 17, I posted some numbers from petfinder listing the amount of certain breeds available for adoption. I may be odd, but I sometimes wonder how things are going for all those animals and whether or not things are getting better or worse out there (especially when I start working a new dog!). I'm not posting this to depress anyone, but I believe that people should all be aware of the sheer numbers we face out there.
Here are the numbers from that day:
Beagle - 8,106 dogs
Black Lab - 5,197 dogs
Border Collie - 4,794 dogs
Boxer - 5,792 dogs
Chihuahua - 7,895 dogs
Dachshund - 3,888 dogs
German Shepherd - 7,852 dogs
Labrador Retriever - 20,075 dogs
Pitbull Terrier - 9,984 dogs
I chose these 9 breeds because they are the breeds we see most listed in rescue. They have the highest numbers. Why? Probably because most people aren't properly prepared for the high level of maintenance these dogs require.
Here are the updated numbers as of today (2 months later):
Beagle - 7,851 dogs
Black Lab - 4,860 dogs
Border Collie - 4,829 dogs
Boxer - 5,793 dogs
Chihuahua - 7,434 dogs
Dachshund - 3,787 dogs
German Shepherd - 7,504 dogs
Labrador Retriever - 19,845 dogs
Pitbull Terrier - 10,355 dogs
Is that different? Yes, some. The numbers went from 73,583 to 72,258. That's 1325 dogs. That's a lot of dogs! Considering since they often come in just as fast (if not faster) than they get adopted and go out. If the number went down by 1300, we can hope that the dogs are being adopted faster than they are coming in *knock on wood* Let's hope we don't get a resurgence of all those "Holiday" puppies.
I'm going to add 6 other breeds that have high numbers from petfinder.
American Staffordshire Terrier 3,276
Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler 3,212
Australian Shepherd 3,424
Rottweiler 3,535
Shepherd 8,650
Terrier 7,204
Don't forget that some of these dogs will be listed twice due to mixes listed. Anything over 3,000 I have listed - anything less than that I have considered a managable number. That brings our running tally to 101,559.
What does this mean? Spay and neuter your pets people. We don't need any more dogs regardless of how kyoot your poopsie-poo is. Take a note from those dogs in shelters and rescue and remember what breeds they are ... we don't need any more of that breed unless they are super duper dogs (think their parents should be winners of ... SOMETHING other than the kyoot awards!).
If you want to breed your lab (or other) because you feel like it and think you could make some money off it ... think about those 19,845 labs waiting for homes! Maybe you think your children should see the "miracle of life"? Don't you think the owners of their parents didn't think the same? Do you care?
And for everyone else, please remember, don't give an animal this holiday as a gift. If you are going to give something like that, go to the shelter and Sponser an animal! Often, that person you want to give a puppy/dog/kitten/cat to doesn't have one because they don't want one. The dog/cat you buy them will just end up in a shelter so you may as well just sponsor. It would do more good and the person may appreciate it more.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Featured Rescue - Tahne the Cocker Spaniel
This is going to be a short and sweet post today. Went searching through the adoptables and came up with this little gal.Today there are 2,279 Cocker Spaniels available for adoption. The one I chose to feature is located in OH.
She is a 4-5 year old red and white Cocker. She was a puppy mill dog and as such is still very shy. Her foster home is working to bring her out of her shell.
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12478878
Friday, December 12, 2008
Asshat Rant - Think we could spay/neuter the asshats?
I received this ad from a concerned reader. It was inspiring ... it inspired me to roll my eyes, call out obscene words to my computer monitor (much to the amusement of my coworkers), and generally think terrible things about the world's asshat population. I just wanted to bang my head to my ... oh what the he11 ... *headdesk, headdesk*
The gist of it is that they don't want to keep their Great Pyrenees because "he was supposed to be a guard dog and isn't hanging around the house ... he's wandering around the neighbourhood" ... uh ... hello? earth to asshat? You know your dog would likely minimize his wandering if you got him neutered?? Oh yeah, I forgot - you don't have enough money to neuter him. The owner is a single mom on a limited income, so she wants $400 for him to "recoop some of what she spent" - a 4 year old dog with little training that isn't altered ... asshat.
Here's a screen cap of the ad in case it is removed.
Here's the link:
The gist of it is that they don't want to keep their Great Pyrenees because "he was supposed to be a guard dog and isn't hanging around the house ... he's wandering around the neighbourhood" ... uh ... hello? earth to asshat? You know your dog would likely minimize his wandering if you got him neutered?? Oh yeah, I forgot - you don't have enough money to neuter him. The owner is a single mom on a limited income, so she wants $400 for him to "recoop some of what she spent" - a 4 year old dog with little training that isn't altered ... asshat.The most ... "inspiring" ... thing about this entire ad? They are looking to replace him with another large guard dog. Who, by the way, must be good with their kids, not look like a Shepherd, not bite the kids, guard the house, and not be too expensive. *headdesk*
Here's a screen cap of the ad in case it is removed. Do you think that we could put forth a new bylaw requiring all asshats to identify themselves? This way we could offer a spay/neuter clinic for the people ... no, not their dogs - the people ... can we really say we want these people reproducing?
So much for "spay and neuter your pets" being the coin phrase ... soon it will be "spay and neuter your asshat relatives".
Thursday, December 11, 2008
News Reel - Strategies when you're attacked
Sorry for posting two news reels in a row, but I found this one and thought it builds somewhat off the discussion we were having earlier this week. Here's the link to the news article:
Strategies When You're Attacked
http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/547299
(What to do when you're out with your dog and are attacked by an agressive dog)
It is sound advice. Doesn't touch on what to do if it is your dog doing the attacking, but rather the "victim" if we should call it that.
Strategies When You're Attacked
http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/547299
(What to do when you're out with your dog and are attacked by an agressive dog)
It is sound advice. Doesn't touch on what to do if it is your dog doing the attacking, but rather the "victim" if we should call it that.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
News Reel - Why anthropomorphize dogs?
One of my pet peeves is when people anthropomorphize dogs. They are dogs. They are not humans. Sure, they think, but they don't think like humans - they think like dogs. I don't know why it irritates me, but it does. Probably bothers me because those people who anthropomorphize dogs are also the ones that have dogs that are 'uncontrollable'.
A dog was caught on video surveillance in Chile. They assume it is a stray dog and that it was trying to "save" another dog's life. I read the headlines and thought how sweet ... then I realized after watching the video surveillance footage that it doesn't actually show what the dog did when reaching the median.
There are two stories, here are the links:
Homeless dog tries to save dog hit by car in Chile
Little hope for Chile's highway hero dog
The way it was written in the first article, it sounded as though this happened recently, however, upon reading the second article, we realize that it actually happened in the spring (March 23). On the second article there is a link to the video footage so you can see the dog crossing traffic, then pulling the hurt dog in.
So here's what made me start thinking. This dog was so badly injured that it died from its injuries (per the second news clip). Why would a stray dog risk itself by crossing all those lines of traffic for a dying dog? hmmm ... Makes you think, right?
Perhaps it's true and he really was trying to save the dog. I know at this time of year, it sure is nice to think of these things with a good spin on things - unfortunately, for my cynical mind, I need facts. All I see in this footage is a dog going out to drag the carcass of another animal off the road.
Let's assume that the news casters are correct in their theory that this dog is a stray. Do we know for certain that this stray dog wasn't hungry/starved (being a stray dog and all)? Could he not have been pulling this other dog to the median to have a nice lunch?
I noticed that they don't show the dog reaching the median in the news video, but if you go to the YouTube video found here, you will note that although they do show the median, they still cut part out and you don't actually see what the dog did with the injured one once the median was attained.
Dogs are dogs. I have never met a dog that doesn't enjoy a nice snack of roadkill. They usually don't care what it is; the smellier the better. I know it isn't the prettiest thing to think of ...
What do you think?
Hungry Dog = Roadkill snack?
Or
Hero Dog = Trying to Save Another (Dying) Dog?
A dog was caught on video surveillance in Chile. They assume it is a stray dog and that it was trying to "save" another dog's life. I read the headlines and thought how sweet ... then I realized after watching the video surveillance footage that it doesn't actually show what the dog did when reaching the median.
There are two stories, here are the links:
Homeless dog tries to save dog hit by car in Chile
Little hope for Chile's highway hero dog
The way it was written in the first article, it sounded as though this happened recently, however, upon reading the second article, we realize that it actually happened in the spring (March 23). On the second article there is a link to the video footage so you can see the dog crossing traffic, then pulling the hurt dog in.
So here's what made me start thinking. This dog was so badly injured that it died from its injuries (per the second news clip). Why would a stray dog risk itself by crossing all those lines of traffic for a dying dog? hmmm ... Makes you think, right?
Perhaps it's true and he really was trying to save the dog. I know at this time of year, it sure is nice to think of these things with a good spin on things - unfortunately, for my cynical mind, I need facts. All I see in this footage is a dog going out to drag the carcass of another animal off the road.
Let's assume that the news casters are correct in their theory that this dog is a stray. Do we know for certain that this stray dog wasn't hungry/starved (being a stray dog and all)? Could he not have been pulling this other dog to the median to have a nice lunch?
I noticed that they don't show the dog reaching the median in the news video, but if you go to the YouTube video found here, you will note that although they do show the median, they still cut part out and you don't actually see what the dog did with the injured one once the median was attained.
Dogs are dogs. I have never met a dog that doesn't enjoy a nice snack of roadkill. They usually don't care what it is; the smellier the better. I know it isn't the prettiest thing to think of ...
What do you think?
Hungry Dog = Roadkill snack?
Or
Hero Dog = Trying to Save Another (Dying) Dog?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Holiday Cheer - I Rescued a Human Today
It's been over a week since I posted the last bit of mushy stuff for the Holiday Season. I thought I would post another. This one circulated around an email list that I receive. I didn't write this, but figured I'd post it for something good to read while I'm working on my next rant. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Source unknown.
I rescued a human today.
Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.
As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.
Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved.
At least I could save one.
I rescued a human today
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Source unknown.
I rescued a human today.
Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.
As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.
Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved.
At least I could save one.
I rescued a human today
Monday, December 8, 2008
Training Rant - Alpha Roll or Omega Roll?
In one of the comment threads I mentioned that I'd post a blog entry about why I don't think that Cesar using the "Alpha Roll" is good - regardless of what "Zone" they are in. Cesar is not the only trainer that uses the "Alpha Roll", but he is probably the most popular one. This blog is not about Cesar, but about the Alpha Roll (or as I call it, the Omega Roll). Because Cesar has become such an idol, I have used his training methods simply as an example.
Before I begin, I will reiterate my opinion of Cesar Millan. I have watched his show and read the books that he has published. I have investigated and come to my own conclusion. While I like and agree with many of Cesar's theories about dogs I do NOT agree with his "hands-on" approach to things. By 'hands-on' I mean him tapping the dogs with his hand or foot (note - I have chickens and we teach the dogs no touch without smacking them at all, let alone hitting so hard that the whole body moves), rolling the dogs and also hanging them by their collars. Each of the three linked videos above are less than 1 minute long with no audio.
Please note that this is a highly controversial topic and usually brings people to an argumentative state rather quickly. (Sounds like it's just an interesting topic to me!) The topic today is the Alpha Roll. Or as I like to call it - the Omega Roll. I will explain this in a bit. First I will describe what the Alpha Roll is very quickly:
The Alpha Roll is when a dog handler takes the dog and forcefully lies him on his side.
Yes, there are a lot more graphic ways to describe it such as "flipping" or "hurling", but I'm trying to be politically correct. It is called the "Alpha Roll" because you are supposed to be showing your dog that you are the "dominant" dog, commonly referred to as the "leader of the pack".
Some people do this quite forcefully as you will note in this video of a popular dog trainer (Cesar) where he picks the dog up and puts him quite hard on the ground (yes, it's carpeted, but how about you have one of your family members do this to you with the same force and let me know how fast the breath comes out of your lungs and how long it takes you to regain it, k?) You will also note that this same trainer gets bitten at the end of the video.
So that's how to do it ... what's so wrong? Well, please take some time to read the articles I will link to. You will note that I've provided you with articles to read about this topic. This is because I don't have the certifications that these authors do (psychology, etc) so really, my opinion is simply that of a person (much like Cesar, eh?). You may lose your dog's respect and it will likely make the problem worse.
Alpha Roll or Alpha Role? Explains where this technique came from and comments on research that has since disproven the effectiveness of the "Alpha Roll".
This article explains that using force to train your dog can result in these things happening:
Feel free to comment on anything I have posted (including Cesar if you wish).
I said that I would explain why I call the Alpha Roll the Omega Roll. Well, I'm not going to spell it out for you, but Alpha comes first in the Greek Alphabet ... Omega comes last. Get it?
Before I begin, I will reiterate my opinion of Cesar Millan. I have watched his show and read the books that he has published. I have investigated and come to my own conclusion. While I like and agree with many of Cesar's theories about dogs I do NOT agree with his "hands-on" approach to things. By 'hands-on' I mean him tapping the dogs with his hand or foot (note - I have chickens and we teach the dogs no touch without smacking them at all, let alone hitting so hard that the whole body moves), rolling the dogs and also hanging them by their collars. Each of the three linked videos above are less than 1 minute long with no audio.
Please note that this is a highly controversial topic and usually brings people to an argumentative state rather quickly. (Sounds like it's just an interesting topic to me!) The topic today is the Alpha Roll. Or as I like to call it - the Omega Roll. I will explain this in a bit. First I will describe what the Alpha Roll is very quickly:
The Alpha Roll is when a dog handler takes the dog and forcefully lies him on his side.
Yes, there are a lot more graphic ways to describe it such as "flipping" or "hurling", but I'm trying to be politically correct. It is called the "Alpha Roll" because you are supposed to be showing your dog that you are the "dominant" dog, commonly referred to as the "leader of the pack".
Some people do this quite forcefully as you will note in this video of a popular dog trainer (Cesar) where he picks the dog up and puts him quite hard on the ground (yes, it's carpeted, but how about you have one of your family members do this to you with the same force and let me know how fast the breath comes out of your lungs and how long it takes you to regain it, k?) You will also note that this same trainer gets bitten at the end of the video.
So that's how to do it ... what's so wrong? Well, please take some time to read the articles I will link to. You will note that I've provided you with articles to read about this topic. This is because I don't have the certifications that these authors do (psychology, etc) so really, my opinion is simply that of a person (much like Cesar, eh?). You may lose your dog's respect and it will likely make the problem worse.
Alpha Roll or Alpha Role? Explains where this technique came from and comments on research that has since disproven the effectiveness of the "Alpha Roll".
This article explains that using force to train your dog can result in these things happening:
- The dog will never attain the beautiful rapport gained from training with a friend- ly, affectionate owner.
- Intimidating tactics cause timidness and a dislike of training.
- Methods that cause friction between you and your dog can make an otherwise friendly fellow become aggressive towards people and other dogs. Aggression in dogs has increased since compulsive Alpha - wolf concepts of training - became popular.
Your dog is not trying to take over the world (not my coin-phrase, but a true one all the same!). He just needs some guidance from you and he needs you to act like a leader (without brute force!). Yes, this includes shelter dogs, rescue dogs, reactive dogs, agressive or shy dogs and also dogs that enter that popular "Red Zone".
Feel free to comment on anything I have posted (including Cesar if you wish).
I said that I would explain why I call the Alpha Roll the Omega Roll. Well, I'm not going to spell it out for you, but Alpha comes first in the Greek Alphabet ... Omega comes last. Get it?
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Training Tools - Prong Collar
I know I've already posted about the choke chain and this is a variant of that, but I REALLY want to put up a posting about this. For those of you who are not familiar with it, this picture is a prong collar.The way it fits is it goes around the dog's neck like a choke chain. The martingale will tighten as the dog pulls and the prongs push on the dogs neck. In theory, it is supposed to teach a dog not to pull.
Now, I need to insert a comment here that if your dog wants to be with you, then he wouldn't be spending all his energy trying to run away from you and pulling on leash, would he?? If your dog is pulling on leash then you have other issues underneath the pulling problem and you should start looking at your relationship with the dog.
Many people feel they need to use prong collars for their dogs to keep them under control (especially large breeds). These collars are often used for dogs that pull on the leash. Used properly, I hear they can be a safe and effective training tool. To use properly, the dog must be able to walk on leash without pulling excessively and without lunging. If they do, you risk damaging your dog. (now, if your dog walks on leash without pulling excessively and lunging then why do you need a prong collar??)
If they are not used properly, this can happen. If the dog lunges or pulls or the owner pulls too hard, the prongs have the ability to enter the animal's neck.Now, this seems a bit like an oxymoron to me ... if you have a dog that pulls too hard, you may want to get a prong collar, but you can't use the prong if the dog pulls too hard otherwise you may harm your dog ... are you confused yet?
In order to use it safely and effectively, the dog needs to be a NON-puller. So then why would you feel that you need to resort to the prong in the first place??
Obviously, this is a tool I have never used and won't, but I wanted to point it out. I do know owners who swear by it. If you can't figure out how to teach your dog to want to be with you, then why would you think that forcing a dog in this way would make it want to do it any more??
Friday, December 5, 2008
Featured Rescue - Kobe Swims ... GSD or Kelpie?!
Ok, so I couldn't resist. I thought I'd find and list a nice looking GSD (German Shepherd Dog) today, but when I was looking, I stumbled over this guy. I thought "why not?"
He's listed as a rottweiler GSD mix ... Now, I don't know about you guys, but I really think he looks like an Australian Kelpie!
Here's the link for his petfinder profile:
Most of the time, rescues need to use their best judgement when looking at the dogs that come in. They have to guess at the breeds and if the people working/volunteering for the rescue are not familiar with the breed, then they will guess at what they know.
Now, for everyone's enjoyment, I have pictured two pics of black and tan Australian Kelpies 
from some of the sites I found online. I mentioned in one of my comments that a friend of mine has a Kelpie that she bought from a breeder to herd and work. (He's currently learning to work Sheep) He looks identical to the above guy - floppy ears and all! She was rather disappointed that his ears turned out floppy and don't stand up pointy as is normal.
from some of the sites I found online. I mentioned in one of my comments that a friend of mine has a Kelpie that she bought from a breeder to herd and work. (He's currently learning to work Sheep) He looks identical to the above guy - floppy ears and all! She was rather disappointed that his ears turned out floppy and don't stand up pointy as is normal.
Hopefully whoever adopts Kobe Swims is able to deal with his energy properly ... I could just see what happens when someone who wants the character/temperament of the Rotti/GSD and ends up with a Kelpie!! Yikes - that's a recipe for disaster. (Keep in mind I really like Kelpies but they are definitely more active than a GSD or a Rotti!) Hey ... maybe I'm wrong? Maybe he really is a GSD / Rotti mix ... you'd never know unless you ran one of those DNA tests on him.FYI, there are currently 7,721 GSD dogs listed on Petfinder. There are 183 Australian Kelpies listed.
If I were looking to adopt a Kelpie, personally I would look under multiple breeds ... you never know where you'll find one!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Training Rant - Snapping rewarded with a hit?
I have a poll to the right of the page asking everyone what they would like to see more 0f. The first two answers I received were Training Rants, so I thought I'd oblige (please vote to add your opinion so I can work with what you want). This one is one I've been stewing over since I ran into it in the summer while working with a dog that was housed at a boarding facility.
A comment was made that started me thinking about something that I ran into earlier this year; Smacking, bopping or hitting your dog if it snaps a treat out of your hand. I have known many people who hit their dog for the wrong behaviour. It is not a training tool I use or condone. Unfortunately, it is usually used because the people don't know a better way to train.
Have you heard the expression "A Little Bit of Knowledge is Dangerous"?
Here's my example ...
I know a person who breeds and shows dogs who showed me his way of fixing snapping. You know how a dog will sometimes snap a cookie out of your hand? Maybe take it a bit too hard and bite your fingers? Well, his fix is to make a fist (with the cookie in it, of course) and bop them hard on the nose. He guarantees me that it fixes the problem every time! He did admit that sometimes they bite their tongue, but he assured me that it doesn't happen often and that it doesn't usually bleed. *Yeah, 'cause that made me feel better!*
*Asshat* This same guy teaches the dogs to jump up and gives them cookies as a reward for that, so I've already been disappointed by his "training" techniques. Yes, he's moronic. And like so many dog owners out there, is too busy looking for the fastest way to train rather than the best way to teach.
Ok, so I'm not one to be bopping any dog on the nose for this or any other behaviour. Honestly, there are some dogs that come in that I work with that you don't do anything other than feed cookies and "make friends" for the first while. (I'll post a short story about one soon!)
I am a rather average sized person. I have never found force to work with any factor of dog training. I am not loud and don't have a commanding voice. Thing to remember is ... you don't need to be big, scary or mean for the dog to listen and do what you ask. You just have to ask the right way!
What techniques have you found to resolve the snapping cookies behaviour?
I have used the closing your hand on the cookie (but NOT bopping the dog!!). I have also used "Gentle" or "Be Gentle" where you offer the cookie and if the dog is too assertive, the hand is withdrawn. Though I have used this successfully, I have found that both of these techniques used with the wrong dog will actually increase the snapping as they get more worked up when you remove the reward. Like every technique, you have to be careful.
I have also found that if the dog is calm, the chances of a snap for a treat are less likely.
Some of the dogs I work with don't get handed treats. You just don't put your hand that close to their mouths in the early stages either because of safety reasons or because you just can't. (Keep in mind these are the ones that are cowering in the corners of the kennels, can't be put on leash, may try to attack you in the beginning, you can't get near, etc.) Unfortunately, that means you end up tossing the treat to them, which also means they snap it out of the air. I usually try to aim the cookie for the floor in between both of us to reduce the catching, but that doesn't always work. (Like all things in life, you need to pick your battles.)
Akin to all behaviours, cookie snapping is a learned one (I'm sure there is a better word/name for it!). If the dog uses it, and it works, he/she is rewarded and will use it more often.
We can only hope that dog owners can get the word out that hitting your dog teaches it nothing but frustration and may create worse behaviours than the ones you are trying to eliminate.
So do yourself and your dog a favour and don't be like all those owners out there, looking for the fastest way to train. Find the best way to teach. Trust me, it will give you marvellous results when you are done.
A comment was made that started me thinking about something that I ran into earlier this year; Smacking, bopping or hitting your dog if it snaps a treat out of your hand. I have known many people who hit their dog for the wrong behaviour. It is not a training tool I use or condone. Unfortunately, it is usually used because the people don't know a better way to train.
Have you heard the expression "A Little Bit of Knowledge is Dangerous"?
Here's my example ...
I know a person who breeds and shows dogs who showed me his way of fixing snapping. You know how a dog will sometimes snap a cookie out of your hand? Maybe take it a bit too hard and bite your fingers? Well, his fix is to make a fist (with the cookie in it, of course) and bop them hard on the nose. He guarantees me that it fixes the problem every time! He did admit that sometimes they bite their tongue, but he assured me that it doesn't happen often and that it doesn't usually bleed. *Yeah, 'cause that made me feel better!*
*Asshat* This same guy teaches the dogs to jump up and gives them cookies as a reward for that, so I've already been disappointed by his "training" techniques. Yes, he's moronic. And like so many dog owners out there, is too busy looking for the fastest way to train rather than the best way to teach.
Ok, so I'm not one to be bopping any dog on the nose for this or any other behaviour. Honestly, there are some dogs that come in that I work with that you don't do anything other than feed cookies and "make friends" for the first while. (I'll post a short story about one soon!)
I am a rather average sized person. I have never found force to work with any factor of dog training. I am not loud and don't have a commanding voice. Thing to remember is ... you don't need to be big, scary or mean for the dog to listen and do what you ask. You just have to ask the right way!
What techniques have you found to resolve the snapping cookies behaviour?
I have used the closing your hand on the cookie (but NOT bopping the dog!!). I have also used "Gentle" or "Be Gentle" where you offer the cookie and if the dog is too assertive, the hand is withdrawn. Though I have used this successfully, I have found that both of these techniques used with the wrong dog will actually increase the snapping as they get more worked up when you remove the reward. Like every technique, you have to be careful.
I have also found that if the dog is calm, the chances of a snap for a treat are less likely.
Some of the dogs I work with don't get handed treats. You just don't put your hand that close to their mouths in the early stages either because of safety reasons or because you just can't. (Keep in mind these are the ones that are cowering in the corners of the kennels, can't be put on leash, may try to attack you in the beginning, you can't get near, etc.) Unfortunately, that means you end up tossing the treat to them, which also means they snap it out of the air. I usually try to aim the cookie for the floor in between both of us to reduce the catching, but that doesn't always work. (Like all things in life, you need to pick your battles.)
Akin to all behaviours, cookie snapping is a learned one (I'm sure there is a better word/name for it!). If the dog uses it, and it works, he/she is rewarded and will use it more often.
We can only hope that dog owners can get the word out that hitting your dog teaches it nothing but frustration and may create worse behaviours than the ones you are trying to eliminate.
So do yourself and your dog a favour and don't be like all those owners out there, looking for the fastest way to train. Find the best way to teach. Trust me, it will give you marvellous results when you are done.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Another Puppy Mill Seizure and Closed Down
Ok, so I've been trying not to post more than once per day, but I couldn't pass this one up. I flew through the roof this morning when I saw it on the news. Here's the link to the news article about yet another puppy mill being shut down in my area. The basics are:
- 100 dogs seized from puppy mill in deplorable condition
- The breeds seized included Bichons, Pekingese, Papillons and Lhasa Apso types
- Upon conviction, the accused could face a maximum fine of $60,000, two years in jail and a lifetime prohibition of owning animals
- If charges are laid, this will be the fourth puppy mill raided by the SPCA in Ontario this year.
Please remember that I am glad they shut the place down. Quite honestly, I wouldn't want them to continue running. But that nasty little common sense voice inside my head is saying "WOAH!!" (Just like when Barrie OSPCA seized 300 meat rabbits from a farm and then couldn't figure out what the heck to do with them all.) So here's my issue ...
What are we going to do with 100 more dogs going through the shelters in Ontario? I thought all the shelters were already full ... guess not? This brings me right back to the post I made earlier about working with the owners, spaying and neutering all the dogs and having the owners house and feed the dogs until suitable homes could be found.
Don't EVER forget that the OSPCA is NOT a no-kill. It will euthanize the dogs and cats if they are too full, don't have the right behaviour, or sometimes just have a bad day. That means that if they don't find adoptive homes, foster homes or even just kennels at other shelters, fast for these dogs, the dogs' time will run out.
The kicker that sends me through the roof? Read that last point again ... it reads IF ... not when ... IF. That means that this person may go away from this without being charged because that the OSPCA is not sure whether or not they have enough evidence to convict.
Not to mention that not one of those dogs will be adoptable until the owners surrender them! They are all still owned by that person! Ugh ... let's not even get into THAT one!
I wonder how many of those 100 dogs will be euthanized?
- 100 dogs seized from puppy mill in deplorable condition
- The breeds seized included Bichons, Pekingese, Papillons and Lhasa Apso types
- Upon conviction, the accused could face a maximum fine of $60,000, two years in jail and a lifetime prohibition of owning animals
- If charges are laid, this will be the fourth puppy mill raided by the SPCA in Ontario this year.
Please remember that I am glad they shut the place down. Quite honestly, I wouldn't want them to continue running. But that nasty little common sense voice inside my head is saying "WOAH!!" (Just like when Barrie OSPCA seized 300 meat rabbits from a farm and then couldn't figure out what the heck to do with them all.) So here's my issue ...
What are we going to do with 100 more dogs going through the shelters in Ontario? I thought all the shelters were already full ... guess not? This brings me right back to the post I made earlier about working with the owners, spaying and neutering all the dogs and having the owners house and feed the dogs until suitable homes could be found.
Don't EVER forget that the OSPCA is NOT a no-kill. It will euthanize the dogs and cats if they are too full, don't have the right behaviour, or sometimes just have a bad day. That means that if they don't find adoptive homes, foster homes or even just kennels at other shelters, fast for these dogs, the dogs' time will run out.
The kicker that sends me through the roof? Read that last point again ... it reads IF ... not when ... IF. That means that this person may go away from this without being charged because that the OSPCA is not sure whether or not they have enough evidence to convict.
Not to mention that not one of those dogs will be adoptable until the owners surrender them! They are all still owned by that person! Ugh ... let's not even get into THAT one!
I wonder how many of those 100 dogs will be euthanized?
Movie Day! Today's Special? Dog Fighting
So have you ever taken a few days off and deemed one day as "Movie Day"?? We do on occasion (like twice in the winter...) provided the weather is too rough to be out. On those -40C days here, we don't go outside for long. Just long enough for a quick run for the dogs, feed the animals in the barns, and do any other quick chores there are to do.
So, in honour of "Movie Days", this is my first ever here on the blog. I hope you enjoy the ones I found and I hope you comment to add your own in today's list!
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This one's called Peace for Dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV0PjZ_535I
This one's called Pitbulls: it's never too late
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW3Hf_zs7tM&NR=1
And for the finale, since my theme for today seems to have been dog fighting and pit bulls (though I hadn't originally meant it that way!!), here's one about good ol' Michael Vick. It's called Dog's in the Kennel.
It's not as graphic as I would have liked (personally, I would have liked to see one where he gets his butt kicked in the ring ... or maybe euthanasia ...) but it is still a pretty good short video. I hope you enjoy it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW0dhh_Aj6A&feature=related
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And that's all for movie day! If you have any dog fighting related videos that you'd like to share, please do. I will post another Movie Day later on about something else, so please keep on topic if you can.
So, in honour of "Movie Days", this is my first ever here on the blog. I hope you enjoy the ones I found and I hope you comment to add your own in today's list!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
This one's called Peace for Dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV0PjZ_535I
This one's called Pitbulls: it's never too late
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW3Hf_zs7tM&NR=1
And for the finale, since my theme for today seems to have been dog fighting and pit bulls (though I hadn't originally meant it that way!!), here's one about good ol' Michael Vick. It's called Dog's in the Kennel.
It's not as graphic as I would have liked (personally, I would have liked to see one where he gets his butt kicked in the ring ... or maybe euthanasia ...) but it is still a pretty good short video. I hope you enjoy it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW0dhh_Aj6A&feature=related
---------------------------------------------------------------------
And that's all for movie day! If you have any dog fighting related videos that you'd like to share, please do. I will post another Movie Day later on about something else, so please keep on topic if you can.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
May as well call the collectors ...
The following ad was sent to me by a reader who thought it was somewhat odd. It is a bit OT, but I thought I'd post it anyway since it is an interesting topic that I'd like to comment on. First, here's the ad:
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Free Kittens
Price: Free
Location: Red Deer Date Listed: 01-Dec-08
We have three 9 week old kittens to give away, we'll give $20 towards kitty food and litter with each one, kittens are black with white socks and white markings on their faces, they live with 2 adult cats and a dog, love attention and cuddling and most of all playing. 1 male, 2 females. Will Deliver.
Here's the web site address that has this listing. It does list their phone and email.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I read that ad, the first thing that came to my mind was that these kittens are going to end up in a research facility or, just as bad, in a collector's home. This happens more often than not. You'd be surprised at how often whole litters will be dumped in ditches (kittens more often than puppies, but we see litters of pups too!).
And those are the lucky ones.
The lucky ones are the ones that are found in the ditches or wrapped up in bags dumped in the forest. Why? Because they were the ones that are ultimately going to end up in someones home. They are found by good people who gather them up and take them to a local rescue facility. They aren't the ones that were drowned. They aren't the ones that will go to research or a collector/hoarder.
We see the ads all the time - Spay and Neuter your pets. It's unfortunate that some people don't heed these recommendations.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free Kittens
Price: Free
Location: Red Deer Date Listed: 01-Dec-08
We have three 9 week old kittens to give away, we'll give $20 towards kitty food and litter with each one, kittens are black with white socks and white markings on their faces, they live with 2 adult cats and a dog, love attention and cuddling and most of all playing. 1 male, 2 females. Will Deliver.
Here's the web site address that has this listing. It does list their phone and email.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I read that ad, the first thing that came to my mind was that these kittens are going to end up in a research facility or, just as bad, in a collector's home. This happens more often than not. You'd be surprised at how often whole litters will be dumped in ditches (kittens more often than puppies, but we see litters of pups too!).
And those are the lucky ones.
The lucky ones are the ones that are found in the ditches or wrapped up in bags dumped in the forest. Why? Because they were the ones that are ultimately going to end up in someones home. They are found by good people who gather them up and take them to a local rescue facility. They aren't the ones that were drowned. They aren't the ones that will go to research or a collector/hoarder.
We see the ads all the time - Spay and Neuter your pets. It's unfortunate that some people don't heed these recommendations.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Something mushy for the Holiday Season
Ok, so it's December. Therefore it's time to spread a little good cheer. I will, for my part, try my best not to mention anyone specific Holiday because I don't believe this is the right place for that discussion. However, at this time of year, I'm always looking for something nice and mushy to warm my heart. Especially when I see the animals start piling into the pound!!
Besides, I really should put some happy things in between the sad or cranked out posts! So, for everyone who needs something a little mushy at this time of year, here it is. I have copied and pasted a CraigsList post ... one almost lost between all the posts of people trying to get rid of their pets ...
A Poem to My Foster Dog (GTA)
I am the bridge
Between what was and what can be.
I am the pathway to a new life.
I am made of mush,
Because my heart melted when I saw you,
Matted and sore, limping, depressed,
Lonely, unwanted, afraid to love.
For one little time you are mine.
I will feed you with my own hand
I will love you with my whole heart
I will make you whole.
I am made of steel.
Because when the time comes,
When you are well, and sleek,
When your eyes shine,
And your tail wags with joy
Then comes the hard part.
I will let you go -- not without a tear,
But without a regret.
For you are safe forever --
A new dog needs me now.
- -- Diane Morgan
Besides, I really should put some happy things in between the sad or cranked out posts! So, for everyone who needs something a little mushy at this time of year, here it is. I have copied and pasted a CraigsList post ... one almost lost between all the posts of people trying to get rid of their pets ...
A Poem to My Foster Dog (GTA)
I am the bridge
Between what was and what can be.
I am the pathway to a new life.
I am made of mush,
Because my heart melted when I saw you,
Matted and sore, limping, depressed,
Lonely, unwanted, afraid to love.
For one little time you are mine.
I will feed you with my own hand
I will love you with my whole heart
I will make you whole.
I am made of steel.
Because when the time comes,
When you are well, and sleek,
When your eyes shine,
And your tail wags with joy
Then comes the hard part.
I will let you go -- not without a tear,
But without a regret.
For you are safe forever --
A new dog needs me now.
- -- Diane Morgan
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