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Pets Blog Week in Review: 3/17-3/23

Courtney usually handles the Week in Review duties, so bear with me while I fumble my way through a look back at March 17-23 in the Pets Blog. Monday, March 17 I’m a big fan of mythology, and the story behind the origins of the Pekingese breed is an interesting one. Check it out! The Iditarod was won in just nine days by Lance Mackey — a man who has survived throat cancer and gone on to win numerous dog sled races. Tuesday, March 18 A day late for St. Patty’s Day, I took a look at how you can … Continue reading →

Decoding Different Barks

Researchers at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary are using computers to help decode and translate different dog barks. The study began with recording the barks from fourteen different Hungarian sheepdogs. Barking was recorded in six different situations: When a stranger approached the house when the owner was away and the dog was home alone. When a trainer encouraged the dog to bite on protective gear and bark aggressively (think of police dog training). When an owner was preparing to take the dog for a walk. When an owner was holding a ball in front of the dog. When an owner … Continue reading →

Irresponsible Pet Owners

In my last article I mentioned that I can’t watch several shows on Animal Planet because they upset me. Next to Animal Cops, the other shows that I find disturbing are those where dog trainers go to people’s homes to help with their dogs’ behavioral problems. For my second “Be Kind to Animals Week” article, I want to focus on irresponsible pet owners. Irresponsible pet owners are one of my biggest peeves, and the reason why I don’t like dog training shows. Watching those shows it seems like most of the time, the dogs have problems because their owners don’t … Continue reading →

The Debarking Debate

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Debarking is a controversial subject. The practice of removing vocal cord tissue to lower a dog’s bark volume is outlawed in some parts of the world — and raises a lot of debate among pet owners. One misconception about debarking: the surgery does not take away the dog’s bark entirely. The dog can still bark and make noise! Debarking reduces the volume of the sound produced. Some arguments against debarking: Why subject a pet to unnecessary surgery? Just like any other surgery, debarking comes with risks and complications. Is volume control worth a possible reaction to anesthesia, post-surgical infection, and … Continue reading →

Debarking

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I had never heard of debarking before it appeared on an intake form at the vet’s office: is your dog debarked? The lady checking me in said that if I didn’t know what it was, then my dog wasn’t debarked. But that wasn’t enough of an answer for me. Debarking is a surgical procedure that removes tissue from a dog’s vocal cords. The end result is that NOT that the dog cannot bark — the bark is simply quieter. A friend of mine who has encountered a debarked dog said it is a hoarser sounding bark. Other sources call it … Continue reading →

Taking Compliments for Pets

Sometimes, I feel a little weird if someone tells me I have a beautiful dog. I usually say “thank you” but to be honest, I had nothing to do with it. Though I think of myself as a pet parent, I didn’t actually contribute anything to the creation of my handsome Moose man or my lovely Lally Bee. (People often stop me to ask what she is, because she is a unique looking little boxer/shar-pei cross.) Maybe part of the problem is that I’m not good at accepting compliments for myself. Someone tells me something nice, and I immediately try … Continue reading →

The Bionic Tail — Pets Who Survive Severe Trauma

A friend of mine jokingly suggested that I get a bionic tail for my dog Moose. Moose was hit by a car in June 2007 and lost his tail. He was lucky it wasn’t worse! Over the year and a half since the accident, he’s found other ways to express the emotions his tail used to handle. He barks when he’s happy or excited or wants attention. As more time passes, I notice his butt muscles twitching where they used to wag his tail. Many animals can make amazing recoveries after serious accidents. Losing a limb, an ear, or even … Continue reading →

When a Dog Goes Blind

My next door neighbor’s dog, Simba, has had a rough road lately. First he was diagnosed with diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome, then shortly after that (not even a week later) he went blind. How They Knew Simba Was Blind When I was little, our family dog Mike went blind. I don’t remember exactly when it happened or how we knew. I’m fairly sure my dad was the first to notice it. I got to thinking about that because I asked my neighbors how they figured out Simba was blind. It’s not like he can just shout all of a sudden, … Continue reading →

New Neighbors and Their Outdoor Pets

Three new families have moved into my neighborhood during the last month. All have pets. (Woohoo! More pet people!) However, two of the households have outdoor pets. Aimee’s not the only one who takes exception to her neighbors from time to time. Occasionally, so do I. Most recently Aimee had to contend with neighbors not disposing of their trash (namely chicken bones) in the proper place. Frustrating. I can feel her pain. One of our new neighbors’ animals is leaving some litter behind I’d rather he dispose of elsewhere, too…. The Outdoor Cat Apparently he’s made friends with his next … Continue reading →

Puli

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Just like the Komondor, the Puli is a Hungarian breed with a distinctive, corded coat. Where the Komondor is only white or buff-colored, the Puli may be black, gray, or white. In the two breeds, the coat is similar: a soft, wooly undercoat and a wiry, curly top coat. The coat tends to cord naturally if allowed. In dog shows, the Puli can be shown either corded or brushed (not corded). As the dog ages, the coat (corded or uncorded) can become quite long — even touching the ground! Did you know? One dog is a Puli; multiple dogs are … Continue reading →