The Poodle (and Dog) Blog

Compassion and intelligence will determine the fate of Michael Vick’s dogs

When there is a story about dogs, the media always flock to the same organizations, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, to get opinions and quotations.

PETA and HSUS are animal rights organizations with operating budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars. They are definitely not a dog’s best friend. In fact their stated purposes are most often at odds with the best interests of dogs and the people who love them.

The HSUS is not affiliated with local Humane Societies, which operate shelters to care for homeless animals, usually with limited budgets. Local Humane Societies rarely if ever get any support from the millions contributed to HSUS.

Although HSUS solicited funds from the public to ”help” the 53 dogs seized from Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring, the way they want to help them is spelled e-u-t-h-a-n-a-s-i-a. Even though the dogs have exhibited no hostility toward people, both PETA and HSUS want them dead.

Neither organization has any expertise in evaluating or rehabilitating dogs. Neither organization distinguishes itself for compassionate, ethical, or humane treatment of dogs.

Fortunately, PETA and HSUS will not be making the decisions.

A team of animal behavior experts from ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) working with BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), a San Francisco-based non-profit organization, will make recommendations on each individual dog. Acting on those recommendations, a federal judge will make the final ruling.

As part of his legal agreement, Vick will pay restitution for the costs of treating the 53 dogs, whether it is long-term care or euthanasia.

Dog dancing—the next Olympic event?

Competitive dog dancing began in several places in the world in the late eighties and has been growing in popularity. They even have their own national organizations to sanction events and would like for it to someday be an Olympic competition.

Competitions are like pairs skating except there is no ice and one of the pair has to be a dog. A 10.0 is the highest possible score. Competitors get points for jumps, twirls and rolls. Like figure skating, routines are judged for technical merit and artistic impression.

Some organizations discourage the human participant from wearing a costume that would draw attention away from the dog, but some allow satins, beads, and sequins, just as you might see at ice shows or ballroom dance competitions.

Prizes for the winners today are mainly baskets of dog treats and toys, but as it grows in popularity, we may see national competitions, even product endorsements for the Olympic gold medallist.

Am I getting carried away? Maybe. But think about what is on TV now that you never thought people would watch.

You might think of it as an extension of obedience training, but with music and dance steps. Music is chosen to match the personality of the dog, maybe a waltz for an Afghan, an upbeat flamenco for the Chihuahua, and definitely a tango or ballet for the Poodle.

Do I detect some of you obedience and agility people ralphing onto your keyboard? It might be a way to keep the dog interested in learning. The main thing is spending time with the dog and having fun.

If it ever got to the Olympics as the organizers would like, I’d watch it. I’ll watch any Olympic event. Some events I’ve learned to really enjoy, curling, Greco-Roman wrestling. Others are just mind numbing to me, synchronized swimming, ice dancing, the middle leg of the marathon…

Now if I can just get my dogs en pointe.

Young antelope found playing with neighborhood dog will have big problems

People along the Poudre River trail in Colorado were amazed to see a 3-month old, 15-pound baby antelope romping around with a neighborhood dog.

He even came up to a woman along the trail, nuzzled his head and neck along her leg and seemed to beg to be petted, according to this story.

Cute though he may be, this little guy has some serious problems facing him. Wildlife workers had to pick him up before he became a coyote lunch.

He was taken to a wildlife refuge where workers will try to get him ready to return to the wild. But according to Larry Rogstad, a district officer for the state Division of Wildlife, it may be too late.

"It is totally imprinted now," he said. "The animal actually thinks he's a human.”

Rogstad has reason to believe that some ignorant morons misguided people brought the animal to Colorado from Wyoming and could face charges including illegal possession of live wildlife. These charges carry fines and jail time. He declined to name the family, but hopefully they will learn that they may have doomed the animal to a life in captivity.

Dogs have been domesticated and selectively bred for thousands of years. No matter how cute baby antelopes are, they are wild animals, and will never be suited to a game of fetch or a stroll on a leash.

Young animals in the wild should be left alone unless they are in distress. In that case professional workers at wildlife refugees or animal control should be notified.

ur conde twakle in th mne palotle

For many years I have never been far from a little notebook that I carry around to write down memos and ideas to myself, things that flit into my mind that I don’t want to forget.

It isn’t that I have that memory loss disease that I can’t think of the name of. It’s that I am often “preoccupied” and “highly focused.” Yeah, that’s it.

For the past few days I have been trying to figure out what brilliant concept inspired me to write what looks something like: “ur conde twakle in th mne palotle.”

And I haven’t a clue.

Why men would rather have dogs than wives

Fifteen reasons why dogs are better than wives:

1. The later you are, the more excited your dogs are to see you.
2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor.
4. A dog's parents never visit.
5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
6. Dogs like to do their snooping outside rather than in your wallet or desk.
7. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day.
8. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk.
9. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing.
10. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, 'If I died, would you get another dog?'
11. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away.
12. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert.
13. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting.
14. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck, a motorcycle or whatever you like to drive.

And last, but not least...

15. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.

Thanks to Denny and K.F. Ah, feel the testosterone,

Michael Vick: the last dog over the fence to plea bargain

Michael Vick agreed today to a deal to plead guilty to federal dog fighting charges. His three co-defendants had previously agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the prosecution.

Now who would have thought friends like that would be so disloyal?

Fourth quarter, quarterback sack, his defense crumbles and the big dog goes down.
As Maggie the dog looks on

In defense of pet store puppies

Joani’s family owns several pet stores in a location that she doesn’t want mentioned because of past experience with the media and animal rights people. After several emails she agreed to write a defense of reputable pet shops. Of course she can only speak from the experience of her own family business, but this is a viewpoint that we don’t get very often.

Joani writes:

“My father opened his first pet store in 1969. For years we sold purebred puppies and had many happy customers. Our puppies in the window was a major attraction in the downtown area.

“Then suddenly in the late 80’s the media started talking about evil pet stores that sold inferior dogs from puppy mills. We became the targets of animal rights groups.

“Of course it was ridiculous, but we decided that it wasn’t worth the grief to continue to sell puppies. Every Saturday we invite animal rescue workers to bring in dogs for adoption. But many people prefer to buy registered purebred puppies and didn’t know where to get one.

“My father decided that he was tired of having people who didn’t know poop (not the word he used) about dogs telling him how to run his business and we began to sell purebred puppies again.

“We know the people who breed the dogs we sell. My father been around dogs and dog people all his life. We know how the parents and puppies are treated and they are quality dogs and well socialized. They all have been checked by a veterinarian and come with a health guarantee from the breeders and from us.

“We also agree to take back the dog at any age rather than have it taken to a shelter. They understand that we can’t refund the money, but we have been able to rehome dogs for people who could no longer keep one.

“The breeders raise the puppies in their homes and do not want strangers coming into their homes to look at them. Many of the parents are competition or show dogs, but the owners would rather enjoy them as pets and don’t want the hassle of accumulating champion points for them.

“No longer do we put the puppies in the window and we don’t advertise them, but we continue to sell to happy customers. But whenever some Hollywood bimbo buys an overpriced dog from a pet shop, we are labeled ‘evil pet shop’ all over the media and the internet once more.”

Thanks for writing, Joani.

Notes from the language gestapo

One benefit to the discussions of California’s proposal for the mandatory law to spay and neuter dogs and cats is that I don’t hear so many people talking about having pets “spaded” anymore.

A few things like that set my teeth on edge: “irregardless” for “regardless,” “Kew-pon” for “coupe-on,” “nucular” for “nuclear,” “mahve” for “mohve,” between you and I” for “between you and me.”

Other than that I’m kind of mellow…

Art Americana, dogs playing poker

Considered more cartoon than fine art, the series of famous paintings of dogs playing poker (and drinking, smoking, and cheating—notice the ace being passed from paw to paw) was created in the 1920’s by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge.

These paintings have been reproduced countless times in the form of prints, posters and puzzles and have adorned the walls of taverns and family rooms all across the country for over 70 years. Roseanne even had one hanging in her living room on her TV sitcom.

Although art critics may snub them, two of the original paintings sold in 2005 for more than a half million dollars.

Reproductions are available at countless garage and yard sales across the country for considerably less.

Why do you suppose these paintings have remained so popular for so long?

The World Is a Blog

Checking my stats for the last few days (Oh, like YOU don’t) I’m getting a lot of hits from Hong Kong on this URL. It seems that one of my posts is on a forum there.

I don’t know exactly what they are saying, but if it’s something dirty, I apologize.

And, no, to a certain member of my family who thinks he is so funny, it isn’t a recipe forum.