The Poodle (and Dog) Blog

The Wolf Dog Hybrid

Several years ago in the Central Valley among a certain subculture…

(How do I describe it tactfully?

dirty pickups, naked cartoon ladies on mud flaps, fewer than 32 teeth, good old boys, never meaning any harm… )

OK, Are you with me so far? Good.

Among this subculture the status thing to own was a dog that was “part wolf.”

”Nice dog”
“She’s part wolf”

“Pretty dog”
“He’s part wolf”

As the puppies began appearing around town, the police and animal control got very nervous. The hybrid wolf dog can be an extremely dangerous animal. They have two conflicting primordial instincts going through their tiny brains and they aren’t sure which one to listen to. They are totally unpredictable.

Hybrid wolf dogs can scale a ten-foot fence, dig their way under one, howl all night, and attack without warning or provocation.

But strangely, there were never any problems with these dogs. As they grew larger they seemed to grow friendlier, even though they did look quite fierce.

Then the breeder was identified.

I won’t call him unscrupulous because he really wasn’t. He was doing a favor for everyone.

What he was doing was breeding his gentle German Shepherd to his sweet-tempered Malamutes to produce puppies that looked more wolf-like than either parent. But they had the dispositions of thousands of years of selective dog breeding. He was essentially charging premium prices for mixed breed dogs. However, there was no reason to expose what he was doing since he was breaking no laws.

The good old boys got fierce wolf-looking dogs that they could brag about, but without danger to them or the community.

What about false advertising?

Since the dog was bred from the wolf and they are the same at the DNA level, all dogs technically can be called “part wolf.”

Even small Poodles and mixed breed housedogs technically are “part wolf.”

Which could explain some magpie episodes that took place over the summer in my backyard Malaysia.

Halloween dog costumes—big business

Americans are expected to spend 10% more on Halloween this year than last year.

According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending is expected to reach $5.1 billion this year or $64.82 for the average household. This includes candy, decorations, and costumes.

A growing trend for pet costumes helps to account for the increase in spending. Pet costumes average about $20 but can run as high as $30 or more. I think the Internet might be responsible for the growing popularity of dressing pets.

No reports are available on how pets feel about this, but mostly they seem to be patient about human eccentricity. There is absolutely no evidence that this dog was forced to wear a Halloween costume.

Source

Pit Bull attack earns a two-pound steak and a big hug for the dog

So why am I writing about a Pit Bull attack? Because Maya the Pit Bull stopped an assault on her owner and led to the arraignment of a dangerous sexual predator.

Her owner, a 31-year-old San Jose, California, single mother of a nine-year-old child, was attacked from behind when she was entering her home. As she was being strangled, she saw Maya, her four-year-old Pit Bull, entering the room.

“Get him,” she yelled. And Maya did, snarling and biting at the intruder.

The victim had adopted Maya as a puppy from the Humane Society and she had always been a gentle dog. But now she was in a protective mode. The attacker gave up and fled.

When the police came they noticed blood on Maya’s face, possibly from the attacker. It was a long shot but they took a swab of the blood and eventually the Santa Clara crime lab matched the DNA through the California database of DNA taken from anyone convicted of a felony or charged with a homicide or sex offense.

The information led to Anthony Easley, 37. Easley has previously been convicted of two sexual felonies and a robbery. Now as a third striker, he faces life in prison if convicted, according to the county prosecutor, Michael Fletcher.

Complete story

UPDATE: Maya has just been named National Dog Hero of 2008 by the Animal Miracle Foundation. Below is the web address. I was hoping you could post the good news!! Thanks-Angela http://www.nationaldogday.com/dogoftheyear.htm

Halloween—Dogs don’t get it, never will

I was trying to explain Halloween to a class of foreign exchange students from Taiwan. I told them about children dressing up in costumes and going door to door for candy. They looked puzzled.

I explained the pagan origins of the holiday, and they looked mystified.

“It’s a tradition,” I finally said.

Ah. They got it. Humans from all cultures can understand carrying on a fun tradition for no other reason than carrying it on.

Dogs don’t have this cognitive capability. As far as dogs are concerned Halloween is a puzzling, even frightening time of their lives. There are strange noises outside after dark. Weirdly dressed people come to their door and carry stuff away.

Their humans put on masks and strange clothing or even, Dog forbid, put costumes on them!!

Here are a few reminders for dogs and Halloween:

Taking a dog trick or treating is not such a good idea. Too many bad things can happen if he suddenly panics.

It is good idea to make sure the dog has an up-to-date pet tag with identification in case she gets out with the constant opening of the door.

Constant doorbell ringing and strange creatures at the door may confuse and frighten dogs. Or they may feel obligated to protect their families. The dogs and visiting goblins will be safer if they are kept in a room away from the door until the excitement is over.

Another danger is candy wrappers lying around because dogs don’t know that they shouldn’t eat sweet smelling paper or foil. They can’t digest them and they can cause intestinal blockages.

Chocolate, especially dark chocolate is toxic to dogs. Keep it out of reach or send it to me.

Evacuating pets in fire ravaged areas of Southern California

Instead of wasting time and energy placing the blame for the wildfires in southern California, thousands of people are pitching in to help in any way they can.

From past disasters we know that many people are willing to risk their own lives for their pets. As a result authorities have added protocols for evacuating pets in danger zones.

According to this story, some of the hotels in the area are beginning to look like domesticated Noah’s Arks. Many hotels are lifting their pet restriction policies and others are waiving the normal fee charged.

Although dogs are frequent guests at the hotels, other pets like potbelly pigs, hamsters, parrots, ferrets, chinchillas, bunnies and even a goat are turning up. One hotel has created an impromptu doggie park for dogs and added poop bags and dog food to its offerings.

We might expect two wealthy national animal rights organizations to use this disaster as a well financed fundraiser as they did following Hurricane Katrina and the Vick fighting pit bulls.

But if you want your money to go to helping the animals victimized by the fire (instead of for lobbying and propaganda for causes you may not believe in), you might want to go here.

Abraham Lincoln and his dog Fido

Yes, there actually was a dog named Fido (not Phydeaux, but plain F-I-d-o) and he belonged to Abraham Lincoln.

When Lincoln lived in Springfield, Illinois, he and Fido could often be seen walking around the town. Fido was a floppy eared, yellow dog of mixed ancestry. Fido loved attention and enjoyed chasing his tail.

When Lincoln was elected President, he decided not to take Fido to the White House because of the long train ride between Illinois and Washington, DC, and because Fido had been terrified by the loud church bells and cannons that had announced Lincoln as President.

Instead of subjecting Fido to the stress, Lincoln gave him to the Rolls, a neighboring family that had two boys, to look after until the Lincolns returned.

Lincoln gave the following rules for Fido:

• He was not to be scolded for entering the house with muddy paws.
• He was not to be tied up alone in the backyard.
• He was to be allowed into the Roll home whenever he scratched at the front door.
• Since he was accustomed to being fed by members of the family during mealtime, he was to be admitted to the dining room during those times.

The Lincolns gave the Rolls their horsehair sofa so that Fido would feel at home.

Shortly before they left for Washington, Lincoln and his two sons, Willie and Tad, took Fido to a photographer to have his picture taken. This is the first photo of a Presidential dog.

More on Fido

Be kind to your dogs—don’t make them wear diamond jackets

Several years ago I got an introductory offer (cheap) to subscribe to a new publication by Women’s Wear Daily. It was an elaborate publication with full color photos on expensive paper of the latest fashions. The clothes were all in the $1000 to $5000 and up price range.

And in the year I read it, there wasn’t one single outfit—not one—that I would even want to try on. And there was no place I normally went that people wouldn’t laugh at me wearing one of them. This was haute couture, over the top and they were mostly ridiculous and uncomfortable looking and often amusing.

There was the slutty school girl collection, Catholic school girl outfits, with nothing worn under the prim little jackets. Or the skirts were so short that the garters holding up the black hose showed.

There were a lot of tailored jackets, like men wear, but with no blouse or bra worn under them. There were some strange gypsyish outfits that seemed to have yards of fabric trailing around them. (Hard to get in and out of cars I imagined.)

About my favorite clothes maker they had one sentence the whole year: “Liz Claiborne has made billions by making middle price clothes for working women.” And there wasn’t one pair of jeans shown the whole year.

When I read about a dog fashion show, like the one upcoming at London's Harrods, I think here is something good we can all do for our dogs and not make them wear designs by Vivienne Westwood, Ben de Lisi and Stephen Webster (whoever those people are).

My dogs would be so unhappy wearing the $2500 Westwood coutour spring jacket of white diamonds and small sapphires (shown above) or any of the $1.5 million worth of jewels that will be paraded on the catwalk, or should it be dogwalk, in this “exclusive canine couture fashion show [that] is highlighting some of the biggest names in fashion.”

The dog fashion show does raise money for retired Grayhounds, but you can probably contribute without making your dog feel silly.

The story

Deli Fresh dog food

If I were to cook for my dogs—and we all know I barely cook for humans—(History can’t praise the Earl of Sandwich enough), Deli Fresh would be what I would go for.

This is not a paid post. This stuff is good.

It’s 70% fresh chicken or turkey (no magpie though) with fresh vegetables, flaxseed oil, brown rice, vitamins and minerals. It is cooked gently since high temperatures can destroy nutrients and flavor. Because of this it has to be bought cold and kept refrigerated. It comes in a tube and you just slice it and serve. There are no preservatives, glutens, sugars or fillers.

My dogs love it.

One cautionary note though. If you have someone in the house who scavenges the refrigerator, you might want to make sure they know that Deli Fresh is dog food.

It would be just as nutritious for them as for dogs, but people wig out when they find out they’ve eaten dog food.

More information here, including locations where it is sold near you.

rare

This is my post in a Mystery Topic Challenge. I’ve never done anything like this, so please, everyone, be gentle.

This is the assignment: You have a t shirt. You have to wear it all day, every day. It has one word about you, describing you in some way, written on it. It is from this word that strangers and friends draw their conclusions about you. What is your word, and why?

The word on my t-shirt is “rare.”

I choose it for three reasons: It is a small word, but it can have a big impact. It is also ambiguous.

Rare can be extraordinary and exceptional—a rare book, a perfect diamond, a full rainbow, a meteor shower, a total eclipse, an honest political candidate

Rare can also be abnormal, odd, or weird—a tsunami, a volcano eruption, a plague of locusts, a meteor hitting the earth, a snowball in hell, a porpoise on a unicycle

Or it can be merely unusual—a news day without Britney.

Even a day can be rare. James Russell Lowell asked, “And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days…”

We protect rare species of wildlife and rare breeds of dogs. We laugh at the rare joke we haven’t heard before. We can order a steak rare and it will not be overdone.

And so I choose to live with the word rare on my t-shirt. People who know me will interpret it in their own way. People I don’t know can get to know me—because I don’t like to talk about myself.

And that is kind of rare.

Less than perfect kids helping less than perfect dogs

One of the ways Nathan Winograd suggests we can move toward No Kill shelters is for the shelters to institute and encourage a strong volunteer program to train and socialize the dogs. Unfortunately some shelters believe that volunteers are more trouble than they are worth.

Calling on volunteers from the community has been effective in shelters where the volunteers feel welcome, but there are other creative ways to get volunteers who are willing to work with the dogs.

This is one that benefits both the trainers and the dogs.

The nonprofit Humans and Animals Learning Together, or HALT, is a 20-year-old program that focuses on children and adolescents who, for whatever reason, are living in foster care or residential treatment centers or those with behavior or substance abuse problems.

These at-risk children are teamed up with dogs that face a death sentence. It isn’t a matter of the children just walking a dog. They learn to work with them on fundamentals of obedience training.

During the training the children learn patience and discipline and they experience responsibility and unconditional love from the dogs they work with. Since its beginning in 1987, more than 600 children have been part of the program and almost 300 dogs have been adopted for a fee of $100.

No tax dollars are required for the program. The yearly budget of $3000 to $4000 comes from adoption fees with additional support from grants, donations, and the University Of Tennessee College Of Veterinary Medicine.

The children understand that the dogs are under a death sentence if they don’t take their responsibility for training them seriously.

According to coordinator Kat Coy, “They learn that, yes, you have had a rough life, but you can give back.”

More about the HALT program