Dogs

Dogs Love More Than a Full Food Bowl!

Many people believe that dogs don’t love people back, that they’re just concerned about us and humoring us because we feed them. Science seems to indicate that many dogs will pick praise from their people over food! Science supports the idea that our dogs love us, or at least enjoy us.

It should be noted that the sample size in this study was somewhat small, but it’s a good pilot study that indicates that there might be more going on in our canine friend’s mind to create the human-dog bond than we understand at this time.

 

Source

Milk Alternatives & You…

I’m one of the 65% of people who happens to be lactose intolerant, and found this video interesting.

 

Aside from that…

Today I had a pretty crazy day. The dog’s had the poos for a few days now, and Late last night he ended up vomitting. Long story short, after a lot of cleaning up, some scary blood, and a trip to the vet I’ve discovered that he’s got Colitis (and a bit of an ear infection, actually…). So we’re doing the special diet and serving him up some serious antibiotics. Teddy should be better soon. I’ll keep updating.

I wish every story ended this happy

dt.common.streams.StreamServer-1Basset Hound Ginger was lost in a divorce by Jamie Carpentier, who raised her. The Ex eventually gave her to a shelter, who gave her to some old folks, who eventually had to give her back. And Jamie, not looking for a dog and just acting on a whim,  found her on the Shelter Website.

The two are no happily reunited and Jamie, who had decided he was done with dogs, is now her master and best friend once again!

Every dog has it’s Day, but Ginger’s day was long in coming. I wish every dog got to find their people, even when those people have spent 10 years outside of their lives.

Source

A Basset Hound Is Reunited With the Man Who Raised Her, and We’re Crying Happy Tears: Jamie Carpentier raised the dog as a puppy. She returned to him a decade later. – Feb 20th 2013 //

Critter News Roundup Vol.2

Here again, and it’s more Critters, because this week tons of Critter News rolled down the pipes. This one is longer than normal (5 stories instead of 3), but I didn’t want to skip talking about any of these, so I’m not going to. Roundups will now be 3-5 stories with comments (dumps will be 6+ stories without comments, or with very short comments).

Critter News Roundup Vol.1

Another of Kitsu’s News Roundups! Mainly because Kitsu finds these fun, and she’s got 3 stories about critters waiting to be talked about right now!

  • Stray Dogs Offered as Pedestrian Role Models – JAN 23, 2013 09:00 AM ET // BY AFP
    In Romanian cities more than 1,200 people where injured in 2012 because of “pedestrian lack of discipline”. Police officials are now using the example of stray dogs, who protect themselves by using “zebra crossings” (crosswalks) to traverse streets.
  • Why Wolves Are Forever Wild and Dogs Can Be Tamed – JAN 22, 2013 08:04 PM ET // BY JENNIFER VIEGAS
    Evolutionary biologist Kathryn Lord of the University of Massachusetts has led research that suggests the key to the difference between dogs and wolves where the relationship to people is concerned is rooted in the way puppies of the two species develop.
  • Seeking Wilderness Paths For 5,000-Mile Walk – JAN 23, 2013 09:30 AM ET // BY BECKY OSKIN, OURAMAZINGPLANET CONTRIBUTOR
    Conservationist John Davis has already completed 7,600 miles of his trek demonstrating the need for wildlife corridors. He is currently launching on a 5,000 mile leg from Mexico to Canada. Best of luck, Mr Davis! Critters need roads, too!

Big Question: Will we Talk to Animals

Discovery News is currently running a series of articles about the “Big questions for 2012”. On the 15th of December, the big question was “Will we talk to the animals?”.

If I could pick a superpower, this would be my superpower.

Studies have already shown that dolphins and humans use the same mechanics to create sound (Ie: the blowhole functions shockingly like a larynx). Studies indicate that children, in particular, are keyed in to understand dog barks (though I’m a part of this club, still. I can identify different types of barks from my dogs, and associate those with the correct meaning much as a parent works out what different sounding crys from their infants mean). Strides have also been made with our closest relatives, the Bonobos, in understanding how their vocalizations communicate information about the food they eat.

Jennifer Viegas, who wrote the original article goes so far as to speculate that their might be a primitive communication method that lies under the surface in all mammals, including linking to an article about the subject from 2006.

I hope this gets worked out in 2012. Nature won’t give me a superpower. I’d love to be able to buy the one I’ve always wanted…

Friday Makes My Day

Found via It Made My Day. Original Story: Dog finds new home after owners split

Paul Wu of Kirkland, Wash. was pulling out of his driveway one morning when he found a small dog with a bag tied to its neck. When the dog wouldn’t leave, Wu inspected the bag. Inside, he found money and a note.

“Please take care of Mr. B. He is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Six years old. My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound. I think he has a better chance with you. This is my birthday money for any of his care. He is used to kids, not other dogs. He’s a good boy. I know God will take care of Mr. B – Everyone loves him…especially me. Thank you.”

Wu took the dog to work with him and told the story to his colleague, Robert Kuchcinski. Kuchcinski was compelled to help. He took the dog to the vet, and learned that Mr. B had some dry skin and plugged ears, but an overall clean bill of health. He brought the dog home to his three children.

“All I want to do is let this person know, that we found him a good home. That’s the whole message,” said Wu.

 

Other IMMDs!

  • Tori’s Little Moment of Win: At a family barbecue I was approached by my cousin’s young son, who doesn’t know me very well. Out of the blue he whispered in my ear “You and me could rule the world. Don’t tell anybody.” Random adorableness MMD ^_^
  • Jamie’s Little Moment of Win: I took my daughter to McD’s the other day. A family walked in behind us and she held the door open for them. After ordering, there was an employee stocking the straws when we went over there. My daughter asked the lady if she could please have a straw, and then said thank you without any prompting from me. The best part – she’s only 4. My polite daughter MMW!
  • raeroorah’s Little Moment of Win: Even though Star Wars was before my time, I’m a huge fan of everything Star Wars. I culture a natural padawan braid that is longer than the rest of my hair. Today someone came to the till where I work and looked at me funny. After a moment he gave me a serious nod and said, “May the force be with you.” Sharing the nerdiness totally MMD
  • Freshman’s Little Moment of Win: So today, I was walking through the hallway at school to get to my next class. Walking the opposite way? A girl wearing a Link hat. IMMD.

Kitsu’s Afternoon “News”: Image is Everything

Originally reported in the Daily Mail in an article posted 21 September 2011.

In proof of the fact that image is everything, the quality of a dog or cat’s adoption photograph can be the difference between adoption and euthanasia. Professional photographer Teresa Berg of Dallas Texas can’t stand the thought that “for want of a good picture, a dog goes homeless”, and donated her services as a photographer to her local adoption center. The before and after photographs speak for themselves, but so do the numbers. Adoptions went up 100% after her first batch of new photographs went up.

So, whether you’re looking for a new home for your beloved pet or trying to sell a car, never forget the value of a good photograph in making people want what you’re offering.

Kitsu’s Afternoon “News”: Dogs are Telepathic

Originally reported in a Blog Post on 9 June 2011 by Discovery News.

Our furry friends are so tuned to listen to us that they have a hyperawareness towards their human companions that resembles telepathy. That’s right, your dog is telepathic, after a fashion. They have the ability to sense our moods (and react appropriately to them). They can even learn to detect abnormalities that are dangerous to humans like seizers, blood sugar abnormalities and cancer!

Experiments comparing wolves and dogs, which are genetically subspecies of the same species rather than independent species (dogs simply represent the species post-domestication) and their ability to choose which people from which to beg was carried by both species. Dogs, however, tend to do better on such tests, and further tests involving shelter dogs that lack practice (like wolves) demonstrates that the behavior is inborn (they can all do it) but perfected by practice (dogs with long-term, healthy, happy relationships with people were the best at it).

In short, dogs are the ultimate people-readers. Our sidekicks are awesome.

Paul & Billie Belle