The Good Dog: Happy New Year! Keep It Happy: Keep The Dogs In On...

The Good Dog: Happy New Year! Keep It Happy: Keep The Dogs In On...: "When humans get crazy, it often means trouble for dogs. Loud noises, unfamiliar people in the house, loud parties and thumping music can fri..."

Happy New Year! Keep It Happy: Keep The Dogs In On New Year's Eve!

When humans get crazy, it often means trouble for dogs. Loud noises, unfamiliar people in the house, loud parties and thumping music can frighten your dog.

If you're celebrating, put your dog indoors in a safe, quiet location, where visitors aren't likely to go.

If you plan to have a party or an open house, chances are that front door is going to be left open a few times, so keep the animals in a separate room, so that no dogs or kitties are accidentally left outside.

Traffic will be crazy, and there are drunks driving, so if your dog or cat get out on New Year's Eve, the chances are higher that they will be hit by a car.

Over the New Year Holiday, Animal Services are overtasked, and the shelters typically don't open or answer calls until the following business day, so if your dog or cat is lost on Friday,  you may not know if he's been found for Monday or after! That would be awful, right? Right!! SO,

Don't let your New Year become tragic! Protect your pets!

When you adopt a dog, there's no telling who he might become!

Actordogs and Spokesdogs you may know from Film and TV:

"Honey Tree Evil Eye," a Bull Terrier, was a spokesdog for Budwieser. She broke through hollywood stereotypes that said female dogs can't play male dogs, when she played the role of a male dog, "Spuds Mackenzie.

"Paddington," a handsome Golden Retriever, is the well-spoken spokesdog for Bush's Baked Beans.

Rolling in the bucks is Gidget, a tiny female Chihuaua, also bucked Hollywood's stereodogtypes when she played the role of a male dog in Taco Bell commercials, and was in Legally Blonde II, playing the role of Bruiser's mother.

Also wealthier than he weighs, is "Moonie" was the Chihuahua who played Bruiser in Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde II.

"Mother Teresa," a beautiful Newfoundland, starred in the movie, Must Love Dogs. "Mother Teresa" is now seeking a deal with Pantene hair care products.

"Buddy," a Golden Retriever, played Comet in the ABC comedy, Full House.

A Border Collie mix named "Maui" played the role of Murray in the show, Mad About You.
 

 
"Buck," a Briard, played  Buck Bundy on the show Married... with Children.

Animal Care and Control Appreciation, Part 2: China

How would you like your dog to be made into Dog soup? How about some Dog steak, or maybe some spicy Dog with tofu?

As horrifying as that sounds to dog lovers, It's a long-standing tradition in China and in Korea, and Vietnam too, to eat dogs and cats. Dogs and cats are raised solely for meat, are taken off the street, and are also, (it is claimed) stolen from owners, so that Chinese restaurants can put them on the menu. Every day, cagefulls of dogs are slaughtered and eaten. .

During the Beijing Olympics, Chinese officials ordered all dog meat removed from menus at local markets to avoid traumatizing international visitors.

The Chinese government is said to be considering legislation that would make eating cats and dogs illegal.
 Individual violators could face up to 15 days in prison and a small fine, and businesses found guilty of selling dog or cat meat would risk fines up to the equivalent of  $73,500.

Sources report that the law prohibiting cat and dog meat could take as long as a decade to pass.The legislation is gaining support as the people who own pets is on the rise, but cultural mentality is slow to change, and it may take a generation or two before dogs and cats are no longer seen as food sources.

"The dogs you raise at home, you shouldn't eat," a Chinese butcher explains in a CNN interview. "The kind raised for eating, we can eat those."

For more information on what's happening in animal welfare in Asia, try these sites:

Asian Animal Protection Network
Animal Welfare Legislation in China : the Petition Site
Street Animal Welfare in China: Humane Society International
China.org.cn

Animal Care and Control Appreciation: PART 1: India

Rabies is common in most parts of India.The Association for the Prevention and Control of Rabies in India (APCRI) reported in 2004 that there were 20,565 reported human deaths over the period of one year. Due to mis-diagnosis and under-reporting the actual number of rabies deaths is believed to be higher.In India, every year, more than 20,000 people die from Rabies.

Approximately 70% of the victims of rabies in India are children under fifteen. India's Rabies deaths make up nearly 36% of the total deaths due to Rabies, world-wide. While the rest of the industrialized world has effectively eliminated rabies in domesticated animal populations, India has not made a dent in the problem. Awareness  and education on prevention is terribly lacking.

Nearly 96% of rabies cases are due to bites from stray, ownerless, dogs.

The dog population of India is around 25 to 30 million animals.
The city of Delhi alone, is said to have an estimated 200,000 stray dogs. http://www.neoncarrot.co.uk/

The vision of the APCRI includes the aim, "To work for improvement of stray dog control measures with a humane approach and strict implementation of laws of licensing of pets by municipal authorities and routine immunization."

Many reputable animal welfare agencies exist in India, and they do the work which isn't done by the municipal authorities, who seem more interested in global positioning than the quality of life in their own country, or the welfare of their own people.

(Directors note: sorry if that bothers you, India, but it's true.)

Here are but a few of the organizations working in India. They could use your support.

PawsIndia.org
friendicoes.org
circleofanimallovers.org
AnimalSavior.org

and for an exhaustive list (some links are dead) try:Dogs In India.com

A Short List of Christmas Movies about Dogs:

Lady and the Tramp is an an adorable Disney movie, which uncovers the harsh disparities between Cocker Spaniels who have everything and Terrier Mixes who have nothing. It’s a love story, it’s an action film, and it sheds light on the diabolical underworld of talking stray dogs in London, circa 1950.

The Dog Who Saved Christmas is a weird movie in which an ex police dog saves Christmas for the family who adopt him and discover that a dog is supposed to be part of the family and not a security system.(2009, rated PG)

The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation is the sequel to The Dog Who Saved Christmas. There’s a love story between the aforementioned police dog and a poodle, and I’m told there’s some kind of drama/espionage/action thing happening. (2010, rated PG)

In, The 12 Dogs of Christmas, a 12 year old girl fights a “no dog law” by arranging a holiday spectacle with children, adults, and at least twelve dogs. (2004, rated G)

A Dog Named Christmas is a Hallmark movie, so get out your Kleenex. A family fosters a shelter dog during the holidays. The dog helps their developmentally disabled child, and makes the dad a good guy again. Or something. This movie apparently has five star customer ratings on Amazon. (2009, rated G)

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown – Now here we have a classic, ladies and gentlemen. I recommend this one for everyone, it is guaranteed to bring Christmas cheer to one and all. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!!

Keep an eye on the dogs around the Christmas Tree! This is so funny...just watch his face. Who says dogs don't know right from wrong?!

Step Two: Behavior Modification

It's working. I can't believe it's working.

The Fighting Poodles are no longer Fighting Poodles! It's only taken a few weeks, ok, maybe I should look at the date of that last post, but it's been a quick transition from argument to play, and from fighting to sleeping together. Awww....

We employed the rules of heirarchy and order: All kids must obey the sit command and wait for permission to eat/go outside/receive a snack. Anyone growling on the couch is gingerly removed from said couch, without a word. If an arguement breaks out,Mom leaves the room (unless that isn't convenient, in which case I provide a distraction (turn off the TV, open or close a door, open or close the drapes...almost anything works)).

And the most important thing: I have to say completely C A L M !

This evening I came home from work and the kids were a little excited, as per usual. Our ritual is that everyone gets a brief greeting (hello Katie, hello Frankie, hello Ava) and then I walk away, so that my arrival is NO BIG DEAL.

However. I failed to make my escape in time, and Katie and Ava were vying for attention. There was a litte growling from Ava, and Katie started to tense up, and began growling...uh oh...It is ON like Donkey Kong!

So I quietly said, "Katie." I looked into Katie's eyes, and I inhaled deeply, and breathed out slowly. A slow, cleansing breath. Katie looked at me, and took her own slow, cleansing breath....and her body relaxed.

We're learning! We're All learning.