Cheetah and dog are best buddies at Dallas zoo

Pet information
Image from dallasnews.com
Image from dallasnews.com

A cheetah and a dog might not be the first combination that comes to mind when thinking about animal friends, but at Dallas zoo, Winspear the Cheetah and Amani the black Lab are best friends. A few days ago they celebrated their first birthday – they are born just two days apart and have been raised together.

Labradors are generally cheerful, outgoing, and curious. Amani is not an exception, and his personality is a polar opposite to the shy and cautious cheetah. Their handlers say this is part of the winning formula.

Amani’s outgoing personality makes Winspear feel confident and safe, and together they travel to schools, hospitals, and other events to educate people about wildlife.

For their birthday celebration, they got a 200 pound popsicle created by zoo nutrition specialists. It contained canned milk, low-sodium chicken broth, and ice.

 

Dogs good with children

Pet information

Girl and dogDogs and children can be a great combination, or an absolute disaster. Small children and dogs should always be supervised, and it is important to read the dog’s body language.

If the dog is licking, pulling its ears back, yawning, or turning its head away, it is probably uncomfortable. Never let a child hug a dog; hugs don’t mean the same thing to dogs as it does to humans, and even though they can be trained to accept it, it doesn’t come naturally.

Every year many children are bit and dogs put down, and the adults say, “It came out of the blue,” or “She was just hugging the neighbor’s dog.” Children don’t know and dogs can’t speak, so it’s the adults’ responsibility to watch over the situation.

That said, some dog breeds are better with children than others. Here are some breeds known to be patient with kids.

Beagles are sturdy and never too tired to play. They’re smart, cheerful, and friendly. They might feel that chasing other pets is a good idea, but other than that they get along with almost everything and everyone.

The Bulldog is loyal, friendly, and docile. Most Bulldogs get along well with children, other dogs, and other types of pets. They’re not exactly bundles of energy, but love to lounge on the sofa while watching TV, reading, or playing video games.

The Bull Terrier was bred to be a companion dog, and is frequently used for kids’ TV shows in many countries. In the USA, the Bull Terrier is probably best known for Target commercials. The average Bull Terrier is friendly, loving, and patient with rambunctious children.

Golden Retrievers are confident, smart, loyal, and kind. A typical Golden Retriever is patient and neither aggressive nor timid. They need a lot of exercise and love to play.

The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the USA and many other countries. The Labrador is playful, loving, patient, protective, and reliable.

Newfoundlands are huge and loving. The breed has been nicknamed “Nature’s Babysitter” and is known for being kind, gentle, and patient. The Newfoundland is also very protective when it comes to children.

Poodles are extremely intelligent and gentle. They make great service dogs, and are wonderful, good-natured, and patient companions for children. While poodles require regular grooming, they shed very little.

The Vizsla requires a lot of exercise and makes a great breed for active and energetic families with older children. The average Vizsla is energetic but gentle, obedient, loyal, confident, and smart. It forms close bonds with the family and would be happy to follow the children everywhere.

 

Water safety in the pool

Pet information

A White Swiss Shepherd needs a large PlexiDor dog doorMany dogs love to swim, whether it’s in a lake or in a swimming pool, but even if your dog is a natural born swimmer he or she might need a little extra help. Here are some easy tips on staying safe in the pool.

Pay attention

Even if your dog is good at swimming, never leave a dog unsupervised in the pool. It’s easy to get distracted, but keep your eyes on the dog. If something happens they might not be able to bark for help. Drowning is a silent death both for people and pets.

Start slowly and build confidence

Most dogs are cautious the first times in a swimming pool. Start slowly and let your furry friend build confidence.

Keep track of the time

Swimming is great exercise, but it’s important to limit the time your dog spends in the pool. Especially older dogs and puppies often underestimate how tired they are. Even dogs in their prime might be using new muscles when swimming, and can tire quickly. Start with brief dips in the pool and increase the time gradually.

Teach your dog how to get out of the pool

Some pools have steps on one side. It is important to teach your dog where they are, because it’s impossible for a doggie to get from the water up on the ledge. Other pools only have a ladder. It is possible to teach a dog how to use a ladder, but it doesn’t come naturally to them, so this might take some time. Patient practice makes perfect!

Rinse

When the swim is over it’s important to rinse off all pool water – otherwise your dog might lick it off and ingest chemicals. Chlorine and other pool chemicals can also irritate the skin.  Also make sure to dry the ears. You can dab them gently with a soft towel.

Have fun, and enjoy the summer!

Famous dogs: Bullseye

Pet information
Bullseye, image from Target.com
Bullseye, image from Target.com

Bullseye is the official mascot of Target, usually shown with the Target Corporation’s bullseye logo painted around the left eye. The Bull Terrier is featured in many commercial campaigns, on signs through the stores, on the company website, and can often be seen on TV-commercials. They also have a stuffed toy of Bullseye to give out at special events, and for employee recognition.

The mascot was first shown in 1999, and was portrayed by English Bull Terrier Arielle. Viewers instantly fell in love with the character, and in 2006 Bullseye became the second dog ever to have a likeness displayed in Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

While the character Bullseye is male, the current actor is female. Her name is Nikki and she lives with her owner and training at Worldwide Movie Animals.

Bull Terriers were bred to be companion dogs, and the breed is known to be loving, friendly, and patient. They’re considered one of the best breeds with children.

Dog drove owner to the store?

Pet information

Police officers have probably heard it all, but a Georgia Sheriff was served a new story when he rescued a dog from a hot car the other day. According to Fox 6 Now, Sheriff Sgt. Partain responded to a call about a dog locked in a car, rescued the pup, and went to look for the owner. 

The car’s driver was highly intoxicated, and claimed the dog had driven him to the store to buy corn. Supposedly the pooch waited patiently to drive him back home again. The man was arrested and has been charged with animal cruelty as well as driving under the influence, and the dog is resting with animal control.

Moral of the story? Police officers do not give points for creativity. And, as comical as this story might seem, don’t leave pets or children in cars.

Barry, a four-legged legend

Pet information

Image from Barry MuseumMost people in the USA probably haven’t heard about Barry, but his story is fascinating. He was a St. Bernard that lived 200 years ago at the famous hospice on St. Bernard Pass. Myths declare that he saved at least 40 people during his working years.

The hospice resides 2,500 meters above sea level, and has been run since the 11th century. The St. Bernard pass is dangerous at the best of times, and the dogs served an invaluable function in finding the way home even in blizzards. During 200 years, at least 2,000 people were saved by the hospice.

Barry was born in the year 1800, and has inspired countless myths. Some claim he even rescued a child on his own and carried the boy to safety on his back.

He was clearly special even during his lifetime, because spent his last years in Bern, in retirement, and was preserved after his death.

Today, there’s a Barry exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Bern. He looks a bit different from St Bernards of today. The breed went nearly extinct during the 19th century, and the remaining dogs were bred with Newfoundlands in an effort to save the St Bernard. This changed the build of the dogs and resulted in a much longer coat. While the effort to save the breed was successful, it also changed them to the point where they were no longer able to rescue people in the mountains.

Barry has also given name to the Fondation Barry du Grand Saint Bernard, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of St. Bernard dogs.

Blind dog gets vision back and can see his family

Pet information

Duffy is an Irish Terrier who lost his vision because of diabetes. He went from a happy and normal dog to completely blind within a few months and had problems adjusting.

Duffy ran into things, couldn’t recognize his humans, and when his diabetes became stable enough for surgery, the family decided to take the chance. Luckily, the surgeons succeeded, and the family filmed being reunited with him. The video has gone viral and has 4,5 million views this far.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og1nMDl1K7g

Bring your dog to work day

Pet information

Bonnie inspects sliding tracks on a PlexiDor and points out that they should be white and not silver when mounted on a white frame.

June 20, 2014 is Bring your dog to work day. The event started in 1999 and was founded by Pet Sitters International as a means to promote pet adoptions. Participation has exploded; the first year less than 300 businesses took part, and this year over 300,000 visitors have looked at the website.

Bringing a pet along isn’t always possible. Some workplaces are poorly suited for four-footed friends, and in other places allergies might make it unsuitable. When it is possible,  bringing a dog gives benefits. Pets lower stress and blood pressure, create a focal point for conversation, inspire walks and exercise, and cheer people up.

Some companies encourage bringing pets all around the year, and some larger corporations provide doggie daycare to employees.

What do you think? Would you bring a pet if you could?

 

Doggie oopsie forces plane to land

Pet information

Sometimes nature calls and you can’t do anything about it; if you gotta go, you gotta go. This was the dilemma faced by a service dog accompanying its handler on a plane from Los Angeles to Philadelphia last week.

On a plane, humans can use the restroom, even if its small. Dogs don’t have that luxury, and there’s no outside to be had, so the dog did what it had to do in the middle of the aisle. The crew did the best they could to clean up the mess, but there is a limited amount of fresh air on planes. Passengers were soon turning to social media to complain about the stench.

Then, just as everything seemed to settle down, the dog had to go again. By now the smell was so bad that sensitive passengers were throwing up, and the crew ran out of paper towels for cleaning up. The pilot made an executive decision and decided to land at the Kansas City International Airport.

A cleaning crew went through the cabin, and the dog was finally able to take care of its needs outside.

Don’t give up on your dog when it’s a teenager

Pet information

A dog is most likely to be surrendered to a shelter when it is between nine and eighteen months old. At this age dogs have grown out of the super-cute puppy stage and look like adults, but they don’t act adult, and families unprepared for this phase of life often give up. Adolescence can be as difficult for a dog as it is for a human.

Adolescent dogs are super-curious and want to discover the world with all their senses. They dig, they chew, run away to explore, jump, and challenge authority. For many, everything is a game, and their attention span is… squirrel!

On top of all this, they have so much energy it takes super-human stamina to keep up. This is when many give up, and instead of helping their dog to become a well balanced adult, they send their pet off to a shelter and probable death.

It is always important to choose a dog breed that works well for the family, but it is extra important when picking  a puppy. Some breeds get through this period in life easier than others.

Working breeds are often particularly difficult; they have a lot of energy, high intelligence, and need a job. If they don’t get something appropriate to do, they will make something up. Some working breeds – like Border Collies – are often considered adolescents up until they’re three years old, so in addition to the difficult period being more intense, it also lasts longer.

So, how do you survive, stay sane, and keep your dog?

Provide plenty of exercise. Consider crating your dog when he or she is unsupervised. Keep training the dog, and make training sessions fun. Thinking games often wear dogs out better than physical exercise. Above all, remember that this is a phase that will eventually go away.

Dog finds abandoned baby

Pet information

Dogs with their keen senses can find the strangest things, and bring home everything from golf balls to half a tree. Most doggie parents would not expect what these dogs found:

February 2013, a dog found a newborn girl abandoned in a plastic grocery bag in Cypress, Texas. State law allows anyone to drop a newborn off at a hospital or fire station with no questions asked. Abandoning a child outside, on the other hand, is a crime. This incident was the third in a short period of time where children were abandoned in the area.

June 2013, a dog in Thailand went exploring on his own, and found a newborn who had been wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into a garbage dump. Pui brought the bag home and got a medal from the Red Cross for his good deed.

October 2013, a German Shepherd found a baby in a bag in Birmingham in the UK. This baby was later named Jade after its four-legged savior.

Even when humans let each others down, dogs are our best friends!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUq3BvDY1Q

 

Cattle dog watches over disabled kitten

Pet information

Ralphee is an adorable kitten with feline cerebellar hypoplasia. Those big words translate into, “neurological disorder that affects motor skills.” It shows in jerky and uncoordinated movements.

Many cats with this condition falls often and has trouble walking. They also suffer tremors. The condition can come from a bacterial or viral infection, malnutrition, poisoning, injury, or an accident. The cat can learn to compensate for the disease, and can live a fairly normal life with a normal life span.

When it comes to Ralphee, he is lucky. He was rescued from a horse stable, and now he has his very own cattle dog to look after him. Love and caring really spans the species. Ralphee might not have the physical grace of many other kittens, but he is cute as a button, healthy, and filled with mischief.

//youtu.be/f31m5-5-xUY

Pet Guinness World Record Holders

Pet information

Many dream of getting into the Guinness Book of Records, and some records are right out weird. Here are some pets who succeeded with unexpected records:

1. Longest tongue
Puggy is a male Pekingese holding a record for current longest dog tongue. His tongue measures 4.5 inches, which is very long for a Pekingeses. The longest dog tongue on record overall belonged to a boxer whose tongue was 17 inches long.

2. Most tennis balls in mouth
Many dogs like tennis balls. Golden retriever girl Augie likes them more than most do; she has the record for successfully gathering and holding five tennis balls in her mouth at the same time.

3. Longest cat
The world’s longest cat is called Stewie, and he measures 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail bone. (That’s just over 4 feet.)

4. Most flying discs caught
This record goes to Rose, a Labrador – Border Collie mix. She can catch and hold seven separately thrown frisbees without dropping one.

5: Most balloons popped
Anastasia is a Jack Russell Terrier who likes to pop balloons. She got 100 balloons in 44.9 seconds.

6: Highest jump
Cinderella May is a greyhound who likes to jump. She clears 68 inches (almost 5.7 feet).

7: Water glass balancing
Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix Sweet Pea holds the record of “most steps walked down by a dog facing forward while glancing a 5-ounce glass of water.” She made it ten steps.

8. Soda can balancing
This record also goes to Sweet Pea. She walked 100 meters with a can balanced on her head in two minutes and 55 seconds.

9. Loudest purr
Some cats purr loudly. Smokey purr loudest of them all with a measured 67.7 decibels. He has also been recorded with a 92.7 decibel purr; equivalent to a hairdryer.

10. Dogs skipping rope
The Super Wan Wan Circus in Japan is the home of Uchida Geinousha’s dogs. They are the main attraction, and hold the world record for most dogs skipping rope with 13 dogs at the same time.

//youtu.be/YtwPzyppOyY

Sunshine story: Lost boy protected by family dog

Pet information

A three year old boy in North Dakota recently wandered off the family’s yard and was missing for nearly seven hours together with Cooper, the family dog. According to Yahoo News the fire department, local police, and 200 neighbors searched for hours. The situation seemed desperate when even an airplane and 60 four-wheelers couldn’t find a trace of the missing couple.

Just as authorities were about to call off the search for the night, one four-wheeler went for one last sweep of the property, and they found young Carson safe and snug underneath the dog, who protected him against the cold night.

The working theory is that Carson saw his father leave and wanted to follow, so he walked off. Yahoo news reports that Cooper never leaves the yard, but when Carson took off, Cooper followed.

Cooper is a mix of German Shepherd, Labrador, and Golden Retriever. The family adopted him three years ago after someone left him by the side of the road.

//youtu.be/Ds8dj2NbHNs

Spanish poo detectives

Pet information

As several “scoop the poop” campaigns around the US have pointed out, it’s a bad idea to leave dog poop on the ground. Despite scented poop bags, poop vacuum cleaners and poop-scooping services, there’s still an abundance of dog droppings in yards, parks, and along city streets. 

This byproduct of dog owning spreads germs, pollutes water supplies, and releases unwanted substances into the ground. In the small Spanish time Colmenar Viejo, the mayor’s office has tired of residents ignoring signs and information campaigns. They’re hiring professional Canine Detectives.

The detectives will film culprits and hand the evidence over to the police along with a report. Fines are up to 150 euros ($200) with higher penalties for repeat offenders. Before the detectives start working full time on filming dog walkers, hired actors will imitate the detective behavior in order to inform citizens of the campaign.

The campaign is initiated because of health concerns. The city says most of the dog owners are responsible, but a minority destroy the environment for everyone, leaving piles of poop not just along the street but at schools and children’s playgrounds.