Active Canines

Tough Enough to Care

NY Times: Tattooed Bikers, a Dog’s Best Friends, 2008-Aug-24, by Carline H. Dworin: Having run in crowds where animal abuse was rampant, often involving pit bull fights, the men of Rescue Ink volunteered at shelters and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and they tried to solve cases of missing or abused animals that other organizations had neither the time nor the resources to address.

Next month, the bikers will begin a program in the city’s public schools to educate children about being kind to all animals, even the less attractive breeds. ... They hand cases of criminal activities to the police. “That’s not our specialty,” Mr. Missari said. “We specialize in getting the abuser away from the dog. We truly work with the abuser. We go to a house; if it’s really cold out, we see two dogs in the back, we build them a doghouse.”

Reporting Cruelty You've Seen

Have you ever seen a dog treated cruelly and wondered if and how you could help? The ASPCA has a resource that not only explains what you ought to report, but how and where you can report it.

ASPCA: Reporting Cruelty FAQ: To find out if there is an agency other than the police authorized to conduct cruelty investigations in your area, visit our state-by-state list of anti-cruelty investigatory-arrest powers.

 

Give your Dog an IQ Test

PoochIQ.com: When you give your dog the Pooch IQ Test, you'll be fascinated as you watch his or her thought process up close. After the test is done, you'll not only be able to calculate your pup's IQ score, but you'll also understand your dog and his or her behaviors on a much deeper level. Most dogs LOVE to be challenged! They live for it. Challenges keep dogs' minds active and make their lives more interesting.

Rescued for Rescue Work

The Wall Street Journal recently profiled Wilma Melville, founder of the Search Dog Foundation. To maximize the number of search dogs available, this foundation scours the shelters for good candidates, matches them with a handler, usually a firefighter, then provides all the training and support, including a rescue-dog retirement plan, for free. WSJ.com: Profiles in Retirement: Wilma Melville, 2008-Feb-16, by Kristi Essick: "After [the bombing of the federal building in] Oklahoma City, I did what I did because I knew I could make a real difference," Ms. Melville says. Her greatest reward, she adds, comes from watching the bond develop between a dog and handler and knowing the two will probably save many lives. "We remove a seemingly useless animal from a threatening environment and, with training, turn that animal into a joy to many."

Dispelling Fear of Dogs

If you have a dog which is subject to breed discrimination, such as a Rottweiler or any type of Pit Bull, you should consider having its temperament tested by the American Temperament Test Society. If any friends or family express fear of your dog, then you can tell them about his score and what they should expect from your dog. ATTS holds testing sessions for dog clubs around the country. Check out their schedule.

The ATTS test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat. The test is designed for the betterment of all breeds of dogs and takes into consideration each breed's inherent tendencies. The test simulates a casual walk through the park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.

Teaching Children to be Safe around Dogs

We've recently found a couple of web sites which offer ready-made educational materials for communicating safe behavior around dogs to children. Example material from  Safe Kids Safe Dogs: This dog is running loose in the park.  Most dogs can run faster than an Olympic runner or even you on your bike!  Dogs like to chase things that move fast.  Sometimes, these chases can lead to someone getting hurt!   Never run from a dog, chances are he will start to chase you.  You need to be boring.  Dogs do not like boring things. Doggone Safe has kits for teachers to use in the classroom.

Hire Some One to Run with your Dog

Dog Running is a fast-growing new business category, joining dog walking and day care as a way that people are outsourcing their pet owner responsibilities.

Running Paws: Dog Fitness, Dog Runners, Pet Sitters & more: Our fitness program includes jogging, running, and rollerblading sessions that progress at a pace specific to each dog's needs. Canine health professionals know how critical regular exercise is for your dog’s physical and mental health, that’s why 80% of our business has been built on referrals from vets and trainers.

Ideas for Playing with your Dog

Since 1996, Diane Blackman has been building out a web site that collects ideas for things you can do with your dog. "People who play with their dogs, stay with their dogs," she says. Frequent playing boosts the health of the dog, the owner and their relationship. Her Activities page ranges through recognized sports like Flyball to performance art to dock diving to intense work like sled and wagon pulling. She also collects information about behavior, breeding, selecting a dog, and thousands of links to other sites for gifts and travel opportunities. Enjoy DogPlay today.

Down with Black Dog Discrimination

Perhaps people have trouble reading the expression of black dogs, especially at a distance, or maybe there's just a cultural bias, but no doubt about it--dark dogs are less popular. The next time you or someone you know is looking to adopt a dog, point them to Black Pearl Dogs (recently featured in People magazine) which will help them locate a dog which might not find a home through the regular shelter system. Or just visit their site for heart-touching stories.

Black Pearl Dogs: Black Dog Syndrome.

We are guessing that the general public is not aware of how doomed black dogs are when they are brought to a pound because black dogs, particularly black labs or lab mixes, are euthanized at a horrifying rate at many pounds & shelters because people pass them up for lighter colored dogs. If you are thinking about adopting a dog please don't overlook black dogs because they are just as loving & wonderful as lighter colored dogs!

PIJAC for Pet Industry Standards

PIJAC, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, is a trade association for pet stores, breeders and pet product manufacturers. They maintain a great LINKS page for pet associations and industry magazines.