Active Canines

Every Dog Could Use a Little Sign Language

Recently a older, deaf dog avoided being hit by a car because of a hand signal from his owner. If your dog is already a good learner, a few hand signals may be both fun and valuable to learn. DDEAF Training Hand Signs: Some people use ASL (American Sign Language, just as they would for a deaf person. This can be an advantage because anyone who knows ASL will be able to talk to your dog. Some people use modified ASL, so that they can hold a leash in one hand and talk to the dog with the other. Some people make up all their signs (you will probably still want an ASL dictionary, as it can be a challenge to invent signs with nothing to go on). Most people end up using a combination (i.e. obedience signs, and then one handed ASL). Anything you choose is "right" for you and your dog.

City Mushing

It's pretty hard to imagine this product until you see it, but active dogs can now pull the owner of a scooter along while the person, not the dog, does the steering. The same guy also has developed an adult-sized trike. These products are fun for everyone but especially for adults with some physical disability. Dog Powered Scooter: Introducing the first dog-pulled devices which...give the rider precision steering control of the dog. Easy to ride, safe and appropriate for the urban environment, making dog mushing accessible to every breed, age of rider, location, and season.

 

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."

Dogs in Video Games

While I don't feel qualified to vote, I'm thrilled to see what a big part dogs play in video game story lines. You will enjoy seeing all the roles they have played. MTV Multiplayer: Help Us Name The Greatest Canine In Video Game History (The Dogs And Wolves Edition): While dogs (and wolves) have certainly proven to be a gamer’s best friend, they also can be a gamer’s worst enemy. You have played “Resident Evil” haven’t you? From survival-horror to action-adventure to first-person shooters to casual titles, we take a look at all the canines we could think of for our judges’ consideration. And dear readers, feel free to weigh in with your favorite hound and suggest any that we missed. Then check at the end of the month, when our our judges will select The Greatest Canine In Video Game History.

New Test for Drug Sensitivity

Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at Washington State University: Some breeds of dogs are more sensitive to certain drugs compared to other breeds. For example, Collies, Australian Shepherds and other breeds are often more sensitive to the antiparasitic drug, ivermectin....The problem is due to a mutation in the multi-drug resistance gene  (MDR1)....A test has recently been developed at Washington State University to screen for the presence of the mutant gene. Instead of avoiding drugs such as ivermectin in known susceptible breeds, veterinarians can now determine if a dog is normal, in which case the drug can be administered or abnormal, in which case an alternative treatment can be given. Owners and breeders can submit samples for testing.

Helping Dogs Break Bad Habits

Training a dog can be a big time commitment, but if you have a generally agreeable dog with a couple of bad habits, NoCanDo4Dogs may give you some immediate relief. For about $40, you can get a kit that includes both a training booklet and a DVD for you, and three cannisters of marbles to park around the house where you can catch the dog acting badly. If you can be observant and consistent, then your dog will learn to associate his bad behavior with a very unpleasant sound.

Fewer Openings for Fire Station Dogs

MyrtleBeachOnline.com: Fire station dogs fading away, 2008-Jan-14, by Rodger Mullen (via Bark Blog): Once familiar sights at most stations, technology has made their role obsolete. Safety restrictions in some jurisdictions have made their presence prohibited....Steve Lopez, deputy chief of the Hope Mills Fire Department, said dogs were important in the days of horse-pulled fire equipment. "Dalmatians and horses get along very well, and the Dalmatians helped the horses run straight," Lopez said. "The picture of the dog riding on the apparatus is not accurate. The dogs were actually alongside them. It was a shepherding kind of thing."

Something to Talk About

The Journal News: Therapy dog helps kids with special needs, 2008-Jan-31, by Barbara Livingston Nackman (via Dogster and Newsday): [Selectively mute special-needs student] Marc is uttering his first complete phrases and the school's pet-assisted therapy program is getting most of the credit - after Boo's trainer and Marc's teachers. "Boo has been a tremendous catalyst for Marc and the others," said Austin Road teacher Penny Wieser. For Marc, the growth is particularly striking. During a recent visit, he told Boo he was a "good dog." ...The children seem very comfortable with an animal - one that doesn't judge them - in the classroom, Wieser said. They become so involved when working with Boo - they call him Boo-Boo - that they forget their personal issues.

The Dog Chapel

In Vermont, you and your canine companion can visit the Vermont farm called Dog Mountain and enjoy the Dog Chapel, designed by artist Stephen Huneck. Dog Mountain Vermont: As you walk inside the chapel you will be bathed in the light of my stain glass windows. Dog carvings surround you, music plays, all reaffirming the connection between art, nature, and spirituality. I look at this chapel as the largest artwork of my life, and my most personal. It is my desire to make this a place both magical and transforming...one that celebrated the spiritual bond we have with our dogs, and that would be open to dogs and people.