pet connection

It’s almost time for the Westminster Dog Show (next week in New York), which means I will be hearing plenty of biased commentary and heated discussion about mutts versus purebred dogs.

A couple of years ago, the rhetoric reached new heights with all the speculation about who would become the Obama family’s “First Fido.” Even people without dogs felt compelled to join in the bantering and bickering.

Between my own dogs and my beloved patients, I have plenty of first-hand familiarity with the virtues and vices of the purebred versus mixed breed experience. I can assure you, there are plenty of both! This is why I shrug my shoulders when confronted with people bent on convincing me that their preference should be my preference.

Would I ever try to convince someone that one is better? No way. I’m a big believer in “live and let live” as long as no one gets hurt. Trust me, after raising three children and working with more dog-loving clients than I can count, I’ve learned to pick my battles wisely.

For example, if a client tells me their dog is a German Shepherd yet I see before me an Australian Shepherd, I don’t try to correct my client. I prefer to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak. No harm done because, whatever kind of herding dog he is, I will treat his diabetes the same way!

Just as in the case of mistaken shepherd identity, I choose not to participate in the battle of whether mutts or purebreds are superior. If I do manage to get suckered into such a discussion, I employ a unique strategy. I encourage the debaters to adjourn their arguments and work together towards a common goal. You see, whether a person prefers mongrels or purebreds, what they have in common, beside their love of dogs, is the desire to eradicate puppy mills, those large scale breeding operations that produce puppies for profit, often under inhumane conditions.

I suggest they use their mutual passion to teach others to avoid puppy mill purchases by never, ever buying a pup from a pet store or online, sight (and site) unseen. I encourage the mutt versus purebred debaters to invest their energies in telling people that by buying online or from a pet shop, they may be inadvertently committing the next 10 to 15 years of their lives to taking care of an adorable, but inherently unhealthy, product of a puppy mill. One less puppy mill purchase is one step closer to their extinction.

What happens when I interrupt the “great debate” with my suggestion? Sometimes I’m viewed as if I am from another planet. Most of the time, my comments prompt some constructive and positive discussion with heads nodding in agreement, at least for a few minutes before the conversation returns to squabbling about mutts versus purebreds.

What about you? Have you ever participated in this great debate?

Photo credit: Chow, Flickr Creative Commons (Llima)

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Reconvilier is a small, French-speaking Swiss municipality: about 2,200 humans, and 280 dogs. You’d think with those numbers they’d be a dog=friendly village.

They’re anything but. The town has decreed if owners don’t pay the annual dog tax (about $50), the dogs will die. The Los Angeles Times is just one outlet with the story:

Local official Pierre-Alain Nemitz says the move is part of an effort to reclaim hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes. [...] Nemitz told the Associated Press on Monday that authorities have received death threats since news of the plan got out.

“This isn’t about a mass execution of dogs,” Nemitz said. “It’s meant to put pressure on people who don’t cooperate.”

Pressure? Monsieur Nemitz, I’d call that a particularly macabre form of blackmail. Just wondering, sir, do you own a dog?

Elias the champion gluten hunter: GCH CH Elias Mes Yeux Vigilants RN (you can call him Elias) is a Beauceron, but Elias is not just a pretty face. His owner, Hollie Scott, is a first-year student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, and Elias goes everywhere with her. Without him, Hollie would be in nearly constant discomfort. You see, Hollie has a particularly severe strain of Celiac disease, and Elias is a trained gluten detection service dog. From USA Today:

Although he’s nearly a 100-pounder — at the extreme end of the breed standard — Elias “curls up in an amazingly small ball” in lecture halls, on buses and trains, and on planes, Scott says.

The dog spent weeks in Slovenia completing gluten-detection training late last year (he and Scott returned at the very end of November, then rested a couple of days before heading out for the Long Beach competition), and now he can detect and warn her away from anything containing gluten, hot or cold, in all its many manifestations.

You can watch Elias receive the Award of Excellence at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, which was last month and will be televised on Jan. 23 on ABC. In addition, he’ll be competing next month at Westminster in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Two noteworthy posts from Dr. Khuly: I don’t often highlight multiple posts from the same blogger in the same news roundup, but today’s an exception. Our BFF Dr. Patty Khuly’s Fully Vetted blog features very different posts on consecutive days, and they’re both superb. On Monday, Dr. Khuly managed to address an emotionally charged topic — chemo for pets, in a way you don’t often see it discussed. Then on Tuesday, she completely switched gears and asked a whole other question: Are pets a luxury?

Polluted pets: The Environmental Working Group has a sobering look at chemical compounds we’ve introduced to society, and the effect that is being seen in the animals we love.

Got a cat? There’s an app for that. Every day you can find new mobile applications. Did you know there are apps for cats? Not cat owners, cats. The New York Times says so. If your kittehs have one of these apps, please let me know which ones they like, and which device they use them on.

Biden’s breeder punished: The Pennsylvania breeder who sold Vice-President Biden a puppy in 2008 has been severely disciplined. Amy Worden of Philly Dawg has the scoop:

The state Department of Agriculture revoked the kennel license belonging to Linda Brown, who operates Jolindy’s Shepherds in Spring City, for repeated violations to the state dog law governing care of dogs in licensed kennels.

In its Nov. 19 order, the agency listed dozens of violations, including filthy kennels, contaminated food and water and dogs crammed in cages with less than six inches of headroom. Dog wardens reported seeing dead and dying rats on the property on several occasions and that it was so dark in some kennel areas they were unable to see the animals or their cages to conduct their inspections.

“We have repeated poor kennel conditions there,” said Jessie Smith, special deputy secretary of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement.

Fear the hamster: Do NOT mess with this guy.
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Of course, he’s not related to filmdom’s most famous little furry weapon. That honor is still reserved for this vicious attacker. Run away!

Winter isn’t for everyone: In my experience, most dogs love snow. This one would prefer to admire it from six feet up.
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I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.

Photo credits: Reconvilier primary school, wikimedia. Hollie and Elias, USA Today.

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Hi everyone.  I’m back from sunny, gorgeous San Diego.  We won’t discuss how wonderful it was, because it’s currently cold and snowy again here in New England.  Meanwhile, a Scottie won at Westminster.  Yawn. (Unless you’re Terrierman, in which case you  furiously explain everything that’s wrong about the Scottish Terrier while taking yet another easy shot at fat people.)

Natural disasters, love, hope, human failings and survival. Of the thousands of heartbreaking stories to have come out of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, few were as saddening as the struggles of the thousands of pets left behind in the flood waters and devastation.  Philly Dawg introduces us to “Mine”, an Independent Lens PBS documentary, debuting this week.  “Mine” is an examination of love, despair, and the heroic efforts of rescuers and pets alike.   Check your local listings for airtimes.

We’ll pass on his cookbooks, thanks: 77-year-old chef Beppe Bigazzi was suspended Wednesday from his popular morning show on Italian TV after he offered a recipe for preparing “cat stew,” and said he had enjoyed the dish many times:

When his 27-year-old female co-host looked stunned as Bigazzi said he has eaten cat stew “many times,” the white-haired, grandfather figure defended his tastes.

“Why, people maybe don’t eat rabbit, chicken, pigeon?” Bigazzi said. He could have added horse meat, which many butchers and supermarket meat departments stock.

“Who’s not fat, kills the cat,” is how Bigazzi began his lighthearted prattle about cat stew.

Bigazzi claimed cat stew was a Tuscan specialty near the Arno river valley, but co-host Elisa Isoardi looked so embarrassed she ducked behind a cart of fresh salad greens whose healthy virtues the two were supposed to be chatting about.

Italian law protects cats from Bigazzi’s stew pot, officials noted. For those who understand Italian, the “humor” that has probably ended his career is apparently a hit on YouTube. You find that on your own, sorry.

No more doggies in the windows: West Hollywood, Calif.,  is about to enact an ordinance banning the sale of pets by retail pet stores.

Councilman Jeffrey Prang said the move would strike a blow to puppy mills and other cruel, assembly-line breeding. [...] More than 500 independent pet shops nationwide, including 38 in California, refuse to sell puppies in their stores.   Under the West Hollywood proposal, all pet stores would have to stop selling cats and dogs by September 2011.

Although it’s not the end of the industry, any law on any level that chips away at puppy mills is fine with me.

Anti-fur, meet anti-civility.  Again. All of you who follow the world of figure skating probably remember a kerfuffle over American skater Johnny Weir wearing white fox fur at at the U.S. National Championships.   In my humble opinion, Shirley at YesBiscuit nails this one perfectly (and eloquently, too) with a delicious, concise paragraph.

Gee, I wonder how receptive Weir will be in future to education on fur farming. I’m guessing slightly less than zero. It would have been a good opportunity to share an opposing view without condemnation but that’s probably lost now. And it’s a shame because I have no doubt he will be a huge fashion designer one day soon. So thanks all you death threat mailing, bucket of red paint throwing, creepy stalker types — way to help your cause.

Dickens’ collar: There are dozens of reasons why it’s great to see our friend Maria Goodavage writing for the Dogster blog, including wonderful tidbits like this.   A dog collar selling for over $11,000 at auction might sound silly, until you learn that the collar was used by Charles Dickens’ dog.  Good, sturdy leather and brass, too.  What else would you expect from one of the greatest writers in the history of English literature? (I meant Dickens … no offense, Maria.  You’re great, too.)

Pawsitively lovely protection: My mother likes animals, but what she really loves is fashion.   Hence, she was my source for this NYT photo essay on the latest in high end paw-wear, aimed specifically at city-dwelling pooches.  My only editorial comment on the highlighted items is this: Selling boots for dogs by the PAIR (instead of four) is sneaky.  Seriously, are you going to get boots for the left but not the right, or front but not the back?  I didn’t think so.

Perfect parrot with an off-switch: African Grey parrots are apparently brilliant birds  — remember Alex, who had an obituary in the New York Times and a best-selling memoir? — but they’re a lot of work to live with.  Think messy, bright and inquisitive toddler who never, ever shuts up. Fun, sometimes, but … well, not for everyone. If you’d like to enjoy a parrot pal, but only occasionally, you can check out streaming video of Bibi. So notes “Heckled By Parrots” blogger Rebecca O’Connor, who knows a thing or two about living with an African Grey herself. … and staying with the avian theme, check out the best in parrot foraging toys on the Best In Flock blog.

Human Choice? Check the ingredients: Gina mentioned the problem with the HSUS’ new dog food earlier this week, based on the sound thrashing given it on Terrierman. Raised by Wolves blogger Heather Houlahan has an even funnier take on the issue of feeding dogs like chickens.  Read the fine print, bottom line.

I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories.  Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an email.

Photo credits: Katrina puppy, pbs.org.  Dickens’ collar, Bonhams.

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The New York Times has run so many dog-related stories lately I gotta wonder if it’s not the result of some focus-group action. Doesn’t matter, I guess, since they’re generally pretty good, although few are as spot-on as the one in today’s editions, about what it takes to make the grade at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which starts its two-day run Monday in Madison Square Garden.

The NYT — and other newspapers in areas where one’s social ranking was once very, very important — used to cover dog shows as sporting events, and for years, the NYT sent one Mr. Walter R. Fletcher to cover the most prestigious dog show in the country. Mr. Fletcher had the best seat at the media tables, a plaque with his name and affiliation making sure no one else took his seat. Long after a few of us started showing up with strange little contraptions that were the progenitors of today’s ubiquitous notebook computers — TRS-80 Model 100s known in the newsrooms as “Trash 80s” or “RatShacks,” with 8K of memory, 8 lines of black on gray display and acoustic couplers that went over the ear- and mouthpieces of old-fashioned phones to transmit our datastreams  — Mr. Fletcher pounded out his story at ringside on a manual typewriter, with copy boys assigned to relay half-sheets of updates back to his editors.

Aside from working many layers below an editor who insisted on using a manual typewriter more as an affectation than anything else (the big man’s secretary would then type his words into the newsroom computer system), Mr. Fletcher’s annual efforts were the first, last and only time in my professional journalism career that I ever saw anyone use a manual typewriter. (I’m sorry, but I can’t drop the “Mr.” when it comes to Mr. Fletcher any more than I would have dared to sit in his chair at the Garden.)

The very idea of using a manual typewriter now is every bit as quaint as covering Westminster like a real sporting event, instead of as a business with bad ROI that’s really a beauty pageant. And that’s exactly what the New York Times did this year:

The bucks. They are the not-so-secret key to success at this and other top dog shows held every year. On Monday, when Madison Square Garden in Manhattan hosts the 2010 Westminster Dog Show, the most prestigious event on the thoroughbred canine calendar, money will quietly play a role in determining the winner, just as money quietly shaped the field of contenders — and just as money shapes almost every nook and cranny of the dog show business.

Among breeders, owners and handlers, it’s understood: you can’t just turn up with the paradigm of the breed, if such an animal exists, and expect a best-in-show ribbon. To seriously vie for victory, a dog needs what is known as a campaign: an exhausting, time-consuming and very expensive gantlet of dog show wins, buttressed by ads in publications like Dog News and The Canine Chronicle.

(Actually, a Thoroughbred is a horse, not a dog, and the word the writer was looking for was “purebred.”  This same factual error in a puppy sales ad is one of those things that’s a red flag that you may well be dealing with a puppy-mill, just so you know.)

The story focused on an outgoing man named Raymond “Tray” Pittman and his partner, the quieter Paul Flores. The two men live (when they’re not on the road, which they usually are) not 10 miles north of me, but the first time I met them was at the Crufts dog show, in England. Pittman had taken a Bichon Frise owned by a nice New Jersey couple to a win in the toy group, eliciting a great deal of mumbled resentment from the locals, who had for generations owned an unparalleled home field advantage owing to a non-negotiable six-month quarantine for rabies that had recently been altered. (The PaRay crowd did not win the top honor that year, but strangely enough, another professional handler, Larry Fenner, who also lives about 10 miles from me but in the other direction, would be the human half of the first American team to win at Crufts a few years later with an Australian shepherd, which is really an American breed, despite the name.)

I bumped into Pittman in the bar at the Hilton across from the National Exhibition Centre that year he was there with his New Jersey Bichon, making a quick mental note that on his wrist  was a watch worth more than my car. He had just gotten off the phone with Flores to tell the latter to hop a jet immediately to get the grooming on the Bichon for Best in Show. (Flores is so good that, as the NYT notes, if he weren’t grooming dogs he’d be a sculptor.)

When I expressed amazement at the cost of a last-minute booking for a flight from SF to London, Pittman shrugged.

“It’s not my money,” he said.

And not mine, either, of course. Because although I do pay a wonderful couple to handle my own dogs at shows when I’ve got a dog actively showing, which isn’t often or for long, my dogs have pageant careers that end when their championship is awarded, which is the point at which the Big Dogs of the show world start their “campaigns.”

Even if I had the money, I haven’t the heart for that game. I don’t even like my dogs gone for an overnight, much less for the year or two a top “special” will be living in kennels and motor homes with one of the top professional handlers and their legions of assistants.

I haven’t quite known what to make of the PaRay partners since. When I do see them, they are unfailingly friendly and chatty, even when busy, and there’s no doubt their dogs are well-cared-for even if not particularly cared about as dogs. The men work hard and have made their way in a niche world with its own quirky reality.

There is change coming — already here, really — in the world of dogs, and heaven knows I welcome anything that breaks the genetic bottlenecks and bizarre blueprints that have made messes out of many breeds. But I don’t have a problem with dog shows, per se, and I find a fair amount of the criticism of “fat matrons” and snidely veiled asides about gay men and lesbians in the show world to say more about the writers’ own issues than their true concerns about the dogs.

I guess the bottom line is that my problem with dog shows is one of degree, not their very existence. A lot of the top show dogs really love the attention, and when you’re around them, you can see that. If I had to choose, I’d rather have their life than the lives of a million bored backyard dogs in this country. (Of course, I’d rather have the life of an active, trained and well-socialized dog who goes out everywhere with a beloved owner, but if we’re talking extremes, the show dog life ain’t that bad.)

And the pageants themselves are wonderful places to watch — the people even more than the dogs. Which is why I’ll probably end up at both of these big shows again — in New York and in England –  and enjoy the experience very much, as I always have. Although not this year for either.

Image: Raymond Pittman and Sloan, by the New York Times.

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I have an uncle who has become an avid Pet Connection reader since I joined the staff (Hi Fred!).  He’s a cat-lover, and has told me I’m too dog-centric in my posts.  For Fred and all other similarly-inclined cat owners, this morning’s post is for you.  Not all cats, but mostly.   Never let it be said I can’t take a hint…

Lower your cholesterol — get a cat! An article courtesy of my friend Pete Hansen, who acquired a cat a few months back.  You’ve probably seen essays and news stories saying that owning a pet relaxes you, therefore lowering blood pressure.  Now there’s some evidence indicating it helps your cholesterol, too!

The cat who came in from the cold:  The first paragraph of this heartwarming story from the Edmonton Journal, by way of Gina, made me reach for my parka and boots, while still sitting in my living room:

Bob the cat showed up at Air Canada cargo services’ warehouse at the international airport on a morning when a Siberian front swept through Edmonton, plunging temperatures into the -30s.

I don’t care if it is celsius, thirty below is still way too cold.   Bob, who the airport workers soon learned is female, settled in over time.  Now,

there’s never any doubt she runs the place, though, and that she has the men wrapped around her little paw.

Always be prepared.  It’s not expensive, and could make all the difference. You may have a first aid kit at home for your adults and non-furry children, but do you have one for the ones with tails and paws?    You should.   I admit that I don’t, but I’ll be using this well organized, easy-to-follow post from Smartdogs to create one.   It’s a great idea, because you never know.  Don’t wait.  Please take advantage of the great hints here.  I know I will.

Tiger Ranch operator sentenced to 27 years probation for cruelty: Sorry, I didn’t promise these would all be happy stories.   A tip of the cap to Mary Mary for the final chapter of this terribly sad saga from Pittsburgh.  She and I are both convinced that the Tiger Ranch venture probably started out as a terrific idea, but quickly spun out of control.  Now, almost two years later, it stands as a tragic cautionary tale.  My personal belief is there was likely some mental illness in play as well, but in any case, the judge’s words at sentencing remain accurate:

“I came into this case thinking … you were most likely a woman who had good intentions but became overwhelmed. From that perspective until today, I have learned quite a lot,” said Rangos, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “You have chosen not to cooperate and spew vitriol in others’ direction without taking any personal responsibility for the disaster that Tiger Ranch became.”

Kudos to Amy Worden at Philly Dawg for her work on this story.  She has followed it from the beginning, and Amy is always worth reading.

Three new breeds at Westminster: Petville tells us there will be three new breeds shown at the 2010 WKC Dog Show at Madison Square Garden on February 15 & 16:  the Irish Red and White Setter (pictured: not just a color variant, but a different breed from the Irish Setter), the Norwegian Buhund, and the Pyrenean Shepherd.  If I may say so, these are three gorgeous dogs, and I’m looking forward to seeing them in the show.

Have a great morning.  I’ll be back later today with something completely different. And don’t forget: If you have something good to read, add a link to the comments, or e-mail me.

Photo credit: Codie McLachlan, edmontonjournal.com

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