TESTED OR BESTED?

Mom (that would be Jet my foster human) says a mind-tested will not be a mind-bested. I’m just a dog but I believe she wants me to watch less TV and challenge my brain more. I’m always up for a challenge so I started taking critter quizzes. They are mini tests

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/endangered-animals-quiz/

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Be the kind of human that will never be bested because you’re always being tested.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Lilly who asked: I’m a cat but I hang out with a dog pal named Ozzie. He’s old, sees funny and has clouds on his eyes. I could care less how he sees but it is a bit embarrassing when I try to hook him up with a hot chick dog and he runs in to something. So, what’s up?


Dear Lilly:
You’re a good sport for helping out Ozzie even if you are a cat. Here’s the deal: Ozzie has cataracts. Read the info below and you’ll understand what your pal Ozzie is dealing with right now.

To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

911

Jet (my foster mom) and I love ER type shows. You know the type. They have lots of cute doctors; guessing games to diagnosis rare diseases, cool medical equipment and happy humans that live another day to take care of us. The reality shows that film real rescues are the best. It’s fun to watch the quick thinking of healthcare professionals apply science to save humanity. Some episodes are kind of stressful so I like to chew on my doggie treats during these shows.

On the other hand, emergencies are serious. Humans don’t realize that there are different types of places and doctors to take their sick or injured pets just as there are different types of medical facilities and physicians to take care of humans.

The information below, provided by www.petcarehospitals.com is a good summary for your human companions to use as a guide when selecting where to go to take care of you and your other canine and cat friends.

Animal Health: The Animal Health category is comprised of businesses and services that cater to the general health and well being of your pet. Most of the Pet 'General Practitioners' cater to a large variety of pet breeds, and offer some specialized pet care services as well. Preventive care can go a long way with your pet, and these Animal Health services will help keep your pet on the road to wellness. If you have general pet care questions in relation to diet, vaccinations, longevity, acuity, preventative measures or proper care, give one of these Animal Health specialists a call.

Animal Hospitals: Animal Hospitals offer a variety of planned pet care and emergency pet care services for dogs, cats, birds and other common pets. Aside from pet rehabilitation, surgery, aftercare, and preventative pet medicine, Animal Hospitals can supply symptom information to help you identify problems, diseases and other health problems that commonly affect your household pets. Most commonly Animal Hospitals provide medical and surgical care. Remember, clear communication between doctor and pet owner is an essential part of pet care, so we encourage you to ask us questions about the treatment available for your animal.

Clinics: Pet Clinics tend to have longer hours of operation, with a majority having 24 hour care options available. Animal Clinics offer general care services, pet checkup services, and Animal Clinic Pharmacies. Quality pet medications are generally a staple for these clinics and a great choice for your general pet care needs. These clinics usually employ full time, and long term employment for Veterinarians, and are commonly owned by the Chief Veterinarian. One thing to look for when choosing an Animal Clinic for your pet is to see if they are an accredited member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

Emergency Services Veterinarians: Emergency Services Veterinarians are the people you call when your vet is closed; they are there for your emergencies. The services you can expect to find at your Emergency vet would include: Evenings, weekend & holiday emergency pet care service, Critical pet care monitoring, Emergency Procedures, and 24-hour ICU monitoring & Hospitalization. Be sure to find the nearest Emergency Services Veterinarian near you, and bookmark the page for quick reference later. It is likely that you know where the closest hospital is for you and your family in case of emergency, but what about the closest Emergency Services Veterinarian? Don't lose critical time locating one when a pet emergency arises.

Surgery Veterinarians: Surgery Veterinarians are specialized animal surgeons that are required to perform surgical procedure on your pet should the necessity ever arise. Choosing a Surgery Veterinarian is as important a decision as choosing a surgeon for you and your family. Be sure to look for Board certified surgeons, as they are available to perform a wide variety of emergency and elective procedures. The types of services you can expect a Surgery Veterinarian to offer include: Indwelling pain management, Neurological Surgery, and Orthopedic Surgery. These surgeons also fall within some sub specialties including: Pet Respiratory Specialists, Pet Cardiovascular Specialists, Pet Gastrointestinal Specialists, Pet Urogenital Specialists and Animal Oncologists.
Biweekly

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Emergencies happen for humans and pets. Before they happen to you fellow canines, be sure your humans know what type of medical help to seek and where the closest locations are for every type of animal emergency specialist.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Frankie who asked: Why do humans put my image in a flat box all over the house?


Dear Frankie:
I believe the ‘flat box’ you are referring to is a photo frame. My friend Snowball is pretty cute in her frame. (See below.) I think humans need to see our picture around to remind them how lucky they are to have us in their life.



To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

Junk Dog, Junk Food

You do not want to get Jet (my foster mom) riled up about how to treat animals. She thinks animals should receive the same respectful treatment that humans honor with other humans. I bring this up because mom overheard a tweener (not quite a kid, not quite a teen) say their [family] dog Sammy was nothing but junk (he was rescued from a junkyard) and she hated the dog and having to care for him so she liked to just throw junk food in his bowl.

I’m pretty sure I can’t print what Jet said about this twit (more appropriate than tweener) but she did mention the ‘twit’ should probably try surviving in a junkyard on her own for a few months like Sammy had to do.

Now, if you bring up the topic of junk food for dogs, then Jet gets just as riled up. Junk food, in consumed in reasonable amounts and not too often, is just fine for humans but is bad for dogs. My little friend Norman LOVES junk food as you can see by the photo below.

Sharing junk food with your dog is a big no-no. The sugar in the junk food is terrible for our teeth. Humans forget that canine teeth decay just like human teeth. Fat and gristle maybe tasty but fat for us is just as bad as fat for you.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Junk food for humans is okay in moder-ation; junk food for dogs is never a good idea. If you need ideas for special (healthier) food for dogs, think about some of the items I suggested to Banjo (below).

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Banjo who asked: I have a very hungry palette (my word of the day) for unique dog treats and foods. Any suggestions you could make for my humans to buy for me?


Dear Banjo:
Here are the top 10 edible dog gifts courtesy of dogtime.com.

The Older You Get, The Fewer…

Jet, my foster mom, was watching some program and she suddenly wrote something down. I asked her about it. She said the guy in the movie said, “The older you get the fewer things you really love.”

I had to think about that one. After pondering the line several minutes, I decided I agreed with the guy. Jet says the more things she has, the easier or more comfortable life is but having more things hasn’t given her more to love or more to love her.

Do we love fewer things when we’re older or when we get older do we just realize that most things aren’t really worth loving?

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Don’t wait to turn old before you realize what’s really important to love. Dogs know this the first time they sit in the lap of a loving human.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Zoomer who asked: My humans are always talking about all the great colors on our new couch. I just like that we have a new couch. The old one was lumpy. Besides, I can’t see some of the ‘colors’ they keep describing.


Dear Zoomer
You can’t see all the colors because dogs mostly just see hues of yellows, blues and violets where as humans can see these colors plus reds, greens and oranges. On the other hand, dogs have superior night vision for movement than humans. – Great for hunting critters in the night.



To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

The Hurt Locker

There was a big hit movie in 2009 called The Hurt Locker. Jet, my foster mom, says it was a tough movie but really good. It was almost like seeing sepia tone (word of the day) moments from the eyes of a bomb disposal squad some where in the badlands of the Middle East where the war is going on. It’s been said that to make things even more realistic by not letting the actors always know where a bomb might go off so they are more likely to react surprised the same way..

If you haven’t seen the movie, I recommend it. It provides an introspective understanding of what a job does to a soldier as opposed to the job the soldier is assigned to do.



Animals have ‘hurt lockers’ too. We call them puppy mill hot boxes. They are like storage units for dogs. I chose a news clip below about puppy mills because you’ll get the idea of what we deal with in puppy mills without seeing anything too awful. Viewing documentaries about puppy mills is important because it seems to be the only way humans FINALLY get what our job (making more puppies) is doing to us.

Jobs (for humans or dogs) can be good, leaving both inspired and feeling fulfilled. For example: a doctor who saves lives in the ER or a dog who guides blind humans. Jobs can also kill or warp the human and dog spirit. This is what happened to the bomb disposal guy in The Hurt Locker and to the dogs rescued after many years in puppy mills.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… DO NOT support the purchase of ANY animals from a puppy mill, report puppy mills to the authorities, adopt animals rescued from puppy mills and love the ‘hurt locker’ right out of their heart.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Dizzy who asked: My dad and I like to walk at night. We always walk on the sidewalks but should I be doing something like wearing reflective gear?


Dear Dizzy:
I’m glad to hear you and your human are being careful when you walk at night. You might consider getting a light-up collar or highly reflective collar for extra safety. One example of these lighted collars can be found at the link below.

VISITING HOURS

The Goo-Goo Dolls have a great song in the movie City of Angels. This point has nothing to do with my story today but I included it because I like to say Goo Goo Dolls. In the movie, the main angel (played by Nicolas Cage) falls in love with a doctor. He shares a great line when he visits the human doctor he loves in the hospital. She’s tells him to leave the hospital patient floor because visiting hours are over. He responds in a perplexed style (I’m paraphrasing) “Why do humans have visiting hours? Don’t they need visitors to feel loved and get better?”

It’s a good point. Why do humans need vacations to play, special occasions to celebrate, or visiting hours to visit? Dogs will visit with you anytime for no reason. Which is a perfect time to say this: dogs make great healing visitors.

If you know someone stuck in the hospital, in hospice or living in a nursing home, consider bringing them a therapy dog. They are amazing. Proof is in the video below.



So, here’s my lesson of the day… Visit each other for no reason. If you do need a reason, make it therapy (for you and the other human).

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Wishbone who asked: How do I make my humans understand that not all dogs were designed to be outside all the time without protection from the sun? Perhaps you could suggest a sunscreen and they would get the hint.


Dear Parents of Wishbone:
It’s important to protect your dog and your children from too much sun exposure. Most owners shave their dogs in the summer and this area is vulnerable to the sun. Note: Checkout the sunscreen below and the article below for more details.

GOOD DOG SUNSCREEN ARTICLE
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,289694,00.html

WHEN SILENT SIGNALS ARE SMART

Recently Jet (my foster mom) and I discussed the importance of me understanding commands from her by voice and by non-verbal signals. Since I can hear her, why not just tell me what she wants?

A lady at doggybytes.ca/ mentioned some specific reasons why humans should train their dog to understand hand signals.

Why Teach a Dog Hand Signals?
The obvious reason is if you have a deaf dog, but there are other reasons why you might want to teach your dog ASL such as;
• When his/her hearing begins to deteriorate due to age
• Dogs competing for obedience titles are required to know
hand signals
• Command from a distance, when they are unable to hear
you but can still see you
• Command a working dog from a distance

So, here’s my lesson of the day… As Jet says, “Sometimes crap happens” and being able to communicate under any circumstances is important so teach your dog a few fundamental signals.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Arnie who asked: Now that it’s summer, my boy human has more time to do fun things with me. Can you supply us with a list of fun things to do?


Dear Arnie:
The list below is one of my favorites. It has a lot of different dog activities including a few I’ve yet to do myself. Get your human in gear and go have some fun. (List and other ideas from: http://www.dogplay.com/index.html.)

Fun things to do with your dog: Games, Sports and Just Good Fun
• Agility - in, out, over and through this sport is all about working as a team
• Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy - the warm head of a friendly pet can soothe a lonely heart
• Bikejoring - some dogs love to run. Adding the responsibility of teamwork adds to the fun.
• Canicross - dog powered running for those who want to share their running goals with their best friend
• Carting - channel the desire to pull into harness work that lets the dog feel useful and skilled
• Coursing and racing - root instinct drives the joy of running with purpose in coursing and racing
• Day trips and vacations - the dogs need not be left behind, bring them along for even more fun
• Disc Dog or Flying Disc - if there was ever meaning to jump for joy this is it, jumping with achievement
• Dock Jumping or Dock Diving - dogs who excel in this sport are love to show they can do it further and better
• Dog Camps - Activity Sampler - too many choices? take a vacation with your dog and sample a variety
• Dog Parks and Dog Walks: Socialization and Off-leash Play - a joy for the social dog, think tot lot
• Dog Scootering - some dogs love to run. Adding the responsibility of teamwork adds to the fun.
• Earthdog Trials - instinct, drive, and flying dirt - what more could an earthdog want
• Flyball - excitement, speed, and focus, a sport for dogs driven to do it faster
• Flygility - racing and teamwork to build confidence and a sense of belonging
• Games - the most basic of interactions, fun ways of practicing skills of hunting, fetching, working together
• Herding - it's all about the dog's instinct and desire to control and direct movement for the pack leader
• Hiking, Backpacking and Dog Walks - sharing our quiet moments, our contemplations is the essence of being a pack
• Hunt and Field Trials - working as a team is what drives these dogs
• Kids and Dogs - dogs and kids can be a wonderful pairing with a little learning to keep it safe and fun
• Mushing - for dogs who love to pull and people who want to let them
• Musical Freestyle - the ultimate in teamwork is working with rhythm and coordination
• Obedience - precision, focus and a great activity for perfectionist dogs, those who love to get it exactly right
• Performance Art (Tricks) - curiosity and a willingness to try new things makes this fun
• Pet Facilitated Therapy - for the dog who loves attention what better way to get it than visiting people in need
• Precision Drill Teams - the excitement of success, of meeting a challenge and being a part of the team
• Pulling - great for dogs who love to pull, and people who want to let them
• Racing - for the dogs who love not just running but being faster than the next one
• Rally Obedience - more focus on teamwork, less focus on precision, fun and relaxed for human and dog
• Ring Sport - a sport that says "I can be a contributing member of the family" Some dogs thrive on responsibility
• Rollerblade - a fun way for dogs and humans to share exercise and fresh air
• Schutzhund - tracking, obedience, protection, schutzhund is all about what a well rounded dog is all about
• Search and Rescue - for some making a difference is important, that includes dogs, they know it matters
• Skijoring
• Sledding
• Sniffer Dog
• Stock Dog Trials
• Tracking
• Visiting Pets
• Water Work
• Weight Pulling

NURTURING NATURE

Humans are confusing sometimes. They believe themselves to be more superior to any other earthly being or creature and yet show so little regard from one another. Dogs treat each other better than humans treat each other sometimes. In fact, dogs could teach humans a few things about how to treat humans. If you are paying attention, we’re teaching you every day.

For example, the wolf dog in the video below has so much empathy that it howls to quiet a distressed baby.


Zorro, in this video, gently but consistently protects the family baby.


In this video, a dog hears the cry of an abandoned baby in Argentina. She rescues the infant, takes it to her bed where she is nursing pups and keeps her safe until humans are alerted.


Each and every time, these dogs, like most of us canine kind, had the love, compassion, alertness and loyalty to other living beings to step in and protect them. Heck, I remember seeing news clips about one man who was hit by a car and another man who was stabbed when he rescued a woman being attacked for her purse who were both ignored (rather than helped) by other humans.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… You don’t have to be a human to do the right thing or treat people with kindness and compassion but if you are a human, you should be doing these things better and more often than a dog.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Shiloh who asked: Mom hates bringing water for me when we zoom around in the car because the water spills when I drink it unless we stop and put the bowl on the ground. Do you have a solution for my human’s problem?


Dear Shiloh:
What you need is the ‘To Go Bowl’ from helping udders. This handy, collapsible bowl is unique because the bottom fits inside a typical car cup holder.

http://www.helpingudders.com/ToGoBowl.htm


To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

Feeling the ‘Heat’

Watching the tube the other day while Jet (my foster mom) wasn’t around. She doesn’t think a child or an educated dog like me should be viewing too many hours of TV. She also says that more dogs would be educated if they (and their owners) were not so busy viewing the boob tube. (Not sure what boobs have to do with it.)

Getting back to the story…

The television show was about three guys that play basketball and join the Miami Heat team. (Seriously, why would a team call themselves ‘heat’?) When the three guys were announced, there were fireworks, smoke, screaming, yelling, and crowds beyond comprehension – all to celebrate three dudes playing with a ball on a wooden playground – together. I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?

I was thinking about the fourth of July events near our neighborhood which were designed to celebrate something as auspicious (word of the day) as the birth of our nation and still the three dudes got more attention. I could be wrong but maybe humans have their priorities messed up.

That’s another thing I like about being a dog. We celebrate what really seems important: when our humans come home from work, a good treat, a long walk, and a tummy rub. None of these events are huge, cost much or generate publicity yet we celebrate them with consistent verve. I’m curious, what was the last time you, as a human, warmly and enthusiastically greeted the one you love when they came home from work? If it’s been awhile, try it and see what happens. You won’t need to buy fireworks, the human and dog you greet will feel them inside.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Celebrate the little things that really matter. You’ll have more money in your savings account and more love in your heart.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Badger who asked: My pals and I love to play in the pool but we need dog toys designed for us. Any ideas?


Dear Badger:
What you need is unsinkable toys for dogs. Look at some of the ideas below from Helping Udders. Check out the samples and link below.

To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

GONE FISHING

GONE FISHING... ON VACATION.
Back July 19!

IDLE MINDS

Dogs owned by full-time working parents are a lot likely elderly humans with full-time working kids.

Humans grow up (if you’re lucky) and go off to college, to their own home and to a full time job. (Love that parallelism.)

The problem is that eventually (if you’re lucky again) they leave healthy but older, less mobile parents behind. Over time, these old humans get less comfortable running around or old age forces them to use walking sticks or funny chairs with giant wheels on them. The result? They end up left at home for many hours a day all alone with nothing to do but watch TV.

Boy does this sound familiar. Many of my dog pals are left for 8 to 11 hours a day at home with no company and nothing to do. When you’re young idle minds are the devil’s workshop (as Jet, my foster mom likes to say).



When you’re old (a senior citizen human) or seasoned (long-term pet) then being idle all day makes for a miserable pet and a sad human. My recom-mendation: put lonely dogs (left at home all day while their parents work) with lonely senior citizens (left at home all day while their grown children work).

Just watch this video and you’ll understand what a good solution this is for everyone.


So, here’s my lesson of the day… Humans and puppies are supposed to grow up but they are not supposed to be lonely. -It’s doggone inhuman. Match a lonely dog with a lonely senior and watch both their hearts soar, their health improve, and their lives bloom.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Zola who asked: I’m staying over at my human granddads house. It’s great. We have a good time together and it’s much better than staying at home alone all day. Is there something fun we can do together? He loves crossword puzzles.


Hey Zola:
Take your granddad human a word puzzle. I’ve provided one below. It will be fun for both of you to do together.


DOG WORD FINDER

To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

ROAD KILL RATIONALE

Road kill is a bit disgusting to humans. I don’t understand the reason for this since my canine kind find the aroma of road kill as pleasant as humans find the smell of freshly baked bread.

Smells, good or bad, are special for dogs. Humans pick up the faint smell of something where as we inhale an explosion of the same scent. Humans hear what humans almost always miss. – Even when the human is listening. Hmmm.

My dog pals and I were thinking about how much humans miss out on because they use so few of their senses. Jet, my foster mom even likes to say a line she heard one time, “People only hear what they see.” Think about how much you guys rely on your sight, discarding your other facial sensory tools like discard-able Mr. Potato Head parts.

Humans have no sense when they only use one sense. Just look at all the intricacies (word of the day) of the anatomy of a human ear (hearing), nose (smelling), eyes (seeing), tongue (tasting NOT talking) and skin (touching) that are going to waste.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Humans have five senses (not one) using up six spaces on their face (two ears) and yet tend to rely on one of them for enjoyment or learning. Humans, my advice: don’t waste your face.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Froto who asked: My dad was talked to rather gruffly to by a neighbor because of the stuff he was spraying on the lawn while I played in the yard. What’s the big deal?

Hey Froto:
Your dad was probably spraying pesticides that are harmful (even deadly) to most critters. According to the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, of the 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 13 are probable or possible carcinogens, 14 are linked with birth defects, 18 with reproductive effects, 20 with liver or kidney damage, 18 with neurotoxicity, and 28 are sensitizers and/or irritants. Tell your dad that BEFORE you use this stuff, check to make sure it’s safe for canines and critters.



To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

We are not Xeriscape Lawns

Recently Jet (my foster mom) and I took a little trip to a place where all the yards are missing. At least that’s how it seemed to me. Jet says this is a special type of yard or landscape that humans call: xeriscaping (word of the day).

It’s mostly a naked space with sparse, straggly bushes on it that don’t need a lot of water. – Perfect for dry climates or places that have very strict water conservation rules. If you’re not sure what I mean, view the photo below and you’ll get the idea.

I can honestly say that this type of yard is not a great deal of fun for a dog. It’s not fun to smell, to walk on, or to play on… This lawn needs little attention, grooming, nurturing, little/irregular watering and limited fertilizer (food). Sometimes I think humans think dogs are like xeriscape lawns. They bring us home and then give us little time, love, nurturing, limited water and food at inconsistent intervals. We’re dogs, not xeriscape lawns.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Xeriscaping is perfect for humans with lawns that must thrive in dry climates with little water or attention in order to thrive. Dogs, on the other hand, need the nurturing arms of a human, daily feedings, plenty of water, the time and attention of the human heart in order to thrive. The payout? Xeriscapes yield a nice landscape with little effort; dogs yield an incredible abundance of joy and fulfillment with just a little more (consistent) effort. Even a dog knows this is a good deal.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Jake who asked: Can you tell me how old I am? My silly parents only talk about human birthday years. – Means nothing to me.

Hey Jake:
I can see you’re a straight to the point type of guy. Please see dog age chart below to determine your age or as Jet likes to say, you are the age you believe you are…

Age of Dog		"Human" Years
5 months	=	10 years
8 months	=	13 years
10 months	=	14 years
1 year	=	15 years
2 years	=	24 years
3 years	=	28 years
4 years	=	32 years
5 years	=	36 years
6 years	=	40 years
7 years	=	44 years
8 years	=	48 years
9 years	=	52 years
10 years	=	56 years
11 years	=	60 years
12 years	=	64 years
13 years	=	68 years
14 years	=	72 years
15 years	=	76 years
16 years	=	80 years
17 years	=	84 years
18 years	=	88 years
19 years	=	91 years
20 years	=	94 years
21 years	=	97 years
22 years	=	100 years
23 years	=	103 years
24 years	=	106 years

To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

Hollow Trees

I’m cruising down the sidewalk with Jet (my foster mom) in a friend’s neighborhood. It’s packed with trees.

Jet likes to draw trees. Boy dogs like to do their ‘business’ on trees. Me? I like trees because they store squirrels. What a thrill.



It turns out that the squirrels in this area live in ‘hollows’ of trees. I looked up the word and discovered it meant cavity or small shallow valley but it also meant insincere and meaningless. Too many of these hollows mean a tree is either dying or already like the standing dead. Being a deductive thinking dog, it was easy to understand that in the squirrel world, hollow means a shallow hole; in the human world, it’s not so clear to me so I asked Jet about it. She said some humans have shallow holes in them just like trees.

Hmmm.

Based on what I learned, I would describe hollow humans as people that fake their feelings and/or care about others but only in a shallow level. It’s like one of Jet’s FORMER boyfriends. He used to act like he really enjoyed me and the other critters because he thought this would ingratiate (word of the day) himself with Jet. Dogs see right through that stuff and lucky for us Jet did too.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Unless you’re a squirrel a hollow tree is not a good thing; unless you’re a hollow human, another hollow human is not a good thing. My advice, if you see a hollow human, do what I recommend to squirrels when they see me coming and run away like the wind.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Dippit who asked: Jet’s best friends are looking for a new dog. Even if they have a mixed breed they want to know the idiotsinkities of the breeds to pick the best dog for them. Can you help?

Hey Dippit:
I presume the word you are looking for is idiosyncrasies or characteristics of different breeds. I believe the website below will help. The site provides a photo and description in alphabetical order. I believe your humans will enjoy the search this way.

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-breeds/T_landing.aspx

Be sure to give Jet’s frieds a big sloppy kiss for making the commitment to adopt a dog.



To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

Homecomings

As July 4 approached, I couldn’t help but enjoy all the flags that began to pop up all over the neighborhood. I noticed them on my morning walks with Jet (my foster mom). Jet says the flags are a human way of showing love for their country. I hardly ever see them. How come humans only love their country a few days every year? Humans are confusing some times.

Which brings me to my story for today. It’s about the love my fellow canines and I feel when our human comes home after being away for a long time. It’s hard on us when our humans go away. The humans that serve our country – the hang out the flag for them people – go away for a long time. Jet calls them soldiers. They all wear the same fur or human clothing. It’s sort of a grassy-muddy color. Not sure whether to sniff at it or wee on it.

Anywhoooo Dogs don’t understand the absence of soldiers. They are humans, our humans. We love them. They leave in their funny green fur and we begin to grieve for them. It’s the same for a human infant I guess. They are old enough to miss their mom or dad but too young to understand why they are gone for so long.

One of my favorite pastimes is watching a video of a fellow canine when he realizes his soldier-human has come home.



So, here’s my lesson of the day… In the season of America’s independence, it’s important to remember that when our soldiers are away, humans are not the only one’s that feel the pain of absence or the elation of homecomings.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Pringle who asked: Can you help my parents? They are looking for a charity that helps animals (especially dogs like us) but they don’t know how to be sure the charity is loujit. – Not sure about that last word.)

Hey Pringle:
I believe the word you are looking for is legit. It means your humans want to make sure the money they donate is primarily (mostly) going to really help canines and cats rather than other humans pushing paper.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/


To send in your pet's question, photos and videos, click here.

OBLIVIOUS TO THE OBVIOUS

There’s a very special human named Gary Heavin. He and his wife built a giant company called Curves. It’s where women humans go to be a circle that makes them feel better. Anyway, he’s got a phrase he says, “Being oblivious to the obvious.” The phrase seemed appropriate for my blog today.

Jet, my foster mom was sitting in a doctor’s office within a hospital when she heard a scream. She dashed out of the doctor’s office to the elevators where a lady was screaming and people were yelling. A little girl was trapped on an elevator. Jet called 911 and started telling the fire department the location.

The mother and other passersby were helping to keep the elevator doors open. Within seconds, the building security showed up. Next came the building maintenance guys. No one could get the little girl out or secure the doors. In less than a few minutes, there were nurses, doctors, and specialists standing by the elevator to help if necessary. Then the gawkers came up; office workers, other patients. It was crazy. Despite all the people, no one else (except Jet) had called the fire department. How could you be surrounded by emergency specialist people and not think to call the specialists you need? It was like everyone was oblivious to the obvious: only the fire department guys were going to make this problem go away so the first people to contact was the fire department.

Seriously are you kidding?

You just have to wonder what humans are thinking sometimes. Oh… that’s the problem. They are NOT thinking. As a dog, I can tell you this sort of situation seems pretty common with humans. It’s bloody hot outside so if you put a dog outside then give them shade and water. Obvious. So, I ask, why are so many humans so oblivious to this simple fact?

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Humans may have more intellectual horsepower than a dog but that doesn’t always make them smarter than a dog. Proof is a humans ability to be oblivious to the obvious.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Lola who asked: Can you help my dad? He’s trying to pull my ticks out (we just went on a forest hike) and we want to make sure he gets the entire tick (head and all) out of my skin.

Hey Lola:
Tell your humans to talk to the vet first but if that’s not possible, they may want to try The Tick Key. It’s real handy for removing ticks reliably and safely.

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SILENT TEACHERS

As a dog unimportant things like TV, video games, or branding a business do not distract me. This gives me more time to notice life’s REAL important things that most humans never see. In particular, I love spying the silent teachers that only God in heaven seems to recognize. These ‘teachers’ remind me of the tooth fairy. They stealthily sneak under a pillow and do their good deed (leave money for a kid who loses a tooth) and vanish. No one sees the good they do.

Let me tell you about some of the silent teachers I notice.

When Jet (my foster mom) is at work, she often leaves the window open in the guest bedroom so I can sit on the bed and watch what goes on outside. One day we had a B-I-G storm and the trashcan that belonged to the humans across the street was blown down. It’s contents spilled all over the street. One of the white-haired humans from three doors down (Jet calls them seniors) was taking her morning walk and saw the mess. She turned back home and came back with gloves on and picked up all the trash. I’m the only one that knows what she did.

Jet and I were on our way to the doggie park EARLY one morning when it was still not quite light. Jet pulled over to get some coffee. I stuck my head out of the window and enjoyed the cold morning breeze while Jet was inside. A car driving by stopped in the middle of the road just beyond the coffee joint. A strange, large looking critter – an opossum - sat in the lane in front of the car lights. The driver leaped out of her car and tried to scare the opossum out of the street which is when she realized the critter had been hit. He looked perfectly normal on the outside but he was really broken on the inside. The lady went back to her car, took a bunch of bags off the dry cleaning in her back seat and made a sling to pick up the opossum without touching him. She placed him gently in the backseat and drove to an animal emergency center (open 24/7) on the corner down the street where she took him inside. No one knows but me.

A man down the street had knee surgery. He has a tough problem getting around and no one to help him. He told my mom that he was worried about losing all the hummingbirds he loves to feed because he can’t reach the feeders with his bad knee. Jet looked up to find them all full and asked how he solved the problem. He said ‘he’ didn’t. Every three days he wakes up and their full again. It’s Jake, the shy man who lives around the corner. He fills the hummingbird feeders about 5:00 in the morning when Jet and I walk. No one knows but me.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… TVs, video games and computers that spat noise at humans all day don’t teach you nearly as much as these silent teachers that don’t say anything at all. And the lessons I learn from them (kindness, unselfishness, compassion) are the most important lessons for all of us.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Sherman who asked: Why is it that humans get a pillow but dogs don’t? It just doesn’t seem fair.

Hey Sherman:
Dogs do have pillows. – Better yet, they’re in the shape of a bone. See examples below. Your humans will LOVE the pillows too because they are very designer-like but made just for canines just like you. Enjoy!

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