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Can The Bulldog Be Saved? is a thought-provoking article about the future and fate of the bulldog as a breed. There are also other breeds that are in a similar state. I think that there are a number of breeds that have been bred beyond the point where they can be healthy (either in the sense of physical health, or the sense of behavioural health, or both). By our design, we have created dogs that have trouble breathing, overheat too easily, have hereditary diseases, and can’t mate or give birth, among other problems. And temperamentally, there are many breeds that are known to be genetically fearful. I hope that the bulldog, and the other dog breeds that we have designed into disaster, can be saved.
From the BCSPCA.
Some tips to protect animals over the Halloween Season
While Halloween is fun for trick or treaters, it can be a scary and dangerous time for pets and farm animals. “Loud noises can cause
animals to panic putting both pets and children in danger,” says Lorie Chortyk, Director of Community Relations for the BC SPCA. Farm animals are at risk too. Dogs or cats could dart into traffic or jump through windows, while frightened farm animals could run into barbed-wire fences or other obstructions. Dogs can also act out of character at the sight of strangers in costumes coming to your door.
Keep Your Pet Inside
Prevent your pets from escaping or confronting trick or treaters by keeping them in a quiet room. You may consider disabling your doorbell for the night if your dog is the type that gets excited whenever it rings. Now is also a good time to make sure your pet has identification – a tag and a tattoo or microchip – in case your pet gets lost. Cats need identification too — indoor cats too — in case they bolt from fright.
Don’t Feed Candy and Chocolate to Pets
“Any sudden diet change will cause stomach upset in your animal,” says Dr. Jamie Lawson, BC SPCA Director of Animal Health. “Feeding animals candy can lead to health problems such as diabetes or obesity,” says Lawson, “and chocolate is especially dangerous because it naturally contains theobromine, an ingredient which is toxic to cats and dogs.”
Loud Bangs Panic Some Animals
Because exploding fireworks can affect pets in varying degrees be sure to spend time consoling your pets whenever there are loud noises. Some dogs will howl, while others might cower and whine. “I’ve seen cases where a dog has bolted in fear right through a screen door. The dog was gone for days just because of a loud bang,” says Dr. Dave Sedgman, veterinarian with Thompson Rivers University, in Kamloops. “In extreme cases animals will try to dig into a hardwood floor or even jump through a plate glass window in fear.”
On Halloween night, leave your dog at home while trick or treating; bring dogs and cats indoors; and set off legal fireworks in areas away from pets and farm animals. By thinking about the animals, Halloween will be a safer and stress-free occasion, as well as fun for kids.
1. Follow the yellow brick road.
2. A good book (or three) is something I always take with me on vacation.
3. To achieve your goals, you must do things that are difficult.
4. I love to sing, even though I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, is something I’d like you to know about me.
5. I have a very old (28 years) Volvo sedan.
6. Ivory soap floats.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finding out how The Roomie’s brother is faring (he was taken to the hospital yesterday), tomorrow my plans include checking out what the new dog park is like on the weekend and Sunday, I want to make something delicious for dinner!
Check out Janet’s great site here!
Pick out the most important item you have in your purse/wallet and tell me why it’s important to you. This might sound funny, but it’s my chapstick. I am prone to cold sores if my lips get too dry or if they are not protected from the sun. And I get anxious if I don’t have any lip balm, chapstick, etc. with me!
What would you take from your house if you knew it would be flooded tomorrow? Obviously, my dog. Assuming that’s understood, I would probably take my laptop, my meds, my teddy bear, and my journal.
If you were stuck in a room for an hour with a chalk board, what would you draw on it? I probably wouldn’t draw on it at all. I’d probably pick a long word, maybe something like “postmodernism” or “antidisestablishmentarianism”, and see how many smaller words I could make up out of the letters. (Cough, geek! cough cough)
Check out Fleur de Lisa’s Manic Monday site!
The other post, I mentioned that I live with Min Pins, or Miniature Pinschers. I have had a special request for Min Pin pictures, so this post is all about that. If you’re not into cute dog pictures, come back tomorrow.
Roomie has two Min Pins, named Lexi and Khavana (I can’t remember how old they are; I think Lexi just turned 4 or 5, and Khavana is a couple of years (?) older). This is Lexi:
She is a natural born poser. She is also the first Min Pin I ever met. I will complain about the Pins (sometimes a lot), but I really do love them. For those of you who don’t know, Min Pins are the most mischievous, manipulative, destructive, and sly creatures imaginable. They like to steal whatever it is they are not supposed to have. They truly are masters of manipulation. They can destroy a toy (or shoe, or pair of underwear) in microseconds. Lexi, in particular, is very clever and very sly. She also will eat anything, no matter if it is edible or not. And Khavana is stealth personified; she likes to sneak into my bedroom and steal Dannan’s bones. Seriously, no one ever notices until she’s all of a sudden burying it in the toy box.
Ahem, got off track a little there. This is Khavana:
She’s not fond of new people. Seriously, I dated Dwarf (his nickname, he’s totally in love with it, I’m not doing some offensive name-calling here) for a year and a half, and Khav still shook when he was around when we broke up. And Dwarf’s a good guy, so it’s not some sort of animal-sensing thing.
I have no idea what is under the couch, but they both like to go under there. I shudder to think what they’ve collected.
Khav also likes to make strange, un-doglike noises. She is trying to tell us something; we just don’t know what the hell it is.
A couple more pics of Khavana:
Khavana loves to wrap herself up in blankets, sweaters, towels… anything really that is left on the couch. (And don’t ask why towels get left on our couch!)
Lexi’s turn. The two of them sniff each other’s butts every chance they get. What can I say, it’s a dog thing.
Lexi always finds the sunbeam to lie in. She is always freezing, and in winter can be found lying on a heating vent.
She also loves to be outside, and she’s got a crazy run she likes to do. Of course, when she’s being called to come in, she moves as slow as molasses in winter.
And this is what she does 99.99999999 percent of the time: nose to the ground, searching for bugs, worms, ???
She never notices birds or squirrels in the yard, because she’s always too busy snuffling the ground.
She did hear something here that caught her interest. Probably somebody walking on HER road.
Her great escape, as a pup. Min Pins are very agile, very talented escape artists.
And one more diva pic for the road.
I haven’t posted any pics of them playing, but trust me, they do love to play!
And just because I can’t do a whole dog post without a picture of my boy, Dannan:
He is not a Min Pin. (We’re really not sure what he is; some kind of hound/spaniel mix, I think.) Dannan thinks he’s just one of the gang, though, and tries to do things that the girls do, like perching on the back of our couch.
If you’re interested in seeing more about our dogs, Dannan has a blog. Of course, it’s mostly about him, but from time to time, the Pins do make an appearance.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that although the Pins make me certifiable, they are also hilarious, little squirmy sweethearts who love to cuddle. And I love them.
Back to non-dog stuff tomorrow!
The Muse Asylum 