Category: Culture

Wanderings!

A Victorian Dog Story

Here’s a very delightful guest post coming up. But first to my introduction.

Speke’s Monument, Kensington Gardens

 

Whatever one feels about London, the city of my birth (Acton; North-West London, to be more precise), there’s no denying that it has some glorious parks.

One of those wonderful parks is Kensington Gardens that is located not that far from the Royal Albert Hall. Or as Wikipedia puts it:

Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are one of the Royal Parks of London, lying immediately to the west of Hyde Park.

So keep that image in your mind as we turn to today’s guest post.

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A Victorian Dog Story

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If you are ever in the UK, wander through Kensington Gardens (past the palace where Princess Diana resided) and go Northeast, behind Victoria Lodge; you will find a pet cemetery. Mentioned by Peter Pan author, J.M. Barrie, in his work The Little White Bird, over 200 dogs, cats and birds have been laid to rest here. All of its inhabitants were once beloved pets.
The cemetery was started by the lodge keeper around 1881; the first dog to be buried in Kensington was her “Cherry”, a Maltese terrier who died of old age. The second dog was “Prince”, once belonging to the Duke of Cambridge (no relation to the present Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton!). Struck by a carriage, this dog’s simple gravestone reads: “Poor Prince.” Though the cemetery is no longer active, contemporary guests can take pictures of the tiny tombstones and read such sentiments as “Maudie, An Old Friend”, “Darling Dolly My Sunbeam, My Consolation”; and “In Loving Memory of Our Faithful Little Friend Wobbles.”
Keeping dogs as pets gained popularity in the 19th century. As sanitation conditions started to be regulated, animals such as pigs, cows and sheep were banned from the streets. So dogs that were once kept outside were now invited by the fire. The dog changed from being a worker to being a member of the family. In 1837 there were about 140 dog nappers; they stole lap dogs from the wealthy and charged hefty ransoms for their return. A Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs opened in 1860; ultimately this became The Battersea Dogs Home, where strays could be adopted. For more information on the Victorian cult of the dog, I would recommend At Home and Astray by Philip Howell. Meanwhile, if you are searching for a name for your new pet puppy, you might want to consider Dandie, Dash or Eos, pronounced ee-oohs–if they were good enough for Queen Victoria’s pooches, they may be good enough for yours!
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Let me close with the words of the author: Annabelle Troy
An American who loves UK culture, I alternate my time between New York City and London. I’m the author of four books available on Amazon: Jane Eyre Gets Real, A Cure for Cecily, The Grace of the Hunchback, and Hansel and Gretel Inside the House of Candy.  Inspiration comes to me through literature, history and magic.
Here’s the cover of that first-named book.
511hedjbc8lI don’t know about Jane Eyre but Annabelle Troy comes over as real enough!

Picture Parade One Hundred and Sixty-Nine

The final set of these wonderful law and order pictures.

(Set One is here and Set Two here.)

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cop14That is, indeed, the end of the shift of these three week’s worth of pictures. Thank you, Dan!

The power of a good massage.

This was a day when a massage would have been perfect treatment!

On Wednesday afternoon Jean and I hooked a big flatbed trailer, borrowed from a neighbour, to our pickup truck and went into town to collect a new sectional settee that we had recently purchased at a furniture sale.

Yesterday, Michael who comes in to help us on a regular basis turned up at 8:30 and we all set to. First up was to dismantle an old sectional in our den that had seen much better days and then carry that out to the front.

Next we moved a settee from our living-room to the den.

Last up was to unpack all three units that comprised the new sectional. Oh, nearly forgot! Then the old sectional from the den was loaded on to the trailer and taken to the tip!

By the end of the day this Brit, who will be 72 in a couple of weeks time, was feeling the odd aching muscle or two!

All of which is my introduction to this:

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Watching animals get massages is the most relaxing thing ever — for people

Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy a soothing rubdown.

Starre Vartan

October 15, 2016
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Most animals can benefit from massage, but whether it’s theraputic or not, they sure enjoy it, just like we do. (Photo: Serjey Saraschenko/Shutterstock)

I get massages whenever I’m able, and it’s my answer to the fun party question: “What would you do with a million dollars?” Well, first I’d pay off my grad school loans, but second on the list would definitely be weekly massage. Every time I get one, I end up walking on air; for me it’s like doing a yoga class without the effort.

But watching massage can be relaxing too — not watching people (that’s icky), but animals. I’m not the only one: My Facebook feed is littered with people posting and reposting cute furry animals both wild and domesticated getting backs kneaded and shoulders rubbed. My favorites are below, so if you need a moment of chill, check out a couple of these and relax.

This corgi’s face massage is a joy to watch, and it’s funny too — check out his reclining position which is more guy-napping-on-a-pool-float than canine.

This sweet gray kitten getting an ever-so-gentle facial massage in the sunshine starts out asleep and seems to get more relaxed as you watch. Is that even possible?

Guinea pigs are known for being snuggly creatures, but also nervous ones. Watching this one slowly relax does the same thing for me.

If you get sucked into this video like I did, you’ll be rewarded with a soft-as-marshmallow white bunny, which follows the gray bunny. Spoiler alert: Both get lots of love.

The relaxation and happiness of this pregnant cow getting a solid rubdown is crystal clear even though the video quality is low.

Aside from dogs, horses are probably the domesticated animal that gets the most serious massage attention, since many of them are performers and athletes, either in the dressage ring or on a racecourse. So there are lots of instructional videos about horse massage, but I think Jess, a trained horse massage therapist, shows it best.

There are a lot of animals that give themselves massages, especially otters. This one is clearly an expert — after a solid minute of scalp massage, she has a nap!

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Well I have to say that receiving a massage directly would have been a tad better than watching these animals get their massages, but it was way, way better than nothing!

English as she is spoken!

Difficult to avoid the irony!

(Of an Englishman helping Americans to ‘Ramp Up Their English’! 😉

Good followers of this place will recall that in March I published a ‘thank-you’ piece showing my appreciation for Rogue Valley TV and John Letz.  Here’s how I opened that post:

Huge thank you to Producer John Letz and the whole crew.

A week ago last Saturday Jean and I travelled down to Ashland and to the studios of Rogue Valley Community Television (RVTV). This is how RVTV describe themselves:

Based at the Southern Oregon Digital Media Center, RVTV provides access television and streaming media services for the citizens and local governments of Jackson and Josephine Counties. Please visit rvtv.sou.edu for more information.

John Letz, the Producer for Adventures in Education and Ramping Up your English, had read my book and thought it might make a good programme.

Anyway, leaving the irony to one side, John recently sent me a link to the 30-minute episode that is included below.

To be honest if you are comfortable with your English then I strongly recommend that you skip this video unless you can’t live another minute without peeking into the Handover household and our dogs.

Mind you, even if you want to skip the video I can’t let you get away entirely Scot free. For at the 3:30 minute mark in the video John sets out the definition of pet:

PET: A dependent animal with a close emotional connection to the pet-owner.

I wonder if John had this in mind (photos taken yesterday morning in our bedroom):

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p1160547Please give all your dogs out there a big hug! Now! 🙂

It is never boring with our wonderful dogs.

Settle down and enjoy this ten-minute video.

Huge thanks to Suzann.

Because Jean and I were out from 9am through to well after 2pm and I had a string of things to do including writing today’s post.

But there in my email inbox was a greeting from Su and a link to the following:

Enjoy! (Guaranteed that you will; by the way!)

Give your dogs a wonderful hug from us here in Oregon!

Taking a holiday with your loved one!

(That’s your loved pet in case you wondered where I was coming from 😉 )

I have only ever flown once with a pet. That was back in 2008 when I flew one-way from London to Los Angeles on a British Airways flight when coming to live with Jeannie. Yes, I was alone in the cabin but I was not alone in the aircraft. For in a special part of the hold devoted to carrying animals rode Pharaoh.

I will never forget that day when I had to travel to the unit at London Heathrow Airport where dogs, and other pets, were dropped off about an hour before I was due to check-in to the same flight.

For this reason.

Every other time that Pharaoh had been left by me at the kennels when I was going away on business, or some other journey, Pharaoh had always barked in sadness at being left. I always got back in my car feeling a traitor for having something to go to that didn’t involve dogs.

So in this instance I was fully expecting Pharaoh to really sound out how unhappy he was at being left. For it was a very unfamiliar place on an unfamiliar airfield and he was being ‘processed’ in a manner that he had never experienced before.

So the time came that the attendant had Pharaoh in the flight cage and I had to turn my back and walk out of the area where some thirty minutes before Pharaoh and I had entered. I was expecting terrible sad howls. But not a single sound came from Pharaoh. To this day I like to think that he knew that he and I were on our way to the greatest and most wonderful life-changing event of our whole lives. Going to live with Jeannie and all her animals!

OK! Got that off my chest!

I love guest posts for all sorts of reasons but most importantly of all because you dear readers also like guest posts.

I was approached by Brenda Leary with her offer of writing a guest post for Learning from Dogs. She gave me a choice from a number of essay titles and, as you might expect from my introduction, I chose an article from Brenda about flying with your pet.

Enjoy!

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Tips to Flying With your Dog

Or

Flying With Your Pet Made Easier

Jetting out for a well-deserved vacation? If you plan to go with your furry friend, we have great news for you. While traveling with pets may evoke tension and constant hair pulling, find out how to travel with a dog on a plane with these excellent tips.

Select the airline

Not all airlines allow their passengers to travel with their pets. The first step is identifying pet-friendly airlines and their pet limit. Once you get an affirmative answer, make the reservations immediately before you lose the seat.

Obviously, you cannot have your dog sit a few rows behind or in front of you; make sure to book two seats adjacent to each other. Depending on the airlines you choose, you could fork up to $100 for a one-way trip.

Compare different rates from various carriers and select the most affordable one. Alternatively, leave your pet with a sitter or a family member while you vacation.

Health checks

Similar to humans, pets need a full medical check- up before boarding a flight. Make an appointment with your veterinarian at least ten days before the trip. Have your dog vaccinated and give him any extra shots that he needs.

Obtain a health certificate and be sure to bring it to the check-in counter. Your vet will suggest packing a first aid kit with gauze and pet medications in case of emergencies. If you are traveling overseas, investigate the health care requirements of your destination.

Buy a dog carrier

When traveling with your pet, you need to keep him as comfortable as you possibly can to calm his nerves long enough until you land. Find a carrier that is spacious enough, so your dog or cat has some wiggle room to stretch during the flight.

The recommended size of a pet carrier is sixteen to nineteen inches long, and ten inches tall. Test out your carrier days before the trip and observe how your puppy behaves when he is locked in. If he shows signs of anxiety, try a different carrier until you find one that pleases him. If your dog weighs more than fifteen pounds, the airline will advise that he travels in a hard-sided kennel in the plane’s stowaway.

Pack wisely

When traveling with your kids or alone, packing is a crucial step that can make all the difference between a smooth or long flight. Similarly, pets behave like children and we gladly oblige and treat them as so.

Bring your pet’s favorite toys to keep him entertained (read: distracted), during the flight. You cannot underestimate the power of a dog bone on a trans-Atlantic flight! Airlines do not provide in-flight menus for pets. Pack enough food and water to last the duration of the trip.

Remember, traveling with your puppy counts as a carry on which leaves you with one carry on. Put your creatures of comfort in your bag and utilize the space on the pet carrier such as side pockets.

Arrive early

If you are traveling alone, you can expedite the check-in process by using mobile boarding passes. This convenience is not possible when traveling with your furry animal.

Traveling with your pet means additional time spent at the security desk while checking in. Pets do not go through x-ray machines; you will need to carry the dog through the metal detector and have the dog cage inspected separately.

To avoid last minute rush and a near-miss of your flight, arrive the airport earlier by at least one hour so you can comfortably go through these procedures without frowning.

Leash your dog
As we mentioned earlier, pets do not go through x-ray scans so you will have to remove him from the carrier for a separate inspection through the metal detector. If your pet is already showing signs of anxiety, they may attempt to make a run for it upon release from the cage.  Make sure to have a leash on their collar to prevent this from happening. Besides being a total nuisance to other travelers, running after a pet across the airport is hardly something you wish to do. Tag the leash and carrier with your dog’s name on it and your contact details. You can also insert a microchip in your puppy days leading up to the journey. When traveling with your dog, planning ahead gives you ample time to research on how to travel with a dog on a plane. Make a list of luggage items for your pet and other travel companions and counter-check before leaving the house. Buckle down and enjoy a smooth flight.

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I asked Brenda to let us know a little about herself. This is what she said:

brenda-learyI’m Brenda Leary. I have a passion for dogs. My ambition is to found a community for dogaholics that everyone could share useful knowledge about dogs.
I’m here to break down all the complex dog’s tips/advices and try my best to give you the stuff that is actually useful and works!
Follow my steps at Cuddle Your Dogs to discover dogs’ daily routines, tips and advices on caring for a dog/puppy and many, many things about this wonderful world.

Picture parade one hundred and Sixty-Eight

More faces of law and order!

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cop10Many thanks to Dan for sharing these (the first set is here) and there will be more in a week’s time.

As the saying goes:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Picture credit Don Kinzler's blog on Growing Together
Picture credit Don Kinzler’s blog on Growing Together

Read this very interesting item that was published on the Care2 site:

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10 Surprising Ways Apples Are Good for Your Health

A Care2 favorite by Michelle Schoffro Cook

About Michelle Follow Michelle at @mschoffrocook

Martin Luther once said, “even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”  New research gives more reasons than ever to plant apple trees and enjoy their delicious and nutritious fruit.  Here are ten surprising reasons to sink your teeth into an apple today:

1. Research found that when healthy adults consumed an apple fifteen minutes before eating a meal, they ate 15 percent less at the meal.  This simple habit can result in weight loss for anyone looking for an easy and healthy way to lose weight.

2. In other studies, apples have been shown to significantly alter the amounts of the bacteria Clostridiales and Bacteroides in the large intestine, conferring gastrointestinal health benefits.

3. Thanks to their phytonutrient content, apples have been show to lower the risk of asthma and lung cancer in numerous studies.

4. In a study funded by the USDA, postmenopausal women who ate dried apples daily experienced a 23 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol (the one known as “bad cholesterol”) and a 4% increase in HDL cholesterol (“the good cholesterol”) within six months.

5. In a British study published in BMJ, researchers found that eating an apple a day was as effective as statin drugs to lower cholesterol levels, without the harmful side-effects.  They also found that if 70% of the British population simply ate an apple on a daily basis, 8500 lives would be spared every year from heart attacks or strokes.

6. Researchers at Tufts University found that catechin polyphenols found in apples speed abdominal fat loss by 77 percent and double weight loss in overweight individuals.  Catechins also improve the body’s ability to use insulin, thereby preventing wild blood sugar fluctuations that effect energy, mood, and cravings.

7. Apples contain flavonoids (including catechin polyphenols and quercetin), which have been shown to interfere with the development of cancer cells and preventing their ability to multiply.

8. Research in the journal Nutrition Reviews found that a diet that’s too low in magnesium increases the risk of cancer.  Apples are a good source of magnesium.

9. According to research in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules scientists found that apple oligosaccharides showed an ability to inhibit human colon cancer cells.  Oligosaccharides are complex carbohydrates.  The apple compound induced a process known as apoptosis, which is the body’s mechanism to kill damaged or cancerous cells. They also found that the apple oligosaccharide stopped the growth of new cancer cells. They concluded: “Apple oligosaccharide is a potential chemoprevention agent or anti-tumor agent and is worthy of further study.”

10. Apples contain a natural compound known as malic acid, which helps improve energy production in the body. It has been found to aid fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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 Amazing what one reads and learns on ‘the internet’ these days. If it wasn’t such crap weather just now I would go outside and take a photograph of our three delicious apple trees! Trust me, Jean and I and the deer love to eat them!

Can’t resist adding …

…. that when it’s wet and miserable …

p1160526and the dogs don’t want to go out to play …

p1160527… not even go out on the rear deck …

p1160520…. curling up on the settee keeping Dad company seems like the only sensible course of action!

(These photographs were taken just ten minutes ago, Brandy to my right and Cleo to my left – the rain gauge now reading 0.27 in at 11:00 PDT. With the 1 in mark being passed at 15:45 PDT!)

Our smaller ones!

Are smaller dogs more difficult to care for?

Of the nine dogs that we have here at home two would be classified as small dogs: Sweeny and Pedy.

To my mind they are no more different from the other dogs than are our two German Shepherds; Pharaoh and Cleo.

But that still didn’t stop me from noting a recent article over on the Care2 site under the heading of Everyday Issues for People With Small Dog Breeds. Here it is for you good people.

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Everyday Issues for People With Small Dog Breeds

1391153-largeBy: Vetstreet.com October 10, 2016

About Vetstreet.com

I never thought of myself as a small-dog person. When I was growing up, I much preferred my dad’s German Shepherds to my stepmom’s Toy Poodles. The first dog I acquired as an adult was a retired racing Greyhound. But although Greyhounds are wonderful apartment and condo dogs, we have stairs, and it became difficult to get Savanna up and down them after she lost a leg to bone cancer.

The next dog, we decided, would be smaller. That’s how we ended up with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (and one Chihuahua mix). But although they are more portable, small dogs come with their own set of issues. If you are considering acquiring a small-breed dog because you think one will be easier to live with, here’s what you should know.

It Ain’t Easy Being Small

Small dogs are, well, small. It’s easy to step on them, no matter how careful you try to be. It’s not so bad with the larger Toy breeds such as Pugs and Cavaliers — at least, not once they reach adult size — but smaller dogs such as Chihuahuas, Papillons and Yorkies run the risk of getting stepped on or kicked not just by the humans in the home but also by other pets. We frequently joke about attaching a balloon on a long string to the collar of our Chihuahua mix so we’ll be more likely to notice where she is.

Other pets may bully them. Lots of small dogs rule the roost, but when they have a gentle personality, their size can work against them. Esmeralda, a Papillon, was stalked by her owner’s much larger cat, who seemed to view the small, fluffy dog as a toy at best, potential dinner at worst. It was a painful dilemma for the owner, who finally ended up placing her cat in a new home to save her dog’s life.

Little dogs can hurt themselves jumping on and off furniture. It’s an especially common problem with breeds such as Italian Greyhounds, who have long, thin legs, or Japanese Chin, who often enjoy being on high places such as the back of the sofa. This is more common in young dogs, who are not only still growing but also tend to be fearless, but any small dog can suffer a broken bone if he lands the wrong way jumping off the furniture, is stepped on by an errant guest or is dropped to the floor by a child.

For this reason, it is often necessary to buy steps so small dogs can get off furniture safely and easily (getting up on their own can be an issue, too). It’s better to teach them this habit at an early age than to risk a broken bone.

Tiny dogs often think they’re bigger than they actually are. In their head, they’re just as big and badass as that Rottweiler down the street. It’s not uncommon to see a Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua or Miniature Pinscher take his life in his hands by challenging a bigger dog. Owners must always be prepared to keep their small dogs out of harm’s way — especially when their dogs try to bring it on themselves.

Too Cute To Train?

Little dogs can be just as smart as big ones — sometimes more so. But people often don’t make the effort to train them. That’s a shame, because small dogs are just as much in need of manners as large ones.

There are a couple of issues with training small dogs. One is that they’re so low to the ground it can be difficult to get their attention or to reach down and reward them with treats.

Another is that some can be slow to learn house training. But it doesn’t have to be that way. As with any other dog, perseverance and consistency win the day.

By Kim Campbell Thornton | Vetstreet.com

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I’m not completely sure whether I totally agree with everything that Kim writes about: what do you think?

So far as me and Jean are concerned our Sweeny and Pedy are adorable and at this time of the year are most welcome as all-night sleepers on our bed!

Pedy in front of Sweeny. Picture taken yesterday afternoon.
Pedy in front of Sweeny. Picture taken yesterday afternoon.