Category: Health

Obsessed with food!

Doodle is not the only one we can think of!

Here at home our latest dog, Sheena, is rather obsessed with food. Actually not only Sheena but also Pedi.

But here’s another example of a dog who is led by their tummy! Once again, taken from The Dodo.

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Woman Can’t Find Her Dog Anywhere — Until She Checks The Food Container

“I knew that crunching sound was her but I didn’t know where it was initially coming from.”

By Caitlin Jill Anders>
Published on 11/12/2020

Doodle is a super happy, loving tripod dog who is absolutely obsessed with food. Her family has to keep an eye on her when she’s around food, because she’s always on a mission to try and steal it.

One day, Doodle’s mom was doing laundry when she suddenly realized that she had no idea where Doodle was.

“I first noticed she was missing after I didn’t see her next to me which she’s normally pretty close to me when I’m home,” Brandy Stenzel, Doodle’s mom, told The Dodo.

For the next half hour, Stenzel searched everywhere for Doodle. She ran all around the house, searching from top to bottom, and even checked outside to see if she’d somehow escaped. She was at a loss and starting to panic — when suddenly, she heard a crunching sound.

“I knew that crunching sound was her but I didn’t know where it was initially coming from,” Stenzel said.

Finally, the crunching sound led her to the food bin, and there was Doodle. She had somehow squeezed herself inside and was very happily eating to her heart’s content.

The lid had shut behind her, and while Doodle could have easily pushed it off and hopped out again, she was enjoying herself way too much. If her mom hadn’t found her, she may have never stopped eating.

“The food bin was hinged on one side so she easily could have hopped right out if she wanted to, but she’s a pork chop so she didn’t want to,” Stenzel said.

As soon as Doodle saw her mom, she knew she was in trouble, but of course, it was still worth it.

“She knew she got caught so when that happens she puts her ears back and it makes her look like Dobby the house elf of ‘Harry Potter,’” Stenzel said.

To avoid losing Doodle in the food bin again, her family got one that locks, much to her dismay. Whenever someone forgets to lock it, she’ll try to hop in and repeat her great food bin feast, but her mom is now always close by to stop her.

Doodle loves food, and she’ll never stop trying to steal it, no matter what.

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Yes, that’s a duplication of our Sheena.

Here’s a photograph of Sheena looking very serene and relaxed.

Sheena is the most friendly of dogs and while we are uncertain of her age that is of no consequence.

On your bike!

Some videos of Alex, my son, and others taking a bike tour.

Now I would be the first to admit that the following videos will not be to everyone’s taste.

But there is a strong link to my son and his bike riding, and to my own bike riding. For over 5 years ago Alex persuaded me to get a better cycle than I already had. I chose the Specialized Sirrus and have been delighted with it ever since. I purchased it from the local Don’s Bike Center. There is a photograph of the bike below.

To be honest, riding the bike more or less every other day has been crucial in me staying as fit and healthy as I am.

On to the videos.

I was speaking to Alex recently and he was talking about the tour of the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England that he and friends took. That was Alex and Darren and Claire and their 14-year-old son Tom.

He mentioned the YouTube videos that had been taken and I asked Alex to forward them to me.

I reckoned that a few of you would be interested!

They are a total of 26 minutes spread across the 4 videos

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Enjoy!

Finally, Alex and I still stay connected with our riding courtesy of Strava.

This uses a small GPS, in my case a Garmin EDGE 20, to upload and show the route to the Strava dashboard. We each give each other what is known as Kudos for our respective rides.

The following is my afternoon ride of a little under 13 miles around the local roads, grabbed when the rain ceased for a while. It shows me taking our driveway, a quarter-mile long, to Hugo Rd; about 10 o’clock in the diagram below. I then turned left and two miles later turned right into Three Pines Rd. then a further right into Russell Rd. and down to Pleasant Valley Rd. and back home with a small diversion along Robertson Bridge Rd. and Azalea Dr. and to the bottom of Hugo Rd. Precisely 3 miles up Hugo Rd. and back to our driveway.

That will be shared automatically with Alex when he wakes in the morning.

And this below was Alex’s recent ride; all 83.78 miles!

Technology, eh!

Dog food alert!

Yet another one.

This came in yesterday afternoon, Pacific time, and it is shared with you all.

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Albright’s Raw Dog Food Recall

November 13, 2020 — Albright’s Raw Dog Food of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is voluntarily recalling 67 cases of Chicken Recipe for Dogs because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.

What’s Being Recalled?

The product is labeled Albright’s Raw Dog Food Chicken Recipe for Dogs and is packaged in 2-pound chubs/rolls (see image above).

Each chub/roll is printed with:

Lot number C000185
Best By 19 May 2021

Product was sold frozen, and was distributed from the company to distributors from 7/8/20 to 8/27/20.

One animal illness has been reported. No human illnesses have been reported to date.

Where Was It Sold?

Albright’s Raw Dog Food Chicken Recipe for Dogs was distributed in CA, FL, IL, IN, NH, NJ, NV, NY, PA, and TN.

The affected product was also distributed through retail stores, mail order, and direct delivery.

What Caused the Recall?

The problem bacteria was revealed after testing conducted by the FDA.

The problem was confined to this batch and the company has ceased the distribution of the batch as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

About Salmonella in Humans

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms.

Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

About Salmonella in Pets

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.

Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans.

If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

What to Do?

Due to the frozen condition of the product, it is possible that retailers and end users may still have the product in their freezers.

Consumers who have purchased Albright’s Raw Dog Food Chicken Recipe for Dogs are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 260-422-9440 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM ET.

U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

Or go to the FDA’s “Report a Pet Food Complaint” page.

Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.

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Once again, please share this as far and wide as you can.

Picture Parade Three Hundred and Sixty-Three

Still sharing more photographs of dogs!

The next wonderful batch of free photographs of dogs.

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They continue to be so beautiful.

That last one, for example, is truly a work of art!

Dogs are smart!

Yet another tale of smartness!

We have to be so careful here at home when we are speaking of anything to do with the dogs. For they listen even when they don’t appear to be so doing.

So, for example, me saying: “Jeannie, shall we let the dogs out?” is a no-no because almost before the sentence is finished they are up on their feet and crowding towards the front door. And there are plenty of other examples.

That requires speaking in code or sign language in an attempt to communicate something without the dogs cottoning on to what we are speaking about.

All of which is my introduction to yet another story from The Dodo to be shared with you.

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Dog Fakes A Limp Every Time He Sees Stairs

“He is a great actor!”

By Caitlin Jill Anders
Published on 11/11/2020

Titan was adopted by his family from Furry Friends Animal Refuge in Iowa at the end of August. His parents have had so much fun getting to know him over the past few months, and have learned that he’s pretty much the friendliest and most stubborn dog they’ve ever met.

“He has to say hello to EVERYONE when we go out,” Natalie Bretey, Titan’s mom, told The Dodo. “Everyone is his friend. While he does love being a big, friendly baby, he is also severely stubborn. He will frequently halt on walks until we go the way he has decided, or to stop and watch cars and people go by. We knew he was loving and friendly, but we had no clue how stubborn he was.”

Titan’s favorite thing in the world is going on walks, and his least favorite thing is when it’s time for his walk to end. He frequently tries to make his walks last longer, and he and his parents have already had many standoffs in the short time he’s been in their lives.

“He walks as if he has never had a walk before in his life,” Bretey said. “Which at first, may have been the case!”

Titan is 7 years old and does have a few health issues, including chronic ear ulcers, mild hip dysplasia and allergies. While his parents are actively addressing his ear issues, his hip dysplasia hasn’t acted up yet — but they were worried it might be the very first time Titan encountered stairs.

“We realized he wasn’t a fan of stairs the very first day,” Bretey said. “We got back to my boyfriend’s apartment, and quickly realized that Titan had no intention of walking up the stairs. We started panicking; was this because of his hip dysplasia?!”

Titan’s parents were worried that his aversion to stairs might be because he was in pain — but quickly realized it was just because he didn’t feel like climbing them.

Now, every time Titan encounters the stairs, he tries to convince his parents to carry him up them. Sometimes he’ll even fake a limp, but as soon as his parents reach the top of the stairs and put him down again, the limp magically disappears and he runs down the hallway like the most athletic dog in the world.

“Titan pulls his limp trick at least once a week,” Bretey said. “This past week, he tripped on his new jammies going up the first step and stumbled back. He held his paw in the air and looked at me with the most pained look he could muster. I called his dad to come carry him up the stairs. Since he had stumbled this time, I was worried he wasn’t faking it for once! His dad came down and said, ‘He’s probably faking it again’ and hoisted him into his arms and up the stairs. Before we even reached the top, Titan was wiggling his way out of the set of arms and onto the floor. His limp was gone, and he jogged to the front door. We just laugh. He is a great actor!”

Titan’s parents are pretty sure he’d never encountered stairs before he came to live with them, and just never developed a taste for them. They’re very careful to listen and watch for any signs of actual pain and carry him up the stairs frequently — even though most of the time, it’s just Titan being Titan, but that’s OK. They love him enough to carry him anywhere.

When Titan was first adopted, there was a lot he had to learn about being a dog. His parents have absolutely adored watching him come out of his shell and explore the world around him. They want to give him the best life they possibly can, and are more than willing to put up with a little stubbornness along the way.

“We try not to think about all the things he went through, but have had fun watching him learn how to ride in a car, enjoy pup cups from coffee places, go on walks, and interact with everyone,” Bretey said. “His big heart has made every hard moment worth it.”

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It’s very true. Dogs can be stubborn. It often comes from their early days when they were unloved and had to decide what to do and what not to do.

I would like to think that over time Titan will display less stubbornness and, as was written at the end, learn lots of new things to do and, above all, to be loved.

A stray dog gets a treat.

This is yet another great story about a dog.

I came to my desk a little late in the day but wanted to share this article. Again it is from The Dodo and, apologies, I am going straight into it. It’s a very lovely story.

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Dog Gives Woman The Sweetest Hug When He Realizes He’s Being Rescued

“I think he was just really happy that someone was being nice to him.”

By Lily Feinn
Published on 10/31/2020.

On a cold rainy day, a little puppy named Chowder thought he’d found the perfect spot to stay dry. A garage behind an abandoned building had become a dumping ground for neighborhood furniture and trash, and that’s where Chowder discovered a discarded mattress and crawled underneath.

But things were about to get a whole lot better for the little stray.

“[There’s a] super nice couple who lives in the area, and the husband had apparently gone out to the alley to throw some trash away,” Donna Lochmann, a rescuer with Stray Rescue of St. Louis, told The Dodo. “When the husband went out, he noticed that this white dog had found shelter underneath this corner of a mattress … and he gave him a little bit of food and water.”

The man called Stray Rescue of St. Louis, and Lochmann and her fellow rescuer rushed to the scene. When Lochmann met the 4-month-old puppy, she was shocked by how trusting he was.

“When we got out [of the car] he ran right up to me,” Lochmann said. “He was just the friendliest little guy. He wasn’t afraid of us or anything like that. I think he was just really happy that someone was being nice to him.”

Lochmann clipped a leash around Chowder’s neck, and the puppy was immediately excited. He put his paws on her shoulders as she picked him up to help him into the car and handed him over to her fellow rescuer.

“He went up and sat on her lap and just snuggled with her,” Lochmann said. “He had his head on her shoulder and just buried his face in her arm. He was just so thankful to be warm and to have people be nice to him.”

Chowder snuggled his rescuers the whole drive to the shelter as if he knew he was finally safe.

At the shelter, Chowder started to relax and let his puppy personality shine. The energetic dog became even happier to see people, get attention and play with toys.

Now in a foster home, Chowder is adjusting to indoor life and learning how to live with people.

Once he is neutered and his eye infection has cleared up, he will be ready to find his forever family. And his rescuers know whoever ends up adopting the grateful puppy will be in for plenty of snuggles and hugs in the years to come.

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Please, please someone adopt this puppy. He is a beautiful dog. That comes out even via these blog pages.

In case you or someone you know wants to know more then:

If you’re interested in adopting Chowder, you can fill out an adoption application here. To help other stray dogs like Chowder find their forever homes, you can make a donation to Stray Rescue of St. Louis.

Please!

The rise of dogs!

Mr and Mrs Biden are very fine dog owners.

As the BBC News website reported yesterday:

A Joe Biden presidency means the return of a long-held tradition of pets in the White House.

The President-elect and his wife have two dogs at present: Champ and Major. They are German Shepherds. Champ, who was then a puppy, was given to Joe Biden in 2018 by his wife. Major was fostered and then adopted, also in 2018, from the Delaware Humane Association.

Joe Biden with Major. Courtesy of The New York Times.

Here is another picture of the two dogs. This time featuring Mrs Biden.

So GSD Major will be the first shelter dog that from January, 2021 will reside in the White House.

The 2020 presidential election is bringing a slew of firsts into the White House: the first woman vice president, as well as the first Black woman and person of South Asian heritage to hold the position. The first first lady to continue working a full-time job. The first Jewish spouse of either a president or vice president.

But President-elect Joe Biden is bringing yet another first this January: The first-ever shelter dog will now reside in the White House.

Whatever one thinks about the current politics it is brilliant that dogs are back in the White House.

Maybe President-elect Biden should think of a more formal role for Champ and Major!

This gent loves Pit Bull dogs!

I don’t think his route is near us.

But I wish it was.

I am speaking of a UPS driver who has a love for dogs and, like my Jeannie, loves Pit Bulls. The breed have got such a bad reputation for being aggressive and always fighting but the truth is that men have used a few of them as fighting dogs and trained them to be the way they are.

There’s more about the breed on WebMD and I just quote a small piece from the article.

Doberman pinschers, rottweilers, and German shepherds topped lists of dogs some considered dangerous in the not-too-distant past.

These days, pit bulls often make headlines and it’s rarely good news. If it isn’t about an attack on a child or a shooting by police, it’s a tale of neglect or abuse. The heat of such reports has forged a frightening image of the pit bull as having a hair-trigger temper and a lock-jawed bite.

But pit bull advocates and some experts say the dogs get a bad rap. They say the dogs are not inherently aggressive, but in many cases suffer at the hands of irresponsible owners drawn to the dog’s macho image who encourage aggression for fighting and protection.

Indeed, the ASPCA web site gives the breed an endorsement that could fit a golden retriever. It says, “A well-socialized and well-trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent, and gentle dogs imaginable.”

So back to that UPS driver. This is his story.

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UPS Driver Has The Sweetest Relationship With All The Pups On HIs Route

“I know most, but not all, of the pitties by name” 🥰

By Caitlin Jill Anders
Published on 10/16/2020

For as long as he can remember, Scott Hodges has loved pit bulls. He used to have a pittie of his own, Sheba, but after 15 years she passed away in 2004.

Luckily, Hodges has been a UPS driver for the past 32 years, and gets to see pit bulls every single day as he goes along his route. He sees lots of animals on the job, including a very friendly pig, but he’s always had a particular soft spot for the pit bulls. He’s gotten to know them all over the years — and they love him just as much as he loves them.

“I know most, but not all, of the pitties by name,” Hodges told The Dodo.

Every day, as Hodges does his UPS route, he stops to say hi to his pit bull friends (and all the other dogs, too). They know who he is by now and are always waiting for him, because they know Hodges can always be counted on to give them love and treats.

“All the pitties on my route are friendly and I give them biscuits every time I see them,” Hodges said.

In order to keep track of all the pitties he sees, he takes lots of pictures …

… and probably has at least one picture of every pit bull on his route by now.

The pitties are of course always happy to see him …

… and some like to ham it up a little more than others.

Sometimes he takes pictures of the other dogs along his route too …

… but the pit bulls will always and forever be his favorites.

Hodges is lucky to get to work a job where he can see pit bulls every single day, and he never gets tired of stopping to say hi to all of his friends.

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Scott has been a UPS driver for 32 years!

My guess is that he was pretty quick at welcoming pit bulls and one can presume that he has been kind and generous to these dogs for most of the 32 years.

I think this is a delightful story and one that I am so pleased was carried by The Dodo.

Picture Parade Three Hundred and Sixty-Two

Dogs, dogs and more dogs! 🙂

Another wonderful batch of free photographs of dogs.

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They are so wonderful.

I would love to know the stories behind these photographs, especially the first, the fifth and the last one.

That last one is a very natural, unposed and, may I say, romantic one.

The two of us!

A guest post from Sarah.

I have only recently made the acquaintance of Sarah’s blog The Two Of Us but it already has been a delight. So much so that I reached out to Sarah and asked if she would like to be a guest author. I am delighted to report that Sarah was pleased to do so.

First, let me add a little more about her blog. The Two Of Us has a sub-title of A college student and a Border Collie stumbling through life.

Next, Sarah explained in an email to me that:

I’m Sarah and my dog is Brèagha. She’s a Border Collie and I’m a college student hoping to become an animal behaviorist of some sort. Brèagha and I have been together for 3 years, and they have been the best three years of my life so far.

So with no further ado, here is Sarah’s guest post.

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Every breath you take

By Sarah, November 6th, 2020

One of the things you get used to when you have a herdy type of dog (especially a Border Collie) is the staring. They stare. And they stare intensely. Your own personal stalker.

One of those things that might be rated “annoying” for some but definitely falls under “endearing” for me.

I love every last weird thing about her.

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Now that last picture reminds me of a recent post on Learning from Dogs, namely The dog world! where I republished the scientific work by Ellen Furlong, Associate Professor of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University.

In her report Ellen said, and I quote an extract from that post:

A recent study found that dogs that have been deprived of food and owners choose to greet their owners before eating. Further, their brain’s reward centers “light up” upon smelling their owners. And, when your eyes meet your dog’s, both your brains release oxytocin, also know as the “cuddle hormone.”

All of this research shows that you can make your dog happier with just one ingredient: you. Make more eye contact to release that cuddle hormone. Touch it more – dogs like pats better than treats! Go ahead and “baby talk” to your dog – it draws the dog’s attention to you more and may strengthen your bond.

So that second photograph of Brèagha is a prime example of her meeting Sarah’s eyes and should be held as long as both dog and human can manage.

Wonderful!

Woman Can’t Find Her Dog Anywhere — Until She Checks The Food Container

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Albright’s Raw Dog Food Recall

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Dog Fakes A Limp Every Time He Sees Stairs

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Dog Gives Woman The Sweetest Hug When He Realizes He’s Being Rescued

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UPS Driver Has The Sweetest Relationship With All The Pups On HIs Route

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Every breath you take

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