At the dog park, Syd decides to utilize the drinking water for another purpose.
(As seen over on the Care2 blogsite.)
Daily Cute: Dog Finds a Way to Cool Down
Not just your dogs but all you good folks stay cool out there!
Category: People and their pets
Continuing the puppy theme.
A republication of an earlier post.
Puppies Are Demanding
Our new young puppy is consuming a great deal of attention and time!
As regular readers will know (and your readership is so much appreciated) last Tuesday I published the news that we had taken on a new puppy. He is settling in incredibly well but consuming heaps of attention; as well he should.
So rather than struggle to be creative with today’s post, I’m cheating by going back to the last time I wrote about a new arrival to our flock; namely puppy Cleo. If you will forgive me, I’m going to republish the post I wrote for puppy Cleo back on April 8th, 2012.
But before so doing, let me explain that our latest arrival has gone through a name change. The previous owners had named the young pup Smokey but we were not comfortable with that name; Jean especially so. So Smokey is now Ollie!
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The arrival of Cleo brings us back to eleven dogs.
Way back in 2003 when I became the proud ‘Dad’ of Pharaoh, my German Shepherd dog that you see on the home page of Learning from Dogs, Sandra Tucker who ran the GSD Breeders Jutone, where Pharaoh was born, gave me some advice. Sandra said that when Pharaoh was getting on in life, then bring in a German Shepherd puppy. Apparently, there were two solid reasons why this made sense. The first was that Pharaoh would teach the new puppy many of the skills and disciplines that Pharaoh had learnt as a young dog and, secondly, the puppy would keep Pharaoh active.
Now we know this to be true because years later when Pharaoh had his own mini pack here in Payson, we introduced a new ‘rescue’ puppy called Sweeny. Pharaoh took an instant like to him and became very tolerant to Sweeny’s ‘games’.
But as adorable as Sweeny is, Jean understood the deep reasons why I always wanted a German Shepherd in our lives. So when a chance encounter in Payson Feed Store between Jean and Brendon S. revealed that Brendon had a litter of German Shepherd puppies for sale, just a couple of miles outside Payson, the temptation was irresistible!
Thus a few days ago, Jean and I went round to Brendon’s home and spent a couple of hours mingling with the puppies and their GSD mother. They all looked excellent dogs and a review of their blood lines showed that their genetic background included German stock not too far back. It was difficult to select any one pup as they were all wonderful animals. But one youngster seemed to catch Jean’s eye.
Then the next test was to introduce Pharaoh to the puppies. That took place last Friday and it was wonderful to see how well he coped with the onslaught of puppies!
In the end, we ran out of reasons not to follow Sandra’s advice from all those years ago and we agreed terms on a young female GSD that, inevitably, was christened Cleopatra (Cleo) by Jean!
Then yesterday, Saturday, we went back round to collect young Cleo, meeting Brendan’s wife Ebony in the process. The following photographs record some of the key moments.
So there we are. Back up to eleven dogs, five chickens, six cats, and a fish!
Finally, a big thanks to Sandra of Jutone for her guidance in the last few days.
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Back to the present to leave you with a picture of puppy Ollie happily playing with Cleo and Hazel. More pictures of Ollie on Sunday.
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How the years slip by.
Puppy Rescue
Sharing a recent Care2 story with you.
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Nearly One Million Watch Police Rescue Puppy at Home Depot
“I’m 15 feet away and I can hear a two pound dog crying,” Great Plains SPCA’s Scott Poore says with frustration dripping in his voice, almost as much as the sweat on his brow in the 90 degree sun. “We’re going on about 45 minutes with this little dog in the back seat of this car.”
Standing in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Merriam, Kansas, Scott films a live stream broadcast that gives Facebook fans real-time access to the situation that every animal lover dreads: a dog locked inside a hot car.
But the circumstances of this particular rescue are even more bizarre than usual. First of all, this Home Depot allows dogs inside the store. Second, the puppy inside the vehicle was extremely young, only weeks old. Third, the woman went inside to shop without even slightly cracking the windows of the vehicle (although that would be of little benefit). Fourth, she actually lost her car keys so she wasn’t able to open the vehicle when she arrived.
“When the lady came out, she was absolutely blown away that anybody had an issue with this,” Scott said. “And that’s pretty typical.”
A misguided sense of affection actually seems to be at the root of most instances of dogs being left in hot cars. People bring the dogs along because they feel that the dogs will be lonely at home, but they don’t take into account the very real threat to the dog’s physical welfare.
According to the local news station, KCTV, the puppy was returned to his “owner” who was issued a citation. Watch the video and decide for yourself if the law enforcement action available to police under the current law will be sufficient to safeguard this puppy from additional neglect.
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Words fail me! But well done the police!
The needs of pregnant dogs!
As in the nutritional needs of those dear creatures.
Having said in yesterday’s post that this week would be a succession of repeat posts along comes an email from Susan Combs offering a guest post. It seemed a great post to share with you all.
She describes herself as:
Susan works as a Pet Health and Safety Expert and holds expertise in the area of animal/pet care. She has over 6 years of experience in pet healthcare and is a pet parent to a dog named Chilly.
Her post has also been published over on the MyPetZilla blogsite and the following is a copy of that version.
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Jul 14, 2016
How to Meet the Nutritional Needs of Pregnant Dogs
As a pet owner you should remain educated about the nutritional requirements of your dog at the time of her pregnancy. A pregnant dog needs precise nutrition and if proper care is not taken then it can lead to serious health issues.
How long does a dog’s pregnancy last?
It lasts for 63 days. The first 3-4 weeks she can be fed a regular diet, however the last weeks are important from nutrition point of view and she requires more calories. During the first 3-4 weeks, it is recommended to feed her green trippet which is made from high quality green tripe. It contains lots of digestive enzymes and ensures good health. You can mix tippet to high-quality kibble and feed to your dog.
What should I change in my dog’s diet during the 2nd half of pregnancy?
During the 2nd half of pregnancy, dog should be fed around 30-40% more calories than what she was being fed in the first half of pregnancy. Your dog’s weight should increase by 15-25% at the time of whelping in order to maintain optimal body weight after parturition, as she needs to produce sufficient quantities of milk and colostrums to support growth in the newborn pups until they are weaned.
By week 8-9, the meal should be a third more than the regular meal. Total food quantity should be divided into four or more servings per day and dog foods with minimum levels of 430 kilocalories/cup should be provided in order to supply adequate quantities of calories. If the dog is experiencing weight issues then it is recommended to consult a vet immediately.
It is absolutely okay if your dog is eating too little in one go. You can break the meal into little portions to be fed entire day. Actually, in the advanced stages of pregnancy, the stomach cannot take large quantities of food in one intake so it is better to allow eating several portions of light meal throughout the day.
How to spot potential problems?
If your dog is experiencing diarrhea then that’s an indication that you are feeding her high volumes of food. If this is the case then shift to energy dense food, preferably dry dog food.
How much should I feed her prior to parturition?
Once the bitch is ready to give birth, you should slowly increase her calorie intake to around 15 to 25 percent. It should be noted here that most bitches refuse to eat food 12 hours prior to whelping. You should keep attention and provide her to drink water in order to prevent dehydration.
How to increase the calorie intake depending on the number of puppies?
For every puppy, your dog will require a 25% increase in her caloric intake, up to 180-200% maximum increase can be done in case she has around 10-12 puppies. Increasing more than 200% is not recommended. For example, a dog eating 2 cups of a high quality dog food each day before breeding will now need about 6 cups of food a day, in order to feed herself and provide for 8-10 puppies.
What preparation do I need to do for the puppies?
Yes, there is certain preparation that you need to as a dog owner prior to the birth of the puppies. You must prepare a room for the birth to occur. Ensure that the floor should be easy to clean and the area should be calm and soothing. You should also prepare a bed for the mother to deliver the babies. Have lots of towels and encourage the mother to sit on them so they become comfortable with them and opt to use them when on labor. This would make the birth easier for both you and the mother. Also as a responsible pet owner, it is your duty to get them insured.
When should I wean the puppies?
Puppies will begin to start eating food once they achieve 3-4 weeks of age. Henceforth, weaning should be completed at 6-7 weeks of age. After 6-7 weeks, you should start giving puppy food to them.
It is important to note here that the energy content level in dog’s milk increases all the time until around day 40. After this, the level of milk drops down and this is the time when you should start feeding the pups with light puppy food.
Is puppy food different than adult food?
Yes, puppy food is different than adult food. It is high in proteins and contains higher amounts of fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, minerals, fats, and other essentials. It also has a controlled amount of calcium and phosphorus that helps in the overall growth and health of the newly born puppies.
Should I exercise my pet regularly?
Obesity is potential danger in pregnant dogs when delivery time comes so exercising should be done regularly during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy but during the later stages, light walk is preferred.
Any other precaution that I need to take?
Treatment for internal and external parasites is necessary. It is better to consult the veterinarian if there is any problem related to external parasites. Another important point to note is that soon after whelping, your dog will actually need to eat twice as much as normal – and three times the normal level during the peak lactation period, which occurs three to four weeks after whelping.
When should I visit my vet?
Visiting a vet should be a regular practice. If possible, take your dog to the vet during each week of her pregnancy. This will ensure that all her nutritional requirements are met. Your vet should also guide you regarding any complications and after pregnancy care tips.
Pregnancy is an important part in the life of your dog and making her comfortable is your duty. You should take complete care of her nutritional and emotional needs so that the pups born are healthy. Apart from healthy and nutritious food, you need to ensure that your dog is getting plenty of clean, fresh water, enough exercise and fresh air.
The ancient roots of the relationship.
The recent news of finding a dog graveyard that is 2,000 years old.
Before going on to today’s post, can I just remind you kind folks that as of today, and for the rest of this week, we have family guests staying with us here in Oregon.
Thus from tomorrow until the end of the coming weekend my posts will be a preponderance of republications of previous posts. Plus my attention to you dear readers will be less than you are accustomed to.
Now on to today’s post that was kindly sent to me by Chris Gomez. Thanks Chris.
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2,000-Year-Old Dog Graveyard Discovered in Siberia
Archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric dog graveyard at a 2,000-year-old village near the Arctic Circle in Russia’s Siberia.
Credit: University of Alberta/Robert Losey
The carefully buried remains of five dogs were recently found in a 2,000-year-old doggy graveyard near the Arctic Circle in Siberia, according to archaeologists.
This discovery at the Ust-Polui archaeological site, in Salekhard, Russia, reveals close relationships between the region’s people and their animal “best friends” two millennia B.C. The dogs likely served as pets, workers and sources of food — and possibly as sacrificial offerings in religious ceremonies, the researchers said.
“The role of dogs at Ust-Polui is really complex and variable,” Robert Losey, an archaeologist at the University of Alberta in Canada, wrote in an email to Live Science from Salekhard, where he is carrying out fieldwork at Ust-Polui. [See photos of the prehistoric dog graveyard in Siberia]
“The most striking thing is that the dog remains are really abundant compared to all other sites in the Arctic — there are over 115 dogs represented at the site,” Losey said. “Typically, sites have only a few dog remains — 10 at most.”
Working dogs
The dogs were likely involved in various tasks in the ancient Arctic village, including pulling sleds, he said. The remains of two sleds, as well as a carved bone knife handle thought to depict a sled dog in a harness, have been found at the site.
“Some [dogs] were probably also used in hunting, for reindeer and birds, the remains of which were both abundant at the site,” Losey said.
Parts of a reindeer harness had also been found at Ust-Polui, he added, and dogs may have been used to herd reindeer, as is still done today by some communities in the region.
But despite evidence that the dogs worked with people and other animals, it was also clear that many of the dogs at Ust-Polui had been butchered and probably eaten, Losey said. Many of the dog bones had cut marks on them, and were found scattered around the site in the same way as the bones of other food animals, such as deer and birds, he said.
Some of the dog consumption may have been related to sacrifices or rituals, or even feasting, Losey noted. In fact, “at one place in the site, the heads of 15 dogs were piled together, all with their brain cases broken open in the same manner,” he said.
He added that the sacrificing of dogs was well documented among indigenous people in this region of Siberia, “and is done to appease spirits, or to ensure community health, and so on.”
Prehistoric pets
But though it might have been a dog’s life for most of the canine population of Ust-Polui, a few top dogs seem to have enjoyed special treatment, the archaeologists said. [10 Things You Didn’t Know About Dogs]
Of the more than 115 dogs that archaeologists identified among the animal bones at Ust-Polui, the remains of just five dogs were found carefully buried in a group near one edge of the site, Losey said.
This separation likely indicates close bonds between some people and some dogs in the ancient village, he said.
Each of the prehistoric doggy graves contained the entire dog skeleton, laid on its side in a shallow pit, similar to three human burials at the site, and they showed no signs of butchery or of being intentionally killed, the researchers found.
“The only thing that distinguishes them from the human burials is their location. No other animals at Ust-Polui were treated like this,” Losey said.
Ancient friendship
Losey started working with the dog remains from Ust-Polui three years ago, as part of his work studying the ancient relationships between people and dogs in the world’s northern regions.
In 2013 in the journal PLOS ONE, Losey published the results of his research into dog burials, dated to around 8,000 years ago, from archaeological sites in the Lake Baikal region of Siberia.
Some of the dogs from Lake Baikal were buried with decorated collars and what appeared to be grave goods, such as pottery jars and wooden spoons.
Losey said the differences between the two sites showed how people’s relationships with dogs varied among cultures over the estimated 15,000 years since dogs evolved from wolves.
“At Baikal, we have no evidence of dog consumption or sacrifice at all, and many of the dogs there are from carefully made burials,” Losey said.
Although tests on the dog remains at both sites suggested they would have been similar to Siberian huskies, the dogs at Ust-Polui were much smaller, with most weighing less than 50 lbs. (22 kilograms) and standing only 1.6 feet (0.5 meters) tall at the shoulder, Losey said.
Original article on Live Science.
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What a long and intensely beautiful relationship. I’m bound to reinforce how that relationship is so powerful all these thousands of years later by republishing one of the photographs from yesterday’s picture parade:
Picture Parade One Hundred and Fifty-Six
Incredible, prize-winning, images of dogs.
The following was read over on Mother Nature News on June 30th. The item, and especially the photographs, just had to be shared with you.
However, to ensure the integrity of republication and the identity of the photographers, I’m going to include the photographs and the words of the original MNN piece, and split it across today and next Sunday.
Trust me you will adore these photographs.
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These prize-winning images of dogs will steal your heart.
10th annual Dog Photographer of the Year competition drew entries from photographers in 90 countries.
Jaymi Heimbuch June 30, 2016.
The love of a dog is a universal joy, as the latest photography competition from The Kennel Club illustrates. The 10th annual competition drew over 13,000 entries from photographers in 90 countries. The photographs show the beauty, loyalty, companionship, dignity and, of course, the adorableness of dogs around the world.
The competition features eight categories, including Puppies, Oldies, Dogs at Work, Dogs at Play, Man’s Best Friend (winner pictured above), Assistance Dogs and Dog Charities, Dog Portraits and I Love Dogs Because.
This image of Sheldon the English springer spaniel enjoying a mist-shrouded pond early one morning is the work of Anastasia Vetkovskaya from Russia. Not only did it win for the Dogs At Work category, but it also placed as the overall winner of the competition.
Vetkovskaya states, “I have loved animals from an early age, which is why I went to Moscow Veterinary Academy and became a veterinary surgeon in 2007. Around this period of time, my husband gave me my first SLR camera, and since then I have devoted all of my free time to photography. My specialty is pets, and I am inspired most by horses and dogs.”
Baxter the Westie inspired his photography-loving human, Tom Lowe, to snap this image of Baxter playing in the water of Loch Lomond in Scotland.
This poignant image was taken by Michael Higginson, and features his brother Dale with Esta the dog. The win not only benefits the photographer but also a charity of his choice. The Kennel Club is making a donation to Higginson’s favorite charity, Dogs for Good.
Higginson states, “Winning the Assistance Dog category has made it even more special. It’s an honor to be able to show the world what a difference a dog can make to someone else’s life.”
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Aren’t they breath-takingly beautiful!
The rest of these fabulous photographs in a week’s time.
Strangely normal!
Reading the behaviours of our dogs.
Apologies, going straight into this republication of an article that appeared on the Care2 blogsite back in June. Didn’t get to sit down in front of my computer until 4pm.
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7 Totally Normal (But Kind of Weird) Dog Behaviors
By: Katie Waldeck June 19, 2016
It’s not surprising that our beloved canine companions’ behavior is sometimes confusing to us. After all, it’s not like they can tell us why they do certain things! But is your pooch’s behavior normal, or a sign of something more troubling?
And, for that matter, are common dog behaviors totally fine, or something we should be working to stop? Oftentimes, the answer is the former. Read on to discover some of the strangest dog behaviors that are actually totally normal.
1. Barking at Mirrors
If you show a human baby a mirror, they don’t always recognize themselves— young infants lack the self-awareness needed to do that — and dog babies are no exception. Most of the time, dogs grow out of it as they age, losing interest in their own reflections. Dogs are much less affected by visual events than humans, relying far more on their sense of smell to gather information. Since the dog in the mirror doesn’t have its own smell, most dogs tend to lose interest pretty quickly.
2. Being Scared of Thunderstorms
Dogs have far more sensitive hearing than humans, so it’s understandable that the loud noises accompanying storms don’t exactly delight our canine companions. But there may actually be more behind this fear — some scientists believe that dogs can actually detect changes in barometric pressure leading up to a storm. Thunderstorms can send even the best-behaved dogs into anxious fits, and unfortunately, it can be difficult to break even the healthiest dog of this habit. There are strategies to cope, however, such as providing a safe place for dogs to go during storms or dressing them in snug-fitting shirts that function similarly to swaddling a baby.
3. Eating Poop
Though it’s certainly not appetizing to us humans, many dogs eat poop. Eating feces is actually a fairly typical behavior for canine mothers, because it cleans the area where they are caring for their puppies. Some evidence also suggests that dogs eat feces when they’re lacking in certain nutrients. Eating poop can even be a way to get your attention and alleviate anxiety. This is not exactly a GOOD behavior for dogs, however, and solutions for it are mostly simple. Supervision and simple commands like “Leave it” and “Come” are often enough to curb most dogs’ fecal fascination, and vitamin and enzyme supplementation can work for dogs whose diets are missing nutrients.
4. Spinning Around in Circles
Plenty of dogs spin around and around for what seems like forever. Some breeds, including bull terriers in particular, are especially susceptible to this behavior. While this is often normal dog behavior, it can also be a sign of stress or anxiety. Whatever the reason your pooch spins in circles, this behavior should be nipped in the bud. The best way to do that? Well, get them moving and thinking. Take them on walks. Give them toys that stimulate their mind. If that still doesn’t work, you might need a dog behavior expert to intervene.
5. Separation Anxiety.
Many dogs experience separation anxiety — they just love you THAT much! Often, this is a result of changes in routines, moving, household membership changes or after moving in with a new family. It’s totally normal, but, unsurprisingly, it isn’t the best behavior for your pet’s mental health. The key to breaking your pooch of this behavior is to identify how big of a problem it is before you go about fixing it. Click here for detailed ways to help break this habit.
6. Hating Other Dogs.
Dogs who weren’t socialized at an early age around fellow canines will understandably have some aggression towards unknown dogs. Conversely, some dogs that have been socialized around other dogs seem to pick and choose which dogs they like. Why is that? Well, dogs aren’t all that different than humans in that regard — sometimes we just don’t like certain people. Dogs perceive a massive amount of information through scent, and two dogs may find something off-putting about each other’s smells. Dogs may also be overprotective of their owners or have something in their history that makes them especially distrustful of certain other kinds of dogs. Avoiding another dog at the park isn’t much cause for concern, but if your dog is consistently aggressive, it’s time to consult a veterinary behaviorist.
7. Having Sensitive Spots.
Some dogs have areas where they just don’t like to be touched. There can be several reasons for this — everything from a recent injury to poor socialization as a puppy — but, often, this is simply because, well, dogs just don’t like to be touched in certain spots. Think about it this way: plenty of humans don’t want to be patted on the butt by people they don’t know. In fact, most don’t! This can be perfectly innocuous — or it can be a sign of trouble. Dogs that demonstrate overly aggressive behavior regardless of where they’re touched may be in need of a behavior expert. You can read more about this here.
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Any thoughts dear people?
Picture Parade One Hundred and Fifty-Five.
The final set of Mother Nature’s sense of humour.
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If you want to go back and look at the preceding sets then set one is here and set two is here.
Not forgetting once again to say ‘thank you’ to neighbour Dordie who sent these glorious pictures on to me.
See what I can find for you good people for next week’s Picture Parade.
Lilo and Rosie
Another beautiful short video.
Examples like this, of the love and compassion seen in our animals, seem to be doubly valuable in these crazy times.
Published on Apr 30, 2015Lilo the Siberian husky is a wonderful surrogate to our new foster, little Rosie❤️ Rosie was really lethargic and unresponsive after the first night. So we decided to let her cuddle extensively with Lilo (the husky). Lilo has always had an innate motherly instinct, but she really surprised us when she went full surrogate mode! Even letting Rosie suckle on her and stimulating her to eliminate! Lilo has never had puppies of her own, and never will. But motherhood may just be her calling 🙂 Like what you see? 🙂 LOOK BELOW!
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Have a wonderful weekend.
Words are superfluous.
Stop whatever you are doing, be peaceful, and just watch this!
(Background and details coming along in tomorrow’s post.)
Learning from Dogs 