A long time ago, I wrote about the smartest dogs, and just yesterday, this comment appeared on that post. I thought it was too cute of a story not to share with everyone. Thanks to Elena for writing.
Category Archives: Breed Specific
Newt’s Nook for Pit Bulls
Found this interesting story from Rachel Maddow when I was looking for something else. It seems Newt Gingrich gave an award to Dawn Rizos for her entrepreneurial spirit (although she was required to send him a $5,000 contribution in return).
Flying Chihuahuas????
We posted a few weeks ago about the good work Katherine Heigl did in providing funding for a project to transport Chihuahuas from a California shelter to Nahua for adoption. (See the original post here.) Chihuahuas have recently surged as a status symbol in southern California, but many of the dogs are ending up in shelters when they don’t meet their owners’ expectations.
German Shepherds Carrying on Princess Diana’s Landmine Work
Shortly after Princess Diana’s untimely death, do you remember seeing all of the pictures of her with children who had been injured after encountering landmines? I hadn’t realized it while she was alive, but apparently, Diana had a big interest in helping prevent such injuries by finding buried landmines and safely removing them. The pictures were quite heart-breaking.
Continue reading German Shepherds Carrying on Princess Diana’s Landmine Work
New Breeds Added to AKC Stud Book
If you paid careful attention during the broadcast of the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day, you may have noticed that the American Kennel Club has approved three new breeds, bringing the total number of recognized breeds to 162.
The three new breeds are the Irish Red and White Setter, the Norwegian Buhund and the Pyrenean Shepherd.
The Irish Red and White is part of the Sporting Group. This breed looks very similar to the conventional Irish Setter, except for the coloring. However, the breed is sufficiently different to warrant recognition as a separate breed, rather than a variety of the Irish Setter. Originally bred in 17th century Ireland as a hunting dog, the Irish Red and White was nearly extinct by 1900, but careful breeding efforts revived the breed by the 1940’s. These dogs were eventually exported to the United States, where they have now been added to the official ranks of AKC breeds. For more information, click here.
The Norwegian Buhund started its history as a farm dog companion of the Vikings. The breed is capable of herding, guarding, and hunting, but is classified as a member of the Herding Group. This dog is medium-sized and descends from the Spitz family, which also gives us the Chow-Chow, the Husky, and the Akita. Like other Spitzes, the Buhund carries his beautifully plumed tail curled over his back. For more information, click here.
The Pyrenean Shepherd is also a member of the Herding Group. This dog may also be known as Berger des Pyrenees or Pyr. Shep. Smaller than the Great Pyrenees, the two breeds often work together to help shepherds in their everyday tasks. The long, lean body of this breed shows off the dog’s natural athleticism. For more information, click here.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Gibson’s Successor Named as World’s Tallest Dog
Titan, a four-year old Great Dane from San Diego, has been named as the world’s tallest dog, succeeding Gibson who passed away earlier this year after a brave struggle against bone cancer.
Continue reading Gibson’s Successor Named as World’s Tallest Dog
Tuesday’s Top Ten: Ways to help black shelter dogs
I posted last Friday about Black Dog Syndrome: the lower adoption rate shelters see for black dogs than for lightered-colored ones. Here (reprinted from Black Pearl Dogs) is a list of 10 ways you can help.
1) Spay and neuter your pets. Urge those around you to do the same.
2) If you can adopt, please consider adopting a black dog who is waiting just for you. *”Many beautiful black dogs are overlooked—and, sadly, euthanized in disproportionate numbers”.
3) Sponsor a black dog or open your heart and home to foster care for a black dog (if you can’t adopt), in a rescue or shelter so they can open their doors to another black dog on death row without worry of finances.
4) If you can’t sponsor or foster, make posters for a black dog you find in a shelter or rescue to **advertise** their need of a home on community bulletin boards, vet offices, pet stores, your work office board, the company newsletter, the school paper. Gain permission from the sponsoring rescue or shelter first. Include the Blackpearldogs webpage address as part of the advertisement so interested people can understand more fully the plight this waiting BlackPearl faces. See one womans brilliant work
5) Go past your apprehensions and stretch yourself: walk a black-dog-in-waiting in a park and advertise to all that s/he needs a home. They will appreciate that you left your comfort zone so they could (hopefully) enter into one.
6) Volunteer to take them to obedience classes to attain skills that will make them more adoptable to the average family or teach them an endearing human greeting (like sit and shake).
7) Share this webpage address to let all dog lovers know how wonderful and in need a black dog is in today’s’ canine adoption community. We at Contrary to Ordinary are not a rescue facility. We know there are many cogs to make the wheel turn and we are fullfilling our niche of being an educational platform to get the word out so those gifted with other talents (ie foster care, transportation, fund raising, placement and adoption matching) can fulfill their niches to help the waiting black dogs out there.
8) Start your own rescue…just for black dogs rescued off euthanasia row. They can be found easily and it can be done just one dog at a time. Be inspired by the Starfish Story and Stop the Killing .
9) Click on “Free To A Good Home” and read Brutus’s story. Help a black dog (or any dog for that matter ) avoid this fate. Prepare your own rescue aids using the tools found here at Sun Bears Squad.
10) For those with savvy or flair: coordinate a “Tux and Tails” event for your local shelters or rescues. Gather up all the black coated critters waiting to find their forever heart and “do the bubbles” to make all fresh and clean. Add a tux (red or white) bow tie or a snappy collar (Bison Designs has brillant ones) and provide these waiting pearlies the opportunity to “run way” their stuff and become available for folks to appreciate them out of a dimly lit kennel run. You could even go as elaborate as every hour have a “walk” set to music with cards read that share what they already know: sit, down, off, fetch. I am guessing some of the pearlies would even do a demonstration of what they have to offer. Have a table set up to take applications or to donate financially to support these waiting pearls.
**The image that you make….i.e. the picture that you take….. may be the key to his or her being adopted by the right person. Black dogs are in desperate need of great photos in shelter listings. Practice using tips from “Photographing a Black Dog” to get your technique down before applying to help all the shelter animals have a better photographic chance to meet their future forever person.
Black Dog Syndrome
Typically in October, shelters begin worrying about the black cats under their care, with many shelters refusing to place black cats up for adoption until after Halloween. Did you know black dogs are also at risk in shelters? Check out this article from Helium.com telling why black dogs are so hard to place.
If you work in a shelter, the article linked above will give you some ideas to help market your black dogs. Other resources are http://startseeingblackdogs.com/ and http://blackpearldogs.com/, which are dedicated to just this issue.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Never Leave Your Pit Bull Alone with A Child
If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a ‘dangerous breed’ category and you also have a child or a visiting small child, please take this as a warning. Don’t leave your dog with a small child unattended under any circumstances! Only one little moment was enough for the following to happen.
Continue reading Never Leave Your Pit Bull Alone with A Child
Tuesday’s Top Ten: Top Dogs
The AKC has developed a list of the nine breeds that have embodied America’s taste in canine companionship over the past 125 years. (I added the 10th, because of my belief that everyone needs the experience of knowing a Golden Retriever at least once in their lifetime.)