Nobody Puts Blaze the Husky into His Kennel

In this video, the big, relaxed, sleepy puppy is very polite about it, but he makes it clear: NO!

John Ventresco's video of his 11-month-old Husky (named Blaze) resisting going into his kennel, is getting a lot of "Awww" around the Internet, and for good reason. We've all been there, whether we have four legs or two. At some point, you just become very satisfied with the place you're in, and when someone comes along to rouse you for dinner, television, or just moving from your spot on the couch to a proper bed for the night, you just want to stay where you are.

For the most part, Blaze is vocal but polite about not wanting to leave his comfy spot. Every time an attempt is made to rouse him, he makes a kind of doggy grunt indicating that he just doesn't want to go.

Blaze's courtesy is one thing that's been commented on a lot as his video circulates. He's kind of become the canine Bartleby of the Internet -- in Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener, the title character responds to work requests from his employer by saying only "I would prefer not to." So, maybe Blaze isn't just cute; think of him as an easy way to educate your kids on classic American literature.

While YouTube's "annotate" feature is one of those things that posters sometimes use to crank their obnoxiousness up to 11, here it just brings out the adorableness. The feature translates Blaze's moans of protest into a definitive "No." It's certainly more accurate than the automatic transcript produced by YouTube's servers, which nevertheless are a great bonus source of surrealistic humor. According to YouTube, the conversation between Blaze and his humans goes something like this:

0:00 thinks I'm going to tell mom month
0:04 whom more mmm
0:07 where my
0:11 I'm I'm
0:14 sand or gravel an all-time
0:18 a whole time Mike
0:22 mom and cool harm
0:26 call please and
0:30 home well month ago
0:33 warm Mike girl
0:00 thinks I'm going to tell mom month

I guarantee that's not what's being said, either by Blaze or the humans, but check it out for yourself below.

Check out these adorable stories on Dogster:

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American Kennel Club Criticized for Connections to Bad Breeders

Pressure mounts as more A.K.C.-registered breeders are charged with animal cruelty.

The American Kennel Club is the place to go to register purebred dogs, and it's also the governing body for dog shows, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is currently in New York. 

But some breeders who sell dogs registered with the club have been raided by police on animal abuse charges, and critics believe that the Kennel Club does not do nearly enough to inspect breeders it supports, according to a startling expose in the New York Times. 

Take the example of Margaret and James Hamilton, described as a "dog power couple" in the story. Margaret was a breeder and a dog show judge who owned prizewinning Chihuahuas. James was prominent member of a local A.K.C. Rottweiler club.

Yet in 2011, according to the story, police "found 38 dogs that were under James’ care, mostly Chihuahuas, living in small crates filled with fur and feces, the cages stacked on top of one another in a dark basement, according to court documents. A radio was blaring, drowning out the sound of barking, and many of the dogs were malnourished and had eye diseases and overgrown toenails, according to investigators. Thirteen dogs were euthanized the night of their rescue because of incurable health problems, including severe periodontal disease."

“It was a Silence of the Lambs scene down there,” Kim Koon of Pasado’s Safe Haven said. “Those animals were in horrible shape.”

That same day, police seized 62 dogs from the Hamiltons’ residence in Issaquah, WA. One was later euthanized. 

The A.K.C. acted swiftly, stripping Margaret of “all A.K.C. privileges” including judging and fined her $2,000. 

According to the Times, critics say that the A.K.C "is lax in performing inspections and that it often lobbies against basic animal rights bills because they could cut into dog registration fees," which make up roughly 40 percent of the A.K.C.’s $61 million annual revenue. "Critics say a significant part of that includes revenue from questionable breeders like the Hamiltons, or so-called puppy mills, which breed dogs en masse with little regard for basic living standards."

One of those critics is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

President and and chief executive Ed Sayres said a majority of the commercial breeders in the raids the ASPCA has participated in "have had ties to A.K.C.-registered litters."

“The irony to the consumer is that they’re paying a lot for a fake Rolex,” he said, adding that some of the dogs are "genetically compromised" and come from "traumatic environments." 

Puppy mills? Traumatic environments? When you went with a breeder that registers dogs with the A.K.C., that's not what you signed up for, is it? 

The A.K.C., meanwhile, disputes the allegations, and says that it is not a law enforcement agency and can't be responsible for all breeders, but it is "proactive in ferreting out animal abuse,” says Lisa Peterson, the communications director for the A.K.C. The group has nine field agents who inspect breeders. 

The Times story goes on to give examples of breeders who were shut down after raids, with one owner even sentenced to prison, despite repeated inspections by A.K.C. field agents in previous years, who found the kennels "in compliance."

A.K.C.'s associations with low-quality, high-volume breeders are causing some people to distance themselves from the group. Will you be next? 

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The American Kennel Club Goes on Attack Mode

After a New York Times article links the group to bad breeders, the club fires back.

 On Sunday, the first day of the American Kennel Club's world-famous Westminster Dog Show, the New York Times published a takedown of the club, which we wrote about here. The Times story linked the A.K.C. to bad breeders, including puppy mills, describing how some registered breeders have been charged with animal cruelty, even though the A.K.C. had inspected their operations in recent years. 

The next day, the A.K.C. fired back with an letter, charging the Times with using "unsubstantiated, anecdotal episodes to paint a grossly misleading and biased picture of dog breeders who register their dogs and litters with the AKC."

You can read the rest of the letter here. 

The A.K.C. felt that two quotes were particularly onerous, both by ASPCA president and CEO Ed Sayres:

"A majority of the commercial breeders in the raids that [the ASPCA] participated in had ties to A.K.C.-registered litters." And, concerning dogs registered with the A.K.C., "The irony to the consumer is that they're paying a lot for a fake Rolex."The letter argues that there are no facts, proof, or numbers to back this up. "Both of these statements are opinions that were printed erroneously as fact," the letter reads. 

The article also disputes this line: "As recently as 2010, roughly 40 percent of the A.K.C.'s $61 million in annual revenue came from fees related to registration. Critics say a significant part of that includes revenue from questionable breeders like the Hamiltons, or so-called puppy mills, which breed dogs en masse with little regard for basic living standards." 

The A.K.C.'s letter claims that, "In fact, less than 5 percent of our total revenue comes from commercial breeders who register dogs and litters with us."

The letter also says that the Times story presented an incomplete picture of the breeders it proflied, who were charged with animal cruelty while selling dogs registered with the A.K.C.  

Concerning James and Margaret Hamilton, the A.K.C. says that the Times "inaccurately portrays Hamilton as a high-volume breeder or 'puppy mill.'" In the letter, the A.K.C. counters that "hoarding is likely a factor in what was occurring as the Hamiltons were clearly unable to part with dogs that they had collected over the years."

Concerning another breeder, the A.K.C. charges that the Times failed to make the connection between the deplorable state of one breeder's operation and the fact that police found 200 marijuana plants on the property, "a vocation which likely led to the deterioration of his kennel and his overall ability to care for his dogs in the two years between his last AKC inspection and the raid of this property."

That's right: The A.K.C. is saying that it is "likely" that growing marijuana led to one breeder down the road to animal cruelty, within two years. Sorry, but that's an absurd claim to make without any facts to back it up.

The A.K.C. letter then defends its kennel inspection program, which it says it "spends millions on." It also seems to put down the bad breeders in the story as simple bad apples in an otherwise good program, saying, "It is important to note that in any enforcement and regulatory program, there will be those who approach the regulated activity with a disregard for compliance with the rules." 

That may be true. But when those breeders show a "disregard for compliance with the rules," we hope outfits like the Times will cover it, as it did here. 

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Dogster HQ Drops by the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show

Ever been to a dog show hungover? I don’t recommend it. But such was my fate after my fellow Dogster staffers and I decided to turn our date with the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show into a wine and margaritas girls’ night/slumber party.

It’s amazing how you can work with people five days a week and yet have enough to chat about into the wee hours of the morn. I was impressed that we were able to peel ourselves out of bed at 8:30 a.m. and make it to the aforementioned dog show by 10 sharp. I must also say I’m impressed with the way my colleagues look like they actually got some sleep in the photos below.

Our day began with a solid dose of caffeine, and then we were off to the Cow Palace for the last leg of the two-day affair. My dog was mad he wasn’t invited to the pooch party, but they were limiting canine presence to the show entrants.

A few months ago, Dogster’s Community Manager, Lori, lost her beloved Basset Hound, Lucy, and we made a beeline for the Basset booth as soon as we arrived to make sure she got a healthy dose of droopy-eyed love.

Note: The show Bassets are wearing snoods in the above photo to keep their ears from dragging on the ground.

We’d never met English Setters before, but are pleased to report that their sweet faces are matched by equally sweet personalities.

At these shows, “breed benches,” or the display/rest areas the breeds hang out at between showings are a competition in themselves. And we were shocked and appalled that the Chihuahua bench didn’t get first place when their owners went all-out, turning the Chi crates into a series of miniature home scenes. Here’s a clip so you can better see what we mean:

See? They were robbed!

We consoled ourselves by hugging as many adorable dogs as we could get our mitts on. Starting with this Rottie.

And this Saint. (Pictured next to Anna, our social media whizkid.)

Then we headed backstage to see the grooming area.

We watched one handler wrestling with the endless fluff of his Pekingese. My cohorts laughed a bit too loudly at this little dog’s face, but can you blame them?

We noticed that every pet product you could imagine was available for purchase in the face of a last-minute grooming emergency.

You would not believe how much hairspray it took to get this Pom‘s tail to stay put.

Another look at the snood phenomenon.

The Weims looked surprisingly happy to have a dogpile going on at their booth (though we thought they looked a little cramped).

Of course, I forced everybody to watch the Italian Greyhounds when they had their turn in the ring. A gorgeous fawn IG won a ribbon. I wanted to take every last one home.

We found that there are breed-specific editions to a good number of board games. (Is this odd to anybody else?)

The Irish Wolfhounds traveled through the halls like a troop of gentle giants.

Here’s another look at Lori in Basset Hound heaven.

Many, many, many cars in the lot had breed stickers and/or decals on them.

And many breed-specific collectables made walking the halls a visual overload.

We left a few hours later bone tired and ready for a good long nap (or some hair of the dog that bit us the night before). We’ll leave you with this parting shot — that’s a St. Bernard paw.

So, how was your weekend?

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What — if anything — will redeem and reform the American Kennel Club?

Over the weekend last — and for the second weekend in a row — I hopped a Southwest flight a lot south and a little west and once again found myself in not-so-sunny Southern California.  While the previous weekend was staying with one of the puppies I helped to raise, to find out how well he was doing, this weekend just past was a trip to say good-bye to Zenyatta, the massive mare who is the retiring and undisputed queen of racing, and to check out the American Kennel Club’s National Invitational Championship, casually known as Eukanuba after its dog-food sponsor. (Aside: Check out the Daily Racing Form’s Glenye Oakford, a/k/a one of the Full Cry houndbloggers, video of Zenyatta’s arrival in Kentucky.)

My first-pass impressions of the “Meet the Breeds” booth — an idea the AKC borrowed from its U.K. counterparts’ Crufts show — triggered predictable responses. Patrick Burn, a/k/a Terrierman, was first into the fray, muttering about the canine “freaks” and the human “frauds” who show them. (To be fair, I had goaded him more than a little, sending him a picture from the “Parson Russell” booth of a trio of terrierists. “Ask any of them if they own a locator collar,” he snarled back.) Next in, Heather Houlahan of Raised by Wolves, her wrath prompted by the image of a smiling Leonberger. The Leo, like the border collie and others, is a breed that was “recognized” by the AKC over the intense objections of many of its breeders, who (quite rightfully) saw the move as a money-grab by an ailing organization that (quite accurately) has shown itself an institutional supporter of puppy-mills and a lip-service advocate for better canine health.

Thereafter followed “discussion” that mostly consisted of the desire to see the American Kennel Club bombed into tiny fragments, the pieces then bulldozed into a very deep pit  and covered with concrete. Seriously, if you think PETA hates the AKC, you haven’t listened to non-AKC breed advocates. Funny thing is, except for the bombing, bulldozing and cement-covering bits, I agree with these non-AKC breed advocates. The AKC, instead of changing its game to actually be what it pretends to be (‘the dogs’ champion”), is instead doubling down on the same bad bet that has plunged it into a state of financial retreat and increasing irrelevance.

But if you don’t want to toss all the reputable, ethical breed advocates who are more or less forced to work within the confines of the American Kennel Club, how can that organization be changed to do what’s right?

Mind you, I’m also not sure it can be. One need only look at the AKC/Eukanuba link at the top to see what the problem is: The marque event is the beauty pageant. You have to navigate back to the AKC home page to find information on the ugly stepchild championships, agility and obedience, that were also in the convention center (agility in the corner, obedience in the attic). And while I have put show championships on my dogs, it’s sort of because I have to do so  to be considered “reputable,” not least of which is by my county, which will not recognize my boy retriever’s hunting work as an acceptable excuse to allow him to keep his testicles under the breeding ban but happily considers his show championship as sign of his value to the future of his breed.

Believe me, I’m far happier with Woody’s ability to mark where a game bird falls, crash through cover and swim through anything to get there, locate the bird with his nose and bring it back than I ever could be with a few people’s opinion on how he trots around a show ring. Sadly, I’m forced to play the cards I’m dealt here.

As has been pointed out in discussions here many times, the fix is pretty easy for working dogs: No “beauty” titles without proving working ability. Throw in a well-planned outcross program to break genetic bottlenecks that make many breeds (including mine) tragically predisposed to cancer or other health disasters and ban “stud of the month” popularity-contest inbreeding and there you go. A performance requirement, along with a change in the beauty blueprint that is the breed standard, after all, would deny championships to the worst excesses of fashion in breeds that previously were working dogs, eliminating, for example, the shameful low-slung disaster that is the AKC’s show-quality German Shepherd Dog. (I tried to get pictures of these dogs walking on their rear heels instead of their toes at the show, but the light a ringside was just too dim.  And I was retching, which didn’t help.)

Other working breeds haven’t strayed as far afield. Aside from the cancer in flatcoats (and note: that’s one big hairy and completely unacceptable aside) you’ve still got a pretty damn good retriever, a great companion for an active home that can still do not only the work for which is was developed — hunting — but also excel at modern dog sport such as agility. (Above is my friend Teresa Rodney and her dog Sprint, who is my dog McKenzie’s littermate. T-Rod and Sprinty are world-class agility competitors, and at the AKC Invitational they blasted to second place in the most competitive division, a split second away from taking it all. Thanks to our mutual friend Debbie Best for the picture.)

But what do you do with a breed that has been developed for companionship only, like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? Or a breed whose purpose has long ago disappeared, like the Bulldog, a breed so utterly and completely destroyed by fashion that last summer at the American Veterinary Medical Association conference, I listened to a presentation where a top specialist said the only way to offer Bulldogs (and Pugs, too) a shot at a life not full of oxygen-deprived, overheated misery is to have their nostrils surgically widened and their soft palates clipped at the time they’re in for a spay or neuter, before the age of one year.  Otherwise, noted the veterinarian, many will have to be euthanized young when the build up of scar tissue from their struggles to breathe finally blocks their ability to do so. If, that is, they haven’t dropped dead from overexertion already from walking around the block on a mildly warm day. Folks, if breeding for an appearance not compatible with breathing or walking isn’t animal cruelty, it’s hard to imagine what would be.

Every time this topic  comes up here people with working dogs advise going to someone who breeds working dogs if you want a puppy from a certain breed or another. But as regular commenter Lis points out, where does that leave people who want a companion breed? Where do they go? And how can we fix breeds who have no working standard?

And more to the point: Is it possible to fix the American Kennel Club to force those fixes?

Sometimes I’m in the “blow ‘em up” crowd. Othertimes I’m not. Today … I don’t know. You?

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