About Time! Westminster Dog Show Allows Mixed-Breed Dogs

For the first time in the show's 138-year history, the club makes room for All American Dogs (that's what the club calls mutts, by the way).

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has been going on for more than a century, and in every one of the events the doors have been slammed shut on dogs whose only crime is a bloodline that is impure, that forked here and there along the way, that might have hit a brick wall decades back thanks to a frisky Pug who snuck in the back door one fine summer day. 

Mixed-breed dogs. Mutts. Puggles. Labradoodles. Shelter dogs. Happy dogs. After 138 years, all of them, down to the last unidentifiable fella, have finally been allowed entry into the most prestigious dog show in the world. 

The American Kennel Club calls them "All American Dogs." We kind of like that. 

But it's through the side door, to be sure. The mixed-breed dogs get to enter only one event -- the agility trials, which take place at Pier 94 in Manhattan next month. And only 16 out of the field of 228 are mixed breed, according to the New York Times. 

The agility event, which emphasizes speed and accuracy, precedes the dog show's "pageant of dogs," which prizes dogs conforming to breed standard. 

Think of it as the wild pre-party before the formal party.

Club President Sean McCarthy said that adding the agility competition was a way to “make sure we show all aspects of what dogs can do; they’re good-looking, skillful, and talented.”

"Westminster is a celebration of all the dogs in our lives, and that includes mixed-breed dogs," said Thomas Bradley, the show's chairman, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In agility, dogs race around poles, through tunnels and tires, up and down ramps and seesaws, and they jump like crazy. At the more formal dog show, in contrast, the purebred pooches barely get a lap in. 

"It's so exciting," Irene Palmerini told the Chicago Tribune.

She bought Alfie, a fluffy, black-and-white dog, for $99 from her local pet shop. He's entered into the event. 

“He likes to jump, he loves tunnels and he likes the teeter,” she said. “Agility’s been good for him and made a better bond between us.”

Nice work, Westminster. Next year we can expect to see them in the ring, right?

Fox Sports 1 broadcasts the agility trial live from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, with commentary by former Olympic diver Greg Louganis.

Via New York Times; photos via WKC Dog Show's Facebook

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It's National Holistic Pet Day, a great day to learn more about how your dog can live more holistically!

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Watch the Trailer for Jake Torem's "Letting Go," a Film About Life, Death, and Dogs

When the filmmaker lost his beloved Rottweiler, he made a film to cope with his sadness.

One aspect of sharing our lives with dogs that is particularly painful is that their lives are so much shorter than ours. It is pretty much inevitable that we will outlive our pets; we experience all the pleasure of watching them grow and all the pain of letting them go. It teaches us about our own mortality -- and that life is short but sweet, and that we should savor every moment of our own lives and our lives with dogs.

For filmmaker Jake Torem, the loss of his beloved Rottweiler was a deeply emotional experience. To commemorate the life of his canine companion, the Los Angeles actor decided to produce a film about life, love, and loss. Called Letting Go, the independently made movie revolves around Joel Slater, whose life is in turmoil as it reaches a critical turning point. At the eye of the storm are his three dogs, who all happen to be large breeds.

The dogs vie for his attention along with his girlfriend, boss, and mother ... but the one thing Joel really needs to do is properly mourn the death of his father. Will he have to give up his dogs in order to do so? Or is there something else he's holding onto?

Have you ever had to choose between your dogs and something else? Then you might just identify with this charming comedy.

For more information, check out the Letting Go Facebook page.

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It's National Holistic Pet Day, a great day to learn more about how your dog can live more holistically!

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What do Veterinarians Know About Canine Nutrition?

Dog owners are inundated by messages from advertisements, commercials, the Federal government and agricultural extension services to “consult your veterinarian” about the nutritional needs of our dogs. But what do veterinarians really know about canine nutrition?

I’ll tell you.

Thanks to the insight from a book, “Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Dog and Cat Food,” by Michael Fox B.Vet.Med., Ph.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., Elizabeth Hodgkins, D.V.M. and Marion Smart, D.V.M., Ph.D., I recently learned that during four years at vet school at a grueling rate, around 20 hours or less is devoted to nutrition. And even then, the nutrition information veterinarians receive has more to do with the medical  management of diseased and convalescent animals, and nutritional preventative medicine, than it does with feeding healthy dogs for longevity and good health.

So, if we’re only spending 20 hours on nutrition, and the information covered is widely spread and applied to so many types of animals, does vet school really prepare vets to know what  dogs should be eating?

It seems that most vets these days are “recommending” the food that large manufacturers educate them about via sales reps.  The manufacturers are not in the business of making dogs healthy; they’re in the business of making money. I don’t begrudge them this. I am a business owner, and I do it to make money. However, what makes the most money for pet food manufacturers is a product that is shelf-stable for months or years, is cheap to produce (which means using the cheapest ingredients), and is widely adopted by consumers in the marketplace. Raw beef is none of these things.

Here’s how you convince millions of dog owners to starve their dogs with nutritionally inappropriate food, and get them to keep feeding this food to their dogs even when the dogs become sick with allergies, digestive issues, bone and structural weaknesses, cancers and a whole array of skin and eye conditions:

Put the phrase “recommended by  veterinarians” on your packaging. The phrase is meaningless, does not need to be proved, and even if it was recommended by vets, vets are not canine nutritional experts anyway.Use words like “human-grade ingredients” on your packaging. This phrase is equally successful and equally meaningless, since as soon as any ingredient that enters a pet food plant is is considered unfit for human consumption and therefore cannot be called “human-grade.”Educate veterinarians. Send out an army of sales reps with slick brochures and lucrative sell-through contracts for your food.Tell consumers to “consult with your veterinarian” about what to feed their dogs. Because the veterinarians are selling your food. Do this through government agencies, public awareness campaigns, and “educational” materials pushed out to Federal, state and local agencies.Take advantage of consumer messages about what’s “healthy.” Convince humans to apply human dietary recommendations to their dogs. These include the concepts of vegetarian diets being better than meat-based diets, “balanced” ingredients rather than a majority of the diet being meat protein, and the appeal of nutriceuticals (using food as a drug to treat various ailments up to and including old age).When dogs come down with a variety of nutritional and immunological conditions, tell vets to recommend different commercial dog foods and supplements, rather than feeding a natural diet.Scare consumers about raw diets, raw meat, raw bones, and other foods critically essential to the canine diet. In the age of dental rinse, hand sanitizer and pop-up Lysol wipes, it’s easy to do; more than 700 products enjoy commercial success due to advertising their antimicrobial properties.Rename things. Dangerous coloring and flavoring agents sprayed onto grain-based kibble to make them look like “meat” can be called animal “byproducts” or “enhancers.”

As a culture, we have lost confidence in ourselves to make decisions for our healthcare, education, and a host of other areas, including our dogs’ nutrition. We are told at every turn to just do what the experts tell us to do. We relinquish our responsibilities to doctors, professors, veterinarians and others in positions of knowledge authority. However, these “experts” may not know what is best for us. We need to take back authority for making these decisions.

If we like a certain food because it has beef, rice, and broccoli, why not just feed our dogs beef, rice and broccoli? Why are we not questioning why commercial dog food NEEDS so much flavor enhancer, stabilizers, added nutrients, preservatives, antimicrobials, antifungals, emulsifiers, coloring agents … the list goes on. We look for the bag of food (that’s been sitting on the shelf for six months), hoping the first ingredient is beef or chicken. Not once does it occur to us how beef or chicken can sit on the shelf for six months.

So, repeat after me:

I am responsible for my dog’s health and his diet, not my veterinarian. I will find out what my dog needs, what types of foods deliver those nutrients, and how to serve it to him in a way that he gets the nutrition he needs. I will not rely on dog food companies to decide what I should feed my dog by using my vet to pressure me into buying their product.

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10 Things You Might Not Know About Soldier Dogs

Until the now-infamous Navy SEAL Team Six raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound last year, most people had no idea that dogs are a vital part of the military. But these four-legged heroes have saved tens of thousands of lives since World War II, when the U.S. embarked on its military working dog program.

I grew up steeped in the importance of war dogs thanks to my dad, who was a very young soldier back then. He told me about the bonds the handlers had with their dogs, and how the dogs – as important as they were on missions – were just as essential for the morale of troops. His stories struck a chord with me, and I was thrilled years later when I got a chance to write a book about brave, loyal, amazing dogs and their devoted handlers.

My book, Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes, was published two weeks ago, and I’m excited that after all the hard work and boots-on-the-ground reporting the book entailed, people are really starting to take notice of these incredible dogs and their handlers. The book has received a lot of attention, including a great review in the forthcoming April 9 edition of People magazine, and a fun stint for me on The Daily Show.

This puts a wag in my tail, because I am passionate about these dog teams. The more people know about them, the better off the dogs and handlers will be. So today I bring my loyal Dogster readers an exclusive look at 10 things you may really want to know about soldier dogs. All photos except the plane jumper are of dogs and handlers featured in my book. Here’s to our paws-on-the-ground heroes!

(Note from Dogster HQ: We are currently reading and loving Maria's book and think you'll dig it, too. Besides getting it at your local bookstore, you can order Soldier Dogs from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Indiebound. It's even available as an audiobook for all you commuters in the house, at Blackstone Audio.)

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A job well done: For his detection of an explosives scent, a dog in training gets the ultimate reward: His handler's heartfelt praise and a Kong - a rubber toy beloved by most MWDs. (Photo copyright Jared Dort)

1. Soldier dogs are selected for the military based in part on their love of a ball or a Kong.

This reward is going to be part of their “paycheck” for years to come (a handler’s heartfelt praise is the other part), and they have to want the ball really badly to work as hard as they need to in order to save lives in combat situations.

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Kong is king in military working dog training. These hard rubber toys play a vital, almost magical role in training. (Photo copyright Jared Dort)

2. Soldier dogs believe in magic.

If they didn’t, they may not be the lifesavers they are. The main job for military dogs in today’s wars is sniffing out IEDs, which are the number one killer in Afghanistan. But how does a dog get to know the difference between an explosive and an interesting-smelling rock? Magic, of a sort.

A dog’s early encounters associating a scent with a reward are all about the surprising appearance of a Kong that seems to spring right out of the scent itself. Trainers hide a Kong toy or ball somewhere, and place a few drops of a scent in the area. When the dog hits the scent, he thinks, “Whoa! I’ve never smelled this before!” and shows a tiny change of behavior, perhaps stopping or wagging or tilting his head. At that moment, a trainer throws the ball so it lands right on the source of the odor, and the dog is cheered on for his “feat.”

This happens a few more times, placing the odor in various spots and having a ball “magically” land on it when the dog successfully sniffs the odor. Many dogs learn extremely rapidly to associate an odor and a ball. (Eventually they’re weaned from this and get the ball reward in a different way.) That dogs can believe the scent of something like potassium chlorate magically creates a bouncing Kong is just one of those things that makes them so loveable and endearing.

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Dog handler Marine Corp. Max Donahue stateside with MWD Ronni, his first dog - military or otherwise. Donahue, like most handlers, bonded deeply with the two military dogs who served with him, and vice-versa. (Photo courtesy of Julie Schrock)

3. The bond between a deployed handler and soldier dog is like no other.

I was blown away by the love that even the toughest of these soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have for their canine comrades. When you’re at war and you’re together almost 24/7 (sometimes sharing a tent, or even a sleeping bag or foxhole, for weeks on end), when you depend on each other for everything, including your very lives, an incomparable bond forms. Hearing a war-hardened Marine’s voice break when he talks about his best friend is a very moving experience.

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You don't have to be a big dog to be a soldier dog. Lars J274, a Jack Russell terrier with a Napoleon complex, proves that smaller is better for some jobs as he gets handed down into a nuclear submarine so he can sniff it out for explosives. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul D. Williams for Soldier Dogs)

4. Not all soldier dogs are big, tough warriors.

Sure, breeds like German shepherds and Belgian Malinois are the most common war dogs these days, but affable Labrador retrievers play a major role as sniffer dogs in Afghanistan. And there are also some very little dogs in the military. But I learned that “little” does not mean “diminutive.”

I had the pleasure of meeting a Jack Russell terrier, Lars J274, on a nuclear submarine as he sniffed around for explosives last summer. He was a jaunty little fellow with a Napoleon complex. Submariners would laugh has he trotted down the narrow walkways, but he didn’t care. “Inside, he’s a big dog with a big attitude,” his handler told me.

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Dogs know us much better than we may think they do. Their ability to read people comes in especially handy during war situations. The dog above, Rex L274, was a gentle giant of a German shepherd, who was always there when someone needed a helping paw. (Photo courtesy of Amanda Ingraham)

5. Dogs are the ultimate anthropologists.

They study us. They observe us. They smell changes in our very chemistry. They learn to predict us. And they seem to know when their people are having a bad day.

Rex L274 was a big, sensitive German shepherd. He had failed out of aggression training because anytime he bit someone wearing protective gear during practice, and they yelled or screamed in response, he immediately let go and seemed to look concerned and sad. So his career path changed, and he became a highly trained off-leash bomb sniffer.

His sensitivity to the people around him played out in the form of becoming a sort of unofficial therapy dog wherever he went. “He’d always find the one soldier who was having a hard day and hang out with them,” his handler, Army Sgt. Amanda Ingraham, told me. His favorite therapy was to cheer up down soldiers by getting them to play with a water bottle. After all, he liked playing with water bottles, so it would seem natural that they would too. He’d run up and bonk them with a water bottle (empty or full, it didn’t matter). Or he’d sit next to him crunching the bottle and periodically banging it against the soldier with the blues. Eventually the soldier would take the bait, and a grand game of tug-of-war or a big chase would ensue.

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Special Operations dogs can perform stunning feats of bravery from great heights. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez, U.S. Air Force)

6. Some dogs really do jump from planes.

These extremely resilient, super-high-drive dogs are specially procured and trained by military contractors, not the DOD’s Military Working Dog program. Some join their human partners in parachute jumps from planes, others rappel with their handlers from helicopters. The dogs who do this are known as multi-purpose canines (MPCs), and are used used in Special Operations teams, including the Navy SEALs. They’re a tiny subset of military dogs, but can serve very important roles, as Cairo, the dog involved in the SEAL Team Six raid on the Bin Laden compound, demonstrated.

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Lynette and Larry Sergeant, the caring couple that adopted Buck P207, have been trying everything to help him with his canine PTSD. He is very comfortable with them, and loves the new puppy they adopted to keep him company, but he still has a great deal of healing ahead. (Photo copyright Estella Diaz)

7. Soldier dogs can get PTSD.

Until last year, canine post traumatic stress disorder wasn’t officially recognized by the military, but now that it is, it’s being taken very seriously. Signs of Canine PTSD include hypervigilance, increased startle response, attempts to run away or escape, withdrawal, changes in rapport with a handler, and problems performing trained tasks - like a bomb dog who just can’t focus on sniffing out bombs any more.

As with people, some dogs can go to hell and back and not be badly scarred. Others are profoundly affected by less. There are treatments, but they aren’t as effective as they need to be. Research into canine PTSD is in its infancy, but I hope it will one day soon offer some better solutions for the dogs who are suffering so.

While at Lackland Air Force Base, which is where most military dogs get trained, I visited the base’s adoption kennels and was greeted by the loads of barking, energetic dogs. But this one beautiful chocolate Lab, Buck P027, was curled up tightly, staring out into nothingness. It turns out Buck had been a bomb dog in Afghanistan. He may have seen too much action or been close to one too many explosions. It was really heartbreaking to see this dog who was crushed by PTSD lying alone. Thankfully the next day he went home with a couple who loves him to pieces. They’re working on helping him through his PTSD every day. I am in touch with them and get regular reports on his progress.

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What’s in a name? Ask Davy N532, a female dog whose name does not match her gender. Oddball names are not uncommon among military working dogs, whose breeders, usually from Europe, name them. (Photo courtesy of Marcus Bates)

8. Soldier dog names can be downright embarrassing to their handlers.

Dogs are named by their breeders, who are hail from places like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, and Germany. There are plenty of regal or at least normal names, like Rex, Nero, and Rocky. And then there are the unfortunate or oddball ones. Imagine being downrange in a life-or-death situation, and shouting for “Baby Cakes!” “Baby Bear!” “Busty!” or “Moo!” Yes, those are real military working dog names.

Male dogs sometimes have female names, like Kitty, or Freida, and vice-versa. The handler of Freida said it was very awkward calling his name. He swears the breeders are just messing with American handlers, and I have a feeling he’s right.

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When a military working dog dies, his food/water bowl is turned upside down, and his harness and collar hung up, to symbolize he won't be needing them anymore. (Photo courtesy Emily Pieracci)

9. When soldier dogs die, their memorial services will rip your heart out.

Their bowls are placed upside down, to symbolize that they won’t need them anymore. Their collars and leashes are hung up in remembrance of the dog. And if the memorial is at a kennel, the dog’s kennel door is left open, indicating the dog will not be returning home. The handler, or someone who can handle the heartbreaking duty, reads a poem called Guardians of the Night. I can’t even think about it without tearing up. A lot of handlers can’t either.

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Dogs are anything but equipment to their handlers. Military working dog Blek H199 and his handler, Air Force Staff Sergeant Brent Olson, had a rough deployment together. Both were badly injured. Today, Blek is part of Olson's family. Olson was able to adopt him after the dog was retired due to his injuries. (Photo courtesy of Brent Olson)

10. Soldier dogs are still officially considered equipment by the Defense Department.

Most handlers consider their dogs their best friends, but to the DOD, military working dogs are still officially equipment.

“I try to articulate dog is not a piece of equipment, but a working, breathing animal that needs to be treated respectfully and kindly,” says Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Antonio (Arod) Rodriguez. “Your dog is your partner, and values meaningful interaction. You just don’t think about equipment in the same way.”

There’s some fantastic legislation in Congress right now that seeks to change this status. You can read about it in a post I wrote for Dogster. In it I explain how you can weigh in on this very important bipartisan bill, The Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act. These dogs deserve all the support we can give them.

Maria Goodavage is a former USA Today reporter, and Dogster’s news editor.

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Can We Have a Discussion About BSL Without Seeing Red?

I am no fan of Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL), which is exactly what it sounds like — legislation that generally involves banning or severely limiting pet ownership of breeds that are commonly perceived as aggressive. I think these types of laws overly simplify a complex issue and do little to actually reduce the risk of dog attacks.

Instead of banning certain breeds, I would love to see an alternative program where responsible dog ownership and stewardship is rewarded with incentives such as public access privileges at hotels and other travel accommodations or discounted license registration fees for those who complete puppy class, manage their pups in public (by obeying leash laws and cleaning up after their dogs), and who complete classes like the Association of Pet Dog Trainers’ C.L.A.S.S. program, regardless of their dog’s breed.

I live with a Chow mix who would fall under nearly every BSL and homeowners’ insurance ban in the U.S., but some of the BSL backlash concerns me. While I don’t feel it is fair to judge a dog’s temperament or likelihood to be a danger based solely on breed, I also think the tendency to undermine the importance of breed characteristics may actually increase the danger of dog bites in our communities.

Let’s use the Pit Bull, the poster child of BSL discussions, as an example. On one side, you have proponents of legislation who claim all Pit Bulls are vicious attack dogs and will eventually snap and maim or kill a person or another dog. On the other side are Pit Bull devotees, who are understandably concerned about the fate and cultural perceptions of their beloved breed — but who sometimes go a little too far in stating that, without exception, Pit Bulls work well with all families, have no greater risk of displaying interdog aggressive behavior, will graciously tolerate being groped by small children, and will not display predatory aggression toward small animals.

Who’s right?

Are they both wrong?

The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle. I know many Pit Bulls that are great with kids, and many that are not. Some are fantastic service dogs who work diligently to improve the daily lives of their disabled handlers, while some others would be overwhelmed and stressed by the same lifestyle. I know many Pit Bulls that are able to live successfully with small animals, and many that cannot. I know many Pit Bulls that have never been in a dog fight, and I know many Pit Bulls that have been in lots of them.

This holds true for all breeds. I looked at my records, and Pit Bulls and Pit mixes account for only 4 percent of my general businesses but comprise a full 17 percent of my dog reactivity cases. The tendency is to say that the owners of those Pit Bulls in my reactivity program are “bad,” that they somehow abused their dog into reactivity or aggression. While many of these owners may have made some training mistakes, a good number of them did everything right. Many of them give their dogs great socialization, physical and mental exercise, medical care, and optimal nutrition. They are not bad people, nor are their dogs bad dogs.

There is no dog breed that will be right for every family. I suspect there are so many Labradors and Lab crosses in shelters because we are sold the image of them being the perfect family dog. But what if you have a family of couch potatoes with an energetic Lab who will retain puppylike behaviors and energy levels well into adulthood? This won’t be the perfect pet for this particular family, who may be better off with an adult Greyhound or even a Pug. A low-energy household may find a mellow Lab that is the perfect fit, but Labs are not universally friendly, nor do they all come preprogrammed with off-leash reliability and a rock-solid retrieve.

In almost any breed, you will find almost every doggy temperament — lazy to hyper, focused to uber-distracted, quick learners to not-so-quick learners, prey-driven to “naps with squirrels.” (Well, “naps with squirrels” may not apply to any individuals within some breeds or groups.) Despite this, it’s important that we pay attention to breed-specific tendencies.

While I agree with anti-BSL advocates, we must be careful not to go too far in the other direction and say that “There are no dogs, only bad owners.” My Chow mix is very Chowlike; she is very devoted to her people and very aloof with other humans. She tolerates but doesn’t seek out or even enjoy playing with lots of new dogs, or dogs with poor social skills. Since she is well trained, I can use her in reactive dog consultations as a “stimulus” or exposure dog, but it’s all a trained behavior; I don’t kid myself that she’s just an exceptionally friendly Chow. She is aloof around strangers, and it’s not because she or I are “bad” — it’s just who she is.

Genetics don’t tell the whole story, but they do tell a good portion of it. “Genetic,” as it refers to tendencies for specific behavioral traits, also doesn’t mean set in stone or unmodifiable, but it will likely influence training goals and strategies for that particular dog.

The moral of the story: Not all Shelties bark, but many do. Not all Greyhounds must be leashed for a lifetime to be safe, but they should be. Not all Chows would hate being therapy dogs, but most would. Not all terriers like to chase and sometimes kill small animals, but probably more terriers than Pugs like to engage in this sort of behavior. I was going to say that not all Beagles like to bay or sniff everything in the environment, but that would just be an out-and-out lie.

Let’s chat: If you are a breed devotee, how is your dog typical and atypical of its breed? If you’ve had many dogs of a particular breed, which ones fit the stereotypes, and which didn’t?

Photos from the Dogster pages of Nala (top) and Bodie

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E.B. White’s Awesome Letter to the Authorities About His “Harbored” Dog

Novelist E.B. White and his dog, Minnie (at least I think it's Minnie)

Ever had a frustrating situation dealing with authorities and not known how to handle it? Before you have to face this again, you need to check out how novelist E.B. White (of Charlotte’s Web fame, among other works) handled a claim by the New York ASPCA in 1951.

The organization had accused him of “harboring” an unlicensed dog because he allegedly didn’t pay some dog tax. Instead of flinging off an angry response, or cheerfully paying it without a peep, White typed this sweetly funny, gently facetious letter. Talk about a class act. He will be my mentor when life calls for this kind of response in the future — whether or not it pertains to dogs.

Dear Sirs:

I have your letter, undated, saying that I am harboring an unlicensed dog in violation of the law. If by “harboring” you mean getting up two or three times every night to pull Minnie’s blanket up over her, I am harboring a dog all right. The blanket keeps slipping off. I suppose you are wondering by now why I don’t get her a sweater instead. That’s a joke on you. She has a knitted sweater, but she doesn’t like to wear it for sleeping; her legs are so short they work out of a sweater and her toenails get caught in the mesh, and this disturbs her rest. If Minnie doesn’t get her rest, she feels it right away. I do myself, and of course with this night duty of mine, the way the blanket slips and all, I haven’t had any real rest in years. Minnie is twelve.

In spite of what your inspector reported, she has a license. She is licensed in the State of Maine as an unspayed bitch, or what is more commonly called an “unspaded” bitch. She wears her metal license tag but I must say I don’t particularly care for it, as it is in the shape of a hydrant, which seems to me a feeble gag, besides being pointless in the case of a female. It is hard to believe that any state in the Union would circulate a gag like that and make people pay money for it, but Maine is always thinking of something. Maine puts up roadside crosses along the highways to mark the spots where people have lost their lives in motor accidents, so the highways are beginning to take on the appearance of a cemetery, and motoring in Maine has become a solemn experience, when one thinks mostly about death. I was driving along a road near Kittery the other day thinking about death and all of a sudden I heard the spring peepers. That changed me right away and I suddenly thought about life. It was the nicest feeling.

You asked about Minnie’s name, sex, breed, and phone number. She doesn’t answer the phone. She is a dachshund and can’t reach it, but she wouldn’t answer it even if she could, as she has no interest in outside calls. I did have a dachshund once, a male, who was interested in the telephone, and who got a great many calls, but Fred was an exceptional dog (his name was Fred) and I can’t think of anything offhand that he wasn’t interested in. The telephone was only one of a thousand things. He loved life — that is, he loved life if by “life” you mean “trouble,” and of course the phone is almost synonymous with trouble. Minnie loves life, too, but her idea of life is a warm bed, preferably with an electric pad, and a friend in bed with her, and plenty of shut-eye, night and days. She’s almost twelve. I guess I’ve already mentioned that. I got her from Dr. Clarence Little in 1939. He was using dachshunds in his cancer-research experiments (that was before Winchell was running the thing) and he had a couple of extra puppies, so I wheedled Minnie out of him. She later had puppies by her own father, at Dr. Little’s request. What do you think about that for a scandal? I know what Fred thought about it. He was some put out.

Sincerely yours,

E. B. White

Great, right? And here, for a bonus, is a tiny little poem by White. Doxie lovers should especially like it.

The Dachshund’s affectionate
He wants to wed with you:
Lie down to sleep,
And he’s in bed with you.
Sit in a chair,
He’s there.
Depart,
You break his heart.

Source: The letter is from a most interesting website called Letters of Note. The poem is from DogQuotatations.com.

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Win an Entertaining, Insightful Book About Dogs and Management

Remember yesterday’s book review by Dogster’s very own Watch Dog, John D. Williams? The book, All I Learned About Management I Learned From My Dog, looks like an enchanting, helpful one. It’s by management guru Martin Levin, who was 91 years old when he adopted his dog.

Martin Levin and Angel. Wow, if I could look like that when I'm in my 90s... (Well not just like that.. Maybe a little more femine...)

Skyhorse Publishing is going to send five lucky Dogster readers (in the US only; apologies to all our friends to the north and elsewhere) a copy of the book. All you have to do to put your name in the hat is to tell us what you think you’ll gain from reading the book. You can go back to the book review, or check out the book’s website to sniff around for more details.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a business exec or manager to benefit from the book. Dog lovers will enjoy it just for the wonderful story of his dog Angel, and for Levin’s humor. And it gives great advice that can help you in situations that call for good leadership. That doesn’t necessarily mean in the boardroom.

Leave a comment below by this Friday, July 1, at 5 pm PDT. We’ll do a random drawing of five entries, and announce the winner on Monday, July 4. (A fitting day for any of you who want to become entrepreneurs and experience the independence of running your own business.) Only one entry per household, please.

Good luck!

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Watch Dog Book Review: “All I Know About Management I Learned From My Dog”

Hey Dogsters! Today I’m delighted to bring you a book review by John D. Williams. John (aka Watch Dog) is the customer service representative for Dogster & Catster and an adjunct professor of communication at Tarrant County College. He lives in Arlington, Texas with his wife, Tricia, and 11-year–old daughter, Hannah, who is crazy about dogs.

If you like what you read here, tune in tomorrow: We’re going to give away five copies of the book!

All I Know About Management I Learned From My Dog

Reviewed by John Williams

In the world of business, you often hear the expression, “It’s a dog-eat-dog world.” I’m happy to report that Martin P. Levin’s new book has gotten our canine friends out of the doghouse and into the boardroom with style. At a modest 128 pages, from title page to postscript, Levin’s charming monograph (as he calls it) has much to offer, and if you happen to be a passionate entrepreneur who loves dogs, so much the better.

The premise of the book comes from Levin’s attempts to cope with the loss of his wife Marcia after sixty-eight years of marriage. His counselor repeatedly advises him, “You’ll feel better if you get a dog.” Levin resisted. “I thought to myself disdainfully, I’ve had a dog; in fact I’ve had several dogs. But I’ve only had one wife, and I’m not convinced that a border collie is going to do the trick, even conceding the devoted loyalty of dogs and the fact they are man’s best friend.”

But when weeks of mourning and grief counseling turned into months, somewhat on impulse, the eighty-nine-year-old publishing lawyer decided to visit a local shelter. What he and his assistant found was Angel, “a mature female golden retriever/virgule chow mix.”

All I Know About Management I Learned From My Dog follows Levin and Angel’s journey from insecure rescue dog and somewhat reluctant dog owner, to comfortable companions. “It soon became clear that my best resource for managing Angel would be, unexpectedly, the six decades of experience I had in a variety of management positions and the principles I had learned in the process.”

I confess the phrase “managing Angel” gave me caution, but Levin’s businesslike approach to pet ownership is obviously interlaced with devoted love for Angel. Any doubts I may have had dissolved quickly and, after all, it is a book about “management” styles.

Levin’s Angel-inspired tips, for running a business and being a happy dog owner, are beautiful in their simplicity:

1. Trust & Leadership
2. Communication
3. Problem Solving & Decision Making
4. Perseverance & Success

You’ll need to read the book for details, but in this reviewer’s opinion, you won’t be disappointed. Levin delivers the goods in fine style, sprinkled with good humor and wisdom garnered from six decades of management experience juxtaposed with his new life with Angel. Levin shares the ups and downs of learning to communicate with Angel; developing coping mechanisms for her fear of thunderstorms; and learning how to handle the challenges of traveling together.

Having managed a pizza shop and two university television stations, I found myself nodding in agreement with much of Levin’s management advice, especially his counsel to stick to basics and remain young at heart:

Staying young has long been the subject of philosophers and writers, from Aristotle to the present, and this is not an exaggeration. In the complex management environment, staying young is essential, and there are a number of issues involved in remaining so.

I am advised by Angel that… if I take regular naps and stay young at heart, she expects more from me – there is much more to come.

There is a wealth of wisdom in this little book for both entrepreneurs and dog lovers. Levin has a treasure trove of experience from which to mine his management advice, and a simply delightful story to share in Angel. And it isn’t all about Levin teaching Angel; much of the story is how Angel teaches him life lessons, which blends nicely with Levin’s belief that a good manager must also be a good listener and always interested in learning.

All I Know About Management I Learned From My Dog is not a large book, but neither is it short on substance. Definitely worth putting on your bucket list of books to read this summer. You won’t be disappointed.

(Image of office dogs Watson and Cressi from the Flickr photostream of emdot.)

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What Do You Do About Your Dog if You’re Raptured Away This Weekend?

The folks at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets say they'll put the wag back in your dog's tail in a post-Judgment-Day world (Image: Flickr photostrem of darrylcuz)

I am really out of the loop. I’d scheduled a birthday lunch with my mother-in-law for May 22, but I recently learned that there may be a little conflict: Judgment Day is predicted for May 21. I hate it when that happens!

This could change our plans a little, if Judgment Day pundits like Oakland minister Harold Camping are right. There are all kinds of renditions of what may happen tomorrow on the Day of Reckoning. Among them:

FYI Rev. Camping didn't get the Rapture date right last time. He has high hopes for this one.

• This is the kindest and gentlest of the predictions. Jesus will come, and the saved are going straight to heaven. (FYI, the event is called the Rapture, because if you’ve committed your life to Jesus and he personally sends you to heaven, you’re probably going to be pretty rapturous.) In this scenario, the rest of us may remain here on earth, slogging away at our tedious lives, noticing nothing different except, perhaps, that there are more empty seats at church. The world may or may not end in October.

• Earthquakes will tear the world asunder. That’s what Camping predicts. The saved (a mere 2 percent of the world’s population, apparently) will go straight to heaven. Everyone else, the other place.

• The saved will go to heaven (this seems to be a common theme), and the rest of us will be having a very, very bad time on Earth on May 22 and henceforth.

But why am I writing about this on Dogster? Because some people who are planning for the Rapture are also making plans for their pets.

The idea is that dogs don’t go to heaven (this is not the kind of heaven I’d want to be in), so if you love your dog, you’re going to want to make sure he gets a new home.

I’m not sure how that works, because in some renditions of Judgment Day, people who remain here sound like they’re in for a rather dicey time, and may be thinking more about how to avoid the rampant fire and brimstone than where to buy Maggie her kibble.

What’s a dog to do if his owner has been Raptured away?

If his owner had signed up for post-Rapture care with the atheists at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets-USA, the dog should be OK. According to the company’s website:

Left behind? Not a problem, says Eternal Earth-Bound Pets (Image: Flickr photostream of "mostly by me & my girls")

We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward.  Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.

But who are these people?

Our representatives have been screened to ensure that they are atheists, animal lovers, are moral / ethical with no criminal background, have the ability and desire to rescue your pet and the means to retrieve them and ensure their care for your pet’s natural life.

Well, you can’t complain about the price:

For $135.00 we will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved.  Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $20.00 fee. A small price to pay for your peace of mind and the health and safety of your four legged and feathered friends

The service claims to have representatives in 28 states now, and they’re standing by to take your dog. As of about a week ago, the organization told the Washington Post it had some 250 clients.

Some fine print to be aware of, should you sign up:

If  subscriber loses his/her faith and/or the Rapture occurs and subscriber is not Raptured (aka  is “left behind”) EE-BP disclaims any liability; no refund will be tendered.

Is this a joke? According to the company’s website, absolutely not.

This is a serious offer to our Christian friends who believe in the Second Coming and honestly care about the future of their pets after the Rapture occurs.

As for my plans on May 22, I think I’ll wait until Sunday morning to buy my mother-in-law a gift, just in case.

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Why I blog about my dog’s cancer

In July, 2008 I took my dog Lydia to the vet to have a tumor removed. While she was gone, I composed a short blog post about it. I whined a little about how much I hated leaving her there, and about being nervous that she was having surgery. It was a way for me to vent a bit about what was going on, and also to keep myself busy until she came home.

Ten days later I wrote another blog post that I had to title, “My dog Lydia has cancer.” It was really hard to type those words the very first time. I remember typing them very slowly and reluctantly. It felt like the act of typing it and sending it out into the world made it real. It’s still difficult to type the words, but I’m stronger about the whole cancer thing than I was then. And a lot of the reason is because I did write about it, and I kept writing.

When I first started blogging about Lydia’s cancer, I did so because I knew it would be therapeutic for me. I’ve always been the type to write when I’m faced with big issues. God knows, cancer is big! So since I’m a pet blogger, it just made sense to blog about her cancer.

After I started documenting Lydia’s story, I was surprised at how many people began frequenting the blog just to hear about her. People reached out and let me know if I needed to talk, they were there for me. People I didn’t even know! It made me feel like I wasn’t alone – like there were people I could turn to if I needed them. Knowing they were there, even if I didn’t write or call them, helped more than I can put into words. And even though it’s been almost three years since her diagnosis, they still follow the blog to read updates on how Lydia’s doing. She constantly has well wishes coming her way, and if I don’t update frequently enough I get emails asking how she’s doing.

As time went on, I realized I was not writing solely for my own benefit. It was clear that Lydia’s story was helping other people who had pets with health issues. A lot of them post on the blog, or write to me privately, because they need someone to talk to. The majority of them have dogs fighting the same kind of cancer as Lydia, but not all. And not all are fighting cancer, but they need someone to turn to and when they find me, they write. I don’t know how many times I’ve emailed words of encouragement, regrets for dogs or cats who have died, or to celebrate improvement. Sometimes only a few emails are exchanged. Other times emails go back and forth for quite a while. Regardless though, I know first-hand that being able to reach out to someone who understands definitely helps.

I did my share of searching for help online when Lydia was diagnosed and found some very helpful people. Sometimes I’d ask about the treatments their dogs were going through, but mostly what I wanted was moral support, and that’s what I’m able to give to people who write to me now. I still struggle with the uncertainty and fears, but being able to help someone else get through it helps me too.

I know I would have muddled through Lydia’s health issues without the Internet, but it would have been much more difficult. Sure, my family knows how much I love my dogs, but they don’t totally get the connection. I have real life friends who get it, but they have lives and can’t always be there for me. With the Internet, there’s always somebody somewhere who totally understands and can take the time to listen. And it’s a heck of a lot easier to find people online who are dealing with the very same health problem. I can’t imagine not having the Internet now, or the support system it’s given me to help get through all of Lydia’s health problems.

And just for the record, I know just how fortunate we are that Lydia is still a happy, active dog, three years post-diagnosis. She’s doing great, and although I know cancer can rear its nasty self at any time, I only hope Lydia stays healthy. Look for another update on her soon, as she goes in for an ultrasound on Monday. They make me a little nervous, but not Lydia. She loves the attention!

Photo: Lydia showing one of her best sides in our backyard.

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Did Dog Know SUV Was About to Plow Into His Kitchen?

Did the dog who lives in this house have a sense that something was amiss before the SUV plowed into it? (Photo: KABC)

A Southern California woman narrowly escaped injury Tuesday night when an alleged drunk driver crashed his SUV into her kitchen. Her dog, Cobra, may be the reason she wasn’t hurt in the freak accident.

Just before the crash, Felicia Cordoba had been in the kitchen talking on the phone with her sister. Suddenly Cobra bolted away. Cordoba ran to get him, and bang! The SUV plowed through the wall of her home and into her kitchen.

Did Cobra sense the imminent disaster? No news reports say just how long it was between him bolting and the crash (or where he ran, for that matter; outside, one would think). But since Cordoba credits his bolting with her safety, it seems Cobra may well have had an inkling that something not so good was about to take place. Maybe he already heard the car going wonky far down the street. Maybe he has ESP. Or maybe he just had to go do a leg lift.

Whatever the reason, great job, Cobra! Five people are displaced because of the accident, but at least they’re all alive.

Sources: KABC, the Daily Breeze

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Did you hear the one about the pet blogger who…

Just when life couldn’t possibly get any more stressful, you get kidnapped by a cab driver having a break with reality.

I’m in Orlando speaking on “Avoiding the Three Biggest Social Media Mistakes” at Maddie’s Fund’s day-long seminar on getting to no-kill. Last night, we all met for dinner, and I left a bit early to watch “Glee,” which I re-cap each week for MTV’s AfterElton.com and AfterEllen.com websites.

The guy who picked me up at the Gaylord Palms Hotel started ranting and muttering before we got out of the parking lot, but I thought he was on the phone. By the time I realized he was talking to the voices in his head, I was caught in a sort of weird paralysis. At first I thought he was just lost, as he kept talking about GPS satellites, but it became clear that he was blaming all kinds of things on the beams from the satellites, and from my iPhone, which I was trying to use to get directions.

I don’t know why I didn’t get out, to tell you the truth; I didn’t know where we were, for one, and we were driving fast. He didn’t overtly threaten me, and I felt from the sense of what he was saying that he intended to take me to my hotel, which he eventually did.

I jumped out, said I was going to call the police, and he took off.

And of course, I missed “Glee,” although I was able to watch it online later — too much later to write a full re-cap, so I just did a few fast paragraphs instead of my usual epic analysis. My editor was very understanding; he actually pivoted to “I’m so glad you’re all right!” almost immediately after gasping in horror that my re-cap might not happen.

Anyway, I have to go to my presentation now, and then I catch a late flight home where I finish packing and leave for my road trip to Michigan Saturday morning.

And after all, tomorrow is another day.

Image by Dennis Ayers at AfterElton.com.

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Give your vet the poop, the whole poop, and everything about the poop

Earlier this week Jeanette, my client, and I debated whether or not Jack, her elderly and adorable terrier mix, was having diarrhea.

Jeanette’s thinking was that the term diarrhea should be reserved only for situations with increased frequency and urgency. I explained to her that Jack’s twice daily, unformed bowel movements qualified as diarrhea.

This got me to thinking about how many times I might be receiving inaccurate feedback to my standard exam room question, “Have you observed any diarrhea?” I remember going round and round with one client who repeatedly answered, “No” to this question. When we discovered that, yes, her cat truly did have chronic diarrhea, she defended her responses by saying that it was her husband who always cleaned the litterbox — in truth, she had never “observed” any diarrhea!

So, folks, here’s the scoop (no pun intended). When a veterinarian asks if your dog or cat has been having diarrhea, please disclose any and all information describing how your pet’s bowel movements have been abnormal. Believe it or not, your description of stool appearance, number of bowel movements per day, urgency, and the presence or absence of blood, mucous, straining, and gassiness can provide your veterinarian with a wealth of useful information including whether the diarrhea is originating from the small (upper) or large (lower) intestine.

Boy, oh boy, is your veterinarian gonna get an earful next time he or she asks about your pet’s bowel movements! And please note, I purposefully refrained from including a relevant photo with this blog post.

Photo credit: Sumner Fowler

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