Top 5 Rare Dog Breeds

Most of you are already familiar with instincts of the loyalty and grief our little friends are capable of experiencing, but this week I would like to talk about the top 5 rarest dogs in the world. Due to the selective breeding practices and geographic isolation, a great number of dog breeds have been created to make our little friends more unique and diverse. Some breeds have been subjected to extinction; some never became popular; and some have very uncommon features for dogs and are therefore considered rare breeds:

5.) Our top 5 opens up Cataburun, a Turkish hunting dog, and rareness or the most distinctive trait is identified by its "split-nose."  In Turkey, double nosed cataburuns were most likely bred for hunting purposes. They are known for their superior ability to pick up scents and fast instinctual movements while hunting in extreme areas.






4.) Next on our list is the Mexican Hairless Dog, known in Mexico as Xoloitzcuitli. According to archaeological evidence, these rare hairless breed of dogs have lived in Mexico for over 3000 years and this hairless exterior is attributed to adaptation to the heat of tropical regions. Due to their petite shape and fragile demeanor, this breed of dog has become a bit of a fashion accessory.






3.) Another fascinating breed is the Chow Chow, which is distinguished by its lion-like mane of hair, its black and blue tongue typical of a bear, its near-straight hind legs, and fluffy fur coat. The distinctive black and blue tongue also leads breeders to believe that the Chow Chow is also a distant relative to the Chinese Shar-Pei. Chow Chows are very famous not only due to its rare features, but also for their very friendly nature.




2.) The most distinctive trait of the Norwegian Lundehund is its six toes that allows the dog to gain traction while running the fields and climbing relatively mountainous terrain. The Loundehund is classified as a hunting dog and its main prey are birds. Among its many traits, the most amusing would have to be its ability to bend its heads 180 degrees over the sholders and plug the ears to avoid any moist and dirt inside.






1.) The rarest breed of them all is gifted to a very rare wild dog: the New Guinea Singing Dogs. We should remember about our rare wild dogs, who prove that our little friends are instinctively intelligent animals. The New Guinea Singing Dog is a wild dog well known for its unique howling similar to wolfs. Therefore, they are often related to the wild Australian dingos.







Of course there are great varieties of other rare dogs all over the world, but I believe those top 5 have very unique and distinctive features that the mother nature has imposed on our little friends as a good sign to stop stereotyping even animals. Moreover, if you would like to rescue one of those rare little friends or you know one of them in danger, you should contact our shelter in Las Vegas area: Little Friends Foundation.

Loyalty of Little Friends Knows No Boundaries

I am pretty sure that most of you have heard about people's stories of longing or sadness due to the death of someone important. Usually, many of us who lose someone very important in their lives find the strength to be strong and move on. But it seems like our little friends sometimes experience a fatal  "separation anxiety."  Have u ever thought about the level of sadness and grief that your little friends might experience due to the loss of their owners? May be it is time for you to start being mindful of your little friends' emotional attachments.

Hachiko

This week, I would like to talk about the most outstanding stories of dogs all over the world, who couldn't overcome the grief related to the loss of their masters. I am not trying to act as an expert of dogs' longing or sadness feelings, but all those sad true stories make it seem like dogs are more sensitive to the loss of important human kinds than visa verse. Some of you might think that little friends are just pets, rescue animals, or simply good friends, but the following fascinating stories might change your perspectives on the power of dogs' grief!

In Tokyo, 1924, every time a certain university professor emerged from the subway station, he was always warmly greeted by this little puppy named "Hachiko".  Every day, The little Hachiko walked home together with his master. After a sudden death, the professor had never returned back to the station. However, Hachiko was patiently waiting for his owner for 10 years. In 1935, he was found dead near by the station. Japanese people were so fascinated and amazed by Hachiko's loyalty and grief that his statue was erected at Shibuya Station. Eventually, Hachiko's legendary faithfulness proclamed as a national Japanese symbol of loyalty.

Another story and proof of dogs' hardship to overcome the loss of their master is the most recent story of a Texas dog named Spot. In June of 2010, Wayne Giroux was killed by a drunk driver leaving behind him a son, Paul, and his dog, Spot. Although Paul will forever be without his father, his youth and intellect will help him mend over time. However, Wayne's memory will always be permanently etched in the heart of Spot, who to this day still hangs out by the side of the road waiting for Wayne to come home.

"I have no doubts that's what she's waiting for," Paul sad. "It breaks my heart every time I go over there."
It's been over a year since Spot keeps preciously waiting for her master, and it seems like she is not ready to get over her longing to see Wayne.

"It's possible, one day, Spot might give up. But Paul doesn't think so."

Another pretty sad story is about a legendary Skye terrier, Bobby who within two years formed an exclusive relationships with a night watchman of the Edinburgh City police. The next 14 years after Bobby owner's death, he spent sitting on his master's grave and rejecting to overcome his sadness of loosing his owner.

There are countless other stories all over the world, but the truth is that dogs and may be some other pets really do grieve for their masters and most of the cases become fatal. Psychologists conclude that some dogs experience some type of depression which effects not only their appetite, but also their immune system, which is very untypical for their survival instincts. In reality, the grief and the sadness become the main reasons for that type of depression. Some dogs get so attached to their masters that they suffer from a "separation anxiety." Always keep it in mind that one of those homeless dogs might just lost his/her best friend and master which makes their lives miserable. Would you like to help some of those little friends to get rid off the "separation distress"? You should check out our shelter in Las Vegas at Little Friends Foundation and help one of those little friends to become happy and fresh under a new care of your house.

Moscow's Strays Know Subways

Did you really think figuring out to get from point "A" to be point "B" was strictly a human problem? What about our little friends? How else are they supposed to get around? The food isn't just kind to find itself.  In the United States, seeing stray dogs wandering the streets is not such a common sight; however, the same can't be said for other countries where the strays can number in the tens of thousands.

Negligent owners and even poorer animal control has led to exponential breeding and streets swarming with born-strays. This has been going on for decades and the canines, who were born strays have learned to adapt. There are more than a few dogs, who even know how to circumnavigate the Moscow subways.

Have you ever heard that dogs are color blind? However, in Moscow, homeless dogs cross the streets with pedestrians and wait for green light. Researchers assume that these crafty canines are following the movement of the pedestrians. As mentioned earlier, some dogs are street-wise enough to wait for the train like any other commuter. In between stops, these strays even take naps to kill time before their specific stop. There are some many homeless dogs in Moscow that packs of strays have actually started taking to the subways system in search of food, shelter, and means of transportation. Like any other major metropolis, life just went on in Moscow as no one seemed to notice or care to any more. Sharing a subway car with a stray black lab lounging on the bench next to them just doesn't irk any one any more. It's really quite sad.

In most metropolitan Russian cities, there is a near-epidemic of homeless dogs and born-strays running around the cities. It is estimated that there are an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 stray dogs roaming the streets of Moscow alone. About a year ago, the Moscow authorities allocated roughly $76 million to care for these stray dogs in terms of shelters and sterilizations.

"As of September 1, approximately 12,000 dogs are being kept in the city's animal shelters, foster owners were found for 3,300 dogs this year."                                                                         - Anton Velikhovsky, head of Moscow's public utilities

As Russia proceeds to curb their dog population issues, we should learn from their situation. If you see a stray, report them to your local no-kill shelter like Little Friends Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada. The streets are no place for an animal domesticated by man and bred to be dependent. A shelter will at least administer the necessary shots, spay and or neuter the dog and give the little friend a place to call home, however temporary. It's the humane thing to do.

The Zoolander Of Kitty Cats

The whole allure of cute kitties going viral is nothing new to this blog ("Funny Cat Tricks"). For the past two weeks, we've been on a bit of a kitty kick. This time around, we are breaking out the close-up lens and taking in the fabulous specimen that is Toki Nantucket, the 3 year old Abyssinian, who has been glossing the front pages of internet searches with its chic fashions and en vogue flair for the camera. How did this poseur kitty's rise to fame come about?

Well, much like any industry, it's really about who you know and it just so happens that Toki's owner, Julie Song, is a costume designer, who graduated from Parsons School of Design ("Project Runway"). Last year, Julie wanted to do something special for her Christmas card photos. Tokie, being the handsome devil that he is, was a natural choice for the cover. Julie began crafting a wardrobe starting with an elf hood and the rest as they say was a wrap.

"I wasn't sure how they'd go over since most people assume that cats hate being dressed up...He took to modeling right away and is totally calm during photo shoots. It also helps that I bribe him with chicken." - Julie Song

The Christmas cards were such a hit, the photos of Toki in his wears leaked to the rest of the web. As the hits racked up, demand for Julie's kitty fashions soared. You can see her line of kitty couture at her Etsy shop, CatAtelier, where adjustable collars have been all the rage as of late. Julie Song likes to think the recent success of her CatAtelier line can be attributed to being one of the few designers crafting chic clothing fit for kittens. Maybe so, but give credit where it's due. There is no denying Toki's "it" factor. Is it really that hard to believe that there is such a thing as a feline fashion model? If anything, the "fierce" state-of-mind must surely have been inspired by cats. Why else would they call the stage for showcasing avant garde fashions the catwalk? Think about it...

Is your little friend your muse? What have they inspired you to do in your life? It could be something as basic as helping you become a more responsible individual. I'll share first. In the brief time I had the pleasure of caring after a blue pit by the name of Daisy. She really helped me to open up and not feel to conscious about public shows of affection. To anybody who has ever caught themselves contorting their voice when talking to a dog, you know what I mean. Little friends bring something out of us we sometimes thought no longer existed. 

A Little Friend Can Become a Real Rescue Hero

How often have you heard about cats' heroic deeds? Usually, we hear all over the news about rescue dogs who have saved people's lives. However, there is a great number of cats, who deserve the title of a hero. On August 4, 2004, an angel kitty by the name of Samantha was recognized by the Service Animal Registry of America (SARA) and given the Therapeutic Animal certification, which means this super brave cat is under the protection of law. 

Tia Dawn Jenkins, a disabled twenty-seven-year old young lady from Louisville, Kentucky, shared her story for online "Angel Animals Story of the Week" about her heroic cat, Samantha. On August 4, 2004 her little cat, Samantha saved a life of her lovely disabled owner, Tia, who suffered from four brain surgeries, seizures, and poor vision. Also, she helped not only Tia escape from certain peril of the burning fire, but also her little turtle friend, Shelly.

In the early goings, Samantha was a mischievous kitty, wreaking havoc about the house. Her former owner and next door neighbor, at one point, contemplated feeding Samantha to her pit bull pup. Despite her enfeebled condition, Tia stepped in and took Samantha into her home as her own - a decision  According to Tia, Samantha brought happiness into her depressing life:

"I decided to keep Samantha for myself when I noticed that she brought me out of my depression moods. She would make me laugh by playing fetch with me. I started to train her to bring items that I could not find due to my loss of sight and other disabilities. I trained her to alert me to people and dangers. Samantha also learned how to get help for me, if I went into a seizure."


Samantha not only became a healing natural medicine and animal nurse for Tia, but she also assumed the role of knight in shining armor on the night of January 20, 2004 when a kitchen fire broke out in Tia's apartment. At the first sign of danger, Samantha sprung into action belting out these wicked "meows". Lacking the vision to see where the smoke was bellowing from, Tia was fortunate enough to be able to rely on her little friend, Samantha, to guide her and Tia's pet turtle out of the apartment. Firefighters would later determine that had Samantha not acted in such a timely manner, Tia, most likely, would not have made it out of her smoke filled apartment in time. Thankfully, Samantha's coolness under pressure and strong survival instincts prevailed and tragedy was avoided. Would you like to save one of those rescue little friends? Take an action and check out our website today! www.littlefriendsfoundation.com

Funny Cat Tricks

Seems like one of the sure fire ways to go viral on the World Wide Web is to submit a video of your catnip crazed cat doing something rascally and adorable...and who are we to deny the "IT" factor of cuteness. Here's three videos of little friends gone viral:

1. Such a polite kitty, I wonder what she'd do for a Klondike Bar.



2. This cat's totally ready for the big screen.



3. Don't try this at home, kitties. These are trained professional.



Although not as widely publicized with cats as it is with dogs, felines can be trained to do tricks. The same principles apply. Condition through repetition and reinforce with rewards. Just keep in mind, cats do tend to be freer spirits than dogs. If you are interested in rescuing a little friend of your own, visit the Little Friends Foundation in Las Vegas (address at bottom of post) or visit our official website.

The Cat's Nose Knows What This Smell is About!

       Do u think Cats are more than just pets? You are absolutely right! Let’s take a look at some facts in regards to the cats’ smell senses that hopefully will increase awareness of their natural intelligence. Did you know that cats have a sense of smell 30 times better than humans? 

       Cats have inborn sense of smell functioning, and it is fully developed by about three weeks of age. Cat’s nose considered as its most important organ where the surrounding of a cat could be presented as a world of odors, smells, and scents. Their sense of smell drastically impacts all means of their survival such as:

To Smell Food

Kittens are normally have inborn sense of smell to locate food. However, with age, cats might have troubles with reduced sense of smell and refuse food. You always can slightly warm up the food to enhance its ordor.

To Locate a Mate

Both female and male cats release a powerful sexual pheromone that can be scented in a great distance. Therefore, if you have a female cat, during a mating period, keep an eye on male cats running around your windows.

To Establish Territorial Lines

Believe it or not, but male cats mark their territory with urine or with pheromones not only to put some travel territorial boundaries, but also to establish a status among other male cats.  

To Warn against Enemies and Danger  

Any type of danger cats perceive through their sense of smells followed by hissing or whiskers twitching.

         We can see surely see that cats are not only great pets but also very intelligent animals. They are are naturally hunters in the wild world, therefore, their sense of smell is so strong and picky that they can easily sniff a potential food and rarely eat stale meat or carrion. 

Waiting Patiently By With Wang Cai

China's "Most Loyal Dog" Wang Cai

Regardless of hemisphere, language barrier or even cuisine, man's best friend will always be just that...Their undying loyalty is undoubtedly your little friend's most admirable quality. Take China's "Most Loyal Dog" Wang Cai for instance.

For going on four years now, Wang Cai has waited outside the doors of Misheng bank from 9 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. He didn't pace about anxiously ("Does Your Dog Experience Separation Anxiety?") nor did he indulge in treats from passersby. Wang Cai just minded his stoop, warding off any other dogs, who dared to encroach on his post. What or who Wang Cai was waiting for was subject for debate in the early goings that is until this viral video surfaced on China's YouTube counterpart, YouKu.

         

The video has wracked up 1.55 million views and counting so far with 1.3 million of it accrued within the first 24 hours of being posted. Since going viral, the story has been too juicy for inquiring minds not to ask. Is Wang Cai enacting some sort of funerary vigil for a deceased master? Alas, no...rather anticlimactic, right? Ultimately though, this is still a feel good story. Although Wang Cai was homeless for a brief period, a family eventually took him into their home and care, which, as a No Kill Animal Shelter, absolutely thrills us.

Wang Cai has been accompanying his master to work every morning for the past two years, seemingly putting in a full-time shift of his own, which would explain his 9-5 schedule. His "if you go, I go" attitude has made him a bit of a local legend with the Chinese, who have likened his story to Sinofield Hachiko, a Akita, who famously waited for his deceased owner outside of the Shibuya Train Station in Odate back in early 1930s. Richard Gere actually starred in a remake of the 1987 drama, "Hachi-ko" entitled "Hachi: A Dog's Tale". If you do the Netflix thing, give it a look.

For a future post, I'm thinking about putting together a list of the greatest films starring animals. Suggestions are most definitely welcome. Thanks for reading.

China’s “Most Loyal Dog” Waits Outside for Owner for 4 Years – chinaSMACK:

'via Blog this'

Oscar Snub for Uggie the Dog

Not since Rin Tin Tin has an animal of any species garnered this much consideration for an Academy Award. Uggie the dog, a 10 year old Jack Russel terrier, has set the internet ablaze with buzz over his being snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His breakthrough performance in "The Artist", which is nominated for a total of 10 Oscars, has stirred up an old debate that goes back as far as 1929 - "should the Academy create a category reserved specifically for animal actors?"

Over 9,000 likes on Facebook, nearly 5000 followers on Twitter and his very own hashtag (#ConsiderUggie) would argue that Uggie and other well trained little friends of the sort do, in fact, deserve a fair shake at some hardware for their contributions on film. Unfortunately for Uggie the dog and his fans, it does not look like the Academy will recognize Uggie with so much as a "good boy". You see back in 1929, the Academy had decided that recognizing animals with an Oscar would only detract from the prestige of the award. "No shirt, no shoes, no service" I suppose. Fortunately, winning an Oscar does not factor in to a dog's bucket list. This happy little friend is satisfied with just being in the discussion. 

Cast of "The Artist" at the Golden Globe

Whether or not you see this as some poppy, flavor-of-the-month, slice of life story, Uggie the dog's performance and this recent hubbub will surely have stirred a surge in interest for the Russel Terrier breed. If you are among that number, think rescue, first, before you run with cash-in-hand to some short-sighted puppy miller. 

Brave Banty

A dog’s courage will never cease to amaze and astound and, once again, I would like to present you with a wonderful story about one very courageous dog that put their well-being in harm's way to save a human life.

This is a short tale about a dog named Banty. In his earlier years, Banty lived with family that did not treat him particularly well. His family had this parrot that would squawk Banty's name incessantly. It drove Banty absolutely batty. Because canines are very attuned to conditioning, any time Banty would hear his name called out, he would instinctively run to heed the call. Eventually, Banty would develop a bit of a complex. Certain sounds and strangers would give Banty anxiety. It wasn't until Banty changed hands and was now in the care of a new and nice family where he would finally be able to be at ease.


It was a day like any other. Banty's family were out and about for work and school. The maid was keeping house and tending to her day-to-day tasks when she suddenly fell in heap. She had been preparing supper in the kitchen when a heart attack had struck. At the time, she was standing at the stove and as fortune would have it, she would fall forward before hitting the ground. Laying atop the stove burners for those brief moments was enough for the maid's clothing to catch fire. Fortunately Banty was nearby. 


The caucophany of clanging pots, pans and the thud of flesh and bone hitting the floor was too much to ignore. Despite years of conditioning to feel anxiety when hearing such a ruckus, Banty leaped into action. Using his teeth and grit, Banty quickly pulled her away from the stove and began to tear the burning clothes off of her. Thanks to Banty's determination and effort, the maid was rescued without any life threatening injuries. They both were taken to hospital with severe burns all over their bodies but both were live.

When other people heard about this story, they were delighted with the bravery of a dog.

"His Master's Voice"

Recognize this bit of imagery? More popularly associated with the old RCA ads, "His Master's Voice" was actually an original painting from English artist, Francis Barraud, in 1899. The Curious George immortalized in "His Master's Voice" is "Nipper", a fox terrier Barraud had inherited from his deceased brother Mark. Along with the dog, Francis also inherited a cylinder phonograph and a few recording his brother, Mark, had left behind.

As it turned out, those recordings preserved not only his late brother's last words but also his voice as evident by Nipper's piqued interest in the familiar sound emanating from the phonograph horn. Nipper's unabashed reaction to his master's voice piping from the phonograph didn't escape Francis Barraud's attention either and so he committed the scene to canvas. He would later copyright the original painting under the title of "Dog Looking at and Listening to a Phonograph".

After shopping the painting around to various phonograph companies, Barraud would not find a buyer for his work until 1900. The Gramophone Company purchased the rights to Barraud's work under the condition that he modify the image to feature one of their products instead. "His Master's Voice" went from a print ad to the name of a particular radio model to becoming the trademark for the Gramophone Company, which would later become RCA. Embedded below is an ad that was run in Australia.



On a side note, the "HMV" model radio was never actually sold in the States; however, the image was internationally used as a watermark to this day.

Golden Employee of the Month

Well, would you look at that. This dog wants to be a little more than just man's best friend. Turns out, he also wants to be man's best co-worker too.

The dog in the video is a golden retriever, widely regarded as one of the more intelligent among the canine breed. On the whole, golden retrievers are known for being the most devoted and loving dogs. Their obedient nature not only makes golden retrievers the perfect family dog, but their penchant for learning commands is exceptional.

Dating back to the 1800s, golden retrievers were first bred by Lord Tweedmouth in Scotland along the Tweed River. Necessity being the mother of all invention, Lord Tweetmouth bred a dog with the intention of producing the perfect hunting dog, which meant retrieving was a point of focus. This would explain why golden retrievers enjoy fetching things for their masters and carrying items in their mouth. They actually have a rather developed control over their jaw muscles.

Golden retrievers are not exactly the easiest dogs to teach tricks, but their eagerness to please means that it is only a matter of time before your little friend learns to help you out with the office work. Now if they could only train a dog how to do spreadsheets...

Old Tricks To Teach New Dogs - Sit

As the old adage would have it, "you have to crawl before you can walk." The same holds true when it comes to teaching your little friend a trick or two. Because dog's are domesticated creatures bound by conditioning and reinforcement, it is best to start with the basics to get your little friend in the habit of actively adapting to you, its pack leader.

For this entry, we're going to show you one surefire way to teach your little friend to sit on command. Granted, a dog sitting isn't exactly the stuff of viral YouTube videos, but it is an excellent skill when reigning in an overly excited dog. Before we begin, you should have dog treats of some sort to give your little friend as a reward as positive reinforcement. Again, dogs are creatures learn through conditioning like Pavlov's dog. When they've done what was asked, let them know they did the right thing by giving them a treat. The dog will pick up fast enough that doing what they were told will earn them another treat. It's as simple as that.

So without further ado, follow these steps with your little friend and you'll soon have taught your pup its first ever trick...aside from being ridiculously cute or course.

• Get your dogs attention by holding a treat just directly above its head. Most dogs will not snatch the food from their masters, but their attention will be fixed on that treat until a) it hits the ground or b) their master gives it to them.
• As soon as the dog's eyes are locked onto the treat, his head will naturally tilt back causing his hind legs to bend and his butt will rest flat on the ground.  
• Unbeknownst to your little friend, he is sitting already. The trick is to ingrain the association between hearing the command "sit" and the action of sitting. That's where the treat comes in. 
• When the dog is in the seated position, reward your little friend with the treat. 

You will probably have to repeat this process a couple times depending on the intelligence and breed of your dog, but because the act of "sitting" is fairly natural, your little friend should pick up this command quickly. Each time your little friend sits, pat him on the head or a "good boy/girl" will suffice. Gradually, do away with the treats as approval from their master is thanks enough for a dog.

Below, we've attached a video tutorial to supplement this blog. Some people learn more effectively by seeing and hearing rather than just reading. It's something to keep in mind when training your dog. No one process is exactly the same. So be patient with your dog and, most importantly, look upon this as a bonding experience.




Video taken from Video Jug.

Cats Are Heroes Too

    Hero cats

  

  

For those of you who have been keeping score, perhaps you've noticed the disparity between heroic deeds performed by cats and dogs. Sure it seems to be a bit lopsided. When it comes to heroes, dogs are oftentimes the focus of the tale; however, what about our fine feline friends? Is a cat capable of saving a human life? And the answer is...YES!

Much like their canine counterparts, cats can be quite brave and dedicated animals. In critical situations, cats can do unbelievable things to help as much as they can. You might think that your frisky fur ball could never do anything heroic, but that's where you are wrong and here's a tale to prove that. Here are some true stories about cats saving their masters:

One particular story that took place in an old village, a cat by the name of Vaska heroically defended his 49-year-old master from robbers. The thieves had broken into the house demanding money. The man pleaded with the robbers telling them that he did not have any savings as he spends his income on the bare essentials, namely break and milk. The robbers being under the influence of narcotic substances, reacted brashly. One of them had reached for an ax and began to approach the 49 year old man. 

It was at that very moment when Vaska jumped on one of the robbers and used his claws to tear at one of the robbers' face. Vaska's attack afforded the man enough time to eke out of the house and call for police. Shortly thereafter, the police had arrived on the scene to discover that the robbers turned assailants had already fled the scene. They also discovered that Vaska lying lifeless on the floor. He died while defending his master.

Another instance where a feline turned heroine took place in Lansing, Michigan. Once again, a house cat and not some feral rescue leaped into action to spare their master from harm, which in this case was saving a seven year old girl from being raped. .It was right around sundown when one Lopez Vulfrido, a 36 year old man, trespassed and spotted a vulnerable girl. Having already taped her mouth shut, the girl's fate seemed all but sealed until her pet cat intervened by attacking Vulfrido before he could tie up the girl. She was able to run away and call for help.

You see, cats are more than just furry little buddies you keep around because they're cute and low maintenance.

Obama Administration Gets A C Minus

The report card is out and the Humane Society of the United States has slapped the Obama administration with its lowest score since taking office, a C-. Surprise, surprise, it seems an administration has failed to make good on its promises, particularly pertaining to animal welfare issues. Among the snubs the Humane Society is fuming about is:

• The move to ban the transport of horses on double-decker trucks.
• The initiative to block the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies.
• The move to ban the import of nine species of nine large constricting snakes for pet trade.
• The administration moved to omit gray wolves from the protected species list in the Northern Rockies and Western Great Lakes regions.

Specific to dogs and cats, the Obama administration has yet to take any measures to curb and regulate puppy mills that have turned to the internet to sell animals without the authority of the USDA. It has been 3 years since the policy has been proposed and not so much as a cover page has been drafted. To see to it that the Obama administration makes good on its campaign promises, please contact your local representative "urging the White house to act quickly on much-needed animal protection policy reforms and to prioritize animal welfare policies in 2012." You fill out a form here at the Humane Society of the United States official website.

A Fitting Diet for Kittens

As is, kittens will always be little goofballs of energy bouncing off one wall to the next, but it is within the first few weeks that your Little Friend will double and possibly even triple in size. You can expect this sort of growth to last, albeit at a slowing rate, until your Little Friend has fully matured. Without a proper diet however, your feline friend may never reach its fullest potential. Here are a few dieting tips for you and your kitty.

Depending on whether you adopted an orphaned kitten or you are caring your Little Friend's litter, the first four weeks are crucial  to their survival. Newborn kittens typically get all of their nutrition needs satisfied from their mother's milk. Let nature take its course as it is really all the kittens need in their fledgling phase. If your Little Friend was an orphan, the alternative would be some sort of milk supplement you can pick up at a store. Consult with your veterinarian to find out which brands are best and how much (as well as often) you should feed your kitten.

When kittens reach 8 weeks of age, their mothers no longer let the kitten suckle breast milk. Hopefully by this time (6 weeks), you have already introduced high-quality dry food into their diet to help them adjust accordingly. Innova is a well liked brand for dry kitten food as is Orijen. Whichever brand you do choose to go with, just make sure the food is formulated specifically for kittens. The reason being, kittens expend tons of energy. Because of that fact, their diet relies heavily upon the intake of protein, which is 2-3 times that of an adult cat.

Just to give you an idea of what food is particularly best for your kitten, protein can come from both animal and plant-based food stuffs, each with their own varying degrees of digestibility. A few high quality sources of protein are meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products to name a few. Commercial pet food has gotten to the point where their canned goods are capable of satisfying your Little Friend's dietary needs while maintaining a perfect balance of cost-effectiveness, nutrition value as well as presentation. You really can't go wrong. Again, just make sure the food is formulated for kittens.

In terms of eating habits, cats, young and old, are relatively independent creatures. There is no spoon-feeding a cat, little less a kitten; however, there is the free-choice method, which especially well with dry food. This allows your Little Friend to eat whenever they feel the need. Unlike dogs, cats have a more restrained hunger. They tend not to overeat, which is why this free-choice method is so widely used. Most importantly, you should always make sure your kitten has access to fresh water. A cat can go without food for weeks, but without water, its chances of survival are cut to a matter of days.

So there you have it. Heed the above advice and your furry Little Friend should grow up to be one healthy cat. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask and I will try my best to answer them. Thanks for reading.

Pit Bull Reps

There are many theories as to why such ill repute has been callously branded upon the pit bull breed. Granted, the pit bull's bite is far more famous than its bark, but the breed itself is misunderstood as inherently vicious, which is completely unfounded. To give you a brief history of the breed, we look back to the early 1800s when  the Brits first started cross-breeding old bulldogs with terriers. At that time, bull dogs were trained to rile bulls up by biting the nose and hanging on until the bull went into fits...all in the name of entertainment at that.

In the late 1800s, terrier/bulldog mix was brought to the States where they would be thrown into the fighting pits against other dogs trained for the same purpose. Their prowess in the ring eventually earned the breed the "pit bull" title. Although dog fighting would eventually be banned, generations of conditioning cannot be undone so easily, especially considering that to this day, underground dog-fighting is still very much prevalent in our society. However, the pit bull was only doing what its master had trained them to do, which is why the breed was able to make a smooth transition into being a popular family pet.

Pit bulls are docile towards people and not just the hand that feeds them; otherwise, it would be too dangerous for someone to handle the dogs during fights. If treated humanely, pit bulls are complete sweethearts, particularly with their families and children. Unfortunately, nurture must eclipse nature as pit bulls tend to have a conditioned aggression towards other dogs and animals, especially if they have not been spayed/neutered ("Don't Litter. Spay or Neuter Your Critter") or if they feel threatened.

The adage of dogs taking after their masters holds true with pit bulls. Oftentimes, pit bulls are bred irresponsibly and sold off to human beings, who probably should not be even charged with the care of a gold fish little less an animal of limited intelligence. They take the pit bull's tough exterior and use it as an avatar for their own self image all the while treating the dog like they would their car parked in the garage, chained up and neglected until needed.

Generally speaking, dogs of any breed are pack animals, which means they yearn for companionship. Chain them up in a backyard without any outlet for their energy or stimulation to keep them on an even keel and the dog becomes territorial. When that dog escapes and acts out on its upbringing by attacking someone or something then the dog is made the proverbial scapegoat while the master merely shrugs their shoulders and passes the blame. It's not fair to the victim, but it is especially not fair to the pit bull.

Saks & Snickers

In various cities of the United States, pit bulls have been banned outright such as the case in Aurelia, Iowa. Former Chicago police officer Sak was forced to surrender his service dog, Snickers, who is not even close to being pure bred. He's part pit bull, part Labrador retriever and part boxer, yet the city forced James Sak surrender his dog and nearly had it put to sleep...for no reason other than having pit bull lineage. Fortunately, a federal judge in Iowa ruled against the motion and returned Snickers to his rightful owner.

Even being part pit bull nearly doomed Snickers and does that strike you as the least bit fair? If a person can go out and buy a gun legally with little fuss other than a background check, shouldn't the same hold true for owning a pit bull. Keep that same notion in mind when adopting a Little Friend. Pit bulls are loving dogs. Just keep in mind, their owner may not necessarily be loving themselves. It's not the pit's fault.

Barry The Rescuer

"He saved forty people had been killed and forty-first ..."

Barry is the most famous dog-rescuer of all, perhaps even  trumping those you have known only from television. His uncanny ability to pick up scents in the frozen cold was legendary. During Barry's 12 year stint as a "rescue worker", he was able to locate, revive and return 40 total people to safety! His heroic exploits earned Barry a monument in Paris as well as the focus of a few novels and short stories.

At some point in the XVI century, a mountain pass was built in the Swiss Alps. Augustinian monks settled there and established a monastery in the name of St. Bernard, the patron saint of hospitality. This, in turn, meant the monks were dedicated to the service of others, namely wayward travelers. Because winters in the Swiss Alps lasted anywhere from 8 to 9 months out of the year, the indigenous weather was not suited to most any living creature, which was reason for its ill reputation as a deathly hollow. Many travelers would succumb to the extreme conditions, but thanks to the efforts of the monks, it was possible to save a few but not all travelers.

It was until the mid XVII century when the number of victims started to decline significantly. The turning point came about when the monks began to breed giant dogs, which were to serve as rescuers. They would name the breed, "St. Bernard" in honor of their patron saint. Their massive builds and fur-insulated bodies, the St. Bernard breed was ideal for finding people under even thickest layer of snow, which is precisely what they did. These St. Bernard's would go outside the monastery walls and search for people in distress.

Once the dog located a body, they would dig up the person and proceed to warm them up with the their breath and their body heat. Monks would also tie care packages of food rations, a flask of wine (typified by the little barrel around the St. Bernard's neck) and a blanket that was secured to the back of the St. Bernard. Once revived and able, the St. Bernard would use its keen sense of direction to lead the recovered victims back to the monastery. To many, the heroic St. Bernards were the true snow angels. Even today, there is a museum-nursery in the monastery, where people can find about 30 dogs. Each year, the Augustinian monks sell 15-20 puppies for $ 1 thousand each to raise money for operational costs.

Monks and a team of St. Bernard's rescue a lost traveler in the Swiss Alps, circa 1955.

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/st-bernard-200801.html#ixzz1hqsAdqwG

The most popular and famous of the St. Bernard dogs living at the monastery was Barry. He had exceptional flair as well as instincts and always felt the approach of a blizzard almost an hour before it started. Barry also had a near sixth sense when it came to sensing oncoming danger of avalanches. At the first signs of haze or snow flurries, Barry would become restless and would head straight to the mountains, where he would search tirelessly for people in distress.
One day, Barry sensed humans in the deep cleft so he began to make his way to them. An avalanche had dropped into the abyss trapping a mother and her child. When the woman saw Barry, she immediately covered her child with the blanket from Barry's back and him secured the child to a rope attached to Barry. Barry safely brought the child to the monastery and saved his life.

Throughout his illustrious career as a rescue dog, Barry rescued 40 people. The 41^st would prove to be fatal for him however. In 1812, Barry, once again successfully found and dug up a frozen man, whom he proceeded to resuscitate with his body heat and breath. When the man started to come to, he opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was this grizzled, snow-covered face. Terrified, the man thought Barry was a bear and stabbed him with a knife.

Badly wounded, Barry barely managed to make it back to the monastery. The monks whisked Barry away to an animal hospital in nearby Bern to attend to his wounds.

Barry would survive, but due to injury, sickness and old age he would not return to work. In 1814, he was gone. The scarecrow of Barry still stands in the Swiss Museum of Natural History in Bern. There is also a monument in Paris.  A statue of Barry sits high atop a pedestal with a little girl sitting on his back. At the base of the statue, an inscription reads,

"He saved forty people had been killed and forty-first ..."