Debarking: Myths and Facts: a reader's response to a Dog News article on debarking published on November, 2002. Reader Charlotte McGowan, author of The Shetland Sheepdog in America, is an honorary Life Member of the American Shetland Sheepdog Association, a breeder for over 40 years and an AKC dog show judge for over 30 years.
(Here's a good reason to keep up on comments by readers. Personally, I had a sheltie dog as a pet in my childhood and I loved that dog like no other. He rarely barked and he was a devoted, thoughtful dog. He followed me around (no leashes in those days) like a quiet shadow; once he once followed our school bus for 3 miles, hung out on the playground until school was over, and then trotted all the way home behind the school bus I was on. That was typical behavior for him. Personally, I would never debark a dog; I would rather move to the country than inflict such surgery on a dog, even so-called no-risk surgery. (but that's me... if an owner is forced between dumping their animal at a shelter (where it is most likely euthanized) versus 'debarking' then the choice is simple; whether it's right is another matter entirely.
As a teenager, I and my brother purposely taught our dog, a Samoyed, to bark on command. When Sammy barked on our command, we'd insist that he had to 'go poop' or needed a walk. He was such a good actor that he had everyone fooled and we took advantage of his acting ability at all hours.
Woman who nursed puppies receives world-wide acclaim Norway When her deceased pet's newborn puppies almost died, a woman's maternal instincts took over...
'A young Norwegian mother captured the hearts of animal lovers last fall when she impulsively nursed a litter of puppies that had lost their own mother. Now the surviving puppies are thriving, but four still need new homes. Her story, the most-read ever in Aftenposten's online history, set off a flood of response, with letters pouring in from all over the world...' [95 percent were positive responses] [Aftenposten] Related: Woman who nursed puppies has no regrets, Young mother nursed orphaned pups
The cat is really a dog... mummified Egyptian pet wrongly identified as cat NY 'It took a CAT scan, naturally, to figure out that the 2,000-year-old mummified cat at the Albany Institute of History & Art is actually a dog, museum officials announced Wednesday...' Museum staff now call the artifact a 'catdog.' [Times Union]
Dog bites emergency rescuer who then needed rescue A volunteer Emergency Medical Technician responded to a emergency call and was bitten in the face by the patient's pit bull. He wants his story known so people will take care to secure their pets before 911 emergency rescue crews arrive at a call. 'Don Garrison, 47, of Orangeville, needed 63 stitches in his face as well as plastic surgery after C.J., a 4-year-old male pit bull, sank his teeth into the front of his face, gashing his chin, upper lip and left cheek...' The owner disputes the charges filed against her dog, saying: 'C.J. is a good dog; he's just a big baby...' [Press Enterprise]
Cooked chicken saves one-legged pensioner from dog attack UK A one-legged woman bent down to pick up her Golden Retriever when it turned and bit her, knocking her to the ground as her false leg fell off. The woman's 73-year-old sister quickly lured the dog away using a roast chicken, dragged her sister inside their house and phoned emergency services... telling them her sister had 'lost her leg...' 'Miss Rochester [the victim] said she still likes dogs even though she lost her leg as a child through a blood clot which formed after she was bitten by a spaniel.' [Ananova Quirkies]
Dog attack lands five police officers in hospital UK A suspect's pitbull terrier was shot dead after attacking five officers, who arrived at a house to investigate a suspect. 'The five officers injured by the dog received bites to their arms, legs and other parts of their bodies. A woman in the house was also injured. Injuries are puncture wounds, tissue damage and shock...' [Local London]
7-year-old boy saves playmates from two attacking pit bull NV A child's quick reactions saved a three-year-old toddler and another 7-year-old friend...
'A 7-year-old North Las Vegas boy prevented two attacking pitbulls from reaching two of his friends and may have saved his own life with his quick reaction to the attack... [He] had 'the maturity of thought' to protect his throat and belly from the dogs who appeared to be working in unison to try to pick apart the boy's defenses and get at his vital organs.' [Las Vegas Sun - Local News]
70 ravenous poodles consume each other and their owner Austria 'Dozens of hungry poodles turned on each other in a feeding frenzy, before attacking their seriously ill owner in Austria. Animal protection workers found 70 poodles, some of which had been eaten, when they were called to the 63-year-old woman's flat by neighbours...' [Ananova]
Dog shot after killing rare pet, attacking passersby CA [NBC 4-tv] (a must read... if only to learn what NOT to do if you own aggressive dogs)
Whitney, yorkshire terrier, world's smallest dog is less than 6 inches tall and under 750 grams (less than two pounds)
UK 'The dog drinks out of an egg cup and eats her dinner out of a tiny bowl. She is petrified of postmen and cats want to grab her. I think it is the only dog that is petrified of cats.' (The previous smallest dog in the world, a yorkshire, was 4.7 inches tall.)
[This is Local London] (check out her photo)
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