Is a low-carb diet the answer for Fido's paunch? OH [FeatureXpress] Quite a few dog food companies offer 'diet' dog food: Nutro, Science Diet, Hill's, and IAMS. [Petland] (If you don't want a fat dog, never, ever get it started on 'people' food... )
Man who abandoned pet dog barred from owning dog PA [WPVI] Related: Accused dog beater defends himself: 'I love dogs just like they're people..'. [Cecil Whig]
Presidential Purebred Pups Are A White House Tradition [AKC Gazette] (a history of US Presidents and their purebred dogs)
All dogs go to heaven ... in Japan Fewer children means very pampered dogs:
'...Japanese families now have over 19 million pet dogs or cats, exceeding the number of Japanese children under 15, which just hit a new low of 17.8 million...' [Newsweek, MSNBC]
Ordinance to keep cats on leashes NE [Daily Nebraskan]
Before you adopt a dog... think about making a commitment to it for life..
On weekends, we take our dogs out for a casual ride and stroll through a neighborhood or outdoor mall and invariably, I am subjected to a horrible 'chow' story. This weekend was no exception.
A couple stopped us outside of Tower Records in Rockville, and they immensely enjoyed petting our two dogs... but then came the story (as it always does):
The woman told me that her neighbors kept two chows and when they got divorced, the man who had the chows decided to 'put them down' (he had his vet do the deed), because they were, in his words, 'one-person, one-family dogs', and would not be able to adjust to any changes in their life. I told her that chows, like other dogs, could learn to find happiness and adjust to life. After all, both of our dogs were rescues. She agreed, but, she said: 'in this case, these dogs were 'vicious.' Our conversation remained friendly, but I came away saddened by the prejudice that haunts dog breeds...
Sadly, dogs sometimes reflect the temperment of their caretakers... (just as often, they don't. Dogs can remain friendly, even with 'vicious' owners.)
Why do people adopt pets and then easily get rid of them? I've heard of people discarding pets so they won't have to board them while on vacation.
Animal Radio Network writes about the problems created by this kind of person when they adopt a parrot. Some parrots can live to 80 years old and they have special needs... Their longevity, their sensitivity and intelligence, and their special living requirements almost guarantees heartbreak. Much of what was said about ownership of parrots can be applied to owning a dog:
You can help yourself, as well as the bird [dog] you're thinking of adopting, if you spend a little time considering what lies ahead marriage, divorce, children, grandchildren, lots of travel, a career change, a home abroad?
You may not know the answers to these questions, and none of us can predict every twist and turn our lives may take. But, if you do sense inside yourself that you cannot make the commitment required, it's best to be honest with yourself and not adopt a parrot [dog].
Pets on Wheels!
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