Scratchings-and-Sniffings

International Bacon Day

2010-09-03T09:29:00-04:00

Saturday (that would be tomorrow) is being designated at International Bacon Day! Can I hear a big round of applause? From the dogs and cats, I mean. Bacon is the best, yes? (we hoomans like it, too!)

Purina Beggin' Strips - a fav of Carmie's back in the day - is hosting "Beggin' Bacon Bash" - a free event at the Blue Ash Recreation Center in Cincinnatic, tomorrow. They're inviting folks to bring their pets and experience the "bacon event of the year" - inlcuding an opportunity to participate in the Guinness World Record attempt for the loudest bark. Golly, I wish I could be there.

There will also be cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef (and bacon enthusiast, so they say), Kevin Gillespie, a finalist on Bravo's reality TV series, Top Chef, from last season. Can I hear you drool?

If you're in the neighborhood of Cincinnati, OH by the Blue Ash Recreation Center, hop over to this event with your favorite pup (or two). Bring the kids! Bring friends! Share and share and share.

Really, whatever you have planned for Saturday is not going to be as much fun as THIS event! They have Canine Rock Diving... and Canine Freestyle Frisbee...and....drumroll... Bacon Eating Contest!

(and a bacon pet costume contest... OMD!)

Hey, if you go...come back and tell us about your day. I'm betting it will be fun, fun, fun!

If your dog participates in the loudest bark contest, record it and share... Woof! Woof! Woof!

Dogs on Parole

2010-09-02T09:30:00-04:00

Actually, it's just one dog. Rocky, the new darling of the household at Sue's house - she of the fantastic Bissell Pack of Pet Lovers Inside the Pack - was, as Sue says in her post, "Just released from prison."

OMG! That's what I first thought when I read that. But, it's okay. Rocky was away for training. Sue talks about Rocky's adoption from Refurbished Pets of Southern Michigan - which has been reducing its eunthanasia rates with the help of the Branch County Animal Control. The story revolves around the dogs that are screened and vaccinated, neutered, of course, and then put in prison.

No...not because they're bad. They go to the Correctional Program at Florence Crane and Lakeland Correctional Facilities (try to say that three times fast!) to be socialized. Inmates are assigned to the dogs and are responsible for training and care. This is good both for the dog and the inmate. The dog gets personal training and care and the inmates learn to bond and develop responsible behavior.

Sounds like a win-win, to me. Visit the Pack of Pet Lovers page and read all the great posts by all the bloggers. I love my friends at Pack of Pet Lovers! W00t!

Thanks for sharing, Sue. Stories like this are uplifting. We need more uplifting stories, I think! Hey, see you all at BlogPaws West - we're only 7 days out! Yikes!

Travels with Miles

2010-09-01T09:29:00-04:00

When we decided to take Miles on our annual pilgrimage to the Northern Rockies I didn't think too much about it. I mean, it's not like I had a lot of choice in the matter. We plan to be gone for almost a month and my wife could not imagine being separated from Miles for that long. I wouldn't have enjoyed that too much, either.

I thought about how he'd have to be on a leash when we camped in Glacier and how I didn't exactly tell my sister in Sheridan that we had the dog with us. For that matter, I didn't tell my buddy Joe in Missoula, either. They'll just have to get used to the idea.

We drove from our home in Southwest New Mexico all the way to Green River Utah, the first day. That's exactly 550 miles through some pretty nice country. Miles did an excellent job riding in the car. We stopped about every couple of hours to give him water and let him stretch his legs. It's HOT in Southern Utah. Much hotter than we're used to in New Mexico and we worried about Miles getting too hot in the back of the car. We had the AC on full blast most of the day.

We stopped at a place called Shady Acres Campground here in Green River, not our first choice by the way. As far as truth in advertising is concerned they do have acres, but not much in the way of shade. Did I tell you how HOT it is here. The other places did not accept pets. Can you believe that?

We fell for the "rustic cabins" and "leash free dog park" advertised on the sign. As far as truth in advertising goes there is a leash free dog park and the cabin is really, really rustic. It comes with a pathetic air conditioner and the bathroom is only about 150 yards away. It does have a dog park though, and that's where Chris and MIles are right now. In fact, MIles is trying to take a swim in the water bowl.

Chris is actually happy with this place because it's a good set up for Miles. We're about 500 yards off the highway and, did I mention, there's a leash free dog park. I think it's kind of a dump, but why should that matter. Miles will be comfortable here. All decisions are made, first and foremost, with his comfort in mind.

Well, the sun just went down and the temp has dropped to a cool 95 or so. I'd open the window but it's actually hotter outside than it is in here. Tomorrow we drive to Pinedale Wyoming to stay with our friends Rick and Rosie. Rick and I are going into the Wind River Range to a super secret lake that is supposed to hold big Golden Trout. I've never caught one and I've never backpacked in the Wind River Range. I refuse to call them "the Winds" as the locals do. Not that cool.

Miles will be hiking in with me and Chris is off to the Jackson Hole Art Fair to sell her wares. We'll join up with her in a few days and then it's Jackson Hole time for a week and then off to Montana.

Stay tuned for more road tales with MIles.

A Soup Kitchen for Pets? Wow!

2010-08-31T09:25:00-04:00

We're all about pets here...in case you haven't figured that out. That means we like to report on stories that focus on pet welfare. Well, here's one that will make you smile. It sure inspired me!

Thanks go to John McCarney for sharing this: A soup kitchen for pets:

This is out of Germany - where Claudia Hollm was watching a TV show about a family who had to give up their beloved pet because of the economy. A so-often told story here in the U.S. also. Well, the dog was taken to a shelter - where he died of a broken heart, so they think. He could not bear to be away from his beloved family, and they missed him just as much.

Claudia decided to do something to help people in situations like that! Though she holds down a full-time job, she managed to open a soup kitchen for pets, including "rabbits, cats, dogs, and other animals people had in their homes but were having trouble feeding."

In the article John sent me (from Guideposts.org), Claudia says, “People have to show us official documents to show they are on welfare or have very low wages before we help them. If we see someone who is already poor get a new pet we won’t support them. We’ve had situations where we had to refuse people because they took on new pets, despite having come to us for their original pets...we have one case of a woman in Frankfurt who is in her 80s. Her husband died years ago and she is in ill health. This lady is so happy to have the help. She says if her cats die then she too has no reason to live. The cats are her children and they are keeping her alive.”

The organization, Tiertafel (animal table), is so successful it has 19 offices nationwide and has helped over 4000 customers feed over 6000 pets.

Here in the U.S. there is a food pantry program, First Home, Forever Home, created by Best Friends Animal Society. The article linked here says they recently gave 1,215 bags of dog food and snacks to two food banks in the Atlanta area. Can you I hear a great big cheer for these programs?

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!

Another Specialty for Veterinary Technicians

2010-08-30T09:00:00-04:00

If you've ever spent much time in a Veterinary clinic you've undoubtedly spent time with a Veterinary Technician. Like their nurse counterparts in human medicine, they do the majority of the actual patient care and they provide a good deal of education in the process.

I wrote a post about an eye opening discussion I had with the executive director of NAVTA (National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America) just last winter. I didn't know that they had so many specialty certifications like Internal Medicine and Behavior for instance. Well now they have a new specialty and it's right up my alley. They just unveiled the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians (AVNT).

I went to the website to check it out and getting certified in this area is no piece of cake. It takes up to three years of nutrition related experience and at least 40 hours of approved continuing education in the field of nutrition. They also have to demonstrate advanced competence in veterinary nutrition through either clinical or research experience. The clinical route involves recording at least 40 cases where the applicant demonstrated advanced knowledge in the field of nutrition including five detailed case reports.

That's a lot of work, but considering that nutrition is an everyday experience at a veterinary hospital there should be plenty of opportunity. Every new puppy and kitten can benefit from the expertise of a nutrition specialist. We've discussed how feeding large breed puppies is so important to the healthy development of their bones and joints and their lifelong health.

Therapeutic nutrition is an every day occurrence too. Many diseases respond very well to special diets as an important component of therapy and technicians often spend time explaining this to concerned pet owners. The growing concern over obesity in pets is a natural fit for a technician. I could see them being instrumental in executing a program like Project Pet Slim Down that we discussed in a recent podcast.

It would be a smart idea for any Veterinarian to have an AVNT member on board. The information they could provide to clients and pets would be invaluable. I hope this catches on and we start seeing these talented individuals popping up in practices all over the country.

Rufus Gets Interviewed

2010-08-29T09:30:00-04:00

Ah, words of wisdom from a Champion. Enjoy!

Five Questions with...Rufus!

Rufus, the 2006 Westminster Best-in-Show, returned to Mystic Seaport for Dog Days (August 28-29th) and appeared as the Grand Marshal and head judge of the Museum's first Dog Parade. W00t!

Rufus took time out to speak with the folks at Mystic Seaport and this is what he had to say:

How long have you worked at Mystic Seaport?

Rufus: I guess you could call me a seasonal employee. Last year was my first time working at Mystic Seaport, helping out with the first Dog Days event. I was thrilled to be invited last year -- as well as this year. It's fun to come back and see the friends I met last year.

What's the best part of your job?

Rufus: While I do love laying around all day, I'm pretty lucky in what I get to do. At Mystic Seaport, I love taking a boat ride on Necessity and being interviewed by CNN. I also like having my picture taken with just about everyone who comes to the event. When I'm not at Mystic Seaport, I love visiting my friends in hospitals and nursing homes... so I can bring a smile to their faces.

What's the most challenging part of your job?

Rufus: Good question! Probably the most challenging aspect is making sure that everyone that wants to pet me or take a picture with me gets to do that. Sometimes, things can get a bit crowded. I really love that people come out to see me, so I want to make sure that if someone does, they get a chance to say hello.

What's the funniest or most notable on the job experience you've had?

Rufus: I have two great stories from last year. I loved having the chance to go inside the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. That was a ton of fun! I even had my picture taken next to it! The other fun part was taking a walk in downtown Mystic and having people pull to the side of the road, stop their cars and ask if I was Rufus. Who else would I be!?! I guess they were excited to see me!

What do you like to do outside of work?

Rufus: I love to rest and well...just enjoy some down time. I keep a busy schedule, you know. I also love to go with my mom to run errands around town. It's a lot of fun to go to grocery stores and other places with her. I also love the Yankees! I even have a NY Yankees uniform!

[this interview was conducted by Mike O'Farrell - seen in the pic with Rufus]

Nature, Science, Oceans, The Environment and Pets

2010-08-28T09:00:00-04:00

I wanted to bring your attention to a cool new website that recently launched. It's called Hear The Answer and it is made up of five different areas of content. You can go to the site and get expert information on topics related to Pets, Oceans, Nature, The Environment and general science.

The web site is the brain child of my old friend. Paul Batishevich. who runs a media production company called Finger Lakes Productions. Paul and I have a long history going back to my days in Veterinary marketing at Purina.

We sponsored a radio program called Animal Instincts that is still going on. In fact, Animal Instincts is heard on over 500 radio stations around the country and I'm still involved doing voice over for the spots. Quite an accomplishment when you consider that I don't have what you might be called a professional radio voice.

The Animal Instincts segments last only 60 seconds, but they are jam packed with useful information. You can go to the Animal Instincts tab on Hear the Answer and search for a topic of your choosing. I'd be surprised if we had not done a segment on it.

You can also search topics related to oceanography on the tab labeled Our Ocean World. If you are interested in the Environment check out the Environminute tab and the same goes for Nature topics on the Nature Watch tab.

Finally, general science topics can be found on the tab labeled Signs of Science.

Paul has big plans for Hear the Answer, too. He hopes to be able to provide video from leading researchers around the world to compliment the audio programming. Some of those experts will be from Veterinary Schools at Universities around the country. Heck, he might even let yours truly do some video segments.

If you, your kids or anyone else you know is interested in our natural world I'd encourage you to spend a few minutes on this web site and to go back periodically to see what Paul has added. If nothing else you'll impress your friends with all your new found knowledge.

The Grumpy Old Lady FURminates

2010-08-27T09:00:00-04:00

I finally figured out how to get Mom to FURminate me more often. Here's the trick...you can use it, too:

I make sure she's busy doing something else like using the computer or just upstairs watching TV, or even reading a book. She does that a lot - that book thing. I tried reading a book but...I can't see the attraction. I mean, it doesn't even smell good!

Anyway, I go right up to her and either wrap myself around her ankes, mewing (not meowing - that's for getting dinner!), with my sad, "Why aren't you paying attention to me?" stare. If her lap is available, I get into...and nudge my head against her and play the sad-eyed girl as big as possible.

[here's a good pic of me flopping down... it's not me, I don't like havin' my picture taken, sorry...it's some other silly cat that likes havin' her picture taken... and she looks like she NEEDS the FURMinator!]

Then...because all of that is just to get her attention... I flops down on the bed and show her my belly! Oh yeah, that FURminator on my belly is heaven! She gets it real soon - "Oh, you want to be FURMinated?" she'll say.

All I have to do is blink. "Ya think?" my big green eyes tell her.

Here comes the FURminator! Ah....

Help With Pet Weight Loss is Here

2010-08-26T09:00:00-04:00

In my humble opinion the reason people and pets fail at losing weight is that they try to go it alone. That's why I'm so excited about a new program from the Veterinary Division at Purina. It's Called Project Pet Slim Down and it's kind of like the popular reality TV show The Biggest Loser, except no one gets kicked out of Project Pet Slim Down.

Project Pet Slim Down follows eight pets and their families in the quest for ideal body condition. There are videos on the Slim Down web site of these pets in their homes and at their vet clinics. It's basically a support program for owners and that's one reason I'm so excited about it. We talked about it with Dr. Grace just last week.

When you sign your pet up you get the ability to track results, upload photos of your slimming pet and even spread the word to friends and family on Facebook. You'll also get frequent tips and advice to help out along the way and there are rewards for success.

The other exciting aspect of this program is that it links to a companion effort with Veterinarians. The goal is to link the Vet and the pet owner in a successful weight loss effort. The Vet component teaches clinic staff how to set up a successful weight loss program that dovetails with Project Pet Slim Down.

What a great idea.

Just last week there was a story in the NY Times about the rising tide of obesity in people in the US. According to this story obesity rates topped 30% in nine US states as opposed to only three the year before.

The reason that matters to us is that obesity in pets mirrors that in people and rates are rising of dogs and cats, too.

So if your pet qualifies as one that could shed a few pounds check out Project Pet Slim Down and get on the road to ideal body condition.

Foothills Animal Shelter: Denver, CO

2010-08-25T09:00:00-04:00

I hope to be able to support animal shelters in my area by posting adoptable pets, often. I wish I could do it every day...maybe I'll get to that point. For now, I want to share the Foothills Animal Shelter with you.

Tom and Miah and I visited the old shelter, Table Mountain Animal Shelter, several weeks ago and I have been neglecting the good people and pets we met there. This great animal shelter recently opened a newer, bigger facility in Golden, CO and I so applaud their continued efforts to save our pets - all of our pets (including pit bulls...)

They also serve the area as a place to take wildlife that has been misplaced by fire or other weather related incidents. You might find a racoon there, or a snake, or any manner of animal in need of care. They take in nearly 10,000 animals each year. And they serve their surrounding communities, as well.

These are the best kind of people. These are people who love companion animals and wild animals and who care enough to go the extra mile to make sure the animals get care and get adopted. Would that I could adopt them all. <sigh> Here are just two adorable pets YOU might consider adopting, today: (but they might be gone...I'm writing this on Sat and the post won't go live till Wed...hmmm...)