Let it be known, and go down in history, that spray-on poop freezer originated in Maryland -- if not the idea, at least the marketing thereof.

You may remember the concept – minus the freezing part – from the Jack Black/Ben Stiller movie Envy, which featured a fictional product called “VaPOOrizer, a miracle spray that makes dog poop disappear.

Now, the folks at POOP-FREEZE, based in Rockville, have made it a reality, or at least come close, with a product that makes those bowel movements that lack, shall we say, structural integrity, easier to grasp.

“POOP-FREEZE™ is a specially formulated aerosol freeze spray that, upon contact, forms a frosty film on dog poop (or cat poop) to harden the surface for easy pick-up. POOP-FREEZE is a great companion to a pooper scooper for clean fast dog poop or cat poop disposal.” The company says it contains no CFC’s, can be used indoors and out, and is safe for humans and pets when used as directed.

"Just frost and toss," the ads say.

POOP-FREEZE can’t be shipped by air, but is available via UPS, FedEx or DHL ground shipments at an additional cost of $8 per order. The product is available over the Internet, and the website lists two Maryland retailers, Critters in Bowie and Just Dogs! Gourmet/The Doggie Bag in North Bethesda.

Available from the website are a 4-ounce can for $9.95, a 10-ounce can for $14.95, and a strap-on tote in which you can carry both your spray can and pick-up bags.

The website features testimonials from consumers, including one person who says picking up his dog’s waste, while once distasteful, is now “fun.” Another, from Rehoboth Beach, wrote in, "We own a pet friendly hotel and give owners of our four-legged guests a can of POOP-FREEZE at check in. They love it."

I'm wondering if there might be some good variations of this product -- allowing us to spray, frost and toss other things we wish would just go away. BOSS-FREEZE, NOISY-NEIGHBOR-FREEZE, NANCY-GRACE-FREEZE come immediately to mind. Have some ideas of your own? Feel free to click our comment button and submit.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Here's a powerful, even-handed, disturbing-without-getting-too-gory look at dogfighting, produced by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which is now offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in dogfighting or cockfighting.

The rewards were doubled by HSUS last year as efforts to quell dogfighting operations intensified after the Michael Vick case.

To qualify, tipsters -- though they can remain anonymous -- must report the operation to police or local animal control agency, tell the agency about the rewards program and, if the perpetrator is convicted, get the law enforcement agency involved to write a letter to the HSUS stating that their tip led to the arrest.

For more information, click on the link above, or contact the Animal Fighting Reward Program,
Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L St. N.W., Washington, DC 20037

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

A reader comment this week directed folks to the website dogassault.com.

It's a group that bills itself not as dog haters, but as a “human rights organization" that believes dogs and dog owners are getting away with too much.

They’ve had it with the barking, the biting, the pooping, and they’re calling upon Americans to join together and turn in dogs who bark too much, owners who don't pick up their dog's waste and to report to police and animal control departments dogs who appear violent or poorly behaved.

From looking it over, they seem to be a group that wants more order in their universe and sees dogs as antithesis of that. And though its leaders profess to be pet owners, its literature makes it sound like they would prefer a world whose canine population was limited to Aibos. 

While the site doesn’t call for an all-out, world-wide dog ban, it refers readers to another site that does -- the “No Dogs Anywhere” movement (and let’s hope it’s a small movement), whose petition to rid the world of dogs can be found here.

Last I checked, the petition had 22 signatures -- a dozen from the U.S. and 10 from Australia, where the man behind the petition, Peter Bright, lives. He's also behind a website called quietas.net, which pushes for a quieter (and barkless) Tasmania.

Tasmania, an Australian friend told me, is looked at by some Australians the way some Americans look at West Virginia. She said that, not me. I consider West Virginia wild, wet and wonderful.

Anyway, here’s Mr. Bright’s petition:

"The selfish and reckless determination of many owners to keep domestic dogs under circumstances which are entirely unnatural to a creature congenitally programmed to free-range has been allowed by default to become an uncontrolled plague causing almost universal distress to man and dog to such a disruptive extent that while consequent human suffering is increasing exponentially millions of these cruelly victimised creatures are now being euthanised annually …

"We, the undersigned acting compassionately in the interests of human and animal welfare, require all regulatory and control authorities to recognise the suffering and cruelty being inflicted on dogs, and as a consequence through barking and bloody attacks, on mankind everywhere.

"We petition to legislate for the removal of dogs from societies everywhere except in special cases where this animal's behaviour is socially beneficial."

Some regular readers might wonder, why even write about this guy – why give credence to websites that contain so much misleading information? For one thing, because of the threat they pose. For another, Mutts believes everyone should be allowed to get their barks in, even those with whom we so strongly disagree.

I don’t know the man, but personally, given a choice between living next door to Peter Bright or a perpetually barking dog, I believe I would choose the latter. And really, when it comes right down to it, how much difference is there between the two? Both want something. Both are not getting it. Both are frustrated, starved for attention, and demanding to be heard.

Yes, dogs can be annoying – though as a rule I find people more so – and, yes, living next door to a constantly barking dog can leave one’s nerves on edge. The same is true of living next door to crying babies, drug dealers and out of control frat boys.

The answer isn’t to wipe them off the face of the earth, but to address and solve the underlying problems – one at a time.

The Dogassault website also contains llink to a YouTube video recorded by a man in Norman, Okla., who lives next to a barking dog – a disruption of what, from listening to him, sounds like a very neat and orderly life. In it, you can’t really see much. But you can get a sense of how crazy a steadily barking dog can drive someone, which is especially true of people who were maybe already headed in that direction.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (40)
        

With Leap Day just a hop, skip and jump away, it's time to let you know -- in case you've been hiding under a lily pad somewhere -- that 2008 is the Year of the Frog.

Who says it's the Year of the Frog? The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), that's who -- and starting Friday more than 90 of its member organizations, including the National Aquarium in Baltimore, will be holding events around the country to educate people about amphibians.

If you don't think frogs deserve an entire year, consider this: One-third of all amphibians on the planet are threatened with extinction, in part due to a new disease - chytridiomycosis – that wipes out frogs, toads, and salamanders.

That blue rainforest-dwelling fellow above, for example -- Dendrobates azureus -- is one of 234 species of Poison Dart frogs, 28 percent of which are now threatened with extinction.

Zoos and aquariums plan to play a major role in addressing the amphibian extinction crisis, according to the AZA.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore will start celebrating the Year of the Frog, starting Friday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and continue March 1 and 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, with presentations each day, including frog calling and leaping contests, face-painting (your chance to be green), and presentations from aquarium experts and authors.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is housing specimens and offspring from several Panamanian amphibians collected in 2005 as part of a study to see if it is feasible to establish captive colonies of species that will be impacted by the chytrid fungus.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

A Pennsylvania appeals court has muzzled an out-of-control Reading city ordinance that required pit bulls -- and other dogs deemed "dangerous" on the basis of their breed -- be subject to restrictions that included being kept on three-foot leashes when outside the home.

The divided Commonwealth Court decision sided with two pit-bull owners -- Stacie Stankiewicz and Kenneth Steeves Sr. -- who have been fighting the city ordinance since it passed eight years ago.

The court threw out the law because it conflicted with, and was preempted by, a state law defining what makes a dog "dangerous." The state law is not "breed specific."

The Reading ordinance was among the strictest and most backward in the country, defining aggressive dogs as those that are -- even partly -- of a breed that accounted for 40 percent or more of dog-bite incidents reported in the city during the prior year. It required such dogs, when outside the home, be muzzled and kept on a leash shorter than three feet, and required their owners to pay higher fees to register them.

Violation of the ordinance was punishable with fines of up to $1,000 or 30 days in jail.

"The absurdity was that dangerous dog breeds changed from year to year, based on the dog-bite statistics -- that was the crux of the lawsuit," Al Kauffman, attorney for plaintiffs, said in an Associated Press account of the ruling.

Pennsylvania's state Dog Law classifies as "dangerous" an individual dog that has attacked someone without provocation, one that killed or badly injured a domestic animal while off the dog owner's property, or one that has been used to commit a crime.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

After our reports on Nubs and other Iraqi street dogs who have been rescued by American troops and shipped to the U.S., it's only right we give a salute to the U.S. dogs still there.

Like Army Staff Sgt. Iron, left, who is a member of one of about 200 canine teams deployed in Iraq, according to a feature story in today's Los Angeles Times.

Tina Susman, who also took the photo, wrote about the bond that forms between soldiers and their dogs -- one so deep that some handlers have specified that, if they and their canine partners are killed, they want to be buried together.

The U.S. military has used dogs in combat zones since World War II.

During Vietnam, about 4,300 dogs were deployed between 1965 and 1973, and 281 of them died in the line of duty. Hundreds more, Susman writes, were killed after U.S. troops departed because the Army had no provisions for military dogs to be adopted when their careers were over.

That changed in 2000, with the establishment of a rescue center at the Military Working Dog center at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

Since the start of the Iraq war, about 1,000 dogs have passed through the combat zone, and three have been killed in action.

Their duties include sniffing out the roadside bombs, detecting booby-trap wires, searching for drugs and illegal weapons at border crossings, finding human remains and tracking and chasing down insurgents.

The war in Iraq is the first in which the military has sent dogs to serve as therapy animals for stressed-out troops.

In addition to her story, Susman put together a war dog blog entry with more photos.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Researchers at St. Louis University have concluded that robotic dogs are just as good as real dogs in alleviating loneliness among elderly folks in nursing homes.

The researchers compared how residents of nursing homes interacted with Sparky, a living, medium-sized mutt, and Aibo, a robot dog manufactured by Sony.

Thirty-eight residents were divided into three groups -- one saw Sparky once a week for 30 minutes, another group had similar visits with Aibo, and a control group saw neither.

"The most surprising thing is they worked almost equally well in terms of alleviating loneliness and causing residents to form attachments," says William A. Banks, M.D., professor of geriatric medicine at St. Louis University. "For those people who can't have a living pet but who would like to have a pet, robotics could address the issue of companionship."

Sorry. But I’m not buying it – either a robot dog, or the research. Either the researchers weren’t real perceptive in watching the interactions, or they chose residents who couldn’t tell the difference.

No way can a mechanical dog – tidy and sterile and convenient as it might be – lead to the same joyful bonding, produce the same therapeutic effects, make an institution feel more homelike, and give its owner the same sense of purpose that a real one does.

And furthermore, to suggest that, possibly, among the elderly, they can is insulting to the elderly – a group I don’t plan to join unless I can bring my dog.

I would suspect this research was funded by Sony were it not for the fact that it stopped manufacturing Aibo in 2006. Between 1999 and 2006, the company sold more than 150,000.

In the study, Sparky or Aibo was brought into a resident's room and placed near the resident. Both pets interacted with residents -- wagging their tails and responding to the people they visited.

After seven weeks, all residents were asked how lonely they felt and how attached they were to Sparky, the mutt, or Aibo, the $2,000 artificial dog.

The residents who received visits from real and artificial pooches felt less lonely and more attached to their “canine attention-givers” than those who got visits from neither. The study said there was no statistical difference between whether the real or robotic dog did a better job easing loneliness and fostering attachments.

"There is a lot of loneliness in nursing homes and animal-assisted therapy -- whether from a dog or a robot -- is one answer for addressing that," Banks said. The research was published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

Banks saw other advantages as well: "This health companion could follow a person in his home, giving reminders on when to take medication or sending out an alert when a person has suddenly gone from a vertical position to a horizontal one," Banks says.

In other words, a robotic dog that will spy on you – kind of the opposite of “loyal.”

Research showing the therapeutic effects dogs and cats can have on people is well-established, but to suggest the same can be accomplished with robots is, in my opinion, something a robot would think.

So before nursing homes start turning to robot dogs the way they have turned to Wii, I have the following suggestions: Bring in real dogs. Don’t ban dogs. Contact a local visiting dog program. Let residents keep real dogs. Help them care for their real dogs when they need help. Have a communal dog or two that belong to everyone, like we did in college. Let employees and visitors bring well-trained and behaved dogs in. Don’t worry so much about poop; it’s really quite easily disposed of.

Tempting, foolproof and convenient as Aibo might seem – and there have been rumors that he could return to the marketplace – loneliness can't be alleviated through remote control.

And even though it has gotten a seal of approval from a scientist, don't be so sure that, when it comes to scientific research, nothing can go wrong … go wrong … go wrong.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Singing Beach, on the North Shore of Massachusetts, has long been a haven for dogs in wintertime, but there’s a movement afoot to change that – backed in part by people who fear their foot might land in a movement.

For decades in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Singing Beach – considered one of the state’s finest beaches and located near multimillion dollar homes -- has been a destination for dogs and their owners, who are allowed to walk the beaches with their pooches from October through April.

But some are looking to change that, saying they are fearful of the problems large numbers of dogs could create, and concerned about dog poop that dog owners don’t dispose of.

A vote is expected at a town meeting on April 7.

"I don't have anything against dogs," Patricia Morley, a resident and town employee who gathered the necessary 10 signatures to introduce the dog ban at Town Meeting in April, told the Boston Globe. "But I don't like it when there are 20 or 30 in one place." Other signers voiced concerns over dog waste and children getting harmed.

To read the Boston Globe story click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Police dogs in the German city of Düsseldorf will soon be equipped with blue plastic fiber shoes, a police spokesman said today.

"All 20 of our police dogs - German and Belgian shepherds - are currently being trained to walk in these shoes," Andre Hartwich said. "I'm not sure they like it, but they'll have to get used to it."

The Associated Press reports that the footwear is not a fashion statement, but to protect dogs from the high rate of paw injuries on duty -- a result in part from broken beer bottles in the western city's historical old town, famous for both its pubs and drunken revelers.

(Sounds a little like the neighborhoods of Fells Point and Federal Hill in Baltimore.)

"Even the street-cleaning doesn't manage to remove all the glass pieces from between the streets' cobblestones," Hartwich said.

The dogs will start wearing the shoes this spring for operations that demand special foot protection. The shoes comes in sizes small, medium and large and were ordered in blue to match the officers uniforms, Hartwich said.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Nubs may be getting most of the publicity, but he wasn't the only Iraqi dog who was rescued by American troops in Iraq and sent to a new home in the U.S. this past weekend.

On Saturday, Liberty and K-Pot, two puppies rescued off Iraqi streets by U.S. troops who went on to serve as sanctioned security dogs for the unit who adopted them, took their first steps on American soil.

Liberty and K-Pot are SPCA International’s first emergency rescues from the war zone through the Operation Baghdad Pups program.

The program was started after an earlier rescue, which culminated with the Valentine's Day arrival of Charlie, a black-and-white puppy and unit-mascot for Charlie Company serving in Iraq.

Rescued from the streets of Baghdad as a puppy and nursed back to health, Charlie had his trip home sponsored by SPCA International and I Love Dogs, Inc.

"Working together, we can help rescue these animals who have meant so much to these American heroes who put their lives on the line everyday," SPCA International says on the special web site it has created for Operation Baghdad Pups.

Saturday's arrivals, Liberty and K-Pot, were both working with the Army unit, but were not approved to go with the unit when it relocated.

"If SPCA International had not come to the rescue in time, K-Pot and Liberty would have been left to the harsh war-torn streets and Iraqi civilians who are sometimes hostile to dogs who have befriended our U.S. troops," the SPCA said in a press release.

(Photos courtesy of SPCA International)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Dogs (and cats, and dolphins, and parrots, and even octopuses) are smarter than most of us give them credit for, and according to the cover story of the March issue of National Geographic they're getting smarter all the time.

The article, "Inside Animal Minds," determines that humans are not alone in their ability to invent, plan, problem solve or contemplate, and it offers more than just anecdotal evidence of that.

Advanced intelligence is evolving in many species of animals (let's hope that humans aren't going in the opposite direction) -- from the number of words they can understand to their use of tools.

The article centers on Alex, an African gray parrot (now deceased) who could speak 100 words, express thoughts unsolicited and knew colors shapes and sizes.

It also features two Baltimore-based animals -- JB, a giant pacific octopus, and Maya, a bottlenose dolphin, both residents of the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

JB has a distinct personality, can use tools and recognize individuals, according to the article, and Maya grasps vocabulary and syntax and has a creative streak.

Also highlighted in the piece (and making the cover) is Betsy, a border collie who has a vocabulary of more than 300 words, knows 15 people by name and can retrieve objects seen in photographs.

The issue also offers readers a chance to go online, send photos and brag about their own intellectually gifted pets, which, by the way, you can also do here -- if you're smart enough to figure out how. If you're not, ask a border collie.

To read the National Geographic story, click here.

(Cover photo courtesy of National Geographic)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Nubs the war dog, a German shepherd-border collie mix that was rescued in Iraq and nursed back to health by Maj. Brian Dennis and fellow Marines, then sent to America for a new life, arrived safely in San Diego Friday.

After a layover and check-up in Chicago -- where Nubs was examined by an Egyptian veterinarian, able to read the veterinary reports written after Nubs' earlier stop in Jordan -- Nubs landed in California amid a media frenzy.

Nubs -- so named because he was found with his ears cut off -- was greeted by ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and a crew from the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which is expected to air scenes of his arrival.

Graham Bloem, a certified dog trainer with West Coast K9 in Encinitas, Calif., will help Nubs transition from the alpha male in a pack of wild desert dogs to mellow beach dog. He will train Nubs and work on his socialization at a dog park.

"Socialization is what Nubs needs," Bloem told the Tampa Tribune. "This isn't Lassie, but a wild dog from another part of the world. He will meet new animals and people. He will hear new sounds and a new environment."

Dennis is from St. Petersburg, Fla.

To read the Tampa Tribune report, click here.

(AP photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Aretha Franklin has been crowned this year's worst-dressed celebrity by the animal rights organization PETA.

What clinched the honor for her, apparently, was the "vulgar fur" she's seen here wearing to the Grammy Awards.

"How 'bout some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for animals?" PETA asked.

Runners up included Marilyn Manson (for frequently wearing leather), Eva Longoria ("trashy furs") Lindsay Lohan (wearing animal pelts), Kate Moss (fur), and Kylie Minogue (for her python purse).

In the past, PETA has singled out Christina Ricci, Martha Stewart and Alicia Keys, all of whom PETA says have given up wearing fur after being named to the list.

To see all of PETA's picks, click here.

(AP Photo)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Here's a news report from WFTS in Florida about Nubs, the Iraqi dog that was shipped to San Diego today after being rescued by Marine Major Brian Dennis.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A dog named "Nubs," a mutt that lived in the streets of war-torn Iraq, is coming to America today.

Marine Major Brian Dennis started a friendship with the shepherd mix when he met it while on patrol in the Anbar province.

He named it Nubs, after learning someone cut the dog's ears off believing it would make him more aggressive and alert.

The Marines fed Nubs scraps and watched out for him as best they could, but Nubs, living a life on the run in the middle of a war, was paying a price.

Dennis saw the dog had lost a tooth and been bitten. Later he found him stabbed and near death in freezing temperatures but was required to go back to his command post 65 miles away.

Two days later, Nubs arrived.

Since the military prohibits keeping dogs in war zones, Dennis was given four days to get rid of the dog.

Dennis managed to find a Jordanian veterinarian to get the care and paperwork needed to get the Nubs across the border into Jordan and shipped to the U.S.dog to the states. The$3,500 needed for his airfare to San Diego was raised by his friends and family, and a friend agreed to care for the dog until Dennis returns in March.

To read the full AP account, click here. To see a TV news account from Dennis' hometown, click here.

(AP Photo/Major Brian Dennis) 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

(Photo courtesy of www.bombshellpinups.net)

Deirdre Franklin of Bucks County, Pa., is a mild-mannered mortgage counselor by day, a burlesque queen by night, and, ever since childhood, a confirmed lover and rescuer of dogs, with an especially soft spot for pit bulls.

She has two pit bulls of her own, she traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to assist in pet rescue and recovery efforts, and she once worked as a volunteer at a privately operated Philadelphia animal rescue center.

It was in her work there -- specifically, when she learned that the shelter regularly euthanized pit-bull type dogs, based more on their appearance than anything else -- that her empathy for the breed was born.

She quit after trying to take home a particularly friendly one that arrived one day. The shelter said it was against their policy. Then they euthanized the dog.

The outrage she felt during that episode -- "How can you call yourself a rescue organization, if you're not willing to save a dog's life?" she asks -- was rekindled in more recent years, first with continuing tales of pit bulls being abused and used for fighting. Then came the movement to pass "breed specific legislation" that often requires their owners to chain and muzzle pit bulls -- not because of any bad behavior, only because they are pit bulls.

That made her mad enough to gather some pit bull-owning female friends, shed some clothes, outfit herself and friends in stilettos, bikinis, tight nurses uniforms and the like, strike some provocative poses (often with their dogs) and put together the first "Pin-Ups for Pit Bulls" calendar in 2007 -- the proceeds from which go to organizations that rescue and shelter pit bulls.

Franklin says sales of the calendars -- and revenue from the ads printed throughout them -- raised more than $4,000 last year, and $10,000 so far this year.

Tonight, Franklin and some of her calendar models will be appearing at a fund-raiser at the Sidebar Tavern in downtown Baltimore, trying to raise more money for the cause. The calendars, and more information, are available at her website, www.pinupsforpitbulls.com.

"I really want people to understand that this breed is getting a bad rap," Franklin, 30, said. "They are very wonderful and good dogs. ...They're not the monsters that they're made out to be."

Pinups for Pitbulls is dedicated to helping homeless pit bulls and removing the stigma from the breed that results from irresponsible and abusive pet owners, Franklin said. Pit bulls, she says, are loyal family members, have been war heroes and, before the bad image befell them, were American icons -- Petey from the Litte Rascals, the RCA dog Nippy and Helen Keller's service dog, to name a few.

To improve the breed's image, and to reach an audience that might not normally care about its plight, Franklin came up with the pin-up calendar as a way to grab attention. "A lot of people don't like pit bulls, but everyone likes pretty girls," she says.

Franklin now has two pit bulls, Carla Lou, 12 years old, who she paid to have shipped by air from a shelter in Texas, and Baxter, about 2, who she adopted from Pet Rescue of Mercer County in New Jersey, where she has also worked as a volunteer.

Franklin, who performs burlesque under the name "Little Darling," appears in the 2007 and 2008 calendars. That's her and he dogs in the photo above from this year's October.

Baltimore County considered breed-specific legislation last year but declined to enact it. Baltimore City rejected a proposal for breed-specific laws seven years ago.

Many other cities, including New York and Denver, have passed breed-specific laws, which can range from requiring the animals to be muzzled and fenced-in to prohibiting ownership of them altogether. Even in cities without such laws, discrimination exists against pit bulls, Franklin noted, with landlords refusing to rent to families with pit bulls, insurance companies charging more or refusing to cover homes where pit bulls live.

Franklin said the organization contacted the Sidebar Tavern after holding a benefit in Washington in December. Tavern owner Richard Ashburn says he backs the group's effort. "I don’t want any breed to be written off the earth because we as humans said they can’t be here. I’m in agreement with what they were doing," he said.

Friday's event to promote the sale of the 2008 'Pinups for Pitbulls Calendar, will also feature several Baltimore bands, and an auction of the works of Wilmington artist Ric Frane. It starts at 9 p.m.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

A bill to increase penalties for people who attend illegal dogfights has been unanimously approved by the Maryland Senate, the Associated Press reported yesterday -- but it's a watered down version of what was originally proposed.

The original bill would have made it a felony to knowingly attend an illegal dogfight or cockfight, but the Senate decided to keep the crime a misdemeanor. The original bill would have increased the maximum penalty from 90 days in jail to three years in prison. Instead, the amended version increases it to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

A separate animal fighting bill has been rejected by a House committee, leading to some doubts about whether Maryland lawmakers will agree on a bill this year.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Another battle over breed-specific legislation is coming to a head – this one in a Detroit suburb, sparked by controversy over a dog who has hurt no one.

The city commission of Plymouth, Mich., (population 9,000) says it won’t take any action until at least March 17, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The center of the controversy is Gage, a 2-year-old, 72-pound “red nose pit bull,” who has not been accused of any vicious behavior.

But the family next door feels intimidated by the dog’s appearance. And 77 others have joined in signing a petition encouraging the city to ban pit bulls or develop a dangerous dog ordinance to ensure better control of the breed.

"How can you say all pit bulls are bad?" asked the dog’s owner, Kyle Kosmyna, 23, who said Gage has always been gentle with his children. "That's like saying all people are bad.”

Within the past six months, three people have been killed in dog attacks in southeast Michigan, including an infant. In those incidents, the dogs involved were not pit-bull types.

The petition asks that pit bulls be banned or properly secured. Another petition is circulating against banning pit bulls. To read the Detroit Free Press article, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)
        

We here at Mutts, as our name implies, don't believe in spoiling and over-pampering pets.

(Well, half of us don't, anyway. Ace is all for it.)

For one thing, once you start, the pet tends to get used to it and expects it all the time. After two days of steak leftovers, for example, note how your dog, when you present him with the standard dried kibble, will sniff it, turn and give you look that says, "Are you serious?"

For another, providing them with Oscar-inspired fashions, overpriced playthings, jeweled collars, leashes and other accessories, is only bringing them a step closer to being human.

And that's the last thing we should want.

Yet there's a huge interest in, and market for, luxury pet items, and a lot of people are into them, and who are we to judge?

So today we announce a new "category" -- Pupscale Products. (To see our other categories, check the rail to the right of this page.) Frequent readers know we don't care much for sticking things in neat little "categories," but, when it comes to a blog, it's an excellent way to bring some organization to the giant unruly buffet we serve up here.

Today, we present a dog food bowl that costs more than some dogs. It's the latest from a company named, appropriately enough, Snooty Pets, located in, appropriately enough, Las Vegas.

Among its products: An $18 bag of breath freshening dog treats, a stuffed automobile chew toy called the "Furcedes," and a squeaking pink "Kate Spayed" handbag toy.

This weekend the company will unveil its new line of marble and onyx dog bowls at the Luxury Pet Pavilion Trade show at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles.

Each bowl, the company says, is "exquisitely hand carved and polished to a smooth and seamless finish by highly skilled artists" and the stone range includes rich and warm colors of rare pink and blue, along with ruby, white, honey, green and travertine.

The company promises a “distinctive dining experience,” says Kevin Thomas, vice president of Snooty Pets. "Because marble is the caviar of natural stone what better way to convey exclusivity and glamour."

Awesome! Let's do lunch. Somewhere exclusive. Chow for now.

(Photo courtesy of PRweb, snootypets.com)   

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Oscar fashions really, truly, literally are going to the dogs.

Hollywood designer Lara Alamaddine and her husband and business partner Daniel Duiecki have been making chi-chi dog garments, and dressing movie dogs, for years.

As they did last year, the owners of the pet fashion label Little Lily will attend the Oscars and, within two days, come out with five new Oscar-night inspired fashions for dogs -- based on what the stars wore, according to a Reuters report.

Their Oscars collection from 2007 featured a bead-encrusted version of the Grecian-inspired Marchesa gown worn by Jennifer Lopez. Another was inspired by the avant-garde scarlet Balenciaga that adorned Nicole Kidman.

At left, Lily models the Penelope gown, inspired by the gown worn by Penelope Cruz to the Oscars in 2007

 Photo by REUTERS/Phil McCarten

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Who was that fat cat we pictured yesterday?

That's Hercules, who a year ago was just another overweight feline.

Today, in addition to becoming an Internet sensation, he's being featured in an article about pet weight loss in Martha Stewart Living, and may become spokeskitten for a low-calorie cat food.

It all started when he ran away. His owner, Geoff Earnest, 31, who has cystic fibrosis, went to the hospital for a double lung transplant. Despite having a cat sitter, Hercules broke out.

Earnest survived his surgery, returned home, grieved over the loss of his cat, who he assumed was dead, and went on with life -- until one night he saw his cat on TV.

The cat had been brought into the Oregon Humane Society after a family found him stuck in a doggie door leading outside from their garage. It seems Hercules had been sneaking in through the doggie door and chowing down on pet food -- until the day came he was too fat to make his escape.

The Humane Society called the papers and TV stations to tell them the story of the fat cat.

Hercules -- who was called Goliath while in the shelter -- ended up in the newspapers, on TV and on YouTube, all 20 pounds of him. He has gained lots of fame, and lost only a little weight. Earnest says he walks Hercules for exercise every morning and the cat now tips the scales at 19.5 pounds.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

More than 150 dogs were seized and at least three people were arrested today in Tucson in what investigators say was one of the largest fight-dog breeding operations in the nation.

Pima County Sheriff's SWAT deputies raided four locations Tuesday morning and arrested Mahlon Patrick, who the Humane Soceity of the United States said is one of the top three breeders of fighting dogs in the country.

The investigation began last March into a suspected dogfighting ring in the Tucson area, based on information provided by the Humane Society of the United States.

In addition to the dogs seized, detectives took training materials and a "rape stand" device used in breeding female pitbulls. For a more detailed account click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

I'm sure a few doting cat owners will disagree, but a new study says cats don't get the same affection and attention from their owners that dogs do -- and because of that aren't as likely to get medical care as dogs.

A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found U.S. pet owners generally have stronger bonds with their dogs than their cats and therefore aren't as attentive to their cat's needs.

As a result, cats are substantially underserved medically, the researchers say, which presents risks to their health and public health.

The study says dogs are far more likely than cats to receive vaccinations, regular physical exams and preventive dental care. In households with dogs and cats, a third of the cats did not visit a veterinarian annually, compared with only 13 percent of dogs.

Humans, the study says, spend about 45 hours a week with their dogs, only about 32 hours a week with their cats.

Humans also view cats as "more able to take care of themselves," than dogs.

Asked if they would spend any amount necessary to keep their pet alive, 52 percent of dog owners said yes, compared to 48 percent of cat owners.

The AVMA is made up of 76,000 member veterinarians and describes its mission as advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health.

(Photos: Hercules, the fat cat, AP; Sammy, the Shih-Tzu, Chris McGrath, Getty Images)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Authorities yesterday recovered the body of a 42-year-old Berkeley woman who was swept out to sea Saturday when she jumped into the ocean to try to save her dog on California’s Sonoma coast -- one of at least three such deaths in recent weeks.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle story, witnesses saw the woman, identified by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department as Molly Keane, go into the water near the Sonoma-Mendocino County line. The body of her dog was later found washed up on the beach. Keane's death was the second fatality in five weeks of a would-be dog rescuer swept off the Sonoma coast.

On Jan. 12, 19-year-old Ann Madden of Petaluma and her fiance were walking along an overlook at Portuguese Beach with their two dogs when large waves engulfed the two animals. Her fiance jumped in to rescue the dogs, followed by Madden.

"What she did was very, very heroic, but that’s the kind of person she was. We’re not surprised at all that she jumped in to save her fiance or the dogs," her mother said in an article in the Reading Eagle. Madden's fiance and two dogs survived.

In Buffalo, N.Y., police believe Anthony Dashner, a 51-year-old corrections officer, was trying to retrieve his parents' dog when he fell through the ice on the Buffalo River and died. Police pulled his body from the river Saturday afternoon, an article in the Buffalo News reported.

Dashner was last seen Wednesday morning, when he left his home to look for his parents' dog. Police believe Dashner was following the dog when he broke through the ice. Dashner worked at the medium-security Gowanda prison in southern Erie County. 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Christmas is long gone, but sales of a fund-raising CD called "A Very Silent Night" -- audible only to dogs -- are still going strong.

Produced to raise funds for the New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA), the song, the organization says, is recorded at a frequency only dogs can hear.

Nevertheless, it was so popular among New Zealand dog owners it hit No. 1 there at Christmas, raising $17,000 so far and prompting the SPCA to consider marketing it in Australia and the United States.

Bob Kerridge, chief executive of animal welfare group, says the CD has been receiving mixed responses from listeners.

"The most violent one was a dog that physically attacked the radio when it was played and went quite berserk and totally destroyed it," he told Reuters News Service.

I haven't tested it on my own dog yet. Maybe tonight I'll see how he reacts. Meanwhile, if you want to "listen" to the music video version, click below (at your own risk, if the dog is in the room). We can compare results -- and perhaps even figure out if this is real or a gimmick -- in this entry's comments zone (see button below).

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Twenty-five days after it bolted from its carrier on a subway platform in New York City and disappeared, a six-month-old kitten named Georgia was found and returned to its owner.

After hearing reports of a sighting, transit workers, making meow sounds, tracked the cat down, finding her cowering in a drain between two sets of tracks under midtown Manhattan, according to the New York Daily News.

The cat had lost weight and scratched her nose but seemed in good health. She was returned to her owner, a 24-year-old Bronx librarian who was bringing her home from the veterinarian when she scampered off last month.

To see the Daily News photo and story, click here.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has released three new videos as part of its Animal Birth Control (ABC) campaign -- and they are, as one might expect, edgy. Maybe even a little over the edge. In this first one, titled "Sex Talk," parents urge their young daughter to procreate, telling her any unwanted offspring can always be dumped or put in a shelter.

In this next one, "Buy One Get One Killed," an innocent little girl learns that, in buying a purebred dog from a breeder, she's responsible for the death of a shelter dog.

And in the third one, released at the time of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the American Kennel Club, with all its breed standards and emphasis on purity, is compared to the Klan.

PETA going over the edge, of course, is nothing new. We've come to expect nothing less from them than heavy-handed tactics and a holier than thou attitude. Then again, maybe it does take a sledge hammer to drive these points -- all well worth making -- home. I'd love to hear your opinion on these. (You can send it via the comment button below.)

Here's mine. "Sex Talk," while outrageous, is witty and makes one think. "Buy One Get One Killed," while a great title, is so lacking in subtlety, so nightmarish that people won't think about it all; instead they'll try to erase it from their minds. "Wrong Meeting," is pretty brilliant -- and makes a point similar to the one we made in a far tamer way in "Hey, Mister, What Kind of Dog is That?"; the Mutts dogumentary and series of stories you can find in the rightside rail of this blog.

According to PETA's ABC campaign, U.S. animal shelters put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats every year -- deaths that could be prevented if Americans spayed and neutered their animals and stopped buying from breeders or pet stores. In the campaign, PETA asks people to sign this pledge.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Yesterday's Valentine's Day blog entry on my doggie-gram -- my account of how, through a donation to the Western Montana Humane Society, I had Valentine's Day wishes delivered to my girlfriend by a shelter dog -- showed up on Radar Magazine's website, Radaronline.

Apparently, the Radar blogger, or blog contributor -- one Nick Curran -- was not moved, at least not to anything other than sarcasm.

"The reporter's $50 donation will shelter and feed Hannah for about two days, at which time the dog will be euthanized and tossed in the dumpster out back. Happy Valentine's Day everybody!"

Just to set the record straight, the society doesn't use Dumpsters (it's supposed to be capitalized) to dispose of dogs, and Hannah -- the dog I sponsored and who in turn delivered my Valentine's Day wishes -- won't likely be euthanized in two days, or even two weeks.

Possibly she will be adopted (that was kind of the point, Nick). If not, it's likely that the good citizens of Missoula -- a place where dogs are actually appreciated -- will continue chipping in, as they already have, for the continued care and feeding of Hannah and the shelter's other residents.

Nick also criticized us for our Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, though reprinting our picks and linking to it (thank you very much), and apparently he has trouble with the concept that a newspaper would have a reporter whose duties include writing a blog about dogs and other pets.

We at Mutts (we meaning my dog and me) have no problem with all this spirited dialogue -- except when an organization that is doing good, and coming up with some novel ways to do it, is unfairly smeared. So feel free to keep us in your Radar, and to fire away. Just watch out for the innocent bystanders.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Ever wonder where all those dogs spend the night during the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City?

Whether it's Uno, the best-in-show beagle, or some drooling also-ran, you can rest assured they're not exactly tied up outside in the back of a pick-up truck. Far from it.

They are all catered to by the Hotel Pennsylvania, which goes all out to make its canine guests comfortable, as you can see in these behind the scenes videos from Petside.com, an online resource for pet owners and enthusiasts. Click the small frame on the bottom right for a tour by the hotel's "doggie concierge."

How the hotel gets ready for the canine onslaught is also described in this New York Observer article.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Paris Hilton, thanks to an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, is under investigation for keeping too many dogs, TMZ reported today.

The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services, the report says, is looking into whether Hilton is violating a city law that limits residents to three pets, unless they are commercial breeders.

Paris told Ellen, "I have 17 dogs — lots ... They all sleep in my bed - well, not all of them, but I let some of them."

Paris said she has so many dogs because "they keep having babies, and I feel bad about giving them away."

Ellen, to her credit, urged the heiress to look into spaying and neutering.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

A company in South Korea says it has received an order for the world's first commercial cloning of a pet — a request from an American woman to to re-create her beloved dog "Booger."

The Voice of America, in a report today, said RNL Bio will charge $150,000 to clone the California woman's pitbull terrier, using tissue from her dead pet.

The deal was first reported yesterday by the Korea Times, which said the actual cloning would be conducted by Seoul National University, while RNL Bio handled the business side.

The company's chief executive said he expects up to 500 orders within a few years from rich pet lovers in the U.S. and elsewhere.

"There are many people who want to clone their pet dogs in Western countries, even at this high price," Ra Jeong-Chan said. In this particular case, he added, "it seems that (the woman) had a disability and her dog helped her cope with the problem, so she was eager to get a clone of Booger."

He said Booger's owner had refrigerated the dog's ear tissue. Cells were extracted and inserted into ova implanted into eight dogs.

A Seoul National University team created the world's first cloned dog, an Afghan hound named Snuppy, in 2005.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Hannah came through.

Shortly after 1 p.m., Montana time, the old girl -- a 9-year-old terrier mix who has put in two months with no takers at the Western Montana Humane Society -- delivered Valentine's Day wishes to my girlfriend.

Chaperoned by Peter Bensen, society director, Hannah spent about 10 minutes at the Missoulian newspaper, exchanged some cuddles with Tamara Granger (she's the one in the red shirt, lest there be any confusion), then continued her assigned rounds, joining the other dogs who were spreading Valentine's Day cheer across the fair city of Missoula.

The deliveries were part of a program in which, in exchange for sponsoring a shelter dog, the society delivered Valentine's Day greetings and a gift package to the person of your choice, in many cases with the sponsored dog going along.

In the case of my doggie Valentine, at least, it went over well. Tamara, who can't have a dog where she's living, appreciated the visit from Hannah, who was the featured dog in a humane society advertisement she helped put together a couple of weeks ago.

In fact, there's only one way the ending could be happier -- and that's if somebody, perhaps smitten by those wise and piercing eyes she has (Hannah's, I mean) were to show up and take her home.

(The photo to the right was taken by Krista Miller, a student at the University of Montana School of Journalism who is serving an internship as a staff photographer at the Missoulian.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Maryland SPCA announced the opening of its new low-cost spay-neuter clinic today and said the new program will initially be directed at pit bulls and feral cats.

The new clinic seeks to help “the two most vulnerable pets that end up in shelters -- pit bulls and cats -- by providing services to reduce their numbers,” said Mary-Ann Pinkard, president of the Maryland SPCA board of directors.

The theme of yesterday’s opening – keyed to Valentine’s Day – was “Show your Pit the Love. Neuter Him.” (That's 2-year-old Will O'Dell to the left, meeting Cleo, one of two pit bull type dogs attending yesterday's announcement.)

The clinic, in a refurbished pump house on the grounds of the Falls Road shelter, replaces the SPCA’s “Neuter Scooter,” a brightly painted bus that traveled the city for four years, providing the surgery at no cost to dog and cat owners.

The Neuter Scooter stopped making its rounds in 2005 –- after providing more than 10,000 surgeries -- when the cost of operating it became prohibitive.

Even though grant money, donations and vaccination fees helped defray the cost, the organization still lost about $600,000 during the program’s four-year run. Since then, the SPCA has operated a spay-neuter program on its grounds, but the new surgical center expands the nonprofit organization’s capabilities.

The Maryland SPCA altered 6,000 pets in 2007. Under the new program, low-income families – defined as a family of four making less than $35,000 a year -– can have their cats or pit bulls spayed or neutered for between $30 and $40.

The program will also work with organizations that trap, neuter and return feral cats to the environment in which they were found, ensuring such wild populations don’t multiply.

During February, the SPCA’s clinic will charge only $20 to spay or neuter pit bulls. Private veterinarian’s fees for spay-neuter surgeries often are $100 or more, said Lillian Alfaro, the SPCA’s staff veterinarian.

Aileen Gabbey, executive director of the SPCA, said the program will lead to fewer abandoned pets, fewer pets in shelters, less aggressive pets and a healthier community.

The clinic’s goal is to spay or neuter 100 pit bulls, 1,400 feral cats, and 1,500 cats whose owners are low-income in 2008.

To schedule appointments, call 410-235-8826, ext. 140, or email fixem@mdspca.org.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

You can say it with flowers. You can say it with candy. You can say it with jewelry. But this Valentine’s Day, I’m saying it, long distance, with a dog.

Some time today, if all goes according to plan, a mutt named Hannah, a suspected terrier mix currently housed at the Humane Society of Western Montana, will stroll into a newspaper office in Missoula, go to the advertising department on the first floor, and wish my honey a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Said honey, one hopes, will get a kick out of it, and it will mean far more, one also hopes, than the flowers, candy and jewelry that she isn’t receiving.

Hannah, meanwhile, will get a rare outing, and a few days room and board at the shelter through the $50 donation I made for the gift, which in addition to a visit from Hannah, includes a stuffed dog, a personalized card and a big pink balloon.

The card will bear Hannah’s picture and read, “I thought this dog was very cute; I hope you’ll be mine on this and every Valentine’s Day.”

By now, gentlemen, you probably see the beauty of this. (A.) I have remembered the day. (B.) I have shown I am sensitive and an animal lover. (C.) I have given something far better than some expensive and superficial piece of jewelry – I have given the gift of life.

Granted, $50 pays for only about two days of sheltering an animal; and granted, one can similarly sponsor a sheltered animal at most any shelter most any time; and granted, I may have gone and spoiled the surprise by blogging about it too early.

The point is, though, this is one of the best ideas for a shelter, pound, rescue group, humane society that I’ve ever heard.

Lots of shelters seize on Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tie in some promotion that will relieve them of some dogs or help them pay the bills, but by personally delivering a gift – and having the recipient dog, when possible, go along – the Humane Society of Western Montana is doing it right.

Which, as doing it right often does, requires a massive amount of work.

The gifts will be delivered on Valentine’s Day by humane society volunteers, according to Nicole (no relation to Nick) Nolte, operations manager. Nolte designed the bright pink website developed for the project, and says an outreach manager at the shelter came up with the idea.

The shelter will also be holding an “adopt-a-thon” on Valentine’s Day, dropping the price for adopting an animal from $60 to $14. Nolte says the shelter places about 75 percent of the animals that come in.

The rest, after wearing out their welcome, well, you know what happens – and donations earmarked for a specific dog can help extend that period, so dogs like Hannah, 9-years-old and two months in the shelter, might be bought some more time.

In the Valentine program, donors can pick the dog they want to sponsor in the name of their loved one from the shelter’s website.

This being Valentine’s Day already, and since it’s unlikely your honey lives in Missoula, Montana, this does you last-minute guys no good at all. But fear not; there’s always next year – and maybe some other shelters will read this and realize what a lovely way this might be to get a tiny piece of the $17 billion Americans (this year) will fritter away on Valentine’s Day-related spending.

If you can’t find a shelter that offers this program, or a similar one, there are several wildlife groups to which you can donate in a friend's name, among them Defenders of Wildlife. On its website, you can adopt a polar bear, wolf, penguin, sea turtle or even an elephant in a loved ones name. In exchange that person gets an animal photo, a fact sheet relating to that animal, a certificate of adoption and a “cuddly plush toy.”

Then too, many wildlife and animal protection groups, like the North Shore Animal League, have their own online gift stores, where a portion of the profits go to animals. 

And the Humane Society of the United States offers a Hip, Hip, Humane program through which you can celebrate any person, pet, friendship or occasion with a donation.

The choice is yours, guys. You can send flowers, which will wilt and die in a few days, buy a box of candy, which we all knows goes straight to the waistline, or cough up the dough for some glittery human adornment.

But you might want to consider donating to animals. Chicks dig it.

At least I think they do. To find out for sure, tune in later.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Look out, Red Baron: Uno, a spirited 3-year-old beagle, conquered Westminster last night, becoming the first of his breed to win Best in Show in the 131-year-old dog show's history.

The 15-inch-tall beagle, belonging to Aaron Wilkerson, was also the first beagle to win the hound group at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show since 1939.

The two-day competition involved more than 2,600 dogs, from 48 states, the District of Columbia and at least six countries.

Uno, whose official name is K-Run's Park Me in First, was a crowd favorite -- partly because of his playful attitude, partly because of his underdog status.

He barked often, amid shouts from the sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd of "Uno!" and "beagle!"

There were 169 breeds vying this year, including four new breeds the Plott, a hound; the Tibetan mastiff; the Swedish vallhund; and the Beauceron.

For the story of Uno's victory, click here.

For more pictures, click here.

(Photo by Timothy A. Clary, AFP/Getty Images)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

 <

Happy Valentine's Day

to the 47 dogs that survived

All the dogs pictured here were once were part

of Michael Vick's illegal dogfighting operation in Virginia.

What's happened to them since -- between the work of the courts,

the outpouring of public support, the efforts of the eight rescue groups

that took them in and the nurturing foster parents helping to rehabilitate them --

may be the greatest love story of the year.

If you'd like to send a Valentine's Day greeting to them, they can be reached through the following organizations:

Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road
Kanab, UT 84741-5000

Recycled Love, P.O. Box 6476, Baltimore, MD 21230 

Animal Rescue of Tidewater, PO Box 11535, Norfolk, VA 23517

Our Pack, 708 Blossom Hill Road, #128
Los Gatos, CA 95032

SPCA of Monterey County, 1002 Salinas Highway, Monterey. CA 93940

BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls), PO Box 320776, San Francisco, CA 94132

Richmond Animal League, 11401 International Drive, Richmond, VA 23236

Georgia SPCA, 1175 Highway 23, Suite 109, Suwanee, GA 30024

(Photos courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Mary MacQuiddy (left) takes a breather in the crate of Louise, an Otterhound, during the 132nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. Seeming a little perkier (above) is Pixie, a Bijon getting a pre-show fluffing.

The show started yesterday and continues tonight. It can be seen from 8 to 11 p.m. on the USA Network.

To see 60 photos of the show, click here.

(Photos by Chris McGrath, Getty Images)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Daisy and Lily -- two of the three Michael Vick dogs that ended up in Maryland -- are now Sweet Jasmine and Sweet Pea, and they've come a long way since they were turned over to the Baltimore-based rescue organization Recycled Love.

The dogs were completely “shut down” when the organization received them from Washington Animal Rescue League, where they lived for six weeks after being seized from Vick's estate in Virginia.

Foster mom Catalina Stirling says Jasmine had to be carried out to the back yard, because she could not be leashed. Now a routine has been established for the two girls, and they are taken, along with Stirling's own dog, on two-hour walks daily. Stirling said they will soon be attending obedience school.

“They have proven that they have life in them and that they want to love. Whatever happened to them in the past is over," Stirling said. "They just like to move forward.”

A third Vick dog spent six weeks at Animal Farm Foundation, where she was originally so fearful she would move by crawling on her belly, before coming to Recycled Love. The organization is keeping the location of that dog private.

To catch up with all the Vick dogs, read this excellent article by Jennifer Hayes, a member of the staff of Best Friends Animal Society in Utah -- where 22 Vick dogs now live.

(Photos courtesy of Catalina Stirling and Best Friends)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Both Democratic candidates have demonstrated compassion towards animals, but Hillary Clinton gets higher marks than Barack Obama on "The Humane Scorecard," the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s (HSLF) annual look at the voting records on animal welfare issues in the House and Senate.

As a U.S. Senator, Clinton received a 100 percent ranking by the HSLF for the 108th Congress and “100-plus” for the 109th Congress.

She has co-sponsored legislation dealing with horse slaughter, animal fighting and to crack down on abusive puppy mills.

Obama scored 20 percent on the 2005 Humane Scorecard, 60 percent in 2006 and was expected to rank even higher in 2007.

Since being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, Obama has co-sponsored legislation to upgrade the penalties for dogfighting and cockfighting, and to ban the possession of fighting dogs.

As an Illinois state senator, Obama supported measures to allow the creation of pet trusts to provide for the long-term care of companion animals, ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption, upgrade the penalties for cruelty to animals, require psychological counseling for people who abuse animals, and require that veterinarians report suspected acts of cruelty and animal fighting.

In response to a questionnaire sent out by HSLF, Clinton says she has supported every major animal protection bill in Congress and says she will work with executive agencies to implement humane policies and adequate funding and enforcement for animal welfare laws.

“I believe animal welfare is an important issue to Americans, and I would work to address these problems when I am president, as I have during my time in the Senate,” she wrote. “From preventing dog fighting to preventing horse slaughter to addressing global warming, I will work to ensure that these issues get the attention and support they deserve.”

In his questionnaire response, Obama pledges support for nearly every animal protection bill in Congress, and he says he will work with executive agencies to make their policies more humane. Obama also commented on the links between animal cruelty and violence in society:

"I've repeatedly voted to increase penalties for animal cruelty and violence and, importantly, to require psychological counseling for those who engage in this behavior as part of the punishment. In addition to being unacceptable in its own stead, violence towards animals is linked with violent behavior in general, especially domestic violence … As president, I'd continue to make sure that we treat animal cruelty like the serious crime it is and address its connection to broader patterns of violence."

While Clinton scores higher on the "Humane Scorecard," Obama comes out on top in the Animal Welfare Institute's "Compassion Index"

This year Clinton scored 33 percent, down from 67 percent last Congress. Obama scored 67 percent this year, up from 33 percent last year.

The Animal Welfare Institute is an international non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Among the Republicans still in the race, John McCain, as you might expect for a guy with 22 pets, emerges as the leader of the pack when it comes to animal welfare issues.

As a senator, he has earned scores as high as 75 percent on the Humane Society Legislative Fund's "Humane Scorecard."

McCain voted for and helped sponsor legislation to stop horse slaughter. He has co-sponsored bills to stop the interstate shipment of birds for cockfighting and the poaching of bears, and he voted to eliminate a multi-million dollar subsidy for the mink industry.

He opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to many wildlife species.

Mitt Romney, on the other hand, enjoys little support among animal rights types – partly because of his record, partly because of reports that he strapped the family Irish setter’s carrier on the roof of the car – with the dog in it – on a 1983 vacation. At one point during the 12-hour drive, he stopped to hose down the dog, then pushed on.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) says he also received criticism when, as chief executive of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, he allowed a calf-roping exhibition.

HSLF, which lobbies for animal welfare legislation and works to elect humane-minded candidates to public office, said that when he was governor of Massachusetts many of Romney’s appointments to a state wildlife board were deemed animal-unfriendly.

Romney did leave office on a high note, HSLF points out – signing a bill to strengthen the Massachusetts animal fighting law and prevent a convicted animal abuser from getting the animal back.

Mike Huckabee’s animal welfare record as Arkansas governor was dismal according to the HSLF.

During Huckabee’s administration, he failed to support an effort by lawmakers to pass legislation upgrading the state’s anti-cruelty law from a misdemeanor to a felony offense. Arkansas is now one of only seven states that consider deliberate, malicious acts of cruelty to animals a misdemeanor offense. As Michael Markarian, president of the HSLF, puts it, setting fire to a painting of a dog is a more serious crime in Arkansas than burning the dog himself.

In 1998, according to published reports, Huckabee’s 17-year-old son, David, was fired from his job as a counselor at a Boy Scout camp after he and another teen allegedly killed a stray dog by hanging it and slitting its throat. The teens were never charged, and according to Newsweek, allegations were raised that the governor tried to stop the state police from investigating.

In his blog, Animals and Politics, Markarian also says Huckabee, a lifelong hunter, is viewed by some as overly influenced by hunting lobbies.

“During a speech to the NRA in September, Huckabee sounded almost giddy when he talked about shooting a bullet that was guided by angels to pierce an antelope,” Markarian wrote. Huckabee’s remark – “I’m pretty sure there will be duck hunting in heaven, and I can’t wait,” later showed up on The Daily Show.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Now that we’ve had our fun with the presidential candidates – and shown them for the dogs they are -- we can move on to a more serious discussion of the election.

Today, we present the “The Animal Lovers' Voting Guide,” a look at the candidates from the perspective of an animal lover.

Should you have come across this entry while trying to find the "Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election," our saucy and irreverent portrayal of the candidates as dogs, finish reading this serious stuff, then click here.

                                                         (Socks, former first cat, AP photo)

In this series, we'll ponder which candidate is the friendliest to animals, both domesticated and wild. We'll speculate about who's most likely to take in a stray and who's most likely to blow away a quail, who's most likely to save a species and who's most likely to endanger one.

Today, for starters, we’ll look not at their records, but inside their homes – and in one case atop their car -- to see what, if any, animals the candidates live with, how they treat them, and who could go on to become, in 2009, First Dog, First Cat, First Turtle, etc.

For how a candidate treats his dog (if he or she even has one) might be a strong indicator of how he or she will treat not just us poor lowly voters, but the non-voting animals with whom we share the world.

The undisputed winner in the pets-at-home category is John McCain, who has 22 pets; the loser is Barack Obama, who has none, but who -- it should be pointed out -- has promised his children that, win or lose, once the campaign is over, they will get one.

So what he lacks in pets, he makes up for in being responsible enough to know that amid a run for the country's highest office is not a good time to bring a pet into one's young family.

His opponent in the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton, is down to one dog now, a Labrador named Seamus. Of the Clintons' White House pets, Buddy passed on, and Socks was given to White House Secretary Betty Currie when the Clintons left office. While some at the time criticized Hillary Clinton for "dumping" Socks, that act, like Obama not having a dog, might also have been the more responsible choice, especially considering both she and Bill are allergic to cats.

Republican Mike Huckabee has three dogs -- Jet, his 9-year-old black Lab, Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, and Sonic, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu named after the fast food burger joint.

His dogs accompanied him on his campaign trips to Iowa, where all escaped injury when his campaign bus was involved in an accident, and then on to South Carolina.

Republican Mitt Romney, who withdrew from the race last week, "lost" his most recent family dog, a Weimaraner named Marley, as dozens of media outlets and bloggers have reported. For the record, Marley wasn't misplaced, and he didn't runaway, but died of natural causes.

On the Romney family blog -- assuming it, unlike his candidacy, is still functioning -- his wife Ann defends the family for transporting their Irish Setter, Seamus, in a crate atop their station wagon during a 12-hour drive to Canada on vacation in 1989.

"Mitt and I love our dogs. Seamus was our first -- an Irish setter. When I wasn't at home, Mitt let him sleep on the bed. And usually when he was riding in the car, his head was out the window. Seamus lived to a ripe old age, basking in the affection of a large family ..."

There are allegations of mistreating animals in Huckabee's family, as well. His son David, 17 at the time, was fired from his job as a camp counselor, according to published reports, after he and another counselor hung and killed a dog in 1998. Subsequently, there were reports that Huckabee took steps to assure the matter was investigated. No charges were filed. 

On the Republican side --as far as family pets go -- one candidate stands far above the rest when it comes to animals. The McCain family has Sam the English springer spaniel, Coco the mutt, two turtles named Cuff and Link, Oreo the black and white cat, a ferret, three parakeets and 13 saltwater fish. In the past, it has also harbored two mini-Dobermans, two snakes, one rabbit, a hamster, a mouse, an iguana and a gecko.

While none of the candidates seem to be riding their pets' coattails in the 2008 election, pets -- and dogs in particular -- have played a huge role in presidential history.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala, helped swing the election of 1944. When critics charged that FDR had sent a Navy destroyer to the Aleutian Islands to bring home his pet, accidentally left behind. FDR countered with this remark: “These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala.”

Richard Nixon successfully played the dog card in the 1952 election, when, as a vice presidential candidate he defended himself against charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions by referring to his cocker spaniel, Checkers. The speech led Eisenhower to keep him on the ticket.

A few years back, I tracked down the couple that gave Checkers to Nixon, and they told me their story. You can read it here.

We'll close part one with the words of Harry S. Truman, which helps explain why politicians so often have pets: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

(Tomorrow: A look at how the candidates have voted on animal issues.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A week after dozens of people adopted puppies featured in a local "Puppy Bowl," officials of the Indianapolis animal control agency that sponsored the event have reported that four of the dogs have the deadly canine parvovirus.

"This is not the warm and fuzzy thing you want to happen when people adopt from a shelter, but it happened," Media Wilson, spokeswoman for Indianapolis Animal Care & Control, told the Indianapolis Star. "We took all of the precautions we thought would prevent something like this from happening."

Wilson said about 50 dogs, most of them puppies, were adopted at the Feb. 2 event, modeled after the Animal Planet's annual program that features puppies frolicking on a miniature football field.

After the local event, Wilson said the agency began receiving reports that some of the puppies became ill. At least four cases of parvovirus have been confirmed, and one puppy has died.

The agency has sent letters to everyone who adopted a puppy Feb. 2 and offered to take back the animals and refund the $60 adoption fees.

To see the Indianapolis Star story, click here.

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Growing up, Peter Neesley took in stray dogs he found around his home in Michigan.

As an Army sergeant in Baghdad, Neesley continued looking out for dogs -- feeding wandering mutts, building a doghouse for puppies, and taking in two of his own: Mama, a black Labrador mix, and Boris, her white-and-brown spotted puppy.

He emailed photos of them home, keeping his family in Michigan up to date on the dogs, which he told them he planned to bring back to the U.S. when his tour of duty ended.

On Christmas, Neesley's parents received word that he died in his sleep in Baghdad, and not long after that they began their quest to honor Neesley's wishes and bring his dogs home.

"To have something that they can hold and touch and care for that Peter cared about, that's the whole thing," explained Julie Dean, his aunt.

Mama and Boris arrived Friday afternoon at the Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., home of Neesley's mother, capping a four-week transfer facilitated by family members, media outlets, elected leaders and Best Friends Animal Society, the Utah sanctuary recently in the news for taking in 22 of Michael Vick's fighting dogs.

In the AP photo above, Neesley's sister, Carey Neesley, meets Mama. To read the full and moving account by Associated Press reporter Ken Thomas, click here.

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The United Kingdom is honoring its working dogs with a new series of stamps illustrating the vital roles they perform.

The issue commemorates two events -- 2008 is both the Year of the Assistance Dog and the 100th anniversary of police dogs in Britain.

The first-class stamp honors assistance dogs who are trained to raise the alarm when an owner is in distress. Others honor mountain rescue dogs, police dogs, customs dogs, guide dogs and sheep-herding dogs like the Border Collie.

The stamps are based on the work of animal photographer Tim Flach.

"It's easy to forget that there's a 'secret army' of thousands of hardworking dogs who make a real difference to many lives," said Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps for Royal Mail. "I hope that this issue will help raise the profile of their important work as customers see the dogs on millions of letters and parcels every day."

(Photo courtesy of Royal Mail)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

This will be the last entry about my Michael Vick dog chew toy.

Magerk has seen to that.

Last week, you may recall (and if you don't, click here) I donated the Official Michael Vick Dog Chew Toy I received in the mail from the manufacturer to a group trying to start a dog park in Locust Point.

The raffle winners, Jason Powell and Ann Marie Morhiser, took it home and gave it to their Labrador, Magerk, a 1 1/2-year old Labrador the engaged couple adopted from Maryland Lab Rescue and named after the Federal Hill bar in which they met.

Here's a report from Ann Marie, who works as fifth-grade teacher in Ellicott City:

"She loves the toy and carries it (now just the head) around with her all the time. She even sleeps with it!

"Magerk got the toy last Thursday and each day she destroyed a little bit more. First it was one leg, then the next, and then his torso. All that is left is his head and shoulders. She is still chipping away at it but is struggling to keep her grip as the toy has decreased in size.

"She never ate the pieces, she just spit them on the floor. For the past week we have been picking up tiny remains of the convict. For Magerk, this toy lasted roughly the same amount of time as the rest of her toys. She loves to chew (luckily for us she only chews her toys!)"

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Every now and then, the Mutts blog features an animal in need of a home.

Granted, we'd slacked up a bit since August, but we were on leave and in Montana.

Now that we're back and picking up the pace, we hope to bring you at least one creature a month from the Baltimore area that needs a place to live.

Hasbro is our latest addition to Adoption Alley -- you can find the link to the previous adoptable (and adopted) pets we featured in the rail to the right.

At 5-years-old, Hasbro is a calm and sweet terrier-Rottweiler mix, who'd probably best fit in at a home without young children, the SPCA of Maryland says. He'd make an exceptional dog for someone with a more settled lifestyle.

Here's a closer look at him:

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

To the left you see the basic dog paw print -- a lovely thing, to be sure, in itself.

But two Annapolis women are taking the paw-tograph to the next level, and creating floral art with your dog's help.

They call them "Paw Posies."

Patsy Helmetag and Rosemary Williams will be showing exactly how they do it at dogma, the pet store in Baltimore's Canton neighborhood tomorrow.The store is located at Conklin and Boston Streets.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., they'll be creating their muttsterpieces, with help from the dogs in the crowd. Patsy prints the paws and passes them to Rosemary, at her easel, who then transforms the paw prints into floral art.

At a recent sold-out event in Annapolis, Patsy and Rosemary churned out 67 Paw Posies -- like this one built upon the paws of a dog named Paco (bottom left) -- in six hours.

“It’s not exactly where I pictured my painting career going," said Rosemary, a former broadcast news producer but I cannot imagine having more fun. Every event, every Posie, is a real hoot!”

For $30, you get your own original work based on your dog's paw print, and a share of the proceeds goes to animal charities, such as the ASPCA and Happy Tails, a no-kill shelter.

Patsy and Rosemary have also introduced a do-it-yourself kit, for $25, available through their web site, Pawposies.com.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

One hundred and sixty nine breeds of dogs -- including four making their first appearance -- will be flouncing around Madison Square Garden next week as the 132nd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show kicks off in New York City.

We'll get to those making their debuts in a moment -- thereby allowing the suspense to build -- but for now we'll explain how the show will be televised, because it's a little confusing.

The kennel club this year is promising "unlimited access" to what's going on -- both onstage and behind the scenes. The show, sponsored by Pedigree®, will be aired live on the USA Network from 8 to 9 p.m. Monday and 8 to 11 p.m. Tuesday. It will air live on CNBC from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday.

And it can be watched on the Internet, as well. Competition in each breed and variety may be viewed (if you have a high speed connection) in streaming video at the Westminster Kennel Club website. Video will be available within two hours of completion of the judging.

That judging will include four breeds never before seen at the Westminster Dog Show -- and here, you might say, is where the Plott thickens ...

The four breeds eligible for the first time are the Tibetan Mastiff (Working), the Swedish Vallhund (Herding), the Beauceron (Herding), and the Plott (Hound Group), pictured to the right.

The Plott is a hunting hound of striking color that traditionally brings big game to bay or tree, and is noted for stamina, endurance, agility, determination and aggressiveness when hunting. A streamlined and muscular breed, it combines courage with athletic ability. The Plott easily traverses various terrains with agility and speed. Loyal and eager to please, the Plott is an aggressive, bold, and fearless hunter, according to the breed description.

To see all four the new breeds click here.

(Photo courtesy of Westminster Kennel Club)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In the dog-eat-dog world of politics …

Wait a minute! Hold everything!

Dogs do not eat dogs.

So why – when we want to describe ruthless HUMAN behavior -- do we say that? The more accurate phrase would be, “It’s a humans-often-treat-other-humans-(and sometimes dogs)-like-crap world out there.”

And yet, we use dogs to describe our own peculiarly human disregard for our fellow man, to refer to cut-throat competition, to justify every-man-for-himself, me-above-all-else behavior. Dogs – except maybe when dinner is served – aren’t like that at all.

So let’s straighten this out right now.

For help, we turned to one of my favorite websites, The Word Detective. The Word Detective – a newspaper column and website -- answers readers’ questions about words and language. It’s written by Evan Morris – who lives with two dogs. After researching the origin of “dog-eat-dog,” he wrote that the original saying was “Dog does not eat dog.”

“Back in 43 B.C., Roman man of letters Marcus Tarentius Varro noted that ‘Canis caninam non est’ (‘Dog does not eat dog’), meaning that even a (supposedly) lowly creature like the dog has limits, if not principles, and will not destroy its own kind.

“…But history tends to indicate that humans are not so principled as dogs. By the 16th century, folks were imagining a world in which metaphorical dogs did devour each other, and ‘dog eat dog,’ had come to mean ‘ruthlessly competitive.’ Not surprisingly, by the time of the Industrial Revolution, phrases such as "It's a dog eat dog world" had become common …”

Thank you, Evan. What makes that phrase all the more disconcerting in my view – and I’ve viewed a lot of humans and dogs – is that I think the former should be striving to be more like the latter, rather than making dogs more like humans, which is what we, as one species, have been doing to the other.

Dogs don’t start wars, conditionally love, foreclose on mortgages, or discriminate. I’m not saying we should elect a dog to the White House. (Though, other than soiling the Oval Office carpet, a dog would probably do less damage in the office than its current holder.)

A lot of us understand and relate to dogs better than we do humans – a slightly more complex and unpredictable species. And it occurs to me that maybe we can use that understanding to help us make our presidential choice – to look at those running not as candidates, but caninedidates.

So in the days ahead we will be presenting our “Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election,” where we will ask – and answer – the question, “If the candidates were dogs, what breed would they be?”

With dogs, how they act – from how big they get to how much they’ll drool, bark, eat and shed – can often be predicted by their particular breed. We can’t predict the behavior of our elected officials that way, but – just maybe – by assigning them dog breeds, we might get some clues. And even if we don’t, it will be kind of fun.

This week on Mutts we’ll be telling you which dog breed each presidential candidate most resembles – in looks and behavior. For example, if Hillary Clinton were a dog she’d be a … sorry, you’ll just have to wait.

Otherwise somebody will steal my idea. You can’t be too careful. After all, it’s a blog eat blog world out there.

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Description: A small, lively breed, originally used, along with fox hounds, to chase foxes. Flat broad skull and deep set almond shaped eyes. First developed and named after the Rev. John “Jack” Russell, in 18th-century Devon, who wanted a dog that could run quickly yet was small enough to flush foxes from their dens.

Behavior: A speedy, active and intelligent little dog that can be a bit stubborn, with a tendency to turn a deaf ear when on the scent of something. They can be quite dominant over other dogs. They are affectionate and easy to please, not fussy eaters. Prone to digging.

Tendency to bark: Medium

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as a guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Chicago Tribune)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Description: Small, sturdy and low to the ground, with a fox-like face. A big dog with little dog legs, yet those little legs can run – Corgis were originally used for livestock droving.

Behavior: An intelligent, obedient and loyal dog that loves a challenge, Corgis are not too difficult to train, but they may try to be dominant if given the chance. They do have a tendency to nip heels if they feel that the family members are too rowdy in their play. They like to be kept constantly active.

Tendency to bark: Low

Level of Aggression: Low

Suitability as a guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Baltimore Sun)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Description: Known for its lustrous coat of resilient quality and medium length, the breed has a friendly and intelligent expression with perfect symmetry.

Behavior: Extremely intelligent with an intense desire to please, Goldens make superb candidates for fieldwork, dog shows, obedience competitions and providing assistance to the disabled.

A very popular breed, Goldens are gentle and highly compatible, ideal for families. They are not fussy eaters and grow very quickly, sometimes faster than their bones can support. As retrievers, they attempt to drag, pull or carry anything they can fit into their mouths – and sometimes more than can fit.

Goldens are also worriers, with highly sensitive natures, and they can be harmed by harsh treatment. They must be regularly brushed and trimmed. The length of its coat attracts mud, but this can easily be cleaned off.

Tendency to bark: Medium

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by AP)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Description: An active, intelligent, muscular dog with an alert, curious and interested expression; compactly built with ears that are broad at the base, elongated, and round at the top.

Behavior: The French Bulldog is well-behaved and adaptable, with an even disposition and an affectionate nature. They have an independent mind and can be both stubborn and manipulative.

They will tolerate well-behaved children but can get jealous and even destructive if they do not have all the attention, or if left alone for long periods. They love to be included in family activities. French Bulldogs are playful, but not unduly boisterous.

Tendency to bark: Low

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by AP) 

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Description: Fluffy white, weather-resistant mane, thick and erect ears, wedge-shaped head with a strong jaw, flat skull and medium length muzzle.

Behavior: Samoyeds have a sense of independence that can come close to obstinacy, and – because of their willfulness –- can be difficult to train. They have a natural tendency to pull when leashed.

The Samoyed is a friendly, outgoing and devoted dog, and highly protective. No intruder will ever go unheard. If left alone, they can be destructive, and they are known to enjoy digging.

Samoyeds will engage in activities with their caretakers, but they are also likely to wander off in their own direction. Samoyeds can be highly vocal, and should be trained at an early age to curtail their barking sprees on command.

Tendency to bark: Medium

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as a guard dog: High

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by AP)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Description: Powerful and sturdy, with a massive skull and a peculiar rolling gait, the Bulldog was originally from Greece and Egypt, where it was used as a guard and attack dog. Later in England, they were bred smaller and began to be used as bull baiters. Bred for tenacity and a high pain threshold. Noted for distinctive loose skin, especially at the head neck and shoulders.

Behavior: Stubborn and difficult to train, but devoted and often clownlike. Bulldogs do not take kindly to being screamed at. They are known to ignore their owners when their mood moves them.

They can be pensive and aloof, sweetly loyal and highly entertaining.

Tendency to bark: Low

Level of aggression: Medium

Suitability as a guard dog: High

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Baltimore Sun)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Description: A proud dog with a haughty head carriage, the poodle has a long, strong neck, with a smooth deep throat and dark, oval-shaped, wide set eyes that appear full of intelligence. With its pridefully prancing gait and thick and curly coat, it has become the ultimate and perennial show dog.

Behavior: The poodle is noble, elegant and well balanced. They are extremely intelligent and eager to please, high-spirited and anxious to be involved in whatever is going on around them.

Tendency to bark: High

Level of aggression: Medium

Suitability as a guard dog: High

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Baltimore Sun

(To see the full Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Description: Sturdy and muscular with a wiry coat, strong jaw, blunt muzzle and an ever-alert look on its rectangular, hairy-eyebrowed face.

Behavior: Intelligent, yet stubborn. While family-friendly, they don’t always get on well with other dogs or household pets. They make ideal watchdogs, which is what they were originally bred for, and their deep bark will quickly alert a family to any strangers. Prone to behavioral problems, which can minimized with early training.

Tendency to bark: Medium

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as a guard dog: Medium

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Baltimore Sun) 

Posted by John Woestendiek at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Description: Large-eyed and long-eared, with a pure, kindly and sometimes conniving expression best captured in cartoon version by Charlie Brown’s Snoopy.

Beagles have a keen sense of smell, a desire to hunt and track down strange odors and a tendency to bay unceasingly when something seems amiss.

Behavior: Beagles like to please their masters. Training must begin early or the beagle can get out of hand and indulge in its favorite habits -- overeating and making a mess. They are also excellent escapologists and will attempt to dig their way out of any jam.

This breed, for all its apparent innocence, can be stubborn, hard to housebreak and bark to an annoying degree. Yet they are gentle and good natured and get along well with other dogs. Even inside, beagles are prone to cruising around the house with their noses down, sniffing away as they make an olfactory map of the territory, then checking the area periodically to make sure everything is as it should be.

Tendency to bark: High

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: Medium

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Chicago Tribune)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Description: A lively and active mid-sized terrier with deep-set eyes, long sloping shoulders and a narrow head. Their coats are dense and abundant. They are known for their longevity and were originally used for fox hunting and vermin-killing.

Behavior: Highly intelligent, but can be stubborn; likes to bark and dig. They tend to want to be dominant over other dogs. They are affectionate, and devoted to the extent that they can be protective if they feel a member of the family is being threatened.

Tendency to bark: Medium

Level of aggression: Medium

Suitability as guard dog: Medium

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Reuters)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Description: Decidedly square and cobby, with free, self-assured, jaunty gait and a perpetual expression of confused defiance on their wrinkly faces.  

Behavior: Pugs are even-tempered and stable, prone to snorting, and they love to have a good time.

They can be clowns, yet they can also be dignified and charming, when the situation requires it. They can be docile one minute, highly animated the next.

Pugs are intelligent, curious and loyal. They will do whatever it takes to get what they want, often using playful or clever tactics.

They are rather independent, strong willed and even forceful for such a little dog, but they rarely show aggression.

Tendency to bark: Low

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Chicago Tribune)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Description: A large and muscular breed, with a long rectangular head, a short coat and an appearance of being very noble and dignified.

They can be fawn, black, blue, brindle or a combination of black and white in color.

Behavior: An intelligent and loyal dog that, with an experienced handler, can be trained for protection work.

As they grow very quickly into a very large dog, their training has to start when they are young.

They enjoy exercise and will happily go along with the family on their outdoor activities. They also enjoy spending time at home in front of the fire.

The Great Dane is an affectionate dog -- gentle and delicate, without being timid.

They get along well with other dogs, household pets and children. They are ideally suited to the active family, preferably one living in a very large house. They are quick to alert the family of any strangers approaching their territory.

Tendency to bark: Low

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: High

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley, petspictured.com; breed photo by Chicago Tribune)

(To see the full Dog Lovers' guide to the Presidential Election, click here.)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Description: The Labradoodle is a newer breed that combines the often ostentatious Labrador with the more reserved – at times even aloof – poodle.

As it has not yet been recognized by the American Kennel Club, there are no breed standards as far as appearance.

Behavior: The Labradoodle, while it is happy to walk alongside you, also loves to get off the leash and set its own course.

They will not thrive without human contact, and are particularly affectionate and loving with children, making the breed well suited for work as a therapy or assistance dog.

The often try to outsmart their owners just for fun, and sometimes can be too clever for their own good.

Otherwise, they are loyal and devoted, active and athletic when free, and generally melt into mellowness when touched by human hands.

Tendency to bark: Varies

Level of aggression: Low

Suitability as guard dog: Low

(Candidate photo by AP; sketch by Susan Donley; breed photo by iStockphoto)

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

The sketches used for our entries this week, aka “The Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election,” were drawn by Susan Donley, a Pittsburgh artist who sold her first drawing in the sixth grade – four portraits of the Monkees, purchased by a classmate for $2.

Drawing was Donley's first love (though I’m guessing Davy Jones was up there, too), but she drifted away from it as an adult, working in art education, with museums and with websites.

“You don’t mean to drift away, you just do. I found my creativity going more into web design, and it had been quite a while since I picked up the pencil. It was pixels instead of pencils,” Donley -- that's her self portrait to the left -- said in a telephone interview.

In her 40s – though she’d never entirely put it down -- she picked drawing up again when she was trying to help a friend who had accidentally run over and killed his own elderly beagle. “The dog was old and just didn’t hear the car, it was just a horrible, horrible accident. I felt devastated. I wanted to reach out so badly and couldn’t think of any words to say, so I did a portrait of Sadie and gave it to him and the reaction was so amazing. It did what I wanted it to do -- took away the away horrible images in his mind and replaced it with good memories of Sadie.”

With that, Donley began the transition to full-time artist. Her work can be seen on her web site, petspictured.com. About half of her drawings are memorial portraits, she said – based on photos sent in by pet owners, or often by friends who chip in together to buy one for acquaintances who have recently lost a pet.

“There’s a need, and a market,” Donley said. “The world doesn’t stop and you don’t get personal days when you lose a pet, yet your heart aches just as badly.”

Donley's drawings which take about 10 hours each to complete, start at $325 for an 8-inch by 8-inch portrait. She draws humans too, but prefers pets as her subjects. “There’s none of the vanity you get with human portraits. Nobody ever says please don’t make my Basset hound’s eyes saggy,” said Donley, who is 54 and lives with her poodle, Rosie.

The window to a dog’s soul – and the key to capturing it on paper – are a dog’s eyes, Donley says, and even within breeds dogs have many unique characteristics.

“It’s not a cookie cutter kind of thing. If you don’t capture the eyes you don’t have the portrait, but expression also comes from the ears, the body language, the eyebrows, and of course every dog has a wonderful smile.”

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Today the Mutts blog brings you Part One of "The Dog Lovers' Guide to the Presidential Election," a special report that asks, and answers, the question, "If the presidential candidates were dogs, what breed would they be?"

Today, we bring you the Democratic front runners. Tomorrow, in addition to wishing you a Super Tuesday, we'll unveil the Republicans. And on Wednesday, in the belief that every candidate should get his doggie due, we'll show you the lesser-knowns and also-rans.

The decisions on which breed the individual candidates most closely resemble were based both on physical appearance and personality, and the breed descriptions and behavioral characteristics that follow all come directly and without alteration from reputable sources including the American Kennel Club, the Kennel Club in London and Petplanet.co.uk.

Please feel free, even before we finish, to send in your own selections, or bark and snarl at those we have made, via our comments section.

In a moment, the Democrats -- Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

My Michael Vick Dog Chew Toy -- that would be the "official" one (see previous entry) -- went to Thursday's night's fundraiser at the Sly Fox Pub and was raffled off in an evening that saw more than $1,000 raised to establish a dog park in Locust Point.

It, as well as its stuffed friend pictured to the right, went to a Locust Point resident who said he expected his Labrador Retriever to demolish the chew toy in no time.

The fundraiser was the third held by the Friends of Locust Point Dog Park, which has now raised more than $5,000 of the $60,000 needed to establish a fenced-in area where dogs can run unleashed in Latrobe Park.

Mutts will keep you up to date on the project, but to find out more about the initiative -- the city of Baltimore has only one other dog park, in Canton -- click here.

Dog lovers packed the Sly Fox Thursday, which offered reduced price drinks and meals to help the effort out.

While the photo to the right was taken by me, additional credit goes to Meg Kelley for loaning me her camera when my batteries died, then emailing me the photo.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In our quest to stay on top of the latest dog products, we bring you the Michael Vick Dog Chew Toy.

The Vick Dog Chew Toy is available from Showbiz Promotions through the web site vickdogchewtoy.com, which describes its product as the "world famous ... undisputed 100 percent original" and sells it for $13.50.

Meanwhile, the "Official Vick Dog Chew Toy" is available from Aim to Beginn -- which claims Showbiz is infringing on its trademark -- through its web site vickdogchewtoy.net, or officialvickdogchewtoy.com and sells for $14.95.

Confused yet?

Basically there were some guys in Florida who dreamed up the idea, had a parting of ways, and have since gone on to try to brink Vick dog chew toys to the market, despite some pretty big obstacles.

In the case of Showbiz Promotions, 20,000 toys were sold -- before any were even made.

With a million hits on its web site within the week it was launched -- and scads of publicity about their "bite back" idea -- the company found itself in above its head.

On top of that, there were issues with the NFL, which wanted to make sure the toy did not infringe on licensing agreements, difficulties in finding a manufacturer, and further delays prompted by an industry-wide lead paint scare

Then came the split, and the dispute over which toy was the original, which the imitator.

Difficulties getting items shipped have plagued both companies, and led to the creation of another web site, vickdogchewtoyscam.com, from an 18-year old who -- though admittedly buying and reselling the toys for a profit on eBay -- questioned the ethics of Showbiz Promotions.

Both companies say they've worked the kinks out.

Darren Usher, of Aim to Beginn, says a percentage of profits from his "Official Vick Dog Chew Toy" will go to rescue groups and humane organizations, but adds that no particular organization has yet been chosen, and one, the Jacksonville Humane Society, turned him down.

"Our goal is to give 10 percent back," Usher said in an interview with Mutts (no, our name isn't trademarked). He said he planned to contact the organizations who are rehabilitating Vick's dogs to gauge their interest.

Meanwhile, he says his company is pursuing legal action against Showbiz Promotions.

Usher was kind enough to send me an "official" Vick toy (that's it in the picture). I was hesitant to give it to my dog Ace -- something about encouraging an animal to chew on a human form rubbed me the wrong way.

But I did find a good use for it, and to find out what that was, tune in tomorrow.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

With gray wolves expected be removed from the endangered species list later this month, one can only wonder whether this kind of hunting -- now limited to Alaska -- will start taking place in other states.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to officially de-list wolves in February.

And even without the de-listing, which is being contested, federal rules have been revised to give state wildlife managers in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana greater discretion over when and for what reasons they can allow the killing of wolves.

The revision lets northern Rocky Mountain states to allow wolf hunting when wolves have attacked livestock animals and dogs, or when they threaten the numbers of other "game," such as deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, antelope and bison.

There's a possibility both Wyoming and Idaho will look into permitting aerial hunting of wolves as a result of the changes, according to the organization that made this video, Defenders of Wildlife.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, the killing continues -- nearly 700 wolves have been brought down by shots fired from above since 2003, even though voters have twice voted to restrict the practice.

Posted by John Woestendiek at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)