Eurodogtraining

A real trooper

2012-01-20T17:32:00.001+01:00

Sherlock Holmes's dog in Guy Ritchie's movie is called Gladstone and is the victim of Holmes's experiments but Gladstone pulls through every time. Will he in the next movie?

Golden Globe hero

2012-01-16T10:03:00.001+01:00

The Artist won the Golden Globe for best comedy at last night’s awards ceremony. The lead actor, Jean Dujardin, received the best actor award. Surely the real star of the film has to be Uggie, the Jack Russell. Here is what The Washington Post has to say about him.

“When you look at the character of George Valentin” — a silent-era movie star whose career ends with the arrival of talkies — “he’s selfish, egocentric, proud. He’s mean with his own wife, he’s not a positive character. But the fact is, the dog loves him and follows him during all the movie. What happens is, the audience trusts the dog. We think if the dog loves the guy, the guy has to be a good person.”

Have a smoke

2012-01-11T10:42:00.000+01:00

Cigarette dog

Red Cross dogs

During WWI, vast numbers of dogs were employed as sentries, messengers, ammunition, pigeons and food carrier, scouts, sled dogs, draught dogs, guard dogs, ambulance dogs, ratters, Red Cross casualty dogs and even cigarette dogs.

It's estimated that Germany alone employed over 30,000 dogs for such purposes and about.20,000 served with the French Army, the Italians fielded 3,000 dogs for the Allies, the British, Belgians and the Russians thousands more!

Many different breeds saw active duty during the war depending on the job at hand. Bulldogs, Bloodhounds, Farm Collies, Retrievers, Dobermans, Airedales, Jack Russell and Wired Fox Terriers, Sheepdogs and German Shepherds were all used in a variety of roles. Purebreds did not have any advantage over mixed breeds. What was important was that they displayed the proper character, had acute hearing and scent, sagacity, fidelity and a strong sense of duty.
Preferred were dogs of medium build and greyish or black in colour, with good eyesight and a keen sense of smell. But the temperament and disposition of the dog usually came first!

Two of the more unusual dogs that were used during the Great War, were the ratters and the YMCA cigarette dogs. Ratters were the terriers, whose natural instincts helped to keep the rat infested muddy trenches clear. The small Cigarette Dogs, sponsored by the YMCA, had the task of delivering cartons of cigarettes to the troops, stationed on the front lines.
Thousands of soldiers, on both sides, owe their lives to these remarkable animals.

New Year's resolutions

2012-01-09T11:35:00.001+01:00

With humans making new resolutions every 12 months to be slimmer, smarter, better and brighter, not to drink cheap wine, read improving books, listen to Wagner, read War & Peace in Russian, is it any wonder their beloved pets are following the trend? What are pets resolving for the New Year?

More play, less work.

Staying fit.

Staying off the furniture, no chewing of legs.

Taking regular naps

Befriending your enemy.

New Year's resolution

2011-12-30T17:15:00.003+01:00

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Happy Christmas

2011-12-24T10:03:00.000+01:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas

Having fun

2011-12-21T11:34:00.000+01:00

Sadly we will not have a white Christmas this year but this dog is having fun.

Koko, another Australian

2011-12-13T14:52:00.001+01:00

This is my friend M's little Australian Shepherd called Koko. That's what Ozzy must have looked like when he was a puppy. Koko is still with her mother and will arrive at my friend's house on January 3rd when she will be 9 weeks old. Exciting! Koko will not be alone because there is Vichy another Australian who is 7 years old. I cannot wait to walk with Vichy and Koko and look forward to seeing how they all get along. I think it will be fine.

To name but a few

2011-12-12T07:26:00.000+01:00

Banfield has 700 pet hospitals in the US and has just released the dog names list of 2011.

Females: Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Molly, Coco, Chloe, Maggie, Sadie, Princess, Sophie, Lola, Sasha, Ginger.

Males: Max, Buddy, Bailey, Charlie, Rocky, Lucky, Roxy, Jack, Harley, Toby, Bear, Jake.

I want to be alone!

2011-12-07T09:42:00.001+01:00

I need my own space!

As a dog owner you have to meet your dog’s basic needs to ensure health and happiness. Whilst owning a dog is a responsibility, it is not a chore.

Here are some basics to provide:

-A healthy and balanced diet. Choose a quality diet.

-Provide a good home. Dogs are pack animals – they are part of the family and should not be excluded.

-Keep your dog healthy with regular exercise.

-A dog needs his own space: a corner in your kitchen or sitting room or under the stairs. A basket, a cushion, a blanket will do fine.

-Go to the vet regularly. Dogs can have worms, fleas, ear infections without us being aware of them.

-Every dog needs basic grooming. Some more than others.

-Dogs thrive on structure and discipline, and training is paramount to your dog’s quality of life.

It is important to maintain a close bond with your dog. He knows you better than anybody else. He watches you constantly and observes your every move.

Follow the leader

2011-11-16T12:13:00.001+01:00

Is this what is meant by leadership?

Let's not forget Flanders Field

2011-11-11T17:17:00.002+01:00

Dogs were used in the trenches to kill rats and mice, thereby protecting food supplies. In addition to carrying out messenger duties and various other tasks, a regimental mascot also helped to maintain the troops morale.
Most of the armies involved in 'the Great War' had specially trained dogs in many of their regiments. These dogs performed a wide range of important tasks, including carrying messages, sentry duty, acting as decoys, ambulance duties and killing vermin. Keeping a pet also helped to raise the morale of the soldiers, by adding an element of domestic home life to the trench.

Eye contact with Ozzy

2011-11-08T17:11:00.001+01:00

I came across an American website which interprets dreams and this particular interpretation I found quite interesting : “To see or dream that you are a dog trainer indicates that you need to keep your negative behavior in check. You need to show more restraint.”

What does this mean? Anybody know?

Fluorescent poops!

2011-11-03T10:14:00.002+01:00

Barcelona’s Museum of Ideas and Inventions (MIBA) has opened its doors to inspire the public with their clever devices and weird contraptions, one of which is fluorescent dog food which is brightly colored and sickly looking and which will provide glow-in-the-dark dog poop called “Flou-Can.”
The fluorescent dog bones and dog food have made such a hit that it was exhibited at 11th Annual British Invention Show & Awards which was held in London recently.
What next?

Baby Ozzy?

2011-10-31T08:56:00.000+01:00

This painting by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, RA (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) is called Doubtful Crumbs. Landseer was an English painter, well known for his paintings of animals—particularly horses, dogs and stags. The best known of Landseer's works, however, are sculptures: the lions in Trafalgar Square. The puppy looks like a baby Ozzy.

Slumdogs

2011-10-28T09:26:00.000+02:00

Looks a bit like OZZY

These are Mr Eurodog's companions in Sarajevo. He reports on their progress daily. They know him now and wag their tail when he walks past and talks to them.

Cool new editor

2011-10-25T13:45:00.005+02:00

Jill Abramson is the newly appointed executive editor of the New York Times, a powerful journalist and investigative reporter both revered and feared by her colleagues and her peers. She is the first woman ever to run the Times.

She has received a publicity blitz in the last few weeks with a profile in the latest issue of The New Yorker, an interview on CBS News and the release of “Puppy Diaries: Raising a Dog Named Scout”, her new book based on a popular online column which she wrote for The Times from July 2009 to May 2010. It is her account of the first year with a beautiful but demanding golden retriever, called Scout. Abramson wrote the book after two major events in her life, the death of her dog Buddy, a West Highland Terrier and a near-fatal accident when she was run over by a lorry near Times Square. The latter incident required months of rehabilitation. Also, although she has a high-powered career, she confesses the emptiness after the leaving home of her grown children. All goods reason to acquire a puppy.

I like what I have read about her especially since she is the person who has the last say as to what is printed on the front page of The New York Times and for being such a pushover where dogs are concerned.

Otter hound

2011-10-19T20:40:00.002+02:00

Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899) painted this picture of an otter hound which can be seen at the Wallace Collection. Rosa is a French painter and sculptor best known for her paintings of animals. She was awarded the Légion d’Honneur, the first woman to be so honoured.

By family accounts, she had been an unruly child and had a difficult time learning to read. To remedy this her mother taught her to read and write by having her select and draw an animal for each letter of the alphabet. To this practice in the company of her doting mother she attributed her love of drawing animals.

Her most famous work is the monumental (8 feet high and 16 feet wide) The Horse Fair which she painted in 1849 and which was purchased by the American millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt and which now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Oddly enough she was more popular in England than in France. She met Queen Victoria who was an admirer of her work.

An early Bohemian and feminist, Bonheur defied female convention of the day by wearing men’s clothing and smoking cigarettes. On her wearing of trousers, she said at the time that her choice of attire was simply practical as it facilitated her work with animals: "I was forced to recognize that the clothing of my sex was a constant bother. That is why I decided to solicit the authorization to wear men's clothing from the prefect of police. But the suit I wear is my work attire, and nothing else. The epithets of imbeciles have never bothered me...."

The Horse Fair

Interaction with humans

2011-10-15T12:03:00.001+02:00

A study by Monique Udell and her team, from the University of Florida has found how dogs think and learn about human behaviour and how they respond to their body language, verbal commands, and their attention. The study suggests it is all down to a combination of specific cues, context and previous experience.
Udell and her team carried out two experiments comparing the performance of pet domestic dogs, shelter dogs and wolves by giving the animals the opportunity to beg for food, from either an attentive person or from a person unable to see the animal.
They wanted to know whether the rearing and living environment of the animal (shelter or human home), or the species itself (dog or wolf), had the greater impact on the animal's performance.
They showed, for the first time that wolves, like domestic dogs, are capable of begging successfully for food by approaching the attentive human.
This demonstrates that both dogs and wolves have the capacity to behave, observe and respond to a human's attention.
In addition, both wolves and pet dogs were able to rapidly improve their performance with practice.
The authors also found that dogs were not sensitive to all visual cues of a human's attention in the same way.
In particular, dogs from a home environment rather than a shelter were more sensitive to stimuli predicting attentive humans. Those dogs with less regular exposure to humans did not perform and responded as well.

Facelift

2011-10-13T07:47:00.000+02:00

A St Bernard dog has been given a "facelift" to stop his skin folds from rubbing on his eyes.
At the age of two Boycie suffered from excess skin folds, which left him without sight.
Boyce, who is being cared for by the Dogs Trust, in Canterbury, had a section of skin on the top of his head removed so the rest of his skin could be "lifted" and stitched back together.

Belle, one year on

2011-10-04T17:29:00.002+02:00

Belle left us on 4th October 2010. She is still very much in our hearts.

Bulgarian Shepherd

2011-09-27T09:40:00.002+02:00

Ancestors of the Bulgarian Shepherd Dogs are the dogs of Central Asia – Afghanistan and Iran area where the migration process of the ancient Bulgarians began. It is also named Karakachan Shepherd after the Karakachans, Balkan nomadic shepherds. It is a mountain livestock guardian dog used to herd, to escort and guard sheep and goat herds. The dogs are found in the Balkan peninsula but also on many farms in the US.

Putin, the softy!

2011-09-21T09:01:00.000+02:00

Vladimir Putin hugs a Bulgarian shepherd dog, after receiving it as a present from Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boiko Borisov in Sofia, on November 13, 2010. Looks a bit like Ozzy.

Dog food

2011-09-16T10:42:00.000+02:00

Look what I saw on Waitrose's tins of dog food. It's Ozzy!

In the dog house

2011-09-12T18:59:00.000+02:00

Ozzy peed up against my leg. Not a little widdle either. I had to change my trousers and my shoes when I got home.
I stayed calm and told him in no uncertain terms that I was not happy with him. I put him in a submissive down position. He did not seem to care.
I am trying to work out why this happened and am doing some research on this.
Yes, he was marking his territory because there were others dogs around. Yes, he wanted to show me or them who was boss. The latter is unacceptable.
I'll keep you posted.

What next?

2011-09-09T11:11:00.001+02:00

Dog Rocks® are a 100% Natural Australian product that will save your lawn from those nasty burn patches that your Dog's urine can cause.
Dog Rocks® filter out impurities from water such as Tin, ammonia and nitrates. These impurities are usually passed out through urine, and when your grass comes in contact with these elements it is burned, resulting in a dead, yellow patch on your lawn.
Dog Rocks® give your four legged friend a cleaner source of water, while also stopping the cause of those nasty burnt yellow patches on your lawn.
Without the impurities in the water, Dog Rocks® actually help your dog fertilize your lawn! This is great for you, your dog & your lawn!
Original Dog Rocks do not alter the pH balance of your dog's urine. Dog Rocks® are a completely natural product sourced from a reputable quarry in

Australia

Going for a drive

2011-08-31T20:05:00.000+02:00

Ozzy is always watching our every move and sticks to us very closely. I gather this is typical of the breed. On one of the Australian Shepherd's website they referred to them as "velcro dogs".

Cornish pasties for dogs

2011-08-25T11:15:00.004+02:00

Hungry Henrys are described as "sit-tail wagging-good boy-wait-fetch-perfect treats."

These yummy freshly made dog treats from Cornwall are named after Hector, a PBGV living in St Erth in Cornwall. I picked this information up from their website. What is a PBGV? Yes, I had to look it up myself. It is a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen. These treats a must for your dog! No added salts, sugars or preservatives. Just locally and responsibly sourced ingredients and so good for your dog. What's more they are Gluten free.

There are six yummy flavours to choose from:

Yummy liver cake

Mouthwatering Cornish Pasty Bites

Scrummy Mackerel Flapjack

Lush Aniseed, liver and carrot

Exceptional Dark secrets

Too good to be true Variety Pack

The packs are available in vet practices in the UK along with quality retailers. A 150gr pack costs £3.95

I've seen it all now!

Ice cream treats

2011-08-21T11:07:00.001+02:00

Nestlé has set canine tails wagging across the

United States

with the launch of its new Frosty Paws Bites frozen ice cream snacks for dogs.
The bites – specially formulated for dogs, who are lactose intolerant and cannot digest dairy products such as regular ice cream properly – contain high quality protein, vitamins and minerals, but no milk.
Available in Vanilla or Peanut Butter flavours, and coated with vanilla yogurt, they are the second range of products from the Frosty Paws brand, which already offers larger ice cream cups for dogs in the same flavour varieties.

Dog lead

2011-08-19T10:58:00.002+02:00

Found this picture on Winchester Whisperer's blog. This new trend might work in St Tropez for Princess Caroline's dog but I cannot see Ozzy walking around with a sausage dog lead.

London riots

2011-08-11T08:38:00.003+02:00

The riots in London have injured 111 police officers and five service dogs, Scotland Yard said in a statement Tuesday.

Many officers remain hospitalised with broken bones, head injuries, serious cuts and eye injuries from broken glass, the Scotland Yard stated.

Rioters have been throwing bricks, bottles, sticks and other objects at police who are trying to keep order in the streets of London, as looting and fires have been witnessed since Saturday in the capital city of Britain.
Five police dogs have also been injured in various attacks. One was seriously injured when hit on the head with a brick.
One dog had its teeth broken out by an object thrown at it. The remaining dogs were injured by bottles and other items hurled in their direction.
The dogs are Belgian shepherds called Malinois. They are used for police work all over the world.

Designer's dogs

2011-08-05T13:10:00.001+02:00

Fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who hanged himself last year left £50,000 of his £16million fortune to his pet dogs, his will has revealed. The money is to be put into a trust to ensure his beloved pets’ upkeep for the rest of their lives.
He hanged himself after taking a cocktail of cocaine, sleeping pills and tranquillizers on February 11 last year, the day before his mother Joyce’s funeral. An inquest in April last year heard that he killed himself after struggling with depression, the pressures of his work and his mother's death.
Police found a book at the designer's flat on the back of which he had scribbled: 'Look after my dogs, sorry, I love you, Lee.'
The fashion house that bears McQueen's name remains hugely influential.
The Duchess of Cambridge's intricately decorated wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, received rave reviews on her big day in April and is currently on display at Buckingham Palace.

Special bond

2011-07-14T07:37:00.000+02:00

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, 26, was shot in the face as he and springer spaniel Theo led soldiers through an area believed to be mined.
Theo was visibly "distressed" and had to be cut free from his lead as Liam's colleagues battled to save him.
And the 22-month-old dog had a fatal seizure that night.
Their ashes were buried together in Tayside in Liam's native Scotland.

See?

2011-07-11T07:42:00.000+02:00

It is a well known and heavily researched fact that dogs imitate humans.

To dye for!

2011-07-02T12:15:00.002+02:00

Dyeing pets is the latest craze in

China

. Those chow chow dogs have been dyed black-and-white to look like pandas. And at a recent dog show in Taipei a dog-dyeing competition was held but dyeing pets to look like other wild animals is a more recent development. The trend demonstrates how quickly and dramatically attitudes toward pets — particularly dogs — have changed in many parts of Asia.
In Taiwan, for example, just 10 years ago, dogs were still eaten in public restaurants and raised on farms for that purpose. Traditional Chinese medicine held that so-called "fragrant meat" from dogs which could fortify one's health.
Now, eating dog is viewed by many as an embarrassing reminder of a poorer time.
With more money to spend, newly wealthy Chinese have embraced dog-owning culture with a vengeance. Dogs are brought into restaurants, fussed over in public, dressed up in ridiculous outfits and dyed to look like ferocious tigers.

And here is Ozzy Chinese style. What do you think?

Not again!

2011-06-28T19:36:00.002+02:00

Before you read on: this is my 400th post since starting this blog.
Sgt Craven left two dogs, a working Belgian Malinois and a German Shepherd puppy, in an unventilated car at the Met's dog training centre in Keston, Kent, on Sunday. He went to a meeting off-site and called colleagues to alert them when he realised the animals were trapped. The dogs were taken to an emergency veterinary surgery but they both died of heat exhaustion. This happened on Sunday when temperatures in the South East reached 30° which means 50° in an unventilated car parked in full sun.
Sgt Craven is an experienced police dog handler.
How is this possible?

German Shepherd Puppy

Belgian Malinois

Unfortunately this is not a rare occurrence. There was an identical incident last year in the Police Force in Nottingham.

Greeks, we salute you...

2011-06-24T10:44:00.001+02:00

Loukanikos is an unusual protester. He is a stray dog living on the streets of Athens and has become famous for joining in on the many protests and riots which have taken place there the past year. Often found at the front lines dodging tear gas and barking at the police, he has become a mascot for the protesters, and a symbol for the ongoing fight. He has become popular and famous with a large following on Facebook. He even has a website dedicated to him with videos and photos:

http://rebeldog.tumblr.com/

This is 2011. Or is it?

2011-06-18T10:48:00.000+02:00

A Jewish rabbinical court condemned to death by stoning a stray dog it feared was the reincarnation of a lawyer who insulted its judges, reports say.
The dog entered the Jerusalem financial court several weeks ago and would not leave, reports Israeli website Ynet.
It reminded a judge of a curse passed on a now deceased secular lawyer about 20 years ago, when judges bid his spirit to enter the body of a dog.
The animal is said to have escaped before the sentence was carried out.
One of the judges at the court in the city's ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim neighbourhood had reportedly asked local children to carry out the sentence.
An animal welfare organisation filed a complaint with the police against a court official, who denied reports that judges had ordered the dog's stoning but a court manager told Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot the stoning had been ordered as "as an appropriate way to 'get back at' the spirit which entered the poor dog". according to Ynet.
Dogs are considered impure animals in traditional Judaism.

Dogville

2011-06-13T12:00:00.001+02:00

A humane organisation of Brazil has built an entire neighbourhood for around 1,600 stray dogs. Located in the southern city of Caxias do Sul, the pooch favela is probably the only one of its kind in the whole world. Due to lack of funds to build a proper dog shelter, the volunteers of the So Ama organisation were forced to build 1,000 dog houses and chain the dogs next to them. The 1,600 dogs and 200 cats are definitely not easy to take care of, and right now the dog favela is just trying to make ends meet. The $14,000 it receives monthly, from municipal authorities, and the donations are not enough to cover all the costs, which include 13 tons of food and veterinary services.

Who's next?

2011-06-05T12:37:00.001+02:00

Which dog school are they attending, I wonder?

Bling for dogs

2011-05-30T10:18:00.000+02:00

Border Terrier Smike's owner can't be strapped for cash - she bought him a dog collar with a built in £2,500 Rolex watch as a birthday gift.
Designer Alison Jones, 27, said: "It's the ultimate accessory."

Message to Smike's owner from Merseyside: "Don't leave Smike unattended outside the supermarket."

Dog versus human

2011-05-23T18:33:00.004+02:00

Here are some interesting facts:

1. Body Temperature

Canine normal body temperature is between 38° to 39.2° Celsius. The commonly accepted average body temperature in humans is 36.8° Celsius.

2. Respiratory Rate

Dogs: 10-34 breaths per minute, unless panting. In human adults over 18: 12-20 breaths per minute.
Normal respiratory rates are assessed when the dog/person is at rest. Pain, heart or respiratory problems, heatstroke will usually increase respiratory rates.

3. Heart Rate

Dogs: beats per minute: 60 – 100 for large breeds, 100 – 140 for small breeds. In human adults 60-80 bpm.

Larger dogs have slower rates than small dogs, and dogs that are in good physical shape will have lower heart rates than dogs of similar age and size who are not physically fit. Puppies typically have higher heart rates, up to 180 bpm; this is normal up to one year of age. Normal heart rate in children is variable and depends on the child’s age.

4. Duration of Pregnancy

On average, canine pregnancy lasts 63 days. In humans: 9 months say 274 days. Elephants: 624 days. The larger the animal, the longer the gestation period.

5. Number of Teeth

Puppies have 28 teeth; adult dogs have 42 teeth. The loss of baby teeth usually starts at about 3 months and ends by 6 to 9 months.
A child has 20 baby teeth and they start falling out at about age 6. An adult has 32 teeth including wisdom teeth.
Silly question: do dogs have wisdom teeth? I must ask our vet.

Shock collars - The Shoking Truth

2011-05-17T09:48:00.002+02:00

There are now a number of ‘quick fix’ products available to dog owners who wish to modify the behaviour of their pet. One such device is the electric collar. The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors feels that the use of devices that rely on pain or discomfort to modify behaviour are inappropriate as they have the potential to seriously compromise the welfare of dogs, and ruin the relationship with their owners.

Shock Collar Risks

Despite advances in our understanding of dog behaviour and training, and the general move towards reward-based training techniques, some people still continue to recommend the use of punishment as the best method of training or dealing with behaviour problems. While shock collars can work to suppress behaviour, their use comes with unacceptable risks, and inevitably the underlying reasons for the problem behaviour are not dealt with. Even in experienced hands, it can be difficult to deliver shocks at the right moment and to predict the level of discomfort or pain experienced by a dog; in inexperienced hands the use of shock collars can often result in poorly timed intense electric shocks that induce fear and ongoing anxiety in the dog. Owners are often unaware of the high levels of pain that they may be causing their dog.

Aggression and Shock Collars

One of the most common behaviour problems encountered with dogs is that of aggression. In many cases, aggression is motivated by fear. When a dog is nervous or frightened, a natural behavioural strategy is to use aggression to get rid of the “threat”. Placing a shock collar on such a dog to stop it being aggressive can result in the dog becoming even more fearful of the situation, which can make the aggression more likely in the future. The use of a shock collar to try and stop aggressive behaviour can also suppress the warning signs displayed by a dog before it is aggressive, which can make the behaviour of the dog less predictable and more dangerous.

Barking and Shock Collars

The risks of using an electric shock to modify behaviour extend to the treatment of other behaviour problems in dogs such as barking. Dogs learn by association - when using a shock collar there is always a risk that the dog may associate the shock with something other than the behaviour that people are trying to stop. For instance, if a shock is administered for barking, there is a danger that the dog might associate a nearby child with the pain of the shock, rather than its own barking. This could lead to the dog developing distrust or even fear of children. Another significant risk with the use of shock collars is that rather than linking the shock to the wrong thing, a dog may not be able to link the shock to anything at all! This often results in the dog becoming totally confused, anxious and stressed as it repeatedly suffers the pain of the electric shock for no apparent reason.

The APBC feels that behaviour problems can be best addressed through behaviour modification programmes based on an understanding of the motivation for each dog’s behaviour, and the use of humane, reward-based training methods.

Reference: http://www.apbc.org.uk/

Electric shock

2011-05-14T15:05:00.003+02:00

Today when I took Ozzy out for a walk in a wooded park, we came across a Malinois. He was off the lead and went for Ozzy. He tackled Ozzy into a submissive position and started biting him in the neck whilst growling furiously. Quite impressive. I remain calm in situations like these and walk on and call Ozzy to me. This usually diffuses the confrontation. Not this time. I managed to call Ozzy to me without showing any distress but by asserting control. The owner started sreaming at his dog and said "you'll get it in the neck, mate". This is exactly what happened. The poor dog was wearing an electric shock collar and his owner was so angry, he pushed the button for such a long time the dog started shaking and frothing at the mouth. This was obviously not enough for him. He took the lead and started beating his dog with the end with the buckle. The dog whelped. By this time Ozzy and I were at a safe distance. Luckily Ozzy is very sweet natured and trusts me so he was not affected by the scene. I did not think it was wise to make a comment to the man but I was upset for the poor dog and very angry with his owner. Poor Malinois, obviously in the wrong hands.

The Belgian connection

2011-05-11T16:25:00.000+02:00

A dog with titanium teeth had accompanied the US military team that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. According to the Sun, at least one of the special breed of Belgian shepherds called "Malinois" backed the Navy Seals mission that killed Osama. Highly placed military sources said a dog joined the 79-strong elite team "choppered" into Abbottabad, ten days before the raid. Its surgically enhanced teeth are strong enough to pierce a bullet-proof vest, the paper said. It has emerged that dogs equipped with infrared night-sight cameras and armoured vests have been used in the past by the top-secret unit. The animals have even been provided with special gas masks earlier to ward off chemical attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan

Another playmate

2011-05-02T17:33:00.003+02:00

Ozzy playing with Joyce, a 10 month flatcoated retriever. Proof again that Ozzy is not a dominant dog.

( Click on pictures to enlarge )

Ozzy's playmate

2011-04-21T11:21:00.003+02:00

I was out walking the other day in the forest and we came across Max, a standard poodle. He was with his Swedish owner. We had actually met before so it was normal the dogs immediately started playing. They are approximately the same age.

In play dogs imitate wolf behaviour. Dogs like wolves convey the rules of the pack through body language and use it to express themselves. In this last picture on the left you can see that Max is the more dominant male or the more high ranking in the pack. Ozzy adopts a totally passive and submissive position by drawing his paws into his body and by exposing his neck, chest and abdomen, the most vulnerable parts of his body. Ozzy probably comes across as an unruly and boisterous adolescent. No aggression was shown in this encounter. A bit of growling on the part of Max and a bit of whimpering on the part of Ozzy. The dogs parted amicably as did their owners.

Who's who?

2011-04-15T08:52:00.004+02:00

Belem

This is Belem Lukeyon de la Baule or Belem. He is 4 years old and he belongs to my French friend, CdG, who lives in La Baule.

Ozzy

And this is Ozzy. 8 months and two weeks today.

First encounter

2011-04-11T12:14:00.001+02:00

Ozzy found a new playmate in the forest yesterday. We came across Lara, a beautiful Russian Black Terrier. Quite a rare breed here in Western Europe. In fact, it was the first time I came across this breed. She was beautiful and did not mind Ozzy’s wild manners. Her owner, who was about my age, pointed out that she called her Lara after the character in Doctor Zhivago and not after Lara Croft!
During the 1930's, a military kennel named the Red Star, in Moscow, started working on a native breed that would be part of the national security force. Attempting to create the breed at that time was quite a challenge due to the slaughter of much of the purebred dog stock during the Russian Revolution, and additional depletion of pure stock during the World War and economic disasters.
Their breeding program came to life after World War II by working on selective interbreeding using giant Schnauzer, Rottweiler, Airedale and Newfoundland breeds. All in all, a total of 17 breeds were used to create the Black Russian Terrier. It was important to have a large breed, not only reliable but highly trainable in many different situations. The dog would also have to be able to endure the harsh Russian winters.

The dogs were initially used by the military police at border crossings, prisons, and military installations. In 1956 the Red Star Kennel released dogs to private breeders. The first breed standard was created by the Red Army in 1958, and was revised several times before 1981. In 1981, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture recognized the breed and it was internationally accepted by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) in 1984.

Book at bedtime Part 2

2011-04-01T10:40:00.000+02:00

In an article on training domestic dogs about feeding:
"In the old days, before war altered the lives of dog owners, feeding was a fairly simple business. Lean meat, lightly cooked, but not boiled, at the rate of half a pound for twelve pounds weight of dog, is a fair allowance, but war rations make any meat possible, except horseflesh, and so until easier times return, the best that can be done is with biscuits, fish scraps and whatever bones can be provided from household joints. A point to remember is that salt in any form should be avoided. But a fresh supply of water, supplied daily in a clean bowl, constantly refilled, is a prime necessity. Dogs are always wantig to drink, so keep the bowl in the shade.
A reminder: See that food intended for the household table is kept in the larder, or when needed for a meal is placed out of the dog's reach. And if the dog should somehow find and make away with food intended for the table, do not be angry with him. It will have been your fault."
Remember this was written at the end of the 1940s.

Book at bedtime

2011-03-30T13:19:00.002+02:00

I found this book on a car boot sale in Cornwall. It was published in 1950 and has a variety of articles and interesting facts. I have started reading "Dogs belonging to authors - Part I".
Watch this space. I'll report back.

The tick from the continent

2011-03-24T13:51:00.004+01:00

“A species of blood-sucking tick native to continental Europe has become established in the UK, scientists say.”
This was the headline on the BBC News website yesterday.
Oh dear, oh dear.
The researchers from the University of Bristol who led the study think a changing climate and "increased global movement of people and companion animals" have assisted the spread of ticks.
As a resident of continental Europe I plead not guilty of importing such a creature on insular Britain nor should UK dogs returning from a visit to the continent feel the same. The continent! This foreign, distant land!
How is this possible? The Pets Travel Scheme specifies that your pet must be treated against ticks and tapeworms not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before you check-in with an approved transport company for the journey that brings your dog. Maybe the medication is no longer efficient.
Belle was one of the first dogs to come over under the scheme in the year 2000. She first came across with us on 4th July 2000.
I can assure you that Defra have some fearsome Pets Travel Scheme staff at Dover. We have been stopped many times. On one occasion we were nearly sent back to Calais on a technicality but in the end reason and common sense prevailed.

Another one I did not know.

2011-03-19T12:36:00.000+01:00

The Akbash dog is a native of Turkey. These dogs are striking, white flock guards that have made a name for themselves on American farms and ranches. They are used to guard livestock from grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and coyotes. Akbash dogs stand 32" at the shoulders and can weigh 120 lbs. and up. Their white colour distinguishes them from predators.
This breed was developed at least 3,000 years ago in the Mediterranean basin. Akbash means "white head" in Turkish.

Spit in your dog's food. Part 2.

2011-03-17T17:23:00.001+01:00

Thank you for commenting on my last post but I am sorry I cannot accept the dog trainer's advice that you have to spit in your dog's food to show that you are the pack leader. You might as well advise people that they should urinate or defecate on their dog's food. Or vomit on it for that matter. So much nonsense is written and it really angers me. Let's keep things in perspective. As far as food is concerned in a normal human household, it is advisable to feed the dog after all the humans have eaten. Humans eat first and that's it. If you have a dominant or aggressive dog then there are other ways to show leadership. I shall be writing about this some other time. Watch this space.

Spit in your dog's food

2011-03-16T08:05:00.006+01:00

A dog trainer whom I shall not name gives training tips on the internet. This week's tips tell you how to establish yourself as the pack leader and this is tip 2 out of 3 of his basic tips:
Tip #2: Spit in your dog's food. This sounds disgusting, right? Instinctively, the most dominant dog in the pack eats first... which means that his scent (saliva) is on the food. The subordinate dogs in the pack can interpret this as a form of marking, thus you are saying, "It's not automatically your food! It's my food, but I'm letting you have some, because I'm more dominant than you."
I must admit this is a new one on me. Definitely a different approach on a par with biting your dog when your dog attempts to nibble your ankles. Not sure I agree with either. Any reaction from other dog trainers out there?

Dreaming about dogs

2011-03-12T17:24:00.003+01:00

I heard a program about dreams on the Flemish radio. I was driving so was not paying a lot of attention. I do not know who was being interviewed and it does not matter. The presenter asked his guest about animals in dreams and more specifically about dogs.
"When we dream about a dog, it means a dog is dreaming about us."
I like that.

Come back, Ozzy

2011-03-08T07:51:00.005+01:00

The recall command is a vital command in dog training.

You must be able to call your dog back to you wherever it is.
1) when it has strayed too far, beyond the limit you have set yourself. At the moment I do not let Ozzy go further than 25 meters because I feel that beyond that I have little control over him.
2) when there is danger ie: cars, pack of dogs Ozzy is unfamiliar with, small children playing.

Ozzy is pretty good at it. I use a whistle as my vocal cords do not always carry when it is windy or if there are major distractions.

With my friend, SH, on the beach in Scheveningen - The Hague.
The beach is huge. Miles and miles of sand. Well done, Ozzy.

With me in the forest in Brussels.
There are many smells in the forest so well done Ozzy for focusing on me.

" I'm coming, I'm coming."

Belle, not forgotten.

2011-03-03T09:55:00.001+01:00

You are always on my mind. The lyrics to Elvis Presley's song I find too sickly to print but the tune was in my head this morning.

Never saw one of those before

2011-02-27T18:19:00.004+01:00

I came across this terrier today. I had never heard about this breed before so I looked it up. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is amongst the rarest and most endangered of all pure breeds/pedigree dogs. The UK Kennel Club lists the Dandie as one of the UK's Vulnerable Native Dog Breeds and there is a very real chance of the breed becoming extinct.
This short legged terrier was developed in the 17th century as an otter and badger specialist in the Cheviot and Teviotdale Hills in the border country of Scotland and England. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is named after Dandie Dinmont, a jovial farmer in Sir Walter Scott's novel Guy Mannering. Scott also gave the names to the breed's colours, pepper and mustard, which were adopted from the names of Dandie Dinmont's dogs. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only breed to be named after a character in fiction.
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club was formed in 1875 and is one of the oldest pedigree breed clubs in the world. The breed is registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 1888 and with the United Kennel Club (UKC) since 1918.
A Dandie Dinmont called Dodo features in Gerald Durrell's book: My Family and Other Animals Chapter 16.

circa 1915

Very interesting, I think.

Treats

2011-02-23T18:19:00.005+01:00

If you are training your dog remember that using treats is the easiest and fastest way to teach a dog what you want him to learn. They should never be given away for free; they should be earned. All the dog wants to do is to please you so it is a win win situation. After a while dogs will respond even when they hear the rustle of the bag where threats are kept.

A variety of treats should be used to make it interesting and worthwhile for the dog. Tidbits of food such as chicken, fillet steak, turkey, fish are ideal. The variety makes it interesting and keeps the dog guessing. When teaching a dog something new or training him in the midst of distractions such as other dogs or children playing or cyclists or joggers or birds or horses, I use something special like chicken liver bits and cheese. That’s the gold medal! The object of the exercise is to keep the dog focused on you so that he does not get bored or switch off or gets distracted. Keep the dog guessing.
I always couple treats with a nice encouraging tone of voice. I speak to Ozzy in French and I sometimes call him Belle or “ma chérie or ma Belle” but it does not matter. All Ozzy hears is the pleasing tone.

I wear a jacket which has multiple pockets so that I can dispense treats instantly and easily.
Also treats should be small and soft and easy to chew. Something the dog cannot spit out. I think paté would be ideal but that's a bit messy to carry around and how do you give it to the dog? I'll have to experiment.
Remember dogs are carnivores so no bread, digestive biscuits, Xmas cake. Chocolate is a definite no no and is dangerous for dogs. I also do not give porc or lamb which are too fatty.
Yesterday we had chicken for dinner so today’s treats were in the special gold medal box. Tonight we are eating monkfish so tomorrow I shall use a left over portion for our boot camp exercises.

Bacon strips and little dog biscuits for routine work

Chicken: today's gold medal

"Look, I know the command SIT and I do like chicken"

Essential gear

2011-02-21T18:27:00.003+01:00

Ozzy and I walk in the forest come rain or high water. Essentials are wellies, a hat and a waterproof jacket.
The jacket has been waxed and re-waxed and repaired and is still going strong after more than 25 years, by the way!

Coat and eyes

2011-02-19T12:56:00.001+01:00

It is one of the few breeds which has such a different variety of coat colours and eye colours.
Aussies's coat colours include blue merle, black, red merle (liver), solid red with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points, with no order of preference. Their eye colours include brown, blue, amber or any variation or combination including flecks and marbling.

Where do I come from?

2011-02-15T12:35:00.000+01:00

Although there are many theories about the origin of the Australian Shepherd or the Aussie, the breed as we know it today developed exclusively in the United States where it was bred for sheep herding. It probably originated in the Basque region of the Pyrenees, but was dubbed the Australian Shepherd because of its association with Basque shepherds who came to the United States from Australia in the 1800's with boatloads of Australian sheep.

In the forest

2011-02-12T20:02:00.001+01:00

Ozzy's first training session in the forest and mastering the "sit" command.

"stay"

I've had enough.

Unbelievable

2011-02-09T13:43:00.001+01:00

Appalled Canadian authorities are investigating the slaughter of up to 100 huskies used to pull tourist sleds. An employee at a British Columbia company says he was ordered to kill scores of healthy dogs when business dropped off after the 2010 Winter Olympics. The killings came to light after he was compensated for post-traumatic stress disorder. "It wasn't always a clean, one-shot kill. Inevitably, he ended up seeing and having to put the end to some horrific scenes," said the worker's lawyer.
Animal welfare groups say the dogs were killed in a brutal manner and dumped in a mass grave. "Any dog sledder who culls dogs at the end of a season should be culled himself, as far as we’re concerned,” the head dog sledding guide for an Ontario company told the Globe and Mail. “You don’t go out and cull dogs," he said. "We’re part of the largest dog sled operation in the world with 40 dogs, and we never cull dogs. We retire them, they’re adopted. There are a lot of alternatives.”

Expensive muse

2011-02-09T08:24:00.004+01:00

La Lecture fetched 30 million €.
Wish I had a Picasso hiding in the attic!

The young muse

2011-02-08T13:50:00.001+01:00

Tonight Sotheby's in London is auctioning Picasso's La Lecture. It is estimated to fetch between 14 million and 21 million €.
His muse for the painting was Marie-Thérèse Walter. They met outside Galeries Lafayette where she had been buying clothes. He was stunned by her beauty and asked her if he could paint her portret. She was just 17. He was 42 and the chouchou of the Parisian beau monde. She had never heard of him. Here she is with her mother's dog.
The headline in a Flemish paper this morning had this caption: "Sooner or later all Picasso's women ended up on museum walls."

Patience

2011-02-07T09:13:00.000+01:00

Bear with me, folks. I have not had time to write.
Ozzy and I have been getting to know each other. Bonding, I believe it's called. Together and we are rediscovering the huge forest which surrounds Brussels.

Welcome

2011-02-03T09:52:00.000+01:00

This is Ozzy, the new member of the Eurodog household. He is an Australian Shepherd hence his name. He arrived yesterday and I shall be writing about him at length so watch this space. All I can tell you is that he is very sweet and cuddly.

We belong

2011-01-27T15:20:00.001+01:00

Chief Seattle, a Duwamish chief, wrote a letter to President Franklin Pierce in December of 1854, following the U.S government’s offer to buy two million acres of Native American land in the Pacific North West.
Here is a quote from the letter which is relevant in our relationship with dogs: "What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beast also happens to the man".

Did you know?

2011-01-23T14:54:00.001+01:00

Belle is Snoopy's sister. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her unnamed teenage son whom Snoopy noted as resembling the Pink Panther. Belle herself looks like her brother, but with longer eyelashes. In addition she wears a lace collar.
In the comic strip, Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, Snoopy was often stated to have seven siblings. Andy, Marbles, Olaf, Spike and Belle. And Molly and Rover although they are of little importance. In the June 6, 1959 comic strip, following the birth of Charlie Brown's sister Sally, Snoopy remarks that he has no brothers or sisters, and is an "only dog." However, in a March 18, 1971 strip, Snoopy writes in his autobiography: "I was born one bright Spring morning at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. I was one of eight puppies."
Their mother is called Missy, but has appeared only once in Peanuts, on July 26, 1996.
Like Spike, Belle also plays the violin.
Belle only made a few appearances in the strip, but is well-remembered because of the Belle stuffed animal toys sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Many people who were not regular readers of the comic strip mistakenly thought that she was Snoopy's girlfriend, rather than his sister. In Snoopy's World War I fantasies, Belle is a nurse, not a soldier.

How about this?

2011-01-20T15:07:00.001+01:00

An owl attack has left a 4-pound Chihuahua with a healthy fear of the dark.
The attack happened when Chico the Chihuahua was out for a walk with his owner George Kalomiris in the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake last week. Kalomiris says they were walking down the street when a great horned owl swooped down and tried to fly away with the 3-year-old dog.
Kalomiris says he kept a firm grip on Chico's leash as the bird dragged the dog across the sidewalk, and he managed to scare the owl away.
Chico was treated for a puncture wound caused by the owl's talons, and his owner says he's still traumatized. Kalomiris says the dog now refuses to go outside at night.

Poor old Belle

2011-01-14T10:15:00.003+01:00

Cancer is an unfortunately common disease in dogs as well. For dogs over 10 years of age, approximately 50% of deaths are cancer-related. Like humans, there are many types of cancers and many clinical signs.

Any new lump or bump.
A change in size, shape, or consistency of an existing lump.
Runny nose, especially if bloody.
Difficulty urinating, blood in urine (also very common with urinary tract infections).
Vomiting, diarrhoea (common with many diseases).
Limping, change in gait.
Foul breath, excessive drooling, teeth that have "moved."
Drainage and odour from ears (also very common with ear infections).
Increased water intake and urination.
Lethargy, lack of appetite.
Loss of weight.

Any time your dog is not "himself or herself" it is the time to check in with your vet.

Belle's give away symptons were refusal to eat, loss of weight and lethargy. A blood test followed by an echo sound confirmed she had liver cancer. She passed away on 4th October 2010.

Family Dogs Terrorize Sheep

2011-01-07T12:49:00.003+01:00

Where does your dog go when you're not looking? Does it lead a secret life? Family dogs do terrorize sheep.
An Australian study of 1,400 dogs that attacked livestock found most dog owners, when approached by authorities, refused to believe their dog could have killed or injured any sheep. They believe their dogs are too small, too young or too friendly to harm sheep.
The researchers caught dogs from 3 months to 12 years of age, intact and sterilized dogs of both sexes, purebred and mongrel, all attacking livestock. Most of these dogs were well fed, friendly, family pets, running at large. Selective breeding has not suppressed the tendency of any breed of dog to attack and kill livestock. Animal behaviourists say it is not possible to predict whether a particular dog will attack sheep or not.
Tactics
Dogss chase and attack sheep for fun. They rarely kill the sheep immediately. The sheep usually die later from their injuries or from infection, or they must be destroyed. Livestock evaluators have described the aftermath of dog attacks as "excessive mutilation". In contrast, coyote attacks are quick. Often coyotes select one sheep to kill and eat, and leave the rest of the flock alone. Sheep flocks that experience a coyote attack are often not as stressed or noisy as those suffering from a dog attack. Dog attacks last longer and involve more chasing. Sheep attacked by dogs will have torn ears and hides, as well as bite marks on the neck, head, hind legs and flanks.
Dogs may harass injured sheep every time they get up to run away. Animal behaviourists believe the movement of the sheep away from the dog stimulates the dog to give chase. Sheep chased by dogs have drowned in streams, or have died from suffocation by piling up in fence corners or sheds.
People often think that roving packs of dogs cause most livestock predation problems. Of the 1,400 dogs caught or observed attacking livestock in the Australian study; 40% of attacks were by single dogs, 51% of attacks by a pair of dogs — usually a male and a female, and just 9% were by 3 or more dogs.
Authorities used specially trained tracking dogs to find the trail of the offending dogs and followed them to their homes. If 2 or more dogs were involved in an attack, they were usually from the same home or were neighbours. These dogs were mostly approachable family pets. Dog owners think that it is not possible for their pet to be attacking sheep because their dog is not vicious and has never bitten anyone. Owners should understand the reason why a dog attacks sheep — it's all for the love of the game. Dogs do not bite people because they are being predatory; they bite people because they are dominant, frightened, or because they are protecting something or someone.
What You Can Do About It?
Dogs can only attack sheep if they are allowed to roam. If loose, dogs may attack sheep at any time of the day or night. Be a responsible pet owner. Do not let your dog stay out all night to run or leave your dog loose to roam all day while you are at work. Have facilities for your pet that will keep it on your property at all times. A dog left to roam your property, where you don't have adequate fencing to contain it, may leave at anytime it chooses.
Attacks on sheep flocks are emotionally, as well as financially draining, for shepherds. Surviving animals usually do not produce as well ewes may abort unborn lambs and injured animals endure pain and must be treated. The shepherd must spend time and money to prevent future attacks. It is important to remember that you are legally responsible for your dog's actions.

Published by the Canadian Government.

The night watchman's dog

2011-01-03T07:30:00.000+01:00

In 1856 John Gray was a night watchman working for the Edinburgh City Police Department. His work demanded that he have a watchdog and Gray got a Skye terrier called Bobby. For two years they were inseparable. Then, on February 15th 1858 John Gray died of tuberculosis. He was buried in the churchyard of Greyfriars Church in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The morning after the burial Bobby was found lying on top of the grave. Dogs were not allowed in the cemetery and Bobby was chased away by the church sexton. During the night Bobby returned and was again repulsed the following morning. This scenario was played out for several days until the sexton took pity on the dog and let him stay. Bobby was faithful to his post even in the most inclement of weather and despite determined efforts to coax him into the warm. The sexton provided him with food and water and built him a shelter near the grave. He continued to be faithful to his dead master for an amazing fourteen years. The fame of his blind devotion spread. In 1867 a new byelaw was passed. All dogs were to be licensed or they would be destroyed. Bobby’s case came up before the City Council and The Lord Provost, Sir William Chambers (co-founder of Chamber’s Dictionary and president of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) was so taken with Bobby’s plight that he ordered his license fees to be paid indefinitely. He gave Bobby a collar that was inscribed “Greyfriars Bobby from The Lord Provost 1867 licensed.” (The collar can be seen in The Museum of Edinburgh,)
Bobby died in 1872 and was buried just inside the gate of Greyfriars churchyard near his beloved master. His red granite headstone, unveiled by the Duke of Gloucester in 1981 reads “Greyfriars Bobby – died 14th January 1872 aged 16 years. Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.”

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T09:08:00.000+01:00

Wishing all my family and friends and faithful readers of this blog a Merry Christmas.

A dog for life

2010-12-18T07:58:00.003+01:00

A dog is for life, not just for Christmas. This slogan was created in 1978 by the Dog Trust and is still relevant today. At this time of the year people involved with dogs should raise awareness of the consequences of treating dogs as gifts or toys. Every year hundreds of thousands of children plead to receive a dog for Christmas and every year thousands of parents yield to their children’s whim. And yes, dogs make perfect gifts because they come up to everyone’s expectation. They are affectionate, cuddly, responsive, playful, receptive, easy to please, the latest fad, the coolest toy, the fashion statement par excellence but what happens when the novelty wears off? When the toy becomes a burden?

Dogs need structure and leadership. Rough games, shrill cries and cheers from children too young to take on the role of pack leader make training difficult. A young dog should be introduced in his new family with a calm and assertive energy so that he can get used to the new family hierarchy. Affection should be saved until the dog has settled. Cesar Millan says that it is sometimes a good idea to hold that affection until several days into your new relationship with your puppy; as much as a week is recommended. Now this sounds harsh when you want to take your new puppy to bed with you, to carry it in yours arms wherever you go or to cuddle it constantly.

Remember: a dog cannot be taken back to the shop and exchanged if the size does not fit. The new owner must be prepared to make a commitment for the dog’s entire lifetime and be prepared to accept the responsibilities that come with their new family member. There are many factors to consider. Can the vet’s bills be met? Can dog food be bought? Is the house dog friendly? Can the dog have his own space? Can the dog go on family holidays? Can the dog have regular exercise? Can the dog be properly trained? Can the dog receive sufficient attention? Will the dog have to spend long periods on his own because his new owners work out of the house all day? Is the chosen breed suitable as a family pet? Many questions which often remain unanswered and lead to dogs being discarded and abandoned and ending up in shelters. And then what?

Worth a visit

2010-12-16T07:44:00.000+01:00

Leeds Castle, near Maidstone in Kent has a unique collection of antique dog collars spanning five centuries. Nearly 100 collars and related exhibits in the Leeds Castle Dog Collar Museum trace the history of canine neckwear from medieval to Victorian times. The museum delights more than 500,000 visitors from home and overseas every year.
Originally assembled by the Irish medieval scholar John Hunt and his wife Gertrude, who presented the collars to Leeds Castle in 1979 in memory of her husband, the collection has since been extended by the Leeds Castle Foundation.
The museum is also a tribute to the Castle’s last private owner, Olive, Lady Baillie, whose love of dogs inspired Gertrude Hunt to make the gift.
Many of the earlier collars dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries were designed to protect the dog. It was a time when wolves, bears and wild boar roamed the forests of Europe and the vulnerable throats of hunting dogs were shielded by broad iron collars bristling with fearsome spikes.

More of the same.

2010-12-08T17:56:00.001+01:00

These two little silver dogs are quite exceptional pieces. Indeed, although dogs are often represented in Iranian or Mesopotamian art, objects of this type - probably ornaments of dress - are rare.
They come from Bactria, a region situated between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Silver was frequently employed by Oriental goldsmiths, yet few examples of silver pieces still exist because these objects were seldom kept. This precious metal was particularly popular in Bactria. The region of Bactria had a strong tradition of decoration using animal figures. Wild animals (birds of prey, monkeys, camels, and wild boars) and fantastic beasts (dragons) were represented on arms, tools, vases, and dress ornaments.
These two little dogs, barely four centimetres long, are pierced vertically. It is possible that a thread was passed through the hole to hang them on a necklace, for instance, or - more probably - these elements were attached to a metal stem and used as pinheads or the tops of decorative staffs.
They date from the 3rd or 2nd millennium BC and are also exhibited in the Louvre.

Isn't this lovely?

2010-12-04T17:58:00.003+01:00

This small gold dog pendant is one of the first examples of gold- and silverwork in the 4th millennium BC and it illustrates the dexterity of metallurgists active in Susa in the Late Uruk period, from 3300 to 3100 BC. (Susa lies in present day south west Iran).
The art of metallurgy was a skill acquired in that period. It encapsulates all the metalworking techniques known at the time, and also provides valuable information about one of the two principal breeds of domestic dogs in the Susian plain.
The breed of dog represented here is different from the long, narrow salukis featured on the ceramic painted vases that were found in the Susa I necropolis dating from the foundation of the city. This stocky animal with a curled-over tail was domesticated, as indicated by the collar around its neck. Such domestication was not recent, dating back to pre-Neolithic times. But the 4th millennium BC was marked by an increase in pastoral activity throughout the Near East, probably as a consequence of improved exploitation of ovine wool, and the dog became a highly prized assistant to man. Dogs often feature in the art of this period, particularly in Susa, in the form of statuettes and pendants.
This pendant is exhibited in the Louvre.

It's raining cats and dogs

2010-11-27T07:19:00.000+01:00

Why “cats and dogs”?
In 1738, Jonathan Swift published his “Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation,” a satire on the conversations of the upper classes. One of his characters fears that it will “rain cats and dogs.” Whether Swift coined the phrase or was using a cliché, his satire was likely the beginning of the phrase’s popularity.
Etymologists have suggested a variety of mythological and literal explanations for why people say “it’s raining cats and dogs” to describe a heavy downpour. Here are some of the popular theories:
1. Odin, the Norse god of storms, was often pictured with dogs and wolves, which were symbols of wind. Witches, who supposedly rode their brooms during storms, were often pictured with black cats, which became signs of heavy rain for sailors. Therefore, “raining cats and dogs” may refer to a storm with wind (dogs) and heavy rain (cats).
2. “Cats and dogs” may come from the Greek expression cata doxa, which means “contrary to experience or belief.” If it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining unusually or unbelievably hard.
3. “Cats and dogs” may be a perversion of the now obsolete word catadupe. In old English, catadupe meant a cataract or waterfall.
4. A false theory stated that cats and dogs used to cuddle into thatch roofs during storms and then be washed out during heavy rains. However, a properly maintained thatch roof is naturally water resistant and slanted to allow water to run off. In order to slip off the roof, the animals would have to be lying on the outside—an unlikely place for an animal to seek shelter during a storm.
5. Swift also wrote a poem, “City Shower” (1710), that described floods that occurred after heavy rains. The floods left dead animals in the streets, and may have led locals to describe the weather as “raining cats and dogs.”

Boy with dogs

2010-11-24T09:48:00.003+01:00

This picture by Titian was painted sometime in the 16th Century. 1565 to be precise. Look at the nursing bitch in the detail of the picture on the right. She has Belle's eyes. Now this is extraordinary because at that time most household dogs were small dogs, lap dogs. So why is this little boy out in the countryside with these big dogs? One a sheepdog and the other one a Labrador retriever type. There are some grapes by the boy's left hand. Is this Rennaissance symbolism at its best? Definitely Belle's eyes and that's all that matters to me.

Wine dogs

2010-11-21T07:58:00.001+01:00

Wine Dogs is the definitive guide to dogs living and working in the vineyard, winery and tasting rooms of wineries around the globe.
Established in 1997, Wine Dogs is the original encyclopaedia of the winemaker’s best friend – their faithful hound, the winery dog. The first Australian Wine Dogs book was published in 2003 and quickly became a best seller. There are eight volumes of Wine Dogs editions including the latest Wine Dogs Australia 2, Wine Dogs USA 2 and Wine Dogs Italy editions and a host of other products such as our very popular Wine Dogs Calendars.
Here is the address: www.winedogs.com

Dogs in the Bible ( cont. )

2010-11-18T09:14:00.009+01:00

Leonardo da Vinci's self portrait

In the Book of Tobit, included in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox canon of the Bible, but designated as apocryphal in the Protestant tradition, we hear of Tobit, a devout Jew in exile and his son Tobias. Despite his many good works, Tobit is mysteriously blinded and despairingly begs God to take his life. At the same time in Ecbatana one Sarah, who is afflicted by a demon, Asmodeus, that has killed her seven husbands on their wedding night, also asks God for death. God hears both prayers and sends the archangel Raphael to help. Sent by his father on business to the distant city of Media, the young Tobias and his dog are guided by Raphael (in the form of a young man) to the house of Sarah. There Tobias marries Sarah and, following Raphael's instructions, exorcises the demon. They return to his home, where Tobias cures his father's blindness. The young Tobias and his dog with the angel have been a favourite subject of Christian iconography.

Tobias and the Angel

Find the dog by the Angel's right foot

Tobias and the Angel is painted on wood. It is believed to be the work of different artists but it is attributed to Perugino who worked in Andrea del Verrochio's workshop in Florence during the 1470's. Parts of this painting and especially the dog were painted by Leonardo da Vinci who was also a pupil of Verrochio at the time. Look at the dog in Leonardo's self portrait and the dog in the painting.

Dogs in the Bible

2010-11-17T08:49:00.001+01:00

I am not getting very far with my research on dogs in the Bible. They are often mentioned in the Old Testament but they are almost always regarded with scorn and hatred by the Hebrews who held them in low esteem. Dogs often were the carriers of rabies, they smelled bad, were living in packs outside the cities and villages and were hostile towards humans. It is not until later that man and dog teamed up together, each benefiting from each other’s company. As the years progressed, different types of dog evolved, some to hunt, others to guard and to work in different ways and others purely as companions.

Biblical history

2010-11-12T15:14:00.001+01:00

"The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel, no one will bury her." 2 Kings 9:10.

I came upon this quote and wondered why Jezebel was the recipient of such a unnoble treatment.
The Bible and the Hebrew text portray Jezebel as a power behind the throne. Ahab and Jezebel allow temples of Baal to operate in Israel, and that religion receives royal patronage. After Ahab's death, his sons by Jezebel, Ahaziah and Jehoram, accede to the throne. The prophet Elisha has one of his servants anoint Jehu as king to overthrow the house of Ahab. Jehu kills Jehoram as he attempts to flee in his war chariot. He then confronts Jezebel in Jezreel and urges her eunuchs to kill the queen mother by throwing her out of a window and leaving her corpse in the street to be eaten by dogs. Only Jezebel's skull, feet, and hands remain. Jezebel's last act, equipping herself in all her finery before she is murdered, has led to her being represented as a kind of prostitute.
I am lead to believe the greyhound is the only dog mentioned in the Bible but I am not convinced about that. I must do some more research on this. Watch this space.

Poor innocent dogs

2010-11-10T19:00:00.001+01:00

Islamic terrorists tried to down a US cargo plane using exploding Bulldogs, it emerged yesterday.
Two animals, stuffed with bombs and detonators, were found by US officers at Baghdad airport. The bombs had been primed to explode during the aircraft's flight to LA.
But the dogs were never loaded on board as they had been killed by the lethal substances inside them.
The discovery, kept secret for two years, was revealed in France, days after explosives were found inside printer cartridges last week on a cargo plane from Yemen.

Animal blessing

2010-11-05T11:10:00.001+01:00

Christians everywhere celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 by having their pets blessed in the spirit of this patron saint of animals.
The parish of Saint Rita in Paris holds this mass every first sunday of November and this year several animals were present: cats and dogs of course but also camels, zebras, lamas, tortoises, fish, rabbits, snakes, ...

A bit of history

2010-11-02T08:01:00.001+01:00

The history of the domestic dog was first chronicled in English in the 15th century.
Dame Juliana Berners (Barnes or Bernes) ,in her treatise on hunting in the Boke of St. Albans, which was first published in 1486 by a schoolmaster at St. Albans, gave what was the first list of recognised breeds to be printed in English. The classification was very limited, but it served to illustrate the importance attached even at that time to certain breeds of dogs and their purpose which have to this day retained their original nomenclature.
Dame Juliana's book was very popular.
A complete classification of dogs was published in 1570. It was called De Canibus Britannicus and was written in Latin by Dr Johannes Caius who was the physician to Queen Elizabeth I and the founder of Caius College Cambridge ( Gonville and Caius College ). It was first translated into English in 1576.
The book is divided into sections and is the first modern reference which classifies the dog’s purpose. The hunting of “beasts”, the hunting of fowl, finding game on water, finding game on land, retrieving, poaching, lapdog, scent hound, bloodhound. Section four is devoted to farm dogs and especially the Shepherd’s Dogge or Canis Pastoralis. In Bewick’s History of Quadrupeds, published in 1790, there is a woodcut of the shepherd’s dog. It bears a strong resemblance to the Border Collie of today. See picture.

Mr Eurodog and Belle

2010-10-25T21:04:00.003+02:00

This is how Mr Eurodog felt about Belle.

RIP Belle

2010-10-20T17:59:00.003+02:00

Sadly Belle is no longer with us. After 14 years without a day's illness, she succombed to liver cancer and became only a shadow of her former self. I learned everything I know about dogs from her. She will be sorely missed by me and my family.

New puppy

2010-09-26T12:51:00.001+02:00

My friend, AT, the vet, has been without a dog for two years after the death of Prozac and has just acquired a puppy. Isn’t he sweet?
He is an Australian shepherd dog actually. At first I mistook him for a Bernese Mountain dog. Perhaps because of his colouring. He is 4 months old and is called Jhappy.
This is what AT has to say:
“Voici mon nouveau chiot : Jhappy ... Non, non, ce n’est pas un Bouvier Bernois, mais un modèle réduit : le berger Australien , plus connu en couleur Merle qu’en tricolore...
Il m’a fallu plus de 2 ans pour me décider à reprendre un chien après mon beau Prozac, mais comprenez pourquoi j’ai craqué sur celui-ci !!!! »

Blue suede shoes

2010-09-19T11:29:00.001+02:00

Police dogs in Düsseldorf will soon be equipped with blue plastic fiber shoes.
"All 20 of our police dogs — German and Belgian shepherds — are currently being trained to walk in these shoes," a police spokesman said. "I'm not sure they like it, but they'll have to get used to it."
The unusual footwear is not a fashion statement but rather a necessity due to the high rate of paw injuries on duty. Especially in the city's historical old town — famous for both its pubs and drunken revelers — the dogs often step into broken beer bottles.
The dogs will wear the shoes only during 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.

My Dog Tulip

2010-09-12T12:47:00.001+02:00

Look out for this beautifully animated film featuring the voices of Christopher Plummer, the late Lynn Redgrave, and Isabella Rossellini. My Dog Tulip is a bittersweet retrospective account of author J. R. Ackerley’s 16-year relationship with his adopted Alsatian bitch, Tulip.
The distinguished man of letters, Ackerley hardly thought of himself as a dog lover when, well into middle age, he came to adopt Tulip – a beautiful, yet intolerable 18-month-old German shepherd. To his surprise, she turned out to be the love of his life, the “ideal friend” he had been searching for in vain for so many years. In vivid and sometimes startling detail, the film reveals Tulip’s sassy, often erratic behaviour (and very canine tastes) and Ackerley’s fumbling but determined efforts to ensure an existence of perfect happiness for her.

No way

2010-09-08T12:25:00.001+02:00

Can you believe this? A male long-coated chihuahua dubbed "Love-kun" was born with heart-shaped markings on his coat in Odate, Japan on August 3rd. His older brother "Heart-kun" sports a heart-shaped pattern on his back.

Visit to garden centre

2010-09-05T10:44:00.001+02:00

Are these two the new garden gnomes?Would you like these two to protect your drive?

Dog wash

2010-08-26T11:52:00.001+02:00

We visited a huge and well stocked garden centre and we came across this dog wash machine.

Here are the instructions.
Click on picture to enlarge.

I cannot image putting Belle in one of those. She would hate it!

Tea

2010-08-23T10:34:00.001+02:00

The other day we had tea in our favourite beach café run by a New Zealand lady on one of the most spectacular beaches of North Cornwall. Best saffran cake in the world, incidentally!
RW decided to have tea with his 5 year old Labrador, Murphy.
We chatted about this and that.

Herding

2010-08-18T08:42:00.003+02:00

We saw these people running around on a secluded beach in North Cornwall and witnessed their collie rounding them up until they eventually were together in a group. It turns out they were scattering their granny’s ashes!
Click on picture to enlarge.

Brave dog

2010-08-10T08:58:00.000+02:00

A perky black Labrador whose bomb-sniffing exploits helped save lives in Afghanistan was decorated for canine courage in a ceremony at the Imperial War Museum a few months ago.
Eight-year-old Treo joins a menagerie of heroic animals honoured over the years with a special award known as the Dickin medal, including 32 pigeons, three horses and a cat.
Sgt. Dave Heyhoe, the black Lab's handler, said he was "very proud indeed," adding the award was not just for him and his dog but "for every dog and handler working out in Afghanistan or Iraq."