Dog Blog - Dog Product Reviews

By Guest Blogger Ron Hevener

Mother Nature and common sense tell us not to get between two dogs that are fighting, but, usually, it’s wasted advice. Few of us can stand by when dogs are settling their differences with their own kind, especially if one of them is ours. So it was when Steven pulled Bella off a Shih Tzu during a routine walk and, in the heat of the fight, she grabbed his pants.

At first, it almost sounds funny (a vacationer in Cape Cod, struggling with his own dog as she pulls off his pants). But, what happened next wasn’t funny at all. As the other guy hurried off, a police officer was driving by and witnessed Steven scolding Bella.

“What are you doing, slugging that dog!” he demanded. 

“Excuse me? I was not slugging my dog!” Steven said, surprised. “I would never ’slug’ my dog.”

“Yes you were. I saw you slugging that dog in the face!” Clearly, it was a matter of the vacationer’s word against a hometown cop.  As Bella looked on in confusion, Steven was written up and told that there would be an investigation.

Two days later, police arrived where he was staying, and they took him away in handcuffs. He was jailed, required to post bail, and hire an attorney. One of them asked for a $5,000 retainer.

Have we gone overboard with laws for animal protection? All we have to do is look at animals, themselves, for the answers. Is Bella afraid of Steven? Does she cower around him?  Does she act like she expects to be hit?  We don’t need laws or courts to tell us these things. 

At the time of this writing, Steven and Bella are home, but they have a court hearing coming up. If he was such a threat to her - if they were really worried about a dog being hurt - don’t you think Bella would have been taken away from him? Maybe this isn’t really about dogs. Maybe it’s not about animals at all.  

Are such laws being correctly understood and applied or have our beautiful animals been used to get something on the books that hurts them worse than anyone ever thought?    The court is treating this as a felony.  Does any of us realize what a felony conviction does to someone’s life - and to the animals that depend on him?  Is this how dog lovers want laws against animal abuse to be interpreted and carried out?  Bella lacks for nothing in her life.

When her canine mate, Jenny, was sick, Steven paid thousands of dollars to save her. Does over-zealous law enforcement mean we must pay for lawyers, have our reputations smeared, lose our jobs, lose our pensions and go to prison for training dogs not to bite? It’s true that animals don’t speak our language, but they do learn by example. And, as anybody who sees a spoiled kid throwing a temper tantrum in a grocery store knows, so do we.

Animals do not stand alone in our society. They cannot be born, raised, trained or cared for without someone who takes on that responsibility. What happens to Bella now? What happens to a dog in whose name such laws were passed if she loses Steven - the one she loves and depends on because a law meant to protect her ends up wrecking her home and destroying her life instead?   

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Author/Artist RON HEVENER specializes in animals and the romantic, adventurous people who love them.  Mr. Hevener’s collectible figurines and the prints from his novels (“Fate of the Stallion!” … “The Blue Ribbon” … “High Stakes”) are now bought and traded throughout the world. Today, Ron Hevener’s illustrated animal stories are published regularly in magazines, newsletters, newspapers and on websites around the globe. He is currently on tour - speaking at bookstores, libraries, theaters, schools, gift stores, pet stores, dog shows, art shows, horse shows and public events. “Life is a movie,” he says. “On With The Show!”  …  www.RonHevener.com

Did you know there are more pets than people living in the USA? There are just under 300 million people, and 360 million pets. That’s astonishing. Not only that, but spending on pets has surpassed the candy industry and the toy industry. We sure do love our dogs!

More than half of dog owners purchase a Holiday gift for their dogs. Depending on which study you go by, between 8 and 50 percent of dog owners do something special for their dog’s birthday.

This is fascinating to me, because I believe it reflects some social trends. I don’t have specific research to prove this, but here’s my opinion. Dogs are the new kids. Women are waiting longer to have kids, and more women are electing not to have children. Those of us who can’t have kids still want a little brood to watch over, care for and nurture. Couples, whether married or not, want to find out what sort of parents they’d be. Singles want a heartbeat at home with them, someone to run around with on the weekend.

So here we all are - single and married women, married couples, empty nesters, gay couples and even older kids - lavishing all our nurturing instincts on our dogs. Call it role-playing, substitution, whatever you like. As a culture and as individuals, we have a lot to give. And we want to give it. Good for the lucky dogs who are on the receiving end of that.

Lisa Woody

I am not making this up.

Last week, the New York Times published a story about a rise in the incidence of airline passengers, hotel guests and restaurant patrons who insist that their animals - usually dogs - be allowed in with them. Why? Because these are "emotional assistance" animals.

The idea is that, like assistance or service dogs for those with physical disabilities, assistance dogs for those with emotional disabilities should be granted the same access to public places. The problem is that the ruling by the Department of Transportation does not define "disability" and does not define any special skills an animal must have to qualify as a service animal.

So really, all you need is a doctor's note saying that you must have your Pomeranian with you on a flight, and they have to let you take the dog into the cabin with you. I wonder if I can get a doctor's note that says I "need" free champagne.

Airlines have been forced to admit dogs, cats, a goat, a duck and even a miniature horse wearing a diaper on board to provide in-flight support to their owners. One woman interviewed for the article said the Pit Bull that she insists on taking onto planes and into hotel rooms "helps fend off dark moods."

My question is, when did we all become so helpless? Can't we survive a flight without being able to pet our dogs? The more we demand rights, the more we elevate the individual over society at large, and the less able to cope we seem to become.

Or maybe it's not helplessness and inability to cope. Maybe it's self-aggrandizement and narcissism. Animals on planes are supposed to be there because their services are needed to enable someone to fly, someone who actualy could not fly without the animal. They're not there to assure that their owners remain in the utmost emotionally rewarding frame of mind at all times. Has our celebrity-worship extended to the point where we all think we deserve to act like a pampered billionaire movie-star?

The article stated that some in the service dog training industry "are concerned that pet owners who might simply prefer to brunch with their Labradoodle are abusing the guidelines." Ya think? What about the rights of other passengers and restaurant guests who are allergic to dogs, or afraid of them? Would you like your four-year-old child sitting next to a large dog with no formal training, unknown socialization skills, and who belongs to someone who's so emotionally unstable that she can't fly without the dog? Me neither.

What's going to happen when two of these emotional service animals get into a dog fight across someone's lap? Or when an emotional support German Shepherd Dog eats an emotional support rabbit? Or when a parent presents a note that he/she cannot bear to be apart from a child, so that child must be accommodated - without charge - on the airplane for the emotional well-being of the parent.

I'm a dog owner and a dog lover. So much so that I started a business in which I obsess about dogs all day, every day. I sell to and even befriend doting dog parents, and I totally relate to them. But if you're so unstable that you need your pet to sit on your lap to enable you to fly, then you're not functional and should be institutionalized (or deported to Hollywood). Planes, hotels and restaurants are public places where the rest of us need to function, too. After such an emotionally-unglued person and her dogs sleep in a hotel bed, does she ever think about the person with dog allergies who has to sleep in that same bed the next night? Maybe that person has a huge presentation to give in the morning. How's he going to look and feel the next day when his face is red and swollen with allergies from the bedspread, which is not washed after each guest?

When did our country become a nation where what's best for the group as a whole takes a back seat to what a loud individual might demand? Oh, wait … there's an emotional service duck in that seat.  

-  Lisa Woody

You may have heard of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizenship Program.

For some, it’s a first step toward becoming a therapy dog at hospitals, schools and nursing homes. For others, it’s a basic grounding for competitive activities such as agility. For still others, it’s a way to obtain homeowners’ insurance for homes that contain breeds that insurance companies consider to be high risks.

But for thousands, it’s just a great way to assure that our dogs are obedient, friendly and well behaved in society. Training for the exam is an excellent form of quality time with your dog. And taking the exam can be an exciting time of great pride for both of you.

The American Kennel Club (akc.org) will give you information on when and how to take the exam, and how to find a training class to prepare for it. Many dog clubs offer CGC exams during their annual meetings and shows. 4-H clubs offer children and adults the chance to train for the exam and then take the exam. So do many dog training schools (PetSmart’s training program offers this in many stores).

It’s advisable to take the training class to prepare for the exam, but you don’t have to. So how do you know if you need the training class? What will be asked of your dog during the exam? AKC doesn’t publish the 10 requirements, but I found them at DogChannel.com. Here they are:

1. Meeting friendly new people: Your dog will be expected to sit or stand calmly  while you stop and speak to a stranger.
2. A pat on the head: Your dog must sit or stand while a stranger pets it.
3. A trip to the veterinarian/groomer: Your dog must permit a stranger to brush it and examine its paws and ears.
4. A walk in the park: Your dog will be asked to walk with you on a loose leash, including turning left, right and around and coming to a stop.
5. A walk in a crowd: Your dog must show it is at ease while you walk it in a crowd.
6. Staying put: Your dog must perform a sit and/or down and then remain in place while you walk away from it.
7. Answering a call: Your dog must come when you command.
8. Dog to dog: When meeting another dog, your dog must show only casual interest.
9. Accepting the unexpected. Your dog must not panic when confronted by common distractions, such as a loud noise or a passing jogger.
10. Dog-sitters welcome: Your dog should behave when a friendly stranger takes its leash and you disappear for three minutes.

It’s fun to try these 10 criteria to see how many your dog could pass today. If you decided to get your dog’s Canine Good Citizen certification, you’ll be able to say, “My dog’s a good dog, and I have the papers to prove it!” 

- Lisa Woody

After watching Grizzly Man, about a man who decided to live with Alaskan brown bears, I am reminded how many people treat animals as if they were people.

This confused young man wanted to swim with the bears, pat the bears and actually be a bear. Some say he interacted with bears as if they were people in bear costumes. In the end, it got him killed, because bears are not people. We are competitors at the top of the food chain and we do not have a symbiotic relationship.

In the same vein, I think many dog owners think their dogs are little people in dog outfits. They hate to reprimand them. How many times have you seen someone apologize to their dog when they don’t give the dog what he/she wants? Or when they reprimand the dog? They share food off their plate, share their beds, move out of the dogs’ way, step around the dogs rather than make the dogs move out of the way … and then wonder why their dogs are getting aggressive. Dogs who bark at us, demand we share our food with them, and don’t move out of the way when we pass are exhibiting dominant behavior. And why shouldn’t they? Every time we give way to them, we’re telling them that we’re inferior to them in the pack hierarchy.

We do animals a disservice by anthromorphizing them. Don’t get me wrong; they’ll take every inch we give them. It’s survival to do so, and therefore stupid (and dangerous) not to, from the dog’s point of view. But dogs are animals living in a human world. Dogs who do not understand that we come first — even babies — soon find that they do not fit in a human’s world. This is a major reason why dogs are surrendered to animal shelters.

So sad. And needless.  Let’s view dogs for what they are; mid-level predators who have recently (in the grand scheme of things) sided with the winners on this planet, and cozied up to us for their own survival. Sure, they amuse us, offering companionship and endless joy to our lives. But they’re not people, nor will they ever be. They need rules and hierarchy, and it’s our obligation — for their own safey — to give it to them.

So how do we do that? We eat first, and we don’t share. They move out of the way when we need to walk past. They go out, come in and eat when we say. This is not cruelty. It’s kindness. It keeps the relationship appropriate, no matter how many dresses we put on them, or spas we take them to. Dogs CAN live in our world. They just have to live here as dogs. Because it’s bad for them to make them think we’re peers.

It’s fun to go to the dog park — every single person is smiling — but it’s also very important for the development of dogs of any age.

Why?

A dog who only interacts with its human family and has very little contact with others  does not develop socialization skills needed to interact appropriately with others. Dogs confined to yards or houses become lonely, over-protective, and more aggressive.

The dog park provides a place where dogs can safely socialize to reduce these problems. Regular contact with other dogs and new people keeps dogs from becoming aggressive. It teaches them how to behave around other dogs, because other dogs will correct them if they get out of hand.

This is important to dog owners and their neighbors, especially in family-oriented neighborhoods. Socialization produces a happier, better behaved, less destructive, quieter and more stable pet. Most dog owners know that free play with other dogs is a prescription for a happy dog who’s a joy to be around, and that a well-exercised pet is less likely to bark obsessively or be destructive.

Ever been stuck at home recovering from an illness or injury, or snowed in for days? How do you feel when you have cabin fever? Imagine how your dog feels, day after day, without a change of scene and a chance to play until he or she is tired.

A dog park cures most ills. Even once a week for an hour or so will give you a new dog.

Two recent studies have found that having a dog can help us reach our diet and fitness goals better than not having a dog.

The first was a study conducted in 2004 by Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital, with Hill’s Science Diet pet foods. The year-long study showed that both people and pets are more successful in losing weight and keeping it off when they exercise together. Read more here.

The second study, from the University of Missouri in 2005, found that when people become responsible for walking a dog, they lost more weight on average than those who participate in nationally known diet plans. Wow. Click here for more details.

It comes as no surprise to us dog owners that the companionship of a workout buddy — as well as the responsibility of having a dog depend on you for its exercise — is motivating and makes exercise more enjoyable. Our beloved dogs, who carry out their duty of reducing stress in our lives with dedication and abject joy, are now doing what they do best in the area of fitness. Indeed, some of these participants started out walking their dogs only 10 minutes, three times a week. Yet the dogs and people lost an average of 14-15 lbs over the course of a year.

Not only that, new studies show that walking can combat mild depression, so the benefits of getting out with Fido go beyond physical fitness.

To help people get outside and get active with their pets, we offer the hands-free leash, day hike fanny pack, pet bicycle basket, doggy sunblock, and more at www.FunStuffForDogs.com

Dogs need something to do. And they’ll find something to do. Our job as pet parents is to give them something constructive to focus on when we’re not home so that they don’t take out the kitchen cabinets, like one Lab belonging to an acquaintance. That dog chewed up the lower cabinets so badly that they had to be replaced. Then she chewed them up a second time.

We hear stories all the time about dogs who, in their need to work off excess energy, wreak havoc on their homes. Boxers, Australian Shepherds, terriers and other high-energy or high-intelligence dogs seem most prone to destructive chewing.

This is how many dogs end up at the shelter. But they’re only doing what they instinctively need to do. Some dogs need to be busier than others. Some need to chew a lot while others don’t seem to need it once they’re grown. All puppies and young dogs need to chew.

Using a crate and giving the dog something to chew while in the crate can help not only housetrain the dog, but also teach her to focus her natural chewing desire on approved items. Providing a chew while the dog is in the crate helps the dog associate the crate with something good, and mos dogs will look forward to crate time if given this type of activity.

There are plenty of toys on the market for keeping dogs busy and occupied when they’re home alone. In fact, we’ve created a department on FunStuffForDogs.com called “Home Alone” to offer a collection of these toys. But one of the least expensive and most effective chew toys I’ve seen (and I use it myself) is a natural bone. You can get them at any pet store. Get a straight bone, not a knuckle bone. They usually have a little bit of marrow inside, which the dog cleans out fairly quickly. After that, you can reuse it over and over for years, filling it with spray cheese, peanut butter, kibble, Cheerios or any combination. You can put them through the dishwasher if your dog doesn’t get everything out. After six years, I’ve only replaced mine once for my two large dogs.

And here’s a tip. Don’t leave the bone out all the time. Give it to your dog in a confined area such as a crate when you leave home. When you return, pick it up and don’t give it back to your dog until you leave again. That way, it stays special in your dog’s eyes. She looks forward to having it. And besides, when you’re home, she’s playing with you and doesn’t need a bone to keep her busy, right?

Greenies dog treats have been in the news lately because of a few cases in which large chunks of the treats have been thought to cause intestinal blockages in dogs. The company has in some cases paid for the surgery required to remove the blockages, but maintains their treats are safe for dogs.

I know that some dogs chew more thoroughly than others. I have one dog who bolts food and treats and another who makes them last. It seems to me that any treat could cause a blockage if large chunks were swallowed by the dog. There are some who do not feed their dogs rawhide chews for this very reason.

However, I also know that newspapers and television news shows like stories that imply danger, because fear makes people buy the newspapers and watch the shows. (If you doubt this, listen to your local news commercials and see how many times they say, “Your child could be at risk” “Are you safe at work?” and other comments of that ilk.) So I’m sure the media outlets, in their effort to be viewed as a trusted and much-needed influence in our lives, play up the danger in these stories and avoid statistics such as:

• What percentage of dogs who eat Greenies have experienced intestinal blockage?
• How does this compare to the percentage of dogs who eat other types of treats and experience intestinal blockage?
• In the cases where dogs who ate Greenies experienced intestinal blockage, does the veterinary surgeon say that the blockage was caused by the Greenies?

I have no connection with the company that manufactures Greenies, nor am I paid either to defend or attack them. However, I do have some experience with the media (as a former national magazine editor in the pet industry) and feed Greenies to my own dogs. My only complaint is that they’re so expensive. My dogs love them, as do most dogs. (I have my own theory about why they’re so nuts about Greenies, and it involves sweeteners.) If they’re found to be dangerous, I will stop feeding them to my dogs. But let’s not get hysterical until we get more than self-promoting media hype and get some facts.

A response to this recent media attention is noticably absent from the website of the company that makes them, S&M Nutec LLC (www.greenies.com). I think it’s a mistake. They need to get in front of this.