Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Win Your Dog A Spot in Underdog

Walt Disney Pictures is offering fans a chance to their dogs in the "UNDERDOG Super Pet Contest" on Disney.com for the chance to win a trip to the world premiere with your dog, and have them appear in Walt Disney Pictures' movie UNDERDOG, in theaters Aug. 3, 2007.

To enter, go to www.disney.com/UnderdogContest and submit a video or photo of your dog doing something super -- from looking super sharp to attempting a super trick or feat. The contest will end on June 1, when 10 videos and 10 images will be chosen as finalists by the filmmakers on the basis of super creativity and uniqueness.

Read the full article here>>

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Dog gives life to save kids

George was playing with the group of children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop in the small North Island town of Manaia on Sunday when the two pit bulls appeared and lunged toward them, Allan Gay said.

"George was brave -- he took them on and he's not even a foot high," Gay told The Associated Press. "He jumped in on them, he tried to keep them off.

"If it wasn't for George, those kids would have copped it."

Read the full article here>>

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Therapy on four legs

Her first thought: This was one ugly dog.

Her second thought: He was going home with her.

These days, Robinson and Jaycee, a 70-pound boxer, appear almost inseparable. Jaycee is mascot for American Legion Post 343, where Robinson is commander. Robinson also compiles the veterans news for The Pasco Tribune.

Read the full article here>>



Monday, March 05, 2007

Dog's your best friend at the cash machine - say wheelchair users

London - Some may think it's barking mad - but disabled people in Britain have found that a dog is their best friend when it comes to drawing money from bank cash machines, the Daily Mail said Friday.

The dog stands on its back legs, places its paws on the machine and takes the card, the money and the receipt in its mouth and gives it to the person in the wheelchair, explained O'Donoghue.

Other tasks they learn include operating a pedestrian crossing button, loading a washing machine, picking items off supermarket shelves and helping their owners dress and undress.

Read the full article here>>


Monday, January 22, 2007

Dog-owners 'lead healthier lives'

If you want to live a healthier life get a dog, research suggests.

A psychologist from Queen's University, Belfast, said dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

"The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist who has specialised on research into the health effects of pet ownership said that an important reason for the improved health of dog-owners was not just the exercise received while taking it for walks, but the opportunity for social contact with other dog-owners.

"In some cases, the social support offered by an animal is greater than the support than another human could offer."

Read the full article here>>

Retired greyhounds make great pets

Contrary to what most people assume, retired racers are healthy and young. They usually usually are 2 to 4 years old and past the puppy stage. The breed tends to be reserved and quiet. They are notorious couch potatoes that seldom bark.

A huge advantage of rescued greyhounds is that they were bred to be even-tempered and physically sound, rather than just for appearance. They often are exceptionally willing to please and free of hereditary ailments found in some other purebred dogs.

It is not true that greyhounds need extensive exercise. Because they are sprinters rather than distance runners, a brisk walk or romp in a fenced-in yard usually is sufficient.

Another common misconception is that all greyhounds are gray and about the same size. The diversity within the breed is amazing. There are 18 officially recognized color and marking combinations. A greyhound's weight can range from about 45 pounds to more than 90 pounds. Greyhounds shed relatively little and their soft, fine coat is a breeze to groom.

Based on their experiences at the track, greyhounds usually know how to walk on a lead and will stand politely to be groomed, and they have a head start on crate training. Reputable adoption groups foster the dogs to help them adjust to family life, and members of these rescue organizations will work to make a good match between your family and a dog.

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Anchorage woman helps pet owners gain control

"My commitment is to keep dogs from dying that really don't deserve it," she says. "Just because a dog curls its lip when you reach down to get his food doesn't mean he should be put to sleep. It means he needs to have a change in the way he thinks.

"There's a way of talking and speaking to dogs that's very quiet and subtle and non-aggressive, that really gets the message through -- without yelling or hitting or jerking or anything," Scheff says.

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Conversing with canines

Despite their drooling tongues and dirty paws, man’s best friend may be smarter than some think, and Helena’s own dog whisperer knows as well as anyone how to apply that intelligence for human benefit.

The level-one class teaches etiquette, obedience and positive reinforcement, and helps the owner understand the twists and turns of the canine mind.

Level-two dogs are further trained for emergencies, such as alerting their handlers to seizures before they strike. Brownlee said epileptics often experience a myoclonic twitch first — a tremble so slight the patient may not even realize it’s happening.

Dogs can detect the slightest tremble and shift of eye. They can also smell the rush of glucose and epinephrine on a victim’s breath that precedes a seizure. By alerting the patient to the impending seizure, dogs are able to tell their handlers to find a safe place or make a call for help.

“He’s so in tune with the dogs,” Chari said. “He’s gifted when it comes to communicating with the dogs and training them. He can tell them to go down into the den and pick up the remote and they’ll do it.”

While people use language to express their needs, dogs communicate primarily through body language. A good trainer can learn as much from a dog as the dog can from its owner.

Read the full article here>>