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."

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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.

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