ajcpets

I’ve always been fascinated by stories of pets who were supposedly sensitive to the “other side” — that is, pets who are aware of things humans aren’t: ghosts, spirits, feelings, auras. I’ve never known such an animal but I’ve heard the stories of barking at nothing, raised hackles, reluctance to enter certain rooms, and so on. I’m curious to know if your pet notices the invisible or if your pet seems to experience unexplained occurrences.
Does your pet see something unexplained? Did the experience make a believer out of a skeptic?

Though President Obama and his family didn’t go the rescue shelter route, apparently Bo, their new Portuguese water dog (pictured), was in need of a home. The Obamas took him in when Bo’s previous owner returned him to a breeder.

Maybe you’ve held off on adopting because you want a purebred dog rather than a mixed breed. This article discusses finding and adopting purebred dogs from rescue groups. You can also get some tips on adopting a purebred, and what to look for.

Do you have any experience looking for and/or adopting a purebred dog from a shelter or a rescue group?

Photo: Pete Souza / The White House

So the Portuguese Water Dog lovers of the world aren’t too happy with the Obamas right now. Why?

They fear the first family’s choice will increase the dog’s popularity, creating shady breeders and fickle owners who don’t know how to care for the delicate breed. I care, I really do. But somehow, I feel the water dogs of the world have gotten a fairer shake than my dog: a pit bull.

While Diesel is the most docile dog I know (he jumps when I drop a pan in the kitchen), he’s always followed by looks or “ugghs” when I tell people that he is “a pit bull/bulldog mix.” Often, before I even say anything, I’m asked: “Is your dog vicious?” “Is he friendly?” — questions I’m sure would never be asked if Diesel was a Chihuahua — or even a smaller breed.

Now, some of you might think I should suck it up and get used to the questions: After all, I decided to own this type of dog so I need to deal with the consequences. But what about the fact that I’m a dog lover who is raising a dog that would’ve probably been abandoned in the pound, simply because no one wants the stigma of owning a pit bull. In my eyes, I feel I’m helping the cause by giving this dog a good life and showing others that yes, pit bulls can be friendly and kind and just as playful as any other dog that you might meet.

Any other owners of misunderstood breeds out there? Does your dog face a certain stereotype? If so, how do you handle it?

I recently was looking at the Web site for a Labrador retriever rescue group in Connecticut — one of the dogs I was fostering for Atlanta Lab Rescue (www.atlantalabrescue.com) was being adopted through the group — when I stumbled across something interesting.

This group gets a large number of its dogs from Southern states, then finds homes for them. There was a link to a page entitled “Why do Labs Need to be Rescued?” (http://labs4rescue.com/why.shtml) that had four reasons why Labradors are not valued in states such as Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. Georgia, too. They are:

• Spay/neuter laws are not strictly enforced (and many residents believe a dog loses his/her instinct and aptitude for hunting when they are sterilized).
• Labrador females have large litters, and the population isn’t large enough to support all of the dogs.
• Some Southerners hope to supplement their incomes by breeding and selling dogs.
• The Labrador population booms in Southern shelters when hunting season ends as dogs with inadequate hunting skills are “surrendered.”

My initial reaction was that this was an unfair assessment of Southern dog owners, but as I talked to friends about it, ones who have lived here much longer than I have, I began to wonder if they were right.

Do you think Southern dog owners are more irresponsible than their Northern counterparts, or are Southerners getting a bad rap because of a few?

Those of you who are concerned about flying with your pets should know that someone hears your concerns: The people at Pet Airways have started a fledgling service devoted to transporting pets.

Read this article in the St. Petersburg Times about Pet Airways for more details, but here’s the gist: Your pet travels in the cabin of the plane with attendants checking in on them. Companions, by which we mean the people reading this blog, will need to make separate arrangements.

Pet Airways isn’t taking reservations just yet. Their Web site says they plan to fly in spring-summer 2009. And according to the article, the airline has a number of federal requirements to satisfy before it takes off.

But fares start at $150 one-way, and the Web site’s blog is already up, addressing issues such as crates and whether or not to sedate your pets before they travel.

Does a pets-only airline make you feel safer about air travel?

There’s been lots of discussion on ajcpets.com about why people get dogs if they have little or no time to devote to them. True, dogs are very social and active and need lots of interaction.

But what about families who want to care for an animal but don’t have the time that a dog requires? Can you recommend a pet for them? I once had two small softshell turtles that were given to me by a breeder. They required daily feeding, and their tanks needed a monthly cleaning, but that was it. Iguanas, fish, rabbits — there are probably many other pets that don’t need daily walks, play time, etc.

What pets can you recommend that are low-maintenance?

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. They can be two-legged or two-winged.

Just ask Megan Howard, whose Quaker parrot may have saved the life of a little girl who choked on her breakfast.

Howard’s pet, Willie, recently received the Denver Red Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award for his heroic act.

Last year, Howard, was baby-sitting for a toddler when the little girl, Hannah, started to choke.

“Willie repeatedly yelled ‘Mama, baby’ and flapped his wings, and Howard returned in time to find the girl already turning blue,” according to an AP story. Howard performed the Heimlich maneuver but gave Willie all the credit.

Do you have a heroic pet story to share? Did you pet save your life or someone else’s?

Mookie is our grumpy senior cat who hates all other animals but was mostly tolerant of the two humans in the household. Alas, the dog and two other cats made him act out in the most evil of ways, usually involving stalking and attacking the other cats. This went on in our household for years, and we tried every known bit of behavioral advice provided by veterinarians and others but the best we could manage was a tense stalemate that would eventually erupt in violence again.

Then one day my partner’s sister said she was interested in getting a pet, but wasn’t sure if she wanted a cat or a dog, and wished she could live with a pet on a “trial basis.” Within an hour, Mookie was crated and sent along with a bunch of supplies over to his new temporary home, which is just two streets down from our house. Honestly, I thought I would miss him more than I have. I love that cat, but the house is so much more peaceful with him gone.

Mookie would say the feeling is mutual, I’m sure. He absolutely loves his new home (where he is the only animal) and all of the attention he receives. He “chats” more and is much more needy than when he lived with us. It’s been about a month now, and it looks like the move may become permanent. We visit him, and he still seems to remember us, but he certainly doesn’t beg us to take him back to his former abode.

Have you ever given a cat (or other pet) to a family member, either on a temporary or permanent basis? How did it work out? Was it the right move or did you regret the decision?

Photo: iStockphoto.com

Rule No. 2: Training   How much time to you dedicate to exercising, training, or socializing your dog? (Click here for Rule No. 1, Education)Training doesn’t stop after you puppy graduates from puppy class. My proof is my foster rottweilers and pitbulls. If you have a 5-year-old dog who’s never had training, it’s not too late. My goal with training is not to have that perfect heel or the best sit or stay, but to create a reliable dog that can be enjoyed by me and complete strangers they meet and be reliable in sticky situations if another dog isn’t as socialized or trained as they are. Who wants to meet or visit with a dog that’s jumping all over them? Where is the enjoyment in that? Training will teach your dog how to greet a person. Training creates a reliable dog inside the home and outside the home. Having a dog should be an enjoyment, a blessing, not a curse or to stress you out. Finding a great obedience trainer in your area and building a relationship with them and your dog will help so much in the long run. Find a trainer today, and get into a class(s), you won’t regret it. Share your training success stories.How do you find a good trainer in metro Atlanta?

Today’s comment comes from Donna P. after a recent vacation, on the topic of boarding pets at kennels:

We drove about 16 hours and stopped outside of Richmond, Va., for a night then continued the next day. My husband ALWAYS asks me to either board the dogs or fly up with them in the airplane’s cargo hold up to Massachusetts. Each time, I tell him all the horror stories I hear about dogs … being mistreated in boarding kennels. I also make sure we stay in pet friendly hotels.

When you travel, do you board your pets in kennels or do you avoid them? What are the best pet-friendly hotels for travelers?