#Dog #Thunderstorm #Fears: what can be done?

I may be under the desk, but I'm asleep.  Fear of thunder?  Balderdash.

      Australian Weather Warning: A severe thunderstorm warning for damaging winds, flash flooding and large hailstones has been issued for Brisbane and southeast Queensland.

         When I was a child, my terrier mix, named Muddy, was very frightened of thunderstorms (as was my mother – is there a possible explanation of canine behavior there?)  We would attempt to crawl under the bed to comfort him, but that didn’t much help. 

           After we hid in the basement in Michigan because a tornado was passing through the area, our Shih Tzu became frightened of the sound of thunder.  Tranquilizers did not help either the dog or us.

         So, what to do when your dog is frightened of thunder?  Gizmo seems fairly calm if we are in the house.  If we are away, his misbehavior vastly increases.  He has scratched the inner door to the garage to the point where it needs refinishing.  He has re-arranged the bedspread and pillows in our room with more manic energy than before.  And he has greeted our return with what can only be described as riotous and long-lasting overwhelming gratitude because we actually came back.

          Other than ignoring the dog, what can be done about canine thunder phobia?

“I never married because there was no need. I have three pets at home which answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog which growls every morning, a parrot which swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late at night.”   Marie Corelli

After long car trip, #good news - #bad news on arrival.

Please tell me it was more good news than bad??

     First day back after almost 13-hour, two-day, two car drive from New Mexico to Palm Desert, CA., Gizmo gives us good news and bad:

     Bad News:  Because I was too tired to put together the cage (and because Gizmo had no accidents in the Comfort Inn in Flagstaff, AR.,) Gizmo was free to lay down anywhere he wanted on the first night back in our California home.  He wandered a bit, lying down near my side of the bed, then near Grace’s side, in the bathroom and under a shelf in the hallway, but he finally settled down.

           In the morning, we discovered that he urinated twice in his old fravorite spot in Grace’s office (“BAD DOG”).  He also vomited on the striped rug in my office, which was not his fault.

         The good news is, without any apparent signals on my part, Gizmo knew to go my preferred route and cut across the sand spit on the corner of the water filtration plant near us.  Smart dog, but he’s two years old, when will he become housebroken?

           Solution: I put together the cage that evening, Gizmo ran into it that night, no mistakes that morning.

“Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative.”  Mordecai Wyatt Johnson

Mauling: #Staffordshire #Bull Terrier juiced on #Stella #Artois

Staffordshire Bull Terrier 

 

Monday 24 October 2011

Boy mauled by #Stafordshire #Bull #Terrier 'drunk on #Stella' #Artois

       London Telegraph: A 10-year-old boy could be scarred for life after being bitten in the face by a dog that had been given strong lager by its owners.

            Joseph Pickering was attacked by the Staffordshire bull terrier just minutes after it had been fed a can of Stella Artois that had been poured down its throat "because it was thirsty".

         The boy, from Lancashire, was bitten in the face by the dog after leaning over his next door neighbour's fence to stroke it.

He was rushed to hospital with facial wounds just above his eye and needed a skin graft to treat the injury.

         The dog, called Diesel, had been fed lager by its owner's uncle after complaints that the dog was thirsty and needed a drink.  It was said to be a "generally good-natured dog" before the incident.      

     COMMENT: would it have happened if lite beer was served?  Would the dog have drunk the lite beer?  Can we blame the beer, the dog, the owner or the kid who leaned over a fence and went into the dog’s territory?  Will the beer, Stella Artois, ever mention this in advertisements?

“The rich man's dog gets more in the way of vaccination, medicine and medical care than do the workers upon whom the rich man's wealth is built.”   Samora Machel

#Gizmo returns twice to convince Grace to go on a #walk with us

Please, please, please come on a walk with us!

      Our loving dog returns to hug Grace twice, encouraging her to come with on my walk with Gizmo.  Gizmo is the dog that wants everyone along to enjoy the walk.

         Despite desperately wanting to go on a walk, Gizmo returned twice in an attempt to get Grace to go along with us. 

         “You know how most dogs lick you on the cheek? If you're sleeping and not ready for it, my dog, Joe, will get his tongue inside your mouth. It's by far the worst kiss I've ever had.”  Will Estes

#Labrador resuscitated by #mouth to #snout breaths

Back from the dead: #Labrador resuscitated by #mouth to #snout breaths  By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Their quick thinking heroism saved the day.

       Firefighters in Wisconsin gave went beyond the call of duty to give the kiss of life to Labrador Coda, after rescuing the dog from a burning house .

The pup, who had become trapped on the second floor of a home when the fire broke out had stopped breathing, but made a full recovery after his mouth-to-snout resuscitation

      Appearing on the Today show, firefighter Jamie Giese said that rescuers had found Coda in the very last room they searched, where the fire had started.

He said: 'We thought the dog was dead. Then when they brought the dog down we could tell he was trying to breathe.'

     Although he didn't know exactly what to do Giese told the other firefighter 'we gotta work this dog'. 'We laid him down in the front yard and assisted his breathing.

      The fire was reported around 4.00pm and fire fighters found Coda sitting on a rocking chair, probably in shock.  (OR just taking advantage of the opportunity to sit in that chair?)

       As well as perfroming mouth-to snout they also splashed his soot-covered fur with water and later used an oxygen mask to bring life back to the pet.

'It was all improvised,' Mr Giese said.

“Hunger and fear are the only realities in dog life: an empty stomach makes a fierce dog.”   Robert Falcon Scott

#Rin #Tin #Tin: not a #guard #dog

For you, I'm always on patrol. 

     New York Times book review  of “Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend,” critic Jennifer Schuessler reported some odd facts about the movie dog: Rin Tin Tin was named as a co-respondent in the divorce between his master, Lee Duncan, and Duncan’s first wife, a socialite.  (Did the dog take up too much room in the bed?)                                               

     The first Rin Tin Tin “wasn’t very friendly.”             

     The second Rin Tin Tin was “lazy and stupid” and once slept through the burglary of the house where he was staying.  (Rinty was good at jumping 12 feet and diving through a plate-glass window – guard dog actrivity was not part of his job description.)                                    

     The author, Susan Orlean, met several people with odd ideas, including a Peruvian who thought he was Rin Tin Tin reincarnated (presumably housebroken) and the Texas dog breeder who said she was Rin Tin Tin (but never demonstrated that by licking her own genitals).

“Every man is wise when attacked by a mad dog; fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion.”  Robertson Davies

#Amanda #Seyfried walks #dog wearing #booty #shorts

Amanda, Booty Shorts & Amp, the Dog: which are you looking at?

        From Celebuzz:  “Looking good Amanda Seyfried! The gorgeous “In Time” actress was all smiles as she took her pooch for a walk around West Hollywood.                                                                                                                        Wearing army printed short-shorts and a tank top, Seyfried appeared to be in good spirits as she hung with her friends and furry pal."

              Comment: First, who is Amanda Seyfried?  Turns out she was a kid model, who appeared in soap operas and acted in “Mean Girls as the ditziest one, was admired in “Momma Mia!,” and other films I have never heard of.  But she is famous enough to warrant being followed by paparazzi when she walks her dog.   

       More important: what are “Booty Shorts”?  Appoarently they are shorts that are small enough and tight enough to show one’s booty, or, I believe, backside.  The pictures did not show that.                                                                                    

     And, most important of all as far as I’m concerned:  what breed of dog was she walking?  Does that make me seem ancient indeed: when I am more interested in the dog than the starlet or the booty shorts?  I feel like shouting, “Keep off my lawn!!”

     “People's dreams are made out of what they do all day. The same way a dog that runs after rabbits will dream of rabbits. It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.” Barbara #Kingsolver