Dog News from the Web

Scientists decode dogspeak

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:57:09 PST

Artificially intelligent Dr. Doolittles can understand dog barks as well or better than humans do. These findings suggest computers might significantly help people comprehend animal communication. Scientists tested artificially intelligent software on more than 6,000 barks from 14 Hungarian sheepdogs.
After analyzing digital versions of the barks, overall the computer program correctly identified the kinds of barks the dogs made 43 percent of the time - about the same as humans' 40 percent, said researcher Csaba Molnar, an ethologist at Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary. The software identified 'walk' and 'ball' barks better than people, although people identified 'play' and 'alone' barks better than the software.

Veterans visit Riverside memorial to honor war dogs

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 10:09:34 PST

The small group of veterans gathers at Riverside's March Field Air Museum once a year, traveling from all corners of the country, to mourn forgotten heroes of battle. They come to honor the dogs that saved lives by detecting booby traps and watching over military camps, dogs that became trusted friends in times of loneliness. The meeting point is the 16-foot-tall West Coast War Dog Memorial, which holds a bronze statue of a soldier and his German shepherd. For years, veterans have sought to have the contributions of war dogs recognized with a national monument. The West Coast memorial, designed by Denver-area sculptor A. Thomas Schomberg, was to have been placed at Riverside National Cemetery, but a national Veterans Affairs advisory committee argued that doing so would be disrespectful. The museum agreed to take it, and the veterans to meet there every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

Shih Tzu Dog Training - Body Language Your Shih Tzu Understands

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 08:29:17 PST

Shih Tzu dogs are highly intelligent creatures and many pet owners do not give them enough credit when it comes to the way they can read and understand our body language. Some people have no idea that the body language that we display has a major impact on how well a Shih Tzu dog will listen to us and obey our commands. Using the correct form of body language can also quickly stop your Shih Tzu dog from displaying an improper behavior. Let's use a very common example, such as the overexcited Shih Tzu dog who likes to jump on every guest that comes to your door. We all go through this with our puppy or adult Shih Tzu dog at some point in time. As soon as the guests arrive your Shih Tzu is overwhelmed with happiness and excitement about who is at the door and whether or not they are going to play with him.

Career has gone to dogs

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 09:34:58 PST

'If you do what you love, you'll never 'work' another day in your life," says Connie Pinkerton, who left a corporate job after 22 years to become a dog trainer. The first step toward Pinkerton's career change began four years ago when she became a volunteer at Human Haven Animal Shelter (HHAS) in Bolingbrook. Bark Busters, a company comprised of dog behavioral therapists and trainers, demonstrated their training methods to HHAS volunteers and Pinkerton was sold on their mission to enable clear communication between owners and their dogs. Shortly after the demonstration, Pinkerton enrolled in the Bark Buster "boot camp" and became a certified trainer. Pinkerton's training makes her a valuable resource as an adoption counselor at HHAS, since she is able to provide assistance if problems occur after a dog is adopted. She uses non-physical training methods in the owner's home that teach the owner how to "talk to your dog in a dog's language," and has trained more than 100 dogs in the past year.

Laurence Mancuso Dies; Founding Abbot Was 72

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:34:36 PST

The Rev. Laurence Mancuso, the founding abbot of the Monks of New Skete, whose hilltop monastery in upstate New York is renowned for breeding German shepherds and teaching a holistic approach to dog training, died on June 10 in Framingham, Mass. He was 72 and had lived in Natick, Mass., since his retirement in 2000. In 1969, a kennel in Morristown, N.J., donated a German shepherd to the monastery. But one winter night, the dog ran away. The monks had become so attached to the dog, Brother Stavros said, that they soon replaced it with two others, and then began breeding more. Soon, visitors who drove up the road to buy produce at the monastery began begging for puppies. With Father Laurence's approval, but under the supervision of another monk, the brothers studied veterinary medicine, animal nutrition and breeding techniques. The monastery's pack of German shepherds continued to grow, with one dog at a time assigned to each monk for training.

Fence Climbing Dogs

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:26:26 PST

Some dogs are just fence climbers. This particular German Shorthair, Daisy, is a 30 pound bundle of energy. She is as sweet as they come, but you have to watch her; she climbs fences better than my 5 year old boy (who climbs like a monkey, by the way). We have to have a lid on the kennel and have it tightly wired down. Daisy hadn't been in the kennel 10 minutes and was out again. I was dumbfounded as to how she got out, because there was a top on it. I put her back and watched her leap 6' in the air, cling on and climb to the top and push her way through the roof fence panel edge. Needless to say, we have wired it down tight all the way around now. Now she climbs around the upper section of our kennel about like a gibbon, but can't get out.

Dog Training and Classical Conditioning

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 07:22:03 PST

To understand how classical conditioning works in dog training, you are going to do a simple dog training exercise. You are not going to teach any practical skill to your dog but this is a very important exercise to understand the first step in dog training: classical conditioning. Therefore, this exercise is more useful to you than your dog. Take in account that you can't carry out this exercise if your dog is not able to eat solid food (for instance, very young puppies or dogs which must be in a special diet because of health problems). You need 15 to 20 food treats for your dog. These treats could be any healthy food that your dog enjoys, such as sliced hot-dogs, chicken chunks, dog food pellets, freeze dried liver, etc. Food treats must be of about the size of a navy bean (this is very important). Your dog must be off-leash, so you must find a fenced place to carry out the classical conditioning exercise. It must be a place your dog is familiar with, and there should be no distractions. In other words, you, your dog and the food treats must be alone in that place.

Summer advice for the four-legged set

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:54:27 PST

ONEIDA - While summertime often means fun in the sun for humans and their furry companions, it can also bring about unpleasant circumstances for the four-legged set. From parasites to extra pounds, dogs and cats face special health concerns during summer and it's up to their human counterparts to help them through those sweltering dog days. On Saturday, the Oneida Animal Hospital, in conjunction with Wanderers' Rest Humane Association and the Humane Society of Rome, held its second annual pet fair. Several experts were on hand to provide advice on such topics as parasite treatments, pet diets and grooming.

Is Doggy Day Camp Right for Your Pet?

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 09:50:03 PST

At Best Friends, we have been running doggy day camp programs since 1997. We suggest the following guidelines to anyone thinking about camp for their family pet:

Consider Whether It Will Benefit Your Dog

In most cases, the answer is yes. Day camp is a great choice for high-energy dogs who need lots of daily exercise, as well as for puppies and young dogs who demand frequent interaction. At the other end of the spectrum, overweight dogs and older dogs suffering from arthritis can also benefit because the excitement around them gets them up and moving. (Be sure to check with your veterinarian first.)

Day camp can also be very beneficial for a dog who becomes anxious when left home alone and who expresses his discomfort with problem behaviors like howling, damaging furnishings or soiling in the house. In addition, shy dogs who can gain confidence around other canines. However, day camp won't help with a dog suffering from serious separation anxiety or fear issues; you'll need to seek assistance from a professional trainer before considering day camp for these pets.

Dogs hone skills to catch poachers

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:15:25 PST

RISING SUN, Md. - In the middle of a remote campsite, Warden stopped and began scratching at the ground where an ammunition magazine was hidden by officers under a pile of dried grass.

In another minute he found a shotgun shell.

And in another, he found a holster.

"When he starts to scratch to indicate he's found something, we throw a ball at him," said Cpl. Casey Zolper, a Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife enforcement agent. "Everything is a big game to him."

Like other black Labrador retrievers, Warden's favorite game is fetch. But he plays for a different reason.

Warden and Zolper were practicing article detection - a training exercise designed to help in the enforcement of regulations against poaching. Warden and dogs that work with environmental police units in Maryland and Pennsylvania are spending five days at the Boy Scouts of America's Camp Horseshoe in northern Cecil County to hone skills used in investigating hunting violations.

"We actually have quite a good bit of poaching throughout the whole state," Zolper said.

New police dog just beginning to get the hang of new job

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:11:19 PST

Though he just returned from training in Mechanicsburg on Friday, Sugarcreek Borough Police Department's new K-9 officer was hard at work running through training exercises Thursday.

Gudzis "Goose" started official duties Monday, and so far has not been called upon for searches.

Patrolman Ryan Ashbaugh, Goose's handler, said it has been a big adjustment going from working with Szultan, the K-9 officer he worked with for several years that was killed when hit by a car while off-duty in November, to a "green" dog like Goose.

The two dogs have similar, friendly personalities, but Ashbaugh said Szultan had been so well trained and so used to working with him, that he needed little commanding.

"He knew what I wanted him to do, before I had to say anything," Ashbaugh recalled.

Goose, on the other hand, is just learning, and needs a lot of reinforcement.

"He's a good dog and I have no doubt we'll get there," Ashbaugh said.

Book offers tips on how to 'Get rid of the problem, not the dog'

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:08:13 PST

There can be so many problems we face when we have a dog. Just watch an episode of "The Dog Whisperer" and you will see what we mean. When someone decides to get a puppy, they are not trained and sometimes the puppies have developed horrible habits. It can be overwhelming. But before you get rid of your dog, read on. "Get Rid of the Problem, Not the Dog," by Rod Cassidy is a great book that tackles many "dog issues." Over the next couple of weeks, we want to share excerpts from his book. The first problem is very common. Chewing.

TRAINING AREA FOR PIT BULLS FOUND

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:03:06 PST

Concealed in a wooded area off a dead end street on the east side of Pine Bluff, police and animal control officers discovered what appeared to be a fully operational training ground for pit bulldogs Thursday morning. Director of Animal Control DeLoyd Cleveland said the find, in the woods beside 4201 Texas St., was made almost by accident.

"We were in the area of looking for a stray dog and when we pulled into the driveway of the house to turn around, we saw a pit bulldog come out of the woods," he said. 'We followed the dog into the woods and when we got a little way in, we could hear all that barking and saw the dogs staked out in the woods."

After obtaining a search warrant, animal control officers and police returned to the area Thursday to seize the dogs, who were being kept in violation of a city ordinance that regulates pit bulldogs, as well as another ordinance that limits the number of animals that can be kept in the city limits.

NFL Players Involved in Dog Fighting?

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:58:12 PST

There is a great deal of evidence tying Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick to a very large dog-fighting business (5/30, Sports, "Vick search warrant issued"). Clinton Portis, a Washington running back, stated that if Vick wanted to participate in dog fighting, he should do it, that it's nobody's business. This situation is a perfect example of sports figures who are overglorified and regarded as above the law because they are stars. Dog fighting is a felony and an extremely violent, cruel sport. Dogs routinely fight to the death in bloodbaths. Some are used as bait, mouths taped shut. Dogs that lose are thrown out, wounded, to suffer and die alone. Some are chained so tightly they can't lay their heads down. Others are set on fire.

Willow will be more than just a companion dog

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:51:04 PST

BEATRICE, Neb. - Her name is Willow. Like most dogs, Willow, a brown and black Belgian Tervuren, will spend her life being a close companion to her owner, Roxann Hamilton of Beatrice. But, in the next few months she will go beyond that of a loving companion and friend to one of service dog. Hamilton and Willow are taking part in a program provided by Noah's Assistance Dogs of Crete that assists owners in training their companion dogs to become service dogs to fit their various medical and emotional needs. When most people think of service or assistance dogs, they often think of guide dogs. But service dogs benefit and assist with many other needs. There are service dogs for emotional support, mobility, psychiatric care, medical alert, seizure alert, diabetic alert, hearing dogs and autism alert, Hamilton said. There are also therapy dogs.

Bark Busters opens new franchise in Fort Myers

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:47:06 PST

Bark Busters, the world's largest dog training company, is expanding into Southwest Florida. New franchise owner Patrick Logue, of Fort Myers, selected a Bark Busters franchise for this market because of its dog-loving culture and the strong demand for a gentle and natural approach that delivers results. The area is typical of a metropolitan area in that dogs are frequently kept in confined areas, which can easily lead to behavioral issues, such as barking, aggression, separation anxiety, hyperactivity and general unruliness.

'Just a dog'? There's no such thing

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:37:20 PST

A friend sent me this via e-mail. The words weren't attributed to anyone, but they struck a deep, deep chord - a chord often played by not just dog owners, but also by cat, horse, rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, rat, pig, reptile - and every other kind of animal you might name - owners. With apologies to the writer for not being able to identify him or her: "From time to time, people tell me, 'Lighten up; it's just a dog,' or, 'That's a lot of money for just a dog.' "They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent or the costs involved for 'just a dog.' "Some of my proudest moments have come about with 'just a dog.' Many hours have passed and my only company was 'just a dog,' but I did not once feel slighted.

City program helps new pet owners train their dogs

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:30:04 PST

Tinker Bell was an adorable black-and-brown Chihuahua, with big, brown eyes and a wagging tail when Madge Hughes got her as a gift from the animal shelter. For Tinker Bell, life was happily ever after. Not so for Hughes, who only discovered post-adoption that Tinker Bell likes to chew. A lot. On socks. On shoes. On arms. Ready to throw in the (well-chewed) towel, Hughes instead decided to turn to Ask the Trainer to provide assistance in dealing with Tinker Bell's restless and fearless nature. The free service of the city of Albuquerque provides dog training for people who are having problems with puppies and adult dogs they adopted at local shelters. Ask the Trainer is part of the city's effort to encourage people who adopt pets from shelters to keep them.

Training Dogs Fills Hole Left in Couple's Heart

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:36:22 PST

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show - Mike and Marianna Smith showed dogs for several years in the 1970s. Then their children were born, and the hobby took a back seat as the Smiths became swim team parents. They followed their daughter, Jennifer, from meet to meet as she competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. It wasn't until 1997 that dog shows again became a part of their lives - for a very different reason. In December 1996, Jennifer was killed in a car accident. Suddenly, a dachshund puppy, Maid Marion, they had just bought for their son, Zach, became a rallying point for the family. "We began showing her," Marianna Smith said. "The first time that I cared to live (since Jennifer had died) was when we went to a dog show."

Want A Showdog? Start Preparing Before Birth

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:33:55 PST

Admit it, you've thought about it. Maybe you were watching Best In Show, or maybe you were catching a rerun of Bravo's reality television show, Showdogs Moms & Dads. At some point you looked over at your canine companion and thought, "My dog could do that." Maybe you even want to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club's annual dog show, running Feb. 12 and 13 this year. Unless you've invested years of time and thousands of dollars into your dog's training, chances are it can't. Turning your dog into a showdog isn't something that's decided on a whim. According to Susan Kerwin-Hagen, a certified American Kennel Club judge and coordinator of Midwest Airlines Premier Pet Program, it's a choice that should be made long before you've even taken your puppy home.