Stay Tuned - The Dog Blog Carnival is Coming Up

The Dog Blog Carnival is coming up this weekend. If you have a post that you would like to submit, the deadline is Saturday night. Submit your posts here

Will this be the last edition of the Dog Blog Carnival? The Carnival is looking for new hosts. If you would like to host the carnival you can contact me via the page above and let me know. It's not difficult to host and you get links back from all of the participants.

Field Trip to the Dog Show

Julia and I took a short field trip to Raleigh, NC to the dog show last week. We wanted to see the different breeds competing and being groomed for competition. It's always good to pick up tips and pointers from the professional handlers and breeders who compete weekly. They groom differently than we do for pets but there are still ideas that we can use. I thought I would share a couple of the pictures that I took before my camera died.


These are the Bernese Mountain Dogs in the show ring. The judge looks at their conformation and the way they trot to select the best dog.
These are the English Bulldogs. They are so cute.


This is a Shih Tzu getting ready for the ring. They spend hours brushing and drying their coat. You can see that he has his moustache rubber banded up to keep it out of his water when he drinks.

We had a great time and learned a lot. We got to drool over all the beautiful dogs and even got in some shopping.

The Dog Blog Carnival - St Patricks Day Edition

Welcome to the March 16, 2008 edition of the dog blog carnival.

Waldo presents Waldo and His Leprechaun saying "Waldo wants to dance a jig in his St Patricks Day hat"

Dog Care

Christine Wilhelm presents The Cat / Dog Log: Be aware of what's in your dog's treats posted at The Cat / Dog Log.

Christine Wilhelm presents The Cat / Dog Log: Does your dog have separation anxiety? posted at The Cat / Dog Log.

Theodore Pappas presents Remembering Susan Butcher (Champion Musher, 1954 - 2006) posted at Britannica Blog, saying, "What's interesting about this post is not so much the post, linking to Britannica entries on the ongoing Iditarod dogsled race and its four-time winner Susan Butcher, but the comments, which feature a pointed debate on the issue of sled dogs and the accusation by some activists that the race animals are abused. The Chief Veterinarian of the Iditarod counters the accusations in detail."

Allie presents My Dog?s Microchip May Have Given Him Cancer posted at Allie's Answers, saying, "Think before you microchip. It may not be as safe as it seems."

Laura presents Grow Old With Me... at Children & Chocolate and Other Paths to God posted at BeutlerBlogger.

Dog Pictures

Sonja Foust presents Midnight Snack posted at Sonja Foust, saying, "Sydney the black lab enjoys watching the consumption of a midnight snack."

Gloria presents No More Pictures!! posted at Saddeyezz Scraps & Snaps.

Alanna presents What's one more animal....???? posted at Fare all'uncinetto.

Dog Stories

Lalaine presents Hello World! posted at Eating with Mocha, saying, "This the story of my baby Mocha. :)"

Silveral presents Celebrity Pets – And Their Owners. | Celebrity News, and Gossip posted at Celebrity News, and Gossip.

General Dog Stuff

Debie presents Save a Schipperke posted at Dogs Dollars & Sense, saying, "Here is a chance to win a new laptop, router and printer AND help rescue dogs at the same time.Check out this story of the woman and the Schipperke!"

Country Groomer presents Why Responsible Breeders Do Not Support Anti Pet Legislation saying, "This is a look at why responsible breeders are fighting spay/neuter, anti breeding, anti pet legislation."

Humor

Madeleine Begun Kane presents May I Please Have Your Paw In Marriage? posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
the dog blog carnival
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. The Dog Blog Carnival is looking for blogs who would like to host the carnival for future editions. You can apply on the Carnival Page or leave me a comment here. It's easy and lots of fun.

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Why Responsible Breeders Don't Support Anti Pet Legislation

This letter was written in response to a post from the VA PAWS group. While it is specifically talking about one group, it applies to many and illustrates more than anything I could say why responsible breeders do not support the anti pet legislation being proposed across the country by the Humane Society of the US. If you are in rescue, ask yourself if you have ever been guilty of any of these things. (Highlighting is mine and this is posted with permission. )

Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 11:48 AM, Lila Borge Wills <lborge@vt.edu> wrote:
> Robin, I don't know where you got the information. VA PAWS board members did
> not go to Richmond and did not work with Teresa on this legislation. Teresa
> and others did this on their own.
>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I was in Richmond during all of the committee meetings on HB538 and
was not aware of any VA PAWS members there, though I believe the
organization was mentioned in Teresa's testimony as a supporter.

Lila, I don't imagine that there is a soul on this list who does not
applaud most of VA PAWS efforts in education, the human-animal bond,
rescue, etc. The trouble is that you have fallen in with bad company.
The Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and its mothership, HSUS,
are dedicated to making it more difficult,more expensive, and more
legally dangerous to own pets. If you look at the legislation they
promote, NONE of it is helpful -- it is all designed to punish people
they do not think are "good enough" to own pets. I won't even get
into the whole HSUS animal rights agenda, but if you want to know more
about it, go to pet-law.com and click on "The Future of Dogs."

The reason you run into such hostility on this list is that none of us
really want to be here. We don't want to have to spend our lives
fighting for the right to own and breed animals. We'd rather spend
our time with our pets and families. We believe that if current
welfare laws were ENFORCED, that along with leash laws and noise
ordinances, that's all we need.

We love animals -- many of us on this list rescue, volunteer at
shelters, have therapy dogs, you'd be surprised.. Walt and I have had
many shelter dogs and one of our older girls is a Lab/Chow mix I found
in the woodpile when she was four weeks old. I've been involved with
rescue since before it was rescue, when it was just "picking up
strays."

The trouble with "modern" rescuers is that many of them have gone from loving animals to hating humans. Because they DO see the worst, they assume all owners are terrible people and they spend their lives
looking for ways to separate people from their animals.

You see this in rescue organizations whose criteria for "adoption" are
so strict that only one out of ten people could pass.

You see it in shelter workers who would rather put an animal to sleep
than release it to a less-than-perfect (by their definition) home.
(And yes, I have heard that said out loud by the DIRECTOR of a large
shelter in Virginia)

And you see it in organizations like VVAW and VFHS who want to pass
laws that will prohibit anyone from breeding and even from owning more
animals than *they* think can be properly cared for.

These people are bitter and damaged and if you listen to their
conversations, they nearly always center around "stupid" or "cruel"
owners or how abused or neglected an animal was that they took into
care. They completely overlook the fact that for every mistreated dog
or cat, there are HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS living happy, healthy lives.
People who rescue or work in shelters are there to help the EXCEPTION.

But for many of them. the longer they stay in these positions, the
more they begin to believe that hardly anyone is "good enough."

The dog spends its day in the yard? Poor thing, probably never gets
any attention.
In the house? Probably spends all day crated without water.
Families got kids? You know they just drive that dog crazy and are mean to him.
No kids? That poor dog will never get any exercise and will be alone...
And on and on and on. I have actually heard a rescue say she would
not approve a family whose "house was too nice." Why? Because what
would they do if the dog peed on the rug? (Probably the same thing
that our puppy buyers who are doctors, lawyers, architects, and
stockbrokers do -- clean it up.)

Of course this is not true of all rescuers and shelter workers, but
these people are where the punitive laws come from. And it is why
those of us who believe people and pets belong together spend far, far
too much time fighting this kind of legislation,

The educational efforts you mention are good, Lila, and if you can
keep burnout from infecting VAPAWS with the "Rescue Messiah Complex,"
you'll do some good.

And I'll make you a deal. I can't speak for anyone on the list except
me and Walt, but if VA PAWS would
-- cut completely its ties with HSUS, VFHS, VVAW, and all other
organizations involved in passing legislation
-- stay out of commercial breeder seizures and "investigations", (that
is what animal control is for)
-- and stick with your non-punitive, non-judgmental programs to HELP
people and animals,

we would not only support you but would send you a check. A small one
because we don't have much money, but we'd put it where our mouth is.
Okay, where MY mouth is.

Think about it. A real non-political animal WELFARE organization we
could encourage people to support. Right now we just tell them to send
donations to their local shelters if they are not AR-leaning, or to
the AKC Humane Fund. I'd love to be able to support yours instead.
(and I am serious)

Sharyn

Sharyn and Walt Hutchens
Timbreblue Whippets
Virginia

The Dog Blog Carnival - Coming TOMORROW

We have a selection of great posts for tomorrow's carnival. Don't forget to stop by and check them out. If you have a dog post, it's not to late to submit them. More informations can be had by clicking here.

Groomers Story: "Oh By the Way..."

In order to understand this story, you have to know a little bit about being a groomer. People bring us their dogs and leave them in our care for a few hours or a day. They trust us to take the very best of care of them and it's a responsibility that most of us take very seriously.

I groom in a very small town and I know most of my client's dogs almost as well as I know my own. I know their personalities and their health problems. Unlike many grooming shops, I do a fair number of elderly dogs. My oldest client is 20. Grooming seniors is special. They often have severe life threatening health conditions that the stress of even the most careful grooming can make worse so I am always a little concerned that something might happen at the shop.

I have one client in particular who is elderly and has a congestive heart condition. She requires special care while she is here and she is here frequently. I always, always worry about her until she is safe in her owner's arms.

A month or so ago, I was checking her out and heaving a sigh of relief that we had made it through another day without any crisis when her owner looked at me and said,

"Oh by the way, she died last week."

The first thing that hit me was confusion, you know the pet semetary kind of confusion because I am looking at a very much alive dog or her twin sister. I believe my jaw must have hit the floor.

He said, "Yup, I went in the kitchen and she was laying on the floor, not breathing and her heart wasn't beating."

I think I managed to stutter an "Oh My God!"

"I thumped her on the chest a couple of times and shook her and she came back to life."

Ok, so now I am having a heart attack. This dog is the constant companion of a retired couple and their sun rises and sets with her. I can't tell you the things that were going through my mind but I did manage,

"Could you let me know if she dies again BEFORE I groom her?"

So the moral of this story is that if your dog has been born again, please let your groomer know of that or any other health conditions when you drop them off. This pup gets the royal treatment when she is with me and I still worry that something might happen and I might not be as quick to do CPR as her owner was.

The Dog Blog Carnival - March 2 Edition

Shiba Inu Puppy

Welcome to the March 2, 2008 edition of the dog blog carnival. Some submissions were not included as they were not related to dogs.

Dog Stories

Bonnie Story presents What about the Scottie and Chihuahua Mix? posted at Pepper: Scottish Terrier and Chihuahua Mix!, saying, "I don't promote "designer dog" mixes but this little dog that I rescued is really something else! Here are some tips about terrier/Chi mixes in general and lots of pictures to boot."

Dog Tips

Sagar presents How to: Travel with Pets - the Ultimate Guide posted at Travelhacker.

DoggieWoggie presents Learn Your Dog’s Body Language posted at Doggiewoggie - All About Dogs.

Vera Lang presents Make Your Own Dog Food With Only All Natural Ingredients posted at Fine Pet Care .com, saying, "The call for natural, no preservatives, no additives canine food has increased, ever since it was discovered that some brand name dog foods might be harmful to our dog’s health ... Find Your ALL NATURAL Answer Here!"

poetloverrebelspy presents Westminster Dog Show: Traveling with Pets in NYC posted at Less Than a Shoestring, saying, "Last month's Westminster Dog Show left me with a burning question: where do those thousands of dogs and their owners stay in New York City? Find this answer and other advice for keeping your pets in top form on your travels in this post."

General Dog Stuff

Anindita Gupta presents Seven Indian dog breeds you did not know existed posted at Paws Awhile.

Humor

Riley presents Working at the Dog Wash, Yeah posted at All Rileyed Up, saying, "A brief story about washing the dog."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
the dog blog carnival
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:

the dog blog carnival, blog carnival.