When Patience is a Virtue
canine
March 2021 Doggone Canine
This month I decided to dig into my own collection of photos. This picture is a photo of one of my shelties. When I brought him home from the breeder, his ears were glued in the hopes that his ears would get that cute end of the ear flip.
As soon as I unglued his ears during his first bath, the indecision started. Both ears flapped down. Then they both popped up. Up and down they went until eventually one went up and the other fell down. That one, the one that drooped, could be seen in his long fur. One day a little girl asked to pet him and as she approached him, she said, “Where’s the other ear?”
The Pooch and the Howl-I-Day
During your Christmas shopping did you grab a little something for your faithful companion. As PetSmart is so found of advertising “This is the spoiling season”. I’ll admit that I have put something under the tree for my dogs – but usually it’s Kolbassa or something really smelly that I know they will actually unwrap. (It only comes out on Christmas morning as I wouldn’t like to see the tree destroyed due to them searching for that tantalizing odor under the tree.) However, if your puppy deserves more that a tasty, spicy piece of processed meat, one of these collars might be just what you’re looking for. I’ll stick to the washable fabric harness…
Doggone Canine for September
Photo comes from Instagram and was posted by Animalonplanet
Do dogs enjoy taking photos
When my husband retired he bought his first DSLR Camera. We were all subjected to his “inspiration” but our dogs were especially so. After a while they refused to look at him when he pointed the camera at them. I really think they had got bored with the whole thing.
In my dog’s eye
What I treasure about this picture is that my husband and I are reflected in my dog’s eye.
Things about dogs you were (maybe) afraid to ask
The following are questions I’ve secretly asked myself about my own dogs. I found the answers through internet research. Here I provide a short answer, and I have provided links where I found the best information should you want further knowledge.
Do dogs have boogers?
My dog has a very long snout so I figured that was the reason I never saw boogers coming out of his nose. In fact, it is rare to see dogs with anything hanging out of their nose unless they are sick. Mucus in a dog can be caused by an infection, allergies and injuries. If your dog has mucus running out of his nose you should bring him to the vet. This is not the same as little bit of watery discharge, which is normal.
http://www.pawster.com/dogs-boogers/
Do dogs dream and have nightmares?
Dogs go through similar sleep stages as humans. Within 20 minutes of falling asleep a dog will often start to twitch, quiver, paw-swim, and even growl. What do they dream about? They often relive the activities they experience during the day. That is, a dog will dream about chasing a ball, or barking at the mailman, or taking a walk with his pal. I assume that a working sheep dog will occasionally dream about a flock of sheep. (I don’t know if he will count them.)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201010/do-dogs-dream
How often should I trim my dog’s claws?
I was in hospital and afterwards convalescing over several weeks. When I finally felt well enough to get down to the living-room, I noticed that when my dogs walked across the laminate floor their claws made a clicking noise, a sound that can drive me to distraction. As soon as I was feeling up to it, I got out the clippers and trimmed their claws. It’s winter and my dogs don’t get a chance to “file” their claws down on pavement or gravel or rocky surfaces so their claws were quite long.
Some vets recommend you clip a dog’s claws weekly to get him accustomed to the procedure. I find that if I have the luxury of doing it weekly, I rarely need to use the clipper, I just use a file made special for dog claws.
So when should you clip your dog’s claws? When he needs it. Check weekly and try to clip them at least monthly. Pay special attention to the dew claw which can curl back into the dog’s paw.
http://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-often-should-you-cut-your-dogs-nails
Can a dog outsmart me?
I always thought I’d love to have a border collie. It seems that they are more than well represented at obedience trials and show trials. However, I have spoken to a number of border collie owners and some have actually told me that they would never own another one. When I asked why, they said, “Because he outsmarts me.” And I thought, “Oh come on.”
But research proves it. If you don’t stimulate your smart dog’s brain, he will outsmart you. And that means that he will likely do so in destructive ways like collaborating with the cat to get food off the cupboard—this happened to me with a Labrador Retriever. Just check these dog shaming pictures. I think you will see that smart dogs are well represented.
This is my dog’s shaming picture.
And the following site will give you a list of the most intelligent dogs.
https://www.caninejournal.com/most-intelligent-dogs/
Should I get a breed dog or a mutt?
I have had both and can tell you that either can be a great pet. People who get a breed dog may want to enter it in breed competitions. But there are other reasons to get a dog with a pedigree.
You should get a breed dog if you want a certain height or strength or personality. For instance, if you are looking for a dog that loves winter and might haul your child in a sleigh, you will probably be looking at a Husky or even a St. Barnard.
But keep in mind that there are never any guarantees. I like Shelties because they are not high enough to reach the table (and steal food) or strong enough to overwhelm me on a walk, but they are a hardy enough to go hiking– which happens to be my favourite pastime. However, I had one Sheltie that was such a slow walker I had to wait up for him all the time on open trails. This same dog would run through the woods when I took him hiking on trails through forests. So, much to my disappointment, I ended up leaving him at home when I went for a hike. To be fair, I also had a mutt who would take off when he was hiking and then “sneak” back. He looked exactly like a coyote so this was quite an annoying habit. Seeing a coyote-like animal coming at you at a slow, determined pace through the trees can make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up.
All the other dogs I’ve had were perfect companions, stayed by my side, and never wandered off.
Here is a breed finder that may help you decide if you want a certain pedigree.
Recent pictures of Frank (Sinatra) and Mr. Beans
The Queen’s Dog of Choice
It is hard to imagine this little dog herding cattle, but that is exactly what he was bred to do. In reality, his shortness gives him an advantage because it allows him to avoid cow hooves. He nips at the cattle’s heels and then quickly gets out of the way with great agility.
There are two breeds, the Cardigan, which has a larger head, and the Pembroke. Cardigans have long tails while the Pembroke has a docked tail.
The dog originated in Wales. This breed has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Although we more often see pictures of the tan coloured Corgi, it also comes in other colours including black and white and merle. The dog stands between 10 to 12 inches at shoulder height.
The Corgi has a nice personality. It likes children and makes a great family dog. However, it may not always be tolerant of other dogs. This little dog has lots of energy and loves to play ball, and takes well to agility and obedience training. Its short fur means he does not need special grooming like my shelties require. And this is the Queen’s dog of choice.
Okay…so it’s the perfect little dog. Not quite. It is known to be a barker and to be stubborn. It also likes to eat (who doesn’t) and may easily become obese if not checked. It can weigh up to 30 pounds. Anything more than that may mean a diet adjustment.
10 Rules for Dogs
- Never give up. If your owner (master, mommy/daddy) doesn’t get that you want to go out the first time you bring the leash, try and try again. And if he (or she) still ignores you, begin dancing around like a bee providing GPS directions for the hive. This will show him that it’s “high time” for a trip to the outside washroom. Remember you know the right “time”. You’re a watch dog.
- If another dog goes near your dish, growl (practise this with the family cat). However, if a dog urinates on your owner’s leg, pretend you didn’t see a thing.
- If you have had a disagreement with a dog bigger than you, hide behind your owner when you see that dog coming. If, like Bean, you actually nipped the dog because he stood over you and pretended to be in love, hide behind your bigger brother who will be hiding behind your owner.
- If you actually had a fight with another dog (about your size), and nothing got settled during that dispute, insist on trying to get at that other dog every time you see him walking with his owner. Being the responsible dog owner, your owner will move off the walking trail into the brambles and thickets and will have to spend an hour getting burrs out of your fur. The other dog owner will have insisted on bringing you and your enemy as close together as possible. This other dog owner will smile and say “Nice evening isn’t it?” as he passes on the trail with his dog growling (uttering insults) at you. This will make you even more committed to getting at that s.o.b. the next time.
- When it’s bath time, head for the hills.
- When it’s grooming time, hide behind the Mugho pine that grew huge due to neglect. Ignore your owner when he says, “You could be more cooperative; groomers cost money you know.” Definitely turn the other cheek if he says, “Come here you little so and so. Who do you think buys your food?” He really doesn’t mean to lay on the guilt. He has just lost it because he trampled his wife’s prized tea rose. (Don’t forget to act fearful yourself when he catches it from the wife. It’s called moral support and shows how you really are man’s best friend. Tuck your tail between your legs and start to skulk away. That’ll make her wonder who did what. (It’s kind of like providing your owner with an alibi.)
- When it’s time to go to the veterinarian, refuse to get in the car. At all other times, insist that you’re part of the family and should not be left behind. If they don’t get this, bark and jump in the door as they are existing the house. If they still don’t get it, howl the whole time they’re away. Make sure the neighbours hear.
- When you finally get to the off-leash dog park, get in with the most disobedient dog there. Forget all your training. When your owner says “Come”, pretend you heard the word “Run”.
- When you have gas, insist on sleeping on her side of the bedroom. That’ll teach her to disallow dogs on the bed. Rules, rules, rules. Who needs them? Also, never let on that pop actually takes you up on the bed when she’s away on business trips. (It would make her feel that any warm body will do.)
- Oh yeh, and when she is away on those business trips, always tilt your head in that cute way so pop insists she talks to you over the phone even if all her co-workers are listening. Do the same when he calls to say he’s at a union meeting or having a beer with the guys from work. (This will show her that you aren’t playing favourites.)
Dogs-A-Musings 