A MAN’S friend is not always his best choice of a running partner. The same can be said of man’s best friend. It’s a lesson that Michelle Powe, an English teacher in Midlothian, Tex., learned last summer when trying to run with Mookie, her 90-pound Catahoula.
“He kept trying to herd me,” she recalled. For the entire three-mile run, Mookie displayed the kind of herding behavior that is typical for the breed, throwing his weight against Ms. Powe and nipping at her legs. “By the end of it, my knees were sore from having 90 pounds constantly bumping into me,” she said. “It was fun for other people to watch, but not so much for me.”
Like many dog owners, Ms. Powe assumed that her young, healthy dog would make a natural running companion. After all, dogs love to run, they love spending time with their masters, and they rarely tire of chasing a stick before their owners tire of throwing it. But not all dogs are born to run, particularly the way humans go about it: in a straight line, with little regard for scent. And there is nothing fun about running with an untrained dog. Indeed, it can be dangerous for both you and your pet.
The first step for anyone thinking about running with a dog is researching the breed, said Alexandra Powe Allred, a Dallas-based trainer and author of a book on dog obedience. Some of it is common sense: small dogs — teacup poodles, Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers — will have trouble running at high speeds or for long distances. But other problems may not be so obvious. For example, dogs with flat noses — pugs, bulldogs, some boxers — may have trouble breathing during strenuous exercise. And while some hunting or herding dogs are physically built for running — like border collies and Rhodesian Ridgebacks — they may be more interested in chasing prey than staying on the sidewalk.
Once you have determined whether your dog is built for running, it is important to teach it some commands. “Stay,” for example, is useful should you want to put down the leash long enough to tie your sneakers. But trainers say that if you teach your dog only one command before running, it should be “heel.”
Teaching your dog to heel will also prevent it from straining at its collar, resulting in neck irritation and breathing problems. And never run with your dog in a choke collar, trainers say — with luck, teaching it to heel will also stop the dog from darting off after every squirrel or stopping suddenly to smell a fragrant pile of trash.
Regardless of breed or training, all dogs display one trait that makes them appealing partners to runners who don’t like a lot of chatter: they don’t talk. But that silence also means you have to work harder to know when they are hurt.
Ms. Anderson recommends taking your dog to the veterinarian before running together to make sure it is healthy enough. She also says never run with a dog younger than a year old (2 years for larger dogs, which take longer to mature).
“The asphalt is not hot to us ’cause we’re wearing running shoes,” Ms. Anderson said, “but a dog can easily burn the pads of their feet. Take frequent water breaks, and check their pads.”
Not that the ground has to be hot for a dog to become injured: very cold conditions can damage a dog’s feet and lungs and should be avoided. Again, breed will play a role: Ms. Anderson noted that huskies can run miles in the snow with no discomfort.
Another frequent mistake that owners make is assuming their dog can always run farther and faster than they can — after all, it’s a dog. But just as you wouldn’t take human running partners on a 10-mile run their first time out, you should gradually build up your dog’s distance. Start with a run of less than two miles, then build gradually from there. Paying attention to your dog’s physical cues should help you know when enough is enough.
Ms. Prather said she continues to run with her other dogs — a pit bull and another collie — but only as far as they are willing to go. “Anytime you engage in an activity with your dog, it’s going to enhance your relationship,” she said. “It’s running with your best friend.”
Like many single women, Ms. Prather also feels safer having a dog there for protection. “I know my dogs are super sweet and would only kill you with kisses, but nobody else does,” she said. And she cherishes another benefit that all dog owners can appreciate. “A tired dog is a good dog,” Ms. Anderson said.
A weekly movie night event in Cincinnati had shaggier guests than usual as dogs were given a one-time free pass to the event, dog owners say. Jessica Sargent of Milford, Ohio, said her shepherd/Rhodesian ridgeback mix Tod was among the canine guests to the Procter & Gamble Movie Night on Saturday, the Cincinnati Enquirer said. Typically dogs are not welcome at the weekly outdoor events.
The Enquirer said specialty dog biscuits were up for sale at the outdoor screening thanks to the restaurant Bouchard's Anything's Pastable.
Make no mistake about it - social networking is going to the dogs. There are sites like Dogster and PetPop, which allow you to create profiles for your dogs and meet other dogs online. There's a Dogbook application that lets you connect with other dog owners and their pups right on Facebook. People magazine has even gotten in on the action with an online community called PeoplePets.
But there's also a new trend among social media-savvy pets. Many are joining Twitter to stay connected to their pals. Of course, whether or not these pets are actually setting the accounts up themselves - or their owners are - is up for discussion.
(Scratching your belly - er, head? Twitter is a social networking service that allows users to instantly message each other through updates, called "tweets", of up to 140 characters in length. Users can then easily stay connected to their network of friends, which consists of people whose updates they choose to follow.) Full article...
Best Friend NYC has joined the digital revolution too simply by writing this blog and creating an online portal for dog lovers. We also recently joined Facebook and now can keep all of you fans updated with latest news, photos, and special promotions. Join us now ...
Janine Franceschi and her Irish setter Beau set off from Nantucket, Mass., in August to go on a four month, cross-country trip. Franceschi, the owner of a new hotel booking website Pet-friendly Accommodations Worldwide (PAW), was on a mission to source, visit, and review luxury pet-friendly hotels.
Now, about 13,000 miles, 30 states, and 50 pet-friendly hotels later, she has compiled a list of the “Top Dogs” in luxury accommodations, with the help of Beau, of course. The “Top Dog” list represents hotels that have at least a four-star rating and, in Franceschi’s opinion, not only offer the best in human and pet amenities, but also execute those amenities exceptionally well.
“The Tog Dog list, they are all hotels and businesses and resources that genuinely want to see you with your pet,” she said. “They’re not necessarily businesses that have pet programs to keep existing clients or attract clients. They really are excited to see you and your pet.”
Taking the title of PAW “Top Dog” Luxury Pet-friendly Resort 2008 was Calistoga Ranch in Calistoga, Calif. Westin and Kimpton tied for first place in the luxury pet-friendly hotel chain category and Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, Calif., was named the PAW “Top Dog” Luxury Pet-friendly Hotel 2008.
Recognition for the best pet-welcome amenity went to The Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, S.C., for its personalized dog collar. Hotel Palomar of Dallas, Texas, received honorable mention for its goldfish bowl. Also included on the list are the top pet-friendly activities, resources, and restaurants Franceschi encountered throughout her and Beau’s trip.
In the pet-friendly restaurant category, Fetch, in the Upper East Side of New York City, and 50 Plates, of Portland, Ore., tied for first place. Franceschi said Fetch received high marks for its atmosphere and 50 Plates received high marks for its food.
The title of PAW “Top Dog” Pet-friendly Activity 2008 went to New York Dog Tours, of New York, N.Y., and the title of PAW “Top Dog” Pet-friendly Resource 2008 went to Dining with Sophie, of San Francisco, Calif.
Even before Men’s Health magazine announced in 2007 that Portland is “park heaven with the most dogs per resident,” and before Forbes the same year ranked us No. 2 among pet-friendly cities in America, we knew Portlanders were crazy for their four-legged friends. Evidence of our affection is everywhere: consider William Wegman’s dog-bowl art installation in the North Park Blocks or the Oregon Humane Society’s “Pet Cam,” which lets cat-deprived cubicle jockeys peek in on the antics of frolicking felines. In fact, according to our recent online pet survey, Portlanders simply don’t skimp when it comes to lavishing attention on their companions.
Take a look at some of these luxury canine activities Portland has got to offer including pet-friendly boutique hotel suites, hydrotherapy treatments, deep tissue massages for your pooch, canine four-Star meals, and more.
Extravagant? Perhaps. But the unconditional love of a cat or dog? Priceless. Read more...
Coco is a golden retriever with soft, silky honey-colored fur and
bright black eyes who wags her tail when you call her name. Coco is a dog that any dog lover would be happy to call his or
her own — and for $1,000 a year, they can, one weekend at a time.
Coco’s owner is Jack Zhu, a dog trainer who has run the Golden
Retriever Club in Taipei for six years. The club’s 1,023
members can join Zhu and his dogs for group trips to the park, or they
can take the dogs home for three days to a week at a time.
The rent-a-pet concept has grown in popularity worldwide, even as many
animal advocates voice their disapproval. Some canine lovers who long
for a faithful companion but are short on time or space say that
renting dogs is a good solution until they can raise a pet of their
own. Zhu is also adamant that letting members borrow his golden
retrievers helps them better understand dogs and, in turn, learn how to
treat them properly.
Jiang says his family had adopted a dog from a wild dog rescue
organization, but once home they found that the dog had not been
properly housebroken and had a difficult time adjusting to living
inside a city apartment.
Zhu himself complains that many people are inspired to adopt a dog
without considering the amount of work that goes into caring for and
training one. He hopes that his members, who he teaches how to treat
dogs, learn from their experience with his rental dogs. Potential members are screened by Zhu, who estimates that over the past
six years he has accepted just one out of every 10 applications he’s
received. As part of the process, Zhu interviews applicants about their
household, income and general knowledge of dogs, visits their homes and
calls personal and professional references.
While the idea of borrowing a pet was alien to the police officers Zhu
dealt with, the rent-a-pet concept is quickly gaining traction all over
the world. Within Taiwan, there are pet stores in Taoyuan and Taitung
that lend dogs, cats and other pets. Globally, stores have opened in cities like Toyko and New York that
market similar services to busy professionals who are squeezed for
space and time but still want to spend an afternoon or a weekend
romping with a dog. Some animal rescue organizations have also adopted
the concept. Stray Rescue of St Louis, for instance, started its
Rent-A-Pet program, which allows families to take home a dog or cat
from its shelter for the weekend, in a bid to increase pet adoptions.
Many animal lovers, however, deride the practice as cruel. Flexpetz, a
pet-rental company that has opened branches in San Diego, Los Angeles
and New York City, had a wrench thrown into their expansion plans this
summer when news that they were planning to open in Boston prompted the
city council to vote in favor of banning pet rentals.
But many animal advocates say that being treated like rental DVDs has a
negative psychological effect on pets. Amy Zhang, the head of Dog CHD, a Taipei-based advocacy group for dogs with genetic
disabilities, says that the stress of living with new households all
the time hurts dogs in the long term. “Dogs are loyal animals and they grow attached to their families.
Renting them out has a negative effect on their personalities,” says
Zhang.
“Instead of renting, we would advise people to volunteer at a shelter
or rescue organization and help them take care of their animals or take
their dogs out for walks. Those dogs could really benefit from
receiving some warmth and affection from people,” says Zhang.
They might be tiny, but
when it comes to destroying things in the home, the pint-size chihuahuas can be
monsters, that's what a new of list of the world's most destructive dog breeds
claims.
The peewee pooches are ranked just behind great danes in the
list conducted by pet insurer Esure, reports the Daily Telegraph.
According to the survey, chihuahuas and great danes clock up repair
bills averaging $1,376 and $1,420 respectively during their
lifetime.
Bulldogs, dachshunds and beagles also made the top 10,
with pugs, saint bernards and pointers among the least ruinous.
The
survey of more than 3,000 dog owners found the items most often damaged were
soft furnishings and electrical goods - used as makeshift chew-toys - and vases
and lights, knocked over by wagging tails.
Almost two-thirds of
owners had paid to repair or replace damaged items, with most breakages caused
by puppies.
The results showed a dog's size did not indicate its
wrecking capability.
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