Modern Dog Spring 2012 by Modern Dog Magazine

The lifestyle magazine for modern dogs and their companions

Secrets to Good Canine Health

Which Breed Is Your Best Match?

BULLY BREEDS

WILD

10 Dog Park Must-Haves Publications Agreement Number 40743013 Return Mail Dept, 202–343 Railway St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1A4

SPRING 2012

RESCUE ME Help your shelter dog adapt to her new life SPR 12

moderndogmagazine.com DISPLAY UNTIL JUN 12 CDN$5.95 US$4.95

74470 56842

INTO THE

A writer and her dog venture deep into the backcountry

Wedding Bells

Include your dog in your big day

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Katherine Heigl

Means Business

Plus CHECK OUT OUR ROUND-UP OF FINDS UNDER $30

SPRING 2012

32 28

Rescue Me How to give shelter dogs their best chance at success. BY STEVE DUNO

Ear of the Dog A visual glossary of ear types. BY STANLEY COREN

Acting Up A Jack Russell Terrier takes a turn as a silent film star, earning an award at Cannes along the way, in the wonderful Golden Globe winning film, The Artist. BY COREY VAN’T HAAFF

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Chewed? Seven rules for a successful dog-inclusive wedding. BY OLIVIA ZAULI FELLOWS

NO 1

– MM rec’d Spr12 ad OK ML e proof

PHOTO TANYA KING

FEATURES

VOL 11

Darling Companion Dogs, Diane Keaton, marriage, and movie- making magic: husband and wife duo Lawrence and Meg Kasdan’s recipe for a true-to-life movie about family—in all its forms. BY BRIELLE MORGAN

Which Dog Breed is Best For You? Take this quiz and find out! BY STANLEY COREN

THE GOODS

Sense and Sense-Ability Part 1: Seeing eye to eye. BY JENNIFER MESSER

Bargain Buys Under $30 Terrific finds that are a steal of a deal.

Lost 50 A writer and her dog venture deep into the backcountry.

10 Must-Haves for the Dog Park Make the most of your outing with these essentials.

BY DAGNY MCKINLEY

Bully For You Get to know these six beautiful bully breeds.

BODY AND SOUL

PHOTOGRAPHED BY TANYA KING

Secrets to Good Canine Health What to look for when selecting your dog’s food.

Avocado and Chocolate; Modern Dog Poll; There’s an App for That

Animal Threats in the Wilderness; Have Dog, Will Hike

Jumpstart Your Exercise Regime with a New Activity

The Doctor’s In Tick trouble and brown spots on the lawn.

BY ELIZABETH PASK AND LAURA SCOTT

Katherine Heigl Means Business An exclusive interview. BY MARY-JO DIONNE

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The Viszla 87 Hungarian Treasure. BY MARIAN BUECHERT

LIVING 90

We’re Giving it Away Enter to win three months’ worth of groovy giveaways.

Mr. Pazu 102 Your smile for today. COMICS BY DIANA THUNG

Grooming 101 104 How to groom your dog, according to coat type.

ILLUSTRATION KIM SMITH

BREED PROFILE

DIY Eat Jazz up your dog’s dinner with this delish spring time topper. Plus tackle itchy skin with a healthy, novel protein dish It’s a Dog! How to plan a puppy shower. BY ROSE FROSEK DIY Craft Make this cool, handy little pet pocket that attaches to your dogs collar. Dog, the Odour Hunter An unprepared MD staffer and her sight-challenged pug take on canine nosework. BY SARA LIMA

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REGULAR FEATURES

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Editor’s Letter Contributors Our Readers Write The Scoop Smile! Photo Contest Marketplace

BY COLLEEN SAFFORD

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No Diggity Reclaim your lawn: how-to put an end to backyard digging. BY TEOTI ANDERSON

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Nervous Barking Getting a handle on anxiety-driven barking. BY NICOLE WILDE

COVER LOOK

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Overprotective Pup Teaching an on-guard to relax. BY INGER MARTINS

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Katherine Heigl with Tino, a Pit Bull rescued from the Cal City shelter by The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation. When he landed at the shelter, Tino was just two months old and had a badly broken front leg. The Heigl Foundation stepped in and paid for a major operation and Tino has made a full recovery and was adopted by Katherine’s trainer. Katherine’s “I Hate Balls” pro-neutering campaign is aimed at reducing animal overpopulation. Photographed by Cheyenne Ellis.

Peeing Problems Help with housetraining issues.

Art Attack How tiny, jeweled figures led Nicole Momaney to a fulfilling career as a pet portrait artist. BY SARA LIMA

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Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book with editor-in-chief Connie WIlson’s spring book picks.

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Ask Dog Lady Bothered and bewildered? Crazed and confused? Dog Lady delves into your most dogged dilemmas. BY MONICA COLLINS

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Last Lick: How I Met My Dog Tribute to an old dog. BY IRENE FICK

PHOTO TANYA KING

E D ITO R ’S LE T T E R

recently read an article by New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof in which he puts forth that people are getting nicer. Although that may be difficult to believe, especially with incessant newsfeeds reporting otherwise, Kristof provides background and statistics that do indeed prove his point. And it’s no small change. Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker describes this overall decline in violence as possibly “the most important thing that has ever happened in human history.” It’s affirming to read that we’re making progress, especially when it can seem as though we’re headed in the opposite direction. Kristof thinks this advance has to do with “the rise of education, the decline of chauvinism, and a growing willingness to put ourselves in the shoes (increasingly even hooves) of others.” As you might expect, the bracketed animal reference grabbed my attention, for it’s long been my belief that loving and caring for animals does indeed make us better, nicer people. Take, for instance, all the households in which dogs are daily role models as to how to live life with unbridled love, joy, and loyalty. That a separate species has devoted itself to us, offering service, therapy, and all-important companionship in our increasingly isolated modern existences is an incredible gift in itself, but when one considers what animals have to offer in terms of enlightenment and teaching us inter-species empathy, their gift reaches levels of the sublime. In short, animals in general and, I think, dogs in particular, teach us to be nicer, and the importance of this really can’t be underestimated. Think of all the children whose first lesson in what it is to be responsible for another being comes courtesy of their pets. They learn to nurture and acquire an early lesson in selflessness, having to consider the needs, wants, and, yes, feelings of another. This empathy and responsibility translates

6 moderndog SPRING 2012

into the creation of more humane and caring individuals and, thus, a society less willing to inflict pain and suffering on others, human and animal alike, with a net effect of assisting in the overall decline of violence worldwide. Sure, we have a long way to go. As the legion animals in shelters attest, we have a lot left to learn. Too many dogs land in shelters, the victims of circumstance or lack of education, be it ignorance of the need for population control or a puppy acquired without much thought as to what having a dog actually entails. Other times, it’s simply the wrong match. A dog with boundless energy and drive like a Border Collie would be a disastrous choice for a person whose idea of exercise is pressing buttons on the TV’s remote control. This got us thinking about dog-person partnerships and what makes a good pairing. If you’re curious as to what breed best suits you, complete our quiz on page 96. If you have a rescue or you’re considering adding a rescue dog to your pack (yay!), turn to “Rescue Me” on page 29. As so many of us can attest, rescue dogs make some of the best pets ever (we’ve got a little posse of them in the MD office and couldn’t imagine life without them). Unfortunately, well-meaning rescuers often end up returning their adopted animals to the shelter due to a general lack of skills to help their new pal adapt to their new life. We’ve got advice to change that. And then there’s the cover story. Gracing the cover of this issue of Modern Dog is none other than A+ lister Katherine Heigl, the gorgeous, uber-talented, outspoken, fierce, and fearless rescue proponent also known as America’s Sweetheart. In a Modern Dog exclusive interview (page 82), Katherine speaks out on the importance of spaying/neutering and how her, well, ballsy, “I Hate Balls” campaign aims to make a difference. And there’s tons more. This issue is jam-packed with loads of fun and informative articles all geared to help you live your very best canine-inclusive life, from dog-friendly wedding tips to crafts and recipes, puppy showers, training advice, health and wellness, secrets to good canine nutrition, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

“We are evolving into a species of whole individuals, individuals who are aware of their nature as beings of Light, and who shape their Light consciously, wisely and with compassion.”—from The Seat Of The Soul by Gary Zukav

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VOL 11

NO 1

Publisher

Modern Dog Inc. Editor-in-Chief

Connie Wilson

Kim Smith is an illustrator from Calgary, Alberta. She grew up drawing, but never really considered a career as an artist until high school, when she was forced to choose between her two loves, science and art. Lucky for us, art won out. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Design in character design. Her passion is narrative illustration for magazines, children’s books, and comics. Check out Kim’s totally awesome illustration for “Rescue Me: Giving Shelter Dogs Their Best Shot at Success” on page 28.

Editor

Jennifer Nosek Contributing Editor

Marian Buechert Creative Director

Jennifer Nosek Circulation Manager

Jessica Nosek Publication Clerks Supervisor

Omar Duran Rojas Design & Production

Maxine Matishak Design & Production Assistant

Vanessa Dong Sales & Marketing

Sara Lima, Mary Liu Sales & Marketing Intern

Olivia Fellows Accounting and Subscription Services Assistant

Celine Benipayo Controller

Cecilia de Roca Chan Donations Program Liaison

Jessica Nosek Honourary Editor-at-Large

Jytte Wilson Subscription inquiries call (800) 417-6289 Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 11, Issue 1. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 11, Issue 1. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

604) 734-3131 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3131

PHONE (

FAX (604) 734-3031 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3031

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements.

Diana Thung resides in Sydney, Australia, though she lives in her head most of the time. In between illustration work and making comics, she explores the wooded trails with her dogs, Pazu and Remy. Pazu is a scruffy black dog and Remy is a happy wiggle-bum. They both roll in the mud. See Diana’s super charming comics on page 44.

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Copyright 2012 by Modern Dog Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Dog and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Dog Inc. One-year subscription prices: Canada $18CAD, U.S.A. $15USD, foreign $45USD. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Dog Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4

PRINTED IN CANADA

www.moderndogmagazine.com Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743013 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

PHOTO JOE BARTASIOUS

Dog lover and outdoors enthusiast Dagny McKinley received an education in writing from Naropa University and UCLA and an education in the outdoors from the Sierra Nevada with her dog, Alma Rose, as her constant companion. Her book Wild Hearts: Dog Sledding the Rockies was inspired by three years working as a dog sledding tour guide where she fell in love with the dogs she worked with and eventually had to bring one home. In this issue, Dagny writes about her experiences in the wild, snowy backcountry with her dog as her only companion (page 58).

Bark Back! OUR R EA D ER S W R I T E O U R M A X I N E ’ S G R E AT U N C L E W A L LY C I RC A 19 42 ( T H E M AT I S H A K L I N E A G E I S A D O G - LOV I N G O N E )

I made those Beefy Liver Agility treats you had in your latest issue for my dog. Of course, she loved them and everyone else in the house was tempted to try one, too, haha. Thanks, keep them coming!—Nicole Bohr YOU ’VE G OT M A IL I was at the gym yesterday and grabbed one of the magazines off the rack to read while I was on the treadmill. Of course, being a dog trainer, I chose the only pet magazine I could find among all the fitness and gossip magazines. Normally I avoid pet magazines because they encourage everything I try to discourage with my clients, which is to treat your dog like a human. That’s why I was very impressed with Modern Dog. It not only advertised really neat pet products, but it also had very interesting tips and great advice. One writer in particular, Steve Duno, said everything I’ve been trying to tell my clients in his article, “Think Like Your Dog.” It was very well written and right on the mark. Well done!—Kate McLean, Professional Dog Trainer and Canine Behaviour Specialist, Canadian Canine Training Academy

F A C EB OOK FR IEN D S Modern dog magazine, we want to thank you! Your article, “A Separation Anxiety Behaviour Modification Plan,” is exactly what we need for our little Vienna. I will put the advice into practice and hopefully Vienna will be able to be more independent. Thank you!—Vienna Couture Canin Thank you so much for the Facebook Friday Freebie DVD, “While You Are Gone.” I got it today and put it on for my pup and immediately she layed down and was quiet. At one point she even walked up to the TV. I thought she was asleep when I turned it off, but she immediately popped her head up like, “what happened?” Looks like I’ll be playing it for her a lot! —Kristy Marie Alvarado Just read the book Lost Dogs that was featured in Modern Dog’s latest issue. Sad, angry, and wonderful are the words I can use to describe how I felt while reading it. Of course, I nearly cried

on the commuter train! Thanks for letting us know about this book.—Rachel Collins I love Modern Dog and I give it to all my friends.—Rose Smith

Favourite part of the winter issue? All of it! I wish MD was published more than 4 times a year! —Jill Vasquez “Embrace the Awkwardness: Awkward Family Photos Go to the Dogs (and Skunks, and Lynx....).” Very funny!—Louise Hebert I always enjoy seeing all the new doggie items (and the human items as well) I can get for my pup! I also really loved the story about how to have a baby and a dog. I thought it was beautiful and insightful.—Tova Axelrod Chauncey the Wonder Dog loved the featured breed, but I think being a Black and Tan Coonhound makes her biased. —Amanda Furtado My dog Koshi on page 73!—Jennifer Jung Rare Breed: Chinese Crested Fancy. She is a beautiful girl and my Casper has had a small crush on her for several years now.—Brenda Maxwell-McLeod I loved seeing all the tattoos. They were cool. My hubby, my son, and I all have Yorkie tattoos. —Donna Thiessen

For a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re up to in the MD offices, the latest breaking stories and videos, cool contests, events, and exclusive giveaways, become a fan of Modern Dog on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Go to facebook.com/moderndogmagazine & twitter.com/moderndogmag.

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@ $ # !

STUFF WE LOVE Modern Dog staffers’ picks of the litter 1 Get a leg up with leggings from QooQoo fashions. The print was created with photos that

QooQoo Facebook and Twitter followers sent in of their dogs. Perfect for days that need an extra kick.—Maxine “Party Pants” Matishak ($55, qooqoo.lv)

2 My Wirehaired Dachshund Penny is ready for spring in her new “Delores” collar by Gwen Gear. I love the “be happy” orange and turquoise colour scheme, and the durable nylon webbing and quality hardware means it’s built to last.—Connie ($33, gwengear.com)

3 Don’t worry, Molly, I’ve got you covered, literally, with this Rufhaus parka. Available in 5

colours, they’re made with water/wind-resistant nylon and a warm polar fleece lining sure to keep my dog warm and dry during spring showers.—Vanessa (From $125, rufhaus.ca)

4 Hendrix is super in love with his new home from Petmate! Aside from the handy two doors

that lock, he and I know he’s safe during our drives. It also seems likely that he enjoys sitting in his comfy crate more than sitting on my lap.—Celine (From $50, petmate.com)

5 Kissable Probiotic Spray is just what I need to deal with my Timmy’s ongoing dental problems. It reduces plaque-causing bacteria while replenishing the good bacteria for a balanced, healthy mouth. So glad to have found this.—Cecilia ($20, kissabledog.com)

6 The combo of instant positive feedback and ease of use makes clickers a must-have. My dogs and I have been enjoying the Premier Clik Stik, which adds a telescoping target stick to the standard clicker, so I can teach them how to “touch” things, a beginning step for many tricks. Trust me—get one, follow the instructions—you’ll have fun!—Marian ($11, premier.com)

7 Things can get tense when you’re a VIP like me, so I rely on my Thundershirt to keep me

calm, collected, and anxiety-free!—Mr. Big, Yorkie ($40, thundershirt.com)

8 My two Tabbies love snuggling up in the Hepper Pod. It’s wonderful for hiding and snoozing and its sleek design is perfect for your modern home!—Mary ($99, hepper.com)

9 Darth Vader is one of my all time favourite screen villains so I was thrilled to learn that Cali

Girl Collars has launched a whole new line of collars with many famous characters, including Batman and, yes, Darth Vader. This is a must-have collar if you’re a Star Wars fan.—Omar ($50, caligirlcollars.com)

10 Bow Wow Beds’ solid canvas and screen printed duvets are just, well, perfect. You can’t go

wrong. Choose a graphic chevron print or minimalist, military-inflected canvas duvet stenciled with your dog’s name, insert a pillow or use to recover an old bed, and voilà, instant style. —Esther (From $10, bowwowbeds.com)

11 Just when you thought that new centerpiece was the coolest item in your dining room, BAM! Think again. Check out these saucy Dachshund cruets and shakers from Roost. Not only will they impress your dinner-time guests, but they also make dressing a salad way more fun! —Olivia ($65, velocityartanddesign.com)

12 It can be chilly year-round up here in the Great White North. My solution? Snuggle up by a roaring fire with a season of Buffy and my dogs on their faux-fur hide bed from The Life of Ryley. —Sara (From $96, thelifeofryley.com)

(

13 This raised Corinthian-style feeder is perfect for civilized dogs with an appreciation for the classic orders of Greek and Roman architecture.—Jessica (From $60, unleashedlife.com)

14 This classic Liberty floral print, backed with soft, washable suede, is sweet and pretty, just like me. The very English fabric is matched in the collar’s construction: it’s handcrafted by traditional British belt-makers and finished with strong, sturdy saddlery fittings. Anyone fancy a tea biscuit?—Miniature Dachshund Rose ($60, aristopaws.com)

15 How cool is this warm, cozy donut bed made from Pendleton wool blanket remnants

direct from the mill? Each Oregon Wooly Goods bed is handmade, one of a kind, and machine washable, a perfect, snuggly bed for dogs up to 20 pounds.—Jennifer ($75, etsy.com/shop/ oregonwoolygoods)

PHOTOS PETER M. ORGANA

CANINE NEWS AND REVIEWS

CELEBRITY WEDDINGS WITH DOGS

An Insignificant Harvey Independent Canadian filmmaking is at its best in An Insignificant Harvey, award-winning writer/director Jeff Kopas’ tale of a small town janitor at a ski resort. Harvey, the central character (In Bruge’s Jordan Prentice), is a little person whose life has been dogged by difficulties, but whose world is poised for upending when he takes in a stray Husky and falls for an exotic dancer. As the two new relationships lead him to shed isolation in favour of significance, depression and apathy give way to hope. Prentice gives a stellar performance, but it’s really Inca, a Husky with seemingly near-human emotional range, that will tug at your heartstrings. Find An Insignificant Harvey on iTunes.

Adam Sandler was led to the altar by his Bulldog, Meatball, who wore a tux, yarmulke, and the bride’s wedding band attached to his neck. In Tori Spelling’s first wedding to her now-ex, Charlie Shanian, her dogs Mimi La Rue and Ferris walked down the aisle as flower girl and ring bearer, respectively. Arthur, a black and white spaniel, was one of the guests of honour at Sir Elton John’s and Mr. David Furnish’s union. As Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale said “I do,” Rossdale’s

POLL RESULT

84% of readers think their dog is a better housemate than their partner.

Puli, Winston, wearing a collar of flowers, sat proudly by his side during the ceremony. At her wedding to Blake Shelton, country superstar Miranda Lambert’s eight bridesmaids walked down the aisle accompanied by Lambert and Sheltons’ three dogs, Cher, Delilah, and Delta.

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THE SCOOP

The Lagotto Romagnolo, also known as the Romagna Water Dog, was originally used in Italy’s Romagna wetlands to find ducks and chase them into the hunters’ nets. Today, the Lagotto Romagnolo is most commonly used in truffle hunting. The breed’s name comes from the Italian word for lake and the region of Romagna from which the breed originates. It’s a medium sized dog (usually 30-35 lbs) with a happy and active disposition and thick, curly hair in brown, brown and white, or orange. For more information on the breed, visit the q Lagotto Club of America (lagottous.com) or the Lagotto Club of Canada (lagottoca.com).

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P U P P Y P H O T O B OTTO M R I G H T, L A G OTT I N O K E N N E L S . A L L OT H E R P H OTOS L AG OTTO K E N N E L S

Meet the Lagotto Romagnolo

THE SCOOP

PHOTO GENESIS AWARDS

Exercise your funny bone. Create a caption for this cartoon and submit your entry at moderndogmagazine.com/cartooncaption. The most comic captions will be published in the next issue.

Animal-loving Celebrities Honoured Our favourite awards show of the season? The Genesis Awards, of course. It has all the star-studded, red carpet glitz as its cousins, but with the inspired and inspiring mission of recognizing the important role that news and entertainment media plays in the welfare of animals. The gala event, the 26th annual, takes place on March 24 at the Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles, and will have no shortage of Hollywood glamour with celebrity presenters, media coverage, and awards for outstanding representation. This year’s luminaries include Bill Maher, Dancing With The Stars judge Carrie

AND THE WINNER FROM THE WINTER ISSUE IS: “And then she just went feral on me!” SUBMITTED BY KAY HILL

Ann Inaba, True Blood’s Kristin Bauer van Straten and The Big Bang Theory’s Kayley Cuoco. Want to join in celebrating the amazing individuals and organizations who, through television, film, print, radio, music, and the arts, have brought animal rights issues to the forefront? Tickets to the event can be purchased at humanesociety.org.

RUNNER-UP CAPTIONS: “So, tell me how you really felt when you realized Whiskers was the one who clawed the sofa?” SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE BAILEY

“And how does your cat taste?...I mean, how does that make you feel?” SUBMITTED BY MEGHAN RIEGLER

“Let’s start at square one: you are aware you are talking to a dog, are you not?” SUBMITTED BY JOHN CRUME

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Modern Dog’s Cartoon Caption Contest

THE SCOOP

SURF

TURN DOG POO TO ASH Welcome to the 21st century

FUN TIME WITH DOG If your dog is in need of a new bed, toy or treats (always, right?), head on over to funtimedogshop.com, an appropriate name if ever there was one. They offer an array of great products, from the stuffable Atomic Treat Ball to Big Sky blankets, in searchable categories such as Treat Time, Walk Time, Sleep Time, and Fun Stuff For People. Best of all, all profits go to rescue; to date, $5133 has been raised for homeless dogs in need. What could be better than supporting rescue and getting cool dog stuff in the mail? “Fun time” dog shop, indeed.

CRAFTY CANINE

Feeling crafty? Karen Friesecke over at doggiestylish.com/store/blog offers up oodles of ideas and patterns, plans and projects for DIY dog lovers. From beds, plushies, and legwarmers to agility poles and even a dog-wheelchair (yes, a wheelchair), she’s got you covered. And the best part? The patterns are all free. Those that are less handy can purchase Karen’s beautifully handcrafted collars for dogs of all sizes and sentiments.

Doggie duty, baggin’ it, poop scoopin’... Whatever you call it, cleaning up after Rover is not fun, but a new high-tech device that’s set to hit the market this year is about to change the game. Meet the AshPoopie, a small poop scooper/waste eliminator that turns poop into odourless ash in less than a minute. Simply press a button to release the telescopic arm that lowers to gather the poop, negating the need to bend over. The droppings are then brought into a cartridge inside the unit where a capsule is released that mixes with the poop at high speed (if you’re picturing potential disaster here, you’re not alone), transforming it into ash you can safely throw out or even use in the garden as mulch! Talk about double doodie...

Your Dog Likes Presents

We know you like free stuff, particularly cool, free dog stuff. So become a fan of Modern Dog on Facebook! Besides contests, videos, finds, breaking stories, and a behind-the-scenes peek at what we’re up to in the MD offices, we also give away awesome dog products from the Modern Dog closets every Friday in our Facebook Friday Freebies. To win what we’re giving away, just post a comment as to why you want it. See you there! Facebook.com/moderndogmag

“Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear.”—Dave Barry moderndogmagazine.com

THE SCOOP Biodegradable poo bags. Because responsible dog guardians pick up and make sure they’re not clogging up the landfill with plastic that will never breakdown. Organic Dogs and Cats offers bags that are 100% degradable and made with post consumer recycled material, giving plastic a second life. (organicdogsandcats.com) Food and water dishes. Unleashed Life has a beautiful array of dog dishes in styles to fit pretty much every aesthetic leaning. (unleashedlife.com)

Stargazing Dog Anyone who’s ever loved a pet will be moved to tears by the tale of human misfortune and the unwavering dedication of dogs that unfolds in

TOP 6 GIFTS for the New Dog Parent

Takashi Murakami’s (not to be confused with another author by the same name) graphic novel Stargazing Dog (NBM Publishing, 2011). It relates the story of Daddy, a behind-the-times character who slowly loses everything. Dropped by his work

A bed. The MD office dogs adore nesting in the classic West Paw bumper bed. (westpawdesign.com)

and eventually his family, Daddy and his faithful companion set off on a journey of understanding and mutual respect, depicting perfectly and

Training Treats. Whether your new addition is big or little, High Hopes’ Mity Meaty Bites are super. There tiny size allows

movingly a dog’s loyalty, love, and devotion. Have tissues handy—we were sobbing by page three.

for more frequent treating. Plus, they’re grain-free and made with fresh meat, cage-free organic eggs, whey protein, and milled flax seed. Yummers. Plus, every sale gives back to homeless pets. (highhopesforpets.com) Toys! Fluff and Tuff make wonderful, durable, squeaky plush toys, like this squirrel. Savannah the Baby Gator is puppy-sized. (fluffandtuff.com) A snazzy collar or harness and leash. Kiss My Mutt’s natty braided collars are perfect for spring, while Buddy Belt makes wonderful handcrafted leather harnesses that reduce strain on dogs’ necks. (kissmymutt.com; buddy-belts.com)

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.—Oscar Wilde 20 moderndog SPRING 2012

! e l i Sm

Modern Dog’s Photo Contest Winners!

Sachi Coco Bear

Lady and Jasper

Phoebe

Crysmont Cooper

Roxi

Buddy

Breeze 22 moderndog SPRING 2012

Fenway

Winston Sookie

Cedar

Bailey

Louie

Addi Zeus

Blue

Elvis Maggie

Jigi

Pyper

Chandler

Bentley

Doc Holiday

Think your dog ought to grace the pages of Modern Dog?

Cooper

Tucker

Send us photos of your picture-perfect pooch! The winning entries will be published in Modern Dog magazine. Send photos to: Modern Dog Photo Contest, Suite 202, 343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4. Submitted photographs are property of Modern Dog and will not be returned. Please include your name, dog’s name and breed, address and contact info, including telephone number. Please send 4 x 6 print photographs or enter online at moderndogmagazine. com. Assignment of rights applies; see full details at moderndogmagazine.com/photosubmission. moderndogmagazine.com

BREED PROFILE

Viszla

Hungarian Treasure By Marian Buechert

MARY BLOOM © AKC

Photographs by Deborah Samuel

ilently, the thief moved up to the small, glass-fronted vault. Inside, lay the Crown of Saint Stephen, a priceless medieval holy relic and beloved symbol of Hungary’s sovereignty. The thief’s plan was simple: shoot any guards, snatch the crown, and disappear before anyone could stop him. So far, everything was going perfectly: there weren’t even sentries posted. His luck was about to run out. Four dark amber eyes watched him approach the vault. Before he could touch it, a pair of sleek, red-gold dogs were on him, one gripping the thief’s gun hand, the other knocking him down. Moments later, human guards arrived to march him away to prison. The vigilant watchdogs in this story reported to have taken place in the 1940’s were Vizslas, also considered a national treasure in Hungary. They were, most likely, rewarded as hardworking Vizslas have ever been: with a fond pat on the head and the Magyar equivalent of “Good dog!” The Vizsla has been a prized hunting partner and family companion in eastern Europe for hundreds of years, with breeding closely controlled by the local nobility. Sometimes termed the “Gift of Kings,” few of the “Magyar pointers” were allowed to leave the region, except when presented to foreign royalty such as the queens of Italy and Spain. This privileged status changed when Hungary was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945. Some of the aristocrats who fled the country were able to bring their dogs with them, but the majority of Vizslas were killed, either by owners who could not take them or by the invaders. It is estimated that 80 to 90 percent of the breed was wiped out at this time and the Vizsla teetered on the edge of extinction. From a handful of individuals that survived in its native land plus the few dogs that had been exported, the Hungarian breed was slowly rebuilt until, today, the Vizsla stands 41st in popularity in the United States. Unlike many utility dogs, Vizslas (or Vizslak in Hungarian) were never expected to be far from their masters; they were close-working hunters, finding, indicating, flushing, and retrieving game by day and sleeping next to their owners at night. The breed is classed as an “all-arounder” rather than as a specialist; the word vizsla means seek in Turkish and point in Hungarian. This versatility was amply demonstrated in a Vizsla named Legacy’s DeChartay, who was the first quintuple champion and most-titled dog of any breed in American Kennel Club (AKC) history, holding titles in the show ring, obedience, field work, and agility. Her full designation would be: FC AFC OTCH MACH CH Legacy’s DeChartay 5xUDX MH VC MX MXJ HOF. During her lifetime, “Chartay” was awarded her own seat with VIP status from American Airlines, a unique honour. Being an uber-achiever doesn’t make this high-energy pointer any less of a softie, however. Though hardy and tireless in the field, this is not a breed that can be treated harshly or made to sleep alone in an outside kennel. The Vizsla Club of America quotes an old Hungarian saying: “If you own a Vizsla, it lives on top of your head,” and warns: “If you bring a Vizsla into your home, you may never go to the bathroom alone again!” The AKC standard describes the breed as “lively, gentle-mannered, demonstrably affectionate and sensitive,” yet, at the same time, “fearless and with a well-developed protective instinct” (as the would-be crown thief discovered.)

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Profile:

The Vizsla AKC Ranking: #41 in popularity Size: Large—21 to 24 inches Grooming: Low

The Vizsla is often described as noble in appearance, with its elegant, athletic build, clean, short hair, and far-seeing expression. The coat is wash-and-wear; Jack Sharkey, owner of Chartay once said, “You know what you do for these dogs? You open the shower door and pour on the lemon Joy. And you clip their toenails. That’s it.” Vizslas with a longer, rougher coat are a completely distinct and more recent breed, the Wirehaired Vizsla, developed from crossing the smooth Vizsla with German Wirehaired Pointers in the 1930’s. How to describe the proper colour for a Vizsla has been debated since breed standards were first compiled. Apparently, the original Hungarian term used Most Popular meant yellow and the dogs are someDogs in the U.S. times called the “yellow pointer,” According to AKC 2010 registration statistics yet yellow is a poor word for the [1] Labrador Retriever rich colour of their coats. Variously [2] German Shepherd Dog described as “golden rust,” “amber,” “brownish amber,” “the golden colour [3] Yorkshire Terrier [4] Beagle of a bread crust,” “russet gold,” “cop[5] Golden Retriever per,” or “dark sandy gold,” the colour should be uniform over the body, with [6] Bulldog nose, eyes, lips, and toenails blending [7] Boxer with the shading of the coat, never [8] Dachshund black or grey. A small white spot on [9] Poodle the chest is acceptable, but a large [10] Shih Tzu patch of white disqualifies the dog [41] The Vizsla from the show ring. A healthy, active breed, the Vizsla has few chronic problems and individuals may live up to 14 years. Breeders often screen their stock for hip dysplasia and von Willebrand’s disease (VWD), as well as having the dogs’ eyes tested and certified by the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF). Although long reserved as a possession beyond price for the rich and aristocratic class of his native land, the Vizsla— whether you see him as gold, copper, or amber—is now a precious treasure to be shared by all. n

If you like the Vizsla, check out:

Heritage: Gun dog US Rescue: vcaweb.org/rescue/contacts.shtml Canadian Rescue: vizslacanada.ca/adopt German Shorthaired Pointer

26 moderndog SPRING 2012

MARY BLOOM © AKC

Activity level: High

Weimaraner

Pointer (English)

RESCUE ME Giving shelter dogs their best chance at success By Steve Duno Illustration by Kim Smith

eist was an adorable ragamuffin of a dog, a little grey and brown mop with bright eyes and a zesty personality. For the Smith family, who were looking to adopt a pet from their local shelter, it was instant love. Feist left the shelter cradled in the arms of the five-year-old daughter, with a brand-new life ahead of her. Ten days later, an upset Mr. Smith dropped her off at the same shelter, reporting that Feist had consistently peed in the house, she tore up clothes and furniture, and the neighbours complained that she howled when the family was out. The final straw came when she nipped the daughter. Now, as a dog with documented behavioural problems, Feist was not only back behind bars, she was close to death row. Although the particulars of this story are fictional, the situation is not: fully one-fifth of all dogs adopted from shelters are returned within a few months. Unfortunately, each “return” stands a reduced chance of getting adopted out again, and often becomes one of millions whose time simply runs out. According to the Humane Society of the United States, an unwanted shelter pet is euthanized about every eight seconds. Why do shelter dogs get returned? Sometimes the reasons lie with the new owner, who, though well-meaning, just isn’t cut out for the responsibilities of dog ownership. Lack of time or experience, or even expense can cause the most altruistic to reevaluate and return. Many ill-fated adoptions are also the result of an impulse acquisition by someone who might have ambled

by an adoption drive at the right (or wrong) time. But, more often than not, it’s the dog who causes the trip back to the shelter. Something about his behaviour or character makes him incompatible with the perceptions and expectations of the new owner. What seemed like an adorable, needy creature at the shelter becomes a behavioural nightmare once in the home. From there, it’s a quick trip back to the slammer. The high return rate among shelter dogs points out some problem that is not being properly addressed by shelters or by well-meaning dog lovers. Generally, it boils down to an inability of the interested parties to deal with the extent of trauma shelter dogs go through in their struggle to survive.

Jailhouse Blues Life for a dog making her way through the shelter system can be a hellish experience. Many have been moved suddenly from a stable family environment to a noisy, crowded shelter with dozens of strange dogs who might or might not be friendly. To a dog, the place is a chaotic collection of edgy strangers, some amiable, others not so much. Alien smells, strange humans moving about unpredictably: a foreign environment, with a disordered routine. Like an inmate on her first day in lock-up, the newcomer must survive and adapt, if possible. Fights, sleepless nights, competition for food and space add up to a nervewracking experience that can change a dog forever. Dogs learn bad habits behind bars. Aggression can become

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the norm, particularly fear-based, territorial, and food aggression. Though comfortable interacting with a reasonably sized group of dogs, the typical canine becomes nervous surrounded by scores of strangers; as such, her mindset can become one of constant defense, resulting in a dog who, once adopted out, can show hyper-vigilant behaviour and disdain for other dogs. Shelter dogs learn to bark. A lot. It becomes the status quo in most kennels; if everyone else is yelling and screaming, why wouldn’t you? Unfortunately, this behaviour can carry over to “civilian” life, making things difficult for the new owners. Additionally, a dog’s housetraining habits often fall to pieces in a shelter kennel, where other dogs eliminate randomly, and where a sense of correctness no longer exists. Coprophagy—the consumption of feces—becomes common, due to food competition and boredom. Nervous chewing and licking become an issue as well. Shelter dogs can contract infections such as bordatella, coccidia, distemper, or parvovirus, become infested with fleas, ticks or worms, or contract mange. Though shelter personnel strive to identify and quarantine sick dogs, the truth is that, if a dog is in a shelter, her former owner might not have been as timely with vaccinations, raising the odds that a dog you adopt might have contracted something. All of these issues add up to one thing: rescue dogs suffer disproportionately from physical and behavioural issues, resulting in a high rate of return, and, ultimately, euthanasia. But if potential good Samaritans arm themselves with an understanding of the special needs of a secondhand dog, the odds of a happy ending go up dramatically.

Choose the Right Dog You can’t take them all, so choose a shelter dog that will best fit into your lifestyle. If you prefer a sedate pet, for instance, avoid sporting breed types and high-energy terriers, as they will need activity often. Calmer breed-types such as Maltese or Toy Spaniel mixes make more sense. Consider adopting an older dog, who will be calmer than a puppy or adolescent. If you

30 moderndog SPRING 2012

want an active dog, look for a Lab or Pit mix, or a herding type. Before choosing, ensure the dog is healthy. Watch for lameness, or a poor coat. Pay attention to discharge from his eyes, nose, ears, or genitals, and watch for excess panting. If possible, look at his stool, which should be solid, with no worms or blood present. Insist that vaccination records be provided before you take any dog, and learn whatever you can about his past life. Observe the dog’s behaviour in and around the kennel; look for a dog who is socially competent, and not worried around other dogs. Avoid cowering, hyper-vigilant, or barky dogs with poor focus on you; a good shelter dog should be relaxed and curious when in your company. Try to spend time with the dog away from his kennel. Some shelters will even let you try a dog out for a few hours, in a place where you can better see the dog’s real personality. Watch him with other dogs and people, and make sure he shows no aggressive tendencies. If you have another dog at home, ask the shelter if you can bring him or her in to see if the two dogs get along.

Set Up Your Home Ahead of Time Before you bring the dog home, be sure your territory is secure. Fix fence holes and ensure barriers are high enough to prevent a jumper from escaping. If you suspect the dog is a digger, place paving stones along the inner fence boundaries. Indoors, secure windows and doors, and teach kids to always close doors and gates. Remember, a rescue dog may want to escape and find her old owner, so button her up! Buy a plastic dog crate. Avoid wire crates, as they do not afford a dog with the proper level of emotional refuge; to a dog, being in a wire crate is like living in a fishbowl. Use this to housetrain the dog and serve as a safe haven. Place the crate in a quiet area, and have the dog sleep in it for at least the first few weeks, to prevent accidents and destructive behaviour. Remember, a rescue dog will be confused at first and not dependable; best to ease her into the household while preventing mistakes from ever happening. It’s also a good idea to feed

ILLUSTRATION KIM SMITH

Shelter dogs learn to bark. A lot. It becomes the status quo in most kennels; if everyone else is yelling and screaming, why wouldn’t you?

the new dog in her crate to avoid food conflict with other pets. Schedule a veterinary visit for the first week to ensure health and get needed vaccinations. The relationship with your vet will be one of your dog’s most crucial, so make it happen right at the start. Though you’ll want to feed your new companion the best food possible, buy a small supply of whatever she was eating at the shelter, then switch over to the preferred food over a twoweek period. This will prevent diarrhea and help with the dog’s psychological transition.

scattered ideas she has about what is right and wrong and increase the odds of separation anxiety. Instead, treat her with respect and love, but make her earn attention and praise. This will help her understand consequences and learn to adjust her behaviour to whatever consistent rules you set.

Feed and Handle With Care

Help your rescue dog properly assimilate into your world by establishing for him a structured routine. Regimenting his day and not allowing too much initial independence will help prevent accidents, destructive behaviour, separation anxiety, and escape. Set a schedule. Get the dog out early each morning, take him to the same spot to eliminate, walk him, feed, train, and put him to bed at the same times. Give the dog something he can count on. Though your aim will be to gradually give the dog more and more independence, in the beginning, keep a close eye on him and never trust him off leash until he has been trained and in the home for a few months.

Rehomed dogs often develop food guarding tendencies. To minimize this, feed the dog separately, away from other pets. Also, work on food guarding by regularly picking up his empty dish, placing a handful of food into it, asking him to sit, then placing the dish down. When the bowl is empty, pick it up again and place another handful into it. This will teach the dog that whenever humans touch the dish, good things happen. A rescue dog may be nervous about being touched, so it’s vital that you brush and pet him every day, randomly rewarding him with treats during the process. While grooming, run your hands over his body and legs, and casually check his teeth and gums while petting his head or rubbing his neck. Handling his feet will pave the way towards regular nail trimmings. When trimming nails, be sure to trim only a scant amount, to prevent cutting the “quick,” or the vein inside the nail. If you are unsure about doing this, use a professional groomer.

Train!

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Training should begin the moment the new dog arrives. Manners, basic obedience, and socialization—key elements missing from her life—should be integrated into her day. Teaching her to sit, lie down, walk nicely on leash, come, and stay will make your life easier, and help her focus. Teach tricks and vocabulary, too, for fun, and to expand her repertoire of behaviours, the key to intelligence.

A dog in a new home does not need an owner with unpredictable mood swings. If you are overly attentive one moment, then overbearing the next, the dog won’t learn to see you as a steady, positive force in her life. Avoid both ends of the emotional spectrum and adopt an attitude of “calm indifference,” a way of projecting an unruffled, carefree demeanor, to minimize the chance of the dog worrying.

Exercise and Enrich

All Aboard!

Walks, runs, fetching—whatever you can do to get the dog moving—will help him feel part of something special. Enrich his world not only through exercise, but by teaching him tricks, giving him safe toys and chews, socializing him, and taking him to new places. Avoid isolating a rescue dog for long periods, as this can accentuate separation anxiety and incite barking.

It’s crucial that every person in the home be aware of the dog’s needs, and apply the same rules and rewards in a consistent manner. If one person in the family breaks the rules, this behavioural inconsistency will confuse the dog and damage his chances at successfully adapting to the new home. Gradually increase freedoms, social activities, and training so that, after six months, your dog will feel confident, secure, and loved. By the end of the first year, your shelter survivor will barely remember his ordeal, and instead feel completely adapted to his new life with you. n

Establish a Routine

Treat her with respect and love, but make her earn attention and praise.

Don’t Baby Because a rescue dog has led a tough life, your tendency may be to spoil her. Don’t do it, as this will only reinforce whatever

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EAR DOG of the

By Stanley Coren / Illustrations Stanley Coren

t seems that every sport, specialty, or interest group eventually develops its own language to describe the things that are important to them. The world of dogs is no different. When describing such common things as the shape of a dog’s ear, dog fanciers may use terms unfamiliar to or undecipherable by the average person. While I am sure that most people can visualize in their minds what might be meant by a prick ear or a drop ear, they might have much more difficulty visualizing what is meant by a rose ear or a button ear, so let me give you a bit of a visual glossary of common terms used to describe the shape of a dog’s ear. Then sally forth and impress your friends at the park with your new-found knowledge!

[FIGURE 1: WOLF WITH PRICK OR UPRIGHT E AR S]

[FIGURE 2: AL A SK AN MAL AMUTE WITH PRICK OR

[FIGURE 3: GRE AT DANE WITH CROPPED E AR S]

UPRIGHT E AR S]

The basic shape of the canine canine ear, inherited from wild ancestors, such as the wolf, is the prick or upright ear (Figure 1). Prick or upright ears are very common in dogs. Their main characteristics are that they are sharp, pointed, and stand erect. They can be found in most of the Nordic breeds such as the Alaskan Malamute (Figure 2), the Siberian Husky, the Samoyed, and so forth. It is also found in breeds like the Cairn Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, and others.

34 moderndog SPRING 2012

Sometimes, prick ears are surgically created by the process called “ear cropping” in order to turn a drop ear into a pointed prick ear that stands upright. Breeds in which this is commonly done include the Great Dane (Figure 3), as well as the Doberman Pinscher and Boxer. It is not unusual to refer to dogs which have had this surgery as having cropped ears rather than prick ears. Through selective breeding, human be-

ings have modified the pointed prick ear shape of the wolf into a variety of different shapes. For example, the French Bulldog (Figure 4) has large upright ears but with the sharp tip altered into a smooth curve, producing what dog people call blunt ears or rounded tip ears. Ears that are upright and large in proportion to the size of the head are called bat ears (Figure 5). There is often a large, v-shaped space between the ears causing them to be inclined outward, extending

[FIGURE 4: FRENCH BULLDO G WITH BLUNT OR ROUNDED

[FIGURE 7: ENGLISH TOY TERRIER WITH C ANDLE

T IP E AR S]

FL AME E AR S]

beyond the sides of the face and giving the faint impression of a batwing, hence the name. Wonderful examples of bat ears

These subtle variations can lead to the naming of ear shapes getting rather out of hand. For example, the English Toy Terrier is usually described as having candle flame ears (Figure 7). This type of ear is curved slightly inward at the base with a slight pinch on the outside edge, which gives the lighter inner ear color the shape of a candle flame.

[FIGURE 5: C ARDIG AN W ELSH CORGI WITH BAT E AR S]

[FIGURE 6: BA SEN JI WITH HOO DED E AR S]

Folded ear refers to pendant ears that hang down in folds, like a curtain, as in the Bloodhound (Figure 9). You can see the difference when you compare it to the Basset Hound whose ears hang down flat. Another example of a breed with folded ears is the Field Spaniel.

[FIGURE 10: VIZ SL A WITH V-SHAPED E AR S]

can be found on most Corgis and many Chihuahuas. There are some subtle variations on prick ears which have earned separate names in the dog world. One elegant version is the hooded ear, such as that seen on the Basenji (Figure 6). The nuance which makes it different from standard prick ears is that they are medium sized and the ear curves in on both sides giving the impression of a cowl or hood.

[FIGURE 9: BLOO DHOUND WITH FOLDED E AR S]

Sometimes dog people do take the shape of a pendant ear into account as in the v-shaped ear, which usually refers to a medium length triangular drop ear as on the Vizsla (Figure 10). Similar shaped ears can be seen on the Bullmastiff. [FIGURE 8: BA SSET HOUND WITH DROP OR PENDANT E AR S]

While all of the wild canines have upright ears, one of the characteristics of domestic dogs is that many breeds have ears that hang down. Biologists refer to these as “lop ears,” however dog enthusiasts refer to them as drop ears or pendant ears. The classic example of this is seen in the Basset Hound (Figure 8). The only requirement for this label is that the ears hang down from the place where they are attached to the head. They can be a variety of different sizes and shapes.

Perhaps the most extreme attention to the shape of the ear occurs in the Bedlington Terrier. It is described as having a filbertshaped ear, supposedly because the ear is

[FIGURE 11: BEDLINGTON TERRIER WITH FILBERT-SHAPED E AR S]

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shaped like a leaf of the hazelnut or filbert tree (Figure 11). This label applies to no other breed beside the Bedlington.

If you have a medium-sized erect ear which folds over towards the front to form a flap which almost completely obscures sight of the ear canal, you have what dog enthusiasts call a button ear, as seen on Parson Russell Terriers (Figure 13). Presumably this name comes from the fact that the folded portion of the ear roughly

If, instead of folding forward, the ear folds back at the midway point, you get what is called the rose ear, as seen here on this Greyhound (Figure 14). It gets its name

[FIGURE 14: GREYHOUND WITH ROSE E AR S]

[FIGURE 12: ROUGH COLLIE WITH COCKED OR SEMIPRICKED E AR S]

Some dog’s ears are neither fully erect nor clearly pendant, and the various ways in which an ear can be partially bent has resulted in specific labels. Cocked ears or semi-pricked ears, as seen on the Rough Collie (Figure 12) are basically upright prick ears that bends over slightly at the tip. You can also see this ear shape on Border Collies and Pit Bulls.

36 moderndog SPRING 2012

[FIGURE 13: PAR SON RUSSELL TERRIER WITH BUT TON E AR S]

resembles the flap on a shirt with buttondown pockets. Another good example of the button ear is seen on the Fox Terrier.

because, where the ear folds, the creases look vaguely like a rose viewed from above. Whippets and Bulldogs also show this kind of ear. With luck, these descriptions will allow you to label and identify the shape of your dog’s ears. If not, rest assured that regardless of their shape, most dogs like to be scratched lightly behind their ears, especially if you make loving sounds at the same time. n

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Acting Up By Corey Van’t Haaff

hen the fire broke out, Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier, was inside the apartment with his owner, silent film star George Valentin. Madly jumping and barking, Uggie tried in vain to get Valentin to leave the building. In desperation, Uggie ran out of the open door and down the street until he found a policeman, persistently trying to get his attention, even tugging on a pant leg. Finally, Uggie’s relentless coaxing convinced the cop to follow him home, where smoke was billowing from the building. As the unconscious Valentin was pulled from the burning building and laid out on the sidewalk, Uggie quickly approached, sniffing all over his body, determinedly searching for signs of life—until the director yelled “Cut!” With the camera no longer rolling, Uggie bounced off for some well-deserved play time. Sarah Clifford, one of Uggie’s two principle trainers, was on the set with Uggie during the lengthy sequence of events that brought the fire scene to life on film. Her company, Animal Savvy, a California-based agency that rents highly trained animals to the entertainment industry, had been hired to provide the dog for the movie The Artist, a silent film shot in stylized black and white, which was named the best picture of 2011 by the New York Film Critics Circle and is highly touted in the race up to the Oscars. “I knew when I read the script with all the running and jumping and barking action, it was an amazing fit [for Uggie],” Clifford explains. Her instinct was proved correct when the terrier walked away with a Palm Dog Award during the Cannes Film Festival. His performance in The Artist has been widely praised, with New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick calling it “the best performance, human or animal, I’ve seen this year.” There’s even a Facebook and Twitter campaign to have Uggie made eligible for the big acting awards. Quite a lot of buzz for a dog that almost ended up in the slammer. Uggie was adopted by animal trainer Omar von Muller when his original owners found the busy little terrier had far too much energy for them. The future film star was headed for the pound when von Muller stepped in. Von Muller has been working with dogs since childhood. “My whole family were animal people,” he says. “We had tons of dogs.” At the age of ten, von Muller trained his German Shepherd and, four years later, he was getting paid by friends and family to do training. “Anything Rin Tin Tin or Lassie did on TV; I would train my dogs to do,” he says. Von Muller had done film work with another Jack Russell Terrier, but that dog was growing old and the trainer was excited to discover his new pet’s talents. “Uggie showed me his ability at just six months old,” von Muller says. Most notably, Uggie wanted to work and paid close attention to learning anything new. According to Clifford, it is Uggie’s natural abilities that allowed him to deliver a stellar performance, especially considering that Uggie spends so much time in front of the camera in The Artist. Dogs that adapt well to the movie business are fearless, she says, and are not scared or distracted by different sounds or movement of equipment like

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“People constantly approach me saying they want their dogs in movies. Really, one in five hundred dogs have the ability to do movie work.” dollies and cameras. “The fire scene,” she explains, “was really intense; a lot of elements; a big sequence with different locations. For the interior scene, he was in the house barking. There was a smoke machine. Jean was going crazy [as part of his performance]. “Uggie does a lot of big live performances, so he has extra confidence and isn’t scared in new situations. He does skateboarding, which is very, very popular, jumps into arms, plays dead; a lot of high-energy behaviour.” Typically, a dog actor won’t get to spend much time with the movie’s stars prior to filming but in the case of Jean Dujardin, who played Valentin, Uggie spent several days at the actor’s home. Dujardin worked with the dog and learned the behindthe-scene parts of his on-screen tricks. “It made all the difference,” says Clifford. “Actors and dogs must bond and feel comfortable. This translates on camera.” Filming in general, she says, is the hardest medium to work in, as far as dog training goes. “You have to know how to read the dog,” she says. “The animal trainer is the director for the dog. It’s not something everyone can do. People constantly approach me saying they want their dogs in movies. Really, one in five hundred dogs have the ability to do movie work. “Besides doing what he’s told, Uggie has a lot of character and he loves people and the actors and the directors,” says von Muller. “He kisses them all at work.” Uggie’s talents and personality have made him a popular dog on set. Before The Artist, he appeared in countless print ads and TV commercials, and his film work includes Mr. Fix It, What’s Up, Scarlett, Life Is Ruff and Water For Elephants). No matter how experienced a dog actor is, the constantly changing demands of movie work always present challenges. To get Uggie to sniff Dujardin’s body for signs of life required some ingenuity. “We hid hot dog pieces in his clothing,” Clifford explains. “The command ‘go with’ means to stay with an actor but normally that actor is awake. When they called ‘action’ and I said ‘go with,’ Uggie stayed right with Jean. As soon as he was dragged and they laid him out, Uggie was sniffing for the hot dog. It looked like he was sniffing to see if he was still alive.”

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Uggie is all business on set, but once the work day is finished, he heads home to an ordinary life as one of the von Muller family’s nine pets, playing Frisbee in the park and sleeping in his own bed next to von Muller’s. “He doesn’t act like a Jack Russell when he’s inside,” says von Muller, adding that Uggie at home is calm and relaxed. But clearly, this talented dog deserves a far wider audience than just one family. “He makes people laugh. People come and hug him and kiss him. He’s one of the greatest dogs we have.” n

LAUGH

Mister Pazu

Comics by Diana Thung

44 moderndog SPRING 2012

Seven rules for a successful dog-inclusive wedding By Olivia Zauli Fellows

n Hindu imagery, Dattatreya, who symbolizes the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, is always depicted accompanied by dogs, symbols of fidelity and devotion. In Mesoamerica, the dog-god, Xolotl, was believed to serve as a leader and guardian to humans travelling the underworld (which, most married folks can attest, marriage’s rockier shoals sometimes feel like). To this day, dogs continue to be hailed and respected as protectors and partners, so it’s little wonder that when it comes to milestone moments in people’s lives, our furry friends are often guests of honour. One particular celebration seeing ever-increasing canine participation is the wedding ceremony. Colleen Paige, a pet-lifestyle expert and wedding planner specializing in dog-inclusive ceremonies, points out that many of us consider our dogs to be family, making them a natural addition to the wedding party. “A dog is an important part of a couple’s relationship and they want to include them in the wedding just as they would include anybody else they really loved,” she says. Now a pro at the art of incorporating couples’ pets into their weddings, she can look back and laugh at some memorable experiences—a dog peeing on a wedding dress, for one—that have taught her it takes a lot of work to design a ceremony that ends happily for the couple, the wedding guests, and the dog.

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PHOTO SUSAN SABO / SUSANSABOPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED

As long as you have a sense of humour and are prepared for the possibility of some canine hijinx or perhaps even upstaging, proceed as desired. Paige remembers one of the first experiences of her career as a lesson in trusting your instincts. When commissioned to plan a wedding that included 50 dogs on the guest list, she learned that some requests just begged for a “no.” This dogloving bride had made up her mind that she wanted the dogs in the wedding ceremony to have just as much fun as the people. Before the wedding, the guests thought it would be a good idea to let the dogs expend their energy playing at the beach. As one might guess, instead of calming the dogs, frolicking in the sand proved to be the key ingredient in a recipe for disaster. Not only was the flower girl knocked over by a rambunctious, hyped-up dog, but as the bride walked down the aisle, she was greeted midway with a dirty, sandy, wet dog-hug. Paige quickly learned Rule #1: Always keep the dogs on leash. David Tutera, host of WE TV’s primetime show My Fair Wedding and event planner to the stars (past clients include Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Lopez, and Elton John), also follows a rule: preparedness is the key to success. Looking back at a roster of weddings that involved animals such as elephants and horses, Tutera says that planning a wedding with a dog did not daunt him at all. “Like any other wedding element, it’s important first to educate yourself on the topic, and once you figure out the considerations that need to be made for a pet, it’s no problem,” he says. He asserts that if you follow Rule #2: Know what you’re getting into, you’ll be prepared for any eventuality. Which is important, because with dogs, even the best-laid plans may not go off as planned. Just ask Jon and Tamara Peterson of Carmel, CA, for whom Paige planned a dog-inclusive wedding. Even after months of training sessions and a flawless rehearsal, on the big day, their two Dachshunds noisily play-fought their way down the aisle. Half way to the altar, they came to a stop, one sitting on the other’s head. But to the bride and groom, it turned out to be a memorable, if unplanned, part of the day. As long as you have a sense of humour and are prepared for the possibility of some canine hijinx or perhaps even upstaging, proceed as desired. Otherwise, tread with caution or your white wedding may be marred by muddy paw prints.

The Ceremony In an effort to prevent any unexpected reactions from the dog, Tutera suggests that for the wedding day, you should have someone whom your dog knows and trusts take charge of her, making sure that she is clean and well-groomed, and walking her through the area of the ceremony to let her give the whole space a good sniff. However, all the preparation in the world cannot guarantee that everything will flow smoothly when the actual wedding day comes. This is when the next rule kicks in—Rule #3: Have a Plan B in case the dog is overwhelmed and unable to cooperate. “You have to be prepared that at the last minute your pet might not be capable of participating,” says Paige. “Because if you’re not ready and something happens with the pet, you run the risk of feeling like the wedding is ruined.” It is also important to provide a place for your dog to rest in case she gets nervous or is over-stimulated by all the commotion, and to have plenty of fresh water for her to drink. Which brings us to perhaps one of the most important considerations: bathroom breaks. Have an area for your dog to relieve herself and someone in charge of taking her there to do so. Rule #4: Happy dog, happy wedding. One aspect that couples often forget to consider is how Fifi’s wedding attire will make her feel. While it might be tempting to cover your dog in lace and sequins, it might not be the best idea for a warm summer wedding or if she is uncomfortable wearing clothes. According to Paige, “If it is really hot, a full tuxedo on a dog is brutal. Weather should dictate the wedding couture.” Rule #5? Dress for success. Another important detail to take into account is how the other people at the wedding will feel about having the couple’s four-legged friend wagging her tail around the altar and the canapés. Rule #6: Give guests a heads up. Paige recommends that, in the invitation, you advise your guests of your dog’s participation. That way, if anyone is afraid of the dog or has severe allergies, they can let you know and request to be seated far away from your dog. However, as Tutera points out, animals can feel like family members and, as such, easily make it on the guest list, so guests should be prepared if they are attending a wedding where the couple is known to have a tight relationship with their pets.

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A wedding reception can be the devil’s playground for a dog.

Many people choose not to have their dogs involved in the wedding reception, mainly because they don’t want to worry about checking up on Fido on top of making sure Uncle Larry isn’t sharing too many family secrets. Paige advises that if you do want to have your dog present at the reception, you hire someone (or ask a very, very dedicated member of the wedding party) to look after the dog and always keep him leashed and in sight. A wedding reception can be the devil’s playground for a dog. Whoever is taking care of him should be entrusted with ensuring that he doesn’t eat anything he ought not to (cooked bones, chocolate, gum, fatty foods…). Alcoholic drinks are also a source of hazard because not only does booze pose a serious threat to a dog’s liver or pancreas, it is also known to induce the Chicken Dance amongst humans, putting Fido at risk of getting kicked, elbowed, or stepped on by revelers. Rule #7: Alcohol and rowdy guests are everywhere and you have a responsibility to ensure they’re not posing any threat to your dog. Though including dogs in a wedding certainly takes extra care, consideration, and flexibility, for many, the extra effort is well worth it, as Kishin and Liliana Kirpalani can attest. “Overall it’s easy, you just have to be committed to it,” says Kishin. Before their ceremony, Kishin and Burt, his French Bulldog took their last walk along the beach as single men, while Liliana and her Shih Tzu, Baby, were getting ready to walk down the aisle. What was once a rocky relationship between a bumptious Frenchie and a quiet, polite Shih Tzu had turned into a nurturing relationship that mirrored the one being formalized by the bride and groom. Burt was walked down the aisle by Kishin, and Baby was accompanied by one of Liliana’s bridesmaids. The two pups stood proudly next to the altar while Kishin vowed: “I will give water and lots of treats to Liliana and Baby for as long as we shall live.” For Kishin and Liliana, the decision to include their dogs in the wedding was easy. “They are like our children and we couldn’t imagine not having them included in our most special day together,” says Kishin. “We wouldn’t have done it without them.” n

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PHOTOS SUSAN SABO / SUSANSABOPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

The Reception

Let your dog help out. The Doodie Pack is a light weight utility dog-backpack with roomy pockets designed to hold bags of dog waste and walk essentials so you can keep your hands free. Fits dogs 8 – 180 pounds. From $30, doodiepack.com

CleanWell’s pocket pack of all-natural hand sanitizing wipes ensures you’re prepared to deal with the invariable mucky moments. $3, cleanwelltoday.com

Throw the distance with Planet Dog’s Wood Chuck ball tosser. Engineered with sustainable bamboo and reused cork scraps, this environmentally friendly alternative offers maximum chuck-ability and a clean conscience, while saving you from slimy ball pick up. $25, planetdog.com

Tired of untangling leashes while juggling multiple dogs at the park? Free up a hand and avoid spilling your $6 coffee with the Crazy Coupl’r from Wacky Walk’r. $29 wackywalkr.com

Dogs that play hard need refreshment. Hook this expandable food and water cup onto any water bottle or back pack for an easy way to quench your dog’s thirst on the go. $10, popwareforpets.com

Light up after-work walks and dusk visits to the dog park with an LED collar and leash from Dog-E-Glow, available in over 50 patterns. $23, dogeglow.com

Leave a cleaner footprint—pick up with Eco Dog Planet’s doggie waste bags. They not only breakdown but are made from tapioca root, which is grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides and requires minimal irrigation. $10 for 3 pack, ecodogplanet.com

MUST HAVES

FOR THE DOG PARK Make new friends and set up doggie play-dates with this pack of 20 customizable calling cards. No longer will you be known solely as Rex’s mom. $15, etsy.com/shop/FireHydrantPress

Let them eat treats! Darford’s delish all-natural Holistic mini dog treats are the perfect little dog-park pick-meup for pups of all sizes. Made with all organic turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, cranberries, and peas, these mini munchers make play-time even more fun. $5, darford.com Improve Fifi’s recall skills with the Lickety Stik, a no-mess liquid treat dispenser to help motivate a speedy return. Best of all, it’s only one calorie every 10 licks. $8, petsafe.net

50 moderndog SPRING 2012

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BEAUTY

GROOMING 101 Grooming how-to according to coat type

rooming benefits aren’t just skin deep. Yes, brushing keeps your dog’s coat clean, her skin healthy, and distributes oils for a nice shine, but the therapeutic tasks of combing and brushing can also lower blood pressure and reduce stress in both your dog and you, as well as provide an opportunity for bonding. Most importantly, though, establishing a routine is good for monitoring your dog’s health, as you’ll be alerted to any potential health problems—lumps, bumps, tender areas, ticks—long before your annual vet visit rolls around. Accustoming her to being handled makes for less stressful vet visits, too. Like human hair, though, the coat differs from dog to dog. Different breeds will require different strokes to best get the job done.

hair, stimulating the skin and promoting healthy circulation. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Greyhound, and French Bulldog are among the smooth-coated breeds that don’t require a lot of grooming. A weekly once-over with a grooming mitt or rubber curry brush will do, followed by a thorough combing once a month.

Greyhound

Begin grooming short-coated breeds like the Pug and the Foxhound with a metal brush or comb, then finish with a bristle brush to remove dead skin cells, hair, and dirt. Short-coated breeds need slightly more attention than those with a smooth coat to reduce shedding.

Long-coated breeds like the Collie and Golden Retriever need daily grooming. Groom long coats in several steps, beginning with a pinhead brush or wide-toothed comb to untangle knots and remove mats, then follow up with a thorough brushing. Finishing with a slicker brush will gently stimulate the skin and provide shine. Use caution when trimming or cutting out mats, and perhaps Golden Retriever consider keeping your dog’s coat shorter to avoid mats and tangles in the first place, making for easier up-keep. Because they don’t leave furballs all over your floor, it’s easy to forget that Poodle-type coats of non-shedding curls still need maintenance. They can tangle, mat, and knot if not brushed every day. Professional clipping on a two-month schedule will reduce, but not eliminate, the need for at-home grooming. Manage silky coats by teasing out knots using a pinhead brush or comb and some

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Pug

Poodle

PHOTOS COURTESY AKC

Smooth coats require only a regular brushing to remove dirt, dead skin cells, and loose

Establishing a grooming routine is good for monitoring your dog’s health—you’ll be alerted to any potential health problems long before your annual vet visit rolls around.

spray-in detangler or conditioner, then follow with a bristle brush to bring out the natural luster. Silky coats need daily attention. Yorkshire Terriers, Havanese, and Chinese Cresteds are just a few of the silky-coated breeds that need significant grooming attention. Many with a silky-coated dog find it easier to keep their pup mat-free by having its coat professionally groomed into a shorter style.

Havanese

Wiry coats such as those featured on the Wire-haired Dachshund and on most types of terriers require regular brushing to avoid mats. Owners who want to maintain the wire texture and look will need to have the coat professionally stripped—it’s not a job for a novice. For easier care, you may choose to have the coat clipped every six to eight weeks. Keep beards clean and food-free with daily rinsing and combing.

Double-coated breeds such as the Siberian Husky and German Shepherd Dog need an amount of grooming attention similar to that required by the long-coated breeds, Wire-haired Dachshund though they shouldn’t be clipped unless serious mats occur because the double coat is specifically designed to regulate these dogs’ temperature, keeping them cool in the summer Siberian Husky and warm in the winter. Grooming rakes are best for easily combing through their thick fur, reaching the skin to remove dead cells and hair from the undercoat. The Furminator, a de-shedding tool (furminator.com), is also a wonderful tool to gently and easily remove the undercoat and loose hair, reducing drifts of dog hair around the home.

Wide-toothed Comb

Pinhead Brush

Furminator

Slicker Brush

Rubber Curry Brush

TIP

Clip or use scissors to carefully trim the fur between your dog’s paws. In winter, this prevents ice, snow, and sidewalk salt from collecting between the pads, and in the summer it helps prevent sharp objects, twigs, grass seeds, and other pokey bits from getting trapped and injuring your dog’s paw. Keeping the fur between your dog’s paws short also stops mats—which make it uncomfortable for dogs to walk—from forming. Andis (andis.com) makes great grooming clippers. Bonus: your dog will track less debris indoors with him, so your house will be cleaner!

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Sense & Sense-ability Part 1: Seeing Eye to Eye By Jennifer Messer 54 moderndog SPR ING 2012

ver wonder why your dog can spot a squirrel swaying on a tree branch at the far end of the park, yet run right past a toy he is searching for in the yard? Or why he sometimes doesn’t seem to recognize you if you are motionless, at a distance from which even your casual acquaintances could easily distinguish you? And what’s up with the eerie Martianlike glow from his eyes when he’s caught in the headlights? While you and your dog’s eyes are based on the same general design, you’ve each got unique adaptations due to evolutionary pressure, or “natural selection.” Let’s first take a look at the common design that we share with our dogs, and then some of the special modifications that developed over time to help wild canines survive nature’s demands.

What We Share Canine and human eyes both function much like an electronic camera. An aperture (pupil) controlled by a diaphragm (iris) allows in light, lenses gather and focus the light, and a sensor chip (retina) at the very back of the eye registers the light that comes in. This information travels from the retina via USB cable (optic nerve) to our chip processor (brain), where it is converted into what we see. Our vision enables major life decisions—like choosing matching coat and booties when shopping for a pooch, or jumping just the right height to catch a Frisbee if you are a pooch.

Natural Selection: Survival of the Fittest Seeing colour and detail was vital for the survival of our ancestral primate, the tree-dwelling ape. It allowed her to pick ripe fruit and nuts from among leaves in trees, and judge distance between branches so she didn’t tumble to the ground. In contrast, your dog’s ancestors were mostly hunters that needed to see well in dim light, and detect motion at any distance. So, while both yours and your dog’s eyes are based on the same camera-like design, each has been tweaked by centuries of evolutionary pressure to meet species-specific needs.

RR Dog Difference #1: Larger Pupil In order to maximize the amount of light entering the eye, dogs developed a much larger pupil than ours. Look into your dog’s eyes and you will see that there is a lot less coloured area (iris) around the pupil than in yours; in dim light the iris is barely even distinguishable. Now, before you go accusing Mother Nature of ripping you off on great night vision, appreciate that the increased light coming in through an extra-big

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A dog’s vision is something like viewing the world through a fine mesh gauze, or a piece of cellophane that has been smeared with a light coat of petroleum jelly. pupil comes at a cost: reduced ability to see fine detail. Just as a photographer can manipulate how in-focus the background of a portrait is by adjusting the aperture—with wider apertures causing more background blurring—the design of the dog’s eye trades off resolution for better light-gathering ability. The dog’s pupil is able to change size, getting smaller in bright light, but never small enough to bring distant objects in good focus the way ours do. This makes evolutionary sense: for hunters most active in the dim light of dawn and dusk, taking advantage of the little light available was much more valuable than making out the whiskers on the bunny they were chasing. Dogs with bigger pupils survived better, passing along that trait to their pups.

RR Dog Difference #2: Different Types of Light Receptor Cells Another reason for your dog’s lessthan-stellar visual acuity has to do with the types of cells in her retina. Both dogs and humans have two types of photoreceptors in their retina: rods and cones. Rods are long and thin, are designed to detect motion, and work well in dim light. Cones are short, fat, and tapered, and are sensitive to colour and detail. Dogs have a greater proportion of rods than cones compared to us. Hardly surprising, given their historical line of work. They are also missing one of the three types of cones we normally have, which makes them red-green colour blind, just like some men with genetic colour blindness, who need lots of help matching suits and ties. Your dog’s visual world consists mostly of yellows, blues, and grays, which explains why she might run right past a red ball on a green lawn and then rely on her nose to recover it. The tradeoff of colour and detail perception in favor of motion detection allows her to recognize an object moving over half a mile away, yet overlook the very same object if it is much closer but stationary. This explains why your dog might stare blankly at you from across the street if you aren’t moving, but recognize you instantly by gait or gestures. Putting your dog’s vision in human eye-test terms, what your dog sees at 20 feet, you can see clearly from 75. This is 20/75 vision, quite a bit worse than the 20/40 cut off for passing the driver’s license vision test. Yes, Fido would definitely need corrective lenses to get behind the wheel!

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RR Dog Difference #3: The Tapetum That reflective glow that you see at night when bright light shines in your dog’s eyes is due to a handy structure behind the retina called the tapetum. It is like the eyeball’s own recycling centre for wasted light, and is totally absent in humans. This special reflecting surface catches and reflects back at the retina any unabsorbed light, giving it a second shot at hitting those light-sensitive photoreceptors. The way the tapetum handles the light causes fluorescence, shifting the light to a wavelength that rods are especially good at detecting. This accounts for the zombie-esque look to dogs’ eyes when the tapetum is in action. Of course, there’s a downside to this specialized light-capturing adaptation. The bouncing back and forth of light in this reflection process smears the image on the retina, creating a loss of detail. Incidentally, some northern Husky-type breeds that were bred to work on snowcovered land do not have a tapetum— presumably because there was no advantage in a snowy environment that naturally reflects light from the night sky.

Working Together Stanley Coren, in his delightful book How Dogs Think (Free Press; 2005), writes: “[A dog’s vision is] something like viewing the world through a fine mesh gauze, or a piece of cellophane that has been smeared with a light coat of petroleum jelly. The overall outlines of objects are visible but a lot of the internal details will be blurred and might even be lost.” Sounds like a raw deal, but I can just imagine a terrier describing human vision as a “lack of ability to notice even the most obvious trembling rabbit 500 meters away in the dim undergrowth of the forest.” Understanding the differences between our vision and that of our canine companions is not only interesting but also carries practical implications, from softening the potential ego blow of not being recognized, to choosing toys in colours our furry friends can actually see. It helps adjust expectations and demystifies some otherwise puzzling behavior, all contributing to a more harmonious relationship with man’s oldest fourlegged partner. n In the next issue: “Comparing Our Senses Part 2: Smell.” Learn how dogs can detect cancer and other health conditions through their olfactory superpowers.

LOST

A writer and her dog venture deep into the backcountry

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAGNY MCKINLEY

By Dagny McKinley

58 moderndog SPR ING 2012

lone…in the middle of the Stanislaus National Forest in California. Nothing moved around me. Other than a few birdcalls, there was silence. The sun shone down on me, each drop of sweat increasing my dehydration— I was out of water. My snowshoe trail could be seen coming down the ridge, then disappearing into patches of dirt. I paused, called out my dog’s name: Alma Rose. Silence. Silence for the last hour. Last spring I decided to make happiness a priority in my life. Struggling with an unsatisfying job where I had no time or money to enjoy life, I decided to disappear into the woods with my dog. Alma Rose is a sled dog from Grizzle-T, the dog sledding company I worked for in Colorado. I brought her home as a puppy and she has been my best friend ever since. She is a mutt, but predominately Husky and Greyhound, tall, lean and fast, thriving in the snow and climbing her first 14,000-foot mountain at six months old. I knew she would take well to the wild. I had spent three seasons as a backcountry volunteer in my twenties in Yosemite National Park; the Sierras felt like home. I quit my job and headed to the forest bordering Yosemite with enough food and supplies for two months. The plan was to carry it in, cache it and resupply as needed. Complete isolation. It was a tiring two-day drive in May to Cherry Creek, our entrance point to the wild, only to find the road still buried with snow. Although I didn’t expect so much snow, I was prepared. I put Alma’s Ruff Wear pack on her, filled with food. I strapped on my own pack to show her we were in this together. Within 50 feet, we reached our first downed log. Normally, Alma would have hopped right over it, but with her pack on, she dragged behind me until she saw a chipmunk; then she was off, running full speed. We hiked about two miles up the trail, a steep set of switchbacks putting us on top of a granite ridge, where I scouted for a place to camp. That day we went up and down the trail four times bringing in supplies. Each time Alma became less enthusiastic until I pulled out her dog harness, strapped it to me and to the 30-gallon bear-proof bin to haul it up the trail and then I swear she laughed. I tried to tell her that this was a great adventure, but she wasn’t so sure. The days that followed were filled with exploration, moving deeper and deeper into the backcountry. Each move took multiple trips: one to explore, find water, shade, and sun; one for the first load of food; and one for the load of supplies. Alma made

one trip with her pack, and then she got to run free. Snow flurries came and went but we managed to find some open ground to camp on. We hiked up ridges, down to lakes, feeling like we were in an undiscovered world. Two weeks in and a late season storm hit, dropping over a foot of snow the first day. I shoveled snow off the tent and Alma explored close by—she always stayed close by. The next day brought more snow and we had another tent day. Waking up on the third morning, Alma Rose was shivering on her bed. My tent was leaking and half my gear and her bed were soaked. I knew we had to hike out. With a full pack, I struggled in the snow; Alma was happy to be moving. For twelve hours, we broke trail through three feet of fresh snow, Alma in front, up to her stomach in most places, unsure but steady. Finally I left our packs, knowing with the weight and the pace I was going we wouldn’t find our way out before dark and we could be in a bad situation. Loads lightened, we found the road, signaling another two and a half hours to the car. My steps plodded while Alma ran and chased and scented until we were safe, fourteen hours after leaving camp.

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We were on a ridge when I stopped to take off my snowshoes. I looked up and she was gone.

How to Avoid Wildlife Encounters • Never leave your dog tied up alone. This makes her easy prey. • Know your territory and what types of animals you may encounter. Be prepared. • Keep food stored in bear bins or canisters or hang your food. • Cook away from your campsite. • Make noise as you travel to alert wildlife of your presence so the animals can retreat safely. Don’t use a whistle or bear bell as those are unfamiliar sounds and may attract animals (the exception being if you are trying to find your dog). • Carry bear spray. If you need to, use it on any animal that is ready to attack.

“A dog is not ‘almost human’ and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such.” —John Holmes

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I bought a tent and a sleeping pad for Alma. We hiked back in, got our gear and disappeared. Our camp was in a bowl, on the only dry, flat rock available. We spent days walking along Cherry Creek, leaving a track of dog prints and snowshoe prints, climbing ridges and investigating lakes. About a month into our journey, my water purifier broke, so I had to boil water with my camp stove, but that wasted fuel I needed for cooking food and I knew I didn’t have much fuel left. During a late evening walk, I felt in my heart it was time to hike out. Down low, the path was opening up and soon we’d have to share our paradise with other hikers. We said farewell to the expansive granite landscapes and the neon ribbons of water opening into lakes and rivers, and said good-bye to the snow. On the way out, we started running into patches of dirt. Alma had learned to follow my snowshoe tracks, but here there was nothing to follow. She often darted off after this or that, and the morning had been trying with her running off for 15 minutes at a time and me backtracking to find her. We were on a ridge when I stopped to take off my snowshoes. I looked up and she was gone. I had no idea which way. I called out to her, but nothing. I knew from past experience she wouldn’t go back but would try to find me. Shouldering my pack, I felt confident she would appear. I called out to her as I moved along the ridge, each step in the beating sun dehydrating me. Alma knew where the cache was, so I headed in that direction. When I reached the cache, over an hour had passed. I took off my pack, emotions flooding over me: anger that she had run off, fear of her getting her pack caught on something and getting stuck, sorrow that my best friend was gone. The part of me that knew all she brought to my life, knew I had to go back to try to find her. I had been hiking for close to 10 hours with almost no water. Across from me was an algae-filled pond. I boiled water, then waited. No Alma Rose. The silence was suffocating. She wasn’t coming. I left my pack behind a log, chugged the water, stuffing my emergency locator beacon, my knife, and a granola bar into pockets. I had an emergency whistle and started hiking back. Two hours passed. Every 20 feet I stopped, called her name and blew the whistle. Two hours, ten minutes. Stop. Call. Blow. Two and a half hours, three hours. I was debating whether to give up and go back before dark or keep on. How far could I go? I was exhausted. Then I heard a noise rushing through the brush, a flash of movement, a red pack and my dog. My dog! Her pack was twisted around her body, one pack pocket open and filled with water, her legs tangled through straps. I hugged her and burst into tears. She pulled away and started down the trail, with a “get this pack off me and lets get out of here” look. She sniffed my snowshoe prints, to show me she had tried to track me. We practically ran down the trail, where she got a ton of treats. That night she ate a huge dinner, then curled up with me on the bed at my friend’s house, as she always had at home. The next day we brought down what was left of our cache. Alma ran free all day with no pack. Although she stayed close and checked in with me every few minutes, the sight of a cheeky squirrel would send her racing away once more. Despite her harrowing experience of being “lost in the wilderness,” she had learned she could find her way. She wasn’t lost any more; she had made the wilderness as much her home as I had always felt it was mine. n

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two unique ingredients, NEM and TêlaFIRM, to support your dog’s joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments for more normal movement. A human joint-health study with NEM found people felt results in 7-10 days. Plus, TêlaFIRM supports bone remodeling. Steadfast supports your dog’s entire joint and structural system. Large and small breed formulas. arenus.com

Bully For You

Get to know these six beautiful breeds. Photographed by Tanya King Bull Terrier The American Kennel Club describes the lovable Bull Terrier as a “three-year-old child in a dog suit.” The breed’s muscular body and distinct egg-shaped head belie an exceedingly friendly and fun-loving disposition. Sweet, playful, and high on the intelligence meter, the breed is popular in agility and show rings, as well as being a loyal companion and family member. Hollywood is also a fan: BTs have starred in family-friendly hits such as Toy Story and Babe: Pig in the City. Obedience training, exercise, and a lot of companionship are required to keep the Bull Terrier stimulated and happy. The breed generally adores kids but its rambunctious, “class clown” behaviour means care should be taken to ensure the BT doesn’t get too rowdy for smaller children.

Olivia

Kiss My Mutt twotoned blue braided collar, kissmymutt.com.

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American Pit Bull Terrier Popular narcotics and explosives detection dogs, the American Pit Bull Terrier’s easy athleticism and high intelligence mean it also excels in agility and dog sports. Its distinct, sturdy head may appear fearsome to some, but a loyal and friendly demeanor lies beneath the short, smooth coat. APBTs are extremely devoted to their owners and usually friendly to strangers. The breed’s bad rap stems from its popularity in illegal dog fighting rings, but there is nothing inherently dangerous about these dogs—quite the opposite. They are excellent family members, as their many devotees will attest. Like many breeds, they require obedience training and early socialization by an experienced guardian. While the American Pit Bull Terrier is officially recognized by the United Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club has yet to follow suit.

Kian

RoverDog8 retro floral collar, roverdog8productions.com.

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American Bulldog Contrary to its name, this sturdy, muscular breed hails from England. A working dog, it was originally bred to drive cattle and guard the farm, protective instincts you can still see in the breed. Unfortunately, the breed’s courage, athleticism, and familiarly with livestock led it to be favoured in the brutal sport of bullbaiting. The outlawing of this barbaric sport allowed the breed to return to its all-purpose work heritage as well its most common role today—that of beloved family pet. American Bulldogs are happy, confident, loving, fearless, and exceedingly loyal to their guardians. They are known to interact well with children and other pets, especially when socialized early, and their short coat makes grooming a breeze.

Daisy

Hot Dogs All Dressed brown leather collar with paisley detail, hotdogsalldressed.com.

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Jammie

Caligirl “Orange Crush” leather collar with silver finished petals and faux green gem stone, caligirlcollars.com.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Don’t let the Staffordshire’s athletic frame and tenacious attitude fool you; this affectionate breed has a special affinity for children, making it an excellent family dog. Thought to be one of the first bull and terrier crosses, it was bred in 19th century Staffordshire, England, for coal miners who wanted a small, fast dog. Extremely intelligent, courageous, obedient, and strong for its size, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier flourishes in agility and show rings. While the breed is sweet-tempered and possesses a sense of humour, it is also strong and determined and thus requires an experienced owner who can train with a firm yet gentle hand. The Staffordshire enjoys daily exercise and sturdy chew toys to exercise its strong jaws.

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American Staffordshire Terrier The AmStaff might just be the “All American pet”—just think of Petey from Our Gang and The Little Rascals. Symbolizing courage and bravery, AmStaffs were also the face of war posters in early 20th century America. Sadly, the current inclination to shy away from members of the Bully family has buried the AmStaff’s family-friendly rep, and unjustly so. The American Staffordshire Terrier is active and affectionate, even towards strangers. This stocky, medium-sized breed with the strong head has come a long way from its roots in bullbaiting, using its strength to excel in obedience, agility, and tracking instead. A keen family member, loyal and people-oriented, the AmStaff loves to be part of a family and will protect them from any perceived threat accordingly. AmStaffs love to be given a job to do, and regular exercise and training are a must.

Chica

Hot Dogs All Dressed hot pink leather collar with daisy detail, hotdogsalldressed.com.

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Boston Terrier Named for its birth place, the Boston Terrier was bred in the stables of Boston, Massachusetts, as a fighting dog following the American Civil War. Despite its pugilistic origins, the Boston is known as the “American Gentlemen,” not only for its tuxedo-like colouring, but for its friendly disposition. The result of a cross between an English Bulldog and a white English Terrier, the Boston is highly intelligent and easy to train. This lively, well-mannered breed makes an excellent household pet, getting along with other pets and children alike, but does enjoy regular exercise. Other members of the Bully Breed family that may surprise you: French Bulldog Boxer Bulldog Bullmastiff

Penny Pepperpot

Hartman & Rose yellow, faux crocodile Afrikaans leather collar with 22 karat gold-plated hardware, hartmanandrose.com.

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body &soul AVOCADO & CHOCOLATE Avocado and chocolate may make a striking colour combo for a chic living room, but they are both major faux pas where a dog’s diet is concerned. The ASPCA poison control center includes avocados on the list of people foods that are unsafe for pets, with this warning: “The leaves, fruit, seeds, and bark of avocados contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.” Chocolate, while adored by both human and dog, can be deadly to our canine buddies. Chocolate is toxic because it contains a natural compound called theobromine. The more chocolate liquor there is in a product, the more theobromine is present. Thus baking chocolate has the highest content of theobromine, followed by semisweet and dark chocolate, followed by milk chocolate, followed by chocolate-flavoured cakes or cookies. All should be avoided.—Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott

THERE’S A NEW CAT IN TOWN

There’s a reason “cool” and “cat” go together Modern Dog’s sister, Modern Cat, is finally here! Follow Modern Cat on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be posting tons of cool cat-related stories, videos, tips, finds, giveaways, and much more! From fab finds to fun contests, Modern Cat brings you the best, latest, and most interesting of what’s happening in the cat world. Let Modern Cat be your guide to a happier, healthier cat! ModernCat.com launching soon.

q facebook.com/moderncatmagazine q twitter.com/moderncatmag

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There’s an App for That! iPhone users will want to download MapMyDOGWALK and get their walk on. Fun for both frequent walkers and those in need of a little motivation, this free, updated app brought to you by Subaru let’s you keep track of how just far and where exactly you and your dog have walked, ran or jogged. Utilizing the iPhone’s GPS function, the app tracks your route in real time, and displays distance, pace, speed, and elevation. It also offers a pedometer, calorie counter, and diet tracker so you can see how you’re doing with that New Year’s resolution. Sample comments: “Awesome! I love being able to see how far I’m being pulled by my three huskies!”; “Easy to use, and now I know exactly how much fun my pooch had!”; “Since I got this app, my dog has been run ragged.” Available on iTunes.

MODERN DOG POLL Which do you think makes a better pet, a male dog or a female? Go to moderndogmagazine.com to vote.

body &soul Animal Threats in the Wilderness Wolves & Coyotes. Both are pack animals and use luring techniques to prey on dogs. They will often send a lone animal out and when the dog follows, will ambush them, or send a pack running after them. Fight back. Hit their noses. Do not run. This will trigger their instinct to attack and make them see you as prey. Don’t make eye contact. Snakes. Dogs tend to have the instinct to stay away from them. Give them room. Moose. If there are young around, the female will most likely charge you or your dog. Hide behind a tree or crouch down low to show you are not a threat and don’t make eye contact. Most moose only bluff charge. Elk & Deer. Most likely they will run or stand their ground. If they run, your dog may chase after them. If they stand their ground, most dogs retreat after a few barks. Foxes. Can be vicious if attacked. They will run if they sense a threat. Bears. Grizzlies will attack, black bears may also attack. If you see a grizzly bear, try to get yourself and your dog away from the bear (do not turn your back or make eye contact) and give it plenty of space. If a grizzly bear does attack, you should lie down and play dead, cover your neck with your arms or pack and do not move until you are sure the bear is gone. If a black bear charges, stand up to it, yell, scream, wave your arms and throw things to deter it. They will most likely retreat. Black bears can climb trees. Mountain Lions & Cougars. These big cats are very reclusive so encounters are rare, with exceptions being Boulder, Colorado, and some areas of California. Stand up to them, fight back, wave your arms, yell, and throw things.—Dagny McKinley

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HAVE DOG, WILL HIKE If you hike enough with your dog, you will eventually encounter wild animals. Depending on where you live, this could include wolves, bears, coyotes, snakes, moose, elk, deer and fox, to name a few. If you have just adopted a dog and don’t know your new friend’s chase instinct, keep her on a leash and see how she reacts when she sees wild animals. Some dogs will stay by your side, other dogs, like Huskies, will most likely chase. The amount of time dogs disappear can range from minutes to hours, so you want to make sure your dog knows to come back to you. Keep a whistle with you when hiking in the backcountry and train your dog to come to a whistle. Do this by offering a delicious treat every time you blow the whistle and she comes. If you are moving along a trail, blow the whistle every few minutes so your dog can follow the direction you are going. If you see wildlife before your dog does, try to grab your dog and hold her, offering her treats while she stays next to you. A dog’s instinct when faced with a predator is to protect you or to hide (behind you). Be aware that a dog may attract a predator such as a bear, wolf, or coyote and lead it back to you.—Dagny McKinley

Though sled dog and bully breeds excel at weight pulling, all breeds willing to pull can participate in cart-pulling. Dogs are separated into classes by weight and each dog wears a padded harness that distributes the load across the dog’s shoulders to minimize injury. The dog is then hitched to a cart or sled which he pulls a short distance in varying conditions. The sport, which celebrates the heritage of the working dog, is promoted by both the International Weight Pulling Association (iwpa.net) and the International Sled Dog Racing Association (isdra.org). Freight harnesses and carts are required for training, but it’s conditioning and the dog’s level of interest in pulling towards the finish line that are key to fun and enjoyment of the sport. Our four-legged companions were the original “Downward Doggers,” so perhaps it’s not such a leap to modify your practice to include your furry friend. Doga, or yoga for dogs, is more about interaction than physical action. What do you need? A yoga mat and an open mind. Dogs of all sizes, breeds, and energy levels benefit from doga, a practice that strengthens the animal-human bond. Want to get started? Order Amy Stevens’ Yoga 4 Dogs DVD (yoga4dogs.com). If bonding is what you’re after, try treibball. It’s a cinch for the herding breeds, but dogs of all sizes and breeds are welcome to give it a go if they’ve got the focus and propensity to take instruction. The sport started in Germany as a way for energetic dogs to work off their physical and mental steam. The problem-solving sport then found its way to North America, its popularity spurred by the way it promotes teamwork between dog and guardian and impulse control in dogs. Using her nose, your dog must drive eight balls into a goal in 15 minutes with only your cues as instruction. The handler chooses the order in which the different coloured and sized balls are directed into the net. It’s like precision sheep herding. Start with the basics: a fitness ball, 20-foot long line, a goal-like enclosure of some type, and a six-foot staff to help guide the balls. Then, check out the American Treibball Association (americantreibballassociation.org) for information on classes and competition.

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PHOTO FRED STEARNS OF STEARNS PHOTOGRAPHY/AMERICAN TREIBALL ASSOCIATION

Bored dog? Routine fatigue? Shake things up with one of these less common dog sports.

PHOTO HEATHER JAMISON / IWPA.NET

Jumpstart Your Exercise Regime With a New Activity!

PHOTO YOGA 4 DOGS

body &soul

PHOTO CANADOG

Are you an avid skier? Share the snowy fun with your fourlegged companion through skijoring, a sport in which you cross-country ski harnessed to your dog. Popular in Scandinavian countries, the sport is catching on in North America. It requires a belt for you, a special harness for the dog(s), and a bungee line to connect you. (Find your gear at canadog.ca.) Skijoring can be done with one to three dogs, and is a suitable activity for nearly any dog over 35 pounds. Though athletic breeds like pointers, northern breeds, setters, and retrievers are obvious candidates, any willing dog can participate because you control the speed and power. Skijoring is mostly done just for fun, but if you’re the competitive type, organizations holding races range from North America’s ISDRA (isdra.org) to the European Sled Dog Racing Association (esdra.net). The International Federation of Sled Dog Sports (sleddogsport.net) holds a world championship race every two years.

The Find

Avoid a potential doping scandal for your canine athlete by going the natural way with Cranimals’ Vibe energy and detox supplement. This antioxidant-packed powder features spirulina, the green superfood that helps limit muscle damage during heavy exercise, combined with cranberry extract, essential fatty acids derived from algae, and B-complex vitamins. Sprinkle on your dog’s dinner or add to yogurt for a delicious and powerful snack. $19, cranimal.com

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.”—Gilda Radner moderndogmagazine.com

The Doctor is Dr. Betsy Brevitz tackles common veterinary vexations

TICK TROUBLE Q

“My dog got some ticks on him two weeks ago, but they weren’t deer ticks so I didn’t worry about Lyme. Then he got really sick, and the vet said it’s tick-related. What other diseases do ticks carry?”

A: Ticks can cause several nasty problems other than Lyme disease. Fortunately, tests are available to confirm most of these diseases, and they can be treated. Symptoms usually appear one to four weeks after a tick bite. Here are the facts about six additional tick-borne diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). The name is highly misleading—many dogs don’t get spots with RMSF, and it doesn’t occur only in the Rockies. In fact, it’s more common in the eastern states. RMSF is caused by bacteria (Rickettsia rickettsii) that attack the lining of the blood vessels and make the blood vessels leaky. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, heavy breathing or a cough, a swollen face or legs, red eyes, or red or purplish bruises on the skin. (These bruises, which can be pinhead-size or larger, are the “spots” of RMSF, but not all dogs get them.) Blood tests are used to help confirm the disease. Dogs with RMSF often become severely ill, but the disease can be treated with antibiotics, and dogs often recover well if treated early.

EHRLICHIOSIS. Like RMSF, this disease is caused by bacteria that affect the blood. Ehrlichiosis is most common in the southern and Midwestern states, but it can occur anywhere. The symptoms are usually milder than those of RMSF. A Dog may have a fever, lethargy, a loss of appetite, or sometimes a runny nose or eyes. The main signs are seen in the blood itself: a significant drop in the numbers of the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. A separate blood test confirms the disease, which is treated with antibiotics. ANAPLASMOSIS. Dog owners may have heard of this disease via the 4Dx blood test, which many vets run as part of a dog’s yearly physical exam. The 4Dx test checks for exposure to heartworms and three tickborne infections: Lyme, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis (specifically, the type caused by Ehrlichia canis). Often dogs who test positive for exposure to Anaplasma have no symptoms al all, or none that the owner has noticed. In other cases, anaplasmosis can cause a fever, sore joints, and decreased platelet and white blood cell counts. The disease usually responds well to treatment with the antibiotic doxycycline.

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SOUTHERN TICK-ASSOCIATED RASH ILLNESS (STARI). STARI is primarily a human disease, but it has potential to spread to dogs as well. In people, STARI causes a rash, fever, and muscle and joint pain. It is caused by bacteria in the same family (Borrelia) as those that cause Lyme disease, and is spread primarily by the Lone Star tick. Lone Star ticks are most prevalent in the South and Southwest, but they have started to appear in the Northeast and other areas as well. All of the standard tick preventives (amitraz, fipronil, permethrin) are effective against Lone Star ticks.

Treatment often can’t clear all of the protozoa from a dog’s body, and relapses can occur. Two types of dogs are especially likely to have been exposed to babesia: Pit Bull Terriers in the South and Southwest, and former racing Greyhounds. The Greyhounds are believed to pass around babesia-infected ticks during their racetrack careers. Pit Bulls are more susceptible to infection with the protozoa for unknown reasons. Unless a Pit Bull or Greyhound is sick, is going to be bred, or is going to donate blood, there is no need to test the dog for babesia.

BABESIOSIS. This disease is caused by babesia—protozoa (one-celled organisms) that damage red blood cells—and is seen most often in the southern and southwestern states. Symptoms may include fever, weakness, loss of appetite, anemia, vomiting, or jaundice (a yellow tinge to the dog’s skin or the whites of his eyes). Babesiosis is treated with an antiprotozoal drug such as imidocarb, along with intravenous fluids and occasionally blood transfusions.

TICK PARALYSIS. Some ticks secrete a toxin that causes a dog to become progressively paralyzed from the hind legs forward over a few days. If the tick is not found and removed, the diaphragm and chest muscles may become paralyzed, and the dog will be unable to breathe on his own and will die unless he is placed on a ventilator. If the tick is removed, the dog usually recovers and is able to walk within a few days.

BROWN SPOTS ON THE LAWN Is there anything that can be fed into a dog to prevent her urine from killing the grass in our yard? Someone recommended tea as a neutralizer.

A: The high concentration of nitrogen in dog urine is what kills the grass. But in lower concentrations, nitrogen is a fertilizer (you’ll notice that the dead brown spots have a ring of lush green grass around them). You can prevent the scald by immediately pouring water on the spots where your dog urinates. But a longer-term solution is prevention. Try designating a corner of your yard as a dog bathroom, using sand, mulch, or a hardy ground cover such as thyme in that area, and training your dog to relieve herself there rather than on the lawn. Most of the things people suggest feeding a dog to prevent grass scalding—such as tomato juice, vitamin C, and commercial products—acidify the urine. But it’s the nitrogen in the urine, not the urine’s pH, that causes the scald, so those supplements are unlikely to help. Excerpted from Hound Health Handbook © 2004, 2009 by Urbanhound, LLC. Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. New York All Rights Reserved Available wherever books are sold.

Dorothy Horton, Publisher and Editor of Gardens West magazine, recommends gypsum and/or lime, used either separately or mixed together, in the spring and the fall to treat urine scalded spots in your lawn.

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SECRETS TO GOOD

CANINE HEALTH By Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott

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og-park chat session: just a few folks passing the time while their four-legged friends romp nearby. The talk turns to food and who feeds what. The responses are as varied as the dogs in the park; tinned, kibble, homemade, avoid wheat, protein is the most important, never feed bones, raw food is best. Everyone feels strongly about their opinion and the couple with the new pup just look confused. Conflicting information about dog food is everywhere. Companies vie for market share by highlighting what they consider to be unique features of their products, and the Internet is full of websites about dog foods. Groomers and trainers may tell an owner one thing, while her vet has a completely different viewpoint. Since diet plays such an important role in health, it’s important to choose the right dog food, but all of this information can leave you more baffled than enlightened. Here are a few secrets to making a better choice when selecting your dog’s food.

Secret #1: Read the ingredient list Knowing exactly what is in your dog’s food can have a huge impact on her health. If your dog has known food sensitivities, reading the list of ingredients is critical. Often a food will be called “lamb and rice,” but upon closer examination, the ingredient list will reveal that it also contains chicken, wheat, and corn. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, from greatest to least. If your dog doesn’t have allergies, these are the top four things to look for:

1 A single meat (protein) source as the first ingredient. You should be able to tell what type of meat was used; poultry meal is a much better ingredient than meat meal.

2 Whole meat or meat meal. Meat by-products are made from the meat parts of the animal such as the organs, and are generally lower-quality ingredients handled less carefully than whole meats so avoid by-products. Whole meat contains a lot of water, while meat meal is whole meat that has been cooked and dried. When whole fresh meat is followed by a grain in an ingredient list, it means that, once the water has been removed, there are actually more grains than meat in the food. If that is the case, look for a meat meal in the list of ingredients as well to ensure that there is enough meat protein in the food. The type (venison, rabbit, beef...) of whole meat/meat meal should be identified; avoid mystery meats!

3 Whole grains or whole-grain meals. Some of the grain processing products (like corn gluten feed) are low-quality filler and should definitely not be at the top of the ingredient list, if present at all.

4 Vitamins and minerals. Some of those ingredients with hard-to-pronounce names like riboflavin are actually added vitamins and minerals important for a properly balanced diet. The presence of whole fruits and vegetables in a food does not usually add significant vitamins or minerals, however, they can be a source of some phytonutrients and fiber.

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The top four things to avoid: forms. By listing each of these separately, the manufacturer can push desirable meat ingredients higher on the ingredient list, when, in fact, if you were to add up all the different parts of the grain included on the list, the grain would actually come out on top. Be wary of foods that list one grain split into many variations such as wheat flour, wheat bran, wheat middlings, wheat shorts, and wheat germ.

it. However, because wheat is present in so many foods, dogs that are prone to developing allergies are very likely to develop an allergy to wheat. A dog can just as easily develop an allergy to buffalo if they are on a buffalo-based diet when they start to develop the allergy. Bottom line: if your dog doesn’t already have an allergy to wheat, there is no need to worry about buying a wheat-free food. However, if your dog is prone to developing allergies or her parents have allergies to wheat, it may be safer to avoid it.

2 Preservatives. Preservatives are necessary to ensure an

Secret #3: Good fats vs. bad

adequate shelf life for dry foods, but some people worry about the use of artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. While these have been tested and approved as safe for use, if you are concerned over the use of artificial preservatives, you can look for a food that is preserved with mixed tocopherols (forms of vitamin E). These foods will typically have a shorter shelf life, so make sure you check that before buying as well: the food should have a expiry date that’s at least six months away.

Dogs don’t get heart disease related to a high-fat diet the way that humans do, but there are some types of fat that are better for dogs than others. Dogs require both omega-6 and omega3 fatty acids in their diet in order to maintain proper skin and coat health. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in meat products, so most dogs don’t require omega-6 supplements. Omega-3 fats are found in plant oils and fish oil such as salmon, flax, canola, and soybean oil, and the recommended dose of omega-3 fat is 175 mg/kg body weight. You may read or hear that feeding too much fat can cause pancreatitis. In many cases, we don’t know what causes pancreatitis; however, it commonly develops following the ingestion of a large quantity of fat. Typically, an owner will report that the dog got into the turkey and gravy or the greasy garbage. There may have been an underlying condition present prior to the dietary indiscretion and the combination of the two things results in pancreatitis. Small-breed dogs like Miniature Schnauzers seem to be prone to pancreatitis more than large breeds. The classic symptoms of pancreatitis are appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, painful abdomen, and fever. It is unlikely that a high-fat diet alone will cause pancreatitis but that doesn’t mean we should be feeding a highfat diet to our dogs. Typical diets should contain between 10 and 15 percent fat with a portion of that being omega-3 fat, usually from flax seed or fish oil.

1 Splitting. Grains can be processed into many different

3 Generic terms. A higher quality dog food will clearly identify the source of the meat (e.g., chicken, lamb, duck, etc) or the source of the fat (e.g., poultry fat, soybean oil, etc) as opposed to just listing “meat” or “fat.”

Some foods contain sugars like glucose, fructose, cane molasses, or corn syrup. These are unnecessary in a dog food.

4 Additives. Some foods contain sugars like glucose, fructose, cane molasses, or corn syrup. These are unnecessary in a dog food. Also, check the list of ingredients for other additives such as artificial colours and flavours; a small amount may make the food more appealing to your dog, but you definitely want to avoid a food that contains a lot of added colours and flavours, extra unnecessary chemicals generally present to make the food more appealing to you, the dog-food-purchaser. Other additives like glucosamine, yucca, and probiotics are generally harmless, but they are not usually added to the food at a high enough level to have any effect. If you want to add these to your dog’s diet, it is better to add a supplement yourself instead of relying on the food.

Secret #2: What’s the deal with wheat? A lot of dog foods advertise “wheat-free” as the new, big thing. Does this mean that dogs should not be eating wheat? There is no reason why a healthy dog without a wheat allergy or intolerance should not eat wheat. Wheat is commonly used in dog food because it is readily available and it provides a great source of energy and a good source of protein when blended with an animal protein such as chicken. Food allergies are caused by a reaction to a protein, and since wheat contains protein, dogs can develop an allergy to

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Secret #4: Tinned food vs. dry food Tinned or “wet” dog food can be a great addition to your dog’s diet. It can help encourage picky eaters to eat and it can be a special treat for a deserving dog. Dry dog food has a greater caloric density when compared to tinned dog food, so for dogs that need to eat a little amount of food to get the greatest calories (e.g., puppies) it may be better to go with a dry kibble diet. Dogs that need to eat more but consume less calories (e.g., overweight dogs) may do better with a tinned diet. Tinned dog food contains about 70 percent moisture, while dry dog food contains about 10 percent moisture. If you have a dog that needs to consume more water—such as a dog with

Steer clear of “mystery” meats! bladder stones—feeding a wet food may be a good way of getting that water into her. Both wet and dry food can provide a nutritionally balanced diet and each has advantages in certain situations, so it is really an individual choice for the owner of the dog.

Secret #5: Fiber vs. Filler One of the issues highlighted in the media is the use of “fillers” in dog food. Fillers are defined as ingredients with no nutritional value that are added to some dog foods to lower the caloric content (or to make the food cheap to produce). Fillers may be beneficial in some diets such as weight loss or diabetic diets. Fillers are actually fiber and, as we all know, you need a little fiber in your diet to keep the tummy happy. Fillers or fiber ingredients that are often used in diets include: wheat bran, rice hulls, guar gum, yucca, cellulose, psyllium hulls, whole flax seed, whole canola seed, and soybean hulls. So who should be eating diets with fiber in them? All dog foods should have a little fiber in them. Normal foods contain between one and five percent fiber. This fiber is necessary, since all dogs need to eat a little fiber to help keep their gastrointestinal tract functioning properly. Fiber can also be beneficial for dogs that need to lose weight because it helps keep them feeling full longer. Weight-loss foods may have between 10 and 15 percent fiber. This fiber lowers the calorie content of the food so you can continue to feed the same amount while feeding fewer calories. Weight-reduction diets

should not be fed to dogs that do not need to lose weight, such as pregnant or lactating bitches and dogs that are already on the slim side. Some dogs with chronic gastrointestinal disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic dietary allergies do very well with added fiber in their diets. These diets contain between 10 and 15 percent fiber. It is important to note that not all dogs with IBD or IBS do well with high-fiber diets and there is no way of knowing which diet is going to work for your dog, so there may be a bit of trial and error involved in figuring out what your dog needs.

Secret #6: Add fresh foods Adding fresh fruits and veggies to your dog’s regular food can be a healthy way to introduce some variety. If you are supplementing commercial kibble, make sure that fruits and veggies don’t make up more than 10 percent of your dog’s diet. Introduce new fruits or veggies slowly to ensure they don’t cause gastrointestinal upset. If you want to add meat to your dog’s diet, lean cooked meats without seasoning or sauces are the best choice. Raw meaty bones are commonly added by many people and generally loved by dogs. They have benefits such as contributing to a healthier mouth and gums and providing recreational chewing but feeding raw bones can be risky. Large hard bones, such as beef bones, can damage teeth, and other bones may cause choking. Bones may be very rich

FOODS TO TRY

Sweet potatoes

Watermelon

Green beans

Carrots

Celery

Blueberries

Apples

Banana

FOODS TO AVOID

Avocado (see p68)

Raw eggs

Tomatoes

Onions

Grapes

Raisins

moderndogmagazine.com

Added artificial colours and flavours are extra unnecessary chemicals generally present to make the food more appealing to you, the dog-food-purchaser. and lead to stomach upset. If you decide to feed bones, make sure they are not cooked and keep an eye on your dog while he chews to make sure he doesn’t choke. The bone should be large enough

that your dog cannot swallow it whole.

Secret #7: Consider your dog’s life stage and activity level A dog’s nutritional needs change throughout her life. A growing puppy

needs a different food than a senior dog and a highly active agility dog needs a different diet than his couch potato cousin. When selecting a food, look for one that is geared towards your dog’s special needs. Healthy senior dogs typically require a lower calorie food with slightly higher protein levels, and they may require more vitamins and minerals. Growing puppies’ requirements will depend on their breed. Overfeeding a rapidly growing large-breed dog can contribute to skeletal diseases such as osteochondrosis and hip dysplasia. Feeding inappropriate levels of calcium and phosphorus can also lead to developmental problems. A large-breed puppy food that allows for slow growth is an ideal choice. Toy and small breeds may require higher energy foods because they have higher energy needs. Choosing a small breed puppy food will provide them with the calories and nutrient density they need for optimal growth. Foods for adult dogs should be chosen based on their lifestyle. Highly active dogs or dogs that have trouble keeping on weight will need a food that is more calorie dense. Quiet, inactive dogs may need a light or reduced-calorie food to keep them from putting on too many extra pounds. Armed with these secrets to canine good health, you are ready to make an informed choice on what to feed your dog—and hold your own at the next dog-park discussion panel! n

From the MD Archive

For these related stories, visit moderndogmagazine.com/mdarchive q Feeding Fido How to really read a dog food label q 10 More People Foods for Dogs Healthy foods to share

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Katherine Heigl Means Business An Exclusive Interview By Mary-Jo Dionne Photographed by Cheyenne Ellis

once overheard someone say something about the city of Paris along the lines of: “Ah Paris, you either love it or hate it.” It stuck with me, that assertion, and over time I came to believe in its accuracy. No one was ever on the fence— comme ci, comme ça—about Paris; people really did either seem to love it or hate it. Over time, it also came to me that the same could be said for any number of things: Brussels sprouts, roller coasters, Dostoyevsky. When I recently learned I’d be interviewing A-lister—sorry, A+ lister—Katherine Heigl, however, and started poking around to get a better sense of who she is as a person, one thing swiftly dawned on me. Katherine Heigl is nothing like Paris or Brussels sprouts. Everyone—no, really, everyone—loves her. One of the few names on a short list of big stars no one seems to have any of the proverbial dirt on, Heigl has occupied a special place in the hearts of fans for well over a decade, appearing in some of this generation’s favourite hits on the big and small screen alike. But for a woman loved by everyone, she herself famously expresses unabashed disdain for one thing—make that two things—with her much-forwarded Funny or Die mockumercial. A viral clip that shot around the Internet at breakneck speeds, IHateBalls.com serves as the forum for an undeniably effective pro-spay/neuter campaign. In what is arguably one of the most memorable pieces of animal overpopulation-control communication ever, she sarcastically tells viewers: “A lot of people say to me ‘Katherine, you promote neutering so much, you must really love animals.’ I’m like: ‘Yeah, they’re okay, I guess. But the real reason I’m so pro-neutering is… I hate balls.” Successfully comedic, powerfully dramatic, admirably philanthropic, and, ugh, downright gorgeous, as far as I’m concerned, like Paris, Katherine Heigl’s only flaw is that she is, quite simply, just too hot. But that’s not dislike talking. That’s only the sound of envy. MD: Where are you from originally? And where are you based now? KH: I grew up in Connecticut. In a little suburb town called New Canaan. I moved to LA when I was 17. Now, we split our time between there and Utah. Our home in Utah was intended to be sort of a weekend place, but it’s so beautiful, really we’re based in Utah now. My dogs love it here too. MD: What effect did modeling (for Sears and Lord & Taylor) ultimately have on your desire to pursue a career as an actor? KH: I started modeling when I was nine and it was a new world to my family. When you’re a child model, your reps are also your agents. And they send you out on everything. I’d done a couple commercials, and booked my first film when I was 11, and that was it. I knew acting would be the career. Well, actually, at 11 maybe I wasn’t thinking about it in terms of it being a career.

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MD: You’ve spent a monumental percentage of your life in front of the camera. Do you gravitate more towards portraying an on-going character on the small screen or towards portraying a character’s swifter arc on the big screen? KH: That’s a tough one. I’ve had some amazing experiences on TV as a series regular. To have the opportunity to get to keep discovering things about the character and to get to keep doing your craft every day, to learn how to keep your energy up, with honesty and integrity—it’s such a great training tool. It’s been a real blessing. But I think I probably prefer film. For three months, it’s on. You get the opportunity to start the character and then, three months later, end the character in this neat, buttoned-up way. MD: In 2007, you were awarded an Emmy for your work on Grey’s Anatomy. What do you most admire about Dr. Izzie Stevens? KH: The character and I pretty much grew together. It started as a pilot—as a certain thing—and just evolved over the years. She had a lot of moral integrity and compassion and was this very strong woman. She went through very difficult circumstances, she had to give a child up and put herself through med school. It was very difficult for me to leave her. MD: In 2006, you filmed what can only be described an

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instant hit, Knocked Up. What was it like working with comedic superstars Judd Apatow, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann? KH: It was probably one of the best filming experiences of my career. Really, an unbelievable experience that changed my life. They’re all so such incredible comedic talents, it was an intimidating set to be on. I spent a lot of time just watching and learning. They would do all this improv and just throw the hilarity out there. They taught me to take a risk. To just go for it. To not worry if it was funny or not. MD: You’ve worked opposite Ashton Kutcher [The Killers], Gerard Butler [The Ugly Truth] and Josh Duhamel [Life As We Know It]. What’s it like to head for “a day at the office” knowing this is the caliber of leading men you’ll be working with? KH: It’s pretty fun. I really can’t complain. My job is to show up at work, get my hair and make-up done, then put on someone else’s awesome clothes—depending on the character, of course—then go and work with beautiful men. It’s pretty satisfying. And all of them are such outgoing, gregarious personalities. MD: Professionally, what have you not yet tackled that one day you would like to? KH: As my career is evolving, I’ve found the idea of producing interesting. I never wanted to direct, but now I’m getting the director’s bug. I’m not sure I’ll ever do it, but it really fascinates me. There are so many levels of creativity. And there’s nothing to me more thrilling than being challenged. MD: In 2009, you and your husband [musician Josh Kelley] adopted your daughter Nancy Leigh [Naleigh] from South Korea. How has expanding your family in this way enriched your life? KH: I always wanted to be a mother. I’d always imagined having a big family. I was raised Mormon and we were a small, big-family in that sense. There’s something so grounding about being a mother. Feeling all that love for a child is so rewarding. It really puts life in perspective. I hope we have more kids. I’d love for her to have siblings. MD: Before the arrival of Naleigh, you were mom to fourlegged kids. What animals do you currently share your home

PHOTO CHEYENNE ELLIS

“With the foundation we’ve started in my brother’s name, we really put our money where our mouth is, to try to make a real difference.”

with? And how did having them help prepare you for Naleigh’s arrival? KH: We have Romeo, Piper, Oscar, Stella, Wheezer, Flora May, and Tambour. Plus three cats. They taught me about unconditional love and helped me learn responsibility and how to care for the ones we love. MD: What is it about animal rescue that makes you so passionate? KH: Animals are the voiceless and the innocent and they need to be treated with the respect and care they deserve. There is a quote by Emile Zola that I believe to be true. “The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous. It is indissolubly connected with the fate of men.” MD: What do you do with your kids, four-legged and two-legged, when you’re on set? KH: I always bring Romeo, my first Schnauzer, who’s now very old, with me and the rest stay with a pet sitter who’s wonderful to them. Naleigh always comes with me. MD: You’ve been an active supporter of Best Friends Animal Society, in particular their Pup My Ride program. Can you tell us what the program is and why you feel it’s an important one? KH: Transporting small dogs out of LA shelters is one way to bring the euthanizing numbers down. Our foundation now funds our own transports in a big, well-equipped bus we bought. We move anywhere from 50 to 75 dogs twice a month from death row to other approved shelters and rescues where they are easily adopted. The ultimate solution is spay/neuter and although we fund a lot of that, our transport program is an immediate solution for so many abandoned animals that were going to be euthanized. MD: Have you always been an “animal person?” KH: Yes. My whole family has always valued and respected the animals we’ve had. And there were many! We all believe animals enrich our lives in ways that are immeasurable. MD: In 1986, you lost your brother, Jason, in a car accident. What was the inspiration for you and your mom, Nancy, to launch the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation? KH: Jason and his innate compassion and love of life were the inspiration. That, and our growing knowledge of the horrible situation for many domestic animals. Jason would have been, as are we, appalled by how many healthy, adoptable animals we’re killing every year in our country alone. We formally founded the

foundation about four years ago but began helping many years before when we became aware of what was happening. MD: What are the aims of the foundation? And what has been the most rewarding experience for you, being an active part of the foundation? KH: The foundation’s goal is very simple, but a complicated one to achieve: a no-kill nation. Because we are dealing with far too many animals in shelters to immediately save them all, I try to focus on the ones we get out and the major spay/neuter programs we are funding to help prevent more unwanted animals ending up being euthanized. All of us who are an active part of the foundation constantly remind ourselves, in the midst of such sadness, of the value of “the one.” Even though we can’t save them all right now, every one we save is a victory and keeps us heading in the right direction. MD: You’ve been on numerous Most Beautiful People lists and appeared on the covers of magazines like Vanity Fair, Maxim, and Cosmopolitan. And now, Modern Dog. How do you keep your eye on that which truly matters, in an industry that so clearly values appearances? KH: My family has always kept me grounded and taught all of us that there is far more to life then perpetual personal concern. I’ve been taught—and I learned—the difference between the temporary and the eternal about our lives. MD: If you overheard two people talking, and one of them admitted they were on their way to go buy a dog, would you feel comfortable interjecting on why they may want to consider adopting over shopping? If so, what reasons would you give them? KH: Yes, but hopefully in a polite manner. And the reason comes down to one statistic: For every pet someone buys, at least 10 adoptable pets will die. Shelter animals are the best pets in the world and are waiting for us as a community and nation to begin to recognize their special value. MD: With a long list of accolades and achievements already under your belt, what are you most proud of as a woman today? KH: My compassion. And I owe this to my mother. With the foundation we’ve started in my brother’s name, we really put our money where our mouth is, to try to make a real difference. It’s really easy to get consumed by your own goals, and to forget that there’s a whole world out there. n

“Shelter animals are the best pets in the world and are waiting for us as a community and nation to begin to recognize their special value.”

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Nelsons-RR-Pet-6.75”x4.625”.pdf

10/16/08

5:26:18 PM

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86 moderndog SPR ING 2012

NUTRITION

eat D.I.Y.

Springtime Topper

This tasty yet light combination of flavours provides a nourishing, healthy addition to your companion’s usual meal.

INGREDIENTS ¼ c fresh fennel, finely diced, raw or steamed ¼ c fava beans, lightly cooked 1 Tbsp cherries, pitted and diced ½ c live culture plain yogurt 1 c cooked ground meat, such as turkey (optional)

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine all the ingredients gently with a spoon in a large bowl. 2. Add a couple of tablespoons of the mix to each of your pet’s usual meals. 3. Refrigerate any leftovers for two to three days in a covered container.

Itchy Skin Fish Dish

This grain-free recipe uses sole, which is a “novel” protein for many pets who may be itchy from consuming more common proteins like lamb or chicken.

INGREDIENTS 2 c sole or other white fish (be sure to remove all bones)

Fennel is bursting with powerful

antioxidants such as quercitin and some studies are underway to investigate its possible cancerfighting properties. It’s also a warming herb that is very useful for gas and indigestion.

Cherries are loaded with antioxidants, and nourish the liver and kidneys.

Fava beans are thermal-neutral. They

1 c sweet potatoes 3 Tbsp flaxseed or evening primrose oil 2 glugs of olive oil 2 Tbsp fresh dandelion or parsley leaves, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS 1. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and boil in water until they are very soft and tender. 2. Meanwhile, lightly sauté the sole in a pan with some olive oil (you can also serve the sole raw if you prefer). 3. Combine the sole and sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add in the flaxseed or evening primrose oil. 4. Stir in the dandelion and serve a portion appropriate for your pet’s size.

tonify the spleen, liver, kidneys, and pancreas.

If your pet suffers with chronic itching and scratching all year round, the cause could well be a food sensitivity. Try completely eliminating grain from his or her diet for a few weeks (remember this also includes grainbased treats!) and see if there is any improvement.

TIP

Dandelion is a cleansing herb that can help remove toxins from your pet’s system, thus helping to relieve itchiness in many cases. It’s also an exceedingly rich source of vitamins A, C, K, B complex, and D as well as potassium, iron, and manganese.

Reprinted with permission from Made Out of Love: Recipes to Prepare For (and Sometimes Share With) Your Animal Companion by Lucy Postins (2009, Lucy Postins).

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“IT’S A DOG!”

By Rose Frosek

How to plan a puppy shower

o you’ve decided to welcome a dog into your life. This is a big deal. This new little (or not so little; or not so new) bundle of fur will be your family. Most of us spend more time with our dogs than pretty much anyone else and they occupy a place in our hearts that is untainted by the concerns and pettiness that mar so many of our human relationships. What I’m getting at, in a very roundabout way, is that the start of such a relationship deserves to be marked and celebrated. You are, after all, welcoming a being into your life that will hold a cornerstone role, with privileged access to you at your best and worst, to your heartaches and your triumphs, and will meet both equally with unwavering devotion. What you have is a four-legged, tail-wagging cheerleader, if you will, and I, for one, think this momentous occasion should be appropriately

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marked. To this end, what could be more to the point than a puppy shower? Do note I am using the word “puppy” as a stand in for a dog of any age, because even if your new pup is a senior shelter dog, this new life is a rebirth of sorts, perhaps for you both. To help you mark this joyous event, I’ve put together a howto guide for a fun-for-all meet and greet in which you and your pup will, with any luck, get some great presents. I’ve got recipes for both two- and four-legged guests, party tips, sweet DIY “It’s a Dog!” announcement cards for sending, and great gift suggestions. Need more reason? Remember that there’s a practical aspect as well (no, this isn’t all about showing off). A puppy shower is a key socialization opportunity, allowing you to introduce your new dog to a variety of people and pups.

PHOTO JANA VACKOVA

This ought not to be a free-for-all, so choose your canine invitees wisely.

The Invite List

The Invitation

As with all parties, the success of the endeavour lies largely with your guest list. Do keep in mind your new dog’s general ease and comfort with new friends, canine and otherwise, and limit your guest list accordingly to make sure it is a positive experience. This ought not to be a free-for-all, so choose your canine invitees wisely. A few calm dogs that play well with others are what you’re after. Your new pup should also have a quiet, private place to escape to should he be overwhelmed or just plain tuckered out. With puppies, you also must consider their health. Many people keep their puppy sequestered until he’s completed his vaccination schedule, but this plan prevents key canine socialization opportunities. We asked veterinarian Rob Spooner of Vancouver, BC’s Yaletown Animal Hospital for advice. “Ideally, the puppies in attendance should have at least one set of distemper/parvo/hepatitis vaccine, plus a Bordetella vaccine under their belts,” says Spooner. “This would make them 9-10 weeks of age. The fact that other dogs have up-to-date vaccines certainly helps, but does not eliminate the risk of infection for pups with underdeveloped immune systems. That said, I’m a proponent of early socialization. Puppies go through a very intense socialization period between 8 and 16 weeks of age. Keeping them isolated from their peers during this time because they haven’t had a full series of vaccines could have a negative impact on their social interactions later in their lives. Make sure all dogs are in good general health— no coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or diarrhea squirting dogs allowed. And all should have good social skills.” So there you have it: make sure your puppy has had at least his first round of vaccinations and that your other canine guests’ vaccines are up to date, then have a ball (perhaps literally).

Once your guest list has been decided, send an official invitation. We have six available templates for you to download at moderndogmagazine. com/announcement-cards. Silhouettes include a French Bulldog, Dachshund, Pit Bull, a terrier, a shepherd, a hound, and a mixed breed cutie. All you need to do is download your chosen card and fill out the spaces with the text you desire. Some suggestions: the classic “It’s a girl!/It’s a boy!;” “You’re invited to a puppy shower;” “Meet our newest family member;” “Pawty Time”... and, well, the list is endless. Just print, send, and await the congratulatory gifts! Even if you’re not holding a party, these cards can serve as an official announcement to let your friends and family share in the fun and excitement of the new arrival.

Treats for All! Why, hello, cupcake. Impress the humans on your guest list with these ridiculously cute dogdecorated cupcakes. Get the how-to here: moderndogmagazine.com/canine-cutie-cupcakes For the canine guests, whip up these little beef meatballs as an extraspecial treat befitting the occasion. Find the recipe at moderndogmagazine.com/ beef-meatballs. n

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PHOTO BY WILSON WEBB, COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Marriage and movie-making magic: Husband and wife duo Lawrence and Meg Kasdan’s recipe for a true-to-life movie about family—in all its forms. By Brielle Morgan

ilmmaker Lawrence Kasdan may be the luckiest guy in Hollywood—and he knows it. His first screenwriting assignment was for a modest little film called Star Wars. Spielberg promptly snagged him after that to write for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Later, he banked three Oscar nominations for The Big Chill, an 80’s classic he co-wrote and directed. Over the past three decades, Kasdan has written, produced, directed, and acted his way through Westerns, horrors, dramas— you name it. His latest film, Darling Companion, marks the second time he has co-written a film with his wife, Meg. The film, based on the Kasdans’ own experiences, stars Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton as a couple whose long marriage is tested when Kline’s character loses the couple’s beloved rescue dog.

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“I think my movies tend to be about how complicated it is to live your life in an honourable way.”

From the snow-covered mountains of Colorado, Meg and Larry talk with Modern Dog about loss, love, and dog-like grandchildren. MD: What’s it like working as a husband and wife screenwriting pair? L: Everybody always asks us that because they wonder how a husband and wife can write together. It’s been very, very good for us. Both the movies that we’ve written together have very much been about marriages. We’ve been married a long time—forty years. M: We were children when we got married. MD: This is the first independent film you’ve worked on. How does that compare to working on a big studio picture? L: We had a very small budget and we shot the movie in 32 days. You can’t wait for anything—you can’t wait for the light, you can’t wait for the weather, you just have to keep shooting. The other thing is, everybody who came to work on the movie did it because they loved the script. Everybody’s getting the minimum amount of money that the unions allow, from the top stars to the people on the crew. MD: So, it’s a true labor of love. L: It really is. MD: I understand that a lot of the film was based on your own experience. Can you tell me about that? M: We have a dog that we rescued: Mac. We had to go to a wedding [and so] we left him with someone we really trust— trusted then and still do really trust. They were on a trail and he ran off. There was someone coming down the mountain on a mountain bike behind them and he startled and ran, and was lost for three weeks in the mountains. We did everything we could possibly think of: radio ads, newspaper, we had signs all over the town, we had people actually physically searching for him. We had almost given up and then he was found three weeks after he was lost. L: He’d lost seven pounds. M: It was in the beginning of September and there were storms and thunder. Everyone always says, “How did he make it?” It’s just kind of amazing that he did.

L: It would have been very cold, but he adapted like a dog. He’s a sweet, sweet mutt. M: The last day of shooting we brought him to the set, so everyone on the crew got to meet him, which was kind of amazing because they had all heard the true story. MD: How does it change the process when you have animals on set? L: It’s like working with very young children. You arrange the shooting so that you can get what you need and then shoot around them. Dogs get tired and children can only work for a few hours. MD: Would you say it’s easier to direct people or animals? L: It’s easier to communicate with people, but some of these animals are very well trained and what the trainers do with them is extraordinary. Of course, we’ve only been involved with people who are extraordinarily sensitive and kind with the animals. I just love to see people interacting with animals. It’s really fun. MD: What kind of dog is Freeway [the rescue dog in the film]? M: He’s a Shepherd/Collie mix. MD: How do you cast a dog? What’s that like? L: There’s a real instinctual thing about how you think it’s going to work with the cast. It’s not so different from working with actors. MD: I know that you’ve worked with Kevin Kline for several films. Did you write this screenplay with him in mind? M: No, we didn’t really have anybody in mind. We knew that we wanted to do this movie about a couple. They had to be of a certain age and they had to have a certain way of relating to each other. MD: Are Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton dog lovers? M: They are. L: They both have dogs. Diane used to live on our block for a while and we used to see her walking her dog. They both relate to dogs very strongly. Diane read this script and she said, “Oh my God, I have to do this story.” M: She’s rescued many of her dogs. MD: What do you want people to take from this film?

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“This story was very personal to us.”

L: I’ve never had a particular goal in mind for movies. I think my movies tend to be about how complicated it is to live your life in an honourable way. How do you remain kind with the people you care about and respectful to people that come into your life? This movie is a little bit about the fact that that can go across species, too. M: The movie, we hope, is really fun to watch. There’s a lot of humour. MD: Larry, you once said that you love the funny people of the world. Who is the funniest person in your life? L: That’s really hard to say. I’ll tell you one person who is hilarious: our grandson. He has some dog-like qualities too in that he is right in the moment, whatever you’re doing, he’s into it. You have to run after him harder than you have to run after a dog. MD: The title for the film, does that refer to all the relationships in the film? L: Yeah, it really does. It refers to their long marriage and it refers to her new relationship with the dog, and the daughter’s hopes for her new marriage. MD: Meg, what was your favourite moment in making this film? M: There were so many great moments. We had these fabulous actors who just inhabited these roles in a way that was just wonderful to watch. We were in a beautiful place; we made the movie in Utah, so we were outside for a lot of the time watching people do this story that was very personal to us. L: It’s a very gratifying experience. It’s a rare privilege to make movies. MD: How would you say that dogs have impacted your relationship with each other? L: We spend so much time walking this dog and my sons’ dogs, exploring this really gorgeous wilderness that is here in Colorado and along the coast of California and sharing it with animals who have maybe even a greater appreciation because they live in the moment. They don’t think about where you’re going or where you have been or how long—they just want to be with you. M: I think that everyone who has had the experience of hiking on trails in the mountains with dogs gets how great it is. It’s just a wonderful life experience. MD: Besides Darling Companion, do you have any other favourite dog-centered movies? L: I was devastated by Old Yeller. We saw it when it first came out and we were really young. I think that forms your impression for the rest of your life of how much a dog can mean. n The Kasdans’ labour of love debuts in theatres this April.

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Which Dog Breed is Best For You? By Stanley Coren / Ilustration Jess Golden

esearch has shown that whether or not you get along with a particular dog depends upon the fit between that dog’s personality and your own. Below you will find a simple way to find out whether a certain breed of dog will be a good fit for you. To develop this test, I asked more than 6,000 people from all walks of life to answer questions relating to their personalities and then indicate, of the breeds that they have actually lived with and gotten to know well, which dogs they loved and hated. On the basis of this data, each dog breed was evaluated to determine how well they would fit into the life of a particular person with certain characteristics. The test and the results were then published in my book Why We Love the Dogs We Do (Free Press; 1998). The test helps you determine whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, and whether you have a dominant or not so dominant, trusting or controlling, and “warm” or “cool” personality. Once you understand your own character traits, you can focus on the breeds that are likely to match your personality. For the test to work, you must be honest in your answers; sometimes it is better to have somebody who knows you well fill in the answers for you.

The Test STEP 1 For each characterisitc,” select one of the answers from the scale below and write the number corresponding to that answer beside the word. 1. Extremely inaccurate 2. Very inaccurate 3. Moderately inaccurate 4. Slightly inaccurate 5. Slightly accurate 6. Moderately accurate 7. Very accurate 8. Extremely accurate SHY: You lack self-confidence and tend to be uncomfortable around other people. UNDEMANDING: You don’t demand or expect much from others. GENTLE-HEARTED: You are warm or kind to other people. OUTGOING: You enjoy meeting other people. ASSERTIVE: You tend to be aggressive and outspoken with others. CUNNING: You are crafty, skilful at manipulating others and a bit devious. UNSYMPATHETIC: You are not easily swayed or emotionally moved by other people’s problems.

INTROVERTED: You feel more comfortable by yourself and less interested in having other people around. UNAGGRESSIVE: You tend to be mild-mannered and not forceful around others. NOT DECEPTIVE: You are not tricky or misleading and tend to be straightforward when dealing with others. KIND: You are thoughtful, caring and accommodating to others. FRIENDLY: You like to be with others and are open and warm around them. DOMINANT: You tend to lead others and like to command and take charge in a group. TRICKY: You can be deceiving, or able to fool others to get what you want. HARD-HEARTED: You are unconcerned about other people and don’t care much about their feelings. UNSOCIABLE: You don’t enjoy meeting people or being in the company of others.

STEP 2 Once you have entered all the numbers beside the words, it’s time to take score for the four different personality aspects: extroversion, dominance, trust, and warmth.

Extroversion 1. Add the following two scores and then add 20: ____ FRIENDLY + ____ OUTGOING + 20 =________ (total 1)

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For women, a score of 26 or more is high, 18 or less is low and 19 through 25 is medium. For men, 25 or more is high, 18 or less is low and 19 through 24 is medium.

Warmth For women, anyone with a score of 28 or more is highly extroverted while a score of 20 or less is low. Scores between 21 and 27 are in the medium range. For men, a score of over 28 or more is high, 19 or less is low and 20 to 27 is medium.

1. Add the following two scores then add 20: ____ KIND +____ GENTLE-HEARTED + 20 = ____ (total 1)

Dominance

3. Subtract total 2 from total 1 = ____ This is your warmth score.

1. Add the following two scores then add 20: ____ DOMINANT +____ ASSERTIVE + 20 = ____ total 1) 2. Add the following two scores: ____ SHY + ____ UNAGGRESSIVE = ____ (total 2) 3. Subtract total 2 from total 1 =____ This is your dominance score. For women, a score of 23 or more is high in dominance while a score of 16 or less is low. Scores between 17 and 22 are in the medium range. For men, a score of 24 or more is high, 18 or less is low and 19 to 23 is medium.

Trust 1. Add the following two scores then add 20: ____ UNDEMANDING +____ NOT DECEPTIVE + 20 =____ (total 1) 2. Add the following two scores: ____ CUNNING +____ TRICKY = ____ (total 2) 3. Subtract total 2 from total 1 =______ This is your trust score.

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2. Add the following two scores: ____ HARD-HEARTED + ____ UNSYMPATHETIC = ____ (total 2)

“friendly” and “clever” dogs. Low: Women and men in this category are best with “protective” and “independent” dogs.

Trust Score High: Women in this category are best with “consistent” and “protective” dogs, men with “protective” and “clever” dogs. Medium: Women with a medium score are best with “friendly” and competent” dogs, men with “friendly” and “independent” dogs. Low: Women and men with a low score are best with “steady” and “self-assured” dogs.

Warmth Score For women, a score of 30 or more is high, 23 or less is low and 24 to 29 is medium. For men, 28 or more is high, 20 or less is low and 21 through 28 is medium.

High: Women with a high score are best with “protective” and “friendly” breeds, men with “clever” and “friendly” breeds.

STEP 3

Medium: Women with this score prefer “independent” or “clever” breeds, men “protective” and “independent” dogs.

Based on your scores in the four categories, here’s how to determine if you’re a “best fit” with a particular dog breed.

Extroversion Score High: Women in this category are a best fit with “independent” and “protective” dogs. Men in this category are a best fit with “consistent” and “clever” dogs Medium: Women with a medium score are a best fit with “consistent” and “clever” dogs. For men, “friendly” and “self-assured” dogs are best. Low: Women in this category would be a best fit with “steady” or “self-assured” dogs, men with “independent” and “steady” dogs.

Dominance Score High: Women and men in this category are a best fit with “self-assured” and “steady” dogs. Medium: Women are a best fit with “consistent” and “friendly” dogs, men with

Low: Women would prefer “self-assured” and “steady” dogs, men “steady” and “consistent” dogs.

STEP 4 Find the dog types best suited to your personality in the accompanying list. If a dog group fits three or four of your personality scores then you should look seriously at this group next time you get a dog. If the same group of dog is suggested for you in two of your personality scores, then there is a good chance the dog from that group will fit your temperament. Less than two hits for any dog group means that the fit is a bit iffy, and there might be some stormy times with dogs from that group.

KNOW YOUR DOG TYPES Friendly Dogs (these are genial and affectionate) . Bearded Collie . Bichon Frise

ILLUSTRATIONS JESS GOLDEN

2. Add the following two scores: ____ INTROVERTED +____ UNSOCIABLE =____ (total 2) 3. Subtract total 2 from total 1 = _____ This is your extroversion score.

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Once you understand your own character traits, you can focus on the breeds that are likely to match your personality. . Border Terrier . Brittany Spaniel . Cavalier King Charles Spaniel . Cocker Spaniel . Collie . Curly-coated Retriever . English Setter (continued on next page) . English Springer Spaniel . Field Spaniel . Flat-coated Retriever . Golden Retriever . Keeshond . Labrador Retriever . Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever . Old English Sheepdog . Portuguese Water Dog . Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier . Vizsla . Welsh Springer Spaniel

Protective Dogs (these tend to be more territorial and dominant) . Akita . American Staffordshire Terrier . Boxer . Briard . Bullmastiff . Bull Terrier . Chesapeake Bay Retriever . Chow Chow . German Wire-haired Pointer . Gordon Setter . Komondor . Kuvasz . Puli . Rhodesian Ridgeback . Rottweiler . Schnauzer (Giant and Standard) . Staffordshire Bull Terrier . Weimaraner

Independent Dogs (these dogs are personable but strongwilled) . Afghan Hound . Airedale Terrier . Alaskan Malamute . American Foxhound . American Water Spaniel . Black and Tan Coonhound . Borzoi

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. Chinese Shar-Pei . Dalmatian . English Foxhound . German Short-haired Pointer . Greyhound . Harrier . Irish Setter . Irish Water Spaniel . Norwegian Elkhound . Otterhound . Pointer . Saluki . Samoyed . Siberian Husky

Self-Assured Dogs (these dogs are often described as being spontaneous and even audacious) . Affenpinscher . Australian Terrier . Basenji . Brussels Griffon . Cairn Terrier . Irish Terrier . Lakeland Terrier . Manchester Terrier . Miniature Pinscher . Norfolk Terrier . Norwich Terrier . Parson Russell Terrier . Schipperke . Schnauzer (Miniature) . Scottish Terrier . Shih Tzu . Silky Terrier . Smooth Fox Terrier . Welsh Terrier . West Highland White Terrier . Wire Fox Terrier . Wire-haired Pointing Griffon . Yorkshire Terrier

Consistent Dogs (these dogs are generally self-contained and homeloving) . Bedlington Terrier . Boston Terrier . Chihuahua . Dachshund . Dandie Dinmont Terrier . English Toy Spaniel

. French Bulldog . Italian Greyhound . Japanese Chin . Lhasa Apso . Maltese . Pekingese . Pomeranian . Pug . Sealyham Terrier . Skye Terrier . Tibetan Terrier . Whippet

Steady Dogs (such dogs are described as being solid, goodnatured and tolerant) . Basset Hound . Beagle . Bernese Mountain Dog . Bloodhound . Bouvier des Flandres . Bulldog . Clumber Spaniel . Great Dane . Great Pyrenees . Irish Wolfhound . Mastiff . Newfoundland . Saint Bernard . Scottish Deerhound

Clever Dogs (these dogs are very observant and highly trainable) . Australian Cattle Dog . Australian Shepherd . Belgian Malinois . Belgian Sheepdog . Belgian Tervuren . Border Collie . Cardigan Welsh Corgi . Doberman Pinscher . German Shepherd . Maremma Sheepdog . Papillon . Pembroke Welsh Corgi . Poodle (Toy, Miniature and Standard) . Shetland Sheepdog (Learn more about this test in Why We Love the Dogs We Do by Stanley Coren.)

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PET PROJECT

craft D.I.Y.

Pet Pocket

Getting Started

By Amy Bethune

We asked the very talented Amy Bethune—she’s a quadruple threat: college chemistry professor, photographer, blogger, and maker of beautiful things—to share how to create her cute, handy little pet pouches that attach to a dog’s collar. Happily, she obliged. They store your key or card and a few extra bags so you’ll never be caught out unprepared. Take it away, Amy… I don’t want to offend anyone by being too graphic, but my dog Lola and I take a lot of walks and jogs and sometimes I forget to bring along a little baggie for...well, you know. So, it dawned on me on a recent excursion that I could make a little “wallet” to store a plastic baggie right on her collar. Of course, they have little baggie things that dangle from the collar, but I know I wouldn’t like that banging around, and I thought Lola would be annoyed by it too. She’s kinda particular. Anyway, here’s a quick little project to make such a pouch. Of course, you could keep a card or key in it, too, if you’re so inclined. This pouch fits one large or a few small bags inside.

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Tools & Materials • Fabric swatch (3″ x 8″) • Needle and thread (a sewing machine makes this project lightning fast, but isn’t necessary) • Straight pins • Scissors • Velcro (2 inches of 1″ wide)

Instructions Step 1: To begin, cut your fabric into a 3″ x 8″ rectangle (I’ve had this ruler since grade school in case you were wondering). Fold each of the short ends over by 1/2 inch and sew down the center of the fabric, 1/4 inch from the fold. Repeat on the other end.

Step 4: Now, fold the other side over as well so that it overlaps the first “flap” by about 1 inch.

Step 2: Now, with the good side of the fabric toward you, pin the Velcro to the middle of the fabric. Make sure that one side of the Velcro (for instance, the fuzzy side) is up while the other (the sticky side) is down. They should be overlapping quite a bit and sticking to each other now. Baste the Velcro in place and remove pins.

Step 6: Now, flip the right sides of the fabric out. Be sure to use a knitting needle or something pointed to push out the corners of the pouch so they’re square. And the pouch is done.

Step 3: Fold one side up (back side of the fabric will be exposed) about 1/2 inch beyond the Velcro.

Step 5: Sew along both edges of the pouch about 1/4 inch from the edge.

Now head to the dog park and await compliments!

q Check out more of Amy’s inspiring projects, photos, and designs at theb-line.blogspot.com.

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DOG the Odour Hunter An unprepared MD staffer and her sight-challenged Pug take on canine nose-work. By Sara Lima Illustration Kaley McKean

was a terrible student in high school, especially when it came to the much-abhorred subject of math. I consistently showed up for class without a calculator, notebook, textbook, or pen. My math teacher hated me (She signed my yearbook “Glad you’re not in my class anymore.” Seriously.) Despite my lack of preparedness and general indolence, I managed to pass math and graduate high school a competent and relatively math-abled adult. Since I beat the odds and triumphantly completed said course without the necessary tools or due diligence, I reasoned that I could train my blind, one-eyed, nine-year-old Pug, Roxy, in the sport of K9 Nose Work with the same lazy approach. Before you judge this seemingly irrational conclusion, consider my logic: Roxy has relied on nothing but her nose, ears, and my motherly intuition to make her way in life since she was four months old, using her snout to guide her through a dark and often treacherous world full of chair legs and rock-hard shins. Tracking aromatic goodies within a safe environment would be pup’s play for this odour-detecting expert. Armed with a surplus of confidence, both in my ability to lead and in Roxy’s desire to learn, my visually impaired partner and I registered for an “intro to nose work” class. Knowing full well that I would widely publicize our imminent success to an uninformed audience of family and friends, I thought it prudent to school myself in all things nose work. The sport of canine scent detection (or nose work) was created in 2007 in southern California by trainers of professional working detection dogs. According to the National Association of Canine Scent Work (nacsw.net), an odour recognition test (ORT), the competitive trial that serious scent detectives work toward, requires that a dog use its nose to locate a target odour (an essential oil dabbed on a cotton swab) and then signal to their partner using body language that they’ve detected the scent. Dogs in Level One search for birch, then progress to birch and anise in

Level Two, and finally birch, anise, and clove in Level Three. Before a dog/human team reaches this level of scent-discovering expertise, they are introduced to the concept of nose work by “hunting” high-value treats such as hot dogs, steak, or cheese that have been hidden in one of several cardboard boxes strewn throughout a sterile, indoor environment. The idea is to get the dog using her nose to “hunt” for the target odour, in this case meaty delights, without relying on physical cues from her human partner to make the discovery. This basic platform is where Roxy and I would start out. As we approached the expansive property where the first class was to take place, my coloured history as a terrible student reared its ugly head, and I was transported back ten years to math class. The instructions provided by Ann, our patient and skilled “nose work” teacher, clearly stated the requirements: bring a harness, a seven-foot lead, and meaty treats, and arrive at least 15 minutes early to set up. We arrived 20 minutes late, toting a collar, a four-foot lead, and no treats. Luckily for me, the attendants were friendly and accommodating, gladly offering up their high-value goodies to my anxious partner. Since we were the last to arrive, Roxy would be the last in turn to run a trial. This proved to be advantageous, as it gave me the chance to observe the other dogs and take furious notes before displaying our skills to our classmates. Once the first dog, Bodecelli, a Lagotto Romagnolo, entered the ring, it was made clear that all human by-standers were to ignore his curious advances; his only reward would be the cheese in the target box. Ann began his first run by showing him the target box and rewarding his curiosity with a treat. The box was then refilled with goodies and laid on the floor among a half dozen other cardboard boxes of varying shapes and sizes. And he was off, excitedly exploring the cement floor with his face and periodically looking to his handler for direction. Although it was diffi-

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+ Practice Like the Pros Tools required: 5-6 cardboard boxes of different shapes; high-value treats (steak, hot dogs, cheese); long lead. 1. Randomly strew the cardboard boxes in a clean and clear space (living room, garage). 2. Introduce your dog to the high-value treat, then place treat into the box you’ve chosen as the “target.” 3. Hold up the open box while your dog sniffs the treat. Once he takes the treat, congratulate him. 4. Refill the target box with meaty delights and place it with other boxes. 5. Put your dog on a long leash and begin walking through the maze of boxes, allowing him to lead. Tips: If your dog walks off in the wrong direction, you can direct him toward the target box with gestures. Try not to talk to your dog while searching; his nose should be doing all the work. Once your dog retrieves the treat from the target box, celebrate!

Other Uses For Nose Work Training • Searching for bed bugs, termites and other yucky bugs • Truffle hunting • Tracking bad guys or lost children • Searching for mold, narcotics, explosives, cadavers • Searching for cancer in humans • Advanced obedience work • Warning owner of hypoglycemia or epileptic attacks

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cult, his partner stoically avoided his gaze since the dog will eventually learn to signal that a scent has been found with such a look. After diligently examining each box and suspiciously eyeing his yummy prize, Bodecelli finally went in for the kill and consumed his reward. Restrained praise and pats immediately followed. As each pair took their turn, it was clear that the dogs’ comfort levels within the environment varied; some began by suspiciously walking the perimeter while others dove right into the boxes. This instantly made me feel at ease, because Roxy is, by nature, a wary dog who startles easily. This is one of the reasons nose work training caught my attention: it is simply positive reinforcement put into play. Handlers are asked to “leave corrections at the door.” The objective of nose work training is to bring out the innate hunting skill that each dog possesses, and with that, a sense of accomplishment and confidence, something my blind companion is often lacking. As our turn in the ring arrived, my poor Roxy began to quiver. I slowly guided her in the direction of the meaty pot of gold. To my surprise, Roxy was not startled by the boxes and expertly avoided them despite her lack of vision. From her gait and aggressive sniffing, I could tell that Roxy was beginning to feel more comfortable, but the hot dog treat being offered wasn’t piquing her interest as we’d hoped, so we switched to corned beef. Ann carefully piled the sliced meat into the target box which resulted in an instant reaction from Roxy. She cautiously approached the cardboard container, keenly aware of the rewards awaiting her should she be brave enough to dive in, and dive in she did. As she courageously retrieved this ultimate prize, Roxy’s pride in her conquest paled only in comparison to mine. Despite my lackadaisical approach and Roxy’s physical limitations, I managed to lead this slightly disadvantaged Pug to nose work success, harnesses and preparation be damned! I know you’re waiting for me to tell you that Roxy and I have started our own canine detective agency and have a network TV series in the works, but alas, we’re not there quite yet. We are, however, continuing to work on Roxy’s treat-hunting skills in our living room, much to the chagrin of my boyfriend, who is forced to watch his sports highlights between scent work trial runs. Witnessing the boost in Roxy’s confidence, both in and out of the cardboard maze in our living room, reinforces the merits of this relatively unknown sport. Speaking of our network debut, we were thinking “Roxy, the Odour Hunter” as a working title. All she needs now are a pair of sunglasses, blonde hair extensions, and a leather vest. Oh, and a badge. n

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ASK AN EXPERT // Trainer Colleen Safford Peeing Problems I have done everything with my two-year-old Pit Bull to help with housebreaking. I’ve had him since he was nine months old and it’s always been a problem. I’ve praised, treated, and crated. When he “goes” in the house, it’s always in a room where I am not. I have an eight-year-old dog that would hold it for days if he had to. I also foster dogs and they don’t have a problem, it’s just Boaz. Can you helpt?—Squishy Carpets in Squamish The housetraining process can take its toll on any fur parent, but with a two-year-old Pit Bull, that’s certainly a lot of piddle! A dog of Boaz’s age should have all necessary physical control of his bladder and bowels, but that doesn’t mean he does. To err on the side of caution, any dog that is still struggling with housebreaking as an adult warrants a check-up with the vet to insure that he is in good physical health. Assuming, Boaz has no physical complications and this is just “potty-at-free-will” behaviour, here’s how we’ll get it all tightened up and on track for outdoor puddles and poopy parcels. 1. Daily rations and schedule for Boaz. With several fluffernutters in the home, you likely have a bowl of water down all the time. If this is the case, the bowl needs to be better monitored and certainly Boaz’s intake needs to be monitored. The average healthy dog can drink up to one ounce of water per pound of weight daily. Both the amount AND the scheduling of water is important right now. Allow Boaz to drink with meals and, of course, after any heavy exercise sessions. If you can better predict when he needs to “go,” this will aid you in getting him to a potty at the right time. 2. A bird’s eye on Boaz. Boaz’s housetraining mishaps tell you he needs a supervisor and constant watch in the house. So, in this case, Boaz gets what Boaz needs! In order to avoid ANY potty accidents in your home, Boaz must be restricted to three places right now. The three legal places for Boaz to be are: 1. Outdoors. 2. In his crate, when you are not home or are home and simply cannot supervise him. For example, if you are racing about with house chores, Boaz should be in a crate. 3. On leash and with you (leashed to your belt, or to the leg of the couch, desk, etc. where you are sitting). By keeping him in these three places, you prevent him from wandering off to a room where you are not able to see him. In other words, Boaz is NEVER unsupervised in your home. 3. Puddle on the floor = water under the bridge. Often dogs who choose to potty out of sight are doing so because they have been punished or startled when caught in the act. We call them private pottiers in the dog training world. Some dogs don’t have a concrete and clear understanding that going outdoors earns them praise and a treat, while going indoors makes Mom upset.

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Instead, they think, “Is this a good time or bad time for Mom? Hmm? I’m not sure if she wants to see me go potty right now. Instead of upsetting her and getting into trouble, I’ll just make sure to go in private.” If Boaz has an accident in the house, yell at yourself! I tease, but you need to figure out what happened. Why was Boaz given access to an area where he was not supervised? Did he have too much water? Did a new person come to the house, excite Boaz, throw off his routine a bit? Puddles on the floor are simply “clean up and move on.” The ONLY feedback you should continue to give Boaz about his potty activity is praise and a treat when he does it right, as you have been doing. 4. I see you! If Boaz is sent outdoors to potty, stand at the door and watch him. When he does go, call him to you and reward him for a job well done. When is he housetrained? If, after a couple of months of a solid routine of crate, outdoors, and tether only, you have not seen any accidents, you can begin to give Boaz smaller amounts of freedom in the house AFTER he has eliminated outdoors. With each passing month of success, he can have more freedom. Freedom, however, comes only with success. If Boaz leaves a puddle on the floor, he’s simply saying, “I still don’t quite get this and need a bit more time and help.” He’ll get there! People often rush this process feeling guilty that their dog is spending “sooo much time in the crate.” Trust me, a few more months or even a year in the crate is far better and easier on both of you than a relationship marred by frustration and confusion in the housetraining department. Solid outdoor potty habits lead to a confident doggie and a happy owner—so stick with it! n As host of The Family Pet on Pet Life Radio, dog trainer Colleen Safford raises awareness on pet-child safety, and understanding dog body language. Colleen’s companies, NY Walk & Train and Far Fetched Acres, have been voted “Best of NY” by New York magazine. Colleen receives daily training from her toddler children and is proudly owned by her rescued Boxer(ish).

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ASK AN EXPERT // Trainer Inger Martens Overprotective Pup I have a nine-month-old Beagle/Border Collie mix named Jonah and he’s very protective, especially of me. Which I love when my husband isn’t here...but then I get around friends or family and he’ll just bark and get in his “protective” state the entire time. Is there any way to stop this behaviour, or at least control it? I don’t want Jonah to stop being protective, I just want him to stop thinking that I need to be protected from everything!—Well-guarded in Wellington It sounds like Jonah has the sound system of a Beagle and a Border Collie ground patrol issue built in. In other words, you seem to have a great security system in your house! As a trainer, however, I get a little alarmed when I hear dog owners use the catch phrase “protective state.” Owners often use this lingo to describe their dog’s behaviour, yet it may not be “protective” behaviour at all but rather a fear-based problem. Non-stop barking from a puppy is usually a clue that the pup is feeling a bit self-protective due to a developmental stage. This insecure psychological phase can display itself as barking at new people, places, and even things. At his age, he may be biologically and psychologically immature, but you can help him through this insecure phase by giving him a bit of training and socialization along with some structure when introducing him to new people; doing so will build confidence and reduce the need to bark. The best way to achieve that is to go back to basics. Add a little structure to his greeting by putting him on a leash when answering the front door. This process will establish you as the one in charge and give him a sense of security at the same time. Make it a positive experience by re-directing him to sit. Gently lift

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up and down on the leash as you say “sit” in a happy voice. This simple process creates eye contact, love, and praise. It also allows you to redirect Jonah from a distraction onto a positive command and add a bit of structure. Sure, the eventual goal may be to give off-leash commands, but this little exercise will give your puppy the added security that you are in control of this situation. Once the guests are in and there’s no barking, have a guest walk Jonah around on leash for a few minutes. The movement of walking while on a leash will help calm him down. Asking him to sit again at this point will also give him something to do and redirect his barking. Treats given by the guest will help socialize him to new people and create a reward. After a few minutes, you can take off the leash and let him mingle. n Inger Martens is a celebrity dog trainer and behavioral expert. An author, television and radio personality, she has been dubbed “Best Dog Trainer in LA” by Los Angeles magazine. She is currently excited to announce her new online resource for dog owners, pawsforaminute.com.

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ASK AN EXPERT // Teoti Anderson + Nicole Wilde with them. Another great way to redirect is to give the boys a pit where they’re allowed to dig. This lets them satisfy their natural need to dig and gives them an “approved” place to do it. Segregate part of your yard with some low, decorative fencing. (You can find inexpensive fencing at your local lawn and garden store.) Take Seamus and Snail to the dig pit and encourage them to dig there. When you catch them digging in another part of the yard, just say “No” and encourage them to go to the digging pit; then praise them when they dig there instead. One way to make the dig pit extra appealing is to hide toys in it. However you redirect your dogs’ behaviour, make sure it is more rewarding to them than digging! I know those holes are driving you crazy, but S&S think they’re a blast. n

No Diggity How on earth can I get my dogs, Seamus and Snail, to stop digging in the back yard? They get plenty of exercise.—Holey Ground in Houston

Teoti Anderson, CPDT, owns Pawsitive Results (getpawsitiveresults.com), and is the past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of Your Outta Control Puppy, Super Simple Guide to Housetraining, Quick and Easy Crate Training, and Puppy Care and Training.

Dogs dig for lots of reasons: • They’re bored and digging is fun! • They’re hot and digging in the earth is cool and comfy. • They’re cold and digging in the earth to make a “nest” is warm and comfy. • Their breed is predisposed to digging. For example, breeds such as the Dachshund are bred to burrow after badgers. Your backyard may not be home to a badger family, but a Dachsie still has the genes encouraging him to dig. • They’re dogs. Digging can be a natural dog activity. All this may help you better understand your dogs’ motivations, but it probably doesn’t make you any happier about holes in your yard. The biggest mistake people make with this issue is expecting their dogs to figure out other activities on their own. You have to be with Seamus and Snail in order to redirect their behaviour to something else you like better. So until you train them to do some other activity, limit the time they are in the backyard by themselves. Otherwise, you’re just giving them a chance to practice the behaviour you don’t like. One way to redirect Seamus and Snail is through toys. As long as they don’t fight over toys, provide them with durable, outdoor toys that they enjoy. Rotate the toys so your dogs don’t get bored

They’re bored and digging is fun!

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Nervous Barker My boyfriend and I have a four-year-old Dachshund, Sammie. Every time we take him to the pet store, the vets, or over to a family member’s or friend’s house, Sammie barks non-stop. We correct him (no smacking or yelling involved), and we’ve tried taking him back outside then back in hoping he would get the idea. The only thing that works is picking him up and carrying him. I was told that he may be barking because he’s nervous or scared. We enjoy taking him

places with us, we just don’t like the non-stop barking nor the people staring at us.—Stuck in Barkerville I commend you for wanting to bring Sammie along, but it doesn’t seem as though he is enjoying himself. The barking is a manifestation of Sammie’s anxiety. Sometimes, with mild fears of people and places, dogs can habituate through repeated exposure, but in Sammie’s case that has not worked. The solution involves management and training. For now, don’t take Sammie to places that make him uncomfortable, other than during a training session or if absolutely necessary. Stop any and all corrections, as they are likely to increase his stress levels. You will be doing a combination of desensitization (exposure in small increments) and counter-conditioning—pairing the scary triggers with something he likes. For most dogs this highvalue item is super yummy treats, but if your dog loves a game like tug more, substitute a brief game wherever treats are indicated.) Let’s use the pet store as an example. At first, being inside the store may be too much. If so, stand with Sammie at a distance where he displays no barking or tense body language. If he knows obedience skills or tricks, practice, rewarding with treats. If not, just offer treats. Keep the mood light. Over time, gradually move the activities closer to the store, using Sammie’s stress level as your guide. The goal is for him to remain calm. It may take multiple sessions before you can enter the store. When you do, stay for just a few seconds, make it a happy occasion, then leave. Build duration gradually. Use this approach with other places as well. Although it may seem time consuming, the efforts you make now will eventually allow Sammie to relax and feel more secure around other places and people. (My book Help for Your Fearful Dog also has specific protocols for fear of people.) You mention that Sammie is less stressed when picked up and carried. Perhaps the tight cradling of his body is calming to him (this “swaddling” effect works on infants, too). In that case, a body wrap such as the Thundershirt might be helpful during your practice exercises and when visiting new places. n

The barking is a manifestation of Sammie’s anxiety.

Nicole Wilde is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who lectures worldwide on canine behaviour. She is the author of nine books, including Help for Your Fearful Dog and Don’t Leave Me! (phantompub.com). She can be found at facebook.com/NicoleWildeAuthor, twitter.com/NicoleWilde, and on her Wilde About Dogs blog, wildewmn.wordpress.com.

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art attack

by Sara Lima

Nicole Momaney

s many of us can attest, career paths are rarely straightforward anymore. But even for those who have come to expect twists and turns, the people, places, and things we encounter along the way can still change our trajectories in surprising ways. For artist Nicole Momaney, it was tiny, bejewelled, cast metal animal figurines that forced her to recognize her passion for critters and ultimately led her to the world of pet portraiture, a perfect, if unplanned for, vocation for a multitalented artist with a love of nature and animals. After graduating with a BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art in 2000, Momaney moved to Brooklyn and began working at Jay Strongwater, maker of said bedazzled handcrafted marvels, where she designed and painted his much soughtafter Swarovski crystal encrusted pieces. Following her four years in the Big Apple, Momaney relocated to LA, but knew that the passion she’d developed for painting animals would have to find another outlet. A friend’s recounting of a successful pet painter with a studio in the West Village was all it took to prompt further research into this idyllic craft, and soon after Momaney’s portrait studio, Painted Pet Menagerie, was born.

Momaney’s passion for painting flora and fauna was first sparked as a child growing up on the edge of protected marshland. Her time spent in the woods “catching salamanders” and exploring the world existing beyond her fence undoubtedly influenced her desire to connect with nature through art. This may also have led to her fascination with taxidermy, which is reflected in select pieces. Momaney hopes to incorporate oceanic skeletal imagery in an upcoming painting, more specifically, dried coral “bones, ” explaining, “Ernst Haeckel’s renderings are a perfect example of what I imagine.” Her process begins with an excess of photographs and personal details of her animal subject(s) including nicknames, favourite treats or, in some cases, favourite pajamas. On average, she’ll devote 25 to 35 hours on each painting, a large portion of that time spent focused on the subject’s face, the crux of any successful portrait. Influences as diverse as Momaney’s self-proclaimed hero, Walton Ford, a painter of large scale watercolours in the manner of Audubon’s naturalist illustrations, and Art Nouveau-era painter Alphonse Mucha, whose ornate backgrounds have echoes in some of her work, have coalesced into a style all her own. Commissions from $300, visit paintedpetmenagerie.com. n

It was tiny, bejewelled, cast metal animal figurines that forced her to recognize her passion for critters.

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Above and Above Right From Project Dog: A Celebration of Dogs c 2011, Kira Stackhouse

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNIE WILSON’S SELECTION OF SPRING MUST READS.

Project DOG By Kira Stackhouse (Self-published, 2011) Following a year-long social media campaign that yielded over 4000 submissions from would-be canine models, Kira Stackhouse embarked upon collecting the stories and images of over 300 dogs with the intention of promoting responsible dog ownership. Stackhouse photographed two members of each of the 170 breeds represented, one with papers, the other a rescue, and paired the resultant photos with endearing factoids such as favoured treats and pastimes. Older dogs and younger, the one-eyed and the hairless, they’re all here, standing in for the beloved canines who have come in and out of our lives. As the book’s introduction succinctly puts it, Project DOG is a celebration of something shared by so many of us—a love for dogs—independent of where they came from or what they look like.

Buji & Me: 7 Lessons From The Dog Who Rescued Me By Wendy Kelly (Medallion Press, 2011) In Buji & Me: 7 Lessons From The Dog Who Rescued Me, animal behaviourist and former psychological therapist Wendy Kelly traces seven steps that can change the lives of animals and their guardians. In relating her personal experiences, she shows how animal training is not only about getting our pets to respond to our wishes, but also about opening ourselves to what they have to tell us. After taking on Buji, an aggressive and scared bully dog, Kelly learns how powerful and life-changing one’s relationship with their pets can be. She shows how simple interactions with animals can teach people how to live in the present moment, focus their

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Murder Unleashed Rita Mae Brown (Ballantine Books, 2012)

Above From Project Dog: A Celebration of Dogs c 2011, Kira Stackhouse

energies on what they really want, and face future challenges with an open mind and heart. With fitting illustrations by cartoonist Dean Young and inspirational quotes peppered throughout, Buji & Me works to prove how animals can come into our lives and change it for the better.—OF

The Dog Who Danced By Susan Wilson (St. Martins Press, 2012)) In The Dog Who Danced, Susan Wilson, the New York Times bestselling author of One Good Dog (reviewed in Summer 2011 issue of Modern Dog), dishes up another captivating story that will keep you hooked until the last page is turned. At the center of this novel is Mack, a loyal, loving, and perceptive Sheltie who has a talent of bringing out the best in the people around him. He’s the one constant in Justine Meade’s life, which is a bit of a mess; Justine is down-on-her-luck, having made a mess of her relationships and careers. When an emergency calls her back home after a twenty-year absence, her luck worsens. During the cross-country drive back home she loses her most precious companion—Mack. Panic stricken, she sets about trying to find him while trying to balance obligations to a family whose love for her she doubts. Meanwhile, a lost dog is found by a dysfunctional couple still mourning the loss of a long-deceased daughter. This special dog becomes the bridge they need to relate to each other, healing the guilt and sorrow they’ve let damage their relationship. As the story unfolds, we see how this special dog manages to heal the lives of the humans he loves, making them whole again.

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Fans of New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown’s latest series will be thrilled to see the memorable women-and-canine quartet of Mags, Jeep, Baxter, and King make a reappearance in Murder Unleashed, the second installment in the series. Rooted within the US housing market crisis, Murder Unleashed brings together an unlikely group of people in unusual circumstances who are united in their attempt to save a neighbourhood deeply affected by the foreclosure crisis. To help this community in which dogs are starving, children are left alone, and people are surviving with neither water nor power, our feisty crew joins forces with a beautiful real estate broker, along the way encountering not only resistance from ruthless bankers and scheming politicians, but a further wrench in the works, too: a cold-blooded killer loosed upon this already ravaged, vulnerable community. Brown paints a vivid portrait of the livelihoods and lives destroyed by the economic crisis, then ups the ante with murder, mystery, romance, and, yes, dogs. Fans of suspenseful page turners will have a hard time putting this one down.—OF

Cool, Calm & Contentious By Merrill Markoe (Villard, 2011) In this collection of essays spanning the most varied of topics, from difficult mothers to unruly dogs, New York Times bestselling author Merrill Makoe takes the reader on a hilarious journey through her personal history. She shies away from nothing—it’s all here, candid, affecting, and wickedly funny. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, our favourite stories involve her uncontrollable four-legged troupe. In an insightful, biting, and very funny manner, she neatly illustrates how unlikely people’s love for dogs most often is, given our dogs’ proclivity to deliver of the most offensive smells, gut-wrenching squeals, and annoyingly endearing (and very effective) distraction techniques, coupled with terribly narcissistic motivations. An inveterate dog lover herself, Makoe will make you laugh as she describes the most unnerving actions pet-owners tolerate and how they would be deemed completely offensive if performed by people, like, say, one’s grandmother, instead of one’s dog. In cataloging her adored dogs’ erratic and ought-to-be infuriating behaviour, Makoe’s proves—in a laugh-out-loud way—that our love for our dogs is the very definition of unconditional.—OF

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BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED? CRAZED AND CONFUSED? IF YOUR DOGGIE DILEMMA HAS YOU DOWN IN THE DUMPS…

ask dog lady by Monica Collins

Dear Dog Lady,

I have an acquaintance I see from time to time. Whenever we bump into one another, she launches right into the latest medical trials of Louie. For the longest time, I had no clue who Louie was. I thought he was her husband or father because she kept talking of “old Louie’s’ liver problems.” Finally, when I ran into her during the holidays, she told me about Louie’s doctor finding a nasal passage tumor and an age-related heart murmur. I struggled to figure out what to say and she finally referred to Louie’s doctor as a “vet” so I figured out Louie is her dog. Why must people talk about their dogs like people?—Harley, Lowell, MA

Even if Louie was her husband and not her dog, she would not make any distinction. There are annoying, unfiltered people who launch into personal conversation as if the listener knows all the players intimately. Your acquaintance does this. To her and to many others, dogs are people. And she obviously treats Louie with all the care and concern of a human relation. Nothing wrong with this except

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if she treats Louie’s medical problems and ignores a human family member’s health concerns. Then, it’s nutty.

Dear Dog Lady, I hate to see dogs hitched up like frontiertown horses outside restaurants or stores in the city. It’s very upsetting to me. I don’t even have a dog but I feel terrible for these poor animals bound up and

“You made a statement by holding the umbrella over the dog’s head” waiting for their owners to liberate them. I’m such a softy that on a rainy day last week when I saw a dog tied to a parking meter outside Starbucks, I stood with my umbrella over the dog. When the owner came out, he explained that because the dog is a Husky, he wasn’t bothered by the rain. May be true, but I didn’t say a word and strolled away. What could I have said?—Andrea, Brookline, MA You made your statement by holding

the umbrella over the dog’s head. And the dog’s owner returned with an excellent point. If Huskies race across the Arctic in blizzards, they can endure a few raindrops. In fact, a Husky probably prefers being outside in the elements rather than indoors chaffing at the confinement. However, when hitching up a dog, the owner takes risks. Dogs can shed their restraints and escape or nip at a passerby who’s trying to pet them. There have been incidents of dogs stolen by people who see the cute dog without a caretaker. And there have been dogs released by wacky fringe animal activists who set the hounds free as a political statement. If a caretaker must tie up a dog for a quick trip to the market or when fetching take-out coffee, he or she should keep the pet within eye sight. Plus, every animal should have proper identification.

Dear Dog Lady, I have a question regarding the sticky issue of sharing a pet. My relationship of ten years ended about ten months ago quite suddenly. Despite the messiness and painful nature of the break-up, my ex and I have managed to share custody of our Bulldog, P. Nutt.

ask dog lady We have been trading him off every two weeks—he spends two weeks with her and two weeks with me. There was, of course, some anxiety and concern at first, but P. Nutt has come through it and is back to his little loveable self. Now my ex is getting married and moving about 30 minutes away. She wants to change our custody arrangement so we’ll trade P. Nutt every month rather than every two weeks. I am fine with a four-week rotation if it won’t make a difference to the dog. Any advice regarding this change? Any tips about sharing custody in the way that we do? —Glenn, New York, NY P. Nutt is fine with this custody-sharing arrangement, as you have no doubt figured out. He might be even happier with a month between hand-offs because he won’t be so frequently uprooted. Well-trained dogs are content when they are living with humans who are kind to them—so much the better if the dogs are familiar with the routines and smells of their keepers. You and your ex may have had a painful break-up but you agree on the care and feeding of P. Nutt. This is so important if you are sharing custody of any living creature. When a dog shuffles between homes, the caretakers should feed the dog the same food. Switching varieties of kibble only upsets a dog’s tender tummy. Any custody arrangement should also include the same veterinarian. It might be a bit of a stretch if your ex has moved 30 minutes away but you will have to agree for the health and welfare of P. Nutt. Yes, broken romance is tough but dog love can surely smooth the rough edges.

Dear Dog Lady, My partner recently moved in with me. My S**-Zu, Chloe, who has been with me for about two years, loves him. We recently added a Rottweiler, Boscoe, to our home. The dogs get along well, especially Boscoe who is quiet, patient and tolerant, Chloe goes her way and he goes his The problem comes when Boscoe plays with his toys, runs outside or gets excited, especially when my partner comes home, Chloe goes crazy barking. Very loud, shrieking (while her tail is wagging) and continuous. Until Boscoe came along, no one knew I even had a dog. This barking behaviour is unsettling and upsetting. Why is this happening? What can we do to get her to stop this irritating behavior? —Suzanne, Chicago, IL Don’t mind Dog Lady if she vents a little: when you are the keeper of a dog, it is important to know how to spell the breed name correctly. Your dog is a Shih (S-H-I-H) Tzu (T-Z-U), a breed originating in China. Understand? OK, phew…. Why does your dog bark like crazy when excited by your partner and the Rottweiler Boscoe? Umm, maybe because she’s a dog?

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ask dog lady Shih Tzus resemble adorable stuffed animals but they are real dogs—full-fledged barkers with all the instincts of a used-to-bewolf. When your dog lived alone with you, she probably had no cause to get all roiled up. Now she’s part of a pack and reacts to the stimuli very appropriately. You know her barks are excited and happy because her tail wags. If her eruptions annoy you, cordon her off from the crowd. Or distract her and train her to hold her tongue by rewarding for silence.

Shih Tzus resemble adorable stuffed animals Dear Dog Lady, We are updating our wills but they are real and having a difficult time. dogs—full-fledged Lawyers have been of no help and clauses on the barkers with all Internet have not been very helpful either. We the instincts of a have several dogs who used-to-be-wolf. would probably not be

adoptable. Only one might be adoptable, the youngest, who’s in the best health. We have some money to help with the costs, but they will need more care than just that. We have no one we trust capable of caring for them. We are both over 68 years old and not in best health. Court trusts and similar situations seem to be ineffective answer. Standard pet protection clauses do not seem to fit the situation without a person of trust involved. Putting them to sleep when the last of us dies seems to be the only solution but a very painful thought. We want them buried with us (finding a cemetery that allows this is also not easy). Have you any suggestions on how to save them when we die?—Colton, Milwaukee, WI A: Dog Lady applauds you for watching out for the safety and security of the animals in your care. Just as humans draw up trusts, wills, and health-care proxies to make their wishes known, animal guardians must provide for care and continuance of their dog dependents. Contact your regional SPCA or Humane Society and present your situation. The San Francisco SPCA, for example, has a program that finds homes for the pets of decreased members, with full medical care included. You can read about this at sfspca. org. Rescue organizations are also dedicated to finding homes for orphaned pets. These watchdog (pardon the pun) agencies have experience dealing with legacies for pets. Often, a trustworthy representative can be enlisted without a personal connection. You should use your money to make a generous donation as gratitude. You can also hire a lawyer with animal interests who can act on your behalf. Visit askdoglady.com to ask a question or make a comment. Become a fan of “Ask Dog Lady” on Facebook.

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Last Lick

HOW I MET MY DOG

Tribute to an Old Dog By Irene Fick

t’s four in the morning and cold and dark and quiet. I am sprawled on the family room carpet in flannel pajamas stroking my dog, Buddy. He now sleeps on the first floor because he can no longer climb steps. Sometimes—more and more now— he may awaken in the early morning hours, and I will hear his whimper and the sound of his nails pacing on the hardwood floors in the hallway below. That’s when I slip out of bed and into my robe and pad downstairs. My reward is Buddy’s low groan of contentment, the soft warmth of his fur nuzzling against my heart, his paw curling under his neck as he falls back to sleep. I do this because Buddy is very old. He was 19 on March 1, and my husband and I are pretty sure this will be his final year. I also do this because I love this little creature with an intensity that sometimes surprises me. Buddy is a rather odd-looking “mutt” with Golden Retriever coloring, a German Shepherd-like muzzle, and a bushy tail. He is about 17 inches tall and weighs 23 pounds, down from his earlier weight of 35. With his thick fur and lumbering walk, he resembles a caramel-coloured bear cub. Due to advanced age, Buddy’s hearing loss is almost complete, and his eyes are cloudy with cataracts. He is sometimes disoriented, staring for long periods at nothing in particular. His hind legs are weak, and he has difficulty navigating even the single step on our front porch. He startles easily. We adopted Buddy from a local shelter almost 16 years ago when he was already three years old. He had a few behaviour issues; while Buddy was lovable and loyal with us, he was sometimes unpredictable with others. He had an aversion to squirrels, most other dogs, many children, and some men. I would walk him warily, alert for anything that could provoke incessant barking and pulling. But old age has mellowed Buddy. He is now too frail to cause a ruckus. His walks around the block are slow and tentative. Sometimes, he may allow a very

brief nose rub from Molly, a frisky yellow Lab who treats Buddy with tenderness, perhaps sensing his age. He has become the grand old dog of the neighborhood: a little dotty, but regarded with affection and some curiousity. Despite Buddy’s age and ailments, there is still life in the old guy. His appetite is healthy. Although almost deaf, Buddy somehow knows when the refrigerator door opens and he waits for a handout. And when we ask, in a loud and lilting pitch, “do you want to go for a walk?” his tail wags and there is a bounce to his gait. Some time this year, we expect that Buddy will let us know that we need to let him go. He will let us know when he is in pain, and when he no longer wants to walk or munch on refrigerator treats. He will tell us when these small but significant joys pale in comparison to his infirmities. When that time comes, we will say goodbye to our dear and constant friend. My husband and I will grieve and we will miss Buddy deeply. But we also know that when you love a dog, you must come to terms with loss. We accept this as a small price to pay for the years of devotion he has freely given us. Much has been written about the human-animal bond, and the role that animals play in our lives, their loyalty, companionship, support, and, sometimes, heroism. Our pets also fill an important need for connection with something beyond the minutia of our daily lives. They lift our spirits. They fill us with grace. I am moved by a comment made by Chief Seattle when faced with the loss of his tribe’s land more than 100 years ago. He said, “What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.” n

Email submissions for Last Lick to lastlick@moderndogmagazine.com. Because of the volume of email, the magazine cannot respond to every submission. Share comments on this essay at moderndogmagazine.com/lastlick.

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