Good to read a disaster story that ends well…
A Springer spaniel was found alive in the rubble of a building that had exploded eight days earlier. The pup’s whimpering alerted rescue workers that she was alive.

Here’s the story from the Associated Press, via the Arizona Star in Tuscon.

Dog survives 8 days trapped in rubble after Colorado explosion
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — A dog was found alive and in relatively good shape after spending eight days trapped in the rubble of a building that exploded, critically injuring the pup's owner.
Lulu, a Springer spaniel, was rescued Sunday after the owner of the business that had been housed in the two-story building heard her whimpering.
"We turned off the radio and started calling out Lulu's name. Then we heard some yelping," Brian Hold, owner of Good Times Adventures, told the Summit Daily News in Tuesday's editions.

Lulu's owner, Brian Mislanski, had been critically injured in the April 19 explosion and remained at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver on Tuesday.
"I'm happy," Mislanski told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He declined to comment further, but friends who are caring for Lulu said they took her to visit him — with permission from the hospital.
Veterinarian Christine Murphy said Lulu suffered mild dehydration and had some trauma to her left eye. She probably survived by drinking melting snow and eating food she found in the debris, Murphy said.
Good Times Adventures is a snowmobiling and dogsledding business. Mislanski, a company van driver, was house-sitting for managers who lived in the upstairs apartment when the building exploded.
Hold said he was sorting through about 6,000 square feet of rubble from the explosion when he heard Lulu.
"After 45 minutes of frantic digging, we found her laying in a crawl space under 15 feet of rubble," he said. "She basically had a two-story building on top of her."
Fire officials initially said it could be a week or two before the cause of the explosion is known but they did not believe it was intentional or criminal. Fire officials did not immediately return a call Tuesday.
The hospital said it couldn't discuss Mislanski's injuries or condition.

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I've previously confessed that I love those "what type are you?" quizzes. Here is one that really spoke to me: If I was a cat, what kind of cat would I be?

I kinda already thought I was part cat, since I almost always have been living with at least one and currently share a bathroom with two. I imagined myself a Maine Coon, like Dolan. But turns out I am mostly American shorthair -- family-centered but independent. I can buy that. See accompanying photo of my alter-ego digging into a birch tree.

Yes, the test is brought to you by the VPI people, who want to sell you pet insurance. But it still is fun.
Keep reading to take the test, and for more info about the breed that you most resemble.

I'm going to make fellow blogger and cat person John Tanasychuk do it. I bet he's a Russian Blue.

What Kind of Cat Are You?
Do you match your cat? Take this test and find out. Answers below.

Would you describe yourself as:
a. Outgoing
b. Cheerful
c. Guarded

Where would you rather spend your free time?
a. At home
b. Out
c. A mix of the two

Would you rather spend an evening:
a. Doing something out of your comfort zone
b. Cooking something a bit creative for guests
c. Curled up with a book

When the opportunity arises, you will:
a. Play and get silly immediately
b. Play or not, depending on your mood
c. Watch others

Are you…
a. Comfortable with chaos:
b. Happy with a creative mix of clutter and order
c. A stickler for order, design and arrangement

Your most prominent trait is:
a. Playfulness
b. Loyalty
c. Intelligence
ANSWERS

Give yourself 3 points for each “a,” 2 for each “b” and 1 for each “c”. Total up the points and see what kind of cat you most resemble:

16-18 points: Abyssinian
13-15 points: Maine Coon
10-12 points: American Shorthair
7-9 points: Russian Blue
4-6 points: Siamese
1-3 points: Persian

Click here to find out more about these breeds, and how they reflect your own personality.

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Pet lovers can get a two-for-one deal when they adopt cats or kittens at Broward's county-run animal shelters. The county commissioners this week agreed to waive the additional adoption fee when someone takes a second cat, a $74.95 value!

And if you act now: You receive, as a bonus, the satisfaction of giving a home to companion animals facing bad odds. Shelters are seeing a huge increase in surrendered cats. Last year, only 520 kitties of the 5,549 brought to Broward's county shelters had stories with happy endings.

Click here for more details in a post by Scott Wyman, on our Political Blog.

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Talk about food issues!
When I first saw this photo of Orazio, a 35-pound cat from Italy, on the Animal Crazy blog done by the Orlando Sentinel, I honestly thought it might be a hoax.

I mean, is this a cat? Or a sofa cushion posing as a cat?

Turns out that while Orazio's large lifstyle has received almost no press here, he has been a hit with foreign papers ranging from the South Africa Cape Times to the India Statesman. "Pussing on the Pounds" was the London Mirror headline. Others hailed three-year-old Orazio, who lives in Eupilio, as "the real Garfield" -- the cartoon kitty famous for his love of lasagna.

Me, I don't think it''s so cute to let your pet get this obese. Owner Laura Santarelli claims she "finds it impossible" to keep Orazio slim. Really? So this means Orazio can use a can opener or open the refrigerator door on his own?

We were able to get Dolan, our Maine Coon mix, to shed three of his original 16 pounds through simple portion control, and (the hard part) ignoring his ceaseless whining as he adjusted to his new rations. And click here for Angie's previous post on her dogs and their weight struggles. Posters suggested everything from low-protein to green bean diets, things I think you might want to check out with your vet first.

So -- is Orazio's owner just an indulgent pet parent ("He's so cute when he's fat!") or irresponsible?

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In the what-will-they-think-of-next-category comes the world's first pet fish training kit.

Dr. Dean Pomerleau decided he wanted to make fish ownership more interactive.

"With the correct tools and the basic promise of a food reward, fish can very quickly learn complex tricks - like the limbo, slalom or playing catch," Pomerleau says in a press release. "Now people in the market for a dog might want to consider a fish instead."

See for yourself. Watch the video. And let us know if you think this is real.

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Yes, now there truly can be a “hamster hospital” and a "ferret physician."

The American Veterinary Medical Association just announced that it has approved an “exotic companion mammal” specialty practice designation. The group includes ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and similar pets.

There now are 38 specialties recognized by the AVMA, with a total of 8,885 board-certified practitioners. Some designations are specific to certain animals, like birds, while others focus on practice areas, like dentistry or nutrition or behavior. Click here for a complete list of specialties.

It takes about four years, after earning a college undergraduate degree, to graduate from vet school. Veterinarian specialists must go through extensive additional training, usually for a minimum of another two years, plus publish professional research or case studies. They also must pass board exams.

Vet specialists usually do not do routine animal health wellness care, but instead focus on complicated cases or specific procedures. Often, family veterinarians will refer their clients to specialists.

Surprisingly, there aren’t as many veterinarian specialists for dogs and cats, the most common companion animals, as you might think. The AVMA lists 435 canine and feline specialists.

Oh, and PS, because I know someone will bring this up: I understand that you can't technically interchange the term for doctors seeing human patients with the one for doctors treating animals. But who can resist using the phrase "ferret physician?"

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Happy Belated Pet Parent Day!

Not sure if they exactly have the authority to do this: but the folks at Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) declared the last Sunday in April as the first annual Pet Parent Day. That would be yesterday (April 27).

You still can celebrate by clicking here and sending a free Pet Parent Day greeting card.

“In the traditional spirit of a spring season set aside for celebrating parents of human children, National Pet Parent’s Day recognizes and honors those who lovingly consider their pets part of their close-knit family,” says the VPI site. I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment.

But be aware: If you don't check that box next to the "I prefer not to receive future VPI marketing communications" line at the bottom of the e-card form, you will find yourself on their sales pitch list.

So – how about you? Do you consider yourself your pet’s parent? Something about that phrase always has creeped me out a little. I mean, I love my animals, but they are not human children. On the other hand, pets bring some of the same responsibilities, and the same rewards, as kids. And they never ask to borrow the car.

I also wonder if the “pet parent” phrase is more common among people with no children, or whose children are grown and gone.

Speak!

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When my sister, who hadn’t had a pet in years, decided on a Weimaraner, I figured she was in trouble. She works nearly full-time and has three daughters who were then just entering their teens.

The Weimaraner proved to be a little too opinionated and a little too hard to train for her family. Back he went to the breeder.

I wish she’d read a new book called New Dog: Choosing Wisely and Ensuring a Happily Ever After (Firefly, $19.95) by Dr. Bruce Fogle and Patricia Holden White.
Fogle, who lives in England, is often referred to as the world’s best-selling practicing vet with more than 20 best sellers. Holden White is a professional dog trainer.

New Dog is a step-by-step guide for potential dog owners with all kinds of easy-to-access lists. There are: recommended breeds for inexperienced owners (Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Yorkshire terrier); breeds for active, involved owners (English springer spaniel, Brittany) and breeds for families with ample spare time (Jack Russell terrier and the aforementioned Weimaraner). My favorite category is breeds for socially responsible families. What else but a mixed breed?

The authors give a run down of what to expect from a breed: personality, health and time taker.
There’s even an essential shopping list so you don’t go out spending gobs of money on things you don’t need. New Dog is filled with colorful photos, which makes it the kind of book even kids will want to read.

My sister, by way, now shares her home with two cats. Let us know if there are other dog books you’d recommend.

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HAPPY FRIDAY!
HI, MY NAME IS ANGEL. AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO CAT TOWN.
IT IS A CYBER PLACE CREATED BY SOME GUY, R.NOYES, WHO LIKES CATS AND TOWNS AND MAYBE ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND MAYBE SOUTH PARK, TOO.

I'M MAYOR SAILOR SUIT CAT, THE MAYOR OF CAT TOWN. COME WATCH US SAVE THE CAT FOOD FACTORY AND HAVE A RAVE AND FIGHT THE ANIMAL HAT GANG, ALL IN ALL-CAPS. NO DOGS, PLEASE. THEY GO TO DOG TOWN.

I'M EL GUAPO, THE HERO, AND I ALWAYS SAVE THE DAY. I MUST WARN YOU; ONCE YOU SEE WHAT IS GOING DOWN IN CAT TOWN, YOU WILL KEEP COMING BACK. YOU WILL VISIT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE DOING YOUR EXPENSE REPORT. OR WRITING A SALES PROPOSAL. OR READING SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT YOUR BOSS WILL ASK YOU ABOUT DURING A MEETING.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT CAT TOWN. IF YOU LIKE IT AS MUCH AS WE DO, TELL R.NOYES TO:
WRITE MORE EPISODES!
THE ANIMAL HAT GANG STILL IS IN ALASKA.

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Detroit television station WDIV reported on Tuesday that a cat is recovering after a 3-year-old boy put the feline in a microwave and turned the oven on. The story is all over the tube today.

From Yahoo News:
About two weeks ago, a Detroit family brought the cat to the VCA Animal Hospital after their child put the cat named Stouffer into a microwave. The pet had been given to them as a gift.

Stouffer is recovering well and will soon be up for adoption, the station reported.
Hospital workers described Stouffer as feisty and playful.

The family took the cat to the hospital and surrendered him – because they couldn’t afford the medical bills. This is starting to sound familiar. But at least they sought medical care.

Here is the link to the video. I frankly was somewhat suspicious of a cat named “Stouffer” being involved in a microwave accident. But these injuries look pretty real and pretty painful.

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I remember David, my husband, was horrified about three years ago, when a California company called Genetic Savings & Clone announced it was going to offer pet cloning services. The venture had been started by an Arizona billionaire interested in making a duplicate of his favorite dog.

Not that we had a spare $50,000, supposedly what a Texas woman paid to get a genetic twin of her Maine Coon cat, Little Nicky.

“But if we did clone, we wouldn’t have to worry about Dolan getting older,” I argued. Even though our eldest cat is only 12, I think I mentally am already bracing for the day when we have to make a tough choice.

But David insisted he would never want to replicate Dolan – because it would be impossible. “Each animal is unique,” he said. Dolan’s clone, he said, never would be Dolan.

Genetic Savings & Clone closed in 2006, primarily because of a limited customer base willing or able to afford the service. But apparently, someone thinks there may be a market for mass-produced service animals. South Korea’s Custom Service revealed on Thursday that it is training seven puppies, all cloned from the same accomplished drug-sniffing Labrador retriever, to follow in their father’s footsteps at the country’s airports.

Another Lab attribute carried over in the cloning process: See the pack of South Korea's genetically identical dogs chasing a ball in the photo.

So would you want to clone your pet if cost was not an issue?

Keep reading for the full Associated Press story.

South Korea to use cloned dogs to sniff for drugs, explosives
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press Writer

INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — The country that created the world’s first cloned canine plans to put duplicated dogs on patrol to sniff out drugs and explosives.
The Korean Customs Service unveiled Thursday seven cloned Labrador retrievers being trained near Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The dogs were born five to six months ago after being separately cloned from a skilled drug-sniffing canine in active service.

Due to the difficulties in finding dogs who are up to snuff for the critical jobs, officials said using clones could help reduce costs.
The cloning work was conducted by a team of Seoul National University scientists who in 2005 successfully created the world’s first known dog clone, an Afghan hound named Snuppy.

The team is led by Professor Lee Byeong-chun, who was a key aide to disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk. Hwang’s purported breakthroughs in stem cell research were revealed as false, but independent tests proved the team’s dog cloning was genuine.
The seven new cloned male dogs are all healthy, though one was sent to a university laboratory a few days ago for a minor foot injury it received during training, according to training center head Lim Jae-ryoung. For now, the dogs all share the same name: “Toppy” — a combination of the words “tomorrow” and “puppy.”

“They have a superior nature. They are active and excel in accepting the training,” said Kim Nak-seung, a trainer at the Customs Service-affiliated dog training center.
In February, all seven dogs passed a behavior test aimed at finding whether they are genetically qualified to work as sniffing dogs. Only 10 percent to 15 percent of naturally born dogs typically pass the test.

If the cloned dogs succeed in other tests for physical strength, concentration and sniffing ability, they will be put to work by July next year at airports and harbors across South Korea, according to the training center.
The agency says the cloned dogs could also save money.
“We came up with the idea of dog cloning after thinking about how we can possess a superior breed at a cheaper cost,” said agency head Hur Yong-suk.

Normally, only about three out every 10 naturally born dogs it trains — at a cost of about $40,140 each — ends up qualifying for the job.
Lee of Seoul National University said it cost approximately $100,000 to $150,000 to clone each of the seven golden Labrador retrievers.
He said the seven are the world’s first cloned drug-sniffing dogs.
The university team did not ask for payment from the customs authorities because it created the clones for academic purposes with government funds, Lee said.
He said his team has so far cloned 20 dogs and five wolves.

On Thursday the dogs frolicked with trainer Kim, running together and chasing a red rubber ball he threw across a playground — a part of training aimed at bolstering their stamina.
“If I look at them very carefully, there are now some small differences in their facial features,” said Kim, who has been training the dogs since they were born. “But it’s still hard to tell.”

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Several readers vaguely remembered another story regarding a dog and a soldier after we posted an article last week about Bo, a Labrador retriever serving in Iraq whose Army partner was killed in a bombing.

The previous tale was about Nubs. An Iraqi stray cared for by Marine Maj. Brian Dennis, Nubs was so named because someone had cut off his ears to make him look more aggressive. Dennis, who is from St. Petersburg Beach, was forced to leave Nubs behind when his battalion went back to its command post. But the dog followed days later – forcing Dennis to make a choice between getting Nubs off the base, which didn’t allow pets, or killing him.

It’s a touching piece about the human-animal bond under the worst conditions. Here it is, if you missed it the first time. If you didn’t, it sounds like some of you wanted to read it again.

(photo of Maj. Brian Dennis and Nubs published in the Rocky Mountain News)

Dog rescued by Marine in Iraq heading to Calif.
Associated Press

Originally published 11:39 a.m., February 22, 2008
Updated 03:13 p.m., February 22, 2008

SAN DIEGO _ It began with a simple act of kindness to save an abused, injured dog from becoming one more victim in the Iraq war.
But what followed for Marine Maj. Brian Dennis and the mutt was a tale of friendship and loyalty that spanned miles and overcame long odds - one set to take a turn Friday with the anticipated arrival here of the Marine's best friend.

"This dog who had been through a lifetime of fighting, war, abuse ... is going to live the good life," Dennis told his family in an e-mail from Iraq.
The tale unfolded in October, a few months after Dennis deployed to Iraq from San Diego to work as part of the military team building infrastructure along the Syria-Iraq border and training Iraqi forces to take over.

Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had volunteered for the assignment. It was a departure from his role as a fighter pilot. He had seen the country from the air, but it was different on the ground.

Dennis wrote stories home about the reciprocal relationship that desert dogs, strays wandering outside border towns, had with Iraqis.
"The dogs get to eat the Iraqi scraps and have a home in the middle of the desert," he wrote in an e-mail. "The Iraqis get an incredible early warning system; these dogs hear anything approaching from miles away and go nuts and scramble to defend their territory."

While on patrol in the Anbar province, Dennis spotted what appeared to be a gray and white, male German shepherd-border collie mix. He named the dog Nubs after learning someone cut the ears off believing it would make the dog more aggressive and alert.

Within weeks, Nubs was greeting Dennis during routine patrol stops along border communities. The Marines fed him bits of their food and by November, the Marine and his unit were keeping an eye out for the dog, which routinely chased their Humvees when they departed.

Life on the run, however, was taking a toll on the dog. He had lost a tooth and been bitten in the neck. In late December, Dennis found Nubs near death in freezing temperatures. The dog had been stabbed with a screwdriver.

Dennis rubbed antibiotic creme on the wound and slept with Nubs to keep him warm.
"I really expected when I woke up for watch he would be dead," Dennis wrote. "Somehow he made it through the night."

Dennis thought he had seen the last of the dog days later when his squad headed back to its command post some 65 miles away. He couldn't take the dog with him and watched as it tried to follow the Humvees away from the border.

Two days later, while Dennis and a comrade were working on a Humvee, he looked up and saw the dog staring at him.
"Somehow that crazy damned dog tracked us," he wrote Jan. 9.

But the reunion was short lived. Military policy prohibits having pets in war zones, and Dennis was given four days to get the dog off the base or kill him.
The decision was easy: Nubs was going to San Diego. The logistics, though, were anything but easy.

With help from his Iraqi interpreter, Dennis managed to find a Jordanian veterinarian to get the care and paperwork needed to get the dog to the states. He also negotiated the red tape to get Nubs across the border into Jordan.
His family and close friends helped raise the $3,500 needed to get the dog from Amman, Jordan, to San Diego, said his mother, Marsha Cargo.

"I just can't believe it. Out there in the middle of nowhere these two find each other," Cargo said.
A colleague in San Diego agreed to care for the dog and have it trained until Dennis returns in March from Iraq.

"We anticipate a real steep learning curve for Nubs," Capt. Eric Sjoberg said. "We want him to learn to just be a dog."
For now, though, Dennis will settle for the knowledge that Nubs is finally safe - and waiting for his master to follow him.

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I know it's not remotely time to think about Christmas but my coworkers and I have recently been talking about our pets behaviors (and the funny things they do) so I thought I would share a funny story, about my first Christmas with Calvin, with you.

Chris and I adopted Calvin in November of 2003. The holidays were approaching fast and this would be our first Christmas away from our families. Though, somehow Calvin helped soften the homesickness.

Our parents were obviously missing us for the holidays because we had more presents than we knew what to do with. When Christmas morning came we dove in head first and when we were done the floor was covered in wrapping paper. We laughed as Calvin try to maneuver through the chaos.

As Christmas day wore on, it was time to get ready for work (some of us newspaper folks have to work on Christmas day). We decided to pickup the huge pile of paper later, so we kissed our little Calvin goodbye and we were off.

When we got back, Chris found something very strange in the bedroom...

a chocolate cake donut placed perfectly on my pillow. (We had donuts for breakfast, but we barely ate any because they weren't very good).

Chris said "Why did you leave this donut on your pillow?" and of course I said "I didn't do that, are you sure it wasn't you?"

Calvin, on the other hand, looked very interested in the whole situation. We were both puzzled by the random donut but we dismissed it as a strange mishap.

I walked to the other side of the room to grab my pajamas and Calvin raced past me to a tee-shirt laying on the floor. I pick the tee-shirt up and I'll be darn, there was another DONUT!

I show it to Chris, and now we were both speachless. Of course Calvin disappeared from the room but by this point, believe it or not, I was still blaming Chris.

I kept thinking at any moment he was going to tell me truth and reveal his big joke. But when I turned around I discovered yet another donut, IN CALVIN'S MOUTH.

I made him drop it and Chris and I could not believe what we were seeing. I started to walk around the room to see if Calvin would lead me to more, and he did, to 9 other donuts to be exact. Three in the closet , a couple by the bed, quite a few under a pile of laundry and more hidden throughout the living-room.

If you are wondering how he got these donuts, we accidently left them under a pile of wrapping paper and Calvin apparently took it upon himself to "save them" for later. Because of this I will never forget my first Christmas away from my family and I laugh every time I tell this story. He has not shown this type of behavior since.

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SSS! regular TJ asked earlier this week: Is pet loss and grief to heavy a topic for blogging?

"Not an upbeat subject but an important one," she wrote. "So many people think they aren’t allowed to grieve the death of their pets, and are so desperate for understanding during this tough time.”

I agree completely. TJ also packed so much information and good links into her note that I am going to put it out over several posts.

First, here's Animals in Our Heart, a Web site sponsored by Teresa Wagner, a pet loss support counselor. Wagner does seminars and consultations but also has some free articles online. “It talks about spiritual connections between humans and animals, pet grief and support,” TJ wrote. "If you visit the site, turn on your speakers, because the music on the homepage is BEAUTIFUL. It’s by Richard Shulman, a great musician.”

The site also has pet bereavement cards, books on pet loss -- and these incredibly cool pet prayer flags. I plan to buy a string for my backyard, where Sputnik and Cinnamon lay side by side. I miss you guys but will remember you always.

Here are some more pet loss and grief links from TJ

Petloss.com: TJ says its been around for a long time. Includes a place for tribute postings, ceremonies, and an explanation about "crossing the Rainbow Bridge," the term people often use for their pets passing on.

American Veterinary Medical Association: The main organization devoted to animal health. TJ says it features a hotline, where people can call vet-teaching hostpials and get free grief counseling over the phone.

University of Colorado's Argus Institute: Very complete, with everything from information about grief symptoms, to how to make a decision about euthanasia, to a list of companies that make pet memorials or urns.

Will post more on pet loss and grief soon. And send along any resources or suggestions you have.
Thanks, TJ.

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Pet blogger Ann Hellmuth, with our sister paper in Orlando, often writes about her bulldog, George. So she must be proud to discover that George has something in common with Buddy, who just crowned the winner of the “Beautiful Bulldog” contest in Des Moines.

And I am talking about something besides the fact that both dogs resemble Winston Churchill.
Click here to find out what it is.

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Army Staff Sgt. Donald Tabb and Master Sgt. Bo, a black Labrador retriever, were a team serving a military detail in Iraq. Both were riding in a vehicle two months ago when it was hit by a bomb. Tabb died in the blast but Bo survived, although wounded near his left eye.

Now Bo is being honorably discharged -- and given to his deceased partner's family, who live outside of Atlanta. The military is all Bo has known. Here is wishing him a swift adjustment to the peaceful civilian life he deserves.

Click here to read the full story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
(photo of Bo and Willie Smith, Tabb's brother, by Jason Getz of the AJC.)

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TV Channel 10-WPLG Miami is carrying a story about Hex, a six-legged newborn kitten that was the only one in his litter. Hex actually is more of a cat-and-a-half; look carefully and you can see the bottom half and two legs of another kitten extending from his abdomen. (Go the Local 10's Web site here, and you'll get a better idea).

Veterinary Specialists of South Florida think the extra legs and body came from Hex's Siamese twin that never fully developed. His Cooper City family wants to do the surgery that would remove the extra appendage, and repair the intestines; his vets say Hex "could pull through."

The catch: It will cost between $2,400 and $3,000.
Hex's family is asking for donations to Veterinary Specialists to help.

So: Is it worth saving Hex and other domestic animals born seriously deformed? If the family can't pay for the surgery now, will they be able to afford other medical complications that might come up later?

On the other hand: You look at the video of the little guy, scampering around like any other 6-week-old kitten, and it's hard not to reach for your checkbook. What do you think?

If you vote "save Hex and I want to help," click here for contact info for Veterinary Specialists, which is collecting contributions toward the cats' care.

(photo from Local 10.com)

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I pulled this off the blog of James W. Hall, well-known South Florida-based suspense writer, Florida International University writing professor and, apparently, an Adalusian thoroughbred -- just like me! Raised on Glamour magazines, I'm a sucker for those tests that tell you what type or style you are. Hall found one that gives you peek at your equine spirit. Couldn't resist. And I don't even like horses.

As fellow Adalusians, James and I supposedly are generous, classical and should be living in Spain or France (yippee!), possibly with a wealthy or royal owner. We also both love the books of Ian McEwan. But that's something I found out from his bio, not the test.


What breed of horse are you? Find out!

Here, take a shot at it.
Then get back to work. Bad procrastinating horse, bad!

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In tribute to the earth I'm not going to buy a new toy this week, I'm going to make one.

All you need is a water bottle and a large sock (an old tube sock would work perfectly).

It's really easy. Take the lid off a water bottle and squeeze and crush the bottle as much as you can. Then put the bottle into the sock and tie the top.

Ta da, instant toy.

Note, this toy is not for all dogs and if your dog rips through the sock you should either get another sock or recycle the bottle.

Norman goes crazy when he crunches down on the water bottle because it makes a very loud noise.

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I'm surprised my two nephews did not grow up thinking they were sheep. Sydney, my brother's Australian shepherd, loved nothing more than herding them and their playmates around the backyard in New Orleans. It was hysterical to watch Syd, running in ever tightening circles and barking frantically if one of the kids strayed from the group. One Christmas, he managed to get hold of a bicycle horn and, grabbing its rubber bulb, tried honking instead of barking.

Poor Syd finally crossed the Rainbow Bridge last month. But wherever he is, I sure hope it's a lot like this ranch outside of Los Angeles -- a herding club where such dogs can be the dogs they are. It sounds like "City Slickers," where the pups play the Billy Crystal part.

Do you have a herding breed? And if so, how do you get them to work off all that energy without importing a flock of sheep?

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY"
Associated Press Writer"
VINCENT, Calif. (AP) — The sun is shining, the fields are clear, and the sheep — a jittery trio of fluff — are just getting comfortable.
Suckers.
Selkie, a border collie recovering from a tennis ball addiction, gets her cue. She cuts a wide curve around the field, hunches low and creeps in. Bleats of protest are useless. The sheep stiffen and get moving.
It’s a good day to be a dog.
Selkie isn’t really a stock dog but she plays one at Drummond Ranch, which isn’t really a livestock ranch, but a 40-acre haven an hour outside Los Angeles. There, city dogs escape their leash-and-lounge existence and learn to get in touch with their inner herder.

The ranch is part of a trend that mixes training techniques, a back-to-basics ethos and a hint of dog (and human) therapy.
“It really, really seems to center the dog and give the dog a sense of confidence and fulfillment, a good assertiveness, a good energy,” said ranch owner Janna Duncan, who has taught dozens of canines and their owners the art of moving livestock.
“It’s almost as if the dog needs a job. And when they discover, ’This is what my job is supposed to be,’ then everything falls into place.”
The American Kennel Club says new herding clubs are popping up across the country, although it does not track exact numbers. Nearly 200 clubs held herding trials last year. More than 10,000 dogs competed, a roughly 10 percent increase over 2006.
Owners describe the practice as an antidote to tighter leash laws and disappearing dog-friendly spaces in U.S. cities. They talk of their dogs’ first time in the arena with the pride and amazement usually reserved for describing a child’s first day at kindergarten. Many also acknowledge that herding was a last resort.
“I’d been through about three trainers and was getting nowhere,” said Ann Preston, patting her panting, post-workout Selkie. “I had two vets tell me she was stark-raging mad.”
Preston acknowledges Selkie’s problem was really an owner problem. As a border collie, she was bred to herd. She needed mental stimulation and as well as a physical workout. As a couch companion for Preston, a 65-year-old sculptor, she was a poor match.
“I’m gentle. I just want to play and cuddle my dog and scratch its tummy and, you know, have my face licked and maybe my feet licked on occasion,” she said.
Selkie wasn’t interested. She was sensitive to noise, pushy and obsessive. She wanted her ball thrown. All day. And tomorrow.
Experts say the dog-owner mismatch is common. People spend too little time researching a breed’s temperament and habits before choosing their family’s new addition. A fluffy St. Bernard, for example, is a working breed that may protect your kids — against the letter carrier. Then you’ve got a lawsuit.
Preston said she’s lucky she found Drummond Ranch and Selkie found sheep. One look and the light bulb went on, Preston said.
Duncan’s clientele isn’t limited to the traditional herding breeds. She’s trained huskies, Labrador retrievers, even a four-pound Yorkie from Malibu.
On a recent morning, a hulking Bernese mountain dog named Kerry thumped around an arena cajoling the sheep on cue to Duncan’s screeching whistles and clipped calls.
Each breed, Duncan explained, has its own persuasion technique.
Referring to Kerry, she said, “The guardian dogs get to know their flock. They befriend the sheep and the sheep feel safe. They’ll follow them anywhere.”
But not all breeds have such charisma.
Trainers use an instinct test to suss out the herders from the non-herders. Placed in a small pen with sheep and a trainer, the dogs’ reactions are evaluated for style, temperament, responsiveness to commands and use of force.
At Drummond Ranch, those deemed trainable continue with classes. A four-week series cost $165.
Carol Delsman oversees the American Kennel Club’s herding program from her cattle ranch in Baker City, in rural northeastern Oregon. Delsman is happy to see urbanites discovering their dogs’ hidden talents but considers her primary job preserving a lost art.
Herding breeds have spent centuries as companions for shepherds and ranchers. In Scotland and England, border collies are revered for their ability to disappear into the hills and come back with a herd unharmed.
“But as people decide not to have kids but to have dogs, breeds actually get altered. If we alter a breed too much, it can’t do what it was bred to do,” Delsman said.
The challenge is less about training dogs to handle sheep than about coaching humans to properly handle their dogs, she says. The dogs already know how to herd; they just need to learn to do it on command.
The new communication can be transformative for dogs and humans.
Preston says Selkie is a different dog — though it took work and weekly visits. She also says she’s a different human, with a new understanding of obedience and control, and an appreciation for the power of finding a calling.
Selkie, of course, just pants. Her tail flaps furiously. Preston can guess the thought inside that black-and-white head: This is too good to be true.

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Any Pope who loves cats is a friend of mine.

I’m not Catholic, but one of the benefits of Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to the United States was learning a little more about his personal life

There’s even a children’s book “written” by a cat who was a neighbor of the Pope when he lived in Germany. Italian journalist Jeanne Perego actually wrote the book and it has since been translated into 10 languages. This authorized biography of the Pope is called Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told By a Cat (Ignatius Press, $17.95).

A story in The New York Times tells how the Pope’s house in Germany is guarded by a statue of a cat and that when he lived there, his home was filled with felines.

Who knew!

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We've had Silvio for about three years now (and it's been a very long three years). My boyfriend, Chris, and him haven't always seen eye to eye. But, yesterday Silvio showed a side we've never seen before.

Chris and I play in our company softball league on Sundays — he made a great play from shortstop, running into the outfield to catch a pop fly. Just as he caught it he came down on his ankle wrong and rolled it badly.

When we got home he hobbled upstairs to our bed while I prepared a large bag of ice. While he was resting I stayed downstairs with the dogs (to keep them out of his hair) but Sil wanted to be with Chris so I let him go upstairs. (this is unusual because Sil usually clings to me)

Sil stayed with Chris all day. Everytime I went up stair Sil was snuggled up next to him.

Later in the afternoon the dogs needed to go out and Chris decided it was time to test out his bum ankle. To make Chris' life easier I walked three of the dogs which left him only Sil.

As we were walking Chris yells for me to look at Sil. As he was hobbling along Sil is walking a the same pace as he is (slow), which is unusual because he normally walks very fast.

He also kept looking up at Chris every 20 seconds or so. It was so strange. It was like Sil knew there was something wrong with Chris. I know this probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but I was completely shocked by Sil's behavior.

The Dog Whisperer always says our dogs react to our energy but this is the first time I believe him.

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The Animal Crazy blog at the Orlando paper recently highlighted a Web site by Dr. Roger Welton, a Melbourne veterinarian. At Web-DVM, pet owners can get the good doctor's updates on animal health and pet news, and participate in polls (I was quite sorry to see one recently where dogs won out over cats as preferred family companions.)

Here is one posting that may be a little controversial. It's Welton's take on what he views as an encroaching occupational hazard: children who are far more out of control during a vet visit than their pets. Parents, put these unruly kids on a leash or in a carrier, please. This includes when you bring them into my neighborhood supermarket.
Click here for more adventures in parenting, at our transParent blog.

PET OWNERS, CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN!
Posted on Web-DVM, Thur, March 20, 2008.

Before I begin this brief venting session, please let me be clear that I love [good]children and truly see them as a miracle, a notion that is substantiated in the fact that my wife is expecting our first child in what has been a very planned pregnancy. That aside, one of the biggest aggravations I have to deal with as a veterinarian in recent years is children that are out of control in my waiting room and in my exam room!

On a daily basis, often multiple times a day, I have to contend with much more than the interpretation of a non-talking patient's history, clinical signs, occasional unwillingness, and the release of unexpected gas or excrement. In addition to this challenging work, I often find myself confronted with a far more sinister problem: the little devil children of the clients!

While their parents sit by idly, these children tamper with my valuable and fragile scopes, go through exam room drawers, harass the already scared or even aggressive patient, jump all over my extremely expensive lift tables, and even crawl over my back as I examine the patient. As I try to explain the potential problems the animal may have, necessary diagnostics, and potential treatments, I find myself frequently having to yell over their screams, or blatant interruptions as they ask me their own pointless questions or babble nonsensical stories. In my waiting room, children often are allowed to damage food and treat bags for sale, throw magazines all over the place, scream at the top of their lungs, and run around like they are in some kind of playground.

In order to get the job done, I sometimes find myself in the awkward and uncomfortable position where I have to correct the children myself and order them to leave the equipment alone, step away from the pet that they are upsetting, or allow me the space I need to perform my examination. In some cases, I even have to tell the parent that I cannot continue the examination unless the children are either restrained or made to wait out in the waiting room. Just yesterday, a child even stole an item from the waiting room, and when the receptionist ran outside to inform the parent of the theft, rather than reprimand the child and make the child give the item back, the parent simply paid for it!

Having graduated veterinary school in 2001, I have seen this trend of unruly children get increasingly more prevalent with each year of practice. This tells me that as time goes on, an ever increasing number of parents seem to be losing the ability to raise disciplined, well adjusted, respectful children, a fact that is rather alarming. Not only are these unruly children very unpleasant to be around, but what kind of adults will they one day make? How do they treat the animals at home? Well, regardless of whatever kinds of future criminals they want to raise, here is a message from me to all parents with children like this: I WENT MANY YEARS OF SCHOOL TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE, NOT TO BABYSIT YOUR LITTLE MONSTERS!

What in the world happened to the principles that I was raised with: do not interrupt adults when they are talking, respect your elders, do not tamper with or damage other people's property, do not steal, etc., etc., etc.? When I went to the vet with one of my parents, I would not dare act in the manner in which many children of today behave. I would not interrupt the vet when he spoke, in fact, I would not speak at all unless the vet spoke to me directly.

Is this because I was a special child? Well, maybe a little (just kidding!). It because my parents demanded that I respect them, and my respect for them meant that my embarrassing them in public would ultimately be just as embarrassing to me.

Roger L. Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM

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Marley & Me, the bestseller by former South Florida Sun-Sentinel columnist John Grogan, has inspired a lot of tributes to "world's worst dogs" that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. This one was posted by Becky Xeroteres, sister-in-law of our editorial assistant Janis, on Multiply.com.

Becky and her husband, Mike, moved to Fort Lauderdale last summer with their Jack Russell terrier, Josey, and Jeb, a German short-haired pointer. Jeb, suffering from multiple old-age ailments, was put to sleep by Janis' veterinarian husband, Dr. Rusty Rogers, on Wednesday. Here is how Becky will remember her world's worst dog.

John Grogan wrote a best-selling book, Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog. I know Marley was naughty, but he's got nothing on Jeb. I lived with and loved the true owner of the World's Worst Dog title for the last twelve years, and I cherish every memory.

I cherish the memory of when we got kicked out of dog obedience class (I still insist that it was that pit bull's fault. He kept eyeballing us!)... when Jeb peed on the fully lit and decorated Christmas tree... when he peed on me... when he got shot with a pellet gun by a boy who was legally blind (who gives a blind kid a pellet gun?!?)

I cherish the memory of when Jeb ran away to terrorize the neighborhood and explore Mill Mountain over and over and over and over again. (He was Houdini of the backyard. If there was a crack in the gate, a hole under the fence, he'd take full advantage of it).... when he ate a ten pound bag of dog food and half of the bag in one unsupervised sitting... when he ate all of the apples on the lower branches of our apple tree... when he ate my birthday cake and a dozen of my mom's muffins and pie plate and a tin can and a quarter of a brick and, well, you get the picture.

I cherish the memory of when Jeb fought Josey... when he fought the black snake... when he fought the turtle... when he dragged the 15-pound groundhog he killed into the basement (thanks for the present).

But, it didn't matter how many holes he dug or how many shoes he destroyed or how many dogs he tried to fight or how many times he ran away. I loved that dog. He was the best snuggler. He was a 65-pound lap dog. Until Mike came around, he used to keep my feet warm in bed. Jeb loved to run full speed ahead and he loved his Kong and playing fetch. He loved to eat anything and everything. He loved to get scratched behind his ears. He loved to go for rides in the car, too.

So, I hope there is a big field in Dog Heaven with plenty of Kongs and an apple tree and lots of food and maybe a lap or two to snuggle in and a chauffeur who will drive him anywhere he wants. He was the best/worst dog I've ever had. We're going to miss him.

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Buy cool stuff and help a ferret.
Broward Ferret Rescue is holding a fundraising garage sale from 8 am to 2 pm, tomorrow (Saturday, April 19) at 6319 NW 74th Ave. in Tamarac. The organization fosters and adopts rescued ferrets.

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ConsumerAffairs.com, which tracks recalls and takes consumer complaints, has just posted a report that claims NUTRO pet food is causing dogs and cats across the country to have diarrhea, vomiting and other digestive problems.
Click here to read the full story.

The Web site, which has been critical of the pet food industry, said it came to the conclusion after examining reports submitted by pet-owning readers. However, others said they were satisfied with the products.
Several veterinarians interviewed said many things can cause GI problems in pets. While food ingredients or formulation could be one, so could changes in diet or other health issues, they said.

NUTRO spokespeople said their products had passed quality assurance standards and meet standards set by the FDA. There have been no recalls. Concerned consumers can contact the company here or by calling 800-833-5330.

Have you had good or bad experiences with NUTRO foods?

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SSS! reader TJF sent us an update on Gretchen, the German shepherd that had been adopted from an animal shelter by South Carolina Senator Kent Williams last year. Williams returned the dog, which was pregnant, to the shelter earlier this year. Her puppies were fostered or adopted.

A rescuer apparently took Gretchen herself as a foster dog, but was bitten due to the dog's stress and confusion. The article sent by TJF said the dog was malnourished and apparently had not been vaccinated (not to mention not spayed).
Click here for the complete story.

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Being cute may get you cuddled when you're a pet. But being ugly can make you famous.

Just look at Oscar, the naked cockatoo — if you can. The bird, who has lived at the Humane Society of Broward County for 12 years, has a body that looks like its ready for the barbecue and the head of a bruised carnival dancer.
But her appearance, and unofficial title of World's Ugliest Bird, have landed her on national television and international Web sites.

Then there is the eye-popping popularity of the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest in California.
This may be the only pageant where bad hair, a scrawny tail and a rotten underbite are an asset. Here's former champion Sam on a victory lap.

Do you have your own ugly cutie? Let's see 'em! Send a photo and a note about your pet (including why their questionable looks make them so adorable) to dlade@sun-sentinel.com. This could be your pet's first step on the road to celebrity.

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Doctors Foster and Smith are celebrating their 25th anniversary and they want you to celebrate too ... by giving you money.

Share your favorite photos & win! They are giving away 30 prizes every month, which includes: $300 for first, $200 for second and $100 for third.

Plus, if you are one of the monthly first prize winners you become eligible to win a trip to Maui, Hawaii; Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL; or Sea World, San Diego, CA.

I don't know about you but I already have my first entry picked out. (Calvin has always had a really great smile.) If you think you've got a winner, post your pictures so we know what we're up against.

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If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Oscar (the featherless bird) you MUST check out the video and pictures of him at Sun-Sentinel.com

Oscar, the cockatoo, is located at the Broward County Humane Society

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Want to see your dog on the big screen in New York’s Times Square?

Purina Dog Chow is giving you the chance with its Picture Your Dog in Times Square campaign through April 28. Go to pictureyourdogintimessquare.com and upload a photo of your dog. So far, the virtual dog park has photos of more than 3,000 dogs.

Fans of Drew Lachey—of Dancing with the Stars fame—can create a personalized message voice message. You fill in some blanks with pertinent personal information and Lachey’s voice makes an appeal to join the virtual dog park via e-mail or telephone.

The Times Square finale happens June 19 when every photo in the park will be displayed. You’ll also be able to watch on-line. One winner will be chosen to travel to New York with a guest and their dog. As part of the campaign, Purina will give away up to $40,000 to maintain and dog-friendly and off-leash areas.

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Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin is the guest celebrity at the seventh annual Walk for Wildlife this Saturday, April19. But the real stars are the men and women at the SPCA Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale.

The center, which over 39 years has grown to the largest facility of its kind in the country, takes in and rehabilitates injured wildlife; treats and finds homes for abused exotic and farm animals; and teaches the public how to exist responsibly with other living creatures.
I personally have taken them a blue jay that knocked himself out by flying into my back porch window, a shrike fledging that had fallen out of its nest and a lost baby possum (my backyard is wild kingdom).

The fundraising 1.25-mile walk begins at 11 am at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach. You can register online now or beginning at 9:30 am at the event Saturday. And your pet can join you! The center encourages walkers to bring their animal companions -- and not just dogs.

Click here for more information and a walker's brochure. Or call 954-524-7154.

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We pet owners all have stories to tell.

Well, write one of those stories down and you could win this Ocala Mansion (valued at $1.25 million). The owner, Miss Clementina Marie Giovannetti, a national best-selling author, is coming out of retirement, moving and apparently giving away her home to the person who writes the best "Pet Lover Story"

Send in your "Pet Lover Story" (according to the rules and regulations) along with a cover letter and a 4X6 color photograph of the pet. There is also a $200 entry fee. The contest begins on April 23 and all the entries must be received by July 25th but postmarked on or before July 23.

For all the details (because there are many) check out Ocalamasion.com/mansion.

I think this is awesome that someone can win this house, but I don't really understand how she can afford to just give her home away.

I hope someday I'm in a financial situation like this, where I can give away my million-dollar home.

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When wildlife blunders into suburbia, the animals seldom win.

Police shot a cougar roaming in a Chicago North Side neighborhood Monday. The officers said they decided to kill it, rather than use a tranquilizer gun, saying such animals can be difficult to knock out and move.

Instead, the cougar – or at least its skeleton – will be relocated to the city’s huge Field Museum, which specializes in natural history exhibits. Reminds me of the “nuisance” alligators that end up deported from the landscape ponds in our western subdivisions to the handbag factory. Hey, didn’t this used to be their turf?

Of course, there haven’t been cougars near Chicago for more than 100 years. Turns out this one was not an escaped exotic pet, as originally suspected, but appears to be a wild animal that somehow migrated from the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Here’s the complete story.
(Tribune photo by Candice Cusic)

Cougar killed in Chicago may have journeyed from South Dakota!
By Robert Mitchum and Jeremy Manier
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — The voyage may sound improbable, but wildlife officials say that a DNA test should reveal whether a cougar killed Monday in Chicago took a 1,000-mile trip from the Black Hills of South Dakota through Wisconsin before being shot by police in the Roscoe Village neighborhood.
On Tuesday, veterinarians performed a necropsy, an autopsy for animals, on the cougar at the Cook County Animal & Rabies Control facility in Bridgeview. Early evidence indicated that the cougar was of wild origin, rather than an escaped captive, and samples were taken for comparison to blood that a cougar left in January in Milton, Wis.
DNA analysis suggested that the Wisconsin animal was most similar to those who live in South Dakota, and experts say it may be the same specimen that eventually strayed into the city.
“It’s intriguing to think it may end up being the one that was here in Wisconsin,” said Doug Fendry, an area wildlife supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The unexpected visit fascinated researchers and put police officers in the unusual dilemma of balancing public safety with the beauty of an animal not seen in Chicago since the city’s founding in the 19th century.
Most wildlife experts who have dealt with the potentially dangerous animal, also known as a mountain lion, said it’s difficult to criticize the Chicago Police Department’s decision to shoot the cougar Monday evening, saying that such animals pose a threat to humans and are difficult to effectively tranquilize.
“Determining what you have to do for public safety can be a gray area,” said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for California’s Department of Fish and Game. “Mountain lions can be very difficult to tranquilize and then move.”
Police defended the shooting Tuesday, saying that the decision to shoot the animal protected innocent bystanders and was not out of line with their usual response to threatening animals.
“There’s no time to waste when you have a predator, an animal like this,” police spokeswoman Monique Bond said. “We shoot pit bulls who charge (at officers), so (would it make sense) to let the cougar charge?”
Mayor Richard Daley supported the police use of lethal force in a news conference Tuesday morning.
“Now, I just want to tell you, if the cougar attacked a child, they’d sue the city because the police officer didn’t do their job,” Daley said. “I didn’t see a neighbor run out and grab it and say, ‘Oh I love you’ and bring it in the house.”
Although humans and cougars must live together in many parts of the country, it’s extremely rare for them to meet in a densely populated urban area like Chicago, said biologist Alan Rabinowitz, a former researcher at the Bronx Zoo and president of the Panthera Foundation, which is dedicated to helping big cats and people co-exist.
But Monday’s encounter pushed the limits of that idea.
“If you don’t put an animal like this down fast, you are risking a person’s life,” Rabinowitz said.
The animal was shot by police shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, police said. Mark Rosenthal, operations manager for the Chicago Commmission on Animal Care & Control, said that a crew was en route to the neighborhood and not on the scene when the shooting occurred.
On Tuesday, officials at the Cook County Animal & Rabies Control sought to answer whether the cougar was wild or had escaped from captivity.
“He did not have any identifying marks as if he had been owned. He was a wild cat,” said Donna Alexander, administrator of the agency. She cited the lack of a microchip tag or tattoo, and intact claws and teeth that would normally be removed by pet owners.
Further tests being conducted by a veterinarian from the University of Illinois will determine the age of the cat, and DNA samples taken from the cougar will be given to wildlife officials from other states to try and trace the animal’s movements, Alexander said.
A young male cougar will roam away from the land of its birth almost by instinct, many experts said. That could be a reaction to the dangers of genetic inbreeding or of overcrowding.
Clay Nielsen, wildlife ecologist at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and director of scientific research with The Cougar Network, said that more and more cougars are wandering out of high cougar population areas like South Dakota into Midwestern areas that have not seen them for hundreds of years.
“It’s gotten to the point where there’s no space, and animals have to go outside of the Black Hills,” Nielsen said.
Though the cougar spotted in Wisconsin had not caused any safety problems and Fendry had no reports of it killing domestic livestock, he understood the concern that led Chicago police to shoot the animal found in Roscoe Village.
“When an animal gets in a urban area and gets confused, it can respond aggressively,” Fendry said. “Occasionally up here, we’ll get a bear in an urban area and it will have to be destroyed.”
Martarano said tranquilizing a cougar requires such specialized knowledge that California runs training sessions on the technique for biologists and wildlife wardens.
“It’s hard to get close enough to get the dart in the right area,” said Martarano, who said the darts have no effect if they hit a bone. “It takes a while for the drugs to take effect, and during that period the animal can get agitated. If a lot of people are around, that can cause problems in itself.”
Though California has the most cougars of any state with a population estimated between 4,000 and 6,000, attacks on humans are extremely rare. The state has recorded just 13 attacks since 1990, with three deaths.
“We have to learn to live with them. For the most part, I think we do a pretty good job,” Martarano said.
Whether this week’s cougar is the harbinger for more exotic animal visitors to Chicago or merely an anomaly remains to be seen.
But once all the tests have been performed, and the long trek of the cougar has been unraveled by wildlife experts, the cougar killed Monday may find its journey’s end in the collection of the Field Museum, which has requested the skeleton.
“It’s going to stay in Cook County,” Alexander said.

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Blogger Ann Hellmuth, at our sister paper in Orlando, posted this week about kopi luwak – coffee brewed from the feces of the coffee bean-and-fruit-eating Indonesian palm civet cat. A London store is advertising DeLonghi Caffe Raro as the “world’s most expensive coffee” at $100 a cup. The company claims its distinctive taste comes from a bean that has traveled in one end of the civet and out the other. Hence one of the brew's few printable nicknames, "cat butt coffee".

But beyond the "ewwwwkkkk!" factor is this: Is kopi luwak cruelty free?

Originally, the feces were harvested from the forest floor. But then the civet coffee buzz started, the price skyrocketed and the natural production cycle proved too unreliable. A piece on food blog Chow.com, suggests civets (more like a mongoose than a house cat) now are farm raised and force-fed beans, like geese for foie gras.

Plus -- how do you know you’re getting the real poop? I am assuming most of us can’t taste the difference between distilled civet droppings and, say, brewed exotic seeds or rabbit feces. Hmm, come to think of it, maybe I have found a way to get my cats to contribute to the household income…

And finally: Anyone remember that four years ago, Chinese health officials suspected civets were carrying the respiratory syndrome SARS??

If none of the above concerns you, drink up! Caffe Raro fans say it's good to the last dropping.

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When we first brought Calvin home from the shelter I thought he was perfect. His cute little face, his chubby little tummy — just adorable.

After a few days I noticed he was nursing his back left leg. This being my first dog and all, I was freaked out and took him to the vet the very next day.

It turns out that Calvin was quite overweight. My vet told me that it is common for little dogs to get serious knee issues when they are overweight. He asked how much I've been feeding him, and I told him that I fill his bowl when it's empty. (That's how we did it when I was growing up.) He shook his head no and set me straight.

I learned that day that Calvin is not the type of dog that can be free-fed. The vet told me I should be feeding him a 1/2 a cup a day, twice a day. Growing up, our family dogs were always big, I really had no idea how much small dogs ate.

When we adopted Calvin he weighed 12 pounds and now he weighs 9. He still has a limp but it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be.

I know that overweight pets is a real problem. I want to know how do you help your pets lose weight?

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Features Copy Editor Laura Kelly writes:

Tara was named Fozzy Bear by her breeder. And that wouldn’t do for my majestic, Old English mastiff girl.

Though she pretty much stumbled toward me at our meeting — her massive paws ridiculously too large for her gangly legs and fuzzy, tail-wagging, little rear — I knew she was destined for a greater name — and a ridiculously larger size. I had no way of knowing she would outlive many mastiffs, living almost until the age of 13.

My mother knighted her Tara of the Kings, for the ancient seat of Irish royalty. (Hey, we knew the breed was English, but the name’s Kelly, ya know?)

After paying my $1,000 (thanks Mom and Dad, I was young and underpaid), a beautiful apricot, 4-month-old mastiff came home with me and changed my life.
Literally.

Since my husband of almost eight years claims he fell in love with my dog first, you can see that her impact was of great weight — much more than her mere 180 pounds.

I got my beautiful, showstopper mastiff. At the same time, I got a white, ragtop Jeep Wrangler, circa 1990, where she reigned supreme in the backseat with the top down. Cars would speed past — and then slam on the brakes — trying to get a look at the crazy, tongue-lolling monster in my back seat. People in Port St. Lucie, Fla., started calling me “The Dog Lady.”

I took her everywhere. On long walks along Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, on all kinds of interviews at my first-ever reporting/photography job for the weekly Port St. Lucie Mirror, and jaunts along the North Fork of St. Lucie River where she woofed — mastiffs don’t bark — at otters. Eventually — when she was about 5 — I took her to a video store called Groovy Movies A Go-Go in Stuart.

That store was owned by my future husband, Zane. I did a story on his store. But it wasn’t until I pulled up with Tara — his words, “the giant-est dog I’d ever seen, and you with the giant-est sunglasses I’d ever seen” — that he took notice.

Me — and Tara — spent more and more time at Zane’s store. Tara then became a fixture in downtown Stuart, Zane walking her proudly among the admirers as if he owned her. After a time, she became more than fixture. She became a Stuart legend. The dog you saw at Luna’s Pizza or along the riverside boardwalk. The one that hated skateboarding boys with a vengeance and scared the "cool" right out of them. More people knew Tara than knew me, which was an odd experience when I walked her in Stuart. “Tara! We love you!” followed by lots of petting. Then, “And, who are you?”

She was the Marilyn Monroe of downtown Stuart dogs, a pinup gracing the cover promo spot and Accent page of The Stuart News wearing “reindeer ears” for a Christmas photo shoot. Then she was the wild-art centerpiece of a Palm Beach Post Local cover, drinking from a fountain in a Stuart park (somebody complained because they immediately reduced the water flow at that fountain to where a large dog couldn’t drink out of it). Eventually, she would make the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Sunday Lifestyle Family page, and — even posthumously (same photo, re-run) — the South Florida Parenting magazine, her fiercesome, near-200-pound bulk being petted by a delicate little baby, my then-10-month-old daughter Hayley.

Dash that Herald, she was never in it.

Tara, who barked viciously at piles of sod, but welcomed strangers enigmatically. Tara, who honestly considered herself a little dog, and always tried to hang with the quaking Chihuahuas. When my friend Sunny came home all bruised and bloody after a walk with Tara, she explained how Tara had heard a Chihuahua bark and instantly “gone to her people,” forcing my friend to execute an inadvertent, perfect Starsky & Hutch roll over real concrete.

When Tara went somewhere, you did too. Choke collar or not.
Tara, my gorgeous girl, my sad-eyed beauty, who was so indescribably graceful in her constant gracelessness. Who sat and stared at me lovingly — and so forgivingly — during my lengthy video addiction to The X-Files. And my Quentin Tarantino phase, and my Chinese melodrama phase.

She seemingly slept 23 hours a day. So I called her my big orange speed bump in the middle of my living room.

“She lays like a log, but she never takes her eyes off you wherever you go,” remarked one particularly observant reporter after a party at my house. (Zane was madly jealous — he wanted Tara to look at him.) She was my guardian in my single years. The living, breathing alarm — and admittedly, it was a loud, labored, foul-smelling, drool-soaked breath — that made me feel safe at night.

My poor, deprived husband-to-be, Zane. Who had never had a dog in his entire life — he hadn’t been allowed to have one by his parents. He fell so hard for her — insisted she be with us at our wedding and wear a ring of baby’s breath around her humongous, muscular neck.

She became our Tara, not my Tara. Zane and I sobbed openly and held her forever after watching the DVD of the movie My Dog Skip. We knew she didn’t have much time left. And we loved her so fiercely — maybe even more than we loved each other.
She was our baby before we had had any babies. And to this day, seven years later, Zane and I talk about her — and cry about her — as if she only died yesterday.

Even the vet cried when he put her down — bone cancer, so painful. And she never let on, such an obedient girl to the very end.

I had my Tara from the ages of 26 to 38. Newly broken up with a fiancé, I got her for protection. But she gave me my husband (Zane was around for seven of those years). And, accordingly, because she gave me my husband, that means she gave me my children, Hayley and Zany. Which means she gave me my entire life.

How do you thank a dog for that?
I still love you, Tara.

R.I.P.
1989-2001

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I scoff at Lifetime channel movie weepers, but animal stories always get me. Here is one posted on Snopes recently about Freedom, a fledgling bald eagle that fell out of her nest at a Seattle golf course, crushing both of her wings.

She was nursed back to health by Jeff Guidry, an educational team member at an Everett, WA. wildlife care center, who later was diagnosed with cancer.

Dare you to read it and not cry. Double dog dare.

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Sneaky, those marketers. Look what crept into our mailbox a couple weeks ago...

Hmm, Greenies. Sound familiar? In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration investigated Greenie’s popular canine line after consumers complained the toothbrush-shaped green nuggets were fatally clogging their dogs’ intestines and digestive tracks. Manufacturer S&M NuTec settled a class action lawsuit against Greenies last year. The formula and the packaging now have changed.

But my bigger concern is: Do my two cats really need treats? A friend calls them "crack for cats." A lot of them contain sugar. That's not the case with Feline Greenies, but they are 30 percent carbohydrates. I did test out two Greenies on picky Frances Jeanne, before I tossed the freebie in the garbage pail. Yep, she scarfed ‘em down.

So did you get a Greenies sample and what did you do with it? And are you feeding treats in general?

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A comment was posted about the Squeeze Meeze Jr. Octopus that I thought I should share.

Eileen Glasco writes:

Please watch your pets closely with these toys. My Dachshund chewed and swallowed some of the latex and became quite ill. Buyer beware.

Noman was able to rip off one of the extendable arms but he doesn't usually swallow his toys when he is done with them. If you have a dog who like to kill toys and then eat them I would stay clear of these toys.

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Don't forget: Tomorrow (Saturday) is Broward Ferret Rescue's Adoption Day! You can check out dozens of healthy potential pets from 10 am to 3 pm at a private home in Coconut Creek. Call 954-977-4583 for an appointment. The adoption fee is $55.

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The pet blogs have been buzzing since the news got out that South Carolina State Senator Kent Williams returned his pregnant German shepherd, Gretchen, to the Marion County shelter he adopted her from the previous year. Turns out he never had the dog spayed, and kept her outside in a fenced yard.

Gretchen gave birth to eight puppies, all that went to rescue groups, but no update on what happened to mom. Williams said he was only trying to “help” Gretchen when he took in her and two other dogs (the other two he gave to relatives).

Wonder what the voters will have to say about this when Williams needs their "help" come election time?
Click here for the story.

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Hard to miss the “black dog syndrome” story yesterday, about how it is more difficult for abandoned large, black dogs to find forever homes. It was all over cable television news, national newspapers – and, of course, here on Sit, Stay, Speak!

But SSS! reader TJ told us about a site that has been dealing with black dog discrimination long before the syndrome piece broke. Black Pearl Dogs features inspirational stories about rescues, great pics and good information (like how to take properly exposed photos of your black dog.) Here’s a photo of Big Bobarino, a Black Pearl Dog that was found near death in southern Colorado, locked in a metal box in an alley.

TJ says she put her tribute to her own pup, a near black dog syndrome victim, on the site:
“She was the best, but again, she was a shy, abused and frightened ‘discard’ black lab mix, with big brown imploring eyes, cowering in the back of her cage, on death row when we adopted her, at age two,” TJ wrote us. “Her time was running out and no one had even gone near her run for the two weeks she had been there.” She lived with TJ for 12 years until she passed away last summer.

Do you have a “black dog syndrome” story? Stay and speak!

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Getting Chihuahuas to race is a little like getting babies to smile for the photographer.

Check out the video posted on the pet blog at the Orlando Sentinel.

Blogger Ann Hellmuth also has news about the PETCO Unleashed National Chihuahua Races April 19 in Orlando, the first time in four years that the Florida race has been held outside of Miami. The winner moves on to San Diego over Labor Day weekend for the national championships.

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Norman was once again totally stoked by his new toy. This week we took a trip to Pet's Mart and found a very loud and animated octopus. (FYI, I couldn't find these on Pet's Mart website)

Squeeze Meeze Jr. Octopus has crazy extendable arms that spring outward when squeezed. This freaked Norman out at first (in a good way) and he was out of control with excitement.

The Squeeze Meeze Jr. is made out of latex and, unless Norman rips a hole in it, I don't think he will be able to "kill" the squeaker.

The toys range from $3.99 for the Jr. brand (made for smaller dogs) to $5.99 for the regular size.

This is a toy that will keep your dog entertained for hours. (Well, that is if your dog is anything like Norman, obsessed and relentless.)

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If you've never checked out the collars at Around the Hounds you must. Everytime I go to this site I wish I had a girl dog because the female collars are gorgeous.

Around the Hounds make customized collars for hounds, and have recently expanded into the all breed buckle market. They specialize in martingale collars for sight hounds, like my Italian Greyhound Silvio.

If you have any great sites for dog collars let me know. Calvin has been sporting a Chicago Bears collar for over a year now and it's probably time for something new. (Though, I think the Bears are going to bounce back from last season so I'll be hanging on to it.)

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Can’t get enough news about pets and the animal kingdom?

The Orlando Sentinel, our sister newspaper (in guess where?), also has a great blog called Animal Crazy. It’s written by Deputy Managing Editor Ann Hellmuth, who says she loves nature, animals and cute photos.

Click here to read Ann's post about what some animal welfare groups call “The Big Black Dog Syndrome:” How people are more likely to be afraid of large, dark-coated canines, meaning shelters and rescue groups have more trouble finding homes for those dogs.

(photo from Humane Society of Vero Beach)

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Yes, the dog in this picture is napping. Eternally.
He’s dead.

But thanks to the same technology that sent ice cream into space, his bereaved owner was able to have him lyophilized -- or freeze dried. Why bother with photos when you can have the real thing, arranged on his dog bed, for all time?

Pet Preservation is just one of several companies offering this service. Lyophilization-philes describe it as perfect for someone who doesn’t have a private yard for burial, is squeamish about cremation or just can’t let go. “Now we can keep him forever! He looks just like he was,” a New York couple wrote to Perpetual Pet, which dried and posed their black kitten playing with a spool of thread.

The process keeps the entire body intact without decomposition – as compared to taxidermy, which preserves only the external skin and fur. Prices range from about $395 to $2,000, depending on your pet’s size. Poses are extra.

Freeze-drying isn’t a new process, and even freeze-drying animals has been around for awhile. I found a Time magazine piece about a Florida man who was drying everything from pet hamsters to alligators back in 1989.

Don’t get me wrong: I do understand how someone might want to thwart the heartbreak of losing an animal companion by keeping them around, forever fluffy. But I can’t imagine that frozen, silent versions of my cats would give me much comfort. Plus we would have to pose Dolan eating, not sleeping.

So: Would YOU ever consider freeze-drying your pet? Is it a lasting memorial? Or macabre?

(photo from Pet Preservation at www.petpreservations.com)

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Mel Seitz of Coconut Creek e-mailed us with a story about his two-year-old Shiba Inu named Chi.

Hope you don’t mind a little bragging about my dog....She is a very well behaved dog and almost never barks. Occasionally she will bark when a cat comes around or other dogs walk by however this is very rare.

This morning at 5 a.m. she started barking and woke me up. I thought that perhaps she was barking at the paper delivery person, however she kept on barking and with a different type of bark than I had ever heard. I got up to investigate and when I went into the front room where she was, I thought I heard someone crying out. Not being sure, (I hate to admit it but I am a little hard of hearing.) I called my wife and she also heard the cries.

I got dressed and took Chi outside and she led me down the street to a neighbor who was out on the porch crying for help. Turns out one of our neighbors had a reaction to some medicine. He lives alone and tried to go next door for help only to find that person gone. He was on the porch
having some kind of attack and could not move. I was able to call 911 and get help.

Thank God our neighbor is now in the hospital and should have a full recovery.

I now say that Chi is a hero.

Chi was treated to a dinner of steak and corned beef hash.

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Oline Cogdill writes

Anyone who loves theater knows that South Florida has a terrific array of professional theaters.

Each year these theaters and the hard-working actors, directors and staff are honored during the Carbonells, South Florida's awards for theatrical excellence.

The Carbonells are the region's oldest arts honors and were presented Monday during a benefit show raising scholarships for arts students at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. (You can find the winners here.)

Naturally the winners’ usual acceptance speeches included many thank yous to the directors, co-stars, staff and other professionals that pull together to make theatrical magic, as well as the long-suffering spouses and children.

Jim Ballard who won best supporting actor for his funny, wonderful performance in Urinetown at the Actors Playhouse, thanked all those people.

And then he added an additional acknowledgment to two special members of his family who have supported him constantly and who, he added, was probably leaving a gift right now on his carpet: His Italian greyhounds, whose names he did mention but, frankly, I’ve forgotten.

You gotta love a guy who knows his fan base.

Ballard’s next gig will be in Tuesdays With Morrie based on the Mitch Albom book at the Caldwell Theatre in Boca. The play opens April 6 and runs through May 11.

I am pretty sure the Italian greyhounds don’t have a role in Tuesdays With Morrie. But they’ll be there in spirit.

Photos: Top, Jim Ballard with Cherilyn Franco in Actors' Playhouse presentation of Urinetown, the Musical. Photo/ Alberto Romeu

Peter Haig as Morrie, seated, with Jim Ballard as Mitch, right in the Caldwell's Tuesdays With Morrie. Photo/Sigvision

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Dread that vet office visit with your kitty? You’re not alone.

Statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association -- kind of like the AMA for dogs and cats -- show that while the number of cats in households is growing, the number of overall veterinary visits for the same has decreased.

Dr. Kimberly May, AVMA’s assistant director of professional and public affairs, says there may be several reasons. Cats hide the fact that they are sick better than dogs, for one. And I can speak to how much fun it is to wrestle Dolan or Franny into what they consider The Plastic Box of Death.

At the February CATalyst Summit in Palm Springs, vets and animal experts from around the country gathered to discuss the problem. Some suggestions included developing feline lifespan wellness guides for vets and owners, and creating cat-friendly vet practices.

But if we don’t want kitties to become second-class citizens, we cat people need to suit up and get our animals the medical attention they deserve.

Having said that: Any good tips on getting a fractious cat into a carrier? Don’t tell me about the blanket trick. I already tried it with Franny and it didn’t work.

(photo from the American Veterinary Medical Association)

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Ferret Adoption Day: Saturday, April 12

Ferrets, just like dogs and cats, can end up on the streets. Their owners decide their pets take a lot more work and time than they originally thought. Or the humans have to move, but the ferrets aren’t welcome in the new home.

Given South Florida’s current foreclosure rate and real estate market, it’s no surprise that Broward Ferret Rescue and Referral is at capacity with ferrets in foster care. The volunteer group has more than 45 frisky and fun-loving critters ready for adoption. You can check them out at the organization’s Adoption Day, from 10 am to 3 pm this Saturday, at a private home in Coconut Creek. Call 954-977-4583 for an appointment. The adoption fee is $55.

Rescue group member Misty Hosier describes ferrets as “more or less kittens with the brains of a dog. They are small and VERY playful and need human contact.” Go to Broward Ferret Rescue’s Web site for a collection of cute photos, including some of ferrets in costume (who knew?). The site also gives good guidelines to help determine if you are ferret parent material.

Are you a ferret owner? Any advice for potential ferret owners?

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Last week, I was happy to be on the walking rotation for Misty, my friends' sweet golden retriever, when they were out of town. But I had forgotten how different clean up is for dogs vs. cats. With cats, the poop hopefully is waiting for you in the litter box. With dogs, you gotta scoop on the go, with an eager retriever towing you like a water skier.

The Dispoz-A-Scoops that Misty's family left for me made it a breeze. Manufactured by a South Florida company, it's a small plastic bag with a wire around the one end and a cardboard handle. Flip it open, hang onto the cardboard and you can scoop with ease, then toss it in the trash.

My friends' Davie neighborhood has Dispoz-A dispensers, stocked with bags, scattered along its main walking trail, and manufacturer Microlene told me most of their business comes from condo and homeowner associations. You can get scoops direct from Microlene - although you have to buy 500 for $146. A more convenient option is to pick up a 24-pack at PetSmart for $10.99.

I know these contraptions are more expensive than some other poop patrol equipment mentioned in an Angie post last week (where I was so glad to see people enjoying getting our newspaper at home if, for nothing else, it comes wrapped in a potential great poop bag.) But you might want to treat yourself to a Dispoz-A-Scoop.

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More than a year ago Chris (the boyfriend) and I bought a brand new Nikon for our picture taking pleasure. We were so excited just thinking about all the great pictures we could take, but we never dreamed that 98% of our photos were going to be of our dogs.

They do so many funny things; I am constantly saying "Chris look at how cute Calvin looks; Chris look at Chewy's hair; Awwww, CHRIS look at Silvio and Norman snuggling". Needless to say, Chris is pretty tired of me telling him to "look". Our camera solves this problem because now I just take a picture and he can "look" at the pictures whenever he wants.

The whole point of this long, drawn out story is not just to, once again talk about my dogs, but to send you to a site that has great tips on taking pictures of your pets.

Kodak.com has some great tips to remember (or help) when you're trying to photograph your animals.

Also, I want to know what tips you use to get great shots of your pets.
I usually get great shots by continuously shooting. (Which is why I have 756 photos of my dogs on my memory card, OH and three of Chris).

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I don't know how many times I've been walking Chewy and Norman and someone stops to ask me "what are those?" I usually say schnauzer-Yorkie mixes but the truth is, I have no idea.

They have bearded faces and hair that grows like wild fire. Their previous owner had their tails cropped (which makes us think schnauzer). When we get them groomed Chewy's body looks a lot like my Italian Greyhound (deep chest and long legs). Norman, looks similar to Chewy but has short legs.

Well, now instead of guessing what our mutts are mixed with, why not just get a DNA test. That's right, buy a DNA Breed Identification Test from Happy Dog DNA and in two weeks the mystery will be solved.

The test costs $59.95 plus $4.85 for shipping. All you have to do is swab your pups mouth and send the test to the lab.

This test can be important because it can tell us a lot about our dogs and why they act the way they do. Plus we can learn about breed specific health risks to watch for.

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ConsumerAffairs.com just posted a recap and more info on the tentative settlement, announced Tuesday, between Canadian-based Menu Foods and the pet owners claiming the company’s products poisoned their dogs and cats. The action involves owners from 19 states, seeking compensation for veterinarian bills. Allegations include deceptive and unfair trade practices and negligence.

One of the more interesting things: Many vets now believe it wasn’t just melamine OR just cyanuric acid that separately contaminated different products. It had to be both together to form the crystals that caused kidney damage. So somehow, not one, but two, toxic industrial chemicals managed to simultaneously find their way into our pets’ food supply.

This is from the article:
"Either one of those chemicals alone wouldn't cause these (deaths)," Dr. Barbara Powers, immediate past president of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and director of Colorado State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, told ConsumerAffairs.com. "It has to be the combination of the two. So it's not melamine alone."

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Last week, SSS! reader TJF wrote about her fabulous, adorable 15-month-old male Lab who was chewing “everything he could get his paws on.” The pup was well supplied with chew toys, TJF said. And both she and her husband work at home, so the dog has plenty of company. They take their Lab on one-mile walks about four times a week.

“Is it a lack of exercise, stress, or something he will outgrow?” TJF asked. “We are keeping him forever… but I would like to have a future with furniture and blankets in one piece!”

What’s up with that? How did a sweet dog with plenty of toys and companionship become a non-stop chewing machine?

Click on CONTINUE READING below for the answer!

(photo from dogbreedinfo.com)

Dog trainer and show handler Irene Roussos immediately pinned Doggy Destructo’s behavior to not enough exercise. Labs may be the nation’s most popular breed, “but they are like a Cuisinart without a lid,” said Roussos, of Fort Lauderdale, who is affiliated with Imperial Point Animal Hospital. “They need lots of mental as well as physical exercise.”
Roussos also suspects the chewing may stem from the dog trying to get his owners’ attention – and seeing them all day may make it that more frustrating for him. “He’s saying, dudes, let’s go do something!” Roussos said.
Roussos’ advice:

* High- energy dogs need a minimum of 45 minutes of sustained walking, twice daily. About four miles a day is preferred.
* When walking, incorporate games of fetch, or practice sitting and staying.
* The longest walk of the day should be in the morning, after the dog has rested all night.
* Do not feed the dog at least an hour before, or an hour after, walking, to reduce risk of bloat.
* If you catch the dog actively chewing something besides toys, instruct him to drop it. Then give another command, such as come or sit.
* Yell at yourself, not the dog, if you find your stuff shredded after the fact. The dog won’t equate his chewing with the damaged article after he’s already done it.

Have your own chewing horror stories or good solutions? Or other What’s Up With That? behavior questions? Speak!

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Dear Steve: During an appearance on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Sheryl Crow said she wouldn't date a guy who wouldn't roll around with her dogs and be willing to get snot on himself. I have two Newfoundlands, therefore I know something about snot. I have dates, but apparently I know more about dogs than men. You're a man, so you tell me. My attitude has been, if you can't deal with my dogs, forget it. As a result, I have no guys. Any suggestions?
— S.T., Tacoma, WA

Check out Steve Dale's answer in Monday's Pet World column on Page 2 of Lifestyle.

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This week Norman met his match. The Bad Cuz Toy, a very loud and rubbery ball with feet and horns, kept going and going — and going. We bought him the medium size which is quite big for his little mouth. This was great because it really wore him out.

The toy was so much fun that even Chewy played with it. I rate the squeakability very high. Norman did not completely break the squeaker but he did damage it enough to mute the squeak quite a bit.

You can buy these toys at most pet stores ranging from $5 to $10. I highly recommend them, but earlier when I said the squeaker is loud I was not exaggerating!

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For those of you who love the wild things: Publix recalled three brands of its bird seed on March 27. Types affected include Wild Bird Seed, Cardinal Bird Seed and Oil of Sunflower Seed.

Publix spokeswoman Kimberly Jaeger said there had been no reports of injury or illness but that the seed had been recalled because it “did not meet quality standards.” The recalled product was pulled and what is on the shelves now is safe, she said. But be aware, in case you are feeding seed purchased earlier in March.

Could find no mention of this either on Publix’s Web site or on the FDA recall list. I was alerted to it by a reader. Anyone else heard about it?

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Doreen Christensen, friend and coworker, writes:

Move over Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav, there's some new dogs in town: Animal Planet's Groomer Has it. The cable network's new reality show has 12 professional pet groomers living together in a swanky L.A. loft called the Dog House, working elbow-to-elbow in a salon stylin' pups from runway to shelter.

Along with Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez, a panel of judges will vote one person out of the Dog House each week until the last groomer shaving gets to collect $50,000 and the title Groomer of the Year.

The claws come out 9 p.m. Saturdays on Animal Planet.
Check out the groomers and get a sneak peak of the show at Animal.discovery.com

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Because we have three cats, I've learned all about allowing room for personalities. Mr. Silverman is the thinker. Brisket is the alpha cat. And poor little Toby is....well...different.

Case in point: We've got houseguests this week and Toby is nowhere to be found. The cats have in and out daytime privileges, but Toby simply disappears when there are "strangers" in the house. Silverman, meanwhile, can’t get enough extra attention. Brisket just likes to be near people.

Do other multi-cat households have a similar problem? Should I worry? How can I make Toby feel more comfortable around company.

Speak please!

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Oline Cogdill writes

Skin conditions are the most common ailment for dogs in South Florida. My sweet shih tzu Dash (a rescue) constantly scratches. For the past year, his skin has looked the best it ever has thanks to pills and omega fish oil capsule.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how they've dealt with skin problems?

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We recently moved from a neighborhood that had doggy bag stands everywhere. In our new neighborhood there is only one, but you have to walk a mile to get to it. Which is why I'm so excited that I can now buy BÄSTIS (pet waste bags) from our local IKEA.

I know it's not the most exciting thing to buy, but these bags are only $1.49 for 50 bags and are way more reliable than my reused Publix plastic bags.

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If you've never heard of them your pets are missing out. Snuggle Sax are a perfect place for your little animals to sleep the day away. They are made of premium polar fleece with fuzzy lining inside to keep them nice and warm.

The Basic Snuggle Sax is 34" by 30" and comes in tons of colors and patterns. It's yours for $30. Or you could splurge and get a Fancy Snuggle Sax with embroidered fleece for $50.

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Animal Fair magazine, a self-described lifestyle publication for animal lovers, has named New York City the "pet-friendliest destination" for 2008.

Last year's winning city was Las Vegas.

The naming of New York City as a good place to travel with pets is not without controversy. The New York Times points out that pets are not allowed on the subway unless they are in "containers," taxis are not required to allow dogs, and dog runs aren't easily found.

The magazine says New York City was chosen by a survey of its readers and confirmed by group of "pet-related experts." The city was commended for restaurants and hotels that cater to canine visitors, bars and stores that have dog-friendly policies and dozens of parks that allow dogs.

Noticeably absent from all mentions are other types -- think feline -- of pets.

As I mentioned in my introduction, Bella travels with me to my family farm in Ohio, and she loves the wide open spaces. I'm not sure she'd be as excited for the sounds and hubbub of New York City -- especially if she couldn't get a ride from the airport.

What are your travel experiences with your pet? Were there destinations that really worked? And didn't? I've love to hear.

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Looks like the fate of Buddy and Bear, the two Rottweilers that attacked a 10-year-old in Davie on Friday, won't be decided by county animal control officers after all. It will be up to their owner, Victor Cantelmo.

County officials considered the attack "provoked," as the boy entered the fenced yard where the dogs were kept without permission to retrieve a baseball.

So what should happen next? Comments on our Sun-Sentinel Web site are running far in favor of no punishment for the dogs or owner, saying it was not the Rotties' fault that they went after a stranger intruding on their territory.

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Oline Cogdill writes

Shirley MacLaine says that nothing ever dies. She obviously never had an aquarium.

My fish are pretty hearty, but sometimes you need to replace those that have passed on to the great aquarium in the sky. I often go for the feeders. Some pet stores will have tanks of goldfish or guppie feeders to be sold to, well, feed bigger fish.

There's nothing wrong with the feeders, it's just that goldfish and guppies breed so often....Sometimes you'll find fantail guppies, too. And the price is right. Goldfish feeders are about 5 for $1; guppies 10 for $1, at certain places.

Just make sure the tank looks clean and there are no floaters in the tank.

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