Mutt Lover

Rally-O

2006-11-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

Here's another fun event that you and Scamp can do together.

Of course, it's open to mixed-breeds dogs (or mutts, or Heinz 57s, or All Canadians, or All Americans, or whatever you want to call them).

Canadian Rally-O

This is a very neat site that outlines the rules & regulations and upcoming events. It also provides a cross-country list of professionals participating in Rally-O, so it'll be easier for you to find a trainer in your area.

I Can't Tell The Difference. Can You Tell The Difference?

2006-11-23T15:37:00.000-05:00

Are you thinking about going to a 'breeder' to buy one of the new 'designer breeds' out there? You know the ones - the Morkie, the Schnoodle, the Labradoodle, etc...

You should know that these are not breeds - they are mutts. Pure and simple. Someone took one breed of dog and mated it with a completely different breed of dog. The result is a mixed-breed dog. Which is fine. Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against mutts. I love mutts, hence the name of the blog - Mutt Lover.

The problem lies with the so-called breeders, and the amount of money they charge for their mutts. Get ready to pay upwards of $1500 for one of these mixed-breed dogs. I don't know about you, but that's a lot of scratch for the average Joe.

A better alternative would be to go to your local animal shelter or rescue group, or to go Petfinder. There are hundreds of these exact types of mixes out there for the mere cost of a spay/neuter. Don't believe me? Then take this quiz. It pretty much proves the point, don't you think? ;)

Get Yer Mutt A-Movin'!

2006-09-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

My obedience instructor once told me, "A tired dog makes a happy owner." I've never heard truer words ever spoken.

Dogs are active creatures - some more so than others. Most of the dogs who wind up in shelters because they are 'too much to handle' are simply bored. When a dog gets bored, she'll find her own ways to keep herself entertained. I have yet to see a dog take up knitting. More often than not, she'll decide that the best form of entertainment in town is the methodical and scientific dissection of your favourite pair of shoes.

The best way to stop your pup from puncturing your Pradas is to tucker her out. Take her for a walk. A half-hour walk entails so much more for a dog than just walking. There are smells, sounds, sights to discover, other dogs with whom to exchange intimate sniffing gestures, cats and squirrels to flush out, etc... If you find that she's still raring to go when you get back, don't call the vet asking for a prescription for Ritalin. Maybe you simply need to take her for longer, more frequent walks, or perhaps mix it up with some other sorts of activities.

Something to take into consideration is your type of dog. Is she part Chihuahua or part Labrador Retriever? While each dog has her own unique personality, a dog's lineage will help determine if she needs a leisurely stroll or a marathon run. The working dogs, cattle dogs, sheep dogs, hunting dogs - these are the types who need mental stimulation as well as lots of physical exercise. A bored Border Collie can wreak havoc equivalent to that of type 4 hurricane inside of three minutes.

Don't try to mentally stimulate your German Shepherd mix by handing him the Big Book of Sudoku. He needs a doggie-type job. Obedience classes are a great way to engage your pup. They challenge him to stretch his brain a little, retain commands, learn to read your signals, and they have the added bonus of turning him into a well-behaved mongrel while he's at it. You might even be able to get him his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title, and perhaps put his newfound talents to use as a registered therapy dog. Agility and flyball are other alternatives. And all of these activities are open to mixed-breeds as well as the purebred dogs at the casual and competitive levels, just in case you discover that Rover is more talented than you first thought (after all, genius and lunacy are often confused).

I'll be taking a closer look at each of the activities mentioned above in the coming weeks, so remember to check back often. Better yet, you can subscribe to this blog to get regular updates delivered right to your in-box. Until then, why don't you log off your computer for a while and take Champ out for a romp?

Technorati Tags: Dogs ; Obedience ; Agility ; Flyball ; Canine Good Citizen ; Exercise ; Therapy Dog

My Mixed-Up Pup

2006-09-24T14:42:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you about my mixed-up pup, Phoebe.

I've been told plenty of times that she looks like a coyote. I've also been told that she looks like a Belgian Tervuren, so go figure. Her true parentage is a mystery to us. Border Collie and German Shepherd, as far as we can tell, but only her mother knows the truth.

Phoebe was a rescue pup. We picked her up at the age of ten weeks. Actually, she picked us, truth be told. While we were visiting the puppy pen, she followed me everywhere I went. Even when I ventured outside the pen, she was right on my heels. And when we went back into the pen, she curled up next my son and fell asleep. That was it. She made it quite clear that she was coming home with us that day.

We've been through three levels of obedience and two levels of agility with Phoebe. And she was really, reeeeaaallllyyy good at it, too. I'd love to go for more agility training, maybe compete for the fun of it, but it'll have to wait until the funds are more readily available. So, until then, the plan is to build some equipment for the back yard and continue practicing on our own.

Sure, she has looks and brains, but Phoebe is one heck of a character, too. Teaching a dog tricks in one thing. Having them 'perform' all on their own is another form of entertainment altogether.

For example, Phoebe has made no bones (pardon the pun) about letting us know that she hates Milk Bone dog biscuits. Old Mother Hubbard cookies, she'll eat without delay. Give her a Milk Bone and watch the show.

First, you'll get 'the look'. She'll take the Milk Bone gingerly between her teeth and look up at you with eyes that are clearly saying, "And what the heck do you expect me to do with this?"

Then she'll take it to her over-sized doggie pillow, place it gently in the center of the bed and try to 'deal with it'. She'll push down on it with her nose repeatedly.

When that doesn't dispense with the unpleasantness that is on her bed, she'll talk to it while pushing down on it. A high-pitched, whiney "rowr"with every prod.

After some time, when the Milk Bone doesn't respond by leaving her space, she'll start circling her bed while pushing at the covering with her nose in what I can only assume is an attempt to bury the offending cookie. But, alas, the bed is not made of soft earth and will, therefore, not move to cover up the nasty biscuit.

So, Phoebe will seemingly abandon her bed - that is, until you're no longer paying attention. Come back to the scene of the crime a few moments later and you'll find that the Milk Bone has indeed disappeared. Has she eaten it? Good heavens, no! No, my funny little Wile E will have waited until your back was turned and then she will have hidden it. One of her favourite spots is between the sofa cushions.

Once we started finding them, though, she searched out better hiding places. The latest is the pile of dirty laundry on my husband's side of the bed. I believe that one was in protest. You see, he was making such a big deal out of the whole thing the last time he gave her a Milk Bone (he loves to hear her 'talk' to the cookies), that I'm pretty sure she placed it there to send a clear message, "You like the damned cookie so much, you eat it!"

Technorati Tags: Dogs ; Puppies ; Pets ; Rescue ; Obedience ; Agility ; Treats ; Tricks ; Cookies ; Biscuits ; Milk Bone ; Old Mother Hubbard

Attention Montreal-Area TV Viewers

2006-09-20T17:03:00.000-04:00

Please crosspost far and wide.

Half hour program - inside a puppy mill: hidden camera (images of hundreds of dogs who's lives are horribly exploited solely for profit (pet store puppies)

Subject: Dossier sur les usines a chiots a JE. Sur les ondes de TVA ce vendredi 22 septembre, 19h et en rediffusion le lendemain sur LCN a 20h. Une enquete JE sur les usines a chiots avec des images qui ont ete prises avec des cameras cachees.

Soyez a l'ecoute

TVA 7pm Ven 22 Sept
LCN 8pm Sam 23 Sept

Technorati Tags: Puppy Mills ; Dogs ; Puppies ; Chiens ; Chiots ; Usine a Chiots

Where to Hang On-Line

2006-09-16T12:13:00.000-04:00

Let me tell you about my favourite place to hang on-line with like-minded mutt lovers.

Pets.ca.

This is a great forum filled to the brim with animal lovers from around the world (don't let the .ca extension fool you). Mutts. Pure-breds. Cats. Hamsters. Fish. Birds. Lizards. Horses. You name it, you'll find someone at Pets.ca who loves to chat about them as much as you do.

There are sections for medical questions (but nothing life-threatening, please - get your furbaby to a vet for that!), training, feeding, general chat, memorials and an off-topic section where you can find out where your new 'friends' stand on non-pet-related topics. There's also a section to post pictures of your furbabies.

The entire site (and all the members) is very strongly pro-spay/neuter, so please don't go on there to discuss breeding unless you're an established, reputable breeder. If you want to become a breeder, a message board isn't the place to start. For the record, mutts should never be bred intentionally or for profit.

Pets.ca is also very supportive of rescue groups. A lot of the members are actively involved in rescues themselves. Those members who have been approved by the board's admin have a section dedicated to listing pets who are up for adoption. Quite frequently, these members need help because they've just received word of a desperate situation where an animal is facing death row if a new home can't be found within a certain amount of time. I've witnessed countless threads of this type where other, non-rescue members have stepped up to offer a permanent or foster home to these very needy animals.

The moderators on Pets.ca are firm but fair. They absolutely will not tolerate name calling or insults. Any listing of personal information (phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc...) are immediately removed. And, if you've had a bad experience with a pet store or other individual, you will not be allowed to name names (this is to protect the site from libel suits). For the love of Pete, read the rules & regs before you start posting about your guinea pig who's bleeding from both ears and you don't know what to do!

So, if you're looking for a great place to hang out, meet other pet lovers and exchange tips and experiences, then Pets.ca is definitely the place for you!

Technorati Tags: Pets ; Message Board ; Forum ; Dog ; Cat ; Hamster ; Fish ; Bird ; Horse ; Rescue

Book Review: Stay Tuned!

2006-09-07T09:59:00.000-04:00

No, "Stay Tuned!" is not the name of the book (although that would be kinda cool - must file that for future consideration). I recently purchased a book called "Introduction to Dog Agility" by Margaret H. Bonham through Amazon.ca. It came highly recommended by my friends over at Pets.ca.

Agility is something I had tried with my dog a while ago, and we both loved it immensely. It was a great form of exercise, a good way for both of us to socialize with like-minded individuals, and it's one of the many events out there that are actually open to mixed-breed dogs. Unfortunately, the classes cost money, which was in short supply once I opened my own business.

So, I thought we'd try doing it on our own with the help of this highly recommended book. Apparently, Ms. Bonham explains all the rules of the various agility games (there are several different games under the agility umbrella), explains techniques for training and also provides plans so you can build your own equipment.

Stay tuned. I'll let you know how it goes.

Adopting A Dog: Why Adopt From A Rescue Group?

2006-08-27T14:12:00.000-04:00

No matter where you live, whether or not you're aware of it, your region is most likely suffering from a pet overpopulation problem. It's simple mathematics.

If allowed to breed indiscriminately, one female dog (bitch) can have at least one litter of between six and ten puppies per year (a) (on average - some have more). Those puppies will then grow up to breed between six and ten puppies a year each. And so on, and so on, and... The numbers are staggering. In a six year period, one bitch and her descendants can number over 67,000 dogs. (a)

Sadly, there just aren't enough homes out there for all of these dogs. So, where do they all wind up?

A very select few find loving, responsible families to call their own. They are the lucky ones.

According to the Humane Society of the United States estimates on pet overpopulation, between six and eight million animals (dogs and cats) wind up in shelters each year. Half of those animals find homes. The other half are humanely euthanized. These numbers do not take into account the puppies and kittens who are killed outright at birth because the moms' owners can't be bothered to find homes for them. Nor does it account for the numbers who are turned loose to fend for themselves in the wild and die in that futile attempt.

OK, so now you're all ready to go out and adopt one of these unfortunate pups whose only crime was to be born, and save him from a terrible fate. Umm....where do you start?

A really great place to begin is at Petfinder. Petfinder is a fabulous website where rescue groups and shelters from across the continent register themselves and post the animals they have up for adoption. What's really cool is that you can search for available pets in your area based on your postal/zip code. Furthermore, you can narrow your search based on the size, age and gender of the dog or cat you're looking for. The website is completely free to use. It is funded by corporate sponsors and donations from the public.

Whoa! Hang on a second. Some of these groups are charging upwards of $250 for a mixed-breed. What's up with that?!

Here's what you need to understand about rescue groups:

1) They are not in it for the money. Anyone who believes that should spend a week in their shoes and tell me how far you get with your finances at the end of that week. They rely strictly on donations from the public and assistance from their foster homes. Most of the time, they pay for things like food and vet bills out of their own pockets.

2) They will never, ever, allow a dog or cat to be adopted out until it is spayed/neutered. If the puppies or kittens are too young to be speutered (I love that word), they will have you sign a contract promising to have the deed done by the time your pet reaches six months of age. More than likely, the adoption fee you pay will include the cost of that spay/neuter, so you're covered on that account. You can bet your bottom dollar that they will follow-up with you, too. If you don't get it done, they are well within their rights to take the animal back. They will also ensure that the puppies or kittens are up to date with all of their vaccinations and have been thoroughly checked out by a veterinarian.

Now, as with any other group of individuals, you will have the odd bad apple who doesn't follow these procedures. If you find someone who is willing to sell you an intact animal with no spay/neuter contract, run far and fast and, if possible, report them to your local SPCA or Humane Society.

3) Rescues are run by volunteers. The animals are not housed in one location. They are usually placed in foster homes. While in their foster homes, they are assessed by the foster parent. Any issues are worked on, along with housetraining and basic obedience training (if needed).

This is one of the reasons why adopting from a rescue group is such a great idea. The foster parents really get to know the dog's true character after a few weeks together. When you visit a dog at a shelter, it may not behave normally because of the stress it's under due to being in a cage and/or being surrounded by so many unknown animals. When you adopt from a rescue that has its dogs placed in foster homes, the foster mom will be able to tell you everything about the dog's true character and whether or not it is a good fit for your family and lifestyle.

So, yes, it will cost you a little more to adopt a dog from a rescue group than it will to pick one up out of your local paper. But, you'll be getting a dog that has been speutered, vet checked, dewormed and is up to date on all his shots. Now, go ask your vet how much that would cost you out of your own pocket.

As an added bonus, you'll be getting a dog who has been partially (if not completely) trained and is known to be a good fit for your family and lifestyle, so you're less likely to bring it back because it's 'too much for you to handle'.

I don't know about you, but that kind of peace of mind is worth the extra money.

(a) Doris Day Animal Foundation

Technorati Tags: Dog ; Pet ; Rescue ; Adoption ; Overpopulation ; Petfinder ; Spay ; Neuter

Coming Soon!

2006-06-22T20:19:00.000-04:00

Stay tuned for a blog all about my favourite 'breed' of dog - the Mutt!

Featured rescues & shelters, where to shop, things to do with your mutt, training tips, product reviews, etc...