This Dog Was Given Up Because His Owner Thought He Was Gay

Photo: Facebook

On January 29th, an owner in Jackson, Tennessee got fed up with his dog. Because this owner saw his dog humping another dog, he immediately thought the dog was gay. Nevermind that this is typical behavior for most dogs. In most cases, it shows the dog is trying to establish dominance. Whether or not the dog may have been gay or not, it shouldn't matter. Dogs love no matter what.

Nevertheless, the dog owner then proceeded to drop the dog out at a kill shelter, in Jackson, TN. It was assumed that he would be euthanized today at 1pm. Luckily, it turned out to be not the case. However, because of overcrowding there are 10 other dogs scheduled to be euthanized.

The Jackson Tennessee Animal Control has no website but if you happen to live near that town and are interested in this dog or any other dog, you can call 731-668-4211 to get more information about this dog or any dog that may get euthanasia. As for the fearful dog owner that gave this sweet white dog up, maybe in the long run it's a good thing. No dog should be with an owner that doesn't want it, no matter what the reason.

Let's Discuss!

What thoughts would you like to share regarding this?

MRIs, The Next Step In Finding Miltary Dogs

Photo: Greg Berns

To train a dog for military duty is no easy feat. Basically a group of dogs are rounded up and evaluated whether they would be a good fit for being a military dog. Then, the ones who pass are put into training. Just like in every class at school, there are some who will excel and others who will fall short and not join the military.

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is working with the military to create a program where prospective dogs have their brains scanned by MRI machines to see if they have the brain activity for military duty. The program is called FIDOS which stands for Functional Imaging to Develop Outstanding Service-Dogs. By doing this step, they are more likely to eliminate the "dropouts". It typically costs $20,000 to do these tests by training alone.

While this make the process more efficient, I can't help but wonder if magnetic resonance imaging will have long term effects. There are also some highly intelligent dogs who don't fit into the usual breed of military dog like Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd or Labrador Retriever (pictured right).

When you think of the price to get an MRI machine. That price alone will cover the training of 50 dogs. One thing that testers are not taking into account though is exceptions. Maybe a chihuahua has the ability to be an exceptional dog.

Photo: Caroline Steinhauer

Another reason that this is disheartening is that MRIs are pretty claustrophobic for humans. Imagine how a typical dog would react. In the past dogs had to be put under general anesthesia. Now, they are able to get them to sit and stay for 10 minutes. It just doesn't seem right to me. And what about the underachiever? Just because they didn't make the cut, doesn't mean they go through life without a purpose.

I think that much more research needs to take place before they come to a decision. Right now, I'm very wary of this idea.

Let's Discuss!

Do you think MRIs are a wise idea for testing military dogs?

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Too Kool Doggies Facebook Page

Too Kool Doggies Does Facebook

Hi Everyone!

I am happy to announce that Too Kool Doggies has a newly created page on Facebook. It took me awhile to get this going. I hope to have a Google+ page as well. It's a great place to find out the latest blog posts, contests and other articles of interest. Here's the Too Kool Doggies Facebook page link if you'd like to check it out. As always, I'd appreciate any feedback.

When Your Dog Hates Getting Its Teeth Brushed

More often than not, Cookie and Gigi (pictured above) are tolerant of getting their teeth brushed. Cookie is reluctant sometimes but considering she's accumulated quite a bit of tartar since her last dental cleaning, she still is a good sport. I have to get in the habit of doing it more frequently, because the longer you go between teeth cleanings, the more potential there is for bleeding. It's really not much different than humans.

Gigi tends to be a little afraid, but will come around when push comes to shove. Luckily, she doesn't have much tartar, so I don't spend as much time on her teeth as I do Cookie's.

The true rebel of the bunch is Homer (pictured right). For some reason, when he hears the drawer opening and the sound of the toothbrush being pulled out, he can't run and hide fast enough. He thinks that I am out to get him. If he's approached with a toothbrush in hand, he takes off for shelter.

Today, when I went to brush the dogs' teeth, Homer found his safety zone quickly enough like always. So I waited a while and then decided I would try again. I slowly opened the drawer. Instead of removing the dreaded red toothbrush, I took the tube of toothpaste and squeezed a dab of toothpaste onto my index finger. When I approached Homer, he barked and growled because I startled him. When he was looking at me, I extended my index finger so he could smell and lick the toothpaste. This was progress as far as I was concerned, because he didn't run.

Here are some tips to make your toothbrush time successful:

• Be Consistent! Dogs will start to be become more desensitized to having their teeth brush with consistency. When you slack off, the dogs will think that having their teeth brushed isn't so important. If you brush your dog's teeth, a few times a week, it will benefit them in the long run.
• Be Gentle! I always tend to do something in full force, but there are times that shouldn't be the case. Tooth time for dogs falls into that category.
• Be Patient. Some dogs aren't accustomed to having their mouths touched by their owners. Every little step gets you one step closer to building that trust between master and dog.

Let's Discuss!

How do you deal with tough dogs when it comes to clean teeth time?

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3 Dog Artists You Should Check Out

Source: Karl Edwards

Portrait artists have a unique talent. They have the power to capture the expression of a person's face by painting it into canvas. Dog portrait artists are no exception. Many individuals commission portraits to remember their current pets or to commemorate one that has passed.
Portraits can be found at a variety of prices and can be created from most photos. Here are three artists worth checking out.

• Karl Edwards
  Karl Edwards has been creating illustrations and graphics in his Portland location since 1976. He branched out into portraits and has been creating eye catching art ever since. He creates his portraits on 300 lb. Arches archival watercolor paper and has three types of available. There is pen and ink which is a 9" x 12" black and white interpretation. Then, he has a 9" x 12" pen and ink with watercolor (pictured right). Lastly, he carries pure watercolor as pictured above, creations which come in a larger size (14" x 16"). Prices can be found on Karl's website.

Source: Karl Edwards

• Doodle Dog Paintings
  
  
  Doodle Dog Paintings is based in Canada. Her portraits come in square shapes starting at 16" by 16". An average of 30 hours of painting counts toward a painting of this size. Other factors contribute to the price such as being a head shot or a full length portrait. Prices can be found on Kellie's website She is a proud owner of Italian greyhounds and is a firm believer of adoption over buying from a breeder or pet shop. In addition to commissioned portraits she also sells portraits on Etsy.com.

Source: Doodle Dog Paintings


• Cherilynn Fine Art
  Cherilynn Wood has been creating paintings in watercolors for over twenty years. She specializes in animal portraits as well as abstract watercolors. Based in Chicago, her work has been seen on shows like the Mob Doctor. You can find newly created portraits at her online shop. Her commissioned portraits start out at size 5"x7" for a pen & ink/watercolor and go up to a 16" x 20" for a single pet. She also offers commissions for two pets. You can find prices on Cherilynn's website.

Source: Cherilynn Fine Art

Let's Discuss!

What do you love most about animal portraits?

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Things To Consider When Leaving Your Dog In A Cold Car

Photo Source

Cookie loves the car. All that it takes for her to think she's going for a ride is to see the garage door open when she's out in the backyard. Or, I will ask her if she wants to go for a ride in the car, she'll act like she's found nirvana.

In the wintertime, I'll take her along with the others, for a ride. They absolutely love it. Occasionally, I'll take them on errands with me and leave them in there for a short time (under 20 minutes). After an extended period of time, the car will act like a refrigerator.

Now, I've read that leaving your dog in a cold car can be as dangerous as leaving them in a warm car. I think like warm weather days, one must use common sense on cold weather days.

Here are things to consider when keeping your dogs in the car for any period of time:

• Keep an eye on the temperature. A 32° F degree day is much warmer than a 15 °F degree day.
• Small dogs will get much colder than larger dogs.
• Dogs with thicker coats will stay warm longer than short-haired dogs like boxers and greyhounds.
• The ASPCA does not recommend keeping a dog left in a car in winter.
• The temperature in a car drops after twenty minutes.
• Never mix taking your dogs in the car with shopping.

Let's Discuss!

Those are my tips for driving your dog in winter. What are yours?

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The Comfy Cone

Photo: All Four Paws

I'll never forget the day when I came home from school. My dog Casey who would greet us when we would get off the school bus was not there that day. It turned out that he was hit by a car that day. My mom and dad immediately took him to the vet. He was injured so badly, he was lying on his side as if he was playing dead. When he heard our voices he could only lift his head and wag his tail which he would thump against the floor.

For the next two months, Casey had to wear one of those plastic e-collars. He woudl constantly be bumping into walls and doorways because the e-collar would block his peripheral vision. Still, it was worth it so that he wouldn't be able to lick his rear legs and they would be able to heal on their own. After the two month period, Casey was up and walking again and back to his old self. He went on to live for 12 years after that.

Photo: All Four Paws

A New Type Of Collar

Yesterday I learned about the Comfy Cone. When I heard about this product, I was thrilled. It's made to be softer for a dogs head but at the same time, it gives the support and flexibility you don't get with a normal plastic collar. It can be folded back so your dog can eat his food without problems.

What makes it special?

• It's moderately priced. You can find an average size Comfy Cone for about $20USD.
• It's built to last and is flexible by having plastic stays inserted into the fabric
• It's earth-friendly. With the type of materials like nylon fabric which has been laminated onto .5 inch foam which is gentler around a dog's head. It also has elastic loops and various velcro settings to make it have a customized fit to the dog's neck.
• The softer material makes less noise. You won't hear bumps in the night as loudly. It's also suitable for cats as well.
• It's recommended by veterinarians which always is a good thing.

While we never want to see our pets have to wear a collar like this, it's a relief to know that if they ever need one, there's a more comfortable alternative out there. You can find these at pet boutiques or online at places like Amazon.

Let's Discuss!

What have your experiences been like when your pet had to wear an e-collar?

A Fine Mess In Monroe County Michigan

Photo: Facebook

In April of this year, a young 15-year-old girl was attacked by one of Timothy Iocoangeli's boxers. She was bitten over 100 times because she was standing outside in the backyard. Most would feel that the dog who bit her deserved to die. Yet there is more to this story.

It turns out that there was a boy who went into the house when the owner was not home. He happened to be a friend of the son of Mr. Iocoangeli. The son and another friend were not at the house, and these two were looking for them by him entering the house.

As a result of this incident, the dog owner has suffered serious consequences. He has lost his job, his four dogs were confiscated by animal control and euthanized, and the puppies which he had in his possession were removed and placed in an animal shelter for adoption. Worse yet, Tim Iocangeli will be prosecuted for four felony charges of owning a dangerous dog.

While I feel for the girl, I think the government is punishing the wrong person. The owner's dogs were safely secure in their house until this young man entered and let them out accidentally. Why didn't the kid ring the doorbell instead of going inside? Sadly, the boy responsible for opening the door is not around to address this issue. He died in a car accident after this debacle happened.

It seems that instead of getting to the bottom of this, the Monroe County

Photo: Monroe News

government wanted to use these boxer dogs as an example to enforce their weakly written dangerous dogs law. Yes, the girl will have a rough road of healing in the days ahead. What happened to her is truly tragic. If she's ever able to be around another dog, it will be a miracle. However, punishing the owner for something that wasn't his fault isn't going to change what happened.

The dogs were safe and secure in the house. It's not like they busted through a window to attack the teenager. They were released by a person who wasn't a member of their family. If that door was not opened, the dogs would have stayed in the house.

When a mother has a litter of puppies, they will tend to be protective of their litter. That may have played into part of the reason this happened as well. It's obvious that the dog owner had these dogs for protection. It's also a shame that you can't live in a world where your door is unlocked and people will respect the fact that you're not at home. The lawmakers are basically saying we now live in a world where having locked doors is the norm and opening an unlocked door is a person's right even if they don't live there.

To blame the owner of the dogs for this travesty isn't right. These dogs were doing their job which was protecting their territory. What's worse is that all this happened with no temperament testing. They didn't even give the owner the decency of saying goodbye to his dogs. It's easy to blame the dogs, but the fact remains that this case is too one-sided to be fair. It reflects poorly on the government of Monroe County and perpetuates fear and ignorance instead of finding the right solution.

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this story?

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3 Christmas Dog Movies Worth Seeing

Christmas is a special time of year. As hectic as Christmas shopping can be, there's nothing like having a quiet night at home catching up on holiday movies. Include dogs, and you're golden. Holiday movies have a sentimentality that makes you believe and forget about the harsh realities our everyday life can bring.
As I've become older, I've really enjoyed the movies I've seen on tv as well as some of the holiday movies they have on DVD to rent or buy. The following four movies are entertaining movies that most families can watch together during the holidays.

• A Dog Named Christmas
  This is a classic movie from the Hallmark Hall Of Fame. It's a movie where a young family fosters a dog and the two boys hope to be able to adopt the dog. The father is opposed to having a dog in the house because of past incidents. I had seen this movie a couple of years ago and it was very entertaining and heartwarming.

• The 12 Dogs Of Christmas
  This is a story when a 12-year-old girl finds herself in a battle with the mayor and dogcatcher of a small town where dogs aren't allowed. There were over 101 dogs used in the filming of this movie. It's on my list of those to see.

• 12 Christmas Wishes For My Dog After losing her dog to an unfair landlord, Laura (played by Elisa Donovan who was previously seen in Clueless) sees a
  
  life coach to get her life in order and hopefully get her dog back. This is a warm family movie that looks to be a very pleasant viewing option for the holidays.

You can find most of these at Amazon or on Ebay.

Let's Discuss!

What is your favorite family movie to watch?

Comfort Dogs Aiding The Victims Of Newtown

Photo: BusinessInsider.com

It first started in 2008. During the aftermath surrounding the Northern Illinois University shootings, a small group from Lutheran Church Charities provided Golden Retrievers to help comfort the students through that difficult time. Sure enough, these dogs were so popular, Northern Illinois invited them back to help.

Fast forward to present day, where ten dogs came to aid children and adults alike from the Newtown Massacre. A total of ten dogs have been sent from Chicago alone. There are over 60 dogs in six different states. They have been specially trained to sit and be quiet. Many children will pet them and start smiling again. Others who have been more severely affected, will just sit there and pet them for a longer period of time. They remind children of a more innocent and whimsical time. They may brighten their holiday season as well.

Dogs can sense when a person needs some comfort and few do it better than these therapy dogs. The group plans on staying as long as they are needed. If you would like to learn more about this group, visit their Facebook page