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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