DogDiary4u

Thailand : Wednsday, 27 May 2011

It is not familiar with people for the special force like Thai Police commando to find and turn missing dog back to home.

Jelly, a 12-year-old female terrier, who ran off on Tuesday evening. The dog’s owner, Kunchorn Samitsema, who lives on Pibun Songkhram Rd. in middle of Bangkok, believes thunderstorms might have startled her.

Mr.Kunchorn was concerned about Jelly because she was been diagnosed with cancer.

“She has been with us since a puppy. We couldn’t sleep. My family cried their hearts out. Jelly has cancer. She underwent an operation to remove tumours in her chest,” he said.

She had been picked up by a Burmese worker and took her to his home. He kept her for a night.

After knocking on the doors, showing photos and following tips, Pol Capt Sakchai found out that Jelly had been adopted. He tracked to that house and found she was inside.

When Mr.Khunchorn arrived Police’s Office, Yelly ran and jumped to his arms.

Mr.Kunchorn says reuniting missing pets with the owners is a public service that bring Police commando close to the people. 

Arab Amirates : Wednesday, 25 May 2011 (Local Time)

A British man is on trial in Dubai for allegedly kicking his neigbour’s dog while under the influence of alcohol.

The Dubai resident appeared in court on Wednesday. He admitted consuming alcohol, but pleaded not guilty to charges of trespassing on the neighbour’s property and assulting the animal. The trial resumes on Monday.

                             ------------------------------------------------------

                                       DogDiary4u related story :

                             Dogs Banned from Public Areas in Abu Dhabi

                             ------------------------------------------------------

Foreign resident must have a license to legally drink alcohol in the Gulf emirate.

It’s the latest in a string of court cases involing Britons in Dubai, home to a significant British resident population and a population holiday spot.

A British couple was sentenced to a month in jail last year for passionately kissing in public. In 2008, two Britons faced trial for allegedly having sex on the beach.

Materials from : www.emirates247.com

China : Monday, 24 May 2011 (Local Time)

A Chineese zoo official says two rare cubs born to a male lion and a female tiger (that’s how they get their names) are being nursed by a dog after they were abandoned by their mother.

Cong Wen of Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo in eastern China says four cubs called ligers were born to the lion and tiger earlier this month.

An 8-year-old white tiger mother gave birth on Friday morning to four cubs belonging to a relatively rare species after she gave birth to quadruplets last September.

                               --------------------------------------------

                                    DogDiary4u related story :

                               Lucky Tiger Cub Suck Milk from Dog

                               --------------------------------------------

She said Tuesday the tiger mother fed the ligers for four days but then abandoned them for unknown reasons. Two died of weakness.

Cong said staff at the zoon in Shandong province found a dog who had just given birth to feed the surviving cubs. The dog mom is now nursing not just the liger cubs but  her own puppies, as well.

She said the two cubs had trouble at first dringking the dog but are now used to it.

Ligers are rare and sometimes bred in zoos by mistake.

Materials from: www.nytimes.com, www.chinadaily.com.cn and www.washingtonpost.com

China : Thursday, 24 February 2011 (Local Time)

USA : Wednesday, 23 Frebruary 2011 (Local Time)

Is your teen a couch potato? A new study suggests the family dog might be able to help.

Researchers had 618 kids ranging from 12 to 16 wear accelerometers for a week to measure their physical activity. Half the families had dogs and half did not.

The study showed the kids in families with dogs got 32.1 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day, while those without dogs got 29.5 minutes. The difference isn't much, but lead author John R. Sirard said it's big enough to suggest more study be done.

Parents of the teens also wore the lightweight devices, but the difference in activity levels between adults in the two groups was nonexistent, Sirard said, suggesting the kids might have been the ones taking the dogs out. The families were not asked who cared for the dogs.

The study, done at the University of Minnesota, was one of the first to examine the relationship between adolescents and dogs. Sirard, a professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, said the research didn't take into account the size or breed of the dog, the safety of the neighborhoods where the families lived or the level of attachment the kids had to the pets.

It's also possible that more active families were the ones that decided to get dogs in the first place, he said.

The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health. Results appear in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"I do think dogs could make a difference," said Dr. Antronette Yancey, a health services professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. "As a dog owner myself, I can say that dogs are extremely consistent prompts to get you out and walking."

Yancey, who wrote the book "Instant Recess: How to Build a Fit Nation for the 21st Century," agreed more research was needed. "Sometimes these little clues that you get from a small study can actually burgeon into something that's very meaningful," she said.

We already know a few things about the impact of pets on health, Yancey said. "We know pets are good for older people and good for lowering blood pressure and a variety of other reasons, so if they are also good for physical activity, great."

The dogs were not studied, Sirard said, so there is no way to know if less active dogs put on weight or experienced any other side effects. He hopes to follow up with a larger sample and more questions, and he might put accelerometers on the dogs as well as the humans next time.

First, he'll practice with his 3-year-old, 25-pound mixed terrier Della. The two go walking and running every morning, then his 8-year-old daughter takes care of him the rest of the time.

Story from : www.katu.com (reported by Sue Manning)

Foto from : www.beijing-kids.com

Australia : Tuesday, 22 February 2011 (Local Time)

Bulla Trained sniffer dogs are set to play a key role in security and customs operations in Australia and abroad with the announcement of a $24 million specialist dog training centre at Loemans Rd.

The 9.3ha complex will house the Customs and Border Protection Detector Dog Program and up to 250 training puppies.

Hume councillor Jack Ogilvie said the announcement was a coup for Bulla.

“It is a great use of the (38.4ha) site. Because of the overlays (airport and green wedge), it is limited as to what can go there,” Cr Ogilvie said.

“Anything that creates jobs for the Sunbury region is always welcome.”

Federal Home Affairs minister Brendan O’Connor said it would be the first time the Customs and Border Protection Detector Dog Program would co-locate breeding and training.

“By locating the breeding and training facilities in one place, Customs will be able to streamline its operations and provide the best quality care and training from each puppy’s birth to its deployment into the workforce,” he said.

“The labradors can be trained to identify drugs, firearms, explosives and other restricted items and alert their handlers to the risk in a safe way.”

The centre will include dog kennels, open areas, a veterinarian centre and simulated environments such as a mock baggage conveyor belt and mock homes.

Mr O’Connor said Australian-bred and trained sniffer dogs were sought-after worldwide.

“The program has now grown to become a world leader with nearly 2000 puppies being born since 1993,” he said.

Detector dogs trained at Bulla are set to work for Customs and Border Protection, the Australian Federal Police and state and territory police forces, as well as international Customs agencies in Japan, Thailand, China, Samoa, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The program will shift from a centre by the Melbourne airport with the Bulla site to be complete by 2012.

Story and Foto from : www.sunbury-leader-whereilive.com.au (reported by Kelly Sammut)

England : Monday, 21 February 2011 (Local Time)

Postal workers across the county have been warned to take extra care to avoid dog attacks this week.

Half-term holidays have been identified by Royal Mail as a time postal staff are most at risk.

The firm says owners are less vigilant with their dogs when children are at home from school.

The warning comes as new figures show the frequency of animal attacks on Lincolnshire's postal workers in the past five years.

A Freedom Of Information request showed one postman in Lincolnshire has already fallen victim to an animal attack this year.

Last year, 28 animal attacks were reported to Royal Mail – down from 45 the previous year.

There were 33 reported animal attacks in 2008, up from 25 in 2007.

Concerned postal staff used to have the option of requesting animal deterrents such as peppermint spray, CS spray and high-frequency alarms.

But these deterrents have been phased out, as they were deemed ineffective.

Instead, Royal Mail is issuing advice to both postal workers and dog owners on how to avoid an attack from an aggressive dog.

A spokesman said: "The majority of dog owners in Lincolnshire are very responsible when it comes to keeping delivery staff safe.

"But dog bites are still a major cause of injury to our postmen and women and the effects can cause considerable stress to those concerned.

"We therefore appreciate it when dog owners take extra care to keep their pets under control when we arrive with their post.

"For example, we advise them to keep their pets indoors at the time of mail deliveries, or we may ask them to fit a cage inside the door to catch the mail."

The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents postal staff, has distanced itself from dog deterrents, labelling them a "false sense of security".

It is instead lobbying the Government to change the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to give more protection to those who face regular threats from pets.

According to CWU, 70 per cent of dog attacks take place on private property and concerns have been raised that people such as postal workers are left unprotected by the law.

The union's health, safety and environment officer, Dave Joyce, said: "We have been pointing out for years that the vast majority of attacks take place on garden paths, private driveways and, in many cases, through letter boxes.

"It is of the utmost importance that this particular aspect of the law is changed as soon as possible as thousands of workers are left vulnerable under current arrangements."

Story and foto from : www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk

Malaysia : Sunday, 20 February 2011 (Local Time)

Petaling Jaya:  Whenever she takes her dogs for a walk, she is bound to attract curious stares. And when she reveals that she is a part-time dog trainer, eyeballs pop out of their sockets.

This is because Maznah Mohd Yusof, 36, is a Malay-Muslim.

Hailing from Johor, the US-trained engineer said that her family never told her that dogs are “haram” (forbidden) for Muslims.

“There are different school of thoughts in Islam. Here, we follow the Shafie school of thought which does not say dog is haram but merely asks us to cleanse ourselves after touching a wet dog.”

Asked how her family felt about her “calling” to train dogs, Maznah said that most of them do not complain. “But one cousin asked if I was still a Muslim.”

Maznah, who holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, said she never enjoyed working as an engineer and was searching for something more “satisfying”.

“I worked as an industrial engineer from 1998 till 2007 in Penang. I believe that you must do things you’re passionate about and my job then was not giving me this satisfaction.”

Maznah’s fate took a furry twist in late 2007 when she and her housemate stumbled upon five abandoned puppies at the car park in Queensbay Mall.

“Two of them looked almost lifeless, so we immediately took them to a nearby veterinarian. When they recovered, the veterinarian suggested that we deliver them to SPCA.

“But we were shocked when SPCA told us that it might put the puppies to sleep since they are too young to be taken care of. They were just two-weeks-old. That’s when we decided to look after them ourselves and give them out for adoption after a month,” she said.

However, Maznah grew attached to the puppies and decided to rear them. She named the quintet

Yusni, Golek, Ciku, Oren and Ross.

After moving to Rawang with her dogs in the same year, Maznah realised that for some strange reason, stray dogs were drawn to her house.

“Even those with dogs that are normally unfriendly to others, are surprised when their dogs are friendly with me. Then, I realised it was a sign that I should be working with dogs.”

She started by doing her own research on how to train dogs, gathering information from books and the Internet. “I learnt a lot from a book called Cesar’s Way penned by Mexican dog trainer Cesar Milan.”

On the training she provides, Maznah said that she is focused on basic obedience training and relationship building for now.

“Dogs also need exercise and discipline. Owners must realise that dogs are very energetic. So if you do not take them for exercise, that’s when they start giving problems like biting shoes.

“As for discipline, it is important that owners set certain routines as dogs like consistency. For example, my dogs know that 11pm is time for them to rest. I will just open their cages and they will enter into it themselves,” she said, adding that dogs are similar to children.

Based on her experience, Maznah believes that a dog is a “reflection” of its owner. “I knew one dog owner who was calm and patient. And these qualities rubbed off on his dog as well.”

Therefore, she added, it is vital for owners to spend time with their dogs to build a strong bond.

“I can say that it is the owner that needs the training rather than the dog. Owners must take responsibility to train the dogs, as trainers like me only come once a week. From there, owners need to follow up with the training to ensure the dogs get it. As I said, dogs like consistency.”

Maznah said people should stop thinking of dogs as just another animal. “They say that dogs are a man’s best friend. For me, they are my sidekicks and protector.”

“Owning a dog is a big responsibility, the dogs demand a lot of attention. Remember, it’s a partnership and there needs to be a lot of give and take.”

As far as Maznah is concerned, dogs are the most amazing creatures. To illustrate her point, she quotes a cartoon strip. “I saw this some time back, it said ‘dogs think of you as their God, while cats think they are your God.”

Story and foto from : www.freemalaysiatoday.com (reported by G Vinod)

USA : Saturday, 19 February 2011 (Local Time)

As hundreds of show dogs dazzled the judges at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in New York last week, one purebred pup was busy making his own big splash - outside the ring.

Beau, a striking blue-eyed Siberian husky kept his cool on the runway at the Pre-Westminster Fashion Show, where he modeled doggie couture and won a special achievement award for his work as a therapy dog.

"This is his life's work, and he really does enjoy it," said Beau's owner and pet therapy partner Caroline Loevner, a Macy's brand manager who adopted the 6-year-old beauty from a purebreed rescue group in Pennsylvania.

                                -------------------------------------------------

                                DogDiary4u related stories :

                                Dog Can Be The Best Medicine 

                                Little Dog Got Award To Hospital Patients

                                -------------------------------------------------

The team visits patients in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities, through partnerships run by the Delta Society and Angel on a Leash, which is a charitable arm of the Wesminster Kennel Club.

Unlike the "real" show dogs, however, Beau wasn't born holding a silver spoon.

In fact, the young dog was rescued from the streets of Pennsylvania, where he was found tied to a fence.

The tide turned for the down-on-his-luck dog, however, when he landed in the hands of rescuers from the Mapaw Siberian Husky Rescue and Referral Service outside Philadelphia

Loevner, who had recently lost her former husky, Nikki, at age 16, spotted Beau's gorgeous photo online and was eager to meet him.

"I immediately knew there was something special about him," she said. "He was very in tuned to people; his ice-blue eyes showed compassion and sincerity."

After settling into his new home on the upper East side, Beau received training and became a registered therapy assistance dog with the Delta Society. The group has pet partnership programs with many hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, rehab centers, schools and other facilities.

A number of other organizations also certify therapy dogs, including the Good Dog Foundation, Intermountain Therapy Animals and Therapy Dogs International. In order to be registered, the dogs must first pass a test demonstrating sound temperament and appropriate behavior.

Bred to be members of a team, Siberian huskies crave companionship and may even become destructive and depressed if not given the attention.

But working as a therapy dog, there is no shortage of affection.

Every Friday night, Beau helps greet kids in the lobby of the Ronald McDonald House, where he remains gentle and calm while being plowed with hugs and kisses. The kids are usually on their way back from treatment at a nearby hospital or are on their way there.

"He's there to break the ice from their normal routine of treatment and to bring comfort," said Loevner.

On Sundays, the duo heads to the Rivington House, a 24-hour care facility for people living with HIV, or Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, where they play games, take walks in the hallway or sit with a resident in the park.

Beau will even cuddle up with bedridden patients, many of whom say it's the most love they've received in quite some time.

The pet partner team has also worked with patients with substance-abuse issues, homeless women with mental illnesses, and elementary school kids who are reluctant to read aloud.

"I love to teach the world the importance of pet therapy and how recycled pets are best," Loevner said.

Story and Foto from : www.dailynews.com (reported by Amy Sacks)

USA : Friday, 18 February 2011 (Local Time)

Yo quiero bite you!

There were a record number of dog bites in the city last year -- with pint-sized Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus surprisingly among the top five culprits, The Post has learned.

The city's most vicious dog -- measured by the number of bites on humans reported last year -- was the pit bull, with 815 reported chompings. That's nearly a quarter of the 3,609 bites recorded in 2010, the highest annual number in the data provided by the Health Department.

The pit was followed by the Rottweiler, Shih Tzu, Chihuahua and standard poodle.

The aggression by little dogs can sometimes be blamed on the way fashionable New Yorkers choose to cart them around while going shopping or running errands.

                                     ------------------------------------------

                                     DogDiary4u related story :

                                     How To React When Dogs Attack

                                    -------------------------------------------

"Small dogs may frequently be put in situations that are more provocative than, say, a Labrador is exposed to," said Dr. E'Lise Christensen, a vet-behaviorist at NYC Veterinary Specialists.

"For example, most people don't take their Labradors to Bloomingdale's," she said.

"We call it the 'poor little rich dog' effect, where people take their small dogs to department stores and all the sales people touch them. Owners get bitten, and stranger aggression is really a problem in dogs."

Anthony Jerone, who runs a dog-training school in Queens, said that in the dogs' minds, size doesn't matter.

"Dogs don't know how big they are," he said. "Whether they are a 5-pound Chihuahua or a 100-pound Lab, they act out of instinct."

Joy Oriol, 38, who was walking her pet pit bull on the Upper West Side, defended it as "playful."

"They're yippy and loud, and they have the Napoleon complex," she said. "It's just a given that when those kinds of dogs walk by, they're going to be aggressive and act like, 'You're big, but I'm going to get you.' "

Staten Island dog trainer Amanda Quattrocchi said she was surprised that Shih Tzus were only five bites behind Rottweilers on the list.

"I know they are nippy but they don't really bite that much. I have never worked with a Shih Tzu that is ferocious."

Story from : www.nypost.com (reported by Lorena Mongelli and Kevin Fasick)

Australia : Thursday, 17 February 2011 (Local Time)

Working dogs are sometimes described as a primary producer’s right hand and can be worth their weight in gold controlling livestock in the paddock.

Southern Downs Regional Council in Queensland is now actively asking owners of working dogs in the region to let council know about their four-legged farm hands.

“While working dogs do not need to be registered under new State Government legislation, it is important to remember that dogs can stray and having your working dogs listed with council will help our local laws officers reunite you and your dog or dogs should they become lost,” said Ken Harris, Director of Planning and Environment.

“That’s important because if we can’t find the owner, the pound can only keep a dog for three days.

“Unless it can be re-homed, or is micro-chipped, after three days the dog will sadly have to be euthanised.”

Mr Harris said that apart from working dogs, all other dogs must be registered under new regulations in the Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008.

“There has been some confusion over what defines a working dog and the simple answer is that it’s basically a dog employed by a primary producer, as defined under the act,” Mr Harris said.

“So, a business guard dog, a pig dog, or a dog that is living on a farm and used for ratting, for example, do not meet the definition of a working dog under the Act.”

The act defines a working dog as:

Usually kept or proposed to be kept on rural land; by an owner who is a primary producer or a person engaged or employed as a primary producer; and where the dog is kept primarily for the purpose of droving, protecting, tending or working stock; or is being trained to do so.

Any other dog, whether in town, or rural, including retired working dogs, must be registered with council.

Story from : www.warwickdailynews.com

Foto from : www.servicedoghouse.com

USA : Wednesday, 16 February 2011 (Local Time)

Fiona, an English bulldog and companion to Fairfax resident Gloria Sams, was named "Top Dog: Canine Cop of the Year" for January. The contest, sponsored by the National Museum of Crime & Punishment in Washington, D.C., aims to identify dogs that best serve their family and community.

Pet owners are invited to submit a picture, with caption, that shows how their dog "protects and serves" within the community. The judges -- representing the National Museum of Crime & Punishment, The Humane Society of the United States and the Washington Humane Society -- chose Fiona's photo for its creativity and quality and for Sams' entertaining story.

"Fiona discovered a dusting of latent dog paw prints in the parking lot when a car theft occurred in the neighborhood," Sams wrote. "She lifted the paw prints using a special powder, scanned them into her laptop to analyze the evidence for a positive potential paw print match!"

As the January winner, Fiona receives a featured spot on the NMCP website and e-newsletter, an annual family pass to the museum and her own Canine Cop Day on Saturday. Her winning photo will be posted at the museum that day, and guests who say "Fiona" at the front desk will receive half-price admission.

The National Museum of Crime & Punishment, owned by attorney and entrepreneur John Morgan of Orlando in Florida, explores the evolution of crime and punishment in the U.S. The museum features interactive exhibits, including driving and shooting simulators and a crime scene investigation lab.

Story and Foto from : www.fairfaxtimes.com

Kyrgyzstan : Tuesday, 15 February 2011 (Local Time)

The government of the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek says it has ordered the shooting of 10,000 homeless dogs in the city in 2011.

"We receive around 20 requests to shoot stray dogs every day," city government representative Pavel Klimenko said. "There are an estimated 10,000 homeless dogs living in the city."

                               --------------------------------------------------

                     DogDiary4u related stories :

                               Dog Mssacre in Thai Police Head Office

                               Over 1,300 Dogs Put Down in North Ireland

                               --------------------------------------------------

The dogs will only be shot early in the morning and in the evening when the streets are quiet, Klimenko said.

The spokesman said the city authorities had no other choice but to shoot the strays, since it had no funding to build a dog shelter. In 2010, around 5,000 dogs were shot.

"Don't think of us as barbarians; we don't have other option," Klimenko said. "We need 15 million soms ($300,000) to build a shelter."

Story and Foto from : www.en.rian.ru

England : Monday, 14 February 2011 (Local Time)

Their cute furry faces have featured in Andrex adverts for years. Three 'Labs' recently rehomed by the trust

But even loveable Labradors are feeling the pinch of austerity measures, according to a charity dedicated to rehoming the popular dogs.

The Labrador Lifeline Trust said, increasingly, owners are having to give up their animals because of money problems.

A new team of experts have been set up by the charity to help rehome 'Labs' in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

The trust is extending its reach into the county to cope with higher levels of demand.

Bucks Area Co-ordinator, Janet Butler,said: “Traditionally, people have re-homed their dog because of changes in family circumstances, like ill-health or separation.

“But now we also meet more and more instances where it’s due to financial pressure.

“Some people even have to give up their houses and move to property that is unsuitable for dogs, or where dogs are just not allowed.

“It’s a terrible wrench. People love their dogs, and we’re there to make the parting as easy as possible by moving their Lab to an adopter who will love it and care for it just as they did.”

The trust, formed in 1996, re-homes Labradors of any age.

Owners who have to give up their dogs are able to stay in contact with the adopter through the trust, which vigorously vets new homes.

Anne Carter, trust administrator, said: “We treat every Labrador as if it’s our own. We have a register of potential, approved adopters but, if none of them seems absolutely right for a particular Labrador, we’ll place the dog with one of our specialist fosterers until we identify the new permanent home that we feel is best.”

Story and Foto from : www.thisislocallondon.co.uk (reported by James Nadal)

USA : Sunday, 13 February 2011 (Local Time)

Among those in competition at the Westminster Dog Show this week is Elias, a Beauceron who spends his time off the runway sniffing out gluten in food to protect people with celiac disease. And as scientists better understand the power of a dog’s nose—100,000 times more sensitive than a human’s—canines are moving into other professions, too.

Doctors/Medical Techs: Labradors

Labs can detect colorectal and bowel cancer with 98 percent accuracy by examining stool samples, according to a recent study. The current technology is correct only 10 percent of the time.

Military Bomb Specialists: German shepherds

Despite upwards of $20 billion spent on technology to detect roadside bombs, nothing beats a dog’s nose. Accordingly, there’s a major push to equip more soldiers with pups, especially in Afghanistan.

Pest Police: Jack Russell terriers

Dogs can sniff out bedbugs with a 95 percent success rate, three times better than mere sight detection. So terriers, puggles, and other small breeds are increasingly in the employ of busy exterminators.

Deep-Sea Scientists: Rottweilers

Many breeds are used to help scientists track endangered species. One Rottweiler named Fargo worked aboard a boat looking for right whales—his broad chest gave him seaworthy balance.

Reality-TV Stars: Chihuahuas

Real Housewives meets Animal Planet: a new reality show called Doggie Moms follows five women and their pampered pooches. Can dogs out-Snooki the humans? Stay tuned.

Story and Foto from : www.newsweek.com (written by Jesse Ellison)

Malaysia : Saturday, 12 February 2011 (Local Time)

Dogs are not only lovable companions, they can also help you attract attention from the right crowd.

Undoubtedly, nothing attracts attention faster than a pet lover and an adorable pup in tow. What usually ensues is a friendly exchange of words — a moment that marks the discovery of new acquaintances.

Aside from being great companions, dogs are sometimes known as “chick magnets”. Just Google “How to use my dog to attract women”, and sure enough, you’ll get a thousand hits on forums dedicated to showing you the A-to-Z in mastering the subject. If you’re single and eligible, chances are, you won’t be getting any strangers walking up to you just to strike up a conversation every day. Nor would you do the same, no matter how attractive the other person may be.

But if you have a dog by your side, well, that’s a different story.

If dogs are chick magnets for men, it follows that they also naturally become male magnets for women, right? Wrong.

Handicraft artist C. L. Yam and her 2½-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, Marco, only attracts “aunties and uncles”. Her explanation for this? “Eligible bachelors hardly hang around at parks,” says Yam, who is in her 30s.

For Samantha Hepburn and her six-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, Jang Gun, all they ever attract are kids and “sometimes, a curious grandma or two.” The 25-year-old writer and cartoonist believes that the doggie philosophy is more biased towards guys.

“I don’t think it works for girls. Plus, I don’t know how comfortable I’d be with a guy cooing, sighing and fawning all over my dog,” she opines.

Property negotiator Leong Suet Wah, 54, does attract the attention of men with her little Miniature Pinscher, Xiao Xiao, albeit for entirely different reasons.

“When Xiao Xiao was very small, I would put her in a bag and bring her shopping. Once, I entered a pharmacy and a security guard waved me over — I thought maybe I couldn’t bring her in. But all the guard said was, ‘Can I hold her?’” Leong recalls.

While dogs may appear to be more of a man’s best friend than a woman’s, Leong believes that the trick could work with either gender for the younger generation.

“If you’re younger and you have a dog, you’ll definitely attract more attention from the opposite sex. It happens all the time during doggie tournaments,” she says.

Remember also that dogs need plenty of love and care from a responsible owner. They may not always help you attract company, but they’re always great companions.

Think about adopting a dog this Valentine’s Day, who knows what joy it might bring you?

Story and Foto from : www.thestar.com ( stories by Lee Meili)

USA : Friday, 11 February 2011 (Local Time)

Robert De Niro started his quest to be the top dog in show business at 6 months old.

He loves to perform.

He wags his tail inside the ring, struts his strong build and demonstrates his calm temperament.

No, not that Robert De Niro.

The 9-month-old Chinese Shar Pei's full name is SumLuv Robert De Niro Johnson -- and he will compete, along with 166 other New Jersey dogs and 2,500 total contestants, starting Monday at the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.

Last year's winner of the coveted "Best in Show" title was Sadie -- a k a Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot -- a 5-year old Scottish Terrier from Mackinac Island, Mich.

At the annual show, each breed has its own competition. Then, a winner from each breed advances to compete in one of seven canine categories: hounds, toy, non-sporting, herding, sporting, working and terrier. Shar Peis are in the non-sporting group.

The No. 1 dog from each group competes for "Best in Show;" the winning pooch is crowned Tuesday evening.

The show is open to the public, and televised live on the USA and CNBC cable networks Monday and Tuesday nights.

De Niro, as his owner, Maria Johnson of Newark, calls him, has earned championship status, winning six of the eight dog shows he's competed in from October through November. The pooch is the product of Johnson's first litter; his father is a dog called Black Magic Johnson, who is also a show dog.

Johnson named her eight dogs, all Shar Peis, after celebrities who had similar personalities. De Niro was a "gangster," she said, who pushed his brothers and sisters around. Another dog, Michael Jordan, kept jumping out of the box as a puppy.

De Niro, who weighs 46 pounds, has been resting the past two months, getting ready for his Westminster show. Johnson will attend -- but she won't go in the ring. You'll find her watching nervously from the sidelines as De Niro's teeth, ears, tongue and nails are examined by the judges.

"I don't show my own dogs, because I get too nervous. I also spoil them, so De Niro will perform better for someone else than he would for me," said Johnson, 52. She employs a friend as a handler in the show.

"De Niro loves it though. He has wonderful temperament and that will help when the judges come to him."

And it's not just winning she's after, she says -- just attending the event is a thrill of its own.

"You really get to see the most beautiful dogs in the country, and for some breeds -- the world," Johnson said. "I pray that De Niro can be up there with those dogs."

Story and Foto from : www.nj.com (reported by Meredith Galante)

USA : Thursday, 10 February 2011 (Local Time)

USA : Wednesday, 9 February 2011 (Local Time)

Although she's lived with the family dog since birth, Amy Shaffer's 8-year-old daughter, McKaylee, has always been afraid of dogs and Shaffer has no idea why.

“I don't recall a bad experience that set the fear in place, and she's skittish around all animals,” says Shaffer, of Asheville. “As a toddler, she would literally climb up to my shoulders near any dog and she still asks to be picked up or I have to stand in between her and a dog.”

Meanwhile, McKaylee's sister, Melody, 10, has never been fearful of animals, she says.

Why are some kids nervous around animals while others are comfortable? It could be a traumatic event involving an animal or it could simply be that kids are wired differently right from the start, with some biologically more fearful than others, says clinical psychologist Kay Loveland, Ph.D., who specializes in animal-assisted psychotherapy.

Loveland, who uses specially trained therapy dogs to help some of her patients, says that dogs are the most typical animal kids fear, mostly because there are more chances to interact with them than with other animals. But she's also worked with kids who fear animals like mice, spiders or horses.

So, how do you help kids cope with animal fears? Read on for a few suggestions.

Start with a story

Read books, tell stories and watch videos about the animal your child fears, suggests Loveland.

To address dog fears, begin with stories about “cute little dogs or hero dogs.”

Talk about fears

“Say, ‘let's talk about it' and find out exactly what they're afraid of,” Loveland says.

When the Shaffers first got new kittens, McKaylee was afraid of being scratched by their claws.

Research together

The more you know about an animal, the less scary it may seem.

If a child is afraid of bees, for example, it helps to learn about where they live, how to avoid them and what to do if stung, Loveland says.

Teach skills

Teach kids the appropriate way to approach and greet a dog and how to handle an aggressive dog, says Loveland. Learn what not to do, like staring into a dog's eyes.

Story from : www.citizen-times.com (reported by Pam J.Hecht)

Foto from : www.hubpages.cp

Canada : Tuesday, 8 February 2011 (Local Time)

Children (and adults too) often want to show love to dogs the way we show love to each other, through hugs and kisses. Dogs do not naturally understand this, or even enjoy it. Hugs and face-to-face contact can be very threatening to dogs. The dog may tolerate this for a while, but at some point may bite or snap to protect himself once he has exhausted all his means of more subtle warning. Some dogs do enjoy a hug from a special person, if it is on their terms and done with some extra scratching on the chest. Few, if any dogs enjoy hugs the way young children do this, which is to clasp around the neck and hang on. Parents should teach their children to avoid face-to-face contact with any dog (even their own dog) and to show love to the dog in ways other than hugging and kissing.
Doggone Safe offers the following suggestions for Valentine's Day about how to love your dog in a way that the dog will appreciate.

Touch Your Dog
- Invite your dog to come to you for attention. If your dog turns away or moves away, respect his wishes and leave him alone. Many dogs like to be near you, but not necessarily to be touched.
- Scratch your dog on the side of the neck or on his chest.
- Avoid hugs and kisses. People enjoy this, but most dogs don't like hugs and kisses. They might tolerate it, but few actually enjoy it.
- Invite your dog to sit with you while your read or watch TV. Let him lean on you or put his head on your lap on his terms.
- Some dogs enjoy a scratch behind the ears. Most dogs don't enjoy hands coming down on the top of their heads.
- Pet your dog and then stop. If he tries to get you continue then you will know he likes it.

Play With Your Dog
- Play games like fetch and hide and seek that do not involve chasing or rough play.
- Take your dog for lots of walks.

Understand Your Dog
- Learn to read dog body language so that you can understand what your dog is trying to tell you.
- A happy dog pants and wags his tail loosely. He may wag all over.
- An anxious dog might show a half moon of white in his eye or he may lick his lips or yawn. He may turn his head away or walk away. He wants to be left alone.
- A dog that suddenly goes stiff and still is very dangerous and might be ready to bite.
- A dog with his mouth closed and ears forward and/or with his tail held high is busy thinking about something and does not want to be bothered.

Reward Your Dog
- Look for things your dog does right and give him a treat or praise, petting or play. Never hit or yell at your dog.
- Give your dog a stuffed KongTM or other long lasting chew treat to enjoy while he lies on a mat or in a crate.

Story from : www.24-7pressrelease.com

Foto from : www.doggies.com