We've Moved!

After a couple of years on the kindly hosted Blogger service, we have moved to our own, brand-spankin-new domain: theblogofdog.com. Hope to see you there!

Who Am I?: Dog DNA Testing

A friend recently adopted a puppy (pictured above) from Homeward Bound Dog Rescue. What is Quinn? Until recently, it was anyone's guess.

Canine Heritage came to the rescue. It is dog DNA testing. Who knew? It's an easy and relatively inexpensive test.

You order the kit for around $100.00 (there are less expensive options, which test fewer breeds), take a cheek swab of your dog (the difficultly of this step will vary by dog) and send it in. A couple of weeks later, you get a certificate with the breed DNA analysis back.

Quinn was determined to be a mix of Collie, Labrador Retriever and .... Italian Greyhound. How did the Italian greyhound get in there? It's anyone's guess. But Quinn is an Italian Colbrador.

If you have been forever wondering about exactly what breeds have combined to create your best friend, give Canine Heritage a try.

E-Collars and Alternatives to E-Collars: More Than Just a Fashion Statement

As a result of Xek's cancer bout, we have become intimately familiar with the world of E-collars. Few things are more pathetic than a dog wearing one of those enormous monstrosities. They bump into things, eating and drinking are near impossibile and moisture builds within the cone.

So, I investigated various options to the dreaded plastic monstrosity. First, you have what I call the inflatable doughnut, called the Pro Collar. It basically is like a little inner tube that you put around the dog's neck and it makes it very difficult for him or her to bite his body or scratch his face with his foot. It looks very similar to those airline pillows that you put around your neck. It doesn't, however, keep him or her from rubbing his face against the carpet or bumping into something.

There is also something called a "no bite collar." It works similarly to a neck brace and keeps the dog from being able to bite it's body.

The one product that has intrigued me most is the soft e-collar. It's the same idea of the plastic e-collar, but it is made of softer material. Xek isn't a big chewer and I think that this will work to keep him from rubbing his face on things.

Canine Cancer: More than a Scare

My parent's dog, Patticake, had what we thought was a cyst near her mouth. When about two weeks later, it started bleeding, my mother brought her to the vet, who immediately recognized the growth as cancerous. The tumor had grown fast, but they were able to remove it and, one month later, Patticake is doing well and we hope that she will make a full recovery.

Fast forward to last week.....Xek has a small pink spot near his nose. When a couple of days later, it became more pronounced, I panicked, thinking of Patticake's ordeal. Thankfully, I brought him to the vet right away and, yes, he has cancer too. He had the lump removed yesterday and we are awaiting the results, but we remain hopeful. Well, at least I remain hopeful, as he is depressed about the cone.

The moral of the story is, if something doesn't look right, get a professional opinion. Don't take risks with your dog's life. Yes, Patticake's horrible experience may have saved Xek's life.

Scary: Fatty Tumors in Dogs - What to Do

Finding a tumor on your dog is always scary. What to do next can be daunting too. As luck would have it both my co-worker and me dealt with this question recently.

One night a few weeks ago, while giving Xek a massage, I noticed a mass between his ribs. I was understandably quite concerned, as Xek is 11 years old and Goldens are prone to cancer.

Xek went to his vet, who found a couple of other masses. The vet thought that the masses were fatty tumors, but did a needle aspiration to make sure. Thankfully, the tests came back normal.

My co-worker and friend Lynn found similar masses on her 7 year old dog Wilma. Lynn's vet, however, advised Lynn to have the tumors removed and tested. Lynn didn't feel comfortable with her vet's recommendation and called a family friend, who is a well known veterinarian in New York City. He advised Lynn that if he were treating Wilma, he would do a needle aspiration biopsy, rather than removing the tumors. Lynn followed his advice and is happy that she did so - Wilma, by the way, is cancer-free.

We all want to make sure that our animals are well cared for and receive the best medical attention available. However, we need to be conscious guardians of our pets. Putting an older animal through surgery for fatty tumors that are not affecting them is probably not the best course of action. If they are having mobility problems or discomfort as a result of the tumors, removal may be advisable. Follow Lynn's lead, however, and get a second opinion if you feel that what you are being told might not be the right course of treatment for your dog.

Good luck and good health.

We're Back ..... and There Are More of Us!

After a full year of absence, The Blog of Dog is back. In the past year, we have added a new member to our family, Xek (pronounced "Zek.") As you can see, Xek is not exactly a spring chicken - he's over 10 years old.

In March of 2007, I casually skimmed an e-mail from a fellow rescue volunteer who had just returned from visiting our local shelter to see if there were any good candidates for our program. She mentioned a "GR - former seeing eye dog, 10." For reasons that I don't understand, I immediately sprang into action, calling the shelter and asking details. Did "GR" mean golden retriever? Why was he there? When could I come get him? The last question surprised me the most.

Xek's story is that his owner had suffered a massive stroke. The people at the nursing home to which she was admitted tried to care for Xek, but the responsibility and expense of caring for him was too much. Not knowing what to do with him, they surrendered him to the shelter. Seeing eye dogs are usually required to be returned to the center which trained them. Xek had fallen through the cracks.

Xek spent less than 48 hours in the shelter. As soon as I heard that he was available for adoption, he was outta there. Having two dogs has some challenges, but the benefits are well worth it. My first and foremost concern was that Xek got to be a dog and enjoy his retirement. He still does not have some of the instinctual behaviors of "regular" dogs, but he is enjoying all the new activities - swimming, going to the dog park, staying in bed until late. He and Dr. J enjoy a relationship akin to an old married couple. They don't dote on each other, but they definitely derive comfort from each other's presence.... and isn't that a great things to have?

News: Beagle History

In what we consider to be a great upset (with the Golden Retriever not even placing in the Sporting Group competition) congratulations to Uno, the first Beagle to ever win the Westminster Dog Show. He also joins a very short list (5 to be exact) of Hound group members to win.

Since the breed winning Westminster often garners increased interest from people looking for a breed to adopt, a few words of warning: please be certain to fully research the breed. While Beagles are lovely dogs, they are known for following their noses right out of your yard. More information on the best and worst traits of the breed can be found at the Seattle Beagle Rescue website

If you are interested in bringing a Beagle into your family, consider adopting a rescue. A list of Beagle rescues is available at Beagles on the Web.

The Night Before Dog-Mas, a poem by Claudine Gandolti

"Twas the night before Dog-mas when all through the pound

Not a puppy was yelping or playing around;
Our leashes were hung, by our kennels with care,

In hopes that St. Bernard would soon find us there.

Chihuahuas were curled up, all snug in their beds,
While visions of doggie treats danced in their heads;
Max in his collar, on somebody's lap,

Had tucked in his tail for a midwinter's nap.

When outside the room there arose such a clatter,
My ears perked right up to hear what was the matter.

Away to the window I jumped up with glee,

And barked at the shadows that were cast by a tree.

The glow from the moon changed night into day,

And started me thinking, "woof woof time to play!"

When, what with my puppy-dog eyes did I see,
But a splendid dog sled, led by doggies like me.

With a regal furred driver commanding, not stern.
I yelped to the others, "That must be St. Bern!"
More rapid than greyhounds our saviours they came

And we barked and we howled, and called them by name.

"There's Duchess! There's King! Fat Chance, and bare Buffy!

On Fido! On Scooter! On Rover and Scruffy!

Go by the red fire hydrant and run past those trees!

Nothing can stop you, not even some fleas!"

As puppies at play chase after a stick,

And race to their masters so lively and quick,

So out in the field his canines all flew,
Catching the frisbees, that St. Bernard threw.

And then in an instant I heard at the door

The scratching and clawing of each little paw.
As I pulled in my nose, and was turning around,

Through the door St. Bernard came in with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his tail

His wood cask adourned with an icing of hail.
A bag of chew toys he had brought in with him,

And his mouth was turned up what looked like a grin.

His eyes how they twinkled!

His ears flopped, how merry!

His coat shone like crystal, his nose like a cherry!

His big floppy mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the fur on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a bone was held tight in his teeth,
And his collar encircled his neck like a wreath.

He had a large face and a furry, round belly
That shook when he barked, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was fluffy and plump, a big cuddly, old pooch

And I laughed when I saw him and gave him a smooch.

A wink of his eye and a wag of his tail;

We knew right away we'd have homes without fail.

He howled not a howl, but went straight to his deed,

And took down our leashes that soon we would need.

He opened the door and families stood there,

With children, all smiling, and much love to spare.
He leapt to his sled, to his team gave a call

And away they all flew as if chasing a ball.

But I heard him exclaim as he chewed on a bone;

"Happy Dog-mas to all and to all a good home!"