In Celebration of Old Dogs

This morning, a dog-owner friend I met in Central Park forward an article to me. The excerpt, from The Week, is based on a longer excerpt that originally appeared in The Washington Post and is taken from the book Old Dogs. As far as I’m concerned, the author, Gene Weingarten, is a genius.

Photo credit: Washington Post/Michael Williamson: “Belle, 14, has been blind for eight years and always wears sunglasses for photo ops.”

If you have an older dog, have ever experienced the death of a pet, or you’re simply a dog lover, it’s definitely worth your time:

http://www.theweek.com/article/index/89914/The_last_word_Why_old_dogs_are_the_best_dogs

Be warned, you may want to keep a box of Kleenex nearby.

Thanks Jen, for passing this along.

This Breed Has 6 Little Piggies...

You've probably heard of Ernest Hemingway's six-toed cats, but did you know there's a dog with six digits? (I had no clue and thought they sounded pretty freakin cool, so I decided to look into details.) The Lundehund, a Norwegian breed related to the Spitz, has six toes. Their extra digit is not a dewclaw, which is a nonfunctional vestigial toe often removed when dogs are just a few days old.

The fox-sized Lundehund was initially bred to help northern Norwegians catch puffins (a type of sea bird) for food several hundred years ago. The extra digit helped the dog climb slippery cliffs and navigate into small bird caves. Along with their tricked-out paws, Lundehunds are also known for their extraordinary flexibility. According to ZooToo, “they can turn their heads a full 180 degrees, rotate their legs over their heads, and even lie completely flat, with all four legs sticking straight out to the sides.” Crazy, right?

As of 60 years ago, there were only five known Lundehunds left, but the breed has made a resurgence. However, they’re still extremely rare, with approximately 1,500 of the polydactyl pups worldwide, and only 250 in the U.S.

To watch a video of these dogs (and check out the bizarro extra toes up close), click here.

Dogs Get the Point

Dogs have a human 2-year-old’s capacity to understand pointing gestures, and it takes them basically no time to learn visual communication, says new research from a Hungarian university. The studies found that canines are also predisposed to read other visual cues from humans, such as gazing and head-turning.

Is he just playing the "I'm confused" card?

While some of this may not sound all that surprising, the research is particularly interesting because chimpanzees—who are viewed as humans’ closest ancestors—often fail the pointing test, indicating dogs may simply understand us better.

My dog always seems to get the pointing thing (whether or not she chooses to ignore it) but I’m waiting for the moment when she’ll grasp verbal communication. For instance, as in, “Can you please stop obsessively licking my hand?” or “Do you really need to circle 27 times before going to the bathroom?”

Mutts to Represent at Dog Shows

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recently announced that they will allow mixed breed dogs to compete at some AKC events starting this October. Mutts will be able to compete in agility, obedience, and rally events. (Rally events are where the dog and handler compete on a course designed by a judge and proceed through a set of 10-20 “stations”.) The catch is, mixed breed canines will only be allowed to compete against other mutts and will be excluded from events like Westminster and the “best in show” category.

Credit: Time Out Chicago

According to Lisa Peterson, an AKC spokeswoman, "the dog-advocacy group's rule change creates an opportunity for mixed breeds and their owners to demonstrate their skills—training often acquired in AKC-sponsored classes."

Is it wrong that I am thinking of signing Riley up? She would kill it in the agility category. The obedience category, though, could get awkward.

(Thanks to Georgina for sending this in!)

Eco-Friendly Dog Shampoos

I admit it; my dog is not the most hygienic of pets. She is oblivious when she pees on her own foot; she rolls in dead worms; and she likes to dig holes in grass so she can eat the dirt beneath it. She then proudly tracks her skanky mess all around my apartment with her little paws. As a result, I’m a little obsessive about washing her, and I do it in my own bathtub. I’m always looking for good dog shampoos, and a month or so ago, a friend forwarded me a Daily Candy for pets. It included an amazing line of dog products from TrueBlue. (They also make cool bowls, leashes, and carriers.)

TrueBlue grooming products are “detergent-free, tear-free, easy-to-rinse, pH-balanced for pets, hypo-allergenic, bio-degradable, and cruelty-free, with no sulfates, parabens, or artificial colors.” They make eye wipes, ear wipes, and even dental “swipes”—although it’s unclear to me what these dental thingies entail. The best part is, all of their products smell glorious.

Some other companies that have these include: Earthbath, Botanical Dog, and Bio-Groom.  

Do you have any favorite grooming products for your dog?