A crack team of PhD-trained Goldens illustrate the structure of atoms—the particles that make up everything around you. They also show how atoms are weirder than you might think. My favorite part is how they display the cloud effect.
Pets Teach Science aims to demonstrate tricky scientific concepts ranging from quantum physics to chemical structure, with the help of man’s best friend and other furry companions. They just set up shop this week via New Scientist Editor, Richard Fisher, and this Golden clip was their first venture. I say, “Woof Woof. Good job!”
I continue to be in awe of Bill Stevens, the dude in charge of this bunch. As of Nov 11, 2009, the bunch is as follows: Homer J.,12-year-old rescued Golden Retriever; the senior member of the pack. Jubal, 10-year-old Golden; JEB, 9-year-old Golden; Shelby, 6-year-old Golden; Jack, 5-year-old Golden; Abby, 4-year-old rescued Yellow Lab/Golden mix; Max & Shiloh, 3-year-old Landseer Newfoundland brother & sister; Radar, 1-year-old, blind from birth, rescued red Golden puppy; Alex & Boru, 7-year-old Maine Coon cats; and Jenny, 6-year-old rescued tortie “Ragamuffin” cat. The Bumpass Hounds rescues dogs come from Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue & Santuary (AHGRR) in Delray, West Virginia.
AHGRR pulled Homer out of a shelter. If they had not rescued him, he might not be here now. He is the oldest animal in The Bumpass Hounds and he has “special boy” senoirity privleges. They rescued Radar from being put down because of his birth defects and he is a thriving normal pup now; well as “normal” as a blind pup can be.
I just love old Homer, something about his noble endearing face, I guess.
I was so tickled by Bill’s latest video. Usually his videos show Radar annoying his fur family members, but the cookie clip just was so cute. It was described at Bill’s blog this way:
Every morning after we have our breakfast dad goes off to the salt mines and leaves mom to give us our morning chewies for about 5 minutes of that elusive peace and quiet. However, when he gets home from work, and frequently on weekends, dad will hold muster of the troops for treat call . . . We are usually required to have our butts on the ground in order to receive our ration. Dad usually conducts roll call and sometimes he screws it up. In this video you’ll hear him initially refer to Homer when actually it is J.E.B. receiving his cookie, thus explaining the second call of Homer’s name. Sometimes it’s confusing with 8 or 10 dogs and Homer and J.E.B. are almost identical twins except that J.E.B. is golden and Homer is red; J.E.B. has a blue collar and Homer has a green collar, however, they’re both males and they are both dogs. Well, here’s a video clip of an afternoon cookie distribution formation. Note that Shelby Belle outsmarts the dad and is able to collect two cookies by stealthily, and quickly, placing her mouth at the end of dad’s hand when Homer (the real Homer) is supposed to be receiving his award.
In recognition of Pet Cancer Awareness Month, board certified veterinary oncologist, Dr. Michael D. Lucroy, is offering his No Nonsense Guide to Cancer in Pets (E-book) at a discounted rate. In addition, a portion of the purchase price will go to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation, earmarked for cancer research in dogs and cats.
The guide details the following: internal and external risk factors for cancer; 10 warning signs of cancer in dogs and cats; ways to diagnose cancer and check for spread; treatment options for cancer and how to evaluate alternative therapies; and, ways to assess quality of life.
While much of the information in his guide is available online via careful digging (we have comprehensive resources at our foundation’s site on canine cancer), folks sometimes can benefit from an already prepared set of materials.
Dr. Lucroy is also including bonus lists of the most important questions you should be asking your veterinary team if your dog or cat is facing a diagnosis of cancer. Contained in the free bonus guide are more than 50 questions you need to ask about chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, along with some general questions for any proposed treatment plan. This free bonus guide also contains his list of 10 great tips to help you get the most out of your initial consultation with a veterinary specialist.
The best part? The good doctor is offering his guide RISK FREE with a 14-day MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! If, after reading his eBook, you are not satisfied, you need simply contact him by email to request a full refund of the purchase price. No questions asked. No kidding.
Oh my, just discovered the site, Drawthedog.com, today …. even though the incredible ex-Disney animator, Jim George, has been at it since September. The cartoon above is one of his newest, but the fun is also in seeing it created before your eyes. You can do that here.
Also be sure to check out the Golden cartoon, He’ll Be Fine, which was inspired by Golden Hutchie of Northern California. Whoa . . . talk about Separation Anxiety visualized!
We have used the same Mugoh Mat for well over a year now with our Golden guy Alfie, wanting to be sure we put it through the paces before sharing it with our supporters. But, our vote is in and we say, DO IT! Let your dogs dry their own paws in 3 Steps or 3 Seconds with a super absorbent Mugoh Mat. It is absolutely the fastest, easiest way to eliminate wet paw prints on your floor.
Mugoh Mats absorb moisture instantly. Made entirely of natural, 100% biodegradable materials, dogs quickly accept them as comfortable to walk on. A soft, super absorbent 2-ply paper towel for the ruffles and burlap (jute) is used for the backing. A natural latex rubber is used to hold the ruffles in place and as a gripping feature on back of the mat. Hand crafted in Oregon, the mats are well constructed and will last for several weeks or up to four months, under normal use from one dog. We’ve used the same one for several months with our Golden guy Alfie.
The soft ruffles on these mats have the same absorbency as the best paper towels or tissue and suck up water from paws on contact. After being wet, the Mugoh Mat will normally dry in a couple of hours. It is disposable and for best effectiveness should be replaced when it becomes frayed or matted. EEco Pet uses only pure, all natural latex rubber that has no chemical additives and virtually no odor. This is important for dog’s sensitive noses. The mat is an ample 28 inches x 34 inches.
The handsome boy at the top of the page is our old Golden dude Alfie. Yup, old is right, as he is 10½ years of age here. But, never too old to learn new tricks. That’s him on our original Mugoh Mat that we place at the front door after we’ve let him out to do his business. It is great for getting those wet paws after romping on morning dew covered leaves, or after trudging through wet muck from rain or snow.
We have the mat folded up and off to the side so that it does not get worn, and simply put it out once Alfie has gone out. Then, it is all ready for his return. We simply open the door and he knows to go onto the mat and do his “Stand-Stay” command (which is simple to teach btw). Ten seconds later we release him with an “Okay!” and he’s thrilled as he knows a treat is usually coming. That is why he is smiling so sweetly here. He knows this is a fun game.
We only wish you could see the 4 drenched ovals that he leaves behind on the mat, which just does such a great job at sucking out that moisture. We fold the mat in half and put it off to the side so that it is not walked on needlessly, and it dries very quickly.
While this may not be the greatest for repeat sales, we have to admit that this mat is the original one we got to test out the product . . . and has lasted well over a year so far. It’s only had one 60-pound boy’s use, though, so we can’t say how long it will last with a multi-dog home. But, we do know that following our steps, it will last for quite some time.
Bob Armstrong brings his old Golden Retriever Boston (his wife Debee’s retired Guide Dog) to the Kaiser Permanente hospital in Santa Clara, CA. Debee has a new Golden Guide Dog, but happily trains her Goldens so that when she needs to retire them from the work-intensive job as a Guide Dog, they can be transitioned into being just a loving member of the family as well as doing therapy dog visitation work.
I was thrilled to discover this fabulous Nature film online as I missed its Feb 2009 debut on PBS. Why We Love Cats and Dogs – Pets and the Human-Animal Bond celebrates the fact that we share our lives with 73 million dogs and 90 million cats, their functioning as best friends and oftentimes the best part of our family. This film delves into these intimate relationships via the insights of animal behavior experts, evolutionary biologists, veterinarians, and pet owners. It was quite impressive to have Dr. Nicholas Dodman and Dr. Marc Bekoff’s involvement.
Dr. Dodman is Professor, Section Head and Program Director at the Animal Behavior Department of Clinical Sciences of Tufts’ Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bekoff is Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. One of the world’s most eminent behavioral scientists, he has written over 20 books, our favorite being this one published in 2007, that we feature at our foundation store: The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy – and Why They Matter.
After watching this did I realize knowing about Tripawd Jerry, his parents, Jim Nelson and René Agredano, dropping everything to travel with him after his bone cancer diagnosis. Jerry’s legacy lives on at tripawds.com, a wonderful support community for three-legged dogs and their people.
I want those stories that capture a dog’s ‘rags to wags’ transformation—and am awarding an amazing 1/3 of the entries with prizes! The photo here comes from our most recent, 22nd entry, “Dina”.
We are taking only 30 entries so don’t delay in getting in your story. You can enter here: http://bit.ly/1uLnbY
Her kid’s favorite bedtime story, Dina was written by Nancy Freedman-Smith CPDT as soup for her soul.
Dina was a stray and my first rescue dog. She is the dog who changed the direction of my life. Her story is so interwoven with mine, it is hard to tell where her story ends and mine begins. Her story is my story too. Dina took me down the path of dog training, rescue, pet therapy, and stupid pet tricks. So many trainers I know became trainers because their dogs were difficult, but I became a trainer because my dog was wonderful. Dina took me places I had never been before. She was a once in life time dog, my heart.
In the spring of 1989 I was scurrying home from work to my apartment in East Boston to take Rollo, my wild child German Shepherd mix out to play at the little city park that the neighborhood dogs called their own. As I came up to the top of the hill, I spotted a small black and white Border Collie acting skittish and running back and forth clearly lost and in distress. From a distance I could tell she was in need of a meal, had no ID tags around her neck, and that she smelled faintly of skunk. She would not come to me and I hurried home for Rollo, hoping that if I had another dog with me she would let me catch her.
Minutes later when I returned with Rollo they were best friends at first site. The two took off in a flash to play herding dog games. The dog who would soon be my Dina darted, bolted, turned on a dime and she and Rollo romped until their tongues hung out of their heads with joy. When Rollo and I left for home, the little dog followed us, just out of reach. When I opened the front door, she flew up the three flights of stairs up to my apartment like she owned the place. After filling herself with food and water, she promptly fell asleep with her head on my lap on the living room floor and she never once ducked from my touch again.
When my boyfriend got home he took one look at her and said “no way”, so I took her for a walk around our neighborhood to see if anyone recognized her. Our next door neighbor, an older Italian woman came out of her house and exclaimed, “I know that doggie. She come-a evare day sam-a time. You gotta let her loose so she can go-a home. That soma bodies doggie. That nota your dogie.” On that day I bowed to the pressures of my boyfriend and neighbor, but if I had a do over I would never do what I did, which is set her free and shoosh her away.
I unhooked her leash.
“Go home” I insisted with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.
The dog and I sized each other up. That moment is frozen in my mind. With no thanks to me, Dina was in for a happy ending, but at the moment, she didn’t leave.
Rescue is a great and really noble way to obtain a canine companion. First, it allows you to give a dog a great home. And, it often allows you to avoid the pains of puppyhood by adopting an adult dog. But, it takes a special person to try and repair the bad times that rescue dogs have often experienced. For this reason, rescue adoptions are often very serious business. That is, you must prove that you have the time to make the necessary commitment. You also must show that you are a kind and caring individual who can provide intelligently for this needy guy’s or gal’s health needs. To thank our many important rescuers and adopters, we have created this special rescue story contest.
We are looking for irresistible tales that capture your dog’s wonderful ‘rags to wags’ transformation. You know, those truly compelling stories that reside only in the heart. Folks need to communicate just why their rescue dog deserves to be King or Queen for the Day. Please join us in our fun new contest, Cece Kent’s gorgeous Cambridge Collar & matching Cambridge Lead — a set valued at $180 — awarded to our grand prize winner. Cece Kent’s dog fashion line offers a fine touch of elegance, with this gift truly befitting a lucky canine king or queen. Other wonderful prizes from our Foundation Store round out the total $500+ prize package for our top ten tales. Click here to see our entries as they arrive.
Do not do this at home. This is not canine freestyle. Asking a large breed dog such as a Golden Retriever to move about on two feet is just so dangerous. It simply shows no respect for a Golden’s bone structure, and how hard such movement would be on the body. Overall, the dance moves are just ridiculous. Imitating human dance is not what freestyle is about. It is about incorporating a dog’s natural movement into a routine. And, don’t get me started on the costuming.
This video just turns the entire exercise and the sport into a comedy routine, which you can tell by the reactions. That is not what we want viewers to get out of this sport.
A dog sport in which training, teamwork, music and movement combine to create an artistic, choreographed performance highlighting the canine partner in a manner that celebrates the unique qualities of each individual dog. It is built upon the foundation of a positive working relationship of a dog and handler team.
I know a little bit about the sport, having trained and performed in it myself. And, of course, I’ve learned from the best, including that of the renowned Carolyn Scott.
Ed Eames and his wife, Toni, with Golden guide dogs, Latrell & Keebler
Sadly, the Assistance Dog Movement has lost one of our greatest champions. IAADP’s President, Co-founder, Ed Eames, Ph.D. passed away on October 25, 2009. It is hard to believe that it has been seven years since meeting Ed and his lovely wife, Toni. Although Toni has been blind since birth, Ed lost his sight at age 42. He very much relied on Toni’s skills and access, and along with her deep love for him, this allowed him to flourish in his second, non-sighted life.
An adjunct professor at CA State University-Fresno, Ed spent his career teaching and doing anthropology research at NY’s Baruch College and previously at Temple University. His doctorate was earned at Cornell University with his research based in India.
Ed obtained his initial guide dog from the Seeing Eye and met Toni in 1985 while writing his first book about the assistance dog field, A Guide to Guide Dog Schools. She joined him as wife and co-author of that project. Their second book, Partners in Independence: A Success Story of Dogs and the Disabled, was drawn from their award-winning column of the same name, published for ten years in Dog World Magazine.
Ed is the kind of person who has exemplified the adage, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.And, it was Ed’s enormous heart and sweet manner and concern for others that endeared him to so many. It was simply impossible to resist this man’s charms once you met him. He just had that kind of effect on folks . . . . and dogs as well.
Ed was a true Golden Retriever lover and one knew that any Golden in the Eames household was one lucky dog. We all know how special our first entry into the Golden world can be, and Ed’s relationship with Kirby, his first Golden Retriever guide dog, was quite unique. Here is Dr. Eames with his Kirby, a Golden who amazingly went on to earn an AKC Companion Dog Excellent title.
However, Kirby’s claim to fame occurred when bone cancer necessitated the amputation of his left front leg, yet did not keep him from continuing his guide dog work. The telling of this courageous story, Kirby, My Miracle Worker, earned Ed a Maxwell award from the Dog Writers Association of America.
Still very much under the weather but thought folks would get a kick out of this. This guy really does the best Obama. I’d love to see him meet the president.
Sorry for the lack of posting. No posts. No tweets. Injured my right arm near my wrist and can barely move my hand without pain. Of course, I refuse to go to the doctor. Hate them since they never seem to be able to fix anything. Computer is also going through a major repair.
16 Golden Retrievers explain atoms . . . really! I love how they created the 'cloud' effect. -- http://wp.me/p27Fz-2ml ____________57 minutes ago
Sorry for lack of posting or thanking folks for mentions. Have been away from the computer trying to catch up with life. ____________18 hours ago
Thank goodness 4 Bill who continues 2 have a huge rescue heart. Meet his HUGE family of Goldens, Newfs & kitties. - http://wp.me/p27Fz-2md ____________18 hours ago
Ed was a true Golden Retriever lover and one knew that any Golden in the Eames household was one lucky dog. We all know how special our first entry into the Golden world can be, and Ed’s relationship with Kirby, his first Golden Retriever guide dog, was quite unique. Here is Dr. Eames with his Kirby, a Golden who amazingly went on to earn an AKC Companion Dog Excellent title.
