Naruto, our extremely EVIL CAT came home last night after he had been away for two days. Nothing unusual in that, he is often away for days at a time.

He came home in a state even worse than usual after one of his regular jaunts. He had a cut on his ear (his good one, the other has been slightly ripped off a few years ago), puncture wounds on his face, and a very bloody nose. All of this is actually quite normal for Naruto the EVIL CAT. Ever since he appeared outside our door 4 or so years ago at only a couple of months of age he has been on a mission to DESTROY all other Cats in the vicinity. For him I think this means all Cats in the World.

He is a roamer, he actually disappeared for 10 days a few months ago the day the worst snow began to fall since I was 7, over 30 years ago. Nowhere had less then 3 ft of snow yet he sauntered home ten days later wondering why his food was not out NOW.

Anyway, inspecting him last night to see the extent of his latest injuries I was surprised to see a little metal circle just below his eye. It is about 3mm wide and has a hollow in the middle. I am assuming it is some kind of bullet from a pellet gun. He actually seemed less concerned with the state of his face then with the fact that his food was not out NOW. He did, however deign to spend the night on our bed, which he has not done for years. Normally he is out at night trying to ELIMINATE THE COMPETITION.

He is currently on his way with the good lady to the Vets. I put him in a cardboard box before he had time to object but I hope the Vet has some thick gloves for when it gets opened. He has never been to the vets before as his injuries are pretty much constant and it would make no sense as he would just be out the next day fighting and it would never end.

Hopefully he will be fine as he is one tough cookie. I have seen him chase a native wild Cat twice his size to the end of an Olive tree and then simply sit at the base of it and gloat and dare it to get down. Nothing stands in his way and woe betide the person who shot him once he gets his latest wound mended.

What I wonder is:

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

I don’t know what he was doing to get shot. Obviously he has been fighting. But we live over a mile from any neighbours, our community is rural, Cats are left to roam and wander and many of the villagers never spay their female Cats, rather they drown the kittens instead (I know). This is the reality of living in rural Spain. Many will object to my attitude to our Cat but he appeared nearly dead at about the size of a fist so he stayed, what else could I do? But why shoot my EVIL CAT? The pellet or whatever it is was not big enough to kill him from any range (I assume), rather it seems simply an act of cruelty for its own sake. If he was up to no good then someone could have scared him away without resorting to such measures.

All I can say is they better have a face mask on the next time NARUTO THE EVIL CAT comes across them as I get the feeling he is going to RIP THEIR FACE OFF.

Hopefully he will be fine later today when he returns and if anyone can confirm that this is what pellets look like after they have hit something I would be grateful for the info. Technical details in a foreign language often get misinterpreted so anyone who has experience with pellet guns can you confirm what they look like?

UPDATE: Naruto has returned from the Vets. He had a quick sedative injection then was examined. He actually had 3 pellets in him! One below his eye, one in his tongue right at the back and one in his lower jaw just below a tooth. He is currently staggering around trying not to fall over. I get the feeling he gearing up for a HORRIBLE REVENGE.

Last night the three girls of Dog Blog fame were outside happily munching on some raw meaty bones, to keep them quiet and keep their teeth sparklingly white. After a few hours all hell broke lose. I can only assume some Dog must have been roaming the mountainside and thought it might be a good idea to chance a paw by a few stealth tactics.

Suffice to say no one lost a bone!

Anyway, when it calmed down and we let the Dogs in the house Faye was panting like a thing possessed. Now, this would be normal if she had been running around chasing the interloper but of course she had to guard her bone so she only went a few metres from the house.

After she came in she was panting really heavily and the poor Dog became obsessed about trying to bite her paws. We checked and could see nothing stuck but she was one unhappy girl. It got worse. She proceeded to run around the house for an hour non-stop. Upstairs, downstairs, under the table, jumping on the bed and on and on.

It was still going on when we went to bed. She ran around and around, until finally she could take it no more.

She jumped on the bed, had a cuddle from Mrs. Three Dog Blogger and tried to hide under a pillow, which is not easy for a 70lb plus Dog. It was over an hour later before she got her breath back and stopped panting.

What seemed funny for a short while got us very worried after a while. She simply would not calm down. I have never seen a Dog so out of breath. She obviously got herself so worked up and was so concerned that there was something in her paw that her brain seemed like it was about to melt.

Once she calmed down she lost interest in her paws and this morning she was back to her usual self.

Can anyone help to solve the mystery. Has your Dog gone crazed? Has your Dog run around the room for hours acting very weird?

I honestly don’t know what she was doing but she went absolutely bonkers. All I can think of is that maybe she stood on a cacti? But when she calmed down she lost interest in her paws so I am dubious.

What a weird evening it was.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Strange Dog Food Questions: Can Dogs Eat Grape Jelly And White Bread

Regular readers will know that I am fairly involved in running a few websites that deal with pet meds. Today, while doing some research I came across something I had never heard of before, and that was Colostrum. Now, if you know all about it then please do not scoff, I am a man and really do not know very much about lactation, especially when it comes to lactating Cows!

Anyway, I looked up Colostrum on Wikipedia and I must say I was quite interested in what I read. I then read a very interesting article on a holistic pet care site here that I found very informative. Here are a few interesting snippets:

Bovine Colostrum provides instant antibody protection and destruction of infective bacteria, viruses, fungi and cancer cells. It is an old remedy that was relied upon before the advent of chemical companies churning out chemicals and antibiotics.

Colostrum’s healing affects are multifaceted. I have become a believer and recommend it in all ill animals and people no matter what the cause, in arthritic, allergic and autoimmune conditions. I have found it has reduced my allergy expressions of migraines and psoriasis since I have been taking 2 capsules 3 xs daily. Colostrum comes in capsules or in loose powdered form. I find mixing the powder with a small amount of milk is quite palatable to cats and dogs

It certainly made for some interesting reading. Delving deeper it seems that many Dog owners are looking for bovine Colostrum to give to their pets to help alleviate all manner of problems. Small Dogs can be given a capsule twice a day and larger Dogs can have 2 capsules twice a day. There is no need to buy colostrum specifically for Dogs, you can simply choose from the many available offers here on Amazon for a lot of choice. Here is another quote I came across:

Hundreds of studies by some of the world’s most respected doctors, researchers and scientists have shown that the components in colostrum can help destroy viruses, bacteria, yeasts and parasites and powerfully boost immune function as well as help increase vitality and stamina. It has also been used to help relive symptoms of sinusitis, asthma, herpes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Go to www.colostrumresearch.org for more research information.

Note that colostrum is not species specific so this applies as much to giving to humans as it does to Dogs. It should also be noted that the calf will always have been given the colostrum first as without it it would very likely not survive and we can rest assured that farmers would consider the calf much more important. From what I have read it can aid greatly in improving the health of young puppies that may not have had enough of their mothers milk for the first day or two after they were born. This often happens if the puppy is born in to a large litter.

How To Give To Dogs

Simply pick your brand, although this brand is the bestseller so I would stick with that, and simply then open up the capsule and sprinkle on your pets food. It is said to help greatly in so many Dogs that the arguments for giving it are quite strong.

You don’t need a Dog specific brand as it will all work in exactly the same way. It is seen as especially useful if young pups are weak and not doing as well as their siblings. Here is yet another quote from an avid advocate:

I have found that puppies and kittens that are not thriving respond within days to supplementation with bovine colostrum fed four times per day, mixed with water. I dose them at 1/8th to _ tsp depending on the size of the newborn. Once they are stable, I reduce the frequency on once per day and the amount to 1/3 tsp up to 25 pounds per body weight believe that colostrum from their mothers is not adequate or not being utilized by the newborn.

So, if your Dog is lethargic, has allergies, diarrhea, ulcers, viral infections and so many other ailments that I could go on and on, then there is a surprising amount of anecdotal evidence that colostrum is very effective at aiding recovery.

I obviously have no personal knowledge of using colostrum and this is not in any way advice or a guarantee that colostrum will work. I simply found it extremely interesting and wanted to offer up a little of what I found, and there is a very strong case for the many benefits bovine colostrum can give to your Dog.

If you have used it yourself or for your Dogs then please leave a comment so me and other readers can hear about the effects (or not) it had.

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
2. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
3. Heartworms And Dogs
4. Dogs Urinary Incontinence
5. Fleas And Dogs

It’s not just the Dogs that are depressed although Daisy, the Girl in the photo top right is certainly very fed up. Her puppy Jet (although now 1.5 years old) is definitely a Dog with depression. She is feeling a little (to say the least) like the Dog at the bottom of the pack. Me and Mrs. Three Dog Blogger are also feeling the strain a little. And why?

We are a 5 Dog household until January 7th.

I really do not know how people cope with permanently having this number of Dogs. It seems insane. The floor is a mess, there was pee on the floor yesterday morning, Jet was sick this morning, probably stress related, and I keep getting up early, which surely can’t be good for the health of a man who is definitely NOT an early riser.

Faye (left) none too impresed

As you can see Faye is trying to blank it out by closing her eyes and chanting the mantra:

They are not really here, they are not really here.

Daisy feels it is imperative to guard the best blankies and Jet felt it was her duty to guard the wood burning stove just in case someone lit it and and the possibility arose that she could lose her spot.

Caden and Grace are lovely Dogs and Caden is actually one of Daisies other pups. A few days in to Dog sitting now and things are beginning to calm down although Grace was just sick and there have been any number of snarls and general Dog depression as the pack order is re-established.

Of course the reason we are looking after five Dogs instead of 3 is our own fault. Wind back to the summer of 2008 when Daisy was on heat. As I have mentioned before at the time we were so bewildered with what was best for a female, to spay or not to spay, to spay before the first season or not, etc etc. We ended up deciding to let here have a season and then get her spayed. A very bad move as it turned out as one night she bolted, pushed the door open and a few months later the result was five puppies. Luckily we re-homed all of them but Jet and hence the Three Dog Blog rather than the two Dog blog.

This is also why I ended up writing the rather popular Female Dog Spaying post, which, with over 100 comments is certainly one of the most popular articles on this site. Now i would recommend that you always get your Dog spayed as soon as you can, some will disagree, but from a personal perspective I feel bad that we allowed more Dogs in to the world when there are already countless shelters overflowing with Dogs that need homes. Not to mention that it has led to Daisy becoming incontinent on occasion, although apple cider vinegar in her food seems to stop this amazingly well.

Should You Get Your Dog Spayed Or Neutered?

Do it. Do it this week if he/she is old enough. If you do not want more puppies then there is no reason to not do it. Personally I believe that the pros far outweigh the cons. Just because you have a male does not mean that you will not be responsible for bringing puppies in to the world if he smells a bitch on heat and scarpers, only to return a few hours (or days) later with a satisfied look on his face. For females, with the best will in the world (like we had), it takes one mistake on your part and she could be gone and return soon you could be stuck with anything up to 12 puppies. How would you re-home them all?

I simply think that to be safe you should get your Dogs spayed or neutered so this is a non issue.

This is a kind of a rambling post that has brought up a few issues since we are looking after 5 Dogs so here is what else I wanted to address:

How Many Dogs Should You Have?

I have stated this before, and that is:

Owning three dogs is a lot more work than owning one more than two!

The difference is a lot more hard work and a lot more of your time. It is not like just having one more Dog. There are a lot more obedience issues, more general problems, a lot more frontline plus for Dogs to buy. More vet bills, more food, and problems withthe pack mentality taking over when they can all goad each other in to inappropriate action. The fact is that 3 Dogs is a lot of work.

So, how many should you own?

Why, 3 of course!!!!!!

Really, it is down to how many Dogs you feel you can reasonably look after. For us 3 is fine but it is a lot of work. Sometimes I look back to the days when we just had our first Dog Sam with some nostalgia. It is much easier to discipline and train when you only look after 1 Dog. Two is a handful but is still relatively easy and while 3 is a lot more work I do enjoy having the girls and would not change it for anything.

Before you get Dogs, or more Dogs I would really recommend that you do one of the following. Foster a Dog, this will show you what it is like to have an additional member of the household and you will also be doing a very good deed. Borrow a Dog or two. If you are thinking of increasing the numbers then at least try something like we are temporarily experiencing at the moment. Dog sit a friends Dogs for a few days and see how it works out. You will be able to see how much more work is involved and whether your home, and your temperament is suited to additional animals to look after.

I KNOW that I would never want to permanently have five Dogs. It is too much, our house is not big enough, walks are a nightmare and there are simply too many Doggie smells for my olfactory senses to cope with.

Just a bit of food for thought as we enter the new year.

Have a good 2010 everyone and here is to a very happy future to us all, and a bit of peace come the 7th January for the Three Dog Blogger.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
2. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
3. You Dirty Dogs
4. If Dogs Could Talk…………..
5. Lumps On Dogs

Firstly my apologies to whoever typed in the question about whether or not Dogs can eat grape jelly and white bread in to a search engine and ended up showing up in my stats software that I use to see just what people type in to arrive here. It is not that I want to single you out or anything but let’s be honest about this, it is not a question that you do not know the answer to.

I know we all look for all manner of answers to questions on the Internet and those relating to “the best Dog food” are certainly a common search query. The dangerous food for Dogs post I wrote here on the Dog Blog is probably the reason that particular search ended here but it has me worried.

What do you think the answer may be?

What I wonder is how many other searches are there going on on a daily basis about what people can or cannot feed to their Dogs. Sure, some things need to be verified as we may inadvertently feed them something that is unsuitable but the question remains:

Why would you WANT to feed Jam, or Jelly in the US and white bread to your Dog? There is absolutely no need to do this and it is the feeding of excessive human food scraps that means so many of the Dog population is now just as overweight as their human companions.

We owe a duty to our Dogs to only feed the the best Dog food, or at least a balanced diet. I am not saying it needs to be expensive, I only feed our Dogs a very basic Dog food that is very inexpensive, but what I DO NOT do, ever ever ever, is feed them while I am eating, give them scraps from the table, encourage them to beg because it is cute or anything other than feed them leftovers that go in their meal and then only give them decent food for the most part.

There is nothing wrong with giving them small amounts of food that is not nutritious but you must be sensible about it. You should never have an overweight Dog unless it has a pre-existing medical condition. Not a medical condition because you gave them Diabetes because of the junk you feed to them. The situation is getting out of hand and more and more Dogs are needing pet meds because we over feed them and give them food that is in no way a part of a natural diet for them.

So, why would you want to basically give your Dog a sandwich. The only reason the question should be asked is if it stole it from you and I do hope that was the reason why the question was asked. Fat Dogs are becoming all to prevalent and it is very easy to stop this occurring. It is a simple matter to simply reduce food if your Dog is looking a little on the porky side, and this combined with adequate exercise should mean that your pet will be in fine form and live a lot longer.

Now, I wonder whether they can eat peanut butter AND  jelly on white bread?

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Dangerous Food For Dogs – Your Questions Answered
2. Strange Dog Behaviour
3. Online Dog Training Number 6 – Some Odd Questions Answered
4. Dangerous Food For Dogs. Things I never Knew.
5. Don’t Harm Your Dog With Food – Stop Your Dog From Begging

Here at the Dog Blog I am pleased to have a great guest post by Matt Papa. Take some time to read it, you will find it extremely interesting reading and very well written indeed.

One of the finest characteristics of human nature is our ability to form bonds of attachment and empathy with other species. The instinct to care for and protect the “lesser” creatures is not that distant from the instinct to protect our own children, after all. And millions of pet owners can attest to the enormous emotional return they receive from their animal friends, whether dogs or cats or cockatoos or boa constrictors.

Some psychologists and biologists have postulated a theory of “biophilia,” which holds that human beings have an innate need and desire to maintain or reestablish meaningful connections with a world around and outside us that is not just human [1, 2]. Whether it is a need for “wildness” or to feel oneself a part of the larger bio-environment, as we find our daily lives grow increasingly remote from nature, there may be a compensatory need to maintain contact through our relationships with the more instinctual lives of animals.

This is clearly not a purely selfless or altruistic trait among human beings. It may be difficult to quantify the emotional comfort pets bring, but there is actually a significant body of scientific research that is measuring and explaining at least some of the benefits pets bring to our lives. For instance, there is evidence that pet owners have lower blood pressure and also lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which reduces their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. One study found that when pet-dog owners do have heart attacks, their survival rates are higher than those who do not own a dog [3]. Their mental stress is lower overall, self-esteem is better, and they are less likely to be lonely and depressed.

Dogs as Social Supports for Health

A lot of this can be summed up by the idea that pets provide an important source of social support for very many people. They offer nonjudgmental companionship and acceptance of a sort we find in few people. Few stories are more touching than the tales of “therapy” dogs and cats who are taken to nursing homes and hospitals to entertain and comfort the elderly and sick. And there is a growing body of research on the very practical part that dogs in particular can play in improving the physical fitness of their humans and even helping us lose weight.

For instance, a recent research project called PPET—“People and Pets Exercising Together”—studied whether overweight people with dogs who followed a program of diet and exercise would lose more weight than overweight people without dogs following the same program [4]. It is widely acknowledged that the encouragement, support and companionship of other people are significant factors in helping people stick with exercise and weight loss programs. The PPET researchers theorized that the companionship or “social support” of the dogs could perform an equivalent function.

The PPET study results clearly supported the hypothesis that dogs can play a significant role in motivating owners to get more exercise. For starters, they found that people with dogs were already getting more exercise than people without dogs. And at the study’s conclusion, several participants explicitly affirmed that their dogs were major factors in increasing and maintaining their exercise program. People were also encouraged by the fact that they were helping their pets: “Knowing I could do something good for my dog was a motivating factor.”

Another study confirmed that having a dog that requires daily exercise can play a positive role in improving their owners health and activity level: “Many exercise programs to prevent overweight seem to fail because of the lack of urgency to comply with the exercise regimen and owning a dog may be one way to increase compliance,” the researchers conclude [3]. Dogs, after all, can be very persistent in encouraging their humans to get up and move!

These benefits are lifelong. A 2008 study that asked “Is dog ownership or dog walking associated with weight status in children and adults?” found that the chances a child would be overweight or obese were indeed lower for those who owned a dog [5]. At the other end of life, studies confirm that elderly people with dogs keep walking and maintain their mobility far more successfully than people who lack that stimulus to remain active.

So dogs are doubly motivating for people to get exercise. On the one hand, the affection and responsibility people feel for the wellbeing of their pets encourages many otherwise sedentary people to leave the house and at least walk around the block several times a day. While for people who want to get out and exercise for their own sakes but have trouble sticking to a routine, their dogs provide a consistent source of encouragement and companionship that can make that activity much more enjoyable [6].

The Dual Obesity Epidemic

Much of the research being done has obviously emphasized the benefits that dog-ownership can bring to people. But the mutual relationship these studies demonstrate also highlights another less happy form of mutuality between people and their pets.

It seems that obesity among dogs and other household pets is rapidly catching up to obesity rates among humans—itself widely recognized as a serious public health crisis. A recent study found that there is a significant correlation between the Body Mass Index (BMI) of owners and the weight of their dogs [7]. The sad fact is, overweight humans are likely to have overweight dog, and vice versa. It seems that we can love our pets too much, or in the wrong ways.

So much in our culture teaches that “food is love,” and there is no question that our dogs love to eat every bit as much as we do. We love to “treat” our pets with food that has become richer and special treats that are even higher in calories. The result? 84 million overweight or obese pets in the United States alone. And too few people even realize that obesity is as serious a health risk for their pets as it is for them, contributing to osteoarthritis, diabetes, respiratory and heart ailments and a shorter life span.

It’s highly encouraging then that exercise programs can provide major benefits for the dogs as well as the people. If one or both of you are overweight, you will undoubtedly need to adopt dietary restrictions as well as a more aggressive exercise program if you want to lose a significant amount of weight. But playing and exercising with your pet is a total win-win experience for both parties. It will support and encourage you in keeping or getting more fit and active and it will improve your pet’s health, fitness and happiness at the same time. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for the dog you love.

References

1. Wilson, Edwin O., Biophilia (Harvard University Press 1984)

2. Fromm, Erich, The Heart of Man (Harper & Row 1964)

3. “Dog ownership, health and physical activity: A critical review of the literature.” Cutt, H., Giles-Corti, B., Knuiman, M., Burke, V. Health & Place 2007; 13(1):261–272

4. ”The PPET Study: People and Pets Exercising Together,” by Kushner, R.F., Blatner, D.J., Jewell, D.E., and Rudloff, K. Obesity 2006 Oct;14(10).

5. “Is dog ownership or dog walking associated with weight status in children and their parents?” Timperio, A., Salmon, J., Chu, B., Andrianopoulos. N. Health Promot J Austr. 2008 Apr; 19(1):60-3.

6. “Dog ownership, walking behavior, and maintained mobility in late life.” Thorpe R.J., Jr, Simonsick, E.M., Brach, J.S., Ayonayon, H., Satterfield, S., Harris, T.B., Garcia. M., Kritchevsky, S.B. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Sep; 54(9): 1419-24.

7. “Overweight in dogs but not in cats is related to overweight in their owners.” Marieke L. Nijland, M. L., Stam, F., and Seidell, J.C. Public Health and Nutrition 2009 Jun 23:1-5.

About the author:

Matt Papa is a medical researcher (and human companion to Hera, his German shepherd) at Washington University School of Medicine. He has recently developed a particular interest in research on how obesity in dogs and humans is affected by similar factors: food management, exercise and social factors. In his website, weightlosstriumph.com, Matt enjoys writing weight loss plan reviews and offering coupon codes for Medifast, a medically approved weight loss program.

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Just How Much #%$*$£% Exercise Does A Dog Need?
2. How Much Exercise Does A Dog Need
3. Dog Insurance (Dog Health Insurance)
4. Dogs Love To Eat Almond Nuts. Or Is It Just Mine?
5. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul – Know It, Love It, Win It!

A while ago I pondered whether or not the Zhu Zhu Pets would be fun to use to help to try to train the Dogs to leave small animals alone. Well, over the last few weeks the price of them has skyrocketed. I cam across this video today which explains why the Zhu Zhu pets have become a little more expensive (a lot more) than they once were. Take a look.

Crazy! I guess this is why they are so expensive to buy. I think I would rather pay more from the comfort of my own home than have to deal with this kind of madness. The Zhu Zhu really do seem to have hit a real winner with the kids. Or is it the parents that are just convinced that the kids will love them? I am guessing that you must have been nagged an awful lot to go to that kind of trouble to get a little toy.

Would you do this for a small toy for the kids or do you think it is way over the top. From what I have been reading today it has been quite common for this to happen yesterday (black Friday), as this was about the only opportunity anyone is going to get this year to buy a Zhu Zhu hamster for the original retail price. You would have to take a lot of surveys in your spare time to pay for the cost, apart from on this day. Get paid to take surveys may be about the only way parents could easily supplement their income to pay for a Zhu Zhu at the high Christmas prices. I have had to break the sad news to the three pooches that they will certainly not be having one this year. It would be cheaper (a lot) to get them a real hamster to play with although sadly it would not last long. I am of course just joking. I am gonna get a Guinea Pig instead, they are bigger, but slower, but I guess it won’t be here for long either way!

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. You Pay Too Much For Your Pets Medicine
2. Pets Medicine – The World Of Dog Meds
3. Dog Pet Meds – The Cheapest Pets Medicines
4. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
5. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?

Many people use the Internet to look for just about everything to buy. Luckily Amazon are not yet selling Dogs. Gulp, at least I don’t think they are, better check. One moment…………….

Oh, OK, apparently they only sell Chihuahuas so that’s OK!

Where was I? Where to buy a Dog?

If you are looking to buy a Dog or a puppy then here is something worth considering that I found very interesting. The other day we were watching a bit of Welsh TV News. We have satellite here in Spain and on occasion it is nice to get a glimpse of what used to be our local TV. Anyway there was a quick bit of news about Puppy Mills or Puppy Farms. Apparently there are 250 unlicensed Puppy Farms in Wales. Wales is a small part of the United Kingdom as a whole.  Now, this means that, well, who knows?

These people may or may not be lovers of Dogs running little operations to bring a few lovely puppies in to the world or they may be getting young Dogs to breed as often as possible, give them little exercise or care and simply do it for the money and breed Dogs as quickly as possible and sell them as quickly as possible for as much money as possible. As a general rule what do you think is the most likely? One or the other or somewhere in between.

Keep your hundreds in your pocket.

Get down to the local rescue Centre (UK spelling) and give them a few bucks, Euros, pounds, and get a lovely Dog that will be extremely appreciative of a new home. If we stop buying Dogs and puppies without having a clue where they came from or how they were brought in to this world, and how their parents were cared for then we will see an end to less than perfect breeding practices and a lower number of abandoned Dogs ending up roaming the neighbourhoods or in the care of Rescue Centres around the world.

If you MUST get a specific breed then first of all take some time to see if there is a local organisation that specialises in that breed and has them available for you from a specialist Rescue or Care center. There are many people who dedicate their lives to specific breeds and they will probably be able to either point you in the right place to buy that breed from the best breeder or you may find that there is a group of people looking for homes for the type of Dog you want.

Mongrels rule though as my three Girls will attest to.

It’s just a shame that Jet has now decided to TALK very loudly nearly all the time that she is awake unless you constantly pat her head.

Living in Spain as we all do here we don’t need a Snuggie Blanket but for those in cooler climates then it is Snuggie time. You can Buy A Cheap Snuggie Here for yourself or buy a Snuggie For Dogs Here. If you live in the UK and are fed up with the high heating bills then you can Buy A Snuggie Here If You Live In The UK. You and the Dogs will be about as warm as it is possible to be.

Apparently the Snuggie blankets with sleeves has pretty much taken the US by storm and is on about every persons Christmas list. Personally I never feel the cold and I am not sure that I would look any more handsome with a Snuggie Zebra Blanket on. But apparently Zebra Snuggie Blanket is actually the most popular of them all. Proves how much I know about the tastes of those in the US.

Mrs. Three Dog Blogger feels the cold a lot more than I do so I can’t wait to see what she looks like but I think I will be getting her a Pink Snuggie to match fair skin. I am sure she will be over the moon.

Now, on to the Dogs. Apparently many Dog owners are buying the Dog Snuggie as a little treat for their shivering pooches. One size does not fit all so use this Snuggie For Dogs (All Sizes) link to see which one your Dog will need. Apparently they are machine washable, suitable for nearly all Dogs and have an easy velcro system to adjust the Dog Snuggie to the right size.

How they pee I am not too sure but apparently even the big dudes can easily be dressed with a simple step in system. They can be worn even with collars and leads and if you don’t mind a few stares from the fashion police you can keep the Dog Snuggie on when going for a walk in the park. The Snuggie for Dogs Reviews fall in to two definite camps. It is either that their Dog loves it or you are a cruel person for trying to humiliate your Dog by putting it in a walking blanket like a cheap Snuggie.

The consensus seems to be that some Dogs love them for in the house but for walking I just don’t really get how they have a pee. Am I missing something or is that important area left exposed?

So, blue or pink, which one do you think Faye would prefer?

Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Fleas And Dogs
2. Dogs vs Humans. The Race Is On! or Dogs Eat Chicken continued
3. Cats Are Better Than Dogs And Dogs Are Rubbish. Who Said That?
4. Dogs Urinary Incontinence
5. Bovine Colostrum Capsules For Dogs

We all tend to high levels of anthropomorphism with our Dogs. We talk to them, ask them questions and give them many human traits that they simply do not have. Yesterday brought it home to me once again that we must not forget the true nature of Dogs and that is one of being a pack animal and a hunter and scavenger.

Firstly, this is all Mrs. Three Dog Bloggers fault so this time I am guilt free.

Any regular readers of the Dog Blog know we live a pretty remote existence and are fairly Self Sufficient. We grow veggies, preserve food, and keep chickens. Now, back when we first had chickens it was when we just had our old boy Sam. He was getting on (about 16) and pretty deaf and slowing down. At that time we used to let the chickens out of their compound quite often for a bite of grass and to roam around the land. Sam would give them a sniff and that was about it.

Sam, just saying hello.

When we got Daisy and Faye we reverted to keeping the chickens in a fenced area as they were young pups and full of mischief. Anyway, one day the chickens escaped and suffice to say they had a brief yet fairly exciting last few moments.

Fast forward 2 years and we have 4 chickens that give us an egg each most days but are absolutely never let out of a caged area. It is fox proofed and covered top to bottom in chicken wire so they absolutely cannot escape.

Yesterday we were coming back from an evening walk with the three bone munchers when the two that were not on a lead, Daisy and Faye, suddenly ran like loons to the vegetable plot.

Lots of squawking began and I legged it after them. There was the two girls about to dine on a nice free range chicken. I still have a sore throat from yelling at them and they stopped for a second and the chicken flapped over a terrace wall and hid under a Myrtle bush. The Dogs were there in a flash. More yelling and they finally came back to me and in to the house they went.

Now, in over 2 or 3 years of the new rules regarding the chicken enclosure this was the first time one of us had forgotten to close the door and make sure they were secure. They obviously took the opportunity to totally destroy the leeks and onions that are growing on the veg plot and get up to all other kinds of mischief.

My point is that we must not forget the true nature of many Dogs. If something runs they will chase it, and if they catch it a quick shake of the head and it will be dead. For many Dogs this will mean the blood lust takes over and have no doubt that they will eat what they kill. Not all Dogs have this mentality but many do and we should remember this.

It brought it home to me yesterday that yes Daisy may be a shy girl but when she gets a hunting instinct she will be as naughty as the next Dog and close her ears to commands until you shout yourself hoarse. Daisy is a full on hunter which is apparent in the way she stalks the other girls in a stealthy manner and there is no doubt that if she caught something that she chased then she would kill and eat it.

Let’s all remember this when we are out and about with the bone munchers. Think about the animals that may be around you when walking the Dogs on farmland. At least here in Europe keepers of livestock have every right to kill a Dog that worries their animals. Back when we lived in the UK and Sam was much younger he once swam a river so he could chase a herd of Cows. If a farmer were present it would have been the end of him.

So, Mrs. Three Dog Blogger is a very naughty girl but as she is normally the one that works her magic with a perfect poached egg set on a salad with crispy bacon and shavings of parmesan cheese all is forgiven.

(belly rumble)

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Other articles you may find of interest:

1. Homemade Dog Foods. Natural Homemade Dog Food
2. All Natural Dog Food – Homemade Dog Foods
3. Dog Training Online – Some FREE Resources
4. Strange Dog Food Questions: Can Dogs Eat Grape Jelly And White Bread
5. Dangerous Food For Dogs. Things I never Knew.