Paw Nation http://www.pawnation.com Paw Nation http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.pawnation.com/media/feedlogo.gif Paw Nation http://www.pawnation.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/11-Year-Old Billy Ma and His Service Dog, Polar, Go Home - A Paw Nation Special Serieshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/12/07/11-year-old-billy-ma-and-his-service-dog-polar-go-home-a-paw/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/12/07/11-year-old-billy-ma-and-his-service-dog-polar-go-home-a-paw/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/12/07/11-year-old-billy-ma-and-his-service-dog-polar-go-home-a-paw/#commentsFiled under:

polar service dog boy Polar and Billy. Credit: The Ma Family.

In this three-article series, Paw Nation shadows Billy Ma as he attends the Canine Assistants Training Camp, meets his new service dog and learns how the dog can help him by turning on lights, pulling his wheelchair and, becomes his best friend.

(Part one is about the first days at the training camp, part two is about when Billy and Polar find each other and part three, here, is about their early days at home.)


On a Friday morning in late July, Polar heads to his new home.

The sandy retriever leaves the comfort of the Canine Assistants service dog training facility outside Atlanta, where he has lived all his life, and flys to Columbus, Ohio, where he's needed by 11-year-old Billy Ma.

Billy has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease that confines thousands of boys to wheelchairs by their early teens, then attacks their hearts and lungs. Billy has been waiting two years for a dog to help him pick things up from the ground and be his companion.

Polar was born to help. Bred by Canine Assistants to be a service dog, he has been trained with love and affection to open doors, turn on lights, push a button to call 911 -- whatever his human companion asks of him. At the two-week training camp where recipients meet their canine companions, Polar is the biggest dog, and Billy is one of the smallest children, but they quickly gravitate toward each other.

But when he arrives at his new home, Polar is lost.

The first week is tough on the whole family. Previously loyal to their commands, Polar often refuses to move. He won't go into different rooms of the house, and Billy's parents have to push and pull him out the door to get him to go for a walk.

"We try to give him treats, and no matter how good or how tasty, he will not eat them, because he knows we want him to go out," says Billy's dad, Steve Ma, recalling the early days.

Continue reading 11-Year-Old Billy Ma and His Service Dog, Polar, Go Home - A Paw Nation Special Series

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]]>assistance dogscanine assistantsdog traininglabrador retrieversservice animalstherapy dogsDaphne SashinTue, 07 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST11-Year-Old Billy Ma Gets to Know His New Service Dog (Part 2) - A Paw Nation Special Serieshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/11/canine-assistants-billy-ma-gets-to-know-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/11/canine-assistants-billy-ma-gets-to-know-dog/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/10/11/canine-assistants-billy-ma-gets-to-know-dog/#commentsFiled under:

Billy Ma and Polar at Canine Assistants Camp service dog pictureBilly Ma and Polar, David C. Scott for Canine Assistants

In this special series, Paw Nation shadows Billy Ma as he attends the Canine Assistants Training Camp, meets his new service dog and learns how the dog can help him by turning on lights, pulling his wheelchair and, hopefully, becoming his best friend. To read part one click here.

MILTON, GA. - It's the second day of camp. A dozen dogs are lined up in cages in the Canine Assistants classroom, waiting to get matched with the children they'll go home with at the end of two weeks. If all goes well, the dogs will love and protect these children for the rest of their lives.

Ever since the dogs were 3-day-old puppies being carried around in baby slings to get exposed to new sights and sounds, these specially bred retriever mixes have been prepped and trained for service. Now, at 18 months old, they're ready for their biggest test.

After two years of waiting, Billy Ma, 11, has traveled with his family from Ohio to the service-dog headquarters north of Atlanta. Some children wait five years or longer for an assistance dog. Billy has been placed on a priority list because he suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a muscle-wasting disease that affects mostly boys.

Continue reading 11-Year-Old Billy Ma Gets to Know His New Service Dog (Part 2) - A Paw Nation Special Series

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]]>assistance dogscanine assistantsdog trainingService Animalsservice dogstherapy dogsDaphne SashinMon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST11-Year-Old Billy Ma Meets His New Service Dog - A Paw Nation Special Serieshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/02/matching-service-dogs-with-children/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/02/matching-service-dogs-with-children/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/02/matching-service-dogs-with-children/#commentsFiled under: ,

Service DogDavid C. Scott for Canine Assistants

In this and upcoming articles, Paw Nation shadows Billy Ma as he attends the Canine Assistants Training Camp to meet his new service dog and learn how the dog can help him by turning on lights, pulling his wheelchair and, hopefully, becoming his best friend.

MILTON, GA. - On a sweltering morning in July, the service dogs are pacing in their cages while the lucky dozen children who have made it off the assistance dog waiting list make their way to the first day of training camp. Some with wheelchairs or walkers, others leaning on their parents, the kids have traveled from as far as California to the Canine Assistants headquarters north of Atlanta.

One of the younger recipients is 11-year-old Billy Ma, a smiling boy with glasses from Columbus, Ohio. He was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a devastating genetic disease that causes progressive muscle deterioration. Doctors say he will stop walking in a couple of years, and the disease will eventually attack his heart and lungs so a service dog will become increasingly helpful -- and necessary -- in his life.

How the Dogs Can Help
From the time they are newborns to about 18 months old, the golden and Labrador retriever mixes at Canine Assistants are prepared to be service dogs. They can open doors, turn on lights, tug off a child's socks or push a button to call 911. A lot of them can sense a seizure before it happens, and go get help. Many of the dogs can even push dirty clothes into a washing machine and take clean clothes out of the dryer with their paws.

"Dogs have basically one purpose in life, and that is to make us happy. They're very easy to teach," says Canine Assistants founder Jennifer Arnold, author of the new book "Through a Dog's Eyes" and the subject of a PBS documentary by the same name. The documentary will have its second airing Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. EDT on PBS.

While the tasks are impressive, Arnold and others tell Paw Nation that the truly magical thing about assistance dogs is what they do for a child's spirit. Just by being there, the creatures are able to make a child's feelings of fear, isolation and loneliness disappear.

Continue reading 11-Year-Old Billy Ma Meets His New Service Dog - A Paw Nation Special Series

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]]>assistance dogscanine assistantsdog trainingService Animalsservice dogstherapy dogsDaphne SashinThu, 02 Sep 2010 16:00:00 ESTDriving With Your Dog Can Be Deadly - Unless You Take These Precautionshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/18/driving-with-your-dog-can-be-deadly-unless-you-take-these-prec/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/18/driving-with-your-dog-can-be-deadly-unless-you-take-these-prec/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/18/driving-with-your-dog-can-be-deadly-unless-you-take-these-prec/#commentsFiled under: ,

Driving with dog can be dangerousCorbis

Many of us love to bring our dogs along for the ride whether we're road tripping or just running errands. But that adorable pooch next to you may seriously endanger your safety if you don't get smart about how you travel with your pet.

According to a survey of the habits of 1,000 dog owners, released Wednesday by AAA and Kurgo, a maker of pet travel products, two out of three dog owners had driven while distracted by their dog. More than half the drivers admitted to petting their dog while driving. One out of five drove with a dog on their lap and just 17 percent of owners in the study used any kind of pet restraint system.

"Even looking away from the roadway for two seconds can increase your risk of a crash," AAA National Traffic Safety Programs Manager Jennifer Huebner-Davidson told Paw Nation.

In addition to creating distractions, dogs can become hazardous to themselves or others during an accident, Huebner-Davidson said. In a 30-miles-per-hour accident, a 50-pound dog flying through the air will hit the windshield or another passenger with the force of a 2,400 pound object. Unrestrained dogs are also at risk of running away or attacking emergency responders out of fear, she said.

Animal harnesses or travel crates that hook into the backseat can greatly limit those risks, she said. Bark Buckle Up, a pet travel safety group, offers a list of safe-travel products. Pet-safety advocates also recommend keeping dogs in the back seat because passenger-side airbags can be deadly to a dog during a crash, even if the animal is buckled in.

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]]>AAAcar harnessCarHarnesspet travel safetyPetTravelSafetyDaphne SashinWed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 ESTI Work With Animals! - Water Therapist for Dogshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/10/i-work-with-animals-water-therapist-for-dogs/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/10/i-work-with-animals-water-therapist-for-dogs/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/08/10/i-work-with-animals-water-therapist-for-dogs/#commentsFiled under: ,

water therapy for petsWater4Dogs

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Jean Marie Cooper
Age: 39
Job Title: Manager and Rehabilitation Coordinator at Water4Dogs, New York City's only pool for dogs.

How did you get into aquatic therapy for dogs?
I thought that because I wasn't a vet, I couldn't have a career with animals. Then I heard of animal massage and enrolled in massage school for humans to learn more. When the first canine pool in New York opened in 1998 -- Bonnie's K-9 Swim -- I went right over and applied for a job. It was there I leaned what a valuable tool water is when treating dogs. It makes exercise easier, more effective, and safer for the dogs. Bonnie's later closed, and the owner opened Water4Dogs two years ago.

Do all dogs know how to swim?
They all have the instinct to paddle, but if a dog hasn't been in a pool before, they may not be very coordinated with that. They may kind of thrash around. Labs, golden retrievers, Portuguese water dogs, poodles, German shepherds and pit bulls are very good swimmers. Rottweilers are great in the water. Jack Russells either love it or hate it. Dachshunds kind of have the big dog personality; they have a lot of confidence so once they get used to the water they're swimming around like nobody's business.

Dogs that are very muscularly dense like bulldogs and pugs, they have short little legs, they can paddle but they don't make a lot of progress, so they need assistance.

Continue reading I Work With Animals! - Water Therapist for Dogs

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]]>dog ailmentsdog fitnesshydrotherapyobesitypet ailmentspet fitnessstrokesswimmingwater therapywater4dogsDaphne SashinTue, 10 Aug 2010 11:00:00 ESTShould You Sleep With Your Dog? The Pros and Cons of Sharing the Bedhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/27/should-you-sleep-with-your-dog-the-pros-and-cons-of-sharing-the/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/27/should-you-sleep-with-your-dog-the-pros-and-cons-of-sharing-the/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/27/should-you-sleep-with-your-dog-the-pros-and-cons-of-sharing-the/#commentsFiled under: ,

Getty Images

In the darkest hours of Bruce Sallan's divorce when he didn't want to get out of bed, his two dogs were there jumping on the mattress and licking his face. And when his worries kept him awake at night, the big black German Shepherd mix and the Pointer mix with brown and white spots were there then too, lying beside him on top of the covers.

"Petting one of my dogs was almost like a way I'd calm myself down and fall asleep," says Sallan, a writer and radio host in California. But then he met and married Debbie, who had a dog of her own but suffered from allergies and liked her furniture free of dirt and hair. She was adamant: "No dogs in bed."

"He would have his dog on the bed and there would be dog hair on my pillow and I'd be sneezing," Debbie tells Paw Nation. The solution? She spent several hundred dollars on plush beds for all three dogs and ultimately, everyone was happy.

The Stats
Some pet owners may be sheepish to admit it, but Sallan is far from alone. A 2007 survey of more than 2,500 pet owners by the American Pet Products Association found 43 percent of dogs slept in a person's bed at night, a steady increase from 34 percent a decade ago.

So is there anything wrong with pets in the bed? Like Bruce and Debbie, vets and animal trainers have strong opinions on the subject.

The Pros
Sleeping in the same bed has strong emotional benefits for you and your pooch.

1. It's comforting to both the owners and the animals. The company of pets have been proven to lower blood pressure, stress and reduce feelings of loneliness. According to veterinarian Ira Roth, director of the Community Practice Clinic at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, having them close to you at night only magnifies those benefits, whether the animal is at the foot of the bed or under the covers.

Illinois dog owner Jamie Hand agrees with that assessment. "Rocky likes to cuddle, and he always has to be right next to me," Hand tells Paw Nation, referring to her Jack Russell Terrier mix who is very content sleeping in his owner's bed. "If I roll away from him, he scoots over so he's right next to my torso again. This doesn't disrupt my sleep at all. In fact, it's quite comforting to feel him snuggling up against me."

2. It can deepen the bond between dog and owner. New York City dog trainer Sarah Westcott, owner of Doggie Academy, always gave her dogs their own beds. But then she adopted Hank, a lab who kept to himself.

"Out of the blue one day, I put him in bed and he curled up next to me," Westcott says. Everything changed after that. "Whatever he's doing, even when he's a hyper maniac, if I invite him in bed he settles right down."

Continue reading Should You Sleep With Your Dog? The Pros and Cons of Sharing the Bed

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]]>cats in beddogs in bedpets in bedsleeping with your petDaphne SashinTue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:00 ESTDog Heatstroke Prevention and Treatmenthttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/09/dog-heatstroke-prevention-and-treatment/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/09/dog-heatstroke-prevention-and-treatment/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/09/dog-heatstroke-prevention-and-treatment/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dog wearing spectacles picture "I'm chillin'." α, Flickr

With temperatures in the triple digits in many parts of the country, pet owners need to be extra vigilant about keeping their animals cool.

Dogs are much more prone than people to develop heatstroke, because they are only able to sweat through their foot pads and can cool off only by panting. Even the healthiest of dogs can succumb to heat-related illnesses if pushed too hard or left in a confined space. Dogs with medical problems are even more vulnerable.

Help keep your pooch safe with these tips from the Humane Society of the United States, and veterinarian Ira Roth, director of the Community Practice Clinic at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

Protecting Your Dog From the Heat
Here are three things to keep in mind during these intense summer days:

Limit time outside. During extreme temperatures, it's a good idea for everyone -- man and beast -- to be inside if they can. But short-nosed dog breeds who naturally have more trouble breathing -- such as Boston terriers, pugs, English bulldogs, or boxers -- should be kept in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible. The same goes for dogs with renal or cardiac failure, or other health disorders, says Roth. If you can't keep your dog inside, make sure it has ready access to fresh water and shade, like in a dog house.

Reduce physical activity. Keep exercise short with just a walk in the early morning or evening hours. Taking your dog out to "do his business," or letting him walk with you to the mailbox in the middle of the day is probably fine. But it's easy to overexert a dog without realizing it, Roth says.

Continue reading Dog Heatstroke Prevention and Treatment

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]]>BostonTerrierdog heatstrokeDogHeatstrokeHumane SocietyHumaneSocietyoverheatedShort-nosed dogsShort-nosedDogssummer dangersSummerDangersDaphne SashinFri, 09 Jul 2010 11:00:00 ESTGulf Coast Rescue Update - How You Can Helphttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-how-you-can-help/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-how-you-can-help/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-how-you-can-help/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pelican being washed picture Workers wash oil off a brown pelican affected by Deepwater Horizon oil spill at the Fort Jackson Bird Rehabilitation Center in Buras, La. Charlie Neibergall, AP

Many of us feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems in the Gulf, but aren't sure what the best ways to help might be. Part of the problem for both potential volunteers and rescue organizations is that dealing with an oil spill is a very different situation than helping out with a natural disaster such as a hurricane or flood. This situation involves hazardous materials and potentially dangerous wild animals, so the all-hands-on-deck approach just doesn't work.

David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, tells Paw Nation that as much as we might want to physically help these vulnerable animals ourselves, we shouldn't get into our cars and head to the gulf to try and save the pelicans with our own hands.

"So many people want to get involved helping to clean the animals, and that's not possible," Mizejewski said. "We don't want people getting sick and dying from oil exposure because they were trying to help animals. And the animals themselves are dangerous. If you get whacked in the head with the wing of a pelican, it's not a weak thing."

Mizejewski adds, "It's very easy to hurt, injure or really over-stress the animal, and it's even worse if you don't know what you're doing."

While you should leave the caring of the animals to the specialists who are licensed and trained in wildlife handling and hazardous materials, that doesn't mean that you can't support the efforts of organizations and volunteers who do have the right skills to help. (For more information on what's being done read our article: Gulf Coast Rescue Update: What's Being Done.) Here are some ideas:

1. Give
Donate to organizations involved in damage assessment or habitat restoration.

The National Audubon Society has opened an oil-spill volunteer response center in Mississippi to collect bird data, transport wildlife, make nets and other rescue materials, and operate a bird hotline. It is also marshaling bird watchers to track affected species. Donate here to support the Audubon's efforts on the ground.

Continue reading Gulf Coast Rescue Update - How You Can Help

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]]>expire-images:2011-6-30Gulf Coast AnimalsGulf Coast Rescuegulf oil spillGulfCoastAnimalsGulfCoastRescueGulfOilSpillDaphne SashinTue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:00 ESTGulf Coast Rescue Update - What's Being Donehttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-whats-being-done/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-whats-being-done/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/07/06/gulf-coast-rescue-update-whats-being-done/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pelican affected by GP oil spill picture A brown pelican covered with oil swims at Sandy Point in the Gulf of Mexico, near Venice, Louisiana, prior to being captured by team of biologists from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Birds are caught and then cleaned at the Fort Jackson Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Saul Loeb, AFP / Getty Images

Let's be honest; the situation remains pretty grim. More than two months after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, estimates of the oil gushing into the ocean from a ruptured pipe have risen to the equivalent of one Exxon Valdez disaster every four days, and the picture is looking bleaker for the animals that inhabit the coast.

The photos of oiled creatures all the way up the food chain tell it all, from tiny insects with oil on their wings to the brown pelicans that had only recently been taken off the endangered species list. As of July 4, workers retrieved more than 2,800 dead or injured animals from the shoreline, including birds, sea turtles and dolphins. Birds make up the bulk of the deaths, and the number of oiled birds is increasing at an alarming rate.

Experts say it could take decades for the fish and wildlife to recover, and as a recent Washington Post article notes, what we don't know about the short-term and long-term affects of the oil spill is more than what we do know.

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]]>BP Deepwater Horizon oil rigBpDeepwaterHorizonOilRigbrown pelicanBrownPelicangulf coastgulf of mexicogulf oil spillGulfCoastGulfOfMexicoGulfOilSpilloil spillOilSpillDaphne SashinTue, 06 Jul 2010 13:00:00 ESTGulf Coast Response - Sierra Club Sponsors 'Beyond Oil' House Parties For Changehttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/25/gulf-coast-response-sierra-club-sponsors-beyond-oil-house-pa/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/25/gulf-coast-response-sierra-club-sponsors-beyond-oil-house-pa/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/25/gulf-coast-response-sierra-club-sponsors-beyond-oil-house-pa/#commentsFiled under:

The images of oiled pelicans, sea turtles and dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico are heartbreaking. If you are looking for ways to make a difference, the Sierra Club has one suggestion: Make sure this disaster never happens again by reducing America's dependence on oil. "There's really no reason for us to be risking these type of disasters and putting our wildlife at risk," Sierra Club Spokeswoman Kristina Johnson told Paw Nation.

Next week, Sierra Club volunteers around the country will host Beyond Oil house parties to get Americans talking about the disaster and what to do about it. Go here to find the closest party near you. Party hosts will be screening a 15-minute documentary produced by the Sierra Club, Brave New Films and filmmaker Robert Greenwald about the effects of the BP oil disaster on the Gulf Coast. The film includes interviews with fishermen, restaurant owners and other people whose livelihoods depend on the ocean.

The San Francisco-based nonprofit also plans to plant more than 30,000 flags in front of the National Monument in Washington on Wednesday spelling out "Freedom From Oil." You can go on the Sierra Club's Beyond Oil site to plant a virtual flag, which the group will place in your honor.

"We don't want to see another oil spill that kills birds and turtles and dolphins and fish," Johnson said. "Instead of drilling for oil in the gulf coast and other parts of our country, we should be implementing clean energy solutions like wind power and public transportation. We have a lot of the solutions, so there's really no reason for us to be risking these type of disasters and putting our wildlife at risk."

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]]>EnergyGulf of Mexico oil spillGulfOfMexicoOilSpilloil spillOilSpillsierra clubSierraClubWildlifeDaphne SashinFri, 25 Jun 2010 16:00:00 ESTStray Dogs Get New Lives in Animal Planet's 'Last Chance Highway'http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/18/stray-dogs-get-saved-in-animal-planets-last-chance-highway/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/18/stray-dogs-get-saved-in-animal-planets-last-chance-highway/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/18/stray-dogs-get-saved-in-animal-planets-last-chance-highway/#commentsFiled under: ,

Animal Planet

Mississippi realtor Shelly Bookwalter is always showing houses and rescuing dogs, often at the same time.

"The more houses I sell, the more dogs I can save, so I go very fast in both categories," said Bookwalter, the star of a new Animal Planet series, "Last Chance Highway," developed by Al Roker's production company. "I can't say how many times I've scooted clients over in the car to make room to load a couple of dogs. I'm not going to miss a single stray dog that's going down the road; I don't care who's with me."

She has 25 to 30 dogs in her home at any given time, and saves an average of 650 a year.

When "Last Chance Highway" premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT, viewers will see Bookwalter's quest to rescue unwanted strays and soon-to-be euthanized shelter dogs in rural Mississippi, where many owners don't spay or neuter their animals and shelters are strained beyond capacity. Many of the dogs come from the DeSoto County Animal Shelter near Bookwalter's house, where more than half the 2,578 dogs brought into the shelter last year were put down, according to the show.

"We're in such a rural area, there are a lot of dogs that just roam free, and if a dog roams free unspayed, they're pregnant immediately," Bookwalter tells Paw Nation.

Bookwalter has come up with a creative solution for saving the dogs -- sending them North to waiting families. The real estate agent spends what she earns selling homes to have dogs spayed and neutered, and treated and fed until they can be listed on Petfinder.com and placed in homes.

Each week, she takes the animals to Memphis, where Tennessee pet transport company owner Kyle Peterson picks them up and takes Bookwalter's rescues, along with more than 100 other dogs, up the coast to their new families in Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.

Continue reading Stray Dogs Get New Lives in Animal Planet's 'Last Chance Highway'

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]]>Animal PlanetAnimalPlanetdeath row dogsDeathRowDogsLast Chance HighwayLastChanceHighwaypet transportPetTransportDaphne SashinFri, 18 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST10 Things You Should Know Before Getting Your Own 'Marmaduke'http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/04/10-things-you-should-know-before-getting-your-own-marmaduke/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/04/10-things-you-should-know-before-getting-your-own-marmaduke/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/04/10-things-you-should-know-before-getting-your-own-marmaduke/#commentsFiled under: ,

Great Dane dog picture "Marmaduke" Joe Lederer, Twentieth Century Fox

The movie "Marmaduke" hits the big screen this weekend and pet experts and Great Dane breeders are bracing for a "101 Dalmatians" style run on the pony-sized dogs.

The live-action movie tells the story of Marmaduke as an awkward teenager who has trouble fitting in when the family moves from the Midwest to Southern California. (One of the plot points naturally involves a surfing competition.) Actor Owen Wilson voices the dog and Lee Pace, Judy Greer and William H. Macy star as several of the humans.

Even though the original comic strip and the new movie show the trouble the big dog gets into, breeders and rescuers expect that the film will spark a huge interest in Great Danes. The concern is that while at first, people will adore these amazing animals, once the new owners realize how large the dogs can get and how expensive they can be, they'll dump the unwanted pets in shelters. Serious breeders also fear that opportunists with little knowledge of the dog will race to breed the next hot commodity.

The American Kennel Club and the Great Dane Club of America urge movie-goers "not to get star struck" by the breed and make an impulse purchase.

"Everything is bigger when you own a Great Dane," says Dave Miller, President of the Great Dane Club of America. "They eat a lot of food and take up a lot of space in your home and car," he adds. Families interested in adopting one of the dogs should spend time with several grown adult Great Danes "to make sure they understand how large the breed is," Miller says.

What else should you think about before getting your own Marmaduke?

Arlene Scarbrough, a longtime Great Dane breeder in Atlanta, recommends you consider that:

1) Great Danes generally weigh 150 to 200 pounds at adulthood.

2) At 6 months old, a Great Dane can knock you down the stairs if it jumps on you.

3) The dogs can be destructive. They'll chew on furniture, clothing and even sheet-rock. "We call them termites," Scarbrough says. If they aren't properly trained, she notes, "They can eat your house."

Continue reading 10 Things You Should Know Before Getting Your Own 'Marmaduke'

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]]>choosing a dog breedChoosingADogBreedgreat daneGreatDaneMarmadukeDaphne SashinFri, 04 Jun 2010 13:00:00 ESTTawny Frogmouth Baby Born in Floridahttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/02/tawny-frogmouth-baby-born-in-florida/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/02/tawny-frogmouth-baby-born-in-florida/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/06/02/tawny-frogmouth-baby-born-in-florida/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tawny frogmouths owls family pictureJason Collier, SeaWorld Orlando

A family of tawny frogmouths used to be a rare sight in the United States. The birds, which are native to the forests and woodlands of Australia, faced extinction in North American zoos as breeding programs had been largely unsuccessful. But aviculturalists at SeaWorld Orlando worked with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to develop a program to sustain the species' growth. They've bred 24 chicks in the past decade, including a baby bird hatched April 11, seen here being fed by its mother while its father looks on.

The interesting feathers of the tawny frogmouth serve a key function, according to SeaWorld. The birds are nocturnal insect hunters and the whisker-like feathers around their large mouths help trap prey. Their coloring also works as camouflage when they're perching in trees.

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]]>Animal ConservationAnimalConservationseaworld orlandoSeaworldOrlandoTawny frogmouthTawnyFrogmouthDaphne SashinWed, 02 Jun 2010 17:00:00 ESTChimps May Grieve More Like Humans Than Previously Thoughthttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/31/chimp-grieving-process-may-be-more-human-than-previously-thought/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/31/chimp-grieving-process-may-be-more-human-than-previously-thought/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/31/chimp-grieving-process-may-be-more-human-than-previously-thought/#commentsFiled under: ,

chimpanzee family picture Shiny Things, Flickr

When an elderly chimpanzee died in Scotland two years ago, her three closest companions appeared to comfort each other, holding vigil over the body and displaying other human-like signs of grief, suggesting the primates may better understand death and dying than previously thought.

The death of the elderly chimp, Pansy, and the effects on her group were captured on video in late 2008 and documented in the journal Current Biology.

Researchers at the University of Stirling and the Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park watched what happened during Pansy's final days. As Pansy got sicker, her adult daughter, Rosie, and two other chimps stayed by her side at night and groomed her more than usual. When she died, they appeared to check her body for signs of life. The chimps slept erratically and were especially quiet the next day as her keepers took the chimp away.

For weeks after Pansy's death, the surviving chimps remained lethargic and ate less than normal, much like a person who lost a close relative or "mothers with dying infants," researchers said.

While many of us may think, "of course chimpanzees experience loss when one of their family dies," getting further insight into how the animals perceive and process death is useful. The authors propose that "chimpanzees' awareness of death has been underestimated," and suggested zoos rethink how they care for elderly and ill chimps. Instead of removing terminally ill animals from the group for treatment or euthanasia, as is the common practice, it might be more humane to let the group stay together and allow the animal to die naturally, the study suggests.

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]]>animal behavioranimal deathanimal mourningAnimalBehaviorAnimalDeathAnimalMourningchimpanzeeschimpsDaphne SashinMon, 31 May 2010 11:00:00 ESTHow To Treat A Dog Bitehttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/how-to-treat-a-dog-bite/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/how-to-treat-a-dog-bite/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/how-to-treat-a-dog-bite/#commentsFiled under: ,

TonyTsangHK, Flickr

In honor of Dog Bite Prevention Week, we at Paw Nation, along with many others including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to educate Americans about preventing dog bites. On Paw Nation we've covered how to protect yourself from being bitten by a dog, how to train a puppy to stop biting and in this piece, we offer general information about treating dog bites.

While dog bites are relatively infrequent compared to other injuries, one in five dog bites is severe enough to warrant medical attention. If you are hurt, consider the following to help you avoid infection or scars.

When You Can Treat Yourself

If the dog has had its shots and you've had your shots (meaning a tetanus shot in the last ten years), you can probably take care of your own wound if:

It's just a scratch. If the bite isn't bleeding, wash gently with mild soap and hold it under running water for a few minutes, then pat dry with a clean towel and cover with sterile gauze, says Orlando emergency room physician Dale Birenbaum, M.D. who is also the program director of the Florida Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency Program. "At the minimum, a lot of soap and water is probably better than stronger antiseptics," advises Birenbaum.

Call a doctor if signs of infection appear over the next 24 to 48 hours, such as redness or swelling.

It's just a mild bruise. Ice and elevate the area. Icing constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling and can feel soothing.

It's a lightly bleeding puncture wound. Apply direct pressure with a clean towel, advises Birenbaum, and raise the area of the bite until bleeding stops.


When To Get Help Immediately

If you are unsure at all about the severity of the bite or concerned about how you should treat it, seek professional medical help. It's always better to be safe. Birenbaum also recommends that you get immediate medical treatment in these situations:

If you can't control the bleeding within the first minute or two. Especially if the bite is located on the neck or groin, where there are major blood vessels, Birenbaum says.

If you are bitten on the hand. "The hands are very sensitive and they're prone to infection more than any other areas," Birenbaum explains. Your doctor will evaluate the wound for possible nerve damage, tendon damage, or bone injury, and determine whether antibiotics or surgery is necessary.

If the dog bites your face. Bites above the neck, especially in children, are dangerous and can leave disfiguring scars if not treated.

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]]>dog bite first-aidDog Bite Prevention Weekdog bitesDogBiteFirst-aidDogBitePreventionWeekDogBitesDaphne SashinFri, 21 May 2010 15:00:00 ESTJudge Rules Pet Cemetery Was Right To Dig Up Dog For Unpaid Billshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/judge-rules-that-pet-cemetery-was-right-to-dig-up-dog-for-unpaid/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/judge-rules-that-pet-cemetery-was-right-to-dig-up-dog-for-unpaid/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/21/judge-rules-that-pet-cemetery-was-right-to-dig-up-dog-for-unpaid/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pet cemetry pictureNatalieMaynor, Flickr

A New York judge has ruled that the nation's oldest pet cemetery was justified when it dug up a dead dog named Dodo, cremated him and removed his burial plot because the owner failed to pay the annual maintenance bills.

In a lawsuit against Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory in Westchester, owner Man-Hung Lee argued that she paid $31 in 2000 for the annual care of Dodo's burial grounds. The cemetery said the $31 was an annual fee and counter-sued. White Plains City Court Judge Brian Hansbury sided with the cemetery and ordered Lee to pay $145 for the unpaid care, saying it was "absurd" to assume that a one-time payment of $31 would be sufficient to pay for the perpetual care of Dodo's plot and the cemetery grounds.

Lee's lawyers said there was no question that she was committed to Dodo, a mixed-breed that she brought with her from China. Before his death, she spent $10,000 on a pacemaker for the dog. And upon his death, she spent nearly $1,500 on what was to be his final resting place, with an oak casket and a pink, heart-shaped monument engraved with Chinese lettering. She visited his grave twice a year, leaving flowers and an apple in the summer and a pumpkin and flowers in the fall, the lawsuit said.

In 2004, she was furious to learn that the cemetery had dug up Dodo and spread his ashes around the cemetery. After the ruling, Lee's husband, John Tsun, told the New York Daily News, "We just can't believe it. It's still a shock to us."

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]]>death of a petDeathOfAPetpet burialpet cemeteryPetBurialPetCemeteryDaphne SashinFri, 21 May 2010 06:00:00 ESTDog Bite Prevention - 5 Ways To Protect Yourself and Your Familyhttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/dog-bites-5-ways-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/dog-bites-5-ways-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/dog-bites-5-ways-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family/#commentsFiled under:

dog bite picture Revolt! Puppy, Flickr

You're out for a walk and an unleashed dog starts chasing you. Do you run? Scream at the dog? Smile and make eye contact?

Actually, none of those things, says Adam Goldfarb, director of the Pets at Risk Program for the Humane Society of the United States.

Dogs bite 4.5 million Americans each year, and about one in five victims suffer severe enough injuries to require medical attention. Young children are at the greatest risk according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Senior citizens and mail carriers are also common victims.

In honor of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, we asked Goldfarb for tips on how to avoid being bitten.

Stay Calm, Move Slowly and Appear Nonthreatening: Dogs love to chase and catch things--and you don't want to spark that urge. If you're out walking and a dog starts running after you, stop moving. Then remain still or back away slowly until the dog is out of sight. Avoid eye contact, because "a stare can be seen as threatening or intimidating," Goldfarb says. He also suggests turning sideways "because it makes you look smaller to a dog and less threatening." Don't scream or give the dog a reason to become excited or aggressive.

Prepare Your Kids: 400,000 children are treated every year for dog bites and most bites involving young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs, notes the AVMA. Teach your children not to hug or kiss the family dog on the face, a common cause of bites to the face. Instead, scratch the dog on the chest or the side of the neck. The AVMA offers a coloring book in English and Spanish to help educate children about interacting safely with dogs and avoiding dog bites that can be downloaded.

If Attacked, Distract: Get on the other side of a car or "feed" the dog your backpack, purse, t-shirt or a garbage can lid to both distract the animal and to create a barrier between you and it while you try to get away safely.

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]]>dog behaviorDog Bite Prevention Weekdog bitesDogBehaviorDogBitePreventionWeekDogBitesDaphne SashinTue, 18 May 2010 15:00:00 ESTJohn Travolta's Dogs Killed in Airport Accidenthttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/john-travoltas-dogs-killed-in-airport-accident/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/john-travoltas-dogs-killed-in-airport-accident/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/john-travoltas-dogs-killed-in-airport-accident/#commentsFiled under: ,

john travolta's picture
Lester Cohen, WireImage

Two dogs belonging to actor John Travolta's family were hit and killed in an accident at a Maine airport, the Bangor Daily News is reporting.

The accident happened early last Thursday on the tarmac at Bangor International Airport. Members of the Travolta family had landed at the airport at about 1 a.m. -- Travolta and wife Kelly Preston own a home on Islesboro, off the coast of Maine -- and an assistant was taking the dogs for a walk, according to a statement from the city.

"An airport service pickup truck was approaching the plane to service the airplane and did not see the dogs," the city said. "Unfortunately, the dogs were struck and killed."

Airport Director Rebecca Hupp told the newspaper, "It was an unfortunate accident. Our deepest sympathies are with the family."

It's not clear whether Travolta, 56, a pilot, was flying the plane or what breed the dogs were. A source told People Pets that the dogs were on leashes and were heading towards some grass when they were killed. The assistant was unharmed.

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]]>john travoltajohn travoltas dogsJohnTravoltaJohnTravoltasDogstravoltaDaphne SashinTue, 18 May 2010 13:30:00 ESTAwww! Endangered Lemur Babies Born at Busch Gardenshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/awww-endangered-lemur-babies-born-at-busch-gardens/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/awww-endangered-lemur-babies-born-at-busch-gardens/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/18/awww-endangered-lemur-babies-born-at-busch-gardens/#commentsFiled under:


lemur baby picture Busch Gardens Tampa Bay



Two red-ruffed lemurs were born at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on April 21, adding to the ranks of this endangered species.

The babies, now weighing a bit more than half a pound each, can be viewed by guests in the Jambo Junction section of the park, where they reside with their mother and father, Maditra and Bozeny. The parents are only 3 years old themselves. Sea World tells us that lemurs, a type of primate, reach maturity between 2 and 3 years old.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

The sex of the infant lemurs has yet to be determined, but they are developing well overall, according to trainers. Lemurs grow to about 8 to 10 pounds.

There are at least 50 species of lemurs, all of which are native to the island of Madagascar. All the lemur species are considered endangered because their forests have been destroyed for wood and crops. The theme park works to protect lemurs and other endangered or threatened species through the nonprofit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

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]]>busch gardensBuschGardenscute baby animalsCuteBabyAnimalslemursea worldSeaWorldDaphne SashinTue, 18 May 2010 12:00:00 ESTPit Bull in a Wheelchair Inspires and Comforts Kids with Disabilitieshttp://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/17/pit-bull-in-a-wheelchair-inspires-comforts-disabled-kids/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/17/pit-bull-in-a-wheelchair-inspires-comforts-disabled-kids/http://www.pawnation.com/2010/05/17/pit-bull-in-a-wheelchair-inspires-comforts-disabled-kids/#commentsFiled under:


Video Courtesy of KSL.com



This Salt Lake City pit bull is melting hearts, busting stereotypes, and proving that a disability doesn't have to slow you down.

Piggy, a pit-bull/boxer mix, can walk with only her front legs. Her hind legs were paralyzed three years ago in a hit-and-run car accident that shattered most of her spine. No one specifically said the dog should be put to sleep, "but that was the implied recommendation," her owner, attorney April Hollingsworth, told KSL-TV.

Yet Hollingsworth kept her dog alive, and now Piggy has a new purpose. Secured to a cart with wheels to help her get around, Piggy volunteers as a trained therapy dog at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City, which provides free surgeries to children with spinal cord injuries, orthopedic disorders and other similar conditions. Every couple of weeks, Piggy calls on children who are recovering from surgery or waiting to be fitted for casts or wheelchairs.

Piggy is amazingly gentle, Hollingsworth says. The dog can be relied on to nuzzle a baby's nose or calmly lick a treat out of a child's hand. Sometimes, children get so excited to see Piggy that they have to be reminded to stay in their beds. She is one of four dogs that volunteer at the hospital through Intermountain Therapy Animals, a nonprofit organization that tests and trains all of its therapy dogs to make sure they work well with children and hospital patients.

"The kids love the dogs," Shriners recreation therapist Laura Lewis told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I've witnessed moments where a child hasn't talked to anyone else, but the second that the dog comes in the room, they will just sit down and tell a dog how they're feeling and what scares them."

Piggy attends regular therapy sessions to strengthen her back legs. In the meantime, she will continue putting smiles on the faces of everyone she meets.

"If we're lucky, we have something to give the world to make people happy," Hollingsworth told KSL-TV. "Some people can sing and that's their gift, and some people have money where they can start foundations and that's their gift. I have this great dog who spread happiness wherever she goes."

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]]>disableddog in a wheelchairDogInAWheelchairpit bullsPitBullsDaphne SashinMon, 17 May 2010 17:00:00 EST