Dogs

Hey, do you remember last week when we were all sort of charmed but mostly terrified by that stampede of 42 St. Bernards?

Well, how do you feel about 2,000 freakin' ducks?!

Frankly, there's no doubt in our minds that the two videos are related. It's the Canine-Anatid Wars all over again! Will this dog-duck aggression ever end? Can these age-old enemies ever hope for peace?


Nooooo!

By Dr. Ernie Ward, via Vetstreet

Try this little experiment: Ask a four-year-old to lie very still in a room by himself for six to nine hours, with no games, no books and no human interaction. Sure, he can look outside and watch other kids play - but he has to stay indoors.

When you return home, tell that child he can walk outside for 10 minutes, but then it's back in for the night. Repeat this routine daily.

SEE ALSO: Sights, Smells and Sounds That Stress Out Pets

Ridiculous, you say? Of course it is. Yet this is often exactly what we ask of our pets, causing them undue emotional stress in the process.

Pets on the Brink of Boredom
Believe it or not, one of the chief stressors for many homebound animals is idle time. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for indoors-only pets. My two dogs and cats live inside, but they also go outside for an hour or more every day. Not only do my cats have access to a screened-in porch, I've also trained them to explore the backyard during supervised "walk-n-stalks."

We love dogs, but 42 full-grown St. Bernards panting and running around the same place at the same time looks and sounds like the end of the world. On the other hand, who could ask for a cuter apocalypse?

By Dr. Marty Becker, via Vetstreet

Q. My daughter wants a puppy, but we've looked at the shelter a couple times and most of the dogs are full-grown. I don't want to deal with someone else's problem dog. I want to raise mine right. Is it time to buy a puppy?

A. If you're committed to the idea of a puppy, think carefully about where you buy him. I don't recommend buying from websites and pets stores, because those puppies often come from substandard breeders known as "puppy mills." Getting a puppy from a reputable breeder, however, who provides certification of genetic testing and raises litters inside the home with proper socialization is an option worth considering.

SEE ALSO: 8 Best Super Bowl Ads Featuring Animals

But honestly, I'd rather you wait for a shelter pup--or better still, I'd like you to realize how unfair you're being about an adult dog. The idea that an adult dog is somehow "damaged goods" as an adoption prospect is strangely pervasive, especially among people for whom an older dog would be perfect: novices with neither the time nor the experience to raise a puppy properly.

Last year, I adopted my beloved Gracie, a Labrador–Pit Bull mix no one else wanted. She's an absolutely wonderful dog, and I'm nuts about her!

Healthy older dogs have years of loving left, and they deserve a chance. An older dog can slide easily into your life and will bond with your family just as surely as the dog you take home as a puppy. Mature dogs of five years and older are also good candidates for adoption because you avoid the extended adolescence common in many breeds. And older dogs are everywhere, available from private homes, rescue groups and shelters. If you're interested in a purebred and are willing to take an adult dog, a rescue group specializing in your breed can be the deal of the century - these volunteer organizations may offer older dogs for lower adoption fees because they're harder to place.

SEE ALSO: Pet Adoption – What You Can Expect

An older dog can be a marvelous find, but you still have to be selective. While expecting to work on some things as your new dog gets used to you is reasonable, you do want to avoid those animals who have too many problems, especially if one of them is aggression. I highly recommend that you find a shelter or rescue group that evaluates their dogs and provides them with basic training. I also recommend signing up your new dog for a training class to help work through the rough patches.

Bulldogs aren't the most active breed there is. They're not sporting dogs, and you won't need a huge backyard for a bulldog to run and play in. They make great apartment pets because they love loafing around just like you do.

Maybe that's why it seems like bulldogs take just a little bit longer to figure out this whole walking thing. It sure is cute to watch them try. Don't give up, little guy.

Squeak!