Tuesday, December 24, 2024
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The Alternative Horse Show – Say What?

By
Richard Christian
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1
horse show

The Tennessee Walking Horse is a beauty to behold. It’s known for its 4-beat running walk and high-stepping gait, so much so, that there exists horse shows that judge these animals based specifically on their trot. But is it worth dousing chemicals on a horse’s legs to get them to walk that way? According to animal rights activists, including the Humane Society, these horses learn to trot this way through repeated abuse and harsh training. Putting their money where their mouth is, the Society donated $1,000 (the maximum contribution allowed) to the World Versatility Show, which recently took place in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The World Versatility Show highlights more positive ways to train and show horses. Soring for the Big Lick An example of the abuse these animal rights groups are talking about involves soring, which is the practice of slathering chemicals on a horse’s lower legs to get them to step higher. Although ...

Five Tricks Every Dog Should Know

By
Richard Christian
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0
tricks

Not everybody will grow up to speak like Martin Luther King, but we all should be able to say a few things well (please, thank you, you’re welcome, etc). The same goes for dogs - not every dog is destined to be top-dog in the park, but there are five tricks that every dog should know, not so much for the “cool” factor, but for his safety and your sanity. Here are the five tricks every dog should know. #1. Sit. “Sit” is the staple trick. It’s the one we try to teach our dog first, and for good reason. When a dog sits, he’s calmer, and less likely to run off somewhere. When he sits on command, he’s showing you that he can actually listen and obey. Imagine that. “Sit” is a great introductory trick. Sitting is a natural behavior by a dog, and to get rewarded for this natural behavior ...

Four Ways to Dispose of Dog Poop

By
Richard Christian
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10
dog poop

The last thing we think about when we get a new dog is about dog poop. We think about the shots, the leash, the water dish, the food, the bed, and so much more. But we never think about the poop, and specifically, how we’ll dispose of it. But even though our dog’s poop is the last thing on the mind, unless we have a plan for what to do with it, it’s the first thing we notice. Here are four ways to dispose of your dog’s poop that’ll help you avoid one smelly problem. 1. Scoop the Poop The pooper-scooper is a staple item in many dog owners’ arsenal, and you’ll often see dog walkers use them. Why? Because nothing’s easier in life than not having to bend down to pick up a pile of poop. It also prevents you from having to wrap your hands around your dog’s excrement, which ...

Yawning Dogs Prove Canines Can Sense Our Emotions?

By
Richard Christian
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0
yawning

Yawning is contagious. We all know that. At least, yawns are contagious among humans. Dogs are a different story. But a recent study organized by the University of Tokyo suggests that yawns do play a role in a dog’s life, just not the one we might have assumed. It seems that when your dog yawns, that might be his way of saying he cares about you. According to the study, dogs are more likely to yawn in response to their owner’s yawning, than to a stranger’s. This may not sound like much on paper, but the scientists involved in the study suggest this demonstrates a dog’s emotional connectedness to his owner (and humans in general). The study included 25 dogs that watched their owners and strangers yawn, and even pretend to yawn. One assumption, prior to the study, was that dogs yawned as a form of stress, since yawning can be caused by ...

Top 5 Strangest NYC Animal Sightings

By
Richard Christian
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0
animal sightings

Earlier this month, N-train riders saw a strange sight on their daily commute. Of course seeing strange sights on any NYC train isn’t all that newsworthy, except when it involves a shark. The shark, a 1.5-foot-long sand shark was riding beneath one of the seats. But commuters only had a bad smell to worry about - the shark was dead. Even if it were alive, sand sharks aren’t like their Jaws cousins. They have no teeth and are completely harmless. The shark instance brings to mind the fabled NYC stories of sewer alligators, which have pretty much amounted to nothing more than urban legend. But strange animals are no stranger to the Big Apple. While many people equate city living to rats and pigeons, these animals have a different idea. The Top 5 Strangest NYC Animal Sightings 1. Bottlenose Dolphin - Sticking with the marine theme here, a bottlenose dolphin once washed up in the ...

Meet Springer: an Orphaned Killer Whale

By
Heather Brennan
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0
killer whale

In 2002, a young killer whale was noticed off the shores of Washington State in the Puget Sound. The whale was alone which is very alone for orcas since they normally travel in close family groups called pods. Biologists were able to identify her by her vocalizations as belonging to a pod that resided 300 miles north of there in the waters around northern Vancouver Island. She and her mother had failed to return with their pod and it was presumed that her mother had died and she had been orphaned. Naming her Springer, biologists decided to intervene and nurse the young whale back to health and then attempt to reintroduce her to her family pod. Her skin was in poor condition, she had worms, and bad breath all of which pointed to health issues. She was also nudging and bumping pieces of driftwood and boats which indicated that she was ...

Why We Think the Wolf is Evil

By
Richard Christian
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1
wolf

When we’re little kids, we learn that slow and steady wins the race and other helpful lifelong lessons, thanks to a tome of fairytales. But those same fairytales that guide us toward a successful adulthood (we’d like to think) are also partly responsible for one of the world’s worst stereotypes - that wolves are evil. Think of it: in “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a wolf attacks the boy’s flock of sheep. In “Little Red Riding Hood,” the wolf eats the grandmother, and tries to eat Little Red as well. In “The Three Little Pigs,” the wolf is out to destroy each and every one of those little pig brothers. It’s no wonder that we grow up deathly afraid of wolves, convinced that they’re nothing more than rabid animals who’d pounce at the opportunity to kill each and every one of us. But that’s so far from the truth. In reality, wolves are actually ...

Intuition or Sixth Sense?

By
Irene Murphy
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0
sixth sense

A scene in the movie “The Terminator” shows a man pausing at a pair of guard dogs and letting them sniff him prior to entering a compound.  Zombie movies regularly feature dogs as warning for incoming attacks.  People use dogs for home protection to warn them of intruders or fires.  Dogs are used to monitor people for seizures or diabetes.  We expect dogs to fill these roles as their innate intuition lets them serve a need that humans or machines cannot fulfill. But what are dogs really doing?  Do dogs have a sixth sense?  Scientists have debated this for years and still cannot completely explain some of the dog’s behaviors. Animals have long been credited with predicting earthquakes.  Horse-owners in California have often mentioned how their horses refused to enter barns just prior to an earthquake.  Dogs are also credited with warning people of impending earthquakes, there are documented reports of dogs ...

What To Do When Your Dog Has An Arch-Nemesis?

By
Richard Christian
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2
arch-nemesis

Superman has Lex Luthor. Jerry Seinfeld had Newman. Most of us at one time or another have had an arch-nemesis, a foiler, someone who ruined our day, trampled on our garden, and soured our grapes. All they had to do was walk in the room, speak, or even breathe (how dare they). A majority of us aren’t above this little flaw in human character - a flaw that has the need to blame our bad days on one being … our arch-nemesis. But you’d be surprised to learn that even dogs have this affliction, too. The kindest, gentlest, most relaxed dog on the block might get his fur all tangled up in a bunch from one single look by the cocker spaniel next door. Suddenly your nice, friendly dog becomes a teeth-baring, snarling mad dog chomping at the bit for just one swipe at that spaniel and her smug look. And ...

Needed: Foster Homes for Rescued Dogs

By
Heather Brennan
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1
foster home

Foster homes are one of the hardest resources for rescue groups and shelters to find. They are used to house dogs that are awaiting adoption. This time period can range from a few weeks to several months depending on the dog. Some dogs may require special medical care or training, while others will require little other than a place to stay until a new home is found. Many people worry they will become too attached to the dog and won’t be able to give it up when the time comes. Although this is a legitimate concern and foster homes do become very attached to the dogs in their care, the knowledge that the dog has found a wonderful home and is making another family so happy often compensates for the immediate loss. Unlike when a dog passes away, the foster home knows this isn’t the end but rather just the ...

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