DOG STORIES FROM THE NEWS

LONDON: Training your pets to shake hands and fetch the ball is passe as it is time to meet the world's smartest dog who can not only do all the regular stuff but also buy lottery tickets, post the mail and do your shopping.

According to the Sun , the dog, Endal, who is owned by a wheelchair-bound owner, Gulf War veteran Allen Parton, stays by his master's side throughout the day.

When Allen wakes up in the morning, Endal springs into action. The Labrador tugs back the covers with his teeth and pushes Allen's legs round so he can get into his wheelchair.

The dog then helps Allen withdraw money from a cashpoint, buys his newspaper and even turns on the lights in the house after it gets dark, after which he helps Allen put the clothes for a wash and fetches him a knife, fork and plate to eat.

Allen says that he discovered the dog by accident, "This 11-week-old puppy came over and placed something in my lap and I didn't take a blind bit of notice. The dog was clearly annoyed that he hadn't got a reaction or any praise so he tried again. He eventually piled so many things onto my lap that I broke a smile and our magical partnership was born," says Allen, whose wife works in a pet shop.

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DON'T GET WILD ANIMALS, SUCH AS WOLVES, FOR PETS

Scripps Howard News Service
Release date: 01-04-97

By MARY H. COOPER

Experts in animal care are virtually unanimous in their recommendation to stick to domesticated animals when choosing a pet. Although wild animals may be cute and cuddly in the early months of life, they tend to become less and less suitable as human companions as they mature. The characteristics that have helped their species survive over the millennia are rarely desirablefor life in captivity.

In no instance is this more poignant than with wolves and wolf-dog hybrids. Although wolf-dog hybrids have long been common among Native Alaskan sled dog teams, it's only been in the past decade or so that the practice of breeding dogs with wolves has spread to other parts of the country. ''Some people think that these are going to be some kind of cool, macho watchdog, which is
totally wrong,'' says Randall Lockwood, an animal behaviorist and vice president for training initiatives of the Humane Society of the United States. ''Then there are the wolf groupies, who see owning a wolf or hybrid almost as part of a spiritual or religious quest, as their link to the wild. They have their wolf art-work and medallions, and while they may see something in the animal on a spiritual level, they often are ill-equipped to meet the animal's basic biological
needs.'' Many of those needs are quite different from a dog's. ''We spent at least 100,000 years turning a wild animal - the wolf - into an animal that can
fiot well into human society,'' says Lockwood. Even the biggest dogs have smaller teeth than wolves, and they tend to look to a person, not another dog , as their pack leader, or master. While wolves roam vast territories in search of
food, dogs have been bred to stay much closer to home. But in addition to breeding some of the characteristics of wolves out of their dogs, people have also bred into domestic dogs a kind of territorial aggressiveness needed to make good watchdogs that is absent in their wild cousins. Wolf hybrids contain an unpredictable mix of these features. ''Usually you have an animal that's quite a bit larger than either wolves or dogs, that is naturally selected for traveling miles and miles every day, that's now essentially relegated to living on a chain in someone's back yard or pickup truck,'' Lockwood says. ''It still has the predatory instincts of the wolf and yet at the same time might have some heightened aggression that we've bred for in dogs.''

Lockwood, who has studied problems related to wolf hybrids around the country, says these animals are less apt to become vicious toward people than they are to cause other problems that often land them in local animal shelters. ''They get bored, and because they're very strong, they almost always escape, injuring themselves or others in the process,'' he says. ''They go after neighbors' dogs, they jump fences and get hit by cars, they jump out of windows, they eat your house.''
If wolf hybrids often turn out to be a disappointment for their owners, they pose a real threat to the wild wolf population. Exterminated throughout most of the country decades ago, wolves are just beginning to make a comeback, thanks to the determined efforts of wildlife groups and a gradual shifting of public opinion in favor of restoring natural habitats. Small numbers of wolves have migrated from Canada to remote areas of Minnesota and Montana, and a controversial reintroduction effort has restored healthy wolf populations to remote areas in Idaho and near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana.
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Wolf-hybrid owners, often among the strongest supporters of wolf reintroduction projects, may do more harm than good to their cause. ''A lot of
people who get hybrids think they can help defuse the 'Little Red Riding Hood' myth in their community,'' Lockwood says. ''And yet the first time their animal bites somebody or gets into other trouble, they've just made things much worse.''

Owners who give up in frustration and abandon their fertile hybrids in the woods in areas inhabited by wolves cause even greater harm by contaminating the wild population with dog genes. For anyone who yearns to own a piece of the wild, Lockwood has simple advice: ''If you want to get a wolf hybrid or a wolf because you want to help the wolves, save the $15,000 you'll spend buying the
animal and a high fence and give it to one of the groups that are working for wolf recovery.''

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

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Mom, dog helped each other through medical problems
Posted on Wed, Jul. 06, 2005
By Linda Goldston

Frank and Bernadette O'Hearn got Danzig for their son's 16th birthday, but it was clear from the beginning that the Labrador-Dalmatian mix was Mom's dog.

He followed Bernadette around constantly and would go into a back room and sulk when she left the house without him.

Out in the yard, his favorite activity was to retrieve tennis balls and bring them to Bernadette -- or run around with a slightly deflated soccer ball in his mouth. But no matter what, Danzig, a.k.a. Danny, kept his eye on Mom.

``I could have a rotten day at work and come home and he'd make me feel so good,'' Bernadette said. ``He was always giving me kisses.''

``Unfortunately, when Danny was about 3 years old, my wife began to have a series of medical problems, ranging from back surgery to cancer,'' her husband, Frank, said.

``Danny was always there for my wife and spent hours by her, sleeping on the floor while she recuperated. When she was in the hospital, just the mention of the name `Mommy' would set him off to the front window, where he would sit for hours waiting for her return.

``Her last bout with cancer resulted in the removal of one of her kidneys and, as tough as she was, that knocked her for a loop. She spent many hours on the family room couch in obvious pain.

``When it got too bad, Danny seemed to sense it and would gently place his head -- large as it was; he was a big boy -- next to my wife's head and softly lick her head or hand.''

When she was lying on the bed or the couch, Danny would stretch out beside her. In the morning, when he needed to go out to the bathroom, Danny would waken Bernadette by coming to the side of the bed and licking her face. It was their special ``wake-up call, time to start the day.''

When the San Jose woman recovered, Danny continued to stay by her side. As he got older and developed severe arthritis, Danny struggled to keep up with Bernadette, but he did whatever it took to be at her side.

``It would break my heart,'' Bernadette said. ``He'd be thumping along behind me and get himself all situated if I sat down and then have to struggle to get up again when I did.''

Sometimes, if ``Bernadette moved too often, Danny would give her a look like, `Settle down, lady, I'm tired,' '' her husband said. ``But he would still follow her.''

Danny's own medical problems continued to worsen.

On the day Bernadette decided the daily struggle for the 14-year-old dog was just too painful for him, ``he was the one comforting me,'' Bernadette said.

``He kept licking my face, licking away my tears. I really feel he knew, and he was saying it was OK.''

Two years later, ``I miss him like it was yesterday,'' Bernadette said.

The family did get another dog, Danielle, a Dalmatian. And while Bernadette is her caretaker, Danielle is ``Daddy's dog.''

If Frank leaves the house, Danielle will go to a back room and sulk, just as Danny did for Bernadette.

Both dogs were loved and treasured by the whole family, but it was Bernadette for Danny and Frank for Danielle.

It just works out that way sometimes.

My dog, Lucy, loved to try to make me jealous by fawning over anyone who came to visit, sitting in their laps and giving non-stop kisses.

But I'd catch her looking at me to make sure I was watching. And then she would come back over to me: Gotcha!

Lucy was a dog who loved life and people dearly, but she always let me know that I was really the only one.

In the weeks since her death May 14, I have marveled at the gifts sweet Lucy gave me. Life was never boring and each day was often special. Lucy would make sure of that.
Contact Linda Goldston at lgoldston@mercurynews.com.

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Dog bird's best friend
By DON KNOWLER
10jul 05

A RESEARCHER drawing up a blueprint to attract birds to the suburbs has made an intriguing discovery -- dogs can be good for our feathered friends.

Grant Daniels, 22, has surveyed 214 gardens in 10 Hobart suburbs and found that those with dogs are more likely to have a healthy population of ground-feeding birds like superb fairy-wrens.

Mr Daniels, a University of Tasmania school of geography and environmental studies graduate, said it appeared the dogs ignored birds and, because of this lack of aggression, birds in turn were happy to co-exist with the canines.

"Where there are dogs you are more likely to find fairy-wrens and possibly masked lapwings," he said.

"Ground-feeders have learned they have nothing to fear from most dogs, unlike the threat posed by cats."

Mr Daniels, from Clifton Beach, said a big factor was that dogs tended to chase off cats, or at least spoil their predatory attempts, and this was good for ground-foraging birds.

But, in the wider environment, there was a downside to dogs' behaviour.

"Dogs might be beneficial in some cases in the garden environment, but it should not promote irresponsible dog ownership in areas of shorebird habitat or muttonbird rookeries," he said.

Although cats were the natural enemy of birds, Mr Daniels said his own research didn't lead to this conclusion.

He was quick to point out, however, that a garden-scale project might not accurately reveal the influence of birds on suburban gardens because cats ventured into most suburban yards regardless of their own residence.

On making gardens more bird-friendly, he found the right combination of plants, and their height, could have a crucial effect on bird populations.

Mr Daniels said he devised his honours project because little research had been done on the garden environment, even though each year vast areas of Australia were enveloped by suburbia.

He hopes his research on the factors influencing bird populations in the back yard -- or, as he describes it, "variation in the bird species assemblages of domestic gardens" -- will aid planners and architects to factor in the needs of wildlife when new housing developments are planned and help gardeners in existing suburbs make their yards more bird-friendly.

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No dogma in dogs' abilities to help humans

By Josh Farley
Jul 09 2005

POULSBO - One of the reasons assistant dog trainer Diane Canafax was able to save Rufus, a 3-year-old Labrador retriever mix, from being euthanized at the pound was that she knew he could be trained to save others' lives.
Little did she know that the very same pooch could be one to return the favor and save hers.
It is ironic that Canafax, who through the organization "All Things PawsAble," which helps train dogs to assist humans with vision, hearing and other problems, found out she, too, is going deaf. And soon, Rufus will become her "ears."
For Canafax - who admitted she once slept through a fire at a hotel because she couldn't hear it - having the dog is a truly a potentially lifesaving measure.
"Animals can touch us in ways that humans cannot," she said. "These dogs are being trained to be a partner for people who need them."
Though they're often trained to become eyes and ears for people, recent scientific research and new therapy methods are proving canines can help humans - and save their lives - in many ways.
"The dogs help us to understand our problems," said Donny Diaz, 12, a student in the North Kitsap School District's Summit Program. "At the beginning of the year, I was not taking responsibility for my actions. I've started to now."
The Summit Program is designed to help behaviorally challenged students, who have significantly disrupted their school to the point of removal from their classroom environment.
Summit takes those students and, while continuing their education, attempts to correct their behavior. It is viewed as a last resort for students who don't behave at school.
"My job is to integrate them back into their classes," said Summit teacher Phil Campbell. "It's a temporary place for them. Unfortunately, some do make it and some don't."
Last year, Diaz and four of his classmates began working with abused, neglected and homeless animals every Friday at the animal shelter Furry Tale Farms on Bainbridge Island.
Though it may seem like a contradiction, students with behavioral problems that work with troubled animals produces mutually beneficial results for both animal and human.
"These kids have trained long and hard with these dogs," Campbell said.
"These guys have developed the skills to help the dogs get back on track."
Their work ethic and discipline with the canines has translated into the classroom, Campbell was happy to report.
"We've seen improvement across the board," he said.
The program will continue next year, thanks to a Kitsap Community Foundation grant that will allow Canafax - with Rufus and other dogs that visit the school in tow - to continue working with the dogs and the students.
Part of the program's success stems from the canine's amazing senses and the students acknowledgment of them. As a result, the students know the dogs' behavior will be a result of their own.
"If you're mad the dog will be scared," wrote Davis Mueller, one of the summit students, "and if you're happy, then the dog will be happy."
A canine's intuitive senses are being utilized currently in many breakthrough scientific experiments. A recent study by Amersham Hospital in Britain found that dogs can detect bladder cancer through a patient's urine, with a success rate of 41 percent.
Dogs, which are thought to have from 10,000 to 100,000 times the sense of smell that humans possess, have also been at the center of countless stories from skin cancer survivors, who claim their pooches sniffed constantly at particular moles that turned out to be cancerous.
A familiar site on Kitsap Peninsula are the police K-9s used to sniff out possible bombs boarding ferries.
For the Summit program's purposes, it is the canine's ability to detect human emotions. Dogs have an especially heightened sense to smell fear, which Rufus has since used to save a life. During one therapy session before Rufus' Summit stint, the pooch became highly anxious and excited around a particular student in the district. Kimbra Kern, a learning specialist in the district who has worked with troubled animals for 10 years, talked extensively with the student and learned he was contemplating suicide that day.
A child's behavior around a dog can tell educators invaluable information. Campbell said that if a child is willing to maliciously harm an animal, they could be on the verge of bringing - and using - a gun at school.
Animals have since been used to help people recover from all kinds of tragedies and crises.
Canine therapy was heavily utilized following the Columbine High School tragedy in April 1999. The severe trauma and emotional shock endured by students who witnessed that horrific event caused, quite literally, a temporary termination of certain brain functions, such as verbal skills. Trauma often suppresses the brain's ability to produce serotonin, a neurochemical connected with moodiness, impulse control, sleeping, depression and memory.
In many cases, the dogs could draw out suppressed emotions of the trauma victims, through basic interaction - by petting, playing and just being there with them - thus greatly enhancing the healing process and restoring those brain functions.
"They're more than just an animal," said Summit student David Parker, 14. "They're practically human."

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Does my dog really love me?
July 07, 2005

By Sarah Etter
Did Lassie really love Timmy? Or was she only saving him from disaster, time and again, so that he would reward her later with a tasty morsel from the dinner table?
Scientists, veterinarians and dog owners have long questioned the relationship between man and his best friend. Even philosophers have ventured opinions on the idea: Plato described dogs as "lovers of learning" and Voltaire refuted Descartes' theory that dogs were merely unintelligent machines.

The idea that dogs feel emotions, specifically love, is debatable. Though older schools of scientific thought refuted the notion that dogs had human-like feelings, some researchers today believe the subject deserves more attention.

All mammals, including dogs, have a "pleasure center" in their brains that is stimulated by dopamine, the chemical that regulates feelings of happiness. For example, when a dog is playing fetch, dopamine is released in the pleasure center and the dog is "happy." Since humans have similar brain chemistry, can we assume that dogs and humans are much more alike emotionally than previously thought?

According to Fred Metzger, a guest lecturer in animal sciences at Penn State and a State College veterinarian, "Dogs probably don't feel love in the typical way humans do. Dogs make investments in human beings because it works for them. They stand something to gain from putting so-called emotions out there. The more 'cute factor' they give us, the more we feel like they love us. This makes it more likely that we will give them more attention, food treats, outdoor access -- all based on how much of a show they put on for us." Metzger theorized that dogs "love" us as long as we continue to reward their tricks and antics with treats and attention.

In a statement sure to shock dog lovers everywhere, Metzger added, "If we moved our dogs to our neighbor's house and that neighbor gave the dogs as much as we gave them and in the same motivational forms, I believe our dogs would adapt to the new life and would become as loyal to the neighbor as they were to us."

The idea that Fido's love could be easily transferred to the family next door may seem unsettling, considering the amount of time and emotion most people invest in their canine counterparts. However, Leslie Burgard, a certified dog trainer in State College, does not think the subject of puppy love is quite so simple.

"Their loyalty is unconditional -- much like that between a parent and child," Burgard said. "For the most part, our dogs would go to bat for us, even on our worst and most intolerable day. All parents have days when they may not really like their kid that much, but they always love them unconditionally; even parents of troubled or criminal children love them on some level. The love and the loyalty that drives that emotion is instinctual ... I think dogs have a 'love' or connection with their humans that is free of preconceived perceptions."

Susan B. Eirich, a biologist and psychologist and founder of the Earthfire Institute, thinks that primatologist Jane Goodall's research gives us a good indication that animals actually do have emotions. "From a behavioral perspective, it only makes sense that animals would experience emotions ... As Goodall notes, social animals must be able to read other animals in their society and must be able to maintain social bonds."

"When you think about it," explained Eirich, "strong emotion underpins social behavior and connection."

Eirich suggested that emotions underlie intraspecies communication, from barking to growling to the baring of teeth to show anger and aggression. So, are those "puppy dog eyes" signaling true love or a manipulation to get dog biscuits out of you? As long as science remains undecided, the meaning of your dog's "happily" wagging tail is up for interpretation.

Source: Penn State

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Dancing With The Dogs

Correspondent Bill Geist,

NEW YORK, July 10, 2005

(CBS) Oh, sure, you love your dog, but ask yourself: When was the last time you took that special pet of yours out dancing? Doggie dancing, reports CBS News Sunday Morning is all the rage in the canine crowd.

Hard to believe, you say? Doggie dancing not only exists, there are doggie dancing competitions, such as one international event held at the fashionable Airport Ramada in Portland, Ore. Carolyn and her golden retriever, named Promise, were there dancing, sort of, to the "Beer Barrel Polka." How does it compare to human dancing? Carolyn, who is canine freestyle competitor, says it's more fun. But she admits she hasn't been out dancing with her husband in 36 years. Sydney, another canine freestyle competitor, and her papillion, Romeo, came all the way from Miami to perform a Mary Poppins routine. What do your friends say when you tell them you're into doggie dancing? "They all know I'm nuts," says Sydney. Here they call doggie dancing "canine freestyle." Patie Ventre is founder and president of the World Canine Freestyle Organization. She's spreading the doggie dancing gospel worldwide. What do people think? Ventre says, "Some of them laugh and say, you're out of your mind. What are you, crazy?" Is she a little bit crazy? Ventre responds: "I think you have to be, but you know, in today's world you look for things that are fun and just make you happy and make you smile, and dancing with your dog is fun." It's not always easy promoting a new and unusual sport. Ventre said there were about 70 people at the event. She says getting a hotel can be a big problem. She estimates that 10,000 people, and an equal number of dogs, are now involved in organized doggie dancing. It's all very professional. Judges rate the couples on technical merit and artistic impression. What about costumes? Ventre explains, "The dog is only allowed to wear a decorative collar and ankle bands. If you start putting hats, dresses, coats, you know, reindeer ears - it starts to get a little tacky. We wanted to keep the dignity and the elegance of the breeds." There are no such rules to protect the humans, however. You probably won't be seeing a canine "Swan Lake" ballet anytime soon, but some of these doggie dancers are quite accomplished. When Patie and her border collie, Dancer, perform, it actually looks quite like dancing. "You need to go from move to move with flow and transition, just like dance, just like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers," says Ventre. Many of the dogs are like Joey, who just isn't totally into this whole inter-species dancing thing. Some say doggie dancing is like Olympic ice dancing: a sport, with athletes. In fact, Ventre's talked about having high aspirations for doggie dancing, having it in the Olympics. "My goal is to live long enough to see that happen, and I believe that we have all the ingredients to make this an Olympic sport some day," she says. ©MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Dog trainer has eye out for animal acting roles
By CHRISTOPHER BISHOP
Burlington County Times
LUMBERTON -
Is your dog the next Lassie? Or does it just need to stop chewing up the rug? If so, Dawn Wolfe is ready to give your animal a new leash on life. Wolfe, a township resident, has been a dog trainer for 15 years and has worked with canines used by private individuals and police departments. "Seeing the original 'Benji' movie as a kid is what got me interested in training dogs," Wolfe said. "I would love to be the one who trains the next big star." To that end, Wolfe, 37, owner of SafeDogs.com, launched Ani-malActors.biz last year to promote that aspect of her business. She describes Animal-Actors.biz as a tool for casting directors, agents and others to find animals for the entertainment business. "No need to contact an agency in New York," she said. Her Web site provides a listing of animal trainers, seminars related to animal acting, and a list of resources. For $25, pet owners with film aspirations for Fido can list their animal on the site, and they can include a photo. The service is free for her clients or those who have attended her training seminars, Wolfe said. Two of her own Jack Russell terriers are well trained and have star potential, Wolfe said. One of them, Miss Hope, was cast in a commercial for MTV that was filmed in Brooklyn, N.Y., Wolfe said, but the commercial never aired. She said she hasn't trained a "star" yet because Animal-Actors.biz is new, yet she feels the business fills a void. "I am not aware of anyone who supplies animal talent be-sides us near Philadelphia," Wolfe said. "Most are located in New York City." Wolfe is a friend of Captain Haggerty, an actor who has ap-peared in several films and who wrote a book titled "How to Get Your Pet Into Show Business."Ý Haggerty's daughter, Babette, has helped Wolfe conduct how-to seminars for getting an animal into show business. How would she train the next would-be Lassie? Wolfe said she would do nothing different than she would with a regular pooch. "Obedience training is the foundation on which we build," she said. Wolfe's love of training dogs goes back to her childhood in Colorado, where she began working with animals when she was 7. "I'm a natural-born animal trainer," she said. "I've always had a knack for it." She started SafeDogs.com in 2000 after moving from Alaska. Most of that business involves training homeowners' pooches. Her focus is using what is known as the "e-collar" or "invisible leash." Using a transmitter, she can deliver a mild electric jolt to an animal wearing a special collar up to a half-mile away, Wolfe said. "There is not a faster, more humane way to train a dog than this," Wolfe said. Working from her Lumberton home, Wolfe is assisted by her husband, Glenn, and her son, Carrick. She has two Web sites, www.dawnwolfe.com and www.animalactors.biz. Email: cbishop@phillyBurbs.com

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Dog alerts family to fire Ellenburg Center home destroyed
10/16/04
By SUSAN TOBIAS Staff Writer
ELLENBURG CENTER

Like a bad dream, Priscilla Tavenier awoke at 2:30 a.m. Friday and heard the dog barking frantically. Wondering what was going on, she ventured outside to find that her house at 210 Brandy Brook Road was on fire, nearly three weeks after a fire destroyed the familys barn. Jake, a 13-year-old St. Bernard/Chow mix, sounded the alarm just in time for Priscilla to awaken the rest of the family and get them outside. Her husband, Clement, their son, David, his wife, Tina, and their three children, Deanna, Robert and Steven, and a family friend, Fred Lethbridge, all made it out safely, thanks to their furry canine. It is suspected that the fire started outside the shop that is attached to the garage, which, in turn, is attached to the house, where theyve lived for about a dozen years. The configuration made it easy for the fire to gain momentum before firefighters arrived.

HOW TO HELP
The North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping the Clement Tavenier family, the David Tavenier family and Fred Lethbridge, whose home and all of their belongings were destroyed by fire Friday. The families are in need of all clothing, household goods and furnishings. Clothing sizes: Clement: pants, 44x29, shirt, large; shoe, 7 1/2. Priscilla: pants, 24; shirt, 1X; shoe, 6 1/2 wide. Adam: pants, 32x32; shirt, medium; shoe, 11 1/2-12. Fred: pants, 30X32; shirt, medium; shoe, 9. David: pants, 32x32; shirt, medium; 9 1/2. Tina: pants, 16-18; shirt, medium-large; shoes, 8 1/2. Deanna (8 years old): pants, 8; shirt, 8; shoe, 4. Robert (4 years old): pants, 2T; shirt, 2T; shoe, 9. Steven (14 months): pants, 18-24 months; shirt, 18-24; shoe, 6. To help, call Red Cross at 561-7280, ext. 100. When the barn burned on Sept. 26, it was an alert passerby that notified the family at 2:30 a.m. The barn fire had gained such a head start that Ellenburg Center Fire Chief Danny Barcomb said he could see the "whole sky lit up" from his house two miles away. A hay mow containing 8,000 bales of hay fueled the inferno. The Taveniers neighbor, Stanley Russell, has nothing but praise for his neighbors and feels badly about their misfortune.

"They're good people," he said. "When I had my open-heart surgery a couple of years ago, David came and did the chores for my family so they could be with me. Adam came and helped out, too. I cant imagine how this can happen." Russell said he is trying to figure out how to get the neighbors together to do something for the Taveniers, but it was hard to figure out the best way to help. "They are a very independent family," he said. "When their barn burned, they didnt run around trying to get other people to milk their cows. They pulled a bunch of hay wagons together in a square, put a tarp over top and have been milking the cows like that. They are people who make do with what they have." According to Clinton County Fire Control, Ellenburg Center Fire Department was recalled to the scene several times to extinguish flareups during the day on Friday. contact the Press-Republican, Phone: (518) 561-2300 or send mail to: Press-Republican, 170 Margaret St., P.O. Box 459, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Copyright 2004, Plattsburgh Press-Republican, a division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.

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Seniors with pets tend to have better health
by William Arnold
Oct. 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Recent stories about hurricane victims and their pets raised the issue of seniors and pets. About 60 percent of U.S. households have at least one dog, cat, bird or other companion animal. Many have more than one. I checked with a local veterinarian about her experiences with pets and older people. Veterinarian Tracy Wight reports that pets, particularly cats and dogs, help her older clients feel less lonely. They tell her it is like they have a special friend. Wight's grandmother, who lived with her parents, created a special bond with a cat. She said she did not like cats but always managed to give Pele a special rub with the tip of her cane. Pele, a reclusive cat by nature, never hid from her and seemed to appreciate the attention. I looked at the research on pet ownership and health.

The data is clear that having a pet reduces blood pressure and even reduces the number of trips to see a physician. A 1999 study in the Journal of American Geriatrics demonstrates that seniors living on their own who have pets tend to have better physical health and mental well-being than those who don't. They are more active, cope better with stress and have better overall health. They also reported shorter hospital stays and less health-care costs than non-pet owners.

One other study found that the daily activities of living, such as eating and grooming, declined less for those with a dog or cat than those who had no pet. The health benefits How does pet ownership keep the owner healthy? First, pets need walking, feeding, grooming, fresh water and fresh kitty litter, and they encourage lots of playing and petting. All of these activities require some action from owners. Even if it's just getting up to let a dog out a few times a day or brushing a cat, any physical activity can benefit the cardiovascular system and help keep joints limber and flexible.

Consistently performing this kind of minor exercise can keep pet owners able to carry out the other normal activities of daily living. Again, Wight reported that many of her clients tell her that taking care of a pet is a reason to get up in the morning and often a reason to get dressed and go for a walk. Second, pets also aid seniors simply by providing some physical contact, affection and companionship.

A pet as a gift?
Should you get a pet for an older relative? Any pet purchase should involve the person who will be responsible for the pet. The last thing you need to do is to spring a cocker spaniel or a tabby cat on an unprepared person. You should discuss the value of a pet with the older person to be certain that it will meet his/her needs. If they are interested, other issues need to be considered. First, does the person actually have room for a pet? Clearly a collie would be inappropriate for a relative living in a small apartment on the third floor. In this case, a cat might be a better fit. (All of this assumes that the property, if being rented, allows pets.)

Dogs and cats are better companions than birds or other pets because they require less maintenance. Although I don't have space here to discuss all the breeds and how they relate to people, that should be considered. You may want a pit bull to protect your older relative or friend, but that strong, active breed may not be the right choice. Talk first to a veterinarian about breeds and their temperaments.

Second, does the future pet owner travel a lot, thus requiring someone else to care for his/her pet? Traveling is not a reason not to get a pet. It is just an issue that should be addressed beforehand. There are a lot of very reliable pet sitting services that will provide tender loving care almost as good as the owner's.

Third, does the person who will be caring for the pet have the ability to do just that? A person in an apartment will have to be able to walk a dog many times a day. A great deal of bending and lifting is required with pet ownership. And, of course, pets create more housecleaning chores, too. Finally, depending on the age and the health of your older relative or friend, you might want to look for a previously owned but loved pet.

Housetraining a new puppy can put a real burden on the older person. Cats are easier in that regard. Any new pet should be seen by a veterinarian for a complete physical very early on or prior to adoption to avoid problems later.

Pets and beyond
If your older friend or relative is forced to move to an assisted-living facility, you should look for one that allows pets, has its own pets or allows visits by pet therapists. This is a rapidly growing service for our aging population because of the companionship value of a pet. See the following Web site as one example: www.dog-play.com/therapy .html.
Another site of interest is: seniors-site.com/petsm/ needpets.html.

William Arnold is an Arizona State University professor and an expert on aging. He welcomes reader comments. You can reach him at william.arnold@asu.edu.

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'Assistance dog' designation opens doors for pooches
With state's blessing, S.F. OKs hundreds of therapeutic pets
Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 19, 2004

In this dog-eat-dog world, Frank Jackson finally found solace in a sweet-faced cocker spaniel named Topper. Jackson, 55 and HIV-positive, had trouble with depression and was feeling isolated, not really wanting to leave home. But two months ago, he adopted Topper from a rescue agency. "It's the best thing I've done in 20 years,'' he said. "He needed love and affection as much as I did.''

One of the first things Jackson did was register Topper with the Animal Care & Control agency in San Francisco as an "assistance dog.'' The official designation gives Jackson the legal right to take his four- legged companion on the bus or in a taxi and into shops, restaurants and public buildings. And, perhaps most importantly, his landlord had to make an exception to the no-dogs policy for the apartment Jackson rents in the city's Upper Market neighborhood. Topper is not alone. By last week, San Francisco had issued 658 tags for assistance dogs -- a number that reflects a big jump since a 2002 ruling by a state regulatory agency that gave people troubled by psychological and emotional problems the right to keep companion dogs and to exercise the legal benefits that go along with it.

Service dogs traditionally have been paired with the visually and hearing impaired, and people using wheelchairs. Now, however, more are helping people who are depressed or anxious and who rely on canine companionship to help them cope. San Francisco began issuing assistance dog tags in 1998. In 1999, the first full year of the program, 60 tags were given out. The number issued last year ballooned to nearly 160, and the applications keep coming. "The bottom line is that we're seeing a lot of people come down here with notes from their doctors saying they need a companion dog to improve their quality of life,'' said Carl Friedman, director of the city animal control agency. "Now we're seeing a lot of people applying for the tags who have psychological issues.''

Just about all it takes to get an assistance tag in California is a note from a doctor and a signed statement from the owner that the dog has been specially trained. That training, however, can be done by the owner and can be as simple as teaching the dog to wag a tail and lick a face if that's what it takes to make someone with a diagnosed depression feel better. "Most dogs do that -- lift your day,'' Friedman said. "The difference between lifting someone's day and helping them get through the day is a fine line.''

San Francisco trumps other jurisdictions in the Bay Area when it comes to the number of tags issued. For instance, county and humane society officials say 199 have been approved in Marin County, 48 in San Mateo County, 19 in Alameda County, 60 in Contra Costa County and only a handful by the Silicon Valley Animal Control agency, which includes Campbell, Monte Sereno and Santa Clara. When asked why San Francisco -- a city with a dog population estimated at 100,000, or about one for every 7.5 humans -- is so different, Friedman sat back in his chair and laughed. "Boy,'' he said, "I'd need about two hours to explain.'' One reason, he suggested, is that San Francisco started the program before other counties. But on top of that, the city has a large population of people with disabilities and a keen awareness of individual rights.

California law stipulates that county animal control agencies only have to process applications for assistance dogs -- not the miniature horses, monkeys and other critters some disabled people have used to help them out. "We had one person come in who wanted a tag for a pot-bellied pig, but we rejected the request,'' Friedman said. "I didn't want to get into that. What if a guy comes in asking about his hamster, and wanted to take his hamster to Macy's? Because this is San Francisco, we had to draw the line somewhere.''

San Francisco business owners, building managers and public agencies are starting to get the hang of what's required of them, said Sgt. Michael Sullivan, the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department. He helps mediate disputes between merchants and customers, trains officers on how to enforce the intricacies of access laws and tries to educate Muni drivers and others working with the public. Patty Hontalas, manager of Louis' restaurant, up the street from the Cliff House in San Francisco, said she had to be educated when a man came into the oceanfront dining spot with his small dog last year. At first she told him that dogs weren't allowed -- the health code generally bars animals from entering eating establishments -- but the customer insisted otherwise, arguing his dog was an official companion animal. With the customer showing no noticeable disability, Hontalas wasn't sure what to do and called the SPCA for a quick lesson on the law. "Now I just ask if they have a tag for their dog,'' said Hontalas, adding that she doesn't have any problem with well-behaved dogs in the restaurant. "I am seeing a lot more people bringing their dogs into businesses.'' The spike in San Francisco started around the same time the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing issued a ruling in 2002 that sided with a Placer County couple. The husband and wife, both of whom suffered from depression, had been told by their condominium association that they had to abide by the no-dog policy and couldn't keep their wire-haired terrier mix, Pooky, on the premises.

The state civil rights agency ruled that the condo association discriminated against the couple based on their doctor-diagnosed disabilities. This past August, the state Court of Appeal upheld the agency's ruling, saying that the condo association failed to reasonably accommodate the couple. "For the first time, the California courts have linked fair housing with the companion-animal question. The decision signifies that just as a service animal may assist a person with physical disabilities, the emotional support derived from a companion animal can help a person suffering from depression or other emotional illness,'' the Department of Fair Employment and Housing said in a written statement.

Kristi Kissell has no doubt. She got the special tag from the city for her dog Rocky after she had a hard time renting an apartment in San Francisco. She told her new landlady after she signed the lease that her corgi-Chihuahua mix would be living with her. By that time, there was little the owner could do because of the legal protection afforded Kissell as long as she had the official stamp of approval. "I'm HIV-positive, and a lot of times it's just me and my dog. He's always there for me and won't leave my side, helps with my loneliness,'' said Kissell, 41, who lives in the Sunset District. "He really is great support and had made a big difference in my life.'' Jackson -- Topper's human companion -- said his life has profoundly improved after securing the special tag from the city's animal control agency, allowing him to keep a dog at home. "The most tangible thing I can point to is I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face now,'' he said. "I can't remember the last time I did that.'' E-mail Rachel Gordon at rgordon@sfchronicle.com.

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Boy saved by his dog in Bangladesh
Saturday October 23 2004, 3:14 PM

A boy who was attacked by a mob on his way home from a mosque in northern Bangladesh was rescued by his dog, a news report said Saturday. The 15-year-old boy was returning home after evening prayers at the mosque when the group attacked him, binding his hands and legs with rope and stabbing him, the daily Manabzamin said. His dog, who had accompanied him, then jumped on and began biting the attackers, who fled the scene in Rangpur district, 248 kilometers (155 miles) north of the national capital Dhaka. The boy's neighbors, hearing the dog barking, reached the spot and rescued him, the report said. His condition wasn't known. It wasn't clear what prompted the attack, but the report quoted the boy's family as saying they were involved in a land dispute with some neighbors. It didn't provide further details. Officials and family members could not be reached for comment Saturday.
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Low-Calorie Diets May Help Dogs Live Longer
Wed Sep 18,10:33 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding to the growing evidence that calorie-counting might make for a longer, healthier life, a study of dogs suggests that cutting down on Fido's treats could tack up to 2 years onto his life.

Researchers found that Labrador retrievers raised on a lower-calorie diet not only lived longer than their more gluttonous litter-mates, but also avoided common canine conditions like osteoarthritis for a longer period of time.

Past research in organisms ranging from yeast to rodents has suggested that calorie restriction aids ( news - web sites) longevity. The authors of the new study believe this is the first to tie low-cal living to a longer life span in a mammal larger than rodents. Research in rhesus monkeys has already suggested lower-calorie diets can forestall chronic disease.

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Nestle Purina Pet Care in St. Louis, Missouri, led the study. The results were published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In the study, 48 Labs from seven litters were paired off to compare the effects of two diets. One dog in each pair was fed until his heart's content until about age 3, when their diets were reigned in to keep them from becoming obese. The other dog in each pair ate 25% fewer calories than his partner, before and after age 3.

The researchers found that the median life span--the age by which half of the dogs had died--was nearly 2 years longer among the calorie-restricted dogs (13 years, versus 11.2 years). The dieting dogs also tended to go longer without needing treatment for chronic conditions--age 12, on average, compared with age 10. In both groups of animals, osteoarthritis was the most common medical problem, but the calorie-restricted dogs developed the condition an average of 3 years later than their litter-mates.

"Because osteoarthritis is painful, this deferral represents a substantial boost in quality of life," study co-author Dr. Gail K. Smith, of the University of Pennsylvania, said in a statement.

Throughout much of their adult lives, the calorie-restricted dogs also had less body fat and lower levels of certain blood fats, blood sugar and the sugar-regulating hormone insulin. In humans, these traits are associated with a lower risk of major disorders like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2002;220:1315-1320.

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Dogs Being Trained To Smell Cancer
Animals Can Smell Scents Given Off By Tumor Cells
Updated: 10:27 a.m. EDT August 7, 2002

CLEVELAND -- Researchers have found a new way to hunt for cancer cells, possibly before even the most sensitive equipment could detect them.
They're not using expensive hospital equipment, but rather, man's best friend.
Shing Ling, 2, is more than just a furry companion for researcher Michael McCulloch.
He and other researchers are developing a pilot program to train dogs to identify who has cancer.
"(Cancer patients) have a different bouquet of odor that's detectable to the dog," he said.
McCulloch collects breath samples for both lung cancer patients and healthy patients.
Shing Ling is being trained to detect which is which.
"The project is to very carefully measure how good the dog is at distinguishing between lung cancer samples from a normal person," McCulloch said.
Dogs have 40 times the number of scent-receiving cells in their noses than humans have, making them able to sense the most minute scents given off by tumor cells.
The goal with the dogs is to detect tumors before the most sophisticated technology can.
Shing Ling's trainer commands the dog to tell him which one smells like cancer. When the dog chooses which one she thinks has the cancer scent, she taps it with her paw.
After a year and a half of perfecting the training methods, he said Shing Ling is right 87 percent of the time. But many doctors won't believe it until real evidence comes in.
McCulloch isn't the only researcher with these ideas. Scientists in Florida and England are also seeing if the dogs' noses know.

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Dogs May Be More Intelligent Than People May Think
Wed Jul 31, 3:48 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Dogs are probably much cleverer than most people think, according to a new study.

Slideshow: Dogs at Work and Play

Scientists are convinced that dogs can count and researchers at the University of California Davis say they try to convey different messages through the pitch and pace of their barks.

"Animal behaviorists used to think their bark was simply a way of getting attention. Now a new study suggests that individual dogs have specific barks with a range of meanings," New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.

Dogs usually use high-pitched single barks when they are separated from their owners and a lower, harsher superbark when strangers approach or the doorbell rings, according to Sophia Yin, an animal behaviorist at the university.

Playful woofs are high-pitched and unevenly spaced.

Dogs also know when they are being short-changed on treats because they have a basic mathematical ability which enables them to tell when one pile of objects is bigger than another.

"But to count, an animal has to recognize that each object in a set corresponds to a single number and that the last number in a sequence represents the total number of objects," New Scientist added.

Robert Young of Brazil's Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, tested the theory on 11 mongrels using dog treats.

The canines were shown treats and then a screen was lowered and the goodies were left as they were or some were added or taken away.

If a treat was added or taken away the dogs looked at the treats much longer than they did when the goodies were not disturbed, presumably because they had done their sums and the numbers did not meet their expectations.

"Dogs are descended from wolves, which not only have a large neocortex -- the brain's center of reasoning -- but live in large social groups," the magazine said.

Young believes the mathematical ability could have been used to work out how many allies and enemies they had in a pack.

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'Puppy Ciao' -- Top Dogs Get Roman Beach Holiday
Thu Aug 1,10:49 AM ET

By Alessia Pierdomenico

MACCARESE, Italy (Reuters) - For the mutts of Maccarese, it really is a dog's life.

Reuters

Slideshow: Dogs at Work and Play

When summer comes, there's no more pining away behind closed doors while their owners dash off to the seaside. Now they just make straight for the beach, too.

Set up four years ago to satisfy man's best friend, Bau Beach is a stretch of the Mediterranean just north of Rome where the average sunbather is as likely to have four legs and a tail as a string bikini and a smile.

It may be nothing new in other parts of the world, but dogs on beaches are a recent phenomenon in Italy where there are tight restrictions on letting dogs off leashes.

There are still only two dozen Italian beaches that accept dogs, but the idea is catching on.

On a sunny day at Bau Beach, packs of hounds can be found frolicking in the waves, lounging under their own mini-umbrellas or enjoying a dig in the sand while their owners take it easy.

"Up until this came along it was difficult to go on holiday with your dog," said Carlo Ambrosio, enjoying a day by the sea with Becky, his Canadian gray husky. "If I had my way, I'd make them put a beach for dogs every 10 km all the way around Italy's shoreline," said Ambrosio.

Becky, who spent most of one recent afternoon digging a big hole and then barking at anyone who came near it, appeared to agree, every now and then taking a refreshing dip in the ocean.

And when she's not digging, she has plenty of time to hang out with Taro, a yellow Labrador who's a Maccarese regular, or Max, a large Newfoundland who lives up to his reputation as a good swimmer by appearing to give lessons to novices.

For a 10 euro ($10) season pass and five euros a time, dogs at Bau Beach get just about all the benefits of regular beach goers, including an umbrella and a towel. They also get a dog bowl and their owners are handed a shovel.

While for owners there are the occasional annoyances -- Taro seemed to have a tendency to get wet, roll in the sand and then want to sit on her owner's towel -- the managers at Bau Beach ( www.baubeach.it) say it's a healthy day out for the dogs.

"They feel free, and when they're free they're happier and less aggressive, you can really see it," said Simone Bakra, one of a small team of dog lovers which runs the beach.

At the end of the day it only remains for the dogs to take a refreshing shower under a high-pressure hose -- something not loved by all.

Yet while Bau Beach and similar resorts around Italy try to make sure every dog has its day in the sun, they are painfully aware that it is too often not the case.

Italy, in fact, has one of the highest number of stray and abandoned dogs in Europe, with an estimated 150,000 ditched every year when their owners head off for the summer holidays, according to the Bau Beach Web Site.

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Dogs Are Doggone Good at Chasing Away the Blues
Fri Jun 28, 2002, 11:49 PM ET

By Serena Gordon
HealthScoutNews Reporter

FRIDAY, June 28 (HealthScoutNews) -- Dogs really may be man's best friend -- and woman's, too.

Nursing home residents who received visits from canine companions reported feeling less lonely than those who didn't have a furry friend, according to new research published in the current issue of The Journal of Gerontology.

"We already have a lot of anecdotal reports on the benefits of animal-assisted therapy," explains Maryellen Elcock, the director of animal-assisted therapy services for the Delta Society in Renton, Wash. "This study is a nice example of a well-controlled study, and it's something that has been lacking in the field."

Researchers from St. Louis University School of Medicine and the VA Medical Center in St. Louis recruited 45 elderly patients living in long-term care facilities for the study. Fifteen of them received one animal visit a week for six weeks, another 15 received three canine visits per week for six weeks, and the final 15 acted as a control group and did not have any animal visitors.

Most of the volunteers were women (80 percent), over 75 (70 percent), white (90 percent) and widowed (78 percent). None was cognitively impaired. All but two had had a pet during childhood, and they all said they would like to have an animal now, but couldn't because they were living in a nursing home.

The researchers administered three psychological tests at the start of the study, and then again after six weeks.

They found that visits from the animals, whether once or three times a week, significantly reduced loneliness.

These findings don't surprise Barbara Cowen, the volunteer coordinator for the "Pooch Program" at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. "There is so much anxiety and apprehension in the hospital and the dog brings in a more homey environment. Dogs make patients feel like they're not alone," she says.

Lori Martinez, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist at Baptist Hospital of Miami, uses animals with her patients and says animal-assisted therapy has numerous benefits: "Animal therapy improves a patient's socialization and communication. It brings them out of their room, helps with boredom and loneliness, helps them reminisce and brightens their mood."

Martinez adds the benefits aren't only psychological. For example, she uses dogs to help stroke victims regain the use of their arms or hands by stroking the dog repeatedly.

The best part, says Cowen, is the benefits are mutual. She says the dogs seem to love coming to the hospital, because "they get so much attention when they're here."

What To Do

To learn more about the benefits of animal-assisted therapy, visit Dog Play or the Delta Society.

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Paws for thought in Katherine Harris campaign

July 1, 2002 Posted: 7:13 PM EDT (2313 GMT)

MIAMI, Florida (Reuters) -- Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, a key player in the 2000 presidential election recount battle, faces a dogged opponent in her campaign for Congress -- a border collie-German shepherd mix, to be precise.

Charter boat captain Wayne Genthner of Sarasota, Florida, said on Monday he planned to enter the name of his dog Percy as a write-in candidate for the Republican primary ahead of the November election.

"We hope by running a canine against a nationally known political person we can draw attention to voter disenfranchisement and disconnect," he said.

Harris has set her sights on a seat in the House and is viewed as the favorite to win in her district in the Sarasota area.

Genthner said he wanted to satirize what he viewed as absurdities and injustices such as campaign finance, which he said put running for office out of reach of ordinary people.

Since election rules would prevent a dog from running, Genthner said that later this month he would send in the papers entering himself as a write-in candidate -- a person whose name does not appear on the ballot but can be inscribed by voters. But Percy would be the name voters would write and Genthner said he intended to act merely as "campaign manager."

While his action is intended as parody, he hoped it would send a serious message. "We want people to participate in democracy before it dies on the vine," said Genthner.

The campaign has so far cost some $600, mostly in copying fliers, said Genthner, adding that he had taken Percy out to meet voters at events such as stock car races.

Percy's manifesto promises a tough line on crime since the dog "will personally chase down any criminal he sees." It notes that he "has himself never been implicated in any sex scandal, thanks, he says, to his timely neutering."

Harris's campaign had raised some $1.7 million by the end of March and she is viewed as likely to steam-roller her challengers in a safe Republican district. Her campaign has taken the canine threat in good humor.

"The cute looking candidate, Percy the dog, has a lot of paws to shake to catch up with our grass roots effort and huge volunteer base," said her campaign assistant press secretary Jessica Furst.

Harris became a household name, praised by Republicans and vilified by Democrats, in November 2000 as supervisor of the hotly contested elections in Florida that turned out to hold the keys to the White House. Bush won the White House after a five-week legal battle over vote recounting.

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Clinton Picks Irish Name For New Dog
Thu Jun 6, 6:55 AM ET

By The Associated Press

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. (AP) - Former President Clinton (news - web sites) revealed in Northern Ireland that his new dog will have an Irish name.

At the opening Wednesday of a peace center named for him, Clinton encountered a chocolate Labrador retriever and told the crowd that his own chocolate Lab will be called Seamus, spokeswoman Julia Payne said.

Seamus, pronounced Shay'-muss, is the Gaelic form of James.

The dog is still being trained at the Maryland kennel where he was born in February and is expected to join the former president at his Chappaqua home later this month. At the

kennel he was called B.B., for Bill's Boy, while Clinton decided what to name him.

Clinton's White House dog, Buddy, was killed by a car in Chappaqua in January, an event the ex-president said was "by far the worst thing" to happen to him after leaving office.

Seamus was sired by Buddy's nephew, and breeder Linda Renfro said he seemed much like Buddy, "except that I think he's probably a bigger eater. From what I have seen of him, his

sole ambition 24 hours a day is to eat."

Clinton was in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, to open the Clinton Center, which is designed to be a base for Catholic-Protestant reconciliation work and international study of the Irish

conflict. Clinton's interest in Northern Ireland encouraged the Good Friday peace pact four years ago.

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Pooches Get Playtime At Doggie Day Care
A relatively new concept in canine care has finally made its way to northeast Ohio.

NewsChannel5 reported that a new doggie day care of sorts is perfect for dog owners on the go.

Does your dog and your busy work schedule have you in a daily scheduling tug-of-war? Well, the people at Metrobark in Cleveland said that they have the answer.

How about taking the bark out of your tension-filled workweek by taking your pooch to the wide-open accommodations of Metrobark Dog Day Care, a place where dogs can run free with their buddies all day long while you're at work.

The canine care concept has seen big success elsewhere, NewsChannel5 reported.

"There (is one) in every major city in the United States -- Seattle, San Francisco, Orlando, New York," said Mindy Doddridge, owner of Metrobark.

The company's Payne Avenue facility will take your dog from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Exercise is a key part of the curriculum.

"People who work long hours feel guilty for spending no time with their dogs," Doddridge said. "When a dog comes here, it gets socialization, exercise and human contact as well."

Doddridge said that her doggie day care will cost owners $19 a day, but she said the benefits are well worth it.

Dog baths and grooming are available at Metrobark. And many dog owners said that they have seen an improvement in their dog's health and personality.

"Most of us are coming downtown anyway," said Steve Mekinda, a dog owner. "We drop them off and come back at the end of the day. It's like spending time in the park every day."

There are a few breeds that Metrobark will not take into their day care, including akitas, chows, pit bulls and Rottweilers.

The service costs about $90 a week for the service, but a multidog discount is available.

Metrobark is considering opening two other facilities in northeast Ohio.

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Dog Displays Strength, Intelligence On The Job
It's almost 7 a.m. -- breakfast time in the Deroche home.

Melissa Deroche, 28, is just about ready to go to work -- and so is her best friend, Bear. The 2-year-old yellow labrador retriever is more than just a pet, though. He plays a very critical role in Melissa's life -- one that is a partnership of unconditional love and of ultimate trust.

Melissa is blind and Bear is her guide dog.

Just as Melissa has a job to do every day, so does Bear. Every morning, they go to work like so many other people around town. But, unlike so many other people, Melissa depends on Bear to get her safely to and from work.

"I gained a greater sense of confidence in my traveling skills with the dog," Deroche said.

The journey starts at their home near Gentilly. Before it's over, they will have taken two city buses across town, negotiated their way through rush-hour traffic and kept each other out of harm's way.

"He takes on such a responsibility in both of our lives in terms of working, watching for traffic as we're crossing the street or stopping at the curbs, getting around obstacles that would normally be problematic," Deroche said.

Melissa and Bear work as a team. When she gives the command, he knows to obey.

"He's real important and one of the most important things in my life," Deroche said. "He's just the center of my work, because his world is around mine and mine around his. Because we rely on one another. Because he has his responsibilities to me and I have mine to him."

As they arrive at work, Deroche, who is a mental health counselor, settles in for the day as Bear settles down for a nap. His job is done for now, until it's time to go.

"The thing is, they work for praise," Deroche said. "They work for praise. That is the main thing that needs to be in their life all the time is the praise for what they do, because that's what keeps them going."

Melissa and Bear are graduates of the nonprofit organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The group depends on volunteer families to raise the puppies, who then turn them back over to Guiding Eyes for training.

It costs $30,000 to breed, raise and train each dog that is matched with a blind partner.

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Baby's best friend: Alert pooch saves infant

May 17, 2002 Posted: 3:09 PM EDT (1909 GMT)

(CNN) -- A family's faithful companion, Bullet the aging golden retriever, turned out to be a hero when he seemed to know Pamela Sica's baby was gasping for breath. He went to summon Sica and she took him seriously. Doctors discovered the baby had pneumonia in both lungs.

Sica appeared on CNN early Friday to talk to anchor Jack Cafferty about the dog's life-saving feat and her baby's miraculous recovery.

CAFFERTY: Pam, welcome. It's nice to have you on the program. Tell us how Bullet was acting that fateful morning when, as we said, he saved your son's life. What did he do to alert you?

SICA: I was in the kitchen making the bottle. He (Bullet) was in the bedroom with my son. (My husband) went into the shower. Bullet was still lying down. And I guess when the baby was making the sounds, he came running down the hallway into the kitchen.
And he kept barking, and I was still making the bottle. And I asked him if he wanted to go out, and he kept barking and turning around and going into the hallway.

Then I finally went into the bedroom, and that's where I found my son. And he had his head back, and he was gasping for air. With that, he was turning a shade of red too, like, purple to blue.

And I screamed for my husband. He came out of the shower. And with that, he turned the baby upside down, he thought that I fed him. So he thought he was choking. So he hit him a couple of times on the back. And it didn't do anything, and he turned him around and started to rub his chest and do CPR.

I called 911. They were there within minutes, and the EMS was here. And by then, with Troy still doing CPR, the baby came around, and from there, the paramedics and the ambulance took him to Brookhaven Hospital, where they stabilized him. And then he went into another episode where they stabilized him.

CAFFERTY: Did you have any idea the baby had pneumonia at this point? You didn't know, did you?

SICA: No, I didn't know what it was. I actually thought he had apnea or SIDS.

CAFFERTY: Yes, right, sleep apnea?

SICA: Yes, I had no idea what it was. Nobody really knew until they brought him into Stony Brook Hospital, where they later did some tests and found out that he had double pneumonia and ASD, a hole in his heart.

CAFFERTY: Are you convinced the dog saved the child's life? You said your husband's in the shower, you were in the kitchen, and the baby stopped breathing. Had it not been for Bullet, are you convinced you could have lost the child right then?

SICA: Yes, I am. Because I would have been dilly-dallying, putting stuff in the dishwasher.

CAFFERTY: Sure, it's 4:30 in the morning. You're doing your chores and stuff. There's no way you're going to hear the baby stop breathing or start having trouble, right?

What was it, do you suppose, about the dog that made him do this? I mean, there are mysteries surrounding animals that I guess none of us are able to explain completely. But they know things that we simply don't know, don't they?

SICA: Yes. He knew it was his baby. He knew it belonged to me, and he was protecting his baby.

CAFFERTY: Take us back a few years. I mentioned the dog was lucky to be alive. A few years ago, the veterinarian discovered a tumor on Bullet's liver, and you had to borrow a bunch of money to have the dog operated on. Tell me a little about that and the fact that some people thought you were crazy to spend this kind of money to save a dog's life.

SICA: We took him for his regular checkup, and the vet found that he had an irregular heartbeat. From there, they ran tests and they did blood work. And they found that his liver enzymes were elevated from there. And from there, they did a sonogram, and they found like a pea-sized tumor in the liver.

But they were afraid to operate just then, because they didn't know if his heart could take the anesthesia. So we waited until September, and by then, they did another ultrasound, and the tumor grew to the size of a softball. And they told me that it's a situation where you have to decide because he is you know 12- or 13-years-old -- I forgot at the time -- you have to make that decision, and I didn't know what to do. I said he's been a part of my life for all these years, and there's no way I was going just to let him go.

CAFFERTY: So you borrowed the $5,000, got the surgery done.

I can't tell you what a story it is. I have got dogs and cats in my house. I've had them all my life. I have feelings for animals that exceed the ones I have for a lot of the people I've encountered along the way. A story like this just affirms that I'm right.

What about a special reward? Does Bullet get a special treat now, besides a perpetual nap that it looks like he's taking there? He gets steak dinners and chicken, right?

Anything he wants.

SICA: He did anyway. He was my first baby, right?

CAFFERTY: Yes, really.

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Search and Rescue Dogs Honored
By Ben Walker
AP Sports Writer
Tuesday, February 12, 2002; 7:21 AM

NEW YORK Preparing to walk on to the green carpet for the Westminster dog show, Pete Davis could barely keep from shedding a tear.

"It's very emotional," the New York police officer said Monday night. "We're very appreciative of the recognition."

On a day when the favored Kerry blue terrier got a nice cheer, the K-9 heroes drew the biggest ovation at Madison Square Garden, the kind usually reserved for star athletes.

Often called a beauty pageant for canines, America's most prestigious dog show broke tradition and paid tribute to 20 German shepherds and retrievers that normally would not make it to the event.

The search and rescue dogs were honored for their tireless work at the World Trade Center and Pentagon following Sept. 11.

"We were pretty nervous," admitted Lt. Daniel Donadio, head of the New York Police Department's canine unit. "We'd rather face gunmen than the crowd."

There was no need to worry.

The 10,000 spectators stood and cheered throughout the 15-minute ceremony in the center ring, which included actress Glenn Close singing "God Bless America."

The dogs with their handlers who had come from all over the country were introduced one by one.

As they walked out, public-address announcer Michael LaFave detailed their efforts in New York and Washington, along with places such as Nairobi. Officer Bobby Schnelle came with Atlas, the first canine on the scene at the World Trade Center disaster.

Davis brought Appollo, who was singled out last year for the American Kennel Club's Ace award for law enforcement.

Appollo was supposed to be honored on Sept. 11. Instead, he was called to duty and became engulfed in flames while walking on debris after the towers collapsed. The shepherd, nearly 10 years old, survived and kept working throughout the day.

Officer Suzanne McCrosson had to watch from a backstage aisle. Even though her German shepherd, Charlie, worked at the World Trade Center that day, McCrosson is now seven months pregnant and assigned to desk duty.

McCrosson said she watched a replay of last year's Westminster show with Charlie during the weekend.

Asked whether she thought her 3-year-old canine could win best-in-show, she was emphatic.

"Yes, he would! He's so handsome!" she said.

Near the end of the tribute, the USA Network, the Pedigree company and Westminster presented a check for $275,000 to Mike Tuttle, the president of National Association for Search and Rescue.

A Kerry blue named Mick also enjoyed a big day.

The 512-year-old terrier, born in England and now the No. 1-ranked show dog in America, needed only nine minutes to win the best-of-breed ribbon.

Hours later, the dog with the blue-silver coat and black beard breezed to win best-of-group.

The big prize, the best-in-show trophy, was to be awarded Tuesday night.

"There's always apprehension," Mick's handler-agent, Bill McFadden, said after the morning victory. "The dog can perform badly or the judge can perform badly."

"This is like 'Survivor.' If you get to this point, it gets easier. The ring gets bigger," he said.

Mick, known officially as Torum's Scarf Michael, was never in any danger. During the 2001 season, he won the terrier group in 137 of the 138 shows he entered, and was picked as top dog 87 times.

Among the other contenders will be a 612-year-old standard schnauzer named Charisma Jailhouse Rock.

The dog commonly called Rocky won the working group Monday night for the second straight year. He and Mick were the only dogs to repeat as best-of-group winners.

An affenpinscher named Yarrow's Super Nova won the toy group and a miniature poodle named Surrey Spice Girl won the non-sporting group.

Three more group winners will be picked Tuesday night, leaving seven contestants for best-in-show.

There were more than 2,500 dogs all champions entered and they represented the 159 breeds and varieties recognized by the AKC. While only one St. Bernard showed up, 41 Irish setters were entered.

No one left the Garden feeling any better than Donadio.

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Penn Hills Dog Retrieves Owners' Prescriptions
There's no need for one Penn Hills couple to drive to the drug store. Their dog will deliver their prescriptions to them.

J.C. is a 5-year-old golden retriever. His owners, Chuck and Betty Pusateri, run J & C Hobbies, where J.C. has spent most of his days since he was 8 weeks old.

J.C. can come on command, sit, and give you his paw, but there is one thing he does that no other dog can do,

When the Pusateris need prescriptions from the drug store located in the same shopping center as their shop, they turn to J.C. for help.

"He started going up with me and would stand outside the door, and one day the owner, Diane (Silverman) said, 'Let him in,' and he started carrying it back with me," Chuck Pusateris said.

"We have a lot of dogs and cats that are customers here," Silverman said. "Although none of them come in. Just J.C. He's the only one that personally picks up his prescriptions."

After J.C. gets the prescription, he takes it back to the hobby store, where Betty Pusateris is waiting for her medicine.

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Dogs Help Terrorist Attack Victims

By Beth J. Harpaz
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001; 1:41 p.m. EDT
NEW YORK There's always a dog on the ferry that takes victims' families to the place where the World Trade Center once stood.

And there's always someone on the boat who needs to pat the dog.

"You're so alive," murmured one mourner as she scooped up Annie, a small caramel-and-white dog, on the way to the site of so many deaths.

Annie is one of several dozen dogs who bring smiles to tear-streaked faces, comfort to stressed-out workers, and companionship to distressed children at a center where victims of the World Trade Center attacks come for help. A dog travels on the ferry on its twice-a-day journey from the center to ground zero, about three miles down the Hudson River.

The dogs, leashed and accompanied by their handlers, also work in other areas near the family center the desks where death certificates are issued, a day care center, the lines for rent and food money, the rooms where chaplains and psychologists offer counseling.

The animals provide a simple, happy antidote to grief and anxiety. If you pat a dog, the dog will like you; it's really that simple.

There's also a physical benefit: Studies show that when people interact with animals, it lowers their blood pressure and heart rate, according to psychologist Stephanie LaFarge, senior director of counseling at the ASPCA.

"You wouldn't expect to see dogs in a place where you come to get death certificates, but it gives people the feeling that it can't be all that bad here if there are dogs here," LaFarge said.

One day last week, a woman left the center weeping and a chaplain asked if she wanted to pat a dog. The woman nodded, and Sailor, a calm and solid Portuguese water dog, went to work.

Later, back inside, Sailor lay down while two brothers, age 2 and 3, fed her goldfish crackers, prattled babytalk and patted her black fur, soft as a plush stuffed animal's. "This is the most rewarding thing I've ever done," said Sailor's handler, Jean Ervasti, who lives in Brooklyn and has a doctorate in education.

Nearby, Minnie, a tiger-striped mutt with a cartoonish wolflike snout, stopped to be patted by a middle-aged woman.

"My own dog's been acting out lately," the woman told Minnie's handler.

"Do you know why the dog is acting out?" Minnie's handler asked.

"My husband is missing," the woman calmly responded.

Across the street, some 20-something volunteers from Americorps took a lunchtime break with the dogs. Like many workers spending long hours helping victims, the Americorps volunteers say the dogs help them get through the day.

"People just drop what they're doing and get down on their knees and start talking doggie talk: 'Oooh, you're so cute,'" explained Kelley Wall, 24.

"For that brief moment that you're playing with them, they make you forget," added Carey Gibbons, 20.

Cops, firefighters and soldiers also love playing with the dogs.

"It's OK for them to be soft and goofy and nurturing to a small 12-pound spaniel," said Annie's owner, Elizabeth Teal.

The dogs, whose owners are all volunteers, range from big mutts to tiny purebreds. All come from organizations like the Delta Society, the Good Dog Foundation, Therapy Dogs International and Thera-Pet, which train dogs to work in nursing homes, hospitals and centers for special-needs children. Some groups call them therapy pets, others use the phrase comfort dogs or pet partners.

But few animals are accustomed to the intense conditions and constant attention of the family center, so their time there is limited to two hours a day, a few days a week. Even so, they're exhausted after absorbing all that emotion. Some must be carried out; others sleep all the way home.

The day after a sobbing firefighter's widow threw her arms around Jesse, a golden retriever, "Jesse's eyes were bloodshot," said the dog's owner, Mario Canzoneri. "He was lying down. He wasn't the same dog. You'd think that dog had pulled 100 pounds on a sled for a month."

Canzoneri, a plumbing contractor from Staten Island, is credited with getting dogs into the center. He started out by bringing Jesse and his other dog, Jake, to parks and hospitals around Manhattan in the days after Sept. 11, just to give dazed and grieving New Yorkers some happy dog time.

Eventually, Canzoneri and the dogs stood outside the family center. An instant hit, they were soon invited in. It worked out so well that now a half-dozen dogs are there at any one time.

To avoid upsetting people with dog fears or allergies, the handlers have the dogs wait until someone makes eye contact or invites a pat. LaFarge says so far, there have been no complaints.

Yet handlers say the animals also have an uncanny ability to seek out those in need. Fidel, a feathery brown-and-white confection of a pooch, approached a woman who was crying and she instantly picked him up.

"He really sensed my pain," said the woman, a single mother who lost her job in the disaster.

"Dogs speak a universal language," said Rachel McPherson, Fidel's owner. "They break the ice. Good dogs are good medicine."

Joanna Hernandez, 2, patted Sailor as her parents told their story. Her father was injured as he fled the twin towers, and now isn't working. "It's very difficult," said Joanna's mother, Carla. "But the dogs are nice for her."

Linda Burdick, whose daughter Danielle loves the dogs, has been staying in hotels since her apartment near ground zero became unlivable. "The dogs give you a sense of normalcy," she said. "New York feels so evil now, but here all these innocent, sweet dogs."

Jewel St. Hillaire says the dogs did wonders for her son. Her husband, a security supervisor at the twin towers, was badly burned as he fled the attack, and their 7-year-old son began acting out in school.

Then the boy met the dogs at the center.

"When he touched the dogs, they were sensitive to him," St. Hillaire said. "They put their heads in his lap. If you have a sulky look, they look back at you the same way. If you pat your chest, they give you a hug.

"They can tell," she added, "if your heart is broken."

On the Net:

http://www.thegooddogfoundation.org

http://www.deltasociety.org

http://www.therapet-inc.com

http://www.tdi-dog.org

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New York Dogs Get Donations Too

By David Crary
AP National Writer
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001; 2:06 a.m. EST
NEW YORK The donations sent from across America to this stricken city after Sept. 11 weren't just for the people in need: there were dog booties by the thousands, dog food by the ton.

Most of the boots weren't needed by search-and-rescue dogs at the World Trade Center site. And at least 100 tons of surplus dog food remain in storage, ready for giveaway to hard-up pet owners.

But the donated supplies, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for pets affected by the terror attacks, demonstrated the powerful affinity many Americans have for animals, even amid a tragedy with a staggering human death toll.

While the dog teams have now dispersed and the relatively few orphaned pets have found homes, the concern for animals persists.

The American Kennel Club's Canine Health Foundation and the Ralston Purina Co. are funding a $100,000, three-year study to assess the physical and psychological problems suffered by search dogs at the attack site.

University of Pennsylvania veterinarian Cynthia Otto, who will lead the study, said the dogs may have been affected by smoke and dust inhalation because they worked without the surgical masks worn by human search crews. She also said some dogs were demoralized by the grim magnitude of the search.

"Normally, these dogs work a little, then rest a little," she said. "Here they were working 12-hour shifts their training is not geared to this kind of duration and intensity."

Many of the dogs had been trained to find survivors, rather than cadavers, and are accustomed to a playful reward when they succeed.

"There wasn't a lot of playing at the scene," Otto said. "That was hard on them."

When it became clear there would be no more survivors, some handlers tried to cheer up their dogs by staging "rescues" so the animals would get the satisfaction of finding a live person.

About 350 search-and-rescue dogs, many from faraway states, were deployed at the trade center.

Animal lovers across the country including Scout troops, schoolchildren and purebred clubs sent money and supplies to support the dogs. Reports that some dogs were cutting their paws on jagged debris prompted shipments of dog booties from as far afield as Alaska, even though experts said the dogs work better without boots.

"We had a room filled to the ceiling with stuff everything from booties to gourmet pet treats," said Ruth First, a spokeswoman for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "We had to say thanks, but no thanks."

By early October, relief coordinators sent out word that no more dog supplies were needed, and asked that money be sent instead. First said the ASPCA alone received more than $1 million, and will use much of that money to develop programs for future disasters.

Anne Culver, director of disaster services for the Humane Society of the United States, said the surplus dog food is being distributed to animal shelters around New York and to food banks serving people affected by the attacks.

"That way people who need food for themselves can pick up food for their pet as well," Culver said.

Public support for the search dogs was matched by concern for pets living in areas of lower Manhattan that were cordoned off after the attacks. Teams from animal-welfare groups helped reunite hundreds of stranded pets with owners who weren't allowed to move back into their apartments.

"The elevators were out because there was no electricity," said Doris Meyer of the New York Center for Animal Care and Control. "Our teams would go up 10, 20 flights of stairs in pitch dark. There were cats that didn't want to be found, dogs that didn't want to walk down stairs."

Meyer said fears arose that pets of people killed in the attacks might starve to death while left unattended. But no such pet deaths were confirmed, she said.

Some "orphaned" pets were turned in to shelters, but Meyer said every one of them has found an adoptive home.

Animal-welfare groups received an avalanche of offers to help, from virtually every state in the nation. Some staffers said they were shocked by intensity of emotions, citing letters which complained that human victims of the attacks were getting too much attention at the expense of pets.

On the Net:

ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org

Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org

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Chicago Considers Dog Microchips

The Associated Press
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001; 9:12 a.m. EST
CHICAGO City Council is considering an ordinance in which dogs deemed dangerous would have to be spayed or neutered and fitted with a surgically implanted microchip for identification.

Under the measure approved by a council committee Monday, the owners also would be required to obtain $100,000 in liability insurance.

The measure was prompted by the dog-attack deaths of two young children and the mauling of a third all in the past three months, said Alderman Shirley Coleman, the sponsor.

"We're sending a clear message to those irresponsible owners: You'd better get your act together," Coleman said.

The ordinance is to be considered by the full council Wednesday.

The bill also would impose mandatory $300 fines for dog owners who let their pets run loose. The owners could face $10,000 fines and six months in jail if their dogs seriously injure anyone while loose. Penalties for property damage by dogs running free would be full restitution, plus fines of up to $1,000.

Some 50 dogs a year are labeled dangerous by the Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control after investigations that include signed statements from witnesses and a review of hospital reports. Under the old law, their owners were required only to post signs and keep their animals in enclosed pens.

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Beijing Dogs Have a Dog's Life --See Footnote
By Christopher Bodeen
Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, July 10, 2001; 3:00 p.m. EDT
BEIJING -- The police car pulled into a Beijing park, sending a girl and her mother rushing to scoop their black and white puppy into a plastic shopping bag.
"Bring it out, let's have some cooperation," said a burly officer, swinging open the back of the patrol car where a dozen other dogs sat in cages. The women handed over the animal with a whimper of protest and bicycled away.
Beaten, eaten and treated like vermin, dogs in China have never had it easy. But owners say Beijing, China's tightly policed capital, is particularly tough. To burnish its bid for the 2008 Olympics, the city has intensified checks for clandestine canines.
The woman and her daughter's crime was to not have a license. Because licenses are prohibitively expensive for most residents, many dog owners simply abandon their confiscated pooches, then buy another for a fraction the cost of registering.
China introduced the Pekinese and other breeds to the world, but Beijing is, at first glance, dog-free. Unlike in many Western cities, there's rarely dog poop on its pavements.
Only early in the morning and after 8 p.m. does the city allow owners to walk legally registered dogs. Owners call it the "no sunshine on dogs" policy.
Unlicensed dogs can be seized at any time.
Dog ownership was considered a bourgeois affectation by Mao Tse-tung's communist revolutionaries and discouraged after they seized power in 1949. Ownership was tolerated after Mao died in 1976, but Beijing imposed tight restrictions in the 1990s under then-Mayor Chen Xitong. Chen supposedly hated dogs because he was bitten as a boy.
Large dogs are banned, although officials don't define how big is too big. Registering a small dog costs $600, about half the average annual wage in Beijing, and another $240 each year. Fines are added if the animal was first seized as an illegal.
For some Chinese, dogs are dinner not pets. Beijing has many dog meat restaurants and dog is on the menus of many ordinary eateries too.
But dog ownership is growing among well-heeled Beijingers, perhaps in part because couples are allowed just one child. Parents tend to indulge their "little emperors" and older couples look to dogs for company after their only child leaves home.
Beijing, a city of nearly 14 mill