Thursday, September 27, 2007

Puppy Mills

Many of you don't know what a puppy mill is. Click on this article and read it through. This is why you should do your homework before buying a dog. If you don't know how to buy a dog from a breeder, or how to adopt a dog from a shelter, I have an article at my web page describing what to look for. See www.SamTheDogTrainer.com

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Man Drags Pit Bull To Death Behind S.U.V.

An Indiana man angry that his pit bull had killed his Chihuahua dragged the pit bull to death behind an S.U.V., police said.

No, this isn't another story about O. J. Simpson... but it wouldn't surprise me if it was.

Friday, September 14, 2007

PUGGLE UPDATE

I have been hearing reports of a number of aggressive Puggles (Pug / Beagle mix). This is what I warned everyone about. Puggles are much like Beagles, and you need to work with a good dog trainer at the start when you get one. Spoiling will make a Puggle into a biter. Spoiling means you don't treat the dog like a dog, you don't train it, lead it, or manage it. You give inappropriate attention to bratty behaviors, and you give the dog the impression that it can discipline people and other animals, and that it can do whatever it wants. Rough treatment will also cause a Puggle to be a biter. They are going to be a bit tougher to house train. Novice dog owners use rough methods in their house training, and a Puggle is going to fight back eventually to these types of tactics. C'mon, folks. That is why you should get professional help in house training. Another reason your Puggle might be attacking people or other animals is a lack of socialization. Your dog can't be well adjusted if your dog is isolated from social interaction. Dogs are social animals, and isolation perverts their emotional growth.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

City To Ban Dog Barking

MOUNT DORA, FL - The city may put a leash on frequent dog-barking. Under a proposed change in Mount Dora's noise ordinance, dogs won't be able to just keep barking and barking, creating a disturbance in a neighborhood. Mount Dora already prohibits dogs from barking for five minutes at a time. But under the revised ordinance, even if dogs bark for less than five minutes, their owners can be cited by the city if the dog barks for three periods in 24 hours.

What a bunch of wackos. I have written about dog haters before. This law effectively bans dog ownership. Almost all dogs vocalize every day in some manner, often by barking. So, those of you who fight against breed specific legislation should get on this one as well, because instead of a specific breed ban, this is a general breed ban.

I think you should let your opinions be known to these city officials. The city web page can be found by clicking HERE. City Council - All Council members may be reached through the City Manager's office at City Hall at (352) 735-7126. To e-mail all of the Council members at one time, please click here. To e-mail a single Council member, please click on the appropriate name below.

James Yatsuk, Mayor

Melissa DeMarco, At-Large

James Homich, At-Large

Stewart Holley, District 1

Robert Thielhelm, Sr., District 2

Judy Smathers, District 3

Michael Tedder, District 4

Give them a piece of your mind. And if you have suggestions on a better law, then send that their way, too. And if you are a visitor to this town, then maybe you should take your business elsewhere.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Microchips Cause Cancer? I'd Like A Bit More Information

A series of veterinary and toxicology studies, dating to the mid-1990s, stated that chip implants had "induced" malignant tumors in some lab mice and rats. "The transponders were the cause of the tumors," said Keith Johnson, a retired toxicologic pathologist, explaining in a phone interview the findings of a 1996 study he led at the Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, Mich. "We stand by our implantable products which have been approved by the FDA and/or other U.S. regulatory authorities," Scott Silverman, VeriChip Corp. chairman and chief executive officer, said in a written response to AP questions. The company was "not aware of any studies that have resulted in malignant tumors in laboratory rats, mice and certainly not dogs or cats," but he added that millions of domestic pets have been implanted with microchips, without reports of significant problems.


This is quite alarming. Saying you are "not aware of any studies" isn't the same thing as saying that they don't increase the risk of cancer. I think there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrant some concern. Time for a study on pets to determine the actual risk, eh?