Is This The Way You'd Want To Live?

Saudi Arabia's religious police have banned selling pet cats and dogs and walking them in public places in the country's capital Riyadh to preserve public morals.

That sounds pretty outrageous, doesn't it?

Then shouldn't we be just as outraged by animal rights advocates? They would also ban the selling of cats and dogs, and would outlaw the ownership of animals altogether. So, which is worse? Religious totalitarianism or some other form of totalitarianism? Totalitarians, collectivists of most sorts, will cross your personal boundaries to enforce their ways. They might even have good intentions. But, do the ends justify the means? Usually not.

Would you vote into office someone who was a such a religious fanatic that they would ban you from having a dog, or would severely restrict your ownership of a pet? Then think on this: Barack Obama supports animal rights. He said so. Are you going to vote for him?

Baby Killed By Puppy?

A dog attacked and killed a 2-month old baby boy who was left unattended in a swing, police said Monday afternoon. Officer Jason Willingham said the infant was mauled by either a Labrador puppy or a small pug at the boy's home and died at the scene. Police are not sure what caused the mauling or which dog killed the boy. Both dogs were taken to the Tulsa Animal Shelter, where Manager Jean Letcher said the lab was euthanized at the request of Tulsa police.

There is a lot more to this story. A lot more. Here are my immediate questions:

How is it that a baby is being mauled and no one hears it?
How is it that a puppy and pug maul a kid to death?
Why was the Lab euthanized but not the Pug?
Something really weird is going on here, right?

Can It Be Any Clearer?

A man chasing his dog across a railroad track in East Cleveland was apparently struck and killed by a train Saturday evening... The dog ran away while police investigated the accident.

THIS is why you train your dog.

So many people don't realize how important dog training is. They do a few puppy lessons at a pet store when they first get the dog. Then, the dog gets older, gets into trouble for stuff, learns to get away from Mr. or Mrs. Bad News when it is loose, and won't come back when you need the dog to come.

Does your dog come when called?

If your dog won't come when you call it, then it is not trained, and you have something seriously wrong in your relationship with your dog. It's not all about the dog. It is also about you, too.

Booze and Dogs Don't Mix

Here's some sorry idiot who was arrested for forcing his dog to run alongside his motorcycle... 30 MILES TO HOME!!!

The 50-year-old Remy was arrested Monday on a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. Police say he told them he was riding home to Queens _ about 30 miles away _ with the dog leashed to the handlebars, trying to keep up.

Drunkenness is shameful behavior and it triggers people to do terrible things. Most domestic crimes involve some form of intoxication. Think about it. Get some help if this is about you.

So, You Think Your Dog Is Too Friendly?

An Australian woman has been saved by a pet dog which leapt to her aid after she was attacked by a large kangaroo, her son has said.

This was probably a friendly dog. Just because a dog is friendly doesn't mean that it won't protect you. One of the biggest misconceptions by novices is to think that a dog needs to be "mean" or made nasty in order for the dog to protect them. Aggression is more complex than this, and making the dog a snarling monster isn't the answer.

So, why would a dog come out and rescue you? What would make that happen? Why would your dog put its life on the line for you?

Answer that, and you'll be on the right track.

Dog Dies In Hot Car

A dog died Wednesday from massive heat trauma after being left for a half hour inside a parked car. Police found the 3-year-old female French bulldog "limp and unconscious." The owner told police he left the dog unattended in his car for a half hour while inside the mall.

I checked the weather. It was between 80 to 90 degrees that day. That is super hot in Massachusetts. It doesn't take a rocket scientest to know that will kill a dog. Especially a flat faced breed such as this.

Dogs can take heat. I've seen it here in Arizona. Even bulldogs like this. There's just a way to do it and a way to not do it. Hot cars, regardless of the location, are a death trap for dogs and kids.

My rule of thumb: If you or a kid couldn't take the same heat, then your dog probably can't take that heat.

This Is Socialism & Your Dog

A Beijing law making it illegal to keep dogs taller than 35 centimeters (1.1 foot) means that dogs such as Deng's placid Golden Retriever are outlaws and can be locked up and put down if they are intercepted by the authorities

This is what socialists do. They try to regulate everything, thinking they know better than you do how to live your life.

What is socialism's effects?

"A socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state. It will prescribe for every one where they are to work, what they are to work at, where they may go and what they may say. Socialism is an attack on the right to breathe freely. No socialist system can be established without a political police. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the first instance." - Winston Churchill

Sounds like we are getting a heavy dose of it these days. It is here, it is in China, it is everywhere. It is a cancer that kills the very life out of a society.

Barack Obama is the first truly socialist major party candidate we've had running for President. He's even for animal rights, which is another socialist ideology. It is just another way of controlling human behavior for the benefit of the state. In Europe, they are now so foolish as to grant human rights to monkeys. Is this the kind of government you want? I don't.

This Presidential race isn't about race. It surely isn't for me. I don't care if the next President is white, black, male, or female. It is about the future. It is about whether this country is going to choose it's own slow suicide, just like we see happening in Europe. Socialism is a false religion, it favors the state over the individual, favors control over choice, and assumes that you are an idiot that needs to be forced to conform. Ever wonder why socialists swoon over global warming, animal rights, political correctness, destruction of faith, destruction of family, destruction of anything that makes people different or unique? Ever wonder why socialist states are in a continual state of malaise? I think the answer is pretty clear.

Ask yourself, is China better off now, even with these kinds of maddening rules, or the way it was under Mao? Of course it is better off now, because the state isn't as intrusive. Would China be better off without this kind of dog law, or is it better with this kind of dog law?

Stories like the one above are evidence to anyone with half a brain why socialism is evil and destructive.

Dog First Aid

Chocolate, grapes and raisins have been blamed for a staggering surge in the number of dogs being poisoned by sweet treats. In the last year, the number of canines who have become ill after eating chocolate has soared by 48 per cent. There has also been a 91 per cent increase in numbers of dogs poisoned after ingesting grapes, raisins or sultanas.And it has emerged that there has been an increase in the number of animals consuming painkillers - some of which vets say have been given to dogs by their owners to try and avoid paying vets' bills. The most common dog toxin was rat poison, followed by chocolate, Ibuprofen, paracetamol, oral contraceptives, grapes, raisins and sultanas and slug bait.

You'd think that every dog owner would know about this. Shouldn't vets tell them this during annual checkups?

74-Year-Old Florida Woman Mauled to Death by Her Two Dogs

74-Year-Old Florida Woman Mauled to Death by Her Two Dogs

I have posted about this topic before. Sometimes dogs will attack a weak member of the pack. I have seen this watching groups of dogs, when a psychologically weak dog enters the group. Sometimes, you can almost imagine a "Kick Me" sign is on the back of these dogs, because it is so predictable what is going to happen if you let them loose in an off leash area. If this woman had a stroke, or some other debilitating medical problem, it could have triggered this attack.

Since this is normal pack behavior, should the dogs have been put down? Tough question. The common sense answer would be to separate the dogs, evaluate them to see if they are normal dogs, and if they are normal, adopt them out to a new home. The emotional answer is to just kill the dogs. The legal answer is to kill the dogs to eliminate the liability. The moral answer? That's up to you to decide since humans have rightful dominion over the animals of this world, and we have to be good stewards of one another and of the animals.

It's kind of like the situation when a shark attacks a swimmer in the ocean. Or a bear or cougar attacks a person in the wild. Humans tend to go and hunt the animal down and kill it. Is this really right? I'd say no. The animal isn't abnormal. The people should be leaving it alone, unless the animal is a menace, can't be captured, and would be likely to kill or attack again. But, if you are in their domain, not in a human domain (a city, for example), then I just don't think it is right to kill the animal since that is where they live.

A Ton Of Interesting Dog Stories

1. VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Animal control officials in Genesee County, Michigan, apologized for mistakenly euthanizing a family's pet.

This happens more often that you might realize.

KENT, Wash. - A Kent man is furious after a dog he rescued was later euthanized by King County Animal Control.

I think some of these animal welfare groups should try taking on the animal shelters in this country. Many are poorly run, filthy, and treat dogs and their owners inhumanely. I have been appalled at some of the shelters I have visited over the years.

2. San Diego police and the county Department of Animal Services are investigating the death of a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois police dog named Forest who was found Friday in the back of his handler's squad car in Alpine, where the temperature soared to more than 100 degrees.

I question all these stories. They are like the ones where the parents leave the baby in the car all day in the sun, the baby dies, and the parents say they forgot the kid in the car. I think many of these cases, though not all of course, are purposeful and criminal.

3. Dog bites represented about one-third of all homeowners insurance claims last year, according to the study. "While the number of dog bite claims has remained about the same in the last three years, the average cost per claim continues to rise because of increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards, which have risen well above inflation in recent years," Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute

Can you say: Dog Training! Most dog bites can be prevented. Hire a professional when you get a dog.

Filth Found At Petco Warehouse

U.S. Marshals have seized pet food stored under allegedly unsanitary conditions in a rodent-infested west suburban PETCO distribution center. The distribution center, run by the San Diego-based PETCO, stores pet food products and supplies for PETCO retail stores in 16 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. According to the complaint, the FDA inspected the warehouse in April 2008, and found live and dead rodents and birds on or around the containers of pet food, as well as rodent pellets and bird droppings throughout the facility. Inspectors allegedly found holes and gaps in the warehouse allowing entry for the birds and rodents, and observed debris outside the building that can harbor rodents.

This is appalling.

Don't Let Busybodies Spoil Your Day

Dog day care may be the hot trend for pampered pets, but some homeowners in Crystal Lake are trying to pour water on a proposal to open one in their neighborhood, citing worries about yelps, smells and safety.

This is more about a bunch of busybodies than it is about doggie daycares. Properly run dog daycares, placed in areas that are zoned for business, are not a nuisance to the neighborhood. They are, in fact, a valuable asset to the community.

The first objection to this particular daycare is that it will be too noisy. The article says it will be located in an industrial building. Which means it isn't in a residence. The second objection is that the daycare will be smelly. Wrong. Doggie daycares aren't smelly. You can walk by any doggie daycare and you can't smell the dogs from the street. The third objection is the safety of children. This is a stupid charge since the dogs will be behind fencing in an industrial area of town. I have been training dogs at Paws to Play doggie daycare in Scottdale, AZ for nearly 2 1/2 years, so I can speak with some authority regarding this topic. Doggie daycares are an asset to any community. We have done amazing things for pet owners at Paws to Play, and I wholly endorse having a doggie daycare in your community.

This is a perfect example of what a bunch of dog haters will do in your town, if you let them. None of these "worries" are of a legimate nature. Dog haters, in my experience, are busybodies. They are meddlesome, snooping types who use the laws and the cover of being just normal folks to stir up strife and grief for others. They aren't normal. There is something wrong with THEM. You see these types at neighborhood meetings. They are the ones that get on your local homeowner's association boards, who introduce silly rules and harsh penalties to harm other people who are not really doing any harm to anyone.

Read this story and be warned. You have to fight back, and you have to fight hard. And in some communities, it is better to just move away and let them rot. In the end, sometimes the law will be on their side on a technicality, but in other cases, their arguments have no basis in fact and you can defeat their goofy agendas.

Don't Leave Your Dog Unsupervised In Your Back Yard!

The Salgados believe that Quantum was taken from their backyard by a man who might have been hoping to demand ransom for the dog, a trend that seems to be growing, said Jessie Miller of Animal Cruelty Heartline of El Paso.

"It is becoming more common that people are taking other people's dogs, then they call (the dog's owners) and want money," Miller said. She said she received eight such reports last year and two reports so far this year.

Proof That Breed Bans Don't Work

"The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act has failed because of its narrow focus on four breeds of dog. The owners of any other breed are left to largely do as they please regardless of the behaviour of the dog."

They banned certain breeds of dog in Britain. The law didn't cause a reduction in dog attacks. Just as most dog lovers had predicted.

In fact: "since its introduction the number of dog attack victims treated at hospital has more than doubled."

My Dog Bites Me When I Correct Him

Does this happen to you?

There is a simple answer: Stop surfing the internet and hire a dog trainer!

Most of the time, this is a result of something being wrong in your relationship with your dog. Either you're being too rough or you are spoiling your dog. In a small percentage of these cases, the dog has a medical problem, and your dog needs evaluation from a veterinarian.

The first stop on your journey, however, is to hire a professional dog trainer in your area.

So, Is Your Dog Too Friendly With Strangers?

When most people inquire of me about this topic, they are seeking to make their dogs into protection dogs, or they are asking because their dogs are nuisances and won't leave their guests alone.

Let's just put a fine point on this once and for all, eh?

Protection Dogs

First, if your dog wasn't bred to be a protection dog, then forget it. I'm talking about a police line dog, where the parents and grandparents and so on were all police or military dogs.

Second, there is a lot of hype out there regarding which breeds are the "ultimate guard dog". Sorry folks. Look at what the professionals buy and use, not what some breeder or guy selling books has to say. If you don't see the police or military using them, then your dog is the wrong breed.

Third, just because your dog is friendly doesn't mean it won't protect you. This is where novices get it all wrong. A friendly dog can also be a very protective dog in the right circumstances. Usually what novices perceive to be a protective dog is really just a fear biter or a dog that has been made vicious (and therefore completely worthless as a protection dog). A snarling, growling dog that lunges at everyone is almost always a dog that is unsuited to be a protection dog.

The Untrained Nuisance Dog

Sometimes this inquiry is from someone who has a dog that they aren't seeking to protect them at all. Instead, they have an untrained and poorly led dog that is a nuisance and a brat. The dog jumps on guests, won't leave anyone alone, and won't calm down. That's just a training problem, and a good trainer can give you ways of dealing with this without squashing your dog's spirit.

Electrocution of Dogs!

The New York Post reporter whose bullmastiff died after being jolted by electricity from a lamppost is suing the city and Con Ed. "How many more people, how many more pets, have to give their lives to make this point clear?" Denise Buffa said as she announced the legal action.

This is not a new problem in New York. There have been other pet deaths like this. Maybe it's time for Mayor Bloomberg to stop grandstanding for useless socialist legislation and fix the basics for a change. New York is broken. It is a corrupt mess, like Chicago and Los Angeles. I'm fed up, aren't you?

Barking Mad!

Owners of bed and breakfasts have been banned from keeping dogs in their kitchens under a European Union ruling that could see hundreds of family-run businesses close. Officials claim that the animals pose a potential health and safety hazard to guests' food.

Yeah. Sure. Right.

If dogs are so hazardous, then why aren't people getting deathly ill in their own homes if they own a dog? Obviously, they aren't.

Do you see why I distrust government regulation? Do you see why I advocate free enterprise, and rail against socialist and collectivist politicians and regulators? If you allow them, they will regulate every aspect of your life.

You've got to fight back.

People Manners

What should you do if you want to bring your dog over to a friend's house, but your friend doesn't want your dog there?

Don't bring the dog.

What if you want to bring the dog over to your girlfriend's / boyfriend's / fiancé's home? What if they don't want the dog there?

Don't bring the dog... and also make sure that you don't marry someone, or move in with someone, that doesn't like dogs or doesn't want your dog around. You are just asking for a lot of trouble, and possibly a painful breakup with either your dog or that person in the end.

Not everyone likes dogs. Not everyone likes your dog. Not everyone can have a dog in their home. Not everyone can be around dogs. Not everyone should be around your dog.

Why lose a friendship or get in a fight over something like this? I bring my dogs where they are welcome.

Then again, why keep a boyfriend, girlfriend or fiancé if they don't like dogs?

If it's not your home, you don't have a right to do what you want in someone else's home. If it is going to become your home, then either get the right to have the dog or don't make a home with that person.

More On Territoriality

Here's a case where a mastiff attacked an intruder. In this case, the dog was a hero. We want our dogs to guard our property and our families. So, clearly, there's nothing wrong with a dog being territorial and attacking.

As I've said over and over again, sometimes it is OK for a dog to bite someone.