Dog Food Recall

Dick Van Patten's "Natural Balanced" Dog food has recalled some of its product over concerns about salmonella.

Animal Cruelty Syndrome?

I'm wary of creating new psychological disorders since they can create new classes of those with legally protected "disabilities". That being said, is there a justification for defining "Animal Cruelty Syndrome"? I do know this: that people who will abuse animals have something seriously wrong going on in their heads, and can cause a whole lot harm to animals and people. It's something that has attracted the attention of law enforcement, animal welfare activists, and the psycholocial community.

Hard Decisions

A man died trying to save his dog from drowning in a canal. These situations are always hard, and it's easy to say what you would or wouldn't do if you were faced with the same crisis. My rule in advance is always people safety first, animal safety second. This man had a wife (no mention if he had kids). They were relying on him, too. Sometimes you have to do hard things in life. What would you do in this situation?

Sick Pets And No Money

When people have to choose between medical care for their pets and survival, then the pet is put down. That's the truth and tragedy of this ongoing recession.

Cesar Millan Getting Divorced

Not good news. I hate divorce, yet I've been divorced. It really sucks. I wish both of them well.

Fat Dog Seized By Government

Council officials have seized a morbidly obese Bull Terrier from its owner and sent it to a "fat camp".

I'm not sure how I feel about this, from a legal standpoint. In my opinion, overfeeding a dog to the point it is suffering like this is clearly abuse. I support using the law to save abused animals. On the other hand, does this kind of thing set a precedent for other seizures of animals for reasons that aren't so serious? I just don't know. So, I guess I'll just wait and see...

Be Wise When Pooping Your Pup

Here's another story of someone who allegedly went bonkers and shot someone because they let their pup poop on their prized lawn. First off, if you have a dog, be as inconspicuous as possible when pottying your dog, and pick up after your dog. Second, if you are a nut about your yard and you don't want people pooping their pets in your yard, instead of packing a pistol, why not just build a fence? We all have to get along in this world, and nothing was worth the death of a human being over this kind of thing.

Marmaduke Movie

Here we go again. The new Marmaduke Movie comes out in theaters on June 4th. And once again, you can bet that people will go out and buy Great Danes without thinking about what they are getting into. Great Danes are a LOT of dog, not only in size but in cost and in terms of behavior. These were dogs designed to tackle big game. A number of years ago, I heard of two Great Danes attacking and mauling a black bear... Think about that some time. Danes aren't always good with other dogs, and you definitely don't want to get two of the same sex in the same home. Further, you MUST go to a reputable breeder, not a pet store or backyard breeder. With health problems galore, there are also dangerous behavioral instabilities that come along with certain colors, especially the merles.

That being said, I like the breed and have trained a number of them. But, they are not for the casual, impulse buyer. I already anticipate hearing stories of these dogs filling the shelters in about a year from now.

New Dog Web Page

I have been working for months on a new dog training web page. It features a lot of new content, a more user friendly look and navigation profile, and a new shopping cart. You can now order online lessons, dog food, and a variety of dog supplies. And there is a ton of other new stuff coming.

Check it out: Sam The Dog Trainer.com