Breed Profile: Golden Retriever

Given their sturdy beauty and affable nature, it is not surprising that the Golden Retriever is a popular family dog.

Some Golden Retriever Facts

-  height at shoulder:  22-24 inches

-  weight:  55-75 pounds

-  life span:  10-12 years

-  coat colors:  cream to reddish gold


Yes, they shed.  (They are, after all, mammals with hair.)  Golden Retrievers have a double coat.  The under coat is soft and provides insulation from both heat and cold.  The outer coat is not "water proof" but does have a water deflection quality - imagine the hairs like grass covered in dew.  This coat works well when the dog is retrieving game in water or cavorting with children in a kiddie pool.

Caring for the coat requires at least twice weekly brushing to avoid matts.

In mid 19th century England, desiring a retriever tough enough to handle rugged terrain and a strong swimmer with a good work ethic, some careful breeding was undertaken by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, the Lord Tweedmouth.  Speaking of mouths, the retriever also required a "soft mouth".   In other words, the dog shouldn't damage the bird by carrying it.  An intact bird makes for better eating, don't  you know.

Sir Dudley began with a dog named Nous (a yellow Wavy-Coated Retriever- a breed used by fisherman developed from Newfoundlands and Labrador Retrievers) and Belle (a Tweed Water Spaniel- a liver colored retriever with a curly coat).  This union produced four puppies. 

These dogs were then combined with assorted retrievers, more Tweed Spaniels, setters and Bloodhounds to develop what was then called the Flat Coated Retriever. 

In the early 1900's the breed came to the USA.  In 1927 the American Kennel Club officially recognized the Golden Retriever.

 

 

 

 

Golden Manifesto

 

-  everybody is my friend, I just haven't met them all yet

 

-  I will vivaciously participate in obedience, service work, search and rescue, hunting, agility, rally, therapy, nanny duty, whatever- all I ask is not to be left alone, I am a social creature

 

-  if you want a watchdog, get a Terrier (oh good!  I'll meet another friend!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Golden Retrievers are strong, athletic and full of energy.  For best results, offer them plenty of exercise, play and something to do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George and the Baby Bird

 

Something Rarely Discussed about Spayed Dogs

We've been told about the advantages of spaying our dog.  A spayed female doesn't go into heat, doesn't attract sex crazed males, doesn't get pregnant, doesn't leave messy menstrual stains on the couch, and has a lower incidence of breast cancer.

There is something rarely mentioned about the effects of spaying. 

A spayed female's vulva tends to be smaller and deeper than a non spayed gal.  You see, when a bitch goes into heat the vulva enlarges, becomes swollen.  It sort of fills the space.  Picture the dog's vulva as a garlic clove in a cup. The natural vulva is like a large garlic clove filling the cup, while a spayed vulva is a small garlic clove sitting lonely at the bottom of the cup.  You might say the non spayed vulva never builds up, or rather you might say, it atrophies from non use.

This smaller vulva presents, as my vet says, as an "immature conformation". 

So what, you ask?

 

 

 

 

The deeper vulva construction is more vulnerable to infection.  When there is so much space in a sort of deep dark dirty well, germs and yeast and who knows what just naturally gather.  These villians travel on down that well and pretty soon the dog has a bladder infection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's the conscientious owner of a spayed dog to do? 

Keep it as clean as you can.  Most of us don't bathe our dog, and hence her nether zone, as often as we bathe ourselves.  Still, there are ways to keep her clean short of a full bath.  You could squirt her between the legs with the garden hose.  You could soap up a wash cloth and scrub her area then rinse off the cloth and repeat. 

After some bladder infections and vulvitis episodes occurred with some of my girls, I started a new daily routine.  The good girl rolls over on her back and allows me to drop some diluted iodine onto her vulva.

So far so good.

Keeping our fingers (but not our legs!) crossed.

Birds and Personal Space

We've all heard of pecking order in birds.  It's a designation of hierarchy indicating who has the greatest power in the flock.  You can usually pick out the highest ranking bird when observing the activities in a cage full of birds.  The highest ranking bird is allowed access to the bath first.  Other birds move away from the food dish when Top Bird approaches.  This lower ranking bird behavior is not like the fawning deference sycophants give to an emperor, but rather a practical matter of letting someone be alpha to keep things nice and peaceful.  Let Top Bird use the swing and he won't peck your head.  It's a no-brainer for the average bird with no aspirations toward leadership.

There are other interesting social activities happening in a birdcage. For instance, you can tell who is friends with who, by what you might call Perching Order.

Birds that are pals sit close to each other.

Then there are the times when even good pals don't want to be joined at the hip.

 Then there are birds who are not pals.  For such birds, an Allow at Least Two Bird Lengths Between Cage Mates rule applies.

Some cage mates would rather not share the same perch.

This is why it's a good idea to offer plenty of perches in a cage, this increases the likelihood that each bird will have as much space as is desirable.  Giving the caged bird freedom to maintain his personal space keeps squabbling to a minimum.

Mourning Doves

Mourning Doves are the most abundant and widespread of the doves, they are found throughout the US and in southern Canada.  Except in the most northern reaches of it's territory, Mourning Doves are year round residents.  

Mourning Dove's wings make a distinctive whistling sound when they take flight.  They are about the size of a Blue Jay, (11-13 inches long) with gray and tan markings, a long white trimmed tapering tail, and orange feet.  Males can be distinguished by a rose tinted breast.  During courtship, the male can be seen bowing and doing a sort of wing flap dance.  

Mourning Doves feed on the ground, eating mainly grains and bugs.  During nestling, a gland inside their crop produces a thick liquid.  The baby bird reaches inside the parent's beak to eat this "pigeon milk".

The nest is a flimsy collection of twigs.  During nest construction, the female remains at the nest site while the male gathers twigs.  He delivers them one at the time to the female.  

Male and female share in the incubation of (on average) two eggs.  They hold to a rather strict schedule, remaining on the nest for their full shift.  The male's shift is morning until evening and the female's shift is evening until morning.  After 14-15 days, the young hatch and nestling lasts 12-13 days.  Fledgling takes about a week, during which time the youngsters perch near the nest and gradually move further away until they finally join a flock of other Mourning Doves.




Hear the Mourning Dove's voice
This call is heard throughout the breeding season, especially by males looking for a mate.  Another shorter call is used by males and females to talk to each other, mostly while nesting.  This call sounds like the first three notes of the longer call. 

Pop Culture Frenzy, Round 12

Welcome once again to Pop Culture Frenzy.  Let's begin.

Some guy from Utah found a two year old McDonald's hamburger in his pocket.  He claims it still looked "brand new".  That thrilled him so much he put it back in his pocket.  Some 14 years later, he claims the hamburger looks "almost new".  This guy has started a blog and has appeared on TV thanks to a hamburger he bought in 1999. 

He's taken it out of his pocket and brought it on vacation with him.  Where did the "oldest hamburger" recently recreate?

Fluffy?

 Hang gliding over El Camino Memorial Park

 to buzz Ray Kroc's grave?

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Bryan?

 

 

Wrangling at a cattle ranch?

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Molly?

 

 

 

Checked in for an endurance evaluation
 at a Consumer Testing Laboratory?

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Cyndi?

 

 

Disney World?

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  correct.

 

So ends another round.

Round 12
Fluffy/Molly  6
Bryan/Cyndi  6

 

 

 

 

 

Dang.  I planned to use Disney World as a punch line.

 

Malcom's Secret

As many of you know, Malcom the tortoise and I have been living together for nearly forty years.  Way back when we met, I named him Malcom because I liked the name.  With the name, Malcom became a "he".  The possibility that Malcom was not a he was always there.  Now it is glaringly there because yesterday something unexpected was found in Malcom's enclosure.

 

 

Gosh Malcom, we didn't know you had it in you!

Pop Culture Frenzy, Round 11

Welcome once again to Pop Culture Frenzy.

 In our last Round, our question was guess some of the strange courses available for credit at major universities.  One such course is Tree Climbing.  Can you name another?
Molly?

 

Identifying edible objects?

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Fluffy?

 

 

 

Balloon Art Appreciation?

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Bryan?

 

 

 

The Art of the Squeak Toy?

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Cyndi?

 

 

 

The literature of Jackie Collins?

 

 

Hostmaster:  close.

Fluffy?

 

 

John Irving?

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Bryan?

 

 

 

Charles M. Schulz?

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Molly?

 

 

 

The Pooch Cafe guy, Paul Gilligan?

 

 

 

 

Hostmaster:  incorrect.

Cyndi?

 

 

 

Harry Potter?

 

 

 

 

 

Correct.  Yes, there is a college English course focused on the Origins and Influences of Harry Potter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Well, one good thing came from Harry Potter.  Fang.

 

 

 

 

 

Round 11

Fluffy/Molly   6

Bryan/Cyndi   5