Monday, June 25, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Breed Profile: Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon is a small sturdy dog with a distinctive face. Griffons have bulbous eyes, a walrus mustache, a pushed in nose and a prominent lower jaw. The coat comes in red, belge (black and reddish brown), black and tan, and black. Coat texture comes in two varieties, wiry and smooth.
Katie has a black wiry coat.
The smooth-coated are called Brabancons or Petit Brabancon. The smooth coat is recessive, so naturally the wiry coated Brussels Griffon are more common. Griffon, after all, means wiry.
At first known as the Griffon d'Ecurie (Stable Griffon), this dog was used in stables as ratters. The combination of the Affenpinscher and the Belgian street dog (a dog resembling a Fox Terrier) are believed to be the beginnings of the Griffon d' Ecurie. Later, some Pug, King Charles Spaniel and English Toy Spaniel were added to the mix to create the Brussels Griffon we know today.
Nowadays, the Brussels Griffon's job is companion. Still, he retains the verve that made him beloved back in his stable days. The Brussels Griffon tends to be a climber and therefore may "escape". This is especially problematic because he lacks a homing instinct (this from his Pug heritage, along with the pushed in nose).
The Brussels Griffon gets along well with other dogs as well as other pets. He can be a little bossy, however (Terrier heritage). He likes attention and affection, particularly from his favorite loved ones. He is a good watchdog and proves it by barking, sometimes a lot.
Some Facts Griffon
- life span 12-15 years
- the tail is typically docked to 1/3
- weight: 8-10 pounds
- height at shoulder: 9-11 inches
- also known as: Griffon Bruxellois, Griffon Belge, Belgian Griffon
- old Belgium folk songs tell of "bearded dogs"
Brussels Griffon Manifesto
I am an indoor dog, I want to be close to you, guard you, and let you heap praise upon me.
Next Breed Profile: Old English Sheepdog!
See some nice pictures
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Smell That?
Something smells in my house. And it ain't oven fresh cinnamon buns. It isn't even dog. It's a wrong smell. It seems to be coming from the basement.
It's probably not bugs either, but it's bugging the bleep out of me. See, bad smells are OK as long as they are in the style of asparagus scented urine. In other words, you don't like it, but you know why it is happening and you know it will not last long.
So what the heck is that smell? Mold? Dirt? A dead animal? Satanic visitation? (Remember Amityville Horror?!). It smells vaguely like bitter armpit rotten stump topped off with skunk scat. It also kinda smells like a sinus infection coupled with a garbage can that has been stewing in the garage for several days in August. Of course, I can't be sure anymore because my nose cilia have fled in fear.
Could it be the accumulation of countless odors collected in the structure of an old old house? Is it the ramped up version of what happens when somebody has a garlic and cumin seasoned lunch? You know, the curious dynamic that takes something that was pleasant going in and turns it into a new and decidedly unpleasant incarnation oozing out.
What can be done to kill this stench? There are many things that don't do any good. Walking around the house sniffing things, for instance, has proven profoundly ineffective. Ever hear of that volcanic rock that is supposed to absorb odors? Well, there are several plastic mesh bags of those rocks hanging in the basement. Every few months you're supposed to re energize the rocks by putting them in the sun. Every few years you're supposed to rejuvenate the rocks by soaking them in salt water for 24 hours, rinse them off, then put them in the sun for several hours. I whipped up a batch of salt water and soaked the bags. The next day the sun obligingly came out to shine it's magic on the bags of rocks. Now, the salted, rinsed and baked rocks once again hang in various areas of the basement. Suspicion grows that these bags of rocks are not only symbolic, but provide only one function: dubious decoration.
Meanwhile, outside the smelly house, the honeysuckle are in bloom. This is the first time I can recall not finding the assertive scent of honeysuckle cloying.
Throw open the windows! Run some fans! Air out the house! That's the ticket. Dang, the temperature is in the high eighties and the humidity is also in the high eighties. Let's hope that nice thick air will be more forceful with the smell then a delicate breeze would be.
OK. Let's crank up the dehumidifier. Something is happening! We've had to empty the collection bucket again and again.
The Handsome One helpfully lit a scented candle in the basement. Alas, it did not mask the smell. On the bright side, since we did not blow up, we know for certain that the smell is not gas.
Something else must be done! Speaking as one inclined to obsessive hand washing, how do I proceed without going extreme? Bringing in a garden hose and blasting everything is probably over the top. Let's tone it down a little and try a good bucket of sudsy water and a good sturdy brush. If that doesn't work I may wait for Divine intervention. While I'm waiting, it couldn't hurt to apply procrastination. This would allow the smell time to fade surely and gradually, the way my youthful skin tone did.
Smell results here.
It's probably not bugs either, but it's bugging the bleep out of me. See, bad smells are OK as long as they are in the style of asparagus scented urine. In other words, you don't like it, but you know why it is happening and you know it will not last long.
So what the heck is that smell? Mold? Dirt? A dead animal? Satanic visitation? (Remember Amityville Horror?!). It smells vaguely like bitter armpit rotten stump topped off with skunk scat. It also kinda smells like a sinus infection coupled with a garbage can that has been stewing in the garage for several days in August. Of course, I can't be sure anymore because my nose cilia have fled in fear.
Could it be the accumulation of countless odors collected in the structure of an old old house? Is it the ramped up version of what happens when somebody has a garlic and cumin seasoned lunch? You know, the curious dynamic that takes something that was pleasant going in and turns it into a new and decidedly unpleasant incarnation oozing out.
What can be done to kill this stench? There are many things that don't do any good. Walking around the house sniffing things, for instance, has proven profoundly ineffective. Ever hear of that volcanic rock that is supposed to absorb odors? Well, there are several plastic mesh bags of those rocks hanging in the basement. Every few months you're supposed to re energize the rocks by putting them in the sun. Every few years you're supposed to rejuvenate the rocks by soaking them in salt water for 24 hours, rinse them off, then put them in the sun for several hours. I whipped up a batch of salt water and soaked the bags. The next day the sun obligingly came out to shine it's magic on the bags of rocks. Now, the salted, rinsed and baked rocks once again hang in various areas of the basement. Suspicion grows that these bags of rocks are not only symbolic, but provide only one function: dubious decoration.
Meanwhile, outside the smelly house, the honeysuckle are in bloom. This is the first time I can recall not finding the assertive scent of honeysuckle cloying.
Throw open the windows! Run some fans! Air out the house! That's the ticket. Dang, the temperature is in the high eighties and the humidity is also in the high eighties. Let's hope that nice thick air will be more forceful with the smell then a delicate breeze would be.
OK. Let's crank up the dehumidifier. Something is happening! We've had to empty the collection bucket again and again.
The Handsome One helpfully lit a scented candle in the basement. Alas, it did not mask the smell. On the bright side, since we did not blow up, we know for certain that the smell is not gas.
Something else must be done! Speaking as one inclined to obsessive hand washing, how do I proceed without going extreme? Bringing in a garden hose and blasting everything is probably over the top. Let's tone it down a little and try a good bucket of sudsy water and a good sturdy brush. If that doesn't work I may wait for Divine intervention. While I'm waiting, it couldn't hurt to apply procrastination. This would allow the smell time to fade surely and gradually, the way my youthful skin tone did.
Smell results here.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Appaloosa are Spot On
Appaloosas are best known for their spots. The spots these horses sport vary from little pointillism dots to large blotches, or blankets, in pretty much every color horses come in.
Cro-Magnon man drew pictures of spotted horses on cave walls. Chinese Art from 500 BC displays horses with spots. Greek and Persian heroes were said to ride beautiful spotted horses.
Spanish Conquistadors brought some of these horses to the New World in the 1500's. The Nez Perce' tribe of the Pacific Northwest bred what they called the Palousy- named for a small river that flows into the Snake River in Southeastern Washington. The Nez Perce' needed horses to help hunt buffalo. That job required a quick, agile, brave and cooperative horse. The Palousy was well suited to the job. Their attractive appearance was a happy extra. These selectively bred horses are considered the foundation of the Appaloosa.
In the 1800's, the Indian Wars wiped out many of the horses. In 1938 the Appaloosa Horse Club was formed to protect and preserve the breed.
Some Appaloosa Qualities
- height: 14.2-16 hands
- four general coat patterns: blanket, spots, blanket with spots, and roan
- the coat patterns are further described: leopard, snowflake, frosted, marble
- the skin is mottled (spotted), this is most noticeable on the genitals, muzzle and around the eyes
- white sclera- the white area encircling the iris of the eye is visible
- vertically striped hooves
Appaloosas are prized not only for their beauty but for their hardiness and versatility. The Appaloosa is described as calm, gentle, sweet tempered, fast, docile, and enthusiastic- just to name a few of the compliments heaped on this splendid horse.
The Appaloosa is adept in both western and eastern applications. Here's a list of Appaloosa accomplishments:
pleasure riding
harness horse
parade
roping
barrel racing
distance competition
dressage
jumping
polo
middle distance (220 yards/ 8 furlongs) racing
service horses for the handicapped
mounted police
for more information:
http://www.icaainc.com/breed_standards.htm
see some nice pictures:
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-breeds/profiles/appaloosa-horse.aspx
Spanish Conquistadors brought some of these horses to the New World in the 1500's. The Nez Perce' tribe of the Pacific Northwest bred what they called the Palousy- named for a small river that flows into the Snake River in Southeastern Washington. The Nez Perce' needed horses to help hunt buffalo. That job required a quick, agile, brave and cooperative horse. The Palousy was well suited to the job. Their attractive appearance was a happy extra. These selectively bred horses are considered the foundation of the Appaloosa.
In the 1800's, the Indian Wars wiped out many of the horses. In 1938 the Appaloosa Horse Club was formed to protect and preserve the breed.
Some Appaloosa Qualities
- height: 14.2-16 hands
- four general coat patterns: blanket, spots, blanket with spots, and roan
- the coat patterns are further described: leopard, snowflake, frosted, marble
- the skin is mottled (spotted), this is most noticeable on the genitals, muzzle and around the eyes
- white sclera- the white area encircling the iris of the eye is visible
- vertically striped hooves
Appaloosas are prized not only for their beauty but for their hardiness and versatility. The Appaloosa is described as calm, gentle, sweet tempered, fast, docile, and enthusiastic- just to name a few of the compliments heaped on this splendid horse.
The Appaloosa is adept in both western and eastern applications. Here's a list of Appaloosa accomplishments:
pleasure riding
harness horse
parade
roping
barrel racing
distance competition
dressage
jumping
polo
middle distance (220 yards/ 8 furlongs) racing
service horses for the handicapped
mounted police
for more information:
http://www.icaainc.com/breed_standards.htm
see some nice pictures:
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-breeds/profiles/appaloosa-horse.aspx
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Playing Favorites
Let's talk about favorites. My favorite dog ever: Carla. My favorite human is my husband, The Handsome One. My favorite turtle is Malcom. My favorite snack is popcorn.
These are the ' I like you best' categories of favorites. While fun to talk about, this type of favoritism is not what today's topic will address.
We will explore the kind of favoritism that helps maintain order within group of dogs. Playing favorites can be a handy tool for keeping the peace and exerting control. In other words, bossing your dogs around.
You see, one of the nifty things about being pack leader is playing favorites is built into the arrangement. Indeed, if you believe in the theory of pack hierarchy, then you must play favorites.
To review, the hierarchy malarkey goes something like this. Wolves live in groups known as packs. Somebody is in charge of that group. He is the alpha and gets to boss around the other wolves and gets first dibs on the best of important stuff like food, places to sleep and mates.
Hierarchy is elastic and situational. Elderly wolves who once were alpha, move down the order as younger stronger wolves move up. The alpha may suspend his dominance in certain situations, for example, he may let puppies invade his space and even take a nip at him.
Even if you believe that dogs and wolves follow the same hierarchical rules, what cannot be ignored is that dogs and wolves have different lifestyles. Dogs live with people and therefore must play by people rules. I am unapologetically anthropomorphic at times, but this isn't one of them. Dogs obey people rules for the simple reason that they live with people. It is in their best interest to go along with the human agenda. People have the thumbs and thumbs give us the edge in our environment. So dogs cooperate. Let the human be the alpha. Sit up to get a treat. You do what ya gotta do. (Kind of like how people work to get a pay check).
Some of you may recall, "It Happened in January", where I began the saga of Carla and Lester and Rose.
http://petsandothercritters.blogspot.com/2012/01/it-happened-in-january.html
There we were, THO, me and Carla. All was peaceful. THO and I were boss. Carla complied because we were so darn much fun to live with. Enter: two puppies. Carla was not pleased with this new arrangement. These new creatures were whiny, needy and all around irritants. Carla was no dummy. All puppies are whiny, needy and irritating, which is why God made them cute.
Since we were now a gang of five rather than three, a hierarchy developed. THO and I stayed on top, of course, Carla got second tier. It happened naturally when the puppies were young but we reinforced it as they got older. Why? Playing favorites.
"Don't bother the big dog" became a command. Whenever Lester or Rose got pushy, or cut ahead in line to the backdoor, they were reminded, 'don't bother the big dog'. (I like to think Carla appreciated this). As it turned out, as he grew, Lester conveyed aspirations for a higher spot in our hierarchy. The 'don't bother the big dog' nipped it in the bud. Why does that matter? Because I say so. Seriously, it's like choosing a manager to run one of your departments. You pick the one you think is best for the job, some other employee's aspirations notwithstanding.
Through their years together, the three dogs got along just fine, thank you. After Carla died, a new puppy entered our home and the hierarchy shuffle began anew. That puppy's name was Lois.
What kind of favorite she is, is another story for another day.
These are the ' I like you best' categories of favorites. While fun to talk about, this type of favoritism is not what today's topic will address.
We will explore the kind of favoritism that helps maintain order within group of dogs. Playing favorites can be a handy tool for keeping the peace and exerting control. In other words, bossing your dogs around.
You see, one of the nifty things about being pack leader is playing favorites is built into the arrangement. Indeed, if you believe in the theory of pack hierarchy, then you must play favorites.
To review, the hierarchy malarkey goes something like this. Wolves live in groups known as packs. Somebody is in charge of that group. He is the alpha and gets to boss around the other wolves and gets first dibs on the best of important stuff like food, places to sleep and mates.
Hierarchy is elastic and situational. Elderly wolves who once were alpha, move down the order as younger stronger wolves move up. The alpha may suspend his dominance in certain situations, for example, he may let puppies invade his space and even take a nip at him.
Even if you believe that dogs and wolves follow the same hierarchical rules, what cannot be ignored is that dogs and wolves have different lifestyles. Dogs live with people and therefore must play by people rules. I am unapologetically anthropomorphic at times, but this isn't one of them. Dogs obey people rules for the simple reason that they live with people. It is in their best interest to go along with the human agenda. People have the thumbs and thumbs give us the edge in our environment. So dogs cooperate. Let the human be the alpha. Sit up to get a treat. You do what ya gotta do. (Kind of like how people work to get a pay check).
Some of you may recall, "It Happened in January", where I began the saga of Carla and Lester and Rose.
http://petsandothercritters.blogspot.com/2012/01/it-happened-in-january.html
There we were, THO, me and Carla. All was peaceful. THO and I were boss. Carla complied because we were so darn much fun to live with. Enter: two puppies. Carla was not pleased with this new arrangement. These new creatures were whiny, needy and all around irritants. Carla was no dummy. All puppies are whiny, needy and irritating, which is why God made them cute.
Since we were now a gang of five rather than three, a hierarchy developed. THO and I stayed on top, of course, Carla got second tier. It happened naturally when the puppies were young but we reinforced it as they got older. Why? Playing favorites.
"Don't bother the big dog" became a command. Whenever Lester or Rose got pushy, or cut ahead in line to the backdoor, they were reminded, 'don't bother the big dog'. (I like to think Carla appreciated this). As it turned out, as he grew, Lester conveyed aspirations for a higher spot in our hierarchy. The 'don't bother the big dog' nipped it in the bud. Why does that matter? Because I say so. Seriously, it's like choosing a manager to run one of your departments. You pick the one you think is best for the job, some other employee's aspirations notwithstanding.
Through their years together, the three dogs got along just fine, thank you. After Carla died, a new puppy entered our home and the hierarchy shuffle began anew. That puppy's name was Lois.
What kind of favorite she is, is another story for another day.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Breed Profile: Kuvasz
The Kuvasz is a burly dog with a serious attitude and plenty of stamina. He is polite but not demonstrative. He is bold, with intelligence and initiative. Novice dog owners will be in over their heads with this breed.
Also known as the Hungarian Kuvasz, probably because it was there that this breed was developed into the dog we know today. It is believed that the breed originated in Tibet and was brought to Hungary by nomadic Turks sometime during the Middle Ages. The Kuvasz was owned only by royalty for centuries, serving as companions, guards and hunters. The dog is large enough to take down a bear, wolf, or trespasser. During the reign of King Matthias, in the fifteenth century, the breed was carefully developed. Indeed, King Matthias was a great lover of the breed. It is said he trusted no person, only his Kuvasz dogs.
In later centuries, commoners used the Kuvasz to herd and guard their livestock.
The name, Kuvasz is likely a mix of kawasz (Turkish) meaning armed guard of the nobility and kawwasz (Arabian) which means archer- signifying the unexcelled guarding instinct of the breed.
The plural of Kuvasz is Kuvaszok.
Kuvasz Manifesto
- I will protect you, your children and your animals. But other dogs beware!
- don't micro manage me. I am quite capable of determining what needs to be done
- if you want a really big lap dog, get a Mastiff
The Kuvasz is a sure footed agile dog with good scent ability. He can hunt and herd, but is most keen to protect. He has a strong instinct to protect his family. Owners need to understand this. Though the Kuvasz is patient with children, he may misinterpret children's play as a threat and intervene unnecessarily.
Kuvaszok are sensitive, the most effective training is done with praise.
Some Kuvasz Facts
- weight: 70-115 pounds
- height at shoulder: 26-30 inches
- litter size 7-8
- life span: 9-12 years
- coat: white, double with a soft undercoat and a straight or wavy medium length outer coat. The coat is purported to be odorless!
- skin color ranges from slate gray to black
see some nice photos:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/kuvasz/photos.cfm
Next Breed Profile: Brussels Griffon!
Also known as the Hungarian Kuvasz, probably because it was there that this breed was developed into the dog we know today. It is believed that the breed originated in Tibet and was brought to Hungary by nomadic Turks sometime during the Middle Ages. The Kuvasz was owned only by royalty for centuries, serving as companions, guards and hunters. The dog is large enough to take down a bear, wolf, or trespasser. During the reign of King Matthias, in the fifteenth century, the breed was carefully developed. Indeed, King Matthias was a great lover of the breed. It is said he trusted no person, only his Kuvasz dogs.
In later centuries, commoners used the Kuvasz to herd and guard their livestock.
The name, Kuvasz is likely a mix of kawasz (Turkish) meaning armed guard of the nobility and kawwasz (Arabian) which means archer- signifying the unexcelled guarding instinct of the breed.
The plural of Kuvasz is Kuvaszok.
Kuvasz Manifesto
- I will protect you, your children and your animals. But other dogs beware!
- don't micro manage me. I am quite capable of determining what needs to be done
- if you want a really big lap dog, get a Mastiff
The Kuvasz is a sure footed agile dog with good scent ability. He can hunt and herd, but is most keen to protect. He has a strong instinct to protect his family. Owners need to understand this. Though the Kuvasz is patient with children, he may misinterpret children's play as a threat and intervene unnecessarily.
Kuvaszok are sensitive, the most effective training is done with praise.
Some Kuvasz Facts
- weight: 70-115 pounds
- height at shoulder: 26-30 inches
- litter size 7-8
- life span: 9-12 years
- coat: white, double with a soft undercoat and a straight or wavy medium length outer coat. The coat is purported to be odorless!
- skin color ranges from slate gray to black
see some nice photos:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/kuvasz/photos.cfm
Next Breed Profile: Brussels Griffon!
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