Here's a great bunch of tips for the photographer inside of you...hope you find it informative! –Kim

10 Tips for Getting Great Photos of Your Dog

Sometimes we really wonder...with ears propped, head angled just a liiiittle to the right, and paws frozen in stance, our Mr. Snuffers McSnufferton seems to know when a camera's around. Does he know we're snapping a photo of him? He must!

Interesting then that he's so choosy about when he wants to have his photo taken. We don't blame him for feeling a little self conscious – that bargain pooch haircut, no bueno.

While we wait for that mop chop to grow out, and for our pupsters to feel a little more camera ready, we're going to capture all of his tail waggin', tongue hangin', grass chompin' charm with these handy bribes, er, tips!

1. The treat trick

Ahhh, the treat trick. Nothin' like some good old fashioned bribery to get your pup to do what you want. Sounds easy enough, but trust us when we say there's more to it than just waving a treat around.

Sweeten your pup up first by giving him a few small treats – comfortable and happy is the goal! When he knows you have the treats and that you're freely giving them out, keep them in your hand and near your camera while you start to photograph.

Another option is taping the treat to the top of your camera – this way, your pup's eyes will always be towards the lens! ('Course if you think your pooch might lunge for it, be cautious!)

We like to call these dog photo traps (not to be confused with the equally cool National Geographic photo traps).

Is there something your dogstinator can't resist? Drinking out of the toilet? An open screen door? An open bag of dog food conspicuously positioned smack dab in the middle of the kitchen? These are all ways to lure your dog out for some funny action shots!

Tailor it to your dog's quirks. For example, our pooch-face loves chasing leaves that are blowing in the wind. For some cute pics, we'll get him near a leaf pile. If there's no wind, we'll get a friend to help us get some up in the air!

3. Simple and colorful blankets, backgrounds and toys

Here's an easy one: simple backgrounds. They make for great dog photos! A simple, stuff-free background brings all the attention to your doggy. A blank wall, background, blanket – get your pup in front of one of these.

Colorful rugs, blankets and toys are the perfect way to brighten up the photo and will make your subject (aka pupperz) pop all the more.

4. How to make your dog smile

This trick works like a charm every time. Take your main woofer for a quick sprint around the backyard/block/living room. If pup's not in a sprinting mood, throw a toy around to get him active.

Bring him back to the spot you want to photograph. At this point, your pup should be panting up a storm, a.k.a. looking up at you with a big cute, tongue-hangy grin! Aim, shoot, "awww."

5. Candid photos: See what your dog is doing when you're not looking

There are three methods to candid photos of your canine companion. They work best when not used with flash since flash will grab your dog's attention. If you're indoors, instead of flash, set your camera on high ISO, sports mode or any mode that lets you take photos in low-light conditions.

6. Get on your dog's eye level

All those photos you have of your kibble-nibbler from above are lovely, but you're probably tired of seeing your feet in all of your shots. Get down to your poocherton's eye level.

Chances are they'll be less distracted by you hovering from above and if you sit at their level long enough, they will start to get more comfy with you and your camera. Getting on their level also softens the master/follower hierarchy – now, you see your dog as an equal!

7. Catch 'em in a chillaxed mood

Wait 'til after you take them to the park or on a walk for your photo session; they'll be in a more relaxed and comfortable mood. Chances are you'll get some great pics of your dog lounging or sleeping!

8. Prepare to shoot on special occasions!

Baths, dog-friend birthday parties, doggy watersides, doggy trampolines. You get the picture.

9. Make a doggy composite

Get close up shots of your dog's most adorable parts - tufted paws, curly tail, shiny round nose. Put the photos together to make a doggy composite! This would look especially sharp framed and hung together in a block on your wall. (You can even make a dog photo block!)

10. Let your pooch do the shooting

Have you heard of Doggie Cam? You can use a Gorillapod (a bendy tripod) to attach a camera to your dog. Wrap the Gorillapod around your doggy's collar, turn the camera on video mode (or set the photo timer), and see where he goes and what he does!

The Don'ts

And there you have it! 10 tips for getting great photos of your pooch. Mix play with photos, and you're in for a photo session that will keep your dog happy, too!

This article was written for Dogster by Photojojo, an insanely great photo newsletter. It's chock full of original DIY projects and tips that pretty much anyone can do! You'll also find the raddest, most neat-o-est goodies in the Photojojo Shop.

Source: http://www.dogster.com/dog-pictures/take-great-dog-photos
Copyright 2003-2011 Dogster, Inc.

Here's a true story that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Bugsy, the Surfer Pug

Visitors to Waikiki Beach may do a double-take at the four-legged surfer boarding in to shore, but the regulars don't blink. They know the eight-year-old pug is Bugsy, a local legend whose owner, David Yew, taught the dude, er, dog to surf.

Visitors to Hawaii's Waikiki Beach may do a double take at the four-legged surfer boarding in to shore, but the regulars don't blink. They know the eight-year-old pug is Bugsy, a local legend whose owner, David Yew, taught the dude, er, dog to surf.

Yew, 39, got the notion while he and Bugsy were out walking on the beach and came upon a statue of a surfer. Yew plunked the dog down on the surfboard to take a photo, and the scene looked so natural that Yew was inspired to take the next step. Soon enough, the two were tandem surfing. In fact, The Washington Post tagged Bugsy as a nominee for "Best Pet Tricks."

"The first time we paddled out," Yew says, "Bugsy ran right to the front of the board to hang ten." (That's "hang eight," really – dogs have four toes per paw.)

The duo ride a 335-centimetre, rubber-padded longboard. "It gives Bugsy a better grip," Yew says. Not that the dog minds wiping out. He loves the water and dog-paddles so well that Yew has trouble keeping up.

Bugsy wasn't always so frisky. Two days after Yew, a doctor of emergency medicine, adopted the 12-week-old puppy from a shelter, Bugsy came down with kennel cough, which progressed to pneumonia. Yew rushed the pug to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a veterinary hospital, where he stayed until Yew could no longer afford to keep him there. Bugsy needed further treatment, so Yew built his own ICU in his apartment. He covered an empty fish tank with plastic to use it for nebuliser treatments and gave the ailing pup intravenous antibiotics. Bugsy pulled through.

Since then, the doc and dog have been inseparable. "Saving Bugsy's life created unconditional trust between us," Yew says. "He knows I'll take care of him no matter what."

That may be what fuels Bugsy's spirit. The pair surf together every week and have shared other escapades, including skydiving. At Yew's wedding to dentist Aimee Kim last year, a tuxedoed Bugsy carried the rings down the aisle tucked into a pillow on his back.

Bugsy and Yew have given up skydiving, at the bride’s insistence. But hang up the board? No way. Says Yew, "I want this dog to experience the same joy that I have in my life."

http://www.rdasia.com/amazing-pets
© 2011 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

Valuable Resource...

Product Review:
Got an Anxious Pup? Silver Lining Herbs Can Help!

In my years of being a doggy parent, and especially throughout my work with rescue dogs, I have many times come across dogs with fear and anxiety issues...

• fear of thunderstorms,
• fear of loud noises,
• fear of the groomer,
• fear of the Vet,
• you name it!

As a mom to an excruciatingly thunderphobic rescued Rat Terrier, I have tried many over-the-counter calming aids and sprays with little results. Whereas I used to enjoy looking forward to the advent of Spring in the Midwest and the subsequent April showers, I usually watch the Weather Channel in dread. Just the scent of rain in the wind can now send my "Sam" into a panic.

(I've found him trembling in the dark corner of my kitchen closet pantry, behind the pop bottles... this after a long search. At least, this is better than behind the toilet.)

I'll have to admit that, when I decided to try "Keep Cool" by Silver Lining Herbs, I was a little skeptical. Sam had become more and more paranoid over the past couple of years, seeming to grow worse with every storm. His anxiety was increasing to include the sound of trucks, so his paranoia was becoming year 'round. He even began to bark and hide when large groups of people came to visit, like on family birthdays.

So, when I first gave Sam one of the little herbal capsules (in a small meatball), I wasn't expecting much... until I realized a couple hours later he was laying relaxed on the couch in the middle of company ... hmmmmmm ... that's odd ... coincidence?

Tried it again when the groomer came to groom my Groomer-hating Yorkie... gave it to Sam AND my Yorkie... peace again! Both dogs were calm and NORMAL, not sleepy or drugged, just relaxed and alert. I could actually cut my Yorkie's nails. Sam didn't bark like a fanatic.

The true test came in March when we had our first storm of the season. I gave Sam the Keep Cool herbs about an hour before I knew the storm was supposed to hit. By the time the thunder started, he was relaxed and prepared. He didn't even hide this time; he just laid on the kitchen rug next to me while I was on the computer, alert but calm.

Sam has since weathered (pun) several storms the past few weeks, handled them fine, even slept in his bed during the night when the storms came through during the wee morning hours. I am actually beginning to enjoy Spring again!

(Now, I need to make sure the grid is off the drain pipe in the back, and not plugged with leaves, so the rain water doesn't back up to the house and leak into my basement... but I don't think Silver Lining Herbs can help with THAT. At least, SAM is calm as he watches me run out in the rain to unplug the pipe... maybe I should take them!)

Keep Cool by Silver Lining Herbs really works! In my experience, it really does help my anxious or nervous dogs relax. I like the fact that my dogs remain calm and focused, not sleepy. The herbs are all natural, too, no extra unnecessary ingredients. Plus, and this is a BIG plus, the company is wonderful to work with... the service prompt and the personnel gracious. Easy to order, and their products are not expensive.

So, I thought I would just pass this info on to you, as a fellow dog owner who may be still dreading Spring and storm season, or struggling with anxious dogs in general – there is hope! Give Silver Lining Herbs "Keep Cool" a try (product #20)... your dog may rest easier, and you could save your sanity.

~~ Kim

PS - You may want to check out their other natural products for dogs, as well as for horses!

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

10 Reasons NOT to Buy a Puppy from a Pet Store
By: Cathrine M. Sheeter

Other positive alternatives are adopting a dog from your local shelter or adopting a rescue dog from various rescue organizations located throughout the United States. Every breed of dog registered by the AKC has at least one rescue organization that will take in dogs of that breed and places them in new loving homes. There are endless numbers of dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages and personalities in need of a new loving home. When you obtain a dog from one of these organizations, you are more than saving that dog's life. You are also sparing a female dog in some puppy mill from being condemned to produce yet another litter for pet shop sales. So, please be rational and thoughtful when you go to get your next dog and help prevent irresponsible pet ownership.

A pet store is generally the worst place to buy a puppy. As long as there is a market for pet store puppies, other dogs will be condemned to death by mass breeding only so that a few people can make some money, often with no thought of the welfare of their "product." This is not to say that a good pet has never come out of a pet store, as many have. For each that has, though, many others have not. Remember, when you buy a puppy, you are adding another member to your family, not just another piece of furniture that can be disposed of at the smallest whim. You would not have a child without careful research and planning for the child's future ten or fifteen years down the road. Your new dog should be no different. Adding a dog to the family is a long-term commitment, and responsibility that should be taken seriously and only acted upon after careful consideration and research.

Source: I Heart Paws

Here's a great story that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Paige, the Helpful Border Collie

Meet an amazing pup that gathers laundry, helps with the dishes and puts away groceries. Paige, a Border Collie from Fairfax, Va., likes to help clean up around the office.

Who wouldn't want a dog that does the laundry, picks up toys, puts away groceries, tosses out trash and looks for ways to help around the house?

Gee, I can hardly get my kids to do that stuff!

Lauren Girard's four-year-old border collie, Paige, fits the bill. In fact, The Washington Post tagged Paige the winner for "Best Pet Tricks" (at two-years-old).

Border collies are smart – this is not news. But not every border collie has the kind of talent (or the star quality) that Paige has. Paige's owner, Lauren Girard of Washington D.C., works with the two-year-old border collie every day for 20 to 30 minutes, using positive reinforcement, to keep the dog's skills sharp.

"First, I started with basic obedience classes, then went into more serious classes," Girard tells Paw Nation. "Now we're doing competitive obedience and agility, which is more serious, so the tricks are just something I do on the side. She's so smart that she generally picks them up in just one session. You know the laundry trick? I showed her, she figured it out, and then I filmed it."

• Best Pet Tricks
  
• Amazing Dog Tricks by Paige the Border Collie!
• Paige Blows Bubbles!

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Airlift Rescues Abandoned LA Chihuahuas

by Paula Bustamante
Feb. 12, 2011

LONG BEACH, California (AFP) – Blame it on Paris Hilton: the craze for owning small dogs as fashion accessories has led to an explosion in the number of abandoned chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where tiny canines are everywhere.

But now an animal-friendly philanthropist has come to their rescue, organizing an airlift of diminutive pooches abandoned by impatient owners in California – jetting them off by private plane to Canada, of all places.

"In Los Angeles, in particular, we have an overpopulation of small dogs, many of them Chihuahuas because people think that having a small dog is easy to maintain in a home," said organizer Madeline Bernstein.

The phenomenon has increased after films like "Legally Blonde," and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" adds Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA).

To make it worse, "a significant number of young celebrities like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, they started to get out with these little dogs like accessories," she told AFP.

"The problem is, they are not accessories, they are dogs. They poop, pee and you should take care of them, ... and young people want them as if they were a nice bag, then they get tired ... and leave the dogs in the streets or shelters."

There are estimated to be more than 60,000 Chihuahuas in Los Angeles, where newcomers are often shocked at the luxuries afforded to the miniature hounds, often petted over like babies in the street or in cafes and bars.

Owners can choose from a seemingly endless range of dog spas, boutiques and even schools of canine yoga for their tiny charges – although the costs involved may possibly help explain why so many are being abandoned.

Whatever the reasons, animal lovers are determined to rescue those that they can from a sad and lonely life in a shelter in California.

That's why on Friday Bernstein and a group of other dog-lovers took action, strapping some 60 dogs in for a three-hour "Air Chihuahua" flight from Long Beach, California, to Edmonton, Canada.

Candy, Kobe, Sadie, Winnie, Taylor and Troudy were among those heading for a new life further north, a long way from the heat of California, and even further from the northern Mexican province from which they get their name.

The spcaLA has been organizing Air Chihuahua flights since December 2009, to destinations including Colorado, Houston and Florida. But Friday's $40,000 operation was the first international airlift.

Jan Folk, a Canadian businesswoman and philanthropist who owns the plane, said that in southern California animal rescue centers deal with large volume of strays admitted every day.

"They feel that they would have no other choice but to eventually euthanize the dogs if they were not transferred," she lamented to AFP on the tarmac in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles.

In Edmonton, "more people are willing to wait for the California dogs because they know that many ... may come from puppy mills or brokers where they often live in horrible conditions," she added.

"The small breed dogs are in such demand that most were adopted within two or three weeks of arriving in Edmonton. In fact, there was a line of potential adopters at the Edmonton shelter waiting for the dogs to arrive!" she said.

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20110212-airlift-rescues-abandoned-la-chihuahuas
Copyright 2011 FRANCE 24

Here are some great pictures that I thought I would pass on...hope you find them entertaining! –Kim

Petey, or Pete the Pup, was the constant sidekick in Hal Roach's Our Gang & The Little Rascals comedies during the 20's and 30's. The original Petey had starred as the Buster Brown dog and had a unique quality that got him the job – there was part of a ring around one of his eyes. A then unknown makeup artist named Max Factor used black hair dye to paint the rest of the ring. Hal Roach had to take the dog as is for his Our Gang shorts and couldn't wait for the dye to wear off, so he continued the look which proved to be an invaluable decision. He could use different pit bull terriers and no one would know the difference due to the fact that the audience only focused on the ring around his eye! If you watch any of the Our Gang & The Little Rascals shorts, you will notice how almost every dog is different with exception of that iconic ring. Thanks to legendary Max Factor, Petey is one of the most recognizable dogs in history! Petey is a Pit Bull...

Petey (from Our Gang & The Little Rascals) in the makeup chair with Max Factor (1)

Petey (from Our Gang & The Little Rascals) in the makeup chair with Max Factor (2)

Helen Keller with her Pit Bull, Sir Thomas

General Patton and his Bull Terrier, Willie

Jimmy Carter with his Pit Bull, Bozo (1937)

Sergeant Stubby served with the 102nd Infantry, 26th (Yankee) Division in the trenches in France for 18 months and participated in four offensives and 17 battles. He entered combat on February 5, 1918 at Chemin des Dames, north of Soissons, and was under constant fire, day and night for over a month. In April 1918, during a raid to take Schieprey, Stubby was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades. He was sent to the rear for convalescence, and as he had done on the front was able to improve morale. When he recovered from his wounds, Stubby returned to the trenches. After being gassed himself, Stubby learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man's land, and — since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. He was solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne. Following the retaking of Château-Thierry by the US, the thankful women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals. There is also a legend that while in Paris with Corporal Conroy, Stubby saved a young girl from being hit by a car. At the end of the war, Conroy smuggled Stubby home. After returning home, Stubby became a celebrity and marched in, and normally led, many parades across the Country. He met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Warren G. Harding. Starting in 1921, he attended Georgetown University Law Center with Conroy, and became the Georgetown Hoyas' team mascot. He would be given the football at halftime and would nudge the ball around the field to the amusement of the fans. In 1926, Stubby died in Conroy's arms. His remains are featured in The Price of Freedom: Americans at War exhibit at the Smithsonian. Stubby was honored with a brick in the Walk of Honor at the United States World War I monument, Liberty Memorial, in Kansas City at a ceremony held on Armistice Day, November 11, 2006. Sergeant Stubby is a Pit Bull...
 

Buster Brown & Tige (a Pit Bull Terrier)

Source: Frank Bruynbroek Photography

---

Also see:

• Pit Bull Controversy
• More on the Pit Bull Controversy...
• Message to the Media

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it informative! –Kim

The Current Earthquake and Tsunami Aftereffect in Japan
Dr. Andrew Jones, 3/20/2011

I have been receiving many questions about radiation risks to our pets and potential prevention measures.

At the current time, there is NO radiation risk to our dogs and cats in North America following the earthquake and tsunami that caused severe damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan.

This is a serious situation, but the radiation risks are confined to Japan, and specifically the immediate area around the nuclear plant.

Radiation levels at and around the plant continued to fluctuate. Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said radiation of 250 millisievert an hour had been detected about 30 metres above the plant, which forced the helicopters to limit their operation to 40-minute periods.

Officials have ordered people living within 20 kilometres of the plant to leave the area, and advised those within 30 kilometres to remain indoors with their doors and windows shut.

DON'T give Potassium Iodide

Potassium Iodide may help protect our pets in the event of serious radiation exposure, BUT it comes with a host of side effects, and in this case there is NO reason to be giving it to your dogs or cats.

Side-effects of Potassium Iodide include: vomiting, diarrhea, heart damage, severe allergic reactions (rash, hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of mouth, face, lips, tongue), irregular heart beat, weakness, confusion and potentially death.

Radiation Levels are being monitored

A multitude of government bodies, the EPA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, along with Dept. of Health Services are monitoring for Radiation – there currently is NO RISK, and none is being foreseen.

Dr. Andrew Jones
http://www.thedogsupplement.com

Here's a sweet video that I thought I would pass on. –Kim

Valuable Resource...

You CAN Heal Your Sick Pet at Home,
Without Going to the Vet...

In Less than 24 Hours, I Can Show You How to Examine, Diagnose and Treat Your Pet at Home.

Dear fellow pet lover,
If you're not ready to make some simple changes to the way you provide veterinary care to your pet, beginning today....

Here is How I know:

My dog died young, only 8 years old. He was a mixed breed dog, a specimen of health. He was given a ton of attention, exercised three times a day, fed only Veterinary Approved food, and given all his vaccines. He had the "ideal" life. Hoochie passed away in my arms from a massive tumor bleed at 12:02pm on April 12, 2003 – the saddest day of my life.

I asked myself... why?

But I later discovered I may have contributed to his death, because I believed ONLY in conventional veterinary medicine. You see, I am a Veterinarian.

I'm Dr. Andrew Jones, and I have practiced Veterinary Medicine for over a decade. Over the past 17 years I have treated literally thousands of pets for a whole variety of problems, and I currently own the Nelson Animal Hospital in Nelson BC, Canada (http://www.nelsonvet.com/). But, my beloved dog Hoochie is gone.

You are fortunate... it's not too late for you and your pet. Just read on and find out exactly what you must do now.

Conventional veterinary medicine may be harming your pet – and I can show you step-by-step what you must do to prevent it. "Regular" veterinary care has lost its effectiveness over the years, and in some cases is actually causing illness in our pets.

Alternative pet health care has grown over the past few years, but the truth is that Veterinarians have STRONGLY discouraged pet owners from treating their pets outside of the Vet Clinic.

The entire Pet Health Industry has a vested interest in discrediting alternative medicines which can safely, naturally and effectively allow pet owners to care for their pets at home.

STOP AND READ THIS

Lock the door, Unplug the phone, and do whatever you can to have 10 undivided minutes... Get ready to read about how you could be saving the life of your pet starting now!

"I began to notice something unusual..."

Slowly, I began to notice something unusual about Hoochie. He really just wasn't the same. He was reluctant to go for his morning dog walk, which was always the highlight of his day.

I dismissed it as him feeling a bit off, some mild stomach issue or maybe a touch of arthritis... but it didn't pass. In fact, it got worse.

I eventually did a blood test on Hoochie, thinking at that point that he had a tooth infection. However, much to my horror, I quickly found out that he had a spleen tumor.

Immediately, I performed surgery on Hoochie and removed the spleen tumor. But I was too late - the cancer had already spread to his liver, and I knew that very soon, he would die.

How did an apparently healthy
mixed breed dog die so young?

I did all the "right" things – or so I thought. After grieving, I came to realize that I had played a role in his dying at too young of an age.

I came to question exactly what I did to my own pet – and what was I doing to other people's pets.

Through my questioning, I came to realize that most Veterinarians (including me as well, at the time) are not "getting it" – that in the process of trying to heal pets through technological advances, we are actually making them sicker!

There are 3 mistakes that I made that contributed to Hoochie's early death...

...are you making these same mistakes with your own dog?

Click here to continue for more information!

Here's an absolutely fun site that I thought I would pass on...you might even learn something! –Kim

• Doggie Language
• Decoding Your Dog's Body Language

Here's an informative video that might shed some light on this topic. –Kim

• Dissolve Cataracts with Can-C Drops!
• Ask a Vet Online

Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerNovember 5, 2008

A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her "guardian angel."
The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon.
The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as "Angela," was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements.
Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child – a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled.
"I don't think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman," Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse.
"I don't know what this man's intentions were, but it is very possible this dog saved her life."
The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend.
"You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid," Jones said. "He was like her guardian angel."
After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene.
The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners don't step forward within five days, Jones said, Angela and her family plan to adopt the savior she named "Angel."
Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament.
"It's funny, that someone's irresponsibility could have saved someone's life," Jones said of Angel's possible owners.
For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most.
"I don't know what his [the thief's] intentions were – I don't know why he did it, but I'm glad that – we call him Angel – I'm glad that Angel showed up because I don't know what would have happened," Angela told NBC2 News.
For a small town with a population of 46,452 animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot.
The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake.
"It's funny, because we aren't a big place," he said of the Gulf Coast town. "And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It's been a busy week."
Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired.
 
Source: http://www.dontbullymybreed.org/StrayPitBull.php
 

• Pit Bull Controversy
• Message to the Media

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

How to Greet Dogs
by Debbie Jacobs

Unfortunately for fearful and aggressive dogs, the manner in which most people introduce themselves to dogs can be threatening to them. While a well socialized dog may tolerate and even enjoy a hand reaching out to them, a face looming over them or eye-to-eye contact, the scared dog often cannot.

The Dog Gone Safe Web site has great information for helping anyone learn more about how to greet and interact with dogs.

It is best not to assume that any dog you encounter is a dog that is comfortable greeting a stranger. Even the most stable dog can be stressed in some situations and prefer to be left alone. Unless you consider yourself an expert on dog body language it's best to let a dog initiate an interaction with you, rather than you moving toward them.

Even a dog that approaches you for a sniff may not be saying, 'Hi! Pet me!' My own scared dog will frequently move toward people to get a sniff, but will bolt away should they move or look at him. He is trying to see what he's dealing with, not trying to deal with it.

Children are often taught to put their hand out for a dog to sniff. Again, not a problem for a 'happy to see you' kind of dog, but for a fearful dog that hand can be scary and for a dog that is aggressive, biting that hand may seem like the thing they need to do to protect themselves from it.

I'm sorry to say that the people who consider themselves to 'good with dogs' or people who would say that 'dogs like them' are often the worst when it comes to dealing with fearful dogs. They just cannot accept or believe that a dog would not warm up to them or enjoy their company. A fearful dog's behavior should not be taken personally. My dog Sunny is an equal opportunity fearful dog, as are many dogs like him.

Below are a few guidelines to follow when meeting new dogs.

• Do not approach a dog, especially if it is tied up or on leash.
• Ask the owner if it is OK for you to interact with their dog before you do it.
• Stand still if a dog approaches you for a sniff; leave your hands by your side and glance away from the dog.
• Squat down instead of bending over to talk to or pet a dog; avoid staring at them, putting your face near theirs or hugging them.
• Do not reach over a dog's head to pet it, instead offer chin scratches or chest rubs.
• Do not touch a dog that has rolled over.
• Ignore a dog that shows any indication of being timid or upset; baby talk, reaching out with treats, or any attempt to connect with the dog can backfire and cause the dog to react fearfully or aggressively.
• Do not feel like every dog you meet needs to be handled; watch a dog's behavior and body language carefully. Learn about calming signals and other ways that dogs communicate their feelings; a dog that is not obviously happy to see you (open mouth, waggy tail and body) is telling you a lot about how they feel. If a dog is not inviting you to handle or interact with them, don't.

Source: http://fearfuldogs.com/how-to-greet-dogs

• Book: A Guide to Living with & Training a Fearful Dog by Debbie Jacobs.
  This book was a finalist in the 2008 Dog Writers of America competition!
  
  
• FearfulDogs.com
  Resources to help fearful, shy & anxious dogs.
  
  
• Fostering or Adopting a Shy, Fearful Dog
  
  
• The Dog Gone Safe Web site
  

Here's an incredible letter I want to share...you may need some tissues! –Kim

An Open Letter from a Shelter Manager
December 16, 2008

I think our society needs a huge "Wake-up" call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you...a view from the inside, if you will.

First off, you breeders/sellers should be made to work in the "back" of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don't even know.

That puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it's not a cute little puppy anymore. So how would you feel if you knew that there's about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter where it's going to be dumped? Purebred or not! About 50% of all of the dogs that are "owner surrenders" or "strays" that come into my shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses I hear are: "We are moving and we can't take our dog (or cat)." Really? Where are you moving that doesn't allow pets? Or they say: "The dog got bigger than we thought it would." How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? "We don't have time for her." Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! "She's tearing up our yard." How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me: "We just don't want to have to stress about finding a place for her; we know she'll get adopted, she's a good dog."

Odds are your pet won't get adopted, and how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you! Your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes, a little longer if the shelter isn't full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it.

If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don't, your pet won't get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the "Bully" breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc.), it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door. Those dogs just don't get adopted. It doesn't matter how "sweet" or "well behaved" they are.

If your dog doesn't get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn't full and your dog is good enough and of a desirable enough breed, it may get a stay of execution, but not for long. Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles, chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed, because shelters just don't have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.

Here's a little Euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being "put-down."

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails...until they get to "The Room." Every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there – it's strange, but it happens with every one of them.

Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They will find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the "pink stuff". Hopefully your pet doesn't panic from being restrained and jerk. I've seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don't just "go to sleep," sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

When it all ends, your pet's corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed, waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You'll never know and it probably won't even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?

I hope that you are bawling your eyes out and can't get the pictures out of your head that I deal with everyday on the way home from work.

I hate my job; I hate that it exists and I hate that it will always be there, unless you make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters, and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can, but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this: DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Hate me if you want to. The truth hurts and reality is what it is. I just hope I maybe changed one person's mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter or buying a dog. I hope that someone will walk into my shelter and say: "I saw this and it made me want to adopt." THAT WOULD MAKE IT WORTH IT!

Source: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/aus/960931196.html

• CLICK HERE to see the detailed list of No-kill shelters at the bottom of this blog!
• Also, see: Top 10 Reasons Dogs are Dumped at Shelters