AKC welcomes three new breeds to the club
As of tomorrow, three new dog breeds can be registered with the American Kennel Club. The Irish Red and White Setter, the Pyrenean Shepherd and the Norwegian Buhund as the 159th, 160th and161st breeds recognized by the organization.
The last breed was added in May. (Read about the Dogue de Bordeaux on our blog!)
Here’s a little more info about the new breeds:
Irish Red and White Setter. This dog was first bred – surprisingly! – in Ireland as a hunting buddy and now does well working with hunters of all kinds. It also likes four-leaf clovers. They are a loyal companions best suited for active families. If you want one, consider adoption. The Irish Red and White Setter Association has a rescue program.
The Pyrenean Shepherd. This dog came from the Pyrenease Mountains in France, so it enjoys long lunch breaks and good wine. It was bred to – surprisingly! – herd sheep. The dogs are often shy around strangers, but they’re known for their athletic ability. Want more info? Check out the Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America.
The Norwegian Buhund. This dog was bred in – surprisingly! – Norway to guard sheep against wolves. It’s a Spitz dog and has that cute curly tail. And they love sweaters and snowball fights. Today, they’re often used as guide or police dogs. Want a Buhund? Rescue one! Check out the the Norweigian Buhund of Club of America rescue.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Pet Show – 8-year-old raising money for dog vests
Listen to Pet ShowVicky Galindo, 8, is a pretty amazing little girl. Her dog, Oreo, was hit by a car this year, and to honor him, she’s raising money to buy two vests for the El Reno police dogs. (This photo shows the two of them together.) She has more than $60 in the bank so far, and she’s got about $1,194 to go.
Dawn gave us some great tips for the new year. Half of them were real. The other half? Dawn is making stuff up.
Here are the big stories we talked about today.
- - Sharks have wimpy bites. What? Yes, really!
- - In case you were wondering, Obama went to the zoo.
- - Pet food settlement money is on the way.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
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Pets in the paper
- - Settlement funds in pet food recall may be delayed.
- - A stable environment: Horses offer therapy. (Oklahoma City) This picture shows Jimmy, 4, of Shawnee riding Patch the horse at a special exhibition during the fourth annual Oklahoma Holiday Classic, a horse show organized by the Oklahoma Paint Horse Club.
You can also watch a video of the horse show here. It includes interviews with a family who participates in theraputic riding at Harvest Farms in Shawnee.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
A new year, a new chance at life
The Michael Vick dogs are America’s dogs. I learned that from Molly Gibb, an Oklahoman who helped rehabilitate one of the pit bull terriers rescued from Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels. I’d never really thought of it that way, but she’s right. When the case became so public, everyone who’s ever loved a dog felt sick. We imagined our dogs inside those kennel walls, inside those fighting rings. And when those dogs were saved, we looked at our dogs with renewed joy and hope. Even the ones who were hurt the most – beaten, starved, mangled – could find a way to overcome.
Sports Illustrated has written a wonderful story about Michael Vick’s dogs in light of the new year. One of the dogs – Sweet Jasmine – is featured on the cover of the Dec. 29 issue. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, check it out. It’s worth reading.
If you haven’t had a chance to read about Molly Gibb and Alf, you can do so here. He’s an amazing pup, and Molly’s an impressive trainer.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
I bet it was Boss Hog
Pet thefts are on the rise, and even celebrities have to worry about their puppies being snatched. Even celebrities who became famous becuase they were on a TV show in the early 1980s that focused on a couple of southern boys riding around in a modified orange Dodge Charger with a Confederate flag on the roof, jumping over creeks and trains (see photo) to foil the schemes of an evil Hazzard County Commissioner and his bumbling sheriff. 
OK, digressional confession time. I was born in 1979, the same year The Dukes of Hazzard began its legendary run on network television. When I was about 4, the show was at its peak of popularity. I had the General Lee Hot Wheels Car and a Big Wheel peddle bike modeled after the General Lee. It was my favorite show. When you are 4, a brightly-colored car jumping over a creek or flying over police cars or trains is about as awesome as it gets. In retrospect, the show was probably aimed at the 4-year-old demographic. And my adult self has some problems with the racial undertones that come with the Confederate theming of the car. But that show was magical to little boys everywhere who loved hot wheels and fantasized about jumping things in a fast car.
So apparently John Schneider, who played the blonde-quafed Bo Duke, recently had his family’s two puppies stolen. The puppies, Marley, a Yorkie terrier, and Paisley, a Yorkiepoo, were in Bo’s, I mean Schnieder’s Cadillac Escalade when it was recently stolen. The puppies never turned up. 
I feel very sad for Schneider’s kids, who have lost their beloved pets. This should be a lesson for everyone that your pets can be a target of thieves, and you need to try to protect them.
I’m also sad that Schneider doesn’t ride around in a replica of the General Lee. I mean, come on, it was the coolest car of the 1980s (sorry Kitt from Nightrider, but you come in second). If I played Bo Duke, I would show up everywhere in that car, honking the Dixie-playing horn wherever I went.
Here are some tips from the American Kennel Club on how to protect your pet from theft.
- Don’t let your dog off-leash or leave your pet unattended in your yard.
- Breeders should be aware of home bisits by potential puppy buyers and be on guard for potential thieves.
- Never leave your dog unattended in a car, even if it is locked.
- Don’t tie your dog outside a store.
- Microchip your dog so it can be recovered in case it is taken.
- Call police if you think your dog has been stolen.
- Have a recent photo ready so you can make fliers in case your dog goes missing.
And here are my prime suspects in the napping of Bo Duke’s dog:
- Boss Hog: It seems almost too easy. This must be part of some grand scheme to acquire the Duke family farm or send the Duke boys to jail by framing them for violating their probation.
- Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane: Maybe Flash, Roscoe’s basset hound, wanted some company.
- Uncle Jesse: Maybe Jesse got back to his moonshinin’ and needed some leverage to keep Bo from squealing.
- Cooter: His name is Cooter.
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Pets in the paper
- - Paint horse show riding high in city. (Oklahoma City)
- - Wetland case reaches deal. (Michigan)
- - Zoo wants to keep residents busy. (Oklahoma City)
- - House blaze blamed on cord. (Oklahoma City) The photo at the left shows Oklahoam City firefighter C.J. Seitz carring a dog from the house.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
This just in: Don’t let your pet get drunk
Shockingly enough, some people do this! And I’m going to go out on a limb and say they are either A) uninformed, B) horrifically mean or C) unaware their little friend is sneaking the schnapps.
Alcohol, especially champagne, seems to flow more freely this time of year. We pet owners have to make sure our pets aren’t getting into the bubbly.
As horrible as this sounds, I have a friend whose dog accidentally got drunk once. A mixed punch was leaking out of a cooler, and the solution was to put a bowl under the leak. The problem: his dog lapped up the sweet stuff. She was a tiny mixed breed – maybe 15 pounds or so – and just a few drops made her stagger. She was terribly ill, and my friend felt terribly guilty.
He was lucky. All that happened to his dog was some staggering and vomiting. Depending on the size of pet and amount of consumption, alcohol can cause tremors, a coma or even death, according to the ASPCA Poison Control Center.
To put it in better perspective, alcohol is listed in the “high toxicity” list with chocolate and antifreeze.
So, regardless of how you choose to celebrate New Year’s Eve and other holidays, make sure your pets only celebrate with treats and toys – not booze.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
Cat survives 34-story drop
Voodoo the cat had a lucky brush with danger in the last week. Voodoo who lives in Australia fell from the balcony of his owners’ home and plummeted 34 stories down. Bushes broke his fall and his owners said they are sure the bushes must have saved his life. They found him with a hurt paw below waiting for them and rushed him to the vet.
Cats sure are agile creatures but I guess they don’t always land on their feet.
Here are some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on overcoming the lure of the outdoors for cats.
- Make sure screens fit snugly and that cats cannot push them aside.
- Distract cats when you open doors by rolling a toy in another direction.
- Startle cats as they move toward open doorways to dissuade them from going out.
- If all else fails take them outside in enclosed runs designed to keep them safe and let then enjoy the fresh air.
- Staff Writer Dawn Marks
Happy Birthday, Tanner
Tanner turned 23 last week, which might sound young, but it makes him the oldest bat in captivity in the world.
Instead of cake, Tanner celebrated with a bowl of papaya, mango and melon at his home at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Michigan.
Tanner is a golden bat, a rare species found only on a small island in the Indian Ocean. There are only about 1,000 golden bats in captivity in the world.
Happy Birthday, Tanner!
- Staff Writer Bryan Dean
Pets need you to pack right for your trip
If you’re heading out of town, don’t forget to pack all the things your pet needs, the folks at Bamboo remind us. Here are their travel tips:
- Pack a travel bag. Obviously we all know to take food and water, but pets need other amenities. Take some toys to keep them busy, but also include a blanket or bed they’re familiar with. It will help reduce their stress (and yours).
- Tags, tags, tags. Make sure your pet’s tags are updated. Going far from home? Don’t just trust your vet’s tag to work. Get one that includes your full address and phone number with area code.
- Don’t forget to take your pet’s picture with you, just in case she gets loose.
Happy travels!
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
