Modern Dog Fall 2010 by Modern Dog Magazine

The lifestyle magazine for modern dogs and their companions FALL 2010

Do dogs need canine friends?

What NOT to do at the dog park Good Dog Design

Answers to canine behaviour questions inside

TRIPODS!

Dog stuff you’ll actually want in your living room

3-legged wonder dogs

Publications Agreement Number 40743013 Return Mail Dept, 202–343 Railway St., Vancouver, BC V6A 1A4

Must-Haves Under $25

How old is my dog really?

Flight to Freedom

Find out p78

Pilots rescue death-row dogs

Quiz: which celebrity is your dog? FALL 10

moderndogmagazine.com DISPLAY UNTIL DEC 10 CDN$5.95 US$4.95

74470 56842

THE WHIPPET GREAT FALL GEAR HEALTHY SNACKS TO SATISFY THE CANINE SWEET TOOTH MODERN FAMILY’S ERIC STONESTREET STOP YOUR DOG FROM BARKING AT THE DOORBELL

The “Furkid” Debate

Treating dogs like children: behind the furor over pampered pets

Supermodel Niki Taylor & her rescue dog, Ace

WE KNOW YOU LIKE FREE STUFF. MORE GIVEAWAYS INSIDE!

Trademarks owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.

FALL 2010

VOL 9

NO 3

115

PHOTO ANDREW PINKHAM

FEATURES 38

Dog Park Do’s and Don’ts No scoop, no foul? Jumpers, humpers, and more: What to ignore and what to mention in your daily dealings at the dog park.

Modern Family, Modern Guy, Modern Dog An exclusive interview with Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet, dog lover and funny guy.

BY MELISSA BARR

Up in the Air Independent pilots—call them freedom flighters—are helping save death-row dogs by transporting them from high-kill shelters to waiting homes. BY COREY VAN’T HAAFF

54 Furkids Why treating pets like children can be such a hot-button issue. BY JENNIFER MESSER 58

How Dogs were Created From wild wolf to couch-mate. A look at the domestication of dogs. BY STANLEY COREN

Terrific Tripods Love on three legs: nothing’s slowing these three-legged dogs down! PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSEY DONOVAN

88 Gorgeous, Inside and Out Supermodel Niki Taylor on her lovey-dovey home (shared with her husband, NASCAR driver Burney Lamar), ponytail living, and the truth about cats and dogs. BY MARY-JO DIONNE 96

The Write Stuff More winners from our first-ever writing contest.

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PHOTO LINDSEY DONOVAN

100

Quiz: Which Celebrity is Your Dog? Johnny Depp? Beyoncé? Or maybe your dog is more like Drew Barrymore? Finally, the definitive word on which star your dog is most like. BY MELISSA BARR

THE GOODS 33

Fab Finds Under $25 Great buys on a budget.

For the Love of Dog Clothes to do your canine proud.

Design Gone to the Dogs Dog stuff you’ll actually want in your living room.

Great Fall Gear for Outbound Hounds Hit the trails with these hardworking fall finds.

BREED PROFILE 28

The Whippet Meet this gentle, friendly, athletic couch-potato. BY MARIAN BUECHERT

FASH ION LADIES

FREEDOM ON THE LEASH Made in Germany

· Visit us at the PIJAC 2010 · www.flexi.de

108

BODY AND SOUL 72

Happy Mouth = Happy Dog; Allergies; Flea Test; Canine Studies Help Battle Cancer

The Toy Blocker; Paper Shredder Threat; Good Housekeeping; In Dog We Trust

The Doctor’s In Preventing bloat and why dogs eat grass.

Assessing your Dog’s Real Age

Foods for Health Stiff joints? Failing eyesight? Flaky skin? Foods for improving canine health conditions.

BY ELIZABETH PASK AND LAURA SCOTT

REGULAR FEATURES 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Contributors 10 Our Readers Write 14 The Scoop 24 Calendar of Events 26 Smile! Photo Contest 132 Marketplace 142 Giveaways

COVER LOOK Supermodel and rescue champion Niki Taylor with her terrier-mix rescue dog, Ace. Photographed by Kharen Hill. Hair and Makeup, Debra Wingo; styling, Christiev Alphin.

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PHOTO JAMIE PFLUGHOEFT

LIVING 12

Stuff We Love Modern Dog staffers’ picks of the litter.

Surf Top dog sites.

Pup Profiles Get to know this issue’s selection of super, smiling dogs. Could your dog be featured next?

Does My Dog Need Canine Friends? Can human company alone sustain a dog? Trainer Jennifer Messer addresses whether a well-adjusted dog requires playtime with his fellow canines.

DIY Eat Fast, fresh, and healthy treats your dog will adore, whether he’s a liver lover, fish fanatic or in need of a low-cal snack.

106

Is My Dog Bored? Trainer Colleen Safford discusses signs of canine boredom and how to avoid doggie ennui.

108

Urban Hound Seattle photographer turns graffiti into urban art with the help of a few furry friends. BY MELISSA BARR

111

The Stay: Nashville Battle of the pet-friendly properties: Loews Vanderbilt VS the Hermitage, two hotels that give four-legged travelers a warm Southern welcome.

112

DIY Craft Four fun, fast, and funny Hallowe’en costumes for your dog.

115

Art Attack Profile in style. In its resemblance to 19th-century portraiture, Andrew Pinkham’s work blurs the line between painting and photograph, to gloriously disorienting result. BY MARNI WEDIN

116

Falling In Love is Like Owning a Dog An epithalamion. BY TAYLOR MALI

120

A Dog That Hates Puppies Trainer Nicole Wilde offers advice on dealing with a dog with extreme aggression issues.

120

Walk-time Woes Trainer Delores Wall helps the guardian of a reluctant-to-walk rescue dog, restoring walk-time to a frustration-free happy time.

121

Doorbell Barking Trainer Teoti Anderson tackles annoying doorbell barking. Prepare yourself for some much deserved peace and quiet.

123

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book. Editor-in- Chief Connie Wilson’s must-read book picks.

127

Ask Dog Lady Dog Lady delves into your most dogged dilemmas.

144

Last Lick How not to greet a dog.

BY LILI CHIN

In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 9, Issue 3. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

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PHOTO LINDSEY DONOVAN

E D ITO R ’S LE T T E R

s editor-in-chief of Modern Dog, I have the privilege of hearing many touching personal accounts from people whose dogs have had tremendous impact on their lives, stories from people who have saved a dog that ended up “saving” them right back or of dogs that have changed their guardian’s whole approach to living. The common thread seems to be that our dogs often prod us into action or a new way of seeing things, enabling situations that create an opportunity for a leap of faith or simply expanding our world and thereby opening doors that otherwise may have remained closed. My dog Kaya certainly did that for me. Our dogs, whether perfect or, like Kaya, perfectly neurotic, are a great reminder to take joy in the little things. Their example of remaining present and living in the moment may be their greatest gifts to us. In fact, by simply connecting with them, they help us unplug from increasingly busy lives, showing us there’s always another—and perhaps better—way. The writing contest entries we’ve received from our readers are testament to this; almost uniformly, the stories related tales of dogs as instigators of positive change, be it a switch of career or newfound purpose, romance, or happiness. To read three more winning stories, turn to page 96. In this same vein is a multitude of books that have come my way, reviewed in my Book Club on page 123. If you’re interested in further reading on how dogs inspire us, don’t miss Dogs & The Women Who Love Them, a collection of stories about the profound and often life-changing relationship between women and their dogs, Scent of the Missing, about a search-and-rescue duo, or Stephen Huneck’s last book, Even Bad Dogs Go To Heaven, a moving tribute to our furry friends that tells of how a dream led Huneck to build his mountaintop Dog Chapel and write a series of books. Our faithful friends seem to be programmed to live life joyously, even when dealt a rough hand. A shining example of canine resilience is this issue’s photo editorial of three-legged wonderdogs (page 66). Lack of a leg certainly isn’t getting these dogs down, and one doesn’t have to look hard to find a lesson here.

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So how do we give back to these earthbound (and fur-covered) angels who give us so much and ask for nothing in return (save, of course, food, affection, and the majority of space on the couch)? By providing for them the best way we can. We strive to give you the information you need to do just that. In this issue, Modern Dog’s acclaimed trainers offer invaluable tips in achieving blissful canine-inclusive families, addressing whether a well-adjusted dog needs canine friends, signs of canine boredom, aggression focused at puppies, doorbell barking, and a reluctance to walk on leash. In Body & Soul, our nutrition experts have compiled a list of foods (think beets, yogurt, and more) you can add to your dog’s diet to prevent common health conditions like failing vision and flaky skin (page 80). We also check out pet-friendly hotels in Nashville, check in with supermodel and super dog-lover Niki Taylor in a Modern Dog exclusive photo shoot and interview (page 88), and catch up with Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet. Don’t miss the exploration of the animosity directed at “furkids,” and our heartwarming report on the amazing network of rescuers and pilots that are transporting dogs from high-kill shelters to waiting homes. As well, there’s a handy (and funny) list of dog park do’s and don’ts and dog-inspired artists—check out Jamie Pflughoeft’s bold and beautiful graffiti dogs photographic series (page 108) and Andrew Pinkham’s breathtaking 19th-century style work (page 115). We’ve also got fast and funny Hallowe’en costume ideas, healthy recipes for dog snacks you can whip up at home, a round up of great fall gear, and much, much more. Have a wonderful fall season!

Constance Wilson Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Your attitude determines how you experience the world From Living with Joy by Sanaya Roman

C O N TRIBUT OR S FALL 2010

•

VOL 9

NO 3

Publisher

Modern Dog Inc. Editor-in-Chief

Connie Wilson

Elizabeth Pask, a regular Modern Dog

Editor

contributor, lives in Guelph, Ontario. She has a PhD in nutrition from the University of Guelph and begins her DVM at the Ontario Veterinary College this fall. Liz teaches puppy class at a local obedience school in Guelph and shares her life with two Labrador Retrievers, two-year-old Mayberry and 11-year-old Ripley. In this issue, Liz, along with her cohort and cowriter, Laura Scott, suggest additions to your dog’s diet that can have a positive impact on many common canine health conditions, from flaky skin to failing eye sight (page 80).

Jennifer Nosek Contributing Editor

Marian Buechert Creative Director

Jennifer Nosek

Circulation Manager

Jessica Nosek

Publication Clerks Supervisor

Omar Duran Rojas

Design & Production

Carolyn Howse

Design & Production Assistant

Maxine Matishak, Vanessa Dong Design Intern

Alicia Carvalho Sales & Marketing

Annica Tong, Lillian Wei Sales & Marketing Intern

Sara Lima

Editorial Assistants

Karin Sinkevicius, Melissa Barr

Carmen Mok left Hong Kong at age 16 with two suitcases in tow to study and start a new chapter in her life in Canada. She has formal training in ceramic sculpture and dinnerware design but now devotes herself to full-time illustration work, employing her extensive knowledge of typography, photography, and graphic design. Carmen loves cats, dogs, coffee, and pastries—just like us. This issue marks Carmen’s first contribution to Modern Dog with her illustration for “Quiz: Which Celebrity Is Your Dog?” Find out if your dog is more like Angelina or Matthew McConaughey on page 100.

Accounting and Subscription Services Assistant

Celine Benipayo Controller

Cecilia de Roca Chan Web Consultant

Dave Egan

Tech Consultant

Mario Rea

Donations Program Liaison

Jessica Nosek

Okanagan Representative

Jytte Wilson

Subscription inquiries call (800) 417-6289 Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 9, Issue 3. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 9, Issue 3. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

Photographer Lindsey Donovan’s work again graces the pages of Modern Dog. This time we had her training her lens on the exuberant three-legged wonder dogs that she photographed for this issue’s photo-editorial, “Terrific Tripods.” Lindsey is know for capturing the soul of her subjects, and this project proved no different, with the personality of these remarkable canines shining through. We braved the heat and wandering attentions (a bird dog and a near-water location? What were we thinking?) and had a great day. Flip to page 66 to see the shots.

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PHONE

(604) 734-3131 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3131 (604) 734-3031 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3031

FAX

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements. Copyright 2010 by Modern Dog Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Dog and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Dog Inc. One-year subscription prices: Canada $18CAD, U.S.A. $15USD, foreign $45USD. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Dog Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4

PRINTED IN CANADA

www.moderndogmagazine.com Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743013 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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Bark Back! OUR

R E ADE R S W RI T E Love Letter

I first discovered Modern Dog while waiting in my vet’s office. As I flipped through it, my smile widened. Finally, I had found the dog magazine I had always been looking for! No tedious articles about breed standards, no boring statistics about who won what show, and best of all, no superiority complex! Not only that, but ongoing and obvious support of rescuing dogs and adopting from shelters, as well as ads for truly excellent and stylish products. Your “Saints” article in the Summer 2010 issue was particularly touching. Our dog, Lady, is a senior who just showed up on our doorstep about a year ago. We never could track down her owners, for which I am eternally grateful. Lady is the most loving, well behaved, and completely devoted dog ever. Based on our experience with her, I would adopt a senior dog again in a heartbeat, cataracts, arthritis, and all. And I know I’m not a Modern Dog staffer, but my “pick of the litter” is the elbow-length Mucking Gloves from Lee Valley. I use them every time I give Lady a bath and they’re great. Perhaps you could share this find with your other readers. Keep up the great work! Sara Gibson, by mail

Sweet Tweets From Twitter... @HugABull Another great issue of @ModernDogMag featuring Pittie frisbee champs, Lady Gaga, and senior adoptables! LOVE IT!

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@MichelleCliffe INCREDIBLE cover story in @ModernDogMag about Leona Lewis. WSPA hearts Leona Lewis and Modern Dog magazine! @kiwipetphotos Dog people vs. Cat People: still confused about the 2% of people who don’t like dogs! @ SarniaKid Went out and bought a PopWare Travel Cup (“Best Budget Buys, All Under $10”) and just love it! Thanks for recommending it! So handy!

Facebook Fans Liz Senteney: I read this issue today at the vets office! I love it! Shelley Moore: Just saw the AMAZING spread on SAINTS rescue in Mission, BC! What a beautiful tribute to a very special place, and the photographs by Tanya King are funny and touching. Thank you! Such a great cause, and they need all the help they can get! (saintsrescue.ca)

Enthusiastic Email In your Spring 2010 issue you featured the oh-so-darling bags by Fuzzy Nation. Let me just tell you, as soon as I visited the site I became hooked. My fiance saw my enthusiasm and, to my surprise, purchased me the “Nanucki” Poodle, which I received in the mail just a few days ago. I love it. I may get the odd glance from people as a grown woman wearing a purse in the shape of a dog, but hey, to each his own! There are Dooney and Bourke girls, Coach girls, and any other designer purse name, but I am a Fuzzy Nation girl! Thanks for featuring this product. Ashley McCollins I just wanted to say that I LOVE your magazine. I received it as a free sample at a 5K I did with my dogs called the Hair of the Dog 5K in New Jersey. I know most people hate advertisements but I have purchased a few of the items suggested and LOVE them. The articles of course are very informative and a great read. To everyone on the staff there at Modern Dog, keep up the good work. Kimberly Darling

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STUFF WE LOVE

Modern Dog staffers’ picks of the litter 1

While most people wish for the rain to go away, I’m embracing it because I can take the office dogs out in style wearing these super cute raincoats from Animal Outfitters! Choose the colour that matches your dog’s personality and taste best!—Celine ($35, animaloutfittersonline.com)

It’s a pillow. It’s a cushion. It’s a giant mushroom. It’s the softest, coziest doggie bed I’ve ever seen. Check out this amazing, reversible bed. Choose from various sizes and colours.—Omar ($110, furfection.com)

3 Need to give your energetic pup a bit more room to roam and still keep him under control? The Flexi Leash Comfort model gives my big dogs up to five meters of leash-safe space to sniff, sprinkle, and zig-zag while I hold tight to the easy-grip handle. Flexis are available in a wide range of sizes, models, and colours for dogs of every stature.—Marian (from $29, flexi.de)

I love Solstice, one of Yep Yup’s seven new patterns of stylish pet accessories and home décor products that aim to bridge the gap between pet products and the home. Splash your home with this collection’s sage green, peacock blue, and canary yellow fleur de lis pattern!—Annica (Collection starting from $18, yepyup.com)

If you have a dog (or friends with dogs), your carpeting is bound to be the target of a bathroom “accident ” sooner or later. In our dog-friendly office, we’re fortunate to have a Bissell’s “Yikes!” small, deep cleaner on hand for quick and easy cleanups. Compact and user-friendly, the triggerhandle on the assorted attachments sprays the cleaning solution then suctions up the moisture, leaving your carpets clean and fresh.—Connie ($130, bissell.com)

6 Have you ever have one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong? Well, if you have you can relate to Bessy, the heroine of this hilarious children’s mystery novel by Nathan Miller.—Maxine “Never to Old for Intrigue” Matishak ($10, officiallibrarian.com)

I can play with a clean conscience with SimplyFido Bamboo toys. They’re certified non-toxic and chemical free, coloured only with plants and minerals, and made from bamboo, one of the most sustainable materials in the world. Yay!—Miniature Dachshund Esther ($13, simplyfido.com)

8 Ensure wagging tails don’t knock over your wine glasses; with Riedel’s revolutionary “O” stemless

glasses, your dog and your crystal can get along just fine. Their dishwasher-safe CrescendO Viognier/ Chardonnay glasses have a pink coloured base that graduates from light to dark and a donation to breast cancer charities is made with every set sold.—Jennifer ($70/set of 4, at Bed Bath & Beyond or riedelwebstore.com)

I heart Vicky Scott’s stylized vision of our beautiful world. Her nature and art-deco inspired prints such as Frankenstein Girl are available as custom orders.—Karin (from $30, vickysworld.co.uk)

A bit of a Southern belle, I adore my made-in-Mississippi Lazy Bones bed. Whether you’re a big dog or a small one, they’re super comfy and the fabrics are lovely. In fact, it’s almost impossible to choose. I spent forever debating whether to go with the Natchez print or the Charleston or the New Orleans or...—Miniature Dachshund Rose ($126, lazybonesbeds.com)

11 Put a puppy in that envelope and receive a love letter every day of the week. This airmail bed satisfies my travel bug and my bed bug. Love it.—Jessy “Going Postal” Nosek ($74, oopsmydog.com)

12 My dog Cash is not afraid to look fabulous, which is why he loves his custom-designed collar from

Paco Collars. Handcrafted from soft yet durable leather accented with bronze and turquoise, this striking collar says “I’m tough enough to be pretty.”—Sara ($80, pacocollars.com)

I love this graphic pillow made with 100% cotton and filled with high-quality feathers. Pick the pillow with the silhouette of your favourite breed on it to add the perfect decorative touch to your home.—Lillian ($35, 0808imports.com)

(

CANINE NEWS AND REVIEWS

New Role for Former Desperate Housewife Nicollette Sheridan Nicollette Sheridan, most familiar to fans of Desperate Housewives as the troublemaker Edie, is lending her star power to celebrate National Guide Dog Month this September and raise money and awareness for guide dog organizations across the country.

Pickle von Corndog (left), meet Optimus Pants (right)

“I’ve always loved dogs,

Pet Insurance Company Releases List of Weirdest Dog Names

and this is a special way to celebrate the unique bond between dogs and their owners” said Sheridan. “It takes over two years and

What’s in a name? A whole lot of wackiness, at least

a guide dog. When it was

when it comes to this bunch. For the third year run-

brought to my attention

ning, Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), a provider of pet

that Natural Balance, Petco,

health insurance, put together a list of 50 of the odd-

and independent pet stores

est pet names, as chosen by VPI employees from the

were raising money to help

company’s database of more than 485,000 insured

the blind with gifting these incredibly smart and loving dogs to comfort and guide them through their lives… I couldn’t wait to help in any way I could.” Throughout September,

“I am hoping to raise over a million dollars this year.”

when you purchase specially marked bags of Natural Balance dog food with Sheridan’s picture on them, 50 cents of the purchase price is donated to participating guide dog schools. Shoppers can also “round up” their purchases at the

register to donate the difference to the cause or make donations directly online at petco.com. We asked Sheridan what she hopes to accomplish in her

PHOTO CHRISTOPHER AMERUOSO

$40,000 to properly train

pets, then narrowed them down by voting for the 10 most unusual names for each species. Handles making the top 10 list for our canine friends were:

1. Pickle Von Corndog 2. Lord Chubby Pruneface 3. Badonkadonk 4. Ninjastar Dangerrock 5. Molly Mcboozehound 6. Dog Vadar 7. Flospy Squeakerton 8. Bettie Poops 9. Geez Louise 10. Barnaby Bones “Strangely enough, a lot of them tell us they ruled

role as spokesperson for National Guide Dog Month and her

out names they’d be too embarrassed to shout in

goals are in no way small.

public when calling their pets back to them,” said

“I am hoping to help raise over a million dollars this year

Curtis Steinhoff, director of corporate communica-

to come to the aid of a lot more people in need,” she said.

tions for VPI. “When you think about the names

“All of these non-profit guide dog schools need our support

these owners finally decided on, it really makes you

so that they can continue their efforts in bettering peoples’

wonder what didn’t make their cut.”

lives.

By the way, the dogs weren’t the only recipients

“Quality of life is something we all deserve,” Sheridan told us, “so let’s make a difference and help the blind find their way.”

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of odd monikers. Our favourite of the unusual cat names? Optimus Pants.

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h alt e H ! et onth P is M er nce b em ra pt Insu e S

THE SCOOP Awkward Family Pet Photos Get ready to laugh until you cry who bright us AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com, is a special website created to celebrate the special bond between families and their pets—the ones who love their pets just a little too much. There is something delightfully voyeuristic in

ILLUSTRATION VANESSA DONG

Awkward Family Pet Photos, created by the masterminds

peeking into another family’s dysfunction, and nothing will make you realize the

The Family Dog Heads Off to College Colleges prepare to welcome first year...pets Seems this year’s frosh week might have some real party

pure normalcy of your own bond with your dog than this website. Special thanks goes out to the pets who took one for the team and allowed themselves to be conveniently placed in a photo where their owner is otherwise not covered at all. AwkwardFamilyPetPhotos.com

animals in attendance. We have always known that dogs are fantastic for alleviating stress, anxiety, and homesickness, and it seems as though the hallowed halls of certain colleges are catching on. Some lucky freshmen will be heading off to college this fall with their beloved pets beside them. As understanding of the benefits of the human-canine bond continues to develop, some forwardthinking colleges are beginning to allow pets in dorm rooms. So far,

This year’s frosh week might have some real party animals in attendance.

the pet-friendly institutions include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, State University of New York,

Cool Gadget

in Florida, among others. Stephens College in Colombia,

Say hello to this tiny projector and a world of projecting possibilities

MO not only welcomes student’s cats and dogs but has a

Forget the big office presentation, 3M’s newest pico projector,

pet-friendly dorm nicknamed Pet Central, complete with

the MPro150, will have you projecting your dog’s funniest

doggie daycare slated to open next fall. Let’s hope that

antics at your next dinner party. This feather-light pocket-

more colleges catch on soon.

sized video projector moves smoothly from boardroom

and Eckerd College, a private national liberal arts college

Power Point presentations to projecting your home videos or screening Lady and the Tramp for the kids. One GB internal memory with micro SD slot and USB input allows you to

Modern Dog Lookalike Contest

held over until the winter issue! Email photos of you and your lookalike dog to lookalike@moderndog magazine.com for your chance to be featured.

preload your files, so you don’t need your laptop while projecting. It’s also Apple compatible (extra accessories needed), so you can play files straight from your iPod and iPhone to share videos on the go. And it has two hours of battery life and both an integrated MP3 player with headphone jack for personal listening and stereo speakers for shared sound. Just preload your files or connect the projector to your laptop or iPod, set up the tiny projector on it’s adjustable flip stand, aim at the wall (or the ceiling, or your tent, or the back of your airplane chair), dim the lights, and prepare to be

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THE SCOOP Calling all witty writers or writers at heart

Create a caption for this cartoon and submit your entry at moderndogmagazine.com/cartooncaption.

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The top four most comic captions will be published in the next issue and will each win a one-year subscription to Modern Dog!

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Beauty and the Beastly Chihuahua Rescued Chihuahua takes crown in World’s Ugliest Dog Contest

And the winner

Princess Abby has a name fit for royalty, the attitude of a party

from the Summer issue is:

could love. The six-pound Chihuahua is missing one eye as well as patches of fur, has mismatched legs, extralarge ears, a twisted tail, an inverted floppy front foot, and a back a camel would be jealous of. Francis rescued the little ugly dogling from a humane society where the flea-infested and malnourished Princess Abby had found refuge from the mean streets. Upon learning that entrants in the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest received a free checkup by celeb vet Karen “Doc” Halligan, Francis immediately signed her rescued pup up. Not only did Princess Abby get her check-up, she

“A catfish wreaking havoc you say?” SUBMITTED BY CHANTEL TRAVIS

danced away with $2,600, a modeling contract, a photo shoot with pet photographer Grace Chon, a trip to NYC for appearances on morning talk shows, a six-foot trophy, and $1,000 worth of canine clothes and doggie gear

Runner-up Captions:

“OK...Now I will show you how to do the “YMCA” by the Village people.” SUBMITTED BY MICHELLE KVASNIK

“Look again, how can you not see them? An owl and a pussy cat in a pea green boat!!” SUBMITTED BY CAROLINE PERISHO

“No matter how insistent Frank was, he just couldn’t convince Sparky that the drowning veterinarian really needed saving.” SUBMITTED BY CARLEIGH CATHCART

from contest sponsor House of Dog in LA. Most of the contestants in the annual Ugliest Dog Contest, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, CA are rescues. Princess Abby is the poster girl for inbreeding, and Halligan told the crowd that Abby was a perfect example of why having your pets spayed and neutered is so important. After her win, Francis drove away with her canine companion’s trophy sticking out the top of her old convertible. “All I could do was laugh and act crazy,” Francis told the Associated Press. “People were honking and waving. I felt like, “Here she comes, Miss America.” moderndogmagazine.com

THE SCOOP Canine Confections

Shout Out to Jim Hubal, a Real Estate Agent Making a Difference

Now you can have your art and eat it, too. Debbie Goard is the artist behind Debbie Does Cakes, a San Francisco bakery specializing in the quirky, strange, and personalized cake

Sometimes it seems like there are so

requests that

many animals in need that it is im-

traditional baker-

possible to know where to start. ”How

ies can’t handle

can I help?” can be an overwhelm-

(see cakewrecks.

ing question, but if everyone gave

blogspot.com

just a little, whether time or money,

for some hilari-

we could greatly improve the awful

ous examples of

situation for homeless animals. Jim

professional cakes

Hubal, a real estate agent in Minne-

gone wrong). Her

apolis, is helping animals a little every day, donating $500 from

designs run from

every sale to needy shelters, as well as offering links to animal

dinosaurs to cars, spray cans to record players, roast

resource sites on his real estate profile, and running

beefs to suckling pigs, and, most importantly (for our

americahelpsanimals.com, a website dedicated to offering

purposes, at least), dogs. She fell into cake decorating

helpful hints on how ordinary people can help animals, too. It’s

almost accidentally, taking a side job at a bakery while

worth thinking about; how can you help?

looking for a job in fashion. With a natural talent and an artistic background, she was inspired by ordinary obSince then, her artistic abilities, outrageous designs, and care ensuring her clients the cake of their dreams have made her well known in the San Francisco area. Sadly, shipping is unavailable, but if you live in the Bay area, we can think of no better birthday or wedding cake. debbiedoescakes.net

D Did you know? Marilyn Monroe had three dogs named Hugo, Tippy, and Muggsie.

PHOTO THE MAYOR’S ALLIANCE FOR NYC’S ANIMALS

jects and animals and opened her own bakery in 2006.

Bachelor Prince A Real Catch Before Prince Lorenzo Borghese was The Bachelor, he was largely focusing his energy on his line of canine cosmetic products, the Royal Treatment Italian Pet Spa, which follows the Borghese family cosmetic tradition, but for dogs. Fast forward to 2010 and the Prince, though still a bachelor (Ladies, it’s not too late to put in a bid for a royal title!) has been keeping busy. Between the Royal Treatment Pet Spa line, the site royalpetclub.com, where you can purchase the Royal Treatment at wholesale prices, receive free stuff, and follow the

Modern Dog Poll Results 92% would accept a job with lesser pay if they could bring their dog to work

Royal Pet Club blog, and his web show, America’s Next Top Dog, this prince has got his fair share of royal obligations. But he hasn’t stopped there. In his down time, he’s lending his celebrity to help out our furry four-legged friends. Those on the pet-event circuit will often spot Lorenzo speaking out about pet adoption, in particular promoting the two organizations he’s most closely aligned with, which both receive $1 for

Modern Dog Poll Do you celebrate your dog’s birthday? Go to moderndogmagazine.com to vote. 18 moderndog

F ALL 2010

orders made though royalpetclub.com: American Humane for each free product shipped, and North Shore Animal League of America for every order completed, a princely act indeed. So, what do you get when you cross royalty with a love for dogs, a cosmetics empire, and a dose of reality tv? A real catch: dog lover, business man, philanthropist, mover and shaker, and we’re sure there’s an Italian villa in there somewhere.

CH RE IC AL KE N !

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Just opening a packet of JerHigh Healthy Dog Snacks grabs your furry friend’s attention. That’s because they’re packed with real chicken meat and enriched with vitamins. Available in a range of delicious ﬂavors, treat your special family member to some JerHigh love today. We promise, the choice won’t go unnoticed. Available at Wal-Mart (Canada only). jerhigh.com

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Surf Top Dog Sites Pet

og, Dear Dreally

Treat Yourself animal.discovery.com/videos/daily-treat

Cute Alert dogatar.com

Keep up with the latest dog gadgets and trends: check out animal.discovery.com/videos/daily-treat. With a funny, sarcastic host that is just as skeptical as we are of some of the wacky stuff coming out for dogs, this site offers a fresh perspective on what’s new and hot for canines. Don’t miss checking out the video test of the dog collar camera to see what a dog gets up to while his owner is away.

Cuteness overload! There is no other way to explain this. There are pictures, endless pictures, of dogs and their kitty sidekicks, dogs at the beach, dogs sleeping, dogs upside down, dogs everywhere. The only thing these dogs have in common is that they’re all heartbreakingly adorable. Endless amounts of cute on one page. It is nearly impossible to believe that these sheer levels of absolute smile-inducing sweetness can exist at all, especially gathered together on one site, but here we have it, proof.

Tracking nature in the city Tube and other NYC odysseys outwalkingthedog.wordpress.com

I would te it ia apprec ould if you w gging be stop when.. for food

og, Dear Dreally

I would te it ia apprec ould if you w gging stop be when.. for food

Walking a dog is less a necessity and more an adventure in this charming blog, Out Walking the Dog. New York City becomes a place of quiet mysteries, from the fate of ducklings with deformed wings to the wonderment of street pianos appearing over night accompanied by a sign that reads “Play Me, I’m Yours.” The author’s name is not given, and the dog is referred to as Esau, after the Biblical hairy man who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage (as the author duly notes, what self-respecting canine wouldn’t?). The New York Times, though, stripped away their secret identities, outing them to the world as “mottled mutt” Strider and his companion, Melissa Cooper, the fiftysomething playwright who started the blog last October. Their revealed identities subtract nothing from the magic and poetry of this blog, a testament to the everyday adventures to be found while out walking the dog.

“Dear Dog” Letters community.livejournal.com/note_to_dog

Pet Tube

Your dog may be the smartest on the block, but we’re willing to bet he probably can’t read. Still, perhaps there has been something, some important issue, that you feel needs to be addressed, og, D r ea D really that, if only you could sit down and work I would te it ia apprec your frustrations out in letter form, your dog ould if you w g ggin stop be may begin to understand the source of your n.. he w for food discontent. These unsent missives may have previously spent countless years tucked away, unread, or perhaps even been chewed upon by the og, Dear Dreally I would te it more malcontent pups out there, but not anymore. ia ec pr ap ould Now, thanks to Notes to Man’s Best Friend, these if you w gging stop be hen.. unsent letters finally have a home. And thankforgoodfood w ness, for (we’re guessing unheeded) grievances like “Dear Belle, When I am watching television in the living room, that is not an invitation for you to jump on my shoulders. Fifteen pounds is too heavy to attempt such things” finally have resonance with an audience— just not their intended one.

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Form and Function meet Fido phetched.com Like us, Katherine at phetched.com is always on the lookout for the hottest new things for dogs. With her finds handily organized into categories including Around the (Dog) House, Doggy DIY, Gadgets and Gizmos, Nutrition & Treats, and Phodography, among others, this site is easy to navigate, filled with interesting news and products, and updated everyday save for Sunday, so there’s no dearth of cool new dog stuff to take a gander at. og, Dear Dreally

I would te it ia apprec ould if you w gging be op st when.. for food

Canine Connection k9friendsunited.com The biggest ideas start in the smallest places, and that is especially true for K9 Friends United, an idea born in the driver’s seat of a lorry. After seeing so many solitary dog walkers wandering the streets, lorry-driver Diarmuid Scullin wondered why they did not walk together, and set about an epic quest to create a way for fellow walkers to find each other. After near endless research, K9FriendsUnited.com, a dog lover’s online social networking haven, was launched, inspired by the likes of Facebook and Bebo. Your dog needn’t be your only companion in dogwalking any longer. Check out this site, join, and let the fellowship begin!

Pooch Portraits slobberspace.com A photo blog that contains, as creator Anna Kuperberg, says “no useful information...no training advice, and no breed analysis,” slobberface.com is a goofy, happy, and sometimes poignant portrait of dogs doing what dogs do best, whether that be playing, sleeping, staring off into space contemplatively, or destroying peanut butter jars. Kuperberg demonstrates her knack for off-kilter, sweet character studies in her photographs, and this blog definitely, as promised, offers hours of office procrastination.

• hot spots • post-surgical sites • minor wounds

• granulomas • insect bites • and more

The Everyday Walk, Reinvented Dogs like to walk, but they LOVE to run. Get your dogs the exercise they crave with the Springer bicycle attachment. Simple to use. Safe for you and your dog. Works with most bikes, most dogs. Use code MODERN for 10% discount at checkout at SpringerAmerica.com. See our new video!

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22 moderndog

Fun and Functional Dog Products

F ALL 2010

Pup Profiles “I’m a Modern Dog!”

Luke Alaskan Malamute Luke’s favourite pastimes are digging in leaves, mud, and his yellow pool. He also enjoys stealing toys, giving kisses, doggie ice cream, apples, and “woo-wooing” you. Dislikes? Lettuce and animals in the woods at night.

Stout Adorable seven-week-old chocolate Labrador Retriever Stout discovers dirt during her first week at her new home in San Diego, CA. Ah, puppies.

Tobie

Max is an exuberant Golden Retriever who resides in Alexandria, VA. “Trouble to the Max” likes human food (cheese, please!), sleeping in the mud, other dogs, having his ears scratched, and hanging out with Dad.

Violet Violet, a Formosan Mountain Dog (a breed of dog indigenous to Taiwan), was rescued at four months from the streets of Taiwan. She’s now in Canada, loving the wildlife, parks, and all the friendly people.

Tano Tano is Shepherd mix from Iasi, Romania, who also goes by the nickname Tanucu. Strangers aren’t high on his list of favourite things but he loves to play and eat steak.

Dave 18-month-old Dave, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, loves a good mud puddle anywhere, but especially at the dog park. His nickname is Diamond Dave and his favourite pastime is rolling in any stinky spot. Favourite food? He likes it all.

Princess & Sophie Princess is a Small Munsterlander and, according to her owner, “the smartest dog I’ve been around in my entire life.” Her lovely pal Sophie was rescued from a kill shelter on her last day. These two are the best of friends.

Max

American Cocker Spaniel Tobie, aka Tobaroo, is a super energetic, spirited puppy. He loves duvet covers, the outdoors, long walks, and cuddling up on the couch.

Lily Lily, or “Fo-rilly,” as she is sometimes called, is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi that lives in Edison, NJ. She loves agility, destroying toys, eating, swimming, and, as we see in this photo, participating in a doggie fashion shows for nursing home patients. Just look at that smile!

Is your dog modern? Want to see your pup profiled in the pages of Modern Dog? Enter online at moderndogmagazine.com/photocontest or email us at doggieprofile@ moderndogmagazine.com with a high-resolution photo and your doggie data for a shot at stardom! Featured dogs will be chosen by the Modern Dog editorial staff. Assignment of rights applies; see full details at moderndogmagazine.com/photosubmission.

CALENDAR

Get out your date book! Fall events not to be missed SEPTEMBER sees the release of LeSportsac’s first-ever pet collection featuring dog carriers in two cool prints, as well as rubber dog bones. For now, the carriers are available in just one roomy size, but expect more sizes and styles in fall 2011.

SEPTEMBER 25 + 26 Get on down to Chattanooga, TN (via Choo Choo, perhaps?) for the Hyperflight Skyhoundz World Canine Disc Championship and catch as many as 125 teams from around the world competing in high-flying athleticism. skyhoundz.com You could be a hero. OCTOBER is American Humane’s Adopt-a-Dog Month. If you’re planning on expanding your furry family, fall in love with a dog in need. For puppies to purebreds and all the loveable mutts in between, check out an animal shelter or breed-rescue group in your area. americanhumane.org

OCTOBER 9 + 10 Keep fit and have fun while raising money for the homeless pets of the Carolinas! PetSmart Charities PetWalk and Adoption Event features both a 1-mile and 5K walk, fun activities for the whole family, and an adoption event should you be looking to add to your pack. mypetwalk.org

PHOTO MICHELLE BRIXIUS-KASICH, IT’S RAINING CATS-N-DOGS

OCTOBER 2 Woof it up! Join the fun in Scarborough, Maine at Woofminster 2010 and help raise money for the Planet Dog Foundation. Enter Poochy in challenges like Best Trick, Most EarResistable Ears, Best Vocal, Best Mystery Mutt, Best Smile, Most Ball Crazy, Best Two-Legged Beggar, and Best Kisser for a chance to appear on the cover of the next Planet Dog catalogue. planetdogfoundation.org

OCTOBER 9 + 10 Gather up the posse and make your way to the Salem County Fairgrounds in NJ for Fido’s Festival USA, two days of canine craziness including agility, dock dogs, costume contests, dog sledding demos, lure racing, a parade, and even a dance contest for people. It’s fall fun for all dogs and their guardians, regardless of pedigree. fidosfestivalusa.com

OCTOBER 15-17 If you’re serious about rolling up your sleeves and doing some on-the-ground rescue work, book your flight to Vegas for the No More Homeless Pets Conference at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino for the latest ideas and practices in saving animals. bestfriends.org

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PHOTO SARAH AUSE

Start planning your costumes for HowlOWeenie 2010 in Chamblee, GA in benefit of DREAM Dachshund Rescue, Education, Awareness, and Mentoring. dreamdachshundrescue.org

NOVEMBER 7-13 It’s National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. Let’s hear it for our communities’ unsung heroes. Check animalsheltering.org/ sheltersrock for materials to help you celebrate National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week in your community.

Are you feeding your dog the right food? Chicken Protein #1 Ingredient Omega 3 DHA Prebiotics Corn Free No By-Products No Fillers or Added Glutens Fruits & Vegetables Rosemary Extract Marigold Extract Vitamins C & E Unique Herbal Blend Easy Carry Handle and Top Slider

At Nutrience, we believe in honest nutrition for every stage of your dog’s life. That’s why we include a variety of high quality ingredients, each one specifically tailored to provide a building block necessary for a healthy mind and body. So you get dog food of unparalleled quality with no by-products, no fillers, no added glutens and no compromise.

www.nutrience.com

moderndog photo contest wÄąnners!

smile!

Penny

KC Pickles, Olives & Taters

Copper Penny Rigley Spicy McHaggis

Harley

Rocky

Misty Oscar Madison Pumpkin & Cimmy

Barkley

Geo

Parker

Tanner Bellarose Daisy

Soba Pugsly & Dave

Emmy

Think your dog ought to grace the pages of Modern Dog?

Kingsley

Send us photos of your picture-perfect pooch! The winning entries will be published in the Winter 10/11 issue. Send photos to: Modern Dog Photo Contest, Suite 202, 343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4. Submitted photographs are property of Modern Dog and will not be returned. Please include your name, dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and breed, address and contact info, including telephone number. Please send 4 x 6 print photographs or enter online at moderndogmagazine.com. Assignment of rights applies; see full details at moderndogmagazine.com/ photosubmission. moderndogmagazine.com

E BREED MEET TH

t e p The WhipWinner takes all By Marian Buechert

A N G I E & C L A R A 2Â©20 06/ D E B O R A H S A M U E L

Photographs by Deborah Samuel

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h e a l t hy p ro d u c t s f o r d o g s

they willingly race for a mere flash of movement whipped along the ground. Dog racing in the nineteenth century was the sport of the working class and the swift dog of the miners was often dubbed “the poor man’s racehorse.” Because the early Whippets had to run alongside other dogs without scrapping, they needed to have an even temperament. The working-class dogs also lived in close proximity with their human families in tiny, cramped homes where a gentle and unobtrusive animal would be prized over one that demanded constant attention or that snapped at children. The British breed standard calls the Whippet “An ideal companion. Highly adaptable.” Stanley Coren, author of Why We Love the Dogs We Do (Free Press; 1998), considers Whippets to be in the category of “Consistent Dogs.” About this group he writes: “[They are] perfectly happy living in the city and put up with indoor living quite well….self-contained dogs who will allow you to be affectionate, but can live quite happily with very little caressing and are often content to rest quietly across the room from you.”

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In the race for first place in the human heart, the Whippet is an odds-on favourite. Neat, sweet, and fleet, these smaller cousins of the ancient Greyhound are tough to beat. Of course, the Whippet was bred to outrun all comers from Day One, so this sleek-coated sighthound already has an unfair head start in the speed department. The exact origins of the Whippet are not known, but it is likely that there have always been compact versions of the Greyhound used for coursing small game such as hares and for hunting vermin. The debate rages as to which hound is the fastest dog breed of all, but the comparison is like stacking the Quarter Horse against the Thoroughbred: Whippets are faster off the mark and excel at short distances and turns; Greyhounds rule over long distances. At the time of the Industrial Revolution, miners in the north of England began racing their smaller coursing dogs in “rag races,” where dogs chased after a cloth waved from the far end of the track. Then, as now, the prey drive in Whippets is so strong that

Profile:

The Whippet AKC Ranking: #61 in popularity Size: Medium—18 to 22 inches Grooming: Low Activity level: Moderate Heritage: Hunting and racing US Rescue: whippet-rescue.com

Most Popular Dogs in the U.S. According to AKC 2009 registration statistics [1]

Labrador Retriever German Shepherd Dog [3] Yorkshire Terrier [4] Golden Retriever [5] Beagle [6] Boxer [7] Bulldog [8] Dachshund [9] Poodle [10] Shih Tzu [61] Whippet [2]

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The American Kennel Club (AKC) standard reads: “Temperament: Amiable, friendly, gentle, but capable of great intensity during sporting pursuits.”[emphasis added] In other words, though calm and wellbehaved the majority of the time, the Whippet will chase anything that moves and while “on the lure” becomes deaf to owners’ pleas to return. This intensity can bring the dogs into physical danger, as when they pursue a squirrel across a busy road, or tear through a barbed wire fence after a rabbit, so Whippet owners are cautioned to never let their dogs off leash in an unsafe area and to build high fences. The Whippet’s physique is keyed to its role as a high-performance athlete: long, slim legs, narrow head, deep chest, nipped-in waist, prominent musculature. It’s a striking silhouette, one that inspires overwhelming admiration in some people and instant disgust in others. “Don’t you ever feed that dog?” and “Is your dog sick? It’s so skinny!” are comments that Whippet owners hear all too often. In fact, Whippets are generally healthy individuals with few physical problems. Dogs that race or course may break toes, sprain legs and shoulders, or suffer other injuries, but inherited health issues are few. Like many sighthounds, Whippets can react poorly to certain surgical anesthetics, so owners should be proactive in discussing this with the veterinarian. Being short-coated with very little insulating body fat, however, Whippets do not tolerate cold well, and should never be forced to spend long periods of time outdoors. In many climates, a Whippet will enjoy snuggling into a warm doggie jacket for winter walks. Following the old adage that a good dog cannot be a bad colour, the Whippet’s fine, easy-care coat may be any hue. The AKC standard states simply: “Colour immaterial.” Whippets can be just about anything from solid white to solid black. Common colours include fawn (soft brown), black, and parti-coloured (white with patches of another colour). While colour is wide open, size is closely controlled. The American standard requires males to be 19 to 22 inches at the top of the shoulder and females must be 18 to 21 inches. North American Whippets consider this to be the perfect size for curling into a tight but cushy location on the couch next to their owner, or for sliding under the bedcovers beside a warm human body—although they do make allowances for their British cousins, who are about an inch shorter. Regardless of a Whippet’s speed on the track or in the field, he is sure to triumph as an elegant and easy-going housemate and a loving companion. In this case, the winner does take all: our admiration, our appreciation, and our affection for this, our fast friend. n

Canadian Rescue: whippetcanada.com/rescue.html

moderndogmagazine.com

Unleash

sylranch.com Please drink responsibly

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your palate

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Meet your walk’s new best friend. Snap Leashlink onto you lead; It holds your keys, poop bag holder, whistle, and other necessities for an organized walk. poochiebells.com

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“Hello my name is” tags are perfect in their name-tag simplicity. Price includes engraving the back with your dog’s details. thebetterpettag.com

$14

Flea the Scene all-natural spray provides a deterring line of defense against the invading flea army. happytailsspa.com

Sweet suds. Your dog will smell divine with Doggie Sudz 100% natural shampoo and conditioner in either Mango or Lavender essence. austinrose.com

Easily switch collars by attaching your dog’s tags to these awesome, durable carabiner dogtag clips, available in two sizes (quarter size and nickel size) and several colours. We love it when someone steps up and solves one of life’s little frustrations. rubitclip.com

Fab Finds Under $25 $14

Keep your pup textshorthand savvy with these delightful call-out text toys. LOL! fabdog.com

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These floppy Sasquatches are furry, fun, and pretty darn fabulous. Salsa and his little buddy Baby Salsa are perfect for shaking, tugging, and snuggling. westpawdesign.com

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Let’s hear it for New York. Fab Dog’s transparent place mat allows your dog to familiarize himself with NYC subway routes while he dines. fabdog.com

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Is your dog tough on toys? Play fetch with these built-tolast float-y and fun Octagons, durable enough for rough play but soft on your dog’s mouth. treevers.com

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Light up your life. Nelli’s Design customizable candles come with a decorative collar and engraveable dog tag, and are available in unscented, Rolling in Grass, or Saddle scent. nellidesigns.com

moderndogmagazine.com

TRAINING TRIALS?

Ask an Expert Answer’s to your most pressing training

questions

Ask Jennifer Messer

Does my dog need friends? Though he’s rarely alone, George (a 4-year-old Shepherd/Basset cross) really only gets to hang out with people. Am I depriving him of a fundamental canine necessity? —Curious About George in Canmore

Dogs are a social species, so George definitely needs friends…but whether that has to include other dogs is debatable. Just as some of us are quite content hanging out with pets instead of people, there are dogs who seem tickled pink to get their social fix exclusively from their two-legged, furless friends. My Pit Bull, Charlotte, for example, is hardly a canine social butterfly. Her MO is to initiate fisticuffs as soon as she meets someone new, and even her longtime doggie relationships are fraught with tension. Charlotte is indifferent to her Beagle companion but loves the they do encounter their own kind. While human companionship company of humans—especially the Frisbee-throwing variety. alone can often meet a dog’s social needs well enough to prevent My Beagle, Bender, on the other hand, LIVES to socialize with visible signs of social deprivation, doing so is still depriving the dogs—old friends and strangers alike. If we skip a day at the dog dog of a rich social life with their own species, at least for the ones park he practically explodes from the car next visit and then tries who clearly enjoy each other’s company. to make up for the absence with especially voracious butt sniffing. So… how do you figure out whether George is a dog who is Bender’s life is clearly enriched by dog companionship, and currently being deprived of a craving for canine companionship? Charlotte’s is obviously not. This isn’t entirely Just ask him. Make sure he’s already getting surprising given their respective breeds: Pit plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and social Breed type is by Bulls were bred to fight other dogs and Beagles no means the only attention within his “dogless” lifestyle, then offer were bred to live in large groups. Breed type is him some regular dogtime and see what he has determinant of a by no means the only determinant of a dog’s to say about it. Does he get especially excited dog’s need for canine when he knows he’s going to the dog park? need for canine company, but it often plays a role. I know many companion breed dogs that company, but it often Sleep more soundly than usual after a doggie plays a role. can take or leave having dog friends. Human date? Seem less dependent on the people in his companionship is what they were bred to life after a good bout of playfighting with his seek, and is often what turns their crank. buddies? If you see that he thrives on the fur-based social stimulaAs a general rule of thumb, though, most dogs that have been tion, then the jury is in: that is your proof that, while dog friends well socialized do get tremendous enjoyment from spending time may not be an absolute necessity for him, they sure do make his with their own species. Hanging out with familiar dog buddies day. n and making new acquaintances is the canine equivalent of how Jennifer Messer is a veterinarian working in Ottawa, Ontario. She has an honours BA we enjoy the company of old friends and the stimulation of meetin psychology from McGill University and a DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, ing new people. Regular dog contact also keeps most dogs’ social and is author of The Kinder Puppy Course available at pavski.ca. She is owned by skills sharp, making them much safer and more comfortable when her Pit Bull, Charlotte, and her Beagle, Mr. F. Bender.

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your dog will thank you. Each issue brings you health & wellness, insight into your dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behaviour, the best dog products, expert advice from trainers, vets, and behaviourists, essays exploring the human/canine bond, fun DIY projects and, much more! subscribe at moderndogmagazine.com/subscribe or call 1-800-417-6289

In 1975, Solid Gold introduced the first natural dog food into the U.S. Then, other companies tried to copy us. Our dog food was named Hund-N-Flocken after its German name, after having been a top seller in Germany for 20 years. In 1985, Solid Gold introduced the first holistic dog food into the U.S. Holistic does not mean natural. It does not mean organic – no matter what other ignorant dog food companies tell you. It means the whole body works together – mind, body and spirit. Holistic is a philosophy of life. Example: All the Oriental dogs, dogs from Ireland, Scotland (terriers, spaniels, retrievers, mastiffs), and water dogs, like labs and poodles, were fed a fish – based dog food and sea vegetation such as our Solid Gold Sea Meal for hundreds of years. If you don’t feed them a fish-based dog food and Sea Meal, they will chew at the root of the tail and lick their feet. Fish supports the DNA so you don’t get allergies. All of the Solid Gold dog foods and cat foods (Katz-N-Flocken and Indigo Moon Holistic Cat food) are fish-based. White dogs or dogs with white on them, also need a fish-based dog food. Think of the animals in the arctic. The polar bear is white, the American Eskimo dog, and the Samoyed dogs are white. The Siberian husky has a white undercoat and frequently has blue eyes. This permits the ultra-violet light to enter the body and boost up the hormone, enzyme and immune systems. See Tolkien’s book, “Lord of the Rings” for further details on the importance of ultra-violet light. This is part of why the Solid Gold Sea Meal must be fed twice a day. It has 60 trace minerals from sea algae. Dogs are 11% trace minerals, but only 4% vitamins. Without trace minerals, the vitamins don’t work. See previous article on why we don’t use Norwegian kelp and radiation from the explosion from the Chernobyl Russian plant. Back to the white coat – if too much blue light enters the body, it destroys the immune system. In Florida and southern California, keep white dogs inside between 10 am – 4 pm to prevent photo-aging and tear stains. Other types of dogs have “holistic” considerations. The Coton-de-Tuler was originally from the island of Madagascar near South Africa. The Havanese was originally from the island of Cuba. The Bichon Frise was developed around the coast of France. The Maltese was developed on the island of Malta. You must feed these dogs a fish-based dog food and Sea Meal. Our “Just a Wee Bit” dry dog food has small pieces for the little mouth. It is 28% protein, small dogs need a high protein diet their whole lives because small dogs have a high metabolism. The pink bag has a Westhighland White Terrier on the front. My grandmother’s Westie wasn’t a terrier. She was a terrorist and always got her own way. Other arctic dogs like the Pom, need fish. The Pom was originally a sled dog. You can tell by the tail. Recently, at a dog show, some other dog food company was next to our booth. They proudly announced that they were now holistic too. We asked them what holistic meant. They replied that they put apples in their food. They said this made the food holistic. You can add any cooked vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and green beans – but never peas. Peas cause gas in dogs. Dr. Karen Halligan, DVM warns never to give avocados to dogs. It may cause pancreatitis problems. Our food bags are hermetically sealed, like vacuumed packed. So, we don’t use any artificial preservatives. Never empty the bag into another container. The act of pouring exposes the food to air. Just open the top, scoop out and then seal with clothes pins or bag clips. This way, only the top layers are exposed to the air. Solid Gold sources its food in the U.S. and has it manufactured here. Two years ago 197 brands of dog food were made in China and killed 6000-7000 dogs and cats. Only about five dog foods are sourced and made in the U.S. Solid Gold is one of them. Solid Gold answers to a Higher Power! Now for a cute story One afternoon, a lady heard a scratching at her door. She opened it to find an old dog that walked right in. He was well fed and seemed friendly. He walked through the living room, curled up in a corner and went to sleep. Later on, he scratched the door to be let out and disappeared. This routine went on for several days. Finally, the lady attached a note to his collar as he was leaving. The next day, a new note was on his collar. It read, “We have six very active children in our home. I guess the dog just need a place to rest. Tomorrow, can I come to your house too?” Solid Gold is the only dog food company that is a member of the Organic Trade Association, the American Nutraceutical Association, the Medicinal Food Association, Nutraceutical Foods Association and the Life Extension Association.

For a catalog or store near you call or email us at: (619) 258-7356 or (619) 258-1914 (M-F 10-5 PST) or E-mail us at sarah@solidgoldhealth.com or www.solidgoldhealth.com Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, the Holistic Animal Nutrition Center 1331 N. Cuyamaca El Cajon, CA 92020

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Dog Park Do’s and Don’ts No scoop, no foul? Jumpers, humpers, and more: What to ignore and what to mention in your daily dealings at the dog park. Dear Labby, dogtime.com’s resident petiquette expert, weighs in on how to address the delicate and keep your cool without being a pushover. You see someone fail to scoop.

You see someone reprimand your dog.

No doubt, if the offending party witnesses the act and blatantly shirks her doodie duty, that requires major zen on your part. Fight the urge to smack your gum indignantly and demand, “You gonna get that?” Instead, kindly let the owner know there’s been an incident. Keep it light, helpful even, like you’re doing her a favour: “Oh!” [giggle] “Look at Buster… I think he just went!” Same approach had the owner been genuinely oblivious to the deposit. Your tone and body language should be such that a passerby catching only snippets of the interaction would assume you were pointing out an exotic flower—or a box of money—off in the distance.

If the reprimand is warranted, consider the issue closed. For example, your Chow receives a stern “Ginger, no!” when she runs over to help herself to someone else’s stash of treats. Not only is the mild scolding appropriate, the other owner has helped reinforce that the rule Baconettes are for good dogs who sit applies everywhere. However, if the reprimand is too harsh, or simply uncalled-for, step in right away. Offer a cordial, “Thanks, I’ll handle it,” and walk Ginger to another area of the park.

The rule “Baconettes are for good dogs who sit”applies everywhere.

You see someone reprimand her dog very harshly. There’s just no good answer here. And with “harsh” in the eye of the beholder, interfering can get downright ugly. Most owners will not be receptive of your parenting critique, no matter how delicately your phrase it. But for the pup’s sake, it’s worth a try: “I couldn’t help but notice you’re dealing with a jumper, just like my Oscar. I had the best luck with [insert suitable training technique here].” If the dog is clearly going to be better off removed from the situation—he’s in danger of physical harm or psychological trauma—this switches from a question of etiquette to a moral obligation. You must alert the authorities.

You’re left out of the dog-park coffee klatch.

Chances are, this invite-only Meet & Greet looks way more interesting from the outside. The bulk of the conversation probably revolves around whose dog failed obedience class and where Coco was caught pooping. Count your blessings. If you seriously still want in, invite one or two of the park-goers to your place for happy hour. Tell them you’ve been wanting to discuss Gidget’s off-colour greeting habits.

Someone is letting their dog run off leash in an onleash area. This isn’t junior high school and you’re not the hall monitor. If the dog isn’t antagonizing you or your pup, let it go. It’s your responsibility to follow the rules, not enforce them. If the dog is truly a menace, a friendly, “FYI, I’ve seen people get tickets for unleashed dogs here” should do the trick. moderndogmagazine.com

There’s a dog off leash in the appropriate area but he’s running so wild he has almost knocked you down— twice.

Someone brings their small children into the dog park where your friendly but exuberant dog (and many others) are playing.

What should you do? Move out of his way! And if there’s not time for that, bend your knees and brace for impact. After all, this is what the dog park was meant to be: a place where dogs who’ve been cooped up in the house all day can run wild, wrestle, chase each other, and just generally get their yayas out. Unless the dog is dangerously out of control, let him have his day.

Warn the parents. Let them know the dogs here are friendly but high-energy. Perhaps even add that you once saw an unsuspecting tot get steamrolled by a clumsy but well-meaning Collie. The tone you’re going for: informative and thoughtful. You know, as opposed to bossy and controlling.

Your dog gets into a fight and you discipline him, but the other dog’s owner doesn’t do anything.

Mounting. Ah, the dog who “loves” too much. Though the behaviour is neither uncommon nor unnatural, humpers often become the pariahs of the park. If your dog’s a humper, get this under control (with help from a trainer, if necessary), sooner rather than later—or you’ll find humans and canines alike heading for the hills at first glimpse of either one of you. Catch Romeo in the act? Call him to you as quickly as possible. If that fails to abort mission, lead him by the collar away from whomever he has set his sights on. The flip side: you’re the humpee or the humpee’s owner. This is pretty much carte blanche to do what it takes to extricate dog from victim. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating using even an iota more brute strength than is required, but running interference between the dogs or physically removing the dog from your leg is perfectly acceptable.

There’s nothing you should do in this situation. It’s not your place to correct another dog, and unsolicited dog-parenting advice is hardly ever appreciated. Best case, the owner ignores you. Worst case, the confrontation turns ugly, and everyone, including the animals, loses. If you notice a pattern with this pair, and you’re able to establish a rapport with the owner, a well-timed offer could do the trick: “Let me know if you want the name of my behaviourist—she’s terrific!”

The tone you’re going for: informative and thoughtful. You know, as opposed to bossy and controlling.

Little dogs that approach big dogs charging and barking. Yep, I know the one: the Chihuahua who thinks she’s a mountain lion. (Inevitably, she stalks the Great Dane who thinks he’s a canary.) Assuming it’s highly unlikely that anyone will be harmed during this display, let the dogs work it out. Usually they do, quite gracefully. It might not be fair—little dogs always get away with more—but that’s life in the big city. Most of the time, this is not worth getting the owners involved. Exception: when one dog is ganged up on, no matter the size, a human needs to intervene.

Your dog has a very embarrassing “bathroom incident” right as you attempt to strike up a conversation with that hot dog-dad you’ve been eying across the park. You just hit the jackpot! That’s your opening line right there: “Excuse me, could I get your advice on this one? Bag it or barehand?” If that’s not exactly your style, it’s still your chance to show Hottie-McHound-Dad what a responsible dog parent you are. Smile sweetly, grab your eco-friendly poop bag, and remark, “That’s a good girl, Millie. Now finish up or I’ll be late to pick up my Swedish massage course diploma.”

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Your dog jumps up on someone at the dog park, covering her white pants with muddy paw prints. Should you offer money for dry-cleaning?

Ridiculous. That’s like expecting Disney World to refund your lunch money after you toss your cookies on Space Mountain. Don’t bring your Golden Retriever to the glass miniatures exhibit. Don’t hire the aquarium guy to fix your plumbing. And don’t wear white pants to the dog park. A simple apology suffices.

You step in dog poop—and know just which owner failed to scoop! Your best bet is to simply walk (shuffle?) away. Even if you’re 100 percent confident it was Tinkerbell who laid the log, actually proving it is difficult at best. And let’s be honest: No one wants to be standing around arguing about whose poop it is when your shoe smells like it just blew in from an outhouse in Amarillo. Face it, solid waste happens. n

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Modern Family, Modern Guy, Modern Dog by Melissa Barr Photographs by Jeff Nicholson

Eric Stonestreet on his pupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in his real-life family and why dogs are like gift cards

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ric Stonestreet is a modern guy with a very modern and very lucky dog, Coleman Hawkins. On Fox’s hit television show, Modern Family, Emmy-nominated Stonestreet plays the hilarious Cameron, partner to Mitchell and adoptive father to infant Lily, and Stonestreet is as unable to hide his affection and enthusiasm for his real four-legged best pal, a feisty Parson Russell/mystery mix as Cameron is legendary for his inability to tone down his flamboyant, enthusiastic, and nurturing nature. Modern Dog decided to find out just how Stonestreet’s own family, a dog-inclusive one, measures up to the almost pitch-perfect (and endearingly dysfunctional) portrait presented in Modern Family. “Coleman Hawkins came into my life at a really perfect time,” Stonestreet says. “It just dawned on me one day that I should rescue a dog. I started looking, but I lived in an apartment, so I couldn’t justify getting a big dog like a Labrador. [Coleman’s] picture came up on this website for rescue and I went and got him. He was named Coleman Hawkins at the rescue. Apparently, the people who found him on the street must have been

jazz musician fans. I did a little research on Coleman Hawkins and found out that he’s from Topeka, Kansas. I’m from Kansas, so I felt it was an appropriate name for him.” “Coleman thinks he’s, like, 150 pounds, a tough guy, and if he was able to see himself in the mirror and know he was only 22 pounds, he’d be astonished,” Stonestreet adds, when asked what Coleman is like. “He’s kind of an independent dog. I always say he doesn’t need you to feel good about himself; he’s got his own spirit and his own mind. If you want him to cuddle with you too much, he won’t do it, but as soon as you stop paying attention, he’ll jump up with you and sit for a while.” We know that a proper modern dog and his modern guy must have characteristics in common, and Stonestreet laughs when asked which traits he shares with Coleman. He thinks for a moment and then says, “We’re relaxers. He likes to lay around, I like to lay around. He’s sleeping right now. He’s protective. I think I’m protective, too. He’s always on guard and on patrol.” Then he consults his girlfriend and, laughing, adds, “Cuteness, too. I’d say we both probably

”I’d say we both probably took cuteness lessons.”

moderndogmagazine.com

took cuteness lessons.” It hasn’t been all cuteness lessons and relaxing for the actor and his mischievous pup, however, and Stonestreet confesses, after some prompting, that there have been some embarrassing moments such as an incident in a California dog park when he was a new, single doggie father hoping to use Coleman’s adorableness to charm fellow dog-lovers. “I was sitting next to this girl who had a cute little dog,” he admits. “We were talking and getting along and it was fine. She had just moved to LA and was pursuing an acting career. We’d even already exchanged numbers to talk later, and Coleman would not stop humping her Poodle. It was funny at first, but then it became really awkward and uncomfort-

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able. He wouldn’t stop trying to get some action on this girl’s dog! I think he kind of blew my chances.” Though Coleman has hindered Stonestreet’s romantic chances in the past, he has kept his owner busy to make up for it. “He goes to work with me. He hangs out in my trailer on the set of Modern Family. He loves feeling like he has a job to do. He loves to see the postman come up every day. I used to encourage that! I thought it was funny because, from his perspective, every day around the same time, some guy tries to

break into the house and Coleman barks, makes a big deal, and scares him off. How tough must he feel?” Dogs are integral to most of our definitions of a modern family, and, though Modern Family’s Cameron and Mitchell do not have one (yet), they are currently dealing with the addition of their adopted daughter. “I think a family dog is a pretty identifiable transition in the family,” Stonestreet says. “Since we always try to reflect reality, if we’re lucky enough to be on the air in three years, when Lily is four, I think a perfect addition to the family would be a little puppy. That would be an awesome thing to have. I would always be an advocate for it.” Doing his best W.C. Fields impression, Stonestreet quips, “‘Don’t make the mistake of sharing the screen with kids and dogs because they’ll always upstage you.’” For now, though, being a parent to baby Lily is enough of a challenge for Cam and Mitchell. “There’s a lot more work involved in being a parent,” Stonestreet laughs. “Coleman’s a pretty independent guy. I feed him in the morning and I feed him in the night. He’s got a comfortable place to live. I don’t have to check in on him as much. Lily needs attention to stay alive. Coleman could live on carcasses on the road if he had to. Carcasses on the road and puddles of water.” Despite the lack of a permanent canine on the show, one did make a brief appearance when Claire, Mitchell’s sister, became the unwilling mother of a sweet dog named Scout after her father-in-law left the dog in her care. Unfortunately, despite Claire’s inability to resist falling in love with little Scout, by the end of the episode, her father-in-law took the dog back and left Claire brokenhearted and still unwilling to admit that perhaps having a dog around hadn’t been

“I was so excited, we were going to have a dog around on set!”

the absolute worst thing she could imagine. “I know,” Stonestreet cries, when we ask him about how he felt about the episode. “I was so excited, we were going to have a dog around on set! I was so excited about it when I started to read the script and then I read the end. It was good, though. I bet Scout will be back. He was a good dog, really mellow and cool. Those dogs are taken such good care of on TV and movie sets. They’re just treated like kings and queens.” Any plans for Coleman Hawkins to make an appearance on Modern Family? “You know, it’s funny,” Stonestreet laughs. “I wanted to, but there are unions for all that stuff, and professional trainers and wranglers, and while I think Coleman is perfect for TV, I wouldn’t be able to handle the stress of having him on set. I still will get him on in a cameo role at some point.” As the saying goes, dogs are man’s best friend, but for Stonestreet, Coleman is something more than that, the very definition of his own modern family. “It’s always a big indicator for me when people don’t like dogs,” he says. “Cameron has a funny line in one of the episodes where Mitchell says, ‘Let’s get the kid a gift card,’ and I say, ‘Who hurt you?’ That’s how I always feel about people who don’t like dogs: You don’t like dogs? Who hurt you? “I think dogs are the most amazing creatures ever. I don’t understand how anybody wouldn’t like them. “Coleman just sort of elevated me. Growing up at home, I had the animals to take care of every morning and after school, and it taught me responsibility. I got Coleman when I was 28, and it reminded me that there are other people to think about other than myself. He gave me focus and purpose. He’s responsible for teaching me how to love more. You cannot not love dogs, because that’s all they have for you: love. Not loving a dog back is kind of cold-hearted.” He pauses for a moment and then says quietly, “I pity the fool who gets between me and my dog.” n

moderndogmagazine.com

Up in the

Air

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Independent pilots and rescuers join forces to save death-row dogs

By Corey Vanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Haaff

epper and Booberry had a lot in common. Pepper looked like a Shih Tzu but nobody was certain. The abused and abandoned dog was found urine-soaked, flea-ridden, and battling a raging urinary tract infection. Tumours on her back made it look bent. Booberry, a blue Chihuahua who was more ear than body, was found in a dumpster suffering from parvovirus. Both were resident at a shelter that euthanized far too many dogs every day. Both were hopeless and both were close to their last days on earth. But they shared one more similarity. Both dogs were plucked from the shelter in Fresno, California, to be part of the Freedom Flight program, the brainchild of founder and orangedog.ca owner Jan Folk. Freedom Flight is exactly that—a volunteer-run flight program that flies dogs from shelters in California to the Edmonton Humane Society (EHS) in Alberta, where ample forever homes are waiting. “I just can’t go past a dog without stopping,” says Folk. “Every time I see a dog, I smile and start to laugh.” After semi-retiring, Folk started orangedog.ca, which sells high-end products with all the profit going to canine charities. She already sat on the board of EHS and had approached them about selling her products there. They knew Folk, of course, and also knew she travelled to California extensively and had access to a Gulfstream III jet. EHS also had an agreement with a Fresno shelter that if it could get its small-breed shelter dogs to Edmonton, the society could find homes for them. So the Edmonton people told Folk that if she really wanted to help, maybe she could fly these dogs to Alberta. The idea

took off, literally. “The amount of animals euthanized [in the USA] in 2010 will be about 500,000,” says Folk. “In Fresno, they euthanize 114 a day.” So Folk fired up the jet and made her first trip in June, 2009, on her birthday. She brought in 54 dogs from Fresno; then another 85 on Thanksgiving, followed by 114 on Valentine’s Day. “On Valentine’s Day, people [in Edmonton] were standing outside the door waiting for these dogs,” says Folk, who made a fourth trip on June 25, 2010, bringing another 60 dogs, again in celebration of her birthday. Folk says she got involved because dogs can’t help themselves. “For years, I wrote a cheque,” she says. Giving money just wasn’t enough, however. “People are always saying someone should do something about this. Now I’m still financing it but I got off my ass and made it happen.” It’s worth her investment when she sees a dog come off the plane and she knows it’s going to a good home. “I swear to God, when they go somewhere safe, they know it. They never make a sound on the plane.” Folk is amazed by the sweet and forgiving nature of the dogs she handles. She has seen badly abused dogs that still lick her face when she meets them. Folk isn’t the only one with a plane and a love of dogs who is making a difference. Sam Taylor lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He was a pilot in the navy before teaching high school until retirement. Though he hadn’t flown since 1982, he rediscovered his love of flying and joined what he describes as the largest aero club in the free world. “I was driving in Tennessee and saw an

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(Left from top to bottom) Pilots N Paws pilot Sarah Owens with rescued Miniature Pinscher. Just chillin’. A Pilots N Paws passenger enjoys the flight.

PHOTO PILOTS N PAWS

Precious cargo. Puppies aboard Pilots N Paws pilot Jim Carney’s plane.

airport. I parked and walked around; I like to do that as a hobby. I saw a little airplane with a ‘for sale’ sign and thought it was meant to be,” he says. That little plane was his until a hailstorm damaged it. With his insurance settlement, he purchased a fourseat Cherokee 180. In March, 2009, he heard about Pilots N Paws, a charitable organization based around a web-based forum board that creates a place for pilots to connect with rescue groups across the United States. Pilots move dogs from shelters where euthanasia is imminent to areas where demand for adoptable animals is high. “I looked at the website and thought it would be kind of fun,” Taylor says. “I looked at the posts and saw three dogs here in Kansas City that needed to go to Columbus, Ohio, and one in Ohio going to Arizona through Kansas City.” He was hooked. “I love to fly,” he says. “Secondly, it’s a lot of fun; I like all the scheduling and networking and coordinating. I enjoy doing that. And I like rescuing dogs. It sure does make a lot of people really happy, too. When I finally get the dog to them, they really appreciate it.” One dog in particular caught his attention. Taylor was in Pryor, Oklahoma, picking up a Labradoodle. “It was at risk of euthanasia at a city-run shelter and the woman there really liked the dog and didn’t want it put down. A rescue group found a home in Olathe, Kansas. I volunteered to get it and fly it to Olathe.” Everything was set but once the dog was in the plane and Taylor made his confirmation call to the new owner, he learned she was no longer able to take the dog. Unwilling to put it back in the shelter where it would be killed, Taylor flew it home to await developments. “Well, the dog had a funny way of walking and its hind leg stuck out when it sat down. I didn’t really know what to do.” So he called his own vet and took it in the next day for a check-up. “Its right leg had a broken femur and was trying to heal but not properly. It never set. Its left leg was knocked out of its socket. The vet said, ‘by the way it’s been shot with birdshot’—22 pellets were seen on the x-ray. We had had the dog 24 hours and my wife was hooked.” The dog joined Taylor’s family and now sports the name Pryor. Debi Boies is the co-founder of Pilots N Paws. She had been involved in rescue, mostly Dobermans, and had found a Dobie in Florida that she wanted to bring home to South Carolina. She contacted other members of her Prevost Owners Group to see if anyone travelling by bus would let the dog hitch a ride. “Jon Wehrenberg, a friend from the Prevost Owners Group, said ‘why don’t I fly down and get him and get him to you?’ I was just astounded,” she says. He told her that pilots love to fly and are always looking for

PHOTO PILOTS N PAWS

“The rescues are primarily dogs slated for euthanasia.”

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PHOTO PILOTS N PAWS

(Top to bottom) Pilots N Paws pilot Sam Taylor en route to his rescued passenger’s new home. Orange Dog’s Jan Folk (right) with Stephanie MacDonald (left), the Executive Director of the Edmonton Humane Society.

PHOTO LEROY SCHULZ PHOTOGRAPHY

An Orange Dog passenger arrives in Edmonton, AB.

a reason to do so, and he wondered if there might be a need for such a volunteer service. Between the two of them, they founded Pilots N Paws. It’s become a full-time pursuit for Boies. Since February, 2008, Pilots N Paws has transported thousands of dogs. The site has 1,726 pilots registered in every state except one. Pilots volunteer their time and pay their own fuel, although there is a tax break for a portion of their costs. “The rescues are primarily dogs slated for euthanasia,” says Boies. “Some are pulled in just hours before euthanasia; some are pulled from the euthanasia room. They’re taken from shelters and sent to rescue groups in another part of the country where there’s better spay and neuter programs and where there are more adoptive homes.” With thousands of rescued dogs, there are thousands of wonderful stories but one stands out above all others. One of her pilots was driving his vehicle in northern Tennessee just before Christmas. It was nighttime, it was dark, freezing cold, and snowing. The fellow saw a blanket at the side of the road and swore it was moving. He doubled back, got out of his vehicle, and lifted the blanket. “It was a red Doberman with a severe case of mange. It couldn’t walk. The pads of its feet had sloughed off. Obviously someone had dumped it there, on the road to the shelter. Who knows what people think?” she says. The pilot picked up the dog and brought it home. The dog was flown to a Doberman rescue group in Pennsylvania, re-named Christmas through a fundraising Name Game, and soon found a forever home. Pilots N Paws is Boies’ passion. A retired nurse, she says she spends every day of her life working with the program, but it’s a labour of love. “The pilots will tell you the rescuers are their heroes. The rescuers will say the pilots are their heroes,” says Boies about the more than 7,000 users who are all polite and do their best to work for a common cause. “They make the choice to volunteer and help. It’s truly the best of humanity working together.” n

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Salmon Cookies Ingredients 2 ½ cups wheat flour 2/3 cup soft oatmeal ½ lb raw salmon fillet 1 egg 3 ½ Tbsp sunflower oil About ½ cup water

Liver Dumplings

Dogs Light

Ingredients 2 ½ cups rye flour 1/3 lb fresh chicken liver 2 Tbsp chopped parsley 3 ½ Tbsp sunflower oil About ½ cup water

Ingredients 2 ¾ cups wheat flour 2 cups oat bran 1 cup cottage cheese 1 fresh pear 1 tsp cinnamon About ½ cup water

Utensils Cooking pot, hand mixer How to do it • Preheat the oven to 340° F and line the baking pan with baking paper. • Cook chicken liver in water about 15 minutes and let it cool. • Puree chicken liver with water. • Measure rye flour. • Add pureed chicken liver, parsley, and oil and stir to a smooth dough. • Make small balls, about 3/4” diameter, with your fingers. • Bake about 25 minutes at 340° F. Tip Instead of ½ cup of tap water, you can also use ½ cup of chicken-liver broth

Utensils Rolling pin, dog-shaped cookie cutter How to do it • Preheat oven to 320° F and line baking pan with baking paper. • Measure and mix wheat flour, oat bran, and cottage cheese. • Quarter pear and puree with water. • Add pureed pear with cinnamon to the flour mix. • Mix to a smooth dough with hand or electric mixer; you may add warm water. • Roll dough 1/4” thick on floured surface and cut out with cookie cutter. • Put cookies on baking pan and bake about 20 minutes at 320° F. Variation Instead of pear, you can use a carrot.

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Utensils Mixer, cooking pot, rolling pin, fishshaped cookie cutter How to do it • Preheat oven to 300° F and line baking pan with baking paper. • Cook salmon fillet for 15 minutes and let it cool. • Puree fish with water. • Measure and mix wheat flour and oatmeal. • Add the salmon, egg, and sunflower oil. • Mix everything in to a smooth dough with a hand or electric mixer. • Roll the dough to about ¼” thickness on a floured surface and cut out with a cookie cutter. • Put the cookies on the sheet and bake them about 20 minutes at 300° F. Variations You can also use tuna. Canned tuna is very suitable. If possible, use a type packed in water.

Reprinted with permission from Baking For Dogs: The Best Recipes from Dog’s Deli by Friederike Friedel (2009, Schiffer Publishing)

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Furkids

Why treating pets like children can be such a hot-button issue By Jennifer Messer Illustration by Rachel Gordon

oogle furkids and you will find hits on everything from dogsitters to tailored clothing: the population of pet guardians that relate to their bundles of fur much like offspring is steadily growing. Some pet parents see their dog as a child-substitute—a replacement for the unconditional love and nurturing that comes with a parent-child relationship. Others view caring for their dog as a bona fide parenting role, regardless of their choices surrounding reproduction, and seem to use the term furkids to symbolize their degree of love and commitment. Whether furkids are born of an empty nest, fertility issues, a deliberate choice not to have children, or the welcome inclusion of four-legged kids into a family with the two-legged variety, all parents of furkids share at least one experience: vocal attacks by critics who firmly believe dogs should not be treated like children. At face value, the attacks can seem bizarre. Why would anyone be so opposed to a dog being treated as part of the family and showered with the love and attention you’d give a young child? What is it about booking doggie playdates or carrying Fido in a dogsling that causes some people to blow a fuse? Something must fuel the anger towards people who choose to treat their dogs like kids, but what? I’ve probed this question in my work as a veterinarian and dog trainer, both with dog lovers and those living in their midst, and identified three key concerns.

1. Dogs Are Not Human Furkids, by definition, blur the divide between humans and other animals in our society, muddying the comfortably clear-cut distinction we’ve set between the roles and rights of each. Behind the statement, “dogs are dogs and people are people” is usually significant discomfort with the contradictions that the relationship between pet parent and furkid poses. This objection to humanizing the role of the pet dog seems to come from people sitting anywhere along the wide spectrum of values relating to pets. For people who object to ANY provisions

for dogs beyond a waterdish and daily meal, going as far as treating pets like children is tantamount to lunacy. At the other end of the scale are those comfortable with dogs in the traditional role of well-treated pet, but oppose the likening of pet ownership to parenthood. For most pet parents, the reference to their dogs as furkids doesn’t actually imply a confusion between what is involved in raising dogs versus kids, or the status of each in our society, but it does speak to a level of love, nurturing, companionship, and commitment that is traditionally reserved only for humans and not necessarily present in the average dog-owner relationship. This cross-species bond can pose some pretty inconvenient questions that critics aren’t shy to ask: if it is okay for a dog to be treated like a kid, then what does that say about our exploitation of animals for food, clothing and medical research—that it is wrong? Considering this question—whether using animals in these ways might be morally wrong—is difficult and uncomfortable. It is easier to say instead that treating a dog like a human is unacceptable.

2. Furbabies Are Being Used or Abused I must admit that the first time I saw a dog in a stroller, I was a bit taken aback. I wondered if the little Yorkie with ribbons in her hair ever got to sniff the ground and check her p-mail. Admittedly, she looked quite content being carted around like a toddler, but I did wonder if her doggie desires were being met. Furkids come in all shapes and sizes and fall within a wide range of lifestyles, but those that attract the greatest negative attention, by far, are the little ones dressed up and toted around. Interestingly, some of the most vehement critics of these furbabies are pet parents themselves, often of larger breeds, who absolutely despise the subjugation of “doggieness” implied by clothed and carried furbabes. They see the “toddlerizing” as inhumane and undignified, and even question whether some of these dogs are also being used as ego-padding accessories. While the concern for doggie dignity is genuine, I’m not sure

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it rests on very solid ground. Dogs don’t unsafe dog. This concern is understanddemonstrate any evidence of a crisis in able given the plethora of false informaself-respect when clipped and bathed, tion about social hierarchies and domiinvited to sleep in human beds, seatbelted nance aggression that bombards us, but is in the car, or engaged in tricks and games simply misguided. of human design. It is hard to argue indigExperts agree that dogs do not enter our nity in being clothed and carried when homes trying to become king of the castle dogs seem to take well to so many other and most aggression problems are rooted modifications of their “natural” ways of in anxiety not dominance. Showering a living. In cases where they don’t appear dog with love and attention just as you to take well to our impositions, then it is would a child does not create bad mansimpler to address this as a welfare probners or an aggression problem any more lem. than it does in kids. Dogs need consistent In domesticating dogs, we created rules to feel secure and know what is breeds for a wide variety of functions, expected of them, but it really doesn’t each with vastly different lifestyle needs. matter what the rules are, as long as you Some were bred to be content spending are the one who makes them! their day alone on a mountain guarding sheep, others were bred to thrive on the The beef with pet parents seems to be company of humans. Individual preferfueled by genuine concerns for the welences need to be taken into account before fare of both dogs and people, some more a quality of life judgment can be made. I well-founded than others. We don’t all had a flatmate in vet school whose Jack need to agree on what role we want pets Russell, Seven, just LOVED being dressed to play in our lives, but we do owe it to up. This dog would squeal with joy when each other to consider both dog needs the tickle trunk and human needs came out and before we pass Dogs don’t demonstrate proudly paraded judgment or critiany evidence of a crisis in cize. It saddens me around in each self-respect when clipped when a pet parent outfit like a dog and bathed and invited to whispers in shame on the runway—a sleep in human beds. canine in high couduring an exam ture. Being dressed that their dog is up and carried or carted around seems like a child to them, when both they and to go over just fine with many dogs, but their dog seem to be thriving on the rich if it causes anxiety, discomfort, or health bond they share. It is equally unfortunate problems, concern for the furbabe’s physiwhen an adored animal companion dies cal and psychological welfare is clearly and pet parents struggle with their loss, legitimate. often mourning in secrecy to avoid being Being attached to a human 24/7 can mocked by friends, family or coworkers. put the dog at risk of separation anxiety, Is it any more “wrong” to have created and a lack of intellectual stimulation and the lap dog who lives to be fussed over physical exertion can lead to an impresthan to have selectively bred the livestock sive array of neurotic behaviours. guardian who’d just as soon trade his Canine welfare is a valid concern, but it owner in for a flock of sheep? Surely the needs to be considered objectively: being lifestyle of a working breed relegated to treated as a furkid can, but does not necthe status of a jobless pet is more likely to essarily, compromise a dog’s well-being. cause canine distress than a toy companion breed being toted around in a sling. 3. Furkids Are Spoiled Brats Whether dogs are running sled races, Last but not least, we have the ubiquiguarding sheep, or sitting pretty in a tous fear of creating the alpha-pooch: the designer stroller, provided their social and unfounded worry that letting a dog share physical needs are being met, is there anythe couch, enjoy home-cooked meals, and thing to mock or despise in a relationship be considered an important member of between human and dog that is loving, the family will lead to an ill-mannered and peaceful, and rewarding? n

Be a Fairy Dogmother in a Fleas Please tee. Partial proceeds from every tee sold go directly to TheFleasKneesFund in support of animal rescue. Or choose the Puppy Mills Bite tee and $5 goes to Best Friends Puppies Aren’t Products Campaign. (celebs love them!) fleasplease.com

Dirty dogs really do have more fun. Cozy up in a Teddy the Dog hoodie sporting a dog inspired quote. teddythedog.com

Tie one on with the Multi-Dog bandana. Originally designed for dogs, the proprietors of San Francisco store George moved it into the “people” section after finding many shoppers were buying it for themselves. georgesf.com

Splash your way through rainy Saturday mornings at the dog park with these Boston Terrier-print rain boots, while keeping your hair dry with the matching umbrella. davrain.com

Spread the word with an Adopt tee, inked by artist Shepard Fairey, creator of the now iconic Obama posters, in support of adoptapet. com, a website linking people seeking pets with adoptable animals. adoptapetshop.com

For the Love of Dog CLOTHES TO DO YOUR CANINE PROUD Show your support with Toru’s RESCUE tee. 15% is donated to Paws 4 You Rescue, Inc. torudog.com

We’ve always suspected our dogs are not chasing rabbits in their sleep but imagining themselves rousing Charlemagne’s retreating army to victory. Or, you know, inventing the internet. In any case, let sleeping dogs lie. Share the sentiment in this funny tee. dogisgood.com

You’ll be the hit of your breed club meet-up wearing a Best Friend belt. Choose from 12 meticulously embroidered breeds on belts sized small to extra-large. dancingdogdesign.com

Love the show or the place it’s filmed? Wear the tee! Net proceeds benefit Best Friend’s Animal Society. Available in both men’s and women’s sizes. bestfriendsstore.com

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How Dogs Were Created By Stanley Coren

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“I loved the book and I could not put it down. It really made me think about the purpose of life.” Temple Grandin, New York Times bestselling author

ecause the domestication of dogs occurred so long ago during prehistoric times, many of our beliefs about people’s early relationships with dogs, wolves, and wild canines are sheer speculation. In some respects, we have not moved very far from the vision of the British writer Rudyard Kipling in 1912 when he offered his theory of the domestication of dogs in his Just So Stories. The story begins with the wild dog/wolf/jackal/coyote hanging around the home of the humans, looking at the food being cooked by the primitive human female, and feeling hungry. “Then the Woman picked up a roasted mutton-bone and threw it to Wild Dog, and said, ‘Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, taste and try.’ Wild Dog gnawed the bone, and it was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted, and he said, ‘O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy, give me another.’ “The Woman said, ‘Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, help my Man to hunt through the day and guard this Cave at night, and I will give you as many roast bones as you need.’” This is still basically the most common view (minus the talking wild dog, of course) of how wolves became our dogs. The commonly believed idea is that some prehistoric human found some wolf pups, took them into her home, fed them and treated them as we treat and care for our pets, and the generations that followed became our domestic dogs. However picturesque it may be, this idea is wrong. The problem is that wolves are genetically wired to be suspicious and aggressive. A number of scientific studies have attempted to turn wolves into the equivalent of dogs by rearing them from a young age in human homes, and treating them like pet dogs. The most recent of these was done by a team of researchers from Estovos University in Budapest. They took three-day-old wolf pups and home-reared them. They had no more success than many previous studies. The research had to be abandoned when the wolves were about 18 months old simply because these wolves had become too aggressive and were becoming a danger to humans and other pets. So how do we create a domestic dog when our starting material is a wild wolf? Let’s go back to the beginning, and we will see that it was wild canines, like wolves, that started the process of creating the domestic dog. The coming of the Ice Age was the turning point. Prehistoric humans had survived as nomads who hunted big plant-eating animals. This was necessary because the hunters’ primitive spears, clubs, and axes were not well-adapted to catching quick-moving small animals. Ultimately, the cooling climate reduced the vegetation that served as food for these large herbivores, their numbers diminished sharply, and many species became extinct. Faced with the disappearance of large game, some groups of prehistoric humans began to try a new strategy. They formed home camps that were relatively fixed and permanent, where the individual band members could actively share in various tasks, such as

The problem is that wolves are genetically wired to be suspicious and aggressive.

New York Times Bes

tselling Author

“Anyone who has ever love d a dog needs to read this wise , touching, ofte n hilarious boo Dr. Marty Bec k.” ker, Resident on Good Morning Veterinarian America

“Anyone who has ever loved a dog needs to read this wise, touching, often hilarious book.” Dr. Marty Becker, Resident Veterinarian on Good Morning America

★“By turns funny, heartwarming, and touching without being overly sentimental, Cameron’s novel successfully illuminates the breadth of the American dogscape.” Library Journal, starred review

“A triumph, impeccably detailed with intelligence and heart. I feel like I have been waiting my whole life for this book.” Dina Zaphiris, host of Petfinder on Animal Planet adogspurpose.com tor-forge.com/adogspurpose moderndogmagazine.com 59 7/20/10 4:13 PM

Modern Dog.indd 1

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the gathering of available food from local in the pack of garbage-eating canines, some plants—an activity that would eventually animals are a bit less fearful and suspicious lead to agriculture. These fixed residenthan others, and, living near humans, these tial areas led to the growth of garbage have a definite advantage. Those who are dumps around the outer limits of the villess fearful don’t run away and try to hide lage, which naturally led to an infestation at the approach of people, but rather watch of opportunistic scavengers. While these warily while continuing to forage for food. included mice and rats, they also included This provides the less fearful canines with wild canines, such as wolves and jackals, two benefits: first, they expend less energy the ancient precursors of dogs. than those who run, and, second, they The wild canines were attracted to the have more time to feed and select the betgarbage dumps around human campsites ter, more nutritious morsels. simply because of the bones, bits of skin, Ultimately, these more sociable animals vegetables, and other scraps of leftover will be healthier, and will be more likely food that they found there. The ancestors to have offspring. Research has shown that of today’s dogs (being ever food-conscious) the personality traits of fearfulness and learned that, by hanging around man’s friendliness seem to be genetically deterdwellings, they could grab a quick bite to mined to a great degree. So the litters of eat now and then—without all the exerthe more socially-oriented wolves contain tion and danger involved in actual hunting. more pups that are comfortable around While primitive man may not have been their human neighbours and are effectively very concerned with sanitation, rotting tamer. Over successive generations, these food stuff does smell bad, and also attracts settlement-dwelling wolves prosper and insects that make humans uncomfortable. their numbers grow. Eventually, the tamest Thus it is likely that of them are comfortable dogs were initially openly foraging during the The ancestors of tolerated around the today’s dogs learned day.The most sociable of perimeter of the that, by hanging camps because they the settlement-dwelling around man’s would dispose of the wolves have gained other garbage and eliminate dwellings, they could advantages. Content in these nuisances. the presence of humans, grab a quick bite Let us flash back they sleep nearer to the to eat. now to our human village and bear their pupsettlement where the pies close by. This affords ancestors of dogs are pawing through the their vulnerable puppies additional safety, garbage heaps for food. Over time, these since most of the large predators that are a particular wolves have not only come to threat to wolves try to avoid concentrations look at this area as their home range, but of humans. Wolves that are truly serene have, ultimately, become dependent on around humans find other additional benhuman refuse as their primary food source. efits, such as huddling against human resiAlthough they are tolerated because they dences to obtain some of the heat leaking remove waste material, any that appear to out during the cold months of winter. Over be a threat to the residents of the settletime, these small advantages add up and ment are killed or driven away. This cullincrease the survival chances of the mosting process alone starts to trigger some sociable members of the group. genetic changes in these wolves by elimiNotice that it is the wolves themselves nating the most aggressive members of the who, in trying to adapt to their environpack from the pool of available breeders. ment, are genetically manipulating their Wolves, like humans, have individual own population. The simple geographivariations in personality. This means that, cal separation between the more fearful

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wolves still living in the woods and the be actions to insure public safety that settlement-dwelling wolves makes it more involve eliminating those now-rare indilikely that friendly and fearless animals viduals that are genetic throwbacks and will breed with other friendly and fearless display wolfish aggressive personality. animals. After wolves reached this Over a number of point genetically, the comOnce dogs were generations, the origimonly suggested theory of domesticated, we domesticating wolf pups that nal, wild-type wolves could start to tinker have been found near the have changed. What with and modify settlement and taking them I have been calling settlement-dwelling into the humanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homes the species. wolves are really anibegins to make sense. The mals that have become traditional theory can now genetically different from the original wild work because the starting point is no longer stock. The only human intervention might wild wolf pups, but rather puppies from

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this new species of settlement wolves, which are partially tamed already. Since the settlement wolves live in such close proximity to humans, when they whelp, their litters are more likely to be found by humans. Since they are not as fearful and wary as the wild stock, taming them doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to start at such an early age. If the pups can be adopted at an older age, the burden of early care is considerably reduced. Because their personality no longer has the predisposition to fear and avoid humans, restraint and confinement is not needed and these adopted canines can more freely interact with humans. That

fact alone makes the socialization process easier. It is from this point on that human interventions start to further shape the nature of dogs as we selectively mate animals that have desirable characteristics. It is likely that humans recognized what was happening to the settlement-dwelling wolves and took advantage of the partially tamed, partially domesticated canine because it looked as if this animal might prove to be useful. But what use of the dog really stimulated our effort to domesticate it? Once the wild canines that would eventually become dogs were attracted to human settlements, our ancestors noticed a value that went beyond garbage disposal. Early humans lived in dangerous times, with large animals around that looked at humans as potential prey. In addition, there were often other bands of humans with hostile intentions. Dogs hovering near the village looked on that settlement as their territory, which meant that, whenever a stranger or some wild beast approached, they set up a loud clamour, alerting the residents in time to rally some form of defence if it were needed. Since the dogs were always vigilant, human guards did not need to be posted throughout the night, thus allowing for more rest and a better lifestyle. It takes only a short mental leap to get from the concept of dogs guarding the edge of the village, to the idea of a watch dog for an individual’s home. The dog’s bark served the benign purpose of alerting the family to the arrival of visitors (a sort of canine doorbell) and warned when potential thieves were approaching (a canine burglar alarm). This alerting function was clearly one of the main motivations for domesticating dogs in the first place. Now here is where the first human genetic engineering comes into play. Once dogs were domesticated enough so that humans could handle them and control their breeding, we could start to tinker with and modify the species. Obviously, for personal and community security, the most effective dog is one with a loud, persistent bark. Thus, early humans began a selective breeding program to create such dogs. A dog that barked loudly was

kept, nurtured, and bred with others that also barked. One that did not bark was simply disposed of as being useless. Thus the “barking genes” were strengthened in dogs to the degree that now one of the distinctions between wild canines and domestic dogs is the fact that our domestic dogs bark a lot, and wild dogs seldom do. Later developments of dogs were much more conscious and deliberate. In some ways the genetically engineered dogs that later appeared often seem to be more like

“inventions” rather than domesticated animals. These include dogs genetically modified to hunt, point, retrieve, pull sleds, track, and even provide empathic companionship. However, these newly invented dogs were elaborations that started with the sociable and nonaggressive personality that dogs had developed on their own while pawing through the garbage heaps created by our human ancestors. n

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Jonathon Adler’s delightful Dachshund bookends are long on style, short on kitsch. jonathanadler.com

Unleashed Life’s Bellaire raised dishes are made of hand-cut capiz shell tiles, inspiring a feeling of natural luxury. With their understated glamour and sleek cylindrical shape, they’re perfect in even the most minimalist room. unleashedlife.com

Design Gone to the Dogs

Suitable for small dogs, VÛRV’s Eames-inspired bent wood-veneer and faux fur Pod bed let’s Roxy recline in mid-century style. vurv.ca

Gaia & Gino’s contemporary designs get stylishly rugged with the titaniumplated sleek silver wild rock water bowl. gaiagino.com

Set yourself apart from the office pack. With each 50-count box of paper clips purchased, The Animal Rescue Site store will fund 14 bowls of food for animals living in sanctuaries and shelters. theanimalrescuesite.com

Possess your very own modernist masterpiece. Artist Samuel Price recycles old magazines into amazing abstract collaged portraits. mydogcollage.com

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Mix-and-match ecofriendly FLOR carpet tiles for a high style way to stay green and clean. FLOR tiles are easily removed to clean pet messes in a snap. Genius! flor.com

Add a bit of canine class to your next wine and cheese party with these fun wine stoppers from Fuzzy Nation. Lots of different breeds to choose from. fuzzynation.com

From New York contemporary textile designer Sandy Chilewich comes these sturdy, chic placemats for under your dog’s food and water bowls. Cushioned, pliable, and non-skid, they protect your floor while looking great chilewich.com

Yes, that’s right, stylish pet steps. These are made from eco-friendly wood veneer with a non-slip surface, allowing aging, injured or small dogs access to the couch without ruining the look of your living room. (How your couch fares is another matter.) urbanpethaus.com

Play, chew, fetch, massage gums, dispense treats—the Gourdo does it all, while looking good on your living room. Available in two sizes and three colours. ruffwear.com

Add a bit of customized colour to your décor with these cool GECKO Wal decals. geckostickers.com

Lend your living room some serious style with this 60’s-style Cube bed in leather or, if you prefer, faux leather. pet-interiors.de

The sleek ZenHaus dog den doubles as a chic coffee or bedside table. denhaus.com

Ergonomics meets petastic design in the Hugx dog bowl. Tilted at an angle, it’s easy on your dog, and easy on your eyes. hugxpetdesign.com

Expand your pack with Pack of Dogs, a series of teak pieces loosely based on the shape of a dog in different sizes and positions and named after famous Mexican wrestlers. Perfect as a bench, bookshelf or magazine rack for your collection of Modern Dog back issues. proteak.com

Get your hands on a hand-cut canine silhouette from Classicuts for a mere $25. Custom silhouettes are available as well, and, unlike Kara Walker’s work, don’t explore gender, race or violence, so you can just sit back and enjoy the pretty. etsy.com/ shop/classicuts

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Terrific Tripods! Three-legged Wonder Dogs PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSEY DONOVAN

Two-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer Gunter has been waiting months and months for his forever home. Yes, he is short one leg but does that slow him down? No way! Gunter has more energy than most dogs and loves a good run in the woods. He is very affectionate and great with other dogs and cats. Gunter came to Cross Our Paws rescue in BC from Utah where his family had surrendered him to a high-kill shelter. Gunter, being a three-legged dog, was slated for euthanasia as soon as he was dropped off, but was luckily pulled out by a rescue group specializing in Pointers. Perhaps handsome Gunter could be for you? Contact crossourpaws.petfinder.com. Gunter wears a signature â&#x20AC;&#x153;Juliusâ&#x20AC;? Paul Frank collar, 26barsandaband.com.

English Shepherd Tracker was a rescue from Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. With his charm and enthusiasm for life, he worked his way into the hearts of his adoptive family, Keith and Sharron Rogers, in a very short time. One afternoon, after loading into the back of their station wagon, Tracker jumped out, streaked down the driveway and into the path of an on-coming bus. His right front leg was crushed. His vets tried valiantly to save the leg but eventually recommended amputation, and through tears his owners approved the operation. They were amazed when, the morning after the operation, he came hopping out to the office bright eyed and happy to see them. He was soon with all his buddies, running, jumping and playing. As Keith tells us “Life does go on and we should all address life with a dog’s can-do attitude.”

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Nine-year-old chocolate Lab Lucy was diagnosed with tissue cancer on the upper part of her front leg. Her owner, Jill Smith, who has had her since she was “just a little chocolate kiss,” had the tumour removed, but the veterinarian surgeon couldn’t get all of the cancer, so the best prognosis required amputation. Her recovery amazed her family; she literally ran out of the vet clinic. Lucy underwent water-therapy rehabilitation sessions, which she loved, and emerged with a boundless love for life—and tennis balls!

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Ranger is a 14 1/2 year old Border Collie/Sheltie-cross who lost her leg 13 years ago. She landed at the SPCA with a right front leg so badly damaged that gangrene had set in and the pad on her paw was coming off. She was surrendered by her neglectful owner, which Joyce Olson tells us “is one of the best things that has ever happened for me. From the very beginning, it was a case of ‘Who rescued who?’” Every summer, Ranger’s chest was stained green from grass stains, the result of diving after tennis balls. These days, Ranger and Joyce go for car rides to the park and a short sniff around, then sit together and watch the world go by. At home, Ranger still loves to dig a hole with her one front leg and has her own spot in the flowerbed with what has become an excavation any dog would be proud of.

As a small pup, German Shepherd/Doberman cross Lucy was badly injured. Lucky for her, vet Dr. Robert Hopkins rescued her rather than put her down, performing an operation on her leg and pelvis, and she was adopted into a loving home by Jenn and Dave McPherson. Her leg always gave her pain, though, and this April she went through the amputation. She is now much happier, and adapted amazingly quickly to life on three legs, becoming an avid swimmer since undergoing physiotherapy at K9H2O in Abbotsford, BC. She loves her role as protective den mother to a host of sick and FIV cats and kittens at Sister Jennâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, a hospice operation for sick and FIV cats run by her guardians. Lucy wears a textured leather Aspen collar from ruffstuffdesigns.com.

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In May, Scarlet, a young Pitbull, was seized from an abusive situation. She was taken in by HugABull and a vet tended to her leg, which had suffered untreated severe trauma. Unfortunately, the leg was too damaged to save, but one less leg hasn’t quashed Scarlet’s sweet personality. Scarlet’s very shy with new people, especially men, and very uncertain with affection—clearly something she’d never had—but she’s a HUGE goofball. In the morning she just about turns herself inside out with excitement, doing little play bows on her one leg. She loves dogs and most definitely will have to go to a home with at least one other canine. Perhaps your dog could be Scarlet’s Rhett Butler? Contact hugabull.com. Scarlett wears a Jenny B Goode “Holy Cow” collar, jenniebgoode.com.

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body &soul Food Allergies The most common food allergens for dogs are beef, wheat, and corn (the gluten in wheat and corn most often causes the wheat or corn allergy). The most common food intolerance in dogs is to the lactose found in dairy. These four ingredients are estimated to account for more than 68% of canine food allergies and intolerance.

A Happy Mouth Equals a Healthy Dog Dental disease is the #1 disease in adult dogs. By the time they’re 4 years old, 85% of dogs have signs of periodontal disease. Untreated, it can affect their heart, kidneys, and liver. Start practicing good dental hygiene for your dog today. Dental treats are great but don’t take the place of regular brushing; if you don’t already brush your dog’s teeth, consider starting today.

Flea Test

Using a flea comb (a comb with fine teeth), comb your dog’s fur. Pull the loosened fur and debris from the comb’s tines, put on a paper towel, and moisten. If there are dark specks that turn red, your dog has fleas. The dark specs are flea dirt (aka flea poop). They turn red when moistened because flea poop is mostly composed of your dog’s blood.

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Q: Are all dogs lactose intolerant (lacking enough of the enzyme necessary to digest lactose) or just some dogs? A: It has more to do with age. Puppies easily digest lactose, which is contained in their mom’s milk. If you continue to give a dog milk products regularly (once a week or so) throughout his life, he will maintain his ability to digest lactose. Many adult dogs do not regularly eat ice cream, cheese or milk, though, so when people give adult dogs a milk treat the dogs tend to have a digestive upset. If your dog has a milk intolerance, you can give him Lactaid pills with his milk treat. Milk products that don’t have lactose include live culture yogurt and old cheddar cheese.

The 14 Breeds most prone to allergies: Boxer Bulldog Cocker Spaniel Dalmatian German Shepherd Dog Golden Retriever Labrador Mixed breeds (It is very common to see mixed breeds, including “designer” mixes like Goldendoodles and Labradoodles, with allergies.) Mastiff Pitbull Rottweiler Shar-Pei Vizsla West Highland White Terrier

Canine Studies Help Battle Cancer Dog DNA found in canine saliva, blood, and diseased tissue may be the key to discovering important treatment options, both for cancers found in dogs and similar but much rarer human variations. The Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium was formed through an unprecedented partnership of governments, universities, research labs, clinicians, scientists, and veterinarians, and is designed to study these cancers to develop therapies that will hopefully translate to human cases as well. No dogs are harmed during the study, and the only samples used are voluntarily given by the dog’s owner or veterinarian. These cancers are so rare in humans that they cannot be studied due to lack of samples, but with the help of dogs suffering similar conditions, it is hoped that the research can be mutually beneficial to both canine and human patients. The study is endorsed by the American Kennel Club and the Morris Animal Foundation.

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Good Housekeeping You’re about to walk into an important work meeting when you look down and discover your 100% merino wool blazer looks like it’s 100% dog hair—and your without your trusty, pocket-sized lint roller. What do you do? Use the sticky backing of the shipping label from a UPS or FedEx package to get the dog hair of your clothing. Works for getting dog hair off the couch, too.

Cool Thing Not just any cool thing, this may be the coolest thing. How did we ever survive without it? Toy Blocker—block your toys, save your sanity. With this inflatable piece of engineering brilliance, your dog’s (or nephew’s!) toys will never disappear into the yawning darkness under the couch again. From $4, toyblocker.com

Warning: Paper Shredder Threat Most of us imagine we have thoroughly dog-proofed our homes but there’s a common household appliance that poses a serious threat to your dog’s safety. On New Year’s Day, the Taylor family experienced this first hand when their dog Caine, a two-and-a-half-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback/Boxer mix, got his tongue caught in the teeth of a paper shredder. A recovered, happy The Taylor family, responding to their though tongue-less Caine wants to get dog’s screams, came running but it was the message out too late; Caine had chewed through his about the dangers of paper shredders. own tongue. He was rushed to emergency where the veterinarian broached euthanasia, a suggestion his family dismissed, instead opting to teach him to survive without a tongue. Caine has now recovered and has adapted to life without a tongue, but the story could have ended much worse. Make sure your shredders are always unplugged to prevent this sort of horrific accident from happening in your home.

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In Dog We Trust Ever worry what fate would befall your dogs were you suddenly unable to care for them? It’s worth contemplating; many, many dogs land in shelters when no one steps up to provide for their care. If you’re without a reliable friend or family member to whom you can entrust your dogs, you may want to ensure you have a contingency plan. PetGuardian, in association with the Best Friends Animal Society, calculates the monetary funds required to care for your pet in the sudden event that you are no longer able to and helps you create a Pet Trust Plan. The process begins with an application that includes all pertinent information and care instructions regarding your pet, such as health history, special needs, and emergency contacts. Two caregivers are appointed for up to four pets and two trustees are designated to oversee the details such as payment to the caregivers and regular check-ups on your pet. You can choose to designate a pet charity or beneficiary of all remaining Pet Trust property in the case of your pet’s death. PetGuardian maintains your plan and offers “in case of emergency” notifications and ID cards. There’s even a Best Friends’ Backup plan; should anything happen to the two designated caregivers, a suitable replacement will be found. Visit petguardian.com to learn more.

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body &soul The Doctor’s In Dr. Betsy Brevitz tackles common veterinary vexations

Preventing Bloat “A Bernese Mountain Dog I used to see in the park just died of bloat. What is bloat? How would I know if my dog had it?” Bloat is the common name for gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV). It’s a serious, often fatal medical emergency that happens more frequently to large, deep-chested dogs than to smaller dogs. In GDV, the stomach rapidly distends with gas (that’s the dilatation) and then twists into an abnormal position (that’s the volvulus). The twisting pinches shut the openings to the esophagus and small intestine, trapping food and gas inside the stomach. Meanwhile, blood flow is hampered by the twisting of blood vessels and by pressure from the ballooning stomach, Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds are among the and the dog goes into shock. If GDV is breeds with the highest risk of bloat. not treated immediately, the dog will die from shock or a ruptured stomach. How would you know that your mouth down the esophagus and into the stomach. Sometimes this dog was bloating? The earliest signs works, sometimes it doesn’t. If the tube won’t go into the stomach, are often restlessness and anxiety. the vet may poke a sterile, hollow needle through the dog’s side and Hit with a massive bellyache, a dog with GDV will pant and pace, into the stomach to tap off some gas and relieve the pressure. unable to get comfortable in any position. Early on a dog may Once the dog can safely be put under anesthesia, she’s prepped vomit, but as the esophagus twists shut she’ll for emergency abdominal surgery. During surgery, more likely drool and retch without bringing anythe vet examines the stomach to see if any part The earliest signs of it has ruptured or is damaged from interrupted thing up. Her sides, just behind the ribs, might are often bulge or look swollen. In later stages, she will go blood flow. Damaged areas of the stomach are cut into shock and be unable to walk or stand. What out and the edges sutured together. Often the dog’s restlessness and should you do if you think your dog is bloating? stomach is tacked to the abdominal wall in a couple anxiety. Call your vet or a veterinary emergency hospital of places (this is called gastropexy) to help keep it immediately. Be prepared to take your dog to the from twisting out of position again. clinic as soon as you hang up the phone, because every minute Even after all that, the dog is still not out of danger. GDV can counts. trigger a bout of cardiac arrhythmia, so dogs who have bloated are To help combat shock in a dog that’s bloating, a vet will immemonitored in the hospital for a few days after surgery. diately start administering IV fluids and medications. To release Some dogs are more likely to bloat than others. Dogs with deep gas from the stomach, he will try to pass a tube from the dog’s and narrow chests (for example, Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds)

The Doctor

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have the highest risk. Bloat also is related to eating habits: dogs that eat one large meal a day (rather than two or more smaller meals) and dogs that wolf down their food are more likely to get GDV. So don’t put out a big bowl of food for a hyperactive, food-inhaling shepherd as you head out the door for a 10-hour workday; feed her at least an hour before you leave so she’ll be calmer and you can check on her after she eats. And don’t let your dog engage in strenuous activity (running, playing fetch, swimming, and so on) right after a meal. n

* Editor’s Pick Does your dog practically inhale his food? Slow down his eating with the Brake-Fast dog food bowl. The pronged design prevents dogs from wolfing down their dinner, reducing the risk of bloat. brake-fast.net

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? Because they like to. Some dogs consider grass a salad bar and like to snack on it from time to time. Other dogs seem to have a taste for grass only when they’re nauseated. If your dog vomits every time he eats grass, don’t let him eat it. He does not “need” to eat grass to help him vomit. If he’s going to vomit, he’ll manage just fine on his own, without the grass’s help. Also, if you know or even suspect that grass has been treated recently with pesticides or fertilizers, don’t let your dog graze. If you use pesticides or fertilizers on your own lawn, read package labels carefully to find out how dangerous they are. Follow directions precisely, noting how long to keep children and pets off the lawn, and whether a thorough watering will help lessen the danger. Finally, tips on growing more grass and fewer weeds without using any pesticides or fertilizers are widely available in books and on the Internet.

moderndogmagazine.com

body &soul Assessing Your Dog’s Real Age You may be surprised to hear that a dog’s relative age is based on his size: small dogs mature faster but also live longer than large dogs. So multiplying a dog’s age by seven isn’t accurate most of the time. The table below provides a more precise reckoning of your dog’s relative age.

4 – 20 Pounds

21-50 Pounds

51-85 Pounds

85+ Pounds

YEARS

PEOPLE YEARS

1 18 2 24 3 28 4 32 5 36 6 40 7 44 8 48 9 52 10 56 11 60 12 64 13 68 14 72 15 76 16 80 17 84 18 88 19 92 20 96

PEOPLE YEARS

1 16 2 22 3 28 4 33 5 37 6 42 7 47 8 51 9 56 10 60 11 65 12 69 13 74 14 78 15 83 16 88 17 93 18 98

PEOPLE YEARS

1 15 2 20 3 30 4 35 5 40 6 45 7 50 8 55 9 61 10 66 11 72 12 77 13 82 14 88 15 93 16 99

PEOPLE YEARS

1 14 2 19 3 32 4 37 5 42 6 49 7 56 8 63 9 70 10 77 11 84 12 91 13 98

Calling All Mutts (and Otherwise): Get Ready to Strut Your Stuff Finally, a chance to strut your mutt, and for a good cause to boot. Best Friends Animal Society’s inaugural Strut Your Mutt event takes place in New York and Los Angeles this September. Head to Santa Monica Pier in LA on September 19 or the Hudson River Park/Pier 84 in NYC on September 26 to take part in this fun charity-walk event. Join one of the 20 local rescue group teams to help them raise money. At the end of the walk, check out the doggie fair, including a Canine Café (free samples from some of the best dog food and dog treat companies!), a Belly Rub Hub (free pawdicures, grooming, and doggie massages), dog yoga, and more. Prepare to get your walk on in support rescue at bestfriends.donordrive.com.

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body &soul Foods for Health Stiff joints? Failing eyesight? Flaky skin? Foods for improving canine health conditions. By Laura Scott and Elizabeth Pask

he best thing we can do for our Flaky skin. Skin is an important dogs is to provide them with healthy protective barrier that prevents bacteria, nutrition. There are many foods that viruses, and fungi from fulfill basic nutritional needs, but what entering the body and about foods that actually improve health? prevents fluid from Specific foods can have a positive impact escaping. The skin’s on many health conditions. You can feed strength will deterthese foods in addition to your dog’s regumine how well it lar food, or, if you are protects the Specific foods feeding homemade body. Strong, can have a food, you can incorpoflexible skin with rate these foods into positive impact good moisture balance is resistant your dog’s meals. on many health to foreign invaders. Weak, dry, Here are a dozen and flaky skin has microscopic conditions. health-related conditears or holes in the top layers, tions that your dog making it easier for foreign invadmay experience and suggested foods for ers to get past the outer layers of skin and combatting them. cause local inflammation and itching. To keep skin healthy, we need to make sure that our dogs consume enough omega

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3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids help improve the integrity of skin and reduce inflammation. Omega 3 fat can be found in trout and salmon (mackerel and herring are very good sources but they are higher in mercury than farm-raised fish). Other sources of omega 3 fat include fish oil capsules, flaxseed oil, or flax meal and walnuts. Vitamin E can also be very beneficial to skin health. The body can store large amounts of Vitamin E, so it is important not to oversupplement. Wheat germ and corn have the highest sources of vitamin E, but other sources include peanuts, eggs, fish (many fish oil capsules contain added vitamin E) and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Tooth plaque. Your dog’s mouth is the gateway to her body. Plaque and tartar build-up on your dog’s teeth can lead to gingivitis and periodontitis. Bacterial infections in her mouth can lead to septicaemia (blood infection) which, in turn, can cause infections in other areas of the body. The best way to prevent this is with regular brushing, but you can also help your dog keep her teeth clean by feeding her treats that promote chewing. The best treats are gently abrasive to your dog’s teeth, just like a tooth brush. Vegetables that are low in sugar are the best choice for these types of treats. Carrots, broccoli stalks, cauliflower, and rutabaga are all good choices.

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To help your adult dog make the best of his sight, supplement his diet with carrots. Stiff joints. Stiff joints are a natural part of aging in dogs. Some dogs with hip dysplasia or osteochondrosis (cartilage malformation during growth) will suffer joint pain and stiffness at a young age. Without a doubt, the best thing to do with dogs with joint pain is to keep them lean and fit to minimize the stress on the affected joints. However, we can also provide some nutritional support for these dogs. Feeding diets high in omega 3 fat will help reduce inflammation. In addition, glucosamine HCL, vitamin C (in fruit), and vitamin E can also be beneficial in helping to maintain joint health. Reduced eyesight. A number of diseases, including progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and glaucoma, affect sight. Recent research has suggested that omega 3 fat can help reduce age-related changes to human eyes. It is possible that dogs may get the same benefit. In young puppies, the omega 3 fat called DHA is important in proper development of the retina. So, if you breed dogs, consider making sure the puppy’s mom has additional sources of fish oil to enhance the development of the puppies’ retinas. To help your adult dog make the best of his sight, supplement his diet with carrots (or other orange vegetables), which are an excellent source of provitamin A. Other sources of vitamin A include eggs and liver. Inflammation. Current research has implicated inflammation as a contributing factor to premature aging. Lifetime obesity can result in whole-body, low-grade inflammation. To avoid this, keep you dog at a healthy weight, and feed foods high in antioxidants, such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries. Broccoli is also thought to be a good source of antioxidants. Anxiety. There are a number of herbal remedies you can add to your dog’s diet to help her cope when she is anxious. Look for something with valerian root, chamomile, or L-tryptophan in it. Dull coat. A shiny coat is a sign of a healthy dog. Help your dog’s coat shine by adding the B vitamin biotin to his diet. Biotin is involved in making the building blocks of healthy hair and skin. A good source of B vitamins is brewers yeast (NOT active baking yeast) which can be purchased at most health food stores.

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Sweet Tooth

Since chocolate is bad for dogs, here are some suggested ways to indulge your dog’s sweet tooth in a healthy manner: • Yogurt. Add fresh yogurt to your dog’s meal or make it a cool summer treat by following these directions: Cut eight thin slices from a banana and place one into each reservoir in an ice cube tray. Mix 1/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup water, and spoon over the banana slices. Freeze overnight and you’ve got a great sweet treat for your dog (best if served outside or on tile floors!). Yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium. • Beets. Add a small amount of grated raw beets to your dog’s food. Beets are a good source of folate, manganese, and potassium, and are rich in flavonoids. Just be careful— these brightly coloured vegetables can be messy! • Blueberries. Perfect as a quick treat, these small berries are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. • Dehydrated sweet potatoes. Peel sweet potatoes and slice them thin, then dry them either in a food dehydrator or in your oven. Your dog will love this crunchy sweet treat and it’s a great source of Vitamins A and C, manganese, and fibre. • Watermelon. A cool slice of juicy watermelon can be a nice treat for your dog. Watermelon is rich in Vitamin C and lycopene.

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Ginger, dill, and anise can all help soothe a troubled tummy.

flawkaesy a Depressed immunity. A good balanced diet is the best recipe for supporting a healthy immune system; however, adding foods that are high in antioxidants has been proposed to enhance some types of immunity. Foods such raspberries and blueberries are high in antioxidant ability. Cancer. Cancer can occur in any type of cell. It happens when a mistake in the DNA of the cell allows the cell to grow uncontrollably. There has been a lot of press on foods that can prevent cancer but there is little research available on dogs. In human research, diets high in fruits and vegetables have been linked with a low incidence of cancer. So adding fruit and vegetables to your dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meals may be beneficial in preventing cancer. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, berries, and citrus fruits are all thought to have anticancer properties. Upset stomach. In most cases, dogs that have an upset stomach do not want to eat. This self-enforced fast helps rest the stomach and intestines allowing them to return to normal. If your dog seems to have an upset stomach but is still eating, ginger, dill, and anise can all help soothe a troubled tummy.

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Supplements The most common supplements on the market are used for improving joint health and skin/coat condition. A good joint supplement will contain glucosamine HCL, omega 3 fat (green-lipped mussel), MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), and vitamins E and C. Glycoflex, made by Vetriscience, and Cosequin, made by Nutrimax, are both excellent joint supplements. There may be other equally good joint supplements on the market. A quick internet search will give you all the product information on Cosequin and Glycoflex so, if you choose, you can use their product information to assess other supplements. For skin and coat health, the best supplements contain high levels of omega 3 fat and may contain L-methionine, L-cysteine, (methionine and cysteine are building blocks of skin and hair), vitamin E, vitamin C, and biotin. Derma Strength (Vetriscience) and Welactin (Nutrimax) are both good skin and coat supplements.

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Resveratrol Resveratrol is a natural chemical found in the skin of red grapes and, to lesser extent, peanuts. It is currently a hot topic in research because of its proposed anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties. However, no research has been conducted in dogs. In human and other animal research, the main role of resveratrol is as an anti-inflammatory. A huge body of research indicates that whole-body, low-grade inflammation caused by normal cell metabolism can result in cancer and premature aging in many research models. Unbalanced diets that are high in meat but low in fruits and vegetables have been proposed to cause this type of inflammation. In addition, overnutrition that causes weight gain has also been implicated. We really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know for sure what role resveratrol plays in prevention, however, resveratrol and a wide variety of fruit/spice-based chemicals (catechins and flavenoids) have all been found to help reduce this type of inflammation. In the past 10 years, there has been some evidence to suggest that large quantities of grapes are toxic to dogs. Given that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what exactly it is about grapes that is toxic, we should use resveratrol with caution. There is no known upper safe limit for resveratrol and dogs. In mouse trials a dose of 50-300 mg/kg body weight was effective in reducing inflammatory intermediaries. However, we do not know whether the grape toxicity in dogs is linked to resveratrol.

Poor appetite. While poor appetite can be a sign of illness, some dogs just get a little bored with their everyday food. Mix it up for them by adding a cooked egg, some cottage cheese, or a little of last nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chicken to their bowl. Just remember, keep it to small amounts and make sure that it is lean and not high in fat. Overweight or underweight. Some dogs are harder to keep weight on than others. If your dog sheds the pounds easily, try supplementing his food with some extra protein and fat. A bit of extra fat can be added by using peanut butter or flaxseed oil, while meat and cooked eggs are always good sources of protein. If you are feeding eggs more than once a week, the eggs should be cooked because raw eggs contain a protein that

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prevents the intestines from absorbing biotin (a B vitamin). Other sources of protein and fat include yogurt (not fat-free), cottage cheese, meat, chicken, and fish. On the other hand, older dogs with a tendency toward plumpness may need fewer calories, so you can supplement their diets with extra lean protein and a little extra fibre in the form of pumpkin or green beans to avoid packing on pounds. Many health conditions can be relatively benign but others can be a symptom of a serious disease that cannot be managed with diet alone. For example, if your dog has poor coat condition and is lethargic and overweight, he may have hypothyroidism. Attempting to treat the dull coat and weight problem with diet will not solve the underlying illness; medical intervention is required. So if your dog has multiple symptoms or if a symptom persists despite your best efforts, have the dog examined by a veterinarian. Nutrition and health food are only able to support the body; they are not a medical treatment. n

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Reduce shedding, itching, and odours. Epi-Pet’s Skin Enrichment Sprays are an excellent topical treatment for pets with dry, flaky, itchy, irritated, oily, or smelly skin and coats. They also treats hot spots, rashes, and other mild skin problems, as well as naturally repelling insects like fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Available in calming Lavender, Cedar, and Unscented for those who are “allergic to everything” (great for cats who have dry, flaky, oily skin and shedding!). epi-pet.com

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Inside and Out

Supermodel Niki Taylor on her lovey-dovey home shared with husband, NASCAR driver Burney Lamar, ponytail living, and the truth about cats and dogs. By Mary-Jo Dionne Photographed by Kharen Hill Hair & makeup, Debra Wingo; Styling, Christiev Alphin

’m so thankful for the invention of the telephone, I need a new word for this level of gratitude. Being between addresses and currently living out of a suitcase at my in-laws’ until we take possession of our new house, I’ve been wearing what has become something of a uniform for the last month: coffee-stained yoga pants that embody the descriptor “elastic waist” and uncombed hair in an unkempt ponytail. It’s been so long since I’ve put on mascara, the wee wand would likely render me befuddled. So the irony isn’t lost on me that this is the state in which I find myself when I prepare for my talk with supermodel Niki Taylor. If ever there were an instance to fall down on my knees and thank higher beings for the magic of technology, allowing me an over-the-phone-and-therefore-not-visible chat, this would be it. The whole thing is nothing short of a miracle. Guinness World Record holder for youngest model to sign a six-figure deal, the distinctly recognizable Niki has been a regular fixture on the cover of this planet’s most revered rags since her foray into modeling two decades ago. Almost immediately following her debut in Seventeen, the fresh-faced then-14year-old became a household name for her personal brand of girl-next-door sweetness. So stratospheric was her ascent to superstardom that in May 1996, the term “the Niki Six” was coined to describe the unprecedented phenomenon of her simultaneous appearances on the cover of America’s six most popular women’s publications: Vogue, Allure, Self, Shape, Elle, and Marie Claire. And, like good-luck numerology, New York City’s Times Square was virtually wallpapered in six larger-than-life images of Niki, due in no small part to her tenure as the face of Liz Claiborne. Perhaps it’s this girl-next-door quality that has created in me the sense that she and I somehow grew up together; that I have “known” Niki for years. As a member of her generation, I not only watched with jaw-dropping awe as her career hit meteoric heights, but, like many admirers, followed the events of

“Anyone who doesn’t have a ‘fur’ is really missing out.”

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her life with a mix of fascination, envy, and, when tragedy struck, empathy. The sudden death of her younger sister, Krissy, in 1995, and a 2001 car accident that left Niki critically injured were followed by a struggle to cope and heal in devastation’s aftermath. However, as someone who considers herself well-versed in the School of Niki, what I didn’t know was that this woman with the famous big smile and big strength, also possesses an equally big heart. Compassion for animals oozes from her like moisturizer from a CoverGirl tube, flowing in no short supply. And while part of me is relieved not to be meeting her face-to-face in my current mid-move condition, the other part of me is admittedly disappointed I won’t get the chance. After all, she and I grew up together. MD: You’ve walked the runways of Paris and Milan, but where are you living now? NT: We’re in Nashville. I moved here in 2002 and I love it. It’s such a great place to raise kids. MD: Tell us what it was like to transform from an everyday 13-year-old kid to, a year later, an international supermodel. NT: Well, at 13, I was in eighth grade and going to softball practice. I had a great childhood. My parents always kept me grounded. They always made sure I was in sports. I was a totally normal kid when I started to work. But yeah, the shift came as a culture shock. My first runway show was in Paris. My dad and I went together, and we were introduced to so many colourful personalities…everything from transvestites to artists. It was a really, really cool experience. Then I had to go back to school and real life. I kept pretty much to myself. I had my friends, of course, but I was still a bit of a loner. I knew what I was going through was different, and I didn’t want to talk too much about it. MD: You were wise beyond your years. NT: Travelling will do that. To experience different foods, people, artists. You see the world. You learn. You grow up fast. MD: Can you describe the feeling the first time you saw yourself—one of the youngest models ever—on the cover of Vogue? NT: I guess I didn’t think about it that much. Or even talk about it. I didn’t want people to think I was full of myself. I still wanted to be a 15-year-old. Then, I signed with CoverGirl, Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein. It was all incredible. It really still hasn’t hit me, actually. I don’t take anything for granted. None of it. I owe a lot to my parents. I mean, family is everything. I always wanted a family, my own kids…to also have a life outside the fashion world. I’m so grateful for it all. MD: Having appeared on more than 300 magazine covers, tell us something we may not know about what it’s like to be a supermodel.

“I am so much more relaxed, more patient, more at ease, more calm because of my animals.”

NT: It is hard work. You have to look good all the time because you have to sell a product. And if the product doesn’t sell, the job goes on to the next girl. It’s constant. The hair, the make-up, the stylists, the clients. It’s really hard work. But it was my gift and my passion, and just something I’m good at. So to me, it’s just a blessing of a job. Even when it’s freezing cold and you have to do swimsuits. Or, you’re doing really warm stuff in hot weather. It’s a difficult schedule, and you’re not going to get the best sleep. You have to be flexible, and be able to roll with the punches. You have to be able to make fun of yourself. You have to have a good sense of humour. Life is so short, it’s too much to take things so seriously. Really, that goes for any career. That’s one of the things I love so much about animals. They don’t take anything too seriously. They’re always just happy to see you. Anyone who doesn’t have a fur is really missing out. MD: A fur? That’s what you call animals? That’s hilarious. How many furs do you have? NT: I have two dogs. Ace is a terrier mix. He is beautiful. He’s got spots with wiry hair. One blue eye and one brown. He’s a rescue from the streets of Greensboro. My other dog is Jesse. She is from Brooklyn. I was working there and I got her from a pet shop across the street from the shoot. Everyone gave me a hard time for that! The photographer took a photo and it went in People and all of a sudden, readers were writing in with things like: “If Niki were a real pet lover, she’d have adopted.” I learned my lesson. I will now always adopt. But she is amazing. She’s 10 now. My husband and I always say if pets were human, she’d be the soccer mom secretly smoking cigarettes and yelling at the ref. She has a big personality. Ace, we’re sure, once played with the Grateful Dead. With him, everything is just groovy. It’s all about doing yoga outside in sun. In addition to Ace and Jesse, I also have three felines. MD: So Ace and Jesse have very dis-

pullquote to come

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“People are so fixated with having a purebred dog, and yet, even as people, we are all mutts.”

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tinct personalities. Who would play them in the movie of their lives? NT: Oh, Jesse would be played by someone who is pretty and also tough. A firecracker. And Ace would have to be played by Jerry Garcia. MD: You have three human kids too, yes? NT: Yes, my boys Jake and Hunter are 15 years old. And my daughter, Ciel, is 15 months. I am loving each and every stage of their lives. Jake and Hunter are so into their skateboards, their dirt bikes. They’re honours students, all A’s and B’s. I always say it’s like Ciel has three dads. They are great big brothers for Ciel. MD: Have you always considered yourself a dog person? NT: Oh yes! I’ve had many rescues. With all the home foreclosures recently, we rescued a few dogs and found amazing new homes for them. My whole family, we’re all huge animal lovers. I have an aunt who is very, very involved in cat rescue as well. MD: So it makes sense that you are an often-heard voice on the rescue scene in Tennessee. As a volunteer with Happy Tales Humane Society, what is it about rescue that makes you so passionate? NT: There are so many animals that people just choose to give up on. I feel that if people aren’t prepared to take care of an animal, they should just not have them. It’s ridiculous how many animals we are putting down. True love means spaying and neutering. The statistics at Happy Tales, with the cats in Nashville alone, are unreal. To provide every cat in Nashville with a home would mean every household would have to have 15 cats. And that’s just here! People are so fixated with having a purebred dog, and yet, even as people, we are all mutts. MD: If someone was in the market for a new pet, what would you tell them in support of going the rescue route? NT: I would tell them to foster first. That’s what’s so great about Happy Tales, for example. They have families who foster. So, if someone’s in the market for a new pet, they can spend a couple of weeks with it and learn its personality first.

MD: What have you learned about life and yourself from being involved in rescue? NT: It’s opened my eyes. We simply need more people to love these animals. MD: Your husband is Burney Lamar of NASCAR fame, you have two teenagers and a baby, two dogs, and three cats. What’s the feeling in the Taylor-Lamar household? NT: Our house is a very lovey-dovey house. Anyone who comes into our house says “Oh my gosh! I’ve never seen cats get along with dogs so well!” And I’m like: “What do you mean? Of course they do!” If you have pet allergies, you can’t come to my house! From the moment we get up, we have dogs and cats on us. Our animals are such a part of our family. MD: You’ve been through a lot in your personal life, and have really served as a role model for the ability to dust yourself off and carry on. As your coping mechanisms have shifted, how do dogs bring you a sense of centeredness today? NT: They are a huge part of my support group. No matter what, they don’t give me attitude. They don’t talk back. They are only here to love and be loved. I am so much more relaxed, more patient, more at ease, more calm because of my animals. They are the ultimate stress reliever. MD: Is it something of a relief for you to be around these beings that don’t care what you look like? NT: Yeah. I never thought about that before, but yeah. They sense if you’re having a bad day. I will get a nudge on my leg or a jump on my lap. Nothing compares to the totally unconditional love of my animals. MD: Your career transitioned to entrepreneur with the advent of your boutique Abbie and Jesse’s, to co-host of Bravo’s Make me a Supermodel, to creator of your perfume, Begin, and to philanthropy as well. What are your next goals? NT: I’d love to own my own line. My own lifestyle brand… clothes, cosmetics, accessories, shoes. I’ve been in the fashion industry for so long. It’s in my blood. Even my dogs are supermodels. If there’s a camera around, they seek it out! MD: I’m mid-move, living out of a suitcase right now. Feeling hideous. Please tell us, do you ever have ugly days? NT: I actually love living out of a suitcase! I love having just two or three simple things to wear. If the washer and dryer works, hey! As a family, we’re always outside: the dogs, the kids. We’ve got nice farmers’ tans. I love living in a ponytail. If you were to see me now… MD: Does this mean my current look is Niki Taylor-endorsed? NT: Yes. Go with it! n

“It’s ridiculous how many animals we are putting down. True love means spaying and neutering.”

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LL Bean’s bright, waterproof collar is easy to clean and has an engravable brass plate for personalization. $14, llbean.com

A bear bell. Perfect for backcountry hiking— or for those dogs that like to sneak up behind you. $8, silverfoot.com

This cool hardware-free pet harness helps with training. Due to its fit, a gentle tug encourages walking rather than a dead stop. Available in sizes from small to large. From $21, ropengo.com

Reduce neck strain. Form meets function in the perfectly fit, handcrafted leather harnesses from Buddy Belt, available in an endless array of colours. $32, funnyfur.com

Great FallGear For Outbound Hounds

Eliminate the struggle. Adjust just once, then buckle (rather than attempt to slip over your dog’s head) JacTrac’s Hemp Martingale Collar. $26, jactrac.ca

Keep your dog in the spotlight with a lightweight and practical safety light with lifetime LED bulbs that never need replacing. $13, ruffwear.com

This handy pouch is perfect for holding keys, bags, and treats and comes with a carabiner so you can clip it to your belt loop or your dog’s collar. $15, rcpets.com

Get fleeced (in a good way) with this cozy Cloak & Dawggie vest. For nighttime visibility, strap on a reflective LunaBrite safety walking vest over top, made for dogs 8 – 100lbs+. $16; $40, sherpapet.com

Why should you have to do all the work? Get poochy packin’ his own supplies and poo. $30, doodiepack.com

Black Baron Kingdom gives pre-loved clothes for people a new leash on life by refashioning them into cool dog apparel like this hip red-plaid flannel jacket. $70, blackbaronkingdom.com

Keep the fun going well into fall. This insulated wetsuit keeps water dogs warmer in cool water. $38, pawhauspetboutique.com

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The Write Stuff

More Modern

Dog Writing Contest Winners

We put out a call out for submissions to our firstever writing contest and the response was tremendous. Thank you to all the entrants for sharing your by turns funny, heartbreaking, and heartwarming tales. We alternately cried and laughed over many of them and spent countless hours determining the winners published in the summer 2010 issue. In fact, it was so difficult to choose that we decided to run three more winning stories in this issue, and even more will be published online. Enjoy! We certainly did.

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Sophie the Unicorn Dog By Kate Dougherty Illustration by Jess Golden

1992-1993 was a momentous year for me. I lost my mother, I bought my house, and Sophie came home. She was a LabShepherd-mix mutt who came from the local animal shelter, and she was there for all the big events of my life. She was there when an important relationship fell apart and I thought my heart would never heal. She looked at me with soulful eyes as if to say, “It will be alright and life goes on.” And she was right, for someone new came into my life, whose friendship I treasure to this day. She was there when, after 16 years with a company, my position was unceremoniously eliminated. I was woefully unprepared to lose my job, and was filled with despair, fear, and self-doubt. She looked at me with wise eyes, as if to say, “It will be alright and life goes on.” And she was right, for I found a new job with a company I respect, working with people I love, and every day I count my blessings.

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She was there when I went through menopause, when mood swings and bloating became a daily occurrence that far overshadowed any monthly misery previously experienced. I thought I would never emerge from this black hole. She looked at me with patient and faithful eyes, as if to say, “It will be alright and life goes on.” And she was right, for I weathered the change with a strength I didn’t know I had and a resilience that makes me proud. There is verifiable proof of the therapeutic value of the pets that share our lives and I learned many lessons from Sophie. I learned that chasing my tail is futile and only leads to dizziness. I learned that a power nap can do wonders for my energy level. I learned that picking a fight only leads to hard feelings and wastes time that could be better spent curled up with a special friend. I learned that good behaviour brings rewards, like kind words and a pat on the back. And most importantly, I learned that forgiveness should be swift and complete, for only then can you move on to the next game. As she got older, Sophie developed the lumps and bumps and blemishes that come with age. She had a particularly ugly cyst that was perfectly centered in the middle of her forehead. One day when I was picking her up from the kennel after a business trip, there was a little girl in the lobby who was intrigued by this mark on Sophie’s head. Having had a vivid imagination at her age, I told her that I thought Sophie had been a unicorn in her previous life and as she was getting ready to go onto her next life, the horn was growing back. When I asked her what she thought, with the unquestionable faith and sheer wonder only a child possesses, she nodded in agreement. 2008-2009 was another momentous year for me. I lost my father, I paid off my house, and Sophie went home. I believe there is every possibility that she is a unicorn now, for there was indeed magic in that dog. And though her loss is deeply felt, I remember loving eyes reminding me that, “It will be alright and life goes on.” n

Modern Dog Writing Contest Winners

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Dear Dogsitter By Kristine Gunter Illustration by Jess Golden

ear Dogsitter: Thank you so much for agreeing to take care of the dogs while I’m away. Even though some people claim Corgis are a “high-maintenance” breed, I think you’ll find my three to be delightful housemates with very few idiosyncrasies. Below are just a few “house rules” you might want to review prior to your arrival. Rule 1: Never mix up the food Riley has a serious food allergy which requires him to adhere to a very strict diet. It’s critical the ONLY food he be allowed to eat is his “available-by-prescription-only, single-novel-protein-source” kibble that’s in a bag clearly labeled with his name. In the event Riley should eat something other than his special diet, you’ll need to rush him to the nearest veterinary hospital and have his stomach pumped (my “Dog Lover’s” VISA card and car keys are next to the phone). It’s equally important to remember Zoey should NEVER be allowed to eat Riley’s food as it aggravates her acid-reflux disease (see more about this under “Rule 2” below). Rugby is allowed to eat whatever he wants, regardless of edibility or digestibility (see more about this under “Rule 3: Beware of Rugby psychoses). Rule 2: Don’t forget to medicate The Corgis suffer from a few maladies that will require you to administer a variety of medications to them throughout the day. Please make sure Riley gets an antacid tablet each evening, exactly 30 minutes before you feed him his dinner. At that same time, you can give Zoey her acid-reflux preventative. Forgetting to give them their medications will likely result in both of them suffering

from a series of violent projectile-vomiting episodes between the hours of two o’clock and four o’clock in the morning (the carpet cleaning machine and stocks of stain-removing solutions are all located in the basement closet). If, despite giving Riley his antacid tablet, he still develops an upset stomach, you can give him a dose of anti-nausea medication. The pills are stored in the bathroom and it’s worth noting one of the possible side effects listed on the bottle is “may cause unusual changes in thinking and/or behaviour.” I only mention this because the last time I gave him one of the pills he spent the rest of the evening “having relations” with several of his stuffed dog toys, a behaviour I would most definitely classify as atypical. Rule 3: Beware of Rugby’s psychoses Rugby gets antidepressant AND anti-anxiety medications; he’ll need one of each, twice a day. If he’s having a particularly bad day (and it’s quite obvious when that’s happening) feel free to give him an extra dose or two. In general, it’s a bad idea to leave Rugby alone in the house in an unmedicated state (the supplies to mend rips and tears in upholstery, linens, and leather are all upstairs). Rule 4: Beware of the mailman (or other delivery personnel) Around noon each day, you’ll experience what may initially feel like a moderate earthquake. The house will shake, the windows will rattle, and all three Corgis will begin hysterically leaping into the air, barking and flinging strings of viscous drool throughout the living room. This is perfectly normal behaviour—it simply signals the daily delivery of the mail. Expect the entire episode to last at least five minutes but certainly not longer than an hour. Mopping up the drool is completely optional but highly encouraged as it can create a rather extreme slipping hazard (directions to the local urgent-care clinic are posted near the phone). Rule 5: No flying insects or “mouth noises” allowed within the house Rugby has an extreme fear of flying insects—if you find him cowering and shaking uncontrollably in the corner of a room, you’ll need to locate the: (a) fly (b) moth, or (c) bee that is buzzing around the house. Rugby will be unable to relax until you’ve (a) found the offending insect (b) dispatched of said insect, and (c) shown him the lifeless body of the bug. Likewise, you should be aware of Riley’s extreme sensitivity to any type of “mouth noise.” Sneezing, coughing, and any sort of chortling or snorting are all considered “mouth noises” in Riley’s mind. Puckering is to be avoided AT ALL COST. Past consequences of careless petsitter puckering performed in close proximity to Riley have included both a lip piercing and a ruptured eardrum. I guess that’s about it—I’m sure you won’t have any problems as long as you follow these common-sense rules. Have a great time with the dogs and thanks again! Kristine n

Mopping up the drool is completely optional but highly encouraged as it can create a rather extreme slipping hazard.

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Modern Dog Writing Contest Winners

PLACE

Griffin By Terri Cave

Illustration by Jess Golden

am blessed to be the mom of a crazy dog by the name of Griffin. Griffin is a 75-pound Lab mix and has been crazy most of his life. When Griffin was eight months old, he and I moved into our home. I work from home and wanted to prepare my office in our finished basement. I had new carpet installed and thought a fresh coat of paint would look nice. Mom offered to help paint. We didn’t have a dog growing up, so Mom wasn’t used to thinking about “puppy proofing.” About 15 minutes into painting, I glanced over to make sure Griffin was still playing with his toy and, in slow motion, I watched him pull the wooden paint stick from the paint can and begin to run. I began to run, in slow motion it seemed, after him. He thought it was a game, so he ran faster. Paint dripped all over my new carpet. He got stuck once, just as I thought I had him, and he managed to push himself through the small space splattering the paint all over my black leather sofa and chair. I caught him after only a few minutes on the run; however, he needed a bath, the carpet had to be scrubbed, and the furniture cleaned. Griffin has never liked squirrels. Unfortunately, we live on a street lined with large trees, so there are many, many squirrels in our neighbourhood. One sunny afternoon, we were meeting our two neighbours and their dogs for a walk. Along the way, a squirrel looked too good to resist and Griffin began chasing it. Since I was on the other end of the leash, I began chasing Griffin, chasing the squirrel. We were running toward the right side of the tree and at the last second, Griffin made a quick turn to the left….

we met around the tree. The squirrel wasn’t sure what to do and decided I looked like I could protect him and jumped onto my chest, digging his nails into my shirt. I began screaming, Griffin began barking, and the poor squirrel jumped off my shirt and ran off. I suspect the squirrel had a nervous breakdown shortly thereafter…. A couple of years ago, I broke my ankle. I was very concerned about taking Griffin for a walk because he definitely needs a walk each day to get rid of excess energy. Mom came up with the idea that we would borrow her sister’s wheelchair, she would push me, I would hold onto Griffin’s leash, and he could get a short walk. I reluctantly agreed. I had never been in a wheelchair before, so I carefully sat down, propped my broken ankle and cast on the foot rest and we took off. I really didn’t know my Mom could walk that fast. I was getting a little concerned so I turned around to ask her to slow down and she wasn’t there. She stopped to shut the gate to the fence and Griffin had taken off with me. I began screaming and dragging my other foot. Mom was running and trying to catch us. Thank goodness I have a long driveway. We stopped just before running into the street. Now with Mom holding on, we began down the street. About mid-way down the street, there was a little branch and I thought we might get stuck, so I leaned over to move it. About that time, a squirrel (yes, another squirrel) ran across the street. Griffin took off, pulling me out of the wheelchair and into the street. Needless to say, we didn’t try the wheelchair again. I sucked it up and walked Griffin a mile each day on my broken ankle. Being 75 pounds, Griffin walks very heavily and his tags jingle, so I normally know where he is. One day, I was in the kitchen eating lunch and watching television. Griffin somehow walked into the kitchen very quietly, sat behind me, and apparently waited for me to take a drink. Just as I picked up my soda to take a sip, he began to machine gun bark. He barks very deep and very loud and even if you’re expecting it, it can still startle you. Needless to say, I jumped so hard my soda went airborne and spun around several times in the air before landing on my shirt and lap, spilling all over me. Griffin seemed to smile and then walked back into the living room wagging his tail. He loves a good prank. I, on the other hand, walk around the house like Wyle E. Coyote after taking earthquake pills. Even with all of his craziness, I wouldn’t change him. I love Griffin just the way he is and I love his personality. n

Griffin has never liked squirrels. Unfortunately, we live on a street lined with large trees.

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QUIZ

Which Celebrity is Your Dog? By Melissa Barr

Illustration by Carmen Mok

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Your dog’s ideal day out is:

A. A long, sunny day at the beach: sun, surf, Frisbee, volleyball, surfing, whatever. Fun in the sun with unlimited energy! B. Getting out of the city: hiking in the woods somewhere, communing with nature, getting in touch with her inner wolf. C. Staying in: out of the elements, relaxing beside a fire, resting, thinking deep thoughts, and maybe composing some puppy poetry. D. Volunteering, raising money for a good cause, or defending the weak, maybe adopting an orphaned piglet or two on the way or perhaps a lost little lamb. E. Something fun: walking somewhere new, meeting new dogs and somehow convincing them to play, doggie play dates, races at the dog park; anything that involves friends, fun, and frolicking. F. A little bit of shopping or pampering: a trip to the groomers to get her fur or nails trimmed, or a sweet, relaxing afternoon at home.

Your dog is left unsupervised for an afternoon, and when you return: A. Your dog is waiting by the door to greet you with a tail wag, a doggie grin, and a kiss. B. Your couch cushions have been torn up in a fit of exuberance and bits of fluff lie all over the floor. Your dog is happily digging through the garbage and doesn’t seem to realize that anything has gone terribly wrong. C. Your dog seems a bit put out at having been left home for the afternoon,

and treats you to the cold shoulder for approximately three seconds (which is about the amount of time it takes you to dig out a dog treat). D. There is a little accident in the kitchen and your dog is looking tragically apologetic and ashamed, but he just couldn’t help it! E. You have the feeling that your dog has committed some sort of rule-breaking— perhaps he was on the couch where he isn’t permitted, or sleeping on your bed, or in the clean laundry—but the simple fact is, there is no evidence, and he is watching you with a deceptively sweet and innocent expression. F. Your dog greets you quietly and follows along after you, probably having suffered a little bit of separation anxiety. Everything is in its proper place, but you can see a smudge of garbage on your dog’s nose, and you just know that he somehow got into the garbage and hardly left a hint of evidence behind—that’s just how creepy smart he is.

Another dog charges at you and your dog at the dog park. Your dog: A. Rolls over on her back, tail wagging, tongue lolling, in an attempt to show submission and hopefully make a new friend. B. Snaps at the dog and refuses to back down. C. Snarls and attacks the other dog before it can even get near you, defending you from harm. D. Stiffens and snarls in warning, becoming cautious and careful, standing her ground. E. Does the sensible thing and cowers, backs down, or hides behind you.

F. Gets tense and nervous, almost like her feelings are hurt, and submits to the other dog.

You’re going to a disc dog competition! Your dog is:

A. Always successful in whatever he does, whether watching disc dogging or participating. B. Competing. The other dogs don’t stand a chance against your dog’s goofy enthusiasm. C. Watching and daydreaming about the day when he, too, can get in on some disc-dog action. D. Supposed to be watching, but instead, he’s jumping the fence and going after the disc! E. Not competing this year, but watching very carefully. Next year, he’ll be a pro. F. First to compete, and takes home the trophy. Was there any doubt? Your dog can win anything he wants to.

For your dog, luxury is:

A. One of those smart toys with the latches and covers that make you think. B. Curling up with family. C. Making a mess! Old tennis balls are awesome, too, or garbage cans, or pop bottles, or piles of leaves, or clean laundry, or socks—socks are awesome for tug-of-war. D. Something organic—salmon treats, maybe. Something natural or local. Something recycled and Earth-friendly. E. Her adorable doggie clothes, buckets filled with toys, and whatever she wants to eat! F. Those ever-fascinating toys that spit out treats when you play with them. Magic!

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If your dog were a superhero, he would be:

A. Batman: shady past, super-canine intensity, protective. B. Superman: super-canine strength disguised as an ordinary dog. C. Ironman: life’s a party for this superdog, who sometimes seems to be having more fun than he really ought to be having. When push comes to shove, however, he is loyal, strong, and brave. D. Catwoman: ignore the cat part of this superhero! This one’s all about righteous indignation and grace. E. Spiderman: powerful and strong, but constantly aware of the responsibility that comes with that. Always gentle and careful with smaller dogs, children, and even cats (maybe). F. The Hulk: happy-go-lucky, ordinary, content to nose about the garden, roll around in poop, ordinary doggie things—just don’t make him mad.

Your dog orders a meal in a restaurant, and when it comes, it’s cold. Your dog: A. Shrugs her shoulders. Dude, food is food, whatever, it’s all going to the same place. B. Thanks the waiter, smiles politely, and hides her true feelings. She would probably go home hungry and a little bit sad. C. Throws the very definition of a diva fit! She is picky, hungry, and if it isn’t exactly what she wanted, it just isn’t good enough! D. Inspects the plate, looks up at the waiter silently, eyebrows raised, and waits for the waiter to clue in and do his very best to fix the mistake. E. Politely and charmingly requests that the meal be replaced, and still tips the waiter the same generous amount—after all, mistakes happen. F. Makes a joke, laughs it off, and eats it anyway.

Your dog’s ideal reading material would be:

A. Something light and breezy—Get Fuzzy, maybe. So funny! B. Something classic—The Hound of the Baskervilles? C. Read? Uh…something with lots of pic-

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tures. Like, uh, Clifford? D. I’m too busy to read. E. Where the Red Fern Grows. Sweet, classic, and a real tear-jerker. F. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. A book about real issues.

Your dog is getting ready for a big date. The musical stylings of choice for his big night would be: A. World music: maybe some African drum beats, or something unique, quirky, and different. B. Something quiet, classical, and sophisticated. C. Something sassy and sexy, top 40. Something he can dance to. D. Something cheesy and classic. Barry White. E. Something French and cultured to set the mood. F. Dude. Top 40, definitely. Maybe some Bob Marley, if he is feeling classy.

Your dog’s ideal mate would be a:

A. Rottweiler—strong, silent, intimidating but, secretly, a big teddy bear. B. Pug—perpetually sweet, roly-poly, and perhaps a bit confused. C. Mutt—a little bit of everything and a whole lotta fun. D. Jack Russell Terrier—Clean-cut, classic, and up for anything. Brave and a little quirky, just enough to keep your dog on her toes! E. Golden Retriever—classic good looks, gorgeous appearance, and sweet personality. F. French Poodle—classy, elegant, and cultured. They’re also super smart.

Your dog sees a squirrel in the yard. He:

A. Doesn’t particularly care. B. Will destroy that squirrel! Or at least, bark a whole lot and run around like crazy trying to catch it. Most exciting part of the day. C. Runs after it to try to convince it to play. D. Takes it as a serious threat to the house and ensures that the squirrel is scared away so thoroughly that it will not be returning, thank you. E. Is far too involved in sleeping in the

sun to notice. F. Approaches cautiously and tries to be friends.

Your dog’s ideal vacation would be:

A. Partying on the dance floor in Nicaragua. B. Relaxing on a private yacht off the Florida Keys. C. Touring the historical landmarks in Prague. D. Taking in the sweet sounds of the Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay. E. A comedy cruise through Alaskan waters. F. Helping to build houses for Habitat for Humanity in Costa Rica.

It’s your dog’s first trip to the Oscars, but what’s his style? A. Though your dog is usually pretty casual and laid back, he will probably go for high-wattage star power with a designer label, maybe Versace. B. He always has an individual sense of fashion flair and the Oscars are no reason to muffle his creativity. He will manage to pull off a whimsical yet sophisticated look, maybe wearing quirkily accessorized vintage, while still looking the height of fashion—quite a feat. C. He always looks just right for the occasion, and the Oscars are no exception. Something classic by Burberry might be perfect because your dog’s personality shines without all the bling. D. He dresses to the nines whenever she has the opportunity. It’s red-carpet drama for your dog, whose penchant for va va voom fashion will probably lead him to sport Dolce & Gabbana or Elie Saab. E. He embraces high fashion with a romantic, flirty flair, so he will wear anything and everything by Valentino. F. Fashion? Your dog has a fashion sense all his own, and the Oscars will not rain on his fashion parade! Break out the puka-shell necklaces and the jeans, because it’s the dog who makes the clothes, not the clothes who make the dog, thank you very much!

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Your dog is starring in a movie. The genre is:

11. A)3 B)1 C)5 D)4 E)6 F)2

A. Romantic adventure: as long as your dog gets to do his own stunts and ends up with the girl at the end, he’s in! Heavy on the action (of both kinds!) and low on the deep dialogue, these movies are all about fun, just like your dog. B. Action: Your dog kicks ass and proves it in the movies! Whether defending the meek, robbing a bank, or saving precious artifacts from the hands of evil, money-hungry corporations, he is clearly an action star! C. Musical: Your dog is so multitalented that he shines in a glitzy, glamourous musical, filled with inspiring songs, hot choreography, and a tragic love story; your dog would rock as the Phantom of the Opera. D. Comedy: Your dog is perfect at making folks laugh with his quirky expressions, comedic timing, and ability to deliver a line. Whether it’s slapstick or verbal comedy, he always has the audience snorting into their popcorn. E. Romantic comedy: in this beloved genre, your dog is able to mix all the classics, adding a dash of comedy, a heavy helping of romance, and a little bit of drama and angst to create the perfect movie for a girls’ night in. F. Foreign/art film: Your dog is a bit offbeat in the most pleasing of ways. Artistic, unique, and inspirational, these films tend to be a bit strange and take a high level of intellect to create—and to understand. They’re frequently enthralling, smart, and perplexing—just like your dog.

13. A)2 B)3 C)5 D) 4 E)6 F)1

Results: 1. A)1 B)2 C)3 D)4 E)5 F)6 2. A)2 B)5 C)6 D)1 E)4 F)3 3. A)5 B)6 C)4 D)3 E)1 F)2 4. A)6 B)1 C)2 D)5 E)3 F)4 5. A)3 B)4 C)1 D)2 E)6 F)5 6. A)4 B)3 C)5 D)6 E)2 F)1 7. A)1 B)2 C)6 D)4 E)3 F)5 8. A)5 B)3 C)1 D)6 E)2 F)4 9. A)2 B)4 C)6 D)5 E)3 F)1 10. A)6 B)5 C)1 D)2 E)4 F)3

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12. A)1 B)6 C)3 D)2 E)5 F)4 14. A)1 B)4 C)6 D)5 E)2 F)3 0-14 Matthew McConaughey 15-28 Drew Barrymore 29-42 Johnny Depp 43-56 Angelina Jolie 57-70 Steve Carell 71-84 Beyoncé

0 – 14

WENN.COM

Matthew McConaughey Your dog is good lookin’ and knows it! Sporty, energetic, and a little silly, sometimes your dog can get into a bit more than he bargained for, but with one flash of those puppy dog eyes, he can usually wiggle his way out of trouble. He’s up for trying anything once or twice (or six times, maybe) before learning his lesson. He may not be the smartest dog in the park, but he makes up for it in enthusiasm, loyalty, and a refreshing, puppyish sense of fun.

15 – 28 NIKKI NELSON/WENN.COM

Drew Barrymore Your dog is a bit of a homebody at heart, but with a unique twist—she’s part pup next door, part starlet. She’s sweet, charming, and demure when she needs to be, but definitely knows how to have a good time, and people are drawn to her undeniable magnetic energy. She’s eager to please, and loves being around her family and friends. She might have gotten off to a shaky start in life, but now, she’s doing just fine, surrounded by the people who love her. She’s free spirited, kind, playful, and an all-around sweetheart.

29 – 42

57 – 70

Your dog moves to the beat of a slightly different drum. He enjoys solitude, but also the company of those very few he allows to get close to him. He is somewhat mysterious, enigmatic, and full of wild, creative, and artistic ideas. Just when we think we’ve got his type nailed down, he shocks us all with an entirely new side of him—one minute he’s the soulful Edward Scissorhands, and the next, he’s the swashbuckling Captain Sparrow.

Your dog makes us laugh with his antics. He’s filled with puppyish glee and curiosity, and never lets self-consciousness get in the way of a good time. He loves making people laugh and is always aware of his audience. He’s at his best when he’s getting attention for his sweet and playful games. Sometimes he seems incapable of taking anything seriously, but that’s not true—he just thinks that laughter is the very best medicine. Your dog is an expert at worming his way out of trouble with an apologetic doggie smile.

Steve Carell ANITA BUGGE/WENN.COM

WENN.COM

Johnny Depp

43 – 56

Now that her wildchild days are behind her, your dog is more family-oriented and moved to make a difference in the world, yet still possesses a hauteur that leaves some doubting her motives. She’s protective of those she cares about, and willing to give whatever she can of herself for those less fortunate. Your dog doesn’t like when bigger dogs pick on smaller dogs at the dog park, and she’s at her best when helping poor orphaned animals. She’s one of those amazing dogs we hear about who adopts the piglets, the baby lambs, or the kittens. Your dog is a bit reserved and sometimes we aren’t sure if she’s a superhero or a superbitch, but we love her anyway.

71 – 84 Beyoncé

PNP/WENN.COM

APEGA/WENN.COM

Angelina Jolie

A diva in the very best sense of the word! Your dog knows what she wants and when she doesn’t get it, she isn’t afraid to stand her ground until whoever screwed up comes forward and promises to fix the problem. She’s strong, self-assured, and aware of how very worthwhile she is. Your dog doesn’t take dog poop from anyone, be they dog or man, and is always the star of the show—and if she isn’t, she’ll invariably steal the spotlight, though whether by plan or mega-watt talent and magnetism or both, no one’s sure. Despite your dog’s diva routine, however, she’s a total sweetheart when she wants to be. n

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TRAINING TRIALS?

Ask an Expert Answer’s to your most pressing training

questions

Ask Colleen Safford

How do I know if my dog is bored? I take my Pit mix, Jessie, to work with me, but I still fear she’s understimulated. What can I do to keep her occupied but quiet while we’re at work? She either finishes off a Kong stuffed with food in about five minutes or tires of it if it’s too difficult to get out. And she’s already chunky so I don’t want to give her too many treats!—Konged Out in Killeen

“HELP! My dog has chewed the legs off of my desk, is loses flare. I’m not suggesting that you change Jessie’s diet frethe loudest attendee at our meetings, and is now trying to quently, but add little varied bonuses to her toys. burrow her way out of the office. Is she demanding a raise or in Start with a toy that dispenses food steadily but not too fast, need of a vacation?” as we are trying to also build Jessie’s play duration. The steady This is how your question would’ve come in to me if Jessie was frequency will reward your dog’s efforts and keep her motivated bored at the office. to play with the toy. My favourite beginner toy is the Atomic Ball Boredom in dogs manifests itself in destructive, anxious behav(suitable for dry kibble and some diced-up Natural Balance Dog iour. Pacing, chewing, digging and whining are all signs of an Roll). understimulated dog. You are an attentive doggie parent, who is Work from novice enrichment toy player to professional athdoing a great job by creating activities and energy outlets to keep lete (though don’t expect lavish endorsement deals) by gradually your dog busy and balanced. increasing the difficulty or frequency at which the food is disWhile originally bred to work, it is true that Jessie’s idea pensed from the toy. My dog works her meals out of two Tricky of a job doesn’t include being anchored to a desk and laptop. Treat balls. Layering, tightly packing, and freezing food inside a Providing a few energy-burning outlets each Kong is also great for advanced players. day is something that I recommend for both Feeding Jessie meals from enrichment toys will Boredom in dogs office-going and stay-at-home dogs. My favourite also help you keep her waistline svelte. Instead manifests itself pooch pacifiers are food stuffable toys, a good of standing at her food dish and gobbling food in destructive, heart-pumping, on-leash walk, an off-leash romp down in 30 seconds, she will work off calories as anxious with other canine friends, or a game of fetch. she consumes them, stimulate her brain and burn behaviour. The Kong is part of a great group that dog physical energy. experts call enrichment toys. These toys satisfy Just as it’s your job to seek appropriate energy the scavenger in your pup by encouraging him to work for his outlets for your dog, it’s also important to recognize her need to food. Every dog from tiny toy breeds to the giant Great Dane rest. The average adult dog requires approximately 12-18 hours of enjoys scavenging for a meal. sleep per day and that increases with our very young puppies and If Jessie is boring easily of food-stuffed toys, you need to work senior pooches. Between activities, Jessie should be taking time to on bumping up her motivation and making the game a bit more relax and recharge. fun. We have enough stress at work. Hopefully this information Hunger is key to building Jessie’s motivation for playing with takes pressure off of you knowing that you are a good doggie enrichment toys. Going to the office on a full belly after a big manager! n breakfast at home will squash her motivation to work. So, scrap As host of The Family Pet on Pet Life Radio, dog trainer Colleen Safford raises the food bowl and feed her most meals out of enrichment toys. awareness on pet-child safety, appropriate pet selection, and understanding dog What’s in the toy? No matter how much Jessie likes a particubody language. Colleen’s companies, NY Walk & Train and Far Fetched Acres, have lar food item to start, if it is served every day, she will get bored. been voted “Best of NY” by New York Magazine and offer quality, life-enriching Caviar is a delicacy (for most, I guess), but eaten every day, it services to Manhattan’s pooch population. Colleen receives daily training from her toddler children and is proudly owned by her rescued Boxer(ish).

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Urban Hound

Seattle photographer turns graffiti into urban art with the help of a few furry friends By Melissa Barr

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hether or not graffiti qualifies as art continues to be a contentious subject for critics, but Jamie Pflughoeft has no problem finding beauty in ever-evolving graphic street art. In her on-going “Graffiti Dogs” project, dogs are photographed next to vivid graffiti, lending urban flavour to classic portraiture. The dogs are dwarfed by the graffiti, and it would be easy to find some sort of comment on urbanity vs. our own wild ancestry, or a correlation between creativity and our animal instincts. It’s also easy to get lost in the swirling colours, the wide-eyed look of contemplation on the dogs’ faces, and the evocative nature of the photography itself. Although she could have made the obvious choice to photograph the graffiti and the dogs in a gritty, inner-city, dirty sort of way, Pflughoeft doesn’t go that route, instead turning the very urban setting into a refined, modern work of art that frames the dogs lovingly. In the end, despite the provocative backdrop, the photographs prove more a quiet study of canine nature than any sort of political or artistic statement. A dog lover first, photographer second, Pflughoeft turned a lifetime love of dogs, an education in animal psychology, and a photography hobby into Cowbelly Photography, a successful pet photography business in Seattle that specializes in creating colourful pieces of photographic art. The “Graffiti Dogs” project is a personal sideline that she promises will culminate in something amazing. It already seems pretty amazing, judging by the photos posted in her blog alongside her regular images. Those from the graffiti series attract like particularly colourful candy. We can’t wait for the final product. Pflughoeft is looking for models for the project, so if you live in the Seattle area and your dog is good at “sit” and “stay,” email info@cowbelly.com for more information. n

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dog-friendly digs

THE STAY

Nashville, Tennessee LOEWS PHTOO ABOVE MICHAEL KLEINBERG, RIGHT VRX

Battle of the pet-friendly properties: Loews Vanderbilt Hotel vs. The Hermitage, two hotels that give four-legged travelers a warm Southern welcome. Welcome to Music City, USA. Crowned “America’s Friendliest City” by Travel + Leisure magazine, Nashville has a rich history and a musical soul. Tens of thousands of fans flock to Nashville annually for the Country Music Awards Music Festival, but Nashville is much more than just country music. A bewitching blend of old and new, Nashville offers something for everyone, whether you’re looking for gritty honky tonk bars, sleepy neighbourhoods turned newly hip, or historic plantations open for visiting. Nashville is home to the Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, the Country Music Hall of Fame, which sits alongside historic reminders of Nashville’s central role in the 60s Civil Rights Movement, and plenty of sports action, too, with the Nashville Superspeedway, Tennessee Titans, and the Predators thrilling sports fans. There is a vibrant culture, to be sure, from the “meat and three” Southern special on offer at down-home restaurants to the elevated mixology at The Patterson House, rumoured to be favoured by Gwyneth Paltrow when she’s in town, to museums, restaurants, shopping, and of course, entertainment—excellent independent bands play all manner of music in venues all across the city. With it’s tree-lined neighbourhoods and pooch-welcoming residents, Nashville is a two-paws-up destination, and both the pet-friendly Loews Vanderbilt Hotel and the Hermitage make sure your stay is more than memorable.

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

The Hermitage Hotel

2100 West End Ave. (615) 320-1700 loewshotels.com Request a wake up call at Loews Vanderbilt hotel and you’ll be serenaded by Vince Gill, Amy Grant, or Brenda Lee singing down your telephone line, just one of the musical touches that makes the Loews Vanderbilt at home on Music Row, the heart of Nashville’s entertainment industry. In addition to many celebrities and touring musicians, Loews Vanderbilt welcomes dogs up to 55 pounds for a $25 per stay charge. Luxe touches like tiger print chairs and chandeliers abound, but we’re guessing your pooch will be more impressed by the Loews Loves Pets program that includes a welcome package complete with pet tag, bowls, “Loews Loves Pets” mat, West Paw Fling Thing toy, “Heads you’re in/Tails you’re out” door hanger, and Hero Starts gourmet treats. Dog-sitting and walking services are available on request, and there’s even a gourmet room service menu just for Fido should he get the late night munchies. Tip: Take a morning stroll with your dog to nearby Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University grounds. Best for: Getting in the Music City mood with your pooch.

231 Sixth Avenue North (888) 888-9414 thehermitagehotel.com Nashville’s first million-dollar hotel has been a celeb hot spot since 1910, with President Roosevelt, Greta Garbo, and Al Capone crossing its floors, along with many other socialites, presidents, and actresses since. Add your pup to this illustrious list. Dogs up to 100 pounds are welcome for a $50 charge per day. The five-diamond luxury hotel has undergone an 18 million dollar restoration since opening its doors one hundred years ago, and wows with a stunning Beaux Arts lobby of Italian marble and soaring stainedglass ceilings. Even the men’s restroom is gasp-inducing—because of the jaw-dropping Art Deco interior, that is. Take a break from exploring the city in your beautifully appointed room, or up the relaxation level by calling the spa concierge to have someone sent up to draw your bath. When it comes to exemplary service, your dog won’t be neglected, either. The Hermitage’s Pampering Pet Program offers amenities like a canine room service menu, walks, and grooming. While Fido’s dreaming of choice bones on the custom pet bed provided, dine at the hotel’s acclaimed farm to table concept restaurant, Capitol Grille, featuring southern fare, or indulge in high tea before heading back out to enjoy more of the array of pleasures Nashville offers. Best for: Soaking in the elegant, oldworld charm. moderndogmagazine.com

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craft

petproject

D.I.Y.

Trick or Treat! Four fun, fast, and funny Hallowe’en costumes for your dog Get out your glue guns: We’ve got some fun and ridiculously easy-to-make costumes using both new and recycled thrift store items that anyone, even those of us with zero craft skills, can make in just a few minutes. And the best part? All of these ideas cost $10 or less to put together. Every item below can be found at Savers, a US retail thrift chain. Caveat: Never leave your dog unattended in costume.

Hula Girl Combine a ready-made grass skirt

Devil Dog This costume takes new devil

and second-hand faux flowers from the used home-décor section. Choose a grass skirt in a child’s size large if you have a Golden Retriever-sized dog. If your dog is small, choose the smallest size and cut both the waist band and the grass fronds down to size. Cut the fake flowers off their stems and use Super Glue or a hot glue-gun to glue them to a string or shoelace. Total cost: $10

horns and combines them with a cape fashioned from a used bolt of red fabric. A towel or an old bed sheet will also work. Cut the fabric to size and fasten around your dog’s neck. Total cost: $10

Furry Baby Nobody puts baby in the corner. Combine a used baby bib and bonnet with a new novelty pacifier worn around your dog’s neck. If your dog is tiny, check out the second-hand doll clothes for a doll’s bonnet and bib. Use a ribbon to attach the pacifier to your dog’s collar or hang it around her neck. Total cost: $7

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Cowboy This cowboy costume combines a used woman’s scarf (a handkerchief could also be easily substituted) worn as a bandana with a novelty children’s cowboy hat. The hat stays put by being clipped to the back of your dog’s collar. Try jazzing it up with a novelty gun in holster or a handmade made sheriff’s badge fastened to his collar. Total cost (minus gun): $5

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The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer Lessons on Living and Dying from My Canine Brothers By Doug KoKtavy

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Fear and guilt can consume us when canine kids get sick. It doesn’t have to be that way. Share this inspirational story about one man’s journey to peace during his beloved dogs’ final illnesses.

art attack

by Marni Wedin

Andrew Pinkham

larger than life—and Pinkham believes that’s how they should In a word, Andrew Pinkham’s work is trippy. It’s positively be captured. He achieves this through angles, lighting, and digital immobilizing, evoking questions like: Is this real, a painting or a darkroom effects. Each portrait is a unique marriage of background, photo? What the heck am I looking at? Upon closer inspection, you extraneous elements, and studio-shot layers, not necessarily shot on convince yourself it’s a photo, but probably feel uncertain at your the same day. conclusion because Pinkham blurs the lines of nineteenth-century Like famed photographer Ansel Adams, Pinkham pre-visualizes portraiture with modern digital photography so well. If you broach his photos. He says the finished photo, “isn’t always exactly this with Pinkham, he’ll modestly laugh and say that’s Pinkham blurs what I’m looking at.” He also admits to being inspired by exactly the kind of response he’s looking for, that the lines of where he lived as a child. Pinkham grew up in a small rural “challenging our beliefs of what is authentic and his19th-century town and says, “There’s no getting away from it, the backtorical is 100 percent deliberate.” portraiture with grounds in my photos are reminiscent of where I grew up.” Pinkham’s first dog portrait was of his beloved modern digital Pinkham was first attracted to photography when he took Greyhound, Suki. When he started showing local dogphotography. a stop-motion class as a youth. There, he learned the basics park acquaintances Suki’s photos, portrait commisof composition and special effects. His parents bought him a sions started coming in. Now, just three years later, camera as a graduation present and he never looked back. his portraits have been honoured with an exhibit at Philadelphia’s “I started taking pictures of everything, but always longed for more airport, an accolade reserved for established artists. than what I could do with a straight photograph.” With the digital Because he has worked as a “straight-up” photographer for over revolution of photography, Pinkham’s photographic longings were 20 years, Pinkham knows what it takes to deliver a great photo and answered. understands which idea will set his work apart from the competiCommissions begin at $850. He donates 20 percent of each pet comtion. There’s an undeniable stillness and feeling of heroism in each mission to charity. Visit andrewpinkham.com for more information. n Pinkham portrait. This stems from the idea that our pets are heroes— moderndogmagazine.com

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Falling in Love

IS LIKE OWNING A DOG An epithalamion by Taylor Mali Illustration by Alicia Carvalho

First of all, it’s a big responsibility, especially in a city like New York. So think long and hard before deciding on love. On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security: when you’re walking down the street late at night and you have a leash on love ain’t no one going to mess with you. Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable. Who knows what love could do in its own defense? On cold winter nights, love is warm. It lies between you and lives and breathes and makes funny noises. Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs. It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy. Love doesn’t like being left alone for long. But come home and love is always happy to see you. It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life, but you can never be mad at love for long. Is love good all the time? No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love. Love makes messes. Love leaves you little surprises here and there. Love needs lots of cleaning up after. Sometimes you just want to get love fixed. Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper and swat love on the nose, not so much to cause pain, just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again! Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk. Because love loves exercise. It runs you around the block and leaves you panting. It pulls you in several different directions at once, or winds around and around you until you’re all wound up and can’t move. But love makes you meet people wherever you go. People who have nothing in common but love stop and talk to each other on the street. Throw things away and love will bring them back, again, and again, and again. But most of all, love needs love, lots of it. And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Taylor Mali was one of the original poets to appear on the HBO series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. The author of two collections of poetry, “What Learning Leaves” and “The Last Time As We Are,” his work has appeared in anthologies and other publications including The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, The Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry, Spoken Word Revolution, The Tampa Review, Pank, Taj Mahal Review, Cadillac Cicatrix, Spindle, and Paddlefish. He runs the Page Meets Stage reading series at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City. For more information, visit taylormali.com.

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TRAINING TRIALS?

Ask an Expert Answer’s to your most pressing training

Ask Nicole Wilde

I have a two-year-old neutered male Blue Heeler who hates puppies. He will charge and attack if he even thinks there is a puppy in sight. He will bite and shake. He is normally a very friendly guy and very happy but when he sees a puppy, he turns into Cujo!! I have to keep him on a leash for fear he will injure an innocent pup. HELP!!—Blue About Heeler in Bellevue

You are absolutely right to keep your Heeler on leash when there’s a puppy present. In fact, he needs to be leashed any time he’s in public, as you never know when a puppy might show up. You’re also right to worry that he might injure a pup, as a grab and shake is very serious. It might be cute when focused on a plush toy, but with a puppy, the maneuver could kill. I understand that you don’t want to keep your dog on a leash forever, and I’m sure you’d love for him to be able to romp and play at the park with other dogs, including puppies. If his aggression issues Your dog has were mild, I’d say that might be possible, eventually. Unfortunately, your dog has demonstrated the potential to demonstrated not only injure but to possibly kill another dog. Allowing the potential him off leash around them, even after implementing a to not only behaviour modification protocol, would create an unacinjure but to ceptable risk. The good news is, that doesn’t mean your possibly kill dog can’t have a perfectly happy, wonderful life. Not every another dog. dog has to play with unfamiliar dogs. I suggest that you work with a professional trainer who uses positive, gentle methods, so your Heeler becomes less reactive toward other dogs to the point that you are able to take him on pleasant walks. There are also many fun activities you can engage in together that don’t involve being off leash around other dogs. Two examples that come to mind are Rally Obedience and K9 Nosework. If he’s reliable around livestock, you could even engage his natural instincts and have him do some herding. So get some professional assistance, check out your options for fun recreation, keep up the good management, and enjoy your time together. n Nicole Wilde is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer who teaches seminars worldwide on canine behaviour topics. She is on the faculty and advisory board of the Companion Animal Sciences Institute, and is the author of eight canine-related books, including Help for Your Fearful Dog and So You Want to be a Dog Trainer (phantompub.com).

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questions

Ask Delores Wall

I recently rescued a dog that I don’t believe was ever taken for walks. She walks really, really slowly, and wants to stop and sniff everywhere. If I gently pull on the lead, she comes to a dead and determined stop and refuses to be budged (pretty good for a 10-pound dog!). I’ve tried using treats to lure her into following along, to no avail. She insists upon doing her own thing, so, frustrated, I finally carry her, defeating the purpose of our walk. What can I do to get her to walk? —Anchored in Anchorage

Rescue dogs can bring great joy to their new owners and it gives them another chance for a full and happy life. Your little dog may just need some time adjusting to a new way of life. Being a small dog, she may have been carried everywhere by her previous owner. As sniffing is how our dogs interpret the

Ask an Expert Ask Teoti Anderson world around them, she may need the freedom to be a real dog. Meanwhile, remember that when we pull our dogs, whether by the leash or the collar, they will often stop in their tracks. Keep the leash relaxed as much as possible so there is no tension on the collar. Try working with her inside first. With her leash on, in the house, where she is likely more comfortable, feed her treats and a portion of her dinner by hand, and also have some playtime with toys. Then take the most exciting treats and toys with you and begin to explore the outdoors. Initiate some play rather than being so concerned about the actual walk at first. Play a little, and give the ultimate reward of “go sniff.” This gives her a chance to check out the animal world of who’s been here or Being a small there. Then dog, she encourage her may have back with a been carried squeaky or everywhere by a wonderful her previous smelly treat, owner. and take a few steps down the street in play mode. Walk forward then turn and walk the other way three or four steps at a time to start. Repeat until she begins walking a little further each time. The walk should be an enjoyable experience for you both, and sometimes we have to take some tiny steps on our street before we ever get to the next block. She will also pick up your feeling of frustration, so it’s very important to stay positive, patient, and upbeat with her. n Delores Wall, CPDT, behaviour specialist, trainer, mentor, founder of DogSmart Training Inc. and Trainer Apprenticeship Programs (dogsmart. ca), Vancouver, Canada, is a devoted advocate of training through positive methods for reliable results.

My Collie, Blue, goes crazy every time the doorbell rings. I would like to welcome guests without a round of insane barking. Help! —Woofed Out in Wichita

The doorbell is an exciting trigger for a dog. Think about how people react: everyone in the house jumps and dashes to the door. Blue is just joining in! You can teach Blue to do something else you like better, such as getting a toy and lying down on his bed. I find this to be a more realistic alternative for boisterous dogs, rather than just asking them to lie quietly. Blue can chomp on the toy to “take the edge off” his energy, and it also helps muffle the barking. First, pick one of Blue’s favourite toys. If he will already retrieve it on cue, practice this exercise. If not, you can teach him. Put the toy on the floor. Click and treat him for any attention to the toy. Gradually up the ante. When he is reliably looking at the toy, wait to click and treat him when he noses the toy. When he’s reliably nosing it, click and treat him for teeth on the toy. When he reliably takes the toy in his mouth, then add the cue, “Get your toy!” Next, teach Blue to go lie down on his bed. Put the bed a comfortable distance from the door. The doorbell Click and treat him for any attention to the bed, then for is an exciting putting one foot on the bed, etc. When he’s reliably going to bed, add the cue, “Go to trigger. bed!” Combine the two cues. “Get your toy! Go to bed!” When Blue is reliably doing this, have someone knock at your door, then give Blue his cues. Click and treat for all success. When Blue has this down pat, then you’re ready to add the doorbell. Your efforts will save you and your guests lots of headaches in the future. n Teoti Anderson, CPDT, owns Pawsitive Results, LLC (getpawsitiveresults.com), and is the past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of Your Outta Control Puppy, Super Simple Guide to Housetraining, Quick and Easy Crate Training, and Puppy Care and Training.

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Connie’s Book Club Relax with a good dog and a good book

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNIE WILSON’S SELECTION OF FANTASTIC FALL READS.

Even Bad Dogs Go to Heaven (Abrams, 2010) By Stephen Huneck With Stephen Huneck sadly passing this past January, fans will especially cherish his latest and last book, Even Bad Dogs Go To Heaven: More from the Dog Chapel. This final offering, like the actual Dog Chapel Huneck built, lightens the heart. A bit of back-story: after overcoming a serious illness, Huneck was inspired to build Dog Chapel, an 1820s-style Vermont church on Dog Mountain, a hill on Huneck’s mountain-top farm. During his convalescence, Huneck reflected on life and death and rituals performed to lessen the pain and achieve closure. This reflection resulted in his creation of Dog Chapel and the two Dog Chapel-inspired books, Dog Chapel and Even Bad Dogs Go To Heaven, intended to help people find closure after losing a beloved dog. Huneck’s dog-centric philosophy comes alive in his last colourful and poignant book celebrating and reflecting on the special love we hold for our dogs, ultimately reinforcing Huneck’s belief that “dogs bring us closer to nature, help us live in the moment, and make us feel unconditionally loved.” A perfect gift for a bereaved pet parent or, for that matter, anyone who loves their dog.

Stay (Penguin, 2010) By Allie Larkin Allie Larkin’s first novel, Stay, is a charming tale of love, loss, discovery, and healing. Smitten with Peter Clarke since she quite literally ran into him six years before, Savannah is head over heels in love. That is, until Peter chooses to marry her best friend rather than her. Devastated, Savannah’s world falls apart and, relying on alcohol to get her through, her life spirals out of control. It’s not until, on a whim, she brings Joe, an unruly 100-pound German Shepherd, to live with her that she starts to pick up the pieces of her life. She leans on her new best furry friend for love and support and in the process learns that not only is recovery from crushing heartbreak possible, but that adventure, fun, and, yes, even romance can blossom.

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Scent of the Missing (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010) By Susannah Charleson Time and again dogs have proven themselves invaluable in the search for those missing or injured in disasters and tragedies, but few of us know how Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs are chosen or what’s involved in training them. In Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog, we follow author Susannah Charleson’s adventures training with a police SAR team as she shadows qualified rescue dogs and their handlers in their CSI-like work. Once she is qualified to train and run beside her own search dog, she chooses a Golden Retriever she names Puzzle, a puppy whose willfulness and strong drive are important working-dog assets, but make training all the more challenging, even for someone like Charleson who has raised dogs for years. The riveting story chronicles their partnership from puppyhood training through to actual searches for the lost. I found myself spellbound by their ability to read and unravel clues in their SAR work, as well moved by the deep bond the two form to make an inseparable team.

The Divine Life of Animals (Crown, 2010) By Ptolemy Tompkins Tompkins’ Divine Life of Animals: One Man’s Quest to Discover Whether the Souls of Animals Live On investigates recovering “a way of understanding animals that will allow us to see them as the genuine soul-beings they are and always have been.” Supported by wellresearched archeological, historical, and theological works, this interesting and thought-provoking book strives to lead us to the conclusion that indeed animals do go to heaven, a theory that many of us who have lost and mourned the death of a beloved pet will be more than happy to hear.

Saving Gracie (Wiley, 2010) By Carol Bradley Heartrending yet ultimately inspiring, Carol Bradley’s investigative reporting on the busting of a puppy mill is truly an eye-opener. The cramped, horrific, unsanitary living conditions these sorry dogs must endure, devoid of any socialization or exercise is no less than heartbreaking. Their offspring are taken

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well before the recommended 8 to 10 weeks of age and the operators, more concerned with profits than the treatment of the dogs or the health of their puppies, pedal the underage and often sick or health-comprised offspring to the unaware public, frequently with falsified kennel registration documents. Many of the breeding dog’s feet have never even touched the ground as they are never relieved from the squalid cages they’re housed in. Saving Gracie: How One Dog Escaped The Shadowy World of American Puppy Mills chronicles the journey of Gracie, or Dog 132, from a puppy mill breeding cage to a complete reversal of fortune, her change in fate orchestrated by a group of concerned animal lovers, including humane society officials, police officers, shelter workers, prosecutors and, last but not least, the person she finds her forever home with. This stirring story of survival and redemption should be required reading for anyone who loves animals.

Dogs & The Women Who Love Them (New World Library, 2010) By Allen & Linda Anderson This compelling book of true stories about women and their dogs underscores what many of us have experienced with our own pups, that a special dog can led to a revelation or shift in perception, setting one on a path of adventure and self-discovery. In one story, the dog acted as a catalyst for a complete and much needed change in lifestyle and career, while in another, a dog’s personality so closely mirrored his humans that she finally saw herself through her dog and realized her type-A personality kept her inflexible, overly busy, and grumpy. Her “Aha” epiphany forced her to relax, slow down, and enjoy the moment, and, amazingly, once she did, so did her dog. Each of the inspirational stories is followed by a thought-provoking meditation that poses a question for reflection such as “What dog has been your loyal partner and spurred you to greatness?” or “Has a special dog left a legacy for you and others to remember?” Overall, this book is a wonderful reminder that the bond your forge with your dog is often the catalyst for positive change. n

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BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED? CRAZED AND CONFUSED? IF YOUR DOGGIE DILEMMA HAS YOU DOWN IN THE DUMPS…

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Dear Dog Lady, Wow. I was really surprised by my boyfriend recently when we were discussing my dogs. We have begun to consider moving in together after dating for seven months. We are thinking maybe we should take the plunge by the end of the year. I’ve had my dogs all along and I love them very much. He has never been very fond of them but didn’t seem to hate them. Now it comes up that he doesn’t want to have dogs in his house at all. I offered to let him move into my house instead of his. But he just doesn’t want to have dogs in whatever house he lives in. He says he doesn’t like their smell (even when they’re clean. He just doesn’t like dog smell in general). During our discussion I got the impression that he would prefer I get rid of the dogs or maybe he is just thinking they should stay outside. Either option is appalling to me. Truly, we are so compatible on every other level. I am amazed at how happy we are after seven months of non-stop talking and spending at least five days of the week together. But this has thrown me for a loop. Do you have any thoughts on this? —Jennifer, San Diego, CA

Yes, Jennifer, Dog Lady has a few thoughts. And you’re probably not going to like them one iota, because these are cautionary notes: Be careful. This guy may not be the man for you. Think before you plunge. Yadda, yadda. As you know, Dog Lady is totally dotty for dogs. This devotion is part of who she is. But it wasn’t always the case. Once, not so long ago, Dog Lady was the Anti-Dog Lady: “throw the bums out!” Complaining about obnoxious pets during condominium meetings became part of

You’re not compatible on the dog-love level. the regular routine. Then, Dog Lady reluctantly brought home a dog and found religion. Your man should be so lucky. You can hope if he hangs around you and your dogs long enough, he will not only learn to tolerate your pets but develop genuine affection for them. Certainly, if he cares for you, this would be a happily-ever-after outcome. You are still in the ga-ga romantic phase. All this is new. You’re in such a dream state that you boast without logic about you and your beau being “compat-

ible on every level.” Dog Lady begs to differ, Jennifer, you’re not compatible on the dog-love level. This seems crucially important. Your love for your dogs opens you up to empathy for all creatures. Your boyfriend, not so much. Give the relationship even more time before you move in with him Your guy is angling for you to surrender your dogs before you take up residence together. You don’t seem ready to send the woofers packing. You are going to resent him deeply if you give up your animals before moving in. And he’s going to feel similar antipathy if you bring your dogs along to wherever you decide to live. The bad smell is going to hound him—and you. The nagging feelings you have about his dislike for dogs could get more intense. Or the doubts will calm down. Also, please remember to live your own life. You can change your hairstyle, your brand of coffee, you can lose weight and buy a new wardrobe. We all possess the power to transform ourselves in many ways. Changing your feelings for your beloved pets somehow seems impossible.

Dear Dog Lady, I got my son a puppy for his birthday. She is a seven-month-old Boxer that destroys the house when we are not home. She has moderndogmagazine.com

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ask dog lady literally chewed everything she can get her paws on. I have tried putting her in the cage, but all she does is bark. Not to mention she has pushed the tray to the cage out several times and used it as a bathroom. It has even gotten to the point where she has moved the cage more than 10 feet into the living room. I live in an apartment and I’m doing everything I can to try not to get evicted. She gets plenty of exercise we take her out in the morning, when we get home, and again before we go to bed. She seems to be fine when we are home, she only “acts out” when we are gone. Is this something she will grow out of? Is this separation anxiety in doggie form? What should I do? Please help me before I get evicted! I do not want to break my son’s heart by getting rid of her. —Amber, Rockford, IL

Were you aware Boxer puppies grow fast and play hard?

Dear Amber, sure, you had the best intentions when you got this dear dog for your son. Dog Lady doesn’t doubt that. But did you do any research before bringing home a baby Boxer? Were you aware Boxer puppies grow fast and play hard? They thrive with keepers who devote time to them. Now, Dog Lady hopes you’re ready to do right by this Boxer so you don’t get evicted and break your son’s heart too. Your dog needs exercise, exercise, and more exercise. You must tire out this dog so she wants to sleep most of the day. Dog Lady knows a Boxer puppy who cavorts like crazy every morning, chasing other dogs, being chased, wrestling and mouthing like a maniac, letting off enough steam to light up a small city. When puppies brim with unspent energy, they will always chew up the house— because they’re bored and because they can. You must provide enough indestructible chew toys (Kongs and their ilk) so the puppy has a healthy outlet. Bully sticks are also great for chomping. When you leave for the day, puppy-proof the house by putting away anything you don’t want to lose to puppy choppers. Leave out a few toys, enough to keep your dog occupied. Your puppy is fine when you’re at home because you set the rules. When you’re gone, puppy sets the rules. Hire a dog walker to come in during the day to take your pup out for more exercise. The expense will more than pay off. There is no magic wand here. Dogs learn as they go and can be very responsive if you put in the time and trouble to train them. As your Boxer settles into your home, she will learn to live within your boundaries. If you allow her to continue to be wild, she will always seem out of control. Now is the time to wrangle her and let her know who’s in charge.

Dear Dog Lady, The dog belonging to a woman I know ate her cell phone. The dog was fine afterward and I believe he should get an award because there will be one less phone ringing at the movies. The people who are surprised when their dogs chew on cell phones—or anything they don’t want the dogs to eat—are idiots for thinking dogs should moderndogmagazine.com

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ask dog lady know better. After all, a dog’s world is limited to: Eat it. Chew on it. Sleep on it. Pee on it. Try to get it. And when my owner returns after 5 minutes, act as if he has been away for 20 years. Shame on us for giving our dogs the chance to make a choice with stuff. —Guy, New York, NY Dear Guy, you advocate a very responsible outlook for dealing with our dogs. Shame on us for making it hard for them—for leaving cell phones around for them to chew, for strewing underwear or designer shoes in their path, for not putting away the chocolate, the raisins, the onions, Macadamia nuts or anything toxic for them to eat, and for speaking to them in English or Spanish or French or Farsi or any language they don’t understand. House pets are limited to the choices we give them. And when we lead chaotic lives, they do too. We cannot leave stuff around and then become surprised or shocked when they chew it. We cannot expect them to know the difference between an iPhone and a squeaky toy. People, help your dogs become successful. You must plan for their misadventures. And please be good to your domestic animals and respectful of their “dogginess,” if you expect the same consideration.

and clothes and food. I take her to the veterinarian and pay all the doctor bills. I am the one who schedules time to take her to the dog park so that she is properly socialized. Yet my parents believe that since I bought the dog while living with them, Molly should now stay with them. I have offered my parents a compromise: Molly lives with me but when I go to work, I can drop her off with my mom. My parents still insist that this would not be right and that I should just leave Molly with them always. What do I do? I treat this dog as if she was my own child and I couldn’t bear to not have her with me. —Distressed Over Custody, Seattle, WA

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House pets are limited to the choices we give them. And when we lead chaotic lives, they do too.

Dear Dog Lady, I am a 25-year-old who is just now moving out of my parents’ house. A year and a half ago I purchased a Toy Poodle (Molly) for myself. She has been living with me and my parents. My parents have gotten very attached to my dog. Now that I am purchasing a home, I am at war with my parents over who gets to keep the dog. When I purchased her, I knew I would move out eventually and my dog would move with me. I take care of her, buy all of her toys

Dear Distressed, aw, can’t you compromise a little more? Instead of treating your mom like “staff,” why not offer Molly for occasional sleepovers? Your parents’ affection for this Toy Poodle is very sweet. And their care for you is touching, too. They didn’t have to let you live with them until you were an overripe 25. They could have kicked you out at 18. And, when you wanted to bring a dog into their house, they could have thrown a major fuss. Instead, they welcomed a little Poodle as if she belonged to them. Produce the sales slip and the dog is technically yours. Dogs are still considered property in the eyes of the law. So, you can wave the proof of purchase in front of your parents and take Molly away with no apology. But why do that? You say you “treat this dog as if she was my own child.” Have you considered your parents see Molly as a child substitute when you’re gone? Families are complicated—as the film title implies. Be gentle with your parents. They’re the only ones you’ve got. n

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Spiffy Pooches Rhinestone Collars, Charms, Bows, Hair Clips + Much More! Affordably Priced! High Quality! Fun & Fashionable! Selling Wholesale and to the Public.

www.spiffypooches.com 140 moderndog

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online

meet dave

Dog of the Week? Submit your photo for a chance to win Dog of the Week! Each photo contest entry will have a chance to appear in an upcoming issue of Modern Dog magazine.

fearful? relaxed? aggressive? distressed?

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHAINA FISHMAN

Could your dog be...

Find out more about your dogs body language. Go to

moderndogmagazine.com/photocontest

moderndogmagazine.com/articles/ how-read-your-dogs-body-language/415

D.I.Y. Beef Meatballs

FREE STUFF!

These little meatballs are generally a success. They are easy to feed to your dog and don’t require too much chewing. You can give them throughout the day if your pet is only eating a little at a time. They are a little fatty so don’t give them to patients suffering from pancreatic or gastrointestinal disease.

The best things in life are free? We couldn’t agree more. Win free dog stuff at: moderndogmagazine.com/giveaways

Ingredients ½ cup (125 g) cooked meat (yesterday’s roast, without the bones, works well) Chopped parsley and sage ½ cup (125 ml) stock 2 Tbsp (30 g) flour 4 Tbsp (60 g) dried breadcrumbs 1 egg Extra flour 1 Tbsp (14 g) olive oil

Method Mince the meat finely. Mix in saucepan with flour, herbs, and stock. Stir over medium heat until thick. Allow to cool, then form teaspoon-sized amounts into balls. Roll in flour. Dip into the beaten egg. Roll in breadcrumbs. Fry in a little olive oil. Serve when cooled.

tip:

Cats also love them too, especially if you add a little fresh grated parmesan to the breadcrumbs.

For more easy, healthy recipes for your dog visit

moderndogmagazine.com/nutrition

From Nibble Munch Chomp: The Art and Science of Feeding your Pet by Dr. Sasha Herbert (JoJo Publishing). Reprinterd with permission.

ILLUSTRATION BY JESS GOLDEN

Preparation time Medium: 15–45 minutes

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA TRITHART

is this dog ...

modern dog

dog dreams decoded that a dog fondles you indicates great gain 1 Toanddream constant friends. that a blood-hound is tracking you [means 2 Tothat]dream you are likely to fall into some temptation in which there is much danger of your downfall.

of owning a dog with fine qualities denotes 3 Tothatdream you will be possessed of solid wealth.

For more dog dreams decoded go to moderndogmagazine.com/articles/dogdreams

What dogs mean to us—and what we mean to them “Fascinating...

WIN FREE STUFF!

“Breathe Easy” Giveaway from page 40. 1 reader will win a SPA-780A Ultra quiet air purifier from Rabbit Air.

“An Angel Among Us” Giveaway from page 50. 8 readers will win a 30 gram bottle of Angels’ Eyes Tear Stain Eliminator from Angels’ Eyes.

“Take it to Go” Giveaway from page 50. 5 readers will win a Popware for Pets Adjustable Feeder and Travel Cup combo in the colour of their choice.

[Coren’s] affection

“Don’t Forget Your ID” Giveaway from page 105.

are on full display

from Dog IDs.

and vast knowledge

10 readers will win a painted stainless steel designer dog ID tag

in this engaging

“Rad Recycling” Giveaway from page 105.

will leave his fans

“Let’s Be Frank” Giveaway from page 124.

collection that

hankering for further

installments.” —Publishers Weekly

www.simonandschuster.com

15 readers will win an iPICK UP pouch from 4 U 2 ReUse. 4 readers will win a matching Paul Frank signature Julius leash and collar set from 26 Bars and a Band.

TO ENTER: For the giveaways listed above, log on to moderndogmagazine. com and click on “Giveaways” or send a postcard with your name, address, age, email address, and daytime phone number to “An Angel Among Us,” “Breathe Easy,” “Let’s Be Frank,” “Take it to Go,” “Rad Recycling,” or “Don’t Forget you ID” to Modern Dog, 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC CANADA V6A 1A4, by November 30, 2010. Winners will be notified by December 31, 2010. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contests are open to legal Canadian and US residents 18 and older as of date of entry. The decisions of the judges are final. Prizes are not transferable to any other person and may not be substituted for any other prize. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. The selection of the reviewed items for giveaways is based solely on the discretion of the editors. Income and other taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner(s). The approximate retail values of the prizes are: Angels’ Eyes – USD 25; Rabbit Air – USD 550; 26 Bars and a Band – USD 60; Dog ID – USD 15; 4U2 ReUse – USD 15; Popware For Pets – USD 50. Subject to all national and provincial/federal and state, and local laws and regulations. Void in Puerto Rico, and where prohibited. All entries become the property of Modern Dog Inc. and will not be acknowledged or returned. Winners may be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/ Publicity release, which may be returned within 30 days from notification, or an alternate winner may be chosen. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent to use a winner’s name and likeness for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited. For the names of the winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to “Modern Dog Contests” at the address listed above after November 30, 2010.

We Support Rescue Organizations! Modern Dog believes in supporting the efforts of rescue organizations and their volunteers. Our Donation Program was designed solely to help raise rescue dollars. We believe that surrendered dogs deserve “forever homes” regardless of age, breed, or lineage. If you are a member of a rescue organization and would like more information on how Modern Dog can help you raise much-needed funds, please email donations@moderndogmagazine.com.

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Lonza

Does your Pet Food Contain L-Carnitine? L-Carnitine is an essential component for helping the body convert fat into usable energy L-Carnitine has proven valuable when utilized by humans and pets for weight loss solutions L-Carnitine provides antioxidant support and aids with cognitive function to enhance the quality of life L-Carnitine positively impacts sports performance and muscle recovery as well as cardiovascular health Lonza is a life science company headquartered in Switzerland that manufactures the trusted source of L-Carnitine known as Carniking TM, which has successfully been used in pet nutrition products for over 12 years CarnikingTM for a healthy lifestyle Carnikingâ&#x201E;˘ www.carniking.com The statements made in this advertisement have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Lonzaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carnikingâ&#x201E;˘ is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. No statement is intended or should be construed as a recommendation to infringe any existing patent. The information contained herein is believed to be correct and corresponds to the latest state of scientific and technical knowledge. However, no warranty is made, either express or implied, regarding its accuracy or the results to be obtained from the use of such information and no warranty is expressed or implied concerning the use of these products. The buyer assumes all risks of use and/or handling.

Last Lick We recently happened upon Lili Chinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog detailing the charming minutiae of life with her Boston, Boogie, (a video of his unwavering, single-minded focus on a tree containing a squirrel is funny, at least for we dog people, in its universalness; snaps of her pup cuddled into his new bed, adorable) and came across Liliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hilariously spot-on illustration of how NOT to greet a dog that we just had to share. Lili also has a Doggie Drawing project, in which she does custom pet portraits with 20 percent from each commission going to Boston Terrier rescue. We can think of more than a few people who would be delighted to receive a custom illustration as a gift. Check out her dog blog at boogiebt.wordpress.com and her Doggie Drawing project at doggiedrawings.net.

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Happy Joints Mean a Happy Dog

Trust Trixsyn® > Helps maintain healthy cartilage and joint function. > Helps soothe occasional stiffness and enhance mobility. > All natural and 100% vegan. Looking for a healthy way to keep him feeling his best? Give him Trixsyn. Visit Trixsyn.com or call 888.521.8867 today!

888.521.8867