Kids' best friends: Pets help prevent allergies   August 28, 2002 Posted: 5:39 AM EDT (0939 GMT)By Gina Greene
CNN(CNN) -- Flying in the face of conventional wisdom, a new study shows that children who grow up with pets in the home have a reduced risk of developing common allergies. "It was very strongly the opposite of what we expected to find," said lead researcher Dr. Dennis R. Ownby, who is chief of allergy and immunology at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. "Allergists have been trained for generations that dogs and cats in the house were bad because they increased the risk of you becoming allergic to them; we know that before you become allergic to something you have to be repeatedly exposed to it." But the study, released in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association -- which tracked a group of 474 babies from birth to about age 7 -- found differently. Researchers found that the 184 children in the group exposed to two or more dogs or cats in infancy were half as likely to develop common allergies than the 220 children who had no pets in the home. The researchers found the group exposed to animals had fewer positive skin test to indoor allergens -- such as pet and dust mite allergens -- and also outdoor allergens like ragweed and grass. Moreover, the kids exposed to cats and dogs were almost half as likely to have hyper-responsive and easily irritated airways -- a risk factor for asthma. The research also suggests that more is better. For example, 15.5 percent of kids without pets were allergic to cats compared with almost 12 percent with one cat or dog. That number dropped to just under eight percent when two or more pets were in the home. "This contributes to the mounting evidence that the things allergists have believed for years and parents have lived by are wrong," said Ownby, Indeed the body of evidence is growing. In fact, a recent study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found that low-to-moderate amounts of cat allergen triggered allergies in children while high amounts had a preventive effect against allergies -- and asthma as well. So what is it about cats and dogs? Researchers think the secret may lie in endotoxins, the breakdown products of bacteria found in the animals' mouths. They're thought to force the body's immune system into developing a response pattern that's less likely to lead to allergic reactions. "The bottom line," says Ownby, "is that maybe part of the reason we have so many children with allergies and asthma is we live too clean a life." 

It was Thanksgiving weekend 2000 and I was getting started on my Christmas shopping. The shopping mall had an SPCA office where they would bring some of the pets from the shelter on the weekends in hopes of getting them adopted. As I walked by, a nine-week old puppy bounded up to the storefront window and sat and stared at me as if to say, "What took you so long?" I knew right then that I would be taking him home. As he grew up, I noticed how people seemed to be drawn to him and I noticed how he loved to interact with everyone. It didn't matter what gender, age, ethnicity or status they were. He was just happy to see them. Riley was even tolerant with the little children who were a little rough when petting him and little toddlers who grabbed a fistful of fur. I was already doing some volunteer work with the local police and fire departments so when someone suggested that he would make a good therapy dog, I thought it would be a perfect activity for the two of us to share.  

After becoming a registered Delta Society Pet Partners team, our first visit was to a senior home. The staff had brought the residents into an activity room for the teams to visit. As we entered the room, Riley immediately went to an empty chair next to a woman who was sitting quietly. He jumped onto the chair, leaned in and licked her cheek. The woman was sight-impaired and was not aware of Riley until she felt his tongue on her cheek. She exclaimed, "Oh, the dogs are here!" and spent the next 15 minutes petting Riley and telling me about the dogs she had growing up and how much she missed them. She said that she was feeling lonely that day and had almost decided to stay in her room instead of participating in the visit. Somehow, Riley knew that she needed his attention more than the others in the room.

Riley's knack for sensing who needs comfort continued through his career. We would be walking down the hospital halls and he would suddenly stop in front of a room of a patient needing a visit or approach a staff member who was having a rough day. ER and ICU staff members especially look forward to their Riley fix for some stress relief. Riley's impact continues long after our visit. I have had people stop me on the street to tell me that they remembered Riley from his visit with them or their relatives and what a difference it made. One memorable experience involved a young woman at a popular outdoor mall. As we walked by, she cried out, "Riley!" and crouched down to give him a big hug. She stood back up, gave me a hug and told me that she remembered Riley from when we visited her in the hospital when she was 15 years old. She is now going to veterinary school and one of the things she took with her to school is the Polaroid picture of Riley and her at the hospital.

My visits with Riley have been personally rewarding in many ways. Besides the fulfillment I get from seeing the transformations I see in the people we visit, I experience calmness from being with Riley. As a manager for Boeing, I eagerly anticipate our visits to escape from my work anxiety. Seeing Riley's unconditional openness towards everyone has made me become a better person. Even outside our visits, I will now strike up a conversation with just about anyone wherever I may be. Perhaps there is some significance that my life with Riley started on Thanksgiving weekend. I have been giving thanks for his loving companionship every day. Dennis Cajili

By Janice Lloyd, USA TODAY
 Amber jumps up onto the bed and sleeps beside Aiden Young, a joyful end to the day shared by millions of other kids and dogs. But this golden retriever also does complicated tasks most children can do for themselves. She picks up crayons and pencils when 6-year-old Aiden drops them, and opens doors for him. Aiden, who has cerebral palsy and spends most of his time in a wheelchair, is one of five people with special needs featured in Through the Eyes of a Dog (PBS, premieres Wednesday 8 p.m. ET; check local listings). The documentary explores the canine-human bond and the training methods of Canine Assistants, one of the nation's largest service-dog organizations. The show was filmed at the organization's training site in Milton, Ga. "I think anyone who watches this show will learn to listen and observe their dogs better," says executive producer Naomi Boak. "And they'll learn empathy for people who don't necessarily have it easy in life." Jennifer Arnold did not have it easy in life. She is the driving force behind the documentary, based on a book she wrote with the same title, due from Random House in September. "When I was 16, I got out of bed one morning and fell down," she says. "I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and in a wheelchair for two years. I wanted to go back under the bed." Her father had brighter dreams for her, thinking she'd be more confident and independent with a service dog. When the West Coast service-dog agency denied their request because they didn't serve the East Coast, he set out to start his own organization. But his life was cut short in a traffic accident when Arnold was 17. "I made a deal with myself to carry on what he first dreamed about," she says. Arnold, 46, is the founder and executive director of Canine Assistants, located on a 17-acre facility outside Atlanta, and has provided more than 1,000 service dogs free of charge to people with special needs since 1991. Families receive free transportation and hotel for the two weeks they're in training. Milk-Bone sponsors the program. Arnold's only requirement is that the recipients do 60 hours of volunteer work every year with the dogs. "I've learned if you stop worrying about yourself and do something for someone else, you feel completely different about yourself." The film focuses on the five people — including 6-year-old twins with cerebral palsy, Chase and Connor Wilson — arriving at camp apprehensive and sad. It follows them as they match up and train with their dogs and ends at their homes, where they are buoyed by the ways the dogs are enhancing their lives. The dogs, almost all of which are bred at the facility, get positive reinforcement from Day One. Fear is avoided at all cost. Arnold doesn't believe in the philosophy that "you have to be alpha ... as if you have to physically and emotionally dominate the dog." Arnold says canine-human bonds can create great change in humans, like the one seen in a child with muscular dystrophy who told his mother he wanted "to go to God and heaven." "After he'd been at camp awhile, his mother came to me crying, and I thought, 'Oh no, we'd failed.' His mother asked her son if he was ready to go home and go to heaven. Her son told her, 'I can't leave my dog.' "

By Erika Stutzma
Of all the modern advances medical research has brought us, one of the more helpful ones melds the ancient wisdom that dogs are indeed man's best friend with common-sense laws that keep many disabled Americans from participating in public.

The difference, for so many people with disabilities, between a full and rich life, and one that is defined by the boundaries of their conditions, is a dog.

On this, the Americans with Disabilities Act could not be more clear:

"Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices, theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos."

On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced a consent decree that settles an ADA suit against a Colorado Springs law firm. LeHouillier & Associates barred a woman and her service animal from giving a deposition at its office. The woman, a veterinarian, suffers from a traumatic brain injury that impacts her balance, her ability to walk, to see and to hear. Her trained Australian Shepherd dog helps her live her life and run her business, even delivering her prescribed medicine to her.

She had sued a LeHouillier client for failing to pay for vet services; the client countersued alleging veterinary malpractice. But the client's lawyer didn't want the service dog to soil his new carpet.

The result: The firm has to train its staff, post a sign welcoming service animals, pay a $10,000 civil fine and $40,000 to the complainants.

For thousands of blind people, service dogs are the next best thing to sight. Since 1942, the Guide Dogs for the Blind, founded to help wounded service members returning from World War II, has graduated more than 10,000 human-dog teams.

There are earlier stories to suggest that animals have always been used in human healing -- hieroglyphics suggest such. Florence Nightingale's writings recommended small pets to help sick people.

As training gets more advanced, and service animals gain more acceptance in places including airplane cabins and public schools, doctors and therapists are finding even more uses than the typical "guide" dog.

Today, they are used in hospice services and to comfort severely wounded veterans. They pull wheelchairs; they can "call" for help when an owner has a seizure.

Dogs have been shown to help children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder learn to read. In San Diego, a fourth grader with cerebral palsy could only walk with the aid of a walker until she met Sunny, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever. Walking the dog on a harness instead of with her walker, the child completed a physical therapy program and can now walk unassisted for the first time.

The ADA law regarding service dogs helps so many; that the federal courts would strongly back it up this week is good news for Coloradans.

If you want to live a healthier life get a dog, research suggests. The companionship offered by many pets is thought to be good for you, but the benefits of owning a dog outstrip those of cat owners, the study says.

A psychologist from Queen's University, Belfast, said dog owners tended to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, she says that regular "walkies" may partly explain the difference. Dr Deborah Wells reviewed dozens of earlier research papers which looked at the health benefits of pet ownership.

She confirmed that pet owners tended in general to be healthier than the average member of the population.

However, her research suggested that dog ownership produced more positive influence than cat ownership.

As well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol, she said dog-owners suffered fewer minor ailments and serious medical problems.

There was also the suggestion that dogs could aid recovery from serious illnesses such as heart attacks, and act as 'early warning' to detect an approaching epileptic seizure.

Stress-busting

Dr Wells said the precise reason for the benefits was not totally clear.

"It is possible that dogs can directly promote our well-being by buffering us from stress, one of the major risk factors associated with ill-health.

"The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist who has specialised on research into the health effects of pet ownership said that an important reason for the improved health of dog-owners was not just the exercise received while taking it for walks, but the opportunity for social contact with other dog-owners.

She said: "For older people, an animal can fulfil the 'need to be needed', perhaps after children have left home.

"In some cases, the social support offered by an animal is greater than the support another human could offer."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6279701.stm

ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2009) — Dog owners who sleep with their pet or permit licks on the face are in good company. Surveys show that more than half of owners bond with their pets in these ways. Research done by a veterinarian at Kansas State University found that these dog owners are no more likely to share the same strains of E. coli bacteria with their pets than are other dog owners.

Dr. Kate Stenske, a clinical assistant professor at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, studied this association as part of her doctoral research at the University of Tennessee. The research is scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Research.

Stenske said the finding that these human-animal bonding behaviors aren't more likely to spread germs is good news because there are physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership.

"I became interested in the topic because there is such a strong bond between dogs and their owners," Stenske said. "If you look at one study, 84 percent of people say their dog is like a child to them."

Stenske said surveys also show that nearly half of all dog owners share food with their dogs, and more than half allow the dog to sleep in the bed and lick them on the face.

"We also know diseases can be shared between dogs and people," Stenske said. "About 75 percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are transferrable between humans and other animals. With these two pieces of knowledge, I wanted to examine the public health aspects of such activities."

Stenske's study centered on E. coli bacteria, which is common in the gastrointestinal tracts of both dogs and humans.

"People have it, dogs have it, and it normally doesn't cause any problems," she said. "But it can acquire genes to make it antibiotic resistant."

The study examined fecal samples from dogs and their owners and looked at the bacteria's DNA fingerprints. Stenske found that 10 percent of dog-human pairs shared the same E. coli strains. She also found that the E. coli had more resistance to common antibiotics than expected, although the owners had more multiple-drug resistant strains than their pets.

"This make us think that dogs are not likely to spread multiple drug-resistant E. coli to their owners, but perhaps owners may spread them to their dogs," Stenske said. "What we learn from this is that antibiotics really do affect the bacteria within our gastrointestinal tract, and we should only take them when we really need to -- and always finish the entire prescription as directed."

The research showed that bonding behaviors like sharing the bed or allowing licks on the face had no association to an increase in shared E. coli. However, Stenske said the research did show an association between antibiotic-resistant E. coli and owners who didn't wash their hands after petting their dogs or before cooking meals.

"We should use common sense and practice good general hygiene," she said.

Stenske said future research might focus on the relationship between shared E. coli and the behaviors of cat owners. Not only is cat ownership higher than dog ownership in the United States, but cats also interact with people in different ways than dogs, she said.

"We have a lot to learn," Stenske said. "In the meantime, we should continue to own and love our pets because they provide a source of companionship. We also need to make surewe are washing our hands often."

NewsCore - May 02, 2010

The coveted accessory has pushed out other breeds in terms of desirability. THE man who bred the first labradoodle - and in the process made the mutt a desirable accessory - says it's the great regret of his life.  The coveted accessory has pushed out other breeds in terms of desirability.  Wally Conran, 81, coined the term labradoodle in 1988, when he was the manager of the puppy program at the Royal Institute of the Blind. He received a letter from a woman in Hawaii who needed a seeing eye dog, but her husband had allergies. She wanted a dog that would not shed hair. Mr Conran crossed two popular pedigree dogs: a labrador from breeding stock at the institute and a poodle owned by his boss to create the labradoodle.  The puppies were supposed to have the best traits of both dogs: the affable, controllable nature of the labrador, and the curly, non-shedding coat of the poodle. "But now when people ask me, `Did you breed the first one', I have to say, `Yes, I did, but it's not something I'm proud of'," Mr Conran said.  "I wish I could turn the clock back." 
The labradoodle is now recognized as the first of the so-called "designer dogs", selling for more than $1000 a puppy. In essence, it is a mutt, or mongrel, yet it has raced ahead of pedigrees in terms of price and desirability.  Some pet shops report mongrels outselling pure-breds three to one, despite the high price of both. As a result, labradoodles and their cutely named cousins -- spoodles, schnoodles, cavoodles, moodles, groodles and roodles -- are being pumped out across the nation, to meet demand.  "I'm not at all proud of my involvement in it," Conran said. "But the genie's out of the bottle, and you can't put it back." His dismay isn't shared by breeders of the curly cross-breeds, who say they are merely meeting demand for a family-oriented, non-shedding dog of compact size, and happy temperament.  Nicolette Gallagos, of Australian Labradoodle Association, said: "Labradoodles are family-oriented dogs. They are perfect for families that want a dog that is good with children." The association has set a breed standard for itself, and hopes the dog will soon be recognized as a breed by the Australian National Kennel Council.  The process may take 20 years. It has been so long since a new breed has been added to the Kennel Council's register that nobody can remember when it last happened.  Once recognized, the labradoodles will be able to enter shows, and win prizes. The rise in popularity of the mutts angers pedigree breeders, who complain that cross-breeders are exploiting the fad for money, and forcing pedigree bitches to give birth to dozens of cross-bred pups every year.

Brian J. Lowney
Animal shelter officials throughout the United States continue to report that these facilities are overflowing with beautiful dogs waiting to be adopted. Many are purebred, most are healthy, and all just need a second chance.

While many experts blame the economy for the influx, others attribute the surge to dogs being relinquished because of improper training, inadequate care and unrealistic expectations. Sadly, some inexperienced owners believe that dogs will train themselves or won't grow any larger than the tiny ball of fluff that once fit on a child's lap. Pet writer Lexianne Grant says one common mistake made by many first-time buyers is that they expect the new family pet to be just like their friend's well-trained canine companion or like a great dog that steals hearts in a movie. Every dog is not Lassie or Rin Tin Tin!

"They don't realize that it takes time to develop that behavior and bond, then when they have a puppy, they are totally bewildered why their dog isn't perfect," she begins. "These buyers sometimes see pets as disposable entertainment and get rid of the pet when the going gets rough — when the animal needs time or attention."

Grant, a Norwegian elkhound fancier, says she's witnessed this unfortunate situation many times through her volunteer work in breed adoption programs.

"I've seen this in rescue, usually with puppies age 7 months and older, or in a slightly older dog that's gone berserk because it's been neglected most of its life," she notes.

Grant says that many new owners who surrender a dog to a shelter after a few months often make the mistake of failing to appreciate the human-animal bond, or are simply unaware of how to care for a dependent creature.

"The solution is to read about dog care and behavior prior to making the purchase," she advises, adding that if problems continue to develop after the dog settles into its new home, there are many options that can be implemented to correct bad behavior, such as obedience training.

Once an owner commits to caring for an animal, a positive relationship develops, Grant emphasizes.

The respected author says another common misconception is that many new dog owners think that once a canine is trained, the animal will never have an accident in the house again.

"Welcome to the world of dogs where poop and piddle fill your days," Grant chuckles, adding that even the most reliable dog can have an accident indoors if they becomes sick or frightened.

Grant says one way for potential owners to obtain a more realistic view of responsible pet ownership is to visit friends and family members and observe how they feed and clean up after their dog, as well as how they care for the animal when it's recuperating from surgery or an illness.

Darlene Arden, author of The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventative Care for Dogs, says that one common mistake made by many dog novice dog owners is that they are not fully prepared to make a lifetime commitment to the animal. She adds that while every puppy is cute, owners should also realize that the animal is genetically programmed to perform a task, such as working, herding or hunting.

"Puppies need to have their energy properly channeled and adult dogs need exercise, and usually a job," Arden emphasizes. "Positive training and getting involved in a dog sport is the perfect answer to both. You will strengthen the human-animal bond and have a better behaved dog by putting some time and energy into the relationship right at the beginning."

Arden says once the dog matures, it's important to stay involved in an activity such as obedience, flyball, agility, or earthdog trials for terriers and dachshunds. These pursuits provide recreation and exercise both for owners and their canine pals, and also keep a dog mentally stimulated.

"The bonus is that you'll meet other like-minded people," she says.

Dog From Iraq Carries Soldier's legacy
BY JEFF SEIDEL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Yelping, jumping, squirming and showing amazing agility despite having only three legs, Laia, a 9-month-old puppy rescued from Iraq, now runs freely outside her Brighton home. She is a survivor. Laia survived a war, a broken leg, the death of her owner, a risky convoy across Iraq, and an amputation and wound up in the home of Jerry and Colleen Deaven of Brighton. She is just a mutt, but her story spans the globe. It is the story of a guy and his dog. Maj. Steven Hutchison fell in love with the puppy, but at age 60 became the oldest Army soldier to die during this war. It is the story of a woman, Terri Crisp, who has made 23 trips to Iraq, trying to save the pets of U.S. soldiers. It is the story of a grieving mother, Peggy Loving of Romulus, who found a moment of solace when she met Hutchison's beloved dog. When she left Laia, Loving was in tears because holding the puppy felt to her like holding her son. It is the story of adoption. The Deaven family home has a massive yard, where Laia can run free, and plenty of love. "We feel like we are taking care of her for Maj. Hutchison, for all the guys in the unit," Colleen Deaven said. Her husband, who works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, agreed. Stray's global journey home At night, when the war cooled down and the sky above Iraq filled with stars, Army Maj. Steven Hutchison slept with his arms wrapped around Laia, a stray, yellow puppy. It was against the rules to have a dog in an Army camp, but Hutchison hated rules, especially the ones that didn't make any sense to him. A senior officer told Hutchison to get rid of the dog, but he didn't listen, not at all. Hutchison was an old, crusty vet who had served two tours in Vietnam and came out of retirement at the tender age of 59 to fight with the boys in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was a complex man -- smart and stubborn. He had a doctorate in psychology but loved being on the front lines. Countless soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have adopted dogs and cats. For some, it is the one thing that helps it feel like home. "Whenever Laia was around," Hutchison's "demeanor and personality changed 1,000%," Sgt. Andrew Hunt wrote in an e-mail to Hutchison's family. "He was never without a smile; he was so much happier in life." When the same senior officer ordered Hutchison to get rid of the dog or face disciplinary action, Hutchison sent her into hiding with a friend at a far outpost, Forward Operating Base Minden, a camp on the border of Iran. The puppy broke free and ran away, returning one day to FOB Minden with a broken leg. Then, tragedy. Hutchison was killed when a roadside bomb exploded May 10 near his truck. His death would become national news because of his age. At 60, he became the oldest soldier to die in the Iraq war. A few hours later, two Army representatives walked solemnly into a small, tidy home in Romulus to notify Peggy Loving, his 82-year-old mother. She came out of her bedroom, saw them in the kitchen and she knew. She started to scream. "No!" Volunteer trip fateful The day Hutchison was killed, Jerry Deaven arrived at FOB Minden. And soon, his life and Hutchison's legacy would become intertwined in the most surprising way. Deaven works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Detroit. He volunteered to go to Iraq to track down terrorist funding. The morning after Hutchison died, Deaven saw a yellow dog chained up outside the operations tent. "She was a cutie, just a puppy and a good-natured dog," Deaven said. The little mutt started to wag her way into his heart. "What's going to happen to her, now that the major is gone?" Deaven asked. A few members of Hutchison's team said they wanted to take her, but they were getting redeployed. "If I didn't take the dog, they would have had to put the dog down," he said. Laia walked with a limp. Her right hind end leg was broken in the joint area. "I worked with the Army medics, and we put a cast on her," Deaven said, in an effort to save her leg. Deaven loves dogs; he had lost his own dog about a year earlier. George, a lovable, 7-year-old black Lab, had died unexpectedly during an operation. He contacted his wife, Colleen, at home in Brighton. She said she wanted Laia. As luck would have it, before Hutchison died, Hunt already had started working to send the dog back to the States, contacting the U.S. Embassy and an organization that helps soldiers in Iraq bring their dogs back home. Laia "is in great hands," Hunt wrote to Hutchison's relatives. "She is heading to Michigan to live with a wonderful family. ... They ... understand Laia carries with her a very rich and important history and is part of a truly great man." Operation Baghdad Pups Nine armed security officers, wearing protective gear and riding in three Suburbans, drove from Baghdad to Basra, Iraq, to pick up Laia and two other dogs. The $6,000 two-day mission was by paid for by Operation Baghdad Pups, a program run through the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International. "There may be some people who say, 'You are wasting all that time and money and putting people's lives in danger to go pick up a dog?' " said Terri Crisp, the program manager. "But these dogs are so much more. ... They have gotten them through some incredibly tough things. ...A lot of the guys will say that when they go out on patrol, the closer they get back to base, they look forward to getting there, because the dog or cat is waiting for them." Crisp flew from Kuwait to Baghdad to pick up Laia. They then flew from Baghdad to Kuwait, to Amsterdam and to Washington, D.C., and finally on to Detroit. In early June, Colleen Deaven and her three children met Laia for the first time at Metro Airport. The dog seemed overwhelmed. She still limped. Colleen Deaven took Laia to a vet, trying to fix her leg, which never healed correctly. "They tried ... but it was such an old injury that it just didn't take," she said. "So they amputated in July. Within a day, she was walking around. Now, she doesn't even notice." Tangible link to son About three weeks ago, Hutchison's mother, Peggy Loving, sat in a car, heading toward Brighton. "There were 50 million butterflies in my stomach," she said. She walked into the house and instantly knew what her son saw in the animal. "He would have fallen in love with anything as long as it had four legs and a face," Loving said. "He just loved dogs." There was a part of Loving who wanted to take her son's dog, but she knows she can't. "My house isn't big enough for a dog that size. I just couldn't take care of her." She stayed for about an hour, the emotions stirred, the grief still raw. This was more than meeting a dog. "It was kind of like putting your hand on Steve," Loving said. Walking out of the house, she started to cry. "I just hated leaving him, leaving her," she said, in a profound mix of words. Keeping alive a memory The Deavens feel as if they have a different kind of mission now. They are caretakers, keeping alive a memory. For Hutchison. For his team. Several members of Hutchison's team plan to visit Laia. "I was so impressed with those guys," Jerry Deaven said. "We worked 16 or 18 hours a day, never had a day off, and these guys never complained. They just stepped up and dealt with it. It makes you proud of your country to work with guys like that." And Loving has found peace. She keeps a picture of Laia in her bedroom. On the kitchen table, an electronic frame flashes photos of her son. "Laia is where Steve would want her," she said. "I love these people."      

Dogs possess a 2-year-old child's capacity to understand human pointing gestures, with dogs requiring next to zero learning time to figure out the visual communication, according to two recent studies.

The comparison with kids doesn't end there. Due to domestication, dogs appear to be predisposed to read other human visual signals, including head-turning and gazing.

Pet owners often use baby talk, scientifically known as "motherese," with both children and dogs, allowing canines and kids to receive similar social stimulation.

Since chimpanzees and other non-human primates often flunk pointing gesture tests, the studies suggest dogs may understand humans better than even our closest living animal relatives do.

"The human pointing gesture is cooperative in its nature," Gabriella Lakatos told Discovery News. Lakatos, a researcher in the Department of Ethology at Eotvos University, led the first study, published in the current issue of Animal Cognition.

She explained that other recent studies suggest chimpanzees "might have difficulties with comprehending situations based on cooperation," mentioning "the observation that chimpanzees do not actively share food." Dogs, on the other hand, often eagerly cooperate.

For her study on dogs and kids, Lakatos and her colleagues used a combination of finger-, elbow-, leg- and knee-pointing gestures to help dogs locate hidden food and, for children, a favorite toy.

Two-year-olds and dogs understood everything except knee-pointing and when the experimenter's index finger pointed in a different direction than the protruding arm. For example, they were confused when the individual raised an arm in a certain direction, but used her finger to point the other way.

Human 3-year-olds, on the other hand, aced all of the tests.

Lakatos said that "in human children between the age of two and three years, important changes take place that go beyond the capacities of dogs." Many of these changes have to do with development of language skills.

"The ability to generalize in children makes the precision of gesturing by the adult less important," she added. "Children may have a more complex ability to realize the intention behind the pointing gesture."

When gesturing to a dog or child under 3, it's therefore best not to fidget or otherwise move in confusing ways.

"Our results show that dogs can understand the pointing gesture if a body part protrudes from the body silhouette," Lakatos said.

For the second study, published in the prior issue of the same journal, Marta Gacsi, also of Eotvos University, and her team analyzed 180 dogs of various ages to see how development and individual differences affect their understanding of human pointing.

Gacsi and her colleagues determined "the dogs showed no difference in the performance according to age, indicating that in dogs the comprehension of the human pointing may require only very limited and rapid early learning to fully develop."

Lakatos cautions, however in thinking that dogs are just like furry 2-year-old children.

"Any behavioral similarity or similar performance between dogs and children should be investigated separately in each case," she advised. "Just to give an example for a reverse case: nobody has tried to herd a flock of sheep with two-year-old (human children)."

Beate Spear

 It's me or the dog! How many of us have heard that in the past?
  So many times you can read about dogs in need for a new home because one of the dog parents is just not willing to put up any longer with the dogs’ unruly behavior. This is when Victory Stilweel from Dog Trainers of Georgia located in the greater Atlanta are comes in. Many of us know her from her show at Animal Planet where Victoria has been working with some of the most unruly dogs (and owners) on her TV show. She gives pet parents great advice to correct their dogs’ behavior problems.
 Do you want to learn “thinking dog”? You can call Dog Trainers of Georgia and set up an appointment with one of the team members of Dog Trainers of Georgia today and maybe in a short amount of time you have learned how to handle your dog better.
 Read what Dog Trainers of Georgia has to say: Dog Trainers of Georgia, we believe it is vitally important for owners to give their dogs the opportunity and the tools they need to live successfully in a human world.  A dog that is given consistent guidance from an early age grows up to be a confident dog.  Education brings security, security brings confidence, and a confident dog has no need to show anxiety-based behaviors.

It has been proven by modern behavioral science that forceful handling such as physical punishment, leash yanking, excessive shouting or rolling a dog on its back in order to get it to submit is psychologically damaging. Instead, the most successful modern training theories suggest that reinforcing good behavior with rewards and marking bad behavior using vocal distractions or simply ignoring the dog is much more successful.  Positive reinforcement (i.e., giving the dog a reward in the form of praise, play, food, toys etc when it responds and offers an action or a behavior that you like) has been shown to be the most effective way to train a dog.  Ultimately, positive dog training results in dogs who have learned how to learn positively, while aversive training uses fear to combat fear, often resulting in a ‘quick fix’ that hasn’t truly identified and modified the root cause of the misbehavior.  As you begin the process of modifying your dog’s behavior, BE PATIENT – positive training relies on consistency, repetition and the following general rules: 
 Identify WHY is the dog doing what it is doing.  You cannot deal with a behavior unless you know the root cause.Once you know the WHY, then you can ask yourself HOW to treat the behavior.  It is vitally important that you understand your dog.
Learn to talk and think dog.  Good communication serves to increase the bond between dog and owner considerably.Be Kind!  Never hit, scream at or yank your dog.  Don’t combat fear with more fear – recognize your dog’s concerns, then slowly and gently help him learn to overcome them.Go slowly and be patient.  

Teaching obedience commands is relatively easy to do, but changing a dog’s negative behaviors and perceptions is a lot harder.  Therefore it is important that you enlist the help of a qualified trainer to help you with a treatment plan that is designed for your dog’s particular problem.  Stay away from trainers that use harsh methods, choke, prong or weighted collars.  Remember positive training equals positive results.  It might take a little longer and require a bit more time and patience on your part, but the positive changes you’ll see in your dog are worth it. 

by Tracy B Ann

Remember how much fun Mexican jumping beans were when you were a kid? Bouncing all over your hand? Now, remember how cute your jumping puppy was when he was 3 months old and only weighed 18 lbs ? Not so cute now that he’s 8 months old and weighs 70 lbs now is he?

Sadly, this is the age when many dogs are turned into shelters because they are no longer cute and their behavior is out of control. The even sadder part is that this is really easy to fix.

Despite popular belief there is no one magic formula for getting a dog to stop jumping but here are a few tips that will help. Remember that all dogs are different so what works with one may not work with another. Be open to trying several methods and have fun figuring out which one works for your special dog.

First, check your dog’s food. If you are feeding a puppy food quit it! An 8 month old dog doesn’t need puppy food. (I would argue that no dog ever needs a puppy food.) Look at the ingredients of your dog’s food, Check for levels of protein and sugar content. Protein above 24% combined with sugar equals what we trainers call “rocket fuel”. Switch to a better dog food.

Next make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise (a walk doesn’t count), a day and some dogs need more. The best type of exercise for your dog is playing with other dogs.

Now, make sure you’re not rewarding your dog for jumping up on you. I kind of like when dogs jump on me so I have to remind myself not to pet them or kiss them on the head, something that is guaranteed to get them to repeat the behavior. Ignore a dog when it jumps on you.

Watch your body language also. Most of us step back when a dog jumps on us. Sometimes we can’t help it when it’s a big dog. To a dog though that means, “come on up”. So be sure to tell the dog using its own language that you don’t want to be jumped on.

You do that by slowly stepping forward into the dog’s space WITHOUT saying a word. You don’t want to give a dog any attention for this. Dogs understand and respect a need to have a certain amount of space around their bodies. They enforce it with other dogs, we just usually override it when they are pups and establish bad manners.

Whatever you do, DON’T lift your knee into a dog’s chest!!! Even done when in a good mood a lot of force comes up with your knee. If you do it when you’re surprised or angry, way too much force comes up with your knee. Enough to do harm to a young pups not fully developed organs.

You could turn your back on your dog every time it jumps but I have seen that turn into a game as if the dog is saying “Watch me make my person turn around”. And it doesn’t solve the problem of your dog jumping on your back.

If a dog jumps on my back, I don’t turn around into the dog; I step backwards into the dog, claiming my space. If a dog jumps on me from the side I step into the dog from the side.

If you have a known jumper, brace yourself so that you won’t be thrown back into the “come on up” position. You can hold you hands out in such a way as to claim your space. This works with many dogs. For some it is a signal to jump and chew on hands. For those dogs hold your hands in your back pocket or under your arms so they don’t tempt your dog.

That’s the fun part, figuring out the exact way to communicate with your own dog. Don’t expect others to keep your dog from jumping on them. That’s your job. If you have sit trained well (see sit and stay ) use that. If not keep your dog on a leash around other people and step on the leash so she can’t jump on anyone.

If your dog has successfully gone a month without jumping on anyone you can teach it to jump up if you want. Pat your chest or thigh and say “Up” or any other word you like, I use a word that means “welcome home” then pet, and praise your dog to your (and their) hearts content. That’s what they’re here for after all.

The Humane Society of Missouri says more than 400 dogs were seized last week as part of what's being called the largest coordinated raid on dogfighting rings in American history. Rescuers say dogs from Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Mississippi were taken from owners who subjected them to unspeakable cruelty. Dogs that didn't fight well enough, they say, were shot, their bodies sometimes burned in barrels or thrown into rivers. Federal and state authorities, in addition to animal rescue groups, participated in the raid.

Many of those arrested in the raids appeared to live seemingly normal lives apart from their alleged ties to the shady world of dogfighting. One man arrested in Texas is a Little League coach; two men arrested in Missouri were a registered nurse and a teacher in a state-run school for the disabled, the Associated Press reported.

"The Humane Society of Missouri provided initial information that led to the investigation. During the course of the investigation they also cared for animals involved when possible, and they are presently designated to provide continuing care for the seized dogs," said Michael Reap, acting U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Missouri. 

The Humane Society of Missouri says it is housing most of the seized dogs -- mostly pit bulls -- in a temporary facility to keep them separate from other rescued animals. According to the group, animal behaviorists will evaluate each dog and make recommendations to the U.S. District Court on their chances for rehabilitation.  "We are committed to giving dogs who have come from such horrible abuse the absolute best chance for a good life," Debbie Hill, the group's vice president of operations and the temporary shelter's director, said of the task at hand. "It is a tragedy that because of mistreatment by humans for financial gain and so-called sport, many dogs used in animal fighting may not ever be able to be placed in a home situation."

But there's good news for the animals as well. Janell Matthies with the Sacremento-based group United Animal Nations, which is helping to provide medical care for the seized dogs, told the Associated Press that rescuers are "seeing a lot of tail wags." Rescue groups in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Iowa are also housing some of the seized dogs.

Across the U.S., animal advocates are calling the raids a victory for animals. The ASPCA has taken the opportunity to remind California animal lovers that an anti-dogfighting bill, A.B. 242, would benefit from constituent support. (The bill was scheduled for a state Senate committee hearing July 9, but that was postponed amid ongoing state budget concerns.) 

For his part, Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the United States says that each dogfighting raid brings the U.S. "one step closer to ending this cruel bloodsport."

by Julie Forbes

Many dog owners take their dogs to dog parks as their dog’s main form of exercise. After all, they are one of the few places for people to legally take their dogs to run free from the constraints of a leash. However, it is important to understand that dog parks are not for everyone.

Here is where the problem lies: It is a human expectation that our dogs by nature be “friendly with everyone.” Dogs in the wild have their pack with whom they interact and bond with; anyone outside that pack is potentially a threat to territory, resources, and survival.

Most dogs at dog parks do not know each other. Therefore, there is often much tension upon interaction. Add to the mix: The trip to the park is many dogs’ primary form of exercise, so they are arriving pent-up, off-balance and aggravated.

You pull into the parking lot and your dog has been anxiously whining for at least two miles because she knows the route to the park. We think to ourselves, “She is so excited to go the park!” Is that really the case? It is possible she is also nervous, apprehensive, or even fearful.

You open the gate and your dog goes tearing down the path, is barking obsessively for you to throw the ball, or is plastered against the fence, totally overwhelmed. Now consider that most of the dogs there are feeling the same way. Combine all ingredients, let simmer for 20 minutes, and what do you have? A potentially very dangerous situation.

Last year, a dog was killed at a Seattle dog park by two other dogs. I have met too many people who have had dogs severely injured at dog parks to remain passively abstinent. The real danger lies when small dogs are attacked by larger dogs. It doesn’t take much force for a small dog’s internal organs to be damaged from the bite of a larger dog.

Often when someone’s dog is attacked at a dog park, the owner of the dangerous dog is M.I.A. …Nowhere to be found. The dangerous dog is likely to return in the near future for more “play,” and there is no human accountability.

People feel pressure to take their dogs to dog parks, even when it is not a good fit. We are forcing unnatural interactions with the intention of meeting our dogs’ needs, without considering that there are other options.

I stopped going to dog parks about a year ago and have since been walking my dogs around the neighborhood for their (our) exercise. Not only is it a much more constructive, balanced way to burn energy, but also a great bonding experience since dogs have a programmed need to travel with the pack. They’re happier, I’m happier, and I don’t risk either of my dogs getting hurt.

 

NEW YORK, June 13, 2009 (UPI) -- A New York researcher says dogs that appear guilty when being scolded by their owners can be innocent and simply responding to owners' verbal attacks.

Researchers such as Barnard College assistant professor Alexandra Horowitz insist they found that dogs appear to have a "guilty look" after being accused of misbehaving due to being scolded and not always due to actual guilt, The Daily Telegraph (Britain) said Saturday.

The study involved researchers informing participating dog owners their animal had misbehaved despite the fact the canines were completely innocent.

The researchers said informed owners claimed to notice a look of guilt in their animals while reprimanding the dogs, the Telegraph reported.

Horowitz, whose study was published in Behavioral Processes journal, said such an act represented owners projecting their values onto the innocent dogs.

"Merely uttering a dog's name with a rising, accusatory tone is often enough to elicit pre-emptive submissive behavior," Horowitz said.

"The results indicate that the so-called guilty look is a response to owner scolding; it is not expressed more often when actually guilty."

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A South Texas mayor became so concerned about reports of a Great Dane being stuck on a second-story balcony that he alerted emergency workers, went to the location himself, scaled a fire department ladder and entered the apartment to help the dog. The problem was, the dog wasn't in distress. The bigger problem came when the surprised dog owner found Mayor Pat Ahumada standing in his kitchen Tuesday.

"He broke into my house," the owner, who asked not to be identified, told the Brownsville Herald. "My dog is very well taken care of. He shouldn't have done that."

Ahumada, a dog lover whose zeal for the animals has caused problems before, said a local TV station called him to say a dog was stuck. Ahumada called animal services, the fire department and the police.

"He looked to be stuck on the balcony," Ahumada said. "I didn't know the condition of the dog or if the building was abandoned. ... The animal's paws were hanging out from the railing and he was struggling to get up."

The dog's owner explained that the 14-year-old dog has little mobility, and one of its greatest pleasures is passing the day on the balcony where it can watch the passing traffic.

In 2007, the city informed Ahumada that his six dogs doubled the city's legal limit for one home. That same year, Ahumada picked up a dog thinking it was stray and gave it to a family. When the original owner asked for the dog back and the family refused, the issue ended up in court.

Two years earlier, before he was elected mayor, Ahumada was charged with theft after taking a dog from the Brownsville Animal Shelter. He claimed the dog was not being properly cared for a