Smokey, Pet of the Month!

With you the adorable Smokey, from our Petzila family! He is the pet of July. Don't you think he deserves it?
And we also invited his parent, David Gilles, to share all about him:

Smokey with a present I brought from Brazil, a elegant bandana by the awesome ZeeDog designers

Smokey with his "cat-cow" Kody

"Smokey is a purebred Australian Shepherd, that was returned to the breeder after his puppy years, because the family who had previously taken him home developed a severe allergic reaction to him.

Faced with the possibility of never finding a forever home at his age, we fell in love with him and insisted on adopting him.

Smokey is a reluctant leader. He is in charge by nature, but afraid to assume the role. He has the run of the house and believes it is his job to manage the cat's home life for us. If the cat gets out,
Smokey herds him back inside. If it starts scratching the furniture, gets near an open window or door, Smokey is there to correct the situation immediately.

Because of his intelligence, he is constantly challenging and outwitting the household. We have to both challenge him mentally as well as physically every day, in order to satisfy his playful needs. His favorite game is keep-away. He uses the best of his agility and ability to make sure you won't get what he wants you to take from him. He will not do anything unless he wants to, and usually, that involves a treat. If you have some treats, you can get him to do just about anything. He is most adorable when he gets down on his forepaws and sticks his butt up in the air. When he does that, it is his signal for GAME ON!"



And here a little movie from one of his playdates with his girlfriend Daisy:

Mr. or Ms. Right. Your choice

So you made up your mind and will live with a pet. Perhaps you want to bring another one to join your home. Maybe someone in your human family also is driving you crazy about the idea of having a dog, cat, hamster, rabbit or even a...frog. How do you choose the right one?  How do you make sure you are the right one for her? With so many pets available for adoption, I was wondering about how to help to reduce the frustration of humans and pets before they start living together.

Akira and Flick the cat: Love at first sight by MaryLinz

I went to ask my brother Edmo and my sister in law Mary, as they have of one dog and three cats, all of them living in perfect harmony.  For me their pet family looks just so well balanced that they might have some nice advice to share with us. And they were happy to do that.

Akira, a 6 year old Shih Tzu was their first pet to join the family. "We wanted to adopt from the shelter, but couldn't afford to deal with the uncertainties of a unknown mixed breed, like how much he would grow or the level of barking. So we made a very rational choice. We would never be happy to have to return a dog", Edmo says.  Akira was then there, a very loving and lovable hypoallergenic, non-barking dog, who is always happy to meet and live with other pets. I just found this wonderful Animal Planet video here that explains the breed so well.

Four years later Flick the cat was adopted, a little furry ball who immediately fell in love with his dog older brother, as you watch here. And from then it looks like they couldn't resist and in ten months two other cats, Cleo (found skinny and infested on the street) and Tom finally came along, a cat mostly rejected for adoption because of an eye problem.

Four in a box by MaryLinz

Maryanne, my sister in law, explains: "Flick saw Akira as a role model, and even wanted to act and eat like a dog!", she recalls.  She believes that the secret for a happy pet family lives in the decisions you make before you start growing a pet family: "Ideally you should pick a pet adequate to your life style, to your level of commitment". I couldn't agree more with that.

So here are a few links and tools with good advice to give you:

Cat chooser: The Humane Society has a very good article on cats and will probably help you to go for the right one for you. Helpguide has some useful tips, and of course, Cathy, from Catster has a wonderful story to share.

Dogs: Again Animal Planet has a great tool. It suggested me to have a ... Cocker Spaniel!!!  Good tips are available at Good Housekeeping.   My younger son and I got  a Bichon Frise as the perfect dog for us. If you already know you will adopt a pet, this article by the ASPCA is essential to help you. And don't forget the new app, BarkBuddy.

Small animals and critters: This website has some explanation about small rodents, and PetHealth  is very illuminating about exotic animals. If you choose to have a pig, read about this one here.

Cat Burglars Exposed

Reproduction of Slinky Malinki, by Lynley Dodd

Once upon a time, some summers ago, Sam, a handsome orange tabby from next door was roaming happily in our backyard. I knew he was out there. My indoor cats were very annoyed about his presence and started hissing and meowing loudly in the middle of the night. For me, he looked like a nice pet inviting himself to join us. But later I figured that he was just taking a break from his mischievous adventures. And probably, he was the one who brought the little feathery gift to my porch.

Recently some studies pointed out that cats might be contributing to the decrease of the bird population in the US. To find if this is really happening some cool guys decided to investigate this assumption and are together on the project Cat Tracker, lead by North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. The multidisciplinary program is empowering cats with tiny cameras, GPS harness to register their whereabouts and also working with info gathered by feces analysis, so to find out what they are really up to. So, why those and many other cats are stealing or hunting? Where do they go? What's their motivation? They have all technology to enable truthful answers and maybe you can even enroll your faraway cat to make part of program. Just check it here.

Also, it looks like cats are bringing all sorts of souvenirs from their neighbors. Ghostie, a little white cat who lives in Portsmouth (UK) was in local and national news last week. Like one of my favorites children's book, Slinky Malinki (Lynley Dodd. 1990) he steals clothes and brings them home, as a gift for his parents. Unlike Slinky Malinki, white Ghostie goes stealing anytime of the day. Why does he do that?

Maybe this little thief here, in a special Animal Planet feature, caught in action few years ago, might know why he chooses carefully clothes from his neighbors lines. Or maybe no explanation is needed. After all, we are talking about talented burglars... cats.

Keep them Cool

Dogs are extremely sensitive to high temperatures and might be endangered if left in the car or exposed to over heating while exercising.  Other factors that may contribute for heat related conditions are: age, obesity, heavy coats, chronic illnesses and also the breed of the dog.

According to Dr. Thimothy B. Hacket, from Colorado State University, parents should think twice before getting out with they dogs and leaving them in a car while running errands or shopping: "A dog’s normal body temperature hovers around 101 degrees F, and a dog’s core temperature may approach 110 degrees F or higher if it is left in a hot car. Serious symptoms of heat-related illness typically develop when a dog’s body temperature rises above 108 degrees F."

Dr. Hacket recommends that owners should be aware of overheating while their dogs are out exercising in a hot day: "Remember that dogs age faster than people – so your 7-year-old golden retriever might not cope with a summertime hike or run as easily as you might think, even if he acts eager to go. Make sure to ask your veterinarian about the risks of heat-related illness, and specifically about your dog’s ability to handle heavy exercise". For more suggestions on how to keep your dog cool, go to this article,  which part of the Educational Program on Pet's Health at Colorado University.

Sunday Special - A Healing Companionship

Dada, my personal therapist

Did you ever feel that your pets get closer to you when you're feeling sick or sad? You're not alone. Every time I am not well, both of my cats are very attentive and get physically closer to me. Maybe not just to enjoy the heat of a fever, as many would believe, but simply because they might know that their presence really makes me feel better.

The healing powers of pets are not just exclusive to cats and dogs. Dolphins, rabbits, llamas and even wolves have been in programs to help humans. This week, Hope, a miniature horse was in the news. She joined other pets on the Sutter Health Paws on Call. The program, which uses the help of human volunteers and their pets is one of the many projects of the growing trend of having pets as therapists. Something that the Mayo Clinic sees as a tool increasingly used by doctors and requested by patients.

Many organizations throughout the US help family pets to share their love with humans who are in the need. Pet Partners  is one of the oldest organizations in the US with national scope, and has many community partners including the ASPCA. It offers online courses so that pet parents can be trained to be a handler and share their pet affection visiting hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation services. In San Jose, California, Furry Friends is a volunteer based program and it also includes bringing therapy animals to help children to read. Watch this adorable video: Tales to Tales.

According Dr. David Sacks, MD, on the article What Therapy Animals Can Teach Us About Being Human, published in Psychology Today, the therapy assisted by animals is backed by a number of scientific papers that relate the presence of a pet with human well being. "Animals are physically and psychologically comforting. Anyone who has held a puppy or leaned their head against the neck of a horse after a bad day can attest that animals ease stress. Studies confirm that animals can boost levels of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces anxiety and blood pressure, and can even help extend the life of those recovering from coronary problems", he wrote.

Matchmaking Made in App Heaven

Welcome BarkBuddy! It's a new app ready to help you find the dog of your life (or one more of them) in the US and Canada. According to Bark and Co, it is going to help thousands of adoptable pets to find the best place to live, once it helps the match after building your profile so to find you a nice buddy.

"Once you sniff out a perfect new pack member, Barkbuddy helps you get the tennis ball rolling by easily allowing you to contact rescue organization by phone or email"informs the PR. Through the app you will be able to dig out more information about a cute pup and build your own favorites gallery sharing with friends.

Now...what are you waiting for? I will download the app right now in my IPad. Even if I am not looking for a dog, I might know someone who is, making everybody happier. There are about 250 thousand of barking friends, just in the US and Canada, waiting to be adopted.

Meow Me!

So I come back home after about 19 days abroad to find out that my cat can't stop meowing.  I go fast to the computer to find some advice from specialists. It's just the middle of a Summer afternoon. That kind of time that cats usually are sleeping. Not my Juju.

 Juju was born in Israel in July 2004, found in a cardboard box  when she was still about 6 days old. Besides cuddling with us in the bed, meowing is one of her favorite activities. Sometimes she's so loud that my human sons and I start meowing right after her, repeating her exact variations over meows, something we call "meow therapy".  I am guessing this time, after 25 uninterrupted minutes of all sorts of meowing tones that she wants something I am clueless about. In despair I almost call the wonderful petsitter who cared for her and the white king Dada while we were away.
She wasn't hurt, or in pain. Not hungry, as she despised her favorite snack - a tablespoon of the smelliest tuna based canned food.  I go and check on this list here why the little miss can't stop meowing. She doesn't seem bored, anxious or stuck with a nasty fur ball. She's not indicating that she wants to get out of the house.

So, I am finally enlightened. I find the box with the cat's brushes. Maybe she just wants to be groomed.

Bingo!!!

She enjoyed being brushed by all the 4 different types of brush I have. Then, slowly blinking her amber eyes she finally relaxed and went for her nap on  the window perch. And the silence of a fulfilled cat is all I could hear.

Do you have a story about obsessive meowing to share with us?

No Penalties

Meet Billy, 3 years old, the Border Collie goal keeper trained by Dr. Dog, Flavio Tamaio, one of the top pets trainer in Brazil. Not too many words needed here. I would move him to be the goal keeper today at Holland's game. But... which FIFA team wouldn't? Maybe he will be in the next World Cup representing.... Brazil.