Pet smart?

Think your dog is smart.

Here's a video from the old Animal Planet show "Pet Star."

This pooch does tricks and even can add and subtract.

Watch it and be amazed.

Scary time of year

Well, my neighbor finally activated the spooky sound machine that is motion activated.

And mercifully, it's been off more than it's been on.

When it is on, it certainly makes walking Kate interesting. Not that she's in the least bit bothered by it.

The other morning, the machine — which is supposed to say, "Happy Halloween," followed by demonic laughter, when, say, a leaf floats by the house's windows — was not quite working up to par.

For the entire length of our walk, the machine was saying, "Happy Howl," "Happy Howl," "Happy Howl," "Happy Howl."

Then it just said, "Happ."

That's when I let out a demonic laugh.

Are pets good for you?

Researchers are looking into the ways that having pets improve our lives.

In an article in USA Today, the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction will hold a conference later this month to explore how animals benefit all age groups.

"Research in this field is providing new evidence on the positive impact pets have in our lives," said Rebecca Johnson, director of ReCHAI. "This conference will provide a unique opportunity to connect international experts working in human-animal interaction research with those already working in the health and veterinary medicine fields. A wonderful array of presentations will show how beneficial animals can be in the lives of children, families and older adults."

As we have all heard, pets help lower blood pressure and encourage exercise. They also provide, as Johnson said, "unconditional love and acceptance."

The conference is aimed at fostering more research studies to corroborate the presumption that pet ownership has health and emotional benefits.

An indoor cat can be a happy cat

A majority of experts recommend keeping your cats indoors.

According to an article in USA Today, a study commissioned by the Humane Society of the United States found that two out of three veterinarians said cats should be kept inside.

The average lifespan of a cat who is allowed to roam outside is estimated at less than three years, compared to 12–15 years for the indoor-only cat.

The two most-cited reasons: dangers from vehicles and transmittable diseases. The consensus is that cats live healthier and longer when not allowed outside.

Besides the two reasons given in the study, which was based on data collected from 600 veterinarians, other incentives for keeping cats indoors are less chance of cats becoming infected with parasites or injured by other animals, reduced exposure to biting and stinging insects and lower vet bills.

And that doesn't include the neighborhood annoyance factor when your roaming cat uses your neighbors flower beds as litter boxes.

Some will question if a cat can really be happy inside 24/7.

Experts say the answer is yes, if you make its environment stimulating. Some suggestions include:

• Give your cat places to climb.
• Schedule regular play sessions.
• Use interactive toys.
• Provide scratching posts.
• Schedule daily quality time.
  

Pets with dementia

As it happens in humans, even pets can get dementia.

A new book by Dr. Shawn Messonnier called Unexpected Miracles (Forge Books) talks about cognitive disorders in dogs and cats.

Messonnier, a holistic vet who has a radio program on the Martha Stewart Sirius/XM channel uses the book to describe how holistic medicine can help animals when conventional treatments don't work.

His Web site — petcarenaturally.com — has an article about cognitive disorders in pets. Read it here.

While the condition appears new, it is not and has been recognized by veterinarians for many years. There are a number of clinical signs in pets with cognitive disorder. These signs are often accepted by owners as normal signs of aging, when in fact they are signs of a (usually) treatable condition. Owners must be taught that any of these signs warrants a full evaluation. Education must begin before the first geriatric visit. Regular geriatric examination, ideally every 6-12 months, will facilitate communication and allow for early diagnosis of cognitive disorder and other conditions often seen in geriatric dogs.

Common signs in dogs and cats with cognitive disorder include:

• Wandering aimlessly
• Vocalizing for no reason
• Getting stuck in a corner
• Increased daytime sleeping
• Seeking less attention
• Loss of house training
  

Messionnier stresses that these signs can mimic other conditions, like cancer and hypothyroidism, so vets should do a full checkup prior to making a diagnosis of cognitive disorder.

Drug treatment is available, he said, but some might consider the cost — $125 per month for a 30-pound dog — prohibitive.

Natural alternatives, including herbs, thyroid supplement and nutritional supplementation have been found to be effective, Messionnier said.

Repeat after me: A bear is not a pet

Hasn't anyone seen "Grizzly Man"?

A Pennsylvania woman was killed by the bear she kept as a pet for 9 nines.

Here's the Associated Press article.

The woman, Kelly Ann Walz, was cleaning the cage when the 350-pound bear attacked her in front of her children and a neighbor's children.

Tim Conway, an information and education supervisor with the game commission, said owners of wild animals usually have a two-section cage, allowing them to isolate the animal behind a locked gate while they clean the other part.

"Why this woman chose to go in the same area that the bear was in is beyond me. It's a fatal mistake," he said. "These things are not tame animals; they're wild animals."

The family at one time kept an African lion, cougar, jaguar, tiger, bear, leopard and two servals on their property. A license to keep exotic animals had expired.

Seriously. Watch "Grizzly Man."

The kakapo

OK, I will admit this is not a blog entry about pets — and if you see the video, you will definitely understand why. It's about a wild animal.

Actor Stephen Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine have a program(me) on the BBC called "Last Chance to See," which is about creatures on the verge of extinction.

They run into a kakapo, a fat, flightless parrot, on the south island of New Zealand.

To say that the bird takes a shine to Carwardine would be an understatement.

Watch the video here. (Possibly NSFW, if you are offended by Austin Powers movies.)

Obviously, there are many reasons why the kakapo is an endangered species.

Walk your dog over the Hudson

Kate is taking advantage of a nice, warm autumn day to snooze on the patio. If this weren't the only day of my weekend, I would probably join her.

Yesterday, I had to work, covering the grand opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson, the former Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, now converted to the world's longest pedestrian span.


Above is a picture of the Poughkeepsie side entrance to the linear park. About 1.25 miles to the west is the entrance in the Town of Lloyd — over the majestic Hudson River (212 feet above the water), spanning two counties.

I wrote a story for today's paper about the Walking on Air parade.

I also got the opportunity to speak with a lot of people about what they thought of the new walkway. That story is here.

I was pleased to see a number of people bringing their dogs to the bridge on the first day.

In my second story, I spoke to Sean Ring, who along Dutchess, his 2-year-old Rottweiler, was making his first journey on the span.

Ring, a City of Poughkeepsie resident, said he would definitely be bringing both of his dogs to the new state park.

The FAQ on the walkway's Web site has lots of information for people who want to come to the bridge. There is a Web cam, provided by the Dutchess County Tourism, where you can watch people walk along the bridge.

In particular, dog owners should pay attention to the following:

• Only leashed dogs and other pets will be allowed on the bridge. Pet owners will be responsible for the removal and proper disposal of pet waste.

• The practice of carry-in, carry-out will be strongly encouraged. However, some garbage cans will be strategically located on the bridge.

I don't know whether some enterprising souls will be selling water or other drinks so it might be a good idea to bring some water for your dog as well as yourself.

Have fun, and drop me an e-mail telling me what you think of the newest tourist attraction in the mid-Hudson Valley.

Scary time of year

And I don't mean election season.

Put yourself in your pets' minds when it comes to Halloween.

If you didn't really understand what the occasion was all about, how would you feel about strange creatures coming to the door time and time again making eerie sounds?

Come to think of it, I'm not thrilled with the idea, but anyway ...

Here are some tips from the people at the American Humane Association to keep your companion animals safe this month.

• Keep pet treats handy, and dole them out if your pet sits calmly while the door.
• Put pets in a quiet room well away from Halloween commotion.
• Make sure pets are wearing collars with current ID and rabies tags.
• No chocolate or candy — for your pets, that is.
• Keep decorations pet-friendly, such as battery-powered illuminated pumpkins. Make sure decorations are out of pets' reach.
• Let your cats stay indoors for the holiday.

Personally, I'm waiting for the one house in my neighborhood that puts up a motion-based spooky sound machine. What fun that is on late-night walks.

Boo!

Like dogs? Ireland's your place

In America, more homes have dogs than cats, but not by much.

According to research by the University of College Dublin, reported in USA Today, 37 percent of homes in the U.S. have dogs, as opposed to 32 percent with cats.

Ireland, on the other paw, is different.

The research found 36 percent of Irish households have a dog, while only 10 percent have cats.

According to this story in Irishcentral.com, researchers think the Irish bias towards dogs may be linked to the significance and prevalence of farming and rural life, and the fact that many more Irish citizens live in spacious houses, rather than small apartments.

The study also states that in Ireland, dogs are viewed as pets while cats are largely considered stray animals.

That's settled. Now have a cuppa or a pint, depending on what time of day it is.