Kate has a treat

Then there are 8

Sharkey, a pit bull, likes chicken. Well, chicks actually. This apparently sweet-natured pup defies stereotypes of the breed.



Two months later ...



I've watched the vids a couple of times. I count seven chicks in the first and eight in the second.

Good dog!

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week. Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Boomer — Lab mix
"Being the one and only can have perks and pressures. Benefit: No one to have to share affection with. Minus: No fellow pets to play with. This lab is a one and only, no other pets or young children in the home, making for a restrictive adoption. But if you are an older couple or a single looking for companionship, take a long look at Boomer."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722).

Shelter pets rule.

Hot weather pets

Since the Northeast is baking today, it's good time to remind people about keeping pets healthy in the warmer weather.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has some hints.

They say the signs of overheating in pets include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature.

Plenty of fresh water and shade for outdoor animals is vital to their well being, but pets should be brought inside during particularly oppressive heat.

And don't worry, Kate's got the A/C cranked up tonight.

Serious wet dog smells

Last night I was watching Monday's Late Show with David Letterman.

He had the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, with three dogs jumping into a pool.

The winner was Reggie, a 3-year-old black lab owned by Scott Conrad from Redline, Penn.

The beautiful dog jumped 25 feet 7 inches to win a loving cup filled with dog biscuits.

The great thing about having a TiVo — well, one of the great things — is being able to slo-mo at will. So I slo-mo'd Reggie as soon as he climbed out of the pool. It was incredible how he started shaking and the water fell away from him from his nose right down to his tail.

It was poetry in motion.

Unfortunately, the clip isn't on Letterman's Web site, but I managed to find a good example of what I'm talking about.

I guess you CAN teach an old dog new tricks

In this case, the old dog is me.

Thanks to Chrissie, I've learned how to upload videos to the miracle that is YouTube.

This one — the first — is from my cellphone. Now I have to dig out the video camera, which is still packed away in a box somewhere.

Anyone care to caption what Kate is thinking? My guess would be "Damn paparazzo. Can't a girl eat breakfast in peace?"

Oh rats

With the Pixar animated film Ratatouille set to open June 29, inevitably some people are going to start thinking about whether rats make good pets.

Here is a guide to selecting a pet rat and keeping it in your home. Did you know the male is called a buck and the female is called a doe?

Anyone have any first-hand knowledge of keeping the little critters?

Take a look at the teaser for the movie, but bear in mind your pet rat won't be such a gourmand.



While looking around for some clips for this blog entry, I ran across a disturbing music video made by Crispin Glover, who starred in Willard. In the video, Glover sings Ben while cavorting with rats and models and, at one point, someone who looks like Hitler.

You know it's disturbing when the rats are the most appealing thing in it.

I'm not going to embed the video here or link to it, but you've got all the information you need to Google it.

I'm going to go scrub my eyes now.

Not my type

On This Day in 1868 a patent was received for a little device called a "Type-Writer."

A Type-what? A What-writer? A What-What?

And why should I bring that up in a blog about pets? So I could bring you this video.

Boom — Aww — Bang — Oooh

A news update on poughkeepsiejournal.com made me sit up and take notice. And that's always a problem.

Fireworks tonight will highlight the Exempt Firemen's Association Carnival in the City of Poughkeepsie.

While I am sure it will be a festive occasion — shout out to Wassaic (N.Y.) Fire Chief Robert Boyles — I am dreading it simply because it will drive Kate crazy.

On Friday night, just after the sun set, some firework booming began. I don't know where it was coming from, but I could hear dogs barking as the sounds resonated throughtout the area.

The beautiful spectacle of fireworks displays can be terrifying to animals. I made the mistake the first summer I had Kate of taking her out for her final walk of the day at the exact moment the New York Philharmonic concert in Central Park chose to start its fireworks.

We lived one block from the park, so it was like we were standing underneath them.

Kate tried to crawl under a car and then over a car. It was all I could do to get her back to our apartment.

Here's a press release from the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League dealing with the subject. They didn't provide a link so here's the entire press release, copied and pasted, for your edification.

"Leave Your Pets at Home and Safe on the Fourth of July"

Sherrill, Oneida County — While Fourth of July fireworks can be an exciting experience for a patriotic person, it can be a stressful and chaotic event for your pets. The noise and commotion can be extremely frightening.

The Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League (MAGDRL) would like to remind everyone to keep their pets safe during the Fourth of July holiday festivities. The loud noises and flashing lights caused by fireworks can spook household pets and cause wildlife to flee their natural habitat, possibly leaving their young behind. Some pets have been known to become so frightened during a fireworks show that they have jumped through glass windows to escape.

Here are a few tips to help keep all animals safe this Fourth of July:

* Leave your pets at home. Most pets don't enjoy the noise and flash caused by fireworks and even the most trustworthy pet could become scared and run away.

* Don't leave your pets in the car during a fireworks display, as the temperatures inside the car may rise dramatically before sundown.

* Don't leave your outdoor pets unattended, even in a fenced yard. The chaos may cause them to panic and hurt themselves trying to escape.

* Be sure your pets are wearing proper identification in case they DO become lost during an event. ID tags will help your pet find its way home. Microchips are the most reliable form of ID. Contact your veterinarian about getting one for your pet, or MAGDRL for more information.

* If you know your pet usually becomes scared by loud noises, such as thunderstorms, be sure to keep them in a safe room with lots of treats and favorite toys to help them alleviate any anxiety caused by exploding fireworks. You may also like to speak with your vet to find some herbal remedies that will safely keep your pet calm during stressful times.

* If you have horses or other animals usually kept in stalls, be sure they are kept calm during the events so they don't injure themselves.

* Remember not to set off any of your own fireworks near areas with wildlife. The explosions and flashing lights will disturb wildlife causing them to abandon their natural nesting areas. Plus, stray sparks coming from the careless use of fireworks can cause serious damage by starting a forest fire.

For additional information, please contact: The Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League at 1-518-875-9174 or email magdrlny@nycap.rr.com.

Thunderstorms? Don't get me started!

Although, some dogs don't seem to mind, as shown in this video. That is either a very brave dog or a very stupid dog.

Kitty needs to sleep it off

While funny to watch, you have to feel for the poor cat, trying so hard to "act normal" while the effects of a sedative, administered during a visit to the vet, wear off.

When Kate and I were living in Manhattan, she had what turned out to be an upset stomach (thank you, Pepto-Bismol).

Just to be sure there was nothing more serious, the vet suggested an x-ray, which required Kate to be sedated.

They had to keep her for a couple hours afterward, and we managed to walk the seven or eight blocks home just fine.

I had some work to do and was sitting at my desk. Kate went to her crate, which was in my bedroom/office, and laid down.

She got back up, came out of the crate and sat watching me.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kate's eyes slowly closing. She opened them suddenly and then they started closing again.

I couldn't resist watching as the pattern repeated. Then Kate started leaning slowly to the right. She never fell over, but kept bolting upright.

I could have sat there laughing, but I guided her back to her crate where she went to sleep. She was fine a couple hours later.

Poor thing.