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:
Cassie — Lab/Husky mix
"Eyes so blue, you might think they are sapphires. A black coat so luxurious, you might guess velvet. A personality that can only be Cassie. Young adult female lab/husky mix still has the boundless energy of puppydom in her blood. Perfect for the active family or hiking couple."

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.

Creature Comforts

A new series on CBS should be fun. I watched the BBC version of "Creature Comforts" when it was shown on BBC America. I loved it.

The series premieres Monday, June 4 at 8 p.m. (ET)

The Americanized version — by the immensely talented people at Aardman Animations (think Wallace and Grommit, and if you don't know and love them, shame on you) — features stop-action clay figures mouthing real-person interviews of your fellow Americans.

Here's a clip from the CBS series.



And here's a clip from the BBC version with a hamster talking about cats and dogs. Albania, indeed.

Dog parks are good for the neighborhood

Realty experts are saying that dog parks are a good thing.

An article in Realty Times says that dog parks within walkable distances from their new homes are important to home buyers.

The article says, in part:

Many first-time and repeat home buyers in suburban and urban communities want to include a nearby dog park as a day-to-day way to integrate their favored pooch into their next hood.

It also gives tips about what to look for in a dog park and some do's and don'ts (i.e., etiquette) when visiting dog parks.

I'm a great fan of dog parks. I would take Kate to the dog run at the American Museum of Natural History about two blocks from our apartment in Manhattan a couple of times a day when I first got her. Remember, a tired dog is a happy owner.

I wish there were a dog run near where we live in the City of Poughkeepsie. Kate and I would be there in a second.

But dog runs aren't for everyone. I remember going to the run in Riverside Park in Manhattan one Saturday morning, just for a change of pace. It was much smaller than the one near the museum.

Kate was playing with a collie and they were both mouthing each other's necks. The collie's owner broke up the play session a couple of minutes after it started. She said my Kate was showing her teeth and that was bad for her dog. She neglected to mention that her collie was doing the same thing and neither dog was making physical contact with their teeth. In situations like this, it is best to just walk away.

Of course, there was the time that a dog owner — bear in mind, this was in neurotic New York — that got upset with me that Kate intercepted a tossed ball that was meant for her dog. Jeeze, they are dogs. Cut them some slack.

Here's a vid of a civilized dog park in St. Louis.

Warm weather warning

Hey, people, it's getting warm out there. So here's a reminder that you should not leave your dog in the car.

The Humane Society of the United States said that, as much as we love having our dogs with us, the combination of cars and summer heat can be deadly.

On a warm, sunny day windows collect light, trapping heat inside the vehicle, and pushing the temperature inside to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree Fahrenheit day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within ten minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. At 110 degrees, pets are in danger of heatstroke. On hot and humid days, the temperature in a car parked in direct sunlight can rise more than 30 degrees per minute, and quickly become lethal.

And whether or not your dog can drive, like this television comedy clip shows, Fido may not have read the manual about turning on the A/C.

Funny cat vids

Equal time for silly kitties.

Dogs take over Beacon Saturday

"Beacon Barks!" — the first annual Animal Shelter Appreciation Day — will be held Saturday, June 2 in the City of Beacon, N.Y.

The street fair will be in the revitalized downtown area of Main Street and will begin with a parade of companion canines at 11 a.m. at Bank Square.

The festival will continue until 4 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, June 3.

The day will also feature an agility demonstration, a dog wash and a concert starring Murray Weinstock of dogtunes.com. Shopping specials will be available at participating stores throughout the afternoon.

Rescued dogs will be available for adoption from the Dutchess County SPCA, Animal Rescue Foundation and the Putnam Humane Society.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to spend an afternoon with your best friend in a dog-friendly town," said Joyce Garrity, DCSPCA's executive director. "Beacon is really rolling out the red carpet for local animal shelters, and we are very proud to help host the first annual Beacon Barks!"

For information or directions, call the Beacon Barkery at (845) 440-7652 or the Dutchess County SPCA at (845) 454-5345, ext. 100.

Kate and I will see you there.

The couch conundrum

I was talking to a friend the other night and, of course, our conversation eventually got around to our dogs.

In particular, our dogs' leaving hair all over everything.

My friend was wondering how she can keep her dog off the furniture. With Kate, I've tried reasoning, but that is not usually successful.

I am not opposed to closing off whole sections of the house. If there are enough doors or baby gates, it can be done. And people shouldn't feel bad that their pups are restricted to certain rooms. You can't get upset with your dog for sleeping on your new sofa if you give it access to it.

If closing off a room isn't practical, like my current home, I've used strategically placed baby gates and books to keep Kate from climbing up on the upholstery.

There is also a trick I've used successfully. Over the years, I've been given several tin decorative containers that have secure fitting lids. I put a few coins in them and perch them on the edge of the sofa cushions.

If Kate tries to climb on the couch, the container will fall to the floor with a clattering sound. The noise startles her and teaches her not to climb on the couch.

I've only found the container on the floor once.

Holiday weekend starts

The dash out of New York City apparently has begun.

For those of you not from the Poughkeepsie area, we are about a two-hour train ride from Manhattan.

And people are taking their dogs with them, according to this news item from Gannett News Service, with additional reporting by Capo's Sarah.

I e-mailed my friend Gretchen who has traveled up here with cat in tow — well, not so much a tow as a carrier — about the wisdom of allowing cats on trains without the safety of a carrier of some sort.

She said at the very least the cat should be on a leash, in case it decides to jump out of your arms and make for a hiding spot on the train.

But then again, we all remember Torpedo, so I think that a carrier is definitely in order, if not for the safety of the kitty, but for the safety of the owner. Nobody likes to commute on blood stains.

Morning nap

There's nothing like cool concrete after a warm morning walk.

Lucky dog.

Walk to fund canine cancer research

Dogs and their companion humans can walk Saturday to help fund research into canine cancer in Hopewell Junction in East Fishkill.

Mickey’s Mile for Canine Cancer Research walk will take place at 9 a.m. at the East Fishkill Community Center on Route 82. Sign-in is at 8 a.m.

There is a $15 minimum donation. All money will go to the Purdue Foundation at Purdue University for canine cancer research in West Lafayette, Ind.

Information gained from the study of cancer in animals will provide important information in the fight against cancer in humans.

All dogs must be on a leash. Treats and water will be provided for dogs and humans.
For information, e-mail Camille.

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:
Ace — Domestic short hair
"Play your cards right and this handsome guy could be all yours. Nothing up our sleeves with this young adult male short hair. He's an ace of a choice and he's waiting for you to bring him home today!"

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.

Reading dogs

The East Fishkill (N.Y.) Community Library has a program Monday, June 4, about a reading education assistance dog named Kizzy.

Adopted from a Bichon rescue, Kizzy found a loving home and now helps children and adults learn to read or improve exiting reading skills.

He has his own book, called One Incredible Dog: Kizzy.

The free event, which starts at 7 p.m., will feature a book reading, interaction with Kizzy and a Q&A period.

For more information, visit the library's Web site or call 845-221-9943.

Maybe Groucho was right.

A while back, I interviewed a couple of kids who worked with reading therapy dogs. They both said that the pooch would respond to certain words that they read — particularly, the word "cookie."

Good dog.

The East Fishkill Community Library is located at 348 Route 376 in Hopewell Junction.

Squirrels are not pets. Duh!

The Janesville (Wisc.) Gazette reported about a woman who took in a squirrel and was — surprise — bitten by the wild animal.

People, listen: Despite what you saw in the film It's a Wonderful Life, squirrels don't make good pets.

One down, 8 lives to go

Aunt Smoothy, a cat who lives in Ottawa, Ill., is one lucky cat.

Read how she survived being impaled on a lightning rod. Yipes!

The article is from the Ottawa (Ill.) Daily Times.

Tuesday's topic

Fish.

Pets or furniture accessories?

Talk among yourselves.

I guess it's video Monday

Sneaky paw!

Place your bets

Considering the size of the kitten's head compared to the size of the lab's mouth, this video turned out pretty well.

A picture of Lucy Lu for all of you

Collen G. from Stanfordville sent in this picture of her Lucy Lu.

Kate may have cheekbones, but Lucy gives out smiles.

This picture is of Lucy Lu. Whenever my husband or I are riding down the road with Lucy and people see her we recognize it immediately. Their eyes light up and smiles spread across their faces when they see her. She is quite a beautiful animal but what a lulu she is. We got her from the Kingston SPCA after our beloved English springer spaniel had to be put down. It was a rebound relationship that started when we got hooked on Petfinder.com. After three years with us, she is just now starting to calm down but only for short periods.

Lucy has ruled the roost ever since we brought her home. At 50 pounds she has boundless energy and bosses our 95 pound rottweiler around. She has given me black eyes, bruises and broken my finger. She can pull so hard at times she has knocked me off my feet. But somehow I still manage to love her (mostly when she is asleep on the couch). We were told that she is part Bluetick Coonhound and part German shorthaired pointer. She certainly is a hunter. Squirrels are her latest obsession but she has brought home or treed four opossum.

Her best trick is chasing her tail. She starts to spin and suddenly changes direction so fast I swear she does it in mid-air. When I am sitting on the floor her favorite trick is putting her head in my lap to get a head scratch and then ends up doing a somersault while making the oddest croaking noise.

She sounds like a real treasure. Thanks for getting a rescue dog, Colleen, and thanks for writing.

Shake, don't stir

It's that look.

This is a picture of Capo, a 3-year-old mini pin, caught in mid-shake on a sunny afternoon. My colleague Sarah sent it in. Thanks, Sarah.

Capo's expression is wonderful.

I can always tell when Kate is getting ready to shake. There's the look, and then the eyes start to squint a little and then the head starts wobbling back and forth. Then the shake begins in earnest traveling down the dog's body like a little furry tsunami, until it reaches the tail and then it's gone. At some point during the shake, everything flapped.

The trouble is, Kate will wake up several times in the middle of the night and shake.

Her metal rabies tag and ID create quite a racket. And then, of course, after a good shake, Kate will plop down on her bed and go back to sleep, but not after making a sound similar to a 50-pound bag of flour being dropped on a wood floor.

I've taken to removing the tags at night. I can still hear her, but it's less jarring.

Once, during the day, with sunlight streaming into the room in back of her, Kate shook. I know you all know how much she sheds, but to see it illuminated from behind was truly spectacular.

Opera lover?

So, is the music by Poochini? I'm pretty sure it's not Offenbark.

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:
Peanut — Terrier mix
"Picking up his toys. Making him breakfast and dinner. Taking him for his afternoon or evening constitutional. Get the feeling you're working for Peanuts? Older male puppy terrier mix will quickly show you how close 'work' actually is to 'love'."

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.

Scaredy dog

Today here in the mid-Hudson Valley we had our first really bad thunderstorm of the spring.

I managed to get home during my lunch break just as the skies opened up with rain and wind and lightning — and thunder. Lots of thunder.

Kate met me at the back door with her tail tucked under, and she was quivering. This is typical thunderstorm behavior for her. When we lived in the concrete of Manhattan, Kate was never bothered by thunderstorms.

It wasn't until we moved to Shekomeko and lived in a 19th-century wood frame cottage that Kate became scared of bad weather. (I wasn't too wild about it either.)

Even without Accuweather.com, I knew when a storm was approaching because the pooch would start shaking and panting. Until the storm had passed completely out of the area, she was inconsolable. At first I tried to comfort her, but it never made any difference. Remember, you can't reason with pets.

Then I read that making a fuss when they are scared, billing and cooing over them, can only serve to reinforce the shaking and panting behavior. They are thinking that our paying attention to them is a good thing. So today, it was business as usual.

As soon as the storm passed — there was horizontal rain at one point — I got the leash. Hooked up Kate. Went outside. Kate, sensing another approaching storm, pulled me back into the house. OK, that was a really short and unproductive walk.

Yes, there are medications for pets who are severely affected by thunderstorms. But I don't think Kate reaches that level. Plus, who wants to keep your dog drugged up during the entire spring? And experts say that you can desensitize the dog by playing thunder sounds at increasing levels. Really, who has time for that?

I'm still trying to work brushing Kate's fur and teeth into my schedule on a regular basis.

It's my blog and I'll memorialize if I want to

Jim Henson died on this day in 1990 at the age of 54.

Such a talent and such a sense of humor probably won't be seen again in our lifetimes.

I was fortunate to have interviewed him at his townhouse in Manhattan. The board room was outfitted with props from "The Dark Crystal." In back of the head of the table where the chairman would sit was a huge portrait of Kermit the Frog dressed in a white suit with gold epaulets. His flipper was tucked into the coat like Napoleon.

Enjoy the video. It's one of the classic sketches he came up with.

(Blog justification: The word "pets" is in the name "Muppets.")

Presidential candidate qualifications

I'm not trying to horn in on my colleague David Paulsen's political territory, but with the fast approaching (some would say not fast enough) presidential election, it's time to ask the hard questions.

And the Associated Press did just that.

It asked the current roster of presidential candidates what pets they have living in their houses.

Among those who do not have pets are Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani — polar opposites, yet linked by a common flaw.

If John McCain gets his way, we might very well see a presidential ferret in the White House — if we haven't already. The Arizona senator holds the record among current candidates for the most pets.

And kudos to Kucinich for his three rescues. That almost makes up for this video embarrassment.

Someday, who knows maybe Seamus, Sonic or even Cuff and Link might be installed in the Presidential Pet Museum.

One clean cat

So far, I'm doing better brushing Kate's fur than her teeth. I'm doing at least every other day with the fur; every three days with the teeth.

Hey, it's better than before.

This video is, to me, remarkable. Not only does the cat not seem to mind the sound of the vacuum cleaner, but, well, watch it and see.

I'd like to see Torpedo's owner try this. He thought the harness and leash was tough.

Remembering Buttons

Gloria B. of the Town of Poughkeepsie sent in this remembrance of a special dog:

I read your story about your Kate, and it made me remember my Buttons (who is now in Doggy Heaven). He was a lovable character.

Buttons loved pizza. One day I was walking my four dogs (Buttons was without a leash on the sidewalk, he would go far into the woods so no one could see him do his duty), when my daughter came home from work and Buttons recognized her car. When he turned around to see her, she was carrying a pizza box. Well, he took off like a greyhound and beat her into the house.

He would always be at the door when I came home from work. He could tell the motor of my car. If I was carrying a plastic container, he knew that I had fresh fruit from the salad bar at the A&P. He loved watermelon, cantalope, etc. Actually, anything I would or should or could give him he would eat. He was really a little person with four feet.

He use to sleep on my bed at night and wake me up by throwing his body across mine. One night he was at the bottom of my steps near my bedroom barking. I kept telling him to stop but he kept it up. I brought him up to the kitchen and he went right to the stove and barked. I did not notice anything right away, and he kept barking. Then I looked into the grates on my stove where I found mice droppings. He knew or heard them at night and was letting me know that they were there. The two mice were caught, and he could finally get a good night's sleep.

He was a very affectionate dog, and he made my life a pleasure after my divorce. I miss all my dogs, but he was very special to me. He was like my best friend.

Thanks for writing, Gloria.

Sunday finest

Here's Mocha, an 8-year-old retired racing greyhound owned by Cathy Zadany of the Town of Poughkeepsie. She accompanied the ladies of the Red Hat Society as they delivered roses to residents of Manor at Woodside in the City of Poughkeepsie today.

Not everyone can pull off an outfit like this. I think it's the painted toenails that make it work.

The Red Hat Society helped John Flowers and his volunteers hand out roses for Mother's Day.

Flowers is something else. He and his "elves" run a Father's Day parade, give stuffed bears to nursing home residents at Christmas and hold a day-long Easter egg hunt.

If you are interested in adopting a greyhound, get some information here.

Photo by Kathy McLaughlin/Poughkeepsie Journal

Happy Mother's Day

Saturday morning walk

Kate and I got out early this morning and took what turned out to be a 2-mile walk. What a great day for it, too. The top picture is Kate at mid-walk.

We crimped one poor fellow's style by walking too close behind his golden. The dog kept turning around toward Kate. She is so alluring.

He pulled off the sidewalk and let us pass. Maybe it was my imagination, as he and his dog followed us, but every time Kate stopped to sniff or pee, I could hear him sighing. ("Geez, why don't they just keep moving?")

We were approached by a woman whose yellow lab named Moose was eager to meet Kate. That's fine; Kate is a friendly dog, even if she does get her hackles up.

In my line of work, I frequently have to talk to people who don't necessarily want to be talked to. So in my off hours, I tend to steer clear of making conversation with people I don't know. But I am totally fine with someone coming up to Kate and me if they want to let the dogs sniff around for a bit.

At the end of the 45-minute walk, Kate was tuckered out. The bottom picture shows the position Kate assumed within 10 seconds of entering the house.

A tired dog makes for a happy owner.

A sing along

I like the Dixie Chicks. I stuck with them through the whole Bush brouhaha.

Here's a beagle singing to their hit "Landslide."

Please bear in mind I'm not trying to horn in on my colleague and fellow blogger John Barry's domain.

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:
Baggins — Domestic short hair
"Who let the cat out of the bag? This white and gray spotted male won't tell (and neither will we!). Well now that he's out, what do we do with him? Hopefully get him adopted. If great cats are your bag, then this one hits the sack!"

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.

Vet visit — almost one week later

So the new vet said brush Kate's teeth and coat every day.

That was last Friday.

It's been six days and I've brushed the pooch's teeth four times and brushed her three times. I use one of those finger brushes with the chicken-favored toothpaste (or so I'm told; Kate seems to like it) on the teeth and a vacuum-brush attachment on the fur.

Hey, I'm doing much better than before, right?

The teeth look a little better, but as far as the shedding?

All I can say is that I vacuumed the entire condo on Saturday and by today there were tumblin' tumble weeds making their way through the place.

I don't know if Kate is still blowing her winter coat or the brushing is stirring things up.

Let's just call it a grand experiment.

Cute overload — baby dachshunds

Nothing cuter than a basket of puppies.

Remember: cats are not dogs

Mister Zi in Colorado Springs, Colo., likes to be walked on the leash. Here's a story about the perambulating feline from the Colorado Springs Gazette.

My friend Gretchen in Manhattan used to walk her first cat Louise on a leash in the park around the American Museum of Natural History to great effect. We even sat in Riverside Park while Louise made herself comfortable in nearby trees.

Here's a clip that shows the downside of cat v. leash. I would have thrown in the towel much sooner than this guy.

Anyone have any experience with the use of leashes with cats?

'I think we have a problem'

After Nora I and Nora II, this cat is displaying a much different talent.

Can you imagine how much their water bill is going to be?

Let's hope it's a low-flow.

Thanks, Kathy McL., for the clip.

Nora's back

Here is another installment of Nora the piano playing cat.

If you missed the first part, click here. And if you missed the sad, sad Nora wannabe, click here.

I think Nora has been studying the minimalists. Somewhere Philip Glass just meowed.

Kate's annual checkup

I took Kate for her annual checkup and shots today. There was a little trepidation on my part because we were going to a new vet. Our previous vet in Shekomeko is just too far away, unfortunately. Kate doesn't travel well, and besides, I think it is important to have a vet/physician nearby.

The Shekomeko vet recommended someone in the area and I took her at her word. And after meeting the vet, I am pleased with the choice.

Kate is doing fine, considering she's 12 years old. She is "fit trim," according to the vet, and that is a good thing. There is some bluing of her eyes, which seems to be normal for her age. Heart and lungs sound good, too.

In six months, we're going to have a blood test done to see how well she would tolerate anesthesia, so the tartar on her teeth can be addressed. And I picked up a tooth-care kit today and promised to use it on a regular basis.

The old gal herself did not want to be on the examination table. She kept trying to jump over the nurse who was amazingly able to hold onto her.

I remember one time back in NYC when I took her to the vet for the annual checkup and shots and Kate would have none of it. She wiggled, she squirmed, she made every effort to get the hell out of there. But, alas, the shots had not been administered and the blood had not been drawn.

The vet was trying to insert the needle to take a blood sample and there were three of us surrounding Kate, attempting to keep her in one place until the deed was done. Yes, we were all covered in hair, only a small part of it our own.

The needle was poised, ready to find a vein or artery, which was necessary for the sample — and Kate bucked.

If it had been a movie, it would have been in slow motion. I saw the needle and syringe at once in the vet's hands begin an arching movement that traveled between the nurse and me and fly over my shoulder. It landed on the floor behind us.

Whew!

Today's shots were uneventful. Kate is a trooper. And she didn't even throw up in the car.

A good day.

The cat came back

A Merrimac, Mass., woman's cat comes back to her after 700 days. It's the feel good story of the day.

Dogs in the news

Dog overturns boat, but then swims to shore to get help. What's that, Lassie? Is Timmy down the well? (AP)

Homeless man's dog in San Francisco seeks new owner. (CBS/Bay City News)

High-rise dog toilet? I use a plastic bag on a grassy surface. I am so low tech. (AHN Media Corp.)

Dogs and boat safety — an important issue in summertime. Especially for 72-year-old guys whose dogs like to scuttle boats. (Detroit Free Press)

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:
Norcon — Male Husky
"Silver and black purebred male Husky is perfect for snuggling next to on a cool, spring night. Active breed, the daytime should be chock full of playtime and obedience time."

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.

Are you getting sleepy?

Sleeeeeep. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeep. Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

(Turn up the sound near the end.)

What's cookin'

With the ongoing pet food recall controversy, more people are switching to home-made food for their dogs and cats.

The Washington Post has an article by one of its staff writers about her attempts to feed her dog. It also includes a recipe.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, feeding home cooking to your pet may not be the healthiest option. The organization issued a press release on the subject warning that your pet's nutritional needs might not be met by your own connoctions, as tasty as they may be.

AVMA President Roger Mahr is quoted in the Post article, saying if your pet is doing well on the food it's currently eating and that food hasn't been recalled, then there is no reason to change their diet. However, if you are determined to cook for Fido then, he says, you should consult with you veterinarian.

I have, on occasion, fed Kate home cooking, but only when a bland, or white diet, was recommended by my vet, usually in the wake of stomach upset. That meal consisted of poached chicken, cottage cheese and either white rice or pasta. She would scarf it up, but I certainly wouldn't want her to have that all the time.

Grape of wrath

After reading my blog-promoting column in today's Poughkeepsie Journal, a caller was concerned that I gave Kate a grape as a treat. She said that both grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs.

I assure her and all of you that Kate is, indeed, fine. She is sleeping and shedding; all's right with the world.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, there have been some reported cases of renal failure in dogs that ate large amounts of grapes. There is even one anecdotal report of a cat developing renal failure after eating 1 cup of organic raisins.

The manual says that some dogs can eat the fruit with no consequences, and there is no real understanding of why other dogs can be affected.

A dog Kate's size would have to eat over 2 pounds of grapes before she would possibly be harmed.

The brief mention of Kate and the grape was probably one of a handful of times I've tossed her a grape over the years. A treat is just that, a once in a while thing. And the last time I gave her one, she spit it out.

She really likes pieces of red bell pepper, or yellow or orange. Not green though. Sweet, crunchy and cold — what could be better?

What kinds of special treats do you give your special pet?

Revenge of the cat

OK, I wasn't going to post this clip, but after watching it, I can't get the tune out of my head.

I'm not going to go through this alone.