Dog eating peanut butter

See it here.

How about putting the slip cover on the dog?

Thinking of ways to change your decor in the New Year?

Well, the San Jose Mercury News has an article about coordinating your pet's needs with your household's.

"Most dogs like to stretch out on rectangular beds that keep their shape, with defined edges for hanging one's head over," says Julia Szabo, author of "Pretty Pet-Friendly: Easy Ways to Keep Spot's Digs Stylish and Spotless" (Howell, 2009).

She recommends a polar-fleece, futon-style bed by Bowser "that's tufted, so the insides don't shift. Burrowing dogs, such as dachshunds, should have a small blanket they can snuggle under. Cats prefer a round concave nest."

How exciting it is to know that William Wegman of the Weimaraner portraits has also designed illustrated fabrics for pet beds. Click here.

I particularly like the article's advice to color coordinate with your pets.

The apartment I rented in Connecticut had beige carpet in the living room and office. I religiously vacuumed once a week, but didn't realize how much Kate really shed until I moved to Poughkeepsie and had hardwood floors.

So if I truly embraced the color coordinating suggesting my life would only be beige.

Help the shelter feed their animals

A plea from the Dutchess County SPCA:

"You shouldn't be forced to choose between feeding your pet or giving up your best friend. The DCSPCA urges all animal lovers to make a donation of dog or cat food that will go directly to those in need in Dutchess County. If you can help, please make a pet food donation at either the shelter at 636 Violet Avenue (Rte 9G) in Hyde Park or at the Beacon Barkery, Main Street in Beacon or at Embassy Travel, Rte 82 Hopewell Jct. Thank you!"

And watch this video the shelter made:

Dogs — and more — in antlers

From the Washington Post, a photo gallery of pets in Christmas finery.

Click here.

iPhoning it in

I've always wanted to do a year-end round up of the best of the year-end round ups.

But I'm way too lazy to do that.

The next best thing is a mashable.com's 10 best iPhone apps for dog lovers.

A couple of these I've written about before (Off Leash and Fail Dogs), but the rest are new to me.

The thing about an app like Off Leash, which is sponsored by Eukanuba, or Pet Services Finder from PetMD, is if you are looking for a dog park in an area that isn't heavily populated, it probably won't be there unless you email the information in yourself. Last time I checked none of the dog parks in Dutchess County were listed in Off Leash.

Other apps, like dog first aid also from PetMD, could come in handy, even when it costs $1.99.

Then there is an app like DogiDuty, which gives a dog walker an easy interface to communicate to an owner just what Fido has been up to. Though at 99 cents I think I would use the notepad app that came with the iPhone and can also send emails.

Let it snow

For the skiers out there, have you ever considered taking your dog along when you hit the snow?

An article in the Summit Daily News in Frisco, Colo., by Julie Sutor, makes that suggestion.

The team sport of skijoring is something dogs and their owners can do together.

In skijoring, dog and skier each wear a harness and are linked together by a Bungee lead. They work together to travel along the trail. The human half of the team can wear classic Nordic skis, skate skis or even backcountry touring skis. The skier uses a set of commands to direct stopping, starting and turning. There's even a command to ignore squirrels, other dogs, birds, or other distractions on the trail.

As with any sport, you have to make sure everyone — dog included — is safe.

Watch for ice balls between the dog's toes and frostbite. Joint and ligament problems can occur over time as well.

And as with jogging and bicycling with a dog, be careful you aren't letting your dog overexert himself.

Merry Christmas 2009

It's Christmas Day, and Kate and I wish everyone the best of the holiday season.

I can no longer embed my all time favorite Christmas song video, but you can still watch it.

Click here to see a Flash animation by Joshua Held of "White Christmas" recorded by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters in 1953.

I've said it before and will say it again, it is, frankly, genius.

Photo of City of Poughkeepsie Christmas Tree by Darryl Bautista/Poughkeepsie Journal.

Christmas Eve vids

My sister always sends me the best Christmas cards. And the noisiest.

Remember last year's?

Well, her latest card arrived yesterday just in time for me to post it on Christmas Eve.



In case you missed The Late Show with David Letterman last night, Darlene Love made her annual appearance closing the show singing "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." She's looking better than ever and sounding better than ever.

Here's Darlene on Letterman's show taped in 2006 via the miracle that is youtube.com.

And it wouldn't be the holiday season without seeing my JibJab Christmas card.



Happy Holidays, everyone!

UPDATE: Darlene Love's 23rd appearance on Letterman's show the other night was posted on the Enterwebs. Watch and enjoy.

Nice and snug on Christmas Eve eve

Bo making the Christmas rounds

Continuing a tradition that began with Bess Truman, First lady Michelle Obama visited the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, reading " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to patients, parents and caregivers.

Here's the complete article in the Washington Post written by Robin Givhan.

What set apart this event from that of Truman's or any of the other subsequent first ladies was Obama was accompanied by her two daughters — Sasha and Malia — and Bo, the first dog.

According to the WaPo, this was Bo's first formal appearance since his arrival at the White House was unveiled.

The girls worked the velvet rope line, where children sat on chairs and cross-legged on the floor, along with Bo, who seemed as interested in a baggie of treats brought along by the girls to keep him on his best behavior as he was with the toes of a young man in a wheelchair. Bo, by the way, was looking particularly festive in a red and white jingle-bell collar.

Unfortunately, Givhans reported that Bo began barking at Santa Claus. He — Bo, that is — settled down as Santa moved out of his sight lines and Obama began reading the holiday poem.

Not for nothing, I covered the Holiday Hunt at Locust Grove Sunday in the Town of Poughkeepsie. Children — and adults — were invited for a "treasure hunt" in which they had to find certain words and phrases from the poem, attributed to Clement C. Moore.

According to Ursula Morgan, Locust Grove's director of public programs, scholars now believe that Moore only published the poem and it was actually written by the mansion's first resident Henry Livingston Jr.

Ready for snow

Kate's taking the news really well that we might get 7 inches of snow. You probably can't tell but she's poised to start shoveling ... or at least sleep while I do.

Say 'no' to puppy mills

Even though nothing could be cuter than a new puppy bounding around a Christmas tree, the holidays are probably not the best time to introduce a new pet into a household.

Another concern, from the Humane Society of the United States, is that people who do get a puppy make sure they are not unwittingly supporting the "puppy mill" industry.

Read this article in the North Country Gazette from Chestertown, N.Y.

Simple advice: Don’t purchase puppies from a pet store, from a Web site, from a classified ad — or from any source where you cannot be absolutely certain that you are dealing with a reputable breeder. The HSUS urges families to first consider adoption from local shelters or rescue groups, where healthy, loving animals need nothing so much as a happy family this holiday.

Some puppy mill facts from the article:

• Dogs receive little to no medical care.
• Dogs live in squalid conditions.
• Dogs are confined in cramped wire cages.
• Dogs receive no exercise, socialization or human interaction.

There are so many dogs in shelters across the country that it doesn't make sense to risk getting a dog from a puppy mill.

Pet calendars posed for big sales

For the animal lover on your Christmas gift list, how about a 2010 calendar that features pets.

The Houston Chronicle's Lana Berkowitz wrote an article about the Yoga Dogs calendar by Dan and Alejandra Borris of San Antonio that has pictures of pooches doing yoga poses.

Borris' wife is an animal lover and former yoga instructor who recruits dogs belonging to friends, neighbors and even strangers.

She positions the animals in yoga poses, or as close as the four-legged models can get, for the photos. Borris uses Photoshop to concoct the final images.

Don't worry, feline fanciers, this year there is a Yoga Cats calendar for those so inclined.

The article also lists a number of other pet-related calendars available online and at bookstores, including Ferret Frenzy 2010 World Tour, with ferrets visiting the pyramids and the Statue of Liberty; the New Yorker Dogs wall calendar and the Pets Rock wall calendar, with animals dressed as rock stars (of course!).

Dog v. owl

From the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, comes the remarkable story of Sadie, a Pomeranian.

The 10-year-old pooch owned by Michelle McCarten found herself airborne after being snatched by a great horned owl.

Here's the link to the full story.

Sadie’s owl-napping saga began when her owner, Michelle McCarten, and friends were watching fireworks a week ago Saturday in the Village of East Davenport. Sadie was spooked by the booming, jumping off McCarten’s porch at 2216 E. 12th St., and fleeing into a nearby woodsy area. McCarten and friends called and searched. No luck.

What they didn’t realize was that a giant owl known to perch in the area had grabbed Sadie.

Sadie became the flying dog. She was soaring over east Davenport, destined to become a late-night snack for the owl. But the owl lost its grip. Sadie plunged to earth.

The dog was flown some 24 to 30 city blocks before it got loose. Sadie, fortunately, had nothing more serious than bruises and a broken tail.

Who knew great horned owls liked dogs.

Trim that tree the doggie way

I ran across a couple of cute videos while I was taking my last few vacation days.

Here is the best way to decorate the house at Christmas time.

I would put up a tree if Kate would trim it.

Next is a collection of funny dog clips.

I have to say the last one made me laugh out loud. But I wonder what was going through the skydiving dog's mind.

Comfy

The weather outside is frightful

Though the calendar begs to differ, it really seems like winter, especially since we had about 4 inches of snow yesterday. (How about that thunder and lightning around 5 p.m.?)

So it's time to think about keeping your pets safe during the colder weather.

An article in the Deseret News from Salt Lake City, Utah, offers some suggestions.

"Warm-blooded mammals can't survive without adequate protection in the kind of cold weather we're going to be having," said Gene Baierschmidt, executive director of the Humane Society of Utah. "If you can't actually keep your animals in the house with the rest of your family or in a basement or garage, then please at least see that they have snug, insulated shelter away from the wind and elevated off the ground."

Baierschmidt includes farm animals in his advice, adding that horses should be brought into a barn.

Other cold-weather tips include:

• Keep cats inside.
• Older pets should never be kept outside at all, as well as young, ill or short-hair breeds.
• Don't let your dog off leash during a snowstorm; they could lose their scent and get lost.
• Spills of antifreeze, which is highly toxic to pets, should be immediately wiped up.
• Never leave your pet in the car during the winter; the car acts like a refrigerator during cold weather.
  

Few pets getting swine flu

The Associated Press is reporting there are a few confirmed cases of pets infected with the H1N1 flu virus, otherwise known as swine flu.

The virus ... has been diagnosed in only a few cats and ferrets since it emerged in April. Veterinarians say they don't know if that is because so few animals have been tested or because so few have the disease.

"I think we're probably going to be seeing more (pet) cases in the future. There is more focus on it so people are looking harder," said Dr. Kristy Pabilonia of the Colorado State University Department of Veterinary Medicine, which confirmed two new cases in cats on Friday.

The American Veterinary Medical Association, the AP reported, said while it is rare for flu viruses to jump between species, there is no evidence people can get the swine flu from pets.

Whether doctors are treating humans or pets, they give the same advice: Wash your hands, cover your mouth when you sneeze and limit contact with others if you are ill.

Symptoms in pets may include lethargy, decreased appetite, fever, runny nose and eyes, sneezing, coughing and changes in breathing patterns. Because there have been only a few cases, Pabilonia said vets have limited information about the severity of the disease in house pets.

And medical officials urge people to not share human medications with their pets. It could be as dangerous to your pet as the disease.

I want a chew toy and a rubber ball and ...

It was pictures-with-Santa day at Petco Saturday in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The store was giving the photos away to customers who made a purchase.

Jeff Knapp of Highland brought his 1-1/2-year-old Great Dane Amigo for a portrait.

It took a while, because Amigo couldn't stand to be away from Knapp for even a second, constantly looking at him instead of concentrating on Santa.



As you can see, Santa had his hands full.



Here are some other pictures from the event.





On Saturday, Dec. 12, at Petco on Route 9, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can have your pet's photo taken with Santa, but it will cost $8.95, $5 of which goes to support P.A.N.T. — Partnership for Animals Needing Transition.

Photos and video: Michael Woyton/Poughkeepsie Journal

Pixelated pooches for your iPhone

Among the many timewasters, er, games, available for the iPhone and iPod Touch is a freebie called Touch Pets Dogs.


You pick out the kind of dog you want, name it and take it home. Petting the pooch garners you points, as does grooming, feeding, training and exercising.

Though, unlike in real life, you seldom see "Petting at 100%" rise above your dog. Dogs can't ever get enough petting.


The dog will tell you when it wants to go out, and then relieve itself in a nice little swirl of dog doo. You then have to get a baggie and clean up after the dog.

It will also have little thought balloons that give you hints as to what the dog requires.

There are a limited number of toys to play with at the beginning. You can "purchase" others, as well as clothing and treats, with the points you collect.

While the game itself is free (you can also get a free version that has 18 more feeding bowls), you can purchase — up to $29.99 — other versions with more food.

The problem with the food is, the dogs need constant feeding (don't get me started on the amount of shampooing a digital dog seems to require) and the food bowl can stay empty for a while, especially if you purchase another dog and that one can't seem to pay attention when the food bowl is put down.

Don't get me started.

If you enjoy Sims-like games where the creatures change over time, then a pets person might like Touch Pets Dogs.

Personally, I get bored quickly with games like this.

Birthday girl donates to the shelter

From left, Jake Carson, dog Ryan, Eden Bogen, and Carson Bogen (Courtesy photo)

When Eden Bogen turned 6 on Nov. 27, she asked people coming to her party to bring food and other donations for the animals at the Dutchess County SPCA.

She and her family dropped by the shelter recent to deliver the items, including a car load of dog and cat food, along with paper towels and bleach.

Board member Ron Lane was on hand to present Bogen with a certificate of appreciation.

During her visit, Bogen and her brothers Carson Bogen and Jake Carson enjoyed meeting Ryan a black lab puppy from the shelter.

Holiday concerns for pets

With Christmas trees going up in myriad living rooms, keeping pets safe and sound should be on everyone's minds.

Dr. Calvin Clements, a Palmyra, Pa., veterinarian, answered some questions at PennLive.com.

Decorations on the tree can pose hazards to pets. Calling them an "attractive nuisance," Clements said glass ornaments can cause serious lacerations to the mouth, face and feet of pets. And if swallowed, they can seriously harm the gastrointestinal tract.

The hooks that are used to hang ornaments? He said they can become lodged inside the animals requiring surgery to remove them.

Tinsel and garland become an attractive play toy to many pets. If swallowed, these can result in serious consequences that if not identified early results in fatality. Electric lights are often a beckoning call to be chewed and swallowed. Obviously this can result in electrical shock and serious electrical burns of the oral cavity.

Clements also talks about holiday plants being poisonous (or not), holiday treats causing stomach upset and traveling and having visitors making your pet stressed.

A little preplanning, as well as caution and common sense, and both you and your pet will enjoy the holiday season.

Photo: Michael Woyton/Poughkeepsie Journal file

On the other hand (see previous story)

And then there's this story from the Daily Telegraph saying that people who walk their dogs get more exercise than people who go to the gym.

Read the story here.

Just keep them off the weight machines

When you get off work do you have a decision to make — whether to give your dog a chance to exercise ... or yourself?

A San Francisco couple had that dilemma and came up with a business solution.

They opened a gym with doggie daycare.

Fit Bernal Fit, in Bernal Heights, is, according to a San Francisco Chronicle article by staff writer Meredith May, one of the first in the nation to offer pet owners a place for their pooches to play while they work out.

Read the whole article here.

So far, half the 245 Fit Bernal Fit members have signed up for dog care services at the gym.

Armed with treats, a stern voice, and an assortment of toys, [owner] Jeanne [Eriksen] coaxes the shy dogs and plays with the energetic ones in the playroom, which features a big window so dogs can keep an eye on the gym.

She can also take the dogs to a separate outdoor lounge area off the back of the building, where dogs can run in a fenced-in outdoor space covered in small pebbles.

Eriksen, along with her husband Dean, were wisely aware of how risky opening a small business in a such a depressed economy can be. They gave themselves seven months to make a profit in their business plan.

They were wrong. They turned a profit in six weeks.

Nighty night!

If the couch isn't good enough, how about the DogPedic Sleep System?

Watch the video here.

My opinion? When you are talking about "as low as 2 easy payments," it's way too expensive.

Dogs before turkey

While the turkey is cooking Thursday, take some time to watch The National Dog Show, right after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, at noon.

This is the eighth NBC broadcast of the event and will feature 2,000 purebreds competing for the "Best in Show" title.

The two-hour special is hosted John O'Hurley and will be held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.

For more information, click here.

Thanksgiving pet tips

The holiday season can be joyous and fun for you and your family, but a little stressful on your pets.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has some Thanksgiving-related safety hints for pet owners.

They include:

• Don't offer pets raw or undercooked turkey.
• Sage, a common ingredient in stuffing, contains essential oils that can cause pets gastrointestinal upset.
• Don't let pets overindulge on Thanksgiving food.

And from my files, if you have a lot of coming and going at your house for the holiday, make sure your pets can't accidentally get out when greeting guests. Up-to-date I.D.s on pets' collars is must.

Don't get up

Keeping with the feline theme from yesterday, here's a video of a sleeping cat.

So cute.

And relaxed.

Make your kitty a part of your iPod

Anyone who has talked to me lately knows I am wild about my iPhone.

Best. Tool. Ever.

And the iPod Touch is great as well, especially if you don't want to get calls.

But a quick search on the Enterwebs found that pet-related apps are springing up. Now that we've downloaded every other conceivable app, it's time to download something worthwhile.

The screenshots here are from LOLCats, a free app that contains stuff like this, along with chat features, and since it is free, advertisements.


There also another free app called I Can Has Cheezburger, that contains LOLDogs too.

On the paid side of the fence (I am all for free apps — it has to be something real special to get me to cough up hard cash), there is CatPaint.

It's a "cat-based image editor" (whatever that means), allowing you — for 99 cents — to insert pictures of kitties into your photographs.

From the Web site:

CatPaint is an immersive and multi-sensory experience, wherein you can put adorable cats on top of your photos. Also, they mew. With just a few touches, you can take a photo, cover it with cats, and send it off to your friends and family.

To get started, simply pull out the litter-box drawer to select a kitty, then tap anywhere to place it. Should you misplace a kitten, just gently shake your iPhone or iPod Touch like an Etch-a-Sketch to Undo. Shake a little and one cat will disappear, shake a bunch and clear all the cats and start again.

It's not that easy in real life.

Salsa-dancing dog

The title says it all: This dog is obviously thrilled to be dancing.

See the video here.

Kate would never do this. She likes to lead.

Slo-mo thirst quencher

Been off for a few days. Now I'm back.

Here's a video I stumbled across: a dog drinking water in slow motion.

It's not what I imagined, frankly.

Nearer my dog to thee?

For an "only in L.A." kind of story, how about a church that has started a service for pets?

The Rev. Tom Eggebeen at Covenant Presbyterian Church wanted to try and shake things up at his church, so he came up with a 30-minute service for dogs complete with individual dog beds, prayers for canines and dog treats.

Here's the Associated Press story via the Columbus, Ga., Ledger-Enquirer.

Before the first Canines at Covenant service last Sunday (Nov. 1), Eggebeen said many Christians love their pets as much as human family members and grieve just as deeply when they suffer — but churches have been slow to recognize that love as the work of God.

"The Bible says of God only two things in terms of an 'is': That God is light and God is love. And wherever there's love, there's God in some fashion," said Eggebeen, himself a dog lover. "And when we love a dog and a dog loves us, that's a part of God and God is a part of that. So we honor that."

The article said all sizes of dogs, and about 30 humans, attended the first service, which held in the church's chapel.

Eggebeen took prayer requests for Mr. Boobie (healing of the knees) and Hunter (had a stroke) and then called out the names of beloved pets past and present (Quiche, Tiger, Timmy, Baby Angel and Spunky) before launching into the Lord's Prayer.

That kind of service might make me get up earlier on Sunday.

A commercial moment

I'm not endorsing or recommending Pup-Peroni, but I think the commercial is cute.

Here is it.

Presidential dog-walking duties fall to groundskeeper

When the cat's away, or in this case, the first lady, who walks the presidential pooch?

Career National Park Service employee Dale Haney, that's who.

Read an Associated Press story about him, via ABC News, here.

Haney is often spotted walking Bo, the Obama family's Portuguese water dog. In fact, he's tended to every White House pup since King Timahoe, Richard Nixon's Irish setter.

Haney, 57, has been a White House fixture since 1972. After getting a degree in horticulture from Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, N.C., he continued his training in Washington and basically was discovered for his green thumb, as he tells the story.

Besides Bo, he takes cares of the White House's 18-1/2 acres of land, including the Rose Garden and the first lady's vegetable garden.

Now that the health care bill passed in the House, I guess the president will have more time to walk Bo.

Well, maybe not.

Cat declawing update

The L.A. city council public safety committee has proposed a ban on cat declawing.

See a report in the Los Angeles Times "L.A. Unleashed" blog here.

The proposal was put forth by Councilmen Bill Rosendahl and Paul Koretz, who said the procedure caused "unnecessary pain, anguish and permanent disability" to cats, according to the report from the L.A. Times' David Zahniser.

This follows reports that Santa Monica and West Hollywood have instituted bans on the procedure. San Francisco gave its initial approval to a ban Tuesday.

Beverly Hills is one vote away from a ban on declawing. Here's a story from the Los Angeles Daily News.

Looks like California is well ahead of the rest of the country, though a new state law taking effect Jan. 1 restricts cities from banning declawing.

Here kitty, kitty. Come get your flu shot

Doctors say vaccinating children against the H1N1 flu — that's swine flu to you and me — could help prevent pets from getting ill.

A brief in the Chicago Sun-Times (third one) can be found here.

The veterinarian who treated the cat, Dr. Brett Sponseller, said two of the three people in the cat's Iowa home had flu-like symptoms before the cat became ill. The cat was lethargic, had a loss of appetite and appeared to have trouble breathing. Getting children vaccinated for swine flu also can help prevent the illness from spreading to pets. There is no swine flu vaccine for pets.

The cat has recovered, the news item states.

More from the Associated Press via the Huffington Post here.

Other influenza strains have been known to cross species, but Sponseller cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from the cat including whether other pets could also get the swine flu.

"It's well documented in influenza in general, but this is the first highly suspected case of H1N1 going from humans into a cat," he said.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/04/iowa-cat-gets-swine-flu-f_n_346397.html&cp

Officials said there is no evidence that swine flu can pass from pets to people.

Winter pet care tips — Brrrrrrr!

As much as I hate to admit it, it's no longer summer.

That means cooler, and then colder, weather is on its way.

An article in the Norwich Bulletin outlines a veterinarian's top winter tips for pet owners.

They include:

• Make sure your outdoor pet has plenty of fresh water. And don't allow it to freeze.
• Wash pet's feet off after they come inside. Ice-melting products, when ingested, can cause stomach problems.
• Honk your car horn before starting your car. Cats can seek shelter under the hood.
• Antifreeze is lethal, even in small doses. Keep pets away from it.
  

No excuses

When I had a chance to go on the Walkway Over the Hudson from the Highland side, I was surprised there were dog refuse bags available.

I had heard from more than one person that people weren't following the "pack it in-pack it out" rule.

It just makes sense to me that, if you leave the house with your dog, there are things you take with you, i.e., a couple of treats and, more essentially, bags to pick up after your dog.

Well, you really have no excuse, now do you?

Happy Halloween, all you lil' devils

To get you in the Halloween mood:

Evil Chipmunk set to music.

Evil Chipmunk devil.

Evil Chipmunk zombie.

Evil Chihuahua?

LaGrange to hold dog costume contest Saturday

Like dressing up your pooch in Halloween costumes?

Well, get your dog gussied up Saturday and head over to the Town of LaGrange for the Halloween Dog Costume Contest.

It starts at noon at the See Spot Run Off-Leash Area on Overlook Road, just north of Route 55 and east of the Poughkeepsie town line.

To participate, there is a $5 donation/entry fee, which includes chances to win dog-grooming prizes. Refreshments, including cider and doughnuts, will be served.

LaGrange Supervisor Jon Wagner will be the master of ceremonies for the contest.

The rain date is noon Nov. 1.

Here is a video to give you some costume ideas.

Cat declawing outlawed in Santa Monica

Santa Monica, Calif., has axed a controversial veterinary procedure.

On Tuesday, the Santa Monica city council banned cat declawing.

Here's an article from the Santa Monica Daily Press by Melody Hanatani.

The ordinance, which will take effect 30 days after a second and final reading next month, will prohibit onychectomy — also known as declawing — and flexor tendonectomy from being performed on cats, a surgery that is likened to cutting off the last joint of all 10 human fingers.

Proponents of the ban have argued that declawing is not only physically painful, but leaves cats more vulnerable to abandonment and relinquishment because of the behavioral changes that take place following the procedure, including urinating and defecating outside of litter boxes and biting because clawing is no longer a viable defense mechanism.

Those who opposed the ban said eliminating the option for pet owners would mean more cats abandoned or euthanized.

Only one councilman — out of seven — voted against the ordinance. Councilman Richard Bloom said the ban would lead to "a far worse outcome for the cat," and he proposed an amendment.

His proposed amendment to the ordinance that declawing be allowed only to prevent abandonment, relinquishment and euthanization after veterinarians counsel pet owners on alternatives was shot down. Another amendment that prohibits licensed medical professionals to package declawing with other surgeries was also denied. Councilman Bobby Shriver, who did vote for the ban, supported the amendments.

The article said that the ban comes shortly before a new state law taking effect Jan. 1 restricting cities from banning declawing. West Hollywood is the only other California city with such a law.

Almost last-minute Boo-day safety reminder

With Halloween just around the corner — Eeek! It's Saturday! — here's a reminder of some basic pet safety tips.

From the Chicago Daily Herald:

• To avoid stress, with the door bell ringing constantly, find your pet a quiet place in the house.
• If the weather is nice, give the treats outdoors. Again avoiding the doorbell.
• No chocolate for Fido.
• Keep lit candles well away from your pets.
• Make sure pets have current identification tags. You never know when they might slip out when the door is open.

Have fun on Halloween.

My favorite: The Hulk

New Yorkers know how to celebrate Halloween with their dogs — by making them wear costumes.

Clever ones, at that.

Take a look at the costumed pooches at a couple of recent dog festivals in Manhattan, from Gothamist.com.

Maybe they can airbrush him in later

I refuse to display the official portrait of the first family on this blog, because they left out someone very important — and I don't mean Joe Biden.

See it here.

Little devils

The cute factor wears off a bit when you look at their tiny claws, but Tasmanian devil joeys, born in Australia, are really cute.

Here is a photo gallery from WCBS Newradio 880.

Then they grow up into this.

From Wikipedia:

It is characterized by its black fur, pungent odor when stressed, extremely loud and disturbing screech, and ferocity when feeding. It is known to both hunt prey and scavenge carrion and although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils.

Who doesn't — sometimes?

Tasmanian devils are now considered endangered — since May 2009 — because of a parasitic cancer.

And of course, most of us first learned about Tasmanian devils from Bugs Bunny and the cartoonists at Warner Bros.

Here's Bedevilled Rabbit (1957).

The day after Boo-day

If you are in Ulster County Nov. 1 stop by Skate Time 209 for the Howl-O-Weiner Festival.

All dachshunds and their owners are invited to an event that features a costume parade and talent show.

There will also be the opportunity to meet show dachshunds just returned from the Dachshund Club of America National Performance Events and Specialty Show.

The event, which is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is free. Several animal charities will be on hand to accept donations.

The roller rink and skateboard park owners Len and Terry Bernardo will be hosting the festival with their pet dachshund Sundae.

Skate Time 209 is located at 5164 Route 209 at Mettacahonts Road in Accord.

For more information, call 845-626-7971 or visit www.Skatetime209.com.

How's your ferret feeling?

According to this article from U.S News and World Report, a ferret in Portland, Ore., has come down with the H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as swine flu.

Scientists have known for a long time that ferrets can get human flu; in fact, they use ferrets in the laboratory to test flu treatments. But ferrets are also popular pets. In this case, first reported in the Oregonian, it sounds like the ferret got the flu from its owner. And it appears to be the first reported case of H1N1 flu traveling from people to animals.

And a pig at the Minnesota State Fair tested positive for the virus.

The sick pig and ferret remind us that flu isn't just a human disease. Birds get it, too, and the avian flu that’s been causing deaths in Asia has been spread by migratory birds, domestic ducks, and chickens, though there have been no infections of birds with either H1N1 or avian flu in the United States. The nation’s hog farmers are understandably worried that people will stop eating pork if H1N1 is infecting pigs. But the Department of Agriculture says humans cannot contract H1N1 from eating pork.

And since I believe that more information is best, read the entire article for tips on flu prevention — and that includes getting a flu shot.

Small number feeding homemade diets to dogs

An ABCNews.com article about homemade diets for dogs said that about 1 percent of people actually make their own dog food.

Read the article here.

The story talks about a California man who began cooking his dog's food in 2004, using it to supplement dry food.

After the 2007 pet food recall because of melamine, the man switched to all homemade food.

Dr. Richard Pitcairn, author of "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats," came to believe in the power of nutrition and that it could have a positive effect of the immune system.

"To my surprise, it made a big difference," he said, "bigger than I expected."

Animals fed some kibbles long-term, he said, show signs of lessened energy and duller coats and are more susceptible to parasites and fleas.

"It's hard for the body to repair itself if the body doesn't have the nutrients it needs," Pitcairn said.

If we believe that food can have a beneficial effect on us, why then do we have a difficult time believing the same thing doesn't happen with our pets?

Some can wear a Palin costume, some can't

Fresh from the Huffington Post is a collection of pictures of pets wearing Halloween costumes.

Or at least we hope they are for Halloween, because if they aren't, then something seriously wrong with those people.

Anyway, here is the link. Enjoy.

I have to admit I laughed out loud at the baked potato costume and the scuba dog.

Do you dress up your pet on Halloween?

The long goodbye — hopefully

It's difficult to write about things that affect you personally and deeply, but I will and hope to make some sense of it.

I received word yesterday that Kate has kidney failure. The vet said it could be a matter of months or longer.

I am hoping for longer.

On Sunday, Kate seemed fine. Her appetite was good. We went out for a walk around the complex; she sniffed, she peed, she pooped. Life was good.

She followed me upstairs when I went to bed something she hadn't been doing on a regular basis.

When I got up Monday morning, I wanted to get her downstairs while I went about getting ready for work. Kate got up from the pallet and followed me to the stairs, but she wouldn't go any further. I couldn't make her take a step off the top landing. So I got her leash and tried coercing her.

Eventually, Kate got a little less than halfway down, so I picked her up and carried her down the rest of the way.

Once on the main floor, she acted unsteady, almost awkward, bumping into bookcases, doors and furniture. And she wouldn't eat her food. She acted as if her back legs were alternately not supporting her or she was in some discomfort. I even elevated her food and water bowls so she didn't have to bend down as far.

I had some coated low-dose aspirin in the medicine cabinet so I gave her one pill.

A call to the vet got me an appointment in the afternoon.

Kate seemed to be a little better when I stopped by at lunch. It seemed the aspirin helped a little.

I got her to the vet and she was checked over. No temperature. Very little response when the vet waved her fingers in front of her eyes, so the eyes were beginning to fail.

The vet ruled out any neurological problem, because Kate was reactive to her manipulations.

Blood was drawn. Finally, the vet called Thursday with the results and said it was kidney failure.

Kate is 14; she'll be 15 in January. Doing the math puts her at 98, if indeed one equals seven.

The vet said it was age-related, manifesting in weight loss, increased urination, weakened appetite. Her blood tests were fine in May, so the problem is fairly recent.

She could have months; it could be longer.

So now we wait and watch.

I knew I wouldn't have her forever. But even going on 15 years, it still seems like not enough time.

Video Thursday

White lion cubs here.

Remember they are not pets.

- - - - -

Here's a Pedigree commercial about Echo, a dog who is up for adoption.

Then, Echo gets a new home.

- - - - - -

And then, sort of a companion video to yesterday's blog about dog food, a Kibbles 'n Bits commercial about a dog wanting to eat what his family is eating.

Don't you hate it when your dog disco dances in the kitchen?

- - - - -

Finally, a couple of cute bull dogs in this PetSmart commercial.

It's all in the diet

Kate has had a problem with commercial dog foods for a while now.

I fed her premium food from the beginning (ProPlan dry puppy food, then Iams Turkey and Rice dry food).

About five or six years ago, my vet in Shekomeko said I should change Kate to a senior food.

Worst. Decision. Ever.

The adult food I had Kate on was primarily what the name said: turkey and rice. There was very little cornmeal or corn product in it.

Not so with Iams senior food. The first ingredient was cornmeal, which was something Kate did not eat a lot of. There was a scant amount in one dog biscuit recipe I would make, but that was about it.

She broke out with bumps all over her body. And believe me, bumps was not the worst part of it.

The "end" result, if you catch my drift, was either trips outside twice an hour (I'm not kidding) or a real mess to clean up (I'm really not kidding).

I took Kate to the vet, who determined it was a food allergy and put her on a prescription food which was just potato and venison.

Flash Forward (which isn't a bad show, BTW) to a few months ago, when my new vet in Pleasant Valley told me they were no longer carrying the brand of potato and venison Kate had been on. So we switched to another (more expensive) prescription brand.

Not halfway through the second bag of the new brand, Kate developed diarrhea. At that point I went into the "white diet" mode — poached chicken, rice and fat-free cottage cheese. There was also a prescription powder — Tylan — a pinch of which is sprinkled on the food to help quell the runs.

Within days, Kate would be fine. So usually after a week of her system being OK, I would start reintroducing the dry food — slowly. It would go fine until I was up to 1/2 cup of dry, then, bam, the runs would start again.

Back to the white diet. Then reintroducing the dry. Shampoo. Rinse. Repeat.

I even decided to dump the prescription and go back to a natural/organic food like Blue Buffalo. I made sure there was no corn in it, but unfortunately the results were eventually the same.

One thing I noticed while Kate was purely on the white diet was 1) how much she seemed to enjoy it and 2) how well she did on it.

I had nothing to lose — except my throw rugs — so I decided to see what would happen if I kept her on the homemade diet. I added boiled hamburger to the mix, along with pasta such as ditalini or small elbows and mashed sweet potatoes.

Kate loved it, and frankly, it seemed to love her. She was even going to the bathroom less, which at first, freaked me out, because we are a nation that loves regularity and schedules. Once I figured out that she would go when she needed to go, I felt much better and didn't worry. As long as I was still providing her the opportunities to do so. (You have to wonder what goes into the dry concoctions that make the animal produce such quantities of waste.)

Here's a video of Kate enjoying a homemade meal. I add a couple of tablespoons of a canned, organic dog food to the food.



Since that video was made, I've been putting cooked green beans in her meal. And she's really scarfed them up. Oddly though, I offered her one as a snack and she spit it out.

As a precaution I give her a multiple vitamin, along with her glucosamine tablet. And I noticed her hair was getting a bit dry looking, but a touch of olive oil seemed to fix that.

It's a work in progress, one that seems to be doing the trick.

Is it more expensive than the dry food? The last bag of prescription, most of which is still sitting in my cupboard, was $65 for a month.

I think what I'm doing — buying hamburger and chicken on sale — is probably a little less than that.

And the relief factor? Priceless.

Get the tissues ready

Baxter is a certified therapy dog who can no long walk.

The 19-year-old comforts hospice patients.

Watch this amazing, truly moving video.

Read more about Baxter here.

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.

Sleepin' puppies

So what's cuter than a basket full of puppies?

Watch this.

Pretty amazing that he could just sing them — softly — to sleep.

What dog?

In Cobble Hill, a Brooklyn neighborhood, thousands of people walked their invisible dogs Sunday.

The idea was from the group Improv Everywhere.

Take a look at this blog.

Some of the comments are interesting. What if these people actually got together for some real purpose that could help society? How many of them would turn up their noses at the chance to make a difference?

Then again, it was a little funny, wasn't it?

Here are some pictures and more pictures from Improv Everywhere.

Photo by Improv Everywhere.

Video Friday

Pugs.

Mom to the rescue.

Cat all wrapped up in what it's reading.

Pug v cat.

Have a good weekend.

Are dog-size restrictions good policy for apartments?

It seems that, more and more, size is the determining factor in whether a dog can be kept in an apartment complex or condo.

The New York Times had an article about the city's ban on pit bulls and other large dogs in city housing projects that went into effect May 1.

My Kate, who weighs about 50 pounds, would be banned from the projects. Kate, who never evens barks, is the type of dog the city has set its sights on — by merely being over 25 pounds.

I can't tell you the number of dogs I've run across since I got Kate and experienced the world of dogs and dogs owners that are tiny and nasty.

There's a dog, who I've never seen, in my complex that, by the sound of its constant barking, is a small dog that never shuts up, especially when Kate and I walk about 30 feet from its door.

I am so glad I don't live next door to that one.

We are only allowed one pet, either a cat or dog, but not both. The rules must have changed a few years ago, because some residents continue to have more than one dog. Is that fair? I don't think so.

A study of Philadelphia condo sales posted on the Gerson Lehrman Group Web site says that exclusionary pet policies can drive down demand and sale price for condos.

Writer Mark Wade said:

With twenty (20) years experience selling condos in Center City Philadelphia, I can attest to the fact that I have yet to meet a buyer who will favor any given condo building over their pet. Said again, I have never met a buyer who will give up their pet to live in one specific building. Every time, they will omit the building — not the pet. Moreover, I have never met a buyer who said that they would NOT live in a building which allowed dogs.

He wonders if, in a depressed market, it is wise for condo associations to be as restrictive as they now are.

Canine flu a growing problem?

USA Today reports some kennels are requiring dog owners vaccinate their pooches for canine influenza virus.

Here's the story.

Has anyone around the mid-Hudson Valley been required to get the shots?

Bizkit videos

Do you remember Bizkit the Sleepwalking Dog?

Well, Bizkit talks.

And Bizkit barks while sleepwalking.

And Bizkit runs in circles.

Here's Bizkit: The Horror Movie.

Just what a dog like this needs — a Bizkit helmet. What a face.

My Kate doesn't get quite this animated when she sleeps, but she is definitely "chasing rabbits."

I particularly like it when she wags her tail while sleeping. Pleasant dreams.

Cat video Tuesday

The blog has been a little dog-centric lately, so here are a couple of videos of silly cats.

Cat on a trampoline. Cute.

This cat doesn't want to go inside. Obviously.

Simon's Cat. Wants dinner. Now.

Information you may someday need

By now we all know what happened to Jessica Simpson's malti-poo.

If you live in areas that coyotes inhabit, there are ways to prevent your pets from becoming their prey.

A lot of it is common sense and common safety protocols.

From the San Francisco Chronicle's Tails of the City blog:

[Coyotes] are clever animals and their typical diet consists mainly of rodents, insects, and small mammals. If they live near humans, coyotes will not hesitate to kill outdoor or feral cats and will sometimes go after small dogs. Coyotes mainly view dogs as competition, not as prey, and will usually only attack medium or larger-sized dogs if they are perceived as a threat. Coyotes are most protective of their territory when they are mating, January through March, and when they have pups, May through June.

Some of the tips include:

• Keep your animals inside or in a kennel.
• Have a fence that is at least 6 feet high and buried at least a foot into the ground.
• When walking in areas with known coyote populations, keep your dog on a leash.
• Never approach a coyote and never feed them.
• Do not leave food and water bowls outside.
• Never turn your back on a coyote.

That last one can apply to many creatures.

Keep your animals secured either inside or in a kennel both day and night when they are left unsupervised.

A fence at least six-feet high will help provide a deterrent. Be sure the fence is buried at least one foot into the ground (with an apron base) so coyotes will not be able to dig under the fence.

Keep your dog on leash when walking in areas with a known coyote population and carry a walking stick, air horn, whistle, or an aluminum can filled with coins to help scare off a coyote.

Never approach a coyote, let your dog approach one or intentionally feed them.

Protect fruit trees and vegetable gardens to deter coyotes from scavenging for food on your property.

Do not leave food and water bowls outside and keep your garbage neatly stacked in a sealed container.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=47693#ixzz0RkGENJQa

Keep your animals secured either inside or in a kennel both day and night when they are left unsupervised.

A fence at least six-feet high will help provide a deterrent. Be sure the fence is buried at least one foot into the ground (with an apron base) so coyotes will not be able to dig under the fence.

Keep your dog on leash when walking in areas with a known coyote population and carry a walking stick, air horn, whistle, or an aluminum can filled with coins to help scare off a coyote.

Never approach a coyote, let your dog approach one or intentionally feed them.

Protect fruit trees and vegetable gardens to deter coyotes from scavenging for food on your property.

Do not leave food and water bowls outside and keep your garbage neatly stacked in a sealed container.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=47693#ixzz0RkGENJQa

Keep your animals secured either inside or in a kennel both day and night when they are left unsupervised.

A fence at least six-feet high will help provide a deterrent. Be sure the fence is buried at least one foot into the ground (with an apron base) so coyotes will not be able to dig under the fence.

Keep your dog on leash when walking in areas with a known coyote population and carry a walking stick, air horn, whistle, or an aluminum can filled with coins to help scare off a coyote.

Never approach a coyote, let your dog approach one or intentionally feed them.

Protect fruit trees and vegetable gardens to deter coyotes from scavenging for food on your property.

Do not leave food and water bowls outside and keep your garbage neatly stacked in a sealed container.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=47693#ixzz0RkGENJQa