jeep, the dog on the cover

Eric Clapton's 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd* features on its cover a pale-eyed dog of the Weimaraner sort, with its head on what might be a coffin. I don't know if it is a coffin, but that's Eric Clapton's dog, Jeep. I found that out here.

Those of you who are George Harrison fans (I know many) may have wondered about the instrumental on All Things Must Pass entitled "I Remember Jeep." Yes, this Jeep. The dog had been stolen. In his autobiography Clapton notes that Jeep had been his first dog since childhood; I hope he was recovered.

*I love two cuts on this album: "Better Make It Through Today," and "Pretty Blue Eyes."

Vote For ME!

I joined a health community which features pet health articles. You can vote for me as one of the top 100 blogs on the site. And also, check out the community. Thanks.

Matt FM. http://the-pet-haven.blogspot.com

the art of the sugar mouse

I have never had a sugar mouse but I would like to. Even if it was only once. I just like the idea. Perhaps I should try the recipe in my candy book.

There are those who also find a sugary rodent food for much creativity. Today I discovered them at Mouse Spotters Guide, where you may as it says "Create Art-Work on the theme of Sugar Mice and submit to this Strange and Interesting site."

Also a Charming and Friendly site, as you may see at the section called Mouse Face, devoted to photos of people befriended through the medium of mouse sugar. Another page brings you a great deal of sugarmouse art.

Would you like to try this? There is a recipe for sugar mice on this page, along with a recipe for cheese on toast and how to eat it. This sort of jolly, all-inclusive activity is exactly what I love to see when I look for evidence that the arts are alive and well. Before you know it, people can move from "I don't know art but I know what I like," to "Look at the beauty of a candy mouse in the bleak urban cityscape!" or something like that.

Classic Super Bowl Commercial - Goldfish

A classic pet related Super Bowl commercial. In this one, "Sparky" the goldfish plays dead until a boy holds a Pepsi over his tank and he performs tricks. Dad is clueless, though, and flushes the lifeless fish (a common practice).

Later, we see Sparky in the ocean doing back flips for a fisherman.

Another example of how pets help sell products.

Trackposted to Big Dog's Weblog, Cao's Blog, The Random Yak, third world county, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Classic Super Bowl Ad - Wildlife & Car

A fun one from a tire company as a squirrel survives and his buddies are relieved.

a buddhist tale: the dog king silver

A fable of wisdom overcoming prejudice toward the less fortunate, The Dog King Silver tells the story of how street dogs in Benares are saved from false accusation when a fine chariot's leather trappings are devoured. The King of Benares, in a rage, orders all dogs to be killed; the Dog King Silver learns of this and decides to seek justice:

Before setting out, he went to a different part of the cemetery to be alone. Having practiced goodness all his life, and trained his mind, he now concentrated very hard and filled his mind with feelings of loving-kindness. He thought, "May all dogs be well and happy, and may all dogs be safe. I go to the palace for the sake of dogs and men alike. No one shall attack or harm me."

Then the Dog King Silver began walking slowly through the streets of Benares. Because his mind was focused, he had no fear. Because of his long life of goodness, he walked with a calm dignity that demanded respect. And because of the warm glow of loving-kindness that all the people sensed, no one felt the rising of anger or any intention to harm him. Instead, they marvelled as the Great Being passed, and wondered how it could be so!

A serene tale of a lesson we all must learn - read it all here.

Classic Super Bowl Ad - Beer Fetching Dog

Two guys comparing the neat tricks their dogs can do. Not the most tasteful ad, but still a big game classic.

cats in world affairs?

Your friendly, very busy Curator is very behind on her visits to friends' blogs. I sure miss seeing what is up with you all and hope to catch up sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, here on my lunch hour, I thought about "cats in politics" for some reason and went looking for some. By sheer serendipity I found the Cat Topics section of Sheppard Software's page, which includes, yes, Cats in World Affairs. There's not a lot there, though I didn't know that cats have lived at the British Prime Minister's house since maybe Henry VIII's time. But the other pages you will see off to the left - things like Cat Heroes, Cat Mythology, Petting and the Tail - are similarly jolly and colorful, and have some illustrations I've never seen before. I liked them. I think you will too.

Pedigree Adoption Super Bowl Commercial

Super Bowl XLIII is going to the dogs. Well, sort of. While the top two NFL teams will battle it out on the gridiron, PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs will join the ranks of advertising elite with the airing of a new spot called “Crazy Pets.” The ad will air during the broadcast of the game on February 1, 2009 and marks the brand’s first foray into the Big Game.

The creative concept takes typical family scenarios that involve dogs and replaces them with other, unusual animals ranging from a water buffalo to a boar, to an ostrich. At its core, the ad celebrates the brand’s love of dogs and emphasizes how much better life is with a dog in it.

The airing of the spot ties into The PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive, an annual fundraising and awareness campaign the brand created five years ago as a means to shine a spotlight on the cause of dog adoption.

Crazy Pets” will air nationally following its debut during Super Bowl XLIII, and starting on January 26, 2009, can also be viewed at pedigree.com, along with behind-the-scenes vignettes featuring the “crazy pet owners” from the commercial.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COMMERCIAL? Leave your comment!

where's m. chat?

Thanks yet again, Wikipedia.

Monsieur Cat - the grinning yellow cat I mentioned a couple posts ago - has gotten into my mind and I felt I MUST try to seek more about him.

Turns out he has his very own website, which he shares with some Space Invaders also big in graffiti for a while. It's monsieurchat.free.fr, in French - but if you can play with it a bit like you do Yahoo Maps or Google Maps, you'll find a way to see all the M. Chats in the world. Tip: You can see a list by nation and city if you choose "Ville: Toutes," "Type: Monsieur Chat," and then hit the "Afficher" button.

Though the graffiti artist wished to remain anonymous, Wikipedia gives his name as Thoma Vuille.

Top Dog Breeds - 2008

The AKC has announce the list of Top Dog Breeds for 2008.

The breeds that made the top 10 list are the same as 2007, however a couple of breeds have switched rankings on the list.

The Bulldog has jumped two notches to land at #8, and the Shih Tzu and Poodle have both dropped one notch. Last year, for the first time since 1935, the Bulldog climbed its way into the top 10 list pushing out the Miniature Schnauzer.

And, for the 18th year in a row, the Labrador Retriever is once again the most popular dog in the United States.

a saintly geese post

Recently I found at my excellent local library Peter Watkins and John Stockland's Winged Wonders: A Celebration of Birds in Human History (New York, NY: BlueBridge, 2007). Contained within are lots of interesting cultural, biological and historical nuggets about a dozen-plus birds: the cuckoo, dove, eagle, owl, ostrich, raven, and robin, to name a few. I wish there had been a duck chapter as we all know how partial I am to them, but there IS one on geese.

I can't say I have ever found geese swell company like ducks. Rather pushy, geese are. I vividly recall one occasion on which I showed up to a relative's condo development with a basket of fresh snickerdoodles, only to be faced by a large flock of white geese in the driveway. Would they budge? No. Could I drive over them? I thought about it. And then I looked at the snickerdoodles, and - well, some sacrifices have to be made, so I jettisoned about six of them and drove like mad.

But there actually are Christian saints who have associated themselves with geese. Here is the pilgrimage badge of St. Werburga of Chester.

She died AD 699, and was a powerful force in convent reform, as she was one of the great abbesses of the Church in Britain at that time. Her badge is based on a deal she cut with some hungry geese:

One of her most famous miracles occurred at Weedon. The lands around the
monastery were infested by wild geese which devoured the crops and caused great
damage. One day, when they were committing their usual depredations, Werburga
drove them into a stable and left them shut up there all night. In the morning,
when the door was opened, they came running to her as if asking leave to go
away. She allowed them to depart in safety but charged them never again to come
marauding about Weedon. They flew off, but when they had gone a short way, they
returned and kept clamouring and fluttering about, until they made her
understand that one of their number was nefariously detained. She found that one
of her vassals had stolen and eaten the missing goose. She restored it to life
and full plumage to its companions and the whole flock took their departure. No
wild goose has ever dared to molest the agriculturists of Weedon since that day.

I got that from this page, which includes a stunning stained-glass portrait of the saint.

Puppy Bowl V Offers Alternatives for Non-Football Fans

If watching the Superbowl isn't your thing, there's an alternative: Animal Planet's 5th Annual Puppy Bowl. The unique show will air at 3 p.m. EST, Sunday, Feb. 1, on Animal Planet. While the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers go helmet-to-helmet at Superbowl XLIII, "Pepper the Parrot" will kick-off the Puppy Bowl with a unique rendition of the national anthem. Then twenty puppies listed on Petfinder.com will fumble and tumble on their own gridiron. Halftime will feature the cat capers of the Kitty Entertainers.
The focus of Puppy Bowl is pet adoption, and viewers can logon to Petfinder.com, the first and largest online, searchable database of adoptable pets, to learn about adopting or fostering a pet in their community.
The Web site lists about 200,000 pets on any given day at over 12,500 animal placement organizations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It has facilitated over 13 million adoptions since it launched.

Thought of the Day

"Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul- chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!" - Unknown

various, starring a teenaged kitten

I was at my local branch of Next to Nature's pet supply last night, stocking up on Wellness canned food in all the approved colors (oh stress, what color don't they like? Is it the green one?). The branch still has the 4 black kittens of an earlier post, now lanky teenagers. This one decided that since I was kneeling to give him a good scratchin', why then he would sit in my half-a-lap and relax. Oh isn't there anyone to give these darlings nice homes?

There's a film by the French documentarian Chris Marker called The Case of the Grinning Cat: "In November 2001, the filmmaker became intrigued, as did many other Parisians, by the sudden appearance of alluring portraits of grinning yellow cats on buildings, Metro walls and other public surfaces. Marker's cinematic efforts to document the mysterious materializations of this charming feline throughout Paris are a recurring theme of THE CASE OF THE GRINNING CAT."

Which led me to wonder about cat graffiti. And find some on Flickr.

kitty click

First things first: Ms. Winnie has a new pocket beagle brother. She needed a playmate you see . . . so meet Dexter.Is he not scrumptious?

Now: Oh boy, back to the feline arts, and today I do mean the feline stepping up to be not only the subject but the creator of delightful images. Let me introduce you to Michael Benjamin's cat Cooper, who once a week is outfitted with a Mr. Lee CatCam ("Will answer the amazing question what the lovely cat has done the whole day long.").

As Cooper's Flickr set shows, what the lovely cat does the whole day long is watch people leave, look at trees, even look at food. Many of the photos show the sense of adventure it takes to be a short little housecat in a big world. Many thanks to Robin and Finchy's mom TaraM for sending me the link, which made me squeal out loud at work. I do love a good photographer.

Science finds 3 types of fish are really 1

In an article posted on yahoo news, Researchers believe they have solved the puzzle of three seemingly different fish, one all males, one all females and one all juveniles. They're the same fish, and undergo remarkable changes as they mature.

"You can imagine it was a pretty exciting discovery," said G. David Johnson, an ichthyologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. "The pieces kept falling into place."

"And it tells you how little we know about the deep sea, Johnson said in a telephone interview.

The fish live in the sparsely populated deep water thousands of feet below the surface, though as youngsters they rise to shallower levels where there is more to eat.

Cetomimidae, a type of whalefish, had been known since the 19th century, but only females had been found.

Seemingly related species called Mirapinnidae, or tapetails, and Megalomycteridae, or bignose fish, were identified in the 1950s and 1960s. Tapetails were only found as juveniles and bignoses only as males.

Although their skeletons indicated the three were related, there were so many differences no one could believe they were the same fish at different sexes or stages in life, Johnson said.

But it turns out that is the case, Johnson and colleagues report this week in Biology Letters, a journal of Britain's Royal Society.

All three will now be classified as Cetomimidae, he said.

Johnson said the researchers were able to link the fish through comparative anatomical study and, once they obtained fresh samples, by their DNA.

The larvae are called tapetails because they grow long streamers, he said. The purpose of the streamer remains unknown, but several fish larvae develop similar appendages, so it must have some value, he said. They reside within 600 feet of the surface, a region well stocked with food.

As adults, however, these fish descend thousands of feet down into the dark ocean.

There is scarce food there and the females cope by developing a large mouth — a common trait among fish living in the deepest waters — and they even develop teeth in their gill area that can serve as an additional mouth.

Even stranger, males who reach adulthood don't eat at all. Having gorged as larvae, their jaw fuses and they develop a vestigial gut that only stores shells from previous meals. That's an advantage, Johnson said, because in the deep ocean "there's not a lot of food, you're better off taking your lunch with you." The males gorge as larvae and grow a giant liver, storing energy there to live on.

"This thing was basically a set of testes looking for the female," Johnson said.

The males also develop a large nose to sense smells in the dark water.

Meanwhile, researchers had noted that females have some unusual tissue, separate from the skin, on their body. It's not luminous, so Johnson speculated that this tissue may produce a pheromone that the big-nosed male can home in on.

Co-authors of the paper were John R. Paxton of the Australian Museum, Sydney; Tracey T. Sutton of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Takashi P. Satoh and Mutsumi Nishida of the University of Tokyo and Tetsuya Sado and Masaki Miya of the Natural History Museum, Chiba, Japan.

in chips of stone

I've just realized I seem to be on a dog kick for several days running here. But really, I can't help myself when I stumble upon things to show you.

For example, today I've found someone who has lovingly assorted many photos of ancient Roman mosaics featuring dogs - with a live dog thrown in.

Many are from Pompeii and Sicily, but you will see some from the outreaches of the Empire: Tunisia, Turkey, Alexandria. There's some from their new homes in the great Western museum collections: the British Museum, the Louvre.

The level of craft and detail can approach a brush's subtlety, and the spirit of a dog in action or at rest is easy to see and feel. Try this post at the Mosaic Art Source blog and see if you don't agree.

Winter Blues for Dogs

When the holidays are over, many adults tend to get the so-called winter blues. Affected people may have bouts of unexplained crying, desire for sweets, excessive fatigue, lethargy, depression, anxiety, and mood swings. But can dogs also feel the blues?

According to an article The Pet Place, dogs likely aren't feeling the same symptoms, but more likely, your dog is mirroring your own feelings.

For instance, some of the search and rescue dogs at the World Trade Center site got depressed because they picked up on the feelings of their human handlers, who were faced with a tragedy of unimaginable proportions.

The dogs were also at risk for depression because they were eager to succeed. They were trained to find survivors, and failure to do so was upsetting. To combat the sense of failure, human handlers "hid" so the dogs could "find" them. This boosted the dogs' confidence and self-esteem.

Dogs do have a hormonal response to the change in seasons. For instance, they shed their coats in spring and fall. But Dodman says it's a stretch to say that dogs experience the winter blues themselves.

Dogs do seem to be prone to cabin fever, like people. And even worse for them, they are not as entertained as us by watching old reruns or rented movies. But they do like exercise, which is the best tonic for winter blues for people and pets.

pictures of ms winnie

When Barks Turn to Brrrrs, It’s Winter

North Shore Animal League America Experts Offer Winter Tips for Your Pets

– Winter can be a marvelous time of year, especially for pets who love the outdoors. However, we must not forget the hazards that this season brings for our best friends. The pet experts at North Shore Animal League America , the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, urge pet owners to be mindful of the time their pets spend in the frigid outdoors.


Here are some tips to help keep your pets safe and comfortable:
1. Antifreeze and rock salt are poisonous to your pets. Make sure to keep these and other harmful chemicals out of your pet’s reach or path. For an extra measure of safety, ask your retailer about eco-and-pet-friendly products.
2. Feral and stray cats often take winter refuge under cars and can sometimes even make their way under the hood. Make sure the coast is clear before starting your car.
3. Be sure to wipe your dog’s feet (and stomach, with small dogs) after a winter walk. Rock salt or other ice melting chemicals can cling to your pet’s fur and he can ingest these poisonous chemicals when cleaning himself.
4. ALL PETS NEED TO BE INSIDE. Never leave your pet outside for extended periods of time, even in a doghouse. When the temperature drops, your pet can freeze to death. If you notice a pet being locked outside in the winter, be sure to report it to your local animal control facility.
5. Keep an eye on your pet’s water dish to ensure it did not freeze.
6. Short-coated dogs are especially vulnerable to the cold and shouldn’t be outside unattended for too long a time span.
7. Most people know not to leave their pets in a car in the summer, but the same goes for the winter. A car interior can get as cold as an ice box and a pet can easily freeze.
8. Check your dog’s paw pads for ice balls. If your dog is lifting his feet a lot or seems to be walking strangely, his feet are probably too cold or ice may be forming which can cause frostbite.
9. Keep your pet groomed. Knotted or matted hair doesn’t insulate properly. Brush your dog’s hair regularly in the wintertime especially.
10. Adjust your pet’s diet as necessary. If your dog spends a lot of time outside, he may need more calories in the winter to produce body heat. If your dog spends most of his time indoors and has a decrease in activity, he may require fewer calories. When in doubt, always ask your vet about seasonal diet changes.

For more information on the North Shore Animal League, visit www.AnimalLeague.org

maybe if more people had a duck in their life. . .

You can catch the second half of that sentence in the video below. Seems Joe Mansheim of Minnesota took an unexpected shine to a wild duckling that grew up to be his friend Frank. And once again I'm handed a textbook example of the positive life aspects of pet ownership.

puppy name update

Mr. Winston xox

Oh yes by the way -

My brother named his baby pocket beagle "Ms. Winnie," after Mr. Winston (see above), a dearly loved dog who passed on recently.

stereo dogs!

Oh boy! I am very pleased at what I have found to bring you today.

How about some vintage 3-D photos of people with dogs? I stumbled upon a site called "doubledogs," and found a page on "Doubledogs in history" - that is, a selection of stereoscope pix, along with some thoughtful text on most of them, apparently used as a teaching tool way back when.

There is a Belgian dog cart hauling milk canisters. There is Major, the Red Cross dog. There's a pet "helping" shovel snow. And a charming young sailor on a chaise longue with his dog (on the chaise!) and cat. There's more, too - click on the link and have a look!

Hallmark Contest

Hallmark is in search of real pictures of real bloopers -- that could become real greeting cards. Hallmark is holding an open call for consumers’ funniest photos, along with a corresponding “birthday” greeting. The photo and greeting will be judged and turned into actual Hallmark cards.

How it works: Just log on to hallmarkcontests.com anytime before Feb. 1 and upload your photo and birthday greeting.

Winning Big: Sixty finalists' cards will be printed and sold to the public (both at hallmark.com and in stores). They also will win $250 cash and become part of a secret humor card review panel. In addition, one grand prize winner will win $2,500 and their card will become part of Hallmark's regular humor line!

You can log on to vote for the winner at hallmarkcontests.com starting March 9, when the finalists will be posted.

---The Pet Haven is not associated with the contest ---

"a novel must be exceptionally good to live as long as the average cat"

That's a quote from Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (British, 1694-1773). Generally known as "Lord Stanhope," he was a politician and man of letters, a mover, shaker and manipulator. He was married to the illegitimate daughter of George I, whom I must say I didn't know HAD any "byblows." He was renowned for his manners and ability to turn a phrase, but his calculation and snobbery won him little warmth. He wasn't much for novels, it seems - he also remarked upon "The mere brute pleasure of reading - the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing."

At his death he left a lifetime annuity to his favorite cat and its descendants, probably the only creatures that never judged or used him.

(**Curator's note: I do regret my typing errors (now fixed). And Parlance, see comments, is actually right come to think of it. Grin!)

"Retro" Pet Fountain

Petmate's radically 'retro' stainless steel Fresh Flow Pet Fountain is trying to make fashion waves. These refillable waterers (if that's even a word) promote health by encouraging pets to drink more. The purifying pet fountain is ideal for homes with multiple pets.

I haven't tried it out, but if you have one, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

a vintage toy rabbit

Found on You Tube. The description read only "Vintage Battery Toy: Picnic Rabbit."

Identifying Overweight Pets

According to a 2007 study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 43 percent of dogs – approximately 32 million – are overweight or obese and potentially face serious health problems. Approximately 50% of all adult cats over 7 years of age are obese.

Many pet-owners are unaware that their pet is unhealthy or, according to a recent survey, may be too embarrassed to address the problem with their veterinarian or fellow pet-owners. Vets may even hesitate to broach the sensitive subjects of weight and obesity. Nationally recognized veterinarian Dr. Bernadine Cruz, DVM, one of the resident veterinarian advisors on MyPetCareTV.com, has put together a list of questions pet owners need to ask:

§ What is obesity?
§ How does this happen to my pet?
§ What are the medical concerns?
§ What can I do as a pet-owner?
§ Is medical intervention available?

Pet obesity is defined as being 20 percent over ideal body weight. Improved medical care, indoor living and nutritious food have contributed to pets living longer, healthier lives. But a plethora of dining choices and treats, along with pet owners who desire to lavish edible love on their furry family members, have contributed to the expanding problem of dog and cat obesity. Other causes can range from genetics and breed, to over-feeding, lack of exercise, boredom, and old age. Obesity can decrease your pet’s lifespan by 15 percent and decreases the quality of life your pet can live.

How can you determine if you have pudgy pet: with a simple Body Condition Scoring test. With your dog or cat standing, look down on them. You should see an indentation after the ribs. If it looks like a sausage, it’s fat. Place your hand gently on your pet’s ribcage. With slight pressure you should be able to feel its ribs. If you are pinching an inch, it’s fat.



So, what can you do to get your pet back on track? Dr. Cruz has put together some simple steps that can help you develop a “New Year New Pet” regime:

“Dogs are really the easiest to get to slim down. They are much more willing to go for a walk and thankfully most don’t know how to open cans or cupboards,” says Cruz.

Step one - keep the animals out of the kitchen when you are cooking and away from the table when people are eating. It is the rare person who can resist slipping a tidbit to that poor, poor pitiful creature staring at you.

Step two - If a dog just has to have a treat because it was the good boy or girl and went potty or some equally talented act…give it a green bean, a baby carrot or piece of apple. If the pet says ‘no way, where is the good stuff’ well you are exonerated because you offered but the pet said no. You can also give a piece of its regular dry food as a treat.

“Cats can be more trying. You can’t put a cat on a very strict diet or just try to tough it out for a day or two by offering food your cat doesn’t like and expect it to change its mind. They can develop a fatal liver condition. Slow is always best for a cat.”

Step one - Cats don’t have to have food available 24/7. Controlled feedings of measured amounts is best. If you must leave food out for your cat, hide it in various spots in the house in small quantities, and then the cat has to search for it.

Step two - Cats can exercise. They just prefer not to. Find what floats your cat’s boat. It may be chasing a laser light or doing acrobatics while playing with a string. Try to set up some regular “play dates” with your cat.

miw

I'm finishing up Michelle Moran's Nefertiti, a fine historical novel (and I am picky).

The story is told from her sister Mutnodjmet's point of view, as she observes her beautiful and strong-willed sister's fight for prominence and power as the Chief Wife of Pharoah Akenaten. Meanwhile "Mutny" tends her herb garden and heals people, her green eyes and intelligence leading her to be called "the Powerful Cat." Guess if I find her irresistable.

The Egyptian word for cat is "miw"; see it in hieroglyphics here.

And in the novel's course she is given the gift of a palace miw; it probably looked a lot like the present day Egyptian Mau.

In the i-cannot-resist department: Did you know a miw can tell your Egyptian tarot? Got $2.99? Holy cats, go here then.

Record-Breaking Aquarium

The Dubai Aquarium, which opened in November in the United Arab Emirates, has broken the Guinness Record for the "World's Largest Acrylic Panel." It is 108 feet wide, 27 feet high, 2.5 feet thick and weighs 540,989 pounds.

The largest panel before the Dubai Aquarium was at the Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. The Dubai Mall will be holding this record for a while, since the panel was the biggest acrylic that manufacturers could possibly make. The panel is made to withstand pressure from the 2,641,720 gallons of water behind it, while also being transparent so visitors can see the 33,000 animals on display.

a lovely turtle

(Thanks again Wikipedia Commons)

This peaceful scene is called "A Quiet Pet," and I'm pretty sure a turtle is as quiet as it gets. Well, maybe it makes more noise than a goldfish. Does this look a bit Pre-Raphaelite to you? It is by John William Godward (British, 1861-1922), whose work is often confused for late Pre-Raphaelite due to his vibrant use of color. He's actually considered a Neo-classicist, or as the movement is often wryly called, "Victorians in Togas."

After the crazy morning we've had here at the Museum - a bad litter mishap, medication into a very insulted Sally - I could stand an hour with a turtle.

Clownfish Attracted to Smells In Water

After clownfish hatch from their eggs in the ocean, they spend about 10 to 12 days floating freely in the ocean as larvae. After that time, they often return to the reefs close to the shore where they were born. The way they find their way back home has long been a mystery.

Researchers studying the percula clownfish have recently found that the clownfish may be attracted to the smells in the seawater. In a recent study, scientists showed that clownfish were attracted to water samples treated with anemones or leaf litter over other control sample scents. This suggests that scent or other chemical markers in the water are what allow the fish to find their way home. This is the first time that terrestrial causes of scent, such as leaf litter, have been considered.

(Published online http://journals.royalsociety.org)

pocket beagle redux!

A new face (and apprehensive, poor baby) arrives at the airport in Utah . . .

a representative of that elusive bunch, the Pocket Beagles.

Introducing a girl puppy who arrived from Queen Elizabeth Pocket Beagles to the warm loving haven of my brother's house (clarification: brother 1 of 3).

What's her name? Doesn't have one yet - it WAS Creme Brulee.

She will hang out, get some chub on her frame, get some lovin'...

She has evaded the wiles of Basement Cat.

I think I can link to this Google Books result on the Pocket Beagle from All about Dogs: A Book for Doggy People, by Charles Henry Lane and R. H. Moore (John Lane: London and New York, 1900). The woodcut illustrations in this book are strong, simple and harmonious - you will like them.

Beware of Plastic Bags Near Pets

We've all seen the warnings on plastic bags that they could be a choking/suffocation hazard, especially to small children. This warning applies to pets as well. Even bags we wouldn't think of as problems, such as a potato chip bag or a grocery bag, can get stuck over your pet's head and cause problems, even death.

Be sure to keep the bags away from your pets. Since pets tend to get into the garbage, it's a good idea to open bags at both ends before discarding. It's also best not to encourage your pets to play with or inside of plastic bags...if they must play in a tight spaces, paper bags are better (though still keep an eye on them), or even a box without a cover.

dogtown

You've probably figured out what a fan I am of William Wegman's work with dogs. I remember vividly when I discovered it: the Whitney, New York City, Spring of 1992. As much as I appreciate the craft and wit of that body of work, I also was pretty sure no one else could do anything like that at all well.

But I think there's somebody out there who's not too shabby. Cindy and Kirby Pringle live in rural Illinois now after years of award-winning photography and journalism. Their dogs Buster and Barney live there too, where they serve as inspiration for a bright, cheerful world full of "dog people." Human bodies, dog heads, in a pictorial universe filled with the everyday.

Well, if your "everyday" involves singing karaoke to chickens. Or living in a sky blue house.

So get some canine cheer from Dogtown Artworks - maybe your dog would like to be a part of that world too!

Top 10 Cat Names

The top 10 cat names for 2008, as reported by the nations top pet insurance company, were:

1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger
4. Tiger
5. Lucy
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Shadow
10. Charlie

Looks like Max and Chloe were a popular name for both dogs and cats...with Max being the number one name in both categories....I feel bad for people who have that name :-)

do you dance, minnaloushe?

Ah, one of the sweetest lines from one of my all time favorite cat poems, I'm sure you know it well: William Butler Yeats' The Cat and the Moon, from 1919. There's a full moon out tonight in a lightly wreathed sky after days of flooding storms up here in Washington State. What a relief to stand on dry ground and look up to that bright face.

A snippet of the poem:

Black Minnaloushe stared at the moon,
For, wander and wail as he would,
The pure cold light in the sky
Troubled his animal blood.
Minnaloushe runs in the grass
Lifting his delicate feet.
Do you dance, Minnaloushe, do you dance?
When two close kindred meet,
What better than call a dance?

Yeats was making a case for the cat and moon being kin, both subject to changes and mystery:

. . .Minnaloushe creeps through the grass
Alone, important and wise,
And lifts to the changing moon
His changing eyes.

I always mutter that last part to myself when events are moving faster than I can quite comprehend them.

This excellent page has the poem in entirety, along with a small verse Yeats wrote to entreat a squirrel. According to the commentator, that cat of the changing eyes belonged to Yeats' muse Maud Gonne, whom I really must look into more.

Top 10 Dog Names

So much for Fido and Rover. Here were the top 10 pet names for 2008:

Top names
1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella
4. Molly
5. Lucy
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Sophie
10. Chloe

a dodgson dog

Thanks, Wikipedia Commons.

Lewis Carroll -- he of Alice in Wonderland fame, real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson -- had a brother named Wilfred (1838-1914). And Wilfred had a dog named Dido. That's a feminine name, but I haven't discovered yet if Dido was a boy or girl. What I have discovered is a photo held by Princeton University that shows Wilfred and Dido together in 1857. Copyright politeness means I can't post it, but you can see it here.

I post so briefly partially out of worry for Sally cat - she has a terrible cold and ear infection, and is on antibiotics for the 3rd time. I would like to see her have something to eat tomorrow.

Man Dies Trying to Rescue Family Pet From Fire

WALKERSVILLE, Md. -- A man died overnight when he apparently tried to rescue a family pet from a house fire in Walkersville.

Michael Aquino, 50, apparently made it out of the house before returning to rescue a pet. His body was found in a second-floor hallway.

Aquino's wife, daughter and granddaughter are being treated for smoke inhalation.

------Although this story was a short blurb over the newswire, it does touch on how much family pets have become a major part of the family.

cat ladies throw your hands up!

Because the Italians have a name for us! Gattare. Singular, "gattara."
Yes, "gattare" are cat ladies, the kind souls who go about making sure the feral cats of Italia have food to eat. The name might not always be quite respectful, but that's their problem. Are you a cat gent? You're a gattaro.

I've posted before, a long time ago, on Torre Argentina, the great Roman cat sanctuary. But they've beefed up their site and you should visit again. Here's a story from the-colosseum.net about these half-wild royalty of the stones. And here, still in Italian, a page from Milan. (Go to BabelFish.com to translate.)

Here's a little tidbit from the Torre Argentina diary:

Wednesday, December 17 -- Pierluigi came with a gift for Vladimiro, 5 little cans
to be precise. We had the unfortunate idea to open these cans of exquisite cat
food in the office: we immediately realized how many cats were actually hiding
in the office, There was an out and out assault on the small portion that
Vladimiro knew was rightfully his; he deftly slapped Iron and Moulin Rouge and
then the other cats did not even dare to come close! Of course we felt sorry for
them and opened all the cans.

Sounds like my house!

Dog Biscuit Recipe

This recipe comes to us from the Healthy Pet Company who specializes in unique products for pets.

Let me know if anyone tries it out!

Peanut Butter Bonanza

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Brewers Yeast
1/4 Cup Wheat Germ
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk
3/4 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Canola oil
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flours, yeast, wheat germ, and powdered milk. Cut in peanut butter. Add oil, eggs and water. Combine mixture by hand. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out biscuits using cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet or parchment paper for 14 minutes.
Return the biscuits to the cooling oven to harden overnight.
Store in air-tight container.

roman cat names

I noticed recently when looking over my stats that someone had searched for "roman cat names." Usually they are looking for Roman DOG names - must be a bunch of Rottweilers out there? But it led me to realize I never did give our friend the domestic kitty equal Latin name time. So was there anything to find?

Why yes.

I didn't know that cats were kept as mascots by the Roman army, nor that Romans considered cats as household gods watching over the warmth and security of the home. And how's about these names!?:

BELLONA (Bell-Oh'-Nah; Female. ): Here's a name for an aggressive cat. Bellona, the goddess of war, seems to be a Roman invention. When a gladiator managed to outlive his many opponents, he was often asked to serve as one of Bellona's priests within her temple. . .

FERONIA (Fair-Oh'-Nee-Ah; Female): Not a very active goddess, but a goddess with a very beautiful name. She was simply the goddess of spring flowers. Pretty name for just about any cat.

SILVANUS (Sill-Vay'-Nuhs; Male): Some sources identify this Roman god of the wildness with the Greek god PAN, but most accounts are in conflict. There are several similarities however. Silvanus loved the outdoors. In fact, he'd rather be in the forests than just about anywhere else. One reason for this attraction to dark overgrown wilderness was his love of scaring unsuspecting travelers. . .

--- There's lots more. You'll enjoy this page, researched and writen by D. Marks and very well too.

Prepare for Problems With Fish

Recently, I didn't heed my own advice on having a fish tank. I didn't have back-up equipment that could have saved me a lot of trouble.

I had checked the temperature on my 55 gallon display tank one morning to find that there wasn't even a reading on the thermometer. The temperature had dropped so low, it was below that of the 68-degree low range reading. In fact, it had dropped to probably in the low 60s. For a tropical tank that is usually kept at 74 - 78, this could be quite a problem.

The source of the problem was a faulty heater. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't work. And who knows how long it had been out, since I hadn't checked the temp in a couple of days.

Now on to an emergency trip to the pet store...who didn't have the size heater I needed!! So, on to the next store who did have one on the shelf.

I was lucky...I didn't lose any fish in the long run. But for a $22 heater, I should have had one in reserve, even a used one, to insure my overall investment of fish. With fish tanks, one little error such as this could cause major fish loss.

The thing that saved me, I think, is that the temperature dropped slowly and I'm guessing the heater probably wasn't broken for that long. Fish are more sensitive to sudden temperature changes then they are to a more gradual change. Which is why it was important when I got the new heater to only increase the temperature by a few degrees ever 4 hours over the course of several days. I also added some ich preventative, since when fish are stressed out, they are more prone to disease.

I'm happy to report that all the fish are fine (and warm), but that I could have saved myself some time and aggravation by having a back-up.

lapland dogs

Image: thanks, Wikipedia Commons.

Every winter I find myself thinking what it would be like to live in the cold all the time. These folks are Saami, or Laplanders, in a photo taken around 1900-1920; the Wiki info listed the location as "Norway Sweden" - ? Normally they are concentrated in Finland. They herd reindeer, and use sleds pulled by dogs of a breed called the Finnish Lapphund. I'm very pleased to have found some featured so prominaently in this photo! A very old breed, these dogs have been domesticated for a long part of human time.

Speaking of domesticated, a nickel if you can spot the nice cup and saucer being held by a person in this photo. This reminds us all that civilization doesn't always have to stay put to be valid. People who rely heavily upon each other in their constant transit must require some very fine points of ethics and behavior.

Tips for Choosing A Vet

* Credentials: Is the doctor a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association or any other professional organizations?
* Hours: Do they mesh with your schedule?
* Location: Is it convenient to home and work? (Especially in case of emergencies.)
* Facilities: Do they seem clean and well-organized?
* Availability: How easy is it to book an appointment?
* Staff: Do they seem friendly and knowledgeable?
* Prices: Do they fit your budget?
* Experience: How savvy is the vet about any special health conditions your dog may have?
* Services: Do they perform diagnostics, such as x-rays and ultrasounds, in the office, or do you need to be referred to a specialist?
* Reputation: Ask friends, family members, and colleagues for recommendations.

Tips from the "DogAge" website.

a traveling dog of lore

From The Panchatantra, a Sanskrit collection of improving tales dating from circa 4th- 6th centuries AD, a tale of a dog who decides that home is best. I don't think that's always the case, but he's got a point. . .
***
In a certain place there once lived a dog by the name of Tschitranga, which means "having a spotted body." A lengthy famine set in. Because they had no food, the dogs and other animals began to leave their families. Tschitranga, whose throat was emaciated with hunger, was driven by fear to another country. There in a certain city he went to a certain house day after day where, due to the carelessness of the housekeeper, many good things to eat were left lying about, and he ate his fill. However, upon leaving the house, other vicious dogs surrounded him on all sides and tore into him on all parts of his body with their teeth. Then he reconsidered his situation, and said, "It is better at home. Even during a famine you can live there in peace, and no one bites you to pieces. I will return to my own city."

Having thus thought it through, set forth to his own city. When he arrived there, all of his relatives asked him, "Tschitranga, tell us about where you have been. What is the country like? How do the people behave? What do they eat? What do they do?"

He answered, "How can I explain to you the essence of a foreign place? There are good things to eat in great variety, and housekeepers who do not keep watch! There is only one evil in a foreign country: You will be hated there because of who you are!"
***
Oh dear. Does that mean I should never go back to Italy again?

Happy New Year

There is a song in the old musical "Damn Yankees" about "Gotta Have Heart" and the line "we gotta get better because we can't get worse." Nothing is more true going into the new year. A happy and prosperous 2009 to everyone and their furry, wet, slimy or pocket pets.

happy 2009! some posts i loved most

Yay! I certainly hope things get better for us all this year!

You know how the New Year usually brings out the whole "Best Of" thing? Well I'm not going to do THAT, but I did want to take a look back at a handful of posts close to my heart and sometimes funnybone.

There was The Amazing Skidboot, one of the most gifted dogs ever. I can't forget the gorgeous, scary mechanical tiger Shiva. And I still love those rabbits in Crispypaintings. Speaking of which, I can never forget that "that's rabbit's dynamite."

Do you remember the Italian skunks? Or the Aussie horse Bazzy Boy, who made me laugh out loud? I recall the good lessons learned from Dahni, the blind kitten. I wanted to include Sebastian the handicapped duck, but the link is gone - she (yes) left this life, and here's her YouTube memorial.

You know, when I think about "my favorite post," the one I always go back to is the cat in a knit squid hat. The concept was sheer surrealism.

That's enough now. . . More champagne (nip? bones?) for us all!