SECOND ANNUAL PET ‘NET EVENT

Pet-Centric Bloggers & Site Editors To Raise Voices In Unison To Shine Spotlight on Pet Safety

Organizer Petside.com To Feature Event Hub At www.petside.com/pet-net-2009

New York, NY (October 15, 2009)—In an effort to heighten awareness about critical issues related to pet safety, Petside.com (http://www.petside.com), the popular online destination for pet owners and pet enthusiasts from NBC Digital Networks, has organized a consortium of some of the Web’s favorite pet-focused sites to launch the Pet ‘Net Safety Event on Wednesday, October 21.

On this date, each participating site and weblog will highlight content devoted to the important topic of pet safety, with Petside.com hosting a comprehensive one-page hub (www.petside.com/pet-net-2009) with links to all of the special coverage. Additionally, Petside will join forces with the Associated Press to conduct a poll and collect data on people’s behavior and attitudes related to the safety of their pets, the results of which will be released on October 21.

"Common household dangers threaten our pets on a daily basis," said Joshua Fried, Director of Petside.com. “By raising our collective voice at once, we hope The Pet ‘Net Safety Event will help focus some much-needed attention to these important issues.”

The inaugural Pet ‘Net Event took place in October 2008 and successfully employed the combined reach of a more than dozen websites to raise awareness about animal shelter adoption. This year, participating writers will focus their efforts around issues related to pet safety. Topics covered will range from holiday dangers to travel safety to first aid tips. Sites slated to participate in the second annual event include:

• Aarff.com (http://aarff.com/)
• About.com Cats (http://cats.about.com)
• About.com Dogs (http://dogs.about.com)
• About.com Veterinary Medicine (http://vetmedicine.about.com)
• Altoona Mirror’s Have Dog, Will Blog (http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/blogs.listAll/display/30.html)
• Baltimore Sun's Unleashed (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/)
• Daily Dog Scoop (http://dailydogscoop.blogspot.com)
• Examiner.com National Pet News (http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner)
• Houston Pet Talk (http://www.houstonpettalk.com/)
• Love Meow (http://LoveMeow.com)
• Paw Nation (ttp://www.pawnation.com/)
• PetDoc.com (http://www.petdoc.com)
• The Pet Haven (http://the-pet-haven.blogspot.com)
• PetiQuette (http://amyshojai.livejournal.com)
• Petopia (http://www.thestarryeye.typepad.com/pets)
• PetPeoplesPlace (http://www.petpeoplesplace.com)
• Pets Channel of MarthaStewart.com (http://marthastewart.com/pets)
• PetsitUSA (http://www.petsitusa.com)
• Polka Dot Pup (http://www.polkadotpup.blogspot.com)
• Romeo the Cat (http://www.romeothecat.com)
• She Scribes (http://www.SheScribes.com)
• Thoughts Fur Paws (http://thoughtsfurpaws.com)
• Timi Talks (http://timitalks.com)
• YouPet (http://www.youpet.com)
• Zoolatry (http://zoolatry.blogspot.com)

About Petside.com
Petside.com (www.petside.com) was created by NBC Digital Networks, in partnership with Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc., as a comprehensive source of information and services that helps pets and their owners get the most out of life. Offering customized content and a highly personalized experience, Petside.com is ranked among the top 5 pet Web sites and offers unique editorial features, expert Q&A's, tools and how-to videos.

Do Wolf-Dog Hybrids Make Good Pets?

By Linda Cole

I had an opportunity to see a wolf-dog hybrid several years ago. He was a magnificent animal, taller and heavier than a wolf. His father was a pure black wolf with intense amber eyes that followed my every move. The breeder who had the wolf and a dozen or so hybrids, told me not to let them know I was scared. OK, I wasn't afraid until she said that. It was obvious she knew her animals and what she could expect from them, but do wolf-dog hybrids make good pets?

A hybrid pup comes from two hybrid dogs, a wolf and dog, dog and hybrid or wolf and hybrid. The breeder answered all of my questions and was frank about the erratic temperament of wolf-dog hybrids. When asked if these dogs made good pets, her emphatic response was no. It takes a strong person who understands how to read a dog's body language and understands completely what they are getting into when accepting the role of pack leader to one of these animals. Her concern was selling a hybrid to someone who was only looking for a “cool pet” to show off and had no idea how to handle an animal that is half wolf and half dog. She had buyers sign an agreement to return the dog to her if they could not handle the dog once it reached adulthood. She didn't want the hybrid released into the wild by an irresponsible owner.

Like any animal raised by humans, wolf-dog hybrids have never been taught how to hunt and have no idea how to catch their own food. A lucky one might learn as hunger awakens his wolf instincts, but there's no guarantee and most would likely fall to the same fate as a dog who has found himself on his own with no hunting skills. A hybrid on its own is also more dangerous than a wolf because the dog traits can work against a wolf's natural fear of humans.

It's important to understand that wolf-dog hybrid breeders never know which characteristic or behavior will show up in the pups. One pup could be more like a dog whereas a sibling could be more like a wolf. Either way, a hybrid dog will never score bonus points in a dog training class. They do not make good guard dogs and, like a wolf, are more likely to retreat and let you deal with a burglar on your own. If no one is at home, he would probably watch quietly from his hiding place while you were being ripped off.

It's not impossible to train a wolf-dog hybrid, but close to it. They are quite capable of learning commands, but respond more like a cat than a dog to training. You know the attitude of a cat, “I'll think about it and get back to you.” We are able to teach our dogs to obey us, their pack leader, because a dog's behavior is similar to an immature wolf. Dogs rely on us for food, shelter and protection. In return, they learn our commands and show their loyalty by protecting us and their home. A mature wolf doesn't have the luxury of playing and no one commands them. They have to be independent in order to survive.

Wolf-dog hybrids will never fully accept a new dog into the pack. Because of the territorial nature of wolves, a hybrid sees a new dog as a threat. It's the dog who will suffer the consequences of an uneducated hybrid owner who attempts to socialize a new dog with the hybrid. Forget about cats or other small pets, and never leave a child alone with a wolf-dog hybrid.

Wolves are beautiful animals that have gotten a bad rap throughout history. They have been blamed for attacks made by wolf-dog hybrids who have been released or escaped into the wild. There has never been a verified recorded attack on or death of a human by a healthy wild wolf in the United States. I admire the wolf who has managed to survive despite human interference, but I would never want one as a pet.

Hopefully, those who would like to own a dog with wolf-like traits will do extensive research before bringing one into their home. They need to consider all safety issues as well as the added expense in insurance cost and potential fines from accidental bites and howling at 3 in the morning, along with other possible fines. And then there are the costs related to properly containing a hybrid and even the cost of destroyed furniture and walls if it's not kept outside, but it's not a good idea to keep one inside.

Wolf-dog hybrids do not make good pets for a variety of reasons. However, a responsible pet owner with expert knowledge of how to be a strong pack leader as well as an understanding of a dog's body language and what to expect from a wolf-dog hybrid, can make owning one safe for all family members.

Read more articles by Linda Cole

artist: nicole zeug - and a beloved dog

Image copyright Nicole Zeug, Arts and Dogs

This is one of my finds on DeviantArt: Nicole Zeug's 2008 aquarelle/watercolor portrait of her own Golden. I was pleasantly struck by the unusual angle in conjunction with her careful naturalism, making not only a rendering of a dog, but The (Beloved) Dog. Who hasn't thought of a much loved pet in these mighty terms now and again?

Her palette also adds to the sense of immediacy, reflecting the pale pure colors of observations made on a fine clear day. Appreciate, too, the fine rendering. Look at the fur rippling with the ear's bend, the soft leathery dog-lips, and the liquid eye (I do love that eye).

Dog collars and harnesses

Dogs are man’s best friend; they provide assistance to us in many different ways, not just as pets, whether it be detecting a bomb or assisting the disabled. In order for them to do this and more, ruffwear is necessary.

Dog Harness
This is control equipment for a dog, which somewhat resembles that of tack for horses. There are different designs available depending on your dog’s needs – they are common for assistance use for disabled people, but non-working dogs also commonly use these, especially if they are prone to pulling or slipping out of a conventional collar.

Dog Collar
A dog collar is attached around the dog’s neck. A collar can be used for identification, as a fashion statement, and to control your dog especially when you are walking them.

Identification tags are usually placed on dog collars. Collars are more common than dog harnesses and are usually used in conjunction with a leash.

When purchasing
In buying a collar or harness for your dog, always take into consideration the following:

The comfort and the material of the collar or harness. The material must be strong enough to hold your dog, fit perfectly and be not too heavy for your dog. A collar fits properly if you can fit your two fingers between it and the dog.

Consider the breed of your dog and their fur colour they have in order to find a collar that will suit them.

It is helpful to also check on the durability of the items, depending on how long you want the harness or lead to last. Some of the toughest leads and harnesses are made by the appropriately named manufacturer Ruffwear. There is a wide range of different manufacturers of collars and harnesses to choose from and many of these items can be purchased over the internet.

Pet Awareness Month

October is National Pet Wellness Month (http://www.npwm.com). SeaYu Enterprises has just sent me some surveys they did of customers to find out what matters most about pet wellness.

Pet owners in the survey consider nutrition to be the most important aspect of their pet’s wellness (60%) followed by affection/play (17%) and disease prevention (11%). An overwhelming majority – 94% - said they were concerned with the negative effects traditional cleaning products have on their pet’s health. With good reason - according to the Environmental Protection Association (EPA), typical household cleaning products and air fresheners are one of the leading contributors to poor indoor air quality. The agency reports that poor indoor air quality can lead to health issues; animals have faster metabolisms and smaller lungs than humans, and not only are they processing these chemicals at a faster rate, they are also breathing them in more rapidly. Because animals are closer to the ground, they are more often in direct contact with these harmful substances.

In the SeaYu pet owner survey, about half of the respondents reported that “smell” was their biggest pet cleanup issue.

Meet Sled Dog Racer Laura Vinnedge

By Julia Williams

As many of you already know, CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods has a long history of supporting a wide variety of pet-related charities, organizations and events that help not only our four-legged friends, but the people who love them. One of those that CANIDAE sponsored for 2009 was Laura Vinnedge, a likable young sled dog racer in Fort St. James, Canada.

Laura, now 18, began working with sled dogs at the tender age of 6. She went for a run with a family friend, and her passion for sled dogs was born. Until recently, Laura managed Cottonwood Kennels, a small racing/recreational operation with huskies ranging from yearlings to age 9. With high school behind her, Laura’s thoughts turned to her future. She knew she wanted to attend college, but debated about taking a year off from school to work for a tour company and earn some money for her tuition.

In the end, Laura decided not to take that break from school, but to enroll in the University of Victoria this fall. With this decision came another, much more difficult one – what would she do with her beloved sled dogs? Laura knew it wasn’t fair to the dogs to keep them at her home, where no one could train them. Mushing is a very demanding sport, both physically and mentally, and when in training, Laura’s dogs run 5 days a week for 6 to 40 miles. Thus, she found herself with the sad task of finding a place where her dogs would have the opportunity to do the work they love to do.

Four of Laura’s dogs headed off to a tour business in Revelstoke, Canada; one stayed in town to lead a recreational musher’s team, one returned to his previous home, and three will “retire” and spend their time lazing in the sun and going for leisurely walks. In a letter to CANIDAE thanking them for their support, Laura said she is certain she will be returning to sled dogs in the future, because “they are such wonderful, honest, affectionate animals that it will be impossible to stay away.” But for now, she must bid farewell to the beautiful creatures she dearly loves.

“I am the coach, the trainer, the nutritionist and motivator. But my dogs are the true athletes, and that sled sure won’t be going anywhere very fast without them. Sled dogs possess boundless stores of energy, trust and enthusiasm. I am very lucky to have been able to share my life with these amazing creatures,” Laura said.

As part of their sponsorship of Cottonwood Kennels, CANIDAE supplied Laura and her dogs with their Grain Free Salmon Formula. Laura said all of her dogs love the CANIDAE food, and performed wonderfully on it. Because sled dog racing is such a high-stress, high-demand sport, the dogs need top-notch nutrition to ensure they can perform comfortably and to the best of their ability. After switching to the CANIDAE Grain Free Salmon food, Laura said her dogs had excellent weight, lustrous coats, improved endurance and heart rates, and calm demeanors. “I am confident in recommending this food to other racers as a top performance formula,” she said.

Best of luck to you in your studies, Laura – and in your future sled dog racing endeavors too!

Read more articles by Julia Williams

it's vintage photo time again: you weren't expecting this

copyright: me, now

Okay. This is not a pet per se. Nobody should have a pet elephant (and that includes the circuses: just Google "elephant circus" if you want to get bummed in a hurry).

(Oh and don't encourage elephant exploitation in Thailand. Google that, too.)

But I mean, come on, somebody a way back got up close to an elephant and took its picture.
You actually think I could pass that up?

(For a look at people who love and heal sad elephants, try going to Elephant Nature Park.)