kaspar, lucky number 14

London's Savoy Hotel prides itself so much on its quality of service that it will even provide you with a fourteenth guest, should you sit down unlucky number 13 at dinner. For whatever reason, your extra guest will be a cat. And to make sure the cat stays put, it's made of wood.

That would be Kaspar, a three-foot-tall sculpture of a black cat sculpted for the Savoy in 1926. When pressed into service, he is served every course, and is seated in one of the nice cushy chairs. For a little more of his story and some photos, go to Purr-n-Fur UK's webpage here.

the puppy takes over

Well, sort of - I've just been too busy with getting things settled here; that is why I haven't posted much. The sticker on the window says: "Dog is good."

Why Do Dogs Lick Us?

By Linda Cole

I have a dog who loves to lick legs and feet anytime she catches an unsuspecting bare foot or hand dangling from a chair. I also have one who will sit right beside me while I'm watching TV or working at the computer. Every now and then out of the blue, she'll slurp me on the side of the face. Do dogs lick us because we taste like salt, are they giving us a kiss, or is it more complicated with no clear answers?

Puppies are groomed by their moms to keep them clean and help stimulate body functions. This is warm and gentle, and feels good to them. The pleasant feeling of their mother's grooming leaves them with positive memories they carry into adulthood, and they may be trying to share those positive feelings with us.

We know wolf puppies and adolescents greet the adults returning from a hunt by eagerly gathering around them and licking them on the mouth and chin to induce a regurgitated meal from them. Licking is also considered a sign of respect, and is a submissive behavior of welcome given to the alpha and those who are higher in their social order.

No one really knows the exact reason why dogs lick us. A lick on the hand or face will usually cause us to scratch them behind their ears or pet them. So perhaps their lick is asking us to return their “kiss” with affection of our own. Often times, a lick is followed by tail wagging and a submissive posture in their body language which results in a playful reaction from us. So the lick could be their way of respectfully asking us to pay attention to them.

When we return home, most dog owners are greeted by their dogs with happy tails waving. Ears are laid back telling us how happy they are to see us. Their eyes sparkle as they wait for us to acknowledge them. In a way, they are greeting us with the same excitement wolf pups use to greet the returning hunters to their home. But they aren't looking for us to share food from the hunt, they are just wanting to say “Hi, I'm really glad you're home.”

Licking may be a subtle social activity and could be part of the body language of dogs. It's thought that wolves and wild dogs lick themselves and each other to help remove any debris left over after a meal. This helps keep them clean as well as removes odors that could let their prey know they are around. Even though our dogs don't need to disguise themselves or us from prey, it's possible dogs lick us because of an instinctive need for cleanliness that has been passed along from their wild cousins. But it could also be a stress reliever or something they do to help break up their boredom.

More than likely, dogs lick us to show their respect and by doing so, they are submitting to us and saying they understand we are their leader. I know in my pack, the dogs who lick the most are the lower ranking members in our social order. Most of the time when they lick us on the face, leg, feet or hands, they receive positive reactions from us. So in a way, we encourage their “kisses” by our response.

If we have been sweating, they may lick us because of the salt; however, no one knows this for sure. Dogs will lick interesting and intriguing smells they come across whether it's on us or somewhere else. Dogs may lick us because they smell our face, hand or body lotion. They may like the smell of the soap we use or maybe we just have a food smell that settled on our skin.

If a dog is nervous or stressed out for any reason, they may lick their lips and bite on their feet or legs while they groom themselves. Pay attention to compulsive licking because it could be signaling the dog has something that's upsetting them or there could be an underlying medical condition that is causing them to be obsessed with licking. A dog who licks furniture, rugs, concrete, walls, floors, etc. could be bored, but there could be something else going on. A trip to the vet can help you understand why your dog may be licking everything in sight.

In the long run, it doesn't really matter why dogs lick us. I take it as something they find warm and sociable. It's their way of showing us how much they care about us, and I'll certainly reward their affection anytime they want to share it.

Read more articles by Linda Cole

Surf Dog Ricochet: Changing Lives, One Wave at a Time

By Julia Williams

Some of you have undoubtedly heard about Surf Dog Ricochet, and you may have watched the incredibly moving YouTube video about her, “From Service Dog to SURFice dog: Turning disappointment into a joyful new direction.” If you have, then you know what an amazing canine Ricochet is. If you haven’t seen the Surf Dog Ricochet video, then I hope this article inspires you to do so— because the story of how this beautiful young golden retriever found her true calling and is changing countless lives as a result, is one that every pet lover should see.

Two-year-old Ricochet’s original path in life was to be part of the Puppy Prodigies Neo-Natal & Early Learning Program, as a service dog for a disabled person as well as a service dog breeder. Ricochet’s training began when she was just a few days old, before her eyes were even open. She learned quickly and showed great promise for becoming a service dog. But as she grew, so did her interest in chasing birds. Because this could be unsafe for a person with a disability, Ricochet had to be released from the service dog program.

Her people were terribly disappointed, but rather than dwell on what she couldn’t do, they chose to focus on what she could do, which was surf. You see, at 8 weeks of age, in addition to her service dog training, Ricochet had begun learning to surf on a boogie board in a kiddie pool. Although her surf dog training was begun just for fun, Ricochet displayed a remarkable natural talent for it. Moreover, she really seemed to love it.

Ricochet’s surf training progressed and before long she was “hanging 20” in the ocean, competing in (and eventually winning) Surf Dog Competitions. So Puppy Prodigies created a brand new job for Ricochet, as a ‘Surfin’ for Paws-abilities’ SURFice dog who would raise awareness and funds for charitable causes. And the rest is history, as the saying goes. In just seven short months, Ricochet has raised more than $20,000 for charitable causes!

Her first fundraising endeavor was last August, for 15 year old quadriplegic surfer Patrick Ivison. Surf Dog Ricochet raised $10,000 to help pay his medical bills, and one of her sponsors awarded Patrick a grant to fund three more years of physical therapy. Then in December, Ricochet began a new fundraiser: a Surfin' Santa Paws toy drive. About the same time, the inspirational SURFice Dog video went viral, which spurred an influx of donations from all over the world. As a result, Ricochet was able to provide toys for 650 children in hospitals and domestic violence shelters.

Continued donations from the video have allowed Ricochet to fund therapies for six year old Ian McFarland, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident that claimed the lives of his parents. Additionally, most of the surfing competitions Ricochet enters are fundraisers for animal charities. So besides having fun and competing, the “Little SurFUR Girl” (as she is sometimes called) is also making a difference in the lives of her four-legged cousins. When she’s not surfing or fundraising, Ricochet is involved in goal assisted therapy work with children through Pawsitive Teams.

I’m a firm believer in the old adages, “Everything happens for a reason,” and “When one door closes, another one opens.” I’ve seen enough examples firsthand that I don’t doubt this is exactly how the universe works. And now, the story of Surf Dog Ricochet is yet another fine illustration of these principles. Instead of greatly changing one disabled individual’s life by becoming their assistance dog, Surf Dog Ricochet is changing the lives of thousands... and potentially millions.

If you’d like to know more about Surf Dog Ricochet, you can visit her website, become her fan on Facebook, and even follow her on Twitter. And if you want to try teaching your own canine companion to hang 20, Ricochet offers some great beginner doggie surf training tips here.

There are two lines in the inspirational YouTube video on Surf Dog Ricochet that I just love: “When I let go of who I wanted her to be and just let her ‘be’ she completely flourished. And I reveled in knowing she is perfect, just the way she is.” She sure is. The video features the Taylor Hicks song, Do I Make You Proud. I just want to end this by saying “Yes Ricochet, you do!”

Photo courtesy of Diane Edmonds

Read more articles by Julia Williams

a jolly sportsman writes about his dogs, 1898

From the January 1898 issue of Sports Afield (Vol. XX, No. 1), in the "Our Friend the Dog" department: a very friendly, likeable letter to fellow readers, including mention of a long-awaited setter pup. By the way, note that this gentleman has no problem mentioning he still has his childhood toy. How cool is that?

* * *
MY DOGS.

Do you own a dog? Did you ever own one? Well I do and have owned more or less of them ever since I can remember.

The first dog I ever owned was when I was a very little "tot" hardly old enough to toddle. It was a little wooden dog, painted black, one ear was badly chewed up, not from fighting, but from the fact that I used it to cut teeth on; but, as I look at it now (I still have it as a relic of childhood days) I am inclined to believe the teeth must have been pretty well advanced. I think it was a "house dog" and a great favorite at that, for it was allowed to sit on the mantle, table, bed or most anywhere I happened to leave it.
One day I came to the conclusion that my doggie needed fresh air, so I climbed on a chair and reached for his dogship, but I must have made a miscalculation some where, for just as I put my hand on the dog, the chair tipped and down came I, doggie and all, including a valuable vase; as a result, I carried a red bump on my head for several days, and the poor dog had his head knocked off; but we stuck it on with glue and he didn't seem to mind it at all. The vase was forever beyond repair.
At present I am the possessor of two real live dogs. One is a genuine fullblooded Gordon setter and goes (and comes also) by the name of "Jeff." The other is a genuine full-blooded mongrel known as "Nat." Both are leaders of canine society and also seem popular with the common dogs of the neighborhood. Jeff is a dark complected dog, of medium size and splendid disposition. Nat is more of a fawn color, rather below medium height, but also of good disposition.

It would take twenty-five dollars to buy one (although he isn't worth twenty cents) but money couldn't buy the other. I have at different times been the owner of several bird dogs but none of them ever suited me as well, or gave as good satisfaction as Jeff.
As a rabbit dog Nat is good enough for me; Nat is also an excellent watchdog. If it came to a test I believe that either would fight to the death in defense of their master.

I have lately bargained for the purchase of a fine English setter puppy, which I hope to successfully train as a companion and successor to Jeff.

Get thyself a dog!

Morris Browning Rice, Rinloch, Missouri.

* * *

Night Calling: Why Do Cats Meow at Night?

By Ruthie Bently

The daytime noises have faded away, you’ve finished watching the news or the late show and finally gotten to sleep, and then your cat begins to howl. Because cats are nocturnal by nature, this is when they are most active. Have you ever been woken up in the middle of the night by your cat meowing? This is known as night vocalization, nighttime calling or night calling, and there are different reasons that our cats do it.

All cats use vocalization from time to time. They vocalize to connect to each other and to us as well. A mother cat will use it to call her kittens. A cat vocalizes to tell their owner they want food, water, to go out or that their litter box needs to be cleaned. Cats will even use it to let each other know where they are during a game of hide and seek. If a female is in season or there is a territory dispute, two males will use vocalization to warn each other before they square off for a fight, though this is known as caterwauling. Your cat may be disturbed by something they can hear or see outside. It may be as simple as your cat wanting your companionship and they meow to get you to pay attention to them.

There are many other reasons cats may call during the night, though. It could be due to insecurity, CDS (cognitive dysfunction syndrome) or they may be in physical distress. A newly adopted kitten, alone at night for the first time, may use night calling. It isn’t used to being away from its mother or litter mates, and might be a bit insecure being in your household. Night calling can also happen if you’ve adopted an older cat from a shelter that is used to being with other cats. A cat may go looking for a housemate that is no longer there and call them, trying to locate them. Senior cats will vocalize if they are hard of hearing or going deaf; if they can’t hear themselves they will meow loudly (like a person who has trouble hearing) to make sure you hear them. Sometimes it can be a bit more serious than this. Your cat may have wandered into a closet, a bedroom or an appliance, gotten shut inside and need your assistance to be released.

If you have a night calling cat, there are several things you can do to make life easier for all concerned. If they have a favorite toy, play a rousing game of fetch before you go to bed to help tire them out. A radio tuned to a station that plays easy listening or classical music can help soothe a lonely kitten or an older cat in the middle of the night. If this doesn’t work, getting a baby monitor might. Put one receiver near the cat’s bed and the other in your bedroom. When the cat wakes up you can reassure them through the monitor and help them settle back in.

A cat suffering from CDS may awaken and be disoriented; a night light or two around the house will help them reorient themselves in their surroundings and help them maneuver through the house easier. Moving your cat’s bed into your bedroom can help too. If they wake up and are disoriented you can reach down and reassure them with a quick pet. Putting a small blanket or towel in your cat’s bed that they can nestle into will make them more comfortable. If your house is a little chilly, a heated sleeping pad made for pets might also help.

My cats meow to me all the time and I answer them. Usually it is something as simple as a water dish that isn’t full enough for them or that they want to eat, and sometimes they just want to play. Thankfully, most of these conversations take place during the day. For those rare times when they do engage in night calling, I try to distract them with a catnip toy. While catnip does help to make my cats sleepy after they play with it, it can have the opposite effect on some cats.

The reason for your cat’s night calling may not be apparent at first, so you might want to schedule a checkup with their vet. If there is no medical reason for the night calling, try not to give in every time they do it. If they find out that you will come running every time they call out, they will keep doing it. By assessing the situation and dealing with it early, you can all get a good night’s sleep.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

Do They Still Use Sled Dogs in Alaska?

By Linda Cole

Alaska is a land that has not changed a lot over the years. Since joining the union in 1959, it is still one of the states with the lowest population. It's a land of beauty with mystery hidden in the landscape and behind every snowy hill. It’s a place where having survival skills and knowledge about the animals who share their home with the people make all the difference in the world. The heyday of the sled dogs is gone. They are no longer needed to move supplies and mail from village to village. So why do they still use sled dogs in Alaska?

For centuries, sled dogs were the best form of transportation available in Alaska. For many people living in the wild territory, the sled dog was their lifeline between villages or when out on the trail hunting. In the 1960s, the sled dog was largely retired from service and replaced with snowmobiles and airplanes to transport heavy loads and provide faster travel times between villages. However, just like someone who loves to saddle up a horse and ride the rich history of the old west, there are still those in Alaska who hitch their team up for a day of quiet and solitude with only their dogs for company.

Today, sled dogs are mainly used in Alaska to provide tours for recreational purposes. Visitors to Alaska have a chance to experience firsthand what it was like to travel by a sled pulled by a team of dogs. Gone are the days of requiring dogs to travel 80 miles a day hauling heavy shipments of gold or supplies. The mail route is silent as teams no longer need to deliver the day's mail. The Inuit Indian tribes have replaced their dogs for the most part with the snowmobile, although sled dogs are still used to a lesser degree to transport them to their hunting grounds.

There's no question that teams of sled dogs can be more valuable to those who have to travel large distances as compared to the snowmobile which requires gas to move. Dogs are quieter and can detect wild animals that may be lurking in the area. If any are around, the dogs can provide needed protection. A dog's instinct cannot be overlooked when it comes to being able to stay on a trail and knowing how to avoid dangerous cracks on frozen lakes as well as knowing when it's best to stay off the ice.

Sled dog racing has been around for centuries. Just as thoroughbred horse racing captivates people in the lower 48, dog racing draws spectators from around the world who come to watch and take part in the races. However, not everyone agrees with horse racing or dog racing. I know dogs used in sled dog races are bred to run and thoroughly enjoy it. I had the joy and honor of owning two Siberian Huskies and can attest that they loved to run any chance they got. Bred as working dogs, sled dogs are happy doing what they do best – just as herding dogs love to herd and search and rescue dogs love to use their exceptional nose to find someone who is in need.

My concern for any animal is how they are treated and cared for. Dogs can become injured while racing. Traditionally, northern dogs were the only breeds used in Alaska because they were able to withstand the harsh temperatures and climate of this arctic state, but today, a variety of breeds can be found among dog teams competing in sled dog racing and marathons.

The northern breeds and others that are trained as sled dogs love to run. Balancing safety and risk to the dogs cannot take a back seat to man's desire to race. I believe the dogs are monitored to insure their health and well being, and are being attended to by the people who own the dogs.

Today's role for the sled dogs in Alaska has changed from being a vital mode of transportation to recreational and sporting activities. Sled dogs will probably always be a part of the Alaskan landscape because it's their extraordinary history that made life possible in Alaska.

Read more articles by Linda Cole