Brandy and Val

In the February 1 edition of New York Magazine, the cover story, The Rise of Dog Identity Politics, elicited over 100 responses on their blog.  I’m not convinced this article wasn’t yet another rehashing of so many we’ve read before about how we treat our dogs as pampered pets in today’s society but its’ scope was all encompassing in terms of the myriad levels of discussions it could provoke.  Two basic categories stand out:  the obvious, or superficial ways we humanize and treat our pets and the scientific, evidential studies that substantiate the underlying reasons for our behavior.

I don’t plan to detail the answers to all the underlying questions posed by the article but, they are definitely provide “food for thought” and will make for great dinner party discussions and ice breakers with fellow dog lovers at the next cocktail party. So, in no particular order, contemplate:

• What constitutes too much pampering for your pet? (Uh, like pet pedicures maybe and cologne for pets might be a bit over the top? I’m all for nail trimming, however)
• Should we really be dressing up our dogs?  What does it really say about us and our priorities when we are willing to spend as much on our dogs’ sweaters as that of our own?  (Yes, I do believe that some breeds need coverage while going for walks in cold-weather climes, but seriously, a Burberry coat?)
• Do you really think your dog knows the difference between a generic dog biscuit from the grocery and a carob-frosted donut from the corner barkery? (No, I really doubt he or she does but, to put it bluntly,  any food product that reduces the amount of poop and gas my dogs emit rate an A+ in my book)
• Is it misguided or wrong that in her will, Leona Helmsley earmarked billions of dollars to provide for the care of dogs and that was her only specific charitable request?  Regardless of where you stand on that matter, shouldn’t her wishes be carried out?  Why is it that so few funds so far have been distributed to animal causes?
• If you are a vegetarian or vegan, should your dog follow-suit? (aren’t dogs carnivores?  has anyone done a long-term study on the long-term health effects of a vegetarian diet on these animals?)
• Should all shelters be no-kill?  How should the animal population be controlled so there are fewer strays?
• How do we educate people that pet guardianship is a serious responsibility — adoption is for life!  We don’t give away kids that are problems do we? (ok, there are exception to every rule)
• Should all states enact spay/neuter laws for all pets being adopted?  How should that be monitored (won’t everyone who doesn’t want to comply say they are keeping their pet for stud purposes)
• Were too many resources used to help rescue the pets of Hurricane Katrina at the expense of helping human residents (since so few resources in this case were Federal, who is to judge?  However, the government does have pet rescue provisions in place for future natural disasters)

I’ll assume that the author of the article, John Homans, had fact-checkers, even though many of the scientific “facts” mentioned in his article were not specifically referenced.   In any case, we know beyond the scope of this article that having pets has a positive impact on our health and well-being both psychologically as a stress-reducer and physically in the recovery from certain heart ailments and that pet therapy programs have proven to be beneficial to the recipients.   Programs abound that study the relationship between animals and humans in addition to the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society,  Companion Animal Behavior Program at UC Davis and Animal Studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Given how much time, we, as humans, spend being mean and cruel to each other in this “dog eat dog” world, doesn’t it logically follow that the sky is the limit for the only creatures in our lives that love us unconditionally; the only creatures who are always there for us at the end of the day and first thing in the morning with a wagging tail and “smiling” face; and who can, in extreme circumstance, can save the day for us both figuratively and literally?

Now, I don’t really want to sound flippant about this since I am sure there are many irresponsible pet owners out there but, really, do we need a Responsible Pet Owners Month?  Is that akin to having a Good Parenting Month?  Let’s make some points clear:  animal abuse is bad; pets should be treated as valued and respected members of the family and given hugs, kisses, food, water, sleep, playtime, healthcare, shelter, etc.  like any other member of the family.  In fact, if one adopts a pet, there is the added responsibility of being “in tune” with it since he/she is unable to speak with us to tell us exactly how they are feeling.  Therefore, it is our responsibility to accurately learn to interpret how our pets are communicating with us and act accordingly.  Every minute that you have a pet in your life necessarily means you should be a responsible pet owner.

All the dog lovers I know eagerly await watching the Westminster Dog Show each year at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.  I am no exception.  Last year my husband and I went and we had a blast.  The most fun was meeting the dogs in back and watching them get primped and primed before their showings.  Oh the tortures many of those poor things go through!  Blow dryers, flat irons, curlers, sprays, gels, rubber bands galore are just of a few of the necessities that the groomers use to prepare the pup to perfection. It was also really fun to see the breeds’ personalities come to light when the dogs are all gathered in their “best of breed” rings.  For example, those ever-friendly Labs (Labrador Retriever rescue) always seem to have their tails wagging whether they are waiting to be judged or not.  The Mastiffs (Mastiff rescue), known to be rather lazy, are all lying down and falling asleep when they’re not “on” while the Viszlas (Viszla rescue)all seem to be bouncing in place doing their best to contain their energy but rarely sitting still.  The movie, BEST IN SHOW, is probably one of the best-known and funniest movies spoofing the whole dog show process.  For those who have not seen it yet, it’s a must.

Yesterday’s, New York Times had a cover story in their business section by David Segal: “Best P.R. in Show” describing the not-so-wonderful side of making a dog a star.  It was disheartening to read that, much like movies studios and the Oscars, ads are taken out in trade papers and magazines extolling the virtues of a dog to be shown in hopes of garnering a few votes and good-will from the judges.   The article goes on saying how much it costs to make these dogs stars:  easily 6 figures and that many of the dogs are now “owned” by several people to help defray the costs involved for traveling to shows; handling; training; placing ads, etc.  Hard to envision our loveable pets as commodities considering how much our dogs mean to us as integral parts of our families.

Nevertheless, we love to see the pups looking their best and we love to see all the different breeds.   This year, three new ones have been accepted to the competition:  The Norwegian buhund, the Pyrenean shepherd and the Irish red and white setter.   Who will turn out to be this year’s star and capture the “Best in Show” ribbon at the 134th Westminster?  Brandy, Val and I will be watching.

Yes!  There is such a thing and, as it turns out, Brandy and Val both LOVE to get their teeth brushed.  Various reports estimate that by the age of 2, 80% of dogs have some form of periodontal disease.  You brush your own teeth at least twice a day, why neglect your pets’?  Daily brushing is best, but even once a week will help curb the onset of “doggie breath” and gum disease.  In fact, with regular good brushing–remembering to get those back teeth!–your pup may never have to have professional veterinary treatment for teeth cleaning.  Think of all the money you’ll save!  If you have a puppy, start the brushing process immediately so they get used to it.  If you have an older dog, ehow.com has a great article on tips on how to acclimate your pet to the process.  In fact, from that article, there are several nifty articles linked to and videos on taking care of your pet’s teeth and gums.  Another great site and source of information is the AVMA and they too, have an informative video on dental health care for pets:

AVMA video on dental care

As far as toothpaste is concerned, there are several flavors out there:  chicken, peanut butter, beef, malt, vanilla-mint to name a few.  So experiment until you find the one that your pet will crave and teeth brushing will become a fun activity for both of you.

VAL:  As a Hurricane Katrina dog, I can’t help but root for my home team.  It’s very exciting that something REALLY good is happening in my former home town and I wish the New Orleans Saints the very best.  I’m also happy that Drew Brees and company had such an impressive season and that Jeremy Shockey will be able to play in this Super Bowl since he had to watch from the sidelines the last time he was in it playing for the Giants.

BRANDY:  I’m a Midwestern pup so I have to go with the Colts.  How can you root against a member of the Manning family?  Doesn’t make much sense to me.  Peyton and Eli  are not only great players but they’re nice guys, too.  I heard dad Archie was pretty good, too, in his day!

THE BET:  Winner gets to eat the other’s evening late-night treat for a week.

MOM SAYS:  Do you really think either dog will let that happen?!

As we wrote about previously, Brandy and Val is supporting the animal relief effort in Haiti by donating $5 from every sale of our children’s books and toys now through the end of February.   Our donations will be made to Best Friends Haiti Animal Relief, a member of ARCH, the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti. ARCH is an international organization, created by the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.  The American Veterinary Medical Association, AVMA,  has also joined forces with ARCH to help out.  See our blog post from January 20.

For continuing coverage and video, check out the ASPCA who is providing field reports along with the AVMA

AVMA video

Don’t think Haiti’s rebuilding much matters to the world or to the U.S.?  Think again!  Read insightful articles recently written for Newsweek by President Obama and Former President Bill Clinton.