Brandy and Val

As I walk our residential, bucolic neighborhood with Brandy and Val, I am increasingly concerned about the seemingly growing number of unfriendly dogs I see, both on-leash with their guardians and left alone to roam their yards behind the “safety” of the invisible fence.  I pretty much get unnerved because, should one of these pets go after Brandy and Val, I’m at a loss as to how I can control the situation given my pups’ size and strength.  I am even more fearful that Brandy and Val might get pissed off enough to retaliate and who knows what would happen?   Luckily, 99% of the time Brandy and Val stare down these snarling canines in sheer contempt, never uttering a sound and walk on by.  The other 1% of the time, Brandy will bark and express her feeling about who she feels is really the boss and then move on with that, “I did good, huh, mom?” attitude.   Val always remains unflustered–silent Bob we call him for all those CLERKS fans out there.

Last year, I wrote a post about how to break up a confrontation after one the of the local dogs did take aim at Brandy and Val.  I think I’ll reread my post and its’ advice!  Either way, what I really want to know is, why are these dogs so apparently mean?  Are they really or do they just sound nasty?  Are they being socialized properly or what is the story?

Apparently, I am not alone in my concerns as a city version of my encounters made headlines in the story “Civility on the Way Out? Add Dogs to That List” Dogs being interviewed by co-op boards are not unusual now; dogs being relegated to service elevators; dogs having surgeries to remove their barks are not unheard of, as well.

But why?

We all love our dogs but, like our kids, they need to be trained, socialized and “allowed” to grow up (Get over it!  Your pooch does NOT need to be wrapped in goofy clothes and carried around like an infant in a Birken or LV).   As we ourselves become less socialized as our eyes remain glued to phones or texting as we walk down the street, do our dogs sense a disconnect as well?  Do we not mind that many may no longer be socializing our pets to get along with others?  What do you think?

ARGH, what next?

Welcome to 2011!  I am sure we all have made some resolutions, consciously or not,  and as I pondered mine and this time-honored tradition, I came across two really interesting articles.  Both really highlighted how much we benefit from having pets in our lives.  How many of these points can you shake your head in agreement with?  Better yet, what can you add to the list?

In the January issue the magazine REAL SIMPLE outlines 5 simple things your pet can teach you and in a blog I found from the NEW YORK TIMES, “What Pets Can Teach us About Marriage” makes you re-consider how maybe you treat your spouse vs. how you treat your pet!

1)  Celebrate everything:  How many times have you walked into your house from being away, be it 5 minutes or 5 days, that your furry friend greets you with unabashed love and celebration?  Do you greet your spouse that way in the morning or after a day at the office?   AND, how many times do you think, “boy, I wish I could be that happy all the time.”  If only we took this to heart–start NOW.

2)  Just being Present is enough:   Are you one of those who tries too hard to figure out what to do in those awkward situations?  Maybe “just being there” REALLY is enough….HELLOOOOO…..

3)  Brain size doesn’t matter:  You have to believe that “people are smarter than animals”.  Technically, yes, but sometimes, ok, oftentimes, I wonder……either way, we do share many of the same emotions as our pets. Celebrate the joy, minimize the stress!

4)  Don’t Try So Hard:  Well, sometimes, we do need to try harder, but, what would happen if we truly eased up on a lot of stuff?????

5)  You can get along with anybody:  I definitely need to work on that one

6)  After an argument, do you forgive your spouse as readily and as easily as you do your pet when he/she slips up?

So, after reading this, what do you think?

Brandy and Val makes it a mission to “to good where good is needed.”  That’s something I’ve learned from them, too!

Sunday’s NEW YORK TIMES revealing article, THE ANTI-CRUELTY SYNDROME finally correlated what many animal rights supporters, animal lovers and the like, have believed all along:  there is a definitive link between animal abuse and other forms of violence. DUH!  There is enough convincing scientific evidence out there that now local government agencies are willing to put resources to work that  help track down these violent offenders of animals and also help rehabilitate them, too.  The article points out that animal cruelty awareness is getting its’ just due in this country and that 46 states have laws on the books making various forms of animal abuse a felony.     Perhaps this is great opportunity to revisit the implications of the recent Supreme Court ruling which overturned a federal law that made it a crime to create or sell dogfight videos and other depictions of animal cruelty.

The whole article is certainly worth reading, chock full of facts and programs that are being tested and used in communities.   As participants in pet therapy programs, we have always endorsed and mentioned organizations that use animals in helping to teach empathy and responsibility to people.   We’ve also talked about the healing and rehabilitative effects of being near or having an animal in one’s life.   In a twist of irony, the article goes on to say that those who are animal abusers benefit from prolonged exposure working with animals and that equine-therapy programs are especially good at this.  We already know that victims of abuse and emotionally withdrawn individuals benefit from the many pet therapy programs out there, too.

Whether it be the abused,  the abuser or the rest of us, it’s time to acknowledge, respect and benefit from  the power of animals.  Brandy and Val have known this all along!

Brandy and Val are my two rescue dogs that are out and about in the community working with children.  It is through their pet therapy work and the sales of their books:  BRANDY AND VAL; BRANDY AND VAL’S FAVORITE THINGS and BRANDY AND VAL’S SPECIAL STORY that the goal of “doing good where good is needed”  can be realized.  Animal sanctuaries and rescues throughout the country benefit from every purchase!

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.

New York Times/Nov 1, 2009

Provocative article in the “Week in Review” section of  November 1 NEW YORK TIMES:  Good Dog, Smart Dog Many of us are already aware of the human-like and super-sensory capabilities our canine friends possess.  They are so prominently on display in the roles of service dogs–in search and rescue capacities (think 9/11, Hurricane Katrina), pet therapy (soothing anxious patients in hospitals or making contact with autistic people), seizure and psychiatric service dogs and seeing eye dogs to name a few.  However, the verdict is still out as to whether dogs can actually think like humans or whether it is a combination of training and dogs’ keen awareness of the people around them that explains this perception.

Research on these topics is discussed citing studies by scientists in Hungary, Germany, that of  Clive D. L. Wynne at the University of Florida, and reknowned psychology professor Stanley Coren, the author of several books on dogs, including The Intelligence of Dogs and Why We Love the Dogs We Do.  The U.S. Army is even now planning to study how psychiatric service dogs might help soldiers cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

How often does one hear the phrase, or some variation of, uttered in dismay or disgust, “my dog has more brains than he/she does.”  Well, maybe one day the evidence will confirm that.  In the meantime, we can simply refer to Dr. Coren’s rankings of the 100 most intelligent breeds where Border Collies, Poodles, Retrievers, Labradors and Shepherds round out his Top 5.