DogBurg » Jim Navary

So Quiet on the Western Front – 1930 Dogville Comedy Short

Jim Navary — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:36:42 +0000

So Quiet on the Canine Front is our fourth installment showcasing the MGM short comedies in their “Dogville” series released between 1929 and 1931. This 1930 short is a parody of the classic “All Quiet on the Western Front” with an all canine cast.

So Quiet on the Western Front

When Will My Puppy Be Fully Grown?

Jim Navary — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:20:23 +0000

“When is a puppy fully grown?”

That question is probably not foremost in your thoughts when you bring a new puppy into your life. That adorable little face, those huge soulful eyes, and that cute wiggle when he walks are what come to mind when thinking about your new pup. But gradually, as your puppy gets older and perhaps a bit destructive, you may find yourself wishing that he would grow out of some of those youthful traits and begin acting more like an adult dog. By the time he’s chewed your third pair of shoes you will probably begin to wonder…

“When will this puppy be fully grown?”

Happiness is a warm puppy -- Charles Schulz

Although there are some similarities between early development stages of puppies and human babies, the process is considerably quicker for canines.

Newborn puppies go through many changes during their first three weeks . They open their eyes, take their first steps, and begin to act like a tiny dog. During this early stage they are not really aware of the world beyond ”mom” and siblings.

Somewhere between the third and fourth week your puppy’s senses of sight, smell, and hearing rapidly develop. All of a sudden he’ll discover that there is more to his world than just his canine family. His relationship with his new human family begins to take shape. This is a critical time for the development of your puppy’s personality and behavioral traits. Take care to avoid stressful or traumatic experiences as they may significantly influence how your dog will behave as an adult.

Your puppy will begin learning proper pack “etiquette” during the fifth through seventh weeks. If he begins to bite inappropriately or play too rough, his mother will correct him. These early lessons provide some of the social skills he will need as he interacts with humans and other dogs.

For the first three months of his life your puppy will experience many new things. Whenever possible, try to make these learning experiences positive. In doing so you are much more likely to avoid behavioral problems as he enters adulthood.

After three months or so your puppy enters a “toddler” stage of development. He gains more independence and tries to explore his world as he sees fit, not at the prompting of his mother or his human family. Shoes, furniture, books, and just about anything within reach will fascinate him. He will also learn what they taste like as he begins teething. This is a good time to begin very basic obedience training and establish your role as pack leader.

Your puppy will reach adolescence at around six to eight months, well on his way toward adulthood. Although the transition from adolescent to adult varies, depending upon the breed (or mix of breeds), you can be pretty sure that he has reached adulthood by the time his second birthday rolls around.

That’s when a puppy is fully grown.

Canine Photo of the Day: Sunny, the Irish Setter

Jim Navary — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:15:17 +0000

Sunny, the Irish Setter

This pretty Irish redhead is named Sunny. She is a 5 year-old Irish Setter now residing in Georgia. Sunny is available for adoption from Save Our Setters, Georgia Office. She’s looking for a loving forever home anywhere in the USA. Save Our Setters states that transportation can be arranged to just about any place in the country.

To learn more about Sunny, her adoption procedures, and the Save Our Setters organization, just click on Sunny’s photo.

Pool and Water Safety for Dogs: The Skamper-Ramp

Jim Navary — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:31:06 +0000

When a pet or wild animal jumps or falls into a pool, walled lake or pond, without a way out, the animal will eventually drown from exhaustion brought on by panic or fatigue. Though drownings occur by day, they occur most often at night, leaving the pool owner or lakefront resident with that cruel surprise of a dead pet or animal floating in the pool or skimmer basket.

Skamper Industries LLC manufactures and distributes the animal rescue device known as Skamper-Ramp® - in two sizes: regular and Big Dog. This patented device (US Patent # 664389, Trademark registration #2867405) is attractive, affordable and most important, it works! Skamper-Ramp safeguards against finding any dead animals in your pool and, in particular, the tragedy of finding your own beloved dog drowned. It also works successfully with docks and boats.

FACT: Over 51% of all pet owners have a pool and/or spa…and that doesn’t include those with docks, boats or live on/near a canal.

FACT: Most people don’t realize that while the majority of animals can swim, they can’t necessarily get out by themselves. How many non-pet owners do you know who enjoy coming outside in the morning and finding dead frogs or other “critters” floating in the water? In fact, frogs are often found in the skimmer basket because they think it is a cave leading out of the water!

FACT: Pools are perilous to pets! Many pet owners try to protect their pet by training it to swim to the pool steps to get out of the water. This works fine in a daylight, non-threatening environment, but at night or if panicked, a dog will panic and forget it’s “landmark”… Animals can not see the steps for the very simple reason that they are under the water! That’s why when a pet or animal drowns it is a preventable accident! No one wants a drowned pet, that is considered a family member in most households, on their conscience….

PROBLEM: Water safety, particularly pool safety is important for pets just like children. Would you leave a child unattended by the pool? Of course not! Children are given swimming lessons at a very young age. Some even as infants.

Certain pets need to be trained how to get out of the water! Even if a dog is a good swimmer it can be spooked and get panicked. Some solutions, like fencing in the pool, using a water alarm (such as Safety Turtle), or having a flotation vest on hand all are wonderful layers of protection. But accidents happen – fences/gates get left open, you may not be around to hear the alarm and you don’t leave a life vest on 24/7.

Dog in Pool

Don’t even risk an accident. There is a viable and relatively inexpensive solution that is readily available.

SOLUTION: Skamper-Ramp is white and it angles down into the water, enabling your pet–and other critters to see it leading out, day or night, 24/7. Skamper-Ramp provides peace-of-mind because your pet (or the critter you didn’t want to see there in the first place!)can ‘scamper’ out of the water–pool or walled pond, even back on a dock or boat all by itself.

Dogs are the only animals that have to be trained to use the Skamper-Ramp. Cats, ferrets, rabbits, possums, frogs, snakes, even spiders all go to it instinctively.

Skamper-Ramp comes in two sizes, both capable of holding 200 lbs: regular Skamper-Ramp , for smaller, short-stride animals frequent and/or emergency use, and the Super Skamper-Ramp, for larger pets with longer stride length and/or for any size pet if used with a dock or boat.

Click here to review/purchase the regular Skamper-Ramp

Click here to review/purchase the Super Skamper-Ramp

Canine Photo of the Day: Obie, The Cairn Terrier

Jim Navary — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:26:47 +0000

Obie, 1 Year Old Cairn Terrier

This cute little guy is a one-year old Cairn Terrier named Obie. Obie came from a local Ohio shelter where he came in as a stray. He is a typical Cairn with lots of energy and VERY smart. He does fine with a submissive dog but he wants to be the boss. He is very playful and weighs 21 pounds. Obie is neutered and up to date on his shots. He is currently available for adoption, under the care of the Purebred Rescue Organization of Ohio in Bellbrook, Ohio.

To learn more about Obie and the Purebred Rescue Organization of Ohio, please click on the photo.

Commercial Dog Food – Is It Hazardous To Your Dog’s Health?

Jim Navary — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:57:37 +0000

Over the past few years, concerns about the ingredients used in dog food have steadily grown. News reports of pet food recalls have become all too common giving dog owners good reason to be concerned.

The vast majority of dog owners rely on commercially produced dog foods found in grocery stores, discount variety stores, and similar popular markets. These include both nationally advertised brands and generic “store brand” products. Of course, we all expect these products to be healthy foods for our dogs, not harmful or downright deadly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has responsibility for establishing and enforcing pet food standards. The FDA mandate requires compliance as follows:

- accurate labeling of products

- cannot contain harmful or questionable ingredients

- Produced in a sanitary, bacteria-free environment

- Must be safe for consumption for all pets.

All pet food manufacturers and processors who make dog food for distribution within the United States are required to comply with these standards. Unfortunately the FDA, due to limited resources, can only investigate a company when they are convinced that the pet food poses a serious health threat, based upon reports of death and serious illness. Of course, by that time, it’s much too late for those unfortunate pets who were affected by eating tainted food.

The FDA has established a listing of dog food product recalls, both mandatory and voluntary: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/index.cfm

Unfortunately, it appears that the FDA has not updated their list since June, 2008. However, a quick glance at the recalls that occurred between March 2007 and June 2008 shows the widespread nature of commercial dog food health issues. Recalls issued over that 16-month period include:

ALPO
Americas Choice, Preferred Pet
Authority
Award
Berkley & Jenson (Salmonella)
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Blue Buffalo (RICE GLUTEN)
Bruiser
Cadillac
Canine Caviar Pet Foods (RICE GLUTEN)
Champion Breed Lg Biscuit
Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuits
Co-Op Gold
Companion
Companion’s Best Multi-Flavor Biscuit
Compliments
Costco/Kirkland Signature (RICE GLUTEN)
Demoulas Market Basket
Diamond Pet Food
Diamond Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Doctors Foster & Smith
Doctors Foster & Smith (RICE GLUTEN)
Dollar General
Eight In One Inc (Salmonella)
Eukanuba Can Dog Chunks in Gravy
Eukanuba Pouch Dog Bites in Gravy
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Gravy Train
Grreat Choice
Hannaford
Happy Tails
Harmony Farms (RICE GLUTEN)
Harmony Farms Treats (RICE GLUTEN)
Health Diet Gourmet Cuisine
Hill Country Fare
Hy Vee
Hy-Vee
Iams Can Chunky Formula
Iams Can Small Bites Formula
Iams Dog Select Bites
Jerky Treats Beef Flavored Dog Snacks
La Griffe
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Mars Petcare US Inc (Salmonella)
Master Choice
Meijer’s Main Choice
Mighty Dog
Mixables
Mulligan Stew Pet Food (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Balance (RICE GLUTEN)
Natural Life
Natural Way
Nu Pet
Nutriplan
Nutro
Nutro – Ultra
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nuture
Ol’ Roy
Ol’ Roy 4-Flavor Lg Biscuits
Ol’ Roy Canada
Ol’ Roy Peanut Butter Biscuits
Ol’ Roy Puppy
Ol’Roy (Salmonella)
Ol’Roy US
Ol’Roy US (Salmonella)
Paws
Perfect Pals Large Biscuits
Performatrin Ultra
Pet Essentials
Pet Life
Pet Pride / Good n Meaty
Petrapport Inc. (Salmonella)
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Royal Canin (RICE GLUTEN)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (RICE GLUTEN)
Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels
Schnuck’s
Schnucks
Shep
Shep Dog
Shop Rite
SmartPak (RICE GLUTEN)
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Stater Brothers Large Biscuits
Stop & Shop Companion
T.W. Enterpriese (Salmonella)
Tops Companion
Triumph
Truly
Weis Total Pet
Western Family Canada
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

: Hazards of Commercial Dog Food

Many world-famous Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and published Dog Care Experts universally agree any dog that eats commercial dog food is at a much higher risk of dying prematurely and by the time symptoms are noticeable, it’s often too late to prevent an agonizing death except by lethal injection.

Read their shocking, research-supported claims in a report by dog care expert, Andrew Lewis. Mr. Lewis produced this report after the unexplained death of his canine companion. During his research he accidently uncovered a cover-up he estimates as being responsible for over 80 percent of dog deaths. His report also teaches dog owners, step-by-step, how to avoid a similar situation and includes a simple solution proven to not only increase the lifespan of dogs by up to 134 percent and save thousands of dollars in dog care costs. To access his report please click this link to DOG FOOD SECRETS.

Canine Photo of the Day: Otis, the Border Terrier Mix

Jim Navary — Sat, 30 May 2009 15:20:26 +0000

Otis, the Border Terrier

This cute little bundle of fur is a Border Terrier mix who answers to the name “Otis”. Otis is about 6 months old. He is neutered, has an identity microchip, and is housebroken. He has learned some obedience commands and a few tricks as well. While he’s good with other dogs and with cats he would probably do better in a forever home with no small children.

Otis is currently staying with the kind folks at Bichon and Little Buddies Rescue of Mukwonago, Wisconsin – near Milwaukee. He desperately wants a new chance at life. To learn more about Otis and his care-givers, please click on his photo.