Doodles: Could these be the Perfect Family Pet?

Golden Doodle and LabraDoodle: Could these be the Perfect Family Pet?

by The Car Family

All types of zoology lessons

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/zoology/

We can’t help but be amazed at Man’s creativity when it comes to canines. Dogs were the first animals domesticated and with that came the ability to control cattle, goats, sheep, as well as being a hunting partner and protector.

Since all dogs come from the much maligned wolf, one has to wonder how this transformation from wild animal started. Research done in Russia on foxes revealed that some were more inclined to interact with humans. Those were bred and over time these animals gradually became less fearful of humans and even wagged their tail, among other things, showing how domestication might have evolved.

Today, the world’s largest dogs weigh over 300 pounds and the smallest just a few pounds and yet they are from the same wolf stock. Indeed, Man is still at it and within the last couple of decades a new breed has emerged that combines the traits of three of the most popular and intelligent dogs. The new breed can be called a Labradoodle or a Golden Doodle, depending on whether a Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever was bred with a poodle. They come in three sizes with a weight range from about 20 pounds to over 100 pounds. The breed started in Australia as breeders attempted to find a guide dog for blind individuals who had allergies. The result was a success and has so quickly caught on with the public that in ten years its has gone from number 159 on the list of most popular breeds to number 31, according to the AKC, which, ironically, does not recognize it as an official breed.

Doodles are very affectionate and gentle dog and are usually highly social and get along well with everyone. They can be good good watchdogs, but not guard dogs,as they usually are into tail wagging as opposed to growling. They are exceptional service dogs and have been listed as one of the best breeds with children.

The Doodles are called designer dogs or hybrids because you never know which characteristics from the two parent dogs will be exhibited. Those variables include coat color, type of hair, and size. The two traits they appear to all have is that of an exceptional intelligence and being people friend1y. The Doodle are easy to train and respond well to positive reinforcement. They usually love to swim, and are good retrievers to the point that you may end up with a dead gopher or bird on your doorstep. Good dog.
Another valuable aspect is the fact the Doodle can be a non-to light shedders and thus may do well with those who have allergies as they have less dander.

The Doodle coat be wavy or curly or both and they need to be have their hair trimmed regularly. Coat colors can be caramel, white, red, black or a combination .The cost of trimming and maintenance can be dear, but if you aren’t fussy, you can do it yourself if the Doodle doesn’t mind being laughed at on visits to the dog park.

The Doodle appears to have the traits people are looking for with its possible reduced allergenic traits, smarts,cheerful disposition and attractive look. But perhaps the greatest reason this dog is one of the fastest growing in popularity is the fact that owners can proudly claim that have a Doodle and enjoy the reaction. And yes, several have been named, Yankee.

Before you consider a Doodle, do your homework. The Doodle has a tremendous number of positives going for it, but it all depends on its parents and the reliability of the breeder. There are also Doodles in need of rescue. http://doodlerescue.org/

 

Golden Doodle and LabraDoodle: Could these be the Perfect Family Pet?

Golden Doodle and LabraDoodle: Could these be the Perfect Family Pet?

by The Car Family

for more animal related lessons go to

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/zoology/index.html

 

We can’t help but be amazed at Man’s creativity when it comes to canines. Dogs were the first animals domesticated and with that came the ability for Man to control cattle, goats, sheep, as well as being warned of potential dangers. Since all dogs come from the much maligned wolf, one has to wonder how this transformation from wild animal started. Research done in Russia on foxes showed that there were some that showed more inclination to interact with humans. These were bred and the result was a less dominant animal that wagged its tail and showed changes in its smell among other things. It was an amazing study, especially when it is known that nearly all domesticated animals have drooping ears a trait not shared by wild foxes and wolves.

With a life span of about ten years for some breeds there was the possibility to experiment with various traits and come up with canines for various purposes. Some were breed to hunt rodents, others to protect livestock and lapdogs were even used to attract fleas away from humans.

Today, the world’s largest dogs weigh over 300 pounds and the smallest just a few pounds and yet they are from the same wolf stock. Indeed, Man is still at it and within the last couple of decades a new breed has emerged that combines the traits of three of the most popular and intelligent dogs. The new breed can be called a Labradoodle or a Goldendoodle, depending on whether a Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever was bred with a poodle. Making this pet even more unique is the fact they come in three sizes; Miniature, Small Standard, and Large Standard. The smaller versions weigh up to 35 pounds and the larger ones can exceed 100 pounds, but are usually weigh around 50 pounds. In other words, there is one size Doodle for nearly every household. No other breed has this range of sizes.

They are very affectionate and gentle dog and are usually highly social and get along well with everyone. They can be good good watchdogs, but usually are into tail wagging rather than barking. Another valuable aspect if the fact the Goldendoodle is a non-to light shedders and thus may do well with families that have allergies as they have less dander.

 

The Doodles are called designer dogs or hybrids because you never know which characteristics from the two parent dogs will be exhibited. Those variables includes coat color, type of hair, and size. The two traits they appear to all have is that of an exceptional intelligence and being family friendly. They also need exercise and are very light on their paws. The Goldendoodle are easily to train and respond well to positive reinforcement. They usually love to swim, and they are good retrievers to the point that you may end up with a dead gopher or bird on your doorstep. Good dog.

The Goldendoodle coat can be wavy or curly or both and they need to be have their hair trimmed regularly. Cost collars can be caramel, white, red, black or a combination and they need to be brushed often. The cost of trimming and maintenance can average over $50, but if you aren’t fussy, you can do it yourself once the dog has been gotten used to the process and doesn’t mind being laughed at on visits to the dog park.

So why consider a Doodle? Well there are a great many dogs at shelters and we have rescued five of them. However, the non-allergenic hair, intelligence, cheerful nature, and their ability to get along with other animals, including young children, and availability in various sizes make it attractive. However, this is a breed-in-progress and, as such every dog in every litter may be different. It is not like buying a pure breed dog that have been created over the the centuries for certain traits. As such, it is best to buy from a reputation breeder or institution.

Here are some other facts that might bring this place this breed on your radar: There are backcross puppies that means that the dog can be 1/4 Golden Retriever and 3/4 Poodle, for example. A F2 is the result of a Goldendoodle bred to a Goldendoodle. Before you consider a Doodle, do your homework. The Doodle has a tremendous number of positives going for it, but it all depends on its parents and the reliability of the breeder.

Doodle Rescues

http://doodlerescue.org/

Doodle website

http://www.goldendoodles.com/

Golden Doodle Video on Animal Planet

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-goldendoodle.html

 

The Killing of Wolf 527: A list of Environmental Organizations

Animal Rights and Environmental Organizations: In Honor of Wolf 527

by The Car Family

One sure fire way to get students interested and involved is through using lessons and issues related to the environment and animal rights. I started a 527 Wildlife Club. It was named for the dominate female Yellowstone female wolf that was killed by Ryan Counts of Pray, Montana. The wolf was wearing a radio collar and shortly thereafter most of her group was also killed. This an major kills in Idaho were the result of the gray wolf being removed from the endangered list by the Secretary of the Interior. After reading the story of 527’s life the students were eager to take action. They wrote letters, send petitions, sponsored a wolf at the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary, and sent money to Defenders of Wildlife. They were empowering themselves. They were motivated to learn and to use the system appropriately.

When they came to class the regular lessons were waiting and they gulped down the material eagerly after checking what was happening on the current events board and what emails have arrived. This motivation not only rolled into the classroom, but they started to get their parents involved. Clearly, this issue was controversial as many feel that the wolves threaten their livestock and some claim wolves are causing the elk population to fall. Thus it is important to show both sides of the issue. That being said, there are less controversial issues students can adopt, but this issue and the way that 527 was killed stirred a fire under them as few other issues have ever done. Using the teachable moment ideas here, ( http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/teachable-moments.html) I was able to integrate the curriculum, and keep the fires burning while still following the required course of study.

Should you want to see more about what happened here are some articles that may be of interest. Also listed are a variety of environmental links to all types of educational related sites. Very worthwhile and true to the goal of education, which is to provide lifelong learners and good citizens. We even used them to bring in guest speakers to help bring new information to the students.

Photo ffrom Tom Murphy

Home

The story of 527 and her killing:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittenclaw/4100924679/

and

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/oct/25/nation/na-wolf-hunt25

Here is the site where we adopted a wolf from. There are other wolf adoption sites that may be closer.

The students loved the fact that these wolves were the models for the ones in Twilight-New Moon

http://www.wolfmountain.com/

Here is a good overall site with many organizations of all types offering educational materials

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/environment.html

General environmental organizations

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/index.html

Educational Sites

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/programs.html

Wolf cam

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/experience/webcam.asp

Animal Rights Organizations

Huge link site by issue, animal

http://www.webdirectory.com/Wildlife/

Wildlife organizations in alphabetical order

http://animal.discovery.com/guides/atoz/organizations.html

Worldlife Organization

http://www.worldwildlife.org/

Animal Welfare Sites

http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Organizations/Animal_Welfare/Rescues_and_Shelters/Wildlife/

Bird Sites

http://www.webdirectory.com/wildlife/Birds/

Wolf Sanctuaries

http://www.wolfpark.org/Links_org.html

and

http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/info/listing.htm

Wolf and Wildlife link site

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/resources/links_wolforgs.asp

Wolves and Bears

http://www.cosmosmith.com/wolf_links.html

Endangered Animals Worldwide

http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html

Environment Sites

Environmental Organizations

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/overviews.html

Rainforest and conservation sites

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/global-resources.html#4

Weather related sites

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/weather.html

General organizations

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/organizations.html

Oceanography

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/oceanography.html

Rainforest and trees

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/forests.html

Water resources

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/water.html

Energy links

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/energy.html

Recyling

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/recycling.html

Youth Programs

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/youth.html

Forests

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/forests2.html

Earth Day

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/earthday.html

Soil and Parks

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/soil.html

Arbor Day

http://www.reacheverychild.com/feature/trees.html

Native Plant Oragnizations

http://www.tardigrade.org/natives/orgs.html

 

How to safely travel with a dog

Traveling with a Dog : You can take the Mastiff out of the city, but you better make a stop in the country.

By Alan Haskvitz

http://www.reacheverychild.com

Guilt, thy name is a dog not taken on a family vacation. The evidence is overwhelming as research shows that 98 percent of animal owners call to ask about their pet and 26 percent actually talk to the dog. Further evidence of the guilt brought by such ventures is the fact that 65 percent of owners bring a gift home for their pet. According to a survey done for Starwoods Hotels 40 percent of people think their dog is sad when they travel and nearly 80 percent consider their dog a family member and feel that the canine should enjoy holidays, too.

If you need more proof, how about that fact that despite an abundance of dog sitters, good kennels, and relatives, 30 million Americans take their dog with them on trips of 50 miles or more with the majority riding in vehicles while others travel on plans and ships. Even the Queen Elizabeth 2 has dog kennels.

The emerging question is not whether to take the dog on a trip, even though 30 percent are left at relatives and a considerable number are kenneled or cared for by house sitters, but the two-fold issue of where to find places that are pet friendly and how to prepare for the journey.  With that in mind The Car Family booked a Mazda MPV mini van, blanketed the interior with sheets to keep it clean, and journey forth to Carpenteria to visit the ever so cool Island View nursery and furnishing center. (1036 Casitas Pass Rd, 805-684-03630)

It was a great starter trip to get our Mastiff used to travel and better yet, Windy, who owns the place, is our relative meaning that if we had problem finding a dog friendly place we could arrive unannounced at his place in our desperate and homeless mode. (It is always better not to warn relatives of your arrival when the dog weighs 150 pounds.)

Of course, the really great fun of the trip was to check out the route of the nation’s largest dog parade, Santa Barbara’s Annual Big Dog Canine Festival, which is scheduled for June 3.  And, obviously since we had a big dog it was a great excuse.

http://eventful.com/events/E0-001-000648298-6?tid=hp_1_event_image

To prepare for this epic journey we had to get Charlene, our Mastiff, ready. In this country that can be done with a little bribery such as a dog cookie or golfing trip to the Caribbean. We choose the cookie route. Of course she refused to cookie, but having raised two children we knew what would work from experience. I pushed her to the car while my wife sat inside pretending to eat the dog cookie. Charlene could not resist and fell into our trap. We quickly introduced her to the tether that was attached to the van’s safety belt. This is a must as it allows for some freedom, but prevented her from being a missile in an accident or jumping out. Scientists have found that an unsecured object in a car travels at over twice the speed and force of the vehicle that was hit meaning that even a 20 pound unsecured dog could be moving at well over 50 miles per hour doing damage to all concerned.  In addition, a dog that escapes after an accident can run away due to stress or run into traffic. In other cases they can prevent medical personnel doing their job.

Although many dogs enjoy having their heads out of the window this is not a good idea since the wind can dry out their eyes and foreign objects can inflect serious injury on them. Just check out the front of your hood for evidence of that or follow a gravel truck.

Since the dog is going to be in a new place there is a need to have good identification in the form of an implanted microchip or your cell phone number attached to the collar.

Other things to consider are having the dog’s claws clipped, checking the vaccination records, and even a dog booster seat. Make sure that the dog is wearing a flat collar rather than a choke chain in the car and take the animal on a long walk before departing. If your dog suddenly is restless or heavily drooling they may be getting carsick so pull safely off the road and let them out.

We had a resealable plastic container with paper towels, disinfectant, medication, cookies, a favorite smelly blanket, and several hundred-dog toy remnants. Since our dog was well trained to wait for our command before leaving the car we didn’t foresee any problems. Wrong. She simply didn’t want to leave the car. Having raised two children moderately successfully, they both are living on their own but apparently wash machines are illegal in their communities and driving several hours to use ours is their only alternative, we resorted to what worked for the kids. My wife pulled and I pushed and Charlene popped out of the van after a 15-minute labor.

Windy’s place is stunning. There are beautiful plants, of course, but he has imported the most unusual furniture and art from Fiji and Asia that we have ever seen. The place has been written up in Sunset and other publications, but the pictures don’t do it justice. It is truly a destination nursery. We ended up buying a beautiful book on nature that featured natural twig type fences. You can have a useful fence, a view, and a piece of art at the same time. As night fell we started looking for accommodations using the book we bought at the Automobile Club, Traveling With Your Pet. The book lists more than 10,000 AAA-rated, pet-friendly accommodations in the United States and Canada. We also recommend Have Dog Will Travel, California Edition: Comprehensive Guide to Over 2,200 Dog-friendly Accommodations by Barbara Whitaker

Before we settled in for the night we enjoyed a long walk the dog nagged us into and fell asleep exhausted. Even the gentle snoring of Charlene was reassuring and we never worried about someone breaking into the room knowing that a dog the size of a Mastiff can trip anyone.

Taking a pet on a trip is never an easy decision, but if you do the upside is that it saves on long distance phone calls to the dog kennel owner. In addition, you might not come under suspicion from Homeland Security should they be monitoring the call and hear such actionable phrases as, “Did she get out of the pen? “I hid something in the toy.” “ I ran her to drop her energy level.” And, the always dangerous, “ Usually, she’s a terror.”

Here are some places to take your fiddo and listings worth checking out if you decide to venture to Ventura or elsewhere in the United States.

One way to start getting ready for a trip is to visit a California National Forest where they are always welcome http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/

Also the National Park listings www.nps.gov/samo/brochure/dogleash.htm

Pet friendly accommodations by destination city and along the way.

http://www.petswelcome.com/milkbone/routeframe.html

Listing of dog friendly hotels

http://www.dogfriendlydirectory.com/lodging/ca/index.html

http://www.bringyourpet.com/lodging/ca/index.htm

Airlines that accept pets and their policies

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/pet-friendly/airlines/

 
For a list of free educational resources check

The Car Family

http://www.reacheverychild.com

 

The death of a rescued Mastiff: The rebirth of a family

On the Death of a Rescued Mastiff

By Alan Haskvitz, national teachers hall of fame

For more resources and educational links

It was a very sad story.

A huge Mastiff wildly was running along a desert freeway in the scorching summer heat. A chain imbedded in his neck, ears filled with dirt, and teeth that were broken and shattered. His hearing impaired, his eyesight nearly gone, in desperation he blindly ran towards a road crowded with fast moving holiday traffic.

Only a person with great compassion would stop a car and offer a chance for safety to a huge drooling skeleton of a dog, even at 150 pounds. But, it happened. A local area veterinarian assistant pulled to the side of the freeway and coaxed the franticly fleeing animal into her car.

At the veterinarian’s office, the dog’s condition was examined in detail. Cleaning the dirt packed ears that had left him nearly deaf, revealed that the Mastiff had to dig under a fence to escape. But, first, he chewed through the rusted chain that held him prisoner. The now splintered teeth had to be cut away, making it impossible for him to hold his tongue in his mouth. After digging into his neck, the vet was able to cut the chain away, revealing a scar that would never heal due to the deep imbedding of the links.

Southern California Mastiff Rescue was called to help find him a new home once he was on the mend. In the safety of their care, they found that he had probably been used to bait fighting dogs and this constant teasing made him aggressive towards other canines. It would be a difficult placement for this aging, nearly sightless and deaf escapee.

A few years earlier in a quiet Los Angeles community, a family of our four bought and raised a female Mastiff. They named it Kitty. With typical Mastiff devotion, she spent all of her life tending to the needs of the family. Between sneaking on the couch and snoring so loudly no one could sleep, she served as a neutralizing agent. She tucked everyone in at night, guarded the property when she was awake, and arbitrated all arguments by placing a paw on the loudest participant. She treated everyone differently. To the teenage daughter she was a confidant. To the young male, she was a protector, and fetcher of errant Frisbees. To the mother, she was a comfort when alone at night. And, to the father she was a fellow unsuccessful gopher hunter.

In her tenth year, she developed an infection that could not be medicated and Kitty was put to sleep. There was a long period of mourning, the framing of pictures, and a poem written. Eventually, the family healed, but emptiness remained.

It was about two years after Kitty’s death when a call came from Mastiff Rescue. They had a dog. Sad case. Runway. Male. Blind. Would you like to meet him?

The husband took the call from rescue. “Okay, “he uttered almost despite himself.

He was unprepared for what happened next. The rescue van pulled up and out sauntered a large, reddish dog that immediately set to marking his new territory. The scars on the dog’s neck, the dead retinas, and missing teeth all made him question his decision. After the van disappeared, the two strangers sized each other up. The father was starting to regret his decision. This dog had absolutely no personality.

The husband walked the Mastiff into the back yard, gave him fresh water, and a doggie treat. The Mastiff refused all peace offerings.

When the wife returned home she looked out the window and said to her husband, “Why is there a dog in our backyard?” She knew the answer: gophers. She walked outside and the once sullen dog got up, licked her hand, and ate the dog cookie she offered. The Mastiff was polite and gentle. The couple starred at the strange dog with mixed feelings. He was nothing like Kitty.

And then, magic. The teenage son came home from school and spotted the dog. He rushed out the door and the Mastiff came alive. He jumped, pranced, fetched, and chased the son. The dog was transformed from a moody, sulky stranger into a friend and companion. The two became fast friends. A new leash, collar, dog food dish, and toys of all types were hurriedly purchased. The Mastiff quickly gained weight. He slept in the son’s bed and they battled over the covers and the pillow.

Five years have passed since the Mastiff found his new home. He is now completely blind and deaf. The scars on his neck are still visible. His tongue still hangs from his mouth. He moves slower and his guard duty is now largely symbolic. Gophers are ignored and only movement around the food dish generates earnest interest. In reality, he is retired from his job of reinvigorating a family and relishes the joy of being loved.

This dog, like thousands of others, has been saved by the noble efforts of volunteer rescue groups around the state. The animals that they treat and offer to potential owners bring joy to both the pet and new family.

Sadly, but after a few great years, Ender was put down when he could no longer walk. He ate one last hamburger, which he unwrapped with the great patience he had always shown, and rode in our station wagon to the vets. He died quietly with dignity. Ender was a credit to his breed and a loss to humanity.

A year later he was replaced with a female rescue we named Haiya. A small, brilliant mastiff, she was saved by the rescue services from death after being beaten and kicked by previous owners who couldn’t handle her intelligence. She was beautiful and full of issues due to her previous inhumane treatment. She overcame her horrible early start to be the star of every dog training session. Her smartness enabled her to learn tricks instantly and to quickly ascertain each family member’s mood and needs. A treasure. Unfortunately, Haiya developed cancer and was put down when just four years of age. She too was greatly missed. As always the death of a dog serves to remind a family of the joy you should find in each day. It is too bad that it has to be such a harsh lesson, but at least for those who rescue animals there is the deep satisfaction of knowing that they helped, and isn’t that what a heaven is for….

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