Please don’t forget your doggy’s safety,health and happiness this December. Remember. Dogs have very sensitive hearing and the loud noises of fire crackers and fireworks can traumatize them.

Are you thinking of buying a pet as a gift for a loved-one this Festive season?

That is a STUPID idea!

I’m sure you mean well. Giving someone a pet as a present is perhaps a sweet sentiment, but it’s not really fair to the gift pet.

If you give someone a pet you absolutely have to be 100% sure:

• They want a pet
• They are allowed to get a pet where they live
• A member of their family/housemate isn’t allergic to that pet
• They want that specific species
• They want that specific breed
• They can afford to care for the pet
• They have actually TOLD you they want to get that pet.

… And even then I wouldn’t recommend it.

Many unwanted (or perhaps just unaffordable) gift pets end up abandoned and/or in shelters. During the festive season there is also an increase of people just abandoning their pets when they go on holiday or simply leave them at home, alone and unattended. Animal Rescue shelters reach crisis time during the December holidays, due to the shear number of inmates. Many of them run out of food and space.

This festive season, if you’re thinking about getting a pet, rather adopt than buy. Go to your local shelter and find a friend who will love you forever for giving them a new home.

Don’t however adopt a pet as a gift for someone else. You don’t want the poor animal to be recycled and simply end up back at the shelter.

Dear Sister,
My neighbor has a lovely puppy,we hope that if you are here,they can give it to you.(I told them you love puppy very much)
Any way,they do not take time to care about the puppy.
So we think you are the best master for this puppy.
Miss you,
Anne (9 Nov)

I thought this was a very sweet e-mail, although she had mentioned this dog and giving it to me a few weeks ago already. I was curious about what the dog looks like so I asked for a picture.

I have a picture in my phone before,but i deleted.
Recently,he is sick because someone splashed the boiled water on his back that made his skin was falled.
After he is better i will take a picture and send to you,ok?

Because he is sick that make us miss you more.Because we think that you are the best master for puppy.

Miss you,
Anne (11 Nov)

This worried me a lot. Puppy abuse? What can I do from South Africa to help a dog in China. I’m not moving back there any time soon. I asked her to send a picture anyway.

Aw shame honey why did they do that. You can send a picture now anyway.
Sorry but I can’t go to China now. I miss you too.

me(11 Nov)

Ok,tomorrow morning will show you the picture.
The people who live on 2/F did that,so we did not find the murderer.
Take care of uself.
Anne (11 Nov)

Then 2 days later I got an email with pictures of the puppy. Anne warned:

Honey,
Please see attached pictures for the puppy which i took picture today.
Very ugly now.especially the back has no hair.
Dont be scared honey.
Anne (13 Nov)

I have to admit, I don’t think this dog is good-looking and it is not the type of dog I’d pick out at a shelter. That might sound like breedism, but certain people just respond more to certain types of dogs. (It’s like being attracted to certain types of humans, it doesn’t mean you dislike all other types it just means you like some types more).

However, I do think that all dogs deserve loving homes. I know that some like these types of dog. I do hope that we can find a good family to take this doggy in. Is there a way to find a rescue organization in Shenzhen China. I’m very distressed by the situation and I don’t know what to do to help this dog.

I read an article about a study done that says that dogs have a bigger carbon footprint than SUVs. The study was published under the shock-value title, Time to Eat the Dog: The real guide to sustainable living.

The book was written by Brenda and Robert Vale, professors at Victoria University. Perhaps I should read the book before I can judge, but I refuse to give even one cent of my money to these idiots.

The book suggests that people keep pets that they can eat like for instance chickens and rabbits.

“In a study published in New Scientist, they calculated a medium dog eats 164 kilograms of meat and 95kg of cereals every year. It takes 43.3 square metres of land to produce 1kg of chicken a year. This means it takes 0.84 hectares to feed Fido.”

~Quote from the source article

As one of the comments on the articles said, dogs consume renewable resources, but the fossil fuels used to create petrol are not.

(Source: Article on The Dominion Post by Tanya Kattern.)… But I’m not done.

Dogs are awesome!

The concept of this book  ridiculous. Substituting dogs and cats with animals we could eat would be pointless. More meat-producing animals aren’t going to help at all! Raising an animal as a pet and then killing it for meat is psychopathic behaviour. It’s like killing and eating your human child because it is an economic burden and a source of pollution.

The meat industry has a far greater carbon footprint than the auto industry. Why? Because meat is mass-produced. Cattle are fed large amounts of crops and steroids in order to pump up production.

The meat industry wastes land, food, and energy. It creates animal suffering. Apart from CO2 it produces methane gas and nitrous oxide.

“A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.”

~H. Steinfeld et al., Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options, Livestock, Environment and Development (2006).

“According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than a half-million cars off U.S. roads.”

~Source*

*Read more about: How the meat industry pollutes the environment.)

I’m not sure what the numbers would be in SA, but you get the idea. You’re probably thinking but happens to all the animals if we’re not going to eat them? I’m not saying elliminate existing animals or let them become extinct, I’m just saying let’s stop mass producing them to beyond natural numbers for our own personal gain.  If you can’t see yourself giving up meat try substituting just one weekly meal of flesh for a plantt based meal.

Owning dogs give both humans and dogs happiness (if dogs are treated fairly). I wouldn’t want to live on a planet without dogs, no matter how cool my car was.

To the authors of the book I say a giant: F*** You!

Halloween is coming up this weekend. While it is not very big in South Africa some of us will be dressing up and some will use it as an excuse to dress the dog or cat in cutesy outfits (some don’t need an excuse really)

It  may be cute, but it’s probably humiliating the dog and definitely humiliating the cat . I know I’d be humiliated if my mom dressed me in funny outfits. However if you do drss up your pet please keep in mind the following advice.

• Don’t choose an outfit that will restrict your pet’s breathing or movement
• Don’t choose an outfit with small parts that can be easier bitten/torn off by your pet and eaten.
• Don’t choose an outfit that is too hot.
• Don’t choose an outfit containing any toxic materials

It’s looks likes its going to be another nice sunny day in Gauteng. I hope you all have a wonderful time.

Pictures from: ihasahotdog.com

The German Shepherd Dog is a large breed dog that originated in Germany around 1899. German Shepherds belong to the herding dogs classification and were originally bred to herd sheep. They are a popular breed.

After World War II they were given the name Alsatian (Wolf Dog), due to negative connotations to the word: German. The breed was called “Alsatian” (named after the German-French border Alsace-Lorraine) until 1977 when the name German shepherd could be used again.

They are highly intelligent and are most commonly used as police dogs. Alsatians are also used as search dogs, guide dogs and service dogs. According to Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs; they are the third most intelligent dog breed.

They are fairly large dogs. Males measure 60-65 cm in height and weigh 30-40 kg. Females are about 55-60cm high and weigh 22-32 kg.  They have pointed ears, a dome-shaped head and long muzzle. The nose is black.  They have long bushy tails, which are not docked (cropped).

Alsatians are most commonly black and tan in colour, but can also have other colours like all-white, all-black and sable.  Coats consist of two layers and come in either medium- or longhaired. The outer coat will shed year-round.

German Shepherds have a life span of 7-10 years. Like many other big dogs they can have issues with hypdisplasia. They can also be prone to arthritis, Degenerative Myelopathy (a neurological disorder), Von Willebrand disease (a bleeding disorder) and ear infections.

Alsatians are very active, obedient and highly trainable. They can be prone to aggression, being over-protective and being very territorial. They make good guard dogs.

I only got their at 11:30, because none of my friends actually wanted to get up and go and I was dreading having to drive on my own in unfamiliar territory  (so thanks to the friend who did go with me).

There was a flea-market and I just had to buy some SAGA merchandise. We bought some food from the food stalls, had some cofffee in the tea garden and enjoyed some entertainment.

First we watched trained dogs performing tricks. It’s amazing how clever dogs are. This was followed by dancing dogs.

A guide dog and service dog demonstration then followed, which was even more impressive. They had kids from the audience trying to feed the dogs hotdog buns, but they dogs (being “on duty”) incredibly ignored these distractions. They also ignored the balls that the children played with right in front of them. Guide dogs learn to ignore distractions dogs would naturally fall prey to such as other dogs, cats, children, food and toys.

Finally, to great amusement of the crowd, there was a competition between Bailey Schneider from Jacaranda FM and former Big Brother house-mate, Margret “Mags” vd Westhuizen, to see who could best operate a guide dog, . Both we’re blindfolded and partnered up with a volunteer “man”. They then had to walk to the other side of the arena to get the correct change (while still being blind), walk back to buy some clothing items and dress their man. The man then had to take the dog to the opposite side of the arena to fetch some water, bring it back and pour it in the bucket. Then the girls had to fetch water. Bailey narrowly won and Mags good-naturedly joked that the race was fixed.

We ended our day with a tour of the kennels where the dogs sleep. They were very happy for the never ending attention as we petted them through the bars.

It’s not very often you get to play with a guide dogs. When you see a guide-dog on duty, do not try to distract it. The dog has to stay focus on her job, for the safety of her owner.

Read: My post on Guide Dogs.

More about: SAGA