A recent news feature hit one of the most debated topics in dog owning. The rise of fanciers, hoarders and fighting dog breeders/ sadistic owners have made dog owning a gray area. The dog loving is different from caring for your dog, and vice-versa.

Dog loving has long been mistaken with a deep feeling for a pet dog. How far does an owner go to show its love for a pet dog? Fanciers are characterized as collectors and responsible owners since they can afford to house, feed,bathe and clothe their lovable pooches. Because of being part of a pet menagerie and as one of the owners acquisitions, does the pet have a one on one relationship with its owner? Herein lies the Fancier's claim to dog loving. Hoarders have acquired numerous pets in the belief that no one can love these pets better than they can. In a hoarder's mind, their love for pets exceeds any other person's. Typical of hoarders, lack of food and proper health care of pets is noted, often the reason for their being banned from owning pets. Dog lovers on the other hand come in varying levels, sometimes in extremes while others are defined in a limited translation of the phrase “dog lover”. Fighting dog breeders have been known to love their dog breed of choice, more for their fierceness and their killer-instinct rather than their intrinsic characteristics (loyalty, playfulness and protectiveness). The love for a pet dog due to it's terrorizing ability is much of a way a sadistic owner.

Though the debate remains debatable, one thing is for sure: pet dog owning is not a gift it is worked at with patience and selflessness.

 

Going on a road trip with your pet is tedious and very inconvenient not only for you (you just have to do everything yourself!) but also for your pet (where are we going? What am I doing in a car? Oh, no the Vet-man!).

Going to Granny's for Thanksgiving or having a club family outing on holidays exhausts us that once we're there we need a few minutes (or for some 1-2 hrs.) of rest before getting into the action. The same goes for your pet-it is exhausting to limit its movement for the whole trip.

In places where there are lots of people, you can't expect your pet to snooze with all the new sights and sounds invading its senses. For what its worth, having a dog bed that fits its crate or cage will help ol' Max get some zzz's. We recommend a fleece type of bed that is just 3-5 inches thick. The fleece fabric is preferred since it keeps our pets cool on warm days (since we'll never plan a trip on sweltering days!) and it also keeps our dog warm on cold days.

What works for some is that they have several dog beds to use. Like for beaches they'd have an outdoor dog bed which they can bring and the fleece bed on trips and regular foam for indoors.

When taking your pet on a car trip it would be best to secure their comfort with a portable dog bed of their own.

In a smoke blackened truck cab, she pulls Kathy out and drag her to a ditch. Firefighters and rescue hollered for them to get farther away from the smoldering wreck which was about to blow. She got Kathy 40 feet from the fiery truck when it blew. Eve, the heroine of this rescue story exhibited bravery for her determination to get Kathy to safety.

Eve, by the way is a Rottweiller, one of the very few dogs  to be awarded the Stillman Award for Bravery. This is one moving story of how pet dogs give value to serving their 'pack'. In a pack, protecting each other is considered as a dog's dedication and loyalty. When a pet dog comes to their pet parent's of family's rescue, they go for the long haul. Often succeeding in tasks way beyond their ability. A Rottie is not considered a rescue dog or a companion dog, yet in the case of Eve, her dog loyalty and perseverance has made her a heroine dog.

What makes a dog heroic? Most interviews and documentation of dog heroism is based on the pet dogs relationship with pet parent ans family and environmental exposure. Pet dogs have absorbed and give as they are loved. A dog has a sixth sense on a man's motive and a parents feeling.

Heroic and loyal, a dog can also exact revenge on people that mistreat them. In a crack down at a dog fight ring, the owner was spread eagle on the ground while being read his rights. His 'pet' Pitbull got loose and lunged at his neck. Exacting the pain most Pitbulls go through while they are inhumanely trained by their owners.

When getting a pet dog of whatever breed, keep this adage i mind…
“The pace of the leader dictates the progress of the pack.” A loving pet family will surely produce a loving pet, though spoiled at times they would no doubt offer their lives for your safety.

The more we share our lives with our pets, the more we forget that they have special requirements. Atop of making sure relatives allergic to fowl get pork or beef and making sure no one is allergic to strawberries, keeping your pets safe during holidays occupies every pet parent. Holidays are happy and jolly occasions filled with decors are aplenty, food of all taste, family gatherings and yummy treats.  Making sure your pets are not stressed during the festivities is easy when you know what to watch out and prepare for.

Pets are reactive to human OTC medicines, some like aspirin are put in flower arrangements.  There is also the danger of having an unsteady hand of an elderly aunt drop a heart pill  near Fido's dog bowl may cause disaster.
Rule of thumb is to keep dangerous substances unreachable to the pet and keeping it away from high risk areas: near elderly and the young.

Holiday food may prove bad for your pet, some ingredients just might make them sick. A special platter of their own or a dog feast will discourage them from eating other food-they'd be too full to eat more.
Rule of thumb discourage visiting relatives from feeding the pet dog, inform and share to them of the dangers some food bring to your pet.
Beware Foods: Chocolates, chicken bones, mushrooms, gravy…these foods can cause palpitations, heavy breathing, swelling and gastric problems in dogs.

Wires and lights, big dogs don't get tangled in light wires unlike small dog breeds. But any sized dog is prone to nibble and get a nasty jolt or chew off enough wire covering to cause a fire.
Rule of thumb is to put hazardous decors in areas your pets have been trained not to go near. Pet parents with wireless pet containment can install their units near the tree or on a boundary near it and other reachable decors. For those who don't have pet containment,  keep hazardous to pet decors on a minimum.

Keep Holidays happy and stress-free, plan around a safe one for humans and pet dogs alike.

Stories about pet dogs jumping in to save their owner from harm or danger are a dime a dozen. Yet no matter how similar the feats and acts of service of ever faithful mutts, we never fail to be in awe. A search of famous dogs that show several amazing pet achievements that will put us humans to shame.

 Several stories are about pet dogs and cats risking their lives just to rouse their owners in times of danger. Or a situation where a pet dog protects its owner from a mugger but ending up being euthanized after the mugger dies. Stories about valiant pets also range to being helpful to therapists to providing inner strength to patients and people in need emotionally. Companionship dogs abound, not only for the blind but also for patients on medication with difficulty in their mental faculties. Pets are also perfect companions for people who just need to get away from it all, once in a while.

We read about people who abandon their pets or just plain maltreat them. There is even controversial riff-raff (Vick) that just put a dog breed in the headlines by maltreating it at the same time its breed's head on the chopping board (BSL). We have also heard of hoarders who just collect pets like memorabilia and just wait for the pets to starve to death. With all the gloomy portraits a minority of pet owners (the irresponsible kind!), have made responsible and sensible pet owners just down right upset. As much as good 'parents' to pets would want to denounce such people, it just doesn't make a difference.

 The past two days have heralded 2 women who have risked much to save their pet dog from danger and death. One is an expatriate in Hong-kong. She saved her pet dog Poppy from the jaws and clutches of a 14ft. Burmese Python. While walking her pet dogs along a trail, the python suddenly lunged at her pet dog. Hearing the wrenching 'crying scream' of Poppy, she just put all cares aside and started hitting and kicking the python with all her might. Poppy was one of the pet dogs that kept the woman company, being far away from home. Against all odds, the python relented and gave her back Poppy while it slid out of the path way.

Another woman who had utter devotion to her pet dog is one who suffers from bi-polarity. She had Shadow as a pet and companion during her unaccompanied trips she was allowed to go on by herself. By misfortune, Shadow ran into a freeway and was saved from being run-over by its owner. It is sad though that the woman's efforts caused her life, the pet dog landed on the pavement hurt but alive.

These two women have shown their mettle by being through and through responsible pet owners. The devotion their pets have for them is seen in their acts of bravery, despite the cost. In society where most news is devoted on animal abusers and hoarders having a silver lining makes up for all the bad deeds done to pets.