Come see the world through the “Eyes of the Lost”,
Come feel the pain, come pay the cost.
You see them in alleyways, hiding in doors,
They shiver in winter, they’re soaked when it pours.
Some may have once known a better life.
Then abandoned alone to this world of strife.

Their food’s from the dumpsters, or off of the street,
Their throats grow parched in the summer heat.
In their fear and confusion, they quietly cry.
While still others must watch their little ones die.
Coats filled with fleas, mats and tatters.
They soon find out how little things matter.

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Those in animal rescue are on the front lines of advocacy work. They usually toil tirelessly, saving animals that all too often languish, unloved and uncared about. They give their everything, their love, their hearts, their time, their homes, their finances. They hope and dream about a better day when there are no more furry bodies that need to be calmed and fed and cuddled but people look at dogs and cats as less than nothing, to be used, abused and neglected, tossed away like garbage when they have no more use for them.

They don’t think twice about staying up all nite nursing a sick puppy, cuddling a shaking scared dog, driving a hundred miles to pull death row dogs from a shelter, making trips back and forth to the vet, begging and pleading for donations to buy dog food.

Whether you are a rescue, a volunteer, a loving and caring shelter working, or any or the many support people who work for little to no pay but for the love of a faceful of wet puppy kisses and grateful tail wags, this is a tribute to you. It is your love and dedication that saves thousands of lives that would otherwise have fallen to the wayside.

Though your tears fall and your heart breaks,
Your body hurts and your back aches,
Your pockets are empty and your home is full,
You continue.

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On the first day of creation,
God created the dog.

On the second day,
God created man to serve the dog.

On the third day,
God created all the animals of the earth
to serve as potential food for the dog.

On the fourth day,
God created honest toil so that man
could labor for the good of the dog.

On the fifth day,
God created the tennis ball so that
the dog might or might not retrieve it.

On the sixth day,
God created veterinary science to keep
the dog healthy and the man broke.

On the seventh day,
God tried to rest,
but He had to walk the dog.

Author Unknown

If you’re a pet owner, you’ve probably already guessed that the answer to this is YES! But are they really dreaming – and if so, what in the world do they dream about?

Many scientists say there is evidence to support the notion that dogs, cats, and in fact, every mammal that’s been studied, does experience dreams.

There are two main types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and slow wave sleep (SWS). SWS and REM sleep in pets are very similar to that of humans. During this time, the brain processes information learned during the day. Think of it as sorting new information into different mental file folders.

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Pet First Aid Tips and Information

Bite Wounds:
Approach pet carefully to avoid getting bitten. Muzzle animal. Check wound for contamination or debris. If significant debris is present, clean wound with large amounts of saline or balanced electrolyte solution. If these aren’t available, use regular water. Wrap large open wounds in a clean cloth. Apply pressure to profusely bleeding wounds. Do not use tourniquet. Wear gloves if possible. Bite wounds often become infected and need professional care. Call your veterinarian.

Bleeding:
Apply firm, direct pressure over bleeding area until bleeding stops. Hold pressure for at least 10 straight minutes (continually releasing pressure to check wound will hamper clotting). Avoid bandages that cut off circulation. Call your veterinarian immediately.

Breathing Stops:
Check to see if animal is choking on foreign object. If animal is not breathing, place on firm surface with left side up. Check for heartbeat by listening at area where elbow touches chest. If you hear heartbeat but not breathing, close animal’s mouth and breathe directly into nose–not mouth–until chest expands. Repeat 12-15 times/minute. If there is no pulse, apply heart massage at same time. The heart is located in lower half of chest, behind elbow of front left leg. Place one hand below heart to support chest. Place other hand over heart and compress gently. To massage the heart of cats or tiny pets, compress chest with thumb and forefingers of one hand. Apply heart massage 80-120 times/minute for larger animals and 100-150 times/minute for smaller ones. Alternate heart massage with breathing. Please note: Even in the hands of veterinary health professionals, success of resuscitation is very low overall. Success may be slightly higher in cases of drowning or electrical shock. Call your veterinarian immediately.

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Last week I did an article on the most aggressive dogs breeds based on a study as the University of PA. It was an interesting study with some surprising conclusion. It found as the top three most aggressive dog breeds; the dachshund, the chihuahua and the Jack Russell terrier, respectively.

Most people do seem to agree with the findings to a degree although, obviously, there is some disagreement from owners of the breeds. I do have to admit though, even in breed and dog forums that I’ve visited, most doxie and chi owners posting seemed not to find the results too surprising.

Now, when to comes to ‘breed profiling’, which I would call this, there are many contributing factors to any dog’s temperament that I do think are over and above just breed traits.

Anyway, someone sent me an interesting twist on the ‘Top 10 Most Dangerous Breeds’ and I thought I would share it with you. Kind of interesting, amusing and again, true to a point, but this is more true than not. What do you think?

Top 10 Most Dangerous Breeds

10. Criminal Dog Owners
They vary in size, shape, color and creed. Whether urban or rural, they thrive in environments where crime does pay.

This breed may deliberately train dogs to be human aggressive. This breed has been known to shoot dogs for fun it. They fight dogs and use sweet tempered dogs as bait. Here in the New York area - they’ve been known to feed dogs ground up glass and gun power to toughen them up - you know-In case the police kick the front door - they’re out the back - and the dogs are in between.

9. Irresponsible and Ignorant Dog Owners
Characterized by a complete lack of common sense and or manners, these dog owners come in three distinct varieties - Dumb, Dumber and Plain Stupid.

However they do share the same breed traits, like complete disregard for local leash or pooper scooper laws
Stubborn, self-centered rudeness, the inability to see the potential consequences for their behavior.

So here are the three varieties:

• Dumb- When Snowball whines to go out, they throw open the front door and let her out to wander the neighborhood. Snowball is free to poop and pee wherever she likes. And if Snowball should wander into my yard and my dog defends its territory, like many dogs …….we’ve got a problem.

• Dumber - Easy to recognize, this genius nonchalantly walks their dog off leash in the neighborhood, like it’s no big deal. Well in my book - it is a big deal. How would you like it if I let my dog run up to your children off leash. Or run up to any person who may be afraid of dogs. (and BTW - I support off leash space - just not on the block). And it’s not OK if your dog takes a dump in my flowerbed, got that?

• Plain Stupid- Way short on common sense - they let their children play unattended with dogs, or let them run up to pet a stranger’s dog or get in a strange dog’s face.

8. Negligent or Abusive Dog Owners
Like sociopaths who lack basic the human trait of compassion - this all-too-common breed is well known for a lack of care or concern. They are, however, gifted and talented in the areas of neglect or cruelty.

These Gifted & Talenteds routinely fail to give their animals even the basics of food, water or shelter or fail to provide vet care. One employee of Child Services in New York has been accused of leaving his dying Akita out in the cold for weeks.

Even beating the dog is OK for these people, “it’s only a dog.” Even if it’s not their dog! Kick it if it gets in your way, wants food or attention. OK - so cruel and unusual punishment is against law, so giving them the same treatment is out. Too bad.

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Anyone involved in or with an interest in animal welfare or advocacy, is aware of the atrocities that take pace in China on a daily basis; companion animals, dog and cats, brutally killed and tortured for their skin and for their meat. This doesn’t even touch on what’s done to other animals and wildlife, but there is no limit to the cruelties visited on animal life in China. In the past months, China, especially Beijing and the surrounding areas, have stepped thing up a notch. These efforts are to ‘clean up’ for visitors and to hell with whether they are beyond cruel and inhumane.

I’ve been reading stories of strays rounded up, stuffed in cages, so many to the point that they can barely breathe, let alone move, taken away and killed in ways you don’t even want to hear about. The pictures remind you of torture during the middle ages or holocaust with animal victims.

Dog meat is routinely sold at markets where dogs are jammed in cages alive and miserable until a shopper picks out their ‘dinner’ and the pitiful creature is cruelly yanked out and killed. I’ve seem pictures and videos. You cannot even imagine, you don’t want to. In many restaurants, dishes containing dog meat are standard fare.

Now, to try to cover up this practice, which most of the world considers disgusting, even many Chinese, as pets are more and more embraced as family members, China officials are banning the offering of dog meat dishes on the menu of a number of restaurants that will be catering to tourists.

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When I am old…
I will wear soft gray sweatshirts…
and a bandanna over my silver hair…..
and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.

I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen
to my dogs’ breathing.
I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night
and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow…

When people come to call,
I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs…
and talk of them and about them…
….the ones so beloved of the past
and the ones so beloved of today….

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Adam and Eve said, ‘Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us every day. Now we do not see you any more. We are lonesome here, and it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us.’

And God said, I will create a companion for you that will be with you and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves.’

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve. And it was a good animal And God was pleased.

And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail .

And Adam said, ‘Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal.’

And God said, ‘I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG.’

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“He was just a good dog,” Corye Ramsey of Monroeville Volunteer Fire Department No. 6 says. “More than a dog. He was one of our kids.”

Ramsey is talking about Denver, the Great Dane that had been the firehouse’s mascot until recently. At eight years old, Denver had underwent several surgeries and between complications and age, he had to be put to sleep.

Corye Ramsey remembers sitting on a couch at Monroeville Volunteer Fire Department No. 6 and hearing an animal welfare representative express concern that Denver, the department’s mascot, didn’t have a water dish.

“I said, ‘He has a water dish,’ ” the deputy chief recalled. “I said, ‘Denver, go get a drink.’ “

The Great Dane walked to the water fountain, stood on his hind legs, pressed a button with his right paw and lapped from the stream of water.

“She lost it,” says Ramsey about the animal welfare representative. “She said, ‘All right, I’m done here.’ And she never came back.”

Denver was named after the “Denver Tool” used by firefighters to gain forcible entry into a structure.

He was introduced to firefighters and residents of Monroeville’s Garden City neighborhood after a couple of the firefighters adopted him from Animal Rescue League in Pittsburgh.

The firefighters were kicking around the idea of getting a dog but worried about a Dalmatian because of that breed’s temperament, Ramsey said.

Later that night, a friend called to let him know that Animal Rescue League had a Great Dane and wanted to find a home for the dog quickly because its food costs were high.

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Seems the smallest dogs ranked the highest when it came to human aggression, the top three being the Dachshund, then the Chihuahua and third, the Jack Russell Terrier.

The is the findings recently published by the journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science from a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania.

Dachshunds, originally bred to hunt badgers, do not have a fearsome reputation due to their size, but research found that one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners. This put them on top of the list of 33 breeds which were rated for their aggression, after academics analyzed the behavior of thousands of dogs.

Following closely on the heels of the Dachshund is the Chihuahua, a dog noted as the smallest breed of dog. Then the feisty Jack Russell.

Dr James Serpell, one of the researchers, said smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour than larger dogs.

“Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs,” he added.

Until now, research into canine aggression has almost exclusively involved analysis of dog bite statistics. But the researchers said these were potentially misleading as most bites were not reported. Big dogs might have acquired a reputation for being aggressive because their bites were more likely to require medical attention. (Telegraph)

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Old dog in a locket,
That lays next to my heart;
I will always love you,
As I did right from the start.

You were right beside me,
Through the darkest of my days;
It was your kind and gentle nature,
That made me want to stay.

Now I hold you in my arms,
Your breath still warm against my hand;
Our hearts still beat together,
And I wonder if you understand.

Through the hours that I held you,
Before the light did leave your soul;
I knew a way to keep you,
Forever in my hold.

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