June 15

Cats or Dogs?

Image result for cat v dog

There’s no question that Americans love both dogs and cats. About 48 percent of people own dogs and 38 percent own cats. That’s according to the American Pet Products Association. But one thing many people can’t agree on is which animal makes a better pet.

Cat lovers say their pets are easier to care for than dogs. They point out that cats don’t bark or jump on visitors. Also, it’s cheaper to own a cat.  Dogs often need training classes and eat more than cats do.

Still, dog owners say the money they spend is worth it. They argue that dogs are more social than cats. Plus, scientists who studied the brains of both animals determined that dogs are smarter than cats. Dog lovers also point out that canines help people in ways that felines can’t. For example, dogs can be trained as service pets for people who are disabled or have food allergies. What you think?

April 24

How to be a good dog owner

A Bachelor Named...Creative Commons License Sydney Petty via Compfight

Do you have a dog? Do you want to be a good owner to it? Well, I do. Start with giving it its own space to roam around in, Dogs need freedom! Feed it healthy foods and feed it twice a day, You don’t want an overweight dog, Do you? Walk it every day because dogs need exercise and they need to get out every once and awhile. And play with it as much as you have time for, Dogs need a lot of attention or else they will start to act wild and will not listen to you as much. Make sure to give it a checkup schedule and a good vet

Different dog breeds need different things, like some dogs like being with people and other dogs like to be alone, and how chihuahua are small and german shepherd is big.Depending on your age you should get either a puppy or an older dog.

You need to dog-proof your house, Put all shoes back where they belong or in a place where your dog can’t reach them, NEVER and i mean NEVER leave any prized possessions in a dog’s reach. Get a collar so you can attach its leash when you walk it and to put its tags onto it. And BUY TOYS so it won’t think your stuff is toys and so if it is alone it has something to play with and you can play with the toys with your dog. If you don’t want it sleeping with you or on your chairs or couch then buy or make it a bed to sleep on at night. And potty train it if it is a puppy so it will not make a mess in its sleep.

Use these methods to have a happy healthy and good dog. 

June 15

Bum the Dog: San Diego’s Famous Town Dog

By Jake

Bum, San Diego’s Town Dog.

Did you know that one of San Diego’s MOST famous “celebrities” had four legs and a tail?! I had no idea that San Diego even had a town dog until my Grandma and my Mom told me about “Bum the Dog”!

When I heard that San Diego had a famous town dog, I wanted to find out more about “Bum” and what made this Half-St. Bernard/Half-Spaniel dog an important historical figure in San Diego’s history!

I wondered…how did Bum get to San Diego? How did he get the name “Bum” & what made him become so famous? Is there a memorial to Bum in San Diego? I had SO many questions that I decided I needed to do some investigative research to find out all the answers… and share them with… Y-o-u!

I was surprised to discover that Bum arrived in San Diego as a…stowaway! Bum was a stowaway aboard a steamship called the Santa Rosa. He traveled on this steamship all the way from San Francisco to San Diego way back in 1886! I couldn’t believe it! This was proof that Bum was a very adventurous, independent, and brave dog.

I also found out that Bum even had a couple books written about him! In the book: The Dog That Belonged to No One, the author Gerald A. Schiller wrote about how Bum got his name. I read about how Bum liked to hang out with the local “newsboys” (the town boys who sold newspapers on the streets of downtown San Diego).

In this story about Bum, the author wrote that one of these newsboys said:

“Well, I’ll be darned. You don’t seem to need my help in bummin’ some food – or maybe stealin’ it. Hey, there’s a name I can call ya. Bum. You’re just a bum, with no home or owner. But ya sure can bum food if ya need it, I guess. Then I think I’ll call you Bum!”

Also according to the journalist Richard Schulte, “His name suited him because he arrived as a town stowaway, befriended everyone and “bummed” quality food from the local eateries.” (Can you believe that some restaurants even put up signs in their windows that said: “Bum Eats Here”!?)

So, that was how Bum got his name, and it stuck with him his whole life! From that moment, he was forever “Bum”.

The townspeople of San Diego adopted Bum and he became San Diego’s first (and only!) town dog!  Bum enjoyed many adventures during his life in San Diego. Some of his adventures included racing along with the horse drawn fire engines on the way to a fire, traveling by himself to Los Angeles and back to San Diego by train, officiating at town parades, and even greeting visiting dignitaries, such as U.S. President Benjamin Harrison! Bum even survived being hit by a train while he was fighting another dog on the train tracks! (Sadly though, Bum lost his right forepaw and part of his tail in this fight.)

Bum also survived a serious injury, after he was kicked by a horse!

When I visited the Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House, I found the special memorial to Bum, and also a lot of interesting facts about Bum!

I found out that Bum was so beloved by the citizens of San Diego that the city gave him a lifetime dog tag…Bum didn’t ever have to pay a dog license tax!

Bum was also declared “San Diego’s Official Town Dog”, and they even put his picture on “Dog Tax Receipts” of 1891.

When I was reading the plaque about Bum that is located next to the statue of Bum in the pocket park next to the museum, I noticed that pennies were left on the plaque and I wondered why. The lady at the museum told me that the pennies were symbolic of when Bum died on November 10, 1898, and the children of San Diego collected pennies for a proper funeral for Bum.

(I also left my own pennies for Bum on the lower left corner of the plaque!)

She told me that although Bum’s actual grave is not really known, this memorial statue of him is the first memorial to a historic animal in the State of California!

Bum was a remarkable street dog who won the heart of San Diego. Bum’s personality, survival skills, and independence brought San Diego together.

It’s no wonder that Bum the dog became San Diego’s famous first (and only!) town dog!  Make sure to visit the memorial to “Bum the Dog” the next time you visit the Gaslamp District in downtown San Diego…and remember to leave a penny for Bum!

May 15

Dogs and Other Cool Facts

TouristCreative Commons License Eric.Ray via Compfight

by Allie

Did you know that basset hounds have long floppy ears help them smell better? Or that poodle means puddle in french?  First that poodles love water and in french poodle means “puddle.” And dogs whiskers are much like our fingers.

Basset hounds have the longest ears and their ears fan the scents toward their nose. And the basset hound has an extra sharp nose. Basset hounds are also really good to watch dogs they have a deep bark which alarms them to stay away from who they are protecting. They were originally used for hunting and trailing. But they do have a lot of energy so they might need a daily walk.

Border collies are very curious and they live 12-15 years. Border collies are so curious that a border collie named Laika was so curious that she the was the first mammal ever to go into outer space! Border collies are very intelligent they were originally used to herd sheep or cows. They are so intelligent they can do many tricks such as flips and they take orders.

Beagles are very loyal and there are different breeds like the pocket beagle they are smaller than the normal beagle

May 8

The Last Great Race

Iditarod 2017 frostnip907 via Compfight

There are few things harder than scaling Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest mountain1. One of these things is completing the Iditarod. Read on to find out more about this daring sport.

You’re probably asking, “What is Iditarod?” It’s known as the Last Great Race on Earth2 and unlike other sports, it goes on for several days instead of a few hours. The team is made up of a driver called musher who gives commands to a group of 10-18 sled dogs.  Teams must travel 1,049 miles with checkpoints along the way from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. In addition to the length of the race, the weather is rough over the challenging terrain which includes snow, mountains and narrow gorges. Even with all these obstacles, people still want to win the race for the top prize: up to $70,000 and a new pickup truck.

Next, let’s go into how the sport originated. Joe Redington founded the Iditarod race in 1973. Because of this, he was nicknamed The Founding Father of Iditarod. Joe Redington founded the race to remind people about the importance of sled dogs in Alaska3. Sled dogs were used for transportation, daily work, and they helped Eskimo Scouts patrol the state. When snowmachines and snowmobiles were invented, people used sled dogs less and less.  Joe Redington hoped the race would bring attention to the sled dogs and reminds people that they are strong, intelligent and can hold many occupations.

Now, let’s go through some fun facts about Iditarod. Iditarod comes from an Ingalik word for a local river, Haiditarod, which means distant place. In the history of the race, the longest one took more than 32 straight days by John Shultz. If the snow melts, the race can have a different starting line or trails. The only dogs allowed to participate are Huskies and malamutes. This rule was created after John Suter allowed his poodles to participate in the competition. Not all dogs are allowed to race because their fur or hair may not be able to handle the cold weather.  Besides the cold weather, another danger for the teams is moose. They have attacked some of the teams in previous races.4

Now that you know more about Iditarod, are you ready to give it a try? Over 1,000 miles, extremely cold weather and long days are not good enough? I bet $70,000, a new pickup truck and twelve super cute huskies as part of your team will change your mind.

References

1The Great Alone. Greg Kohs, Alkemy-X, 2015, documentary.

2 Iditarod Trail Committee, www.Iditarod.com, 2017.

3 Freedman, Lew, www.alaskasportshall.org/inductee/joe-redington-sr/ 2017.

4 Mcpherson, Angie, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140308-iditarod-dogs-sled-race-alaska-willow-science/ , 2014.

May 8

Man’s Best Friend

Winning combination Vitto Dema via Compfight

One Hundred Ninety. Why is that number important? That is the estimated amount of the different breeds of dogs in the world. Dogs are also known as “Man’s Best Friend” because dogs are the most energetic, loving, and interactive animals. Dogs come in many different shapes and sizes. Chihuahuas can fit in a small bag. The Great Dane is the tallest dog breed in the world, with a height up to forty-four inches when they are standing up.

The Origin Of Dogs

A long time ago, dogs hunted for their own food, made their own houses, and fought for territory. They didn’t they know that in the next 32,000 years they would evolve to a domestic creature and live with humans. They would get fed, and live with a family that loved them. That is because, over many centuries, some wolves evolved and became domestic animals. Domestic describes any animal that is not hunting and is living with humans. Dogs evolved from a wolf that is now extinct. The wolves that dogs evolved from are called European Wolves. Dogs have gone hunting in the wild to being fed by humans over thousands of years. Dogs were supposedly domesticated in England, around 18,800 – 32,500 years ago. They were domesticated from people in hunter-gatherer cultures, to hunt for food, and guard homes. Now dogs are mostly everyone’s favorite animal. They play, they sleep, and you can teach them almost anything.

Dog Jobs

You wouldn’t think of a dog going to work and helping people right? Well, some specially trained dogs do. Dogs go to sick people in hospitals and give some joy by licking them and letting people pet them. Dogs can also help firefighters and police officers. They help the firefighters by sniffing and leading them to a victim in the fire. Other dogs are used for the police. They help them by sniffing out drugs and lost items. Imagine you lost your phone, they sent a dog out to find it and found it! You would be pretty satisfied when the dog did. Another thing dogs do is guide people with blindness around the house or city. The dog will know when to cross the street and when to not, this can really save somebody’s life. Lastly, dogs can sniff out low blood sugar, they can help anyone in the condition and alert his or her parents. This saves a lot of time because you don’t have to watch your child every second of every day. Overall, dogs are a very important part of this world and making humans happy.

Keeping Your Dog Healthy

Dogs need people to help them stay healthy and live happily. The disease rabies is deadly, and lots of other diseases are too. Even colds and fevers can be serious when talking about dogs. That is why all house dogs are treated with a number of different shots to prevent disease before exploring the world. There are 7 different vaccinations that dogs have to take and are spread out through the age of 5-15 weeks old. The list of vaccinations is, 5 weeks Parvovirus, 6-9 weeks combination vaccine and Coronavirus, 12 weeks Rabies, 12-15 weeks Leptospirosis another Coronavirus, and Lyme. Once your dog has had all of the listed shots, they are ready to explore the outdoors. Your dog also needs to be feed on a daily basis. You should also walk your dog at least once a day, and not put your dog in a cage for more than 4 hours a day. Puppies would be more energetic that adult dogs.

Conclusion

Dogs are very intelligent, and energetic animals that can run, swim and be taught almost anything. You need to know how to take care of your dog, what breed to get, and where dogs originally came from. You can help your dog by following feeding schedules and playing with your dog for most of your day. If your dog gets sick you can call a veterinarian to see what’s wrong. Look at the links down below to find out more about dogs, their origin, how to take care of them, and what breed to pick. There are many choices, start looking today at your local animal shelters if you want one, remember, dogs come in different shapes and sizes. Find the one that is right for you.

Links for More Information

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/14/health/dogs-domesticated-europe/

http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_domestic_dog

http://discovermagazine.com/2016/dec/the-origins-of-dogs

http://www.neshaminy.org/cms/lib6/PA01000466/Centricity/Domain/439/Cp6%20-%20HANDOUT%20CNN%20Types%20of%20lead-ins.pdf

 

February 22

Dogs And The Beach

All summer I love going to the beach! It’s the best place to meet up with friends, family, get fresh air, and just socialize, right? It’s an awesome place to be, but I hate being alone. Probably 10! It’s the same with or without dogs but it would just be lonely without them! I would love to have dogs on the beach!

For example, the beach is a great place to walk dogs, and we can all share that big space together. Dogs like to run, jump in the water, and have fun just like humans and they deserve it too. If you live on the coast it is a very convenient place. They have fun and get exercise at the same time, the same as us. We can even have more fun than we always do! Our minds get moving just as our body.

Clearly most dog owners are responsible for their fuzzy friends. And owners pick up to keep the beach clean. They also put leashes on dogs so it won’t bother anyone, can it? What’s the worst that could happen? People and dogs need exercise to stay healthy and the beach is a perfect place! It takes care of all your needs. Humans litter more than dogs and “MISS” the trash can.

Since dogs keep humans moving, happy, and healthy we should all learn to become every dog’s friend. People love dogs so very much. They get along very well . I guess the beach still is the one of the top ten places in the summer, but imagine how lonely it would be without dogs.

But who doesn’t know the torture of  stepping in a pile of dog poo or hearing dogs bark while you are relaxing. It’s not that pleasant, but still you know it’s not likely to happen since dog owners are very responsible for their outdoor pets anywhere, anytime, everywhere.
Dogs are almost just another human, and they are living creatures so we should treat them like they are, shouldn’t we? They should be just as cared for as we are. Dogs and people are friends not enemies, so we should be able to get along just fine. We all get moving, we all are responsible, and we all know how to share big, open spaces. Right? What more could happen? Send a letter to your mayor or encourage your school/neighborhood to help!

January 27

Dogs

Winstie Boy! Sleeping on his back...or expecting a tummy rub
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Will Marlow via Compfight

Hi, this post is about dogs. Dogs can go almost anywhere as long as they’re owners are with them. Dogs are super smellers. They can smell better than humans and yes, cats. Sometimes they’re hired to sniff out drugs. No lie! Dogs can’t hear as much as cats but they can hear more than people. Did you know the first dogs were wild wolfs?

Early dogs were wild wolves. Wolves came near villages and ate stuff from the trash and became tamer. Eventually, they became the first dogs. But some wolves didn’t become dogs. Which is why there is still wolves today and they aren’t something from long ago.

Have you ever seen a dog at the airport? Or a police dog? They’re on the sniff for drugs. Dogs are really good at smelling so they’re hired to sniff out drugs. Sometimes at airports, there’s a dog who is going to sniff your suitcase looking for drugs. I’m pretty sure they don’t want anybody to get drugs in a different country.

Dogs can go anywhere as long as a owner or a trusted person is with them. Dogs like company and whine when there’s no one around. Sometimes when a person feeds them they love that person and will follow them around. Dogs need love, too!

Dogs are a really good pet to have. If your parents let you have a dog, I suggest getting a shelter dog. Just make sure to never leave your dog alone. DOGS ARE CUTE!

March 21

About dogs

A cocker spaniel puppy.

Do you know about dogs? I love dogs. Here is about dogs. There are many kinds of dogs like beagle, poodle, cocker spaniels, rottweilers, German shepherds,  chihuahuas, and St. Bernards.

Greyhounds can run very fast, terriers are brave, retrievers are great swimmers.

Dogs wag their tails when they are happy. If a dog’s tail is down between back legs, it is scared or unhappy.

Why do dogs lick people? Dogs like people’s salty skin. Licking people can help dogs find out who people and other dogs are.

My favorite kind of dog is cocker spaniel. What is your favorite kind of dog?

Photo attribution: By Deskana at en.wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons