What's Up Downtown February!

Tomorrow is the first day of February, the month of love!  There is a lot going on Downtown just for fun or for your special night of love.

First is my event the Love Your Dog Pooch Parade, February 12th @ 7pm.  We will be going through the Historical Core area of Downtown teaching manners and showing your dog you love them at the same time. We will then be stopping in at Pussy & Pooch for a decedent treat for your dogs, then we will finish off the night by enjoying some nibbles and sips on the dog friendly patio of the Artisan House.  The price is all inclusive for you and your dog, $40/dog.   Be sure to RSVP by February 6th!  Don't miss out.

This weekend is a big bar weekend with the Super Bowl, check out your favorite place to watch the game for their specials during the Bowl.

Some of the events I am looking forward to are CityRace LA Art Adventure in Pershing Square on 2/9, Chinese New Year Festival in Chinatown 2/16-2/17, and The Streisand Songbook performance at Walt Disney Hall on 2/10 to name a few.

Looking for good eats?  There is a lot to choose from these days.  I just tried the French restaurant on Broadway and 6th, Figaro Bistrot (Les Noves Du Figaro), I would encourage you all to try it out.  Also, I am excited to try out The Melt at the Fig&7th Plaza.

You can find that special event of the month or check out what is new in town by viewing the Downtown LA Calendar, just bark on the link!

5 Reasons to Watch the Puppy Bowl

Are you all sick of the Super Bowl hype yet?  I am not really into football, but I do enjoy the commercials.  But what I am looking forward to is the Puppy Bowl!  I giggle every year watching those cute pups run around and play.  Petside is feeling this too, they had 5 reasons to watch the Puppy Bowl this Sunday.  Below is their list.

Right in time for Divisional weekend of the NFL Playoffs, pet lovers have been given what they've truly been waiting for: a sneak peek of adorable dogs playing in Puppy Bowl, the real "Big Game" that matters! ...Check out some cute preview pics of this year's event, which airs on Sunday February 3 from 3-5PM.

1.  Puppy Bowl Playoff Action

The ninth annual Puppy Bowl is sure to please all pet-loving people. Check out these cuties in action, "ruffing" each other up in their quest for the ultimate prize in puppy football.

2.  Puppy Penalty?

A puppy penalty, perhaps? You'll have to watch Puppy Bowl to find out, but can rest easy knowing however this pooch's transgression winds up that it is downright adorable.

3.  Half-Time Surprise

Word has it that the half time show at this year's Puppy Bowl will be put on by a crew of adorable kittens. Can this year's Big Game honestly get any better?

4.  "The Ref" is Back

Dan Schachner is back for his second year as "The Ref". This year, the veteran official was more prepared to call the game fairly, and didn't let cuteness cloud his judgment in sending puppy players to the locker room. Catch him in action on February 3!

5.  Hedgehog Cheerleaders

This year, hedgehogs are set to be a new addition to the Puppy Bowl experience, acting as cheerleaders on the sidelines for the competing puppy players. Cute doesn't even begin to describe their cheering efforts!

 Don't miss this cuteness!  Also don't forget to watch your dog's reaction (if there is one) to all the dogs on TV!

New Jersey Mayor Saves Dog From Freezing

I love stories of rescues, no matter who the rescuer is or the situation, it always gives me a little more hope that we will all do the right thing to help an animal or a another person for that matter.  Dogster blogged about the New Jersey Mayor, Cory Booker, saving a freezing dog.  Literally, he drove to the house where the dog was freezing, got the dog and put it in a warm car.  The whole story is below.  Three barks and howl for you Mayor Cory Booker!

Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker was passing his evening mayorally one night this week when he noticed a tweet he'd been included on. It was by a reporter, saying that a dog was out in the cold.

It said, in part: "Make pet owners get their dogs out of the cold. Saw 2 dogs freezing."
Cory Booker knew why the dogs were freezing: it was freezing outside. So, like Batman, he got up, got in his car, and went to save the dog. Singlehandedly. The mayor went to the house himself, petted the dog, lifted up the dog, and carried her to a police car.

“If you’d crank up that heat, I’d appreciate it,” he told the police officer.

This man knows how to be mayor of a city. Who knows how long that dog -- named Chacha -- would have had to sit in the bitter cold had the mayor not decided it was his responsibility to make the dog warm?

(Note that Booker also cares deeply about the human residents of his city. When Hurricane Sandy hit, he spent several days responding directly to his constituents via Twitter, driving through the storm to deliver emergency supplies.)

The ordeal started when ABC 7 reporter Toni Yates and a camera crew noticed a dog out in front of a house, left out in the cold. Later, they passed by again. The dog was still there. Yates decided to do something, which is commendable. She took to Twitter, calling out the mayor specifically. Then, to her credit, she "asked the block captain to do something, call someone," as she wrote in another tweet.

The buck, however, does not stop with either Yates or the block captain. The buck stops with Mayor Cory Booker. And Mayor Cory Booker was en route to save Chacha.

 

"This is brutal weather," Booker told WABC. "This dog is shaking really bad and you just can't leave your dogs out here on a day like this and go away and expect them to be okay. Hypothermia on any animal including a human animal will set in pretty quickly. So this is very sad. You can just feel the dog shaking pretty badly." 

Of course, the whole thing was captured on film, by the very newsperson who sent out that tweet. Booker is getting a good run of publicity from the act -- which is fine with us.
The dog is warm. She also has puppies. (Editor's Note: Sigh. Of course.) The cameraman made sure to get good shots of that: 

 

As for the owners, the mayor called them himself (of course), ready to chastise them for leaving their dog outside. They pled ignorance; the dog had allegedly gotten out on her own when they were in Queens.

Sign Up Today for Love Your Dog Pooch Parade!

Don't miss out on the most fun Pooch Parade of the year!  Sign up today, space is limited!  Below is all the information from my original post.

I am very excited to announce Bark & Clark's first Pooch Parade of 2013, it has become my favorite of the whole year.  Please join us for the 3rd annual Love Your Dog Pooch Parade on February 12th @ 7pm.  It will be a night on the town with your dog as we take a romantic, yet educational stroll through our the heart of the city.  Then a decadent treat for your pooches at Pussy & Pooch and finally a chance to sit down and enjoy adult treats with wonderful conversation at the lovely and dog friendly patio of Artisan House.

Besides the obvious fun you will have, this is a great chance to learn about how to handle your dog downtown and in general with other dogs and humans.  This class focus is on basic obedience to help your dog focus on you - not all the distractions. We'll also focus on manners specific to the city, such as sitting at all intersections before crossing; sitting for introductions and the proper way to greet other dogs.  Last but certainly not least, we address the ongoing battle of teaching owners the proper places to potty their dog and how to clean it up!

We teach uptown manners for Downtown dogs! This class is so fun, it's more like an outing... So let's take a stroll through the city and focus on doggy's ability to deal with the public, the lively city and all the other pooches out and about.

I am so excited about this Pooch Parade, I hope I will see you all there!  Be sure to RSVP by February 6th because space is limited.

To sign up for our next Pooch Parade, give us a bark:  Bark!

Fun-Day Friday!

A client sent me this cute video.  I thought it was a perfect for a Friday.  

The dog in this video is not only a smart dog, he is mischeivous too!  What a combination.  He is also extremely cute and I bet he is a lot of fun!  Enjoy.




Don't forget to do something fun with your dog this weekend!

Tamara's Training Tips: Potty Training

Being a trainer, I get many inquiries about a lot of basic training needs.  To better serve you, my readers, I have decided to start sharing some tips for these basic needs.  So, Tamara's Training Tips will be a reoccurring blog topic which means I need you to send in all of your questions about basic training or specific questions about your dog's training needs.

Today I am starting with the most common problem I am asked about... Potty Training.

Potty training your pup can be the most difficult training you do.  The secret to success is consistency and routine!

The first thing you want to do when you bring your pup or dog home is set a routine where they will succeed.  As soon as your puppy or dog wakes up, get them outside to do their business so there is no time for them to look around and find a place in your home.  It helps to crate your dog or pup at night to ensure they stay in one place.

Any time your pup or dog goes in the place you want them to, praise and treat heavily!  Remember, what they are rewarded for heavily, they will try to repeat to get the rewards.

After they have had their first potty of the day, you should now stick to a schedule until bedtime.  For puppies you should be taking them outside for the first couple of weeks that you have them every hour to hour and a half.  For adult dogs you can start usually at every 2-3 hours.  Once they are successful on that schedule you can slowly start to extend the times in between when you take them out.  Remember, do this slow, start to move the time back by about 5 minutes, no more than that especially for puppies.

The exceptions to the rule above is, right after feeding your puppy, they will most likely need to go out again within 15-20 minutes.  Be sure to build this into the routine.  As well, right after naps or play sessions where they have consumed a lot of water.  Be sure to really watch your puppy, they will start to tell you when they have to go, usually by looking for a good spot.

It helps to keep a "potty journal" so you can log the times you go out and what they did.  You will start to see a pattern to clue you into their natural schedule.

Many people want to train on a pad, if you can avoid this, please do.  You are teaching your pup or dog it is okay to go inside the house and this is often a difficult habit to break.  However, if you have no choice, make sure you confine your dog or pup to a specific area covered in pads so no matter where they go, they succeed.  Treat, treat, treat (and praise) for all successes on the pad.  You will slowly take away pads until they have just one pad to target.  This can take weeks or even months in the case of young pups.  Once they are targeting one pad, your next step is to get them to learn to hold it to go outside, please see all steps above.

Many accidents occur overnight, the trick with over night is to take water away from your pup about 3 hours before bedtime, then right before bed you should potty your dog one last time.  You should get a good 6-8 hours out of your pup.  Adult dogs usually do not have a problem with this, you should be able to simply potty them one last time without taking water away, however, some senior dogs do have problems holding it through the night, if that is your situation, follow the puppy guidelines.

Lastly, what do you do if your pup or dog does have an accident?  DO NOT punish them!!!  If you walk into the room and see your pup or dog pottying, clap your hands or say "no" or a no marker loud enough that it gets your pup or dog's attention.  You do not want to scare your pup too badly, just get their attention to make them stop.  Many times if you scare them too badly, they develop a fear of going in front of you.  Then go and pick them up  (or for a large dog, get them moving right away outside) go outside and spend a little time out there to get them to go in the appropriate place and be sure to treat them after.

If you walk into a room and find what they did, simply ignore them, do not shout at them, rub their nose in it, spank them or scold them.  Ignore means no looking at, talking to or touching.  So you ignore your dog or pup while you clean up and make sure to use a neutralizer to prevent them from going there in the future.

I cannot stress enough, it is extremely important that you praise and treat heavily when they go where you want them to go.

Consistency, routine and a lot of patience will get you far.

10 Pet Myths Debunked

 

Petside had a great article in their newsletter, 10 Pet Myths Debunked!  We all hear them and as you will see some are even true, but more are false.  Read, enjoy and hopefully learn something useful.

We’ve all heard them before: Cats always land on their feet. Dogs shouldn’t eat grapes. Every year of a dog’s life is equivalent to seven human years.

They’re pet myths, and most of us have no idea where we heard them, or whether or not they’re actually true. In the spirit of starting a fresh, smarter new year, we thought we’d throw it out there to the vets to tell us …

Are the following pet myths true? Or were we duped?

Myth: Every Year of a Dog’s Life is Like Seven for People

Verdict: Mostly False

While dogs and cats do age faster than humans, says Dr. Jules Benson, VP of Veterinary Services at Petplan Pet Insurance, the rate at which they age is not as simple as a 1:7 ratio. Dogs mature very quickly in their first couple of years of life, so by the time Fido celebrates his first birthday, he’s closer to 16 than seven. The size of the dog also plays into the aging process—small dogs tend to live longer than their larger cousins, so they experience middle age around the age of 10. For larger pets it’s around age six or seven.

Myth: Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Verdict: False

Unfortunately many cats are actually injured from falls sustained within their homes or outdoors, says Melissa Worhach, DVM, Associate Veterinarian at Saint Francis Veterinary Center. However, if falling from a significant distance, many cats are able to “right” themselves, using their tails for stability, but even so, may be injured when they reach the ground. Most often, there is insufficient time for them to turn upright, and they may land in any position.

Myth: Pregnant Women Should Not Change Cat Litter

Verdict: True

Cats are the primary source of Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which infects most warm-blooded animals, says Dr. Karyn Collier, DVM, Chief Medical Officer at Saint Francis Veterinary Center. Cats can carry the germ in their stool, which is then transmitted to their litter box and can be picked up by humans. An unborn fetus can contract toxoplasmosis, as the organism can cross the placenta, and cause serious illness. Therefore it’s recommended that pregnant women avoid coming in contact with cat feces.

Myth: Rabbits are Rodents

Verdict: False

While it might seem logical to lump rabbits in with other small mammals like mice and guinea pigs, rabbits are actually lagomorphs, not rodents, says Dr. Benson. A fun fact—rabbits actually share similarities with horses, including their diet and the way their bodies digest food.

Myth: You Shouldn’t Feed Your Dog Chocolate or Raisins

Verdict: True

Raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure in dogs, says Dr. Collier. It seems to be an idiosyncratic response, meaning it varies from individual to individual—some dogs are affected and others are not. It also has been shown that even small amounts can be fatally toxic. It is best to avoid raisins and grapes completely for dogs.
Chocolate ingestion can be equally dangerous, says the doctor. The ingredients in chocolate can cause gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, but can also have an adverse effect on the heart.

Myth: If I get my dog a Distemper Vaccine, She’ll Calm Down

Verdict: False

The distemper vaccine prevents the viral disease canine distemper, says Dr. Collier. The disease can cause respiratory problems, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, coughing, and can progress to seizures and neurologic signs. The distemper vaccine does not alter the temperament or behavior of the dog.

Myth: Cats Love Milk

Verdict: False

In fact, most cats are actually lactose intolerant, says Dr. Benson. When they are born, kittens are nursed on their mother’s milk, like all mammals are. But as they are weaned, their bodies may lose the ability to break down the lactose. Many cats that are lactose intolerant will develop diarrhea eight to 12 hours after indulging in a creamy delight. Obviously, it’s best to swap in something else to offer as a tasty treat to these kittens.

Myth: Puppies and Kittens are Healthier Than Older Pets

Verdict: False

In fact, statistics show that pets under one year of age are actually 2.5 times more likely than their older brethren to have an unexpected visit to the vet, says Dr. Benson.

Myth: Black Cats are Unlucky

Verdict: False

In fact, Dr. Benson says that based on PetPlan’s insurance claims, black cats are actually 15% less likely to be victims of an accident or injury compared to their colorful kitten counterparts. By contrast, orange cats are twice as likely as their inky cousins to be involved in a mishap.

Myth: Pets Adopted From Shelters are Sickly

Verdict: False

Despite popular belief to the contrary, PetPlan has also found that pets adopted from shelters are actually about 5% less likely to have an unexpected trip to the vet, compared to pets purchased through pet stores or other sources. Most shelter pets receive veterinary care—and often some basic training—to ensure they are healthy and ready for adoption. Many shelters also offer to spay or neuter each adopted pet, which is shown to reduce the risk for certain illnesses, including mammary and testicular cancers.

A Sad Goodbye to Billy

Billy was a special little dog that was rescued from horrendous conditions at a puppy mill by Adam Parascandola of the Humane Society of the United States.  Billy and Adam had a connection right away and Adam did the only thing he could, adopt this little guy.  For several months Billy got to know love, freedom and happiness.  But the damage that the puppy mill conditions did were too great and during the holidays, Billy passed away.  Below is his story.  Be sure to click the link to the original story of his rescue, this little guy may be gone, but his impact should last a lifetime.

Billy's tale is one of horror and of hope. When Billy was rescued by Humane Society of the United States member Adam Parascandola from a deplorable puppy mill site, vets on the scene gave the Chihuahua mix a body condition score of 1 -- the very worst an animal can receive. Billy was severely underweight, his bottom jaw was missing, and his rusted cage door had to be forced open, suggesting that the dog had never once stepped foot outside. Despite his troubled beginnings, once Billy was freed, he gently and gratefully rested his head on Parascandola's shoulder, sealing their fate. Parascandola ended up adopting Billy and shared their moving story during the holidays.

This is the state rescuers found Billy in.

We don't rescue them, they rescue us.

The video made us cry happy tears.

And now we might shed some sad tears. The light of Billy's loving spirit could not outshine the injuries he sustained during his puppy mill beginnings -- the little dog passed away suddenly, shortly after the new year, succumbing to medical complications brought on by the neglect he suffered.

Billy got to spend the rest of his days in peace.

Parascandola has released a new video discussing the loss of Billy, and in it, he appears near tears as he talks about Billy's legacy.

But we choose to see Billy's existence as valuable -- in his own way, Billy has become an ambassador for other dogs languishing in wired cages empty of love and care. Don't let the light of Billy's life go out. Let's always remember what we can do to improve the lives of dogs everywhere.

Goodbye Billy, thank you for the smiles and reminding us all why rescuing dogs is very rewarding and worth it all.

The Story of Philly

It is not too often that there is a good story about Pit Bulls, especially involving Los Angeles Police Officers, but the story of Philly the Pit Bull is very different!  Watch the whole story below.

Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

To find out more about Philly and how to help, Bark on the link:  BARK!

Love Your Dog Pooch Parade!

I am very excited to announce Bark & Clark's first Pooch Parade of 2013, it has become my favorite of the whole year.  Please join us for the 3rd annual Love Your Dog Pooch Parade on February 12th @ 7pm.  It will be a night on the town with your dog as we take a romantic, yet educational stroll through our the heart of the city.  Then a decadent treat for your pooches at Pussy & Pooch and finally a chance to sit down and enjoy adult treats with wonderful conversation at the lovely and dog friendly patio of Artisan House.

Besides the obvious fun you will have, this is a great chance to learn about how to handle your dog downtown and in general with other dogs and humans.  This class focus is on basic obedience to help your dog focus on you - not all the distractions. We'll also focus on manners specific to the city, such as sitting at all intersections before crossing; sitting for introductions and the proper way to greet other dogs.  Last but certainly not least, we address the ongoing battle of teaching owners the proper places to potty their dog and how to clean it up!

We teach uptown manners for Downtown dogs! This class is so fun, it's more like an outing... So let's take a stroll through the city and focus on doggy's ability to deal with the public, the lively city and all the other pooches out and about.

I am so excited about this Pooch Parade, I hope I will see you all there!  Be sure to RSVP by February 6th because space is limited.

To sign up for our next Pooch Parade, give us a bark:  Bark!

Dog Teaching Puppy to Use Stairs

Stairs!  They can be the thorn in a dog or puppy owners side. Teaching a dog or puppy to use the stairs can be challenging as a human... but as a dog it seems to be pretty easy.  

The video below is one of the most dear things I've seen, I just love it. The power of having an older and wiser dog while raising a puppy is certainly demonstrated here.  Enjoy!

Dogster on Anderson Cooper!

As much as I reference them, you must all know by now, I love Dogster.  So any tip of the hat, mention or fame they get, I have to call attention to.  Anderson Cooper recently gave props to this favored dog blog.  The full story is below.  Congratulations Dogster, enjoy the spotlight!

This morning on the bus ride to work I noticed a woman raptly watching her tiny smart phone screen. She was seated and I was standing, so I couldn't help peeking at the video in her hands. And what was she watching? She was catching up on Downton Abbey.

The return of Downton Abbey has rekindled the flames of fandom that made the show so popular. When the show first hit the U.S., we couldn't help but see canines in the characters' places, so we did a little Photoshop magic and came up with images of what the cast members of Downton Abbey would look like if they were dogs. Judging from the response we received, there are more than a few Downton Abbey fans here on Dogster!

But guess who else loves Downton Abbey? It turns out Anderson Cooper is a fan of the show, so when someone clued him into our Downton dogs, he decided to feature them on Anderson Live. It's only a quick mention in the final five minutes, but look! There we are! We're famous!

Check out the clip below for Cooper's shout-out and take a moment to bask in the glory of being part of such a cool community. (No, really, we wouldn't be anything without all of you.)

To see the rest of our Downton dogs, click here. 

And Anderson, this is for you, you silver fox:

 

 

Labradoodle Mistaken for Lion!

I'm sure you have all heard about Charles the Monarch, a Labradoodle who looks like a lion thanks to a crafty grooming job.  The story broke on local news a few days ago that numerous residents in Norfolk, VA called 911 to report a baby lion on the loose.  It was not too long before everyone learned the lion was simply a very friendly Labradoodle.  The full story is below from GMA.  Charles looks like a ball of fun and the reason for the grooming job is rather cute!

Have a great weekend and don't forget to do something special with your dog!

Bad News for Mexico City Strays

This is year is not off to a very good start for dogs, there has been a lot of bad and disturbing news and this story is no different.  Dogster brought us this story this morning about the strays in a Mexico City park killing four people.  Though if you read the story, it sounds like there is doubt as to what dogs actually did this.  There is no question that there is a major problem with strays in Mexico City, but I hope they find the right dogs and more innocent dogs do not die.  The full story is below.

The stray-dog problem in Mexico City is getting much-needed attention after the horrific events at a Mexico City park called Cerro de la Estrella during the past two weeks. On Dec. 29, police found the bodies of a 26-year-old woman and a 1-year-old child. Then, on Jan. 5, they found the bodies of Alejandra Ruiz, 15, and her boyfriend Samuel Martinez, 16. 

All were dead from blood loss, and autopsies revealed that dog bites were to blame. Mexico City prosecutors said that at least 10 dogs were involved in each attack, according to the Associated Press. More than 100 officers searched the park and rounded up all the dogs they found. By Monday, they had 25 -- 10 males, eight females, and seven puppies. 

Stray dogs on street by Shutterstock.com. 

After a newspaper published photos of the dogs -- a collection of skinny strays of various types -- an online campaign erupted, maintaining the dogs' innocence. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera, bowing to pressure -- a large part coming from Twitter -- said authorities would not immediately euthanize the dogs, as had been speculated. Experts are testing the dogs' hair for traces of blood, as well as the contents of their stomachs, to make sure they have the right dogs. 

"We're not taking any decision. The dogs are in a shelter and we have to check on the health," he said at a press conference. 

You can see a photo of the dogs here. 

The mayor also said he was launching new spay and neuter programs for the stray dogs who wander the city, as well as sending 25 mobile surgical units into neighborhoods to offer free spay and neuter surgeries. 

Antemio Maya, president of the Street Dog Protection Association, says there are between 1.2 million and 3 million dogs in the city. He says many owners simply let their pets wander the city during the day, and that they treat dogs as "disposable," things to be bought for Christmas then left in a park when the responsibility becomes too great.
"A lot of people get tired of their dogs and they simply throw them on the streets," he said, according to the AP. "This is going to create a terrible hate for street dogs, and that's going to lead to even more abuse."

Homeless dogs by Shutterstock.com. 

He also disputed the police's version of the events.
"It's not the behaviour of street dogs to kill humans," he said. "The authorities trapped Beagles, Maltese, Poodles; can you imagine how long it would take for them to kill a person?"

The Mexico City public safety secretary, Jesus Rodriguez, maintains that dogs killed the people, saying that the people were not killed elsewhere and then their bodies dumped in the park, as some have theorized. He also said some of the bite wounds were inflicted when the victims were alive, which points to an attack. Which dogs did the attacking, however, has yet to be determined.

Running with your Dog

I will be running in my first 1/2 marathon in February, when I started my training, I decided to do it with my dog.  Well, the smaller runs.  I will only allow Neville to run up to 4 miles or a little over, any runs over that, I do not include him.  But at first as I was conditioning myself and him, we ran together every run.  It made me start to notice how many people run with their dogs, I also started to hear from neighbors, Vets, pet store employees and friends very frightening stories of people running with their dogs.  Because of these stories or people that I have seen, I wanted this to be a topic of discussion. 

When I decided to start running with Neville the first thing I did was talk to my Vet about it.  I did this to make sure it would be okay and the distance was appropriate for him.  That should always be your first step.  There are dogs that would have problems running for one reason or another.  There are also dogs that can run just fine, but the owners may be pushing them to go too far.  For instance, I was told of a young Pit Bull running 10 miles per day.  I don't know if that is all at once or broken up into twice a day, but either way, it is too much.  Unless your dog is training for something specific or your Vet has said this is okay (which this dog's did not), you should not go this type of distance with your dog.  Walking is one thing, but to run 10 miles is a lot.

If your dog has not been a runner and you decide to start running with them, remember they have to condition the same way you do.  They cannot go from not running to running 4-5miles no problem, they have to work up to it.

 
I think that many people perceive dogs as a sort of running machine.  But just because they run and jump and play in the park and seem to go and go and go, they are not machines and their hearts can and will give out.  That is why we as dog parents have to step in and pace them.  Stop the play at the park for water breaks, make them sit out and rest at the beach and find a good pace and distance for running.  Just because a dog is high drive or hyper, does not mean they the endurance to run long distances.  Endurance is something you have to build.  Their drive is something you have to focus.

I truly enjoy my runs with my dog, he is still learning how to run with me, but it a great feeling to be connected in that way.  I also feel like the exercise level is right for him and he is benefiting from it.  My concern when he is with me is always him, I know I can run it so it is a matter of if he can or not.  Here are a few of the things I consider:  Is the distance right for him?  Will the path, trail or route through the city be safe for his paws and for him?  Is the temperature cool enough?  Will he enjoy it?

If you run with  your dog, make sure you are considering their safety.  I don't think any of the people I have heard about or seen have done anything out of neglect or cruelty, I believe they think they are doing what is best for their dog.  And some may be.  But many are not.  Don't make a horrible mistake out of ignorance, talk to your vet, make sure your exercise routine is good for your dog and most important, make sure you both enjoy it!

Robber Kills Dog

Any time I hear of animals being mis-treated or any type of cruelty, my blood boils a little.  But this story takes things to another level.  To be robbed of your money, car, or possessions is a horrible feeling and extremely violating, but for the robber to violently kill your best friend is unthinkable.  The story below is a little hard to read, but the police are still trying to find this sick man that committed this horrific crime.  For all my San Francisco readers, if you have any information please help.  Thank you Dogster for bringing us the story.

On Friday, a woman pulled her car over on busy Leavenworth Street in San Francisco, to find her phone. She opened the door to look under her seat, and that's when a man approached, grabbed her, and demanded money. He took $5 from her sweater pocket, then pushed her back toward the car.

That's when Roxy, the woman's a 12-year-old Pekingese, started barking.

"I'm gonna kill your (expletive) dog," the man said, chilling the woman.

The man rushed toward the door. The woman blocked his path. They struggled, but the man got the door open and got his hands on the dog's collar. 

"I screamed, 'No, put her down! Put her down!' and yelled for help," the woman told Mercury News, "but no one helped."

Then "he put Roxy over his head," she told ABC 7 in an emotional interview. "And threw her toward incoming traffic."

The man threw Roxy into traffic, where she was run over. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear for her safety, said she heard her little dog scream as the car struck. Roxy suffered a ruptured eye socket and a broken pelvis. The man disappeared in the crowd on the sidewalk.

The dog was rushed to the vet, but her injures were too severe. Roxy was euthanized. 

"I tried to sleep last night, but right when I closed my eyes, I see her up in the air, getting thrown," the woman said. "How could someone do that?"

Police are seeking the public's help in finding the man -- and a witness to the horrific crime has offered a $1,000 reward. 

"To hold [the dog] above your head as high as you can and then slam it into oncoming traffic is a whole other level of depravity," said the witness. 

Fortunately, police have an image of the culprit, after culling surveillance footage from cameras on the street. Here are still shots from the footage: 

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And here's the video: 

Anyone with information about the case can call Inspector Elaine Economus from the department's Tenderloin Station at (415) 345-7348. Hopefully, there will be justice for Roxy.