Animal News January 23, 2011

Junie hanging in her favorite spot

That picture of me is me in my favorite spot.  It drives mom crazy.  She's worried I'll get burned on it.  She moves my bed farther away and I just get into the space between the radiator and my bed.  If she moves my bed against it, I move my bed away so I can get back in there and stay really warm.

Did you know that the Chinese royalty used to use Chinese Cresteds as their own personal heating pads? It's true.  Read a little bit about us here.  It is also claimed that we can be used to cure arthritis (by using us as a heating pad).  We have no problem with this as it gives us a chance to snuggle with our human.  There's nothing we like more than being with our human.  Mom looks at the rescued Chinese Crested sites sometimes (because she'd like to rescue a friend for me when they buy a house) and almost every description describes the dog as a shadow or Velcro dog.  Mom laughs because that's exactly what she calls me.  It's true.  I doubt there is another breed of dog that likes to be with their human more than we do.

Note:  Mom would like to disagree with that second link that claims that we don't like to bark loudly or often and that we don't make good guard dogs.  I bark loudly and often, especially when I hear the kids moving when they shouldn't be.  I may not be a huge guard dog, but I make an excellent watch dog.  I watch from under the bed while I'm barking.

On to some animal news:

US man spends month in lions’ den to raise cash Wouldn't catch me in there.  Do you agree it's exploitive?
Should UBC experiment on monkeys? Should they?
Shielo: Cruelty Free Hair Mom loves finding new products that are cruelty free.
Another Case of Animal Abuse in Lansing Poor pit.  Mom loves the saying at the top of that blog.
West Side Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty After being charged before, why does she own more animals?
450 Horses Near Death I wish we had the money to feed them all. :(
Investigators have good leads in dog-abuse case I hope they catch the person.
Reward Increased In Dead Dog Case Disgusting.
Thomas faces huge fine for animal cruelty 722 counts of animal cruelty.  Why do people not take care of that which they have made a commitment to by bringing them under their care?
31 dead animals found in Granite Falls home It's hard to read all of this stuff all the time, but awareness needs to be made so people will help those who can't help themselves.  It's so sad.
Dog Auctions Very good article.  Such sad pictures.
What to do about “hell-hole” puppy mills? Another good article.
Arrest made after dog survives shooting in parking lot Really?  Someone else's dog is in their truck and you shoot it?  Where is the common sense here?
Can you spot pet abuse? Good article
Peacock Killer Found Not Guilty of Cruelty Go ahead and do what you want to peacocks in Hawaii.  They won't convict you of animal cruelty.  Especially if you plan on eating it after you bludgeon it to death.
Police say student killed mice for an art project, charged with animal cruelty Label it art, I guess. Gross.
Shafter High School Students Say Animal Cruelty Happens Often This is from mom - next generation of serial killers coming right up.  You know they say most serial killers started out abusing animals than moved on to humans.
Rep. Curt Oda received threats over animal cruelty bill, police say To answer violence with violence is not the solution here.
Brooklyn Couple Allegedly Hoarded, Abused Dozens Of Cats I'm not a cat friendly type of dog but even I'm against abusing cats.
Is E-Bay selling Blood Pups? I agree.  I hate that Ebay classifieds allows people to sell animals.
We must outlaw roadside pet sellers. Will the world ever be a safe place for animals?
Ebay Classifieds Gives Puppy Mills a Platform Another Ebay Classifieds article.

Junie says to check out: Chinese Crested Dog Design Messenger Bag (only because mom wants it herself.)

I Am Guard Dog Hear Me Roar

The littlest boy giving Junie a kiss

Now that I am completely comfortable here in my home, I have taken it upon myself to alert my mom to every noise that is around us.

Especially at night.

Tonight I have been on high alert.  I'm not sure what is out there beyond the sliding glass door and I am not about to leave my mom's comfy lap to go find out, but my mom says she's never felt me so tense.  I keep looking towards the door with my ears straight up and I growl and I bark and I growl some more.  I don't know what it is, but mom needs to know there is something out there.

Mom said it's probably a cat.  Or a possum.  Then she really thought about it and said, or it's someone trying to steal the Oldest Boy's bike he left on the porch.  There was no way she was going to investigate then.  She called dad and he hurried home from work and said there is nothing out there.

I must have scared them away.

I do my job around here.  Protect and love.  It's what I do.

Mom says that if I was bigger she swears I would herd the kids around like an Australian Cattle Dog.  She's probably right.  I don't bark when the kids are moving around normally during the day, but if the Oldest Boy is trying to be sneaky, I start barking and let mom know that he's doing something fishy.

If the kids get out of their bed at night, I bark and growl at them from across the room, and let them know that mom told them to go to bed, they need to get back in there.  I don't actually get up.  I just let them know I see them sneaking around even if mom doesn't see it and she'll see it soon enough when she hears me.

Mom thinks it is kind of strange that I only alert her to the kids when they are doing something they aren't supposed to be doing.  She wants to know how I know what they are supposed to and what they aren't supposed to do?

I don't know.  I just know.

Like I said, during the day when they are up and moving around, I play with them, or I ignore them, or I lay beside them.  I love all of them.  But if they are sneaky, I alert mom.  That means I'm smart right?

Do your dogs do things like that?

Mom says she can't wait until we buy a house so she doesn't have to worry about my barking and the neighbors.  I say they won't mind my barking if I alert them to something they should know about too.  Mom says that we have to have the most understanding neighbors in the world between my alerts and the birds chirping, it sounds like a zoo in here.  Since they pet me when they see me, they must be right.

Junie says to check out: Barking: The Sound of a Language (Dogwise Training Manual)