Black Dogs Get the Shaft

I was recently reading Jill Rosen’s blog in the Baltimore Sun, and she cited a story in the Post and Courier about how large black dogs have a harder time getting adopted than their lighter-coated counterparts. It broke my heart.

Five-year-old Rowdy is a black lab available for adoption from Pet Helpers on James Island. Tyrone Walker/Post and Courier

According to the Post and Courier: “That's definitely ‘the shelter worker's perception,’ throughout the country, said Jacque Schultz, the senior director of community outreach for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ‘If you see a row of 20 black dogs, they fade from your memory. There's very little in the way of research’ on whether black dogs are euthanized at higher rates, she said, but it's likely. ‘The longer you're at a shelter, the greater the risk.'"

To help black dogs get noticed, shelters are trying to market them better. Says the story: “Sometimes, all it takes is better lighting, a brightly colored collar, or even a unique squeaky toy in its cage for an animal to be noticed, shelter workers say. Black dogs just need a little help standing out.”

To read the full story, click here.

(Thanks to Lindsay B. for passing this along!)

Want to Drop Some Lbs? Partner Up With Your Dog.

It’s easier to be physically active and stick to an exercise schedule when you have a dog, says one Northwestern University scientist in the new issue of Forbes. According to Dr. Robert Kushner, dogs are “natural exercise machines” and they’re hugely motivating. How come? They don’t make lame excuses and they tend to be eager to go out at all times.

In the story, Kushner cited a previous study he’d conducted to find out if pets could help overweight people lose weight. It found that “people with dogs were slightly more active than those without dogs and that, after a year, they had lost an average of 11 pounds, or 4.7 percent of their body weight.”

Honestly, haven’t you ever felt stricken with guilt when your dog wants to go on a long walk and you’d rather sloth around and watch a movie OnDemand? 

What’s Up With Your Dog Getting That Guilty Look?

In the new issue of Canine Behavior and Cognition, some Barnard College psychologists tried to decode why dogs get that “I-may-or-may-not-have-pooped-in-your-closet” look on their faces from time to time.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/Mark Coffey

To find out, scientists basically played some Jedi mind tricks on the dogs. Says Science Daily: “During the study, owners were asked to leave the room after ordering their dogs not to eat a tasty treat. While the owner was away, [scientist Alexandra] Horowitz gave some of the dogs this forbidden treat before asking the owners back into the room. In some trials the owners were told that their dog had eaten the forbidden treat; in others, they were told their dog had behaved properly and left the treat alone…. Dogs looked most “guilty” if they were admonished by their owners for eating the treat. In fact, dogs that had been obedient and had not eaten the treat, but were scolded by their (misinformed) owners, looked more “guilty” than those that had, in fact, eaten the treat.”

So turns out, your dog only gets that sad, sheepish look because you’ve already condemned him of some crime. Even if he’s completely innocent. Nice, huh? I read this and started to feel like a real a-hole for all the times I’ve blamed my dog for things.

But then I realized that it would’ve been close to impossible for “some other dog” to have broken into my apartment and ripped 400 of the 498 pages of Twilight out of the book and strewn them about. And it’s pretty damn unlikely that my dog walker was the one who chewed up that tube of toothpaste while I was at work. And I’m fairly certain that new pee stain on the carpet isn’t from me sleep-walking last night. 

Yeah, I get that we have the tendency to interpret animal behavior in human terms. But until Riley can prove her innocence when the evidence is damning, she’s probably going to get in trouble. For at least like five seconds.

New Pet Airline to Cater to Dogs

A new airline strictly for pets is starting flights to major US cities this July. Pet Airways—which will fly to select cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, Denver, and Los Angeles—will allow your dog to fly in the main cabin as opposed to in cargo. The airline ensures that your pet gets multiple potty breaks and a pet attendant to check up on his or her progress every 15 minutes. You can even track your dog on the Pet Airways website.

A couple of issues: The airline does not always go to a city’s largest, most convenient airport, and it flies only certain days of the week.

We’ve all heard horror stories about dogs being mistreated on regular airlines. It can get a little complicated when you’re planning a trip and want to bring your dog, but it’s not exactly a short driving distance. I checked on the price of a few flights, and it didn’t look too insane. A round-trip from New York to Chicago this July was about $350.

What do you think of this new service? Would you use it?

What Qualifies as Weird Dog Owner Behavior?

What you quickly realize as soon as you have a dog in the city is that there are “dog people”…and there are “bizarro dog people.” I know, I know. It’s unkind to label people “odd,” but sometimes there’s just no getting around it. With a dog, you often get stopped on the street by admirers who want to pet your animal, and they’re usually quite nice. Other times, though, they’re downright creepy. For instance, I once had a guy ask me (with a straight face, mind you) if I ever take showers with my dog. Seriously. Um, no sir, I do not.

So, I decided to create a "Weird Scale" based on what I’ve observed with dog owners themselves. A number 1 means your behavior is fair game; a 10 means you should probably be arrested. Get it?

• Calling your dog “Schmoopy Bear,” “Lovey Muffin,” or some term of endearment that is most definitely not your pet's actual name. (I feel like there’s some leeway on this one.)
  Weird Level: 2
• Setting aside an hour on a weekly basis for a doggie photo sesh
  Weird Level: 4
• Giving your dog open-mouth, tongue kisses
  Weird Level: 8-9
• Spooning with your dog (I may or may not have done this from time to time.)
  Weird Level: 2-3
• Picking up your dog’s poop…bare-handed
  Weird Level: 9
• Having conversations with your dog and being totally convinced he or she “gets you” (eg “We’re really going to have to work on your sharing,” or “Did you really think barfing in my shoe was going to help you get fed again?” or “Didn’t you just love Foxy the maltese’s new haircut? Glorious, no?”
  Weird Level: Unclear. Depends on whether you expect a response.

What sort of strange interactions have you had with people on the street over your dog? Or, have you ever behaved in a way with your pet that had friends giving you strange looks?