Christmas came early for Trixie

Yep, Trixie is one lucky dog. She got her Christmas treat early this year. It happens that my wife was carving a pork shoulder for our Christmas Eve dinner and when she finished, she ended up with this huge fat bone, just like the ones you see in cartoons. No, this bone just couldn't be thrown away. So she took the bone and recooked it, so any piece of meat left would get really tender for our little precious friend. Once it was, ready, Trixie wouldn't stop looking at it. My wife proceeded to walk to the backyard, but Trixie was almost running. And once my wife threw the bone to the yard, Trixie immediately grabbed it and went walking around, looking for a nice spot. And once she found it, she sat and "crunch, crunch, crunch . . " Oh, that bone tasted so delicious. . . And here's the picture to prove it:

 

I wish all Beagle owners, and those who have other pooches, a very Merry Christmas!

Trixie's mischievous adventure

I did what???

Yes, she did it. Trixie decided today to do a little "hiking" and follow her nose to wherever it would lead her. She ended up in a neighbor's house (inside of it!), several doors down, apparently because somebody was cooking something that her nose simply couldn't resist. In the mean time, mommy was getting crazy, pappy had to return on his car from where he was heading to and everything was on a standstill: where in the world was this dog? It was the very first time that she had disappeared, thus the mayhem. I even went to my archives to retrieve Trixie's records to call the company that issued her microchip. And then, voila!!!!, my wife calls me on my cell to tell me that Trixie was safe, playing with the neighbors down the street. Ohhhh, but how that scared us! If she only had an idea. I guess lots and lots of people out there have similar stories to tell. It just gives you an idea how attached can one get to a pet. Wheeew, we love you Trixie . . . but don't do it again!!!!!!!!!!

Happiness is a warm blanket

Yep, it's that time of the year again. Summer is gone, temperatures have dropped in Central Florida (thank God!!!!) and Trixie my Beagle is again bundling up. No more naps on the cold floor, or near the bathroom or anywhere where she can feel a little bit cooler. Now she just hops into our bed and she herself, with nobody's assistance, makes herself comfortable under a blanket, making sure she's warm and cozy. Just look at this picture ----------------------->

What are you looking at?

But wait a minute: Beagles come from Britain, a very cold country, and they should be able to cope with low temperatures, right? Well, that doesn't seem to be the case with Trixie. I guess the weather in Central Florida can get so unbearable and nasty during Summer that when fall and winter arrive, the difference is simply way too much. I don't blame her. I prefer cold weather to hot weather a thousand-and-one times. With hot (and humid) temperatures you can't help it. You either fry like a sardine under the sun or you run to the AC. In cold weather, you can grab a sweater, have a hot chocolate or sit in front of the fireplace. Thank you, Mother Nature, for this break. And enjoy it, Trixie, while it lasts!

Dogs and fish

It's funny how unfounded ideas can linger in one's mind for a lifetime. That's what happened to us with the notion that dogs don't eat fish because that's supposed to be cat food. It turns out that fish is actually very good for dogs.

Fish a are good source of protein and omega oils. And you can find fish products for dogs at any pet shop. Of course, be very picky. Your dog cannot eat raw fish, which can carry parasites. But a well-cooked chunk of salmon in your dog's plate will probably make your pooch very, very happy. Which brings us to Trixie, the main subject (actually the only one) of this blog. As soon as she discovers that we are cooking fish -- thanks to that remarkable sense of smell -- she will come from wherever she is to see if she can get a bite. Oh, and if she's denied a piece of fish, she will start whinning, howling or even barking until she gets what she wants. Yes, we know, she's terribly spoiled. So it was a good thing that in our last visit to the pet shop we found canned salmon for dogs, with no preservatives, additives or artificial coloring. When we opened the can we found out that it's actually like a paste -- not chunks of fish like we had expected -- so we served Trixie small portions throughout the week. I'm sure there wasn't a happier dog on Earth during that week.

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Trixie and Mr. Cat

There he was, on top of my neighbor's shed, enjoying the sun like a king. This cat had no worries at all, he was really enjoying himself. And that silly beagle dog down there barking at him like crazy, completely frustrated because he, Mr. Cat, was completely out of reach? Fuggedaboudit! My beagle Trixie simply can't stand cats, or any small animal for that matter, like squirrels and similar critters. That was the way she was brought up, I suppose (I adopted Trixie two years ago at the local animal shelter). Oh, and it looked so hilarious, the cat watching Trixie barking and maybe thinking, "What the hell is going on with her"? The funny thing is that Trixie doesn't behave like that when she sees cats in cages. You see, a couple of my neighborhood's pet shops ocassionally have cats for adoption, so they are put in cages for people to see. And when Trixie watches them, she doesn't bark a bit. She just stares at them, like thinking "Ha, that's where I wanted to see you, in jail. You cats are despicable". No they're not Trixie, but, hey, what the heck, who knows what a spoiled rotten beagle like Trixie might think when she see cats in cages?

My beagle's histrionic abilities

You know, ever since I adopted Trixie in 2010, I've been amazed with her theatrical skills. Every time we sit at the table for breakfast, lunch or dinner, she will approach us with sad gestures to see if she can get a bite of whatever we're eating. Beagles, of course, are famous for being driven by food. They'll do anything if they know they're going to get a treat as a reward. But if you feed your beagle every time he or she asks for food, in a few months you're going to have a pig instead of a dog. Just go to Google Image search and type 'fat beagles' to see what I mean. Of course, some dogs are obese due to thyroid problems and other medical conditions. But many beagles will get fat because of their obsession with food. Take a look at this picture:

This is Trixie with a typical "tragic" face ("Oh poor me, I'm starving to death and these people don't have a bit of pity to offer me a piece of what they're eating".) Sounds familiar, right? Sometimes, she will rest her lower jaw on my thighs to see if I get the message ("Can't you see that I'm dying to have a bit of what you're eating?") And when nothing else works, she'll start whining, yelping or even barking. But from what I've read, it' a typical beagle trait. That's why is so important to exercie them every day. If your dog is kind of lazy and doesn't want to walk around the neighbood because the weather is too hot (I'm posting this in the middle of summer), take the car and go to a park or another location. They'll quickly start to sniff their way around looking for new scents and at the same time they will do that walking they need so much.

That nose . . . really knows

Hmm . . . I think I smell a 'wabbit'

As any beagle owner will know, this dog's incredible sense of smell is beyond human comprehension. At nights, I  might go to the fridge for a quick bite -- maybe a slice of ham and some cheese between two slices of bread and, bingo, there's Trixie right next to me, coming all the way from the other end of my house, where the bedrooms are and where she was sound asleep. I mean, I would have to stick my nostrils to the piece of ham to know how it smells and this remarkable dog can smell it from maybe more than 30 feet away ---- and she wasn't even awake. Just the fact that the nose of a beagle has more than 200 million olfactory cells --- while a human nose has about 5 million --- okay, 'nuff said. And if that wasn't enough, their long floppy ears and their big lips help beagles trap air molecules to their almighty nose. If you are not a beagle owner but you're considering getting one, be aware that you have to have a fenced backyard, or they will run away the instant they detect an interesting scent. The temptation will be too much for them, and there's no training to not pay attention to that powerful nose.

Paying a price for being such a nice dog

When I adopted Trixie a couple of years ago, I immediately started buying books on beagles and checking the countless sites on them in the Internet. It struck me that on several of those sources, specially the most reputable ones, beagles were always mentioned as being the preferred dog breed for laboratory testing. According to the Beagle Freedom Project, beagles' sweet and docile nature, and the fact that they are relatively inexpensive to feed, makes them "ideal" candidates for all sort of experiments, like testing for medical, pharmaceutical, and household products, as well as cosmetics. It's appalling to see how these poor dogs get to live their short lives on this Earth. These beagles have had no interaction whatsoever with children and other dogs. Many of them have never even seen or felt the sun. They don't even know how it feels to walk on grass. Other cruel situations that these dogs suffer are too numerous to mention here. Entities like the Beagle Freedom Project work to rescue these dogs and find them families that will adopt them. The task, according to the Project, is not easy. These dogs have to be trained for absolutely everything, since they have lived their entire lives in isolation. As the owner of a beagle, I cannot help but feel compassion for these noble dogs, one of America's favorite breeds for decades, for all this deprivation and lack of humaneness. I'll probably get involved with these folks and see if I can do my part helping these doggies out. If you want to check them out, take a look at the Beagle Freedom Project's website, at  http://beaglefreedomproject.org/ Also, check out this video --- It'll move you to tears.

Dog days in Central Florida

Today in Central Florida was one of those days that you simply couldn't be outside, much less walk your dog. The thermometer hit 92 F (the record high is 99 F back in 1914, so we were pretty close). But the humidity was 76% ! Who can stand that?  It's no wonder that Trixie my beagle refuses to even walk half a block under these circumstances. My vet told me to be careful during these hot days when I walk my dog. During summer in Central Florida, the best times to walk your dog are either very early in the morning or about half an hour before sunset (which is now around 8:23 p.m.). If I take Trixie to the park, I carry a couple of poop bags, one for the poop, of course, and one for water. I fill up the bag with water from a fountain and, boy, she loves to drink that cold water in days like these. But let me refer you to people who really know about this: check out ASPCA's weather tips at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/hot-weather-tips.aspx  I wish you and your pet a cool (not hot!!!!) summer. Here's Trixie with a message for you: "Woof!" Good girl!

A primer on the origins of the Beagle

An old illustration of the Southern Hound,

believed to be an ancestor of the modern Beagle.

The Beagle has been around for quite a while. In fact, centuries ago, back to around the 5th century B.C., there were dogs of similar size and purpose (for hunting, that is). In the 11th century in England, the Talbot, a white, slow, scent hound now extinct, was crossed with the Greyhound to give them speed. Eventually, the Talbot strain gave rise to the Southern Hound, which is believed to be an ancestor of the modern Beagle. It was not until the 19th century that the modern Beagle  was fully developed, after many years of meticulous breeding.

Flash! : Human is actually owned by dog!

A Central Florida resident is owned by his dog and not the other way around, according to documents exclusively provided by the Canine Press Syndicate.  The pooch's name is Trixie (see picture),a  tri-color Beagle that, since arriving to her present address in 2010, has stolen everybody's hearts, including his master Edgar (or pappy, as she would prefer to call him). According to reports, Trixie sits at the family table during dinner and expects to be served! Not only that --- at night, instead of sleeping on her own bed --- bought by mommy and pappy with great sacrifice at the local discount store --- she will hop into our bed, stretch her legs and sleep all night. And she has other peculiar traits too: she eats fish (we thought only cats did that); will snack a bug or two and once in a while she won't mind gulping a lizard in the backyard either. Several national and international news outlets are working on stories about Trixie, who is considering hiring an agent to handle all the interview requests, product endorsements and late night shows appearances. (To be continued)