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.

>

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.