The Doggo Daily
For Monday, January 15th, 2024
It’s just the most amazing thing to love a dog, isn’t it? It makes our relationships with people seem as boring as a bowl of oatmeal.
— John Grogan
In the News
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Health benefits of owning a dog (WXMI)
“Social Connections: Not only are dogs loyal companions, they can also be a gateway to making social connections with other people. Strolling through a dog park or talking part in conversations with passing dog-walkers can bring a sense of community to some people who may feel like they’re missing out. Whether it’s making new friends or partaking in small talk, the social interactions that come with owning a dog can be a boost to your mental health.”
Retiree Adopts Senior Dogs to Keep Them ‘Loved and Warm’ in Their Twilight Years (People)
“‘I’ve always been a dog person, I love being around dogs,’ he says, adding of the animals he rescues, ‘a lot of these dogs would be put down immediately.’”
What happens if you don’t pay property tax on dogs in West Virginia (WBOY)
“If the tax is not paid after 15 days, the sheriff is allowed to sell the dog to pay the delinquent tax.”
Lubbock veteran family opens Sweet Pup Co. store with homemade dog treats (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
“When I was 12 years old, I wanted to support the dogs that I was fostering, and I didn’t want to ask my parents for money. So, I started making dog treats on my own. My dad helped me, day and night, making these dog treats, and we were known as the dog treat family.”
What it’s like to take your dog to the Alps in winter (The Telegraph)
“Luxury ski agent Leo Trippi has reported a 37 per cent increase in enquiries for dog-friendly chalets, and the company says that accommodation for dog owners is increasing. In Switzerland, the resort of Laax saw a 104 per cent increase in hounds hitting the slopes with their humans in 2022 … compared with 2019, and in the first half of the 2023 winter season there were almost 300 pet-friendly bookings.”
Health, Wellness, Safety, Etc.
The SPCA Serving Erie County “has released some winter safety tips” for pet owners.
Most of the items can be categorized as “Dog Care for Dummies,” but two stood out to us:
• Consider talking to your vet about increasing your pooch’s food intake, “particularly protein,” in order to keep “fur thick and healthy.”
• Antifreeze “is a lethal poison” for dogs. And given its “sweet taste,” the temptation can be strong. So “clean up spills thoroughly, and consider switching to an animal-friendly antifreeze.”
Breed of the Week
When AMD read that the Great Dane was the 19th most popular breed in the United States, we thought, “How can so many people afford to feed them?”
These guys/gals aren’t big — they’re ginormous. The tallest breed in the canine world, males “can reach up to 32 inches at the shoulder and weigh a massive 175 pounds.”
Where did such impressive beasts come from? Well, the history of the Great Dane is “not a one version story.” (Yep, we’ve heard that plenty of times before.) Believed to be “spawned by a Mastiff type dog,” the breed “did not originate in Denmark,” and is actually the national dog of … Germany!
“The Apollo of dogs” (possessing “a gentle temperament housed in a majestic body worthy of the sun-god himself”) has as fierce a fan club as the Corgi and the Rottweiler. If you’ve ever met one, or owned one, give us the details below.
Charity Profile
Great Dane Rescue of New England got underway in 2013, when a “volunteer group of experienced … owners” came together “to more effectively assist Great Danes in need, as well as the families who surrender, foster and adopt them.”
Focused on the region’s six states, GDRNE seeks “the day when, thanks to education and accountable breeding practices, every Great Dane in our service area is loved and cherished by a caring forever family.” It finds foster families willing to “rescue Danes’ mental and physical well-being through medical intervention, obedience training, behavior management and most importantly — love and nurturing.” After rehab, it’s on to “homes that value and understand all that is unique about the breed.”
With a record of putting “hundreds” of Great Danes where they need to be, GDRNE can be proud of the work of its “judgement free volunteers.”
Participation Time
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Today’s discussion questions (answer in the comments section below):
1. Should dogs be taxed?
2. Have you made any new (human) friends while walking your dog?
3. Ever had an encounter with a Great Dane?
1. Should dogs be taxed?
Only if people’s children are similarly taxed.
2. Have you made any new (human) friends while walking your dog?
Humans and dug duos! Sandra and Ruby, Grumpy John and Polly, and George and Coco just this very cold morning.
One dogless couple became our friends in the late summer/early autumn of 2020: they had a grown up daughter in Australia who they were not going to be able to see given travel there was forbidden. She had a three year old Doodle who I think they were missing more than their child! I let them cuddle my puppy as much as they wished when our walks coincided and now they are our go-to carers when the dug needs a place to hang out for a few hours longer than we’d like her to be alone. I’ve been sent pictures of my dog on their bed! Forbidden at our house but what happens and Uncle J and Auntie V’s house stays there.
Auntie V meets us for a ramble at least once a week and will come take our pup for a walk when I’m away and the other service human is working at home. If we walk by their house and a visit has not been arranged (I don’t do ‘pop ins’) my pooch tries to pull me up the driveway....
3. Ever had an encounter with a Great Dane?
We have yet to come across one!