"Dogs smell in color, people smell in black and white" ~ M. Johnson ~

I often find it tempting to think that our three dogs experience the world much the way I do. But a dog is a dog and a member of a species that explores the world much differently through its senses. A dog is both limited and advanced by its genetic canine heritage; while a dog's brain is much smaller than a human's, some parts (that which covers smell) are much larger. Like ours, theirs include:

~ "Beware of a man that does not talk and a dog that does not bark" ~ Portuguese Proverb

Spring's here, along with warmer weather, which tends to bring more barking from dogs. There's an old saying that it's not a dog problem, but a people problem. (Another old proverb: "He who pelts every barking dog must pick up many stones.")

Why do dogs bark? Although barking is common in domesticated dogs (exceptions are Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies, who'll howl, though tend not to bark, and when they do, it's generally a 'quiet' bark) wild dogs will howl, whine and yip, but rarely produce a sound like barking. Hungarian Ethologist (a sub-topic of Zoology) Csaba Molnar has done extensive research on how domesticated dogs bark and believes the human selection process designed them to do so. An article about Molnar and barking states: "Barks should contain information about dogs' internal states or external environment, and humans should be able to interpret them" (as we humans expect dogs to interpret our voices!). To read more about his research, see the following article http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/dog-bark-origins/

January 2012: Fencing for Dogs

A huge dog, tied by a chain, was painted on the wall and over it was written in capital letters "Beware of the Dog." ~ Petronius Arbiter ~

It's not a good idea to routinely tie, or tether, a dog. Animal advocates consider it inhumane and some jurisdictions restrict tethering. A tied dog will understandably consider itself at risk from human and dog predators, and become dangerous itself. While occasionally tying a dog may be unavoidable, routine restraint can result in a very unhappy and dangerous pet.

Containing dogs is important not only to pets and owners, but also to neighbors and the community at large. The old proverb, "Good fences make good neighbors" may be especially apt when applied to dogs.

If the only purpose in putting up a fence is to keep a dog in, electronic fencing may be a good choice. If there are other reasons, i.e., children, keeping other dogs out, etc., wood & rail fences may be another option. In addition to keeping your dogs in and others out, a fence is an aesthetic asset--or liability--to property, so try to fit the budget to a fence you can enjoy. Check your county or sub-division/community zoning restrictions to be sure you meet their guidelines.

You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets. ~~ Nora Ephron ~

Almost thirty years ago, I processed insurance at a (people) clinic and was surprised a well-to-do client had no health insurance. He was in trouble with the IRS (and banned by insurance companies) because he'd enrolled the family dog on their health insurance policy. I think he did this for tax purposes because I can't imagine how he'd pull it off in medical cost savings, but maybe he had a creative plan. This was before pet insurance was available in the U.S. and I remember thinking, medical insurance for pets, what a crazy idea. But, veterinary medicine has changed drastically in years since, and brings, along with almost the same care available for people, medical insurance.

For decades, in Europe, approximately 25% of the pet population, especially in England, has carried pet insurance, as compared with less than 1-2% in the U.S. (figures as of 2008). Rather than better care by pet owners, the difference in popularity could be due to how differently human health care is handled.