Need a pet with very little upkeep? You can make your own Shiba Inu. The Shiba Inu is a beautiful Japanese breed of dog.
You can download and print the pattern. And you can download and print the instructions for assembly.
Butch Is Back!
Butch, the 150 yr. old Desert Tortoise, has been returned to his family.
You may remember in October that Butch had gone missing from his home in Cupertino. He has been in the Carle family since 1943 and spends every winter hibernating in a toolbox in the couple’s closet. 15 years ago a Stanford tortoise expert estimated Butch was 135, which was already quite long lived for a desert tortoise.
Oh, Please!: SNIF Tag
I’m starting a new category called Oh, Please! for what, I think, are ridiculous pet things. The SNIF Tag has the honor of being the first ill-conceived product to be discussed.
This tag costs $299, plus $10 per month. You put it on your dog’s collar and it will sense when other dogs also have the SNIF tag, then you can go home, look for the owner’s profile, and, I suppose, send them an email. It’s being marketed as a social networking aid to help you get to know other dogs’ owners. But, I’ve heard of another great way to meet the owners of dogs you and your dog encounter that is pretty much free. It’s called, saying Hello. Un-hunh.
The SNIF tag also says it will let you know your dog’s “activity level” when you’re gone during the day. It does this using an accelerometer, which is kind of a step up from a pedometer. I suggest setting up a webcam to see what your pup is up to. That way, you can actually see how your dog is accelerating through your house.
There is no GPS with this tag, which seems like an obvious thing to have, especially if they’re charging that much and expect you to keep paying a monthly fee.
So, $299 plus $10/month for the SNIF Tag? Oh, please!
Friday Fun: Maru The Cat Diving Into Boxes
It’s all about the slide. What a silly kitty! (thanks Nancy)
Obamas Intend To Adopt A Rescue Dog
President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle promised their daughters that when the election was over they would get a dog and it looks like they plan to adopt a rescue dog. Yea!
They were favoring a Goldendoodle, but several animal welfare groups urged the Obamas to adopt a dog rather than get a dog from a breeder. The future First Family could still get a Goldendoodle through a breed rescue group. A poll on DailKos shows people think the Obamas should get a mutt—it’s winning with 43% of the vote. You can vote too.