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We Like: Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide

caninebodylanguage.jpgSaffron, our dog, and I had a great walk yesterday down by the Puget Sound.  She got lots of smiles and comments from people and it got me thinking about why.

So, I started paying closer attention to her body language and realized she was absolutely broadcasting joy.  Her ears were forward, her face was relaxed, her mouth was open, but relaxed, her eyes were soft and not glassy, and her tail was up and relaxed.  Clearly people could tell she was having fun.  But, it’s not always clear what our dogs are telling us with body language.

We’re two very different species—canine and simian.  Here’s a book that can help you bridge that divide.  Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language Of The Domestic Dog, by Brenda Aloff is an amazing resource. (DogWise published the book and is a great source for harder to come by books on dogs. They might not be the cheapest, but supporting them enables them to provide a thoughtful and thorough selection of excellent books and other items.)

I recommend Canine Body Language to anyone who shares their life with a dog. Unlike other books I’ve seen, this one uses tons great photographs to illustrate dogs’ body language. It does a very thorough job with 370 pages of photos and straight forward text to clarify dogs’ sometimes very subtle body language. It’s very readable and clear.

Even if you feel you’re well versed in canine body language, I think you’ll learn a lot from the book. And for the average person, Canine Body Language, will open a whole world of understanding of what your dog communicates on a daily basis. The book has made trips to the dog park fascinating and educational to see real time examples of canine communication. And it’s allowed me to be closer in tune with what Saffron is thinking and feeling. I have found it invaluable:

  • in avoiding altercations between dogs
  • in distinguishing play behavior from aggressive behavior
  • in understanding when Saffron is too stressed
  • in deciding whether dogs we encounter on walks are likely to be leash aggressive or, on the flip side, likely to be afraid of Saffron
  • in recognizing rude behavior from other dogs so I can let Saffron warn them in dog language

Examples of the great photos and clear descritptions:

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First Soup Kitchen Opens For Dogs

The German animal welfare organization, Tiertafel Deutschland, has opened the world’s first soup kitchen for dogs in Berlin. The soup kitchen called Animal Board provides one free meal a day to the dogs of the homeless and unemployed.

Tiertafel Deutschland also has a number of pet food banks established around Germany to provide food, treats, and toys.  I know some people might argue that if you can’t afford pets, you shouldn’t have them.  However, pets are just as much a part of the family for people struggling financially.  They provide companionship, someone to care for, security, and as the woman in the video below says, the joy pets bring is “therapy” for many.

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DIY: Make A Cat Bed From An Old Sweater

Here’s a great little tutorial on how to make a nifty cat bed (or small dog bed) out of an old sweater. Clever and thrifty!  (Note: the tutorial uses contrasting yarn so you can see the work–you should use matching yarn and the seams won’t show.)

You don’t even need a sewing machine for this though you could use one.  You will need:

When you’re finished, the arms of the sweater will be bolsters encircling the bed.  This is a pretty easy project and the author said it took her longer to write the tutorial than to make the bed.  She also has a great suggestion of making one to donate to your local shelter.  Nice!

The author of the tutorial has a fun blog on knitting and other crafty things.

Don’t miss this other DIY pet bed.

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Pet Food Recall: Special Kitty Gourmet Blend

Mars Petcare is recalling bags of its Special Kitty Gourmet Bland dry cat food due to possible salmonella contamination. The bags of food were sold in Wal-Mart stores in:

  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Massachusetts
  • Maryland
  • Maine
  • North Carolina
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Virginia
  • Vermont
  • West Virginia

Here is the information you need to identify the affected bags:

  • Best If Used By Date: AUG 11 09
  • Best If Used By Date Location: Back of bag
  • Production Lot Code: 50 XXXX X  (Found on back of bag just after “Best If Used By” date. Consumers should look for “50” as the first two digits of the second line.)

UPC code numbers can be found right below the bar code on the package.

  • 3.5 lb.    Special Kitty gourmet blend       81131 17546
  • 7 lb.       Special Kitty gourmet blend       81131 17547
  • 18 lb.     Special Kitty gourmet blend       81131 17548

If you have a bag of the recalled food, dispose of the contents in a covered trash can and return the empty bag to the store where you bought it for a refund.

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans.  Here is good information on the symptoms & treatment of salmonellosis in dogs & cats. The FDA has information on how to safely handle salmonella contaminated pet food. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has a very informative page on salmonellosis in humans.

You can find out more about previous pet food recalls in the Pet Food Recall Archive.

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