Animals Unfolded

How many people have you chatted with that comment that their dogs become afraid during a storm - or even when a storm is expected? Chances are, a lot. I know that I have. After writing a piece for AnnArbor.com on helping dogs with noise or storm phobias , there was an interesting dialogue with folks about their dogs' behavior. One thing in particular seemed to be a common theme: Dogs who camp out in the bathroom to cope - either wedged between the toilet and the wall, up against the tub or the sink, or inside the tub/shower. Flickr photo courtesy of Alicia Nijdam This might seem like an odd thing, but a theory that Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor and Head of Animal Behavior at Tufts University has regarding the behavior is quite interesting. Dodman writes in his book, " Puppy's First Steps " and " The Dog Who Loved Too Much ", that it's common to find a dog pressed against one of the aforementioned surfaces, and for good reason - dogs b...

With so many breeds of canine, medical data can be confusing when considering the longevity of a dog . The standard has always been: The smaller the breed, the longer that they live. A recent study supports that mantra, for the most part. The records of over 80 breeds were kept over a 20 year period and analyzed in a new study co-authored by Dr. Kate Creevy , an assistant professor in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine and Daniel Promislow , a genetics professor in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences ,  Flickr photo courtesy of powazny Promislow notes, "Normally, if you compare different species of mammals, big ones live longer than little ones, and that pattern holds pretty well across hundreds of different species of mammals. With dogs, the opposite occurs; the little dogs live longer." This study may provide more answers as to why that is true. Click here to read the study. In 2003, the first canine genome was mapped by researchers and they...

Training a dog to assist someone who is visually-impaired typically takes a lot of time, skill and money to achieve. Having a leader dog can offer a great sense of freedom to someone who cannot see - but as you'll read, humans are not the only ones who can benefit from having as little help from an apt second set of eyes. Rhett and Scarlett are two peas in a pod. They were put up for adoption together in Albuquerque, NM recently after their owner had to relinquish them. The chihuahuas have been together for quite awhile, and have forged a unique bond: Rhett cannot see, and relies on Scarlett to guide him around. Scarlett is an all-too-willing assistant, who leads the way through their days. Rhett follows the sound of the bell that is attached to Scarlett's collar, navigating through doorways, around on walks and more. The pair were adopted by a nurse in their area who had previous experience with dogs who had lost their sight, after the shelter that facilitated the adopt...

In all likelihood, we will outlive our pets. That's probably a good thing. The way that our relationships are structured these days, they are dependent on us not only for basic care like food and shelter - but medical care and eventually, entering into the final stages of life, regardless of the age of the pet. It's difficult to live with the end in mind, but as you'll read from two local residents' stories, doing so and keeping the pets best interests in the forefront can be invaluable. The beginning of a journey's final leg Wendy Beckwith speaks of her yellow Labrador, Holly with a quiet fondness that you would expect of any person that has shared their life with a pet for as long as she and her husband, Paul Takessian had. After arriving in their lives in 1999, it was evident that Holly loved people, and as Beckwith illustrates, Holly loved attention more than food - unlike most Labradors. In hearing about her, Holly's exuberance and the bond that she...

Washtenaw County's very own Humane Society of Huron Valley does a phenomenal job of so many things, but do you really know the reach of their work? What's the image that pops into your head when you think of HSHV? It's likely that what goes on in the day-to-day is very different than you might think. The organization takes in all animals, whether they be unwanted, injured, stray or otherwise, and they adopt most of these animals back out to responsible homes. The people who work and volunteer there also cultivate a culture of responsible pet ownership by way of education programs, assistance with training and even help with correcting behavioral issues with pets. Also, low-cost spay and neuter services are available. Pet owners can go for help when a temporary financial burden or life-changing event occurs so that they can keep their companion animals, by way of the Safe Harbor and Bountiful Bowls programs. Assistance with reuniting lost pets with their families...

Dogs who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of being abandoned, homeless and waiting to be adopted, numbers in the millions nationwide. Despite low-cost spay and neuter programs, overpopulation is a problem. For many dogs though, they end up in shelters, rescues and humane societies due to their owners' inability to provide what they need - whether it be time, proper training or financial resources to care the pet. Factors like a life-change or perhaps moving into a place that doesn't allow pets might be behind the decision. Sometimes the life that a dog has led before coming into a shelter situation is a mystery - they are found wandering alone, no identification, hungry. One thing is for sure: Dogs that are waiting to be adopted at shelters are superb choices for family pets. And as many dog owners will attest, mutts are the best! Jill Costello knows this all too well. Her pooch, Pete was a shelter dog. Despite what his life might have been like prior to...

Cats are interesting creatures to say the least. They do communicate differently than their canine counterparts do (or at best, we simply process their respective ways of communicating differently). Cats, for many of their owners, can be a little challenging to understand. But do felines have a preference for men or women? It's fair to say that most people would have a tendency to think that women are favored by the species. But why? This got me thinking. It makes logical sense to many for several reasons, I think: Cats are physically more delicate than most dogs. In history, dogs were associated more with men and more "sturdy" activities like hunting and gaming. Traditionally — and albeit to some, misguided — women are seen as being more delicate than men. Most people believe that women are more intuitive than men. Ditto for cats as opposed to dogs. (Is that because cats may not seem physically and vocally expressive as canines?) The seemingly mysterious nature...