Movie: Dog

Dog is a story about US Army Ranger Riggs (Channing Tatum) who transports a military Belgian Malinois named Lulu to the funeral of her deceased handler. Lulu and Riggs have a rocky start; however, their cross-country journey brings them closer together and they form a bond with each other. Dog will be out Valentine's weekend.

The Belgian Malinois classified as a variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog rather than a separate breed. The breed was developed in Belgium for guarding and herding sheep around Malines. There are four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog.

1. The Groenendael - known simple as the Belgian Sheepdog with a long black coat
2. The Laekenois - with a rough or wire-coat in fawn, red or brown
3. The Malinois - with a short coat in fawn, red or brown
4. The Tervueren - with a long fawn or dark red coat

The British Kennel Club regards them as a single breed. United States and Belgium are the only countries to accept at least three of the four of them as distinguished from each other as separate breeds. In World War 1 the Belgian breeds were used as sentry dogs, messengers, and even draft dogs. Belgium Malinois today are recognized as police dogs.

The Belgian Malinois are not for everyone. These dogs have an instinct to guard and therefore should be trained very carefully. They tend to be one-person dogs. They are good with their family but should not rough house or play chasing games. They need to be socialized to pets, needing extra care with a new pet. They are obedient, hardworking, loyal, reserved, protective, intelligent, and highly active. They can turn to mischief for entertainment if not occupied for a long time.

I Almost Lost Annea

I almost lost Annea on Friday. Annea is what is known as a fearful dog. Fearful dogs will try to avoid situations, objects or people that scare them. They will shake, tremble, or cower. Their tails held low or in between their legs; their heads are low, or they have a crouched body posture. They will also have inappropriate panting with possible submissive urination. Annea will shake and tremble with her tail between her legs, she will crouch with her head down low and pant. I have been working with Annea; however, some dogs do not ever overcome their fear. On Friday, the day I was to leave West Virginia for home, there had been snow overnight. Jason came over to pack up my car, however he was not able to get the car up the hill. He drove Annea and I over to Anna’s mother house. Anna’s uncle and cousin were unable to drive up Nora’s driveway. Calls were made to tow all three vehicles, but back to Annea. When we were at the cabin I stayed at, Annea was afraid to get into Jason’s car, but I was able to get in the car first and then she followed me into it. Once at Nora’s, she did not want to go into the house and as I was trying to coach her, she came out of her harness and took off running. At first, I panicked and screamed for Jason to come help me. As she was running away, I thought I would never see her again. No one would be able to catch her. No one would be able to get near her. Not only because of her fear but dogs that go missing for period of time can be hard to catch. Then the dog trainer in me kicked in and I stooped down to the ground. I called her name, she stopped and turned to look at me. Her black shiny coat against the white snow, she looked so beautiful. I called again, “Annea, come here” and she raced toward me. God had blessed me the day before on my birthday and He blessed and showed me grace at that moment. I was so thankful!

Do You Own The Fastest Dog Breed In The World?

Do you own the fastest dog breed in the world? According to WorldAtlas.com the number one fastest dog in the world is the Greyhound. They clock in at 45 miles per hour! These dogs are bred primarily for coursing game and racing. They are not aggressive, although some believe that they are due to the muzzles worn during racing. The muzzles are worn for their protection as their skin is very thin. Greyhounds do not need extended periods of daily exercise. They are very loyal to their families and always show love to their family members and they are not a barking breed.

The next fastest breed is the Saluki at 42 miles per hour. The Saluki is one of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dog. They were considered the "Royal Dog of Egypt." These dogs are active, gentle, affectionate, and loyal. They are very interested in hunting and need to be controlled when out on walks as they may let their hunting instincts take over. They are good with other dogs but do not get along with other animals.

Third on the list of the fastest dog breed is the Vizsla at 40 miles per hour. Vizsla were companion dogs of the early warlords and barons. They are very high energy, gentle-mannered, loyal, caring and highly affectionate. They are sometimes called "Velcro" dogs because of their loyalty and affection. They are quiet dogs, only barking if necessary or provoked. These dogs want to be close to their owner as much as possible and will cry if they feel neglected or want something.

Check out the remaining line up of breeds that are fast at WorldAtlas.com.

First Walk in a Good While

 Annea and I had a nice walk this morning. It's the first walk in a good while. I have been having problems with my lower back for over a year. It's been longer than that, however a year ago it became much worse. My last training was in December, and I seriously thought of giving up training altogether and possibly going in a different direction with dogs. In July I had two days of very minimal pain; I was able to get in and out of my car, I was able to get into my bed, I was able to walk upright at the end of the day. It was wonderful! I have had a couple of setbacks since then which were my own fault. I lifted things that I should not have lifted. So, it was glorious to get out for a walk with Annea today and I look forward to many more. I'm slowly going to get back to training, please be patient with me as I don't want to overdo it.

Annea is not sure of people she doesn't know, and noise startles her. Our walk was basically just to get her reintroduced to walking where there are people who were walking, running, and riding bikes. She was concerned a couple of times with strange noises but recovered. The only problem she had was crossing a wooden bridge especially when a bike went across it. I didn't focus on commands. We were just out for a walk so she could get use to the smells, sounds, and people. I was proud of her; she did well.

And He's on His Feet

Very early this morning I heard a noise. It was somewhere between three and four am. I had been up at three to let Charlie and Annea out. Cody was still in the kitchen but he was awake. I usually feed them around four; however since I planned to go back to bed I knew Charlie wouldn't give me any peace until I fed him. So they all got an early breakfast. Cody didn't eat all of his food but I thought I would leave it for him just in case he decided to finish it.

Cody has been in the kitchen for two days. He's over 15 years old and for a Labrador retriever that's pretty good; their life expectancy is between 10 to 12 years. He's not doing well and he's having trouble walking. I'm at the point of when do I know it's the right time to let him go. He's eating his food, drinking water, and follows me around wherever I go. Until two days ago.

Since two days ago he hadn't left the kitchen. This morning he walked into my bedroom and lay down beside my bed. I looked down at him and he looked up at me as if to say "It's you and me, Mom."

He's given me that look all through his 15 years. We have a special connection and I'm sure when the time comes I'll know. 

Until then I'm going to love him and enjoy all the time I have with him. ("") ("")

Brittany, ooh la la

So is the Brittany the dog for you? Let's find out.

First off most people call the Brittany by the name of Brittany Spaniel, however, the breed has only one name and that is Brittany. The breeds working characteristics are more similar to those of a Pointer or Setter than a Spaniel. The name Brittany comes from the Province of France (now Bretagne Region of France). Brittany images were first seen from the 17th century on paintings and tapestries. In 1850 Rev. Davies writings described hunting with small bobtailed dogs who were pointed and were excellent retrievers. Around that time it's rumored the Brittany had been bred by mating with English Setters. The breed was first recognized in 1907 in France with the registration of an orange and white male by the name of "Boy." That same year the first standards were outlined. The breed was introduced in the United States in 1931. It was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1934 and is in Group 1 -  Sporting. The breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1948 is in the Gun Dog Group.

They weigh around 30 to 40 pounds. Males and females both measure at 17 1/2 to 20 1/2 inches from the shoulder. Brittany's are typically quite athletic, compact, energetic, and solidly built without being heavy. Some are born with naturally short tails and others have long tails. The long tail is normally docked to a length of 1 to 4 inches. Not all countries allow for docking. The UKC does not penalized dogs with a full tail. Colors are orange and white or liver and white.

The Brittany is sweet-natured, friendly and eager to please. They are excellent family pets as well as working dogs in the field. They are great with kids. They do not need a heavy hand in training; they may quit if discipline is too stern. This breed is ideal for an active owner. It can have a reputation for being crazy or uncontrollable with the problem mostly likely due to lack of exercise and training This is not common in well cared for dogs. Socialization is very important and must start at a young age as the Brittany can become very shy.

If this is the breed for you, recognize that your Brittany will need exercise, a job or a purpose. Jobs to consider are track trail or hunting.

Movie: Oddball

I recently watched, again, the movie Oddball; a delightful Australian family movie based on a true story. Now, even though the movie story line is not exactly the way things happened, the basic facts are there.

Fairy Penguins had made their home on Middle Island just off the coast of Warrnambool. There use to be hundreds of them at one point but foxes had found the island and the population of the penguins were down to numbers as low as six due to fox attacks. Swampy Marsh is an actual person who owns a chicken farm and used Maremma Sheepdogs to protect his flock of chickens. It was his idea to use the Maremma and his dog, Oddball, was used in the project to protect the tiny penguins. The Middle Island Maremma Project has been highly successful for many years and because of Oddball and her successors not one penguin has been killed by a fox.

This is a very sweet and fun story. I believe you will enjoy it if you haven't watched it already and if you have, go ahead and watch it again!

So, who are these Maremma Sheepdogs? They are a breed of livestock guardian dog and have been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves. The Maremma Sheepdog has a solid, muscular build, a long, thick coat, a large head and a black nose. They are gentle with lambs but fiercely protective of their flock. They will bond to families and show a calm, intelligent disposition, however, they may display hostility towards outsiders and they are not suitable companion dogs for urban areas due to their large size and need for open space. They are recognized by the UKC and other kennel clubs throughout the world.