This is our (almost) weekly segment where we review the content posted on our Twitter over the course of the week. It’s a long post! So make sure you grab a coffee and prepare yourself for some serious reading.
But before we get started, have a look at Daisy from our 2012 litter, all grown up (and on a horse?!).
Tweet of the Week
Our favourite tweet this week goes to a video showing training a dog for a voluntary blood draw. This is something that is not that amazing – plenty of zoo animals are taught to do similar behaviours. However, as dog owners, we get into habits of physically manipulating our dogs to ‘do what we want’ instead of training them to do it voluntarily. This is just a lovely example of what we could achieve with our dogs.
Animal Sheltering
Why do people surrender dogs to animal shelters?
Vets told to hand stray dogs into council or risk $700 fines.
Reducing Shelter Admissions with an Animal Help Desk.
How about a tax time tummy rub for PetRescue?
Group protests over death of dogs at Blacktown pound.
RSPCA, do they protect all animals in need?
Jackson, looking for a new home in Sydney area.
The Saving Pets Honour Roll
We shared an awful lot of Saving Pets posts this week – enough to give them their own category in this little round up. They just produce great contact week-in week-out.
Vets who reunite pet and owner to be slugged $700 – More genius animal management from Vic.
RSPCA NSW gives a big FU to rescue groups.
Companion Animals Taskforce – same same & not at all different.
Two young children injured by roaming dogs.
At the RSPCA NSW, a broken leg is fatal.
Moorook Animal Shelter inspected by the RSPCA.
Dog Breeds and Breeders
DogTime’s Slobbering Hatred for Breeders II.
So you want to breed your bitch…
Dog Breed Identiifcation Study.
It’s who you know: Breed stereotypes & handler appearance.
Confusing Hoarders with Breeders.
Dog Training
How to watch a training session – this is a horse blog post, but it was very close to becoming the Tweet of the Week. It uses some great examples of horse training and asks you to critically appraise them.
The Best Teachers from Lessons from Layla.
“Is punishment an effective way to change the behavior of dogs?” asks Stanley Coren.
Sit, Down, Stand – Game from the Dog Trick Academy.
Useful dog tricks performed by Jesse – this was close to the Tweet of the Week, too, because it’s just cute!
Being Tough from Eileen and Dogs.
Dog Behaviour
It won’t be the machines we have to worry about… (On dogs who know when to beg for food.)
Pavlov inverted: reward linked to image is enough to activate brian’s visual cortex.
Children and Dogs
Tips for your dog Before and After your baby is born (PDF).
Bringing a baby into your home.
Other Stuff
Simple home made diets for dogs and cats with renal failure.
Does your dog eat anything & everything?
Veterinarians and Vaccines: A Slow Learning Curve.
Cool dog collar from the Warlukurlangu Artists’ Aboriginal Corporation.
The 49 Most WTF Pictures of People Posing with Animals.
From Our House