Gonna eat my way out of here ...

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What Shape is Your Dog's Ear?

It seems that every sport, specialty, or interest group eventually develops its own language to describe the things that are important to them. The world of dogs is no different.

When they describe such common things as the shape of a dog's ear, people in the dog fancy may use terms which are unfamiliar or undecipherable by the average person.

While most people can visualize in their minds what might be meant by a prick ear or a drop ear on a dog, they might have much more difficulty visualizing what is meant by a rose ear or a button ear when it refers to their canine pet.

Take a look at a richly illustrated glossary of dog ear shapes.

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Frenchies for your furniture

Black Box Design Group, a team of students and young professionals currently located in sunny Savannah, Georgia, have designed a very attractive set of "French Toast" coasters to save your furniture from unsightly water rings.

French Toasters come in several colors. Go take a look and orders some.

Guest Post: Separation Anxiety in Dogs

This article was provided to you by Jennifer, a 24-year-old dog enthusiast, who loves to share tips and advice with fellow dog owners. She’s currently working for Havahart Wireless, a company that’s just as enthused as she is about dog care, as they are a leading provider of ultrasonic dog bark control trainers. When she’s not spending time with her dog Charlie, Jennifer enjoys researching and writing about everything from dog health to fun dog activities. Jen’s motto, “Dogs are not just pets, they’re family members.”

Separation Anxiety in Dogs
In nature dogs are sociable pack animals that live in large social groups. Domesticated dogs consider their human family to be their pack, and generally don't like to be left alone for long periods of time. Some dogs take this to the extreme, and can suffer from separation anxiety when the owner is out of sight. Separation anxiety causes a dog to become severely stressed when their owner goes out and leaves them behind. This anxiety can manifest itself in nuisance behavior, including soiling the house, incessant barking or whining, or destructive behavior. While dogs from multi-pet households are not immune from separation anxiety, having another pet in the home to provide company will often prevent or alleviate some of the stress.
Separation anxiety in dogs is not uncommon, as the following statistics will illustrate:

• 14-35% of dogs suffer from separation anxiety
• 29-50% of senior dogs suffer from separation anxiety
• 41% of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety are left untreated
• 22% of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety are treated with behavior modification and medication
• 17% of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety are treated with medication alone
• 10% are treated with behavior modification alone
• 10% are referred to dog behaviorists for help

Common Causes of Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Separation anxiety can occur when a dog's safety net is suddenly removed, and can stem from a number of different causes. A young puppy that may have been removed from its mother to early may be very insecure in its new surroundings, and attach itself to the new owner. When the owner leaves the pup alone it may become insecure and show symptoms of separation anxiety. Other changes in a dog's daily routine or surroundings may trigger separation anxiety, including the following:

• Having spent a large amount of time in unfamiliar surroundings recently, such as a vet, boarding kennel, or animal welfare facility.
• Recently being introduced to a new home (new family)
• Change of environment, such as moving house
• The recent loss of a family member or pet
• A new baby enters the home
• A change in your working hours – or you spend more time away from home

There are a number of tactics that can be employed to help alleviate separation anxiety in dogs, and to prevent unsociable behavior associated with the anxiety the dog is feeling, including:

1. Provide calming medication – talk to your vet who can prescribe a drug to reduce stress for the times when you have to leave your dog alone.
2. Try to teach your dog to become more independent. This can be achieved by leaving your dog alone for short periods of time, initially while you are still at home – feed it in a separate room, leave it alone in the yard for short intervals, and gradually increasing the time frame of the periods that your pooch spends alone before you disappear for the entire day.
3. When you have to leave your dog alone for lengthy periods, provide lots of stimulating toys or dog chews. Kongs stuffed with peanut butter and treats will provide a distraction and alleviate boredom.
4. Some behavioral modifications may be necessary, particularly if your dog is extremely destructive, or barks incessantly, which could cause problems with your neighbors. Destructive dogs may need to be temporarily crated to prevent them from damaging the house or injuring themselves. To control barking, an ultrasonic dog bark control collar is an effective deterrent that uses positive reinforcement to train a dog not to bark uncontrollably. By emitting a high-pitched sound or vibration every time the dog barks – which both irritates and distracts the dog – a dog will quickly learn that it is more peaceful not to bark.
5. If separation anxiety is severe, you may need to seek professional help from a dog behavior specialist, who can help you and your dog work through these issues.

Separation anxiety can affect the bond between owner and dog. An owner that comes home and finds his house wrecked on a regular basis, may eventually become despondent and relinquish the dog to an animal shelter, or decide to have it euthanized. Pressure from neighbors who are fed up with the constant whining and barking of a distressed dog may cause an owner to do the same. It is therefore imperative that dog owners address separation anxiety as soon as a dog shows symptoms, seeking the help of a vet or dog psychologist if necessary.

One year ago: the last bullfight

The last bull to be killed during the last bullfight is removed from the arena at La Monumental bullring in central Barcelona, on September 25, 2011. Fans and opponents of bullfighting crowded into Barcelona on Sunday for the last "corrida" to be held in the city's La Monumental arena following a ban on the traditional Spanish spectacle in Catalonia.

Photo: Reuters/Gustau Nacarino

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Great pose, kitty

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Who loves rawhide bones?

Poppy does!

Yes!
They're USA rawhide from i-pets.com.

They'll never find me here

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How you get the bone

If this doesn't work --- there are more bones at i-pets.com!

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I'm smiling, I'm smiling, hurry and take the photo, will ya?

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Who, me?

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That Hat is SO Not You

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Pig Face T-shirt

Would you wear this shirt?

Yes?

You can buy it at Amazon.

Franco Matticchio Illustration

Franco Mattichio is a painter, comics artist and illustrator from Varese, Italy. He published his first works in Corriere della Sera in 1979. Animals are consistent inhabitants of Matticchio's unpredictable and humorous universe. 

This is one of my favorites of his work, because it's exactly what my house could look like. 
(click photo to see larger)

More examples at 50 Watts

Frequent postings at Animalarium

Cheese!

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Photography by Ron Schmidt

Ron Schmidt is the person behind the company Loose Leashes, an online shop where he sells funny prints of our furry friends in wonderfully witty scenarios. Dog person or not, you can't help but fall in love with these photos.

Schmidt found his true calling by accident. After branching out on his own to pursue commercial photography, he found his niche when, one day, he decided to design a creative Christmas card for his family, friends and clients. Featuring his yellow lab Indy, the card didn't just show her pose in a traditional way, he had her carry a tree on her back. "It was a fun, conceptual image that was a big hit with everyone who saw it. Since I love dogs and photography, this worked out really well.”

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The guardians

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Women as insects : Insectes

Photographer and graphic designer Laurent Seroussi has combined the beauty of the human female form with the bodies of insects.

Visit the Artist's website to see more.

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Shame, Shame

More excellent "shameful" photos at Dogshaming

Wake up!

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Was somebody bored?

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Source & many more at dogshaming.com

Adder Bite Alchemy Gothic Snake Ring

Gigantic, venomous serpent spanning two fingers to sink its teeth into the third. Generally worn on the ring finger, with the snake biting the forefinger. This massive Alchemy Gothic pewter ring cannot be ignored! 3" across, 1 1/2" wide.

Buy it at Amazon