Thanks to the Salem Woo Crew – (my favorite group of local huskies) for sharing this site! Stunning photographs of magnificent Seppala huskies.
http://galleries.seppalasleddogs.com/index.htm

Year of the Dog 2006 USA postage stamp

Year of the Dog stamp from Gambia

Year of the Dog stamp from Dominica

Wolf Dog like a German Shepard Souvenir Sheet of Art by Liu Jiyou 1918-1983 for the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog Puppy Wolf or Canine for 2006 from Micronesia

Well I have to admit that I am totally smitten with the idea of having a team of huskies and a sled.

The mushing bug bit me during the Myopia Sled Dog Races. Not sure if there is a cure for it. The AMA does not recognize it as a disease. The symptoms include nonstop talking about sled dogs along with the sound of happy dogs screaming oaaawooowww Let’sGooooooooooahhhhhooooooooo repeating in my head on a continuous loop over and over. It certainly beats having one of those silly Paul McCartney tunes stuck in the brain waves. The urge to buy unfashionable snow gear and a wicker sled consumes me. I no longer care about hat hair.

Western Medicine would only prescribe medication, usually used for those who suffer from delusions and suggest a therapist. Traditional Chinese Medicine would probably diagnose this as shen
disturbance and prescribe one of the more stinky herbal concoctions to anchor shen, calm the heart, and induce gagging fits. (Perhaps this sled dog syndrome has caused perhaps a bit too much joy… not something I have been familiar with lately.) So, I am not sure if I really want this new bug to go away.

At the event, there were a variety of unexpected dog breeds pulling sleds and skiers. Contrary to what I expected, not all were huskies. It was so refreshing to see several hound-dog teams (not to mention the howling of excited hounds!). Can you imagine the sound from a team of baying beagles? If only….

These dogs were having so much fun and all appeared to be taken very good care of. They loved being sled dogs….LOVED it. This was a major concern of mine before attending the races. I was so relieved to see that the dogs seemed to be in good health and so happy. Maybe this is due to the fact that these races are for fun, and not for profit like the Iditarod.

Thanks to the Boston Snow Dog folks for posting YouTubes and being a part of this event.

Until I actually manifest a team of dogs, my latest obsession is learning as much as I can about these dogs and the races. Here are a
few tidbits from Wikipedia:

Sled dogs, known also as sleightman dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs are types of dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle on runners (a
sled or sleigh) over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.

Several distinct dog breeds are in common use as sled dogs, althoughany medium-sized breed may be used to pull a sled. Purebred sled dog breeds range from the well-known Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute to rarer breeds such as the Mackenzie River Husky or the Canadian Eskimo Dog (Canadian Inuit Dog). Dog drivers, however, have a long
history of using other breeds or crossbreds as sled dogs. In the days of the Gold Rush in The Yukon, mongrel teams were the rule, but there were also teams of Foxhounds and Staghounds. Today the unregistered hybridized Alaskan husky is preferred for dogsled racing, along with a variety of crossbreds, the German Shorthaired Pointer often being
chosen as the basis for crossbreeding. From 1988 through 1991, a team of Standard Poodles competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Sled Dog Breeds
Alaskan Husky
Alaskan Malamute
Canadian Eskimo Dog
Chinook
Eurohound
Greenland Dog
Greyster
Labrador Husky
Mackenzie River Husky
Northern Inuit Dog
Sakhalin Husky
Samoyed
Seppala Siberian Sleddog
Siberian Husky
Tamaskan Dog
Utonagan ”

More to follow………

Long way to go’ after dog inquiry

A report on pedigree dogs calls for breeders to make sweeping changes to improve the animals’ health. The inquiry follows concerns highlighted in a BBC documentary.
Jemima Harrison, the film’s producer/director, welcomes the recommendations but believes they may not be implemented fully.

The Kennel Club’s 137-year-old self-appointed role as the governing body of dogs has come to an abrupt end.
The eagerly-awaited Bateson Inquiry recommends that responsibility for the health and welfare of pedigree dogs is devolved to an independent body. The Kennel Club has been sent to the doghouse.
The inquiry is the third to publish since our Pedigree Dogs Exposed, the film we made for the BBC in 2008 that lifted the lid on the extent of health and welfare problems in pedigree dogs – what we dubbed “the greatest animal welfare scandal of our time.”
In graphic detail, we showed what more than a century of inbreeding and selection for the show-ring had done to some breeds and it was not a pretty sight.
Well, other than to those judges who seemed to think that a German shepherd is supposed to look like a frog.

The film provoked uproar from the public – and denial from the Kennel Club, although they have since introduced changes, including the revision of many breed standards, a ban on mother/son and brother/sister matings and a specific decree that no healthy puppy can be put to sleep on purely cosmetic grounds (a practice that we highlighted was still going on). ”
To read more http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8460012.stm

Great Pyrenees
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“The Great Pyrenees is a very old breed, and has been used for millennia by shepherds, including those of the Basque people, who inhabit parts of the region in and around the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France and northern Spain. More recently, the breed served as the official dog of the royal French court (whose prominence began circa the Middle Ages, and lasted until the middle of the nineteenth century). During World War II the dogs were used to haul artillery over the Pyrenean Mountain range to and from Spain and France.

Males grow to between 110–120 pounds (50–54 kg) and 27–32 inches (69–81 cm), while females reach between 80–90 pounds (36–41 kg) and 25–29 inches (63–74 cm). They live to between 10–12 years of age.

Their coats are white and can have varying shades of gray, red (rust), or tan around the face (including a full face mask), ears and sometimes on the body and tail. As Great Pyrenees mature, their coats grow thicker and the longer colored hair of the coat often fades on those dogs that were not born completely white. Sometimes a little light tan or lemon will appear later in life around the ears and face. Being a double-coated breed, the undercoat can also have color and the skin as well.

All white dogs are not preferred by top breeders for many reasons. White dogs in most breedings are less frequent. It’s not unusual that breedings that result in a high incidence of all white puppies do not have the required jet black pigment on the nose and eye rims. These breeding lines are therefore not, as a rule, desirable in well-bred stock. There are generally all white puppies in most litters. This is normal and these all white puppies can be bred successfully in the hands of a competent breeder. The rear leg bilateral double dewclaws are required.”

The Great Pyrenees sometimes suffer from hip dysplasia and arthritis because of their size. Both conditions can be managed with acupuncture, herbs and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

If you would like to adopt a Great Pyrenees visit the rescue sites:
www.petfinder.com or www.bigfluffydogs.com

Meet Rogue Assault, AKA Charlie, Charles, Chazz Michael Michaels: The Lone Wolf (not because he’s antisocial, but because he’s one greyhound in a pack of Siberian Huskies). This young, svelte, boy is extremely happy and puppy-like in personality, but nevertheless always dressed to impress in a shiny, soft, black tuxedo. Rogue enjoys the company of other dogs, but as he’s only two years old, he can be a little too rambunctious and has a tendency to steal the show. On the other hand, Rogue lives with four kitties who seem to be alternately fun to nuzzle or scary monsters that he should steer clear of (this appears to depend on what color package they come in). Being a young dog, Rogue is incredibly inquisitive and playful. His favorite toy is a squeaky green ball that he will toss in the air forever if you let him. But in Rogue’s world, nothing tops the love and affection of a human being, so if you’d like to add him to your family, you’d better make sure you have a big lap. His favorite time of day is anytime someone is paying attention to him, and in return for your affection, he will show you his happy dance and then settle into a nice lean.

I’m sure it’s quite obvious that Rogue is a very special boy, and one of his most impressive qualities is his uncrushable spirit in the face of adversity. At a very young age, Rogue sustained an injury to his right rear foot that did not heal properly. As a result, when he came into foster care he was unable to walk properly and was experiencing quite a bit of pain. He was also very weak and very thin. His weight issue was addressed by putting him on a proper diet, thanks to the donated help of a canine nutritionist. Greyhound Welfare found a fantastic orthopedic surgeon to operate on Rogue’s foot, reducing his pain and enabling him to live a fairly normal life. He’s recovered well and quickly, and is ready to steal your heart — if you’ll let him.

As you might guess, such a extraordinary boy is looking for an extraordinary home. Because of his injury, he must wear a boot to protect his foot. He will NOT do well as a running partner. In addition, he has food allergies and must eat a special food, which as an added bonus makes his coat beautiful and as shiny as Orion’s Belt on the ice. Despite what he’s been through, Rogue may be one of the happiest and loving greyhounds you will ever meet. If you enjoy short walks on the beach, living in the here and now, and cuddling on a rainy afternoon, Rogue just may be your perfect match! Apply to meet Rogue today, and maybe YOU will become the wolf who runs with the lone wolf, so the lone wolf never has to be alone.

Please note that adoption MUST go thru GW: www.greyhoundwelfare.org

THANKS SO MUCH!!
If you are interested please email Jo at jo@wigglebums.com
The adoption must go through:

According to the statistics released by the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever is the most popular dog in the USA.

Here is the full list of runner ups:
1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Bulldog
9. Poodle
10. Shih Tzu

The Golden Retriever is one of my favorite dogs to work with. They have an easy going disposition and are usually very happy dogs. They are cooperative during acupuncture sessions, love to be massaged and are very food driven.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Golden Retriever is a breed of dog, historically developed as a gundog to retrieve shot waterfowl and upland game during hunting. As such they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and an instinctive love of water. Their intelligence and versatility sees them employed in a variety of roles including illegal drug detection, search and rescue, as hunting dogs and as guide dogs. Its friendly, eager-to-please and patient demeanor has made it one of the most popular family dogs (by registration) in the world.

The temperament of the Golden Retriever is a hallmark of the breed and is described in the standard as “kindly, friendly and confident”. They are not “one man dogs” and are generally equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them. Their trusting, gentle disposition therefore makes them a poor guard dog. Any form of unprovoked aggression or hostility towards either people, dogs or other animals, whether in the show ring or community, is completely unacceptable in a Golden Retriever and is not in keeping with the character of the breed and as such is considered a serious fault. Nor should a Golden Retriever be unduly timid or nervous. The typical Golden Retriever is calm, naturally intelligent and biddable, with an exceptional eagerness to please

Health
The median life span for Golden Retrievers is approximately 10 to 12 years. They do very well in small living areas of at least 500 sq. feet. While the breed is recognized for its vitality, many retrievers are susceptible to specific ailments. A responsible breeder will proactively minimize the risk of illness by having the health of dogs in breeding pairs professionally assessed and selected on the basis of complementary traits.

Breeding Golden Retrievers can be profitable for puppy mills and backyard breeders. As a result of careless breeding for profit, Goldens are prone to genetic disorders and other diseases. Hip dysplasia is very common in the breed; when buying a puppy in the US the parents should be examined by the OFA or by PennHIP for hip disease.”

Most of the Goldens I treat with TCM and acupuncture suffer from arthritis and hip or elbow dysplasia. A change of diet along with regular acupuncture treatments and supplements such as fish oil are very beneficial to keeping these wonderful dogs healthy and happy in their old age.

The Poodle according to Wikipedia:

The Poodle is a breed of dog, and is regarded as one of the most intelligent breeds of dog.[1] The poodle breed is found in small, medium, and large sizes, and in many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. Poodles are elegant in the conformation ring, having taken top honors in many shows, including Best in Show (BIS) at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 2002 and BIS at the World Dog Show in 2007.

History

Poodles are retrievers or gun dogs, and can still be seen in that role. The breed’s English name has German origins. (The name poodle comes from the German word short for pudelhund or, reflecting the breed’s development from a water dog; the word pudel is related to the English word puddle.) However, most sources concur that the French are responsible for developing the modern breed into its current form, and developing the different sizes. The French name for the poodle is caniche, referring to ducks and the poodles’ water dog origins.

Poodle sizes

Unlike many breeds, poodles come in a variety of sizes, distinguished by adult shoulder (withers) height. The exact height cutoffs among the varieties vary slightly from country to country. Non-Fédération Cynologique Internationale kennel clubs generally recognize three sizes, standard, miniature, and toy, sometimes as sizes of the same breed, and sometimes as separate breeds. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognizes four sizes of one breed, standard, medium, miniature, and toy.[5] Only the Fédération Cynologique Internationale describes a maximum size for standard poodles.

The terms royal standard, teacup, and tiny teacup are marketing names, and are not recognized by any major kennel club.

Health
With proper care and nutrition, many enjoy life well into their teens.

The most common serious health issues of standard poodles (listed in order of the number of reported cases in the Poodle Health Registry (as of August 20, 2007) are Addison’s disease, gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV = bloat/torsion), thyroid issues (hyperthyroid and hypothyroid), tracheal collapse, epilepsy, sebaceous adenitis, juvenile renal disease, hip dysplasia, and cancer. Standard poodles are also susceptible to some health issues usually too minor to report to the poodle health registry. The most common of these minor issues are probably ear infections. Ear infections are a problem in all poodle varieties. Ear problems can be minimized by proper ear care. A veterinarian should be consulted if the dog shows signs of an ear infection, lest a minor issue turn into a major issue.”

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine can help the symptoms of canine hip dysplasia, renal disease, arthritis and other canine pain related ailments. Visit FourPawsAcupuncture.com for more information on veterinary acupuncture for your poodle.

For more information about poodles visit the American Kennel Club site www.akc.org/breeds/poodle