V-Day Advice

Don't get a pet for Valentines Day! Please, don't only consider the animal, but consider your boy or girlfriend before you take the lazy way out and buy her a cute puppy or kitten. Or worse, troll the free ads on craigslist and get her a potential sick or diseased pet for zero dollars. There's only one thing lazier than getting a pet and that's getting the cliche "stuffed teddy bear."

Pets top the list of high maintenance gifts that are a big no no if you want to impress the S.O. Any gift that ends up costing the receiver more money than you spent in the long run is a really bad idea. So please don't get them a gym membership (unless you plan on being ignored and scorned for the rest of the month), don't buy your girlfriend cookwear or cooking classes (unless you want to be posioned), and don't get that cute little animal or that crackberry.

Pets are really personal gifts that may outlast you and your committement to each other. It's the very best thing for your S.O. to pick our their own pet if that's what they want. Don't think that getting her a gift certificate for a future purchase either... that's cheesy. Stick with a massage gift certificate, roses, buy her favorite perfume, dinner cruise, jewelry, micro brew gift pack for the dudes, or try one of those "experience" gifts such as parachuting, canoeing, horseback riding and hey, if you are kinky, you can buy one of those "poles" and promise to use it. But the spiked leather dog collar that's not for the pet... no.

Just leave the pets out of it this year, OK?
Trinity (above) is available for adoption. Click here.

ASPCA® Lets Pet-Loving Public Choose the Grand Prize Winner of its Meet Your Match® “Adopt-a-Bull” Contest

Online Vote Runs Entire Month of February; Celebrates Perfect Pit Bull Adoption Matches

NEW YORK -- The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that animal lovers everywhere will have the power to cast their vote online at www.ASPCA.org/AdoptABull for which perfect pit bull match should be the grand prize winner of the ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match® “Adopt-a-Bull” Contest.

“Our vision for the Adopt-a-Bull Contest was to highlight the positive attributes and merits of the American Pit Bull Terrier,” said ASPCA President & CEO, Ed Sayres. “The ASPCA’s Meet Your Match program really highlights how important it is to make strong, long-lasting adoption matches between pets and people, and these four extraordinary stories are perfect examples of that bond.”

The four-[legged] finalists who are eligible to become the grand prize winner of the ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match® “Adopt-A-Bull” Contest are:

• Wanda – a black and white pit bull from the SPCA of Wake County in Raleigh, N.C., and her pet parent Elizabeth Bartow. Wanda enjoys parading her good behavior around town as a Delta Society Therapy Dog, and showcasing a happy wiggle known as the “butt-tuck-boogie.”

• Lola – a high energy American Pit Bull Terrier from Humane Society of Silicon Valley in Silicon Valley, Calif., and her pet parent Lark McIntosh. Lola has become a canine member of the “Pitty Committee,” a local Calif. group dedicated to promoting the amazing traits of pit bulls and pit bull mixes.

• Elsie – a high energy American Pit Bull Terrier from the Western Pa. Humane Society in Pittsburgh, Pa., and her pet parents Becky and Herb Torbin, who fell in love with Elsie’s affectionate and happy nature.

• Gunther, a.k.a. Ghost – a calm and gentle deaf pit bull from the Humane Society of South Mississippi in Gulfport, Miss., and his pet parent Rebecca Hengen. Rebecca hopes to enroll Gunther in some dog training classes, possibly with the long term plan of teaching him to be a therapy dog.

The Adopt-a-Bull contest ran throughout the year 2008, with one winner announced each quarter. Each of the four winners has been automatically entered into a contest for the grand prize. The public is encouraged to head to www.ASPCA.org/AdoptABull to vote for their favorite pit bull adoption match. The online vote will run until the end of February, at which point the votes will be tallied and a grand prize winner will be chosen.

“We are thrilled to be able to share these four heart-warming pit bull adoption stories with the public through this online vote to find a grand prize winner,” said Jane Berkey, President of Animal Farm Foundation. “The ASPCA’s Meet Your Match program values these dogs as individuals, and honors their incredible spirit. Pit bulls are just dogs: four legs, two eyes, one heart.”

The grand prize shelter winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to New York City in April 2009 to participate in the ASPCA’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month celebration and a $5000 grant for their shelter. The grand prize pet-parent winner will receive a photo shoot with a professional photographer and a bronze of their pet.

The “Adopt-a-Bull” Contest, sponsored by Animal Farm Foundation, seeks to recognize and celebrate American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and dogs that appear to be predominantly of that type living in loving homes that were matched with their owners through the ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match® Canine-ality™ Adoption Program. The ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match® program is a scientific, research-based adoption tool aimed at creating better matches between prospective pet parents and animals based on accurate behavior assessments for the animals and understanding an individual adopter’s lifestyle and expectations. The program has proven to be extremely successful in increasing adoptions and reducing returns at shelters.

To cast your vote, or for more information about the ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match® “Adopt-a-Bull” Contest, please visit www.ASPCA.org/AdoptABull.

Positively Pit Bull

When I adopted my first pit bull, Scooby, I received all sorts of training advice, some solicited and some not. Among the advice I was given by 'experts' was "you need to alpha roll her to show her who's boss!" and "put a choke collar on that dog!" and my favorite, "you need to have Schutzhund control of that pit bull!" That last comment was blurted out to us by an instructor in our first agility class, where Scooby had trouble focusing because of her reactivity to certain dogs. I left that last class in tears and went home and looked up Schutzhund because I had no idea what the instructor was talking about. I didn't know much about training methods yet, but the idea of sitting on my dog or choking her didn't sit well with me, and I knew there had to be some other ways I could train my dog. I was a new dog owner with an adolescent pit bull who was high energy, highly prey-driven, intermittently reactive to other dogs, and stormphobic to boot. Not exactly the best mix for a first time dog owner. Sure, I lived with dogs throughout my childhood; a German Shephered that reportedly taught me to walk, and later, a Shih Tzu. I don't remember the Shepherd as I was too small. And what little responsiblity I had as a child growing up with a Shih-Tzu certainly didn't prepare me for the 40 lb, muscular, intelligent and strong willed female pit bull I had selected for my first dog ownership experience.

Scooby and I later enrolled in a local obedience class and the trainers there used treats and praise as rewards, and I felt like my dog and I were learning and having a good time. It felt GOOD and it confirmed what I knew in my heart: I don't have to use force or intimidation to control my dog's behavior and I don't have to hurt my dog when teaching a new skill!

Now, a little background may help explain why I was so pleasantly surprised to find out about the use of rewards in dog training. For many years, I worked with people with developmental disabilities, specifically with youth and adults who engaged in self-injurious and aggressive behavior. I worked in clinic settings where functional behavioral analyses were conducted to determine the motive or gain for a behavior so that a treatment plan could be specifically designed to change it. The treatment plans were based directly on the analysis, and the result was that the patient learned new behaviors and new ways to communicate that were not harmful to himself or others, but that also earned him the desired reinforcement. In both my clinic work and later in schools, where I taught children with emotional and behavior disorders, I found repeatedly that consistent application of positive reinforcement does work and can result in changes in behavior! And, in addition, the use of positive reinforcement not only helps when teaching new skills, but it also helps build relationships.

Building Relationships... (Todd Adamson photo credit)

People who truly love their dogs, and who love to train, know that training your dog isn't just about learning a new trick...it's about building a relationship with your dog. Creating new ways to communicate. Working new muscles, firing the neurons, and opening a dialogue between human and canine. When you use positive reinforcement methods to train, I believe it encourages you to think about your dog - what makes him happy? what does he like? what is motivating to him today? It forces you to think about your dog in a way that other methods don't. The positive trainer is proactive. On the other end of the spectrum, when you use aversives, in my opinion, your training is reactive based. The aversive trainer is trying to stop behavior that he/she finds undesirable. And the mindset is to correct, not to prevent, not to teach. Aside from being damaging to the dog physically and emotionally, this type of training - to me - reflects a real lack of creativity and flexibility.

Let's give an example of something I observed recently. A handler was walking a dog and the dog began to bark in an unpleasant manner as another dog walked by. The handler - a reactive one who has clearly been schooled in using punishment - immediately began popping and jerking the dog's collar and hissing like a snake in the manner of a well known TV celebrity. The dog continued to bark. The handler continued to pop and hiss. This cycle was repeated; it was as if the reactive handler was stuck and could not think of another option to try, so the handler kept repeating a method that clearly wasn't working. A positive trainer - and a really good one - is proactive. He/she is thinking ahead: there's another dog, er, another training opportunity. The proactive trainer thinks of possible scenarios....'the dog I am handling may bark at that passing dog, what can I do to prevent this behavior?' He/she may turn the dog around, work on some attention, ask for a sit, play a hand touch game, play a find the treat on the ground game. Many, many possibilities - and none of them result in hurting the dog, and they all engage the dog in a task that is rewarding or building a skill that is desirable.

Training doesn't have to mean spending lots of money or going to a class. As a dog owner, you have access to all the fun things your dog wants and needs: food, water, treats, toys, walks, play time, grooming, snuggling, etc. All of these things - and more - can be rewards that your dog earns for simple obedience in your daily activities.

Over the years, I have taught my dogs many things using positive reinforcement. I'm sure, they have taught me much more. I encourage dog owners to train, whether it be in class, at home, on the sidewalk, in the park, wherever you choose. The skills you teach and the activities you do with your dog are up to you, and frankly, are secondary to the real objective: the quality time spent with your dog. Smile at your dog, praise your dog, treat your dog, walk your dog, love your dog and have fun together learning something new. ~Andrea Kilkenny

Rescued Pit Bulls Make the Big Screen

January 14, 2009 : 2:11 PM

Best Friends Attends Opening Of Hotel For Dogs

By Cheri Moon

Usually, when Hollywood comes out with a movie that features a breed of dog, rescue groups cringe and brace themselves. Films such as 101 Dalmatians, Beethoven and Beverly Hills Chihuahua resulted in increased sales of Dalmatians, Saint Bernards, and Chihuahuas. This in turn leads to an upswing of these breeds at animal shelters because many new owners surrender their dogs after realizing their lifestyles aren't conducive to owning a specific breed.

With the opening of Hotel For Dogs, instead of cringing, rescue organizations are applauding. The main difference between this movie and other dog movies is that Hotel For Dogs is about rescuing dogs. Specifically, it's about kids rescuing dogs.

Movie Producer Is Devout Pit Bull Lover
Movie producer Ewan Leslie is a devout pit bull lover who works with Karma Rescue in Los Angeles. Says Leslie, "When we started working on the movie, I told Mark Forbes, our head trainer from Birds and Animals, Unlimited, that we had to have some pits in the movie."

Film producer Ewan Leslie insisted that the movie Hotel For Dogs include pit bulls. Here Leslie poses with his two rescued pit bulls Mack and Luka. (Luka and Mack are the featured dogs for January in PBRC's Happy Endings 2009 Calendar. Click here.)

Film Crew Rescued Dogs During Movie Shooting
"Chelsea," the three-legged pit bull, who appears in the movie, is actually the very first pit bull that Karma ever rescued who happened to be adopted by a dog trainer for movies. During production, Karma rescued Pearl, a young blue pit bull who was abandoned in a parking lot. Leslie brought Pearl to the set everyday. Pearl soon became the set mascot and was adopted by two crew members. Pearl's floppy ears and wrinkled expression appear on the movie poster.

Pearl, a blue pit bull, appears on the promotion poster for the movie Hotel for Dogs and was adopted by a film crew member.

While shooting for two days at the West Valley Pound, the cast and crew chipped in and sprang six dogs—five of whom were pit bulls. According to Leslie, a crew member adopted a brother and sister duo, and Karma Rescue found homes for the rest.

Best Friends Attends Opening In Vegas
Hotel For Dogs includes pit bulls, many types of pure breed dogs as well as some mixed breeds. Says Danielle Aymar, adoption manager for Best Friends Animal Society, "It's great to be able to support the basic premise of the movie and to see something come out of Hollywood that embraces the rescue movement."

A group of Best Friends volunteers and some adoptable dogs will be attending the opening this Saturday at the Rainbow Promenade Theater in Las Vegas from 1:00–4:30 p.m., located at 2321 N. Rainbow Blvd. on the corner of Rainbow and Lake Mead. Says Aymar, "We were invited to attend the opening by the Rainbow Promenade Theater. We'll have lots of information about adoption and reminding people to consider their lifestyles before adding a dog to their family."

Pets as Gifts

Well, it's January 1, 2009 so why are we talking about giving pets (puppies and kittens) as gifts? The holiday season is over, shouldn't this have been the December entry? Well, actually and unfortunately this is not a seasonal phenomena. Pets are given as gifts all throughout the year for birthdays, anniversaries but also at Christmas and Valentines Day. Aww, it's such a cute picture, your child or significant other snuggling that cute kitten or puppy with the big red bow. Let's sigh and say Aww again just for effect. Yes, that's cute and very Norman Rockwell-ish but it's not real. There are so many reasons this is a bad idea, it's actually hard to put a number to them.

Giving a pet is very unimaginative. Nothing says I have no imagination whatsoever and I've never listened to a thing you've said you wanted all year, so I'm taking the easy way out. After all who wouldn't LOVE a new pet that requires daily care, training, vetting.... Pets are expensive, not just to buy, but to maintain for at least the next decade. Getting someone a gift that continues to cost money isn't a very romantic or considerate thing to do. It's like getting someone a trial membership to a gym that is self renewing (and not paid by you), you just don't. Even if your significant other has been talking about getting a pet, unless they have put action to it, it's just talk and the decision hasn't been finalized.

Then speaking of the decade, that makes this a very huge and very personal decision. Most people like to make those big decisions themselves, if they are going to pick out a companion that is going to live the next 10-17 years. Pets have personalities and not all of them will be suitable for all different situations. It is important to consider what you want from a pet and then choose an appropriate type/breed and then interview different ones until you find just the right one that fits. There are things to consider such as budgeting for the expense, finding a vet, making sure your housing accomodations will support a pet. If you are considering a pit bull puppy, you have to make sure that the local laws will allow it and your landlord or home owner's insurance will permit you to have one. Those considerations do not end, they are life long for this breed. I am sure the giver may have the very best intentions, but they are not informed intentions and often the pet pays the price.

Consider the pet. If you haven't considered all of the above, please consider the pet itself. It's a life and not something to be treated with disrespect. It is defenseless and can't take care of itself. Pets live on our good graces and we should respect their needs. If the recipient doesn't want the pet, it won't be appreciated, it won't be as loved as if they had picked it themselves and it could even be given away or taken to a shelter as soon as it is no longer convenient. Pets form bonds with people and it hurts them to mistreated and unwanted and then other behavior problems can begin to surface.

The very best gift to give someone that is considering a pet is a puppy care package. A coupon for an adoption fee so that the person can pick out their own pet. Some toys, collars, leashes, treats, pet bedding, a certificate to an obedience program (that doesn't expire) and a credit on a local vet for the first set of shots. Another good idea is a gift certificate to pay for the spay/neuter of the new pet to ensure it's health and well being.

Consider making 2009 a better year for the pets.

Kane Sings Old Dang Sign!

Hey Y'all!

I hope y'all are doin' well. I had to pop up and tell yous about sumthin' pretty nifty that Ms. Lynn just told me about.

She tells me that today is the last day of the old year and tomorrow starts a brand new one. Now, that didn't seem like nuthin' special really until she taught me dis song I gets to sing.

Sees, I guess there is some kind of traydition that says I gets to sing dis here song and forgets all those folks that done me wrong and ended me up in Doggie Jail! Who ever it was that chained me to that tree that left those callouses on my neck, whoever it was that didn't give me that penny candy that would have kept dem dere worms out of my heart and even the fella that loaded me up with buckshot - they all gets forgotten tonight and I gets to start fresh tomorrow.

So to all the doggies here and throughout the world that found demselves in dire straits but now found 'em a new friend or two or even a Yankee to look after them, please grabs up your banjo or your saw or just yer purty singin voice and join in:

May Old Bad Conscience Be Fergot
And Never Come to Mind
May Old Bad Conscience Be Fergot
And Chew Da Old Dang Sign!

Good bye and good riddance all you bad people - I's home now!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Kane Agape

Animal Planet: Pit Bull Adoptions

New unscripted show for Animal Planet looking for males, females, couples and families who might be interested in adopting a pit bull. The show centers around a nationally recognized rescue facility devoted to rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned and mistreated Pit Bulls and the day-to-day activities that take place in animal rescue.

We are looking to follow potential adopters through the adoption process of one of these dogs as a way of educating viewers of everything that goes into a person's commitment to this breed. Ideally you are seriously considering and willing to adopt a pitbull, however we will also accept those who are simply exploring the possibilities of adopting.

Must be in Southern California or willing to travel to Los Angeles. Filming will take place January through March. Please forward to any dog-loving friends!

If interested, please email pitbulladoptions@gmail.com