About 57 years ago, my brother, Bud, the surgeon, was the inspiration for me to want to own a Whizzer motorbike, which I did, like him, about 3 years later--then again now (!), 54 years later. Here he is, reliving his youth whilst visiting brother Jim (me at Black Diamond Ranch--see the map below). Coincidentally, this video was made on January 8, 2008, our mother's 100th birthday, God rest her soul. We love ya, Mom). For anyone who cares, Bud is now retired, enjoying his passion--dogs, where he has bred Vizslas (a beautiful Hungarian golden-colored pointer) for most of his life. He enjoys status as an international dog show judge and is a judge and officer of the Westminster Kennel Club in NYC--often judging or officiating at the Westminster Dog Show virtually every year. See this URL: www.youtube.com Here is yet another URL that, if you are interested in dogs, especially Vizslas, brother, Bud, gives a little history: www.vcgny.com
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Hot Topics-Sadie - The View
The ladies welcome Sadie, Best In Show at the 2010 Westminster Dog Show. Watch full episodes of The View at theview.abc.go.com
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Celebrity Beagle Watch
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Goody Beagle here. I'm a beagle who likes to write. Books. Articles. Blogs. I love to share 'beagle info' with my human friends. Since humans like to follow the doings of celebrities, in this article I'll tell you about some famous beagles.
Being famous isn't quite as important to us dogs as it is to you humans. Don't get me wrong; we like attention, it's just that we just don't think everyone has to love us, as long as someone does. Don't you think that's more healthy?
For some reason, famous beagles abound in cartoons and comic strips. For instance, everyone knows Snoopy, from the comic strip Peanuts. Snoopy is so famous he is a whole industry all by himself - when he makes special appearances at theme parks, he actually bills himself as "The World's Most Famous Beagle." I like Snoopy's attitude. He knows he is cool.
Another cartoon Beagle is Odie, the nemesis of Garfield the Cat. Odie is supposedly stupid. Now I'm not saying there aren't stupid beagles, but they are rare, and I don't think Odie is stupid either. After all, Garfield never really gets the better of him.
Then there's Gromit from Wallace and Gromit, an educated Beagle with a degree from Dogwarts University. Gromit is so smart he doesn't even have to talk, and Wallace would be nowhere without him. Likewise, the beagle Mr. Peabody from the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show is educated and intelligent. He gets Sherman out of trouble on every single show.
In the 1960s and 70s, the television cartoon Underdog was a big hit, and Underdog was a Beagle. His voice was done by Wally Cox, a funny human who looked a little like a beagle himself. Then last year Underdog was made into a movie starring a real beagle. But did you know that this movie gave the beagle NO acting credit? His voice, done by Jason Lee, got it all. Even though it was the dog who had the wear the shirt and cape. I don't think this is right, do you?
Other real-life famous beagles include Him, Her, and Edgar, who lived in the White House from 1963 to 1968 with President Johnson, also known as LBJ. LBJ caused a scandal when he picked up Him (or Her, I forget which) by his ears, and a photographer took a picture of this sad event. It just goes to show that not even Presidents exercise good judgment all the time.
The most recent famous beagle is Uno, who took the 2008 Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He was the first beagle to win this most coveted prize, and it's about time.
Maybe my book will sell millions of copies, and then I too will be famous! That will make my human happy. But I think I'd be just as happy if she would let me catch rabbits. Or eat a whole pot roast.
Kim Pearson is the voice of Goody Beagle and the author of five books, including Dog Park Diary, and a ghostwriter of more than thirty non-fiction books. Dog Park Diary is the first she has ghostwritten for a dog. For more about Kim's ghostwriting services, visit http://www.primary-sources.com
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Improve Your Dog Communication Skills by Understanding Your Dog's Breeding
Image : http://www.flickr.com
If you want to have a closer relationship with your dog, one of the best things you can do is to improve your dog communication skills. The better you understand your dog's communications and its dog nature, the better you will be able to nurture its dog personality and create a tighter bond.
Does your dog ever do something that leaves you scratching your head and wondering, "Why did he (or she) do that?" If so, you're not alone. Dogs tell us important things all the time, but sometimes we don't "get the message."
A dog's actions often speak louder than words. The trick is to figure out what the actions mean. It can be obvious. For example, when your dog sits and begs while you're eating a piece of steak, there's no mystery in the message. But most dog communications are much more subtle than that. Sometimes you can "break the code" by paying careful attention to your dog's breeding.
Retrievers like to retrieve. Herders like to herd. Hunters like to hunt. So if you want to understand your dog's body language behavior, it's a good idea to understand what it was bred to do.
If you've ever watched the Westminster Dog Show, you've heard the announcer read those wonderful descriptions of the different breeds. You can find those descriptions at the AKC's (American Kennel Club) web site: http://www.akc.org/breeds/complete_breed_list.cfm. Example: "The working ability that has made the Golden Retriever such a useful hunting companion also makes him an ideal guide, assistance and search and rescue dog."
My Golden Retriever, Jamie, used to stop in the middle of our morning jog. She had different reasons for stopping, but one of them was to make a polite request, "May I please pick up this pine cone and carry it the rest of the way home?"
One morning, my wife and I were jogging home, with Jamie, and I was carrying several rolled up newspapers. Jamie kept looking back at me. At first, we couldn't figure out what she was trying to say. My wife said, "She wants you to pay attention to her." So I stopped and gave her a friendly ear scratch. But she kept looking back at me.
Finally, my wife said, "Maybe she wants to carry the newspapers." I gave Jamie the papers, and that was it. She held her head up high and carried the newspapers the rest of the way home. But of course, she's a retriever.
If your dog does something you don't understand, consider its breeding. It may be telling you, "Hey, I just want to do the things I was bred to do."
Fred M. Haney, author of "My Doggie Says... Messages from Jamie" and host of the "My Doggie Says" radio talk show on KFNX, in Phoenix, AZ. Learn how to understand the important messages your dog is sending you. Visit the "My Doggie Says..." blog and podcast. Listen to recorded interviews from the "My Doggie Says" show and learn how expert authors and trainers think about dog communication, dog intelligence, and building a stronger relationship with your dog. http://www.mydoggiesays.com The "My Doggie Says" interviews are also available on iTunes as a podcast.
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