Allie Is Strong... and getting Stronger!

My foster dog Allie is a ninety pound Akita/Border Collie mix.  She has the size of an Akita, and the bark of a Border Collie.  She has the intelligence of both breeds, which is quite scary.  This is the dog who learned to open the back door and come into the house anytime she wanted by grabbing the door knob with her mouth, and leaning against the door while turning her head. 

In addition to her intelligence, Allie is quite the energetic and inquisitive dog.  She does not like to be left out of things, and this is never more obvious than when she is in the back yard and someone stops by.  The six foot privacy fence makes it difficult for her to see into the driveway to find out who is visiting. 

The picture below is taken from the driveway, looking toward the back yard. 

You can click on the picture to enlarge it.  Why would you want to do this, you ask?  Well, think of it as a Where's Waldo game, only in this case we'll call it "Where's Allie?" 

Keep in mind that this six-foot fence has the posts on the outside of the fence, so from the backyard there are no posts - we did this purposely to keep the dogs from using the crossbars to launch themselves over the fence. 

Here's a closer picture.

This is what she does when she wants to see what is going on in the driveway.  She jumps up, puts her front paws over the top of the fence, and hangs on!  At first she could only stay up there a second or two.  But she's been practicing. 

She's up to about seven or eight seconds of hang time before gravity wins and pulls her 90 pound body back to the ground.  She also seems to be gaining height as time goes on.  I've decided the best solution to this, other than keeping her in the house 24/7, is to feed her more.  If she eats more, she'll weigh more, and won't be able to jump so well.  This is my theory, and she seems quite happy to go along with it. 

Book Review: Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know

Recently I was given the opportunity to review the book “Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know” by Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson.  I’m a fan of the TV show “Monk”, and Hy Conrad was one of the original writers and eventually one of the executive producers of the show, so I looked forward to reading this book.  And as it turns out, the book was totally my type of humor, and I loved it.   I quickly became attached to the various characters.  The book is a compilation of 115 short essays written by eleven different dogs.  It’s best to start at the beginning of the book because although each essay can stand on its own, the characters are revealed throughout the book in the order of the essays.   There’s Axelrod, the Yellow Lab who lives in the suburbs, Orson the always-hungry Bulldog,  Sarge the German Shepherd who can't seem to hold a job, and my favorite, Charlie the Miniature Schnauzer who was adopted by a shelter worker, lives with six other dogs and considers his current situation foster care.  

The dogs are eager to share their secrets, such as what they dream about, why they beg for food, and in Axelrod's case, why he ate the sofa!  (click on the image to enlarge) 

If you're looking for a fun, easy-to-read book with great illustrations, check out "Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You To Know".  

Ziggy's DNA Results Are Here!

I received an e-mail informing me that Ziggy’s DNA test results are available. I expected to find that Ziggy was mostly a mutt. I expected him to be part American Staffordshire Terrier, Dalmatian, or Pointer, with several “unidentifiable” results thrown in for good measure. I was wrong.

I read the results with growing disbelief. The DNA results indicated that Ziggy was a product of two purebred dogs. One of them, I’m assuming his mother, was a purebred American Staffordshire Terrier. No real surprise there, and now Ziggy can truthfully claim to be a “pit bull” mix. But the other parent? His father? It’s just too embarrassing to share.

I’m sure Ziggy would like to keep this a secret, but since we already announced he was taking a DNA test, I will have to tell you. According to his DNA test, Ziggy’s other parent was a Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie.

Once I stopped laughing, I immediately e-mailed the company to ask them to verify the results. After all, a union between an AmStaff and a Yorkie is not only unlikely, but Ziggy of course looks nothing like a Yorkie. Yet the results are clear – 50% of Ziggy’s DNA matches that of a Yorkshire Terrier. And in fact unions between AmStaffs and Yorkies have been known to occur. Yes, the little dog with a big personality – the one often accused of having Small Dog Syndrome – is most likely Ziggy’s father.

Some people think canine DNA tests are inaccurate, and while they are not 100% foolproof, after a lot of research it appears they are most often correct when a dog is a hybrid of two purebred dogs. So as much as I hate to say it, I have to admit it’s possible that Ziggy really is 50% Yorkie. Until I look at him. Then I start laughing all over again.

So what do these results mean? Well, first of all I told Ziggy not to be so embarrassed. There are plenty of famous AmStaff/Yorkie mixes out there. Okay, maybe not. But maybe he can be the first! Plus, being half Yorkie means he is a designer hybrid. I am going to start calling him a Yorkiestaff. I made that up myself! He did not seem amused. But Yorkies are a very popular breed, so I’m quite sure this will help him get adopted. Who wouldn’t want to adopt the most famous Yorkiestaff in the world??



Ziggy's DNA

I figured it out. The DNA results are not back yet, but I think I know what they’re going to say. Here’s what made me realize it. All Paws recently took in a young dog with an attitude similar to Ziggy’s. He can be pushy and thinks that he always should have his own way. He will probably never be able to be adopted out to a family with young kids. He will need a dog savvy owner who will be able to set boundaries and rules and enforce them. As I talked to someone about this dog, I started to say “he is a stereotypical Chihuahua with small dog syndrome”. And then I realized. Ziggy has small dog syndrome. Ziggy must be part Chihuahua.


Rascal (related to Ziggy!?)

Suddenly it all made sense. The reason Ziggy is possessive of food and toys and other items was due to small dog syndrome. The reason he took on adult dogs that were much bigger than him even when he was a four month old puppy – again, small dog syndrome. The reason he is pushy and demanding – small dog syndrome. So I did some research on small dog syndrome. And I read about how small dogs get small dog syndrome because of their owners. When their owners allow them to sleep on the bed and jump on people and bark at other dogs, they are reinforcing this idea that the small dog is in charge. And when owners show affection without making the dogs work for it, they are setting the dogs up to be demanding and pushy.



Ziggy - part Chihuahua?

 Sometimes people assume that I am the reason Ziggy is the way he is. After all, it’s easy to blame the owner when a dog is misbehaving or has some sort of issue. The owner was too harsh, or the owner was too lax in enforcing rules, or the owner never spent time with the dog, or the owner babied the dog when the dog was afraid, thus making the dog more afraid. There is some truth to this in most cases – owners are generally the ones guiding or reinforcing every choice a dog makes. However I’ve fostered, trained, and worked with over a hundred dogs in addition to Ziggy, and not one of them has had Small Dog Syndrome. Not even the Chihuahuas that I have fostered. So it’s something special about Ziggy. And although I’d like to find an explanation for his behavior, I’m not sure that’s going to happen. Because I never let him sleep on the bed (he would have eaten it). I never gave him table scraps, or shared my food, but that didn’t stop him from begging and trying to steal it out of my hands. I never gave him unwarranted affection (I tried, but he doesn’t like to be touched). I never even carried him around or let him sit on my lap. He has been given rules to follow, and received consequences for misbehavior, since he was a pup. So what caused his Small Dog Syndrome? Then I read this wonderful post from The Charming Chi. And I realized that there probably isn’t a thing such as Small Dog Syndrome after all. And sadly this puts an end to my theory that Ziggy is part Chihauhua.  His DNA results should be arriving in the next week or two, and then I won't have to come up with these theories anymore. Stay tuned!

Ziggy and Dogtoberfest

I took Ziggy to an event called Dogtoberfest on Saturday.  There were many fun events, including a dog parade with dogs in costume.  Since Ziggy refuses to dress up, I had to be creative with his costume.  And since I'm not creative, I ended up just putting black circles all over him and calling him a Dalmatian.

"What ARE these black spots all over me?"

"Hey, I look just like that Dalmatian over there!"

Many people thought he did not have a costume at all, because the black spots blended in to his fur so well.  I used ink from a child's stamp pad, so it is non-toxic and washable.  And I'm going to give him a bath and wash those spots off... any day now.  

"Ziggy, you look nothing like me!"

Since Ziggy doesn't like other dogs getting in his space, we stayed a short distance from the others while we waited for the parade to start.  Ziggy quickly found something to occupy his attention.

"Construction workers!  I bet they need my assistance!!"

While Ziggy supervised the construction workers, I took some pictures of some of the other dogs in costume.

The first place winners of the costume contest had a decorated wagon for a dog with an adorable outfit, and a real parrot with her own costume - she was wearing a tiny parrot bikini.

This sweet guy may not have had a costume, but he had a lot of fun anyway!

Once the parade started, Ziggy did really well even being surrounded by other dogs.  Of course, being Ziggy, he did have to make a few stops along the route...

"Let me just sniff over here!"

"I'll just even off the edges right here."

However we eventually made it to the end of the parade, and enjoyed the other festivities.  In addition to the costume contest, they had several other contests such as Ugliest Dog, Prettiest Eyes, and Best Trick.  Can you guess which one Ziggy entered?

If you guessed the Best Trick contest, you're correct!  Ziggy was one of several dogs showing off their best trick.  He did his praying trick where he prayed to get adopted, and although that prayer hasn't come true yet, he did win 1st place in the contest!  He won some very nice prizes, and made some new friends as well. It was a fun day, and we had a great time. 

The Reason Ziggy is being DNA Tested

You may wonder why, after all this time, I’ve decided to give Ziggy a DNA test. The reason is because I’ve exhausted all other efforts to get Ziggy adopted. He’s gone through as much training as I can possibly give him, he’s been advertised everywhere, including on TV, and now I seem to have run out of ways to get him noticed. At least until the DNA results come back. Then, everything will change. Suddenly Ziggy will no longer be just a pit bull mix. He’ll have a whole new adoption listing, with a scientifically accurate breed result! The possibilities are endless! Here are just a few possible results that would greatly benefit Ziggy’s chances of finding a home:


A) If Ziggy has any poodle in him at all, I will be able to call him a Ziggypoo and tell everyone he’s hypoallergenic and a designer breed. That’s sure to get him adopted!

B) People love rare dogs, so if Ziggy has any DNA from a rare breed such as a Black Russian Terrier or an Xoloitzcuintle, people will want to adopt him immediately!

C) Another option is if he turns out to be 100% Weimaraner. At that point I will be able to transfer him to a Weimaraner rescue and let them find him a home.

There are so many ways that this DNA test will help Ziggy get adopted, that I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier. Of course there’s always the slim chance that the results will come back showing that Ziggy is officially a pit bull mix – but really, how likely is that? Even the experts have their doubts. At a recent fundraiser I was able to introduce Ziggy to the St. Louis area’s leading pit bull rescuer. She doesn’t think Ziggy is a pit bull (American Staffordshire Terrier or American Pit Bull Terrier). That could be because she has heard enough Ziggy stories to know how he acts nothing like a pit bull. In fact, if we guessed his breed based solely on his personality, a pit bull would be somewhere at the bottom of the list. Here are some excerpts from the breed temperament descriptions of four purebred dogs. Which ones sound most like Ziggy to you?

Dog type A: This is not like your average domesticated dog and is not recommended as a house pet for most people. If properly socialized, it can be tame enough to tolerate the handling of humans.

Dog type B: They are busy, bold, inquisitive and stubborn, but they also love to monkey around, being playful and mischievous. A lively, sharp-witted dog that is courageous and confident….he does best with a family who has a very good sense of humor.

Dog type C: This is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet that is good with children and adults. Almost always obedient, it is always eager to please its master.

Dog type D: This dog has a good sense of humor. It is sensitive, independent, intelligent, skillful, tough on itself, and energetic. A robust, persistent, and powerful dog, it is willing to take on virtually any game animal.

The breed names that fit these descriptions can be found at the end of this post. Suffice it to say that Ziggy’s appearance does NOT fit his behavior. Nonetheless, people tend to seek out dogs to adopt based on how they look, not how they act. So I can only hope that the DNA test finds genes in Ziggy from a breed that more closely fits his behavior, and then perhaps he can find an adopter who will appreciate him for who he really is -- an independent, persistent, bold, mischievous dog with a good sense of humor, and tame enough to tolerate the handling of humans – sometimes.



Answers:
A) New Guinea Singing Dog
B) Affenpinscher
C) American Pit Bull Terrier
D) Karelian Bear Dog

Ziggy's DNA Test

I just submitted a DNA test for Ziggy to find out what breed(s) he may be.  As you may remember, I tried to figure out Ziggy’s breed once before, based on the fact that he has a curly tail.  However, now that we’re taking a more scientific approach to this question, I’ve been thinking about what the results will tell us.  

The DNA test company says that there are two good reasons to take a DNA test.  First, it will help you predict inherited characteristics.  I believe that means we may finally have an answer for why Ziggy is so food-obsessed.  I did some research to determine which breeds are most obsessed with food.  Front-runners included Labs, Beagles, Pugs, and every other breed currently known to mankind.  So if the DNA test verifies that Ziggy is a dog, that will most likely explain his food obsession.
 
The other reason to test your dog is to identify their genetic background.  I've thought a lot about this, and I feel confident that the DNA test will show Ziggy is related to at least one of the following dogs:

Spuds MacKenzie promoted beer in several beer commercials.  

Ziggy has been known to promote beer any chance he gets. 


Marley, from the book and movie entitled Marley & Me, is described as a high-strung, boisterous, and somewhat uncontrolled dog. He is strong, powerful, endlessly hungry, eager to be active, and often destructive of property (but completely without malice).

DITTO

Michael, a deaf pit bull who was once in a high kill shelter, was rescued and is now the star of a show in Reno.  In the show, Michael plays an irascible reprobate who has no interest at all in pleasing his owner.

Ziggy, who is also a deaf dog rescued from a high kill shelter, has apparently been practicing for this role his entire life. 

Pete, who was President Theodore Roosevelt’s Boston Bull Terrier, bit so many people that he was exiled from the White House.  

 Ziggy, an avid shopper, was for several months exiled from PetSmart adoption events due to his high level of stress caused by being surrounded by food and not allowed to eat it all (he has since redeemed himself and is allowed to attend events again). 

Snoopy, the much loved Beagle from Peanuts, is described as “wildly imaginative, supremely confident, and a canine master of disguise."

Ziggy is also supremely confident, wildly imaginative, and a canine master of disguise!


It’ll be a few weeks until we have the DNA results, so for now I’ll continue my research so I can be prepared for whatever we find out. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, when I share the reason behind the DNA test.

Don't You Hate It When...



Don't you hate it when you get your head stuck inside an empty can of dog food, and you can't get it off?  And you walk around bumping into furniture, but instead of helping you, your foster mom just laughs and runs for the camera?

Iris the Beagle puppy



Don't you hate it when your foster mom decides that because she's cold, you need to wear a coat?  And then she dresses you up in dog clothes that are too small and takes your picture?  

Libby the JRT



Don't you hate it when all the other cats tell you to go to that log cabin down the street, because there is really good food there?  And you believe them and go there and next thing you know, you're stuck in that house with a bunch of dogs, and never allowed outside again?

Indy the kitten

It's tough being a foster pet around here!

Introductions and Adoptions

Lately I feel as if I'm always running behind.  Somehow as I look at my most recent blog posts, I find that I've neglected to tell you about several new fosters, and a few of them have already been adopted!  So to catch up, here's the short version..



Peaches

  Peaches is an extremely sweet Lab mix who belonged to my neighbors.  Since they let their dogs run loose, Peaches and the other dogs often came over to my house across the street to visit me.  I fell in love with Peaches the first time I met her, and often reminded my neighbor that if she ever decided to give Peaches up, I would take her.  That day finally came, and last week Peaches came to my house as a foster dog.  She's a great dog - loves to cuddle, loves to play with the other dogs, loves to eat - she just loves life.  So when she was adopted this past weekend, I was very happy for her, but just a little bit sad that I didn't get more time with her!




Natasha



Natasha came from an animal shelter in Columbia, MO. She is around four years old, and has this cute scruffy look that I love.  She was one of those dogs that I brought in and instantly she fit in with no adjustment time at all.  She stayed loose in the house while I was at work and never tore anything up.  She slept on my bed at night and never bothered the cat.  She played great with all the other dogs, and she bonded very quickly to me.  Natasha hasn't been adopted yet, but we had a new volunteer sign up to foster for us, so I gave her my perfect dog so she would hopefully have a good foster experience.  Because if I'd given her Ziggy to foster, she'd have drove him back to my house and we'd never see her again.  So far she says she hopes Natasha gets adopted soon because she is falling in love with her!

Nosey is my newest Beagle puppy.  When I heard that SNUGGLE, the neonate rescue group who had helped us with Jill and her puppies, had a blind puppy that they wanted us to take, I basically begged them to pick me please.  Amazingly enough, the competition was slim and I was allowed to foster this adorable guy.  Nosey was born with retinal dysplasia and has been blind from birth.  There's nothing that can be done to repair his vision, but so far he has no idea that all the other dogs have a sense he is missing.  In his world, we're all blind.  And he gets around just as well as all the other dogs.  He's a happy little pup, always sniffing and usually finding stray pieces of kibble that the other dogs miss.  He loves to play with the other dogs, but he is a bit rough on small dogs, so will do best with bigger dogs.  He's received several applications for adoption but so far none of them have passed the vet check that we do, so he is still with me! 


Frodo



 And then there's Frodo.  Frodo is a long-haired cat, although in this picture he has been shaved down.  He is a very tiny cat with a very large personality.  He had ringworm when he was a young kitten, and is still recovering, so I will have him at least a few more weeks until he is deemed ready for adoption.  He's extremely affectionate and playful, and will make a wonderful pet for someone eventually! 



Jude



 Jude is another foster dog who has been fostered and is already adopted.  He is your typical Lab puppy - easy-going, friendly, loves everyone.  He is around 8 months old, and was turned into rescue with his sister.  He has been adopted by a family with three kids, and it seemed to be his dream come true!   

 Other recent changes include Trixie the Chihuahua who was adopted, Twinkie the Chihuahua who went to another foster home and may be adopted by the foster, Ivy the Beagle puppy who was adopted, Iris the Beagle puppy who went to a foster-to-adopt home, Gemma the deaf pit bull mix who went to another foster home, and Piper the 16-year-old pit bull from the hoarding situation who went to her forever home!

I still have Bogey the shy dog, Lucky the deaf Catahoula/Great Dane mix, Allie the Border Collie/Akita mix, Jill the Beagle mom, and Ziggy the TV star.