For “Mammal Monday”:
The 10 Naughtiest Pets in America
An ASPCA survey names the top 10 most rascally pets.
“According to the ASPCA survey, Labrador Retrievers are the very naughtiest of pets. This is due in part to their huge popularity. Like goldens, labs are a mouthy breed, which is what usually gets them in trouble……
(Read article for the other breeds)
Boxers wound up in the number 10 spot for getting into things they shouldn’t.
"Boxers are spirited and need daily exercise," said Tina Wismer, medical director for the ASPCA's Poison Control Center. "A tired dog is a good dog. Tired dogs do not get into trouble by eating things they shouldn’t."
More at: http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/top-10-naughtiest-pets-130214.htm
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What Are the Characteristics of a Naughty Dog?
“1. Charisma. No, really. Charisma is persuading everyone that you’re doing what they want you to, even though you’re not. I’d say all dogs have some charisma but some have more than others or, maybe, some know how to work it better than others (and thus get away with more.)
2. Desire to Please. Naughty dogs are performing for us. They want us to approve of their misbehaving.
3. Willingness to Disobey. As in, “I know you just said to get my head out of the trash, but I’m going to grab that chicken bone in there and then run around the apartment taunting you with it” sort of behavior.
4. Sense of (Canine) Humor. Yes, dogs laugh with their tails. And, yes, dogs somehow understand that, when we laugh, it’s a good thing. They like to make us laugh. They just do.
5. A Sense of (Human) Humor. Whether a dog is funny and, therefore, naughty instead of annoying or frustrating depends on our perception of their behavior. If you laugh and engage with your dog when he steals the toilet plunger for the umpteenth time, he’ll keep on stealing it and you’ll keep on having pictures of your dog and a toilet plunger to post on Facebook. Which brings us to...
Why Are Some Dogs Naughty?
1. To Get Attention. This is the main reason dogs are naughty, which shows that naughtiness is a rather special phenomenon between humans and canines. You will not see dogs behaving this way when alone with other dogs.
2. To Prove a Point. They don’t look at it this way, but you’ll find that if your dog keeps doing the same naughty thing over and over, he’s probably trying to tell you something such as “I’m stealing the toilet plunger because I really need to get outside to play fetch.”
3. To Cheer You Up. Not all dogs have this wild ability to empathize with humans but many do. Both of my pit bulls have this ability -- Hudson sticks close to me when I’m depressed, but Falstaff plays the clown and does naughty things to cheer me up. I can’t explain it, but it’s really cool.
So, what separates “naughty” from just plain “bad?” We all know there is no such thing as a Bad Dog, though the number of dogs dressed up as devils for Halloween would suggest otherwise. Mostly whether a dog’s behavior is naughty or is a matter of degrees.
The Difference Between “Naughty” and “In the Dog House”
1. Degree of Destruction. If you heard something in the other room and went to investigate and your dog had destroyed the a $10 Target pillow, oh well. If you come home to a destroyed couch, different thing.
2. Degree of Inconvenience. If your dog borrows your toothbrush, you can chew a piece of gum until you get another. If your dog is being rambunctious and shuts and locks you out of the house, not so easy.
3. Degree of Danger. For you and your dog. A dog that breaks away and tries to get you to chase him across a busy street is not amusing, nor is he “naughty.” Any behavior that compromises safety must be stopped.
What to Do With a Naughty Dog?
So, you’ve ended up with a naughty dog breed, either by choice or chance -- how do you manage this mischievous mutt? Do you even want to control his naughtiness, or do you derive pleasure out of his antics? It’s up to you. You decide whether you want to encourage this behavior or discourage it. If you laugh at and draw attention to a naughty dog, he will continue this behavior. If you ignore and/or gently correct a naughty dog, he will learn to stop.
But don’t underestimate the joys of a naughty dog -- as Samuel Butler said: “The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."” More at: http://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/10-naughtiest-dog-breeds
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I like this dog - Earns his Keep !!!!!
“Jesse’s owner is 21 years old and had never trained a dog before and they live in Litchfield Park near Phoenix!”
“Presenting, Useful Dog Tricks 3!! Whoever said tricks can't be useful? Jesse's back, and this time he tackles chores that most humans wouldn't find enjoyable; complete with his award-winning smile. He also finds new ways to help out around the house; including vacuuming, dusting, cleaning up puddles, as well as being a well-rounded member of the community by helping clean up garbage at our local park. All taught with positive reinforcement.”
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Mother Nature's Late Show
When day becomes night, a new cast of animals appears on the backyard stage; here are some tips that will help you enjoy them
“WHEN THE SUN goes down and songbirds disappear into cover to roost, you might think that backyard wildlife watching is finished for the day. But the truth is that when darkness sets in, there is merely a change of characters on the backyard stage. The diurnal wildlife goes undercover and the nocturnal animals appear.
Because it’s dark, it may be more difficult to see the new cast of wild animals, but they are there and you don’t need owl vision to watch them.
How to enjoy wildlife at night in your own backyard:
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The Politics of Litter
Why you should NOT...
- toilet train a cat
- use an automated or self-cleaning litter box
- be obsessive about cleaning your cat's litter box
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How To Make Your Cat Not Afraid of Strangers
“Jackson Galaxy of Animal Planet's "My Cat From Hell" shares his strategy for helping cats not be scardey cats. If your cat gets all scared and shy and stressed out when strangers come over, here's expert advice from The Cat Daddy.”
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How to Bond With Your Cat
“You see it all the time. The family pet favors one member of the family over the other and jealousy sets in. Jackson talks about how and why cats bond with specific people and what you can do to gain your cat's affection.”
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Jackson Galaxy - "Get Involved"
“8 million dirty, scared, and disorientated pets enter shelters each year – and the photos taken are what people see when looking to adopt.
Our mission is to provide shelter staff and volunteers with the resources to successfully groom and photograph shelter pets, helping give them the second chance they deserve.”
Help us save lives, one picture saves:
“In the United States, approximately three to four million pets are euthanized in animal shelters each year – help us make that zero.” Read more at http://www.onepicturesaves.com/#gY63i7f1vmrCPECo.99
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On This Day:
Franklin flies kite during thunderstorm, Jun 10, 1752:
“On this day in 1752, Benjamin Franklin flies a kite during a thunderstorm and collects a charge in a Leyden jar when the kite is struck by lightning, enabling him to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightning. Franklin became interested in electricity in the mid-1740s, a time when much was still unknown on the topic, and spent almost a decade conducting electrical experiments. He coined a number of terms used today, including battery, conductor and electrician. He also invented the lightning rod, used to protect buildings and ships.
Most significantly, Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States and had a career as a statesman that spanned four decades. He served as a legislator in Pennsylvania as well as a diplomat in England and France. He is the only politician to have signed all four documents fundamental to the creation of the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris (1783), which established peace with Great Britain, and the U.S. Constitution (1787).
Franklin died at age 84 on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia. He remains one of the leading figures in U.S. history.”
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Paul Newman finishes second in 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jun 10, 1979:
“Paul Newman, the blue-eyed movie star-turned-race car driver, accomplishes the greatest feat of his racing career on this day in 1979, roaring into second place in the 47th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the famous endurance race held annually in Le Mans, France.
Newman emerged as one of Hollywood's top leading men in the 1960s, with acclaimed performances in such films as "The Hustler" (1961), "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969). Also in 1969, he starred in "Winning" as a struggling race car driver who must redeem his career and win the heart of the woman he loves--played by Newman's real-life wife, Joanne Woodward--at the Indianapolis 500. To prepare for the movie, Newman attended racing school, and he performed many of the high-speed racing scenes in the movie himself, without a stunt double. In 1972, Newman began his own racing career, winning his first Sports Club Car of America (SCCA) race driving a Lotus Elan. He soon moved up to a series of Datsun racing sedans and won four SCCA national championships from 1979 to 1986.
After the race, The New York Times quoted the 54-year-old Newman as saying he might not race at Le Mans again: "I'm getting a bit long in the tooth for this. And my racing here places an unfortunate emphasis on the team. It takes it away from the people who really do the work." In fact, he continued racing into his eighties, making his last start at the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in 2006. He also found success as a race car owner, forming a team with Carl Haas that became one of the most enduring in Indy car racing. Newman died in September 2008 at the age of 83.”
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Yesterday:
Misty and I went to get Jay, and had our walk down there. When we returned here, Jay set up the sawhorses and was going to make slanted cedar boards for the top of the screen porch, to match the bottom. Then we found out that some of the front screen wire had recently been punctured, and it would all have to be rescreened before we could go any further.
I took Jay home, and then Ray and I cleaned off the screen porch which had become a mess during the recent rains while the roof was off. We moved all the pots of aloe off the trays, drained the plants of the excess rain-water, cleaned the trays and shelves, swept the floor and put everything back. We also took down the rest of the clear vinyl that we have been using to winterize the screen porch, while the shelves weren’t in the way. I’d like to find a better way to winterize the porch. Several of the pots of aloe had become overgrown and top-heavy, so we re-potted them into larger pots.
Jay had been nagging me to make the screen porch table smaller, but there is no way that would work. He should realize that the porch is also a potting shed, and that’s why there is a plant sink out there!
Then the rains came again, but this time it only got wet on one end of the screen porch, as that isn’t quite finished yet.
The rains have made the privet hedge in the back yard grow, so we will have to attack it today.
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