BUCKLE-DOWN THE DOG !

A FREED DOG RIDE?.......IT'S ILLEGAL!

BUCKLE-DOWN!

NO MORE CAR RIDING WITHOUT BUCKLING-DOWN!
CLICK-ON
 FAVORITE PRODUCTS & ORDER YOUR  AFFORDABLE TRUCK TETHER, OR CAR BUCKLE 
 NOW--------------------------------------------------------->

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - You see it all the time, a dog on the loose and perched at the window of a moving vehicle.

"It's Hawaii. Everybody likes rolling down the street with their windows down and our dogs hanging their heads out the windows," Hawaii Kai resident Angela Byrd said.

Veterinarian Cristina Miliaresis owns Surf Paws Animal Hospital. She said a fun day can turn ugly in an instant.

"We have actually had a couple that have fallen out of windows with really bad consequences," she said.

It's dangerous for dogs and drivers, especially when the animal climbs onto the drivers lap.

"It's a huge distraction. Plus, you're trying to control your vehicle," HPD Community Policing Officer Cece Aiu said. "If anything should happen with the dog, it's going to get caught up in the vehicle, it's going to fall on the ground."

It could also get you ticketed. A little known law specifies you can be fined $97 dollars for driving with a dog in your lap and $57 if the animal's loose in a moving vehicle.

Police said most dog owners don't know about this rule.

"Use common sense. And if you really do care about your animal secure it and drive with caution," Aiu said.

Pet stores sell tethers and crates that meet the legal requirement, and dog car restraints come in all sizes.

CLICK-ON FAVORITE PRODUCTS ON THE SIDEBAR & GET AN AFFORDABLE ONE IMMEDIATELY SO YOU WON'T BE TICKETED!  ---------------------------------------> 


"The dog wears it like a harness, like a regular walking harness. Their feet go in here. And then the seat belt goes through this loop," Michelle Chung of Marina Pet Supply said, displaying one of the harnesses sold at her store.

Groomers, animal hospitals and pet shops are passing out fliers from HPD, showing the rules and fines on one side and examples of safe securing on the other.

Miliareses said dog owners are stunned to learn what they didn't know.

"They're used to having their pets very close to them and they didn't know about this," she said. "A lot of them are like, 'Oh, my gosh! I have to go and get what?"

"I probably would try to get one of those booster seats. They do enjoy putting their head out the window," Byrd said.

Police say now that the word is getting out, ignorance of the law is no excuse. It's a safety issue, so obey the rules or face the fines.

HAWAI'I VETERINARIAN EDUCATES CHILDREN

HAWAI'I   VETERINARIAN "TEACHES" TO CARE FOR DOGS!

Dr. John Kaya is a graduate of Moanalua High School. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University Of Minnesota College Of Veterinary Medicine in 1999 and also graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelors of Education in 1989. Besides working in the hospital, Dr. Kaya utilizes his education background by visiting elementary schools to teach children proper pet care. In previous years, he has lectured at the University of Hawaii in the animal science department.

During veterinary school, Dr. Kaya did an externship at the San Diego Zoo fostering his interest in exotic animal medicine. He believes that all animals should be afforded medical care and thus over the years received training in companion animals to treat dogs.

Canine Gelato in Italy!

Italians have just the thing for dog days of summer: canine gelato.

(Andrew Medichini/ Associated Press ) - Rosaria, left, serves Lara ice cream as Kiyoko looks on in a pet shop in Rome, Monday, June 18, 2012. Gelato for dogs contains no milk products harmful to canines. With temperatures in Rome topping 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), dogs are lapping up the icey treat at a pet supply store on the outskirts of the capital.

• 
• 

• 
  

• 
  

ROME — Leave it to Italians to come up with just the thing to survive the dog days of summer: canine gelato.This Italian ice cream for dogs contains no milk, eggs or sugar, which are harmful to canines. With warm temperature in Rome, ice cream/gelato is great!

Dog owner Anna Bordoni couldn't resist a taste from her mutt
Elsa's cup and declared it "fantastic."  Rome Veterinarian
Marialivia Palmieri says water remains the best cool-down treat for dogs.  But said the special canine gelato does dogs no harm, and can be gratifying for pet and owner.  Flavors come in vanilla, rice and yogurt.  Dogs are lapping up the icy treat at a pet supply store on the outskirts of the capital!

Russian President Receive AKITA PUPPY

AKITA PUPPY GIFT TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT          FROM JAPAN . . .

Vladimir Putin's black Lab, Connie, is about to have some company at the Russian president's residence of Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Mexico on June 18 that Japan intends to present him with an Akita Inu puppy.

A well-known dog lover, Putin readily agreed to accept the dog, a breed native to northern Japan.

Akita Prefecture first broached the idea to the Russian government around the Russian presidential election this spring through the Foreign Ministry.

According to Akita prefectural officials, the dog to be presented to Putin is a red-haired female, born April 24, and weighing 6 kilograms. An adult Akita Inu weighs 25 to 30 kilograms.

The puppy will likely arrive in Russia in August or later.

Putin's Labrador Retriever, Connie, often accompanies him at official events.

"The dog will help bring Russia closer to Japan, even though the two countries have a number of problems to solve," Akita Governor Norihisa Satake said at a news conference on June 19.

"If the president has (an Akita) dog, it will attract a lot of attention," added Takeshi Ito, president of the Akitainu Introduction Foundation, who also attended the news conference. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Russians love animals, including dogs and cats," said noted Russian political specialist Kenro Nagoshi, a professor at Akita International University. "The present given to President Putin, who understands Japanese culture, on his re-assumption of the presidency will lead to improved relations between the two countries.

This female Akita Inu puppy will be presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin later this year.

• l

A Star Is Born !

SHELTER DOG GETS BIG MOVIE BREAK: 

Little Dog Makes It Big: It reads like a classic "rags to riches" tale: Down on his luck, he finds himself moved from shelter-to-shelter, living off random acts of kindness from strangers. Then, through a brilliant stroke of luck, he's acting in a movie with A-list celebrities.

But this little guy was never a wannabe actor, he's a little 5-year-old terrier mix called Aleister who was found in a California shelter in 2008. He's about to make his big break co-starring alongside Steve Carell and Keira Knightly in the doomsday-comedy movie "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" that premiers on Friday, June 22.

"When I saw Aleister and his wonderful scrappy snaggletooth and wiry coat, I loved him and felt, 'Here’s our hero dog,'" said writer/director Lorene Scafaria. via Mother Nature Network

DOG RUNS ACROSS CHINA!

Stray Dog Runs With Cyclists Across China

A stray dog completed a 1,100-mile trek across China, climbing 12 mountains in nearly 25 days.  All it took to get the dog to complete the mission was giving it a bone.

The tenacious pup, nicknamed “Xiaosa,” or Little Sa, encountered a team of cyclists in the beginning stages of a race from Sichuan province to Tibet.  When one of the cyclists fed the hungry-looking dog some food, the smart dog decided to stay with the hands that fed him and continued the race, the BBC reported.

Soon Xiaosa was the team’s mascot, and a national hero in China was born.

A blog started by one of the cyclists – reported to be a graduation trip among friends – chronicling  Xiaosa’s adventures had attracted 40,000 fans by the end of the race, according to the BBC.

The UK’s Telegraph reported that the dog’s Internet followers in China have nicknamed her “Forrest Gump,” after the fictional Tom Hanks character that ran and ran and ran in the movie of the same name.

“She was  tired, on the street around Yajiang, Sichuan province,” one cyclist told China Daily.  “So we fed her, and then she followed our team.”

The dog, the cyclists reported, kept up with them on their daily treks of 30 to 40 miles and even stayed on foot while others took a shortcut.

“Many people stopped cycling in some sections, then took the bus, but the dog made it,” a cyclist told the paper.

The riders also reported that Xiaosa, whose breed was not reported, also stayed with them on climbs up mountains as high as 14,000 feet and, although tiny in stature, fended off attacks from other dogs.

The cyclists’ journey ended last week but Xiaosa’s story continues to have a happy ending.

The once stray and hungry dog has been adopted by one of the cyclists and received a clean bill of health from a veterinarian after her long, eventful journey.

Dogs Compete In Frisbee Competition In Budapest

Budapest woman strives hard to win frisbee competition that could possibly bring her and her dog to the United States to compete.  Should see her in action!  She ends with a winner's posture by lifting-up her dog high above her head as her biggest and favorite trophy...her dog of course!

Besides napping chasing sticks, begging for food and occasionally guarding houses, catching frisbees is perhaps what dogs do best.  It is at the European Disc Dog Championships .  

Some 60 canines from six countries took part in the competition in Hungary's capital Budapest on Sunday.  In one of the events, the animals and their owners had to perform what is called a toss and fetch freestlye in which they perform a routine to music.   The winners of the competition are not only awarded the European title but are also guaranteed a place in September's world disc dog championships in the United States.

OCEAN SAFE DOGS

DOGS MUST BE SAFE IN WATER SPORTS

DON'T TAKE CHANCES. . . !

Dog Life Jacket

Rates below as of June 2012.

  Prices subject to change.

Click-On Favorite Products sidebar to find out.

Small         14.33

xxSmall      12.20

xSmall        13.13

Rates as of June 2012.

Prices subject to change.

Click-On Favorite Products sidebar to find-out.

Small/Medium   14.55

Medium              16.84

SAFE
with life jacket!

Keep Our Dogs
Safe!

I, Shibu  Inu  柴犬 dream of doing this!
But, ONLY with a Life Jacket. . . . 

DOG WITH LIFE JACKET
Rates below as of June 2012.
Prices subject to change.
Click-On Favorite Products sidebar to find-out.

Large     23.44
xLarge   25.09
XXLarge 25.99

DOG PACK MODELED

DOGS LOVE RESPONSIBILITY!
BACK- PACKS ARE  FASHIONABLE
IN JAPAN & EUROPE
where Fashion Style begins and ends.
Dogs use their Back-Pack 
for  carrying their own 
water, toys, treats, poop bags, tissues, glasses, identification ...
for trips such as:
beach, hikes, mountain trails, longer exercise walks, shopping malls, visiting friends. . .

Purchase from Favorite Products sidebar.
Click-On and view the variety.

     

DOG PACK FOR 70 LB DOG
SIZE MEDIUM

DOG PACK FOR 50 LB. DOG

SIZE SMALL

DOG PACK FOR 36 LB. HUSKY
SIZE SMALL

DOG PACK FOR 88LB. GERMAN SHEPHERD
SIZE MEDIUM

SURFING DOGS

        7TH ANNUAL DOG SURFING 

  COMPETION HELD IN CALIFORNIA!

   Dog lovers and surfers gather on the beach in San

            Diego to watch  dogs 'hang ten'.

                         


The 7th Annual competition officially known as the Loews Coronado Bay resort surf dog
competion, has become one of the most unique events in southern california, 
sparking a growing movement for dog surfing across the globe.

Dogs compete in ten minute heats and are scored on their best two waves. The heats are subdivided into three categories - small dogs, large dogs and tandem dogs. Judges look for confidence in the four legged surfers as well as a long wave ride and a good sense of fashion.

"So what we're looking for could be length of ride, maybe that little bit of extra flair that a dog has, from the way they're dressed up to, maybe some sunglasses, whatever it might be, and then we're always looking for something that stands out," says Teevan McManus, owner of Coronado Surfing Academy and a judge at the competition.

This year's first place winners under the small dog category were returning champs Michael Uy and his Australian Kelpie, Abbie Girl. This is the third time the duo, who have been surfing for five years, took home the first place prize, although Uy himself didn't expect the win. .

"You know actually this year I was injured so, a little bit of an underdog coming in but we do this because we love surfing together in the water. So, it's kind of amazing how all of this has come about, we are very honoured," says Michael Uy, who won in the small dog category with Abbie Girl.

Winners of the competition receive a special vacation package at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort and snacks for               their pets. This year Loews has partnered with animal charity to donate all profits from the event

 "...wish I could learn to SURF too..."

                          Shibu Inu 柴犬 

INNOCENT DOGS EUTHANIZED

:

Owner Samantha Graham saying goodbye on Thursday.

The Australian Veterinary Association has slammed Victorian laws which led to two innocent dogs being euthanized.

Dogs named Bear and Kooda were put down 
under the state's new dangerous dog laws in Shennarton on Thursday
after their owners lost a lengthy legal battle to save their lives.  The dogs did not do anything wrong but were destroyed after a local coucil officer identified them as pit bull crosses despite owners Nathan Laffan and Samantha Graham's claims they were bred from a bull mastiff cross American bulldog and a staffie cross ridgeback.  AVA Victoria president Susan Maastricht said the case could end up as "scapegoats" under the law.  Bear and Kooda were impounded because they look like pit bull crosses, Dr. maastricht said.    " This is exactly why we were opposed to the legislation from the outset."  "Not only will it fail to prevent dog bites, innocent dogs can clearly end up being scapegoats because of the way they look."
Mr. Laffan and Ms Graham were the first Victorians to 
challenge the dog laws - introduced last September
after the fatal mauling of Melbourne toddler Aven Chol in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.   At
the centre of the Cobram couples case against Moira Shire Council which they lost in May, was a statutory declaration from a local breeder saying the dogs came from a bull mastiff cross American bulldog and a staffie cross ridgeback.  The legislation provided guidelines for councils on how to identify pit bulls based on key 
markers including muscular build head profile and size-to weight ratio, Victoria's Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh said.  To help councils enforce the law, the coalition governement introduced visual standards to help council officers correctly identify pit bull types dogs and provided training for council officers in use of the standard, he said.  Dr. Maastricht said if Bear and Kooda fit the standards then it was most likely they were pit bull crosses, but there still was a chance the council officer could have been mistaken.  "To some degree there is the potential for subjectivity,"  she said.  Identifying pit bulls could also be problematic because all pit bulls were technically cross-bred, she said.  "You could have a litter of these and all of them
could look completely different,"  she said.

U.K. TEENAGER TORTURES DOG

A Dog Tortured!

19 year old Sean Deakin put a dog in deep-suffering and torture with
a hammer, stabbed it and left it in agony on the kitchen floor while he went to the Job Centre to sign on. The dog, Tyson, a male Staffordshire bull terrier suffered for eight hours before it died. The RSPCA was alerted by a witness to the attack and later they found the body of the dog in a wheelie bin.

The boy’s girlfriend, Sarah Tame also 19, took ownership of the dog only days before the incident after replying to an advert posted on the website Gumtree.  Deakin was arrested charged with three counts of causing an animal unnecessary suffering.  At first he denied the accusations but he was guilty at a hearing at Manchester magistrate's Court and now
faces up to 6 months imprisonment.  An RSPCA spokesperson said that it was one of the worst attacks 
on an animal she had witnessed.  It was heard in court that the dog had been battered 20 times in the head with a hammer during the night.  The boy awoke in the morning to discover the dog had urinated on the bed so he chased it around the kitchen and on catching it, stabbed it in the chest.


His girlfriend, Tame pleaded guilty to one count of unnecessary suffering by not seeking veterinary attention for the dog.  Deakin who originates from Wigan will be sentenced at Manchester Magistrates Court on the 28th of June.

THERAPY DOGS GRADUATE IN HAWAI'I

THERAPY  DOGS  GRADUATE  IN  HAWAI'I


Graduating season may be over, but a new

group of students is gearing-up for their 
graduation Saturday.    After completing two 
years of school, six service dogs are graduating
from Hawai'i  from Canines For Independence
training camp on maui tomorrow.  

.Dog trainer, Kimmy Seguin said, "We start off in kindergarten when the puppies are only eight weeks old and we train them just the basic commands. Then we jump on to basic training where we start training them all 90 commands."

The soon-to-be graduates are prepping to share their skills across the globe. One dog is headed all the way to Japan's Yokohama Children's Hospital.

Another will work at the Queen's Medical Center's Cancer Clinic and one more will stay on the Valley Isle as a courthouse dog.

Mo Maurer, the executive director said, "Most of our clients are quadriplegics and paraplegics."

Two of the dogs will help residents who live with disabilities including a 16 year-old boy with muscular dystrophy and a sixth dog will provide therapy at a Kahului assisted living facility where they can offer a helping paw when it comes to some of the things we take for granted.

"Opening the refrigerator and taking a drink out and taking it to the person," said Maurer.

Hawaii Canines for Independence is nationally accredited and has a 70% success rate.

"We will find out exactly what that person needs whether they drop their keys very often lots of different things we can do to specifically train that dog for that person with skills," said Seguin.

The dogs are also heavily involved in the community via special events and outreach including the Wounded Warrior project, scent detection and assisting with work place readiness.

"Good boy thank you."

After graduation the non-profit organization keep.

 tabs on the gradates by foullowing up within the first month, three and six months then every year after that.


Again, dogs provide for humans...and  give of themselves so  willingly, so generously.


We thank our Service Therapy Dogs!

JAPAN'S PAMPERED DOGS!

DOGS IN JAPAN STYLED EXPENSIVELY !

When the Japanese embrace a craze they do so with a fervour and extravagance that can baffle outsiders.

So while the country’s growing trend for dog ownership might seem innocuous enough, it has spawned an £8 billion-a-year industry that offers adored pooches the sort of over-the-top luxuries usually reserved for the wealthiest humans.

Families increasingly regard pets as an alternative to having children – and are lavishing all manner of privileges on them, including dog kimonos, fake fur coats, £1,000 Hermes leather tote bags, £230 designer jeans and even school uniforms.

This is no CAT-walk: These pups keep it cool dressed in shades, hats and medallions

Canine couture: A dog wearing a sunflower hat and another wearing a smart shirt and tie combo

Pooch Cassidy: This canine cowboy takes its inspiration from Toy Story's Woody

Such wardrobes are accessorised with nappies, jewelry and designer dog buggies of the type favored by yummy mummies, all ‘must-have’ items for any image-conscious dog owner. After all, one must look one’s best when travelling to exclusive restaurants where dogs sit on chairs to eat specially prepared organic food that can be shared with their owner.

And if such pampering gets too much, there are yoga classes, ‘lotions and potions’ and hot spring resorts to help the frazzled pups destress.

Even in death, no expense is spared. A deluxe funeral package with full Buddhist rites and mini-temple can be bought for £7,000.

As one observer admits: ‘I’ve seen owners cry more for the loss of their pet than they do for a parent or grandparent, because to many  people their pet is the child they don’t have.’

If becoming a fully fledged dog ‘parent’ is a little daunting or expensive – a miniature dachshund or Pomeranian can cost £4,000, even before the vital accessories – there is always the option to rent one for an hour’s walk. Customers are supplied with a leash, some tissues and a plastic bag should the animal need to do a spot of business along the way.

Typical of the new breed of owner is 50-year-old Toshiko Horikoshi, a successful eye surgeon who lives in an upmarket area of Tokyo. Along with her stylish
apartment and a Porsche in the garage, she owns two dogs, Ginger and Tinkerbell, who have their own wardrobe with a lavish collection of summer and winter clothes.  

Browsing for hound-ware: A Japanese shopper surveys the vast range of accessories on offer

Cool dogs: One pooch sports a bib and sunglasses (left) during the Osaka fashion show while another wears an Adidas hooded top (right)  In her neighborhood it is almost impossible to find a children’s clothes shop among those selling accessories for pets.   But there is a serious point behind this showy extravagance. The Japanese are becoming increasingly obsessed with dogs because, even with designer accessories, they are a more affordable substitute for children in difficult economic times. And that is leading to a demographic time bomb, a documentary for the BBC’s World Service revealed last night.

There are now more pets (22 million) than children (17 million) in Japan, and if trends continue the country’s population could be reduced from 128 million to 85 million over the next century – which would have a devastating effect on the country’s already struggling economy, analysts warn.

Government spokesman Ryuichi Kaneko says the implications are  terrifying. ‘If the population is shrinking then the workforce is also shrinking and we need young people to support our elderly who are  living longer.’

Keeping with tradition: Dogs were even spotted wearing specially-made kimonos as they had their pictures taken

Kunio Kitamara, director of Japan’s Family Planning Research Centre, says: ‘Young people have  little money, we are suffering  economic stagnation and it has hit young men particularly hard.

‘At the same time the libido of young Japanese men is also steadily lagging – 32 per cent of them admit they’d rather avoid sex because they believe it will interfere with exam success. Women are also shunning marriage – a prerequisite for having children in Japan, which does not bode well for a baby boom.’

Dr Horikoshi admits she became a dog owner for the sake of her career. ‘My boss told me that if you want  to become a good doctor then you should avoid having a child as that will ruin your career,’ she said. Jiro Akiba, a 42-year-old TV cameraman, said his miniature dachshund is a substitute for a child – and has even named it First Little Boy.

‘I would like a baby but my girlfriend doesn’t want to have one because it is very difficult to have a job and be a mother and she wants to keep her job,’ he said.

‘Our salaries have not increased, everything is very expensive and it makes more sense for us to have a dog rather than a baby which would mean having a larger home and a bigger mortgage which we can’t afford.’

But one dog owner admitted the canine companions are a poor substitute for a baby, saying: ‘No matter how many designer clothes you buy and no matter how cute you make them look, man’s best friend can be no substitute for man himself.’

The World Service documentary Your World: It’s A Dog’s Life can be heard on the BBC’s iPlayer.