Frequently Asked Questions

A: A dog is most likely to be surrendered to a shelter when it is between nine and eighteen months old. At this age dogs have grown out of the super-cute puppy stage and look like adults, but they don't act adult, and families unprepared for this phase of life often give up. Adolescence can be as difficult for a dog as it is for a human. Adolescent dogs are super-curious and want to discover the world with all their senses. They dig, they chew, run away to explore, jump, and challenge authority. For many, everything is a game, and their attention span is... squirrel! On top of all this, they have so much energy it takes super-human stamina to keep up. This is when many give up, and instead of helping their dog to become a well balanced adult, they send their pet off to a shelter and probable death. It is always important to choose a dog breed that works well for the family, but it is extra important when picking  a puppy. Some breeds get through this period in life easier than others. Working breeds are often particularly difficult; they have a lot of energy, high intelligence, and need a job. If they don't get something appropriate to do, they will make something up. Some working breeds - like Border Collies - are often considered adolescents up until they're three years old, so in addition to the difficult period being more intense, it also lasts longer. So, how do you survive, stay sane, and keep your dog? Provide plenty of exercise. Consider crating your dog when he or she is unsupervised. Keep training the dog, and make training sessions fun. Thinking games often wear dogs out better than physical exercise. Above all, remember that this is a phase that will eventually go away.

A: North Carolina participates in a "New Leash on Life" program, teaching inmates to train dogs. The program has been a success; working with dogs inspires compassion, patience, and teaches a possible future career. The Correctional institution also offers a vet tech program. The dogs come from shelters, and during the past ten years, thousands of dogs have gone through the eight week program, learning basic behavior and socialization. 92 percent of dogs that has gone through the training are adopted. Professional dog trainers volunteer, teaching the inmates, and sponsors pay for food and medical treatments.

A: Canada's Pet Wellness Report is put together by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and Hill's Science Diet and gives an interesting view of Canadian pet owners. There are around 7.9 million cats and 5.9 million dogs in Canada, and around 35 percent of households have at least one dog, while 38 percent have at least one cat. Findings suggest that while pet owners adore their pets, pet lives can be enhanced and lengthened by improving pet owners' knowledge of nutrition and health. Overfeeding is the most common mistake pet owners do, and people are likely to consider the pet's taste preference (60%) before what's actually good for the pet's health (33%). Veterinarians believe that pet owners are more likely to pick pet food depending on price than nutrition. The report also shows that weight control is the most important thing to increase pets' life spans. Fewer than 8 percent feed their pets the amount recommended on the food package. Weight control and exercise go hand in hand. Pet owners know that exercise is important, but still spend three times as much time watching TV and twice as much time on the Internet as they do playing with or exercising their furry friends. Top five most common mistakes when feeding dogs or cats - according to vets Overfeeding Giving too many treats Making food available at all times Poor quality food Human food/table scraps Five most important things a pet owner can do to increase their pet's life span Weight control Dental care Regular exams Exercise Proper food for the pet's life stage The most common health problem - also the one that surprises the most pet owners - is dental health. Dental problems are often followed by organ damage, strokes, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

A: Dogs can be taught to perform remarkable feats, something recently proven by Major, a Labrador/Pit Bull mix who works as service dog for a war veteran. When his human suffered a seizure, Major didn't waste any time. He pulled the phone out of his owner's pocket and called for help. The phone is set up for quick dial of 911, and Major could call the number through stepping on the screen. Unfortunately dogs still can't talk, so he called several times and dispatchers eventually sent help. When medics arrived, Major waited in front of the house. Major is specially trained to help his owner who suffers PTSD and was injured by a bomb in Afghanistan. To read more about this and see images of Major, visit dogchannel.com.

A: Dogs with their keen senses can find the strangest things, and bring home everything from golf balls to half a tree. Most doggie parents would not expect what these dogs found: February 2013, a dog found a newborn girl abandoned in a plastic grocery bag in Cypress, Texas. State law allows anyone to drop a newborn off at a hospital or fire station with no questions asked. Abandoning a child outside, on the other hand, is a crime. This incident was the third in a short period of time where children were abandoned in the area. June 2013, a dog in Thailand went exploring on his own, and found a newborn who had been wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into a garbage dump. Pui brought the bag home and got a medal from the Red Cross for his good deed. October 2013, a German Shepherd found a baby in a bag in Birmingham in the UK. This baby was later named Jade after its four-legged savior. Even when humans let each others down, dogs are our best friends! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCUq3BvDY1Q  

A: Los Angeles is a city with millions of inhabitants, many very poor and far away from the Hollywood glamour associated with the area. There are also hundreds of thousands of stray cats and dogs. Approximately 173,000 animals enter LA shelters every year, and only half are adopted. The rest are killed. These are grim numbers, and the ASPCA are determined to change the situation. The organization are rolling out a project where $25 million will be used to save these tens of thousands dogs and cats. The project is already underway, and started with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a free spay and neuter clinic in South LA. The area is extremely poor and packs of stray dogs roam the streets. Hopes are that the clinic will sterilize over 4,000 dogs and cats during the remainder of 2014, and even more in upcoming years. With $25 million, the ASPCA aims to get all dogs of Southern California neutered or spayed. They will also strive for increasing adoptions, helping rescue groups, and helping people keep their pets instead of giving them up. Another part of the project involves moving animals from the most overcrowded shelters to areas where they might find new homes. The project will encompass Los Angeles city and county, Burbank, Pasadena, Long Beach, Upland, and parts of Downey. This is one of the most extensive projects in the 148 year long history of the ASPCA. The money is budgeted to last for five years, but the project as a whole is estimated to take longer.

A: A three year old boy in North Dakota recently wandered off the family's yard and was missing for nearly seven hours together with Cooper, the family dog. According to Yahoo News the fire department, local police, and 200 neighbors searched for hours. The situation seemed desperate when even an airplane and 60 four-wheelers couldn't find a trace of the missing couple. Just as authorities were about to call off the search for the night, one four-wheeler went for one last sweep of the property, and they found young Carson safe and snug underneath the dog, who protected him against the cold night. The working theory is that Carson saw his father leave and wanted to follow, so he walked off. Yahoo news reports that Cooper never leaves the yard, but when Carson took off, Cooper followed. Cooper is a mix of German Shepherd, Labrador, and Golden Retriever. The family adopted him three years ago after someone left him by the side of the road. //youtu.be/Ds8dj2NbHNs

A: Many dream of getting into the Guinness Book of Records, and some records are right out weird. Here are some pets who succeeded with unexpected records: 1. Longest tongue Puggy is a male Pekingese holding a record for current longest dog tongue. His tongue measures 4.5 inches, which is very long for a Pekingeses. The longest dog tongue on record overall belonged to a boxer whose tongue was 17 inches long. 2. Most tennis balls in mouth Many dogs like tennis balls. Golden retriever girl Augie likes them more than most do; she has the record for successfully gathering and holding five tennis balls in her mouth at the same time. 3. Longest cat The world's longest cat is called Stewie, and he measures 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail bone. (That's just over 4 feet.) 4. Most flying discs caught This record goes to Rose, a Labrador - Border Collie mix. She can catch and hold seven separately thrown frisbees without dropping one. 5: Most balloons popped Anastasia is a Jack Russell Terrier who likes to pop balloons. She got 100 balloons in 44.9 seconds. 6: Highest jump Cinderella May is a greyhound who likes to jump. She clears 68 inches (almost 5.7 feet). 7: Water glass balancing Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix Sweet Pea holds the record of "most steps walked down by a dog facing forward while glancing a 5-ounce glass of water." She made it ten steps. 8. Soda can balancing This record also goes to Sweet Pea. She walked 100 meters with a can balanced on her head in two minutes and 55 seconds. 9. Loudest purr Some cats purr loudly. Smokey purr loudest of them all with a measured 67.7 decibels. He has also been recorded with a 92.7 decibel purr; equivalent to a hairdryer. 10. Dogs skipping rope The Super Wan Wan Circus in Japan is the home of Uchida Geinousha's dogs. They are the main attraction, and hold the world record for most dogs skipping rope with 13 dogs at the same time. //youtu.be/YtwPzyppOyY

A: Every pet lover fears their pets going missing. If it happens during a storm or natural disaster it's even worse; the community as a whole is rocked, and loss of home and property is difficult to deal with. Sometimes, the stories have unexpected happy endings. Reckless is a mixed breed dog who got out of his New Jersey family's back yard during monster storm Sandy back in 2012. They searched for months, called shelters, and did everything you're supposed to do when losing a pet. Reckless did not turn up. Months passed by and as the family got used to living in a hotel as their home is being repaired, they slowly gave up hope on seeing their dog again. Last week they decided to surprise their daughter through getting a new dog. When they headed to the Monmouth county SPCA, a surprise awaited in the first cage: Reckless. The family is finally reunited, and we hope they can return to their home soon.

A: Dog walkers in San Francisco are frightened and shocked by someone putting out poisoned meatballs, apparently with intent to poison dogs. This morning's finds come from San Francisco's Sunset District. Police have collected the meatballs and report they have pills lodged inside. In February, two dogs in the Twin Peaks neighborhood found and ate poisoned meatballs, and last summer hundreds of treats laced with strychnine were found between Diamond Heights and Twin Peaks. Those make many dogs severely ill and killed at least one. The meatballs have been found hidden in places like the underbrush where dogs are likely to find them before the owners realize what is going on. There are several rewards offered by various organizations to find the person responsible. Anyone with information should call the San Francisco police.