Archive for January, 2009

Before You Rescue Neapolitan Mastiff dogs

The very definition of the word humane

characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, esp. for the suffering or distressed: humane treatment of horses.

originating from the very word that defines us “human”, plays a vital role in our impulse to rescue any living animal and to come to it’s assistance.

While this is a characteristic showing great moral attributes, it is arguably a way of helping to enable irresponsible breeding, ownership (most cases) and selling of the Neapolitan Mastiff breed.

In the United States and Great Britain millions of dogs are euthanized in a endless cycle of supply and demand, with little oversight and lack of education to the general public. What a better solution to the puppy millers and unethical suppliers than endless lines of rescue owners ready to adopt their next Neapolitan Mastiff. Therefore the question remains, are you helping the situation or enabling a system of churning out dogs for a profit? How many of us have given a dollar to a homeless person begging for money on a traffic light? The sign say’s “for food”, yet we perfectly know that the money will likely be used for something else. But perhaps this is not such a bad thing, ex-US Surgeon General Vice Admiral C. Everett Koop, USPHS created quite a controversy when he admitted he would give money to a homeless man even if he knew that money was for buying a bottle of liquor, “anything to help him get through the day”.

The best way to support the breed and look out for the breeds best interest is to study, research, and buy your Neapolitan Mastiff from an ethical Neapolitan Mastiff breeder. This however is not the only way, truth be told, whether you are enabling or not, the wellness of an individual dog in rescue can not be denied. Therefore if you are looking to save a Neapolitan from rescue, you are in fact helping the need of that individual dog. To rescue Neapolitan Mastiff’s visit the  Neapolitan Mastiff Rescue Program in the US and Neapolitan Mastiff Rescue in UK.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Child and Dog Safety

Children and dogs often have a difficult time establishing a healthy relationship, injuries are common to both puppies and children from inappropriate play and/or contact. The Blue Dog project was designed by a team of veterinarians, child psychologists, pediatricians and more in the United Kingdom.

The Blue Dog project is a series of interactive games and cartoons to illustrate a safe relationship between children and dogs. The project is available in a variety of languages, outside the US you can purchase directly from The Blue Dog Project and within the US you can order via the American Veterinarian Medical Association for a mere $8 !

The Blue Dog website also has a variety of online activities, the project is geared toward children between 3 and 6 years of age.

A must have for parents with small children and a Neapolitan Mastiff !

Great site and project, Kudo’s to the UK development team !

Popularity: 29% [?]

Green Tripe

What is Green Tripe ? Well, Green refers not to the color but signifies that the product has not been cooked or modified in any way and Tripe is the stomach of ruminating animals.

Green Tripe can be fed as a stand alone or added to your dogs diet. Tripe is loaded with digestive enzymes that help dogs to better utilize their food.

Green Tripe is best when it is fresh and raw, GreenTripe.com offers a great assortment of prepackaged green tripe sourced from USDA approved grass fed, organic raised cattle.

If you can’t stomach (no pun intended) feeding pure raw, Solid Gold makes a nice canned Tripe product called Green Cow.

Happy Feeding !

Tripe Analysis*

A sample of green tripe was analyzed by Woodson-Tenent Laboratories, Inc. in Gainesville, Georgia. The results for sample #G97-16346 are as follows:

Moisture 71.37%
Crude Fat 11.70%
Protein 15.82%
Ash 1.23%
Phosphorous 0.14%
Calcium 0.12%
Calories 756.35 cal/lb.
pH 6.12
Lactic Acid Bacteria 12,000 CFU/G
Linoleic Acid (EFA) 2.72%
Linolenic Acid (EFA) 0.37%

In an analysis of a sample of green tripe by a Woodson-Tenant Lab in Atlanta, Georgia, it was discovered that the calcium:phosphorous ratio is 1:1, the overall pH is on the acidic side which is better for digestion, protein is 15.1, fat 11.7 and it contained the essential fatty acids, Linoleic and Linolenic, in their recommended proportions. Also discovered, was the presence of Lactic Acid Bacteria. Lactic Acid Bacteria, also known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus, is the good intestinal bacteria.

Resources

• Watch Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs making Green Tripe at the GreenTripe company in California.
• Green Tripe company
• True Carnivores website for Natural Rearing Dog Owners

*Tripe Analysis from True Carnivores.com

Popularity: 35% [?]

In The Womb

The Neapolitan Mastiff is featured in National Geographics recent special “In The Womb:Dogs”  Using state-of-the-art visual effects and real-time 4-D ultrasound imagery, we follow the fetal development of one wolf and three different dog breeds.

Featuring a beautiful female from Dalnark Kennels and mastini from Gasche kennels!

Check out National Geographic for airing times

Popularity: 32% [?]

Neapolitan Mastiff Videos on YouTube by NeapolitanWorld

Neapolitan Mastiff videos featured on YouTube by NeapolitanWorld. Visit YouTube to see all Neapolitan Mastiff Video features.

Enjoy!

Popularity: 24% [?]

Pack Behavior Pop Psychology

Another interesting article in the Winter Edition of Off-Lead magazine, Ian Dunbar sounds off about pack behavior based training modalities.

“Entire training programs have advocated that people pretend to be an alpha wolf or the dog’s mother when raising puppies or educating dogs. Although ludicrous, pop psychology has always been like catnip for a surprisingly large number of dog owners (and some trainers)”

Mr. Dunbar does an excellent job of explaining why single action temperament testing is “a few steps below asinine” and that assigning a label to a dog based off his one reaction to one event is a fallacy. The article also provides an excellent overview of the importance of early socialization and the effects of no socialization.

The article lists a few excellent resources:

• Dogstardaily.com – Practical puppy husbandry and dog training
• Free Behavior Blueprint’s from Sirius Training

This is the second issue in which Off-Lead has challenged the widely accepted “pack theory”, a few weeks ago we blogged about their fall issue article titled Pack of Lies. Although no “TV Trainers” were named directly, a few times in the article I couldn’t help but think he was directing his statements to a couple famous TV Trainers

Popularity: 24% [?]