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.
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 !
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:
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.
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!
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.
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
FDA Continues To Receive Complaints about Chicken Jerky Products for Dogs and Cautions Consumers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to caution consumers of a potential association between the development of illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as chicken tenders, strips or treats. FDA continues to receive complaints of dogs experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate with consumption of chicken jerky products. The chicken jerky products are imported to the U.S. from China. FDA issued a cautionary warning to consumers in September 2007.
Australian news organizations report the University of Sydney is also investigating an association between illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky in Australia. At least one firm in Australia has recalled their chicken jerky product and the recall notification stated the chicken jerky product was manufactured in China.
FDA believes the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with the information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder and animal health notification.
Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be
used occasionally and in small quantities. Owners of small dogs must be especially careful to limit the amount of these products.
FDA, in addition to several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the U.S, is working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA has conducted extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified any contaminant.
FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product: decreased appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to the exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.
The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem. Many of the illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html in their state.
Recently reported over at VIN is a new program for open heart surgery in dogs at UC Davis:
Griffiths and UC Davis are attempting a feat that during the past 30 years has confounded many another institution. High cost, the number of medical staff required for surgery and post-operative care, the time commitment required of staff, the types of conditions in dogs that call for surgery, and differences in how dogs respond to the operation compared with humans — these factors combined to stymie other programs.
Read the entire article at VIN here and Visit UC Davis Cardio page here
A Recent article in Off Lead Magazine challenges the long term held belief that dogs are pack orientated.
Political upheaval in Romania caused an unbalanced population of free-ranging or homeless dogs, this tragic situation however served to provide animal behaviorist with numerous observation opportunities that are usually reserved for observing wolves or dingos.
These Romanian dogs seem to only pair up on occasion closer to what animal behaviorist and author Dunbar refers to as “loose, transitory associations”.
Free ranging “un-domesticated” dogs do still roam in a few areas of the globe, further observation and analysis of their social behavior is of course needed to determine if the Romanian Dogs are indicative of true canine social behavior or a fluke.
On a day when people tend to cover more bad news then good news; bad economy, the war, crime, corrupt politicians. We are no different many times in the Neapolitan Mastiff community. Early death of a dog, bad judging, bad breeder, politics getting in the way, the list goes on. However today comes a story of a truly unique dog, a one of a kind dog, whom just happens to be named
Unico
of Patrizio De Vitalle. »See his story here» You see, not too long ago in the first days of spring 2008. Unico suffered a truly devastating injury, one that can be compared to an athlete’s career ending injury. Unico had suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament, and it was not known if he would ever recover not least be lame for the rest of his life. However the fight for Unico, started the second his injury took place, with his devoted owner Katriina miraculously getting the 72 Kilos Unico out of the deep woods to find help and to get him home.
The news was devastating to Katriina that day, but there was hope, and soon a successful surgery fallowed by days, weeks, months of little to no sleep making sure Unico would not re-injure his fragile knee during post surgery care. The endless nights with no sleep soon were replaced by long trips to Helsinki, and long hours of rehabilitation stretches and exercise.
Perhaps that “one of a kind” Neapolitan Mastiff, also has a “one of a kind” master in Katriina, because today we are glad to hear the “good news” that Unico has won BOB, Helsinki Winner 2008 and has qualified for 2009 Crufts. Brava Katriina Hagg, Patrizio De Vitale breeder of Unico, is no longer with us but he would be proud of his unique
Unico
Unico of Patrizio de Vitale BOB December 2008 with owner Katriina Hagg.
Another interesting article in the Winter Edition of 
Preliminary Animal Health Notification
A Recent article in 
