Why Dogs Growl

Sharing from: NSPCA - National Council of SPCA's 

Today we will focus on how to read dogs in order to prevent being bitten. Dogs communicate with us and other animals in various ways and we will look at some of these.

It is human nature to tell the dog off when it growls at your child or new puppy. However if we teach them not to provide a warning before they bite, they will bite without warning. "If you take the growl out of the dog it is just like taking the batteries out of a fire alarm", was quoted at a recently Dog-Bite Prevention conference.

When a dog growls at a child or new puppy it is probably because the dog has had enough or its space has been invaded. It is important to teach children not to play with a dog that is eating or chewing a toy, when it is in its kennel or lying on its bed, sleeping, etc. The reason for this is that dogs also need privacy and we should respect that.

When a child or new puppy are becoming too much for the dog it is best to remove them from the situation and keep them occupied elsewhere. The growl was a warning to stop and if this warning is not heeded the next step would be for the dog to snap or bite to make the warning clear.

Teach your children to be safe around dogs whether they be your own, a friend’s, family members’ or strange dogs. Respect their space and if they hear a growl to stop doing what they are doing and move away from the dog. Be safe!

Thanks To New Law: Every U.S. Military Dog Will Be Brought Home

The heroic pups who courageously serve and paw-tect our country are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

President Barack Obama signed a bill into law last month that guarantees the safe return of all retired military dogs to the United States after serving abroad. In the past, some of these animals were left to retire overseas because they were no longer considered service dogs, and were therefore ineligible for military-funded transportation home, The Washington Times reported.

The American Humane Association estimates that a military dog saves between 150 to 200 service members during his tenure by detecting improvised explosive devices and hidden weapons caches. Upon return from combat, these animals, if given the chance, often continue to protect their humans and help them transition back into society.

“[The bill] will ensure that our four-legged veterans will finally have their chance to come home and live a comfortable, quiet life, hopefully with a handler they deployed with or a fellow veteran,” retired Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jeff DeYoung, who was reunited with his war dog, Cena, said in a press release. “These dogs have so much love to give…it’s time we show some in return.”

This pooch-protecting measure was part of the $607 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed by the Senate on Nov. 10.

There are an estimated 2,500 dogs currently serving overseas, according to the American Humane Association. To get retired dogs home in the past, humanitarian organizations, like the American Humane Association, or the handlers themselves, would front the transportation costs involved, according to The Times.

And the canines who were left behind faced uncertain futures.

“In some cases they’ve been kept in kennels for indeterminate lengths of time until someone wanted them,” Mark Stubis, spokesman for the American Humane Association, told The Washington Times. “In the best cases, some have been adopted by U.S. military personnel living abroad. In others, they were adopted by local people and, we have heard, in some cases, abused.”

Experts say that even after retirement, these dogs actually still have a lot to give, especially to veterans living with post-traumatic stress syndrome and other mental health issues.

“When they come back suffering from those invisible wounds of war, we’re hoping that their four legged battle buddy will help them heal from PTS,” Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the American Humane Association, told The Washington Free Beacon. “We know it works. We’ve seen it work.”

Washington Animal Rescue League: Dogs Once Suffering on S. Korean Dog Meat Farm Arrived in the DC Area - Media is Invited to Cover the Transfer of Dogs on Monday, Dec. 14

Washington, DC - Humane Society International rescue dogs and shut down fourth farm; partners with Washington Animal Rescue League and Washington, DC metro shelters to find dogs loving homes.

(Dec. 9, 2015) ― Twenty six dogs rescued from a dog meat farm in South Korea by Humane Society International begin arriving at the Washington Animal Rescue League on Dec. 11, on their way to new lives. Once the animals are evaluated by WARL staff, the dogs will be divided among them and four other Emergency Placement Partner shelters including the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Fairfax County Animal Shelter and Washington Humane Society to find the dogs homes. Emergency Placement Partners is a program of The Humane Society of the United States, HSI’s U.S. affiliate.

WHAT:       Media is invited to cover the transfer of dogs on Monday, Dec. 14 at WARL.

WHERE:    Washington Animal Rescue League, 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW, Washington,     D.C., 20011

WHEN:       Monday, Dec. 14 at 11:00 a.m. EST

WHO:        

Robert Ramin, president and ceo of WARL

Kelly O’Meara, director of companion animals and engagement for HSI

Representatives from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, Fairfax County Animal Shelter and Washington Humane Society

Background:  HSI worked with the farm owner to remove the dogs from miserable conditions and close its doors for good. As part of the plan, he signed an agreement with HSI to shut down the property. HSI will follow the farmer’s progress to ensure compliance. HSI will demolish the cages once all the dogs are safely removed.

HSI is working to reduce the dog meat trade in Asia, including in South Korea where dogs are farmed for the trade – and where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held. HSI will work with other dog farmers who agree to get out of the inhumane dog meat trade permanently and transition into trades like crop growing.

**Photos and video of the Korean dog meat farm, and their arrival at Dulles are available by request.

Media Note: Credentialed media interested in attending should RSVP to a contact below.

Media Contacts:

HSI: Raul Arce-Contreras, 240-620-3263, rcontreras@humanesociety.org

WARL: Matt Williams, 202-280-9412, matt.williams@warl.org

About Humane Society International

Humane Society International and its partner organizations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organizations. For more than 20 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty worldwide – on the Web at hsi.org.

About the Washington Animal Rescue League

For 100 years, the Washington Animal Rescue League has rescued the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens that had nowhere else to go.  As the oldest animal shelter in the Nation’s Capital, the Washington Animal Rescue League has rescued, cared for and adopted more than 100,000 animals in its history.  The only area shelter with a full service medical center, the Washington Animal Rescue League’s mission continues to evolve as conditions change and animals face new and different challenges, but the core of that mission remains unchanged:  to honor and strengthen the human-animal bond by providing the best quality care for homeless dogs and cats, and supporting companion animals in their homes through affordable veterinary care, community outreach, and education. For additional information, visit www.warl.org.

Did You Know That Cats Use Cardboard Boxes for Stress Relief?

If you have a cat, or have even been around a cat, you know they have a propensity for trying to fit into spaces far too small for them. Many a box has been ruined by a cat with a misguided sense of her size. From shoe boxes to refrigerator boxes, cats zero in on cardboard and make it their own. The question is, why? Is it because they know how adorable it is? Or do they get a thrill from making sure we have to keep climbing over whatever random box they have made their home for the day? Well, science has finally (possibly) found the answer!

It turns out, according to a new study from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, that cats use boxes for stress relief. Researches took 19 cats that were new to shelters and gave 10 boxes, while the other 9 did not. Over a 14 day period, the felines with boxes showed far less stress on the Kessker and Turner Cat-Stress-Score (CSS), and adjusted to the shelter environment far better than their box-less cohorts.

Cats are also awful at resolving conflict. If you have more than one cat, pay attention to where they go after a squabble, or to avoid one. Chances are, they are hitting an enclosed space, most likely a box. Hiding out in them helps them ignore whatever is stressing them out. That’s assuming your other cats don’t try to follow into the same box.

Outside of stress relief, boxes also provide something every cat needs: extra warmth. Cats prefer to stay between 86 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit, about 20 degrees higher than the average temperature of homes. Since cardboard is such a great insulator, curling up in boxes helps them maintain their comfort temperature. The same goes for cats curling up in a sink, or in a corner of the basement when they are too hot. They don’t do it simply to be cute.