Meth Lab

An Oath to be Believed

Overheard:

I swear by the skin of my dog.

Argos

When Odysseus left home for Troy he left behind a pup.

Twenty-years later Odysseus returns, disguised as a beggar, but faithful Argos recognizes his voice.  After a prick of the ear and a wag of the tail, Argos fades into death.  While the Argos element of the story adds sentiment and flavor to the story he also serves as a symbol of all the opportunities lost in the struggles between sailing off to war and returning from it.

Colleen Myers attempts to catch aspects of this relationship in some of her work.

Argos chases the departing fleet

Faithfully Awaiting his Master's Return

Argos' life departs

The Rawhide Market

This is a sign that market forces plus consumer education is working.

First Fleet Farm gave their customers a choice between North American and Chinese rawhide.  Now we see the impact of that choice,  they have to cut prices to get rid of the Asian sourced chews.

No new bureaucracy had to be created.

No government funds had to be expended.

No new agency looking for expanded powers or another mission to justify it's budget.

No debt passed off to my children.

Canine Jobs Program

Anthropomorphic thinking needs to be avoided but their is a baby in the bath water: we too are animals so there is room for some overlap of experience.

"Nana Dog" and her youngest human baby.

That being said as a life-long observer of dogs, I am not surprised to learn that a study has found evidence that dogs derive greater satisfaction from earning their treats rather than just receiving a handout.  It is the difference between earning a million dollars and being given a million dollars.  Sure you'll take it but one is more rewarding than the other, for different reasons.  If Paris Hilton had earned her fortune, she probably would not feel the need to seek validation through conspicuous behavior, but I digress.

Dogs thrive when they have a job and can languor from the same kind of listlessness as humans when they find themselves without purpose.  Set your preconceptions aside, there is a job out there for any dog in any home.  It only takes a little imagination to find it.

Our oldest, Maybelle, is the perfect "Nana" dog.  She loves babies and it matters not the species.  When my wife was pregnant, or any pregnant woman comes to visit, she follows her around the house.  If we sit at the kitchen table, around the fire ring or in the living room, she then takes up a protective stance of the woman.

Up until each child was three years old, she would accompany the oldest child when they went outside to play.  The only time she has been really threatening to a person is when my father was playing pirate with my oldest son and my son's foam sword flew out of his hand.  As soon as grandpa yelled, "Aha, now I've got you Peter Pan!" Maybelle jumped between them, hackles raised, and growled.  When my Dad tells the story he adds, "At that moment, I loved her." 

She adores it when newborn lambs are brought into the house.  She licks them clean and takes up a similar guardian role.  She returns to the house and sulks when the mother ewes, predictably, do not welcome her around their lambs.

A dogs job can include the serious

As the children grew and my wife and I stopped having new ones, she was starting to show signs of anxiety and depression.  I've been surprised at the wag evident since we brought home the puppy.  She isn't an active dog but she spends about ninety-minutes a day playing with that puppy.  Good dog.

My mother's Golden Doodle is a wonderful companion animal and that too is a job.  The neighbor's had a great mutt which protected the chickens from raccoon and every other form of land predator.  Since they lived next to a little creek, that was a full-time job.

and the whimsical.

Musket, our middle dog, is a wonderful companion, hiking buddy and there are many jobs he preforms depending upon the season and circumstances. 

He learned one job by accident.  When the boys were younger anytime they would see a hawk fly over they would yell, "Go away hawk!  The lunch counter is closed."  Musket put together the chain of events and now anytime a soaring bird (hawk, eagle, vulture) flies over the yard he barks and chases it until he reaches the property line.  We haven't lost a chicken to a hawk since.

If we do not, as responsible owners, find jobs for our dogs, they will find jobs for themselves.  They will attempt to protect the house from the mailman.  They will scavenge the food in the trash bin.  They will attempt to beat their high score at "catch the cat."  The more driven your dog is, the more important it is that they have a job to perform on a regular basis. 

Many problem behaviors are little more than a job the dog has learned to do in absence of better guidance.  When a behavior emerges from the the genetics of the animal, they need to be given an outlet for that behavior.  Musket does not molest our chickens, even though he will catch them on command, or the wife's cat but he does attack mice, rats, chipmunks, groundhogs, raccoon and, yes, skunks.  His instinct has an outlet, and that has made all the difference.  

The best time to consider what kind of work your dog is going to do is before you bring one home.  If you think through your life and activities, you can start to judge how the dog will be integrated into your life.  Then you can look for a dog whose instincts and energy level are going to make for the best match.

Forethought, however, is often born from the experience of being caught unprepared.  Fret not.  It might take some imaginative thought or the input of a trained professional, you can still find work for your canine friend. A dog does not differentiate between work and fun.  If you can find games to play with your dog, you can find a way for him to feel he is earning his keep.  And that will make for a happy dog.

Beware of Dog

Normally I satisfy my New Yorker habit by perusing the hospital waiting rooms and lounges.   I'll make a point,  however,  of swinging by my local news rack to check the inspiration for this cover.  

I even think I know where I could put a framed specimen  on the wall,  if I can convince the bride. 

You're Green. Is Your Dog?

A Spanish dog gave birth to a litter of puppies and two of them were green.

No, it was not a result of gene splicing scientists but apparently is a result of an excess of biliverdin, the pigment which gives bile, as well as some bruises, their green color. 

It is found in excess in humans with diseases of the liver and is one of two substances which color the skin and eyes of those suffering from jaundice.

With so few cases reported, it is hard to tell what problem is at work in these green puppies.  Luckily the puppies pigmentation will return to normal in a few days.  Otherwise, the AKC would be looking to breed them as the perfect status symbol companion for all earth loving environmentalist.

The Jihad is Declared

A groundhog was sighted a quarter-mile from the house.

Walking Minneapolis

I've been exploring Minneapolis since the spring.  I've really enjoyed the outings and the dogs have benefited from the expanded set of experiences.  As I walk I find my mind flooded with questions.

Was the genesis of the dirt paths along the river central planing or an example of emergent order?  In other words did the city decide it was a good idea to have them or did people make them and was the city forced to maintain them in order to make them safe?

Why is it when combined use (walking and cycling) paths split for short lengths (usually > 100 yards) why is it that the walkers get the less direct, and therefore longer, path?  Come on planners!  We're walking over here.

I am also realizing that as I take the two oldest kids out and about this summer to discuss ecology and ecosystems in the area, we should make time to discuss urban ecosystems and the choices cities make.  What are the impacts over time?  What is sustainable?  What adds to human thriving?

I like what Minneapolis has done.  It is within the power of the people of that city to keep it.  If they make that choice.



                    

         

                   

Minnehaha Falls

Thirteen-miles and still strong!



Tired Puppy



First Friend

The girl-child and her first BFF

Today I Feel

When Good Dogs go to War

There is a wonderful set of photographs over at the Atlantic.  I chose just a few to display below.  You really should go check them all out!

 

 

State Compensation for Wolf Kills

I was surrounded by a bunch of beekeepers when a newer beekeeper asked about how to deal with a problem bear that had been harassing their hives.

"Three S's," a grizzled old man replied.

"What do you mean?" the newbie asked.

A wide grin came across a bunch of faces as the experienced hand described his stratagem, "Shoot, shovel, and shut up."

Wolf and Hound: Enemies in fact and fiction

I am sure there is much bravado in these beekeeping circles.  Old men talk amongst themselves about killing problem wildlife in the same way young men talk about their exploits with young women. 

That the illegal killing of problem wildlife happens less than advertised, is not to say that it does not happen. 

Reducing teen pregnancy and reducing illegal wildlife kills both begin in the same place, accepting reality as it stands.  In the first case that means accepting that teenagers are sexual beings; in the second that abundant wildlife imposes a cost.

People feel emboldened when inaction costs them money.

These are widely understood.  My wife hit a turkey last month to the tune of a $2,500 repair bill.  My insurance company went out of their way to explain that, because the damage was caused by wildlife, my monthly premium would not change.  Urban drivers who are less likely to strike wildlife are, in effect, subsidizing my auto insurance. 

It is a price they pay to keep those who leave near wildlife from suffering from that wildlife.

Farmers are regularly compensated for livestock losses due to wildlife.  This is not controversial because most Americans understand the role of and are sympathetic to farmers.

One of the costs of hosting a wolf population

In Wisconsin those who hunt bear, raccoon, bobcat or coyote with dogs and suffer wolf losses are also compensated.  One writer is attempting to arouse some controversy around the issue.

The screed, re-printed by a variety of publishers, is a flimsy attack posing as investigative journalism.

Let's take the main points one at a time.

Point: Wisconsin is the only state with a program that compensates dog owners.

Counter-Point: The rebound of Wisconsin's wolf population has exceeded all expectations and we are now wondering how many wolves the state can sustain.  Perhaps Wisconsin is doing something right?  I don't know and neither does the author.

Point: People who have broken the law in the past have received payments.

Counter-Point: So what?  Does receiving a speeding ticket mean you forfeit your right to other legal protections under the law or restrict them from benefits they'd otherwise be entitled to? 

Point: Many people are repeat claimants to the compensation.

Counter-Point: People like to hunt near where they live and in places that are familiar.  Wolves are not a random event but are more likely to kill dogs in the area that they range.  Sometimes the range of wolves and the range of particular hunters are going to overlap.  It is not surprising that there would be repeated claimants.  Perhaps people are not learning from experience, how exactly should we address that?   

Point: The program rewards people who put their dogs at "extreme risk."

Counter-Point: The program compensates people who work dogs that were bred for work.  Work includes risk.  The presence of wolves is what makes that work an "extreme risk" and the program exists for the very reason of compensating hunters for a risk they did not undertake but was fostered on them through the Wolf re-introduction program.

Point: Some of the attacks happen in the same place and people keep on going back to that area.

That "Probable Range" is conservative to the extreme.

Counter-Point: If one pack is a particular problem, perhaps the DNR should cull that pack?  Otherwise we might just have statistical noise. 

I can speak from my own experience that the official map of the Wisconsin wolf range is conservative to the extreme.  That little circle in Dunn County, I live there and I see wolves annually and stumble upon scat and kills often enough that it is almost not worth mentioning anymore.  Somehow, I doubt that small green oval represents one wolf or one pack in isolation.

Point: Other states report fewer incidents and they do not have a compensation program.

Counter-Point: Hunters are less likely to report a loss when there is no compensation to be had.  It is called incentive.  It was covered in your Freshman year economics course.

A follow-up article attempts to cast the compensation program, not as a legitimate response to legitimate needs, but the fruit of high powered, pro-hunting, lobbying groups who have donated a combined (shudder) $56,000 to the re-election campaigns of Governor Scott Walker and the members of the legislative committees overseeing natural resources.

Source

The real influence of hunter's groups, however, arises not from thousands of dollars of campaign contributions but rather thirty-six million dollars of revenue collected in hunting licenses and permits, all of which support the wild places we all love.  It may drive animal lovers nuts, but animal hunters finance the infrastructure that makes Wisconsin's wild places possible. 

The wolf population was financed by hunters, including those who hunt with dogs. 

I doubt the issue truly the $56,000 dollars were spent to compensate the owners of hunting dogs in 2013.  $56,000 is a lot of money to me but, in terms of the decreased ill-will it purchases, it is the deal of the century.

What really seems to be at work is the continued ideological assault of armchair naturalists who adore the idea of nature to the extent of vilifying hunters who spend time in it, make use of it, and, through purchases of licenses and permits, fund it. 

It is to the Wisconsin DNR's credit, they've done a lot to educate the public on the risks posed by wolves and recognize that total avoidance is not realistic. The DNR is also resisting calls to end the practice of compensating dog owners.

We love the outdoors.  We love our dogs.  We, for the most part, enjoy sighting wolves, bears, and other not always benign wildlife, in the places we live, hunt, and camp.  Money does not replace the loss of a good dog, but it does communicate that the loss is recognized and provides compensation for the some of the time and money invested in a hunting dog. 

It is the feeling of not being heard, that government is unresponsive, combined with financial loss that causes anger at wildlife losses to mount over time.  Eventually "shoot, shovel, and shut up," becomes less an issue of bravado and more standard practice.  And that would be a loss to the state's bio-diversity and the citizenry as a whole.

Base Jumping Dog

Hat Tip: Terrierman's Daily Dose

Dog Sitter

On the way to the dog sitter.

Please ignore the dog hair on my shirt.

Contrast Effect

Two studies caught by eye recently, each studying how one gender rates the attractiveness of the other.

How does one sign up for these kinds of studies anyway?

So it appears as if men's assessment of what they find attractive in women changes depending upon the season and that women are more likely to find beards attractive when they are more rare and less attractive the more popular they become.

Both are examples of the contrast effect.  In short, we are attracted to the novel and the new.  We want what no one else has and we discount the common.

One example of this effect at work is the long line of dog breeds destroyed by fashion.

A small niche breed, with a small genetic pool is featured in a movie or television series.  People go crazy over that breed as every family's Darla Sherman then demands to have one.  Opportunistic breeders pump out as many puppies as possible to meet the demand with out concern for the long-term health of the breed.  Reckless breeding amplifies whatever latent problems already existed in the breed and a tsunami of broken dogs overwhelms responsible breeders.

One-hundred and One Dalmatians.

Frazier.

She's not the only one to value a dog for nothing but its coat.

Lassie.

Air Bud (and before that Gerald Ford's "Liberty").

Rin Tin Tin.

The impact of the fad varies depending upon a number of factors: how robust was breed, how organized were the pre-fad enthusiasts, how long did the fad last.

The cleaning up of the genetic mess takes longer than the time it takes to create.  Never a robust breed, the best hope for the dalmatian is good old fashioned out-crossing.  In other words, introducing new genetic material through crossing dalmatians with pointers and then selectively breeding the offspring to get the best out of the old and the new.  Of course inbreeding fundamentalists resist the idea.

Better at resisting the fad as been the Jack Russel Terrier Club of America.  They list on their website all the reasons you do not want to own a Jack Russell Terrier, using preemption in an attempt to reduce the Jack Russell Terrier Rescue business.

Golden Retrievers have fewer health problems are reduced but it'll be work to find one that will hunt.

Eighty percent of the military's working dogs come from Europe and much of the rest from an internal breeding project designed to decrease that dependence.  So much for the working German Shepherd in America.

There is another kind of contrast effect, one that all dog enthusiasts can help promote: the well-trained, well-loved, actualized dog.  The contrast is not just in the look of the animal but how well it works with its owner whether that be navigating about town, hunting in the field, or helping raise the children.

You see them out there and they make me smile, but it requires investments harder to come by and harder quantify than money: time and skill.  The skills are not hard to acquire and the time is not overwhelming, but they are required.

That would be one dog fashion I would be able to get behind.

No fear

And exactly zero fears were given.

Appreciating Working Animals

Dickin Medal winner, "Simon"

Britain gives military medals to animals, and there is a case to be made that America should do the same.

A little on the romantic side for my tastes, but I can't see any harm.

On the other side, there should probably be some recognition of the breeder and trainers who prepared the dog for service.  Currently 85% of our military dogs come from Europe. 

At least we get something out of NATO membership.

I mean, they could have been trying to make a quick buck of peddling genetic freaks to indulgent housewives, but instead they did the hard work of breeding and training for good work.

And that is a lot of work done in service of our fighting men and women and I am keen on any idea that will foster the value of breeding dogs for work.

That is why I love all the dog agility, even though I doubt I'll ever train or own an agility dog.

That is why I love to see people hiking, running, and otherwise living their life with their dog.

That is why I am thrilled to see a renaissance in people using hunting dogs for hunting, even for hunting antlers.

That is why I smile to see dogs being more purposefully bred for companionship and I thrill to see inventive minds finding new work for dogs.  I never would have thought to put them to work identifying high E. coli levels on beaches.

These are the values that will lead us away from supporting breeders who produce genetic freaks, born to suffer for no greater purpose than we can feel good about ourselves through spending inordinate amount of money on veterinary services. 

Your bulldog or pug may be cute, but your aesthetic choice is its suffering.  Listen to it trying to breath.  That was not an accident.  It was not just born that way.  It was made that way.

Your cheap, mass bred German Shepherd, produced by people out for a quick buck or whimsy, rather than the joy of working dogs, may not be able to walk without pain in a few years.  It did not just happen, the prevalence is a result of poor breeding practices.  Human actors are responsible and, if you paid for the dog, you are part of the chain of responsibility.

If you have a dog made broken, care for it the best you can.  Be prepared to put it down humanely when the time arrives.  Afterwards, whatever you do, don't pay a breeder for producing a freak or reward him for irresponsible

A dog bred for work is a dog bred for health.

breeding.  Do your homework before buying a puppy.  Ask for references.  Even if you're not planning on working your dog as such, find a breeder who produces dogs for work.  They are already producing animals for people who've thought ahead about how much they will invest in the dog in the years following purchase and have expectations regarding health.

You can pay early for quality genetics or later for veterinary services.  Which is more humane?  What will improve the stock of animals available to your grand-children? 

Canine morality? What about the humans?

On the one hand I am sympathetic to researchers who see echoes of morality in the way dogs play.

I also see how much projection takes place among so many dog owners who believe Fido feels every emotion in the same way that they do.  A few even project their religious preferences on their dogs.

Two humans will often disagree on both how to think about morality and how they feel in response to a set of events, and we are the same species.  I'll grant dogs, and many other mammals, a wide variety of emotions but they must be, to a varying degree of extent, alien to our own. 

Yet, if we keep all this in mind I still remember the day we brought home Maybelle and our coon hound at the time, Zeke, saw the new puppy he looked at us, looked at the puppy, looked at us and then promptly raised his leg and peed in the middle of the living room floor.







I never knew he cared.

Still, more harm is done treating our animals as if they interacted with the world in the same way we do than in adhering to basic principles of operant conditioning and remembering that however our dogs interact with the world, we have the larger frontal lobes and are responsible for greater insight. 

The degree to which canines experience emotion in the same way we do is an interesting academic problem.  Some will feel the need to integrate this knowledge into their choices what meat, if any, to eat.

But the real threat to pets is over-indulgence and short-term thinking on the part of their humans.

Yes, your dog will beg for food but that is not necessarily because he needs to eat.  Obesity is a problem not only for about one-third of America's human population but one-fourth of American dogs as well.  That is the result of the actions of human beings and it decreases the quality of life for animals who can not be expected to exercise self-control in relationship to their diet. 

Dogs probably experience emotions.  They may have something akin to a morality but I know humans do and therein are the problems we should really be addressing. 

People do not like to be told that they are killing their pet slowly, and feeling good about themselves while doing it, through over-feeding.  They like to be told that Fido loves them in the same way that they feel love.  They like to think of their dogs going to heaven, though it is hard to find evidence that the God of Jacob and Jesus cares nearly as much for them as the modern American.

But then again we do a lot of projecting of ourselves when it comes to the divine as well, don't we? 

Yorkshire Terrier