Making Animals Happy

Hello my two-legged friends. I have been busy at work and neglecting my blog but lots has been happening. Firstly...WE GOT A CAT! I have been nagging for one for years and FINALLY I have my very own pusspuss. She has only been with us for a week and doesn't love me yet, but she will. I am over the moon.

Last Sunday I demonstrated at another training session at the Dog's Home and had a great time as usual. One of the ladies there asked a good question. She had been reading up on animal behaviour and said she'd read the warning 'don't treat your dog like a person' and she wondered why. So mum asked if they gave a good reason for saying this, as she says a lot of advice about how to treat an animal is not founded on any sound research and everyone should use common sense. The lady said that they were talking about being the pack leader. Well, mum reckons that everyone should get their hands on a book called Making Animals Happy, written by a lovely woman called Temple Grandin. She is Autistic and grew up in the 50's on a big farm in America. In those days no-one knew much about Autism, but luckily she lived in an extended household with lots of women who treated her with love and respect. Anyway, she loved hanging out with the cows and noticed (as a child) that when the cows were being lead in for slaughter, they looked like she felt. She discovered that when her Aunts and cousins held her tight, she experienced some long sought-after relaxation, so she had a squeeze box made. She spent 10 or 20 minutes in it and felt great for the rest of the day. So the men in her family made a squeeze box for the cows and saw some amazing results with the way they behaved afterwards. Forward a few decades, and Temple is now an extremely wealthy woman, having revolutionised the slaughterhouse industry in America. They have even made a movie about her life (staring Clare Danes) due for release soon. She has collaborated with some animal behaviourists and written some books on animals, the latest being Making Animals Happy where she talks for a chapter each on Cows, Poultry, Cats and Dogs to name a few. In the dog section, she says how domestic animals are emotionally stunted compared to their Wolf ancestors. She says especially the smaller breeds (looking nothing at all like wolves) probably get stuck at toddler level. Therefore, maybe, when we treat them like children, that's just the sort of emotional attention they seek. She also says that treating your pet like they are a part of a family rather than pack is probably the way to go as in the wild, wolves don't fight for dominance as the kids know who is boss (i.e. Mum and Dad) and stay in line. On the rare occasions they do fight amongst themselves is when they want to mate. My mum learned at college, that most of todays advice on how to treat a dog is based on studies done on captive wolf packs that were made up of random wolves (i.e. not from the same family) so no wonder they faught, and it makes you wonder about the relevence of the whole dominance theory and pack behavior. So if you treat your dog like one of the family, with rules, discipline, love and affection like the rest of the family, and everyone gets along, and your dog has no behavioural issues, you are on the right track so keep going (just remember to take your dog!)

Jaffa's Cheap Eats

Talking to my mates at the Dog's Home the other day, someone said that dogs are sometimes surrendered because their owners couldn't afford to feed them. That sounds weird to me, but I do live with the biggest tight-arse since Steptow, so I asked Mum to give me some tips.

- Buy bones at the wholesale butcher in Campbell street where for $1 you will get enough bones for about 15 decent sized meals. If you have a puppy, or a dog that's not used to bones, hammer them into a stump so that your doggie has no choice but to chew it.

- boil up a big pot of rice (brown is best, but more expensive, white has been linked to Diabetes all over the world). When cool, mix in a few grated carrots, grated brocolli stems, any raw veg you can find. Then mix in one or two cans of sardines in springwater (cheapest are Woolworths homebrand in packs of 3). Separate into freezerbags (homebrand small) and freeze most of them for later.

- Every time you go to the supermarket, check the meat section for discounted fresh liver. You can chop it up and mix with veges, freeze it or make liver treats. To make, slice liver very small and spread onto a lightly greased baking tray and pop in the oven on lowest possible setting overnight (if you have gas, maybe do it during the day just incase flame goes out, I dunno, I've got electric). Bits should be really hard and chewy. Keep in a airtight container for up to a week.

Just a note on poo, which should be 'kickable'. If your doggies poos aren't hard like mine, they need a diet change. If you are feeding canned food only, try mixing in a heap of raw veges, and if on a dry diet, try soaking in boiling water, adding veges and mushing it all up. Remember that variety is the spice of life and it's true for pooches too.

Next blog I'll share my favorite recipes,

Chow for now, Jiffajoffa

Catnip Cattery

If it wasn't enough that Mum and Dad took me and Lola to a cat breeder yesterday, today we visited a Cat resort! Yes, cats get holidays too, and you should see the rooms they get. There are two 'specialty' rooms (the Zen Den and the Jungle room) and have TVs and everything. All the spaces have two levels and all have a sliding window which lets the cats sit in the sun and get a nice breeze too. I was so impressed, it looks like so much fun. I begged Mum and Dad to let me stay and have a holiday there but apparently I'm not even allowed!

(I got online this morning to see I had an email from a 'Mohamed Hussein' - no kidding - I don't even know anyone by that name so I deleted it - I hope it wasn't in response to my Brighten the Burka message. I honestly think colours are good?)

Catch you later - Jif-Jaf

P.S. check out http://www.catnipcattery.com.au/

What to watch on TV?

Tonight I faced a bit of a quandry - watch the program on Puppy farms, or watch Insight and people debating the Burka. Mum didn't want to watch the puppy farming thing, she says she knows it goes on and doesn't need the visual images burned into her brain. She said she is glad that Puppy farming has been under the spotlight lately though, because there are still a lot of people around who impulse buy at pet shops and they need to know the background story. It's something that gets her mad. But she is not against breeders. Her and Dad have just finished photographing 13 cats! Yes - 13 CATS were in the studio (not ALL at the same time) but 13!! They wouldn't let me help. And she says the lady that breeds them is very responsible and produces healthy, beautiful specimens for people who are prepared to wait months and months because they really want that particular breed. This lady's not living in Sandy Bay on the profits, she loves what she does and after all the food bills and vets bills, she is simply providing an in-demand service - and why shouldn't she? Why should she feel bad, or the people that buy from breeders feel bad because of ignorant, lazy and ill-informed owners clogging up rescue centres with UNWANTED pets? I said to Mum - in a perfect world, all pets would come from responsible breeders (and she said I was very smart).

And so we watched Insight. I said to Mum - if they want to ban the Burka because some people think that in order to be equal, we aught to be able to see everyone's face, then, because you are always carrying Lola around, kissing her constantly, they should ban the Shih-Tzu (and she said I was a smart-arse!) But personally, I don't have a problem with Burkas - except maybe the colour - do they always have to be so black? Surely bright colours, or floral patterns would be a vast improvement. So I say, don't Ban the Burka, Brighten the Burka!

Anyway, what do you guys think?

Jaffa

The Canine Candy Shop

OMG! Have you guys heard about the Canine Candy Shop yet??? Mum and Dad take me there every Sunday. It's all natural, all Australian, has no artificial colours or preservatives and come in all shapes, sizes colours and flavours. It's best to suck up to the nice lady that runs it (her name is Lisa) because she is very nice (if you know what I mean - maybe say you know me and she'll be your Canine Candy Buddy too!!) She has a stall just infront of the indoor market area at the Hobart Showgrounds Sunday market (it's closed during the show though) and on public holidays when the Sorell Market is on she is there too. When I do my little training sessions at the Dog's Home, me and Mum always stop in to say hello to Lisa and she must love me alot, because look what she gave me today!!!

The dirt behind TJ

Craig has sabotaged MY blog with a story on TJ. TJ came to our house, posed infront of the camera for nearly an hour, ate nearly all my treats and Craig never shut-up about him! It was TJ this and TJ that for ages. I'd just like to know - can TJ pretend to die when he's shot with a finger??!!! I didn't think so. Having said that, he is very handsome, so he should give me a call! Jaffa xoxo

This Saturday's Mercury Magazine article 'the two of us' starring ashlee & t.j.

Caring for stray and surrendered dogs is a normal day for me at The Hobart Dogs Home. While working here, I can see more than 20 dogs come through our doors in just one day. Many go back to their owners because they are simply lost, but the others are kept here and hopefully re-homed to new families. The day this 9 month old puppy was surrendered I could tell straight away he was one of a kind.

He soon showed all of us what a lovely gentle nature he had, and I could tell he was really intelligent. I was spellbound by his eyes, and thought he was a bit of a clown bouncing around on his long springy legs. However, months went by and nobody showed any interest in him at all.

I’d already told my mother I’d fallen in love with TJ and that I felt I was ready for another companion after just losing my best mate Tyson. So after 6 months of careful conversation, I finally told her that we should adopt him. Lucky for us all, she agreed!

TJ settled in immediately, like he’s always been here. Besides the unique look about him, the thing I love the most is the way he can make me laugh by just being himself. He’s always got something to say, and can be really cheeky. He’s like a cat in some ways, I often get a swipe to my head when we’re playing.

Some people may say he looks scary but to me he is one of the most gentle, loving dogs I have ever met. By adopting TJ, I’ve given an unwanted dog a new home, but in return, I’ve gained a friend for life and endless love and affection.

Ashlee Jackson, 20, animal attendant from Rokeby with TJ