And My Favorite…….. A smile from God!

I love God’s sense of humor

One in a million shot!!

h/t to Claudia Johnson

When you hear the sinister tones of "The Imperial March" from "Star Wars," it stops your heart in fear. But when it’s barked by puppies? That just melts your heart with cuteness.

Volkswagen has released a teaser for its upcoming Super Bowl commercial, featuring an array of different dogs barking in an arrangement that would please any dark Jedi dog trainers. It’s the auto company’s second straight Super Bowl "Star Wars" commercial; last year, they had a spot featuring a boy in a Darth Vader costume marching around his house, trying to use The Force.

This one, though, has to take the cake. There is a doggie ewok, a doggie wookie and a doggie ATAT. What more could you want?

WATCH: The Bark Side: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial Teaser

A canine chorus barks a familiar tune. Keep an eye out for our 2012 Game Day commercial—it will all make sense. Love Star Wars and Volkswagen? Create an Intergalactic Invite to your Big Game party here: http://vw.com/star-wars-invite

Video:  The Amazing Skidboot

The Amazing Skidboot is the smartest dog you’ll ever see. He gained worldwide fame with his tricks, but had to give up performing once he started going blind.

Skidboot died in 2007, but David Hartwig continues to perform with several of Skidboot’s offspring.

Source:

Texas Country Reporter episode #860, 2/21/2004.

Related:

A Dog’s Seeing Eye Dog

Blind Pooch Gets Its Own Seeing Eye Dog

‘He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true,to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion‘ author unknown

The Dog Partnership thinking focuses on the spirit of co-operation and friendship between dogs and people. It nurtures a harmonious relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

A Dog is Man’s Best friend, but is Man a Dog’s Best Friend?

You wouldn’t dream of training your human friends. You make your opinions and feelings clear, and boundaries are established. You get on because you agree about what‘s right and what’s wrong.

You and your best friend understand each other perfectly without having to explain things to each other, because you know what each other is thinking. Our aim is for you to develop the same depth of friendship with your dog.

The Pleasure Principle
Of course dogs need to learn essential life skills, such an instant STOP and DOWN and COME for safety reasons.

But with a true friendship, many skills come naturally without training. Because just like human friends, your dog gets immense pleasure out of being your best friend.

The Dog Partnership considers the dog’s emotions first, not their behavior

To understand your dog’s emotions, you need first to understand your own

What is a behavior?
A behavior is what a dog does
With each behavior there is an emotion

What is an emotion?
An emotion is how the dog feels
With each emotion there is a behavior

How do you change an unsociable behavior?
Punish unsociable behavior and reward sociable behavior
Ignore unsociable behavior and reward sociable behavior
Teach an alternative behavior

Changing Behavior Does Not Necessarily Change Emotion

How can you change an emotion?
You can not
You can influence a dog’s emotions but you cannot change them
Only the dog has control of his emotions.

A Change in Emotion ALWAYS results in a Change in Behavior

What can influence a dog’s emotions?

1) Your emotions. e.g. Relaxed body posture and slow rhythmic breathing will encourage relaxation in the dog.

It is essential that you relax in a way that is natural to you personally; some people relax with their hands behind their heads, some across their chest and some with their arms alongside their body.

There are no rules. If the body posture is not natural to the person, it will not have a positive effect on the dog.

Slow rhythmic breathing accompanies any relaxing body posture.

2) A safe and controlled environment where the dog has the space and freedom to express his feelings and work through them.

In this environment, allow the dog to change his behavior of his own volition. He will then learn for himself how changing his behavior changes how he feels. The dog will recognize which behavior creates a positive feeling and which behavior creates a negative feeling.On this recognition, they actively choose the behavior that creates the positive feeling. Thus the sociable behavior itself is self-rewarding

Problem Solving with The Dog Partnership

History

Whilst history is interesting, it does not influence how you work with the dog today. Why the dog initially became aggressive can be considered during an assessment. But it is more important to assess and understand how they feel about their chosen coping strategy today.

For instance, if a dog was attacked at fourteen weeks then at that time they were probably terrified. By the time the dog reaches fourteen months, they will have developed their own coping strategy.

Self-Rewarding Behaviours

You can change a dog’s behaviour through training but that does not mean that you have changed how they feel. The dog alone has sole responsibility of their emotions.

You need to provide situations and environment where they can learn to take this responsibility. Giving the dog time and space to assess a perceived problem situation themselves, without human interference, will allow this to happen.

It has been said that if a person feels angry at something or someone, they are the only one who is suffering. This is because the feeling of anger is a negative emotion. If they learn how to control their anger, they will not experience this negative emotion. Thus, learning to take control of their emotions is self-rewarding. This also applies to dogs.

If they choose to drive the dog away by showing aggression, they will experience a sense of relief. It is the feeling of relief that reinforces this behavior. There is no need for treats, toys or praise from the owner involved; it is a self-rewarding behavior.

If provided with the right environment, the dog can learn that not showing aggression is a also self-rewarding behavior; without the need for toys or treats or praise from the owner. You want your dog to stop any anti-social behavior of their own volition thus learning how positive they feel for doing so.

The dog learns that the being aggressive is a negative feeling where as not being aggressive is a positive feeling. On realizing this, most dogs choose the behavior that creates the positive feeling – not being aggressive.

(There are, of course, always exceptions. Some dogs bred for fighting become over aroused the longer they are in an ‘aggressive’ situation. In this instance, a more structured approach may be needed.)

The Next Step
It is essential that anyone working with aggression issues is skilled in reading dog communication. As the dog learns to control their emotions, their learning ability is enhanced. Situations are presented, in a safe environment, where there are other dogs and people.

When the dog has learns how to control their emotions, they are able to look at perceived threats in a calmer manner. Therefore, they can learn to overcome, through positive experience, that people and/or other dogs do not pose a threat to them or their family.

It is of paramount importance that they are able to read the very first signals of stress. Situations for learning have to be such that the dog does not become so stressed that they cannot learn. For instance, a dog with aggression towards other dogs may only be able to learn if the other dog is 20 meters away where others can cope if they are only ten meters away.

An in depth assessment of the dog’s general emotional state is essential before engaging in any rehabilitation program. Many dogs will need a program put into practice in the home to build self-confidence and feel more secure before presenting the problem situation.

What kind of relationship would you like with your dog?

Some people enjoy a friendship with a lot of physical interaction. A friendship where the ultimate pleasure is cuddling up on the sofa together.

Other people prefer a less intense friendship where general interaction is less physical. A friendship where the ultimate pleasure may be walking in open countryside for an afternoon.

What kind of relationship would your dog like with you?

Some dogs enjoy a friendship with a lot of physical interaction. A friendship where the ultimate pleasure is cuddling up on the sofa together.

Other dogs may prefer a less intense friendship where general interaction is less physical. A friendship where the ultimate pleasure may be walking in open countryside for an afternoon.

Mutual Respect and Trust

Dogs and people are the same where friendships are concerned. If you are living with a dog whose emotional needs are different from your own, it can be really difficult. It can cause communication breakdown between you, as with any relationship.

Your dog has no choice but to live with you. They cannot leave you because they need a different type of friendship. Therefore, as their guide and protector, it is your responsibility to consider their needs before your own.

Likewise with activities. You may enjoy Obedience but your dog may not. Your dog may enjoy Agility but you may not. In which case, partaking in either activity will do nothing to enhance your friendship. If anything it is likely to have a damaging effect on it.

If you take your partner shopping and they don’t want to go, by the end of the day, you are almost angry with each other. You can’t wait to spend time away from each other. The same principle applies to engaging in an activity that you or your dog does not enjoy. There are so many activities you can partake in with your dog. You just need to find an activity you both enjoy. Search and Rescue work is excellent.

In Search and Rescue you have to allow your dog to take control, as he has a better sense of smell than you. This can really enhance your friendship with your dog as you are showing them that you trust them. By giving your dog control of a situation and listening to them, you are also showing them respect. Respect and trust should be mutual between friends. Your dog is your friend and should be given the same consideration as any other friends.

Want to know more?

The dog has all the answers; it is for you to find the right questions.

Source:

Dog Partnership – h/t to Patricia Gillenwater

A rare treat… an albino hummingbird.

Something that is seldom seen and almost NEVER photographed

Albino hummingbird Fifteen-year-old photographer Marlin Shank was fortunate enough to capture several images of a rare albino ruby-throated hummingbird while in a park in Staunton, Virginia Very high quality photographs for such a fleeting subject…

Enjoy… this rare and beautiful sight!

h/t to George King

Shooter the elk stands 10ft tall from his hooves to the tip of his antlers. However, they were amazed as the 10 foot tall Shooter lifted his head from the trough clutching a tiny marmot – a kind of large squirrel – between his jaws.

To the rescue! Shooter pulls the hapless marmot from his water trough.  The gentle giant placed the hapless rodent down and nudged it with his hoof, as if checking it for signs of life, before calmly watching it scamper off into the bushes.

Zoo staff caught the entire rescue on camera.  "It really was amazing," said Kate O’Conner, Pocatello’s education co-ordinator.  "Shooter is such a huge animal. Some of the staff don’t like going in the enclosure with him so to see him being so gentle with a little animal was heart-warming.

"He was trying to dunk his head in the water, but his antlers kept getting in the way. Nobody could figure out why he was trying to get his head in, and then he started dipping his feet in. We were all completely confused, until we saw the marmot in his mouth. I think he had nudged the animal away from the edge of the bucket with his antlers and hooves so he could reach it with his mouth without his antlers getting in the way. It was very sweet!"

Down you go:  Shooter gently lowers the tiny rodent to the ground.

Safe, but soaked and somewhat shell shocked, the lucky marmot seems happy to be back on dry land.

Zookeeper Dr. Joy Fox added:  "We think Shooter sensed that the animal was in distress and decided to help.

"However, he could have just decided he didn’t like having something in his way.

"He spent quite a bit of time planning how to grab it."

The zoo plans to auction off Shooter’s incredible antlers when they are shed later in the year.

h/t to Patricia Gillenwater

As the man was fishing, he saw the dog — named Barney — swimming to his kayak. He eventually scooped him up and took him to a local vet. It just so happened that he had a camera rolling during the whole incident:

Video:  Sometimes when you’re fishing, strange things happen…like, dogs swim up to you

But the story doesn’t end there. The kayaker, who was baffled as to how and why Barney — who swam about a half-mile — got to him, then learned the tragic news. CBSTampa.com explains:

The man brought Barney to a local vet, who used a tracking chip implanted in him to discover his owner was Donna L. Chen, who was struck by a Nissan Altima and died moments before.

Florida Highway Patrol said Blake Talman, 22, was fleeing from an earlier crash in his Nissan Altima northbound on SR-758 when he struck Chen and Barney.

The two were jogging north on SR-758 when Talman allegedly failed to navigate a left curve causing him to leave the roadway and strike a metal pole before hitting Chen and a street sign. Chen was knocked from the sidewalk into the center of the road, reports indicate.

Barney took off, though there is no mention of him in the report.

Talman, the driver, currently is in Jail. He faces charges including DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage and personal injury.

(H/T: Drudge)  and ADDITIONAL UPDATE: the mystery is solved. However, it’s very sad and unfortunate

Video - David Attenborough – Wonderful World – BBC

Video… The Louis Armstrong Version

click image to open/close

Pets rejoice! A recent survey shows that many pet parents are making New Year’s resolutions to spend more time with their pets and make sure they are loved even more than they were last year.

More than 1,000 pet parents, including hundreds of Kibblers, recently participated in the Halo, Purely for Pets Pet Parents’ New Year’s Resolution Survey.

According to the survey, many pet parents want to do a better job grooming their pets, with 68.1 percent resolving to trim their pets’ nails more often, 52.6 percent planning to give their dogs and cats more baths, and more than 80 percent committing to more frequent brushings. A little more than 35 percent plan to give their pets supplements to help their coat and skin. Finally, the pets may not like this, but a full 50 percent of pet owners plan to brush their pets’ teeth more often.

Interestingly, nearly 46 percent of respondents plan to help their pets lose weight. Considering that recent studies show that more than 50 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, this awareness and recognition among pet owners is encouraging in the battle against pet obesity.

The majority (68.7 percent) of respondents with overweight pets plan to help their pets drop pounds by increasing exercise and 44 percent are going to feed their pets better quality food. A little more than 35 percent are going to reduce the amount of food their pets eat.

An overwhelming number (94.1 percent) of those surveyed plan to help pets in need this year, with nearly 70 percent saying they will donate to a rescue or shelter. Other ways respondents say they’ll help pets in need include fostering (11.9 percent), adopting another pet (11.5 percent) and playing freekibble.com or freekibblekat.com to earn Halo Spot’s Stew donations for shelters (45.5 percent).

Survey respondents were invited to share additional resolutions. Among our favorites:

“Get an RV so we don’t have to leave them for vacation.”
“Train my cat to be a therapy animal.”
“More car and wagon rides.”
“To keep his wellness vet visits.”
“Attempt to walk my cats using a harness.”
“Not to shoo my cats away when I’m watching Ellen.”
“Take them to the beach.”
“Hand make toys and cushions for them.”
“Make sure he drinks more water.”
“Build new cat trees.”
“Train my dog to ride to the dog park in his Harley side car.”

Looks like it’s going to be a great 2012 for the pets!

By Caroline Golon – Kibbler

Meet Loukanikos, Athens’ Protest Dog

Protest Dog Loukanikos — the word means sausage in Greek — has showed up for numerous demonstrations in Athens over the last few years. Here, he barks at riot police in December 2010.

Source:  Time Magazine