With royal mania still in the air following a certain internationally famous, special wedding, we thought it was only appropriate to profile the most regal of pooches for our latest Breed of the Month segment. That’s right, we’re talking about the Welsh Corgi, official pooch of the Queen herself, and we can definitely see why they’re such a favourite…

History
With a royal lineage dating back to the King Hywel Dda, King of Wales (and what a fantastically Welsh name that is!), in the early 12th century, these prestige pooches were always destined for palace life. A member of the Spitz family, Pembroke Welsh Corgis were, somewhat surprisingly perhaps, used to guard family farmyards, as well as for herding fowl.

As time went on, the Corgi also proved its versatility and was used as both a gun dog and ratter, tying itself inextricably to the pursuits of the well-to-do in the British Isles. In more modern times, it was recognised as a breed in the early 1930s – and became one of the best-known breeds in the world after a certain princess (now Queen Elizabeth II) developed a fondness for them.

Appearance
Fox-like and low to the ground with an elongated body and short legs, the Corgi paints an endearing if slightly awkward picture. A small dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi weighs in at around 12kg for an adult male and 11kg for an adult female. In terms of colour, it is available in red, fawn, black and tan or sable, with or without white markings on the legs and body.

Temperament
Despite its royal lineage, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is hardly reserved, and can be quite boisterous, though very trainable. Always aiming to please (and if the Queen was your owner, wouldn’t you?) the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is suited to herding, agility work and as a family companion.

Having found itself in the national spotlight for so many years due to Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong love, one can only guess which breed will soon shoot to fame when the new Princess Kate sets up house!

[IMAGE SOURCE www.dogbreedsinfo.org; www.dogspedia.net]

In an article in The Herald Sun, animal behaviorist Dr Robert Holmes has made the bold statement that ‘problem  dogs’ (that is, dogs displaying destructive or annoying behaviour when left alone in the yard) are not ‘bored’, but are actually suffering from separation anxiety at not being allowed to ‘lie with the family pack, where they belong’.

Holmes argues that the yard is not a dog’s natural habitat and that as pack animals they need to sleep with the rest of the family. He even claims that letting your dog snuggle down in the same bed as you is a surefire way to having a contented dog, as the bed is ‘the best pacifying and stress-reducing area’.

Sure, maybe for the dog, but how stress-reducing can 1000 shed dog hairs really be to the couple whose bed has been overtaken? Of course we don’t want to cause our pooches any stress, but surely a well-placed doggy bed in the hall – or even in the bedroom – is a decent enough compromise to make your furry friend feel loved?

• What do you think? Where does your dog sleep? Would you let him share the doona if you suspected separation anxiety? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Image Sourced from: Animal Discovery and Iooginyihs

As a pet owner, little else makes you as proud as when your dog obeys a command perfectly – especially in public, when the temptation of his favourite playmate doesn’t distract him…

Of course, the foibles and mistakes and mischief are what give you the great stories about your beloved pooch, but the sense of accomplishment when your dog is well-trained and well-trusted is wonderful – not to mention the fact that your friends, houseguests and fellow dog-owners will no doubt fail to share your affection for the ‘funny’ way in which your lab swallows their shoes/dinner/mobile phone without even having to chew!

Of course, achieving a high level of obedience takes patience and time, and it is tempting to abandon the effort as soon as Fido has mastered house training and ‘sit’. Fine tuning your dog’s behaviour is what requires a real commitment, but if you stick with it, you’ll have a companion you can really trust, who is well-liked in the community. We promise, this will make outings a whole lot more enjoyable!

Manners matter

According to www.austdogtraining.com.au, teaching your pet ‘manners’ is what you should aim to achieve.

Things like pulling on the leash (in the case of small dogs this is simply frustrating and may put unwanted pressure on your pooch’s neck, but in the case of large dogs it can lead to you being dragged face-first like a sled by your enthusiastic companion) are bad manners.

Chewing your belongings, barking when you’re out and refusing to come when called are also bad manners. Jumping up on people is definitely bad manners and, worse, can cause harm if your dog is sizeable and the person he’s jumping up on is elderly or a small child.

The good news is that all of this impolite behaviour can be trained out of your dog, and regardless of breed or age, most dogs can go from being a good dog to a great dog with a few slight modifications to their behaviour.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be focusing on various areas of training and would love any tips or tricks that our readers have found useful as well! In the meantime, for some handy starting points, head to www.austdogtraining.com.au and start educating Fido on the finer aspects of dignified behaviour!

Images by: Inlandsocal and mlive

At the end of a long, hard day, sometimes all you need is someone to vent to. You drop your bag in the hallway, kick off your shoes, pour yourself a glass of red and unleash all the day’s worries to your dearly beloved… who, for his part, sits still, listens dutifully – and when you’re finished, showers you in affection.

Then he licks your face and scratches himself.

That’s right, we’re talking about the family pooch, who, it would seem, is quickly taking his place in the family as resident therapist and sympathetic ear.

A new poll conducted in the US by pet-loving website Petside has discovered that one third of married, pet-owning American women and 18 per cent of their male counterparts admit that their pet is a better listener than their spouse.

With more and more pet owners discovering the therapeutic value of a furry friend around the house, and the amazing connection that develops between people and their pets, this comes as no surprise to us at Dog Diaries. Pets have long been used as natural healers and helpers, with guide dogs, aged-cared therapy pets, cancer-detecting dogs, seizure-detecting dogs and now even dogs that can help your child learn to read becoming a standard part of our healthcare system.

So even though this may be a slightly dismal advertisement for married life, we say it’s yet another endorsement of the joy a pet can bring!

Images by: Grazie, davvero and Ars technica

It’s a strange and fascinating concept when we think about it, this pet-ownership. One species taking an entirely different species into its living quarters and discovering that they’re not all that different from each other after all.

The remarkable thing is the bond that can form and adapt between a human and their pet. The emotional capabilities and capacities of animals are deep and probably far more extensive than anyone fully understands. The ability of a dog to sense danger or a cat to sense when you need some closeness is often far superior to that even of those humans closest to us.

Much has been made of the relative intelligence of cats and dogs, but what is truly outstanding is their capacity for love. Call it projection, call it transferral of emotions, but whatever you call it there’s something unexplainable that lives deep within a good animal-human bond.

It’s proof that there is goodness in the world. That we’re meant to be close to other beings and help each other to thrive. One look at a child’s face when they see their puppy after a long day at school, or the experience of returning home after a day at work to see the irrepressible physical joy your dog shows just because his favourite person is back to play will show you that however often we hear that people are getting disconnected through computers and blackberries, our need for emotional connections always remains. And so do the needs of our pets, who ask nothing in return but love.

Check out these inspiring stories about the human/animal connection. Grab a tissue first!

Why we love cats and dogs

Why do people love cats?

Interview: René Agredano Tells Jerry’s Full Story

Images bye³°°° and The U.S Army

The other day, while at breakfast with my dog, my partner and I were confronted for the first time with what I shall refer to as ‘dog disdain’. A man (who had chosen his seat right next to our outdoor table from a wide selection of empty tables on a chilly day) proceeded to mutter, shoot dirty looks and assume the general countenance of someone who had just licked the rear end of a camel.

Now, here are a few important notes about our situation: we were outdoors, our dog was tied up and sitting quietly at our feet, and could not reach the man if he tried. Our pooch is also the size of a small cat, so it is unlikely Mr Dog Disdain was afraid of a surprise lunge-attack at the hands of our ferocious canine.

After the fifth derisive snort in our dog’s general direction, I looked up with a polite, expectant expression, wondering if he planned to say anything directly to us. His wife swiftly swept in to smooth things over, explaining (by way of excuse, perhaps?) that ‘It’s just that he’s not all that partial to dogs’. The man shrugged as if this justified his behaviour.

What I WANTED to say, was that my dog was not partial to rude morons, either, but with a warning look I was silenced by my more level-headed partner. But it got me thinking. The café had no restrictions about dogs sitting out in the open air with their owners, he was tied up, well-behaved and a hell of a lot less conspicuous than Mr DD.

So why was it alright for him to make us feel as if we were doing something wrong by eating breakfast with our furry friend? To be fair, our dog didn’t seem to mind the indirect insults. He chose the moral high-ground and intently followed passing ants with his nose…

•    Have you ever experienced dog disdain? Share your stories!

Images by bof1391 and Ellen Soohoo

We all know that the love of a good dog is priceless… but what if we had to put a price on it? Bankwest has done just that in Family Pooch Index, the latest of their ongoing Social Indicator series of surveys. And according to results, that price is over $25,000.

That’s right, the survey found the average Australian dog costs its family $2452 a year in care – and that’s not including the average purchase price of a pooch, which currently stands at $585.

$1200 of this amount goes towards pet food and treats, with vet costs coming in at $450 per year and additional expenses such as grooming, dog dieticians, dog trainers and dog walkers costing the average household $405.

The breakdown
Other findings revealed that 50 per cent of Australians buy their dogs presents for special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas, 25 per cent pay for a dog groomer, eight per cent take their pets with them on holiday and five per cent have their pets in their will. People in New South Wales fork out the most for their dogs, while Western Australians spend the least.

The survey also revealed that 96 per cent of dog owners considered their pooch ‘part of the family’. Well, duh! If you’re not going to make your dog part of your family, why bother having one?

As to Bankwest’s claims that this statistic indicates ‘what many of us have suspected for a long time, namely that half of Aussie pet owners consider their pet to be equally important as their kids’… well, that may be stretching it just a bit.

Although, come to think of it, $25,000 in a lifetime is a lot less than you’re likely to pay out over your child’s lifetime, so maybe there’s a lesson learned there…

What do you think of those averages? Does $2452 a year seem about right, or are you still scoffing over the included cost of ‘dog dietician’? Let us know your thoughts!

Dog Diaries has already investigated the question of whether or not dogs can watch television. Well, the latest YouTube phenomenon is a spate of videos featuring dogs reacting to one particular TV show: Law and Order.

The videos show a variety of hounds from all over the world howling and ‘singing’ along to the theme song of the popular television series. So what is it about the show that sets our canine friends off? Is it the prospect of bad guys appearing on their screens? Are they feeding off the energy of their owners? Or do they just have little doggy crushes on Olivia, the resident detective beauty?

Different types of music affect dogs...

None of the above, says veterinary neurologist Susan Wagner. It is the high-pitched tones used in the theme song (including background sirens) rather than the show’s plot that keeps pooches ‘singing’ along.

‘Cats and dogs generally don’t like hearing high-pitched sounds,’ Dr Wagner says, adding that dogs often howl to sirens and other higher-toned sounds. Yet Wagner has recently conducted research which shows that as much as dogs and other animals dislike high-toned sounds, there is evidence to suggest that lower-toned sounds such as classical music can actually calm and sooth our four-legged friends – as reported in our article on dogs and stress.

‘Different types of music affect dogs from a behavioural standpoint,’ Wagner claims. ‘Classical music arrangements, for example, especially those with lower tones, slower tempos and less complexity reduce anxiety.’ Dr Wagner has written a book on the links between canine behaviour and music called Through a Dog’s Ears, which further explores the phenomenon.

And what does Mike Post, composer of Law and Order’s theme music think of all the four-legged attention his work has been getting? ‘I can’t believe it. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!’

•    Does your dog like to sing along to this or any other theme song? Use the Comment facility below to tell us about it!

Images by Wikipedia and SHUN [iamtekn]

Yes, dog owners, it’s true. We canine lovers are apparently not as smart as our cat-owning counterparts. ‘Says who?’ you cry, in totally justified indignation that everyone in this office shares…

Well, apparently, scientists at Bristol University in the UK. A recent study that interviewed 2980 dog and cat owners found that people with a university degree are 1.36 times more likely to own a cat.

So what is it that makes more educated people choose cats as pets? Is it the ability to recognise a cunning and evolved companion? The tendency to seek the acquaintance of an animal that quite clearly has a rich interior life you know little of? Or perhaps it is the cats that choose educated people to live with?

Doggone it!
The answer, say scientists, is most likely much simpler: ‘’Cats require less time per day than a dog, so they are more popular with educated people who work late and have long commutes,’ says Dr Jane Murray, a lecturer on feline health at Bristol Uni. Another interesting fact to come out of the study was that cat owners are more likely to be female, and older than their dog-owning counterparts.

Do not despair, however – no truth has been found in the oft-touted myth that cats are in fact much more intelligent their canine foes. Another study released last year found cats performed no better than dogs in reasoning tasks.

‘Cats presented with two pieces of string, only one of which was attached to a food reward, could not tell which one to pull for their treat.’

The study also found supporting evidence in the dog/cat rivalry debate, with only seven per cent of households being home to a cat and a dog.

So there you have it. Get ready for the smug looks from your cat-owning friends (and their feline companions no doubt), and while you’re at it, tell us what you think about this! We’d love to hear from you…

•    Are cat owners smarter? Use the Comment facility below to let us know!

Images by suzalayne and Anda74

In many ways, dogs are just like people. Just as some humans get more wound up in certain situations than others, so it is with dogs. Some canine companions are naturally chilled, whereas others become all tense and twitchy at the slightest provocation.

Classical treatment
If your dog is highly strung, you should consider playing music to him. Not just any music, mind you, but classical music. Research has shown that dogs (in common with other animals, including cats and even chimpanzees!) respond particularly well to soothing classical sounds. Bach beats the barks, you could say!

Choose music that doesn’t have too many dynamics (no great changes in volume or tempo – a classical guitar or harp piece is believed to be best), and within a few minutes your dog should slip into a far more calm, serene state.

However, do not be tempted to leave the television or radio on when you are leaving your pet alone in the house. People often do this in the belief that the background noise provides ‘companionship’ for the animal. However, because of the natural changes in dynamics between different songs or different TV programmes, it can actually do more harm than good – meaning you come home to a dog that is anything but relaxed!

Do dogs sense stress in people?
Yes, is the short answer. However, some dogs are more highly attuned to their owners’ feelings than others and are correspondingly more likely to react to changes in human mood. For some dogs, this manifests as anxiety and a desire to keep out of the way, while other dogs will try to get even closer to their owners in an effort to comfort and soothe them with their presence.

Surprisingly, though, despite innumerable accounts from dog owners, scientists are not convinced that dogs can sense stress (or other moods). The boffins claim that there is a lack of hard evidence supporting the claims.

Doggy stress-busters
Again, the evidence is largely anecdotal, but it is compelling. Stories abound of dogs wagging their tails and licking their owners’ faces in an effort to cheer them up. And it has been scientifically proven that pet ownership helps reduce high blood pressure in humans. According to David Frei of the Delta Organisation in the US, ‘Watching your pet’s silly antics can make you laugh and help relieve stress’.

In addition, dogs reduce feelings of loneliness in people who live by themselves, particularly the elderly, while the sense of companionship has also been shown to help combat depression.

All in all, the reasons for having a dog just keep getting better!

•    Can your dog sense your mood? Is he or she a stress-buster? Use the Comment facility below to let us know your experiences…

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