Compare thee to a dog

The intense gaze of an Australian shepherd. Source: Flickr user sarzc.

Thou sayest thou art as weary as a dog,
As angry, sick, and hungry as a dog,
As dull and melancholy as a dog,
As lazy, sleepy, idle as a dog.
But why dost thou compare thee to a dog?
In that for which all men despise a dog,
I will compare thee better to a dog.
Thou art as fair and comely as a dog,
Thou art as true and honest as a dog,
Thou art as kind and liberal as a dog,
Thou art as wise and valiant as a dog.

– Sir John Davies, epigram to In Cineam (1594)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Way to tell ‘em, Sir John Davies; time we started showing dogs some respect with our aphorisms.

Because my “DOGS” board on Pinterest was getting almost out of hand, I decided to create a corollary for it: “Woman’s Best Friend,” a collection of photographs and artwork featuring women and their dogs. If you are also a crazy dog lady, I think it will make you smile.

Happy Easter and Passover, or, just happy weekend if you observe neither!

Pup links!

An Australian shepherd contemplates Banksy. Click for source.

Dog-related links from around the Web this past week:

Wonder Dog. Read this incredible story of a golden retriever who transforms the life a boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The more I get to know them, the more I think that goldens were born to do this kind of work. I kind of teared up, a lot, reading this story. (New York Times Magazine)

Top 10 Most Frequently Reported Poison Dangers for Dogs in 2011. A good list to review and be aware of. (Pet Poison Helpline)

Train Your Dog Month: Results Revealed. The Take Paws blog talks about lessons learned in training their reactive German shepherd. Good food for thought! (Take Paws)

Chart: Nail Trimming. A helpful diagram and discussion about trimming nails. (Inu Baka)

42 St. Bernards. I don’t know how one gets 42 St. Bernards in a glorious, mossy wood with a beautiful blond child, but I like it. (Paw Nation)

She Doesn’t Answer the Phone. E.B. White’s funny letter in response to city complaints that his dachshund, Minnie, was unlicensed. (Letters of Note)

The Nannies. I love these photos of this farm’s Anatolian shepherds, who act as the sheep guardians. The tenderness between the dog and the lamb is so palpable. I am such a sucker for anything even close to inter-species friends; it’s pretty much my favorite thing on earth. (Alta-Pete Farm Tails)

Meet Maddie the Coonhound. Maddie elegantly stands on various objects across the United States. (The Hydrant)

Food Critic Puppy. Oh, man. This is why you don’t give limes to dogs. (Animals Being Di*ks)

Puppy love

Huck. Our friends' new Aussie pup.

Too busy to write much today, but yesterday I got to meet our friends’ brand-new Australian shepherd puppy. World, meet Huck! Isn’t he precious? As all Aussie puppies are.

Jodi and Michael got him from a breeder in Palmyra and brought him home just a week ago. He’s apparently settling in very nicely and training has started to go smoothly. The great part about Huck’s new life is that Michael, who works at a winery in the countryside, takes Huck with him to work every day. What an ideal life for a young Aussie!

I’m thrilled for Jodi and Michael’s latest addition and I hope they’re OK with me spontaneously “dropping in” to play with the little guy.

Fuzzy puppy.

I was also reminded of how nearly impossible it is to photograph puppies. Always on the move!

Happy Monday! Hard to believe Christmas is so soon!

Pup links!

The prototypical collie/shepherd. Source: LIFE Magazine Archives.

Dog-related links from around the Web this week.

Breed-based euthanasia proposed in NC county. This is so horrible that it barely seems real. Cumberland County in North Carolina has a proposal on the docket that will euthanize all incoming GSDs, bully breeds, dobermans, rottweilers, akitas, chows, and Great Danes within 72 hours and not give them a chance to be adopted. There is a petition collecting signatures here; I signed it last night and encourage you to do the same, if you feel so led. It’s hard for me to believe that this kind of egregious breed-based discrimination still exists. But, clearly and sadly, it does. (Examiner)

Puppy at 500 f/s. On a lighter note: This is a beautiful video and an excellent study in canine movement. Directors of an independent film studio, Kamerawerk, made this short film, titled “Afternoon Pleasures,” of their chocolate lab puppy chasing a ball (and other various objects) and it’s lovely and riveting. Sent to me by my friend Maggie. (Kamerawerk on Vimeo)

Judgment Is Easy, Understanding Takes Work. An inspiring and thoughtful post about reserving judgment of our fellow dog owners. It’s something that I have to work on too, even though I don’t have a dog of my own! (Rescuing Insanity)

De-bunking the “Alpha Dog” Theory. Pat Miller, a positive trainer I respect, reflects on why this theory of the “alpha dog” needs to fall by the wayside. This is something I definitely wish all dog owners knew today. It always surprises me how widespread this theory is–even at the shelter. Seasoned volunteers and sometimes staff members use “alpha dog” language to talk about “problem” dogs and I often wish I had enough credibility to speak up about it. (The Hydrant)

Preparing for Your New Pooch. A practical list of guidelines to help one prepare to bring a dog into the home. Even though I’ve read dozens of lists like this one, I always like finding them and comparing notes. (The Inquisitive Canine)

Mismark Case: Australian Shepherd. The canine-loving biologist writes a post on one of my all-time favorite breeds, the Aussie, and examines the different markings and genetic repercussions that occur in the breed. (Musings of a Biologist and Dog Lover)

Peter Clark Dog Collages. This artist makes collages of popular breeds from found maps and old stamps. The results are eye-catching! (Dog Milk)

Dog Snout Also Makes Handy Bath Snorkel. This pup has the right idea. (Best Week Ever)

Gallery of herding dogs

Just a series of photos of some of my favorite dogs from the herding group. Not to pick favorites or anything, but I think I’d have to say that all of my best-loved breeds come from this group of high-maintenance, noisy, difficult dogs. I know. I just can’t get over them. Why this post? Well, I like to look at dog pictures. No apologies. A girl can dream, right?

(Click on each photo for its source.)

Australian shepherd

Australian shepherd

Belgian tervuren

Belgian tervuren

Border collie

Border collie

Rough collie

Smooth collie

German shepherd

German shepherd puppies

Pyrenean shepherd

Pyrenean shepherd

Pup links!

An Aussie and his castle. Source: blacksheepcardigans.com

A lot of great dog-related links from around the Web this week!

Dogs of Darjeeling. This is the best pup link I’ve seen yet: My sister’s amazing and beautiful photographs of the dogs she saw while she was living in and around Darjeeling, India. So striking! The photos make me remember that, regardless of where in the world you are, dogs are still dogs. It’s perhaps a silly thing to think, but I an enamored with this collection of her photography. Check it out. (Como Say What?)

Why You’re NOT Doing a Good Deed When You “Rescue” that Pet Store Puppy. This is an article I wish so many people would read. It’s such an ethically murky situation, I know, but this is a perspective that needs to be amplified. (Dogster)

Why Dog Women Get More Respect than Cat Ladies. An interesting article on Slate this week about why it’s easier to be taken seriously if you’re a crazy dog lady instead of a crazy cat lady. Not fair, of course, but a curious cultural phenomenon, perhaps. (Slate)

New York Times Goes Dog-Crazy. A brief look at the dog-centric memoirs that are cropping up in the pages of the Times. (Daily Intel)

How Much Money Should I Spend on My Dog’s Vet Care? And how much is too much? A well-expressed opinion from Lindsey Stordahl about how we navigate the difficult decisions between veterinary care, finances, and our dogs. (That Mutt)

26 Reasons Why Owning a Puppy Is the Same as Raising a Toddler. A funny list, but it certainly emphasizes what a serious commitment we undertake when we bring a puppy into our lives. (A Peek Inside the Fishbowl)

Diary by Kingsley: I Made a Video. One of the blogosphere’s most famous bulldogs, Kingsley, has a video playing with his new sister, human baby Eleanor. (Rockstar Diaries)

Hello, I Feel Like I Know You. Sweet and colorful portraits of dogs and their humans by artist Paule Trudel Bellmare. (Under the Blanket)

Don’t Like Your New Dog’s Name? Karen London gives some practical tips on changing your adopted dog’s name. I feel pretty sure that I will want to rename our future dog, and so this is a helpful thing to think about. What about you? Did you change your dog’s name? (The Bark)

Inspiring Photos of Pets with Disabilities. A charming collection of portraits of dogs with disabilities. There is joy and life in their eyes. (Flavorwire)

Pup links!

You've got your Aussie and your Hunters. What more does a girl need? Source: Shirley Bittner

Elli and Forgiveness. A sweet post about how our dogs are often our moral superiors. (Identity: V+E)

Going Home: “The Perfect Day.” Slate published an excerpt this week from Jon Katz’s new book about saying goodbye when dogs die. Prepare to cry! (Slate)

Dealing with Breed Discrimination. Since we’re leaning toward adopting an adult GSD, breed discrimination is something that I occasionally worry about, especially with regard to renting and traveling. Amy writes some thoughtful points on how to be conscientious if you’re traveling with a dog whose breed is often discriminated against. Has anyone experienced this with their dog? If so, how do you handle it? (Take Paws)

2012 Calendar from River Dog Prints. I’m a sucker for cute calendars and these are adorable! (Dog Milk)

Halloween Costume Roundup. Will you dress your dog up for Halloween? What’s this year’s costume of choice? (Rescued Insanity)

Playground Police. You can always trust the dog to keep law and order. (Animals Being Di*ks)

Found photo: Emma

I found this photo of my childhood dog, Emma, on one of our old computers. It looks like she had retrieved a postcard that had fallen off the fridge. Gosh, I miss that dog. I would do just about anything to have her back.

That’s all. Just a brief reminiscence, tinged with slight regret… More coming later this week!

Do not contemplate death

Australian shepherd. Source: Flickr user meeganz

 ”Animals, which do nothing useless, do not contemplate death.”

– Paul Valéry

Pup Links!

A dog and her cellist. Source: Wanderlusted, via the Life magazine archives.

Dog-related links that interested me this week on the Interwebs…

Why You Should NOT Shave Your Dog for the Summer. Finally! Some intelligent input on this widespread practice. I met an Aussie in the park the other day who was very unfortunate-looking: her owners had shaved her for the summer. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that they hadn’t helped their dog and they’d ruined her coat. (It’s the Dogs’ Life)

VirChewly Indestructible Leashes. Joslin Larson designed these chew-proof leashes for her dogs after she lost a sheltie who chewed through a nylon leash and into oncoming traffic. What do you think? They certainly look indestructible, but also a bit short and possibly uncomfortable. (Dog Milk)

Riot the Australian Shepherd. Just because I can never get enough Aussie puppy in my life. (The Daily Puppy)

Skye Report. Yes, even more Aussie puppy. The photo of the puppy sitting next to the grown dog is so precious. (Apropos Aussies)

When Suggesting Lunch Options Downtown… Love it. (Hipster Puppies)

Having a Dog Who Can Make This Face at You. Wise and funny words from a street dog photographer. (Dogblog)

Nine Uses for Small Dogs. Cute cartoon! (Pawesome)