Little Bites

If you’re looking for quick info, then Little Bites is your section. It’s a collection of canine tidbits that have been put together in quick-read style. You’ll read about the latest trends along with snippets of pooch news. Youll have information and fido facts at your fingertips.

Book and Film Reviews, Pet-Terrific Travel and Pomo‘s Telltale TiPs will keep you out of the dog house and put you into the K-9 insiders’ world.

Tony Conza is the dad of WOOF Patrol Mascot, Pomo. Tony is the Founder of the Blimpie sandwich chain. His years of experience in the restaurant business led him to believe the way to one's heart is through food. Pomo agrees. One night over dinner he sat down and compiled what WOOF Patrol has since and most appropriately tagged "Little Bites".

Leo, a pit bull, seized in the raid at Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, now makes rounds as a working therapy dog at the Camino Infusion Center, an oncology facility located in California. Marthina McClay, a certified trainer and counselor in Los Gatos, took in Leo. “He was a little like a caveman at a tea party,” McClay said. “He didn’t have a lot of training.” Leo on his days off makes time to work with young people on probation at the Alternative Placement Academy in San Jose. McClay, president of Our Pack, an advocacy group for pit bulls feels the young men on probation seem to identify with Leo. “I think they saw this dog’s awful background, and it communicates to the kids that you can end up being what you want to be,” McClay said.

CLICK: From Vick dog to therapy dog

“Chastise the vacuum in front of the dog.” That’s the most common advice given to owners whose dogs attack the Roomba Automatic Vacuum Cleaner.

Freckles, Bobby Kennedy’s Springer Spaniel, was a constant presence on the campaign trail.

As the Manhattan rental market weakens, owners of high-end buildings are offering incentives like an appointment at a doggie day spa for Rover on moving day.

An upper east side Manhattan apartment building bans dogs except those grandfathered in when the building went co-op. Rumor has it that people whose dogs die simply replace the pet with one from the same breed. As a result these are owners claiming their dogs are 25 years old.

There are approximately 250 licensed service dogs in New York City.

In ranch country 50 miles northwest of Houston hunters use bulldogs fitted with Kevlar vests and 4 inch nylon collars (to protect their jugulars) to field and trap wild hogs. The hogs are smart, menacing critters that dig up the earth rooting for grub worms. They destroy golf courses, run pickup trucks off the road, prey on livestock and carry disease.

On the day of this year’s Grand Prix at the 3 year old, state of the arts Istanbul Park in Turkey two stray dogs ran onto the course; one was struck by a car and died instantly.

Virginia is getting a black eye because of the large number of puppy mills discovered there. The Humane Society found more than 900 breeders “churning out puppies” from barns, trailers, sheds and backyard cages in “deplorable conditions”.

Bulldogs, #26 on the AKC list of most popular dogs in 1997, have climbed to the number 10 spot.

Increasing home foreclosures are affecting dogs as well as people. Every month thousand of family pets, their lives upended by their owners financial straights, are landing in animal shelters across the country.

Paddling Paws in Moncks Corner, S.C. improves the lives of dogs born with deformities by giving them swim lessons in their pool.

Ann Landers said: “Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.” And Sigmund Freud said: “Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.” Then there was Mark Twain who was quoted: “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you, that’s the principal difference between a dog and a man.”

According to the Associated Press pet owners prefer Republican presidential candidate John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a 42%-37% score. McCain has four dogs, a cat, a parakeet and a shoal of fish. He once owned an iguana named Henry who turned out to be Henrietta and laid an egg. Obama has promised that win or lose, Malia Ann and Natasha, his daughters, will get a dog when the campaign concludes. Five hypoallergenic breeds top the short list of potential pets for the Obama family: Bichon Frise, Chinese Crested, Poodle, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and Miniature Schnauzer. Keep in mind a quote often attributed to President Truman: "If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog".

What happens when you mix an iPhone with a Shih Tzu …

CBS’s Greatest American Dog is buzzing with a Till-mania controversy. Ezzie, a Boston Terrier, Kenji, a Giant Schnauzer and Elvis, a Parson Russell Terrier were all asked to dig up their bones and head home. However, water bowl talk reveals disgruntled a

disgruntled feeling over the elimination of Tillman, the English bulldog. The skateboarding bulldog was removed from contention in The Best in Show photo shoot. Owners had been given the task of working with their dogs to produce an image representing an adjective they’d selected at random. Tillman’s word: “LAZY”. No kidding! That was his word and it seemed like a no contest victory from the start. The problem didn’t lie with Tillman but rather with Ron, his owner. He was lazy giving no real thought to the shoot other than showing up with his dog - totally unfair for Tillman, a pooch that has talent and can put

his game on when asked. Only that didn’t happen. In an earlier episode Tillman was required to not take a bite of the steak set right in front of him. When asked the bulldog delivers and despite all temptation - and drool - the steak went untouched. However, the real upset is why Leroy’s Border Collie owner Teresa was not given the ax for a display more akin to a PBS Animal Cops episode not Greatest American Dog. Granted Leroy was given the hardest word: “Angry” but no excuse for causing the dog harm or discomfort. Teresa, in order to elicit “angry”, used a bizarre technique that judge Victoria Stillwell called, “inhumane.” So why not give Teresa the boot? Why pick on the bulldog? What about tossing Brandy, an emotional train wreck of an owner? She came across as needing couch time with a good therapist instead of being a competitor on a national television show. Her pooch Beacon puts up with her and should win a prize for that alone. Stay tuned. By the time this goes to press we can only hope Teresa and Brandy get their distemper shots and refocus on the real prize of being lucky owners of Leroy and Beacon.

WOOF Patrol had an opportunity to speak with Wendy Diamond one of the judges on Greatest American Dog.

W.P.: Did you enjoy working on the show?

Wendy Diamond: Out of the 9 pilots, 3 series and few specials I have been involved with , Greatest American Dog was the best experience due to the professionalism on set of all the crew, producers and CBS execs! The dogs were all respectful to little Lucky! Lucky even at times had her own handler!

W.P.: What did you learn from the ‘dog’ contestants?

Wendy: The dogs were all great!!! It was hard to choose the Greatest knowing that viewers would be stunned and happy with the winner — both human and Dog!

W.P.: What would you most want those at home watching Greatest American Dog to take away from the show?

Wendy: Puppy Love is a beautiful thing that costs nothing! The bond, unconditional love, loyalty, communication, commitment – I hope whether it’s with a dog or a human all may find it! Check out www.puppylovemovie.com.