September 24, 2017
Today, my friends over at Lone Star Dog Ranch, published a new post about rescue puppies they recently rescued at a puppy mill auction. Puppy mill auctions usually involve breeders (some good and some bad) from different locations who get together to bid on puppies or other breeding dogs either to sell to other breeders or puppy stores or to use as breeding animals for their own profit. Rescue operations like Lone Star —thousands of other organizations exist, we use Lone Star because they rescued me —travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to attend these auctions and bid on puppies. If the rescue operation wins the auction, the puppy is transported back to the rescue location and the puppy visits a vet and is eventually placed for adoption to a person or family who passes a rigorous background check. If the rescue operation loses the auction, the puppy either goes to a breeder or to a pet store. Note, not all breeders and pet stores are bad and not all rescue operations are created equal.
In my case, at my mill, I was bred repeatedly for more than six years until I couldn’t safely have puppies anymore. I lost some teeth, had scars from flies on my legs, and had several serious medical issues that threatened my life. Luckily, my friends at the Dog Ranch, took care of me and helped me find my family.
Here are some FAQs about puppy mills from the Puppy Mill Project. To find more information about this organization or to donate to their cause, visit their website by clicking on this link.
What is so wrong with puppy mills?
- Puppy mills are dog breeding operations that put profit over the health and well-being of the dogs. Flies were biting my legs, because people weren’t watching me.
- Puppy mills can house hundreds or thousands of dogs. Smaller does not necessarily mean better. The conditions in small facilities can be just as cruel as larger ones.
- Puppy mills are everywhere, though there is a large concentration in the Midwest. Missouri has the largest number of puppy mills in the United States. Amish and Mennonite communities (particularly in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania) also have large concentrations of puppy mills. I was located in Texas, where the heat and lack of water can be especially harmful for pups.
- Puppy mills breed all types of dogs – everything from Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, and French Bulldogs to teacup Yorkies – you can find nearly every breed.
- Breeding parents spend their lives in 24-hour confinement to cages. It is common to see wire cages stacked on top of each other. They generally do not have protection from heat, cold, or inclement weather. I am still scared of leaving my area and I often flinch when someone comes to love on me if they try and pet me on the head. Tummy rubs are my preferred source of pets.
- Dogs in puppy mills live in dirty, unsanitary conditions.
- Dogs living in puppy mills receive little to no veterinary care (and puppy mill owners often provide veterinary care without anesthesia or veterinary training). I lost one of my nipples and several of my teeth due to infections. Now my humans have to mush up my food before I eat it.
- Mothers are bred every heat cycle and are usually killed when they can no longer produce. I avoided this fate, but the mill abandoned me since I couldn’t have puppies anymore.
- Many puppy mills do not practice humane euthanasia. Dogs are killed in cruel ways, including shooting or drowning.
- Puppies are taken from their mothers too young and can develop serious health or behavioral issues due to the conditions in which they are bred and shipped. This leads to expensive veterinary bills, heartbreak, and stress for their owners.
- The bottom line is that puppy mills are all about profits. Any money spent on veterinary care, quality food, shelter, or staff to care for the dogs cuts into the profit margin.
Once again, I am not criticizing all breeders or pet store owners. Like Frenchies, good and bad ones exist. If you are thinking about dog ownership, make sure you have the time and patience to own pets. Consider pet insurance as well! We can get expensive. Most importantly, consider adoption. Adopting helps cut down on mills and breeders. It also helps provide loving homes for puppies like me!
-Sally
September 8, 2017
A NETWORK OF PET LOVERS TO HELP YOU
Fresh off the Paws of the latest iPhone leaks, I am bringing you a facial recognition article about how technology can help save pets! After Hurricane Harvey hit, thousand of people and pets were displaced by the storms. Luckily, after a law change due to Hurricane Katrina, first responders are allowed to rescue pets and people. I personally like rain, although I refuse to get my paws wet. Unfortunately, displaced pets and people don’t always end up in the same place. That’s where the new “Finding Rover” app comes in. They advertise as having a network of pet lovers to help you. Using facial technology similar to what is supposedly coming to the next iPhone, this app helps match pets with their owners. Simply load a front facing picture of your pet and you’re good to go! If you are separated from your pets, just alert the app that your pet is missing. The app will send notifications to local shelters as well as shelters around the country to see if your pet is vacationing in any of these locations. If so, the shelter will notify the app and the app will send you an update with where to go to pick up your furry friend. Note that Finding Rover isn’t just for Hurricane zones. You can load pictures of your animals into the database just in case your animals decide to take a vacation without telling you.
No one is being asked to leave animals behind
If you are looking for other ways to help pets affected by Harvey, check out the SPCA of Texas and Houston as well as the Animal Defense League for local and statewide rescue and shelter efforts. Likewise, the ASPCA is sending relief to Houston and Florida using their nationwide network and substantial assets. Learning from mistakes made during Hurricane Katrina, responders and city officials and are working hard to provide for all families and their pets.
As a shelter dog myself, I applaud these efforts to save animals in hurricane affected areas. Don’t forget, just because the hurricane are over, you can always reach out a helping hand to a pet in need. My brothers and sisters at Dog Ranch Rescue in Anna, Texas need loving families and good homes. Check out these puppies and tell me they aren’t adorable. Almost as good-looking as me!
-Sally
September 7, 2017
How much TV do you watch in a day? I usually watch Friends reruns with my humans at night. On the weekend, I like to sleep while Travis watches men yell and throw balls at each other. Personally, I’d rather chew on a soft bone than a ball, but to each their own. Recently, an Australian University published a study in a peer-reviewed journal about the effects of binge watching on how much you enjoy TV. Note, I am not talking about binge watching being bad for your health or your brain. In fact, the Weaver family thrives off of binge watching and our brains are only slightly melted.
This study dealt with diminished enjoyability in TV shows as the viewers watched more episodes. Participants in the study remembered more about the TV episodes if they gave their minds time to digest what they just watched. Other studies also show that watching television slowly add to your enjoyment of each show. Of course, all this goes out the window if the television or movie stinks. Try taking planned breaks after each episode to do some writing or light exercise. I like chasing my humans and getting treats in my breaks. Since the weather is getting cooler, I can even go on a walk! I went on a walk this weekend and made it most of the way home before I made my human carry me home. I think I’m evolving. Do your self a favor and slow down watching television for the next few weeks. See if you remember more about the shows or if you gain more from each episode. Worse comes to worse, you can always binge some Diners Drive Ins and Dives and dream about eating for a living like I do. Stay tuned tomorrow for a technology Tuesday article.
Side note: Frenchies tend to stay healthier and thinner if they get around half an hour of exercise each day. Try finding out how your Frenchie likes to exercise (play) and make a point to turn the TV off and spend some quality one on one time with your fur baby.
-Sally
September 6, 2017
How often do you stop and read a nutrition label before you eat something? I never do, but my humans like to talk about things like sugar, and fat content. My brother has a pretty high fat content if you ask me, but that’s a story for another day. If you follow the world of food additive research, then you probably already know that Michael Jacobson stepped down from his job as head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest of “CSPI” today. If you don’t follow the exciting world of food additive research, I don’t blame you, but you probably reap the benefits of the CSPI and its research every day.
Founded in 1971. the CSPI exists to combine scientific research and logic with ideas and projects targeted at broad social interest. In layman’s terms, they teach the average person about the science behind nutrition and try to make the science less boring in the process. Often seen as someone who takes the fun out of food, Jacobson’s primary goal is to help Americans understand what they should and shouldn’t eat. Seeing as more than one-third of Americans are obese, understanding our food and how it affects our body is more important that ever.
CSPI is the driving force behind the nutrition labels appearing on all food. Unfortunately, American eating habits really haven’t changed in the last four decades. In fact, our fruit and vegetable consumption as a country remained the same over the last twenty years despite various organizations spending millions in advertising targeted towards getting Americans to eat healthier.
Eating healthy is fun and makes you feel better than eating poorly. Healthy habits help you live longer and can keep you away from the doctor, allowing you to avoid the American healthcare system . . . who wouldn’t want that!
In honor of Mr. Jacobson and his work, I challenge you to read your nutrition labels this week before you snack. Pay attention to things like sugar content, fat content, and sodium content. Like golf, low is better in these cases.
Did you know that the FDA regulates what information must be included in dog food as well as people food? If you plan on feeding me, I prefer active older dog food with a little bit of water to help me digest. Then again, I’ll always cauliflower if you let me! Until next time.
-Sally
September 5, 2017
Greetings! For my first post, I’d like to introduce myself before I wow you. My name is Arnold. I am the younger and better looking brother of your author, Sally. I may look small, but it’s actually just your computer screen. When people ask me to describe myself, I start with a dire wolf (nerd reference) and go on from there. I’ll include an action shot for my diehard fans.
Without further ado, here is Arnold’s guide to grilling a steak. First, start with a lean cut with some solid marbling (the white part of the steak). Marbling helps you pick out high quality meat. Prime cuts have the highest amount of marbling. At Chronicles of Rationality, we aim for prime steaks. Once you have your meat selected, it’s time for the seasoning. My human, Travis, uses Himalayan salt and cracked peppercorn on his steaks. I prefer kosher salt with a little coffee rub. (here is a good link to a coffee rub from the Chef at SMOKE restaurant in Dallas. I’ve literally eaten a rib he cooked until I made myself sick, so trust me when I give it an A+ grade.) I like to season my steaks and let them sit overnight. I use 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat. The salt will work its way down into the meat, but this is a slow process, so give it time.
When the time comes to grill, let the grill heat up to a temperature over 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This will sear the meat and allow the meat to caramelize and form a good crust. After you sear the meat, turn the heat down and let the inside cook nice and slowly. Here is a handy chart for doneness:
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Rare
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130 to 135°F
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130 to 140°F
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Medium Rare
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140°F
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145°F
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Medium
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155°F
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160°F
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Well Done
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165°F
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170°F
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Once the meat is at the temperature your prefer, pull it off the grill and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Final step, give the largest portion to the dog. Voila! That is how you cook a steak, Arnold style. If you ever need a food critic or a taste tester, I am happy to eat any and all kinds of meat . . .even off the floor.
-Arnold
September 4, 2017
Happy Labor Day! For today’s special edition of Sally Says, I am looking at the Labor Day holiday. Beginning in the late 1800’s, the celebration of Labor came from various labor unions around the United States banning together and celebrating their labor. After some railroad workers went on strike, the U.S. government decided to create a national holiday celebrating workers. Being that trains are scary and that I don’t work, I propose the creation of Frenchie day to commemorate Frenchies from all over the world. I am also considering a strike of my own due the fact that my humans ate steak tonight and forgot to share with me (I’m on a diet, but this could be my cheat week . . .or month . . . or year).
Frenchie Fact of the day. Did you know the French Bull Dog Club of America exists? Well it does. I demand they strike for my right to steak. Stay tuned tomorrow for a guest article from my good friend and sometimes bed stealer, Arnold.
-Sally