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Board game for dogs and their owners strives to improve tail-waggers' training with some fun
By Connie Bloom
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Dec 08, 2007
From the dog-friendliest city in the U.S. and just in time for Christmas comes a board game for tail-waggers.
It's no tug-of-war, but it may help you hone your dog-training skills. The game is called Funagle, a game owners and their dogs play together.
The maker, Darf Inc., is in Portland, Ore., which Dog Fancy Magazine in 2006 called the best city in the U.S. for multi-species packs.
The company coined the word ''funagle,'' meaning to use your cunning — your voice, treats and gestures — to get a dog to do the moonwalk or the funky chicken.
Dogs with superior skills will have the edge when friends match wits to see who is best at getting them to impersonate Scooby Doo.
Players have one minute to ''funagle'' their dog into performing activities called out on removable tags that make up the game board. If your dog complies, you take the tag. The player with the most tags wins the game.
The game is available for $35.50 online at http://www.darfinc.com/products.html.
Locally, you will find it in the boutique at Montrose Pet Resort, 3712 Commerce Drive (330-670-8500).
Rare dog doubletake
Dan Flowers of Stow was experiencing deja vu reading my Nov. 17 column about the so-called new breeds recently recognized by the American Kennel Club.
''It just so happens that my wife, Shirley, and I are the proud owners of a 1-year Swedish Vallhund named Kirby,'' he said. ''As you may know, these dogs are a rare breed and almost became extinct in the 1940s.''
The couple found Kirby after sniffing around the Net for possibilities. They brought home their high-energy herding dog from a breeder in Baltimore.
Kirby comes from champion stock. His father, Fromar Echo, was crowned the first AKC Champion for the breed. Kirby's sister Fromar Hollberry was a best of breed champion.
Kirby is show quality and fits the AKC standard except that he has ''too much white for the breed,'' Flowers said. ''Otherwise, he fits the standard to every detail. He is a great dog with all people, especially young children.''
A Vallhund placed in the top five of the herding group in the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving, which means that ''These dogs are going to become very popular,'' said Flowers.
Holiday safety
A misguided pet owner featured in Divine Canine on Animal Planet fed her dogs hot chocolate before their bedtime.
Don't do it. All chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to pets, especially dogs. Should your dogs eat chocolate, get them to a vet or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) immediately. Log onto the http://www.aspca.org for a list of other toxic ingredients and plants.
Meanwhile, keep tinsel, electric cords, candles and the like away from pets, staying mindful always of decorations that could be hazardous.
Keep your pets on schedule during the holidays. Give them a safe, happy place to wait out any noisy parties.
Don't give pets as Christmas presents. Animals aren't one-size-fits-all. Breeds, temperaments, energy levels come into play. A happy union is built on legwork and careful consideration that shouldn't be rushed.
Slap on the hand
Regular readers may have noticed the eye-popping full-page advertisement placed by the Humane Farming Association of San Rafael, Calif., on Nov. 29. It detailed the case of a Creston hog farmer that was prosecuted and found guilty of animal cruelty in a Wayne County court, then handed probation.
The ad ran with a photograph of sick and injured piglets on the farm hanging by the neck.
The association is asking for public outcry. For more information, visit http://www.hfa.org/about/index.html.
Vacations with paws
In addition to pet spas, doggie day care centers and a ballooning number of animal-welcoming venues, the Travel Industry Association of America says that nearly 30 million Americans from all cuts of the cloth are packing their creatures along with their luggage.
In fact, 14 percent of all U.S. adults have traveled with a pet on a trip of 50 miles or more in the past three years, according to a recent poll.
That said, here are some travel-related Internet-based resources:
The Travel Network of Kendall tailors its destination packages to canine enthusiasts. For more information, visit the company Web site at http://www.amazingvacations.net or call 800-228-6422.
PetRelocation.com specializes in the transportation of live animals to lighten the load for families that are moving or traveling with their pets. The company arranges for safe passage of animals door-to-door to or from any location in the world. The phone number is 877-PET-MOVE (877-738-6683). See http://petrelocation.com.
Your dog might consider it an insult, but on the other hand, the Doggie Bag will keep the fur, dander and mud off the interior of your car. You simply zip the dog in the reinforced nylon sack that can double as snow or rain gear. Nylon generates heat, so the bag is intended for short-term use in a cool car, the manufacturer says.
The bag can be used as an alternative to E-collars to prevent licking/scratching of hot spots or sutures after surgery. It has handles, so you can gently lift/assist dogs with hip ailments. The Web site is http://www.thedoggiebag.com.
Hydration is an issue with pets in any weather and now pets have designer waters too. Vita Paw bottled vitamin water is sold by the case and comes in two sizes and usually ships the same day from http://www.vitapaw.com. The company also sells ''aqua clips'' that will suspend the bottle from a backpack or belt for easy handling during hikes, birthday parties or shopping trips.
A similar product, Doggoneit Water, appeared on the landscape last summer but drifted into obscurity after a short ride on the Internet. Time will tell.
Connie Bloom can be reached at 330-996-3568 or cbloom@ thebeaconjournal.com.
From the dog-friendliest city in the U.S. and just in time for Christmas comes a board game for tail-waggers.
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