March 4th 2006

Dick Van Patten
Natural Balance Eatables For Dogs
Hal is usually the taste tester here at Animal Radio, but the Eatables for Dogs "Chinese Take-Out With Sauce" looked irresistible, Judy actually made her first taste test. And the results? She loved it!

The Eatables for Dogs is a holistic dog food (they also make holistic cat food) with no fillers, no wheat, no soy and no by-products.

Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Eatables is the first canned dog food made not in a pet food plant, but in a USDA plant, that makes food for humans. But while it looks like a home-cooked meal ­ save it for your dogs.

If it is good enough for Dick Van Patten to eat (and us here at animal Radio) then it's good enough for your dog!

Talk With Your Animals
Joy Turner
A rescued dog named Norton prefers to be called the family dog instead of the "rescued" dog. Norton states there is no need to discuss his prior life, and that he is happy now. His guardian is a dog walker/cat sitter, and takes Norton to work with him. Norton is glad he is important enough to go to work with his guardian.

2006 Year of the Dog!
Rae Ann Kumelos, Voice of the Animal
In the Chinese calendar, 2006 is the year of the Dog. Discover why it can easily be said that the dog has been celebrated every year for the past one thousand centuries.

Bob Barker Pleads for Elephants' Release
Bob Barker has been pleading with the city officials to close the Los Angeles Zoo's pachyderm exhibit and allow its three elephants to retire to a sanctuary. He wants the three elephants, Gita, Ruby and Billy released, as they are living in misery. Also, Gita and Ruby are ill, leaving only Billy on display. A fourth elephant, Tara, died in 2004. A zoo is not a natural habitat for an elephant who walks up to 50 miles a day, and the constant standing on cement is the leading cause of zoo elephants because of severe foot problems. Several zoos nationwide, including San Francisco's, have closed their elephant exhibits.

Brokeback Penguins
Britt Savage
A German Zoo has introduced female penguins in an effort to seduce a group of male Humboldt penguins that have all gone gay. The 22 males at Bremerhaven Zoo, who had few females to choose from, this year formed pair bonds with each other, adopting pebbles as if they were eggs. So females were imported from a Swedish Zoo. But, all but four of the males went right on as gay couples. "The Swedes are rather standoffish," complained a disappointed zoo official.

Dog Is Included in Sale of House
Perhaps Rocky has a nose for real estate. The dog is credited with sealing a home sale in Missouri. Jared and Whittnie Essner met Rocky while house-hunting in Scott City, Mo., and knew they'd found their home - and their new dog. It turns out the seller couldn't keep Rocky, so as part of the deal, the little fella went with the house.
The realtor says she's never seen a contract like it: "Rocky was in black and white under personal property to stay."
The former owner has visitation rights whenever he wants to see the pooch. And Jared Essner says he thinks the seller "had a better feeling" about the transaction after seeing the couple with the dog.

Cat Hero
Don't try telling Bernice McDowall that black cats are supposed to be bad luck. McDowall's black cat Joey is her little feline hero. McDowall says she was taking a nap one day when Joey started throwing a fit. McDowall awoke to find smoke in her bedroom, coming from the basement. She and Joey got out of the house safely. Firefighters in McKenzie, North Dakota, say the cause of the fire was likely electrical. The 87-year-old McDowall says she'll be rewarding Joey with his favorite cat food and plenty of cuddling.

Searching For More Veterinarians
Dr. Jim Humphries, Veterinary News Network
Across the country, veterinary clinics are searching for more doctors. In the area of food, animal and public health veterinarians, they are especially in demand. Nationwide, veterinarians held 61,000 jobs last year. The Department of Labor projects the number of veterinary positions will increase 9% to 17% by 2014. Because the nation's 28 vet school graduates are a limited number each year, opportunities for veterinarians are considered to be very good. Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado has introduced the Veterinary Work Force Expansion Act which would provide 1.5 billion dollars over the next ten years to expand the size of veterinary schools and increase the number of veterinarians trained in public health and bio-medical research. Concerns about the Avian flu, foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease show why such an investment is crucial.

Grab An Apron ­ It's Chow Time!
Arden Moore, Real Food For Dogs
Dogs seem to be lousy spellers until you spell the word t-r-e-a-t. Before you can finish the final "t" most are making a hairpin turn around the kitchen chair and heading full throttle to you holding that tasty, homemade delight. Admit it, shouting the word, "Treat" also fills you with happiness as you watch your canine chum practically drool in anticipation.

So, don your apron, warm up the oven, and bring out the mixing bowls. It's time for you to step into the role of doggie chef and your dog to become your treat taster! Here are three of my favorite recipes to share with you from my book, Real Food for Dogs:

Recipe 1: Marvelous Mutt Meatballs (FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG)

Have some fun and hone your dog's fetching skills by popping a few of these meatballs into its mouth at dinner time.

{1/2} pound ground beef
{1/3} cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 carrot, finely chopped
{1/2} cup bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon tomato paste

1. Preheat oven to 350{deg} F.
2. Combine all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Scoop out by the spoonful and roll into mini-sized meatballs.
4. Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonfat cooking spray.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool and store in the refrigerator in a container with a lid.

Is your favorite canine drooling for more delicious treats? You can order my book, Real Food for Dogs, through my e-commerce partner, Blubandoo at www.blubandoo.com. Or, visit my Web site: www.ardenmoore.com and send me an email. I'll be happy to autograph all book orders!

Recipe 2: Canine Casserole (FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG)

In my search for dog testers to try out this recipe, I found five very willing candidates at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center in Seal Beach, California. Rudy, a Labrador-Akita mix couldn't wait a second longer and actually leaped on top of the serving table before I could put the food bowl down on the ground. Laura, a German Shepherd mix with a touch of arthritis, and Roscoe, a Labrador-Pit Bull mix, demonstrated the best manners by slowly but methodically licking their bowls clean. Chinook, a Husky with one brown and one blue eye, won the speed contest, inhaling a full bowl within 33 seconds while Reeka, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, proved to be the most picky - she strategically nosed out all the carrots and gulped down the rest of the casserole.

I wish to thank these five delightful dogs and all the volunteers at the Seal Beach shelter for the opportunity to "test market" this casserole:

2 cups brown rice
{1/2} pound ground chuck hamburger
{1/2} cup carrots, finely chopped
{1/2} cup broccoli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1. Cook the brown rice in a steamer.
2. Cook the hamburger in a pan on the stove over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Add the garlic clove.
3. Steam the carrots and broccoli
4. Add all the ingredients together in a container.
5. Allow to cool before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe 3: Leap for Liver (FORDOGS ONLY)

Foxi, a plump Pomeranian prefers to perch on the couch most of the day. But she perks up and starts yipping and prancing when her owner, Karen Cichocki, of Dyer, Indiana, brings out the liver from the refrigerator and the food processor. That tandem means only one thing: liver treats are soon on their way!

"Foxi loves these liver treats as much as my husband, Rick loves my chocolate chip cookies," notes Cichocki. "I make enough in a batch to freeze some and hand them out as treats for Foxi."

1 pound of sliced beef liver (save the juice)
1 small box of corn muffin mix
{1/4} cup water

1. In a food processor, blend the liver one slice at a time on high until liquefied. Add a little water as you add each slice.
2. In a large glass bowl, pour in the corn muffin mix. Then add the liver liquid and mix thoroughly.
3. Spray an 8{1/2}-by-11-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
4. Pour the liver mix into the pan.
5. Bake in the oven at 350{deg}F for 20 to 25 minutes until the middle springs back to your touch.
6. Cool and cut into small cubes. Store cubes in freezer bags in the freezer.

Dog Poo-Power
Officials in San Francisco are stepping into something new -- recycling doggie doo to generate power. Norcal Waste, a garbage hauling company, will collect droppings from a popular dog park. The dog doo will be used to produce methane gas, which can power electric generators. The technology is already used on chicken, hog and dairy farms. San Francisco has plenty raw material for poo power. Residents of The City own an estimated 240-thousand dogs and cats. City officials say Rover, Tabby and their pals produce about 65-hundred tons of doo a year.

Handling Cats
Annie Bruce, Good Cats Wear Black
Cats have a good memory and will remember the last time they were held. So, first and last impressions are important. Don't ever touch a stray cat or hold a cat against its will ­ it will win! Some cats don't ever like to be picked up, and will run if they feel threatened. The way to approach these cats is to pet them with one hand, so they don't see your second hand and feel you are going to grab them. When holding a cat, don't walk by anything that will scare him, such as a vacuum cleaner that is on, a hairdryer that is on, etc. When holding a cat, you can usually tell when he is getting antsy and wants to be put down. If you put him down before he gets agitated, he is more likely to allow you to hold him again.

Is Your Cat Visual, Auditory, or Tactile?
Kay Cox, The Pet Counselor
You can tell if your cat is visual (meaning he watches you before he greets you); auditory (meaning he comes up to you and start talking); or tactile (meaning he comes right over to you and starts rubbing your legs) by how he reacts to you. Listen in as Kay explains a cat's personality traits.

When Dad is Pregnant
What makes a good father? Perhaps one who is sympathetic to his mate's needs, her wants, and her pregnancy complaints. In her research into primate fathering traits, Dr. Toni Ziegler, senior scientist at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, has shown that male marmoset and tamarin monkeys go further than that -- they gain weight when their partners are pregnant. They show increased levels of the hormone, Prolactin, too. And the weight gain could be caused by the release of hormones, triggered by the female's pregnancy. The researchers suggest that the monkey dads may be packing on the pounds in preparation to help care for their infants. Male marmoset and tarmarin monkeys help care for their young, carrying them around for weeks after their birth.

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