Westminster Opened Door To Mixed Breeds
David Frei, Angel On A Leash

The Danish-Swedish farm dog is the AKC's 202nd breed and a wonderful addition to a family that is able to provide it with the exercise and mental stimulation that it needs.

However, no longer is a dog required to be a purebred to compete in some of the Westminster events. David Frei explains that while mixed breed dogs aren't eligible to compete for "Best In Show," they have staged agility events for mixed breed dogs to compete in. They call these mixed breed dogs "All American Breeds."

While the Westminster Dog Show has continued their long streak with the 148-year-old event, they started a streak with their Annual Agility Trial. This event brings in more dogs and has more people involved and shows people what fun things dogs can do.

As David explains it, Westminster is a celebration of the dogs in our lives. It's not just about being the world's greatest dog show, which it is, but about the entertainment you receive with 200 breeds and varieties.

When watching the Westminster show on February 8-11th, David encourages you to root for your favorite. For example, if you're sitting at home with your Brittany on the couch next to you, root for the Brittany. When it's all said and done, the real Best in Show dog is that dog that is sitting next to you on the couch anyway.

David Frei is the voice of the Westminster Kennel Club and is also the Founder and President of Westminster's therapy dog charity, Angel On A Leash. Angel On A Leash began as a charitable activity at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, and champions the use of therapy dogs in health care facilities, schools, rehabilitation, hospice, extended care, correctional facilities and crisis intervention. Through advocacy, education, research and service, Angel On A Leash, promotes the role of the human-animal bond in enhancing human health and quality of life.

Smoky was a 4 lb. Yorkie, found in New Guinea during Bill Wynne's WWII tour of duty. The little dog flew 150 reconnaissance missions and holds the title of the First Therapy Dog. Unfortunately, Bill has since passed away, but not before he was able to recount his stories about Smoky quite lucidly as if they were yesterday, on Animal Radio.

In 1944, Bill Wynne was a 21-year-old airman from Cleveland in MacArthur's 5th Air Force, when he purchased Smoky, a four lb., 7-inch tall Yorkie, for 2 Australian pounds ($6.44) so the owner could get back in a poker game.

Smoky was originally found when some guys were driving through the jungle and their jeep stalled. Bill's friend Ed was driving, and he jumped out and started checking under the hood for the problem when he heard a yapping on the side of the road. Ed looked over and saw a little gold head trying to jump out of an abandoned foxhole. Ed then reached over, picked it up and put it on the seat of the jeep. Ed didn't like dogs, but he drove it back to the motor pool and gave it to the sergeant. Ed then came to the tent he shared with Bill and told him about the dog. Bill asked him why Ed didn't give the dog to him, and he replied that he didn't want a dog in their tent.

Bill immediately went to the sergeant and offered him 2 Australian pounds for the dog. There wasn't a deal, as the sergeant wanted 3 pounds. The next day the sergeant tracked Bill down and asked him if he still wanted the dog, at his original offer of 2 pounds, as he wanted to get back in a poker game. That is how Bill acquired Smoky.

Smoky turned out to be a great diversion for Bill; because it took any worries he had about himself, and put them into caring about the dog.

During this period, Smoky lost her good conduct medal for a year when she had a surprise puppy. Bill was in the hospital and had someone take care of Smoky and they let her run loose. Bill didn't know she was pregnant and was working with her teaching her how to walk on the top of a drum (she knew over 200 tricks), when she all of a sudden rolled over on to her back. Bill didn't know what was going on, so he took her back to his tent, where she had one little black puppy.

After the war, Smoky was smuggled back to the US hidden in an oxygen mask carrying case. Bill said he had sweated over the thought of how to get her back to the states for two years. During the trip, he got caught and was fined $1,000, which was a lot of money back then. While Bill didn't have it, he knew he could borrow the money from his many buddies. When all was said and done, they got off the boat, where two lines of officers with the Star Spangled Banner playing saluted them. Bill came down the ramp, got into a GI truck and was safe on US land, after all that sweating.

Like many Yorkies, Smoky also loved to learn tricks and perform. She did so with the Special Services by entertaining soldiers in hospitals. For the next 10 years after the war, she made television and public appearances in Veterans hospitals until her death. Smoky is considered the first Therapy Dog on record.

Smoky died in 1957 and has a memorial on top of her grave in Lakewood, Ohio at Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation. The memorial is Smoky in a GI helmet made out of bronze. Smoky has a total of 6 memorials in the United States as well as one in Australia. There were several books written about Smoky, one being "Yorkie Doodle Dandy, A Memoir" by Bill Wynne.

Vegas Bats Positive for Rabies - What's the Risk? - Dr. Debbie

Think your pet doesn't need a rabies vaccine because it lives indoors? Think again. Bats have been known to fly through open windows or chimneys. Dogs and cats that go outdoors are at risk for rabies exposure through wildlife. Felines that hunt and bring "presents" have added rabies risk.

What is Rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease causing encephalitis (brain inflammation) that affects all mammals including humans. The disease is almost always fatal. Over 70,000 people worldwide die of rabies every year, but fortunately U.S. human deaths are fewer than 10 per year. Pet and farm animal rabies cases do occur in the U.S. though, usually after tangling with wildlife.

How is Rabies Passed?
Rabies is passed in saliva through the bite of a rabid animal. Less common exposures to rabies include aerosol transmission, mucous membrane contact, or rare cases of organ transplant in humans.

What Are Symptoms of Rabies?
Excessive drooling, aggression, staggering and seizures are symptoms of rabies in animals. Wild carnivores, like coyotes, that avoid people are suspect if lacking fear and approaching humans. Nocturnal species like bats that are found out during daylight are also suspect for rabies.

What Kind of Animals Carry Rabies?
Although pet and human rabies cases in the U.S. are rare, the infection still abounds in wildlife reservoirs. In the Las Vegas area, bats are most commonly carriers, but other wildlife carriers include raccoons, skunks and foxes.

What Do You Do If You See a Sick or Dying Bat?
Avoid contact with sick or dying bats. Do not take sick bats to the veterinarian. Call Animal Control if any human or pet exposure to sick bat.

Despite the rabies concern, bats do have an important role in our ecosystem by consuming insects and pollinating plants. Not every bat has rabies, and there are other reasons bats die.

What Do I Do If a Person or Pet is Scratched or Bitten By a Bat or Other Wildlife?
If your pet gets into a fight with a skunk or raccoon, or plays with a dying or dead bat, there is potential for rabies exposure and a report should be made. Call animal control to have the bat or other wildlife picked up.

Possible rabies exposure is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Because rabies is fatal, any humans with suspect rabies exposure should make a report to the local health department. Fortunately post exposure treatment for people is very effective in preventing disease, and doesn't involve painful stomach injections reported of long ago.

What Happens to Pets After Exposure to Suspected or Known Rabies?
Ultimately local rabies ordinances dictate how each case is handled. Pets with current or late rabies vaccinations may be quarantined for 10 days. A pet that never has had a rabies vaccine may be promptly euthanized and tested for rabies. In other cases of unvaccinated pets, extended quarantine periods up to 6 months may arise.

What Can I Do to Protect My Pets and Family From Rabies?
- Vaccinate animals for rabies - this includes dogs, cats, ferrets and select farm animals.
- Teach children never to handle bats.
- Do not keep wild animals as pets.
- Spay and neuter your pets to decrease the desire to roam.
- Maintain control of your pets when outdoors or hiking to avoid accidental exposure to wildlife.
- Bat-proof your home and garage to avoid nesting sites and close encounters with bats.
- Report human bites from pets or wildlife to public health and animal control authorities.

Vaccination is key to protecting pets from rabies and offers peace of mind to pet owners. Rabies vaccine is typically inexpensive.

Rabies vaccination…Just do it!

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend." Dr. Debbie's books.

Animal Radio News with Stacey Cohen

Track Your Dog's Fitness
Wearable fitness tracking has gone to the dogs, literally. Voyce is a health and activity tracker that fits around your pooch's collar. The gadget features a three-axis accelerometer to track data on your dog's movements and rest periods, plus sensors rely on radio frequencies to measure heart and respiratory rates. Then all of that data is sent to your tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth to gain insights into your pet's health, as well as track trends over time to share with your veterinarian.

Animals That Share Human Emotions
We all put human emotions on our pets. Let's face it. But some pets really do share our emotional threshold. Chimps - Chimps are extremely related to humans, genetically speaking, which is why it's likely not all that surprising that they mourn after losing a loved one. Their responses include refusing to eat, pouting and even crying. Dogs - In a different take on "losing a loved one," while we consider dogs to be a man's best friend, there seems to be no doubt that man is a dog's bestie. If a dog outlives his owner, that dog very often will show signs of deep loss, including long battles with lethargy, and, for all intents and purposes, depression. Elephants - Perhaps the most widely documented evidence of mourning, elephants have been known to shed tears and bury their dead. In more than a handful of occasions, mourning elephants have starved themselves so severely, that they died. Geese - Many animal species mate with several partners over a lifetime, while there are quite a number of animals that choose one mate for live. Geese are all about monogamy, which while romantic, also makes it hard on a goose that loses his or her partner. While the goose in mourning will take time to grieve, one of the most interesting results of the recent loss is that goose will usually find a new partner over time; one that has also lost his or her loved one. While all of this "evidence" is fine and good, scientists like to have hard-fastened data to hang their hats on. Which is why there have been brain studies (on both humans and animals) to see if there is any correlation among species. Our own mourning is done (or facilitated) through our frontal cortex, a section of the brain that other animals do possess. There is one theory that the mechanisms at work when we, or animals, grieve, are embedded in our brains from eons ago.

Bird Skull Found In Bag of Spinach
A woman said finding a bird skull in a bag of spinach was "going to haunt" her for life. The woman made the gruesome discovery as she was draining a bag of spinach in preparation for a New Year's Eve party. She described the head as having "an eye missing out of it." She relayed the incident to the store where it was purchased and they responded by sending a representative to visit her. The rep apparently gave her a gift card, gift basket and several packages of frozen fruits and vegetables. Nevertheless, the woman said she would "probably need therapy" because of the incident.

Airport Food Goes To The Worms
Worms can feast on the unfinished food from travelers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The airport obtained a composting permit allowing them to feed wasted food to more than a million red wiggler worms at the airport's recycling center. The project had been delayed for over a year because of broken equipment. The castings from the worms are harvested as fertilizer for the airport grounds. Airport officials hope the worms will help cut down on some 10,000 tons of waste produced at the airport every year.

Puppy Bites Deodorant Can, Causes Huge Explosion
An explosion that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a house in England was blamed on a puppy and a can of deodorant. The owners were notified about the explosion in their home via text. They arrived on the scene worried about their many pets, but fire fighters assured them that all the animals made it out just fine. However, they also explained that one of the couple's pets, a puppy, was actually behind the explosion. It turned out the puppy bit a hole in a can of spray deodorant and then rolled it near the gas fireplace. The can blew up a little while later when the boiler came on and caused more than $3,000 in damage. The puppy was not punished for his explosive bite since he was "just a pup."

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1311)