Actor Josh Duhamel

Besides a flourishing acting career, Josh Duhamel spends a lot of time speaking for the animals.

Josh didn't have any cats or dogs growing up. He was more into catching turtles and frogs as a kid and always had a fascination in nature, even getting a degree in biology.

John bought his first dog during his second year of filming the television show Las Vegas, named Zoe. Josh admitted that he bought his first dog not knowing anything about rescuing. A co-worker on the show Las Vegas scolded him and said, "What are you doing you schmuck, you rescue, you've got to rescue, do you know how many dogs are out there that need a home?" Josh didn't realize that. So when he was searching for a second dog, he knew the only way to go was to rescue. This is when Josh first became introduced to animal rescue. The more he learned, the more passionate about rescue he became.

Meatloaf, his second dog, was so cute and who turned out to be such an incredible little friend. When Josh adopted Meatloaf, his name was Dillon. While he said Dillon fit him, he was talking to his then wife (Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas) and said that he looked like a meatloaf. He was a fat little thing and brown in color. Fergie said, "Oh My God, that's his name!" Plus, Josh loves Meatloaf the singer. So the name stuck. When Meatloaf passed away, Josh posted it on social media, mentioning that Meatloaf was an adopted dog.

After Josh and Fergie had a baby boy named Axl. At first, , Zoe didn't want anything to do with the baby, because she saw him as running interference on her time. But now, she see's him as a potential playmate and ball thrower. She has even taken on a protective role over Axl and they now have become great friends.

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No Pet - No Apartment!
Judy Guth, North Hollywood Landlord

Octogenarian and Landlord Judy Guth only allows tenants with pets in her apartment complex. Is this discrimination? Judy doesn't care! And if one of her tenants loses their pet, she'll even take them out to dinner and then to a shelter to find another roommate.

Judy doesn't care if you have great references, pay your rent on time, or are as quiet as a mouse. Without a dog or cat, you're not getting one of her cherished apartments.

Judy has a 12-unit apartment building in North Hollywood; she has been renting to only pet owners for over 50 years. Judy personally checks out all pets first. They must be friendly and well behaved. She accepts all sizes of dogs. Her limit of animals per household is set by the city.

The Federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, familial status, and disability, but pets are given a pass.

If someone wants to rent one of her apartments but doesn't have a pet, Judy tells them, "I'm sorry, it's no vacancy for you!" Judy is tired of seeing other rentals listed stating they won't accept pets, or only small pets or maybe a cat. She says these people are the ones who are discriminating.

Judy has all apartments specially prepared for a new tenant. The place is cleaned and new carpet is put down. The tenant then has to purchase the carpet for an extra $100 a month until it is paid off, usually within the year. When the tenant moves out, they can take the carpet with them if they'd like. If they leave the carpet, Judy cuts it up and takes it to the animal shelter. There are no pet deposits that have to be paid.

But what happens when an animal passes away? Does the person have to leave? Not if they get another animal. In fact, Judy gives them time to mourn, about six months. After that, she takes them out to lunch or dinner and then they all go together to choose their next pet.

As you can imagine, Judy's renters stay for quite some time. She currently has tenants that have been there 24 years, 20 years and 18 years.

Judy is a member of the Apartments Association, where she teaches other landlords how to prepare apartments for pet owners and how to rent and check out pets.

Judy grew up as a single child and always had pet in her life. She currently has a small dog.

Faking It
Colleen Demling, Pawtopia

A new trend is the unfortunate and fraudulent use of "Service Dog" credentials for owners wanting to bring their dogs into restaurants, airlines and hotels. Pawtopia's Colleen Demling explains the problem and why the disabled suffers.

You want to take your dog with you everywhere you go, so you go online and buy fake service vest. You can now enter restaurants, stores and even airports. Is this legal? No! Most people don't know that this is a misdemeanor and in some states it is a federal offense with possible jail time.

You have probably seen these fake service dogs. They might not have basic obedience training and are running all over the place. These dogs give true service dogs a bad name. So when people see a true service dog, they are being denied access, because of the experiences store owners, etc., have had with fake service dogs.

In order for a dog to be a service dog, they have to have a skill that's been trained. This causes much confusion. People may state that they are nervous when out in public, and when they pet their dog, it makes them calm. However, under the American Disabilities Act, that doesn't count. The dog has to have a special skill that's been trained, that directly relates to the person's disability.

So does this training have to be done by a professional and the animal certified? No. Because the American Disabilities Act doesn't want to disfranchise someone who doesn't have the monetary resources or the access to get to a trainer, which would mean they couldn't have a service dog. This would allow them to train the animal themselves.

There's been discussion about proposing legislation to make one centralized certification agency. The current difficulty with this is again back to those people who don't have the money or access to these facilities.

So how do you help the people who do have legitimate disabilities with service dogs? How do you test the skills of these service dogs? For example, if a dog is trained to alert for a seizure, you don't want someone to have to have a seizure, to demonstrate that the dog has been trained for this skill.

These days it is so easy to lure people online and make it look legitimate to get everything you need to make your dog look like a service dog, from vests to id tags.

There has to be a solution!

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Pheromones In Puppy Training - Dr. Debbie

So you just got a new puppy and you have all your training tools at the ready, the collar, leash and dog crate. But beyond that, do you have the one thing that can make your training tasks easier all around? Tap into your puppy's own sense of smell using canine pheromones, and ease your new pup's training and transition into the home.

Pheromones are scent signals emitted by all animal species, including humans. Various pheromones work under the radar to influence the perceptions and behaviors of others within a species.

Shortly after whelping, a pheromone is emitted from the bitch's sebaceous (oil) glands located between the mammary glands. The pheromone, dubbed the canine appeasing pheromone, reassures the puppies, calms them and facilitates nursing. The bitch stops emitting this pheromone as the pups mature, but all dogs retain the ability to "read" this pheromone. Not only do older dogs recognize this pheromone, but it continues to have a natural calming effect on canines of all ages.

In veterinary behavior cases, the dog appeasing pheromone is used for dogs with noise phobias, car travel anxiety, separation anxiety, and other fearful situations. Various forms are available including pheromone collars, plug in diffusers and sprays. The canine appeasing pheromone doesn't sedate the dog; rather it decreases fear and excitability.

The dog appeasing pheromone is also helpful for newly adopted puppies. Those first few days to weeks in a new home are full of changes for the pup faced with novel environments far from the comfort of mother and siblings. The dog appeasing pheromone has been shown to ease the transition of the pup into new home and improve sociability and training during a pup's critical socialization period.

Pheromone Research
For skeptics that need to see the proof in the studies, veterinary behavior studies have examined the positive influence of the dog appeasing pheromone. When comparing treatment responses for dogs with separation anxiety, the use of the dog appeasing pheromone equaled the benefit of the anti-anxiety medication, amitriptyline.

One study looked at 66 puppies as they settled into new homes after adoption. Approximately half of the puppies wore a pheromone collar and half wore a placebo. The study found that puppies wearing a pheromone collar displayed significantly fewer nuisance behaviors like vocalizations or scratching within 3 days of adoption. Pups wearing the pheromone collar woke their owner's less during the night and displayed fewer signs of distress and vocalizations throughout the course of the study.

The researchers concluded that pheromone collars helped both the pup and family. Pups were less stressed and adapted easier. By decreasing the pup's stress and fearful behaviors, the pet owners found a more enjoyable bonding experience with the new pup and faced less frustration through the training process.

In another study, puppies 8 to 15 weeks were enrolled in an eight-week long puppy socialization and training class. Half wore a pheromone collar and the other half wore a placebo collar. The pups wearing the collar were calmer in the face of novel experiences and displayed less fear, anxiety, and aggression. In the end, the pups with pheromone collar not only were less nervous, but had fewer behavioral problems and learned better. And a long-term effect on sociability was recognized in dogs up to one year after the class and study was completed.

Pheromones and My Pup
As the new owner of a nine-week old Bouvier puppy named Nikki, I used both the pheromone collar and diffuser upon welcoming my new pup home. One day before bringing Nikki home, I placed a pheromone diffuser close to the puppy crate, where it would have maximum benefit during her first nights in the kennel away from mother and siblings. Immediately upon leaving the breeder's home, Nikki was fitted with a pheromone collar to serve as a source of reassuring pheromones that went everywhere she did. The pheromone collar has become a tool in Nikki's socialization. It's on her when she meets new people or animals, when she explores new environments, and during puppy kindergarten class.

Did pheromones help in my pup's transition and training? The four hour drive home from the breeders was a dream, no crying or whining the entire trip. Now three weeks later from acquiring my pup, and Nikki never soiled in her kennel during the day or night. I'll admit I had my share of interrupted sleep in the first two weeks, but most of Nikki's night time wakes were for genuine elimination needs. Overall her transition into the home was smooth and lacked the wailing, inconsolable cries of a stressed pup.

The canine appeasing pheromone isn't a magic bullet though. Nothing matches a quality pup obtained from a reputable breeder who focuses on health, genetics, and early socialization. Likewise pheromones do not replace the hard work and consistent training efforts that any new pet owner must provide. However, by adding the the canine appeasing pheromone to your new puppy training, you can help your pup become the best he or she possibly can.

For more information on the DAP products, visit CEVA.

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.

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Animal Radio News with Tammy Trujillo

Not Every Service Dog Is Really Doing A Service
Guide dog advocates in California say there is a growing problem with people dressing up their pets as fake 'service dogs' so they can take them places where the animals would otherwise not be allowed. A Senate committee recently heard testimony from organizations for the disabled and business groups who are asking lawmakers to deal with the problem. It's actually pretty easy to go online and purchase service dog harnesses, badges and vests and there is even one on-line company that is allowing anyone to register their dog as a service animal and get an ID card for the pet.

There's Help Out There For People Dealing With Staggering Vet Bills
We all know that vet bills can be enormous and sometimes cash strapped pet owners have to turn to euthanasia to end an animal's suffering when they don't see any other choice. A quick check of the Internet might offer a solution. Numerous charitable organizations are out there to keep this from happening, paying for at least a portion of the medical care for people on limited incomes. Some focus on specific medical conditions, others work in certain geographical areas, while others offer assistance to certain breeds. Certainly worth a look, if you and your pet need some help.

The Next Time Your Cat Gets A Vaccination; The Vet Might Go For Its Tail
Don't be surprised if the next time your cat gets an injection, it's in the tail. We're all used to the vet giving our kitties shots in the shoulder area, but recently concerns have come up over treating rare, but potentially deadly injection site sarcomas. Some vets then shifted the site to the hind legs, since an amputation, if necessary, would be easier and more successful. Dr. Julie Levy at the University of Florida is now suggesting that a cat's tail might be an even better choice, since dealing with a tumor in the tail would be a much simpler surgery. She did a study and it showed that cats tolerated the injection well.

Penguin Sweater Knitters Wanted
A call went out worldwide for knitters to make little pullovers for penguins in rehab. The Penguin Foundation says the little jumpers keep the rescued penguins warm and stops them from trying to clean the toxic oil off with their beaks before they can be properly cleaned. The Foundation is based at Phillip Island Nature Park in Victoria, near Melbourne, Australia. It also distributes the jumpers to other wildlife rescue centers.

If A Dog Is Aggressive - Blame The Owner - Not The Breed
Some dog breeds have the reputation of being aggressive, but researchers in the UK took a closer look recently at the situations under which dogs aggress. They checked with over 4,000 dog owners with a variety of breeds and logged reports of negative responses toward family members, around strangers in the home and outside the house. About 3-percent reported aggression toward family members, about 7-percent reported aggression toward strangers coming into the house and about 5-perent reported aggression toward strangers off the property. It also found that dogs from breeders were less aggressive than those obtained from pet shops and rescue groups. But to really sum it up, the lead researcher in the study put a post in her blog. She said, "Dog aggression has little to do with the breed, so test the owner!"

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#1092)