RESULTS to the extensive America's Animals and Pets Poll in this issue.

Have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July from all of us at Animal Radio®!!

Animal Radio® Show #709

Kenny Lee Lewis Guests
Guitarist for the Steve Miller Band, Kenny Lee Lewis kicks off their Summer tour with a stop at Animal Radio®. Kenny shares his Central California home with Sophie, a dog he fell in love with after he promised his daughter a pup if she got good grades. We'll also have tickets to check out the Steve Miller Band for select cities.

Preventing Cancer
Dr. Gerald Post is back with basic things you can do to reduce the odds against your pet. If Cancer is detected and treated early, many of our pets have a great chance at a healthy outcome. Dr. Post has the low-down on pesticides and your pet.

Handicapped Pig Gets Wheelchair
When a patient brought a deformed pig in to Dr. Len Lucero to be euthanized, the doctor couldn't do it. He ended up adopting Chris P. Bacon and creating a wheelchair out of a child's erector toys. Now the pig is styling with his new wheels and inspiring Facebook and Twitter followers worldwide.

Tick Seasons Explodes
There is no doubt that this tick season is more populated than ever. With typical spot-on chemical treatments losing their efficacy, we're turning to alternatives for fighting those little buggers. WAHL's Pat Kopischkie has great ideas when it comes to tick control.

Leash Aggression
Without even knowing it, we can be training our dog to be aggressive. The tool that we rely on to restrain our dog may actually be at the root of problems. Dr. Debbie has a cure for pulling and growling issues. "It's all about thinking like a dog."

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #708

Be Fearful if Fido is Flying in Cargo
Bay Area NBC Investigative Journalist Elyce Kirchner reports on why the airlines are getting away with murder, literally. There is an incredibly high number of pets that don't come out alive after flying in the cargo compartment. We'll have the list of the top airlines and the worst.

World's Ugliest Dog Contest Chronicled
They're sooo ugly they're cute. Vicki DeArmon has been the brainchid behind the wildly-popular Ugliest Dog Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Now she's taken the photos from these contests and printed them into a coffee-table book perfect for ooogling.

"Pet" Dreams
Puppy lovers have 'fessed up, they have "pet dreams" when they leave their four-legged friends behind on holidays. A new survey shows that eighty per cent of pet owners would cancel or change their travel plans if they could not trust someone to mind their pet. One in six pet owners would chat to their pet on Skype while away on holidays. And one in seven confessed to having "pet dreams'' about their animal companions.

Database Links Puppy Mills To Pet Stores
The ASPCA announced the launch of a new Internet tool that allows consumers to link pet stores that sell puppies with USDA licensed commercial dog breeders. Consumers are able to search the database by pet store name, USDA license number, name of the breeding facility, or by zip code and specific breeds. They are hoping that this new tool will allow consumers to make informed decisions and refrain from buying puppies at pet stores.

Doc Halligan Fills-In
TV Vet Dr. Karen Halligan fills in for the vacationing Dr. Debbie. She'll be answering your questions alongside Groomer Joey "Dogfather" Villani, Trainer Alan Kabel and Communicator Joy Turner.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #707

Jo Anne Worley Guests
Not only is she an outstanding comedian, Jo Anne Worley (Laugh-In) spends much of her time caring for the animals. She's the sitting President of Actors and Others for Animals. This is her seconds time visiting the Animal Radio® Dream Team.

A Real Life Pet Entertainer
Lee Day's business card says "Pet Entertainer." We had no idea what this really meant. So we decided to get her on the show to entertain your pets. Grab Fluffy and Fido and bring them around the radio for today's show. They may be quite entertained.

The Truth About Vaccinations
Dr. Debbie finally puts an end to the vaccination confusion. How often do your pets really need Distemper, FLV and Rabies shots and boosters. Diseases like Parvo can be fatal and avoided with a simple shot.

Is Your Dog Left or Right Pawed?
If your otherwise well-behaved dog barks at the postman, the reason could well be in its feet. Scientists have found that 'left-pawed' canines are more aggressive towards strangers than their 'right-pawed' counterparts. They tested dozens of pets with a special toy to find out which side they favored and then analyzed their behavior.

Chanel Designer Wants To Marry His Cat
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld says he'd marry his cat if it was legal. Lagerfeld recently announced he's "fallen in love" with his pampered feline named Choupette. In the past, he's been known to buy her an iPad and a silken pillow to sleep on. In an interview on CNN, he said he never thought he'd fall in love like this with a cat.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animal Radio® Show #706

NASCAR's Cory Joyce Returns
He may be only 20, but he's using his star power to create a better life for animals. Cory Joyce is working closely with the Humane Society of The United States as well as a local shelter in his North Carolina hometown.

Naming Your Pet
Vinnie Penn believes that naming your pet is the single most important thing you will do. He has tips for avoiding embarrassing naming mistakes. And please, don't name your Chihuahua "Thor."

77lb Dachshund Sheds 40+ Pounds
Obie, a Dachshund, has lost so much weight that he had to have skin removed so it wouldn't drag on the ground. His guardian, Nora Vanatta tells us the entire story, including the bitter custody battles with Obie's former owners.

Police Dog Wears Camera
A technology used by the military is now available to civilian police departments. The Massachusetts Plymouth County Sheriff is using a camera mounted on a dog wearing a bullet-proof vest. While the camera may be helpful - who is going to go through hours of video featuring butt-smelling?

Salmon & Beef Flavored Yogurt For Dogs!
Frozen yogurt makers in Germany are hoping their salmon and beef-flavored concoctions will be a hit. Twin brothers Roman and Raoul Krohn say they first got the idea when they were kids. Their grandma told them that feeding dogs regular ice cream could be deadly, so they eventually came up with a lactose-free formula that is perfect for pooches.

Basketball-Sized Hairball
Veterinarians are optimistic that a 17-year-old tiger will fully recover after having surgery to remove a gigantic hairball. The tiger named Ty hadn't eaten for two weeks and that's when owner Vernon Yates got concerned. Vets examined the 400-pound feline and realized it had a hairball the size of a basketball in its body. The hairball weighed four pounds.

Listen to this Animal Radio® episode

Animals and Pets Poll: American Prefer Dogs; Fear Snakes

Our latest national poll on animals and pets finds that six in ten voters (61%) say they own a pet. Almost half (46%) say they spend between 1-5 hours per week taking care of their pets, while 25% spend between 6-10 hours, 7% 11-20 hours, 6% more than 20 hours and 16% less than one hour. One in five say they prefer to spend time with their pets over most human beings. Rural Americans are more likely to prefer the company of animals to humans, with a 33% saying they would rather spend time with their pet than other humans, compared to just 12% of suburban and 19% of urban respondents. Similarly, 30% of respondents who identify as introverts prefer the companionship of a furry friend, compared to 14% of extroverts.

Almost a third (31%) say their pets sleep in the bed with them. About a quarter of pet owners (24%) say that "everyone should love their pet", while 69% do not think that. Women are slightly more likely to own a pet (64%) than men (58%). Women who own pets are also put more time into caring for them, with 16% of women spending more than 10 hours caring for their pets compared to just 9% for men.

When asked whether they prefer cats or dogs, dogs win big with 52% while just 21% choose cats. 44% of voters say they own dogs, and 21% of dog owners say their dogs bark and jump on people every time they enter the house (79% say their dogs don't do that.). 31% of voters own cats, and fully 77% of those cat owners say their cats are friendly to visitors compared to 23% who aren't friendly.

As a whole, Americans are more terrified of snakes than any other animal, with 21% of respondents claiming they were the scariest. Alligators were a close second at 19%, with sharks and bears following with 18% and 14% respectively. Though the shark is deemed scarier than the bear, the bear is the clear favorite to win in a fight between the two, with 56% of respondents picking the bear over the shark. Exposure to the ocean may influence the vote, as westerners were the only geographical group to pick the shark, by a 57/43 margin.

Other findings:

Dogs seem to engender more warm feelings than cats. 81% of voters say they either "like" or "love" dogs. Just 3% are afraid of dogs, 2% are allergic, 10% are indifferent, and 4% think "they should all live in the woods." Cats get more mixed reviews €“ a total 58% voters either "like" or "love" them, 11% are allergic to them, 5% are afraid of them, 19% are indifferent and 8% say "they should all live in the woods." The "crazy cat person" stereotype doesn't seem to be widely held, though, as just 23% of voters agree with the statement "Cat owners are weirder than dog owners." And just 11% of voters agree that cats make better pets than dogs because "they make you work for their affection and don't sell out like dogs do."

When picking what they'd most like to have as an exotic pet, 26% chose a tiger, 20% a giraffe, 18% a dinosaur, 16% an elephant, 14% a polar bear and 6% an alligator. Vegans and vegetarians are more unified on which animal they would like to own, with 49% saying a dinosaur was their preferred exotic pet, compared to just 16% of meat eaters.

- When asked which would make a better President based on their personalities, 37% of voters choose a dog, 19% a cat and 45% aren't sure.

- 10% of voters say they'd like a hippopotamus for Christmas, 90% said no thank you.

- It's a close contest as to who voters think would win a fight between a shark and a bear. 56% chose the bear, and 44% the shark.

- The Humane Society is viewed favorably by voters by a 70/14 margin, but PETA gets a plurality unfavorable rating of 36/39. Somewhat surprisingly, vegans and vegetarians have much lower support for these groups, with 22% supporting PETA and 45% supporting the Humane Society.

- Bambi wins out as "favorite movie animal" with 23%. 19% pick Lassie, 16% Garfield, 10% Nemo, 8% Free Willy, 7% Jaws and 17% say something else.

- 18% of voters say they think the Loch Ness Monster is real, while 64% say they don't believe it is and 18% aren't sure.

Ask the Animal Radio® Dream Team

Listen to Animal Radio® LIVE every Saturday at noon eastern and Sundays at 5pm eastern on XM ch. 244 (America's Talk) or on any of the 107 AM-FM radio stations. Call with your questions toll-free 1-866-405-8405 or email yourvoice@AnimalRadio.com

Frightened Yorkie?

Jennifer Hobbs: I have a 13 year old male Yorkie, he has never been scared of noise for example, loud rain, thunderstorms, squealing on radio... Recently he gets very scared, shaking, panting, and wants me to hold him. Do I need to be concerned for his health? Are their any underlying medical problems that could cause this so late in his life?

Love your show!

Doctor Debbie: Hi Jennifer- What you describe isn't uncommon as a behavioral disorder in senior pets and isn't typically due to a serious health problem-l just an old dog behavioral issue. Sometimes these fears have just progress from low level fears when the dog was younger. But in some dogs, they never have displayed anxious behaviors in the past.

Behavior training is the best way to address this problem. But don't pause to comfort him during his anxious displays- that affection is counterproductive and actually tells him..."Yes, good boy. Keep doing what you are doing when you hear loud noises!" Instead, a program of desensitizing and counterconditioning is the best way to address his noise phobias. This starts with exposing him to low level sounds of those noises that freak him out. You can audio tape this yourself, or find pre-made Noise Phobia DVD's online. The idea is to play the frightening sounds at a low level and reward him only when displaying calm behavior. Give him chew items, peanut butter stuffed in toys, or practice basic obedience commands like Sit, Down, or Give Paw while the sounds are playing. Keep him on a leash during this exercise so you maintain control. With time over days/weeks you increase the volume of the sounds and repeat the exercise. Only praise him for calm behavior, cut back on the volume if you start to notice he is becoming anxious.

A behaviorist consult can help you develop and practice this type of training. Other tools to help include pheromone collars that emit a calming dog scent hormone and anti-anxiety wraps like the Thundershirt. Drug therapy is my last resort and usually for dogs that fail to improve with training alone.

A vet check would still be a good idea, especially to enlist your veterinarians assistance with noise phobia. He/she could advise you if drug therapy is a reasonable step to aid in working through your Yorkie's fears.
Thanks for tuning in! Best wishes with your little Yorkie friend!

Digging Dog

Vicki: My 13 year old dog is digging in the carpets. She's been doing this off and on for about the past 2 years and basically has ruined the carpets. I can't figure out why. She gets exercise; about 1.5 miles each day in a walk. She gets attention. It's only me at home. She sleeps soundly during the day but I'm almost always home from work by 6:30pm and rarely go back out again. Initially, I thought it was nesting but it's too dramatic of late. I was home almost the entire Memorial weekend and she really dug a lot in the guest bedroom. I've also been observing myself -- what am I doing that is different. Ex: I give her the sign language for "lets go on a walk" and then am I taking too long to grab the leash. I've even wondered if she's not feeling well. After all, she is 13 years old. I've even entertained the notion of a pet psychic! So what's up with my dog, SaraJo?

Alan Kabel: Dogs dig. Stop trying to figure out why and start teaching your dog where it is OK to dig.
Stop talking to her and stop allowing her to dig in your carpet. "She gets attention." Knowing how and when to give attention. What attention is is critical.

Put her in a crate. Don't let her out until you can observe. When she starts to dig issue a firm correction without words. Use a leash or firm touch (poke in the neck) with your fingers to stop her and redirect her attention away from the behavior.

Then immediately take her outside and bring her to where she can dig. Tell her good dog when she does but do not tell her, "go ahead dig here." Wait until she does it on her own and it may take allot of time and patience. When she does. Good dog.

That's it. No fireworks or parade. No manic excitement. Just a calm good dog.

Do it over and over and do not leave her unsupervised until she learns not to do this. Correct her every time as soon as she makes her move to dig. It takes time and firm, calm, consistent leadership.

She is not human. She is a dog. You have to educate yourself on how dogs behave and communicate. Then you communicate with them like you are a dog, the lead dog. My feeling from reading your note is that you are unintentionally reinforcing her digging by giving her attention when she does it.

Attention is not just good dog and petting. Attention to a dog is when you talk while they are doing something and get excited or anxious yourself. "Fido, stop that, stop that." Most people just keep talking or yell despite the fact the dog is paying no attention.

It does the opposite, winds the dog up more and gets her more into the behavior you don't want. It doesn't work and people think the dog is being stubborn. They don't understand you. They think you're joining in.

They do not understand words, only actions and the more you react to it the more she will do it.

You have to learn how to communicate to her what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is not. You can't do that like a human does it to another human. You can't speak Chinese to an American and expect the person to know what you want from them. English is our language. Dogs do not speak it. They may learn a few words, sure but full sentences? No.

They react to how you move and carry yourself, how you touch them. They react to leadership in the body and mind. They react to confidence. Be a leader and your dog will follow happily.

Good Luck.

AKC - UKC - CKC - WTF

Dan: What's the difference between AKC and UKC. I have a beautiful Alapaha, a Blue Blood Bulldog and wanting to know more about when the breed will be recognized by the AKC.

Dr. Debbie: I can't honestly give you an answer on that- the AKC would have to give you more specifics.

But what I can tell you is that the process by which a new dog breed becomes recognized by the AKC is a long one.

There are several criteria which must be met....there must be 3 generations of documented pedigree lineage, there must be dogs within 20 or more states within the U.S. and there must be a National Breed Club. The Breed Club individuals have to be willing to promote the breed, participate in shows and provide documentation to the AKC.

Part of this process involves petitioning the AKC for recognition as a Miscellaneous breed. Breed enthusiasts have to participate within this Miscellaneous breed group before the breed can become a recognized entity.

You can find more information out about this process by visiting the AKC website

Hope that info helps some!

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