A Museum That’s Going to The Dogs?

Is the American Kennel Club’s Museum of the Dog a museum that’s actually “going to the dogs”?

By: Ringo Bones

The American Kennel Club officially opened its Museum of the Dog back in February 8, 2019. Located in Midtown Manhattan, the newly designed space will house art from famous dog artists such as Sir Edwin Landseer, Maud Earl, Arthur Wardle and many more. It also has a two story glass vitrine that encases rare porcelains and bronzes, in addition to a library where users can learn about their favorite breeds. The museum’s first exhibition will be entitled “For The Love Of All Things Dog” and contains select works from the AKC’s own collection and that of the museum.

There is also a “Meet the Breeds®” touchscreen table that allows visitors to explore breeds features, traits, history and representations in the collection although this only involves the 193 officially recognized breeds by the American Kennel Club. There are also several other digital experiences that bring audiences into the history of the Museum and its mission. The Museum also has an app where users can interact with the exhibits with “Arty” a virtual dog / tour guide throughout the museum. This creates a new user experience for kids and kids at heart.

The American Kennel Club’s Museum of the Dog was founded in 1982 and was originally housed in The New York Life Building located at 51 Madison Avenue as part of the AKC Headquarters. In 1987, the Museum was moved to West St. Louis County, MO. The AKC was instrumental in founding the Museum and believes in its mission to protect and to share the amazing works of art donated by participants in the dog sport over the last 35 years. The new Museum is now housed at the Kalikow Building at 101 Park Avenue.

Low Carbon Footprint Dog Food: Wave of the Future?

Given that the human race’s meat consumption forms a significant chunk of humanity’s carbon footprint would a low-carbon footprint dog food made from flies offer a viable solution?

By: Ringo Bones

As far back as 2007, scientists have calculated that if Americans reduced their meat consumption by just 10-percent, the resulting net reduction in carbon footprint was estimated to be as much as taking 20-million cars off America’s roads. Given the result, would eating food that results in a lesser carbon footprint to produce – i.e. eating insects – be better for the environment?

Believe it or not, a startup company in the UK has started selling dog food made from insects back in January 10, 2019 in what is expected to be another step towards reducing humanity’s carbon footprint. Yora – named after an Amazon tribe – is based in Brighton on the southern coast of England. The startup company has started sales of a dry kibble, as in ground meal shaped into pellets that most of us are familiar with – for pet food created from the larvae of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) combined with UK-grown oats, potatoes and herbs. The flies’ larvae are reared by a protein nutrient company Protix in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. The kibble is available at £14.99 per pack. The company says it hopes to launch a “wet” version of their dog food later in the year.

Even though they’ve been around for almost forever, as of late, insect-based food, for both humans and animals, has been catching on in the UK. In November 2018, Salisbury’s – the second largest chain of supermarkets in the country – became the first major UK grocer to sell barbecued crickets as snacks. Environmental experts have for long recommended insects as an alternative and sustainable food source that could help end global hunger and reduce the damaging effects of meat production. And according to The Holy Bible’s Book of Leviticus, locusts are Kosher so religious restrictions of consuming insects are not quite taboo. Insects also contain proteins, fats, minerals and amino acids. Forty percent of the protein content by weight in Yora’s kibble, for instance, comes from black soldier fly larvae. At least 1,000 insect species are eaten globally, most of them in developing nations.

The manufacturers of Yora’s kibble hope that their product is a small step in reducing the global carbon footprint. Our pets currently consume around 20-percent of the meat and fish worldwide and pet food is estimated to be responsible for a quarter of the environmental impacts of meat production. Given that most dogs and cats I’ve owned so far have eaten almost anything – i.e. from geckoes and praying mantises frequenting our designated pet walkways in our local parks – Yora’s fly larvae kibble would probably tastes as natural to the dogs and cats currently in my care.

Can Dogs Make You Live Longer?

Several studies suggest that dog owners, on average, live longer than those who don’t own one. Is it high time to get your own dog?

By Ringo Bones 

Now, more than ever, there is even more of a reason to get a dog: it might help you live longer. A Swedish study published in the Journal of Scientific Reports in November 2017 found that dog ownership is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, amongst other benefits. In the United States, a study between dog owners and the veterinarians who treat their pooches have also shown that people who own dogs benefit from increased physical activity given that dogs need their daily walk around the block as well as support and companionship. The stress-reducing effect of petting a dog and related pets – also play a factor for a healthier overall cardiovascular health among dog owners. For people living alone, dogs can decrease your risk of sudden death by 33-percent and your risk of cardiovascular-related death by 36-percent compared to people living alone that don’t have a pet. 

The benefits don’t only extend to those who live alone, although they have the greatest incentive to adopt a furry family member. Multi-person homes see an 11-percent decrease in their chances of death with a dog at home and a 15-percent lower chance of death due to cardiovascular disease. Researchers found a benefit in owning dogs of all breeds - however, the owners of hunting breeds such as retrievers, terriers and scent hounds saw the most reduced chances from dying of cardiovascular related diseases. While researchers say there’s still more to investigate, benefits are thought to also come in part from increased immunity thanks to dogs bringing dirt into the home from outdoors. Chances are, it seems that longevity and dog ownership might go hand-in-hand?

Music For Dogs, Anyone?

Given that Music for Cats was a runaway success, will Laurie Anderson’s Music For Dogs be the next big thing in the species appropriate music scene? 

By: Ringo Bones 

 

She is not just the “mere” widow of the late, great Lou Reed; Laurie Anderson is also renowned for her inventive use of technology – from her 1981 hit O Superman to her appointment as NASA’s first artist-in-residence. Laurie Anderson is indeed one of America’s most daring creative pioneers her eclectic multidisciplinary career has spanned the worlds of art, theatre and experimental music and has seen her create works as a writer, director, visual artist and vocalist. But will her Music for Dogs for this year’s Brighton Festival be the next big thing when it comes to the still unoccupied scene of species appropriate music? 

“Wouldn’t it be great if you’re playing a concert and you look out and everyone’s a dog,” Laurie Anderson mused while waiting backstage with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. True to form, Anderson made her outlandish dream come true: first at the Sydney Opera House and again in New York’s Times Square earlier this year, making headlines around the world. The 20-minute long piece has been specifically designed for the canine ear, including frequencies audible only to dogs, as well as other sounds for humans to enjoy. It looks like David Teie’s Music For cats is not the only happening thing in the species appropriate music scene. 

Speaking of how dogs react to music, Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization - or CSIRO - published research results back in 2012 on the result of a study conducted in cooperation with various veterinarians across Australia on the subject of how dogs react to music. Upbeat music / up-tempo music tend to make dogs more restless and animated while quieter slow tempo music – especially those with violins and cellos by Bach and Mozart – tend to make dogs more relaxed and rested and Laurie Anderson’s 20 minute piece falls into this category. One of the unexpected results of the CSIRO research, dogs have shown a preference to campfire music with guitar and harmonica because they not only howl along with the music but also smile if they get tired with singing along with the piece.   

Music for Cats, Anyone?

Given the healthy Kickstarter support and satisfied early customers, will “Music for Cats” soon be topping the Billboard Singles and Download Charts? 

By: Ringo Bones 

Yes, folks, it is actually a thing and basing on the Kickstarter support during the past few years and satisfied early customer testimonials, it seems like the New York Times actually got it right when it called Cat Music as the number one idea of the year 2009. Music for Cats was born out of cellist David Teie’s scientific theory on the fundamental nature of music appreciation by mammals. He contended that every species has an intuitive biological response to sounds present in their early development. Felines establish their sense of music through the sounds heard after they’re born – i.e. birds chirping or their mother’s purr. With this premise, Teie composed Music for Cats, incorporating feline-centric sounds and their natural vocalizations with respect to a cat’s frequency range of hearing. An independent study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and published in Applied Animal Behavior verified that Music for Cats resonates conclusively with its target audience – namely cats – and writing that “cats showed a significant preference for and interest in species-appropriate music.” 

Cellist David Teie was born into a musical family, spanning three generations of professional musicians and a long line of musicians, composers and professional instrumentalists. Since 2014, Teie has been the conductor and music director of Washington D.C.’s premier chamber orchestra – the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra – and currently serves on the faculty at University of Maryland’s School of Music. His career has spanned performing as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra under Russian maestro Mstislav Rostropovich, acting principal cellist of the San Francisco Symphony where he performed as cellist on Metallica’s 1999 album S&M. His research has been published in the Royal Society Biology Letters and in Evolution of Emotional Communication. 

According to Teie, cats were our first choice because they’re widely kept as pets, allowing us to easily share music with them. While the most mellifluous of Debussy’s compositions seem to be largely ignored by cats – i.e. most human-centric music seems to be ignored by cats and raising the volume only drives them away. Testimonials by those who already manage to purchase the CD or download the music and tested Teie’s Music for Cats on their own cats say that it has a relaxing and calming effect on their cats, making them less hyperactive and more able to adapt in the indoor domestic environment. Will there soon be hi-fi audio gear specifically designed to please cats? 

Intrigue at the Birmingham Dog Show?

Though a full toxicology report is still pending, is the Birmingham Dog Show now a center of intrigue of this recent Irish setter poisoning case?

By: Ringo Bones

The prize-winning Irish setter known as Thendara Satisfaction – or Jagger for short – died after leaving the Birmingham Dog Show. His owners and a preliminary toxicology report points to the cause of death as the ingestion of poisoned beef. Given the terrible crime, will the Birmingham Dog Show, the Kennel Club and Crufts now be under uncomfortable scrutiny by both dog lovers and the press alike?

Co-owner Jeremy Bott said he did not think that the dog was targeted, but the culprit may have been acting on “a grudge against dogs or the Crufts show”. The Kennel Club said it is currently the only dog poisoning case that’s being investigated. “The Cruffts Committee and all championship show dog committees will have to look at security”.

Jagger came second in his class at the show at Birmingham’s NEC on Thursday, March 5, 2015. He died after returning to Belgium with Ms. Lauwers. Jagger ,to his family was priceless and he serves not only as a family pet but as pet therapy in the local elderly care homes. Jaggerwould sit there and give the residents some delight in him just by being around. The Kennel Club said it was awaiting toxicology report from Belgian police. It said it had not received any other reports of sickness in dogs at Crufts. 

Dog Blood Therapy, Anyone?

Given that some skilled veterinary clinics already offer blood transfusions for dogs in case of a major trauma or surgery, can donated dog blood also improve the health of another ailing dog of the same blood type?

By: Ringo Bones

A t present, donated dog blood is primarily used in transfusions of dogs undergoing emergency major surgery in cases of extreme trauma that involve cars. Though transfusions can be a lifesaving procedure for your beloved pet, can a dog blood transfusion from a compatible but much healthier donor improve the health of your ailing pooch?

Dog blood is currently considered as the primary lifesaving medicine during emergency pet surgery, but some dog owners have noticed a marked improvement of their dogs overall vitality after receiving blood form a compatible but younger and healthier donor in a transfusion done during a major medical operation. Given that no synthetic dog blood or substitute had been developed yet, dog blood is – for a few years now – considered the most valuable medicine on the veterinarians operating table.