DOG OWNERSHIP

Perhaps a dog whos no longer a puppy comes to live with you because her previous owners could no longer take care of her - not out of a lack of caring but because of a change in circumstances. They moved to a place that doesnt allow pets, perhaps, or developed allergies, or accepted more demanding jobs that dont afford them the time to take care of a dog, or died.

Many women have said that during their pregnancies, their dog became more clingy, or more protective, or simply more attentive, as if they knew. Some women have claimed the dogs behavior changed even before a positive pregnancy test. Is that possible?

Youre 68 and have lost your canine pal and want to adopt a new one. But the average life expectancy in the U.S. is just under 79 - youve got 11 years left, if you go by averages. Yet the average life expectancy of a dog is 10 to 13 years. Your pet may outlast you.

Were you aware that dogs are not allowed in elevators in Glendale, California? Or that in North Carolina, if any person owning or having any bitch shall knowingly permit her to run at large during the erotic stage of copulation he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Or that it is unlawful to allow a dog to defecate on the grounds of the capitol buildings or governors mansion in West Virginia, even if you pick up the waste afterwards?

You get lost, you make your way back with a general sense of direction combined with I recognize that house…I remember passing this post office. And then, of course, theres the map app on your phone, which can guide you anywhere. Your dog gets lost, sometimes many miles from home, and she finds her way back, too. How?

Several decades ago, 48 Labrador retrievers were split into two groups at birth and then followed for their entire lives. One group was always fed 25 percent fewer calories than the other. By the end of the study, the group fed less lived for a year and a half to two years longer than the other, on average. The difference: they were ideal body condition as opposed to their moderately overweight counterparts.

While a brand new car has its attractions, many people have found that a car with some mileage on it runs just as well, has had the kinks worked out, and costs a lot less than a new vehicle. So it goes with dogs. A mature dog usually has plenty of life left. In addition, the behavioral kinks have likely been taken care of, and a mature dog often costs a lot less than a 2- to 3-month-old puppy. The advantages break down as follows.

Noise levels in shelters can easily exceed 100 decibels (think jack hammer or power lawn mower), and 6 months of exposure to that amount of noise results in hearing loss for dogs. Shelter dogs are also often confined to small spaces and dont get to interact much either with other dogs or with people, leaving them socially isolated. They sleep less in shelters, too, about 11 hours a day, according to one study, compared with 14 hours a day in a household environment.

Dogs barking at the mailman are fairly common, but some 6,000 attacks on letter carriers occur each year, according to the U.S. Postal Service, and some are quite serious. Among the cities with the greatest number of attacks: Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Minneapolis. But attacks occur all over the country, involving not just bites but also knocking letter carriers to the ground, sometimes necessitating emergency room visits.

People who lose a dog often experience what social workers have called disenfranchised grief, says veterinarian Karen Fine, a graduate of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts. By which she means that the grief one feels upon losing a pet often is not considered socially acceptable and is given short shrift by others. Youre still upset? people will ask cavalierly, Dr. Fine says. That was a couple of weeks ago. They dont realize that people often have a closer bond with their dog than they do with many of the other loved ones in their lives, caring for their pet every single day and developing a daily rhythm through walking with the animal, feeding her, and being greeted by her when coming home from work.

Americans are starting to get the hang of bringing reusable tote bags to the supermarket so we dont pollute our oceans and landfills with more and more plastic. But dog owners by and large continue to use rolls of plastic poop bags. Its understandable - they're so convenient.

Want to learn about the new frontiers in DNA tests for dogs? Or how dogs can increase support and motivation for increased physical activity - and increased health? Or even about non-dog animal matters, like how people and cheetahs can be expected to share the same landscape? And would you like to learn about all these things for free? Well, you can.