DOG OWNERSHIP

Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - Should the crate door be left open or shut?

Most recently, estate planning involving dogs has appeared to be restricted to the realm of the rich and famous, and a sometimes wacky realm it seems. But tabloid-worthy stories are giving way to more mainstream scenarios. It appears that a small but significant proportion of Americans have drawn up wills that name their dogs as beneficiaries. Here are important things to consider when making provisions for your dog.

Increased awareness for providing for your pet after your death brings options from large pet welfare organizations.

Emergency room physician Dr. Jessica Normile has seen it all when it comes to people falling over their pets - literally. Youd be surprised how many dog-related injuries there are, says the doctor, who treats patients at the Detroit Medical Center Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce, Michigan. We had an ice storm recently, and a lady went out there to shovel a path for her dog and slipped and ended up with a brain bleed.

I cant tell you how many people come in with shock collars and prong collars and dont feel good about themselves, says Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, who helps owners and their dogs with comportment issues at the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic. They know theyre creating fear, she says, not respect and love. It hurts at both ends of the leash. You get a dog for a strong bond, but shocking or digging prongs of metal into your pet is not compatible with creating a strong bond. Choke and prong collars can actually do tissue damage, she adds.

White boxers and certain other completely white dogs suffer increased rates of deafness. The two go hand in hand. It has to do with the lack of migration of pigment cells during a particular time in fetal development. People with a condition called Waardenburg syndrome have the same problem. Scientists find the genes responsible for diseases like Waardenburg syndrome by looking for genetic differences between healthy and sick individuals. Its much easier to locate the errant genes in dogs than in people because dogs from a single breed, like Boxers, are so much more closely related genetically than a group of people.

Who determines the top eight dog-friendly places to take your pet when the family needs some R&R? You do, along with thousands of other followers of GoPetFriendly.com, a terrific website for people who want to travel with their dogs and are looking for the skinny on hotels, dog-friendly restaurants, parks, beaches, and other recreational areas as they make their plans.

The eight top dog-friendly travel destinations of the year, according to the users of GoPetFriendly.com.

When my son, John, was eight, he started lobbying for a shiba inu. Why he had set his sights on that off-the-beaten-path breed my wife and I couldnt understand. No matter. We already had a dog, Franklin the border collie, which by anyones account was like having two dogs.

Some dogs love the water, and few things look as adorable as a happy pet doing the doggie paddle in the backyard pool while the kids careen down the slide. But, contrary to popular belief, not all dogs are competent swimmers.

Dr. Dodman isnt the only one who has noticed the dog/owner resemblance thing. Sociologist Gini Graham Scott, PhD, even wrote a book about it, called, aptly enough, Do You Look Like Your Dog? She originally got the idea for it when she was at a dog show and observed dogs and their owners sitting next to each other.

Back in February we told you about Gracie, the Bassett hound who moved in with Florida residents Beth and Mike Phillips after a very rough six years in a breeding mill, where she was at turns neglected and abused. As you may recall, Gracie bonded with Beth Phillips immediately but was scared to death of her husband, a gentle giant of six feet four inches who tried everything - ignoring Gracie so she wouldnt…