Rapping pets

Too cute.

Should dogs have access to street festivals?

The recent shooting of a dog at a District of Columbia neighborhood street fair has people rethinking whether pooches are welcome guests at outdoor events.


Read the story by Washington Post staff writer Steve Hendrix.

When a police officer shot a dog he judged to be a threat at a street fair in Adams Morgan last week, the incident reopened a long-standing divide between dog owners who see no problem in taking their pets just about anywhere in public and those who plead, "Leave the pooch at home."

At the H Street Festival in the District last weekend, Mauro Farinelli serenely walked his dog into a crowd—and a controversy. Farinelli and his pit bull mix, Doug, strolled through a multitude of legs, food carts and dozens of other dogs. Doug never so much as growled, Farinelli said.

"Just a lot of sniffing—that's the basset in him," Farinelli, 39, said. He is quick to make clear that Doug is an obedience school graduate that has never been any trouble on their frequent outings to festivals, parks and shopping zones. "He's really good in crowds. He's really good with kids. Unless they actually forbid dogs, I don't see any reason not to take him wherever I'm going." 

The article points out, correctly, that many of the festival venues have elements that could put people and the dogs at risk: low hanging edibles and strollers with toddlers come to mind.

And let's face it, sometimes people Just. Don't. Pay. Attention. That's when the dog—and then its owner—can get into trouble.

I think it would be a shame if there were an outright ban on dogs at public events, but I also think it should be taken on a case by case basis. Wide open spaces? OK for dogs. Tight, overly crowded? Maybe not so much.

What do you think?

White Knuckles video with dogs

OK Go's video featuring lots of talented pooches.

Thanks, Pete Sagal, for giving me a heads up.

Go to full screen mode to get rid of the annoying chatter on the right side. Can't figure out why this is happening. Oh bother.

Acme, you have no worries

Wile E. Coyote has nothing on the critter spooking dogs in Palo Alto, Calif.

Here's an article by Jesse Dungan of the Palo Alto Daily News via the San Jose Mercury News.

In response to a series of encounters between an aggressive coyote and dogs, Palo Alto is temporarily prohibiting dogs from visiting some trails on the western side of Pearson-Arastradero Preserve.

"The coyote would approach people with dogs, bark and howl," said Lester Hodgins, open space division supervising ranger. In one case, a coyote "nipped at" a dog, he said, adding that there have been no full-blown attacks.

There apparently have been no attacks by coyotes of hikers sans pooches.

People who know say the coyote encounters are likely to involve the same coyote. How they know, who knows.

Hodgins said it has been four or five years since reports of aggressive coyotes prompted the city to close trails to dogs. The open space division is waiting to hear from a state Department of Fish and Game biologist before reopening the trails.

Careful, people, careful.

More dogs should be in public service

Hewitt makes the rounds every day in the government offices of Snohomish County which is where Everett, Wash.,  is located.

He's not a government employee, but people call him the sixth member of the County Council.

In reality, there are five elected council members. Hewitt is a terrier mix about the size of a small poodle. He's been a fixture at the office for about a year and a half, after being handed through a car window one day as County Councilman Dave Somers sat in traffic.

Read the entire story by Noah Haglund from the Everett Daily Herald here. There is a picture of Hewitt—cute.

While in traffic about two years ago, a car pulled up next to Somers with two men in it. One of them asked if Somers wanted to buy a dog.


He declined but later when they pulled up next to him again and asked if he would take the dog. Concerned about the dog's safety, Somers agreed.

The councilman had Hewitt a few months before bringing him by the office. He hadn't done this with other dogs, but this one liked people so much. In turn, people at work took a shine to the friendly critter—and to the story behind his name.

"He lightens the mood," said Eric Parks, Somers' legislative aide.

Can't we all get along?

Well, at least the dogs and cats.

The American Kennel Club and Cat Fancier's Association have some tips to helping your kitties and puppies to co-exist harmoniously.

Read the article from McClatchy News Service on the San Jose Mercury News web site here.

The tips include:

• Look for dogs with catlike dispositions, such as those used to hunt small game and vermine.
• If introduced as puppies, most dog breeds can live with cats.
• Bulldogs are easygoing and get along with other pets.
• Hounds with strong hunting instincts tend to react when small animals quickly move.

Stunning and touching photos of dogs

From my friend Tim Massie comes a link to some remarkable photos of dogs taken with an iPhone.

See all 15 of them here.