Hold onto that pumpkin!

It’s officially autumn, and that means everything seems to come in a pumpkin flavor.  It’s so much that it’s hard to not just toss them all.  But cooked pumpkin is actually extremely beneficial to dogs!  It’s a fantastic source of fiber; it can help dogs with both constipation and diarrhea.  It’s also a great diet food; a little less kibble and a few spoonfuls of pumpkin every day can go a long way!  Plus, it’s an excellent source of great vitamins like beta-carotene and vitamin A!

Looking Back in Time; Pre-Columbian Dog Breeds!

It’s Columbus Day!  That means we’re all thinking about times that were long before our own in this country.  And much as Christopher wasn’t the first person present in the Americas, there were many different dog breeds that were already established here, some of which you may have never heard of and one or two you most certainly have!  Let’s take a look back into time!

The Canadian Eskimo Dog has a long and storied past; it was used by Inuits as a sled dog in the vast Canadian Artic for over 4,000 years!  With technological transportation advances, they have become rather rare, but enthusiasts are working to keep the breed alive.  With their stunning full coat and regal stance, you’ll never forget one if you’re lucky enough to meet one!

Though the Carolina Dog (also known as the American Dingo) was only somewhat recently discovered living wild in the Carolinas, it closely resembles dogs found in Native American cave paintings.  Further, it’s DNA was discovered to link it directly to wolves of Asia, suggesting it came to America with humans crossing the Bering Strait thousands of years ago!

The Native Indian Dog is a breed that has been carefully and selectively preserved.  It is the closest approximation we have to today to the dogs that were loyal companions of many Native American tribes, ranging from jobs like hunting, herding, guarding, and even daycare!

Meet the Xoloitzcuintli.  Known affectionately as the “Xolo” or the “Mexican Hairless Dog”, it dates back over 3,000 years!  Though they were sometimes bred for meat, they were also considered to be a royal dog and a gift from the gods.  Columbus himself found them quite fascinating and is said to have brought several back to Spain.  We certainly would never feast on them now, but they do still enjoy quite the royal treatment!

Who can say forget this face?  The noble little Chihuahua has a slightly muddled backstory, but it’s safe to say that they’ve been the favored lapdog of many Mexican families for a long time!  Some recent discoveries show depictions of both the “apple head” and “deer-head” Chihuahua types on pottery dating back to 100 AD!

There are many other breeds of dog we see today that aren’t indigenous to the Americas but still are what we refer to as “Old World breeds”, such as the Basenji, the Afghan Hound, the Chow-Chow, the Shar-Pei, the Akita, and the Siberian Husky.  Many of these types of dogs can be a big strong-headed, which doesn’t always make for the ideal first pet.  But they can also be some of the most hard-working and loyal breeds you’ll ever come across.  It just takes a good eye and a little exploration!

Newbies!

We love getting new daycare dogs; it’s so much fun to meet them and their parents, and we really enjoy getting to know our new canine students.  Plus, it means plenty of cute dog selfies!  Please join us in welcoming some of our newest dogs; Lucy the Golden Retriever puppy, Max the Labrador Retriever/Springer Spaniel, and Gigi the teeny hound mix!