Dog Film Festivals, Stowaway Chihuahuas, Canine ADHD, and More!
Ready for Your Close Up?
NY Dog Film Festival Heads to Bay Area
The 6th Annual New York Dog Film Festival is hitting the road, with a portion of each ticket going to benefit 25 senior dog rescue groups.
Bay Area residents can catch the fur-themed fest in Berkeley on November 10 at 7 p.m. For tickets and a complete list of times, dates, and cities, visit dogfilmfestival.com/destinations-2.
Can’t make this year’s festival? No problem. You can still check out dog films from previous years streaming here for free: dogfilmfestival.com/streaming
Source: dogfilmfestival.com
Busted!
Stowaway Chihuahua’s Vacation Plan Foiled
A Texas couple headed for a Las Vegas vacation was surprised when one of their checked bags was flagged at six pounds over the weight limit. But they were even more surprised when they opened the bag to discover the source of the excess poundage: Icky, their pet Chihuahua, who had tucked himself away in a packed boot!
Amazingly, the couple still made their flight, thanks to a friend willing to retrieve the would-be stowaway and some dog-friendly Southwest Airlines customer service reps who facilitated his safe transfer.
Icky himself has been mum on his adventure. Guess what doesn’t happen in Vegas stays there, too.
Source: usatoday.com
Hyper Pup at Your House?
Study Finds Similarities With Human ADHD
Have you ever joked that your dog must have ADHD after witnessing a particularly crazed tear around the house? In fact, canine hyperactivity is real, as a recent University of Helsinki study involving 11,000 dogs confirmed.
The study found that hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention were more common in young male dogs, corresponding to similar age and gender findings in humans with ADHD. Dogs who spent more time alone at home were also more apt to display ADHD traits than dogs who spent less time on their own.
Not surprisingly, researchers found significant differences between breeds, with hyperactivity more common in dogs bred for work and calmer dispositions more prevalent in breeds popular as pet or show dogs. However, they found the ability to concentrate was greater among working breeds than among pet or show breeds. The study also confirmed that hyperactive traits in dogs are often linked to aggression, fearfulness, or obsessive-compulsive behavior such as tail chasing, continuous licking, or excessive staring.
The findings suggest that dogs and humans use the same brain regions and neurological pathways to regulate hyperactive traits, making canines a model species for continued studies of ADHD. Just another example of dogs helping humans work smarter.
Source: sciencedaily.com
Ministry of Mutts:
International Diplomacy, Doggie Style
If you’ve ever been in a Zoom meeting only to have your dog start barking in the background, you’re in good company. Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis was in the middle of a joint news conference with his Slovakian counterpart this fall when his dog Peanut decided to chime in with a few choice woofs.
Peanut, a former stray, has met several visiting dignitaries since assuming his first dog duties last spring. “Usually, he just greets guests at the door and is more polite,” Mitsotakis said, as the Slovakian leader laughed.
Personally, we think the world could use more canine diplomacy. Would it really be any worse with the dogs in charge?
Source: apnews.com
Pups for Progress:
New Law Opens Door to Canine Community Blood Banks
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill to let local veterinarians run community blood banks where residents can take their dogs to donate blood for other pups in need. The bill also phases out “closed colony banks” where donor dogs are confined while their blood is drawn repeatedly, a practice long opposed by animal rights activists.
While canine community blood banks are common in other states, they were not previously allowed in California. The new law paves the way for a more humane blood banking system for pups and the humans who love them.
Source: usnews.com