|
Top Dog Sock StuffersRosie’s Picks for 2003By Danielle M. ClarneauxLast year I said “enough is enough” when I saw that Rosie’s new heathered-sage microfleece couch took up almost as much floor space as my queen-size bed. To put it mildly, my German shepherd hearing service dog has accumulated just about all the coveted items in dogdom – or so I thought. Then a couple of weeks ago my mailbox started spewing holiday catalogues, and not just from pet-a-rama places, either. Everyone from Orvis to Sharper Image aimed their lenses at designer donut beds, nifty high tech sports bottles and purse-size carriers for the tiny breeds. Dog raincoats, dog socks, doggie diners, doggie deodorizers, Dog in a Shell, Dogchovies, Doggles, Dogopoly… Well, okay, so maybe Rosie doesn’t have everything, although she did have a bit of an early Christmas trying out some special products that piqued our interest. Here’s her favorite holiday lineup for the MID (Most Important Dog) in your life. A Treasure from the Swiss Alps
For hundreds of years in the Appenzeller region of Switzerland, herdsmen would move their cattle up to the mountain pastures in the spring. This traditional cattle drive was a festive occasion, calling for special dress for the herdsmen, the cattle and the dogs. The men were decked out in their best “tracht,” the cows were adorned with colorful alpine cowbells, and even the working dogs wore their nicest collars as they all paraded through the village and into the lush mountains. The event would repeat itself in reverse when the cows were brought back down to the valley meadows in the fall. Today, the traditional dog collars that were handmade some 250 years ago are still being made by the 7th generation descendent of the original Swiss craftsmen. They are one of the oldest known dog collars still in “production” by craftsmen who have been making them in their families for hundreds of years. Like the original collars, only fine leather is used, and each piece is adorned with alpine figures that are hand-carved, cut and tooled from brass or alpine silver pieces. Rosie’s collar is a befitting red leather to complement her name and is decorated with beautifully detailed silver cows and alpine flowers. It’s amazing to think that a Swiss craftsman, sitting in his workshop high in the Alps, patiently hand-etched and cut out each ornament. Check out their photo gallery for spectacular scenes of the Swiss Alps, the region of Appenzell and of course the collars, cowbells and craftsmen. The collars have been long-prized in Europe, but they became available in the U.S. only recently through the San Jose, CA company Alpen Schatz, both on their website and in boutiques throughout the country. Which is not to say that the collars and other Alpine items have been unknown in the states. Jackie Kennedy took a personal interest in the collars and cowbells made by the current craftsman’s father. He was invited to the White House on numerous occasions and presented Jackie with a large, personally inscribed ceremonial cowbell. Michelle Pfieffer and other celebs have also purchased the collars, leashes and other artisan accessories for their pups. Although we don’t exactly run in the same social circles as the rich and famous, Rosie garners her share of questions, comments and compliments when she’s out and about in her Alpen Schatz collar. Best of all, she feels like she’s a VIP. Safe Travel for Bowser
Ever since my first car, a VW Bug back in the ‘60s, I’ve buckled up. At that time, most cars didn’t even come with lap belts, so I had one installed. But I’ve been stymied when it comes to protecting Rosie. I considered crating her, but then she couldn’t alert me when she hears sirens approaching (and I don’t). This she does by nudging my shoulder with her nose, so I also figured standard dog seat belt systems would be too constraining. Her only protection has been my defensive driving, and although I’ve never had so much as a speeding ticket, I know too well that “things happen.” Those things can be pretty gruesome, too: tests show that in a 30 mph collision a 60-pound dog will hit whatever is in its way with a force of 1,200 pounds. Then, along came Roadie. This canine vehicle restraint system was developed by Carl Goldberg of Colorado after his dog Max had a head-on with the windshield. Although Max emerged unscathed thanks to pop-out glass, Carl decided not to take any more chances. Working with Max’s veterinarian and a design engineer, he spent five years developing the Roadie, a patented figure-eight harness that connects to the existing seatbelt system or can anchor to cargo hooks or other sturdy couplings. This feature really grabbed my attention. Rosie is so big she doesn’t fit comfortably on a seat (never mind what the seat would look like after a while), so I completely took the backseats out of my PT Cruiser, threw in a cargo liner and a rug, and she was set. Now she’s safe, too, with the addition of the Roadie hooked by a locking carabineer to the metal piece that held the backseat in place. The system can also be adjusted for the amount of movement you want to allow – sitting, standing, lying down, sticking nose out the window. This is perfect for Rosie, as she can still easily alert me to sirens. Since Rosie is used to wearing a backpack when working, she accepted the harness without complaint; I was the one who fumbled around the first few times trying to get it on properly. And although it took her a few rides to get used to being restrained, the Roadie is now part of our routine, and we don’t give it a second thought – except to feel secure knowing it’s there. The restraint system is also impressively strong. The material used exceeds the current standards for human seatbelts of 5,000 pounds tensile strength, and it far outperformed other dog restraint systems in an independent study by Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. The standard Roadie proved so popular that Goldberg added five more models, including the Roadie LX with sheepskin padding (great for the lucky dog who gets lots of rides), the Roadie Assist harness for service dogs, and the Roadie Hiker for outdoor use. Goldberg also offers accessories for the harnesses such as day packs and collapsible bowls, plus a small line of dog products including first aid kits, car seat protectors and fun toys and even a carry-along toy box. Translating the canine language
Thus, when I learned that the Japanese company Takara had developed a program that translated dog barks into human feelings, I was more than a little curious and a lot skeptical. The theory behind the Bow-Lingual is that there are fundamental patterns to dog barks. After studying over 5,000 bark “voiceprints,” Takara researchers determined that there are six bark emotions: happy, sad, frustrated, on-guard, assertive and needy. Basically, the Bow-Lingual analyzes your dog’s bark and then selects one of 200 preprogrammed phrases that represents what your dog is trying to say. I volunteered Rosie to try it out. The transmitting microphone snapped easily on to her collar, though I did need to stop and search for a mini screwdriver to undo the micro-screws on the battery compartments. Like the transmitter, the palm-sized receiver is housed in sturdy, colorful red or blue plastic. The program set-up is not complicated and works something like a VCR or digital camera with up-down-left-right scrolling. I set the usual date/time and then information about Rosie, including selecting her breed from 80 choices. If your friend is not on the “A” list, Takara has created six generic breeds based on size and type of snout. In less than an hour I was ready to put Rosie in her off-work mode and send her into her backyard territory. Out she went, and…nothing. Rosie doesn’t bark a lot, and we had to wait until the neighbor’s little Jack Russell terrier, Lucy, came bursting into her yard, fully energized. That sent Rosie into a frenzy of deep, guttural barks, which to many human ears sounds like she’s poised to attack and devour. However, Bow-Lingual confirmed what I already knew…Rosie was deliriously happy. The receiver flashed a happy puppy face with each bark and displayed phrases such as “I’m on top of the world!” and “Let’s play!” Later that evening, Rosie reacted to something in the distance with a throaty bark, whereupon the Bow-Lingual showed a gruff dog face and the on-guard phrase of “Go ahead, make my day!” The Bow-Lingual was particularly revealing at the dog park, showing some surprising group dynamics. Rosie doesn’t often bark at the park, either, except upon first entering with an expected “Let’s play!” greeting. However, the microphone also picked up the barks of dogs close to her, and there were plenty of those. In a half hour of play, 32 barks were recorded, with six of them translated as needy, eight on-guard, two happy, six sad and 10 frustrated. Comments included “Careful who you mess with” (on-guard), “I’ve never been so embarrassed” (sad, coming from a retriever who missed catching his Frisbee!), “You just don’t get it” (frustrated), “I need a friend” (needy), and “I love you” (happy). Of course, the dog owners were all in the happy mode as they watched to see what their pups were saying to each other. If you don’t have time to wait around for your dog to bark, set the Bow-Lingual to the Home Alone mode and it will record and interpret your dog’s utterances for up to 10 hours. That can be pretty revealing, especially if your dog is usually alone all day. The program also provides an MBF (Man’s Best Friend) score, calculated by the emotionally negative and positive points assigned to your dog’s barks. The score constantly changes, and dog owners are encouraged to try to raise the MBF score by improving their relationship with their dog. The Bow-Lingual also includes a Body Language Translation Mode, which is an interactive reference guide that helps you understand the message your dog is sending through body language. There’s also a medical reference guide and training tips. I did enjoy using the Bow-Lingual: it’s fun, it’s entertaining and can be educational. As for accuracy, okay, sometimes it seems right on, sometimes not. My skepticism jumped up half a notch, though, when it picked up the distinctive thunk of my PT Cruiser’s door closing and translated: “Careful who you mess with!” Danielle Clarneaux: danclar1@msn.com Rosie photos by Charlotte Kennedy Schaussi’s Alpen Schatz: http://www.alpenschatz.com Bow-Lingual Dog Translator: http://www.LFcatalog.com Roadie: htttp://www.ruffrider.com |
|
TM
As
a working dog, Rosie has always worn a blaze-orange nylon collar. Orange is
the traditional color for hearing dogs, while nylon is washable – essential
if you live in a soggy climate like Seattle’s. However, after a recent
vacation, I decided she could really use some dress-up clothes for traveling
and fancy occasions. Her wardrobe now includes a uniquely beautiful collar
that celebrates her shepherding heritage, her “Rosie” moniker and her
penchant for the finer things in life. The collar also has an impressive
history. 
Wherever
I go, Rosie goes. When I get in the car, Rosie gets in the car. When I put
on my seat belt, Rosie puts on…nothing.
Living
with a service dog creates a unique lifestyle where human and canine are
together just about every minute of the day, every day of our lives. An
incredible bond develops as we watch over each other while we work, play,
eat and sleep. The relationship is deepened by an instinctual communication
process, one that transcends language and reflects the nuances of emotion
and anticipation of needs.