Burgers for dogs

A pet-goods manufacturer has developed "Wan-Wan Sasebo Baagaa" (Bowwow Sasebo Burger) , a burger designed especially for dogs, gaining attention from dog owners in Sasebo (near Nagasaki).

The meat in the dog burgers is a mixture of dried beef and chicken, while biscuits are used instead of bread. Pork colored with chlorophyll is used to imitate the vegetables.

800 yen (c. 6 euros) for a pack of four.

Postmen taught dog psychology

The German post office has started giving mail workers lessons in canine psychology.

Deutsche Post spokeswoman Sylvia Blesing said: "The number of attacks is dropping, in some places by as much as half. The reduction began after we starting teaching our postal workers how dogs think. We tell them not to run away if they see a dog coming and how to react in a dangerous situation."

Postman Rolf Schulz from Berlin, who attended the course said: "It gave me a real insight into how dogs behave and what causes them to bite."

The courses include theoretical and practical advice on how to handle dogs. Trained animal psychologists explain why it is not possible to cycle faster than a dog and demonstrate how to hand the mail to a person who is walking their dog without being bitten.

Dog trainer Stefan Biegier said: "We show the postmen dog expressions and teach them to watch for the danger signs. We also pass on tips like making sure the owners are aware of the time the mail will be delivered. German postmen are extremely punctual and if a person knows when their mail will be delivered they can make sure the dog is tied up or at least in doors out of the way."

PDA for Pets

The Pet Master is an electronic organizer for your pet. You can keep track of the pets schedule and their phone contacts. And while on the move Pet Master will help you locate pet-clinics and pet-friendly motels while you travel.

Clean your car + your dog

According to Le Matin, the Swiss Touring Club offers a new service: it cleans BOTH your car and your dog:

Protective eyewear for dogs

Doggles are protective eyewear for dogs. They are actually goggles for dogs, hence the name. Unlike ordinary sunglasses for dogs, Doggles actually protect dog’s eyes from foreign objects, wind, and UV light.

Xmas trip

See on the great blog "Stuff on my cat", a curious xmas vehicle:

Turkeyzilla, The Tote Bag

Turkeyzilla, The Tote Bag is an impressively hand-crafted chicken (made by Regina aka LadyLinoleum):
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Fun for guinea pigs

In need of a festive costume for your guinea pig? Search no more. Cuddly Cavies has a gorgeous collection of costumes for any occasion (from weddings to Valentine or Halloween)

Via adorablog.

Braces for turtle

Hermie the turtle died of kidney and liver problems yesterday, one day after getting braces in a first-of-its-kind procedure.

Hermie got braces because the animal had an overbite that made eating difficult.

Via 20 minutos and 7 news.

Image of the day

Of course, we love animals!

Pigeon Lofts

Pigeon Loft aims at controlling the pigeon population in city centres. The loft offers nesting space for about 200+ birds. Any eggs produced by the birds are replaced by fake eggs. The birds are fed proper food instead of pommes frites and the place is maintained by volunteers. According to the loft's designer/artist Stefan Gross the loft managed to reduce the population noticely in an area up to a 1 mile radius in Rotterdam. The germany showed superior to methodologies like killing pigeons off.

Pigeon lofts have so far been installed in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Zutphen.

Via Urban Eyes.

Eglu for rabbits!

After the fantastic eglu for chicken, there is now a version devoted for rabbits!

For people unaware of it, the Eglu is an i-mac-shaped small house meant to be used by chicken (and now rabbits). It's designed by Omlet Ltd.

The Wolfird

From a series of animalesque morphed images.


Via ponchorama.

A focus group for dogs

Sylvie reports on this great story about a focus group for dogs: "a a "doctor" Kim Ogden, animal communicator, but apparently these people decided to use qualitative and quantitative data in order to figure out what songs dogs actually want to listen to."

200 canines were queried as to their preferences in lyrical content and music type. This population represented dogs of both sexes, many ages and varied breeds from geographical locations across the US and Canada. Companion, agility, conformation, obedience, tracking, therapy, and shelter dogs were represented. 125 dogs were asked what they would like to hear in a song. The canines were offered a series of choices. For each response, Dr. Kim sent a mental picture of the choice, along with the thought or words about the choice for each topic. The same picture was provided for each participant. Topics were taken from Kr.(sic) Kim's notebooks. These note books provided information for the selections of things dogs often asked for in order for them to be happy or happier.

For music types, dogs across the US from private consultations, shelters, clubs and shows were broken into focus groups, and were provided with 10 four-minute music selections. Dr. Kim then turned on a CD player with the selections and went around the room for each song, pausing long enough to hear what each dog thought. Based on these results, tallies for the music types were calculated. Tracks to the songs were then recorded and Dr. Kim took the selections, via CD and tape recorder to more canine participant focus groups. Comments for the songs were recorded in detail and the music was adjusted accordingly resulting in the first in our "Ask The Animals" series of CDs and videos-"Songs To Make Dogs Happy!".

Dog biscuit delivery in Lego

Some cool folks created this perfect dog biscuit delivery in Lego:
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Dog cameras to combat gun crime

New recruits to the Northumbria Police force are German shepherds trained to help during armed sieges and wear miniature television cameras with transmitters fitted to their heads or harnesses.

It means they can search buildings and relay the information back to officers. The Fido camera system also has infra-red lights, which means pictures can be provided in darkness. Pictures are seen on a receiver unit carried by the dog handler who can watch the progress of the four-legged recruits searching for armed suspects.

Zara and Sammy have also been trained to leave a mobile phone at the front door of under-siege premises so officers can negotiate with suspects.

PC Jim Soutar, who has responsibility for the force's firearms dogs, said: "We're looking for dogs with above average drive who can operate under stressful conditions."

Via bbc.

Superb panda dog

News 3 Yen reports on a story about a fantastic panda-dog:

In the Japanese capital of Tokyo, a dog who looks like a miniature black and white panda becomes a local star.

The dog, named Columbo, is a mixed-breed dog and was adandoned by his former owner because of his ugly looks. Columbo was adopted by a pet store owner who happened to also be a beautician. The man painted Columbo with black dye and gave him panda-like markings.

After that, Columbo became the most popular dog in the neighbourhood. The owner says that he hopes Columbo’s story will tell other people to treat their pets with love and responsibility.

Global Pet Finder

GlobalPetFinder is a GPS collar that enables you to track your missing dog via cell phone, PDA or computer. The moment Fido trots across the invisible line, a text message pops up on your cell phone.



Via MobHappy

Another excellent address for pet lovers

Foie gras cookie and other canine delicacies are on the menu in France’s first and only patisserie for pooches, “Mon Bon Chien” (“My Good Dog”).

Recently opened in Paris by American Hariet Sternstein, Mon Bon Chien also takes special orders for birthday cakes with Fifi’s name inscribed in frosting. A selection of gifts imported from the US, and his-and-her perfumes made in southern France, are also guaranteed to provoke yips of contentment.

Depending on the size, Mon Bon Chien’s artisanal biscuits sell for 50 euro cents ($0.60) to two-and-half euros (3 dollars) each, with cakes going for ten euros ($1.2).

Sternstein, 44, offers samples to two-legged visitors too, explaining that she uses exactly the same ingredients when cooking for herself. “My favorite is the carob flavored ones,” she said.

Since opening this summer, she has built up a clientele of American expatriates and folks from the neighborhood. She has even refused — two offers to franchise the store.

The Pet Inn Royal

Today opens The Pet Inn Royal, one of Japan’s largest pet hotels, in the Terminal 2 car park building at Narita International Airport. Located close to the passenger terminals, passengers can stay with their pets until departure time and staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The 170 rooms vary from a cage-accomodation priced 4,000 yen (30 euros) a night, to a luxury suite costing 20,000 yen (i don't want to imagine how many euros it makes). The hotel boasts a range of exciting features and servies: air conditioners, purifiers, an excercise field, veterinary care and grooming services.

The Pet Royal Inn can also accommodate smaller animals such as rabbits, hamsters, ferrets and other small pets.

Via Tokyo Times.