The Central BarkerIt's a Dog's World!

As usual, after reading Pet Product News’ yearly article about most popular dog breeds, I think to myself “that is a lot of dog!”  It seems that we American’s still love our big hairy rambunctious digging barking chewing dog breeds.  Maybe I am jaded by my experience as a dog trainer having to deal with families overwhelmed by the size and activity level of their household Lassie, but it never fails to surprise me which breeds regularly top the list.

This year the trend is to go even bigger!  Labs, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Bulldogs, & Rottweilers still hold their place in the top ten as expected but quite a few of the up-and-comers are in the “wouldn’t look bad in a saddle” category like Bernese and Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Bullmastiff, Rhodesian Ridgeback, and the Irish Wolfhound.

Despite the trend toward more dog, the Beagle moved up to number three last year, and the Yorkie and Dachshund still stand at the top so not everyone wants muddy paw prints on their forehead after a dog park trip in this Seattle rain.

As someone who shopped for a car solely based on how easy it would be to load my pack of dirty hiking buddies into the back, I can honestly say power to you devoted dog lovers out there!  As someone who runs a doggie daycare, we all thank you for bringing more “whole lotta dogs” into the world.  We wouldn’t be here without you.

After a recent study by Harold Hertzog questioning the benefits of pet ownership (click here to see the study) there has been some debate as to whether pet ownership really is better for your health.  For us devoted dog-lovers it can be hard to imagine life without a canine companion by our side.  Even with all the responsibility and sometimes stress of caring for any living creature, the idea that such love could not bring about some tangible perks is hard to buy.

Well here is our proof!  The American Journal of Cardiology has declared that in a study of 200 people with chronic diseases, pet owners had healthier hearts and an overall better prognosis than those that opted not to share their lives with a four legged companion.  You can read all about it here.   Good thing to keep in mind while scooping poop in the pouring rain tonight.

The study brought up an interesting chicken-or-the-egg question as to whether pets made their human caretakers healthier or simply if pet ownership attracts healthier people?  Either way it is a thumbs up to dog lovers everywhere.

We continue to be impressed with the spectacular variety of dogs we have here at Central Bark, from purebred Pomeranians to true Heinz 57s that tip the scales at 90lbs.  I am also awed with how knowledgeable our clients are and how many of them chose to adopt or purchase their dog from a credible breeder.

That said, I am still suprised by how many people tell me that they bought their puppy from a pet store or mass online breeder.  Don’t they know that puppies sold in pet stores come almost exclusively from puppy mills where they live in squalid, crowded, wire-bottom cages and are never allowed to experience the joys of doggie life like feeling grass on their feet, playing with other dogs, or being loved by a human?

There is something that we can do about it.  Don’t buy anything from pet stores that sell puppies and puppy mills will go out of business.  You can also sign the ASPA’s pledge to reject purchases from puppy-peddling operations by clicking here.

Thanks for taking the time to sign!