What Determines a Dog's Coat Color?

Posted by Clare Bristow

After collecting DNA samples from hundreds of dogs, a team of researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine, has identified the gene responsible for the color of a dog's coat.

The gene concerned makes a protein that is part of a large family called defensins - thought to be responsible for fighting infections, as well as being connected with how we (mammals) deal with stress and regulate our weight.

One version of the gene produces yellow dogs and a mutant version of the gene produces black dogs. All dog coat colors are modifications of yellow and black.

I've always thought that a Dalmatian was black and white but, based on its genetics, it's actually a black dog.

Equally confusing are Irish Setters, also known as Red Setters - genetically they are yellow dogs.

So no matter what fancy name a breeder gives your dog's coat color - for example Belton, Brindle, Dilution, Harlequin, Merle or Roan - your dog is genetically either a black dog or a yellow dog.

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Filed Under Dog News, Blog

Animal Blessings and a Heroic Dog

Posted by Clare Bristow

As World Animal Week comes to an end I thought I'd post a video of an inter-faith animal blessing service that took place at Long Beach California last week.

The video is by Justin Rudd, and it shows a variety of animals that were blessed, including his bulldogs Riley and Rosie (running time 1m 54s).

One dog who probably got more hugs and bones than many others during World Animal Week is Toby, a two-year-old Golden Retriever.

Toby has been named as the ASPCA's 2007 Dog of the Year after performing the canine version of the Heimlich maneuver on his owner.

Toby's owner, Debbie Parkhurst, was enjoying eating an apple snack until she realized a piece of apple was lodged in her throat. Debbie started choking and beating her chest in a vain effort to dislodge the fruit.

Alarmed by her distress, Toby pushed Debbie to the ground and jumped up and down on her chest until the offending apple came up.

Debbie is convinced she owes her life to Toby, whom she rescued from a grim fate in a dumpster in 2005.

Toby will be honored at the the ASPCAâ€™s annual ASPCA Humane Awards Luncheon, on Thursday, November 1, at New York Cityâ€™s historic Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center.

â€œThe Humane Awards Luncheon is our way of recognizing the important role animals play in our lives, the significance of the human-animal bond, and the people who make animal welfare a central part of their lives,â€ said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres.

What a great story.

Keywords: ASPCA, heimlich maneuver, humane awards, News and Fun Dog Stuff

Filed Under Dog News, Blog

PetSmart Howl-O-Ween Photo Competition

Posted by Clare Bristow

It's that time of year again when dog owners feel the need to dress their dogs up in Halloween costumes!

PetSmart is running its annual photo competition, and you have until next Sunday, 14 October to enter a photo of your dog. The picture above is of one of the 2006 finalists.

If you decide to dress your dog up this Halloween, please bear in mind the following:

make sure the costume isn't tight fitting;
ensure your dog's movement isn't restricted;
there aren't any buttons or other decorations your dog can easily pull off and swallow; and
if your dog doesn't like to be dressed up, shies away from the costume and just looks miserable about the whole thing, don't force him to do it!

If you need inspiration for a dog Halloween costume, this short video (1 minute 43 seconds) should give you a few ideas:

If you do enter your dog in the PetSmart Howl-o-ween photo competition, please let me know and send a photo to clare AT DogTopics DOT com so that I can put it on the site - it should help you get a few more votes!

Keywords: dog halloween costumes, howl o ween competition, News and Fun Dog Stuff, petsmart halloween competition

Filed Under Dog News, Blog