Although I don't normally watch kids' movies, I've been interested in checking out "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," the Disney film that opens nationally this week. But after reading some experts' concerns about the film's possible impact, I might have to pass.
Let's call it the "Paris Hilton Factor." It was Hilton who notably began carrying her Chihuahua "Tinker Bell" in her purse, making the tiny dog little more than an accessory as she walked red carpets and posed for photographers. Her pet often looked nervous and frightened.
I don't know if Hilton is a responsible pet owner; I can only hope so. But you have to wonder if the attention she's given the breed, combined with the likely blockbuster status of the movie, will create a rise in the popularity of Chihuahuas among people who don't realize that dogs (or cats or any other animal) require a time and emotional commitment they might not be prepared to make.
You can bet that many people will want to buy a Chihuahua for their kids after seeing the movie. I usually advise against purchasing a small dog if people have small children; my recommendation is almost always a Golden Retriever or Lab, both great family dogs.
Small dogs, such as Chihuahuas and Dachshunds, are best with adults and older kids. Smaller dogs require more attention and should never be considered play companions for kids. Most of all, they are not ornaments.
Lisa Peterson, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club, told the Chicago Sun Times, "Dogs are not accessories. And Chihuahuas, in particular, can live to be 20 years old. It's almost like a mortgage."
Think of them as long-term commitments. Don't buy one because you think it's cute. Buy one because you love dogs and enjoy the companionship.
A confession: When I drive, I let my dogs sit on my lap. I know this is probably wrong, not to mention potentially dangerous, but it's not illegal.
Two of my Dachshunds, Scooter and Sadie, love to ride up front and stick their heads out of the driver's side window. I don't know why; maybe it's just a need to see all the activity outside. Maybe it's simply inherent in most dogs.
I don't feel this impairs my ability to drive safely, but I fear what might happen if I were to have an accident, setting off the air bags. My dogs and I might all be severely injured, and one of them could be killed from the impact of the air bag.
A bill in California was going to make it illegal to drive with a dog in your lap - it would have been a $35 fine -- but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it Sunday. With the state in a budget crisis, the governor said he only wanted to sign bills of a high priority, and this didn't fit in that category.
So my dogs and I safe. But I still worry if I'm doing the right thing. There are companies that make car seats and seatbelts for dogs, and some people keep a crate in their back seats.
I'm going to look into one of those options. I just don't know if I can convince Scooter and Sadie that the view is just as nice from a crate.
The idea of a dog wedding seems silly to me, but maybe I'm missing something. I've heard they're big in Japan, and in India this summer, a mass wedding at a shopping mall in New Delhi drew about 500 participants.
How do you get 500 dogs to romance each other? You don't. Owners sent photos of their pets to mall officials, who offered a selection of possible life mates. Supposedly, Dachshunds weren't mated with German Shepherds, and Great Danes were not permitted to sweet talk Chihuahuas.
One woman seemed pleased. "I have a Lhasa Apso, and today I have another Lhasa Apso for her," she said. "It seems they are completely in love."
According to published reports, there were musicians, flowers and a wedding cake. Dogs were dressed appropriately for the event. Nuptials went off without a hitch.
If anyone barked in protest, no one noticed.
I'm still skeptical. We'll check back in a year to see about the divorce rate.
Dogs love sweets, but you'll need to keep your pet away from anything containing xylitol - a sweetener found in a variety of products, including sugar-free chewing gum, cookies and candies - or risk serious illness or death.
This is not a new warning - the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals issued an advisory in 2006 - but cases of dogs ingesting xylitol have risen significantly in recent years. And because the sweetener is now being used in more products, it's a reminder that bears repeating.
Last year, the ASPCA sent an advisory to veterinarians telling them about xylitol's potentially lethal consequences. Dogs that eat significant amounts of items with xylitol could develop a sudden drop in blood sugar resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures, sometimes within 30 minutes of ingestion.
In 2004, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled about 70 cases involving products with xylitol. The numbers have risen sharply since: 170 in 2005, 1,914 in 2007 and 1,687 already this year, according to an ASPCA spokeswoman. Since 2002, the poison control center acknowledges 10 dog deaths from dogs ingesting the artificial sweetener.
Xylitol has been used in Europe for decades but is now being added to more U.S. products because it contains 40 percent fewer calories than sugar. You can find it in Trident, Orbit and Ice Breakers gum and Altoids breath mints.
If your dogs are like mine, they'll devour anything sweet. Keep them away from xylitol.
The sad, horrific case of Marjorie Knoller, the woman whose dog mauled a woman to death in 2001, may have finally come to an end. A San Francisco superior court judge has sentenced Knoller to 15 years to life for second-degree murder.
A jury convicted Knoller in 2002 of second-degree murder, but the presiding judge reduced it to involuntary manslaughter, saying he believed Knoller's assertion at trial that she had no idea the dog, a 140-pound Presa Canario, might kill someone. Diane Whipple died in the brutal attack.
The California Supreme Court ruled last year that the judge, James Warren, had used the wrong legal standard in dismissing the verdict. Warren retired, so the case was assigned to Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard, who reinstated the murder verdict.
Knoller, 53, has already served almost three years in prison but was paroled in 2004. She won't be eligible for parole on the new conviction for 10 years.
What should you do if confronted by an aggressive dog? Jeff Tinsley, a trainer who works with owners of aggressive dogs, said it's best to act calm rather than panicky. His suggestions, among others: stand still, avoid eye contact and try wrapping your arms around yourself to prevent your arms from flailing. The less threatening you look, the better your chances of getting away.
