'Royal' corgis, butt tales, teen dogs & ER tips

Two stories about animals have added a bit of cheer, and even a few laughs, to the sad news of the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.  One featured corgis, the queen’s long-favored dog breed, while the other had to do with telling the bees (you read it right) the news of their queen’s demise.   

A corgi

The bee-telling tradition is charming – the kind of story that might have appeared in the New Yorker magazine years ago under the heading “There’ll Always Be an England.”  In the centuries-old practice, bees are seen as members of the family; therefore, they should be kept informed of family events.  

After the queen’s death, the Buckingham Palace beekeeper reportedly “placed black ribbons tied into bows on the hives before telling them in hushed tones that . . . .”       https://tinyurl.com/43x2k3xs

When you think of a corgi, how do you picture the dog?  Anything like this description from a Washington Post feature story?

“Lil’ stumpy guys. Potato-shaped bodies and clownish faces. Short kings. Stocky, bossy dogs who think they’re big — who have seemingly no idea that they’re a toast-colored puffy cylinder of dog, suspended merely inches above the ground — because they have a job (herding cattle and/or small children, by nipping at their heels). Whose most notable characteristic after their stubby little legs is their thick, fuzzy butts.”

Or maybe “Floofy butts.” Or “Wiggle butts”?

It remains to be seen whether a different dog breed in the royal family – now including a cocker spaniel, beagles and Jack Russell terriers – will gain the fame of Queen Elizabeth’s corgis.  https://tinyurl.com/bdzm3bj8;  https://tinyurl.com/2sd2ezz6

But, butts . . .

On the subject of animal butts, there’s more to be said about cats’ posterior region and what felines’ human caregivers can learn from that vicinity.  That includes the whimsically-named “dingleberries” and advice on cleaning the area (or not), and swollen (interior) anal glands.   https://tinyurl.com/2n7bffru

(Blogger’s note: Although Billy Summers wasn’t “scooting,” he was over-attentive to his anal area.  To his vet, that signaled impacted anal glands – which only a vet should manually empty, thank the power.  And btw, this happens with dogs too.) 

Temporary teens

The widespread concern about human teens right now might also apply to the teenage dogs who occupy an age bracket not often recognized.  Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist who studies dogs, discusses “Quid,” her own 6-month-old dog, who has been a model citizen, till now.

Quid

Now, though, Quid has suddenly turned into an insubordinate teen – ignoring directions and orders, being unexpectedly headstrong and behaving in new, unpopular ways at home as if seeking parental disapproval -- and being met with . . . patience.  That’s because Dr. Horowitz understands that Quid is going through a stage in her life that too few people know about, understand or tolerate very well.

In contrast to how dogs are often treated during this phase – repeatedly punished or even surrendered to shelters – she understands what’s happening with her dog and knows it will pass.  The “canine adolescence” period is a distinct stage of development that can last from about 6 months old through a dog’s second birthday.

But too often in ignorance of this developmental stage, people are more likely to think or say that such a dog is “bad,” rather than “going through a phase.”  Then, wrong as relinquishment to a shelter for behavioral reasons can be, when euthanasia is what happens next, it’s also unspeakably cruel.  https://tinyurl.com/949yyk7s

When to ER? 

Finally, one more pet-health issue: when to take a pet to the ER.  The Dodo article linked below spells out 10 reasons (ingesting a toxic substance to continuous seizures) for going directly to the ER with your pet.  Each one also includes how the ER vet will treat your pet.   https://tinyurl.com/2knmkhpd

Take care! 

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