Caturday: The Boys Are Boss
Nine: Hey, Charlie. Don’t you think it is hard sometimes, being the only two guys in a house full of girls?
Charles: Not really, Nine. They know that I am really the bossman. Well, maybe don’t tell Sofie.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Wonderful Wednesday: Size Matters For Age
I came across this picture from winter 2017 when we first got Charles. 5 years is a long time in ‘dog years.’ A dog year is an interesting concept. In the 1950s, A. Lebeau, a French researcher created a system to determine the age of a dog. No one really knows where the ‘multiple each dog year by 7’ comes from, that wasn’t what Lebeau did. He had “life-stage markers” to determine dog age by life events, like puberty, old age, etc. That was OK but around 1997, a bunch of veterinarians created a chart to do it more accurately (via National Library of Medicine NIH).
Where ‘dog age’ is the chronological age of the dog and ‘human years’ is the physiological age by weight group. The scientists decided that size matters when it comes to two dogs the same age unlike with humans.
So, that means Charles, who is 13 and 17 lbs is about 65 years old, Sofie at 11 and 60 lbs is 62 years old, and Louise at 12 and 65 lbs is about 66 years old. I guess they all could apply for social security payments (Bark Out Loud). Actually, I would have thought that size would have made a larger difference.
How old are you in ‘Human Years?’
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Monday Mischief: Snow Nose
Some people ask me about Sofie’s nose. She has what is called Snow Nose. I started to notice her nose change from black to pink in January 2013, when she was 2. I was worried at first that she was doing something to herself, like scraping off the skin (ouch!), or was she sick? Did she have a vitamin deficiency? Was there something wrong? I knew that many animals do lose pigment in their noses, but she was only 2 at the time. So I did what any internet, research-loving, pet-parent would do, I ‘googled’ the heck out of the question and found a lot of interesting facts.
Black Nose
April 2012
1. Some dogs lose pigment in their noses in the winter. (Which is what I think might be going on here.) This is called ‘snow nose’ or ‘winter nose.’ Who knew? Though it seems to be something that is more common to dogs like Labrador Retriever, Golden, Bernese, or Husky (Sofie being none of those that we know – well maybe Golden?), the seasonal variation is no cause for alarm and usually goes back to black in the warmer months. Which it did for many summers, but no longer does.
2. Age is another reason. There is an enzyme called Tyrosinase which produces pigment. As a dog ages, the nasal plenum (that is a cool word, don’t you think?) might change from black to brown or pink, as less of the enzyme is produced. Interestingly enough, Tyrosinase is also sensitive to temperature. This may be why the fading of the ‘plenum’ in warmer months happens too.
Pink Nose
January 2013
3. Dermatitis, especially from plastic bowls, has been found to temporarily cause this. Or a real trauma, like an abrasion. If allergies are the cause the dog’s gums will possibly be red or inflamed too.
4. There is an immune disease that can cause a pink nose, called Vitiligo. (That is the disease that Michael Jackson said he had that turned his skin from black to white. I wonder if Sofie can sing?) But if a dog has this, there would be white patches usually throughout its body and white hairs. This seems to be found in Doberman, German Shepard, Rottweiler, and Dachshund mostly. It appears to be a rare problem, but I was happy to know that it can be managed by nutritional supplements (if you’re worried about the color of your dog’s nose). Show dogs can be disqualified if their pigment is not exactly right – so this might help in those cases.
Any changes in our little furry charges are always a cause of concern. Sofie’s nose did go back to black for many summers but now stays pink in the center year-round.
What color is your nose?
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Black and White Sunday: Mini’s Turn
Last week on B&W Sunday, Nine had the sunspot on the stairs, well, this week Mini Cooper grabbed it.
Have a great Black & White Sunday.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: Purrfect Sleep
Sleeping in heavenly sleep!
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Happy Whistle-Pig Day
Google images
These Ground Hogs are such funny weather predicting creatures. They have names like woodchuck, land-beaver, and whistle-pig. Our regional prognosticator is named Punxsutawney Phil. Phil is known as the “Seer of Seers,” the “Prognosticator of Prognosticators” and the “Most Photographed Pennsylvanian.” People in Pennsylvania dress up in top hats and tails and have this whole big event each year to see if we are going to have an early spring or late winter. Leave it to a rodent to let us know.
– http://www.flickr.com/photos/quintanomedia/8437241711/ target=”blank”
Groundhog day actually designates the middle point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. There are 6 more weeks until the Vernal Equinox, which marks the beginning of spring. No matter what Phil says – SPRING IS COMING!!!!! Make way for crocus and daffodils.
Just another DogDaz morning at the Zoo 
Monday Mischief: You’re Crowding Me, Kid!
Mini just loves Charles. I am not sure that it is reciprocal. Charles loves two beings in this world, well maybe three. He loves his human, V, he loves me, maybe because I am the feeder, the walker, the one that handles any booboos or scary things, and he loves Sofie, the dog (who mostly hates his guts).
I think Charles is the first, One-Person dog, that I have ever had. We got him because V wanted a little dog, more like a dog cat, for some strange reason. It is really weird when you understand that V doesn’t even really like dogs (which is crazy when you are married to an animal-obsessed person like me). I have never considered a very small breed, I tend to go for the bigger dogs, and I never really thought about dogs that are attached to only one human.
Charles is a Pomeranian Chihuahua mix (as far as we can tell – no DNA test ever done). These breeds tend to show extreme loyalty toward and preference for only one person above all others. They will try to rule the household if that person lets them (which is definitely a problem here at the zoo). Charlie is extremely strong-minded and wants to rule the couch, especially if there is food anywhere around, which has caused several fur-raising situations.
Enter, fearless Mini Cooper. She just wants to be friends with everyone. She really likes Charles and wants to be near him. We have tried to arrange the couch pillows so they can be on different levels. They all want a lap, which is impossible. He may roll his eyes, but she will never stop trying to be near him. As you can see in this group of pictures, Mini is holding her ground (or lap as it may be). Ultimately, however, she will leave and he will get his way. Ah, the life of a small tyrant at the DogDaz Zoo.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ i
CatWeek at the Zoo: Shades of Gray
This is not a black and white photograph. It is gray and white Nine on the gray carpet in a sunbeam. He looks like a kitten here. Ah, the much-desired sunspots are few in this house. The stairs are one place you can catch a few rays if a dog is not hogging the stair.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: Catching Stella
Trying to get a picture of Stella is almost impossible because even at 10 years old she is always a moving target. She is in constant motion when you visit with her. She is a sweetheart to humans, as you know, but just can’t tolerate other cats. She actually likes Louise and Sofie but does not like Charles at all (maybe because he is more cat than a dog). Meow Out Loud!
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo 