This is a great opportunity to learn about various dog breeds and to see them in action.  Events include Conformation, Obedience, and Rally competitions.

If you’re thinking about adding a dog to your family or simply want to know more about specific dog breeds after you attend the show, remember to check the Pets Neighborhood where you’ll find books featuring breeds from Akitas to Whippets and everything in between.   Other topics covered in this collection include puppy training tips, dog health, grooming, first-aid and adopting a shelter dog.

Consider these:

The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds

a pocket guide with color photos–check it out and take it to the show 

The Dog Selector: how to choose the right dog for you

The Nature of Dogs

beautiful art photography, essays, and information about various breeds

If you are thinking about getting a pet bird, consider a cockatiel. Cockatiels are great birds for beginners, because they are usually gentle, loving, and very personable birds. They are relatively easy to take care of and far less demanding than the larger parrots. They are a playful bird whose antics you will come to love.

Cockatiels generally live around fifteen to twenty years but can live as long as 30. They average about 14 inches in length and weigh from 75 grams to well over 120 grams. Cockatiels come in a variety of colors including grey, yellow, white, soft cocoa brown (cinnamon), pastel tan (fallow), and silver. Cockatiels have normal markings or may be pearl, pied, totally white, or combinations like pearl pied. They are known for their cheek patches which can be orange, pale peach, or even white. Unlike other small parrots, cockatiels have a crest that can give us an idea of how the bird is feeling. When the crest is laying flat against the head, the bird is calm and relaxed. When the crest is vertical, the bird is alert and interested. If the crest is raised as far as it can go, the bird is tense or concentrating.

If you set aside time each day to handle and play with your cockatiel, you will have a loving and tame bird.

Find out more information about cockatiels and other parrots in our Pets Neighborhood.

Finally my daughter has reached the age where she is interacting with our dogs quite a bit. In fact, she calls out their names, runs after them, and even sits in their dog bed with them like it’s a sofa. And when she’s upset I’ve found that all I have to do is say to her, “Let’s go find Paddi” (the toy fox terrier), and she immediately forgets her troubles, starts saying Paddi’s name, and takes off after her. I’m not sure if Paddi enjoys this, but we all have to make sacrifices sometimes, so for the time being she’ll just have to deal with it.

This new interaction is a lot of fun for my daughter, and sometimes for the dogs, but we’ve also had to teach her the proper way to pet and touch them. Walking up to our pug and hitting her on her back is not okay, nor is grabbing her tail. And our little toy fox terrier, while excitable and active, does not want to have her face and ears grabbed or smacked. Mostly this appears to be a result of excitement on my daughter’s part, and not completely understanding how to control it. She has been getting better at petting and patting both dogs in a gentle manner in recent weeks and days, but she’s still in the learning phase.

Overall, the relationship between the dogs and my daughter is coming together. Even though she can be annoying to them, they don’t mind her sitting in their bed with them, and will often come over to her to smell and lick her, which makes her squeal with delight. Sometimes they even lick her feet which makes her laugh hysterically. And now that it’s warm out, she’s begun to enjoy running around with them on our deck, or in our back yard. I’m thinking that soon they’ll be best friends just as we envisioned.

As soon as she removes smacking, grabbing and tail pulling from her repertoire.

Check out some of these books in our collection that deal with the relationship between little ones and pets:

For Adults:

Childproofing Your Dog: A Complete Guide to Preparing Your Dog for the Children in Your Life by Brian Kilcommons & Sarah Wilson

Can We Have One? A Parent’s Guide to Raising Kids with Cats and Dogs by Lynn F. Buzhardt & Sue D. Steib

Raising Puppies and Kids Together: A Guide for Parents by Pia Silvani & Lynn Eckhardt

For Kids:

Tails Are Not for Pulling by Elizabeth Verdick

How to Talk to Your Cat & How to Talk to Your Dog by Jean Craighead George

Responsible pet ownership includes knowing how to keep your pet healthy and safe.  Prepare for a medical emergency by having a first aid kit in your home and car that includes items such as scissors, tape, gauze, and a digital thermometer.  Program your veterinarian’s phone number into your cell phone.  The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides 24-hour emergency information about toxic substances and how they affect different breeds, but there is a consultation fee for that service.

Pet Emergency First Aid: Dogs (636.7089 PET) is a DVD in the library’s Pets Neighborhood that is full of up-to-date information and demonstrations to help you acquire emergency first aid skills.  For many people, watching demonstrations versus reading the instructions is the best way to understand something like emergency treatments.  You’ll learn how to muzzle a dog (by using items in your first aid kit) so that you can proceed with the care necessary before taking him to your vet or the closest animal hospital.  If your dog is injured and not moving, this DVD shows the proper way to move him into your vehicle so he can be safely transported to the vet.  Staying calm and taking action to reduce the possibilities of complicating the injury is the goal the during this stage.

Additional topics covered include first aid steps for snakebites (poisonous and nonpoisonous), choking, CPR, dehydration, and how to stop a bleeding wound. Watch this DVD with other family members and discuss the various techniques and what you should do in certain situations.  Pack the first aid kit together and talk about each item and what it is or could be used for.  Jot down a list of questions to ask your veterinarian during your dog’s next routine visit and let your vet know you’re interested in learning all you can about emergency first aid.

Don’t forget to stop by the Pets Neighborhood the next time you’re in the library and check out the variety of books and DVDs available to help you care for your companion.  If you discover something especially useful, let us know!

Here are some facts about these small mammals when kept as pets:

1. The decision to own a gerbil, rat, or other small mammal should be based on careful thought and knowledge, not whim or impulse.

2. Some small mammals are nocturnal, meaning that they sleep during the day. This does not fit well with every household. Also, because they have many natural enemies, they are susceptible to stress, including noisy surroundings and the presence of larger household pets. Careful consideration should be given to cage location.

3. If children are part of the family, the age of the child is important in determining which small mammal is appropriate.

4. All of these pets are fragile and can be squirmy, especially in a young child’s hands. If accidentally dropped, they can suffer severe injuries or death, or may run away and hide.

5. As with any pet, medical expenses should be anticipated in the event of injury or illness.

6. Handle your pet regularly, so you can notice any signs of trouble. Safe, supervised exercise time outside their cages is a necessity.

For more detailed information, browse our collection of books in the Pets Neighborhood.

Gerbils: Everything about Purchase, Care, and Nutrition by Engelbert Kotter provides inforation on feeding, health care, caging, breeding, and more. This books outlines the duties and pleasures of owning one of these small pets. This is an ideal source for an older child getting ready to become a gerbil caretaker.

In Chinchillas by Juliana Bartl, the reader finds out that these furry little creatures are quite easy to tame and readily bond with their owners. As with all Barron’s pet books, this outlines the purchase, housing, feeding, health, and care of the pet chinchilla.

 Find these and many other books about small mammals in out Pets Neighborhood.

If you’re thinking about adding a cat to your family, here are some books that will help you understand how to care for your new pet.  Also, remember the Cat Association of Topeka if you’re considering adopting!

The Cat Selector: How to Choose the Right Cat for You

 I Just Got a Kitten.  What Do I Do?

The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cats, Cat Breeds, and Cat Care

A-Z of Cat Health and First Aid

ASPCA Complete Cat Care Manual

Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

There are many small mammals that make good pets, and two of those are the guinea pig and the hamster. If you have chosen one of these small, furry little creatures as your pet, come browse through the Pets Neighborhood for books about taking care of them.

Training Your Pet Guinea Pig by Barbara Somerville is a great book to read if you have a guinea pig as a pet. Somerville gives advice on getting all members of the family involved with their pet guinea pig. She also writes about keeping your pet healthy and suggests activities that will amuse both you and your guinea pig. 

Guinea Pigs by Immanuel Birmelin covers all aspects of keeping a guinea pig. Birmelin talis about feeding, caging, health care, and much more.

For more great information about taking care of guinea pigs, look at the Humane Society’s site at http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/guinea_pigs/

Virginia Guidry’s Hamsters: the Ultimate Pocket Pet has both historical facts and up-to-date information about caring for a hamster. This book includes advice on feeding and caging, first-aid tips, and fun activities for your hamster.

Another great book that the Library owns is Hamster: Your Happy Healthy Pet by Betsy Siino. Hamsters are easy to train and care for, and this book gives you information on the right way to do these things. Siino also gives advice on how to keep your little pet stimulated and healthy. Full-color photos are included throughout.

Again, check out the information provided by the Humane Society, so that you can provide the best possible care for your pet hamster. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/hamsters/

Find these books and many more in the Pets Neighborhood.

Teddy Roosevelt and his six children kept a collection of animals at the White House and their summer house in Oyster Bay that included a hyena, a hen, a macaw, a pony, guinea pigs, lizards, and snakes.  William Taft kept a dairy cow named Pauline while president.  Caroline Kennedy also had a pony.  Calvin Coolidge’s pets included two raccoons named Rebecca and Horace.   Tad Lincoln was given two goats by his father to console him after his brother Willie died.  The goats were taught how to pull Tad and his friends around the White House grounds in a cart, but the fun subsided when the gardeners raised concerns and Nanny disappeared leaving Nanko alone and lonely in the stable.

Margaret Truman says in her book, White House Pets (published in 1969), her favorite portrait in the White House was a striking painting of Grace Coolidge and Rob Roy, the family’s exquisite white collie.  Truman’s book includes a list of presidential family pets that shows the increasing popularity of dogs as the pet of choice during the 20^th century.

Franklin Roosevelt was a known dog lover and was often photographed with his famous Scottish Terrier, Fala, which soon became the dog breed to have.  Fala and Roosevelt were close companions, so it wasn’t surprising that Fala was buried not far from Roosevelt in Hyde Park.  More recently, Millie (Mildred Kerr Bush), a Springer Spaniel, exposed her life as First Dog and mother in her photo-filled bestselling memoir that raised lots of money for charity.  During the last Bush administration the entertaining Barney cams gave us yet another perspective of festivities inside the White House.  Clinton paraded before the camera the family’s famous photogenic First Cat, Socks, who was traumatized when Buddy the Chocolate Lab joined the family.  These days we get to watch Bo, a big hypoallergenic Portuguese water dog romp and greet the president on the White House lawn.

How much do you know about the family pets of U.S. presidents?  (see answers below)

1.  What was the name of Caroline Kennedy’s pony?

2.  Him and Her were the names of Lyndon Johnson’s dogs.  Can you name the breed?

3.  Warren Harding had an Airedale that sat in a chair during Cabinet meetings.  What was the dog’s name?

4.  Nikita Khrushchev gave the Kennedy family a dog named Pushinka, the offspring of a Russian space dog.  Pushinka produced a litter of   puppies that Kennedy referred to as what?

5.  In 1952, before he became president, Richard Nixon gave a political speech and mentioned his black and white dog named Checkers.  Name the dog’s breed.

February is the ASPCA’s Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, and if you are considering rescuing one of these cute, furry, cuddly little animals, take a little time to educate yourself first. The Library’s Pet Neighborhood has a number of books about raising pet rabbits. To start you on your road to rabbit raising, try Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits. This book covers breed selection, year-round care and feeding, housing, handling, and disease prevention and treatment. There are even guidelines for showing your pet rabbit.

For a totally different take on rabbits, check out Funny Bunnies. This book includes details about rabbit breeds, including its origins, coat, behavior, and characteristics. Breeds included are the English Lop, Chinchilla Giant, Netherland Dwarf, and Angora.

For more information about raising rabbits, read the ASPCA’s site. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/general-rabbit-care.aspx

Come browse the Pets Neighborhood for these books and many more.

Rin Tin Tin was found on September 15, 1918, by Lee Duncan, an American soldier, at a deserted German encampment in the Meuse Valley in France.  The German shepherd, with his mother and four siblings, was alive in the back of a bombed kennel scattered with destroyed German army dogs.  Duncan rescued the family, keeping two of the puppies for himself.  What followed is what Orlean spent several years researching, taking advantage of the various paper trails left behind: Lee Duncan’s somewhat incomplete memoir, Warner Brothers archives, and the business papers of Herbert Leonard, a Hollywood writer and producer of the 1950s Rin Tin Tin TV series.

After World War I, German shepherds were popular in the United States, and Duncan was crazy about his adopted dog, Rin Tin Tin.  They were inseparable.  Duncan became one of the founders of the Shepherd Dog Club of California, and began to believe his dog was unique and might have a chance in Hollywood, which he did–in a big way.  Orlean says it was athleticism that got Rin Tin Tin into the movies, but his acting made him a star.

Rin Tin Tin was a dominant, heroic figure in silent movies during the 1920s, eventually earning millions for Warner Brothers and making Duncan wealthy.  He starred in 22 silent films and 7 talkies in 8 years.  He received the most votes for Best Actor during the first Academy Awards, but the Academy chose not to give their prestigious award to a dog.  Condolences poured in from around the world after his death in 1932.  When Orlean traveled to Rin Tin Tin’s gravesite in Le Cimetiere des Chiens in Paris, she was struck by the modesty of his gravestone, remarking it was nothing of the idea of what he had been.

Following Rin Tin Tin’s death, Duncan landed jobs with Rin Tin Tin’s offspring and still managed Rinty’s legacy.  The next big break for him came in 1954, when Rin Tin Tin IV became a TV star in the Western series, The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin, appearing only occasionally, however, with other dog actors performing in most of the scenes.  The theme of ”triumph over diversity, aided by the dog” was a change from the silent movies Rin Tin Tin starred in, which were all action, danger and adventure.  The series aired until 1959, and was an international success.  Along with the series came the related franchise marketing products, then the reruns that lasted until 1964.

For Orlean, the real Rin Tin Tin was a curiosity during her childhood, a bit of a mystery instigated by the presence of an untouchable plastic figurine of the dog on her grandfather’s desk.  So, it’s not surprising that she wanted to experience firsthand the remains of the Corriganville Ranch where the TV series was filmed, making a special effort to see the crest of the hill where Rin Tin Tin posed at the end of every show.  Her descriptions of her visits to places like the movie ranch, the Paris cemetery, Rin Tin Tin’s birthplace in France, interviews of people still living who had knowledge of the Rin Tin Tin story, and her detailed observations of Rin Tin Tin’s performances in his silent movies are some of the book’s highlights.

Orlean’s research clearly explains the complexities surrounding Rin Tin Tin’s legacy.  She shares bits of her discoveries about the origins of the German shepherd breed, the first dog trainers, entertainment, and the complicated lives of movie producers.  We are reminded of Duncan’s mantra “there will always be a Rin Tin Tin” and what that concept meant to Duncan considering Hollywood’s demands and a culturally and technologically changing society.  Despite these challenges, preserving Rin Tin Tin’s character was paramount.  Ultimately, the Rin Tin Tin story is an American epic originating with Duncan and retold generations later by Orlean who searched for truths and provides an answer to the question she was often asked during her research:  was there just one Rin Tin Tin?

The New Yorker slideshow of Rin Tin Tin photos
Riverside Metropolitan Museum Rin Tin Tin archival collection