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Jumping in feet first, let’s grab the bull by the horns so to speak, as today’s topic is all about balls. Specifically, we will look at the topic of “Neuticles,” sometimes referred to as “ball-ternatives,” or reconstructive plastic surgery for male dogs. How far will people go to primp their pooch? Pretty darned far, from what a quick search will tell you…

Pros and Cons of performing a gonadectomy: Does it reduce aggression, territorial marking and other undesirable behaviors in male dogs? An excerpt from James O’Heare’s research into aggressive behavior in dogs indicates that neutering reduces objectionable behaviors in males by up to 60%. However, the key benefit seems to be reducing the number of stray and homeless puppies, which therefore saves local municipalities the expense of sheltering and then euthanizing unwanted pets. Additional reasons include keeping the breed line pure, and avoiding potential inbreeding through uncontrolled pack incest.

How does it work?

The process when dealing with cattle is simple, you simply tip, snip, and poke. Back in the day on the family farm, my grandfather had a chute the cattle would be herded into. One by one, they passed into a device that squeezed them on either side, then you grabbed the handles and turned the animal on its side essentially creating a platform from which to do the deed. Next, if the cow was a male, a pair of industrial crimpers, either heated or dipped in antiseptic to sterilize the instrument, was applied and the items cut off. Finally, a shot of antibiotics was administered to every animal, whether they required snipping or not. It was an assembly line designed to steer the young bulls along the proper direction in life, namely to become steak. For you see, there can be only one bull in the field, and well, mostly he stayed in the barn and was only let out in the late summer for a bit of fun…

But back to the dogs, it is a lifestyle choice to neuter your male. And so I have to ask myself, “Why would a sane person chop off the reproductive factory only to then turn around and pay even more money to have someone sew on a pair of fakes?” I mean really, aren’t there better uses for your hard-earned cash, like investing in a quality dog bed?

I turned to my colleagues in psychology for insight, and learned that it’s really not about the dog’s self-esteem. I mean really, after a day or two of “Hey who stole my junk?” the dog carries on and is just fine: no psychological after-affects have been proven. No, it’s all about the self-esteem of the owner, a perhaps just a bit of assuaging the guilt. After all, if you’re walking the dog, at the park, or just tossing a Frisbee out in public you want to look like you’ve got the He-Dog to rival all comers. And so, Neuticals were invented.

Neuticals also present the opportunity for those who were less-than-endowed to man up, so to speak. Note that the number of size Smalls sold is minimal. Male dog owners often ask about “upsizing,” and really, who’s going to ask for petit? Does the option of installing fakes encourage more people to neuter their dog? Providing a service that leaves the male looking au naturel is apparently very popular with the studly crowd of dog owners. (Note that Neuticals are also available for cats, horses, and can be adapted to other animals upon request. )

The Institute of Canine Biology reports that the phenomenon of Cryptorchidism is not all that bad. For those of you who are wondering, cryptorchidism is when a dog has only one testicle or the second one fails to descend. Usually this means kissing a show career goodbye, as the dog fails to meet minimum breed standards. It is an undesirable trait that generally gets bred out of the line. But is it really all that bad medically speaking? Does a dog need two to tango? According to this report, the answer is no. One of the surprising finds is that carrier-to-carrier litters are on average larger and contain more male puppies. Under the “more bang for your buck” theory, perhaps storing all the genetic juice in one container increases the potency? Another surprising outcome is that when looking at carrier-to-carrier breeding, there was no significant increase in genetic inheritance compared to normal-to-carrier litters. Nonetheless, because the show dog breeding business is so exacting, even though there is no medical reason for castrating cryptorchidic dogs, the practice will continue.

Why? The Ever-Present, Underlying Question for the Ages

There are two opportunities for the conscientious solo owner to pursue: the dog as a pick up device when you’re single and looking for a little action of your own, and the dog as fashion accessory. Obviously, the former is for men, and the latter for women. Let’s address these demographics in order.

Gentlemen

For owners who want to prove that they’re responsible and societally sensitive, a neutered male canine says “I’m responsible with my dog’s reproductive organs, and so you can trust me to be responsible with yours.” This works especially well in metro locales like Portland and Seattle, where the plight of shelter dogs and unwanted puppies is always in the forefront of the public conscious.

There are some that believe the best way to pick up a mate is to go to the dog park and find a kinder, gentler human with which to pursue a relationship. Believe me, men, if you want to find a girlfriend, there’s no more sure-fire method than to volunteer to take a friend’s dog for a walk, or get one of your own and hang out at the dog parks. Women simply cannot resist the pooch, and once they’re done cooing over the fuzzy four footed baby, they’ll probably talk to you too. It’s important to understand the nuances of various breeds and what that says about the owner. Big dogs, sporty dogs, hunting dogs, or teacup poodles: They all send a different message. But the numero uno point to pay attention to is “love me, love my dog.” Ladies, if he can’t handle the Precious, then perhaps he’s not the one. After all, priorities are priorities…

Ladies

When it comes to over the top fashion statements, and I hate to use this example, Paris Hilton takes the cake. Her puppy-as-accessory-item fetish is well documented, with a total of seven dogs. Additionally, she spent over $40,000 on three Pomeranians. All reports indicate that she is very devoted to her pets.

And so is Ms. Kardashian, who outfitted Rocky with a new pair. When a dog becomes more than a fashion statement, a friend and companion, then the transcendental relationship shifts into high gear. However, there is a downside to all the attention, as women who no longer want to emulate these heiresses dump their fashion dogs at shelters. “Doggy dumping” is another reason to control breeding via neutering or other means. Less dogs and higher-priced pooches equals fewer abandoned pets.

On to happier topics, as we return to cosmetic surgery for the male mutt in your life. Women may simply want to reduce male humping or marking behavior, but this is a false correlation to make. The aforesaid behaviors are more related to territorial instincts than reproductive ones. No, the key reason females snip then repack their pooch is also vanity. A woman wants a he-man by her side, and image obsession extends to her canine. If the comments left on the Neuticles site by women give any indication as to why, it must be chalked up to image awareness. An intact dog is a dog on the prowl, and to finish off this look at The Pair Club for Men, here’s a testimony straight from the dog’s mouth: Neuticles, A Dog’s Perspective and A Doberman’s Point of View.

Today is National Dog Day, a day when the pro-canine proletariat proudly announces that they love their dog more than most, if not all humans. In my family, you show your love with food, lots and lots of food. If there aren’t enough leftovers to feed twice the number of attendees, then you’ve failed as a hostess… But when it comes to our four-footed friends, leftovers are the main course. Especially in America, where we have an abundance of resources, going to the dogs takes on a new dimension.

Now of course, if you’re like me, you don’t wait for the food to become leftovers: you just slip a few bites under the table to that nose, you know the one that’s doing the heavy breathing on your thigh. Human food is not all that great for us as attested to by the ever-expanding waistline of the American population. And by extension, our pets are getting a bit, shall we say… plump? So how do you avoid creating a tubby pup? The basics still apply: watch the calories, balance out the snacks with healthy food, and exercise. True cynophiles take it a step further and go organic, raw, or holistic. Some will even higher a chef for The Precious to create fresh home-prepared fare. Here are some different approaches to keeping your dog happy, healthy and spoiled.

Gourmet chow

Let’s face it, often the dry dog food selection is the easiest and cheapest way to go. They have scientists working out the details. But as conscientious shoppers, do we really know what we’re feeding our dogs? The Dog Food Detective (Craig Weindling) lays out a simple system to evaluate the best dry dog food for your pet. In the process, he points out the hidden ingredients that can cause allergies, skin and coat problems, flatulence, or in extreme case, cancer. You can buy a copy on their website or at Amazon. SmileyDog.com, run by Weindling, delivers pet food and supplies to your Seattle-area home. As an example, I have always owned spaniels, a breed which is sensitive to wheat and other standard grains. So my dogs always get lamb and rice-based formulas.

The next most common form of chow is wet, canned food, and is a step up in price. You can lower the expense by combining dry and wet foods for a more economic yet nuanced dining experience. Most wet dog foods carry the same issues as dry dog foods: they are cooked at high temperatures, killing most of the beneficial nutrients; they contain preservatives, fillers, animal and vegetable by-products, and chemicals; they are mass produced and not necessarily matched to your breed’s unique needs. Freeze-dried foods eliminate concerns about grains and additives, but must be rehydrated or used as treats. But when you want to go a step beyond these mass-produced options, there are three emerging trends to evaluate.

Organic and raw foods

Popular within the whole “foodie” movement, organic has been a passionate pursuit of hipsters since the 60s. It’s harkening back to the days when food was grown and distributed locally on regional farms, a time before preservation and chemical additives were present in the food chain. A direct reaction to the post WWII penchant for anything in a can and as a way to be liberated from the kitchen, the 50s saw an initial rise in prepared foods, shortcuts like TV dinners, and “helper” foods such as instant potatoes and the eponymous Hamburger Helper. For dogs, the trend was to buy bulk sacks of dog food, and supplement with table scraps. Not much has changed for the fuzz balls in our families until recently.

The value of organic foods is self-evident. More noteworthy, the emergence of raw foods (primarily raw meat that has been frozen in chunks) brings a paleo-type diet to your kennel. The dog is given the same amount of food, but the meal more closely simulates what a canine would eat in the wild. Dogs are omnivores but have an instinctual carnivorous bias: they have a built-in desire to capture and eat another animal. Ancestral diets consisted of about 55-60% protein, 25-30% fats, and only 14% carbohydrates, whereas dry dog food typically contains the inverse, with 46-74% carbohydrates and only 18-32% protein (as described by the Dog Food Advisor.) The raw food is thawed out or slightly heated before serving. You can supplement it with freeze dried treats, vitamins, and additional cooked food, all of which leads to the next topic of home-cooked meals.

Personal chef

Cooking for your canine ought to be a reality TV show. The extremes people go to are amazing to me. Take for example the TV chef personality Rachel Ray, who has launched a celebrity dog food line, Nutrish and you wonder just what lengths let alone amounts people will go to indulge their dogs.

There are even cookbooks for canines: The Culinary Canine contains recipes from lots of famous chefs. And you can even go gluten free, grain free with Melissa Merritt. Wendy Nan Rees offers us The Natural Pet Food Cookbook And Dr. Pitcairn gets in on the fun with a Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, which contains a recipe section. Edward Mac, a chef from California takes it to the next level for dog owners by teaching courses on cooking gourmet “people food” for dogs. One of his signature dishes is split-pea and garlic kibble.

Hiring a full-time onsite chef for Fido is the epitome of indulgence and Megan Montgomery out of Brooklyn seems to be keeping quite busy as arguably the first personal chef for dogs. She runs Zen Chien Personal Chef Service for Dogs. And to go with that, there are restaurants that cater to canines only, for example HamptonPetChef.com serving The Hamptons, New York and Long Island. The Dog Chef out of Baltimore bills itself as a café and sells Froyo for fido which comes in Bacon Molasess, Pumpkin Pie, Mixed Berry, Peanut Butter Banana, and a sampler pack to go (in a doggy bag, naturally.)

Here in Seattle, we don’t have Canine Cafés or Fido Froyo stands, but you can still take the at-home approach to cooking up nutritional dishes to add to kibbles or raw foods. My standard go-to meal for Rosie and Percy, the wonder-Welshies, is a basic chicken stock. It’s very simple to create if you have a leftover roast chicken carcass: simply chop up the chicken into hunks and put it in a crock pot with water and some herbs. I use thyme, rosemary, herbs de provence, and fennel seeds. Let the chicken cook overnight to get all the meat off the bones and melt any cartilage. The next morning, strain out the stock and separate out the bones and skin. Put the cooking liquid, chopped up meat and more herbs if you want back into the crock pot. Discard the bones and skin. Next chop up onions, carrots and celery and add to the crock pot. If the stock is anemic, add some chicken bouillon to the pot. I like to use Knorr’s because it is low sodium and has no preservatives. Let it cook all day to soften the veggies. Then at dinner time, add a ladleful to your standard kibbles or raw food diet. It will keep well in the fridge for a week, or freeze the rest in serving-sized containers. As a side note, this also makes a great chicken soup base for the rest of the two-footed family… Just sayin…

Holistic practitioners

The ultimate step for pet owners is to change their entire canine lifestyle with a holistic approach, more common in traditional Chinese medical practices. In fact the American Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine was founded here in Seattle by Dr. R. Panzer as far back as 1998. Dr. Panzer trains other vets in the Seattle area in acupuncture and herbal therapies for dogs, horses and other large animals. He even makes house and barn calls. As an alternative to painkillers and surgery, you can also find massage therapists, detoxification specialists, acupuncturists, and water therapy professionals. However, the largest growth has been in alternative medicine and supplements. The vet will often perform a metabolic nutritional analysis via a blood test, and then recommend a personalized mix of glandular, enzymatic, vitamin and mineral supplements. Some holistic vets are wary of vaccinations, which can weaken your pet’s immune system. They also believe that conventional medications can have harmful side effects as with humans. Some of the supplements I add to the dogs’ diet are ginger ( sprinkle a bit over the food), rosemary (nice breath freshener too!) and coconut oil (a tsp in the morning.) The lesson here is to do your research, understand the trade offs and risks in therapies, medications and most importantly food sources. Be sure to focus on the overall well-being of your dog. Remember the old adage “We are what we eat” applies to our pets as well.

Dogs have always been a huge part of my life, and the lives of many of my friends. When looking for services, supplies, and healthy food for my pets, I came to realize that it’s just hard to find the good providers. Word of mouth and sharing experiences is the best way to ensure that my pets are getting the best care. But in the age of information, I wanted to find a better way. And I wanted a way to combine my passions and my career in software. With a background in data management and online commerce, my colleagues and I envisioned a site where information, city by city, becomes a readily available resource for people and their dogs. And that information is shared in a community environment. And so Dogiciti was born.

Why Dogs?

I grew up with hunting dogs, mainly English Springer Spaniels. There was Buzzard Claude, Chunker, and Puffin. They all were great pets, handling well in the field. But Puffin was truly mine, and came with me when I married The Man. Puffin passed away due to old age and hard living. Arthritis got her to slow down in the end, but she was still my girl. Several months later, when The Man and I looked at getting another dog, he wanted an Irish Setter. But we live in the city and a dog requires some amount of space. I was sentimentally stuck on ESS as a breed. Then we found about Welsh Springer Spaniels by simply googling “red springer spaniel.” And so Peabody entered our lives.

Peabody came to us from Alaska, where we had heard rumors of Welshie puppies being available. To this day, Jimmy and Linda of Pegynol’s Welsh Spring Spaniels are dear friends as well as trusted breeders. When Peabody came to us, she immediately bonded with The Man. It was the first dog that was truly his in every sense of the word. They played Frisbee, she slept on his side of the bed, there were countless snuggles, tummy rubs and licks. She mothered our young son and The Heir treated her like a sibling, jealous rivalry and all.

When Peabody was 10, she started to have trouble breathing, and couldn’t lay down to sleep easily. She was so exhausted all the time, so we took her to the vet right away. Now our local vet is very highly rated, and always provided excellent care. However, his recommendation was that she be put to sleep due to cancer causing her body cavity to fill with liquid. She had mesothelial hyperplasia, a cancer of the body lining, so surgery was impossible. It was the liquid caused by the cancer pressuring her lungs so that she couldn’t expand them enough to take a breath. We were determined to get a second opinion and thankfully, after research and a lot of calling around, we found a great cancer vet.

More recently, I found a lump on the rib cage of our bitch Rosie (niece of Peabody). Again, a rush to the vet to check for cancer. Thankfully, this time it was not cancer but arthritis. Still paranoid, I began to research supplements and therapy for early stage arthritis. After all Rosie is just turning 5 and hopefully has a long life ahead of her. I want to make sure she enjoys it in the best possible way. And so the information search begins again.

The Mission

The whole process of searching out the best care for cancer and now arthritis brought home to me the lack of information and resources for pet care: It took a lot of calling around and research to find a care provider we were comfortable with. Reputation ranking and reviews for veterinarians were not really available online at the time we were dealing with Peabody’s crisis. Nor are reviews and recommendations easy to find for pet stores in general. Peabody lived an additonal 18 months due to the great care we got. And when she finally laid down for the final time, we were reassured that we had done all we could. With Rosie’s arthritis, we are still processing information, techniques, and therapies. (Watch this space for a future article on arthritis and dogs.)

In Seattle, a city well known for its canine lifestyle, there are plenty of boutique neighborhood businesses catering to the furry set. But how to find them all? Seattle is also known for its software… Dogiciti is a site to find information and create a community for dog lovers. Admittedly, we’ve got a long way to go. Initially, we are publishing articles and information focused on Seattle neighborhoods. We are developing a directory of resources and service providers where dog owners can find the reviews and rankings for pet supplies, vets, and other resources. So if you want to recommend a business, leave a comment and we’ll check it out, add them to our resource directory, and maybe even write a feature article. Ultimately, we want to create a place where information is easy to find, and where dogs and their owners can celebrate the canine lifestyle.

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