The owner of Brutus, Karla McGraw, also was the handler of Brutus for the show. She reported surprise and elation of Brutus's win which turned out to be a 4 point major. A Dogue de Bordeaux needs 15 points to become a Champion.

'Brutus handled beautifully during the show. The judge said he was the finest Dogue she had seen in over a year of judging.' Mrs. McGraw reported.

Beaches Bordeaux is a small in home breeder with dogs from very famous Dogue de Bordeaux lines such as Temple Felson and USA de Tatouage. Owner, Karla McGraw, also studs out the two males and has litters of puppies yearly. For more information, visit www.beachesbordeaux.com. The website also contains a blog where subscribers and viewers can follow Brutus on the dog show circuit.

— WebWireID108120 —

Training a cat can also help cat owners save a huge amount of money immediately and long term, which should come in handy during the current economic climate.

Here's how...

Although some costs of owning a cat are obvious, other financial stings could be lurking around the next corner, from a fiery feline who wants to turn their owner's best shoes, leather sofa and Persian rug into a torn up toilet patch.

So during the credit crunch, it's easy to see why more and more cat owners are looking for ways to take back control of their furry little friends, and ease the financial burden of a cat that isn't meeting them half way.

There are many things cat owners can do to cut costs in an economic downturn, such as switching to cheaper brands, or finding a more competitively priced vet.

However, by far the biggest and most unexpected cost any cat owner will face, is the cost of an unruly cat.

And whilst neglect from proper health care, regular check ups and grooming can contribute to a cat's veterinary bill, the damage an untrained cat can do to the average home (or to the cat themselves) as a result of disobedient behavior, can also burn a hole in the wallet very quickly too.

For example, when kitty decides to run her cute little claws down the side of a $1500 leather sofa, or pee and poop on that new Persian rug, many cat owners suddenly find themselves in a world of frustration, raised blood pressure and of course, more financial strain.

It's no wonder then, that cat owners across the US and the UK, are beginning to pay close attention to their cat's psychological needs and problems too with more and more "day care" centers appearing in different areas across the two countries.

According to Nick Brydon, owner of www.CatTrainingTricks.com, 'Cat training is essential, not just for the cat's own benefit, but for the entire family's benefit too. The key thing to understand is that cats need the same level of understanding that dogs usually get, in order to create a solid emotional bond with you... and in order to have any hope of eliminating bad behavior problems for good.'

'And when it comes to saving money, there is little room for a cat that is tearing your possessions to pieces,costing you large veterinary bills, or racking up costs at the local market for cleaning products, ' Brydon adds.

So how are cat owners able to understand why their cat is chewing shoes, clawing their kids, or digging up indoor plants the moment they are left hone alone?

Furthermore, what can cat owners actually do to put an end the destructive cat behavior and the ongoing costs these problems cause?

"The truth is, cats do not respond to the same things that dogs do, so training cats requires a different approach than dogs," Brydon claims.

"In order to stop your cat from tearing your home to pieces, acting aggressively or anti-socially... you need to introduce something called Classical Training. This is a proven method which I teach people at my new website, which allows your cat to associate their bad behavior with a negative consequence," Brydon continues. 'This training is proving to work extremely well for my own subscribers too. With the Classical Conditioning approach, your cat only associates their bad behavior with a negative consequence, not with you instead.'

"Why is this different to the usual cat cat training methods out there? Well, many training methods do the opposite, and cause the cat owner to become feared by their cats. This is the result of the old style punishments such as handling and yelling, which only cause your cat to simply wait until you're not home to begin their path of destruction." Says Brydon.

So if cat training is possible, how can it be a saviour in today's economic credit crunch?

'By training your cat, it's not really about cute party tricks. It's about taming your cat in such a way that they no longer shred your carpet, your clothes, your skin... and they actually use the litter tray instead of your best carpet. This alone can save the most credit conscious cat owner a small fortune over the course of 12 months.'

"Furthermore, the average cat owner can expect to save a significant amount on cleaning bills, veterinary bills (when a naughty cat runs into physical danger), and according to studies, even lower the cat owner's own personal health bills... as a well behaved cat will lower your blood pressure and actually improve your cholesterol too," Says Brydon.

So the message is clear - cat training is both psychologically and financially rewarding for both the cat owner, the family and the cat too.

In today's credit conscious times, and with the average cat owner now spending approximately $20 per week on various products to care and feed their cats, any savings that can be made elsewhere as a cat owner are sure to be appreciated by cat lovers from all corners of the globe right now.

Nick Brydon also adds: "As more and more people become aware of the huge range of benefits of a well behaved, loving and safe cat, the more services are starting to appear to accommodate this growing need... especially in the US. That is one of the reasons why I decided to launch the brand new website www.CatTrainingTricks.com, giving proud cat owners a way to train their cat by signing up for their Free 9 Part email course which they can sign up for today when they visit the site.'

Nick Brydon is the publisher and owner of www.CatTrainingTricks.com, where right now he is offering a Free 9 part email guide on training cats from scratch, without dangerous, costly or outdated advice.

— WebWireID108105 —

'Dogs are being welcomed into our homes and our hearts more than ever before so it's a natural step to give our dogs nicknames just as we would for other members of the family,' says Paris Permenter, co-publisher of DogTipper.com. 'Some of these names are used within the family while other nicknames make their way out of the house as the dog explores the world on walks and visits to the dog park—so many nicknames almost become second names.'

DogTipper.com recently hosted a contest in which over 1,600 dog lovers shared their dog's nicknames. The most popular dog nicknames were:

1. Beanie Weanie
2. Boo Boo
3. Bubba
4. Doodlebug
5. Fluffy
6. Nuggy
7. Shortie
8. Smoochie
9. Stinky
10. Sugar Pie
11. Sweetie

Some nicknames fetched far fewer entries; here are the 10 most unusual dog nicknames received by DogTipper.com:

1. Baba Ganoosh
2. Bamboozle
3. Cuddle Bunny
4. Demon Dog
5. Dishwasher Pre-Rinse
6. Sausage McMuffin
7. Spiky McSchnoodle
8. Toesywoesy
9. Willywoowoo
10. Yellow Couch Rat

To view an extended list of popular dog nicknames, visit http://www.dogtipper.com/choosing/dog-nicknames.html .

About DogTipper.com

DogTipper.com features daily tips for dog lovers as well as dog news, celebrity canines, dog festivals and special events, product reviews, dog of the day, dog movies and more. The site is published by the husband-wife team of John Bigley and Paris Permenter, longtime professional writers with over two dozen published books on a variety of subjects. For more information, visit www.DogTipper.com.

SOURCE DogTipper.com

— WebWireID108018 —

From Yale's "Handsome Dan" to the University of Georgia's "Uga", fans adore their college mascots as much as the highest scoring team players. But which mascot will score the most points?

In celebration of its 125 Anniversary, the American Kennel Club and AOL's PawNation.com ask America to weigh in on their favorite canine college mascots. The nominees for most famous canine college mascot are:

* Yale's "Handsome Dan" - The first university in the United States to adopt a mascot, Yale's Bulldog was established by a young gentleman from Victorian England, who attended Yale in the 1890's. Since then there have been 17 Handsome Dans, who have belonged to deans, directors and coaches.
* University of Georgia's "UGA" - A solid white English Bulldog has served as the mascot since 1956. To date, there have been seven dogs to carry the name "UGA", each is the son of his predecessor. Deceased UGAs are interred in a mausoleum near the main entrance to Sanford Stadium.
* Texas A&M's "Reveille" - Students adopted the first Reveille in 1931. After the death of the first Reveille, an university graduate donated a Shetland Sheepdog to fill his paw prints. The third Reveille was the first to be a purebred Collie; all subsequent mascots have belonged to this breed.
* Georgetown's "Jack the Bulldog -In 1962, "Jack" the Bulldog was formally adopted as the official mascot of Georgetown. Over time, the tradition of a permanent, on-campus mascot was replaced by a student in a bulldog suit. However, seniors in the class of 1999 began a "Bring Jack Back" campaign and succeeded in welcoming a new Jack to campus.
* Boston University Terriers' Rhett the Boston Terrier - The Boston University Terriers official mascot is Rhett the Boston Terrier. Since the school colors are scarlet and white, the mascot is named Rhett in a reference to Gone with the Wind, because "no one loves Scarlet more than Rhett."

Which canine college mascot will be victorious? Visit
http://www.pawnation.com/category/akc-top-125-dogs to cast your vote and make your "cheer" heard.

Underscoring America's love affair with dogs and celebrating its 125th Anniversary, the American Kennel Club (AKC) collaborated with AOL's PawNation.com to compile a list of the Top 125 Dogs in Popular Culture. The list brings together canines from diverse backgrounds for a candid look at how dogs have been woven into the fabric of America. From movies and music, mascots and literature, to cartoons and TV characters, each week a new poll allows Americans to review the list, debate it with their friends and colleagues, and pick their favorites. Dog lovers can return each week to vote and have a final say to end the doggie debate and find who it the top dog. The AKC will tabulate results and unveil the final list of America's Top 125 Dogs in Pop Culture on December 7, 2009.

— WebWireID107715 —

First emerging in racing Greyhounds, Canine Influenza A, H3N8, is now present in 30 states, with a constant enzootic presence in east coast regions such as New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

The disease shows up 2 to 4 days post exposure and prominent symptoms include cough, sneezing, runny nose, and sometimes fever. Almost all dogs make a full recovery, but about 10% have respiratory complications such as pneumonia, and about 5% of cases are fatal. The illness can last 2-3 weeks or longer.

In May 2009 the USDA approved the first Canine Influenza vaccine.

According to K. Paul Rumble, DVM, Director of Pond Point Animal Hospital in Milford, CT, 'Canine Influenza is highly contagious, with dogs in close groups at the most risk. Shelters, kennels, grooming parlors, dog day care and play groups are all hot beds for flu transmission. Show dogs, racing greyhounds, and pet shop dogs are more at risk than the average companion animal. Diabetic and older dogs are at much greater risk for fatal complications of the flu.'

Dr. Rumble continued, 'We offer the Canine Influenza vaccine at Pond Point Animal Hospital in Milford. The vaccine is very well tolerated and reduces both the length and severity of illness when dogs are exposed. This is especially important for older dogs, those in group settings, or with chronic health problems that make complications like pneumonia especially dangerous.'

Treatment of Canine Influenza is symptomatic including rest, providing lots of fluid, and sometimes treatment with antibiotics, steroids, and IV fluids for infections and complications. Shortness of breath and high fever are serious symptoms that can require veterinary intensive care.

About the Practice

Founded in 1973, Pond Point Animal Hospital in Milford CT specializes in veterinary services for companion animals. With a focus on preventive pet health care, Pond Point offers routine exams, vaccinations, hospitalization, drop off services, boarding, emergency care, dentistry and geriatric medicine for dogs and cats.

For more information, visit www.pondpoint.com, call (203) 878-4646, or email the practice at ppah@pondpoint.com. Serving Milford, Orange, Stratford, West Haven, and surrounding Connecticut towns.

— WebWireID107597 —

Co-authors included Jamee Bomar, Giovanni Coppola, Fuying Gao, Sophia Peng, Kellen Winden, James Wohlschlegel and Zophonias Jonsson, all of UCLA.

By Elaine Schmidt

— WebWireID107590 —