Jack Thornton
Small dog no little squirt
Published on Wed, Dec 2, 2009 by Jack ThorntonRead More Thornton
Many veterinary hospitals provide boarding services for their clients. The advantage - a locally needed service not to mention increased revenues. The downside - increased customer traffic, some animals that are difficult to keep clean, noisy barkers and the unpredictable chewing machine that can make stainless steel water and food bowls look like objects of target practice using a 12-gauge shotgun. I've boarded dogs that even chewed through a chain link fence.
One unexpected benefit from dog walking is the opportunity to observe normal canine behavior. Sniffing, walking, urination and defecation can provide clues to certain pathological conditions. However, so-called "normal" turns out to be highly variable.
Squatters, lifters
The act of urination, for example, can vary in frequency from zero to a dozen or more during a short 10-minute walk. There are squatters both male and female. The squat can be high, low, level or tilted. There are right-rear leg lifters, left-rear leg lifters and ambidextrous-rear leg lifters.
Some males throw their lift leg high with such gusto that they fall away to their unsupported side. Others prefer to lean against animate objects apparently for support.
But my star squirter has been a small black Pomeranian named Touche. This diminutive athlete begins with a simple hind leg lift but quickly flips up on his front legs only and proceeds to walk around in a vertical position while squirting urine backwards, downwards and sometimes onto his lower chest hairs, from which it dribbles to the ground. Messy, but cute.
Stupid? Not he
How he got started doing this his owners cannot say. He just does it sometimes, walking 10-20 feet, and consistently scores 9.5 to 9.9. On at least three occasions he's been awarded a perfect 10.
The other day, just before opening, three women were waiting in their car in my parking lot for my first appointment of the day. As I emerged before them with Touche on a lead, I hoped that he might show off his prowess for their amusement.
True to form, Touche did his thing as I watched the women gleefully respond.
Emerging from their car, the women began commenting on his impressive performance.
"I should video this," I said, "and submit it to the stupid pet tricks segment of the 'Dave Letterman Show.'"
One of the women replied, "Any dog that p---es on the 'David Letterman Show' can't be too stupid!"
Next on, "Walking the Dog: Preposterous Pooping Postures."
Jack Thornton is a semi-retired veterinarian. Reach him at columnists@sequim gazette.com.
One unexpected benefit from dog walking is the opportunity to observe normal canine behavior. Sniffing, walking, urination and defecation can provide clues to certain pathological conditions. However, so-called "normal" turns out to be highly variable.
Squatters, lifters
The act of urination, for example, can vary in frequency from zero to a dozen or more during a short 10-minute walk. There are squatters both male and female. The squat can be high, low, level or tilted. There are right-rear leg lifters, left-rear leg lifters and ambidextrous-rear leg lifters.
Some males throw their lift leg high with such gusto that they fall away to their unsupported side. Others prefer to lean against animate objects apparently for support.
But my star squirter has been a small black Pomeranian named Touche. This diminutive athlete begins with a simple hind leg lift but quickly flips up on his front legs only and proceeds to walk around in a vertical position while squirting urine backwards, downwards and sometimes onto his lower chest hairs, from which it dribbles to the ground. Messy, but cute.
Stupid? Not he
How he got started doing this his owners cannot say. He just does it sometimes, walking 10-20 feet, and consistently scores 9.5 to 9.9. On at least three occasions he's been awarded a perfect 10.
The other day, just before opening, three women were waiting in their car in my parking lot for my first appointment of the day. As I emerged before them with Touche on a lead, I hoped that he might show off his prowess for their amusement.
True to form, Touche did his thing as I watched the women gleefully respond.
Emerging from their car, the women began commenting on his impressive performance.
"I should video this," I said, "and submit it to the stupid pet tricks segment of the 'Dave Letterman Show.'"
One of the women replied, "Any dog that p---es on the 'David Letterman Show' can't be too stupid!"
Next on, "Walking the Dog: Preposterous Pooping Postures."
Jack Thornton is a semi-retired veterinarian. Reach him at columnists@sequim gazette.com.
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