Upcoming Movie: Hotel For Dogs

The Los Angeles Times was recently on the set of the upcoming family movie: Hotel for Dogs. Here's what they had to say about the movie:

Photographer David Strick spent literally a few dog-day afternoons capturing the canine action on the set of the family film “Hotel for Dogs,” which is slated to open Jan. 16. Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin star in the comedy adventure about two orphans -- a teenage girl and her younger brother -- who learn that their new guardians won't allow them to bring their beloved dog, Friday, with them to their new home. But they find the perfect solution when they discover an abandoned hotel and transform it into a doggy Plaza Hotel for Friday and his four-legged buddies. The film, based on Lois Duncan's 1971 children's book, marks the feature debut of director Thor Freudenthal, who admits he is more of a cat person than a dog fanatic. "But I have to tell you I was very tempted during this shoot to take one of the [dogs] home with me. They are so well behaved and beautiful." Nearly 90 dogs appear in the movie, with seven pooches playing the leads. Before production began, Freudenthal spent two weeks with the trainers to select the perfect hounds for the film. "It was important for me in the hero group of dogs to have a variety of types," says Freudenthal, who picked a huge mastiff and a teeny Boston terrier to play best friends Lenny and George. And Friday is played by a Jack Russell terrier.

Would you see this movie?

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School Kids Attacked by Dogs: How to Stay Safe

Belfast Telegraph recently printed a story about a pack of dogs running loose on school grounds, eventually attacking several children at St Therese's Lenamore Primary School in Londonderry.

Luckily none of the kids had to be hospitalized, but this attack is a good wake up call to parents with and without pets. This incident started because dogs would follow their owners to school. It's important to teach children how what to do around any dog or animal.

Here are some tips on what kids can do from Kids Health:

• ever bother a pet when it's eating or pull its food or water away.
• Don't tease a dog or cat or pull its tail or ears.
• Never bother a pet when it's sleeping.
• Don't take a toy or bone away from a cat or dog or hold it out of reach of the animal.
• Never try to get near a pet with its babies (like a cat with kittens or a dog with puppies). Animal mothers are very protective and will bite to keep you away.
• When lifting a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or gerbil from its cage, do it slowly. Be sure to hold the animal underneath its belly.
• Never pick up or hold a rabbit by its ears.
• When pulling an iguana, lizard, snake, or other reptile from its tank, do it slowly and carefully. Then wash your hands right away because reptiles can carry bacteria like Salmonella on their skin.
• Never stick your hand into a fish tank, some fish can sting and the bacteria from the water can make you sick.
  
• If a pet looks sick or is injured, stay far away. Tell an adult so he or she can get help for the animal.

When you're at a friend's home, the same rules apply - plus one more. Always ask your friend if it's OK to pet or hold his or her pet. If your friend says OK, move slowly and be sure to let the animal sniff your hands first.

• Never pet or touch a strange dog, even if it runs up to you and seems like it might be friendly.
• If a dog starts running toward you, don't run. Running away can make the dog want to chase after you - even if it doesn't want to hurt you, its instincts will tell it to chase.
• If a strange dog approaches you, try to stand very still. This may be scary for a minute or 2, but often the dog will become bored and walk away. If the dog tries to sniff you, let it sniff - this is its way of checking you out.
• Walk away from a strange dog very slowly. Don't wave your arms around or make a lot of noise because these actions will only excite the dog. Look straight ahead and not into the dog's eyes.
• If you are very afraid of a strange dog or a strange dog tries to bite or attack you, tell an adult as soon as possible. He or she can find the dog's owner.

Also: Never pet or touch a strange cat, even if it seems friendly.

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Children Reading through Different Learning Styles

I found this great story in The Sheboygan Press:

Go to the Head of the Class:

Furry pals make reading fun at Longfellow School

Students from Longfellow Elementary School read to area dogs recently to bone up on their reading skills, thanks to a creative program developed by third-grade teacher Julie Hauck.

The program, which is open to second- and third-graders at Longfellow, is Pages for Preston Reading Therapy Dog Program.

Second-graders spend 30 minutes a week and third-graders 45 minutes a week to read to dogs from the Green Grove Dog Kennels/Green Grove Therapy Dogs.

"My goal is to provide a companion for my students to read to who will help them increase their reading fluency, attitude and confidence," said Hauck. "Therapy dogs are ideal for this job because they provide students the opportunity to read in a non-threatening atmosphere."

This allows students to focus on their reading instead of worrying about how others are judging their abilities.

"We are really enjoying it," said one of the teachers, implementing this program. "I was an elementary classroom teacher before I got into dog training and so the program combines my favorite things — children and dogs. The children seem to be excited to have the dogs come into the classroom and we work in reading circles, with the dogs and kids reading together."

The students also get the opportunity to assist in training the dogs with standard commands like sit, stay and come. This means that kids get to "practice" owning a pet before actually getting them. Which means more responsible pet owners, and less animals ending up in shelters.

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