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COMMUNITY NEWS | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2015 9 By Teri DiMarino-Davidson We think we know everything there is to know about our own pets, but there is always something that makes us take a step back and say "Ah ha!" • Walt Disney had a Poodle named Lady. • Kublai Khan, who established the Yuan Dynasty of ancient China, had over 5,000 mastiffs, the most dogs ever owned by a single person. (Imagine HIS kibble bill!) • Greyhounds can run up to 45 miles an hour and are the fastest canine on the planet. (These gentle giants are 45-mile-an-hour couch potatoes.) • Chinese Cresteds were made popular by the vaudeville performer, Gypsie Rose Lee. • There were 12 dogs aboard the Titanic. Three survived: two Pomeranians and a Pekinese. • The Lundehund is a Norwegian breed that hunts Puffin birds on steep terrain. They have six toes on each foot that keep them firmly planted on the rocks. And now something for our cat lovers… • Did you know that a cat will sleep up to 16 hours a day? (Must come from living at Four Seasons!) • A male cat is a "tom," a female is a "queen." A group of kittens is called a "kindle" and a grouping of adults is a "clowder." • Outdoor cats' lifespan averages at about three to five years while indoor cats will live 16 years or longer. (Another reason to keep them inside!) • Cats prefer their food at room temperature: not too hot or not too cold. (Well la-de-da.) • And we all know that while dogs have "owners," cats have "staff." DOG ShOW TIME! We all know that dog shows are the beauty contest of the canine world. But so much more goes on at these exhibitions. There are the conformation classes where dogs are judged against a breed standard or blueprint and the best dogs receive the highly coveted championship points. Then there are the obedience and agility classes. These are the "Einstein" and "decathlon" classes for dogs where they dutifully obey specific obedience commands or go through a maze of obstacles and are graded on their performance. In all instances, it's all about the dogs and the people all having a great time. Well, have you ever been to one? Dog shows are held every weekend through the United States and, chances are, climate permitting, there is always one near you. You are lucky, because the Kennel Club of Palm Springs has their annual, two-day show on Jan. 3 and 4 at the Empire Equestrian Park and Polo Grounds in Indio. There is also an array of specialty shows on Jan. 1 and 2 at the same location. If you have nothing to do on one of those days and have an interest in attending, you can get a schedule of breeds, their times and their rings by going to the superintendent's page at https://www.jbradshaw.com/, go to the left side of the page and click "Shows," scroll down to the dates, find the Kennel Club of Palm Springs and click on that. Go to the "Judging Schedule" tab and that will give you the times and ring numbers of all of the breeds and events. The sport of showing dogs can be a very intense and an all- consuming hobby, as we all think our own dogs are the best. But it's enjoyable seeing the dogs and their owners and handlers all having a good time. Please contact me at DearTabby1@aol.com if you have any questions regarding the sport of dogs or these local shows and I will be happy to walk you through the judging schedule. Dear Tabby; Why do my dogs feet smell like corn chips? "Frito Feet" is a common name for this naturally occurring odor on our dogs. If you like the smell of corn chips or popcorn, you are probably enjoying this. It's like puppy breath, but you may not sniff quite as closely after I tell you what that is. Even the cleanest of dogs have tons of bacteria on their skin, kind of like us. And, like us, the folds and creases in a dog's feet, coupled with moisture from grass and licking along with "stuff" they step in, is a perfect petri dish for this bacteria to flourish. According to an article in Mental Floss Magazine, all these micro-organisms give off their own distinct odors (they're what give us BO), and the popcorn/corn chip smell on some dogs could be the fault of yeast or the bacterium Proteus, which are both known for their sweet, corn tortilla smell. Or it could be the bacterium Pseudomonas, which smells a little fruitier, but pretty close to popcorn to most noses. "Frito Feet" is a totally natural curiosity and nothing to be alarmed about, unless the smell is so overpowering you suspect something is wrong. Dog's feet should never be red, sore or cracked. If you walk on our trails, check your dog's feet after each walk to assure he has not stepped on anything sharp or split a pad in his adventures. And while you're there, take a good sniff! Fascinating Tid-Bits of Pet Lore

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