I HEARD IT THRU THE GRAPEVINE

A: The Canine Aging Chart, breaks aging down by weight. For example, a 10 yr old dog weighing up to 30 lbs is 56 in dog years. That same pooch weighing 21-50 lbs is 60, and if it is 51 lbs or heavier, it's 66. In a dog world, it's tough to be a dog. By the way, canines are considered adults by their 30's, seniors by their 50's, & geriatric by their mid-60's. Therefore, sometimes, one can put a dog on a diet & take that same animal from geriatric to senior. Then again, as dog reverse-ages, don't starve him. There's always a catch.

Scott Craven, Pet Editor

AZ Republic

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DOGS - They Make Us More Human - Linda Valdez, AZ Republic

Dogs kept the wolves from the sheep, pulled sleds thru the snow, ate our scraps & guarded the treasures. They guide the blind, help the hearing impaired, warn of impending seizures & bring compassion to victims of post-traumatic stress syndrome, abused kids, the sick, the old & the dying.

Their lawyers could produce evidence to back up the argument that they will bring happiness along w/ all that fur on the side of the couch. Dogs are wired to cooperate & please - even as puppies. And this isn't just syrupy sentiment - science shows dogs enrich the relationship w/ humans. Interaction w/ dogs can increase a human's level of oxytocin - a hormone sometimes called the "cuddle chemical". Oxytocin is released when mammal mothers nurse their babies. Researchers said elevated levels of oxytocin found in humans after activites w/ dogs suggest humans & dogs may have a common style of attachment, which may primarily explain why dogs can adapt to human society.

There's a reason you feel good after playing w/ your dog - it's biological - measurable - & mutual.

Researchers said both human & canine subjects showed a burst of oxytocin in blood samples taken after people spent time petting a dog. The mutual "peak of oxytocin is similar to what we see in breast feeding mothers." Cozy. And possibly more reqarding than some stress-inducing human-to- human relationships.

Wendy Hultsman, associate professor for Parks/Recreation for AZ State University, has done research on couples who participate in dog sports which require intense dog-human interaction. "The bond is sometimes much stronger between people & dogs than it is between some members of the family."

Dr. Nancy Bradley, Dir. of Med Srvcs, AZ Humane Society has seen some of the worst of the worst of animal abuse cases. She said some dogs who have been abused have a "sheer innocence" & willingness to trust - forgiveness is another thing they offer. They are non-judgemental & utterly accepting of our faults. when it comes to deciding who contributes most to the human-canine partnership, Bradley has no doubts "Dogs give us much more than we give them."

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