Dog Show Addiction and the Suburban Writer by Connie Vines

When did I realize that I had a ‘dog show’ addiction?

My first inkling, was when I kept searching through the cable channels and ‘available shows to watch’ section of my service provider for the Westminster Dog Show or the Beverly Hills Dog Show. 

Mind you this was after I’d watched both shows and knew the results.

I like dogs.

I own a dog.

I belong to the Poodle group on FB and the Poodle Rescue group too.

That is fairly normal, right?

However, when your husband walks through the living room (this is the man who wouldn’t notice if I was wearing mismatched shoes and sporting a tiara) and says, “You and Chanel are watching the dog show again?” It gives one pause. So, I’m back to viewing the History Channel and PBS--cold turkey, so to speak.

This morning I had my hairdressing appointment. (Hi, Dani).

Pumi

Dani, my hair stylist, has two dogs. We share general information, family stuff, and you guessed it—we start talking about our dogs while my hair is being foil-wrapped so the highlights set. I brought up the topic of dog shows, and the new AKC breeds accepted this year and last. Excited, Dani pounces on this new topic.

Oh dear, I’ve really done it now—I’m converting (or corrupting) my friend into becoming a dog show addict, too. 

We couldn’t stop!


Dani Googled “Pumi” (my favorite new breed).  The Pumi is a medium-small breed of sheep dog from Hungary. They have a whimsical expression, with a tail that forms a circle over the back. We scrolled though the pictures (me squinting because I've removed my glasses) until we located the six-toed “Norwegian Lundehund," a small, rectangular Spitz type dog.  This progressed to a quest to find breeder information.

During the drive home, I wondered  if dogs could become addicted to television shows. Chanel seemed to enjoy watching the dog show with me.

I did a bit of research on the subject. 

It seems many dog owners (I am not among them) turn on the TV before he/she leaves for work. The station of choice for the dog seems to be Animal Planet.

Lassie has their full attention!

Former London Zoo veterinarian Malcolm Welshman addressed canine TV addiction in his research,
“A dog's eyes perceive movement and color differently than humans. In the times before HD television, watching the TV through a dog's eyes was akin to flipping through a scrapbook. Dogs require 70 images a second in order to view something as continuously in motion. Humans, on the other hand, only need up to 20. TVs were made for human eyes, not canine.”

Until high-def entertainment. 

(You can skip the next 2 scientific paragraphs, if you like 😊).

Now, dogs perceive continuous motion in film. However, dogs only have two cones in their eyes--blue and yellow--limiting their color field. In contrast, humans have three cones. Combined, much like an artist's color palette, we can see a prism of the rainbow. Dog vision is similar to what humans refer to as being color blind.

"Animal Cognition Journal" published a study to see if dogs could recognize real characters from cartoon characters as well as their own breed. They concluded that dogs really do know the difference. Scientists believe canines can detect that animated movements are not as life-like as living creatures.

Many owners notice their dog barking at animals on the TV or even scooting closer. They are actively engaging their other senses in an effort to define more about the animal, much like they would at a doggy meet-and-greet. When the on-screen animal doesn't respond to the barking, the dog can infer that it's likely not the real deal--though sometimes it takes a few more attempts to learn.

What do you think? Does your dog or cat enjoy watching TV?

Do you watch TV with your pet?


Happy Reading,

Connie

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Digital Fitness Monitor--The Gift That Won't Stop Giving by Connie Vines

It is nearing the end of December and the New Year is shoving itself to the forefront of everyone's mind.  All the Christmas goodies have been consumed or given away in festive holiday containers to family and friends.  Leaving many of us looking at the calendar and wondering which day to begin storing away our exuberant display Christmas decorations; or deciding which holiday cards to keep or recycle.

I, however, I am spending my morning staring out my office window at a profusion of lovely southern California greenery, listening to "The Martini Station" on Slacker Radio and slipping a cup of warm water (flavored with a bit of lemon) and tormenting myself with my Digital Fitness Monitor.  The same Digital Fitness Monitor I purchase with my birthday gift cards (I am a June baby).

Mind you, I'd much rather be working on my next release: "Gumbo Ya Ya: for women who like romance Cajun and men HOT & SPICY!"  Instead, I'm crawling on the floor to insert a tiny usb thingy into the center of my PC tower (why is the tower/tower door covers and background/ and the 'usb thingy' the same shiny shade of black? Why?  Camouflage, maybe?  No.  No, that can't be the reason.  The real reason being:  black is the perfect venue to highlight 'finger-print' marks.  Thankfully, for my sanity's sake, the monitor and wearable clip is in a somewhat-eye-catching shade of burgundy. (Easily located in the bottom of my black-lined handbag where the device may reside if things don't go well during our 'honeymoon stage".)

That said, I'm back on my PC, where, after rotating though an endless round of 'personal' questions on the set-up and download screen, I'm ready to begin. Unfortunately my device needs to have the battery charged for two hours.  You guessed it, I'm back on the floor yanking out the usb sync device and replacing it with the tiny (black) charger while trying to decide which end of the burgundy fitness monitor to shove into the charging unit.

Success!

While I am waiting, reach for my iPhone and log on to MyFitnessPal with it's scanner and pre-programmed/personalized selection of my fave, and often selected foods, over the past three years.  Even though it's time for a change (I did join an upgraded gym six months ago), and those same twenty pounds have come and gone. . .and returned numerous times over the past five years. Change is always a challenge.

Is this a challenge I'll like?  I very much doubt it--I love my coffee (Starbucks: Gingerbread Latte, hold the whip) way too much.  Will I give my new digital fitness monitor the old college try?  Yes.  After all what choice do I have (the darn thing was expensive!).  I'll grumble, I'll complain, but I will use the digital device.  After all, "Ask Dr. K", newspaper columnist and physician and professor at Harvard Medical School, says that most people use the devices and adopt a healthier lifestyle.  He also has the results of surveys and studies to backup his findings.

I can't argue with proven success.

However, I draw the like at wearing the device while I sleep--I don't care if a wrist band, complete with Velcro fastening--and you guess it--in a nice shiny shade of black, came in the package!

Wishing you a New Year filled with joy and many blessing, as well as an E-Reader filled with wonderful stories from Books We Love Authors.

See you next month!

Connie