Pet Talk

Test Your Pet Savvy

By Frances Goodman

Greetings pet lovers! Here’s our September pet lovers’ quiz. Enjoy!

And if you have a pet question, be sure to email it to me at fhpettalk@hotmail.com. Or, let me know if there’s a special topic on which you’d like more information in the column.

Questions:

1. In the United States, do dogs outnumber

   cats as pets, or vice- versa?

2. Is it okay to kiss your pet hamster?

3. True or False: All large toads in South Florida are toxic toads.

4. How well can dogs understand what we are saying?

5. True or false: Most any plant that has a bulb is toxic to pets if 

    eaten or chewed.

6. What popular small pet is related to the porcupine?

7. Cats and cage birds tend to hide the signs they are ill. Why?

8. Why do male Betas (Siamese fighting fish) blow bubbles on the 

    surface of the water?

9. What’s the difference between a service dog and a therapy  

    dog?

   10. Those Germans, they do like dogs! Can you name at least four 

        dog breeds that were developed in Germany?

Answers:

1. In the United States, statistics show that cats 

    outnumber dogs as pets.

2. Kissing a hamster or any other pet rodent is not okay, as 

    rodents can carry salmonella.

3. At this point in time, almost any large toad in our area is an

    invasive toxic toad, according to a spokesman for the Florida

    Fish and Wildlife Commission. That’s because they have edged

    out the native toad populations. Their toxic secretion can be

    fatal to a pet if there is not immediate intervention.

    But every spring, thousands of baby toxic toads are hatched,

    so there are plenty of small ones around, too. The FWC 

    recommends blunt trauma to the head as the humane way to 

    eliminate them, although the small ones can be crushed like a

    bug. (Just do it quickly and humanely. Even small ones are

    dangerous to small pets.)

4. How well dogs understand us depends on how much we have

    taught them. Researchers report that a Border Collie named

    Rico, who is well socialized with humans, has learned the

    meaning of 200 words.

5. Most plants with bulbs are highly toxic to all pets. These

    include tulip, hyacinth daffodil, crocus and almost all lilies. Cats,

    who tend to nibble on the greenery of bouquets and potted

    plants, are especially at risk from lilies.

6. Take your pick: Hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats and rabbits all

    are related to the porcupine, which is a quill-bearing rodent.

7. Cats and cage birds retain the instinct of their wild relatives to

    hide signs of illness because this would reveal weakness to

    potential predators. This “cover-up” means caregivers need to

    be alert to slight changes in their normal behavior, which may

    be the first or only clue to the onset of an illness.

8. Male Betas, the ones with the flaring fins and tail, blow bubble

    nests to attract a mate. If one is found and she lays eggs, the

    male will carry them in his mouth and deposit them in the

    bubbles, where they remain until they hatch. He also tends the

    nest, catching any eggs that fall out and re-depositing them in

    the bubbles.

9. A service dog provides a service for those with physical 

   challenges – for example the seeing-eye dog, the hearing-ear

   dog, or one that retrieves dropped items. Service dogs assisting

   owners cannot be denied access to public buildings.

   A therapy dog provides the therapy of a comforting presence 

   and unconditional acceptance to those who would benefit from

   it emotionally or psychologically.

   Typically, therapy dogs go with their human volunteers to visit

   patients in nursing homes and other institutions, such as

   treatment centers for addictions or brain injuries. However, they

   may also provide comforting therapy to an individual whose

   doctor has determined they need the support of the dog’s 

   presence at all times. In such cases, just like service dogs, they

   are legally entitled to accompany the owner into all public

   buildings and facilities. Even HOA’s that do not allow residents

   to keep pets are legally required to make exceptions for bona

   fide therapy pets.

10. Breeds developed in Germany include Rottweiler, Doberman,

     Weimaraner, Pomeranian, Schnauzer, Dachshund (Doxie) and

     of course German Shepherd, to name a few.

Frances Goodman is a professional dog trainer and pet care writer who lives in Royal Palm Beach. Got a question? Email her at fhpettalk@hotmail.com. See her ad this page.