Practice Pooches

Hmmm, the reader and veterinarian's comments suggest that this is not good for the dogs, but it's an interesting phenomenon. People are beginning to share dog ownership (not so bad) and there are services that have sprung up that allow members to rent dogs (that one's tough on the doggies). People are doing it because they want to enjoy the companionship of a dog, but are unable or unwilling to care for one all the time. One interviewee puts it this way -

"It's sanity time. It's very relaxing. It energizes you."

Here's the article from the Chicago-area Daily Herald.

Woof Woof Makes for Less Wah Wah

Today I was thinking about how great it makes me feel to see my brother's and fiancee's dog, Charlie, and how that reinforced the fact that I think everyone should have a pet. This is from the heading above the video on WebMD that I watched -

"From easing depression to lowering triglycerides, spending time with a pet can boost physical and emotional health."

http://www.webmd.com/video/pets-health-see-spot-feel-happy

So, you don't even need to own one if you can get to spend regular time with someone else's pet. That's like being an uncle. It's a pretty sweet gig, let me tell you.

By the way, triglycerides are basically fat, in chemical form, in your plasma. Excessive amounts affect your heart in similar ways as cholesterol (the bad kind). Please correct me, if I'm wrong, all you people who read this wonderful blog.