Casa Calado ( English) - Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday, April 16, 2012

Monday, April 09, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

Carnival costumes

I've never been adept at fantasy animals, even in Carnival, but some are cute ;)

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

If there are months that tells me something, this is the month of February because on this month I become a mother and there is no greater gift than the gift of life.
So is the month of my little sun ... he made 10 years (xiii I really feel old).

Additionally is the month of Carnival, which is nevertheless a major event for our small children, though less important to the four-legged companions, as being the target of matches is never positive.

Finally, we can not forget Valentine's Day is celebrated today and nothing like a bit of history to know better why this day ;)

The History of Saint Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

Source: http://www.pictureframes.co.uk/pages/saint_valentine.htm

Monday, January 23, 2012

Beer for dogs

We must be original ... and this rule is followed by our friends to the north, particularly a Pub in Newcastle (England), where they now serve beer made especially for the 4-legged canine companions.
Accompanied with the beer there is also a snack menu for dogs and dog owners we can both come in and enjoy;)

Original complete news: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083958/Pub-sells-special-beer-dogs-Newcastles-Brandling-Villa-offers-mans-best-friend-pint.html

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Do dogs gave souls ?

If a dog has a soul or not is a very old argument between dog lovers and other people.

The issue becomes more complicated since dogs (and other animals) are seen, in most cases, has properties and therefore if they were consider living beans with souls, where would their rights start and ours end.

The fact is, that in our Christian Religion, the philosophy predominant in most western countries, it is based in the concept of God have creating Earth for humans and everything else is to serve humans.
That just doesn’t sound very good !

So, anyway, today I read that a lady has a sue against a pet store to prove that dogs have souls, and therefore, the some rights and cares as any human being.

When Elena Zakharova looks into the eyes of her puppy as it suffers from bad knees and achy hips, she does not see a defective product to be returned to the store for a refund.

The New York City resident believes Umka, her 1-year-old Brussels Griffon, is a living soul who feels pain and emotion. Now her attorney aims to prove it in court.

Zakharova has filed a civil suit in a New York court against the Upper East Side pet store that sold her a puppy who went on to develop numerous medical complications. The suit seeks to hold the store liable for the dog’s pain and suffering, as well as its medical bills, as if it were a person rather than an inanimate product.

Under New York law, pets are considered “property,’’ but the complaint is trying to change that definition. The ultimate goal is to help shut down the puppy mills, many of them based in the Midwest, that often mass-produce the animals sold in boutique pet stores like Raising Rover, where Umka was purchased.

“Don't call them property anymore,’’ Zakharova’s attorney, Susan Chana Lask, told TODAY.com. “They're not inanimate objects. They’re not tables. They’re not chairs. You don’t just throw them out.’’

“Umka is a living soul with a heart,’’ the suit reads. “She feels love and pain.’’

The ownership of Raising Rover has changed since Zakharova purchased Umka.

“I know nothing about the sale [of Umka]. The prior owner has all the records. We are very careful about where we get our puppies,” Raising Rover owner Ben Logan told the New York Daily News, which first reported the story of Zakharova’s unusual complaint. Logan declined to provide any information about the prior owner.

Zakharova is seeking compensation for past and upcoming surgeries and other medical treatment involved with Umka, which totals at least $8,000. She also wants a full return of the dog’s sale price plus interest since the date of purchase in February of last year. If Zakharova is awarded the money, she will donate it to an animal charity or animal-rights program, Lask said.

New York state currently has a “Puppy Lemon Law’’ that allows buyers to return a sick animal to a pet store within 14 days for a full refund. One objective of that law is to slow down puppy mills’ mass production of dogs that end up having heart conditions and other ailments. However, in a case like Umka’s, the medical issues did not become apparent for months after Zakharova purchased the dog. The suit claims Umka will never walk or run properly again after several surgeries.

“Umka suffers a disorder causing her pain, her legs hurt, she cries when she is in pain, she drags herself with her front paws, [and] she cannot run like other puppies,” the suit reads.

“The Puppy Lemon Law doesn't cut it,’’ Lask said.

If the definition of a pet is changed from that of property to an animate being with feelings, it could substantially change the amount of damages that could be awarded when an owner buys a defective dog born in a puppy mill, according to Lask. That could, in turn, have a chilling effect on pet stores buying animals from puppy mills out of fear of getting slammed with large payouts from lawsuits.

“It’s going to put a number on my dog’s broken hips that you created because you’re negligent, you’re greedy, and you’re mass-producing these puppies,’’ Lask said. “Right now, even if you return it, they just kill it, which is so inhumane.’’

Lask is an animal lover who owns a Chihuahua named Lincoln who was found to have a hole in his skull months after her purchase. That discovery led her to investigate the practices of shady puppy mills. She has waited six years to bring a case of this nature, fielding calls from other pet owners in the past, but felt Zakharova is the perfect client to help correct a larger issue.

“It’s much bigger than this case,’’ she said. “I am looking to shut down the puppy mill world.’’

The main issue will be proving to a judge that pets are living souls who experience feelings of pain and emotion.

“It’s a leap,’’ Lask said. “Human beings themselves have treated other humans as property in history before recognizing it was wrong. People will say this isn’t a human being, but they have a heart, so it’s not too much of a stretch to ask the courts to change the definition. Then we’ll see how quickly pet stores think twice before buying from puppy mills.

“It’s already a felony to abuse an animal. If I kick my Chihuahua and beat it, I’m getting arrested, so that animal has rights. If they have criminal rights, why not put rights on a damaged leg or a heart condition? If we’re not equating [an animal] to a human being, and we’re not equating it to a table, there has to be something in the middle.’’

Whether the suit is successful or not, it brings to light the practices of puppy mills and their damaging effects on animals and their human owners, animal rights advocates say.

“I don’t know where this case is going to go, but it’s good that it brings awareness that pets are not just a commodity and that we have to take this seriously,’’ said Sandra DeFeo, executive director of The Humane Society of New York. “We feel that animals are living, breathing beings, not a piece of furniture or inanimate object. People develop relationships and bonds with these animals, and you see how distraught they are when the animals pass away.’’

A 2011 investigation by The Humane Society of the United States revealed that Raising Rover, where Umka was purchased, was one of 11 upscale pet stores that purchased animals from Midwestern puppy mills with horrendous conditions.

Source: Woman sues to prove dogs are 'living souls,' not property

Thursday, January 05, 2012

One more help for a 4 paw job

Here is a very interesting technology for professionals in real time to see the places that dogs can go and and humans can not access.

Even today, the machines can not replace rescue dogs!

Thursday, December 08, 2011

In the Dinosaur Exhibit

It is amazing how kids love Dinosaurs (ok, I sound my mother about this) and that is why this weekend we went to see a so call "biggest Europe" exhibit about Dinosaurs.

australian shepherd in a dinosaur exhibit

In the Dinosaur Exhibit with my son and my Australian Shepherd !

It was nice, specially because it was a good excuse to go out in an cloudy holiday ... but I can say 10 things I would like to see better in this exhibit.

Any way, we saw the exhibit, play with our dog (yes there were nice green gardens to play with a ball) and went to Belem to eat some Pasteis de Belém.

So a nice day !

Other trips and travel:

A trip to Palmela

A trip to Aveiro

Dog trekking to Guincho

Trip to Fluviário de Mora

Dog Trekking to Cabo Espichel

Dog Trekking to a Museum

Dog trekking in Almada

Dog Trekking in Serra de Sintra

Alcochete - goldens and aussies

Economic Trips with Dogs

An Australian Shepherd in Salema Beach

An Australian Shepherd in Armona Island

Dogs in Meia Praia

Silves, a visit to medieval times with Cookie, our Aussie

Two Golden Retriever in Monchique

A trip to the São Domingos Mine with our Australian Shepherd

Taking a Golden Retriever to the fortress of Sagres

A walk with my Australian Shepherd through Luz, Algarve Portugal

A Walk with Brad, our Golden Retriever through Lagos

Portugal Algarve, Amado Beach with our Golden Retriever and Australian Shepherd

>> Back to Australian Shepherd, Golden Retriever and Portuguese Water Dog Blog Homepage <<

Friday, December 02, 2011

Dog Chapel

Some say that is blasphemy to say that animals have souls, but only those who never shared his life (yes, it is not to say that is the owner, but said that is the companion) with a four-legged companion knows that is a statement very difficult to accept.

Pets mark our lives with their simple joy of living and being with us, without requiring something in return ... well, unless, at least in the case of the canines, a plate of food and attention. Cats, depend of the spirit in which they are ... sometimes they require food and attention, and other times they allow pampering and eat to our benefit ;)

Anyway, sharing this vision, there was a friend of the animals that decided to build a sanctuary where people could cry and pray for the souls of their deceased four-legged companions.
The result was a chapel called "Dog Chapel", and is located in Vermont.

Here are some pictures that I have gathered,

Friday, November 25, 2011

A new toy for cats and dogs

As someone who has several very intelligent dogs, I am always looking to find something that entertains them mentally.

I read with great interest an article about a new accessory for dogs and cats that is receiving good reviews in the U.S..

At the end is a food bowl or food distributor, which requires dogs (or cats) to seek food and think how to open the compartment where it is, forcing them to use the mind and senses.

Two videos showing the product,

Official website: http://aikiou.com

I hope it can reach Portugal in affordable price ;)

Monday, November 07, 2011

A trip to Palmela

On this weekend, taking advantage, of the bad weather break, little blue sky and wormer weather, we went to take another trip in our country.

Since my son is learning the Portuguese history in school, were the Setúbal district represented an important part, I decided to take him to see in live one of the castles that had an important role in our history.

So, we went to visit the Castle of Palmela in the small village of Palmela that is located in the coasts of the Serra da Arrábida and from above Lisbon.

seeing Lisbon from above the Palmela castle

I have to admit that the will wasn’t huge, since the weekend had a bad start, but me and my son needed the break, and there is nothing like taking our four leg friends for a trip to lift the spirits and of course in the end we were very satisfied and happy with our decision to go ahead with our plans and go out.

Our 4 leg companions were two Australian Shepherd, that, like always, love the chance to be the envy of friends.

Palmela is a picturesque town with cobblestone streets that really takes us back to the time that what was so common to see on our lands and easily forgotten in the big cities.

The castle is very well preserved and with a lot of signs explaining what we were seeing, and although we were forced to go on Sunday instead of Saturday how I had planned, we didn’t lost anything, since everything was accessible and open to visitors, including (to my great surprise) the tourist office located within the walls of the Castle.

trip to Palmela with australian shepherd

Even our canine companions had a chance to run in the castle gardens and had a stress relieve.

We have some mandatory points when we go to visit a new place, one is the local museum, other is the local church (since in many places is the most ancient building) and the local cuisine.

In addition to wine and muscatel, I was unaware of the sweets of Palmela and was the office of tourism that pointed out a local pastry that was focused on the traditional sweets

On this pastry we taste three different queijadas de Palmela, a regional brad, and of course, the cheese of Azeitão, that my son just love. Also we bought a small dry sweet to give to our four leg companions.

In the end we visit the Palmela church which is the first we've seen almost totally covered with tiles, which gives it an unusual clarity and lightness.