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APPA National Pet Owners Survey Statistics: Pet Ownership & Annual Expenses

According to the 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 62% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 72.9 millions homes. In 1988, the first year the survey was conducted, 56% of U.S. households owned a pet as compared to 62% in 2008.

Breakdown of pet ownership in the U.S. according to the 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey

Number of U.S. Households that Own a Pet (millions)
Bird	5.7
Cat	38.9
Dog	46.3
Equine	2.4
Freshwater Fish	11.9
Saltwater Fish	0.7
Reptile	4.6
Small Animal	5.0

 

Total Number of Pets Owned in the U.S. (millions)
Bird	16.2
Cat	86.4
Dog	78.2
Equine	7.9
Freshwater Fish	151.1
Saltwater Fish	8.61
Reptile	13.0
Small Animal	16.0

 

According to the 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, basic annual expenses for dog and cat owners in dollars include:

	Dogs	Cats
Surgical Vet Visits	$407	$425
Routine Vet	$248	$219
Food	$254	$220
Kennel Boarding	$274	$166
Vitamins	$95	$43
Travel Expenses	$78	$48
Groomer/Grooming Aids	$73	$34
Food Treats	$70	$41
Toys	$43	$21

**Note: APPA does not ask Survey Participants how much in total they spend on their dog or cats annually. The expenses listed above are not all inclusive and each category was asked separately of the survey participant.

2 new breeds entered into the 2013 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Each year, the WKC Dog Show usually accepts a few new breeds previously not recognized to show. 2013 saw two new breeds...


RUSSELL TERRIER (Terrier Group)

The Russell Terrier is considered the ultimate working earth terrier due to their small size (10" to 12" tall) and unique chest. The hallmark of the breed is its small, oval-shaped, spannable, compressible chest, which allows them to hunt efficiently below ground, pulling, pushing and bending through tight turns and narrow tunnels. Their origin dates back to the 1800's in England where they were utilized for fox hunting and carried horseback in terrier bags. Pack hunters, they are non-confrontational, not a sparring breed. They are predominantly white with spots and come in three coats - smooth, broken, and rough. They are athletic, intelligent, and fiercely loyal. 


TREEING WALKER COONHOUND (Hound Group)

The energetic Treeing Walker Coonhound is perfectly suited for the task for which it was bred - tracking and treeing wild raccoons. Developed from the Walker Foxhound, the Virginia Hounds, and the earliest English Foxhounds brought to America, the Treeing Walker is a fast, alert, hot-nosed hunter with superb endurance, treeing ability and the desire to perform. It has a clear, ringing bugle voice or a steady clear chop with changeover at the tree. Today's Treeing Walker retains the same color and similar conformation to the Walker Foxhound. The breed is intelligent, confident and sociable. 

photos from the Wikimedia Commons.

Watch the Best in Show judging for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 2013

Watch the Best in Show judging from the 137th WKC Dog Show. The 2013 Best In Show Trophy was awarded to "GCH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari" a.k.a. "Banana Joe," an Affenpinscher. 

B/G1/BIS

9     GCH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari  Breed: Affenpinscher Sex: Dog AKC: TR 71691502 Date of Birth: July 30, 2003 Breeder: Mieke Cooymans Sire: Kyleakin Space Cowboy Dam: Bling Bling V Tani Kazari Owner: Zoila Truesdale & Mieke Cooymans

 

24/7 live Corgi puppy cam

The CorgiCam has been streaming live footage of four adorable two-week-old Corgi puppies twenty-four hours a day since Wednesday. The Corgi puppies were born on July 12, 2012, and there are two boys and two girls. These puppies have already been adopted and will be going to their forever homes once they reach the safe age of eight weeks. More FAQs are available on the full Youtube page.

Gorgeous Vintage Dog Photos from the Kennel Club Archive

The Kennel Club in the UK has a treasure trove of vintage dog photos in their archive. A selection of these images were brought out into the public eye this week for a new exhibition in London, and the Kennel Club were kind enough to share some of them with Flavorwire. They’re fascinating viewing, whether they’re pictures of animals in strangely formal poses (a dog in a top hat! With a pipe!), photographic experiments (a dog surrounded by mirrors!) or just intimate shots of people with their best friends. View the slideshow preview here.

Photo credit: Statham Cook collection

About The Kennel Club Art Gallery:

The Kennel Club Art Gallery houses the largest collection of dog paintings in Europe.Located in central London, the nearest tube station is Green Park, which is a short walk away. Opening hours by appointment: Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm.

Photography Going to the Dogs': An Exhibition of Vintage Dog Photographs - 18th July 2011 - 13th January 2012

Nebraska bill gets opposition from dog breeders

LINCOLN — A proposed state law that would require commercial dog breeders to exercise their dogs at least twice a day, breed animals less often and provide larger cages for them brought howls of protest Tuesday from many breeders.

Professional breeders — some of whom care for up to 200 breeding dogs and 550 puppies at a time — said new regulations were unnecessary and would put economically stressed breeders out of business.

Judy Williamson, who operates a kennel near Alma, Neb., said her operation is already inspected up to six times a year by the federal and state governments, the American Kennel Club and a veterinarian.

“Seriously, do you feel we need more regulation?” she asked.

Proponents say that current state laws are inadequate and that more humane treatment is needed so puppies are healthy, socialized and make good pets.

“The sad reality is that the majority of breeding dogs in Nebraska live their entire lives in a cage so small they can only sit, stand, lie down and turn around — for their entire lives,” said Judy Varner, president and CEO of the Omaha-based Nebraska Humane Society.

State Sen. Abbie Cornett of Bellevue, a leading proponent of animal welfare in the Legislature, introduced the proposal, Legislative Bill 427.

A large crowd, some wearing “Yes 427” buttons, overflowed a State Capitol hearing room for the latest debate on state regulation of dog breeders.

full story here

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Breed Judging Schedule 2011

Know before you go - Here is the full WKC 2011 program for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show starting on Valentine's Day! (Feb 14). Download the breed schedule now so you can prepare your trip around the rings.

Download the schedule in PDF format

 

2011 Westminster Dog Show Dates

Monday and Tuesday, February 14-15, 2011
Madison Square Garden Center
7th to 8th Avenues and 31st to 33rd Streets, New York City
Show Hours: 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM ET each day

Full Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show info here

History of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Did you know that the first dog show produced by the Westminster Kennel Club was in 1877? Or that Westminster is the oldest, continuous sporting event in America, with the exception of the Kentucky Derby?

Over one hundred twenty years ago, the Westminster Kennel Club was initiated by a group of gentlemen who enjoyed sporting dogs, primarily Pointers and Setters. The group's frequent meeting place was held at the Westminster Hotel in New York City. The Westminster Kennel Club was established with a view to increase an interest in dogs, and thus improve the breeds, and to hold an Annual Dog Show in the City of New York.

In 1876, noting the success of dog shows held in England and one in Philadelphia, it was decided to present a dog show in New York City. Adopting the name of the hotel in which they met as the name of the dog show, this group of sportsmen presented the "First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs." Produced by the Westminster Kennel Club, the show was held in Gilmore's Gardens, Madison Avenue and 26th Street, on May 8th through the 10th, 1877. This first dog show was so successful with exhibitors and the public that it was extended to include another day, May 11th. With a few exceptions in the early years, the Westminster Dog Show continues to be held at Madison Square Garden. In 1888, the Club moved its date from May to February, where it has remained ever since...

Popularity and price of Tibetan mastiffs have grown with China’s affluence

China’s obsession with Tibetan mastiffs, pricey pooches that weigh nearly 200 pounds.

‘A holy animal’
The stuff of legend, the Tibetan mastiff is considered the guardian dog of the former Himalayan kingdom of Tibet and reputed to be the original source of many large dog breeds today.

“In China, people think of the Tibetan mastiff as a holy animal … a blessing to their health and security,” said Wen Li, a spokesman for www.1dutm.com, a website about Tibetan mastiffs, who helps organize dog fairs like the one in Tianjin.

In recent years, as China’s middle class has expanded and dogs have become more popular household pets, the appeal of Tibetan mastiffs has grown exponentially — so much so that fairs just for this breed take place several times a week during the three-month show season (the dogs shed during the summer, so the best time for breeders to present them is in the spring.) And as their popularity has grown, so have prices for top breeds — 500 percent a year.

In China, breeders say that adult Tibetan mastiffs typically sell for tens of thousands of dollars, with some going for more than $100,000, according to the Associated Press.

Full story here