On the Subject of: Black and White

Look into my eyes, listen only to the sound of my Bark

Not everything in the world is in Color, and on the other hand not everything is black and white either, physically or metaphorically.  It has been said that some people look through rose colored glasses and others only see what they want to see, but the burning question today is “Do Dogs only see in Black and white?”  I am going to shed a little light on this curious subject (no pun intended).

Ok, humans, sit down for this answer:  Contrary to popular belief dogs do see color and not just shades of grey.  Now I know that all of you dog owners, out there, have just fainted, another myth bites the dust, so let me clarify.  Dogs are colorblind, but that does not mean they do not see any color any more than a human that is color bind, only sees in black and white.  It is a common misunderstanding.  I can see color but not as rich or as many as you do.

My family Heritage originates in Yorkshire, England and they probably studied next to their masters at Oxford University, a little farther south.  I guess that’s where I get my smarts so I will attempt to explain, without a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo. 

Anatomy of a dogs eye

In the retina of the eye of both humans and dogs there are special light sensitive cells call “Rods” and “Cones”.  No, silly not fishing rods and Ice Cream Cones but special living cells.  Rods are responsible for low light vision and Cones are sensitive to color.  There are 3 different types of cones that are sensitive to the short, medium and long wave lengths of light and therefore color.  I have fewer cones than a human which suggests my vision is not as good as humans, and that I don’t have the rich range of color that you do.  The thing with color is not just cones but the different types of cones each tuned to different wavelengths of light.  Human colorblindness comes about because the person is missing one of the three kinds of cones. With only two cones, the individual can still see colors, but not as many as someone with normal color vision. Dogs also have only two kinds of cones, so their vision, also, is not as vibrant.

Do you see my Tapetum Lucidum?

Dogs see better in the dark than humans, partly because a dog's retina is dominated by rods which are sensitive to low light, and partly because of the tapetum lucidum  ( this word comes from the human language called Latin and it means  "bright tapestry")  which lies underneath the rod cells and reflects "concentrated" light back through them. This is a help to wild dogs who are likely to be hunting in poor lighting conditions. As an additional aid to hunting, dogs are particularly sensitive to seeing movement in the distance. They perceive stationary objects relatively poorly, though, which makes some seem clumsy. 

Something very interesting is that a lot of popular colors for dog toys are red or orange.  However red is very difficult for a dog to see.  It probably appears to be very dark brown or gray or maybe even black.  When you toss that ball in the grass and your dog runs past the toy you just tossed she might not be able to see the difference between the ball and the grass and it is not because she is stupid or stubborn.  It’s your fault human for choosing a toy with a color that is hard to tell the difference on your lawn.

Dog and Human color perspective

Here is a little color chart of how dogs and Humans probably see color.  This will help you choose our toys more intelligently. Yellow and Blue are good choices. 

There you have it, the real story and that’s the truth, cross my paws 

 

Now let me see..... Where did I put that ball.... I might have to use my nose.

My First Birthday

Hello Everyone, Today September 6, 2011 is my First Birthday.  I woke up early and put on my best “100% loved by Everybody”  Hoodie.  It was raining outside so I had to play on the front porch, instead of my usual walk.   

I want to thank everyone for giving me such a nice day.  I received a lot of birthday wishes on my facebook page

Birthdays are special and my “D” even made me a birthday cake and some Orange Sherbet Ice Cream.  I ask him to let me post the recipe, for my cake, on my blog, so for those of you who are interested; here is the recipe for my Birthday Cake.  

Peanut Butter Carrot Cake

• 1 cup Whole Wheat flour
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tsp. Banana Extract
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 egg

Mix flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8" round cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool. Puree cottage cheese in blender for icing. Decorate with more peanut butter and carrots. Reserve some of the Puree and add food coloring to decorate a name.

I also got to unwrap a present.  Inside 2 boxes all wrapped up were some of my favorite treats.  It was great fun tearing open the wrapping and the boxes.  I made sure all the neighborhood dog friends got a piece of my cake too.  Then I got to play some with my zoo zoo pet chipmunk.

Here are some video Links of my celebration:
Opening my Present
Continuing to open my gift
Eating my cake

Washington Lake Park

Me at Washington Lake Park in Sewell, New Jersey, With my "Homerun Diggers T Shirt".

They also have a water fountain at the Park

I had a great time yesterday at Washington Lake Park.  After a brunch at my favorite outdoor bistro, Barbara Anne’s in Clayton, New Jersey, my “D” surprised me with a visit.  My birthday is tomorrow and he wanted me to be sure and have a good time with some friends to mark the special day, as he would not be able to take me on Tuesday.  I think the park is really special and there are several acres fenced that I can safely play, off of my leash.  The Dog Park is completely fenced and I can run freely without danger.  There are two sections divided off;  one for dogs over 30 pounds and one for dogs under 30 pounds, of course at 6 pounds 8 ounce I qualify for the later, even though I wanted to romp with the larger dogs.  The park also supplies ample water and bowls as well as poop bags to keep the park clean.  There are plenty of trees that shade from the hot sun and benches for my “D” to sit on while I play.  Some of the nice people have also left toys in the park, like balls.  I knew there was a reason why I put on my “Homerun Diggers” “T” shirt.

This is my new friend Ashley

There are too few dog parks that are fenced and it’s a bit of a trip from where I live in Franklin Township, but my “D” loves me and always goes out of his way.  At first I was disappointed as there were no other dogs at the park, that were my size, but then, I heard the front gate clink and Ashley showed up.   Now I knew I was going to have a good time.  We explored half the park play area together.

This is Nola, She had a bad leg, Nurse Dolly checked it out

The next to arrive was Nola.  Nola, was limping, because a big Labrador Retriever accidently, fell on her leg and broke it.  She was just out of the splints and I helped her exercise her leg, but she quickly tired and all of my efforts to excite her failed. 

My new Friends Woody(L) and Puzzle(R)

Just then Woody and Puzzle showed up and the romp was on again. 

After a while a young couple showed up with their little girl and dog Mia.  Mia was on a leash as her parents were hesitant to let her run free.  I would find out why later, because we got into a bit of a snit, she was not very sociable at all.  I understood because she was a rescue dog who had not been treated very nicely in the past.  I let her anti social behavior slide this time. 

A Ball a sniff a tree, running free.  What else could a girl ask for.

Then it happened, another Yorkshire Terrier at the gate, wow.  His name was Chaz and he was only 6 month old.  What a cutie!  We immediately hit it off and I shared my water with him.

I explained to young Chaz that Mia was not very sociable and it was best to leave her alone.

The group all agreed that Mia needed better manners, but I explained that she was trying, and just give her a little space.

Puzzle, Woody, Mia and I say goodby to Ashley.  I hope she comes back soon.

We all played for a couple of hours and then it was time to go home and besides, everyone else was leaving too.  I had a great day and a lot of exercise. 

It had been a long day and I Boinked ( I don't snore, I Boink)  in my dreams. 

As soon as I got home I conked out. 

On the Subject of: Peaches

Now I don’t know if every dog likes a good peach, like I do,  but I think they are Barkolicious.  How did I come to enjoy a good Peach, you ask.  Well, everyday if I eat all of my food, my “D” gives me a treat.  Fresh fruit is good for everyone so one day he gave me a luscious, beautiful, barkolicious, succulent, mouth watering ripe piece of peach and it was love at first sniff.  Ever since that day I have loved peaches.  I just get a few small pieces so as not to upset my stomach and it is really a nice treat.  My  First Birthday is on Tuesday and I really want to get a peach Birthday Cake.  (If my “D” reads my blog, I hope he takes the hint).

Flat or Donut Peach

Now here is something I bet you didn’t know:  Peaches (Prunus persica) are native to China.  I bet you thought New Jersey, WOL.  There are a lot of varieties of Peaches and it would take a long time to tell you about them all, so I won’t in this blog. 

Peach Blossom

The flowers on a peach tree are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines).  The Peach, along with cherries, plums and apricots are stone fruits.  In the human study of plants and flowers, botany, these are called drupes.  Cultivated peaches are divided into clingstone and freestone depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity and they are my “D” and my favorite.

The scientific name persica, along with the word "peach" itself, derives from an early European belief that peaches were native to Persia (Iran), however they really came from China and were probably introduced to Persia and the Mediterranean along the silk route before Christian times.  Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the 10th century BC and were a favorite fruit of kings and emperors.  Alexander the Great introduced the fruit to Europe after his conquest of Persia.  United States farmers did not begin commercial production until the 19th century, and the peach was eventually introduced into New Jersey agriculture.   New Jersey State (Jersey Peaches) is the 4th largest peach producer in the country.  The peach season is July to September, unfortunately all the White peaches are gone by September.

Finally, as with many other members of the rose family (yes you heard me bark correctly, the peach belongs to the same botanical family as the rose), peach seeds contain poisonous gynogenic glycosides, which is capable of decomposing into a sugar molecule and hydrogen cyanide gas. While peach seeds are not the most toxic within the rose family, that honor belongs to the bitter almond,  large doses of these chemicals from any source are hazardous to human health and can be fatal to us dogs, so keep the pits in the trash.

There you have it, all about the peach, my favorite treat, and that’s the truth, cross my paws.