ohmidog!

The University of Connecticut is insisting a high school in Clinton that uses a husky for a mascot come up with one that doesn’t look so much like the college’s trademarked dog head.

The college, though it’s reportedly handling the matter in an “amicable” manner, says its husky is  ”intellectual property,” and that the Connecticut high school is, in effect, trespassing.

College officials apparently fear that, with other similar hand-drawn husky heads lurking out there, they might rake in less money from all the products to which the UConn husky logo is affixed.

We, though no one asked us, have to go with the underdog in this mild and not-too-controversial controversy.

We think the high school’s logo — that’s it at top left, as it appears in the middle of the school’s basketball court — is different enough.

UConn’s husky — that’s it at the bottom – looks far more well-fed, more protective, and has its tongue hanging out.

We — and that’s the editorial we, meaning I — think all hand-drawn husky heads, like all huskies, are going to look at least somewhat similar, and we’d submit that the university is maybe being a little overly possessive of what it considers its turf.

Officials at the Morgan School, a public school, say they were informed last spring that their husky too closely resembled the university’s, according to the Hartford Courant.

“We’re trying to work with them. We’re not looking to shut them down or anything like that,”  Michael Enright, UConn’s associate athletic director for communications, is quoted as saying. “We are protecting the state’s intellectual property.”

Clinton Superintendent of Schools John F. Cross said Morgan School has had a husky as its mascot for at least 25 years.

In a letter from James D. Aronowitz, associate general counsel for the Atlanta-based Collegiate Licensing Company, which represents UConn, Clinton educators were asked to stop using the logo. The letter said use of the similar dog could interfere with UConn’s ability to “effectively market and license” the use of the logo.

Cross said the university isn’t being nasty about it, and isn’t insisting the high school change its logo right away, only that it eventually do away with it.

“It really is a practical matter that we are trying to work out with our big brother at Storrs. It’s not adversarial,” Cross said.

Cross said the logo has been removed from the school’s website. The school district will also use a different husky on the gymnasium floor when it opens a new high school.

The old husky head at the new school football field, just recently completed, will be a more difficult matter, he said. Changing it, he estimated, would cost $20,000.

Cross said students are at work developing a new husky dog logo that will be sufficiently different from UConn’s, and we wish them the best on the project.

But what if they both just dropped the whole thing, and that $20,000, and all the money UConn spends on lawyers to ensure its husky drawing isn’t too closely replicated by anyone, was given instead to, say, a husky rescue group, or some other cause that benefits huskies, by which we mean the animals?

Of course, that — paying back the breed whose image they have seized and profited from — will never happen in the real world.

But “intellectual property” aside,  it was their head first.

Guest poster Emily Cebulski's dog, Rio, on the trail

For years, man’s  best friend has been the running partner of choice for many endurance athletes. Their strength, loyalty and enthusiasm make them perfect to hit the roads or trails with.

While dogs are natural running partners, there are a few things to keep in mind when taking your pooch out for your run. Keep in mind every dog is different when it comes to endurance and speed and what works for one dog may not work for another.

To start with, make sure your dog is properly leash trained and the two of you have established commands when it comes to sit, stay, etc. Even though you are running as opposed to walking, your dog still needs to be attentive to you and obey your commands.

As far as gear is concerned, just a regular leash and collar can work for some dogs. If your dog has a tendency to pull, either a regular or sport harness can prevent your dog from choking. A running specific leash can also help by absorbing some of the shock from your dog pulling suddenly. These leashes are made like a bungee cord and are sold at some pet stores, camping supply stores and of course online.

Even though dogs are natural endurance athletes, not all dog breeds are made to run long distances. Breeds like the Rhodesian Ridgeback, Alaskan Malamute and Golden Retrievers are naturally good distance runners because of their body structures and stamina.

While some bigger dogs make good runners, not all big breeds are good for running. A Great Dane, for example, is in fact a very lazy breed and is discouraged against running.

On the other side, small breeds like the Whippet, Jack Russell Terrier and Boston Terrier are considered to be good running dogs because of their endurance and ability to run fast with shorter legs. Regardless of breed, a running dog has to be healthy and free of injuries. If you have any reservations about taking your dog on a run, consult your veterinarian.

Now that you have your mutt healthy and geared up to run, the most important thing to keep in mind is yours and the dog’s safety. If you do more road running, always run on the sidewalk and be aware of other pedestrians and dogs using the same path. If your dog gets very excited around other dogs, it’s a good idea to always make him sit/stay when you encounter another dog on a run. Not only does this discipline him, it reduces the chances of him suddenly lunging for another dog which can actually cause injury to the runner.

Probably the most important thing to remember when road running with a dog is to watch out for drivers at all times. Always use the crosswalk and wait for the pedestrian signal to cross a busy street. Although it seems like common sense to most of us, unfortunately most drivers do not look out for pedestrians on the road.

Off leash trail running with a dog is another great way to exercise your dog. However, before you unhook that leash, make sure your dog is a good listener and responds to your commands. While dogs love to run free, they are unaware of certain dangers on trails such as other animals or uneven surfaces. As an owner, it is your responsibility to look ahead and anticipate anything your dog could get in to trouble with. When out on the trails, always turn off your music and turn on your senses. The trails are full of wildlife that could potentially harm your dog, so it’s better to spot these dangers before he does.

Depending on the distance and weather, bringing water for your dog is sometimes necessary. There are many different kinds of portable water dishes on the market which can fit easily in a hydration pack. Also, if you are going for a longer distance, you might want to bring some kind of food for your pooch to snack on mid run. Dog treats or regular food work well for some but some runners just give their dog what they’re eating.

Although this seems like a lot of information about something so simple as running, it’s important to be prepared when logging miles with your four legged friend. If you want your dog to have a long, healthy running career you need to take a of different things into consideration.

Just like a new runner, dogs have to work up their endurance over time too. Be sure you don’t do too much too fast with your dog to help prevent injury. Also, make sure your dog has enough time to rest and recover just like you. By being careful and starting out slowly, you and your dog can enjoy a long, happy lifetime of distance running.

Emily Cebulski is a long time distance runner, employee of the San Diego Running Institute and mom to Rio, the official SDRI shop dog.

What breed would you expect a dog named Gizmo to be? How about Fifi? Rocky? Trooper? Bubba?

As you’ve probably noticed at the dog park, certain names seem to go with certain breeds.

Gizmos are usually shih tzus, Fifis poodles, and Rockys Rottweilers. Trooper is likely a Lab or German shepherd, and chances are Bubba’s a coonhound.

Beyond all the obvious instances — dalmatians named Spot, Great Danes named Marmaduke, beagles named Snoopy and collies named Lassie — there’s a tendency to bestow certain names on certain breeds, notes noted baby naming expert Laura Wattenberg.

So much so that she’s made a word cloud game of it. (You can find it, here)

“The names you like, and the kind of dog you like, seem to inform each other,” said Wattenberg, who has spent some time analyzing name-breed data and found some patterns within. “If you love the idea of a dog named Jethro, it says a lot about the breed of dog you’ll want.”

Wattenberg, best known as an authority on baby-naming trends, poured over the websites of animal shelters and breeders to compile a list of 5,000 dog names and photos. She found the type of name chosen was frequently dependent on the breed, according to the Vancouver Sun.

Wattenberg says she’s considering developing an online name-recommendation engine that takes a dog’s breed into account.

While the biggest trend in naming dogs is still the use of human names, giving them “fitting” names, based on perceptions of their breed, remains a strong tradition.

“Human names are rising across the board. But the kind of name you choose probably depends on the breed and your lifestyle,” she says. “The names reflect either our impression of those dogs or the kind of people who choose them.”

Hunting breeds are likely to get “down-home country names,” such as Bubba, Roscoe or Jethro; Corgis are prone to getting preppy names, like Lacey, Colby and Reggie; and Rottweilers often get macho names, like Rocky, Hunter and Duke, she says.

Pet owners also turn to a breed’s country of origin — or at least that most commonly associated with it — to come up with a name. Thus, there are many Chihuahuas called Chi-Chi, Diego and Pablo; poodles named Pierre, Fifi and Pepe; and Siberian huskies dubbed Sasha, Juneau and Yukon.

(Photo: A Rottweiler named Rocky, by John Woestendiek)

Here’s another preview of an upcoming Super Bowl ad, starring dogs.

That makes at least four that we know of during this year’s big game — two for cars, one for shoes and one for beer – that are using dogs (as opposed to scantily clad women, digitally altered babies and celebrity bimbos) to make the sale.

If that’s not a trend, I don’t know what is.

This one, called “Sled,” is American Suzuki Motor Corporation’s second Super Bowl ad — for its all-wheel-drive 2012 Suzuki Kizashi sport sedan.

The canine star of the ad — or at least the one sitting in the front seat, tapping his paw to the music – is Nitro, an eight-year-old husky from Vancouver who now lives in Okotoks, Alberta.

The ad also features actual Inuit actors, the song ”Party Still Jumpin’” by BKM (Benjamin Kahle Music), and lots of majestic countryside.

It was filmed in Kananaskis Country in Alberta, according to the Vancouver Sun.

“I have to say he loves to act and he loves to go to work. He’s an actor dog,” Flo Krisko said of Nitro. Krisko trained all of the dogs in the ad at Alberta Film Animals in Okotoks.

Nitro is owned by Krisko’s neighbour. He was featured in the 2007 film “Christmas in Wonderland” and will be in upcoming episodes of the CBC show “Heartland.”

(To see all our “Woof in Advertising” posts, click here.)

Cooling my heels in Phoenix, I’ve been trying to catch up with the latest on SB 1070, the new legislation that will turn Arizona’s police officers into immigration officials, requiring them to check the citizenship of anyone they confront in the course of their duties.

The law makes violating federal immigration laws a state crime, if that makes any sense, and some fear it will lead to large scale profiling and deportations as Arizona takes into its own hands matters it feels the federal government isn’t addressing.

Of course, the law applies to humans, and not dogs, but what if? What if the motivation for it — to keep undocumented foreigners from the shores of a country pretty much built by undocumented foreigners — was applied to the dog kingdom?

What if all the Irish setters –or at least those who lacked the proper paperwork — were sent back to Ireland; or if all the German shepherds were deported to Germany; or if Labrador retrievers, Tibetan Mastiffs, French poodles and Afghan hounds were all sent back to their place of origin?

The dog kingdom would be a much more boring place.

If all of them were required to live where they originated, we wouldn’t have anywhere near the magnificent diversity of dog breeds — not to mention hybrids and mutts — that we enjoy today. It would be so long, Welsh Corgi; seeya, Belgian Malinois; goodbye, Bo, and all other Portuguese water dogs.

Go back to Rhodesia, you Ridgebacks.

Probably, in our haste, we’d even deport Great Danes to Denmark, even though the breed didn’t originate there. (Once local law enforcement and state bureaucracies get involved, mistakes are bound to happen.) And, Siberian huskies, you don’t even want to think about where you’d be banished to.

A valid argument can be made that Siberian huskies shouldn’t be living in Arizona’s heat in the first place – but banishing them, or pestering them for their paperwork so often they decide to leave, obviously isn’t the solution.

If that were the case, I never would have met Sasha and Kodi, brother and sister huskies belonging to Sandy Fairall, who we hung out with yesterday at “Bark Place,” the dog park at Quail Run Park in Mesa.

No pedigree is required to enter, and dogs of all sizes, shapes, backgrounds and colors were playing together nicely. No one was asking anyone else to leave, no one was questioning anyone else’s pedigree, and everyone, dog and human, seemed happy to share the shady spots.

Sandy admits Phoenix is not an ideal locale for the cold weather dogs – something she’s reminded of whenever she heads to the mountains in winter to let them experience their more natural surroundings and play in the snow.

But they seem to be thriving and happy to be here. They seem to have adjusted. They haven’t taken anyone’s job, committed any crimes or put undue strain on the health care system.

I say – paperwork or not — let them stay.

Animal eyes — and how some of them work differently than our’s — is the topic of an interesting piece at Environmental Graffiti.

Among the 10 sets of peepers featured are those of the Siberian husky — cold, steely and perfectly placed to detect movement.

Not to mention often of different colors. Some huskys have brown, blue, or amber eyes. Many have a combination of thereof.

Among the others selected as the “10 most incredible eyes are” those belonging to owls, geckos, hippos, chameleons, butterflies, goats, frogs and cuttlefish.

We may be down on the Iditarod, but that doesn’t mean we’re down on dog sledding.

As Greg Breining showed in yesterday’s New York Times, when it’s not an 1,100-mile endurance test dogs are forced to take part in, dog sledding can be an exhilarating experience.

“Dog sledding is an exercise in changed states, of chaos turning to order. One moment dogs were barking, yapping, whining, snarling, scrapping, jumping, biting and all the other things dogs do. The next moment they were straining at the gang line, and with a burst of acceleration, all turned silent but for the hiss of the runners on the snow …”

But it’s the breathtaking scenery one encounters while silently sliding through the wilderness that makes dog sledding a popular vacation choice.

“As we crested a small hill, the valley opened, and brilliant Pilot Peak burst into view in stark relief against a black snow cloud. ‘This is why I do this,’ Jason Matthews said, standing on the sled runner next to me. ‘This is why I’m out here.’

Matthews runs Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures of Immigrant, Mont., one of many sled-dog outfitters running trips from Alaska to the Rockies to Maine. Matthews offers a range of trips — from his two-hour “sled-dog sampler” on a groomed, nearly level trail, to overnight cabin stays high in the mountains.

Other outfitters listed in the Times article are the Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Minnesota, and Mahoosuc Guide Service in Maine. Closer to Baltimore, dogsledding is offered at Husky Power Dog Sledding in western Maryland.

(Photo: courtesy of huskypowerdogsledding.com)

One hundreds dogs — seized by authorities in Montana from a man hoarding them in a broken down bus and a trailer — have now multiplied to about 150, and animal welfare officials in Butte plan a fundraiser to help pay for their care.

The dogs — up until this weekend — couldn’t be adopted out to new homes, nor could they be spayed or neutered, because of the pending court case against Phillip Brode, 60, who was arrested Oct. 5 after the bus he was driving broke down at the Rocker truck stop.

Brode, who originally pleaded not guilty, entered a guilty plea at a hearing yesterday, allowing the shelter to begin placing the dogs in permanent homes. The dogs will officially go up for adoption Saturday.

Brode told authorities he was transporting the dogs to Alaska to work as sled dogs.

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