littler-dog

[littler-dog]

all i did was say her name

[littler-dog]

Simon Larbalestier, Pixies, Spike, London, 1989

[littler-dog]

i have been constantly in tears over this newly hatched duck i found on instagram last night

[littler-dog]

Not even Mom can fully compete with the Need for Speed (he's been running major zoomies around the living room for the past 10 minutes)

[littler-dog]

Hi, apologies for dropping in like this, but: YOU NAMED YOUR DOG (Shortbread) BISCUIT??? (This is NOT a complaint, I have been insisting for basically my whole life that Biscuit is a great name for a dog and my family has been insisting for just as long that it’s a bad dog name and it’s only suitable for HORSES, because there’s like one (1) famous racehorse named Biscuit. So I’m feeling very vindicated right now!)

I had to name her Biscuit, I mean she's basically identical to my favorite brand of shortbread.

[littler-dog]

Seems I've made quite the Ruckus!

[littler-dog]

@pippindot sent us everything we needed for the baby spell……including 1000 rose peddle…………..

[littler-dog]

got a new shelf yesterday and now i know exactly how flat my hamster can make herself! because there's a tiny 3/4" gap at the base of it and you're never gonna guess where she went!!!

[littler-dog]

The correct setting for puppies is to tumble on low

[littler-dog]

U-RBIS Themiscyra's Rise of the Valkyrie - "Valka" 8.5 months old handled by her co-owner @elvenferretots at an AKC show! She would prefer to be doing bitey things but she's too pretty not to take her for a spin!

[littler-dog]

the baby bean had her first progesterone test today. it’s very low rn (she’s only on day 5) so we won’t be back for a couple of days. i liked the place we went! it was literally half the price of the place down the street from me. 🫣

#so exciting!!!!

[littler-dog]

no matter how muche of fan u r of me sivi…..u canont com in mine sivis room

[littler-dog]

this is the agility content im here for

[littler-dog]

[littler-dog]

Do you have a snoot noodle or other variation of sighthound? If yes, there’s new heart health research for the breed happening!

A researcher at Texas A&M whose work I’m familiar with is starting a new study looking at genetic factors contributing to heart disease in Borzoi and related breeds. They just put out a call for dog owners who are willing to submit saliva samples & (noodle) medical records. Studies like this need a big sample size! They’re accepting new sign-ups starting now until March 1, 2025, for dogs both in the US and internationally.

Let’s help make some science!

From the study page:

“Background and purpose

Recent research in Borzoi dogs has revealed that dogs of this breed experience sudden, unexplained death. About 85% of sudden, unexplained deaths in humans are linked to an underlying heart disease. Our existing research in Borzoi dogs has shown that they are predisposed to developing arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart muscle disease causing dilated heart chambers and weak pumping function).

Due to our documentation of the frequency of these conditions in Borzoi dogs, we seek to identify responsible genetic variations similar to what is seen in humans with electrical cardiac diseases that trigger arrhythmias and dilated cardiomyopathy.

The objective of our study is to identify genetic mutations associated with heart disease in Borzoi dogs and document their existence in other sighthound breeds.

What happens in this study

We are collecting saliva samples from both healthy Borzoi and Borzoi dogs affected with arrhythmias and/or dilated cardiomyopathy. We will also collect saliva samples from any other sighthound breeds.

We will extract DNA from these samples and perform genomic sequencing on a select number while retaining the remainder for further screening.By analyzing the sequencing data, we can compare the genes of healthy and affected Borzoi dogs and identify variants linked to their heart conditions. We will also compare the findings in Borzoi dogs to results from other sighthound breeds.

Pet owner responsibilities

A swab kit will be sent to you for at home use along with a link to an instructional video on how to properly obtain a swab of the mouth. The kit will contain equipment to collect the saliva swab, a history form for your pet, a client consent form and a shipping label to return samples to us.

Participation requirements

To participate, you must have a Borzoi dog or a sighthound breed that is either healthy or affected by arrhythmias and/or dilated cardiomyopathy. Pets may be any age or sex. Electronic or paper veterinary medical records will need to be provided.

Benefits and risks of participating

There is little to no risk for taking a brief swab of the mouth for saliva collection if procedures outlined in the video are followed. No individual genetic test results will be provided to study participants.

Compensation

There is no cost to the owner for participating in this study. No compensation will be provided.”

[littler-dog]

Volume up for sleepy sucky noises!

[littler-dog]

The handsomest and most manly of men!