Gus here, I am not a breed you see every day, but I have some unique characteristics in the dog world that make me one of the most recognizable breeds.  My wrinkles are the first distinctive trait that draws people to me.  I was a very cute, wrinkly puppy, but my personality is quite different as I mature.  My wrinkles are mostly limited to my face and neck now that I am almost full grown.  Our name Shar-Pei literally means “sand-skin” which translates to “rough, sandy coat” or “sandpaper–like coat”.  This refers to the two qualities of my coat- the roughness and the shortness that are unique in the dog world.  We are one of two dog breeds that have a blue-black tongue, the other being a Chow-Chow which indicates we could be related.  

Some of the finest parrot performances are featured on “Pet Star”, airing in reruns weekdays at 8 a.m. on “Animal Planet”. The birds frequently fly away with first prize.

An Indian ringneck parakeet putted a ball in a REAL minigolf course. (OK, one went into the sandtrap first) along with sinking a basketball and other tricks.  The bird was a gift from Johnny Carson, as a replacement for another that appeared on the “Tonight Show” but later; like Carson, earned its heavenly wings.   

 Max the parakeet followed a grueling obstacle course of ladders and ropes. The budgie whisperer, a 12 year old San Diego boy, led his friend with a mirror, prompting celebrity judge and former “Baywatch” beauty Gena Lee Nolin to admit that she, too, had a mirror fixation!

Q:  My male pit bull bit a customer where he was being boarded at a kennel.  I was not present at the time.  There is no history of dog bites by this pit bull.  Does this matter?  Is there any more liability because of the breed type?  Am I liable?  Is the owner of the kennel liable? 

A:  There is a huge body of law around the country pertaining to our “best friend” and how he (or she) reacts in the presence of other people.  Since we last wrote about this subject, there seems to have been a sharp increase in dog bite incidents in the Commonwealth.  Your question raises a number of issues, some of which are clear, others somewhat foggy.  Let’s take a closer look.