Category: Sparky (Page 11 of 32)

Medicines for Dogs, Not People.

April 18, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

Drug to Extend Dogs’ Lives May Be Approved by FDA

The drug aims to extend the lifespan of senior dogs and maintain their quality of life as they age, building on the company’s previous RXE acceptance for a longevity drug specifically targeting the short lifespan of large breed dogs.

I don’t get how this works. I assume that dogs and people have similar physiologies, and two years living with Sparky hasn’t changed my mind. I have a developed prefrontal cortex and Sparky can poop whenever he wants, otherwise, our bodies work pretty much the same way.

Dog researchers learn what dog owners already knew.

April 16, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

Dogs’ speech recognition: New study shows they listen beyond tone

A new study conducted by animal behavior and mammalian cognition experts at the Universities of Lincoln and Sussex, and Jean Monnet University, reveals that dogs may be far better at understanding human speech than previously understood.

This research took place in England, so we probably didn’t pay for it. So, that’s something.

A mixed group of dogs from a variety of breeds were recruited for the exercise and were each exposed to a stream of speech which contained both relevant commands and irrelevant information, all spoken in a flat tone. Surprisingly, the dogs consistently responded to the commands, demonstrating their ability to extract meaningful verbal content from what was spoken.

Sparky is not impressed.

Sparky is sleeping in this morning.

April 13, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

Sparky would be up in a second if he heard food going into his bowl.

April 9, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 2 Comments

Little Sparky isn’t happy that I have to fold laundry.

Sparky is delighted by my work.

April 6, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

Sparky was intrigued by my account of cleaning out the clogged storm drain. He understood that he couldn’t help because it was too close to the road.

Sparky has a good, rainy, day.

April 5, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

We know how to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Sparky is watching Bird-Mouse, and I am watching Serenity while Critical Drinker and MauLer provide commentary for the movie.

We could not be having a better day.

Sparky wants a slab of ribs to make it a perfect day.

Sparky is more Dopey.

April 5, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 1 Comment

Sparky heard Uncle Davy say he didn’t look dopey enough in his Sparky as Dopey dwarf post.

Sparky tried sticking his ears out and looking brain-dead.

Why did Cory Booker want to break the filibuster record?

April 5, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 2 Comments

Cory Booker’s 25-hour oration

Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey made history on April 1, 2025, when he stood on the Senate floor and spoke for 25 hours and five minutes, delivering the longest floor speech in the history of the U.S. Senate.

Breaking the filibuster record is certainly a splendid accomplishment by Senator Booker. What motivated him?

Sparky won’t walk.

April 3, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 3 Comments

Sparky was never going to catch that squirrel, but I used that as an excuse to get him outside for a walk. The walk went fine as long as Sparky was going downhill. The weather was very comfortable, so I thought we could go for a long walk. As Sparky was taking a whiz by the creek, I started up the big hill. He wouldn’t budge.

Sparky could accept that we were on a walk instead of killing squirrels, but we didn’t have to make this a death march. Sparky thought I should be grateful that he would walk back to the house without needing to be carried.

Sparky wants to catch that squirrel.

April 3, 2025 / Richard Nestoff / 0 Comments

Watching that squirrel, Sparky thought it would be a good idea to go outside and catch the squirrel.

He was wide awake now. Sparky wondered if the squirrel might try to escape up a tree. He asked me to throw rocks at it or shoot it, so it fell out of the tree. Sparky was so adorable when he asked, I told him that I would.