History of Siberian Huskies

The history of Siberian Huskies starts in Siberia, Russia. The Chukchi people were isolated, so they needed to figure out a way to expand their hunting grounds. If they didn’t, then they would end up starving. This caused them to start breeding Siberian Huskies. The Huskies would pull sleds across large frozen wasteland. It wasn’t until the 1900s that Siberian Huskies became more known. The dogs would start winning sled races. But it wasn’t until the “serum run” when these dogs blew up.

In 1925, there was an illness break out in Nome, Alaska. There was medicine that could help with the outbreak, but there was only one way that the medicine could get to Nome. It was by using huskies to pull a sled to Nome. There was a few different sleds that were helping out with this journey. The dog sleds were spread throughout the trail. This was because the medicine was 658 miles away from Nome. There was no way that one sled could pull it all the way. This would be too tiring on the dogs. Another reason that it was so difficult was because of the weather. There were blizzards that were happening throughout the 5 and a half days. The person that was on the sled could not see, but the dogs were able to pull through.

 Huskies are able to deal with the harsh cold weather because of how they are built. Huskies have fur that is thicker than most dogs’ fur. Their fur is two layers. The bottom layer is a shorter and warmer layer. The top layer is longer and it is water-resistant. They are able to squint their eyes, so no snow gets into them. This helps the huskies when they are out in the snow pulling sleds. They have huge, fluffy tails that can protect them from the cold. They will wrap their tails around their face to keep them warm. The last thing that really helps them is that they can control their metabolism. This helps them when they go on long sled runs. It helps them not become fatigued. Also, Huskies can get hypopigmentation. This is when the dog’s nose starts to turn white. This a thing that naturally happens to their nose. When summer comes back around, their nose will lose the white pigmentation.

Siberian Huskies are amazing pets, but they also have some requirements. They need a lot of exercise. This because they were bred to run. Siberian Huskies can be very mischievous, so watch them carefully. Overall, these are amazing, gorgeous, and friendly dogs.

Resources:

https://foreverhusky.org/husky-101/about-the-breed.html

History of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a very popular commercialized holiday. It is celebrated in many different countries, like America, United Kingdom, Australia, and more. There are many theories on how Valentine’s Day came to be.

The first one is that it came from martyrs of the Catholic faith. It is hard to tell from which martyr it came from because there were a few. The first well known Valentine’s was a priest that married people behind the emperor’s (Claudia II) back. The emperor thought men that were married and had a family weren’t good soldiers. This made the emperor outlaw marriages. But Valentines still decided to marry people, in secret. When the emperor found out, he executed Valentines. The second Valentines was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop. Claudia II also killed him, but it is believed to be for different reasons. It was believed that Saint Valentine of Terni was helping Christians escape the persecutions that was happening in the Roman prisons. Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine of Terni. The last theory is believed to be a priest that was in jail, who sent a letter to jailor’s daughter. This priest signed the letter “From your Valentine”. It is unknown where Valentine’s Day originated from. These theories come from a Christian perspective and beliefs, but the Pagans have a different beliefs.

The Pagans believed that the Christians were trying take over Lupercalia, a Pagan holiday. Lupercalia was a fertility festival that was dedicated to Faunus, Romulus, and Remus. Faunus is the Roman god of agriculture. Romulus and Remus were both the founders of Rome. This festival would start on February 15th. An order of Roman priests would gather in a sacred cave. It is believed that infant Romulus and Remus grew up in this cave. The priests would then sacrifice a goat and a dog. The goat represented fertility and the dog represented purification. The Roman priests would cut the goat’s hide into strips and dip is in the sacrificial blood. Then they would go out and gently slap the women and crop fields with the strips of bloody goat. The women didn’t mind being gently slapped by the bloody goat strips. They thought that it would make them more fertile. Later on, the women would place their names in an urn. The city bachelors would then would come and pick a name. This meant that the women and men would be paired for a year. In the 5th century, Lupercalia was outlawed.

Pope Gelasius declared that Valentine’s Day would be on February 14th. At this time, the holiday wasn’t associated with love. Around 1400s-1500s, valentine messages started appearing. In the 1800s, printed Valentine’s Day cards were being printed. This would happen later on. In present time, Valentine’s Day is a huge commercialized holiday. But this year’s Valentine’s Day, will be interesting, due to Covid.  

Resources:

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Valentines-Day

Greyhounds Have Universal Blood

When it comes to blood transfusions, it’s more complicated than it seems. First, they have to find someone with the same blood type. The blood types are A, B, AB, and O. Second, we have to look at if it’s positive or negative. This is very important because if they transfuse the wrong blood type then the patient can get sick. But there is a blood type that is universal, O positive. This means that anyone can receive this blood. Humans are not the only “species” that need blood transfusions. Domestic dogs are another species that need blood transfusions.

Domestic dogs needs blood transfusions for the same reason. They could need it because blood lost, illnesses, and other emergency situations. But dog blood is different from human blood. It is more complicated. First, there are 12 different blood types that a dog could have. Secondly, their blood type is considered universal only if they have a negative blood type. This is for certain blood antigens. Testing dog blood takes longer, so it is easier for dogs to only receive ‘negative’ blood. There are not a lot of breeds that have universal blood, but greyhounds are one.

85% of greyhounds have universal blood. Their blood is rich in red blood cells, lower than average white blood cells, and platelets. When it comes to the procedure, the dogs are not sedated. They don’t need to be sedated because of the dogs’ big veins and calm demeanor. The large veins make it easy to draw the blood. Calm demeanor means that they are relaxed when the blood is being drawn. Some greyhounds even fall asleep during the drawing of blood. For a dog to be able to donate blood, they need to be between 1-7 years old and weigh over 50 pounds.

It is important to check the blood type between the same animals. This is because within that there are different blood types. It is also important to not mix blood between species. This could cause the animal to die. For example, if a cat receives dog blood then this wouldn’t be helpful. This is because dogs and cats don’t have the same blood.

Resources:

Dogs in the Guinness World Records Book

Tallest Dog In The World 

            Zeus holds the record for being the tallest dog in the world. He is a Great Dane that stands at 44 inches. When he stands on his back legs, he stands around 7 foot tall. His height gave him some advantages. An example of this is when Zeus would be thirsty, he would be able to drink straight from the tap. In 2012, Zeus passed away, at 5 years old. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/tallest-dog-ever

Shortest Dog Alive 

            Milly, a Chihuahua, holds this record. In 2013, she was around 3.8 in tall. When she was first born, in 2011, Milly weighed less than an ounce. They had to feed her with an eyedropper. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-dog-living-(height)

Longest Tail 

            In August, Keon’s tail was measured to be around 30.2 in. He is an Irish Wolfhound. For comparison, his tail is longer than a baby from one head to toe. His tail is so long and strong that if he is wagging his tail, by a car, then his tail could leave dents. 

Resource:

https://www.grunge.com/196644/the-dog-breed-with-the-longest-tail/

Smallest Service Dog 

            Cupcake is the service dog that holds this record. She is measured to be around d 6.25 in tall. From the tip of her nose to the tip of the tail, she is around 14.25 inch. If we aren’t counting the tail, then she is 10.5 in. Her tail gives her around 3.75 in, in length. 

Resource:

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/210925-smallest-service-dog

3 Food That Dogs Should Not Eat

Pits

            Dogs cannot eat pits from peaches, apricots, cherries, and plums. The first reason is because the dogs could choke on the pit. Pits are usually hard to break down. If the dog is unable to break down the pit, then it could get stuck in their throat, causing the dog to stop breathing. Even if the dog was able to swallow the pit, it could get stuck in the intestines. This could cause fatal problems. But the biggest problem is that the pits are poisonous. This is because there is amygdalin, which is a form of cyanide, in the pits. So if a dog consumes a lot of pits then it could cause fatal problems, like kidney failure. If you are planning on getting a peach, apricot, cherry, or plum tree then I would be careful. This gives the dog easier access to the pit of the fruits. But it is not only the pits that are poisonous. The leaves and stems are also poisonous. The suggestion would be to keep the dogs away or keep the yard very clean. They could get sick even if they eat a little over time because it will start to build up. This is because the dog’s body can’t digest the amygdalin.

Resources:

https://wagwalking.com/condition/peach-pits-poisoning

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/foods-can-be-poisonous-pets

Potato, Tomato, and Rhubarb Leaves

            When it comes to potatoes and tomatoes, dogs should not eat these raw or the foliage of the plants. This is because they contain solanine (a poison). If the dog gets some solanine into the system, it could affect the function of their nervous system and the organs. Solanine would affect the main organs of the body, like the liver, brain, lungs, heart, and kidneys. If the dog digest a lot of solanine, then it would affect the dog heavily. It is okay for a dog to eat a ripe tomato here and there. This is because it contains less amount of solanine in the fruit. Unripe fruits contains more solanine. If you have a these plants in your garden, make sure that the dog can’t get to them. Rhubarb leaves are also poisonous for the dogs. This is because the leaves contain oxalic acid. Ingesting the leaves could cause intense pain and irritation. Most animals will stop eating these plants because of the pain. But there are some animals that will get through the pain and eat more of it. If the dog does eat a larger amount, then they need to go to the emergency room.

Resources:

https://wagwalking.com/condition/potato-green-poisoning

https://wagwalking.com/condition/rhubarb-poisoning

Caffeine, Chocolate, and Tea

                      The reason that dogs can’t ingest caffeine, chocolate, and tea is because of theobromine. This is because the dogs can’t fully digest theobromine. Theobromine will start to build up in the dog’s system, which will cause it to become toxic. If the dog digest caffeine, chocolate, or tea, the dog could lose control over their muscles, have tremors, or seizures. It could also cause the dog to throw up. But this isn’t all bad because throwing up could remove some of the theobromine. Some other foods that contain theobromine is energy drinks, diet pills, sodas, and hot chocolate. If the dog digest a drop of caffeine, chocolate, or tea, then the dog should be okay. But in case, you should bring the dog in for a vet visit.

Resources:

https://wagwalking.com/condition/caffeine-poisoning

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/caffeine-toxicity-in-pets#:~:text=can%20be%20dangerous.%22-,Caffeine%20also%20raises%20blood%20pressure%20and%20causes%20cardiac%20arrhythmias%2C%20which,and%20have%20tremors%20or%20seizures.

3 Of The Most Known Dogs

Toto

            Toto, one of the most coveted canine actresses. She was born in California, around 1933. Her original name was Terry. When she was younger, her family were planning on getting rid of her. They got irritated with her because she kept ruining their rug. The family decided to call Carl Spitz, who was a Hollywood dog trainer. Carl Spitz trained the dog in a very short time. After Toto’s training, Spitz expected the owners to come pick her back up. They never showed up and never paid Spitz for his work. She ended staying Spitz’s dog Kennels. But this didn’t last long. Toto started to visit the house and bonding with the family. In 1943, she tried out for her first role. It was Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple. Toto worked with some of the biggest stars, during her time. She even worked with Julie Garland, in Wizard of Oz. She was casted in 17 films. She lived to be 11 years old.

Lassie

            Did you know Lassie was supposed to be a female Collie, but is played by male Collies?  This is true. The first ever Lassie was born in 1940, named Pal. He was a trouble maker. One of his owners thought that Pal was only ever be considered a “pet”. But Weatherwax decided to train him. After Pal’s training, Weatherwax called his owners to come pick him up. But the owners found peace without Pal. They asked Weatherwax if they would take the dog instead of paying for the training. Weatherwax agreed. Weatherwax ran a dog training school. Pal was part of this, but it wasn’t long that he started to feel like family. Weatherwax trained Pal to help the family out, specifically the youngest Weatherwax, Bob, out. Bob liked to explore the property, so the family wanted someone with him. When it was dinner time, Pal would take Bob’s arm. This was a hint to Bob that it was time to head back for dinner. But this was only the start for him. Later on, Weatherwax saw that there was a movie coming out and they needed a Collie. He went to go get Pal, but got a surprise instead. Pal’s fur was matted and tangled. It was filled with burrs. This was because Pal went on a vacation with one of the neighbors, to a ranch. But Weatherwax was determined, so he tried his best to clean Pal. At the end, Pal’s fur was all cut up (because of the burrs). But Weatherwax still took him to the audition. He didn’t end up getting it. But 6 months later, Pal tried out for another role. He landed this role and became Lassie. There are a few movies made after him. In 1958, Pal passed away. He was 18 years old. In present time, all the Collies that play Lassie are male. This is because of how big they are and their fur. Male Collies are usually bigger. This helps make the children look smaller, for a longer period of time. Also, if they use male collies for their fur. Female Collies’ fur start to change, with age. But male Collies last longer. Also, all the Collies that you see playing Lassie are descendants of Pal, the original Lassie.

Balto

            In 1925, there was an outbreak of diphtheria, in Anchorage, Alaska. There was a cure, but it was miles away from where it needed to be, Nome. It was impossible to get the cure to Nome with an airplane. This was because the plane wouldn’t be able to handle the conditions. The only way that the cure could get to Nome would be by sled dogs. So, they got the sled dogs ready. There would be different stops where the dogs would pass on the cure. Balto and his team were the last dogs to take the cure to Nome. It was about 54 miles, with a temperature around -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind was blowing snow everywhere. The human that was with Balto couldn’t see anything, but Balto kept on going. Balto was honored with a statue, but his fame did not last. His owner took him and the other dogs on a circuit, to make some money. He was mistreating the dogs. They were in bad shape, but George Kimble found them in Los Angeles Dime Museum. Mr. Kimble started a campaign to raise money for the dogs. This campaign was a success. Balto and his team ended up in Cleveland. Balto ended up living here for the rest of his life. He passed away in 1933, at the age of 14. His body was taxidermied. It is kept in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. His body is still in the museum.

Fun Fact: The part that Balto ran wasn’t the most hazardous part of the race. The environment was extremely rough for everyone, but Togo and his team experienced the most hazardous part of the race.

Some Of The Strangest Things Found In Storage Units

Animals

            When it comes to animals and storage units, one would think that they do not go along with each other. But to our surprise, there are people that have stored animals in self-storage units. The most common animals that are found in the storage units are cockroaches and snakes. This could be because the animals find their way into the storage unit and can’t get out. The other reason that these live animals are in the storage facility is because the people chose to store the animals. It is confusing on why people choose to pay to have their animals stored. Some of these tenants have abandoned the units and left the animals there. The employees where in for a surprise. It is surprising finding live animals in the unit. But imagine opening up a storage unit and finding a lion staring at you. This would scare anyone, but don’t worry the animal is not alive. It was a taxidermy lion. There have been many instances that employees have found taxidermy animals in the storage units. Most of the time people will store their taxidermy animal in their house. But there are reasons on why someone would move it to a storage unit. Once could be that they didn’t want it in their house anymore, but still wanted to keep it.

Extra Fact: Most of the taxidermy animals were once pets.

Hobbies or businesses

            When it comes to jobs or hobbies, it is possible to run the job or hobby inside a storage unit.  This meaning that you use your storage unit to store extra product. It is not uncommon to do this. But there was someone who had chocolate making equipment in a storage unit. It was known as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ unit. The employee had to ask the tenant to leave because the food could have attracted animals into the storage facility. But I am unsure on who wants to buy chocolate that was made in a storage unit. This does not seem very sanitary.

            Theater is another job that uses a lot of props and sometimes they aren’t always being used. There are times where a theater company will only do the play once and then they will have all these props. They don’t want to get rid of it because they might end up doing the play again, but they are unsure. So they will end up storing the items. Someone once found a 7 foot tall horse in a storage unit. If you have read the Odyssey then you would know that this big horse is a copy of the Trojan horse, talked about in the book. This horse can be only used in this play because there aren’t any other plays/stories that talk about a large horse.

Collections

            Collecting items is not an uncommon thing to do. There are a few reasons that one might want to collect. It might be because the items bring them enjoyment. Another reason could be that it has been passed down from families. Whatever the reason is, collecting items is supposed to be fun and shouldn’t harm anyone. One of the oddest collections found in a storage unit was light bulbs. They found all different size light bulbs. They were from all different decades of time. The light bulbs weren’t damaged, but they weren’t worth much. It did not let us know if the lightbulbs actually worked or what they did with it.

            Another popular item to collect is items from movies, events, or famous people. This could be because the person has a fascination with the subject. Even some actors keep the costume or an item from the show they were in. This is not uncommon. In the 70s, there was an actor that collected items from his own shows. For someone who doesn’t know about the show, we would think that it wasn’t a big deal. But some movie fanatics said that the items he kept were some interesting items. Some of them were a bill of sale for a famous horse and a canoe.

Different Size Storage Units

When it comes to storage, everyone is able to use it. There are many different reasons that people look for self-storage. Someone could be moving to a new place. College students need places to store their items, while they aren’t in the dorms. The possibilities of storage are almost endless. Finding the right storage unit can be a struggle at times. It all depends on how much you want to store. Most storage facilities have different unit sizes. At Dino’s Storage, we have outside parking and 5 different storage sizes.

At Dino’s Storage, the smallest storage size is about the size of a closet. The size is 5×5. This could store small furniture, like lamps, chairs, seasonal items, and boxes. There is also a double size storage unit. The size of this unit is 5×10 or 10x 5. It can store furniture for a studio apartment, couch, table and chairs, and appliances. Some examples are chair, dressers, night stand, and luggage. These size storage units could be the perfect size for college students. Usually, college students need to store more personal items than furniture. This is because the college will usually provide furniture for the dorms. The personal items could be a futon, mini-fridge, or room décor.

But if you need more spaces then we have bigger storage units. The next size up would be a one bedroom apartment storage unit. This would would be a 10×10 that fits bigger furniture. It could fit furniture that goes into a one-bedroom apartments, appliances, table and chairs, mattresses, couches/love seats, and motorcycles. This could fit for a young couple that are moving. It could also fit someone who is moving from one place to another, within the same state.

The next two storage sizes are huge. The first one is the size of a one care garage. The unit size is 10×20. This could fit furniture from a three-bedroom apartment or a small house. It could fit several appliances, tables and chairs, boxes, couches, work-out equipment, entertainment enter, and an average size car. This could be someone who is moving to another state or country. This is because they might not be able to move everything right away or they can’t bring everything with them. But if you need more space than we got an extra-large sized storage unit. This could be 10×25 or 10×30. This would fit a three to four bedroom house. This size unit would be more likely for a family or a few roommates. This is because its’ not only going to be able to fit a couple large items. It will fit everything you want and more. There are a few different size storage units that you can use, but maybe you need storage for your car.

At Dino’s Storage, we also have storage for your cars! It is possible to fit an average size car into our storage units, but maybe you have something bigger, like a camper. This won’t be able to fit in the indoor storage units. But it can be stored at our outdoor parking spots. Dino’s Storage offers outdoor parking spots because not everyone is able to fit all their vehicles into their driveway. This could be because they don’t have a place to store their car. This is only one of the reasons out of many, that one might need a parking spot. Some people might be wary to store their car outside. If you are worried about your car, than you are able to store it at Dino’s Storage headquarters. At the headquarters, there is an indoor garage. Also, there are cameras at every Dino’s Storage location.

Get the storage unit that fits you and your needs. It won’t be beneficial to you if you get a storage unit that doesn’t fit everything you need. You could be paying for empty space or overstuffing your storage space. This could become expensive and dangerous. At Dino’s Storage, we are here to help you find the storage unit that fits you. Our prices depends on what size storage you need. There are more reference pictures and descriptions on our website: dinosstorage.com.

Saint Bernard=Rescue dog??

Even though there is not a lot of information on where Saint Bernards come from, the history/ information that we do know is fascinating. Around 1965 was the first time that Saint Bernards were seen. But they weren’t seen in person; they were seen through a painting. Salvatore Rosa was the one who included 2 Saint Bernards, in his painting. They looked different from what we know now as Saint Bernards. The two Saint Bernards were portrayed as short haired, with a long tail and dew claws. From this painting, people assumed that Saint Bernards have been around for 25 years. They were pictured in the Swiss Valleys. So for a time, they were known as valley dogs.

Valley dogs have been around for centuries, but they were never given a specific name. These dogs were known to be watchdogs that would keep monks companion, during the winter. But in 1700s, they started to be known for saving lives. It is not known why or how this started. But it is thought that the monks brought the dogs with them, after snow storms, to help find troubled travelers. The dogs’ amazing sense of smell helped them find the lost travelers. After a while, Saint Bernards started to pick up the rescue techniques, that the monks were using. The monks started to send out the Saint Bernards by themselves to do the rescue. They would go out in twos and threes. It is said that the dogs would go through the snow, dig to the traveler, and lay on top of the traveler. One of the dogs would lay on top of the traveler to keep them warm. While the other dogs would go back to the monk and alert him, that they found a lost traveler. They saved around 2,000 people.

Around 1830, the monks started to breed Saint Bernards with Newfoundlands. This was because the monks thought that the long hair would help Saint Bernards in the cold. But this didn’t go as they thought it would go. The snow would get stuck to their fur and icicles would start to form. The monks decided to give away the dogs, to people around the Swiss valley. But in 1855, Heinrich Schumacher started to breed and send these dogs to England, Russia, and the United States.

Saint Bernards shouldn’t only be known for their role in Beethoven, but for their bravery in the valleys. Saint Bernards have stopped rescuing travelers. The monks have started to rely on helicopters to help them. But Saint Bernards loyal personality has stuck with them. Their tame personality makes them a great best friend for life.

Why Is Climate Control Storage Units Important?

When it comes to climate control, air flow is the most important factor. Both heating and cooling rely on air flow. With heating, the air blows through a “heat exchange”. It will make the air warm then circulate it throughout the building. With cooling, the air will blow into an “evaporator coil”. This part would collect the heat and moisture then cool it. After cooling, the system would circulate the cool air throughout the building. The two tools that one can use to make sure that the climate is at the right level are a hygrometer and a thermometer. These can be easy to use and read because most of them now rely on technology. The thermometer will make sure that the temperature stays at a steady temperature, around 55 degrees and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The hygrometer will make sure that the humidity level is at an indoor comfort. This is important because most of the items that are being stored are items that are kept inside. If they are outside items then there isn’t too much worry because usually they are made to be outside. Throughout time, the idea of climate control storage units have become popular.

At first, people were hesitant about getting a climate control storage unit. This is because they weren’t sure about it. But this isn’t unusual. When new inventions come about, people are hesitant at first. But if it is a successful invention, then it will become more popular overtime. One of the reasons people might have been hesitant about getting a climate control storage unit is that it cost more. It cost more because it does take energy to use these machines to help control the climate. If you are interested in getting a climate controlled storage unit then I would suggest looking at a few questions, that will help you determine if you need a climate controlled storage unit.  

These are a few of the questions:

  • How long are you planning on storing the item?
  • Can it grow mold or mildew?
  • Was it designed to be stored at a certain temperature?
  • Can the size (expand or contract) of the item change because of the temperature?
  • Is it a valuable item?

There are many different items that need to be stored in a climate control storage unit. This is because overtime the item could start deteriorating, discoloring, or growing mold or mildew. If they have any of these problems, then it would ruin the item. An example of an object that could have all these problems is furniture (one of the most commonly stored items). If you are storing some furniture, then it is important to make sure that they are staying in an environment that will make it last. Soft furnishing and leather can grow mold. This is if they are left in a damp place, for too long. Wood is also a very important item to keep in controlled climates. This is because would could start to crack, warp, or rot. This is all due to the moisture. Any objects that contain wood, leather, or fabric need to be stored in a controlled climate storage unit. Another important material to pay attention to is metal. This is because metals start to rust over time. The rust can make the integrity of the object questionable.

Climate Controlled storage units are important because you don’t want your items to be ruined. There are many other objects and items that need to be stored in climate control environment. Some other are furniture, pictures, collectibles, clothing, and many more. Emphasis is put on the expensive and valuable items. Expensive and valuable items can’t always be replaced. So, if you are worried about your items being ruined then I would go for a climate controlled storage unit.