BOSTON — A heat wave that spread from the Midwest to the Northeast tormented millions of people with blasts of 100-degree temperatures and bog-like humidity as blackouts struck neighborhoods and deaths were blamed on the hot weather. Boston’s thermometers had not seen 103 degrees on a July 22 since 1926.

Yesterday’s weather

I just wanted to remind  that if you have a pet, never leave your pet alone inside the vehicle, even with windows partially open. It only takes minutes for an animal to develop heatstroke in this kind of extreme hot weather.

What are truffles?

A truffle is the fruiting body of an underground mushroom; spore dispersal is accomplished through fungivores, animals that eat fungi. Almost all truffles are ectomycorrhizaland are therefore usually found in close association with trees.

There are hundreds of species of truffles, but the fruiting body of some (mostly in the genus Tuber) are highly prized as a food. The 18th-century French gastronome Brillat-Savarin called these truffles “the diamond of the kitchen”. Edible truffles are held in high esteem in French, Spanish, northern Italian and Greek cooking, as well as in international haute cuisine.

How to Train a dog to find truffles

Truffles have fascinated people for thousands of years. Their attraction is a tantalizing taste and aroma which, once experienced, can never be forgotten. The taste and aroma of commercially collected truffles is so intense that they are used as a flavoring instead of a separate dish. Magical powers and virtues have even been attributed to truffles. They have been collected for at least 3600 years. Growing underground, they are difficult to find and very expensive as a result. Every Spring, truffle hunters in Europe take to the woods, hoping that the sensitive noses of their trained pigs and dogs will lead them to buried treasure. In 1994, black truffles sold for $350 to $500 a pound, but recently, the prices of truffles are much higher than before, to give you an example, white truffles cost from about £700 to over £1,500 a pound, and black truffles cost from £200 to over £400 a pound.

Truffles are usually found between two and four inches under the ground,at the root of Oak trees.  Because it is hard to find truffles, so training a dog to find out truffles considered a good way.

“The Romagna Water dog is specialized in searching for truffles. It is an ancient water retriever breed which has been kept since the 16th century in the Comacchio valleys and the Ravenna lagoon, and spread after the 19th century to the plains and hills of Romagna. This breed is a typical water dog, medium-small size, mesomorphic, squarely built, its general appearance is rustic, strong and well-proportioned. Its hunting instinct has been canceled out, so it is not distracted by game. Affectionate and very attached to its master, it is also an excellent companion dog, very trainable.”

In Italy, truffle dogs are trained in several steps. First, the dog is taught to retrieve a rubber ball. Next, a small bit of smelly Gorgonzola cheese is substituted for the rubber ball. After the dog has learned to retrieve the cheese, the cheese is hidden, forcing the dog to sniff it out for a reward of food. Finally, a small truffle is substituted for the cheese. The dog is now trained to fetch, then dig up the truffle.

Dogs like other food better than truffles, so bread and other treats are used for rewards. The night before a truffle hunt the dog is not fed in order to make it more eager to find truffles for the treat. Just be aware that dogs generally do not find young truffles because the odor is too weak, but the odor does becomes stronger with age as the spores mature.
The value of commercial truffles means that there are laws controlling their collection. In Italy, for example, truffle collectors are tested and licensed. There, organizations of land owners called cooperatives control truffle hunting on their property. Unless you are a member of the cooperative, you can be arrested for collecting truffles from cooperative truffle beds.

Truffle’s cuisine

Truffled mashed potatoes: Peel and quarter potatoes; Yukon or Finnish gold are preferred. Put through a potato ricer for best consistency; add butter, cream, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, drizzle with truffle oil (any kind) and mix to incorporate. Do not reheat potatoes once the truffle oil has been added. Garnish with truffle shavings. Good results can also be achieved by using plain boiled or steamed potato slices and drizzling truffle oil over them. You may slice in fancy shapes or use attractive garnishes (lemon slices, parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, etc) to create an elegant but easy-to-make appetizer.

Information on the Hogchoker fish from the Chesapeake Bay Program:

The unusual name “hogchoker” comes from farmers who used to feed these fish to their hogs. The hogs would often choke on the fishes’ scaly, bony bodies.

Trinectes maculate

The hogchoker has a flat, rounded body that is dark brownish-gray on top and pale on the bottom. Adults have:

Small eyes that are both located on the right, or top, side of the head.

A rounded head with a small mouth.
Narrow, black vertical lines or rounded spots on the top side of the body.
Dorsal and anal fins that stretch around the body from the head to the tail.

The folks at Petfinder.com having been thinking about superlatives now that it’s holiday time. If you’ve got better ideas — or more ideas — for any of these categories, please share.

Best way to incorporate your pet into the holiday festivities: Throw a tacky sweater party and dress him/ her up for the occasion.

Best stocking stuffer: Petfinder.com’s Pet Promise Certificate. You can give the gift of adoption while allowing the recipient to choose the pet that’s right for them.

Most fun way to keep the pounds off: Exercise with your pet.

Most delicious holiday meal that both you and your pet can enjoy: Turkey. This festive favorite can be a treat for both pets and people – just make sure to feed it to your pet only in moderation. And no bones!

Best gift for pet-loving co-workers: A framed picture of their beloved animal to keep on their desk, or an agreement to swap pet-sitting duties.

Uga VII, the name of a lineage of English Bulldogs owned by Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler, died Thursday of heart-related causes, the dog’s owner said.

The 56-pound dog, nicknamed “Loran’s Best,” was known as a laid-back mascot who seemed oblivious to crowd noise during boisterous games and would sit patiently as excited fans snapped photos of him. He often roamed the sidelines in a shirt with a ‘G’ stitched on it, sometimes resting on a bag of ice to cool off in his customized dog house.

According to University of Georgia (UGA), Sonny Seiler, the dog’s owner said there were options available for Uga VII’s replacement but no final determination would be made until sometime next year.

“Flapdoodle is a lightly-raced horse on the way up.

“His last start win at Taree was very good. It was his first try at open company and he handled it good.

“He generally races midfield and has a good sprint for a furlong (200m) or more and can keep whacking away.

“The horse is still fresh after only a couple of runs back, he’s won over 1750 metres and I’m sure (trainer) Rodney (Northam) will have the horse in good order.”

Thompson rode his first winner aboard It’s Regal at Wyong in March 1973.

While the likeable jockey has numerous Group One wins listed on his resume, it was fitting Thompson should beat the all-time Australian riding record held by Jack Thompson (no relation) at country Port Macquarie in July last year when he scored aboard Promised to take his record to 3,323 wins.

He is now closing in on 3,450 wins.

Flapdoodle, named by owner Noel Leckie after a legal term, has five wins and six placings from 17 starts.

The five-year-old was entered for last Monday’s Coonabarabran Cup but the meeting was cancelled after two races due to poor visibility.

Local hero Newton’s Rings will miss Tuesday’s Cup.

“He’s always had trouble with his feet all his life and pulled up tender after galloping Saturday,” trainer Jeff Englebrecht said.

“It’s a shame, he had a big chance but I intend to look after him.

“Maybe we’ll still be around next year.”

Flapdoodle will carry 54kg and has barrier eight.

Giant Coconut Crab also called the robber crab or palm thief, because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents. A coconut crab will attack if it is threatened.

It is probably at the upper limit of how big terrestrial animals with exoskeletons can become in today’s atmosphere. The species inhabits the coastal forest regions of many Indo-Pacific islands, although localized extinction has occurred where the crab is sympatric with man. Generally nocturnal, they remain hidden during the day and emerge only on some nights to forage.

An American woman has claimed that she owns the tallest dog in the world measuring 3 feet tall at the shoulders and 7 feet long from nose to tail.

Caryn Weber is proud of Boomer, a Landseer Newfoundland dog, and intends to send its measurements to Guinness World Records.

Caryn, who comes from eastern North Dakota, said that the fluffy black and white canine keeps all four paws on the floor when he drinks from the kitchen sink in her family’s farmhouse, reports the Telegraph.

She said that her pet “comes into the house and his tail is so high everything gets knocked around”.

The 180-pound animal apparently finishes a 20-pound bag of dry dog food in just two weeks.

The previous record holder was a Great Dane that measured almost 4 feet tall.

You might remember not too long ago when pigs were trendy as pets.

I think Julia Roberts and or George Clooney may have been pig-owners. But when regular people got pigs as pets, they quickly realized that the animals weren’t piglets forever, didn’t have a cute stutter, and eventually became largely unmanageable. A British breeder named Jane Croft has created a breed of pet pig that is a little more household friendly with her “teacup pigs”- they’re born at literally the size of a teacup. And they only grow to be 12-16 inches long and about 65 lbs- not much bigger than many domestic dogs.

Croft speaks highly of the relatively-tiny pigs, lauding their intellect and hygiene. She says:

“It’s about the size of a small spaniel,” Croft said. “They make fantastic pets. They’re really clean. They’re highly intelligent and just love to be loved. They give so much back to you.”

“People love pigs so much, but it’s almost impossible to keep a full-grown pig in the house,” Croft explained. “Now that we’ve gotten them down to this size, they’ve become extremely popular.”