Farmer David Ferwerda may have dug pythons out of warthog holes and escaped elephant herds in Africa, but it was a pregnant Black Angus that would leave him on the operating table.

Ferwerda, a globe-trotting game hunter, credited his loyal Australian cattle dog Hannah with saving his life after the Angus attacked him on March 14.

“She’s an exceptionally good dog. She never takes her eyes off me. If it wasn’t for the dog I would never have gotten out of that barnyard,” he said.

It was a sunny morning when the 77-year-old bachelor went to do chores during calving season at his farm on 5909 East Buss Road. Little did Ferwerda know when he went to fix a leaky stock tank, that an Angus in the early stages of labor was lurking behind the barn door. The pregnant predator struck Ferwerda in the collar bone, knocked him in the manure and started pummeling him with her hooves.

Ferwerda thought he was dead meat.

“I hoped it would be over in a hurry because I didn’t have any chance to get out. I just gave up,” Ferwerda said.

The Angus didn’t break any bones, but put a nasty gash in his head. As he regained consciousness, Ferwerda saw that his mighty cow dog Hannah had backed off the beefy bully. The farmer crawled out on his hands and knees through the manure as the dog watched his back. Ferwerda said cows are scared of cattle dogs because they can bite their noses.

“The cow was pawing the ground, kicking manure and blowing snot. I got out of the barnyard without getting mauled again,” Ferwerda said. “She’s a wonderful little dog.”

Although Ferwerda was covered in bruises and suffering in pain, he was on such an adrenaline high that he thought he could bounce back from his injuries.

“I didn’t think much of it, I seemed to be OK,” he said… story taken from… Washington Examiner.com… read full story… http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/10/cattle-dog-saves-his-owner-black-angus

To anyone who is familiar with the eerily human-like qualities of man’s best friend, the news that dogs can read your mind shouldn’t come as any surprise.

The latest research adds to growing evidence that dogs can interpret both human body language and general behavior, and use it to their advantage.

“Dogs and (human-raised) wolves are capable of distinguishing between a person looking at them, someone who’s paying attention and someone who’s not,” said Monique A.R. Udell, lead author of a study published recently in the journal Learning & Behavior. “They’re more likely to beg (for food) from someone paying attention to them.”

Researchers have been learning more and more about the surprising capabilities and intelligence of Canis lupus familiaris, better known as the domestic dog.

One recent study found that dogs have the developmental abilities of a human 2-year-old, with the average dog capable of learning the meanings of 165 words.

“Over the last five years or so, we’ve been trying to understand how dogs and relatives of dogs such as wolves respond to social companions,” explained Udell, who was a researcher at the University of Florida in Gainesville when the study was conducted.

“The idea behind this particular study was to try to understand how it is, for example, that dogs can use cues of attention to predict what we’re going to do next and use that information to decide to beg for food from one individual and not another?” she continued. “How is it that dogs make us feel that they know what we’re thinking?”

The study involved groups of pet dogs, stray dogs from a shelter and hand-raised wolves (named Tristan, Miska and Marion, among other monikers) who were comfortable around humans.

Two people stood about 6 meters apart, one of them looking directly and continuously at the dog or wolf. The other person had their vision blocked, either with a bucket over their head, a book obscuring their face or because their back was turned. Both humans held a piece of food.

“On average, both dogs and wolves were significantly more likely to be begging from the person looking at them when the other person’s back was turned,” said Udell.

But levels of sensitivity did vary by how domesticated the dog or wolf was.

“Domesticated dogs were more likely to beg from someone paying attention to them, but shelter dogs and wolves who don’t often see a person reading books were not likely to get that cue,” Udell related. “So it does seem like specific life experiences really do matter in this context.”

The findings, said Udell, are “important because previous research suggested that something happened to dogs during genetic domestication that made them begin to think like humans. This shows that wolves are capable, if reared with humans, of (picking up human cues).”

“Animal people in the scientific community have known for some time that dogs are pretty smart and very good at reading our body language,” said Adam Goldfarb, director of the Pets at Risk Program of the Humane Society of the United States. “This shows that something about dogs or wolves inherently allows them to read humans far better than other animals can.” … story taken from… news10.net… read story… http://www.news10.net/rss/article/146952/339/Dogs-adept-at-reading-peoples-minds

The lucky dog plucked from the water by cops 2 miles off the Brooklyn shoreline was back in his grateful owner’s arms Tuesday.

“It’s not like he’s just a dog,” said Irina Frid, 38, a stay-at-home mom, as she kissed and petted her German shepherd, Charlie. “He’s a family member.”

Frid’s last German shepherd, Ciro, died at age 12 in February, leaving a hole in her life.

“I’m a crazy animal lover,” she said.

Two weeks ago she went on vacation to the Czech Republic with her husband, a real estate developer. Part of the purpose of the trip was to find a new German shepherd.

“They’re the best breeders,” she said of the Czechs. “We needed a family dog.”

Trying to decide between two dogs, they chose Charlie when the breeder told her his birthday was Aug. 1 – the same date her husband was born. The dog will turn 2 next week.

Charlie had to remain behind a week for immunizations and paperwork. Frid met him at JFK Friday.

The pet owner blames Charlie’s disappearing act on his rattled nerves from the long voyage.

“He was trying to swim back to Czech Republic,” she joked. “He spent about 14 hours in a cage. New home, new property. It still smells like the old dog. He was a little confused, with the jet lag and everything.”

Charlie slipped out during a rain storm as she was closing the front gate to her seaside home in Manhattan Beach Monday evening.

“I started calling him, ‘Charlie, come home, come home,’” she recalled.

The pooch was about to come back through the gate when a beeping from a nearby fire truck startled him.

“He got scared,” Frid said. “He ran in a completely different direction.”

Frid asked a neighbor to help search for Charlie. The pair split up and the friend called her with scary news.

“I’ve seen Charlie. He’s in the water very far away from the shore,” he said, according to Frid.

Frid raced to Manhattan Beach but by then the castaway canine was just a speck on the horizon.

“He was going down in the water, up, down in the water, up,” she said. “I was speechless.”

As she stood on the shoreline, she saw two police boats far out at sea approach Charlie.

Eagle-eyed harbor officers Benjamin Reiver and Edward Carr, on routine patrol in a small boat, spotted the struggling pooch about 7 p.m., police said.

Charlie had been doggie-paddling for about 40 minutes.

“We started waving and screaming,” she said. “I was so relieved when I saw police pick him up. A few more moments he would have been gone.”

The cops were about to end their patrol early because of the stormy weather, they later told her. The patrol boat pulled near shore and the officers aboard yelled for her to meet them at a dock at Kingsboro College.

She raced there, leashed the frightened dog and then pulled him from the boat. She showered her dog with kisses… story taken from… New York Daily news.com… read full story… http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/07/26/2011-07-26_dog_saved_after_being_stranded_at_sea_reunites_with_owner_after_dramatic_rescue_.html

Australia. RSPCA, adopt a pet today!… http://www.adoptapet.com.au/

EL PASO, Texas — A dog on the verge of starving to death was turned in to the El Paso Humane Society on Tuesday. The woman who dropped the animal off claimed to have found the dog wandering on Fort Bliss. But shelter workers don’t believe the animal is a stray. Instead, they believe someone is responsible for the worst case of animal malnutrition the El Paso Humane Society has seen.

Shelter employees are affectionately calling the 3-year-old Boxer “Bones.” The dog weighs just 22 pounds, half of what he should. “The condition he is in did not happen overnight; it’s been progressing for about a month,” said Betty Hoover, the shelter’s executive director.

Bones showed no signs of being a stray. The dog is extremely well socialized, very friendly and shows no fear of other animals or people. The woman who dropped the dog off at the shelter left her name, address and phone number. But when shelter workers said they tried to reach her, the phone number she left was a non-working number. That is more reason for employees to suspect the dog had not been wandering the streets, rather belonged to someone. “It makes me sick. It makes me very, very angry. I really hope that with the coverage this guy is getting in the news, maybe someone out there knows something about him,” said Hoover…. story taken from… kfoxtv.com… read full story… http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/28246649/detail.html

Naki’o has the rambunctious spirit of most dogs — he loves to run, jump and play fetch, but one thing is different about this red heeler cattle dog –his four bionic paws. OrthoPets, a Denver company that specializes in pet prosthetics, outfitted Naki’o, who lost his paws to frostbite after he was abandoned in the Nebraska winter.

When Naki’o was adopted, his legs had healed to rounded stumps, making mobility a struggle. He had to crawl on his stomach to move, but he was determined.

“Even though he was hobbling, he was still just trying to enjoy life,” said Martin Kaufmann, the founder of OrthoPets, who outfitted Naki’o with his new paws.”Naki’o's personality was great.”… Story taken from… abcnews.go.com… read full story… http://abcnews.go.com/Health/dog-prosthetic-paws/story?id=13916859

The richest lapdog in the world — a little white Maltese named Trouble — died at the age of 12 in her final days in luxury, every need tended to around the clock, in Sarasota, Fla.

Trouble owed her coddled lifestyle to her former owner, New York Hotel heiress Leona Helmsley, who died in 2007 and turned her back on relatives to bequeath the bulk of her estate, $12 million, to her dog.

Helmsley bought the beloved pet for comfort after the death of her husband, billionaire hotelier Harry Helmsley.

A judge later knocked down the dog’s inheritance to $2 million. Though the pooch died in December, news of her demise was only reported this week.

The pampered pooch had led a life of luxury after her owner purchased her at a New York City pet shop and chauffeured her around in a stretch limo…. Story taken from… abcnews.go.com…. read story… http://abcnews.go.com/US/leona-helmsleys-dog-trouble-richest-world-dies-12/story?id=13810168

After a disabled dog’s “wheelchair” was stolen from the front yard of his owner’s West Roxbury home Sunday, a New Hampshire-based company that aids handicapped and injured pets has donated a replacement cart.

“The disaster that happened yesterday is now turning out to be a wonderful experience,” said David Feeney, the owner of 12-year-old “Lucky,” a Belgian Malinois. “It’s been overwhelming the support I’ve been given.”

Feeney, 63, believes his beloved dog’s “wheelchair” was stolen from the front of his Temple Street home in West Roxbury after Lucky had his usual Sunday morning playtime outside of the cart. The wheelchair elevates the dog’s hind legs.

“Somebody must have grabbed it right away,” he said. “Who knows why this happened.”

Realizing later in the evening that the cart was missing, the owner called police, who helped him search the neighborhood using a spotlight.

“They were fantastic, very compassionate,” he said of the police. But, the chair was nowhere to be seen, and Feeney said he does not believe police have made any progress in tracking it down.

After hearing the story of dog’s stolen chair, which was first reported by WBZ-TV, Nashua-based HandicappedPets.com donated a chair to Lucky, who is unable to use his hind legs to hold himself up. The company fitted Lucky in a new, fully-adjustable chair Monday afternoon. That chair type can retail between $400 and $500, the company said.

“We wanted to do anything we could to right a wrong,” said HandicappedPets.com spokeswoman Lisa-Marie Mulkern, who said the company was notified of the theft Lucky’s chair by a former customer from Jacksonville, Fla. who called after reading media reports online.

Feeney said Lucky’s former, custom-made chair cost only around $100 less than his monthly income — $638 through Social Security. Mulkern added that custom-made chairs often take two to three weeks to make.

“It certainly didn’t appear that anyone was going to return Lucky’s chair and we didn’t want him to have to wait,” she said.

Feeney, a Boston native, rescued Lucky several years ago while teaching and doing humanitarian work in Bogotá, Colombia. The dog had been hit by a car.

“He was just lying there in dying in the street. No one wanted to help him,” said Feeney recalling how a doorman to his apartment told him not to worry about the dog; that the garbage men would take the animal away the next morning.  Story taken from… Boston.com… read story… http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-06/yourtown/29686447_1_cart-lucky-wheelchair

Greetings fur-pals. I’m back today to let everybody know I organised an implemented a daring escape plan from the front yard a few days ago. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself as I roamed the neighbourhood and did what I pleased.

My only problem with being a free agent is there are no kitchens, hot dinners, and nice warm beds to lay on in the wild, so I when I was found by Mum, I was on my way home for dinner.  Don’t know why Mum got so worked up for, I could smell the chicken cooking from a block away and my tummy was rumbling.

Until next time…

SALINAS, CA (KION/CNN) – Most dogs like to take a walk, but one dog originally from Colorado managed to travel 1,200 miles all the way to California after getting lost.

Buster Brown’s owner, Samantha Squires, was worried, but she never gave up hope.

“He was with me 24-7, slept with me, ate with me, we ran together, we… everything,” Squires said.

Squires said the story began on a Wednesday morning in November, when Buster went missing.

Six months later he was found in Salinas, CA on Tyler Street.

“She had no idea how he got here. Neither do we. He’s the only one that knows, and ask him, he’s not telling us,” said Cindy Burnham, Animal Services Manager.

His family, 1,200 miles away, never forgot about him.

“I still have his collars with all his tags, I still have everything,” Squires said.

It was a letter in the mail from Salinas Animal Services and a phone call the dog owner will never forget.

“And, uhm, she said ‘He’s Brownie.’ Brownie was his adopted name and Buster Brown was his name, you know, that I gave him afterwards. So I knew it was him, with the Brownie part,” Squires said.

Buster is a bit itchy from allergies, nothing his medicine back home can’t heal.

His journey, though, isn’t over and he will travel inside of a crate on a Frontier Airlines plane from San Francisco, CA to Denver, CO for a big family reunion.

“I can’t even think about him without starting to cry, so I know I’m going to be bawling. It really is like your child that’s coming home, you think that they’re gone, and they’re not,” Squires said.

Frontier Airlines offered to fly Buster Brown back home free of charge, and he should in Colorado sometime this weekend… Story taken from… wdam.com… http://www.wdam.com/story/14838282/lost-dog-travels-1200-miles

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and the same can be said for a guide dog. It’s amazing to realize that 368 people have a hand in the development of each Southeastern Guide Dog. But one crucial person has the most influence — the Puppy Raiser.

Puppy Raisers are volunteers who take a cuddly 9- to 10-week-old puppy into their homes and hearts; love it, train it, care for it, expose it to the world around them. Then, after 12-16 months, they return it to Southeastern just when it is getting to be a well-behaved young dog. Sound interesting? Well, there’s more … they also attend twice-a-month meetings/exposures/obedience sessions, follow the 100-plus-page puppy training manual and act as an educator/ambassador for Southeastern to the general public who invariably have numerous questions about their pup.

uppy Raisers are a special breed: they are compassionate, persistent, patient, social, nurturing, patient, altruistic, generous and did I mention, patient? They follow the strict guidelines set by the school as to all aspects of how the puppy is to be trained, from the basic obedience commands, all the way down to the way they relieve themselves (or as referred to in the Southeastern world — “go busy”). Yes, guide dogs are taught to “busy” not only on command, but in a special way that makes it easier for the visually impaired person to clean up after them.

Many Puppy Raisers have learned that their once short jaunts to the store for just a couple items can easily turn into an hour-long process with all the things involved in getting the puppy ready for an outing, taking time to make sure the puppy is being obedient and happily answering questions or listening to stories about guide dog puppies from the interested people they run into.

Story taken from… BradentonPatch… read full story… http://bradenton.patch.com/articles/it-takes-a-village-to-raise-a-guide-dog

ATLANTA — A Grant Park couple spent Tuesday posting flyers around their neighborhood desperately seeking help in finding their small dog, Socks, a terrier mix.

Josh and Allison received a call from their security company around 5pm on Monday alerting them their alarm system tripped.

“When I got home police officers were there.  They told me that our door had been kicked in and electronics were missing from the home, but our dog was okay.  That’s when I panicked,” Allison said.

That’s because Allison and Josh have two dogs.  While the thieves picked up Socks in his crate and carried him away they left a small poodle mix named Boots, also in a carrier.

Both of their pets are rescue dogs of no monetary value, so the couple wonders why the burglars took Socks.

Neighbors of Allison and Josh are helping to spread the word about Socks and offering a reward for the dog’s safe return.

“We just want to know she’s okay.  She had a good home and a companion who misses her very much.  We do too,” said Josh… Story taken from… 11alive.com… read story, see video of Socks… http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/194484/3/Heartless-Burglars-Swipe-Family-Dog

Some animal cruelty cases haunt even the most seasoned animal advocate.  The story of Nitro is one of those cases.

In 2008, Nitro was a beloved family member; a family’s Rottweiler who was loved and cherished.  Nitro’s guardians found themselves faced with a family situation that required they be in and out of town frequently, and Nitro, being typical of the Rottweiler breed, was very protective of his family and home and could use a little extra training.  Nitro had been toHigh Caliber K-9 facility in Youngstown, Ohio previously and his guardians felt like the owner, Steve Croley, was a gifted “dog whisperer”, with a summer camp program that they felt was just the answer to their situation.

They decided to enter Nitro into the summer camp program so they could take care of their family matters without worry or concern.  After all, Mr. Croley had a 2-1/2 year successful track record at his High Caliber facility and was well respected.   He lived on the premises, which was another plus in the family’s eyes, knowing that Nitro would be supervised around-the-clock.  The family paid Mr. Croley a substantial amount of money for Nitro’s training and care.  They had no reason to even think anything would go wrong, but what happened next was devastating.

On October 22, 2008, the High Caliber facility was raided.  What was found there is without a doubt an advocate’s and dog lovers’ worst nightmare. Inside the facility were 19 dogs who had been cruelly and heartlessly starved, 8 of whom died and the rest emaciated.  One of those who died was Nitro.  It’s inconceivable how any human being could stand by day after day and watch as these dogs slowly and painfully died right in front of his eyes.  The pictures included here are graphic, but this was the horror that was found the day of the raid.  This was what their beloved Nitro had been reduced to.

It wasn’t a question of money.  The guardians of all of the dogs had paid him well, with more than enough to pay for the food needed for the dogs.  No one can crawl into the sick mind of this monster and glean any kind of comprehensible understanding about why he would do this, but he did.  Mr. Croley still to this day has not shown an ounce of remorse, and his excuses for why this happened have run the gamut of every conceivable ridiculous one after another.  It’s believed at the heart of it all was drugs… Story taken from… the Examiner.com National… read continued story… http://www.examiner.com/animal-advocacy-in-national/nitro-s-law-part-1-the-crime

Greetings fur-pals. It’s good to be here once again for my usual bites and pieces. I’ve been having a ball the last few days. Mum took us on a holiday to another island and I was in my element, meeting and greeting – although I wasn’t too taken with the young pup that kept chasing me around trying to nip my nether-regions. Gave her the old one-two chase and scare tactic, which worked for me, but not for Mum who scolded me for picking on puppies. Not my fault I say! Not me doing the chasing, but must uphold my tough-doggy image and defend my boundaries, and those include my nether-regions.

Have to say I was glad to get home to my boss-dog position once again.

Until next time…

Ernest Vasquez was walking his dog Taz this morning when he heard something in the bushes. Vazquez didn’t think much of it, guessing it was probably just a cat.

“Come on boy let’s go and he kept growling,” he said.

Suddenly the two-year-old pit bull started to push extra hard on his leash.

“At that point the hair in the back of his neck stick up he got in a real protective mode, so I looked again and turned I saw a head go up and it was a fox,” said Vasquez.

He tried to pull his dog back home but Taz firmly stood his ground.

“The fox lunged towards us and he just had to do what he had to do,” he said.

The fight was broken up, Suffolk Animal Control was called, and the fox will be euthanized and tested for rabies.

Vasquez says he regularly sees foxes on his morning walks with Taz, but he’s never seen one lock eyes with his dog.

He says they’re all around the neighborhood, hiding in bushes, he guesses the area around his house is the perfect home for a fox.

Vasquez hopes the fox population doesn’t become a problem in Suffolk, though he knows his dog will be able to handle it.

“He used his instincts, he was protecting himself and I guess protecting me,” he says.  Story taken from… ‘News Channel3′… http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-su-fox-attack,0,769013.story

Dogs respond to human body language and verbal commands, but what exactly they are reacting to is unclear. For example, how do dogs know to preferentially beg for food from attentive people, and to behave badly when people are not looking?

According to new research published in Springer’s journal Learning & Behavior, dogs (Canis lupusfamiliaris) can predict human behavior based on specific cues, context, and learning from experience.

Monique Udell and colleagues at theUniversity of Florida set out to understand this complex social cognition, and determine whether species and the animal’s rearing and living environment (shelter or human home) affect performance by comparing behavior in pet domestic dogs, shelter dogs, and wolves.

The researchers looked at how the three different types behaved when allowed to beg for food—either from an attentive person or someone unable to see the animal.

They found that wolves beg successfully for food from attentive humans, just like dogs, and both species rapidly improve with practice.

“Here we provide the first evidence that non-domesticated canids, grey wolves (Canis lupus), are also sensitive to human attentional state under some conditions,” write the researchers in the study abstract.

The team also found that dogs have varying sensitivity to different visual cues of human attention, with pet dogs reacting more to stimuli they have learned, while those with less human exposure are not very successful at begging. Story taken from… The Epoch Times… read full story… http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/science/canine-telepathy-can-dogs-read-peoples-minds-57514.html

Helloooo there fur-fans. It’s good to be here again this week with news of my latest tour of the island in my newest winter accessories. I have recently acquired a rather nice pink puppy parka, which fits me rather snuggly around my torso and keeps me warm. I’ve been doing the rounds of the local island parks and beaches showing off my trendy ‘threads’, meeting and greeting my adoring fans as I go.  I had a lovely day sniffing around the local beaches yesterday, all the while being kept warm and snug in my ‘princess’ jacket. While I would have preferred my ‘hoodie’ jacket, I couldn’t complain about the winter wind’s chill at all. I was at it for hours before I had to climb in the car and go home. It was also lovely to hang out the window and ‘wave’ to my fans once again for the journey.

It is fair to say that I can stamp my paw of approval on this season’s doggy and doggette winter ranges at your nearest online outlets.

Until next time…

Greetings again fur-pals. Well not much to report this week, except that Mum’s had enough of my antics in the dirt and taken to keeping me indoors a lot more these days. I don’t mind too much at the moment because it’s really rather cold out there and I’m not too keen on braving the elements for extended periods of time. Fronting up on the rug positioned near the fire has become one of my favourite past-times of late.

I’ve heard on the grapevine that I’m visiting the doggy groomers sometime this week, so I’d best keep my wits about me and not get over excited when I hear the jingle of the car keys. It could mean more than just the weekday drive to the park….

Until next time…

Australia. Doggy Doodles, pet portraiture, has completed another portrait. Known for portraits of our k-9 friends and companions alike, Doggy Doodles has created another human and dog portrait for display.  Go to ‘portfolio’ and select ‘My Best Friend’… or click on the display icon on the right of the home page.

A 72-year-old man has told how he wrestled with an alligator to save his pet dog from certain death.

Gary Murphy leapt on to the back of the six ft-long beast in a desperate attempt to save his pet West Highland terrier named Doogie.

He threw himself on the to back of the alligator and began punching him on the head to force the gator to release the terrified dog from its jaws.

After a few blows to the head the gator released its prey and slid back into the water in Palm City, Florida.

Mr Murphy said: ‘I hit the back of that gator. It was like jumping on a pile of rocks.

‘But when I did, I caught him right behind the head, his mouth opened and Doogie took off and the gator turned around and went under the boat and out he went.’  story taken from… dailymail.co.uk… read full story and see video… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389879/Man-rescues-pet-dog-Doogie-jaws-alligator-punching-beast-head.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

A golden retriever named Yogi was honored yesterday as the Humane Society of the United States 2011 Valor Dog of the Year.

Yogi, in true Lassie form, ran to get help after his master fell of his bicycle and was seriously injured.

Paul Horton, 58, of Austin, Texas, was riding his bicycle with Yogi jogging alongside when he hit a curb. While he was unconscious, the dog remained at his side. When Horton, a 58-year-ol retired mechanical engineer, regained consciousness he couldn’t move.

According to the Associated Press, Horton urged Yogi to get help. Yogi went back to the road and encountered Horton’s neighbors, and barked at them until they followed him back to Horton… story taken from.. ohmidog.com… read full story… http://www.ohmidog.com/2011/05/25/yogi-named-2011-valor-dog-of-the-year/

SHE has always treated her dogs like royalty, and now pet-mad Louise Harris has had two £400 tiaras custom-made so her Yorkie Lola can look just like Kate Middleton on her wedding day.

Miss Harris, 32, spent £20,000 on a dog wedding for Lola earlier this year, where the pooch married a Chinese crested called Mugly.

But while that bash was lavish, Louise, from Chelmsford, Essex, got even more ambitious after watching the Royal wedding last month.

Now Louise – who has spent more than £100,000 on goodies for Lola and her other two Yorkshire Terriers Lulu, four, and Larry, two – has had a pair of posh headpieces constructed so Lola can look like a dog version of the Royal bride. Story taken from … Daily mail.co.uk.. read story… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1392107/Britains-extravagant-dog-owner-spends-800-bespoke-tiaras-posh-pooch.html?ITO=1490

Hello there old fur-comrades. Well I’m still here, and I’m enjoying the winter nibblies and extra heating that my senior owner is supplying for our mutual benefit. I’ve been given a top of the range heated doggy bed that warms my old bones. I’m not too keen to get off it though, and if my senior owner hankers to go for a walk out there in the elements, he’s on his own this season.

Until next time…

Greetings once again fur-pals. Well, I’m out and about this week helping Mum forage for wood and pinecones for our new wood burner. I have to say that foraging has become quite an adventure for me and I’ve learned a few tricks to keep it interesting.

• Make sure you check under every piece of wood that you find. Snakes can very often be hiding  there. Bark as much as possible to alert everybody in the vicinity that you’re doing your job as health and safety advisor.
• Never try to grab said snake, but make a good show of bravado from a safe distance.
• Help to look for as many other things as you can find. This may involve wandering off. Try not to get lost and cause any distress for other family members.
• Protect your finds with gusto. If an errant bird wants a piece of your stash, let him know who the boss is.

Until next time….

BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhuanet) — Now that keeping pets has become popular in Shanghai, pampered pedigree dogs are becoming a regular sight on the streets. The boom in the number of dogs and cats has increased the number of strays as more pets are abandoned. But from May 15th, things should change. The implementation of the “one dog under one roof policy” lowers the price for dog ownership but limits the number of dogs within one family in an effort to crackdown on unregistered animals. To what extent will the new quota save the day…. Story taken from… News.Xinhuanet.com.. Read story… http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/video/2011-05/17/c_13878942.htm

A once forlorn stray dog that a group of Marines serving in Afghanistan adopted as their unit mascot is now safe in the U.S. and living with one of those Marines thanks in part to schoolchildren who raised money to help bring the canine to Indiana.

WISH-TV reports that students at Lebanon Middle School donated one dollar at a time to raise more than $1,000 that helped pay for the dog’s long journey from the war-torn nation to the central Indiana city.

Capt. Matt Taylor of Lebanon visited their middle school last week with the friendly white and tan dog, Alice, to thank the students for their generosity.  Story taken from… Chicago Tribune News… Read full story… http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-afghanistan-dogs,0,3890950.story

The man who severely abused his dog by hitting her in the mouth with a golf club and burning her eyes with bleach, received his sentence Wednesday.

Back in November, Robert Gonzales was charged with felony animal cruelty. He pleaded no contest to the charges.

Although the prosecution wanted 16 months in prison for Gonzales, the judge sentenced him to eight months in county jail and three years probation.

“If he fails his probation he will then be looking at three years in prison.”

Police say Gonzales tethered a dog named Lacey, to a tree at his home in southwest Bakersfield, then hit her in the mouth with a golf club and sprayed bleach in her eyes. Story taken from… KGET.com… Read story… http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Man-who-severely-abused-dog-is-sentenced-to-jail/-Nhx2cI0zku0JK3tAirePA.cspx

A Fells Point woman whose 9-year-old dog was in her car when it was stolen Monday night was reunited with her pet after it was found in the yard of a Baltimore home

Kelly Belk rarely travels beyond Fells Point, where she lives, and Hampden, where she works. But on Monday night, Belk decided to meet friends at a Pikesville crab house for an all-you-can-eat special. Belk took Matilda, a 9-year-old Rottweiler and German shepherd mix.

“When I was leaving for dinner, she gave me the stink eye. It was like, ‘You better take me with you,’” Belk said Thursday. “She’s happier being in the car than being home alone.”

It’s a decision that Belk regretted after her sport utility vehicle, with Matilda inside, was stolen from the parking lot of an adjacent bank on Reisterstown Road. Belk said she later realized that she had left the keys to the SUV inside the vehicle after earlier checking on Matilda, who had been injured that day while out for a walk with Belk… Story taken from… The Baltimore Sun.. Read full story… http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-missing-dog-20110519-30,0,2778766.story

SHANGHAI — China’s largest city is setting a limit of one dog per family in an effort to gain control over the soaring pet population and curb rabies.

Cao Yi already was walking her dogs at 11 p.m., hoping to avoid trouble both with neighbors and with the authorities over her brown poodle and golden retriever.

“I’m afraid one of the dogs might be taken away,” she said.  Story taken from… The SunHerald.com. Read full story… http://www.sunherald.com/2011/05/19/3126902/shanghais-one-dog-limit-causes.html

Helloooo fur-fans. It’s just lovely to be here once again. I’ve been bathed and blow dried this week in preparation for our guests this week, and I’m looking my best, I must say. Mum has found a lovely new bath soap, all natural, for my abolutions, from the local markets. It’s made from eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender, and it smells devine. My coat is soft and fluffy, and my delicate skin is not irritated as it is with other so-called doggy shampoos.  So don’t forget fur-fans, for a lovely bath experience, think all natural soaps. They’re available from all good doggy shops online, and some natural makers at your local markets.

Until next time fur-fans…

Greetings once again fur-pals. I’m having a lovely time in the front yard today, as the new grass has been laid and I’m running amok. While it’s not as good as the mud puddle for stirring up the household, it’s jolly good for running at top speed without any tread damage. I’m having a field day running up and down the perimeters barking at anything that goes by.  Bonuses for me, as I’m harder to catch on the grass when I’ve done something wrong.

Until next time…

Hellooo fur-fans. I’ve been out and about again in my finery and new do, and without further ado, I just have to critique the latest for my wardrobe for those discerning doggies that simply must have this seasons… onallpaws.com.au has the most amazing doggy boutique one can imagine… and luxury item fashion harnesses to suit ALL tastes, especially mine. onallpaws even caters to the spa and grooming wannabees in all of us fur-fans, I’m simply overcome by all the products, outfits and accessories available for viewing and purchasing.  My tip of the day is to go immediately to the site and get your manicured paws on a lovely design today… http://www.onallpaws.com.au/?gclid=CJfjwKr52agCFYgdpAodkDLuhA

Until next time fur-fans…

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) — Rescued from the deep, dark waters of death, we have a local survival tale that relies on you for the happy ending. What started out as a walk around town turned into a will to live when a wrong turn lead to a big drop. From the icy cold to warm and fuzzy, pay close attention, because this survivor desperately needs your help.

“She’s a very sweet dog,” said Steve Minton, Boyd County Animal Control Officer.

This is a story about a dog. She’s a beautiful beagle who’s travelled on one wild death-defying adventure.

“I’m not sure if she’s a stray or someone’s pet,” said Minton.

It all started on Ashland’s north side in a very remote area. The beagle cut through a flood wall, crossed several railroad tracks, walked a half mile and boldly disregarding the no trespassing signs wandered into the Ashland City Sewage Plant.

“When I saw her, she was over in that basin near the center wall and I didn’t know how I was going to get to her,” said Mark Anderson.  Story taken from… WSAZ3 News Channel.. read story, see video… http://www.wsaz.com/huntington/headlines/Dog_Rescued_from_Ashland_Sewage_Plant_121352804.html

SAN FRANCISCO—A little dog has some singed hair and a little eye irritation, but is otherwise OK after surviving a fire that gutted a San Francisco residential hotel, authorities said Thursday.

Firefighters found a Chihuahua “scared, but running around” in a closet on the top floor of the three-story Park Hotel around 5 a.m. Thursday, San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.

Firefighters turned the dog over to city animal care officials, who were able to reunite the dog with its owner Thursday.

“He smelled very smoky, but was in remarkably good spirits considering the experience he’s been through,” said Eric Zuercher, a supervisor with the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control. Story taken from… Mercury News.com …read story… http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18003715?nclick_check=1

The story of Colton, a one-year-old English bulldog, does not begin as a happy tale of a puppy romping with laughing little children. It does, however, end with a smile.

Born paralyzed in both of his hind legs, Colton spent the first year of his life trying to get around by dragging the two legs until, in time, a huge hole had been worn in one back leg, and both were painfully infected.

The owner who took in Colton after finding out that the breeder would euthanize the pup came to realize that the care the dog required exceeded her capabilities, so she called upon Black Hills Boxer Rescue, a local organization of about 50 volunteers that provides care and foster homes to dogs.

“The owner contacted me back in November,” said Shelley Cumella, who along with her husband, Vince, started up Black Hills Boxer Rescue in 1999. “The owner’s daughter who lived in Mitchell had taken the dog and discovered that with her own children, the dog had become too much for her to take care of. At that time, they moved Colton to Rapid City.”

Cumella said that even though she had been told the basics of Colton’s past, she hadn’t realized the severity of his disability until seeing him for the first time. Realizing that Colton’s injuries required immediate attention, Cumella contacted Dean Falcon of All Creatures Veterinary Hospital, who had tended her own two dogs.  Story taken from… Rapid City Journal… read story… http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_0f49b950-7226-11e0-ad6f-001cc4c002e0.html

Two days after finding a pilot dead in the wreckage of his Cessna, a pair of Parks Canada employees have located the dog which survived the same crash.

He was alive, well and happy to see people.

Visitor safety specialist, Chris Gooliaff with Yoho Park, and J.P. Kors, went back to the site near the B.C.-Alberta border Friday armed with dog biscuits and hope when looking for Ed Fedaj’s border collie, Rusty.

First they travelled several kilometres by snowmobile and then skied towards the plane, which went down Wednesday.

They could hear Rusty bark as they called his name before they reached the site.  Story taken from… CNews… read story… http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Good_News/2011/04/30/18086611.html

HUNDREDS of dogs being trucked to Chinese restaurants were spared a culinary fate after about 200 animal lovers mobilised to stop them ending up on dinner tables.

A truck crammed with the dogs was forced to stop on a highway in eastern Beijing by a motorist who swerved his car in front of the vehicle then used his microblog to alert animal rights activists, reports said.

The dogs, many apparently stolen from their owners, were being transported from the central Chinese province of Henan to restaurants in Jilin province in the northeast, the China Daily said. It said 430 dogs were rescued, while the Global Times put the number at 520.  Story taken from the Herald Sun.. Read full story… http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/activists-save-hundreds-of-chinese-dogs-from-cooking-pot/story-e6frf7lo-1226041150852

Hello old fur-comrades, it’s good to be here once again as another Winter approached and my old bones are being soothed by the heater. I was thrilled when my senior owner decided to bring out the heating contraption early this year to heat HIS old bones, as he’s getting a bit like me and more inclined to rug up before rugging up is necessary. He’s taken to putting a heating pad on his armchair at night and it’s a senior fight to see who gets on it first. Ican tell you fur-comrades, I can put up quite a fight when my personal comfort is involved, and I can usually outgun the old boy when it comes to holding the bladder. Sooner or later he has to get up and go, and I move into the best position and dig in for the night. I didn’t get my nickname ‘Barnacle Bob’ for nothing you know. I can cling on with the best of them.

Until next time…

Greetings fur-pals. Well, it’s good to be here again this week with news of the dirt pile in the front yard. It’s been a glorious time for me fur-pals, as I dart about, skidding, sliding, rolling and anything else I can think of in the dusty, dirty mess. Special bonuses if it rains and the dust becomes mud and sticks to my fur. Add points if I actually get inside and roll on the lovely multi-coloured rug that Mum bought last year.

I’m in hiding at this present moment however, as I can hear the splashings in the big white tub and the soft tones of bribery in the air to get me within grabbing distance of the danger zone.

Until next time…

ANTIOCH, Calif.—Four Antioch police dogs, including one that was shot in August, have been outfitted with bulletproof vests.

The dogs showed off their new custom-made body armor this week. Each vest weighs about five pounds and is both bullet and knife resistant.

The $1,200 vests come after one of the dogs, a 65-pound Belgian Malinois, was shot in the right shoulder by a burglary suspect in August.

The dog survived and was back on the job two weeks later. But police officials tell the Contra Costa Times that the injury might have been avoided if the dog had been wearing one of the vests.

The vests were provided by The Police and Working K-9 Foundation, a group that also helps pay for emergency medical care for police dogs.  Story taken from… ‘Mercury News’… read story… http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_17899624?nclick_check=1

Southfield— Firefighters rescued a cold, shocked and tired young pit bull mix clinging to branches in the rain-swollen Rouge River in Southfield on Wednesday afternoon.

The rescuers used a boat to reach the frightened dog and city animal control officers brought the dog, a female believed to be about 5 years old, to Michigan Veterinarian Specialists. She was treated for hypothermia and some scrapes, said Kati Carroll, a veterinary technician at the Southfield center.

Firefighters nicknamed her Nemo. She is recovering and is expected to survive.

“She’s in fine shape,” Carroll said late Wednesday. “She’s comfortable and at a normal temperature. … That’s the best we can hope for.”… story taken from… ‘The Detroit News’.. read story… http://www.detnews.com/article/20110428/METRO02/104280423/1409/METRO/Firefighters-rescue-dog-from-Rouge-River

Britain’s most extravagant dog owner has splashed out 20 thousand pounds to give her pampered pooch the perfect wedding.

If you’re a poodle, get out of Iran.

Actually, if you fit the description of any four-legged tail wagger with a propensity for chasing Peugeots, you are not welcome in that country.

Lawmakers in the nation’s capital have proposed a bill that would make owning a dog illegal.

What do Iranian politicians have against pet pooches? They’re un-Islamic, disease-ridden and short-legged…. Story taken from ‘The Toronto Star’.. read story… http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/980475–iran-tries-to-make-it-illegal-to-own-a-dog?

COASTGUARDS swung into action to save a pet dog in the River Mersey.

The black dog was swept out to sea off Wallasey’s Manor Road, close to Egremont, yesterday afternoon.

Liverpool Coastguard watch officer Lindsay Holt said the dog was rescued and reunited with its owner.

She said: “We received a number of 999 calls shortly after midday. Initially there were reports there was no one with the dog, but the owner was in the area. One of the man’s dogs managed to get back to the shore but the other one didn’t…. story taken from ‘Wirral News, UK’…read story… http://www.wirralnews.co.uk/wirral-news/local-wirral-news/wallasey-news/tm_headline=coastguards-save-dog-as-it-is-swept-to-sea-in-wallasey%26method=full%26objectid=28572214%26siteid=80491-name_page.html

It’s a relationship that could cause a few ruffled feathers in the animal kingdom, but Marmaduke, the 120 pound Great Dane, doesn’t think anything about playing mother hen to a brood of chicks.

“We took some out of my sister’s coop and incubated them for the kids and it ended up being for the dog,” says owner Sue Paull.

The family dog went from being simply curious to passionately protective of the 30 fluffy chicks, even grooming his adopted family and sleeping near them this last week.

“He was always cleaning them and doting over them especially when the kids had them out on the couch,” she says. “He’ll make sure that no body’s hurting them, or doing something they he didn’t like.”

Marmaduke is just over a year old, but has shown an affinity for taking care of young animals of all kinds on the Paull’s Kelowna farm…. Taken from ‘Canada.com’ .. Read story… http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/Okanagan+raises+chicks/4683922/story.html

A pet owner who was given the all-clear from breast cancer has claimed she beat the disease after it was discovered by her dog.

Carol Witcher believes her eight-year-old boxer Floyd Henry ‘smelled’ the illness on his owner before pawing at her right breast.

After four days of her pet pawing and nipping at her, the dog rescuer finally went to see doctors, who confirmed she had stage three breast cancer.  Read story… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1381183/Pet-dog-saves-owners-life-smelling-breast-cancer.html?ITO=1490

Greetings fur-pals. I’m back today with news of my latest adventure. It was action all-round as I braved the wet weather and the mud in the front yard before the new turf goes in.

There’s lots of doings to do in a mud pile fur-pals, especially when you are on a limited time frame before Mum spots you messing about and getting messy. I managed a good dive, slide and a couple of rolls before my dobinski sister, Ruby, barked to let everybody know where I was and what I was doing. It’s like the gestapo, honestly.

I was once again packed off to the ‘big white tub’, for a scrub a dub-dub.

Until next time…

Eastlake, Ohio.  A man and his friend are alive thanks to being nudged awake by his dog, Coco, as flames crawled up the walls of their trailer.  They all managed to escaped in time, before the trailer was destroyed.

While homeless, Coco’s owner is grateful that they are alive, and he was also able to save all eight of Coco’s puppies. Coco’s owner is looking for temporary foster care for Coco and her puppies until he can get himself back on his feet and find some more accommodation.  Read story… http://www.latimes.com/wjw-dog-saves-men-from-eastlake-fire-txt,0,5039794.story

San Jose. Some unidentified good samaritans may be heroes after pulling five dogs from a burning van recently.  As the blaze was moving from the front to the back of the van where the dogs were in their kennels, passersby removed the dogs as quickly as they could. Three of the five dogs were treated by a veterinarian and allowed home, the remaining were rushed to a veterinarian hospital burns unit and are presumed in a serious condition.  Read story… http://www.doggydoodles.com.au/wp-admin/post-new.php

Elizabethtown. Meet Jackson, the two year old Jack Russell Terrier, who has been specially trained to sniff out and detect bed bugs.  Jackson is one of the newer and more popular ways that pest control companies use to zap the insects.

Specially trained dogs like Jackson are in high demand and pest control companies will pay up to fifteen thousand dollars for one of these canines.  Read story… http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story/Dog-sniffs-out-bed-bugs/Uvl4_7ZNf0a2J3e7OtFvdQ.cspx

Marco Island. Turbo, the Doberman, was lucky to be alive after spending more than fifteen hours swimming in a canal near his home. By the time he was pulled from the water, he was exhausted. Turbo may owe his life to Dolphins, who splashed around Turbo repeatedly, possibly to alert passersby to his plight.

Turbo is once again at home with his family resting comfortably. His owner says that he disappeared the night before after the gate was left open, and that the Dolphins had alerted neighbours to the stranded pooch in the water. Read story… http://www.abc-7.com/Global/story.asp?S=14088636

Hello there old fur-comrades, hope you aren’t doing it too tough in this week’s heat wave.  I’ve been lucky enough to find myself a nice cool spot where the air-conditioner airflow hits the floor. If I lay on my back with my legs in the air, it hits my chest just nicely, thank you very much.

My senior owner has been grumbling recently about getting some new false teeth. He thinks he’s got problems!  I haven’t had many teeth to speak of for years, so I have to gum most of my food. They don’t make false teeth for old dogs, you know.  He’s also been complaining about having to use his walking stick more frequently….hmmmpphh!  I’d like to see him get about on MY hindquarters for a few weeks, and not have the luxury of even being able to purchase a nice new walking stick to lean on.

If only I could talk!  We would be two old senior comrades in arms, grumbling about our senior ailments to all who will listen, and all who can’t get away.  I have almost perfected my long-winded pained groaning, however – which is almost as good as grumbling. While my senior owner grumbles about his ailments, I am gaining much more valuable attention with some groaning of my own.  I may be a senior, but I still have my cute disposition and good looks…

Until next time….

Helloooo fur-fans.  Well it’s been hot, hot, hot….and I’m hot on the beach in this season’s best beach wear for those more discerning furry beach-goers.  I’ve been getting my paws wet, but my tail dry as I tip-toe to the water’s edge and cool my heels. I love living on the bay beaches…there’s no huge breakers to worry about to upset my new hairdo, but I get to stay cool and romp in the sand.

I have to say fur-fans, that I’m looking pretty sharp in my new UV sun suit from fluppies.com.au   I have discovered all sorts of amazing things at fluppies…from beachwear to Halloween wear…I am certain to have the best outfit on the night!

Until next time….

Handicapped Pets.com.  Dogs wheelchairs, products and services for handicapped pets.  website… http://handicappedpets.com/www/

A man was charged with cruelty to animals after he left his pet in a crate outside the airport in freezing conditions, after he was told he could not bring his dog on board because of incorrect paperwork. Read story… http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2011/02/07/6005722-man-charged-with-leaving-dog-outside-airport

Richmond. Peter-pan the adventurous dog is back at home, safe and sound after chasing a sheep over a cliff.

Peter-pan and the sheep had to be rescued over the three hundred foot cliff by firefighters rapelling down the cliff to where they had become stranded on a ledge.

Both Peter-pan and the sheep are safe and well.  Read story… http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17271439

Philadelphia. Kelly the Pit Bull puppy used as bait in a dog fighting ring has begun the long road to recovery.

Kelly was found wandering the streets of Philadelphia with open wounds on her legs, head and ears, and a broken infected jaw.

Kelly will be ready for adoption in about six weeks. Donations are urgently needed for her treatment.  Read story… http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/14/national/main20031918.shtml

New York. Wyatt is a very special Rhodesian Ridgeback. At two years old he is the youngest dog to win the American Canine Excellent Award for top service dog.

Wyatt and his owner, Janice Wolfe, help children with autism and their families. Wyatt seems to have a natural knack with autistic children, and helps to determine whether a service dog would be beneficial to each child.  Read story… http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/pets/dogs/story/2011/02/Rhodesian-ridgeback-stands-tall-as-service-dog-for-autism/43713674/1

San Jose. Jessica, the fourteen year old family Pug dog, is back at home safe and well after the truck she was sleeping in was stolen.

Jessica was having a nap in the back seat when her owner’s car was stolen  outside a Gym recently. Fortunately the thief didn’t see the merit in taking Jessica or hurting her, and she was found soon after wandering down a street by a kind stranger.

The truck still hasn’t been found, but Jessica’s owner doesn’t care. He is just happy to have her back.  Read story…http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17385988?nclick_check=1

Animal Control Officers are seeking help in identifying someone who might have shot a Mastiff recently.

Officers found the wounded four year old Mastiff in a ditch. They believe she may have been shot up to a week before being found.  She is now at the Humane Society in a stable condition.  Read story… http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/17/1548485/graham-authorities-seek-information.html

Greeting fellow fur-pals. Well it’s been a hot few days, and I’ve been coming up with some brilliant ideas to beat the heat on my doggy patch.

I’ve discovered that the fridge isn’t only for tasty nibblies when I can get hold of them, it’s also an amazing bit of cool space after you wedge your nose into the door seal and push it open. Unfortunately it doesn’t last for long before I’m either discovered or something starts dripping on me.  The cool tiled floor space in the bathroom was often a place where I could stretch out in comfort, until I started weeing on the toilet and I was banned. Well..that’s what it’s for, isn’t it? I’m just doing my bit.

I’ve managed to find the cool spots on the floor now where the airconditioning hits, and I’m staying put for the day.

Until next time…

Puppies Behind Bars trains inmates to raise puppies to become service dogs for the disabled and explosive detection canines for law enforcement.  Visit the website… http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/

Plymouth. Tucker, a six year old dog, is lucky to be alive after firefighters found him in an open space caused by fallen closet doors – after the building burned and the roof collapsed.  Tucker hadn’t had any food or water for three days when he was found by firefighters searching through the debri for his remains, but is otherwise in good shape and happy to reunited with his owner.  Read story… http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1957480.shtml?cat=1

San Antonio. Bomb-sniffing Labrador, Eli, has been adopted by late marine’s family after being discharged from the military.

Eli’s handler, Colton Rusk, was fatally shot by a Taliban sniper. Eli remained with Colton and was loyal to him at all times.  Read story… http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/03/2631593_bomb-sniffing-dog-is-adopted-by.html?storylink=omni_popular

Missouri. Sparky, the deaf dachshund, is right at home in his new environment at the Missouri School for the Deaf, after being trained by Missouri Prison inmates in sign language.

Sparky responds to hand signals to ‘sit’, ‘heel’, ‘lay down’ and ‘stop’ – and is working on additional signs that mean ‘food’ or ‘outside’.

Sparky comes from the ‘Puppies for Parole’ program, in which inmates train dogs with behavioural or other issues that may make them difficult to adopt. The program saves dogs that may otherwise be euthanised.

Sparky will eventually go on to be placed in a good home.  Read story... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/08/us-dog-deaf-idUSTRE7176HO20110208

O’ Hare. A shipment of wicker baskets was seized by US Customs and Border Protection officer after his sniffer-dog, Allen, alerted him to two parcels containing the wicker baskets, where opium was found to have been woven between the layers of wicker.

The shippers and the receivers are currently under investigation.  Read more… http://www.suntimes.com/3736274-417/drug-sniffing-dog-finds-baskets-of-opium-at-ohare.html

Conway. Police seized two malnourished dogs from a Conway home recently, and owner(s) charged with animal cruelty. Sadly, this is not the first time that this person(s) have had malnourished and mistreated animals from the property.

The two dogs in question are in very poor condition and weigh less than half of their expected healthy body weight. With the proper care and attention they are expected to make a good recovery, although this will take some time.  Read story… http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=579882

Illinois. Mary-Lou the two year old Labrador isn’t just an ordinary dog.  She’s fourteen year old Patrick’s constant companion and helper. Patrick is a special needs kid, and without Mary-Lou his life would be very different.  Read story… http://www.bnd.com/2011/02/13/1589770/spotlight-service-dog-changes.html

Greetings old fur-comrades. I hope that you are like me, and fighting fit for another day in the doggy trenches. I’m still pretty keen to go a few rounds in the front yard and bail up the neighbour’s cat on the fence. I may not be as agile and fast as I used to be, but I make up for it in stealth. It’s amazing what an old dog can accomplish if he just goes about things in a different way.

I have a different way of doing most things these days. I used to be able to jump up onto the lounge and the bed..and probably still could if I put my mind to it..but why jump when all you have to do is beg and look sorrowful to achieve your goal? I still enjoy a walk or two, but employ failsafe methods if it all gets too much – laying down on my back with my tongue hanging out ensures that I get to enjoy the view while being carried halfway back to the house.  I tend to sleep a bit more these days, but there’s nothing wrong with my hearing – I can hear a fridge door opening at a hundred paces, and there seems to be nothing wrong with my speed and agility when negotiating the household furniture to make it too my food bowl.

Here’s to another year of aging gracefully and furball seniority!

I recently presented my Mum with a portrait that I’d done of her lovely sister, who passed away recently. I wanted to give Mum something that she would treasure and find some comfort in. I poured my heart and soul into the portrait, and the end result was all that I wanted it to be, and Mum was thrilled. It was almost as if I’d been guided as I was creating the portrait, I was so in tune with what I was doing, it was uncanny.

Every piece that I create, I find that I leave a little of myself in each, along with my interpretation of what my subject represents. More often than not I get it right, and even the small imperfections that are glaringly obvious to me, are either not apparent to anybody else or ‘just meant to be there.’ It was like this with my auntie. I’d made a few small necessary changes that I wasn’t completely happy with, but somehow in the end they felt right and Mum commented that she wouldn’t have liked it as much had I ‘stuck to the plan’.

Helloooo fur-fans. Well..I’ve been doing it tough the last few days, and have been forced to forgo the tasty nibblies and walk around the block a few times. Horrors, fur-fans…I actually have to exercise to lose a pound or two off my lovely curves. I wouldn’t have thought I needed the aggravation of a daily regime, but my vet thinks so….so here I am fur-fans….literally chained to a collar and pounding the pavement with my fellow fitness freaks in the afternoon sun.  The only possible light at the end of the tunnel is a small token offering of a small boney treat when I get home, low fat of course. This is for my teeth, they tell me….

My only consolation is that I may well fit into last season’s wardrobe and be feeling quite chic again in no time at all.

Until next time…

Chiba, Kyodo, Japan.  A specially trained dog has sniffed out biological samples from cancer patients over those of healthy people with a ninety percent accuracy – according to researchers.

Marine, the nine year old female Labrador sniffed samples taken from around three hundred people. Read full story… http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110130a5.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

Larksville.  Four dogs have been rescued by firefighters in a blaze that destroyed a kennel and grooming business.

The four dogs were taken to the local animal hospital where they were given oxygen and reported to be fine. The grateful kennel owner said it could have been much worse. It was the slow season and there were few dogs boarding at the time. There could have been as many as 50 dogs there in the peak season.  Read story… http://www.timesleader.com/news/Four_dogs_rescued_from_blaze_01-24-2011.html

Polo, a nine year old Siberian Husky, is getting around on a new prosphetic paw after his owner accidentally ran over his real paw. The options for Polo included amputation, surgery or the prosphetic paw. Since Polo has proven in the past to have poor balance, it was decided to try out the innovative idea of a prosphetic paw.  Read story and see Polo and his prosphetic paw on video… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/28/dog-prosthetic-paw_n_814963.html

Long Island, New York.  Hercules the five year old Boxer is a hero after waking his owners in the middle of the night, barking incessantly.

Hercules owners discovered that the wall in the attached garaged was sagging under a snow-laden roof. The roof collapsed soon after and the family have moved out of the home because of structural concerns with the rest of the property.  Read story… http://online.wsj.com/article/AP2bfb6acd0b3449ffa1237af69a6092c7.html

Holi, the much loved family pet, is lucky to be alive after the quick thinking of a member of the family’s landscaping crew performed CPR, after Holi’s collar became entangled. Holi had collapsed to the ground not breathing. Mouth to mouth was performed and Holi recovered soon after.

She is reported to be doing well.  Read story… http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=240985

Susan Cronin’s animal story could be a Disney movie.

The office administrator/interior designer met stray Jack Russell terrier Slim on a wet Wednesday afternoon in late November of last year. Within a whirlwind 24-hour period, she somehow managed to find not one, but two, of the dog’s owners.

“I was on my way to Westover High School to pick up my son Evan, and it was pouring down rain,” Cronin, one of those high-energy people whose enthusiasm for life is always bubbling near the surface, said over a cup of coffee. “I was in the Lake Park subdivision, and I saw the sweetest dog wandering in the rain. I got out of my car and called him, and he came right to me.

“I loaded him up in the car, and when we got to Westover, Evan opened the door and said, ‘Mom, another one?’”

It seems Cronin had previously found and, for a time, taken care of cocker spaniel/dachshund mix William (who’s still available on petfinder.com).

“I took (Slim) home, but our cats didn’t want him there, so I decided to go back and drive around the neighborhood where I found him to see if anyone was out looking for him,” Cronin picks up her story. “I couldn’t believe a young mother actually opened the door for me at the first house I went to, but she had a 10-year-old who said, ‘I think he lives that way.’

“I was cruising down an alley and pulled into someone’s driveway to turn around. Before I could back out of the driveway, the homeowner came out of the house with a phone in hand. He did not look thrilled.”

When Cronin explained her situation, the homeowner suggested she call a local animal hospital. She told him she had no phone with her, so the homeowner simply pushed a button and handed her the phone.

He had the facility on speed dial.

“This is where the story gets amazing,” Cronin said. “It was 10 ’til 6, and the girl at the vet’s office told me they closed at 6. I told her my story and said I’d pay to board the dog. I could hear in her voice that she was going to say no, but she told me if I got there before 6 and paid up front she’d take the dog in.

“So I rushed there, and when I walked in the door with the dog, the receptionist gasped and called out to her co-worker, ‘Come look at this dog and tell me who he looks like.’ The other girl came out and said, ‘It can’t be.’”

The Jack Russell was a dead ringer for the young lady’s family dog, which had gone missing two years earlier. She checked his back teeth and, sure enough, two of them were missing, just like her family’s dog.

The young lady kept the dog at the office and didn’t charge Cronin. The story, apparently, had its happy ending.

But the next morning, after taking Evan to school, Cronin, for some reason she couldn’t explain, took a different route back toward their home. She was on Flamingo Road when she saw a notice posted on a stop sign. It was for a lost dog and, upon closer inspection, Cronin saw that the dog looked very familiar.

“It looked just like the dog I’d taken to the vet’s the day before,” she said. “I stopped to take down the number on the sign, and a vehicle drove by. The woman driving saw me, stopped and said, ‘Are you the one who saved my dog?’ ”

The woman, who was so distraught over losing Slim she’d called her 21-year-old daughter home from Columbus College to help her look for him, had started calling veterinarians’ offices to see if anyone had brought in her missing Jack Russell.

Slim, it turns out, had wandered off and had been missing for three days. She and Slim’s previous owner at the vet’s office discussed it and agreed the dog should stay with its new owner.

“A lot of times with stories like these, things just don’t work out,” Cronin said. “But in less than a day, I was able to find not just one but two of the dog’s owners. And the story had a happy ending.”

Awwww.

Taken from..The Albany Herald.. link.. http://www.albanyherald.com/home/headlines/Tale_of_two_lost_dogs_114846574.html

Greetings fellow fur-pals. I’m back again after surviving the weekend with guests and not disgracing myself too much. It wasn’t my fault that the toasted cheese and tomato sandwich was left with easy reach. It tasted delicious, and I managed to down at least half of it before I was discovered with the cheese on my paws.

My advice for wannabe food thieves, is to pick your moment carefully, make sure you have enough time to achieve your goal, and get in fast. While eating as fast as you can is not a good thing for digestion, it doesn’t really matter when you are a hungry dog living in the moment. The taste buds can really appreciate the explosion of flavours on the hop, no matter how much the stomach may complain afterwards.

Until next time…

Leeds.  Lady and Milly, two eighteen month old Lhasa Apso’s, are little heros after bringing help to their owner after she took a fall in the ice and lay unconscious.

After their owner took the fall Milly and Lady set off down the road and barked to alert gas workers, who followed the dogs back to the scene and carried their injured owner home. Their owner is recovering nicely.  Read story… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-12255204

Ingham County. Tatiana, the two year old Pit Bull mix, is lucky to be alive after being bound, beaten and left for dead on the frozen ground.

Tatiana faces a lengthy recovery and won’t be up for adoption for some time.  Ingham County Animal Control officers are conducting an investigation, and are following ‘a couple of good leads’.  Read more… http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110122/NEWS01/101220318/Promising-leads-emerge-involving-dog-left-for-dead-in-Lansing

Hello to all my old fur-comrades out there.  I’m still here and happy to report a reasonable good resolve for the new year ahead. I’ve had all my shots and vet checks and I’m ready to go.

My senior owner gave me a scare the other day when he decided that I needed a trim around the eyes. Personally I think the old boy is just jealous because I have more hair than he does, and his scissor-trigger fingers where giving me the willies as he wielded them closer to my optics than I would have liked.

He has the senior shakes you know, which is worse than my senior shakes, because I don’t get to hold scissors and other sharp and dangerous implements. He managed to do a reasonable job of restoring my vision without taking my eye out, so I suppose I should be grateful.

I have instigated an escape and hide plan for when I next see the glint of steel shaking in my future general direction.

Until next time…

Greetings fellow fur-pals. I’m on my best behaviour today to instal myself back into Mum’s good books after almost breaking the new lamp and demolishing a lounge cushion in one afternoon.

To be fair, my curly tail got wrapped around the cord of the lamp, and I was saved at the last minute by my quick-thinking Dad, who stopped the lot from falling on me. It could have been worse – I could have been killed by a large falling lamp, or I could have been killed by Mum after the large lamp fell on me. I was so grateful I had to do something to calm my nerves. The pillow on the lounge served as a good chew toy for quite some time before I was discovered.

Now I’m on the veranda again. At least I have bread and water to see me through…

Kane County.  Magda, an eighteen month old Labrador-Shepherd mix, has recovered from her injuries and adopted into a new home earlier this month.

Magda was pummelled with a stick by her previous owner and suffered at least five broken teeth, requiring extensive dental work.

Magda’s former owner faces felony charges of animal cruelty. Read story… http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/3394874-418/story.html

Western Australia.  The Swan Animal Haven rescues abandoned dogs until compassionate homes can be found. Volunteers, food, donations of money or blankets are always welcome.  Help today… http://www.swananimalhaven.asn.au/

Cambridge.  Gibson, a Sheltie mix, is happy to be safe and warm again after experiencing three harrowing days trapped in the middle of an icy reservoir.

Gibson was finally rescued by the Animal Rescue League, and is in good condition despite her ordeal.  Read story… http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12003317823045/dog-rescued-after-days-on-reservoir-in-cambridge/

La Mesa.  Nine year old Oreo is lucky to be alive after consuming at least one ball of meat filled with a highly toxic poison suspected to be strychnine.

After Oreo’s owners found at least six balls of meat in their backyard, they suspect somebody in the neighbourhood is trying to kill their dogs. Neighbours say that five other dogs have been poisoned and killed in their area within the last five years.

Thanks to the generousity of donations, thousands of dollars have been collected to save Oreo. It costs thousands of dollars a day to keep Oreo alive on a ventilator while the poison works its way through his system. Read story…or make a donation to help Oreo… http://www.760kfmb.com/Global/story.asp?S=13851459

Delano.  A vet believes that it is possible that a dog that turned up on a woman’s doorstep recently is the same dog that was lost five years ago. This is all the more amazing considering that the woman has moved four times since he disappeared.

Everybody is convinced that said dog is Prince, who has the same colourations and temperament. Prince is also showing signs of the same type of behaviours and is recognising his old name. Prince has had a bath and a cleanup, and with his unusual colouring, is looking even more like his old self. Prince’s family are convinced he’s the ‘real deal’ and are amazed that he found his way back to them after all this time.. read story… http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Veterinarian-says-dog-is-familys-long-lost-pet/gLyFW-_A7ECEqrVEF8AxFw.cspx

Southern California.  Wally, the four year old Shar-Pei mix got himself into a spot of bother when he became wedged in between parallel cinder-blocks recently.

Nick-named Wally by his Riverside County animal control rescuers, he seems to be doing ok after medical treatment. Wally will either be reunited with his owner or put up for adoption.  Read story… http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/01/dog-stuck-between-walls.html

Anchorage, Alaska. Money, supply and aid is pouring in to the Mat-Su Animal Shelter as they care for 150 starving dogs taken from an alleged puppy mill. Donations are pouring in from everywhere to help these animals, with local business even getting involved.

There is talk of tightening up the Animal Cruelty legislation later this year… read more… http://www.ktuu.com/news/ktuu-support-pours-in-for-abused-do-01132011,0,2416835.story

Hawaii. Keli, the five year old blue nose Pit Bull is back home again, and slowly recovering from his ordeal after being stolen from outside his home over a year ago.

Keli’s owners had almost given up hope, when they were given a tip as to his whereabouts. After confronting the perpetrator he confessed to taking Keli, and led them to the property that Keli was kept.

Keli was found in very bad condition, and was close to death. It was suspected that he had been used in an underground dog fighting organisation.

The case is being investigated.  Read more… http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13832113