Rescue Dogs In Japan

Check out this GREAT STORY from CNN on the search and rescue dogs in Japan.

Emaciated Dog Back in Loving Home – KiiiTV3.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend

Emaciated Dog Back in Loving Home – KiiiTV3.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend.

This is an incredible local story here in the Corpus Christi area. The story of a beloved pet digging out of the yard and being lost…..since December! Recently in the news after being found tied to a school jungle gym, the dog was reunited with its owners! I have to confess, the photos are shocking. This poor Weimaraner lost half of its body weight and is so emaciated. She is an inside dog so her survival skills were seriously lacking. But she was released by the vet back into her loving home for rehabilitation!

You know, this happens all the time. It’s so important to have a secure backyard and if possible, never leave the animals unattended. Leaving an animal in the yard when you leave the home is just asking for trouble and should be avoided whenever possible. Dogs get bored and get destructive. Sometimes they get scared and try to escape by digging out. Sometimes a cute female comes along and there is another reason to jump a fence. It’s just bad ownership in my opinion.

But we have had escape artists in the past…..you put them out to do their business and they are gone in a flash….or a neighbor stops by and leaves the door open a split second too long and they bolt out the door before you can even get “Don’t let the dog out!” off your lips. It happens. That’s why proper identification is also a must! Start off with a collar. At least the Good Samaritan will know there is an “owner” and may keep an eye out for your posters, soon to be plastered all over the neighborhood. Better yet, go to your local hardware store and buy an engraved ID tag. Name and phone number is really all you need in my opinion. I was able to return many a stray dog thanks to an ID tag. The last one being a 125 pound black lab who was happy to slobber all over my passenger seat as I chauffered him home 😀 Other people swear by microchip. I am not too familiar with the practice but it sounds very effective. Especially if your dog is injured and lands in a shelter or a vet’s office. They will “scan” the chip and have all your pet’s information in order to provide her with better medical care! Ask your vet about it!

This family was lucky……they just happened to be watching the news and saw her story and knew she was their dog. So happy to be reunited but so crushed to see their beloved dog in such poor condition.

Blind Man Gets Dog For Himself and His Blind Dog!

You never leave a good man….or dog….behind!

This is Graham Waspe, living in England partially blind, along with his  seeing eye dogs. Unfortunately Edward, his first seeing eye dog, developed cataracts that left him blind at 6 years old. There was no way Graham was going to trade his dog in for a new model so instead, they got Opal to help lead them BOTH!

“They’ve become quite good friends and get on happily together,” Waspe said. “There are certain times I’m sure where Opal will help and Edward is happier by having another dog around.”

The trio now visits local schools raising awareness about the blind and their guide dogs. Edward has become even more popular than when he could see! Mr Waspe said Edward will continue to be a part of their family no matter what. Saying  “until the day that either we go or he goes.” 

Good dog Edward!

FX’s “Wilfred” – Elijah Wood Goes Dog Gone Crazy!

I know this looks bad…..or really quirky…..but as super fans of FX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philledelphia” and “The League” I am sure we are going to give this a try…..and I can’t even describe it…..just check it out for yourself…..and be sure to watch the trailer because it looks funnier than the article can give it credit for……

Check out “Wilfred”

Premiers in June!

Most Expensive Dog in the World

Meet Hong Dong (Means “Big Splash” in Chinese) the most expensive dog in the world! Hong Dong is a rare Red Tibetan Mastiff and recently sold to a Chinese industrialist for a little over 1.5 million dollars….yes, MILLION.

For that kind of $$ I hope he picks up his own poop……and provides us all with a cure for cancer as well! ha ha!

The Red Tibetan Mastiff is considered one of the oldest breeds in the world and reportedly, Genghis Kahn and Buddha owned these dogs. Since their history is so well documented it’s considered a “pure Chinese” breed.

Only a few years ago you could buy a puppy for just a few hundred dollars but prices have skyrocketed over the years and it’s difficult to find one under 6 figures today.

Thought to be holy animals that provide their owners with blessings of health and security, the breed is commonly identified as independent, intelligent and very protective of its owners and their property.

Thank you SFGsate for this great story!
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?entry_id=85068#ixzz1Glzl9VJ9

Pearl, From Rescue to Savior!

Some of you may remember Pearls story from last fall. Pearl was surrendered to a shelter and was subsequently chosen to participate in a program where she was trained for search and rescue. She exhibited the signs of a good search and rescue dog because she was motivated by play, showed intelligence and a drive to succeed!

Pearl was instrumental in saving a dozen people when she was called to work in Haiti. For her work she was given the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Dog of the Year Award for 2010. A children’s book was written about Pearl’s work in Haiti to raise money for training new search dogs. The book is called A New Job for Pearl, and has illustrations made by second graders.

Now she is going to go to work in Japan doing the same kind of search and rescue mission in the aftermath of the recent earthquake. You can see updates of what Pearl is doing on the Search Dog Foundation’s Facebook page. Thanks to Care2 for a great story on adorable Pearl!

How amazing is it that this wonderful, trainable dog was plucked out of a SHELTER and she is saving lives!

Dog Owners Are Healthier

 Well tell us something we DON’T know!

A new study led by a Michigan State University researcher shows people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal benchmarks on physical activity than those who don’t have dogs. The study appears in the current issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health

 

 

If this surprises you or you want to read more about it….visit this link! Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/study-dog-owners-are-healthier.html#ixzz1Gm1xMYso

Celebrity Dog Houses!

So as I was trolling for new stories I tripped across this article about celebrity dog owners and their incredible dog mansions they have built for their precious pooches! Fetch it Lola! BARK!

Texas Dogs Protect Local Zoo

 This is a nice little local story out of Victoria, Texas, home of the Texas Zoo. The Texas Zoo is a small zoo housing a variety of local Texas wildlife.  Children come to learn all about alligators, javelina, hawks and cranes. They even host Zoo Camps for kids.

They are in the news this week for bringing on 2 Great Pyrenees a night watch dogs! Sarge and Jazz are brother and sister and come from Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue (way to go!) and are about 2 years old.

The main part of their job isn’t so much keeping people out….it’s keeping the zoos inhabitants protected from other assorted wildlife, particularly raccoons. The zoo lost 2 birds to raccoons last year and protecting their animals is their top priority….enter Sarge and Jazz!

“We knew we couldn’t bring just any type of dog into the zoo,” said Andrea Blomberg, zoo executive director. “We needed dogs that knew not to attack the animals that were supposed to be here and guard them.”

The zoo made a good choice in the Great Pyrenees! The breed is well-known for guarding livestock and they have an excellent demeanor around humans….although most zoo guests won’t see much of Sarge and Jazz. They spend their days sleeping indoors and wake when it is time to go to work…..at night!

Read more about Sarge and Jazz HERE!

Chastity Belt for Dogs?

Believe it or not…..the answer is YES! It appears a Louisiana dog breeder has invented a dog chastity belt as an alternative to spay and neuter programs! It’s called PABS and stands for Pet Anti-Breeding System and according to website testimonials, it works! A mesh panel basically protects the female from unwanted breeding while allowing her to do all her “business” as well.

Once an animal is fixed, there is no possibility of ever breeding them. Many pet owners would like to eventually breed their female dog. Others do not want to fix their pets for health reasons. The PABS – Pet Anti Breeding System will allow dog owners to exercise responsible control over when and if they breed their pet.

This is certainly NOT a substitution for spay and neuter, however, for people who professionally breed dogs, this has to be a pretty valuable tool. It will help maintain control over the breeding process, stop over breeding of animals and prevent unwanted pregnancies. So if this is something that interests you, do like the company slogan says….”When the heat is on….LOCK IT!” ha ha ha!

Hey LolaBelle! Fetch them that website!………..ARF!