All Paws Bulletin

Cute Pomeranian

2011-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

For all you Pomeranian fans... so cute!

Dog Joke

2011-10-01T01:35:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Brayley has emailed All Paws Bulletin with this joke. She says, as the owner of a Border Collie, she can identify with it really well!

Here it is:

These are the answers from dogs when asked "How many dogs does it take to put in a light bulb?"

Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb?

Border Collie: Just one. And I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.

Dachshund: I can't reach the stupid lamp!

Toy Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

Rottweiler: Go Ahead! Make me!

Shi-tzu: Puh-leeze, dah-ling. Let the servants. . . .

Lab: Oh, me, me!!! Pleeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I?

Malamute: Let the Border collie do it. You can feed me while he's busy.

Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

Doberman Pinscher: While it's dark, I'm going to sleep on the couch

Mastiff: Mastiffs are NOT afraid of the dark.

Hound Dog: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb.

Irish Wolfhound: Can somebody else do it? I've got a hangover.

Pointer: I see it, there it is, right there...

Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares?

Australian Shepherd: Put all the light bulbs in a little circle...

Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? Light bulb? That thing I just ate was a light bulb?

Shiba Inu Puppy

2011-09-03T00:54:00.000-07:00

This is a Shiba Inu puppy. Isn't he the cutest little thing?

Designer Dog Bowls

2010-11-16T23:54:00.000-08:00

HOW much did your dog bowl cost you? A few dollars or pounds in the supermarket? Now's your chance to own a real designer bowl - that's if you have around $3,000 to spare.

For auction house Bonhams and Butterfields are holding a sale of bowls painted by famous artists. The sale, on November 23 at Bonhams in Los Angeles, is in aid of Paws/LA, an organization that assists the disabled and senior citizens in keeping their pets.

Each bowl measures 11 inches in diameter and has an estimated value of $2,500 to $3,500, according to Bonhams.

Bowls, from top of the page to the bottom, are by: David Hockney, Robert Longo, Kenny Scharf and Ross Bleckner.

Dogs and Donkeys

2010-09-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Happy hitch-hiker.

How To Socialise Your Puppy

2010-09-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

One way to socialise your puppy is by throwing
a puppy party. See www.dogbreedinfo.com/

SOCIALISING your puppy is an important step in helping him find his place in the world of people and other dogs. A puppy naturally begins socialising within the litter. But once he's removed from the litter, it's vital the socialisation process continues in his new environment.

You want your puppy to grow up confident and comfortable in his surroundings. Able to meet strangers without cowering. Playful and interactive with new dogs. Never aggressive when encountering an unfamiliar situation.

Introducing Your Puppy To New People

Your puppy is going to grow up in a world full of people. Interaction is a natural part of that world. Whether it's the kids next door peeking over the fence. Or the UPS deliveryman standing in the front doorway. Or friends who have come to visit.

You want your puppy to enjoy these encounters and take them all in stride.

By exposing him to as many different people as possible while he's still between 6 and 12 weeks of age you can help him socialise.

Invite friends or neighbors over to meet your new puppy. Have them kneel down to his level and offer him a favorite dog biscuit. Make sure they don't use any sudden movements that might frighten him. And make sure your puppy receives praise for accepting the snack. This will help discourage shyness and fear.

Take him for walks to the park or the pet store or about the neighborhood, where he can meet new people. If strangers ask to pet him, make sure you praise your puppy for his good behavior and for remaining calm.

Take him to obedience classes, where he'll be around other dogs and people. If your puppy appears to panic in the midst of all the activity, don't force the issue. You can always try again later. But make sure you don't reassure him if he's fearful, either. This will only reinforce the behavior.

Basically, you want to take advantage of every opportunity to expose your puppy to new people. Each new experience will contribute to his growing confidence.

Introducing Your Puppy To New Dogs

A puppy first learns to socialize with his siblings. This interaction helps him learn to inhibit his biting and develop self-control. It also helps your puppy to expend all that puppy energy, making him much less hyperactive and destructive around the house.

So what can you do to help him after he's left the litter?

Puppy kindergarten and puppy training are both good ways to keep him interacting with other dogs. A local puppy socialization class is also a good choice. Or you might try heading down to your nearest dog park, which is always a great place to exercise your puppy while he meets other dogs.

All of these outings should be fun, without any pressure on your puppy to perform. Let him interact with the other dogs at his own leisure.

If none of those work for you, see if you can find a doggy day care service in your area. You can drop your puppy off on your way to work and let him spend the day playing and interacting with other dogs until you pick him up on your way home. Once a week is fine. More often if you'd like.

Finally, if you already have an older dog in the house, often he'll provide all the play and guidance your new puppy needs.

Introducing Your Puppy To New Situations

The modern world is full of stimuli for a puppy. There are car trips, televisions, vacuum cleaners, door bells, crying babies, fireworks, trips to the vet, music and hundreds of other new experiences.

Expose your puppy to as many of these situations as possible. The more, the better.

As before, however, don't push him into these experiences. Let him deal with them at his leisure. And when he reacts with fear, don't give him the wrong message by comforting him. This only reinforces his fear and will make it more difficult for him to deal with other new situations.

Socializing your puppy should be a fun process. Keep after it diligently, and you'll have a calm, confident, and friendly family companion.

Socializing your puppy is an important step in helping him find his place in the world of people and other dogs.

A puppy naturally begins socialising within the litter. But once he's removed from the litter, it's vital the socialization process continues in his new environment.

You want your puppy to grow up confident and comfortable in his surroundings. Able to meet strangers without cowering. Playful and interactive with new dogs. Never aggressive when encountering an unfamiliar situation.

by D. B. Silva

The Bavarian Mountain Hound

2010-09-19T04:23:00.000-07:00

THIS handsome chap is a Bavarian Mountain Hound (Bayerischer Gebirgsschweisshund) which is descended from hunting dogs. They are scent hounds which have been used in Germany since the Middle Ages to trail wounded game. They are a cross between the Bavarian Hound and the Hanover Hound. Bavarian Mountain Hounds weigh between 20 to 25 kg, males are 47 to 52 cm (18.5 - 20.5 in) high, while females are 44 to 48 cm (17-19 in). For lots more information and some wonderful photographs visit the
Bavarian Mountain Hound Society.

A Husky 'I Love You'

2010-05-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

Those special three little words!

David and Victoria Beckham's Posh Bull Dog

2010-05-22T00:27:00.000-07:00

COCO may not be the skinniest super model you've ever seen but she's certainly one of the trendiest. The British bulldog, who belongs to England and Galaxy footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria (Posh Spice and now fashion designer), now has pink toenails.

The gorgeous Coco, who was a Christmas present to David from Victoria, was spotted out and about in Los Angeles. But it seems the pink nails are not painted on but are special clip-on claws which prevent scratches and damage to furniture.

John Travolta's Dogs Killed in Freak Airport Accident

2010-05-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

TWO of John Travolta’s pet dogs have been killed in a freak airport accident while the actor’s plane was being refuelled at Bangor, Maine..

As an assistant was giving the dogs some exercise, a truck driven by an aiport worker on his way to service the plane, came thundering by. The assistant managed to jump out of the way but the two dogs, who were on leashes, were killed.

Travolta was said to be angry and distraught at the deaths. He and his wife Kelly Preston have recently announced they are expecting a baby. In January last year the couple were left devasted by the death of their 16-year-old son Jett.

Barack Obama's Bo, A Precious Asset

2010-05-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

FINANCIAL accounts released today show that President Barack Obama made around £5.3 million in his first year in the White House.
But one thing shows that Mr President has got his priorities right - one of the family's most precious assets is listed as their dog Bo, a gorgeous Portuguese Water Dog.

Bo was a gift to the family from the late Senator Edward Kennedy.

It's Chihuahua Day!

2010-05-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

It's chihuahua day! Read the story below and take a look at some at these perfect pooches.

Tiger The Chihuahua Leaps Into Action

2009-09-18T10:04:00.001-07:00

THIS is Tiger and his proud owner Carol Hopkins.

Carol is deaf and Tiger has been such a help in Carol's bid to become independent that she has nominated him for a Hearing Dogs for Deaf People award.

Carol, 72, who has had Tiger for six years, said: “I nominated Tiger because he quite possibly saved my life.

“When I lie down, I sometimes suffer a reflux problem which means I can vomit and choke. Not long after Tiger came to live with me, I had one of these episodes in my sleep.

“I woke to find Tiger scrabbling at my face and licking me constantly to wake me up. Had he not been there, I could have choked to death.

“On another occasion, I fell out of my electric wheelchair, bringing it down on top of me. Tiger ran out to the garden to alert Marion, my carer.

“Marion put a blanket over me to keep me warm until the paramedics arrived. Tiger lay on the blanket and comforted me until help arrived.”

Carol, of Pant, Merthyr Tydfil, used to attend choir rehearsals, was involved in national Eisteddfodau and conducted a male choir at the Royal Albert Hall. But in 1973 an accident left her deaf.

“The accident threw me into this dreadful hell of silence,” said Carol. “But since Tiger came into my life I have regained my confidence and love for music. Tiger has turned my life around completely.”

The Hearing Dog of the Year awards will be held in London on October 6. Tickets cost £200 each from the charity’s fundraising team.

From: www.walesonline.co.uk/

Hot Dog!

2009-09-10T01:39:00.000-07:00

I asked for mustard, not tomato ketchup!

Dog On A Skateboard

2009-07-16T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hey, dude, anything you can do I can do better!

Hachi: A Dog's Story - A New Film Featuring An Akita

2009-07-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

WE have all heard stories of the faithfulness of dogs but some actually go as far as becoming legends and inspire mankind.

This is one such story; the story of a dog named Hachiko who died while waiting for his master at a railway station in Tokyo, Japan.

The legend has it that Hachiko waited for his master, a professor at the University of Tokyo, every day at the Shibuya train station.

When the professor died, Hachiko, an Akita, returned to the station every day to wait in vain for his master, and did so until he himself died in 1935.

Touched by Hachiko's love and faith for his master, the people of Tokyo put up a statue at the station.

Now a Hollywood film has been released which tells the tale: Hachi: A Dog's Story, which is based on a popular Japanese film made in 1987. The film has already been premiered in the USA at the Seattle International Film Festival and is slated for an August release in Japan.

Talking about the film, star Richard Gere said the dog was is the real hero of the film and he was the co-star!

Twisting the plot a little bit, the makers have set the movie in a train station at Rhode Island in America.

Hachiko’s story is long-cherished in Japan and this movie is yet another befitting tribute to the wonder dog.

Strange Dogs of the World Unite!

2009-06-14T03:49:00.000-07:00

Takes all kinds to make a world!

Give A Dog A Bone?

2009-05-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm having a rrrr-ough time
Can you spare a dime?

Do The Doggy Paddle: Pets To Help Charity

2009-05-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

DOGGY-PADDLING pets can make a splash in aid of charity. A canine swimathon is being held in Malvern, Great Britain, in aid of the Support Dogs charity.

The swim is at the town's canine hydrotherapy pool on June 20. It is being organised by Kate Arnett, who is disabled. She has a 'canine buddy' called Ernie who has been trained to help her, including doing jobs around the house. The money raised will go towards training similar dogs.

Kate estimates about 35 dogs will take part in the event. Ernie is something of an expert swimmer; he uses the pool regularly to take a break from his caring duties.

The event will include stalls and games, pet supplies, cakes, crafts and refreshments. The Malvern Hills District Brass Band will be entertaining visitors.
Dogs need to be registered prior to the event and dog owners can book a place by calling Kate on 01684 592145.
Kate is also appealling for unwanted old mobile phones to raise money for the Support Dogs charity. People can take them along on the day of the swimathon.

Support Dogs is a UK registered charity that trains dogs to support people with epilepsy and various disabilities. It costs around £10,000 to train and support each dog.
The dogs are trained to help owners with specific disabilities and can help them lead more independent lives.

Happy Birthday, Chanel

2009-05-07T06:09:00.001-07:00

Happy 21st birthday to the beautiful Chanel, the world’s oldest living dog. Chanel, a rescue dachshund from Port Jefferson, New York has had her age verified by the Guinness Book of Records which presented her with a certificate and the gift of a visit to a dog hotel and spa. She might be called Chanel but the funky glasses are not a fashion statement, more of a necessity as she suffers from cataracts. And the jumper is just what an old lady needs to keep her warm!

Give A Dog A Phone

2008-11-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

DOGS have many uses when it comes to law enforcement, from tracking down criminals to sniffing out drugs.
Now they have been trained for another task - detecting illegal cell phones in prisons.
The canine law enforcers have been employed by the New Jersey Department of Corrections in America.
A spokesman said that other methods prisons use to detect illegal cell phones, such as metal detectors or machines that track usage, require the phones to be turned on.
The dogs are trained to detect the scent of the phone itself.
The new system seems to be working, for 217 cell phones have been confiscated in New Jersey prisons since October of last year.
Cell phones are popular as contraband in prisons because they can be used to transmit pictures or sensitive information about the prison, or can be used to conduct drug deals or other illicit activities.

Dog Eats Burglary Weapon

2008-09-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

THERE was one vital item missing when police in Fresno County, USA, were gathering evidence for a burglary.

A dog had eaten the burglary weapon - not so unlikely as it sounds for the "weapon" was an eight-inch sausage!

For reasons known only to himself, Antonio Vasquez, 22, broke into a house where two men were sleeping. He rubbed spices into one of the men and attacked the other with a sausage before running off with a handful of money he had snatched.

Antonio, possibly one of the most inept burglars in the world, dropped his wallet containing his ID before fleeing the house.

Just as well it was an open and shut case, for the discarded sausage was soon snaffled up by a neighbour's dog.

Stolen Car Had Beloved Dog Inside

2008-08-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

AN 83-year-old man from Ottawa in Canada was so upset after his car was stolen with his dog inside that he collapsed and ended up in hospital.
Dr Gilles Marion's car was stolen while it was parked in a parking space for the disabled outside a shopping centre. Inside was his beloved dog Brynn, a Jack Russell-Corgi cross.
Dr Marion's son David told the Ottawa Citizen: "My father is just heartbroken. My mother passed away in 2006 and he has been living alone since then. Since she passed away, the dog has been at my father's side night and day ever since. The dog is his constant companion. He talks to the dog, and takes him wherever he goes. So it's really important for us to get that dog back.
"My mother picked the dog up on a horse-riding trip to Ireand and she didn't tell my dad about it. When he picked her up at the airport, she had the pup with her. My dad was pretty upset when he heard the yapping, because we had other dogs."
It wasn't long before Brynn stole Dr. Marion's heart.
Dr Marion told the newspaper after being seen by a doctor at the hospital's emergency department. "He's a very obedient dog, and he loves to go in the car. I almost always take him with me, and I just hope he's all right."
www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/

Puddles Becomes Panchito

2008-02-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

A Shih Tzu puppy. More dogs on http://dogs.about.com/cs/gallery/a/photo_shih_tzu.htm

A MAYOR of a small Texas city claims she took her neighbour's dog because it was being ill-treated. She admits she stole the dog, a shih tzu called Puddles, and has now resigned in disgrace.
Grace Saenz-Lopez was looking after Puddles while the Gutierrez family was on a weekend break. She fell in love with the puppy and when they returned, she told them the dog had died and she had buried him.
Three months later, however, she booked Puddles into a poodle parlour under the name of Panchito. A friend heard that the mayor had dropped off an identical dog at a local grooming parlour, the family became suspicious.
Ms Saenz-Lopez and the Gutierrez family go to court this morning to battle for custody of Puddles.
"I do not know what they will decide, but I can tell you that I did at the time what I thought was best for Panchito and what I felt was right in my heart," she wrote in her resignation letter.
Although she admitted the dogs were one and the same, she refused to hand Puddles back, and local councillors began to fear that her behaviour was becoming more and more odd. At one point, she phoned police to report Panchito missing, pointing the finger at the Gutierrezes, but the puppy was later traced to her identical twin sister's home in nearby Ben Bolt. The sister has also been charged.
Homero Canales, who represents Ms Saenz-Lopez, said at the time of her
indictment: "She loves the little dog. She told me that if she were a single woman, she would not care if she went to jail for the rest of her life before she would give the dog back."
City councillors moved this week to have Ms Saenz-Lopez ousted from the post she has held since 2003, concerned that the city of 20,000 inhabitants was attracting national news attention for all the wrong reasons.
Bowing to the inevitable, she apologised and resigned. "I am proud to have served the greatest citizens in the world, the citizens of Alice," she wrote. "It was never my intent to bring any negative exposure to our city."

Bull Mastiff Misadventure

2008-01-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

This beautiful Bull Mastiff is from http://www.crcbullmastiffs.com/

MOST people will do anything for their pets and this can sometimes lead them into trouble.
The alarm was raised when two men went missing on Monday during a bushwalk at Mount Maroon, Rathdowney, south of Brisbane, Australia,. It seems the pair, aged 24 and 30, had gone for a walk in the bush with their 65kg bull mastiff dog called Diff, planning to see the first sunrise of the year.
It seems Diff had fallen down a cliff and become stranded on a ledge and when the two men tried to rescue him, they became trapped themselves.
Diff managed to redeem himself a little as it was thanks to his barking that they were all found. Police had cleverly ordered a police dog to bark in the hope he would be answered by Diff – and he was.
The two men were rescued but police were unable to remove Diff from the ledge. He was safely tethered until a member of the Police Dog Squad was winched on to the cliff face by helicopter.
One of the bushwalkers, David Gibson, said it had been a cold, wet night but the men and dog were not injured.
"We ended up in a spot we couldn't get out of, we slipped,'' Mr Gibson told reporters. ''It was scary, very scary.''
The pair were well equipped with clothing and water, but did not take a radio or mobile phone.

Sleepy Head

2007-08-02T00:57:00.000-07:00

SIESTA TIME: When you're as busy as I am, you have to have a nap occasionally.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier Stands Guard

2007-07-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

For three days in a row a regular visitor to a Scottish park saw a Staffordshire bull terrier cross dog standing near the same bushes.

On the fourth day the dog had gone. The passer-by went to investigate and found the body of a man.

The dog, called Chico, had apparently been standing guard over his owner's body in Cowlairs Park, Glasgow, but had eventually returned home alone. A neighbor heard Chico barking outside his owner's house. He knocked but could get no reply and so also raised the alarm.

The dead man has been named as John Devine, 45, who had not been seen for two weeks.

The details of how the man died have not yet been released by police.

Police Dog DJ In Court

2007-07-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

TWO men sued the NYPD when they were bitten by a police dog.

A justifiable law suit, you might think, except the two men were burglary suspects who were trying to escape, say the police.

The two men, however, against whom burglary charges were later dropped, told a different story. Emmanuel Blake and William Bryant, told a New York court that police had pinned them face-down and had then ordered the German shepherd to "get" them. The German shepherd, called DJ, allegedly did just that and bit the pair.

Bryant, 19, was bitten in the right leg; Blake, 22, in the face, neck and both arms in the incident which happened in Brooklyn in 2004.

Yesterday (July 27, 2007) a Manhattan federal court jury rejected their claim

City lawyer Frances Sand said the city was pleased that jurors "recognized that there was no excessive force, no assault and no battery in this case and that the three officers involved acted properly."

Blake and Bryant plan to appeal, said their lawyer, Andrew Stoll.

He said police were using dogs "to accomplish tasks that could be accomplished in much less harmful ways."

DJ has since retired from police work.

Little Dog With A Big Heart

2007-07-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

Zoey may only be a tiny chihuahua but she is big on bravery.

She came to the rescue when a rattlesnake lunged at one-year-old Booker West in Masonville, Colorada.

Booker was splashing his hands in a birdbath in his grandparents’ northern Colorado back yard when the snake slithered up to the toddler, rattled and pulled back ready to strike. Five-pound Zoey jumped between Booker and the snake to protect him. The snake bit her instead.

“She got in between Booker and the snake, and that’s when I heard her yipe,” said Monty Long, the boy’s grandfather.

Zoey was at death's door for a while but, after treatment, managed to pull through.

Zoey is pictured above with Booker and his grandparents.

Making An Ass Out Of A Dog Pound

2007-07-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

A DOG pound near Mumbai, India, was used to caring for mistreated and sick dogs but when six months ago staff spotted a donkey lying injured by the roadside with her foal looking forlorn by her side, they decided they couldn't leave the pair to die.

They loaded them into a van and carried them back to the dog centre where they have been caring for them ever since.

Donkey and foal, named Dhingru and Shingru, have now become a fixture at the dog pound and have been adopted by the staff.

It took a little while for the pair to become accepted, especially little Shingru. While his mother was being treated by a veterinarian, the dogs would bark at him and frighten him.

But the dogs gradually got used to him.

Supervisor Krishna said: "Now, he plays quite happily with his canine friends and they, too, love him. Not only that, unlike normal donkeys whose diet is vegetarian, our little Shingru enjoys all the dog meals consisting of chicken, milk, bread, pulses and rice."

His mother, named Dhingru, prefers to rest quietly in a corner or stare pensively at her new huge family.

The True Blue

2007-07-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

A poodle named Blue from Britain, has become a victim of identity theft.

Pedigree information about the champion dog was copied from a website by a man who used the information to sell his own dogs.

Blue (pedigree name Afonwen Welch Fusilier) has some impressive stats and the con man used these to charge inflated prices for his puppies.

The man, however, made one big mistake. He tried to claim that Blue, a true blue male, had had a litter of puppies

Genuine good quality pedigree poodle puppies can be worth anything up to £1,000 ($2,055).

The con man had also given a false address - the address he gave was for a Glasgow graveyard.

He was caught when a woman from London became suspicious after telephoning the man and being told she needed to pay cash upfront. She did a Google search and managed to locate the real owner of the dog.
Blue's owner Lynne Day told The Mirror newspaper: "Anybody buying a dog on the internet needs to be aware of this. Some will send cash up front. The thing that upsets me most is that a crime was committed in my name."

Cruelty Case

2007-07-26T03:02:00.000-07:00

Please don't read on if you really don't want to hear about a court case about a man who savagely killed his dog.

A South African man has been given permission to continue owning dogs despite decapitating his four-month-old husky puppy with a chain saw after it killed his parrot. This decision, however, will be challenged in a higher court.

Phillip Matthysen was fined 10,000 Rand ($1,500, £706) or 12 months in jail, conditionally suspended for five years. He was also ordered to pay 5,000 Rand to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Yesterday the Husky Rescue Society lodged a formal complaint with the SPCA after they went to Matthysen's house and found one of his two great Danes with open, suppurating wounds. Joanne van Niekerk, of the Husky Rescue Society, said they had urged the SPCA - which has the legal powers to act - to lay new charges against Matthysen.
SPCA inspector Maggie Frankforth said they would investigate with a view to reopening the case.

The magistrate based his sentencing on a report compiled by a vet on behalf of the defence, who said that all other pets in Matthysen's care were in good condition. The defence submitted pictures which showed Matthysen's plush home and dog cages, with pets relaxing near a pool and drinking "clean" water from plastic bowls. All of these factors counted in Matthysen's favour.

Rusty The Roamer

2007-07-26T02:50:00.000-07:00

A dog snatched from its owner in New South Wales, Australia, in May has turned up in Darwin, 3,000km (1,800 miles) away.

Rusty, an eight-year-old poodle/maltese cross, was picked up earlier this week by a Darwin City Council ranger and taken to the local dog pound.

A council spokesman said Rusty appeared confused and needed a good wash.

Luckily, Rusty had been microchipped and the Darwin pound was astonished to find he was owned by someone living in Woy Woy, on the NSW Central Coast.

His owner, Shirley Lowry, had made appeals in her local newspaper for Rusty's return.

He had disappeared while she was inside a local newsagency.
"I love him to death," Ms Lowry said. "I can't believe I'll see my little fella again.
"It just goes to show the value of having your dog micro-chipped so they can come home to their owners."

Farewell To Jake The Hero

2007-07-26T02:40:00.000-07:00

JAKE the hero black labrador has died.

Jake hit the headlines during 9/11 after burrowing through white-hot, smoking debris in search of survivors at the World Trade Centre.

He was put to sleep yesterday after losing his battle with cancer.

His owner Mary Flood took Jake for a last stroll through the fields and a dip in the creek near their home in Oakley, Utah. He was in too much pain at the end, shaking with a 105-degree fever as he lay on the lawn.
No one can say whether the dog would have gotten sick if he hadn't been exposed to the smoky air at Ground Zero, but cancer in dogs Jake's age — he was 12 — is quite common.
Mary had adopted Jake as a 10-month-old disabled puppy — abandoned on a street with a broken leg and a dislocated hip.
"But against all odds he became a world-class rescue dog," said Flood, a member of Utah Task Force 1, one of eight federal search-and-rescue teams that desperately looked for human remains at ground zero.
On the evening of his team's arrival in New York, Jake walked into a fancy Manhattan restaurant wearing his search-and-rescue vest and was promptly treated to a free steak dinner under a table.
Flood eventually trained Jake to become one of fewer than 200 U.S. government-certified rescue dogs — a muscular animal on 24-hour call to tackle disasters such as building collapses, earthquakes, hurricanes and avalanches.
After Hurricane Katrina, Mary and Jake drove 30 hours from Utah to Mississippi, where they searched through the rubble of flooded homes in search of survivors.
In recent years, Jake helped train younger dogs and their handlers across the country. Jake showed other dogs how to track scents, even in the snow, and how to look up if the scent was in a tree.
He also did therapy work with children at a Utah camp for burn victims and at senior homes and hospitals.

The World's Ugliest Dog

2007-07-25T13:33:00.001-07:00

What a title to give a poor little dog! No matter what anyone else thinks, I firmly believe there is no such thing as an ugly dog. They are all beautiful ...... admittedly, some more beautiful than others.

Meet Rascal who has won the coveted Ring of Champions title which makes him the World's Ugliest Dog.

Rascal, who originally won the contest at the Sonoma Marin Fair, may look, well , a little strange but he is a perfectly healthy, eight-year-old pure Chinese Crested dog weighing in at 7lbs.

His owner actor Dane Andrew, of Sunnyvale, California, says he does not shave him. Rascal is naturally and completely hairless except for his mohawk and a little hair on his tail and feet.

He has dog warts and freckles, a lack of teeth so he can’t keep his tongue in his mouth, and his face appears crooked at times.

'Ugliness' runs in the family, for Rascal's mom, grandmom and grandfather have all held the title of World's Ugliest Dog.

Rascal's grandfather Chi Chi is in the Guinness Book of World Records for winning the most ugly dog contests and was undefeated with seven ugly dog wins. He may be the only dog along with Rascal’s mom Mai Tai to receive a Mayoral proclamation.

As for Rascal, Dane says: "Some people are calling him a space alien and even nicknamed him Hairless Potter, but to us he is just our loving little family member."

Rascal is now a famous little dog and has appeared with Jay Leno on the NBC Tonight Show. Since then he has done several more TV shows and has been cast in three horror movies, one with the 'scream queen', Brinke Stevens. Rascal also has a cartoon strip on the way, called The Ugliest Dog.