Life Saving Dogs-Two Stories

Life Saving Dogs: Two Stories

Eve.  Rottweiler and extraordinary service dog. When her owner, Kathie, a paraplegic with multiple sclerosis realized the used truck she had just purchased was on fire as she drove it home faced a fiery death, Eve ignored every natural instinct to save Kathie's life.

The truck had suddenly begun fishtailing as Kathie was on her way home with it. She got it stopped and pulled over, then realized the cab was filling with black smoke. Kathie pushed Eve out of the cab, then shoved her wheelchair out of the door, but then couldn't find the wheelchair in all the smoke.

Instead of running from the fire, Eve stayed with Kathie, grabbing her ankle and pulling her from the truck as Kathie was about to pass out from the smoke. She continued to tug Kathie farther from danger, ignoring the now raging flames, not stopping until they were in a ditch about ten feet from the truck.

Emergency personnel arrived and, seeing that the fire was about to reach the gas tank, shouted for Kathie to move farther away from the huge blast that was about to happen. She tried, in desperation, but couldn't move herself.

Even with the proximity of the flames, Eve stayed with Kathie. She calmly positioned herself at Kathie's side, putting her collar in easy reach. Once Kathie had a good grip on the collar, Eve dragged her another forty feet to safety as policemen and emergency personnel looked on.

Eve received an award for bravery, well earned!

Miakoda.  44 pound fawn American Pit Bull Terrier. Family pet, nanny dog. Out for a walk — on a leash — with her owner and baby in a stroller in their own neighborhood, on their own street. Children were playing outside on a sunny September afternoon in 2007 when a neighborhood dog, a 100+ pound Labrador mix, over twice Miakoda's size and larger than the woman who owned her, charged out of a front door and straight for the baby in the stroller. He couldn't see Miakoda because she was on the other side of the stroller, out of his line of sight. He wasn't looking for a dog fight, he was after a baby in a stroller.

Miakoda was the only protection they had and she took her position between her family and the snarling dog.

When the Lab mix hit her, she flew up in the air and landed on her back and the dog attacked Miakoda instead of the baby. A couple of people came to help, one grabbing the baby out of harm's way, the other trying to separate the two dogs. Mia's owner told him to grab Miakoda, knowing that she wouldn't bite a human being, then she reached for the Lab mix, but before she could grab him, he bit down on her thigh and shook hard, leaving her with deep tissue bruises and puncture wounds.

When her owner was attacked, Miakoda launched herself at the big black dog again, hanging on for dear life as the dog over twice her size bit and shook her. The Lab mix' owner finally came out and instead of pulling his dog away, he began beating Miakoda, apparently trying to beat her to death. Others came to help, finally pulling the dogs apart and the Lab's owner off of Miakoda, but before anyone could catch their breath, he returned with a shotgun and, in front of a neighborhood full of children, right next to her owner, he shot and killed Miakoda. She screamed and went limp. And died. But the baby she had watched over since even before his birth was alive and safe.

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How to Choose a Halloween Costume for Your Dog

How to Choose a Halloween Costume for Your Dog

Do you love Halloween but your kids are too old to dress them up for trick-or-treat? No problem! Just pick out a costume for your canine best friend and you’re back in the spirit of the holiday.

Seriously, Halloween costumes for pets have become a big deal. If you think there are just sweaters and jackets to dress up your dog, think again! Check out some of the dog costumes in this list just to give you an idea of the vast array of costumes available:

Little Monkey
Lion
Pumpkin
Shark
Devil
Dragon
Black Cat
Frankenstein
Pirate
Skunk
Bumble Bee
Hot Dog (w/bun)
Prisoner
Witch
Bunny
Hippo
Whale
Dracula

Just like in human clothing, there seems to be more availability and variety of costumes available for small dogs than for larger dogs. Dog owners are much more likely to dress up their small dogs than larger ones. While people who don’t own dogs think it’s pretty silly to put clothes on a pet, those who do it think their little pooches look absolutely adorable decked out in rhinestones or other fashion-savvy outerwear.

Most pet owners who take part in dressing up their dogs in Halloween costumes do it because it’s just so much fun. Dog owners look forward to each year’s offerings waiting to see what new, fun, clever, or outrageous costumes are going to be available. We like the looks and smiles on others’ faces when they see our little loved ones dressed up as another character and treated like a child.

Not just for Halloween, but for all-year round, there are several theories as to why dog owners like to dress up their pets, as per the following list:

1.Just like clothes for humans are an expression of their personality and how they are feeling, so are outfits for our dogs. Pet owners can express their own personalities and that of their pets by selected the clothes that the dogs wear.

2.It’s just so darn cute! Men might not admit it, but both male and female dog owners find dressing up their pup in an outfit is just plain adorable.

3.It’s a way to draw attention to your dog or yourself and be a conversation starter to get to know new people. This way you and your pet can reach out and make new friends.

4.This isn’t a politically correct reason, but some pet owners feel as though their dogs are accessories to their own outfits and use their bows, carriers, clothes, etc. as a fashion statement.

Of course there are some dog clothes that are more functional in nature. Take, for example, hunting dogs. They often wear jackets with reflective colors or bright orange so that they’re easy to find, even at nighttime, and so other hunters don’t accidentally shoot them. Then there are life jackets for dogs who boat or fish with their owners. Dogs in colder climates are often outfitted with warm clothing to protect them from extreme temperatures.

Regardless of why we put clothes and costumes on our loyal dogs, it seems to be a growing rather than a declining trend. So have some fun with it and check out wardrobe and holiday costume opportunities for your pooch.

This article was written by Rebecca Bain of www.pet-super-store.com: visit her site to find deals on orthopedic dog beds and dog car seat covers.

Five Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe on Halloween Day

Five Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe on Halloween Day

Fetch! Pet Care Helps to Promote Humane Halloween

Halloween may be full of tricks and treats for humans, but the holiday does not hold the same appeal for our pet counterparts. In fact, Halloween can be a downright frightening time for pets. Paul Mann, Founder of Fetch! Pet Care, the nation’s largest provider of professional pet sitting and dog walking services, is devoted to the safety and comfort of pets. He provides the following tips to keep your pets safe this holiday season:

• · Tricks are for kids. While ghouls and goblins provide entertainment, your pet does not understand the person behind that mask is their friend. Dogs and cats are creatures of habit and can easily become frightened, aggressive or agitated by the unaccustomed sights and sounds of costumed visitors. So when the trick ‘or’ treaters come knocking at your door, it’s best to keep your furry friend contained indoors in a quiet, comfortable area of your home. Also, make sure all pets are wearing collars and ID tags in case they get spooked and escape your home or yard.
• Candy is not a treat for our pets. Sweets may look appealing to pets, but candy – especially chocolate – can be downright toxic to animals. Keep your candy bowl out of reach from pets and make sure your children sift through their bags at a table where Fido can’t sneak a piece. Candy wrappers can be just as harmful. Instead, purchase a box of your pets’ favorite treats for them to munch on. If you believe your pet has ingested a harmful item, call your veterinarian or the Animal Control hotline immediately.
• Decorations should shock Trick ‘or’ Treaters – not our pets. Keep all electrical cords and decorations out of reach. One chomp on an electrical cord could have a potentially deadly outcome. Pets can also become tangled and injured by dangling cords or decorations. You can purchase plastic tubing or casing at your local hardware store to provide some level of safety. Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of reach and on stable ground. Your pet could accidentally bump the pumpkin, resulting in fire damage to the home – and potentially to your pet.
• Costumes are constraining. Yes, your pet may look adorable as a dinosaur or Cleopatra, but pets can feel constrained and uncomfortable in costumes. Many costumes also have loose accessories that could be hazardous if chewed or swallowed. If you must dress your pet, find a costume that has few accessories and is loose fitting.
• Extra care for black pets. Don't let your pet fall victim to Halloween pranks; keep them inside or under supervision during the Halloween season. This is especially important for pets with black fur, since they are a target for pranksters.

As an alternative to keeping your pets at home this Halloween, Fetch! Pet Care has the ability to provide a safe and quiet overnight boarding, day or evening care environment at one of their 5,000 pet sitter’s homes across the country.  As a way to support the cause of pet safety on Halloween and throughout the year at homes and in shelters, Fetch! Pet Care will be donating a portion of their Halloween revenues to Best Friends Animal Society, a partner in pet care and safety. For more information on Best Friends, visit http://www.bestfriends.org.

About Paul Mann

Paul Mann is the Founder and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care, the largest pet sitting franchise in the United States. Founded in 2002 and with over 1,800 service areas in the United States, Fetch! Pet Care is the pet sitting industry market leader – the new face of pet care in the 21^st century.  The company offers a humane alternative to kennel boarding by providing loving, in-home overnight and/or daily care to any kind of pet in the most professional and reliable manner possible. For more information, go to www.FetchPetCare.com or call 1-866-FETCH-ME.

Apartment Living for You and Your Dog

Apartment Living for You and Your Dog

Of course you can live anywhere with any dog, but when your dog just does not fit into your surroundings it usually ends with disastrous consequences for your dog.  So use your head, and even if you have always wanted a St. Bernhard, if you live in a 500 square foot studio apartment in the center of downtown, you should probably wait just a little longer to get your dream dog.

So the first rule of owning a dog in an apartment is to make sure that the dog can thrive in the environment that you are providing for him.  If you are not sure, then find out.  Talk to professionals, vets, trainers, and even your friends who own dogs to see what types of challenges face you with dog ownership in an apartment.

Here are some things that you might want to consider if you are thinking about going down this path.

• Follow the Rules – Make sure that your landlord allows dogs and be prepared for your landlord to want to meet your dog.  Understand the rules as they apply to your dog and always follow them.  Plan to pay a pet deposit and to sign a pet policy agreement.  Always welcome your landlord to visit you and your dog in your apartment to prove that you are following the building’s policies.  When landlords embrace tenants with dogs they can actually put themselves at an advantage over other rentals that do not allow dogs a couple of different ways.  First of all they increase the size of the their prospective tenant pool, and secondly their existing tenants are more likely to stay put since dogs provide not only companionship but also a sense of security for their owners.
• Keep Records – Have a packet of information about your dog, which includes medical records, including vaccinations, spay or neuter record, licensing, training certificates and letters of reference from vets, prior landlords and old neighbors.
• Respect – In an urban environment you are living in more cramped quarters than you are in the suburbs or in the country.  So be diligent when you clean up after your dog, both inside your apartment and when you take your dog for a walk.  When outside, keep your dog on a leash unless you are in an enclosed dog park.  Tragedy strikes too quickly.  One stray step into the street can prove fatal in the hustle and bustle of the city.

"Then when you are sure that you have the time and the energy to manage the needs of a dog in your apartment give some thought as to what kind of dog would fit your living situation the best.  Some dogs are only too happy to snuggle up on the couch and wait for you to come home.  Many of the toy breeds are small enough to get a lot of their exercise without ever leaving the apartment, but you will still have to take them out for bathroom breaks.  Some dogs have lower energy levels by nature like Cocker Spaniels and Bulldogs.  The low energy breeds do not need a lot of exercise as long as you take care not to over feed them.

Medium energy dogs can do just fine in a larger apartment as long as they get regular exercise and a chance to run and play a couple of times per week.  Dogs like Brittany and Springer Spaniels and Chows are examples of medium energy dogs.

High-energy dogs are really impossible to keep in an apartment unless you have your dog out with you for a good part of the day.  Breeds like Border Collies and Retrievers need a lot of really big exercise opportunities.  A forty-five minute walk twice a day will not take the edge off of the high-energy breeds.

Of course any individual dog may be an exception to his breed, so it important to allow for each individual’s higher or lower energy requirements.  There are also low energy dogs like hounds that are just too loud to hold captive in an apartment.  And again there is always the exception.

When you are considering living in an apartment with your dog, think about how much time and energy you plan to put aside for your dog, and be realistic.  Remember, as you are pondering this question, that this means every day, not just when you feel like it.  If you are not sure that you can handle a dog all of the time, make friends with your neighbors and their dogs, and offer to dog sit.  That way you get the best of both worlds, and you will be the most popular tenant in your building.

Guest Post: All About Police Dogs

All About Police Dogs

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While most of us think of our dogs as the family pet and ourselves as the people who hold down jobs, some dogs actually do work for a living. Among those are police dogs. Police dogs, also known as K9s (because K9 sounds like canine) are specially trained to work in law enforcement in a variety of capacities, as listed below.

Cadaver dogs – Dogs can be trained to detect the specific odor of a decomposing body, even if that body is underwater. This is often used when there is a hurricane, earthquake or other natural disaster where bodies may be trapped under debris caused by the storm.


Tracking dogs – These dogs are excellent for finding missing people or suspects and Bloodhounds are especially good at this because you can let them sniff an article of clothing of the missing person and they can track that specific scent. A dog’s sense of smell is nearly 50 times more powerful (and accurate) than is the human nose. Dogs can catch running suspects faster than can a human and because dogs have strong jaws, they can clamp down on the suspect and keep him there until their human police officer companions arrive to make the arrest.

Drug-sniffing dogs – Some dogs are used to sniff out special things such as drugs or explosives. The specialization is broken down even further as some dogs are marijuana sniffing dogs, some are cocaine sniffing dogs, and so forth. You’ll often see these dogs around the airport sniffing luggage or people. Police use beagles a lot in airports because the larger sniffing dogs, like German Shepherds, tend to scare people.

Public order enforcement dog – This is the dog you see in movies riding around with a police officer who uses him to chase bad guys and even hold them down. Police believe that dogs are a good deterrent against fleeing suspects because suspects won’t generally try to run away if they know a dog is going to be released after them. This is where you’ll see breeds like German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, and Boxers being used. Officers say that just having the police dog there prevents physical confrontations.

Police departments throughout the United States (and in other countries) use police dogs to track criminals, search buildings, and sniff out drugs or other illegal substances. On a daily basis, there are thousands of police dogs on duty to help police officers serve and protect their communities. Dogs in some jurisdictions wear bulletproof vests just like police officers because unfortunately they too are subject to the dangers of police work and many have been shot and killed in the line of duty. Killing a police dog is a felony in some states and some departments give a fallen K9 hero a full police funeral.

Not all dog breeds are meant to be police assistants, so the most common breeds used in police work are German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Beagles. Most police dogs are male. Many police departments get their dogs from people who donate them and then they are sent for a long training program to prepare them for the work they will be doing. Other police dogs are bred and trained in Europe and imported to the United States, but that cost is approximately $7,500 per dog, which is more than most police departments can afford.
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Both the officers who will work with police dogs and the dogs themselves are carefully selected because they are expected to be the best of the best. K9 officers are paid more than non-K9 officers, but it’s because they work 60 hours per week instead of 40 because there’s ongoing training and care associated with the human/dog partnership. A police dog usually can work about 5 years before he is retired.

Provided by Abbie Briteman of www.pet-super-store.com: Where you can find great deals on dog gates and dog car seats.

Why Do Dogs Do the Gross Things They Do ?

Why Do Dogs Do the Gross Things They Do ?

We really love our dogs. A lot. They do things that make us go, “EWWWWWW,” and then in the next breath we laugh and tell them how much we love them, no matter how gross their antics, and they can do some pretty disgusting things!

Everyone knows that dog, the one who grooms his or her nether parts thoroughly immediately before being moved by great affection to throw himself across you, pinning you down in order to joyfully and thoroughly lick your face. Now, as bad as that seems, it's nothing compared to the dog who sneaks in a trip to the cat's stash of kitty poop before executing the same moves.

At least the groomer generally performs his ablutions in full view so you know what you're being hit with and can make some attempt at evasive maneuvers. The kitty roca addict rogues his addiction on the sly and you don't know where his mouth has just been until you get the full brunt of cat box breath with perhaps a few litter crystals still stuck on the tongue.

The butt scooter. This one saves the display until it is either going to involve your public chagrin or your freshly cleaned carpet. It starts out as an innocent sit. Good dog! Then a barely discernible twitch of one haunch, say, the left one, realigning the back left leg so that it's sticking straight out beside the outside of the left foreleg. Another twitch, this one a little more apparent, and the right rear leg is in position. Scooter is now sitting there innocently, last third of the tail thumping calmly on the floor. Flump, flump, flump. Nice and easy — relaxed. Then, if you watch closely, you'll see the forelegs shift slightly, stiffen a little, shoulders square back a little more, tail flumping a little more rapidly. The butt wriggles and the eyes flicker over to your face briefly before assuming a forward stare and a Zen-like calm. They glaze over, shoulders quickly thrust forward, and with a brief hunching of back muscles the front claws dig in, butt makes full contact with the carpet and Scooter's off to the butt races as you wail at him to stop, launching yourself off of the sofa to intercept him before he manages to paint a traffic stripe down the center of the hallway. You really should have bought that home carpet shampooer when it was on sale last month.

There are two kinds of crotch sniffers: the overt and the covert. The overt sniffer is usually on the large side, tall enough to saunter over and brazenly poke that nose right into your guest's groin, or that of any non-family member who happens to be in the vicinity. It can be a gentle nudge or a full frontal assault. The covert sniffer is quiet and creative. They can be large or small, but manage to be equally cagey. One of the sneakiest is the one who waits until you are seated and then, under the guise of wishing to be closer to you, comes to you and stands in front of your lap, gently pushing against your legs. Once that first step to intimacy is accomplished, the wily sniffer places his head in your lap. You reach down and scratch the ears, pleased when you hear a soft moan of enjoyment when you get the right spot. Sometimes the sniffer gets carried away in the moment and is caught when he breathes deeply to learn as much as he possibly can in one snootful of air, but once in awhile you run into a sniffer who is a true artist, one who can contain his enthusiasm sufficiently so that you don't realize what he's doing until he's lain his head there and drooled. Now you're wearing a suspicious wet spot.

And speaking of drooling . . . Now there's another highly specialized trick. It takes the right sort of muzzle to drool properly, to get the long, roping strands of drool that will hang suspended until they reach critical mass and can be artfully draped around the legs of the most impeccably groomed human in the room. If there are more than one humans who fit that description, the darker clothed one trumps the lighter, but whoever is wearing dry cleanable fabrics will inevitably take the prize. The drooler that has the most fun is the one with the most warped sense of humor. This one doesn't just drool on you, this one comes at you with a soaking snout that's been fully immersed, baptized in the water bowl (possibly the toilet bowl) then brought, still dripping with drool and water, to be wiped dry on the human who shrieks the loudest on approach. Good times.

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Guest Post: Stubby's Story

Stubby's Story From stray to war hero to Georgetown University mascot.

Not too shabby for a homeless little Pit Bull found ranging around the Yale campus in the early days of the U.S. involvement in World War I, Stubby's name is one of the better known in the history of the American Pit Bull Terrier — America's breed.

Found and befriended by a private named John Robert Conroy in the 102nd Infantry Battalion of the 26th Yankee Division, the brindle, crop eared dog charmed his bunkmates and the other soldiers with his dedication to duty, learning to answer the bugle calls, drill routines and the day to day schedules and doings of an army camp. Stubby even learned to salute with the other soldiers, right paw over his right eye.

When time came to muster out, Pvt. Conroy and Stubby's fellow soldiers smuggled the littlest soldier onto the transport. Once aboard the S.S. Minnesota and out at sea, the stowaway's presence was revealed and he added the sailors on board the ship to his partisans. A ship's machinist made him a set of tags — dog tags. Once off the ship, Pvt. Conroy's commanding officer discovered his extra soldier. Stubby won the CO over, just as he had the soldiers and sailors. The salute likely had more than a little to do with it. Stubby was allowed to accompany the 102nd to the front lines as their mascot.

Stubby showed his true mettle at the front lines. More than a mascot, he was a comrade and a soldier — a courageous one whose bravery and feats would make him one of the most recognized soldiers of the war, as well as a highly decorated one. Two acts stood out among his exploits; the capture of a German spy and saving his company in the trenches from a German gas attack.

The little dog had been wounded earlier, by shrapnel and from exposure to gas. The previous exposure to the gas made him sensitive to it and he was intelligent enough to make the connection between the gas and his own discomfort and realize it was a danger. The morning attack would have caught the company asleep in the trenches if Stubby had not detected the approaching gas and run up and down the trenches, barking and tugging at the soldiers to awaken them in time to get to safety. Stubby was also credited with giving the all clear, not going back to his trench until the gas was clear.

His habit of patrolling the “no man's land” to find wounded American soldiers led to his capture of the German spy. Evidently he heard noise and found the spy hiding in some brush, making a map of the Allied territory. When the spy tried to call the dog to him Stubby began barking. The German broke from the bushes and ran and Stubby pursued him, biting at his legs until he fell, then biting his arms and finally grabbing him by the posterior and hanging on until some Allied soldiers, hearing the ruckus, came to investigate and found a German spy in the custody of the Pitbull. The capture earned Stubby his stripes — and we know him today as Sgt. Stubby.

Sgt. Stubby visited the White House twice, meeting Presidents Harding and Coolidge. He led a military review parade with his comrades and met President Wilson. General Pershing presented him a medal for heroism and later had his photograph taken with the General; he earned membership in the American Legion and the Y.M.C.A., received many military decorations and won popular acclaim as an American hero.

When Conroy mustered out and enrolled at Georgetown University, Stubby went too and became the Hoyas' school mascot, performing at halftime, running and shoving the football around the field while the crowd cheered.

Later in his life, he posed for a portrait by the famous American portraitist, Charles Ayer Whipple. Not bad for a stray Pitbull. An American Pitbull.

Now there are whole cities and counties where he would be barred, where being what he is would be a sentence of exile or death. Brought to you by Tammie Bronser of www.pet-super-store.com: Where you can find Dog Kennels and GPS Tracking Collars.

Guest Post:Heel to the Chief

Heel to the Chief

There have been First Dogs in the White House since, well, since before there was a White House. Time and history has set many of our Presidents apart from us, especially those in the infancy of the U.S., upon pedestals, making them seem larger than life, but somehow the notion that they shared their lives with their pets — and gave some of them silly sounding or reassuringly normal names — brings them closer to being human like we are, rather than the demigods they sometimes seem to be. Normal humans doing great things.  

George Washington kept hounds, as did many of his contemporaries. The names he gave his hounds, three Staghounds and four Black and Tan Coonhounds were colorful: Vulcan, Scentwell and Sweetlips were the Stags and Tippler, Taster, Tipsy and Drunkard the Black and Tans, leaving room for conjecture that President Washington indulged in punning. A version of the black and tan we're familiar with was known then, made with porter and pale ale. Mopsey, Cloe, Forester, Captain, Lady and Rover were also hounds.

The first dogs to live in the White House were John Adams' pair. Their breeds are unknown today, but we do know their names: Juno and Satan, interesting choices! Hopefully they helped President Adams stay warm at night. When they moved into the White House, it was unfinished and was cold and drafty. He probably needed another dog; winters were cold in Washington DC then.

Thomas Jefferson had two Briards, gifts from General Lafayette, one's name is lost to history, the one we know was named “Buzzy,” not a name we associate with that period of history. President Jefferson also is said to have had a pet mockingbird, perhaps a humorous reminder to himself to keep his perspective.

John Quincy Adams isn't recorded as having a pet dog, but it seems he did have an alligator, possibly the forerunner to today's Secret Service agents.

Martin VanBuren seems to have continued the trend during his tenure with a pair of tiger cubs. Congress convinced him they belonged in the zoo.

Tyler, like a good husband, imported a pair of Italian Wolfhounds for his wife; his Greyhound was a gift from the Italian consul.

Millard Fillmore deserves special attention. He isn't recorded as having any pets, but he became a founding member and president of the Buffalo chapter of the ASPCA

.During the challenging and lonely days of his impeachment, Andrew Johnson sought comfort by setting out flour each night for a family of mice.

Newfoundlands resided at the White House during the tenures of James Buchanan (Lara) and Ulysses S. Grant (Faithful). Faithful belonged to Jesse Grant, along with a yard of gamecocks. Buchanan also kept a small herd of elephants!

James Garfield named his dog “Veto,” possibly a harbinger of things to come.

True to his rural background, Abe Lincoln had an assortment of pets living on the White House grounds. Ponies, goats, a turkey, a pet pig and two dogs, Fido and Jip, shared city life with the former farm boy turned politician.

Rutherford Hayes also brought the farm to the city, along with a more esoteric pet. He kept pedigreed Jersey cows — no doubt the White House had the best cream and butter for state banquets — along with a goat, carriage horses, cats, a pair of hunting dogs, a spaniel, two Shepherd dogs named Nellie and Hector and the first Siamese cat in America. He also kept a mockingbird, presumably well out of the way of the cats.

Mockingbirds keep making appearances at the White House. Grover Cleveland was another Chief Executive to have them as a pets, along with his wife's canaries and her Japanese Poodle, Hector and his own dogs, a Dachshund and a Cocker Spaniel.

LBJ was a colorful President, and the one to unabashedly own a mutt, found abandoned at a gas station by one of his daughters. The little dog's name was Yuki and President Johnson let him entertain visiting state officials. There are photos of the little dog standing on the President's lap, head thrown back “singing” along with his master while state visitors look on, smiling. The big President from Texas also had a pair of beagles, “Him and Her.”

The most famous of all presidential dogs may have been a vice-presidential dog, Checkers. Then Vice President Richard Nixon's “Checkers speech” made his political career, snatching triumph from the brink of disaster. One short paragraph humanized the man, touched listeners and changed the course of history: And our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it "Checkers." And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it.

Provided by Suzi Deering of www.pet-super-store.com: Find great deals on Dog Kennels and Pet Stairs.

Organic Pet Toys – Going Green for Your Pets

Organic Pet Toys – Going Green for Your Pets

Guest post by Cate McCall

 

Guest Post-Legends of Loyalty

Legends of Loyalty

Greyfriars Bobby waited for his master's return for fourteen years. The small black Skye Terrier had only been with his night watchman master, John Gray, for two years before Gray died of tuberculosis and was buried in the Greyfriars Kirkyard in the town of Old Edinburgh, England.

Two years. And now, the little dog is one of the most famous and enduring symbols of unswerving loyalty in the world.

For fourteen years, as the story is told, Bobby spent every day at his master's gravesite, waiting, leaving only for his meals provided by a nearby restaurant. Some tales say he spent the nights at hospitable homes close by and was given shelter by neighbors of the kirkyard during the cold months. Since local law demanded that ownerless dogs be destroyed, the provost, Sir William Chambers, saw to it that Bobby's license and registration was kept paid and that Bobby “belonged” to the city council and was able to live out his long life watching over his master's resting place until his death at sixteen years old.

Cross of Iron

It wasn't allowed to bury poor Bobby next to his master, John Gray, in the Kirkyard cemetery proper in consecrated ground, but his body rests inside the gate of the Kirkyard, close by the site of his long watch. The much photographed statue of Bobby sits in front of the Greyfriars Bobby Pub, and his gravesite is marked by a granite monument bearing an inscription admonishing all to “let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all.”

Hachiko the Akita belonged to Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor of agriculture at the University of Tokyo. It was Hachiko's custom to meet Professor Ueno at the Shibuya train station each day after his master came home from work.

In May of 1925, Hachiko's beloved owner suffered a fatal stroke and never made it home. The faithful Akita waited each day at the train station. A compassionate soul took pity on him and gave him a new home, but Hachiko, determined to wait for his old master, left and found his way back to his old house to wait. At length, the dog realized the professor no longer lived there and took up residence at the train station, eating and surviving by the kindness of passengers who saw him each evening and learned of his story. He never appeared until it was time for his master's train.

For ten years Hachiko kept his nightly meeting. During that time, one of Professor Ueno's former students learned of the faithful Akita and became interested in the breed and generated a census of the Akita and found that there were only approximately thirty documentable Akitas left in Japan. Hachiko's sad vigil is likely to have served to resurrect his breed from extinction in its homeland.

Hachiko's body was found in March of 1935. His heart stopped by filarial heartworms. His statue stands guard at his exit — the Hachiko-guchi. Perhaps his faithful soul has at last found his master's.

Not as much is known about Montana's Shep the Sheepdog.

Shep's last walk with his master was in 1936. His master's casket was carried onto the train for burial back east. Shep waited, refusing to leave the Fort Benton depot for six years. He sheltered there, refusing new homes, even in the harsh Montana winters and through the heat of the summer. Waiting and meeting each train in hopes of a reunion with his beloved master.

By 1942, Shep was elderly and slipped on the icy tracks in front of a train he hoped would bring his master home. The engineer couldn't stop the train in time. He was buried near the tracks with a modest wood marker but the old sheepdog's story lived on. Fifty years later, a couple, the Lepleys, put together an organization to raise funds for a monument to Shep.

Shep's image now stands in bronze, larger than real life but not so large as his legend, at the levee in Fort Benton.

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