A new database has been devised by the ASPCA in conjunction with University of California, Davis to help investigate and prosecute dogfighting cases. “The database is similar to the FBI’s human CODIS, a computerized archive that stores DNA profiles from criminal offenders and crime scenes and is used in criminal and missing person investigations,” according to the ASPCA’s website. “The Canine CODIS contains individual DNA profiles from dogs that have been seized during dog-fighting investigations and from unidentified samples collected at suspected dog-fighting venues.”
We’ve gotta say, we don’t think Princess Abby, winner of this year’s World’s Ugliest Dog Competition at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, is all that ugly. She’s kind of cute, really.
A couple of weeks ago, we drove from Santa Fe, NM to Los Angeles, CA with two dogs as our cargo. The challenge was to find a place to stay at about the halfway point (Phoenix, we were thinking). A little bit of googling led us to petswelcome.com, which lists pet-friendly hotel chains, B&Bs, campgrounds — and most helpful of all, gives you the option of searching for pet-friendly lodging along your entire route. In the end, our two dachshunds spent the night with us for free (many hotels charge extra for pets) at a motel just a couple of miles off the highway in Phoenix.
A new study in the American Naturalist shows the benefits to being a good dog extend past receiving a treat. “We found that obedient (or docile, shy) breeds live longer than disobedient (or bold) ones and that aggressive breeds have higher energy needs than unaggressive ones,” according to the study. The most obedient breeds (Poodles, German Shepherds, Bichon Frises) outlast harder-to-train dogs.
The American Kennel Club (AKC), which produces such events as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, The National Dog Show, and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, began opening its competitions up to mixed-breed dogs for the first time this spring. They can now compete in agility, obedience, and rally events at dog shows nationwide. Equal rights for mutts!
Forty-seven dachshund delegates assembled for the UN Commission on Human Rights this month. True, it was a mock session, taking place in the Melbourne Museum plaza as part of the Next Wave Art Festival. But we still think dachshunds would make fantastic UN delegates. The artist who created this installation/performance art piece, Bennett Miller, agreed: “They are… very proud looking animals which resemble a statesman and plus they make a lot of people laugh,” he was quoted as saying. Below, check out a video of the diplomat dogs in action and another taken behind the scenes of the “convention.”
Last weekend, the annual Loews Dog Surfing Competition drew a crowd of 2,000 to San Diego’s Coronado Beach. Top honors went to Abbie, an Australian Kelpie, in the small-dog competition, and Stanley, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, in the big-dog contest. Here’s what you missed.
San Diego, Portland (Oregon) and Austin topped the list of most dog-friendly cities for visitors published by dogfriendly.com. According to the site, these are the cities with the most dog-friendly accommodations, transportation, beaches, parks, attractions, stores, dining and other activities.
The Karelian bear dog was bred to (yes) hunt bears, the New Guinea singing dog is a howler, the puli (pictured above) comes from Hungary and resembles a mobile mop, and the Peruvian Inca Orchid is a hairless breed of dog — not a flower. These dogs are among the top rare breeds that have been highlighted in Animal Planet’s Dogs 101 TV show. Click here for a fascinating primer on these very unusual dogs — one of which only numbers 100 in the world.
A new study in the AVMA Journal shows that the calorie counts and feeding instructions on pet food bags and cans may be considerably off. For dry food, the numbers are sometimes off by several hundred calories per serving. As always, it’s a good idea to consult your vet regarding the calorie needs of your pet.
Golden retrievers get lymphoma, collies are susceptible to nasal cancer and boxers are in danger of contracting brain cancer according to new research published in Scientific American. What’s more, the cancers exhibit themselves similarly in these dogs as in humans, which means medical research on dogs can help humans, and information gathered about humans can go toward treating canine cancers.
Dogs who exhibited heroism or were just plain comforting to soldiers in war zones are getting their due in two documentaries airing on the Military Channel. No Dog Left Behind tells the stories of four dogs who were rescued in Iraq by American soldiers, went on to become therapy dogs or close companions of the troops, and were later brought to safety in the US. War Dogs of the Pacific is about the U.S. Marine war dog platoons of World War II, who were involved in combat in Japan. No Dog Left Behind : Military Channel
