Woof! Woof! Shut Up! Woo… Oh dang!

Scout The Dog Vs Helicopter [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Arbor the painting dog is using her unique talents to help raise money for Oklahoma tornado victims.

The international painter first discovered her “talent” after she was rescued from an animal shelter in Las Vegas by Jennifer and Bruce Henderson.

Once the pair had their lovely new family pet, they didn’t just teach her basic tricks like roll over and play dead; they sat her in front of an easel and taught her to paint.

As impossible as it may sound, Arbor the painting dog uses a paintbrush in her mouth to create her art work.

Normally, the proceeds go towards helping other animals in need; due to the recent Oklahoma devastation, Arbor has turned her paw to the victims plight to try and raise money.

Her latest piece is called “Hope Through the Rubble” and is currently being auctioned on eBay until June 13.

Arbor isn’t the only dog who strives to help those in need: A dog recently prevented its owner from committing suicide by knocking the gun from their hands.

Although in a completely different way, these two dogs are changing lives.

It’s important to remember though that it isn’t just dogs or cats that can make a difference to the daily lives of people; recently, new evidence has suggested that animals in general can help Austim Spectrum Disorder.

All money for Arbor the painting dog’s delightful piece will be donated to Central Oklahoma Humane Society, also known as the COHS.

If you wish to find out more information, or maybe help in your own way, you can visit the COHS website or email their Director of Outreach.

It’s Arbor’s way of showing her appreciation of everything that’s be done for her fellow four-legged friends since the tornado hit.

The bidding for “Hope Through the Rubble” is already in full swing with over 39 bids to its name.

The highest bid was placed Wednesday afternoon, which saw $305 join the competition in an attempt to secure the charity piece.

The bidding now stands at just over $800 which is a very impressive sum to add to the COHS funds.

Her highest acclaimed painting went for $453, which goes to show just how popular her work is and how useful it is in raising substantial amounts of money for good causes.

In addition to her continuous eBay success, Arbor the painting dog has over 40,000 Facebook followers to her name.

It seems fair to say that her unique work has gripped the world’s imagination and has brought some brightness to important charity causes.

Lets all keep our eyes on Arbor the painting dog to see what she does next.

[Image via Twitter]

Arbor The Painting Dog Helps Brighten Up Tornado Victims Day is a post from: The Inquisitr

Quick! Somebody call animal welfare!

Dramatic Doggie Death [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Call of Duty: Ghosts will use the Xbox One Kinect for voice commands.

The Kinect, thus far, is one of the few things about the Xbox One that may still sell it after all of the hate being thrown at Microsoft’s next generation console. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Xbox One Kinect is an amazing device, able to motion track individuals and even single your voice out in the midst of confusion.

One of the games shown off at the Xbox One reveal last week was Call of Duty: Ghosts. The game boasted more realistic graphics and motion engines than ever before, especially with animals. It features a dog that has practically become the Xbox One’s mascot at this point, and the dog is set to be a useful part of the game.

Apparently the dog in Call of Duty: Ghosts will be able to accept voice commands. Imagine you’re behind enemy lines and you see some ammunition sitting across the walkway. You might tell your canine companion to “fetch” and point to the pickup, and your dog will risk its life to bring it to you. You might find yourself in need of a distraction, so you tell your in-game dog to “sit” as you move away from the animal, and as you say “speak” and the dog barks, you sneak around behind the enemy and break his neck.

The previous Kinect for the Xbox 360 wasn’t that useful. It tried using voice commands in games like Mass Effect 3, but it didn’t drastically improve Mass Effect 3. The Kinect for the current generation Microsoft console is just too glitchy to be a mainstay gaming peripheral, and may have been the downfall of Sleeping Dogs.

Microsoft did improve on the device for the Xbox One, as shown in the demonstration at the big reveal, and Call of Duty: Ghosts is set to take full advantage of it.

Do you think the Xbox One Kinect will improve games like Call of Duty: Ghosts?

‘Call Of Duty: Ghosts’ Uses Kinect With New Interface is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s all fun and games till the Lion is craving for a weenie.

Lion Visits A Doggie Dentist [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Call of Duty: Ghosts was officially revealed for the Xbox One at today’s reveal event.

The uber-popular World War II simulator Call of Duty is officially getting a next generation upgrade on the upcoming Xbox One. Call of Duty: Ghosts has been teased up to this point, and the name has been guessed at by fans everywhere, but now it is known that Call of Duty: Ghosts is the official name of this year’s title.

It has been known that a new Call of Duty title usually hits every year since its inception on the Xbox 360, and its absence thus far this year makes much more sense. Activision was simply waiting for the reveal of the Xbox One to show their hand.

The graphics for this entry in the Call of Duty franchise are remarkable. Finer details will be shown off alongside realistically animated creatures. Environments will be composed of dynamic mapping, meaning that when you set off a land mine this time, there will actually be a crater and a noticeable dip in the ground as you walk over it.

This time around, you’ll also get a dog helping you along in the game, which might add a whole new dynamic to the gameplay and story elements. You might be able to play fetch while you wait for allies to catch up with you, or use the dog to fetch ammunition from fallen enemies. The dog might even warn you of enemies trying to sneak up on you while you sit with your face plastered against the sight of an assault rifle. It will be able to sniff out explosives and protect the team.

New moves added to the game include wall jumping, where your character instinctively leaps over obstacles as he runs at them. You will also be able to lean more cautiously, possibly reducing your enemy’s headshot count. There will also be a slide move that will let you more effectively move behind cover.

Call of Duty: Ghosts will also let you customize your character, possibly making the camouflage a waste of time as you dress all in bling. We don’t know much about that yet.

What do you think of the reveal trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts at the Xbox One event?

‘Call Of Duty: Ghosts’ Lands New Trailer At Xbox One Reveal [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

He didn’t choose the pug life, pug life chose him.

Pug Lord [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In Soviet Russia, stick fetch you!

Pit Bull Really Wants That Stick [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ontario, Canada – A loyal dog waited by its owner for 12 hours after she became stuck in a sinkhole in the woods of Haliburton in Ontario.

Sixty-four-year-old Sandra Van Alstyne was on a morning walk with two-year-old border collie Monty and a frisbee when a misplaced step saw her slip straight into a knee-deep sinkhole.

“I just walked right into it, and there was no way my foot was going to budge,” Van Alstyne told The Star. “The suction was like cement.”

Stranded at the top of a remote hill, Van Alstyne’s shouts for help stood little chance of being heard. Sitting down to prevent herself from going any deeper, the woman waited for somebody else to come along.

As it happens, she was in for quite a wait. The hours began to pass, though at first it wasn’t so terrible. The sky was a clear blue, the temperature pleasant, and the ever-faithful Monty stayed close by.

But soon, it began to snow.

“It was that wet kind of snow, but it only lasted a bit. I was glad when it stopped.” reflects Van Alstyne.

Not that Sandra was ever worried about her safety. Her loyal friend continued to stick by her side throughout the ordeal. “Monty stayed right with me, he just snuggled up to me,” says Van Alstyne. “I petted him and he kept me warm.”

By 5 pm, seven hours after she’d left home, Sandra’s husband was beside himself with worry. He contacted police, and a search-and-rescue mission was launched, with police dogs, officers, and a helicopter all deployed.

When they found an increasingly chilly Sandra with Monty still by her side at 11 pm, it was no easy task for police to get her out. “The police were getting stuck themselves trying to get me,” she told The Star. “This was a really big hole.”

A hospital check-up confirmed Van Alstyne was fine. And Monty?

“He didn’t sleep very well that night, but he finally ate something when I got home. He’s so smart, he’s really a great dog. I could brag about him for hours.”

[Image via Shutterstock]

Dog Stays By Owner Trapped In Sinkhole For 12 Hours is a post from: The Inquisitr

Now I want a kitty too…

Dog Wants A Kitty [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jude : How dare you be all buttery and tasty!!

Jude The Beagle Vs. A Popcorn [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

This dog probably got bitten by a radioactive spider and a radioactive Tony Hawk.

Badass Dog [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Peanut the dog better get a hefty steak for dinner.

How To Get Your Dad To Go Easter Egg Hunting [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Can’t wait to see them playing with the lion all grown up and terribly hungry!

Honey & Kwanza: Dog & Lion Best Friends is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bathtime? You go first, cat!

Dog Pushes Cat Into The Bathtub [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A kayaker joined police and fire rescuers to help them save a dog trapped on ice floes in Lake Michigan last Friday.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the dog was spotted a half-mile away from shore. Warmer temperatures that day had cause ice to break apart, and the dog that had run away from home nine days before ending up trapped on floating ice.

After a helicopter arrived to verify that it was in fact a dog and not a coyote, a Chicago Fire Department boat joined the rescue attempt. As a diver prepared to enter the icy water, a man in a kayak paddled through ice chunks to help.

Dave Kehnast had spotted the stranded dog from his apartment. Kehnast told WLS-TV:

“I saw him way out there and so I grabbed the kayak over here, and I know that the lake is only a couple of feet deep all the way out to where the ice shelf ends. So I knew I’d be fine.”

The frightened dog tried to bite Kehnast when he got out of the kayak to help the him up onto the ice, but the kayaker just kept verbally encouraging the dog that every thing would be okay as they floated towards safety.

As the ice got close enough, the dog jumped in the water and swam to the shore. He then bolted through the streets of Chicago. City workers eventually corralled the dog in an alley where he was captured and then taken to a shelter.

The dog named Pifas is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and had been missing for 9 days. Nerijus Steponavicius, the dog’s human, explained that Pifas escaped when his landlord had the apartment door opened to change the locks.

Pifas was found to be healthy and free of injury, but Steponavicius wasn’t immediately allowed to take him home. City law required Pifas to be neutered before Animal Care and Control could release him.

Steponavicius told reporters he would like to treat the kayaker to dinner to thank him for saving his dog.

Kayaker Rescues Dog Trapped On Breaking Lake Michigan Ice is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Florida man was shot by his dog on Saturday afternoon. While the man was wounded by the gunfire, the dog was not arrested, and no charges were pressed against the trigger happy pooch.

Frostproof, Florida resident Gregory Dale Lanier, 35, told police that while driving in their truck his dog (not pictured) kicked a gun that was sitting on the truck’s floor. The kick was enough to accidentally fire the weapon.

According to the Highlands Tribune, gunfire from the weapon shot into Lanier’s leg.

Lanier was not seriously injured during the accident.

In the funniest moment of the investigation, Sebring Police Commander Steve Carr said the dog was not arrested because an investigation was still pending. Apparently, the dog is not off the hook just yet.

Not surprisingly, the police department investigating the case said it was the first of its kind.

The shooting took place as Lanier was driving down State Road 17 North. According to Gregory, he believed there was an unloaded .380 pistol on the floor. After being shot, Lanier learned that the gun was actually a loaded 9mm weapon.

Apparently living in Florida over the last week drastically increased a persons chances of being shot in new and strange ways. A women in St. Petersburg was hurt after her friend’s oven fired a shot.

Do you think police should press charges against the Florida man who was shot by his dog, or should his pooch head off to prison?

Kidding aside, we are glad nobody was hurt during this strange and unfortunately accident.

Florida Man Shot By His Dog, Police Refuse To Arrest Pooch is a post from: The Inquisitr

I couldn’t remember if you threw four sticks or a ball, so I brought them all back to you. #dogthinking

Which Stick Did You Throw? Or Was It A Ball? [LOL Dog] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Quenching your thirst in style!

Spray Bottle Fun! [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lou the dog is not happy about wearing boots on his back legs. In response to his new footwear, the cute little pooch walks on his front paws.

Uploaded by YouTube user Samantha F on January 27, 2013, the video has already received 38,007 view (at the time of this post).

YouTube users love the video with 47 thumbs up and only 3 thumbs down.

Some users found the video to be cruel, but, as the owner of a small dog, I fully understand how really cold surfaces can hurt their feet. Plus, the little guy figures out how to walk in the boots by the end of the video.

What do you think of Lou and his doggy boots?

Dog Wears Boots, Walks On Two Hands [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

There is something undeniably adorable about a dog that can’t stop its own excitement. In this video clip, the puppy in question jumps for joy, then jumps some more, then jumps even more.

The video was uploaded by YouTube user chicolindo12345678 way back in 2011, but it has recently been spotted on various YouTube trending websites.

Do you have a crazy dog that gets excited over nothing?

Adorable Dog Jumps For Joy, Doesn’t Want To Stop is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dogs for the win!

Border Collie Zoe Does Amazing Tricks [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In case you’d ever wonder what it’s like to be a dog.

Chasecam: Tennis Balls In The Pool [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Because sock-loving canines are too hardcore!

Dogs Like Socks By PSYCHOSTICK [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A trapeze swinger’s got nothing on this crazy, swinging canine!

Crazy Pitbull Jump! [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s a dog’s life but hey, who’s complaining?

Average Day Of A Dog [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

When this dog isn’t chewing on his Michael Vick toy, he is busily setting up fights in which two Michael Vicks enter a ring and then brutally attack one another until only one Michael Vick remains.

Best Dog Toy Ever! Take That Michael Vick is a post from: The Inquisitr

This 11-month-old Labrador named Olive is able to cross her eyes on command. She can also speak, roll over, shake, and kiss, but let’s be honest: The crossing her eyes trick is all we really care about.

Puppy Can Cross Her Eyes On Command is a post from: The Inquisitr

Palm Coast, FL – Baby left with pit bull babysitter leads to a man’s arrest. 41 year old James R. Irvine was charged with child neglect after he left his girlfriend’s baby in the care of his pet pit bull while he went drinking on the town.

According to the Daily Mail, the girlfriend says she had been at work, leaving her boyfriend entrusted with the task of watching her baby boy. Instead, James ordered his pit bull to guard the door like a good dog and went bar hopping in Palm Coast. A bartender told police that Irvine had been served five Coronas and one Bud Light while he watched football.

The girlfriend had tried calling James from work. When he kept ignoring her phone calls she decided to return home. The baby was found inside the home, crying, but unharmed.

The faithful pit bull was still guarding the door…but the boyfriend was nowhere in sight. Someone else was going to end up in the doghouse tonight.

James eventually stumbled home and that is when the girlfriend found him trying to get into the house. He was so drunk that he had urinated on himself. An argument must have ensued, because the girlfriend called the police on the boyfriend.

James R Irvine was arrested on Saturday for leaving the baby with the pit bull. He is being held at the jail in Flagler County on a $1,500 bond. While pit bulls do have a nasty reputation as being vicious and uncontrollable dogs as you can see the pit bull was the only responsible one in this case.

Do you think James should be charged with child neglect solely for leaving the baby boy unattended or that the presence of a pit bull should be a factor?

Baby Left With Pit Bull, ‘Father’ Charged With Child Neglect is a post from: The Inquisitr

Seriously, this is the coolest dog coloring ever. Good one, God!

Seriously, Coolest Dog Coloring Ever is a post from: The Inquisitr

Who says that the internet can’t make real, positive change happen? The familiar photo above, picturing a man wading into lake superior with his arthritic 19-year-old dog to ease his beloved pet’s pain, went crazy viral in August, and all of the attention has helped that same dog recover.

The photograph, which captured the hearts of millions after going viral, inspired the dog’s owner to launch a foundation to help low-income families care for their aging canines. John Unger, the dog’s owner, was considering putting his poor pooch down before the photo was put on Facebook by a friend. But since launching Schoep’s Legacy Foundation, named for the dog in the photo, Unger says that he has raised more than $25,000 to his cause.

“Schoep is doing incredible right now,” 49-year-old Unger said of his pup. ‘The therapies that the people have donated–it’s like turning back the clock a year and a half.”

Schoep’s vet, Erik Haukass, told the Daily Mail that he foundation was created when the pair “realized we had received more money than we would reasonably spend on Schoep’s care.”

“It could help another 30 or 40 Schoeps,” Haukass said.

Facebook’s Official Fan Page of Schoep and John has more than 20,000 “likes,” and the original photographer is selling prints of the viral photo to contribute to the cause.

“This 19-year-old [Schoep is] being cradled in his father’s arms last night in Lake Superior,” Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, the photographer, wrote in the Facebook post that inspired the deluge of support. “Schoep falls asleep every night when he is carried into the lake. The buoyancy of the water soothes his arthritic bones. Lake Superior is very warm right now, so the temperature of the water is perfect. I was so happy I got to capture this moment for John. By the way, John rescued Schoep as an 8-month-old puppy, and he’s been by his side through many adventures.”

Business for Hudson has benefited from the photo as well. A professional photographer, she told the Twin Cities that she has hired her first employee and an intern since the photo went viral. “I would say a 30 percent increase in shoots,” she said, continuing, “Who knew a favor to a friend would turn into this? It’s completely surreal.”

Because of the attention and the generosity of Schoep’s donors, the expensive laser treatments to reduce pain and swelling have paid off. “He’s walking so much faster,” Unger said. “It’s unbelievable.”

So pat yourselves on the back, internet. You saved Schoep’s life. You guys really take that “4 GR8 JUSTICE” thing seriously, don’t you?

Remember This Viral Photo? You Helped Save This 19-Year-Old Arthritic Dog’s Life is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Florida man locked horns with a large alligator in order to save his dog from the clutches of certain doom, according to UPI. Since the 66-year-old wasn’t about to let the seven-foot gator chow down on his West Highland Terrier, the man entered a nearby pond to rescue the dog from the alligator’s gaping maw.

While doing some work in his yard on Friday, Steve Gustafson reportedly heard his 9-year-old dog Bounce let out a painful yelp. After taking a moment to check things out, Gustafson discovered that the aforementioned alligator was attempting to drag his dog into the water. To keep this gruesome incident from getting any worse, the grandfather sprang into action.

“I just knew that my best friend was going to be dead. And I took off,” he explained. “For whatever reason, I don’t know, I just yelled, ‘you’re not going to get her!’ and just leaped on the gator … just like you do some silly belly flop in a pool. The only difference was I landed on top of a gator.”

The San Francisco Gate reports that the impact sent Gustafson, his dog, and the nefarious gator underwater. Since the pond wasn’t too deep, it didn’t take long for the trio to resurface. As Steve pushed the alligator towards the shore, the beast let go of his prey, though not before sinking its pointy teeth into Gustafson’s arm.

“He just snapped, and when he snapped the second time, I got him with his mouth closed and hung on like they show on TV,” the dog-resucing hero explained.

When Gustafson finally let go of the alligator’s mouth, the creature retreated back into the pond. In order to make an example out of the dog-munching beast, a trapper was hired to capture the alligator. According to UPI, the man intends to have the alligator stuffed and put on display in his home. Thankfully, the dog and his owner didn’t suffer any serious injuries from the encounter.

Florida Grandfather Wrestles Alligator To Save His Dog is a post from: The Inquisitr

In all fairness, he does have four legs, which makes the arm strength issue less of a challenge. You should see him during Tae Bo. Oddly enough he won’t watch Sweatin’ to the Oldies; not that we can blame him.

This Dog Is More Talented At Yoga Than You is a post from: The Inquisitr

A dog was killed as it pulled its owner from the path of a speeding train in Afghanistan, sacrificing its own life to save the suicidal man.

The dog’s owner reportedly had been drinking a bottle of alcohol and passed out on the train track, Yahoo! News reported. The man’s dog was by his side during the drunken escapade, keeping watch as the man carelessly laid across the tracks. When the dog saw the approaching train, it sprang into action, doing all it could to pull its owner from out of its path.

“Upon seeing the train, the dog started pulling its owner away,” said Aida Muldashevam, who investigated the incident. “When train drivers saw the dog on the rail tracks, they used the emergency brake.”

The man was rushed to the hospital with a number of bruises and even some broken bones, but he will be all right, Gawker reported.

The dog saves owner story didn’t have a happy ending from here. Though the man was cleared of the speeding train, but the dog couldn’t get out of its way in time and was hit and killed.

Dog Saves Owner From Path Of Train In Kazakhstan, Dies In The Process is a post from: The Inquisitr

John Unger often wades in the waters of Lake Superior, cradling his sick dog Schoep to help ease its arthritis pain. The touching photo of the sick 19-year-old dog and his best friend have attracted millions of views online and likely more than a tear or two from dog lovers. Schoep is named after a popular Wisconsin ice cream shop.

The phrase “man’s best friend” may have never been more true. John Unger adopted Schoep when the the shepherd mix was just a tiny bundle of fur. The pair of life-long companions go to Lake Superior most evenings so Schoep can have the chance to rest free from arthritis pain. Schoep has difficulty sleeping, so John Unger and his best pal routinely travel to nearby Lake Superior to get in the water together. The movement of the water soothes the the sweet old dog, lulling him to sleep, Radar Online notes.

John Unger and his former fiance found Schoep at the Ozaukee County Wisconsin Humane Society where he had been abandoned and showed signs of being beaten. While Unger’s relationship with his fiance did not last, the one with dog thrived. Unger credits Schoep with his recovery from a severe depression after the break-up that prompted him to consider suicide.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me that night. He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it. I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my a**,” John Unger told the Duluth Tribune.

Hannah Stonehouse Hudson captured the now famous photo of Unger cradling Schoep in the water on Lake Superior. Hudson stated during an interview with the Huffington Post that the image of the man cradling his sleeping dog in the water is in no way staged.

“This is in no way posed. I hate posed photos. They never ever capture the true essence of anything,” the Stonehouse Photography owner stated during the interview.

John was grateful for the photographer’s help capturing what he feared might be the final Lake Superior soak with Scheop. Unger was faced with the possibility of putting Schoep down to end his constant pain if the medication he was taking did not start to help his arthritis condition. Thanks to the growing popularity of the photo of Unger cradling his sleeping dog in the lake, donations have poured in to help pay for arthritis laser treatments for Schoep.

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Man Cradles His Sick 19-Year-Old Dog In Lake Superior To Help Ease Its Arthritis Pain is a post from: The Inquisitr

Children who live with pet dogs have a decreased risk for respiratory tract infections than children who grow up without a furry friend, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Another recent asthma study presented at the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology discovered that children living in homes with dogs have a lowered risk for asthma due to an exposure to a unique collection of microbes found within dog-associated house dust. According to that study, doggy dust provides protective factors against a common respiratory virus associated with the development of asthma in children, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The present study discovered that children living with dogs had fewer cases of respiratory tract infections and symptoms including less frequent otitis or ear infections than their dog-less counterparts.

In the study conducted by researchers at the Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Kuopio University Hospital in Kuopio, Finland, the researchers followed 397 children from pregnancy onward, studying the frequency of respiratory tract infections and symptoms together with information about dog and cat contacts during the first year of life.

Of 397 children participating in the study, 245 (61.7 percent) had contact with a dog and 136 (34.3 percent) had contact with a cat during the time period of the study.

The children who lived with a dog or a cat during the study were significantly healthier in terms of respiratory tract infections, having fewer weeks with cough, otitis, and rhinitis, than children who did not have a contact with a pet at home. Children with pets also needed fewer courses of antibiotics than children with no cat or dog contacts.

As the researchers conclude:

“According to our results, dog and cat contacts during early infancy may be associated with less morbidity in general (indicated as more healthy weeks) and concomitantly may have a protective effect on respiratory tract symptoms and infections.”

Additionally, living with a pet dog showed a more significant protective role against respiratory tract infections than living with a pet cat. However, although weaker than dog ownership, cat ownership seemed to also have an overall protective effect for the health of infants during the first year of life.

The researchers speculate that the reason that children who live with dogs have a decreased risk for respiratory tract infections is that “animal contacts could help to mature the immunologic system, leading to more composed immunologic response and shorter duration of infections.”

The results of this study support the theory that contact with animals is important during the first year of life, possibly leading to better resistance to respiratory tract infections during childhood. A dog really is man’s (or baby’s) best friend!

Would you adopt a pet dog to help lower your child’s risk for respiratory tract infections during infancy?

Risk For Respiratory Tract Infections Lowered In Children With Dogs [Study] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Passengers traveling out of New York’s LaGuardia International Airport to Memphis International Airport were met with a delay on Wednesday morning after a runaway dog named Byrdie decided to take to the airports runway.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback had traveled on four other occasions with her owner Austin Varner however on the fifth flight she escaped from her enclosure and took to the runway.

A short time after boarding Delta Air Lines Flight 1573 the dogs owner was made aware of the incident when officials took her outside of the plane and proclaimed:

“Ma’am, your dog got loose and we’re trying to catch her.”

According to Varner:

“The staff at LaGuardia and Delta were great. They kind of had detained her; they took me out there and she came right to me.”

Passenger John Vincent told Commercial Appeal:

“We saw the dog running, and there was a total of 11 trucks trying to corner the dog. We watched it run under a plane and run around in a grassy area. The dog was scared.”

After Byrdie was placed back in her kennel Varner revealed that there had never been problems with the kennel in the past, leading her to wonder if the “door was opened” somehow, allowing Byrdie to escape. Eventually airport officials placed 10 zip ties on the cage to ensure Byrdie’s safety.

Varner says that when the plane landed the pilot personally let her know that Byrdie was still secure in her pen. According to Varner she wasn’t surprised since she joked with airport personnel that “superman couldn’t escape” from the cage once 10 zip ties were added.

Runaway Dog Halts NYC Flight At LaGuardia Airport is a post from: The Inquisitr

Prince William and Kate Middleton just added to their young family – though not in the way recent rumors may suggest. Nope, Wills and Kate’s family member is instead of the four-legged variety: a months-old pup.

Following speculation they had adopted a chocolate Labrador retriever, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the latest royal dog was actually a male cocker spaniel. The couple were snapped walking with their new pooch on a wet and windy Newborough Beach last month (above).

The curmudgeonly so-and-sos at the Palace won’t release the name of the dog (goodness knows why – security protocol?), or explain why a cocker spaniel was chosen. All we proles were really told was that the male pup came from a litter through a family connection. Expect a lucrative magazine cover shoot of Will and Kate’s new furry friend any time soon.

The royal family and dogs have always gone hand in hand, of course. Prince Charles and Camilla adopted a Jack Russell Terrier named Beth last year, but easily the most famous royal dogs are Queen Elizabeth’s corgis.

The monarch’s love of corgis began in childhood. King George VI introduced the first corgi into his family in 1933, a dog named Dookie. A young Princess Elizabeth got her very own corgi, named Susan, a few short years later, and bred the dogs until 2009 – indeed, many of the corgis in the Queen’s family have Susan as their ancestor. Yes, even the royal dogs are born into a life of privilege.

Will and Kate’s New Puppy Breed Revealed is a post from: The Inquisitr

If this doesn’t touch your heart, you have a heart of gnarled, twisted oak.

Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times reported on the discovery of Petunia, an 11-year-old dog who went missing from her home in Virginia when she was three.

Yep, that’s eight years (56 in dog years!) Petunia spent apart from her family, but just as amazing is the distance she managed to travel in that period. See, Petunia was found in California, over 3,000 miles away in an animal shelter. You may commence baaaaawing … now.

Authorities said that Petunia went missing around Thanksgiving in 2003, and was never found despite an expansive search. Yet the American Staffordshire terrier (a breed that can live until 16 or 17) recently showed up at an animal shelter in Sacramento, California, where she was registered as a stray.

And just to make sure it is her, a scan of a microchip found in Petunia linked her to Virginia-based veterinarian clinic in Virginia. The clinic was contacted by the California animal shelter, and in turn got in touch with Petunia’s owners. Who, I imagine, had a bloody good baaaaaw themselves.

The aim now is to get the intrepid mutt home for Christmas. It’ll be a long and perhaps lonely trip for Petunia, but the California animal shelter is on the case. Man, who wants to be at that reunion?

See also:More happy endings!

Dog From Virginia Found in California, Eight Years After Going Missing is a post from: The Inquisitr

Your dog is supposed to be your best friend. Well, until your dog shoots you with a gun.

A 46-year-old dog owner from Brigham City, Utah was shot from behind by his “loyal canine” during a duck hunting.

The best friends were traveling in a boat when the man stepped out to a shallow marsh to set up decoys for the targets. His 12-gauge shotgun was left resting across the bow of the boat.

County Sheriff Deputy Kevin Potter reported that:

“The dog did something to make the gun discharge. I don’t know if the safety device was on. It’s not impossible the dog could have taken it off safety.”

The report added that the dog must have jumped on the boat’s bow and hit the gun, resulting to the accidental firing. About 27 pellets of birdshot hit the man’s buttocks. The man was able to call 9-1-1 after the incident.
The hunter was transported to Brigham City Community Hospital where doctors removed the bird shot. He was eventually released to recover.

There is no word if the man and dog are still best friends.

Dog Shoots Best Friend is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Florida woman who left 10 $100 bills in an envelope for her husband to deposit when he returned home quickly learned that it was a bad idea when her husband realized the bills were missing. It turns out that the family’s dog Tuity decided to snack on the bills and envelop, quite literally devouring $1000.

Speaking about the missing money the husband told the St. Augustine Record:

“I thought somebody broke in originally.”

Christy Lawrenson added:

“She ate the bill, the envelope … everything.”

After some thought the couple gave Tuity just enough peroxide to puke up the money and then pieced together the bills.

It turns out that even after chomping on the benjamins nine of the bills were still good enough to be returned for new tender at their local bank branch, although one of the $100 notes was missing an important section and could not be returned.

In a last ditch effort to get back their final $100 bill the couple has sent the money to the US Treasury with an note explaining exactly what happened to the tender and they are currently awaiting a response from the government.

Their note to the Treasury might possibly be the first “my dog ate my homework” equivalent that the agency has received.

Have you ever had a family pet eat something of value that you left sitting within their grasp? Share your stories in our comments section and remember that leaving edible objects around your home is an invitation for a pet based meal attempt.

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Dog Eats $1,000 Then Pukes Up $900 is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Los Angeles City Council has amended its city’s barking law imposing heavy fines on owners of dogs that bark excessively, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A dog’s barking is considered excessive if it lasts for 10 minutes or more. It is also excessive if a dog barks intermittently for 30 minutes or more within a three-hour period. Penalties would range from $250 for first offense, $500 for second offense and $1,000 for third offense.

Brenda Barnette, general manager of the Animal Services Department, in citing the fines as reasonable said:

“If a dog hears somebody or something and barks, that’s a good thing. That’s a warning. If a dog just stays ut and barks and barks, that’s really not reasonable.”

Jose Sigala, president of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council’s board, said that the fines are steep and would affect a lot of working-class neighborhoods.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to sign the amended ordinance.

It’s time to train your dog to bark silently.

Dog Barking is Expensive in Los Angeles is a post from: The Inquisitr

So you think you are pretty tough huh. Well, I’m betting that you probably wouldn’t be willing to punch a black bear in the face in order to save your dog eh.

Unlike you, or me most likely, a lady by the name of Brooke Collins didn’t think twice about it when it came to saving the life of her pet dachshund by the name of Fudge when it was being pinned down by a black bear in the yard of their home in Alaska.

Besides the fact that the idea of living somewhere where a black bear could casually meander through one’s backyard is unsettling to say the least but to actually confront the bear and punch it in the face is one hell of a brave thing to do.

Collins said she didn’t see the bear outside when she let the dogs out around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. She said Fudge just darted out and the barking could be heard almost instantly. She said that barking was “the most horrible sound in the world.”

Collins said when she looked outside she saw a bear was crouching down with Fudge its paws and was biting the back of the dog’s neck.

“That bear was carrying her like a salmon,” she said.

She said she almost instinctively went up and did the first thing she thought of. She punched the bear’s face and scooped away her dog when it let go.

It all happened too fast to really think about but she had flashes of hearing about how some animals will back off from a punch to the nose, she said.

She said her boyfriend Regan O’Toole came out upon hearing the screaming. O’Toole said the bear already looked startled from being punched at that point. He said the animal went down the driveway and into the bushes to the mountain as he ran toward it.

via Juneau Empire

Other than a few scratches it seems that Fudge came through the ordeal okay and probably really thankful for having an owner like Brooke Collins.

Think you’re tough? Try punching a bear in the face. is a post from: The Inquisitr

On August 6, 2011 30 American soldiers where killed when the helicopter they were riding in was shot down in Afghanistan by Taliban fighters. One of those soldier’s was Navy SEAL U.S. Petty Officer 1st Class Jon T. Tumilson.

During the service honoring the soldier Tumlison’s dog, Hawkeye, walked up to the casket and laid down in front of it heaving a big sigh.

Tumlison’s cousin, Lisa Pembleton wrote on Facebook that Hawkeye was Tumlison’s loyal pet and refused to leave his side during the funeral. The following looping time lapse video was shot during the service.

Even in death a dog’s friendship is unwavering.

via Discovery and IsViral

If this doesn’t touch in your heart then you don’t have one is a post from: The Inquisitr

Remember that little do who ended up lost at sea for three weeks following the earthquake, and the tsunami that followed it?

Well it turns out that the dog, whose name is Ban, was reunited with her owner following an incredible rescue at sea,

Kleenex line-up at the left there folks.

via Geekosystem

Your Aww Moment of the Day – Tsunami Dag reunited with owner [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you too busy, too lazy or too scared to play with your dog? Or perhaps they love the rain and you just don’t. Whatever the case may be the Autofetch Motion Pet Ball makes it much easier for your pet to amuse themselves throughout the day.

The ball is operated by placing some of your dogs favorite treats in a hollow spot in the ball, then just letting plugging in two AAA batteries and letting the gyro-drive do the rest of the work, moving the ball throughout your house or yard as your pet attempts to free their treats.

Dog may be mans best friend, but the Autofetch might just well become your dogs best friend. [SlipperyBrick]

Autofetch Motion Pet Ball. The Perfect Gift For Lazy Dog Owners is a post from: The Inquisitr

Man’s best friend, the dog, has been an inseparable part of our world for a very long time. They are also great survivors under all kinds of conditions and this is no different in Moscow. As we all know dogs are pretty smart but the idea that the stray dogs in Moscow have figured out how to become modern day commuters is pretty amazing.

It appears that these stray dogs spend their nights in the suburban shelters that they have created from empty buildings and then travel the subway to the city center where their for scraps is more productive. they have done this after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train. They also have figured out how to pick the quietest carriages on the subway train.

Dr Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute. He said: “They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed. They do it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.”

The dogs have learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr Poiarkov. And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow. They sneak up behind people eating shawarmas — then bark loudly to shock them into dropping their food.

Source: Nothing To Do With Arbroath

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Moscow subway goes to the dogs [VIDEO] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Man oh man I wouldn’t want to be the one responsible for being careless with the Wii remote and killing the family puppy – that would really suck. Such is the case though in Marquette Michigan where Ozzy a five-month-old miniature Sheltie who got smacked with one of the Wii remotes. Kathy White the owner of Ozzy said that they had just gotten the Wii for Christmas and were playing a bowling game on it. Apparently the puppy got all excited watching them play and jumped up at the same time as she moved the remote and connected with the puppy’s temple. Bad luck in that this hit to the temple is what killed Ozzy instantly

Her first instinct was to call her neighbor, Pene Honey, for help.

“I was brushing my teeth and my husband handed me the phone,” said Honey, “and I put it to my face and it was Kathy and she was screaming that she killed Ozzy and to come over right now.”

Honey says she picked up the lifeless dog and felt for a pulse.

“I just waited to see if he would breath, and his heart was racing and racing and then it slowed and then just stopped, and that’s when I gave him a breath in his nose,” she said.

After four or five breaths, Honey says Ozzy coughed and woke up.

White then rushed him to the vet, where she found out he had severe brain swelling and was in cardiac arrest. After a couple weeks of recovery, White says he’s almost back to normal.

Source: WIS TV

Additional video on the station website

Puppy killed by Wii remote then revived by family is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is it a bird? is it a plane? No! It’s a pitbull stuck in your engine. This California man explains how he discovered the dog under the hood, complete with ugly-ass dog picture goodness.

Man Finds His Engine Has More Bark is a post from: The Inquisitr