Chihuahuas from across the country will compete this Labor Day weekend at the 4th annual PETCO Unleashed races, where one winner will be crowned “America’s Fastest Chihuahua.”
15 top tiny racers each won regional races in their hometowns this year, and represent Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Orange County, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Visit www.petco.com/petcounleashed to learn more about each finalist.
The tiny racers will be brought together in front of thousands of roaring Chihuahua and baseball fans between innings of a San Diego Padres baseball game at PETCO Park on Sunday, August 31, after the game’s first inning.
The PETCO Unleashed championship race will determine whether last year’s winner, 3-year-old Maddy of New York City, will retain or lose her title. The grand prize winner will receive bragging rights, a trophy, a one-year supply of Royal Canin Chihuahua dog food and a $300 PETCO gift card. Prizes will also be awarded for second and third place.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Looking for America's Fastest Chihuahua
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Fearless puppy scares off 3 bears in NJ back yard
A 15-pound cocker spaniel-poodle mix named Pawlee scared off a mother bear and her two cubs Sunday morning after they strayed into his owners' back yard.
Whether his bark was worse than his bite, Pawlee's tactic worked just fine. These three bears got the hint and took off.
"We had just let him out for the morning and he ran into the yard and started barking his head off," owner Fran Osiason said.
Osiason said her 9-year-old son, Jacob, went outside to see what the commotion was about and came running back in to report there were bears in the yard.
She was worried that the mother would come after Pawlee to protect her cubs, but the pugnacious pup, just 8 months old, had other plans.
His barking drove the two cubs up a tree, and they eventually climbed down and hopped over a fence with their mother and retreated into the woods.
Source: AP
Monday, August 25, 2008
Dog Saves Abandoned Baby
A newborn baby abandoned outdoors in winter by her 14-year-old mother was found safe in a dog pen with a mother dog and her brood of puppies near the city of La Plata.
The dog's owner, Fabio Anze, found the naked baby girl on Thursday, being kept warm among his dog China's puppies. Anze called the police and the baby was taken to a hospital.
Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero hospital, told television and newspaper reporters that the baby was just a few hours old when she was found, and was in good health although she had some bruises.
Nighttime temperatures are chilly but not freezing in the Southern Hemisphere winter in the rural area around La Plata, 40 miles south of Buenos Aires.
Police said they had located the 14-year-old girl who gave birth to the baby outdoors during the night.
It was not clear whether the mother left her baby in the dog's pen or whether the dog found the baby outdoors and carried it in to join her puppies.
Source: Reuters
Thursday, August 21, 2008
An 'Angel' to the rescue
Six orange tabby kittens were rescued because of the keen senses of Angel, a boxer/pit bull mix, who was recently surrendered to the Nevada Humane Society.
Frank Gomez and his 9-year-old stepson, Joel Fontes, have been regular volunteers at Nevada Humane Society this summer. The pair were volunteering on Monday, walking their favorite dog. Angel, a 2-year-old dog that came to the Humane Society's shelter after her owners moved without taking her along.
The walk was brisk, but was interrupted when Angel became obsessed with something in the bushes.
Gomez assumed it was Angel's inquisitive personality at play and didn't take it seriously.
But Angel refused to give up and Gomez discovered six 3-week-old orange tabby kittens in a box where they were abandoned.
Humane society staff were summoned, but not before one of the kittens escaped from the box. After returning to the scene, Angel led Gomez to the lost kitten, who picked her up and handed her over to safety.
(via L.A.Unleashed)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Blue dog
Sixty bodypainters from around the world converged on the German city of Mainz for the Fifth International Bodypainting Festival.
Although the other models were human, one lucky dog got in on the action.
Photo: Torsten Silz / Getty Photo
Source: Spiegel online
Sirius, K-9 hero
Police K9 Sirius was a bomb detection dog with the NY/NJ Port Authority Police Department. He and his partner, Police Officer David Lim, were assigned to the World Trade Center.
The morning of September 11, 2001, Sirius and Officer Lim were at their Port Authority Police Station in the basement of the World Trade Center's Tower Two. When Officer Lim heard the sound of an explosion, he thought a bomb had gone off inside the building, and he commented to Sirius, " ... one must have gotten by us."
Thinking he'd be more effective freehanded, Officer Lim left Sirius in his kennel telling him, "I'll be back to get you." as he rushed off to help with the rescue effort. At that time, he couldn't think of a safer place for his canine companion to be than in the basement while he was up doing the rescues.
Officer Lim didn't make it back though; he became trapped in the falling debris of Tower One and wasn't pulled out until more than five hours later. Sirius, however, perished in the tragedy, leaving Officer Lim without his faithful partner.
"He was very special," Officer Lim has been quoted as saying. "All dogs go home with us, so not only was he my partner, but he was also my pet and my friend." The bond between a K-9 and his master is special, and while David realizes the human tragedy will overshadow the death of his dog, he still misses Sirius. "We were very close; no matter where I went, he went. Whatever I asked him to do, he did. He never complained. Sometimes we'd be working for long hours, searching hundreds of cars or trucks, and he'd just look at me like, 'What do you want me to do now?' " Read more at Sirius' memorial page at Rainbow Bridge.
Sirius was the only police dog to die in the collapse of the World Trade Center after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross by the British Embassy in Manhattan.
On April 24, 2002, more than 200 people and K-9 units from around the country gathered in Jersey City, NJ, at Liberty State Park, to pay tribute and to honor K-9 Sirius. In attendance were more than 100 police dogs and their partners. The service included a 21-gun salute, bagpipes, the reading of a poem by a school teacher from Illinois and plenty of barking.
Sirius is the only police dog to die in the Port Authority's 80-year history. Read more about the Memorial Service to Sirius.
"Salute to Sirius"© 2002 by
Debbie Stonebraker, Artist,
from Foley, Missouri
Privately commissioned by Sandee Nastasi of Long Island,
as a gift to the NY/NJ Port Authority Police Department K-9 Unit
P.O. Lim received a smaller water color version of the painting
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dog fight in the Bronx
The fight over a tiny purebred Yorkie is brewing in the Bronx.
One family, which lost the dog, says another family wrongfully changed her micro-chip registration, and refuses to return her home.
Kylea Lester says it should be an open and shut case: a family dog lost in June, and then found by a total stranger in a Laundromat, all on video.
"That's my dog," Lester said.
But a street encounter with that stranger a few weeks ago led to a confrontation, which then led to harassment, petty larceny, and other charges being filed against Kylea.
The Lesters have Ivy's original AKC papers, vet bills, and a matching serial number to a microchip implanted in the dog's neck. But records show a woman identified as Deneen Williams now has her name on Ivy's chip registration.
The Bronx DA's office, which is moving forward with its criminal case against Kylea, says its investigation is ongoing.
Source: wcbstv.com
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Helmets for dogs
Designed with safety and comfort in mind, "The Helmet" can protect a pet's head from wind, windblown objects and other irritants when riding on a motorcycle, in a car, truck or boat.
Available in: "Bone" White, "Wet Nose" Black & "Panting" Pink.
$26.95 at Hunter k9 Gear
(via South Bay Pets)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Video: Celebrity Dogs
Created by Poll the People, a video of dogs dressed as popular celebs such as Kanye West and Madonna!
Watch video
Friday, August 8, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
"Spray on the Bay" in Erie, PA
Are you an artist, or an artistic person, close to Erie, PA? Want to try your hand at fire hydrant decorating?
Therapy Dogs United, Inc. is proud to announce its partnership with the Erie Water Works to bring "Spray on the Bay" to Downtown Erie. This is Erie's first-ever beautification project that will transform the city's system of fire hydrants into decorative art. If you're an artist, and would like an application, call their office today, at (814) 456-DOGS! Hydrant designs will be sponsored by local businesses. For a pricing schedule, call or Email pat@therapydogsunited.org
Oscar the Grouch (shown above) was painted by local artist Ben Raymond. You can see Oscar for yourself - he's located at the corner of West 5th and State Street in front of Al DeLuca's Variety. Oscar was sponsored by Werkbot Studios - an Erie-based web design and host company (www.werkbot.com)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The first cloned pet
An American woman blinked back tears of joy Tuesday as she cuddled puppies cloned in South Korea from her beloved former pit bull terrier.
"This is a miracle," said Bernann McKinney from Hollywood in California, hugging five clones of Booger at Seoul National University's veterinary school.
RNL Bio, the company which arranged the re-creation of Booger through his refrigerated ear tissue, hailed the event as the world's first commercial cloning of a pet dog. The company originally charged $150,000 to clone Booger, but it agreed to come down to $50,000 to celebrate what it calls the first commercial deal for a pet dog.
Well, she got 5 puppies - so that's "only" $10,000 each.
What do you think, worth it?
Source: Korea Times
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Rachael Ray caters to dogs
Celebrity chef Rachael Ray is launching a new line of premium dog food.
Rachael Ray Nutrish features two varieties of all-natural pooch chow recipes, which have been both named after and developed for Ray's own four-legged friend, her pit bull Isaboo.
Proceeds from the products will be donated to Rachael's Rescue, an organization that helps at-risk animals through the adoption process.
"I love my dog Isaboo, and as a member of my family, I need to make sure that she eats as well as the rest of us," Ray gushes. "With the launch of Nutrish, I now have the opportunity to share with other pet lovers some of her favorite meals, flavors and special treats."
Those favorites include the somewhat cloyingly named treats Isaboo Booscotti and Isaboo Grill Bites.
(via E)
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Golden retriever adopts tiger cubs
A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had problems with them.
A day later, the mother stopped caring for them. The cubs were wandering around, trying to find their birth mother, who wouldn't pay attention to them. That's when the cubs were put in the care of Isabella, a golden retriever.
Source: Yahoo News
