Friday Fun Post: Puppy Ambush

This male Airedale is babysitting some Scottie pups.  He seems interested in playing with one or two, but he is quickly overwhelmed.  He says, "Oh my god, they are all over me!"



Did you know this is part of my new feature, The Friday Fun Post!?  I get nearly as many funny videos sent to me as I get news tips, so I guess my audience wants to see the lighter side of the dog world too.  I will still stick to the serious business of dog news on most days, but check back here on Fridays for something fun! If you have a fun or adorable video to share, email it to Scoop@DailyDogScoop.com 

Friday Fun Post: Corgi Belly Flop!

This one has been making the rounds in the dogosphere, but it is perfect for this summer heat!

Such grace:



Did you know this is part of my new feature, The Friday Fun Post!?  I get nearly as many funny videos sent to me as I get news tips, so I guess my audience wants to see the lighter side of the dog world too.  I will still stick to the serious business of dog news on most days, but check back here on Fridays for something fun! If you have a fun or adorable video to share, email it to Scoop@DailyDogScoop.com 

Friday Fun Post: Dog attacks dandelion (dog wins)

Announcing a new semi-regular feature: The Friday Fun Post!  I get nearly as many funny videos sent to me as I get news tips, so I guess my audience wants to see the lighter side of the dog world too.  I will still stick to the serious business of dog news on most days, but if you need a daily dose of cute animal videos, be sure to bookmark YourDailyCute.com! Otherwise, check back here on Fridays for something fun!



If you have a fun or adorable video to share, email it to Scoop@DailyDogScoop.com

Not "just a dog"

I would never call my person "just a person."  She is MY person, and she is a special and irreplaceable part of my life.  But plenty of people refer to me and my four legged friends as "just a dog." I feel bad for those people because they only think that because they have never had the chance to share their life with a dog.  My friends over at Life with Dogs have put together this beautiful video to explain this phenomenon it to others.  They explain that some of a human's happiest and saddest moments can occur with or because of "just a dog." Sometimes "just a dog" will provide the comfort that no one else could give.  Of the other beautiful things in your life, would you say "just a promise" "just a friend" or "just a sunrise"?  We would never say that about our own person or anyone else's person.  My cousin Lily is pictured here. Her smiling face, giant tongue and sweet sweet temperament make her so much more than "just a dog" to my grandparents.


My person has since downloaded this song from iTunes: Lissie /Everywhere I go

Rolling Dog Ranch

Rolling Dog Ranch is this amazing sanctuary in Blackfoot River Valley of western Montana. It is the one and only animal sanctuary of its kind--they cater to disabled pets. They have 60 animals right now, and 40 of them are blind. The couple that started Rolling Dog Ranch knew that animals with disabilities deserve a second chance too. Steve Smith, the cofounder, puts it this way: "They don't feel sorry for themselves. They don't want you to feel sorry for them. They just want a chance to get on with life and enjoy themselves."

Sarah Ause, the staff photographer at Best Friends Animal Society recently made a visit up there and documented their work. Don't miss the amazing slideshow of her visit here. Be sure to read Sarah's full story that accompanies the slide show to learn more about pet blindness and the amazing hearts of the founders of Rolling Dog Ranch.

You can also read more about Rolling Dog Ranch, and offer your support, by visiting their website.

Keep the faith

Animal Planet's Underdog to Wonderdog program got a call about a dog named Faith who was having trouble finding a home. Faith is a german shepherd/rottie pup that has limited use of her rear legs, but still managed to scoot around. Yet, her severe limitations made her a tough case for adoption, and in many circumstances, she would have been euthanized. This team was not going to give up on this girl. The team was able to get all kinds of help for Faith, including water therapy, where she amazingly learned how to stand on all fours on her own for short periods of time. Faith did a lot of hard work, and took agility classes and now gets along great with the help of a set of wheels, and has a home! Check out the adorable video about Faith on the Animal Planet website. (You have to watch a 30 second ad at the beginning of the video, but it is worth it).

Wags to my friends at HandicappedPets.com for the tip!

Storm drain pups rescued

If there is one thing that dogs can count on, it is firefighters! This mama dog was just looking for a quiet place to have her pups, but it turned out that a storm drain was not the best choice. The pups were stuck, and mama was distressed, but the local fire department in Tulsa, Oklahoma came to the rescue. All twelve (!!!) pups got out safely, and are staying with a local vet until they are old enough to find homes. Check out the video from AP:

Unlikely best buds

Surya is an orangutan, and he found an unlikely

best bud in Roscoe the dog. Roscoe was a stray

and after meeting Surya, decided he wanted to

come live with him in this orangutan sanctuary.

Now they play together all the time, roll in the

grass, go swimming, or just cuddle.

Check out the fantastic video story

from National Geographic:

Popeye the Dog

Popeye is an extra special two legged pooch

with an amazing spirit. He has plenty of fun

on his two legs and makes wheelchairs look

fun too! He runs around and plays just like any

other member of the pack. Plus he just seems like

a happy little guy!

Can you believe he doesn't have a forever home? Go

to his website if you are interested in adopting him,

or if you just want to see more pictures and read about

his whole story.

Watch the video (My person told me to warn you that

you might get teary eyed):

UPDATE: Video is loading slowly for some people...if you

are having trouble, try watching it here.

A long way from home

Muffy was lost from her home in Australia nine years ago. Her family had thought she was long gone, until a shelter 1,200 miles away gave them a call. Muffy had been microchipped, so after she was discovered, the shelter folks were able to track down her family. Muffy is recovering in an animal hospital right now, but is getting on a plane soon to be reunited with her family. I bet they will be all wags when she finally makes it home!

Do dogs have morals?

Scientists at Harvard are working to understand the dog's sense of morality. They need volunteers to help out, so if you live in the Boston area, consider signing up for the betterment of human understanding dogkind. Read more about the Harvard Canine Cognition Lab and their research program.

Saved from a 7-foot gator!

This Wheaten Terrier Mandy found herself in the jaws of a 7-foot gator in her own back yard. Yikes! His owner didn't run away, but ran to the gator to save his best friend. He used his hands to pry open the jaws of the gator, and Mandy got away with minor injuries. Mandy's person lost two fingers in the ordeal, but says he would do it again if he had to. What a hero!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Tuesday's Tuesday story

This service dog is so special that he got his own iconic grainy image published in the Wall Street Journal! What makes him so newsworthy is that he is serving the growing need for service dogs for soldiers returning from war with PTSD. I just wrote about this a few weeks ago, but this is another really special story.

This dog, named Tuesday, reminds retired veteran, Luis Carlos Montalvan, to take his medicine, helps to keep him calm in crowds, and break him out of bad moments when he is having hallucinations or thinking about suicide. Tuesday knows over 80 commands!

What makes Tuesday extra special is that he was trained in the program of Puppies Behind Bars, where prisoners work to train service dogs. In turn the dogs often help the prisoners turn their own lives around. The WSJ story also tells the story of the prisoner who trained Tuesday while in prison and now trains dogs since being released.

Check out this video to see Luis's story and watch Tuesday hard at work:

An elephant's best friend

Earlier this year, CBS aired a story about a dog and elephant that were best buds: Tara and Bella. They were so close that when Bella (the dog) got sick, Tara (the elephant) waited for weeks outside the house Bella was staying in.

After the story aired, the owners of the elephant sanctuary were flooded with media requests, and Disney even wanted to make a movie about them. Despite the possibility of fame and fortune, The caretakers decided that it would be best just to let these animals be animals and let them maintain their friendship outside of the spotlight.

At least they let CBS in to film an update so that folks could still follow their inspirational story. Check it out below.

Today Show profiles senior dogs and pit bulls

Check out these great dogs profiled on the Today Show. Like most of us, these dogs have lots of love to give. Senior dogs are really special because they are nice and calm, and usually trained! Pit bulls are super-lovers, usually very wiggly, and good family dogs despite their bad rap.

These lucky shelter dogs got some much needed TLC before their Today Show debut so they could put their best paw forward! I hope they all find their forever homes soon, and kudos to the Today Show for promoting rescue of difficult to adopt seniors and pit bulls.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Insurance for the important stuff

Insurance is important, even for us dogs!

I worry about my stuff all the time,

but I know that my person's homeowner's

insurance covers me and my stuff.

Check out this great commercial from

Travelers Insurance, featuring music

from one of my person's favorite artists--

Ray LaMontagne!