Amber's Big Dip, MLB's Newest Bat Dog, Lifeguard Poodle Makes a Splash, and More!
Amber had been missing for 36 days and had run over 100 miles before her big swim. photo: KS Angels’ Instagram
Amber's Big Dip:
Swimming Dog Saved From Shipping Channel
Talk about terrifying. A five-year-old Retriever mix named Amber was found frantically swimming in the middle of an English shipping channel last month, after having bolted from her foster home nearly 100 miles away. She'd been missing for over five weeks when the captain of a boat ferrying oil workers to a nearby island spotted what he thought was a seal struggling in the rough waters.
"I was absolutely gobsmacked," Captain Gary Bennett reported. "You don't see a dog swimming in the main shipping channels ever." As Amber desperately paddled toward the boat, he dropped down a ladder, which the terrified pup gripped with her paws, while trainee skipper Ethan Grant jumped into the harbor to haul her up. "She fell in and landed on me," Captain Bennett said. "She literally curled up in a ball on my lap and was so scared."
In fact, this wasn't Amber's first brush with fear. She'd started life on the streets of Qatar and spent five years in a Qatari shelter before being brought to England by KS Angels Rescue. Sam Collins and his wife, Kelly Parker, who run the organization, had spent more than a month searching for Amber after she disappeared from her English foster home, where she'd somehow managed to scale an eight-foot fence to escape. She was sighted more than 60 times during her 36 days on the run, but due to her fear of people no one was able to catch her before she was spotted awash in the channel.
Now back in foster care, Amber is in remarkably good shape after her ordeal and is warming up to humans as she awaits her forever home. "I was giving her a cuddle the other day, and she kept lifting up her leg for belly rubs," said Collins. Sounds like her watery adventure may have convinced Amber that people aren't so bad after all.
Source: Washington Post
Bruce, shown here as imagined by Adobe AI, was a big league hit with the fans of MLB’s Washington Nationals in a short but sweet debut. photo: AdobeStock AI
Take Me Out to the Ballgame:
Bat-Retrieving Pup Scores with the Nationals
A jaunty Golden Retriever named Bruce made his Major League Baseball debut last month, fetching bats for the Washington Nationals before their matchup with the Miami Marlins.
Bruce had been called up for his special one-night gig from the Rochester Red Wings, one of the Nationals' farm teams, where he's a regular fan favorite. Sporting a bandana with an MLB Debut patch, Bruce spent almost an hour on the field during the pre-game warm up, showing off his bat retrieving skills and lapping up praise from admirers (no word on whether he talked anyone into scoring him some peanuts and Cracker Jack).
Sadly, the popular pup wasn't allowed to work during the actual game and was soon demoted back to Triple-A after his brief stand in the big leagues. But Bruce seemed fine with his return to the minors. Apparently even dogs know there's no crying in baseball.
Source: AP News
Nilo is a new recruit and a standout as the only Standard Poodle on the squad. photo: AdobeStock
Cast Against Type:
Lifeguard Poodle Makes a Splash
In other sporting news, a Standard Poodle named Nilo has been making waves as the newest rescue dog on a beach near Malaga, Spain. The fluffy, white two-year-old recently joined a squad of four Labrador Retrievers, helping human lifeguards tow hapless swimmers back to shore.
Typically, Spain's dog rescue squads are staffed by Labs or Newfoundlands so the stylish Nilo has made quite a splash in his new role. But it shouldn't be that surprising. In fact, Poodles were originally a German breed whose name comes from the German word "puddelin" meaning to splash. Strong swimmers, the breed was historically used for hunting, retrieval, and water rescue in northern European lakes, where the dogs’ thick coats helped protect them from the cold.
Luckily, cold isn't a problem in southern Spain where Nilo now patrols the beach, swimming with perfect strokes and using his tail like a rudder, according to his trainer. But he does have to submit to regular slatherings of sunscreen to protect his pale white snout. No lobster face for this savvy beach pup!
Source: reuters.com
Panda is said to have shown emotional range on screen. photo: © Soraya Ursine Woopets
The Envelope, Please...
Icelandic Sheepdog Fetches Palm Dog Award
ICYMI among all the film news from Cannes, this year's Palm Dog award went to a fetching black-and-white Icelandic Sheepdog named Panda for her role in The Love That Remains, a drama about parents separating.
As the real-life dog of film director Hlynur Pálmason, you might think Panda had an edge in the casting. But the judges insist nepotism never influenced their decision to give her the top prize, lauding the pup's performance as "the heart of the film."
Unfortunately, Panda's busy schedule kept her from attending the awards ceremony in person (in canine?). In her stead, she sent a double named Lola who seemed more than happy to accept the award on Panda's behalf, along with lavish pats from starstruck admirers.
But Panda wasn't the only pup to take home a prize from the 25th annual Palm Dog awards. This year's Grand Jury Award went to Pipa, a Jack Russell, and Lupita, a Podenca mix, for their combined work in Sirât, a film about a father searching for his missing daughter in the Moroccan desert. Not to be outdone, Hippo the Dachshund scored a special "Mutt Moment" prize for her short (ahem) but memorable scene in Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgard.
Were there any reports of pee accidents on the red carpet this year? If so, we'll never tell. That's one close up no one needs to see.
Source: nbcnews.com
Take caution with the summer’s pending heat waves. photo: AdobeStock
Summer Safety Checklist:
Heat Stroke and Other Dangers
Finally, a friendly reminder that July is upon us - and that heat stroke and other summer dangers are real.
Dogs can dehydrate quickly, especially those with flat faces who can't pant very effectively, such as Shih Tzus, Pugs, Bull Dogs, and Boston Terriers. Older pets, those who are overweight, or those with heart or lung diseases are also highly susceptible to heat stroke and should be kept indoors, cool, and hydrated as much as possible when outside temperatures soar.
But even healthy young dogs can suffer deadly heat stroke so it's important to know the warning signs of canine overheating. These include:
Excessive panting or difficulty breathing;
Disorientation;
Increased heart rate;
Excessive drooling;
Weakness;
Collapse or loss of consciousness;
Seizure;
Bloody diarrhea or vomiting.
If your dog shows any of the above signs, take the following actions immediately:
Move your dog to a cooler area.
Offer cool water, but don't force it.
Wet your dog with a cool water-soaked towel or in a cool bath.
If possible, check your dog's rectal temperature. A dog's normal body temperature is between 100 and 102.5 degrees. A rectal temp above 103 degrees is abnormal and above 106 degrees is dangerous. Monitor the temperature every 10 minutes as you cool your dog.
Contact your veterinarian immediately about next steps.
Unfortunately, heat stroke isn't the only danger out there in the summer months so be sure you're familiar with these other lifesaving dos and don'ts.
Never leave your dog in a parked car. Even with the windows cracked in the shade, a car's interior temperature can turn deadly in minutes. Dogs can only withstand a high body temperature for a very short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage, or death. Don't take the chance!
Never leave your dog unsupervised around a pool or other body of water. Do not allow them to drink pool water, which may contain chlorine or other chemicals, and remember to rinse off any chlorine or salt from their coat after swimming.
When it's hot out, keep walks to the early morning or late evening hours to avoid burned paw pads and overheating.
Don't shave long-haired dogs. A summer trim is fine but leave enough hair to protect from overheating and sunburn.
Keep an eye out for rodenticides and insecticides, including citronella candles, tiki torch products, and insect coils, and be sure any sunscreens or insect repellents used on your dog are specifically labeled for use on canines. If your dog does come in contact with any poisonous substance, call your vet immediately or contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
Remember, dogs aren't always able to know what's dangerous for them - that's up to you and your big human brain. So use common sense, take care of your pooch, and have a safe summer together.
Source: nola.com