Canine Detectives, Grumpy Pups, the Dogs of Chernobyl, and More
Lieutenant John Tadlock and Sheldon, photo: State Farm/Heather Paul
Sniffing Out Crime:
Service Dog Dropout Turns Ace Arson Detective
Sheldon, a black Lab/Retriever mix, started service dog training in Michigan several years ago, only to flunk out of the program after being too easily distracted by scents. Luckily, the ace sniffer soon found his calling with the State Farm Arson Dog Program, where he proved his worth tracking down fuel and accelerants used in arson fires.
In 2019, Sheldon was placed with Lieutenant John Tadlock of the Saginaw Fire Department near Fort Worth, Texas, becoming the department’s first accelerant detection canine serving the greater Fort Worth area. When off duty, he lives with Tadlock at his home, where he’ll also spend his golden years once he retires from the force.
According to FEMA, accelerant detection canines (or ADCs) have a sense of smell 100,000 times more acute than a human’s and can cover an entire fire scene in just 30 minutes – all without prejudice, bias, or judgment. Needless to say, they’re also fabulous community ambassadors for fire safety and prevention. Who doesn’t want to meet a wagging detective in a handsome fur coat?
Sources: people.com, usfa.fema.gov
Researchers in Hungary defined a group of dog behaviors they were studying as “grumpy,” because they have this grumpy attitude.” photo: Carsten Rehder/picture alliance via Getty Images
Too Cool for School:
Are Grumpy Dogs Smarter Learners?
A recent Hungarian study found dogs with grumpy personality characteristics (quick to bark, won’t come when called, readily snarl or snap when disturbed, possessive, etc.) were actually able to learn better from strangers than dogs with more easygoing personalities.
Both grumpy and agreeable dogs performed about the same when they had to figure out how to gain access to a desired object or treat or when their owners showed them how to do it. But the grumpy dogs were more attentive and learned noticeably faster than their chummy counterparts when a stranger demonstrated how to get the object.
Trainers have long recognized that dogs who are too energetic to make good family pets may excel at tasks like herding or guard dog work. Could be grumpy pups just haven’t found the right job yet.
Source: nytimes.com
Despite living in an area where humans are still largely excluded for safety, the dogs around Chernobyl are thriving photo: Chernobyl Guards/Jonathon Turnbull
The Dogs of Chernobyl:
Hope in a Radioactive World
When the Chernobyl nuclear disaster hit in 1986, tens of thousands of evacuees were ordered to leave their beloved pets behind. Soviet soldiers shot many of the animals, but some hid and survived. Thirty-five years later, descendants of these abandoned dogs roam the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, risking radioactive contamination, wolf attacks, wildfires, and starvation as they go about their daily business.
Visitors are advised not to touch the dogs in case they’re carrying radioactive dust on their fur (different areas of the Exclusion Zone have various levels of contamination, and it’s impossible to know where the dogs have been). But some kind-hearted guards at the site are now helping to care for the dogs. One guard even calls them his “assistants,” saying they’ll alert him if a stranger or wild animal is near.
No matter how grim the circumstances, the connection between dogs and humans at Chernobyl is unmistakable. “They give us joy,” says a guard. “For me personally, this is a kind of symbol of the continuation of life in this radioactive, post-apocalyptic world.”
The Clean Futures Fund, a nonprofit that finances humanitarian aid projects, is currently raising money to help support the dogs of Chernobyl. For more information, visit http://cleanfutures.org
Sources: bbc.com, csmonitor.com
Snuggle Your Stress Away:
Therapy Dogs Give Lasting Benefits
An earlier study of college students and therapy animals showed that just 10 minutes of cuddling with a therapy dog (okay, or cat) resulted in a noticeable drop in students’ stress levels. Now, a new Washington State University study shows the relief conferred by therapy animals can have even longer lasting benefits.
Published just last month, this three-year study found that students at the greatest risk for stress enjoyed marked improvement while participating in the pet therapy program, and these improvements remained for at least six weeks after the program ended.
Of course, it probably took that long for study participants to get the dog hair off their hoodies.
Source: apple.news
A Chihuahua on his way to a long life. photo: Getty Images
Who’s an Old Boy?
Longest Living Dogs By Breed
The hardest part of loving a dog is having to say goodbye. If you’re looking to put off that rainbow bridge crossing as long as possible, these breeds are your best bets for longevity: Chihuahua (14-18 years), Dachshund (12-16 years), Labrador Retriever (10-12 years), Beagle (10-15 years), Mixed Breed (varies), Pomeranian (12-16 years), Pug (up to 15 years), and Toy Poodle (up to 18 years).
However long or short your time together, remember to cherish each day. In fact, doesn’t someone need a tummy rub right now?
Source: southernliving.com