Dogs Saving People, People Saving Dogs, A Healthier Look for Frenchies, and More!

Henry the Hero! photo: Kelly Andrew, @KayAyDrew

Heroic Henry:
Terrier Alerts Parents to Breathless Baby

“Henry has spent the last two days being treated like the king of the castle, which—if I’m honest—is no different than any other day.” photo: Kelly Andrew, @KayAyDrew

Everyone knows how dogged Terriers can be, but did you know this breed trait can save a life? That’s what happened recently when an eight-year-old Boston Terrier named Henry came to the rescue of a 9-month-old baby who was struggling to breathe.

Jeff and Kelly Dowling had put their infant daughter down for the night when Henry began acting strangely, repeatedly head-butting his way into the nursery and rousing the baby. The parents tried shooing him away, but Henry persisted, at which point they discovered the baby was having trouble breathing and starting to turn blue. Thanks to Henry, they were able to rush her to the hospital where doctors quickly cleared her airways. “I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t woken her,” said mom Kelly.

While Henry is taking his newfound hero status in stride, his humans can’t thank him enough. “We’re definitely spoiling him a little bit more,” said relieved dad Jeff. “He’s got a steak in his future.”

Source: goodmorningamerica.com 

Jessie Lee was reunited with her owners, thanks to the quick thinking and rappelling skills of the Animal Control Officer. photo: Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region

Above and Beyond:
Daring Animal Control Officer Rappels to Save Stranded Pup

A Colorado pup named Jessie Lee had been missing for two weeks when she was discovered huddled on a small ledge 150 feet above a creek. In a feat of daring, a local animal control officer anchored herself to a fence and rappelled down to the stranded animal. But as the dog began crawling toward her rescuer, the ground started to give way beneath her. Acting quickly, the officer was able to place a catchpole around the dog’s neck and shoulders to pull her to safety, while another officer lowered a second rope to provide a makeshift dog harness and hauled both of them back up.

After the hair-raising rescue, officers identified Jessie Lee by her microchip and tag and reunited her with her grateful humans, who had been searching for her for days.

How did she get on the ledge in the first place? Jessie Lee isn’t telling.

Source: usnews.com 

Humans can reverse problems caused by overbreeding. photo: Sylv Lettal, Getty Images

A Healthier Look for Frenchies? Only Humans Can Reverse Problems Caused By Overbreeding, Study Finds

A recent study by Britain’s Royal Veterinary College (RVC) involving over 2,700 French Bulldogs and nearly 22,000 other dogs found that overbreeding has put Frenchies at a “worryingly higher” risk of a number of serious disorders including obstructed airways, skin fold dermatitis, ear problems, breathing issues, and difficulty giving birth.

Researchers found many of these disorders were closely associated with the “conformational extremes” that have come to define the breed and recommended shifting toward a “more moderate phenotype” to reduce serious health issues for Frenchies.

The study also underscored the key role members of the public play in shifting demand to a more moderate – and healthier – look for Frenchies.

"Achieving meaningful changes to the typical look of French Bulldogs over time requires buy in from breeders and kennel clubs who publish breeding standards,” said Dr. Dan O’Neill of the RVC. “But the biggest responsibility lies with owners who ultimately can demand dogs with more moderate features.”

Wouldn’t you rather breathe than conform to someone else’s idea of cute?

Full study here: cgejournal.biomedcentral.com
Source: countryliving.com

Barb Davenport, K-9 program manager for the Washington Department of Corrections, poses with Ghost. photo: Washington Department of Corrections

The Right Pup for the Job: Deaf Dog Debuts as Drug Detective

A feisty Pit mix named Ghost is making history as the first hearing-impaired dog to become a certified narcotics-detection canine in Washington State. And handler Joe Henderson thinks it’s possible the deaf pup may even be the first in the nation.

Found abandoned on the street as a youngster, Ghost had already burned through two shelters before being taken in by Barb Davenport, K-9 manager for the Washington Department of Corrections. Davenport and Henderson spent roughly 250 hours training Ghost, relying on a mild vibration collar to get his attention and then communicating with hand signals.

Not only is his heightened sense of smell a plus in his new career, but Ghost’s hearing loss turns out to be an advantage in noisy correctional facilities. “All the offenders whistle and bang on stuff and try to distract the dog but that doesn’t affect this dog,” Henderson says of Ghost. “This dog doesn’t know the difference. It works out absolutely perfectly.”

Henderson notes that no-kill shelters are crucial for recruiting dogs like Ghost who are hard to place but full of potential. “Once you give them a job, they’re excellent at it,” he says. “Without a job, they’re kind of lost.

Source: goodmorningamerica.com

There’s a new dog in the White House - meet Commander! photo via President Biden’s Facebook

Meet Commander: New First Pup Romps Into Top Job

President and First Lady Joe and Jill Biden recently welcomed new first pup Commander, an adorable young German Shepherd just under four months old. The certified cutie was a birthday gift from the president’s brother and sister-in-law, and he is already melting hearts on both sides of the aisle.

As you may recall, the Bidens lost their oldest dog, Champ, last June at age 13, and their younger adoptee, Major, proved a bit too rambunctious for public life in a busy White House. After two nipping incidents, much remedial training, and ongoing consultations with dog trainers, vets, and animal behaviorists, the Bidens reluctantly decided to follow the experts’ recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with close family friends.

Commander won’t be the only new cuteness ambassador on the D.C scene. Jill Biden’s press secretary confirms that a female cat is set to join the family in January.

Source: npr.org