Hero Dog Nominations, Canine Conservationists, First Indoguration, and More!
Calling All Heroes! Nominations Open for 2021 Hero Dog Awards
Hero Dog 2020 winner, MacKenzie, (aka “Kenzie” ) interacts with children at schools so they learn to be open minded toward animals and people with physical differences.
Know a hero dog? Now’s your chance to nominate him or her for a 2021 American Humane Hero Dog Award. Pooches may enter in one of seven categories - law enforcement and detection, military, therapy, service, search and rescue, shelter, and guide/hearing dogs – with a limit of one dog per household.
Nominations are free to submit and must include a photo of the dog plus a narrative description of 1,500 characters or less (please note that’s characters, not words). The deadline for nominations is noon on Tuesday, March 2. For details and a nomination form, visit HeroDogAwards.org
The best part? If they don’t win, they’ll still be just as awesome.
Super Sniffers: Canine Conservationists Have a Nose for Wildlife
At a WD4C facility, a four-year-old Labrador is being trained to sniff out the scent of a shark fin sample hidden in one of the canisters on this merry-go-round testing device. Photo © National Geographic, by Adam Ferguson
You’ve heard about dogs sniffing out drugs, bombs, and cancers? Now the nonprofit Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C) is harnessing that nose power to assist wildlife conservation researchers. With a sense of smell thought to be 1,000 to 10,000 times more acute than humans, these trained detection dogs have succeeded at nearly every task put before them, including distinguishing native trout species from invasive varieties - under water no less. They’ve also been put to work sniffing out larvae of invasive zebra mussels, as well as numerous endangered species, including Kincaid’s lupine, Fender’s blue butterfly, and the tiny San Joaquin kit fox.
A majority of WD4C’s dogs are rescues, but just one in 600 has the right combination of brains, stamina, confidence, and compatibility to make it as a pro wildlife sniffer. Hilo, one of WD4C’s star pups, came to the program after washing out of guide-dog training - plenty smart, but too curious and high-spirited for guide work. Now he spends his days ferreting out invasive wild hogs, providing a happy ending for everyone, except possibly the hogs.
Source: nationalgeographic.com
In Dog We Trust: Major’s Indoguration Brings in Bucks for Delaware Humane Association
The Delaware Humane Association and Pumpkin Pet Insurance joined forces for a virtual fundraising event in January to celebrate the Indoguration of Major Biden, the first-ever shelter pup to take up residence in the White House. The virtual party attracted more than 7,400 attendees and raised over $200,000 to help Major’s former shelter support homeless pets and provide essential relief for pet parents who are struggling financially during the pandemic.
Please note that, while Major is the first shelter dog to reside in the White House, he’s not the first rescue pup to live there. That honor belongs to Yuki, a small white terrier mix found abandoned at a Texas gas station by Lyndon Johnson’s daughter, Luci. LBJ and Yuki quickly became almost inseparable, according to the Presidential Pet Museum. When not attending cabinet meetings, Yuki swam in the White House pool, assisted with bill signings, and enjoyed “singing” with the president, all of which you can find documented on the museum’s website along with a ton of other fascinating presidential pet trivia. Who knew William McKinley had a parrot named Washington Post?
Sources: delawarehumane.org, presidentialpetmuseum.com
True Woof: Like Greyfriar’s Bobby With a Better Ending
A devoted dog recently spent days waiting outside a Turkish hospital where her owner was being treated. Boncuk, a white mixed breed, followed her human’s ambulance to the hospital and continued to make daily visits throughout his stay. The patient’s daughter tried bringing Boncuk home repeatedly, only to have the dog run back to the hospital.
Hospital security guards reported that Boncuk would arrive every day about 9am and stay until nightfall, poking her head in whenever the door opened, but not trying to enter. Hospital staff eventually started taking her human outside in a wheelchair for visits, and the two are now happily reunited at home. That’s what we call true love.
Source: theguardian.com
Best Way to Name a Dog?
Just KISS (Keep it Simple, Sweetheart)
Choosing a name for your dog doesn’t need to be complicated.
To avoid confusing your dog, one expert says you should begin with the right name, ideally a short one that starts with a sharp, distinct letter like ‘D,’ ‘T,’ or ‘K,’ which are easy sounds for dogs to learn. Also steer clear of names that sound similar to, or rhyme with, common dog commands like sit, stay, heel, no, or come (so no Kit, Kay, Neil, Beau, or Bum).
Already named your dog Mademoiselle Pamplemousse? We’re sure she’ll forgive you…it’s what dogs do.
Source: insider.com
Sweet! Ben & Jerry’s Goes to the Dogs
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, famed ice cream purveyor Ben & Jerry’s has launched Doggie Desserts, the company’s first frozen treats designed specifically for canines. The inaugural flavors - Pontch’s Mix, a peanut/pretzel combo, and Rosie’s Batch with pumpkin and cookies - are named after two real dogs in B&J’s office, a lovebug Frenchie and an affable rescue mutt of mixed heritage.
As a dog-friendly workplace, Ben & Jerry’s Vermont headquarters may have up to 40 pups curled up under desks at any given time. Sounds like coffee breaks just got a lot sweeter for everyone.
Source: apnews.com
Not on Our Watch:
SF SPCA Takes a Stand on Vacaville K9 Abuse
A good samaritan was able to capture the horrific scene of a C+Vacaville officer beating his K9 partner.
Bay Area dog lovers were horrified when video surfaced in early January showing a Vacaville police officer straddling and punching his K9 partner. The dog has since been removed from the unidentified officer’s home, though there’s still no word on how or whether the officer himself has been disciplined.
Many local rescue organizations immediately fired off letters of protest to the Vacaville Police Department, including a strongly worded response from the San Francisco SPCA, which stated, in part: “Physically threatening or harming an animal is never acceptable, regardless of the animal’s behavior.” The SPCA underscored that violence should never be used in the name of training and once again debunked the “dominance” myth, instead promoting positive reinforcement.
Read the SF SPCA’s full response here.
According to Vacaville PD, the dog was examined by a vet and showed “no sign of distress or injury.” We hope that’s true - and that this has been a learning experience for all involved.
Source: sfgate.com