Westminster Dog Show Rides Again, Nanuq’s Frozen Adventure, Pup Art Abroad, and More!
photo: Westminster Dog Show
Best In Show: Make It a Double Feature
Even though our heart belongs to a rescue mutt, we just can’t resist the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, happening May 6-9 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
The Group Judging and Best in Show events are slated for Tuesday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT, but if you’re a glutton for paw-nishment you can find the full streaming schedule here.
Better yet, warm up for the big night by watching Best in Show, Christopher Guest’s classic mockumentary featuring Jennifer Coolidge, Eugene Levy, and Catherine O’Hara among others, currently streaming on Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Instant Video. In the immortal words of Gerry and Cookie, “God loves a terrier!”
Source: westminsterkennelclub.org
Nanuq rejoins his family and all is right with the world. photo: Mandy Iworrigan
Can Your Dog Do This? Alaskan Pup Survives 166-Mile Adventure
Here’s a lost dog story that’s hard to beat. Nanuq, a one-year-old Australian Shepherd, was reunited with his family after surviving a mystery trip across more than 150 miles of frozen Bering Sea ice.
Nanuq’s family lives in Gambell, Alaska, but had been visiting friends in Savoonga, on another Bering Sea island, when Nanuq disappeared. About a month later, people in Wales, AK – 166 miles northeast of Savoonga on Alaska’s west coast - started posting pictures online of a lost dog who was a dead ringer for the missing pup.
After confirming his identity, owner Mandy Iworrigan used airline points to get Nanuq back to Gambell on a charter that was transporting student athletes for the Bering School District’s Native Olympics tournament.
Other than sporting a couple bites from an unidentified animal, Nanuq returned in good shape, though the details of his adventure will probably never be known. “I have no idea why he ended up in Wales,” Iworrigan said. “Maybe the ice shifted while he was hunting.”
And how did he survive for a month in the wild? “I'm pretty sure he ate leftovers of a seal or caught a seal,” she said. “Probably birds, too. He eats our Native foods. He’s smart.”
Source: people.com
Painting 19 (1995) © David Hockney / Richard Schmidt Collection / The David Hockney Foundation
Framed! Pup Art Pops Up in London
If your vacation plans include a jaunt across the pond this summer, here’s a show you won’t want to miss. “Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney” is already drawing pup art fans to the London-based Wallace Collection.
In fact, the oldest pieces in the show predate Gainsborough by a couple millennia. Two marble sculptures featuring Vertragus dogs, believed to be the Celtic ancestors of modern Greyhounds, were actually created in the late first century.
Besides famous artists’ renderings of their own beloved pooches, the show features some gorgeous dog portraits commissioned by wealthy patrons of the past, and even a few dog sketches made by the late Queen Victoria. Who knew Her Majesty was a dab hand with the charcoal pencil?
“Portraits of Dogs” runs at the Wallace Collection through October 15.
Source: smithsonianmag.com
Will “Fred” soon appear atop the list of most popular dog names? photo: AdobeStock
Roll Over, Rover:
Human Monikers Bump Classic Dog Names
When was the last time you met a dog named Fido? Or Bowser? Or even Lassie?
If you said never, a new survey shows you’re not alone. An analysis of 400,000 dog names compiled by Camp Bow Wow shows the current top 10 dog names have all been repurposed from humans.
In descending order of popularity, that list includes Luna, Bella, Charlie, Daisy, Lucy, Cooper, Max, Bailey, Milo, and Sadie. Recent data from the Social Security Administration shows six of these also rank in the top 100 baby names for human kids.
But fashion being what it is, expect the pendulum to swing back any minute now. Who knows? In a dog park full of Coopers, Spot may be the newest cool dude around.
Source: today.com
Making sure your pal is up to date on their vaccines can be a lifesaver. photo: AdobeStock
It’s a Stick Up! Time to Check Your Pup’s Vaccines
With the warmer months upon us, just a friendly reminder to make sure your best pal’s vaccinations are up to date. The rabies vaccine is required by law in nearly all states, of course, but if your dog is spending more time outdoors the chances of getting a bite or scratch from an infected wild animal can rise along with the temperatures. So double check that tag now.
Depending where you live and what your summer plans entail, you’ll also want to ask your vet about shots for Lyme disease, leptospirosis, distemper, canine parvovirus (CPV), and kennel cough (the latter is especially important if you’ll be boarding your pup during any upcoming vacations).
Like your grandmother always said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of super expensive vet bills, not to mention the unbearable weight of those sad puppy dog eyes. So take care of that friend who depends on you and book your appointment now.
Source: dvm360.com