Active Canines

He Knows How to Pick 'Em

Christian Science Monitor: 'Fairy dogmother' to a pit bull, 2008-May-1, by C.L. Votaw: The moment stretched out, and I started talking to him softly, but firmly: "What are you doing here all by yourself, huh? Where's your person?" He cocked his head and listened. "Hey, you're all covered with water and dirt. Are you the dog who's been racing around? What's going to happen to you?" The familiar chill of responsibility crept over me. Uh-oh! I didn't really want to get involved. So I turned on my heel and walked up the staircase to the parking lot, leaving the dog behind. About halfway up, I felt a furry breeze against my legs. The dog was now ahead of me, waiting at the top of the staircase. Learn the surprising happy ending.

See the Dog Heroes of the U.K.

Learn about Whizz who rescued his dog friend Topper, Jake who was on the scene of the London terrorist attacks in July 2005, and Kimmy, who helps her companion Stephanie skip the wheelchair. Dogs Trust Honours: Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is proud to announce the winners of the first-ever Dogs Trust Honours. The results were revealed at a star-studded ceremony at London’s Guildhall. The Honours were set up to recognise the nation’s canine heroes – those dogs who have enriched people’s day to day lives, whether through committing acts of bravery, comforting the sick and lonely, or simply being a loyal friend and companion.

Is Your Dog an Original?

Since 1975, Christine Merrill has specialized in the depiction of dogs, completing commissions for clients across America as well as in Europe and Japan. Hanging in many private and public collections, including the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in Saint Louis, her work is widely collected by dog lovers, including Mrs. Vincent Astor, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Geoffrey Beene, Bob Shieffer, and Oprah Winfrey, as well as many other prominent collectors. Wall St. Journal: Her Portrait Subjects Sit, Fetch and Roll Over, 2008-Feb-12, by Joanne Kaufman: Ms. Merrill has always managed to find something appealing, at least redeeming, in every specimen of man's best friend she's been asked to paint. "If it's gotten to the point where an owner wants a portrait, that dog must be special," she said. "I have to try to see him the way the owner sees him."

Cure for Depression

Not news for dog owners, but it's hard to stay depressed when someone depends on you not only for food and shelter, but emotional support and guidance. Although under a doctor's care, Bruce Goldstein was very close to suicide before adopting a puppy.

Amazon.com: Puppy Chow is Better than Prozac: The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life, by Bruce Goldstein

Then came Ozzy, a Labrador pup who leads Bruce toward recovery through complete, canine dependence. From the depths of his despair to a life remade, Bruce shows how learning to care for, train, and love the hilariously loyal Ozzy provided him with the structure and focus he needed to heal.

Melodies for Happier Dogs

Psychology Today Blogs: Songs to Soothe the Panicked Pooch, 2008-Mar-31, by Cathy Malchiodi: Much of the current knowledge about music's effects on dogs comes from the work of Belfast-based psychologist and animal behaviorist Deborah Wells. Wells exposed numerous breeds of dogs to everything from Metallica to the classical music of Beethoven, Bach, and Vivaldi. Wells found thatdog and headphones dogs in shelters exposed to classical music spent more time in a resting state, barking a lot less than other dogs. In contrast, heavy metal music agitated the dogs ... And pop music had no effect at all, possibly because dogs, like humans, are used to hearing it regularly. ...Dogs are known also to take comfort in music with slower rhythms, fewer instruments, and simpler melodies. Because dogs hear at much higher frequencies than people do, music to calm the particularly panicked pooch should be played a low volume.