K-9 LifeSavers

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Today is the anniversary of the first guide dog school in America.

The first formal guide dog program was developed in Pottsdam, Germany, using German Shepherds as guides for veterans blinded by the WWI. Though this program did not last, it caught the attention of an American living in Switzerland, Dorothy Harrison Eustis, who thought that it was a noble profession for which to train her own dogs.

Ms. Eustis wrote an article about the Pottsdam School that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on November 5, 1927 and it was through this article that Tennessean Morris Frank learned of the guide dog program. Frank, who had lost the use of his eyes in two separate accidents, contacted Eustis with a request to train a dog for him that would allow him a measure of independence.  In return he vowed to teach other people who were blind what he had learned.

Frank traveled to Switzerland for his training with Buddy, a female German shepherd and became the first American to use a guide dog. Frank returned to the stated with $10,000 from Ms. Eustis and established The Seeing Eye, first guide dog school in America, incorporated on January 29, 1929.

Meet Darby.  This lovely lady is friendly and playful and would love to be your helper! Though she's never had the training of a guide dog, she'd love to spend some bonding time with you learning new tricks. If Darby sounds like your perfect partner, let us know!

Did you know that recent genetic research has been able to make headway into the evolution of dogs? Ultimately all dogs originate from the wolf, but scientist have been able to determine that four distinct dog groups began the evaluation into the various dog breeds we know today. The dogs that got everything started were:

In Asia the Shar Pei, Shiba Inu, Akita & Chow Chow

Artic: Malamutes, Siberian Huskies & Samoyeds

Central Africa’s Basenji

Middle East: Afghan Hounds & Salukis

If you’re a history buff, or love family trees and want to know your dog’s reach far back then allow us to introduce:

Just like humans, dogs (and cats) are right or left handed, choosing to favor one side. While most owners may never notice (or care) which side their dog favors, studies have down that a dogs preference can actually have a significant impact on their training and success as a working dog.

According to an Australian study, K-9s who use both their left and right paws equally (known as laterality) are more likely to be upset by loud noises such as fireworks or thunderstorms.  This trait makes them unsuitable for work with the police or guiding the blind.

Theories have also been developed about the correlation between right/left brain functions and the prevalent hand or paw that indicated left-pawed dogs are the best suited to be working dogs. 

Want to test your dog to see if he is right or left pawed?

1. Fill the Kong toy with your dog’s favorite food.
2. Place the toy in the middle in front of your dog.
3. Record the paw your dog first used to touch the Kong toy until he has made 100 paw interactions on each of his right and left paw.

What’s Counted:

• Left paw on Kong, right paw not or right paw on Kong and left paw not.
• Left paw over right paw on Kong or right paw over left paw on Kong.
• Left paw on top of Kong right paw underneath or right paw on top of Kong, left paw underneath.

What’s Not Counted:

• If your dog repositions his paw or paws on the Kong without the paw or paws completely leaving the Kong.
• If your dog uses either one paw or both paws to hold down the Kong for longer than 10 seconds.

Opie hasn't had his paw test yet, but as far as personality goes, he gets 10s across the board!  This little guy is extremely playful and outgoing, and loves humans and other K-9s alike. He's looking for a home to romp and play in, and he could also use a foster to hang out with for a while. If you think Opie could be your pal, give us a shout!

Ah summertime, does anything represent it better than a baseball game and Cracker Jack?

Though you may know that one of Cracker Jack's mascots was a dog named Bingo, did you know that he was modeled after one of the company's co-owner's dog Russell?  Henry Gottlieb Eckstein was the developer of the wax sealed package that goes around all Cracker Jack boxes to protect it from dust, germs and moisture. Eckstein adopted Russell, a stray, in 1917 and demanded that he be used on the packaging in 1918.

Russell appeared on boxes with Sailor Jack, who was modeled after Cracker Jack founder Fredrick Rueckheim's grandson Robert who died of pneumonia at age 8.  The image of the sailor boy was so meaningful to Rueckheim that he had it carved on his tombstone which can still be seen in St. Henry's Cemetery in Chicago.

Did you ever wonder why your Pug watches television or why your Whippet chases everything that moves? Different breeds not only have different eyes; they actually see the world differently.

It turns out that the longer-nosed dogs (think Afghans at one extreme) have a “visual streak” – a high density line of vision cells running across the retina – that gives their peripheral vision a much wider range than we humans have. They chase things because they can see them! They’ll take off after squirrels, cars, joggers, anything and everything that moves.

Meanwhile, our short-nosed dogs have what’s called “area centralis”, meaning that, like humans, their high density vision cells are arranged in a spot. They’re not getting the full picture and aren’t likely to suddenly run off.  Our lap dogs don’t see as much, but what they do see is in greater detail. When they look at their human, they are more attentive because they see so much more in our faces. And yes, that’s also why you’ll see a Pug sit and watch television. It’s not a blur to them; they can see it all – at least before wide-screen TV.

Sometimes we go to great lengths to defend our animals, and some states actually have laws to defend us - for example in Nevada, it is legal to hang a person if they shot your dog on your property while in Oklahoma people who make "ugly face" at dogs may be fined and/or jailed.  Of course not all states are so supportive of our K-9 friends, and some even have laws for them! Since we're feeling a little wacky today we thought we'd run down some of the outrageous laws around the world concerning dogs.

• In Palding, Ohio, police officers are allowed to bite a dog to quiet it.
• In Massachusetts dogs are allowed to drink Sarsaparilla in bars, but in Zion, IL it is illegal for anyone to give a lit cigar to dogs, or any animal kept as a pet.
• In Ventura County, California, cats and dogs are not allowed to have sex without a permit.
• In Hartford, CT it is illegal to educate dogs
• In Ventura County, CA dogs and cats are not allowed to have sex without a permit.
• It is illegal for a cab in the City of London to carry rabid dogs or corpses.
• And perhaps the saddest one of all, in Iran, it is against the law to own a dog as a pet. It is only if the owner can prove the dog is a guard or a hunting dog that the restriction does not apply.

Did you know that Airedale Terriers have been one of the most popular dogs in the White House? Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren Harding all owned Airedales.  In fact, President Harding's Airedale, Laddie Boy, was the "first celebrity White House pet," as he was the first to receive coverage from the press.  President Harding had a special chair hand carved for him to sit on at very important Cabinet meetings and even had an official portrait!

We don't know if Daisy will help you feel like you're in charge of the free world, but she sure is cute! This love bug is a purebred Airedale who is being given up as her family can no longer care for her.  She has been around other dogs and LOVES kids! This lovely lady would bring a bright spot to any home and already has lovely manners!

Have you heard of The Singing Dogs? Dolly, Pearl, Caesar, and King were the four dogs that record producer Don Charles recorded barking and arranged the pitches to the tune of "Oh! Susanna."

The recording was actually released in the 1950s along with a medley of "Pat-a-Cake", "Three Blind Mice", and "Jingle Bells." The novelty record actually reached #22 on the US Billboard Pop Singles Chart and told over half a million copies.

Thanks to the magic of YouTube, we managed to track down a copy for your listening pleasure - don't be surprised if you own dog joins in!

We've all heard the magic rule that one calendar year is equal to seven dog years, but it's turns out this isn't exactly accurate.  It seems that dogs mature faster than humans in their early years, so that their first year is actually equivalent to 15 human years! As dog ages, it slows down so that by the time we've celebrated 13 years with them, they are only aging 2 1/2 years per calendar year.  It turns out that the size of a dog also plays a part in this process, to if you want to find out how old your dog really is, use this handy, dandy chart!

Meatball thinks age is relative as long as he is part of a loving home.  This goofy guy is as smart as they come and would love to keep you smiling for years to come - however you measure them!

When you bring a dog into your life, most of us hope to have 10 good years with that dog, but sometimes you never know what will happen.  Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog born June 7, 1910 holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest dog after a living 29 years! 29 years, 5 months and 12 days to be exact and 20 of those years were spend working among cattle and sheep with his owners Les and Esma Hall in Rochester, Victoria, Australia.