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.

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.

Who doesn't love cheese? People and dogs both love cheese, so make everyone happy with this recipe from Homemade Dog Treats that you can whip up in about 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

•  1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 pound corn oil margarine
• Milk
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

• Grate the cheese and let stand until it reaches room temperature.
• Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, salt, and flour.
• Add enough milk to form into a ball and chill for 1/2 hour.
• Roll dough out onto floured board and cut into shapes of your choice.
• Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until slightly brown and firm.

If you've been following along with our trick series we thought we'd take a different turn this week, and share a tip and a video from our friends over at LoveYourDog.com to teach you how to play dead.

1. Have your dog lay down on his stomach.
2. Gently roll him on his side and say "play dead" or "take a nap"
3. While he's lying on his side, keeping his down on the floor, repeat the cue "play dead" or "take a nap."
4. Encourage him to stay still on the floor for a few seconds, then say "ok" or "Wake up!"
5. Let him stand up and reward immediately.

Want to see it live? Watch their video here!

Sound fun, but need someone to practice with? Meet Foxie.

Though most of us think of our canine friends as color blind, in actuality that's a myth.  Though we assume things are black and white for dogs like Nellie, they can in fact see color, just not as distinctly as humans;  their vision is akin to our vision at dusk.  Dogs do, however, have a much better low-light vision than humans because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas.

Though you want your dog to have good manners when greeting visitors, it's also nice to be able to send them on their way with a friendly wave good-bye. 

What to expect: your dog sits and waves his paw high in the air.  Note: if your dog is not yet shaking hands, you may want to work on that trick before attempting a wave good-bye.

1. Have your dog sit, facing you and ask him to shake hands.
2. Say "shake, bye-bye" and extend your hand a little higher than your normally would to hand hands.  Your dog won't be able to hold his paw that high, so his motion will look like he is pawing at your hand.
3. Draw your hand slightly away from your dog so he can just barely reach your fingers and repeat the command. Pull your hand back at the last second so that he is not touching it at all, but merely pawing the air.  Be sure to praise him so that he understands that the wave is the desired behavior, not the actual touch. 
4. Once he is doing this well on command, build upon it and sit beside your dog so that you can wave good-by together.

What to expect:

• If your dog shakes hands easily, you should be able to progress to waving within a few training sessions.
• If your dog tries to move toward you as you move away, try standing a few feet from your dog, with your hand stretched toward him.  Wait until his leg is already in the air before you pull your hand away so that it's harder for him to get up before he does the trick.  Reward him as he paws the air.
• If your dog stands at any part of this, return him to a sit before continuing to train.  He will be able to extend his paw higher from a sitting position. 

In another addition of Wacky Wednesday, here's a fun fact for you: it is estimated that over 1,000,000 dogs in the United States have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner's will. How's that for man's best friend?

We're not sure if Belle will end up with a fortune, but we can wish her a Disney-style happily ever after with a new family. We believe Belle is a Clumber Spaniel/Great Pyrenees Mix, about 12 weeks old.  Whatever she is, she's sweet and adorable and would love to spend her life with you!