Dog Pioneers: Meet 8 Dogs That Made History

Every pet is unique, and each one of them is a pioneer to their owner: the first gerbil you had as a kid, the first dog you raised with your spouse, a cat who exhibited a particularly odd behavior you’ve never witnessed in any other.

But beyond the threshold of your own house and heart, it takes a special kind of critter to make it into the history books as a pioneer of comparable note to the great women and men that we celebrate over the years.

And so the folk at Canine Cottages decided it was time to highlight a few of the pioneering hounds that have left their mark not just on individuals, but on all of the human culture: those dogs who’ve led the way with their own unique brand of excellence in dogginess. This new series of illustrations are worthy of any commemorative stamp set!

1. RUPEE

The romantic, somewhat Disneyfied story goes that Rupee – a street puppy surviving on scraps amongst the bustle of Ladakh, India – was rescued by traveler Joanne Lefson and nursed to health before going on to become the first dog to climb Mount Everest.

The truth, if humbler, is just as charming. They may only have found it as far as base camp, some 10,000 feet short of the world’s highest peak, but Rupee bounded ahead most of the way, went on record as the first dog to reach Everest base camp (probably there were some unofficial visitors before) and became a symbol of hope to strays everywhere, as the poster-pup for ‘Expedition Mutt Everest’ – a campaign to global awareness for homeless dogs.

2. LAIKA

More famous is the first dog – in fact, the first Earth creature – in space. Inspiring an Arcade Fire song, a Swedish art-house movie, a postage stamp, and generations of wannabe space explorers, how many other Russian hounds can claim to be household names?

3. TITINA

On a more Earthly scale, the brown-and-white fox terrier Titina was the first dog to make it to the North Pole. Despite being only 10 inches high, she proved herself worthy of the challenge by scaring off a polar bear with her fierce bark!

4. ASHLEY WHIPPET

On August 5, 1974, Alex Stein threw a Frisbee for his dog Ashley. Only thing was, they were standing in the park at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California during the seventh inning stretch. Once they got out of jail, they established the annual Frisbee Disc Canine Championship.

5. RIN TIN TIN

The Audie Murphy of the canine realm, Rin Tin Tin was rescued from the killing fields of World War I to become an actor of such enormous celebrity that his eventual death would be reported across the nation as part of an emergency news bulletin.

6. SERGEANT STUBBY

While Rin Tin Tin was on his way to stardom, a short brindle bull terrier mutt named Sergeant Stubby stuck it out in the forces and was honored by becoming the first dog to be promoted to his rank through combat.

7. BOBBIE THE WONDER DOG

The 1920s were a big decade for canine pioneers. While Rin Tin Tin and Sergeant Stubby were finding success in their respective fields, Bobbie the two-year-old scotch-collie mix was busy setting the record for the distance covered by a dog finding his way home alone – a stunning 2800 mile, six-month journey!

8. RED DOG

Red Dog was just about as red as dogs come. But in the decade he spent wandering around western Australia bonding with strangers and becoming a local celebrity, he naturally adopted a number of other human-given pseudonyms including Bluey, Tally Ho, Pilbara Wanderer, and Dog of the Northwest.

What will your beloved pets most be remembered for?

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Santa Rosa Family Returns to Fire-Ravaged Home to

Northern California was burning. It seemed to be covering all of Santa Rosa, and the flames were crawling over the hills quickly. Many families, like the Weavers, didn’t have much time to evacuate.

Once Clint and Kathy Weaver realized they were surrounded by wildfires, they grabbed what they could, piled into a car and sped away. They drove through literal walls of flame and although the wooden bridge ahead seemed as though it might be starting to go up in flames, they took their chances and drove across it.

Soon, the Weavers had cleared the worst of the wildfires and made it to safety. Although they made it out of the inferno alive, one family member didn’t make it. Izzy, the family’s 9-year-old Bernese mountain dog, took off in another direction once the chaos of the evacuation began. The Weavers couldn’t save her.

A day or so later, Clint and Kathy’s son, Jack, went back to his parents’ home, the place where he grew up, to see what was left after the fires had died down. As he and his brother-in-law Patrick Widen hiked up the hill toward Patrick’s childhood home, they worried about what they might see as they approached.
Jack held his phone up as he tried to narrate the scene for his parents.

“Almost to the house,” Jack says between breaths, continuing the trek up to his old home. “I can see the vineyards … the anticipation is killing me.”

Soot covered the ground where trees once were. Surprisingly, the family’s vineyards were still standing. A white pickup truck seemed mostly unscathed. The family’s home, though, was gone. It’s understandable that Jack and Patrick didn’t expect to find Izzy alive, but they called for her nonetheless.

“Izzy!” the two called over and over again. “Izzy … here pup!”
They whistled and clapped, and continued to survey the damage.

As they turn a corner up the narrow drive on their parents’ property, they spot something moving near a still-standing pine tree.

“Izzy’s here!” Jack says. “Izzy, come here, baby!”

The big dog comes bounding out of the small clearing and makes a beeline for her family. She’s panting, and she’s dirty, but really, she seems no worse for wear.

Jack’s video, which was meant to just show his parents the results of the wildfires, was posted by him on Facebook, and it has been viewed more than three million times now. The reunion, he said, was a happy one. He dropped his phone to embrace the beloved family dog, and the video ends there.

Jack called his mother, who was staying with family in the San Francisco Bay Area to tell her the good news. “She just lost it,” he said. “… She was really, really happy.” Although the family is devastated by the news about their home and property, having Izzy back with them helped lift their spirits. Many misplaced family pets are being cared for at Sonoma County Animal Services, and the website is updated with photos of the rescued dogs and cats. More than two dozen animals have been reunited with their families.

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5 Simple Tricks To Create A More Conscious Connection With Your Pets

It is easy to forget that animals are living creatures with a beating heart. All too often we as human beings seem to think that we have a monopoly on this planet and that we alone can feel emotion. However, this is not true in the slightest. Many of you may have seen the recent video on social media that was viral recently in which a dog recognized a man that had saved her, and showed her gratitude in a manner which moved each one present to tears. If you have not watched that video, you really should watch it right away!

Simply put, dogs cry, horses can discern facial expressions of humans, cats are smart, chimpanzees express emotions, etc. You could be forgiven for not knowing this, as perhaps our biggest flaw as human beings is the arrogance that we sometimes seem to exude which will inevitably bring about our downfall one day or the other. With that being said, the purpose of this article is not to shed light on philosophy so we will come back to the previous statement in some other article at a future point in time. For now, let us focus on how you can create a more conscious connection with your pets.

1. Understand That Animals Have Emotions

The first step towards creating a more conscious connection with your pets is understanding that they have emotions. This is very important because only with understanding can there be respect. Animals may not emote in the same way we as human beings do, but that does not mean they do not

feel emotion. Just last week I had the misfortune of witnessing a poor dog grieving for his beloved master. His howls and shrieks seemed to pierce through my heart. It was quite apparent that the pain and suffering he felt at that point in time was quite similar to what a human being in the same situation would have gone through. It is not just mere rhetoric; that animals can feel emotion is beyond any debate now. There is a high level of empirical evidence and research data to back this up. It is not just dogs, of course, virtually every animal can feel emotions: chimpanzees, tigers (of course you would likely not really want a fully grown tiger as a pet!), birds – you name it – can feel emotion. Animals are often referred to as sentient beings for this reason.

2. Respect The Animals

Once you understand that animals do have feelings and emotions, it becomes much easier to respect them. Much like humans, animals respond to compassion, respect, and kindness. Brain scans have shown that dogs are as conscious as human children, research suggests that dolphins can send the equivalent of instant holographic pictures to each other – the list goes on and on without even getting into physical prowess where many animals are superior to human beings.

Once animals understand that they are being respected, they develop a closer bond with you and trust you more. This goes a long way in creating a more conscious connection with your pets.

3. Keep The Pet Fit And Healthy. Follow A Routine

Do ensure that you follow a routine and that your pet is fit and healthy at all times. If your pet has any health concerns, it will become irritable and behave unreasonably which will prevent you from developing a more conscious connection with your pets. In the case of a close friend of mine – let us call her Sarah – her pet (a Labrador) became overly aggressive towards strangers and it was later found out that she had significant health problems which made her behave that way. Keeping that in mind, see a vet as often as possible and immediately if you suspect that something is wrong. Also, following a fixed routine also strengthens the bond between a pet and the owner as the former begins to look forward to the activity or outing as soon as he/she senses that it is time. And don’t forget food, as it is one of the primary things that makes a pet either healthy and fit or ill. If you have a dog, for instance, understanding what can dogs eat and not eat will give you a better chance of keeping them fit and healthy.

4. Talk To Your pet – communicate!

Yes, talk! You should talk to your pet just as you would talk to a fellow human being. Many animals are extremely intelligent creatures (the world’s smartest dog reportedly has a vocabulary of 1000 words, just to put that in perspective) and respond well to communication. Again, just like it does with human beings, communication bridges gaps and brings everyone closer to each other. If you wish to develop a more conscious connection with your pet, it is imperative that you talk frequently and communicate. Usually, animals will also respond to communication provided they are feeling alright.

5. Train Your Pet (wherever possible)

As much as possible, ensure that your pet is well trained. Training helps keep your pet fit and obey your orders. This bodes well for your relationship with the pet. Of course, it is not always possible to train your pet – for example, most of you would have no clue about what to say or do if you have fish and that is fair enough; but wherever possible do make an effort.

Now to seal the article, there is that point so many are so skeptical about.

Can Pets And Humans Actually Heal Each Other?

The honest answer to this question is yes, but given that this requires a bit of leap of faith it is perfectly acceptable if you choose to sit on the fence on this one. However, do think about this: when you have a pet – whether it be a dog, a cat, fish or anything else – it becomes a part of your family over time, a near human if you will. There have been known cases of people passing away due to depression of losing a pet and vice-versa. Equally, there have been cases where owners and pets have cured each other’s depression. Therefore, it seems quite clear that pets and humans can actually heal each other.

Conclusion

Your takeaway from this article should be that if you follow the basic premise of the crux of this article, you will go a long way in developing a more conscious connection with your pet. A more conscious connection is nothing but making your pet more receptive to you and vice-versa. Certain people will argue that there is an element of supernatural to this. While that may be true, there is just far too much observatory evidence the other way to dismiss the whole thing. In a nutshell, keep your pet happy, make it feel safe and wanted, take it to the vet from time to time and above all respect and understand it. Your life will be much better for it.

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To Kiss or Not To Kiss: Should You Let Your Dog Kiss Your Face?

You just punched a long shift at your workplace or ran an errand for five minutes and there is no greater feeling than walking in the door upon your return to that affectionate although slobbery greeting from the four-legged member(s) of your family! Sometimes that greeting includes an ear scratch, leg bump, or a big old kiss in the form of your dogs tongue sweeping across your face! Endearing? Yes. Cute? Yes. Unsanitary? Definitely. Animal experts around the globe are in agreement on one scientifically proven fact: It is highly unsanitary for your dog to lick around your face, eyes, and nose! Dogs have been proven to carry various bacteria in their mouths that can be beneficial or non-effective to their overall health. Most of these bacteria however, are not meant to be absorbed by the human body through thin membranes such as our eyes, nose and mouth. Throughout this article, we will explore and outline the reasons why you should not let your dog kiss your face or other exposed areas such as wounds along with the potential consequences of having frequent licks from your furry companion.

Why Do Dogs Show Affection in the Form of a Kiss?

According to Ceasar Millan, licking behaviour(s) stem from ingrained personality traits bred through canines as a means of communication, bonding, grooming, or even psychological problems. Mother dogs show affection to their puppies in a variety of ways to create biological bonds and they use licking as one tool from the moment of birth. The mother dog will “wake” their puppies from their post-partum state through licks, use this method to groom puppies and even teach bathroom functions. They will also feed puppies’ solid food through regurgitation licked by the young until they can digest it on their own.

Another way kisses or licks is used as a bonding tool is when two dogs meet each other, either for the first or 1000th time. Dogs will initiate a “feeling out” period and then respond with a tense posture (when they are mistrusting or wary of each other) or an enthusiastic bark combined with a lick on either the face or other area of the opposing animal. Dogs also use these displays of affection to show submission to their pack master or to let them know they are hungry, thirsty, etc. Domestic house dogs view their owner(s) as their pack master so the ingrained behaviours are communicated in the same ways.

Dogs who show signs of excessive licking towards humans or objects can also be disguising deeper mental problems. Such issues could be separation anxiety (the fear of being alone) or being nervous in their surroundings due to noise, crowds, smells etc. 

Why Not to Kiss?

Dr. Neilanjan Nandi, has stated that a dog’s mouth is host to “an enormous oral microbiome of bacteria, viruses and yeast.” The term “zoonotic” is frequently used to describe the bacteria that reside in your dog’s mouth that is able to be passed on to humans and cause disease.

A dog spends the majority of their time nosing around in areas where they shouldn’t or we wouldn’t even think to take a healthy sniff! The majority of humans would not nose around another person’s rear end (feces) or take a whiff/taste of some random garbage left on a sidewalk, or take a refreshing drink from the toilet bowl (one can assume) but your dog? They definitely would exhibit one if not all these behaviours. This means that not only is your dog’s mouth a host to these bacteria but their muzzles can be as well. Additional bacteria are also transferred when your dog takes a moment to wrap their tongues around their muzzle for a quick cleanup!

The Dangers of Your Dog’s Kisses 

The top five bacteria that could be transferred through the face and/or mouth are outlined in a short summary below:

1. Capnocytophaga Canimorsus: An organism carried in the mouths of dogs, and it causes a very bad sepsis infection.

2. Staphylococcus Aureu (Staph Infection): The majority of time your dog can safely carry this virus strain without it affecting their overall health, but when transferred to a human it can have life-threatening consequences.

3. Ringworm or Hookworm: Can cause either painful itchy infections or inflammation, or even intestinal bleeding depending on the point of entry.

4. E.Coli: A potentially fatal bacterial disease with symptoms ranging from diarrhea to nausea to intestinal bleeding.

5. Salmonella: A painful bacterial disease that can cause diarrhea, intestinal cramping, nausea and vomiting.

Conclusion

Dog’s are generally affectionate lovable creatures and we would never want to discourage or diminish that side of their personalities because the feeling of walking in the door and getting a hero’s greeting is a confidence booster one thoroughly enjoys. Setting boundaries, however, in how our dogs display that affection can be beneficial to all the involved parties.

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