🐕 🐈 Shelter Dogs Run Cross-Country

“Time spent with cats is never wasted.”
- Sigmund Freud

Oh, and did you win a $50 Visa gift card?

You’ll find the answer to that question right below this week’s Front Page Pets.

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This Week’s Heart Warmers

Running with shelter dogs has more benefits than one.

Seven years ago, a high school cross-country coach was struggling to motivate his kids. It’s a tough task to motivate ourselves to run, let alone a group of teens.

A lightbulb flipped on and he thought “these kids should take shelter dogs on runs.”

His students needed motivation, and who doesn’t love dogs?

So, he contacted the local shelter, they agreed to participate, and the team gave it a shot. It was a success. They were even featured on Rachel Ray, and that’s when the idea grew legs.

Teams around the country started doing it.

Shelter dogs are stuck for the most part. They can’t always experience the joy of running freely in a field. They don’t often find someone willing to take them on a long, much-needed run.

But that’s what started happening.

The article above details the experiences that these children had. Most importantly, but not surprisingly, the program resulted in a lot of dogs getting adopted. Those who didn’t adopt were likely to keep coming back season after season, year after year, taking wonderful dogs out on the runs they deserve.

All The Cute Videos You Need This Week

Want to watch them all at once? click here & scroll.

1. Places in the house dogs have never seen

2. Girl dog has an absolutely hilarious bark

3. Watching squirrels on his dad’s laptop 

4. Dog is sad his mom doesn’t work from home

5. When your mom cat-sits for you

^News
Front Page Pets

Golden Retrievers Honor “Spencer,” The Boston Marathon Dog:

The Boston Marathon would not be the same without Spencer, a gentle Golden Retriever who greeted each and every runner in the race. Each year, Spencer sat in his usual place and encouraged marathon runners while holding a flag between his teeth. Spencer lost his battle with cancer last February.

If you go to his “usual place,” you’ll find a bronze statue in his honor. Near the 3-mile mark, Spencer will forever be there to encourage his beloved runners.

He has also brought thousands of pet owners together to support runners, spread awareness for canine cancer, and create an amazing community. Read the article and view photos of hundreds of retrievers all in one place. It truly is a day-brightener.
 

Patches, an Extra-Hefty Cat, on Amazing Weight Loss Journey

Patches weighed an incredible 42 pounds when he was adopted last year. This was, obviously, incredibly bad for his health and his well-being despite his weight bringing him internet fame.

Fortunately, Patches was adopted into a loving home that has made it a priority to cut calories and get some exercise. He has now shed nearly half of his original body weight. He’s still a little chonky, but he’s certainly on his way.
 

The “Dogfather” - a Guide Dog Who Helped Over 300 Sightless People:

A Golden Retriever working for the European charity “Guide Dogs” fathered over 300 pups, all of whom went on to guide individuals with sight loss. Trigger is retiring, but his legacy and impact are astounding.

The effect that a dog like Trigger can have on an individual’s life cannot be understated. He and his over 300 pups have truly made the world a better place. He’ll spend his golden years in England with his owner Sarah.
 

Little Boy Begs for Pet Octopus, Family Unknowingly Buys 50 Octopi:

9-year-old Cal started asking for an octopus at every opportunity since he was 2 years old. It’s all he ever wanted, and octopi were the theme of every birthday party and Halloween costume of his life.

The kid wanted an octopus.

So, his parents finally did their research, got the equipment, and fulfilled their son’s wish—they bought an octopus.

Little did they know that the one they purchased was pregnant. Read the article to hear how this family reacted as each of the octopus’ eggs hatched.

More News:

1. Dogsitting and traveling for work doesn’t sound too bad

2. Missing dog found safe 2,000 miles from home

3. Grumpy cat rescued from between two walls, still grumpy

4. Woman adopts late neighbor’s cat, loves with whole heart

5. It’s time to help the nation’s shelters

 
Didn’t win this week? Answer below to put yourself in the running for next week’s prize.

^{Canine Curiosities}
Unpacking Your Dog’s Family History

Fierce wolves roamed the earth, reigning over the top of the food chain for thousands of years. One friendly wolf joins up with a human, and now our lapdogs whine when there’s no air conditioning?

What happened?!

Here are 5 bite-sized answers to that question. Whip these out in conversation at the dog park and you’ll feel really smart - that is, unless you’re talking to your dogs. They might not be interested.

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Domestic dogs and wolves are more related to a common ancestor than they are to one another. This ancestor is believed to be the Late Pleistocene Wolf. Wolf and dog populations emerged roughly 35,000 years ago.

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The earliest evidence of dog domestication is a “Paleolithic Dog” discovered in the Czech Republic who was buried alongside its owner with a mammoth bone in its mouth.

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Farming provided dogs with hundreds of essential jobs and allowed people to live in the same place for their whole lives. As a result, breeds started to change, and the “wolf-like” attributes of early dogs weren’t as desirable.

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Most modern dog breeds look the way they do for some farming or utility-based purpose. Dachshunds can get into small spaces and look for vermin, Collies are built for herding speed, and even golden retrievers gained their illustrious coats to help them “retrieve” foul and game year-round in the Scottish elements.

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Dogs and humans have co-evolved, which is to say that human genes are different now than they would be if we never had dogs. The presence of our pets is so profound that they have affected the evolution of our species, and vice-versa. This one is beyond our pay grade, but you can learn more here.

^{Featured Story}
Man Flies Four Hours in Dog Crate

This man is proving a point about pet air travel. (video)

Air travel is almost always risky and distressing for pets. Airlines may do their best to make pets a priority, but we see stories about cats and dogs lost by airports every season, if not every month.

Pets are typically stored with the cargo.

This leaves them vulnerable to fluctuating temperatures, reduced airflow, and intense turbulence. It’s almost a sure bet that the experience is stressful for them as well.

A few weeks ago, we shared that American Airlines now allows some pets to be brought on board. That said, there aren’t many options for large dogs or families flying with other airlines.

The Humane Society says that “air travel can be risky for pets,” and suggests exploring all other options first. In response to this issue, the man in the video linked above has started Bark Air.

This airline provides flight cabins that allow pets and their owners to feel comfortable and travel without threat of physical harm, emotional distress, or physical separation.

It’s a great start, but it’s not an affordable one. Most of us won’t be able to afford this kind of travel until it becomes a much bigger deal.

At this time, flights run about $8,000 per trip!