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Farewell, Shooka, and Nala: Gosselins' Dogs Go Back to Breeder!

PetSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:20:57 -0700

Added to the family less than a year ago, Jon Gosselin already came under fire for past remarks about the sextuplets treatment of their pups . . . and now they're reportedly returned to the breeder. First off, it's sad to lose (or give up) any pet, but even sadder that the kids are losing two furry family members along with so many other changes in their lives right now.

I understand that dog ownership is hard work (boy, do I ever), but it seems that another solution could have been found - a caretaker for the pups perhaps, or a larger place in NY where the big dogs would be welcome? Oh well, here's hoping that the German Shepherds find a forever home soon enough.

Jon spent a final day playing with the dogs before the duo was loaded up into a crate in the back of a truck - see Shooka and Nala's last day when you read more.

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The Scoop: Trakr's Cute Clones Make Their Debut!

PetSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:30:16 -0700

In no particular order meet Trustt, Solace, Prodigy, Valor, and Dejavu. How cute (and sleepy) they are! This unconventional new puppy alert features five German Shepherd dogs recently cloned in South Korea and making a press debut yesterday in LA.

If you've forgotten, Trakr was a hero dog working after the 2001 terror strikes on the World Trade Center and we first learned of his most "clone-worthy" status and future procedure last Summer. Even if you wouldn't pay to clone your own pet, I can't see anything wrong with adding five future heroes to the world, can you?

See more pictures with Trakr's owner, the cloning docs and of course puppies being puppies when you read more.

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The Scoop: Joe Biden Picks His Puppy

PetSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:05:42 -0800

While we've been anxiously waiting for any announcement about the TBD Obama puppy, the "second dog" was just introduced over the weekend. Vice President-elect Joe Biden picked out a three-month-old German Shepherd from a kennel in suburban Philadelphia on Saturday. The lil boy won't join the family quite yet and still remains nameless. Turns out Biden told the breeder that honor will go to his grandkids . . . but, with five of them, how will everyone agree on just one name?!

Do you have any name suggestions for the cutie pie? Let's hear them below!

Tune In, Saturday! Animal Planet's Dogs 101

PetSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:00:03 -0700

I'm super excited for the latest episode of Animal Planet's new series, Dogs 101. Airing every Saturday at 8 p.m., each week it focuses on new dog breeds. Last week, we learned about five breeds (including my absolute fave . . . wink wink) but which will we meet this week? Find out in this slideshow.

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The Leading Lady of I Am Legend

PetSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:30:09 -0800

The (other) star of I Am Legend was not discovered on the streets of NYC or at a Hollywood casting call – Abbey, the 3-year-old German Shepherd, who appears in this new film alongside Will Smith, was hand picked (and rescued) from a California kennel. Experienced trainer, Steve Berens, selected and offered three weeks of intensive coaching to the pooch before introducing her to the rest of the cast. While there may have been some "creative differences" at the start (she barked at Will when he first walked up), after a short while, the two became friends and traveled to New York together to shoot this film. She stepped up to the role of co-star with style and grace, performing beautifully throughout the shooting. The only thing she wouldn't agree to do was play fetch – a backup pooch had to be called in to do the deed for that scene. I guess that would be too dog-like for her! After the film wrapped, Will offered a touching description of leaving his co-star:

It was painful. She is way on another plane of connecting to what your energy is, what your feelings are, and protective. It’s beautiful.

I can't wait to check her big screen debut - the film opens today nationwide.

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New Puppy Alert! Jon and Kate Plus 8 . . . and Puppies Make 12

PetSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:15:33 -0800

I can barely imagine having two dogs, never mind two dogs and eight kids! But, on this week's episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8, the Gosselins add two German Shepherd puppies to their family.

Making their small-screen debut are Shooka and Nala – I know I'll definitely start tuning in to watch the puppies grow, witness how the children adjust, and, hopefully, pick up a few tidbits to share from this show. What do you think of the furry additions?

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World's Meanest Dog May Not Be the Breed You Think It Is!

PetSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:00:03 -0700

When we think about stereotypically "mean dogs," I'm pretty sure we can all name those most maligned. But statistically, the world's meanest breed isn't a Pit Bull, Bulldog, or even a Doberman - it's an English Cocker Spaniel!

A recent study by the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Barcelona shows more reported cases of aggression by the English Cocker Spaniel than any other breed, followed by Rottweilers, Boxers, Yorkshire Terriers, and German Shepherds. Yes, the Yorkie is tiny, but can apparently pack quite a punch! With over 1,040 acts of aggression studied, the report shows that the Cocker Spaniel is more likely than other breeds to show aggression towards their owners and unfamiliar people.

But not all is lost for the breed. With proper training and discipline, the Cocker Spaniel (and any other breed for that matter) can be well behaved and friendly to other dogs and people. I'm a firm believer that there are no "bad breeds," so here's to hoping that owners can take the time to train their pups to be civil four-legged members of society! Check out some of my favorite training tips and tricks when you read more.

Training classes aren't just for puppies - you can always enroll your pup in an obedience class, no matter how old they are!
Have your pup's next playtime include strangers to get used to unfamiliar faces, er, scents!
Pick up a training book for 24/7 advice. Here are some of your favorites!
Know the difference between training methods, then pick the one that is right for you and your pet.
Help your pooch learn proper dog park etiquette as early as possible.
Take an online class led by Cesar Milan, and learn at your (and your dog's) own pace.
Use the hand touch to get your pup under control.

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27 Dresses . . . and Too Many Dogs to Count

PetSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Katherine Heigl and hubby Josh Kelley certainly have a pack of pooches to take care of! Three of their pups took an adventure yesterday to the vet's office in Los Angeles. Now, even though I thought she had four dogs, I keep stumbling upon a very recent quote where she says she has five. Hmmm, I smell a mystery.

Just so I won't be the only one unable to follow the picture trail of her dog ownership, let's go back in time, shall we? Now, off the bat, I remembered she was a judge for the nationwide Old Navy mascot search and I found a magazine blurb describing the announcement of the contest (on April 28, 2006) that said she owned three dogs including a Shih Tzu named Maggie and that she recently adopted a German Shepherd mix named Anderson. Sweet, I thought. Three dogs down, two to go.

Buuuuuut . . . flash forward to Feb. 19, 2007 when she appeared on Martha Stewart to talk about the fund-raising work she was doing with Pedigree. While on air, she shows that black-and-white pic and describes her pets "from the top left: Weezer, Stella, Romeo, and Piper (a rescue)." Eeks! No Maggie and no Anderson. Four pups down, two missing, and one to go.

I'm no stranger to changing a pup's name, but even in black and white, that dog looked pretty dark to be the same "Anderson" from that earlier article. And, while it seemed possible that Maggie could have passed away, I couldn't imagine Anderson being gone as well. But, since I've seen photos of a black pooch called Anderson, I was at a loss, and beginning to think it was possible that Anderson and Piper were in fact the same dog. (If you're as interested in solving this mystery as I am, read more.)

Nope, that would be too easy. I was still banking on hearing her name off dogs as the most legit source I've got. As I looked back through photos in the gallery, I was once again thrown for a loop. Check out her hubby holding the leash of two large dogs, which bear uncanny resemblances to Piper and Anderson. Because Maggie's last appearance (that I could find) was in early 2006, I was more willing to bet this pooch was out of the picture than I was to deny the photograph.

So, I'm gonna venture a guess and say that she in fact does have five dogs (Weezer, Stella, Romeo, Piper, and Anderson) and assume that the black dog is Piper and the shepherd-looking pup is Anderson. If Anderson resided with Josh before they were married (she could have "gifted" him like the pup she adopted for co-star/ BFF TR Knight), he wouldn't technically be her dog when she was on Martha, and, now that she's newly married – they're up to a collective five. I'm hoping, if she does in fact decide to star in Lost and Found, that she'll once again share and confirm her pooches' names. Until then, we'll just have to come to our own conclusions!

Bauer-Griffin

The Results Are in: Top Dogs 2006

PetSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:00:59 -0800

Remember taking tally of which pooches we thought would reign supreme when the final numbers came in from the American Kennel Club? Well, that time is now as here's the AKC ordered list of the top 10 most popular dog breeds in the country based on the number of those dogs registered in 2006. There's was some shaking up and I can't wait to learn about 2007! According to our votes on PetSugar, the list would be:

Labrador Retriever
Golden Retriever
Yorkshire Terrier
Dachshund
Shih Tzu
German Shepherd
Beagle
Boxer
Miniature Schnauzer
Poodle

We got the top dog right . . . but that's it! Check out the AKC's full list when you read more.

Labrador Retriever
Yorkshire Terrier
German Shepherd Dog
Golden Retriever
Beagle
Dachshund
Boxer
Poodle
Shih Tzu
Miniature Schnauzer

Although the biggest mover was the Yorkie, Labs held their top spot (as they have since 1991) and all the other breeds from last year still stuck it out in the top ten. As a special note to me (and North!), the AKC reports that "not since the Boston Terrier hit the top nearly 70 years ago has a small breed worked its way to such a high spot on the list.” There's always next year – I'm still hoping my lil' one can make a comeback, too!

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To the Rescue: Bloat

PetSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:15:51 -0800

While bloat is a fairly common (even deadly) ailment, it is not another way to say a pup is overweight! Much like pharyngeal gag reflexes (aka, reverse sneezes), it has a serious scientific name: gastric torsion. This occurs when a deep-chested dog has a full tum (of food or water) and then engages in vigorous activity or exercise. Pups like this Great Dane have stomachs that are not attached to their ribcages, so when it's heavy and full (the "before"), it can flip around and block the intestinal track (the "after").

What other breeds are commonly bothered and how can you prevent this? Find out when you read more.

Help combat bloat before it happens:

Feed multiple, smaller meals throughout the day instead of one large meal.
Make sure pets rest for 45 minutes to one hour after eating before any vigorous exercise.
If you notice your pup gulps food or water, consider a "slowing bowl" like the Drink Better or DogPause.

This typically affects the Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Saint Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Setter, Doberman Pinscher, Weimaraner, Bloodhound, and other large mixed breed dogs.

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