Most dog owners will tell you that one of the best parts of owning a canine is playtime. Fetch with Fido is always a great excuse to go outside, get some leisurely exercise and watch your dog do his thing like a pro.
Unfortunately, whoever owns Amos doesn't have a reason to get up from the couch when the playful pooch needs to work off some energy. As long as Amos can get his own jaws around a Frisbee, he'll literally catch and throw the disc all by himself, and it's quite possibly one of the funniest videos we've ever seen.
Man's best friend just put a dent in the title, wouldn't you say?
Dogs
Oregon Humane Society/Doggie Dash
Spring is almost here and it's the perfect time to find new activities to enjoy with your dog. What should be at the top of your list? Dog running and walking races! These events offer the perfect combination of dogs and their people socializing and exercising.
The races are typically 1K to 5K, and the choice of whether to walk or run is up to you and your four-legged partner. Most races are offered as fundraisers for animal welfare causes. There often are goody bags for all participants and prizes to the top dogs in categories like size and age. Many events include post-race parties or pet festivals with contests, vendors and entertainment too. If you've never run with your dog before, check out this Paw Nation article that's filled with tips and advice.
While walkers and runners without dogs are invited to join in on the fun, some events offer something special for them, the option to "rent-a-dog" with which to participate in the race. Local humane societies provide the pups and benefit from their "rental fees," and the dogs get in some exercise, socialization and perhaps even a new home.
Here are upcoming races in Fletcher, N.C., Grapevine, Tx., Paso Robles, Calif., Portland, Oreg., Richmond, Va. or Tuscon, Ariz. Or start your search for one in your area.
Fletcher, N.C.
Get your dog's tail wagging at Run for the Paws on March 28th. It's a one-mile walk, post-race Pet Wellness Fair, and more.
Grapevine, Texas
The 11th Annual Hound Dog Hustle on April 24th includes a Dog Costume Contest, Dog Adopt-A-Thon & Expo, and you'll meet the local K-9 Unit there too.
Sponsored Links
Om nom nom nom! pluto665, Flickr
The story, which "sounds funny if you're not in the middle of it," says one person familiar with the case, began on Sunday afternoon. Officer Clayton Holmes of the Chattanooga Police Department was sitting in his patrol car "running radar," when he felt the car shaking and got out to investigate, reports the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Officer Rebecca Rayval tells Paw Nation that Holmes "saw a dog chewing on one of the car's tires. The dog was apparently very aggressive."
Officer Holmes fired pepper spray at the dog, but it only moved from tearing up the tire to tearing up the front fender. "The dog had a hold of the front bumper and Officer Holmes used the Taser on him, which stopped the dog for about three seconds," Officer Rayval says. "But the dog ripped the Taser probes out of his skin and went back to chewing on the bumper."
When a second police officer arrived in his car, the dog flattened its tire too, says Officer Rayval. Winston also chewed the tires on two cars that drove by trying to get through the area, says Karen Walsh, executive director at the McKamey Animal Center, speaking to Paw Nation.
900hp, Flickr
Personality: Despite the breed's intimidating name, size and mug, bullmastiffs have "a good-natured temperament," says the Dog Breed Info Center. "Docile and affectionate. Intelligent, even-tempered, calm and loyal."
Grooming: "This is a good breed for people looking for an easy grooming regimen," according to eHow.com's "How to Groom a Bullmastiff." "Bullmastiffs require a once-monthly general grooming and full grooming every 8 to 12 weeks." The article suggests scissor-trimming a bullmastiff's whiskers if desired, shampooing with a rubber brush to remove as much loose fur as possible and conditioning after shampooing.
Common Health Issues: As bullmastiffs are prone to bloat and weight gain, Dog Breed Info Center recommends feeding "two to three small meals a day instead of one large meal." The site also notes that boils on the lips are another curious condition that strike bullmastiffs, while Bullmastiffs Online explains that the breed often suffers from "hot spots," aka wet eczema, which it describes as "pus-filled lesions that seem to suddenly appear on your dog." Hot spots and boils can be easier to treat the more quickly they are caught, and while not life-threatening, they can cause acute discomfort for your dog if not treated. There are many home and professional creams and remedies. Consult with your veterinarian.
Anna Westhoff
There's as wide an array of doggie personalities as human personalities. The dog park taught me that.
It turns out our 9-month-old puppy Pippi's a wimp. At home, she exhibits alpha-dog tendencies such as teasing the cat, attempting to jump up on people and pulling on her leash. But at the dog park I see a different side of her.
In our park visits so far, Pippi's remained silent while many of the other dogs bark, snarl and make a racket. She does not enjoy roughhousing in the midst of a whirling canine cluster. (This is understandable because, as we've seen, it can turn quickly into a fight.)
Instead, Pippi prefers to make friends with a single pooch to engage in nice, one-on-one play at the edge of the field. She prefers dogs her own size or smaller. It was a real hoot to watch leggy Pippi befriend a short and stocky English bulldog who followed her around and whose owner told us had never run for that long or that fast in her life. They were two mismatched peas in a pod.
Pippi keeps a close eye on us as she plays, and we sometimes have to run alongside her to get her in motion. Otherwise, she just hovers around our legs. Unlike at home, she is generous with her toys in the dog park, even when another dog appropriates her red Frisbee. Maybe she just trusts that we'll retrieve it before we all head back home.
All in all, the dog park has helped me see what a peach of a pup we have. She suits us, and to some degree matches our personalities.
Have you learned anything surprising about your dog after observing him or her in a group setting?
Follow "The Doggie Diaries" on Twitter.
Advertisement
Can't Miss Galleries
Today's Popular Articles
"Hachi: A Dog's Tale" DVD Giveaway- Golden Retriever Eats Three-Carat Diamond Worth $20,000
- Prinny, the Cat Who Swims Like a Fish
