Likes: Food, snuggle time, PBS for kids, hugging friendly visitors, and running in the park until his tongue won't hang out any farther.
Dislikes: Being fenced in, when the squirrels get away, strangers approaching, the word "no" and the sound "atch."
Weird Quirk: Jack really likes to put a person's forearm or chin in his mouth. He does it in the most gentle and loving way, but it is definitely unusual.
Fun Facts: Jack is very good at catching popcorn and smaller balls. He has developed his own after-dinner routine: He will find his current favorite bone and use it to brush his teeth for about 20 minutes in front of the television. Also he was found, with his sister, abandoned on the side of a road in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Congratulations to our submitter, Penny Collins. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!
Likes: Lying in the sun, sleeping on a pillow, and rubbing against the furniture like a cat.
Dislikes: Delivery trucks, buses, leaf blowers, and children.
Weird Quirk: This little old man is full of quirks. One really funny thing he does is try to bury his food bowl by pushing it under the edge of the counter with his nose, as if to say, "I am just going to put this over here for later."
Fun Fact: Bogey's first family named him after Humphrey Bogart and "The Maltese Falcon." He was adopted by a second family at age 2.
Congratulations to our submitter, Allison Hatfield. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!
More from Paw Nation: Pet On The Street In this clip from our weekly video series, we are asking dog owners if their dog can do tricks?
Rabies is a rare but fatal condition for household dogs (rarer still in cats) and also poses a grave threat to humans. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Dr. Cynthia Leveille-Webster, professor of veterinary medicine at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, for insight into this condition.
What are the signs that my pet has rabies?
Symptoms in dogs range from acting abnormally or disoriented, to increased salivation, to seizures. But here's the danger from rabies: A dog can be infected and go months without a clinical sign and yet can infect other animals and humans. That's why we test for it immediately upon suspicion and most states require dogs and other pets to have regular rabies vaccinations.
Strolling through New York City in the winter is something like watching a doggie fashion show. It's common for me to feel extreme jealousy over a sweater worn by a pug or boots on a maltipoo, leaving me to wonder, does that come in my size? Sadly, the answer is no. But my fur-covered child (and yours) is truly in luck. Here, 10 cozy and fashionable sweaters you'll be lusting to borrow during this winter that doesn't seem to want to end.
Trixie & Peanut
Trixie & Peanut Odyssey Sweater
Unfortunately the cutie models in this photo don't come with the sweaters, but I'm certain your little angel dog will look just as adorable. I can't decide if I'm more obsessed with the stripes, the sleeve length or the handy leash hole on the Odyssey Sweater. It's all perfection. Get it for $28 at Trixie & Peanut's adorable online shop.
Oh My Dog
Classic Cable-Knit Sweater
This sweater looks like it stepped off the pages of the newest J.Crew catalog -- the gorgeous dog, too. A classic cable-knit sweater never goes out of style and will be a closet staple for your best friend forever. Head to Oh My Dog and grab a few for $15.95 each.
Reknitz
Reknitz Sweater
You eat organic, shop locally and yearn for a way to make your animal's lifestyle ecofriendly, too. Voila! Reknitz sweaters are made from reclaimed cotton derived from preconsumer textile remnants. The sweaters aren't just eco-adorable, they are practical too. They have a pre-cut slot for attaching a leash to the collar and they keep their shape no matter how many times you tug them over your pooch's head. Doesn't get better than that! Starting at $37.40.
Join the crowd! Fifty percent of owners share their hearts with pets age 7 or older. Modern veterinary care helps many dogs stay healthy a decade or more, and small dogs sometimes double that and age gracefully well into their twenties.
A longer life increases the odds dogs develop "old fogy" problems, though. Medical help is important, but you can keep your old-timer happy and healthy with simple and/or inexpensive tips for dealing with these eight common aging dog issues.
Arthritis: This can affect all dogs, but large breeds are most prone. Extra weight puts greater stress on the joints. Achy joints cause limping, difficulty climbing stairs or getting up after naps. A heating pad placed under the dog's bed soothes creaky joints. Gentle massage as well as OTC supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and glucosamine-type products also help. Low-impact exercise -- walks or swimming -- and slimming down pudgy pooches delays problems. Provide steps -- even a cardboard box -- to help old dogs navigate stairs or hop onto the sofa.
Cataracts: Dogs suffer from cataracts more than any other species, but blindness rarely slows them down. They compensate by relying more on sense of smell and hearing. Owners may not notice vision loss unless the dog visits unfamiliar surroundings. Avoid rearranging furniture so blind dogs can rely on their memory of familiar landmarks. Baby gates placed near stairs protect blind dogs from falling. Avoid startling blind dogs by announcing your presence before walking near or petting. Blind dogs enjoy games with noisy toys they can hear or hide-and-seek with strong-scented objects.
While analyzing archaeological remains from Southwest Texas, a University of Maine graduate student has discovered evidence of the oldest-known dog in the Americas.
Samuel Belknap was studying ancient human waste to determine what residents of the Lower Pecos region of Texas ate between 1,000 and 10,000 years ago when he found a fingernail-size bit of bone. DNA analysis confirmed it belongs to a domestic dog that lived approximately 9,400 years ago, the Associated Press reports.
According to UCLA professor Robert Wayne, North America's first mutts are thought to have arrived with early settlers who crossed the Bering land bridge from Asia 10,000 years ago or more. Not much is known about our continent's early dogs, so Belknap's find was a lucky one.
Older dog remains have been discovered in other parts of the world, including some from 31,000 years ago unearthed in Belgium, Wayne told the AP. But Belknap's find is thought to be the oldest domestic dog yet discovered in the New World.
Favorite Treat: Chicken jerky and dried sweet potatoes.
Likes: Swimming, chasing balls and stealing his daddy's socks, hankies, T-shirts and underpants.
Dislikes: The large inflatable Mickey and Minnie mouse Christmas yard decoration that has Mickey and Minnie disappearing and then popping up one at a time.
Weird Quirk: Stealing his daddy's socks and hankies at least twice a day, before work and after. If you lay them out or take them off, and he swoops in faster than a speeding bullet.
Fun Fact: When he's groomed and his owners take him out, dozens of women run over to touch him and take his photo. "It's like walking down the street with Elvis," they say. Single guys have asked them to borrow him.
Congratulations to our submitter, Midnight and Me. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!
Amos, a kind and lovable chocolate Lab in Michigan sometimes puts in long days at the courthouse. He's not sniffing for bombs or patrolling the grounds, but he is protecting and serving. Amos works as a canine guardian and comforter of sorts and helps reduce anxiety for children who have to appear in court.
Amos has been trained to sit patiently near children for hours as they either wait to take the stand or testify in court, reports The Detroit News. Recently he accompanied two young victims who each testified for more than two hours against a defendant in a sexual misconduct trial.
The dog is part of the Canine Advocacy Program (CAP), which was launched by Dan Cojanu, who had previously worked as a supervisor of the Victim Services Unit for the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office in Michigan, reports the Detroit News.
The CAP is the first of its kind in Michigan and its services are offered at no cost to law enforcement or the courts. The program is funded by donations. Similar programs exist in California, Washington and Florida.
Amos originally came to the attention of Cojanu when it became evident that he wasn't the best fit for Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Mich. (Amos pulled too much on the leash.) Cojanu, however, found Amos to be perfect for the Canine Advocacy Program -- friendly with a calm disposition for children and the courtroom.
Favorite Toy: Clark is completely attached to his toy fox with squeakers and no stuffing. He even brings it to bed with him at night.
Favorite Treat: Anything and everything that's edible.
Likes: Tearing around in the backyard with our other dog, going to the park, and acting as a fuzzy alarm clock by getting up early and then trying to wake everyone else up.
Dislikes: He puts his brakes on if anyone tries to take him outside when it's raining.
Weird Quirks: Clark is more interested in meeting the other people at the dog park than in meeting the other dogs. This might be because the other dogs don't tend to carry treats in their pockets.
Fun Fact: Clark participates in AKC agility meets and has earned his Novice title in less than 6 months. Out of the ring, he's a registered therapy dog and visits facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
Congratulations to our submitter, cmykara If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!
Faith may technically be disabled, but the two-legged dog has an amazing ability to bring joy to those around her. Faith was made an honorary sergeant in the U.S. Army, thanks to her frequent visits to disabled veterans on bases and in hospitals around the U.S., TNT Magazine reports. Now her owner hopes to bring Faith to the U.K. to cheer up British troops wounded in Afghanistan.
The 8-year-old Lab-chow mix was born with one front let missing and the other severely deformed, according to The Sun. Despite the long odds, her owner, Jude Stringfellow, refused to put her down. Faith's damaged front limb was amputated, and Stringfellow taught the dog to walk upright on two feet. After her own son served in Iraq, Stringfellow decided to take Faith to visit a veteran's hospital, TNT magazine reports. The inspiring pooch was an instant hit.
"She shows what can be achieved against great odds," Stringfellow told The Sun. It just goes to show that anything is possible -- with a little Faith.
Her legs may only be a few inches long, but Missy the dachshund proved that she can run like the wind -- when she has to.
Her owner Charlie Burdon, who had recently had heart surgery, collapsed inside his Oregon home last week. Missy, who was in the yard, immediately sensed something was awry, ABC2 news in Baltimore, Md. reports.
Normally, the 11-year-old dachshund never leaves her yard unless Burdon is with her. But this time, she sprinted across the street to the home of neighbor Charles Mitchell, who was working outside.
Mitchell told Missy to head home, but the loyal pooch refused to budge. Finally, he began following the little dog. "Missy was right in front of me, letting me know something was wrong inside that house," Mitchell told the Associated Press. When he arrived, he found Burdon and quickly called the paramedics.
It turned out that Burdon had been overcome by a severe case of vertigo. He's now doing fine -- thanks to Missy. "It's remarkable that you can put your trust into your dog" says Burdon. More evidence that good things come in small packages.
earthclimate, Flickr
Time-Lapse Tortoise Noms Salad
