The Pet Blog

21-year-old American Air Force Private First Class William A. Wynne, stationed in New Guinea during World War II, met and fell in love with with Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier pup.

The story told in Yorkie Doodle Dandy is the history of their experiences together in war, being smuggled through customs, military discharge, their return to America, Will’s wedding, two inter-coastal automobile trips, performing in show business and much more.

Smoky is actually a renowned WWII hero who strung telephone lines through an eight-inch drainage pipe under an airstrip in a combat area - a three day job which was accomplished in two minutes by the seven inch tall, four pound, Smoky.

Stories about Smoky appear in over 50 books and magazine articles Including Volumes I and II of the History of the Fifth Air Force. Smoky was YANK magazine’s “Champion Mascot of the SWPA” in 1944.

Yorkie Doodle Dandy is a great cream puff of a book - an excellent way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Watch video

Sergeant Stubby, a Bull Terrier mix, is the single most decorated dog in U.S. history.

He was picked up as a stray in 1917, by Private J. Robert Conroy when the homeless dog appeared at the training camp of the 102nd Infantry at Yale University. Conroy and buddies kept Stubby with them through all their drills and training and, in July 1917, when it came time to ship out for France, they smuggled Stubby aboard ship.

Within weeks of their arrival in the European theatre, the 102nd was under fire on the front lines in France. The boom of artillery fire didn’t faze Stubby in the least, and the men learned of incoming bombs by watching him. Stubby could hear the whine of shells long before the men.

For 18 months Stubby carried messages under fire, stood sentry duty, and helped paramedics find the wounded in “no man’s land”. He gave early warning of deadly gas attacks and was credited many times with saving his entire regiment. When Stubby found and helped capture a German spy who was mapping a layout of the Allied trenches, he was awarded the honorary rank of Sergeant - the first dog to be given rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. When seriously wounded by shrapnel, he was sent to the Red Cross hospital for surgery just like any other soldier. Once recovered, Stubby returned to his regiment and continued to serve until November 11, 1918, the day the war ended.

Named a life member of the Red Cross and the American Legion, Stubby was awarded many medals including one by General John J. Pershing. Called to the White House several times to meet Presidents Harding and Coolidge, he led more regimental parades than any other dog in history.

Stubby spent his final years with John Conroy, the soldier who had rescued him so many years ago. He died of old age in 1926. Stubby’s remains were preserved with technical assistance from the Smithsonian Institution. Stubby, his medals and personal effects were donated to the Smithsonian by Conroy and can still be seen there.

At Dog Reflections, 15 Photos Of Dogs With Dye Jobs.

I don’t know why someone would want to dye their dog. The dogs certainly don’t seem very happy. They look embarrassed,

like this poor thing!

Photo by “jenny horror”

On the other hand - this poodle looks like he’s getting into it. Poodles are like that though. They like to show off. They have to be different. They’re called “French” poodles for a good reason, you know.

Photo by Zoom Zoom

via The J-Walk Blog

Dixie, a seven-year-old Mountain Cur from Runnells, Iowa, can now see to chase squirrels to her heart’s content, thanks to the new plastic cornea she received in a novel surgery.

Dixie received the first veterinary corneal implant procedure in North America, and one of only a few ever performed. During the surgery, Sinisa Grozdanic, an assistant professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Iowa State University, removed the dog’s damaged cloudy cornea and replaced it with a permanent synthetic one.

Source: msnbc

A newborn puppy is really standing out among his siblings… all because of his color.

The puppy was born last week, and so far, he is perfectly healthy… he’s just green.

Veterinarians say this sometimes happens when the mother’s amniotic fluid mixes with the placenta during birth and dyes the coat of the puppy.

The puppy won’t be green forever. I a few weeks, the green will fade away and the pup will be a light brown or white color.

Source: WCSH6

Watch video

From the Darlington Family online collection, at the University of Pittsburg Digital Library, which contains 155 photographs taken by Edith Dennison Darlington Ammon and her brother, O’Hara Darlington, from 1885 through 1888. Photographs contained within the five albums document family, friends, leisure activities, and the artistic approach to photography that both Edith and O’Hara shared.

Since all dogs are descendants of wolves, isn’t it amazing the variety to be found?

I have a strange hobby of photographing dogs and food whenever I travel. Here are some of the dogs I’ve met on my trips:

Chicago, IL:

San Diego, CA:

Boston, MA:

Martha’s Vineyard, MA:

Lake Geneva, WI

Nürnberg, Germany:

Ansbach, Germany:

Dinkelsbühl, Germany:

Ulm, Germany:

Schwangau, Germany:

Budapest, Hungary:

Szentendre, Hungary:

Sion, Switzerland:

Cheverney, France:

Flagey-Echezeaux, France:

Paris, France:

I have MORE!

There are 20-25 dogs based throughout Helmand province in the south of Afghanistan where British troops are based.

Most are German Shepherds, Labradors or Spaniels. They may look cute and friendly, but these animals have a deadly job - sniffing out roadside bombs, and chasing and catching Taleban fighters, alive.

One sniffer or protection dog along with their handler can do the job of “four-six men” on the ground, meaning that those men can be deployed on other tasks.

Source: BBC