The Muttropolis Blog

Best in Show: What do you know about Scottish Deerhounds?

Hickory Brings Home The Hardware

Excitement reached record levels this week at The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show - the ultimate beauty pageant for dogs  - where Hickory, a 5-year-old female Scottish deerhound won Best in Show. Hickory has been ranked the Number One Scottish Deerhound for the last three years, but this was her first Best in Show appearance at The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The Like Me, They Really Like Me!

Like many of you, I was completely unfamiliar with this breed - which kind of resembles an Irish Wolfhound, right?  It turns out this gangly breed is extremely sensitive, perhaps a bit insecure - so I'm thinking Hickory's big win will help make great strides for sensitive Scottish Deerhounds everywhere. As well, Scottish Deerhounds are apparently quite mellow, low-key and easygoing. Learn more about the interesting Scottish Deerhound dog breed at Animal Planet's Dogs 101!

Courtesy of The Daily Treat at AnimalPlanet.com

Who Will Win Westminster? Vegas Says Fox Terrier

I'll take the Redbone Coonhound for $500 please.

For the fifth consecutive year, Wynn Las Vegas posted betting odds on the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is happening today today at The Madison Square Garden in NYC. The odds are for breeds, not specific dogs, and proposition bets are listed "for entertainment purposes only" by John Avello, Executive Director of Race & Sports for Wynn. According to handicappers, the odds are on the Smooth Coated Fox Terrier, with odds at 6 to 1. 

My crazy canine cohorts have asked me to put my money on the Vizsla, but according to Vegas handicappers, the Vizsla basically has a snowball's chance in hell with odds coming in at 300 to 1. Wha?! THREE HUNDRED TO ONE? You mean the Westminster folks are not going to properly recognize a breed that behaves like 2 year old for most of it's adult life? That's cold....just plain cold.

Which breed would you put money on to bring home Westminster hardware? 

Reprint courtesy of The Daily Treat at AnimalPlanet.com

Top 10 Most Awesome Dogs of 2010

The year 2010 was a banner year for pup culture and we found there was no shortage of interesting, meaningful and often meaningless stories regarding canine culture!  Herewith are our top 10 favorite, most awesomest dogs of 2010! 

Did we leave out your favorite? Share your favorites in the comments below!

 

1. Complicated Yoga Pose Dog

 

 

 

2. Merengue Dog

 

 

 

 

3. Pug Sings Batman Theme

 

 

4. Abby Girl: The Extreme Sports Dog Breed Dog-umentary

 

5. Spot the Dog Remains Faithful to Dead Owner

 

 

6. The Synchronized Dogs (and One Goat) of the OK Go Dog Video

 

 

 

7. Target- The Amazing Afgan War Hero Dog

 

 

8.  Small Dog, Big Hero: Missy Alerts Neighbors When His Owner Collapses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Antoine Dogson

 

 10. Good Samaritan German Shepherd Leads Trooper to House Fire: (Watch video here >)

 

Story reprint courtesy of Janet McCulley's The Daily Treat at Animal Planet.com 

Adopting a Pet This Holiday? Think Petfinder First!

Petfinder: The virtual home of 344,945 adoptable pets from 13,573 adoption groups

If you or someone you know are considering bringing a pet home this holiday seasons, PLEASE think adoption first!  There are thousands of rescue groups for every dog breed around the nation and Petfinder.com (and the free Petfinder iPhone App) is an incredible resource and makes finding the perfect pet for your family fun and easy.

Around this time of year I get many inquiries about "..where can i find this breed of dog or that kind of cat...?" My answer? Log on to Petfinder.com! Petfinder.com is a virtual home hundreds of amazing cats and dogs looking for their forever homes. Searching for a specific dog breed or cat breed? No problem - Petfinder can connect you with hundreds of purebred dogs via dog breed rescue groups and animal shelters.

Learn About What to Consider Before You Adopt

Better yet, Petfinder is an incredible resource for educating yourself on how to adopt the right dog, cat or other pet, plus what to expect from the adoption process. 

Visit Petfinder.com today and help a homeless pet find their forever home, like darling Chaco the Boston Terrier - (above). What a cutie! 

To download the Petfinder App, download it for free at the iTunes Store.  

WATCH: Funny Holi-dog Celebration Video Has Great Message

With a focused mission on creating a world where there are No More Homeless Pets, the creative and caring folks at The Best Friends Animal Society created this darling Holi-dog Holiday Celebration video (below)! Watch adorable dogs (...and cats- see if you can spot the kitty cameo) decorate cookies, create crafty snowflake cut-outs and get ready to celebrate the holidays in style!

Spreading good cheer, this endearingly goofy little video has a great message: Think Adoption this holiday and make a holiday wish come true for a homeless dog or cat.

What is Best Friends Animal Society?

Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets. The core of  Best Friends' work is the dream that one day  animals will no longer be destroyed because they are unwanted or imperfect. Well said!

Working to make spaying and neutering a rule for all pets, the society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation. For more information visit: Bestfriends.org

Article reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley

Small Dog, Big Hero: Dog Alerts Neighbors When Owner Collapses

  

Good Deed Makes Missy A Good Dog Indeed

Remember those Lassie movies where Lassie managed to not only hop a plane, train or automobile to alert the authorities of any impending crisis, but also provide the actual GPS coordinates of said calamity to the authorities? Well, it appears that Missy the Dachshund has figured out how to do just that!

Charles Mitchell was working in his yard last week in the Oregon wine country town of Yamhill when his neighbor’s dog, an 11-year-old dachshund named Missy, scampered up and refused to leave. Mitchell told little Missy to go home, but she refused. 

“I told Missy to go home, but she wouldn’t move,” Mitchell told the News Register. “She didn’t move until I started to follow her, and then she kept looking back to make sure I was coming.” He realized something must be wrong, because Missy never left the yard on her own and always stuck close to her owner, Charlie Burdon.

Upon following Missy to her house, Mitchell found his neighbor and good friend, Charlie Burdon, had collapsed inside his home. Phone calls ensued and the police chief arrived with paramedics and Burdon, who had suffered an attack of vertigo, was taken to the hospital and is recovering.

Now that’s impressive! Let’s hear it for Missy - the quick-thinking wonder wiener dog! Learn more about other heroic small dogs in history at Small and In Charge - Your Guide to Small Dogs at AnimalPlanet.com

ps. I am fairly certain that if I ever lay helpless on the floor, my dogs would most likely commence licking my face and then retire to their favorite sunny spot for a power nap. How about you - are your hounds heroic...or.... not so much?

Article reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley

Mutt-minister Dog Show? AKC Opens Competitions to Mutts

Heinz 57's, Mystery Mutts and Malti-Terri-Poo's Unite!

For the first time in the 125-year history of the American Kennel Club -- the venerable organization whose mission is to "advance the study, breeding, exhibiting, and maintenance of purebred dogs" -- mutts are finally being allowed to compete alongside the champion bloodlines. The momentus event ooccurred at the Mattaponi Kennel Club dog show in Manassas, Virginia last weekend.

While mutts are not yet allowed in the "beauty contest" portion of the dog show, where judges valuate how precisely a dog conforms to its breed's standards, mutts are being allowed entry in the skill-based contests. Skill based contest include agility, rally and obedience -- were officially opened to mixed breeds last month. 

Hmm..how about a contest for disobedience - my dogs would dominate! The AKC is euphemistically referring to mutts at the show as "All Americans." 

I think this is great and that it's about time that all the smart, beautiful, one-of-a-kind mutts be given a chance for some time in the spotlight - do you agree? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Source: The Washington Post

Article reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley

Fur Real: Marmaduke + Surf Dogs Hang 20 for Charity

Surfer Doggy Dudes + Dudettes Shred it at Annual Competition

Super stoked pups of all walks hit Imperial Beach here in San Diego over the weekend for the 5th annual Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog competition. Each dog (or team) had 10 minutes to catch their top two waves, and were scored on confidence level, length of ride and overall ability to "grip it and rip it." 

Among the epic pro-pooch surfers was our friend Micheal Uy and his constant four-legged companion Abbie girl, who is front and center in the dog-surfing craze spreading across the nation. In fact, Abbie was cast as a surfer-girl in the soon to be released film Marmaduke, due in theaters June 4 from 20th Century Fox.

George the Great Dane , the 200-pound dog who plays the miscreant Marmaduke in the film was also on hand for the surf competition, along with actors Owen Wilson and George Lopez who are voice actors for the film.

Article reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley

Cuteness Overload Motherlode: The Worlds Tiniest Pony. Ever.

This is not a toy. Seriously. This pony is real.

Just when you thought you'd seen just about all the cuteness "teh internets" has to offer, we bring you the motherlode of cuteness, Einstein, the teeny-weeniest pony on the planet  - born just last week and measuring a mere 4 inches and six pounds at birth....about the size of a toy poodle!

Not a preemie, Einstein is a perfectly proportioned pony and was born at the Tiz A Miniature Horse Farm in Barnstead, N.H. to breeder Judy Smith. Einstein is owned by Dr. Rachel Wagner and her husband Charles Cantrell who live in Bellingham, Wash. 

Cuteness. Is. Paralyzing. Too. Much. Cute. At. One. Time.

"So we have this little foal that was born here on this miniature horse farm that set the Guinness World Record for smallest baby horse," says Wagner. "He's very perfect-looking little boy, not dwarfy at all."

Check Einstein frolicking about in the video below and be prepared for serious cuteness paralysis. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Article reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley

Must See Video: Baby Chicks Pimp Patient Pitbull

Pitbull Sharky: Very likely the most patient dog...ever.

With Easter just days away, it would be sacrilegious for us not to bring to you some absurdly adorable video involving little bitty, yellow snuggly-wuggly, fluffy, cheep-cheeping yellow baby chicks...right? Well, thanks to our friend Texas Girly (mom to the famous Roomba Riding Cat) and her amazingly patient pooch Pitbull Sharky, we bring you this most non-traditional Easter video involving one swimming pool, one flock of baby chicks, one boogie board and a Pitbull with the patience of a saint! 

Enjoy!