The Muttropolis Blog

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!

Warts and All: Rascal Reigns at the Annual Ugly Dog Contest

Who're you calling ugly?

Rascal proved he's still got it at the 15th Annual Del Mar Ugly Dog Contest held here in San Diego, CA last weekend, as he reigned supreme at the annual contest attended by hundreds - all to benefit the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

A pure bred Chinese Crested pooch who is naturally hairless and born without a lot of his teeth, Rascal has scored a superfecta of Ugly Dog contests, as he is the only living Ugly dog to hold the coveted "Ring of Champions" title which makes him the current "World's Ugliest Dog." 

Fugly runs in the family

The butterface gene has apparently always run in Rascal's family, as he is a descendent of Chi Chi, who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for winning the most ugly dog contests, according to his owner Dane Andrew of Sunnyvale.

“At first they think he’s ugly and then they think he’s cute,” Andrew said about Rascal's fans. “He grows on them in just seconds.” 

In fact, Rascal has amassed some famous fans along the way - as Andrew and Rascal have been interviewed by Jay Leno, Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Carson Daly and Kathy Griffin, according to his IMDB site.

Personally, I think he's darling in a "face-only-a-mother-could-love" kind of way! What do you think?

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

Rodent of an Unusual Size: Caplin the Pet Capybara

Last week I posted a photo I received of a woman posing with her outrageous looking pet -  named Caplin - which was a fuzzy creature resembling a combination of a gargantuan Guinea Pig and humongous Hamster. Outfitted in a royal purple harness that's normally reserved for big dogs and larger animals, the fantastical creature looked like something out of the latest Tim Burton movie and almost certainly photoshopped. 

However, some cursory Googling confirmed otherwise! This enormous rodent was not a fake at all but something called a Capybara - the largest of all living rodents. Entering the world at less than 3lbs, the Capybara is a close relative of the Guinea Pig and grows to nearly 100lbs in their adulthood! Excellent swimmers and divers, Capybara's can stay underwater for five minutes and can even sleep underwater with only their noses poking out. They also communicate   with a variety of sounds including soft whimpers, clicking noises, purring and barking. 

Caplin the Capybara turns out to be somewhat of a celebrity Capybara, as he not only resides in a lovely ranch-style home in Austin complete with his own personal swimming pool, but he also has a website and more than 3180 Twitter followers.

Learn more about this fascinating rodent of an unusual size in the video below:

 

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

Olympians and Their Furry 'Chomp'-ians

All eyes are on Vancouver B.C. this week as athletes from all around the world compete for medals in a wide variety of winter sporting events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. 

These winter Olympics are also called the Winter Ouch-lympics, since a high percentage of participants wear helmets and nearly every event has a perilous aspect, whether it's a hard surface, sharp blades, mortifying speeds or dizzying airborne maneuvers. As fun as it is to watch these incredible athletes, let's face it, it's akin to watching a train wreck.

One of my favorite parts about the Olympics is hearing the interesting and occasionally odd back stories behind each of the amazing athletes that provide answers to such pressing questions as:

1) How they actually discovered the thrill of curling 

2) How it is that they came to be called "Picabo" or "Apollo;"  

3) Where one can buy the bedazzled, feather embellished pantaloons sported by male figure skaters?

4) And, naturally -  do they indeed have any wittle-bitty-snuggly-wuggly-fuzzy-wuzzy creatures at home that help them train for their big event?

Behind every great athlete is a great pet

While expert teams of coaches, trainers and physical therapists may keep this year's Olympians in top shape, our friends over at Petside.com share this week that these world-class athletes indeed count on their beloved pets to provide companionship and support for the biggest competition of their lives. 

From figure skater Mirai Nagasu's (at right) Chihuahua, Kousuke and Cat, Gigi to Snowboarding sensation Lindsey Jacobellis' (pictured above) dogs Gidget and Bear, check out Petside.com to see the all the cool pets wagging their tails wildly for this year's Olympians! 

photos courtesy of petside.com

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

Hilarious Video: Cat with Mad Roomba Riding Skillz

Roomba-wrangling Cat Harasses Pudgy Pitbull

Just when you thought you'd seen everything, a game-changing gem comes along that can only be described as one of the most preposterous videos ever involving a cat, a dog, a bath mat, a trashcan and a household appliance, in particular  -  the mechanical innovation that is the Roomba. 

Apparently there are many Roomba-riding videos floating around in the ether, one of which includes sleeping kittens unceremoniously being flung off a Roomba - brought to my attention courtesy of The Washington Post. However this little jewel is cinematically different in that no animals were harmed or humiliated in the making of this film (...except maybe for the dog who get bitch slapped).

Cat Got Game - Team Kitty Roomba: 1, Team Dog: Zero. 

My favorite thing about this video, shot by my new BFF, Texas Pitbull Sharky, is that not only does the cat hop on the Roomba without any coercion, but he confidently dominates the Roomba like a cowboy astride his steed. Even when the Roomba runs headlong into the bathroom wall, this crazy cat maintains his game face and casually hangs on, managing to harass his brother Sharky with a snarky drive-by swipe. 

I wonder if this cat does windows?  

Enjoy!

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

Calling All Sniffers: Search + Rescue Dogs Bound for Haiti

Professionally trained "sniffer" search dogs from around the globe are being deployed this week to aid rescue operations in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation posted a deployment on their website which calls to action the American organizations that train search and rescue dogs. 

According to Discovery News, an international contingency of search and rescue doggies are being readied to aid the devastated people of Haiti. British, French, Chinese, Canadian, Russian, Peruvian, Mexican, Taiwanese and United States-based canine sniffer teams have been dispatched along with tons of tents, food and medical equipment. 

New York-based canine handler Scott Mateyaschuk and his dog Aragon are headed to the island nation to help in the search and recovery of effort. Watch Mateyaschuk describe the mission below, and meet one of the brave four-legged rescuers.

Therapy Dogs: On a sweet and heart-warming note, some reports indicate that the presence of the doggies on the long flights to Haiti helped to ease the tension of the rescue workers on board the plane.

Good luck and a big thank you to Scott, Aragon and all the search and rescue teams!!!

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

Top Cat: Persian Puff Ball Wins 2009 Best in Show

Did that furry toss pillow just meow at me?

The puffiest, poofiest, uber-fluffiest Persian cat you have ever seen in your life scratched out 650 other entries to land the coveted "Best in Show" prize at this year's "Catlanta" - the CFA International Cat Show in Atlanta held just last week. At only eight months old, Kuorii Gorilla of Cuzzoe (right) - nicknamed "Go Go" at home - is being touted as a "superb example of the Persian breed,” due to his massive bone structure, a round and smooth head, and over-the-top fluffy coat. 

When I first spotted this cat on CNN last night, it looked like the handler was petting some kind of fur throw or toss pillow - this cat is HUGE! 

Other finalists included a platinum Tonkinese male called "Purrtek's Syrah", a silver and white American Shorthair called "KCDancers Eye-of-the-Tiger", a Maine Coon called "Highlander Tony Bennett of Wenlock", and a Burmese cat called "Mar-chu Electra of Karleton".

Cat Agility Tourney?

In addition to the best in show contest, the International Cat Show also featured a kitty agility course which you simply have to see to believe. Check out the video below, and to learn more about Persian cats visit Cats 101 on Animal Planet.

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

Holy Hounds: LA Church allows pets in pews

From doghouse to God's house

For many of us, our pets are official family members who accompany us just about everywhere we go. Occasionally we might even decline an invitation because, well, Buster and/or Mademoiselle Pouf Pouf were not welcomed to accompany us to the affair and frankly we'd rather stay home and watch Animal Planet with them.

Well, apparently the Rev. Tom Eggebeen realized that this very issue may be why many of his previously devoted worshipers at his Covenant Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles were no longer attending services. So he came up with a brilliant and unconventional idea: He turned his house of God into a doghouse by offering a 30-minute service every week, complete with canine prayers, an offering of dog treats and even special music, such as "GoD and DoG."

After putting the word out, holy hounds big and small, from pit bulls to Dachshunds, have piled into the church's chapel to worship ... the pile of biscuits in the offering bowl. 

Check out the holy hounds in action in a short video at USATODAY.com

Reprint courtesy of Animal Planet's The Daily Treat with Janet McCulley.