Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Herding Dogs: Did Your Dog's Ancestors Have a Job

Unemployment Among Herding Dogs Could Be a Problem.
It's easy to guess why German Shepherds were originally bred: To herd sheep and other livestock. Other dogs originally bred for bossing the livestock around are the Shetland Sheepdog, the Australian Shepherd, and the Australian Cattle Dog. And of course, the beloved Collie dog, including the Bearded Collie and the Border Collie. But that's not all: the American Kennel Club recognizes 22 breeds as belonging to the herding group.

The herding dogs were bred to have high energy and high agility, and they have those traits to this day.­They do not respond well to unemployment; they need a job to do to be happy. They are task oriented and extremely teachable. They excel at obedience, which is why training them is so rewarding. Whether you need a guard dog . . . Read more . . .

Lost Dogs: Family Dog Found on Deserted Island

She Swam Nearly Six Miles in Shark Infested Waters

Turbulent waters off the coast of Australia tossed a family's pet overboard nearly six miles from land.

Some dogs, like some people, are survivors. They have courage, and resourcefulness. Take Sophie Tucker, for example, who doesn't look a thing like her namesake. The Australian Cattle Dog was on board a boat with her family off the coast of Queensland when the water got choppy. When the Griffiths turned around to look, their dog was gone. They backtracked and searched in their boat, but they didn't have much hope for Sophie, who must have fallen into the huge wake behind the boat. The family was devastated.

But never underestimate a Sophie Tucker. This Sophie not only knew how to dog paddle, she had amazing stamina. No one knows how long it took her, but she made it to shore, swimming for more than five miles. The only problem is that the "shore" was St. Bees Island . . . Read more

Lost Dogs: "Dog of War" Found in Afghanistan a Year Later

Sabi Gets a Hero's Welcome After Being Missing in Action for 14 Months
They depended on Sabi. The black Labrador sniffed out roadside bombs, detected explosives and saved lives on a regular basis. The good news is that somebody saved her life in return. But nobody knows who it was.

Sabi had been working with a special Australian unit involved in training Afghan security forces. The joint Australian-Afghan army patrol was ambushed by militant fighters in September 2008, and a violent battle ensued. The gunfight wounded nine soldiers and earned another one Australia's highest bravery medal. When the fierce skirmish ended, Sabi was nowhere to be found. They searched for her for months to no avail. Read more . . .