No Girlfriend? No worries! You’re better off with a dog     By Jon Nelson

1. They’re always trying to get in your bed

They don’t need you to promise that you’ll take them for brunch or definitely call them again; they just want to get in your bed for the warmth and comfort. Dogs are so easy.

2. You can leave them at home when you go out

Dogs might whine a bit when you close the door and leave them behind, but when you get home, they’re super excited to see you and hold no grudge whatsoever. They’ll definitely want to get in your bed still.

3. They don’t try to make you jealous

They might sniff around some other people, but when it comes to tummy scratches and face licks, they’re reserved and weary of strangers, leaving the good stuff for you and you alone.
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http://getleashedmag.com/2015/09/21/8-reasons-having-a-dog-is-better-than-having-a-girlfriend/#.Vq13UVHK3FI.mailto

These top ten canine Einsteins all share two qualities: the ability to quickly learn new commands and the obedience to perform them 95% of the time or better.
Border Collie (Flickr/Emily Waugh)

Want to see if your dog made the list? The full ranking of 133 dog breeds breaks it all down.

Is your dog a smartypants? Not sure? Learn more about doggie intelligence in our post “How Smart is Your Dog?” with links to tests you can try yourself!

And now, let’s meet the masterminds of the dog world.
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https://www.rover.com/blog/smartest-dog-breeds/

Veterinarians recommend alternatives to rock salt that won’t make your pet ill

The Ache: Ice-melt crystals, ubiquitous in winter, can be toxic if ingested by pets and can cause severe irritation to paws.

The Claim: A growing number of ice-melt products are labeled as safer for pets.

The Verdict: Ice-melt products labeled as pet safe vary widely, and some contain at least some ingredients that aren’t actually safe for pets, veterinarians say. Products made mostly from urea, also an ingredient in fertilizer, are gentlest on paws and least likely to cause poisoning, they say.
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http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-safest-salt-for-your-pet-in-the-snow-1453497985

January 17, 2016 12:00 am  •  By KATIE SMITH The DeKalb Daily Chronicle

SYCAMORE, Ill. • Gladus Hillier has never read a book, but week after week she helps children in this northern Illinois town learn to read on their own.

That’s because Gladus and her sisters, Edyth and Shurlee, are 120- to-150-pound black Newfoundland dogs with a skill that keeps kids coming back to the Sycamore Public Library. The library’s program, Books and Barks, met Jan. 6 and allowed children 10 minutes to read their book of choice to a trained therapy dog.
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http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/kids-practice-reading-with-therapy-dogs/article_922d711e-d405-5d79-a744-fc05aa889d10.html

By Elyse Wanshel

I have always fantasized about having the same powers as Doctor Dolittle — mostly because knowing exactly what animals are thinking and feeling would be some really valuable information to have.

For instance, why does my dog bark at the vacuum cleaner or hide in a corner whenever the lightest bit of rain starts to fall?
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http://www.littlethings.com/secret-ways-dogs-say-love-you/?utm_source=LTcom&vpage=1

A dangerous new strain of dog flu is spreading concern across the West. A dog in Montana recently tested positive for the highly contagious virus, and the Washington state health department is warning pet owners after possible exposure at a Seattle-area kennel. In Chicago, the dog flu spread so quickly last year that some shelters were forced to close their doors to prevent further contamination, reports CBS News correspondent Adriana Diaz.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dog-flu-spread-concern-in-west-washington-state-seattle/

The Wall Street Journal    January 2016

PetChatz Web Site:
http://www.petchatz.com/

Have you ever had a dog escape your arms or car or home? What is the first thing you do? If you’re like most people, you chase after them. They run and then you run. It seems almost instinctual, doesn’t it?

I’ve come to believe that it REALLY IS INSTINCT that takes over when we chase after our loose dog(s). It’s not just something we do when our own pets get loose, but something we do when a friend’s dog gets out of the house or when we see a stray dog running down the street or the highway. There is even a recent video showing police officers chasing after a dog on a highway in California. They never even had a chance of catching him. It was a losing proposition.

(Cont. Reading) https://nodogaboutit.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/loose-dog-dont-chase-stop-drop-and-lie-down/

Meet MoMo, the adorable wallaby who has been helping a 14-year-old girl deal with her extreme anxiety.

The 10-month-old marsupial has been living with Portia Neth, of Clackamas, Ore., who has suffered from panic attacks for more than half her life, since August, Caters News reported.

Momo accompanies Neth almost everywhere, including school, where he uses his own student pass.

After only three months, Neth believes the number of debilitating attacks has dropped by about 70 percent.
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http://nypost.com/2015/12/11/adorable-wallaby-helps-girl-cope-with-anxiety/