Service dogs accomplish pretty amazing feats on a daily basis. Bethe Bennett's miniature schnauzer nudged her back to consciousness after a fall. The trained service dog also retrieved an emergency phone list so Bennett could call neighbors for assistance. A pooch named Mr. Gibbs totes Alida Knobloch's oxygen tank so the 2-year-old can dash around with other children. Mr. Gibbs even braves playground slides with Alida.
Ready for lawn parties, patio dining and treks to the dog park? Make sure your dog has the tools to enjoy this season with you. Consider this your warm-weather pet checklist:
I admire people who can complete a hectic day at the office, then hit the gym to exercise for an hour. For me, the perfect end to a busy day involves channel surfing with a cup of salted caramel ice cream and cuddle time with my dog Lulu. Alas, every vice has its price. No matter how many fun and fashionable colors I find, super stretchy yoga pants are not acceptable work attire.
Cesar Millan, star of Nat Geo Wild's Dog Whisperer, advises couple looking to adopt shelter dog.
Cesar Millan has been showcasing his talents as "The Dog Whisperer" since 2004, teaching dog owners how to train their energetic and oftentimes misbehaving canines.
Lulu and I have had our share of training issues, from mastering the down command to heeling during walks. Lulu may be 7 years old, but she's still learning new skills. Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, it's never too late to tackle basic commands.
Whether you adopt a puppy or an older dog, a little training goes a long way toward preserving a happy, healthy relationship. I asked professional dog trainers to share the most prevalent behavior issues, along with tools to address the problem. Here are the top five issues and tips to promote good behavior for the rest of the year.
Pets do the darnedest things, but that's why we love them. For every shoe that my dog Lulu has destroyed, she also has provided hours of much-needed cuddle time. I still miss those green suede pumps she ate -- and it seems that I'm not alone in lamenting lost inventory. Each year, Veterinary Pet Insurance compiles a list of the unusual ingestion claims for its annual Hambone Award. The dubious title honors a dog that got stuck in its owner's refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham before being discovered. Here are a few notable items consumed last year. In some cases, names have been omitted to protect the guilty.
From not-so-sudden bouts of naughtiness to tips for safe pet travel, my dog Lulu inspires most of my columns. Her fun, frisky outlook on life inevitably colors my own. It's hard to be mad at that face, even when it has destroyed shoes, leather-bound books and countless dog beds. Thanks to Lulu, I take more time to enjoy the little things in life, such as cuddle time or endless shades of blue on display during our morning walks. Pets can teach us so many things, but only if we pay attention.
If you've got visions of a puppy wiggling under the Christmas tree this year, hold on a second. First, resist the urge to surprise your family with a cute and cuddly pet. To ensure a smooth transition, discuss routine tasks beforehand such as feeding, grooming, getting home to let the dog out, and poop patrol. If you absolutely, positively must have a puppy or kitten under the tree, then consider this your holiday pet to-do list.
CNN''s Anderson Cooper finds some humor in Jimmy Kimmel's holiday challenge to parents.
I've watched my brother-in-law lavish ribs, potato salad and even nachos on his beloved pooch with reckless abandon. Give my dog Lulu a banana, and she returns it in a far less pleasant form. That's why I spend the holidays policing relatives as they walk their near-empty Thanksgiving plates to the kitchen.
Chef Rocco DiSpirito offers HLN"s Joy Behar tips on how to survive Thanksgiving without overeating or gaining weight.
I would like to believe that another dog could help my Lulu lose interest in chewing shoes. But the threat of two pooches terrorizing my footwear is unacceptable. Incidentally, friends who suggest that I get another dog never volunteer to help when Lulu needs a pet sitter. It's best to consult an expert before adding another dog to the mix -- particularly if your goal is to address behavior issues.
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber squeezed in some very public displays of affection at a hockey game in Canada on Saturday night, but just one day earlier, they made a decidedly more private outing to a local animal shelter -- and quietly adopted a dog.
Lulu and I have fostered our share of dogs over the years. It's always fun to watch her teach shy and withdrawn pooches to cuddle or play keep-away. But I must admit that Lulu also has humped a few foster dogs in her day, even though she was spayed as a puppy.
Gunny, a devoted Peninsula Beverly Hills guest, often visits the posh hotel, and the staff joyously greets him as he strides along the lobby's marble floor. Retiring to his room, Gunny finds a specially monogrammed towel beside his bed and sits down to a grilled New York sirloin and scrambled eggs with aged Tillamook cheddar on bone china. And when he needs styling, the hotel's Rolls Royce shuttles him to the salon.
Avoid common errors, and keep your four-legged pal healthy and well-behaved.
When Shenzhen housewife Zhang Lin was growing up in rural Guangdong province, her family kept guard dogs, some of which were slaughtered for meat during the Lunar New Year.
When I hosted a book club meeting a few months ago, my dog Lulu stayed upstairs in her crate. As guests arrived, they asked if she could join the group but I politely declined. Lulu can get overly excited around guests; a house full of people toting plates of cheese and other goodies could lead to doggie-induced chaos.
With a little help from my friend Jojo Pera of Atlanta -- here are 20 dog treats to help your puppies beat the heat. Pera and I volunteer together, and she is my go-to friend for all things pet-related. As the owner of five dogs and three cats, she always provides great tips on how to keep pets busy and distracted while she's away at work.
It can be difficult to ignore emails or Facebook posts about cute little pups and kittens in need of forever homes. In this down economy, the number of pets in need seems to be rising steadily. Just as you can help your favorite charity without writing a big check, there are ways to help pets without taking in another animal.
Picking up my nephew up from his day care recently, I was reminded of the odd similarities between day care for kids and facilities for our four-legged friends.
If you're a dog owner and call yourself eco-conscious, guilt might set in after reading the book "Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living" by Robert and Brenda Vale, which reveals dogs are worse for the environment than SUVs.
While every dog is different, most canines enter their geriatric phase at seven to eight years of age. As with humans, advanced age can lead to arthritis, decreased mobility and decreased organ functions.
They're cute, they're cuddly and they greet you with wet kisses when you walk through the door -- no matter how long you've been away. Dogs may even help reduce your blood pressure, enhance your mood and induce a few laughs every now and then. What's not to love about having a dog?
Five-year-old Hickory is the first of her breed to take the title
Pet lifestyle expert Wendy Diamond reveals what it's like behind the scenes at the Westminster Dog Show.
Recently my inbox has been flooded with news of one awful attack after another from various breeds, particularly pit bulls.
Canine chaos reigns at the Puppy Bowl, Animal Planet's adorable response to the other big game this Sunday.
The second-oldest annual U.S. canine competition airs on Thanksgiving Day
Sit! Shake! Quit barking! Get off the couch! Go find your toy!
CNN's Randi Kaye takes a look at how dogs think and the relationship they have with their owners.
Every dog owner knows why they gave their dog its name, but how well do you know the story behind their breed names? Let's take a look at where a handful of common breeds found their monikers.
There's an unwritten rule in travel journalism that any story about pets on planes must contain at least one Chihuahua anecdote. I know, because I've written many of them. So let's get right to Charlotte Coan and her travel companion, Cricket.
CNN's Emily Chang reports on legislation in China that would ban eating dog and cat meat. (Warning: Disturbing content)
Maybe it was the sound of the wind cutting through the wire. Perhaps he caught a small vibration with his keen eyes. Or it could have been a slight difference in the air's smell.
It's a tough world for man's best friend. Patrol dogs dodge bullets every day at home and risk their lives sniffing out trouble in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But Butler's rep says the man's greyhound attacked the actor's little pug, Lolita
Your dog may not actually be smarter than somebody's honor student -- popular bumper stickers aside. But your canine companion might well be smarter than their toddler, according to a growing body of research on how dogs think.
DNA from a German shepherd that pulled the last survivor from Ground Zero is used to create litter of pups
Meet Kaden, bomb-sniffing dog in training.
The nation's new "first dog" has heightened interest in its breed -- Portuguese water dog -- but not necessarily a thorough understanding of the dogs' needs, a pair of owners and breeders told CNN.
Meet Bo the dog
updated: Fri Apr 17 2009 15:52:00
The first family parades their new pet before the cameras. CNN's Joe Johns is watching the media rush.
Bo, the Obama family's new dog, makes its debut in front of the cameras.
Bo the Portuguese water dog made his White House debut under cloudy skies Tuesday afternoon, spending several minutes taking his new family on a lively romp over the South Lawn with frequent stops for hearty sniffs at his new surroundings.
A story surfaced about authorities finding $3 million in cash on a bus bound for Mexico recently. How did they find such a large sum of money hiding on the bus? With a cash-sniffing dog. Wait, dogs can sniff out cash? Specially trained ones can.
Stump, a 10-year-old Sussex spaniel, is named the Kennel Club's Best in Show
Bye, bye bulldogupdated: Thu Jan 15 2009 09:51:00
Britain's bulldog undergoes a makeover for its health. CNN's Atika Shubert reports.
The classic English bulldog, a symbol of defiance and pugnacity often likened to wartime leader Winston Churchill, is set to breathe a little easier under revised breed standards issued in Britain.
The Golden Globe winner and his Chihuahua, Jaws, star in a new spay and neuter campaign
Since being rescued 20 months ago from the dogfighting ring financed by Michael Vick, all but a few of the abused pit bulls have been recovering in sanctuary, foster care and adoptive homes. Now even the most traumatized of them can have a happy new year.
Americans' picks for a potential first puppy vary widely, but a CNN poll out Tuesday finds broad support on one aspect of the incoming Obama family's decision.
For freshman Elise Chen, home is only a phone call away. It's keeping in touch with Sammy, her collie-lab mix, that's the problem.
iReporters talk to Headline News about what sort of dog President-elect Barack Obama should choose for his daughters.
George Augustin is looking for "the one." He strolls past the 50 cinder block and glass cages that stretch across the Atlanta Humane Society's large dog room, just as he has many times before.
Millions of dogs need forever homes. Gail Buchwald of the ASPCA tells Headline News why shelter dogs make great pets.
A crossbreed between MySpace and YouTube, Doggyspace allows dog owners from all over the world to come together, create profiles, and share photos and videos of their pups
Winfrey says Sophie, who died last month from kidney failure, "was a true love in my life"
This month on Quest, a modern insight into our enduring bond with man's best friend... the humble dog.
Quest investigates the dark side of Los Angeles' canine culture - abandoned dogs needing a new home.
It goes without saying that Max, a 3-year-old golden retriever can't talk. But that doesn't stop him from chronicling his dog's life -- as told to his owner Aubrey Jones -- on the blog Max the Golden Retriever.
Numero 'Uno'updated: Wed Feb 13 2008 06:42:00
An adorable beagle named 'Uno' wins the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Viewpoint: So she gave the dog to another family. Is this any reason for a talk-show host to get America in an uproar?
Dogs bred for the fighting pit have only one thing in their future: death. Fighting dogs may die in the ring or at the hands of their owners. If they are confiscated in a bust, they are almost always euthanized, experts say.
Analysis: Vick's situation
This article originally appeared in Sports Illustrated on June 4, 2007.
The owner of a pit bull bit a policeman after his dog ran away during a confrontation with officers, Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias reported on Tuesday.
SI.com: Dog-eat-dog sportupdated: Tue Feb 13 2007 11:26:00
Watching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, I couldn't help but notice that announcers Lester Holt and David Frei referred to the show dogs as athletes. I have to agree, and not just because pro athletes such as David Eckstein and Nate Robinson are eligible to compete in the Toy group category.
I have always been around dogs.
Such is life -- police called off the search Thursday for award-winning show dog Bohem C'est La Vie, who bolted from her travel cage at a New York airport after she took a breed award at this week's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
CNNMoney: Pet care costsupdated: Wed Feb 15 2006 11:36:00
A dog may be man's best friend, but that pup has a price tag. Vet visits and surgery cost dog owners almost $800 and cat owners $500 last year, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
Money Magazine: Man's Best Blendupdated: Mon Aug 01 2005 00:01:00
My daughter Julia and I often go to a local pet store to play with the puppies. Usually we see Labs, beagles, maybe a schnauzer and a bunch of Yorkies, all sleeping in a big pile of fluff. Not the ...
My reaction to the new romantic comedy "Must Love Dogs" is simple: No, I don't.
CNNMoney: Man's best blendupdated: Thu Jul 14 2005 11:30:00
My daughter Julia and I often go to a local pet store to play with the puppies. Usually we see Labs, beagles, maybe a schnauzer and a bunch of Yorkies, all sleeping in a big pile of fluff.
If you're the kind of person who thinks dogs are just OK -- you're not allergic to them and you've never had a traumatic confrontation with one on the sidewalk -- you'll probably find yourself vaguely charmed by the family film "Because of Winn-Dixie."
(CNN) -- Forget batteries, microchips and expensive air quality tests. Some experts simply reach for a bag of doggie treats when searching for pesky hidden house molds.
"Mommy loves you," cooed Charlotte (Kristin Davis) in a recent episode of "Sex and the City." She was not referring to her child, but to her dog, Elizabeth Taylor.
"Mommy loves you," cooed Charlotte (Kristin Davis) in a recent episode of "Sex and the City." She was not referring to her child, but to her dog, Elizabeth Taylor.
Fortune: Go, Dog, Go!updated: Mon May 12 2003 00:01:00
I'm a normal guy. I like to walk around my neighborhood naming other people's dogs under my breath. I once called a pit bull Mighty Aphrobitey. My wife pegged a poodle Bebe Rebozo. Then there was t...
Money Magazine: Dog Owners Under Attackupdated: Mon Mar 01 1999 00:01:00
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. With dog-bite incidents accounting for almost a third of liability claims against homeowners policies, insurers are increasingly canceling or refusing to ...
Okay, we all understand U.S. culture isn't superior to Japanese culture--or vice versa--it's just different. With that in mind, let us introduce the latest hot Japanese business: Rent-A-Pet.
Soaring medical bills. Limited insurance coverage. Expensive care for the aged and critically ill. Sounds like the familiar list of problems being addressed in Washington, D.C., right? Not so fast....
There's no one named Wally at our house. Or Ward, or June or the Beav. But there is a certain suburban sitcom quality to life these days at 28 Waterbury Rd. Call it Leave It to the Retriever (and i...
Compared with a shattering 508-point plunge in the Dow, a 63% change in the price of a parking space hardly seems a tremor -- except that we're not talking quarters for a parking meter. 1987 was th...
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