I had no idea there were a dozen dogs on the Titanic, and one was responsible for saving lives too. Stanley Coren tells the story:

Finally, the Carpathia began to pull away from the area, unknowingly on a course directly bearing down on the unseen little lifeboat. Its passengers were simply too weak to shout loudly enough to avoid being run down by the ship. Yet, somehow, Rigel was still strong enough to bark. Carpathia’s Captain Arthur Henry Rostron heard the dog and ordered the ship to stop. Swimming in front of the lifeboat, the dog marked the location of the survivors and all were hauled up the starboard gangway.

[Via The Heroic Dog on the Titanic | Psychology Today.]

Go and read the whole thing, though — it’s not long, but very interesting. And hooray for Rigel the Newfoundland!

It’s hard work becoming a guide dog.

Hard work becoming a guide dog.

Support Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind guide dogs in training. With your help, they can do so much more.

Donate to Red Puppy Appeal, 30 March — 1 April 2012.

And here’s an idea: bake a difference for Red Puppy Appeal by baking and selling puppy-shaped bikkies to your friends and colleagues.

If you love to bake or to eat, you’ll love Red Puppy Bikkie Day! It’s a great opportunity to bake a difference in support of RNZFB’s guide dogs in training.

[Via Bikkie Day - RNZFB.org.nz.]

Buddy the German Shepherd near Anchorage, Alaska, ran to get help when a fire started. For his services he’s to be presented with a special award:

Troopers say Buddy and his owner, 23-year-old Ben Heinrichs, were in the family workshop when a heater ignited chemicals. Heinrichs told Buddy: ‘We need to get help.’

The dog eventually found a trooper responding to a call about the fire.

The State Troopers are presenting a special award Friday to the dog. Buddy will receive an engraved silver-plated dog bowl in Anchorage.

[Via Dog Leads Alaska State Trooper To Fire.]

When 3 year old Victoria was lost on a freezing night in Arizona, the family dog, Blue, kept her warm and safe:

“She wasn’t moving when we first came upon her,” Uhl said. “She was kind of just looking face-down on the ground.”

She rose to her knees next. The helicopter landed about 50 yards away, and Tarr, the medic, approached the girl.

At first, Blue seemed apprehensive, as if he was protecting Victoria. The girl smiled, and Blue’s mood changed.

“I think once the dog realized we were there to help them out, he was very excited,” Uhl said. “He ran around while the medic tended to the little girl, and when it was time to go, he jumped right into the helicopter and was ready to go.”

[Via : Family dog keeps lost Ariz. tot safe on cold night.]

The boy was gathering firewood; the cougar was advancing:

Cougar (via Wikimedia Commons).

A family dog saved his eleven-year-old owner Saturday [in Boston Bar, B.C.] when he stepped between the boy and an advancing cougar, according to the RCMP.

[Via : Dog saves 11-year-old from cougar attack.]

The dog received some minor injuries; the cougar, unfortunately, was killed. The boy was fine.

Today’s feelgood moment:

A cross between a fox terrier and a chihuahua, Shyla, a New Zealand dog that has never had puppies mothers a litter of seven abandoned kittens.

[Via : Dog suckles kittens — Discourse & Data.]

Maxine Jones took on Guide Dog puppy walking for a while. She had some interesting experiences with Zebedee, the golden Labrador puppy:

International Guide Dog Federation.

I DON’T PARTICULARLY LIKE dogs. …

I’d resisted my youngest son’s demands for a dog for years, but this was a way of giving it back when it was no longer an endearing Andrex puppy and my son had proved he wouldn’t walk it or pick up poo. …

Zebedee is always pleased to see me. And when I walk down the road, everyone wants to know me. …

Walking back with the dog after meeting [my son] from school, a lanky boy with braces stops his bike to talk to us. “I miss my dog,” he says.”My parents split up and we couldn’t keep him.” I’m moved to silence as he props up his bike to pet the dog.

Old ladies empathise most with the dog. Young mothers are wary, fearing they’ll be besieged with requests from their offspring. “I’ve enough on my plate,” one says, her brusque tone covering up a flash of longing.

Zebedee and I are spotted by a posse of 11-year-old girls who are walking past the post office, where we are in line. In one squealing mass, they make a run for her, and cover her in a cloud of pink. Zebedee loves it, licking their faces in turn. Just as suddenly, the girls take flight and flutter off, regrouping outside to discuss how sweet she is.

[Via : Dog day afternoons - The Irish Times - Sat, Sep 26, 2009.]

Guide Dog puppy walking is a great activity, available pretty well anywhere guide dogs are trained. If you think you might be interested visit the International Guide Dog Federation website to find a local organisation you can contact.

Special note: 27 October to 2 November 2009 is The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s annual Blind Week Appeal. Give them a donation to support not only training guide dog puppies, but all the other services they offer to blind people.

How do you hear a timer or a fire alarm if you’re totally deaf? Maybe your dog can do it for you:

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People NZ.

Elvis is Northland’s first official hearing dog and alerts Leanne Platjes to important noises like alarms or people knocking at the door.

Leanne, who is almost 100 percent deaf, says Elvis gives her confidence, companionship and security.

…Elvis responds to sounds like someone at the door or timers by pawing Leanne on the leg.

When she asks where is it? he leads her to the source of the noise.

[Via : Elvis is no hound dog | Stuff.co.nz.]

What is a Hearing Dog?

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People NZ is a charitable trust which rescues young dogs of any breed and trains them to be hearing dogs:

… most Hearing Dogs are rescued from Animal Rescue Centres as pups or young dogs. …

Fortunately pedigree isn’t important — but being friendly, intelligent and responsive to sounds is. Which is why Hearing Dogs come in all shapes and sizes and almost every breed and cross-breed you could think of.

[Via : What is a Hearing Dog - Hearing Dogs.]

Training costs $11,500 for each dog, which is then matched to a deaf person for free.

The dogs are approved by the government to go anywhere with their deaf owner.

I think there’s one thing all dog owners agree on — how happy your dog is to see you:

moar funny pictures.

Image from cheezburger.com, by dEbBiE-o.

A few weeks ago I mentioned in When dogs attack; and what to do about it a woman who had been set on by a pack of 8 pig dogs. It was a horrific attack that left the victim badly injured.

I can’t imagine being subjected to that kind of attack, but if I were I suspect my emotions would rule and I’d be out for harsh penalties and revenge. I’d probably also be terrified of dogs.

It’s heartening to read today that the victim isn’t responding in that way at all:

Mrs Christensen said yesterday she did not want [Tara] Tuhakaraina [owner of the dogs] to be given a jail sentence. “I don’t bear any grudges towards Tara. She has made a mistake and the best outcome would be a monetary fine, and not to be put in prison.”

Tuhakaraina should not be able to own a dog for five years, she said. …

“I haven’t been put off dogs, I’ll just be more careful in the future … I would like to run again but I will take someone with me next time.”

[Via : Dog attack victim wants owner fined, not jailed | Stuff.co.nz.]

That’s courage.