PrairiePundit

 Autulo: It was supposed to be just another typical airport day for Patrick Mahomes and his pregnant wife, Brittany. They were en route to another destination, like they had done countless times before, but this time, something unusual happened that would forever change their lives. As they walked through the busy terminal, the sound of a German Shepherd’s bark suddenly echoed through the space. The barking was sharp, frantic, and filled with a desperation that caught Brittany off guard. She instinctively stepped back, one hand protectively cradling her swollen belly, her heart racing. She glanced down at the dog, whose intense, focused gaze was locked onto her. Something didn’t seem right, and she felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. “Please, make him stop!” she begged, her voice trembling as she looked around, hoping someone would intervene. The dog, named Rex, continued growling, his ears flat against his head, showing an unusual level of distress. Patrick quickly stepped in fr...

 PJ Media: The ruling elites of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not known worldwide for their friendly, sunny dispositions; in fact, they have a long and ever-growing list of pet hates, including America, Israel, women (at least if their heads are uncovered and they’re out in public), and man’s other best friend, dogs. The ruling Iranian mullahs have now extended a ban that was already in effect in over twenty Iranian cities to the entire country: it is now against the law to walk the dog. That means, of course, that while private ownership of dogs as pets is ostensibly permitted in Iran, it has for all intents and purposes been outlawed. Wamiz, a French-language site devoted to news of our four-legged friends, reported on Tuesday that anyone walking a dog “on the streets of Iran now risks more than just a fine – and it's all down to deeply religious reasons.” Walking a dog has been illegal for years in Tehran and many other cities, and now there is nowhere in the entire Islamic...

 Blaze: A36-year-old male allegedly grabbed a 3-year-old boy by the arm in a broad-daylight kidnapping attempt in Florida over the weekend — but a dog put a stop to it. Ron Lee Klein Jr. entered a family’s fenced-in back yard through a gate at the back of their home around noon Saturday, WFLA-TV reported , citing a St. Petersburg Police Department affidavit. When Klein allegedly grabbed the 3-year-old by the arm and tried to pick him up, a barking dog confronted Klein, the station said, citing the affidavit. The barking alerted someone near the child, who began running after Klein and yelling at him, WFLA reported, citing the affidavit. Klein let go of the toddler and fled the area, the station said, citing investigators — and St. Petersburg police in the area located and arrested Klein. Klein is facing charges of attempted kidnapping and trespassing to an enclosed area of a dwelling, WFLA said, citing the affidavit. The station said he's being held without bond. ... Give that dog ...

 Fox News : An Israeli K-9 unit is being credited with rescuing over 200 civilians while under fire in communities near the Gaza Strip. In battles in multiple communities close to Gaza, Israeli soldiers paired with K-9s went on several rescue missions that "rescued hostages, saved lives, and eliminated terrorists who had barricaded themselves in houses," according to the Israel Defense Forces Spokesman's Unit. Commanders and soldiers from Israel's Oketz K-9 Unit were split up into three different companies in order to take a more active role in combat near the Gaza Strip, the Spokesman's Unit said, resulting in the rescue of several hostages and the deaths of more than 10 Hamas terrorists. In one battle at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a canine named "Naro" was sent to find the terrorists and weapons, but ended up revealing the location of a planned ambush on Israeli forces and attacking the Hamas gunmen. Israeli forces were able to neutralize the ambush after bei...

  Epoch Times: Dog Protects Abandoned Newborn Baby Like One of Her Own Puppies in Cold Night ...   Speaking about the incident, an anonymous local said: “It’s possibly the warmth from puppies and their mother itself [that] had kept this newborn alive. Usually, the temperature dips at night … I must say, it’s her sheer luck.” Found nestled alongside the litter of puppies, the newborn was completely uninjured. She was discovered after locals heard her crying, it is claimed. Locals informed the panchayat, a local government body, who further contacted the police. The baby has been referred to the Child Line Project after being examined by doctors in a local hospital. ... Dogs can be amazing creatures.    See, also: Sailor in Santa Monica Bay Led by Dolphins to Woman Stranded Miles From Shore, Saves Her Life

 CNN: A Shiloh Shepherd named Tinsley earned some extra treats Monday night after leading authorities to her owner, who was injured after a vehicle crash and in urgent need of help. Tinsley caught the attention of New Hampshire State Police when they responded to a call about a loose dog on the Veteran's Memorial Bridge, which spans the New Hampshire-Vermont border on I-89. Trooper Tom Sandberg and officers from the Lebanon Police Department located a large dog looking skittish and scared, said NHSP Lt. Dan Baldassarre. "They were trying to get the dog off of the highway to keep it safe," he said. Sandberg and the officers tried to get close to the dog but she would run and then stop and look at them, trying to get their attention. "The dog stood at the top of the embankment and looked down," Baldassarre said. The officers noticed a damaged section of guardrail and when they looked down saw a badly damaged pickup truck that had rolled over, NHSP public informati...

 Daily Caller: Henry, an 8-year-old Boston terrier, saved his owners’ baby on Tuesday, who was sick and struggling to breath. Kelly and Jeff Dowling noticed their dog was acting strange Monday evening when he kept barging into their 9-month-old daughter’s nursery and waking her up. During an interview , Kelly explained that Henry typically goes to bed and keeps to himself. “He was head butting the door open and going into her room and standing there,” Kelly said. “And every time I shooed him away, he would go back in as soon as my back was turned.” Henry entered the nursery five times, Fox59 reported . The Dowling’s were aware that their daughter had a cold, but didn’t suspect anything was wrong. Henry’s persistent behavior made them realize their daughter’s condition was worsening. Last night the dog kept breaking into the nursery and waking the baby. She’s been sick, and I was getting so fed up with him. Until she stopped breathing. We spent the night in the hospital. I don’t kno...

  NY Times: Who Is the Smartest Dog? Let the Competition Begin Scientists in Hungary are streaming experiments with dogs that know many words, featuring them in a contest of canine intelligence. My dog is a Golden Retriever, Irish Setter mix that I got at a local shelter.  He is easily the smartest dog I have ever owned.  He understands words even when not spoken to him directly. He understands "check the mail" and becomes eager to go with me to the mailbox when he hears the word.  He also understands "outside" and "no" among other things.  He knows his name and responds to "Winner, come."

Texas Monthly: Feral Hogs Are Invading Yankeeland. Northern Friends, Here’s What You Need to Know. Tips from Texans who trap, kill, and study wild pigs. They are certainly a problem in this part of Texas.  Both my neighbor's dog and my dog have been attacked by the hogs and it is not a pretty sight.  My neighbor's German Shepard was nearly killed and my Golden Retriever/Irish Setter mix required extensive treatment at the vets and is now on a special diet.

Washington Examiner: Though no U.S. forces were killed in the Saturday evening raid that led to the death of an ISIS leader, one military working dog suffered severe injuries in the line of duty. The dog, whose name and breed remain unknown, chased Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi into a tunnel and cornered him. With no place to go, the terrorist leader blew himself up along with three of his children, who he was using as human shields. The dog’s injuries highlighted the importance of military working dogs in special operations. Often, they will enter the danger zone with a camera on their backs before the humans do so. "The dog is a war veteran and a valued member of the team," a currently serving soldier assigned to Delta Force told the Washington Examiner. The soldier did not provide details, pending permission from the dog's handler and chain of command. Everyone involved in the mission is being debriefed and is out of communication for the time being, the soldier said. Wit...

Daily Star: SAS dog rips out jihadi’s THROAT and SAVES patrol caught in ambush AN SAS patrol was saved by a special forces attack dog which savaged terrorists during a gun battle. The animal tore the throat out of one gunman as he shot at the Brits. It then attacked two others, leaving them seriously injured. Six more jihadis fled. The incident occurred in the north of Syria two months ago but details of the dog’s bravery can only now be made public. The six-man team had taken along a Belgian Malinois, a breed of sheepdog known for its strength and bravery. As the patrol entered the village they left their vehicles and were attacked from all sides by waiting terrorists. The SAS men returned fire but the jihadis began closing in and tried to outflank them. One source said: “The SAS found themselves in a 360-degree ambush. “The initiative was with the terrorists and the only hope for the British was to try and make a run for it. “The handler removed the dog’s muzz...

CNN: The benefits that come with owning a dog are clear-- physical activity, support, companionship -- but owning a dog could literally be saving your life Dog ownership is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and death, finds a new study published Friday in Scientific Reports, a Swedish publication. For people living alone, owning a dog can decrease their risk of death by 33% and their risk of cardiovascular related death by 36%, when compared to single individuals without a pet, according to the study. Chances of a heart attack were also found to be 11% lower. Multi-person household owners also saw benefits, though to a lesser extent. Risk of death among these dog owners fell by 11% and their chances of cardiovascular death were 15% lower. But their risk of a heart attack was not reduced by owning a dog. "A very interesting finding in our study was that dog ownership was especially prominent as a protective factor in persons living alone, which is ...

NY Times: Risking 60 Lashes, Iranian Runs for Right to Walk Dogs The conservative candidates favored by hard-liners for Tehran’s City Council have been overwhelmed by an outpouring of activists and minorities, including one veterinarian. What is it about some Muslims and dogs?  Are they really fearful of friendly animals?   I think the veterinarian may be the most courageous person in this race.

Washington Post:   Stray dog wins hearts and a new home after following ultramarathon runner The pup, since named Gobi, showed up at the start of a 155-mile race in Asia, scampered after Scottish distance runner Dion Leonard and stuck with him over days of increasingly harsh terrain. It is interesting how dogs can bond with humans.  This one proved it was willing to go to any length to do so.

Tasks and Purpose: ... The incident purportedly took place in northern Iraq, not far from the ISIS stronghold of Mosul, and near the village where an American Navy SEAL was killed in battle on May 3. According to the British paper, Daily Star Sunday, a small team of SAS commandos were en route back to their base when one of their four vehicles was struck by a roadside bomb. The troops were immediately encircled by about 50 ISIS militants, who were armed with a pair of machine gun-mounted Toyotas. Taking fire from three directions, the commandos dismounted their vehicles and scrambled for cover. A fierce firefight ensued, and the Brits feared they were being overrun. We’re assuming the jihadists were not expecting what happened next. As the battle raged, a U.S. soldier, who was attached to the SAS team, decided to give the enemy a taste of American might — or, shall we say, American bite — in the form of a pissed off German shepherd. German shepherds — sometimes referred to as “A...

Family Security Matters: Awesome! Control dog keeps planes safe on takeoffs, landings This is really a great video.  The dog obviously enjoys his job and is good at it.

This is pretty cute. She seems to be having fun with the puppies.

The quality of the video is not great, but the story is.  Perry describes the lengths he went to for the family of a fallen Marine who had a device dog he loved.

Daily Mail: Dogs really DO understand their master's voice: Researchers find canines process language in a similar way to humans Sussex researchers have found that pet dogs process language in a similar way to humans, learning to recognise the groups of consonants and vowels that make up spoken commands. My current dog surprises me with his comprehension of what I am saying.  I started out with basic commands such as Come or Stay.  He has the habit of waiting for me by the mail box on the road about a quarter of a mile from the house when I leave to go to town.  When I get out to check the mail I tell him "Go to the house" and he is off like Rin Tin Tin.  He also seems to understand  Let's go home."  When we both go to the mail box, I tell him "Let;s go check the mail" and he heads for the door heads down the road with me.  Winner is a shelter dog that looks like an Irish setter.  He loves kids and is very protective when we are out for a wa...

Marine Corps Times: Officials with the Marine Corps military working dog program are looking to find homes for all the service’s improvised explosive device-sniffing dogs as the Corps’ requirement for these highly trained animals draws to a close. The Marines developed a capability for IED detection dogs, or IDDs, in response to an urgent need in 2004, when hidden explosives emerged as a major threat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unlike other Marine military working dogs, that trained and deploy with military police handlers, IDDs were trained to deploy with infantrymen and Marines in other combat specialties, who would complete a lean five-week training program with their assigned dog before heading downrange. At peak, the Corps had some 650 IDDs downrange and in various training facilities stateside, and the dogs stayed busy: By 2010, most of the Marine battalions deploying to war zones had IDDs attached to them. Today, however, there are only about 100 of the dogs remaining stateside i...