Dog Calls 911, Saves Owner

In Arizona, USA, a man's dog has been trained to use the telephone to call for help if he becomes disabled. Joe Stalnaker is an Iraqi war vet, and suffered a brain injury. He is subject to incapacitating seizures. He trained his German Shepherd to bite the telephone if he does not respond. All the quick-dial buttons on the phone are programmed to call 911, which is the emergency number in the USA (and Canada, too).

One day he collapsed, the dog brought him the phone, he did not respond, so the dog bit the phone, which dialed 911. The operator answered and asked, "What is your emergency?" and the dog barked.

The operator, surprisingly, recognized this as worth investigating and sent a paramedic team, who found Joe unconscious.

CNN video here.

Dog Eats Baker's Dozen of Golf Balls

A dog had to have 13 golf balls removed from its stomach after eating them while on walks around a golf course in Fife, Scotland.

The owner, Chris Morrison, had been taking his five-year-old black labrador, Oscar, around the Pitreavie golf course in Dunfermline for several months.

After hearing a rattling sound coming from the dog's stomach, he took Oscar to the vet.

They then discovered that 13 golf balls -- each weighing about 45 grams (about 1.6 ounces) -- were in the dog's stomach.

Mr Morrison, a planning administrator, said one of the golf balls had been in his stomach so long that it had turned black and was decomposing.

He said: "He finds golf balls like truffles. We're not sure how long exactly this happened over, but it must have been a fair period - several months at least.

"I felt his stomach and heard them rattling around. He normally brings a few home, but I had no idea he had eaten so many. The vet hadn't seen anything like it; it was bizarre. He is a black lab so he is a fair size, but to swallow 13 is quite amazing."

The balls were removed by the veterinarian two weeks ago in a successful operation that took about an hour.

Oscar is now on the road to making a full recovery on a special post-operation diet of watered-down food until the incision heals.

He also has to wear a muzzle while out and about.

Mr Morrison added: "He does get a bit frustrated now and again."

Bob Hesketh, 40, the principal vet at Vetrica in Rosyth, said he had never seen anything like it.

He said: "It was like a magic trick. I opened him up and felt what I thought were two or three golf balls. But they just kept coming until we had a bag full. I think they must have been in there for several months, one was all black and the shell was swollen."

For more information on protecting your dog's health, click here.

source: BBC News

Sit! Stay! Fetch!

It isn't very often that I come across something in the world of dog training that truly impresses me, but recently I came across a dog training guide that is simply outstanding.

Before telling you what it's about, I just want you to be clear on what it is NOT.

It is NOT a guide to dog training that teaches you how to get your dog to obey by hitting, scolding, or abusing your dog.

It does NOT encourage you to punish or hurt your dog in any way.

Here's what it IS about...

You'll learn how to get your dog to WANT to please you and WANT to be a good dog.

He'll learn:

• Where and when it is appropriate to bark
• To stop digging up your yard
• To stop chewing your furniture and clothes
• To stop being aggressive towards people and other dogs
• To stop whining, especially at night.
• To stop bolting out the front door
• To stop pulling on the leash
• To stop jumping up on strangers and other family members
• Potty training secrets, and a whole lot more!

And he'll learn how to do all of this using his natural dog instincts (rather than human psychology).

You'll discover that mistakes that you are probably making, such as giving your dog attention when he jumps up on you (e.g. petting, or scolding) and others, are communicating the wrong message to your dog.

You'll find out how you should communicate with your dog.

It's not your fault, most other dog owners make these same mistakes and you'll be so impressed with the changes in your dogs behaviour once you read this essential book.

To find out more, go get your own copy of Secrets to Dog Training; you can get more information about this excellent guide here.