Golden Retriever pup Duke raising money for Haiti

As part of Becky Hayes’ “Just A Buck” 3rd Grade class project at Heatherwood Elementary in Boulder, her ADORABLE 4-month-old Rescue Golden Retriever, Duke, is visiting classrooms for one week. He is collecting dollar bills to help rebuild schools in Haiti.

It is not hard to see why the kids could not keep their hands off of this sweet boy.

Just addicted to BIG FAT puppy paws

What can I say? I have no idea why, but there is just something about BIG FAT puppy paws that makes me smile. Maybe it is the fact that they have to grow into them, like little girls prancing about in their mom’s high heels. Who knows? But, I love ‘em.

If only we all could be as happy as Sara.

Sara the swinging dog is back! She LOVES to go swing at the park. Sara has been doing this for about 4 years and goes absolutely crazy whenever her parents tell her they are going swinging. THIS IS THE OFFICIAL VIDEO. I just love the smiling face. Such enjoyment! The fact that Sara would do it 24-7 if allowed says it all.

16 Pandas Start ‘Nursery School’ In China

Awaiting 3′ of snow like us? Relax with Golden Coomba!

Well, we are waiting for the blizzard conditions and predictions of up to three feet of snow. Poor little Golden Alfie is not going to like it. But, I wouldn’t like it either with my tush exposed on the snow trying to do my business.

So, chill out with Brendan Mcgraw and his Golden Retriever Coomba. Coomba is a ski patrol avalance dog in training. This short video, with an almost 1-year-old Coomba, comes at the end of his first season on the mountain. Boy, is he something!

*Knead* some Romancing? See Golden Rosie & Kitty George

Golden Retriever Rosie is just loving kitty George’s advances. Too cute.

And, perfect for all the Valentine’s Day romantics out there.

Wanna play ball?

Ever wake up with toys all around you? That is what would happen to my hubby. He’d have balls by his head or be covered in woobies. That is what this adorable video brings to mind.

Golden Retriever Rescue Rufus, orphan in need of a home

Golden Rufus has been through a lot and waited a long time for the right family, who will be very lucky to have him. You can meet Rufus (and other adorable orphans) at the Buckhead PetsMart during Adopt a Golden Atlanta’s Adoption Day, this sunday, February 7th, from 10 am to 2 pm! Need more info? Call 404.DOGLESS (364.5377).

Post Polio Syndrome … the struggle continues

Paralyzed due to childhood polio at the age of four years, Freestyle’s Carolyn Scott now suffers from the after effects of her initial polio and treatments, evidencing Post Polio Syndrome. This has resulted in Carolyn’s no longer competing in the ring due to her diminished balance, which can result in falls. Yet, she continues to spread the joy that comes from participation in this sport.

Carolyn continues in a sense to dance for her life. Despite enduring post polio weakness and pain,  she is buoyed by Rabbi Hillel’s words, “I get up. I walk. I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing.”

I was reminded about the price polio victims have had to pay when I saw this article in the New York Times, For Some Survivors, Polio Won’t Fade Into the Past.

The people who worked hardest to overcome disability have in many cases been hit hardest by its second-wave attack, as over-used muscles and nerves gave out after decades of strain. Her observation is backed up by numerous studies.

“It’s overuse,” Dr. Perry said in a telephone interview. “The people who tried hardest to be normal, and pushed hardest, have been hit more with post-polio.”

Some polio survivors call that the “Type A” problem. Overcoming polio, they say, required immense work, if not obsession, to adapt undamaged muscles and nerves to carry the load. Mr. Hanson, for example, the retired banker, said his left knee, unaffected by polio but burdened for years from carrying most of his body weight, gave out about 11 years ago and had to be replaced. The polio-damaged right leg, meanwhile, became even weaker.

“We’ve followed a lifetime of saying, ‘Push hard, keep going forward,’ ” said Prof. Fernando Torres-Gil, a polio survivor and director of the Center for Policy Research on Aging at the University of California, Los Angeles. “But now that’s an impediment to successful aging.”

This is part of Carolyn’s story and what shaped her life and character. Our documentary film, Gotta Dance, is surely a recipe for living, and doing so to the fullest extent possible. In the article above, the conclusion is the same.

Some people who have participated in the Utah project say that rethinking polio’s path — and accepting that post-polio could shape the rest of their days — has given them strength.

Golden Retriever Rescue Jake … what a boy!

Don Hamer, 67, of Mill Creek affectionately warms and dries his dog, Jake, after the 4-year-old golden retriever finished playing in the water at Martha Lake Park in Lynnwood on Tuesday. Jake is a lot more than a pet. Hamer, who has epilepsy, believes Jake is capable of warning him of a seizure up to 45 minutes before it happens. Dan Bates / The Herald

I just love this story about Don Hamer and his rescued Golden boy Jake. Jake knows he was a lucky guy to be adopted, and is attached like glue to his dad. Don learned that the hard way when he returned from a trip without him. Poor Jake had scraped the fur off of 2 legs and barked himself hoarse.

Hamer, a soft-spoken, wiry 66-year-old retiree, says he adopted Jake in Albany, N.Y., Hamer’s former home, when the dog was 4 weeks old in late 2005. A friend told Hamer about a nearby adoption fair featuring dogs rescued from Gulf Coast states after Hurricane Katrina. That 2005 storm displaced thousands of people and separated pets from their owners in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Arriving at the adoption event, Hamer says he saw hundreds of malnourished and sickly dogs packed into shipping containers. He remembers seeing seven golden retriever pups and their mother. One of the pups was separated from the others. “I saw his mother had pushed him out of the litter,” he said. “She wouldn’t let him nurse.” He adopted the dog that day, nursed him to health and named him Jake.

The issue of seizure prediction, however, remains a cloudy one as most report that dogs with this ability have only developed it over time, the talent actually discovered accidentally. In 1998, Roger Reep, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of physiological sciences at the University of Florida, surveyed 77 people between the ages of 30 and 60 who had epilepsy. The survey asked about their quality of life, medical status, attitudes toward pets, ownership of dogs, and their pets’ behavior prior to and during a seizure.

Only 3 out of the 31 felt that their dogs seemed to know when they were going to have a seizure (10 percent). Another 28 percent said their dogs stayed with them when they had a seizure. According to his research, the behavior seems to occur spontaneously and may occur in as many as one in ten situations when the owner is having at least one seizure per month. Dr. Reep concluded that reports of seizure-alerting behavior in dogs should be viewed as credible, but with caution.

Learn more about these types of assistance dogs here.

Golden Retriever ‘recycling’?

We initially talked about this story on January 16th, but then received a new video shout-out from our Texan, Golden Retriever-obsessed partner in crime, Greg. Amazing, how networks are hungering for these fun, take-your-mind-off of life’s struggles, kinds of stories. The new MSNBC January 30th clip is provided below.

Hayley has been working at construction sites with her dad Max of DeMars Construction since puppyhood. (Photo by John Cross/The Free Press, Mankato, MN)

Ten-year-old Golden Retriever Hayley is the head “woofer with an r” at Max Demars Construction in MN. I cannot believe how agile she is and that she has been climbing ladders for 8 years now, without incident. Dad calls Hayley his VP of Public Relations as her sweet Golden disposition makes her a welcome visitor whether accompanying Max to the bank, to the office, or to the lumber yards.

Hayley is a roofer who doesn’t haul shingles. Her specialties are finishing her coworkers’ lunches and keeping them chipper on busy days. The golden retriever spends most of her time at the side of her owner, Max DeMars, and others who work for his company, DeMars Construction. When their work takes them to the rooftops, she climbs their ladder and follows them.

It’s an unusual sight for those who don’t know Hayley. And it has gotten her wet, black nose intro trouble. While prancing across the roof at a church construction site this week, Hayley apparently caught the attention of a concerned resident. Police were called, and she was within a leash’s latch of a trip to the pound.

A community service officer arrived at Hosanna Lutheran Church to find the gray-faced pooch looking down at him, wagging her tail. He talked Hayley off the roof and was about to take her away when DeMars stopped him.

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Gotta Dance Film Update

Work continues on our Gotta Dance documentary as we prepare for a 2010 debut. The film, which details the story of Carolyn Scott & Golden Retriever Rookie, exemplifies the bond that can be achieved through a positive working relationship between dog and handler. A courageous story of inner strength and survival, Carolyn remains buoyed by Rabbi Hillel’s words, “I get up. I walk. I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing.”

We have been so excited by the samples we’ve received from Jasper Randall, who is providing the musical score, as they are simply fabulous. And, we are thrilled with the brilliant assistance of Lauren Genkinger, CEO of TG Madison, a $42 million ad agency in Atlanta. We came to find Lauren through our mutual obsessions as she is the dedicated founder of the nation’s sixth-largest Golden Retriever Rescue group, Adopt a Golden Atlanta. Lauren’s staff  has provided the unbelievable GOTTA DANCE trademarked logo displayed above.

The title, GOTTA DANCE, is both literal and figurative in meaning. While clearly applicable for our talented canine freestylers, the intent is far more encompassing. The embodiment of The Bond, where the dance of human and canine is possible, is all about listening for the music, as we attempt to communicate and relate better together. That ability to truly dance with dogs is one we all strive for, and hopefully is aptly represented in this unique image.

We will be developing some incredible handmade items (including jewelry) based on this fabulous image. So, do stay tuned. In the meantime, you can find this fabulous image on Apparel, Stackable Mugs, Water Bottles, Dog Bowls, Bags & more at our CafePress Store. The new stackable ceramic mugs are a favorite, along with the new women’s and men’s undergarments. The film, and its merchandising, is a critical component to our ability to fund research in comparative oncology, those cancers evidenced similarly in humans and companion animals.

A little history here. We came to know Carolyn after discovering an article in 2001 that referenced her and Rookie. After posting it to our site, Carolyn contacted us, later sending a video of her Grease performance. We then asked Dave Mintzer of Ideogram Productions to render it digitally, and the rest is history as this clip continues to circulate the world, bringing joy to so many.

Enjoy. . . . . . .

Understanding a dog’s Body Language

This is a brief visual guide, created by the Zoom Room, to better understand the body language of dogs. Facial expressions and posture are examined both with isolated dogs as well as dogs at play or in other social interactions. It’s important for all dog owners to recognize when their dog is happy and relaxed versus nervous, worried or downright dangerous. The guide will also help you read other dogs that you and your dog might encounter, in order to best assess the situation.

If you’re bringing your dog or puppy to socialize with other dogs at a dog park or any other locale, this video will help you better understand and communicate with your dog or puppy, so that you can take the appropriate action, if necessary.

Golden Angel … the best behaved student

I simply love this video. Golden Retriever Angel is a therapy dog who works at Academy at the Farm, a charter school designed to meet the needs of all students in an inclusive environment.

My favorite part is seeing Angel sitting on the floor during an activity, among an entire class of youngsters. She also is so wonderful when the teacher is playing a math game at the front of the room. And, tunnel time is too funny. Sweet Angel just seems like any other student in the room …. albeit, somewhat furrier, with 4 legs, and a tail.

Learn more about therapy dogs and groups at our foundation site.

Horizon: The Secret Life of the Dog

We have an extraordinary relationship with dogs – closer than with any other animal on the planet. But what makes the bond between us so special? Research into dogs is gaining momentum and scientists are investigating them like never before. From the latest fossil evidence, to the sequencing of the canine genome, to cognitive experiments, dogs are fast turning into the new chimps as a window into understanding ourselves.

Where does this relationship come from? In Siberia, a unique breeding experiment reveals the astonishing secret of how dogs evolved from wolves. Swedish scientists demonstrate how the human-dog bond is controlled by a powerful hormone also responsible for bonding mothers to their babies.

Why are dogs so good at reading our emotions? Horizon meets Betsy, the world’s most intelligent dog and compares her incredible abilities to those of children. Man’s best friend has recently gone one step further – helping us identify genes responsible for causing human diseases.

This program was broadcast on the BBC the first week of 2010, but is unavailable for USA viewing. However, it was broken down into 6 segments and placed on youtube. So enjoy this wonderful piece from Dan Child and Andrew Cohen.

Sweet Love

While I could do with some different music (just turn it down or off), the affection of these kitties for their Golden Retriever sibling is so special.

Sunbear Squad Watch Tip of the Week: Jan 31st

The Sunbear Squad has resolved to make a difference for neglected and abused companion animals. They are transforming animal lovers into animal welfare defenders — with knowledge, tools, and inspiration.

	URGENT Watch Tip: Watch for stray Christmas puppies and kittens that have been dumped along highways or roadside rests and in mall parking lots—and even in dumpsters. Be a Good Samaritan for animals.

	Be Sunbear Squad Informed ►5 Simple Things ►Bill of Rights for Pets ►Risk Factor List ►Learn about Abuse ►Action Guidelines	Be Sunbear Squad Active ►Neighborhood Watch ►YouNet FAQ ►Start a Squad ►Free Materials
	Be Sunbear Squad Prepared ►Wallet Card ►Roadside Rescue Kit ►Disaster Plans ►Reciprocal Fostering ►SCRAPS Breathing	Be Sunbear Squad Inspired ►Roadkilled Blessings ►Be a Good Samaritan ►Inspirational Sayings ►Avoid Dog Slang ►Humane Awards

From Anna Nirva, Sunbear Squad Founder

How do you “get rid of” that puppy or kitten someone gave you for Christmas?

Lots of people are considering that question these days. Imagine their thoughts. Nobody asked if they wanted a new pet but they got one anyway. Those cute puppies and kittens tear up the house and they make messes everywhere. People just don’t have time for this crap. Plus they are getting bigger! Pet food costs too much. They didn’t ask for it, but they are stuck with the problem of how to get rid of it. It’s tricky; there are laws if you get caught. Well, after dark no one sees you, so that problem is going to go away once and for all!

You would never do that, and you wouldn’t give an animal as a surprise gift either. But thousands of people throw away animals every night all across America. They even throw them into dumpsters. Just ask the trash haulers—and the knowing animal rescuers who “dumpster-dive” regularly to save those lives.

Please keep your eyes and ears focused on finding those unfortunate dogs and cats, many of them just babies. As you drive past parks and waysides, look for them. Under bridges, look for them. Look for them hiding under hedges and cars in parking lots, and if you happen to walk pass a dumpster, stop to listen for whining and scratching. Always be alert. You might be the only one who sees or hears.

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 31st

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Love can sometimes be magic. But magic can sometimes…just be an illusion. — Javan

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: Jan 30th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Leashes: Life’s leashes are unavoidable; the challenge is which end controls. Dogs know when they are connected to a leash; many humans don’t. — Roger Hite

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Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 29th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years. — Bertrand Russell

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 28th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	I have always been amazed at the way an ordinary observer lends so much more credence and attaches so much more importance to waking events than to those occurring in dreams. Man is above all the plaything of his memory. — André Breton

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 27th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be. — Abraham Lincoln

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 26th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	First, all relationships are with yourself-and sometimes they involve other people. Second, the most important relationship in your life—the one you have, like it or not, until the day you die—is with yourself. — Peter McWilliams

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: Jan 25th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Quality of Life: A quality life is defined by our perceptions, not material reality. — Roger Hite

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 24th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy. — Robert Anthony

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 23rd

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	True friends stab you in the front. — Oscar Wilde

Skiing with Golden Retriever Pup Lupin – Updated

Below are the mountains of Hokkaido, NISSHO-PEAK (1445m). Gorgeous, smiling, 10-month-old Golden Retriever Lupin is just so sweet as he tries to keep up with his dad on skis. And, I love his snow outfit.

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If you didn’t quite get enough fun from the video above, here’s another with Golden dude Lupin at 9 months of age experiencing his First Powder. It was filmed in the Kimobetsu mountain (1062m).

I am so embarrassed . . .

Recently, I became involved with helping Dr. V, a wonderful veterinarian who put together the Hounds for Haiti Benefit Auction. As a nonprofit, I can sell on ebay without having to pay fees, with 100% of the proceeds then able to go the Red Cross. The auction has 45 items with several one-of-a-kind wonders.

Virtually all of the items have received bids …… EXCEPT FOR MINE. I donated primarily Golden items, of course, and unfortunately, they were more pricey. Two of my items are rare Golden collector’s finds that are actually not available for sale except through the auction.

Few Golden Retriever lovers are unfamiliar with this Sueellen Ross painting, or with the same image playing out in their homes as their beloved Golden sleeps.

We’ve had a Limited Edition 3-dimensional mug with this same painting for several years, although they are rare and hard to find these days. We actually have a few but they are not for sale. A few folks, at my foundation store, can get the mug with an art print purchase.

Or, they can try to buy it outright at the Hounds for Haiti Benefit Auction. This Golden Retriever Mug is simple huge, literally and figuratively.  It is an 18-ounce 3-dimensional Coffee or Soup Mug. The image is raised off of the mug so you can actually feel the special sleeping soul on it! It is actually much Larger than a regular coffee mug, measuring 4 5/8 inches tall and 4 1/4 inches across the rim. And, it is microwave safe and dishwasher safe.

We have two mugs, one to use and one to sit in our office to hold pencils and pens and such. It is just that fabulous of a piece. We’re additionally filling it with with our Healing Hearts of Honey – 100% Organic Treats that are enjoyed by dogs and their human companions alike.

The auctions have 4 to 6 days left of bidding. Check it out here.

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 22nd

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend. — Albert Camus

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 21st

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: Jan 20th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	Innocence: Innocence is simple contentment with what is—not what we want it to be. — Roger Hite

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 19th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all. — Leo Rosten

Lord Of Dogtown: Buddy The Amazing Surfing Dog – Updated

According to Buddy’s webpage, this intense Jack Russell Terrier is a regular at the beaches between Ventura and Santa Barbara where folks are dog friendly and surfers readily accept Buddy in the line-up.Buddy has appeared in the book “The Dogs Guide to Surfing”, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Pet Star TV Show, the New York Times, the London Sun, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and two Sanctioned Surf Dog Demonstrations at Doheny Beach.

And, soon talented artist Fred Stone’s fabulous poster and teeshirt featuring Buddy will be available via the Hounds for Haiti auction to raise money for the Red Cross.

UPDATE: The Hounds for Haiti Auctions are now live. To see all the auctions, click here:

To see the auction for the Buddy items, click here.

Your Daily GOLDEN Thought: January 18th

Did you know that if you THINK better, you will FEEL better? Learn more about this REBT life adjusting attitude by clicking here.

	You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. — Eleanor Roosevelt