Britons: Your country needs you…and your furry friends!

Is anyone else a bit gutted that the last episode of Animal Heroes is on Tuesday? This fantastic documentary series follows the lives of animals and their handlers in the armed forces, providing an in-depth look at the experiences of the incredible animals that work hard to keep our country safe.

Literally covering a lot of ground, the series has been everywhere from the battlefields of Afghanistan to the Parade Grounds of London whilst following the journey of 16 young hopefuls as they endeavour to prove themselves capable Protection Dog Handlers on a challenging ten-work course.

There have been two episodes so far and while your last chance to see these working dogs in action will be on Tuesday 18 June the sponsor of the series, Churchill Insurance, is ensuring these remarkable working animals stay in the spotlight a little longer by offering four lucky competition winners the chance to attend a Dog Boot Camp run by former RAF Police Dog Handler John Fitzpatrick.

Four dogs and their owners will be given the exciting opportunity to attend this unique dog boot camp from Churchill in September, where expert trainers will put pooches through their paces to see if they’ve got what it takes to succeed in the military.

Dogs will be treated to expert agility training and will receive a lesson in ‘petiquette’ while owners will learn about the methods used to train animals in the military. They will then be given the opportunity to test out their newly-acquired skills with victors awarded with a prestigious doggy distinction!

So how do you go about entering the competition? Give the five tutorial videos on the Churchill website a watch, choose which exercise you want to teach your pup and get practicing! Plenty of treats, toys and cuddles later and when you think you’ve nailed it, record your dog in action and upload it to the site.

Four winners will be decided by a public vote and will be sent off to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in Old Windsor in September for their prize.

Applications are open from 1 June to 11.59pm on 14 July 2013.

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Watch Dog: Great Quotes from Furry Philosophers

When your job is answering scores of questions every day via email, it doesn’t take long before you have actually written tens of thousands of emails. Conservative estimate: 50 e-mails per day for a total of 250 per week x 50 weeks (I'm allowed a two-week vacation!) x 8 years = 100,000 e-mails. Even allowing that a good number of the responses are template based, we’re still talking serious numbers. Is it any wonder I sometimes get a little, well, goofy?

A few days ago, a Dogster reader asked a pretty straightforward question and signed off as a “literate” pet. Now, this person was having some fun, writing to Customer Support as their “pet author” instead of a human. And don’t I do the same? My standard signature is “Watch Dog,” sometimes embellished with “your friendly neighborhood watch dog,” to go along with our original corporate mantra: “Where no one knows you’re human.”

Lab reading a book courtesy Shutterstock.com.

Anyway, the next thing you know, since I’m writing to a “literate” pet, I decide I should raise the bar a little, and I added the following “quote” to the e-mail:

A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence canine obedience schools. -- George Bernard Paw

That was the proverbial push to take me down the silly road of furry philosophy. Here are the ones I’ve come up with so far, in no particular order or supposed hierarchy of relevance. They are what they are. I hope you have as much fun reading them as I did writing them.

Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent being a dog. -- Pawmas Alva Edison

Ask not what your dog can do for you, but what you can do for your dog. -- John F. Caninedy

Speak softly and throw a good stick. -- Teddy Arooosevelt

Never ask for whom the ball is thrown; it is thrown for thee. -- John Dognne

Serious dog courtesy Shutterstock.com.

Nearly all dogs can stand adversity, but if you want to test a dog's character, give him a bone. -- Abraham Löwchen (Lincoln)

The paw is mightier than the sword. -- Edward Bulldog-Lytton

To nap, or not to nap: that is the question. -- William Schnauzerspeare

Cats should be seen and not heard. -- W.C. Field Spaniel

Okay, those are my contributions of furry (or maybe it should be fuzzy) philosophy. Give me your best canine convictions, dog doctrines, and pooch philosophy. You know you can do it. Find a quote by someone famous, tweak it into a canine version of quote and author, and post it in the comments section. Have fun and make Sigmund Fido proud!

May the furrce be with you. -- Yowlda

Til next week, best woofs. 

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‘America’s Veterinarian’ answers your questions about your furry and feathered pals

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