Watch the Trailer for Jake Torem's "Letting Go," a Film About Life, Death, and Dogs

When the filmmaker lost his beloved Rottweiler, he made a film to cope with his sadness.

One aspect of sharing our lives with dogs that is particularly painful is that their lives are so much shorter than ours. It is pretty much inevitable that we will outlive our pets; we experience all the pleasure of watching them grow and all the pain of letting them go. It teaches us about our own mortality -- and that life is short but sweet, and that we should savor every moment of our own lives and our lives with dogs.

For filmmaker Jake Torem, the loss of his beloved Rottweiler was a deeply emotional experience. To commemorate the life of his canine companion, the Los Angeles actor decided to produce a film about life, love, and loss. Called Letting Go, the independently made movie revolves around Joel Slater, whose life is in turmoil as it reaches a critical turning point. At the eye of the storm are his three dogs, who all happen to be large breeds.

The dogs vie for his attention along with his girlfriend, boss, and mother ... but the one thing Joel really needs to do is properly mourn the death of his father. Will he have to give up his dogs in order to do so? Or is there something else he's holding onto?

Have you ever had to choose between your dogs and something else? Then you might just identify with this charming comedy.

For more information, check out the Letting Go Facebook page.

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Happy National Dog Day from Raise A Green Dog!

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Pet Photographer Serenah Captures Dogs' Sense of Humor

Dogs embody visual puns in these images -- we bet you can't look at them without smiling.

Free of society's inhibitions, dogs operate with primal indulgence -- if something in the garbage smells tasty, they will help themselves to it. Which is why we love them, even as we mop up our kitchen floors after them. Their lack of self-consciousness makes it easier for us to be ourselves around them, knowing that our canine friends will embrace us no matter what.

Award-winning photographer Serenah has always loved dogs, but it wasn't until four years ago that she turned her lens on our furry friends -- and on her own dogs in particular: Rocco, Ralph, and Simon. Inspired by their cleverness and the way her pups make her laugh all the time, Serenah's pet photography captures the sometimes unintentional humor of dogs in a loving, gentle way. Her images are guaranteed to crack a smile across your face and kindle a flame of contentment in your soul.

Following in the pawsteps of famous dog photographer William Wegman, Serernah first started photographing her pups Rocco and Ralph, who, according to her, "are always up for some fun if cheese is involved." Her Bulldog, Simon, has is own "look and personality to work with," and now Serenah pushes her artistic skills by challenging herself with creative ideas.

 The result is a portfolio conveying the essence of dogs that is both wild and wildly funny. It almost makes us wonder whether the dogs are actually doing it on purpose just because they love to see us smile.

Make sure to like Serenah's Facebook page for updates and more adorable photos.

Photos used with permission

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Do You Protect Your Dog?

A dog training video recently reminded me that my dog sees me as his pack leader. And as such, my job is to provide for him and protect him. I provide for him by feeding him, taking him for walks, getting him to the vet, etc. But — in his eyes — do I protect him?

A dog on a leash is at a disadvantage against an aggressive dog.

When small children run up to us wanting to pat him, so I just hang on to the end of the leash and let them rush him or do I ask them to stand still and let him approach them?

When stray dogs approach, do I put my dog at a disadvantage by keeping him on a tight leash or do I try to keep the dog away?

Do I keep my dog tethered on a leash at the dog park or do I take the leash off and let him move around freely?

When we’re on a walk, do I carry a spray bottle, stick, or other means of fending off dogs who threaten my dog?

Our dogs DO look to us for protection, and I think as modern dog owners, we forget that sometimes. I’m going to be more mindful of ways to protect my dog. Not to be an overprotective pet parent, and not to keep my dog from being a dog, but to provide protection when he needs it.

Lisa Woody is a former magazine editor and professional product tester for 15 years. She has been a pet products e-tailer for 8 years and loves to find out what's new and what works for dogs.

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Mystery Dog Spotted in Three Places Along U.S. Highway 101

Bay Area commuters see a small dog running down the freeway -- in locations that are miles apart. We hope he's safe.

During Wednesday morning's Bay Area commute, the California Highway Patrol received numerous calls about a mysterious dog that was reported in three locations miles apart along U.S. Highway 101.

The animal, which was described as a small, brownish-white Chihuahua-type dog, was first reported just before 9 a.m. near San Francisco's Candlestick Park on the freeway. The first caller reported the dog was next to the center divider, heading south. The CHP dispatched a unit to the scene, and traffic was slowed to a near-standstill while the dog loped cheerfully ahead of three lanes of restrained, backed-up traffic.

According to commuter Floyd Stone, who snapped a picture of the elfin animal, it appeared as though the little Chihuahua was a pied piper leading the morning commute to Silicon Valley.

"The Highway Patrol was successful in steering the dog safely to the shoulder, allowing the cars to resume their speed," said Stone, who gave the dog an apt moniker. "'Freeway Dog' seemed happy, content, and quite satisfied in leading the commute today and had a big smile on the side of the road when we passed by."

CHP Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said animal control officers were called to the area, but after searching for half an hour, they were unable to find the dog.

Then the situation took a strange turn. An hour later, another report had the dog still on the freeway, but almost 25 miles south, seemingly an impossible distance for a dog with such short legs to cover in such little time. There was another sighting of a small dog matching Freeway Dog's description on Highway 101 at Woodside Road in Redwood City.

Then, an hour after the first report, a third caller had the dog a half-mile farther south at the Marsh Road exit. According to the caller, the driver of a white Mercedes-Benz had pulled over onto the side of the off ramp and was apparently trying to capture the dog.

After that, Van Eckhardt said, there were no more reports.

"The descriptions match, though that is an awfully long distance for a dog to run," he said. "One hopes a good citizen was able to rescue the dog and it's now in a safe place." 

Did you see this little dog? Can you help us give this story a happy ending? Let us know in the comments! 

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Rescued dogs dedicate their life to helping the environment.

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Great Dane Puppy Cam: Watch Future Service Dogs Grow Up

Explore.org and Dog Bless You provide a look into the lives of six puppies as they're trained.

Here at Dogster, we love big mutts and we cannot lie. While there's definitely a place in our hearts for petite breeds, big dogs like sweet giant George and record-breaking Zeus amaze us with their sheer size, engaging our imaginations and inviting us to hug them tightly.

We are no stranger to puppy cams -- in fact, we've got them all bookmarked in our browsers and we sneak a peek of adorableness whenever our boss isn't looking (well, all right, here at Dogster, our boss is usually looking at puppy cams with us and the squeals of glee echo throughout the office). But this particular cam of Great Dane puppies is especially awww-inspiring -- the six big pups are destined to become service dogs to disabled veterans, children, and people suffering from diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Friedrich's ataxia.

Thanks to the efforts of explore.org and Dog Bless You, we get a glimpse into the lives and training of these amazing service dogs with multiple cameras, which allow you to watch puppies Perry, Lola, Ebony, Mia, Willow, and Roxanne grow into healthy, noble dogs.

But that's not all! For every one thousand likes Dog Bless You's initiative, Dog Bless USA, receives on its Facebook, Tumblr, and Pinterest pages, the organization will donate one service dog to a disabled veteran. Since June, more than 150 dogs have began improving the lives of men and women who have fought to defend our country.

Are you ready for cuteness? You can watch the puppies sleep with the indoor cam and during the day you can watch them outside at the "puppy hill."

Photos via the Service Dog Project

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