Hero Dog Saves Her Owner from Choking to Death

Sheba the Akita slammed a paw on her owner's back, saving her life. This dog is simply amazing.

Eighteen-year-old Aysha Perry was home with her Akita named Sheba at her flat in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England, when she choked on a piece of chicken. No one else was home. Sheba was in the other room, asleep. Perry fell to the floor, struggling to breathe and trying to get to her phone. 

"I was at home on my own, and genuinely thought I was going to die," she told the Daily Mail.

Sheba must have thought so, too. Though Sheba had lived with Perry only two weeks, she woke up and knew exactly what to do. The dog heard her choking, bolted into the room, and promptly took action with all the skill and speed of an EMT who'd just completed a refresher course on helping choking victims. 

"I was on the floor trying to get to my phone when she came running in," Perry said. "She whacked me on the back with one of her huge front paws and the piece of chicken flew out."

That's right: A dog performed a life-saving maneuver on her choking owner, and it worked.

And Sheba might know more than many humans. Public health organizations at one time discouraged the back-slap in favor of the abdominal thrust of the Heimlich maneuver, but many now advocate trying a back-slap first.

"It’s a good job she has such big paws, otherwise I don’t think it would have dislodged the chicken," said Perry.  

Perry is fine, and she gives all the credit to her dog. "She could obviously sense I was in distress. After she helped get the chicken out of my throat, she began licking my face to make sure I was okay."

Akitas are known to be smart, loyal companions. In 1931, Japan declared the dog a "national treasure." Perry, who works as a tattoo artist, believes the dog knew that she was choking and knew what she had to do to save her.   

"There’s no doubt that she knew what she had done," Perry said. "She knew she had saved my life. I could tell by the way she looked and wouldn’t let me go ... I think she deserves some recognition because it was a very heroic act. I don’t know anyone else whose dog would do something like that.

“I just feel so lucky to have her. This has all happened in such a short space of time. I’ve only had her a couple of weeks and already she has saved my life."

Via the Daily Mail 

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Booger the Dog, of Dog-Cat-Rat Man Fame, Has Died

The sturdy foundation of the wildly popular cross-country act has passed away.

We've been following the travels of the "dog-cat-rat man" for quite some time, as have many others -- one video of the quartet garnered nearly 10 million views on YouTube. Last we heard, back in September, was that Greg Pike was taking his 12-pawed pyramid of unfettered joy back home to Colorado, to allow elderly Booger, a Rottweiler-Lab mix and the foundation of the act, to live out the remainder of her days in the town where she was born, among friends.

She did. Booger died on Monday in the care of a vet, while suffering from kidney failure and liver failure, according to the Denver Post.

"I think my eyes are drained. It really hurts," Greg Pike said Tuesday. "She didn't die in pain at all. She passed away in comfort in Telluride, where she loved to be."

Booger had hoisted a few rats during her time, but there's only been one cat on her back: Kitty. Booger adopted Kitty when she was a kitten, treating her like one of her own and letting Kitty spend a great deal of her time on earth atop her back (provided Kitty hoist a rat).

“The dog raised the cat,” Pike told us back in September. “The cat thought the dog was her mama. They’re family. Even the rat. It will crawl up under the cat’s chin, and the cat will use it as a pillow or start licking it.”

Now, Kitty just has the rat. The act is no more.

"I've never seen her curl up to me this much," Pike said of Kitty, after Booger's passing.

The show may not go on, but Pike still needs money. He's going to work as a ski lift operator in Telluride while he brainstorms his next big adventure, where he will "focus on animals and bringing joy to people," according to the Post. He said there will not be another dog-cat-rat act. He said it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

Booger will be cremated, and Pike plans to spread her ashes on Telluride's Gold Hill. If you're ever in the area, take a moment to remember the remarkable dog who let not one, but two animals spend their lives on her back.

“My dog earned her last few years to be in her favorite spot,” Pike said in September. “She always loved the high altitudes and the cold. I’m happy for what I did, and I’m glad I touched people. I have no regrets.”

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Home Neutering of Dogs in Canada Sparks Outrage

The practice is horrific. The dogs suffer. Yet people still attempt to save a few bucks by neutering their dogs at home.

You wouldn't think that an SPCA would have to speak out pleading with people to not neuter their dogs by wrapping industrial rubber rings around their testicles, causing intense pain and suffering. But that's exactly what happening in Canada. 

Kaley Pugh, manager of protection services at the Saskatchewan SPCA, is fielding reports from vets about the practice, and she's had enough. She told CBC News, "This is not an acceptable practice in dogs. They really do suffer a lot when you do this to them."

"The photographs I've seen are quite shocking," said Pugh. "Animals with significant wounds and bleeding and rotting tissue still attached to the animal."

Pugh says the SPCA could start to prosecute owners, according to CBS News. "Owners who put the health and safety of their dogs at risk through home neutering practices may be charged for violations of the Animal Protection Act and/or the Criminal Code."

Apparently, the practice is done on farms to livestock, using "elastrator rings" (which is itself controversial). Some dog owners think the practice is transferable to dogs. It is not. It's torture. Aside from the extreme pain, the dogs lick and chew the area, causing intense trauma.

Dr. Terri Chotowitz of the Cumberland Veterinary clinic in Saskatoon told CTV News, "There's no way you can get that [elastrator ring] tight enough without causing a lot of discomfort for the dog. I can only imagine how much chewing and licking and trauma they are doing to that area, trying to get that off. To use an elastrator ring is terrible and it doesn't make sense on any level."

Don't think for a minute that this is Canada's problem alone. Last April, a dog named Rocky, suffering and bleeding, was dropped off at a vet in Billings, Mont.

"It initially looked like somebody had surgically removed the testicles on that dog themselves," executive director of the Yellowstone Valley Animal, Chris Anderson, told TKVQ News. "As we started to do more surgery, we realized that we ... we found a rubber band ... and that maybe they had actually tried to band the testicles on an adult male dog. And the dog, literally, chewed its testicles off."

Both Billings and Saskatchewan, incidentally, offer low-cost spay/neuter services. 

"I wouldn't even call it neutering. It's torture. It's absolutely torture," Daphna Nachminovitch, senior vice president of PETA's Cruelty Investigations Department, told the Huffington Post. 

PETA is offering a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who attempts home neutering. 

"I want people to understand that this is illegal," she said. "And to make sure there are no copycat cases."

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Bliss is Dogster’s “Dog of the Day”

Posted on 31. Dec, 2009 by Keri in Dog Bliss News, Uncategorized

Oh hey! Bliss is “Dog of the Day” on Dogster! Bliss would like to thank all of her fans who helped make this happen (though she doesn’t really know how it happened).

Check her totally out on Dogster!

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How Haatchi the Three-Legged Dog Is Helping a Disabled Boy

Seven-year-old Owen Howkins doesn't have to deal with Schwartz-Jampel syndrome by himself.

Like any good best friend, dogs sometimes push us to be stronger people. For one boy, canine support opened up his life to a whole new world. According to the Daily Mail U.K., a seven-year-old child with a fear of leaving the house is starting to take trips outside, thanks to his three-legged dog, Haatchi.

Owen Howkins became fearful of social situations at a young age when he was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Schwartz-Jampel syndrome, which made him look different from other kids his age. His anxiety became so severe that the boy started to loathe leaving his English home.

Those with Schwartz-Jampel syndrome experience constantly tense muscles. Will Howkins, Owen's father, thought that finding his son an understanding companion might help relieve Owen's fears. At a local animal rescue center, Will found the perfect candidate in an Anatolian Shepherd named Haatchi.

Haatchi arrived at the rescue center after being tied to some railroad tacks and getting hit by a train. The incident cost the dog his tail and a back leg. Staff at the shelter feared the damaged pup may never find a home due to his disability. Now both Owen and Haatchi have found the perfect friend to help them overcome their challenges.

Owen's family says the the doting dog helps the boy cope with his frequent hospital visits and understand that physical differences don't change how people feel about you.

"Owen used to be scared of strangers but he now wants to talk to everyone about Haatchi and wants to go out all the time to dog shows," said Colleen Howkins, Owen's step-mom, to the Daily Mail U.K. "The difference we see in him can't be put into words."

Haatchi will soon start bringing his healing company to others. The dog recently completed therapy training, so he can visit solider amputees and terminally ill children in hospitals.

Haatchi's wonderful work has earned him an award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a fact Owen is eager to chat about with his new friends.

Photo Credits: All shots via Haatchi's Facebook fan page.

This article first ran on our friend site, Pawnation. See more recent stories from that site:

12 Real Animal Ghost Stories

Stowaway Snake Found Hiding Under Airplane Seat

Custody Battle Brews Over Obie the Obsese Dachshund

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Simply Bully Sticks Product Review

By now, most dog owners know about bully sticks. They’ve been around for at least 8-10 years, maybe longer. They’re an especially fibrous, strong all-meat chew made out of … well, let’s say that you can’t make them from female cattle, only bulls.  They are made from a fibrous muscle, and are prepared by cleaning, stretching, twisting and then drying them. They can be smoked in a traditional smoker, sun dried or oven baked. The result is a very hard, compressed 30–40 in dark brown stick, which is then sawed into 6?, 9?, 12?, 18? or even 24? pieces.

As a dog chew treat, they’re suitable for dogs with wheat and corn allergies because they only contain protein, fat and moisture. And they last a long time (I know, I know), so they’ll keep even aggressive chewers occupied longer than rawhide or other similar chews.

When they first came on the market, folks I spoke to loved them, and so did I. But soon two concerns emerged. The first was cost. A 6? bully stick often retailed for upwards of $3 each, and the 12? and 18? ones could be as high as $6 each. Some variety has entered the market, with buffalo bully sticks, steer sticks, Angus bully sticks, braided bully sticks, jerky wrapped, ends, braided, bully sticks from New Zealand, Australia, North America, South America, India, China, and on and on and on.

I figure it’s time to slow things down a bit and really take a look at what a bully stick should be. I had bought my last bag of stinky bullies from Costco, pondering what “value” really means, when I got a package from www.simplybullysticks.com.

The first thing I noticed was that the bully sticks were very thick and natural-looking. By this I mean that they were at three times as thick as the ones from Costco, which are about the thickness of a Sharpie marker. And they weren’t tightly stretched or rolled, so there was more texture. This means more interest for the dog, and more ridges to help scrape off that dental tartar.

The second thing I noticed was that the bullies weren’t stinky. I even put one right up to my nose and took a big long draught in. They smelled faintly buttery. Hardly any smell at all, and what was there was pleasant and appetizing.

The information contained in the package said that Simply Bully Sticks carries only one type of bully stick. They hand-picked some of their smaller ones because I mentioned I had a four-month-old puppy (albeit a large one). Those “smaller” bully sticks are shown above in the picture with our full-grown, 70-lb Irish Setter, so you can see how big they are. If you order from www.simplybullysticks.com, the ones you’ll receive should be even bigger.

Both dogs love the bully sticks. The Irish Setter goes to town on them with his blunt but strong adult back teeth. The puppy, who’s teething until she’s six months old, tears away at them with needle-sharp milk teeth.

The verdict? Our dogs LOVE these bully sticks. These bully sticks are what dog owners buy bully sticks for … tough, long-lasting, satisfying chews for any type of dog, even those with allergies. Some bully stick brands use chemicals to hide the odor of their bully sticks, or to increase their attractiveness to dogs. But natural bully sticks don’t stink, and dogs don’t need any incitement to like them. So why not go natural?

What about value? Those hard, skinny, stinky bullies from Cadet were $24 for 12 of them, roughly $2 each. The ones I got from Simply Bully Sticks were the same length, and cost for a pound of them is $29.99. At 3 oz per bully, that’s about 4-5 sticks, or $5.99 apiece. If they were the same thickness, a $2 bully vs. a $6 bully would be a no-brainer. But remember, they’re three times thicker than the cheap ones, so they last much longer. Those cheap bullies are gone pretty fast. The equivalent cost in my view is pretty close.

When I have a cost comparison, I like to ask if the increase in price is commensurate with the quality. So are Simply Bully Stick’s bully sticks worth three times more than the cheapy ones? You bet! I actually had to keep the cheap ones in a zipper bag because I couldn’t stand the dead-fish smell. What’s on them or in them that smells like that? Ewwww.

I think there will always be a market for cheaper bully sticks. I bought them, didn’t I? But once dog owners see a higher-quality bully stick available, there is always a market for those, too. I think that high-quality bully sticks like these will appeal to dog owners who are willing to pay a little more to give their dogs a more natural, better chew. In all fairness, there may be other retailers who offer better quality bullies. But as for me, we’ll be getting our bullies from Simply Bully Sticks from now on.

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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A whole new “Dog Bliss”

Posted on 26. Sep, 2009 by Keri in Dog Bliss News

Whew…

After a few weeks of work, Bliss and I are proud to present a whole new design for “Dog Bliss”! We’re hoping this new layout will give us the flexibility to show off more doggie products and have room left over for events, public service announcements, and other dog-related stuff. And JELL-O. There’s always room for JELL-O.

Today is the perfect day to officially launch, as it’s Bliss’ ninth birthday. Happy birthday my little furball factory! She’s very excited about her ninth birthday, as you can tell from this photo.

We’re still working on adding features and ferreting out the last few bugs, so please bear with us during this transition. If you see anything wonky, please drop us an email at keri (at) mydogbliss (dot) com.

We have a lot of dog products waiting in the wings, and we’re ready to get back to the business of showing them off. Oh! And don’t forget we’re on Twitter, so please follow us!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll be barking at you soon. Or whining. Depends on our mood.

Keri & Bliss

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