Dogs, We Don't Deserve Them

[WuDrWu]

I'm going to dig deeper into this because I'm still a little confused (it's me not you). And FWIW, I agree, we don't deserve dogs.

[Kung Wu]

If anybody is interested in providing a good home to two free 2 year old boxers that I am rescuing, hit me up for details. I do have one family interested in them, but I don't have a solid 'yes' yet so I want to keep putting feelers out there.

[SubGod22]

'She saved our lives': Woman Credits Rescue Dog for Alerting Her to Dangerous Carbon Monoxide Levels

A woman who rescued a dog from a shelter was amazed and overwhelmed to learn that the Siberian husky returned the favor.

Samantha Griffen might have died before the carbon monoxide detector even went off, but the husky, Luna, had other ideas.

Moving into a new house on 54th and Prestwick Sq, Marion, Indiana last June, her water heater started leaking, spilling the dangerous gas into the home.

Griffen had only adopted Luna, a now two-year-old husky, 6 months ago.

“I had a migraine, so I went into my room and was resting like I normally do and she was not going to let me sleep,” Griffin told WRTV.

“If she hadn’t gotten me outside, I would fallen asleep in here like completely fallen asleep and probably wouldn’t have woke up.”

Griffen said that Luna jumped on the bed and kept her from falling asleep until she took the dog outside, where, eventually, the CO1 detector did go off. She then got all the children out of the house as fast as possible and called her utilities company.

[Critter's Pa]

There have been a number of studies done that show drug dogs having success rates below 50% when they 'hit' on say a vehicle. There have also been indicators that some of these drug dogs will react similarly to a true 'hit' when their handler makes some sort of motion or command which gives the handler 'cause' to do a more invasive search.


If we simply trusted those dogs trained to search for such things, it would be much better. Nobody expects 100%, but even 50/50 is pretty suspect.

The military has spent a lot of money trying to find some contraption that works even close to as well as a dog's nose. If dogs were 50/50 at detecting something, the military would NOT use dogs. They would issue soldiers some coins.

I doubt the problem is with the dogs, but some dogs are not good at detection, or don't have the disposition for it. This would be confined to only certain dogs, regardless of who is the handler.
It could be a training issue with the dog, but you should be able to trace low performing dogs to certain trainers.
The problem most likely lies with the handlers. It could be something inadvertent that the handler is doing, which is a training issue with the human and probably fixable (in the human, the dog can be trained properly again). If the handler is doing something intentionally, they should be fired if not face some sort of criminal/civil penalty.

I would think that a dog that is bad at detecting would have more misses than false hits. False hits are the fault of a human somewhere along the line.

[SubGod22]

I agree. Not every dog is cut out for detection, but most of the problems especially within law enforcement are undoubtedly either poorly trained handlers or I'd guess more often than not bad apples who get away with too much.

[SubGod22]

Half of Dad's Face Rebuilt After Dog Sniffs Out Cancer to Save His Life: 'Do Not Ignore the Symptoms'

Surgeons successfully rebuilt half his face, after a father-of-two was saved by the family dog sniffing out a cancerous tumor.

Mark Allen was given just weeks to live after being diagnosed with an aggressive tumor that had spread across most of the right side of his face.

The 65-year-old noticed his mixed-breed collie had been acting strangely—nudging, pawing, and becoming overly-affectionate towards him—for months, prior to his diagnosis. He thought nothing of it at the time, but later realized his pet was trying to tell him something.

Mark said he ignored symptoms for nearly 12 months, which meant his tumor spread across most of his face—and he’s now urging others not do the same, by raising awareness through a charity.

“I couldn’t breathe out of my right nostril for about a year or so because of a polyp,” said the consultant and CEO from Warwick, England.

“At the time, Jessie was acting oddly, clinging around my legs and behaving in a closeness she had not previously done.

“When I finally went to see the doctor and got the results, I think I’d already worked out it was going to be cancer because of Jessie’s behavior.”

“Had I gone to the doctors earlier, I’m sure the treatment would not have been as severe as it turned out to be, but I had allowed the cancer to get to stage 4.

“I asked the consultant what would happen if I did not have surgery, and he replied to say I would be dead within weeks.

And here's the good girl who tried for months to get him to get help

[SubGod22]

Beacon The Therapy Dog: The Unsung Hero Of Team USA Gymnastics

In a world where every fraction of a second can determine the difference between victory and defeat, Team USA Gymnastics has found an unlikely ally in their journey to greatness: Beacon, a 4-year-old golden retriever.

Wearing his official credential with pride and holding the title of "Goodest Boy," Beacon is not just a mascot; he's a vital part of the team’s emotional support system.

As the first emotional support therapy dog for USA Gymnastics, Beacon has quickly become a beloved figure among athletes and coaches alike. His job? To provide comfort and calm, particularly for the women's national team members, who face immense pressure as they compete on the world stage.

Suni Lee, one of the team’s star athletes, who has faced her own set of challenges on the road to Paris, shared a heartfelt post with her followers, captioning a picture of herself with Beacon, "Thank God for Beacon."

The photo, which quickly went viral, perfectly encapsulates the bond between the athletes and their furry companion.

Tracey Callahan Molnar, Beacon's handler, describes him as an "emotional sponge."

"He picks up on the stress and will pull to that person immediately," Molnar said. "Even though he might be lying still for two hours, he's wiped out afterwards."

Beacon’s ability to sense when someone is in need and his willingness to offer quiet support have made him an invaluable member of the team.

During the Olympics, Beacon wasn't just working behind the scenes; he also took to entertaining the crowds during breaks, adding a touch of joy and levity to the intense atmosphere.

While the women’s gymnastics team celebrated their incredible achievement of taking home eight medals in Paris, many would agree that Beacon played a crucial, if quiet, role in their success. His calming presence, combined with his ability to connect with each athlete on a personal level, made him the unsung hero of Team USA.

Bonus Video - Here's an adorable clip of Beacon as a puppy enjoying his favorite "fridge time." After a walk, he loves to climb into the fridge to cool down, a habit that started when he was little and has continued as he's grown. The video captures him squeezing into his favorite spot, even as he gets bigger and bigger. "There’s no sign of him stopping, but we’re not sure how much longer he’ll fit!"

11 minute video in the link.

There's also a clip of him entertaining crowds during breaks in action.

A couple of pics of Suni and Simone with Beacon.

[SubGod22]

Stray Pup Chases a Doggie Day-Care Bus and Gets Adopted

A determined Lab has found a new home in Georgia after galloping alongside a doggie daycare bus until he won over the driver and found a new home.

In Franklin County, the story begins when the driver of the ‘pup bus’ was doing his rounds to bring clients’ dogs to daycare.

Coming to a house he knew well, a Labrador retriever who had been attending Keller Creek Boarding and Grooming for three years named Motley was waiting for the bus like normal, but this time he had a friend.

Tyson Cash, the owner of Keller Creek, contacted Motley’s owners to ask who the new arrival was, but to his double surprise, the owners said they had not adopted any new dogs.

They added, however, that a stray Lab had been in the area for a few days and neighbors were feeding and occasionally letting it stay on their property. Keller Creek is a reputable doggie daycare center, and Cash couldn’t take the risk of letting a stray onboard. So after loading Motley, he closed the door.

“I didn’t know about his vaccination status. I didn’t know if he was on flea and tick prevention,” said Cash. “I didn’t want to jeopardize all the other dogs, [but] he wanted on the bus badly. He was doing everything he could to get on with the other dogs.”

Steeling himself, he drove off, but the yellow Lab gave chase. Heart aching, Cash asked his wife to take a video and photo of the dog alongside the bus to post on social media to see if anyone in the area knew who his owners were.

A crazy dog dad through and through, Cash was pondering if there were any way he could find room in his house—filled with 9 other pooches as things stood—for this dog desperate for company. But fate, fortune, and a friendly soul stayed Cash’s hand.

Also onboard the pup bus was Nellie, another yellow Lab, whose owner saw the Facebook post and felt even worse than Cash did.

“To see a dog so desperate to catch a ride was very heartbreaking,” she told the Washington Post. “I thought, I’ve got to reach out and see if anybody has a home for this dog. If not, I want him.”

This pup obviously longed for connection and received it through determination and some warm hearts.