Top 5 Rare Dog Breeds

Most of you are already familiar with instincts of the loyalty and grief our little friends are capable of experiencing, but this week I would like to talk about the top 5 rarest dogs in the world. Due to the selective breeding practices and geographic isolation, a great number of dog breeds have been created to make our little friends more unique and diverse. Some breeds have been subjected to extinction; some never became popular; and some have very uncommon features for dogs and are therefore considered rare breeds:

5.) Our top 5 opens up Cataburun, a Turkish hunting dog, and rareness or the most distinctive trait is identified by its "split-nose."  In Turkey, double nosed cataburuns were most likely bred for hunting purposes. They are known for their superior ability to pick up scents and fast instinctual movements while hunting in extreme areas.






4.) Next on our list is the Mexican Hairless Dog, known in Mexico as Xoloitzcuitli. According to archaeological evidence, these rare hairless breed of dogs have lived in Mexico for over 3000 years and this hairless exterior is attributed to adaptation to the heat of tropical regions. Due to their petite shape and fragile demeanor, this breed of dog has become a bit of a fashion accessory.






3.) Another fascinating breed is the Chow Chow, which is distinguished by its lion-like mane of hair, its black and blue tongue typical of a bear, its near-straight hind legs, and fluffy fur coat. The distinctive black and blue tongue also leads breeders to believe that the Chow Chow is also a distant relative to the Chinese Shar-Pei. Chow Chows are very famous not only due to its rare features, but also for their very friendly nature.




2.) The most distinctive trait of the Norwegian Lundehund is its six toes that allows the dog to gain traction while running the fields and climbing relatively mountainous terrain. The Loundehund is classified as a hunting dog and its main prey are birds. Among its many traits, the most amusing would have to be its ability to bend its heads 180 degrees over the sholders and plug the ears to avoid any moist and dirt inside.






1.) The rarest breed of them all is gifted to a very rare wild dog: the New Guinea Singing Dogs. We should remember about our rare wild dogs, who prove that our little friends are instinctively intelligent animals. The New Guinea Singing Dog is a wild dog well known for its unique howling similar to wolfs. Therefore, they are often related to the wild Australian dingos.







Of course there are great varieties of other rare dogs all over the world, but I believe those top 5 have very unique and distinctive features that the mother nature has imposed on our little friends as a good sign to stop stereotyping even animals. Moreover, if you would like to rescue one of those rare little friends or you know one of them in danger, you should contact our shelter in Las Vegas area: Little Friends Foundation.

Loyalty of Little Friends Knows No Boundaries

I am pretty sure that most of you have heard about people's stories of longing or sadness due to the death of someone important. Usually, many of us who lose someone very important in their lives find the strength to be strong and move on. But it seems like our little friends sometimes experience a fatal  "separation anxiety."  Have u ever thought about the level of sadness and grief that your little friends might experience due to the loss of their owners? May be it is time for you to start being mindful of your little friends' emotional attachments.

Hachiko

This week, I would like to talk about the most outstanding stories of dogs all over the world, who couldn't overcome the grief related to the loss of their masters. I am not trying to act as an expert of dogs' longing or sadness feelings, but all those sad true stories make it seem like dogs are more sensitive to the loss of important human kinds than visa verse. Some of you might think that little friends are just pets, rescue animals, or simply good friends, but the following fascinating stories might change your perspectives on the power of dogs' grief!

In Tokyo, 1924, every time a certain university professor emerged from the subway station, he was always warmly greeted by this little puppy named "Hachiko".  Every day, The little Hachiko walked home together with his master. After a sudden death, the professor had never returned back to the station. However, Hachiko was patiently waiting for his owner for 10 years. In 1935, he was found dead near by the station. Japanese people were so fascinated and amazed by Hachiko's loyalty and grief that his statue was erected at Shibuya Station. Eventually, Hachiko's legendary faithfulness proclamed as a national Japanese symbol of loyalty.

Another story and proof of dogs' hardship to overcome the loss of their master is the most recent story of a Texas dog named Spot. In June of 2010, Wayne Giroux was killed by a drunk driver leaving behind him a son, Paul, and his dog, Spot. Although Paul will forever be without his father, his youth and intellect will help him mend over time. However, Wayne's memory will always be permanently etched in the heart of Spot, who to this day still hangs out by the side of the road waiting for Wayne to come home.

"I have no doubts that's what she's waiting for," Paul sad. "It breaks my heart every time I go over there."
It's been over a year since Spot keeps preciously waiting for her master, and it seems like she is not ready to get over her longing to see Wayne.

"It's possible, one day, Spot might give up. But Paul doesn't think so."

Another pretty sad story is about a legendary Skye terrier, Bobby who within two years formed an exclusive relationships with a night watchman of the Edinburgh City police. The next 14 years after Bobby owner's death, he spent sitting on his master's grave and rejecting to overcome his sadness of loosing his owner.

There are countless other stories all over the world, but the truth is that dogs and may be some other pets really do grieve for their masters and most of the cases become fatal. Psychologists conclude that some dogs experience some type of depression which effects not only their appetite, but also their immune system, which is very untypical for their survival instincts. In reality, the grief and the sadness become the main reasons for that type of depression. Some dogs get so attached to their masters that they suffer from a "separation anxiety." Always keep it in mind that one of those homeless dogs might just lost his/her best friend and master which makes their lives miserable. Would you like to help some of those little friends to get rid off the "separation distress"? You should check out our shelter in Las Vegas at Little Friends Foundation and help one of those little friends to become happy and fresh under a new care of your house.

Moscow's Strays Know Subways

Did you really think figuring out to get from point "A" to be point "B" was strictly a human problem? What about our little friends? How else are they supposed to get around? The food isn't just kind to find itself.  In the United States, seeing stray dogs wandering the streets is not such a common sight; however, the same can't be said for other countries where the strays can number in the tens of thousands.

Negligent owners and even poorer animal control has led to exponential breeding and streets swarming with born-strays. This has been going on for decades and the canines, who were born strays have learned to adapt. There are more than a few dogs, who even know how to circumnavigate the Moscow subways.

Have you ever heard that dogs are color blind? However, in Moscow, homeless dogs cross the streets with pedestrians and wait for green light. Researchers assume that these crafty canines are following the movement of the pedestrians. As mentioned earlier, some dogs are street-wise enough to wait for the train like any other commuter. In between stops, these strays even take naps to kill time before their specific stop. There are some many homeless dogs in Moscow that packs of strays have actually started taking to the subways system in search of food, shelter, and means of transportation. Like any other major metropolis, life just went on in Moscow as no one seemed to notice or care to any more. Sharing a subway car with a stray black lab lounging on the bench next to them just doesn't irk any one any more. It's really quite sad.

In most metropolitan Russian cities, there is a near-epidemic of homeless dogs and born-strays running around the cities. It is estimated that there are an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 stray dogs roaming the streets of Moscow alone. About a year ago, the Moscow authorities allocated roughly $76 million to care for these stray dogs in terms of shelters and sterilizations.

"As of September 1, approximately 12,000 dogs are being kept in the city's animal shelters, foster owners were found for 3,300 dogs this year."                                                                         - Anton Velikhovsky, head of Moscow's public utilities

As Russia proceeds to curb their dog population issues, we should learn from their situation. If you see a stray, report them to your local no-kill shelter like Little Friends Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada. The streets are no place for an animal domesticated by man and bred to be dependent. A shelter will at least administer the necessary shots, spay and or neuter the dog and give the little friend a place to call home, however temporary. It's the humane thing to do.

The Zoolander Of Kitty Cats

The whole allure of cute kitties going viral is nothing new to this blog ("Funny Cat Tricks"). For the past two weeks, we've been on a bit of a kitty kick. This time around, we are breaking out the close-up lens and taking in the fabulous specimen that is Toki Nantucket, the 3 year old Abyssinian, who has been glossing the front pages of internet searches with its chic fashions and en vogue flair for the camera. How did this poseur kitty's rise to fame come about?

Well, much like any industry, it's really about who you know and it just so happens that Toki's owner, Julie Song, is a costume designer, who graduated from Parsons School of Design ("Project Runway"). Last year, Julie wanted to do something special for her Christmas card photos. Tokie, being the handsome devil that he is, was a natural choice for the cover. Julie began crafting a wardrobe starting with an elf hood and the rest as they say was a wrap.

"I wasn't sure how they'd go over since most people assume that cats hate being dressed up...He took to modeling right away and is totally calm during photo shoots. It also helps that I bribe him with chicken." - Julie Song

The Christmas cards were such a hit, the photos of Toki in his wears leaked to the rest of the web. As the hits racked up, demand for Julie's kitty fashions soared. You can see her line of kitty couture at her Etsy shop, CatAtelier, where adjustable collars have been all the rage as of late. Julie Song likes to think the recent success of her CatAtelier line can be attributed to being one of the few designers crafting chic clothing fit for kittens. Maybe so, but give credit where it's due. There is no denying Toki's "it" factor. Is it really that hard to believe that there is such a thing as a feline fashion model? If anything, the "fierce" state-of-mind must surely have been inspired by cats. Why else would they call the stage for showcasing avant garde fashions the catwalk? Think about it...

Is your little friend your muse? What have they inspired you to do in your life? It could be something as basic as helping you become a more responsible individual. I'll share first. In the brief time I had the pleasure of caring after a blue pit by the name of Daisy. She really helped me to open up and not feel to conscious about public shows of affection. To anybody who has ever caught themselves contorting their voice when talking to a dog, you know what I mean. Little friends bring something out of us we sometimes thought no longer existed. 

A Little Friend Can Become a Real Rescue Hero

How often have you heard about cats' heroic deeds? Usually, we hear all over the news about rescue dogs who have saved people's lives. However, there is a great number of cats, who deserve the title of a hero. On August 4, 2004, an angel kitty by the name of Samantha was recognized by the Service Animal Registry of America (SARA) and given the Therapeutic Animal certification, which means this super brave cat is under the protection of law. 

Tia Dawn Jenkins, a disabled twenty-seven-year old young lady from Louisville, Kentucky, shared her story for online "Angel Animals Story of the Week" about her heroic cat, Samantha. On August 4, 2004 her little cat, Samantha saved a life of her lovely disabled owner, Tia, who suffered from four brain surgeries, seizures, and poor vision. Also, she helped not only Tia escape from certain peril of the burning fire, but also her little turtle friend, Shelly.

In the early goings, Samantha was a mischievous kitty, wreaking havoc about the house. Her former owner and next door neighbor, at one point, contemplated feeding Samantha to her pit bull pup. Despite her enfeebled condition, Tia stepped in and took Samantha into her home as her own - a decision  According to Tia, Samantha brought happiness into her depressing life:

"I decided to keep Samantha for myself when I noticed that she brought me out of my depression moods. She would make me laugh by playing fetch with me. I started to train her to bring items that I could not find due to my loss of sight and other disabilities. I trained her to alert me to people and dangers. Samantha also learned how to get help for me, if I went into a seizure."


Samantha not only became a healing natural medicine and animal nurse for Tia, but she also assumed the role of knight in shining armor on the night of January 20, 2004 when a kitchen fire broke out in Tia's apartment. At the first sign of danger, Samantha sprung into action belting out these wicked "meows". Lacking the vision to see where the smoke was bellowing from, Tia was fortunate enough to be able to rely on her little friend, Samantha, to guide her and Tia's pet turtle out of the apartment. Firefighters would later determine that had Samantha not acted in such a timely manner, Tia, most likely, would not have made it out of her smoke filled apartment in time. Thankfully, Samantha's coolness under pressure and strong survival instincts prevailed and tragedy was avoided. Would you like to save one of those rescue little friends? Take an action and check out our website today! www.littlefriendsfoundation.com

Funny Cat Tricks

Seems like one of the sure fire ways to go viral on the World Wide Web is to submit a video of your catnip crazed cat doing something rascally and adorable...and who are we to deny the "IT" factor of cuteness. Here's three videos of little friends gone viral:

1. Such a polite kitty, I wonder what she'd do for a Klondike Bar.



2. This cat's totally ready for the big screen.



3. Don't try this at home, kitties. These are trained professional.



Although not as widely publicized with cats as it is with dogs, felines can be trained to do tricks. The same principles apply. Condition through repetition and reinforce with rewards. Just keep in mind, cats do tend to be freer spirits than dogs. If you are interested in rescuing a little friend of your own, visit the Little Friends Foundation in Las Vegas (address at bottom of post) or visit our official website.

The Cat's Nose Knows What This Smell is About!

       Do u think Cats are more than just pets? You are absolutely right! Let’s take a look at some facts in regards to the cats’ smell senses that hopefully will increase awareness of their natural intelligence. Did you know that cats have a sense of smell 30 times better than humans? 

       Cats have inborn sense of smell functioning, and it is fully developed by about three weeks of age. Cat’s nose considered as its most important organ where the surrounding of a cat could be presented as a world of odors, smells, and scents. Their sense of smell drastically impacts all means of their survival such as:

To Smell Food

Kittens are normally have inborn sense of smell to locate food. However, with age, cats might have troubles with reduced sense of smell and refuse food. You always can slightly warm up the food to enhance its ordor.

To Locate a Mate

Both female and male cats release a powerful sexual pheromone that can be scented in a great distance. Therefore, if you have a female cat, during a mating period, keep an eye on male cats running around your windows.

To Establish Territorial Lines

Believe it or not, but male cats mark their territory with urine or with pheromones not only to put some travel territorial boundaries, but also to establish a status among other male cats.  

To Warn against Enemies and Danger  

Any type of danger cats perceive through their sense of smells followed by hissing or whiskers twitching.

         We can see surely see that cats are not only great pets but also very intelligent animals. They are are naturally hunters in the wild world, therefore, their sense of smell is so strong and picky that they can easily sniff a potential food and rarely eat stale meat or carrion.