Jewel basks in the sun

We know that dogs’ olfactory abilities are amazing, so much better than humans’. Dogs’ keen sense of smell even has health care applications.

And we know that dogs sometimes demonstrate extraordinarily nurturing traits with people and other animals.

Jewel is a special dog. Her person, Oakland, CA resident Charlotte Cook, shares Jewel’s story.

Notecards from Dogstuff (now on sale)

Everyone in Japan knows the story of Hachiko. The Akita who spent years waiting for his master is so beloved that a statue in his honor sits at the train station where he kept his vigil.

Now Hachiko’s story has been transferred to an American context in a new film with Richard Gere.

I’m not sure how well the story will work in another country, but this article seems to think the filmmaker succeeded.

James Symington with Trakr's clones

James Symington, a former police officer, has so many memories. He and his partner, Trakr, spent 15 years together as a search-and-rescue team.

Trakr helped recover more than $1 million in stolen goods. He was also the dog who found the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center.

Trakr died in April at age 16. But before that, Symington heard about a contest to provide a free dog cloning. The company holding the contest, BioArts International, usually charges around $140,000 to clone a dog. (DogBlog wrote in January about a couple who cloned their favorite dog.)

Symington submitted an essay to the contest, explaining why Trakr deserved to win. On Wednesday, he took home five clones of his beloved dog. The puppies are named Trustt, Valor, Solace, Prodigy and Deja Vu.

There’s no telling if Trakr’s clones will be anything like him, but Symington hopes they’ll have careers that contribute as much as Trakr’s did.

A New Mexico shelter has canceled plans to euthanize 50 dogs to make room for 12 pit bulls that are being held as evidence in a dog abuse case.

The pit bulls are no longer being transferred to the county shelter. Instead, donations will allow them to be cared for elsewhere.

Nicole Grayson, one of the lucky few, with Capri

Bo, the First Dog, has created a storm of publicity about Portuguese Water Dogs. But PWDs aren’t for everyone, say breeders, and though there are more would-be owners than ever, most of them go away unsatisfied.

The Wall Street Journal explains why breeders are so picky, the lengthy selection process, and the many reasons applications are rejected.

Print from Dogstuff

They were a familiar site: an older man, probably in his 70s, walking a Saint Bernard near a pond in Hingman, Massachusetts.

But one day the dog appeared alone, and no one has seen the man since.

Though many people saw the man walking the dog on a daily basis, no one spoke to him or knew his name.

The Boston Globe has more.

Dear DogBlog readers, we wanted to pass on the following:

Let your voice be heard! Kathy Nimmer, a blind high school English teacher and writer from Indiana, has launched an international effort to gather true stories about people with all types of disabilities and their service dogs, to be included in an anthology that Nimmer will seek to publish in the mass market commercial publishing industry. The project, entitled “Two Plus Four Equals One,” will celebrate what happens when two hands plus four paws combine for one magical union. The web site, http://www.servicedogstories.com, has been set up to promote the project, receive prospective submissions, gather contact info from individuals who have worked with service dogs in any capacity, and field inquiries about the book.

Nimmer, now working with her third guide dog, wants to hear from you. Start thinking of incidents involving you and your dogs, things that were funny, scary, surprising, disappointing, empowering, sad, or simply memorable. The book will include nonfiction stories, anecdotes, tributes, and poetry. Explanations and samples of the four genres can be found on the web site. And, you don’t have to be a seasoned writer to take part! There is an interview option where Nimmer will talk with you and write something for you about your dog experiences. Submissions will be accepted for consideration through September 30, 2009.

For purposes of this project, “service dogs” is a term inclusive of all assistance dogs, referring to any canines trained to assist people with disabilities, including those who are blind, deaf, or in wheelchairs, as well as those with other medical conditions including (but not limited to) autism, epilepsy, and muscular or balance impairments. Nimmer is hoping to hear from people with disabilities, as well as those who have raised or trained service dogs, or simply witnessed service dogs in action. If you fit into any of these categories, it is time to let your voice be heard!

Go to http://www.servicedogstories.com, or contact Kathy Nimmer with questions or suggestions at kathy@servicedogstories.com.