When a Shih Tzu puppy fell down an abandoned well, firefighters couldn’t get him out. They worked for three hours to free him, without success.

Finally, they used an industrial-strength vacuum.

After narrowing the opening to about an inch, they were able to grab one of the puppy’s legs and lift him out. “It was a miracle,” said Assistant Fire Chief Jim Scuffle.

Shih Tzu notecards from Dogstuff

The puppy wasn’t breathing when the firefighters pulled him out, but he came to with resuscitation. A vet who checked the puppy out said he’s fine.

Kudos to the firefighters for not giving up on their rescue efforts.

The head dog wrangler from Marley & Me, Mark Forbes, talks with the Los Angeles Times about animals, films, and why this one was different from any other he’s worked on.

Yellow lab coasters from Dogstuff

The surveillance camera at a store in a Salt Lake City suburb recorded a daring heist – by a dog.

The dog walked into Smith’s Food and Drug, went directly to the pet food aisle, and grabbed a bone.

The thief was so brazen that even being told to “Drop it!” by the store’s manager didn’t stop him.

This makes me wonder. Obviously the dog had been in the store before, since it knew exactly where the pet aisle was. Did it grab the bone because it was hungry, or just because it could – for the fun of it, or the challenge?

Hmm.

Want to know what your mixed-breed dog is made of?

Django’s owners have decided to find out – as best they can.

Django

They sent a small blood sample to Mars Veterinary for the “Wisdom Panel.” It can identify unique markers for as many as 157 breeds (the Super-Heinz?).

The results can be surprising. Django’s owners are pretty sure he’s part terrier, maybe some Yorkie. But this dog, which everyone thought was a terrier mix, turned out to be Canaan Dog, poodle, and Welsh Corgi.

And this one, though you can see his Beagle ancestry, also has some Border collie in him.

I’m pretty sure my Joe is mostly English Pointer; he possesses every last one of the breed’s characteristics, for better and worse. It’d be interesting to know other breeds have contributed to his makeup. Maybe someday …

… from everyone at Dogstuff. We hope you and your canine companions (or other furry friends) have a wonderful day.

A child who’s been abused generally finds it difficult to talk about. Larry, a 4-year-old yellow Labrador, makes it easier.

Larry works at the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center. Friendly and gentle, he has an almost magically comforting effect on the children who come to the center.

“He really is worth his weight in gold,” says Kevin Revere, the center’s law enforcement coordinator.

Larry at the Center

Center officials say they encourage other counties to use therapy dogs as well. They’d tried other animals in the past — rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds — but none of them had the effect that Larry does.

Children seem to forget what they’re talking about when they’re petting Larry. They ask for him on their return visits.

Larry’s food and veterinary care is paid for by grants. It costs about $1,000 a year, which Revere says is well worth it in the long run.

They know the dog won’t judge them, he says, or make them uncomfortable. It can make “a world of difference.”

Just east of the Mississippi River, across from Memphis, a municipal animal shelter in Marion, Arkansas is blessed with staff and supporters who try to do their best for every stray and foundling, even on a tight city budget. To them, every animal is special, and Ivy – pictured above – is both special and has a special need. They wrote:

Ivy is incredibly lucky to be alive right now. Believe it or not, Ivy was run over by a car. She crawled up on a woman’s doorstep and just wagged her tail. She had apparently suffered all night long before she was able to make it to the vet.

This sweetie has been through so much.

It turns out that Ivy broke BOTH rear legs (4 bones total). Ivy was transferred to another animal hospital where she underwent surgery to repair both legs. Everyone that meets her is absolutely amazed with how sweet she is, despite being in so much pain.

Ivy has now been through THREE surgeries to repair her legs at the cost of $2300.00. We need your help to pay her bill.

You can read more about Ivy here, and perhaps help out this group of Marion Angels if you can:

http://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2008-12-19.3882971438/groupaction_view

Jackie Loohauis-Bennett takes a look at this year’s offerings.

There are several titles about our favorite furry companions, including Hip-Hop for Dogs and The Devious Book for Cats.

Puzzle from Dogstuff

Bird brain-teasers (hyphen location matters!) and a chronicle of our vanishing wild horses are also on the list.

Then there’s Saved: Rescued Animals and the Lives They Transform, which is no doubt a multiple-hankie read.

Whatever your reading choices, enjoy!