History and Culture

The true legend of Sparky the Fire Dog began with a small Dalmatian puppy sitting outside a fence surrounding a school. The Dalmatian pup loved to watch the children at play. One day he decided to follow two of the children home. Tired from the walk, he decided to nap under a tree outside the […]

The Westminster Kennel Club took great pride in featuring the dog chosen for their logo and representing the club. The dog’s name was Sensation and he was a Pointer. It all began in the latter half of the 1800s. At that time, New York City had grown to be the second largest city in the […]

On April 27, 2016, Congress, with bi-partisan support, named the American Bison as the official national mammal of the United States. Sadly, wild bison have been subject to cruel slaughter throughout the years decimating their numbers to near extinction. Conservation groups have been instrumental in helping to restore the bison to their native habitats. The […]

There are at least 40 dog breeds that are no longer seen and have become extinct either through predators, selective breeding, work no longer needed or simply through neglect. Most of them have passed their genes on to present day dog breeds. Here are a few of those disappeared dogs. MOLOSSUS – In Ancient Roman […]

As pet parents, we mourn the loss of our pets as we consider them part of the family. When a beloved dog dies, many of us choose to bury him/her in a special place, perhaps with some of the articles s/he loved. But we in modern times, are not the only ones to share these […]

The Molosser is an ancient group of dogs that includes several breeds. The Molosser’s origins are steeped in folklore along with some facts making it difficult to separate the two. Molossers are considered to be the descendants from the same basic stock. The group as a whole are large, solidly built dogs with heavy bones, […]

The Battle of Belleau Wood in France took place in year four of World War I. The German army’s Spring Offensive advanced at least 50 miles outside of Paris. In their first real taste of the battle, the U.S. Marine Corps emerged victorious after 3 weeks of intense fighting. General Pershing stated that the fight […]

During World War II, a British woman named Maria Dickin felt that animals should be rewarded for their courage and service during wartime. Appalled at the living conditions of the poor in London’s East End, Ms. Dickin, a wealthy socialite was even more concerned for the animals living there. Conditions were even worse for the […]

On November 3, 1957, Russia launched Sputnik 2 sending the first animal to space, orbiting the Earth. Laika (Barker in English) was a female mixed breed stray dog. Sadly, it is believed that due to heat and stress, she died a few hours after takeoff. But hers and other dogs flights paved the way for […]

Cher Ami (French for dear friend) was a carrier pigeon in World War I. Along with other pigeons, he carried messages for the United States troops in Europe. Cher Ami probably carried his most important message on October 4, 1918. Surrounded and trapped by the Germans on the side of a hill, the commander of […]