Talking Toy Dog Teaches Kids the F-Word

Dad John Luckhurst was horrified when his son, aged two, picked up a four letter word - from his talking toy dog. Thomas's My Pal Scout plaything would bizarrely sing: "If you're happy and you know it, f*** with me" instead of "bark with me". But John, 33, found out only after the toddler innocently repeated the smutty ditty at a kids' party.

The shocked dad of two - who sent an apology to other parents - said: "I was totally perplexed as to how he could have made up his own words to the song, especially using f***. Then I sat with him as he played with the dog and was horrified. I guess it's supposed to sing, 'Bark with me', but it definitely sounds like f***, not bark."

WTF?

John, of Southampton, had his worst fears confirmed when he played the tune to pals. Now Leap-Frog, the US-based maker of the £19.99 cuddly toy, is to change the song after a number of complaints from him and other parents.

A spokesman said: "We take great care when designing our toys.

"But we have recently heard from a handful of UK customers that, apparently due to our voice actor's under-articulation of a word, a youngster could instead interpret this to be a common curse word.
"We're working on recording a replacement phrase that will eliminate any misinterpretation."

Euan Stretch, Winnipeg Free Press

Paralyzed Dog Finds Freedom, Paws it Forward

April Hollingsworth's heart was broken three-and-a-half years ago when her dog Piggy was hit by a car.

"There were cars stopped outside the house and she had been hit kind of all over. I don't know exactly how it happened, whoever hit her didn't stop," April said. "To see my vibrant dog who was always up to mischief and running around and so full of energy in that state was absolutely horrific."

The prognosis was grim. Piggy had numerous injuries, including her spine, which was nearly severed.
"It wasn't until I picked her up that I really understood that she was paralyzed," April said. "No one came out and said, ‘You should put her down,' but that was the implied recommendation."

That recommendation was ignored - and for the sake of inspiration, I invite you to view the rest of her story here. 

Your Pet and Your Personality

Researcher Sam Gosling, Ph.D. discusses a new study from the University of Texas at Austin that confirms what most of us have suspected all along - dog lovers rule. But don't believe me, just listen to the statement made at 1:43 and the item shown directly thereafter. Gosling then struggles to accentuate the positive on behalf of cat lovers. It's the best video ever made. *video may take three secs or so to load

Animal Adoptions: Reggie the Yorkie and Friend

The heartwarming story of sweet little Reggie the Yorkie, who has tackled  parental duty for an abandoned kitten taken in by the Clift family from Ankeny, Iowa. ♥

Infamous Colorado Dog Dragger Pleads Guilty

I would be amazed if any dog lover out there has not heard the story of Buddy, the Colorado dog dragged to his death in December of last year. The story caused an outcry among animal rights advocates and sparked numerous conversations about abuse law and consequence. Personal friends of mine have been involved in seeing this process through, so I have followed this with interest and was very happy to find this news in my inbox this morning.

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know

Bill Blakemore from ABC News and Columbia University psychology professor Alexandra Horowitz discuss what it's like to think with a dog's brain. Horowitz explores findings from hundreds of scientific and animal behavior studies in her new book, Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell and Know.

Police Make Arrest in Case of Hogtied Pit Bull

Police have made an arrest in the case of a Bakersfield, CA dog found hogtied and left for dead last week. James Worley, 52, is expected to face felony charges for abandoning the dog. According to officials, a tip from the public led to the arrest. The dog is currently under quarantine for ten days and is expected to be released to a local rescue group.

X-ray of the Month: Australian Boxer Survives Nail Gun Shot to Brain

An Australian Boxer named Max has good reason to thank his lucky stars this week after surviving an injury that would normally be considered fatal. Tim Horvat was putting the finishing touches on a deck project when Max ran a little too close to the end of his nail gun, intercepting a nail intended for a very different target. Horvat initially thought the gun had missed Max, but ended up rushing the dog to the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre after noticing a nail head protruding from his skull.

Max is recovering nicely after vets performed a craniectomy to remove the nail from his brain, and the Horvat's are now in possession of a remarkable souvenir pic:

Abandoned, Abused Puppy Bounces Back, Gains Global Fan Support

Walter is one tough, sweet pup. Join his fan club here if you'd like to show support.

Remarkable Rudy Defies the Odds

Cape May animal control officers got a big surprise when they were asked to retrieve the body of a dog that had been hit by a car in Estell Manor and left on the side of the road for three days. Rudy, a tough little pooch from Wildwood, NJ was not quite ready to give up the fight despite multiple life threatening injuries. His owner, Caroline Ranoia, expressed relief in an interview with a local NBC reporter.

Tillman Goes to New York

The world's most famous skateboarding dog is in New York this week for Bark in the Park, the annual event held by the New York Mets.  Locals may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the popular shredder as he tours the city today. Owner Ron Davis attributes some of his success to his warm up ritual: nibbling all four wheels before a ride.

Lessons in Loyalty: Ohio Retriever Waits Seven Days in Field with Deceased Owner

The body of an Ohio man was recovered Wednesday seven days after he went missing. Parley Nichols, 81 of Stark County, and his Golden Retriever Lady were found in a field outside of Hartville, Ohio. Mr. Nichols was in possession of a local newspaper dated April 7 when his body was discovered. He is believed to have died of natural causes.

According to local officials, Lady spent a week at the side of her master, leaving only to take sips of water from a nearby drainage ditch. His body was discovered only after Lady spotted a passerby and began barking and howling . Terry Nichols expressed relief at the news that Lady had stayed with his father until the very end - and beyond, refusing to leave his side until his body was discovered.

She is now in the care of family members.

Vermont dog artist Stephen Huneck passes away at 60: dog lovers mourn.

A great light was extinguished with the passing of dog folk artist Stephen Huneck of Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. After suffering losses from the downturn in the economy, Huneck was forced to lay off most of the employees of his Dog Mountain farm and chapel - a destination for dog lovers, built from the proceeds of his artwork.

Described as despondent, Huneck felt responsible for the welfare of his employees and was fearful about losing the property his artwork had paid for. He died in his car of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while parked outside the office of his psychiatrist on Thursday. Huneck's artwork is featured in New York's Museum of American Folk Art and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Find his work if you are not familiar with it. It's whimsical and will put a smile on your face. Stephen was kind enough to autograph a copy of his book for us when our Dalmatian passed away many years ago, and we treasure it. We have been big fans for over a decade, and the love this man had for dogs pours out of his pieces. He will be sorely missed by many.