Looking for cool dog stories?

According to the Seattle PI reported that today is National Puppy Day! Click on the link to check out some adorable pictures of all kinds of pups.

There are a lot of healthy lessons that dogs can teach us. Daily exercise, plenty of water, and adequate rest are just a fact-of-life for dogs. Portion-controlled, nutritionally balanced, and routine meals are also great for any animal (us included!). Even owning a pet has health benefits-- dog owners especially are more likely to get exercise than non-owners.

After the death of his owner, this pup had a hard journey finding his way to a new home. Thankfully, it all worked out for him.

This story is a little sad, a dog saved his family by alerting them to a fire, but now is nowhere to be found. Hopefully this turns into another great reunion story--the power of social networking and media has helped to bring a lot of pets home.

Speaking of reunions, a pup lost in Texas, was reunited with his family almost 800 miles away from home, after having been missing for more than a week.

I had known that this was true for cats, but I didn't know that black dogs are also much less likely to be adopted than light-colored dogs. So if you're adopting a pet and notice yourself gravitating towards the most lightly-colored companions, remember to consider the "shadows" in there as well.

One shelter dog did an amazing good turn for a teen volunteer who was taking her for a walk--the pup saved the teen from assault by a registered sex offender. Way to go dog! The pup has already found a forever home, and is looking forward to a great life.

The Air Force held a funeral in Ohio for a military working dog, honoring his many years of service. That service included deployment in Iraq, and assisting authorities with over 500 arrests. He also worked with Customs and Border Patrol and is credited with recovering over 20 pounds of narcotics. The funeral included a procession by a Patriot Guard motorcycle escort, a 21-gun salute and the playing of "Taps."

I also found this really touching story about a funeral home director whose life was changed by a stray dog, and who is doing his damnedest to return the favor.

Enjoy the sunshine guys!

-Hope