Some rewards come at too high a price

From Reuters is the story of a Labrador retriever that won an unusual award.

Read the story here.

Elie, the pooch, ate a beehive containing dead bees and pesticides was recognized as the most unusual pet health insurance claim in the United States.

The winner was selected from a dozen pets nationwide and was announced by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co.

"Ellie may be a young dog, but she's already managed to eat everything from wooden toy train tracks to laptop computer keys," said the VPI. "So the beehive in the backyard was just another culinary adventure for this insatiable pooch."

She beat a border collie that ran through a window to get to a mailman and a terrier that bit a chainsaw.

An odd couple

This will make you smile, I guarantee.

Here is a video of a dog and a deer who play together.

Watch.

He thought he was a kitten?

From Charlotte, N.C., television station WCNC, via the Huffington Post, comes the tale of a puppy stuck in a car engine.

See the video here.

Treo the hero

A video from the Associated Press about a bomb-sniffing lab awarded a medal.

New meaning of the term 'obstruction'

This strange tale comes from Scotland via South Africa.

The Daily Dispatch in East London, South Africa, reports that a black Labrador retriever who had been "rattling" had actually eaten 13 golf balls.

Read the story here.

I don't know about the dog, but the owner's handicap is vet's bill.

Now if it were Alaska that would be funny

The race for mayor of Fairhope, Ala., is a real dog of a race.

That's because there's a dog running for mayor. Ha!

An Associated Press article, with the incorrect headline setting the town in Alaska, said that Willie Bean Roscoe P. Coltrane is a 7-year-old yellow Labrador retriever whose owner entered him in the political contest.

Unfortunately, the pooch missed the July 15 qualifying deadline, so it will have to be a write-in vote.

I say, go for it, Willie Bean. Make us proud.

You know, with all the cynicism about politics and the political process, what is truly amazing about this story is that there are seven candidates for mayor!

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week. Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Shadow — Lab mix
"This young lab mix just loves to ham it up for the camera (in typical lab fashion!). He'll ham it up for you, too, if you stop by for a visit. Hurry though, this guy won't stick around for long."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722).

Shelter pets rule.

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week. Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Boomer — Lab mix
"Being the one and only can have perks and pressures. Benefit: No one to have to share affection with. Minus: No fellow pets to play with. This lab is a one and only, no other pets or young children in the home, making for a restrictive adoption. But if you are an older couple or a single looking for companionship, take a long look at Boomer."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722).

Shelter pets rule.

Serious wet dog smells

Last night I was watching Monday's Late Show with David Letterman.

He had the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, with three dogs jumping into a pool.

The winner was Reggie, a 3-year-old black lab owned by Scott Conrad from Redline, Penn.

The beautiful dog jumped 25 feet 7 inches to win a loving cup filled with dog biscuits.

The great thing about having a TiVo — well, one of the great things — is being able to slo-mo at will. So I slo-mo'd Reggie as soon as he climbed out of the pool. It was incredible how he started shaking and the water fell away from him from his nose right down to his tail.

It was poetry in motion.

Unfortunately, the clip isn't on Letterman's Web site, but I managed to find a good example of what I'm talking about.

What goes through a dog's mind?

Kate did this once or twice when she was younger, but it was because a kibble or something fell into the water bowl. Hopefully the lab has not forgotten how to drink the water.

Place your bets

Considering the size of the kitten's head compared to the size of the lab's mouth, this video turned out pretty well.