The animal kingdom is a funny place. It’s usually a dog eat dog world, but occasionally some very odd couples will end up forming, seemingly out of the blue. Strange bedfellows such as dolphins and dogs, goats and horses, dogs and lions, among many more allow humans to gain interesting insights into the inner workings of animal emotions and relationships. Today, the Petbucket blog will be examining some specific examples of Animal odd couples. Cheetah and Dog   Our first odd animal pairing is one of the most preposterously precious you’re ever likely to lay eyes on. The Labrador retriever, Mtani, has been raised since puppyhood alongside a superior alpha predator, Kasi the cheetah. Not only is Mtani never on the lunch menu, but they are nearly inseparable best buds. Busch Gardens’ animal trainers credit the similar styles of communications between dogs and cheetahs for this successful odd animal couple. Dogs bark and cheetahs chirp, they both growl, and each enjoys a good run around their shared enclosure. Zoologists and optimistic humanists alike point to this pairing as proof that as long as people focus on their commonalities we can overcome our differences. It’s a beautiful thought, but how does this kind of thought play out with two animals on opposite ends of the predator prey spectrum? Lioness and Oryx calf   In 2001, a Kenyan lioness decided it wanted to care for a lost Oryx calf. This is undoubtedly one of the strangest and saddest stories in all of animal kingdom history. The lioness adopted the calf and protected it for the better part of 5 weeks. She cared for the calf as if it was her own, but that wouldn’t quite cut it. The calf quickly deteriorated in health because it could not nurse from the lioness, nor was it allowed to graze out in the open, because the lioness wouldn’t let it out of her sight. Eventually the calf was killed and eaten by a large male lion. The heartbroken lioness looked on, refusing to engage the large male, but clearly distressed by the encounter. She went on to adopt 5 more calves after the first, but all of these relationships ended in a similar fashion. This story is often used to describe the severe effects that loneliness can have on an animal’s psyche, and the extremes that it can drive it to. Tortoise and Goose   Another animal odd couple coming out of Busch Gardens, a female Galapagos tortoise seems to have acquired a long term suitor in the form of a male Brant goose. This variety of goose mates for life, and refuses to leave the shell-bearing reptile’s side. Furthermore, it won’t let anyone else get too close. That means a permanent protector waddling about, warning of any potential danger, and warding off any other competition for the tortoise’s affections. If you’d like to know more about these and other strange animal odd couples, I’d suggest clicking the links in the headings. These are just three examples of the many surprises the animal kingdom has up its sleeves. 

Welcome back to the Petbucket blog’s official examination of famous Hollywood pets, animal actors, and celebrity mammals of all sorts! We capped things off last time with a fascinating look into the elder statesman of feline film: That Darn Cat. Today, we’ll be venturing off of the silver screen and away from the furrier aspects of animal actors. Two of today’s animal actors are television stars and only one has to shed a winter coat. So without further ado, let’s talk about some of the world’s most famous on screen animals! Flipper Did you just hear the iconic dolphin noise from the world famous TV and film series in your head? Guess what? That’s not a dolphin. They doctored up a kookaburra’s call and dubbed it over Flipper’s own majestic call. Nothing is sacred in Hollywood. Regardless, Flipper is still a world famous water enthusiast in his own right. Well, in her own right. Flipper was actually played by 5 different dolphins, all of whom were female, but most often the two star thespians were named Suzie and Kathy.  The show ran three seasons during the 1960’s and ended up with 88 episodes of crime stopping, wildlife preserving, tricky dolphin action. While the show itself was anything but controversial, the former head trainer/stunt double from the show, Ric O’Berry became a dolphin activist and was featured in the award winning documentary The Cove. Mr. Bigglesworth Played by a sphinx cat named Ted Nude-gent, Mr. Bigglesworth appeared in the Austin Powers film series. Ted is a sphinx cat that was brought in as a gag during the first film. After the traditional Bond-style Persian cat is cryogenically frozen, it loses all of its hair, and so a Sphinx-y star was born. Sphinx cats are super friendly animals that are able to perform in films because of their trainability. They are often compared to dogs for their propensity to please humans. Ted fell in love with Mike Myers, who would often delay the beginning of filming to make sure that the cat was comfortable. And more than a few scenes in the movie were extended because The Nude-ge had already started snoozing in the comedic star’s lap. Wishbone Getting back to the canine side of things, it’s time to revisit a 90's television classic. Wishbone, the title character of the show, was played by a Jack Russell Terrier names Soccer. Soccer was one of 100 dogs who auditioned for the role of Wishbone. The beloved 90’s television series featured a dog daydreaming about playing the lead role in different stories from classic literature.  He would compare the storylines to whatever was happening in the lives of his family, and would offer literarily inspired advice to an unhearing human populace, and usually complained about the fact that no one would listen. This show ran only three seasons, but in that time managed to make a significant impact on children all over the world. And it’s still being rebroadcast by certain PBS affiliates. That concludes our examination of famous pets! Check back for more interesting discussions on our favorite furry companions!  

Animal actors have a long history in Hollywood. Movie magic and fluffy cute stage hands go together like butter and popcorn. Every variety of animal gets represented eventually, but there are a few standout performances from well-trained domesticated companions. So to shed some interesting light on some of your lesser known four legged celebrities, here’s a short history of some of the most iconic animal actors in show biz. Rin Tin Tin While most would probably recognize the name Rin Tin Tin from the early nineties television serial: Rin Tin Tin K-9 Cop, this household name has its origins all the way back in WWI. The original Rin Tin Tin was rescued from a French battlefield in the great war along with his sister of the same litter named Nanette. American army corporal, Lee Duncan retrieved them both from a kennel that had been shelled. After the war he trained Rin Tin Tin for silent film acting, and the dog showed a real aptitude for the big screen. He played in 27 different films throughout his life, and actually had enough votes to win the Academy award for best actor one year. However, the Academy in typical snooty fashion, decided that the recipient had to be human to win. Jerks. Lassie Probably the most famous dog of all time, Lassie is another animal actor that enjoyed its heyday long after the character’s inception. The initial story of Lassie again dates back to WWI, that was a good conflict for famous animals. The original, was only half collie, and was credited with saving a man’s life on a torpedoed British pilot boat. She apparently recognized the man as alive in a mass of dead bodies, nuzzling him and keeping him warm until he stirred. He was then rescued by the surviving sailors. From there Lassie’s legend grew and she became a fictionalized character in a novel first, then a series of movies, and finally the famous television series. The dog’s name that most people recognize as Lassie was Pal. Pal and 8 generations of his descendants have played the character in almost every major Lassie vehicle since the original movie: Lassie Come-Home in 1943. That Darn Cat That Darn Cat was a wildly successful Disney film in the early 1960’s, as well as a remake in 1997. The plot featured a mischievous feline named D.C. (Darn Cat,) who manages to help foil a bank robbery in a comically roundabout way. The calamitous kitty character was actually played by a team of Siamese cats. This precautious breed is renowned for being social and extroverted, making it the ideal feline movie star. Still, being such finicky creatures, it’s easier to have a group to work with. You know, in case the star decides it needs a nap mid-scene. There are plenty more Animal Actors to talk about, but that’s all the room we have on today’s post. Check back next week for another installment in this interesting history of celebrity pets.

There’s just something fascinating about a crime fighting animal. Human beings have been depending on dogs to help protect life and property for thousands of years, and in the 21st century we’ve gotten it down to a science. The modern police dog has its roots in the latter half of 19th century Germany, with the establishment of the German shepherd breed. However, official records of police dog usage date all the way back to medieval England. Not even the late middle ages either, but way back in the 12th century. When Europe was still crawling out of the dark ages, dog kennels were being maintained by local constables to track down outlaws. Many of these early police dogs were used more as a deterrent than for actual police work. Knowing that their liege lord had a stable filled with hungry, ill-tempered blood hounds was enough to make most unarmed citizenry wary of breaking any of the local laws. That’s another thing, the sweet temperament and cute floppy ears of today’s bloodhounds are a rather recent introduction into the breed’s bloodline. Back in the 1100 AD, when they were 800+ years closer to still being wolves, blood hounds were savage and disobedient. Although they still had their remarkable ability to track scents even through dense marshy terrains.  England has a humorous history of K-9 usage. In the year 1914, London constables were allowed to bring their personal pets along with them on patrol. Dogs were still considered helpful in police work, but setting aside portions of the budget for training was viewed as wasteful. This led to a colorfully assorted group of police dogs. There were terriers, retrievers, sheepdogs, collies, mongrels, spaniels, plus one sassy Pomeranian. Nowadays that sort of thing wouldn’t fly in most precincts. Maybe as a mascot, but otherwise you’re dealing with some seriously skilled and well-bred K-9 crime fighters. The list of breeds used in police work is extensive but the most common types are German Shepherds, Belgian Malanois, Dutch Shepherds, Argentine Dojos, and Boxers. They are mostly gigantic (100 to 150 lbs. /45 to 68 kg.) animals with excellent temperaments, and intelligence to spare. These dogs are used in detection, tracking, protection, search and rescue, even in arson cases. They're smart, driven, and powerfully loyal to their handlers. In many cases K-9's are given official police officer status. This means attacking or injuring a K-9 carries a much heavier penalty than a typical animal cruelty charge. Additionally, if killed in the line of duty, these dogs are given a full police funeral. However, most of them enjoy a full working career of 6 to 9 years and then a relaxed retirement with their handlers. Dogs are handy helpers no matter what profession they are employed in. But it’s really nice to know that man’s best friend has been gainfully employed protecting citizens the world over for nigh on a millennium, and they’re only getting better at their jobs. So support your local police, and help them buy bacon for the local K-9 unit near you!

Man’s best friend has been responsible for a lot of wonderful human advancements throughout the ages. Thanks to the domestication of dogs, humans gained the ability to herd other domesticated animals and support ever larger populations. Dogs have been guards, babysitters, watchmen, hunters, and rescue personnel among numerous other nifty vocations. But in their ongoing effort to outdo themselves in pursuit of our affections, now dogs can smell cancer. And yes, the cats are furiously accusing them of being over achievers. So jealous. Dogs detect cancer by smelling the waste products of tumors. Usually, something as simple as a breath sample, taken from patients and stored in tubes, can be presented to one of these lifesaving scent connoisseurs, and from that single exhalation they can sniff out serious health conditions. In the case of dogs detecting cancer, they sniff out tiny particles called alkanes as well as some unknown aromatic compounds that are generated as waste byproducts in tumor cell production. The researchers working on these findings managed to train the dogs to examine a large amount of these scent samples. They were trained to ignore the ones from patients lacking cancerous cells in their system, but they would sit or lay down in front of the samples that smelled a little more deadly. For their efforts they were rewarded with tasty food treats and clicker noises. The amount of cancers dogs can detect isn’t limited either. Through use of stool samples dogs can sense bowel and bladder cancer as well as lung from the breath smells. For once the canine tendency to sniff butts might come in handy. Incredibly, dogs have a sense of smell that is on average 10,000 to 100,000 times more powerful than the human olfactory sense. This stupendously sharp schnozzle is effective, (according to various estimates) anywhere between 93 and 99 percent of the time. This has led to a lot of differing opinions on practical application of dogs as healthcare professionals. Dogs are already in widespread use as ambassadors of goodwill in elderly homes and terminally ill wards in hospitals all over. Thus many medical researchers are suggesting that thoroughly trained tumor tracing hounds be on hand for diagnostic purposes as well. That would mean a hospital dog could be as common as a drug or bomb detecting canine. On the other side of the spectrum, many suggest that cancer detecting dogs should be used in labs to determine which compounds are actually being found as x factors in the detection process. That way the researchers can develop advanced detection equipment and let the dogs get back to rolling in the mud. Where ever they end up, you can bet that they’ll show up with tongues lolling and tails wagging at the prospect of being helpful to their human counterparts. Man’s best friend is always going the extra mile to try and help out an owner in need, but this latest battery of good deeds might just end up saving lives. Keep checking back for more informative pet news from the friendly folks at Petbucket.com!    

We’ve all heard stories of animal bravery. It’s no wonder we refer to dogs as “man’s best friend,” when on numerous occasions we see examples of unbelievable animal valor. Even though we give our pets their due, you can’t ever say or hear enough about a heroic pet. So to commemorate the random acts of heroism performed by pets around the world, here is a short list of the top 3 most heroic dogs in history! Trakr the German shepherd- Trakr is an animal so famous that they cloned him. This heroic animal was the one to discover the final survivor buried beneath the wreckage at Ground Zero of the 9/11 attacks. The brave pooch and his handler, a Canadian police officer, spent all day September 12 2001 searching the rubble for signs of life. He eventually collapsed due to exhaustion, smoke inhalation, and burns. He recovered the day after, but eventually died due to a neurological disease that he may have contracted during the search. Trakr actually had already accrued quite a history of heroism prior to his most famous exploit. He was a police dog in Halifax, Nova Scotia, responsible for the retrieval of over one million dollars’ worth of contraband, and instrumental in the capture of dozens of criminal suspects. Trakr is truly the definition of a heroic hound. Seargent Stubby- Seargent Stubby was the most decorated war dog of WWI. The dog was a stray of unknown breeding, adopted by the 26th division of the 102nd infantry division. Stubby was initially a mascot for the division, but became adept at predicting mustard gas attacks after being exposed to the dastardly substance himself. In addition to sniffing out gas attacks, the courageous canine located wounded soldiers throughout the battlefield, and warned of incoming artillery fire due to the high pitched whine that would signal an approaching shell. After the war, Stubby enjoyed celebrity status, often leading parades. He also became the official mascot of the Georgetown University football team. Tog the Siberian Huskee- Togo is truly the unsung hero of rescue dogs. During a dreadful cold Alaskan winter, an outbreak of deadly diphtheria swept through Nome. The only way to retrieve the medicine that would save dozens of children’s lives was by dog sled. If the story sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the plot to Balto. An animated feature film that told the story of the dog that led the sled during the last leg of the relay. However, most historians consider Togo to be the real hero of the journey. At the ripe old age of 12 years, he led the team over 365 miles round trip through subzero temperatures that reached as low as -65 degrees Celsius.   The snow and wind was so heavy that the musher, Leonhard Seppala,  couldn’t even see the path. Togo had to navigate the storm on his own, and led the team to safety several times throughout the perilous journey. Check back for more tales of heroic pets!

Just in case you thought you were acting a little too crazy for your own good when it comes to your pet, I’m bringing you a story about a Brazilian hotel that is designed for romantic getaways… for your dog.  That’s right, for 50 dollars a session you can arrange a romantic rendezvous for any dog that still has its factory standard equipment intact. Animalle Mundo Pet is a pet superstore that has a sleazy motel designed for dogs. You can’t even make this stuff up. The idea is: if you are going to be breeding your dog then do it in a place that’s got some ambiance! Although I called it sleazy, the place doesn’t sound half bad. With Japanese styled pet spas, red mattresses, and—get this—a mirror on the ceiling, it sounds like an ideal love in for any frisky hound dog. Because you know, your dog may like to inspect its work from a vertical angle, if it so chooses. Now to be clear, I’m a big believer that anything worth doing is worth overdoing, but we are venturing into the theater of the absurd here. I get it, that’s very cute to think of your dog going to town and watching him/herself in the mirror, but at what point does that stop being cute and start getting creepy? Right about the time they installed that mirror, that’s when. But I digress. Animalle Mundo Pet is a huge hit. The Pet motel is part of Brazil’s expanding pet products and services market which, thanks to years of economic growth and shifts in middle class demographics, is currently exploding with billions of dollars in revenue. These niche market pet supercenters cater to a wide variety of clientele, and their services don’t just include the aforementioned “assisted reproduction.” In case you were beginning to worry that this place is run by a bunch of weirdos with no business petting puppies, let me assuage your anxieties. They have a full staff of qualified veterinarians on location, daily activities for pets, grooming services, a taxi that can pick up and drop off your pets, a dog café which sells specially made treats, and plenty of other non-breeding related enterprises. They even have a store in the building that sells “Chic Animale” a freaking 40 dollar perfume bottle for dogs. A little l’eau d’toilet that might actually resemble the smell of toilet water. The place is actually pretty extensive and does indeed offer everything a pet could possibly be pining for. So if you’re a native Brazilian or a globetrotter with an affectation for over the top pet services, you may want to stop by and check the place out. It’s in Portuguese of course, so you may need to open the page in a Google Chrome browser to get the English translation. Or take the long route and buy the Rosetta Stone. Either way, tell your pup about the birds and the bees before checking in!

As you learned yesterday, cat history is a multifaceted and complicated subject. As far as science is concerned, the earliest sign of cat domestication began in ancient Greece with the advent of agricultural societies. Later in the history of the cat, ancient Egyptians began to worship them as gods, and for the first time in the history of the cat, felines got a taste of the royal treatment. This history of the cat's worship began as a totemic practice, (the worship of an animal as a spiritual symbol) but was later further organized with the cat holding a legitimate spot in the Egyptian pantheon. There were three cat goddesses of note: Mafdet, Bast, and Sehkmet. Mafdet was the goddess of Justice. Bast began as a lion goddess but eventually became more cat-like as her role was marginalized. She was the protective patron deity of Lower Egypt, as well as a handmaiden and protector of the sun god, Ra. Sehkmet also began as a lioness, but ended up becoming more cat-like over time. She replaced Bast as the protector of Ra and the pharaohs. Around the year390 BC the main cult in ancient Egypt that worshiped cats was disbanded, and kitties began to lose their significance, although their influence never completely fizzled out. Because of their awesome hunting skills, cats have always been valued residents of whatever culture and time period they happen to inhabit. Cat history is filled with owners thankful to be pest-free. The history of the cat isn't limited to a single location though. They are valued companions all over the globe. During the Song Dynasty in China around a thousand years ago, cats were treated as the favored pets among nobility. They went so far as to advertise and sell fish exclusively for cat feeding in the ancient Chinese markets. In much of Europe and the United States, cats enjoyed a more infamous sort of notoriety. They became associated with witches as familiars and servants of the devil. This superstition persists in culture even today, as people will always assume a black cat crossing their path is an ill omen. Myths even include stories of cats sadistically smothering infant children by stealing all of the air from their noses. The crazy thing about that one is it may actually be rooted in reality. Cats have been known to lie on top of infant children for warmth, in some cases suffocating the child. However, in the United Kingdom it is considered good luck for a black cat to enter a home or climb aboard a ship. It seems human beings are often as ambivalent toward cats as they are towards us. It’s plain to see that cat history is a rich and varied subject of study. Throughout these two blog posts we’ve hardly scratched the surface of the multitudes of stories and folklore surrounding our favorite felines. One thing is for certain; whether it’s bad press or preferential treatment, our complicated relationship with these cats isn’t ending anytime soon.

Everyone knows that cats are great companions: aloof and precocious, as well as excellent hunters. However, not many people have as much knowledge on exactly how the common house cat achieved its position of influence and allure. The funny thing is the history of the cat and its relationship with humankind goes back so far, no one is really even sure of when it began. Cat history is an intriguing and diverting mystery with many questions unanswered, and plenty of fascinating recorded facts. Most scientists agree that every variety of common housecat and many of their feral cousins came from just five different ancient wildcats. The earliest record of their domestication comes from the Greek isle of Cyprus. This evidence currently goes back as far as 12,000 years!  That’s 7500 BC for those of you keeping track. What’s odd about that number is that it’s been pushed back several times. Every few years or so there is a new archeological finding of a fossilized cat small enough to be domesticated, and in close enough proximity to the remains of a human being as to start speculating on an even older starting point for the history of the cat’s domestication. With archeologists finding new large megalithic structures indicating that agricultural societies might have been around much longer than the current academic model assumes, it’s quite possible that the origin of domesticated cat history may get pushed back even further. While it’s fascinating to speculate on the beginning of our complicated relationship with domestic cats, we don’t have to guess as to how it happened. The overwhelming g consensus on the subject is that initially domestic cats took root at about the same time humans settled into agrarian societies. As soon as people started farming, they started storing surplus crops. When crops had to be stored, rodents and vermin began to start swiping valuable grains. Cats started moving into the storehouses and picking of the especially plump ones. Over time, humans began to breed the ones that showed more docility. From then on it was a rich and diverse history for domestic cats. They continued to interbreed with their feral counterparts, muddying up the bloodlines and making their exact origins difficult to pin down. This seems in keeping with their mysterious personalities, which ironically is probably why they were so endeared them to the human species. Another better known chapter in the history of the cat is their connection to and deification within ancient Egypt. Domestic cats were revered to the point of worship. Ironically, the Egyptian word for cat was “Mao” a bit of a cognate for meow. It’s said that there was even a death penalty for killing a cat. Cats were considered sacred animals, in all probability because of their ability to keep down the rodent population as well as their proficiency at killing cobras. Not bad company to keep when your fields are being overrun by asps. That’s it for today’s history lesson. Check back tomorrow for part 2 of The History of the Cat!  

A crazy British Bulldog who thinks he is a gymnast. Did someone train him or does it come naturally?