Image credit 1. Astaire and Rogers have nothing on these two as they dance cheek to cheek (and paw to paw and wet nose to wet nose).   Image credit   2. Chihuahua Cha-Cha. Be one with the rhythm.   Image credit   3. Twerking is all about working that tail.     Image credit   4. The original 'Tap Dog'.   Image credit   5. I'll just be over here, busting a move.    Image credit   6. Doing the superhero shuffle. Start with the best headbanging hounds and rock out to some heavy sounds!   Image credit   7. When dancing is in your blood, anything becomes your dancefloor.    Image credit   8. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle yeah!   Image credit   9. Yeah dawg, I'm breaking out my hip hop style. Haters keep hatin'. Image credit   10. Thriller, thrilller night.    Image credit   11. Feeling that sweet, slow groove. As cool as a pooch can be.    Image credit     12. Dance like no one's watching... Oh, and stop your dance if someone's watching. Image credit Feature image credit

  Dogs are always known as 'man's best friend' but in this particular instance we see a cat become a little boy's best friend and hero. In a fierce display of protection, the family cat comes to the rescue of a little boy who is attacked by a dog whilst out playing. It's powerful footage that could be distressing for some.  Be sure to SHARE this amazing and powerful footage. 

Image credit Think they’re cute? Well if you have a few million to spare in your bank account they can be yours!   In March 2014 a property developer from the Eastern Shandong Province laid down $3.2 million for the Tibetan Mastiff twins. The golden-haired 1-year-old pups, weighing 200 pounds already, was priced at $1.9 million.   It is believed to be the most expensive dog sale in history.   Image credit The pair were sold at a luxury dog fair in the Zhejiang province, located on China’s east coast, by their breeder. The buyer paid on the spot with a credit card.   According to the breeder, the puppy has a quiet and gentle temperament, but also strong guarding instincts. He warns he would readily bark and bite a strange intruder. The golden-red colour is especially valuable in an already pricey breed. A regular Tibetan Mastiff retails at several hundreds of thousands of dollars. The price rises with the quality of the dog, the admiration of the owner and the breeder’s expectations.   Image credit   The twins are not the first Tibetan Mastiffs to make news with their sky-high prices. A red mastiff by ‘Big Splash’ or ‘Hong Dong’ in Chinese sold for $1.5 million in 2001. It was at the time the highest dog price on record. He went to the home of a multi-millionaire coal baron. ‘Big Splash’ beat out another mastiff known as ‘Yangtze River Number Two’ which sold to a Chinese lady in 2009 for $600,000.   Image credit   The Tibetan Mastiff has become a supreme status symbol for China’s new super-rich tired of investing in stock and the property market. Traditionally used as herding and hunting dogs in Central Asia and Tibet, the dogs are as prized by the Chinese as the giant panda. It is believed the dogs have ‘lion’s blood’ running through their veins. Image credit   The dogs, with their large size, were more than capable of fighting off leopards and wolves to protect their community and livestock, but were known for using unusual tactics such as scent marking to warn predators away so as to avoid direct confrontation. Explorer Marco Polo described the dogs as being “as tall as a donkey with a voice as powerful as a lion.”   Image credit   The Tibetan Mastiff was previously popular with the British royal family. King George IV owned a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs in the 19th century that were given to him as a gift. In 1847, the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, sent a mastiff called ‘Bhout’ to Queen Victoria. Her son, the Prince of Wales, imported two more, one of which, called ‘Siring’ was exhibited to the public at Alexandra Palace in the December of 1875.

Image credit Breeds go in and out of fashion – and sometimes they fade entirely. The Salish Wool Dog is an extinct breed that was a true ‘sheep dog’ farmed by Native Americans for its valuable fur.   The Salish Coast tribe inhabited what is now Washington State and British Columbia. They carefully cultivated a population of dogs with white, long hair which they would shear like sheep in May or June for wool.   The Salish Wool Dog is considered the only prehistoric North American dog breed created by true animal husbandry, which is to say, it was selectively and purposefully bred to create traits useful for the community. Other dogs in the tribe were not cultivated intentionally and developed traits through chance and natural selection. Salish Wool Dogs were segregated from other dogs in the area, on islands and gated caves in packs of about twelve to twenty individuals.   Wool Dogs were fed a diet of raw and cooked salmon. Today fish oil is used by the dog showing community as it is well-known to improve coat quality and lustre.     Image credit The Salish tribe lacked access to sheep and mountain goat wool which was hazardous to gather, hence the substitution of dog fur.   The explorer Captain George Vancouver reported the Salish Wool Dog’s coat was so thick when sheared one could pick up a corner and the whole fleece would hold together. The “Salish blankets” made by the tribe from the fur were prized by Native American tribes, being almost as valuable as slaves.   In order to improve the yarn quality and extend supply of the valuable fur, dog hair was mixed with other local materials, such as mountain goat wool, feathers and plant fibres.   Image credit   The arrival of Europeans in North America was the beginning of the end for the Salish Wool Dog. Increased access to sheep, Hudson bay blankets and the destruction of the Native American population itself due to disease and conflict lead to a disruption of traditional cultivation methods. The Salish Wool Dog began to interbreed with other varieties of dog and lose the traits that made it so distinct. By the mid-19th century the Salish Wool Dog was understood as extinct as a separate breed. In 1940 the last known descendent of the Wool dogs passed away.   Doubters who claimed the Salish Wool Dog was nothing but folklore have been disproven by recent DNA analysis, which has proven dog hair is a component of a number of surviving examples of Salish weavers’ works.   Image credit Today, the Salish Wool Dog lives on in the oral history of the Salish Coast tribe and ceremonial blankets preserved in museum collections. There is also a pelt that was re-discovered in a drawer of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. of a dog fittingly dubbed ‘Mutton’ who once belonged to a scientist who studied the tribes of the Pacific Northwest.   

Image credit   1. “It’s a shame we didn’t learn anything else besides Cat’s In the Cradle.”   Image credit   2. “Who let the dog’s out!”   Image credit   3. "Eat your heart out Liberace!"   Image credit   4. “This is not the kind of scratching I’m used to.”   Image credit   5. “It's like a jungle sometimes. It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under under.”   Image credit   6. “Ebony and ivory… live together in purrfect harmony.”   Image credit   7. “Money for nothing and your licks for free.”   Image credit   8. “They don't call cats cool for nothing.”   Image credit   9. “Put your paw in the air and wave it like you just don’t care!”

Image credit 1. The leg pieces fit but the angle's wrong.   Image credit 2. So close, but we need to adjust the back legs ninety-degrees inwards.  Image credit 3. These legs keep giving way. Have we missed a screw somewhere?    Image credit   4. How did we manage to get three different sizes and colours from the one box?   Image credit   ... I mean, look at the photo on the packaging.  Image credit   5. Now that I see them together, I'm not sure the colour works with the sofa.   Image credit 6. No I didn't measure it up beforehand. I really thought he'd fit. Image credit   7. The length doesn't seem right. Everything is just so compact.  Image credit   8. Wait, I can't tell which one is 'A'.    Image credit   9. They connect fine but which direction are they supposed to face? Image credit 10. Bah, the wrong way up again! Image credit 11. What the? Okay, let's just start over. Image credit  

Image credit   A little cat with its paw raised often greets visitors to sushi shops and teppanyaki restaurants. But what are these cats for and where did they come from?   Know as the maneki-neko, or Japanese lucky cat, the figurines are designed to bring good luck to their owners. Typically depicting Japanese Bobtails with a calico coat, they are usually fashioned from ceramic, however the use of metals and other materials are also common. They are traditionally placed in the entrances of businesses and shops to beckon customers inside and so bring their owners prosperity.   The lifted paw can appear as waving to Western eyes. It is however a Japanese gesture of summoning, hence the cats’ appearance. Either the left or right paw may be raised. It is believed the type of luck the cat will bring varies with which paw is lifted. The right paw is commonly thought to bring general good luck and wealth whereas the left paw brings in customers.   Image credit Sometimes lucky cats come in other patterns besides calico, each tone invested with particular meaning. Whilst calico is the luckiest overall colour, red brings particular success in love, black wards off evil spirits, and green ensures good health.   Lucky cats usually sport a collar, bell and decorative bib around their necks. This is likely an echo of the common attire for the cats of wealthy households in the Edo period.   There is a fierce argument between Tokyo and Osaka as to which city was the birthplace of the maneki-neko. The final truth of the matter is unknown, though it is apparent the cats were in existence by the Meiji era, evidenced by an old newspaper article which makes reference to them, as well as records which indicate they were distributed at a Osaka shrine at the time. A surviving 1902 advertisement selling the cats proves that by the 20th century they had become popular.   Image credit   A number of folktales have sprung up to explain how the lucky cat came to be such as ‘The Stray Cat and The Shop’. In the story the poor but noble shopkeeper takes in a stray cat which he cares for, despite barely having enough food to feed himself. Filled with gratitude, the cat stationed itself outside of the shop and summoned customers, transforming the shopkeeper into a prosperous man.   In another tale, a cat appeared to wave at a passing nobleman. Surprised, the nobleman went over to investigate. Moments later, he realised he had been about to walk into a trap that had been laid for him just ahead, and the cat had warned him away. Ever since, the cat was considered a wise and lucky spirit and became a decoration in shops and homes throughout the nation.  Image credit 

1. Stay indoors. Snow is for the birds!   Image credit   2. Make full use of the sun’s energy…you know, for snoozing, stretching, squinting and smiling.   Image credit 3. Find someone suitable to snuggle with. Image credit 4. Mums are a great snuggle option.   Image credit 5. Or even something bigger. Go on, take that huggy warmth. It's yours - take it all! 6. Find a good position in front of the fire.    Image credit 7. No fire? No problem. Just find another warm spot.      Image credit   8. Or create your own. Image credit   9. Wrap yourself up in a cosy blanket, and cats really, totally, completely wrap themselves up.   10. Don't be afraid to layer on the cosiness either. Of course, it helps if you can also get out if needed.  Image credit   11. Don't forget your paws.   12. And never forget your ears. Remember to remove any ear-wear around meal times so you don't miss any important signals that food is on its way. Image credit   13. Let your hair down. By that, cats mean grow out your winter coat. Image credit   14. If you’re not capable of growing one yourself, you can always buy a coat. There’s no need to compromise on style either.  Image credit   15. Or borrow a friend's coat for the season.  Image credit   16. Finally, the most effective way to ward off the cold is to enjoy a nice, long, warm soak regularly.   Image credit

The end of the world is nigh – but don’t worry! This little guy is doing a great job praying for humankind’s salvation. Love how happy he looks with his big eyes and well groomed coat – such a great look for a Pomeranian. What cool tricks can your dog do? And be sure to SHARE if this pup brought a smile to your face!

Image credit    Huskies aren’t the only dogs that can pull people! Increasingly popular worldwide, the sport of Carting turns the family pet into a carriage-horse. Specially designed harnesses and carts take the work out of daily walkies for owners. Your dog can run its heart out, while the owner sits back and relaxes, guiding the dog with ‘reins’ and voice command.    Image Credit  Using dogs for cart animals has a long history. Dogs were used as a cheaper alternative to ponies by poor peddlers up until the 19th century as well as deliverymen. In Belgium and the Netherlands, bread and the morning milk carton traditionally was delivered from a cart towed by a dog. In WW2 dogcarts bearing stretchers were used to navigate the battlefield and return wounded soldiers to hospital.    Image Credit    Many breeds were developed especially to have ‘pulling power’. The Bernese Mountain dog, Newfoundland and Greater Swiss were all notable draft dogs required to pull goods and people to earn their keep.  Over time, modern means of transportation replaced the need for dog-muscle in daily life, however recently the rise of Carting amongst pet-lovers has tapped into the old instincts lying dormant for decades in draft dogs-cum-family pets. Carting, also known as ‘dryland mushing’ has been used to keep sled dogs in condition over the summer months and is a great sport for energetic breeds who generally thrive when given a task to do.   Image Credit  A sulky holding an adult can be pulled comfortably by dogs with a body weight of 15 kg or over. A rule of thumb used in the carting world is that the total load (sulky and drive) should not weigh more than three times of the dog’s body weight who is pulling them. Smaller dogs can join in the fun if carts with hitches for multiple dogs are used. Dogcarts are designed with canine anatomy strictly in mind. Sulkies for humans to ride in are designed to put little to no weight on the dog’s back, circumventing spinal damage that might otherwise result. A common modern sulky uses a single dorsal hitch which attaches from above to the dog’s harness, as opposed to a design with two shafts attached either side of the dog. This dorsal hitch has the advantage of not interfering with the dog’s movement.  Whether the dog intended to pull a cart is a traditional draft breed or not, all dogs require training to become accustomed to participating in the carting sport. Carting enthusiasts usually begin by attaching milk jugs filled with water to the harness to get their dogs used to dragging things behind them. Obedience to voice commands is also essential training.    Image credit  Great exercise for dogs and an exciting – and attention grabbing! – pastime for people, the Carting craze continues to spread.