The four-legged thieves: Mischievous dogs steal £33m from owners every year

By Mail On Sunday Reporter


Taste for theft: Pugs have been found to be the most likely dog to steal their owners' things, a survey says


Mischievous dogs are responsible for stealing a staggering £33 million worth of their owners’ possessions each year, according to new research.

Almost three-quarters of items taken are underwear, a survey found.

One in ten dogs has a taste for the finer things in life, such as cash and jewellery, while slippers, TV remote controls and toys are also on the list.


And as pupils up and down the country can confirm, even homework is included in the canine crimewave.

A study by dog food company Bakers Complete showed that pugs are the most likely to steal, followed by cocker spaniels, labradors and shih tzus.

Animal behaviourist Peter Neville said: ‘More often than not, dogs do this to encourage family members to play with them.’

Mr Neville said that thefts do not come naturally to dogs and stealing their owners' possessions might simply be a means of convenient entertainment.

'If an unusual or high value object does vanish and you suspect your dog is the culprit, check the obvious hiding places first, as highlighted in our research – the basket, the garden and under the sofa,' he added.

The Bakers Complete study also revealed that dogs in Scotland and Wales are the most likely to be light-pawed with their owners' belongings, while Northern Irish canines are the least likely to steal.

The research also found that 19 per cent of owners are embarrassed by their mischievous mutt’s behaviour.


Loyal companion? Your faithful friend may not be as trustworthy as you assumed


source:dailymail

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'Will you be my dad?': Orphaned baby rabbits are adopted by male chihuahua

By Daily Mail Reporter


Keeping clean: Mitch the Chihuahua chewed everything he saw but has now adopted the litter of five baby rabbits


At just three days old and barely big enough to stand on their own, this adorable baby rabbit needs all the help it can get.

And after being found abandoned on a compost heap, the outlook didn't look good for the litter of five wild baby bunnies.

But things are looking up for the tiny creatures after they found an unlikely father figure in the shape of Mitch the male chihuahua.


The baby rabbits are now being hand-reared at Capricorn Animal Rescue in Padeswood, North Wales with the help of their new surrogate father.

Mitch himself, a two-year-old white chihuahua, had been at the centre since he was six months old because he chews everything around him - except baby rabbits.

Staff at the rescue centre are looking after the babies by feeding them milk, while Mitch carefully grooms each of them like a true caring dad.

The adorable baby rabbits are too small to fend for themselves, but are surviving thanks to Chihuahua Mitch


Sheila Stewart, owner of the rescue centre, said: 'A man brought the litter in along with their nest after he found them when he moved a compost heap.

'They are tiny and I am feeding them every few hours with milk through a syringe.

'After I’ve finished feeding them, Mitch comes along and washes and grooms each one.

'He seems to have adopted them.'



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Safe and hound: Tsunami dog found alive and well in Japan after THREE WEEKS adrift at sea on a floating house

By Daily Mail Reporter


A fishy tale: It seems almost too good to be true, but this little dog seems to have survived against all odds and was discovered by coastguards floating on a raft at sea


It appears almost too good to be true, but this little dog has been found alive and well adrift at sea, an astonishing three weeks after the tsunami that devastated Japan.

Members of the Japan Coast Guard came across the dog on Friday as they were conducting an aerial search of the area.

Against all the odds, the dog appears to have survived by living in a partially submerged house that had been swept out to sea.

Against all odds: The dog appears to have survived by clinging to a house that had been swept away by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck on March 11


Local television showed showed pictures of the dog scampering around the roof of the house before it disappeared inside through a hole in the roof.

Rescuers had hoped to find more tsunami survivors living inside the house but after tearing the roof open, it was found to be empty apart from the dog.

Despite its three weeks at sea, the medium-sized brown dog seemed to be in reasonably good condition considering its ordeal.

Safe and hound: A member of the Japan Coast Guard comforts the dog that seems to have survived an amazing three weeks at sea following the devastating tsunami

The discovery of the dog is a rare glimmer of hope in Japan where thousands of people are believed to have perished in the disaster.

The nation is now gripped by the ongoing nuclear threat posed by the unstable Fukushima plant as workers continue to battle to restore vital cooling systems damaged by the quake.

Hope Floats: Japan tsunami dog rescued after 3 weeks adrift



source:dailymail

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Going to the dogs: Sledging, skiing and Scandinavian serenity in remote Norway

By EMILY PAYNE

Making tracks: Emily settles in to her first dog-sledding experience


Howling reaches fever pitch as the dogs sense lift-off. Nervously, I mount my sled.

Four gallant Alaskan huskies are strapped in up ahead. They are a cross between Siberian husky, pointer and greyhound, and they can reach speeds of 20km per hour.

Currently, they are yelping and leaping frantically, all wild eyes and wagging tails. I quietly hope that they will be more sedate once I let off the brake. As another howl comes from up the front, I realise that this is unlikely.


Paws for thought: Dogsledding Norway's dogs are an enthusiastic mix of husky, pointer and greyhound


I have never skied and the last time I moved rapidly through snow was as a child, sliding on a makeshift toboggan, before toppling off in front of my class. It is safe to say that I am not a natural-born athlete. And as for dogs, I have yet to go doe-eyed when presented with one. So why, I ask myself, am I doing this?

All around me, the landscape is a flat, sparse, white. I am in Rondablikk, on the edge of Norway’s first National Park, Rondane – a pristine expanse in the south-east of this long, winter-bound country. Its high mountain plateau, vast icy lakes and frosted meadows make it perfect for winter adventure. The snow is clean, and thick – a different beast to its inferior, sludgy equivalent in Britain – a gift from nature that is almost embraced. Certainly, the Norwegians find it as natural to ski as to walk. I’m hoping – but not expecting – that by the end of my trip, I will feel the same.


The white stuff: Rondablikk, in south-eastern Norway, offers endless terrain for dog-sledding


Our guides – Live Aasheim, a Norwegian dog-sled race champion, and her Scottish-born colleague Greg McColm – take no nonsense.

“This is not a McDonalds dog sledding trip,” Live says. “You will harness your own dogs and get involved with the whole process from start to finish. They will not hurt you, unless you hurt them.” Again, I wonder why, exactly, I am here.

There’s a hot stench of hound as we’re handed the harnesses. My team of dogs includes Sinatra, a striking white fellow with opal blue eyes. “We call him the son of the devil,” says Live. Greg tells me that I need to show these pooches who is boss. Silently, I think to myself that the dogs already know who the boss is. And it isn’t me. For starters, they don’t seem to know – or won’t acknowledge – the command for stop. Luckily, there is a plastic mat that can be thrown to the snow to slow them – or, as a last resort, a metal brake. Live is unconcerned. “I don’t have time to teach 40 dogs to respond to someone shouting ‘stop’,” she says.


Husky dog sledding in Norway


I usually cower from canines, preferring the indoorsy softness of cats. But for all the barking and howling, I soon realise that I am finding this particular set of dogs strangely endearing. Having to greet your team and coerce them into a harness is not easy. But the dogs have such varying personality: there are lazy ones, who lie on their backs when you so much as gesture towards them; wild, strong beasts who don’t take yes for an answer; loyal creatures eager to behave.

The tension builds as we prepare to leave. Hooting and screaming continues as each dog is attached to a sled. I am near the back of the group. Greg, the stern taskmaster is behind me. And then… we’re off. Immediately, as the sled in front lurches forward, my brain misplaces the instructions about braking and steering.

While the others whizz off stylishly, I keep my foot slightly on the brake, making my exit all stunted jolts. “Wheeeeee” I yell, unable to behave like anything but a small child. A burst into movement, and we push into the forest, winding through the trees. I try to anticipate when to brake and when to lean, so the sled won’t upturn.

The power in every limb of these creatures becomes clear as I lift my feet completely off the brake, and they pound the snow, pulling ever faster.


Crafty canines: Dog-sledding can offer an insight into truly wild terrain


“In Norway we have a lot of trolls,” she explains. “There are good trolls, and nasty trolls, and they come out at night. But the worst sort is the water trolls. They prey on tourists, pulling them through the snow to their underground lairs.”

She pauses for effect. But I am unfazed. After coming through my first attempts at dog-sledding and skiing unscathed, I fancy my chances against any troll.


Travel Facts

Exodus (0845 527 4364; www.exodus.co.uk) offers eight-day winter sports breaks in Rondablikk from £1,499 per person, including flights, transfers, most meals – and activities including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog-sledding. Departures available in March and December.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) (0871 521 2772, www.flysas.co.uk) flies daily from Heathrow to Oslo for £225 return.

Dogsledding Norway (0047-41-853-733; www.dogsledding-norway.com) does half-day trips for 700 Norwegian Kroner (£78).

source: dailymail

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Two giant pandas, female Xiannu, left, and male Bili are seen at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo

Two giant pandas, female Xiannu, left, and male Bili are seen at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo Friday, April 1, 2011 as the pair from China made their debut appearance. The pair, which the Tokyo metropolitan government is renting for $950,000 a year, was first supposed to debut for the public in late March following health checks and other procedures, but the event was canceled due to the March 11th quake and tsunami that led to the immediate closure of the zoo. JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT.




A woman wearing a head accessory depicting a giant panda waits for Ueno Zoological Park to open to see the first public appearance of female giant panda Xiannu, named Shin Shin in Japan, and male panda Bili, named Ri Ri in Japan, in Tokyo April 1, 2011. Xiannu and Bili, both five years old, who arrived from China's Sichuan province in February, were shown to the public at Ueno on Friday, marking the first viewing of pandas in Japan in three years. The appearance of the two giant pandas coincides with the reopening of the zoo from a temporary closure, following the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan, Kyodo news reports.



Thousands people queue up to see a pair of giant pandas under cherry blossoms outside of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.




A woman waits for Ueno Zoological Park to open to see the first public appearance of female giant panda Xiannu, named Shin Shin in Japan, and male panda, Bili, named Ri Ri in Japan, in Tokyo April 1, 2011. Xiannu and Bili, both five years old, who arrived from China's Sichuan province in February, were shown to the public at Ueno on Friday, marking the first viewing of pandas in Japan in three years. The appearance of the two giant pandas coincides with the reopening of the zoo from a temporary closure, following the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan, Kyodo news reports.




Female giant panda Shin Shin eats bamboo at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.




People queue up to see a pair of giant pandas at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.



A girl buys a panda doll at a souvenir shop near Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.



Female giant panda Xiannu, named Shin Shin in Japan, eats bamboo at Ueno Zoological Park in Tokyo April 1, 2011, on the first day of its public appearance together with male panda, Bili, named Ri Ri in Japan. Xiannu and Bili, both five years old and who arrived from China's Sichuan province in February, were shown to the public at Ueno on Friday, marking the first viewing of pandas in Japan in three years. The appearance of the two giant pandas coincided with the reopening of the zoo from a temporary closure, following the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan, Kyodo news reports.



A girl holds a panda plush toy as she joins a crowd of people waiting for the opening of Ueno Zoological Park in Tokyo April 1, 2011.



A boy looks at a giant female panda Shin Shin eating bamboo at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.



A giant female panda Shin Shin eats bamboo at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2011. A pair of pandas, leased from China, arrived at Ueno Zoo on February 21, and are now displayed to the public after the zoo closed following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.


source: daylife
photo: Gettyimages

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Mini horses can now be used as guide animals after petition changes disability guidelines

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Top of her class: Cali, one of five known guide horses in the U.S., with her owner Mona Ramouni at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan


People who require a service animal to assist with a disability usually use a guide dog, or in some cases a helper monkey.

But new federal guidelines will now permit the use of... miniature horses.

A petition sent to the Department of Justice, by owners and trainers of mobility horses, has prompted a change in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.

Mona Ramouni, 30, a blind woman who lives in East Lansing, Michigan, is the proud owner of a guide horse - called Cali.


On the bus: Miss Ramouni and Cali are regulars on the bus in Lincoln Park, Michigan. she admits Cali can be a handful sometimes


She ended up with her unusual helper after going blind shortly after birth. She could not have a traditional guide dog because her devout Muslim family considered dogs unclean animals.

Miss Ramouni said: 'As much work as she is - and she is a lot more work than a dog - I would not trade her for 10 dogs.

She attends classes at both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan with five-year-old Cali (short for Mexicali Rose), who is roughly the size of a large dog.

Emily Weiss, senior director of shelter research and development for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said: 'You can train them to do some pretty amazing things.'


At home: Miss Ramouni chose a guide horse because her devout Muslim family considered dogs unclean. Cali is highly trained and house-broken


Miss Ramouni recalled Cali hesitating at a flight of stairs, but ultimately accepting Ramouni's urging to go.

She said: 'She trusted me enough to do it for me.'

Horses need more room than dogs and are more work for owners.


Drinks break: Mona and Cali take a couple of minutes out from class work for much-needed refreshments


Ms Weiss said dogs were fed and walked a couple of times a day, while horses ate hay and grass and produced waste throughout the day.

But minis can be house-trained.

Miss Ramouni and Ms Arste have kept a blog tracking Cali's career as a guide horse.

On March 17, Ms Ramouni wrote: 'Life is hard sometimes - complicated and full of challenges that we think we might not be able to handle. If Cali can try, if Cali can persevere, it is my duty, my privilege, to keep on keeping on as well, because I can't let my sweet girl down.'


source: dailymail

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Duel of the dromedaries: Afghan camels in wrestling showdowns to celebrate Persian New Year

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Battle: Afghan festival-goers watch as a camel fight starts during the second day of Persian New Year celebrations in Mazar-i Sharif, northern Afghanistan


An Afghan camel's life is not an easy one. If they survive the arid conditions, heavy work and littering of landmines that characterise this war-torn country, they still have one more test to face: camel fighting.

Afghans gathered in their hundreds of thousands in Mazar-e-Sharif last week to watch this spectacular duel of the dromedaries - part of the celebrations for Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

The male camels, which can stand up to 2m tall and weigh up to half a tonne, go head to head in a 10-minute showdown, slamming necks and butting heads as raucous crowds watch and gamble on the outcome.


Brains not brawn: As well as using sheer brute force, camel wrestlers feint and sweep their opponents legs to try and win a submission


And there's only one thing that will get these usually placid ships of the desert to turn so fierce - mating season.

Once the two bulls are led out into the arena, a young cow is paraded around to get them excited. The beasts are ready to clash, the trainers know, when streams of viscous milky saliva begin to stream from their mouths and nostrils.

Once the two bulls will get down to it and actually try to wrestle one another they do not simply use brute force. They wrestle artfully, feinting in here and there, eventually locking a fore-leg inside the leg of the opposition and leaning on him to topple him over in a dromedary's version of a wrestling fall and pin.


Savage: Camel fights do not usually end tragically, but have been condemned by animal rights campaigners for their brutality


The fights, while savage, are not usually fatal. Each camel's mouth is tied tightly closed to prevent biting. Often the loser will run into the crowd of spectators causing panic as onlookers try not to get trampled. Other hazards include splashes of viscous camel spittle.

In Turkey, the spiritual home of camel-wrestling, fights are far more organised - and high profile. There the camel wrestlers are considered the body builders of their species, and they are carefully fed so as to be enormous. The best specimens are regarded as well-formed martial artists, and they are prized by their owners.

The annual Selcuk championship, named for the western city where the event takes place, draws roughly 20,000 fight fans. Bizarrely, they also enjoy eating camel meat while watching the duels.


Celebration: Afghans gather around the Shrine of saint Sakhi Saib, Kabul, as they celebrate the Persian New Year


The Persian New Year, which has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years, is the most revered celebration in the greater Persian world, which includes the countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and portions of western China and northern Iraq.

It started on March 21 and coincides with the astronomical vernal equinox.


source: dailymail

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Here's a fishy tail! Dogs sculpted into works of art for extreme grooming contests

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Catherine Opson's dogs Renegade and Twinkle make a double act with their Koi carps and cure panda


If you are the kind of person who enjoys dressing your dog - then perhaps this is the next step.

These pets have been transformed into a bison, a court jester and a scorpion at America's extreme dog grooming contests.

The dogs have all been sheared and coloured in the name of art.


Missy apears to have a Japanese woman draped across her back while Falcor is a fire-breathing dragon


Josh stars as an eagle while Duchess is the Queen of Hearts


Animal photographer Ren Netherland from Florida, travels thousands of miles every year capturing these stunning transformations at 'creative grooming' shows around America.

In addition to sculpting other animal's out of their beloved pooches, competitors also carve intricate designs such as a Native American headdress on the side of their 'buffalo' dog,

It takes two intense hours for the creative groomers - mainly women - to produce their masterpieces before facing judges.

Expert dog snapper Ren said: 'The owners have to grow out their dog's hair in preparation for the show - so that it's long enough for them to make something.


Hair of the dog: Angela Kumpe's dog Josh as a Bison with a Native American Indian at the rear, pictured at Groom and Kennel Expo in Pasadena, California


Cindy is a multi-coloured dragon and there's a sting in the tail for Zorra, who may be a bit unnerved by that scorpion on her back


'They train and rehearse throughout the year in preparation for the competition, whittling their creation down to a fine art.

'The best thing for spectators is that when the poodles fist come onto the stage, they just look like normal poddles.

'Suddenly they are transformed before your eyes into something colourful and completely different.

'The dogs seem to enjoy the pampering and all the attention.'

At the highest level winners can scoop over £18,000 in prize money for a single event.


Jill Pipino's dog dressed as a Giraffe complete with spots - though Lord knows what the poor mutt thinks of its tail


Groom Expo Creative Grooming Competition 2010


source: dailymail

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Back on show: Tilikum the killer whale performs for SeaWorld crowds for first time since death of his trainer

Flawless performance: There was no special reference made in yesterday's show to Tilikum's return


The killer whale that drowned a female trainer at Orlando's SeaWorld performed flawlessly yesterday, for the first time since last year's tragedy.

Tilikum took part in the Florida marine park's signature Believe show, wowing thousands amid heightened safety that included a steel bar protecting the orca's trainers.

It was his first performance since dragging 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau from poolside by her pony tail and drowning her during a performance on February 24 last year.


Back in action: Tilikum and his fellow orcas jumped in unison and splashed those in the front rows, delighting a crowd that filled the 5,000-seat Shamu Stadium to capacity


Trainers on the platform stood behind the stout metal bar shaped as an inverted 'U' that was designed to prevent a whale from coming up out of the pool and biting and dragging a trainer into the water.

SeaWorld animal training curator Kelly Clark said returning Tilikum to performing more than a year later was best for the whale.

'Participating in shows is just a portion of Tilikum's day, but we feel it is an important component of his physical, social and mental enrichment,' she said.

'He has been regularly interacting with his trainers and the other whales for purposes of training, exercise and social and mental stimulation, and has enjoyed access to all of the pools in the Shamu Stadium complex.'


Heightened safety: Trainers kept their distance during the performance. Tilikum has already been implicated in three deaths


'Free Tilly': SeaWorld animal training curator Kelly Clark said returning Tilikum to performing more than a year later was best for the whale, but demonstrations were held outside the arena


There was no special reference made in yesterday's show to Tilikum's return.

Nonetheless, Tilikum was the main draw for many. Orcas jumped in unison and splashed those in the front rows, delighting a crowd that filled the 5,000-seat Shamu Stadium to capacity.

No trainer has been allowed in the water during the shows since Ms Brancheau's death and they remained out of the pool yesterday. The closest the trainers got was the pool deck, standing behind the steel bar whenever they reached over to occasionally toss them a fish treat or stroke the whales when they flopped on the platform.

In the accident that killed Ms Brancheau, she was nose-to-nose with the whale when her pony tail floated into the animal's mouth and she was dragged in, authorities have said. She managed to free herself initially, but the whale continued to strike and thrash her, they added.


Killer whale: It was Tilikum's first performance since killing trainer Dawn Brancheau, right, in a tragic poolside accident in February last year


Dangerous: Ms Brancheau had been nose-to-nose with the whale when her pony tail floated into the animal's mouth and she was dragged in


Since the death, SeaWorld officials have drawn up plans to spend millions of dollars on safety upgrades. Measures include installing rising pool floors that can quickly lift people and the whales from the water, underwater vehicles to distract the marine animals in emergencies, and portable oxygen bottles for trainers.

But the day was not without protests nearby.

Many of those who went to see Tilikum perform drove past about a dozen protesters gathered outside SeaWorld's gates. The demonstrators complained that killer whales should not be held in captivity and several held up signs reading 'Free Tilly'.


source: dailymail

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Heil Kitler! First it was the house that looks like Adolf, now we bring you the cats of the furred Reich

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

More furballs than Goebbels: This moggie has a striking resemblance to Hitler, including a little black moustache


This week Mail Online introduced you to the house in Swansea that looks like Hitler, and now we give you the cats that look like the Nazi dictator.

These hilarious photographs show moggies with striking resemblances to Adolf Hitler.

Their white faces have black markings just below their noses just like Hitler's and even the fur on the top of their heads mimics the slanted side parting sported by the WWII German leader.


Puss in Jackboots: This kitten even perfects Hitler's comb over


This Kitler has a perfect Hitleresque square moustache


Eyes of evil: This lookalike looks like he is thinking up an evil plan as he sits under a kitchen table


The house in Swansea that came to light on Twitter for its resemblance to the Nazi dictator


The house in Swansea that looks like Hitler became a Twitter sensation after comedian Jimmy Carr picked up a post by 22-year-old, Charli Dickenson.

The owner of the end-of-terrace in Port Tenant is said to be baffled by all the attention while neighbours are seeing the funny side.

The cats have been compiled from photographs on a website dedicated to cats that look like Hitler, simply called catsthatlooklikehitler.com.


More Gerry than Tom: This Kitler is having a rest from catching mice


The pictures have been put onto a website dedicated to cats that look like Hitler


This Hitler cat steps outside for a moment in the sun

source: dailymail

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