A reminder to treat your dogs right

Another great dog story forwarded to our inbox. Gypsy the pooch pound rescued her elderly neighbour. Made us all feel warm and fuzzy.

A dog that was itself rescued from the pound is being hailed a hero after coming to the aid of an elderly woman on the New South Wales north coast.

The Kyogle woman, known only as Meg, had broken her hip after falling and was lying helpless outside her home.

Gypsy, the staffie-cattle dog cross, went to investigate and took home one of Meg's slippers.

Her owner, Roger, discovered the situation when he went to return the slipper.

"You don't give animals credit - they obviously don't think like we do - but she worked this one out, that somebody needed help and this was the only way she could tell us how, by pinching a fluffy slipper," Roger said.

Meg was rushed to hospital and had to undergo surgery.

She spent the next seven weeks recovering in hospital and it was only this week she could finally say thank you to Gypsy.

"I had some lamb shanks and I said I'd wrap them up in a big bow and when we all got together again, which we did last Friday... and Roger gave her one of the shanks, she didn't eat it, she just took off to take it home to show Marian and waited for Roger to come and away they went, and I'm in tears by that stage," Meg said.

"I suppose it was such a happiness for me to know that she found me and it was just good to see her again.

"We all hope for those sorts of things to happen but there's a lesson there, to be kind to your neighbours' dog and to treat them right and to treat your own dogs correctly."

What great words of wisdom.

Original story from here.

Dogs feel like dancing!

Move over Doga - the new doggie trend is dancing!

Via our inbox - thanks for sending over the new article Oscar!

A group of Tasmanian dog-lovers is taking its first tentative steps in the art of dog dancing.

Official dog dancing competitions began in Australia last year, combining tricks and movement choreographed to music.

An interstate instructor has just finished the state's first dance classes at the Glenorchy showgrounds, in Hobart's northern suburbs.

Sue Cordwell says the discipline incorporates rhythm, teamwork and fun.

"Probably the basics of freestyle dog dancing is the leg weaving, the left-hand spin, the right-hand spin, the backing up," Ms Cordwell said.

Tasmanian dog lovers say the sport is growing in popularity.

Barb Duke from the Border Collie Club of Tasmania says the discipline is terrific for busy, intelligent - and hungry - dogs like border collies.

"The people love the music, and we truly believe that the dogs actually can feel the rhythm as well.

"They like the fact that the humans are relaxed and working with the rhythm, and they just love doings lots of tricks, and of course they get rewarded very well for doing it," she said.

Ms Duke says competing dogs are not allowed to wear costumes; fancy scarves or collars are the limit.

"Yeah, a bit of bling is good," she said, "but not too over the top, because there has to still be dignity for the dog."

Read the rest of the article here.