Coco the Chocolate Labrador

Pictured above is Coco, a one and a half year old female chocolate Labrador.

Although Coco is still just a baby, she still manages to escape from the house from time to time and catch wild birds.

She also enjoys eating paper, running through the sprinklers, and jumping on visitors with her big muddy paws.

She lives with her friend Falkor, who is a Pitbull/Labrador mix, and probably the source of all her bad habits.

Vital stats:

Name: Coco
Breed: Chocolate Labrador
Size: Medium
Weight: 40 lbs
Age: 1.5 years
Sex: Female
Loves to: Jump all over you

(photo: courtesy of her owner Peyman)

Up Close and Personal at the Taronga Zoo

Above are a few pics of a friend of mine who worked briefly at the famous Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.

She’s a vet, and was fortunate enough to spend a bit of time in Sydney working with a slew of different zoo animals including bears and tigers.

The pictures above give you an idea of what vets working at zoos do when the animals get sick or need special care.

Luckily, both animals were sedated so she was able to get an up close and personal look at both these amazing species.

Most people only dream to see these animals, let alone operate on and care for them.

Tiger Piglets

In another pig-related post, we see a Tiger mom nursing a bevy of little piglets in a Thai zoo.

The Sriracha Zoo, 50 miles east of the Thai capital Bangkok, recently created a program teaching domestic animals, such as pigs, to get along with wild animals, such as tigers, as a means to boost visits to the zoo.

The end result has been largely effective, with pictures like the one above showing the relative harmony these two very unlike species have etched out for themselves.

The program also has mother pigs, also known as “sows” nursing tiger cubs at a very young age.

Not only is the practice great for tourism, but it may come in handy if any complications leave a cub or piglet without a mother in the future.

Pigasso Painting Pigs

A farm in Buckfastleigh, Devon, England has stumbled upon a novel idea to raise funds for their Farm Crisis Network charity.

The farm has enlisted the help of two piglets, known as “Van Snout” and “Bottabelli” who one day accidentally got into a few cans of non-toxic paint, and the next day had become artists.

Their work is comparable to a Jackson Pollock painting for its messy and loose design, and wild mix of colors.

Farm owner Chris Murray said “The pigs tended to go more for pointilism – they weren’t too keen on cubism. We think of them as our little Pigassos.”

The paintings sell for up to £16 each and have raised more than £150 so far, which is sure to grow once the news spreads.

The quality of the paintings is actually quite good, so good that you may be surprised to see who the true artists are behind the works.

Xiang Xiang the Panda Dies in the Wild

The first panda born in captivity and released in the wild was found dead on February 19 in the forests of Sichuan province.

According to officials, the giant panda likely fell from a high place, perhaps a tree as it was being chased by other wild pandas.

“We are all sad about Xiang Xiang, but it doesn’t mean the project has failed,” said Zhang Hemin, the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center head. “The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project.”

The panda was released from Wolong in April 2006, surviving less than a year in the wild after three years of training and preparation where he learned to howl, bite, forage for food, build a den, and other survival essentials.

Unfortunately he didn’t seem to mix well with other wild pandas, and subsequently failed to survive amongst them.

“We chose Xiang Xiang because we thought that a strong male panda would have a better chance of surviving in the harsh natural environment,” Li was quoted as saying. “But the other male pandas clearly saw Xiang Xiang as a threat. Next time we will choose a female panda.”

Experts estimate that there are only about 1,600 wild pandas in the world, which all live in the mountain forests of central China, along with 180 other pandas living in captivity. 

Xiang Xiang has been buried at the base of a mountain nearby the research center. 

Photo courtesy LI WEI / CHINA FOTO PRESS / GAMMA

French Poodle Wins World Dog Show

Pictured above is Smash, a Japanese-born French Poodle who won the annual World Dog Show in Mexico City. His owner is Mamoro Oyama of Japan

The poodle beat out some 5,000 competitors from around the globe, including 300 different dog breeds.

A male Bulldog came in second place, and third place went to a bulldog, while the third place went to a male Xoloitzcuintle, described as a hairless Mexican breed also known as Xolo. Both dogs have Mexican owners.

Owners spent hours grooming and preparing the dogs, and spent thousands of dollars investing in their lives to get them to this level.

“In the long run we might not recoup the investment, but if they are well-ranked in these competitions, the quality of the dog is certified and the price of its mating and offspring rises,” said Mr. Trejo, a Venezuelan engineer who raises dogs part time as a hobby.

Dog Breeds – Yellow Labrador Retriever

The Labrador breed is said to have originally hailed from the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and was used primarily aboard fishing boats to gather fishermen’s nets by jumping overboard from their ships.

Today, Labradors are one of most popular, if not the most popular dog breed in the United States and the United Kingdom, and are commonly referred to simply as “labs”.

Labradors have gained in popularity due to their very friendly disposition, and their ability to get along with everyone from strangers to small children and all types of other pets. They are intelligent dogs that enjoy swimming, hunting, playing fetch, assisting the disabled, or just cuddling up with their owners.

This medium-sized, muscular breed comes in white black, yellow, chocolate, silver, blue, gray, charcoal, and “Dudley”, and features a straight, dense coat, and a thick tail.

Famous labs include “Buddy”, the chocolate Labrador owned by Bill Clinton and Koni, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Labrador Retriever.

Pictured above is a Yellow Labrador Retriever puppy.

Tubbs the Olde English Bulldogge

This is Tubbs, an Olde English Bulldogge who resides in San Diego, California. He was rescued from a shelter north of San Diego after his previous owners couldn’t care for him.

He fits in great with his new family, and loves going on walks to the park, and especially the dog beach in Del Mar.

He’s a bit imposing with his big block head and thick body, but his biggest body part is his heart. He is a very sweet dog who gets along with dogs and humans alike (but not cats).

Tubbs loves all types of toys, especially tennis balls that he slobbers on until they disintegrate. You can play fetch with him, but good luck prying the toy out of his mouth…

Vital stats:

Name: Tubbs

Breed: Olde English Bulldogge

Size: Large

Weight: 70 lbs

Age: Six years

Sex: Male

Loves: To swim

(photo: courtesy of his owner Catherine)

Dog Breeds – Weimaraner

The Weimaraner, also known as the “Grey Ghost”, is a very old breed, dating back to the 1600’s where it appeared in Van Dyck paintings.

The breed is said to be a cross between different types of pointers and mastiffs, apparently overseen by Grand Duke Karl August of Weimar. Back then this breed was used primarily for hunting.

The appearance of these dogs is always a shade of gray, with a fairly large, muscular body type, and sleek, short coats. The head and muzzle of the dog is very dignified, and they exhibit very thoughtful expressions.

Weimaraners enjoy plenty of exercise, swimming, retrieving, hunting, and more.

US President Dwight D. Eisenhower owned a Weimaraner named Heidi, and this breed has been featured on TV shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and in music videos such as “Blue Monday” by New Order.

Weimaraners were also the focus of artist William Wegman, who featured the breed dressed in human clothing, exhibiting imaginative poses.

(photo: GNU)

Dog-Friendly Beach in Los Angeles

The picture above is Leo Carrillo State Beach, a dog-friendly beach located about 30 miles north of Santa Monica. Here leashed dogs are permitted almost everywhere aside from the space between towers 2 and 3.

Dogs are allowed on a maximum 6 foot leash, and must be accompanied by a capable handler. Do note that dogs are not permitted in the tide pools. Additional signage at the beach itself will provide more details.

This dog-friendly beach is one of only two in Los Angeles County, making it a bit of a gem for dog lovers in the Los Angeles area who wish to take Fido à la plage.

The exact location of the beach is 35000 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA 90265. Call 805-986-8591 for more information or map it.

(photo: nogwater)