She was rescued by Muttville Senior Rescue in San Francisco.  When she was found, her teeth were in such bad shape, they had to all be removed.  This may have left her without teeth, but it also gave her a deep understanding of what it means to suffer with this type of problem.  Perhaps this is what makes her absolutely perfect for her current job.

Karma was adopted by Debra Garrett.  She was looking for a companion dog for her elderly mom, and from the moment Garrett met Karma, she thought that it would be a perfect fit.

“My mom is 82 with Alzheimer’s and really wanted a dog,” said Garrett to The Dodo.  “We did not want her to have a dog that was likely to outlive her or that would require a lot of training and energy. Muttville provided us with the perfect solution for my aging parent, an older dog that was tried and true.”

However, things just weren’t meant to be.  It became very clear very quickly that Garrett’s mother just wasn’t ready to take care of Karma.  Garrett and her husband didn’t want to take Karma back to a shelter or rescue, and ended up taking Karma in themselves.

“Karma is the sweetest, quietest, most loving little dog we ever could have asked for,” said Garrett.  “She loves people and just wants to be held or cuddled by someone.”

Garrett and her husband both work at a dental practice.  The job often requires them to work long hours, which when they didn’t have a dog was fine.  However, they didn’t feel right just leaving Karma at home alone for all of that time.  So, they eventually decided to bring her to work with them.

Karma being the sweet dog that she is, and having such a strong desire to just be with someone, it didn’t take very long for the Garrett’s to realize that this was where Karma belonged all along.  She seemed to have an innate ability to calm patients that were very anxious to be in the dental chair in a way that no human had ever been able to before.

“It’s magical to watch a true dental-phobic patient melt while holding Karma in one of our chairs,” said Garrett.  “Even patients who didn’t think it would help much found that their appointment went much better with Karma on their lap.”

Maybe it’s because she’s been through it all herself and knows just how scary the dentist can be.  Maybe she’s just so full of love and thankful every day for being rescued.  At the end of the day, the reasons don’t really matter, Karma is PERFECTLY suited to do what she does, and she enjoys it so much.  Apparently, having a mouth full of really healthy teeth are NOT a requirement for being a dental therapy dog.

“She fills me with a sense of contentment whether I am holding her myself or watching her with one of my patients or seeing her in her little bed,” said Garrett.  “The office is a much better environment with Karma working beside us!”

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“My last dog Petey had dementia,” O’Connor said when talking with The Dodo.  “He required a lot of care.  It was really heartbreaking and sad, but it sort of became my daily routine.”

Petey passed away in 2014, which left a big hole in O’Connor’s life.  She knew that she would need to bring another don into her life.  One that she could help the same way she was there for Petey.  When O’Connor was contacted by someone from the American Maltese Association Rescue (AMAR) called her and asked if she’d like to foster a dog with kidney issues, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I hadn’t even seen her yet,” said O’Connor.  “[The dog] needed to have surgery in a specialized hospital, which was only about 20 minutes from my house.  The intention was to get her medically taken care of, then adopt her out.  But I think I always knew I was going to keep her.”

When the time came for O’Connor and the dog called Pez to finally meet, there was something that O’Connor noticed straight away.  Something was VERY different about Pez.  She has this row of teeth and an odd looking snout that basically makes her look like she is smiling all of the time.  O’Connor was in love.

“It’s sort of like a cleft palate, but the palate is actually closed,” said O’Connor.  “Literally every time I look at her, my heart explodes.”

Pez may look like she’s smiling all the time, but her start in life was most certainly nothing at all to smirk about.  O’Connor may not know 100% of Pez’s history, but what is clear is that Pez was abandoned at a shelter by someone because this person just didn’t want to pay medical bills for a dog.  She spent some time in a New York City shelter, but was later rescued by AMAR.

According to the doctors, Pez’s condition is almost purely cosmetic.  She’s not in any pain because of it, and there aren’t really any surgeries to do anything for her.  It wasn’t her face that the medical bills were going to get extreme from, but her kidney problems were really bad.  She has to be kept in diapers of some sort almost always.

“It’s just like a quirk,” she said.  “I don’t know what else to say besides that she’s charming. I know that’s a weird way to describe a dog, but she has a lot of spunk.  She’s constantly glued to you the whole time, and wants to be having a good time.”

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Starbucks in the State of Washington has started a new program that’s all about dogs.  They feature a special, “Dog of the Week” drinking a “Puppuccino” and the whole idea is to hopefully spur more adoption in the area.

Every Tuesday, a volunteer brings a dog from the Kitsap Humane Society to a local Starbucks for a specially made Puppuccino.  The dog also gets to hang around for a while and greet customers as they come in, and they are featured as available for adoption on the shelter’s website.

In case you were wondering or maybe even worried, no they’re not actually giving coffee to dogs.  The specially made “brew” is actually just a cup of whipped cream.  What dog isn’t going to love that?  The dog is even photographed sipping their drink, and the photos have such a charm to them.

This can take place at any number of Starbucks locations in Washington.  A poster of the dog that will be coming in for that day is even posted in the store a few days before, so people can come and met the dog for a possible adoption.

If the program is successful, you may even see this going on at a location near you.  Stay with Life With Dogs for more details on any expansion the program may be doing in your town!

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Sammie was rescued after being shot, dragged by a car and spray painted.  What makes the photo even more special is the fact that Sammie and Simon are perfect strangers.

Both dogs were rescued from South Carolina.  Both dogs know just how cruel some humans can be.  However, they seem to know when the other just needed a friend.  It just goes to further prove that animals have feelings, just like we do.  We can learn a lot from this photo…

Sammie is doing better now.  He’s undergone a few surgeries, however is nowhere near out of the woods just yet.  He’s survived being shot with a .22 caliber bullet, and the wound from that is now healing nicely according to vets caring for him.

Hopefully, both Sammie and Simon will find that forever family that they both so greatly deserve.

The post Rescue Dog Comforts Injured Pup He’s Never Met Before appeared first on ILoveDogsAndPuppies.

Every year they make a new one with a different theme, and all of the proceeds go to Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Westmead Children’s Hospital Burns Unit.  The photos in this collection are taken from the new 2017 line up, and this year, they went with rescue puppies.

This year, along with their regular donations, they be making an additional donation to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  All of the dogs featured are rescue puppies, and all are available for adoption.

The post Australian Firefighters Make Charity Calendar with Adoptable Rescue Puppies appeared first on ILoveDogsAndPuppies.

Whether he’s checking out what’s going on at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or just hanging out and people watching, he always get a lot of attention.  It’s not hard to see why, wearing his little hat and striped shirt while relaxing in a doggy-sized BMW is not something one see every day.

“I gave it to him for his fifth birthday,” said Lakhani.  She’s a former teacher, and the author of the novel “Schooled.”  “My little Luigi has always been an Upper East Side high-roller, and nothing could be more fitting for him than a Beemer.”

We agree.  He looks downright adorable, and there’s no doubt about that.  Would you ever buy your dog a BMW?  Or is your pooch more of a Harley Davidson Dog?  Share your dog photos and stories with us on our Facebook page, or in the comment section below!

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Is your dog a master of expression? Do you kind of always know what they’re thinking just by looking at them? Share your dog’s photos and stories in the comments section on Facebook.

The post Meet Mutka, Perhaps the Most Expressive Dog Ever! appeared first on ILoveDogsAndPuppies.

To see Presley, is to see the definition of the term “gentle giant.”  His human says that despite his enormous size, he is afraid of everything.  Presley’s fear of everything, and his expressive face make for some truly funny and adorable photos.

“Presley is definitely a real-life Scooby Doo,” said his human, Sian Barrett.  “He is afraid of everything.  He is always getting scared off by smaller dogs and I’ve had to start hiding the plastic bags from him because he’s afraid.”

And it’s not just those pesky plastic bags that scare poor Presley.  His concept of size seems to be a bit off, as the smaller the dog he comes across, the more terrifying he finds them.  Barrett tells a story of them coming across a West Highland Terrier, not at all what most would see as a “large breed.”

“There was a time recently that I was walking Presley in the park and he got scared off by a West Highland Terrier, which is tiny compared to him.  Presley wouldn’t come back out until the other dog had gone and he knew he was safe.  His temper doesn’t match his size at all – he’s 38 inches at the shoulder, but scared of anything,” said Barrett.

What about you, dear readers?  Do you have a gentle giant at home that has no clue just how big they really are?  Do they imagine themselves lap dogs, or take up an entire bed but still expect you to cuddle in?  Share your pictures and stories with us at www.lifewithdogs.tv, or at our Facebook page!

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A man from Texas and his dog have a lot to be thankful for this year.  When rising flood waters almost swept him and his dog away, the man called police and waited for rescue.

The man wasn’t sure exactly where he and his dog were, but emergency services used his cell phone signal to pinpoint his location.  The fire department was then dispatched for a rescue.

The firefighters positioned the ladder truck near where the two were stuck and awaiting rescue.  The firefighters used a system of ropes and pulleys attached to the ladder to lower a firefighter to where they were.

It was a harrowing rescue to be sure, but the firefighters and first responders did an excellent job rescuing the man and his dog.  So, how does a thankful dog show his appreciation for a daring rescue?  He showers his rescuer in a ton of big wet kisses, that’s how!

Both the man and his dog are OK, and thankfully no one was hurt during the rescue.  Below is some video footage of the event.

https://youtu.be/-vGVg1MGzh0

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According to BBC News, a man by the name of Naoto Matsumura is the last person living in Tomioka, Japan.  The area was devastated after the disasters at the Fukushima power plant, causing almost all of it’s residents to flee.

People left in such a rush, than many doors were left open, and many animals were left abandoned.  Matsumura has taken it upon himself to be the personal guardian of the animals still living in the area.

He takes car of all of the abandoned animals, and lives by candle light.  He’s become known as the Guardian of Fukushima’s Animals.

He does his best to ensure that he gets as much food as possible for himself and the animals from outside the disaster zone. However, because he’s decided to stay behind to help, he’s most likely the world most radioactive man as well.

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This first photo was taken of Tyler and Hugo in the front hallway of Davenport West High School.  Here , the team was waiting to be taken to cross country track meet against Clinton High School.  Straight away, it’s easy to see the special bond between them.

Tyler isn’t just another runner on the cross team.  He helps get the team set up and things prepared for his school to be in the best possible position to win on all levels.

Here’s a photo with Tyler, and team coach Marty Leal.  Coach Leal has been a very important mentor for Tyler.  He has known Tyler since the seventh grade, and has helped him both on and off the race track.

This photo shows Tyler with his dad, Scott.  Scott is a huge supporter of Tyler and not just because he is Tyler’s dad.  He was the one that came up with the idea of getting Hugo to help Tyler.

Here, Hugo gets a post race snack, and some much needed liquid refreshment

To keep things on the track fair, Hugo and Tyler must cross the finish line together.  Tyler cannot pull Hugo across the line, nor my Hugo pull Tyler.

The two have a special start time for a race as well.  They will typically go about 30 seconds after everyone else does.  This helps both Tyler and Hugo not get tangled up with all of the other racers, making things safer for everyone.

The 30 second delay doesn’t get factored into his actual completion time.  His coach starts a separate stopwatch for him when he and Hugo take off.

Hugo is far more than just a racing partner for Tyler.  Hugo has been instrumental in helping Tyler cope with everything from the day to day basics, all the way to keeping Tyler emotionally and mentally even.

Hugo is a great dog.  He’s living proof that no matter what your circumstances are, anyone can “get by with a little help from their friends.”

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Back in September, we told you about Tillie and her friend Phoebe.  The pair had gone missing one day on Washington’s Vashon Island. When they were found, Tillie was keeping vigil over her friend who had fallen into on old cistern.  Because of her sheer awesomeness, Tillie has been awarded “Washingtonian of the Day.”

Washington Governor Jay Onslee said, “I saw this story and I just immediately said this is something Washington needs to celebrate.  I grew up with Rin Tin Tin and Lassie, and I never thought I’d meet a real dog that had that type of Hollywood character, but Tillie’s right here.”

As part of the honors bestowed upon Tillie, she was given a written proclamation, and apple pin and a special photo-shoot to commemorate the day.  Her human, B.J. Duft was there as well.

“There was 20 different press there this morning.  The dogs are loving it because they just have to look all cute and be puppies. I’m the one that has to do all the interviews,” said Duft.

Regardless of the “extra work” required by Duft, he is one proud dog papa.  It’s not every day your dog is recognized as a hero by the state!

An article in the Seattle Times said:

“To prep for their time with Inslee, Tillie and Phoebe visited the groomers for a shampoo and trim.  Before wandering into the governor’s office lobby, with its serious-looking collection of portraits of past state leaders, they got to walk around Capitol Lake.

During the ceremony, Inslee had Tillie sit next to him as he urged “everyone in Washington to celebrate the bravery and loyalty of this canine companion.”

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