totallytwo
Why do dogs bury bones?
A: This notorious habit is one of a few that reveal our canine companions'
less housebroken history. In the wild, many animals kill prey that is larger
than they can eat in one sitting. Just as a Thanksgiving turkey will turn
into sandwiches or soup the next day, predators try to save leftovers for
future meals or midnight snacks.
Unfortunately, the animal world's unwelcome houseguests seek to raid this
treasure. Hyenas, jackals, vultures and other scavengers are quick to move
in on any unfinished prey, sometimes before the predator is done eating it.
As a
result, many animals get their meals to go--eating them high in a tree or at
a hidden location. Those animals that can't climb trees or who lack hiding
places will bury their food--a habit that has followed Fido to this day.
totallytwo
Classical tunes soothe pound puppies
An animal rescue center near Taunton, England, has
installed a $3,500 sound system to play soothing classical
music to stressed-out dogs. Talk radio is another part
of dogs' audio diet to get them accustomed to the sounds
of people, said Anita Clark, deputy manager of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals branch.
"Music is proven to have a calming effect on both animals
and people," Clark told The London Telegraph. "It's a
very stressful environment for the dogs to be in here,
so anything that can help is worth a go." The pounding
beat of pop music increases animals' stress, she said.
Aside from classical music, "We also play them whale
sounds and panpipes, and they listen to talking on the
radio so they get used to hearing people. It definitely
works," Clark said. The RSPCA center raised the $3,500
for the sound system through a fundraiser.
totallytwo
Lassie Saves Owner's Life
SYDNEY, Australia -- In a case of life imitating fiction, a dog named Lassie apparently helped rescue its injured owner after he fell from a horse.
George Crowther, a 90-year-old farmer from Queensland state, broke his hip and pelvis when he was pitched from a bucking horse and his foot became caught in the reins, his son Austin told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday.
Crowther's dog, Lassie, came to the rescue, snuggling in next to Crowther to keep him warm.
When darkness fell, Crowther's wife came searching in the fields with a flashlight, but couldn't hear the man's feeble cries. She called for the dog and Lassie approached, whimpering.
"She said, 'Where's George?"' Austin Crowther said. The dog then led her to the paddock where Crowther lay cold and injured.
Crowther was recovering Tuesday after having 37 screws and two metal plates inserted into his pelvis and hip.
"He named her properly," Austin Crowther said of his father's four-legged friend.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.
