“Smarter” Dogs Actually Have the Smallest Brains

A recent study found that working dog breeds, known for their intelligence and ability to perform complex tasks, have the smallest brains relative to their body size.

In contrast, toy breeds like Chihuahuas have the largest relative brain sizes, likely due to selective breeding for traits like fear and attention-seeking behavior.

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Cola Whippet, Alison Friend

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Mango, Hilary Pecis

Featuring 60-plus works made between 1915 and today, Dog Days of Summer is a joyful tribute to humanity’s best friend. 

 

Dogs on UK election day

Here are some of them.

 

'Happy Birthday To Me!' by Alison Friend

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Good Boy

Every week, a golden retriever named Charlie peeks out his Charlotte, North Carolina window until the Sunday coffee truck rolls in and parks across the street. He then runs outside and waits in line.

 "Woof," he politely barks when it's his turn to order. 

 And after serving this four-legged customer for a year now, the mobile barista has no problem translating Charlie's "I'll take the usual" order. One pup cup coming up!

 See both videos here.

 

World’s Ugliest Dog

Wild Thang, a pekingese, won the 34th World’s Ugliest Dog contest at at the Marin-Sonoma County Fair in Petaluma, California.

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One For Now, A Couple For Later

Alison Friend

 

‘Biscuit’ by Alison Friend

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Why has Cannes gone canine crazy?

Fawn-maned griffon cross Kodi is the star of French-Swiss actor Laetitia Dosch’s directorial debut Dog on Trial, a film that feels precision-engineered for Cannes’ 77th edition in more ways than one.

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Study confirms dogs can understand the meaning of nouns

Dogs understand what certain words stand for, according to researchers who monitored the brain activity of willing pooches while they were shown balls, slippers, leashes and other highlights of the domestic canine world. 

 The finding suggests that the dog brain can reach beyond commands such as “sit” and “fetch”, and the frenzy-inducing “walkies”, to grasp the essence of nouns, or at least those that refer to items the animals care about. 

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Rupert - Not your Standard Poodle

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Douglas Made A Portrait Of His Best Friend Paul, Alison Friend

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These Portraits of Senior Dogs Will Melt Your Heart

Pet photographer Belinda Richards of Frog Dog Studios is known for her ability to capture the spirit of each animal.

 Her portraits of senior dogs are particularly meaningful, as they serve as important keepsakes for the owners.

 

Here is how AI imagined different dog breeds to represent all 50 U.S. states.

ALASKA – ALASKAN WILDERNESS HUSKY

ARIZONA – DESERT SUN HOUND

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A pair of Italian sheepdogs have helped protect a flock of Christmas turkeys.

Farmer George Ford, from Blagdon, uses two Maremma sheepdogs - Bear and Holly - between August and December to guard his 600 free range turkeys.

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The waiting is the hardest part.

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Is it illegal to get your dog high on weed?

"Animal poison control hotlines have been reporting exponential increases in the number of calls about pets exposed to marijuana as the drug has been legalized for medical or recreational use in states across the country," says emergency vet Dr. Caroline Tonozzi of the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Of course, many cases may be caused by dogs eating someone's stash that should have been inaccessible to the animal but it's not hard to imagine an idiot blowing smoke into their dog's snout. And apparently—while stupid—that's not illegal, at least in Illinois, according to animal rights attorney Suzana Harman.

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One hundred years ago, on November 10, 1923, a special Akita Inu pup was born.

He was adopted by Hidesaburo Ueno, an agricultural professor at Tokyo Imperial University (modern-day University of Tokyo), and called Hachikō. 

Though it has been almost a century since his passing, the story of Hachikō's unwavering loyalty to his owner continues to inspire dog lovers around the world. 

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