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Brodie Moss is known for exploring the remote coasts of Australia and sharing his adventures on YouTube and Instagram. Of course, his adorable dog travel buddy, Stryda, makes his adventures even more exciting. She is very well-behaved on the boat, but it wasn’t always that way. When Stryda was just a young puppy, she became a little too curious during on of their boat rides, and her dad had to come to the rescue.

When Stryda was a puppy, she started riding on the boat with Moss. One day, Moss jumped into the water to get a look at some sharks. While he was swimming, he saw an animal also swimming in the distance. At first, he thought it was just an unusual fish, but as he got closer, he noticed that it was Stryda! 

Stryda had jumped into the water once the people on the boat had turned away. The sweet puppy just wanted to be near her dad. She hadn’t realized how much trouble her adventurous nature would get her in.

Saving Stryda

After Stryda had jumped in, the woman on the boat began screaming at Moss, trying to tell him what had happened. As soon as Moss noticed that Stryda was in the water, he knew he had to think fast. 

As Moss quickly swam after Stryda, he saw sharks beginning to circle below her. They were about to swim straight toward the helpless puppy. Moss quickly swam after her and grabbed her. He pulled her to the boat immediately. 

Moss said that as he swam Stryda back to the boat, she clung onto his back for dear life, digging her nails into his skin. The other guys that had been in the water with Moss were fending off the sharks as he swam his dog to safety. Luckily, Stryda made it to the boat without being harmed.

When asked what his scariest moment in the water was, Moss tells the story of saving Stryda from the sharks. He is grateful that his beloved dog is safe, but in the moment, it was terrifying for both him and Stryda. 

Since this incident, Stryda has not made any more attempts to swim with her dad like that. She knows that what she did was a mistake and she would never dare try it again. This incident happened a few years ago, but to this day, Stryda knows that it’s safest to stay on the boat while her dad goes for a swim.

H/T: metro.co.uk

Featured Image: Screenshots, YBS Youngbloods YouTube

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For those of us who admire, love, and devote ourselves to dogs, it comes as no surprise that a skilled service dog played a vital role in bringing down the most wanted terrorist in the world. Thanks to the special operations Delta Force and one of their K9 military soldiers, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is no longer a threat and ISIS has lost a leader. Today we celebrate her service by sharing what we know about this real American hero. 

Plus: In the days following President Trump’s Tweet that catapulted the K9 into worldwide fame and recognition many Americans capitalized on the opportunity to garner some social media love for their own civilian dogs. We will share some of the hilarious and “declassified” photos of these real American pets who brought much needed levity to a very serious week in the news.

Her Name is Conan

When President Trump first released a photo of Conan, he included in his tweet the fact that the K9’s name had not yet been declassified. It is now being widely reported that the military did not want to provide an image or release the name of the service dog at all. To keep her handler and the dog herself protected, the military intended to limit the release of any identifying information that could threaten security. Apparently The White House would not take no for an answer so an image was reluctantly released. Her name, Conan, allegedly named after Conan O’Brien, was declassified the next day.

She is a five year old female Belgian Malinois. According to the American Kennel Club, Belgian Malinois are extremely intelligent, hard working, and obedient. They bond very tightly to their human partner and need regular and rigorous exercise alongside that partner. These very traits are what make them such excellent service dogs. You can find Belgian Malinois working in military, secret service, detection, search and rescue, and as herding dogs. 

Wounded But Recovering

When members of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, landed outside his compound in North West Syria, al-Baghdadi reportedly attempted to flee. He grabbed 3 children and ran down a tunnel that was a dead-end. Conan’s handler released her to make chase. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest. The explosion resulted in al-Baghdadi’s death as well as the death of the 3 children. Conan was wounded while in pursuit but is reportedly recovering well and was back on duty the day after her photo was released. 

Civilian Dogs ‘Declassified’ on Twitter

Using the President’s own word choice as a platform, Twitter users jumped on the ‘declassified dog’ bandwagon and shared photos (but not names!) of their own dogs. The results were hilarious and provided just the humorous relief we all needed.

DECLASSIFYING this picture of my dog (name also DECLASSIFIED: George). He isn’t a war hero, but he does a remarkably good job sleeping like a human sleeps. pic.twitter.com/dyYlGs1wv8

— Keith Sonia (@Keith_Sonia) October 28, 2019

I’m declassifying a picture of my dog (name not declassified) he doesn’t chase ISIS terrorists, but he does chase squirrels. He also likes to stand at the back door and whine to go out, then stand at the back door and whine to come back in #DeclassifiedDog pic.twitter.com/NYtf8Bau0L

— Andy Parsons (@Parse1970) October 29, 2019

Here is a declassified picture of two wonderful dogs (names not declassified) that did such a GREAT JOB sitting down for this picture! #DeclassifiedDog pic.twitter.com/EjNSHpLHMt

— zgk (@zgk) October 29, 2019

Pic of my brother’s K-9, (name not declassified) which I like to call a “dog.” She has breath that could kill any ISIS terrorist. ☠️ #DeclassifiedDog pic.twitter.com/LLJvg7R989

— Karma Kat (@91karmakat) October 29, 2019

This #DeclassifiedDog is Amblemere Magellan – codename: 'Ben'.

He's been working underground. pic.twitter.com/Hzs7FFBES0

— Simon (@AncientKeeper) October 29, 2019

I have declassified a picture of the wonderful dog (name not declassified) that did such a GREAT JOB in humping the cushion today #DeclassifiedDog pic.twitter.com/J3cMwCAeVU

— Karen Kernow (@Karen_Kernow) October 29, 2019

Thank you Conan for your service! We are proud of you and grateful to you. You will forever be known as a real American hero. GREAT JOB indeed!

Featured Image Screenshot @realDonaldTrump Twitter

The post What We Know About Conan The K9 Military Dog, Plus Twitter Storm of Civilian Declassified Dog Photos appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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If you didn’t already know, part of each sale on the iHeartDogs.com store is donated to GreaterGood.org, which offers grants for charities and programs like Canines For Service.  Customers like you are the reason heartwarming stories like this one are possible!

Canines For Service’s Canines for Veterans initiative works with U.S. Veterans to help them regain stability in their lives following their service. Thanks to a grant from Greater Good, Veterans and former shelter dogs are matched through this program to improve both human and canine lives.

Greater Good’s Pets for Vets page emphasizes the importance of supporting organizations like Canines For Service that help both U.S. veterans and shelter animals.

“Both our veterans and shelter animals have been through traumatic events, but together they can help each other heal. When a Veteran is matched with the right pet, both lives change for the better. The Veteran saves the animal and welcomes him/her into a loving home. The pet provides unconditional love and support, easing stress, depression, loneliness and anxiety. “

Allen, a Marine Corps Veteran, is just one example of someone given another chance as he gave a dog another chance.

Allen committed over 20 years to serving his country with the Marine Corps. He was deployed many times and also sustained several lasting injuries during his service. As a result, day to day tasks like mobility became difficult for him. He also suffers from PTSD.

Allen’s physical and mental health prevented him from doing things as seemingly simple as picking up dropped items. Going out with friends was even too much for him. He would sit in the car while his wife did the grocery shopping. Unfortunately, the consequences of his work for his country were profound.

With the help of service dog named Marcus, all of that has changed for Allen.

Marcus, a Yellow Lab mix originally found and rescued as a 1-year-old stray, spent a year training to help people. And he excelled at it! This pup is a real people pleaser and a hard worker. He genuinely enjoys having a job. Isn’t that refreshing?

During the week the two spent training with each other, Allen fell in his hotel room. In an instant, Marcus ran up to him and stood as a brace to help his person get up off the floor. And that was just the beginning.

Thanks to Marcus, Allen now lives without fear of his disabilities getting the best of him. He’s even going out to dinner with friends and helping out with the shopping now.

The pair has only had a few months together, and already it’s changed them both for the better.

If this story made you feel good, consider making a supporting purchase in the iHeartDogs.com store or donating to pair a veteran with a dog today!

Story from GreaterGood.org partner Canines For Service Inc.

Featured Image: Courtesy of Canines For Veterans

The post You Helped An Injured Veteran And A Stray Turned Service Dog Find Each Other appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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The Medina family was devastated to learn that their two beloved pups had escaped from their backyard. After 4 weeks of endless searching, they were starting to lose hope.

Wakiya, a  2-year-old boxer-Boston terrier mix, and Kels, a 3-year-old pit bull, pushed through a broken portion of their fence last month. Even immediately hearing the sound of the dog’s crashing out, they were no where to be found.

They frantically searched their neighborhood, hoping they could catch up to their pups before they got too far. After walking the streets all night long, they realized that they would have to recruit the help of their friends.

Michelle Medina posted in several Facebook groups, hoping to increase the chances of her beloved companions being found. Soon after, sightings began to pour in.

The two dogs were spotted in several local areas, but each time the Medinas arrived, they were gone again.

Their concern began to grow when they began to hear of sightings of Wakiya on her own. In all of the collected reports, Kels was nowhere to be found.

Wakiya and Kels had been attached at the hip since they were adopted, so the thought of them being lost without each other by their side broke the family’s heart. They knew they had to amp up their search efforts and bring their babies homes.

The Medinas tried every single tactic they could think of in an effort to find their missing pups. Some days they searched from sun up to sun down, they called their names on megaphones, they hung tasty treats and meat from tree branches around their home, and laid pieces of their clothing along their front lawn.

The Medinas were so passionate about the search for their beloved dogs, that the community organized their own search parties as well.

Sightings of Wakiya were popping up all over town, but it had been weeks since they received any sightings of Kels. Michelle was beginning to fear the worst, when she received an incredible phone call.

Kels had walked into the home of another local when she was calling her own dogs inside. Kels was safe and sound!

Though the Medina family was thrilled to be reunited with one of their furry children, it was accompanied by the dreadful feeling of knowing one pup was still out there.

It had now been 26 days since the pups first went missing, and the Medinas had lost all hope of ever finding their sweet Wakiya. Michelle says,

“I told myself, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ At that point, either somebody had her or she was dead.”

After a shopping trip with her daughter, Michelle decided to make one more round around the city before they finally gave up. Thankfully for the exhausted family, this was the day that they had been waiting for.

As Michelle glanced at the passing houses, her daughter shouted, “Look!”

“There she was by the fence, just staring at us. It’s like she was there waiting for us, like she knew we were coming.”

Once the two of them began to run toward their sweet pup, Wakiya began to run in the other direction! Their search was not quite over.

Michelle had to speak with the owner of the property in which they saw Wakiya, where they agreed to set up a trap to catch their frightened pup. It turns out that Wakiya had been on that property for the last 10 days, living off wild rabbits and prairie dogs.

The next day they got the call that Wakiya was in the trap. They could finally bring their baby home!

The Medinas experienced a true nightmare in the month that their favorite furry friends were missing. They refused to give up on their pups, and because of that, they are home.

Thank you for never giving up, and fighting for the safe return of those beautiful dogs!

H/T: gillettenewsrecord.com
Image Source: Michelle’s FB

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Sasha Hobson is a photographer that loves dogs. Every year, she goes all out with Halloween costumes for all of her dogs, and every year, she seems to have adopted even more furry friends. This year, she has seven dogs in her home, and she wanted to find the perfect costume that would suit all their personalities. At first, she thought of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme, but then she came up with something even better.

Hobson’s seven dogs all have their unique personalities and stories. They range from a small Chihuahua to a large Labrador. They are all between ages 6 and 12 years old, and Hobson wanted to make sure they all had the perfect costume this year. So, that is when she came up with the idea for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves!

Family Costumes

Since Hobson has made costumes for her dogs every year, they are used to being patient with these outfits. They know that they always get a treat, so they’ll happily sit still for measurements and even photos.

All the costumes this year were handmade. She combined different items to create Snow White’s dress, and she handmade all the dog costumes to ensure that they fit each dog perfectly. She also tried to dress them each up as a dwarf that was similar to their own personality.

Her clumsy dog named Goddess Isis was Dopey. Haileigh Bug is the laziest of all the dogs, so she dressed up at Sleepy. Zoey, a dog who loves to wrestle and growl at the other dogs was Grumpy. The personality of the dwarves ended up fitting her dogs almost too perfectly.

“The hard part was just sewing everything and making sure it fit everyone,” Hobson said. “The dogs at this point are used to costume fittings. So, if treats are visible, they have no problem sitting still and letting us size everything just right.”

This is the first year that all seven dogs will be celebrating together, so Hobson is excited for them all to spend Halloween as a family. She has even taken adorable photoshoots of her with all the dogs. They are awfully photogenic when they know they’ll get treats.

“People think we are crazy for having seven dogs and who knows? Maybe they are right,” Hobson said. “But we love our time with them and wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

As fun as these costumes are, Hobson has no idea how she’ll top this costume next year. What could possibly be more adorable than seven dogs dressed as dwarves?

H/T: thedodo.com
Featured Image: Sasha Hobson Facebook 

The post Woman And Her 7 Dogs Become Snow White And The 7 Dwarves For Halloween! appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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This samoyed has cuddling down to an art. He also is master at convincing his owner it’s time (and why would you need convincing with this cutie!) Wait for the ending, the look on the dog’s face is priceless!

Does your dog have a special way of telling you they want something? Does he or she ask for cuddles?

 

The post Adorable Dog Asks Permission To Cuddle! appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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The Humane Rescue Alliance in DC has come up with a clever way to find homes for some deserving pups! In honor of the Nationals playing in The World Series, you can adopt a dog named after your favorite ball players.

The Group of dogs named after the National players arrived at one of the Humane Resource Alliance locations about a week ago. The idea to name these furry friends after baseball players has had such an impact, that almost every single “player” has been adopted!

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s wife loved this idea so much, that she covered the adoption fee for the adorable pup named after her husband in an effort to find him a forever home. This plan definitely worked, as he was scooped up soon after and adopted by a loving family.

These lucky pups have found homes so quickly, that the only dog remaining from this group is the Nationals dog, Howie Kendrick. Unrelated to this recent batch of pups brought to the shelter though, is a handsome dog named Astro. If you’re a Houston fan, he is waiting for you!

Though most of the dogs from the National roster have been adopted, there are still plenty of furry friends available at the Humane Rescue Alliance.

There is Thunder, a strapping old man who was found wandering around a construction site in D.C.

There is Nesse, an adorable girl that would love to be the center of your attention.

There is Lila, a gentle girl who would love a human to cuddle with.

There is Drogo, a happy pup with a smile a mile wide!

And there is Bryndee, a sweet girl who just wants all the pats!

Ideas like this can help draw so much attention to dogs who deserve a loving home. We are so thrilled to see so many dogs find their forever families, and an outpouring of love from the actual players themselves.

Thank you Humane Rescue Alliance for coming up with this brilliant idea, and continuing to help so many furry friends find their happy ending.

If you are interested in adopting any of the dogs above, you can find more information here. There are a number of lovable dogs that are waiting for a chance to meet you!

H/T: wusa9.com
Image Source: Humane Rescue Alliance DC

The post Shelter Announces Their “Line-Up” Of Adoptable Dogs Named After Nationals Ball Players appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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Cyrus came to Refurbished Pets of Southern Michigan as an 11-month-old chunk of love. You would have never known it from his face but he had quite the painful past. Sweet Cyrus underwent a 10-week training program where he learned tricks and commands. He perfected tug of war, which was his favorite!

Cyrus Defied The Odds and Beat Death

His story was tragic but awe-inspiring. A woman called the police to report a dead dog in her yard. Much to their surprise, police found poor Cyrus barely clinging to life. He was brought into the Jackson County Animal Shelter in April of 2018 before being rescued by RPSM. Cyrus was given life-saving love and medical attention which gave him a new life thanks to RPSM and help from GreaterGood.

“Cyrus was skin and bones, barely alive. All the care and love at the shelter got him back to life, yet he was still a skinny boy when he came to us as a foster,” RPSM said. 

They describe him as “eternal sunshine.” This sweet boy was adopted just in time for the holidays in 2018. Cyrus went from 22 pounds of skin and bone the day he was rescued, to a now 70 pound healthy, happy boy. He claimed his spot in his new family right away. He even got to go on a weekend getaway and met his cousin who happens to be a Poodle! Cyrus has a fur brother and the pair like to be spoiled with Frosty Paws and lots of playtime.

Another Four-Legged Lovebug Was Shown What Life Was All About

May was also given another chance at life thanks to RPSM and GreaterGood.

“May grew up in the shelter and had a hard time digesting food. She was quite a “pound dog” who did not know anything about the world,” RPSM said. “She is a happy, sweet, and healthy little chunk of love.”

May was recently adopted and is enjoying her new family!

A Rescue Like No Other Can Continue to Save Dogs Thanks To You

RPSM partners with animal shelters in the area as well as Lakeland Correctional Facility to give dogs the best outcome possible. Each pup is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated. Each doggo is given a 10-week training course and placed in a foster home. Their training is top-notch and enables them to receive a good citizen certificate before going home to their new families!

“We cannot sustain ourselves without support fromGreaterGood.org’s rescue bank. We work with a correction facility, and inmates train the dogs before they get adopted and we provide everything while dogs are in prison. Very grateful for the support!”

h/t: Refurbished Pets of Southern Michigan

The post Cyrus And May Now Know What Love Is After Getting Help From A Rescue, Prisoners, And You appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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Nine-year-old Pavel Abramov lives in the small city of Arzamas in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. A lifelong animal lover, he began sketching and painting dogs and cats at a very young age.

About a year ago, Pavel lost his own fur-friend. He also began to notice the large number of strays in his area.

Pavel’s heart ached for them, and he knew he had to do something.

He decided to put his passion for art to good use. Pavel began painting custom pet portraits for local animal lovers.

Rather than charging money, he asks his customers to contribute pet food and supplies. He calls his mission “Kind Paintbrush.”

The food, litter, collars, leashes, and medication he collects go directly to the one and only shelter in his hometown and the 100+ dogs in their care.

This lovely portrait of a dog named Chuck was made in exchange for 5 kg. of buckwheat (used as cat litter), 10 cans of dog food, and some skin medication.

Grumpy kitty Ksyusha’s portrait brought in 6 kg. of buckwheat, canned dog food, bandages, and medicine for the shelter.

Pavel painted long-haired Chihuahua Onyx in exchange for 3 kg. of canned dog food, 2.5 kg. of oatmeal, 4 kg. of pearl barley, dog treats, and cleaning supplies.

The owner of this fur trio gave Pavel 15 kg. of delicious beef trimmings to brighten the shelter dogs’ day. How cute is their little portrait?!

Pavel even paints the occasional Guinea pig. It’s all for a great cause!

Word has spread of Pavel’s extraordinary talent and selfless generosity. Animal lovers from all over Russia have contacted him to paint their pets’ portraits.

He even has customers in Spain and Germany! 

Believe it or not, Pavel creates his life-like portraits without ever meeting the animals in person. He works from a photograph, but knows each animal by name and loves to hear their rescue stories.

He looks forward to meeting each of his “models” once the work is finished.

Pavel and his mother, Ekaterina Bolshakova also spend time volunteering at the shelter. Ekaterina documents their experiences as well as Pavel’s art on the Russian social media site, VK.com.

The title of their page translates to “What Can A Little Volunteer Do?” As Pavel has proven, even a child can make a world of difference if their heart is in the right place.

“Our family is proud of his wonderful project,” Pavel’s mother Ekaterina told Bored Panda. “His days are scheduled to minutes, he wants to do absolutely everything, there is just not enough time.” 

As author and canine psychologist Karen Davison wrote, “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.”

Pavel’s talent and tireless work ethic is definitely changing the world for the dogs of Arzamas!

You can follow Pavel’s inspirational story on his VK page and see more of his gorgeous artwork on Instagram.

H/T: Bored Panda

Featured Images: VK.com/What Can A Little Volunteer Do?

The post 9-Year-Old Paints Incredible Pet Portraits In Exchange For Shelter Supplies appeared first on iHeartDogs.com.

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Patrick Bartee is a professor at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. He initially adopted his dog, Zoe, because one of his students found her as a stray. Bartee fell in love with her right away.

Two years ago, Bartee left Zoe with his elderly parents while he was out of town. His parents went to a Walmart in Daytona Beach, and Zoe was gone when they returned. 

Security footage showed that Zoe had been snatched up and driven away. When Bartee learned that his sweet dog was gone, he was heartbroken. He looked for a long time to find his best friend.

Recently, Zoe was found in an apartment in New Smyrna Beach. The family that was renting the apartment was being evicted, so animal control officers came to get Zoe. They brought her to the Southeast Volusia Humane Society, which is where they cleaned her up and scanned her for a chip. That chip helped bring Zoe back to Bartee.

“It’s like losing a child,” said Bartee. “I don’t have any children, so she is it.”

Bartee searched for Zoe for a long time, but he wasn’t having any luck. So, when the humane society called him two years later, he was shocked and overjoyed to hear that Zoe had finally been found.

Reunited with Zoe

When Zoe saw Bartee for the first time in years, she jumped right into his arms. There was no doubt that she remembered him, and of course, she was so happy to see him again.

The shelter is not completely sure what happened to Zoe while she was gone. The family that had her most recently claimed that they bought her for $600, likely from the person that stole her. Zoe’s hair was very matted when she came home, but Bartee said that she seemed healthy other than that and showed no signs of neglect.

“It means a lot to have her back because it brings life back to the house,” said Bartee.

Bartee is a throat cancer survivor. He said that Zoe was by his side through the whole process, so she helped him through a lot of tough times. It’s difficult to lose someone that has been through that much with you, so Bartee is grateful that she came back into his life.

Currently, Zoe is happily settled at her old home, acting as if she’d never left. Bartee is glad that he got her microchipped because it he hadn’t, it’s possible that he never would’ve found her again. Both Zoe and Bartee are happy as can be now that they’re together once again.

H/T: wesh.com
Featured Image: @sevhumanesociety/Facebook

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