📰 NEWS

Dognapping is on the rise

Having your pet stolen from you during a break-in, in front of a store, or from the car is a pet owner's nightmare.

March 14th marked the start of the dog theft awareness week in the UK which deals with a very important topic.

Dog theft offenses have risen by 25% from 2020 to 2021 in the UK but it's definitely a worldwide problem.

One-third of all dogs and cats in the United States go missing every year which equates to 184 million pets.

Two million dogs are stolen each year and over 80% of these pets are never found again.

The pandemic definitely caused a huge increase in pet theft and marked 2021 the highest year on record.

Targeted dog kidnapping called dog-napping is a thing and these people particularly look for popular breeds and females of puppy-rearing age.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to increase your dog's safety and the chances that he/she can be found again. 🔍

1. Never leave your dog unattended in the yard or outdoors. Fences do not deter thieves.
2. Pet thieves also break into cars so don't leave your dog there.
3. Tying your dog outside a store makes them extremely vulnerable.
4. Get a microchip that can help identify your dog. A tag won't be enough as it can be easily removed by someone with bad intentions.
5. Carefully select dog walkers and sitters as many dogs go missing while in the care of others.

If your dog ever falls victim to theft you should:

1. Call the police and report the theft.
2. Contact your microchipping provider that your pet has been stolen.
3. Spread awareness in your community that your pet is missing by posting online or hanging flyers.
4. Ask local vets and rescue centers if your dog has been brought in.
5. Search out local lost and found groups online and on Facebook. 
6. Keep an eye on dogs for sale or puppy sites online as many of the dogs are either sold or used for breeding.

📑 STUDY

The most beautiful dog breed

This week we have been blessed with a very unique study that I know every dog owner could argue about.

The researchers of this study used the golden ratio to find - drumroll - the most beautiful dog breed on the planet.

Okay, the planet is a bit too far-fetched as they only looked at 138 breeds in the UK.

Nonetheless, they still managed to find a clear winner but first let me explain what the golden ratio even means.

The golden ratio is a greek formula and mathematical tool to measure facial perfection in humans.

This comes from the notion that we subconsciously judge beauty by symmetry and proportions rather than ethnicity or any other feature.

A beautiful face should be about 1 1/2 times longer than it is wide with the exact ratio being 1.618. 🐶

This ratio has now been used on dogs to measure snout length, the space between the eyes, the length of the dog’s head, and so on.

Out of 100% perfection, the first place managed to gain an impressive 88% and was awarded to the Cairn Terrier.

As one of Scotland's earliest working dogs, the Cairn Terrier was used to catch rodents by digging into cairns (Scottish rock piles).

Coming in second is the West Highland Terrier with the Border Collie bringing home the bronze medal.

Now that we know the most beautiful breeds, we can look at the other end of the scale.

The study found the Shi Tzu to be the least beautiful dog followed by the Bullmastiff and the French Bulldog.

Last year a similar study took place in the US and they came to a very different conclusion.

They determined that the Dalmatian, Irish Water Spaniel, and Wire Fox Terrier are the most beautiful dog breeds according to the greek ratio.

Now beauty definitely lies in the eye of the beholder and that is a good thing.

Regardless of any ranking, size, or age, every dog is precious and beautiful in their own way and nothing can change that.

💊 HEALTH

Dogs may relieve pain

Everyone knows that spending time with a dog greatly relieves stress and increases serotonin levels.

Canadian researchers wanted to take these benefits to the next level to see if this also applied to physical ailments.

In their study, they surveyed 200 ED patients and asked them to rate their well-being on 11 point rating scales.

These scales were filled out 3 times - before time with a therapy dog, immediately after, and then 20 minutes after. 🐕‍🦺

The 200 patients were divided into two groups, one was able to spend 10 minutes with therapy dogs and the other was not given any dogs.

Results: The group that had access to the therapy dogs reported reduced levels of pain, depression, and anxiety.

• 43% less pain
• 48% less anxiety
• 46% less depression
• 41% improvement in well-being

With more research done on this topic, maybe regular therapy dog visits will be a thing in the future.