Dog genome research gets a boost MD 'The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in Bethesda, Maryland, recently added the dog to its high priority list of organisms to be sequenced once computer capacity becomes available...' Deciphering the dog's genome is expected to help researchers to find cures for human diseases. 'The top ten diseases in purebreds include several that are major health concerns to humans, including cancer, epilepsy, retinal disease, cataracts, and heart disease...' [National Geographic]

Canine book wins in oddest title contest UK Bookseller.com awarded 'Without Regret: A Handbook for Owners of Canine Amputees' second place in the Diagram Prize 'Oddest Title of the Year Contest.' 'Living with Crazy Buttocks' by Kaz Cooke, a humor book on contemporary culture, took first prize.

The 2002 longlist of oddest book titles:
· Melons for the Passionate Grower
· Passing Gas
· First You Take a Leek
· Red-haired Irishwomen on the Bog
· The Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy: Open Your Mind to Greater Creative Thinking
· After the Orgy: Towards a Politics of Exhaustion
· Forensic Examination of Rubber Stamps
· Wigglers, Undulators and Their Applications
· Second-hand Parrots: A Complete Owner's Pet Manual
· Without Regret: A Handbook for Owners of Canine Amputees
· Women and Integrated Pest Management
· Postmortem Collectibles [Guardian Unlimited Books]

Dogs pull their own weight and a ton more... in muscle building weight pulling competition VA Tiny dogs and large dogs competed for fun and prizes in the ... weight-pulling competition... Dixie, a 39 pound pit bull pulled 880 pounds 16 feet. A winning trainer's tips on inspiring a dog to win: 'You don't do anything negative, or your dog will never pull for you...'  [Daily Press]

Rabid dog bites 20 people, terrorizes tourist town India 'A rabid dog suddenly began biting people on a street in Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetan community...' The dog is still at large, but probably dead, due to an advanced state of rabies... [Indo-Asian News]

U.S. monks train dogs with spiritual touch NY The friendship of their adopted dogs inspired a group of monks to write and publish books on dog training. 'Dogs take you out of yourself and, in an environment where brothers are living with each other and are celibate monks, having that type of contact was very healthy...' [Swissinfo International]

DC cold snap hard on pets  DC A cold weather pattern has gripped the Washington DC area and many animals are suffering as a result. Some simple precautions make a big difference in your dog's ability to survive this frigid weather: dogs need to dry out thoroughly when soaked with water or snow; otherwise, hypothermia may result; many a good hunting animal owes its demise to a soaking with cold water. Animals should come indoors during frigid weather. Supervise your dog outdoors: dogs slip, slide and break their legs almost as easily as people do on ice. Rock salt, if not removed from a dog's pads, can cause serious burns. Antifreeze is irresistable to animals because of its sweet taste, but it's also extremely poisonous. If you see an animal left outside with food, water, shelter in freezing weather, you can do something about it. Talk to its owner(s) (If they're reasonable, most people don't want their animals to suffer.) Or call Animal Control or the Humane Society (in the phone book) if you can't locate its caretakers... Related: Keep man's best friend warm and cozy in winter, Precautions to keep pets safe in cold weather (Our dog smells like an old wet mop after a romp in the snow, so he gets a dry bath and a good brushing when he comes inside... so much for that real bath less than two weeks ago.)

Police say pitbull probably used as murder weapon The all-time low in pet ownership stories...  Police believe Marijuana smugglers did in one of their own with a pit-bull, using it to devour a man's face and leave him for dead. [Ithaca Journal]

Stupid criminal antics: Burglars mistake stolen chihuahuas for Pitbulls The three stooges strike again... CA Three men stole two chihuahua puppies from an animal shelter, took them to a Petsmart veterinary clinic and argued with staff about the puppies' breed... An alert sent out by the animal shelter tripped up their mistaken identity caper. [Press-Telegram] Related: 3 accused of stealing puppies from shelter [Ventura County Star], Three arrested in alleged theft of puppies in Orange County [Press-Enterprise], Men Allegedly Steal Chihuahuas They Mistake For Pit Bulls  [KNBC-TV]