Puppies as presents require special precautions OH Thinking about giving a puppy as a Christmas present? Read this article first... [Plain Dealer Reporter]

A career in dogs often goes to the dogs Wannabee dog breeders... the odds aren't in their favor... Dog breeders face huge expenses from vet bills, unsold pups, and proper care. The emotional toll of losing a dog or pup to ill health can be devastating and the required time spent caring for puppies is enormous... [Oregonian]

Related: Adopt from animal shelters '90 percent of the dogs sold in pet shops come from puppy mills -- large breeding kennels where female dogs kept in crude, usually outdoor cages are bred continuously.' 25 percent of dogs in shelters are pure-breds. Most pure breeds require higher maintenance and more expensive care than mutts. That 'Martha Stewart' chow chow may require hip replacements, eye surgery, and other expensive care. (Our rescued chow required two total hip replacements... worth it, for him and us; but most families can't afford that kind of surgery for their pets.) If you're on a budget, adopt a mutt who would otherwise get put down... [Chester Daily Local Online] Petfinder.com is a good online source for locating the shelter dog of your dreams.

Dog breeding operation shut down CA Sometimes even responsible dog breeders need help. A dog breeder had to give up her 64 American Eskimo dogs when her cancer required hospitalizatoin. The dogs were well cared for, but the award winning breeder gave them up to ensure they would be placed in good homes... [The Californian]

Court rules homeowner's insurance company must pay for relative's dog bite WI 'The state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a relative's exclusion in a homeowner's insurance policy did not apply because the plaintiff and the homeowner are not close enough relatives...' [Gazette Extra] 

Couple charged for dog-eat-dog cruelty 'A woman and her boyfriend each face up to 93 days in jail after police found three [starving] dogs eaten alive by other dogs in a southern Tuscola County house...'  The three rescued dogs spent months in a veterinary hospital before being placed with families by the Humane Society... [Bay City Times]

Pinched Pug Retrieved by Alexandria Police VA When a former medical technician stopped at a traffic accident to help an injured child, someone stole the tiny pug safely tethered inside his van. A police officer tracked the pug down and returned the dog to its grateful owner and charged the alleged thief with grand larceny, a felony in Virginia... [Washington Post]

Family dachshund mauls baby  MD 'A 6-week-old St. Mary's County boy was in critical condition [on Monday] after being dragged from his playpen and mauled by the family's dachshund, police said...' Dachshunds are small (16-32 pounds), short, and normally nonaggressive... [Washington Post]