Spying goes to the dogs and their poop UK Undercover cameras are now in place to record the doings of dogs and a ticket is issued to  those owners who dare leave the doggie's doo behind. 'Edinburgh is the first local authority to do this...' [Daily record] (So far, people aren't informed when they are under surveillance. Protests of privacy invasion may prompt the government to inform citizens of the videotaping. For now, cameras stealthily preserve the delicate moment dogs and owners violate the dog poop law and the tapings are used as crime evidence.)

Innovative designs for dog products ...

• Musher experiments with new dog harness design AK [AP]
• Teeth brushing dog bone (a non-nylon, editable dogbone by the Nylabone company) won best new product award at the 2003 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Show [Yahoo News]
• The science behind pet food has extended the average dog's life-span by 50 percent [UPI Science News]

Designer dogs: bane of the breeds or perfectly bred to order? USA Designer dogs, hybrid dogs bred to order, remain in hot demand by  pet owners who want no-fuss, low-maintenance dogs with predictable personalities. Labradoodles, Schnoodles, goldendoodles and yorkipoos are the first generation cross-breeds (second generation breeds are not desirable, since their characteristics cannot be reliably predicted) which satisfy a growing demand for dogs with hardy health and low-maintenance care.

'Donna Cleverdon, co-owner of Cleverdog, a grooming and dog day-care center in Silver Spring, Maryland, puts it bluntly. "Labradoodles are incredibly unintelligent," she says. Her partner, Jean Redmond, calls them "loony," remembering one labradoodle who had to be expelled from the center because he was too high-strung to get along with the other dogs, "clinging" to and jumping on employees...' [US News] (No owner should ever expect a dog to be perfect. Adopt a dog, accept the dog, and enjoy it for its own unique personality... most dogs are nicer than their owners anyway.)

Related: Cockapoo, Labradoodle.net, Four Doodles, Mixed breed pups

Mending a pet's broken heart... NC Donated pacemakers give animals new lease on life Pets share more than just friendship with their human companions: they also fall victim to many of the same diseases, including heart disease. One of the most common procedures performed by veterinary surgeons is the implantation of a pacemaker to stabilize a pet's faulty heart rythmn. When an army colonel died at age 81 last March, his wife donated the colonel's expensive and sophisticated pacemaker to North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. That same pacemaker now beats for a beagle named Cody... [Independent Online]

Related: Veterinary Heart Institute