Fido’s Year in Review

Happy New Year! As we leave 2019 behind and move on into 2020, many people are looking back on the past year. What about our canine pals? Here, Lakeville, MN vet lists a few things that had the ‘puparazzi’ abuzz in the last 12 months.

Robot Dog

If you have been following the development of Boston Dynamics’ robot dogs, you may be interested in this one. A model of their latest robotic pup—known as Spot—is now available for purchase to certain companies. Spot can run 1.6 meters per second, has a 360-degree camera, and is completely waterproof. We still prefer the original version of Man’s Best Friend: the one with tail wags, smooches, and happy dances.

New Pooches

Speaking of new breeds, the AKC welcomed another cute pup into their ranks this year. The Azawakh, a livestock guardian breed originating in West Africa, was added to the list of officially-recognized breeds back in January. Two other new breeds, the super-happy Grand Bassett Griffon Vendéen and the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, made their debut at Westminster. (We can’t pronounce that one either.)

Fido’s Begging Theatrics Unveiled

We’ve suspected for a while that our feline pals have been ‘meowpulating’ us for a long time. Studies suggest that cats started vocalizing specifically to demand dinner and cuddles. As it turns out, a more recent study shows that Fido may have been in on this too. Apparently, our canine buddies have been working on that sad, soulful stare for a long time, perhaps as long as 30,000 years … which is when a few wolves decided that belly rubs and table scraps were worth giving up the wild life for.

Puppers Running Marathons

You may have heard about the dog that got out and joined a marathon just for fun last year. This happened again in April, when a Moroccan pooch named Cactus joined the arduous Marathon des Sables through the Sahara Desert. Cactus ran an average of 25 miles a day, unofficially finishing 76th. He even kept running after crossing the finish line! Everyone was surprised, except for the pup’s owner, who politely asked to be kept updated as to Cactus’ whereabouts. Cactus was eventually returned home with a finisher’s medal and, we hope, some treats.

Please contact us, your Lakeville, MN vet clinic, anytime. We look forward to providing your pooch with great care in 2020 and beyond!