In our weekly wrap up of the best dog news we meet the brewery that’s giving its staff paid leave to adopt puppies, as well as one of the oldest Jack Russells in the country, and we learn more about dogs’ family trees. Get caught up with the latest dog news in The Scoop!
How does pawternity leave to adopt a dog sound to you?
Brewdog, the Scottish brewers of pawpular craft beers with funky contemporary names such as Punk IPA and 5am Saint, have been making headlines left, right and centre recently. Not only are they opening a beer hotel (there are plans to put beer taps in the rooms!) but they are making special allowances for dog owning employees.
The scheme that’s been dubbed ‘pawternity leave’, Brewdog offers a week’s paid leave for employees who adopt a puppy or dog – so the popular craft beer brewery aren’t only helping new dog parents find the time to housetrain their new dogs, but it’s also helping to promote dog adoption over pet shops, which is totally pawesome.
Old dog, new tricks
Charlie the Jack Russell is a testament to difference a loving home can make to a dog’s life. At 23 years old, he’s one of the UK’s oldest dogs and he proves that it’s possible for older dogs to enjoy a life of fun and frolics with plenty of loving attention from owners who aren’t put off by a dog’s advanced years.
When he was 16, Charlie was given up by his previous owners and taken in by the Dog’s Trust. Thankfully for Charlie, Stuart and Kim Smith spotted him in the rescue centre. They were looking for another pooch to join their family of wagging tails. Now, Charlie has gone grey, has some hearing and sight issues, but according to his parents, he can still sniff out a treat from a mile away! (We can believe it!) His adopted brother and sister, Lucy and Zack, keep him company on walks (apparently Charlie loves walks!) in their local Malvern Hills, in picturesque Worcestershire.
Have scientists discovered the ultimate dog family tree?
Dog geneticists in America have discovered some surprising new connections between dog breeds that weren’t thought to be genetically connected – until now!
The study was undertaken at the US National Institutes of Health and was designed to uncover the reason why different dog breeds are prone to similar health issues, even though they appear to be totally different types of dogs.
The discoveries include revealing that the popular Golden Retriever differs from its close relative the Labrador because it shares some common genetics with Irish Setters and Airedale Terriers.
In addition, the study reveals that many regional groups contain both speedy hunting dogs and large, Pastoral types of dogs. Remember, dogs and humans originally became friends because of an arrangement involving shared food. These genetic discoveries suggest that the same types of dogs were later bred to protect cattle when agriculture became popular.
You can read more about the wide-ranging study here.