On a personal note, Jack was gracious in writing an endorsement for my book, Wagging Tales: Every Animal Has a Tale, when I reached out to him a few years ago. Because of his endorsement, I was invited to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for a book signing. If you’re a fan of Jack and the work he does with animals, you already know he’s the director emeritus of that organization. As an avid follower myself, I knew that Jack has always dealt with many types of wild creatures as part of his professional career. However, I knew very little about his personal pets. I especially wanted to know more about the dogs in his life. So, I recently had the opportunity to steal some time from Jack’s busy schedule for a chat.

Jack said he got his first dog when he was four years old. He is now 65 and has always had dogs in his life. Most recently he’s had two dogs in his family: Brass, a Golden Retriever, and Tasha, a Golden Lab mix.

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Suzi and Jack Hanna with Tasha.

Brass made his transition from this world last year after fighting intestinal cancer. Jack stated that his vet originally only gave Brass a few months to live, but through treatment and diet, Brass lived two additional summers. During this time, Jack and his wife, Suzi, took a lot of extra pictures of Brass and took him to special places. Jack feels that doing that helped them in the grieving process.

“Don’t get embarrassed about crying after a pet’s loss,” he said.

This is a lesson he believes everyone should understand, including children. He said that he learned this lesson at a very early age when his “Tweety” bird passed away. He feels that this helped him better understand death and deal with the loss of his uncle and father.

His dog Tasha recently had a breathing issue and needed to have a tracheostomy to open her windpipe and allow her to breathe. “She is doing really well and has gotten used to it,” he said. Suzi, who is a nurse, keeps the trachea tube clean. Other than Tasha not being able to go into the water, everything else remains the same.

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Brass

Jack has a team of supporters who help him with Tasha when he travels -- which is a lot. Jack travels more than 200 days a year for special appearances. And the team drives Tasha from their home in Ohio to their home in Montana in the spring and fall. “They are young people who are used to driving the 2,000-mile trip,” Jack said. They make three stops during the trip for exercise and a good night’s sleep in a motel. They’ve also driven to Florida to visit family and vacation.

Jack said that he will always have dogs in his life. However, there won't be any new ones for a while. “I’ll wait until I retire in a few years and then get a couple of more dogs,” he said. He wants to make sure that he has plenty of time to enjoy them and give them the best life possible.

Jack said he believes in responsible breeding and feels that most breeders are reputable. He has purchased dogs from professional breeders who follow the best standards and stand behind the dogs at their kennel.

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Jack Hanna with a friend at the Ohio conservation center known as The Wilds. Photo by G.Jones

He also supports rescue groups like Rolling Dog Farm, which takes in dogs and other animals that most would consider unadoptable because of their disabilities. “These dogs have paralysis, three legs, mental issues, and many other issues,” Jack said. They take the dogs in, rehabilitate them, and give them a great place to live for the rest of their lives.

In the early 1970s, after college, Jack and Suzi owned a pet shop in Knoxville, TN. They had many types of animals and really loved the business. He said he visits pet shops all the time and finds them a great place to learn about and purchase animals, including dogs. “Most puppy mills are regulated,” said Jack. He finds that the dogs in reputable pet shops are well taken care. However, if he finds a pet shop that is not in good condition and the dogs have been there for months, he reports them to the authorities. “Pet shops are a great place for young people to learn about pets,” he said. “Pets can teach kids about responsibility, love and death."

Jack is firm believer that pets are a lifetime responsibility and people need to understand that before getting any type of pet, whether a goldfish or a dog. You have a commitment to them -- and that includes a financial commitment. Recently, a 15-year-old dog of someone on his staff got hit by a car. She took the dog to the vet, who said that one of the dog’s legs would need to be amputated. The vet wanted the $1,800 charge paid in advance or by credit card.

“Nowadays, you need pet insurance,” Jack said. He stresses that people really need to understand the financial commitment of taking care of a pet.

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Photo by Rick Prebeg

Be sure to watch Jack on his new TV show, Jack Hanna's Wild Countdown, airing Saturday mornings on ABC affiliates around the country. You can also see him on his Emmy award winning show, Into the Wild. The fifth season of the show will be airing this fall and in November. For more information about Jack Hanna, visit his official site. 

More Dogster interviews:

• We Interview the People Behind Loca, YouTube's Most Recognizable Pug
• We Talk to Theron Humphrey, the Human Behind the Viral Photo Hit "Maddie on Things"
• We Interview Timmy from "Lassie," the Best Dog Show Ever
• We Interview Steve Dale, "America's Pet Guy"

It started May 16, when Walter was snatched from the backyard of O'Kelley's Hollywood home by dognappers. That night, Trisha received a call from a blocked number, a man who demanded a "reward" for finding the dog. According to Zap2It, when asked how much he wanted, he said, "Why don't you tell me how much your dog is worth? I could keep him; I could sell him ... "

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“I totally knew the second I heard the guy’s voice that he was not a good guy,” she told CBS.

The pair sorted out a reward of $1,000, and the man told Trisha and her husband to post "lost dog" filers around the neighborhood stating that there was a "$1,000 reward." This was so the man could tell any interested parties -- like the police! -- that he was simply collecting the reward. It was a good plan. Foolproof, really. 

Trisha, of course, just called the police, who sent a plainclothes officer over to accompany them to the meeting place.

Then, weirdly, it all went to pot. Before they had even left, the man called and said. "You f***ing lied to me ... I'm at the location and there are cops there. I'm keeping your f***ing dog." 

Trisha believes the dognapper sent a scout to the location, and that person saw an unrelated patrol car there and freaked out. Trisha believes the people who took her dog are part of an Armenian street gang, based on information from witnesses in the neighborhood. 

"This is like a bad movie," she said. "I want whoever has Walter to know that he's deaf, to know that he's 11 -- he's a senior."

Trisha also said the dog has a collapsing trachea and he could be hurt if kept on a standard leash. 

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The actress also took to her Twitter account, which was receiving intense play after she had posted a drop-dead-adorable photo of the dog (see above). She began telling her followers to keep an eye out for the dog in the area where they were going to make the exchange. One said: "N Hollywood, look out for a man walking around w/ my dog. Tried to extort $ from us & won't give him back. Please RT"

Fortunately, it all ended well. In the midst of increasingly intense interest on social media, the thugs seem to have simply abandoned the dog on the street near Trisha's house. Little Walter was picked up by some Good Samaritans, and he was soon safe at home. 

A relieved Trisha announced the news with series of "We got him back!!!" messages on her Twitter, accompanied with this photo: 

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Yes, that dog is smiling.  

Via Zap2It and CBS

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A dog's paw? It would seem. But you saw The Usual Suspects, right? Don't believe everything you see. Except in this case you should, because he sent this other picture later that day, also unaccompanied by text:  

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Huh. Is Kevin Spacey tweeting a portrait of a dog in pieces? That's what it seems like Kevin Spacey is doing on this particular weekday. Here are some comments his followers left about this particular piece: 

• "don't leave us hanging"
• "that snake has a beard!"
• "OK...i give up...why this picture?" (Greta Van Susteren sent this tweet, and after she did the conversation quickly devolved into juvenile cracks about Greta Van Susteren.)

Finally, 45 minutes later, Spacey completed the puzzle. He tweeted the whole enchilada: his new dog. And she's a cute one: 

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His message: "Mystery solved. New member of my family. Her name is Boston in honor of the city."

What he didn't Tweet is that Boston is a shelter dog from North Shore Animal League America. The group is also on Twitter, of course, and it quickly chimed in with dog's pedigree: a Boxer mix. 

As for the name, it's not an empty gesture. Spacey has been widely seen in Boston after the bombings, visiting victims and first responders and generally trying to lift spirits.

When he saw the tragedy unfold, he said he "had to get on a plane."

“I’m not a doctor or first responder, but if people know me from movies, and walking into their workspace or room brings a smile to their face -- with the challenges these amazing citizens have in front of them -- then that’s worth coming,” Spacey told the Boston Herald. “The cops, nurses, doctors, hospital staff, and patients that I have met over the past few days have given me the greatest feeling of pride in being an American and made me understand that we are all Boston.”

But what about Spacey's other dog, the terrier mix he adopted years ago? The actor quickly tweeted reassurances. 

"For those asking, Mini is great. 15 & still acting like a puppy. Be a week or so before she can meet Boston. I'm definitely in dog heaven!"

Some online commenters are calling for the dog to be killed. But it looks like authorities won't pursue that or charges against the family of Giffords, who was wounded in a Tucson shooting in 2011.

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Not the baby sea lion in the story. But we're still so, so sorry. Sea lion image via Shutterstock.

The attack occurred Monday on Goff Island Beach. The dog bolted, ripping the leash from Giffords' step-daughter's hand, and ran toward a baby sea lion. A video shows the step-daughter and two women, distraught, trying in vain to make the dog release the pup. 

Then former astronaut Mark Kelly -- Giffords' husband -- shows up and yanks on the collar of his dog until he releases the pup. The pup later died. [Editor's Note: The video of this unfortunate incident is over here. We didn't want to embed it because it is graphic and painful to watch. But if you want to see it, have at.]

Police did not cite the owner “because it was legal for her to have the dog on the beach this time of year, and she did have it leashed," said Laguna Beach Police Capt. Jason Kravetz, according to the Los Angeles Times. "It was so strong that it pulled free of her when it saw the (sea lion).”

While it is illegal for an owner "to encourage" a dog to attack marine life, "that wasn’t the case in this situation,” he said.

While it's a tragic situation, many Internet commenters have come down heavy against the dog -- labeling him "vicious" and demanding he be euthanized. They've also come down on owner Mark Kelly. Here's one such comment on the Washington Post:  

"The way Mark Kelly's Bulldog mercilessly killed the baby sea lion, he should be held responsible for the brutal killing, fined for the death of a baby sea lion, and his dog need[s] to be silenced to avoid any other such brutal killing. Being a celebrity, he cannot be allowed to go FREE." 

Fortunately, it doesn't work that way. Laguna Beach police do not plan to press charges, because investigators determined the owner was not at fault, according to the AP. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does not expect to act either. According to spokesman Jim Milbury, “We will have to wait for all the facts to come in, but it appears to be an unfortunate accident.”

PETA also released a statement, saying it was a "regrettable and traumatic incident for the animals and the people involved," but "they should not punish the dog.”

After the attack, Kelly brought the dog back to the home where the family was staying "and crated it in the basement before meeting with police," according to the Times.

As for the dog being vicious, as many are making him out to be, that view is not holding up. Investigators checked with authorities in Texas, where the dog lives with his family, and "records did not show any prior attacks or even any nuisance calls because of the dog." If there had been a history of aggression, authorities say they could have taken action against the dog. 

As PETA said in the statement, "chasing, hunting or attacking animals like cats and squirrels comes naturally to some dogs."

Dogster readers: How should this story end?

Via the Washington Post

I'd rather hang out with a dog than a celebrity any old day. They're way cooler than celebrities. In fact, I like to think they're just like US!

1. They swap clothes!

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Friends with cool clothes? Yes, please! Dog Wearing Shirt by Flickr Creative Commons

When I was in high school and college, I always shared clothes with my friends. And there was never any sort of time table for when we wanted the articles returned to us. Imagine my delight to learn dogs also swap threads with buddies! I'm totally inspired and may just call my old friend and see if she still has that awesome Police Synchronicity concert T from 1983. 

2. They shop!

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Who doesn't love service with a smile? Dog at Store by Flickr Creative Commons

Nothing's worse than receiving poor customer service. If I'm going to spend my money in an establishment, I want top-notch products and service. It's comforting to know dogs also expect high standards while shopping.

Just because we're humans, we shouldn't settle for cashiers talking on cell phones and clerks who don't smile. We want to be treated with the same level of service and respect dogs expect to receive. They are just like us, after all.

3. They don't judge food!

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5-second rule! Dog Eating Cracker by Flickr Creative Commons

I openly admit to eating a pretzel or chip that's freshly fallen on the floor. I don't care what science says -- I'm a staunch believer in the five-second rule, and I've never gotten sick from throwing back a floor-cracker. And now that I know dogs adhere to the same rule, I feel all the better for my occasional habit. 

4. They dance like no one's watching!

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Wheee! Dog Jumping by Flickr Creative Commons

I love to dance and never feel more fancy-free than when I'm listening to an outdoor concert and become intoxicated by the music and fresh air. I can't help but smile and dance!

I'm ecstatic to learn that dogs also like to jump outside with wild abandon. I feel so canine and I love it!

5. They share food!

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I love taking bites of everyone's dessert! Dog Looking at Plate by Flickr Creative Commons

I'm one of those people who asks for bites of dessert that don't belong to me. I'm not talking about some stranger's cheesecake, but if you're my dining partner and have a tasty-looking piece of chocolate cake, I'm going to come right out and ask for a nibble or three. And if you are my husband or child, I'll just take a bite without asking. Dogs are just like me, so now I don't feel rude. Thanks, dogs!

6. They're green!

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I care about the environment, too! Dog and Milk Jug by Flickr Creative Commons

My husband once told me his co-worker said, "I don't believe in recycling!" What's not to believe? It's not like the tooth fairy. Recycling is real, dude, and dogs are here to tell us it's cool to be kind to Mother Earth! I saw this photo of the Pug with the plastic milk jug and have never felt more green-tinged. That's right -- I recycle. Just like a dog.

7. They talk to strangers!

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Hey, I don't mind asking for things! Dog in Car by Flickr Creative Commons

Mom always said not to talk to strangers, but dogs say it's okay to make a new friend once in a while. You can even ask for stuff, and it's cool! I'm out of mustard and, for the first time ever, I don't feel panicky. I'll just go ask a stranger!

8. They get thirsty!

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I've seen people do that! Dog Drinking from Water Fountain by Flickr Creative Commons

I have to say I'm not a fan of water fountains. My whole family feels fine catching public refreshment, but I've just never been able to erase the image of the barrage of mystery lips that have touched the germy stainless steel. After learning that dogs couldn't care less about kissing the bacteria fountain, I guess I'm okay with it, too!  

Are your dogs just like you? Tell us about it in the comments! 

Read more funny posts by Angie Bailey:

• We Decode the Facial Expressions of These 10 Dogs
• 5 Reality Shows That Would Be WAY Better With Dogs
• 10 Haiku Poems Written by Dogs

Today, what a mess. Young, stupid people are now wishing death upon a puppy owned by a member of One Direction on Twitter, and they're becoming global idiots. What an awful thing to do. You don't wish harm on a puppy, on Twitter or otherwise. Look at this puppy:

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The sordid affair started when One Direction singer Liam Payne bought a puppy with his girlfriend Danielle Peazer. They named it Loki. It is one heck of a puppy. Payne then introduced the dog to his 9 million Twitter fans, writing, "Everybody meet mine and @daniellepeazer new dog Loki :)," and posting photos. It was a nice gesture. It's what famous people use Twitter for. 

Strangely, some people thought this was an act of war. Their world collapsed. They wished death on the dog, because (put on your idiot hat for this) they thought that his having a dog would "steal Liam’s attention from them," according to the Metro. 

They wrote stuff like this: 

The dog is not going to see tomorrow if i can help it…u were supposed to come back for me liam.

I am outraged and appalled f***ing Loki the dog! That dog ain’t nothing but the scum on my shoe.

Let’s kill him! Gun? Knife?

I hate that moment when I’m really excited to read his tweet but instead I saw that dog aghhh #dieloki.

Again, this is what the dog looks like:

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Some people also tried to make the hashtag #DieLoki catch on, but it seems like most people are using it to bash the people who threatened the dog, and anyway it seems to have been eclipsed in use by the #WeLoveLoki hashtag, which is the way it should be.  

For those who don't know, One Direction is a British boy band based in London. I literally had to look that up on Wikipedia. 

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One Direction on the cover of Wonderland magazine.

Via the Metro; photos via Liam Payne's Twitter

But Zooey has one-upped us, big time: She's adopted two dogs from the Bill Foundation. And she announced it to the world in the accustomed way for these sorts of announcements, via Twitter: 

"I have to thank the #billfoundation for the greatest, sweetest, most wonderful dogs in the world. Apples of my eye!"

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Her dogs also have a fine adoption story, which began before she was in the picture. Some time ago, according to the Bill Foundation Facebook page, some Bill Foundation rescuers were in a shelter and came across a dog who had recently given birth -- her babies were adopted, but the dog was not. The Bill Foundation took her home and named her Aspen.

The rescuers walked around the shelter some more and came upon another dog who had recently given birth. It turns out this dog was brought in by the same woman who had brought in Aspen. The Bill Foundation named her Jasmine and took them both to the rescue, and they were finally together again.  

That's how Zooey found them. She named them Zelda and Dot. 

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Photo via Twitter

If you'd like to see more of the fine work the Bill Foundation is doing, like them on Facebook and check out this video of Tessa, who's still looking for her forever home:

Via the Bill Foundation Facebook

And also, because this is Dunham's life, it's also pretty strange. These are the greatest/weirdest parts: 

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1. Her first pet was a newt "that choked to death on a bad worm." Then she had a hairless cat.

2. While Lena did not grow up with a dog, her mother grew up with a dog: Cindy, a Shepherd-Collie mix with "serious aggression issues and a pathological obsession with Ritz crackers. She was tied to a tree all day on the lawn outside my mother’s neo-Tudor house."

3. Her father also grew up with a dog: General George Armstrong Custer, a Dachshund who once ate an entire 18-pound ham and liked to roll in dead eels on the riverbank.

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4. When she was 15, Lena climbed into a van with a strangers (animal rescuers she had just met) and saved tiny Pit Bull infants from a parking lot near the Gowanus Canal. Then she got out of the van with the tiny dogs stuffed in her parka and made her way home, back to Brooklyn Heights. She had never owned a dog before. 

5. She named the dogs Uno, Bruno, and Devo. "But by the end of the second afternoon I was an Octomom-style mess. They weren’t eating enough. They weren’t pooping enough. Once, I left the room for too long and when I came back they were sucking each other’s tiny [penises], in a circle, like crazed swingers, blind to the fact that those things weren’t nipples."

6. Her parents were livid. The dogs went back with the rescuers. 

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7. One year later, the family got its official family dog, "an old-fashioned terrier with a sheaf of official papers that came with him on a plane from Indiana."

8. Currently, Dunham's refrigerator contains "old yogurt, old vinegar, and whatever kind of medicines you’re told to keep cold (usually prescribed for your vagina)."

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9. Lena got her current dog, Lamby, from a rescue group in industrial Brooklyn. We know all about Lamby. 

10. In the story, when Lamby acts up late at night, Lena crawls to him at the foot of the bed and whispers, "It’s okay, I’m here. I’ve been waiting for you for so long. Before I even knew about you, I was waiting for you. When you were born, I was only 25 years old. I had a boyfriend I didn’t love, but I told him that I did and he made me a pencil case, so I didn’t even know I needed you. But I needed you. ... And the rest of the months I waited for you, and now here you are.”

Then, later: 

"Sh-h-h . . . I love you. I love you. I love you so much."

You should really read the whole thing yourself. Sorry for all the spoilers, but that's what this generation does. 

Via the New Yorker; photos via Lena Dunham's Twitter 

Fashion designer Hanna Rochelle provides him with such a lifestyle. The creator of Lyric Culture -- which partners with musicians to put memorable song lyrics on a variety of items, including T-shirts, scarves, and throw pillows -- adopted Frank in 2006 from a Los Angeles shelter, just hours before his euthanasia date.

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Hanna Rochelle and Frank at Lyric Culture headquarters.

She meant for Frank to spend his days at the company's offices in a converted mansion off the Sunset Strip, and then head home with one of a select group of employees each night. Rochelle soon realized her plan was not healthy for the rescue pup.

"At the time, I thought my schedule was too crazy to commit to an animal living full time with me," she recalls. "But when I saw him park himself at the door every day around 6, not knowing who he would go home with, it just broke my heart. I needed to give him stability. Frank truly became mine, and now he travels with me everywhere. He's happy as long as he's with mommy."

Frank regularly tags along with Rochelle to meetings with musicians. He hung out with Aerosmith in the recording studio last year and also got love from INXS right before they played Beacon Theatre in New York City.

"They were all wearing black suits, and Frank sheds like crazy. He got dog hair all over them," she says with an embarrassed laugh.

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Frank poses with INXS backstage.

Back at the office, Frank contributes to the Lyric Culture creative process with his mere presence. The idea for a line of doggie clothing, available at PetSmart, came from his own stylish wardrobe and outgoing personality.

"I am always putting Frank in the cutest outfits," Rochelle says. "So, I began thinking of cute lyrics that relate to dogs for T-shirts. Every dog has a different personality, one that often reflects the owner's personality. I thought, what a great combo. People can show their love of music and their animals."

The collection features phrases from nine much-loved songs: "Can't Touch This," "Bad to the Bone," "Who Let the Dogs Out," "All You Need Is Love," "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Walking On Sunshine," "Yellow Submarine," "Material Girl," and "Maneater."

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Frank sports the "Who Let the Dogs Out" T-shirt from the Lyric Culture line available at PetSmart online and in stores.

Rochelle created the "Who Let the Dogs Out" T-shirt specifically to fit Frank's personality. The little dog sparks ideas for other shirts all the time.

"There are so many more to do. 'You just call out my name,' by James Taylor, and Jay Z's '99 problems but a bitch ain't one.' We're working on a holiday collection next," she says, "with 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland' and 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' on T-shirts."

Rochelle and Frank also represent Lyric Culture at charity events for animal organizations. Just this week, they appeared at the Makeover for Mutts benefit for Much Love Animal Shelter in Los Angeles, and PetSmart provided T-shirts from the Lyric Culture line for the event's gift bags. Rochelle likes to support local rescue groups as much as possible.

"Rescue dogs appreciate you so much," she explained. "They know you saved them. They are so loyal."

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The 'Can't Touch This' T-shirt suits dogs who like to run away when you try to grab them.

PetSmart also has a Lyric Culture T-shirt or dress each for five lucky Dogster readers! If you would like to win one for your pup, follow the instructions below.

HOW TO WIN

Would you like the chance to win a Lyric Culture T-shirt or dress? If so, please do the following:

1. Create a Disqus account, if you haven't already, and include a valid email. It takes just a minute and allows you to better participate in Dogster's community of people who are passionate about dogs. If you already have a Disqus account, check it to ensure the account includes a valid email.
2. Comment below using your Disqus account, telling us which T-shirt or dress you want and why the lyric fits your dog. See all nine designs at PetSmart.com. Bonus points for photos! Our favorite comments win.
3. Check your email for a “You've Won!” message from us after noon, PST, on Wednesday, March 20. We'll give the winners two days to respond before moving on to our next favorite comments.

Good luck!

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Sure, we've turned the characters of Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, and even Mad Men into dogs, but now we're going millennial, with Girls.

If you enjoy the self-important, self-righteousness of wayward twentysomethings, you enjoy HBO's Girls. But you don't have to enjoy those things to find happiness in the media darling -- you can also just like funny, awkward, embarrassing stuff. It's about being a weirdo and living each day like it's your rocking last.

And that's our (very) loose way of tying Girls to actual dogs -- because dogs are all about being themselves. And like an undersocialized puppy at a dog park, Girls is a disruptive force on the TV landscape, and we love the show for it.

1. Hannah (played by Lena Dunham): Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

Recent college grad; female Larry David; just trying to figure out life in the Big City -- er, Brooklyn.

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Known for their tousled appearance, independence, and tendency toward outspokeness, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen is Hannah in dog form. The dogs are uncharacteristically assertive and loud for their petite stature, and so stubborn that they don’t always respond well to training.

Fun to be around, but often self-centered and moody, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen would throw a great party and then start fights between all the guests.  

2. Marnie (played by Allison Williams): Lhasa Apso

Hannah’s college roommate. She's trying to be an Adult Woman, but she’s still but a Girl.

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So much more than a pretty face, Lhasa Apsos nevertheless still know their pretty face is important. They can have trouble being assertive, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have many desires. They’re devoted, even when ignored or abused, and will only bite under highly stressful circumstances.

They’re impressed by shiny toys, and have a strong drive to get something that someone else has -- even if they don’t really want it. 

3. Jessa (played by Jemima Kirke): English Setter

Hannah’s English friend; free spirit; henceforth known as “Crazy Putty.”

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Mischievous, intelligent, and strong-willed, English Setters catch any prey they’re after. Even at work, they can get distracted by something flashy that attracts their eye. Often uninterested in other dogs and even people, the English Setter is often happiest doing her own thing. However, they aren’t all about attention and activity -- they also love to cuddle with trusted family members.

4. Shoshanna (played by Zosia Mamet): Cairn Terrier

Jessa’s bubbly cousin and the youngest Girl. Wants life to be Sex in the City-fabulous but it’s just not happening (yet?).

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Fueled by nerves and wonder in the world, Cairn Terriers are lifelong curious puppies. They bark when they’re nervous and uncomfortable or lonely and needing attention.

Adorably pint-sized and often accessorized with a bow, the Cairn Terrier is Shoshanna’s spirit animal.

5. Ray (played by Alex Karpovsky): Belgian Malinois

A sweet jerk; manager at Grumpy’s coffee shop; living (?) with girlfriend (?) Shoshanna.

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Stubborn and confident, the Belgian Malinois is a nonconformist worker bee. That might sound contradictory, but it’s not -- they’re skilled and diligent while on the job, but if given their druthers, would rather laze about and write ironically humorous songs.

They can be protective of their family and friends, and will bite if cornered. However, if you just leave them be and don’t offend them in any way, they’ll likely not even notice you.

6. Adam (played by Adam Driver): Rottweiler

Hannah’s older, troubled ex; loves sit-ups; wannabe actor.

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Behind their often underserved bad reputations, Rottweilers are just giant, good-natured guys. They can be somewhat standoffish when unsure about a situation, but when they’re comfortable with you, they’re all in. Forever. As in, devoted. VERY devoted.

7. Elijah (played by Andrew Rannells): PomChi (Pomeranian-Chihuahua hybrid)

Hannah’s (first) gay boyfriend.

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Always looking for a good time, the rambunctious PomChi (or ChiPom) (or Chiranian) is alert, excited, and always scoping out a better lap to sit in. This charming party animal knows he looks good and isn’t afraid to use that leverage to get what he wants. And he wants ALL the treats. 

8. Joshua (played by Patrick Wilson): Saluki

Hannah’s older two-day, one-night stand.

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Attractive, independent, and seemingly aloof, Salukis are actually gentle and affectionate with the people they care about. High achievers who thrive in challenging jobs, they can relax and have a good time. Just because Salukis have their heads down and always get the job done, don’t assume they’re completely stoic -- Salukis need love, too!

Do you like our picks? Would you do anything different? Let us know in the comments!

I am extremely starstruck by my dogs, but I feel weird asking for autographs, mostly because they can’t hold a pen in their paws. Every once in awhile, they will pose for pictures, and if I am very quick about it, they might allow for an easily put-on accessory or even a full costume. But that is usually only after a long walk or late in the dog evening, about 7 p.m., as they start to get sleepy eyes around 6:45.

Generally, I prefer to photograph them au naturel, maybe with their paws on each other, like that Janet Jackson Rolling Stone cover from the “Hot hands as clothes” 1990s.

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Gudrun tolerating me.

I don’t live in a very hot climate, and dog clothing will be tolerated by my little rescue Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix Gudrun, for a brief period, just to maximize the Mommy interest in her, but my older, slow-to-change-and-progress, Australian Cattle Dog mix Bronwyn will never take to a simple dog sweater, even if it is hand-knitted in a chunky, marbled, high-end vegetable-dyed yarn by her aunt.

So Bronwyn gets excused for not wanting to participate in photo shoots. I don’t make her wear clothes. She’s a big dog, and big dogs suffer indignities worse than small ones. Their elegant long dog bodies and paws are perfect for stylish, classic dog outfits, but they can’t be persuaded to don them.

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Gudrun and Bronwyn.

She might find the humor in those dog costumes that look like the costumed character standing up, the images that are thrown up and disseminated as memes and group emails with the subject header “Halloween for dogs” during October, but she’d rather not put it on.

Bronwyn had a hard life, abandoned downtown, lost and homeless for no one is really sure how long, before she came to me, starved and scarred, limping up my front steps directly into my heart. She doesn’t have to wear anything to impress me.

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Bronwyn survived, and thrives, now possibly more than 13 years old, but I’ll never know for sure, because I don’t care, I just love her, so just color me impressed, always.

Gudrun however, is the belle of the ball. I am careful to dress her in things that are specifically made for dogs, like this spectacular handmade kimono that was designed for her just after the release of the film, Memoirs of a Geisha. It’s all Velcro, and it stays on only as long as the photo takes to be shot.

There are a bunch of moving parts that can get caught on things, and even though I am home all the time, there’s no way my eyes can be on everything, and I don’t want my dogs to be hurt by anything, least of all, fashion.

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If you don’t have the will or means to make a dog kimono -- serious work for people with much more skill at the sewing machine than I -- then you can improvise a high fashion look like the one Beyonce did for “Crazy in Love.” Gudrun pays homage to Beyonce below, in a fairly inexpensive necklace that I never wear, but it momentarily transforms this household Chihuahua into a powerful pop diva.

Like the kimono, the necklace is worn only for a moment, just for the photo, so it will last me for all time. I know it’s adorable, but you don’t want your pet eating anything like this, because you could be picking the components out of poo for weeks, or even worse, down in the middle of the night at the vet emergency room, a place no one ever wants to go.

Top photo: Bull Terrier with headphones by Shutterstock.

In any case, I've been paying a lot of attention to Steve Buscemi's face, and I have for a good many years, ever since I saw him in Reservoir Dogs and thought, as many did, Who looks like that? 

And now the Internet comes along with this dog, saying that he looks like Steve Buscemi, and the Daily Mail and the Chicago Tribune and the Huffington Post get their top reporters on the story, and it balloons.

The question remains: Does this dog really look like Steve Buscemi?

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s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

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Photo via Faithful Friends Animal Society.

Dogster says ... yes! Or no? AW MAN WE DON'T KNOW. 

Actually, there's a bit more to this story, which is just as important as whether or not this dog looks like Steve Buscemi. (He does, right? Or no?)

The little guy is named Chuchi, a Peekapoo who spent eight months at no-kill shelter Faithful Friends Animal Society before finding his forever home. 

Huffpost got the jump on him after it ran the story on Tonik, the dog who looks like a little boy. You remember him: 

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In response to the Tonik story, a reader sent Huffpost a photo of Chuchi, and Huffpost, stopping everything, threw everything it had at the story. It tracked down Jane Pierantozzi, director of Faithful Friends, who gave them the low-down on the dog:

"[Chuchi] is a bit temperamental and only likes the few people that he wants to like -- just like some people," Pierantozzi wrote HuffPost in an email. "If you irritate Chuchi, he lets you know. He reminds us of an old man who can be grumpy at times."

Fortunately, Chuchi was adopted out to a nice home, so we don't have to worry about him any more. You know who should worry about him? The other dogs in the neighborhood. That town is about to get real dicey.

Here's another picture of the dog:

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Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Via HuffPost 

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“People say that, and I just don’t see myself as [a celebrity],” she says. “I’m not. I just pick up dog crap and play with dogs.”

Torres is the star of Pit Bulls & Parolees, an Animal Planet series that just finished its fourth season. The show follows her family, a revolving cast of ex-convicts looking for a fresh start, and the more than 150 Pit Bulls at the Villalobos Rescue Center in New Orleans. The dogs and their handlers are metaphors for one another: misunderstood, marginalized, the most deserving of a second chance, and the least likely to get one.

Torres' compassion for underdogs began with a hardscrabble upbringing in southern California. “Without getting into all of the details, I ended up crossing over to the wrong side of the tracks, and I ended up hanging out with a rough crowd,” she says. Torres joined the Army to straighten her life out. When she was discharged, she worked as a counselor for the city of Los Angeles, helping gang members leave the lifestyle she also craved as a teenager. “This kind of genre of people has always been in my life,” she says.

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Torres knew the myths surrounding Pit Bulls were bogus.

An enduring passion for animals led Torres to initially found Villalobos in California in the early 1990s as a sanctuary for wolves and wolf-dog crosses (the name translates to “village of wolves"), but that all changed after a chance visit to an animal shelter.

Tatanka was a Pit Bull who was brought in from the scene of a double homicide -- she was the guard dog. She was bound by “ropes and an entourage of animal control officers, like she was some African lion,” Torres recalls. The dog slipped free and ran toward Torres’ young daughters, who were sitting on a wooden bench. Panicked, Torres tried to reach her daughters. The dog tackled them onto the grass -- and started licking their faces, eliciting a chorus of squeals and laughter from her daughters.

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Torres would do anything for her dog friends. Photo via the "Pit Bulls & Parolees" Facebook page

Instantly, Torres knew the myths that surrounded -- and, to a large degree, still surround -- Pit Bulls were bogus. She added the animals to her sanctuary's population. Eventually, the breed became the sole occupants of the Southern California shelter. After meeting her husband, Aren, through a prison letter-writing program, Villalobos began employing parolees to work for the organization.

It turned out to be a great premise for a reality TV show. Production companies came calling in 2007 after LA Weekly profiled Torres and Villalobos, which was then operating in Los Angeles County, with offers of creating a reality show. The shelter’s finances were especially tight at the time, so Torres gave the project her blessing -- as long as she was kept out of the spotlight. When a network representative became captivated by the novelty of a woman running a Pit Bull rescue that employed parolees, Torres knew she had to step in front of the camera to get the show sold. “Very reluctantly, pissed off, hiding behind dark sunglasses, I’d go to these meetings and act like I cared,” she says. “And here we are.”

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"Pit Bulls & Parolees" documents life for one of the largest breed specific rescues in the country.

Pit Bulls & Parolees depicts life in what is perhaps the largest Pit Bull rescue in the country: The dogs whose hard-luck stories brought them to the kennels, the eager adopters who want to take them home, the parolees' successes and setbacks, and the day-to-day existence of Torres, her daughters, and adopted sons. 

While Torres accepts that her show might have played a small part, she credits the rehabilitation of the dogs from the Michael Vick case for the changing public perception of Pit Bulls. Still, she says more Pit Bull owners need to be honest about the traits inherent in the breed. “Contrary to what the people who wear rose-tinted glasses seem to think, it is not all in how you raise them. It's genetics. That said, I'm not saying [certain traits] can't be curbed or can't be managed. With any breed of dog, temperament is based on so many different factors.”

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What dog wouldn't smile around Torres? Photo via the "Pit Bulls & Parolees" Facebook page

Pit Bull owners also inherit a unique set of responsibilities. By virtue of their power and presence, Pit Bulls -– even the well-behaved ones –- are easy targets for blame in dog-park scuffles in ways that Dachshunds and Chihuahuas never will be. “We have a saying in the Pit Bull world: Our dogs may not start the fight, but they're definitely gonna finish it,” she says. “So why set them up for failure?”

For Torres, being part of the Animal Planet line-up has drawbacks as well as upsides. There's the amount of time that goes into filming each episode, which might otherwise be devoted to running Villalobos itself. “People think that the cameras just follow you around. It is sooo not like that,” she says.

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Torres with one of her beloved Pit Bulls. Photo via the "Pit Bulls & Parolees" Facebook page

There's also the fame that Torres could do without. She's not comfortable talking with large groups of people. And sometimes, fame can be scary: Torres says that once, while she was out walking one of the dogs, an overzealous fan tackled her to the ground and had to be physically pried off. Those aren't the sorts of things that get mentioned in pitch meetings. 

But there are upsides to being a reluctant celebrity. The adoption rate at Villalobos has gone up “tremendously,” Torres says. The money from the show -- and from gifts like Animal Planet's $50,000 donation from last November's You Watch, We Give event -- helps keep the lights on at the shelter. And then there's the underlying message, delivered to millions each Saturday night: Whether you have tattoos and a criminal record or cropped ears and a wet nose, you deserve a second chance. That's a message worth stepping in front of the camera to make. 

Follow the show and the rescue center on Facebook. And if you missed the latest season, catch some full episodes on Animal Planet.

Do you know of a rescue hero — dog, human, or group — we should profile on Dogster? Write us at dogsterheroes@dogster.com. 

The dog is a little snowball puffcake, who seems to spend the days next to Britney's cheek. The breed has yet to be tweeted. 

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Note Britney's kitchen on the right. That thing with the wheel -- is that a popcorn cart?

She didn't get all crazy about it, she just sent a simple tweet to her 23 million followers -- "Say good morning to my new baby people" -- which was then retweeted nearly 5,000 times.  

However, in searching for something else to say about this story, we noticed that the Twitter account of Hannah, Britney's other dog, flared to life shortly thereafter. (Yes, Britney's dog Hannah has a Twitter; don't worry about it.) 

Hannah tweeted to her 38,000 followers, "Good Morning! She looks so pretty in my pink bow!" 

It is good to know the dogs will not be fighting over clothes -- unless the puppy did not actually ask to borrow the bow, and Hannah's tweet is really the first passive-aggressive salvo in what will be a legendary celebrity dog war, which will take down dog-Hollywood. Now that we think on it a little, it can be nothing but that.

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Hannah could very well be planning to destroy the young interloper. Or not. Probably not.

Via E!

Now, we're part of that. Woof. 

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And Lena Dunham is helping us out in a major way by never ceasing to take pictures of her adorable dog -- brilliantly named Lamby, because Lena Dunham is every bit as amazing at naming dogs as she is at making a "dark and deadpan comedy about four young women in Brooklyn who don’t own cool apartments or have glamorous careers, eligible suitors, expensive clothes or even, sometimes, paying jobs" (New York Times) -- and posting those photos to her Instagram. 

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Lamby is a cute dog. He came from Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition. When Dunham was at the shelter adopting him, she got a call from her publicist that she had received a Directors Guild nomination. She got to tell this story to Vanity Fair on the red carpet at the Girls premiere in New York.

She said, "He’s just 12 pounds of weirdness. His name’s Lamby. He comes up to just below my knee, and I have a feeling we’re going to have a great life together. Unless you find out I’ve killed him [editor's note: we're assuming with hugs] in a few weeks.”

Here are a lot of pictures of Lena Dunham and Lamby:

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Dunham says that Lamby may make it into the show. That would make a great story!

The return of Downton Abbey has rekindled the flames of fandom that made the show so popular. When the show first hit the U.S., we couldn't help but see canines in the characters' places, so we did a little Photoshop magic and came up with images of what the cast members of Downton Abbey would look like if they were dogs. Judging from the response we received, there are more than a few Downton Abbey fans here on Dogster!

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But guess who else loves Downton Abbey? It turns out Anderson Cooper is a fan of the show, so when someone clued him into our Downton dogs, he decided to feature them on Anderson Live. It's only a quick mention in the final five minutes, but look! There we are! We're famous!

Check out the clip below for Cooper's shout-out and take a moment to bask in the glory of being part of such a cool community. (No, really, we wouldn't be anything without all of you.)

To see the rest of our Downton dogs, click here.

And Anderson, this is for you, you silver fox:

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Photoshop magic courtesy of Audrey Fukuman.

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Five generations of Rin Tin Tin come together.

Cpl. Lee Duncan, who ordered his battalion to rescue the pups, trained Rin Tin Tin (known as Rinty), and the dog went on to become one of Hollywood’s brightest canine stars. Dogs bred by Duncan from the original Rin Tin Tin starred in the television series, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, which produced 164 episodes on ABC from 1954 to 1959.

This legendary dog has left quite a trail of pawprints across canine history.

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Rinty's legacy has spanned the decades

Daphne Hereford's family has been involved with maintaining the Rinty bloodline since 1957. Duncan sold four of the Rinty original pups to Hereford’s grandmother, Jannettia Brodsgaard Propps of Texas, who passed the love and the legacy to Daphne, who passed it to her daughter, Dorothy Yanchak.

“Cpl. Duncan attended a dog show in 1922, where Rin Tin Tin won the jumping part of the contest," Yanchak says. "A young inventor, Charles Jones, asked Duncan if he could film the dog jumping. He paid Duncan, and from there Duncan decided he would pursue a film career.”

After making 26 pictures with Warner Bros., the duo were ultimately let go at the onset of the talkies. Duncan passed away in 1960, and the legacy and Rin Tin Tin line was passed to Propps. Hereford maintained the breeding program until 2011, when she retired and passed it to Yanchak, who continues the line.

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RIN TIN TIN continues to be lauded and awarded

Continuing in the role of public service and good canine ambassador, the latest Rinty does therapy work and performs search and rescue.

“There are several projects under way, including Rin Tin Tin dog treats and making appearances at events across the country," Yanchak says. “We are also working on an endorsement of a highly visible and well-known company associated with the world of purebred dogs and the canine support and relief fund.”

Today, Rinty is a regular in the American Kennel Club agility trials and is ranked among the top 30 German Shepherds in the nation. He is very close to achieving his Master Agility Champion title. Those who watch the American Humane Association Hero Dogs Awards will recall that Rinty was awarded its 2011 Legacy Award.

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Leaping hurdles in a single bound, Rinty is quite the champion

In 1998, Hereford published a book, Rin Tin Tin's Legacy, with a December 2011 update to “address errors and misstatements made by an unauthorized biography released in October 2011.”

According to the official Rin Tin Tin website, when World War II started, Duncan wanted to serve but was prohibited from doing so because of an injury sustained in World War I. With ardent fervor, he asked the Army to consider a military dog training camp in California. Though he was rejected many times, his persistence prevailed. More than 5,000 dogs and handlers were trained for the war effort at Camp Hahn. After World War II, it is reported that Duncan “untrained many of the returning war dogs,” and then placed them back with the families who had donated them for the war effort.

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Faithfully yours, a relic from Rinty's past

Looking back, Hereford reports that while most children in the late '50s and early '60s participated in school sports, she was spending her weekends at dog class, in kennels, or learning about dogs in the show ring. She recalls security-guard canine handlers accompanying Rinty around with them in Houston.

Today, the legend of Rinty continues.

“I have full-time job. Our work with Rin Tin Tin is through dedication and not motivated by money,” Yanchak says.

The breeding program of the dog is considered closed, and any puppies placed in pet homes are placed on a spay/neuter nonbreeding agreement. According to Yanchak, the president of Rin Tin Tin Inc., “This strict criterion was initiated by my great-grandmother and continued by my mother to not only protect the integrity of the lineage, but also the Rin Tin Tin name.”

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Rin Tin Tin IV makes a bank visit.

The current Rin Tin Tin is No. 12 from the first dog found by Duncan. His travels take him to many community service activities as well as various public events and endorsement deals, and he competes in agility, rally, herding, and tracking at American Kennel Club Sanctioned Dog Shows across the country. His accomplishments were honored in a special presentation at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles in June 2012. 

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German Shepherd Dog Club of America board members with Rinty

Do you recall seeing Rin Tin Tin on television or in the movies? Let us know in the comments!

These are some of the reminiscent excerpts from an interview I had with Jon Provost, the childhood star of the beloved series. The Collie, with whom throngs of viewers fell in love with, became one of television’s greatest canine stars. His sidekick, Timmy, is a beloved American icon.

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A boy and his dog, television icons.

A newspaper ad catapulted the bright-eyed Provost into the annals of television history. “My mom read an ad in the L.A. Times that Warner Bros. was looking for a two- to three-year-old boy to be in a movie with Jane Wyman,” he recalls.

With a dream of meeting Wyman, Provost’s mom whisked him away to the set, and his Hollywood career began.

The start of Lassie 

A few years later, the producers of Lassie were looking for a young boy to fill a role originated by Tommy Rettig. Provost was in Japan making a movie at the time, but upon his return the youngster auditioned for the part of Timmy Martin. He landed it.

Rudd Weatherwax, the man who taught and trained Lassie, was unsure how the duo would get along, so Provost stayed at his ranch for three days.

“We got along really well,” he remembers. “Basically, Lassie gave me two paws up and I got the role.”

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Lassie and "Timmy" had instant chemistry.

Timmy never fell in the well

“Timmy has fallen off cliffs, into rivers, quicksand, and even mine shafts, but never into a well,” Provost says. “We don’t know where that catchphrase came from, but it was a natural title for my book. Letterman or Leno mention the phrase at least once a month.”

Provost has shared his life with many animals. He grew up with horses, goats, dogs, and cats, among others. He even had a Collie, a gift of sorts from Lassie’s trainer, Rudd Weatherwax.

When he was seven, Weatherwax promised Provost that if he did not pull Lassie’s tail, ride him, or otherwise misbehave with the dog, that he would receive a Lassie puppy the following year.

“My second year on the series, I received a male Collie puppy and named him Rudd after the trainer,” Provost says. “He was a great dog, but not trained like Lassie. He was the only Collie I ever had.”

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Viewers watched Provost grow up on the set of Lassie.

Provost recalls one scene where he and Lassie were on a river and the raft broke up.

“We couldn’t rehearse it. Back then they could not use stunt doubles. They needed to see our faces and there were no computer-generated images,” he remembers.

Since they were unable to rehearse the scene and had no idea what might happen, Provost almost drowned. His stunt double jumped in and saved Provost but almost ended up drowning, too.

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Provost today with his rescue dog, Buddy

Moving on

When Provost turned 14, he declined to renew his Lassie contract. He was tired of playing the part, and his parents agreed with the decision.

He went on to have a small recurring role on the television series Mr. Ed, where he says he went from working with “the smartest dog to working with the smartest horse” (of course, of course). He went on to film three more movies. At the age of 18, he graduated high school and wanted a change.

Provost moved from Hollywood to Northern California to go to college. He ended up staying there and raising a family. He now resides with his wife, Laurie Jacobson, in Sonoma County, an hour north of San Francisco.

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Jon Provost and his wife, Laurie Jacobson, with dog, Buddy.

Jon returned to television in The New Lassie series in 1990, and in 1994, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The check shirt and jeans that Timmy wore for seven years hangs in the Smithsonian right next to Archie Bunker’s television chair.

At the present time, Jon and his wife have a little senior rescue dog. He is involved with Canine Companions for Independence and has been on its northwestern board for 23 years.

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Provost's book tells the story of his life: From Lassie to present.

People or pets?

When asked which of the two he prefers to work with, Provost chuckles. “Well, the people made more mistakes than the dog did. When you are a kid working with a dog, it’s a whole different story.”

Currently, Jon does personal appearances, and fans can visit his website to learn more about the legendary actor.

Do you remember the Lassie show growing up? Any favorite episodes? Bark at me in the comments! 

These luminaries, however, never belonged to the Dog Writers Association of America, founded in 1935, which gives awards to dog writers. Its highest distinction -- induction to its Hall of Fame -- was recently bestowed on Chicagoan Steve Dale, author of numerous books and a tireless advocates on animals’ behalf, not only via his blog and weekly column in USA Weekend but also through his syndicated radio show, Steve Dale's Pet World, and his YouTube channel. 

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Steve at home with his dogs Hazel and Ethel.

Dale identified his life’s calling thanks to one special canine companion: “A Brittany named Chaser came into my life about 25 years ago. She had separation anxiety big time. Whenever I even closed the door to do my business on my side, she did the same on the other side. And, for sure, when we left the house, everything in her came out!"

Although this was before the age of behaviorists and pharmaceuticals, Chaser eventually became a confident dog thanks to patience, good luck, and the advice of a few dog trainers. Still, she was very connected with Dale. "Whenever I was out of town for a few days, she would just stare at me as if to say, 'How could you leave?'"

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Steve with Chaser, the Brittany he credits with changing his life.

Around the same time, Dale began to write about pets. He eventually became, as he puts it, Chicago’s "Pet Guy." Then, thanks to a 20-year syndication deal with Tribune Media Services, he became America's Pet Guy.

"I thought about the difference Chaser made in my life, and thought dogs like her might change the world," he says. "Really, if you have a dog in your life, for the most part, how nasty can you be? I also thought I might be able to help others with their pets."

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Steve was inducted into the Dog Writers' Association Hall of Fame this year.

Dale is proud to have met and befriended many widely admired dog writers. Becoming the youngest-ever DWAA Hall of Famer was, Dale says, “humbling and surprising.” If he could sit down to dinner with one dog writer from history, who would that be? "Konrad Lorenz tops the list," he says of the Nobel Prize-winning Austrian zoologist, ethologist, and author of Man Meets Dog. 

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Steve with his wife, Robin, and their dogs Hazel and Ethel.

The toughest part of the job for us dog writers is that our muses are not immortal. The loss of Chaser was a life-changing event for Dale: “I was devastated, but then who isn’t when you lose a pet? Of course, she is still my heart. And every week when I receive an email, call on the radio (or still those snail mails), when people tell me I made a difference, or even saved their pets. I wouldn’t be doing that if it wasn’t for Chaser.”

Even when he travels to faraway destinations, Dale still has dogs on the brain. A recent trip to Africa led to a dispatch only a dog writer could deliver: “The bottom line is, the African wild dogs are all gone," he laments. "The entire Serengeti, spanning Tanzania and Kenya, and not a single African wild dog. It’s sad, but at least some survive elsewhere on the continent, though they are not abundant. This is really tragic."

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Dale’s favorite method of reaching his audience is over the airwaves. “I just love doing radio," he says. "What I’d like to do that I haven’t done -- at least not frequently –- is to work in front of a live audience." At home, however, he’s got a captive canine audience of two: mixed breeds Ethel and Hazel, plus a cat named Roxy and a lizard named Cosette.

Hazel is the most recent arrival. About a year ago, Dale recalls, "I was at the Animal Welfare League of Chicago and saw this little white dog shaking in the corner. I asked to see that dog, and she instantly jumped into my lap." Hazel was a pet accompli. "Of course, we brought her home. It’s as if she was meant to live with us. Who the heck would have given her up? It’s their loss, our gain. And further evidence of how great dogs adopted at shelters most often are."

It's also evidence of why America's Pet Guy has such a large and loyal following. His heartfelt appreciation of animals is the moral center of every tale he tells.

He's the founder of William Berloni Theatrical Animals, the go-to resource for performing pets, especially dogs. Berloni has groomed dozens of dogs for their turn in the Broadway spotlight, patiently coaching them from behind the curtain.

His talent stable's high level of professionalism is also greatly appreciated by filmmakers, who love canine performers who can do what's required of them in just one efficient take; that's why legendary director Mike Nichols turned to Berloni when he needed canine (and feline) actors for the Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts movie Charlie Wilson's War. 

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Sunny, the latest rescue dog to play Sandy in "Annie" on Broadway.

He has worked with some of the biggest names in show business. But Berloni's greatest legacy is raising the profile of nonhuman actors to the point where they're acclaimed as the stars they are. During the run of the hit Broadway musical Legally Blonde, for instance, audiences quickly got on a first-name basis with the show's canine star, a rescued Chihuahua named Bruiser.

Currently, not one but two Berloni-trained barkers are busy enchanting audiences at the Lunt-Fontanne theater: the canine stars of the musical A Christmas Story, 3-year-olds Pete and Lily, a brother-sister Bloodhound act. The dogs were abandoned by their previous owners, who left the dogs in the garage when their North Carolina home was foreclosed.

But Berloni's most famous trainee is a Terrier mix who plays Sandy in the legendary Broadway musical Annie and co-star of many talented child performers. Working with Berloni's profoundly professional pups, the kids can't help but learn some invaluable tricks, too.

Berloni has been working happily with dogs and kids for nearly 40 years, but he's known and loved for his modesty. He always keeps the spotlight firmly on the animals' comfort and well-being, and never seeks out attention or publicity for himself. 

Broadway's powers-that-be, however, set things right recently by placing him squarely in the spotlight, acknowledging Berloni with a Tony for Excellence in Theater, the first time that award was bestowed on an animal trainer. It was high time the world got to know the soft-spoken, self-effacing man behind Broadway's biggest barkers.

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Berloni with Sunny, his latest rescue protegee.

Berloni's original goal was to be an actor, until Martin Charnin, the conceiver-director-lyricist of Annie, charged the then-19-year-old aspiring thespian with finding a dog to play Orphan Annie's best friend for the show's Broadway debut in 1976. In exchange, he would get his coveted actor's card. Find Sandy he did -- by going to the local animal shelter in his home state of Connecticut and springing a dog from death row. Acting took a back seat as working with dogs became his priority. And ever since that fateful day, Berloni has made a point of discovering raw canine talent at dog pounds and via rescue groups all over the country.

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Berloni with Pete and Lily, the Bloodhounds he rescued who are currently starring in "A Christmas Story."

What's more, this lifesaving starmaker is a big believer in giving less-adoptable dogs their fair shot at fame. He's bullish on Pit Bulls and Pit mixes for their can-do spirit; he calls them "brilliant dogs." He's also soft on seniors. "Older dogs really do learn new tricks," Berloni says. "They can be so shocked at finding themselves homeless that they're open to picking up new routines -- and that's a huge asset in a canine performer." 

The many shelter-to-showtime success stories Berloni has made possible are lovingly chronicled in his book, Broadway Tails, which was recently reissued with a new chapter all about the glossy new production of Annie, now hard-knocking 'em dead at Broadway's Palace theater. Not surprisingly, some of the biggest ovations go to the show's Berloni-trained star, a sweet, sandy-haired, female mutt named Sunny -- who is, her trainer notes, "the 23rd Sandy dog of my career."

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Sarah Jessica Parker with the first rescue Sandy. Photo by Martha Swope, © New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The Sandy of Annie fame is by tradition a sand-colored mixed-breed; mutts are naturals at stage work because, being randomly mix-bred, their main drive is to please humans by being versatile. However, A Christmas Story specifically called for purebreds. "Training Bloodhounds to do behavior work was a challenge," Berloni explains, "because they're scent hounds bred to do a very specific job: hunting." Pete and Lily rose to the occasion in style -- and amazingly quickly. Adopted from Ontario Bloodhound Rescue in August, they were curtain-call-ready in a few short weeks!

In addition to shuttling back and forth to supervise the canine action at both shows, A Christmas Story and Annie -- "It takes exactly three minutes to get from one stage door to the other," he reports -- Berloni also proudly upholds his duties at the Humane Society of New York, the animal clinic and adoption center founded in 1904, where he's the director of animal behavior. Always mindful that he owes his career to a shelter dog named Sandy, the star trainer is never too busy to help out animals in need.

In a terrible coincidence, a hurricane named Sandy devastated the East Coast, shutting down Annie, A Christmas Story, and all other Broadway productions for two days, and delaying the debut of a half-hour television special about how Annie's dog star was discovered. Out of respect for the storm's victims, the Pedigree-sponsored mini-documentary Annie's Search for Sandy, which Berloni executive-produced, was postponed. It aired on the Hallmark Channel last week and is also streaming on the Annie web site.

"For me and for a lot of New Yorkers still reeling from effects of the hurricane and feeling powerless while it was happening, it was nice to come back to the Humane Society, where I had 22 dogs waiting for me to temperament-test them," he says. "They were all victims of that event, so it felt good to help them."