That's right, June has arrived, and with it comes the exciting first day of summer - June 21 this year.  Interestingly, the first day of summer this year is also Go Skateboarding Day, which we just learned about here at The Acres.  It was founded in 2003, and if you're a skateboarder or have ever wanted to learn, we encourage you to check out the day's site by clicking on the link in green above.  Skateboarding might just be how you choose to get or stay in shape for Men's Health Month, which is also observed every June.  Just be sure to wear a helmet, since June marks National Safety Month in the United States too.  And as if there weren't enough to keep you busy on Friday, June 21, this year it's also Take Your Dog To Work Day, which, being breeders of working dogs, we think should take top priority for just about everyone!  (Check out the second video at "An Awesome Place & A Great Campaign" in our December 2012 DogBlog, and "Bring-Your-Dog-To-Work-Day... EVERY DAY" in our March 2012 DogBlog for fun, related stories!)  Still need something to do?  Well, head out to your local blues club to celebrate Black Music Month, or head out to one of the many parades and celebrations during LGBT Pride Month, in honor and remembrance of the Stonewall Riots of 1969.

Long before the dog- and action-packed June 21, however, is a more ominous day, arriving on the first of the month.  June 1 marks the official start to the Atlantic hurricane season, the beastliest storms of which we've written about before, as at the end of our August 2012 DogBlog.  Natural disasters are always terrifying to us, and to our pets, and having a plan in place that includes your four-legged friends is a must.  We were reminded of that and of how service dogs like the Australian labradoodles we raise at Aussie Doodle Acres are often called upon for their special talents, just this past month in the aftermath of the devastating tornado that flattened Moore, Oklahoma.  We begin this month's DogBlog with that story.

The destruction and death left behind in the wake of the Moore, Oklahoma tornado are unbelievable to all of us.  And while the people living in or near Tornado Alley are better prepared than most to weather these incredible storms and to rebuild what they've lost, they have still lost, and suffered, and despaired.  As for animals, they fall into three groups when natural disasters of this magnitude tear through our lives.  There are the pets lucky enough to be kept out of harm's way and close to their families, that help to comfort their frightened human counterparts and give them hope and even smiles in the aftermath.  There are those that run away and are lost to their owners, as well as those that lose their lives in the chaos.  And in the third group, once the threat itself passes and the dust settles enough to begin the search and rescue, there are the dogs that act as first responders to sniff out survivors, both human and animal alike, and to locate and recover the dead.  Click on the image above to read about the specially trained K9s and their uniformed handlers, some of the most important teams on the ground after the Moore tornado passed, and read here about the amazing organization that made them possible:  The Search Dog Foundation.  

In this era of rampant terrorist threats, both foreign and domestic, and with every person and organization operating at a heightened level of awareness and suspicion, we have grown used to the extensive and time-consuming security checkpoints throughout our nation's airports.  We barely notice when a handler passes us in the terminal on the heels of a bomb sniffing dog, just as we've long since been accustomed to seeing drug sniffing dogs at the airport, at our international borders, and in the news (how about this interesting recent twist in Washington State).  What we might not be so used to seeing are service and therapy dogs like the ones in the PUP program.  These dogs are the kind that inspired us to get into the business, and if we're lucky, maybe one day we can devote all our time to traveling around the world spreading unconditional canine love to jet-setters everywhere.  Click on the image to read about Pets Unstressing Passengers, and check out the specifics at Los Angeles International and Miami International airports.  If you meet any of these friendly fur balls during your summer travels, say "Hi" from all of us here at The Acres!

And we leave you this month with a bit of frivolity for summer.  But it's in keeping with what's important to us here at the Acres.  In this case, we've found a great puppy product that also does good things for the environment... by reducing waste in a seemingly completely unrelated industry.  Click the image at left, and be amazed as we were by what they're doing at Astral, and how your pooch will benefit.  The Astrobed is our new favorite product.  See you next month!

It's hard to believe May is already here!  We're looking forward to Cinco de Mayo, and of course we have big plans to shower our mothers with love this Mother's Day (May 12th).  We also just learned about World Fair Trade Day, on May 11th this year, and plan to take advantage of Fair Trade USA's awesome website for responsible, sustainable gift ideas - including these fair trade flowers!  May is also National Military Appreciation Month, crowned by Memorial Day on the 27th, and we've included a great piece in honor of our service members later in this post.  Finally, May is the national Awareness Month for Skin Cancer, Brain Tumors, and Mental Health, as well as National Bike Month, featuring Bike-To-Work Week (May 13-17) and Bike-To-Work Day.  With such a national focus on health, we couldn't help but follow suit and start this month's post with several interesting and important articles that will help you keep your favorite canine healthy and happy.  Enjoy!

First things first.  If you're an avid animal lover as we are here at Aussie Doodle Acres, you know the importance of spaying and neutering your dog (or cat) to prevent overpopulation and reduce the likelihood and frequency of euthanasia in shelters.  What you may not know is how the medical procedure of sterilization otherwise affects your pet's health.  A recently published research study spanning 20 years and over 40,000 dogs has concluded that canines that are spayed or neutered live longer, on average, by about 1.5 years.  With longer life, however, these animals also experience a change in the liklihood of contracting certain diseases, including cancer.  Click the image at left to read the full Science Daily article, and learn about this interesting and unfortunate trade-off that occurs in sterilized pets.

It has become common knowledge in recent years that America has a problem with its weight.  The widespread awareness of this was bolstered in part through the success of films like Fast Food Nation and Supersize Me, as well as the popular television series, The Biggest Loser.  Obesity has become increasingly common, with more than a third of the United States adult population now categorized as obese or overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  But American adults aren't the only ones tipping the scales in frightening numbers.  With an increase of more than ten percent over the last 30 years, obesity has been passed down to greater numbers of America's children, too.  And yes, even our pets are not left out of this tragic trend.  According to the results of the 2012 National Pet Obesity Survey, more than half of all dogs and cats in the United States are now obese or overweight.  There seems to be a new bit of good news on the pet obesity front, though, recently published in the Journal of Animal Science.  University of Illinois professor Kelly Swanson and his colleagues have been studying how food and environmental factors have affected animals at the genetic level since they became domesticated, and how this has resulted in an overall shift in pet weight.  Read the Science Daily article on their findings and on nutrigenomics, the relatively new field that may hold the keys to eventually preventing pet obesity at its source... or so we hope.

As promised, in honor of all the armed service members who are the reason May is National Military Appreciation Month, and all the fallen heroes that make Memorial Day a sad necessity, we bring you one of our favorite kinds of stories.  People helping people, by helping their animals.  The Department of Defense (DoD) may be ultimately responsible for these service members' deployment orders, but it's the new DoD - Dogs On Deployment - that is helping ensure that deployed service members' pets are well cared for in their temporary absence.  Click the image to read the Dogster.com article about this incredible organization and to see pictures of animals currently in need of boarding.  And check out the DoD website to learn even more, including how you can volunteer, create your own account, or become a supporting business.  

The day after the Boston Marathon bombings, Kathy Palmer opened her pet boutique to the masses, human and canine alike.  The people of Boston who entered The Fish and Bone that day shared stories and disbelief and tears, while Kathy shared her safe space and free-flowing dog treats.  Inspired by the strength of her city's inhabitants, Kathy worked with her fellow business owners to produce the powerful garment you see modeled on the pooch in the image at right.  Click on the image to read the full article, including Kathy's connection to One Fund Boston, which has raised nearly twenty-eight million dollars for those directly affected by the bombings.  Maybe humanity hasn't gone to the dogs quite yet.  Not in a bad way, at least.  See you next month!

How happy are we that Spring is here again!  Granted, we may not be looking forward to getting pranked on April Fool's, and April 15 is only fun if you're expecting a refund.  But for the most part, Spring is an exciting time in the northern hemisphere.  (Spring is great where our dogs come from too, but right now it's winter there.)  The return of the sun and with it fields of fragrant flowers...  the scent of love in each passing breeze...  certainly the animals sense this, and we humans (animals as well!) feel it too.  The coming month brings us a host of important days...  Earth Day (April 22), Arbor Day (April 26 this year)...  and World Health Day, which inspired several of the articles chosen for this month's post.  As we leave behind the month of March, which saw the Supreme Court in the headlines as they heard oral arguments centered around the debate over marriage equality and the constitutionality of DOMA, we segue into this month's post with a different Supreme Court decision related to another infamous day in April...  and from there we ease you into each subsequent article with a similar, can-you-find-the-common-theme transition...  see if you can spot them all, and enjoy!

On an annually historic election day Tuesday just last year, successful voter initiatives in Colorado and Washington resulted in the decriminalization of marijuana for recreational use in those states.  And on a recent Tuesday this March, the highest court in the land cast their vote on a loosely related issue, in the shadow of the historic and far more highly publicized oral arguments surrounding marriage equality and DOMA.  The opinion in Florida v. Jardines passed down on March 26 by the Supreme Court involved marijuana cultivation, and limits the use of drug-sniffing dogs in certain circumstances related to citizens' protections under the Fourth Amendment.  It just goes to show, even with their incredible talents, service dogs' reins aren't outside SCOTUS's jurisdictional pull.  Click the image to read the full article, and find out which five Justices, including several seemingly unlikely candidates, came down in favor of restricting these K-9 super sniffers and their law enforcement handlers.

Wouldn't you know it.  Just as the highest court in the land rules that the amazing sniffing talents of our four-legged friends have to be restricted, scientists discover the key to improving dogs' ability to smell.  With a one million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, researchers from Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and Auburn University found a diet that helps support optimum olfactory performance in dogs.  (Would you believe it calls for more fat?!)  As if that weren't enough good news, through a refined testing method the researchers also gathered strong evidence that the overall accuracy of trained sniffing dogs is significantly higher than previously thought.  Click the image for all the details about this remarkable breakthrough that will improve the life-saving performance of bomb sniffing-dogs, even if their drug-sniffing counterparts aren't always allowed to show off their newly heightened talents since the recent Supreme Court opinion.

If you know WHO (...get it? Need another Clue?) originally made this day internationally recognized, then you must know that April 7 is World Health Day.  True, this day is generally associated with people.  But at Aussie Doodle Acres we're constantly interacting with and monitoring the health of our dogs, so we couldn't help relating this day to them.  In 2013, the theme of World Health Day will be hypertension, a chronic medical condition that affects the four-pawed just as it does their owners.  And while a diet higher in fat may improve a trained bomb- or drug-sniffing dog's track record, chances are it won't be so good for your canine buddy if she suffers from a chronic health problem such as hypertension.  Luckily, the helpful health-conscious folks at Modern Dog magazine pulled together all the details you'll need this April 7 to insure that your furry friend is on track to a long, happy life.  Click the image for tips to manage everything from allergies to arthritis to diabetes...  Happy World Health Day!  

Making sure your pooch is eating a well-balanced diet, and one specific to his particular needs or her unique health issues, will certainly help insure you get to spend many more happy years together.  But there are obviously other factors contributing to, or threatening, your best friend's health.  If you ever drive your dog to the park, to the vet, to the groomer, to a play date, then you'll definitely want to read this article from MSN.  In response to the apparent lack of effective car safety harnesses for pets, and no crash test data related specifically to animals, Lindsey Wolko founded the non-profit Center for Pet Safety.  With a goal of standardizing animal safety equipment across the board, the Center is certainly an organization we at the Acres will be following closely.  Click the image, and read about Lindsey's goals, the related fight encapsulated in the legislative bill sponsored by Grace Spencer, and which major auto company has signed on to help this worthy cause.  

Watching out for the safety of our favorite four-legged friends is something we do almost without thinking, as pet owners.  But less obvious, perhaps, is how instinctively animals watch out for our safety.  At Aussie Doodle Acres, our focus is on a special class of dogs for whom service is a way of life, dogs who act as therapists to their human counterparts... working dogs who keep our soldiers and law enforcement safe, giving selflessly in ways that go beyond the rigorous playtime most of us expect of the beasts that sleep at our feet each night.  It's easy to forget that, without thinking, even your dog or ours will surprise us just by following its instincts, its best inner nature.  Such was the case with Mole, hamming it up for the camera here, who saved the life of a human stranger purely on instinct.  Click on the image to read the amazing story, and see how this beautiful animal who saved a human life was honored by one of the most important human organizations saving the lives of beautiful animals.

Her name is Lily.  Lily is thirteen years old.  Lily is a gorgeous 13-year-old terrier, and Lily is a therapy dog.  In addition to sharing a name with one of our founding canine matrons, Lily is the epitome of what we strive for in every one of our Australian labradoodles here at the Acres.  Even at the near-elderly age of 13, and somewhat physically limited now, Lily continues to do everything she can to put smiles on the faces of humans young and old... and she doesn't disappoint.  Click on the image to read about Lily, her owner Marcia Solomon, and which Hall of Fame Lily was recently inducted into because of her incredible and ceaseless courage, talent, and selflessness.  Lily is a prime example of why we started Aussie Doodle Acres, and we hope she brings you the same inspiration in your own endeavors.

Service dogs are still dogs.  They love to run and jump and play.  They love to lick our faces and bark at birds.  They eat and sleep, and some of them, like the military service dog assigned to Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, protect.  They save lives, or do their best to.

In the land down under where our breed originates, ANZAC Day memorializes the Australian and New Zealand service members who fought at Galipoli during World War I.  While there may not have been any service dogs in the ranks of ANZAC back then, there certainly are now - just as there are among our own military forces stationed around the globe.
 
In the case of Tumilson, a life was lost.  And Hawkeye, Tumilson's faithful canine protector, mourned his loss alongside the rest of Tumilson's human family.  In fact, Hawkeye refused to leave Jon's side, even in death, and this incredible example of animal compassion gained the labrador more than fame, more than notoriety.  The story of Hawkeye and Tumilson inspired the popular TV show NCIS to devote an episode to service members and their service dogs everywhere - the undeniably important work they do to keep us all safe, and the unbelievable bond they form that never, ever breaks.  Thanks to NCIS for shining a spotlight on these heroes.  Read about it with a click of the heart-melting image at left, and give thanks as we do to the service men, women, and dogs who give everything they have every day of their lives to keep all of us here at home safe and sound.  

The story of Jon Tumilson and Hawkeye clearly demonstrates the close bond that can, and almost always does, arise between man (or woman) and man's (or woman's) best friend.  You as dog owners, and we here at the Acres as dog owners and breeders and trainers, know this all too well from personal experience.  We sometimes feel like the connection we establish with our dogs is so strong and uncanny that they really understand us, really know us - and vice versa.  

Well, forgive the reference to our earlier article in this post, but buckle your seatbelts.  The brilliant scientists at Dognition have developed a fine-tuned system to not only pinpoint your dog's individual strengths, but to help you understand your pup better, interact more effectively, and bring even more joy and fulfillment to both you and your furry friend every day.  You can read what the Huffington Post has to say about Dognition, and click on the screenshot at right to visit the website and read about the science for yourself.  We wish you and your beast the best, always.  See you next month!

spring  /sprɪŋ/  noun  1. The season marking the end of winter in the northern hemisphere, associated with rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection, and regrowth.

The first day of spring is just around the corner once again, along with the verdant St. Patrick's Day, the flora and fauna of Easter, and The Acres' anniversary!  Nearly two years ago, Aussie Doodle Acres was formed with the goal of bringing one of the world's newest, most intelligent and remarkable canine breeds to the forefront of the service and therapy movement.  As we look forward and start our third year on the heels of three successful litters of beautiful beasts, we reinvigorate our focus on training these already talented dogs, and reconnect to the thing that got us started in the first place - our passionate commitment to helping others, and our fascination with how animals can facilitate that goal in so many incredible ways.

For those looking forward to March simply for sporting reasons, check out how your canine buddy can help you show your NCAA pride in the midst of the Madness; or see the awesome story (and video!) of one minor league baseball team's newly adopted mascot before the start of spring training.  

But the real focus this month is on helping those in need and honoring those deserving, both human and animal alike.  We hope you enjoy, and find something helpful along the way.  

At The Acres, therapy dogs are in our wheelhouse.  Raising and training animals to improve the lives of humans with specific needs is what we do, so we're always on the lookout for new ways our animals can help.  It seems the home of our lovely Australian labradoodle breed is also the origin of new research into the positive effects of animals on autistic children.  Childhood can be difficult enough without added challenges.  For those with autism spectrum disorders, however, socializing with others is often a daunting prospect.  But scientists at the University of Queensland have observed that introducing an animal into the mix may be just what the doctor ordered.  Click on the photo to read about their encouraging findings.

The month of March was originally named after the ancient god of war, Mars. As breeders of service animals, we know all too well that dogs are no strangers to war.  Looking ahead to the imminent end of our country's involvement in Afghanistan, we're happy to see that humans aren't the only ones being retired from that war.  Slick, pictured at right, served two tours in Afghanistan, totaling one year, and has now retired from military service having saved the lives of countless human companions with his keen bomb sniffing snout.  But at just 5 years old, Slick isn't ready to end his service career just yet.  Follow the link in Slick's photo to read the full article and watch the video of the training he's receiving for his next assignment.

A large part of making sure our service animals are prepared to do their best work is giving them every advantage possible.  We feed them food made from the purest, healthiest ingredients that match their ancestral dietary needs... we make sure they get plenty of exercise and time to socialize with humans and other dogs alike. This month, we thought we'd share a few ways you can give back to your pet to say thanks, and to ensure your best friend will be around as long as you are.  Try this!

We all know we should do it, but how many of us really do?  Not nearly enough, it seems.  Maybe we think it's too difficult.  Maybe we don't think it's that important.  Whatever the reason, we're wrong.  And maybe after reading this informative article and the infographic below, you'll add Fido's teeth to your morning routine.  

In the aftermath of the national economic meltdown, and battling our way to come back through the slow recovery, the reality of how close each of us may be to the possibility of unemployment, wage reduction, and even outright poverty, has hit close to home.  Or it has hit home, and sent us reeling.  But of those hit hardest, those left with the least to work with in tough times, the pet owners have yet another challenge... how to keep their furry best friends around when they have barely or not enough to feed themselves.  For humans, one option is the federally funded food stamps program.  But until recently, struggling families were most often forced to abandon their pets as an additional expense, leaving them to wander free as strays or committing them to almost certain death in overcrowded shelters.  Enter Mark Okon, and his brilliant Pet Food Stamps program.  Watch the video and read the Huffington Post article to celebrate with us the innovative and remarkable endeavor that Mark started.  Share this resource with anyone you might know who can potentially benefit from his efforts.  He inspired us, and we hope his honorable work will have the same effect on you.

As we touched on near the top of this post, and as we've blogged about before (see DogBlog Oct 2012, Apr 2012, and Jan 2012), service (or "working") dogs have become an integral part of our military establishment.  With their intelligence, keen senses and responsiveness to highly specific training, canines are able to perform a wide range of tasks that help ensure more human soldiers return home safely each year.  For the first time since service dogs were introduced into the ranks over 70 years ago, our nation has seen fit to establish a national monument to these courageous members of our armed forces.  This coming October, the U.S. Military Working Dogs Monument will come to rest at its permanent home at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.  Until then, it is touring the country as a reminder and testament, honoring the four-legged protectors of our two-legged brethren in uniform.  Click on the image to read the full article, view the slideshow of images celebrating these amazing animals and their handlers, and see a video of one dog who lost a leg so his best (human) friends wouldn't have to.

We leave you this month with an invitation.  Well, actually, we're sharing an invitation extended by the Humane Society of the United States, to their annual Genesis Awards.  These awards honor those in the media and public spotlight who help to raise awareness of important animal-related issues each year.  From those in the news media to silver screen celebrities, the Genesis Awards keep tabs all year and pay homage each spring to these heroes.  This year's gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on March 23.  Get your tickets now before they sell out, and help support those who support such a great cause all year long.  See you next month!

It's the end of January - we made it through the first month of 2013 and we're halfway through winter.  In a few days, we'll put our trust in a burrowing, hibernating rodent to tell us how much longer the winter will really last.  But in the meantime, like it or not, it's still cold and wet outside here in the northern hemisphere, and we at The Acres are still tethered to our comfort foods and grateful for our pack of warm, furry labradoodles.  Speaking of food, we love it!  And with February about to begin, we decided what better themes for our blog this month than food and love.  Happy Valentine's Day (a little early) from all of us here in dog land.  We bring you a post replete with things we adore, including food, philanthropy, and tips to make anyone a better dog owner.  Be sure to explore the links (in green), as we've hidden some unexpected additional content this month.  Like what's hidden in this Super Bowl link (since that's also in a few days).  And remember, if the object of your affection is looking for the perfect canine companion, one of our beautiful Australian labradoodles might make the perfect gift!  (Though you should tell him or her first!)  You can Contact Us any time to schedule your matchmaking meeting at Aussie Doodle Acres.  Enjoy the blog!

We love the ASPCA, for obvious reasons, not the least of which is their dedication to keeping our animals safe.  Everyone who owns an animal should have the two simple items in the ASPCA Pet Safety Pack, which the organization provides free of charge.  One of the items is increasingly important as our planet continues to be besieged by natural disasters in greater numbers and of greater magnitude each year.  The other item is a necessity in instances of animal poisoning...  an important topic that we thought should be added to our segment on food.  We hope each of our readers will take a moment to review the following resources, as a refresher course or first introduction to what foods and flora can be poisonous, even deadly, to our pets.

Here at The Acres, we are blessed to raise some of the smartest, most affectionate dogs we've encountered.  We do it for our love of the dogs, obviously, but equally for our love of service.  We raise therapy dogs, and dogs who will go on to lives of service, and companion dogs... and every one improves the lives of all who cross his or her path.  We watch this happen every day, and it makes us proud.  

Similarly, we hold a wondrous gratitude and great appreciation toward organizations and projects that seek to achieve similar goals, seek to pair animals and humans in innovative ways to the maximum benefit of all involved.  Time and time again, the Humane Society proves its dedication to these honorable objectives, and this month we share with you two of their current partnerships that we would urge you to consider joining in:  one that allows you to help give back directly to animals in need, and another that pays you and helps animals at the same time.  We love that!  Check out both programs below, and show your commitment to service this year.

Humane Society & GivingSomething.com
Give gifts to dogs rescued from the cruel world of dog fighting

Humane Society & Rover.com
Get $50 towards a Rover.com dog sitter, and part of your purchases goes to animals in need

We leave you this month with two of our most favorite things, our greatest loves!  Animals helping animals, and a great, heartwarming story.  When we stumbled across this article, it brought so much joy to us for so many reasons:  our concern for endangered species and the environment in general, our knowledge of the incredible nature of dogs and all they can do, and finding out each day that they are somehow more amazing than we knew.  We hope you love this story as much as we do.  Click on the image for the Huff Post article, and learn more about the amazing Maremma dogs (pictured) that star in this wonderful story.  See you next month!

That's right, 2012 is all wrapped up and behind us, and it's time to buckle our seat belts and cruise into 2013!  Can you believe it?!  Here at The Acres, we're looking forward to the new year, and to sharing new dogs and new blogs with all of you.  True, it's still December... but in a few days we enter the month of January, which in addition to being the start of the new year, will bring us Inauguration Day (four more years!) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  (Interestingly, we'll celebrate these two momentous occasions on the same day this year, which seems fitting since this particular inauguration wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of Dr. King.)  We'll all be making our New Year's resolutions (see button below for one great option!), and celebrating National Thank You Month, which for us means thanking all of you for supporting us in our first three years.  (Check out some of our favorite blog posts from 2011 and 2012.)  And given that our breed of choice is the Australian labradoodle, we may just celebrate Australia Day on January 26th!  For now, though, we've got lots to share with you to round out 2012 and start 2013 on the right paw....  Enjoy!!

Even though January is generally the warmest month and the beginning of summer in Australia where our brilliant breed originated, here in the northern hemisphere it is usually the coldest month of the year.  Winter brings new challenges for pet owners and their four-legged friends, so we wanted to bring you a few helpful articles with tips for winter pet safety, grooming, and travel.