There is a world of weird hiding inside your Maltese—or any other dog for that matter. In recent years, scientists have uncovered the strange things that dogs use.

Besides having special muscles to manipulate people, they tap into the planet’s magnetic field to poop. Then there are the dogs that track killer whales, shoot hunters, and return from extinction as the most primitive canines on Earth.

10 The Dog That Shot A Hunter

In 2019, ex-LSU player Matt Branch and his friends went duck hunting. They took along a Labrador named Tito. The former lineman for Louisiana State University left a loaded shotgun in the back of his pickup. The safety was on, rendering the firearm safe.

The group moved a few yards away to prepare for the start of their hunting trip near Eagle Lake in Mississippi. Tito the dog decided to jump onto the bed of the truck. In doing so, he managed to step on the 12-gauge shotgun’s safety and pull the trigger.^[1]

The blast went through the side of the truck and hit the 29-year-old Branch in the left thigh. He underwent several surgeries, but the damage was too severe. Doctors eventually had to amputate his leg.

9 The Oil Rig Rescue

In 2019, oil rig workers were stunned to find a dog in the water. Their workspace, a Chevron oil rig, was 220 kilometers (135 mi) from the coast of Thailand. The lost creature managed to paddle toward the rig where it desperately clung to the bottom. The crew fashioned a loop and fished for 15 minutes before they got it around the animal’s neck and hauled him to safety.

Some spoiling was in order. The dog was dried, fed water and meat, and given a flower garland to wear. The crew also gave him a kennel and the name “Boonrod.” In Thailand, the term is used for survivors with good karma.

Once Boonrod returned to land, veterinarians declared that he was in good health and homed him with an animal rescue group. One of the oil rig workers, Vitisak Payalaw, said that he would adopt Boonrod if nobody offered him a permanent home. It remains unclear how the dog ended up miles from land, but he probably fell off a fishing vessel.^[2]

8 Dog Owners With Broken Hearts

In 2016, Joanie Simpson from Texas went through a rough patch. The 62-year-old’s son faced surgery, her daughter’s husband had lost his job, and a property deal was turning hairy. Worst of all, her beloved Yorkshire terrier had congestive heart failure. Joanie doted on the Yorkie, but her pet’s health failed so much that a euthanasia date was arranged.

When the day arrived, Meha the dog seemed fine and Joanie canceled the appointment. The Yorkie died naturally the next day but in a terrible manner witnessed by her owner.

One morning, Joanie woke with all the symptoms of a heart attack. She was airlifted to a hospital in Houston where emergency personnel were preparing for her arrival. However, it turned out that Joanie never had a heart attack. Instead, she experienced a real medical condition called “broken heart syndrome.”

The sometimes-fatal condition mimics heart attacks and can be triggered by emotions like grieving. Since dog owners often mourn their pets intensely, it should come as no surprise that Joanie’s was not the first recorded case where somebody developed the dangerous condition after a dog’s death.^[3]

7 Loving Dogs Could Be Genetic

In 2019, researchers wondered if a fondness for dogs was genetic. Sweden was the perfect place to find out. The country holds the largest twin registry and requires all dogs to be registered with the Swedish Board of Agriculture. Twin studies allow scientists to compare genetic, behavioral, and environmental data among people who share 50–100 percent of their DNA.

The 2019 study was thorough, combing through the data of 85,542 adult twins. Next, the team riffled through 15 years’ worth of dog ownership records. Only 8,503 people owned a canine pet. Remarkably, computer models found that genetics and environmental factors could equally predict those more likely to adopt a pooch.^[4]

While the exact genes remain unidentified, the dog-loving DNA patterns were slightly higher in women. The study added an interesting layer to previous research into the health benefits of dog ownership. It suggested that health perks such as better fitness and mood could be partially explained by genetics.

6 Robotic Mail Dogs

Boston Dynamics is a Google-owned firm that specializes in technology. One of their fields is robotics. In recent years, the company revealed plans to use robot dogs to deliver packages to clients. Unimaginatively called “Spot,” one machine indeed resembled a dog. It walked on four legs, traveled upstairs, and was nimble enough to resist a shove.

The company was unclear about combating the theft or abuse of the metallic mutt once it meandered off to deliver somebody’s mail. Spot had a smaller sibling named “SpotMini” which looked like a dog-giraffe hybrid. This smart creature mapped the world around it, which allowed SpotMini to skirt around obstacles.

Boston Dynamics also tested the two canines as workers at factory production lines. In retrospect, this might be a safer option for the robots.^[5]

5 A Surprising Neolithic Dog

In 1901, researchers investigated a Neolithic tomb. The burial was located in Scotland’s Orkney Islands at Cuween Hill. Around 24 dog skulls were discovered inside. A later study found that the animals were interred around 4,500 years ago when the tomb was already 500 years old.

As unusual as that seemed, the real surprise came in 2019 when one skull was reconstructed. Scientists wanted to know what Scotland’s dogs looked like during the Neolithic period. After a 3-D scan measured the skull’s particulars, the details were used to craft a “real” head using forensic techniques.^[6]

The result was a wolflike creature. As the dog was domesticated, its resemblance to the European gray wolf was unexpected. The animal, which was about the size of a collie, also lacked the high forehead of modern dogs. Besides providing a curious glimpse at ancient Scottish dogs, the skull also showed their importance in ritual burials.

4 Rarest Dog Rediscovered

For decades, nobody saw the New Guinea highland wild dog. General opinion declared the canines extinct. Nevertheless, two unhelpful photographs taken in 2005 and 2012, respectively, suggested that the dogs might still be alive.

Then, in 2016, a doglike footprint surfaced in the New Guinea highlands. Trail cameras were rigged all over the place, and within two days, the devices took 140 images of at least 15 different wild dogs.

Even better, the researchers encountered the animals face-to-face. Males, females, and playful pups proved that there was a viable population. Most had golden coats, upright ears, and tails curling toward their backs.

The DNA samples returned interesting snippets. The wild dogs are officially the world’s most primitive and ancient canids in existence, having lived on the island for around 6,000 years. They are also related to the Australian dingo and the New Guinea singing dog. Only 300 singing dogs still exist, and they are the captive-bred version of the highland wild dog.^[7]

3 Dogs Have Manipulative Eyebrows

Fido destroys the couch. While sitting between swathes of sponge and being berated, the dog gazes up at the owner with a certain look. The raised eyebrows make the chair killer look confused, regretful, and vulnerable. It creeps underneath our best defenses.

In 2019, researchers discovered that dogs evolved to manipulate humans with their eyebrows. They mimic human emotions to trigger a nurturing response. This was not an evil plot against humanity but more likely natural selection driven by owners.

For thousands of years, people would have better cared for the dogs to which they felt connected. As a result, dogs developed special muscles around the eyes. Completely absent or underdeveloped in wolves, the muscles allow dogs to lift their eyebrows intensely to pluck at human heartstrings.^[8]

The Siberian husky is excluded from this behavior. As a close relative of the wolf, the husky’s “puppy gaze” eye muscles are also underdeveloped.

2 Professional Poop Trackers

In 1997, the Conservation Canine program was founded. Also known as CK9, it trains dogs to find the poop of wildlife. Most of the dogs are rescues with a strong ball drive. This ball obsession is the key requirement for picking new CK9 candidates. The toy serves as both a training tool and a reward.

The program offers a noninvasive way to gather information about threatened and endangered animals. Scats are unusually crammed with personal details. A single deposit can reveal the animal’s gender, stage of pregnancy, diet, and health. It can even allow scientists to recognize individuals.

Some dogs track caribou, cougars, and owls. Rarer species like the giant armadillo, tiger, and Iberian wolf also have ball-addicted pooches after them. The most remarkable tracking feat involves orcas off the shores of Canada. While standing on the deck of a research boat, CK9 dogs have located the floating (but quick to sink) scats of orcas on multiple occasions.^[9]

1 Dogs Use Earth’s Magnetic Field

It is a well-established fact that birds migrate by using the planet’s magnetic field. In a study that concluded in 2014, researchers announced that dogs also tap into this field. However, what they use it for is weird.

The study ran for two years, observed 70 dogs from 37 breeds, and recorded their bathroom habits. In an attempt to find a link between canine relief and the Earth’s magnetic field, the team watched 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations.^[10]

Bizarrely, the dogs preferred their business to be done along a north-south axis. This was most obvious when the Earth’s magnetic “weather” was calm. The strangest find was that the dogs actively avoided squatting along the east-west axis. Despite suffering through thousands of bathroom moments, the researchers cannot explain why dogs do this.

What may be considered a delicacy in one country may cause an individual to lose their appetite in another. Such is the case with the consumption of dog meat; although completely unheard of in the United States, is surprisingly quite common in various nations throughout the world. The following ten scrutinizes this practice which waivers between disgusting and delicious while examining historical facts in addition to morbid and grotesque present-day cases certain to make one’s stomach turn.

SEE ALSO: 10 Lies About Dogs We All Believe

10 A Fracture In Faith

Like many cultures around the world, dog meat in Japan is viewed as a major taboo. Interestingly enough, that was not the case prior to the 6th century. When Buddhism arrived from Korea, the belief was instilled that meat-eaters ran the risk of consuming their reincarnated ancestors. Nevertheless, it would not be until 675 A.D., that the first official decree banning the consumption of meat—including the dog—took place under the orders of Emperor Tenmu. The practice would remain until 1868 when Emperor Meiji began a movement to end two centuries of ancient dietary interdictions.

As expected, the transition did not sit well with devout Buddhists who considered the consumption of dog—as well as all four-legged animals—a sin. Viewing the change as an existential spiritual crisis, an assembly of incensed Japanese Buddhist monks stormed the Imperial Palace on February 18, 1872, seeking the Emperor to answer for the country’s indefensible sin. In the end, their efforts would be in vain with half of the monks slaughtered like dogs by the swords of the Imperial Army. In spite of the continual conviction that eating meat was “destroying the soul of the Japanese people,” the Emperor’s wishes prevailed. These days, the Japanese consume as much meat as they do sushi – minus, of course, dog—which never gained its prominence as it once had 1,200 years ago.

9 On The Brink Of Extinction

The Xoloitzcuintli (Xolo for short) or ‘Mexican Hairless Dog’ is one of the world’s oldest breeds dating back over 3,000 years. In pre-Hispanic Mexico, the Mayans believed that the dogs had the power to connect one’s soul to the afterlife. Specifically, the dog would guide the departed through the unknown darkness of the underworld until reaching the gates of heaven. Thus, with such belief, the Mayans would sacrifice the Xolo and bury them in the grave of their recently departed master for the beginning of their journey to eternal life.

The Aztecs’ spiritual belief differed in that they would sacrifice Xolo puppies as an offering to the rain God or ‘Tlaloc.’ As the years passed, the sacrificial methods by the Aztecs changed. They felt it necessary that the puppies must be eaten in a ritual feast. Given the small stature of the Xolo, however, the Aztecs continuously fed the dogs in order to fatten them up as much as possible prior to the ritual; thus, the fatter the dog, the more meat and ultimately greater spiritual gain. As centuries passed and rituals persisted, the unusual breed was on the brink of extinction.

By the late 1950s, only a handful remained to catch the attention of British Military attaché in Mexico City, Norman Pelham Wright. Having become fascinated with the animal, he and several acquaintances set out in remote villages to find thriving breeding pairs to ensure their survival. The action in which they took became known as the “Xolo Expedition of 1954.” Two years later, the Xolo had become recognized in its native land and in time was designated the “Official Dog of Mexico.”

8 Russian Roulette

Although repulsive, those who truly take pleasure in eating dog run the risk of major human health concerns. Take, for example, every year 5 million dogs are eaten in Vietnam. With that said, in 2007, approximately 30 percent of deaths were attributed to the consumption of dog meat contaminated with rabies. The following year the nation reported that 20 percent of dogs in slaughterhouses in Hoai Duc were found to have the virus, yet the insatiable appetite for canines continues to thrive. While the statistics are unappetizing, the Center for Disease Control documented less than 20 people to have ever survived after contracting the fatal illness.

In the Philippines, 300 people die from rabies due to the grotesque meat each year including workers handling and slaughtering the animals. A major reason for such outbreaks is the fact that the Philippines National Meat Inspection Commission does not examine dog meat, according to the regional director himself—as if he took pride in his admission. Aside from rabies are various other infections and diseases one can contract such as salmonella, E. coli, anthrax, hepatitis, bacteria associated with Cholera and Ebola. To make matters worse, caged dogs in disease-ridden conditions are given large quantities of antibiotics leading to the rise of superbugs. This—according to the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance—has created an enormous threat to global human health in that drug-resistant infections have the potential to kill 10 million people a year by 2050.

7 Chaos In The Streets

Sadly, the world has bear witness to the once rich and promising country of Venezuela collapse under political and economic turmoil. With the nation spiraling deeper into mayhem, the powerless citizens desperate to overthrow socialist President Maduro are subjected to mounting crime and violent riots. Meanwhile, there is the unremitting shortage of medicine, toiletries, and food, basic essentials necessary to survive.

The situation had become so dire that by 2016 the average Venezuelan had unintentionally lost an average of 19 pounds in the twelve-month span. By 2017, an estimated 15 percent of citizens – including young children—had taken to industrial garbage dumps and trash cans seeking any remnant of food waste. That same year, zoo animals began to disappear, evidently stolen and butchered by the starving local residents desperate to stay alive. According to zookeepers, the most desired targets were tapirs, peccaries, and buffalo. The extreme measures to supplement starvation due to the chronic food shortage have not only been witnessed in zoos but on public streets in broad daylight, as well.

These days, it has become increasingly common for citizens to chase pigeons in city plazas in addition to hunting dogs unfortunate enough to be captured roaming the streets. The tremendous actions to avoid famine have even caused locals to disregard the threat of an arrest by police. In one instance, photos published in newspapers throughout the country showmen butchering a dog on the street of Caracas. Following the canines brutal and excruciating dismemberment, the dog meat was divided and prepared for that day’s sole meal. To date, chaos continues to riddle the nation as the canine population continues to dwindle down.

6 A City Divided

In spite of international criticism compounded by the growing number of enraged local activists, every year in southern China more than 10,000 dogs are slaughtered in what is known as the annual dog meat festival. The grotesque 10-day event that “celebrates” the summer solstice stands as the epitome of torture where dogs, many of which are stolen pets, are crammed into tiny cages in the market square prior to their unbearable demise.

Those that are not already cooked and hanged on display are snared around the neck with metal hooks and then either bludgeoned, boiled or stabbed in the neck or groin in order to “bleed out.” More often than not this inhumane form of butchery occurs in public viewing for all to see including other dogs awaiting their dreadful fate. In fact, those – either companions or strays—that witness multiple deaths ahead of their own are privy to the torture causing panic to spread among the countless caged.

Nonetheless, residents of the southern city of Yulin wholeheartedly defend the celebratory practice of buying, selling and eating man’s best friend. Dog lovers, on the other hand, arrive every year to confront those joyfully partaking in the festivities with pleas of mercy or exasperated reprimands. Meanwhile, animal rights activists have at times gone a step further by either intercepting truckloads of canines or raiding slaughterhouses in an effort to limit the number killed. Through the years, the number of activists declines due to police intervention whose sole efforts are mere to “maintain stability” throughout the tense and divided city.

5 Vagueness

Given what we have seen in terms of the brutality in which these animals have suffered in their last moments, one must question the legality behind it all. Due to activists constantly crying foul, their voices were finally heard in South Korea leading to the nation adopting its first Animal Protection Act in May 1991. This law was subsequently revised in 2007 given the vagueness of the original, though the current amended law still lacks clarity with language that is indeterminate. One must note that the main controversy surrounding the killing of dogs has been centered not on the consumption of the meat, but the methods commonly used such as strangulation, electrocution, bludgeoning, stabbing, boiling, etc. With that said, the act does not explicitly create an absolute ban on the slaughter of dogs for food; however, it does declare that the animals must not be killed “in a cruel way such as hanging.”

In addition, the bill forbids the killing of dogs in open areas “such as on the street or in front of other animals of the same kind.” Furthermore, the bill states that a dog must not be killed “without rationale cause” but in no way offers a clearer insight leaving many to be their own judge on the matter. Consequently, the glaring hole in the APA leaves one in the dark allowing a meat vendor to interpret the law as they see fit casting uncertainty on the effectiveness of the act. It seems as if there has been no drop in the slaughter of the animals and behind closed doors, one can only imagine if people will truly adhere to the bill, in a sense rendering the Act useless.

4 To Hell and Back

We’ve seen the lengths to which people will go in order to survive and for early explorers, their journey would be to hell and back. Embarking on the boundaries of the Antarctic in the early 20th century, those who dared to make the expedition was faced with frostbite, malnutrition, scurvy and indubitably a shortage of food. This resulted in scores of sled dogs being used as a source of nutrition as opposed to being utilized for transportation. Sir Douglas Mawson—who mounted a three-man Australasian Antarctic Expedition, Aurora, from 1911 to 1913 – wrote; “In an enterprise where human life is always at stake, it is only fair to put forward the consideration that the dogs represent a reserve of food in cases of extreme emergency.”

Just 320 miles into their journey, the majority of the food was lost after one of the men fell into a crevasse along with their goods. Desperate and starving, Mawson made the decision to kill the huskies unknowing what would befall him. As we have previously seen, there is a great risk that comes with dog meat in terms of disease one can contract. For Mawson and his fellow explorer, Xavier Mertz, the two fell victim to vitamin A poisoning from eating dog liver. What followed was fissuring of the skin, wasting, and dementia, ultimately claiming Mertz’s life. Miraculously, Mawson managed to continue his journey eventually making it to his base alone, nearly 100 miles away. What resulted from his death-defying exploration “contributed more geographical knowledge of Antarctica than any other explorer of the Heroic Age.”

3 Medicinal And Culinary Lard

Dating back more than 2,000 years, animals have been used for human medicinal purposes. In spite of how irrational these ‘remedies’ maybe (goat hooves for baldness, ground horse for epilepsy) some have stood the test of time especially in various parts of Southern Europe. Of the most prominent integration of domestic animals are dogs and interestingly enough, continue to be slaughtered for bizarre concoctions in rural regions of Poland.

In 2009, police arrested a woman at her farm in Czestochowa, Poland after it was discovered that she had been selling jars of dog lard as a health supplement. Further investigation of the premises uncovered 28 well-fed dogs, ranging from puppies to St. Bernards, chained in cages awaiting their death. The unidentified woman had been intentionally fattening up the dogs to such an extent that some “were overfed to the point of no longer being able to walk.” Upon her arrest, the woman stressed the health benefits of the lard stating that she even added a spoonful to her daughter’s meals.

A similar case occurred in Wieliczka where a man was detained for stealing and slaughtering local dogs to make smalec, a Polish lard delicacy. It came to light following his arrest that the 70-year-old man had been kidnapping pets for the past 50 years. Once captured, he would butcher the animal and then render down the fat before selling it to his neighbors, many of whom had their pet mysteriously disappear. In the end, the Krakow District Court found the man not guilty despite his admission given that the dogs were “slaughtered in a humanitarian way for culinary purposes.”

2 Karma

Whether it is karma or merely a case of bad luck, a dog meat vendor in China got a taste of his own medicine (or toxin) in June of 2013. While demonstrating to his meat-selling crew how to use a crossbow in order to kill dogs, the reckless vendor accidentally fired a toxic dart into his own leg. The poison proved to be quite potent and effective given that he expired on his way to the hospital. Following the fatal mishap, the remaining members of the gang – who were responsible for killing and butchering more than 1,000 dogs – were arrested subsequent to the demise of their uncoordinated and departed leader.

The downfall of yet another crossbow-wielding chap occurred in the Jiangsu province of China in 2018. Unlike the previous rascal, his fate was not due to clumsiness but an irate dog owner thirsty for revenge. Upon discovering his pet lying in the street crying and paralyzed, the owner observed the heartless canine killer fleeing the scene on a scooter. Within a blink of an eye, the furious man gave chase in his vehicle before catching up and crashing the ruthless thug through a brick wall, instantly turning him into roadkill. The man was later arrested and charged with manslaughter.

1 Unhinged and Hungry

A farmer in South Korea apparently had enough of the incessant barking from his neighbor’s dog that he decided to take matters into his own hands. Armed with a rock, the 62-year-old did what any annoyed senior would do – he bashed the Welsh corgi’s head in. In order to ensure the peaceful silence, the unnamed man proceeded to strangle the dog before turning the animal into a tasteful dinner. Once cooked to perfection, he invited the dog-owning family – who had been frantically searching for their beloved pet – to join him for the meal. Once the cuisine filled their unsuspecting bellies, the unhinged farmer-chef confessed to the ingredients. As one could imagine, the family was quite offended and alerted authorities.

As disturbing as that may be, it pales in comparison to our next mischievous prince. While “on a bad trip” after smoking the synthetic drug “spice”, Michael Daniel of Texas, assaulted his housemates before crawling on his hands and knees, growling and chasing a concerned neighbor back into his home. Becoming breathless from all the physical activity, Daniel, 22, reached for the closest snack – his housemate’s medium-size spaniel mix. The crazed roommate then proceeded to beat and strangle the dog before chewing “hunks of flesh” from the defenseless pet. By the time officers arrived, they found Daniel sitting on the porch with “blood and fur around his mouth” along with the lifeless body of the dog lying in his lap. As expected, Daniel was promptly arrested and charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animal.

It’s an indisputable fact that some of the best people in the world are dogs. Dogs are great. No citation is needed. They make wonderful companions, they’re fun and also helpful since they can be trained to do everything from fetching a stick to identifying drugs and alerting you to seizures. Good dog! Who’s a good dog?!?

As wonderful as dogs are, they can also be absolutely amazing and defy belief. Sometimes a dog can seem close to otherworldly, especially in terms of what some of them have survived. 

10. Three Dogs Survived the Titanic

We don’t actually have an accurate number for how many people died on the Titanic, but it was over 1,500. Only 705 survived. Less well-known is that there were also dogs on the Titanic, and three of them survived as well.  

Twelve dogs were on the Titanic and that makes sense since this was a luxury cruise for wealthy people. Of course, many of them brought their dogs. Two Pomeranians and a Pekingese survived because they were small enough that their owners could carry them onto the lifeboats as the Titanic sank. 

There is some evidence that those who spotted the dogs were less than amused by their presence. Rescuers on the Carpathia saw that Elizabeth Barrett Rothschild had a Pomeranian and refused to bring it on board until she said if the dog wasn’t going to be rescued then neither was she. 

There’s also a story about a woman named Ann Isham who had brought a large dog onto the vessel and refused to leave without it. The dog, which may have been a Great Dane or St. Bernard, would have been far too large for a lifeboat. Isham stayed on the Titanic. 

9. Two Sled Dogs Were Abandoned for 11 Months in the Antarctic and Survived

Of all the terrible places in the world to take a dog, the Antarctic has to be near the top of the list. But, as the movie The Thing taught us, sled dogs are useful there and they can handle the weather better than humans. 

In 1957, a Japanese team went on an expedition to the foreboding continent and took a team of dogs with them. The movie 8 Below is based on what happened. The situation went bad, and the team had to be airlifted out, but the team of 15 dogs could not be taken. They were left there, chained up, with just enough food for a few days. It was believed someone would be back in a couple of days to rescue them.

As you might guess, things turned out badly for most of the dogs. Seven died on the chain and more vanished. But 11 months later, when the expedition finally returned, they found two dogs named Taro and Jiro had survived by themselves. 

We’ll never know exactly how those dogs survived for nearly a year, but they probably struggled a lot and learned how to hunt penguins. 

8. A Dog Took on Five Pirates and Survived

Pirates aren’t something you hear about a lot anymore, but they do still exist. In 2013, property developer Peter Lee and his wife were sailing off the coast of Venezuela when pirates attacked. Five men, four armed with guns, boarded the vessel to take it over. Lee was tied up while the raiders stole cash, equipment, and jewelry.

Peter and his wife were not alone on board, however. They also had a dog named Kankuntu with them. The Lees had been sailing around the world on their yacht and had picked up the dog in Africa when they started their trip. 

Kankuntu was not a fan of pirates. Despite being a mid-sized animal of 50 lbs, he attacked the pirates to protect his people. The pirates shot the dog, stabbed him in the back, and left him for dead.

When the pirates left, Lee’s wife untied him and Lee removed the bullet from his dog, patched up the stab wound, and took him to a vet. He recovered within a couple of days.

7. The Romanov’s Dog Joy Survived the Family Massacre 

The Romanovs were the last royal family in Russia and most of them met a very bitter and bloody end. While Bolsheviks executed many members of the family, several of them went into exile to survive, though the Tsar and his close family were all killed. The family dog, Joy, avoided the fate of the rest of the family but also had to live in exile.

Joy was a King Charles Spaniel owned by the Tsar’s son Alexei. When the family went into exile, they were tracked and taken to a cellar where they were shot. Other dogs were killed with them but Joy escaped. 

The dog was later found by a guard who took pity on the animal and brought it home. It was later taken from Russia entirely on a trip to Britain where it was presented as a gift to the British Royal Family. Joy lived the rest of his life at Windsor Castle, pampered but exiled. 

6. Two Different Guide Dogs Survived 9/11 

September 11, 2001, was the deadliest terrorist attack in US history and nearly 3,000 people died. Some people were able to survive what happened, however, and that includes a pair of completely unrelated Guide Dogs.

Michael Hingson was at work in the World Trade Center on the 78th floor the day the planes hit. He was 18 floors below impact. Blind since birth, Hingson had to rely on his dog Roselle to help him escape. 

Roselle helped Hingson down the full 78 floors as smoke and debris and panicking humans filled the space with them. When they reached the ground, Tower Two was falling and Roselle led him away as the sound of concrete and steel crashed down. The dog took him to the subway and then another 40 blocks to a friend’s house. 

At the same time, Omar Rivera was on floor 71 with his dog Salty. Like Hingson, Rivera took his dog into the stairwell. As it flooded with people, Rivera worried it was too crowded and too much for his dog to handle. At one point he let Salty’s harness go on purpose in the hopes the dog would save itself. Salty refused to leave Rivera’s side. He led the man to the street and away to safety.

5. Two Strays in Afghanistan Saved 50 Soldiers From a Suicide Bomber and Came to the US After

Life in a war zone is not good for anyone, humans or dogs. In Afghanistan, there were casualties all over in an ugly situation but dogs made a difference sometimes in surprising ways. In February 2010, stray dogs that had made a home of a US Army base helped prevent serious casualties in a suicide bombing. 

Rufus, Sasha, and Target, three dogs living with US soldiers, stopped a suicide bomber on his way into the building. While the Americans slept, the dogs attacked and barked at a man armed with explosives, keeping him out of the building. The man set off the device outside, resulting in five injuries but no other human deaths. Sasha, unfortunately, didn’t survive. 

After the fact, a lot of effort was put into the men adopting the Rufus and Target and bringing them stateside from Afghanistan. Crowdfunding helped raise $21,000 to bring the dogs to America to reunite them with two of the soldiers who survived the failed bombing. 

Rufus found his home in Georgia and we wish there was a happy ending to the story for Target, but things took a wrong turn for him. The dog was picked up by local Animal Control and because of a mistake, Target was mistaken for a different dog and euthanized before his owner could even come looking for him.

4. Plenty of Dogs Have Thrived Around Chernobyl  

Most of us would not consider Chernobyl an ideal location to live or thrive or even visit, really. That’s just how humans think, though. Animals have no reason to know why Chernobyl might be bad and, as a result, the area is actually bustling with life. 

Among the many creatures that call the area around Chernobyl home are dogs. Lots of strays made a home there after residents had to abandon the place. Free from human involvement, they carved out a nice life for themselves. In 2018, 200 dogs from the exclusion zone were put up for adoption in America after each was monitored for things like radiation poisoning.

Because at least 250 dogs were living in the area, with more wandering in and out all the time, a worker had been hired to kill them. That worker refused to kill them, so the adoption idea was a plan B.

Of those that remain, the dogs are being studied to determine the effects of long-term radiation on their genetics as generation after generation of dogs continue to grow and survive there. 

3. A Dog Kept a Toddler Alive in Siberia for 11 Days 

You’ve probably heard stories of dogs getting out of the house, going missing, and coming back weeks or even months later. Sometimes they’re discovered on the other side of the country. Dogs can be pretty crafty survivalists when backed into a corner. The story of a dog that survived 11 days in the woods is therefore not super impressive. But how about a story about a dog that survived 11 days while also caring for a 4-year-old child?

In 2014, Karina Chikatova, who was described as either three or four at the time of her disappearance, went missing in Siberia. The girl was trying to follow her father as he traveled to another village but the man was unaware his daughter had gone after him. She eventually lost him in the wild and was stranded with just her dog. It was four days later before anyone knew she was gone because her mother thought the father had taken her and the father assumed she was at home.

A rescue team of over 100 people went looking for her and they even used helicopters and drones. At one point, the rescue had to be suspended when they ran across a bear.

After 9 days the dog returned home and people assumed the worst. But then the dog guided them back to the girl who, though she had lost weight, was actually in relatively good condition. It’s believed she survived by eating berries, drinking water from a stream, and using the dog for warmth at night. Had the dog not gone back to find help, she might never have been found.

2. The First Two Russian Dogs Sent to Space Survived

Much has been written over the years about Russia’s space program and its treatment of animals. The Russians launched dogs, mice, and monkeys into space. Many people know the story of Laika, but she’s often credited as the first dog sent into space when you really need to get more technical with what that means. Laika was the first dog sent into full orbit, but other dogs were launched before her.

Laika’s story is a tragic one, and she was sent up to space with no hope she would ever survive. But the Russians sent two strays into space before her that did survive. The female dogs were named Dezik and Tsygan and both went into sub-orbital flight and survived.

Dezik would be sent on a second flight that she did not survive but Tysgan was lucky enough to be adopted by a Soviet physicist and she managed to live a long, healthy life afterward.

1. Odin the Dog Survived a California Wildfire

Wildfires have ravaged California on an almost yearly basis for far too long. The damage caused by these fires has been in the billions, and that doesn’t even account for the loss of life, both human and animal.

In 2017, Roland Hendel and his family had to flee the fires approaching his home in Santa Rosa. The winds had turned, and they had only minutes to grab what they could and go. One of the things he tried to take with him was his dog, Odin. 

Hendel had many animals and rounded up those he could but Odin, who had guarded the family’s goats, wouldn’t get into the car no matter how hard Hendel tried to make him. With no time to keep up the fight, he had to leave the dog and the goats behind.

Fast forward to days later when they were allowed to return home. Instead of the grisly scene they expected, they found Odin burned but still alive and all 8 of their rescue goats which he had kept safe from the fires, along with some wild deer.

Forget about Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, and Beyonce—dog influencers are taking over the Instagram spotlight. Just like big celebrities, the dogs of Instagram maintain their wealth and elite status through sponsorships, event appearances, modeling, and more.

It starts with a brand approaching the owner to form a partnership. Once a dog’s account reaches one million followers, the owner should expect a payout of up to $16,000 per post. According to Brittany Hennessy, senior director of influencer strategy at Hearst Digital Media, the average rate for a human influencer with over a million followers sits at a mere $7,500.

Ready to quit your day job yet?

Stay tuned, we’ve only scratched the surface of this modern-day phenomenon. With the Internet and social media culture nowadays, the possibilities in this field are endless. Here are the top 10 dogs on social media that make more money than doctors.

10 Weird Facts About Dogs

10 @lacorgi

According to this corgi’s page, he’s a “professional butt model” based in Los Angeles. His strengths include eating cheese, playing dead, and teleportation. His weakness is his extremely short legs.

Perusing his profile, you’ll find him frolicking in the sand, cruising in a mini convertible, playing the piano, and managing his bank account like the financially responsible dog that he is. My personal favorite: his take on an episode of Law & Order which tragically ends in his imprisonment. The orange jumpsuit was cute, though.^[1]

9 @maggielovesorbit

This dynamic duo consists of two Boston terrier sisters who “believe in making every moment count.” They are not only the stars of their account on Instagram but also have a website that features their weekly health and wellness blog.

Additionally, the dogs are Amazon affiliates, meaning they have a page on Amazon where you can purchase their favorite products. They receive a portion of the profits. Plus, these terriers are available for dog modeling.^[2]

8 @tuckerbudzyn

Do you follow this golden retriever on TikTok?

That’s right, Instagram isn’t the only platform on which this dog is famous. Tucker even has an account on Reddit. Upon further investigation, some of his favorite activities include eating raw beef, pretending to be a lion, and “sliding into your DMs.”

Tucker is most famous for videos of his owner blowing a powerful air hose at him, causing his long hair to flow in the wind while music plays. It’s only a matter of time before Pantene recruits him to be in one of their commercials. With over 12 million combined followers, this retriever isn’t afraid to use his all-natural gourmet meals to flex on you.^[3]

7 @tunameltsmyheart

Tuna the chiweenie proves to be a positive role model for dogs and humans alike. Despite his facial deformity, he spreads “joy & laughter” to every one of his two million followers.

His Instagram profile features one of his seemingly psychotic episodes in which he runs in circles and lunges at his owner, trying to grab a sloth toy. He is also seen wearing a homemade leaf helmet, listening to John Legend, and eating tortilla chips in honor of “National Tortilla Chip Day.”

If you’d like to accompany him on his journey around the world, you can follow his second account, @thetravelingtuna. And if that’s not enough, follow his third account, @moretuna, which focuses on his caring, philanthropic side.^[4]

6 @tecuaniventura

We have no idea how to pronounce this bulldog’s name, but we do know that he can rock any outfit on the planet. From cowboy to ballerina to Chewbacca from Star Wars, this dog has a bigger salary than you and a bigger wardrobe.

Does it have 50 different personalities or just enjoy fashion a little too much? Unfortunately, we’ll never know. Tecuani appears to speak Russian. According to Google Translate, his bio tells us that he is a “bulldog blogger [who] dreams to lose weight.”^[5]

10 Extraordinary Dogs That Saved Lives

5 @jiffpom

Feel free to text this dog at 310-438-5114. With a whopping 10 million followers on Instagram alone, he’d better be on an unlimited phone plan. His most recent video shows him dancing to a song featuring the popular rapper Nicki Minaj. One characteristic that sets this dog apart is his excessive fluffiness. His enormous Afro makes him an icon.

Unlike his counterparts, Jiff is a dog of few words. Many of his captions consist of just emojis. When you have a face that cute, you must not need all the bells and whistles.^[6]

4 @marniethedog

Let us have a moment of silence for this next dog. Marnie, who passed away “painlessly & peacefully” in March 2020, has nearly two million loyal Instagram followers. On her profile, you can view her highlight reels titled “R.I.P.” and “R.I.P. #2.”

She lived a long, eventful life and was known for her floppy tongue that hung uncontrollably out of her mouth. Scrolling through her pictures, you may notice pop artist Demi Lovato, tongue out, posed with Marnie.^[7]

3 @bronsonthebully

The best thing about this dog is his COVID-19 relief fundraiser. It’s good to know that he’s doing his part to flatten the curve. His favorite foods are carrots and watermelon, and his theme song is “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus.

Bronson’s bio describes him as a “cuddly, loving, goofy sack of potatoes!” Whether he’s a potato or a bulldog, catch him this summer at PETCON 2020 in Chicago. Yes, PETCON is a real thing where certain pets are paid to make appearances.

Along with many others, this influencer is managed by The Dog Agency, a New York City company that represents popular pet figures around the globe. The Dog Agency offers their connections with prominent news outlets and media platforms to cater to pet influencers and facilitate their growth.^[8]

2 @itsdougthepug

This pug influencer can be seen with over 30 celebrities including Katy Perry, Amy Schumer, Michael Strahan, Shakira, and the cast of Stranger Things. Products from Doug’s clothing line are available on his website or at Claire’s. Complement your pug sweatshirt with Doug the Pug Skechers, or pick up Doug’s book at The Scholastic Store.

What’s that song on the radio? Oh, that was Doug’s song, “Song for My Dog,” streaming from Spotify.

According to his Instagram bio, Doug is the “King of Pop Culture” and a “People’s Choice Award Winner.” Although it sounds a little suspicious, he did, in fact, win the People’s Choice Award for Animal Star of 2019. Many animals were nominated, but Doug reigned supreme. His acceptance speech was heartfelt.^[9]

1 @griffinfrenchie

These may not be the most popular pups on Instagram, but they’re number one when it comes to dog autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). French bulldogs Griffin and Haru specialize in snorting and smacking their lips loudly into microphones for their viewers’ listening pleasure.

On their YouTube channel, they have food reviews in which fans can gauge how much the dogs enjoyed the meal by the intensity and volume of their snorting noises. They also partake in “mukbang.” According to Urban Dictionary, mukbang is a trend that involves “eating copious amounts of food” on camera for “entertainment purposes.”

So, put on your headphones, sit back, and relax while you listen to two French bulldogs scarf down an entire rotisserie chicken.^[10]

Top 10 Fascinating Facts About The Mind Of A Dog

Dogs are humanity’s best friends. From the first moment humans tempted wolves into being friendly with some scraps of food human and dog evolution has gone hand in hand. Today we have bred our best friends into an amazing range of breeds to suit any jobs that we want done for us. From sheepdogs to lapdogs there is a dog for every job – and some of those jobs are stranger than you might think.

Here are ten jobs you never knew a dog could do.

10 Extraordinary Dogs That Saved Lives

10 Helping Children Testify

Is there anything more comforting than a dog trusting you enough to let you pet them? When they rest their head on your knee you know you have made a new friend. It’s not just a warm feeling they can provide – dogs have been employed to help the legal system function with their comforting presence.

Children who have to testify in court can find it trial due to the pressure put on them by the situation. With a judge, lawyers, and a jury all staring at them a young child can be terribly intimidated. That’s where a canine companion can come in handy. Dogs are being used to help children testify.

A trained dog can help a child right from the moment they report a crime to police until they speak in court. When in court the dog is usually concealed with the witness behind the stand. This lets them comfort the child without distracting the jury as humans will often pay more attention to a dog than the person with them.^[1]

9 Friar

Dogs and religion are a divine combination. From St Roche, a saint who was comforted by his dog, to St Christopher, who was often depicted with a dog’s head, to St Guinefort, a dog who was made a saint, humanity’s love for dogs has often come close to worship. On a more mundane level monks and churches would often keep dogs to guard their gates. One monastery in Bolivia has decided that one dog is such a good boy that he deserves his own uniform.

Friar Carmelo is a schnauzer. Carmelo was photographed dressed in a miniature version of the monks’ own habit taken from a puppet used to amuse children. Since then the canine friar has become a social media darling. His internet fans have dubbed him Friar Moustache for his distinctive facial hair.

While the official belief of Catholics is that animals cannot get into heaven because they lack eternal souls (their souls die with their bodies) some popes have left the Pearly Gates a little ajar for our animal friends. Pope Paul VI told one boy whose dog had died that “One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures.”^[2]

8 Truffle Hunters

Truffles are one of the most valuable foodstuffs on the planet. Because of their symbiotic relationship with trees and their complex life cycle it is not possible for us to farm truffles. If we want their rich flavour in our food we have to go out hunting for them – but not with our own limited noses.

Some animals have much more sensitive senses of smell than we do. Pigs are well known for their ability to snuffle out truffles under the ground, but they also have a tendency to eat the truffles they locate. Dogs are much less likely to wolf down the precious fungi. Some dogs are trained to associate the distinctive smell of truffles with pleasure mere days after their birth.

In Italy the Lagotto Romagnolo breed of dog is now associated mainly with truffle hunting. It used to be a hunting dog, and it still is – just not hunting for animals.^[3]

7 Ball Dogs

Catching and retrieving balls is one of the most popular pastimes for our canine buddies. So why do we use boys and girls for this task during tennis matches? That was a question one Brazilian tennis tournament decided to answer. Several dogs who were taken from the streets of Sao Paulo and dressed up as ball boys and girls and let loose on the court.

The aim of the game was not to replace their human colleagues however. Because the dogs were strays it was hoped that spectators who saw the dogs would want to adopt them. In the first year all four ball dogs were adopted. Soon more strays were brought in.

The strays were not always the most obedient of court assistants. They quickly mastered getting the balls but sometimes proved unwilling to return them to players. And they were only used during warm ups – who could concentrate on a tennis match when there are dogs to look at?^[4]

6 Art Protector

When we think of dogs as protectors of valuable items we tend to think of snarling guard dogs straining against their chains to ward off robbers. Riley however protects fine art from more subtle dangers. Riley the Museum Dog works at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston to detect the many pests that can threaten the conservation of artworks.

Pests as diverse as moths and rats can all destroy art in even the best run museum. Riley uses his nose to sniff them out before they can create havoc. Riley was introduced to the museum at a young age to get used to his surroundings and to train him not to damage the artworks himself.

Riley has since become a mascot for the museum and even features in his own book – The Adventures of Riley, the Museum Dog.^[5]

10 Unusual Studies And Stories About Dogs

5 Cancer Detector

A dog’s nose is incredibly sensitive. While humans have around 6 million receptors for smell dogs can have up to 300 million. Dogs also give over a much larger proportion of their brain to interpreting the smells they detect. It is not surprising then that dogs can sniff out things that might seem impossible for us to imagine.

Some dogs are so sensitive to changes in smell that they can tell when their owners get sick just from their odour. Other dogs can be trained to detect certain diseases in people they have never met. Daisy the dog has been trained to tell who has cancer. Having checked over 6,000 samples she has correctly identified 550 people with cancer – including her owner.

“Daisy kept nuzzling and pawing at my chest one day, which really alarmed me,” her owner said. “I got it checked out and was told I had early stage breast cancer. Fortunately I was able to have it removed but if it wasn’t for Daisy it would have gone undetected for much longer and could have been more serious.”

For her work in healthcare Daisy was awarded a Blue Cross Medal in 2014.^[6]

4 Cheetah Befriender

The health benefits of owning a dog are well known. As well as the exercise we get from playing with dogs there are dramatic mental health benefits. Loneliness and depression can both be reduced by the comforting company of a dog – and not just in humans.

Cheetahs are built for speed and sprinting on the wide plains of Africa. A small enclosure in a zoo can leave them anxious and depressed. Constantly on the lookout for larger predators they can feel threatened by the hordes of humans staring at them. A dog can make the perfect companion to calm the cheetah down.

Despite the mythical antagonism that is said to exist between cats and dogs both animals seem to enjoy being in each other’s company. The dogs offer a soothing presence and sense of companionship while the cheetahs give the dogs a playmate.^[7]

3 Anti-Tank Dog

Not all the jobs given to dogs are ones that are go down well on social media. In times of war humans often recruit their animals as allies. These animals can be put to work as beasts of burden, guards, or even weapons. The Anti-Tank dogs of the Soviets were designed as weapons – and single use ones at that.

The plan was to use the dogs as a way of delivering bombs to the vulnerable underside of enemy tanks. At first the dogs were trained to release their bombs when they arrived but in the chaos of battle this proved to be too much for the dogs. They often returned to their handlers with a live and dangerous bob still strapped to their back. Next the dogs were fitted with bombs that detonated as soon as they brushed against the tank.

Unfortunately the Russians used their own tanks to train the dogs. The dogs thought they would find a treat under a tank and so sought out the ones they were most familiar with.

When anti-tank dogs were deployed in actual combat most were killed before they reached any tanks. Some turned back towards their trainers and had to be shot by their own side. Fortunately this is a doggy job that no good boys have to train for any more.^[8]

2 Penguin Protectors

Invasive species can completely wipe out a species and human attempts to halt the spread of such species can often backfire tragically. In one case however the results have been cute. Middle Island off the south coast of Australia is home to a colony of the world’s smallest species of penguins, but they have come under threat from foxes.

The Fairy Penguins are as petite and darling as they sound but have no natural defence against foxes. Natural changes to the coast had allowed foxes to access the island when the tide was low. When researchers checked the population of penguins on the island after foxes had got to there they found that hundreds of penguins had been killed. In two nights foxes had slaughtered 360 of the miniature birds.

It was a local chicken farmer called Swampy Marsh who came up with a solution. Used to protecting birds from murder-happy foxes he suggested using dogs to guard the penguins. In the ten years that dogs have been protecting the fairy penguins there has not been a single death from foxes.^[9]

1 Max the Mayor

Even the most beloved of politicians will have their detractors. You would be hard pushed however to find anyone who hates the Mayor of Idyllwild, California – he’s a dog. Born Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II he has been mayor since he was just 11 weeks old.

Mayor Max is not the first dog to be named mayor of Idyllwild. His predecessor Max I died while in office and the current mayor was found after a hasty search for a replacement. The first Mayor Max won his position in a charity event against a range of other pets. Since Idyllwild is an unincorporated town it has no government of its own and Max’s position is mostly honorary.

Max II now spends his time spreading happiness to his constituents. Wearing a tie he can often be seen on weekends touring the town in the back of a pickup truck and barking to his fans. Despite an “assassination attempt” when another dog went for Max’s neck it seems his lifetime appointment will last for some time yet.^[10]

10 Heartbreaking Tales Of Faithful Dogs

Before the 1969 Apollo 11 mission put U.S. astronauts on the moon, hundreds of missions preceded it. The whole reason for the space race was for both sides, with tensions high due to the Cold War, eager to test missile capability and distance via space exploration. While the U.S. was the first to land a man on the moon, the Soviets were the first to put a living creature into orbit and the first to put a human into space, which they did in 1961.

But before man was sitting in a rocket, all manner of other living creatures were forced to take the lead. The U.S. favored chimpanzees for their close genetic structure to humans, but the Soviets preferred dogs. Some 36 different dogs were used over a 15-year period, and many of them died or have been forgotten by history: these are 10 of their stories.

Related: 10 Historical First Images Captured Of Space

10 Dezik, Tsygan, and Lisa

It’s important to remember that in the 1950s, neither the Soviets nor the U.S. spaceflight teams knew if life even could survive in space, nor did they know for sure that firing something into orbit, let alone it coming back safely, was possible.

By the dawn of the ’50s, the Soviets were already playing catch up. In 1948, three years before Russian testing on live animals began, their American rivals successfully launched a rhesus monkey named Albert into sub-orbital space, followed by three others and a mouse, all of which died.

Dezik and Tsygan were selected as the first Soviet space dogs, and they traveled 68 miles high on August 15, 1951 (beating the American monkey Yorick by a month), returning unharmed. Continuing from this success, the Soviets sent Dezik up for a second flight, this time pairing her with a dog named Lisa. This one, however, ended in disaster as both dogs died when the module crashed. Not wanting to lose both of the first dogs in space, Tsygan was swiftly retired and adopted by a Soviet physicist.^[1]

9 Bolik and ZIB

All the dogs used by the Soviets were strays, usually picked off the streets of Moscow and kept in a compound, where they were trained and prepared. For every dog that took part in a mission, there were countless others that either died during training, escaped, were used as backups for Earth-based control groups during missions, or simply weren’t up to scratch.

Although the training and preparation varied depending on the mission, the dogs were generally placed on centrifuges to prepare them for the high speeds. They were also put in cages getting progressively smaller and smaller to prepare them for the cramped, motionless conditions of space flight.

All of this was too much for Bolik, who, just a month after the failure of the Dezik and Lisa mission, ran away a few days before his scheduled flight. The craft and equipment had been designed around Bolik’s size and weight, and no other dog on site would suffice. Luckily for the Soviets, they found a stray running around outside their compound. Untrained but the perfect dimensions, she was dubbed ZIB: an acronym for the Russian translation of “replacement for missing Bolik.” Thankfully, this mission was successful, and the untrained, unsuspecting ZIB returned safely.^[2]

8 Laika

On November 3, 1957, the first celebrated achievement on either side occurred when the Sputnik 2 Soviet spacecraft was fired into space. It was planned to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, so pressure was high, and deadlines were short…and on board the craft was poor little Laika.

The tight deadline imposed by the Soviet Premier meant that the flight couldn’t account for a return, so everyone knew going in that Laika (translated as “Barker”) would not be coming back. The plan was to complete multiple orbits of the planet and then crash back to Earth, with Laika expected to run out of oxygen after seven days and die painlessly.

For PR reasons, this was how her fate was recorded for some time, but now we know that she actually died just hours into the mission after temperatures rose to unexpected levels inside the craft during launch. A cruel and tragic way to go, but she became a hero in her time as the first living creature to fly into orbit. Her legacy lives on today, and she is honored in various monuments, in the Cosmonaut Space Museum in Moscow, and in popular culture all over the world.^[3]

7 Bars and Lisichka

Riding high on the success of the Laika mission (from a technical perspective), the Soviet spaceflight team was still remorseful over the dog’s fate. No other mission before it was a suicide mission like Laika’s. They made improvements to the capsule, making it capable of returning from orbit, thus ensuring the same thing never happened again.

Bars and Lisichka were selected for this test mission, which launched in the summer of 1960. The latter of the two, Lisichka, was a favorite of Sergei Korolev—the lead rocket engineer and spacecraft designer for the Soviets (LINK 11). However, the preparation, training, and design of the craft would all be for nothing, in the swiftest failure of the spaceflight missions. Just 28 seconds into launch, the capsule exploded, killing both dogs. Much more work was apparently needed.^[4]

6 Belka and Strelka

Three years later, the Soviet spaceflight team was scurrying around the streets of Moscow once again, looking for new candidates for its next mission. This time the hope was to send living organisms into orbit and have them come back alive.

The dogs chosen were Belka and Strelka (“Whitey” and “Little Arrow”), who were accompanied on Sputnik 5 by 40 mice, 2 rats, a rabbit, and some fruit flies and plants. On August 19, 1960, the launch occurred and went off without a hitch. After 17 orbits, they returned to Earth as intended, completely unharmed, becoming the first living creatures to reach orbit and return safely. Their success was reported worldwide, and both dogs retired and never flew again. A gigantic propaganda success, Soviet Premier Krushchev gifted a puppy of Strelka to the American First Lady Jackie Kennedy during the height of the Cold War, who grew up to have puppies with an American dog: a true Cold War romance.^[5]

5 Pchelka and Mushka

During the space race, advancements, targets, and technology were kept secret from the public on both sides to keep their enemies from gaining the upper hand or profiting from their hard work. This was evidenced in the Pchelka (“Little Bee”) and Mushka (“Little Fly”) mission, which launched in December 1960. It was the first mission for Pchelka, but Mushka had played an important role in Laika’s flight three years earlier, acting as her control group on Earth.

After a successful launch and a day in orbit, an error occurred during reentry when rockets failed to switch off as planned and the capsule veered off target. Rather than allow it to land in foreign hands, the spaceflight team made the decision to self-destruct the capsule, killing both dogs. While happy to go worldwide with their successes, the Soviets still valued their secrecy first and foremost.^[6]

4 Shutka and Kometka

The very next flight was another failure. Launched on December 22, 1960, the dogs Shutka and Kometka (“Joke” and “Little Comet”), accompanied by mice, were scheduled to complete an orbital flight but only got as high as 133 miles before the upper stage rocket failed. Two ejection seats were fitted in the event of a disaster, but they were unable to deploy them, trapping the two dogs inside. The crew attempted to self-destruct the capsule, but this also failed to work, so they rushed to the craft.

It crashed 2,175 miles away, still within Soviet borders, sitting in a snowdrift in -42-degree-Celcius (-45-degree-Fahrenheit) temperatures. Unable to disarm the backup self-destruct mechanism (which had a 60-hour timer) due to the freezing temperatures and fading light, they were forced to wait until morning. The glass on the capsule was frosted over, and no signs of life were detected inside. However, as the sun rose the next day, the scientists heard dogs barking and disarmed the mechanism, pulling the dogs out of the module. Miraculously, they were unharmed, albeit in shock.

Both dogs fully recovered, but with the Soviets banning Korolev from telling the story of their survival publicly, they were forgotten. Thankfully, they were both retired, and Kometka was even adopted as a pet by Oleg Gazenko—a leading scientist who selected the dogs for many of the missions— and living a long and deservedly more relaxed life.^[7]

3 Chernushka

To double up on research, the trend had been for the Soviets to use two dogs in missions, but with technology and understanding improving, they switched just one dog: a subtle hint that their intentions and future plans were changing. Behind the scenes, officials began setting their eyes on the first human spaceflight, but further tests were required.

Having tested their equipment and technology, as well as the effects of space, on small living creatures in tiny capsules, now the question was whether a craft large enough to fit a human could produce the same results. Test dummies were sent to find out, but the need for a living creature to test for livability meant the dogs’ missions weren’t over yet. Chernushka (“Blackie”) completed one orbit in March 1961 and returned safely. It was the first flight of its kind, and the success of which ramped up the plans for the first human flight the following month.^[8]

2 Zvezdochka

The final test flight before Yuri Gagarin’s planned mission was one of the most important tests the Soviet team had yet undertaken. A failure here would result in a launch delay or disaster for Gagarin. After the Chernushka mission, one final success was required for the spaceflight team to be satisfied everything was safe enough for Gagarin.

The dog selected went through the usual training; however, there was one issue: its name. The dog was called Udacha, which means “luck,” which Gagarin insisted on changing. Gagarin was extremely superstitious, and many of his rituals on his launch are still carried out today by Russian cosmonauts. The team was happy to go along with this and allowed Gagarin to rename the dog Zvezdochka (“Starlet” or “Little Star”). Whether this superstition had anything to do with it or not, the mission was another success, returning the dog unharmed back to Earth.^[9]

1 Veterok and Ugolyok

For many, Gagarin’s flight marked the end of the space race. The Soviets had roundly beaten the Americans at every major hurdle along the way. But over in the USA, JFK swiftly changed the goalposts, publicly setting his country’s sights on the moon. Not to be outdone in this propaganda war, the new race began, but this one would require more time in space than any of the Soviet’s previous tests.

At this point, the record for continuous time spent in space (without death) was just five days, but it would certainly take longer than that to get to the moon and back. So in 1966, Veterok and Ugolyok were selected in what was to be the final dog-space mission. They were launched aboard a new craft and flown in orbit for a whopping 21 days before returning to Earth and landing safely. The dogs were paraded on television for a while and went on to live long ordinary lives. Ugolyok produced a litter of six puppies, and Veterok befriended a scientist working on the spaceflight team and lived to old age.^[10]

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. In fact, canines are equipped with over 100 million sensory receptors within their nasal cavity, whereas humans possess about six million. Additionally, dogs also have a second olfactory system that not only allows them to pick up on physical smells but also allows them to detect pheromones, human emotions, and even the presence of storms.

Given their powerful noses, it’s no wonder dogs have been used in hunting, trained to sniff out bombs or drugs, and assisted in search and rescue missions.

However, the 10 dogs on this list were able to accurately detect a much more important, typically undetectable odor in their owners—cancer. And they did so long before their human companions were ever diagnosed by a healthcare professional.

Related: Top 10 Dogs With Unusual Jobs

10 Sierra the Siberian Husky

When Stephanie Herfel’s son left for the Air Force in 2011, she took in his nine-month-old Siberian husky puppy, Sierra. Little did Herfel know what a gift Sierra would truly be.

One day in 2013, Sierra began sniffing and pressing her nose into Herfel’s abdomen. At first, Herfel assumed that perhaps the dog smelled food that she had spilled on her shirt. However, the substance Sierra detected was startling enough to make her roll up into a ball and hide in the closet.

While Herfel had previously experienced pain in her abdomen, she was advised by an ER physician that she had an ovarian cyst and was sent home with pain medication. Given Sierra’s reaction, Herfel made an appointment with her gynecologist. On November 11, 2013, her doctor confirmed that she had stage 3 ovarian cancer.

Herfel had a full hysterectomy, lost her spleen, and continued chemotherapy until April 2014. Unfortunately, in 2015, Sierra again exhibited the same behavior as in 2013 when she “smelled” Herfel’s cancer. Sierra was right again—the cancer had returned—but this time in Herfel’s liver. Sierra also confirmed a third recurrence of cancer in 2016.

Sadly, Herfel passed away on July 8, 2021, at 54, after an eight-year battle with ovarian cancer and acute myeloid leukemia. However, had it not been for Sierra’s keen sense of smell, Herfel may not have had the additional eight years with her family.^[1]

9 Heidi the German Shepherd-Lab Mix

Anne Wills’s dog Heidi, a German shepherd-lab mix, worked as a search and rescue dog. While Heidi had saved thousands of lives, Wills could never have imagined that Heidi would also save her life.

In February 2015, Heidi began exhibiting strange behaviors each time Wills would sit down—refusing to let Wills up, scratching her arm, and panting excessively, almost as if in a panic. From there, Heidi began pressing her nose into Wills’s chest, taking deep breaths.

Assuming something was wrong with her canine companion, Wills took Heidi to the vet. However, after Heidi received a clean bill of health, Wills realized that Heidi might, in fact, be sensing something was wrong with her instead.

Wills made an appointment to see her doctor, and after being sent for a CAT scan, she was informed that she had lung cancer. She underwent surgery along with intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments with Heidi by her side every step of the way. Sadly, Heidi passed away from cancer on December 24, 2015.^[2]

8 Victoria the Treeing Walker Coonhound

Lauren Gauthier of Buffalo, New York, is the founder of Magic’s Mission Beagle and Hound Rescue, an animal rescue organization that saves dogs from abusive and neglectful situations.

In 2017, Gauthier took in Victoria, a treeing walker coonhound with an infected eye, who had been surrendered by a hunter. Gauthier never realized that not only was she saving Victoria but that Victoria would also save her.

In the spring of 2017, Victoria began staring at Gauthier’s face and putting her nose directly on an area that Gauthier had assumed was simply a pimple or blemish. Victoria would repeatedly touch Gauthier’s nose, look at her, and then smell the area again. When Victoria’s behavior persisted, Gauthier decided to see a doctor.

Gauthier had a biopsy, revealing that the “dot” on her face was actually a basal cell carcinoma. However, thanks to Victoria’s heightened senses and persistence with her owner, Gauthier was able to catch the skin cancer in the early stages and undergo surgery to have it removed.^[3]

7 Troy the Doberman Pinscher

Diane Papazian and her husband Harry already owned a fox terrier. However, in 2011, Harry insisted they add Troy, a four-month-old Doberman pinscher, to their family. Given Papazian’s allergies, she was a bit hesitant, but she and her husband ended up bringing Troy into the family… a month earlier than expected. What Papazian did not yet understand was that Troy was meant to come into her life at the time he did.

As the tiny pup was lying in bed with the couple, Troy continued to nuzzle against Papazian’s left side, which caused an allergic reaction to her skin. As Papazian began scratching, she noticed a lump in her left breast.

Papazian had undergone a routine mammogram six months prior, and the results were normal, but after feeling the mass, she got in touch with her doctor. That lump turned out to be stage 2 breast cancer. Papazian had a double mastectomy, started chemotherapy treatments, and was later deemed cancer free, all thanks to their new pup.^[4]

6 Daisy-May the West Highland Terrier

In April 2017, 68-year-old Thelly Price’s west highland terrier, Daisy-May, began constantly sniffing around Price’s neck and throat. At first, Price couldn’t see or feel anything that would contribute to Daisy-May’s strange behavior. However, Daisy-May’s nose was spot on.

On May 17, 2017, Price went to the doctor after noticing a lump in the exact area that Daisy-May had been sniffing. Her doctor assumed she had a fatty lump, but after being referred to an ear, nose, and throat clinic for further evaluation, Price was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Thankfully, due to Daisy-May’s keen sense of smell and early detection, Price was able to undergo surgery without the need for radiation or chemotherapy.^[5]

5 Kransky the Miniature Dachsund

As Claire Seeber was curled up on the couch talking to her mother shortly after the Christmas of 2019, her “mini-sausage dog,” Kransky, began incessantly sniffing a mole on her right calf. While Seeber laughed at the tickling sensation, what Kransky discovered was no laughing matter.

Seeber explained her laughter to her mother and what was going on during their call. Given Kransky’s behavior, her mother urged her to get checked out. However, Seeber brushed off Kransky’s actions and her mother’s advice as simple paranoia. Nevertheless, Seeber’s mother wouldn’t back down, so she finally gave in and made an appointment.

As soon as her doctor took one look at the mole, he insisted that it needed to be removed and sent for biopsy. A few days later, Seeber’s doctor confirmed that she had a cancerous melanoma.

Seeber was scheduled for surgery to remove the surrounding cells and ensure that all of the cancer was gone. Thankfully, the surgery was a success which meant Seeber would not need any radiation or chemotherapy treatments, and best of all, Kransky was by her side the entire time.^[6]

4 Lola the Chihuahua

Approximately 10 days before Christmas 2020, 41-year-old Tess Robison’s chihuahua, Lola, began acting incredibly strange—smelling Tess’s breath, staring at her, and acting more needy than usual. Then, in a desperate attempt to get Robison’s attention, Lola jumped on her stomach. Two days later, a lump appeared.

Robison immediately made an appointment with her doctor, but it was uncertain what the mass was. Robison was then referred to several different hospitals before being diagnosed with stage 3 low-grade serous carcinoma, a rare form of ovarian cancer, in January 2021.

In March 2021, Robison underwent a 12-hour surgery in which a full hysterectomy was done. However, during the operation, doctors also discovered that cancer had spread to Robison’s bowels. Between the surgery and regular chemotherapy treatments, Robinson is now on the road to recovery.^[7]

3 Broady the Newfoundland

Forty-five-year-old Lucy Gies of Didcot, Oxfordshire, adopted Broady, a 154-pound (11-stone) Newfoundland in July of 2021 when his previous family was no longer able to care for him. Unbeknownst to Giles, the “gentle giant” would be more of a blessing than she would ever realize.

By September 2021, Broady began acting strange, and each time Giles would sit down, he would sniff and nuzzle her right armpit. Initially, Giles assumed Broady simply wanted extra attention. However, one morning as Giles was taking a shower, she decided to do a breast exam. That’s when she felt a lump in her right armpit.

Giles’s doctor believed that the lump was hormone related, but when weeks passed with no change, Giles was sent to the hospital for testing. Giles was diagnosed with HER-2 positive breast cancer and was told she also had cancer cells in her lymph nodes.

In October 2021, Giles began six rounds of chemotherapy, then had a lumpectomy followed by radiation treatment. Giles is currently still going through chemotherapy.^[8]

2 Bessie the Cairn Terrier

Ron Wain and his partner of Newhall, Yorkshire, rescued their Cairn terrier, Bessie, when she was only 10 months old. However, in 2018, after spending 12 years with the couple, Bessie exhibited behavior that was out of character, such as constantly watching Wain’s every move, following him around, and laying on his chest.

Around the same time Bessie began behaving strangely, Wain noticed he was having to make more trips to the restroom than normal. In light of Bessie’s odd behavior and his increased restroom visits, Wain decided to bring the issue to his doctor’s attention. Wain was then diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Unfortunately, Wain’s first operation was unsuccessful in removing all the cancer, so he opted for a bacterial treatment, which uses a strain of tuberculosis called bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to treat non-invasive bladder cancers. Once Wain was at the end of his treatment, he was told his cancer had cleared. Bessie, too, stopped following Wain around and went back to her normal behavior.^[9]

1 Buster the Jack Russell Terrier

In the spring of 2014, Mike Wagner of Deering, New Hampshire, was lying in bed without a shirt when his dog Buster, a Jack Russell terrier, laid his head on Wagner’s chest and began nudging him. It was then that Wagner noticed a lump on his chest.

Wagner didn’t think too much of the lump and continued his work as a logger for the next few months. However, he began to notice that while he was working and pulling wood, every time he moved his arm, he got an odd feeling in his chest.

Wagner then made an appointment to get checked out. He was referred to a breast cancer center where a biopsy was done, and he was diagnosed with breast cancer. Wagner underwent surgery to remove the cancer, but during the procedure, the doctor realized it had also spread into Wagner’s lymph nodes.

In an attempt to rid his body of cancer, Wagner then went through five months of chemotherapy and six months of radiation. He officially had his last treatment on October 2, 2015.^[10]

While there have been plenty of novels featuring dogs, many offering warm stories of the unique man-animal connection, there is one genre that has taken a different twist on canine characters. Horror novels have long included man’s best friend, and the furry buddies often become such an integral part of the story that the book would not be nearly as good without them.

Obviously, there are tales where the dog is presented as the bad guy, but more often than not, they are tools used by evil men or sometimes just tragic victims. One of the most infamous dog villains is Cujo, the star of an early book by Stephen King. Cujo is a rabid Saint Bernard that kills its owner and then terrorizes a trapped woman and her child. While Cujo can be considered the villain, in truth, he is simply a poor, sick animal who was treated poorly and got rabies.

However, some of the best horror-fantasy suspense novels do not try to make a villain out of a dog. Instead, the canine characters are strong, noble, and supportive, even if their ends are not always happy ones.

Here are ten memorable canine characters from horror and suspense novels.

10 Kojak

Stephen King does not always make dogs the bad guys. In fact, some of his very best books feature heroic animals who save the day… and sometimes the hero. Kojak in The Stand is one of those dogs. Kojak, whose name was once Big Steve, appears to be the last remaining dog in the virus-ravaged world. He is intensely loyal to his new owner, Glen Batemen, who found him after most of the human population was wiped out.

Kojak follows Glen and other survivors halfway across the country to Boulder, having to battle deprivation and violent wolves along the way. It is Kojak who saves the life of the main character, Stu Redmon. After falling down a washed-out road, Stu breaks his leg and seems destined to die alone in the wilderness. But faithful Kojak returns and keeps the wounded man fed and warm until rescue arrives. In the end, after a female dog is discovered, Kojak’s future looks much brighter.^[1]

9 Radar

Kojak would have been proud of the canine companion from King’s latest book, Fairy Tale. Radar, an old German Shepherd, is not magical, all-knowing, or the most remarkable shepherd ever. She is, however, a loyal friend and a loving companion, a dog worth fighting for, and a dog worth saving.

Protagonist Charlie Reade inherits the dog when her elderly owner dies. Charlie had come to care for the old man and loves Radar. Radar’s age and encroaching cancer mean her time is short, and Charlie will do anything to extend it. He will even travel to a strange world populated by people right out of fairy tales, both good and bad, to get Radar to a device that can turn back the years. And once he does, his canine companion proves her worth by helping the teen save the people of this alternate land. Because, as Charlie has always known, Radar is simply a very good dog.^[2]

8 Manchee

Although Radar the dog enjoys a happily-ever-after in Fairy Tale, the beloved canine character in The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness is not as lucky. On a strange new planet settled by humans, protagonist Todd Hewitt lives in a town filled with the audible thoughts of everyone and everything. So when he gets a dog named Manchee, who “speaks” through his thoughts, the boy is not thrilled.

But Manchee is a kind-hearted, loyal canine who will lay down his life for his human if need be. By the time Todd realizes that and understands how much he loves his companion, Manchee is brutally killed by a monstrous villain. Todd is devastated, and so is the reader. Manchee, too, was a very good dog.^[3]

7 Riley

Far from being just a side character, Riley, an American bulldog, is the primary point-of-view storyteller in The Book of Riley: A Zombie Tale by Mark Tufo. Over the course of five books, Riley tells the story of a zombie apocalypse from a dog’s perspective. She is loyal to her newly-formed pack of misfits—a yappy Yorkie, a pair of humans, and a dangerous cat—and wants only to reunite all the members of her original family. Unfortunately, in a world filled with the undead, that does not prove easy. But brave Riley will do anything to keep her loved ones safe, even fighting the undead, proving that while a dog really is man’s best friend, canines are not very fond of zombies. ^[4]

6 Rebel

Although his books more often tip toward horror and dystopian fantasy, Robert McCammon truly shook-up genres in his book A Boy’s Life. A blend of a coming-of-age story, suspense, horror, and paranormal mystery, A Boy’s Life tells the tale of Cory Mackenson, a young boy growing up in a depressed Alabama town. Cory’s life is a good one, but his working-class family struggles. Through it all, he relies on his good pal Rebel, who he considers the best dog a boy could have. But on the day Rebel is hit by a car and Cory faces losing him, the dog becomes something more.

Cory’s prayers keep Rebel alive, but he is not the dog he once was. Rebel is changed, half-spirit, half-alive, trapped in an unhappy existence. But it is not until Cory hears a child laughing and sees something remarkable that he finds the strength to let Rebel go. When he beholds the ghost of a dead child playing with Rebel, he realizes the spirit child needs the dog, and the dog needs him. Making the decision to put his beloved companion down devastates him, but knowing that Rebel will be well taken care of by the ghost boy, Cory finds the strength to do it.^[5]

5 Blood

As good a feeling as books featuring the bond between humans and dogs can be, sometimes that bond can be disturbing. Vic and Blood: The Chronicles of a Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison takes that strong relationship and tests it with blood and rage. Harlan’s original post-apocalyptic novella about a boy, Vic, and his telepathic dog, Blood, was later expanded into a series of stories.

In them, boy and animal are linked in a struggle to survive and are able to communicate on a level usually reserved for human beings. Neither of them is particularly nice; they cannot afford it in a world as dangerous and violent as theirs. But their bond is unbreakable. They will literally do anything for each other, which is why when Blood is on the verge of death, Vic has no compunction about killing another person to save him. Blood might not always be a “very good dog,” but he certainly does inspire loyalty.^[6]

4 Lineker

Like the canine in The Book of Riley, Lineker from The Last Dog on Earth gets to tell his story from his own point of view. Unlike Riley, however, Lineker is a hilarious, foul-mouthed pup who keeps the laughs coming in his bleak futuristic world. The dystopian book by Adrian Walker goes back and forth between Lineker and his owner, Reg, an agoraphobic hiding out in a London apartment.

While Lineker does not understand exactly what caused the city to become an abandoned, deadly wasteland, he knows trouble when he smells it, and he will do whatever he can to keep Reg and a small girl they discover safe. Lineker’s inner monologues are hysterical and profane, containing the kind of thoughts you might expect of a dog while also being insightful and blunt. If he were, indeed, the last dog in the world, Lineker would be an excellent canine companion. ^[7]

3 Jess and Jip

While also set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world, A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World takes a different tone than The Last Dog on Earth. It is more serious and emotional without the funny first-person antics of a pup like Lineker. Instead, this book focuses on the lengths to which a person will go to recover a stolen dog.

One of only a few thousand humans left on earth, Griz and his family live in seclusion on a small island near Scotland. Not very trusting, they are caught off guard by a charming stranger who steals one of the family’s beloved dogs, Jess. Dogs, like humans, are a rarity in this new world, and female ones are especially unique. Unwilling to lose his beloved pet, Griz and his other dog, Jip, set off after the thief, encountering dangers and challenges along the way. Through human eyes, the reader understands just how precious dogs are to people and why they are worth fighting for.^[8]

2 Boo

International bestselling author Dean Koontz has written dozens of books spanning multiple genres. Under his real name and various pseudonyms, he has succeeded in writing everything from romance to screenplays, brutal horror to eloquent non-fiction, and supernatural suspense to quirky thrillers. But one thing most of his readers know about him is that he loves dogs. He so loved his own golden retriever, Trixie, that when she passed, he wrote his first non-fiction book, A Big Little Life. It is, therefore, no wonder Koontz has included dogs in many of his books. Among the many, two stand out.

The character of Odd Thomas, a laid-back young man with the ability to see the dead, is beloved by most Koontz fans. The star of nine books, Odd made readers laugh, cry, and feel. One reason for that is his relationship with a very special ghost: Boo the dog. Readers met Boo in the second book of the series, Brother Odd. Boo is the spectral dog that haunts a monastery where Odd has taken refuge. While like the other spirits who cannot speak, the silent apparition still has all the best characteristics of a dog. Boo is loyal and brave. He stands, or floats, at Odd’s side when confronting dangerous spectral creatures. While Boo is already dead, the dog still feels emotions like fear of the villains and the protectiveness of the weak and vulnerable. So despite being merely a ghost, Boo the dog is the very odd Odd’s most loyal companion.^[9]

1 Einstein

Of all the dogs Dean Koontz has created in his books, it is probably Einstein in his book Watchers who is the most beloved. Published in 1987, Watchers was a bestseller and was made into a movie that spawned a few sequels. Einstein might look like a normal dog, but he certainly is not.

The product of a lab experiment, Einstein is incredibly smart. His intelligence is at a human level, though he has to use things like Scrabble tiles to communicate. Einstein is being tracked by not only a human villain but also a literal monster created in the same lab. Being rescued by a protective man, Einstein offers his protection right back, and together, dog and man, are ready to take on any and all threats.^[10]