“No animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog.” - Stanley Leinwall

Happy Monday! Here's the scoop:

  • The sweet pittie with a precious habit

  • Meet today’s DOTD with a heartwarming backstory

  • Does your dog follow you into…the bathroom?

Did you know?
A bloodhound named Tigger holds the record for the longest ears, each measuring more than __ inches.

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

Lilybug the hugging dog helps show the softer side of pitbulls
Pitbulls sometimes get a bad rap, but we know that these loyal and affectionate pups are sweethearts. Lilybug, a heart-melting rescue dog, is helping to show the world just how loving pitbulls really are.

Lilybug first met her owner Marisa when she moved in as a foster dog, but it soon became clear that she had found her forever home. Plus, Lilybug has a unique (and heartwarming) behavior that made Marisa instantly fall in love with her: This pitbull likes to hug people.

Marisa stated, “I think that Bug's ability to give hugs has changed a lot of minds about pit bull-type dogs.” Videos of Lilybug’s caring hugs have gone viral. Check out this adorable dog!

Image courtesy of @lilybug_lpb.

Dog of the Day
Meet today’s Dog of the Day: Reina!

Thanks to Daily Dig readers Jill R. and Jenna for sharing this adorable rescue story of one of our favorite foster fails:

“My daughter wanted to do a community service project to help dogs and asked if she could foster a pregnant dog. We got a call that there was a pregnant dog in West Virginia that needed immediate help. My husband Alex and Jenna drove almost 8 hours to get Reina from a rescue volunteer in West Virginia (we live in Michigan). Reina, Alex, and Jenna arrived home at midnight and Reina gave birth to 5 beautiful puppies 17 hours later in her new foster home. Jenna and Reina cared for the pups and until they were old enough to go to their amazing furever homes. The bond with Reina was too strong and we couldn't even think of sending her to another home. So we became foster failures and Reina is now a permanent part of our family and a member of our pack of 3 rescue dogs: Gypsy, Reina, and Millie.”

Why do dogs follow you to the bathroom?
You know what we mean. You walk into the bathroom, and before you can close the door, you see that your pup is right behind you. It’s sweet and, sure, a little strange, but why exactly do they do it?

Turns out, there are several reasons why dogs love to violate personal space and boundaries by following their humans into the bathroom:

  • They’re just acting in accordance with their breed. Some breeds see their owner as the leader of the pack. Herding dogs like Border Collies and Shepherds naturally follow their owners everywhere. Velcro dogs like Labrador Retrievers are naturally social, and feel an attachment to their person.

  • They’re protecting you. Some dogs simply want to protect you, so they stay on alert. These dogs sense that danger could be lurking around the corner (or behind the shower curtain).

  • They don’t like being alone. Dogs have a pack mentality. They want to stay together and they don’t have a sense of privacy. Simply put, they don’t like to be without you!

Did you know?
Answer: 13! Check Tigger’s ears out here.

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