"The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too." - Samuel Butler

Happy Tuesday! Here's the scoop:

• Has your dog gone “skijoring?”

• Some spot-on breed impressions

• How dogs pick their best friends

Did you know?
This breed represents the bulk of the canine blood donors. They typically have a universal blood type that any dog can receive.

(scroll to the bottom to find the answer!)

Dog Skijoring
What is skijoring? Suffice it to say, it’s the coolest winter activity you can do with your pup.

For real, though, what is it? Skijoring comes from the Norwegian “ski-kjøring,” meaning ski-driving. It was, and continues to be, the primary way to get across large snow-covered land masses in northern Europe. Turns out, dogs can enjoy skijoring too.

If your pup loves playing in the cold weather, you might give skijoring a try. You’ll want to start out by introducing your dog to cross-country skiing.

Jonathan Thompson, the co-founder of K9 Powered Sports in Minnesota, said that skijoring isn’t just for mushing breeds. “We've seen dogs of all breeds and abilities succeed at this sport. We even have videos of dachshunds competing!” How cool is that?

Check out training tips and how to get started with skijoring here.

Off Leash
If dog breeds were people…

How do dogs choose friends?
Does your dog have friends? If your dog is comfortable socializing, you may have noticed that they show a particular affinity to certain canines.

So, how does this work? Research in animal psychology suggests that dogs have more advanced social skills than wolves, and can choose best friends. In some cases, dogs that are best friends stick together and exhibit mood changes when they’re separated.

Of course, dogs don’t only make friends with other dogs. They can form bonds of friendship with humans or other animals as well.

If you’re looking to set up a meet cute for your dog, start by introducing the two animals on neutral territory. Stay calm and loosen your dog’s leash during the initial meeting. Take things slow, and keep an eye out to see if your dog starts to feel uncomfortable. You can also use treats to show your dog that interacting with others is fun! Soon enough, they might just have a new bff to add to their pack.

Did you know?
Answer: Greyhounds!

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