Way back in 1917, Stubby was a stray dog, wandering around a Yale field where soldiers were being trained for World War I combat. He started hanging out with the guys and was rescued by a soldier named John Robert Conroy.

When Cpl. Conroy found out that his unit was going to France, he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving his buddy Stubby behind, so he wrapped the pooch up in an overcoat and smuggled him aboard his ship. (Back then, the military didn’t enlist dogs, and besides, Stubby didn’t have any training at all.)

In France, Stubby became the “unofficial official mascot” of the 102nd Infantry, 26th (Yankee) Division. When the soldiers went into battle in early 1918, they were super grateful to have the pooch around. Stubby was hit in the leg by a grenade, but did that stop the brave l’il guy? No way! As he got better himself, Stubby kept the other hurt soldiers company and made them feel better, too.

As soon as Stubby had healed, he went right back into the trenches. One time he was gassed, but he used this awful experience – and his super sense of smell – to warn the soldiers of poison gas attacks, saving lots of lives. He also used the pawsome sense of hearing we pooches have to warn the troops of artillery shells headed their way – he could hear the whine before the humans could, so he barked to let the soldiers know they’d better duck and cover.

And that’s not all! Because Stubby was a dog and not a man, he could scooch under barbed wire in “no man’s lands” to get to wounded soldiers. He also single-pawedly captured a German spy! There’s a legend – and I totally believe it – that he even saved a little girl from getting hit by a car in Paris.

At the end of World War I, Cpl. Conroy smuggled Stubby back to the United States. Back at home, the pooch was treated like a rock star, meeting presidents and leading parades. He became an honorary lifetime member of the American Legion, Red Cross and YMCA.

BOL, he even went to Georgetown University Law Center with Cpl. Conroy and became the football team’s mascot. During halftime shows, Stubby would nudge a football around the field with his schnoz. The fans totally loved the pooch.

In 1926, Stubby died peacefully in Cpl. Conroy’s arms. He is buried at the Smithsonian Institution, in an exhibit called “The Price of Freedom: Americans at War.”

I forgot to mention Stubby’s breed. Stubby was what would now be called a Pit Bull. If this hero were alive today, he wouldn’t be able to live on any U.S. Army or Marine Corps base, because the military bans Pit Bulls – along with Rottweilers, Dobermans and Chows.

That makes me very sad, and very mad. I sure hope that in Stubby’s honor – and in honor of all the men, women and dogs who have served their country so bravely, and have loved these dogs so dearly – the ban will be lifted one day soon.

Happy Veterans Day.

PHOTOS: digitaldog.com, ct.gov

The coolest thing about this conference – aside from all the great sessions and killer food (sure wish us dogs could eat cheesecake)  – is that humans can bring along their pooches, kitties, birds and even ferrets (I kid you not)! Now how fun is that?

I gotta say all the four-legged critters I saw were having a blast. But then I started wondering where the heck any dogs that looked like my K9 reporters Shelby, Diesel, Leroy and the late, great Sophie were hanging out. You know, the ones whose ears flop over in the middle and whose whole bodies wag along with their tails. You know, dogs who look sorta like … me.

You know where they were? Back home or staying in their local kennels. You know why? Because Denver has a ban against Pit Bulls, or any dog that happens to look like a “Pit Bull.” (It’s really super hard to tell – see if you flunk this Find the Pitbull test just like I did.)

This made me really, really sad, because it’s so unfair. And then I got really, really scared.

I heard that every Pit Bull in Denver – whose only crime was maybe wanting to smooch his nice family too much or snuggle up a little too close – was taken away by the city and never came back. It even happened to some Pit Bulls that were just visiting Denver! If families didn’t want to give up their sweet pooches, they had to move to another town.

This totally freaked me out, so I decided I’d better lay low and stay in my hotel room. I was just chillin’, rummaging through all the loot in my rad Blog Paws swag bag, when out popped this ginormous gator. OMGator! The next thing I knew, his big sharp teeth were about to chomp down on me … and then he started LOLing.

“Check out my jaws of steel, bro,” he said. “Just like you Pitties, once they clamp down there’s no unlocking ‘em. No way, no how.”

“Hey, that’s not true! It’s one of those lame Pit Bull myths I read about,” I growled. I clenched and unclenched my teeth to prove it.

“Chillax, little dude!” he said, cracking up and letting me go. “I’m just messin’ with ya. Don’tcha hate it when humans believe a bunch of stupid lies?”

“I hear ya. It totally makes the fur on my back stand up,” I said. We introduced ourselves. He told me his name was Barry, and he was hiding in the swag bag so he wouldn’t be taken away by the city. Barry was just as scared as I was!

Although we hated not being able to go to the conference, I gotta say it was a total blast hanging with each other. We wrestled a little, and when I got tired, good ol’ Barry was real comfy to take a snooze on.

As much as I like my new friend, I sure hope the next BlogPaws is held someplace where all my pawls are welcome. In the meantime, for Pits’ sake, humans, let’s try to get Denver to stop its breed ban, ‘K?

Please write, email or call the Denver city council and tell them to ban deeds, not breeds! Thanks from your ol’ pal TJ!

Nope, that’s not a typo. I saw on MSNBC that Cai Li and his wife, who live in Xi’an, paid $600,000 last November for a purebred Tibetan Mastiff that they named Yangtze River Number Two. They even “organized a fleet of 20 Mercedes-Benzes to bring the slobbery black-haired beast home,” MSNBC reports. (OMD, like one car wasn’t enough?!)

“I like Tibetan Mastiffs, because they’re really loyal to owners and they’re ferocious,” said Cai. When the reporter visited him, Yangtze River Number Two was kept in a cage, as were Cai’s 40 other Mastiffs. Hmm, something about these living conditions stinks like Number Two to me, and I’m not talking about Yangtze River, BOL!

In China, Tibetan Mastiffs are thought to be very holy, and bring blessings of good health and security. These pooches are no lap dogs – they’re about 2 to 3 feet tall and can weigh from 150 to 200 pounds. They were first domesticated 6,000 years ago in Tibet. The Sunday Times says they’re considered the oldest, biggest and fiercest domestic dog in the world. Marco Polo, the explorer (not to mention inspiration for that annoying swimming pool game played by young humans), described the breed as being “as tall as a donkey and with a voice like a lion.” (Yikes.)

Yangtze cost so much because of his pure bloodlines. “With their overwhelming popularity and the high prices they fetch, it’s increasingly rare to find a purebred Tibetan Mastiff,” MSNBC reports. The Sunday Times said it’s both the most expensive and rarest dog in the world, since only 100 purebred Tibetan Mastiffs are believed to exist. The price tag for the breed goes up about 500 percent each year. Even dogs whose bloodlines aren’t so pure still cost a huge chunk of change – from $10,000 to more than $100,000.

It’s said that Chinese millionaires like to own the dogs because they make them feel powerful and confident. I feel really bad for these humans if they need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on one dog to feel good about themselves. Wouldn’t spending the same amount to save hundreds of thousands of shelter dogs make them feel even better?

PHOTO: msnbc.com

The National Mutt Census gives me such a warm, fuzzy feeling because I finally know that people are taking us seriously for a change – mutts count! Did’ya know that “half of the dog population in America is mixed breed”? That’s what the folks at Mars Veterinary are saying. Well of course they are mixed pawls, because we are the best of the best of the best dogs in the world. Why are we so great? Precisely because we’re all mixed up, pups. We have the best of all doggie worlds in our genetics!

From German Shepherd Dog to Cocker Spaniel, this census is already showing that some of the not-so-popular AKC breeds, are among the most loved breeds in the mutt-loving community. Their fancy veterinarian, Dr. Angela Hughes, actually thinks that the current mutts’ makeup might be a reflection of which breeds were popular 20 years ago. Wow, talk about interesting.

Make sure to go sign up your mutt!

Luckily, I’ve been on the mutt love train since the start – pssh, long before these guys! Check out all the mutt love in the Muttsville section of my site.

Mutts rock!

PHOTOS: muttcensus.com, mostlymuttsonline.com

Are you the proud mama or papa of a mutt? What breeds do you think your pup is? Leave us your answer in the Comments section below!

Well, OK, I didn’t see any of those at America’s Family Pet Expo, but I did get to meet sloths and lambs and ponies, BOL!

The Pet Expo, held April 16-18 on the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, Calif., featured every type of companion animal … over 1,000 of ‘em! I especially liked the pawsome Parade of Dog Breeds that allowed people to meet 100 different breeds of pooches.

I had so much fun hanging out at the i Love Dogs booth meeting cool humans … and critters, too. I even got a little smooch from Annmarie Hill, a very nice veterinarian – even though she dognapped me and held me for ransom at her booth (not that I minded one teeny bit)! 

You can see for yourself all the fun I had at Pet Expo!

Now, I love me some sun, so I normally wouldn’t leave my backyard paradise unless there were something real good in it for me. Pawls, if a conference bringing together a bazillion pet bloggers doesn’t do it for ya, then I don’t know what gets your tail wagging. This conference sure got my tail to do the wiggle waggle!

The humans call it BlogPaws, I call it doggie swag bag heaven! From treats to “accident” carpet cleaners, what dog wouldn’t love to come home with a big, green bag full of toys and treats?! I for one took my bag and stashed it in a strategic secret hiding place in my hotel room. No dog was going to steal my goodies.

Speaking of other dogs, not only were there tons of humans there that use those big human fingers to type for their pets, but the snouts behind the blogs themselves were in the house. Say woof, woof! It was pawsome to say the least, dog dudes. Every scent you followed led you right to an ear scratchin’ or a belly rub.

The BlogPaws love didn’t end there! Just a couple days ago I got to go to my very first BlogPawty! Did you know that there are such things as virtual bacon beers?! ::drooling:: So delicious! I met so many new pawls, a lot of whom went to BlogPaws and were so super cool that they got together to pawty and raise money for homeless animals! If you know anything about me, you know that makes my tail wag so fast you almost can’t see it!

So far this “Be the Change” movement has raised $1,686 for my pawls! Ah, my friends, just follow the BlogPaws to fabulous times and pawls …

PHOTOS: Brad Smith Photography, i Love Dogs

There’s a story on DailyMailOnline about a lady in China named Mrs. Li who is worried about Treasure, her Cocker Spaniel.

Why is she worried? Because Treasure smokes cigarettes.

The X-rays from a recent trip to the vet show a shadow on one of Treasure’s lungs, which could be a tumor. Her heart and liver are also bigger than they should be.

“She needs at least two cigarettes a day,” Li said. “I have to light one in the ashtray and let her stay beside to suck the smoke.”

Treasure picked up the filthy habit when she was just a little 5-month-old puppy. She also eats cigarette butts. Li says she swallows the tobacco and spits out the rest.

WAKE UP, MRS. LI!!

Why are you letting your dog smoke?! Don’t you understand that it’s cruelty to animals? If you want to puff nasty cigarettes, that’s your problem – don’t make it Treasure’s too.

Here are a whole bunch of facts (101, just like the famous Dalmatians) about smoking you should read, especially this one: “Cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality in the United States and the world.”

What that means is that you can live longer just by not smoking – both you and Treasure, too.

I know dogs aren’t supposed to beg, Mrs. Li, but please, please, PLEASE throw out those cancer sticks and get Treasure some bully sticks instead, ‘K?

Sure, us dogs are pack animals…but not that kind of pack.

PHOTOS: QuirkyChina.com

A story on DallasNews.com says that as many as 50 dogs have been abandoned at the Mockingbird Point Dog Park. That’s right, their humans bring them there, take off their collars and then leave without them.

A nice man named Jim Christian saw a guy walking away without his dog and tried to stop him, but the guy kept walking. And get this – when Christian alerted a police officer, he said, “The policeman looked at me like I was crazy and said, ‘We don’t have any laws against dumping dogs.’”

(What the dog? I had to look that up. Turns out there’s a Texas Health and Safety code that says abandoning a domestic animal is a misdemeanor crime. )

Christian has pawsomely rescued two abandoned dogs and paid for shots and trips to the veterinarian for some of the others. Other cool park visitors like Betsy Hanson, Debra Gardenier and Cyndi Carmichael have helped the poor pooches find new homes with nice owners.  

These kind people said they know that when people lose their jobs or homes, one of the first things to go are the pets. They said that since the city’s no-kill shelters are full, maybe the dog abandoners think their pooch will have a better chance at the dog park than the dog pound.

Well, I say GRRrrr. If you ask me, anybody who can just walk away from their pooch at the dog park is a big ol’ coward and there is not a single excuse to justify it. 

Even if you lost your house or job, your pooch still adores and trusts you, so the least you can do in return is make an effort to find the pup a home. In Dallas alone you can try Operation Kindness or Frisco Humane Society or A Different Breed or CraigsList.

Just don’t leave the poor pup all alone and scared at the dog park. And good humans of Dallas, please contact your city officials and law enforcement to make sure this sad practice ends.

PHOTOS: gooddoghometraining.com, DallasNews.com

Check it out below. Do you think they caught my good side? I think next time I’ll have them tape me surfing the excellent waves of SoCal. Heck ya! Have you tried my TJ’s Health Bites? They are so wooftastic and good for your body too. It doesn’t get any better than that paw pawls! If you haven’t seen the behind the scenes footage yet, check out my post about it!

I mean, I’ve been on Twitter for a real long time and so have a lot of my furiends, but I know some of you pooches out there don’t have a way with words like we do. Or maybe you’re more into barking than tweeting. This Puppy Tweets thingie would be just what you need to let your humans and other “tweeps” following you know whatever mischief you happened to be up to. Genius!

But get this – Puppy Tweets is a toy! Dogs don’t really write the tweets – they’re already programmed! Whenever you bark or move around, it automatically posts one of its 500 canned tweets to your Twitter page.

So let’s say you forgot where you buried a chew toy, and you’re digging your sixth hole trying to find it. You know what this toy would tweet? Something totally random, like “”YAHOOOOOOO! Somedays you just gotta get your bark on.” What the dog?

Even humans think it’s pretty silly. Janene Zakrajsek, who co-owns Pussy & Pooch Pethouse and Pawbar, told the Los Angeles Times, “I mean, really what is it telling you? It’s like a Magic 8 Ball toy.”

I hear ya, Janene. And so do some of my clever TJ.LA K-9 reporters, who would much rather come up with their own unique tweets like these, thank you very much.

Irie

  One day I’ll get you, big dumb dog behind the big dumb door.
  If I run at full speed, I can probably make it over that baby gate!
  Bark bark, sleep, eat, poo, pee… a puppy’s life for me.
  Me and this scary closet dog monster have some beef to work out. NOW.
  When I snuggle like this in mami and papi’s arms, I know I’ve picked the right humans…

Leroy

   I’m napping & snoring loud enough to wake up people in Australia.
  OMD! OMD! Where’s my bone? Where’d it go?! O…M…D!!!
  Yum, mom’s designer shoes are so much tastier than the ones from Target.
  @MichaelVick: You need to go away. NOW.
  UPS guy, if that box ain’t full of Kongs, get off my porch.

If you still want to get a Puppy Tweets toy for your pooch, it will be available in the fall, with a list price of $29.99.

PHOTOS: Mattel

What do you think your dog would tweet on Twitter? Let us know in the Comments section!