Is Your Dog Smart?

We all know that Lassie is/was a smart dog. How she knew little Timmy was in trouble all of those times is beyond me, but she did. And Rin Tin Tin was smart and brave. So was Toto. He managed to escape almost everything the Wicked Witch threw at him. And check out the Papillon in the video. Very smart.

So, what makes a dog smart? Is yours a smartie? For an upcoming story in The News Journal, we'll look at what makes for a smart dog, how they learn and which breeds tend to be the smartest.

Send a photo of your dog, tell us what makes him or her smart, and include the dog's name, your name, where you live and a daytime phone number. E-mail all of it to pets@delawareonline.com. We'll choose some of the dogs - and people - to include in our story.

To help get you started, www.petsmedonline.org lists the Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds in the World:

10. Australian cattle dog
9. Rottweiler
8. Papillon
7. Labrador retriever
6. Shetland sheepdog
5. Doberman pinscher
4. Golden retriever
3. German shepherd
2. Poodle
1. Border collie

Fewer Animals Euthanized at the SPCA

Give the Delaware SPCA credit: When director Anne Cavanaugh was hired in February 2008, she promised to reduce the number of animals euthanized at the shelter, and she has followed through.

The SPCA euthanized 53 percent fewer animals in 2008 at its Stanton and Georgetown shelters than in did in 2007. In 2008, the SPCA took in 5,120 animals and euthanized 28 percent, or 1,434. In 2007, 50 percent of the 6,130 animals the shelter took in were euthanized.

What changed?

In 2008, the Delaware SPCA's board changed its policy, agreeing to euthanize only animals with serious untreatable health or behavioral conditions. The board also lifted the time restriction on how long animals could be kept before they were adopted or faced euthanization. Now, some animals stay in the shelter for six months or more.

You see more scenes like the photo above of Ulises Lopez and Ana Orozco of New Castle getting help from SPCA worker Nicole Mancino as they considered adopting a cat at the Stanton shelter in February.

Credit Cavanaugh, who expects the shelter's record to improve this year, too.

"We are doing very well with dogs - only 10 percent of the dogs we took in were euthanized, despite the fact that we take in hundreds of pit bulls because of our animal control contract with the City of Wilmington," she said in a press release.

Cavanaugh says the SPCA is focusing on reducing cat euthanasia at its two shelters.

It all dovetails with a Delaware government emphasis to reduce euthanizations statewide. To pay for the spay/neuter program in Delaware, state lawmakers put in $250,000 and authorized collecting $3 from pet owners each time your dog or cat goes to the vet for a rabies shot. Your vet is required to collect the surcharge, and that money goes to spaying and neutering in low-income areas.

The premise is simple: Control the pet population - using spay/neuter - before cats and dogs breed, and you can make a dent in the homeless population.

In 2005, Delaware shelters took in 21,062 animals and 13,583 were euthanized. And before taxpayers and pet owners shout about a waste of money, consider this: In New Hampshire - after which the Delaware plan is modeled - the widespread spay/neuter approach there helped save the state's taxpayers $2.5 million a year in shelter costs.

In Case You Missed It

In case you miss winter (doubtful) and especially if you didn't see this photo on delawareonline (likely), here's one of our favorite photos from one of our favorite pet photographers, The News Journal's Jennifer Corbett.

And, yep, that's Jennifer's 5-year-old Himalayan, Fenwick, napping on the radiator throughout the March 2 nor'easter that dumped 9 inches of snow on Delaware.

Jennifer says cozing up on the radiator is Fenwick's all-time favorite winter sport.

Why One Family Loves Their Portuguese Water Dog

The word from the White House is that the Portuguese water dog has the inside track to be the First Dog for the Obamas. We asked readers who have these dogs to send us photos and tell us a little about why they make great companions.

The Browns from Elkton, Md., offered these insights:

"We got our wonderful Portuguese Water Dog almost 3 years ago from a breeder in Jersey...not many breeders in this area. His name is Mako. He's a black wavy (the breed has black, brown and each with white coats of color and coat can be wavy or curly)."

The Browns suggested that water-related names are a good fit for Portuguese water dogs because they are the only breed with webbed feet. The Browns considered Skipper, but settled on Mako since "one of my daughters is fascinated with sea creatures such as sharks."

One of the things the Browns love about Mako is his wonderful demeanor "even with an infant in the house who is now a year old and pulling and tugging on him all the time." They like the breed because it is low-shedding and nearly hypoallergenic (important to the Obamas because 10-year-old Malia is allergic) - and "they're not slobberers."

The Browns sing the praises of Mako.

"He's eager to please, watches over all of us, is friendly yet protects. He's great at following our leads on who is our friend and who is not. He's a gem to train and just an all-around fun great dog ... especially for a family who loves to go camping! Thanks for the chance to share about this wonderful breed!"