Stephen Colbert el dos, rising to the top.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Satirical TV anchorman Stephen Colbert may not have a dog in this fight, but his name alone may have helped a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix puppy beat a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

In the online doggie beauty pageant, the canine Steven Colbert el dos won the latest weekly semifinal, which enables him to compete for a $1 million grand prize.

Colbert el dos from Georgia beat Mozart, or MoMo as he's known to his family and friends in New Orleans, Louisiana, to win cutest dog of the week.

"While it certainly would have been a lot of fun for MoMo to win this past week, we're excited for Stephen Colbert el dos and his owners. What a fun and entertaining ride it's been so far." said piano teacher Cara McCool, MoMo's owner.

"We're just happy for the attention this has brought to our charities as well as others supported by so many cute dogs in this competition," McCool said.

Her charities included: Redeemer Presbyterian Disaster Relief, Desire Street Ministries, Louisiana Teachers Save Our Students fund, Cavalier Rescue USA, Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, the Louisiana SPCA, and Teach for America.

Colbert el dos' winnings are pledged to attract a stork to his owners' house. The owners, Bryan and his wife, Allyson, are newlyweds and are hoping to use the prize money for in vitro fertilization treatments to start a family. Colbert el dos' owners asked not to have their last names published to protect their privacy.

Bryan said he was shocked when he found out on Monday his dog had won.

"On Saturday night, I went to bed and we were down 150 votes," he said. "I know they announced the winners on the blog and I saw winner for Week 8 and I was expecting to see Mozart and I saw Stephen Colbert el dos and I just couldn't believe it." He said it was a great day for the 7-month-old puppy and his owners.

Their four-legged family includes three other dogs, all rescues, but they bought Colbert el dos from Puppies Galore in Lawrenceville, Georgia. When they met him, he was 2 months old, barely weighed a pound and would not eat.

The manager of the store said the puppy was regressing after he was separated from his siblings. Now Stephen Colbert el dos is eating well and, "He's as hyper as any puppy you'll see," Bryan said.

Last week, they entered the competition and said they only told a few friends and family members. They posted a note on a Stephen Colbert fan site and support for the pooch went viral.
A Web site said Colbert el dos had an invitation to appear on the "Colbert Report" if he made the top 12. Bryan said the TV show has not contacted them. Renata Luczak, a spokesperson for Comedy Central, could not confirm or deny the pet's booking, saying the "Colbert Report" "refrains from commenting on upcoming guests appearing on the show."

The human comedian Colbert has wreaked havoc in other online competitions, from a Hungarian bridge-naming contest to a NASA competition to name a room in the international space station.

In both cases, Colbert won the popular vote. Hungary declined to name the bridge after Colbert. NASA, instead of naming the room in his honor, sent a treadmill to space with the Colbert honorific.

In those contests, the competitions received heavy promotion during the show, with Colbert urging his viewers to participate. In the dog photo fight, Colbert had an impact without direct participation.

7 Excellent iPhone Apps for Dog Lovers

-By Mary Ward

There is no end to what you can do with your passion and love for dogs, and these applications prove just that. You can find some excellent iPhone apps to keep your dog entertained and keep your skills sharp in caring for your pooch.

1. Dog Whistler - This gives you the perfect tool for dog training, all at your fingertips! You can use this app as a dog whistle to help train your dog and teach them tricks. This is a perfect complement to obedience training or helpful for the older dog set, making this one of the most popular iPhone apps out there.

2. iPet Dogs – This app will give you instant access to dog lovers from all around the world! This is the first social networking site for dog lovers and allows you to meet and talk with people just like you. You can load this to your iPhone and be tied into whatever is going on within the dog community at that very moment. Learn a thing or two about your prized pooch along the way!

3. Dog Teaser -Have fun with your dog by using this app to keep them playing for hours. You can load any number of sounds that are sure to get your dog moving and barking in some fun play time. This can provide hours of entertainment for your dog and you alike!

4. Virtual Dog – Always wanted a dog but don’t have the time? Now you can adopt a virtual dog right from your iPhone. You can own your own puppy online and care for it, all from cyberspace. Perfect to try out caring for a dog or get yourself ready to see if you can adopt one in real life.

5. Dog Tricks & Bark Machine - This is a perfect tool to help train even the most unruly dog. You can use the sounds and commands on this app to help teach your dog some cool tricks or simply get them to listen to you better. It’s a great tool for the true dog lover!

6. Pet Services Finder – If you want to find the closest place to take Fido for any variety of services, this is an excellent app to keep closeby. You can keep up with the latest local dog parks, find a new groomer, or search for a vet in a town you may be visiting. Keeps you on top of your game when it comes to caring for your pampered pooch!

7. Paws Y& Claws Pet Vet – Here you can test your skills in nursing your dog back to health. Though this is technically a game, it’s an excellent way to learn some new skills that can transfer to real life care for Fido.

The iPhone strives to have an app for everyone, and that includes those of us who love our dogs! Use these apps to entertain and to ease your life with your best friend.

Mary Ward is a freelance writer and likes writing about animal-related career topics, such as how to research and choose among online veterinary technician courses, how to apply for online college grants, and more. TDW thanks her for writing this article and donating her talents for this entry.

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Maternal Instinct

Germany-

Katjinga, an 8-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback, is tapping into her maternal instincts and serving as a surrogate mom to a 2-week-old piglet who was abandoned by its family.

Born on Aug. 21, the black, pot-bellied pig named Paulinchen, was found by Roland Adam, 54, on his land in Hoerstel, Germany, near death and abandoned by her family the night after she was born.

"I found Paulinchen all alone," Adam told the U.K.'s Daily Mail.

"When I lifted her up, she was really cold."Adam brought the tiny little piglet back to his home and introduced her to his canine, hoping that Katjinga, who had just finished with her own litter, would care for the newborn. To his relief, the two bonded right away.

"Katjinga is the best mother you can imagine," Adam said. "She immediately fell in love with the piggy. Straight away she started to clean it like it was one of her own puppies."

Mother and piglet are adjusting well to their new life together, with Katjinga even beginning to lactate again so she can feed her new baby.

World's Most Expensive Dog

A black Tibetan Mastiff, 31 inches high and answering to the name of "Yangtze River Number Two," is believed to have broken the world record as the most expensive dog after a Chinese woman paid $582,000 for the “priceless” canine.

In keeping with its record-shattering status, according to local reports the 18-month-old dog arrived at its new owner’s home in stupendously excessive style.

A motorcade of 30 luxury cars cruised to the airport in Xi’an to take delivery of Yangtze. Enchanted onlookers gathered to celebrate the arrival of the city’s new resident.

If the figure of $582,000 is accurate, it makes Yangtze River Number Two possibly the most expensive pet dog in history. Earlier this year, a family in Florida paid $155,000 for a Labrador called Lancelot Encore. That price included the cost of cloning the original Lancelot.

The young millionaire, according to one report on a Chinese Web site, fell in love with the dog while on a breeding trip to Qinghai province. The woman, referred to only as Mrs. Wang, had been travelling to the town of Yushu with a Tibetan Mastiff that she already owned with a view to mating it with the famously pure-blooded hounds of that region.

While there though she spotted a dog known as White Root and knew immediately that she had to make it hers. Another version of the story suggests that the woman had spent some years in the quest for the perfect Tibetan Mastiff and was satisfied that the dog she found in Yushu was it.

“Gold has a price, but this Tibetan Mastiff doesn’t,” the young woman reportedly said on her return home.

It remains unclear why she renamed the dog Yangtze River Number Two, though the process appears to have taken place while Wang and her dogs were returning from the breeders.

New York School Bans Diabetic Boy's Service Dog

YONKERS, N.Y. — Officials at a New York school have refused to allow a diabetic student to bring his service dog to school.

A school district official stopped 8-year-old Anthony Spataro, his mother, and his dog, Dash, from entering a Yonkers school on Tuesday.

Samantha Spataro said her son was told that he was welcome at Paideia School 15 without his dog.

The Westchester school's spokeswoman said the dog is too young to have been properly trained as a service dog to detect glucose levels.

The district also barred Anthony from coming to class when he had a different service dog, a 2-year-old German shepherd, to monitor fluctuations in his blood sugar levels.

School officials told FOX 5 New York in August that Anthony had an aide assigned to him and had been doing well in school without a dog.

The state's Division of Human Rights issued a determination earlier this year that the family has grounds to sue the district over the issue.

The family says they will go to court.

Lucky the Turtle Gets New Legs

I know this isn't a dog related article, but the picture and story was so unique and uplifting, we'd thought we would share with you anyway.

From the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa:

A tiny box turtle surviving on painkillers and antibiotics after having his front legs eaten by a raccoon is getting a second chance — and a new pair of legs — thanks to a clever veterinarian in California.

When Lucky the turtle's legs were chewed to bits on July 31, his owner feared the mangled and bloody stumps would be too much for him to bear.

But the tenacious terrapin wasn't giving in, so owner Sally Pyne sought help from a local vet with experience in reptile care.

Veterinary surgeon Robert Jereb attached plastic sliders — the small discs usually stuck underneath chairs and table legs — to get Lucky back on his feet again, the paper reported.
Jereb stacked the discs two high and taped them to Lucky's stomach, restoring him to his usual height and allowing the turtle to propel himself with his hind legs, pushing from the back and sliding along in front.

Jereb said he wasn't sure how an animal got to the turtle, which normally would have boxed up for protection by withdrawing his legs and head into his shell, the Press Democrat reported. Jereb said Lucky may have been overweight or could have had a shell deformity that put him at risk.

Pyne said Lucky is adjusting well to the change, but told the Press Democrat the loggerhead's libido has waned, and he now leaves his companion Lovey alone after years of unwanted amorous advances.

"Now Lucky doesn't chase her around and try to make babies any more," she said.

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