ohmidog!

Champ, a mutt who is a familiar face to fans of the IronPigs, a minor league baseball team, is still missing after bolting during Friday’s fireworks display at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.

Champ belongs to Janine Kurpiel, the merchandise director of the team’s Majestic Clubhouse store, and he accompanies her to work each day. The IronPigs are a Phillies AAA affiliate.

The search has inspired many people to help, including Kurpiel’s mother, Barb, who drove all Friday night from Detroit, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Ironically, the paper reports, the Phillies World Series trophy played a role in Champ’s getaway.

The gates opened several hours before Friday’s 7 p.m. game, so fans could pose for pictures with the trophy — an event that required Kurpiel’s presence. Grounds crew members offered to look after Champ in their office. But someone opened the door as the post-game fireworks began and a frightened Champ ran off.

Champ is a 4 1/2-year-old German shepherd mix, between 40 and 55 pounds. He’s brown with some black on his back, and he was wearing a purple collar. Anyone who has seen a stray dog resembling Champ in the Allentown area is asked to call Janine Kurpiel at 610-554-0474.

With its selection as First Dog triggering the most publicity the Portuguese water dog has had since its introduction into the U.S. in the late 1960s, the Portuguese Water Dog Club has issued a press release urging the public to be cautious before jumping on any trend that might develop.

“While the PWD is a wonderful family pet, we want to use the increased interest in the breed as an opportunity to educate people about it,” said Stu Freeman, President of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America (PWDCA). “We encourage those who may consider adding a Portuguese Water Dog to their lives to do the proper research to ensure that this breed fits their lifestyle.”

“PWDs are classified as working dogs. That means they enjoy being given jobs to do where they can display their intelligence, strength and stamina. Like all dogs, PWDs need positive training and socialization.”

“The best thing about the breed is its versatility,” said Jean Hassebroek, corresponding secretary of the PWDCA. “PWDs have been full-time sheep herders, R.E.A.D. therapy dogs and we even had a FEMA hero. But, they can also be champion couch potatoes, content to just hang out.”

Because PWDs form a strong bond with their families, they don’t do well when left alone for long periods or when boarded in kennels. PWDs enjoy participating in activities with their family such as youth soccer, baseball and basketball games, picnics, hiking, and especially any outing that involves water.

They do well in homes with children, the club warned, but it’s possible a PWD could mistake a small child for a littermate and play too hard. In general, small children should never be left unsupervised with a dog of any breed.

For more information on Portuguese Water Dogs, visit the PWDCA website.

(Photo: Drawing courtesy of Portuguese Water Dog Club)

The American Kennel Club has — no surprise here — congratulated the Obama family on the anticipated arrival of their purebred 6-month-old Portuguese water dog, Bo.

And they’ve filled us in on his pedigree as well: the dog’s official name is Amigo’s New Hope, and he was bred by Art and Martha Stern, long-time breeders who reside near Dallas.

Bo is indeed a littermate of Senator Ted Kennedy’s pup Cappy, the AKC confirms.

The organization believes the dog will not only leave “a good mark” on the Obamas (but preferably no stains) and will “shine a spotlight on dogs and the importance of responsible dog ownership around the world.”

“With one of the American Kennel Club’s primary missions being the encouragement of responsible dog ownership, we are delighted with the wonderful example you have already set in researching the right breed for your family and obtaining a dog through a reputable breeder who is a member of the AKC parent club, The Portugese Water Dog Club of America,” said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung in a letter to the Obama family today.

Of the breed, the AKC says PWDs possess a lot of energy, and a predictable temperament. They are loyal and loving companions, but require daily vigorous exercise. Historically, the breed spent most of its day swimming, assisting its fisherman owner by retrieving broken nets, diving for fish and delivering messages between ships.

Although currently only the 64th most popular breed in the United States according to 2008 AKC registration statistics, the Portuguese Water Dog’s popularity is likely to rise due to its appointment as First Pup.

President Obama and family — while selecting a majorly cute dog — missed out on a chance to further the cause of animal adoption worldwide by opting for a breeder-produced purebred.

Bo, the six-month-old Portuguese water dog gifted to the Obama’s by Sen. Edward Kennedy, was proving an unpopular choice among animal welfare advocates, though some tempered their remarks by pointing out that, while not a shelter or rescue dog, Bo had been rejected by a previous owner.

A litter mate of the Kennedy’s newest dog, Cappy, Bo apparently had a previous owner, but was returned to the breeder because he didn’t get along well with the owner’s other dogs.

On the bright side, that means it was a breeder responsible enough to insist on reclaiming dogs whose placements don’t work out.

On the not quite so bright side, though, Obama missed out on an opportunity to raise awareness of homeless dogs — at a time when a lot of shelters desperately need some help.

“They were looking at shelters but in the end the Kennedys learned of this litter mate of their dog who needed a home, and they wanted to give the girls a gift – and here we are,” Catherine McCormick-Lelyveld, a spokesman for the First Lady, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “He moves in Tuesday.”

President Obama had expressed a preference for a shelter dog, but the family also needed a “hypo-allergenic dog because of daughter Malia’s allergies.

“…Our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but, obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me … So whether we’re going to be able to balance those two things I think is a pressing issue on the Obama household,” the president said shortly after taking office.

“This is a missed opportunity to set a pet-adoption trend among Americans,” said Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. “With pet relinquishment up 20 to 30 percent due to the poor economy, pets in shelters can use all the help they can get.”

Since the Obama’s did not get the dog from a shelter, the Sun-Times reported, the Obamas will instead made a donation to a humane society.

(White House photos)

Animals seized from dogfighting operations and other cruelty investigations deserve a right to be independently reviewed, instead of being automatically euthanized, a coalition of animal welfare groups has agreed.

After a meeting in Las Vegas last week, The Humane Society of the United States has revised its policies and now recommends that all dogs seized from fighting operations be professionally evaluated, according to agreed upon standards, to determine whether they are suitable candidates for adoption.

Under the new policy, dogs deemed suitable for placement should be offered to adopters or to approved rescue organizations. The HSUS will update its law enforcement training manual and other materials to reflect this change in policy.

In addition, groups participating in the meeting have vowed to  work together to help the canine victims of organized violence.

The meeting was prompted by the recent mass euthanasia of 145 dogs — including newly born puppies — that were seized from North Carolina Ed Faron, who bred fighting dogs at his Wildside Kennels.

The dogs were killed at the conclusion of his court case in Wilkes County, where authorities said their laws mandated the action. Unlike the dogs seized in the higher profile Michael Vick case, no efforts were made by the government, lawyers or major rescue organizations to save the Faron dogs, at least not until it was too late.

Lat week’s meeting was convened to address the matter of dogs seized as a result of cruelty investigations, particularly due to the increase in HSUS-led enforcement actions against dogfighters.

Participants at the meeting included Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States, BAD RAP, ASPCA, National Animal Control Association, Maddie’s Fund, Nevada Humane Society, and Spartanburg Humane Society.

The groups agreed that all dogs should be treated as individuals. They also agreed to support law enforcement and animal control agencies when decisions must be made regarding the dogs deemed unsuitable for adoption, and in cases when rescue organizations and adopters are unable, within a reasonable timeframe, to accept dogs from such raids that have been offered for adoption.

The organizations will form a working group to develop future protocols for cooperation in addressing the needs of dogs seized in raids, such as how to assist with the housing of fighting dogs, how to conduct professional evaluations, and how to screen potential adopters.

The Maryland SPCA is celebrating its 140th anniversary with a special exhibit at the Maryland Historical Society depicting the history of what is one of the nation’s oldest animal welfare organizations.

The Maryland SPCA was founded in 1869 by a group of Baltimore citizens who were concerned about the welfare of the city’s work horses. Today, it’s one of the busiest adoption centers in the area, placing more than 3,000 dogs and cats a year into new homes and spaying and neutering thousands more.

Entitled “The Maryland SPCA: 140 Years of Caring,” the exhibit is on display from April 1 through June 28 at the Maryland Historical Society, at 201 W. Monument Street in Baltimore. The exhibit is sponsored by Bravo Health.

A special reception will be held at the historical society on Friday, May 8, 2009 from 6 to 9 p.m. The “Wine and Wag” reception, features a tour of the exhibit, a full bar with wines and hors d’oeuvres. Maryland SPCA adoptable dogs will also be on hand, but guest pets are not permitted. Tickets are $30 per person in advance and $35 at the door. (They can be purchased online through the Maryland SPCA website, www.mdspca.org, or by calling 410.235.8826, ext. 135. )

(Photo courtesy of Maryland Historical Society)