Your mission should you choose to accept it is...

Now I get asked all sorts of weird stuff, and as I'm at home today with a child snuffling I'm not placed to do them all.
We've already discovered that through this blog we can achieve great things.
But can we also look stuff up?
There will be prizes for those who come up with nuggety facts... how good are you at Googling?
Here's what I've been asked to discover ...
"We would like to pinpoint things like when dogs were first used for guide dogs, police dogs, 1st dog in space, change from working to domestic dog, first dog clothes shop etc? First doggie swimming pool? First skateboarding dog? First sniffer dog? First Hearing Dog? First Pet Passport."
Plus I guess they'd like any other milestones in dog history - first dog in Downing Street for eg?
Be very grateful for any facts you can uncover - dates and details really would be superb! Consumable doggie gifts for the best ones and/or free magazines for those further flung who can't be sent food.
Hope you can help! Deadline looming......!

Comments

Beverley Cuddy said…
Found loads of stuff on police dogs - so don't need that...!

Cheers
Beverley
Beverley Cuddy said…
Bernie from the Labradoodle forum has found the first:

"guide dogs, space dogs and hearing dogs"

despite professing to be at work and not having time to do it!
Beverley Cuddy said…
First dog food:
Commercial pet food really started in the 1860’s when James Spratt (a lightening conductor salesman from the US) arrived in the UK and noticed stray dogs eating hard biscuits thrown away by sailors

Really keen to have some wacky ones... first dog on TV? First on radio? First royal dog breeder? King Charles?
First dog to have a hot single...

There'll be a big prize for the fact that makes me laugh the most!
Beverley Cuddy said…
first doggie clone:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7785.html
Beverley Cuddy said…
First doggie film star:

Strongheart, was the first dog movie star of the silent era. He was before Rin Tin Tin. There is a wonderful book written by J. Allen Boone, Kinship With All Life, that should be on every person's reading list.
Beverley Cuddy said…
Or another source says it is:
Rover
In 1905 the first canine movie star was featured in "Rescued by Rover"
Beverley Cuddy said…
First dog to stand for parliament:

Bob - The Parliamentary Candidate
In 1982 Bob, a Springer Spaniel, stood for Parliament representing "The Monster Raving Loony Barking Mad Dog Party". He was was owned by Lord David Sutch ( Screaming Lord Sutch)
Beverley Cuddy said…
first dog king?
SAUR or SUENING
A dog that was "king" of Norway for three years during the 11th century AD. The Norwegian king, angry that his subjects once deposed him, put Saur on the throne and demanded that it be treated regally.
Chapstaff said…
The world’s first cloned dog has been revealed by researchers. South Korea’s “king of cloning”, Woo Suk Hwang has successfully cloned an Afghan hound.

Snuppy was "born" in April 2005
Chapstaff said…
The Guide dogs organisation was founded in Wallasey, Wirral, in 1934 but work first began with four trained German Shepherds in 1931.
That's in this country.
---------------------------------

Laika, the first animal ever sent to space, rode to orbit in Sputnik II on the 3rd of November, 1957.
----------------------------------

Early in 1908 the first Police Dogs were used in the United Kingdom
Vicky said…
What about Storm? The world's first bionic dog, from Oxshott, Surrey in July 2007.
Vicky said…
The first dog to win the PDSA Dickin Medal for bravery -
Bob (Mongrel)
24 March 1944

6th Royal West Kent Regt.“For constant devotion to duty with special mention of Patrol work at Green Hill, North Africa, while serving with the 6th Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Regt.”
Vicky said…
The first dog to play Lassie in the movies (1943) was called Pal.
The film is based on a short story ‘Lassie Come Home’ published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1938.
Vicky said…
First dog to use a pet passport in Feb 2000 was Frodo Baggins, a five-year-old pug, who came with his owner, Helen de Borchgrave, of London...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/659243.stm

Here's a silly one...
World’s first chapel for dogs opened August 2001 in the American state of Vermont, with pews and stained-glass windows depicting black labradors with halos…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/08/26/wdog26.xml
Beverley Cuddy said…
Thank you everyone, will write it up in the next few days! Will be announcing who gets the goodies shortly.

What stars you all are!
Wendy & Caesar said…
Belka (Squirrel) was the first dog to be safely recovered after spending a day in orbit on 19 August 1960.
Wendy & Caesar said…
Not of particular historical note but I believe I have the first dog to dine in the House of Commons Members Dining Room, Westminster AND The Seanators Dining Room, Capitol Hill, Washington DC. I think he was also the first dog to witness debates in the public gallery at both places!

Of course a pet passport and his status as a registered assistance dog helped greatly with this feat!
Wendy & Caesar said…
In 2003, a standard poodle named Shadow became the first canine to have his genome mapped, and in 2004 a boxer, Tasha, became the second.

Full story here
Wendy & Caesar said…
Siberian Husky is the first canine to receive permanent prostheses, vet says.

A formerly abused amputee dog has regained the ability to walk thanks to a series of groundbreaking prosthetic implant surgeries, according to Denver-based Alameda East Veterinary Hospital.
Wendy & Caesar said…
I should have included this in the above comment about my own dog but can't see a way to edit it :o(

I believe I have the only British assistance dog to have his Good Citizen Dog Scheme (Bronze, Silver & Gold) awards from The Kennel Club and to have also his Canine Good Citizen Award from the American Kennel Club.

For what it is worth, he had to think about and train for his British awards, with the American one, he waltzed through it so easily, I doubt he even realised it was a test ;o)
Unknown said…
I assume you've also uncovered the sad tale of space dog Leika's journey. It appears that the original Russian reports that she spent a happy week in space were fabricated. In reality, a malfunction in Spunik's nose cone allowed in too much heat and she "died from overheating and stress".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2367681.stm

Thats a rather higher price than most pay for their 15 minutes of fame...

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