US Imports its Drug-Sniffing Dogs for $4,500 Each

Feds 'failing to address several urgent threats,' commission says

(NEWSER) - The US is woefully unprepared for a biological attack—getting an “F” from a bipartisan commission on weapons of mass destruction. “While the government has made progress on preventing such attacks, it is simply not paying consistent and urgent attention to the means of responding quickly and effectively so that they no longer constitute a threat of mass destruction,” the report said. “We no longer have the luxury of a slow learning curve.” More»

Majestic breed becomes status symbol

(NEWSER) - A dog bred to guard farms and herds on the Tibetan plateau has become the latest status symbol for China's wealthy elite. Purebred Tibetan mastiffs, one of the biggest breeds of dogs, can sell for over $500,000 in China. Celebrity mastiffs, weighing in at close to 180 pounds, can command tens of thousands of dollars for stud fees and are met at airports by fans. More»

Japanese toymaker debuts dog translator next month

(NEWSER) - Ever wonder what your dog is thinking? The “Bowlingual Voice” from Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy claims to be able to tell you just that, the Telegraph reports. The device is made up of a microphone and transmitter on the collar that categorizes the dog’s utterances into one of six emotions—such as sadness, anger or happiness—and plays an appropriate sample of speech from a handset. More»

Dogs are ethical, full of natural goodness, scientist says

(NEWSER) - Science is finally catching up to what dog owners have known all along: Canines are ethical. After thousands of hours studying dogs—once dismissed as "furry automatons," an author said—animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff concluded that they possess the capacity for empathy and compassion, the hallmarks of morality. Humans aren’t alone “in having a nuanced moral system,” Bekoff told the Denver Post. More»

(NEWSER) - At Harvard and labs across the country, researchers are turning to dogs for clues on how their brains—and ours—work, the Boston Globe reports. “Psychologists have been ignoring animals that were sleeping quietly at their feet,” one professor said, but no longer. Dogs understand pointing better than even our closest primate relatives, and scientists wonder if their intelligence could be tied to domestication. More»