Blog Posts by Sarah D. Bunting

Frei (R) with new breed the Norwegian Lundehund and owner Harvey Sanderson, November 2011David Frei is "the Voice of Westminster," not to mention the co-host of the National Dog Show Presented by Purina (you can watch this year's telecast on NBC on Thanksgiving Day). He's shown champion Afghan Hounds, he's appeared on "Sex & the City," and he's written books about his work with dogs, including "Angel By My Side," the critically-acclaimed story of a heroic service dog.

Frei's latest book, "Angel on a Leash," takes readers behind the scenes in Frei's work with therapy dogs – and more. Frei took some time to chat with me about show judges, Brittanys, tongue-twisters, and staying "in the moment." The first part of our conversation is right here; the second part appears below. 

You mention in the book that you think that good therapy dogs are born and not made, and that they can be any breed or a mixed breed, although some breeds are inherently better at it than others.

Yes.

Would you say that Brittanys, for example, or any other breeds in particular, are

Reddit is so addictive. Every time I follow a link to the site to read one set of questions and answers, I'll get sucked in to five others and spend a good two hours clicking around. Today's fascinating "Ask Me Anything" is the story of Ted and his kitten, Pikachu, who are traveling across North America by bicycle to raise money for -- and awareness about -- local animal shelters.

This is an admirable goal, but let's just review that for a second...he's traveling by bicycle across an entire continent with a cat. Talk about the fine line between "courageous" and "crazy."

I've driven two cats from New York to Toronto before, and a good time was had by...none. The cats hated the sedative and the car, and my wingman passenger hated me 100 miles into a 500-mile trip.

But not every cat is like mine, one cranky and beleaguered, the other one relentlessly needy...and on long car trips, I do sometimes long for feline companionship, the kind of even-keeled cat who will tolerate a harness and

Getty ImagesBringing home a new sugar glider? Print off this checklist to make sure you have everything you need. (Small Animal Channel)

Austin, TX's new animal shelter is a state-of-the-art facility including heated kennels, larger cages, and an indoor rabbit track. Ready, set, hop! (Global Animal)

An omnibus on keeping pet spiders. (The Animal Cabin)

Check out vintage dog-show footage in this fan-made video for Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet's "Rover and Rusty." (Trivia alert: SMoaSP provided the theme song for "Kids in the Hall.") (Paw Nation)

Who needs a pocket square when you could rock a kitten instead? Dig this aw-esome gallery of kittens in pockets. (Catster)

An AP/Petside poll asked if rescue animals are America's favorite pet. Do you have a shelter Sheltie of your own? (Petside)

The $100K Photo/Video Challenge has declared its winners. (ASPCA)

Today's adoptable pet du jour is a slow-moving fellow named Meander. (Hee! Reminds me of my college goldfish, the late great Breakfast.) The phrase

ThinkstockA cat climbed a 40-foot cactus in the Arizona desert -- and, for obvious reasons, took its sweet time getting down. (Yahoo! News)

Celebrate the opening of Twilight: Scary Vampire Fetus tonight with some video of R. Pattz and his rescue dog. (People Pets)

And it's not a great idea to try to keep a bat as a pet -- but if you find one, here's how you can help it return to happy life. (Bat World)

Feeling snacky? Rescue Chocolates donates 100% of their proceeds to animal-rescue organizations -- and the candy is vegan! This month's beneficiary: Neighborhood Cats. (Staten Island Feral Initiative)

Is your dog a leaner? Dr. Patty Khuly explains why. (Vetstreet)

Today's adoptable pet du jour uses the force: he's a Brittany named Yoda, and if you live near West Creek, NJ, adopt him you should. (Petfinder)

If you've ever wondered what it's like for the sticks you throw for your dog, wonder no longer! An enterprising pet owner mounted a camera ON the stick. Let the chomping begin. (Daily What)

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With thanks to all our men and women in uniform, past and present.

Kathy Blumenstock investigates the "Dogs of Defense" -- the official agency tasked with training WWII sentry dogs. (PetMD)

President Obama's summit with Cairo, the Seal Team 6 dog that joined the raid on bin Laden's compound. (Global Animal)

Donald F. Smith, DVM explores the role of horses, mules, and their veterinarians in wartime. (Veterinary Legacy)

How dogs help veterans adjust to life back home. (Daily Tail)

Check out the Dog Tags program, which matches disabled vets with specially trained assistance Labradors and golden retrievers. (Petside)

A great pic of a valued K-9 member of an armed forces unit. (Paw Nation)

And today's adoptable pet du jour is a miniature poodle named Sarge. He'd love to capture your heart if you live near Melbourne, FL! (Adopt-a-Pet)

And speaking of adoptable pets, today is the last day of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. Want to lend a hand or donate money? You can find your local

We all want our pets to live long, healthy lives – and we'd all do just about anything to ensure that our cats and dogs can stay with us as long as possible. What five things can you do to keep your pet safe, happy, and by your side longer? We've listed them below, and chances are, you're probably on top of them already.

But one hint may surprise you…

Keep your furry friend indoors
Staying inside, or at least on a leash, protects your pet from all kinds of dangers. Indoor living shields cats from infectious diseases; digestive upset caused by snacking on poisonous plants or other foreign objects; fights with other cats, dogs, wild animals, or mean humans; and speeding cars.

And as pets age, they can't regulate their body temperatures as effectively, making them more prone to serious weather-related ailments like heat stroke if they're outdoors too long.

Of course it's fine to walk your dog, and the occasional (closely supervised) feline foray into the yard isn't the end

We use our smartphones for just about everything -- listening to music, navigating around traffic, watching TV, even finding foster cats under the couch (thanks, Android flashlight utility!). So it stands to reason that we can put them to work for our pets. Whether it's finding a pet-friendly hotel, looking up that plant your cat just noshed on, or locating an adoptable lizard nearby, your app store of choice has hundreds of handy, fun, and straight-up weird apps to help you out. Below, 11 notables (unless otherwise noted, the downloads are free).

Perfect Dog
A comprehensive reference guide to dog breeds, Perfect Dog lets you save your favorites, or search by breed size and trainability to find the right breed for you.

BowLingual Dog Translator
Record your dog's barks or whines, then hit the button for a "translation." The more off-base the dog-to-English interpretation, the funnier it is.

Pets vs. Robots
Tired of Angry Birds? Try P v. R instead, in which robots with umbrellas battle a hail