puppies

After his home state of Colorado legalized the possession and use of small amounts of catnip for canine personal use, Zeus the dog figured he’d give the stuff a try. He now regrets that decision.

“He’d been hearing about the stuff for years,” said roommate Colin Okafor. “But since it was only legal for cats, he stayed away.”

When the state legislature voted last year to allow dogs to use nip legally, Okafor said Zeus was naturally curious. Unfortunately, the dog didn’t have a great reaction.

“He went to a dispensary last week and purchased a half gram of catnip,” said Okafor. “He was very responsible about it – bought from a licensed dealer, cleared his whole schedule for the weekend, and even took Monday off from work.”

According to Okafor, the dog had a “bad trip.” Zeus reportedly became very paranoid and extremely hungry. He spent two hours after ingesting the catnip in the bathroom eating Cheez Doodles. It’s unlikely, said Okafor, that the dog will be trying catnip again in the future.

“Look, Zeus doesn’t judge other dogs from trying catnip,” said Okafor. “He’s all for legalization. It’s just not for him.”

Via fullofzeus.

via @imperadoranakin

A local bulldog named Sir Duke has begun a six week, self-directed course designed to make him a better dog, according to sources close to the situation.

Friends say the dog realized he needed help when the other day he could not remember which end of the leash attached to his collar. So he asked for help.

“It was the little things,” said roommate Jordan Cox, who spoke to The Fluffington Post via Slack chat. “You know, he’d eat the cat’s food instead of his own and not even notice, or he’d bark at a friend but let the mailman up to the house without a peep. The collar thing was rock bottom.”

Cox and another friend, Dellin DeLong, sought out ways to help Duke regain his “dogness.”

“We went online and did a search, and after a bit we landed on this Skillshare course about being a better bulldog,” said DeLong. “We got all the required books on Amazon and Duke’s about halfway through.”

There is already an improvement, said Cox. “The other day, I got a package from FedEx and Duke went into a conniption like five minutes before the truck even pulled up out front,” he said. “Slowly but surely, he’s getting his mojo back.”

Via sirdukesworld.

Via studleydudley.

The Dog Walker’s Union (Local 704) announced today that they are striking immediately and indefinitely until their demands are met. Union leaders, who represent dog and puppy roommates across the U.S., cite low wages and demoralizing work conditions as sources of the conflict.

“Our members have to go outside, often in the freezing cold, and scoop poop off the sidewalks and streets of our communities,” said Harold Chiles, a union rep, in a press release issued Wednesday. “And what do they get in return? A tail wag? A nose nuzzle? It’s not enough. It’s time we stand up for better benefits.”

It’s not yet clear what impact this will have on the canine community. A walk-out on this scale has never happened, though the Walker Strike of 1974 came close. Similar union grievances shut down the walking industry across the entire eastern U.S., leaving trail of poop in its wake.

The Fluffington Post will update this story as it develops.

via @ashleeaitken