Show NO iyO DOGS LIFE timers Old of Canine Kingdom Boast of Interesting Careers Features It may be a dogs life but its it's still a good life it is revealed rev revealed re re- re- re v aled in a series of unusual animal stories compiled by Gaines Dog Research center of New York in connection with its quest for the oldest dog in America Pampered old oldsters of the human race command no more attention than do their counterparts in the canine realm and occasionally too their owners sadly admit even doddering old nid dogs dorrs nr are inclined to go ito to the dogs The homesick dog which traveled traveled trav- trav 1800 miles through strange territory territory ter ter- r to find his family the talking dog the dog credited with killing more than GOO coyotes the dog which went to school daily and after alter his mistress mistress' graduation accompanied accompanied panted her to the office every morning morning morn morn- I ing ng all nil these and many other yarns of a sensational character were uncovered by the Gaines Games cener center center cen cen- t ter er in response to its query concerning concerning concern concern- l ing ag the oldest dog Reports on more than dogs were received from 43 st states and Canada Ranks as Oldest I Oldest Is Laddie Boy named after the late President Hardings Harding's dog a 25 year old year old male owned by Mrs l E. E C. C Baynard of Rocky I I I I Mount N. N C. C His ancestry Is dubIous dubious du b bious ious Mrs Baynard explains his mother being a Pekingese and his I f father ather a traveling man Laddie Boys Boy's age is equivalent to years In I n a human being The exceptional attention and care which he has received from his mistress mistress mis rats t tress ress for more than a quarter century century cen cen- t tury ury are credited with L Laddies Laddie's l longevity Although a dog half hall his a age ge is considered old Laddie still c can an amble about He prefers however howver however how how- e ever ver to spend long hours in his wicker basket barking vigorously when he wants his dinner or other a attention Laddies Laddie's eyesight is very p poor but his health remains good ase ashe as ashe h he e has required no veterinary attention attention atten atten- t tion ion for tor four tour years Despite an al almost almost al- al almost most complete absence of teeth Laddie has a big appetite He is devoid of all his hair save for tor the head legs and a narrow furrow on his back Besides s Laddie there were reports on 19 other dogs 20 years of age ape or older The av average average aver aver- rage r- r age dog has a span of life me of 10 to 12 years Not all of the owners who submitted submitted submit submit- t ted ed data mentioned the sex of their aged pets Of those who did however however however how how- ever reported males and 78 f females indicating that the male dogs dog's longevity Is greater The North Central states of Michigan Michigan Mich Mich- I igan gan Wisconsin Illinois Indiana and Ohio reported the most aged dogs dogs 40 40 in all with all with the Middle Atlantic Atlantic At At- l lantic antic states of ot New York New Jersey Jersey Jersey Jer Jer- sey and Pennsylvania trailing with 39 Among individual states 8 New York led with accounts of 18 dogs Country Dogs Healthier Although city dogs generally are believed to be healthier and longer- longer lived than their country cousins by far tar the largest number of ot reports on old dogs came from small and sized medium centers One of the most sensational reports reports re re- reports re- re ports came from Mrs Robert E. E McKInley of Federalsburg Federalsburg Feder- Feder Federalsburg Md In describing describing de de- scribing her 17 year old mixed terrier t Buster Mrs McKinley McKinley McKin- McKin ley Icy insists He can actually talk saying such words as Im Tm hungry and I want to go out One of the most remarkable feats In the dog kingdom was accomplished by Jiggs years old owned by Mrs Oscar Bengtson of Anaheim Calif In 1934 the Bengtson Bengt Bengt- son family moved from Truman Minn to An Anaheim leaving Jiggs a large crossbreed half hall shepherd rd half halt St. St Bernard with lith a friend Jiggs stayed with the friend eight weeks and then vanished Two and a half halI years later Jiggs appeared at the Bengtson Bengt- Bengt son home in California having traversed half the continent in covering a distance of or 1800 miles to rejoin his family Jiggs who was in his and years ears when this exploit was achieved has not been separated ed from his family since Still Active Hunter A plutocrat is Zippy year old male toy black and tan terrier His owner Mrs l William fL E. E Griffith of Somerset Somerset Somerset Somer Somer- set Pa told the i tr Gaines cen center ter that I t. t Zippy has traveled extensively stopping at the very best hotels In the coun coun- try An ardent hunter is Susie now 16 owned by Al AI Johnston government government government govern govern- ment trapper of Logan Mont Susie who still goes hunting with her owner owner owner own own- er every day is credited with pulling pulling pull pull- ing tag down more than coyotes Her major accomplishment however Involved helping to capture a wolf weighing pounds At the age of 12 Ritz nov a purebred owned by Mrs Daniel McKnight Mc- Mc McKnight Knight of Vallejo fj oJ Calif CaliL distinguished y y- y yr r il r i It himself himsel by siring t W r t ta a litter of four cr 1 44 r. r healthy pUP puppies les f I Twelve years in m a b 1 dogs dog's life are the equivalent of 75 in a humans Ritz Is now 15 years old Although 16 years of age Buddy a shepherd of the collie type belonging belonging belonging be be- longing to Mrs Stoddard Porter of Grahamsville N N. Y fJ still works for tor a living r. r His main job is to bring f i ithe the cows home from pasture pas pas- v ture every afternoon I and his owner points j I out he has never come comeIn comeIn In without all of them In addition to his herding duties he has completely eliminated wo woodchucks wood wood- d- d chucks from the Porter farm Follows Mistress Duplicating the story of ot Mary and her little lamb Mrs Martha V V. Albers Albers Albers Al- Al bers of Arthur Ill reports that her fox tox terrier Rex now 17 years old daily accompanied her and her two brothers to grammar school and then to high school When Mrs Albers Al Al- bers bets finished high school and went to work Rex accompanied her to the office every morning A real timer old is Foxy a collie own owned d by Capt William Penn Perm Lodge of Long Beach Island N. N J. J Now 22 years old old Foxy C can credit his longevity to an active youth Foxy was found as a young wild dog running running running run run- ning at large in the woods of ol Penn Penn- sylvania C Captain Lodge captured the dog and tamed him For years Foxy grown from a wild puppy into a dignified citizen has been beena a familiar sight racing along for his exercise at the side of the Lodge car Show Motherly Traits Motherly instincts prevail among the queens of ot the canine world the Gaines survey discloses From Mrs B. B J. J Blackburn of ot Roseville Mich came a picture of her sporty looking purebred wire fox terrier i I Wire Girl Acie Acle now i 12 years of age and I still svelte of figure Acie has produced 10 litters of puppies and raised all of them i Besides nursing her own offspring she has acted as foster mother on three dif different different dif dif- ferent occasions for other dog mothers mothers moth moth- dif I ers who were unable to care for tor all their puppies This super mother I Mrs Blackburn reports still has perfect teeth hearing and eyesight Fred Oertel of Keokuk Iowa relates relates re re- relates re- re lates that his white female spitz Midgie had a litter of three healthy puppies in May 1946 when she was 16 years old On other occasions occasions occasions occa occa- when she has had no puppies of her own Midgie Midgle has mothered a litter of white ra rats ts some chickens another dogs dog's four puppies and at still another time simultaneously nursed a puppy and a kitten Numerous owners reported 16 and year old dogs who are refusing to act their age by ratting chasing C cats and picking fights with other dogs One bewildered owner remarks remarks remarks re re- re- re marks of her year old terrier She plays and rolls on her back chases cats and chickens and behaves behaves be be- haves disgracefully in general Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps she is in her second puppy- puppy hood |