Top 10 i Love Dogs Blog Stories of 2009

While 2009 wasn’t the Year of the Dog (it was actually the Year of the Rat), many stories about our four-legged furiends shared the spotlight, such as the successful rehabilitation of Michael Vick’s dogs; Pet Airways, the first airline for dogs and cats; “First Dog” Bo Obama, and more.

Geri Hernandez & Focus Based on our readers’ visits to the i Love Dogs blog, these were our most popular stories of the year.

1. Geri Hernandez and Partner “Focus” on Agility World Championship – A profile of 2009 AKC Agility World Team members Geri Hernandez and Focus, her Border Collie.

2. Dogs and Humans Gear Up for 2009 FCI Agility World Championship – Both two- and four-legged members of the 2009 AKC Agility World Team prepare for the world championship.

3. Mario Lopez’s Hunt for the Pawfect Pup – The “Extra” host began a 5-month mission to find a pawfect furever friend.

4. Puppy Mill Awareness Day – Dog advocates observed this day in September to raise awareness about the dire condition in puppy mills.

5. Are You a Hero? Adopt a Dog and Become One! – During Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month in October, i Love Dogs featured an adoptable pooch every day (eight lucky dogs found furever homes).

6. Service Dogs Help War Veterans – Trained dogs like Sierra and Picazzo are helping injured war veterans gain independence.

7. AKC National Agility Championship 2009 – An insider’s behind-the-scenes look at this exciting event.

Sierra service dog 8. Sniffing Toward Early Cancer Detection – Dogs use their remarkable sense of smell to detect lung and breast cancer.

9. Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation on Evacuation Stand-by – The devastating Station Fire in August burned perilously close to this dog sanctuary.

10. Should the First Amendment Protect Animal Abuse Videos? – The Supreme Court is deciding whether the First Amendment should protect depictions of cruelty to animals.

Thank you for reading the i Love Dogs blog. In the new year (and decade), look for even more informative, thought-provoking stories. Happy New Year!

More of our top 10 lists:

Laura Goldman

Laura Goldman is senior social media writer for i Love Dogs, Inc. She does love dogs. And elephants and turtles. Along with writing about the loves of her life, Laura likes to play with her two pound pups and tell anyone who’ll listen just how awesome Pit Bulls are.