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Saturday

Facing 1,000 Miles Of Frigid Winds With Loyal Dogs And Willpower

In the dog mushing world, 44-year-old Lance Mackey is like Michael Jordan. The sled dog racing veteran returns to the Yukon Quest this year. Katie Orlinsky for NPR hide caption

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Katie Orlinsky for NPR

Sports

Facing 1,000 Miles Of Frigid Winds With Loyal Dogs And Willpower

The 1,000-mile-long Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race is underway Saturday. It's not so much a race as it is a test of survival — and veteran musher Lance Mackey knows all about fighting for the finish.

Facing 1,000 Miles Of Frigid Winds With Loyal Dogs And Willpower

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Sled dogs prefer below-zero weather for running, says musher Cody Strathe. Some mushers now train at night, when it's colder.

Sled dogs prefer below-zero weather for running, says musher Cody Strathe. Some mushers now train at night, when it's colder. Courtesy Yukon Quest hide caption

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Courtesy Yukon Quest

Environment

Climate Change Puts Alaska's Sled Dog Races On Thin Ice

Warm temperatures and dwindling snow have shaken even the toughest mushers. Alaskans are worried about the future of their state sport.

Climate Change Puts Alaska's Sled Dog Races On Thin Ice

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Thursday

Saturday

Sit. Stay. Call 911: FIDO Vest Gives Service Dogs An Upgrade

A dog named Sky activates the tug sensor on the FIDO vest. The vest is a piece of wearable technology designed to allow working dogs to perform more tasks and communicate more information. Rob Felt/Courtesy of Georgia Tech hide caption

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Rob Felt/Courtesy of Georgia Tech

Technology

Sit. Stay. Call 911: FIDO Vest Gives Service Dogs An Upgrade

Wearable tech is popping up everywhere, and now there's a new vest that has GPS, can make phone calls and can talk back like Siri. But it's not for people — it's for service dogs.

Sit. Stay. Call 911: FIDO Vest Gives Service Dogs An Upgrade

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Tuesday

Thursday

When It Comes To Furry Muses, Cats Are For Brevity And Dogs Are For Books

Book News & Features

When It Comes To Furry Muses, Cats Are For Brevity And Dogs Are For Books

The Internet is the undisputed territory of cats, and dog books are more popular than their feline counterparts. Francesco Marciuliano plays to both animals' strengths in his best-selling collections.

When It Comes To Furry Muses, Cats Are For Brevity And Dogs Are For Books

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With Rescue Dogs In Demand, More Shelters Look Far Afield For Fido

Laurie McCannon, director of the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, Mass., with a dog named Trina. Three-quarters of the dogs adopted from the shelter in 2013 were from out of state. Shannon Mullen for NPR hide caption

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Shannon Mullen for NPR

Animals

With Rescue Dogs In Demand, More Shelters Look Far Afield For Fido

In many parts of the country, demand for adoptive pets outstrips the supply of healthy dogs. Many shelters and rescue groups now import dogs from other states — and even other countries.

With Rescue Dogs In Demand, More Shelters Look Far Afield For Fido

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Wednesday

No-Kill Shelters Save Millions Of Unwanted Pets — But Not All Of Them

Miami-Dade County's animal shelter takes in more than 28,000 dogs and cats each year. In 2012, the county adopted a resolution that the shelter would become a no-kill facility. But even no-kill shelters can euthanize up to 10 percent of their animals. Greg Allen/NPR hide caption

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Greg Allen/NPR

Animals

No-Kill Shelters Save Millions Of Unwanted Pets — But Not All Of Them

In the 20 years since San Francisco's SPCA guaranteed adoption for healthy dogs, shelters and rescue groups have embraced the no-kill approach. But the term means different things to different people.

No-Kill Shelters Save Millions Of Unwanted Pets — But Not All Of Them

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Friday

How Dogs Understand What We Say

Do you want to go to the park? Mango Doucleff, of San Francisco, responds to her favorite command by perking up her ears and tilting her head. Michaeleen Doucleff/NPR hide caption

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Michaeleen Doucleff/NPR

Shots - Health News

How Dogs Understand What We Say

Dogs pay close attention to the emotion in our voices, but what about the meaning of words? A clever experiment with 250 canines shows that dogs understand more of our speech than previously thought.

How Dogs Understand What We Say

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Tuesday

Dog Follows Athletes Through Mud And Water, And Melts Hearts

The story of Arthur, a stray who adopted a team of Swedish athletes competing in Ecuador, spread quickly after he refused to be left behind. Krister Goransson/Peak Performance hide caption

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Krister Goransson/Peak Performance

The Two-Way

Dog Follows Athletes Through Mud And Water, And Melts Hearts

After a stray dog met a team of Swedish adventure athletes in Ecuador, he ran for miles through rough terrain and swam to keep up. Now Arthur the dog is famous — and it all started with a meatball.

Thursday

Weekly Innovation: Harness Could Allow Dogs, Humans To Communicate

David Roberts says the Cyber-Enhanced Working Dog harness will allow humans to monitor dogs' physical and emotional states remotely, such as in search and rescue operations. Becky Kirkland/North Carolina State University hide caption

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Becky Kirkland/North Carolina State University

All Tech Considered

Weekly Innovation: Harness Could Allow Dogs, Humans To Communicate

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a dog harness, equipped with speakers and vibrating motors, that could be used in search and rescue or to improve dog training.

Thursday

Tuesday

In More Cities, That Doggie In The Window Is Not For Sale

A puppy waits at an adoption event in Miami last year. The city is now considering a ban on the sale of puppies in retail pet stores. Cities and towns in several states have passed similar bans, aimed at cracking down on substandard, large-scale puppy breeders. Wilfredo Lee/AP hide caption

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Wilfredo Lee/AP

National

In More Cities, That Doggie In The Window Is Not For Sale

Almost 50 U.S. cities and towns have banned pet stores from selling puppies. The laws are aimed at cracking down on substandard, large-scale breeders, but many store owners say the bans are unfair.

In More Cities, That Doggie In The Window Is Not For Sale

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Thursday

Wednesday