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Friday

Read the headline.

Read the headline. Roberto Schmidt/AFP; Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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Roberto Schmidt/AFP; Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images

The NPR news quiz

A comedian, a pug and a politician walk into the quiz. Do you know the punchline?

Is Kevin Hart funny? Are pugs cute? Is Donald Trump a good politician? Thankfully, the quiz doesn't need to answer these questions — we'll just stick to the facts, thanks.

Friday

From left: adorbs, ugly-cute, just darling

From left: adorbs, ugly-cute, just darling Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images; Daniel Maurer/DPA/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images; Daniel Maurer/DPA/AFP via Getty Images

The NPR news quiz

This week's quiz has happiness and happy dogs. You're welcome

Last year's most popular dog is still top, and the happiest nation is still the most contented. March is still madness and shutdowns still loom.

Thursday

The French bulldog sits, stays at the top of U.S. dog owners' hearts

The French bulldog is America's most popular breed, according to the American Kennel Club. This one, Manny The Frenchie, attended Time Inc.'s 2017 PetHero Pet Party to benefit animals impacted by hurricanes. Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for PetHero hide caption

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Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for PetHero

National

The French bulldog sits, stays at the top of U.S. dog owners' hearts

The dog popularly known as the Frenchie has held its crown as America's most popular dog breed for the second year in a row, according to the American Kennel Club.

Saturday

Opinion: Animals have overtaken our lives, and we're having a wonderful time

Scott Simon has a new, foster cat in addition to a dog and hamster. Scott Simon hide caption

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Scott Simon

Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: Animals have overtaken our lives, and we're having a wonderful time

NPR's Scott Simon muses on his family's life with animals — a dog, a foster cat, a hamster in a hamster ball — and all that entails.

Opinion: Animals have overtaken our lives, and we're having a wonderful time

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Sunday

Do your kids want a dog? Science may be on their side

Kids who have dogs get a boost in physical activity - especially young girls. Kristina Kamburova Photography/Getty Images hide caption

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Kristina Kamburova Photography/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Do your kids want a dog? Science may be on their side

Kids who have dogs get significantly more physical activity, compared to kids who don't. Researchers followed 600 children over three years, and found young girls got the biggest exercise boost.

Do your kids want a dog? Science may be on their side

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Saturday

A French bulldog licks her mouth before being groomed.

A French bulldog licks her mouth before being groomed. Sakchai Lalit/AP hide caption

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Sakchai Lalit/AP

Opinion

Simon Says

Opinion: Being robbed of a dog is a theft from the heart of our lives

Thefts of French bulldogs are up nationwide, possibly because they're like jewelry: small, cute and expensive.

Opinion: Being robbed of a dog is a theft from the heart of our lives

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Wednesday

Friday

Veterinarians say fears about 'mystery' dog illness may be overblown. Here's why

Many dog owners are worried about reports of a mysterious respiratory illness affecting dogs. THEPALMER/Getty Images hide caption

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THEPALMER/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Veterinarians say fears about 'mystery' dog illness may be overblown. Here's why

Reports of an "outbreak" of some as yet unidentified canine respiratory illness are scaring dog owners. But veterinarians and researchers aren't panicking.

Veterinarians say fears about 'mystery' dog illness may be overblown. Here's why

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Thursday

Could a 'funky' pathogen be sickening dogs? Scientists search for clues

Healthy dogs romp in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in early October, after a storm caused severe flooding. Around the country a mysterious respiratory illness is making some dogs sick. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Could a 'funky' pathogen be sickening dogs? Scientists search for clues

Dogs around the country are becoming sick with an unknown respiratory illness. Some veterinarians are warning dog owners to take precautions. A strange bacterium could be involved.

Could a 'funky' pathogen be sickening dogs? Scientists search for clues

Listen · 4:10
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Thursday

When disaster strikes, these good boys and girls are your rescue crew

Parker is all about the task at hand. Haiyun Jiang for NPR hide caption

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Haiyun Jiang for NPR

Animals

When disaster strikes, these good boys and girls are your rescue crew

FEMA has 280 certified detection dogs trained to find people in disasters, and it has another 80 that look for human remains. And they are the goodest boys and girls.

When disaster strikes, these good boys and girls are your rescue crew

Listen · 8:08
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Tuesday

We're spending $700 million on pet costumes in the costliest Halloween ever

Charlie the superdog is the only member of the King family who got two Halloween outfits this year. His other costume is a doughnut. Joelyne King hide caption

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Joelyne King

Business

We're spending $700 million on pet costumes in the costliest Halloween ever

More U.S. shoppers are buying into Halloween this year, scaring up a new spending record for costumes, decorations, candy and cute outfits for pets.

We're spending $700 million on pet costumes in the costliest Halloween ever

Listen · 3:08
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Saturday

Presidential pets can breed controversy. A dog was once suspected of being a spy

Clockwise from top left: Pushinka, a gift to President John F. Kennedy from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev; Bo, President Barack Obama's Portuguese water dog; Commander, President Biden's German shepherd; and Socks, President Bill Clinton's cat. William J. Smith/AP Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images (2), Marcy Nighswander/AP hide caption

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William J. Smith/AP Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images (2), Marcy Nighswander/AP

Animals

Presidential pets can breed controversy. A dog was once suspected of being a spy

Historically, pets — everything from birds to cats to dogs — have been part of the White House. And Biden's dog Commander isn't alone. More than a few have ended up embroiled in some controversy.

Wednesday

8 loving ways to honor a pet's memory: Write an obit, grow a garden, dedicate a day
Clockwise from top left: Edele Brennan, Beth Fadely, Linda Smith, Jason Bauerschmidt, Marie Hernandez

Life Kit

8 loving ways to honor a pet's memory: Write an obit, grow a garden, dedicate a day

How do you deal with the heartbreak of losing a beloved pet? Our audience shares creative and inspiring ways to process grief — and celebrate the lives of our animal companions.

8 loving ways to honor a pet's memory: Write an obit, grow a garden, dedicate a day

Listen · 21:53
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Thursday

Wouldn't it be great if pets could talk? This might be the next best thing

A pug reacts to the camera on the first day of the Festival of Dogs weekend at Castle Howard on May 21, 2022 in York, England. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images hide caption

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Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Humor & Fun

Wouldn't it be great if pets could talk? This might be the next best thing

A voiceover artist adds hilarious voices to pet videos submitted by his fans on social media.

Wouldn't it be great if pets could talk? This might be the next best thing

Listen · 2:13
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Monday

Owner reunited with her dog that roamed the Atlanta airport for 3 weeks

Paula Rodriguez and her dog, Maia, were separated while on their way from the Dominican Republic to San Francisco on Aug. 18. Rodriguez was turned away by border agents and forced to catch a flight home without Maia, who was lost by Delta Air Lines staff. @ATLairport/Twitter hide caption

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@ATLairport/Twitter

Animals

Owner reunited with her dog that roamed the Atlanta airport for 3 weeks

Maia the dog escaped from her carrier last month while being loaded onto a plane at the busiest airport in the world. An online community banded together to reunite her with her owner.