Ask any dog owner about the joys of owning a hound, and they’ll reel off a list of positives. Our faithful friends can get themselves in the most hilarious situations, they can bring fun and laughter into the home, they are the perfect mood lifters, and their companionship is second to none. 

The 3 Most Amazing Pooches On The Planet

Sometimes, dogs have an almost super-canine level of awesomeness that makes them just that little bit extra special. Everyone knows about guide dogs who help the blind. Hearing dogs can help deaf people remain independent. Some dogs even adhere to emotional support animal laws and help those owners who are depressed, anxious or suffer from a mental impairment.

Did you ever hear about Neo, the Siberian husky? When his owner fell into a diabetic coma, it was the canine that noticed something was awry, ran to the nearest building, got people’s attention and encouraged them to follow him to his unconscious owner. Only then was the alarm raised. Dogs aren’t simply four-legged pets that enjoy chasing a ball and fetching a stick - they are intelligent animals. Take a look at these three amazing pooches.

The Caring Dog

In Thailand, a mutt named Pui became a national treasure overnight. When out and about roaming the streets one day, he stumbled across an abandoned newborn baby inside a plastic bag. Barely clinging to life, Pui picked up the baby and carried her back to his owner who could then raise the alarm. Such is the emotional instinct of some pooches, they can tap into the human psyche and work out very quickly when a situation is life-threatening. Pui’s owner was able to call an ambulance, and the baby girl’s life was saved. For Pui’s efforts, he received a special leather collar and a medal.

The Rocket Dog

During the space race in the 1950s, the USA and Russia were both eager to get a man on the moon first. As a stepping stone to such a miraculous feat, the Russians decided to launch a dog named Laika into space to monitor the effects of space travel on a living creature. Sadly Laika did not survive the trip, but his courage and sacrifice are remembered across Russia. Laika is so revered that he has numerous monuments and statues depicting his space flight across his home nation.

The Life Saver

If you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, you don’t expect your four-legged friend to be the one to carry out any sort of first aid. However, that’s exactly what Toby, an American golden retriever did. When he spied his owner choking on a piece of fruit, he didn’t simply run to the nearest building or bark wildly to get attention. He leaped from where he was sat on to his owner's chest dislodging the offending piece of apple. Did Toby know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver or was he simply following his instinct? In any case, he saved his owner’s life and won a national award for his feat in 2007.

Our canine pals are incredible and dog owners across the world should be proud of welcoming into their homes one of the most incredible creatures on the planet.