Pumpkin carving sure has come a long way since I was a kid. Gone are the days of hacking up a pumpkin to get any sort of scary face — now it’s all about style!

Many companies now produce and sell kits that include stencils, scoops and specialized knives to create fancy carved pumpkins, and Better Homes & Gardens has thrown their hat in the ring with a very specific theme for your Halloween pumpkin — dog breeds!
The free, download-able templates feature 13 dog breeds including beagles, boxers, bulldogs, chihuahuas, dachshunds, German shepherds, golden retrievers, Jack Russel terriers, Labrador retrievers, …read more

In an ongoing poll, cats are currently trailing dogs as favorites in Declare Your Pet Preference. The difference is huge, with dogs a favorite by 67%, compared to cats at 33%.
The one-question survey is part of the American Kennel Club (AKC) and Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) website, Meet the Breeds. And CFA wants to encourage all cat lovers to go vote!

After you vote, you can also email any additional comments you have about why cats or dogs are your preference. Here’s a fun quote sent to Meet the Breeds by a cat owner who took the poll:
Actually, I love dogs, …read more

The Early Show on CBS did a segment last week on the smartest and dumbest dog breeds. I’ve heard of some breeds not being as bright as others, I’m not sure what their criteria was.
Anyway, they say the dumbest breeds are:
1. Afghan Hound
2. Basenji
3. Bulldog
4. Chow Chow
5. Borzois
6. Bloodhound
7. Pekingese
8. Mastiff
9. Beagle
10. Basset hound
and the smartest are:
1. Border Collie
2. Poodle
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Doberman Pinscher
6. Shetland Sheepdog
7. Labrador Retriever
8. Papillon
9. Rottweiler
10. Australian Cattle Dog
Like I said, I’m not sure what they’re basing their rankings on exactly. I’ve known a pretty smart beagle and a dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks poodle so it’s a …read more