Some heroes wear collars not capes! We dug into the archives on Newspapers.com™ to uncover news stories of ordinary dogs who did extraordinary things.
From tales of canine courage to accounts of heartwarming heroism, here are 8 true stories about some newsworthy dogs from decades past!
1. Dog travels 2,300 miles to return home
In 1945, Bosco walked 2,300 miles from California to his home in Tennessee after getting lost. It took him 7 months, but he finally reunited with his family!
27 Jun 1945, Wed The Sentinel (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) Newspapers.com2. Dog saves toddler from oncoming car
When a 2-year-old boy fell while crossing a street in 1929, a dog named Sheba used her mouth to grab him by his pants and pull him out of the path of an oncoming car.
18 Apr 1929, Thu The Omaha Evening Bee-News (Omaha, Nebraska) Newspapers.com3. Poodle brings help in the nick of time
Suffering from toadstool poisoning, a seriously ill woman in 1937 managed to fasten a note to her poodle’s collar and send him outside for help. Dickie’s barking alerted the pastor of a local church, who found the note and got the woman medical attention just in time.
01 Oct 1937, Fri Atwater Signal (Atwater, California) Newspapers.com4. Dog saves two women from drowning
When two women playing in a river were swept downstream in 1938, a 30-pound dog named Skippy jumped in after them. One of the women was able to grab hold of the dog’s leg, the other woman grabbed onto her friend, and Skippy pulled both women to safety.
16 Jul 1938, Sat The Modesto Bee (Modesto, California) Newspapers.com5. Two dogs rescue an injured puppy
In 1935, two stray dogs—a shepherd and a St. Bernard—were playing with a terrier puppy when the puppy was struck by a car. The two bigger dogs helped move the puppy to safety, and then laid next to it to keep it warm. They barked for help until a passing motorist stopped in time to save the puppy.
08 Mar 1935, Fri The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Newspapers.com6. Dog digs into a burning house to save a teenager
In 1948, a dog named Susie saved a sleeping teenager who was home alone in a burning house. Susie was outside when the fire started, but she managed to dig under the house then come up through a hole burned in the floor. She woke the teen, who was able to safely escape.
18 Dec 1948, Sat Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com7. Dog kills rattlesnake to save child
A Doberman Pinscher named Myra saved a 3-year-old from a rattlesnake in 1932! The boy saw a rose that he wanted on a bush, but whenever he reached out for the flower, Myra would grab his pants and pull him back. The fourth time the boy reached for the flower, Myra sprang forward. She jumped between the boy and the rosebush, sinking her teeth into a large rattlesnake! The dog was bitten but was expected to recover.
27 Jul 1932, Wed Kearney Hub (Kearney, Nebraska) Newspapers.com8. Dog rescues and adopts a chick
After rescuing a chick from a neighborhood cat in 1931, a terrier named Peggy adopted the young chicken, and the two began playing and even eating together. Peggy had also previously adopted a kitten.
06 Aug 1931, Thu The Bland Courier (Bland, Missouri) Newspapers.com
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