Dogs in the news

Hey, everybody. Wendell here. Big Brother Mugsy is busy preparing his next fiery sermon, but he had some news items that he thought might interest the congregation. He asked me to post them, so here goes:

• The American Kennel Club has released its list of the most popular purebred dogs in America, and the Labrador Retriever leads the way for the 18th consecutive year. Congrats, dawg! The pug came in at No. 15, and the American Foxhound was the least popular breed at No. 158. So if you've got a Foxhound, you've got a rare treat. Here is the top 10:
  
  1. Labrador Retriever
  2. Yorkshire Terrier
  3. German Shepherd
  4. Golden Retriever
  5. Beagle
  6. Boxer
  7. Dachshund
  8. Bulldog
  9. Poodle
  10. Shih Tzu

• Actor Mickey Rourke was amazing in the new movie The Wrestler. (Or so I've heard; it's rated R, and I'm just a puppy. OK; I admit it. I sneaked in. Come on -- it has a character named the Ayatollah, how could I miss that?) Rourke has gotten lots of attention lately for resurrecting his career, which had fallen off the map after a promising start in the 1980s. And he credits his dogs for helping him through the tough times. "For anyone who is down and out, I say do yourself a favor and get a dog -- even if you're not down and out," he says. Rourke is the caretaker of six dogs -- four Chihuahuas, a pug and a Samoyed. Maybe he'll bring them along when he picks up his Best Actor Oscar on Feb. 22.

• But if Mickey dresses up his dogs in little tuxes and gowns for the awards show, he might draw the ire of the RSPCA in Britain. The group is seeking legal action against humans who "overdress" their pets. The group says that dressing pets in human-like garments — such as boots, overalls and hoodies — could be harmful for dogs, and owners could be prosecuted if an animal's welfare is deemed to be at risk, the Daily Mail reports. Let's hope they don't find out about this year's Pug-O-Ween!