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-Meet our dog of the day

-Enjoy a laugh with our dog meme of the day

-Get great information in our featured article

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Costco’s Best-Kept Secrets: 10 Weird Tricks Only Superfans Know

Do you shop at Costco? Then you know the thrill of saving money. But you might be missing other smart ways to stretch your dollars. Check out our list of genius money hacks—almost as good as that $1.50 hot dog!

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Paws of Liberty: The Four-Legged Friends Who Helped Fetch American Independence

As we light up the grills and look to the skies this 4th of July, we rightfully honor the visionary statesmen who signed the Declaration of Independence and charted the course for a new nation. But behind the heavy parchment, the inkwells, and the intense debates in Philadelphia, there was a chorus of panting, tail-wagging companions who kept our Founding Fathers grounded.

History textbooks rarely mention them, but dogs were right there at the dawn of the American republic—providing comfort during the dark days of war, inspiring new canine breeds, and occasionally creating international diplomatic incidents.

George Washington: The Canine Commander-in-Chief

George Washington wasn’t just the father of our country; he was also, quite literally, the father of the American Foxhound. A deeply passionate dog lover and avid breeder, Washington maintained a massive, state-of-the-art kennel at Mount Vernon. He visited his hounds every single morning and evening, treating them as true companions rather than just working animals.

His affection for his dogs is perhaps best immortalized by the delightfully eccentric names he gave them. His journals reveal a pack that included:

• Sweet Lips (his absolute favorite staghound, who traveled with him to the First Continental Congress)
• Madame Moose (a Dalmatian)
• Pilot (a duck-hunting Poodle)
• Vulcan (a notoriously sneaky hound known for stealing a whole ham straight from the Mount Vernon kitchen)
• Taster, Tippler, Tipsy, and Drunkard (a group of hounds whose names suggest the General had a healthy sense of humor)

The Ultimate Act of Wartime Sportsmanship

Washington’s deep respect for dogs even crossed enemy lines. During the brutal Battle of Germantown in 1777, a lost, mud-splattered Fox Terrier was found wandering the Continental Army’s camp. The collar identified the dog’s owner as none other than British General William Howe.

While some of Washington’s officers suggested keeping the pup as a petty trophy of war, Washington refused. He had the terrier cleaned, fed, and ordered a temporary truce. Under a flag of parley, a young aide-de-camp (believed to be Alexander Hamilton) delivered the dog back to General Howe with a polite, handwritten note:

"General Washington’s compliments to General Howe. He does himself the pleasure to return him a dog, which accidentally fell into his hands..."

It remains one of the most classy, gentlemanly moments in military history—proving that a love for dogs transcends even the bitterest of revolutions.

Thomas Jefferson’s French Connection

When Thomas Jefferson traveled to France as a U.S. minister in 1784, he fell head over heels for a shaggy, intelligent breed of French herding dog known today as the Briard. Captivated by their sharp intellect and tireless work ethic, Jefferson spent 36 livres (about six dollars) on a pregnant female named Buzzy (sometimes recorded as Bergère).

Buzzy gave birth to two puppies during the rough, 1789 transatlantic voyage back to Virginia. Once home at Monticello, these shaggy French pups became the bedrock of Jefferson’s estate management, perfectly herding Merino sheep along rows of peach trees without any interior fences. Jefferson was so enamored with the breed that he frequently gifted pairs of puppies to his closest friends—including James Madison—helping to spread the breed across the young United States.

General Charles Lee and the Anti-Social Pomeranian

You can’t talk about Revolutionary dogs without mentioning Major General Charles Lee, Washington’s highly eccentric, second-in-command. Lee was rarely seen without a massive, traveling pack of dogs. As Future President John Adams famously noted in his diary: "You must love his dogs if you love him."

Lee’s absolute shadow was a native Pomeranian named Spado (or Mr. Sparder). Lee treated Spado like royalty, famously refusing to let the dog eat bacon for breakfast because he worried it would "make him stupid."

At a formal dinner party in 1775, Lee even commanded Spado to climb onto a chair and extend his paw to shake hands with Abigail Adams. Abigail, thoroughly amused, wrote to her husband that the dog was a true celebrity of the camp. Lee openly admitted he preferred the honest company of his hounds to the messy politics of humans—a sentiment many modern dog parents can certainly get behind.

A Toast to Our Furry Forefathers

This 4th of July, as we celebrate the liberties we enjoy today, take a moment to look down at the furry companion resting at your feet. Our nation’s founders knew that building a democracy was exhausting, world-altering work—and they knew that at the end of a long day of debating liberty, there was nothing quite like the uncritical love, wet nose, and wagging tail of a loyal dog.

Happy Fourth of July to you and your pack!

Dog Food and Supplement Recalls

Here are the recent recalls and advisories:

• Steve's Real Food - Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe Cat and Dog Food: Possible Low Thiamine Levels (B1)
• Raaw Energy - Dog Food: Potential Listeria Contamination
• Albright's Raw Pet Food - Chicken Recipe for Dogs: Potential Salmonella
  Exposure

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