Latest news with #Chihuahua
Toronto Sun
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Family adopts a shelter dog — then learns he's the father of their late dog
Published Jul 19, 2025 • Last updated 4 minutes ago • 5 minute read A side-by-side comparison of Rufus and Ziggy. Jillian Reiff adopted Rufus in 2016. After he died in April, she and her daughter stumbled upon an adoption post about Ziggy on Facebook. They recently discovered through a DNA test that Ziggy is Rufus's father. Photo by Jillian Reiff Jillian Reiff and her husband had an ongoing debate about their new rescue dog, Ziggy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ziggy's appearance and personality are similar to those of their late dog, Rufus, who died a few days before they brought Ziggy home in early April. Reiff thought Ziggy was the same breed mix as Rufus – rat terrier Chihuahua – while her husband wasn't convinced. So to settle the debate, Reiff submitted a DNA test for Ziggy, just as she had done for Rufus. But when the results came in June 26, she was so shocked, Reiff stood up and screamed. 'I had a verbal outburst,' said Reiff, who lives in San Francisco. The DNA test confirmed that Ziggy was not just the same mixed breed as Rufus. He was Rufus's father. 'I'm still so flabbergasted,' Reiff said. Rufus joined Reiff's family in 2016, after she and her husband adopted him from the San Francisco SPCA. At the time, Reiff and her husband – then her boyfriend – had just moved in together. Rufus carried her engagement ring around his neck when her husband proposed and was in their wedding photos. When Reiff was pregnant with their first child, Rufus regularly curled up by her belly. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'That dog was like my soul dog,' said Reiff, who has two children, Maya, 6, and Ben, 4. Rufus wearing a tux on Reiff's wedding day. Photo by Jillian Reiff 'He was the most social dog ever, loved meeting people, being the centre of attention,' she said. 'But at home, when the kids came, that was his true meaning for being here. He took his job as protector so very seriously.' Rufus died unexpectedly in April. Although he was a senior dog – around 16 years old – he still acted like a puppy, even at the end of his life, Reiff said. But one day, out of nowhere, Rufus stopped acting like himself, and his family learned he had a ruptured gallbladder. 'Given his age and the nature of that condition, there were no options,' Reiff said. The family took the loss hard. The same night, April 5, Reiff and her daughter were scrolling through the social media pages of local shelters. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We always look at dogs on social media – dogs that need fosters, dogs that are up for adoption,' said Reiff, who has long been active in the rescue community. She has fostered dozens of pups over the years, including 18 since Christmas. Maya paused when she saw a dog on Muttville Senior Dog Rescue's Facebook page, as he looked strikingly similar to Rufus. She showed Reiff. 'When I looked at the phone, I thought she had just gotten into my photo album,' Reiff said. 'I could pull out a thousand pictures of Rufus that look exactly like the one that was on Ziggy's adoption page.' Rufus lived to be about 16 and acted like a puppy even at the end of his life. Photo by Jillian Reiff Reiff felt she wasn't ready to bring home another dog, but she couldn't get Ziggy's face out of her mind. 'I emailed Muttville and was like, 'I need to meet this dog,'' Reiff said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sure enough, Reiff went to the San Francisco shelter to meet Ziggy on April 9, and 'we adopted him within 10 minutes of meeting him,' she said. Reiff quickly realized that Ziggy acted like Rufus. 'They're both just very, very easygoing, very happy, very gentle and child-friendly,' she said. They also have similar quirks. 'Both of them talk and kind of warble and make these really ridiculous non-dog-sounding noises to communicate,' Reiff said. 'I used to think it was the most unique thing that Rufus did.' Like Rufus, Ziggy also sits up on his hind legs, sleeps on his back and, despite having many dog beds in their home, inexplicably rests in spots that look uncomfortable, including in the garage. Still, she had no expectation that Ziggy, who is thought to be about 16, could be related to Rufus – let alone be his father. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Reiff often tests the DNA of her dogs – including fosters – to gain clarity on their breeds and health. When she saw that Embark, a dog DNA company, was having a sale, she decided it was time to test Ziggy. She had tested Rufus using Embark as well. Reiff swabbed Ziggy's cheeks and sent back his saliva in a test tube. When the results came in, it showed Ziggy's two primary breeds, and 'there was another tab right next to it that said 'Relatives,'' Reiff said. 'I had never seen the relatives tab pop up … I was like, 'Maybe there's a long-lost cousin.'' She clicked on it and saw that Rufus's profile was labeled as 'child match.' It showed they had 68% shared DNA. Reiff could not believe her eyes – the two dogs were adopted nine years apart from different shelters. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's hard for me to make sense of it,' Reiff said. 'I keep thinking, if my daughter hadn't seen that picture at that exact moment, the algorithm of Facebook probably would have panned her another dog and I would have never seen that dog.' The discovery was initially bittersweet for Reiff's husband. 'The first realization and emotion that he had was to say, 'I'm so happy, but I'm also just so sad that there was this very small window where if we had seen this Muttville posting even 24 hours earlier, they could have been reunited,' Reiff said. Before long, though, they began to see Ziggy's familial connection to Rufus as something to help them through their grief. 'In three months, he basically made us feel like he was here with Rufus the entire time,' Reiff said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Muttville Senior Dog Rescue shared the discovery on social media, and people were stunned. The story was first reported by San Francisco's ABC7. 'Nothing has blown me away as much as this story,' said Sherri Franklin, who founded the rescue for senior dogs in 2007. 'It is truly serendipitous, kismet. The universe works in mysterious ways.' 'Here is a family who's grieving and now has its second chance at a soulmate dog,' she continued. 'We all wish for that when our animal passes away.' In a statement, Embark called it 'a DNA discovery that defied all odds.' Ziggy arrived at Muttville a few months ago, after he was found as a stray in March. Since discovering Ziggy's relation to Rufus, Reiff has looked into Ziggy's background, and all she has found was a medical record at the SPCA dated a few weeks after they adopted Rufus. Rufus had been adopted and surrendered by several other families. Reiff is still trying to figure out whether Rufus and Ziggy were in the same home at some point or whether they overlapped at the shelter. Or possibly neither. 'We're trying so hard to untangle this, and we keep hitting dead ends to connect that first part of their lives and what happened,' she said. In any case, Reiff said she is grateful for the unexpected twist that has helped her family heal. 'It's more than a good ending,' she said. 'It's the craziest ending you could possibly script.' 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NDTV
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
PDA Alert: Priyanka Chopra Jumps Into Nick Jonas's Arms For A Kiss On A Beach
New Delhi: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas set the Internet on fire with their super-mushy beach PDA video. The couple are currently holidaying in an undisclosed beach location. Nick Jonas shared a mushy reel to promote the Jonas brothers' new song I can't lose. What's Happening In the video, Nick is seen sulking on a beach. As the song plays in the background, the scene transitions to Priyanka's entry. She jumps into Nick's arms and they share a passionate kiss. The caption read, "I can't lose." The Internet approved of Priyanka and Nick's PDA. A social media user wrote, "Cuteness overload." Another user wrote, "My cuties." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) Nick-Priyanka's Family Time In May, Priyanka and Nick shared some mushy pictures and videos from their family outing. The first snap shows Priyanka playing with Malti, followed by a picture of her holding a small slate that reads "Happy Mother's Day" while little Malti sits on her lap. There is also a heartwarming shot of Malti Marie and Nick Jonas. And yes, do not miss Diana - their pet Chihuahua - making a cute cameo. Another photo gives us a glimpse of a beautifully set table for three (total picnic goals, honestly). The final slide features Priyanka pushing baby Malti in a stroller. In his caption, Nick Jonas wrote, "Mother's Day in the park with my (red heart emoji)," and tagged Priyanka Chopra. Reacting to the post Nick Jonas' The Last Five Years co-star, Adrienne Warren, wrote, "LOVE THIS!!!" Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas got married in an elaborate ceremony in Jodhpur's Umaid Bhawan Palace in 2018. The lovebirds welcomed their daughter, Malti Marie Chopra Jonas, in 2022 via surrogacy. On the work front, Priyanka Chopra has some exciting projects coming up. She will be appearing alongside Mahesh Babu in the much-awaited film SSMB29, directed by S.S. Rajamouli. The actress is also set to return for Citadel Season 2 and will be seen in the action-packed The Bluff. Additionally, she is part of the star-studded movie Heads of State. In A Nutshell
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Woman Receives Message From Robot Vacuum, Not Prepared for What It Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The notification a robot vacuum sent to the owners of a potential new rug in the bathroom left the couple in stitches after they saw what caused the alert. Aubrey Fetté shared a video on her TikTok account @zeebatheibizan earlier this week about how her husband received a notification on his phone from their vacuum. The vacuum detected a new carpet in the bathroom and wanted to check whether or not to begin cleaning it. "We get all of the usual alerts from our vacuum, like getting stuck, or the dust needs to be emptied," Fetté told Newsweek. "But this was the first time that it had identified a rug in our house." Red flags went up for the couple as they knew full well there was no new rug. Her husband looked at the app, which gave a very distinct outline of the rug in question. He immediately knew the culprit: the couple's 1-year-old dog, Leo. Screenshots from a July 14 TikTok video of a woman realizing what the vacuum detected as new rug was the dog. Screenshots from a July 14 TikTok video of a woman realizing what the vacuum detected as new rug was the dog. @zeebatheibizan/TikTok The Borzoi spends about 90 percent of the day sleeping, Fetté said. He'll lounge on his side, looking "flat as a pancake." And given the dog's long hair that mimics a shaggy rug, it is no wonder the vacuum got confused. "When the vacuum asked if we wanted to try carpet cleaning, my husband immediately said 'no,'" she said. "Can you imagine the chaos of a vacuum trying to 'carpet clean' long, silky Borzoi fur?" Fetté couldn't stop laughing at the vacuum's confusion. In the clip, she added a cut-out picture of Leo sleeping on his side and placed it on top of the detected "rug," showing viewers the vacuum's perfect outline. Leo stayed in his spot, unafraid of the vacuum. Nothing could disrupt him from his nap, which is pretty typical. Fetté said he's the "epitome of unbothered." "He does not bark at people who walk past the house," she said. "He doesn't worry about his barky, bossy little Chihuahua sister. In fact, this morning, his brother, Argos the Ibizan hound, sat directly on his head. And Leo did nothing." 'Unbothered King' The TikTok video instantly went viral, bringing in over 3.4 million views and 656,000 likes within two days. People obsessed over both the dog being an "unbothered king" and the precision in the outline. "It's crazy how perfectly dog-shaped it is," wrote a viewer, while a second commenter echoed: "It drew such a good picture of a dog." Another person joked: "It said, 'Ma'am, this carpet is dirty.'" Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Dog Owner Leaves Room for 2 Minutes, Can't Believe Sight She Walks Into
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman recently purchased a new duvet cover for herself, but after leaving it out of sight for just two minutes, she realized an unsuspecting thief had stolen it. Leigh placed her newly purchased duvet cover on the couch and then stepped out of the room for two minutes. She thought the duvet would be safe from being used or getting dirty. But when she came back into the room, she found her Chiweenie dog—a Chihuahua and Dachshund mix—had claimed it. Stunned at how quickly her dog, Pippin, took it over, Leigh snapped a picture and posted it on her X account @PervyPepper on July 9. Pippin managed to pull the entire cover around his small body like a burrito with only his snout and eyes poking out. A photo of Pippin, a chiweenie dog, who immediately claimed the newly uncovered duvet cover when the owner stepped out of the room. A photo of Pippin, a chiweenie dog, who immediately claimed the newly uncovered duvet cover when the owner stepped out of the room. @PervyPepper/X "He wraps himself up in whatever he can," Leigh told Newsweek. "If I leave a cardigan on the sofa, he'll be in the sleeve in a minute!" She should've expected Pippin to sneak into the blanket, given his history of snuggling, but with seven goats, eight gold fish, nine chickens, four dogs and over 20 cats in the house, Leigh's hands get full. She's a dedicated animal rescuer, always opening her house to animals in need. Leigh said people know her household has a "soft touch," and they'll drop off animals to her as rescues. It's hard for humans to resist a warm, fuzzy blanket, and surprisingly, dogs also gravitate toward the comfort and protection. A canine's natural instinct when frightened is to find a safe space. In the wild, this would be a den, and at home, kennels or beds. These familiar spaces make them feel safe. And while a blanket is not the same, the warmth and soft textures from a blanket give them the same feeling as a den or kennel, says an article from Wag Walking. It's a stress reliever. This behavior occurs more commonly in small dog breeds because they make easier prey in the wild. Although breeds accustomed to cold, harsh climates also burrow to protect themselves from harsh elements. What Do the Comments Say? People instantly fell in love with this unofficial bed tester, and as of Tuesday, the post reached over 2,800 retweets and 60,000 likes. "This is what 'Do not disturb' energy looks like. Unapologetically unavailable," commented a viewer. "He looked at that and thought, 'She's so nice to buy me a cozy new blanket,'" another X user responded. A third person said: "How else would you know if it's ok, doggy is obviously testing it to see if it's good enough for mummy." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Vet shares 'five healthiest dog breeds with the lowest bills'
The vet has shared which dogs may save you more on vet bills - and number 3 on the list is shocking to a lot of people, he admits. A veterinarian has revealed the five healthiest dog breeds that could help you save on bills. Describing them as the breeds with the "lowest" health-related costs, prospective pet owners should carefully consider their choice and make sure the dog suits their lifestyle before adopting or purchasing. While it's exciting to welcome a dog into your life, preparation and thoughtful decisions are key to a happy, healthy pet - and fewer unexpected expenses. When it comes to taking the right dog home, whether it's just you, your partner, or your children, experts at the RSPCA stress: "You might choose a particular breed of dog because of the size, looks, or behaviour associated with that breed. "Remember, while different breeds may be more likely to show certain types of behaviour, their attitude will greatly depend on how they're raised and trained." Healthiest dog breeds with the lowest vet bills Beagle According to the expert, Amir Anwary aka @amirthevet on TikTok, the veterinarian revealed a bit of history to explain why they're so healthy. He noted that "this breed was originally bred as hunting dogs. "They have an extremely strong and robust immune system and very few genetic issues." Talking about the "main problem you're going to have to deal with", he said that it is all down to "obesity because they love eating everything. And a few ear infections. Otherwise they're really healthy." Australian Shepard The Australian Shepard dog is 'very high energy and very beautiful', he noted, adding that thankfully, they have 'very few genetic abnormalities." He added: "If your dog does happen to have certain abnormalities, they will usually not allow them to breed meaning they won't propagate those diseases which is why this breed is actually so healthy.' Chihuahua You may be surprised to see this on the list, but it's true. Calling it "shocking" to some, admitting people may not expect them to be classed as one of the healthiest, and cheapest, he notes that this breed can live up to 20 years. 'They are very healthy and because they are so small, this often puts so little pressure on their joints that their joints survive for very, very long", he said. Now, they can suffer from dental disease and luxating patella but compared to your other toy breeds, this is definitely one of the healthiest.' Australian Cattle Dog In at number two is the Australian Cattle Dog which he called a 'very active and very intelligent breed.' They also have a 'very strong and robust immune system.' The dog can 'suffer from certain genetic conditions but this is minimised though really good breeding and the oldest dog to have ever lived is actually a 29-year-old Australian Cattle Dog. According to Vet Explains Pets, his name was Bluey and he lived exactly 29 years and 5 months. Basenji This may be a dog you've never heard of, but it is taking the crown in today's list. Called a Basenji, pronounced bass-en-j, Amir said that this is an "ancient African hunting dog and it doesn't actually bark, it yodels. 'The reason it's so healthy is because it's an ancient pure-bred dog that has been minimally inbred. So if you're looking for a dog that doesn't bark and that's pretty healthy' this dog is ideal for you, he concluded.
