The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Originally written by both my lovely wife, Jennifer and me, this blog brings you the latest news about our furry friends including articles, columns, photos and videos. Enjoy!

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY:  A good deal of sunshine. High of 82. “A”

SUNDAY:  Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High around 85. “A”

How often should you walk your dog? Best practices for keeping your pup healthy.

Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

OPINION: America’s Beloved Pets Getting the Shaft Under Team Biden.

Dogs can ‘see’ with their noses, study suggests.

Are the Behaviors of Large and Small Dogs Really Different?

Clever canines: can dogs really tell when you’re being unkind?

Why does my dog stare at me? Here’s what they could be trying to tell you.

How Much Should I Spend to Keep My Elderly Dog Alive?

Real Life ‘Lassie’ Leads Search and Rescue to His 53-Year-Old Owner Who Fell Off 70-Foot Cliff in the Woods BY The Epoch times, JULY 28, 2022 

The 53-year-old man fell down a 70-foot cliff in a remote part of the Tahoe Forest in northern California, breaking his hip and ribs.

But he managed to move himself to someplace where there was cell service and call for help.

The next day, on July 14, a Nevada County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue (NCSSAR) team was dispatched, and was able to ping the man’s last known GPS signal to locate him.

The rescuers were informed by a friend of the man’s to look out for his border collie, Saul.

When search and rescue reached the man’s camp, he wasn’t there, so they began to spread out their search. They thought they heard a voice calling out but weren’t able to pinpoint where it was coming from.

Moments later, the searchers encountered Saul.

The dog was described as “jumping up and down and spinning around in circles,” NCSSAR Sergeant Dennis Haack told KCRA.

The “Lassie-like” behavior helped them save the dog’s owner. “They started following him, he went for somewhere between 150 and 200 yards, and took them right to the victim,” Sergeant Haack said.

They found him in a small shelter that was covered with a camouflaged tarp. Medical staff described his injuries as “traumatic,” the news outlet reported.

They then got him to a CHP chopper and shuttled him to an air ambulance a few miles away, then transported him to receive more treatment.

“He’s very lucky that his dog directed our search personnel to him,” Sergeant Haack added.

NCSSAR posted on Facebook about the harrowing incident afterward, crediting the rescue team, and Saul, for their efforts saving the man.

“Great work and skill by all involved today and for the Border Collie he was transported back to Grass Valley and given a well deserved dinner,” they posted.

Saul is being looked after by a local nonprofit in Grass Valley while his owner undergoes medical treatment for his injuries.

A nurse’s compassion: A unique connection between a pet and caregiver.

Indiana woman’s dog pulls strange creature from pool: A 7-inch hairless, bloated groundhog.

And finally, from The Barking Lot vault, my wife wrote in the summer of 2012:

I have suffered from seasonal & environmental allergies for most of my life.  I have never had “allergy testing” because quite frankly I am too chicken to subject myself to the process.  Generally I just take OTC antihistamines from first bloom to first frost and deal with it.

I tolerate a range of annoying allergic reactions besides ragweed and pollen.  I have a severe reaction to nickel in metal so much to Kevin’s chagrin I can only wear “real” gold.  I can’t come within 5 yards of a horse or I will break out in hives and have eyes so swollen I look like, well, I don’t know what.  Just the other day, I tried a new brand of dish soap because I thought it smelled nice.  “Big mistake,” my rash-covered hands told me.

Kevin, on the other hand, has no issues with things like this.  The man can cut grass in a dust storm, pet a dozen dogs at one time, stand in a field of flowers and use any sort of soap/lotion/fragrance.  If he sneezes once during the months of June, July and August it’s because he got pool water in his nose.

I truly hope that our daughter Kyla takes after her Daddy and has her own natural ability to fight allergens and not rely on a lifetime supply of Benadryl.  I don’t know… with our luck, our poor offspring will sneeze in unison with Mommy from May through October and we’ll open the windows once during the summer season.

I will never complain when I’m not shoveling and shivering.  But summertime can make it rough for those of us who have to endure the Sneezin’ Season.

So where am I going with all this nasal news?  Well, if you think the two-legged members of your family are the only ones who can suffer this time of year think again.  If you have noticed the family pooch scratching more, or sneezing uncontrollably then chances are he/she is suffering from seasonal allergies.  Fortunately there are ways to cope just like there are for humans.  Antihistamines are a possible source of relief, as are a short-term dose of steroids.

This year if you are itching & scratching, rubbing your eyes, sneezing and dealing with a raspy voice and scratchy throat; please don’t dismiss your dog may be suffering the same ways you are. 

From a fellow allergy sufferer, good luck with the rest of the summer.

—By Jennifer Fischer

That’s it for this week. Thanks for stopping by.

We’d really appreciate it if you forward this on to other dog lovers you know. Let them have some fun!

See ya, BARK, next Saturday!