(Video Link)

Christie the Westie may love to swim, but Abby the Labrador has other plans. She just wants her tennis ball, which is inconveniently in the middle of the pool. So she paws a boogie board over to herself, climbs on, then paddles it toward her ball.

This is tricky work because the board really isn't bouyant enough to support her. She has to balance herself very carefully.

It works! Abby gets the ball and is able to drift toward the side of the pool. She got a bit wet, but not completely soaked.

-via Nothing to Do with Aborath

(Photo: Taro the Shiba Inu)

When we talk to dogs, sometimes they tilt their heads while looking at and listening to us. Why? What does this attentive behavior represent?

There are at least 2 possibilities. Dr. Meredith Stepita, animal behaviorist and veterinarian, thinks that a dog is adjusting its inner ear in order to hear more precisely:

Since dogs can understand some human language, including words and tone of voice, a head-cocking dog could be concentrating on picking out a key word or inflection that relates to that favorite activity. So your dog may cock her head when you start talking about taking her for a walk or giving her a bath or playing a game of fetch — whatever it is that she loves to do.

Stanley Coren, a specalist in dog behavior, says that dogs carefully read the body language and facial expressions of their humans. Since their muzzles create blind spots, a head-tilting dog may be trying to get around the blind spot in front of its nose in order to read your expressions more carefully:

We know that dogs continually scan our faces for information and to read our emotional state. Hence it is likely that one reason why dogs may tilt their heads when we talk to them is because they want to see our faces better, and to compensate for the way in which their muzzles obscure part of their vision.

-via VA Viper

YouTube Link

Christy the West Highland white terrier and her humans have just arrived in Florida for their vacation. What's the first thing on Christy's mind? Water! No, not the ocean and not in the form of a cool, refreshing drink. She wants to swim in her pool! As soon as she's let out through the sliding glass door to the pool area, we see the enthusiasm that has led to the pool being "owned" by Christy. Via Arbroath

People usually don't expect to receive a reward when they save an animal's life because it's reward enough to know the animal is alive and well thanks to a little human help.

An outdoorsman named Darius noticed a newborn deer with a hitch in its giddy-up thanks to an injured front leg, and when the deer's mama ditched it Darius took it in and helped set its leg straight.

After some rehabilitation and tender loving care from Darius, and his lovable Bernese Mack, the little deer's leg was as good as new, and the deer couldn't thank Darius enough.

But, after a few months with its foster family, the little deer spotted her mother and rejoined her forest dwelling family, leaving Darius with a deer shaped hole in his heart.

(YouTube Link)

Read about the Baby Deer Who Doesn't Want To Leave The Man Who Saved Her Life here

YouTube Link

Most Labrador retrievers will go to any length to get a ball that's thrown to them, even if one throws the ball all day long. Stella is no different. But this playful pup obviously loves the autumn twist of having the ball thrown into a big pile of leaves. If only dogs could rake and bag them as well as they scatter them! Via Laughing Squid

(Video Link)

It's time for mandatory affection at Chai Lai Orchid resort in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Allie doesn't know that yet, but Ele the baby elephant will teach her. This is how you cuddle. At just 2 weeks old, she's already an expert.

Hopefully Allie will return for even more cuddles when Ele is full grown!

-via Tastefully Offensive

YouTube Link

This sneaky Russian kitty was caught by his human on camera repeatedly attempting (and then finally succeeding in) stealing a stuffed animal tiger. Who can blame him? As it turned out, all he wanted was another cat friend with whom to wrestle. Awww! Via Tastefully Offensive

YouTube Link

The Lincoln Park Zoo's first-ever red panda cubs, male and female Clark and Addison, have matured enough to be let loose in their outdoor exhibit and meet their adoring public. Born on June 26, the cubs have spent the last several months bonding with their mother Leafa. They have made lots of developmental progress, and the zoo staff reports that they are healthy, active and curious. 

Read more about the breed and see additional pictures of Addison and Clark at Zooborns. 

(Video Link)

When young animals are abandoned or rescued, many are often given stuffed animals as surrogate parents for warmth, comfort and companionship. Amazingly, the species that need this kind of comfort can range from bats to sloths to primates to even owls. Here's Oakley with his new cuddly friend that actually sings and dances to the Halloween classic, "The Monster Mash."

Via The Huffington Post 

Indianapolis Zoo staff was thrilled to welcome this litter of African lion cubs, two males and a female, on September 21. The first births of this species at the zoo since 2003, the cubs are the offspring of mother Zuri and father Nyack. Despite being a first-time mother, the zookeepers report that Zuri is perfectly loving and nurturing with her adorable cubs.

See precious additional pictures and learn more about the birth and the African lion species at Zooborns.

Images: Jackie Curts / Indianapolis Zoo

YouTube Link

Watching this painfully cute polar bear cub try to turn over brought out, as those on the internet are wont to say, "all the feels." The longer I watched his frustrating struggle, the more I began to lay blame. Where's the mother? Why is he indoors in this little box? Where is his ice and fish and chilly polar bear beverage in a frosty mug? Finally when he turned over, looking exhausted enough to pass out from the exercise, I felt the polar relief. You? Or is it just me because polar bears are one of my favorite animals? Via Daily Dot

Webcomic artist Alison Wilgus (previously at Neatorama) drew a tribute to her elderly cat, Julien Bashir. Julien is 22 years old, which is extremely old for a cat. It’s pretty straightforward, because like all creatures, Julien has his own personality and his own individual charms, habits, foibles, and challenges. This is just one panel of Julien’s life story; the rest is at Wilgus’ site. The way she simply appreciates him for who he is will make you want to hug your own kitty. -via Metafilter

(Photo: Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary)

This is Estella, a guinea pig that lives at the Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in French Camp, California. She's lived there since she and her mate Pip were found abandoned by the side of a road.

Estella can't move the back end of her body. So after a successful fundraiser for the project, the staff built a custom wheelchair that permits her to walk around. You can see more photos of her and Pip at the Huffington Post.

It's safe to say crocodiles and jaguars are two of the deadliest, and coolest looking, predators on the planet, and they should have a mutual respect for each other due to their respective body counts.

But this hungry jaguar has no time for niceties, and he would literally kill for a crocodile sandwich.

(YouTube Link)

The Russian tourist who captured this wild wildlife footage would have been much easier for the jaguar to catch and devour, but this superstar jaguar was clearly in it for the views on YouTube!

-Via Esquire

There are thousands of feral cats in the streets of New York City. They were abandoned, or else were born to feral cats. They hide in the shadows and don’t trust people. What to do about all those cats?

(vimeo link)

There aren’t enough homes for the feral cat population, so the response until recently was to catch and put them down. But in the last couple of decades, the T.N.R. method has shown some promise. That’s "trap, neuter, return (or release)." It’s been found to be effective in slowly reducing the population of feral colonies. This video from The New Yorker follows volunteers as they go about trapping and caring for feral cats in Brooklyn. -via the Presurfer