National Puppy Day: Celebrate With These 10 Brave And Heroic Puppies

March 23 is National Puppy Day and to celebrate "the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring into our lives," we've created a slideshow of the bravest and most heroic puppies we've seen recently.

From Will, the Australian puppy who survived being thrown out of a first-floor window and managed to keep his sunny and happy disposition intact, to Bear, the giant puppy who saved his owner during the Oklahoma tornado, these pooches are nothing short of incredible. If you enjoy this slideshow, consider going to your local shelter to adopt an abandoned puppy. Dog-owners have been proven to have lower risk of cardiovascular disease, better emotional health and immune function.

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Comments

[Nikki Giles]

01:54 PM on 03/27/2012

psst Harper is a girl.
Dogs are a testament to how good we as humans should be and how sadly we fail them sometimes. I am teaching my son how to love and help animals of all kinds.

[AsheMan]

09:37 AM on 03/24/2012

They should put a picture of Seamus on here. He's a hero for enduring a 1000 mile drive strapped to the roof of a car. What kind of a human would do that? Mitt Romney, that's who.

[UrsaMagick]

09:50 PM on 03/24/2012

WRONG! Mitt Romney is not a human. He's some kind of audio-animatronic creation. He has no soul, he has no heart and the computer that runs him keeps malfunctioning. Destined to never win another government job no matter what his programming. An out-of-date, out-of-touch robot. He was created to work on a Detroit car line and not need a brain. The designer had intended for him to be a Moron but there was some kind of manufacturing mistake...

[Buggycas]

02:47 AM on 03/24/2012

I have to say, Hen's my favorite. I'm the proud owner of a Pitt mix and I can just see the fierce loyalty that the breed comes with in this wonderfully brave puppy. I think my own Sugar-Baby would do the same for any trapped family member. It's Stories like Hen's that show the good side of the breed, not the human forced viciousness that is shown in the news so often.

[WheelsOnFire]

12:34 AM on 03/24/2012

Romney celebrated by putting two puppies on the roof of his Cadillac.

[Angie Daniels]

12:31 AM on 03/24/2012

I hate it when people say "love humans" after seeing stories like these. I do dog rescue AND volunteer with teens (humans). Where is it written that our hearts are so small that we can only care for one? My snoring rescue dog and the kids I volunteer with will tell you my heart is big enough for all.

[windycitygirl444]

08:37 AM on 03/24/2012

You sound like a great person! I have 2 dogs I rescued and I love them so much!
There's plenty of room in good peoples hearts to love them all.

[Angie Daniels]

12:06 AM on 03/24/2012

Amazing!

[Candide33]

08:54 PM on 03/23/2012

Ciuchcia chasing the cats in her wheelchair is hilarious!

[Candide33]

08:49 PM on 03/23/2012

Americans love dogs... wish they loved humans a little more.

[Angie Daniels]

12:18 AM on 03/24/2012

Americans who love dogs ALSO love humans. The key might be to get more people to love animals. There's always room in your heart for more.

[Candide33]

12:33 AM on 03/24/2012

What I meant was I wished more loved both.... Some people drive to Canada with a dog on the roof and some people vote for people would drive to Canada with a dog on the roof... then there are the rest of us who would do neither.

[bookzinbed]

03:27 PM on 03/29/2012

Well said! Loving animals; the 'gateway drug' for developing empathy for humans.

[livingdangerously]

08:20 PM on 03/23/2012

Puppies are awesome that grow into great dogs that die and break your heart forever. They leave such a pawprint in your heart. It took me 3 years to get over my last dog's death.

[Angie Daniels]

12:31 AM on 03/24/2012

Sorry for your loss. But your dog's waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge!

[livingdangerously]

12:19 PM on 03/26/2012

Thanks for your reply.

[uncommonsensesc]

06:14 PM on 03/27/2012

We just lost our 4-legged friend that we'd had for 9 1/2 years and it's amazing how big of a hole that little 25 pound dog left in our home and hearts!

[averagezoe]

08:09 PM on 03/23/2012

Most people see this as cute and heartwarming, but National Puppy Day is nothing to celebrate. Every puppy born who finds a home is a death sentence for another one being killed. Anyone who thinks that this is "so precious" should visit their local Animal Control shelter and look at the litters after litters being euthanized. I would like to see National Homeless Dog Day where dogs who have already suffered unspeakably hardships are celebrated by finding homes and never having to have puppies again.

[Angie Daniels]

12:07 AM on 03/24/2012

A lot of puppies are rescued from the pound. My dog, lying at my feet, is a rescue. Don't assume that we all just buy from breeders. I do rescue only.

[averagezoe]

12:55 AM on 03/24/2012

If you rescue, you know that is not what I meant. It's sad to have to look at stories that are meant to be positive and only see the downside, but as long as this overpopulation epidemic and the killing of millions continues, each and every puppy that is deliberately produced is an abomination. And that goes for breeders and idiots who do not spay and neuter alike. I don't have the luxury of getting all googoo-eyed over puppies, I feel sick when I see one because even though I rescue hundreds of dogs each year, rescue groups like mine simply can't keep up - the puppies keep on coming.

[lolarites]

07:42 PM on 03/23/2012

So precious.

[DevonTexas]

07:38 PM on 03/23/2012

All my dogs are rescued and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They are loyal and protective and always, always loving. Nothing like coming home to an excited, squirming mass of wagging tails. I got a dog when my friend (a Native American) suggested it was good for relaxing and a calming influence. Dogs know how to relax. We can all take a lesson.

[DoctorABC]

06:30 PM on 03/23/2012

Even without specific feats of survival and heroism, dogs are good for us. Having dogs (and other critters too-- don't despair cat owners) lowers our blood pressure, eases depression, teaches us compassion and patience, along with making us exercise. So any dog living with humans is a life saver, even if it's a passive manner that just adds years to the humans' lives. (vaya con dios y mi madre, Crystal. Make her happy in heaven as you did in life.)

[moflard]

06:30 PM on 03/23/2012

To all fans of Scooby Doo I apologise in advance

"PUPPY POWER!!"

[StopThePlanet]

05:37 PM on 03/23/2012

These stories are great. But it always makes me wonder how some people can be so despicable and heartless and be cruel to animals that give nothing but pure love.  Anyone who can commit such violence does not belong in society at all.

[MotorcycleBoy]

07:41 PM on 03/23/2012

I've never been able to understand how anyone could be cruel to any animal. And, I totally agree, there's no place in our society for those who would inflict cruelty upon an innocent creature.

Peace.

[uncommonsensesc]

06:21 PM on 03/27/2012

I think that when we can't understand how people abuse, neglect and abandon innocent animals, that says something good about us. I get so angry at the abusers, that I think I could do them more harm than they could ever imagine. I would still take Michael Vick to the woods and there'd only be me coming out - he is only apologetic because he got caught, sort of like jailhouse religion. I have tried watching the Animal Cops tv shows but can't get through more than a few minutes of it!

[StopThePlanet]

06:30 PM on 03/27/2012

I can't watch that stuff either.  I know it happens but I can't look.  It stresses me out. I am grateful for the people who do that as their job.  It would make me pretty jaded about people to do that kind of work.