Dog Sells at Nearly $2 million

We’ve all heard about dog breeds known as pets for the rich and famous. We see movie stars and business tycoons with their little toy dogs in designer doggy bags. However, the idea of an elite breed has been around for a long time.

In China, the Tibetan mastiff has always been considered as a status symbol for the wealthy. These dogs have been used to guard homes and temples for hundreds of years, and the Chinese have managed take good care of this dog’s heritage.

Recently in a "luxury pet" fair held in Zhejiang’s eastern province, one of these Tibetan mastiff puppies were sold for nearly $2 million in what could be considered as the priciest dog sale in history. According to Zhang Gengyun, a dog breeder based in the area, the pups are sired by the best mastiff studs and have a strong bloodline. He also mentions that there was one red-haired mastiff that was sold for around 6 million yuan.

Spending all that money for a dog might sound crazy, but these dogs are taken very seriously in China. Owning them means more than just having a loyal companion, it’s also a mark of power and wealth. Sending prices of these dogs have skyrocketed over the years.

This huge and sometime aggressive dog is one of the oldest breeds around. The Tibetan mastiff is known for their round manes which makes them look like lions, capable of growing 380 centimeters tall and weighing as much as a full grown man. What makes these dogs even more special how rare they are, another reason why they’re so expensive.

Amazing Photos to Inspire Animal Adoption

Hungarian photographer Sarolta Bán puts magic in her photos to help save animals, and somehow find responsible foster parents for the rescued ones.

If these photos are not enough to melt your heart, visit Sarolta Bán's Gallery. 

For animal lovers, don't forget to get a hanky.

Shannon Shares Her Wieners!

At the end of May, I met Sherry, who shared her love of her home state of Texas with this tattoo here.

In an ensuing email, she asked if she could send her friend Shannon my way to share her ink. "Of course," I replied, and was directed by Sherry to Borders, where Shannon worked. "Ask to see her wieners," she said and added, parenthetically, "(it's G rated, I promise!)."

The Borders in question is part of my normal stomping ground, so I kept my eyes peeled. No sign of Shannon and her wieners.

Then, at the beginning of the month, I finally found Shannon and met Geddy Lee and Sarah Lee, the two wieners tattooed on her upper right arm. They are of course, wiener dogs, more formally known as dachshunds:

The one on the left is Geddy Lee, named after the lead singer of Rush. Shannon's a big fan of the Canadian rock trio.

Sarah Lee, on the right, is a fictional dachshund, do-si-do'ing with Geddy, as they are dance partners.

The tattoo took two sessions, which shows her devotion to Geddy Lee who, Shannon acknowledges, is "that little jerk [that] sucked my soul". She loves him to no end.

These beloved dogs were inked by Adam Paterson at Jersey City Tattoo Company.

Thanks again to Shannon for sharing this incredible tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!