Discovery News reports that a new study traces the origins of small dogs back to the Middle East of 12,000 years ago. (Read the original story.)

According to the study, which appears in the journal BMC Biology, a version of the gene responsible for a dog's small size probably resulted from the domestication of the Middle Eastern gray wolf, which is smaller than other wolves.

The DNA studies, combined with the archaeological record, then suggest that at least 12,000 years ago, the first domesticated small dogs entered the world, with humans playing a major role in the process.

"(There) could have been a mutation arising early in the history of dogs," said [study lead author Melissa] Gray, "which was maintained by breeding and artificial selection by humans, or could have been an adaptive trait that developed during domestication as a means to coexist with humans."

Also interesting: Archaeological evidence has found dog remains close to the size of Great Danes in Belgium, Germany and Western Russia dating to 13,000-31,000 years ago -- meaning big dogs came before small dogs.

I'm so excited to see the new Tim Burton-helmed Alice in Wonderland -- and even more so after reading that shelter bunnies played a role in filming!

According to a press release from Walt Disney Pictures:

Tim Burton wanted the animal characters in Wonderland to appear real rather than cartoony. So before creating the White Rabbit, animators spent a day at a rabbit shelter for abandoned rabbits, observing the animals and shooting photo reference footage to ensure they captured the nuances of rabbits chewing and wriggling their noses.

There are more than 5,000 bunnies for adoption on Petfinder. Could one of them be "late, late, for a very important date" with you?

Discovery News reports that a four-year-old Great Dane has been named the world's tallest dog (see the original story).

Standing at 7 feet and 3 inches from nose to tail and weighing in at 245 pounds, this gargantuan dog is not just your average Great Dane. It's the "Greatest" Dane.

Guinness World Records announced today that "Giant George," a blue Great Dane from Tucson, Ariz., is the new Guinness World Record holder of the Tallest Dog title.

George is three-quarters of an inch taller than the previous record holder, a Great Dane named Titan whose adoptive mom found him on Petfinder.

Want to adopt your own gentle giant? Check out the 1,100 adoptable Great Danes and Dane mixes posted on Petfinder!

Dr. Lauren Brickman writes a pet health and care column for Petside.com. Read all the Q&As she's shared with Petfinder here. 

Q: My Black Lab gets chronic ear infections. What causes this and how can I prevent it?

A: Dogs have differently shaped ear canals than humans do. Theirs are shaped like an "L," which allows more debris to become trapped inside the ear.

Certain breeds, such as Labradors and others with long, hanging ears, are more at risk of getting ear infections. Other dogs, like poodles, have a lot of hair in their ear canals that puts them at risk for infections when wax and dirt become trapped within the hair. Any breed of dog that has a type of allergic skin disease can suffer with chronic ear infections as well.

Read the rest of Dr. Lauren's answer after the jump.

Today's guest blogger, Shauna, is a proud pet parent. She has shared her popular and entertaining blog about "dogs and other messy things," Fido and Wino, with us in preparation for Valentine's Day.

As Valentine's Day approaches you could be thinking a couple of things. Maybe you're contentedly daydreaming about perforated paper bunny cards, too-hot cinnamon hearts and the various secret admirers you are sure to have doting on you this year.

Or perhaps you are thinking, "Ugh."

You're not alone. Yahoo News reports that one in five people would prefer to spend Valentine's Day with their pet over their partner.

So here are the top ten reasons why a dog makes a better date this Valentine's Day:

1. Dogs don't talk. I could elaborate, but I think we can all agree this is a good thing.


2. If you worry your dog will destroy your lovely home four seconds after you step out the door, you can put him in a crate. The authorities frown upon this when it comes to dates.

Find out the other eight reasons after the jump!

The minute I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, I knew that the animals there would need us. And it didn't take long before the Petfinder.com Foundation joined ARCH, the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, with our partners in disaster relief, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) as well as over a dozen other leading animal welfare organizations.

Soon teams were on their way to the ravaged island. Dr. Dick Green, with IFAW, reports that they are treating between 50-100 dogs every day.

"We're seeing a lot of injuries to the paws," he says. "You need to remember that everywhere you look the concrete is down, and we have concrete mixed in with glass and sharp objects, and these poor dogs are foraging through this rubble to try and find food.

Read more about the disaster relief efforts in Haiti after the jump.

I can't pretend I'm an avid sports fan, but there's one game that I'm sure to watch.

As the New Orleans Saints make their Super Bowl debut against the Indianapolis Colts, 20 puppies will steal my attention in Animal Planet's 6th annual Puppy Bowl this Sunday, 3 p.m. E/P.

Not only are the puppies irresistibly adorable, they're all Petfinder alumni, making Petfinder the temporary "home team" for all the players. (See a full list of the participating shelters.)

Of course, it's Petfinder tradition to recognize the many adoptable namesakes of this year's Super Bowl stars. Take a look at some of these adorable adoptables as you get yourself hyped up for the game:

In the Indianapolis Area:

• 27 dogs named "Indy"
• Six dogs named "Colt"
• 39 dogs named "Austin" (perhaps after wide receiver Austin Collie)
• 38 dogs named "Dallas" (perhaps after tight end Dallas Clark)
• 38 dogs named "Reggie" (perhaps after receiver Reggie Wayne)
• 12 dogs named "Pierre" (perhaps after wide receiver Pierre Garcon)

Guest blogger, Joshua Cary, runs a successful pet sitting business in New York and is the co-creator of PetSittingOlogy, a site devoted to giving pet sitters the tools, guidance and resources they need to become responsible, caring and much-appreciated pet sitters.

Finding a professional and reliable pet sitter you can stick with for life shouldn't be as nerve wracking as a visit from your in-laws.

Each day, more pet sitters are taking to the web as potential clients search online for their perfect match.

Here's a checklist of what to look for -- and what to look out for -- when doing your initial research online.

1. First Impressions Count
   Your first impressions really are everything. Trust your gut and listen to your instincts. How do you initially feel when you arrive at a potential pet sitter's Web site?
   
   Ask yourself questions like, "Does the company have a professional logo? Did I easily find the info I was looking for?"
   
   The way you initially feel about this Web site is a strong indication of how you might feel about the pet sitter.


2. The Basics
   Many pet sitter Web sites forget to provide the simple basics that allow you to make an informed decision.
   
   Make sure you can find an email address, phone number, contact form, service area, a list of services offered and a list of (at least general) service fees to minimize your time.
   
   In my experience, how professionally a pet sitter runs a Web site is indicative of the amount of professionalism you can expect from his or her service.