Have you seen the cute little pup that won the 2012 Westminster Dog Show? OMG. He's beyond precious.

With his proud stance and scrunched-up little face, Malachy the Pekingese seemed to somehow know that he'd pulled off the title of "Best in Show." Isn't it funny how show dogs seem to know exactly what they're doing? It's always blown my mind that they seem to pick up on the fact that they're competing for a title instead of just running around with a bunch of other canine friends. You've got to wonder whether it's tough for them to get out of "show mode" when they're at home and just play in the yard.

Were you relieved when your kids finally got old enough where you didn't have to do the whole baby-proofing thing anymore? Yeah, me too. It was just so refreshing to finally be able to do simple things like lift the lid of the toilet seat without unlatching that stupid little clip or leave a handful of change on the counter without worrying that my son would eat it like candy.

I am done having kids, barring any unforeseen "slips," so my baby-proofing days are hopefully gone for good. That is, unless we decide to break down and get a dog. Those of you who have furry friends apparently need to worry about "pet-proofing" your homes even if your babies are all grown up. Looks like the whole "a puppy is worse than a baby" thing has more truth to it than we thought.

How often do you update your Facebook page with photos of your children? If you're anything like any other parent with access to a computer or smartphone, you probably do it at least once a week, if not more frequently.

Posting pictures of little ones on Facebook has become somewhat of an addiction for moms and dads, in an effort to share milestones and memorable moments with people who may or may not be important parts of their kids' lives.

In addition to putting up adorable images of infants sampling their first bite of strained peas or 5-year olds scoring a soccer goal, there also seems to be a growing trend of people posting photos of their pets. Are pet pictures on Facebook super cute ... or slightly annoying?

American English CoonhoundThere's a new dog in town! Actually, make that SIX. Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (kind of the Miss America for dogs) has introduced six new dog breeds into this year's competition. These breeds have actually been around for ages, but this is the first time they'll be allowed to compete in the big-league competition, which runs February 13-14.

And what a bunch -- this has to be the most diverse group of pooches ever thrown together. Keep reading to meet this motley crew of cuties.

My daughter has developed a fear of dogs. I don’t know why: I adore dogs, and the day care where she spent a glorious, happy year had two wonderful pups she would hug and pat with joy. But even the smallest strange dog on the street makes her stiffen with terror and, more often than not, leap up into my arms with a grunt of alarm.

This, however, doesn’t stop people from announcing that their often off-leash dogs are “totally friendly” and allowing them to leap upon my children without warning.

Which is why I was gratified to read a great blog post from dog walker Jessica Dolce about "MDIFs," and why it’s a bad idea to sic them on other dogs -- and, I’d like to add, children.

What's a MDIF, you ask?

Volkswagen has just created the best Star Wars dogs commercial ever. Actually, I think they've created the only Star Wars dogs commercial, ever. But whatever, this video is hilars. They all bark Darth Vader's theme, and what this all has to do with cars is completely lost to me. Of course that hasn't stopped me from watching it over and over again and posting it to pretty much every social media outlet I can get my little paws on.

If you look closely, you'll notice that the dogs are playing different Star Wars characters -- check out Darth Vader looking all big and tough. You'll also see Princess Leia with the side buns and this sweet Ewok is so cute! And is that a whippet playing an AT-AT Walker? Check it out after the jump -- and find out why the commercial has ruffled feathers among some pet owners.

I’m not here to complain about big government gone out of control. But I am, in some cases, bothered by the fact that cities step up their ticketing quotas in the wake of budget shortfalls. Particularly in this recent instance from Washington, DC … well, yeah, it does seem like someone’s gone a little overboard in the ticketing department.

You are not going to believe the reason why the sanitation department gave a cat-owning resident of the District of Columbia a ticket ...

How can you raise a dog, bring it to a huge, cold barn to be auctioned off, and walk away without a look or a word of comfort knowing that it'll then be consigned to a life of physical misery and emotional abandonment? I don’t know what is wrong with people.

The video below doesn’t come from PETA or some weirdo fringe group. It comes from the Humane Society of the United States, which took undercover video at several Midwest dog auctions where dogs are sold to prospective breeders -- many of whom likely run puppy mills. True, the video is a few years old, but the point about pets is very relevant even today. (If you can’t stand to watch it, don’t worry. You don't have to. I got the salient details for you.)