(Seth Casteel/LittleFriendsPhoto.com) Seth Casteel has a passion for pets and his work as a photographer lets him show it off in an unusual way. His photo series of dogs underwater has captivated the web and has been featured by CNN, NBC's Today, Good Morning America and Jeopardy! Based in Chicago and Los Angeles, Casteel's "Little Friends Photography" studio specializes in lifestyle pet photography. The award-winning photographer writes on his studio's Facebook page that the images embrace "the at-ease mentality of...

1907, 1908, 1909 - Ch Warren Remedy, Fox Terrier (Smooth) (westminsterkennelclub.org) From Warren Remedy to Banana Joe, the honor of "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show is a title only 106 dogs have ever won. It was awarded for the first time in 1907. The gallery above shows all the recorded past winners who were photographed or painted up to the 2013 winner, the small affenpinscher named Banana Joe. First held in 1877, the Westminster Kennel...

Handler Ernesto Lara poses for photographers with Banana Joe, an affenpinscher who won best in show during the 137th Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Feb. 12, 2013, in New York. (AP/Mary Altaffer) Over 180 dogs competed at the Westminster Kennel Club in New York City. Though crowd-favorite Swagger, an old English sheepdog, drew the most cheers -- it was a small five-year-old affenpinscher named Banana Joe who became America’s top dog on Tuesday, winning best in show. Judging in the...

As Japan’s birthrate plummets, pets are increasingly replacing children as members of the family. The country has 22 million pets, compared to 17 million kids under the age of 15. (Photo: Ruth Evans) Jonathan V. Last is a senior writer at the Weekly Standard. He’s also written for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Week, Salon and Slate. He is not particularly fond of children or pets, but argues they are both players in a potential...

In this photo provided by Ben Kilham, a bear cub is seen inside Kilham's 8-acre forested enclosure, May 12, 2012, in Lyme, N.H. (AP Photo) LYME, N.H. - When a bad year for feeding followed a good one for breeding, New Hampshire's only licensed bear rehabilitator ended up with 27 orphaned cubs instead of the usual three or four. Ben Kilham isn't losing any sleep over it, but the bears sure are. "They've managed to keep themselves awake," he said....

Any prospective owner would need to keep Biscuit away from the gravy and on a strict diet. (AP Photo) ST. CHARLES, Mo. – At 37 pounds, Biscuit is about the right weight for a 4-year-old – human, that is. A St. Louis-area animal shelter is trying to find a new home for the sweet tabby with a sweet tooth. Biscuit's salad days were spent pigging out, and now at roughly three times the weight of a healthy adult cat, he's...

These dogs sum up how we're feeling about winter. We're sad, and we've had enough of it. We'd rather be frolicking in the park in the sunshine or riding in the car with our heads out the window about now. Fetch, anyone? MORE ON WEATHER.COM: ...

Marley, a cross German Shepherd/Border Collie, practices his heel to music routine at Crufts 2013 on March 5, 2013, in Birmingham, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Dogs, who have been the most widely kept pet and working animal in our history, have earned the name "man’s best friend." At Crufts, the world’s largest dog event, canine's are celebrated for their various contributions to society. Hero dogs are honored in the Friends for Life Competition, rescue dogs in the rescue dog agility...

Baby John Hughes with his St Bernard, Moltie Mallone at Cruft's dog show at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London on Feb. 10, 1937. (Becker/Fox Photos/Getty Images) The world’s largest dog show, Crufts, kicked off in Birmingham, England on Thursday, but dog lovers have been bringing their prized pooches to the showcase since 1891. The event, which first started as a dog show celebrating all breeds, including the sporting and hound group, was first held at the Royal Agricultural...

Doctors put Jack under anesthesia and methodically removed all 111 coins. (AP Photo) NEW YORK – A New York City dog has undergone emergency surgery to remove more than 100 pennies from his stomach. The reports that a Jack Russell terrier named Jack swallowed 111 pennies last week and quickly became ill. The 13-year-old pooch's owner rushed him to a Manhattan veterinarian for emergency surgery. That's when dog doctors put Jack under anesthesia and methodically removed all 111 coins. The...

April showers bring... dogs in raincoats? That’s right folks, springtime is here and that means it's time to break out the rain gear. But don’t forget about our four-legged friends -- they need to protect their cute fluffy fur. Above you’ll find a gallery of canines squeezing into their adorable little raincoats as they prepare to endure the elements of spring. The only thing that could be cuter is if they had thumbs and could hold an umbrella. MORE ON...

A dog participates in the 4th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf dog competition in Imperial Beach, south of San Diego, Calif., on June 20, 2009. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images) A lot goes in to making the perfect wave. From winds blowing off shore, to local tide conditions - the weather needs to be just right for the ideal swell. These dogs, however, are oblivious to these factors. To them, it's just a fun day at the beach. Every year, a...