Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and while it is easy to get caught up in all of the day’s festivities, don’t forget about your four-legged sweetheart. Many of our favorite Valentine treats, such as chocolates and roses can be harmful to our curious pooches. The ASPCA offers some great tips to help keep your furry friend safe this Valentine’s Day.
The ASPCA’s main tips include:
Do not give your pooch any chocolate treats. Chocolate is not good for pets.
Keep alcohol out of your pet’s reach.
Don’t let your pup eat anything that contains artificial sweeteners.
Keep flowers out of your dog’s reach. Thorns and certain types of flowers can be harmful to your pet.
John Woestendiek, the blogger behind the Mutts blog on the Baltimore Sun website, started the series, “The Dog Lovers’ Guide to the Presidential Election” that answers the question, “If the presidential candidates were dogs, what breed would they be?” Here is what the Mutts blogger came up with:
Just remember, whether your pup is a Republican or a Democrat we have them covered this election year with our political party dog collars available for both Republicans and Democrats.
Hurley, the toy that combines all the fun of a ball and stick, is now available in two different sizes. The small size measures in at 6 inches and is perfect for small to medium sized dogs. The large size is meant for the big pups and is 8.25 inches long.
No matter what size, the Hurley is a ton of fun. It’s tough, colorful and since it floats it is the perfect toy for a game of fetch on land or at the lake. Best of all Hurley, comes with a one time replacement guarantee. If your pup manages to destroy this tough toy, you can get a free replacement!
I recently came across two photo contests with some pretty big prizes. First, Febreeze is looking for photos of you pampered pooch on vacation. The grand prize winner of that contest will receive $5,000 in airline travel from Orbitz.
The second contest is sponsored by Bissell and the winning entry will be used on the packaging of Bissell’s Pet Hair Eraser vacuum. Plus, $10,000 will be awarded to the animal charity of your choice.
For more information visit the contest homepage for each company.
Many Americans will be tuned in to the Patriots & Giants game this Super Bowl Sunday, but don’t forget about the other big game on this weekend - Puppy Bowl IV.
Puppy Bowl has created a football themed play area complete with toys, water bowls and plenty of amusing camera angles (i.e. waterbowl cam). Once the puppies are added to the mix, the fun ensues. And the puppies will keep you glued to your TV because you simply just never know what you will get.
Puppy Bowl IV can be seen on Animal Planet on Sunday, February 3, 2008 starting at 3pm.
National Geographic has announced that they will creating a new series called “Dogtown” that will document the rehabilitation of several of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick that now reside at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. The series will focus on the tough rehabilitation cases and is set to premier this summer.
I am interested to see how this turns out. I feel like a show like this has a ton of potential to be very educational about dog behavior and what type of training is necessary to rehabilitate a dog. I will be sure to tune in this summer to see what I can learn.
You may be a dog lover, but have you found the breed that is best suited to your personality? Dog Time has created the dogfinder Matchup that helps you find the dog breed that fits your lifestyle. All you have to do is answer a few questions and at the end of the survey they will present you with 5 different breed choices that are suited for you based on your answers.
I took the test and based on my answers the breeds recommended for me were:
It is truly heartwarming to see how dramatically the lives of these dogs have changed and that they are getting a chance to live a happy and fulfilled life.
Kudos to Bad Rap and all the other rescue groups and volunteers for stepping up and giving these pups a second chance at life.
After about one week of pug ownership I knew I had made a mistake. I never should have named my pug Henry. It was very clear to me that I should have named him Hoover because the boy ate everything in his path! I thought that maybe this was just a pug thing, but after talking with owners of other breeds and watching a few episodes of those emergency animal surgery shows, I quickly realized that for some reason dogs are simply compelled to eat things that their bodies have no chance of digesting.
Whenever I get the suitcase out, my pugs always come running and “help me pack”. But with all their snorting & snoring, though, it would be pretty hard not to know they were accidentally packed for the trip. I guess all those noises they make serve as built in protection.
The AKC released their annual registation statistics report for 2007 last week and while I was wasn’t surprised to see the Labrador Retriever perched at the top of the list, I was surprised to see that the Bulldog broke into the top 10. You can see how your favorite breed ranks nationally here and you can take a look and see the most popular breeds in your city here.
When starting a new walking regime, many wonder how often or how far they should walk their dogs. Since dogs come in many shapes, sizes and with varying activity levels, the answer to this question varies greatly. The best thing to do is to take cues from your dog. Does a short trip around the block tiring them out or at they tugging on the leash begging to go farther? Know your dog and know yourself. Base the length and the frequency of walks on both of your activity levels.
Another thing to consider is the weather. Short nosed breeds, such as pugs, may not be able to walk their normal route during the hot summer months. And during the winter, your little one’s paws may get cold.
Take cues from your dog to determine the frequency and distance of your walk. Getting out and about with your pup, just if it is a short trip around the block, will do you and your dog good.
I recently stumbled across this recipe for Apple Cinnamon drops and it seems a lot like one of ole Henry Doodle’s favorite treats. The recipe is courtesy of Todd Jones, author and webmaster of www.homemade-dog-treat-recipes.com. It sounds like a delicous and healthy snack for your little one. If you try it out be sure to let us know if your pup likes them. Bon Appetit!
Apple Cinnamon Drops
1 large apple
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Core, slice and mince the apple (use a food processor if you have one).
In a large bowl, combine the minced apple bits, honey, water, cinnamon, and oatmeal.
Gradually blend in the wheat flour, adding enough to form a stiff dough.
Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in the wheat flour (to prevent sticking), flatten each spoonful of dough into a circle.
Adjust the size of the drops based on how big a treat you like to feed your dog.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and flip each cookie to brown evenly on both sides. Reduce oven temperature to 325. Return to oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
January is National Walk Your Pet Month and to celebrate we wanted to take a look at some of the benefits of regular walks.
Staying Fit & Trim: Regular walks help keep not only your dog, but also yourself in shape. Plus, having a dog as a walking buddy is one of the best motivators. Even if you don’t feel like walking because of a bad day at the office, the excitement of your pooch will encourage you to get out the door and once you are out you will be glad you went.
Good Mental Health: Walks are extremely stimulating for a dog and getting out and smelling around can do wonders for relieving your dog’s stress. Being contained in a house all-day, can lead to a lot of pent up engergy, which your dog may release in negative ways. Walking is a healthy way for you pup to burn off all that excess energy.
Bonding: Going for a walk with your dog is a great way to strengthen your bond. It is a shared time that hopefully you and your pup will enjoy.
Good Behavior: Well exercised dogs are well behaved dogs. If you dog has had a chance to burn off some energy before you go to work, they will be resting while you are out. They will not be bored and looking for something to get into while you are away.
These are just a few of the many benefits of regular walks. Getting started walking is often the hardest part, but after you do hopefully you will look forward to your walks as much as your pup does.
