Adopt a Pet - Save a Life

Getting an unexpected new puppy under the Christmas tree is unfortunately one of the many ways dogs find themselves in shelters after the holidays. But if your family has decided on pet adoption, and is ready for the full commitment, 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com had CHANGED it's web address and name to: www.adoptapet.com

They are North America's largest non-profit pet adoption website and list 100,000 pets who need a home today, plus work with over 6,000 animal shelters all over the U.S. and Canada.

Best of all, their non-profit website is also totally free for animal shelters and the public to use.

Happy Earth Day!

Sorry I haven't been posting..we've had summer-like weather here and I've been out enjoying myself every day!!

Hope you all enjoy the week, and have a great Earth Day! Try to lesson your pawprint on the eco-system!

Here are some tips from around the web:

Canadian Living
Earth Paw

February is National Canine Weight Check Month!

Overweight dogs can face serious medical problems, including heart disease, arthritis, skin conditions and breathing issues , and the National Canine Weight Check is trying to prevent that.

The National Canine Weight Check is an effort to raise awareness about the health complications that may be faced by overweight dogs and help owners determine if their dogs are at risk.

Throughout the month of February, the NCWC is encouraging owners to get a free weight check for their dogs at a participating vet’s office. The event is supported by the American Kennel Club Humane Fund and by thousands of veterinarians across the country, through a sponsorship by Pfizer Animal Health.

You can find out more information about the program, including a list of participating vets across America, at stopcanineobesity.com/ncwc.

You can also take the BARC (Body Assesment Rating for Canines) quiz, an easy tool to help identify if you are a prime candidate for a weight check.
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I took the quiz, and got this response: There is a low risk that your dog is overweight or obese. You may want to take this survey every few months, especially if you see changes in your dogs weight.
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So lets get healthy pups!

Even Dogs Have Bad Days!

Now every pup knows I’m full of energy and love to put HM through her paces! I love to run around and go crazy, especially when I’m at the park with my pals. HM has recently been looking into pet insurance for me. When one loves zoomie's and agility as much as I do, anything could happen and my pawrents want to protect me the best they can. Even my buddy Johann and my best girl Denali have experienced some recent health issues that have landed them at the vets office. Pet insurance is a pawesome way they can get dog insurance just for me!

They’ve been comparing pet insurance on a few websites, including About Your Money. That site is a good comparison website so they don’t have to do more work than necessary to find me the best policy! You can even compare car insurance too. You know I ride in style when I'm off on my adventures and my pawrents want all bases covered.

Pet insurance is important for every dog because vet appointments can get pricey, and isn't it better to spend that money on treats for us??

Children

I don't know about you pups, but I'm a bit skittish around children. They like to squeal, grab, pull and generally smother. When I'm out on walks, it's worse. They run full speed up to me, just wanting to "pet" me, but do I know that?? All I see are these little beasts coming at me! So naturally, if I'm caught off guard, I sometimes bark. Then my poor human gets the "hairy eyeball" from the little beasts parent...like I'm vicious!! Hmmpphhh!

To add to my point, yesterday during my evening walk what do I witness? Children in charge of a dog (we'll call him "Buddy"). Two small kids (human says they looked about 7 and 11 years old) were supposed to take "Buddy" for a walk. On their way, they see the playground. What's a kid to do? Be responsible and give "Buddy" his exercise? No, when we see them, "Buddy" has his leash tied to a fence post as the children are playing.

Is "Buddy" happy? Well, if you think straining at your leash to get away, yelping to the point of a loud, shrill noise is happy, I guess I've been missing out!

I know not all children are like this, even my own "human cousins" who are ages 4 and 6 are very good and patient with me! Plus, they let me chase them in the backyard!!

So pups, be careful of the small beasts they call children, while they can provide some fun, and often good table scraps, they too can be a bit scary. Always keep your eye on them!

Tip of the Day! Don't Forget Your Flashlight!

Don't go hiking at night with a black dog and no flashlight!

My human and her friend took me for a hike last night around 8:00pm. Still pretty light out...but deep into the woods...it. got. dark. fast.

No flashlight, I totally vanish against the black of night. She said thank goodness for the jingling tags on my collar...so she could put my leash back on me!

We did meet up with a cool German Sheppard pup named Moose! We zoomied for about 10 minutes in the dark, then we had to head back.

Tip of the Day

Don't try to pee uphill!!

I did it twice today!! First stop, fence post on a bit of an incline...I lift my leg to go..and lose my balance...whooops...looks like I've had one to many Stella's!

Well don't I see a tree, again on a little mound of dirt and attempt to do the same thing! My human got a kick out of that! Sheesh...

Stupid Human! Dog Rescued After Being Locked in Car

Grrrrrr....this kind of news makes my blood boil!!! Some idiot was arrested here in Toronto yesterday after neighbours called Animal Services because his 110lb Rottwieller was locked in his car with the windows rolled up. They reported it was over 70ºC in the car!!

The Cruelty Investigator was sure the dog was near death and didn't have time to wait for the owners to return. So without hesitating, he broke open the window to reach the limp animal.

Officials say it's too soon to know if the animal suffered brain damage and they'll be watching him carefully for at least the next week. But so far, the signs are better than they'd dared to hope.

PLEASE! PLEASE! For the sake of your pet, don't leave them in a car, especially without the windows rolled down! If it's too hot for you, it'll be way too hot for them!

The owner will be charged with Animal Cruelty, which often only results in a fine being charged, or serving a small sentence of 3 months or less in jail. Grrrr...the good thing is they are also banned from owning a dog for a number of years too.

To watch video of this story, click the SOURCE link below.

Here's a link to see what happens when pets are kept in hot situations for too long.
http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/hs.html

[source + photo credit]

Why I Love My Dog Walker

I'd like to take today's post and write about Trish, my dog walker. She comes to see me every Wednesday and takes me out on group walks for a few hours. We go to off leash parks where I run, play socialize and generally have fun. She runs Pooch Pals Dogwalking Service in my town, and like the thousands out there, provides an essential service for us dogs.

When busy humans can't get home during the day, what's a dog to do? Does chewing Coach purses ring a bell??

An old saying rings true to me: a tired dog is a happy dog. Among the obvious health benefits, we are social creatures, who crave interaction with other dogs. Sniff a butt or two, engage in game of chase me!

Walks (outside of the backyard) provide mental stimulation as well. We love to sniff, mark, see who's been here recently...it's all part of who we are.

A walk allows you to practice obedience skills with your dog to increase the reliability of training. Reviewing the basic commands also increases the benefits of a walk because your dog is not simply ambling along, but is performing additional tasks.

Walking your dog is one of the best ways to help prevent behavior problems. At least two walks daily help prevent elimination problems, destructiveness, separation anxiety and other common behavior disorders. If you simply let your dog out in the yard, you lose an opportunity to reinforce desirable behavior.

So if you can't make it home during the day, do your dog a favour, hire them a dog walker. It'll be the best investment you make.
[source]

The Eco-Friendly Dog

With the Live Earth event behind us I thought I'd post some info on eco-friendly dog sites that provide various products and services for those pups trying to introduce small changes to encourage a big impact!

EarthDoggy provides both eco-friendly and chemical free products for dogs wanting to make a difference, and those that might have allergies.

Cyber Canine is a site that started as an information sharing service for finding earth friendly/non-allergenic dog products. They now have a united goal: proudly formulate manufacture, package and share their brand's (Mundo) organic, cruelty free and earth friendly dog products with the rest of the sensitive dogs out there. Mundo Botanica, always handcrafted, honest and always earth friendly.

Natural Pet Market boasts lots of choice for natural dog food (none affected by the recall) and various pet products like shampoos, homeopathies and vitamins.

For more companies that provide alternatives check out the extensive list at Happy Hippie!

[photo credit]

Tips for staying cool this summer

Got this from the Yahoo! Pets site:

Doggie Boots: Dogs absorb and release heat through their feet. Boots protect your dog from the powerful heat that rises from surfaces like cement and asphalt.

A Kiddie Pool: Got a nice spot in the shade where you can set one up? It's a fun way to let your dog cool off. (Just like my pal Baylee, shown in photo!)

A Wet Towel: An inexpensive way to give your dog some relief from the heat. Remember, dogs cool from the bottom up. A wet towel does more good on the bottom of your dog than on top of her coat.

A Water Spritzer: Spraying your dog with cool water is a great way to cool your dog down on a long walk. Spray the paws and stomach too -- not just the top of the dog!

A Portable Water Bowl: Always have water available for your dog on long walks. Some paths may have a special water fountain for your pup, and that's great. But your pup may need water before you reach it. A portable water bowl and a bottle of water is a great way to ensure that your pup won't go thirsty.

A Bottle of Water: Be responsible: keep one handy on a long walk. If your dog wears a backpack or vest, you can even let him carry it. The water inside the bottles will keep the dog cooler, and carrying it will give him a sense of purpose.
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Remember, we can't speak up, so always pay close attention to our body language to make sure we are not over heating!

Swimming is for the dogs! (like labs, sheppards and retrievers)

So I get to go to Greenwood Conservation Area each week for some off leash fun with my friends Denali and Starr! As soon as we pull up, our butts are wiggling, and we’re so excited to get out of the truck! Off like a shot, we hit the ground running, down the path, through some bushes, past the marsh, until we hit “the Pit”. We spend a bit of time running around, have some water, then off we go again through the trails to the doggie creek.

Well, I like water as much as the next Manchester...to drink, but when it gets really hot, I don’t mind taking a quick dip to cool off my feet. Well, we meet Labs, Golden Retrievers and other larger breeds who are adept swimmers, having their owners toss Frisbees and tennis balls into the creek and they go belly flopping in after them!

So of course my human thinks it’s “cute”, and thinks I want to have a swim. Uhhh, I don’t think so. But scoop alley-oop into the water I go! Before I know it, I’m dog paddling for dear life to get back to solid ground! And when I do, I get a cookie for a good swim!! WHAT??!! Risk my life and you give me a cookie??!!

Needless to say, I spent the rest of our time there on dry land and running through the weeds. Those Labs set a bad example for us land loving pups!

For pups like me who aren't natural water lovers, the introduction of a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) might make all the difference in the world! I've heard you can go from floating like a rock to freestyle champ with one! You should always look for the amount of floatation in each device, the fit and quality of material before purchasing. This doesn't mean your dog shouldn't still be monitored in the water...just like kids, supervision in the pool, lake or creek is invaluable.



Both RuffWear and Dog Paddling Adventures offer PFD's for your pooch.