Home About Guest Post Contact Us Disclaimer Privacy Policy Links
Twitter
YouTube
RSS
Facebook

Some Gift Ideas for Our Canine Companions

By Alison Wood on Saturday, June 5th, 2010 | No Comments

I was recently thinking about what to get my dog for his birthday and I came up with a few great ideas I thought I would share with everyone. I found myself asking, what’s the very best gift you can give to your dog?  The answer of course was simple.  Another dog!  Dogs are naturally very social animals and they love being around people and other pets.

But, unfortunately, this isn’t always possible for many pet owners.  Instead of a second dog I’ve come up with a short gift list that I hope will help anyone wondering what they can give their favorite canine companions. First are three gifts you can share with your dog and last are three gifts they can enjoy all by themselves.

Toys to share:

Bicycle compatible leash. I had the opportunity recently to try one of these with my friend’s Husky.  What an amazing experience!  I imagined that was what it would be like to ride a dog sled.  The dog does most of the pulling and you just control the steering and the brakes.  At first I was a little nervous about the dog being able to pull the bike down, but this proved to be impossible.  It was quite safe and my Husky buddy had a great time.  So not only is it fun and safe, but it’s a great way to exercise your dog to the max.

Saddle bags. I think these are a great idea for active pet owners who really enjoy taking their animals into the great outdoors.  Remember dogs are pack animals so not only do they love exploring with you, but I think when they’re carrying their own food and supplies this helps them to feel more like part of the team.  Okay, I may be anthropomorphizing a little, but I know plenty of dogs who seem to love wearing their own backpacks.  Plus every pound of dog food your furry friend carries up the trail is a pound of dog food you don’t have to carry!

Fetching Toys These are the classic interactive toys for you and your dog.  There are so many out there I couldn’t possibly name them all.  There are simple balls, balls with bells and whistles, ball launchers, Frisbees, doggie boomerangs, squeaky fetching toys, tugging ropes, or even glow-in-the-dark fetching toys just to name a few.  If your dog is a fetcher, then you only have to choose safe and fun fetching toys.

Toys just for them:

Chew Toys With Food Cavities. These are perfect for dogs with a little bit off separation anxiety. Just place some dog food inside the toy and leave it in your dog’s co ntainment area.  This way when you leave your home your dog won’t be anxiously thinking about what happened to you, but instead they’ll be thinking about getting that delicious food.  And having to gnaw it out of a chew toy will probably tire them out so they can have a good nap.  So not only does this provide an appropriate outlet for your dogs chewing, as opposed to uhmmm, your sofa.  It also rewards him or her for good behavior while you’re away.

Puzzle toys. This one goes along great with chew toys if you’re out of the house often.  It provides more mental stimulation than just mindlessly gnawing on something.  Instead your dog will have to figure out how to release a treat from the puzzle.  This usually involves sliding parts around with the nose or paws until everything lines up perfectly.  They come in varying levels from easy to difficult.  These puzzle toys are a great way to challenge your dog in a totally new way while providing him or her with a healthy outlet for their energy.

Indoor Dog houses. Despite their pack mentality, many dogs love to have a little bit of territory to call their own.  Whether is a special spot in the living room or a certain corner of the yard, dogs want and need a place to call theirs. Having their own “territory” gives them a secure place to sleep or to hide their favorite snacks for later.  For dog owners who don’t have the luxury of a big yard or who have full time indoor pets, there are indoor dog houses that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles.  In fact I used to own one that was in the shape of a little blue helicopter! It was the perfect place for my dog to go to when he needed some “me time.”

Mike Morrison is a 28 year old language teacher who loves foreign travel and learning new cultures. He has visited 20 countries in the last 10 years, including living in South Korea for two years teaching elementary level English. Mike enjoys blog and article writing on assorted topics including pets, hobby crafts, music, environmental issues, and physical fitness. Mike would love to hear from anyone sharing his interests. Contact Mike

Reducing Your Pets’ Carbon Footprint

By Alison Wood on Monday, May 31st, 2010 | No Comments

Over the last few years more and more people have become aware of the environment and their impact on it. People have become more inclined to changing the way they go about their daily lives in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint on the planet. This term was relatively recently coined to describe the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organization or a product. While the majority of environmentally conscious individuals are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint, there are many things pet owners can do to help as well. Many dog owners aren’t aware of how they can reduce their pet’s carbon footprint.

There is quite a lot a dog owner can do to reduce their pet’s emissions and impact on the environment. Even though these steps to reduce the dog’s emissions may seem small, every little bit counts when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint on the planet.

Building a pet waste composter is a great way of reducing your pet’s impact on the environment. Pet waste is generally picked up in a small bag and thrown into the garbage. This can spread disease to local wildlife and the risk of contamination of local water supplies is also present. Composters can be very beneficial in preventing the spread of disease by breaking down waste products in a safe place away from any water supply or wildlife.

If building a composter isn’t feasible due to lack of space or resources then you can still do your part by being conscious of the kind of pet waste bags you buy. Choosing completely biodegradable bags can go a long way into protecting the environment and reducing your dog’s carbon footprint. Avoid bags that contain polyethylene and try to use bags that are GMO corn free.

Being more conscious of your pet’s diet also helps reduce his carbon footprint on the planet. Feeding your Dog an organic diet is ideal not only because it contains less harmful chemicals than conventional dog food and is therefore less harmful to the environment, but also because it’s healthier for your dog. Organic pet food has been found to be healthier for dogs as it contains a higher nutritional value.

Carefully selecting all your pet purchases can make a big difference in how your choices impact the environment. Pet products made in Taiwan and China are very competitively priced, but they have a hefty price tag when it comes to the environment. This is because they require a lot of fossil fuel consumption to be imported in comparison to locally made products. Factories in China and Taiwan are also less environmentally friendly than domestic factories and they are categorized as being the highest emission producers in the world. Shopping for locally made products for your pet Dog is not only a more environmentally conscious decision, it is also safer for your pet as local products are made in accordance to stringent guidelines to ensure safety for both your pet and the environment.

Caroline Casey, editor of Chazhound.com, is animal obsessed! Visit her site for a fantastic selection of dog beds!

5 Items to Keep Your Furry Friends Safe While Travelling

By Alison Wood on Saturday, May 29th, 2010 | No Comments

I don’t know about you guys, but I love taking my dog everywhere with me. She comes to the store (if they allow my little brat in there), she goes to the park, I take her through the drive-thru while getting coffee…pretty much anywhere I go, she’s my little backseat roadie. I’ve heard horrible stories of things happening to pets in car accidents though, and before I realized the importance of having a safe seating area for her, I let her walk around in the backseat. I know, I know, don’t chastise me. She’s a big dog (70 pounds) so for me, keeping her in a crate wasn’t possible. I had to slam on the breaks at one point in time and she got her little paw up on my backseat to hold her in place.

I then realized that I was probably putting her in jeopardy more than making her comfortable.
Because I’ve had such a horrible experience, I wanted to recommend some safety precautions you can take, including a carrier for smaller dogs.

1. Pet travel seats – If you have a teeny pup or a small full grown dog, you can often use these travel seats. They’re pretty comfortable (not that I’ve sat in one, but I know someone with a little dog and he loves it) and they have a little seatbelt too.

2. Safety harnesses – This is like the travel seat, without the restriction of the seat. The safety harness has a longer seatbelt and it’s made for comfort to keep your doggy nice and safe.

3. Dog barriers – Dog barriers that are designed for all sorts of vehicles, are made of very high quality and durable material so that your pet cannot break through (intentional or not). There are also many sizes available. While the metal ones are nice, this dog barrier is the one I chose to get to keep my baby safe.

4. Travel carriers and crates – Even though many of us can’t (due to space restriction) use these, they are actually the ideal transit system. A lot of pets actually feel very comfortable in these crates, especially if you have one at home for them to sleep in.There are many types and sizes available.

5. Kennels strap restraint systems– Kennel strap restraint systems allow portable kennels and travel crates to remain secure on the vehicle’s seat. These restraint systems feature seat belt web adjusters for extra safety and convenience, and they are a great way to prevent the kennel or crate from sliding across the floor or seat of the vehicle- keeping your pet nice and safe :)
Even though you may have the best of intentions when you bring Fido along for a ride, a distracted driver is one who has a higher risk of getting into accidents, which is not only dangerous for you and your furry family. In addition, more accidents translate into higher auto insurance costs, and thus, keeping your pet members bodes well for everyone’s safety and financial well being. There are some car insurance companies that offer pet insurance as well. It would be worth it to look into them!

With thanks to Elysabeth Teeko for today’s guest post. Elysabeth Teeko is involved heavily with technology, SEO and social media writing, however, she also loves staying in touch with her girly side and writing about things from home, to traveling, to her beloved puppy. You can follow her on Twitter- @Elysateek.

A Dog’s Day Out

By Alison Wood on Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 | No Comments

For today’s guest post, please welcome Veronika Jordan of CookieBiscuit’s Blog

Last summer my husband and I took our two Jack Russells to a local companion dog show called ‘A Dog’s Day Out’.

They (the dogs that is) were suitably badly behaved as only Jack Russells can be, but I still registered Pancake, hoping to enter her in the Best Biscuit Catcher category or something equally silly. Pancake is the undisputed champion terrier racer in the nearby village of Cowley, but then that’s an event where yapping, snarling and snapping are positively encouraged.

Then the call came for the Best Veteran over 10 years old so I thought, what the heck, I’ll put Cookie in as she’s nearly 11. The judge said she had good ears, good coat, good teeth, did I clean them regularly etc. No I said, the vet does it from time to time. What a shock I had when she won! A rosette bigger than her head (bigger than my head almost) and a packet of lamb and rice nibbles.

Eventually Pancake disgraced herself in the Prettiest Bitch class by snarling at another terrier and pulling some fur out of a fluffy puppy’s nose. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon apologising.

Why Is My Dog Sneezing?

By Alison Wood on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 | No Comments

Seeing a dog sneezing can be funny when it just happens once or twice, but if your pet is starting to sneeze a lot, you may begin to wonder why. Is it just a normal part of a dog’s life, or could it be a sign of something more serious?

Like humans, when animals sneeze it is because their nasal passages are irritated or inflamed. This may be caused by something getting into the nose, like pepper, or it could be a symptom of a viral infection that is causing inflammation. If your dog also has a runny nose it is likely that he is going down with some kind of virus.

An infection of the sinuses is another possible cause of repeated sneezing. Sometimes this can be caused by a tooth infection. An abscess in the upper jaw can easily spread to the sinuses. In this situation you will probably realize that the dog is in pain and needs treatment.

More rarely, a cyst or polyp in the nose might cause a dog to sneeze. If this happens, the dog sneezing could gradually become more and more frequent and you might not even notice that your pet’s habits had changed for a while.

Of course, sometimes dog sneezing may be one symptom of a more serious problem. In this case there will usually be other symptoms too. Consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible if your pet is panting, coughing or wheezing, or appears to have breathing difficulties.

It is also a good idea to see the vet if any viral infection lasts for longer than a couple of days, or if the dog is very tired and lethargic, or is running a fever. Some viruses are more serious than others and may require treatment.

Another sign that means a trip to the vet’s office is if your pet has nosebleeds along with the sneezing. It’s not unusual to have a few drops of blood when a sneeze causes a small capillary to burst, but a flow of blood could be a sign of mites, exposure to rat poison or even a tumor in the sinuses.

Of course, a canine sneeze from time to time is usually nothing to worry about. Dogs like to poke their noses and sniff in all kinds of places, so it is not surprising if sometimes they pick up something that irritates. This could be pollen from a plant, smoke, dust or a small foreign object.

Occasionally, they will get something larger stuck in the nose. If the sneezing continues and the dog is also pawing at its nose or shaking its head, it is probably trying to dislodge something. Most times, the dog sneezing will get rid of the irritant but if the problem continues, see your vet because there may be something there that needs to be removed.


« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
  • LT - 090909 - 125×125 Feel Good