Grooming a Bond with Fido

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com

Whenever I return from traveling I try to take some time to groom the dogs. It's a nice homecoming activity that draws us closer and helps them realize that I'm always going to be back to take care of them. Tanner, my outdoorsman, always needs to have his ears cleaned. He seems to find dirt, leaves, and debris of all sorts in his adventures at boarding, the dog park and even in our yard.

Last week when I arrived home from Barkworld, Tanner and Jacque had been spending time with hubby and my daughter while I was away. It was clear who ruled the roost--Jacque! Both boys needed a good brushing, a shampoo and a nice, soothing ear cleaning with Dr. Emmo's Ear Rinse. 

With the help of a friend, I've got photos to share of Tanner's experience. You can see that taking care of him is definitely an activity that both of us find pleasurable. More importantly, though, it's also good for his overall health to maintain all systems in clean, working order. 

The simple steps are outlined above. Just keep in mind that Fido will be infinitely more agreeable to the rinse when you approach his ears from behind, in order to swish the fluid inside--nice and cool. 

Bathing your dog helps you locate any ticks that may have decided your dog is a nice meal ticket, while keeping his ears clean reduces the possibility for infection, bacterial or fungal. Be sure to start with a visual check of each ear, looking for any boarders that may have latched on. 

If your dog has drainage or goopy eyes, allergies may be at work on your friend--your signal that he requires an eye wash as well. Watch for our eye wash examples coming soon. 

Meanwhile, have you RSVP'd for our #Pet1stAid Twitter Party? We'll be featuring the Dr. Emmo's line of products, sharing first aid tips and evacuation steps, and giving away some terrific prizes to make your evacuation kit more complete. Here's the pre-event lineup of giveaways:

• RSVP at the link above to win a prize package of Dr. Emmo's products, a pet toy (for
  
  woof or meow!), a food storage container and bowls for your evacuation kit, a reusable bandage, and a tip sheet from @ArdenKnowsPets.
• By PreTweeting our #Pet1stAid hashtag, you'll enter this giveaway for another package for the great goodies listed above.
• Finally, our Rafflecopter prize is always a popular giveaway. You'll have a number of options for entering, and can choose your own approach. Enjoy!

Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping! 

Dog Toy Winners: Veggies from P.L.A.Y.

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Tanner Says Goodbye
 to PLAY's Garden Fresh Veggies

Off they go to the winners, and Tanner is sniffling a goodbye to his new friends. I've let him model for this review with these veggies, and he seriously, honestly, has completely fallen in love. Each time I place them back on the shelf he mourns the loss. I'm sure your dog will feel the same.

While only 3 of you can win in this giveaway, all of you can find your choice of garden fresh veggies or other P.L.A.Y. dog toys here. I'm glad that Tanner cannot surf the Internet or he'd probably be drooling over the Wobble Ball too. 

If you'd like to watch for future product news and other events at Pet Lifestyle and You, please visit them at their social media accounts and be sure to tell them I sent you:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
YouTube

And now for the winners: Join me in congratulating Riley S. T., Michelle C. and Claudia D. You'll each hear from me via AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. Please watch for this email by this evening and write to me at that address if you don't receive your notification. My email could land in your spam file :(  

Thanks again for all of your participation. I hope you continue to enjoy Fido's Freebie Friday, our 24/7 collection of pet product giveaways. Finally, please join us for the #Pet1stAid Twitter Party on September 10. You'll find the RSVP form at this link. See you soon!

Happy tails,

Pet Lifestyle and You has provided the prizes for this giveaway as a promotional courtesy. I reviewed them completely at my own expense and the opinions shared are totally my own. No product or payment were received for me to keep.

Fido's Freebie Friday Follows Barkworld

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Thanks for joining in the fun over at #Pet1stAid as we gear up to produce this informational and fun Twitter Party on September 10. Don't forget to mark your calendar and get on the RSVP list at the link above!

Now that Oliver and I are back from Barkworld Expo, we're in full first aid mode, making photo collages like this, reading up on good techniques to share, and of course we're creating some terrific prize packages to win on the night of the party.

Here at Fido's Freebie Friday, bloggers are invited to list below their currently open giveaways. Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4:00 PM ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing.  Link up anytime during the week--24/7. We make it easy to be seen here by keeping our rules simple:

•You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.

•Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.

•Please include our badge (the code is in the sidebar) or a link to this post in your giveaway write up, and ask your readers to tell us you sent them.

You'll find assistance at our HELP PAGE, where there is other useful information for bloggers doing giveaways and reviews. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, and Dogtipper. Happy shopping!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff and Dogtipper take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. Please consult All Things Dog Blog's Giveaway and Contest Rules for more detail. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Barkworld Expo Shares Much Variety

Guest Post by Oliver

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Atlanta Dog Park Sculpture

Oliver here! I wanted to share my adventure at Barkworld with you personally. Mom helped me create a short slideshow of some of her photos. My favorite was the one taken at the Atlanta Airport Dog Park. Although I was alone there, it sure was fun exploring the sculptures and sniffing the dog park turf--very nice!

Another highlight was meeting my 3 service dog buddies all at one time for a group photo. You'll see it in the slideshow. I'm the one at far left, and you'll also see Pepper, Carma, and Kona. That was a special moment!

I have to admit I was glad Mom brought along my Snoozer for the conference. It's hard work keeping up with all the dogs, bloggers, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors. I was one pooped pup, and a few naps were in order. That Snoozer was a real life saver. I could go with Mom everywhere and always

courtesy P.Permenter
Craft Class for Mom

have a cozy bed. 

While Mom painted a dog bowl at one of the Block Parties, I got to hang with our Event Barkers partner, Miss Paris. It was fun to give her a peek at life with a toy-sized dog. I think she likes me :)

Enjoy the slideshow:

Tweaking Your Dog's Vaccinations

by Dr. Julie Buzby

courtesy Chuckumentary via Flickr.com
Annual Vaccinations? Maybe Not!

The idea of dogs going to the vet for their “annual shots” just because one year has transpired, is as outdated as the idea that the earth is flat. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that dogs should be vaccinated based on their individual risk factors. These include age, breed, lifestyle, and environmental exposure.

Why does it matter?  

Vaccines jolt the immune system. This jolt creates an immune response in the body which builds antibodies against an altered, non-infectious bug. These antibodies should be protective if there is exposure to the live version of the germ. However, the jolt that helped create protection can be problematic.  Autoimmune diseases, tumors, thyroid disease, and allergic or anaphylactic reactions (shock) are complications that can occur soon after vaccinations, or much later.

•  Ask your veterinarian about vaccinating every 3 years for Distemper and Parvo, or titering to avoid re-vaccinating individuals with “protective” titers.

•  Discuss your dog’s lifestyle with your vet to design a customized vaccine protocol.

•  If your dog has ever had a prior vaccine reaction, make sure your veterinarian is aware of that.

•  Vaccinate your adult dog for rabies every 3 years, or the maximum interval allowed by law. All states now have 3 year licenses after the second vaccine is administered, but county and city laws may differ. Check out rabieschallengefund.org to learn about a grassroots movement seeking to extend the rabies booster interval from 3 to 5 (and then 7) years!

What about drugs? A wise old veterinary professor once quipped, “If a medication doesn’t have side effects, it doesn’t have effects either.” This is true for everything from aspirin to antibiotics. Think about the drug commercials on TV which end with 10 seconds of serious warnings!  

•  Make sure your veterinarian is aware of all drugs and supplements your dog receives, especially when writing a new prescription. If your dog is on chronic medications, such as thyroid medication or arthritis medication (NSAIDs), periodic bloodwork is recommended to monitor organ systems and/or blood levels of the drug.

•  With your veterinarian’s help, work to find the lowest effective pain medication dosage to minimize side effects.

•  In some situations, supplements may be used in place of, or along with drugs to allow lower drug dosages.

•  In terms of potential for toxicity, drugs fall on a spectrum. Some are much safer than others. Ask your vet to educate you on the common side effects of any medication your dog receives.

•  Side effects of drugs can often be counteracted with herbs. An example of this would be using milk thistle along with drugs known to insult the liver.

•  Understand that adverse drug reactions many not occur immediately. Sometimes they occur after the dog has been on the drug for years. 

I’m convinced that vaccinations and medications are a double-edged sword. Both are an integral part of maintaining health. Both also hold the potential for harm.

Yes, I am opening a can of worms. But I couldn’t write a series on helping our dogs reach their maximum health and longevity potential without touching on these issues. Be informed. Be intentional. Be observant, with the ultimate goal of partnering with your veterinarian in weighing the risks versus benefits of anything you administer to your dog.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

You may also enjoy reading her recent articles:

• 10 Tips for Fido's Longest Life
• Leaner Pets Live Longer
• Finicky Eaters

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.