All Things Dog Blog

Showing posts with label petblog. Show all posts

Friday, September 16, 2011

Pure Pup Shop Awards
Doggles Flotation Vest

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Water dogs. What's not to love about 'em? They certainly keep our lives lively and fun. We teach them to swim; they learn to love it; and then they thank us by getting out and shaking all their liquid onto us! And thank goodness that they do. If they didn't come out of the water, we'd be frantic, upset and powerless to help in the deep, dark depths.

That's why a flotation vest is so very important when swimming in open water. There are many dangers lying beneath the surface that can surprise a dog. Boat incidents are especially precarious when Fido doesn't know how to ask for help if he's hurt. Thanks to Pure Pup, one lucky dog has won a new Doggles flotation vest with a patent pending chin support. This feature is unique to this vest and provides head support when a dog is knocked unconscious or is injured badly.

I'm proud to have had the opportunity to share this great vest review with all of you and I encourage you to visit Pure Pup and purchase vests for your own dogs, if you are not the winner today. This small investment could mean the difference between a nice wet shower and a very sad day. Do it for your dog.

Now, let's get to the good part, the announcement. I'm always a bit giddy when I click the button that makes Random.org do it's job. With 195 entries and 629 view, it seems such a big decision to leave to a box of paper slips. I'm happy to have technology that can allow me to share the winner's name as Sandy D. Congratulations! You will receive an email from me soon. Please reply with your mailing address and phone number, dog's chest measurement, breed and weight. We look forward to helping him have many happy swims. Best wishes with your water adventures and please send photos. We love fan mail.

Full disclosure: No purchase was necessary to enter this drawing. I reviewed this product when I received a sample to test. The opinions I have presented are my own.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

All Things Dog Blog Introduces
Your Blog Search Assistant

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Some of you write to me when you're looking for information. I love hearing from you and am happy to send a few links for reference reading. Today I want to introduce you to a resource onsite that can do almost as good a job as I can--sometimes better! This resource is called Lijit. It rhymes with 'widget'.

Before we move on, let me assure you this search box won't give you any unpleasant surprises. It is designed specifically for searching MY site to help you locate articles of interest.

An image of my Lijit search box is shown above so you'll know what to look for in my sidebar when you need help finding information. Let's test it now. Let's say I'm interested in how to fight fleas and ticks naturally. I'll walk you through the process with images. I have entered the search terms "treat fleas and ticks naturally" in the search box:

Now I simply click the light green "search" button and here's what I get:

Here's what you'll see. At the top of the screen there will be some Google ads, followed by "Site Results". This is what I have turned up on my site with the search terms I typed into the search box. The blue, underlined titles are links, so I can simply click to go to the article. It's that simple.

If you try a different set of wording you'll find more results. There are many articles on natural pest relief for pets. My favorite is No More Ticks for Tanner, the story of our infestation after a camping trip and how we annihilated the critters with peppermint oil. No poisons, no toxins; just peppermint oil. Amazing!

Now it's your turn. Take the Lijit search box in my sidebar for a test drive and see what you find. It's the closest thing to GPS that a blog can have. For more search help, visit the my other Wednesday post on using the Lijit search widget. Enjoy and happy travels.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Dog Toy Giveaway:
Hol-ee Rollers Roll Out

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Hol-ee mackerel! Is Oliver having fun or what? He's got a new ball from JW Pet called a Hol-ee Roller. We're reviewing it tomorrow, so don't miss Oliver's chance to share his opinion. Today's slideshow is simply a commercial to show you how much fun Oliver is having. Check out our review tomorrow to learn more about this great ball.

If you think your small pup will enjoy this unique ball, you may want to enter our giveaway. Next Friday, June 10th, we'll be announcing the winners of 8 of these adorable little balls. Or...you could just enter right now! Here's how:

Leave a comment below at the COMMENTS link and be sure to tell us about your little dog's toy challenges.
Send us a picture of your little dog to share on the blog or our Facebook page. Send it to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com and don't forget to give us his name.
We take comments via Tweet. Send them as an @Tweet to @AllThingsDog so we'll be sure to collect them for the drawing.

You can keep up with all of our goings on at our Facebook page. Stop by and hit the "Like" button to get our news as it happens. And don't forget to visit tomorrow for the review to find out all the cool features of this amazing little ball. Happy tails!

Friday, September 3, 2010

ASK THE DOG TRAINER: Help for Digging Doggies

by Judith Joseph,
ASK THE VET Columnist

Even the Smallest of Terriers

Can be Terrors in the Garden

Dear Judith:

My terrier appears to be very devoted to his heritage. By this I mean that he is a digger bigtime. I know that terriers were breed to dig up stuff but not my entire yard. I probly have not been handling it right. A friend told me I should walk and exercise him more but that is not helping. Can you give me some pointers to get him on track? Thank you. Jackson

-------------------------------------------

Dear Jackson:

Diggers come in all shapes and sizes however Terriers were bred to dig and tunnel to eliminate burrowing pests. Some Terriers were developed to kill their prey, others to tirelessly chase them away. Though small in size they can be tenacious hunters. So, it’s not uncommon for them to damage pillows and quilts, even their own bedding. Some will chew holes in stuffed items, remove every bit of filling, shake it vigorously, and leave piles of shredded foam strewn across the room. Others dig zealously leaving the yard looking like a mine field. What’s an owner to do?

To eliminate digging and other destructive behaviors requires meticulous training. My terrier was a few months old when he began digging under our backyard shade tree. At first I thought, ‘it’s under the tree, no big deal’, but when I unexpectedly stumbled into it and fell during play time, I knew the digging had to stop.

(c) J. Joseph

Big Hole for a Big Dog!

I’d sit out back every day with my dogs allowing them to play with no interference. But every time the terrier would begin to scratch at the ground, he’d get a sharp EH EH – CUT IT OUT, combined with a quick squirt of vinegar to the ground in front of him from my infamous water gun. Then, I’d immediately refocus him with a ball to chase, rolling it quickly through the grass instead of throwing it. He’d happily run after it, hopping into the air in his pursuit.

I made a prey stick by stitching a furry cloth onto a nylon rope, securing the rope to a broom stick. I’d wiggle the stick around raising and lowering the furry cloth, allowing him to chase and occasionally catch the ‘prey’. A few weeks later, no more digging. Three years later, still no digging.

Redirecting instinctive behaviors can produce excellent results. There are hundreds of stuffed toys available in pet stores, and there’s a reason many of them are inexpensive; they were made to be destroyed. I’d rather offer my Terrier a $4.99 stuffed toy that may only last a few weeks than have him “play” with my sofa cushions.

Teach him to avoid flower beds and vegetable gardens. A firm EH EH – CUT IT OUT with a blast of vinegar onto the ground in front of him or a loud hand clap will get his attention. Immediately refocus him with an activity that will utilize his instincts. You can purchase a child’s hard plastic swimming pool and fill it with sand or grassy soil, burying smelly treats, bones or toys for him to dig up. Organized activities are great for terriers. Contact the American Working Terrier Association for information on Earthdog trials in your area.

Judy

Judith Joseph, DOI

Write to her at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com

For more information on Judith Joseph and her training, you may find her at TCDOA Dog Training. A personal appointment will likely provide more specific information on your dog's issues and your questions.

Note on Toy Selection:

Inexpensive toys are available at discount stores, "dollar" stores, flea markets, and pet superstores in the marked down aisle. I tested this theory this weekend, and bought Tanner and Oliver a raccoon, a duck, and a lion, all for $5 or less. Be sure to supervise dogs while they play with stuffed toys, as stuffing can be a health hazard if eaten or stuck in the airway. Judy's suggestion of a prey stick will assure the toy does not become a snack or a health hazard. -

-Carrie

Please welcome today's cover dog, Zoe,

who is owned by one of our All Things Dog Blog readers, Mary Lou M.

Monday, August 30, 2010

ASK THE VET: Natural Options for Dealing with Your Dog's Seizures

by Pat Bradley, DVM

(c) C.A., reader copyright on file

Molly is a Sweet, Happy Girl

Hi Dr. Pat,

I was wondering if you could give me some ideas or “natural” ways to assist with my 4 year old, lab-mix dog, Molly, with her seizures. I’ve been to two vets, and they have recommended that we continue to log Molly’s seizures before we decide on Phenobarbital. (They’ve informed me of possible liver damage from Phenobarbital as well.) Molly has had 3 seizures over 2 months ~ about 16 days apart.

Thanks,

C.A.

----------------------------------------------------------

Hi C.A.

Is there anything more frightening than seeing your dog have a grand mal seizure in front of you for the first time? It’s the stuff nightmares are made of! It’s comforting to remember that the animals aren’t aware or suffering. But we onlookers sure are: our eyes are popping out of their sockets and our hearts are beating out of our chests! We feel the need to DO something. And FAST!!

So I really appreciate the calm attitude of the vets you’ve seen so far. Anti-seizure medications can take away a dog’s fun-loving personality. We vets HATE that. But we also hate the possibility of the brain damage that can result from frequent seizures. If Molly’s seizures occur only once or twice a month, no medicine may be the best choice for now.

And, once your dog is on Phenobarb, it’s hard to track the frequency and triggers for the seizures. Sometimes you can pinpoint what triggers the seizures: flashing lights, over-excitement, loud bangs, vaccines and anesthetics are some I’ve seen, and these can be controlled. For instance, you could just move the loud July 4^th and New Year’s Eve parties to someone else’s house (and what better excuse to keep from having to spend the first day of the New Year cleaning up a huge party mess: “I’m only doing it for the well-being of my dog”.)

Some people are not satisfied with the choices that conventional medicine offers, so this is a great opportunity for me to introduce you to some of my favorite organizations:

· The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association

· The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy

· The National Institute of Health is currently sponsoring a 5-year study of popular herbs, examining, among other things, their effects on seizure disorders. I’d definitely recommend that you follow this study.

But hold onto your hat! These veterinarians not only have more options to offer you for Molly’s seizures, but also new ways to think about health and healing. You may find, like Dorothy, that you’re not in Kansas anymore! And you might just find that you like it there.

Pat

Write to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com with your question for Dr. Pat.

For a personal consultation about your pet's needs, visit Holistic Veterinary Services.
Dr. Pat's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian

* A NOTE FROM CARRIE: To make it easier for readers to find Dr. Pat's healthcare resources, I will start a sidebar list of these sites, with a picture of Dr. Pat to help you locate it. Can I help with anything else?

The books I share from Amazon can often be purchased in used form, making them much more affordable. For instance, the price for Natural Dog Care is less than $1, as I write this. Wow!