Dog Solutions: Seniors, Puppies and MoreA Pet Solutions Giveaway!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© All Things Dog Blog
Senior Dog Comfort Products

Still missing our Xena after 18 months, I have found a flood of new products for senior dogs on the market. Today I'd like to introduce you to a few, and offer giveaways to share some of the  samples I was provided by Petco recently. The products featured here will be given away in combinations as shown on the Rafflecopter entry form at the bottom.


The Silver Tails Senior Products focus on ways to make your aging dog healthier, more comfortable, and easier for you to care for. Their Pet Bed Cover was a fun surprise for me. I removed it from the package to examine it, and discovered a nice adjustable elastic that will allow the cover to go over most any small to medium-sized dog bed. The bed cover is a very fashionable brown.


Inside the bed cover are removable inserts of Bamboo Charcoal for air purification, helping eliminate odors, and absorbing dampness. The cover has a waterproof lining, yet is machine washable. Even the bamboo charcoal insert can be hand washed and placed in the sun to dry and recharge its odor-absorbing properties.

For your Fido with sore muscles, arthritis or hip displasia, the Infrared Massager has 2 heated heads (small and larger) and switches that allow you to choose between heat, small massage head, larger massager, or a combination. This handheld massager is battery operated and comes with an electric recharger. It may also be used on cats.

© Silver Tails
Hand Held Massager

I have an additional item, unpictured above, that came without packaging, as it had been photographed. This Handheld Massager is not heated, but offers other features and different massaging heads for a more hands on experience. If you win this product, you'll find all the information about how to use it and its benefits at the link above. Most importantly, massage assists an older dog's circulation, which often needs help as a dog becomes less active.

© All Things Dog Blog
Comfort for Your Senior

The Comfort Zone with D.A.P. (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) helps to reduce stress in puppies and dogs. This diffuser plugs into any wall socket and has been proven to help control excessive whining, destructive chewing, trembling, hiding and panting. The pheromone lasts about 30 days. Refills of this liquid can be purchased at Petco, in store or at this link.


The Rafflecopter entry form should appear at the bottom of this post. If you don't see it immediately, simply click on the title to refresh this post, and it should appear quickly. 




Full disclosure: Petco provided the products included in this giveaway as a promotional opportunity. I was not paid to provide this giveaway by either the manufacturers or Petco. There is no purchase required to enter.

Dog Care: Do's and Don'ts for First Time Owners

by Mark Nunez, DVM

© smlp.co.uk via Flickr

There are many questions new dog owners may have.  Here are a few common ones to get you started on the right foot.

DO bring your new puppy to a qualified veterinarian within 7 days of bringing her home. DON’T wait ‘till a problem occurs.  Dogs are programmed to mask pain and illness and they do a great job at it.  A good veterinarian will be able to sniff out (pun intended) diseases before they get out of hand.

DO feed a high quality diet to your dog.  The age-old adage “you are what you eat” applies to dogs as well.  Proper nutrition is one of the most important things you can provide for your dog to keep her happy and healthy.  

DO NOT change food abruptly.  An abrupt change in diet can lead to stomach and intestinal upset and diarrhea.  I don’t know about you, but I hate cleaning poo!  Hey, that rhymed!  Plus, the abdominal cramps that can accompany this issue aren’t very pleasant for our furry friends.

DO take an active role in socializing your puppy.  Find a reputable facility/organization that holds puppy classes and enroll.  This is best done before 14wks of age, but can still be very helpful after that time. DO NOT take your puppy to a dog park or a friend’s house for the purpose of socializing. Puppy classes are structured in a way to expose your dog to various types of stimuli in a CONTROLLED manner.  There is usually very little control in the dog park/friends house setting.

DO crate train your dog. Crates can serve as a source of comfort to your dog when you are away from home or if she needs to travel with you.  They can help to protect your dog and facilitate housetraining.  A crate is a simple way to prevent tragedies.  

DO NOT give your new dog, of any age, free reign of your house right away.  This can happen over time, but this freedom should be earned and gradual.

DO puppy proof your home.  Puppies are very playful and curious.  Even though they should never be out of your eyesight (for house training purposes), it is better to be safe than sorry.  

DO NOT assume that something will not be of interest to your new dog.  Anything and everything is fair game in the eyes of a new dog, especially if your scent is on it.

DO provide toys and environmental enrichment.  Dogs are very intelligent and need to have their minds stimulated.  There are MANY toys and puzzles that can help to keep your dog mentally sharp.  DO NOT assume that your dog is going to be a couch potato and has no interest in exercising her brain.

Follow these guidelines and you will be well on your way not only to developing a great relationship with your new dog, but you will keep her safe and healthy as well.  Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment and/or ask questions.

© courtesy M. Nunez

Dr. Nunez is a practicing veterinarian while also assisting patients through The Balanced Canine blog and his own online veterinary pharmacy.