Valentine's Day Recipes For Your Dog

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and 9 out of 10 dogs surveyed stated that they love getting decadent treats to celebrate the holiday. As you're probably aware, chocolate is poisonous for dogs, so stay away from the chocolate! Fortunately, there are many other treats to express your love for your Valentine's Day dog. One of the easiest and healthiest dog treat recipes that I've found is:

Soft Doggie Cookies

* 3 (2 1/2 oz. each) jars of baby food; either beef or chicken
* 1/4 cup Dry milk powder
* 1/4 cup Wheat germ or cream of wheat

Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes until brown. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate to keep fresh or freeze.

These soft chews are great for older dogs who can't eat anything too crunchy!

This was on the Best Friends network, and I'm going to make these tonight!

Another dog treat that any dog would love for Valentine's Day, are chicken livers. Yum. Usually I just simmer chicken livers for about 15 minutes, and just eat them like that. If you want to be more creative, blend one pound of chicken livers, add in 1 1/2 cups of flour and corn meal, spread on cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. You can cut them up into treats, and store in ziploc bags in the refrigerator.

If you really want to go all out, I found a very fancy recipe on Kaboose, for Red Velvet Pupcakes. In this picture the frosting should be red, but this gives you an idea of what they should look like when they are done. There is no dye in this recipe, the red color comes from beet juice, so it's actually very healthy.

Not only is beet juice the secret behind these cupcake’s crimson hue, it is also a source of the ideal fiber dogs need to maintain healthy digestion. Iced with low-lactose cottage cheese, these trendy treats are also a balanced meal.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Pupcakes

¼ cup canola oil
½ cup light brown sugar
1 cup applesauce
⅓ cup beet puree or fresh beet juice
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6 cup muffin tin with muffin cups.
In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar. Stir in applesauce and beet puree.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Slowly stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
Spoon batter into muffin cups to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a rack.
In the bowl of a food processor, puree cottage cheese until smooth, about 30 seconds. Keep frosting refrigerated until cupcakes are completely cool. Frost and serve.

Preparation Time:
10 minutes

Servings:
6

Baking Time: 25 minutes

I'm planning on trying the Red Velvet Pupcakes as it gets closer to Valentine's Day. This year make sure to keep chocolate, ribbons, balloons, and alcoholic beverages out of reach of your dog, as they are hazardous. Have a safe and happy Valentine's Day!

Wet Dog Kisses Proven To Be Safe!

A new study from Kansas State University, indicates that you may be more likely to give your dog the cooties, than your dog is to give them to you. This study was initiated to determine if certain dog owners were more at risk than others in getting E.Coli bacteria from their dogs. Half of all dog owners share food with their dog, allow their dog to lick their face, and sleep with them. Veterinarian researcher Kate Stenske discovered that those engaging in this type of behavior were not at any higher risk than dog owners who fight off all those wet dog kisses. Although, dog owners who do not wash their hands regularly, may have a higher chance of spreading germs to their dogs. Kate Stenske said that "dogs are not likely to spread multiple drug-resistant E. coli to their owners, but perhaps owners may spread them to their dogs."

Source: Kansas State University

The Loss of a Pet

Most of us have loved and lost many pets throughout our lives. Some of these pets live a long time, while some die tragically. All give immense pleasure, love, loyalty and friendship. And, yes, help us through loss as well! All are remembered for their unique personalities, amusing ways, facial expressions, multitude of readily-exhibited talents and the joyful times spent together.

If these memories and joys hit home with you it might explain why losing a pet is so painful. When grief hits us the world turns into blackness and chaos and yet everyone around us carries on as if nothing has happened! The world keeps on turning and this feels extremely strange as well as making us wonder if anyone has any feelings at all…

Perhaps your pet is sick, or you are suffering from the loss of a beloved friend. I sincerely sympathise with your pain and sorrow. I have felt it too… The therapeutic value of pets is well known and the pleasure, love and friendship that pets can bring us is immeasurable. No wonder the loss of a much loved pet is so devastating; they are so much a part of the family and in some cases, as in my experience, they ARE family.

Remember that suffering is so profound because we have the ability to care so deeply. And who would NOT want to be able to do that? There are many groups that are totally aware of just how integral the human-animal bond can be. These groups dispense a wealth of information, articles, testimonials and just plain support, for those who have known the terrible, heart-wrenching pain of loss. Our pets are so important, so why shouldn’t we grieve them and, in doing so, feel free to love again?

Well, the answer is – we should. They mean so much; they have captured our hearts, healed our hurts and touched our souls. I, for one, know without a doubt, that had I not spent the time I have, so far, with my beautiful dog, that I would be a different person. He has taught me joy and companionship; he has taught me how to love unconditionally. And, I’m afraid, a human never did that... I try not to think about how I will feel when he finally passes away. The thought is too awful to contemplate. But one day I am going to have to let him go and my heart feels heavy just in the knowing.

That is why it is so important to know that there are many souls out there, just like mine, that understand how important it is to grieve. There are a myriad of resources available to help us cope with the loss. We should gratefully accept the support. In this we know we can accept the fact that one dear friend has moved on, and that we are ready to love another...

Games To Play With Your Dog

Here's a few games to play with your dog, that will also teach your dog certain obedience training commands:

1. Search For a Treat: What you do is hide a treat in a hiding place, and let your dog search for it. Start off by asking your dog to stay, hide the treat in front of them, and then say "Find the treat!" As your dog gets better at finding the treat, you can start hiding the treat in places that are more difficult to find. If you ask your dog to stay for a moment while you hide the treat each time, they will learn the stay command much faster, because this command will always be followed with positive reinforcement.

2. Hide and Seek: This is a variation of the search for a treat game, the only exception is that they will be searching for you. This will require another person to hold your dog while you hide. As your dogs skill at this game becomes greater, you can increase the difficulty. Once you're in your hiding spot the person holding your dog can say, Go find "your name." Start a beginning dog by hiding in an easy spot and call out to your dog, with lots of praise when they find you. As your dog gets better at finding you, try more difficult hiding places. Eventually your dog will understand the command to go find you, and you will not even need to call him, he will search you out by scent.

3. Pick Up Toys: This is a great trick, especially if your dog has a lot of toys around the house. You can teach your dog to pick up his own toys, and toss them into a toy box. Start of by sitting on the floor with your dog, and sorting the toys in a pile near the toy box. Get your dog to pick up each toy, and ask them to "drop it" in your hand. As they do this give them a treat, or just praise them enthusiastically. As your dog gives you the toys, drop them in the toy box. Many dogs will think this is a fun game, and will start throwing toys in the toy box on their own.

Meditate With Your Dog

A daily routine of meditation with your dog can be a great way to deepen your connection. It will help to ease anxiety and stress of the day, and it can even make you happier and healthier. Even if that sounds a little silly please read on, because this post is for you. Consider for a moment the stress, negativity, bad economy, wars, struggling, worry...If you take 15-20 minutes a day to meditate with your dog, it may not change the world, but it may change your world. Meditation has been shown to reduce depression, reduce stress, and give you more energy to handle whatever life happens to throw at you. You may already be meditating with your dog, and don't even know it.

1. Find a quiet place to sit with your dog
2. Sit in a relaxed position
3. Place one or both hands on your dog
4. Breathe deeply and slowly
5. Allow your mind to relax and be in that moment

Plan for 15-20 minutes of complete relaxation and peace every day. Let go of worry, deliberate thought or concentration, for that time. Your dog will love the attention, and it will make you both feel great. Sometimes we are in such a rush that we don't stop to appreciate the moment, silence, simplicity, and the beauty around us.

A world class violinist recently posed as a street musician in Washington DC during rush hour traffic. Tickets to his concerts easily sell out for $100 each, and his music is described as the most beautiful in the world. It was a wacky experiment to guage human reaction with unexpected results. They thought there may be a crowd of people gathering to hear the beauty of his music, but not many noticed or even looked at him. We are all rushing around so fast, that many times we don't appreciate the simple things, and the beauty around us.

Take a 20 minute vacation from the rush of life each and every day, and try meditating with your dog.

Modern Dogs Are Smart As Ever

In The Daily Telegraph a story was published today called "Dogs becoming dumb and dumber." Now that this story has hit one major newspaper, a bunch of media outlets are regurgitating this news with the consensus that purebred dogs are not very bright, etc. etc. With titles such as "Pedigree dog owners breeding out smarts" and "Dogs bred for looks lose mental bite." As proof of their claim they state,

Stockholm University ethologist Kenth Svartberg said personality changes could be seen in dogs that are only a few generations removed.

It's funny since Kenth Svartberg is not even a current faculty member at Stockholm University. In 2006 he was though, and published these observations on breed personality, in which the newspapers seem to be obtaining there information from. It gets even funnier, since he never once said purebreds are dumb, the publication is regarding four behavioural traits: playfulness, curiosity/fearlessness, sociability and aggressiveness. It seems to me that the newspapers are taking an old publication from 2006, sensationalizing it for front page news, and suggesting that it means something that it doesn't. It makes me wonder if the author has an axe to grind, do they dislike purebred dogs and dog breeders?

I'm a purebred Pomeranian, and I don't mind telling you, I'm extremely bright. I'm extremely proficient in the English language, and can instantly understand the meaning of a wide variety of words and phrases. I've ventured out frequently near a mile away from home, and am able to lead my guardian all the way home just from my memory. It took only a few minutes for me to figure out dog dancing, and I can mimic a wide variety of complex dance moves. My ability to sense the emotional state of others is uncanny, and I always know the perfect way to provide comfort. The suggestion that I'm somehow "less" bright because I'm a purebred is outrageous, and is absolutely not true. The newspapers other source of so-called "proof" is another researcher Alan Winton who according to the newspaper said,

NSW University senior lecturer in genetics, Dr Alan Wilton, said it was a classic situation of "if you don't use it, you lose it".

"You can have lap dogs that are very intelligent. It's just that, if they're just sitting around doing nothing and you breed for many generations without selecting for intelligence, it is possible that their intelligence over time will diminish,"

Although that statement makes sense, it's possible they are quoting him out of context. Dr. Wilton isn't stating that this is what is actually happening. I've researched Dr. Alan Wilton on the Internet, and I cannot actually confirm he even said that. He is a dog genetics researcher, with a special interest in Dingo dogs. The bottom line is that I don't believe either mixed breed dogs or purebred dogs are less intelligent, modern dogs are smart.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!

3 Ways Dog Owners Can Save Money

Here are three ways that dog owners can save money:

* Consider vaccinating every three years instead of annually. Most veterinarians will agree that it is important to get the series of three vaccinations, while your dog is still a puppy. Although recently, many veterinarians and pet owners have begun to question the need for yearly vaccinations and the possible negative effects of over-vaccination. Yearly shots are rarely necessary since most vaccines will last up to three years. Dogs should still receive an annual examination, but talk to your veterinarian to see how often they feel vaccinations are really necessary.

* Make your own dog treats. A bag of Beggin Strips is going to cost $4 or $5 a bag, and they're really not that healthy for your dog. You can provide a much healthier snack for less. Try providing occasional treats of slices of apples, carrots, boneless turkey & chicken, and small amounts of cheese. Keep in mind that certain human foods should never be given to your dog like chocolate, grapes, raisins, nuts, and onions.

* If you buy commercial dog food, buy it in bulk. You may be able to cut your dog food bill by 20%-40%, just by buying the largest bag. If you store the dry dog food in airtight containers, it can last up to three months on the shelf or a year in the freezer.

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club Includes Pets

If your pet requires insulin, hydrocortisone, antibiotics or other medications on a regular basis, you might want to check out the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. I was surprised to learn today, that Walgreen will include your pet in the prescription Savings Club! On the Walgreens.com website it says, "Does the Prescription Savings Club cover pet medications? Yes. The club includes discounted pricing on common medications often prescribed to pets, such as Amoxicillin (antibiotic), Humulin® (insulin), Hydrocortisone (skin conditions), Omeprazole (digestive), etc. In order to qualify for the discount, you must have a valid prescription for your pet and the medication must be one that has a human equivalent. Your veterinarian will tell you if your pet's prescription can be filled at a retail pharmacy.

How are pets enrolled: as individuals or as a family member? A pet or pets can be included as part of a family membership. Simply add the pet's name in your list of dependents. You can add a pet at any time by stopping in or calling any Walgreens pharmacy...You can also enroll your pet as an individual member."

If you enroll as an individual it's $20 a year, or $35 a year for a family membership. You can get discounts on over 5000 medications, and 400 generic medications are only $1 for a week supply. With the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club there are no issues with pre-existing conditions, and you can add ALL of your pets in the family membership. If your pet needs medications on a regular basis, this might be something worth checking out!

Degenerative Myelopathy and Lou Gehrig's Link

The cause of Degenerative Myelopathy in dogs is still unknown. It's an autoimmune disease that is typically diagnosed after 5 years of age. DM has been found in numerous breeds of dogs, but most commonly the German Shepherd. It's a progressive disease causing muscle weakness, lack of coordination, and eventual paralysis. Researchers have been unable to find the cause or an effective treatment up to date. Yet, an interesting new discovery has just been uncovered. The same genetic mutation that's causing Degenerative Myelopathy in dogs, is causing Lou Gehrig's in humans. There is no known cure for Lou Gehrig's disease either, and it has the same symptoms as DM.

With this discovery, it may be beneficial for both dogs and human beings. Clinical trials to treat dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy, may carry over into finding better treatments for people suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. Due to more funds being available to find cures for human disease and the similiarity to Lou Gehrig's disease, we may find a cure for DM much sooner. The study,

"Genome-wide association analysis reveals a SOD1 mutation in canine degenerative myelopathy which resembles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week. This study was a collaborative project with MU researchers and Kerstin Lindbld-Toh and Claire Wade, researchers at the Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The study was funded by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation and participating breed clubs." - Genetic Engineering Biotechnology News

2 Dogs 2000 Miles Walk For Dog Cancer Research

Luke Robinson had a high level career in business consulting, and would often find himself working 90 hour weeks. He had achieved success in his career, but when his dog was diagnosed with cancer, he had to re-evaluate what was really important to him in life. Malcolm was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2004, which was the beginning of a two year battle. Only 10% of dogs survive a diagnosis of Osteosarcoma. It is a cancer that attacks the bones, and then spreads to the lungs. In the fight for his survival, Malcolms leg was amputated, and he went through chemotherapy treatment.

Unfortunately, the cancer cells spread to his lungs, and Malcolm passed away in 2006. "It really shattered my world," Robinson said. "He was my boy. He wasn't my blood, but he was my boy. My days rose and set with him. He was a part of me." Before Malcolm passed away, Robinson promised his dog that he would dedicate his life to fight this disease. At the beginning of 2008, Robinson sold his car, put all of his stuff in storage, and went on a walk with his two other dogs Hudson and Murphy. It was a 2000 mile walk, to raise money for dog cancer research.



Luke Robinson is still walking with his two dogs, Hudson and Murphy. You can go to 2dogs2000miles.org, to learn more.

Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits Recall

This past week there have been numerous recalls on peanut butter, and products that are made with peanut butter. This includes ice cream, crackers, Little Debbie cakes, peanut butter cookies, health bars, and more. On January 13th, the Peanut Corporation of America announced they will voluntarily recall all of the peanut butter produced at it's Blakely, Georgia processing facility because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits contain a peanut paste that is produced by the Peanut Corporation of America, and Petsmart just announced today that they will be recalling all seven varieties.

The recalled products include only the following types of Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits sold between Aug. 21, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009:

*Small Assorted 32 oz., UPC 73725702900
*Small/Medium Assorted 4 lb., UPC 73725700601
*Small/Medium Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700605
*Small/Medium Assorted 10 lb., UPC 73725702755
*Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700638
*Extra Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700779
*Peanut Butter 4 lb., UPC 73725700766
Petsmart Press Release

You can return Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits for a full refund or exchange.

Pit Bull Ban in Denver Colorado

In 2005 Denver, Colorado beginning enforcing a ban on Pit Bulls, and has killed approximately 2000 innocent dogs. Any dog that Denver officials believe resembles a Pit Bull, will be taken from there home, away from their family, and killed. Ironically, even the director of Denver's Animal Care and Control Doug Kelley seems to believe the ban on Pit Bulls may be a mistake. According to Doug Kelley,

"Pit bulls aren't bred to be aggressive toward humans," he said. "There are a lot of other dangerous dogs out there that aren't prohibited and are trained to be aggressive toward people, so that needs to be addressed."

It sounds like Kelley would admit that the problem is not truly the breed, it's a problem of people training their dog to be mean. If that's so, why not increase penalties for dog fighting and related activities, without banning the breed and killing thousands of innocent dogs?

Denver Kills Dogs

A national dog owners' advocacy group called ROVERlution is trying to end the Pit Bull ban in Denver, and fights against breed specific policies and legislation. ROVERlution has a petition on their site called the United Dogs Rebel Pledge. It says we will not allow legislative attempts to eliminate our family pets on the sole basis of breed, size, or any other physical characteristics. If you sign the petition, you are also promising not to spend any money in Denver, Colorado for as long as the Pit Bull ban exists.

Moment of Silence for Homeless Shelter Animals

In support of the no-kill shelter movement, we would like you to participate in an online moment of silence and meditation for homeless shelter animals everywhere!

On Saturday, February 28th take a moment to read the message on www.CoCotheBloggingDog.com and ask what you can do to help no-kill shelters in your area. Imagine if we all united and sent our positive energy at the same time, nothing is impossible! Our vision is a society in which no healthy adoptable animal will ever be euthanized.

We can CHANGE THE WORLD!

Wherever you are, please take a moment to join us! On the designated day and time, visit www.CoCotheBloggingDog.com, read the message and participate in a moment of silence. It's that easy!

Time is on Saturday, February 28th:
Eastern: 8:00 PM; Central: 7:00 PM; Mountain: 6:00 PM ; Pacific: 5:00 PM.

If you are unable to join us at the designated time, we invite you to read the message at your convenience and help us to support no-kill shelters and make a positive change for homeless animals!

Change a Pet’s Life Day January 24, 2009

On January 24, 2009 it will be Change a Pet's Life Day, and the goal is to adopt out 3000 homeless dogs and cats from shelters nationwide. With the economic downturn, animal shelters have been dealing with a higher number of pets being turned in, and a lower number of pets being adopted out. If you've been thinking about adopting a pet, this would be the perfect time, as they need your help now more than ever. Hill's Science Diet is sponsoring Change a Pet's Life Day by offering to pay the pet adoption fees at over 300 participating shelters for the first 10 customers at each shelter. In other words, they will be paying for 3000 adoptions, and have offered to give out free Science Diet food to EVERYONE that adopts a dog at a participating shelter on Change a Pet's Life Day. To find a participating shelter near you, visit Science Diet, scroll down to the bottom, and select your state.

If you are unable to adopt a dog on Change a Pet's Life Day, there is another way to help homeless animals, and it will only cost you a few minutes of your time. You'll notice in my blog roll under "CoCo's Favorite Blogs" I have a link for The Animal Rescue Site and Dogpile Search and Rescue. With the The Animal Rescue Site, you just click on the purple banner that says, "Click Here to Give - it's Free!" You can click once a day, and every time you do, .6 bowls of pet food goes to rescued animals. This site is a partner with Petfinder and 100% of the proceeds goes to rescues. It's all funded by the companies that advertise on their site. Dogpile Search and Rescue is a project initiated by Dogpile Web Search to try to raise money for animals that need help. Last year, they donated $25,000 to the Humane Society. This year they have changed the beneficiary to the ASPCA, and want to raise one million dollars for the ASPCA in 2009! With Dogpile Search and Rescue, you will help to raise funds for the ASPCA every time you search. On Saturday January 24th, don't forget Change a Pet's Life Day.

Happy Ending For Abandoned Puppies

It's funny how in life something so bad, could turn out so good. Eight puppies that were only a few days old were abandoned and left to die on the side of the road in Central Florida. This story doesn't end there, so read on if you like happy endings. The puppies fate changed when a good samaritan discovered the puppies, and called Pet Rescue by Judy (PRBJ). This was fortunate as many city shelters will euthanize puppies that are only a few days old, due to the care that they require. In this case, it wasn't just that the puppies were only a few days old, but one of the puppies was actually born without front legs. This is a video of "Tanker" the two legged puppy.

Judy arranged placement of all the puppies in her network of foster homes, and thought about how she was going to be able to help a puppy with only two legs. She had heard about Jude Stringfellow with her dog named Faith, and decided to give her a call. Faith is a dog without front legs as well, and Jude has taught her how to walk on her hind legs, with peanut butter as an incentive. Faith has worked as a therapy dog for injured soldiers, and has been an inspiration for many. If you haven't heard about Faith, watch this video, it's amazing.

Jude Stringfellow has agreed to adopt the 2 legged puppy, and is excited about bringing her home. Jude Stringfellow says, "Tanker Hope Orlando Stringfellow is coming to live with me! Tanker will be loved and hugged on, squeezed, and told how pretty she is. I'll put her through standard obedience training, therapy training, and Hollywood training - we need a few more special-needs animals on the big screen, don’t we?" A puppy considered "unadoptable" by some, may be the perfect match for someone else. Kudos to Pet Rescue by Judy for not giving up, and finding the perfect match for Tanker.

Want To Start A Pet Food Bank?

If you would like to help provide food for animals that are in dire need of assistance, Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen would like to help you organize a pet food bank in your area. Daffy's Pet Soup kitchen is an incredible organization, that is getting pet food directly to needy pet owners, and enabling people to keep their pets in this economic downturn. This morning Tom from Daffy's sent me an email explaining their interest in helping people start pet food banks in other areas of Georgia and in other states. It reads,

I was wondering if you would run a story about anyone wanting to start a pet food bank, that we are looking to start Daffy's everywhere we can. We just need people willing to do the leg work in their area. We are looking to start at least 5 in Georgia and about 5 in other states this year. We will give them almost everything they need to get started. For about $50 in supplies, a phone, a car/truck, some time and a computer, they can get started. Please let them know we are willing to help and will advertise for them and anyone who has a container to collect food in their area. We want to grow fast so everyone knows and more people can help. Have them contact us at SOS Club & Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen and we can get them started, even you or someone in your area that you can help at. Keep up the good work.


Thanks,

Tom Wargo / SOS Club & Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen

Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen

Petsafe Micro Id Collars

The Petsafe Micro ID collar was the winner for the best product in 2006, for the Idea Fetch competition at the Global Pet Expo. PetSafe is currently running a "free offer" on these Micro ID collars for cats and dogs. The Micro ID collar is normally sold for $29.99, but Petsafe will be waiving that charge through February. It's still not completely free because there is a $8.99 charge on each Micro ID collar for Fed Ex shipping. Petsafe has said that the motivation behind this offer is to help rescue and return the millions of lost or injured pets in the United States.

Product Features
*Collar fits necks up to 16 inches

*Lightweight, durable and comfortable collar with integrated flash drive

*Easy-to-use software program to create pet profile and scrapbook pages

*Universal access - Compatible with Microsoft® and Macintosh® systems

*Every collar has a unique ID number that can be linked to the optional PetSafe® Rescue Service

With the Petsafe MicroId collar, you can store information about your cat or dog on a USB flash drive attached to the collar. If your pet should become lost, the person that finds your pet can plug the memory stick into their computer to get your contact information. For $8.99 it might be a fun gadget to play with, yet I don't think it can take the place of an old fashioned dog tag. What if a computer illiterate finds your dog? Petsafe does offer an optional service for $9.99 a year in which the person that finds your lost pet only needs a telephone. They can call the Petsafe Rescue Service printed on the collar, and Petsafe will reunite you with your pet.

I decided to post this offer, for all of you high tech readers out there that might get a kick out of this. Personally, I'll be sticking with my old fashioned dog tag.

Pit Bull H.B. 191 Cruelty In Montana

Imagine how it would feel if the state you live in suddenly ordered you to turn in your dog to be killed. The dog that you love with your whole heart, that is kind and gentle, and never harmed anyone. You have been a responsible pet owner, and are completely innocent. The problem is that you match a profile, so your dog that's like a family member must be killed for the good of society. Sound like a nightmare? Welcome to Montana.

"Montana state Rep. Robyn Driscoll, a Democrat who represents the 51st District, has introduced a bizarre bill calling for the elimination of all "pit bulls" from the state. If the bill, H.B. 191, becomes law, owners must surrender their pit bull dogs which must then be euthanized within 10 days.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Write or call Rep. Robyn Driscoll and urge her to drop this breed ban. Tell her dogs don't bite because of breed and breed bans don't make communities safe from dog bites. Instead, they penalize responsible owners and greatly increase animal control costs. Send her the information found here. Be polite.

Robyn Driscoll, (406) 534-4874, rdriscoll@peoplepc.com

Contact the House Local Government Committee by calling Joe Kolman, 406-444-9280

Find Montana legislators and email, fax or call them and urge them to say no to H.B. 191. Here is the fax number for the House: 406-444-4825 Read more at Animal Law Coalition"

This new law would effect Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, American pit bull terriers, American bulldog, or any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics of one. The state of Montana is offering an exemption clause for anyone that gets a license tag identifying their dog as a Pit Bull before the law would take effect.

No Kill Shelters

PETA actively opposes no-kill shelters, and 97% of animals "rescued" by this organization are euthanized. PETA also supports mandatory euthanasia of ALL Pit Bulls in shelters, regardless of the dogs disposition. While PETA saves 3%, other shelters are saving 90%. The no kill movement is a revolution in the fundamental way in which we look at the function of animal shelters in our society. Nathan Winograd in his latest book; "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution In America." writes how no kill shelters work to save animals.

*Formal, active commitment by shelter directors, management, and staff to lifesaving programs and policies, and dedication to promptly ending mass killing of shelter animals;

*Implementation of the following programs by all publicly funded or subsidized animal shelters:

*High-volume, low-and no-cost spay/neuter services;

*A foster care network for under-aged, traumatized, sick, injured, or other animals needing refuge before any sheltered animal is killed, unless the prognosis for rehabilitation of that individual animal is poor or grave;

*Comprehensive adoption programs that operate during weekend and evening hours and include off-site adoption venues;

*Medical and behavioral rehabilitation programs;

*Pet retention programs to solve medical, environmental, or behavioral problems and keep animals with their caring and responsible caregivers;

*Feral cat Trap-Neuter-Return or Release (TNR) programs;

*Rescue group access to shelter animals;

*Volunteer programs to socialize animals, promote adoptions, and help in the operations of the shelter;

*Documentation before any animal is killed that all efforts to save the animal have been considered, including medical and behavioral rehabilitation, foster care, rescue groups, neuter and release, and adoption.

*An end to the policy of accepting trapped feral cats to be destroyed as unadoptable, and implementation of TNR as the accepted method of feral cat control by educating the public about TNR and offering TNR program services;

*An end to the use of temperament testing that results in killing animals who are not truly vicious (e.g., shy/timid cats and frightened dogs) but who can be placed in homes, or are feral cats who can be returned or released;

*Abolishment of trapping, lending traps to the public to capture animals, and support of trapping by shelters, governments, and pest control companies for the purposes of removing animals to be killed;

*An end to owner-requested killing of animals unless the shelter has made an independent determination that the animal is irremediably suffering or cannot be rehabilitated;

*The exploration of animal control ordinances such as cat licensing, pet limit laws, bans on feeding stray animals, and bans on specific breeds. Are these ordinances effective?

"Over-population is a myth," says attorney Nathan Winograd, in his recent book "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America...With better outreach and public relations, we can find homes for virtually all of the healthy animals we are now killing." As proof he talks about all the shelters across the country who have successfully become no kill shelters. Executive director of the Nevada Humane Society Bonney Brown, said her shelter saves 90% of the dogs and cats brought in. When asked how they do it, she stated they increased the amount of volunteers, expanded its hours so that it's convenient to come in, and engaged in extensive media outreach.

Obama, How About a Portudoodle or a Labruguese?

It's final, Obama has announced that he will be searching shelters to adopt either a Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog. That's great news, either breed would be an excellent choice, I'm just happy he decided to rescue a shelter dog. I'm wondering though, if he has considered a Portudoodle or a Labruguese? I was checking out the dogs that need homes right now on Petfinder, and here's what I found:

This is Blackie, a 3 yr. old dog weighing in at about 50 lbs. She is a mix between a Portuguese Water Dog and a poodle, a Portudoodle. Blackie Portuguese Water Dog, Poodle [Mix]


Milo is a 6 yr. old Black Labrador Retriever mixed with Portuguese Water Dog, a Labruguese. If you get Milo now, you will receive a bonus dog. Milo is best friends with Gus, another Labruguese, and they cannot be seperated. They were both left at the pound, when their owners lost their home. Black Labrador Retriever and Portuguese Water Dog [Mix]

Obama, in any case it's great that your starting your Presidency by rescuing a shelter dog!

The SNIF Tag

Poodles Wearing SNIF Tag

In a nutshell, the new SNIF Tag is a way to remotely monitor your dogs activities, and use social networking to connect with other SNIF Tag dog owners. More specifically, you can actually see what your dog is doing in real time. A visual representation will show you when your dog is sleeping, walking, trotting, or running. The activities of your dog are stored in the SNIF Tag database, enabling you to check for monthly activity level trends. When your dog encounters another dog with a SNIF Tag, the tags electronically exchange information and the encounter is recorded. With the social networking aspect of SNIF Tag, you can see how the activity level of your dog stacks up with other dogs. You can build an online SNIF Tag profile that is similar to MySpace, but with your dogs data and photos. You can also connect with local SNIF Tag dog owners with the social networking aspect, and arrange to get together for play time.

For someone that loves to play with gadgets, the SNIF Tag would be a lot of fun. IMO, they could have made it more useful by connecting it with a global positioning device, that would help you find your dog if lost. It is priced at $149.99, although they are offering to refund $30 of that price to an animal welfare organization of your choice. If you would like more information on the SNIF Tag, the manufacturers website is at SnifTag.com

SNIF Tag Video

Dogs In Medical School Research

There are certain Medical Schools and Universities across the United States still conducting lethal experiments on dogs. Out of 125 medical programs that grant degrees in this country, there are about 11 that insist upon experimenting on dogs. Yet, prestigious medical schools such as Harvard University Medical School, believe the practice is outdated and relies on simulation learning and the observing of human surgery.

A typical class (dog lab) involves each student anesthetizing a dog, opening up the chest cavity to examine the heart, and then euthanizing the dog. Some other experiments may involve inducing cardiac arrest, restricting the dogs breathing, implanting pacemakers and inducing heart dysfunction, and giving them toxic substances. If the dogs do manage to live through the pain of experimentation, they are routinely euthanized at the end of the experiment. Dogs are bred for research, or bought from animal shelters, auctions, and acquired through free to good home ads. If you want to find out if research facilities are being supplied by "the pound" in your state check here.

What You Can Do

Send a polite letter or email to the following school officials, asking them to end the use of all live animals in medical education, and respectfully ask for a response.

MARYLAND

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
733 North Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21205
emiller@jhmi.edu

Larry Laughlin, M.D., Ph.D., Dean
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
llaughlin@usuhs.mil


MISSISSIPPI

Daniel W. Jones, M.D., Ph.D.
University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine
2500 N. State St.
Jackson, MS 39216-4505
djones@ovc.umsmed.edu


MISSOURI

Larry Shapiro, M.D., Dean, School of Medicine
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
North Building
4580 Scott Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
shapirol@msnotes.wustl.edu


NEW YORK

Ralph A. O’Connell, M.D.
Dean, School of Medicine
New York Medical College
Administration Building
Valhalla, NY 10595
oconnell@nymc.edu


NORTH CAROLINA

David Musick. M.D.
Associate Dean for Medical Education
The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27834
musickd@ecu.edu


OHIO

Pamela B. Davis, M.D., Ph.D., Interim Dean
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
10900 Euclid Ave., BRB 113
Cleveland, OH 44106
pbd@case.edu


OREGON

Office of the Dean
School of Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., L102
Portland, OR 97239
Website Contact Form


TENNESSEE

Steve J. Schwab., M.D., Executive Dean
University of Tennessee College of Medicine
62 South Dunlap St., Room 405
Memphis, TN 38163
sschwab@utmem.edu


WISCONSIN

Michael J. Dunn, Dean
Medical College of Wisconsin
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226
mdunn@mcw.edu


Philip M. Farrell, M.D., Dean
University of Wisconsin Medical School
1300 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706
pmfarrell@facstaff.wisc.edu

Vivisection Info

Read This: Point-Counterpoint on Medical School Animal Laboratories by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

I'm planning on writing a follow up post, and will report on any interesting responses received back from these medical schools. If you want to help out but not sure what to say, just write a form letter to all 11 schools. Something like, "I'm writing to express my concern that animals are being used in your medical education programs. Many other medical schools are having great success with simulation learning, and observing or participating in human surgery. The use of dogs in medical schools is obsolete, cruel, and absolutely unnecessary. Please respond back. Thank you."

Heh. Shakespeare I'm not, but at least it gets to the point. Email CoCo the Blogging Dog, if you get a response that you would like to see published here.

Yoga For Dogs

See all 12 Animal Planet dog yoga poses. Yoga for dogs is becoming more popular, with classes opening up all over the United States. You can find dog yoga instructions from free videos on the Internet, like the ones from Animal Planet at the bottom of this post. It's been shown that yoga is beneficial to humans, so it doesn't seem far-fetched to believe that dogs may benefit as well. So play some soothing music, stretch with your dog, and relax!


Learn to center your breathing using yoga moves for you and your dog.

K9 Karma: Stretch Forward : Animal Planet
K9 Karma: Tilly Learns Yoga! : Animal Planet
K9 Karma: Relaxation Exercise : Animal Planet

Genetically Modified Dogs and Cats

Lifestyle Pets offers dogs and cats for sale, that have been genetically modified. For those allergic to cats they offer 100% hypoallergenic cats, with an altered Fel d 1 glycoprotein gene, that will not cause allegies in humans. The genetically modified cats include the Snow Ashera, Royal Ashera, Ashera, Ashera GD, Chakan GD, and the Allerca GD. Lifestyle Pets offers these cats for up to $125,000 and are claimed to be a hybrid between an African Serval, Asian Leopard Cat, and specific domestic cat. However, the authenticity of the breed has been challenged, as the only known examples of "Ashera" cats have been proven by DNA testing to be Savannah cats, an existing breed. Lifestyle Pets, an extension of Allerca was actually selling these Savannah cats as Ashera cats for four times the price.

Lifestyle Pets is selling the Titan family protection dog and the Jabari GD hypoallergenic dogs as well. The Titan dog is a German Shepherd priced up to $120,000 that especially bred to excell in tracking, obedience, and protection. While the Jabardi GD is a genetically modified hypoallergenic dog, selling for about $15,000. The Jabardi GD looks just like a regular West Highland White Terrier. Lifestyle Pets(Allerca) has not revealed detailed information on what their process is, only that they use proprietary genetic testing technologies. Simon Brodie founder of Lifestyle Pets, claims on the Allerca website that he has had to change his name to Simon Carradan because he had received death threats from animal rights activists. I've found no proof of that, or any one charged. Actually, Simon Brodie changed his name just before partnering up with FlexPetz, the pet rental company. According to Itchmo,

Simon Brodie, the controversial founder with a criminal past behind the Allerca hypoallergenic cats, is the CEO of a company that owns Flexpetz, the pet sharing service. Brodie was convicted in the UK of multiple counts of accounting fraud. Ever since his move to the United States, he has been linked to pets or animals in his ventures and is shadowed by a history of failed ventures, lawsuits, unpaid bills, and fraud allegations. He characterized his past by saying “I’ve had some hits, some misses.”

If you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog, many breeds of dogs are known to be hypoallergenic. Such as a terrier, poodle, basenji, chinese crested, maltese, and shih-tzu. You can find many of these breeds from rescue groups right now at Pet Finder.

Dogs That Detect Cancer

A dogs abilty to identify smells is far superior to a human being. They can detect smells somewhere between 1,000 to 10,000 better, and are now being called upon to use that ability to detect cancer. This study published in Integrative Cancer Therapies, indicates that the cancer detecting dogs in the study were able to detect lung cancer 99% of the time, and breast cancer 88% of the time. Interestingly, these were not dogs that had years of training. They were ordinary household dogs that were only given a few weeks of training.

Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs is a charity that trains dogs to detect cancer and diabetes. There was a recent news article about Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs, describing a homeless dog they recently adopted to train in cancer detection. Casper was at a shelter for 3 months, but no one wanted to adopt him because he was so hyper. The Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs spokesperson had this to say about Casper, "Casper is a very highly driven, highly active animal. He's not really an ideal family pet as he wants to use his brain all the time. This can make a dog disruptive in the home but it makes Casper perfect for us. What we do requires very bright and energetic dogs that love to work. So far, it's early days, but Casper is showing all the right signs. He's fantastic."



Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs is a new charity that works in partnership with researchers from the Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust. They specialize in training dogs to detect cancer with breath or urine samples. In addition, they train dogs to detect low blood sugar in human beings that suffer from diabetes.

Pet Theft Awareness Day February 14, 2009

Pet Theft Awareness Day will be observed February 14, 2009 this year. Pet theft is on the rise, and it's important dog owners are aware of this. Many dogs are being stolen to sell to research laboratories, by "bunchers" who sell stolen dogs to class "B" dealers. Dogs are stolen to breed for puppy mills, for dog-fighting, to sell along roadside or online websites, amongst other things. For Pet Theft Awareness Day, learn how to protect your dog.

The AKC has posted these tips:

At Home
*Don't let your dog off-leash — Keeping your dog close to you reduces the likelihood it will wander off and catch the attention of thieves. A Saint Bernard that had wandered away from his owner in Nebraska was snatched up right off the road.

*Don't leave your dog unattended in your yard — Dogs left outdoors when no one is home for long periods of time can be potential targets, especially if you live in a rural area and the fenced-in yard or dog runs are visible from the street.

*Keep purchase price to yourself — If strangers approach you to admire your dog during walks, don't answer questions about how much the dog cost or give details about where you live.

*Breeders need to be aware of home visits by potential puppy buyers — Criminals posing as would be "puppy buyers" have visited breeder homes to snatch dogs, while other homes have been burglarized when the owner was away. From Yorkies in Los Angeles to Bulldogs in Connecticut, thieves have targeted young puppies of these highly coveted breeds.

On the Road
*Never leave your dog in an unattended car, even if it's locked — Even if you are gone for only a moment, an unlocked car is an invitation for trouble. Also leaving expensive items in the car such as a GPS unit or laptop will only invite thieves to break and possibly allow the dog to escape.

*Don't tie your dog outside a store — This popular practice among city dwelling dog owners can be a recipe for disaster. Reports have surfaced of such thefts in Manhattan. If you need to go shopping, patronize only dog-friendly retailers or leave the dog at home.

*Be vigilant when entering or leaving establishments or venues catering to dogs such as grooming salons, veterinarians, doggie day care or hotels — Be aware of your surroundings, such as slow moving vehicles, or people watching you and your dog. Carry pepper spray as a precaution and, if possible, don't walk alone late at night or stay in a well lit area.

Recovery
*Protect your dog with microchip identification — Collars and tags can be removed so make sure you have permanent ID with a microchip. Keep contact information current with your recovery service provider. Several pets have been recovered because of alert people scanning and discovering microchips. For more information and to enroll your pet in a 24 hour recovery service visit www.akccar.org.

*If you suspect your dog has been stolen — Immediately call the police / animal control in the area your pet was last seen.

*Have fliers with a recent photo ready to go if your dog goes missing — Keep a photo of your dog in your wallet or on an easily accessible web account so that you can distribute immediately if your pet goes missing.

To celebrate Pet Theft Awareness Day, consider taking a moment to write to your Senators and Representatives to request that they support the Pet Safety and Protection Act, which will eliminate class "B" dealers.

“B” dealers routinely violate the law by acquiring animals from fraudulent sources and abusing and neglecting them. These animals are often stolen pets, strays or animals obtained under false pretenses and deception such as “free to good home” ads. It is virtually impossible to know the true history of an animal acquired by a Class “B” dealer. Each time a Class “B” dealer sells an animal to a research lab, a strong possibility exists that it is a lost or stolen family pet.

Omega-3 May Help Aggressive Dogs

An interesting study in dog behavior has been released by the Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, in Pavia, Italy. While more research will need to be done, it suggests omega-3 fatty acids supplementation may be useful to reduce aggressive behaviour in dogs. According to the study, "In humans, alterations in omega-3 plasma polyunsatured fatty acids and elevated omega6/omega-3 ratio have been linked to behavioural alterations, including aggression." While this type of research is in the beginning stages, the research conducted so far indicate that aggressive dogs may suffer from a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids.

The study was conducted with 18 extremely aggressive German Shepherds with no health problems, and a control group of 18 well adjusted German Shepherds that were not aggressive, and in good health as well.

Compared to normal dogs, aggressive dogs showed lower docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) concentrations and a higher omega6/omega-3 ratio. In addition, they showed reduced cholesterol and bilirubin concentrations compared to their normally behaving counterparts. Altogether, our results suggest that low omega-3 fatty acids may adversely impact behaviour in dogs, resulting in greater propensity to aggression. Dog Aggression Study

While nutrition is not the only factor that can cause aggression in dogs, it is something that should not be overlooked. You can find Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseeds and fish oils from cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, and herring.

Friendship Between a Dog and an Elephant

This video is about a dog named Bella, and an elephant named Tarra (8,700 pound Asian elephant)who have developed a close friendship. In Hohenwald, Tennessee there is an elephant sanctuary, where elephants go to retire. In addition, to the elephants, the sanctuary has also taken in a dozen stray dogs. For the most part the elephants and dogs keep a distance from each other, but these two are the exception. "When it's time to eat they both eat together. They drink together. They sleep together. They play together," Buckley says. Bella trusts Tarra to such an extent, she will roll over and allow this large elephant to rub her tummy with her foot.

Products For The Pampered Dog

These are really nice products, great for the pampered dog. Unfortunately, I can't afford to shop at Hammacher Schlemmer, but if I could here's what I would buy:

The Therapeutic Pet Sauna provides healing warmth for joints and muscles. This is advertised to be especially helpful for older dogs with arthritis. Priced at $799.95

Coil spring large mattress pet bed. The mattress is identical in quality to a mattress for humans and comes with a wrought iron frame. Priced at $399.95

The canine treadmill with a quiet motor and recessed treat holder. Speed, distance, and incline can be adjusted using simple controls. Priced at $549.95