Is Salmon Safe For Dogs?

While salmon is extremely healthy for dogs, and is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, dog owners need to be aware that in certain circumstances it can be deadly.

Raw salmon should NEVER be given to a dog. There is a parasite called a fluke that thrives in the waterways of the western Pacific Northwest. Fish that swim upstream to breed (salmon, trout) in mainly Washington, California, and Oregon become infected with this fluke. Inside of the fluke lives a bacterial organism called neorickettsia, that is relatively harmless to everyone except canids - in other words, your dog.

It's known as Salmon Poisoning Disease, and Canids are the only species susceptible to it. Without emergency veterinary treatment, your dog will only have a 10% chance of making it. Your dog would need a strong antibiotic to kill the neorickettsia, a wormer to kill the fluke, and possibly intravenous fluid.

Common symptoms may include lack of appetite, throwing up, enlarged lymph nodes, tiredness, fever, and bloody loose stool. The symptoms will usually begin one to two weeks after the salmon was ingested - and can be positively identified with a fecal.

You can avoid salmon poisoning by offering canned, or thoroughly cooking the salmon.

Are Dog Owners More Trustworthy?

A new study supports the notion that people with dogs appear to be more trustworthy. Research from the U of A and NAIT indicated that 82% of the population would be more likely to speak to a stranger if they had a dog. I've done it, haven't we all?

Somehow it's different if a stranger has a dog, they seem more approachable, and it's easy to find yourself engaged in friendly conversation. The study determined that the majority would trust someone more if they had a dog with them, but researchers Linda Glasier, Alicia Glasier, and Gaylene Fasenko found the reaction can vary depending on the breed of dog.

The study wasn't just confined to surveys and questionnaires, they actually took dogs out in public to test reactions. Big happy dogs like the Bernese Mountain Dog seemed to rule the day, where complete strangers became very friendly wherever they went. At least by public perception, if you have a big goofy dog you are trustworthy, or at the least are safe to start a conversation with.

Dogs are honest, playful, funny, innocent, and loving. It's a normal reaction to feel at ease, and enjoy being around them. For those that care for dogs, it says a great deal about character, and that fact alone indicates a level of trustworthiness.

You're Not An Alpha Wolf!

If you have a dog, no doubt you've been told at some point that you need to dominate, after all You Are The Alpha Wolf! In my case, pretending to be an alpha wolf, just never felt appropriate or even necessary. Reading an article on Psychology Today, was like one of those Ah-Ha moments in which my gut feelings seemed to be validated.

Lee Charles Kelley, a writer for Psychology Today explains that in a wolf pack, there is no instinct to follow an alpha leader. Further saying that there have been many serious misconceptions about wolf behavior. Wolves typically live in a family unit where cooperation, instead of dominance is a guiding factor.

No wolf always walks ahead of the group when they're traveling. They take turns. That's a fact.

No wolf always eats before other members of the group. That's a fact.

No wolf ever puts one of his packmates in an alpha roll. That's a fact.

No wolf tells his packmates how to behave. That's a fact.

Dominance displays are rare in wild wolf packs and usually only take place between the mother and father over how to disburse food to their young.

Pack Leader or Predator? by Lee Charles Kelley

For Lee Charles Kelley the whole alpha wolf thing may seem a little irrelevant, since he asserts that dogs are Not wolves anyway. Kelley also claims that dogs do not see Cesar Millan as an alpha wolf, they see him as a predator and feel fearful and intimidated. Kelley says that all serious behavioral issues are best solved by play therapy, in an environment of cooperation and flexibility.

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

With November right around the corner, it's almost Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Sadly, shelters are reporting that senior pets can be extremely difficult to find a home for. They are often times overlooked in favor of puppies - while it's true that puppies are cute, senior pets have every bit as much to offer.

Older dogs are just as capable of being a super loving, devoted companion. Those who have chosen to adopt senior pets report how much gratitude they seem to have. When you consider that senior pets are the first to be euthanized in shelters, and the last to be adopted out - you can be rewarded as well with the knowledge that you've saved a life.

Senior pets do not require as much exercise as the average dog, and tend to be more calm, mellow, and relaxed. If you're not a super high energy person, an older dog may be perfect for your lifestyle. Older pets have more experience which makes them easier to train, fit into your household, and will most likely already be housebroken.

Consider adopting a canine retiree to live out his golden years with you!

Carve Your Pumpkin To Look Just Like Fido

Better Homes and Gardens is giving away free pumpkin carving stencils, and you can choose from 13 different breeds of dogs. They have Beagles, Boxers, Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Jack Russell Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, and Poodles - all guaranteed to make your neighbors and friends rave about how incredibly artistic you are!

They're easy to use, especially if you have a printer - as you can adjust the size of the stencil, and print it out to use directly on the pumpkin. If not, you can still do this - just use thin tracing paper and lightly trace the pattern from your computer screen. The BH&G instructions are as follows:

1. Clean out the pumpkin, scraping the flesh thinnest in the region in which you’ll carve the design.

2. Attach the pattern to the pumpkin with tape.

3. Use a pin to make closely spaced pin pricks along the stencil lines, piercing the paper.

4. Use thin crafts, linoleum, or wood-cutting knives to carve the pattern. Cut completely through solid lines, simply peel away skin within dotted lines to enhance features.

Making a dog breed pumpkin this Halloween will be fun, but don't forget how healthy pumpkins are to eat. You can save the seeds for snacking, and bake pumpkin dog treats from the pulp. Keep your dogs and cats indoors, and have a safe happy Halloween this year!

The Animal Rescue Site Shelter Challenge

The Animal Rescue Site is donating $100,000 in cash to animal rescue and welfare organizations across the country, and online voters get to choose the winners every week until December 20th. If you have a favorite rescue or shelter, why not show your support by voting for them?

A different animal rescue will be awarded $1000, each and every week through the end of the year. On December 20th there will be a Grand Prize of $20,000, Second Prize of $5,000, Third Prize of $3,000, all for the animal shelters with the most votes! Animal rescue and welfare organizations have additional chances to win with the Most Touching Story Prize and State Prizes of $1,000 for an organization in each U.S. state.

It's absolutely free to cast your vote, with no registering, and you can vote up to once a day. The qualifying shelters and rescues were chosen by Petfinder, from welfare organizations working hard to find good homes for homeless dogs and cats.

Voting is easy!

1. Go to: www.theanimalrescuesite.com
2. Click on purple side tab that says Shelter Challenge
3. Enter your city and state to pull up animal rescues in your area
4. Vote for shelter of your choice

The Animal Rescue Site has been listed on CoCo the Blogging Dog for some time now. These are the same folks that donate .6 bowls of food to homeless dogs every time you click on the purple banner on the homepage. They make money by placing advertisers ads on their website, and pass it on to shelters that are in desperate need of assistance.

Do You Speak Dog?

Barking is used as a form of communication to convey a wide variety of emotions from joy to fear. Common reasons for dogs to bark include the need for attention, warning of a threat, stress, anxiety, boredom, fear, happiness, and a desire to play. The pitch and tone of the vocalizations has specific meanings for dogs, and dog pawrents that are tuned into dog language. Like the crying of a human baby, puppies can bark excessively as they try to express what they need and feel.

The University of Queensland's Center for Animal Welfare and Ethics study on dogs that were reported as nuisance barkers, suggests that age may be a significant factor in excessive barking. In a study of 150 dog owners, they found that a statistically disproportionate percentage of nuisance barkers were under the age of one. This makes absolute sense as puppies are still learning, and discovering that excessive barking may be unacceptable to their human pawrents. The study published in the Australian Veterinary Journal, also suggests that certain breeds, such as herding breeds like Border Collies, German Shepherds, and Cattle Dogs just tend to be more vocal.

If you're attentive to your dogs barking, you will begin to understand the meaning of the various vocalizations of your dog. Interestingly, dog experts suggest that different breeds have subtle variations of barking dialects. In other words, a "Let's play!" bark for a Golden Retriever may be slightly different than a "Let's play!" bark for a Rottweiler. Sort of like a doggie accent? As far as excessive barking goes, rather than correcting your dog, it may be more effective to focus on the specific issues that are causing it. If your dog is lonely, bored, anxious - these can all be addressed in a positive manner, with no need to ever scold your dog for talking about it.

A Dogs Ecological Pawprint

Victoria University professors Brenda and Robert Vale are authors of the book "Time to Eat the Dog?: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living" where they preach that you should reconsider sharing your home with a dog or cat. In the book they say that the ecological impact of a med/large dog to the environment is the equivalent of driving 10,000 km a year in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Brenda Vale said, "A lot of people worry about having SUVs but they don't worry about having Alsatians (German Shepherds) and what we are saying is, well, maybe you should be because the environmental impact...is comparable."

With the ecological footprint from creating the amount of food an average dog consumes each year (164 kg of meat/95 kg of cereals), the Vale's say that instead of having a dog, it would be better for the environment if we choose to have "pets" that we can eat instead - such as chickens. Considering the ecological footprint of a person in the developed world would be 6. ha, a dog eco-footprint would be about .84 ha, and a cats eco-footprint would be 0.15 ha - it would be far more logical to eat the Vale's. While that's a true statement, I'm certainly not suggesting that!

Though it does seem that the Vale's have probably never shared their life with a dog, and are failing to comprehend that a dog is not disposable, but a member of the family.

Flunking Out Of The Canine Good Citizen Program

The Canine Good Citizen test by the AKC is open to all dogs, purebred or not, and is often a prequisite to a position as a therapy dog. In order to become certified as a Canine Good Citizen, you must meet ten different requirements. I've failed miserably on pretty much every step, and have given up on being a good citizen.

First of all, the rule "Any dog that growls, snaps, bites, attacks or attempts to attack a person or another dog is not a good citizen and must be dismissed from the test" is a little strict, and I think they should waive this rule for all Pomeranians. If you would like to give it a try, here are the requirements:

1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger: You're out for a walk, and a stranger approaches speaking and shaking hands with your owner. What they are looking for here, is for dogs that do not break position or try to go to the evaluator. If you do, you fail!

2. Sitting Politely For Petting: You're out for a walk, and a stranger approaches and starts petting you - you are not allowed to show any signs of shyness or resentment to pass this step.

3. Appearance and Grooming: A groomer, veterinarian, friend, or any stranger should be able to groom and exam you - not only should you show no misgivings, you should actually welcome it!

4. Walking On a Loose Leash: In this step, you must show that you are not taking your pawrent for a walk, but they are taking you for a walk. You must be attentive to changes in direction and follow them with each turn, with no tugging at the leash.

5. Walking Through a Crowd: You must not express any overexuberance, shyness or resentment while walking through a crowd of people.

6. Sitting and Lying Down On Command and Staying in Place: With this step a dog is expected to stay in one spot, while his pawrent walks 20 feet away. To pass you must exhibit your ability to sit, lay down, and stay upon command.

7. Coming When Called: Self explanatory - I'm good at this, except for the times when I'm not.

8. Reaction To Another Dog: You're out for a walk with your pawrent, and a stranger approaches with another dog. The AKC expects you to show only casual interest and not make any moves towards the other dog.

9. Reaction To Distractions: They expect to be able to drop a frying pan within 5 feet from a dog, and the dog is allowed only to be slightly startled but not panic, run away, show aggressiveness, or bark.

10. Calmly Enduring Supervised Separation From The Owner: You're out for a walk and a stranger comes up and says, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" Your pawrent hands the leash over to a stranger and disappears - You cannot continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness.

No thanks to all that rubbish, I would rather be a bad citizen...

Dogs That Like To Paint

About a year ago, CoCo the Blogging Dog reported on Tillamook Cheddar - Greatest Dog Artist Ever? Tillamook Cheddar is a Jack Russell Terrier, famous for her artwork. About Tillie, The Art Newspaper described her as, "The most successful living animal painter." It seems Tillie may have some new competition in the dog eat dog world of dog painting. Shore Service Dogs (ShoreServiceDogs.com) has three dogs that like to paint, and they can easily fetch $750. for a 16 x 20 stretched canvas painting.

The dog artists at Shore Service Dogs are known as Major, Kayne, and Sammy. A Chocolate Lab, Doberman Pinscher, and a Bloodhound/Sheep Dog mix. Shore Service Dogs trains therapy dogs, service dogs, obedience training, behavior modification, and temperament testing. Not only do they train dogs to perform complex tasks to assist handicapped individuals, but they rescue dogs from animal shelters that have the temperament to be a service dog.

The paintings by Sammy, the Bloodhound/Sheep Dog mix, seem to be sold for the highest amount. Recently one of his paintings sold for $1700, and his art is being exhibited in New York City at Denise Bibro Fine Arts Gallery's "Gone To The Dogs" show.

Dog Food Recalls

You may already know about the recall this month of Wysong and Nutro dog foods. In case you haven't heard - Wysong dog food was recalled for mold, and Nutro for small pieces of plastic contamination in the dog food. The UPC of dog foods involved are as follows:

Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenance™: lot #: 090720
Wysong Senior™: lot #: 090623

Nutro® Ultra™ Puppy food for dogs: 79105 51313
Nutro® Natural Choice® Chicken Meal, Rice and Oatmeal Formula Small Bites Puppy: 79105 23050
Nutro® Ultra™ Puppy food for dogs: 79105 51315

If you have these listed dog foods at home, return them to the store for a full refund.

Here are statements made by Wysong and Nutro:
Nutro Products Voluntary Retrieval of Select Puppy Foods
Wysong Mold in Past Extruded Dog Foods

These are not the only pet food company's that may have issues, if you visit the Consumer Affairs pet product section, you can find many complaints that allege commercial dog food is causing illness. Dog food companies with recent complaints on Consumer Affairs include Alpo, Beneful, Canidae, Del Monte, Evanger's, Hill's Science Diet, Nutro, Ol'Roy, Pedigree, Prestige Pet Products, Purina, Red Flannel, Royal Canin, and Waggin Train Treats. If you click on the corresponding link for each company, you'll find many stories from concerned dog owners.

Howl-O-Ween Pumpkin Dog Treats

Pumpkin is full of beta-carotene, anti-oxidants, potassium, magnesium, and iron - and high in numerous vitamins as well. When you carve up your jack-o-lantern this Halloween, you may want to scoop out the pulp, and make a healthy treat.

To make the Howl-O-Ween Pumpkin Dog Treats you will need:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all the ingredients together, and add water as needed to form a dough. Make sure you don't add to much water, as you want the dough mixture to feel somewhat dry and stiff. Roll the dough out and cut into 1 inch by 1 inch squares. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Happy Howl-O-Ween!

The Shelter Dog

Once upon a time, you see, there was this little pup; for reasons unbeknown to me, his family gave him up.

Maybe it was chewing everything that he could find, maybe they were busy and just didn't have the time.

They took him to the shelter and they just left him there. Outside, alone, in the cage...shivering and scared.

Even though they knew inside, if he went through those doors, he may never have the chance to find a home like yours.

He sat there crying silently wondering what he did that was so bad that they just had to leave him as they did.

However fate was smiling on that little pup that day, because a lady saw him and she whisked him right away.

He got a second chance at life that others may have not and now he's in a loving home with everything he wants.

Everyday he gets that love that he was looking for and silently is thankful for when she walked through that door.

Others may not have this chance so open up your heart and adopt a shelter dog to take and give him/her a brand new start.

Petco Howl-O-Ween Contest

Petco is throwing a spooky howl-o-ween contest for pets. To enter you can either ask your pet to submit a photo and a short story, or a video. While pet pawrents may be important to Petco, for this contest, they are mainly interested in hearing from your pet. Pets stories must be written by pets, and all videos in your pets voice. They will be accepting submissions online until October 27, and the winner will be posted on the Petco website October 30. On the downside, any photos or videos entered into the Petco howl-o-ween contest, become the property of Petco. Make sure your dog doesn't submit a photo that you would mind losing exclusive rights to, as it may be chosen to be published in future Petco promotions.

Your pet can enter in five different categories including Pet/Parent Look-Alike, Spookiest Cat, Best Companion/Small Animal, Funniest Costume, and Best Celebrity Look-Alike. Each category winner will receive a $200 gift certificate, and the top five from each category will get a bag of dog treats. Winners of the Petco howl-o-ween contest will be chosen by website visitors votes. I've already snuck over there to vote for two pomeranians, Queen Littlebit and Sheriff Pappy, after all Pomeranians have to stick together! It was free and easy, though Petco does ask for your email to vote. It's a marketing ploy by Petco, but a fun one at that.

If you would like to enter or vote: www.petco.com/halloweenpetstories

Keep Your Dog Safe From Coyotes

Photo: Courtesy of Wiki Commons

The population of coyotes in the United States seems to be ever growing, despite the fact that thousands are killed each year to thin out the population. Coyotes live in every state except Hawaii, even thriving in urban areas. They are highly intelligent, and adapt well to changing conditions. Even the name "coyote" comes from an Aztec word "coyotl" which translates into trickster. Coyotes are a close relative of the domestic dog, and are known to form a lifetime relationship with their mate. They are worthy of respect, but as in most cases with wild animals, it's much better to admire them from afar. To be specific - coyotes are a dangerous predator, especially when it comes to your dog and cat.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has the following advise for dog owners.

Dog Owners:

■ Always supervise your pet outside, especially at dawn and dusk

■ Keep your dog on a short leash while recreating — avoid retractable leashes

■ Do not allow your dog to play or interact with a coyote

■ If possible, pick up your dog when coyotes are visible

■ Avoid known or potential den sites and thick vegetation

■ Like domestic dogs, coyotes will defend their territory and their young

■ If you must leave your dog outside, secure it in a fully enclosed kennel

If you live in an area known to have coyotes, you can never just leave your dog alone outside. Even if you have a larger dog that you feel could take on a coyote - keep in mind that coyotes travel frequently in packs. If you take your dog for a walk in an area coyotes may be present, carry a walking stick, air horn, or pepper spray.

The PooDunki - Discrete Way To Carry Dog Poo

The PooDunki is a stylish, washable, nylon bag that is used to carry dog waste while taking your dog out on a walk. For most of us that take our dog out for a walk, we pick up the dog poo with a plastic grocery bag, and carry it around until we can throw it away. For Jan Rohrs, this was a particularly distasteful part of dog walking, and so she invented the PooDunki. Rohrs originally came up with the idea to design a bag specifically for this reason while walking her Cavachon (mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frisee). The idea has caught on, and the PooDunki may be the first product specifically marketed for this purpose.

From the PooDunki site (PooDunki.com) The features of this bag include an adjustable strap that allows you to wear it over the shoulder or around the waist, storage pocket is aerated to allow air flow, PooDunki logo of human footprint and pawprint together, 100% recyclable material, quick release buckle, long lasting nylon construction, completely washable, and it's made in the USA.

It's great to find products for dogs made in the USA, and the owner of PooDunki plans to keep it that way. Jan Rohrs told the Muskegon News in her hometown in Michigan, “I could get it made cheaper overseas, but I have to stay in the U.S. We have to help each other.” The PooDunki is currently being sold on the website for $15.95.

Do We Really Need Sexy Halloween Costumes For Dogs?

I'm not quite sure what Amazon.com could be thinking, but I have to ask - do we really need sexy Halloween costumes for dogs? This is not a joke, these are actual ads on Amazon for sexy Halloween costumes for dogs. Crazy.

Cruelty Free Dog Products

It seems almost impossible to live our entire life without harming another living creature. It's an imperfect world, and sometimes all we can do is try our best not to. There is one easy we can make a difference, and that's by looking for cruelty free dog products. Is it really necessary to buy products such as mink oil dog coat conditioner, when so many wonderful alternatives exist? I've decided to write about a few cruelty free dog products, but there are many on the market.

The Dancing Dingo (DancingDingo.com) makes Dancing Dingo Dog De-funkifier that not only makes your dog smell good, it conditions the coat and repels fleas as well. It's made with great ingredients including plant extracted essential oils, aloe vera, and tea tree oil.

Photo above: Dancing Dingo Dog De-funkifier being sold for $12.00. The Dancing Dingo also makes Dancing Dingo's Dog De-funkifier Cologne, Dancing Dingo Dog De-funkifier Cleansing Mist, Dancing Dingo Healing Paw Balm, and Dancing Dingo Dog De-funkifier Shampoo. All of these products are made with healthy natural ingredients, without any animal by-products.

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Doggie Sudz (AustinRose.com) is another fantastic cruelty free dog product. It's an organic pet shampoo and conditioner with ingredients that include neem oil, lavender or mango, oatmeal, coconut, jojoba oil, cucumber, aloe vera, chamomile, vitamin e, and yucca extracts. It soothes skin problems, is vegan certified, and comes highly concentrated (32 times concentrated) to mix with water.

Photo above: Doggie Sudz 16 fl. oz. of concentrate for about $8.00. Austin Rose has another dog product for aromatherapy, known as Pet Air. It's natural oils and botanicals that they claim will recharge your pets energy and provide calming and comfort.

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Aubrey's Organimals (Aubrey-Organics.com) sells a line of grooming products for dogs that include Organimals Organic Pet Shampoo, Organimals Dip & Creme Rinse Concentrate for Dogs, and Organimals Grooming Spray for Dogs. Organimals contain ingredients such as:

Pennyroyal (to keep fleas away)
Organic Aloe Vera (moisture and condition)
Organic Rosemary & Sage Oils (to soothe skin conditions)
Coconut Oil (gentle cleanser)
Camomile, Balm Mint & Almond Oil (soft conditioned coat)
Organic Jojoba Oil (coat conditioning)

Photo above: Organimals Organic Pet Shampoo 8oz being sold on Aubrey-Organics for $8.48. Organimals is advertised as a natural way to keep fleas away.

Safe Dog Toys - NOT Made in China

After writing the other day about unsafe dog toys, it seems fitting to talk about safe dog toys as well. Of course, this listing of safe dog toys is my personal opinion - and every dog owner must judge and evaluate for themselves. There were several different factors used to determine whether a dog toy is safe. The most obvious is physical inspection, and evaluating what kind of safety hazard the toy could present. Has the company been subject to recalls - any rumors on the net about negative experiences by dog owners? Where is the toy manufactured, and where do the materials come from? ANY toy manufactured in China would never be on my "safe" list.

West Paw Design (www.WestPawDesign.com) is a dog toy company based out of Montana, and has been building on a great reputation since 1996. The owner of West Paw Designs told Consumer Affairs, "When you source overseas, you have no connection to the raw materials used, who is making them, or what the working conditions are like. At our company, we have control over the materials used and who is making our products."

West Paw Designs manufactures all the dog toys in the USA, with materials sourced in the USA. They created Zogoflex® for chew toys, as a safer alternative to latex and rubber. They have a wide variety of toys, but I think my personal favorite is the Bumi pictured below. It comes as either 8" or 10", in blue, green, or orange. It looks hard in the photo, but it will actually stretch and flex twice it's length. West Paw Design's actually guarantee it will last, or they will provide a one-time free replacement or refund.

Photo above: WestPawDesign's "Bumi" dog toy being sold at around $10.

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Ruff Dawg (www.Ruffdawg.com) is another dog toy company that only manufactures in the USA, and are based out of Worcester, MA. They create dog toys that are non-toxic and gentle on teeth and gums, yet are rugged enough to withstand a beating from your dog. Ruff Dawg was founded in 1999 with a commitment to manufacture high quality dog toys. They offer the K9 Flyer, The Ball, The Twig, SuperTug, The Rock, FlyingFish, Ruffbowl, Perfect PetMat, and Ruff Tools. One of my favorites is "The Rock" shown below.

Photo above: Ruff Dawg's "The Rock" being sold for around $10. The Rock is an extremely durable retrieving dog toy, and a lot of fun. It's made out of a very solid non-toxic rubber, and will bounce every which way.

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Katies Bumper's (www.katiesbumpers.com)is another company that manufactures dog toys in the USA, and has been in business since 2002 in Colorado. Katies Bumpers makes the Sqwuggies™, Super Sqwuggies™, Frequent Flyer, Double Tug™, Agility Tug, EcoStar, Heave Hose™ Originals, Just Plain Orange Bumper, and Puppy Trainers.

With Katie's bumpers, my favorite is the Super Sqwuggies Fire Hose Bumper. It is a tough and durable tug toy made out of recycled fire hose, with three squeakers sewn inside of it.


Photo above: Katie's bumpers Super Sqwuggies Fire Hose Bumper being sold for $18.50. Katie's Bumpers is named after an eleven-year-old black and white Newfoundland female.

How To Keep Your Dog Safe On Halloween

As Halloween approaches, it seems fitting to talk about how to keep your dog safe on Halloween. While some points may seem redundant or simple common sense, there may be other things that you've never thought of.

1. Keep your dog (and cats) indoors on Halloween, and if at all possible, the day before as well. In the weeks before Halloween, animals have been stolen to be sacrificed or tortured. The day before, and especially on Halloween day outdoor animals face a much higher risk. Thankfully, that's not as common - but it does happen. Animals have often been the victims of mean Halloween pranks, so take special precautions to safeguard your pet.

2. If you go out trick-or-treating, leave your pet at home. Your dog may become frightened by all the strange sights and sounds, and decide to take off. With all the strange and scary happenings, you may actually reinforce a fear of strangers in your dog.

3. If you are greeting trick-or-treaters at the door, you may want to keep your dog in a separate room away from the front door. For most dogs, trick-or-treaters continually knocking and ringing the doorbell can cause a certain degree of stress. If you dog doesn't seem to have a problem with this, that's great, however you'll want to make sure he doesn't run off when the door is open. Keep the ID tags on. If you're dog does get out, you'll want to search for him immediately, refer to #1.

4. Without even knowing your dog, it's probably safe to assume, your dog doesn't want to wear a Halloween costume. Before you dress your dog in a costume, think twice, as most costumes will cause your dog comfort and distress. A Halloween themed bandana would be the farthest that most dogs would want to go.

5. Dogs have been known to chew and ingest things they shouldn't. Things such as crepe-paper streamers, candy wrappers (cellophane and tin foil), electric light cords, artificial spider webs, and polyurethane glue (homemade decorations). Foods that you normally eat can spell danger for your dog, including chocolate, candy with xylitol, grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts.

6. Carved pumpkins with lit candles inside and open-flame candles are a safety hazard within reach of your dog. A dog may inadvertently knock the pumpkin over by jumping or wagging his tail, or become injured by getting too close.

Unsafe Dog Products

An environmental organization known as The Ecology Center owns a site called HealthyStuff.org, which tests household products for chemical safety. This website may be of particular interest for dog owners, as they have an entire section dedicated to pet products. It's sort of a buyer beware type of site, as the government doesn't require full testing, and every day products can have high levels of chemicals including lead, chlorine, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and bromine. It's possible that the effects of exposure can be accumulative over time, so it's a good idea to be a careful consumer.

Results that were surprising:

* Collars with high lead levels, and medium to low levels of arsenic, chromium, cadmium, and mercury.

* Dog beds with high levels of lead, and levels of tin, mercury, bromine, and chromium.

* Chew toy for dogs "Ringer Zinger Ring" with high lead content and medium levels of chlorine.

* Spot Party Animal Dish 6" for dog has high levels of both lead and arsenic.

In this day and age, it's difficult to avoid toxic chemical exposure altogether, but it's wise to steer clear of it whenever possible.

Emergency Plan For Your Pet

If disaster strikes, do you have an emergency plan that includes your pet? I've received an email from Tom of Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen in Georgia. They have been hammered with floods in 17 counties, and reportedly the Governor has declared it a state of emergency. Tom has been working diligently to save as many animals as he can, which he does regularly whether it's flooding or not. In a natural disaster, do not abandon your pet, ask for help, and try to plan ahead.

The following is Tom's email explaining the situation. If you have the resources, they are in desperate need of donations right now.

I have something you might be interested in that I think people need to know about. The animals in natural disasters are the last to be helped, the forgotten victims. Usually a natural disaster has to be declared before people get help. But then what does it take to get help for pets. In Georgia, we have to wait on the need to be great enough. But when will that be? We have been feeding, trapping, vetting, transporting, working with fosters, etc. on close to 100 + pets, plus all our regular customers, but we still can't get support for them. They real figures are still coming in every day of pets that need help and fed.

Most people dont want to turn their pets into animal control shelters for fear they wont get them back. We have some here that will hold your pet, but some that wont. How do you know? We are struggling to keep these animals fed and cared for and our resources are running low. You did such a great job helping before, maybe you can help us again and also let people know to call for help with your pets in a natural disaster. Check with EMA's and animal controls to see who can help. Don't abandon your animal because you think euthanasia is the only option at animal control. Make a plan before disasters hit. Find someone who can take your pets should disaster hit. keep a stash of food and water for your pets. Theres a whole list of things to do - check our site at:

www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com

Let's face it, if you're like most - creating an emergency plan is not a high priority. If everything seems fine, it's forgotten, as not many of us want to think about it. If the worst does happen though, a little planning could make a big difference. One of the most important question is, if you had to evacuate, do you know where you could take your pets? Typically evacuation shelters will not take pets, but you can find pet friendly hotels, veterinarians, and boarding facilities ahead of time.

I've written some related posts that you might be interested in as well:
What to put in a dog evacuation kit and What to put in a dog first aid kit.

Cod Liver Oil For Dogs

There's a story about life growing up in the great depression, about a mother that used to line her children up once a day and give them each a teaspoon of cod liver oil. Preventative care was somewhat like insurance, in a way, as they could hardly afford to go to the doctor should they get sick. While the use of cod liver oil is not as common these days, it's still as beneficial now as it was 80 years ago. It's an inexpensive health tonic that's not just good for you, but your dog as well.

A daily dose of cod liver oil can help to eliminate dry skin, create a lustrous healthy coat, boost the energy, and support the joints and reduce inflammation and swelling in arthritic dogs. Cod liver oil is a fantastic supplement for the geriatric dog, but can be beneficial for younger dogs too. It has Omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins D and A. It has powerful antioxidants that remove free radicals and improve cell functions as well. Dogs seem to naturally like cod liver oil, and the easiest way to give it to them, is to let them lap it up right up from a teaspoon.

Cod liver oil may be an old fashioned remedy for what ails you, but it's inexpensive, healthy, and proven to be effective.