09.24.08
Take Your Dog To Work Day
In 1999, Pet Sitters International established the holiday “Take Your Dog To Work Day”, to help raise awareness of pet related topics such as: pet overpopulation or the benefits of animal companionship.
This year, Take Your Dog To Work Day will begin on June 20th. A few guidelines need to be set in place first:
- Check with your company to see if it’s okay to bring your dog to work. You should be courteous to your colleagues, because some may be allergic or even afraid.
- Doggie proof your work area. Just like at home, make sure there aren’t any poisonous plants in your workspace.
- Make sure your dog has all of its shots.
- Carry a doggie bag with you. You will want to be fully equipped with paper towels, pet safe disinfectant, food, treats, toys, etc.
- Don’t force your co-workers to interact with your dog. You’re still at work, so you don’t want to be distracting others from their work. You will also want to prevent your dog from having accidents around the office. Don’t worry, people who are dog lovers, will let it be known that they are and as a result initiate the greeting themselves.
08.08.08
Foreclosures Have Led To More Abandoned Pets
The current state of our economy has led to turmoil for many folks – companies have hiring freezes, people are being laid off, houses are being foreclosed. The housing market collapse has led to more than only people no longer having a home to live in, but some of these peoples’ pets are being left behind, because they don’t have the means to care for them.
Realtors have walked into foreclosed houses and have seen unbelievable things such as a cat that was lying dead in the corner that was left with no food / water and another incident where a dog was still alive in a home, but left with no food / water.
You can tell these incidences occur more often than you can imagine. Rebecca Strobel, an agent, said that when she goes to a foreclosed house, “you just pray that there’s nothing in there”. Now, she always carries an arsenal of supplies in the trunk of her car, including dog and cat food, leashes, blankets and first-aid kits.
This is an alarming concern for animal shelters, because some become overcrowded and when they don’t have any more empty cages, they have to euthanize pets.
Please take into consideration the life of your pet if you’re not able to care for it any longer. There are options available such as seeing if friends / family / neighbors can take care of it, bringing it to the local animal shelter ( note that if it’s overcrowded, it may be euthanized), etc..
07.05.08
Beware of Dog Thieves
The AKC has reported an increase in dog thefts occurring. Dogs are being taken from parking lots, pet stores, backyards of peoples homes, etc. Theses dogs aren’t specific to any kind of breed or size, it has been small pups from pet stores who are being stuffed into peoples’ purses and purebreds being taken from cars in parking lots, shelters, etc. So how do you protect your dog from being a victim?
By being extra cautious and taking additional safety measures for your dog in and outside your home such as:
- At your home, keep your dog on a leash and attended while in your yard. This will help limit the likelihood of your dog wandering off and being snatched up.
- Breeders should be aware of thieves posing as a suitable buyer. These posers come to breeder homes and snatch up the dogs, while others steal the dogs when the breeder isn’t home.
- Keep your dog attending in the car, even if the car is locked.
- Don’t tie your dog outside while you’re inside the store.
- Remain alert in dog friendly environments.
- Using a microchip on your dog will keep your contact information current with your recovery service provider. Collars and tags can easily be removed.
06.01.08
Longer Living Pets, Increase Expenses For Dog Owners
More and more people consider their pets a part of their family. As a result, the cost of health and medical costs associated with pets are rising. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), pet owners spent $10.1 billion in veterinary care and $9.8 billion in pet supplies and OTC drugs within the last year. The American Veterinary Medical Association found that $24.5 billion was spent on veterinary medicine in 2006, which is more than double the spending 10 year ago.
Years ago, there weren’t these advances in technology available for pets and when a pet was suffering from a severe sickness, the only option was for them to be euthanized. However, in today’s day and age, there is technology that is available to help keep pets living longer – MRIs, Ultrasounds and CAT scans. There is also surgery that’s available such as heart surgery, liver transplants, laser surgery, and chemotherapy. There’s even acupuncture that’s also available to pets. Consequently, pet owners are confronted with a much greater expenditure to keep their pet healthy and living longer. Because of the advances in medical expertise and technology that’s available, pets are now living longer and pet owners are not only spending more on medical and health expenses, but also vitamins and food.
It’s great that there is all of this help that is available to keep pets living longer but all of this eventually becomes more of a moral dilemma for pet owners. If the pet needs surgery, for some pet owners who don’t have the money, it’s a tough choice for them to decide, should I spend the thousands of dollars to save my dog who I love? Or should I use it to pay for credit cards or other expenses so that I don’t fall behind?
For pet owners who don’t have the finances needed, there are nonprofit organizations such as animal rescues that may have low-cost options available.
05.28.08
Healthy Spot, New Green, Organic & Modern Dog Product Retail Store
On Saturday, May 31st, Santa Monica, CA will have a new dog retail store that opens up called Healthy Spot (www.healthyspotla.com). Healthy Spot will offer organic, green, and modern dog products and services in their store located at 1110 Wilshire Boulevard at the intersection of 11th Street in Santa Monica, CA.
In this store, there will be a styling salon, spa, and small doggie daycare. Healthy Spot’s goal is to cater to dog owners who are concerned with the numerous pet product recalls that occurred last year, by selecting specific brands for nutritional value, manufacturing and distribution processes, and past product history that have been carefully screened. This process will enable patrons to trust the food and treat products carried in the Healthy Spot store.
Healthy Spot has applied their stringent pre-selection process to all product categories in order to provide the highest quality offerings for their customers. Products include bio-friendly toys that reduce dogs’ exposure to allergens and toxic chemicals, beds composed of recycled materials, organic pet toys and apparel, and all-natural grooming products. Healthy Spot maintains priority in helping the earth and strives to minimize the negative impact on the environment through product and practice.
For those interested in green products, there is a product called The Pet Loo which is an in/outdoor potty for dogs. The Pet Loo is basically a backyard in a box that is a lifelong cost effective solution. Unlike wee wee pads, there are no replacement parts required, and as a result, helps to save our Earth from the plastic wee wee pads that are thrown in the trash. For more information, please visit: www.dogservicenetwork.com/thepetloo/general_info.html.
05.27.08
Maintaining a Nice Garden, While Having a Dog
There is no such thing as having a plant that is doggie proof from getting damaged. However, there are ways that you can have a nice garden and preventing it from getting messed up by your dog.
One way is to have a sturdy wire fence put up that surrounds your garden, this may prevent small dogs from getting mischievous in the garden, but that may take away from the lovely appearance of your garden. Another option may be to have a picket fence setup to surround your garden and burying the fence deep into the soil with perhaps rocks at the base to prevent dogs from digging below the fence.
Create “mulched or grassy paths” between the flowers and plants. Dogs like to follow paths to take care of their business and will most likely follow the path you create that leads then away from your garden.
It is also your responsibility as a dog owner to understand what plants and flowers may be harmful to your dog such as: yew, wild black cherry, azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, nandina, oleander, English ivy, daffodil, tulip, lily of the valley, foxglove, hyacinth, rhubarb and castor bean.
When leaving your dog outside, do not tie your dog to the tree, because it may lead your dog to develop aggressive behavior. If your dog is left outdoors for too long, it may begin to start digging, so make sure to not keep your dog out for extended periods of time. Finally, make sure your dog has soft grass or shaded soil to lie on to keep it comfortable outside.
