Xolo Love

Happy 2009!

2009-01-13T14:15:00.003-05:00

It's a brand new year now and Miss Isy is one year old. She went from homeless rescue pup to ding her part at an organc dog bakery in the first year of her life. What will she do next? ;-)

Isy Is One Year Old Today!

2008-11-29T10:05:00.002-05:00

Build your own Blingee

Our little Isy is one year old today! Woot! Woot! It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since Isy was born. She's come a long way from BYB surrender to beloved family member and Monkeypups biscuit tester! She's become a wonderful breed ambassador, participated in Obedience and Rally and grown into a superb watchdog. Onward and upward! Happy Birthday Isy!

Cooler weather is here!

2008-10-28T17:16:00.003-04:00

Cooler weather has hit the South! No matter where you live, it is important to make sure you have proper cold weather attire for your Xolo. Some Xolos have to contend with snow, therefore needing warm, water-resistant boots for their feet and warm snowsuits. Here in Florida, this morning's temperature of 58 degrees had us breaking out the fleece jammies and jackets.

There are numerous sites on the net that make warm winter wear for dogs, but one of the coolest is Pat-T-Shirt Jammies. Pat makes her jammies from recycled t-shirts! The patterns and colors are totally cool and the fit is great. We have several of these and love them all. We highly recommend Pat's jammies for your dog. Not only are they cool, they are reasonably priced and a portion of profits go to not one but two Chinese Crested/hairless dog Rescue groups! Yay Pat! So go green and help out a homeless dog all at the same time!

Phinn wearing one of Pat's cool rock and roll skeleton t-shirt jammies

Another of our favorite seamstresses is Sue, a volunteer with Crest-Care Chinese Crested Rescue. She makes wonderful fleece jammies for hairless dogs (coated dogs, too) in all sorts of cool patterns and all of the proceeds go to Crest-Care, an organization for which she volunteers. We've ordered several sets of jammies from Sue and they have helped our dogs keep warm and toasty in the cooler months. The fit is perfect and her talent as a seamstress is obvious. So if you want a warm bodysuit for your dog this winter, check out Crest-Care's website for details on how to get some for your dog(s).

Isy enjoying the cooler weather snug in her green camo skull fleece bodysuit

2008-10-23T20:10:00.002-04:00

A fellow Xolo forum member posted this (I think from a Premium List) in reference to the upcoming Palm Springs KC shows in January:

RAMP - At the discretion of the judge, the following breeds may be judged on a ramp: Clumber Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Whippets, Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, Keeshonden, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and Xoloitzcuintli. Basset Hounds are expected to be judged on a ramp. Ramps may be used in emergency situations to judge any breed. (In an emergency situation, an exhibitor does have the option of withdrawing his/her entry and receiving a refund.)

So if you're showing or planning to show your Xolo, it is a good idea to get him/her used to being judged on a table, on a ramp AND on the ground, as they will be judged on the ground in Group.

Rygel Comes Home

2008-10-20T09:36:00.007-04:00

Handsome Rygel is an Intermediate Xoloitzcuintli. He was rescued at the age of 6 months from a backyard breeder in Maine. His adoptive mom saw his photo while perusing one of her favorite websites (and ours), Chinese Crested Crush. Crush is a website dedicated to the Chinese Crested Dog, made up of fanciers of the breed from all over the world. There are lovers of other hairless dog breeds on the site also, and so young Rygel's photo came to the attention of a certain family living in Canada. It was love at first sight.

Rygel with his new pack members

"When we saw his photo, we knew he belonged with us," says his new mom. Already a multi-dog home and well-versed in the care of hairless dogs, an adoption application was sent via cyberspace and young Mr. Rygel was neutered and off he went to start a brand new life in a brand new country.

"When he arrived in Canada, we opened the crate and out came 25 pounds of bouncing puppy. He's so curious and doesn't miss a thing. He got along with our crested's and rotti/cross within a few hours, playing non stop. Rygel seldom naps and will become so tired he'll fall asleep sitting up. He's very nervous around new people, but after a few minutes of barking and watching them, he settles down and tries to make friends. There's not a mean bone in this funny, happy character. Never again would be be without an Xolo in our home. Life would be too boring."

New Monkeypups Biscuit Flavor!

2008-10-20T09:14:00.004-04:00

Whooooo! Now does that look scrumptious or WHAT? These delightful little pinwheels are a twist on one of our most popular biscuit flavors and just perfect for the holidays. Delicious crunchy cookie swirled with sweet, plump organic blueberries will please even the pickiest of eaters! Plus they look great on the Bow Wow Buffet!

Blueberry Pinwheels

Isy's on Twitter!

2008-10-09T09:32:00.005-04:00

Isy's at the social networking thing again! She went and joined Twitter. Check out her page here.

Bark For A Cure

2008-10-07T13:17:00.003-04:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please support breast cancer research. There are many ways to do so. Visit the American Cancer Society's website www.cancer.org for more information on how you can help.

Isy will be doing her part! She will be attending a special Breast Cancer Awareness Yappy Hour in Florida. For details on that event, click on her picture at the top left of the blog. And don't forget to wear your pink!

Pedigree Dog Food Recall

2008-09-13T10:27:00.001-04:00

Popular Dog Food Recalled

POSTED: 9:43 pm EDT September 12, 2008
UPDATED: 9:47 pm EDT September 12, 2008

CARLISLE, Pa. -- Pedigree Dog Food is recalling four varieties of its food
because it may be contaminated by salmonella.
Here are the recalled foods:
* Pedigree Large Breed Original (UPC 2310029158)
* Pedigree Mealtime Crunchy Bites Small (UPC 2310005104)
* Pedigree Small Crunchy Bites Beef (UPC 2310031483)
* Pedigree Small Crunchy Bites (UPC 2310014719)
Officials say there have not been any reports of dogs getting sick.
Customers are urged to check for the above-listed UPC numbers on any
packages of Pedigree Dog food in their homes. If you have any of the dog foods
listed above, Giant and Martin's food stores will accept them for a full refund.
Consumers can also call the Mars Consumer Care Line at 866-298-8332 if they
have questions.

Microchip Helps To Get Child And Dog Home

2008-09-08T10:24:00.001-04:00

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (UPI) -- Police in Port St. Lucie, Fla., say a pet chip
implanted in a dog accompanying a 2-year-old girl who had wandered off
helped them find the toddler's home.

Officers said they received reports of the child, identified as Annabelle
Fabrizio, chasing the dog into traffic at about 7:45 a.m. Sunday, The Palm
Beach Post reported Wednesday.

The police report of the incident said officers contacted an animal control
officer who traced the pet back to registered owner Barbie Molina. The woman
told police she had given the pooch to the young girl's mother, Melissa
Fabrizio.

Police said they took the toddler, who was clad only in a diaper, to her
home, where babysitter Nick Westmoreland, 16, told officers he had thought the
young girl was asleep in her room. Officers said the house's sliding door had
been left open.

Deadly Dog Toy

2008-08-29T11:12:00.002-04:00

Photo credit 2008 Chai

A horrific story of a dog's suffering, all caused by a common rubber ball toy. Please read and check your doggie toy baskets.

http://www.thechaistory.blogspot.com/

Recall info can be found here: http://www.fourpaws.com/news/press-room/four-paws-rough-rugged-pimple-ball-with-bell.htm

Pedigree Pet Food Recall

2008-08-18T19:46:00.001-04:00

Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of Limited Bags of PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites at Albertsons in Southern California and Las Vegas due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- FRANKLIN, Tenn. – August 08, 2008 – Mars Petcare US today announced a voluntary recall of limited bags of PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites sold in Albertsons stores in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella. There have been no complaints or reports of injury resulting from consumption or handling of the recalled product.

The product should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should dispose of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the empty bag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination caused by handling of the pet food, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Recalled Pet Food
Product: PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites
Size: 20-pound bags
UPC Code: 23100 14719
Lot Code: 830BFCAT02
Best Buy Date: 07/2009
Best Buy Date Location: Back of bag
Affected Stores: Albertsons locations in Southern California and Las Vegas.

In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html

Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.
_________________
From www.fda.gov

First Day of School

2008-08-18T16:52:00.003-04:00

Isy goes along on the walk to school on the first day back after summer vacation.

Graduation Night

2008-08-13T21:57:00.005-04:00

We are very proud of our little Isy, as she graduated from Basic Obedience tonight. While she would much rather pretend to be a hound (walk with her face on the floor) or an obstinate toddler (dig in her feet and refuse to move), she did quite well given that we had so much going on during her 8 week session and she did not get as much work time as she needed.

She is not what I would call a natural at Obedience, but especially now, in the throes of early adolescence, we will continue to work with her. Her next step will be Rally. This will give me a little more opportunity to interact and talk with her more while still working on Obedience. I would like to also pursue Agility with her, as she loves to run and jump, but I think right now we will move on to Rally and see how she improves.

Isy very much has her own mind and has definate ideas on what she does and does not want to do. She is going through what I like to call The Sybil Phase right now, enticing play with other dogs and then abruptly becoming very nasty, then intitiating play again. She had to be reprimanded in class this evening for being somewhat of a turd with a perfectly lovely Corgi. It went like this:

Isy: "Oh! Oh! A friend! Oh! Play with me! Play with me!"

Corgi: "Ok! Ok! I'll play with you!"

Play, play, play

Isy: "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

She put on a pretty good show of being a 1st Class Turd, so she got a pretty hefty correction, and sulked the rest of the evening, not even giving Miss Corgi so much as a glance when she came over to try and initiate play again. She simply turned her head. She sought solace in the arms of a little girl who kissed and petted her the rest of the evening.

One thing I do know, Isy will miss seeing her Wednesday night friends. Everyone grew so much in those 8 weeks, both physically (most were pups) and mentally. It's always a little bittersweet when that first Basic class ends, at least for me.

Adventures In Moving Multiple Dogs

2008-08-12T13:33:00.001-04:00

Well, as many of you know, we are moving. Oh so much fun, right? Yeah, I hear ya. A resounding "No!" Especially when the animals get all freaked at the sight of boxes swallowing up all their familiar surroundings. I can predict how it's going to go, much to the hubby's chagrin, especially when my prohecies come true and I am moping while cleaning rivers of pee and bathing dogs constantly, all the while listening to a chorus of YIP YIP YOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLL YIP YIP SQUUUUEEEEEEEAAAAAAAK SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK YOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLL.

So the dogs are crated as we begin packing and moving things, for their own safety and ours. It began as I figured it would, with a resounding ((insert falling water sound here)). Wolfie lifted his leg (something he has only done 3 times in his whole life) onto the wall behind his crate, while he was in it. So I clean it up, then its back to packing boxes. Then I turn around and Isy has peed in her crate. She has developed quite the dislike for her new crate and for any type of training in general. Her favorite thing to do is her impression of a toddler--she just digs in her feet and refuses to move. If she doesn't want to budge, nothing will move her. No silly voices, no treats, no toys, nothing. Can you say "Diva?"

So we clean up her crate, and of course we now need to get in the tub. After she is squeaky clean and doing her best pitiful face and trying to snuggle into my neck ("Oh Mommy, don't put little cold, shivering me back into that cold, hard, terrible crate! I shall surely die!"), we pass by Wolfie, who is looking up at me quite defiantly, from among a puddle of pee. I SWEAR he looked defiant. So, muttering expletives under my breath, I put Miss Isy back into her crate. Mommy doesn't fall for the pitiful look. Wolfie HATES baths with the hose, so that's precisely where I take him, figuring it might deter him from doing it again. We clean the crate again, come inside, and I SWEAR to everything that is holy Isy was standing in pee. @#$%!&! ("Oh my goodness, I seem to have soiled myself, Mommy! Help me! Help!") Um yeah I think perhaps we need to deal with the unpleasantness of soiling our crate for just a few minutes longer. This displeases Her Royal Highness. She begins barking.

"Hey! Hey! HELLOOOOO! I'm in pee here! Hey!"

Long story short this has been going on since day 1 of the move. Isy and Wolfie are tag-teaming with the pee, and Isy decided she would throw in some poop for good measure. So I grab a newborn Pampers, cut a hole for her tail, and slap one on Little Miss Pottys-A-Lot's little naked heiney, put on some jammies, and shoot her the "Ah ha!" look in triumph. I go off to pack some more boxes. My victory was short-lived. On my next pass her diapers were hanging out from beneath her jammies. @#$%&!

I fix them, put her in some tighter-fitting clothes, and get back to business. Mommy is SO going to win. Of course those diapers are bone dry the next time I check. And the next time, and the next time. Oh and did I mention, Wolfie pees in the crate 2 more times that day and Isy decided to get mouthy while I put her diaper back on her prior to putting her to bed for the night? When a loud "AH!" came out of my mouth she gave me a backward glance as if to say, "But Mommy, I was just kiddding..." Uh-huh. Mommy doesn't play! Little turd!

I will be SO glad when we are done moving and everyone settles down.

((sigh))

Gotta love moving!

2008-08-03T22:52:00.002-04:00

When you're a naked dog, comfort is important. When you're a working naked dog, comfort is extremely important. Normal nylon or cotton web/blend collars can rub delicate skin and leave it red and irritated. More than once during and after obedience class we'd been asked, "What's wrong with her neck?" and felt terrible that poor Isy's neck was getting irritated by the same nylon training collars I'd been using for years. Well, I said to myself: "Self, Rottweilers have hair there--Xolos do not." DUH! ;-)

So we were off in search of a super-soft collar that could be both an everyday collar and a working collar. We wanted fashionable and functional, and boy did we find it at K9 Closet! Miss Heidi was fabulous from start to finish, listening to our needs and concerns and she went above and beyond in creating us collars that were fun, funky, fashionable and best of all for us, functional.

When we received our package from K9 Closet (and it came in record time), we were thrilled beyond words. When I touched the inside of the Smoothie collars, I was in Heaven. These things are so buttery soft you'll want your own clothes to be made of this stuff! They came embroidered, too, with each dog's name!

We were also excited to receive the satin Martingale Combo. This collar has an awesome side-release buckle. No more fighting with collars over the head to make sure they're fitted properly! They also eliminate dogs being able to back out of their collars and get away if they're spooked or just plain being naughty. ;-) We definately appreciated that, as Miss Isy can be, well, let's just say...obstinate. :-D And not only are they awesome for walks and obedience class, they come in so many fabulous colors and designs. You can even get sparklies for the buckles! ((Insert squeal of delight here)) Yep, that's right, you can get your choice of many different colors of shimmering, sparkling swarovski crystals on the buckles! Isy looked like a little royal princess strutting around with her satin and crystal-adorned Martingale Combo! Everywhere we go, we receive compliments on that collar. The workmanship on K9 Closet products is top notch. So we say, our hats (er, collars?) are off to you Miss Heidi, for keeping us gorgeous as we work, play and socialize! You've got a customer for life!

Check out K9 Closet's massive collection of pawsome products at www.k9closet.com.

Yelp for Kelp!!!

2008-07-22T21:56:00.004-04:00

Monkeypups is at it again, this time capturing the age-old benefits of organic kelp in a delicious new biscuit! Check it out!

Kelp Krunchies

Go Team Xolo!

2008-07-02T20:28:00.004-04:00

XCUSA(Xoloitzcuintle Club USA) and XRUSA(Xolo Rescue USA) are offering t-shirts carrying the logo of both clubs and will serve as a fundraiser for both groups. Shirts will be cotton, navy blue and say "TEAM XOLO" underneath the logos. Cost for each shirt is $20.00. Include $5.00 additional for shipping if you are unable to pick yours up at the Specialty shows.

Please e-mail Barbara at gwinndell@aol.com if you would like to purchase a shirt and she will give you mailing details. Checks are to be made out to XCUSA. Please include mailing fee if you are unable to pick your shirts up at the shows.

Please include size so they know how many of each to order. They will be ready for the specialties, July 25th.

Contact: Barbara
Gwinn-Dell Irish Wolfhounds & Xoloitzcuintle

Illness, Death Dog Nutro Pet Food

2008-07-02T07:40:00.001-04:00

Company Denies a Link to Scores of Sudden Illnesses

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com
June 23, 2008

A series of mysterious illness and death dogs Nutro pet food. Scores of pet owners report their animals became ill while eating Nutro products, then recovered when they were switched to another brand. At least six dogs have died in the past two months, according to an analysis of complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com. The company discounts the reports, saying they are isolated and unconfirmed; at least one Nutro employee, sickened by the company's response, told us she resigned.In related developments, ConsumerAffairs.com has learned:

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently investigated the April deaths of two dogs in Indiana. The FDA tested samples of the Nutro food those dogs ate, but did not find any toxins. No one, however, has tested the Nutro food the other dogs ate before they died;

• A pet nutrition specialist for Nutro confirmed she's heard complaints about the company's food making dogs and cats sick. She reported those concerns to her supervisor, but said they were ignored. She recently resigned;

• There is a shortage of some varieties of Nutro dog food. The company says this is a supply problem – not a safety or quality issue;

• Some consumers have sent their pets' food to Nutro for testing. They have not received any results. Other pet owners plan to hire private labs to test their food and report their concerns to the FDA and the Animal Poison Control Center run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

The six dogs that recently died include two Italian Greyhounds in Indiana, a Beagle/Whippet mix in Pennsylvania, two German Shepherd puppies in North Carolina, and a Doberman Pinscher in Texas. The dogs' owners all say their pets were in good health and they're convinced that Nutro's food is somehow connected to their animals' deaths. Those concerns are echoed by pet owners whose dogs and cats have recently become sick after eating the company's food. Nutro, however, defends its products and says the food is 100 percent safe. But scores of pet owners across the country -- including longtime Nutro customers -- no longer feel safe feeding this brand of food to their dogs and cats.

Max and Sophia

They're consumers like Theresa C. of Indianapolis. Her two healthy Greyhounds -- Max and Sophia -- died within days after eating Nutro's Natural Choice Small Bites Lamb and Rice food. "We bought Nutro for the first time in April," Theresa said. "And within four or five days, both of our dogs were dead. These were healthy dogs that have never been sick. They were extremely housetrained, but before they died, they both were urinating everywhere…we were constantly refilling their water bowl."
Sophia, their four-year-old Italian Greyhound, showed the first signs of illness.
"On Sunday, April 27, she was vomiting, acting dizzy, and she became skittish," Theresa said. "Italian Greyhounds also don't smell, but I noticed Sophia had an unusual smell before she died. It was almost a sickening smell; I've never smelled anything like it before." Sophia's condition quickly deteriorated. "She continued to vomit up liquid and bile into the early hours of Monday, April 28," Theresa said. "And she became dizzy and almost appeared to be drunk." Theresa rushed Sophia to the emergency animal hospital. "By the time I got her there she was comatose and in kidney failure. She had to be euthanized." Max, her three-year-old Italian Greyhound, had started to experience the same problems. "He began vomiting at 2:30 am, but was not as ill as Sophia had been," Theresa said. "When I got him to the vet she found elevated creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) levels. She administered an IV and retested later in the evening on the 28th. The levels were still rising but, she said he may pull through." Max's condition, however, did not improve. "By the morning of the 29th he had blood in the whites of his eyes, was vomiting again, and showing signs of distress," Theresa said. "We again had his blood checked and the levels were through the roof." Max's kidneys were failing. "Our vet told us there is no hope because he was in renal failure…we decide to euthanize to limit his suffering." Losing both dogs -- in such a short period time -- was heart-wrenching for Theresa, her husband, and their six children. "I don't know who cried more – me, my husband, or my 20-year-old son. I was a mess for a week." Despite her grief, Theresa vowed to find the cause of Max and Sophia's sudden deaths. Her vet suspected antifreeze poisoning. "But we don't have antifreeze around our home," Theresa said. "These dogs were never alone. And we have the same neighbors we've had since Max was a puppy. I didn't see how it could be antifreeze poisoning." Theresa had autopsies done on her dogs at Purdue University. She sent samples of their kidney tissues to Michigan State University for testing. She and her family also contacted the FDA and Nutro. "Our 20-year-old son called Nutro after Sophia died and he asked if there was something wrong with the food. He said we've already had one dog die and another one is sick. "The girl at Nutro said we've had complaints, but nothing that is a known issue right now."

FDA tests
The FDA immediately investigated the dogs' deaths. "An investigator came over to my home before we had the autopsy results back," Theresa said. "He took samples of the food and had me file a complaint." ConsumerAffairs.com confirmed that on May 7, 2008, an FDA investigator took samples of Theresa's Nutro food and had it tested for several contaminants, including melamine, aflatoxins, and ethylene glycol. That's a chemical in antifreeze. Those tests did not find any toxins in the food. "Findings were negative for melamine and its analog, aflatoxins, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, and for salmonella," the lab report stated. "No significant filth or foreign material was found."

Antifreeze
Theresa is baffled by the FDA's findings. "I wonder if there's something in the food they're not testing for," she said after reviewing the FDA's report. Theresa is also puzzled by the autopsy results on her dogs – and the tests run on their kidney tissues. Those examinations revealed Max and Sophia had high levels of ethylene glycol in their systems, which indicated the dogs' deaths were consistent with antifreeze poisoning. With Theresa's permission, ConsumerAffairs.com sent copies of her dogs' medical records to veterinary toxicologist, Dr. Steven Hansen. He's the senior vice-president of the ASPCA's Midwest Office, which houses the organization's Animal Poison Control Center. After reviewing the reports with a pathologist in his office, Dr. Hansen said: "The kidney lesions do not fit with melamine but are consistent with ethylene glycol. Since ethylene glycol was confirmed in high concentrations in the kidneys and not in the diet the diagnosis in this case is clear. Unfortunately, the dogs did die of antifreeze poisoning." Theresa, however, still has her doubts. "I know these dogs didn't get near antifreeze…especially in these extreme amounts," said Theresa, who may hire a private lab to test her Nutro food. "Like I said, I wonder if there's something in the food that no one is testing for."

Blue death

Two states away, another grieving pet owner shares Theresa's concerns about Nutro's food. Susi B. of Pittsburgh, Pa., said her healthy ten-year-old Beagle/Whippet mix died on May 30th. She suspects Nutro's Lamb and Rice food is the culprit behind the sudden death of her beloved dog, Blue. "I bought that bag at the end of March, and when I opened it up, it looked like it had little white bugs all over it," said Susi, a longtime Nutro customer. "When I picked up the food, it was like a granular substance. But I didn't think much about it because the food wasn't part of the recall." Blue, she said, gradually started to become sick. "I'd come home and see where he'd thrown up. But I didn't think about the food." When she returned from work on April 18, Susi found Blue collapsed on the floor. "Normally, he'd run to the door and greet me, but when I walked in that day I couldn't find him right away. He was on the floor and breathing heavy." Susi immediately took Blue to the vet. "But the vet couldn't find anything except an elevated white count, a low red blood count (he was anemic), and he had a temperature," Susi said. "They gave him an antibiotic and vitamins." Susi also took Blue off his Nutro food and fed him hamburger and rice. "And he got better. So over the next couple of weeks, I slowly reintroduced the Nutro dog food to him." Blue's condition worsened again. "He got to the point that when I put Nutro in front of him, he refused to eat it," she said. "And he was a dog who would eat everything. He didn't want to eat anything except melted ice cream. His weight went from 26 pounds to 18 pounds. He was skin and bones. He was lethargic. He became so weak he could no longer walk outside to use the bathroom or stand to drink water." That's when Susi launched her own investigation. "I went online and Googled Nutro and found out (on ConsumerAffairs.com) about all these other dogs that had symptoms like mine."

Bare shelves
She also discovered that some of Nutro's pet foods -- including the variety she'd fed Blue -- were no longer on the shelves at her local pet store. "There was a note in the store that said the shortage was due to some manufacturing issues." Susi immediately called Nutro to get some answers. "I was told the reason the food was not on the shelves was because the company that made the bags had a machine break, and the company ran out of chicken. But I was feeding lamb and rice." What about the complaints regarding Nutro's food? "They said they were aware of your Web site and considered it nothing but a blog," Theresa said. "They said when one person posted (a complaint) it caused a panic, and none of those dogs' owner have contacted us." At Nutro's request, Susi sent the company four cups of Blue's food for testing.
That was several weeks ago, but she has not received any results. "I'm trying to find an independent lab to test the food, but some say it would be a conflict of interest to test the food and others say they don't know what to test for."
Susi said she'll keep digging for answers until she finds out what caused Blue to suddenly die in his sleep on May 30th. "I'm convinced Blue's death is tied to that food and I won't stop until I prove it," she said, adding the last test done on her dogs indicated he had a blood tumor. "If I had listened to my dog, he might be alive today." The guilt and pain surrounding Blue's death, she said, is almost unbearable. "It's devastating. He was my best friend for more than ten years. He followed me all over the house. And in a matter of six to eight weeks after we opened that last bag of food, he'd gotten to the point that I had to carry him outside and hold him up to go to the bathroom. I am 100 percent convinced there is something in that food that is affecting these animals," she added. "It's not a coincidence that all these dogs are getting sick."

Dead puppies
A grieving pet owner in North Carolina echoes those suspicions about Nutro's food.
Birgit H. of Franklinville said two of her puppies -- from the same litter of seven -- suddenly died on June 3rd. The healthy six-week-old German Shepherds -- Anna and Anja -- had similar symptoms as the other dogs that died after eating Nutro's food.

Anna and Anja

"They were vomiting, had diarrhea, and were lethargic," Birgit said. What's so alarming to Birgit is the speed at which the puppies' health deteriorated. "We started feeding them Nutro puppy food on June 2 and they died on June 3," she said. "I worked in a vet's office for ten years and I've never seen anything like this before. I've never seen dogs going down so fast, then get back up, then eat again, and crash. They got so weak and died so fast." The veterinarians who treated the puppies couldn't explain their sudden deaths. "They were puzzled because the puppies did fine in the morning, but that afternoon, they just died," Birgit said. "One died at home and one died at the vet's office. Everyone is puzzled by this. The first thing you think of with puppies is Parvo (a viral illness). But there weren't symptoms of Parvo. And if one dog has Parvo, they all have it. There's no way that happened. These puppies were healthy before we put them on Nutro."
The other five puppies in the litter -- and the mother dog -- also showed signs of illness. "All the other puppies had started throwing up," Birgit said. "Then I received a phone call from another breeder and he asked me if I had recently switched to Nutro food. He told me about all the other dogs that had gotten sick on the food. "That night, my husband and I put the dogs back on their old food and everyone is fine again." Her friend's call, she said, saved her dogs' lives.
"I would have killed all my dogs because I would have kept feeding them that food."

Nutro not alarmed
Birgit contacted Nutro, but said the company didn't seem alarmed by the loss of her dogs. "I've been on the phone with Nutro three times and they're blowing me off. I told them they need to take the food off the shelf and test it. But the person I talked to said the company won't do that; they said they have quality food."
In another call to Nutro – in which she waited for an hour to talk to someone -- the company "finally took a report." "But they didn't ask me for a lot number on the bag or the date of purchase," Birgit said. "All they gave me was a customer number. That's it. They really disappointed me." Nutro also wanted the rest of Birgit's puppy food. "I told them 'no. I'm not sending you all my food.' They didn't like that. I'm thinking of getting it tested somewhere else." She also plans to contact the FDA and the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center about her puppies' deaths.
Nutro, however, did offer Birgit an explanation for the sudden deaths of her puppies – and the recent illnesses in pets nationwide that have eaten the company's food. "They said it was a coincidence." Birgit doesn't buy that explanation.
"Maybe one or two cases could be a coincidence. But it can't be a coincidence with so many cases. And it can't be a coincidence that once you take the dogs off the food they're fine. I'm not one to point fingers, but as soon as I took the puppies off the Nutro food, we didn't have any more vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy. They are now all doing great. So is their mom. Nutro needs to take this food off the shelves and test it." Until that happens, this professional dog breeder will not recommend Nutro to her clients. "I always thought it was a good food, but now, I wouldn't feed Nutro to my worst enemy."

McGee
Neither will a grieving pet owner in Texas. Peter B. of Houston said his nine-year-old Doberman Pinscher, McGee, suddenly died in April. McGee ate Nutro, too. And his symptoms mirror those of the other dogs that have recently died after eating Nutro's food. "He was a healthy Doberman…he was fine before," Peter said. That all changed on April 27. "I came home around 6pm and was outside watering my lawn," Peter said. "I noticed McGee was on the ground and had thrown up. He was also shaking." As the night progressed, McGee's condition took a turn for the worse. He threw up again. And it looked like more food that I'd given him," Peter said. "He was also thirsty. He just wasn't himself." Later that evening, Peter noticed McGee had started breathing heavily. "And he kept getting water. He then started shaking again…he just wasn't right. McGee went back outside at 2 am," Peter continued. "When he came back in, he got some water and then he was sitting in the hallway." A short time later, McGee came back into Peter's bedroom. "He flopped down and he was breathing heavily, he was shaking, and crying." Peter rushed to get McGee immediate medical attention. "We tried to get him in our SUV and all of the sudden, he collapsed. I put him in the back and probably did 100 mph going to the vet." But McGee died on the way. "He was gone when we got there. They tried CPR, but he was gone." The veterinarian wasn't sure what caused McGee's sudden death. "He was pretty generic," Peter said. "But he said it might have been some type of heart arrhythmia. "In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten an autopsy, but it was such a shocker." Peter, however, started researching possible causes for McGee's sudden death. "I put in some of the symptoms he had and Googled them," he said. "And Nutro kept showing up. I thought that was scary because that's what I've always fed him. But I noticed that these problems seemed to be a lot more recent…they were new problems." Peter contacted Nutro about McGee's death. "I've sent them three e-mails, but they haven't responded. I tried the 800-number, but it kept ringing and ringing."

No Nutro
Peter also stopped by the local pet store where he bought McGee's food. "The shelves that contained Nutro Natural Choice were almost bare. That never has happened." He asked a Nutro representative -- who was working in the same aisle -- about the shortage. "He stated that no recall was in effect, and Nutro just happened to shut down a few plants producing what he termed 'not as tasty food,' and the 'quality' was not up to par." That explanation didn't make sense to Peter.
"Seeing that a dog can't talk, I asked him how the company would know if the food was not 'tasty.' It seemed far more plausible that a company whose main product is dog food would not shut down a plant -- and have no product -- unless some very extreme situations were coming to light." Peter then told the Nutro representative about McGee's sudden death. The representative called it a "coincidence."
But Peter is certain something is wrong with Nutro's food. He plans to hire a private lab to test the food and prove his theory. "I'm doing this because something has truly happened. I don't have any evidence now, but based on my dog's symptoms and all the complaints I've read, the logical deduction is the food probably got some dogs sick, and in my case, caused my dog's death." He added, "I will not let this be swept under the rug and hopefully will get the confirmation I am looking for by testing the pet food I still have."

Scores sickened
During our investigation, we found that scores of pets -- primarily dogs -- continue to become seriously ill after eating Nutro's food. Consider what happened to a healthy, three-year-old Chocolate Lab named Choco. His owner, Sharon A., of Cheektowaga, New York, has fed him Nutro Max for the past five months.
He never had any problems eating the food until April. "That's when he suddenly got sick," she said. "He started vomiting, had loose bowel movements (diarrhea) and was very lethargic. It really worried me so I took him to the vet. He even threw up at the vet's office." The veterinarian diagnosed Choco with pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas). "They put him on IV's, gave him some antibiotics and Pepcid, and kept him hospitalized for three days," Sharon said. "When I brought him home, he was much better – almost back to normal." The vet also switched Choco to a prescription dog food. "They told me when he was done with that food he could go back to Nutro. But when I put him back on Nutro, he got sick again – with the same symptoms." Her vet ran additional tests on Choco. "This time, they said he did not have pancreatitis, but they gave him antibiotics anyway." Choco's condition, however, did not improve. "He got sick again and I took him to the vet for a third time," Sharon said. "They said his levels were elevated again for pancreatitis. They put him on IV's and other medications." Like other pet owners, Sharon started to investigate her dog's symptoms. Her search led her to ConsumerAffairs.com.
"I couldn't believe all those people on your Web site whose dogs had the same symptoms as mine," Sharon said. "After I read all those, I stopped feeding Choco the Nutro food. And he's now gotten better." Does she think it's a coincidence that so many pets have become sick after eating Nutro's food? No way. "They get sick when they're eating Nutro – they have vomiting, diarrhea, and they're lethargic," said Sharon. "And they get better when they stop eating the food. I don't think that's a coincidence."

Overseas complaints
Our investigation also found that some dogs overseas are now experiencing similar health problems after eating Nutro's food. We learned that two healthy Italian Greyhounds, who live on a U.S. military base in Italy, recently became sick.
Their owner, Michelle M., purchased their Nutro food at the base's commissary.
"I thought the yard started to smell funny after they had been on Nutro for a couple of weeks," she said. "I noticed that they threw up regularly, particularly the nine-month old." His condition worsened last week. "He woke up and started to whine for no reason," she said. "He was clearly in pain, if he stood up his back legs shook, then he would go lie down. He has been lethargic all day and has passed four bloody/mucus-filled stools." Michelle desperately searched for answers.
She ran an online search of Nutro and was shocked to learn that scores of other dogs -- eating the same brand of food -- had experienced similar problems.
"I am detached from all of the press stateside and am very upset that no effort has been made to alert military families overseas of a possible problem (with the food.)"
Michelle stopped feeding her dogs Nutro and is now cooking chicken and rice for them.
"I'm hoping there will not be any long-term health consequences for my boys. They are both members of my family and my children and I love them immensely."
She added: "I'm glad we caught this in time, unlike some of the others who have reported very serious illnesses or even death associated with this brand of dog food. If the FDA is examining Nutro, they need to move quickly -- it is hard to tell how many people at overseas military bases are feeding this (food) to their dogs and possibly killing them."

Ex-Nutro employee
Michelle's complaint -- and the scores of others we received about Nutro food -- don't surprise a former pet nutrition specialist for the company. "I would say that about 20 people in the last six months came up to me and said their pets were having similar problems with Nutro's food," the former employee told us. "They said their dogs and cats were vomiting, they were lethargic, had diarrhea, and were drinking lots of water." The former employee, who asked not to be identified, reported those complaints to her boss. But her concerns, she said, fell on deaf ears.
"Every time I brought it up the chain, my concerns were brushed off. All I kept hearing about was the wonderful quality controls Nutro has."
Frustrated by the company's lack of response – and worried about the safety of pets nationwide -- the employee left Nutro and agreed to share her concerns with us.
"I do not feel comfortable promoting a product that is currently showing a very strong correlation with causing pet illness or death," said the employee, who is also a certified veterinary technician. "For 82 years Nutro had stood on its own as a leader in pet specialty. This past year, Nutro has lost consumer confidence and shaken my confidence as well. Something is wrong."

News of the recent deaths possibly linked to Nutro's food is especially troubling to this former employee. "On my last day, one of the managers of a store I worked with came to me and reported a very recent death of a young dog. The dog's owner and its vet highly suspect it was caused by Nutro Lamb and Rice (small bites).
"I sure hope that it wasn't the Nutro food, but due to some of these sudden death incidents it makes me fearful that it is," the former employee said.
She wondered if these health problems could be related to the way Nutro's food is stored and transported on trucks. "Are there pesticides on those trucks?" she asked. "The bags are not covered in plastics when they arrive at the stores. They're in paper bags. Could something be leaching into the bags? Is something happening during the transport? It's just a theory. "I think that further testing needs to be done with the food."

'Hearsay'
We contacted Nutro about the complaints we've received regarding its food. A company spokesperson, who resigned last week, directed us to Nutro's Web site.
The company posted new information after we started asking questions about Nutro's food and its possible connection to the illnesses and deaths of pets nationwide.
"All NUTRO products are 100 percent safe and conform to the standards set by the FDA, USDA, and AAFCO," the Web site states. "NUTRO pet foods undergo rigorous quality assurance testing, beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing all finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO pet foods."
The company said the complaints we've received are "isolated reports of inaccurate information posted online. Many blogs and Internet sites can be a repository for misinformation and hearsay regarding many topics," the company wrote.
Nutro said the recent shortages of some of its foods are supply issues – and have nothing to do with any safety concerns. Over the past several months, suppliers of key ingredients used in select products have been unable to meet Nutro's volume needs," the company stated. "We have secured additional high quality supply sources and while availability will vary by marketplace, we can now say that supply issues are being resolved." The company said its Natural Choice Venison Meal and Brown Rice, and Natural Choice Herring Meal, Rice and Potato foods should arrive in stores later this month. Nutro denied reports that any of its plants are closing.

Formulas changed
The company also confirmed that it recently changed some of its formulas. "MAX Dog and MAX Cat foods have been improved with the addition of more chicken and/or salmon," the company stated. "MAX Large Breed Puppy and MAX Large Breed Adult are now being made with chicken meal rather than beef meal because preference testing has shown that dogs prefer the taste of the chicken product."
The company said it rarely receives complaints about its products, but takes all concerns seriously. Customers can contact Nutro's Consumer Service line at 1-800-833-5330. "In the rare instance when a consumer does have a concern with any of our products, an in-depth review of the consumer-provided samples is performed to determine if an issue does exist," the company stated. We asked Nutro if it had recently tested its foods for possible toxins. The company did not respond to that question. Meanwhile, some loyal Nutro customers warn pet owners not to jump to conclusions based on what they call unsubstantiated claims posted on the Internet.
Veterinarians also told us it's not uncommon for pets to have sudden bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. They said a number of factors -- pet food, stress, or a viral infection-- could be the culprit.
But Dr. Hansen with the ASPCA agreed that additional testing and research should be done in these cases. He encouraged pet owners to report any problems with Nutro to the FDA, his organization's Poison Control Center, the pet food maker, and their veterinarians.

Still a mystery
For now, the recent illnesses and deaths in many pets that have eaten Nutro remains a mystery. Even to pet owners like Theresa, who still believes that Nutro played a role in the deaths of her Italian Greyhounds. "I have a gut feeling something in that food is making dogs sick and killing others. And I truly believe it is what killed both my dogs…I just wish we could prove it."

FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO Distribution Center

2008-06-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2008
Media Inquiries:
Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

Today, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, Ill., pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago.

U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions. (The Act uses the term "insanitary" to describe such conditions).

During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation.

"We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy and unsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company's failure to adequately control and prevent pests in its facility," said Margaret O'K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "Consumers expect that such safeguards will be in place not only for human food, but for pet food as well."

The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

FDA has no reports of pet illness or death associated with consumption of animal food distributed by PETCO, and does not have evidence that the food is unsafe for animals. However, the seized products were in permeable packages and held under conditions that could affect the food's integrity and quality.

As a precaution, consumers who have handled products originating from the PETCO distribution center should thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap. Any surfaces that came in contact with the packages should be washed as well. Consumers are further advised as a precaution to thoroughly wash products sold in cans and glass containers from PETCO in the 16 affected states.

If a pet has become ill after eating these food products, pet owners should contact their veterinarian and report illnesses to FDA state consumer complaint coordinators.

Quixote The Xolo

2008-06-18T21:29:00.011-04:00

Quixote is a handsome young Toy Xolo who recently appeared on a cable television program with his mom Sharon Tydell, promoting pet rescue and proving that with enough persistence you can find any type of pet in rescue that needs a loving home. We were so impressed, we asked Sharon if she would like to do a piece for Xolo Love. Happily, she agreed.

See Quixote's cable tv debut!

Where do you live?

Quixote & I live in West Hollywood, California.

How did Quixote come to be with you?

Well, about four years ago I was down in Del Mar watching a horse show and I saw a little hairless dog running around. I thought, “Gee, he looks like a really cute Chinese Crested!” I met his owner--we talked for quite awhile--and the whole time I was thinking we were talking about a Chinese Crested, until she said something about a Xolo. Well, I had seen a few 30 lb. Xolos, but I didn’t know they bred them this small! She said that if I was interested in a puppy, she would let me know when his breeder had a litter. A year later, she contacted me to let me know two puppies were available. I asked how much, and when she told me ($3,000!!!), I said, “No, thank you! I then went online and began my search to ADOPT a small Xolo who needed a good home. I searched periodically on a couple of different Xolo rescue websites, as well as Petfinder.com. I was really searching for one that looked like the cute little nekkid doggie I saw in Del Mar. I honestly didn’t think I would find him!! And finally, three years later, there he was on Petfinder.com. I immediately contacted the rescue--Shortnsweetdogrescue.org--run by Debby Sweet in Templeton, California. She said he was being fostered in Solvang, California and put me in touch with his foster mom, Dawn Marie. Dawn Marie gave me what turned out to be a very honest and accurate assessment of the little guy, and met me in Ventura with “Tyrant” (that was his name before I changed it to Quixote). Even though I had seen one before, I was still a bit stunned! But he did look a lot like the one I saw in Del Mar, and he had perfect skin, great teeth, and he was a perfect little specimen! Just what I was looking for! He was really beautiful. Well, before I knew it, I had signed the adoption papers, paid a fair and reasonable adoption fee, and there he was sitting in the passenger seat next to me! As we drove away, he put his little paws on the door and looked out the window as if to say, “Bye…I’m going to my new home!” And then proceeded to curl up in a tight ball and sleep the entire way home. I thought he had narcolepsy! He was out cold. As I got to know him, we simply fell in love with each other and we have been inseparable ever since. He is truly my little soulmate.

How old is Quixote?

When I adopted him in August 2007, he was about ten months old according to the vet.

What are some of his favorite things?

He LOVES to sleep on my bed with or without me! And he LOVES his toys. He always plays with his toys and never mistakenly chews my shoes or anything that wasn’t his. He’s such a good boy! He LOVES his walks. He looks forward to them every morning as HE gets ME up and out to get a little exercise!

How does Quixote like to spend the majority of his time?

Sleeping, following me around, staring at me, or playing with his wide variety of toys!!!

What do you know of his history prior to coming to you?

I was told he arrived at the rescue with his brother and mother. His brother is a tan Xolo who was adopted by his foster mom, and his mother is a hairier Xolo and Debby told me a nice older couple adopted her. I was told they may have come from a backyard breeding operation.

Below: Baby Quixote (right) and his brother

What word best describes your experience as a Xolo owner?

Privileged!

Do you have any other Xolos?

No, I don’t have any other dogs at all. I’ve thought about it and I periodically look on Petfinder, but I’ve decided to keep Quixote as an only child for the time being.

What advice would you give to others thinking they might like to investigate acquiring a Xolo?

Be prepared to meet your new buddy for life! I can understand why Xolos are called “Velcro Dogs”! I even got Quixote a t-shirt that says “Stalker” on the back! LOL! I noticed you have to be careful [how] your Xolo plays, because if he/she gets scratched or nipped, there’s no fur to act as a buffer. So I’m a bit of an over-protective mom. Xolos are extremely smart, loyal, alert and most of all, unique. So be prepared to meet a lot of people who want to know what kind of dog you have!

All photos in this article copyright Sharon Tydell, used with permission.

ProHeart 6 Returns to Market After Nearly Four Years

2008-06-18T19:48:00.001-04:00

This is from an editorial from 6/17/2008 USA Today:

ProHeart 6 -- a controversial heartworm drug for dogs -- came back on the market last week, almost four years after it was pulled when hundreds of dogs died and thousands more suffered adverse reactions. Ordinarily, this might be of interest mainly to pet owners and veterinarians. But this is much more than a dog story.

During the process that took ProHeart 6 off the market, the drug's maker investigated and denounced a Food and Drug Administration scientist who gathered the damning data. And instead of protecting its scientist, the FDA booted her off the case and tried to have her criminally prosecuted.

It's a disturbing tale for anyone who relies on pharmaceutical companies and the FDA to ensure that medicines for animals and humans are safe, one that raises questions about the conduct of a major corporation and its federal regulator.

The story begins in 2001, when ProHeart 6 came on the U.S. market. It was regarded as a breakthrough. Veterinarians could inject it once every six months, replacing the once-a-month pill people gave -- or often forgot to give -- their dogs to ward off potentially deadly heartworms. Though many dogs did fine on ProHeart 6, others had dangerous complications. Eventually, the FDA says, 500 to 600 dogs died and there were "adverse" reactions, including seizures and uncontrolled bleeding, in 5,500 to 6,000.

In 2004, the FDA pushed ProHeart 6 manufacturer Fort Dodge Animal Health, a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Wyeth, to remove the drug from the market. Wyeth argued that the drug was safe but agreed to remove it. Then it fought back.

The company targeted Victoria Hampshire, a veterinarian and FDA safety officer who collected and analyzed the adverse drug reports on ProHeart 6. Wyeth hired investigators who dug up information on Hampshire's home, her tax records and a veterinary website where a handful of her friends and veterinary clients could buy drugs and pet supplies. (It's not uncommon for FDA's vets to practice medicine part-time in their off hours.) Wyeth executives then alleged that Hampshire had a conflict of interest.

Without telling Hampshire what was going on, the FDA took her off the ProHeart 6 case and began an internal investigation that culminated when FDA investigators asked the U.S. attorney in Maryland to criminally prosecute her. It took one day for the U.S. attorney to sort through the flimsy referral and refuse to press charges. The FDA eventually exonerated Hampshire, and she now works at the agency in a different job.

ProHeart 6, meanwhile, is back on the market. The manufacturer and the FDA say the drug is safe, free of the solvent residue thought to have caused the earlier problems. But the drug is being administered under a strict "risk minimization" plan that applies to only a small number of FDA-approved drugs for animals and humans.

We know much of this story not because Wyeth or the FDA disclosed it voluntarily, but because a persistent investigation by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, dragged it out of them. The probe revealed that Wyeth officials had easy, undocumented access to the FDA to lobby for ProHeart 6 and attack Hampshire. FDA managers seemed more interested in placating Wyeth than in dealing fairly with one of its scientists.

The most troubling aspect of this is the effect it will inevitably have on other FDA safety officers. After seeing what can happen when someone gathers evidence that a drug is unsafe, what safety officers wouldn't think twice about risking their careers by antagonizing powerful companies?

That's a terribly dangerous way to run a drug safety process that can ultimately mean life or death to animals and humans alike.

B & W Profile

2008-06-10T20:14:00.000-04:00

An Interview With Lola's Boutique

2008-06-07T20:15:00.020-04:00

While perusing the plethera of online doggie boutiques for some cold weather wear for my dogs, I came across Lola's Boutique. The first thing that came to my mind was WOW. These aren't your run-of-the-mill, one-size-fits-all dog clothes or your kid's old onesie, or yes, as I have done, a sock (yes, that's right, I said it--a sock) with holes cut into it for doggie legs(I can hear the collective gasps now). I know, I know, the shame. No, this my friends, is canine couture.

The first thing that caught my eye (other than the simply fabulous style and fit of these garments) was the fact that their models are Xolos. Xolos are difficult enough to come across, but dog apparel of this caliber is--in my opinion--even harder. Lola, Charo and Consuelo all live in Montreal with their human Ralf, who was kind enough to consent to this interview.

How/when did you learn about Xolos?

When studying Veterinary Medicine, over 20 years ago, I went to a dog breed exhibition to learn more about breeds. They had a couple of standard Xolos. Their eyes spoke to me. I did about as much research as I could back then but there was very little info to be found and even less Xolos! I never really pursued it further, accepting them almost as a myth more than a reality. I had mentioned how cool I thought they were to an exchange student from Mexico and left it at that. Many years later he tracked me down because he had found Lola, who was in need of a home. The rest is history...

Tell us a little about each of your Xolos.

Lola is the matriarch, extremely intelligent and extremely loving, which makes her a worry wort. Always concerned about where every one is, always alert. She is from authentic old Mexican stock and very cobby...looks exactly like the colima pottery dogs. Charo is my litle goofball, all she wants to do is play, then play and maybe play some more. She is goofy, clumsy, a gluton and a thief. She is also cuddly, gentle, attentive and the worlds best hugger. She even sleeps hugging her toys. Consuelo is, I must admit, Daddy's spoiled little girl. She is very protective of me, jealous, very regal, snobby, a ham in front of a camera, very girly and a velcro dog. If she was human she would be Linda Evangelista or Naomi Campbell!

When did you open Lola’s Boutique?

2002. Necessity became a business idea. Because of Lola's nakedness and odd shape, I could not find anything stylish or even that would fit properly. The stuff you find in stores is more often than not ill fitting, made in cheap, yucky feeling fabrics and embarrassing or uncomfortable for the dog. Most pet clothes are more to amuse the owner than to fill the dogs needs. Mine are not. I vowed when I started Lola's that I would never make something for a pooch that I would not put on my child. I will not make a dress for a Lab or a Tutu for a Jack Russell just as I will not make a coat for a Saint Bernard or put hats on dogs. They just hate it with a passion!

What was your vision for the boutique when you began? Would you say you’ve achieved it?

I wanted to provide a service for people whose pets are truly a family member; that would make available what I could not find out there. I also wanted to create fun, beautiful garments that were for the pet more than for the owner, and that served a true purpose. Warmth for little or hairless dogs, comfortable style for "purse dogs", fitting clothes for barrel-chested Pugs, skinny deep chested sight hounds, short-legged long-bodied Bassets, special garments for dogs with special needs such as alopecia, handicaps, amputations, etc. I'm very proud of my work.

Do you have a storefront or are you online only?

My boutique at the moment is strictly virtual. Several boutiques carried my stuff in Toronto but that was not something I enjoyed. I prefer the custom approach. I will have a boutique/no kill shelter/daycare at some point. It's the plan...

Are your designs available anywhere else?

No.

*Where are you located?

Montreal.

Are all the outfits from Lola’s made-to-order?

Absolutely, I custom design and make to measure each outfit for the individual doggie.

Do you take requests/special orders?

If it is respectful and comfortable for the pooch, imagination is the limit. As most artists, I work better and have better results when I'm am allowed to be creative.

What is your most popular outfit/accessory?

The Roll-up bodysuit. I got a patent for it.

Are your designs conceived by you or do you have a design team?

Just me for now. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and control freak. In the very busy seasons I might have to consider getting help to sew.

What is the most unusual or challenging request you’ve ever received with regard to canine couture?

I would not say it was challenging but I once went above and beyond what the client had requested for my personal pleasure! A young bride-to-be from Vancouver, BC sent me swatches of the fabrics her Bride's Maid dress were going to be made in and a picture of the dress, a pink princess gown. She had requested some kind of an ornament to put around her Shih-Tzu's neck, because she wanted the dog present at the wedding. Much to her surprise, I actually made the same dress for her doggie. I was glad it would be a treasured memory of that day and she will cherish it even more once the doggie passes.

What sets Lola’s Boutique apart from the crowd?

It's a project of love more than a business. A service provided by a true dog lover for other true dog lovers.

Consuelo (main photo top center), Charo (yellow), Lola (brown)

Photos copyright Lola's Boutique & Used With Permission

Isy in the City

2008-06-03T20:45:00.004-04:00

When friends from across the pond came to Orlando for a visit, Isy had to give them a big Xolo welcome! Old friend Kramer (a Chinese Crested) came representing the Crested Community, as did Phinn and Veda from Monkeypups!