2) Keep your pet well hydrated and avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest times of the day.

3) Avoid walking your dog in areas you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. Plant food and fertilizers can be extremely poisonous if your pet ingests them.

4) Have your pet groomed monthly to prevent overheating and to alleviate summer skin problems. A matted dog with a thick undercoat is a breeding ground for parasites, bugs and bacteria that can cause your dog to get sick.

5) Bring your pet into the veterinarian for a summer check-up. Ask your doctor to recommend a pest-control program to combat ticks and fleas.

6) Stay away from taking your pet to busy summer events such as fairs or concerts. The loud noises and crowds, combined with the heat, can be stressful and unsafe for pets.

7) Always make sure your pet is wearing a collar and identification tag. Be sure that the contact information listed is legible and accurate.

Prevent your pet from hanging his head out of a moving car or truck window when taking him for a ride. Bugs, rocks and other debris can injure his eyes, and he is also at risk for jumping out of the vehicle.

9) While indoors, make sure your pet has access to the coolest parts of the house, such as the basement or a room with air conditioning.

10) Always walk your pet on a leash. This ensures the safety of you and the animal, walkers, joggers, and bicyclists.

Tips provided by Dave Ely, owner of Aussie Pet Mobile Inc., serving pets and their owners in Marin County, CA. Noted as the world’s largest mobile pet grooming concept in the world, Aussie Pet Mobile serves more than 250 cities in 24 states nationwide and 16 international countries with their exclusive 15-step pet spa treatment. To book a grooming appointment with Aussie Pet Mobile, please contact 1-800-PetMobile or visit www.aussiepetmobile.com.

]]> http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/13/10-summer-care-tips-for-you-and-fido/feed/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/13/10-summer-care-tips-for-you-and-fido/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/k9cuisine/xiFO/~3/DlgnLYEtqAA/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/10/pam-townsend-and-her-dogs/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:30:11 +0000 K9 Amiga http://blog.k9cuisine.com/?p=516 We would like to post another story, more personal this time, on Pam Townsend.  We posted about her work with the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County (www.pgspca.org).

This story is about her first doggie love, and how it lead to her love of dogs and her work with rescuing dogs.  Enjoy!

“First I want to tell you about Boots, a medium-sized mixed-breed dog with a tri-color coat and four white “boots.” She was a great family pet although she had a need for exercise that our daily walks and backyard play just didn’t satisfy. She’d get loose at the first opportunity, squeezing past my brother’s friends when they came in the back door. She didn’t want to run away…she just wanted to run!

Word would soon go out among the neighborhood children: “Boots is loose! Boots is loose!” We’d all head out, giving her what she probably thought was a great game of chase, until she finally got tired enough for someone to catch her.
Despite her truancy, Boots was very much part of the family. If you tried to play a board game or read the newspaper spread out on the floor, she would lay down right on top of it. And she would get perturbed if any of us hugged each other without including her.

By the time Boots began suffering almost-daily seizures and my parents had to make the difficult decision to have her euthanized, I had graduated from college and moved out on my own to another state. Although she not been part of my daily life for several years, I was deeply saddened by her loss, which marked an end of an era in my life.

Next came Boris and Natasha, the first dogs of my adult life…and my first black dogs. They were the result of an unplanned pregnancy of a yellow Lab by a black Lab/golden retriever mix, and the owners were looking for good homes through friends and friends of friends. My husband picked Boris, and Natasha chose me. We’d only planned on getting one puppy, but faced with this dilemma, we took both. It turned out to be a good decision because they kept either company while we were at work.

Boris was an exuberant, outgoing, beautiful boy; a friend once described him as “happy go stupid” and suggested I should have named him Jethro (from the Beverly Hillbillies) because he was tall, dark, and not too bright. His great joy in life was playing fetch, which he would do until he dropped from exhaustion. He was the canine love of my life, and I was devastated when he died of bone cancer a week before his tenth birthday.

Natasha was quieter than Boris…something of a wallflower. She was also very sweet…except sometimes with him. If we gave them bones to chew, she’d decide that his must be better and would take it away from him. He’d gamely settle down with hers, only to have her again decide that his must be better. We used to say that she was a perfect example of the word bitch when used in a derogatory fashion. As much as I loved Boris, I ended being glad that he died first since Natasha blossomed and sort of came into her own after that…despite the arrival of two puppies, Tango and Samba.

While some people need to grieve for weeks or months following the death of a beloved pet, I felt this aching void that needed to be filled and began looking at rescue websites almost immediately. We ended up adopting Tango and Samba just weeks after Boris died. Once again, we were planning on getting one dog, preferably a young adult. But when my husband saw Tango and Samba, who were 4-month-old black fluffy puppies, he just cried because they reminded him of Boris as a pup. So…once we decided to get a puppy we opted to get two so they could play with each other and not bother Natasha as much as one pup would have. And it worked out quite well. Although Natasha wasn’t interested in playing with the puppies, she seemed very interested in watching their antics, which helped bring her out of her depression. And I always made special time to do things just with her until she died at the age of 13.

Samba is a lot like Natasha. She’s quiet and self-contained. She enjoys the company of people and other dogs but is perfectly happy to be by herself…especially if that means napping or just hanging out on our bed or sofa. She’s completely uninterested in fetch or playing with dog toys (unless it involves stealing one from her brother), preferring to sit outside in the yard and watch birds fly by overhead. Her favorite activity is taking walks.

Tango, Samba’s brother, is our “problem child.” He is suspicious and wary of unfamiliar people and anxious in unfamiliar environments. Since the age of 2 or 3 he also has been aggressive toward dogs he doesn’t know. We don’t know if these issues are the result of genetics, lack of early socialization (we know neither of them had any prior to our adopting them), or even brain damage as the result of being tossed about like a ball when he was only a couple of weeks old…or a combination of the above. If we had known he was going to be such a challenge, we wouldn’t have adopted him. But once we did, I fell in love with him and since then have worked to help him become the best dog he can be. This has involved reading books and attending lectures by such noted behaviorists as Patricia McConnell, Nicholas Doddman, and Suzanne Clothier.

Ceiligh, the most recent dog to join our family, is a pointer/JRT mix. She looks like a black-and-white Germans shorthaired pointer, just smaller (30 pounds). We call her our “accident.” We went to a Petsmart to get goldfish for our pond, and a small rescue organization was there with a litter of 8-week-old puppies. I told them I couldn’t take one because we already had two dogs, one of whom had “issues,” but that I’d hold one to help socialize it. I should have known better. Instead of goldfish, we ended up with a 5-pound puppy.

Ceiligh is the spoiled youngest child of the pack. She not only sleeps in our bed, but under the covers. (Tango and Samba choose not to sleep with us, although they often get on the bed for a cuddle.) Given Ceiligh’s genetic heritage, it’s not surprising that she’s active and fast. So, to channel her energy, we started taking agility classes. She’s actually very good at it…when her sensitive nose doesn’t lead her astray. I keep thinking that one of these days, when a career, SPCA/HS work, and efforts to have a social life don’t take up all of my time that we’ll actually give competition a try.

And lastly, there are our foster dogs…who share our lives for anywhere from a weekend to several months: Angel, Geordi, Kira, Darby, Owain, Darla, Cooper, Annie, Kaia, Jack, Taz, Leila, Cinder, Winston, Bosley, Ginger, Mandy, Arthur, Sebastian, Sydney, and (currently) Willow.”

Question:

My dog, Inuki, has always eaten many foods without any issues or allergies. We have been searching for the “perfect” healthy food. He has been on Flint River Ranch, Nutro, Innova, Dogswell, and raw diet (we stopped that) then home cooked with veggies, meat, grains, and multi vitamins, then the Honest Kitchen because it was too much to cook myself. I actually will go back to home cooking if I have the right recipes, but I had a very hard time understanding how much to feed and of what. I read dr strombecks Home Cooked Diets For Cats and Dogs. Now, for the last month my dog and 2 cats have been on the Honest Kitchen’’s Prowl and Force. My cats love their Prowl and do great on it, but my dog, while he likes the food, his pooping has increased big time. He used to have maybe one to 2 poops a day and they were small and firm, now he poops 3 to 4 times and the poop is large and soft, but not runny. I just really would like to find a food that he can stick with that will keep him very healthy for years and years to come.

Answer:

Tianna,
Thanks for writing in. Sounds like you have been dabbling in the (sometimes) frustrating world of dog nutrition for quite some time! I think the first thing you need to decide on is whether you want to cook for your dog or if you are looking for a commercially available diet.

If you are selecting a commercially available diet, select one that is “natural” or “organic”. By definition and AAFCO regulation, a “natural” pet food may have ingredients from ONLY plant, animal or mined sources. These foods cannot be highly processed or contain chemically synthetic ingredients, such as artificial flavors, preservatives or colorings.

Look for foods that do not contain inferior by-products or meals. Meat meals are made through a process of rendering. Any product that has been rendered is considered unfit for human consumption…so in my mind, that means unfit for our beloved pets as well. Look for RECOGNIZABLE ingredients on the label. You should be able to identify meats, grains, vegetables and not just chemical additives. If you are interested in reading more about pet foods and labels, read my article here.

If you are choosing to home-cook, you absolutely need to work with a veterinary nutritionist to get recipes that are balanced for your dog and his daily requirements. There are many websites you can use, including www.petdiets.com and www.balanceit.com. I would recommend that you request a consultation specific to Inuki so he isn’t lacking anything.

Good Luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

]]> http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/08/ask-the-expert-on-dog-nutrition/feed/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/08/ask-the-expert-on-dog-nutrition/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/k9cuisine/xiFO/~3/4Qq91ARbJlA/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/06/spcahumane-society-of-prince-georges-county-md/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:55:50 +0000 K9 Amiga http://blog.k9cuisine.com/?p=427 Below is an interview with Pam Townsend of the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County, MD

K9 Cuisine: What is your story-how did you get into pet rescue?

Pam: I’ve loved animals–especially dogs–for as long as I can remember. I grew up with a dog, Boots. My parents purchased her at a pet store (long before we knew better!) for $12 when I was in second grade, and she lived almost 18 years.

One of my biggest disappointments as a young working adult was not being allowed to have pets in my apartment, so as soon as I got married and my husband and I bought a house with a fenced yard, we adopted two dogs–Boris and Natasha–and have been sharing our lives with dogs ever since.

Over the years, I’ve donated to various animal welfare organizations like the ASPCA, American Humane, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Hearts United for Animals, and the National Wildlife Federation. At some point–about 6 or 7 years ago–I just decided I wanted to do something more “hands on” and to have some sort of tangible impact at the local level. I’d heard about the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County so I checked out the website and went to a volunteer orientation. Since then, I’ve fostered 14 dogs, produced the organization’s newsletter, and been elected to the board…first as a member-at-large, then as vice president.

K9 Cuisine: What is the secret to your success with your organization-how have you gotten to where you are today?

Pam: As a small, all-volunteer-run non-profit organization, the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County can only be as successful as its volunteers make it. Their investment–in terms of time, skills, motivation, and commitment–is the key.

We are fortunate to have as our president a woman named Tamela Terry who has set the bar high in terms of all of those elements. Despite a full-time job, two children under the age of 10, and various family health challenges, she has always made the SPCA/HS a priority, turning it from what was once essentially a “hobby group” into a well-respected, financially sound force for change in the community.

Tamela heads a board of equally committed volunteers, each of whom takes responsibility for various duties, projects, and activities. For example, one of our board members handles neglect/cruelty calls, another manages our foster/adoption program, while others focus on fundraising and volunteer outreach and training.

But an effective, committed board isn’t enough. Other volunteers serve as adoption show coordinators, run and assist at monthly low-cost shot clinics, provide homes for foster homes for shelter dogs, staff exhibits at special events, send thank-you notes to donors, and much, much more.

In addition to fostering and producing the newsletter, I handle much of the marketing and public relations efforts, which included producing a photo book called Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs to entertain and inform people about Black Dog Syndrome, and raise money for the SPCA/HS (more about that later).

K9  Cuisine: What is it about dogs that you love?

Pam: The short answer is “pretty much everything!” The longer answer is their ability to live in the moment, their absolute exuberance, their affection, their diversity (what an amazing array of sizes, shapes, colors, personalities!), their resiliency (so many who have been abused or neglected are still friendly, affectionate, and responsive to a kind word or touch), their wet noses, the way they groan in ecstasy when you fondle their ears just the right way, the way they express their joy and enthusiasm by wagging and wriggling their bodies, and perhaps most of all, doggy “kisses.”

K9  Cuisine: What is the neatest part about your work?

Pam: The neatest thing about my volunteer work with the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County is that it lets me combine my passions for dogs, interesting and enjoyable people, and my skills in the areas of writing, PR, marketing, and photography-all in the cause of improving the lives of animals in my community. I love developing creative ways to promote the organization and get across messages about such important issues as spaying and neutering and the difficulty black shelter dogs face in getting adopted.

One example is a print PSA we ran in a local newspaper to promote free spaying and neutering for the pets of limited-income county residents. The theme was “Tough Guys Don’t Need Testicles!” A second effort featured a mini-poster-called “Out with the Trash” (which is what happens to thousands of unwanted pets each year)-that volunteers could print and display at libraries, pet supply stores, etc. (I’ve attached pdfs of both FYI).

My biggest labor of love has been the book Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs. As I became involved in animal welfare and rescue, I discovered that black dogs are the hardest dogs for shelters to find homes for-a situation often referred to as Black Dog Syndrome. Some of the reasons suggested for the difficulty in placing black dogs-especially large ones-have been their association in mythology and folklore with evil, bad luck, and death; even in modern times, the scary, dangerous dogs in movies are often large and dark (think Dobermans chasing Gregory Peck in “The Omen”). Many people think black dogs’ expressions are difficult to read or that they are boring looking. They don’t photograph well in most shelter/kennel environments, and if they’re not outgoing and right up at the front of a cage, they’re easy to pass by.

Anyway, as someone who has lived with black dogs for more than 18 years, I wanted to show other people how beautiful these canines are. So I developed an 8-inch-square, 72-page book with 34 color photos of black dogs, each with the accompanying statement “Some black dogs are…” and a word or phrase related to the photo. It opens with an introduction explaining the plight of homeless black dogs and concludes with the statement, “But all black dogs are…beautiful.”

In addition to getting people to look at black dogs differently, to appreciate their attractiveness and diversity, and to give more thought to adopting a black dog if they’re looking for a new fur friend, I wanted to raise money for the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County so all profits go to the organization. Black is Beautiful is available online at the SPCA/HS website (pgspca.org/store).

The other great thing about this work is meeting and networking with other animal lovers. These include representatives of other animal welfare organizations, including the Washington Animal Rescue League, Washington Humane Society, and Maryland SPCA, the adopters of my foster dogs, some of whom have become friends with whom I keep in touch regularly, owners of retail operations like the Big Bad Woof in Takoma Park, MD, and Paws Pet Boutique in Annapolis who are committed to supporting the efforts of local animal welfare organizations, and lots of other people who share a common interest-like the woman who helped me organize a “Black Dog Brigade” to march in a community Labor Day parade. My life is richer for having interacted with these individuals!

K9 Cuisine: Where do you see the pet rescue industry going?

Pam: I wouldn’t presume to predict where the animal rescue “industry” is going, but I can say where I’d like to see it go.  Basically, the animal rescue industry exists because the historical “animal control” function in America needed help and, in some cases, change. Gone are the days of the “dog catcher,” when homeless animals on our streets were a problem to be managed by the most efficient or inexpensive means. We’ve learned that catching and killing extra animals is not a good long-term strategy, and that even aggressive adoption efforts are not going to make a dent in the problem. Animal rescue groups have stepped in to give shelter animals another way out, and it’s a good effort, but it’s not enough. The future of animal rescue lies not in rescuing more, but in finding a way to stem the tide of animals in need of rescue! Spay/neuter is the key. We need to stop the animals from being born in the first place, and at the same time, we must work to improve the shelter systems and public education on animal welfare issues.

And to do all that, we as rescuers have to mature and grow into much more than simply people who are passionate about animals. We have to think strategically and plan well. We have to behave professionally and run our organizations in a businesslike manner. We have to be excellent communicators with high standards and strong ethics. We have to put aside our differences to cooperate on issues (like spay/neuter) that we can all agree on. And we have to find a way to make the issues we care about translate for everyday citizens, politicians, and business leaders…undoubtedly by making a dollars-and-sense connection and by proving that our values and behavior involving animals are inextricably linked to our society’s quality of life overall.

K9 Cuisine: How do you fit into that-what are your future plans?

Pam: We plan to stay on the course we started five years ago, when we began an active effort to transform our organization into one that does more than just rescue animals one furry face at a time. We redesigned and modernized our website and logo, and we began putting in place a series of standard operating procedures for our group. We emphasized high ethical and quality standards for our program and our volunteers, and made organizational changes where necessary to implement those, even though sometimes it was painful. We’ve worked hard to professionalize and educate ourselves, and we’ve strengthened our animal welfare partnerships in the DC metropolitan area and nationally. There are so many wonderful professionals out there who we can learn from and emulate, and working together is so much more productive than toiling in isolation or getting mired in discord.

From financial management to policy decisions to program management, we’ve worked hard to create a stable, sustainable and strategic organization, so we’re not constantly worried about where next month’s resources are coming from or repeatedly getting bogged down by the ‘crisis du jour’. Having achieved such things, we will next move to expand our reach and our sphere of influence within the local business community, with the citizenry, and with the public leaders. We want to drive progress and change, being a force for good in the lives of local companion animals and the people who care about them. In short, we’ll continue rescuing animals one furry face at a time, while we also work on the big-picture changes that will reduce the number of animals who need rescuing.

K9 Cuisine: How can people find out more about you and your organization?

Pam: People can learn more about the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County on our website: www.pgspca.org. They can also sign up on the website for periodic email alerts and information.

]]> http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/06/spcahumane-society-of-prince-georges-county-md/feed/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/06/spcahumane-society-of-prince-georges-county-md/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/k9cuisine/xiFO/~3/pvWhFoiOvoI/ http://blog.k9cuisine.com/2009/07/01/ask-the-expert-on-skin-condition/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:17:58 +0000 K9 Amiga http://blog.k9cuisine.com/?p=423 Name:  Jason
Pets species and breed:  American Staff Bull
Pets age and weight:  4yrs 90lbs
Pets health status:  Good
Are they spayed or neutered?  No
Brand of food:  Inova
Animal owned for:  Puppy

Question:

My dog has had a condition that no one can figure out. It seems to be mange, but it comes back every 3 to 6 months worse then before. I’ve spent over $8,000 with 5 differnt vets. His condition looks as if he has pimples, but big chunks of hair come out where the pimples are, and he looses his hair. I’ve used Petsbest RX shampoo. It seems to work, but every so often, it’s so bad he won’t let me touch him.  What can i do?

Jason

Answer:

Hi Jason. Thanks for the question. Sorry to hear your dog has such a severe recurrent skin condition. With such brief information, it is going to be hard for me to tell you what might be going on, but there are a few things I will absolutely recommend.

You said that this seems to be mange. Have your veterinarians found mange mites? I wonder because this recurrent pattern in a dog of his age doesn’t sound exactly like mange. My concern would be for some form of immune deficiency or immune mediated skin disease–especially given his breed.

Also some forms of severe deep pyoderma (deep skin infection) can look like this. Both of these things will require months of ongoing treatment. My best recommendation would be to visit a veterinary dermatologist in your area.

Based on your area code, looks like you might be in the Tucson, Arizona area. There is a dermatologist at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialists in Tucson.
Just like in people, some skin conditions really need the expertise of a specialist, and I would strongly recommend you consider it. Also if your dog is not on a fatty acid supplement, I would recommend that as well. Fatty acids have been proven very beneficial in a number of skin disorders and may help with some of his symptoms.

Good Luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Frank Tirelli

Today we are featuring Frank Tirelli, Founder of DogPlatesUSA.com. They sell beautiful, Danish plates with painted pictures of dogs on them.  Below are excerpts from our interview:

K9Cuisine: What is your story-how did you get into selling plates with dogs?

Frank: I have always loved dogs - they make great companions.   I came across these plates on the web and negotiated a deal to be the exclusive U.S. rep for these beautiful Danish Blue Dog plates.

K9Cuisine: What is the secret to your success, and how have you gotten to where you are today?

Frank: We are friendly, loyal, and I know who’s the boss (the customer!).

K9Cuisine: What makes you different?

Frank: We are driven by customer service, and that is not just a slogan.

K9Cuisine: What is it about dogs that you love?

Frank: Dogs truly are friends for life. Their loyalty and commitment, if copied by humans, would make our world a better place!

K9Cuisine: What is the neatest part about your business?

Frank: I really love our product.  The portraits are stunning and given the quality craftsmanship (the art work is done by professionals), and the uniqueness of each plate, it’s an easy and rewarding business.

K9Cuisine: How can people reach you?

Frank: Sure, we can reached by visiting http://www.dogplatesusa.com, via email at info@dogplatesusa.com or by phone at 646-797-3100. We can also be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dogplatesusa.

1. You think begging for table scraps is beneath him, so you let your dog eat at the table with you.
2. You take him to the supermarket and let him pick out his own dog food.
3. Your husband comes home from work, looks at the stew on the stove and asks: “Is this people food or dog food?”
4. You bought matching His & Hers place mats for your dog and yourself.
5. At dinner parties you always have to double-check the butter for visible lick marks, before putting it on the table.
6. Your dog gets to vote on where to spend the next family vacation.
7. You don’t care if you or your spouse are comfortable at night, as long as Fido has enough room on the bed.
8. You complain about the rising costs of groceries, but you don’t think twice about spending a fortune on doggie treats.
9. Your dog always gets the best spot on the couch and sometimes he even gets to hold the remote.
10. He has his own e-mail address.

I’m a Bearded Collie, a shaggy sheep dog that makes a wonderful family pet and is very reliable with children!

Click here to see the smartie!

1. Dogs have three eyelids. The third eyelid, the haw, lubricates and guards the eye from harm.
2. Kubla Khan owned 5,000 Mastiffs, the highest number of dogs ever owned by an individual.
3. Dalmatians are entirely white at birth.
4. Alexander the Great is said to have discovered and entitled the city, Peritas, in remembrance of his dog.
5. A puppy is inbred deaf and blind.
6. There are approximately 400 million dogs in the world.
7. The highest dog population in the world is in the United States.
8. Dog nose marks can be used to identify them. They are as one-of-a-kind as human finger prints.
9. The top health issue amongst dogs in the world is obesity.
10. Dogs are nearly as smart as a three-year-old child. They can comprehend about 200 words, including indications or signals with similar significations as the words.