Walkees

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Swifto for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I may have dated myself when I gave the title of this post "walkees." For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, it was coined by Barbara Woodhouse, a very well known dog trainer that had her own TV show. This post is not about her but taking your dog for a walk. 

For me living on a large country property, all I have to do is let the dog out and he runs around and then wants to come back inside. In fact right now he is curled up on his bed near the wood stove. It was not always that way. About 15 years ago I lived in the city in and I had bigger dogs. They had to be taken out for walks otherwise they would have gotten very much out of shape just running around in our small backyard. There were times that I could have used a dog walking service but there was none in the area. 

I found out later that most of the dog walking services were limited to larger cities. New York City has several and Swifto Dog Walking is one of them. They offer a last minute service that can get a dog walker to your door within an hour.  

Something you have go to keep in mind is that your dog will need to be taken out for a walk not once a day but at least twice a day or more. The walk is not only about exercise but also about elimination.  

Flea problem in the winter

For those of you that think that flea problems with dogs end when the summer is over then your flea problems are just beginning.

The heated home in the winter months is a haven for hatching out flea eggs. The rooms are warm and dry, just what a flea needs and wants to survive and propagate. One of the best ways to control fleas is to kill them while on the dog. There are 2 major spot-on flea products, Advantage and Frontline Plus. I have used Advantage in the past with great success, but I never tried Frontline Plus. The major reason I used Advantage over Frontline was the cost. That has got to be the major reason why I don't use a spot-on flea product year round. There is probably an advantage to my dog's health from not having his skin covered in pesticides 100% of the time.

If you want to find out more about the flea life cycle than check out this page from Ohio State - flea facts

The page has some really fascinating facts to ponder. For example, did you know that cats and dogs have different fleas? Adult fleas can live up to one year without eating (blood).

Getting your dog home safely

I was recently on a message board that I frequent and was totally amazed at the lack of common sense that some people have when they find a lost pet. The woman showed a photo of the small dog that had shown up at her house a few days ago. The dog had no tags or collar and she was wondering if anyone knew of a rescue shelter she could take it to.

The first thing I thought of, was why wasn't this woman at least making the effort to find the owner? I wrote a message back encouraging her to take the dog to a local vet and see if the dog had been micro-chipped. While at the vet she can ask if anyone had reported a lost dog and even put up a flyer in the vets office.

Of course if you are a dog owner and you lose your dog, you want to make sure that the dog can be identified and returned to you. The first thing of course is to get dog tag for your dogs collar. Make sure you look at dog tags for dogs and not the human metal ones. There are also customized dog tags for dogs for those owners who want a bit more than the standard information. They might want to include any special medical condition the dog has.

If you happen to find a lost pet, please use some common sense and help that pet to reunited with their family.

Do you clip your long haired dog?

Years ago when I owned Chow Chows I use to give them a body clip in the summer. My main reason was to keep down the grooming maintenance for me and be able to have better control over their flea population. This was the time before spot-on flea treatments. Our next breeds of dogs were all short hair so I didn't have to worry about clipping them.

I was in a local Pet Supplies store and happen to notice a woman with a body clipped Pomeranian. We got to talking and I asked her why her little dog was clipped. I had mentioned that I use to clip my Chows in the summer but this was going into winter. She lived on a farm and most of the area around the house got very muddy. Clipping her little dog made it easier to keep the dog clean when the mud got on his legs and belly.

So, do you have any interesting reasons why you have your dog body clipped?

Odd trivia facts about dogs

It is fun fact time.

Dogs cannot sweat. They have no sweat glands. In order to keep their bodies from over heating, they pant. The excess heat is dispelled from their bodies in the form of hot air.

Some breeds of dogs have eyelashes and some do not. My miniature pincher does not have any signs of eyelashes, yet my daughter's Aussie has long eyelashes. She looks like she could be a commercial for an eyelash growth formula.

You can use fly and flea sprays on dogs that can also be used on horses but those same sprays cannot be used on cats. The same thing with wound ointments, horses and dogs can use the same products (most of the time).

Novelty gifts for dog lovers

It is getting close to Christmas and as we get closer, more and more novelty gifts start showing up for dog owners and lovers of the different dog breeds. I fell in love with a watch that had a watch face of a husky on it. The only problem was that it was a cheaply made watch that was libel to fail about 6 months after I put it on. Then I started to wonder why don't the well known brands of watches put photo faces on them. It would be nice to see a Timex or citizen watches that have a bit more of a different look to them for dog fanciers.

Hey, maybe one day they will.

Watch out for poisonous flowers and plants that your dog might be exposed to

It is getting close to the holiday season and that means that many people choose to send custom flower arraignments and those seasonal plants. What you have to watch out for are which ones can cause problems for your dog or puppy.

Most adult dogs do not bother plants and flower unless they are the type that likes to chew on new things. Puppies will be more of a problem since they will like to explore new things and that often means exploring the item with their mouths.

Rather than me list all of the plants and flowers which could cause health problems with your dog just go to the SPCA website where you can find an extensive directory on poisonous plants. Educate yourself so you can have a happy holiday season and not one that includes expensive vet bills.

Dogs can be fussy

I always thought that a cat was more fussy than a dog when it came time to sleep. That was until I owned a small breed dog. Our cat doesn't mind sleeping in the gravel near our driveway, yet the dog will pick only the cleanest blanket to wrap himself up in. Forget sleeping straight on the carpet now, he prefers my yoga mats to sleep on. If it wasn't for the matter of him shedding, he would be very welcome to sleep on my bed.

Yes, dogs can be fussy at times and your dog might end up fussier as it gets older.

Spoiled Pets

Guest written by our friend Gladys Fuentes

Dog sitting for my parents is a handful. They have three dogs, weighing between 60 and 80 pounds each. The neighborhood they live in is very nice, but it is situated on the side of a mountain, which makes walking their dogs very difficult. They have a lot of land, but most of it is straight uphill. Luckily, they installed an electronic fence throughout their property at the same time they installed their all home security system. This makes exercising the dogs as easy as letting them out the front door. I always try to go outside with them and throw the ball if they’re interested, too. Now, my parents’ dogs are spoiled rotten and very accustomed to it. Not only do they get green beans on their dry dog food, but also rawhide chews in the morning and organic dog treats at various intervals throughout the day. My dad also puts the cherry on top by saving them each a little bite of his breakfast in the morning, which usually consists of a muffin or scone!

Destructive chewing

Getting a new dog or puppy in the family means 2 things - learning how much a dog knows and teaching correct house manners to the dog or puppy. This often entails housebreaking or re-enforcement of housebreaking habit and finding out if the dog or puppy has any destructive tendencies.

I don't know why, but I manage to adopt dogs that have a chewing habit. This is not something related to teething or being a puppy, no this is in older dogs. I have had a dog who loved to chew plastic. Another dog that loved to chew carpet and yet another who would go into the dirty laundry hamper and find dirty under pants and chew a hole where the stains use to be. All of that was very destructive but not as destructive as a Beagle that my friend owned. That dog would chew on her shoes as soon as she left the house. She got to the point of locking up the shoes and the dog almost chewed a hole in the closet door. She almost got rid of the dog when he destroyed a pair of expensive riding boots. When she saw what the dog did to her equestrian boots she almost called the local rescue to find him another home. Then I talked to her and had her buy the dog a few pairs of used shoes from Goodwill. I told her to leave them out for him to chew on and he would leave her shoes alone. To her surprise - it worked.

Do you know what your dog is drinking?

I have lived in areas with questionable water quality. Everything from city to well water. I use to think that city water was safe until I had it tested. When we moved to the country side I thought that the well water was safe until I found out that the local farmers were using chemicals that was leaching into the aqua fir.

Needless to say, I was concerned about my dogs. What I ended up doing was have a whole house water softener installed. Not only did it give me a piece of mind, the water tasted better to me.

Dogs have such a short life span as it is that I did not want to shorten it by exposing them to carcinogens in the water.

The long, short, straight and curly

Dogs coats come in a variety of lengths, textures and vary from curly to straight.

While most new dog owners are careful in picking a breed that will fit in with their lifestyle, personality wise, they often neglect to take into consideration the amount of time they must dedicate to grooming.

Short hair dogs, while they look easy to groom, will require daily brushing during the spring and fall due to their excessive shedding. I had a black Lab that would shed all over the house. I was constantly vacuuming up her hair.

If you are unwilling to spend time grooming your dog then don't get a high maintenance breed. Also don't even think about trying to straighten a curly haired dog because you think it would look "cool." I can't imagine someone taking the time to train a dog to tolerate one of those straightening irons. I had a heck of a time getting my little dog use to one of those nail grinders. They just don't like new things touching them right away, you have to work with them first.

If you are thinking about a new puppy or full grown dog, take into consideration the amount of grooming involved.

Blog update

Playing around with the blog today. I added a section to the sidebar that has the most visited blog posts for the week and tweaked the layout a bit. I would love to add a page just devoted to coupons and free stuff for dogs but I can't seem to find any. All of the places that I found want you to join, which is not my idea of "free." I found plenty of places that had coupons for big ticket items and non-dog stores, I even found a place that had sears coupons that I might even use but alas no dog coupons. All I wanted was some that have a few dollars off a bag of dog food.

I'll keep looking and see what I come up with.

Rustic dog furniture

I came across the picture above and had not even thought about rustic furniture for dogs. It was the dog bowl holder that intrigued me. I then found this photo:

That western style dog bowl holder was priced at $125 and did not include the $49 shipping charge!!! They must be out of their minds. For $125 they should be able to pay for the USPS shipping of $16 to ship the darn thing.

Why do makers of dog supplies think that us dog owners are made of money. Just because we have a dog does not make us rich.

Dog shows: hobby or sport?

Ok dog show enthusiasts, are dog shows a sport or just a hobby? Depending on who you are talking to, the world of dog shows could fit either category. So does it surprise you to know that dog shows are classified as a sport? It shouldn't. A the picture about shows, it is plainly a sport. The sport trophies that the dogs win are prized highly in the dog world. There are often cash prizes to be won as well.

Beagle at the ER

Have you watched that TV show, "True Stories in the ER"? I have seen several of them and last night they aired one about the man who took his pet Beagle to the ER. The man was covered in blood and at first glance it looks like his blood. What it was, was the beagle's blood. Apparently the beagle had a seizure of some type and bit its tongue. That is where the blood came from. The funny part about the show was when the medical personnel did with the medical equipment. They tried to give the dog oxygen but the human mask was useless. I was totally dismayed at the lack of common sense the medical team had to begin with. They even tried to put an IV into the dog.

If your dog gets ill or sick, please avoid the local human ER, they have no clue how to treat a dog.

Not all dog toys are good for dogs

It really makes me wonder why I see some dog toys being sold. Just because it has a squeaky noise maker in it does not make it a toy for a dog. Thin latex is often destroyed by larger dogs almost instantly they get the so called dog "toy." Then there is the problem of chemicals in the toy itself. Remember all those children's toys that got recalled because of toxic chemicals and lead being used in the products? What is stopping those same manufacturers from re-labling them and selling them as toys for dogs..........nothing.

Go for natural toys for your dog, a knotted rope or if you must have a "toy" then a child's toy that is made in the USA. You don't want to see a  Attorney because some A-Hole wanted to make a quick buck and sell unsafe or toxic dog toys.

Protect your dog from bad dog toys and you will have your dog around to enjoy.

Dogs as therapy helpers

I am sure you have heard of using animals as aids to those with physical and mental problems. Most of the time dogs are used in a hospital setting to visit with patients and visitors. Other dogs are used as service dogs for the disabled. In the latter work that the dogs perform, they are owned or live with the person they help. The dogs that are not owned by the people they help are called therapy dogs. They assist people in overcoming or dealing with a handicap.

There is one place that is rather interesting and please take my invitation and go and visit Hearts in Harmony at heartsinharmonytx.org they are a program that helps at risk children in east Texas.

My dogs like to watch birds

No they are not bird dogs but they do like to watch birds in flight. One of my dogs even barks at the ducks and geese that fly overhead. The smaller dog likes to chase robins on the lawn until they fly. They both seem to like it when the birds are in the air.

We don't have any bird baths in our back yard but we do have a seasonal creek that attracts ducks.

The Rachael Ray dog food

This post brought to you by Nutrish. All opinions are 100% mine.

When ever someone offers me something free to try out I often jump at the chance, especially if that offer is something for my dog. I was recently offered a free sample of the Rachael Ray dog food called "Just 6" to try. When I got the box in the mail all I was expecting was a bag of dog food but when I opened the box........

As you can see, it was more than just a bag of dog food - I got a stainless steel bowl with it too!!

I opened the package up, all the way to see what I had gotten and saw the real size of the bag, not bad for a freebie.

The dog food is called "Just 6" because it boasts just 6 ingredients. After looking at the actual ingredients listed on  the bag, I can tell you that there is much more than just 6. Of course the main ingredient is lamb and the next one is rice.  That sure does beat many of the high priced premium brands dog foods on the market today. What came as the next test of the Rachael Ray Nutrish just 6 dry dog food was taste. Would my little guy like it?

He sure did. If you pardon the pun, he woofed it down.

 

    

If you click on the link above, you too can get a free sample of this dog food made by Nutrish and see if your dog likes it as much as mine does.

 

Protect your dog from electrocution

Some adult dogs love to chew, almost every puppy does, so keep them safe if they do. Most of the time they pick on your favorite shoes to rip to shreds but occasionally they pick something that could be very dangerous, electric cords.

Do your best to hide or prevent access to cables and wires that have a live electric current in them. Use cable covers or keep the cable or cord up and out of the reach of your dog/pup. Once they have grown out of the chewing stage of their lives they will usually ignore cords, cables and wire within their reach.

Along with spring comes puppies and the backyard breeder

Like most animals, female dogs are prone to coming into heat when the weather changes. Mother Nature dictates that young animals should be born when the weather is better, for them to grow and develop. That being said, it is also the season for backyard breeders to swamp the local classifieds with ads for puppies.

It use to be a case that the mixed breed pups were given away free or became easter gifts under $30 but nowadays they are touted as a special "cross" like a cocker-poo or a chi-shep and the "breeder" wants $300 or more for the pups. What the buyers don't realize is that the pups that don't sell end up at the local pound at 6 months old because the breeder has either violated the number of dogs per household or the dogs were abandoned someplace because the breeder couldn't sell them.

Don't fall for that cute designer pup unless it is free and in need of a good home - yours. By paying for a pup that was just developed to make money encourages the breeder to do it again....and again.....and again.

Dog that roots like a pig

Over the years we have had 3 dogs that have loved to root around in the dirt like pigs do. Their noses are covered in dirt when they are finished. I am surprised that they don't get blackheads on nose with all that dirt. Of course the reason they don't is the fact they have long tongues and they can clean their noses with it.

Of course most of our dogs just love to roll in something very smelly too......but that is another story.

Times have changed

Times have changed for the better when it comes to the treatment of dogs. About 30 years ago it was common that dogs were used in experiments. These tests and experiments were not to test advancements in treatments for dogs, it was more likely to test human medications or chemical reactions. Thankfully the advancement of computer aided virtual testing has eliminated most testing done with dogs. I would hope that testing for cell signal boosters, and stem cell research does not involve dogs.

Doggy doors

Having a doggy door does come in handy but don't have it on a outside door to your home. Why do I say that? It is to keep unwanted animals from entering your home. A close friend had a stray cat enter her home via her doggy door and the cat attacked her!! Other people report that raccoons and squirrels have entered their homes via doggy doors. So where is the best place for a doggy door? The doggy door is best placed on a door that that does not allow direct access to your home. A garage door or a door to an outbuilding is best. After all, all you are providing is access for your dog to get in out of the weather.

We have a doggy door installed on one of our smaller steel buildings. It provides a quick and easy shelter for our dogs when they are outside and need to get in out of the rain. Inside the building we have a walled off area for the dogs to get water and rest. The building also houses some tools and they are housed in another room.

Hiking with your dog

When you go hiking with your dog, do you have the dog wear its own backpack? If you don't then it might be something that you should get your dog use to wearing. Having your dog carry its own snacks, water and poop bags will have you carrying less. Even having your dog carry a small tick spray and doggy first aid kit will make your hike less stressful.

There are many styles of packs for dogs. Some are as elaborate as the expensive, human, Millet Backpacks or you can get creative and make your own. Don't forget to add some reflective stripping to the pack to make your dog more visible at night while you are near roads.

So when the weather permits it, have some fun and go hiking with your dog.

My heart goes out to those in Japan

News is still coming in regarding the situation in Japan after the huge earthquake yesterday. If you have not hugged your dog, do it now. Life is too short not to enjoy your four pawed friend.

As I sat with my mouth dropped open, just watching the devastation of the tsunami and the 100 plus fires, I wondered how many dogs were affected by this disaster. Several rescue teams are heading out tonight to Japan from California that have the search and rescue dogs. Along with them are fire fighters and EMT's. Supplies are also in route such as food and commercial pumps.

No doubt we will be hearing about dramatic rescues and miracles in the coming days. I will try and watch out for any videos about the dog rescue teams and post them here on the blog.

Insurance companies that offer dog coverage while riding in your car

After a local TV station broadcast a news story about auto insurance coverage and mentioned coverage for your dog while it was a passenger, I was curious as to which companies offered the coverage. Since the news story was very evasive about which companies did offer it, I did a quick search on the subject.

The most widely advertised company that offers insurance coverage to your dog while it is a passenger in your car, that is on your auto insurance policy, is Progressive. One other company is Farmers, but not in all states. Both of them have the coverage at no additional charge on your policy. Other companies also offer the coverage but each one is state specific and may or may not offer the coverage for free.

The best way to find that type of coverage is to first check with your own auto insurance company. Who knows, you might have coverage already.

Dog breeds that associated with human traits

How often have you compared a dog to a human trait or type? Advertisers do it all the time. Afghan Hounds are often depicted as fashion models. Pugs and English Bull dogs are depicted as distinguished gentlemen often wearing hats and smoking cigars.  Poodles are often portrayed as the typical airheads that is fashion minded.

So what are your thoughts on this? I would love you to comment and let me know what other breeds you think are associated with human types.

The Akbash dog

One of the not so common dog breeds is the Akbash. Commonly seen guarding sheep herds this breed of working dog is a "guarding" of livestock. Very often the pups are raised with sheep so they learn to protect them. They are native to Turkey and the name Akbash means "whitehead." The dog is large 90 to 120 pound animal and is not shy. Their selective breeding has made them more inclined to think for themselves and less of a companion dog. Because of their prowlness, predators are inclined to want to get rid of whiteheads so they can feast on some lamb chops.

I bet you have seen those dogs guarding sheep herds, I have.

Snow Hound

It is snowing today and it is the favorite weather of one of my 3 dogs. She is a husky mix and just loves cold weather. This is the dog, that on slightly warm days, will make a bee line to her water bowl (which is a small livestock water tank) and jump in it and lay in the ice cold water. Cold weather is what she loves. She previously came from a family with a small baby and lived in town. At the age of 6 months old she found herself at the local dog pound, surrendered by her owners as being too active to be around their baby......duh, baby + 6 month old puppy? What were those people thinking? The woman already knew she was pregnant or already had the baby when they got the pup.

Well she ended up with us after I saw this beautiful young dog at the pound. I got her spayed, tattooed (her spay tat) and licensed and she has now been with us for 5 years.

She is overly friendly and when she wags her tail, her whole body moves. She almost falls over backwards when she sits and wants you to rub her tummy. A neighbor saw her spay tat and made a stupid remark about tattoo removal, which I ignored. Since he never bothers to get his animals fixed, I am sure he has no clue what the tattoo meant.

Yep, she is enjoying our late season snow storm.

Dying for attention

Do you think that the owners of these dogs are waiting for spring to arrive?

Some blogs that I have visited claim that dying dogs is a fad going on in Japan, but I guess those people have not seen the dog shows here in the USA that have taken the colorful dogs one step further and have cut their coats to look like boxes, other types of animals (I saw one made to look like an elephant) and inanimate objects. They have awards for the best one that includes trophies and cash. And to think, most people are just worried about removing dark circles and tear stains from their dog's fur.

Puppy care pack

If you have ever adopted or bought a puppy, you often received a "puppy pack." The pack often contained puppy food, a booklet about caring for your new pup, a vet records book and coupons for more puppy food. Those puppy packs are freebies that breeders and rescues can get from the major dog food companies. Did you know that anyone can get those new baby gifts? You can apply online to get puppy packs. Just go to the dog food company website that you are interested in and look for breeder packs or samples.

Dogs on coins

Have you ever wondered why us coins are so boring looking? I have. Let's face it, dead presidents and landmarks can only be done so many times. Why don't we take a look at what other countries have done. For example, China has put dogs on coins (see the photo below).

Other countries have put dogs on coins too. Here is a list of just some of them:

• Gibraltar
• Turkey
• Australia (2006 - the major dog breeds to commemorate the year of the dog)
• Canada (sled dogs of course)
• Ireland

So you want to be a dog trainer

You have thought long and hard about what you want to do as a career and you want to be a dog trainer. Before you invest your time and money on that career choice you should know that not all dog training teaching schools are the same. Unlike other career choices, dog training is mostly unregulated. That means almost anyone can claim to be a dog trainer. The schools that offer teaching degrees in dog training can vary from worthless to a full rounded curriculum.

What you will need to do is thoroughly investigate the school you plan on attending to become a dog trainer. I have also seen individual dog trainers offering dog trainer certification programs ranging from several hundreds of dollars to several thousand. This is where it gets tricky, you are paying for the trainer's reputation as much as the teaching fees. Depending on the trainer, the price can either be reasonable or outrageous. Either way you must find out if the program has any successful graduates and contact them for their opinion of the program.

Another way to become a dog trainer is to get hired at Petco or Petsmart as part of their in house dog trainer program. Both stores have their own training program. Mostly you will be selling something to your dog owning students as part of your "career" at the pet stores. You will be expected to push for more dog training as well as pushing products.

The world of dog training is a case or tread carefully and beware of rip-offs.

Airline travel for your dog

At one time dogs were only allowed to be transported by plane in the cargo area of the craft. In older planes that meant the cargo area was not temperature regulated but was pressurized. It was often a cold journey for the dog. The dog was often treated like an old luggage set. Then came specialized animal airlines that catered to high priced pets and livestock. They commonly transported racehorses and zoo animals. Very often they had room for dogs and other pets in their airline. The advantage was that on long journeys the animals were accompanied by a vet during the flight. The tickets for such a flight was expensive to say the least.

Some airlines have allowed dogs in the cabin with their owners but the dog must be a small breed and the carrier fit in an area where it will not be in the way of the function of the flight crew or other passengers.

Of course if you happen to find an airline that allows you to have your small dog with you during the flight then you must know one thing.........never let your dog out of the carrier during the flight. No matter how tempting it is to give your pup a hug or let someone else hold him, don't do it. It is against airline regulations and could get you and your dog kicked off of the flight. The pilot has the authority to land at the next available airport and remove you from the plane.

Naughty dog!!

I have just discovered a new and naughty habit that my little dog has picked up - chewing a hole in my husbands jockey shorts! I discovered this little mishap the other day when I picked up hubby's underwear in the middle of our bedroom floor. I thought he had dropped them while taking them to the laundry room. It wasn't until I looked at them closely when I saw a dinner plate sized hole in them. I asked hubby what happened and he was as puzzled as I was, that was until we figured out that the dog must have liked the taste, smell and location of where the hole was and assumed (excuse the pun) the dog chewed the hole.

Now we have to keep the door to our bedroom closed so that our dog does not get into the habit of looking for dirty laundry to chew on. I would have probably come unglued if he had picked out some of my lingerie to snack on. I can be thankful that our dog does not have a chewing habit unlike my BIL who has a beagle that use to destroy his shoes once he left for work. Funny thing was, the beagle would only chew his shoes and nothing else.

Wild dogs in the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks (aka OBX) is a long 200 mile long stretch of islands and beaches off of the coast of North Carolina. They are home to wild horses, pirate lore and historical homes. They are also home to wild foxes and small wild dogs. The dogs are possibly feral dogs that have gone wild generations ago since most tourists report seeing wild dogs that they can't quite describe as fitting into the regular descriptions of wolves, coyotes or foxes.

Many of the wildlife habitats in the obx do not allow dogs so if you are visiting the area it is best to find out about the rules regarding dogs before you go. Many obx vacation rentals and hotels do allow dogs but if you can't go anywhere with your dog when you get there, what is the point of taking your dog with you?

Feeding table scraps

I do believe that the current anti feeding your dog anything but commercial dog food is a conspiracy concocted by dog food makers. The look of horror on people's faces when someone mentions they feed their dog leftovers or even cook for their dogs is a tell all of the current opinion regarding what to feed your dog.

Dogs have survived for centuries living off of table scraps. In fact dogs where invited into large homes and castles to act as a clean-up crew for the dinning areas. They "vacuumed" up the food under the dinning tables. So what has changed?

With today's "modern" living comes carpets and less dramatic dinning experiences. We don't toss food on the floor as much as our forefathers did. Our dogs are expected to have manners like we do and we even teach them not to "beg."

Unfortunately, feeding convenient dry and canned dog foods has led to overweight dogs with health problems. We are now forced to either put our dogs on a diet or find weight loss pills for them, yes they make diet pills for dogs. Couple that with questionable ingredients that some dogs are allergic to and now you have health problems from skin rashes and hives to lumps and hair loss.

Feeding tables scraps does not sound that bad after alll, does it?

Do you love your dog but are highly allergic to it?

Allergies are not fun. I am allergic to cats and cleaning. I kid you not, most household chemical cleaners set off an asthma attack in me. Thankfully I am not allergic to dogs but we do have one house cat. I can understand the frustration of having a pet that you love dearly and have to be on guard for allergies.

What I have learned to do is when I touch an animal that I am allergic to (in my case cats) is that I must not touch my face with my hands until after I have washed them. If I touch my face before washing my hands it will start the first allergic reaction - watering eyes. After that comes the sneezing then the asthma attack if I am not careful.

Austin, an acquaintance I know, is highly allergic to his dog. The allergy treatment austin uses is Claritin along with herbal teas.

So how many of you are allergic to your dog? leave a comment, I would love to know.

Dogs that do human sports

Yes that is a scuba diving dog in the photo above. while I wouldn't run out and fit my dog with equipment like that and buy underwater cameras to show off the fact that my dog can do that sport, other people do. That brings up an interesting list of sports that people have taught their dogs to do. Here are just some of the ones that I have seen either as photos or on videos:

• Skate boarding dogs
• Dogs riding on motorcycles or horses
• Skydiving dogs
• High diving dogs (off of diving platforms into a swimming pool)

An online dog store that has everything for the well dressed dog

It's a wet cold afternoon, so what better a way to spend it than looking around the internet for something interesting about dogs. I found a rather interesting site called DoggyVogue.com that has some of the most elaborate dog dresses and collars I have ever seen.

They even have wedding dresses, tuxes and that little item pictured above. Faux pearl necklaces for the female pooch round out the well dressed dog for a wedding.

I snooped around that site and found other interesting stuff like this doggy nail art.

 I don't think that my dog would sit still long enough for me to do that to his nails. Notice how the fur had to be clipped back to show off the nails? Too much work for me to try on my own considering how my dog would get those nails dirty the first time he went outside to pee.

When will technology catch up with dogs?

Why is it that I am constantly running into businesses and dog owners that are just not living in the 21st century. One case in point is a local dog groomer that simply does not use any technology to run her business. No computer, no cash register, no electronic appointment calendar. I can be thankful that she does have a phone and voice mail. I think her son set up the voice mail for her.

Another place was a small dog show that had everything hand written, even the judges results were calculated by hand! When I asked one of the officials when the results would be posted online and when the AKC got the results, I was told "in a few weeks"......WTF......weeks! Someone should tell them to get with the program and move on in to the 21st century.

You might think that I am over reacting but just a few years ago before human nurses wheeled those medical computer carts into a patients room, they wrote everything down and made grammar and spelling errors that resulted in medical mistakes. Now can you imagine dog show accounting errors due to writing errors.

I am now getting off the rant wagon and taking my dog for a walk.

Funny dog videos

I just finished watching America's Funniest Videos (AFV for those of you who also watch it) and the winner tonight was the 3 poodles. Let's face it, some of the funniest videos on that show are about pets and the ones with the dogs are the best. The cat videos are cute but the dog videos are awesome. Where else can you see a dog skateboarding or playing with a garage door opener.

Now if I can only get my dog to do something unusual or uber cute to send it in to AFV. Oh well, I'll get to it when hell freezes over.

A Late Happy New Year

So now that 2011 is a few days old, how is it treating you thus far? I am still getting over the Christmas holiday. My dog got Christmas cards this year!!! Yep, other dog owning friends sent him cards and he even got a gift. I am thinking bout sending those people some personalized note cards with a big thank you from my dog and his paw print on them.

I am hoping that this year is a better one than last year. Way too many friends lost their beloved pets to cancer and other health complications last year. Almost none of them were due to old age.

As I raise my glass of soda to you......here is to a better and healthier 2011 for dogs everywhere.