• 23Aug

  Whatcha Got?

  Interesting and Funny 2 Comments

  This is a question I ask almost every day, regarding my co-workers lunches.  They ask me what I have, too.  It’s human nature to see what everyone’s eating!

  My dogs are the same way.  If I give Quick a biscuit, and Nova a liver treat, there’s a definite ‘whatcha got?’ look exchanged.  And jealousy. I avoid this scenario at any cost!  They start milling around me, wagging their entire bodies and pressing up against me like 80lb cats.  It’s not as fun as it sounds.  Especially when they start bouncing.

  What’ve you got?  What kind of food do you feed your dog?  These days it seems everyone has an opinion on what’s the best thing to feed dogs, and I for one am lost!  I feed a high-quality kibble, and my dogs do fine.  I give freeze-dried treats, or real-food treats like apple, potato, or cheese. What do you think is best? Do you like raw food? (if you feed raw, tell me how you feel about the new Delta therapy dog ruling, please? I don’t understand.) Dehydrated? Are you like me and spend hours researching kibbles that are best for your dogs?

  

  Tags: controversial, dog products, dog safety & health

• 13Aug

  Agility Lightweights?

  Dog Training (General) 4 Comments

  When I took my dog to the vet recently I was shocked to be told that he was, indeed, still in a healthy weight range. I felt he was much too thin, but the vet shook her head and said “Not really, many agility people like them lean.”.  I never really noticed overly lean dogs in agility.  Lots of dogs that are healthy weight, but not necessarily ‘lean’.  Is your dog a lean, mean, jumping machine?

  Speaking of skinny dogs, this is feed a homeless shelter pet week.   There are nearly a thousand members to this blog- and many more I am sure are watching!  If all who read this entry go to freekibble.com this week alone, we could feed countless dogs and cats together and help them as they wait for their forever families.  Another great website that donates dog food to pets in need is the Animal Rescue Site. Neither costs us anything but a few moments of time, and could make a world of difference to someones’ soon to be best friend.

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

• 05Aug

  Horror of Heartworm

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  I have a friend who works in a vet clinic. She’s a good friend to have, she helps me know when to run screaming to the vet, or just tell the dog they’re being a drama queen. She’s also great for helping me read dog food labels… which is a whole ‘nother blog entry on its’ own.

  Yesterday we met for lunch, and after a few minutes chatting she paused and said ‘Hey, your dogs are on heartworm medication, right?’

  I told her no, since I test them yearly and believed that to be sufficient.

  She nodded and said “You might want to get them on it.” It turns out she’d had nearly an entire kennel of seventeen dogs test positive for heartworm about twenty five miles from where I live! That’s a lot of dogs mosquitoes could have bitten and became carriers for.

  I beat feet to my vet to request a test and get them their medication, and they’ll be taking it throughout this season. Heartworm scares me. Please be aware of it in your pets! All it takes is one positive animal to infect an entire neighborhood of loved pets and companions.

  For more information about heartworm, go here, and talk to your vet. Don’t delay!

  

  Tags: dog safety & health

• 02Aug

  August Contest: Assistant Dogs

  Dog Training (General), Inspirational, Monthly Contests 19 Comments

  Assistance Dog Week is this month (8-14).

  Does your dog do any assistance, therapy work, or work as a service animal? (official or unofficial). Tell us about your dog- or your favorite assistant dog. What do they do? What special training did they need to have? Do you have to wear a vest?

  You could win a leather leash tab! Super snazzy and very versatile, they’re my favorite leash tab!

  The winner will be chosen via random number generator on or around September 1st, and announced/emailed on or around the same.

  How to enter this contest:

  If you have never done so before, you must first register your email address on this blog.  We will then notify you if you are a winner of this contest.  You only need to do this once, and you will be good for all future monthly contests (and get priority notification of when they occur)!

  Scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your comment/answer.  Or, if there is no box, click on the “comments” in the upper right corner.

  

  Tags: dog fame, dog safety & health, Inspirational

• 26Jul

  A Sad Class

  Dog Agility Training No Comments

  It was a sad class for me this week. Quick is sick as a dog, so no agility for him! (Don’t worry, the vet said he should be fine, he probably just ate something that made him sick. Me, I’m still worried… but that’s me!) It was so hard to go to class to watch without my baby boy with me! He looked so sad as we pulled out of the driveway.

  I was the gopher for setting up the class, which was fun and a change! I helped set up the course, watch other people with their dogs, and generally absorb as much information as possible. On a side note, I’m officially in love with jumps that have the height clearly engraved on the cup (like our competition adjustable jumps). Without it, setting the jumps is a real nightmare.

  Our trainer ran her dogs for us so we could see how contacts and handling work, up close and personal. Oh, wow. I can’t imagine!!! Quick’s going to be that good one day? It seems impossible my big boy will ever be as good, but I know it is possible.

  Agility classes without your dog are both good and bad. They’re good because you can pay close attention and plan how you’re going to use your makeup class your instructor was generous enough to give you. They’re bad because when you look down, excited to share what you just figured out the instructors’ instructions, your best friend isn’t with you, waiting for you to share your enlightenment.  There’s no answering tug on the end of the leash, no cold nose on your leg, no after-practice snuggles.

  It’s honestly a little heartbreaking. I’m looking forward to Quick being healthy enough to practice with me. I even got him extra-special treats to make up for being ill!

  

  Tags: agility beginners, agility training, dog safety & health

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