Author: Katya

Recently two Western PA animals shelters announced that they have worked an agreement with a local pet store, and the store will now only carry shelter pets in its inventory only. The entire story can be read at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.com. We really applaud the hard work of both the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania, and the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society for helping bring shelter pets in front of new pet buyers.

This post comes from Twinkie Tiny Dog, a blog about a Teacup Yorkie in L.A. Twinkie had some good tips for senior pet owners or to be senior pet owners after meeting up with dog trainer Cyndy Wood. Cyndy has a huge 14 year old dalmatian who is in pretty good health. Some of her tips included looking for the proper food, how to help prevent arthritis, or reduce the side effects of arthritis. Probably one of the best tips was to have your senior pet’s blood tested, and give them wellness exams. Cyndy also includes some information about proper exercise and how to deal with the cold. Read the entire post here.

This post comes from Pawesome.net and is all about a special needs dog Popeye. Popeye, is like most other dogs in many ways. He enjoys his walks, he loves to wrestle with other dogs, he knows basic commands like “down” and “go to bed,” and he can run like the devil. But it’s how he’s different that makes him the center of attention wherever he goes. Checkout Popeye in action below and then read more about how he has adapted to normal dog life as a special needs dog, and click more to see his video. –>

We would like to thank MyPetHealthGuide.com for featuring adoptable pets from Adopt-a-Pet.com. MyPetHealthGuide.com helps decode your cat or dog’s occasionally mysterious behavior, with a range of advice from animal behaviorists or veterinarians, so you can be sure you’re making the right, healthy choice for the furriest member of your family. This month they are featuring Justice, a 14-month-old Husky/American Pit Bull Terrier mix in search of a loving home. He is medium to large in size with a chestnut-colored coat and white and golden markings. He walks well on a leash and understands basic commands. If you would like to learn more about Justice and/or health care advice for your pet, please visit MyPetHealthGuide.com

Recently PeoplePets.com featured a pet from Adopt-a-Pet.com, Shadow von Schlossberg. Shadow, who’s 2 years old, weighs a healthy 80 lbs., and though he’s athletic and loves to play, he has a calm side, too. The super-smart pooch responds well to commands and corrections, and bonds quickly with other dogs (though not so well with cats). According to the volunteers at Westside German Shepherd Rescue who know him wel, he has tons of personality, and will keep you laughing with his silly antics. Fun, good-looking and sweet — what more could you ask for? Learn more about Shadow Here.

Adopt-a-Pet.com has recently begun working with PeoplePets.com to raise awareness of animals adoption. Today, we’d like highlight a pet who is looking for a home with the help of PeoplePets.com. Meet Amber, a motherly Staffordshire terrier. Amber was pregnant when her owners left her tied to a fence outside the Humane Society of Garland County in Hot Springs, Ark., in May 2008. She had her babies at the shelter, and took “very good care of them,” according to volunteer Theresa Carter, who says Amber is “a good mother.”

Most of her puppies have found new homes, but 3-year-old Amber remains at the shelter. The “very gentle and loving” pooch enjoys long walks, but would do best in a home without small children or other pets because they frighten her. “She’s a wonderful girl and a staff favorite,” Carter says. Read more on Amber, and view where she can be located in Arkansas by clicking here.

Their clinics are dusty spaces with limited electricity and no running water. Their operating tables are whatever desks available covered in garbage bags. Most of their clients have never seen a veterinarian before. Despite the odds, Canada’s Veterinarians Without Borders (VWB) complete their work on boundless ingenuity to save lives and reduce animal suffering. Their work is captured in the new webseries Vets Without Borders , launching on September 15th, Vets Without Borders follows a team of VWB volunteer vets and vet techs to Todos Santos, Guatemala.

Todos Santos is a small mountain village where rabid dogs have attacked people, killing them with the disease. The vets are there to spay/neuter and vaccinate the dog population, but in a community with no other vet care there are many crises to overcome.

From aiding a Rottweiler found dying in the street to a cardiac arrest during a spay surgery, the vets’ skills are pushed to the max in an environment where they have only the bare essentials. Webisodes #1 & #2 premiere on September 15th, followed by two new webisodes on the 22nd and the 29th.

Dog parks can be a great way to socialize your dog — but can also be unsafe if proper measures aren’t taken. The following tips are to help you keep your dog safe and happy at the park.

• Know your dog. Not all dogs enjoy meeting new dogs. Don’t let your dog get overwhelmed by meeting too many dogs at once. If your dog has not interacted regularly with other dogs, find out how he will react. You can perform a test by introducing your dog to a friends’ dog that you know interacts well with other dogs. Testing your dog in a controlled environment is ideal before you go into the dog park.
• Keep your dog healthy. Be sure your dog isn’t vulnerable to picking up infections from other dogs by keeping him up to date on his vaccinations and worming medications.
• Observe. Consider visiting the park without your dog for the first time to familiarize yourself with the park itself and the dogs that play there. Before bringing your dog inside the park, spend a few minutes watching the other dogs and how they interact. If the dogs seem too rough for your dog, come back at another time or try a different dog park. On your next visit you may want to bring your dog and sit quietly with him outside the park. Having your dog with you to observe from outside the park enables you to watch how he reacts to seeing the other dogs.
• Start out slow. The first few visits to the dog park should be short, no longer than 15 minutes. Slowly increase the length of your stays as your dog becomes more comfortable with the dog park atmosphere.

Choose a time that is less busy for your first few visits to the park. Weekday evenings are peak, high-traffic times at dog parks, and weekends and holidays tend to be busy all day long. Acquaint your dog with the dog park when the park isn’t as crowded.

• Closely supervise your dog. Don‘t get distracted while talking to other owners. Keep an eye on your dog at all times to make sure his interactions with other dogs are safe. Watch his body language to help you avoid any trouble before it begins. Watching his actions also enables you to quickly clean up after your pet.
• Let your dog off leash as soon as you enter unleashed areas. Mixing leashed and unleashed dogs can create a hostile situation. Leashed dogs, and their owners, often display body language and behavior that is threatening to the unleashed dogs and may encourage them to be aggressive and defensive in return. A leashed dog cannot make the choice his natural instinct tells him of “fight or flight” — if he cannot take flight, he may have to fight.

Potential hazards. Be aware of potential hazards that may be in the park, such as toxic chemicals, garbage or noxious plants. Be sure to wash any chemicals, such as fertilizer or pesticides, off of your dog’s feet and legs to ensure they aren’t licked and ingested.

• Leave children at home. Don’t bring children with you to the dog park. You will not safely be able to watch your kids and your dog at the same time. Many dogs have not been socialized to children. Both frighten and excite easily — and react differently — creating a dangerous atmosphere. It’s simply too easy for a child to get hurt at a dog park.
• Leave small puppies at home. Puppies less than four months old aren’t fully immunized yet and are at higher risk for contracting diseases. They are also very vulnerable to being traumatized by another dog’s aggressive behavior.
• Do not bring toys or food. Most parks are already littered with balls and toys that other people have brought. Rewarding your dog with treats or giving him toys in front of other dogs can create jealousy and aggression.
• Body language. Educate yourself about dog body language and communication signals so you can tell the difference between fear, play and anger. Your local Bark Busters trainer can help you learn to “read” your dog’s body language.
• Know when to leave. You should remove your dog from the park if he is being threatened or bullied and seems fearful; begins to display aggressive behavior by becoming overexcited or threatening toward other dogs; is panting heavily; or seems overly tired. Keep your dog’s welfare a top priority.
• DO NOT physically intervene in a dog fight. Never reach in to break up fighting dogs. Squirt the dogs in the face with a water bottle or try to distract them by throwing something near them, but never physically intervene.
• Prevent injuries. Be aware of the signs of a possible dog fight before it might happen. Don’t allow a dog’s overexcitement turn into a fight. If your dog injures a person or dog, give your name and phone number to the injured party. Report to law enforcement authorities any handlers who refuse to take liability for damages or injuries and who are endangering the safety of others.

About the Post Author

Liam Crowe is the CEO and grand master dog behavioral therapist of Bark Busters USA (www.BarkBusters.com), the world’s largest dog training company. Since inception, over 500,000 dogs have been trained worldwide using Bark Busters’ dog-friendly, natural methods, which focus on fostering a positive relationship between owner and dog to establish a lasting emotional bond based on respect and trust. Find a dog trainer at Bark Busters.

Recently Savvy Source and Yes Kidz Can teamed up with Adopt-a-Pet.com to help inform kids about what they can do to help homeless animals. Adopt-a-Pet.com recommended 5 activities that kids can easily do to help pets in their community. Before starting parents and kids should first, double check with your area rescue groups or pet adoption agencies about their age limits for volunteers. Many will let 12-year-olds volunteer. And, younger kids may be allowed as well if they are accompanied by a parent. Read the top 5 things kids can do to help homeless animals.

Is your dog bored with her same old chew toys? Kongs, Bully sticks, and Raw Hides are excellent chew toys for your dog, and they also give your pooch something to do. Having an activity to work on keeps your pet mentally stimulated, which we all know is as important as keeping your pup physically stimulated as well. Here’s a new chew toy to try, and the best part? It’s free and easy to make! You can even make it with your kids to keep them involved in your dog’s care.

Find an old sock – the longer the sock the better. Put a treat at the bottom of the sock, then tie a knot. Put another treat above the first knot, and then tie another knot. Depending on the length of the sock, and if you still have fabric to work with, do it one more time – place a piece of treat above the second knot and tie a third knot. This gives your dog two to three knots to have to try to figure out and undo in order to get her treats! The smellier the treat you use, the more enticed she will be to undo those knots and stay focused on getting her treats. This easy to make, free chew toy will change things up, keep your canine busy, and let her work hard for her treats.

Just remember not to use the socks you’ll need to wear tomorrow 