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Ticks get very active in late spring and summer, and they can carry several diseases including lyme disease. Both people and their pets are at risk. Unfortunately, lyme disease can be very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are often vague and can include lethargy, joint pain, and fever.

If you live in an area where lyme disease is prevalent, talk to your veterinarian about products that repel ticks. And make sure to check your pet for ticks after walks or other outdoor activities. If you do find a tick, grasp it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull it straight off. Try to preserve it in a tight container. That way, if your pet develops a problem, your veterinarian can determine whether or not the tick is a carrier of lyme disease.

Dogs that love to play tug-of-war bring a lot of excitement and determination to the game. They may hold onto that tug toy so tightly that you can actually pick them up by their teeth if you’re strong enough. But experts say that’s not a good idea. Bones and teeth may become damaged in the process. Don’t even let your dog pull the toy too hard, especially a young dog that’s still growing, or a creaky older dog with orthopedic problems.

Instead, make tug-of-war more structured and goal-oriented. Use it to teach the dog to pick up the tug toy and release it on cue. Let him know it belongs to you, not him. He’ll soon learn to pay close attention and will understand that all games begin and end at your command.

The dogs that need the most exercise are breeds that were developed to work long hours for a living, such as herding dogs and bird dogs. Among these relentlessly hard-working types are Border Collies, Labrador Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Jack Russell Terriers, and Dalmatians. They’re frisky, inquisitive, and always ready to go.

High energy dogs match up best with high energy people—owners willing to seek out challenging activities to channel their pet’s boundless enthusiasm and gusto. These dogs need consistent training, firm discipline, and lots of exercise. If you’re a moderate-to-low energy human looking for a canine companion, choose one at the opposite end of the energy spectrum.

Your pet may be a rescue, but let’s be honest… Who rescued who?

RedandHowling: Musings on Dogs, Cats & Other Bundles of Love.

We all know that the internet was made for cat videos, so it makes total sense that as a result, we have a new category of celebrities – the Cat Celebrity! Have you heard of Grumpy Cat, Nala Cat or Oskar The Blind Cat? What about Tara Hero Cat? Our friends over at Friskies put together the definitive guide to the most influential kitty celebrities on the web so you can keep track of who’s who and which cat will be the next big thing! The Friskies 50 is an index of the most influential cats on the Internet, based on each cat’s social reach and engagement across an array of social accounts. See the full list at www.Friskies50.com where you can see the arrows displayed beside each cat’s position which indicate upward or downward movement from the previous month and a gold star indicates a first time appearance on the Friskies 50. Also, if you know a cat that should be in the Friskies 50, you can nominate them by typing in their name! Check out the fun at www.Friskies50.com

Our friends over at Purina created this simple graphic to help you understand some of the key reasons that puppies and dogs often like to chew. It’s important to give your puppy or dog appropriate chew toys and treats so they can have relieve pent up stress and energy… and have some fun! It’s also important, of course, to keep things like shoes and other chew-licious items safely out of your dog or puppy’s reach, as they can chew off chunks of material which could cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage. Even chew toys designed for dogs often say to allow your dog to chew only when supervised, in case your pup has Godzilla-like chewing power. Chewing appropriate things also can help keep teeth and gums strong, clean, and healthy. Let’s hear it for chewing!

by Katie Kirnan

“I’ve always wanted a diagram to evaluate Zelda’s poo, and now I’ve got it.  And although I hope we’ll never use it, I now feel very well-versed in the doggy Heimlich maneuver.  This book rules.”—Seth Rogen

What could easily be an inaccessible, tedious read is instead a thoroughly entertaining reference guide thanks to Adopt-a-Pet.com co-founder and lifelong animal advocate, Amy Luwis, who has created one of the best dog books on the planet:  For Dog’s Sake!: A Simple Guide to Protecting Your Pup from Unsafe Foods, Everyday Dangers, and Bad Situations

“This has to be the cutest serious book I’ve ever seen. The cartoon dogs on every page are a riot and engaging and worth the price of the book alone. The actual information inside is equally good.”—Top 1000 Reviewer Vine Voice

While many dog health resources are already out there, none of them are like Amy’s book. Sure, some of us may own a sturdy, 400-page veterinary tome (that we’ve never opened), and while these are full of excellent information — and guaranteed to impress any guests in your home — they’re also long, difficult to read, and devoid of illustrations.  More importantly, their inaccessibility makes it less likely that a dog parent will pick it up and read it.

Amy’s book is the opposite and will most likely be dog-eared from day one. For Dog’s Sake! covers a lot of vital topics, from the Heimlich Maneuver, to rescue breathing, to dressing a wound, to toxic substances and somehow Ms. Luwis manages to make it all so adorably cute and easy to understand!  Luwis also tackles unsavory, but crucial topics like poop and yes, she makes poop look cute, too. There’s a Review Quiz at the end of the book for the studious and an excellent section dispelling the myths of shelter dogs.  I think it’s safe to say that Amy’s book is a treasure trove of life-saving information.

While dog parents seem like the go-to audience for this book, For Dog’s Sake! is really for anyone in the dog world — vets, dog-sitters, shelter employees, pup lovers, and hey, why not, any dog out there who can read. (And if you are a dog and you’re reading this, wow. Just… wow.)
As if all of this wasn’t compelling enough, a portion of the book’s proceeds will help sick and injured homeless pets through Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Veterinary Care Fund. So, by purchasing this book, you’re not just helping your dog — you’re helping other dogs and animals in need, too!

Amy’s book is published by Andrews McMeel.  For more information, visit:  ForDogsSake.Rocks and be sure to follow Amy for more dog tips and cartoons @RedandHowling.