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And the Coolest Dog Is…

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Jessie, taking a break from an unseaonably warm winter’s day: Even though I would much rather be lounging in the embrace of the warm and happy sun today, I am taking a quick break to share some more amazing dog facts with you. After all, we dogs ARE amazing…even if I do say so myself.

Did you know…

**The Greyhound is the fastest dog on earth. That puppy can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour for short periods of time! Even on a bicycle, you’d be eating his dust!

**The Irish Wolfhound is the largest dog. With wolf in the name, who am I to argue with that declaration?

**The Great Dane is the tallest dog. Remember to look up to these fellows…literally!

**The Chihuahua is the smallest dog….but check out his personality! Tall order!

**The heaviest dog?  The St. Bernard!

**The world’s oldest dog was an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey who died at age 29 years and five months!  Holy Cow…I mean, Holy Dog!

**The world’s coolest dog? Need you ask?

(Thanks to dog-names.org.uk for this great info. Thanks to me for reminding you about that last fact!)

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Keeping Coyotes At Bay

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

CoyoteFrom time to time in this area, we’ve had cases of coyotes attacking small dogs.  If you’ve had coyote sightings or attacks in your neighborhood, here are some tips to keep them away:

  • If you have a fence, or are thinking of installing one, look at ones that are 6 feet or higher with a roll bar on top.
  • Don’t leave small dogs unattended outside in the dark, even for a potty break.
  • Install motion activated outdoor lighting, the light will startle coyotes that may enter your yard.
  • Trim shrubbery so coyotes won’t have a place to hide.
  • If you have outdoor water dishes for your dog, empty them once your dog has come inside for the night.
  • Remove sources of food such as fallen fruits, berries or bird seed that may have fallen from the feeder.

Your Dog, February 2012, was used as reference for this post

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Is Doggie Day Care Right For Your Dog?

Monday, January 30th, 2012

DoggyI sometimes receive calls from pet owners inquiring about the services we provide at Joy of Living.  As caring pet owners, they’re looking for the best solution for their dog while they’re at work or on vacation.

Although doggie day care is a good solution for some dogs, it isn’t the best fit for all.  If your dog is active, well socialized and on the younger side, day care could be a good option.

Once you’ve determined day care is the way to go, here are some questions to ask doggie day care providers prior to signing your dog up:

How is the facility set up?

  • Are dogs separated by size?  Do dogs have constant access to bathroom break areas?  Is the facility clean?

Are all prospective clients accepted?

  • Is there a “trial” period to ensure the new dog will get along with others?

Is medical help readily available?

  • In the event a dog is injured or becomes ill, is there a vet on call?  Have day care employees been trained in pet first aid and CPR?

How big are the playgroups?

  • At a minimum, there should be one trained employee for every 15 dogs.  One employee per 10 dogs would be preferable.

How are new dogs introduced?

  • Be sure there’s a method in place to appropriately introduce new dogs to the existing “pack”.  Avoid any facility that states they just put all the dogs together, they’ll be fine.

The Bark magazine, Jan/Feb 2012 issue was a reference for this post

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It’s All About The Tone

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Earlier today, I attended a lunch presentation entitled “It’s Not Just What You Say, It’s HOW You Say It”. The presenter, Barb Teicher of etc., an executive coaching company based in the KC area, spoke about all the aspects of communication, other than our words, that determine how effectively we communicate with others.

Although the presentation was about communication between humans, some aspects hold true when communicating with our pets. The jury is still out on just how many words our pets really understand, but it is very easy to tell how pets react to our tone of voice.

When we speak in a harsh tone to pets, they often will shrink away from us. The same words said in a kinder tone produce a much more positive reaction.

Think before you speak, you’ll like the results!

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When the Cat Needs Ear Plugs!

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Dog with Squeaky ToyMarty Party, the inquisitive cat with the inquiry of the day: WHY DO DOGS NEED SQUEAKY TOYS?  It drives me crazy.  All I want to do is rest under the window in the embrace of the warm rays from the sun, when out of nowhere comes this irritating squeaky noise. I thought I had destroyed that thing! But, no! Little doggie has a squeaky toy!  Fun, fun!  For HER!

One theory as to why dogs like such annoying toys is simply due to the nature of the squeak. Evidently, in the wild, an injured prey anmial makes similar sounds and cries, and in doing so reveals its position and condition. (I’ve got GPS…what do I care?) Dogs with those strong natural hunting instincts recognize those replicated sounds in a squeaky toy and are supposedly satisfied with it.  Makes them feel like they’ve conquered a few field mice, birds or other small prey. (Note to self: Remain bigger than the family dog!)

Of course, it could just be that dogs love an interactive toy that satisfies their innate desire to chew and gnaw, keeping their minds occupied. Thank you, but I prefer the crossword puzzles in the New York Times. No squeaks.  Speaking of which, what’s a six letter word that rhymes with “You’re mine?”  That’s right…canine, and that dog is MINE!  You hear that, Jessie? I rule! You drool!

Thanks to wisegeek.com for keeping me pleasantly informed and slightly above the family dog!

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When Mere Words Are Not Enough…

Friday, January 20th, 2012

A Man and His Dog

Jessie, the compassionate dog (at least when Party Marty, that darned cat, is not around!): Sometimes, a picture says way more than mere words can.  I just had to post this today.  I don’t know to whom credit should be given for the photo, but I trust it will be appreciated by many posting it here. It warms my heart to see this. Dogs rock!

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Guest Post: Becoming A Pet Photographer

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

I admire Jennifer Hague’s work at Fix Your Images and asked her to write a guest post about her journey to becoming a pet photographer.  Following are her thoughts, along with a few of her favorite photographs she’s taken.  Enjoy!

RemingtonI studied Journalism and graduated from the University of Central Missouri in 2003. I always assumed I would be a reporter or a writer…. that’s all I had ever known. Little did I realize, my photography career would begin when I discovered a love for photo restoration in 2005.

In 2009, I began offering photography services, quickly learning pet photography was my ultimate passion. This was of course after my husband and I brought a miniature schnauzer puppy, Remington, into our lives.  He promptly became my more-than-willing model who would do just about anything I asked of him during a photo shoot.

Smiling HuskyMy heart is always especially happy when I am around animals, especially dogs. I have been an animal lover my entire life, growing up with Lhasa Apsos throughout my childhood. I always knew I wanted to be involved in saving homeless animals– but I was never clear on how I would be involved. My path was shown to me when I began photographing dogs. I received such wonderful feedback when I began taking photographs at local shelters and rescues – the dogs true souls and smiles were shining in the photos and as a result, they were getting recognized and adopted quickly.

I support many local animal rescue organizations, participate in adoption events and offer my photography services complimentary to local rescues and shelters who need assistance photographing their animals up for adoption. My work has been published in various magazines including: Dog Fancy, Fido Friendly, Bella DOG and on the covers of Happy Tails books.

During my journey as a pet photographer, my life has been enriched in more ways than I could have ever imagined.  And I have truly seen it all – varying small and large breeds, from the ultra shy to the exceedingly hyper – but there has never been a photo session where I have been frustrated. I never feel like I am working when I am photographing dogs – which is the beauty of following my passion and my dream. Every photo shoot is memorable and every dog I meet stamps a forever paw print on my heart. I believe everything in life happens for a specific reason.  I am so blessed that I was led to be where I am today and I look forward to what the future brings.

If you’d like to contact Jennifer, her Email is fixyourimages@Hotmail.com or visit the Fix Your Images website: www.fixyourimages.com

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Funny Pet Picture of the Week

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

This week, it’s actually a video.  My work is cool because somebody is always happy to see me.  I took this video today of Reg and Max, who are very excited about getting out for a walk!

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What’s In A Name-Top 10 Dog & Cat Names of 2011

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Is your dog or cat sporting the same name as many others on the block?  Check out the lists of top 10 dog and cat names of 2011:

Top Dog Names of 2011

  1. Bella
  2. Max
  3. Buddy
  4. Daisy
  5. Bailey
  6. Lucy
  7. Molly
  8. Coco
  9. Charlie
  10. Rocky

Top 10 Cat Names of 2011

  1. Kitty
  2. Tiger
  3. Bella
  4. Kitten
  5. Smokey
  6. Max
  7. Tigger
  8. Shadow
  9. Chloe
  10. Lucy
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Does Your Dog Over-Eat?

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Overweight DogParty Marty on the scene, always looking out for the dogs in my life! We recently had an inquiry from a friend who is concerned that her dog over-eats. While her dog is not fat, she thinks that the over-eating is stress and anxiety-related. As such, I put on my detective hat to see what might trigger over-eating in dogs.  Here’s what I found, as expressed in bigpawsonly.com:

One reason a dog may over-eat is to beat out a canine sibling in a race to get to the food. (This makes sense for our friend, as the dog in question is usually bullied by the smaller, more aggressive dog in the household.)

The dog could be depressed, anxious, or even suffering from a side effect of any medication he might be taking.

From a physical standpoint, the dog might have internal parasites, a tumor, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease or some sort of internal organ infection.

If your dog is suffering from a sudden bout of over-eating, rest assured that there are steps you can take to help your furry friend overcome this ailment.  Of course, it is wise to consult your vet if you think something is out of the ordinary, but in the interim, there are ways that you can control the intake of food your dog consumes:

Reduce the amount of food that you are feeding him.

If you have more than one dog, feed them in separate rooms.

Limit the times that food is left out. Don’t allow for free feeding or grazing during the day.

Get your dog one of those toys that makes getting food a bit of a game and a challenge.

Engage your pet in more physical exercise.

I do know for certain the one thing that would keep ME from over-eating, if I had that problem:  fill my bowl with brussel sprouts. Yuck!

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