My Fetching Fido

Summer is a great season for spending time outdoors with our dogs, but it’s also important to be aware that dogs aren’t as resilient to the sun as we often think. Just like a person, a dog’s skin and eyes can be damaged with too much exposure to the sun’s rays. While long–haired dogs will have protection to the sun from their fur, short haired dogs can becomes sunburned. However, the real danger of the sun is if the dog becomes too hot. Long–haired dogs are much more vulnerable than short–haired dogs when it comes to heat, and owners should ensure that their dog is provided shade if spending an extended period of time outdoors. Water is also important, as it’s much easier for dogs to become dehydrated because they don’t sweat through their skin, as people do.

To address a dog’s eyes, a dog hat is a good idea. Dogs are smart, and won’t look up at the sun, but their eyes can still become damaged due to the sun reflecting off pavement or another surface. A dog hat is a great idea as it will protect the dog’s eyes, and also serve as a bold fashion statement.

World’ s Ugliest Dog Contest
Sonoma–Marin Fair, Northern California
June 26, 2009

This contest has become a world famous showcase for the ugliest of dogs. Miss Ellie, a 15–year old Chinese crested from Tennessee, was expected to win yet again. But the surprise victory went to an unknown: Pabst, a Boxer mix from Citrus Heights, California. Pabst has an amazing underbite and wowed the crowd with his sly grin.

He not only came away with a 4–foot tall champion’s trophy, but a cool $2,000 and a modeling contract with House of Dog in Los Angeles. He even has a chance to gain fame on the Animal Planet cable show along with appearances on national TV. We’re proud of you, Pabst. Keep on grinning!

This information is provided by www.barkingmart.com

On a recent beautiful Saturday in San Diego, Buddy, a Jack Russell terrier—along with his owner, Bruce Hooker—was hanging ten at the 4th Annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition, a fund-raiser to benefit the Modest Needs Foundation, which aims to prevent poverty before it begins. With his owner, Buddy went out further than any other dog in the competition and surfed wave after wave.

Thousands of dog lovers watched in disbelief as Buddy, an experienced surfer, caught the wave that would win him the championship title. As he rode the swell, he made it very clear other surfers needed to keep their distance: He barked—loudly—the entire time.

Each dog/team had three waves (or chances) to impress the judges and was scored on confidence level, length of ride and overall ability to “grip it and rip it.” Way to go, Buddy!

This information is provided by www.barkingmart.com

There is a lot going on this time of year such as weddings, graduations, and parties celebrating the end of the school year. Your pet will look and feel her very best on these occasions in this adorable, affordable Party Dress. It includes a ruffled skirt and black, lace overlay, complete with a large bow. The underlay is silver or gold. Watch out! She just may grab all the attention!

When it comes to running, jogging, or walking outdoors at night, people often wear reflective vests or clothing to alert drivers of their presence. For dogs that are often outdoors with their owners at night or in the morning before the sun rises, it’s important to have a reflective safety vest or dog collar. There’s no real downside to having a reflective vest. Because of the reflective sheen, it provides protection from drivers who are out at night. There are also reflective dog collars for those owners who are looking for additional protection for their dog.

It’s also important to observe the generic rules of safety when outdoors at night with a dog. Never assume a driver sees something, as some drivers could be looking elsewhere or are distracted. When crossing the street, use crosswalks whenever possible and never cross at a location like a sharp corner where a pedestrian be out of line of sight of oncoming traffic. Taking these precautions will ensure outdoor safety for owner and pet.

Sound ridiculous? Maybe so, but Doggles, a manufacturer of protective eyewear for dogs, is trying out a line of canine corrective lenses for dogs that can’t see much beyond the end of their noses. You may be surprised that dogs don’t see as well as we might think.

And for our mature friends that begin to lose their eyesight or for dogs that have lost their vision due to cataracts or unsuccessful cataract surgery, doggie glasses may be just the answer.

Dr. Michael Brinkman, a veterinary ophthalmologist in Las Vegas, said the Doggles compnay has worked with him to produce the corrective dog eyewear, and he is currently testing them out on some of his patients.

Doggles also offers solid black lenses for dogs that are blind because they are helpful to dogs in several ways. Black lenses comfort dogs with failing eyesight who are super-sensitive to light and they protect eyes from damage when a blind dog bumps into things.

Doggles also makes dog goggles, which are typically used to protect the eyes of dogs who ride in cars and trucks and are in danger of having their eyes damaged by flying debris. They are also helpful for certain breeds of dogs, like German shepherds who have a dry eye condition called Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca or another condition called Chronic Superficial Keratitis, or Pannus, where the eye becomes covered with a brown covering. With KCS and Pannus, environment can be a contributing factor. Pannus is caused by exposure to ultraviolet light, and a reduction in the exposure to UV rays is recommended for the long-term care and treatment of the condition.

So, you can see now that there are a number of valid reasons to put glasses on your doggie.

We all provide our beloved pets with collars, some fancy and some not. But why not provide them with a great looking collar with a special important added feature? Full–length reflective taping, so our pets can be seen clearly on our early evening walks when the light is dim. These great collars are adjustable and come in three beautiful colors to suit dogs of all sizes. Another bonus is that they all have matching leashes. Each a terrific value.

Just like it’s important for people to bundle up in the winter months, dogs, too, need an extra layer of protection from the elements. Humans don’t have a coat of fur that helps them keep warm in cold weather, but nor do humans ever venture outside without some kind of clothing. We can think of our basic clothing (shirt and pants), like a dog’s fur (with the exclusion of dogs like Huskies and St. Bernards which are bred to survive in cold weather). When venturing outside, if it’s too cold for the owner to just be wearing their regular clothes, it’s probably too cold for the dog to just be walking around without some added protection. Under these circumstances, it’s best to have something like a dog sweater, dog parka, or dog vest. These articles of clothing provide the added warmth needed for dogs to be comfortable in colder weather.

It’s also important to protect the dog’s feet from frostbite with dog boots, which just slip over their toes and can make walking much more comfortable. Most dogs don’t mind walking around in snow without their dog boots, but prolonged exposure without protection can be dangerous.

This past Saturday, on a beautiful day at Roberts Lake in Rohnert Park, California, about 300 folks gathered with their dogs for the first annual Dog Faire. The purpose was to raise funds for the Education Foundation of Cotati and Rohnert Park. The day was filled with demonstrations of flyball, agility, and law enforcement K-9s. This is one of eight fun-raisers held each year. The foundation this year gave out more than $48,000 in grants to teachers and schools to supplement academics, art, and music instruction as well a field trips for children. Of all the dog breeds in attendance, all seemed to get along well for this worthy cause.

This information is provided by www.barkingmart.com