That Puppy in the Window

Victoria Beckham’s Dog Celebrates Brooklyn’s 13th Birthday

Kathy — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 02:52:35 +0000

Victoria Beckham’s Dog Celebrates Brooklyn’s 13th Birthday

Monday March 05, 2012 03:25 PM EST

Courtesy Victoria Beckham; Inset: xposure

David and Victoria Beckham‘s eldest child is officially a teenager, and the family bulldog Coco did what she could to mark the milestone.

Victoria shared a photo on Twitter of the pooch donning a party hat Sunday. “Coco is celebrating Brooklyn’s 13th birthday,” she wrote.

The Beckhams welcomed Brooklyn in 1999, and after the baby’s birth, David announced that “[A baby] is something we have always wanted.” Thirteen years later, Brooklyn is a big brother to siblings Romeo, 9; Cruz, 7; and 7-month-old Harper.

No word yet on what the festivities for Brooklyn’s big day entailed – or whether Coco was treated to a piece of cake!

Shih Tzu grooming

Kathy — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:35:51 +0000

COAT Shih Tzu change coat at about 10 – 12 months of age. During this period, they mat faster than you can brush, but keep brushing, the results are worth the effort. This is a temporary situation that lasts about three weeks to a month. Once the coat has changed grooming will be easier. Soft cottony coats will tangle more quickly and require more care than the silky type coat mentioned in the breed standard.

MATS The most common reason a mat occurs is dead hair that drops and becomes entangled in the coat. Never bathe a matted dog without tending to the mats, first. Dirty coats mats more easily, so be sure to bathe your dog at least every two weeks, but ideally once a week. The likely areas for a mat to form are around the neck and ears, underbelly area inside the legs, and under the foot pads. Never pull or rip at a mat because it will cause breakage. Would you do that to your hair? Use a cap of cream conditioner in a spray bottle. Saturate the mat and leave it for three minutes. Carefully separate the hairs with your fingers, and the mat should fall out. If a mat is dense and has significant loose hair entangled, saturate it with undiluted conditioner, and let stand for three minutes. Use your fingers to separate hairs.

BRUSH & COMB To grow and maintain a beautiful coat, you will need a soft brush with flexible pins called a slicker, a rattail comb, a metal comb with moveable wide and narrow teeth, a plastic pick–the kind with 8 or 9 teeth about 3 inches long. The amount of brushing required for an adult coat depends on the texture of the coat–the more cottony coats will require more brushing.

Never brush a totally dry coat. This will cause breakage. Dampen the hair slightly with a spray bottled filled with warm water and a capful of cream conditioner. The coat should be brushed out in layers from the hair ends to the roots and working from the bottom up. Never rip at the coat or lift the top of the brush away and up from the coat as you reach the hair ends. This will cause the ends to weaken and break. Instead, turn the brush into the coat and twist it downward. Use your fingers or the long toothed pick to break up tangles that the brush will not go through.

Begin with the feet, legs, and belly, brushing upward to the skin. Pay special attention to the areas inside the legs and around the neck and ears where mats are more likely to form. Begin brushing the left side, right side, working up to the top coat on the back. Use a rat tail comb and part the coat from the nape of the neck to the root of the tail. Brush out tail. Brush ruff, then comb the mustache and below the ears. Pay special attention to the face and ears. Clean the inside corners of the eyes with a dam washcloth or a piece of cotton soaked in warm water. Use a comb on the mustache and below the ears. Finish with the topknot.

How much is that puppy in the window??

Kathy — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:31:36 +0000

www.youtube.com

Peanut Butter Puppy Biscuits

Kathy — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:19:55 +0000

Peanut Butter Puppy Biscuits

by Kelly Rossiter

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy

When I had my last dog Laika, I bought her premium dog food and never gave it a second thought. But after the pet food scare of last year, I started thinking about what food I would be providing for my new puppy Jasper.

Jasmin gave us information about organic pet food, and I thought I would wade in with a homemade cookie. I searched the Internet and looked at a lot of cookie recipes. I really wanted something that would be simple to make, that didn’t involve chopping meat into tiny bits, and that would presumably taste good to him. I ended up making this cookie with peanut butter that seemed to go over quite well. Of course, Jasper is a puppy, so everything that stops long enough in front of his mouth goes into it. But his tiny tail wagged and he seemed eager for the next bite. I’m using them as training cookies now.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup safflower oil

2 eggs

3 tbsp peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats

PREPARATION:

Mix water, oil, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla with a wire whisk.
Add flours, cornmeal, and oats. Stir until mixed well.
Place dough on a floured work surface. Knead gently, adding more flour as necessary to form a pliable dough
Roll out to 1/2-3/4-inch thickness and cut shapes using cookie cutters. Repeat until all dough is used.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 400Â°F, 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of biscuits. Leave in oven 20 minutes, after turning oven off, to crisp. Store in an airtight container.

Sweaters for Dogs – Are They Ever Necessary?

Kathy — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:23:01 +0000

Sweaters for Dogs – Are They Ever Necessary?

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff’s posts): Dec 23rd 2011 @ 3:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Ask A Vet, Animal Sites We Love

chazferret, Flickr

Q. How do I know if my dog needs a sweater or coat this winter?

A. I feel safe in saying that if you have a healthy, young Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute who’s acclimated to the cold and has the glorious coat common in the Northern breeds, you likely won’t have to invest in canine clothing for walks in the snow. In general there are three kinds of dogs who benefit from the insulation provided by a sweater or coat, as well as the protection afforded by life as a pampered house pet:

- Small dogs.
- Dogs who are elderly, chronically ill or both.
- Greyhounds, Whippets and dogs of a similar thin body type, especially those with short fur.

What these dogs have in common is that they have a more difficult time generating and retaining enough body heat on their own. For these dogs, a little help keeping dry and warm is always a good thing. Though protection from the elements is the biggest reason to put clothes on dogs headed outside, it doesn’t hurt to leave a sweater on these dogs inside if you’re keeping the heat down to save energy and money.

At our house, our two little Heinz 57s, Quixote and Quora, get jackets when they go out in the snow, as do our two thin-coated grand Pugs, Bruce and Willy. Our big dogs, Gracie (Labrador Retriever-Pit Bull mix) and Shakira (Golden Retriever), do just fine without sweaters or coats. In fact, they love the snow.

If you have a dog with arthritis, protective clothing is just one thing you can do to make winters more comfortable. Pet-safe heated orthopedic beds are a great idea; you can also talk to your veterinarian about neutraceuticals, such as glucosamine and Omega-3 oils that are clinically proven to ease joint pain. Other dogs may benefit additionally from the use of pain-control medication, typically nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Even if your dog doesn’t need a coat, having one certainly won’t hurt him. I know many people who put slickers on their pets before taking a walk in the rain or snow because it saves them the trouble of cleaning a wet dog at the door before coming inside, for example. Boots help keep things neater, too, and where de-icing solutions are used, they can protect your pet from licking toxic chemicals off his paws.

Star Pets

Kathy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:44:21 +0000

Stars and Their Pets: Tori Spelling’s Animal HouseSpelling brings her goat along for a family walk in L.A. Plus: Ed Westwick and his pet hit the set in N.Y.C. and more

6 Common Pet Food Myths

Kathy — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:12:47 +0000

6 Common Pet Food Myths

When you lead a busy life, careful preparation of your pets’ meals may be the last thing on your mind — but it’s important to see through the marketing hype. Not all pet food is created equal.

By Barbara Sharnak for WebVet

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1. Preparing your pets’ meals yourself is better for them: In the wake of recent pet food recalls, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) issued a statement saying, “The AVMA does not recommend that people attempt to prepare home-cooked meals for their pets because pet nutrition is very complicated and unique to species and individual animals.” One AVMA expert added, “Commercial pet foods are thoroughly tested. I don’t know of any homemade recipes for pets that are put through tests before they are marketed.”

2. Store-bought pet food makes your pet fart a lot: Feeding your pet soybeans, peas, beans, milk products, or fatty or spicy foods commonly causes flatulence. Dairy products are especially a problem, because adult dogs and cats are lactose intolerant and often experience digestive upset and flatulence when given milk, cheeses, or similar foods.

3. ‘Natural’ and ‘organic’ foods are the same: Organic foods are a subgroup of natural foods. In other words, all organic foods are natural, but not all natural foods are organic. To be considered organic, a food must comply with standards established by federal law that are overseen by the National Organic Program of the United States Department of Agriculture. If a pet food is labeled “natural,” it cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, artificial fats, or any other artificial ingredient — but it does not mean unprocessed or unrefined. Basically, as long as it comes from nature and not a chemical plant, an ingredient is considered “natural.’

4. It’s okay for your pet to get drunk with you: Depending on how much alcohol your animal ingests, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, depression, difficulty breathing, coma, and possible death.

5. ‘Cat food with tuna’ means your kitty is getting a hearty helping of fish: If a pet food label contains the word “with” in its product name, there only has to be 3% of that product — not 95% or 25% — in the package. For example, while a product called “Tuna Cat Food” must contain 95% tuna, a product labeled “Cat Food with Tuna” only has to contain 3% tuna. So, it’s important to read the label carefully.

6. Sugar is worse for your pet than artificial sweetener: While sugar is not good for your pet, sweetener is even worse. Xylitol — a sweetener used in many products including mouthwash, chewing gum, toothpaste, and various foods — is toxic to pets, and products containing xylitol should not be given to your dog or cat.

Pet Dogs And Cats: 6 Health Benefits

Kathy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:55:49 +0000

Pet Dogs And Cats: 6 Health Benefits (PHOTOS)

Posted: 12/17/10 08:25 AM ET

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As the holiday season approaches, pets are often at the top of many children’s — and some adults — gift lists. You may find the image of an adorable puppy or kitty nestled under the tree or by the hearth pretty irresistible. But you might also be concerned that a new pet can wreak havoc with your home or even be hazardous to your health. Certainly a rambunctious puppy, kitty, or other pet can soil, scratch, chew, and nip. And although some animals do carry diseases, the risk of zoonoses — as these diseases are called — is much greater from exotic pets than more common ones. In fact, the health benefits of having a traditional pet far outweigh the risks for most people, according to Healthy Pets Healthy People, a division of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The social and emotional benefits of pet ownership are many: companionship, affection, unconditional love, and entertainment, to name a few. Children raised with pets are more likely to be empathetic and social than kids without pets. And having a pet can help enhance a child’s self-esteem.

Recent research has also uncovered some surprising physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership for children and adults. And many of the positive effects are not just limited to dogs and cats, but rabbits, rodents, birds, fish, lizards and other pets as well. Here are six of these health benefits:

They Can Help Your Allergies

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Pets can help prevent eczema and some allergies in children. Babies and toddlers who live with dogs — but not cats — have lower rates of childhood eczema than those raised without dogs. And young children who’ve had a cat or dog since their first year of life have fewer pet allergies than other kids their age.

A toddler throwing a fit on the floor

Kathy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:02:19 +0000

VIDEO:PeopleNo More Tears – 11/04/11

Description:A toddler throwing a fit on the floor of her home is quickly quieted when her dog mimics her crying. ‘Good Morning America’ Weekdays, 7AM on ABC. gma.yahoo.com (0:46)

Source:MorningRush

Tags: clips , Huffington Post , morning rush , morningrush

Bettendorf dog survives suspected bobcat attack

Kathy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:58:05 +0000

Bettendorf dog survives suspected bobcat attack

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Kristy Mergenthal ReporterNovember 3, 2011

BETTENDORF, Iowa—

A Bettendorf, Iowa man says he recently spotted a bobcat in his own backyard trying to make a meal out of his dog.

Resting comfortably on the couch, Milly is lucky to be alive after a close call with what her owners believe was a bobcat.

“Until the vet looked at the wounds and said, ‘This is definitely a cat,’ I wasn’t 100% sure,” said Milly’s owner, Paul Bieber.

The terrifying tale began Tuesday.

“It was 11-1-11 at one in the morning. It’s one of those weird things where you are going, ‘Is something strange going to happen now?’” wondered Bieber.

Something strange did happen. After letting his two-and-a-half-year-old Chihuahua-Yorkie mix out for a bathroom break, Paul Bieber says he heard her screeching. He went outside and expected to find a dog fight.

“I came running down the steps and I yelled out, ‘What’s going on?’ It was tan-colored and bobbing up and down as it walked,” said Bieber.

Milly is now recovering from five large wounds, which follow the shape of a paw print.

“When the animal control officer was here she was the one that pointed out there are five incisions, one for each claw,” said Bieber.

Believing it was his voice that scared the suspected bobcat away, Paul still questions what would have happened if his other dogs had gone outside with Milly.

“It’s one of those things that makes you wonder. If all three had been out maybe it wouldn’t have happened,” said Bieber.

Although there have been no reported sightings since Milly was attacked, Paul says he won’t be allowing his dogs to go out at night alone knowing how close Milly came to death.

“Because I was out there so quickly, he only got as far as the claw. I interrupted the process which is why she didn’t get bit, presumably eaten up,” said Bieber.

Milly is expected to make a full recovery.

According to Bettendorf Police this is the first and only bobcat sighting within the city so far.