Doggie Bok! Bok!: September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:07 AM PDT

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Recently I have had the opportunity to observe a couple of families whose youngsters seemed oblivious to the presence of their dog. Dogs can be a wonderful example to children in so many ways, but sometimes they need a little help getting interested. Enter Toki Poki, a social networking site for you and your dog, with the vision to include kids.

Recently launched, Toki Poki's trading cards were a big hit at the pet bloggers' conference in Denver, Blogpaws. Your pup or kitty can join up with Toki and make friends all over the world, all the while helping you to learn about other breeds and enjoy meeting new friends who befriend your dog, or other pet. Along with your membership, you receive trading cards to begin your collection. This seems like a no-brainer for kids, to me, particularly when you add the "this is my doggie" component to the trade. What fun this will be for young children!

I'm especially excited to see some of the features that owner Christy Myhre has planned for the near future. For instance, online quiz shows like Jeopardy will involve answers about actual members, encouraging children, young and old, to explore the membership and meet new furry friends.

Coloring pages can be reloaded, when complete, to show off a child's work. Memory games will test our Alzheimer's potential, while we'll also be able to upload our dog or cat's actual meow or bark to their profile. Imagine, then, a game of matching barks and meows to pet's profiles. Does this sound fun for kids? You bet!

Christy tells me there will also be a birthday party package available soon through the online shop, with all sorts of intriguing possibilities for parties. And don't miss their Halloween costume contest, launched earlier this week. That's your call to arms; it's time to join up and "Do the Toki Poki" right now! That's what it's all about!

Let's get some dialog going here. I know you guys will love Toki Poki for your kids. What else can we do with trading cards, or at home, to get our children involved in learning more about dogs? Dogs are nature...right in our homes. This is a learning opportunity that we should not ignore.

Christy, of Toki Poki, mentioned another possible game where kids could play a 'guess the breed' game. There will be plenty of ways to research the answers on the computer, even right on Toki Poki's website. Have you got any other ideas you'd like to share? What do you do to involve your children in your dogs' care? Check out our poll on this topic at 5 Minutes for Fido.

Prize Giveaway Announcement:

Comments on this post, our 5 Minutes for Fido post, or on Facebook, whether questions, conversation or opinions, will be considered an entry in this week's contest. You can enter (with a comment) as often as you like. Prizes will be announced next Friday, October 8, and will include Toki Poki Tshirts, stickers, trading card starter sets and more. Oliver has even promised to dance next week. Check it out at "Lets do the Toki Poki and Turn Yourself Around". Oliver and Tanner's cards turned out adorable, as you can see above, and I'm enjoying putting them in each prize winner's package of goodies. What about your pup?

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

ASK THE VET, with Dr. Pat: Natural Options for Flea Control

Posted: 29 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

by Pat Bradley, DVM

Dr. Pat,

I see you use holistic practices as well as conventional. How do you feel about using essential oils such as red thyme, cedarwood, citronella on a bandana to put around my dogs' necks to repel fleas when I take them on their walks? I use Comfortis but fleas still jump on them when we are walking.

Thank you!

Patti

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Hello Patti:

What a great idea! Essential oil on a bandana makes the dog less attractive to what you don't want--fleas--and more attractive to what you do want--admiration of your cute canine BFF!

Essential oils are very concentrated, so another advantage of the bandana is that it keeps the oil from making direct contact with your dog's skin.

If your dog is large, there might be too much territory between the two ends for the bandana to be effective. Incredibly, fleas are athletic enough to jump onto even a fast-moving, wagging tail! (You don't have to LOVE fleas, but you have to be amazed at the things they can do. And give them credit; they are outsmarting chemical manufacturers so far. We make chemicals that absolutely get rid of fleas, however, they absolutely get rid of humans and dogs, too.)

So, in the case of a large dog, spritz the coat before walking with homemade repellent spray:

Two or three drops of an essential oil
1 cup of distilled or spring water
Put into a spray bottle.
Shake well, spray and GO!

Any of the essential oils that you mentioned could be used. You might need to try several before finding the best one for your geographical ara. One of my very favorites is peppermint oil.

And then--you knew it was coming--a list of the cautions:

Essential oils are toxic to cats, so DON'T DO THIS WITH CATS!!
Chemically-sensitive dogs can get headaches or nausea from essential oils. Watch for signs that your dog isn't feeling well during or after exposure.
Don't let dogs (or children) chew on the bandana. While the oils are generally safe, they can cause diarrhea or vomiting in sensitive critters.

Happy trails!

Dr. Pat

Write to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com with your question for Dr. Pat.

For a personal consultation about your pet's needs, visit Holistic Veterinary Services.

Dr. Pat's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian

Related Reading:
No More Ticks for Tanner
Flea Season is Here. What's a Pup to Do?

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Monday, September 27, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

Dog Training Treats: 5 Tips to Help You Pick

Posted: 27 Sep 2010 11:00 AM PDT

by Carrie Boyko

(c) Phil U., reader copyright on file

Corie and Nancy Trained Hard

for Success on the Teeter

Visit any pet store, small or large, and you'll find an entire aisle of treats. Some will be labeled especially for training, while others may tell you they'll help clean your dog's teeth, freshen his breath, add nutrition to his diet, or just simply resemble something you're eating (Did I say Pupperoni?). If you have a puppy you are training, or simply want the best choice for your dog that is a national champion, here's a few tips:

First and foremost, treats need to be motivating. You're wasting your time and money on those that your dog is not extremely interested in. The object is to get his attention with their aroma, to encourage the desired behavior again and again.
Some dogs are less food-motivated than others and need extra work to find just the right treats. Seek out soft treats with a strong smell, keeping them small to consider his waistline, if you'll be using them frequently. Many trainers favor sliced hotdogs (I choose organic), grated cheese (ditto), or Natural Balance tubed dog food. I can support this one too, as it is preservative free, looking out for your dog's health. When preparing these items, you'll need to open, slice, chop or grate, and then freeze in snack-sized zippie bags for use in training. This will keep it all fresh, and allow you to thaw out just what you need for one session.
If your dog is a chow hound that will eat anything, you may be able to get away with something less pricey like his kibble or even a low-fat kibble or treat. The downside of these dry treats for training is that they crumble. This means pieces fall on the floor and the dog loses focus on you, surfing for crumbs on the ground. This can be a particular problem for smaller dogs, whereas big ones may hardly chew a kibble-sized dry treat, and not drop a morsel. Choose wisely for your dog's size and eating style.
A natural treat that is loved by many dogs, and won't crumble, is pulled chicken (turkey,too!). Whenever you roast a hen, clean off the bones till they shine, saving every small morsel for little bags of chicken to use in training. These will smell great and do the job at getting his attention on you.
When training new behaviors that are particularly scary, difficult, or need extra motivation (all you agility folks know that teaching a dog to walk the teeter is definitely in this category), choose the best smelling stuff in your arsenal and come prepared with lots of it. You may even find that skipping a meal before class will help get him focused on the treats, and not the scary, new skill he is learning. That's the idea...now you've got it.

One caveat, for those of you who choose rich treats like hotdogs, cheese or bacon (cooked, please!): Using a high-fat treat for an entire, 1-hour class could result in a tummy ache, diarrhea, or a pookie puppy the next morning. If this happens, take note of the type of treat, and don't use that one again. It may simply be too rich for his system. An occasional nibble is one thing, but a half cup or more could mean trouble.

Meanwhile, you may need to mix some cooked rice into his food to calm his tummy down. You can also check out Dr. Pat's suggestions for diarrhea at her post, Natural Remedies for Doggie Diarrhea. Help is never far at All Things Dog Blog where my goal is happy dogs and happy families.

Speaking of treats, All Things Dog Blog is putting together a cookbook of readers' dog recipes. Do you like to prepare treats especially for your dog? Your recipe, dog's photo and your name, if you wish, can appear on a page here on the website. There's even prizes for recipes, cover photos and title ideas. Whatever your particular talent, you can get in on this action. Send your submissions to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Xena, Tanner and Oliver are looking forward to taste testing your yummies. Happy tails!

Want to try some dog delights?