Doggie Bok! Bok!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

Remember the Hound and the Orangutan? Move Over....Here Comes Bella and the Elephant:

Posted: 06 May 2010 01:00 PM PDT

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Learn what you can do to protect our precious dog parks

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The Dog's Life Dog-a-Blog

How much does it cost to raise a dog?

Posted: 05 May 2010 04:22 PM PDT

G'day Dog Lovers,

Ever wondered how much it costs to raise a dog? Well, new research from Bankwest shows that Aussie families spend more than $25,000 on their pet dog over its lifetime.

The "Family Pooch Index" revealed that the average Australian family outlays $2,452 per year for the care of their canine, on top of their initial purchase of the pup for $585. Over the average 10-year lifespan of a dog, this adds up to more than $25,000.

Pet food and other gourmet treats eat up the bulk of the annual cost - $1200. Veterinary costs weigh in at $450 per year and additional dog care, such as grooming, dog walking, dog dietician and a dog trainer, contribute $405 to the overall cost each year.

Some media figures and news articles have expressed shock at these figures but, as all dog lovers know, our pooches are worth every penny.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

Rent a Dog? Yes! You Can.

Posted: 05 May 2010 01:27 PM PDT

by Carrie Boyko

(c) photo copyright Carrie Boyko 2009

Could I Rent Tanner Out to Strangers?

Absolutely Not!

Imagine going on vacation without your furry best friend. You miss him. You feel lonely without him to romp with in the park or simply take a stroll for fresh air. And who will snuggle at your feet while you sleep?

Enter Rent-a-Fido. You think I'm kidding, right? Nope. I read about this a while back, but got few details from the article in Huffington Post, so I didn't follow up. I suppose I did not take it too terribly seriously until today, when I stumbled on The Responsibility Project. This article had me gagging for a few minutes, thinking of an unsuspecting pup getting thrown into a new owner's car every day.

After an hour or so of contemplation, I convinced myself there cannot really be a huge market for this, not at the prices quoted on the Flexpetz site. OMG! Then I read the part of their website that quoted their net worth. Let's just say it would pay the vet bills of most of the US this year.

I tried to brainstorm reasons for renting a dog that could be considered, well, dog-friendly. You know--safe. I find myself worrying about the safety of the dog in this crazy world we live in. A few possibilities that occurred to me are:

People who work long hours might like a pal for a Saturday afternoon.
Dogs are considered "chick-magnets", right?
People who travel a great deal might enjoy a dog for a weekend at home.
Testing out dog ownership for a few days. Okay, maybe this could be a good thing. At least, as long as the dog has a regular home to go back to and the renter has been thoroughly background checked. How can they know that the dog will be treated lovingly, if not humanely? Stomach ache starting...
A dog lover who lives in dog-unfriendly housing might enjoy a day out with Rover.
Flexpetz, the company that has fashioned this concept, explains their idea as a great way for owners to try out pets before they adopt. Their press release at this link describes what they do as a good deed for animals in humane societies and such. Their website FAQs explain the training, veterinary care, regular caregiver, and holistic food that is all part of these dog's daily life, at least until they are permanently adopted. Hmmm...softening a bit.

Traveling without my dogs is always worrisome to me. Are they enjoying their playtime at their doggie daycare playground? At their favorite Bow Wow Resort, I don't worry, at least not much. But all those dogs who get boarded in kennels...well, I just don't like to think about that. But would it help me to rent another dog while I was on vacation? Absolutely not. I love dogs, and I would enjoy the companionship of the dog. But it would not stop me from thinking of my own, or worrying about this rental dog's experiences to come tomorrow or the next day.

After reading Flexpets FAQs, I found myself feeling guilty for hating this company. Not that I can support it entirely, but they do seem to cover all their bases. Vets, trainers, renters' training, etc. There is one thing, though, that is eating at me. The renters. There are no hidden cameras or 'flies on the wall' to assure these pups are treated with love and respect. Sure, the trainer meets them and gives them a session on consistent training of the dog. But we really don't know what happens when the door is closed behind the trainer.

While I can totally see all three of my dogs enjoying an experience with a friendly, loving temporary caregiver, my dogs are the epitome of well-socialized. I don't say that to brag; it's simply that they get a lot of socialization time. They go with me on errands, visit a doggie daycare weekly for playtime, spend occasional days with Grandma, romp at the dog park weekly with dozens of 'friends', and love to travel and meet new people.

But my biggest worry won't seem to go away. Even people loving dogs would be unhappy in a temporary home with a renter whose intentions are not about companionship. I don't think I could sleep at night if I worked for this company. What do you think? Let's get some dialog going. Opinions? The comment link is at the bottom of the post.

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DogQuality: Walkin Wheels Adjustable Dog Wheelchair Now Available in Canada

Walkin Wheels Adjustable Dog Wheelchair Now Available in Canada

Posted: 05 May 2010 06:46 AM PDT

I am very excited to announce that we are now offering the Walkin’ Wheels™ adjustable dog wheelchair on www.DogQuality.com. This product by Handicapped Pets is currently being sold in the United States, but until now has not been sold within Canada. We are very happy to be the company bringing this life changing product to Canadian owners, so they can give mobility back to their older dogs.

I will be doing a video review of this dog wheelchair in the coming weeks, but I wanted to give you a bit of an overview for those currently researching dog wheelchairs for their older, injured or disabled dogs. This dog wheelchair works for dog’s who are paralyzed, but also for dogs who still have mobility in their rear legs who need help to walk.

Here are just a few reasons why we are so excited about the Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair:

It’s adjustable - Senior dog owners no longer have to worry about taking 8-12 different measurements to custom fit the wheelchair for their dog. Also measurements are often difficult to take when your dog has difficulty standing, making this process quite challenging. The Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair requires one measurement; the groin to the floor, and even then you don’t have to be exact. Not only is this more convenient, but it also takes the pressure off. I speak with owners everyday who express concerns that they have taken the incorrect measurements. A dog wheelchair is a big investment and the last thing you want is a dog wheelchair that doesn’t fit properly.

No lifting of your dog required - If you have a large dog then you will appreciate the fact that with this dog wheelchair you do not have to lift your dog into the rear leg holders like in the custom fit carts. Instead you can fit the appropriate harness and leg rings onto your dog and then attach these to the wheelchair.

Rugged frame and wheels - Despite the adjustable nature of this dog wheelchair, the Walkin’ Wheels frame is solid, making it the ultimate all-terrain dog wheelchair. To give you even more ruggedness, owners can select air-filled tires to give maximum durability and a smooth ride across multiple terrain types.

Great re-sale value - Due to the fact that this dog wheelchair is adjustable it means that it can be sold very easily if your dog no longer requires it. If shorter or taller wheels are required these can be purchased separately without the need to replace the entire dog cart.

Well these are just a few of the reasons we are excited to be bringing the Walkin’ Wheels dog wheelchair to Canadian owners ….more to come as we take a look at this dog cart in action, up close and personal.

For more information please visit: DogQuality.com

Ann-Marie Fleming is the Founder of DogQuality.com, a site focused on products that help older dogs enjoy life.

Raise a Green Dog!

How you can help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf!

Posted: 04 May 2010 12:03 PM PDT

How can you help with clean up in the Gulf?

Here's one way...get your local groomer to pawticipate by sending fur to Matter of Trust!

They are making booms to soak up the oil. Get more info from the Matter of Trust via Twitter and Facebook too.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

All Things Dog Blog

2010 Westminster Winner: Sadie

Posted: 04 May 2010 01:02 PM PDT

Just for fun, let's watch the annual Westminster Dog Show finals. This is one of those events I have to set aside my personal feelings about show dogs and just sit back and enjoy the majesty of their beauty. These are our dogs' relatives, no matter how distant. It's much bigger than a few dogs--sort of like a parade of nations in their native costumes. I hope you enjoy....

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Celebrity Dog Watcher Alert

Hello world!

Posted: 03 May 2010 09:07 PM PDT

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Please visit the site to see the pictures and read the content in full.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

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