Sunday, June 27, 2010

Driving dog runs over his owner

RIDGE MANOR, Fla. — A Hernando County man was reportedly run over by his own truck after his dog put it into gear.

The sheriff's office reports that 43-year-old Christopher Bishop was checking under his Ford F-150 for oil leaks Sunday evening. He had put the running truck into neutral and left the driver's door open. While he was under the truck, Bishop's bulldog, Tassey, jumped into the truck and knocked the vehicle into gear. The truck rolled over the left side of Bishop's body.

Bishop managed to get up, stop the vehicle and go into his house. After several hours of pain, Bishop finally called for help.

He was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Biodegradable Pet Bed

As things are getting more and more 'green,' here is another new product targeted to the green market...the price seems a bit steep to me, but let me know what you think.

DOG GONE SMART GREEN BED
Leave No Paw Print™

Companies today are working harder to be good corporate citizens, especially when it comes to the environment.

Dog Gone Smart is proud to present the world’s first-ever completely biodegradable pet bed made with all-natural and organic materials. Every component of the pet bed decomposes - even down to the zipper. These Green pet beds "Leave No (Carbon) Paw Print" on the environment.

Every year, millions of pet beds are discarded into the environment, and it can take thousands of years for these beds to completely biodegrade. Even the so-called "green beds" on the market today are mostly filled with plastic from recycled bottle tops and metal zippers that can take thousands of years to decompose.

Until now, eco-friendly pet beds have been made from recycled materials. Dog Gone Smart Pet Products is the first to design a completely natural product that is good for both your pet and the environment.

Dog Gone Smart Pet Products uses…

-All-natural materials which will completely breakdown or decompose in the appropriate composting environment within 120 days;

-Certified 100% organic natural cotton/bamboo fabric for your pet to snuggle in;
-All-natural vegetable dyes;
-All-natural, organic fill material called Kapok. Kapok is the silky natural fiber around the seed pods of the cotton tree and is known to be one of the best natural fills available today.
Kapok is a very bitter fiber that naturally repels bacteria and microbes. It is also great for pets who may suffer from allergies due to dust mites (which cannot live in the fiber). The cotton tree canopy is a very important part of the rainforest ecosystem providing habitat for monkeys, birds, and a variety of fauna and flora. It is important to note that the Kapok trees are never destroyed during the harvesting period;

-Biodegradable zippers used in the pet bed covers, are made from a mixture of corn and other plant materials. When placed in the appropriate composting environment, these zippers begin to biodegrade within 140 days, completely breaking down into water and carbon dioxide;

--Rectangle pet beds MSRP priced from $119.95 for the 24”x32”, $154.95 for the $28”x38”, and $199.95 for the 34”x46”.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Natural Balance Dog Food Recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 18, 2010 - Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc., of Pacoima, CA, announces a voluntary recall of Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Chicken Dry Dog Food with the "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, in 5-lb. and 28-lb. bags because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall notification is being issued out of an abundance of caution based on an isolated instance in which a product sample with a "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, had a positive result for Salmonella in a random sample test conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This product was originally manufactured on December 17, 2009, and is the only Natural Balance product being recalled.

Salmonella can affect animals and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. This product was manufactured on December 17, 2009.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Recalled products were only distributed in pet specialty stores in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The only product affected by the recall is the Sweet Potato and Chicken Dry Dog Food with the "Best By" date of June 17, 2011, product information as follows:


Product: Sweet Potato and Chicken Dry Dog Formula
Bag Size: 5 lb
Bag UPC Code: 7-23633-9000-4
Bale UPC Code: 7-23633-99003-5
Best by Dates: June 17, 2011

Product: Sweet Potato and Chicken Dry Dog Formula
Bag Size: 28 lb
Bag UPC Code: 7-23633-99002-8
Bale UPC Code:
Best by Dates: June 17, 2011

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

New Local Directory for Dog Owners

A new site (www.MyDogsNation.com) has launched to help dog owners find dog-related businesses and dog-friendly places in their local communities.

All of the listings are posted for free to ensure that pet owners have the best information available on local vendors in their neighborhood. Visitors simply select one of the 20 categories available below and enter their zip code to get started.

Categories available include:

• Adoption

• Beach
• Boarding
• Breeder
• Dog-Friendly Travel
• Dog-Friend Restaurant
• Dog Daycare
• Dog Sitter/Walker
• Grooming
• Legal
• Memorial Services
• Park
• Pet Boutique
• Pet Superstore
• Philanthropic Organization
• Rescue
• Specialty Medicine
• Training
• Veterinarian
• Waste Removal

The site currently has over 3,000 listings across multiple states. Over the next year, the site is expected to have over 50,000 listings across all 50 states.

For more information, visit www.MyDogsNation.com

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

PetZen Launches DogTread Website

PetZen has launched a new website to tout the benefits and flexibility of dog treadmills.

DogTread.com features a navigation bar that quickly links visitors to helpful information like side-by-side dog treadmill comparisons, product feature definitions and size guidelines. The site’s Training & Resource section also steps dog treadmill information seekers through four main areas critical to understanding dog treadmills - Before You Buy, DogTread Setup, Learn to Tread, and an Experts Corner.

“The website is a direct response to answer our visitor’s questions about dog treadmills,” says Krista Wickens, co-owner of PetZen Products. “We want everyone to know as much as we do about the benefits of treading, the technical aspects of the equipment and the flexibility it can provide to many dog owners. Regular exercise is a key component to a dog’s well being, but it isn’t always possible to get outside. Treading is a not a hard skill to learn, for the dog or the owner, and it can help eliminate many of the excuses we make to our dogs.”

For more information, visit www.dogtread.com.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

"Ugly" Dog Raising Money For Shelters

Miss Ellie, a chinese crested hairless dog, was a runner up in the Ugliest Dog Contest 2009 and became quite famous last year. Her pictures were in papers worldwide (more so then the actual winner).

Alot of it had to do with the fact she was doing it for a cause, to raise money for her local shelter. Ugly for a cause, not cause she's ugly.

She also gained fame when she tried to win the nationwide Cutest Dog Competition. She was a weekly winner and recieved more votes then any other weekly finalist. There were over 50,000 dogs entered and 12 weekly winners. She was trying to win 1 million dollars for the animal shelter. She did not advance to the final four to win the grand prize. But her efforts brought incredible awareness and support for rescue dogs and the humane society.

Last year her owner and her raised over $30,000 for their local humane society.

She was featured on Animal Planet's DOGS 101, on billboards, and her home town even named a day after her.

This year was to be her last year in the contest since she was almost 17 years old..

She just passed away.. possible stroke and as the vet said.. she was just old...



Her owner is determined to carry on her legacy and is vowing to raise 1 million dollars for the local shelter to build a new shelter. The current one was built in the early 70's to house 1,000 animals per year, and currently they take in over 5,000! With the ecomonic problems they are bound to see more! They are a full service shelter for the 4-5 surrounding towns and take in everything, including cruelty case animals and livestock. More kennels means more animals can be held for adoption! They are in dire need of a new building.



Dawn Goehring, Miss Ellie's owner, owns 14 rescue dogs total and has spent the last 8 years using her dogs as advocates for shelter animals. They do school shows, pet therapy, commercial work, and have been performers at a family theater called The Comedy Barn Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN. They do over 500 shows a year. They are active in promoting a positive, fun, relationship with your pet. They also teach pet responsibility and bite prevention at the schools.



Dawn would love to see people come together to help the animals. With so much publicity about where donated dollars go, people can rest assured that ever dollar donated to this cause will go directly towards building a new building. Even if it is just a dollar, every bit helps. Miss Ellie was a face that people remembered and her work will never be forgotten. This is about helping animals, even if it isn't your community, you can still be part of something big and important in saving animal's lives.


Go to www.misselliesmission.com to find out more

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Home Care for Vomiting

Interesting article on tips for when your pet is vomiting...home care for dogs

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Hobby or Obsession?

In most cases, having a fish tank starts out as a hobby. However, I can understand how it can become an obsession. Sometimes, I feel as if I'm starting to become obsessed.

Fish are relatively inexpensive when compared to the costs of many other animals, and with so many varieties and types, it is easy to become obsessive about the hobby. At first, a 20 gallon tank is great, but then you want to keep more fish, so you look to purchase a bigger tank. Maybe a 30, or 55 gallon tank. But after a while, as your fish get bigger, and you get bored of the species you own, and you want to get a bigger, newer tank. With more fish. Or perhaps you want to keep the fish you own, but you want to try a different species that isn't compatible with your current fish.

So you start a second tank with a different species. But maybe you want to try your hand at breeding fish, which then of course may require some type of breeding tank. And then you want to keep some of the fish you bred, so you need a bigger tank to keep those fish, and the cycle starts all over again.

I know a person who loves the hobby and has his own fish room. He built it in his basement and now has over 50 tanks with all kinds of species. He breeds many of them and sells some to fellow hobbyists. To many people, this can be considered some what obsessive. To him, this is what he enjoys doing and this is what brings him joy.

I've also gone to fish auctions. These are usually sponsored by aquarium fish clubs and it features hobbyists who breed their own fish and bring them to auction off to other aquarium enthusiasts. Again, you see people who have several fish tanks, perhaps obsessed by them, but also bring tons of knowledge to share with others.

In my opinion, it's a matter of how it effects your life. If it is something you enjoy, and it doesn't interfere with the rest of your life too much, then enjoy!