Buying a Puppy for Christmas
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Christmas is a time when many puppies are purchased as a gift for someone on your list.
Bringing a dog home for Christmas is a great idea! In reality, there's no difference in buying a puppy as a Christmas gift than buying a puppy as a birthday gift, or anniversary gift, or for any other day of the year.
And while there's nothing wrong about buying a puppy as a gift for someone, IT IS something that requires some responsibility on the part of the buyer...
- Make No Surprises - If you're planning to buy a Christmas puppy, make sure the recipient wants a puppy. Don't drop a bundle of responsibility on someone who doesn't want that responsibility. Otherwise, it'll end up at the shelter, and likely be put down.
- Get the Right Dog - If your recipient wants a puppy, make sure you get the right type of dog. You'll have to ask the recipient what breed they want, or how big or small, or if they want a dog already trained, or what.
- Take the Recipient With You - Let the recipient pick out the dog they want. While it might take away from the surprise, remember that a dog is not just any other kind of gift, it's living being, with feelings, and will attach itself emotionally to its owner.
- Adopt a Shelter or Rescue Dog - Maybe shelter dogs or rescued dogs are not as cute as the puppy in the pet shop, but they make loving pets, and are often trained to lesser or greater degree, and are a heck of a lot cheaper to buy. Dogs in shelters are essentially on death row, bringing one home as a Christmas gift is greatest gift you can give to such a dog.
You'll perhaps see countless articles imploring you not to buy a dog for Christmas, this is only because people are concerned about dogs being neglected and winding up in the shelter. I take the position of encouraging personal responsibility. I'm sure I'll make more enemies because of it, but I maintain that anytime you give a dog a permanent home, you're giving a gift to the dog as well.
Remember that Christmas is for dogs too, and then be responsible in your gift-giving.
9 comments | | Perma Link
A Look at Shelters Through the Eyes of a Pit Bull
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Max, The Shelter Dog
is a new children's book by Nicole Rivera which tells the story of a misunderstood, playful, and energetic pit bull named Max who is placed in a shelter by his owners.
The reader is taken through the process and emotions a dog goes through when they enter a shelter. It promotes the importance of volunteering, of adopting from a shelter, and the plight of the beautiful bully breed.
A portion of the proceeds is donated to charities and shelters that help the plight of the American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier.
At just 44 pages in length, this book would make a great bedtime story for your kids.
Click here to buy this book at Amazon.com.Author Nicole Rivera is a Brooklyn, New York-based artist, writer and spiritual enthusiast. She has been involved in many creative ventures, but says that nothing that has touched her so deeply then the plight of bully breeds.
Visit Nicole's blog:
http://phenomenalpets.blogspot.com/
4 comments | | Perma Link
Bella's Hot Cold Packs for Dogs
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Bella's Pain Relief offers a hot-cold pack that's made specifically for dogs. It comes with straps that keeps it secure on your pooch.
So when Bunny needs some cold-compress to keep her "owie" from swelling up, it'll stay with her.
It fits diameters from 4" to 46".
Costs $29.99.
Visit online:
http://www.bellaspainrelief.com
1 comments | | Perma Link
New Collar Allows Dogs to Free Themselves
Monday, December 11, 2006
Tazlab is the name of a new "stretch" dog collar that allows a dog to free itself when the collar gets snagged on something.
Because it contains a stretchable inner-collar, a dog can pull away from whatever the collar gets snagged on, and pull itself out.
However, if you're going to walk your dog, you don't have to worry about the dog getting out of the collar because the leash loop is attached to the outer sleeve.
The two loops you see in the photo are positioned to the back of the dog's neck. The front of the collar has another loop to hang ID tags.
The Tazlab collar comes in a variety of cool colors and lots of different sizes.
Cost: $15.00 each
Click here for more info.
0 comments | | Perma Link
Pooper Scooper Cookbook
Friday, December 08, 2006
Yuckos, a pooper-scooper service in the Illinois/Missouri area, is now offering it's "Pooper Scooper Cookbook" for sale.
Recipes were compiled from other pooper-scooper "entre-manures" from across the country, including Canada and New Zealand too.
Each book sells for $6.00. They have volume discounts too.
Order it online:
http://www.yuckos.com/pooper_scooper_cookbook.htmTurd-Herder Chicken Wings- Chicken Wings (whole or sectioned)
- Crushed Kelloggs Rice Krispies®
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder (to taste)
- Margarine - melted (as needed)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place Rice Krispies in a large Zip Lock bag and crush with hands or in a large enough bowl to coat your chicken wings in.
Place margarine in large enough bowl that you can use to coat your chicken wings.
Melt margarine in microwave.
Coat chicken wings with melted margarine.
Coat chicken wings in crushed Kelloggs Rice Krispies®
Place coated chicken wings on non-stick baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees till done and desire crispness
This coating is great for all parts of the chicken.
You can also use it with or without the skin on the chicken.
2 comments | | Perma Link
Dog Toys made from Cow Milking Machines
Thursday, December 07, 2006
A company called, "Helping Udders" sells a dog toy made from rubber liners recycled from cow milking machines.
The toy is called the "Udder Tug", and it's available in various shapes and sizes.
What makes them irresistble to dogs is that they have the scent of cows and milk all over them, and the rubber composition makes them useful as chew toys.
Pictured here is the variety called, "Tony's Bumper", that has five of the rubber liners attached to a rope. This one sells for $20.00.
Anywhere from 10% to 50% of the proceeds goes to charities, and you get to pick the charity it benefits. The company says that they've donated over $12,000 to charities this year alone.
Visit Helping Udders online at:
http://www.helpingudders.com
0 comments | | Perma Link
Stylish Dog Crates at Barkslope
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Why settle for a wirey, cagey, looking dog crate, when you can get something much more stylish and cool looking such as this Bow House Dog Crate?
Designed for apartments and condos, it can double as a side table. The crate has a door that slides open and shut. Crate training could never be more cool!
Made with all steel construction, it's durable, and comes with a soft reversible crate pad.
The Bow House Dog Crate comes in two sizes, the 21" Studio for up to 20lbs dogs, and the 31" Loft size for up to 50lbs dogs.
Click here to order it online, at Barkslope.
1 comments | | Perma Link
Top Ten Most Insured Dog Breeds
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Veterinary Pet Insurance published its list of the 10 most popular purebred dogs insured through their service in 2006...
- Labrador Retriever (34,824)
- Golden Retriever (17,417)
- Yorkshire Terrier (11,268)
- Shih Tzu (10,949)
- Boxer (8,863)
- German Shepherd (8,183)
- Chihuahua (7,254)
- Cocker Spaniel (6,905)
- Maltese (6,851)
- Pug (6,414)
The above list parallels statistics on popular dog breeds issued by the American Kennel Club, with the Labrador Retriever remaining at the top post for 16 consecutive years, with more than 137,000 Labs registered with AKC as of 2005. The AKC also lists the Golden Retriever as the second most popular breed registered, and the Yorkshire Terrier as the third most popular.
With Christmas around the corner, and the fact that Americans love to buy dogs during this time, Dr. Carol McConnell, Director of Veterinary Relations at VPI offers some recommendations...
Dr. McConnell recommends Labrador and Golden Retrievers for households with children. "Smaller breeds -- like a Maltese, Pug or Chihuahua -- are great for empty-nesters and working professionals because they're smaller and need less exercise," she adds. "Single individuals who have time to exercise a dog would be perfect matches for active breeds like the Retrievers, a Boxer or a German Shepherd."
If you intend to purchase a pet as a gift, make sure you let the intended recipient know ahead of time so that they can prepare and express their commitment to care for the animal.
Via
VPI Press Release
1 comments | | Perma Link
Pet Food Drive for Pets of Homeless People
Friday, December 01, 2006
Last October we wrote about a new program from Banfield the Pet Hospital to collect pet food to help homeless people feed their pets.
We wanted to point another program also doing this.
Feeding Pets of the Homeless is a program that sets up pet food collection bins at veterinarian offices and pet hospitals around the country for purpose of donating the food to the pets of homeless Americans.
It is estimated by the National Coalition for the Homeless, that between 5% to 10% of homeless people have dogs and/or cats.
There is a list of participating clinics & hospitals Feeding Pets of the Homeless website:
www.PetsofHomeless.com.
9 comments | | Perma Link
Pooper Scooper Barbie Doll
Friday, December 01, 2006
Soon available to Barbie doll collectors all over the world is this new "Barbie Doll and Tanner Scooper Dog Set".
Described as probably the crappiest Barbie doll ever, it's probably a great idea for the girl who gets a puppy for Christmas.
Tanner the dog is soft and fuzzy and her mouth, ears, head and tail really move! You can open Tanner dog's mouth and "feed" her dog biscuits. Comes with a dog bone and chew toys that Tanner can hold in her mouth, too. When Tanner has to go to the bathroom, Barbie doll cleans up with her special magnetic scooper and trash can.
It doesn't start selling until January 2007.
Visit:
Random Good Stuff.
4 comments | | Perma Link
Dogs Chill Out with new Sleepy Time Tonic
Friday, December 01, 2006
Happy Tails Dog Spa, a line of designer doggie spa products, announced the release of its new Sleepy Time Tonic.
The company says it will help calm down a nervous, anxious or overactive hound. It's a homeopathic herbal elixir which can be used during thunderstorms, travel and periods of change.
Sleepy Time Tonic works to nourish the physical nervous system and assists in retraining efforts to break habits like barking, cowering or aggression. Also is useful during retraining efforts, like obedience school.
The homeopathic mixture was formulated exclusively for happytails by Robert McDowell, considered the world's leading authority on applying western herbal medicines to canine health problems.
Ingredients include: Vervain, Skullcap, Passion Flower, Valerian, Zisyphus, Wild Lettuce Blue Flag, Liquorice, Parsley, Bach Flower, Aspen, Cerato, Wild Oat, Mimulus, Larch and Impatiens, Natural Flavoring (honey).
Price: $12.00
Visit Happy Tails Dog Spa online at:
www.HappytailsSpa.com.
1 comments | | Perma Link
Hairy Grandkids
Friday, December 01, 2006
Hairy Grandkids has some cool and humorous doggie-shirts that'll make great Christmas gifts.
The shirts feature original, offbeat designs and phrases, including "Been There... Sniffed That", "Dog Park Bully", and "World's Hairiest Grandkid". The shirts are ideal for puppies and small breed dogs.
For the month of December, the company is offering free USPS First Class shipping to anywhere in the US with the purchase of any Hairy Grandkids shirt.
Cheryl, who designs the shirts, plans to release 2-3 designs each month.
Visit Hairy Grandkids online at:
www.hairygrandkids.com
2 comments | | Perma Link
