October is generally accepted as "National Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month", where pet businesses make an extra effort to encourage Americans to adopt a lonely dog instead of buying a puppy.

(Besides, you can find puppies at shelters also)

Most dogs in shelters are happy healthy pets who were guilty of nothing more than being unloved. Making matters worse, is that they don't have long to live, with most shelters killing dogs that don't get adopted in a matter of days.

Organizations like PETA and HSUS don't help out either, offering to do the killing for the shelters, instead of using their money to provide permanent homes.

If you've been wanting a dog, please visit your local animal shelter and give a four-legged bundle of happiness another chance at life.

You can find a list of shelters in your area at PetFinder...
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters.html

Labels: Animal-Shelters, Dog Adoption

An online "art and literature show" launched today on Orthodogs' Silver Lining Foundation (OSLF) website (www.oslf.org) showcasing dog-inspired stories by writers Merrill Markoe and Whitney Otto.

Orthodogs and the Orthodogs' Silver Lining Foundation (OSLF) have united again for the second annual "Celebration of Life" fundraiser - an online celebration honoring past and present dog companions. All funds raised by the celebration will go to support the service, rescue and companion dogs that approach OSLF as a last-chance resource to raise funds for desperately needed orthopedic surgery.

This year's Celebration of Life fundraiser is reaching out to dog lovers everywhere to share personal examples of the ways dogs inspire us. OSLF is posting photos, stories, poems, videos, links to blogs and websites to highlight how dogs have motivated the people around them to create. The website will include OSLF's 2007 Celebration of Life video highlighting pictures of 2007 OSLF Success Stories and current Pets in Need.

Paola Ferraris and Wendy Stevens, two of the three co-founders of OSLF, are excited by the opportunity for dog-lovers everywhere to share their creations. "We wanted to use this year's celebration to showcase the creativity that dog/human bonds inspire. We are thrilled to be starting our fundraiser with a very funny story of Merrill Markoe's about spending the day with her dogs and a children's story from Whitney Otto based on observing her own two dogs interaction," Stevens said.

"We hope everyone comes to read the stories posted, watch the 2007 video and get inspired to share their own work," added Ferraris. "We're looking forward to see what people are writing about dogs, the photos they are taking, websites they've put up - everything. First and foremost, we at OSLF are animal lovers so this is going to be a lot of fun for us."

OSLF has set a $9,500 goal for this fundraiser. Every OSLF donor will get to choose one of the 2007 Celebration of Life commemorative magnets. All donations over $75 will be entered into the OSLF raffle of two gift bags full of dog toys, treats and grooming tools. The internet-based, all volunteer organization applies all donations directly for funding the orthosurgery of the service, rescue and companion dogs on their Pets In Need list. OSLF is a 501(c)3 non-profit so donations are tax-deductible.

Visit OSLF online at...
http://www.oslf.org

Labels: Dog Fundraisers

Carol McGraw, who writes for the Colorado Springs Gazette, writes about how to stop a dog from eating poop.

She quotes pet trainer Jan Fennell, the author of "The Seven Ages of Man's Best Friend", who says to feed the dog pineapple or zucchini, which makes poop unpalatable.

AS IF poop was palatable to begin with!

She goes on to ask why dogs even bother eating poop...

Some experts say dogs eat it because they are bored. Others say they need more protein in their diets, or they're mimicking their mothers' work of keeping the nest clean, or they've got pancreatic problems.

I've got my own theory. While dogs have a very keen sense of smell, they have very poor taste buds. This allows them to sniff out traces of food, and be able to eat it without being disgusted by the taste. In other words, poor tastes bud is a survival technique.

Only once have I ever witnessed either of my dogs eating poop. Otherwise, they just sniff it and move on. I bet if you keep your dogs fed on a regular schedule, they won't bother eating poop.

Labels: Dog Poop

Last Friday, a couple in Center Township, PA, fled a mobile home fire, remembering to grab their dogs, but forgetting about their 4-year son.

As reported on WTAE Telvision in Pittsburgh...

Police said the firefighters learned that the boy was still inside the burning mobile home when Chandler and Adams told firefighters that they had forgotten the child. Police said that was about 20 minutes after the couple had gotten out.

20 minutes after they left the burning building, and they still hadn't remembered their son??

Goes to show how much dogs are worth in that family.

Source: NBC4.com

Labels: Strange Stuff

New from ecoPure Naturals is this Appetite Enhancer Spray, designed to make food more appealing to dogs and cats.

The company says that it contains a "natural" bacon & cheddar aroma (does this mean it contains REAL bacon & cheddar?)

It's designed to be sprayed on to the stuff your dog doesn't want to eat, such as dry kibble. It might even be useful on pills, I dunno.

Each spray adds only 1/10th of a calorie.

Currently sold only through Amazon.com, at $6.99...

Click here to buy at Amazon.com

Labels: Flavor Enhancers

This is a sponsored post...

Isn't it annoying when your dog decides to jump up on your sofa after a long walk in the rain? Or maybe your faithful friend likes to spend the night sleeping in comfort on your favourite couch, shedding hundreds of hairs in the process.

If you're a dog owner, it's likely you're all too familiar with finding muddy marks and doggie hairs on your furniture. No doubt you face a constant battle trying to keep your seats clean and smelling fresh. It can be really embarrassing to have grubby looking chairs when you're entertaining guests.

However, if your dog has a liking for your living room furniture, and you don't want to banish your pet from that part of your home, then furniture slipcovers are the answer.

Ready made sofa slipcovers can be fitted right over the top of your upholstery and have the excellent benefit of being machine washable. You can easily clean those dirty paw prints out of a sofa slipcover and keep your seats looking presentable and free from that damp-dog smell! It's so much easier and quicker to throw dirty chair slipcovers in the washing machine than it is to spend time scrubbing stains out of upholstery.

Pet friendly slipcovers come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, so you can give your room a makeover at the same time as protecting your furniture from doggie wear and tear. As a guide, it's sensible to choose a washable slipcover made from a hardwearing fabric that can stand up to lots of use and will keep it's shape and color even if washed regularly. Cotton duck, denim and twill are generally good choices.

To find special offers on slipcovers and discount codes, visit www.getslipcovers.com.

Labels: Dog Hair, Sofa Slipcovers

Puppy Maid is the newest entrant into the world of portable dog potties.

Like other competing products, it uses synthetic grass, but uses a self-contained holding tank instead of a tray, to catch doggie waste.


On the side, there's a drain that accommodates a garden hose fitting, allowing the pee-pee to drain off of a patio or deck. Or, you can just hold it over a toilet and drain it that way.

The Puppy Maid measures 21" by 31", and supports small dogs up to 25lbs.

Cost is $299.00.

Buy it online from Puppy Maid...
http://www.puppymaid.com

Labels: Dog Potty

"Purebred Puppy - FREE To Good Home."

It's easy to see why ads like this pull on the heartstrings of dog lovers who jump at the chance to adopt an adorable, soon-to-be-homeless puppy -- especially when the puppy is a sought-after, expensive breed.

Dr. Audri G. Lanford, Co-Director of ScamBusters.org, cautions would-be puppy parents that puppy scams are growing at an astounding rate. ScamBusters.org is a public service website that has been helping people protect themselves from Internet scams since 1994.

It's almost impossible for a consumer to recover money from a wire service if they've been scammed. It's far better to use a credit card.

"Dog lovers have become frequent victims of a very old-fashioned scam: selling something that doesn't exist," says Dr. Lanford. In the case of puppy scams, con artists advertise puppies in a classified ad or online.

Some scammers claim to be seeking a home for a puppy they can no longer keep, and then ask you to wire them hundreds of dollars to ship the new, non-existent puppy to you. Other scammers, posing as breeders, have puppies listed for sale -- often asking ridiculously low prices for purebred puppies that may otherwise cost $1,000 or more.

ScamBusters.org urges consumers to use due diligence when purchasing or adopting a puppy, especially online or via classified ads. Here are a three questions to ask:

1. Is the advertiser insisting that you pay via Western Union or another wire service? "That's a tell-tale sign of a scam," says Dr. Lanford. "It's almost impossible for a consumer to recover money from a wire service if they've been scammed. It's far better to use a credit card."

2. Does the alleged breeder seem to care more about payment than about the welfare of the puppies? "That's a big red flag. Reputable breeders will be far more concerned with the suitability of your home than the contents of your bank account," says Dr. Lanford.

3. Can you see the puppy, its littermates and at least one of its parents in person? (Probably not if it's a scam -- because there are no puppies.)

If you have your heart set on adding a new purebred puppy to your family, ScamBusters.org suggests that you personally visit established breeders in your own area. Better yet, says Lanford, "save a life and rescue a dog from your local animal shelter."

You can find additional tips on avoiding puppy scams by visiting ScamBusters.org.

Labels: Puppy Scams