Happy New Year!

I can't believe this is the last day of the year.  It seems like the year has just flown by and now we are on the eve of 2011.  A lot happened this year in so many ways, we've seen steps forward and backwards in politics at all levels, my company made big strides forward and started the Pooch Parade, new babies have come into the world or are getting ready to, we have lost some great people and pets and have heard some great, unbelievable and heart warming stories about dogs.  Another year gone and another year ready to begin.  I am excited about the possibilities of what the new year will bring and I am optimistic that it will be very good things for all!

Don't forget if you have any training needs for the new year to give us a bark:  Bark!

I thought I would end our year together with some amazing photos that were sent to me of various animals, but mainly there are some great silly shots of dogs and cats. 

I hope you all have fun and safe celebrations and Happy New Year! Enjoy!

25 Pet People Of 2010

Petside named their 25 pet people of 2010.  These are people that did outstanding deeds for pets in the last year.  Many you will know because they are celebrities, like Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Abdul and Betty White to name a few.  But there are also some amazing "ordinary" people on this list.  I use the word "ordinary" loosely because given their amazing kindness to animals, I would hardly call them ordinary, but they are not celebrities in the since the others are.  And Michael Vick even made the list.  I know I had harsh words about Michael Vick in a recent blog and I do not take them back.  I applaud the work he does now and I believe he did learn from his horrible mistake.  I do believe in second chances and he has gotten his and is doing good with it, but part of his punishment for his crime was that he never own a dog again and I simply agree with the punishment.  I do not wish continued harm to him, I actually wish him much success and I really hope his message continues to reach people and change people.

This is a fun list to go through and read the wonderful things people did throughout the year.  It certainly is inspiring for the year to come.

To view the 25 Pet People of 2010, bark on the link:  Bark!

Holidays Coming To An End

It is startling to realize that in two days it is New Year's Eve and we will not only be at the end of yet another year but the end of the holiday season too.  It will be time to put away your decorations, get rid of your tree and get back into the swing of normal life.  I always find this to be the most challenging part of the holidays.  Putting away the decorations is not too hard, but finding storage in my loft is!  I have always had great luck with Big Lots and Target having the perfect (and cheap) storage bins that fit my space.  The hardest part for me has continued to be getting rid of the tree!  It is so much easier to transport a live tree than a dead one.  In year's past I have always missed the free pick up, so I wanted to make sure you all know about it.  If you are on your game and can get it all done by January 7th, you could also make your life a lot easier by calling the city’s Bureau of Sanitation to have your tree picked up curbside.  Of course ornaments, lights and tinsel must be removed, but if you call 213.840.6095, you can arrange to have your tree picked up.

If you can't get your tree down in time to be picked up, no worries there are still recycling locations for your tree.  To mention a couple there are the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park and Fire Station No. 21, south of Downtown, at 1187 E. 52nd St. on Jan. 2 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. only. For a list of other drop-off points, visit lacitysan.org/tree-recycle.htm.

One more note about taking down the decorations... make sure they get into the box and stored away and your dog or cat doesn't help themselves to a new "treat" or "toy" that could injure them.

To view the Downtown News article, bark on the link:  Bark!

Pup Gets Head Stuck In Wall

I was watching the news last night when I saw this story about a German Shepard 8-month-old puppy named Rebel that got his head stuck in a 18-inch block wall!  I guess the curious little guy was sniffing around in his area in Desert Hot Springs, CA and stuck his head through and couldn't get out.  It took Riverside Animal Control Officers a little over 1/2 hour to free Rebel with one working on his head on one side of the wall and the other officer working on his body on the other side.  

Rebel is now safe at home with his owners and is doing just fine.

View the video below:

Though this story is on the cute side, I hope it also serves as a warning for those of you with puppies.  They need to be provided with a safe environment and they are naturally curious so anything they can get into, they will.  It is not to annoy you, it is because they are learning what everything is.  The best way to keep them safe is to define an area that is for them and make sure there is nothing in it to cause any harm.  For more training advice, give us a bark:  Bark!

To view the original story, bark on the link:  Bark!

Boxer Saves Family From Christmas Eve Fire

It seems like every year with the holiday's come a tragic story of a fire or robbery.  Well, this story has a very happy ending.  Margaret and Andrew MacDonald are feeling very lucky to be alive and they owe it to their eldest dog, Roxy the Boxer.  On Christmas Eve night Roxy began to act a little strange, she popped to her feet which really took Margaret by surprise given her age and current health, and then began to make sounds the MacDonald's had never heard and trotted back and forth from the living room to the office where Margaret was.  Eventually Margaret followed Roxy in the living room, to see the fire engulfing the entire corner by the tree.  Margaret screamed for Andrew and after having to kick down the door to get out, Andrew pushed his wife through the door and the dogs followed just as a fire ball came down the hall.  Sadly, the MacDonald's lost everything except their dogs and two angel ornaments.  

All of the dogs are just fine and are resting in a local kennel.  Except for Roxy, she is being pampered in a Sydney Hotel for her heroic efforts.  I am happy for the family that no one was lost and all ended on a happy note.

For the full story, bark on the link: Bark!

Christmas Eve

Since today is Christmas Eve I thought I would give you a couple of cute Christmas themed videos to enjoy.  I hope you are all able to relax and enjoy today, but if you have last minute shopping and wrapping to do, I wish you luck.

These videos were sent to me over the week and they are so cute.  One is a Jack Russell waiting for Santa... kind of a real life snoopy.  The other is a Bulldog ready to eat a toy Santa, it is really funny.

Treat yourself to a laugh, enjoy these videos:





Tomorrow I hope you all enjoy your family, friends, pets and any loved one you are lucky enough to have with you for the holidays.  If you are far away from the ones you love, don't forget to call if you can.  If you can't, hold them close in your heart and remember all the good times, it always works for me.

Merry Christmas.

Tis The Season For Giving

Each year as the holiday's arrive we are reminded of what we have and more obvious are those around us that don't have much or nothing at all.  For me it starts with Thanksgiving and continues to the end of the year.  I just have a hard time imagining what it would be like to be without a home, friends, family, or just anyone to love you, no matter if you are a human or an animal.  So, this time of year, I donate to my favorite "shelters" or "rescues" for both our two-legged and four-legged friends.  I know with times so tight, most think they cannot afford to do such a thing, but do you realize that even $5 helps?  It does.  And if you cannot give money, there is always food, toys, clothing, blankets, crates, or grooming supplies.  Most of these organizations survive through donations.

There are a lot of reasons to donate, some do it purely for tax write offs, some out of guilt, some because it feels good and others because they care that much.  Whatever your reason, I hope you find an organization that is right for you to give to, I know they will appreciate it no matter what it is.  My favorite gift I've ever gotten is a donation made in my name to sponsor a dog.  The dog didn't live in my state, but I knew for a year that he had food, shelter, and hopefully a staff of people to love him.

My fingers are crossed that all of my readers give a gift that will continue to give and find the perfect organization to donate.

To see a list of animal shelters, bark on the link:  Bark!

To See a list of Homeless Shelters, bark on the link:  Bark!

Another Top 10 Pet Gifts List

This time the top 10 list is coming from our friends at K9 Magazine.  I figured with 3 shopping days left, it is not too late to get a great gift for your furry friends.  Even if you get the gift a little late... they won't mind.

According to the American Pet Products Association, the pet-gift industry has grown from $28.5 billion in 2001 to $47.7 billion this year and according to an American Express poll, 31% of consumers will purchase a gift for their pet.

There are some fun gifts on this list, a couple I wouldn't mind having myself!  Enjoy the Top 10 Pet Gifts:

 1.  Canine Twitterer: Dogs can tweet, too. This tag from Hammacher Schlemmer lets a canine share its thoughts with followers on Twitter via a motion sensor and microphone in the tag that interprets activity and sends one of 500 pre-loaded Tweets.

 2.  Pet Bandanna: "Doo" rags. Pet bandannas with Velcro fastener from Marathon Mfg./Prestige Line come in 17 color choices to match any fur coat.

 3.  Leash: On a tight leash. Keep that dog safe and secure with this durable 5-foot leash from Rhode Island Textile Co.
  

 4.   Bird Feeder: A little bird told me. Keep feathered backyard visitors happy with this tall, clear bird feeder with multiple perches from S & K Manufacturing.

 5.  Pad Balm: Give me your paw. Moisturize and protect puppy's paws with this thick, natural pad balm from Solar Advertising.

 6.  Pet Umbrella: It's raining cats and dogs. Hammacher Schlemmer has an inverted bumbershoot umbrella that forms a waterproof cocoon around a small dog.

 7.  Gravy Mix: Ride the gravy train. Humans shouldn't be the only ones eating fabulous food this holiday season. Furry friends will appreciate this beef or white gravy mix from Ingredients Corp. of America.

 8.  Scoop N' Clip: What's the scoop? This paw-shaped food scooper from the WOV-IN Group has a 1-cup capacity and doubles as a food-bag sealer.

 9.  Waste Bags: Look out behind you! This dog-shaped container from Handy Products Line feeds 20 poly waste bags out its backside.

10.  Canine Shower Stall: Rubber ducky. The groomer comes to the home with this canine shower stall from Hammacher Schlemmer that features 16 water-jet nozzles and a shower head to wash and rinse a pet in an enclosed space. 

To view this list on K9 Magazine, bark on the link:  Bark!

Top 10 PDSA Ops Of 2010

We have heard or read the stories throughout the year of some miraculous cases put in front of the PDSA vets and nurses.  K9 Magazine has publish the Top 10 Ops of 2010 that the PDSA put out.  If you haven't heard of some of these, it would be worth looking them up.

In case you are not familiar with who the PDSA are, they are a veterinarian charity in the UK.  PDSA provides free veterinary treatment for the sick and injured pets of eligible people in need.  They have touched many people and pets and have given second chances to a lot of pets that would not have had one otherwise.  So, as you read, remember the kind and loving hands that performed each of these operations.

Let the countdown begin:

10. Diabetic Dolly (10), a Staffordshire BullTerrier from Nottingham, was given a new ‘leash’ of life thanks to an ingenious solution, when she struggled to cope after becoming blind. Resourceful PDSA vets fitted plastic cable ‘whiskers’ to her collar to help her find her way around. Dolly quickly learned to use the specially adapted collar, becoming quite a talking point in her local park in the process, and is now back living life to the full.

9.   Greedy Labrador Leo acquired some extra socks appeal when he wolfed down three items of hosiery earlier this year. PDSA vets in Sunderland removed the garments from one-year-old Leo’s stomach during life-saving surgery. This was the second time the excitable pooch had an emergency op: he got a pork chop bone lodged inside his bowel in 2009.

8.   Seven-year-old Dalmatian, Cassie, astounded vets at Brighton PDSA PetAid hospital when they rushed her into surgery to remove a suspicious object in her stomach, only to find a whopping 600g (1.3lb) of blanket inside her. She had eaten sections of the blanket over several months after suffering from separation anxiety following the death of one of her owners.

7.   Eighteen-month-old Houdini the cat had a miraculous escape after she was shot in the face with an airgun, injuring her left eye and leaving a pellet embedded close to her spine. Vets at PDSA in Bristol performed life-saving surgery, although sadly her eye was damaged beyond repair and had to be removed. The pellet was too close to her spinal cord to be removed safely but the lucky cat has recovered well and is back on all four paws.

6.   Plucky Jasmine, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier from Scotland, suffered from ‘fowl play’ after swallowing a rubber duck. Astoundingly, Jasmine spent nine months with the bath toy inside her stomach before it shifted and created a near-fatal blockage. Luckily PDSA was here to help and vets at the charity’s Shamrock Street PetAid hospital removed the duck during emergency surgery.

5.   Two-year-old Springer Spaniel Samson’s health really ‘hit the rocks’ earlier this year after he gobbled down an incredible 2lb of stones from his owner’s garden. The poorly pooch, whose stomach was full to bursting, was rushed into surgery at Edinburgh PDSA. The stones could easily have caused a fatal obstruction, but luckily they were removed in time, and Samson made a full recovery.

4.   Cinderella the cat from Gravesend nearly lost her ‘fairy-tail’ ending after a horrific road accident. But the fearless feline dragged herself home despite suffering some of the worst injuries vets at PDSA’s Gillingham PetAid hospital had ever seen. It was touch-and-go during the operation, but the veterinary team managed to fix her shattered pelvis and ruptured internal organs. After months of treatment she is back to her old self and is finally living ‘happily ever after’.

3.   Playful Labrador Jet from Gateshead nearly choked to death after accidentally swallowing another dog’s ball in a park. Unable to remove the ball and with two-year-old Jet gasping for air, his owner rushed him to the local PDSA PetAid hospital where vets, seeing that he had minutes to live, rushed him in for emergency treatment. The ball was removed and, despite his near-fatal ordeal, Jet was back on all four paws just an hour later.

2.   Curious kitten Garfield, from Glasgow, used up one of his nine lives after a terrifying 120ft fall from a 12th floor flat. His owner feared the worst, but incredibly the eight-month-old kitten was still alive, suffering from a broken front leg and a collapsed lung. PDSA vets in Tollcross used a metal plate and six screws to fix his leg, and he went on to make a full recovery.

1.   The number one spot belongs to four-year-old Collie Lassie who pulled off a miracle worthy of her name-sake after surviving a 200ft cliff fall while on holiday with her family. She suffered extensive injuries including broken and dislocated legs, requiring months of treatment at Bristol PDSA. Despite fears that she would never walk again, she defied the odds and has now made a full recovery, becoming something of a local celebrity in the process.

To view the whole article, bark on the link:  Bark!