4th of July Safety!

Happy 4th of July!  This is such a fun holiday for us humans, drinks, food, gathering and lots of fireworks.  Our fun can be a dog's worst nightmare, especially the fireworks.  So below are a few safety tips to help you get through tomorrow.

First and foremost, don't forget about your dog!  Whatever your plans, make sure you are thinking of what is best for your dog!

Start the day with a big walk or an early morning hike to get some of that energy out.  Be sure to get their later walk in before the fireworks start.

To keep you & your pooch in good standing during gatherings, make sure they are not being set up for disaster and keep the food out of their reach.  If they are nervous around people, you may want to provide them their own private spot for the party and be sure to relieve them with walks and visits.

If your dog is at home during the fireworks and they are sensitive to the noise, make sure they are in the inner-most part of your home and if they have a crate, they are in it.  This will help cut down on the noise and make them feel safe.

If your dog is with you at a party and will not tolerate fireworks, make sure to bring their crate and see to it that they are in an inner room at your party host's house.  However, if your dog doesn't mind fireworks, just ensure they are on a leash as you enjoy the show together.

There are some dogs that go out of their skin with fear during fireworks, for this you should consult your veterinarian for a sedation prescription or seek an herbal alternative.

I wish you all a safe and fun 4th of July! 

More Dog Goodness in DTLA

 In the next two weeks 2 very exciting things are happening for the DTLA dog residents (and their people too).  

Today is an exciting day for the residents of DTLA!  The DTLA Vets have their grand opening this afternoon starting at 4pm and I could not be more excited!  We have needed, wanted and begged for a vet clinic in DTLA and today our wishes and wants are answered.  Dr. Eve Flores and Dr. Leia Castaneda open the doors to DTLA Vets located at 333 S. Spring Street.  

This renovated space has been turned into a state of the art vet clinic.  I can't wait for everyone to walk into the beautiful space and see what they have done!  Not only will you love it, your pets will too.  But the best part of this new clinic is not the office, it is the two amazingly talented veterinarians that run and operate this business.  We are so lucky to have them joining our community! 

Next Wednesday (7/10) another great event for DTLA dog owning residents makes it's annual appearance, the 7th annual Downtown Dog Day Afternoon!  This fun dog event takes place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 555 W Temple St.

This is an afternoon for the dogs of DTLA.  All of the pet vendors in DTLA (myself included) set up fantastic booths in the courtyard of the Cathedral handing out treats, goodie bags and advice to all the dogs of DTLA.

We do ask that only the socialized pups come out for this event, if they do not like other dogs or people, they won't have fun at this event.

I hope to see you at both events!

Having Dogs is Like Having Kids!

Dogster published an article this morning about a study that was recently done that showed having dogs is like having children.  This is something that I did not need a study to explain to me, it is something I have been saying for a long time.  When I became a dog trainer and started discussing techniques of dog training with my sister and we realized a lot of the techniques work exactly like those of child rearing.  Further, as a dog owner that does not plan to have children, my dog is the closest relationship to that of a small child.  The attention they need, the way you care for them, how you need to encourage and stimulate their mind and the love you share.  It is all very similar.  Below is the full article, enjoy.

Those who consider themselves "dog parents" have some solid ammunition to bring to the Thanksgivng table next year, as a new study shows that the relationship between dogs and their owners is similar to the relationship between that of children and their parents. 

And it's similar in one of the main duties of parenting: the ability to nurture. According to a new study in the news, dogs and children share the same mental response to dependency, called the “secure base effect," in which dogs as well as children rely on a nurturing figure to interact with the world. The parents are a sort of "home base," a place of comfort that dog and child can easily return to while going on mini-adventures, exploring the world. 

(Dog with bottle by Shutterstock.)

The results came about when Lisa Horn of Vetmeduni’s Messerli Research Institute set out to study dog-owner dynamics, and she headed an experiment conducted at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna.

The experiment tested three types of owners of dogs: “absent owners,” “silent owners,” and “encouraging owners." The owners were matched with dogs who were encouraged to play with interactive toys for treats.

When the owners were absent, the dogs were the least likely to work for their treats. But their motivation level skyrocketed when encouraging owners were present -- even if the owners were silent. 

When an owner was replaced with a stranger, the dogs weren't interested in earning their treats. The scientists put this down as a dog lacking the security it needed to face the world and tackle the food reward tasks.

In short, a good owner gives a dog confidence. We think that's worth an extra treat for the both of you.  

(Little girl with dog by Shutterstock.) 

"One of the things that really surprised us is that adult dogs behave toward their caregivers like human children do," said Horn. "It will be really interesting to try to find out how this behavior evolved in the dogs with direct comparisons."

Last Remaining Seats All About Eve!

Summer is my favorite time of year Downtown, mainly because of all the amazing things to do.  Among my favorite is the Last Remaining Seats series that the L.A. Conservancy presents.  This past Wednesday I went to All About Eve at the Los Angeles Theatre.  This was my first time in the theatre, I was not disappointed!

As I walked in I was greeted with this beautiful lobby and breath taking chandeliers, the most amazing at the end top of the stairs in the form of a waterfall.  I had to stand and take notice for a few moments to just take it all in.

As we moved through the theatre going into each level, I became more and more impressed with the detail of the theatre.  The design of the stage, the detail in the wood work on the walls, the mural on the ceiling, and the general layout.  We found perfect seats on the third floor overlooking the entire theatre.  Just a perfect view.

The night was a little warm, but otherwise it was a perfect evening.  Watching some of the greats on the big screen, enjoying the humor and wonderful acting of actresses I have adored my entire life.  To feel like you have been transplanted back in time to 1950 watching the film for the first time in a theatre as it was released is part of the fun the L.A. Conservancy gives us.

I had a wonderful evening and I am so thankful that I finally got to see this wonderful theatre!  This Saturday I will be going to Casablanca and I can't wait! 

Natura Pet Products Recall!

Early this morning there was another dog food recall announced!  Please be sure to check your food and if this affects you, get new food ASAP.  Below are all the details of the recall.

Natura Pet Products today recalled six different brands of dog and cat food over potential Salmonella contamination.

The recall was made after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test returned positive for Salmonella on a single sample. The products being were all packaged in the same production facility as the positive sample.

Natura Pet Products manufactures pet food and treats markeded as “natural” and “holistic.” The recall includes dry dog food, dry cat food, and pet biscuits/bars/treats branded Innova, EVO, California Natural, Healthwise, Karma, and Mother Nature with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014.

The company has released a statement through its website apologizing and stating that additional testing procedures have been implemented for its products. The statement, in full:

Dear Natura Family,

We have some sad news to share. We are announcing today a voluntary recall of all Innova, California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma branded dry pet food and biscuit/bar/treat products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014.

We made this decision in part due to a single positive Salmonella test by the FDA on product manufactured April 3. Normally, this would have resulted in retrieval of product manufactured over just a few days. However, we are taking the additional precautionary measure to recall all products in the marketplace. Our first priority is the wellbeing of the pets we serve.

Our decision allows us to ensure that all products available in the marketplace were produced after June 10, the date when we implemented additional finished product testing procedures with the guidance of industry experts.

Below this message you will find instructions on how to request a replacement voucher or refund. If you have any further questions, please contact us at http://www.naturapet.com/about/contact-us or (800) 224-6123.

We are truly sorry. We know this news disappoints you; we are disappointed too. Natura will always focus on high-quality ingredients, product safety and innovation in pet nutrition. We remain committed to making products you can trust.

Sincerely,
Employees of Natura Pet Products

Customers can download a form through the Innova website to request a refund for recalled products.

High Tech Devices Entering The Dog Walking World

Are you a dog owner and into high tech gear?  Or do you just want to be able to track your dog's walks, poop and get pictures too?  Either way, Swifto is here to help.  Dogster brought us the story, read all about it.

Silicon Valley and the tech industry is involved in a burgeoning love affair with dogs, pouring money into it, and we've starting covering the new gizmos to hit the market for canines. 

We've got a new one: Swifto, based in New York City. The startup raised $2.5 million from Benchmark Capital last year and is poised to disrupt the world of dog walkers, which is dominated by small operators.

 

The problem with dog walkers, such that there is one, is that you rely on the word of the dog walker to walk the dog, which can be a gamble. Enter Swifto, a dog-walking service currently in New York City. Its walkers are fully vetted and interviewed, each completing a test and ... enough about that. That's not what makes Swifto cool. 

It's this: When one of Swifto's walkers takes your pup out on the streets, you get a text message. Then, you can track the walk on a live map on your mobile phone, via GPS tracking. Imagine: You can watch your dog on a walk, heading down streets, taking a right here, and a left there, then stopping at the dog park, then heading for home. Swifto will also send you photos of your dog on the walks. 

 

Here's what might be the best part, for a certain sort of person: When your dog poops, you will get a "poop alert," along with a text message that says, "Your dog has just pooped." 

Who wouldn't love getting a text like that? 

The service also offers other neat things. If your dog needs to be run and not walked, Swifto can calculate the dog’s average speed down to fractions of a mile per hour, for example.

The New York Times recently took Swifto on a test run and reported a positive experience. The dog walker assigned to the writer, Meredith, said she never sent pictures of a dog's poop, but she has done other things: “When a dog has been sick, I have sent pictures of vomit. The owner found it very helpful.”

 

The Times says the cost of Swifto is line with the industry -- $20 per half-hour walk if you sign up with the service. According to an article by TechCrunch, sales are expected to reach $1 million this year, and the company plans to expand to Boston by the end of the year as well as Chicago and San Francisco in 2014.

I know there is already technology here in SoCal that allows dog walkers to essentially check in electronically when they get to your home and check out as they leave.  Each swipe will send a text to you, so you know when your dog is being tended to.

I can't wait to see how the technology evolves around this ever-growing industry.

Spring Street Park Opens!

Today is a good day for the residents of the Historical Core District!  This morning there was a ribbon cutting and announcement of the opening of Spring Street Park.  This is a much wanted and anticipated green space for the neighborhood.

Us dog owners are doing flips to have one more area to walk our dogs and enjoy the green with them.  Parents are excited about the play space for their kids. The rest of the neighborhood is buzzing about more chill space to sit, picnic or just enjoy the open air and DTLA views.

This little park will have a big impact on this community!  So happy it is finally open and I will be trying it out for the first time this afternoon!