It was the darnedest thing, but quite a long time ago when in a really awful pinch, my dog ate Pedigree. It was given to me for him during the tough time and I used it to stretch the little premium I had left. Oddly, despite how the food is not SUPPOSED to be as good for him, he thrived on it. Once he was switched to a premium food, he lost weight and benefited the room with his fragrance. What went wrong?

The premium food was formulated for senior dogs, and thus had a higher fiber content. The fiber made him feel full, but creates a lot of excess gas. In fact, his anal glands were even full of air. When years ago he was on a weight maintenance formula, he actually gained weight for the same exact reason.

The big reveal was that although the lesser dog food at more additives, the protein content was much higher. He appeared to thrive in the short term because of it, but would likely have health issues down the road because of additives and ingredients he just didn’t need. It was only an illusion that the premium food was doing more harm because of the constant flatulence.

The moral of the story? Even for a senior, the less excessive fiber, the less gas. It is a fine balance, as you don’t want so much protein your dog will pack on the pounds too quickly, so mixing a higher protein food with a secondary food or feeding the dog less will most likely do the trick.

He is now on a premium food, but has switched to a small breed formula mixed in until his senior formula is gone.

Luckily, or not so luckily, my dog will eat practically anything food-wise if I let him, aside from lemons. Before you say “my dog loves iams ” or “my dog has to have Wysong only” or Old Roy for that matter, just remember that sometimes a dog’s distaste for a particular brand might really be the symptoms we associate with it as the scarf it down, rather than turning up their nose.

If your dog is having extra fragrant problems, yogurt helps. Before you medicate, get the best food you can afford and check his/her food to make sure there is enough protein for their activity level. Going by activity level sometimes is more telling of an indicator than age. Surely, if a dog is flatulent its a blessing compared to pets with severe medical problems, but excess gas can eventually or periodically cause stomach pains and other complications. And that doesn’t exactly smell like a bed of roses.

Photo courtesy edendogbeds.com

A dog bed used to just be a dog bed. It was soft like a pillow or a thick special rug depending on canine preference. Ever since I have cared for my IVDD dog, the importance of specialized orthopedic dog beds has never been so important. He usually just beat up a blanket and arranged it as he liked. No matter how contorted he looked, I was happy as long as he was happy nestled in there.

Dogs get bed sores and develop pressure points just like humans do. Granted, smaller dogs are easier to manipulate and move into different positions than an adult person, but they do happen. Medical egg crate foam at the very least, or memory foam if you can afford it provides more gentle and even support to your pet, whether he/she has back issues or not. From there, you can even get beds made to look like antique furniture if you want to go fancy.

One may wince at the thought of the price of memory foam beds, but since you are buying a much smaller quantity for a pet than you would for a human queen- or king-sized mattress, sometimes with the cost of surgeries and long term care, you can’t afford not to. A comfortable bed can add a lot of to the quality of life of your pup who is not as spry as he or she used to be.

Just one dog or cat coming in with fleas can spread them to a whole aisle of pets in kennels very quickly. Soon, even though the original carrier is long gone, the facility cannot shake the infestation or get ahead of it. Flea infestations can lead to everything from skin irritation to blood diseases. A flea born or tick blood disease can cause severe lethargy and can be mistaken for something a little less curable.

When pets are not infested with fleas, a rescue centre can take that extra dog or cat because they know they can immediately place them in a particular foster home that doesn’t have the means to quarantine the dog or cat from others. They might be able to keep them crated separately, but not far enough

When the public comes in and there are no more stories spread about people contracting fleas from a visit or the story about the dog that had to be taken to the vets before coming home as they were in such a poor state, the average person who would have not normally considered adopting from the shelter has a more positive view of doing so. To make a real difference in enough shelters, its not the person that has four dogs already that need to be won over to adopting from a shelter, but the people who are looking for their one and only “family dog” who feels buying would be a more positive experience.

The next time you are buying Frontline for your dog or cat, buy a few extra doses and check the wish lists of your local shelters.

On the top of the list, I ask for them to Buy Frontline and heartworm meds, as well as the usual gourmet dog cookie. You can buy single doses or buy a whole box online. Since there are dogs in the family that are all similar in size, it’s easy to buy a pack and give a dose to all of them. This year, a pack of Frontline for cats is on the list so that I can protect the barn kitties from ticks and flea allergies if I can catch them (don’t worry; they are pampered in the lap of luxury in a heated tack room with access to the veranda. I think they live better than me, sometimes.)

Since my guy is almost 13, but going on 2, I am extra careful about medicating him or giving him flea treatments that he doesn’t need. I don’t treat him year-round like I used to, but only do so if we are planning to travel to an unknown area with dogs outside of the family, or plan to hike in the woods. If you live in a climate where you never or seldom see a frost, the “use as needed” won’t work for you. My big Al is a special case, though. Since he had an IVDD episode last winter, once the thermometer hits the freezing mark, he only goes outside to use “The Little Dog’s Room” or to be transferred to the car, as he really feels the cold. He is doing great this year, but I don’t take chances.

If you are looking for that little extra to give to your favourite dog, or especially a new dog owner, consider some protection. Summer is going to creep up on us before you know it.

When I first checked it out, I was a bit put off by the membership fee, but as I have recently learned, the site offers a little more than Yelp and Yahoo. Every member is verified as a real person. You won’t get the restaurant owner’s brother creating 50 aliases to write glowing reviews about a total dive. What’s more, is since the membership is paid, you can’t Google to find individual reviews. No one is getting search mileage from spewing their pearls of wisdom.

While verified identities might not matter when reviewing CDs, there is a bit more at stake when looking for reviews of contractors, child care facilities and even veterinarians and pet services (And it doesn’t seem to matter whether you are looking for a Tumbleweed City, New York City or Austin veterinarian. Just try your town or city.)

You might be able to rely on word-of-mouth on the pizza place on the corner, but when you are new in town or you only know two people that have ever dug a pool or needed surgery for their horse, you often don’t get the whole story or the service was required so long ago that memories are foggy or folks are out of business. Guess I’ll cross Dr. Livingston off the list and Pan-Am off the list.

I have recently come across the Buddy Belt, named for Buddy the dachshund (shown at left). It is a harness especially made for dogs with a tendency towards a collapsed trachea, such as chihuahuas, and those with tendencies towards spinal weakness, such as dachshunds. Instead of a strap around the neck or across the chest, it sits a bit lower on the body, and when a dog pulls, it puts no pressure on the spine or neck, unlike dog collars or even harnesses that encircle the neck or sit high on the chest. The dog’s front legs are slipped in two adjoining ovals and it straps behind the shoulders. When removed, the harness does not look like the typical tangle of straps.

The Buddy Belt is made in Toronto, each one by hand. The prices start in the $30’s.  FunnyFur.com is one of the retailers that carry them.

There are a lot of other great harnesses out there for back issues – some look more like a dog t shirt. And of course there is the Hug a Dox. I thought I’d point it out because its a completely different type of design that might just suit your pup.

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., is holding an online auction next month.

Donatons are currently being sought to auction off in this event. If you are an artist, collector, business owner, or just an individual with something to donate…. send an email at info (at) savingshelterpets.com with your contact information, and a description of the item you would like to donate. You may submit a clear, quality photo and ship the item at the conclusion of the auction, or, if you prefer, mail the item to an SSP volunteer who will photograph and ship the item. The auction begins October 4th, so if you are interested in contributing, make like a duck and…nevermind.  Tell em you head about it on HoundsGood!

**Please Note** Due to the fees involved with the charity auction site we will be using, we can only accept items valued at $20 or greater at this time. This will not be held on Ebay, but rather, SSP will have a dedicated auction “page.”

Please spread the word so we can make this auction a huge success for all the dogs & cats helped! Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., a 501(3)c charitable organization, has several wonderful programs including Spay & Neuter, Puppy Promises (puppies are intercepted from ever entering a shelter environment), Bernie’s Buddies (help for heartworm positive shelter dogs), TNR programs for feral cats, Rescue & Transport and more!

Click the banner to travel to the SSP site, or click HERE to read previous stories from this blog on SSP.

I am an incessant sun screen user in the summer. In the past year, I have become very conscious of the chemicals in sun screen and have ditched a few that contain titanium dioxide and now use one with zinc oxide exclusively. Not only am I not burning, but I noticed any redness from dermatitis on my face is no longer red. Sure, it could be the Vitamin D of the sun, but I attribute it to the zinc. Because of the thick consistency, I am hesitant to use it elsewhere on my body.

There is another product that uses zinc oxide, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, which is a diaper rash cream. It is also good for razor bumps, and I have heard some folks using it for prickly heat and psoriasis. I am not surprised, also, to hear folks using it for their scalp. The first time I heard about it was actually when I ran into someone who used it for their dog. The dog has alopecia and was always suffering from a raw tail. His tail would wag so much and beat against chair legs that the skin would be very dry and it would crack and bleed.

The ingredients are natural and contain zinc oxide and balsam oil. Just make sure you don’t have a balsam allergy before you try it.

Right now, you can receive a free sample if you send a 6×9 self addressed envelope stamped with $1.39 in postage to:

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
1600 Brian Drive
Columbus, IN 47201

Let me know what you think of it.

P.S. Balsam Pear plants are poisonous to dogs and cats.  The Balsam pine will upset stomachs if large quantities are consumed, but is not fatal, especially in the sparing amount in a tiny dot of paste.   Of course, keep all topical applications out of the reach of children and pets, even if non-toxic in normal use.

Before you call an exterminator, here’s a few methods for evicting moles from coming into your dirt basement if they have not already taken over:

• Spread soiled kitty litter around the cracks and crevices. Felines are a natural enemy and moles will retreat.
• Stuff coffee grounds or dryer sheets where moles have been sighted. I am not sure why, but moles detest the scent.
• Turn on a radio. Now, this method is a bit unorthodox, but I have read that you can seat a small radio in a plastic bag. Leave it on, and place it in a mole hole or near where they like to come into the house. I would assume the bag protects the radio, but also perhaps muffles the sound so that they don’t know where the human voices are coming from. They scurry away from human voices.

I have also heard about exterminating the grubs they like to eat. The chemical dehydrates them, and the moles remain alive and well, but go on to another yard looking for grubs. This can be effective, but I always worry about what other species eat the grubs or what harmful insect or fungi the grubs could be eating. By periodically switching your method from dryer sheets, cat litter and…um…radios…the moles can live out their lives without getting in yours.

I recently found some Sherpa pet beds that are made in the USA over at Overstock. I sort of have forgotten about that site. When they were new, I checked it all the time, but in the past few years, I don’t think I have been there once, but now I’ll be checking. The bed is $19.99 for the 27″ size. Be careful. There is a rectangular bed shown in a similar fabric that is NOT made in the United States, and there are other round beds that are international.

I’m going to surf around for some Overstock coupons to see if I can pinch a few more pennies. I’m not cheap; I’m frugal.

May is NAVTEQ’s Map Update Month. What does this mean for you? It is a gentle reminder to update your GPS system. Every year, new highways are built, streets are bypassed for new arenas and subdivision configurations change. It may not be critical if you stick within a three mile radius, but I know folks who took a cross country trip with outdated maps and they were really turned around. They were lost and it took an hour or two a few times to right themselves.

According the the NAVTEQ Navigation Benefits Study study, using a GPS device conserves approximately $200 in fuel per year, reduces CO2 emissions by 20%, and saves time. Time on the road saved in hours equals 4 full days per year!  How? Since a driver isn’t aimlessly driving around and looking for a destination in “hit or miss” fashion, less fuel is wasted and time is trimmed from trips.

For those of you who participate in volunteer transports, you know just how critical this is. Rescue transports are planned with precision, with only 15 minutes allotted for a bathroom break for the dog and to buffer traffic and delays.  Cats and rabbits really don’t get bathroom breaks on the trip, but it provides extra time to make sure that they have the water the supplies the need for the next leg of their journey.For more information, click on www.mapupdatemonth.com.  There is a list of downloads on the site for both independent GPS units and systems built in to various makers and models of cars.  It is a worthy investment before playing “around the world.”

One jeweler maker that is also easy to purchase from is John Hardy.  An example of cufflinks using lava rock, pictured at left. His work is accessible on sites such as JR Dunn Jewelers.  In the late 90s, John and his wife/business partner Cynthia purchased land in Bali.  They fell in love with the island and to learned the silversmithing techniques of the area.  Since the land they purchased had produced rice, they were concerned about the taking land that was used for food production.

In response, the Hardys did two things.  Their workshop and design studio, as well as additional buildings, are constructed using the local materials.  The river rock, bamboo and mud for adobe bricks all come from Bali.  The company also sits on an organic farm that they developed.  Cows and goats are humanely raised.  Sugar cane, Bali rice and more are grown to provide healthy lunches to the more than 700 employees that work at John Hardy. It sure beats the vending machines and the cold sandwiches at places I have worked over the years.

If you are looking to support a company that cares about the health and well being of their employees, supplies an area with a significant number of jobs, you can feel good about purchasing gifts from John Hardy.

Getting a pet for someone as a Christmas present is never the right move. Often, the giver does this to be a hero to the recipient as a huge gesture. Other times, an individual puts a pet on their wish list without thoroughly examining the suitability of the pet. After the holidays, or more so in the six months following the holidays, shelters are packed with Christmas presents. They arrive either immediately as the recipient is not allowed to have a pet where they live, or in the next few months when the pet is past the tiny and helpless stage and starts to roam around.

Here is a pet that you can really give someone without there being any consequences for the pet. MyFelix is an adorable java based feline that is ready to wiggle his way into your heart. This is a preview, where you can pet Felix. You can share him via email as well. When you download him, you will also be able to teach him tricks. He might even roam around your desktop. Occasionally, he may have a message for you. There may be contests you can enter in or special offers. You will not be asked to register MyFelix or provide your contact info when you download him, which is an added bonus.

To download MyFelix, you need Microsoft® Windows XP or higher. I can preview him on a Mac, but he is not Mac compatible right now. Hopefully a Mac OS version will be developed. MyFelix will have to just hang out on my PC. I’ll go over there and visit him once in awhile. Shh…don’t tell Mac.

That being so, luxury vacation rentals seem even more out of the question. However, I stumbled across Masterpiecerentals.com. Not all of the accommodations are mansions, some are more modest, but they are all private residences or condos. You can rent a house out for a night or for a few weeks with no worry about cleaning staff coming in and out of the room and potentially stressing your pet. Not all properties allow pets, but a very fair amount of them do. While in some cases, it is more expensive than a night at a hotel, when you stay for a week and way the expenses you would have dining out, it is obtainable. Also, many of them can sleep more than two people. Just doing a spot check, I saw that many slept six. Some large homes and cabins sleep up to 16. There is a great potential to go with a few family members and save a lot of money.

For this Thanksgiving and Christmas, if there are numerous relatives out of town, or if no one lives in the same city, what about all meeting at another location and having a few days of togetherness? Maybe its not for everyone, but there would be room. Of course, you would have to see how many bedrooms the arrangement had to determine if there were privacy or it was a case of fold out sofas.

Whatever you decide, I think renting a home would be a great way to include the pets during the holidays across the miles.

Rain barrels are something that never crossed my mind until I lived somewhere that did not have running water for several days. The well was on an an electric pump, and when the power went out in the area, water was lost, too. I had filled the bathtub with water days prior to flush the toilet with, and there was still a water bottle or two at the store. Even so, just the suggestion of being without makes one thirsty. As Samuel Taylor Coleridge penned: “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.” The whole situation made me wonder how I could use a rain barrel to somehow benefit a bit more from the rainy season.

While rain barrel wouldn’t provide me with delicately filtered water to serve in champagne flutes, it has many important uses. I could water the lawn and garden with water I saved. Those tasks involve many gallons at time, so catching rain water would cut my water bill during the spring and summer. During a storm, I could use the water to flush the toilets. Washing the boys is something else I could use the water for.  The dogs usually are bathed in the stationary tub.  I could fill up a container from the rain barrel and use it to rinse them.  Of course, they are spoiled and like warm water, but I am sure they wouldn’t mind a tepid rinse, as long as they were compensated with being wrapped in a fluffy towel and held awhile.

Have you considered using a rain barrel?  Do you already use one?  Tell me what you think!

It’s time to think about the OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards.  Starting last year with plans to occur annually, OpticsPlanet asks for your product nominations. You can vote for your favorite product in categories such as Night Vision goggles and flashlights. I have used many a flash light stumbling around in the woods at night, and Night Vision items are perfect for spotting wildlife. I had the experience of coming to the aid of an injured animal at night, and it really helped.

The awards just don’t go to the products, but to you, too. There is a chance to win a $500 gift card. There will also be five $50 gift cards awarded as second place prizes. You don’t have to write an essay or win a race to win. It is a sweepstakes that is randomly drawn, so everyone has an equal chance. The voting and entering ends November 1st. Entries will not be accepted after that time, so don’t let the raccoon make off with all the prizes.