Dog Clothing, Products, News and Training Tips

CANEY, Kan. - A dog at a southeast Kansas zoo has adopted three tiger cubs who were abandoned by their mother. Safari Zoological Park owner Tom Harvey said the tiger cubs were born Sunday, but the mother had issues with them.Harvey said the cubs were wandering around, trying to find their birth mother, who wouldn’t pay attention to them. That’s when the cubs were put in the care of a golden retriever.

Harvey said it’s unusual for dogs to care for tiger cubs, but it does happen. He said he has seen reports of pigs nursing cubs in China, and he actually got the golden retriever after his wife saw television accounts of dogs caring for tiger cubs.

Puppies take about the same amount of time as tiger cubs to develop, and Harvey said the adoptive mother just recently weaned her own puppies.

“The timing couldn’t have been any better,” he said.The mother doesn’t know the difference, Harvey said. He said the adopted mother licks, cleans and feeds the cubs.
[Source: Yahoo! News]

Dogs love a good day at the beach. Fortunately, there are numerous ocean and lake playgrounds for canine frolicking in pet-friendly cities across America. The best ones, of course, allow dogs to go off-leash, no matter what time of year.

A number of these dog-friendly meccas can be found in California.

San Diego
As a city, San Diego is beach heaven for canines. There are three off-leash zones where dogs can run free and even enjoy water activities such as kayaking and surfing.

Dog Beach at Ocean Beach: The original dog beach of California. Popular with both locals and tourists. It offers a wide stretch of sand along the Pacific Coast and is a great place for early morning romps, sunset walks or simply sitting and watching the waves roll in. Parking is plentiful, and this area is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Fiesta Island: Most of this large, sandy island in Mission Bay is a leash-free zone. Filled with sand dunes for a romping good time and the waters in the bay are calm — perfect for canine swimming. There’s ample parking and the area closes at 10 p.m. daily.

Coronado Dog Beach: With the backdrop of the famous Hotel Coronado, it’s a great place to picnic and relax. South of the Hotel Del Coronado, you can see the hull of the sunken gambling ship the Monte Carlo and, on a clear day, you can even see Tijuana. While the beach is open 24 hours (street parking only), it can get crowded, so go early.

Huntington Beach
Dogs are welcome on a stretch of sand along the famous Pacific Coast Highway between 21st Street and Seapoint Street — about three-quarters of a mile long. Open between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. The restaurant area off the main beach has plenty of outdoor seating areas where you can relax and keep your pooch close by.

Long Beach
A hangout for celebrity dogs and their owners as it’s the only off-leash dog beach in all of Los Angeles County. Dogs are welcome at many of the outdoor areas of restaurants, as well as in some stores on trendy Second Street. This is a popular place for beach events and activities. To keep track, visit hautedogs.org.

Despite the fact that numerous Web sites and blogs claim there is a plethora of off-leash beaches in the northern California, none of these areas are official off-leash areas.

Chicago
The Susan Kimmelman Off-Leash Dog Beach located at the northwest corner of Montrose Beach (the point closest to the city) requires a special $5 DFA (Dog Friendly Area) tag confirming that dogs are vaccinated and in good health. The tags are sold at many veterinarian offices and directly from the Chicago Park District. Dogs must be leashed coming and going to the designated area.

The Evanston Dog Beach in northern Illinois, also requires a beach pass. The off-leash area is open May 1 through October 31, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The beach pass costs $50 for residents and $100 for visitors, to be worn by dog owners.

Annapolis, Md.
Quiet Waters Dog Beach on the banks of the South River in Annapolis, Maryland, is a popular hangout for dogs and is adjacent to a nearby fenced dog park. There are two play areas: One designated for larger dogs, the other for small or elderly animals. Owners are allowed to bring two dogs each, and there’s a shower to rinse off after a day of fun in the sun.

Lake Michigan
The Norman F. Kruse Park in Muskegon, Mich. offers a beautiful stretch of white sand, capped with sand dunes for canine fun and games. It’s a popular location for family beach picnics as parking is accessible and there are restroom facilities.

Duck, N.C.
In the town of Duck, dogs and their owners have the whole year to enjoy the vast stretches of beach that trace the coastline beyond a 10-mile radius of city limits.

Whidbey Island, Wash.
This picturesque setting offers dogs a wonderful stretch of sandy beach and ocean to enjoy. It’s a great place for people to relax and unwind too. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Rainer and the Seattle skyline.

St. Petersburg, Fla.
North Beach at Fort De Soto features a stretch of white sand and has been named one of the most beautiful beaches in America. The Pinellas Country Parks and Recreation Department has opened a Paw Playground adjacent to the beach area where dogs can socialize and enjoy some serious doggy play.

Key Biscayne, Fla.
The Dog Beach in Key Biscayne, Miami is on the corner of Waddell and Vernon Avenue, just south of South Street. Don’t be surprised if you see dogs sporting the latest bikinis, board shorts and shades to match their owners.

Dog beach etiquette
Petfriendlytravel.com’s Travey Thompson says there are not as many off-leash beaches in this country as pet-lovers might imagine.

“Leash-free beaches are the result of huge efforts made at a grass-roots level by dog lovers within a community. I think it’s important for people to understand that these beaches are a privilege that can be revoked at any time. We all need to help keep these leash-free zones in tact by always picking up after our dogs and obeying the rules of the beach.”

For up-to-date information about off-leash zones and beaches that require a leash, visit Haute Dogs, the organization that initiated the Dog Zone in Belmont Shore — it’s also a good source of doggy beach information countrywide.

[Source:MSNBC]

Last year, Riley set a world record - 2.91metres - at the Casterton Kelpie Festival in Victoria.
In February, Ms O’Callaghan received a call from festival organisers who wanted to know if Riley would be competing.

“He’d already won the championship twice in a row,” she said. “They told me if he won a third time he’d no longer be eligible for competition, and could only appear as an exhibitor instead.
“As a trade-off they said they were creating a Kelpie Hall of Fame, and that if Riley won again he’d be inducted into it.”

On June 7, Riley tied at first place with another dog, Rosie - they both jumped 2.625metres - and thus was officially banned from competing there again.
But Ms O’Callaghan was not happy about Riley’s forced retirement.

“He should be allowed to keep on doing what he loves, until another dog comes along and takes the crown. In any sport there’s going to be a younger, fitter competitor coming up in the ranks … every dog has his day,” she said.

Shirley Foster, of the festival committee, said the decision to retire Riley was “all about keeping the event fresh”. She said the Casterton Kelpie Association was considering holding an event for the best jumpers in the country and Riley could compete in that.

[Source: SMH.com.au]

Fido, meet Yum-o.

Rachael Ray is bringing her trademark brand of culinary perk to the pet world, launching a new line of premium dog food.

The Rover-friendly line, dubbed Rachael Ray Nutrish, features two varieties of all-natural pooch chow recipes, which have been both named after and developed for Ray’s own four-legged friend, her pit bull Isaboo.

Proceeds from the products will be donated to Rachael’s Rescue, an organization founded by the foodie that helps at-risk animals through the adoption process.

“I love my dog Isaboo, and as a member of my family, I need to make sure that she eats as well as the rest of us,” Ray gushes. “With the launch of Nutrish, I now have the opportunity to share with other pet lovers some of her favorite meals, flavors and special treats.”

Those favorites include the somewhat cloyingly named treats Isaboo Booscotti and Isaboo Grill Bites.

“It seemed like not a lot of extra time to donate to something that could potentially raise millions of dollars for championing these little creatures that can’t speak for themselves,” Ray said of the line’s charitable bent.

Ray has made no secret of her dog-loving ways over the years, featuring her pup in the opening credits of her Food Network show 30 Minute Meals, as well as featuring the dog on her syndicated talk show, Every Day With Rachael Ray.
[Source: Eonline]

Dog Fancy, the world’s most popular dog magazine, has named Colorado Springs, Colorado, the 2008 winner of DogTown USA — the national competition in which Dog Fancy readers nominate America’s most dog-friendly city.

“Some cities clearly roll out the red carpet for dogs and their owners,” says Susan Chaney, editor of Dog Fancy. “Each year, it’s gratifying to read about so many organizations and individuals who work toward making their cities welcoming to dogs. We’re very pleased to honor Colorado Springs this year, and congratulate it for avoiding legislation like that adopted by Denver which bans pit-bull-type dogs.”

Runner-up cities include:
– Huntington Beach, Calif.
– Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
– Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
– Long Beach, Calif.

Each year, Dog Fancy calls for readers to submit nominations for what they believe to be America’s most dog-friendly cities. The criteria used to select the winning city include plenty of dog-friendly open spaces and dog parks, events celebrating dogs and their owners, high vet-to-dog ratios, abundant pet supply and other services, and municipal laws that support and protect all pets.

Chaney will travel to Colorado Springs to present the city with the top honor. For the complete story on DogTown USA, pick up the September issue of Dog Fancy, on newsstands July 29, 2008.

[Source: marketwatch.com]

With tiny cameras fixed to their heads, German Shepards will be sent in before their human partners to hunt for insurgent hideouts.

The cameras will broadcast live images back to the troops as the dogs penetrate behind enemy lines and warn of ambushes.

According to The Sun, the dogs will be trained to accompany soldiers on what are called ‘High Altitude High Opening’ parachute jumps, after which they may have to travel 20 miles to their targets.

It is hoped the technique will reduce the level of danger to SAS soldiers, three of whom have been shot dead during raids in Iraq in two years.

An SAS source told the newspaper: “The dogs will be exposed to very high levels of danger on these operations and you never know what’s going to be behind a door. Nobody wants to see the dogs get killed but if it’s their life or a man’s it is obvious which the CO would prefer.”

The elite American unit, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force, has pioneered the parachute technique from heights over 20,000ft and its instructors have reportedly been sent over to 22 SAS headquarters in Hereford.
[Source: Telegraph.co.UK]

It was the first K-9 Support Dog Wash at the Clarksville Dogtopia, but the fourth annual event for the company. Dogtopia employees were on hand to give the dogs baths and trim their nails for a monetary donation, and all the money raised went to benefit a group of dogs often forgotten: working military dogs in Iraq.

Sue Dietrich, who owns the facility with her husband Ron, said she plans to use the money raised to buy things for both the dogs and their handlers. “One of our employees just came back from Iraq, so I plan to talk to him about what sort of things they need over there,” she said. “But we’ve been given a list of guidelines of what to buy from Dogtopia, and we get to buy it ourselves. We’re hoping to send some doggles (goggles to keep the blowing sand and sun out of the dog’s eyes), booties for their feet to protect them from the sand, dog toys and some things for their handlers like chopstick.”

In all, 51 dogs were bathed in four hours and more than $1,000 was raised for the working dogs in Iraq. “It exceeded our expectations. We ran over to finish all the dogs we had in line. We were still going until after 4 (p.m.),” Dietrich said, adding that several of the people were new to Dogtopia. “The majority were new people. It sounded like a number of them came a good distance. They weren’t all local.”

Dietrich was quick to point out that the added supplies they will send does not mean the Army is ignoring its working dogs. “This is in addition to what the Army provides,” she said. “We think any extra little bit helps.”

The annual dog wash fund raiser was created by Dogtopia founder Amy Nichols, who was trying to think of a charitable way to give back to animals, Dietrich said. In the last four years, the nonprofit arm of the company — K-9 Support — has raised more than $25,000 and sent more than 5,000 pounds of supplies to Iraq.

Dietrich had eight people washing dogs for the fundraiser. Seven were Dogtopia employees, and one was a loyal customer. “Our No. 1 customer,” she joked.

Sandra Pressman, of Clarksville, came out on a sunny Sunday to spend four hours up to her elbows in dog fur and suds. “I just think it’s terrific that we can do something to help the dogs who are on the front lines, also risking their lives.”

[Source: The View Newspaper]

For the last nine years, dog lovers have converged on Niles Community Park to celebrate canines, even if his or her lineage can’t be traced back further than a couple of alley mutts.

This year’s 10th annual show, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, includes a lot of the same attractions that have made the event such a hit in years past. There will be competitions for best costume, prettiest female, handsomest male, most unusual mix, hairiest dog and best performer, and Happiness Country Kennels will present a dog agility course.

The show has expanded from about 40 entries when it first started to about 150 last year, Caster said. While the main goal is to have some fun, organizers also do their best to get dog lovers to consider adopting rescued dogs. One of the contest categories is “Best Rescued,” in which dog owners tell how their dogs found their permanent homes.

Several purebred animal rescue groups will have booths at the show, and The Tri-City Animal Shelter’s mobile adoption center will be on site. Also, a portion of the show’s proceeds go to the Ohlone Humane Society.

In the costume competition, winners have included dogs dressed as gargoyles, unicorns and royalty. Caster couldn’t recall if the dogs dressed up in garter belts or leather fared well at past shows.

Contestants can be registered up to the start of the show. On-site registration cost $20; click here for online pre-registration, which costs $15. All registrants will get a free dog show tote bag.

[Source: The Argus]

A recent report by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that about 63 percent of all households in the United States have a pet. The bad news: 5 to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year and about 3 to 4 million are euthanized.

There is a solution, and the way to reduce the number of pet deaths is adoption. Adopting a dog is a life-changing event. Dogs need lots of time and attention, requiring owners to be there every day. Therefore, it’s critical to find out whether you’re actually ready for a dog or would be happier with a goldfish instead.

“Making sure people are fully prepared to adopt a dog means a happier home and longer life for the dog,” said dog expert Trevor Wright. “Taking the time to thoughtfully consider if you are ready can reduce the number of abandoned and neglected pets.”
Here are a few things to consider when adopting a dog:

1. Are your children ready? Babies and toddlers can’t be trained as easily as dogs, which is why many experts recommend waiting until children are at least 8 years old before bringing a canine into the mix. If you’re set on getting a dog and have small children in the house, consider adopting an easygoing adult dog who’ll need less attention than a growing puppy.

2. Is the decision to adopt unanimous? Dogs shed, bark and can be messy. Unless the whole household is fond of your dog, it’s easy for resentment to build. It also makes it hard to set and enforce house rules, such as whether the dog can join you on the couch.

3. Consider the costs. On average, expect to spend about $800 during the first year of your dog’s life. If you live in a city where vet costs are higher, work full-time and need backup care, and want to give him at least a few treats, it can easily climb to $1,200 to $1,800 annually.

4. No yard? No problem. Some people believe a fenced-in yard is critical to having a dog. In fact, a yard can become an excuse for not walking or exercising your dog daily. Dogs spending most of their time in the backyard miss out on meeting other dogs and people, which keeps them happy and well socialized.

Learn More
For more information, visit http://www.dogtime.com/.

[Source: NAPSI]

Dancing with Dogs? Go to Japan, where dog dancing is the latest must-do activity in this canine-crazy nation.

Dancing lessons for pets joins a long list of things to do with your animal companion in a country where the pet industry is worth one trillion yen (nearly $9.5 billion) and where dog hotels, cafes and even dog-friendly cars are the norm.

At dance class “Wan Nyan World”, which literally means “Woof Meow” in Japanese, dog-lovers and their reluctant partners do a little waltz and a little dog-trot to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”.

“Whether it’s a Chihuahua or a big St. Bernard, if you have the right music and moves, any dog can dance. Even age doesn’t matter,” said 51-year-old Mayumi Ozuma, who teaches the class.

“Dog dancing allows owners and their dogs to show their individuality.”

For a tasty treat, dogs learn to circle their owners and move between their legs. Classes are held twice a month, and some couples even go on stage to display their skills.

Japan has more dogs and cats nationwide than children under 15, the result of an aging population and a declining birthrate.

Animals, and dogs especially, are often seen on the streets of Tokyo, dressed up in specially made clothes and being pushed about in strollers by their doting human “mothers”.

“Dog dancing allows me to have fun with my pet. It’s refreshing and I feel like my dog’s also having fun,” said Mikako Oba who was dancing with her one-year-old Corgi, Carlo, adding that she would like to enter dancing competitions in future.

Others relish the class as a way to improve communication with their pets.

“I like the fact that Naruto will do what I say — it shows we are communicating,” said 45-year-old Miyaki Takahashi of her dog. “He used to ignore me when I called his name, but now he will come near me.”

[Source: Reuters]