Puppy Proofing Your Home For Safety

Things You Can Do Right Now To Puppy Proof Your Home

Preparing Your Indoors For A New Puppy

-Put safety latches on all low cupboards and draws. Small puppies are experts at getting their noses into the contents of these storage areas.
-Electrical cords, computer cables and phone cords represent a major hazard to young teething puppies. Do your best to put all these cords out of reach. At the very least wrap them in pvc tubing (or similar) and apply a bitter taste deterrent spray.
-Clear all benches and tables of breakables and other items which your pup could find interesting. If your puppy grows up believing there is nothing of interest on these benches, she will not bother to jump up on them to investigate - there will be no reason to.
-Don’t leave food around on tables and benches, clear it away as soon as you have finished with it. If a puppy hits the jackpot by stealing some food off a bench he is very likely to continue to search these areas in the future - his behavior has been reinforced. Make it easy for your dog by taking the temptation away and by not allowing this problem behavior to eventuate.
-If you have a balcony or raised patio area ensure that the railing is sufficient for keeping your puppy in. You may need to add a temporary barrier which secures the area.
-Be careful with household items you wouldn’t normally consider to be dangerous. I’m talking about things such as a rocking chair or a door that bangs shut in the wind. The consequences of such an accident can be devastating - for you and your puppy.
-Check that your indoor plants are non toxic. Here’s a list of toxic plants to avoid.
-Puppies love to play with (which means destroy) the drawstrings that dangle from indoor blinds. If possible tie these strings up well out of reach!
-Buy rubbish bins that are impossible for your puppy to get into. If not make sure the bins are locked away in a cupboard. Going through the trash is one behavior you definitely want to discourage your puppy from doing.
-Keep ashtrays out of reach and never burn candles in a spot where your puppy could get at them.
-If you have any poisons or baits out for rodents or ants make sure they are inaccessible to your little pup. Mothballs should also be placed well out of reach.
-Fireplaces are dangerous areas for inquisitive young pups. When the fire is on there are obvious dangers and the stacked wood also presents its own danger.
-Keep toilet seats closed.

-Provide tough and durable chew dog toys for teething and chewing.

Preparing Your Outdoors For A New Puppy

-Be especially careful with any fertilizers, potting mix and weed killers you are using in your garden. It may mean that you switch over to organic products or a safer alternative.
-Garages and sheds are chock full of potential hazards, make sure they are always locked up when your puppy is on the prowl.
-Antifreeze is highly toxic and at the same time attractive to your puppy which is a very dangerous mix.
-Clean up the yard from all tools, hoses and kids toys. Throw a few of your puppy’s toys out there instead.
-Check all fences and gates for holes. Gates that close automatically are a good safety measure (especially if you have kids or guests coming in and out).
-Provide an area outdoors for your pup to dig and bury bones. A sandbox which is exclusively for your puppy is a great idea.
-Check for any nails, screws or sharp pieces of wire protruding from the fence and other structures.
-Swimming pools must be securely fenced off.

7 Summer Sun Safety Tips for Dogs

Think sun protection is just for humans? Think again. Your dog needs a safe haven from those harsh ultraviolet rays, too. Here are seven pointers to help Spot enjoy the great outdoors in summer, without feeling the burn.

1. Don’t shave your long-coated dog for the summer

When you shave your dog’s coat, it exposes his skin to sun damage. The hair coat acts as a protective barrier against the sun’s ultraviolet rays, and shaved skin is much more vulnerable to sunburn. Instead, thin out your K9’s coat using a Furminator or an undercoat rake, so Spot carries a lighter load in the heat.

Think of this as the difference between a cotton T-shirt and a wool sweater!

2. Dogs experiencing hair loss need special treatment

“Dogs most at risk for sunburn include dogs who are experiencing hair loss due to health reasons, such as allergies or hormonal changes,” explains Dr. Heather Peikes, board-certified staff dermatologist at New York City Veterinary Specialists. “Chemotherapy can also thin out a dog’s coat.”

Your geographic location determines how much protection you’ll need to give your dog, she adds: “On the East Coast, we worry less about sun-induced melanomas and skin changes, but in Colorado, California, and Australia it’s much more of a concern.” Also consider your dog’s breed. A hairless Chinese Crested, for instance, will need extra sun protection.

3. Protect serious sunbathers

Some dogs are serious sunbathers, and could happily fry themselves for hours. But don’t let them sizzle!

Dogs that worship the sun while lying on their backs risk developing tumors on the inguinal area, that vulnerable stretch of skin where the belly and hind legs meet; this area is unprotected by hair even on furry breeds. When you notice your sun-worshipping Spot panting, it’s time to bring him back indoors before he sustains a sunburn. Please take extra precaution if your dog’s snout is pink. Light-skinned dogs, like light-skinned people, are more prone to sun irritation.

Protect your pup’s inguinal area, and her snout if it’s on the pink side.

4. How to help a sunburned dog

If Spot did sustain a sunburn, give him a soothing bath with cool water and a gentle, soap-free product such as TheraNeem Pet Shampoo. Before lathering up, add 5 drops of Neem Oil to the shampoo in your palm, then work the mixture through your dog’s fur, down to the skin. Wait a few minutes before rinsing with cool water. Non-toxic Neem works quickly and safely to heal heat as well as chemical burns. (Neem products for pets are available here.)

5. Select the proper sunscreen

For an ounce of prevention, use sunscreen on Spot. “Select a sunscreen that’s safe for human babies,” Dr. Peikes advises. Two excellent brands are Aubrey Organics Green Tea Sunblock for Children with SPF 25 and Jason Kids’ Block with SPF 46. There’s also an all-natural balm designed to prevent and soothe doggie sunburn: The Natural Dog Snout Soother (SPF 10), which contains shea butter, kukui nut oil, and vitamin E.

6. Watch out for zinc oxide

Whatever sunscreen you select, make sure it contains no zinc oxide, which is toxic to pets. “Try the product out on one small area of your dog’s skin before spreading it further,” recommends Dr. Peikes. If you see no adverse reaction, go ahead and apply the sunscreen to your dog’s inguinal area (see above) and snout. These are the key points; there’s no need to coat your entire dog with sunscreen.

7. Consider protective clothing in some situations

If your dog had to be shaved for a surgical procedure, protect that area from the sun using a T-shirt that you customize to fit him. If you anticipate spending hours out in the sun with Spot - say, while out sailing or hiking - investigate performance sun protective dog clothing such as RashGuard.

• Only 10% of owned dogs were adopted from an animal shelter.
• 39% of U.S. households own at least one dog.
• The Sun Gem Hummingbird beats its wings at the rate of 90 beats per second.
• The average life span of an adult butterfly is one to two weeks, but it can be as brief as two days or as long as a year.
• Tortoises are the only animals that normally live longer than man. The oldest tortoise ever known was an Aldabra tortoise that was approximately 152 years old.
• One in every four pets in the United States is obese.
• For every person born in the United States, 15 dogs and 45 cats are born.
• About six million vertebrate animals are dissected yearly in U.S. high schools alone.
• Polar bears - the largest of all bears - carry four-inch layers of fat to retain their body heat.
• Chimpanzees share 98.4% of their DNA with human beings.

Occasionally I’ll run across an article that’s worth a re-print. This one’s giving new meaning to Bad Dog! or Good Dog?

Man’s Worst Friend? Dog Flings Marijuana Out of Car in Front of Cop

Save a Dogs Life ~ How To End Puppy Mills

Top 10 Ways To Make A Difference

1. DON’T BUY YOUR PUPPY FROM A PET STORE. The adorable puppies that are displayed in the pet shop window probably came from a puppy mill, a large scale, substandard commercial breeding facility. In these facilities, mothers are caged and breed as often as possible, and they give birth to puppies who could have costly medical problems you may not become aware of until after you bring them home.

2. ADOPT. If you’re looking to get a puppy, check you local shelter first. You can link to our No Kill Shelters at the bottom of our homepage. Not only will you save a life but you will ensure that your money is not going to towards the support of a puppy mill and the mistreatment of animals. There are many dogs waiting for a home and an estimated 1 in 4 dogs living in shelters are purebred. Your second option is breed specific rescue. If you have the love for a breed, go to the bottom of our homepage, Breed Specific Rescue Groups and see where the closet rescue group is for your beloved breed.

3. USE A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER. If you have exhausted your options for adopting and decide to buy from a breeder, remember that responsible breeders have their dogs welfare in mind first. Responsible breeders should screen you as thoroughly as you screen them. Don’t support breeders who treat their puppies or dogs like property. If this is how they act in front of you, you can only imagine how they treat the animals when no one’s looking.

4. SEE WHERE YOUR PUPPY WAS BORN & BRED. One sign that you are dealing with an unscrupulous breeder is that they won’t show you where the puppy was born. Always look over the breeding premises and insist on meeting both of the parents or at the very minimum, the mother. If the breeder tells you the mother is not around, you can be sure this breeder is not be forthcoming and has something to hide. You should ask for a sales contract that clearly defines the breeders responsibilities- Be aware that breeders are easily willing to extend “trade in” contracts for sick puppies- they may be counting on the fact that you will become too attached to the puppy to return them.

5. INTERNET BUYERS, BEWARE. Buying a puppy off the Internet is as risky as buying from a pet store. If you buy a puppy based on a telephone call and a picture, you have no way of knowing where it came from and it’s parents living conditions. Animals sold on the Internet are not held to the Animal Welfare Act regulations, which means that they are NOT inspected by the USDA.

6. SHARE YOUR PUPPY MILL STORY WITH THE ASPCA. If you think you have purchased a puppy mill puppy, please tell your story. Every bit of evidence counts and can help save lives and improve the quality of life for the dogs that are still suffering. Check out the ASPCA’s Share Your Story Page

7. SPEAK OUT. Inform your state and federal legislators that you are disturbed by the inhumane treatment of dogs in puppy mills and would like to see legislation passed that ensures that all animals bred as pets are raised and bred in healthy and clean conditions. You can easily Google “puppy mill legislation + your state”.

8. TELL YOUR FRIENDS. If someone you know is buying a puppy, direct them to the the ASPCA to read up on puppy mills. You may also refer them to the bottom of our homepage for a list of 100’s of breed specific rescue groups and No Kill shelters. Most people who buy at pet stores don’t think through how their single purchase can add so much to the abuse of dogs.

9. THINK GLOBALLY. Post your views and copy our information onto your MySpace or Facebook page. Link to our site and encourage breed specific rescue. Let’s put an end to the suffering.

10. ACT LOCALLY When people are looking to buy or adopt, they often solicit the advice of friends, family members and professionals in the field. Help get the word out on puppy mills. Don’t be afraid to speak up!! Animals need advocates, they can’t speak for themselves. Advocating on behalf of animals is a great thing to do!

Eco Friendly Patchwork Organic Cotton Dog Beds

The Eco-Friendly Patchwork dog bed is made with a combination of any two colors. Choose 1 color for Patch 1 and one color for Patch 2. Made to order dog beds.

Piping will match Patch 1.. The cover is made with 100% Organic Cotton and the filler consists of 100% Recycled Green Bottles stuffing.  Made In The USA!

Small - 25×25x5

Medium - 30×30x5

Large - 35×35x5

All squares are 5″ deep. Care: Machine Wash Cold. Machine Dry Low.

NOTICE ~ CUSTOM MADE: Eloise Eco Friendly dog beds are made to order and may take 2-3 weeks to ship!

Pink & Espresso

Fuschia & Orange

Avocado & Ice Blue

Charcoal & Black

Eco-Friendly 2 Bone Organic Cotton Dog Beds

The 2 Bone dog bed is made with a solid colored background with another color of your choice for the 2 dog bones. Made to order dog beds.

You choose one color for the Bone and one color for the Background. Piping will be the same color as the bone. The cover is made with 100% Organic Cotton  and the filler consists of 100% Recycled Green Bottles stuffing.  Made In The USA!

Small - 25×25x5

Medium - 30×30x5

Large - 35×35x5

All squares are 5″ deep. Care: Machine Wash Cold. Machine Dry Low.

NOTICE ~ CUSTOM MADE: Eloise Eco Friendly dog beds are made to order and may take 2-3 weeks to ship!

Watch the Freedom No Pull Dog Harness VIDEO HERE

Freedom No Pull Harness
	XSmall	Small	Medium	Large	XLarge	XXLarge
5/8″ wide Freedom Harness	$30	$32	$34	N/A	N/A	N/A
5/8″ Freedom Deluxe Package	$36	$38	$40	N/A	N/A	N/A
1″ Wide Freedom Harness	N/A	N/A	$32	$34	$36	$38
1″ Freedom Deluxe Training Package	N/A	N/A	$38	$40	$42	$44
NOTE: The Freedom Harness and Freedom Deluxe Training Package includes our double connection leash. This is ourbBest Selling and most recommended item.

Freedom No-Pull Training Harness

“The Ferrari of Dog Walking Harnesses“
Grisha Stewart, MA, CDPT-KA, CTP - Ahimsa Dog Training, Seattle, WA

The patented no-pull harness incorporates a patented martingale loop on the back of the harness which tightens gently around your dog’s chest to discourage pulling.

Constructed of industrial strength nylon webbing, the patented Keystone™ FREEDOM No-Pull Harness features solid stainless steel hardware, and reinforced X- stitching, providing you with the security of knowing thatthis harness will stand up to daily use by even the strongest dogs.

We back this up with an industry leading Chewing Warranty- we will replace up to two chewed straps for free, no questions asked, for just the cost of shipping.

We offer the No-Pull harness by itself OR with the Deluxe Training Package, which includes the no-pull harness and the 2 ended leash to make training your dog easier!

Watch the video below:

The Brand New Patented No-Pull Martingale Harness

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		Black 1″ & 5/8″			Silver 1″ & 5/8″
2
		Brown 1″ & 5/8″			Tan 1″ Only
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		Burgundy 1″ & 5/8″			Raspberry 1″ Only
4
		Red 1″ & 5/8″			Hot Pink 1″ & 5/8″
5
		Rose Pink 1″ & 5/8″			Lilac 1″ Only
6
		Neon Orange 1″ & 5/8″			Yellow 1″ Only
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		Neon Green 1″ & 5/8″			Kelly Green 1″ & 5/8″
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		Navy Blue 1″ & 5/8″			Royal Blue 1″ & 5/8″
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		Turquoise 1″ & 5/8″			Purple 1″ & 5/8″
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		Rust 1″ Only			Teal 1″ Only

Proper fit is essential to proper control. The harness should fit securely around the chest of the dog. Tighten the harness by pushing the webbing up through the metal slide bar then pulling it down through the other side of the slide bar. The harness should be tightened to allow for 2 fingers to fit under each strap. As every situation is different, adjust the harness accordingly.

Attach the lead to the ring located on the control loop (the control loop is the “different colored loop on top of the harness”). When the dog pulls forward the control loop will tighten the harness around your dog’s chest. This “hugging” action will bring the dog’s attention to their pulling. Additionally, should the dog try to back out of the harness, the harness will tighten around their body to inhibit escape.

Personality, body type, breed, etc. will all play a role in how your dog will respond to any training device. While no product can guarantee how your dog will behave, the Freedom Harness™ can help you teach your dog in a positively reinforced way. For the correction of specific behavioral concerns, please be sure to consult with your local trainer.

Not sure if the Freedom No-Pull harness is right for your dog? Try it out and if you’re not 100% thrilled, return it to us for a full refund. Note: harness must be returned within 7 days in new condition with the tags attached.

SIZING FOR YOUR HARNESS & HARNESSES BY BREED TYPE

Fitting the Freedom Harness Easy as 1-2-3!
		STEP 1 Unbuckle the harness. Slip it over the dog’s head with the contrasting loop on top.
	STEP 2 Bring the velvet strap up between the dog’s front legs. Snap the buckles closed on both sides.
		STEP 3 Adjust (tighten) the harness around the chest (both left and right side equally). Then across the front of the chest, and finally between the front legs.
	FREEDOM that can’t be compromised
	STRENGTH Industrial grade nylon, stitching, and buckles DURABILITY Stainless steel rings and loops. COMMITMENT Backed by our Limited Lifetime Structural Warranty.
	The Best Features in the Industry! • Stainless steel hardware and heavy duty nylon webbing sewn using industrial X-stitch machines, our harness will keep your dog in check, whether he is 14 lbs or 250+ lbs. • Comfort Conscious design with edges of webbing turned out to keep them from irritating your dog’s skin. • Swiss Velvet Lining on the strap that goes behind the legs helps prevent rubbing, chaffing and sores that are sometimes seen with other harness designs. • Four points of adjustability, which means our harness can be adjusted to fit literally any dog body shape or type. • 2 ended leash (included in our Deluxe Training Package) that makes the harness into a full fledged training package, allowing you to connect to the front and back of the harness simultaneously so that you can stop pulling from the back and steer your dog from the front connection. • 100% Made in the USA!

OoMaLoo make adorable, soft, well made, sturdy and washable dog toys for tiny to large dogs. The squeakers are super loud (not for the homes with sleeping babies!) and very durable. The toys are well made, making it really difficult for dogs to chew through the encasing and stuffing to get to the squeaker. My dog’s love them- I’ve had the cupcake for 5 years- not an exaggeration! Check out OoMaLoo plush dog toys HERE

Go Dog Nutcracker Christmas Dog Toy

GoDog Super Durable Nutcracker Holiday Dog Toy The Nutcracker dog toy has a crinkly stuffing inside that will keep your dog interested for hours. Similar to an empty water bottle, the noise this toy makes is addicting to dogs. GoDog toys are made with the new Chew Guard technology and are nearly indestructible. The Nutcracker makes a terrific holiday gift to bring to a dog friendly home or a lucky dogs stocking stuffer!

Check out The Velvet Snoot’s holiday dog toys- they make great stocking stuffers or Christmas gifts for any lucky dog! Each year we add to our holiday selection of dog and cat toys. This year we’ve added Jax & Bones wreathe cotton rope dog toys, the Nutcracker and peppermint plush super durable dog toys by GoDog, super soft plush ball toys red & white Christmas colors by OoMaLoo, Jax and Bones candy cane, Gingerbread Man and Green Christmas Wreathe rope holiday dog toys and more…