Pawduct of the Week: PetroTech Odor Eliminator

Every Friday we will talk about one of Bark Ave's specialty dog products. Items will include food, accessories, treats, toys etc... That item will then be significantly discounted for anyone who wishes to purchase it that week. It will be the best deal on the web!

Today's Pawduct of the week: The PetroTech Odor Eliminator
Price: Retail $9.38 Our Price: $7.00 (Sale Price only available This Week!)
Purchase the The PetroTech Odor Eliminator here

Petrotech Odor Eliminator is one of the best pet odor eliminators we've ever come across. It's powerful, effective, and will eliminate all smells derived from your doggie's accident. So how does it work?

First, you will need to come in contact with the odor source in order to clean and get rid of the odors or stains. You do not need to soak or saturate the area. You only need to make sure that Petrotech comes in contact with the odor source.

Our rule of thumb is to use less than more -- remember, you do NOT need to soak or saturate the area. Use your nose and eyes -- if you still can find the odor source or stain, then you missed the source and re-spray.

Petro Tech Odor Eliminator is non-toxic, nonflammable, and safe around all pets!


Have you used this pawduct before? We would love to here about your experience with it in the comments section!

Hot Dogs and Single Buns

A Valentines Day event for Singles approved by their dog’s!


Join us as Orlando’s canine loving singles get together for a tail wagging day of frolicking fun and a barking good time! Featuring etiquette coach Denise Zaldivar, singles between the ages of 25 and up, with well socialize dogs are invited to our first “Hot Dogs and Single Buns” event. Let us tell you, this is a one of a kind event with all sorts of fun, hilarious games and ice-breakers…. no one will leave without wet sloppy kisses.

For details on this event, please visit us at www.doglando.com



Venue: University of Doglando
When: February 14, 2009
Time: 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Admission fee: $10/person (Includes finger food and drinks)
Contact: info@doglando.com
407-574-3160
or
407-832-3763

Lots of prizes, and free dog toy for every canine participant.

“A match made in doggy heaven”

Caught on Doggy Cam Monday!

This week, U of D's Caught on Doggy Cam dogs are:

Libby

Simon

Henry

All three dogs were caught on a evening stroll walking their dogs in Avalon Park. Way to go doggy parents! Great job giving your pups the exercise they need!

New Bill Trying to Pass in Florida

To every pet owner:

Here is something as dog mums and dads, we need to be sure we act upon.

On January 20, 2009; HB451 was filed in the Sate of Florida. This is a mandatory spay / neuter bill that will require sterilization of cats and dogs (at specified age) in an attempt to reduce pet over population.

I am an advocate for spay / neuter, and rescue, however to even think that this is the manner in which to go about to alleviate pet over population is unbelievable to me.

Had this bill included restrictions and regulations against puppy mills and pet shops, I would have strongly voted for it. I have two qualms against this immediately, without even dissecting it:

1. They are the result of our pet over population, because it is those dogs that are MOSTLY breed again by inexperienced pet owners, or "some how" left to breed. I strongly believe it is as a result of Puppy mills and pet shops that we have a problem with pet over population.... not reputable breeders!

I read the bill hoping to find all sorts of restrictions against puppy mills and pet shops, and no where in there did it mention ordinances against them or requiring pet shops to spay / neuter all dogs they sell within a significant period of time after sale of dog, or age of dog etc.

2. Who will provide the funding needed into making sure this ordinance is enforced? Will this fall under the County Animal Control? If so, how will this be budgeted to ensure the dogs and cats are traced and tracked? As we all know, especially Orange County, FL all monies are in one account, and there has been fraud committed to the use of dollars that were supposed to go towards educational programs etc but were not sufficiently used, or used for other purposes. How about correcting all that first?

Beyond that here are my thoughts analyzed by section according to the "bill to be enacted"

1. 828.35 (1): This is interesting... who is determine what is the "best" age to fix a pet..... of course this will require vets to change their rules of "six months." I have no idea where that age came from either, but irregardless, if this does take into effect, I believe there should be a CAP set on which a vet can not charge more for sterilization. As it is, vets charge and inordinate amount to spay/neuter cats and dogs. There is no way this is going to work if there is no regulation or requirement to which Veterinarians must abide by.

2. 828.35(2): I do have a problem with heavily involving Veterinarians for the sole reason that it empowers them even more, and is just another way for them to add to their cash flow. As it is, veterinarians are very costly and becoming unaffordable for many pet owners. In addition, under what criteria or test or check or screening will they base their results off. If there are no such criteria or if this process was not standardized, than it would become a matter of manipulation... vets could potentially charge for this waiver.

3. 828.35(b) 1.: Being that Counties typically only have one Animal affiliated municipality or arm, and that is normally the County Animal Control, this would result in giving them authority to provide licensure of a high quality animal they are typically very unfamiliar with and lack a great amount of knowledge on. Again what are these standards, who are the Breed Organizations they would approve?

4. 828.35(b) 2.: That is great! But instead of encouraging pet owners to be responsible pet owners, by enhancing their relationship with their pets and getting them involved in recreational sports, competitive sports, training, agility etc, this rule will definitely take away from that because there is a now a process for it all (which requires paper work, time, permitting, and money).

Not to mention, having dogs involved in the above sports will not reduce pet over population... pet owners involved in these sports could contribute to pet over population as well, by breeding their dogs. Their are no requirements to enroll in these activities, and so what has to happen for one to prove their dog has earned a competitive sports title... a trainers signature? That still does not ensure the fact that those owners or affiliations will not breed carelessly.

5. 828.35(b)3.: Why is it that service animals can not be rescued from breed rescue groups??? Why do they need to breed their own dogs? That still does not ensure the fact that those owners or affiliations will not breed carelessly. This is such a minor contribution to pet over population if at all, but if the main purpose of this bill was to reduce pet over population, than there should be a restriction to the number of litters these organizations can have, and more encouragement on using puppies from breed specific rescues.

6. 828.35(b)5.: What defines a valid breeding permit? Paper work and money? But you could be a totally irresponsible pet owner OR have a dog that is predisposed to genetic issues such as hip displaysia, or a dog that has an unstable temperament or is aggressive in nature, etc.... but if they go through the permitting process, they will be enabled to breed?

7. 828.35(c).: A huge part of the pet over population is puppy mills and those states that still allow grey hound racing. How is this not illegal, or why is it that we will continue to allow greyhound racing to even go on, but we will attempt to pass a bill on spay/neuter... where's the ethics in this?

8. This is not the way to go about reducing pet over population. FIRST AND FOREMOST we need to pass a bill that:

- make illegal puppy mills
- bans pet shops, stores,
- have restrictions on the costs of a dog / cat... should not be treated as a business
- ban grey hound racing
-cap the cost of spay/neuter surgeries

Please pass this onto every dog owner, fancier, you know.

To read the entire bill click here.

Thank you

Teena

What are your thoughts on this bill? Please let us know in the comments section!

Pawduct of the Week: Dogswell Dog Treats

Every Friday we will talk about one of Bark Ave's specialty dog products. Items will include dog food, accessories, treats, toys etc... That item will then be significantly discounted for anyone who wishes to purchase it that week. It will be the best deal on the web!

Today's Pawduct of the week: DOGSWELL Happy Heart Jerky treats
Price: Retail $8.99 Our Price: $5.00 (Sale Price only available This Week!)

Purchase the Dogswell treats here

It is still very shocking to me to find out how many dog owners continue to use treats filled with corn, wheat, soy, starch, yeast and all the preservatives they use to help increase shelf life.

Not to mention the health effects these types of treats have on the dog, including bad breath, dental decay, gum disease, skin irritations and allergies, yeast infections etc, these treats are really not any less expensive than many of the good ones.... like Dogswell, Free range, Merrick sausages, Evangers, and so many more.

Here is an opportunity for you to stock up on treats for your pampered canines.... Try any of the 6 oz Dogwell treats for only $5.00.

These are the treats we use for all our day care dogs, and let me tell you we go through tons of them! They're real, dried meat jerkies and EVERY one of our dogs salivates over them.


For any of you dog owners that usually buy your treats at PetsMart, please read the email we received below.

Seven varieties of Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits sold between Aug. 21, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009

Consumer Alert Update

Contact: PetSmart Customer Service
1-888-839-9638

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- PHOENIX, AZ, January 20, 2009 -- PetSmart is voluntarily recalling seven of its Grreat Choice® Dog Biscuit products that contain peanut paste made by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). PCA is the focus of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into potential salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at its Blakely, Georgia facility.

Although PetSmart is not aware of any reported cases of illness related to these products, it has removed these products from its store shelves and website and is conducting the recall as a precautionary measure.

The recalled products include only the following types of Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits sold between Aug. 21, 2008 and Jan. 19, 2009:

* Small Assorted 32 oz., UPC 73725702900
* Small/Medium Assorted 4 lb., UPC 73725700601
* Small/Medium Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700605
* Small/Medium Assorted 10 lb., UPC 73725702755
* Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700638
* Extra Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700779
* Peanut Butter 4 lb., UPC 73725700766

Customers who purchased the recalled dog biscuit products should discontinue use immediately and can return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com for more information or contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.

No other products or flavors are included in this recall.

Guest Post: 4 Stages of Learning

The premise for this week's post is the 4 stages of learning for dogs.

The four stages of learning according to Pam Reid in her book, Excel-erated Learning are:

1. Acquisition
2. Fluency
3. Generalization
4. Maintenance

Acquisition is the teaching phase where you are using continuous rewards with treats or kibble when the dog performs the desired behavior such as come, or lie down.

Fluency is the next stage where the dog automatically performs the behavior when you give the signal whether its a signal or a word like sit.

The third stage is generalization where the dog begins to understand that "sit" means to put his rear on the ground whether he is in the kitchen where you taught it, or in the dog park. This is a big step for many owners because they think that if the dog knows it at home in the den, he "knows" it in the dog park and is misbehaving when he doesn't perform. Nay, Nay! Dogs don't generalize very well so they may, in fact, know what "sit" means at home, but don't recognize it as the same old command when they hear it in the dog park when they are bouncing around. It is similar to kids knowing a teacher in school but being shocked to see her shopping at Publix.

The fourth stage is habituation where the behavior is a habit - this is the stage we want. The cue is intrinsically linked to the behavior and occurs every time and in every situation.

So lets explore this with a command - let's call it a cue because we are trying to be positive leaders with our dogs. I'm going to use "Come" because it is a cue that is hard for many dogs and can be a matter of life or death. "Come" means come even when the dog sees a deer and wants to chase it in front of a car. Come is especially hard because there is not an equivalent in the dog world so it is not natural, but it is a life-saving command/behavior for the dog living in our human world.

First stage COME means to run to your owner in the house when she has a piece of steak and you get a taste. Acquisition of what COME means.

Second stage is where the dog knows that COME means to run to you for a treat every time he hears it like you know a red light means STOP.

Third stage - generalization is when COME means get to owner as fast as I can no matter where I am or what I am doing.

Fourth stage - that COME is a habit and the dog always comes because the word COME (stimulus) has been totally integrated with the behavior and is behaved as though it were an instinct. I'll come because that is what I do when I hear the sound COME!

Now the big question - how to achieve each of these stages.

Well today, I'm only discussing the first stage, acquisition. This is a time when you give the dog consistent rewards every time he performs the behavior. This should be the shortest stage. Once the dog is performing correctly 5 out of 5 times in 2 or 3 sessions he probably understand the actually behavior and you can move your treat to the other hand or put it in your pocket and not Lure him to perform the behavior. Trick! If he does it without the lure, pay off more. Message to the dog is - perform without the lure of a treat, and you get a bonus!!!!!

Dogs do what works, so teach them that performing even though they don't see a treat pays double time and they are thrilled to perform without a treat in sight. Then surprise them with 5 treats and they will work so much harder for you. They never know when they'll get one so like tourists in Vegas, they keep pulling that slot machine in hopes that this time it will pay off.

Hint - you have to pass out an occasional reward to keep their interest up.

For more information on Terry and all the cool things she is doing, check out her website here.

Terry Cuyler – Doglando Featured Blogger Bio

The University of Doglando is very excited to begin a new chapter in our blogging life. Much like doggie years we are growing up quickly and we wanted to invite some friends to the party. Over the next few posts we will be introducing you to the voices that will begin to appear on this site and how they contribute to the "dog business."

Our first featured blogger is Pawsitive Results Dog Training owner and operator Terry Lynn Cuyler, the Paws Prof.

Terry has trained dogs at Central Florida's premier Best Paw Forward training center for 8 years, and has worked as an elementary school teacher for 20 years.

Terry is a Professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and a Certified Pet Dog Trainer by the independent Council for the Certification of Pet Dog Trainers. She is also a member of the Central Florida Hunting Retriever Club and Co-training director of the Express Delivery Flyball Team.

Terry competes in the Dog Obedience Clubs of Florida annual tournament and volunteers a portion of her training time to benefit the dogs of Seminole County Animal Services, and to educate children about safe etiquette for meeting doggies.

Terry's canine students have been on TV, obtained hunting and obedience titles, visited schools, run flyball races and worked as models and most importantly; enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with their owners.

So please welcome Terry into the Doglando Blog play area with open arms and look for her first post to come very soon!

Get to Know a Dog Day: Roxy

Being in the dog business, we always come across the sweetest puppies/dogs looking for a loving home. So about 3 months ago (before this blog was created), we were introduced to Roxy (one of the cutest Dachshunds we had ever seen). It broke our hearts knowing she didn't have a nice family to go home to, so we decided to reach out to our clients, family, friends, and anyone else we knew, in order to find this amazing dog a loving home with the perfect family.
Luckily, a few weeks later we received an email from Clay expressing interest in Roxy. 3 months later, Clay and his family couldn't be happier.

Roxy

Below is Clay's story.

"In the first part of October, a friend forwarded me an email from Teena at Doglando, telling of a 10 month old female dachshund that needed a home. I had been wanting a dog for a while, but I did not want to go to a puppy mill.

So I dropped off my kids at school on Friday morning, without mentioning anything to them in case it didn't work out. When I got to Doglando, I saw her playing amongst all the "big dogs". All the dogs had pink ribbons on for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and her ribbon was almost as big as she was!

I could tell right away she was very passive (which I wanted with the kids around), and a sweetheart! We seemed to get along pretty well, and I agreed to adopt her. When I showed up at the school, she took to the kids right away, as they did to her. The kids and I renamed her Roxy, and we have had to set rules to ensure even lap time for all of us with her.

We celebrated Roxy's first birthday over the holidays with my extended family, and they started to call her "Roxy with Moxie". She is bright, inquisitive, and confident. She also attempted to show my sister's Maltese who the top dog was, which is comical given her size. Roxy packs a lot of spunk into her 7.8 pounds! She makes me smile each time I come home, she can hardly contain her excitement. I am very thankful to have her. She has turned out to be the perfect dog for me and my family. Thank you, Teena, she is doing fantastically well!"

Regards,

Clay


We couldn't be happier for Roxy, Clay, and his family. There are so many amazing dogs in the world looking to be adopted, and when we get the opportunity to bring dogs and families together, there is no better feeling.

That being said, if you ever know or hear of a dog looking for a home, send us an email and we would be glad to post it on our blog.

Every dog deserves a loving home and a great family.

Caught on Doggy Cam Day!

This week, the U of D's Caught on Doggy Cam dogs are....

Arwen and Frodo

Dutch

Thanks to all of the dogs that were part of today's Caught on Doggy Cam post! All three owners were caught enjoying their day off for MLK day at the Dog Park.

So did you and your canine companion doing anything fun for MLK Day? We would love to hear about it in the comments section!

- Teena

Pawduct of the Week: ProCollar

Every Friday we will talk about one of Bark Ave's specialty dog products. Items will include dog food, accessories, treats, toys etc... That item will then be significantly discounted for anyone who wishes to purchase it that week. It will be the best deal on the web!

Today's Pawduct of the week: The ProCollar
Price: Retail $22.54 Our Price: $19.00 (Sale Price only available This Week!)
Purchase the The ProCollar here

The ProCollar® is a premium protective collar that is designed to protect your dog from reaching injuries, rashes, or post surgery wounds. It has an inflatable inner bladder made of a plastic vinyl that is inflated through a two-way air valve much like a beach ball.

Once inflated, the size and thickness of the ProCollar function as a soft deterrent. The inner bladder is protected by a pliable plastic outer jacket lined with a durable canvas material to resist bites and scratches.

The ProCollar is held in place by inserting your dog's everyday collar through the the ProCollar's three inner rings. The velcro strap should be placed at the back of the neck and then adjusted for a perfect fit. While wearing the ProCollar, dogs are able to eat, sleep and play at ease while staying protected.

To prevent another animal from biting the patient's collar; rub with bitter apple or ammonia. The ProCollar is machine washable or can be washed with anti-bacterial soap and/or ammonia and laid flat to dry. Always monitor your dog post-surgery to ensure that the collar is working properly. Some dogs may be able to maneuver around any collar.

Have you used this pawduct before? We would love to here about your experience with it in the comments section!

Training Tip Thursday: Teaching your Dog to "Leave It"

Teaching a dog to "Leave it" comes in very handy, especially for those dogs/puppies who always have to have something in their mouth (aka oral fixation, boredom, attention seeking… call it what you want right?).

Most people impulsively yell “No” or “the dog’s name” in an attempt to get the dog to leave it, but the problem with that is, quite often “No” is used more often than the dogs name, and is intended to have 100 definitions….everything is a “NO!”

I find it very useful to teach a dog the “leave it” trick, which basically means that before the dog gets to the object (or shows interest in something he / she really wants), you tell them to “leave it”. They would then have to defer, or move away from the object.

This can get a bit confusing, but I often start with treats I am certain my dog will like, but hasn't had before. So to get your dog started on the "Leave It" trick, follow these steps.

Step 1: Cover the treat and watch for dog to show all sorts of interest in it. He/she may offer you all sorts of behaviors (Make a note of these, there may be ones you could use for future tricks).

Step 2: Just as the dog backs off, losses interest, or gives up (may happen very fast), say “good” and reward him/her with a small piece of the treat. Repeat step two a few times, before introducing the verbal cue “leave it.”

Step 3: When you are ready to introduce the verbal cue, tell your dog to “leave it” and watch for dog to look up at you, back up, move away or anything but show interest and determination in the covered treat. Immediately say "good" and then reward.

This exercise moves very fast. Watch Brady’s video below. This is at the point where he recognizes the cue and is beginning to associate the behavior. Look how far we got with him just in minutes.! The goal at this point would be stop this game, and start setting him up to practice in a real life setting.




REMEMBER: If you are going to tell your dog to leave something he/she really wants, you need to have a reason why (at least initially). So be prepared to ALWAYS reward. Also, it is absolutely imperative that if you are going to ask him/her to leave something, there should be no exceptions… otherwise your dog will challenge you later on. In their mind, sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t, but it sure is worth the try.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT for you and your dog. Have fun at it.

Do you have a trick you want your dog to learn? Tell us about it here, and we might just show you how to do it on a future Doggy Tips Thursday!

Get to Know a Dog Day: Mateo and Parker

Today's Get to Know a Dog Day post stems from the video shown below:

Two Doglando dog's have been known to do similar things…

          Mateo                                                      Parker

                  

1. Mateo:  While owner Jennie Schwartz was busy mingling with other dog owners at the Avalon Park Dog Park, Mateo took the opportunity to dash out and head straight for Publix across the streets (at the carelessness of another dog owner trying to come in through the dog park gates.) I don't know if it was the delicious smell of the rotisserie chicken that had Mateo's mouth watering, or the soup bones his mum buys from there, but he was found hanging out in the Meat Department making new friends.

2. Parker:  Owner Jessica Garfield was on the way to the Lakemont Dog Park, (driving on Aloma) and passed by a Denny's. All of a sudden Parker, who loves sticking his head out the window, got the tingles in his nose and recognized a very familiar and favorite smell… the smell of bacon!  Just as they were passing by Dennys, Parker squeezed his body out the window, ran across two lanes of traffic, and straight through the open door to the hostess. Jessica, completely furious, nervous, scared, terrified, angry and all sorts of other mixed feelings, quickly pulled across two lanes of traffic in to the parking lot.  She ran in, and there was Parker making friends with the hostess, very politely sitting and waiting patiently for a table. Jessica was beyond amused. The manager then came out and said "Aww, would your doggie like a piece of bacon?" Jessica's response was "To reinforce what he just did…. NO!" It's safe to say that Parker won't be allowed to stick his head out the window anymore!

Has your dog (or a dog you know) every done something like this? We would love to hear about it in the comments section!

Woof!

-Teena

Caught on Doggy Cam Monday!

This week, U of D's Caught on Doggy Cam dog is....

Maggie

Maggie was caught with her owner, going for a leisurely walk around East Orlando. We were told that Maggy's favorite thing to do is go on long walks, especially when there are lots of people around...so she can get tons of attention! So if you see Maggy walking around, don't be surprised if she pulls her owner over to you to say hi and begs for you to pet her :-)

How often do you take your dog on long walks (a mile or more)? Let us know in the comments section!

-Teena

Pawduct of the Week: The Sensation Harnass

This is a picture of Frodo, one of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick's home…with his new loving owner.

The harness in this picture is a Sensation harness. This is the ONLY harness I have ever recommended. For those owners who are looking for a quick fix, this is definitely the way to go. Although I personally recommend training for better management of your four legged friend, this tool works very effectively because of its mechanism.

It fits over your dog’s body, and the main strap fits across the front of the chest; from one shoulder to the other. This strap prevents the rotator cuff in the shoulders from moving in a motion that would allow the dog to pull. The leash is attached to the circle ring in the center of the front strap (should be adjusted to fit right in the middle of the dogs chest), this way you have total control over the front of the dog’s body. Other adjustments need to be made to the strap that fits across the back and under the dog as well. The reason it works is very simple, if you have control over the front of the dog’s body, you will have control over the back.

The sensation harness also works phenomenally when changing directions on your walk. Until your dog learns the prompts (whether physically due to the tightening of the harness on one side, or verbal cue), having your dog turn right and left on walks is very simple with this harness. It works like a rein on a horse, if you turn right, the left side of the harness tightens, opening up space on the right side for your dog to move into…. and vice versa.

Other harnesses fit to encourage and allow the dog to pull, with the leash connector on the dogs back, and the straps going under the dog’s front arms. This allows complete movement of the shoulders, and gives the dogs strength when pulling. Now you have lost control of the front of the dog’s body, leaving you no option but to drag behind your dog.

My personal opinion on Gentle leaders and other head halters is that they restrict the dog’s world. A dog’s mouth is their world and how they learn everything…. Touch, smell, taste, texture etc, and to restrict that you are not allowing your dog to experience things. In most cases these are the dogs, that when not on a head haler act like everything is like going to Disney World… so exciting, never been their done that.

Also, like I mentioned, our goal is to have control over the dog’s front part of the body. With head halters, the dog can still flip around, such that he/she may be facing you, but his/hers body is now opposite you…. Now you have a dog playing tug, trying to get away from the pressure.

I use the Gentle Leader and love it for dogs that have severe behavioral issues…. But only as a tool for met to get control over their face in cases like working with dogs that display aggression (leash aggression, dog-to-dog aggression).

Here is a great video on the Gentle Leader




Click here to see pictures of the rest of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick.

Woof!

-Teena

U of D Partners with Regal Cinemas and Hotel for Dogs!

The University of Doglando has just partnered with Regal Cinemas Waterford Lakes to celebrate the upcoming release of the movie: Hotel for Dogs. 

For the next 3 days we will be holding a contest for free tickets to go see Hotel For Dogs at Regal Cinemas Waterford Lakes. All you have to do to enter:

1) Follow Doglando on Twitter

2) Retweet your friends - Copy and Paste this into Twitter: 

Orlando Tweeters! @doglando is giving away tickets 2 the new movie Hotel For Dogs http://universityofdoglando.blogspot.com Comment 2 enter.

3) Leave a comment on universityofdoglando.blogspot.com with the following:

If you own a dog, have you ever utilized dog hotels for your dog when going on vacation? Why or why not?

or

(For non dog owners) What is your favorite dog movie?

Do those 3 steps to enter. (only one comment per person)

3 winners will be randomly selected to win 2 tickets to go see Hotel for Dogs at the Regal Cinemas in Waterford Lakes, as well as a Dog Toy and Doglando shirt from the University of Doglando.

Contest ends on 1/10/09 at 11:59pm, Winner is announced 1/11/09 at 3pm.

In conjunction with the partnership, here are some other things that are going on and how you and your dog can get involved. 

1.  Please visit: www.hotelfordogsmovie.com and check out all four legged characters.  If your dog looks like any one of       those... we would like to borrow them for the photo shoot on Saturday January 10 and Saturday January 17, 2009.

2.  We are taking our Wiener Dog Festival to Regal Cinemas at Waterford Lakes. The Wiener Dog Races will be held January 10, 2009 starting at 9:00 am.

3.  Starting now, Regal Cinemas is running a contest for Ugliest Dog and Cutest Dog.  Submit entries now till January 10th, 2009, by emailing us your dogs photos and the category you are entering for.  Winners must be present on January 17th premier.

4.  Don't miss this event.... the Central Florida Flying Disc and Dog club will be there putting on a fris bee show.  This is a glimpse into the Doglympics USA event on Feb 28 and March 1 weekend.

This will be a FUN FUN FUN event, with tons of pet contests, races, grrrrrrrrrrreat prizes and give-a-ways.

Woof!

Teena

Choosing the right nail clippers for your dog

Ever wonder what may be contributing to your dogs negative nail cutting experience? Aside from just a bad experience, rough handling, and cutting the quick, the type of nail clipper used can also contribute to that negative experience. 

Take a look at photo 1.  Notice the difference in thickness amongst the metal blades in both clippers. The thicker the blade the more painful it is on the dog…. Due to the pressure it will take to cut through the dogs nails. 

Even before you cut your dog’s nails, just as you align the right part of the nail to the blade and press down, you may notice your dog try to pull away.  He/she already feels the pressure! 

Also, the ergonomics of the handle and the spring is quite important too.  A handle that requires for you to put down more pressure, will be more painful to the dog. 

I would strongly recommend the scissor type nail cutter, like the one in photo number 2.  They are easy to use, quick and with a little squeeze, the dog’s nail is cut.

                    

                Here is a great video on "How To Cut Your Dog's Nails"

                      

What's your experience with cutting your dog's nails? Let us know about it in the comments section!

Get to Know a Dog Day: Past Presidents and their Pooches

We decided to put a different spin on today's Get To Know a Dog Day. Since there has been a lot of talk lately about Joe Biden's new dog (which he bought from a puppy mill) and also about Barrack Obama getting a new pooch, we thought you might enjoy getting to know some of our past presidents' canine companions.  

So without any further ado...meet some of our most memorable presidential canines. 

FDR takes a drive with Fala (Photo courtesy of Getty)

Richard Nixon and Checkers (Photo courtesy of Getty)

President Johnson holds his dog Her by the ears. To the left of Her is his other dog Him.

Bill Clinton and his dog Buddy

To view the entire slideshow on past presidents and their pooches, click here.

What's your take on VP Joe Biden buying his dog from a puppy mill instead of adopting? Let us know in the comments section!

The Darndest Things Dogs Do: Episode 3

  Last week I was outside a local dog park, just hanging out, watching for how people interact with their dogs, the types of play allowed by owners, basically just people and dog watching.  It’s been a long time since I visited a dog park so I thought it was time to go see who’s new, what’s changed or not changed. 

  Amongst so many other inappropriate dog to dog interactions, this was the worst of them all:  A Doberman (approx 5 months old) fixated on a Pit (approx 10months – 1 year old).  FYI both dogs intact. 

  One of the owners is by the bench talking away, the other on the cell phone walking around in circles…. Dog park classics hey! 

  Every time the Pit would try and get up, the Doby had him pinned down again. Just as the Doby got slightly distracted by another dog, the Pit would try his escape, low to the ground, but the Doby was on top of it all. He did not once miss the opportunity to pin him to the ground.  Then this confused pup, who may have well thought he was playing (and so was the pit), backed off his body weight and went into a play bow (front legs stretched out, rump in the air), but the pit new all to well its not the play he was familiar with.  The pit (smart puppy) just lied there, totally ignoring the Doby, making it so boring for him that the Doby left to instigate another dog. 

  This time he picked on this tiny dog, looked like a Poodle Yorkie mix.  He runs over to him and with his right paw and slammed the Yokie Poo (the silly hybrid name) to the ground.  Of course the small dog owner was right there.  She picks him up and carries him, trying to avoid the Doby from jumping up at him, taking cheap shots at the Yorkie Poo’s rear.   

 All of a sudden the Doby offers a sit (for the prize right) and the lady takes her puppy and in a “you want this” manner teases the Doby.  The Doby is all sorts of excited, stare is intense, lip smacks, you can see his lips tense up, still sitting, but could not take his eyes of the “prize.” 

 She continues to tease him a few more times, and then decides “ohh the Doby is sitting and waiting politely, I can put him down now,” and so she does. 

 Tell me this was not a major accident waiting to happen!   

 The poor Yorkie Poo got slammed immediately; Doby had his mouth on his neck holding him to the ground as his butt wiggled up in the air helpless.   

  Thank god, the Doby was still quite young to be experienced, but it is a shame that his owner (and all the others) is totally oblivious to what practicing and allowing this type of play will result to in the future.  Not to mention the lady who acted like her dog was a toy… it is amazing how many people have not a clue on how certain breeds think and what those actions mean to that dog. 

  This is why dog parks are dangerous.  A healthy, safer alternative (although expensive) is doggy day care.  But be sure you do your homework, there are many dog day cares owned and operated by people who love dogs, but don’t know anything about them.