News & Blogs for Dogs

Here is a list of items that are commonly found around the house during the holidays that pose a number of dangers to our pups:

Food

1. Chocolate
2. Desserts
3. Onions
4. Garlic
5. Nuts
6. Tukey Bones

Plants

1. Holly
2. Mistletoe
3. Poinsettia
4. Christmas Tree & Treated Water

Decorations

1. Ribbons
2. Tinsel
3. Electrical cords attached to the tree or other light up decorations
4. Strings
5. Yarn
6. Candles
7. Ornaments

Be careful when decorating your home for the holidays. Keep all dangerous items elevated and out of Fido's reach. When preparing for Christmas dinner, be sure to keep your pup out of the kitchen to ensure that they don't swipe any delicious items off the counter.

Do you ever wonder what your pup is up to while you are at work all day?

Did you know: Dogs have 3 eyelids! 

That's right, they have 3 eyelids. They have the obvious upper and lower eyelid like we do, as well as a 3rd eyelid on the very inside of their eye that is also known as the nictitating membrane. 

The 3rd eyelid serves many purposes. It helps to clear debris off of the cornea, acts as a shield to protect the cornea from trauma, it produces tears which helps keep the dog's eye lubricated, and contains lymphoid tissue which acts as a lymph node and produces antibodies to fight infection. 

Body condition scoring is a way to determine if your pup is of the appropriate size for their body. Sometimes we think that they look great, until we bring them for their annual Veterinary visit and the doctor notes that they under or overweight. Body condition scoring is a standardized way to assess an animal's size.

Scoring allows Veterinarians and owners to share information back and forth. It can be used to determine the % of body weight a pet may need to gain or loose. You can also use it to track progress along the way.

Below is a scoring chart by Hill, click this link to see the chart and descriptions close up: Hills Pet Body Scoring Chart

Morning and Happy Monday! This fella has the right idea!

Did you know?

The Labrador Retriever has been on the American Kennel Clubs top 10 most popular breeds list for 25 consecutive years! This is longer than any other breed.

This is likely due to the fact that they are such a wonderful dog breed, some of their top qualities include:

1. Extremely friendly
2. Excellent companions
3. Great family dog
4. Easy to train
5. Very owner motivated
6. Intelligent
7. Loyal
8. Low maintenance grooming
9. Adapt well to different environments
10. Active and outgoing

The Pros Of Adopting A Dog

Dogs and puppies end up at animal shelters for a variety of different reasons. Whether a family member discovered they have allergies, the owner was not ready for the responsibility, or they passed away, a new dog doesn't get along with the current dog of the household etc… the list goes on and on. While shelters do their best to give great care to these animals, due to the volume of puppies and dogs - the conditions are typically less than ideal.

The bottom line is that shelters are full and adopters are needed across the world. When people think of adopting they typically focus too much on the potential cons and not enough on all the pros. Some of the pros are below:

1. You will potentially be saving a life
2. You will be giving a dog a second chance
3. You can often adopt a full trained dog
4. You will likely get a very affectionate and appreciative dog
5. You will save money on the cost of purchasing a dog
6. You are getting a dog that has been medically screened by a veterinarian
7. You have a lot of choices
8. You can take the dog for a trial period to see if it fits your family (most adoption facilities have foster to adopt programs)
9. You will have a general sense of fulfillment and bragging rights
10. You are helping to eradicate puppy mills by not funding the illegal trade

The next time you are thinking about getting another dog, stop and review all of the pros of adoption. Save a life, change a life, and make a difference in your community.