Rosco lives in our neighborhood and frequently plays with my dog Hershey.  His family was happy to learn of Small Dog Barks and requested Rosco’s first stay.  He became a new client in January of this year and enjoyed his first stay with me and my family for five days.

We had a wonderful time!  He is quite a happy, well balanced boy and a sweet nighttime snuggler.  He happily played with the other guest who booked their stays as well.  We enjoyed long walks (2 to 4 miles) each day, depending on the weather and plenty of backyard fun time.

Rosco’s family came for check-out on Monday evening.  Tuesday evening, I was away from my home which is visible from Rosco’s home, I received a phone call from his mom.  She said “you won’t believe this, the funniest thing has just happened.  Rosco never leaves our side, we always know where he is.  Well I couldn’t find him and my husband and I were looking everywhere and calling for him.  Then we went outside and looked across the way and there he was sitting on your doorstep waiting for you to open the door.  We were so surprised.  He REALLY enjoyed his stay at your home”!

Since then Rosco has stayed with Small Dog Barks two more times and we look forward to future visits with our buddy.

I had the privilege of watching Chloe and Gracie Friday through Sunday.  I give them each a 5 Star Rating.

Chloe was wonderful to watch.  She's about 7 yrs old and sweet.  She really enjoyed walking the nature trail and would jump up with excitement every time I mentioned "do you want to go for your walk now?"  I look forward to having her stay with us again. 

Gracie is equally as sweet as Chloe.  Gracie is a two year old fun loving and playful girl.  Full of energy and would willing take me for her daily walks.  I loved to watch her lay and relax - she crosses her front paws over each other and looks quite stately.  Both girls love being with each other and truly look out for each other.  They are best friends.  With Gracie around it’s always a party!

We were minding the cutest dogs this week.  However, their breath seemed, well let's say not so good.  So, I started thinking of pet's teeth, gums and overall oral health.  Should you brush your dogs teeth? Where do  you take your dog for teeth checkup? Here is something that I found that can be quite useful and informative.

Did you know that nearly two-thirds of pet owners don’t provide their pets with veterinarian-recommended dental care? Just like us humans, pets need to have their teeth checked regularly. Yes, like humans, a yearly checkup is the best way to make sure that your pet’s mouth stays healthy! Brush those teeth! Brushing a pet’s teeth can be intimidating, but there are simple ways to get your dog or cat to accept a daily brushing.

Follow these easy, step-by-step instructions to develop a brushing routine, or ask your vet for tips. Chew toys aren’t just fun and games – they help massage your pet’s gums and keep teeth clean! Your vet can provide you with a list of recommended, toxin-free chew toys.

Want to know more about pet oral care and dental hygiene? Talk to your vet at your next checkup!e to edit.

As a pet sitter I often get asked "what pet should I get".  What do you say?  I thought this was a great article to tell people to read. It gives a quick and simple review of the most common pets people are thinking of getting. 

We often think we know what kind of pet we want, but we may not take the time to truly think through which pet might be best for our lifestyles. The American Animal Hospital Association breaks down which pets are considered high maintenance and which are more on the low maintenance end. Take a look! You'll be surprised!

While most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals, many remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of playing with or snuggling up to a furry friend. It’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore the benefits of the human-animal bond. The American Heart Association has linked the ownership of pets, especially dogs, with a reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity.

Studies have also found that:

• Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
• People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets.
• Playing with a pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
• Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
• Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.
• Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
• While people with dogs often experience the greatest health benefits, a pet doesn’t necessarily have to be a dog or a cat. Even watching fish in an aquarium can help reduce muscle tension and lower pulse rate.

One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. Stroking, holding, cuddling, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and some pets are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost mood.

How pets can help you make healthy lifestyle changesAdopting healthy lifestyle changes can play an important role in easing symptoms of depression, stress, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and anxiety. Caring for a pet can help with those healthy lifestyle changes by:

• Increasing exercise. Exercise doesn’t have to involve boring repetition at a gym. Taking a dog for a walk, riding a horse, or simply chasing a kitten around are fun ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners, for example, are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than non-owners.
• Providing companionship. Isolation and loneliness can make disorders such as depression even worse. Caring for a living animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most pet owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. And nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
• Helping meet new people. Pets can be a great social lubricant for their owners. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.
• Reducing anxiety. The companionship of an animal such as a dog can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world.
• Adding structure and routine to your day. Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. No matter your mood—depressed, anxious, or stressed—you’ll always have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care for your pet.
• Providing sensory stress relief. Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. This could involve petting a cat, taking a dog for a walk, or riding a horse.

In the last 50 years or so, the health of domestic dogs has declined dramatically. Dogs are getting serious diseases at younger ages and are living shorter lives. Clearly something is profoundly wrong with the current model of canine health care. What has happened in these years to so change the health of dogs?

There have been two major changes in this time:

• diet and 
• veterinary care.
  

Diet is at the heart of most dog diseases.  Dogs are omnivorous scavengers at the carnivore end of the spectrum. They evolved to eat whatever was available in times of plenty or in scarcer times. They can cope with a wide variety of food. In the good times, dogs hunt in packs. They bring down large animals and eat most of the carcass.

In leaner times, dogs can live on a diet which is exclusively vegetarian, although maybe not happily. They can survive on earth worms. They are able to process rotting meat and decaying carcasses. They are highly successful opportunists. Their digestive system can cope with these foods, unlike a true carnivore such as a cat.

In the not too distant past, dogs were fed table scraps (from food that was much healthier than today's typical diet). This suited dogs quite well. There was meat and vegetables of generally good quality.

As the commercial pet food industry developed, tactics were used to shame people into thinking they were doing the wrong thing. But the quality of the commercial dog food was not human grade. It was the dregs from the lucrative human market. And it has continued to deteriorate over the intervening years, with food coming from the cheapest sources, which have little nutritional content.

People are becoming increasingly aware that food is at the heart of health.

• If you eat poor quality food, deficient in nutrition, it is impossible to remain healthy. 
• Every condition, every disease under the sun can rear its ugly head when there is not enough quality nutrition in the diet. This is true for humans and dogs alike.
  

All that is needed, in the majority of cases, is a change of diet to include the nutrients necessary for your dog to live in a healthy way.

At the heart of commercial dog food is a desire to make a profit. Commercial dog food manufacturers are mostly corporations. Advertising and psychological persuasion are of far greater importance than the quality of the food. The quality of the packet your dog food comes in is normally more researched and of better quality than is the contents.

Although dogs are opportunistic omnivores, they still need to eat quality food. Rotting meat is still natural, with all the essential nutrients, whereas processed dog food is of questionable origins and denatured by extreme pressures and temperatures. A decaying carcass still contains all the necessary nutrients for a dog to survive well. It isn't loaded with various chemicals in an attempt to address the shortfall or to prolong the shelf life.

Veterinary colleges do not provide training in nutrition. They leave this incredibly important topic to the commercial pet food industry that financially support them. This suits the industry very well, as they can get the students 'on side.' This is evident today. Walk into any veterinary clinic and there is a floor to ceiling display of commercial pet food.

Neither are vets taught to look for the cause of an illness. Instead, just as with medical students, vets are taught to match drug X to condition Y.

They are also taught how to maximize profit, rather than how to best treat the animal. Matthew Watkinson, a vet in the UK, left the profession altogether after eight years of practice, as he was so disgusted with this approach.

Veterinary associations don't support freedom of choice. Andrew Jones, a Canadian vet, has been removed from his professional association for the single and simple reason that he provides information for safer alternatives to veterinary medication.

In stark contrast, homeopaths are taught to search diligently for the cause of every health problem. You will find that every true holistic vet (and there are plenty masquerading under that name to lure you in) or therapist will start the treatment off by changing the diet. They know how important that is for a healthy dog.

Often, in partnership with a quality, natural diet, a treatment specific to the dog's particular symptoms and causative factor, will be prescribed. This double approach can cure your dog of even the most advanced and serious disease.

But this approach keeps your dog healthy. It's not good for business.

• The combination of low nutrition and a high chemical load from your dog's diet and medication, has the effect of causing liver (in particular, but other organs are not unaffected) toxicity and a low immunity. The effect of a compromised liver can lead to anger and aggression, as well as digestive problems and cancer.
  

• The effect of a compromised immune system means your dog is far more likely to contract other health related problems and is easy prey to passing epidemics.
  

Simply changing the diet can start to unload the toxins in your dog and improve his/her immune system. The best food for your dog is to make it yourself from quality, human grade ingredients. You can find more information on this subject here. http://naturallyhealthydogs.com/indexnn.html

Make your favorite furry friend your go-to running buddy!

Pounding the pavement with your puppy can do more than put a smile on your face. In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology researchers found that dogs are even better than human friends at helping us cope with stress. Exercising with your pet improves its health as well by warding off joint issues, liver disease and diabetes. Aching to take Fido out for a jog? Follow these guidelines to make your pooch the perfect running partner. . .

• Physical First
  

Lindsay Stordahl, a Fargo-based runner, has turned running with dogs into a career. As the founder of dog-running service Run That Mutt, she logs about 15 miles per day with various breeds. Stordahl’s experience has taught her some important pooch precautions. Most importantly, you must get your pet a checkup before you take her out for a trot.

Dr. Janet Grace of Five Points Animal Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., sees a number of pups who regularly run with their owners. Grace believes an exercise-specific checkup should have an orthopedic focus to determine any hereditary issues. For example, your vet will be able to tell if your dog’s ball-and-socket joints are prone to hip dysplasia. “If you start running with your pet, and he or she has looseness or laxity in the hip joint, the problem will only get worse,” says Grace. Be specific with the vet about your training plans so she can best assess your pooch’s preparedness.

Your dog’s age is another major consideration. “We do not want to take dogs running until they are skeletally mature,” Grace says, warning that the growth plate must be completely closed before our four-legged friends can stride safely. This may take one to two years, depending on breed. That’s not to say you should prevent your puppy from playing fetch in the park. “Let your dog be a dog,” Grace says. “Just don’t start any high-impact exercise until she’s ready.”

• Too Hot to Trot
  

If your vet gives the green light for a running routine, use common sense. Just as you had to go slow and take breaks when you first started running, so does your dog. Don’t head out for a fast tempo run the first time Trixie tags along. Also, avoid leashing up during the dog days of summer.

“Dogs don’t sweat,“ Grace cautions. “The only way they can compensate is by panting, and at some point panting will not be enough to cool them down. Dogs will run with you until they collapse.” If the weather is warmer than 70 degrees, be extremely vigilant, keeping coat-length in mind. Siberian huskies will feel the heat much faster than Labradors. Even if you’re out for a run in ideal weather, stop if your dog wants to, and be sure to carry enough water for your comrade. Grace says, “You should never force your dog to do X number of miles.”
If the sun is baking the asphalt, it can also burn your dog’s delicate pads. Additionally, paws are susceptible to abrasion, Grace notes. That’s why owners should ease their often over-eager companions into an exercise regimen and allow their pads time to build calluses.

• Leashes and Loot
  

Sparky doesn’t require much in the way of gear. A short leash—six feet or less—will give you better control, and a harness will discourage pulling while protecting your dog’s fragile neck. If your buddy lacks leash manners, buy him a“no-pull” harness to teach him proper etiquette. Hook well-behaved canines up to a hands-free leash that encircles your waist.

Doggie backpacks allow your pal to carry his own water and travel bowl. Stordahl says she often equips larger breeds with a pack, as they enjoy having a “job to do.”

If you notice Baxter has sensitive paws when it comes to ice, heat, snow or trail rocks, you can outfit him with protective doggie boots. Of course, some dogs will simply decide that footwear—be it yours or theirs—is only for chewing.

• Mutt Manners
  

Early leash training will benefit both you and your pup. Work on obedience commands such as heel, sit, stay and “leave it” (used when Roxy finds a piece of trash). A puppy’s growing months are a perfect time to teach good behavior that will last a lifetime. Simply learning the heel command will go a long way when it comes to running success. And speaking of conduct, be sure to train yourself to scoop up anything your pooch leaves behind!

Jennifer Chesak is a Nashville-based freelance adventure and travel writer with a passion for the marathon. Her schipperke, Fiver, demands to go along on Jennifer’s shorter training runs.

More and more dog owners these days are reluctant to take vacations that require leaving their fuzzy family members in someone else’s care. The more a pet feels like a member of the family, the less willing the family is to ‘park’ their dog like they park their car in the long-term lot at the airport.

Limited Options for Dog Care for Vacationing FamiliesBoarding kennels almost seem like cruel and unusual punishment for dogs accustomed to having the run of the house, getting lots of daily exercise, and sleeping in bed at night with their humans. Some pet owners report their dog’s personality seems different after being boarded.

And then there are contagious diseases to consider whenever your dog is sharing an institutional-type facility for several days with strange (unfamiliar) dogs. Bordetella bronchiseptica is called ‘kennel cough’ for a reason. (Thebordetella vaccine, by the way, while required by many kennels, grooming shops and other pet care facilities, is ineffective and I don’t recommend it.)

The other side of this coin is that the vast majority of boarding kennels require “up-to-date” vaccinations – often several of them. If you don’t believe in submitting your dog to unnecessary re-vaccinations, your pet won’t be accepted at most boarding facilities anyway.

Hiring a dog walker or pet sitter to stop in twice a day for short visits also isn’t an option for many pet owners. Canines are pack animals and require more human interaction on a daily basis than pet sitters are typically able to provide. Some professional sitters will stay in your home with your dog while you’re away, but the cost can be prohibitive.

What If You Could Leave Your Dog in Another Dog Lover’s Home While You’re Away?
My advice is to choose carefully. Look for someone with a background in animal care or a professional pet sitter who has been doing it for years. If your pet has special medical needs, insure potential hosts can care for him adequately.

Check out the pictures of the host’s home and make sure it feels comfortable to you. I also recommend requesting a meet-n-greet at the host’s home, with your dog, before you make your selection.

Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, is a rare but very aggressive form of cancer that primarily affects teenagers. Among some large-sized dog breeds the disease is much more common, but otherwise osteosarcoma in humans and dogs is very similar. In the current study, the researchers compared the genome of sick and healthy dogs from three different breeds to find inherited risk factors for the disease.

"The key is that we find many different risk factors within each breed. We already knew that greyhounds, Rottweilers and Irish wolfhounds are at increased risk of developing bone cancer and our results explain much of the increased risk," said Emma Ivansson, scientist at SciLifeLab and Uppsala University.

The study demonstrated that each breed has its own risk genes, but these genes converge in common disease mechanisms. Some genes are known cancer genes in humans, while others are completely new discoveries. The researchers also studied one of the risk factors in more detail and found a new regulatory signal that leads to increased gene expression in bone cancer cells from humans.

"Our results show that the pathways involved in bone formation and growth are important for the disease. Because of the great similarities between bone cancer in dogs and humans, we believe that our findings may contribute to an increased understanding of how bone cancer develops in humans," said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, professor at Uppsala University and Co-Director of the SciLifeLab and Director of Vertebrate Genome Biology at the Broad Institute.

The researchers are continuing to study the identified risk factors to understand more about how they affect tumor development and to see whether different risk factors respond to different types of treatment.

The campaign against animal testing has gotten a big boost from an unlikely place. For years, China has been a black spot for the animal-rights movement. To tap China’s $32 billion beauty market, multinationals have to test their products on animals to demonstrate there’s no risk to humans, and as Bloomberg Businessweekreported in September, that requirement leads to such practices as dripping ingredients into rabbits’ eyes. Humane Society International says chemical testing for cosmetics involves more than 300,000 rabbits, mice, and other animals annually.

Now the Chinese government is easing rules requiring animal testing. China’s Food and Drug Administration will allow local companies to use other data, including results from overseas tests done without animals, to show that their products are safe. “This change has been long hoped for, but few anticipated it happening quite so soon,” Dave Neale, animal welfare director of Hong Kong-based advocacy groupAnimals Asia, said in a statement today. “In many ways this is a victory for all anti-testing campaigners.”

The victory is not a complete one. The rules apply only to Chinese companies, so foreign cosmetics producers that refuse to test on animals still cannot sell in China. But there’s reason to be optimistic about further reform, activists say. “It looks like there could at last be a bright future for cruelty-free companies in China and hope on the horizon for an end to cosmetics cruelty,” Humane Society International said in a statement issued last week.

GRAPHIC: Innovation: Remote Animal Research
Chinese lawmakers have been considering legislation to protect animal welfare, says Jill Robinson, founder and chief executive of Animals Asia. The legislation is stalled, however, and nothing is likely to become law “for the next five years or so,” she told me in an interview today.

Animals Asia operates sanctuaries in China and Vietnam for bears rescued from farms that milk them for their bile, prized by some practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. Her group has enlisted such celebrities as retired NBA star Yao Ming to promote awareness of the harm caused to bears by sticking catheters into their abdomens and draining out their bile.

Although the industry continues to operate in China, its critics have won some victories. Last year more than 70 Chinese celebrities signed a petition opposing a planned initial public offering by a company that made medicines from bear bile. The company, Fujian Guizhentang Pharmaceutical, never went ahead with the listing, with the China Securities Regulatory Commission saying in May that Guizhentang was among 269 companies that had withdrawn their applications. More than 1,000 Chinese medicine shops have pledged not to sell bear bile, Robinson says, “and we believe another 800 will be joining soon.”

BLOG: On the Internet, Charity Begins With Animal Causes
That’s a start, but China has more than 40,000 shops selling traditional medicines, Robinson says, and most of them still sell bear bile.