STOP! THIEF!

We've been seeing alot of posts recently about dogs that have been stolen! Figuring out which pets were stolen or simply lost is not easy.   According to the American Kennel Club 224 dogs stolen during the first seven months of 2011, that's 49% more than the same period in 2010.  In 2008 there were 71 cases reported.  WOW!

Some people say the economy is to blame for the increase in dognapping.  They say that stolen dogs are being sold over the Internet, are being held for ransom or that because people don't have the money to get a pet from a shelter, they are stealing other people's pets.  Yorkies, Pomeranians and other small breed dogs are especially popular breeds of dognappers since they are easy to snatch and hide.

As if that's not scary enough, really, really, really bad people are stealing dogs to use as bait dogs.  Bait dogs are used to train fighting dogs.  They use dogs that are stolen from happy homes and teach other dogs to kill them. Remember the Michael Vick story?  Yeah, I belive he has been rehabilitated.

Here are some things people can do to help protect their dogs from dognappers.

1.  Don't leave your dog unattended.  It only takes a minute to untie the leash from a parking meter or post outside of your favorite coffee shop.

2.  Heatstroke is not the only bad thing that can happen to a dog left unattended in a car.  They can get stolen.

3.  Never let your dog roam free in the neighborhood.

4.  Don't leave your dog in a fenced in yard when you are not home.  It only takes a minute to open your gate and walk away with your pet.

5.  Make sure your dog ALWAYS wears a collar and they id tags. 

6.  Microchip your pet and make sure you register with the proper agency.  A microchip that is not registered is useless.

7.  Keep proof of ownership papers handy.  They can simply be the paperwork that you got with your town tags or from your vet.

8.  Keep a recent photo handy.


If your dog should go missing.  Report it immediately to the local aurhorities and shelters.   Print up fliers and post them around your neighborhood.  Post a photo and other information with on line rescue services.  And most importantly  NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up hope.  Sometimes it takes months or even years for us to find our ways back home.  We depend on you to keepus safe and if we do get lost or stolen, to keep on looking for us.

Be safe,

Your friend,

Zeva

What's In Your Bowl?

You've heard about the chicken jerky snacks coming in from China that are making dogs sick and evening making some die.   Boy, that's scary. I understand that every once in awhile an alert goes out and some dog foods are taken away because they have bad chemicals in them.
I have been eating Wellness brand food since I was a baby and I like it well enough.  I would prefer people food or dog cookies but I don't get a vote.   Mom thinks I'm getting a little chunky.  I am so insulted that she thinks I have a fat butt!   Anyway, since SHE thinks I am putting on weight, she  put me on Wellness Core grain free.
 How can anything that tastes this good be good for you?  I LOVE IT!  It tastes like our kitchen smells on Sundays when the humans roast chickens and other good stuff for their dinner.  Breakfast at the Studio or dinner at home, as soon as my dish is full, I'm all over it.
Mom likes it because it's grain free and has good stuff in it like deboned turkey and chicken meal and some other great stuff like sweet potato and my favorite vegetable, broccoli.  There's also some antioxidants, phylonutrients and Omega 6 & 3.  I'm not sure what an antioxidant looks like but it sure is good tasting.
Mom says raw or home cooked is best but since she is not a great cook and does have lots of other things to do to make us have a happy life, we try to feed me the best we can.
If you eat dry food, what brand do you get?   I'm always looking for tasty, high quality food just in case I get to be a finicky eater.
Chow down!
Your friend,
Zeva

Chocolate Bunnies Are Better

Hi Everyone,

It's me, Zeva.  We're pretty busy at the Studio these days.  Easter is only a couple of weeks away and we're busy making lots of Easter Baskets.  We put all kinds of interesting toys and treats in our Easter Baskets and of course we have lots of fluffy bunnies in all sizes and colors.

Not living bunnies of course!  Bunnies are great pets but they are high maintenance so we don't think live bunnies are a good Easter gift for children.  Like puppies and kitties, bunnies grow up quickly and have a life expectancy of about 10 years.  Depending on the breed, a full grown bunny can weigh 10 to 12 pounds.  Like puppies and kitties, bunnies chew stuff around the house and like puppies and kitties, they need to be fed and they pee and poop on the carpets.

If you are thinking of getting your child a bunny for Easter this year, please think about a cuddly plush one or a yummy chocolate one, like the ones in our Easter Baskets.  If you still want to adopt a bunny, check with rabbit rescue services in a couple of weeks.  Unfortunately, there will be a whole bunch of cute baby bunnies needing new homes.

Your friend,

Zeva

Thought I Was Going Bald!

I'm shedding!  What a relief!  My hair was falling out and I was afraid I was going to be bald like my friend Jason.  Jason is a human and bald looks good on him but I've seen pictures of Xoloitzcuintli and I think I look better with my pretty white coat.
Shedding means that I'm losing my heavy winter coat and my shorter, lighter summer coat is coming in.  I'll shed again in the fall when my summer coat will be replaced with a warmer one for winter.
Seasonal shedding is normal for many breeds but some kinds of shedding are not good.  Non seasonal shedding can be caused by skin allergies, parasites or from not eating healthy.  Your vet can tell if you have allergies or parasites and help you get better.
Brushing and combing gets the hair before it gets on the floor or furniture and also helps spread good oils into the coat to make it shiny.  My humans like to brush and comb me so I don't go to the groomer like some of my friends.  Groomers also give baths.  If you don't go to the groomer, you can enjoy a SPA treatment at home like I do with one of my Spot's SPA Gift Baskets.  It has everything for a nice afternoon of pampering.
Spring is here and if shedding is what it takes to get our new summer coats, it's well worth it.
Happy Spring Shedding,
Your Friend,
Zeva

How Much Exercise Does A Dog Need?

How much exercise does a dog need?  The answer is, it depends.  It depends on the age and breed of the dog.  Puppies need lots of exercise while older dogs may not need much.  Like humans, dogs need to exercise every day.  Thirty to sixty minutes a day is a good average.
I come from a long line of working dogs.  I am part Border Collie so many of my cousins work on ranches and farms, herding sheep and cattle.  Some of my other cousins are Labradors who spend their time hunting birds.  They work hard and get plenty of exercise. 
My job as product tester for the pet division of our gift basket company and greeter at our store keeps me inside most days so we make sure that I get some type of exercise every day.  When we can't go for long walks, we play inside.  We play catch, fetch, tug-of-war and hide and seek.  I have dogs friends that I get to play with too.  We play in our yards or at the dog park.  I really like it when I get to go to day care and spend a whole day playing with all of the other dogs.  I am so tired after a day at day care, I fall asleep on the way home.
When dogs don't get enough exercise we find ways to entertain ourselves that can get us in trouble.  We find fun things to do like chew on shoes or furniture or dig holes or bark a lot.
Remember, a tired dog is a good dog so help your dog get lots of exercise every day.
How much exercise do you get every day?
Your friend,
Zeva

What If Your Human Gets Lost?

I go almost everywhere with my humans.  When we go for walks, I have to stay on my leash even if I don't like to because they don't want me to get in trouble.  We live where there are lots of woods but I have to stay in my fenced in yard. Mom says it's because she doesn't want to get lost from me.
Every day we go on FaceBook and read about dogs that got lost and we try to help them find their ways home.
According the ASPCA "Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state."
How awful!
I have a microchip.  Do you? Did you know that even if you have a microchip, it can't help you unless your humans remember to register it?  We were talking with our friend the town dog officer and he said that sometimes when he scans for a chip on a dog he has found, he finds the chip but it's not registered so he can't contact the people and let them know their dog is safe.  When you get your microchip, your humans get all kinds of paperwork that tells them how to make sure you are registered.  I know my Mom keeps the telephone number for the place I am registered at in my "important papers" box in the drawer near our telephone.
Also remember to wear all of your tags when you go out.  Your rabies vaccination tag and your town license tag can also help humans find your lost family.
I hope your humans never get lost from you but if they do, make sure you have evertything you need to get them home safely.
Your friend,
Zeva

Drop It!

Hey Everyone, it’s me, Zeva!

Our friend Jim Helems and Jake came in to visit us at the Laurel Mountain Basket Co Studios the other day. Jim is a dog trainer and Jake is one of his Aussies. Jim and Jake teach lots of things including Pet Health and First Aid.

I was really surprised to learn that the ASPCA Poison Control Center received over 167,000 calls last year. That’s a lot of calls about pets getting into things that can make them very sick and even make them die. The most common calls were about pets that got into over-the-counter and prescription medicines. There are so many things around every house that are poison. Much of the stuff used to clean the house or take care of the car are poisonous. Antifreeze is really, really bad. I don’t know from experience but it’s supposed to taste sweet so dogs and cats don’t know it is bad.

Lots of household plants like Aloe and Jade and garden plants like many type of holly are very bad for dogs. We have Aloe and Jade in our house and Mom makes sure they are way out of my reach like on top of the refrigerator.

People food can be bad for pets. I know I’m not supposed to beg but I love pizza. I only get the crust, if I get anything at all, because onions and garlic are two people foods that are very bad for dogs.

Even if your humans are careful and keep all the bad poison stuff on high shelves or in cabinets, curious or bored pets can get into lots of trouble. I learned from The Preventive Vet that Mom’s purse has lots of things in it that can make me sick, like aspirin and sugarless gum with stuff called Xylitol in it. So Moms, don’t hang your purses over the back of a chair or on a door knob where we can get to them.

If you know of other stuff that is bad for us, I'd like to know cuz I want to have my house be as dog safe as we can make it.

And remember, when your human says "drop it!" you need to let go of whatever is in your mouth because it could be very bad for you.

Until next time, be safe

Your friend,

Zeva