puppytales

Wow! Here I thought that I was a bit crazy having six doggies. That is nothing compared to actress Denise Richards. That girl has 17 pets in total. In case you missed Denise’s new show, “Denise Richard’s–It’s Complicated” on Sunday night, the most complicated thing I saw was 17 assorted pets roaming around!

But I will say Richards does seem to love all her four-legged babies. Out of the seventeen pets, eleven are dogs. Whew! The names for the doggies are as follows: Tina, Hank, Wally, Luke, Scarlet, Lily, Emma, Olivia, Sugar, George, and Lucy. There are various breeds to go with those names, but it was tough to identify all of them. For sure Richards has a Boston, Frenchie, Chihuahua, Pug, and Lab running around, but I will have to work on identifying the other breeds in the mix.

The other pets Richards shares her ranch-style home with are 3 cats: Max, Stan and Billy, and let us not forget her three piggies: Charolette, Bert and a new one that has yet to be named.

I wonder if all those “babies” had anything to do with Denise’s divorce from Ex Hubby Charlie Sheen?

I am not a fan of Denise Richards or her new reality TV show, I will admit, but just watching how those dogs, cats, and pigs do each week will probably keep me tuning in!

How about you–will you be watching “Denise Richards–It’s Complicated” ?

Milk-Bone is helping raise funds for Canine Assistants, a non-profit organization which trains and provides service dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities and other special needs. Milk-Bone teamed up with celebrity pet-photographer, Christopher Ameruoso, to capture Milk-Bone Moments™ between celebrities and their pets. Some of Christopher’s celebrity friends, including Paris Hilton and Nicollette Sheridan, and their canine companions were photographed for the charity auction. And the results: wonderful photographs with autographs and pawtographs! All proceeds from this eBay auction will benefit the Canine Assistants organization – but you need to check it out quickly because it ends this Saturday, May 31. All proceeds will benefit Canine Assistants. To see the pictures of celebrities and their ‘best pals’, check out the auction….there are some great shots! Even if you are not interested in bidding, you might enjoy seeing the pictures! And remember, if you can bid–it’s for a great cause!

The Cloud Star Buddy Wash is my all time favorite shampoo for my dogs. I have tried a lot of dog shampoos over the years, and none have compared to this one. It is all natural with wonderful ingredients such as coconut oil, vitamin E, aloe Vera, Chamomile, and wheat protein extract. I absolutely love how soft and shiny my dogs coats feel after they had their baths with this stuff!

It is especially good if your dog has itchy skin, dandruff or sensitive skin. Because it is PH balanced and does not have any chemicals, it is very gentle. The shampoo works into a really nice lather, and the light lavender aroma is great…no yucky wet dog smell anymore! Plus, my dogs stay smelling delicious for days after their baths. I can tell that they even feel good after they’ve been bathed.

A word of caution though—- do not use Cloud Star Buddy Wash Shampoo on cats! While the shampoo is safe and gentle for dogs, it is not the same for cats. Cats can actually get sick from some of the ingredients in this shampoo– so if you have a cat as well, please do keep it away from them!

A 19 0z bottle will cost you between $9-$12.00, depending on the store you buy it at. Not the cheapest dog shampoo you can buy, but it is worth the price. And it doesn’t take too much to lather up nicely, so it will usually last quite while.

I think it is an interesting question to ask of doggie moms and dads…where does your “Fido” sleep? According to some statistics I read on the Internet, forty two percent of dog owners share their bed with their pooch. In our home, the answer is no, our dogs do not sleep on our bed. But that’s because we have no more room on our bed,  with our little ones (of the child variety)  always sneaking into our bed at night.

But I know many friends that do allow their dogs to sleep with them on their beds, and I say if it works for you and your “Fido”, why not? Everyone wants some comfort and companionship, especially at night time…even our four legged babies!

Many, but certainly not all, dog “whisperers” and trainers may shake their heads no at this thought, and disagree with me. Supposedly, bed privileges destroy the owner’s standing as pack leader. Allowing a dog in the bed, I’ve heard, is a critical dog-rearing error. Well, that is an opinion not a stone cold fact, right?

I think the decision of letting “Fido” sleep in bed is really dependent on the nature and personality of each individual “Fido” . Obviously co-sleeping with pets will naturally work out fine in some families, while in other homes it will be more of a problem.

Common sense is a great thing, and clearly, if you have a new puppy, or an older dog, that is not housebroken or is prone to those night time “accidents”, sharing your bed is probably not such a good idea. In fact, with a new puppy, you may want to visit the idea of crate training for your puppy.

And what about the “Fido” who chases more cats in his sleep than he would even dream of chasing in broad daylight hours? If you are losing sleep with “Fido” in bed next to you doing aerobic moves all night,then this is probably not such a good sleeping arrangement and it may be wise for the sake of your health and mind, to get Fido his own bed.

Then there are the “Fidos” who will, unfortunately, take advantage of the situation. If you have a dog that growls at you in your response to your command of “move over”, or “get down”, this would be a sure sign that “Fido” believes he is in control, and immediate sleeping arrangements should be made. And no, by this I do not mean that you or your spouse leave “Fido” on the bed while you sleep on the couch. I’ve actually heard of a story where a dog would growl at the husband when he attempted to move “Fido” so as he could crawl into bed next to his wife, and as a result, the husband would leave and go sleep on the sofa. Um..not so good to share the bed with “Fido” in cases like this, I’d say.

But if all is well with your dog—no growling, no accidents, no nocturnal cat -chasing– then why not share some snoring time together with your dog ? Most dogs, like their owners, just like being cozy and having a soft place to sleep. Generally speaking,  pets are not going to get any uppity ideas just because you’re all snoring together. In my humble opinion, I don’t believe that there’s any reason a well-behaved dog shouldn’t share a bed with with his owner.

So if sharing a bed with your dog works for you and your  family, then why not?  Just make sure “Fido” shares the blankets!

If you like this article, you might want to read: Doggie Dreams–What Could They Mean?

A yummy treat for your dog this Memorial Day Weekend, when goodies are likely to be everywhere…picnics, barbeque’s, pool parties. Keep your best friend happy with his own special treat — doesn’t he deserve a fun holiday too? But be warned…these cookies will smell and taste delicious, you may be tempted to ask your dog to share!

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas
½ cup chunky peanut butter (approx.)
1 egg
¼ cup honey
¼ cup water
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs cinnamon
¼ cup dry powdered milk
¼ cup canola oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup dry oatmeal
2 cups flour (approx.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C).

Mix flour and milk until lumpy. Add Peanut butter and chicken broth. Mix parmesan cheese with first four ingredients. Add egg white. Mix well or until it has the consistency of pancake batter. Add baking powder. Pour onto cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, in 3-inch diameter blobs. Cook until golden brown.

Serve cool.

It gets kind of difficult to appreciate those affectionate kisses your dog insists on planting on you when he has bad breath. All dogs can have mild to moderate doggie breath, and some dogs may be seem to be predisposed to have doggie breath worse than others.

Contrary to popular belief, dog’s bad breath is not usually a result of dog food — although it is possible that a change in food, especially going from hard to soft can cause a severe case of bad breath!

Actually, bad breath in dogs is usually the result of build-up of plaque and calculus on your dog’s teeth . The bad breath you are smelling is a signal that your dog needs some dental care, and probably the sooner the better.

Dogs need their teeth brushed daily and can also benefit from chewing on “dental” toys and rawhide treats. Brushing a dog’s teeth not only helps eliminate doggie breath, but it also promotes healthier teeth and gums.

If it’s possible for your dog to eat hard dog food, it is better for the teeth, gums, and breath. Talk to your veterinarian about different types of food that will work for your dog’s dietary needs.

And keep in mind that puppies often have a very big problem with bad breath. Puppy breath is normal, and as the puppy gets older, the problem becomes much less severe.

Also, check with your veterinarian if you notice a severe or sharp change in the odor of your dog’s mouth.

Have you heard about Doga yet?  Doga is basically yoga for you and your dog. With your dog as your partner, you both work through a series of yoga poses together; the session may also include things like meditation and eye-gazing to strengthen the bond between you and your and dog .

It may sound a little odd to you, but consider the fact that many fans of Doga claim that their dogs are calmer, more focused, and easier to get along with. And for older dogs, the gentle stretches of doga can help ease aching joints, say Doga practitioners.

Suzi Teitelman, an American yogini, started the concept of doga when she noticed that her dog was extremely interested in her home yoga sessions. She started working on yoga poses with her dog Coali, and found that the dog greatly enjoyed the experience. Teitelman assumed that other dogs and their guardians could benefit from doga, so she started leading doga classes, and the trend quickly spread, especially among pampered pets .

If you are already a lover of Yoga , and a dog lover too, you might want to consider Doga !

Taking good care of pets is easy to do while also doing our part to take care of our environment. Being Green is so important these days in everything we do, so here are a few ideas to keep you and your pet green as well!

1. Grooming Organically.

Buy only organic grooming and bathing products for your puppy. Products that contain phosphates, sulfates and other chemicals that are harmful to the planet. So shop around and talk to Vets and other animal loves to find the best all natural and organic products available.

2. Pick Up After Your Dog!

Don’t forget that pet waste left outside is an environmental and health hazard. Pet waste contains harmful bacteria that can enter the water system via storm drains. So be sure to pick up your dog’s waste and dispose of it in the trash, or better yet, a compost heap! And don’t forget to use biodegradable bags to dispose of waste instead of regular plastic bags!

3. Recycle Instead of Buying.

Your pet will love any toys you give them, so try recycling things you no longer use for toys. Just make sure the recycables are safe for pets first! Something as simple as a piece of rope or paper bag can provide hours of fun. Old blankets and pillows can become a new bed. If you do buy, purchase items made from natural, recyclable materials.

4. Spay and Neuter.

Help keep the environment from being even more populated with unwanted puppies and kittens. You will also be helping to keep your puppy or kitten healthier…. spaying and neutering also helps your pet live longer by reducing the risk of several types of cancer and prostate disease.

5. Adopt a Pet.

There are tens of thousands of puppies and kittens born in the U.S. every day. Controlling the pet population is always green, so why not adopt instead buying a new best friend?

Isn’t she adorable? Chloe made her acting debut on “The Hills” May 5th. Chloe is a German Sheperd/Lab mix.

Meet Norman, Jennifer Aniston’s sweet puppy dog. Jennifer Aniston ’s current beau, John Mayer, is shown here taking Aniston’s Welsh Corgi-terrier mix for a walk before boarding a private jet with Aniston in Miami on Tuesday.Norman travels often with Jennifer, often spotted on many of the actress’ film sets and the pair even posed together for Elle magazine in 2005. She also has a white German shepherd named Dolly.