December 3, 2009

The Goldendoodle: A fun-loving mixed breed!

Our friend Caramel

As you probably figured out by their name, the Goldendoodle is a mix of  Golden Retriever and Poodle.

One of our wonderful clients, Caramel (shown here) is a Goldendoodle, and the very first one that we’ve walked. If you caught Caramel’s profile, you’ll see that he’s an absolutely wonderful dog. Like most Goldendoodles, Caramel is friendly, social and an exceptionally charming pooch. We have been fortunate to have Caramel in our pack for a few years now.

Our new pal Yankee

A new goldendoodle puppy named  ‘Yankee Doodle’ has recently joined our group.  Yankee has the same friendly, fun and charming disposition as Caramel. He just looks like a smaller version of Caramel ;)

Origin of the Goldendoodle

Compared to most mixed breeds, the Goldendoodle hasn’t been around long. According to Wikipedia, the first ‘official’ Goldendoodle was bred in 2000. Other sources, however, tell us that Goldendoodles have been around since the mid 90s. Either way, this mixed breed is only about a decade old.

It’s believed that the first Goldendoodles were likely the result of an accidental breeding between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle. Then someone realized it might actually be a really good idea to mix these two breeds. As a result, the breeding of Goldendoodles began in the late 90s across North America and Australia….(read more)

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November 28, 2009

Dogs help hotels search for Bed Bugs

Not only are dogs being trained to search for bombs and illegal drugs, some are also being trained to detect bed bugs in hotel rooms.

We just caught this story on CBC about a dog trainer in Prince Edward Island who has been training his dog to hunt for bed bugs. Duke Ferguson of K9 Unleashed Potential, hopes to sell his services to hotels that have the insightful problem with bed bugs.

With the reduction in the use of chemical pesticides, bed bugs are making a ‘comeback’ in hotels across North America.

Because they are difficult to see,  bed bugs are also quite hard to get rid of. And they don’t just hide in the mattress either, they also lurk in the couch, electrical sockets, walls, baseboards-pretty much anywhere they can hide. And while they don’t carry disease and are fairly harmless (for the most part), they are still considerably unpleasant.

Not surprisingly, hotels are concerned about keeping their rooms clean and bed bug-free. There are several dog trainers and companies now offering canine bed bug detection to help hotels out with this pesky problem.

According to  thebedbugdog.net, detecting bed bugs is fairly labour- intensive. A trained inspector will often detect  bed bugs in a room with an accuracy rate of only about 30%. Since bed bugs can also hide in walls and baseboards, and other small places humans aren’t able to go into, they sometimes miss all the little critters. A trained dog, however can search for bed bugs even withing walls due to their  powerful smell.

As a result, a trained canine detective has a much higher accuracy at finding bed bugs, often as high as 90%. They can also find them quickly, most dogs can search a hotel room in under 2 minutes…(read more)

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November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving! How to keep your pooch safe this Holiday Weekend

thankspicEven though we Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving in early October, we wanted to put this article up again for all our American friends celebrating Thanksgiving this upcoming weekend. We have quite a few American readers so we hope this info may help keep our South-of-the-border canine pals safe too. Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends!

Zoey at Thanksgiving last year (watching the pumpkin decorations)Thanksgiving is a time when we celebrate with those we love and we’re thankful for: our family, friends, and of course, our beloved furry pals! Many of us are spending this weekend with family enjoying a feast of Turkey, the fixins’ and, hopefully followed by some mouthwatering freshly-baked pumpkin pie!

With all the activity in the kitchen and around the dinner table, we’re sure your pooch is following you (and the rest of the family and guests), just in case you ‘accidentally’ throw him a a piece of turkey or a forkful of mashed potatoes. While your dog is enjoying the festivities and activity all around him, we’d like to remind everyone that while you want to include your pooch in the feast, it’s a good idea to be careful what you give him. There are a few hazards to your dog lurking in your Thanksgiving meal.

High Fat Danger & Pancreatis

Sure a little bit of turkey and potato won’t harm your dog, but the foods that make up our delicious Thanksgiving feast are just too rich and high in fat for our canine friends.

Foods that are high in fat can cause vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upset and possible pancreatis. Pancreatis occurs when the pancreas is damaged from an unhealthy, high-fat diet. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that break down food so it’s easily digested.  If these enzymes become activated within the gland, the pancreas may become inflammed.

It’s a potentially life-threatening disease that commonly affects older, female dogs, however it can happen to dogs of any age. Symptoms of pancreatis include vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and diarrhea which may contain blood. Your dog may drink a lot more water and may vomit immediately after drinking…(read more)

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November 24, 2009

Are Dogs more of an Environmental threat than a SUV Land Cruiser?

We just spotted this article in the Ottawa Citizen (our local paper) and it definately caught our attention. We’re pretty sure other dog lovers reading the paper probably came across it too. The title is quite shocking and just calls out to dog owners.

The article reviews a newly released book called: ‘Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living‘ by Robert and Brenda Vale.

The authors suggest that our beloved canine friends may be more of a threat to our planet that our gas-guzzling SUV vehicles. That definately got our attention!

According to their research, our canine pals may then have an even bigger ecological print (is that paw-print?) than a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV. While it takes 1.1 hectares of land per year to create enough chicken, beef, and lamb for a medium-sized dog to eat, in contrast a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, driven 10,000 kilometres a year, requires less than half that- only 0.41 hectares.

According to Dr. John Barrett of the Stockholm Environment Institute in York, owning a dog is an extravagance, mainly because of the carbon footprint of meat.

Are the authors trying to convince dog owners that their dog should go vegetarian? Not necessarily, however the authors do recommend you choose ‘greener’ and ’smaller’, more environmentally friendly pets such as goldfish, hamsters, chickens or rabbits. Which means, of course, that if you’re a dog lover you may have to choose a hamster for a pet instead. We’re guessing that may not go over very well with all you dog lovers out there…(read more)

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November 20, 2009

Doggie Friends: Meet Max, a rescue from K-911

This little guy is named Max and he was adopted from K-911, a local rescue group here in Ottawa. He is a Lhapso-Apso & Terrier Mix.

Lisa and family adopted Max from K-911 two years ago and he is now part of a family who just loves him. Last summer he went to Nova Scotia with his family and, as you can tell by these photos, he had a great time! We’re happy to see dogs like Max finding their forever home.

We have been trying to access the K-911 website, but haven’t had much luck. The one we had on our blogroll is no longer working. We found this new one, however the last update was Feb’09, and since they feature dogs who are available, we’re not sure if they’re even still active.

If you know the folks at K-911 or know if they are in fact still in operation, please let us know so we can update our contact info for them.

Looking to adopt a pooch? There are many fantastic rescue groups that help find forever homes to rescued animals. Here is a list of a few great ones in Ottawa (and area), these are our favourite organizations. But if you do a google search, you’ll find several other rescue groups, some are breed-specific (handy if you’re looking for a particular breed) and some all-breed rescue groups.

These are our personal favourites that we like to recommend. We’ve either had good experience with them or we’ve heard great things about them. You’re bound to find a great new friend to give a forever home with one of these great rescue groups:

Hopeful Hearts

Catahoula Rescue Ontario

Ottawa Pet Rescue

Greyhound Supporters of the NCR

Golden Rescue

Big Sky Ranch Animal Sanctuary

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November 19, 2009

Seized Pregnant Huskies coming to Ottawa & needing foster homes

If you’re in Ottawa and you love Huskies, you might be interested in fostering one for a couple months to help out.

We just learned from the Ottawa Citizen that several abused pregnant Huskies were recently seized from harsh conditions in Southern Quebec. They are now in urgent need of foster families to they can safely give birth. The dogs were being transported to Canada’s capital city this afternoon and are looking for temporary homes in the city.

Since they are pregnant they aren’t able to be vaccinated, the article in the Ottawa Citizen states. This means they can’t be left in a shelter or kennel.

If you can help out, there are a few requirements: you should have experience with dogs and the SPCA will do background checks to be safe. It’s a 6 week (minimum) commitment and someone needs to be home for the bulk of the day. The SPCA (Western Quebec) will pay the costs while the dogs are under foster care.

The dogs apparently arrived at the Petsmart on Merivale this afternoon. If you’re interested in helping out, check out the article in the Ottawa Citizen for more info or give the SPCA a call at 819-770-7722.

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November 18, 2009

Oreo, the Pit Bull who was thrown off a 6-Story Building, was euthanized last Friday

We just saw this story on Red Riley, one of the dog blogs we read regularly. You might have read about this pooch on the news over the last week or so as she was sadly euthanized last Friday.

Last summer a one-year old pit bull named Oreo was thrown off the roof of a 6-story building in Brooklyn, New York. The dog’s limbs were shattered. The dog’s owner, Fabian Henderson, was charged with animal cruelty, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass. During the investigation, it was discovered that the skin around Oreo’s arm was also infected, which was likely the cause of prior abuse. Henderson was convicted of animal cruelty and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

This past Friday, Oreo was put to sleep. The ASPCA claimed Oreo was a danger  to humans and other animals. They say that as Oreo’s wounds began to heal, she started to become aggressive. Which is, sadly, often the result of animal cruelty.

Before she was put to sleep, there had been several people and rescue groups  pleading with the ASPCA to save Oreo. Many feel she should have been put in a long-term foster care as she is traumatized by the incident and that it’s  completely unfair to evaluate her so soon afterward. The abuse had,   understandably, caused her to be fearful and distrustful of humans. (read more…)

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November 15, 2009

Is your dog afraid of Thunderstorms? A Superhero Cape or ‘Thunderwear’ may help!

stormdefender

Try a Superhero Cape! The Storm Defender may help reduce your dog's thunder phobia

Does your pooch run for cover every time he senses a thunderstorm looming in the skies?

Many dogs are actually afraid or nervous of storms,  and some try to run into the basement, under a bed, or anywhere else where they can feel safer from the sudden, loud sounds that often lighteningaccompany a storm.

As you’ve probably noticed, your dog can sense a storm coming even before you hear the first crack of thunder or spark of lightening.

Some breeds may be more susceptible to loud sounds such as thunder, however this fear is definately not limited to any breed in particular. All dogs can be sensitive to thunderstorms.

Even if your puppy isn’t afraid of storms now, he could develop the fear as he gets older. In this article on MSNBC, Dr. Victoria Lea Voith, a Professor of Animal Behavior at the Western University of Health Sciences veterinary school in Pomona, California, says that a fear of thunder may not show up in your dog until he’d 4 or 5- years-old.

No one knows why thunder affects some dogs and not others. A dog may be more genetically predisposed to being sensitive to startling, loud sounds. Others may have had a bad experience during a storm and have learned to be afraid of storms by association. If you have a rescue dog you may not know his history and it’s possible he was left alone in the house during a bad storm, or even left outside during one.  Or, your dog may just be more susceptible to any loud noise, with thunder being one of the loudest and scariest sounds out there.

So, how do you help your Thunder-phobic pal anyway?

Unfortunately your dog may come to you for comfort,  but they are often so panicked by the time they sense a storm approaching that it doesn’t help. By giving him lots of attention, you may even be actually reinforcing his anxiety (read more….)

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November 12, 2009

International Greyhound Planet Day Fundraiser this Saturday!

greyhoundsIf you’re in Ottawa this weekend, come out to the Greyhound Supporters 5th Annual Greyhound Planet Day this Saturday, November 14th.

The event will take place at Christ Church Cathedral Hall in Ottawa (420 Sparks st near Bronson and Lyon). The event takes place from 10 am to 4pm.

You don’t have to have  a Greyhound to attend, all leashed dogs are welcome to this event to help celebrate Greyhound Planet Day. There is a $5 entrance fee per family.

You will be able to meet several retired Greyhounds and learn more about this loveable breed and why so many Greyhounds need rescue groups such as Greyhound Supporters to help protect them (see information below on Greyhound Racing and their early retirement).

There will be many pet-related vendors and services on-site, perfect for those wanting to do some Christmas shopping for their dog-loving friends and their pooches. Get your pooch’s nails clipped (for a small fee), or a healing message for your beloved pal’s tired and aching muscles. You pooch can also enjoy treats from a bake sale, and browse the doggie clothing too.  There will also be raffles, photo contests and much more going on during the day.

You and your pooch will definately enjoy this fun-filled day to help raise funds for Greyhound Supporters.  For more details about this event, see their website.

Why are there so many Greyhound Rescue Groups such as this one?

greyracersGreyhounds are used throughout the world for racing and unfortunately they are forced to retire from racing at an early age.

As a result, many Greyhounds are killed when their ‘usefulness’ has passed, often when they are only 4 or 5 years old! Since the life  expectancy of a Greyhound can be up to 15 years old, many are being put down at such an incredibly young age for absolutely no reason.

The Greyhound is commonly referred to as ‘The World’s Fastest Couch Potato‘. It’s the fastest dog breed as it can reach a speed of 45 miles per hour. An average Greyhound can run 30 miles per hour.  Indoors, however, this breed is quiet, relaxed and loves to cuddle on the couch! (read more…)

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November 9, 2009

Meet Harley: The Clutzy, fun-loving Golden Retriever

harleybigsIt’s always so easy to find Harley at the dog park.

Chances are, if there’s a white dog rolling on the ground with another dog on top, it’s almost always Harley.

“Drop and Roll” is his  nickname (well, by us anyway) as this loveable Golden Retriever has a penchant for wrestling. Even though he’s really bad at it. And we mean really!

Whenever one of his pals comes over to him at the park, he immediately drops to the ground and rolls…just waiting for the other dog to wrestle with him.

harleyrollguiness

Holy cow, I didn't even touch him and he's already gone down. Now I've seen bad wrestlers in my day, but this guy takes the cake!

We think he might watch episodes of WWF before we pick him up for the walk so that he gets some new ‘moves’ to try out on his buds. But no matter how many wrestling tips he gets, Harley has got to be the worst (canine) wrestler on the planet.

He’s always on his back, even if his opponent is really bad too. Even a sideways glance his way is enough to put him on his back. It doesn’t take much…

He’s not a happy camper when his friends would rather run for the ‘silly ball ‘ (his words, not ours) than wrestle with him. Luckily there’s usually at least one or two other pooches with us on any given day who are also not into the whole fetching thing (read more…)

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