Monday, July 9, 2012

Help Support the Doberman Assistance Network by bidding on a handcrafted Leather Collar

Sold for $152.50!!!!!!!

Click Here to Bid

Striking Handcrafted Praetorian Leather Collar: Helps Save Dobermans!

Info Below Copied:

DOBERMAN ASSISTANCE NETWORK
The Praetorian Leather Collar: Only The Best for Your Canine Guardian

Do you have a one-of-a-kind, distinguished and envy-of-them all kind of dog? Well, then we have the perfect collar for you. At 2.5" wide, this Praetorian leather collar, designed by Cerberus Designs, is suitable for medium to large breed dogs, and will fit a 16"-20" neck.

Inspired by Roman times, this three-layered collar is remarkable for both its attention to detail and overall beauty. With a black base, burgundy middle and black top, it is easy to envision this collar wrapped around the neck of the one responsible for guarding the Roman Emperor himself. The brass ring and conches transport you back to a time when only the best would do for those high in society. Your loyal guardian of today deserves such a prestigious gift to symbolize their greatness.

Made with only the most premium leather, this handcrafted collar was created with one goal in mind: making your pet look their absolute best. Clearly that goal has been met!

Imagine this breathtaking collar on your own loyal companion. With it you will be declaring to the world what you already know: this canine is to be revered!

By purchasing this magnificent piece craftmanship you will not only benefit your canine friend, you will also be directly supporting the Doberman Assistance Network (DAN) as it continues its tireless work on behalf of Dobermans who find themselves in urgent need of rescue. Your bid will allow DAN to continue vetting, boarding, fostering and transporting these lost souls onto their new, happier lives (minus Ebay fees).

Bid high and bid often. Your loyal companion, and these Dobermans in need, deserve nothing less.

Doberman Assistance Network (DAN) is a 501c3 organization whose mission it is to help provide a second chance to Dobermans in urgent need of rescue throughout the United States. DAN's services include, but are not limited to, pulling, vetting, transporting, fostering and placing rescued Dobermans into an approved, reputable rescue group. Thanks to the tireless efforts of its volunteers, DAN is able to help Dobermans across America. With your help, DAN can continue its efforts and give these noble, intelligent and loving dogs the life they all so dearly deserve.

WHO DOES DAN HELP? MEET ONE OF OUR RECENT CASES:

When her owner no longer had any need for her, darling Olivia found herself dumped at a Maryville, TN shelter.

Olivia quickly charmed the shelter staff with her sweet and outgoing personality. DAN overtook her case and has been boarding her ever since, patiently waiting for an opening with a reputable rescue who could help Olivia find her new, loving forever home.

DAN is currently boarding several dogs like Olivia.

While boarding ensures the dogs are safe and well taken care of, having several dogs in boarding at one time is extremely costly. DAN is finding its resources being stretched very thin. Therefore, please consider making a donation today to help DAN continue to care for and keep these Dobes safe until they can be transported to rescues and begin their new lives.

Olivia is one of the lucky ones. She will be traveling shortly to South West Ohio Doberman Rescue to begin the new chapter of her life. DAN is overjoyed to have been able to help her, she deserves nothing less than the absolute best in life.

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Allergies in Pets & How to Provide Relief

Pets typically suffer from 2 types of allergies: food and environmental. If you have a pet that only gets itchy at certain times of the year, chances are your pet suffers from seasonal/environmental allergies. But if its constant that means the dog typically suffers from food or environmental allergies (something constant in the environment). Please note, I am not a vet, just a pet owner that has done a lot of research on allergies.

Read more about pet allergies here - Article by Dr. Becker

If you live somewhere like I do, where I don't ever experience a hard freeze, it could be that the environmental allergies are just building and building and causing problems year round.

It is important to note, while humans typically show symptoms of allergies in their respiratory system, dogs do not. It typically shows up in skin inflammation and/or irritation. A good place to look is the paws and the ears. My dog Harley suffers from allergies and he would spend HOURS licking his paws and scratching his ears :( It was heartbreaking.

You can give dogs steroid shots, but they basically are a cover up to the allergy problem, they aren't really solving anything. Not only that, but they decrease the immune system of the dog, which you don't want either. I don't want to have a dog on Benadryl or some other medicine for the rest of his life unless absolutely necessary or having to give him steroid shots all the time. I only give him steroid shots when during the spring time when the pollen increases drastically and it's the best thing I can do for him. So I have been searching for more holistic methods.

Find a holistic vet here

Another sign of allergies is the ear scratching (as mentioned earlier) I can't really find or get a good photo of ears affected by allergies. Sorry :( But a good sign is if the ears are inflamed and have a discharge. I clean Harley's ears out with a mix of half apple cider vinegar and half warm water. DO NOT USE FULL STRENGTH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!!! It burns if you use it full strength, pour it on a cut... you'll understand. But seriously, this is the best ear cleaner I have EVER used and it's much cheaper than the ear cleaners you can get in the store.

Here are some other ways you can help your pet out

Bathe them frequently (I give mine a bath once a week) If you are using topical flea medicines make sure you get a soap and detergent free shampoo and wait a few days before and after applying the flea meds to bathe them. Also, make sure you use an grain free/oatmeal free shampoo. Check out my other post on products and shampoos here.

After bathing you can use a vinegar rinse, 1 gallon of water with a cup of regular white vinegar.

You can soak their feet in an apple cider vinegar and water mix (I would do half and half)

You can also spray them down with apple cider vinegar and water mix (I would do half and half)

Try a grain free food - I personally use Nature's Variety Instinct, it is grain free and gluten free.

Supplement with Omega 3 fatty acids - they decrease inflammation. I supplement with raw sardines. I order my sardines here, I could get them frozen from my local Asian market, but they weren't that great and teh fish I get from this online store are AMAZING. They are great looking fish and I order 12lbs at a time and put them in my freezer. Read more about Sardines here - Sardines: A Super Hero food for Dogs. If you feed the canned sardines try and get the ones packed in water and low sodium.

Coconut Oil - get Extra Virgin Coconut oil. This helps reduce the production of yeast, which is what you see build up in the ears and paws. You can find it at your local grocery store, most of them, or a natural foods store. Tropical Traditions has some great coconut oil, all different varieties and they always have amazing specials, I prefer the coconut oil from Tropical Traditions because it they have so much more than just coconut oil and their packaging and shipping packaging is AMAZING. Or vitacost (get $10 for signing up). It's really fairly cheap from Vitacost and they are always running specials.

Also, try avoid feeding food that contain wheat, corn, and soy.
Wash your food bowls often to avoid mold growth and bacterial growth. Use stainless steel bowls. Personally I use plastic bowls and I sanitize them with a little bit of bleach and hot water, just rinse them and afterwards make sure they dry completely.
Replace your air filter often - this will benefit both you and the dog. I had one of those "permanent" air filters and I threw it away and replaced with an allergen filter, don't buy the cheap filters, it's worth the extra money to buy the better quality filters.
Wash their bedding and your bedding frequently as well as vacuum and sweep & mop often. Read about deals going on now with Dyson Animal Vacuums. You can go to Amazon and get a factory reconditioned Dyson Animal DC28 for just $309.99, normally $649 so it's 52% off!

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New Holistic Select Pet Food Formulas

New Grain Free Recipes!

For Dogs

The New Holistic Select Grain Free Adult & Puppy Health Salmon and Anchovy & Sardine Recipe Dog Food offers many benefits and exciting “firsts” from Holistic Select, including:
Grain Free, Gluten Free Recipe
A true single protein source – fish-based & poultry free –appropriate for dogs with poultry or grain based allergies
All life stages formulation
Pumpkin, papaya & pomegranate, and our new botanicals blend
Our Unique Digestive Health Support System

Available in 5 lb., 13 lb. & 26 lb. bags

For Cats

For our feline friends, the New Grain Free Indoor Health/Weight Control dry cat food offers a delectable Turkey, Chicken and Herring Meals Recipe, which supports the special needs of your indoor or overweight cat. Your cat will benefit from:
Grain Free, Gluten Free Recipe
High fiber to satisfy between meals and L-Carnitine to help the body utilize fat
Omega-3 skin & coat support from flaxseed and Menhaden fish oil
Nutrient-rich cranberries and pomegranate, and our new botanicals blend
Our Unique Digestive Health Support System

Available in 2 lb. 8 oz., 5 lb. & 11 lb. bags

DISCLOSURE SOME LINKS INCLUDED IN THIS POST MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS FOR WHICH I MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION WHEN YOU CLICK THROUGH THE LINK.

FREE Pet Food Sample: Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost for Dogs and Cats!

Click here to get your free sample

DISCLOSURE SOME LINKS INCLUDED IN THIS POST MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS FOR WHICH I MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION WHEN YOU CLICK THROUGH THE LINK.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Summertime Safety/Heat Safety Information for your Pets

Since the temperatures have been so hot recently I figured now would be a good time to spread information and awareness about the dangers of the heat and what can be done to keep your four legged friends safe. Remember that older, obese or short-nosed dogs (Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pekingese, Boxers, Shih Tzus, and French Bulldogs) are less tolerant of heat.

See my other posts about Summertime Safety and Dog Left in Hot Car Dies.

Hot Asphalt and even hot sand! If you have a repeated need to walk your dog over hot surfaces, you may want to invest in some dog booties.