Because we do crazy things for our pooches…

What better way to pamper your pup than with a pair of cute dog slippers? You’ve already gotten them costumes, outfits and collar bling, so why not give them shoes? My dog is always slipping and sliding around the kitchen and I noticed with the slippers he’s able to walk confidently anywhere in he house. I have to admit, at first he didn’t enjoy wearing them, but he eventually got used to them. He walked really funny before, guess he was trying to kick them off.

There are tons of dog slippers out there waiting to cushion your pooch’s feet, so you’ll have no problem finding pair or two!

It is important for every pet owner to take care of their pups, especially when it comes to harmful insects like ticks, mosquitoes and fleas. Using insect repellents is ideal for keeping these pests at bay, but some of them are a bit too harsh. Just think, these pesticides contain dangerous chemicals and we’re placing them on our pet’s fur. It is known that these bug repellents seep into the blood of our pets and can spread through their bodies. And even worse, there are side effects - plainly stated on the labels of these repellents - that include:

• Fur loss
• Infections
• Organ failure
• Death

There is an alternative with organic bug repellents. These are made with natural herbs and substances that are completely safe for your dog - not pests, which is the way it’s supposed to be. Some even have vitamins and minerals that can help your dog’s immune system and give them a nice shiny coat.

If you don’t already have one for your dog, you may have thought of getting one. The temptation to do whatever it takes to keep your dog in your yard could become overwhelming, especially when regular fences can’t be used due to regulations on a deed. But the realities of using such a product could end up doing more harm than good. Here are some reasons you may want to keep in mind before strapping that leash around your pooches neck.

Invisible fencing sends a shock through the collar, which can be a bit painful for your dog. Yeah, it’s true that there is a warning high-pitched noise that sounds off when getting too close to the invisible fence perimeter, but dogs can be stubborn.

Some dogs become tolerable of the shock the collar sends through, which could allow them to stray away from the property. Also, if the dog accidentally goes out, he may be too afraid to come back in the yard where they will be greeted with another shock.

There have been some reports of behavioral issues with using invisible fences for dogs. It can be a bit confusing for them, especially when they associate punishment with the last thing they were trying to do; for instance, if your dog was trying to greet a familiar family member and gets shocked by the invisible fence, they may think they did something wrong. Eventually, the misconceptions can lead to rebellion.

The idea of getting an invisible fence is to keep your dog in, but what about keeping out dangers? An invisible fence doesn’t keep rabid and dangerous animals out of your yard and from attacking your dog. Also, if your dog is very protective, unsuspecting pedestrians may accidentally walk along the perimeters of the invisible fence and get bitten.

Most invisible fence collar’s come with different levels of shock. I think this an item that should be used sparingly and only if there are no other alternatives. Try getting your dog professionally trained or talk with the city to see if you can have a fence placed on your property.

So what do you think? Is using invisible dog fencing inhumane?

What does your dog’s tag say about him?  This is something you may want to think about since your pooch can’t speak for himself.

Is he a free spirit?

Or is she a princess? 

You can see a full selection of dog tag choices online or you can go to Petco and have one engraved on the spot.  At my local Petco they have an engraving machine.  You buy tokens from the cashier and then program the machine to write out the information you want on the tag.  Choices are pretty basic and it will run you about $5-10.

Dog tags range in prices from the top of the line silver ones (pictured above) at $35-45 to the low end plain style with free shipping at $2.99.  So, maybe choosing a dog tag says more about you than your dog!

I had to laugh when I was instructed by my vet to use an “Elizabethan dog collar” if my dog started scratching his stitches post surgery.  I’ve seen Cate Blanchett’s stunning performance in Elizabeth. The term sounded extremely dignified.   Here’s what I pictured.

And here’s what an Elizabethan dog collar is.

It’s a plastic cone collar.  I guess I get the Elizabethan reference, but it’s hardly as dignified.  Although if need be, I was prepared to tell my beloved pet that he would be wearing the attire of Kings and Queens.

Luckily, my pooch left his stitches alone, but I did find a different style Elizabethan online that looked like a better option than the cone.  It’s the ProCollar Inflatable.  At least with this one the dog’s vision isn’t impaired nor is their ability to eat and drink.  To shop for Elizabethan dog collars check out bizrate.com.

Cute or crazy? As much as I’d like to say that dressing your dog in costume is koo-koo, I have to admit this picture makes me smile. And apparently I’m not the only one. Dog costumes are becoming common household items. How do I know this? You can buy them at Target.

The most popular costume for dogs according to one study is the devil, followed closely by a pumkin and a witch. I think there’s some room for creativity here. What about political figures? Or popular musicians like Willy Nelson or Bono? You and your pooch could go out together as the Midnight Cowboy and Rizzo. Think about it. You could start shopping for Halloween online right now or put on your thinking cap and get creative.

Have you met Zelda? She’s the star modella for Zelda’s Wisdom. Zelda was first discovered when she won a local greeting card contest. Since then, her popularity has grown, especially with men, which has enabled her to get a contract with Hallmark greeting cards. But you can still get your own customized cards online. There are dozens of different Zelda shots and captions to choose from. They even have a mailing service to make sending that little bit of humour even easier. Other gifts are available too like books, mouse pads, and calendars. If you love bulldogs or you just want a cheerful, unique card for a friend - check out Zelda.

Have you been sent to the dog house lately? With a pad like this, what does it matter?

Radio Fence has eight different designs from which to choose. The styles include a mansion, a log cabin and my personal favorite, a room with a view. How romantic. These dog houses seem more like dream homes than backyard punishment. They’re made of wood and are raised off the ground to keep them dry inside. And you don’t have to be a superior builder to assemble them; all that’s need is a Phillips screw driver. Shipping is free and they are moderately priced. Get ready for the colder months ahead and if your dog doesn’t like it, it can be your own private retreat.

Why am I not surprised that it’s the Germans we have to thank for this poo fashion? With these designer excrement collection bags, they’ve focused on dog feces and made it fun! Plus they’re environmentally friendly - you gotta love that.

One thing that grosses me out about the traditional plastic bag method for picking up dog shit is that, even though you don’t actually touch it, you still have to feel the warm squishyness of it through the bag. Looks like one nice benefit with these poo bags is you never have to hold last night’s dinner in your hand.

The bags come sixteen in a pack, sporting eight different pictures and humorous prints such as “Shit happens” and “Don’t blame me”. The design is modern and something I’ve never seen before. If you’re looking for a gift for a friend or if you’d like to spark a conversation with your new crush at the park, these Poo Poo Bags might just be for you. The cost is 12.90 Euros for a pack plus shipping. That’s just twenty bucks for a whole new poo experience!

After flipping through old photo albums and going through the final year I spent with Stanley II (my Brittany Spaniel before Stanley III), it occurred to me that a post about comfortable bedding for old timer dogs was fitting. The final years are sometimes the most special and emotional with our buddies…I’ll be honest, I shed a few tears amongst my smiles looking through year 16 for Stanley II. Though we never got special bedding for him, I was not surprised to see the variety of options and great coverage in the marketplace.

For the older dogs, it seems to be all about orthopedic bedding. Starting my search at BizRate.com again for orthopedic dog bedding, I was pleased at the variety of merchants, including: Drs. Foster & Smith, PetsMart, PetCo, All Pet Furniture, Orvis, Dog Bed King, Pet Solutions, CritterPetSupplies.com, etc. Prices range from $20 to $200, with the sizes of the bed and the amount of orthopedic material being the main factors in cost.

Of all the sites, I liked drsfostersmith.com the best. Not only was their selection of dog beds nice, but alongside 19 results for my search for “orthopedic dog beds”, they also returned a tab with 17 articles about dog health. The most interesting one to me was an article titled Arthritis Maintenance Care: 7 Steps. The writing discussed topics such as pain relief, proper exercise, proper diet, ideal bedding, and best practices for food and water set ups to minimize problem points. Though each section was commercialized by links to products on the site, it wasn’t pushy at all, but rather fantastic content linked to products that clearly could help the quality of life of a pooch.

Though Stanley II got all of the attention in the world in his closing years, I wish I would have known of some of these smaller tips and specialized bedding to have given him a little bit extra. But then again, he spent quite a bit of his closing year on a king size Sealy Posturepedic (mom and dad’s bed), so life couldn’t have been that ruff. :o)