Why Do Dogs Eat Grass???

1.  The modern dog, partly because of evolution and domestication, is no longer like its ancestors, which frequently ate their prey entirely, including the stomach contents of plant-eating animals. They can though, still have distant cravings for plant material.

2.   A dog will seek out a natural remedy for a gassy or upset stomach, and grass, it seems, may do the trick. When ingested, the grass blade tickles the throat and stomach lining; this sensation, in turn, may cause the dog to vomit, especially if the grass is gulped down rather than chewed.

3.   In fact, grass contains essential nutrients that a dog might crave, especially if they're on a commercial diet.

To see an informational video and to read the entire article please click here!

Does My Dog Really Need to Wear a Coat?????

A great article on whether or not your 4 legged friend needs a coat in this wintery weather.

"Winter’s chill is making its presence known in many areas, and as we dig to the back of our closets and coat racks for parkas and seasonal outerwear, we should do the same for our dogs.

Canine couture is popular, so whether your dog roams in a sweater, hoodie, or goes au naturel when mother nature bites at the thermometer, we've got the facts -- and the fictions -- on doggy outerwear."

 

1. Fiction: All dogs need outerwear to protect them from the cold.

2. Fiction: All dogs can become accustomed to wearing a coat.

3. Fiction: Larger dogs do not need winter outerwear protection. 

4. Fiction: If it looks like a sweater and acts like a sweater, it will keep my dog warm.

5. Fiction: A dog’s coat should be snug to keep him or her as warm as possible.     

6. Fiction: A dog’s pads are resilient and will protect him or her from nature’s elements.

7. Fiction: Coats and hoodies must look heavy to adequately protect dogs.

To read the correct answers to all of these statements, please click on this link!

NEW Vaccination Guidelines!!

Story at-a-glance

• The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Canine Vaccination Task Force has issued updated vaccination guidelines for 2011.
• A highlight of the new guidelines: The three non-rabies core vaccines (distemper, parvo and adenovirus) are now recommended every 3 years instead of annually.
• Another highlight: The task force acknowledges that distemper and parvo vaccines provide immunity for at least 5 years and the adenovirus vaccine for at least 7 years.

• READ THE ENTIRE STORY HERE 

Tell Your Bosses-Dogs Lower Stress in the Workplace!!!

"According to a new study by Virginia Commonwealth University, dog owners who brought their pets to work had stress lower at the beginning of the day and throughout the day than workers who didn’t bring their dogs to work or have pets".

But, we already knew this, right??  See the entire report here:

Choosing Dog Food by Reading the Dog Food Label

I think it is time to remind people of the importance of GOOD dog food.  Even though the commercials push the Purinas, the Iams, etc.. they really are not that good for your dog! Many common skin issues,lack of energy instances,etc.. can be caused by not getting dog food that is healthy.

http://hubpages.com/_2zgxhhdl2vixz/hub/Reading-Dog-Food-Labels

Is the Obama's Portuguese Water Dog truly Hypoallergenic?

With all the talk about the new Obama dog being hypoallergenic, I thought

I'd try to define what they mean by hypoallergenic and what breeds seem
to be labeled as allergy-friendly. Just for clarification though:
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) tried
Wednesday to correct misconceptions about the matter, with the announcement that there is "no truly hypoallergenic dog."

"It is a common misconception that people are allergic to a dog's hair, and
it is falsely believed that dogs that shed less will not cause a reaction,"
the academy said.

"However, allergies to pets are caused by protein found in the animal's
saliva and skin glands which gets deposited on the hair. These proteins are
carried on microscopic particles through the air as an invisible aerosol.
When inhaled, they trigger reactions in allergic people. As all dogs
secrete these proteins, there is no allergy-free dog.".

That said, there are dogs that lend themselves, if groomed correctly and in
a timely manner, to less shedding, less hair dander flying around, and then
, as a result, a reduced occurrence of the offending proteins and saliva in
the environment.

As a side note, these dogs do require more frequent grooming. Because many
of these breeds have hair that keeps growing like humans (versus falling
out once it reaches a certain length), it must be brushed or cut often or
it will get horribly matted.

Some of the breeds that are labeled as hypoallergenic are:
* Basenji *Poodle
* Bedlington Terrier *Portuguese Water Dog
* Bichon Frise *Puli
* Chinese Crested *Schnauzer
* Coton de Tulear *Shih Tzu
* Havanese *Wheaten
* Irish Water Spaniel *Yorkshire Terrier
* Kerry Blue Terrier
* Maltese

In addition, we now have the "hybrid" dogs like the labradoodle,
goldendoodle, etc. These dogs are a mix of the known "hypo" dogs and the
traditional dog. As with any mutt, it is impossible to determine how much
of each breed (parent) will be in the end result (puppy). It is
recommended that an allergy sufferer spend time with the breed considered
to check for an allergic reaction. Breeding for a hybrid is not a perfect
science by any means.