More and more people are choosing to travel with their pets and more and more people are looking for pet friendly places to stay. With the pet industry booming, companies are realizing people love their pets and want them with them, even on vacation. I recently stayed at the Tribeca Grand in New York a few weeks ago and was always greeted by a 4 legged guest coming or going from the hotel. Many hotels offer special rates, special services and even animal psychics like the one in the link below. So next time you are planning your vaca, think about where you would like to stay and double check to see if you dog can join you. They are always up for a little R&R!

http://www.springwise.com/tourism_travel/hotel-offers-pet-friendly-service-including-animal-psychic/

This is a must share. Enjoy!

As we continue to discuss the rise in obesity in adults and children, the issues continues as well with our pets and our pets are paying the price. I recently found this article in The New York times and felt it needed to be shared. This epidemic isn’t going to go away until we make the decision to do something and change our habits.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/paying-the-price-of-a-fat-pet/

Everyone needs a good laugh on occasion! http://www.godvine.com/Laughing-Baby-and-Excited-Dog-Will-Make-Your-Day-773.html

When I first read this story I thought these people had lot their minds. Being a dog lover this was a bit over the top even for me. However once I realized guests were asked to make a donation to the Orphan Pet Oasis Humane Society of the Desert in North Palm Springs it all seemed okay. A win win for everyone including the dogs!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/dogs-5-000-wedding-amenities-171017513.html

We all know how loyal our dogs are, we have read story after story about a dog who won’t leave his injured owner, a dog who wakes the family up when there’s a fire in the house and won’t leave the childs side until he is found. We have all read or heard about these stories but what about a dog who won’t leave her companion who is another dog.

That’s the story below. A dog was hit by a car on the busy streets of Los Angeles and out of no where, a lab approaches the injured dog who is laying in the middle of the street and hovers over him as to protect him from the other cars. This dog put her life in danger for a dog she did not know. Why? Perhaps it’s that sixth sense we talk about. This dog somehow knew one of his pack members had been injured and felt the needed to do her duty and protect him until help arrived. It’s these kinds of stories that make me love my dog and all dogs more and more.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_20398254/loyal-labrador-stays-companion-following-car-accident-la

We take such care when it comes to our grooming especially when we get a haircut. We always seem to tell the stylist to take just a little off here or a little off there. Don’t touch this area, etc. etc. and we watch the stylist like a hawk. So why shouldn’t we be the same way with our dogs when it comes to their grooming?

There’s a local pet groomer in the area and when I first got our dog, I would take him there every 5 weeks. The owner was sweet as can be but after a few groomings, I realized he wasn’t the one who was grooming my dog and as soon as I found out what went on behind the walls, I stopped taking my dog there. After shampooing, the dogs would be soaking wet and left in a rusty cage to “air dry.” He always looks lopsided with his cuts and always ended up with an eye infection. This grooming session could take up to 4 hours. And, of course, he would poop right after his grooming, the situation was so stressful for him he was out of commission the rest of the day. This was unacceptable to me so I decided to see what other options were out there.

I did my research and finally found a groomer who comes to my home. She’s in and out in an hour and does the most AMAZING job on my dog. He looks like a show dog every time he gets groomed and she grooms him with love. She’s more expensive but worth every penny, my dog isn’t stressed the entire day and looks great. I know we are all so busy and it’s so easy to just drop your dog off at the groomers or at Petco but before you do that the next time, stop in and ask to see the grooming stations for the dogs, make sure they are clean. Ask questions about how they groom and if you are not happy or have concerns, start shopping around for another groomer. I found my groomer by asking several vets in the area if they had anyone to recommend.

I’ve posted a story about a grooming gone bad, it’s extreme and I hope no one ever experiences anything like this ever, but it’s worth a read and worth investigating where you take your dog for his monthly grooming.

http://shine.yahoo.com/pets/angry-owners-sue-petco-over-grooming-gone-bad.html

Enjoy the video. Too wonderful not to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=P9Fyey4D5hg

I never quite understood the extreme measures people would go to in order to save their pets until I got my dog. My dog was diagnosed with Addisons 5 years ago and all I can say is that it’s been a crazy roller coaster ride ever since. He’s had 2 bouts of Pancreatitis, in the ICU 2x, he’s starting to suffer from muscle tremors which is part of the Addisons. We know that the medicines he is on to keep him alive will eventually take their tole on his little body. Kidney failure is just something that could be in our future. So when I read about people who are willing to have their dogs undergo bone marrow transplants or chemo to help them get thru cancer, I get it. But I also know that there comes a time when you have to think about what’s best for you dog, not what’s best for you. When our dog was first diagnosed with Addisons we were taking him to a clinic where he received acupuncture to help get his Chi flowing and hopefully help him feel better. Okay, not as extreme as chemo but something tells me that these dogs started with something rather small as well in the beginning and things progressed as time went on.

We live in a time where technology has advanced as well for our canine friends. We are no longer faced with the dreaded line of “I’m sorry, there’s nothing we can do for your dog.” to “We have several options available for treatment.” Of course, there’s also the cost factor.
We are always confronted with these issues whether they be with a family member or friend, or now our dogs. It’s so easy to say I would do whatever it takes to keep my dog alive but I think a better question to ask yourself is am I doing this to improve his quality of life or just to extend it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/us/new-treatments-to-save-a-pet-but-questions-about-the-costs.html?_r=1&hp