Dog Gone Blog - The Dog Blog for Real Dogs

Oh behave

You can keep you hep cats, I'd rather have a Mod Dog.

And what every Mod Dog needs, besides the heavy mascara and pixie haircut, is some cool threads.  Like this Mod Psychedelic Swirl dog collar from Retro-Pet.com.   

Not into the whole Twiggy look, you say?  Retro-Pet.com has lots of other great looking collars, leashes and harnesses for the wee bitty-est of toy dogs to your standard 175lb Great Dane.  Even better, each collar is hand made.  Quality, people, quality.

I think two certain lucky labs may be finding a Retro-Pet.com collar or two in their Christmas stockings this year. 

My dogs may be fixed but they can still swing, baby.  Yeah!

If you're thinking of getting one of these collars or matching leashes as a Christmas or Hanukkah gift for that special four-legged someone be warned - their holiday deadline for orders is December 5.

Large Mod Psychedelic Swirl collar - $21.00 at Retro-Pet.com

Dog books for young readers

Need a gift idea for the young dog lovers in your life?

At the Dog Park with Sam and Lucy and Buddy Unchained are two great new books perfect for those upcoming pesky holidays.   The Illustrations are fantastic and the child will love empathizing with the characters.  Even if they have no idea that's what they're doing.

In At the Dog Park, Sam and Lucy have a great time meeting new friends at the, um, dog park (kinda got that from the title, eh?) and the last page is for the adults in the family.  A whole page on how you can start a dog park in your town.  As a person who has been trying for years to start one in mine I thought that was really cool.

In Buddy Unchained, Buddy the dog, now happy in a new home, tells of his former life spent chained up outside.  It's a bit of a tearjerker, if you ask me, so when you read this with your kids be ready to answer some tough questions.

I'm looking forward to giving these books to my nephews for Christmas and to my daughter as well.  Something tells me I'll enjoy reading them as much as they will.

Both books are available at Amazon and are one sale for $10.85 each.

Dogs of the Week - A Trifecta

Q:  What do you get when you put a Lhasa Apso, a Toy Schnauzer and a Saint Bernard in the same house?

A:  I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for poop patrol in that family.

Our Dog of the Week honor goes to three dogs today.  Three dog families amaze me, but throw in a baby and I bow to the patience of the mother and father in charge of that brood.

Pete (the Lhasa Apso), Jax (the Toy Schnauzer) and Eleanor (the Saint Bernard) are all part of Mrs. CPA's happy family and this week's Dogs of the Week.  I feel as if the honor should to Mrs. CPA but, alas, we don't have an award for owner of the week.  After hearing about this family I feel as if I should change that.

Let's hear it for Pete, Jax, and Eleanor... and for Mrs. CPA!  Woof, Woof, Woof and Woot!

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Want to get your dog's picture on Dog Gone Blog?  Email it to DogGoneBlog at Yahoo dot com. Please make sure you include your dog's name, breed (or breeds), your name or nickname, your state and country, and if necessary a brief description of what's going on in the picture.  (and if you want me to give your blog a shoutout please include your blog, too.)

Dog is my Co-Pilot

If I were to invite you into my home the first thing you might notice, after the tumbleweeds of dog hair, is the stack of dog books next to the chair by the front door. 

I am a dog-themed book addict.  Behavior, training, true stories; I've got a ginormous number of books from the pet section of Super Humongous Chain Bookstore and my credit card balance number climbs if I so as much run in to that store grab a coffee.  I can't help myself.  I'm compelled to buy them.

Some are better than others; some tomes are magical, some suck bully sticks.  Thankfully, I've gotten really good at weeding out the later category and, lucky you, I've decided to pass on recommendations for my favorite ones to you on this here doggie blog.

I have made a commitment to myself that I will write about at least one book - good or not, because there will be times when a stinker sneaks under my radar - every two weeks.  Not only will you get some great new reading material but I will get another excuse to buy books.  It's a win/win situation for all.

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Okay, enough yappin'.

My recommendation for this week is a book of stories by dog owners/writers that one moment had me laughing out loud and the next weeping into my Cheerios. 

Dog is my Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World's Oldest Friendship a book from the editors of one of my favorite dog magazines -  Bark - impressed me so much that I gave copies of this book to my dog loving friends as holiday gifts.   And I only give books as gifts if I really, really love the book.  The stories of the love between human and canine spoke to me in that magical way that only a few books in my life ever have, and it has been my mission to spread the word of this magnificent book ever since I turned the last page.

Dog is My Co-Pilot came out in 2003 so it should still be easy to find in bookstores, or you can buy it online from Super-Duper Amazingly Humongous Online Bookstore or, better yet, purchase it from the Bark website and make it a two-fer:  a copy of the book and a one year subscription to Bark magazine for $26.95.

You will not be disappointed.

Everyone deserves a pedicure

One thing that I've noticed that a lot of new dog owners are most afraid of when it comes to caring for their dogs is one of the easiest things to do.

Nail cutting.

There's no mystery to it and it's really quite simple.  Plus, if you learn how to cut your dog's nails correctly and start getting your dog used to it early on, you'll save a fortune in vet or groomer fees.

Now, I can give almost anyone a quick tutorial on nail trimming... If they're standing right next to me that is.  But since this is the internet I would need pictures and diagrams to show you the correct way to give your doggie a pedicure without making her bleed, and I just don't have that kind of time.  Or desire.

I did, however, find this page on the Washington State University website.  There are pictures, descriptions, diagrams, heck they even documented the two different types of trimmers (for the record, I prefer the Scissors to the Guillotine type for cutting all the nails, but that's just me).  And there are pictures and descriptions on how to find the quick, that part of the dog's nails you never want to cut unless you like the color red.

From a training aspect, I always tell new dog owners to get their puppies used to nail trimming as soon as possible.  In other words, as soon as you bring your dog home you should be handling their feet regularly, with praise and treats on hand.  The dog should always accept you touching their feet and manipulating their toes.  They should never feel threatened or frightened of the clippers. 

A dog's nails should be trimmed often, every week or two, and the experience should be as positive as possible.  Yes, some dogs just never get used to the experience and restraints may have to be used in those situations, but if you start making a part of your dog's normal routine early you'll have much fewer fights later on.

And really?  Can't you think of something better to do with that extra 20 bucks a month?  Like shoes?  For you, not the dog.

Dog of the Week - Nixon

So, you think you have the greatest dog ever?

Think again, Slappy.

My dear friend T. of Redneck Mommy has claimed that title for her dog, Nixon, a Boston Terrier.  Or as he is referred to by his official moniker:  Nixon, The World's Greatest Dog.  Ever.

(I think it's the period between "Dog" and "Ever" that really makes for a spectacular title.  Don't you?)

He hogs the bed, he farts, he snores, he pees in the house.  He's everything you want in a dog and then some. 

So I regret to inform you that if you're currently referring to your dog as "World's Greatest" you'll need to find another way to stroke his or her doggy ego.  That description will now and forever be the property of one Nixon, The World's Greatest Dog.  Ever.

Let's hear it for Nixon.  Woof!

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Want to get your dog's picture on Dog Gone Blog?  Email it to DogGoneBlog at Yahoo dot com . Please make sure you include your dog's name, breed (or breeds), your name or nickname, your state and country, and if necessary a brief description of what's going on in the picture.  (and if you want me to give your blog a shoutout please include your blog, too.)

Too good to be true?

Given my line of work and the cold New England winters, I wear a lot of fleece.  It's comfortable, durable, and keeps me warm without making me look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  However, it also attracts dog hair like a sumuvahbeech.  So after one class and eight jumping puppies I usually end up as hairy as a saint bernard, and all that hair winds itself around the fibers of the shirt making it an almost permanent fixture even after many washings.

So you can imagine my delight when I read about Lands' End ThermaCheck Fleece.

According to their website, the ThermaCheck Fleece's "Exclusive Nano-Tex Resists Static treatment resists static cling, static shock, lint and pet hair".

I was all over that like a hungry dog on a box of Milkbones.

I was cautiously optimistic.  I mean, really, could it live up to it's own hype?   I ordered two half-zip pullovers - one in navy blue, a color I usually avoid because yellow dog hair stands out like a blinking neon sign on it - and hoped for the best. 

Right out of the package I could tell I was going to like these pullovers.  The material is as soft as a baby blanket and surprisingly warm, given the thinness.  It held it's shape after two washings (so far) and the best part... It really didn't attract the dog hair as much as normal fleece does and the hair it did attract was easily brushed away.   Finally I don't have to brush my dogs while wearing my haz-mat suit anymore.

You're not going to win any points for style, however.  It is fleece after all.  The half-zip does have a slight tapered fit but it's still not very body conscious, which is all right by me.  It's not like I'm going to be walking the red carpet anytime soon.

My final take on it:  I think I might be replacing every fleece jacket, vest, pullover and pair of gloves in my wardrobe with Lands' End PermaCheck.  And with their amazing prices it won't hurt my bank account... Too much.

(and, don't worry guys, Lands' End has got you covered, too.)

Women's ThermaCheck® 100 Half-zip Pullover from Lands' End - $19.50