Dog Blog

AMHERST, N.H., May 11 /PRNewswire/ — To the surprise of her 4th
graders, teacher Kathy Barton walked into the classroom accompanied by
Chivez, a three-legged collie. Despite the dog’s handicap, the children
fell in love with her. “Miss Barton, it doesn’t matter that she has three
legs, she has a whole heart!”
Working closely with http://www.HandicappedPets.com, Kathy Barton has
been teaching her class the value of elderly, injured, and disabled pets.
She and the children have been helping animals around the country.
HandicappedPets.com is a website providing all of the product, services,
and support needed by the caretakers of the animals.
“The children are learning that an elderly, injured, or handicapped pet
has great value and, with a little bit of help, can live a long,
high-quality life,” said Mark Robinson, President of HandicappedPets.
Robinson founded the site after putting down his mildly epileptic dog
because he was unaware of the alternatives.
Last year, Miss Barton’s class made news when they reached out to an
injured dachshund in Tennessee, raising money to fly the dog to her new
home in Maine and purchase a dog wheelchair.
This year, she and a new group of 4th graders raised over $1,100
enabling two handicapped dogs to walk and play again.
The first dog, Scooter, a Chihuahua in SC is now running through the
park for the first time in his life. Born without front legs, Scooter has
had to hop like a rabbit. In his wheelchair from HandicappedPets.com, he
sprints across the grass.
The second dog they helped, Priscilla, a Pomeranian pup in New York is
afflicted with the canine equivalent of ’shaken baby syndrome.’ Miss
Barton’s students were so moved by this story that they purchased a cart
for her.
The complete story of Kathy Barton’s class, including photos, a gallery
of the kid’s inventions, and stories about Johanna, Scooter, and Priscilla
can be found on the website at http://www.HandicappedPets.com.
http://www.HandicappedPets.com provides a one-stop source for the
products, services, and support needed by caretakers of elderly, disabled,
and handicapped pets. As well as selling wheelchairs for dogs and other pet
products, they provide discussion areas, articles, galleries, classifieds,
and much more.
For more information and photos please contact Deb Winters at (603)
673-8854. Robinson is available for interviews and presentations.

SOURCE HandicappedPets.com
Web Site: http://www.handicappedpets.com/

(PRWEB) May 8, 2006 —- It’s no secret that designer dog apparel has become the rage thanks to celebrities and their pets like Jessica Simpson and Daisy, Paris Hilton and Tinkerbell, and Nicole Ritchie and Honeychild. These famous pooches are always outfitted in the finest, rivaling even their owner’s attire.

Kat is one half of the mother-daughter team behind JazzyPooch.com. While designers dream of having celebrities wear their creations at the Oscars, Jazzy pooch.com’s Kat aspires, “I dream of little dogs on the runway in my designs.” Her mother, K. Madison, relies on her own designer skills and buyer expertise to offer high-end stylish dog clothes and designer pet accessories. One hot accessory that makes a perfect Mother’s Day present is the Faux Pearl Heart Locket for Mommy and Me. This gorgeous piece opens to reveal of picture of the V.I.P. (Very Important Pooch) and its adoring owner.

For the discerning shopper of trendy pet fashions, Madison can be commissioned to create custom stylish dog clothes through JazzyPooch.com. They also offer a unique sizing program to tailor fit any of their designer pet clothes to your pooch perfectly. All dog wear is handmade in the U.S. A unique distinction of Jazzypooch is that the owner has the option of commissioning matching or coordinating human apparel.

It is important to note that unlike most small dog apparel, JazzyPooch Couture is made for the pup and not the owner. While owners are sure to love their stylish dog clothes, it is the dog that mother and daughter colleagues, K. and Kat Madison, think about when designing these trendy pet fashions. Not only do they focus on the comfort and mobility of your special canine, but they insist that a pooch knows when he/she looks good in the designer pet accessories. That esteem of a happy dog is what they strive for in their couture creations. K. Madison states, “We want the best for you and for your special friend. Our goals are high. I was taught mediocrity was never acceptable.” And she adds, “Of course, the very best part of this effort is to have my daughter, Kat, as my partner.”

Kat is a talented writer and contributor to her high school journals. She speaks three languages and plans college studies abroad.

K. Madison says she had an early start, outfitting her pet dogs for play. Now teamed with her daughter, Kat, she offers designer canine couture, accessories, and, forthcoming, a line of canine furnishings.

To see the spring line of customized dog clothes and designer pet accessories, please visit JazzyPooch.com.

About JazzyPooch.com:

K. Madison had an early start outfitting her pet dogs at a young age. Now, teamed with her daughter Kat Madison, she began JazzyPooch.com to offer handmade designer dog couture, accessories, and furniture. Kat is also a talented journalist and writer that speaks three languages and plans to study college abroad.

Launch of Spoil-Your-Dog.com Offers Endless Ways To Spoil Your Dog

Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.

Margaret Svete has just launched a new web site, Spoil-Your-Dog.com that showcases literally hundreds of ways for dog owners to spoil their dogs.

Venice, FL (PRWEB) April 27, 2006 — Margaret Svete has just launched a new web site, www.Spoil-Your-Dog.com that showcases hundreds of ways for dog owners to spoil their dogs. The site is based on her book, “116 Ways To Spoil Your Dog.”

We are seeing a phenomenal explosion in the pet industry. Dog owners are spending money on their pets like never before. As a result the selection of dog products and services is ever increasing.

This site gives dog owners an opportunity to find truly unique things for their dogs like custom-built pet mansions, caps and gowns for their dog’s graduation from obedience school, even cool sunglasses and sunscreen for a day at the beach.

This site is perfect for dog lovers who want the best for their dogs. But it‚Äö√Ñ√¥s not just for dog owners. ‚Äö√Ñ√∫It‚Äö√Ñ√¥s given several of my readers ideas for their very own dog-related business,‚Äö√Ñ√π says Svete. ‚Äö√Ñ√∫More importantly it gives dog owners the chance to discover some really awesome things they won’t find at their local pet store.‚Äö√Ñ√π

Spoil Your Dog is unique in that it doesn’t just list and review dog-related products and services. The site is based on Svete’s experiences with her dogs. Dog owners can gather some great tips for caring for their dogs by reading about the successes (and mistakes) Svete has had with her dogs.

Margaret Svete is a sought-after speaker who has been a guest on CNN and is frequently interviewed by newspapers and magazines. Her tales of dog ownership and countless tips for making life with your dog both easier and more fun have made her a favorite with dog lovers everywhere. A true dog’s best friend, she is a Humane Society Volunteer and is involved in German Shepherd Rescue.

For additional information about how to spoil your dog, contact Margaret Svete at www.Spoil-Your-Dog.com

Designer dogs are an attempt to breed dogs that make sense for current life and not a passing fad.

That’s the surprising opinion of Louise Louis, the creator of www.ToyBreeds.com which is devoted solely to American Kennel Club (AKC) Toy dog breeds. “It’s an ugly truth that some breeds have outlived their reason to exist in urban America.”

Many of the established dog breeds in Herding, Hound and Working groups are too large and too active for today’s urban and busy family life she believes. Designer dogs are an attempt to breed dogs that fit in with contemporary life.

One of the fastest growing groups buying dogs are retirees who often treat their dogs like their children. These owners, however, are often downsizing and needs dogs that can live in RVs or patio/garden homes.

“Dogs like the Border Collie have been bred for generations to herd. With no sheep in the suburbs, it’s not surprising they herd small children,” Ms. Louis said. “This is rarely acceptable conduct but at the same time, few people today have the time, training and patience to channel a dog’s natural instincts into acceptable behavior.”

The designer dogs are a cross of Poodles with other breeds in an attempt to capture the best traits of both breeds. With the explosion of allergies among children and adults, Poodles are prized for the minimal shedding as well as their intelligence and trainability. What people don’t like are their high energy and sometimes high-strung personalities or even the Poodle-look.

Breeding a purebred Poodle with a purebred of a different breed is an attempt to breed a slightly larger and/or more mellow dog. That’s the reason for new crossbreeds such as the Cavoodle (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle) or Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle).

‚Äö√Ñ√∫There’s no denying that some breeds have been bred so much for appearance that their health has sometimes been jeopardized,‚Äö√Ñ√π Ms. Louis said. ‚Äö√Ñ√∫That‚Äö√Ñ√¥s the reason for the widely popular — and expensive — Puggle.‚Äö√Ñ√π

A Puggle is a cross of a Pug with a Beagle. Pugs have great temperament but they have breathing problems as a result of their flat, squashed-in faces with small nasal openings, narrow windpipes and long soft palates.

All those breed characteristics limit breathing, contribute to airway obstruction and result in wheezing and snoring. The Beagle strain is intended to improve the Pug’s physiology but retain the Pug’s good nature — but with a bit more of the Beagle‚Äö√Ñ√¥s energy.

Opponents of designer dogs are correct that no one can guarantee that the best traits of each breed will be in the new breeds. It’s possible for a cross to have the worst of both breeds including genetic problems of both breeds.

This criticism, she says, has been made about dog breeds forever. Every breed recognized by the American Kennel Club started with cross breeding for specific reasons. Today’s popular and pampered Yorkshire Terrier began life as the product of at least three other terrier breeds and was bred down in size to facilitate catching rats and other small mammals.

There’s no magic number of dog breeds that should exist, she noted. The dog community needs to do what makes sense for contemporary life, not try to live in the past.

Her opinion is that the reputable kennel clubs such as AKC and United Kennel Club should embrace designer dogs and encourage responsible breeding by championing breed clubs for these new breeds.

‚Äö√Ñ√∫As usual, the American Kennel Club (AKC) is mired in yesterday and attacks the popularity of these dogs as being nothing more than high-priced mutts. There is truth to that‚Äö√Ñ√π, she concedes. ‚Äö√Ñ√∫but the unwillingness of the AKC and dog community to support the process of creating official dog breeds is the reason for that.”

If the responsible elements of the dog community don’t recognize and embrace cross breeding, it leaves the market to those who only want to breed for money without any regarding for furthering and defining a breed.

“In a few years, the Cavoodle could be just as refined and posh as today’s Yorkshire Terrier.

Two black Labradors have become the world’s first dogs to be trained to search for counterfeit DVDs, a trade organisation have said.

The dogs, Lucky and Flo, have been trained to detect discs to help combat DVD piracy, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) said.

Fact has joined forces with express delivery company FedEx and HM Revenue & Customs to crack down on DVD piracy. As part of a project promoted by the Motion Picture Association, Fact organised for the dogs to undergo training with a world expert in the field.

A Fact spokesman said the dogs had been taught to identify DVDs that might be located in boxes, envelopes or other packaging, as well as discs concealed amongst other goods which would them be sold illegally in the UK.

“These DVDs are often smuggled by criminal networks involved in large scale piracy,” the spokesman said.

For their first major live test, Lucky and Flo were put to work at FedEx’s UK hub at Stansted Airport in Essex where they immediately identified packages and parcels containing DVDs for destinations in the UK.

Fact director general Raymond Leinster said: “This is the first time dogs have been used anywhere in the world to search for counterfeit DVDs and the results were amazing.

“With the co-operation and assistance of FedEx and Customs we were able to properly test the dogs in a live situation and prove that they can work in a busy working environment.”

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