Getting ready to move to our new place...

We're getting ready to move. The dogs have moved plenty of times, but for the last 5 years, we have been in our current apartment. The dogs will finally have their very own backyard! Meena will be fine, but we are a bit nervous/ cautious for Heidi. I know she'll slowly figure out the layout of our new place, but since going blind, the transition may be a little harder for her. She is such a trooper and survivor... I think everything will be fine.

We'll most likely be moving during the 4th of July holiday, I wanted to repost this link for natural remedies/ sedatives to help dogs during stressfull times...click HERE.

We need to purchase new id tags, and register with the city.

We will be offline while we get settled into the new place. Be sure to check out 'Our Profile' for other helpful dog blog links.

Hope everyone is well.
Enjoy your summer! :)
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most popular pet names of 2008

Dogs:
1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella (Isabella)
4. Molly
5. Lucy
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Sophie
10. Chloe
* other names we'd like to add to the list include: Coco, Wrigley, Mia, Jack, Lulu, Zoe, Murphy, Emma, Cody, Riley, Casey, Harley, Lily, "Disney/Pixar" characters (Gizmo, Nala, etc). all very popular names with our clients!

Cats:
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger
4. Tiger
5. Lucy
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Shadow
10. Charlie

You can read all about it at Petside.com. Also, check out some of the craziest celebrity pet names here.
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links...

* transforming an old tv into a dog bed at Erin Rages...
(after)

(before)


* cute dog collar accessories and doggie travel bags, here at Bookie and Belle...






* have you seen the new dogwashing machine, the Dog'O'Matic?



* hey, we found Oprah's dog groomer's blog, Happy Dog Land. tons of great info!

* petfood recalls as of 6/15/09 here.
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links...

Our little dog blog has been neglected lately.
Heidi is doing great, Meena too. Thanks for all the nice messages for Dee!

Here are some pet friendly links to check out...
* Five pet products for a people friendly home.

* First class air travel with Pet Airways.

* The most pet friendly vehicle ever.

* DIY grooming tips.

* Check out the new season of Groomer Has It. You can watch full episodes here.

canine glaucoma

Our little Heidi has gone completely blind.
In the fall of 2004, she was diagnosed with glaucoma in one of her eyes, and had surgery to treat the pain. She did well for many years, and just recently the glaucoma spread to her other eye. She has several presription eye drops and some meds for pain, but now she needs a second surgery. Right now, we're just making sure she isn't in any pain.


Here she is resting comfortably...


We found lots of links that have been helpful living with a blind pet...
* Blind Dog Emergency Pack- lots of helpful tips to make life easier for a blind pet.
* Hints for living with a blind dog, click HERE.
* Living with a blind dog- For Dummies, click HERE.
* more tips HERE and HERE.

We also found that with glaucoma, it is important to use a harness rather than a collar. It would also be nice to have some sort of eye protection. Maybe something like these mesh Doggles.


If anyone has any helpful tips, please send them our way. We'll keep you posted on Heidi's progress.
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Do you feed your pet Nutro dog food?

We have many canine dog friends that eat Nutro dog food. When we heard that pets were getting sick and dying, allegedly from eating Nutro, we had to share these links...

1. Nutro Dog Food Kills Again! -click here to read all about it.

2. You can check out the consumer complaints about Nutro dog food on the Consumer Affairs website.

We certainly are not trying to cause hysteria. Just wanted to share this info with our friends, especially with all of the pet food recalls, etc.
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more home remedies to add to the archives...

Great thread on home remedies for canine bladder infections, click here to read. Many sing the praises of apple cider vinegar and yogurt, as a home remedy, and we have to agree. The dogs have been enjoying acv & yogurt for years. We have also used pureed cranberries/juice, cranberry capsules or tinctures.

Apparently another home remedy for canine bladder infections is cream of tartar. We have heard that this really helps, but haven't tried it yet. Apparently, you mix a teaspoon of cream of tartar in the water bowl every day for about a week .

If the home remedies don't start working right away, please see your Vet asap.


10 ways to use baking soda to care for your pets- click here to view the entire list.

1. Use baking soda as a dry wash for your dogs. Sprinkle on, rub in and brush out. This is an easy way to control odor between bathing.

2. Maintain healthy teeth by dipping a damp, soft toothbrush in baking soda and brush gently. To help with bad breath try using the following solution mixed in a spray bottle. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water. Spray your pet’s mouth regularly.

* I've seen baking soda mentioned in several books, and online sites, that it works great for brushing canine teeth. But I've also read that baking soda is bad for dogs. Of course I didn't see any info to back up that claim.
If anyone knows more info, please let us know. :)

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The Home Spa Book for Dogs

The newest book for our collection...The Home Spa Book for Dogs.


We really love this book! It's full of great recipes for gourmet meals, treats, grooming~spa products. It also goes into doggy yoga, canine massage, nutrition, and how to groom your pet from head to toe. We're totally psyched to try out the recipes and DIY projects.

adventures in vegetable dehydrating, part 1

We have been wanting to try dehydrating vegetables, and fruit, for a while now. Since we do not have an electric food dehydrator, and it was a cold day in Chicago, we decided to give dehydrating a try via the oven.

First, start by chopping up the vegetables. We used carrots...


Place them on a baking sheet... *we added a dash of garlic powder for flavor*


Bake in the oven. You want to keep the door cracked open a bit.
With this batch, the carrots were in the oven for 6 hours on 200 degrees. The carrot sticks turned out better than the round ones, which really shrived up!
Here is an excellent link on how to dehydrate all sorts of fruits and vegetables.



It was fun to experiment with a new treat, but dehydrating isn't really energy efficient.

Typically we serve carrots raw... sticks or pureed.
We like to mix them with other vegetables, meat, poultry, acv, and/ or whatever else we have around.
It's easy to make small batches that last a few days in the refrigerator.
You can also make up larger batches and freeze in smaller batches. Of course that would be more economical.
We really want to give canning a try. Would love to hear if anyone has had adventures in canning?

* pureed carrots with acv...

February is Pet Dental Month

How do you clean your dog's teeth?
We have been giving our dogs raw meaty bones and bully sticks for the last 8 years. The girls enjoy it so much more than getting their teeth brushed, plus their teeth are pearly white, and they have healthy teeth and gums.

If you're not a fan of raw meaty bones, daily teeth brushing is an option. There are a number of pet toothbrushes and toothpastes on the market. We have also found a number of videos online that show how to properly brush your pet's teeth.

There are also lot's of toys and treats available that help keep your pet's teeth clean. We AVOID Greenies, Nylabones, and bleached rawhide chews. We highly recommend you research these products before giving them to your pet.

Click here to learn about about alternative treatments.

What if you don't clean your dog's teeth? Your pet could develop a number of health problems including peridontal disease, gingivitis, inflammation of the gums, and even more seriously, heart, lung and kidney disease.

AquaDent Pet Oral Health Product Contains Deadly Xylitol

This is so upsetting! Click the link below for more info...
AquaDent Pet Oral Health Product Contains Deadly Xylitol

another peanut butter treat recipe...

cute Valentine gifts for the dogs...

1 Funny Ernie
2 3 Dogs and a Chick
3 Funny Ernie
4 Classic Hound
5 CamillesStudio
6 The Collar Connection
7 Lucky Fiona
8 hatz4brats
9 8Paws Collars

cute stocking stuffers!

Check out these doggie waste bag holders we just received from "For Dogs Only Boutique". They come in a variety of fabrics and are a really great value. 

Yes, they are more a gift for the humans than the dogs, but still a nice gift. 

Check out the shop here.

Dog Treat Gift Bags

Yesterday we spent the day baking cookies, and today we are making little gift bags for some doggie friends.

We purchased little pre-made muslin bags on which we attempted handstamping the contents. For fun, we added a little felt gift tag and a jingle bell. We found the pattern for the felt gift tags here on this tutorial.

baking dog treats...

* peanut butter and oatmeal dog treats *

* cranberry biscotti dog treats*

Last minute Christmas shopping...Help Support Artists & Crafters this Holiday season.

* from left to right and top to bottom...

1.siestadog 2.BeanTownHandmade 3.TheModernPet 4.SpoiledNotRotten

5. jakeybb 6. pecanpiepuppies 7. CustomThreads 8. JenniferNicole

9. luckyfiona 10. MimisHouse 11. RescueMeTugz 12. sparklejess

13. mrsofttop 14. siestadog 15. miascloset 16. 8PawsCollars

dog food news

FDA Ignores the Pet Food Safety Deadline by Susan Thixton, citizen journalist of Natural News.
Click Here to read the entire article

Melamine may be Just the Tip of the Iceberg by Susan Thixton of Natural News.

"Chinese Veterinarian reporting melamine is just the tip of the iceberg of chemicals routinely added to animal feed ingredients exported to a world of pet food and animal feed manufacturers".

Click Here to read the entire article.

So what do we feed our pets? Here are some helpful links...

- Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid, Click Here.

- Click Here to learn how to feed your dog a "Raw" diet.

- Read about the Myths of Raw Feeding HERE.

- The 2008 Whole Dog Journal's approved dog food list
is Here.

Campaign for more effective regulation/enforcement of pet food labels. Click HERE for tons of information on ways to help crusade.

We got the 'Pedi Paw'!

We've been dying to try it, so we finally broke down and bought one.
It's basically a dremel, but has a plastic guard cap to hold the nail in place. Love it!!! Well Meena & Heidi don't REALLY love it, but they are going to learn to get used to it.
Wish it came with different emery heads. Perhaps a coarser one as well the current one. Maybe speed settings would be nice.
Here is the link to the Pedi Paw site.

Vicktory dogs wine collection supporting Best Friends Animal Santuary...

The Dog Lovers Wine Club has teamed with Best Friends
to create the signature wine series – a special two-case collection celebrating
the 22 dogs who were rescued from Michael Vick’s dog-fighting operation and who
now live at Best Friends.

* more info click HERE

If you haven't already heard, Obama is looking for a shelter dog to bring to the White House. Yay! But it needs to be hypoallergenic.
Click here for a list of 'possibly' hypoallergenic dog breeds.

Bye bye Barney (you too Miss Beazley and Willie). We are going to miss Barney Cam and the cute little holiday videos.
Check out naughty Barney...


Click here to read an interesting article on Pet Food Recipe Changes and Challenges with the rising costs of food.

doggie linky- poos

Make your own All-Natural Dog Shampoo. Lots of great recipes HERE.

Make & Build Dog Stuff- great site to learn how to make almost anything for your pet.
We found tons of cool patterns.
Here are some we want to try...

- make your own dog booties

- agility equipment patterns & DIY instructions

- dog harness DIY patterns here and here

- leash & lead DIY patterns


Here is an adorable free dog sweater pattern to knit.



We found some great dog treat and food recipes at Recipe Zaar. These pumpkin biscotti dog treats sound delicious.

Don't have time to commit to a pet full time? No worries. You can now rent pets at FLEXPETZ.

This K9Grass looks interesting.

Check out these home 'mudrooms' and 'showers' for dogs, found via Apartment Therapy. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Enjoy the links & have a great week!

a little online window shopping...

We found some great dog beds at Jax and Bones, via Apartment Therapy.
Love this one.


These little heart toys are so sweet.


Also love these bagel beds available at The Haute Hound.


These little chammys/spaw towels are wonderful to have around...


Love these toys by sparklejess ...


These Mutt Hutz are fabulous.


That's enough window shopping for us. It's been a nice distraction, but there are so many projects we must get back to work on.
Have a great weekend! xoxo

chicken and rice stew for the dogs...

It's time for us to do a little grocery shopping, but we were able to throw together a little chicken and rice dish for Meena and Heidi, with some items on hand.


Here is what we did...
- started with one large pot
- added 2 pounds of chopped raw chicken *NO BONES*
- 1 cup of uncooked rice
- topped with about 6 cups water
- threw in a dash of olive oil & salt
- covered. boiled, then simmered for approximately 20 minutes
- added a chopped apple
- 16 oz chopped green beans
- tossed in a dash of oregano, parsley and garlic
- added a couple more cups of water, and simmered for about another 20 minutes.
- let it cool off. served. stored leftovers in the refrigerator. super easy!

cranberries for dogs

Meena has had chronic UTIs since she was a puppy. She used to take meds from the Vet a few times a year, but they always came back. It seems like less grains and cranberries seem to help. I must say I'm not a Vet, but if your pet has chronic UTIs, then perhaps you may want to take a look at their diet.

fresh cranberries...


pureed...



cranberry cubes... * serve defrosted with regular diet


We just add defrosted cubes, as well as yogurt, to their regular raw food diet when necessary. Plus, we add some to their regular veggie mix. It's great to buy them in season and freeze. I really want to learn how to can fruits and vegetables.
Also, you can mix them with yogurt and make frozen treats. We did that here.

feeding your dogs kale...

In the summer and fall, we feed the dogs kale as a green in their veggie mix. (we mostly rotate between kale and collard greens this time of year)

Kale is high in fiber, super nutritious, has lots of vitamins and minerals. Plus, kale has a little 'kick' to it, so it adds some flavor to the mix.

We usually just puree and serve it fresh, along with other componants of their RAW food diet.
You could also try steaming kale, or using it in a stew. I found a great recipe using Kale in a stew, the 'A*starz Dog Stew', via this site.

3 lb. meat (chicken or turkey, cooked)
1 lb. raw organ meats (livers, kidneys, hearts)
2 c. peas
2 c. brown rice
1 c. lentils
4 garlic cloves
3 c. raw veggies (kale, carrots, parsley, tomatoes, sweet potatoes)

Bake the non-raw meats along with any dry vegetables such as split peas.

Debone the meat and shred pieces by hand.

In a food processor, mulch up raw meats.

Cook the brown rice and lentils together.

In a food processor, mulch up vegetables and garlic.

Mix it all together and serve!

Freeze the leftovers.

* Originally from Donna Stekli

Be sure to check out DragonBear Dog Treat & food Recipes. They have a really wonderful compilation of dog food and treat recipes.

butternut squash for dogs

Butternut squash is one of the healthiest vegetables you can serve. Nutritionally, butternut squash has more vitamin C and beta-carotene than any other winter squash. We've found that it also seems to help with constipation, and releasing anals naturally. Of course, talk to your Vet to see if squash is right for your pet.
We baked this squash, removed the seeds, and pureed it...

We made Isaboo's Butternut Squash Mac and Cheddar by Rachel Ray.
Click HERE for the recipe. It's delicious!
* we did have to substitute some of the ingredients and we did not use onions.


we added some of the baked squash to our current veggie mix...
* kale, cranberries and squash


- more squash dogfood recipes Here.

- this spring chicken loaf with squash recipe looks good.

We really want to try these Autumn Harvest dog snacks from Charlies Market ...

easy peanut butter dog treats

fun Halloween dog stuff found on Etsy...

1 blackened angel 2 thecollaredcanine 3 classic hound 4 jinnyscloset
5 ConstantGalore 6 miascloset 7 LittlePies 8 PawsInTheSun
9 CharliesMarket 10 RescueMeTugz 11 SparklelberryCrafts 12 doublestardesign
13 MuddyWaters 14 sudlow 15 luckyfiona 16 SandyDogBakery

Pet Fashion Week NYC

For more information about past and future shows, click HERE.

- PFW Lifestyle Innovation Award- click HERE to view the winners.

- The 2008 Exhibitor list is HERE. Tons of cool vendors!

- Here's another fun site for the fashionistas... Pup Style- The Original Snobby Dog Blog. Great blog- lots of fabulous finds!

random stuff

love these paint by number kits you can have made from your pet's photo...


- check out these cool dog beds at Hepper.

- i really want this print: Mareike Auer Dog Love Print.

- click here to find out more about the recent limited recall of Pedigree dog food.

- Dog Fancy magazine got punked by PETA. you can read all about it here.

- check out the video below by PETA. we don't agree with everything PETA does, but this is sends out pretty powerful message. plus it's done with a little humor. although if you are easily offended, then don't watch it.

Learn more about PETA's ABC campaign at PETA.org.

new fabric for bandanas...

We received some super cute fabric pieces ,to make bandanas, from one of our favorite supply shops.
Click here to link.
If you are interested in making your own bandanas for your pet, check out these free patterns here and here.

We just received these in the mail and had to share...

Poodle gocco print by Vivienne Strauss




Dorothy in the Park with Bertram and Benchly print of original painting

* don't the dogs in this print look a bit like Meena & Heidi?

Check out her shop HERE.

random pet related info...

Fresh vegetables and berries in our current batch of homemade dogfood.

Puree and mix the produce.
Serve with raw or cooked meat.
Refrigerate or freeze small batches.


Tragic dog grooming story involving a heated cage dryer...

Click HERE for more details.


Check out The No Kill Blog- Working to end the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters.


Bob Barker pushes for law on spaying, neutering pets in Chicago. Click HERE for the details.



How cool is this?
Make a chaise bed out of cardboard for your pet.
Click HERE for all of the details.



Have you seen "A day in the life a Mr. Lee"?
It's super cool. Click HERE to find out how you can make your pet a photographer.
Also check out, Mr Lee- Projects for pets HERE. There is a GPS tracking device and spy camera for your pet.

summer lovin'

cute etsy finds...

click on links below to see above items...
* classic hound * lily goat * allingwelsh
* dog ties * mod dog shop * merlin's bark products
* the modern pet * jvalal * cocollectibles

the dog days of summer

hello!
we're just taking it easy and trying to stay cool.
here are some links we have been meaning to share...
- Singing the Praises of Apple Cider Vinegar at Whole Dog News.

- Great article on dietary intolerance here...

" In dogs dietary intolerance most commonly affects the skin or digestive system causing disease/disorders related to these organs. This might be eczema, itchy skin, dermatitis, otitis (ear inflammation), vomiting, diarrhoea, colitis, gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, abdominal discomfort etc.
Other organ systems can also be affected e.g. immune system, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, endocrine (hormonal) system. Any symptom or disease affecting any of these organ systems could be caused by a dietary intolerance. This would include arthritis, convulsions (epilepsy), abnormal behaviour, allergic (pollen, house dust mite) and inflammatory reactions (pancreatitis, hepatitis), susceptibility to infection, Cushing’s, Addison’s, under- and over-active thyroid etc.
Long-term unrecognised dietary intolerance may be the underlying cause of degenerative diseases such as heart or kidney failure and cancer. "

- Check out Canine Reference for the "ultimate dog breed resource", click HERE.

- This book looks interesting, "The Real Safety Guide to: Pet Health: How to secure your pet’s long-term health, safety and welfare". It says, "ninety percent of all pet health problems are caused by pet food and preventable health hazards."

- Tell Congress -- No More Toxic toys, click HERE. Yes, lead and toxic chemicals, called phthalates, are not a good thing.

- Check out the Truth About Pet Food website HERE.

- Cool dog blog to add to our favs- Dog Bliss: all dog things sublime and ridiculous.

- 21 Symptoms you should never ignore in your dog by Dr. Debra Primovic.

- hazel & gertie's looks like a cute shop! we will have to put it on our list of places to visit the next time we're in San Francisco.

- Do your dog's feet smell like corn chips? If you know what I'm talking about you must click here! While you're there be sure to check out the most awesome Punk Rock dog fashions.

- Is your dog a fan of Obama or McCain? Check out My Political Pet.

- Interesting...Rachel Ray has her own line of pet food...and Ellen is now an owner of Halo pet food.

- Jonathan Adler line for pets...nice! love the British flag dog bed.

- we want to check out this all natural breath freshener , found via Low Impact Living.

- Concerned about vaccines? Click here to read about the Rabies Challenge Fund.

- Click HERE for FREE resizeable dog apparel patterns!

We have used the pattern shown below, and it turned out great. Click HERE to see directions.



Update: after looking in the archives, i found the coat made from this pattern, click here. wow! that was over 3 years ago. time flies...

Mee & Dee's recipe for an easy summer salad...

This week we made a salad using organic kale, carrots and parsley.
We tossed everthing into the food processor for a nice puree.


Then we made a salad dressing using safflower oil, apple cider vinegar, and a bit of fresh garlic.


Mix everything together...


Toss and serve with fresh meat.
Easy, healthy & delicious!


* we try to change up our vegetable mixes every week for a nice variety of flavor and nutrients.

fresh blueberries and yogurt...

Here are some easy dog treat ideas for those hot summer days. No oven required.

Start with a batch of fresh blueberries...


mix/puree with a large tub of yogurt...


and serve...
* Meena loves it
* Heidi will only eat it mixed with her regular food, on a treat, or frozen



we poured some of the mix into an ice cube tray for some freezee pops.
we did some with treats and some without.
toss into the freezer and serve as a snack on a hot day...


while they chill, we used some of the mix to drizzle over these regular store bought treats...
* store these in the refrigerator

yummers!

We have had a busy & fun week with the holiday, but have fallen a bit behind on our grocery shopping and dog food making. To get through the weekend, we stocked up on cans of this wonderful Homestyle Chicken Stew by Nature's Variety. It's full of healthy ingredients. We highly recommend it! It's a little bit decadent for our budget to serve all the time, but fine for those times when we're too busy to cook.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend, staying cool and eating well!

dogs and fireworks

* Yikes! It's that time of year again. Here are some helpful tips to help your pet deal with the stress, found via dogtime.com...
- Keep your dog inside, and if possible, don't leave him alone in the house.
- Drown out the noise of the fireworks as much as possible. Close your windows and turn on the radio or television. - Make sure he has access to his crate or "safe place" during the show, and casually toss him a treat once in a while.
- Act normal! Talk to your dog in an upbeat voice and go about your usual activities. Coddling or babying isn't advised: your dog takes his cues from you, so if he senses that you're confident and unafraid, he'll be more likely to respond in a similar manner.

* Rescue Remedy is a great product to help your pet relax...


* Melatonin can also be helpful.
You can find this at your neighborhood drug store. The people stuff works just fine. Stick it into a piece of cheese and serve.

* Herbal tonics with Valerian and Scullcap work great too.
You can find good herbal tonics at health food stores, holistic Vets, and at many pet supply stores.

Hope you have an enjoyable holiday! Relax, have fun and be safe.
Mee & Dee xo

FDA Requests Seizure of Animal Food Products at PETCO Distribution Center

FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 19, 2008

Today, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized various animal food products stored under unsanitary conditions at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center located in Joliet, IL., pursuant to a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Chicago.
U.S. Marshals seized all FDA-regulated animal food susceptible to rodent and pest contamination. The seized products violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because it was alleged in a case filed by the United States Attorney that they were being held under unsanitary conditions. (The Act uses the term "insanitary" to describe such conditions).
During an FDA inspection of a PETCO distribution center in April, widespread and active rodent and bird infestation was found. The FDA inspected the facility again in May and found continuing and widespread infestation.
"We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy and unsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company's failure to adequately control and prevent pests in its facility," said Margaret O'K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "Consumers expect that such safeguards will be in place not only for human food, but for pet food as well."
The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
FDA has no reports of pet illness or death associated with consumption of animal food distributed by PETCO, and does not have evidence that the food is unsafe for animals. However, the seized products were in permeable packages and held under conditions that could affect the food's integrity and quality.
As a precaution, consumers who have handled products originating from the PETCO distribution center should thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap. Any surfaces that came in contact with the packages should be washed as well. Consumers are further advised as a precaution to thoroughly wash products sold in cans and glass containers from PETCO in the 16 affected states.
If a pet has become ill after eating these food products, pet owners should contact their veterinarian and report illnesses to FDA state consumer complaint coordinators.

Media Inquiries: Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
Click HERE to click to the news release.

Dog Flu Outbreak Sweeps Chicago

Reporting Mike Parker

CHICAGO (CBS) ― An aggressive strain of flu appears to be affecting dogs in the Chicago area. CBS 2's Mike Parker reports that Milo is a 7-year-old golden retriever who just recovered from a tough new strain of canine influenza that seems to be sweeping through Chicago. "He was coughing a lot and wheeezing and he had a discharge coming out of his eyes, kind of an odd color," said Sarah Rack, Milo's owner. "That's when we knew something was wrong." Derrick Landini, a North Side vet, says he's treated some 40 dogs with symptoms of this new flu in recent weeks. "We have more than one case confirmed now and there are reports coming back that its indicative of canine influenza virus," Landini said. Infected dogs can experience severe coughing for up to 30 days, along with a fever. This flu can lead to pneumonia in very young or very old dogs, and it can have a death rate of five percent. It is not contagious for humans. Dr. Landini believes dog beaches, like the one at Montrose and the lakefront are prime areas for infection. Should owners and their pets stay away? "I would probably hold off for a while," Landini said. "I don't want to put the fear of God in them, it is something that's going to run its course. It is treatable, just try to use common sense if there's a hacking dog around." Most of the dog owners we talked to knew about the flu, but went to the beach anyway. "They can get it at daycare, at a kennel," said Ed Fairman, dog owner. "They can get it anywhere dogs hang out with each other." This virulent strain of flu has popped up in Florida, Nevada, New York and Wisconsin during the last four years or so, but it is new to Chicago. Vets say that most dogs that get it will be okay, with antibiotics and anti-cough medication. Sooner or later, this flu will run its course.

Click HERE for the whole story.

composting dog poop

Here is a fancy schmancy dog poop composter by Nature Mill, found via Modern Dog Magazine. This seems to be a good one for the urban dog, as long as you have a deck.




Check out this DIY dog waste composter, the "Dog-Dooly".
Click HERE for the step by step. * BTW, you need a yard for this one.
More detailed article HERE, by Marion Owen...



- Click HERE for a DIY on how to build your own dog compost... found via The Fun Times Guide to Dogs.

- Check out Dog Poo Power in San Francisco over at Treehugger. Can dog poo really power homes?

- this is an interesting thread on Garden Web...
"Don't waste any of your money.
...(worm queen extraordinaire) says to get a rubbermaid kitchen garbage can (doesn't matter, as long as the lid fits tight), cut the bottom off and bury it about 2 feet in the ground in an out of the way part of your yard. Put in some garden soil, hay or straw, some compost, and then add the poop. As you add poop, make sure you add dead leaves or straw to balance the mix. The worms will come! Just make sure you do NOT use the byproduct on any edible plants (no matter how black and rich it is!)....".
CLICK HERE to follow the thread. There are certainly drawbacks with the composting. I always like to hear all of the pros and cons.

m & d's muesli

We made up a big bowl of muesli to add to the dog's diet this week. They rarely eat grains, mostly just meat & veggies. But now that Meena has recovered from her bout with giardia, we thought it would be a good idea to clean out those intestines.
As far as grains in their diet, we use mostly oats. Oats are inexpensive and easily digested.
This time we decided to add some flax seed since we had some on hand....


First we pureed the seeds (I feel like it's easier for the dogs to digest)...


then added the seeds to the oats...


next, water was added to the grains to soak...


Once the grains have been soaked, it's easy to add in our veggie mix and meat.

** BTW, we added fresh garlic to the mix.
Click here for more info on garlic for dogs.


Here is a list of grains we have used in the past to make our muesli:
- rolled oats
- rye flakes
- barley flakes
- buckwheat
- quinoa
- millet
- wheat bran
- flax Seeds

If you don't have the time or patience to make your own, there are some good muesli mixes for dogs that you can purchase. Check out these...

Monzies Organic Muesli for Dogs and Europeon- Style Dog Food Mix from Sojos- Click here .

doggie linky- poos

Control fleas on your pets without chemicals, click HERE to read about it at The Cat/Dog Log.

Raise a Green Dog! Great site. Click HERE to link.

This is a great doggie donut bed tutorial, click HERE for the pattern.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie coming out soon...



Planet Jorge- Jorge from Groomer has it, check out his blog.


Check out Lucky Dog Blog, click HERE.


The Daily Kibble : the inside poop on the latest, greatest, hottest, and coolest everything...for pets.


Want to try out this Botanical dog ear cleaner, and their other grooming product.


Essential oils for pets, read article HERE.


You have to check out Doggie Ups awesome photo for their biz, click HERE. They have a cute online doggie boutique too.


Dog cloning, see it HERE.


Cool dog photograghy HERE.


Find out how to recycle pet hair HERE.


Cute dog blog! art4milkbones- a girl and her dogs.


We like this blog, Bark N Blog.


Read about the rabies challenge fund HERE.


We want to try making this organic eggshell powder.

Dog treat recipes at Purely Pets- shared recipes.

Cool dog blog, iLOVE DOG.

Cute dog collars and accessories at Pattern & Paw.

A Dog's View... Shadrach the neo mastiff blogs on aromatherapy

Giardia

Sorry we haven't posted in while. Meena has been a little under the weather. We've been nursing her back to health, power cleaning our home and outside courtyard area with bleach, doing tons of laundry, etc.

She went to the Doctor this past weekend. He gave her a shot and prescribed metronidazole and bella phen. The Doctor told us to fast her for a day and a half.

Today she is doing great and back to her old self. She's eating a bland diet with yogurt. She's not thrilled about that part, but that is what the Vet told us to do.

Heidi is totally fine, knock on wood. She could be a carrier and not show symptoms. She has a Vet visit coming up, so hopefully the Vet can give us more info.

Of course I'm a nervous dog mom, and am trying to learn as much as I can about Giardia . Did she get it boarding when we were on vacation? Did I bring it home from work?

Here are some links, we found to be helpful...
* click on the links below to connect to the sites

Tiny Giardia can make Fido mighty sick

Giardia (Giardia canis)

Giardia in Dogs & Cats: More common than you think


Here are some other tips we've received that we're checking out...
- adding a drop of bleach to drinking water

- adding garlic to their homemade dog food (we usually do this, but didn't with the last batch)

- this immune strengthener at Only Natural Pet

- Love My Pet Diarrhea relief at ONP

- Kocci Free all natural herbal treatment remedy

- supplementing with Probiotics, Blackleaf and MSM

- Panacur dewormer, more info here

If you have any helpful advice, please do share. ..

Eddie's wall of cute

Check it out, we are on the front page of "Pet's for the Environment", on "Eddie's wall of cute".
We are so excited!
Mee & Dee xo

say no to plastic bags

our family is so guilty of using plastic grocery bags to pick up dog doo. shame on us.
but we are going to make a huge effort to be better and use the biodegradeable bags.

check out these links for more information on plastic bags and dog poo...
Get rid of plastic bags!

Dealing with dog poop (bags)

PoopBag.com's Signature Dog Waste Bags

Compostable Biodegradable Dog Waste Poop Bags

PetHabitats - environmentally-friendly pet waste disposal bags and systems


Check out these creative ways some designers have used plastic bags in their designs...

1 kimquilts 2 cristencrochet 3 lousupcycles 4 carataylor

green cleaning

This wonderful piece is by a talented collage artist. Check out her shop "In a Bit". Lots of cool designs for dog lovers.

As many of you know, we have been on the hunt for the best & safest cleaning products. We even tried the DIY approach.
Thank you to everyone who sent us links and recommendations. We will share them here...

- great green cleaning article found on treehugger

- Nature's Sunshine cleaning products: Safe for people, animals, plants and our environment. Biodegradable, non-polluting, chemical-free. Non-flammable.

- animal shelters going green article found on Best Friends Animal Society website

- Mrs Meyers cleaning products for pets

- How to Green Your Cleaning article on treehugger has tons of helpful information

pets for the environment

Click here to learn more.

Payton's Pooch Pastries

We did a little shopping on etsy and ordered treats from Payton's Pooch Pastries. They were made fresh and are super yummy! We want to try the cheesy biscuits next.

Are the chemicals in your lawn poisoning your pet?

CLICK HERE to find out how to make your lawn safe for your pets.

Heidi blogging...

We've been playing around with the "pimp your pooch" feature on the Groomer Has It website. It's tons of fun. You gotta try it!

Meena looks like she has a couple of screws loose...


I've always wondered what it was like to be a blond...


To see full episodes of "Groomer has it", click here.
If you have some time to kill, and you love stupid reality shows, then you absolutely have to watch it! It's very entertaining.
* Please note, it is a "reality" show, but it is not quite "reality dog grooming".
So don't be buggin' your dog groomer with ..."but they did it on Groomer Has It".

Enjoy!
Dee xo

ps. just had to do one more with Meena...

Primal Canine Chicken Formula

Since there has been some slacking in the dog food making department, the dogs are trying out the Primal Canine Formula Raw Diet this week.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken, Chicken Necks, Ground Chicken Bones, Chicken Hearts, Organic Kale, Organic Carrots, Organic Yams, Chicken Livers, Organic Broccoli, Organic Apples, Organic Ground Flax Seed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Parsley, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Kelp, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Garlic, Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Vitamin E), Organic Grapefruit Seed Extract.

help! my dog got skunked!

1 mosie26 2 enamor 3 jewelsbydesign 4 kitschpatches
5 ossiegirl46 6 anatomy of a skirt 7 tugboatprintshop 8 retrochalet
9 jellyshoerebellion 10 moonshinebluebirds 11 erinaellis 12 sick on sin

We couldn't resist the cute skunks. The shop names are listed above. Just click on the name to view something close-up.
Anyway, back to de-skunking...
Believe me, as a dog groomer, I have heard this plenty of times. I have tried different dog shampoos on the market that are specifically formulated to remove the skunk smell, but haven't found any that work as well as the old school remedies.

our favorite deskunk shampoo recipe:
- ingredients include:
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1/2 cup of vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp of gentle dishwashing liquid (we have used Ivory or Dawn in the past)
* these are approximate measurements, you may have to make a larger batch for larger dogs, and to do a second bath.

- take a bucket and mix together the ingredients.
- carefully coat your pet with the mixture. dogs typically get sprayed in the head and neck the heaviest. try to get face, but be very careful around the eyes.
- let mixture stand in coat for approximately 10 minutes.
- rinse really well.
- repeat if necessary.

Also, you will need to clean your dog's ears.
Here is an easy ear cleaner recipe (also works well on dog's with yeasty ear infections):
- mix equal parts of vinegar and water
- pour into a squirt bottle
- gently squirt into ear and massage
- back up and let your dog his head
- gently wipe out any gunk with cotton balls. you want to be careful as to not lodge anything into the ear canal
* make sure the mixture is warm (not hot) before squirting it into the ear

To freshen up their skunk breath, we absolutely adore Spot Organics Peppermint Dog Breath Spray.

Hopefully, you will not need to use these recipes, but they are here if you do. We would love to hear your de-skunk suggestions & recommendations!

ps we have tried the tomato juice concoction, and also the vinegar douches, but neither worked as well as the recipe we use.

going green...baby steps...

we finally got around to making some of the eco friendly cleaning supplies from the Eco Dog book. we sort of followed the directions, but tweaked a few things, and would like to try some essential oils in the future. here is what we ended up doing...

* the book has better descriptions and lots more recipes.



ingredients:
- white vinegar
- lemon juice
- baking soda
- salt
- water



glass & window cleaner:
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice


scouring powder:
- equal parts of vinegar, salt, baking soda and water * it should be pastey


toilet-bowl cleaner:
- 1 cup white vinegar and 6 tablespoons baking soda. let stand for 30 minutes and scrub clean.


additional cleaning supplies:
- Murphy's Oil for our wood floors. it is a vegetable oil base.
- earth friendly laundry and dishwashing detergent.




It was nice to clean without inhaling stong chemicals!
I don't even want to think about the stuff used at dog kennels and salons, and how long term use & exposure could affect the health of the staff and dog. yikees!

update: oops, i forgot to mention Borax as a cleaning supply. use it instead of bleach. great for laundry, pest control, and more. CLICK HERE for some recipes.

we're trying to go green...

* white beagle on green background, more designs available HERE.

things we're learning as much as we can about right now:

- safe and natural cleaning supplies for home, grooming salons and kennels

- dog waste and composting

- the best natural grooming products for pets

* i really want to find something similar to Aveda, but for pets. any recommendations???

- dangerous & toxic chemicals in cleaning supplies and grooming products

please leave any helpful comments. we always appreciate any friendly advice. :)

the dog food conspiracy...

...for more information click HERE.

annie's sweatshop

* to link to her shop, click here.


we were very excited to see Annie's Sweatshop on the front page of etsy. we love her designs! plus, she is an absolute sweetheart!
we picked up a couple of adorable cute spring collars, click here.

bathing your short haired dog

do you want to bathe your dog at home?

check out these links for suggestions:
- dog tricks, tips and insights
- advice on pet care
- video- how to bathe your dog
- train your dog to be groomed

**as a groomer, i recommend home bathing for short hair dogs only.
if you have a long haired dog, or a dog with an undercoat that needs to come out, go to a professional on a regular basis. it's so much easier! treat yourself and your pet!
unless you want to mess up your bathroom, invest in power blowdryers, special brushes, clippers, dematting tools, etc, at home grooming can be a big PIA.

along with a brush & comb, ear cleaner, cotton balls, and lots of towels, here are some nice products to bathe your pet...

* 4th avenue soap co * boutique pink designs * crafting penguin * crochet maggie
* kittens corner cafe * crazy times candles * jackson sage * jaynegirl
* the modern pet * sweet petula * sweet petula * the windsong
* the modern pet * goodegear * bolo soap * gypsy paws

Pet Food Ingredients Revealed!

Click on the link below to see how the ingredients in your pet's food ranks:
Pet Food Ingredients Revealed!

Oprah Show- Investigating Puppy Mills

Investigating Puppy Mills on Oprah, with Lisa Ling, click here to view the episode.

** please note- it's really difficult and horribly sad to watch, but Bravo to Oprah, Lisa Ling, and Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, for bringing this to everyone's attention.
please pass these links on to animal lovers, and people you know considering purchasing a pet from a breeder or pet shop.

Link to Stop Puppy Mills.



The following organizations and resources offer additional information on adopting animals and fighting back against puppy mills.

Main Line Animal Rescue
www.mlar.org

The Humane Society of the United States
www.hsus.org

Lange Foundation
www.langefoundation.com

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
www.aspca.org

Petfinder
Adoption service associated with the Animal Planet television series, including links to shelters across North America.
www.petfinder.com

Dogs in Danger
www.dogsindanger.com

Pets 911
Features searchable lost and found dogs and information about neutering, adoption and training.
www.pets911.com

Search for local shelters and adoptable pets.
www.worldanimalnet.org

PetHarbor
Search for local shelters, rescues and adoptable pets.
www.petharbor.com

Best Friends Animal Society
Largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country
www.bestfriends.org

customized dog tags

I see many doggie clients everyday that do not have a tag with owner contact information attached to their collars. What if the dog gets lost?

It would be much easier for everyone if all dogs wore a tag with owner contact information.
If your dog gets lost, and someone finds it, they can make a quick phone call to the number listed on the tag. easy! Rather then to have to bring a found dog to a vet to check for a microchip, try to track down the owner through any vaccination or city tags, putting up lost & found posters all over the city, calling the pounds, shelters, all the stress and worrying, etc. It just makes sense to have your pet wear a tag.

So, for the sake of your pet, please make sure they have a tag. Try to get a sturdy one that will not break easily.
Here are some cool tags I found on etsy...

*cristina ashley design * lucky fiona * julep115 * bynicola
* windshine * a passion for fashion * sudlow * loosewirestudio

What breed of dog are you???

Click here to find out.
Have fun!
K, Mee & Dee xo

ps
these are our results so far...
* K (dog mom) is apparently a scottish terrier- no wonder i'm married to a Scottish guy named Scott!
* Scott (dog dad) is a pit bull
* Meena is a labrador & pitbull mix
* Dee is a beagle


just for fun, i did a treasury of cute scottie stuff on etsy...
(we'll do other breeds in the future)

* atomic veggie * classic hound * drewmartens * candy connection 22
* key fob kellie * jinnys closet * the evol pixies supply * rubenacker
* sink daisy * articles 47 * strawberryluna * geelizzietwo
* green squirrel * davis studio * snickerpinx * the velvet rabbit

what is the best, safest, non-toxic, eco-friendly way to clean your pet's toys?

We have three toy boxes:
one for the rubber "outside" toys, one for "inside" fuzzy-squeaky toys, and one for dental bones, etc.

For cleaning the outside toys, I have always washed them with hot soapy water and a bit of bleach.

For inside toys, I toss them in the washing machine with laundry detergent. Then let them tumble dry in a hot temperature for a short while. Keep a very close eye on the drying, as there are those little plastic squeakers inside many of the toys.

Now for the bones & kongs, that we use to stuff with peanut butter or cheese, I have been washing in hot soapy water. Then I do a second wash with vinegar and water.

At dog kennels where I have worked, the rubber toys, balls, and kongs have been cleaned using bleach. But I have heard that this may not be the best option.

FYI, according to Eco Dog, you want to completely avoid cleaning products with phenol and cresol , which are both toxic compounds. The book also has recipes for home cleaning products.

I would really LOVE to hear what others recommend, and any other helpful information. Please leave a comment if you have any tips you would like to share.
Also, I am on the search for the best pet friendly cleaning products, floor cleaners, disenfects, tub cleaner, etc. We will appreciate any leads.

Groomer Has It

We are so excited about this!!! It going to be like Project Runway, or Top Chef, but with groomers.



Click here to go to the "Groomer Has it" official site to get all the info.

Pet Food Nation

all pet owners should read this book. you can find it here.

links

* herbal home remedies for common pet ailments can be found here.

* dogs in danger! help save a life, click here.

* i so want some of this hair color to play around with- and some willing participants. but i need to check out the ingredients first.
also, want to check out these temporary dog tatoos. i've had this site earmarked forever. time to order some supplies.

* feel like shopping? check out Martha Stewart's charitable dog shop.

* modern dog art at dog art today.

eco dog

this is our latest book for our canine library. it's full of recipes and craft projects to make for your pet. we will be sure to share some of the things we learn and attempt to make.

we were able to score a discounted copy at page by page on etsy. they are also available on amazon.

fruit and vegetable antioxidant medley

tonight we made a fruit and vegetable antioxidant medley. we could have added more stuff, but these ingredients are what we had on hand.

- we used: two bunches of romaine lettuce, one bunch of parsley, one pack of blueberries, two apples, and some my mini-carrots. we are out of garlic, but a bit of that would have been great.

- we washed everything really well and pureed it all. then poured it into a large mixing bowl. mixed it up real good. if it's too thick, just add a little water. i think the "juicier" the mix is, the easier it is for dogs to digest all of the nutrients.

- we're going to serve it as a sidedish with meat, poultry, cottage cheese, yogurt, oats, etc.

- freeze the leftovers in small containers, and defrost as needed.



tonight, while chopping fruit & veggies, we got to test out our new wooden cutting board from Fallen Tree Designs. it's really nice, i was afraid to mess it up, but it handled my, not so excellent, chopping skills, and cleaned up real nice. isn't is beautiful? such excellent handcraftmanship!

these cute vintage containers would be fun for storing dog treats

* to view item, type in "the name of the shop".etsy.com

grammy's pot pie

We've been slacking this week and didn't make our homemade dog food. So it's been all commercial dog food this week. Tonight I served Grammy's Pot Pie by Merrick Pet Foods. It was a hit! Mee & Dee loved it.
I have to say that there are some really good dog foods out on the market. It can get a bit pricey if you have big dogs, or a lot of mouths to feed. It is way more economical to do it yourself (DIY), but involves planning and preparation time. That's what we typically do.
Our usual store bought food in times of need is the Nature's Variety frozen patties. They come frozen, so I occasionally pick up cans of food if there isn't enough time to defrost.

cute stuff for spring!

to check out the cute pet stuff available on etsy, click here.
otherwise, type in: nameofshop.etsy.com