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.
___________________________________________

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

doggy paws

Is your pet having a rough time dealing with the snow and the salted sidewalks?
If so, you have to try Musher's Secret. It's the best stuff! It's wonderful for protecting, moisturizing and soothing your pet's paw pads.
As a Groomer, I find myself using this on client's dogs year round. It's great for dog's that run around on hot and cold pavement, have blisters, or cracked pads, etc.
Plus, I've used it on my own hands when they get dry from the cold weather. We love it!


Here is another balm that we haven't tried, Pampered Paws Butter Balm. It looks like a good all natural product with lots of great ingredients. You can find it here.



If you typically use salt on your sidewalks to melt the snow, use a pet friendly ice melter instead. There are all sorts of brands available online, large pet supply stores, even Home Depot. Here are a couple of brands we like:

Safe Paws available here.

Ice Melt Down available here.


If you can get your dog to wear them, these doggy boots are wonderful! They are available here.


If you notice your dog limping during, or after a walk in the snow, be sure to wash their feet in warm water. The salt is brutal and painful. Plus, you don't want your pets licking the salt off their feet. Be sure to check between the pads for salt crystals, matts, and other debris. Little things can get trapped in between the pads, and it is very painful. It's especially a problem with long haired dogs. Have a Groomer trim the hair between the pads to alleviate some of these problems. Also, keep your dog's nails trimmed. When they are long, the pads tend to separate making it easier for debris to get stuck in between the pads.

If you live where it's cold, we hope you're staying warm. If you live in a warm climate, we are TOTALLY jealous.

Take care of those little paws! xoxo

ps. here are some photos of the rock salt used on sidewalks in Chicago...