Happy doggies running in and out

Cute video with happy doggies enjoying their Plexidor.

My Pet DMV

Do your dogs like to go for a ride? Mine sure do. They haven't quite learned to drive yet, but if they could, they'd take the car down to McDonalds daily, I'm sure. Not to mention the pet store... Wouldn't it be cute if a doggie trotted up to the counter with a couple of dollar bills, wanting to get a new chewie?

Anyway, when I first saw My Pet DMV I thought it was the dumbest thing ever. Driver's licenses for dogs?!? A couple of website visits later, I started to think it was pretty cool. I still hesitated - but a doggy driver's license sounded better and better. Not to mention they get a collar tag too, with the pet's photo, name, and contact information.

When hubby suggested we should get name tags for the dogs, just in case something would ever happen, I folded and ordered one to try it out. They are really cool. The collar tags aren't the most durable things ever, but for special occasions, they're awesome. The driver's licenses look so real it's fun to try to fool people with them. Imagine when people want to card my husband and he pulls out a driver's license with a photo of an American Eskimo... That prank alone is worth the money!

American Pet Association

Did you know there's something called the American Pet Association that tests products for pets? If a product or service is APA approved, it has been scrutinized by an unbiased viewer. The APA does not accept corporate donations or advertising, they support the local Humane Societies, help with dispute resolution, and much more.

Lend a helping paw!

According to the Humane Society, between 6-8 million cats and dogs enter US shelters each year, and over 4 million are euthanized in the shelters. To give a comparison of people, it's as if the entire population of Sweden would be put in jail each year, or the entire population of Norway would be put to death each year.

Funny enough, strays have a better chance than owner surrenders. Pets surrendered to shelters by their owners can be put down immediately. Many shelters have no-kill policies. Be aware that they often cooperate with kill shelters, and if the shelter overflows the animals will be moved to a kill shelter. Moral of the story: a pet is a commitment for life. Don't give them up to a shelter!

Some people think it's a great idea to put pets out on Craigslist as "Free to good owner." Please, don't do that. Just... don't.

Many people want to help, but might not be ready for the lifetime commitment of adoption. Fostering is an awesome way to help an animal in need. When you foster, you work together with a rescue. They usually pay for vet visits and heartworm medication, and the foster only has to pay for food. (Some rescues even provide the food.) Some pets just need a place to stay overnight while waiting for a transport, others stay with their foster parents for weeks or even months. It depends on the animal's situation, and on what the foster is ready to give. To learn more about this, contact your local rescue, or a breed specific rescue.

If you don't want to foster, for whatever reason, rescues always look for other forms of help. It doesn't have to be money - many need pet toys, blankets, old sheets, or towels.

Another great way to help is sharing shelter animals on Facebook and Twitter. If people don't know that specific cat or dog is there, the animal will die in the shelter. Exposure helps save lives.

Are you looking for a pet?

When the time is right to get a new furry best friend, a lot of people head to the pet store. An alternative - that helps save a life - is turning to local shelters and rescues. You can also look online, on petfinder.com. Here, it's possible to specify what kind of animal you want, if you want a specific breed, and how far you're willing to travel. Don't panic if the pet you want is outside your area. Many shelters and rescues have networks of people willing to help with transport. My dogs come from shelters all over the country.

There are all kinds of pets in shelters. Pure bred cats and dogs, mutts, bunnies, pigs, goats... There are puppies and kittens as well as older animals. Whatever you're looking for, petfinder can help you.

What is a dog?

Besides man's best friend, of course? I was reading on Wikipedia the other day. I did know that the domestic dog is very closely related to the gray wolf. I did not know the dog as we know it today is thought to be the first animal to be domesticated.

Remains of domesticated dogs, about 33,000 years old, have been found in Siberia. Dogs and humans have been companions for 33,000 years! What a mind-boggling number!

I also did not know these first dogs seem to be of a lineage extinct today. Today's dogs have existed for about 15,000 years.

Dog Breeds

I was googling general doggie stuff the other day, and stumbled across Animal Planet's Dog Breed Selector. Curious as always, I had to try it out, and started clicking around. If you're interested in dogs at all, it's a site well worth visiting. There are beautiful photos and videos as well as interesting facts.

I have to tip my groomer more

My dogs are great in many ways. They're really sweet, and put up with almost any weird ideas their humans might get. Except when it comes to nail trims. From the struggles they put up, you could think we were trying to kill them.

For a while, I solved the problem through taking the two most difficult ones to Pet Smart to have their nails done. It worked really well for a couple of months. Then, one of the ladies said, "Why don't you go pay and I'll have him ready for you when you come back." It seemed like a great idea.

Doggie panicked when mommy was no longer in sight. He peed on the floor and allegedly tried to bite them - I say allegedly because he's the sweetest mutt in the history of dogs - and when I came back, several people were holding him, claiming he had to leave at once. I have never been thrown out of a store before.

On the way home - doggie still with abhorrently long nails - we passed a groomer. I've tried to take my dogs there many times, but they were always closed. This time, they were open. Success! It wasn't easy, but they trimmed the nails with great patience. I hear many horror stories of groomers mistreating dogs, but these guys really do their best. Check out their website!

Have you given your dog a Kong lately?

About a year ago, a good friend asked if I ever give my dogs a Kong. I said, "A what?" She insisted, "A Kong." The words still didn't make any sense to me. A song? Sure I sometimes sing to them. They don't seem to care either way. If anything, they're happier if I don't sing.

Seeing my blank face, she laughed, "A Kong. It's a dog toy, haven't you ever seen a Kong?"

I shook my head and lifted an eyebrow when she pulled out something that looked like a plastic, red doggie poop.

My friend said, "They're great!"

I could not see how this peculiar object would entice a dog to play with it.

"You fill it with something good, like a little cream cheese, and freeze it. Keeps them occupied for hours."

Now, that made sense. I went to the pet store to get Kongs, and grumbled over them being expensive. During the past year, they've been absolute life savers. My own dogs are pretty calm, but some of the fosters that pass through the house have been crazy energetic. A Kong frozen with some cream cheese, peanut butter, or even yogurt inside keeps the most intense dog occupied at least for a while.