Breed All About It

We're back on

2011-03-09T18:34:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers,

Let's welcome back "Breed All About It" with a bang. Now that I finally have a computer I would like to hear from all my devoted readers. I have many new ideas for my blog and even a few giveaways. I know everyone loves those giveaways. However I would like to hear your questions you may have about your pets or just any pet related questions weather its about your pets or not. Please email your questions by Sunday March 20th. Email to wmsoberanis@hotmail.com and in the subject line put "breed all about it". I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Computer is Down

2009-07-23T23:06:00.001-07:00

Hey all, sorry it's been so long that I haven't posted but my computer is down. I have many great blog posting that will be coming up soon. Be patient and keep an eye out.

Saturday Quick Breed - Border Collies

2009-07-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Border Collie

Border Collie means "something useful" and comes from the counties between Scotland and England.

Legal Information:

The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional.

Congratulations!

2009-07-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Marianna! She has won the Shorty's Gourmet Treats Review and Giveaway, she has won any item from the online etsy store of Shorty's Gourmet Treats.

Review and Giveaway

2009-07-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

The All You Review is doing a review and giveaway with General Mills, she is giving away 2 boxes of Turtle Chex Mex bars. There will be 3 winners chosen.

Our New Family Member

2009-07-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

During the past couple on months my family and I have been actively searching for an addition to our small family. Several times in our search we found many potential family members. However we got our hopes up and we got let down every single time. We have always wanted to have a Bulldog, they are absolutely adorable. The way they snort, snore and even the way they wag their nub of a tail and rear end when they are excited. Even though finding a Bulldog puppy or adult is easy through breeders or rescue groups, we were not looking to spend much money at all. We had discussed that instead of spending the money on a purebred; we could easily look for someone who was in the market of adopting out their dog and use the money we saved on vet bills and etc. It was so heart breaking finding out every time we had a potential dog someone else snagged it.

On one occasion I had went online and saw that a young woman was adopting out her two year purebred Olde English Bulldog and American Pitt Bull Terrier due to she had just given birth to a baby boy. She unfortunately was unable to keep them due to she couldn't give them the attention they deserved. Which is understandable since a baby is a huge responsibility and it is not fair to the dogs of the family. Even though she was 45 minutes away I decided to email her and inform her that I was looking to adopt her Olde English. Well about an hour later I received a phone call from her and made an appointment as soon as possible to come and see the dog. Well the soonest was 2 days away. On the day of the appointment I called her to confirm and she had told me that she had two appointments before mine for people to come and see the dog, however if I wanted to I could come earlier before anyone else showed up. Well it was a Saturday and my nephews T-ball game was today as well as I told my sister that I would take her so she can get a tattoo. I knew that if it were meant to be the dog would still be there at my scheduled appointment time. After I was done with everything I went home and she left a message saying the dog went with the first family. I was so sad and heart-broken, but I got over it soon.

That same day an associate my better half works with told us that he works for the local Humane Society and that a 6 month old English Bulldog puppy just came in and only he and his boss knows about it. He informed us to call him on Monday to come in because the puppy was being fixed and we should see about adopting it before it goes in for surgery. Well we got there 30 minutes before they opened so no one else had a chance to get the puppy. It turns out the puppy already was adopted, the Humane Society was open on Sunday and someone snagged it before we had a chance. We woke up early for nothing. So, now here is the kicker. I went back online a week later to see if anyone else was adopting out a bulldog and the lady who was adopting out the Olde English, re-posted the add. I talked to her and apparently the other family said that he didn't work out with their other dog. She tried to call me but she deleted my email and couldn't find my number. Five minutes later I was on the road and in 45 minutes I was there. I brought him home and I recalled my thoughts a week earlier. If it is meant to be, it'll happen. His name is Dominic and he is a 2-year-old puppy. He climbs into our laps and sleeps/snores. He's a great dog and we are happy he's part of our family. In fact right now, he is lying under my coffee table front paws resting on my feet.

Saturday Quick Breed - Labrador Retriever

2009-07-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers have been dated all the way back to the sixteenth century. They were seen working with fisherman from Newfoundland. The Labrador Retrievers are also known as Labrador Newfoundland's.

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Top 20 Things You Should Know When Buying A Puppy

2009-07-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

"The Top 20 things you should look for before buying a purebred"

Here are some tips on what to look for as well as some questions to ask.

Always physically check the dog:

1. Check the inside of the ears

(You're checking for mites-black pencil dot specs that move, a yeasty odor and/or any bruises/cuts)

2. Check the skin and fur

(Are there any fleas, ticks, ringworms or bruises/cuts?

3. Check inside the mouth for discoloration, bleeding and/or a foul smell

(You're smelling for an infection)

4. Last the nose and eyes

(Is the nose dry or excreting any fluid? Are the eyes crusty or have excess eye goop? Do they look clouded?)

Ask questions:

5. Is the puppy current on vaccinations?

6. Are there any health issues, hereditary or not?

7. Was the puppy a result of in-breeding?

8. Were there any complications during pregnancy or during birth?

9. Did the Veterinarian give the puppy a clean bill of health?

10. Did the puppy test positive for anything?

(Parvo or Worms)

11. Is the puppy a purebred, are the parents registered, and is the puppy registered?

Ask for proof

12. Do you have documentation from the Veterinarian showing proof of vaccinations and a clean bill of health?

(This would show if the puppy tested positive for anything)

13. Any other veterinarian documentation

(Such as if the puppy was born at the hospital, it would prove their was no complications)

14. If purebred, ask to see the parent's paperwork and his paperwork

15. Finally ask if you have permission to verify all health related questions with the veterinarian

(Be sure they call the veterinarian first and give permission for you to get the info.)

Be cautious

16. Make sure you look up the Veterinarians phone number and not to assume the phone number they gave you is true. There are people who forge veterinary paperwork and have a friend or family member on the other side of the phone number they gave you.

17. If they do not have any paperwork on them, take the steps to contact their veterinarian with their permission.

18.If they claim that the puppy is a purebred but have no paperwork for them or the parents and they are charging you money for the puppy, in my opinion don't get the puppy. There is no proof the puppy is purebred without the proper paperwork. People pay breeders for purebreds because they are proven to be a purebred. Without the paperwork on the parents or the puppy, it's just another puppy.

19. Watch for evasiveness, a peddler not answering questions usually means they are hiding something or lying about something.

20. If they refuse permission for you to get the info from the veterinarian, they are probably lying about the puppy's health

As a final note, information is they key. The more you have the more you know so you don't end up paying big time in the end.

Legal Information:

A Caution on Vaccines

2009-07-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Concerns in over vaccination have risen greatly in the past years. We know that giving boosters annually or even more frequently is recommended by most veterinarians. However when these frequent boosters are not needed to the companion animal they are costing the owner greatly for a service that is not needed and create a false sense of protection from these infectious diseases. You as the owner should be aware of your pet's health and be sure to do the research as to what vaccines and boosters will benefit your animal and in what time frames the boosters should be administered. Since not all vaccines are required depending on the area you live in be sure that your pet is not being vaccinated for a disease that most likely will not affect your pet. This is the same when it comes to prevention. Why spend the extra money on heartworm, flea and/or parasite prevention if you live in an area where these issues are rare and uncommon.

As an example I spent five years in Tampa, Florida taking care of Coal and Cheyenne. Coal and Cheyenne are half Bullmastiff and half Rhodesian Ridgeback. They weighed a good 90 to 110 pounds each. On total I spent $90 on heartworm/parasite prevention and $70 on flea prevention each, every six months. This comes out to $640 annually and does not include the cost of a heartworm test and a fecal annually for each dog. I currently reside in Northern Nevada where fleas, parasites and heartworm cases are uncommon if not rare. If I had not done my research correctly I would still be spending that much a month on prevention when it is not needed. Now I can save that money for more important things for my pets.

Through my research I've come to see there are a few vaccines that come highly recommended no matter where you live. These are vaccines that protect against the canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, canine adenovirus and of course the rabies virus. Start vaccines 8 weeks, 14 weeks and than finally 16 weeks where the rabies vaccine is administered. Receive boosters annually for these vaccines. Bordetella and corona virus although seemingly beneficial vaccines prevent these viruses only for a short period on time and have questionable efficacy.

As I always say "Information is the key. The more you have, the more you know."

Legal Information:

Wordless Wednesday - Slide

2009-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

We are not going down that slide again!!!

First Aid for Dogs

2009-06-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

You are walking your dog and all of a sudden he gets loose. He runs across the street and gets hit by a car. What is the first thing you do? You probably freak out, like most people would. Everyone knows that however in dire situations to remain calm. How you react to a crisis can often mean the difference between life and death. In this segment of "Breed All About It" you will learn how to properly restrain your dog, take a pulse, monitor the heart, examine the gums and monitor breathing. All which may sound difficult but is actually fairly simple.

Restraint:

Restraint of a small dog: Firmly yet gently grip the dogs muzzle. With your free arm, use your elbow to apply pressure to the dog's body.

Always be sure to be gentle yet firm. I mean after all you don't wont to injure the dog anymore than it already is.

Now it's time to muzzle your K-9

Materials: A Strong but gentle material such as an ace bandage or a scarf.

Directions: Make a loop, size it right to fit over the dogs muzzle.

Place over the dogs muzzle so the tie in on top and tighten. (Do NOT tie into a knot!!!)

With the two strings left wrap them back underneath the muzzle, so the strings now hang down.

Last but not least, wrap them around to the back of the neck just behind the ears and tie into a bow.

Now you have a working muzzle.

Taking a pulse:

To take a pulse, take your four fingers and place them on the inside of the back leg where a groove lies. Apply a little bit of pressure; too much pressure will give no results. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get your bpm. (Beats per minute)

Monitor the heart:

Monitor the heart for a large dog: Take your four fingers and place them into the pit of the front leg, move your fingers around until you can feel a beat. Count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.

Monitor the heart for a small dog: Gently squeeze the chest behind the dog's elbows to find the heart rate. Count for 15, multiply by 4.

Examine the gums:

To examine the gums is really easy. Just lift the upper lip and check the gums. The gums should be pink and when pressure is applied, they should turn white until release and should go back to pink immediately. However if the gums are white or pale this could indicate shock. When pressure is released does not turn pink again than shock could be impending. Many dogs have black in their gums, for this you just find a pink area to examine.

Monitor the breathing:

To monitor breathing place your hand on the dogs chest and count for 15 seconds how many times the dog breathes in or out, but never both. Multiply by four and you have your answer. Large and older dogs have a lower breath rate than a younger or small dog.

Be sure to talk to your veterinarian as normal rates differ from breed to breed as well. If you notice any irregularities or issues in breathing, gums, pulse or heart rate see your veterinarian.

Legal Information:

The information provided on this blog is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this blog and/or newsletter, you agree that Breed All About It and all it's affiliates will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this blog and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional.

No Dog Aggression Here

2009-06-29T00:00:00.001-07:00

Socialization: "The process of interacting your dog with other dogs to ensure there is no dog aggression."

A day at the dog park can be a blast, especially when there are no issues occurring. Every day at dog park in my neighborhood there are at least 100 visitors. Most of the time all the dogs there get along great. Once in a while, you'll get a dog that is great but than dog aggression hits. No one knows why he or she snapped, they just knew that they were playing and running.

I was at the dog park the other day with Dominic (My Olde English Bulldog) and he was doing well. He was playing with a young Blue Heeler, running in the water and smelling everything. The Blue Heeler and her owner left, we were the only ones in the park. Soon a Chocolate lab came and he went up and smelled him. It broke, Dominic got aggressive. I had to run over and grab him and put him on his leash. Needless to say he wasn't happy. He was barking and whining at the dog like he wanted to play. But every time the dog came near he got aggressive. Yeah, no dog aggression here!

In my experience dog aggression comes from a lack of socialization. Now even under the right circumstances a dog who is well socialized must still be kept under close supervision, after all we are a well socialized group but we can get nasty too if someone decides to fight us. It's the same with dogs, they may be well socialized but whose to say the other dog is. If a dog right does occur remain calm. One good choice is better than ten bad choices.

In order to socialize your dog there are a few things you must know. Start off early, 16 weeks is the youngest I'd recommend due to vaccines. 16 weeks is when you get your first rabies shot, and as some of us do not know the United States has the most cases of the rabies virus. England is not affected by the rabies virus at all (The More You Know) ;) . Also be sure to get a bordetella vaccine if you're going to socialize, only because you never know if another dog has kennel cough. If you socialize earlier, ensure the other dogs are current on their vaccines. Socialize with dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages. This gets the dog used to being around dogs of sizes much smaller and larger than itself. Make sure the other dogs are well socialized if you're socializing your young puppy. You want to keep your young companion safe after all. Socialize often, a couple times a week and for an hour or two each time. If you want to socialize more do so, but be cautious not to tire out your baby. Socialize in different settings such as pet stores, dog parks, the beach, a friend's house and anywhere else dogs may gather in your area. Last but not least be sure to reward for good behavior, discipline bad behavior and always ALWAYS keep your dog/puppy under close supervision.

"Coming Soon, Socializing your older dog or Rescue Dog"

Legal Information:

Sundays Compare and Save #2

2009-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the second edition of Compare and Save, since the last edition I have received only a few requests for the best deals on pet products. I want to thank everyone for their interest. In this edition of Compare and Save all three requests are answered as well as two of my own. All readers are welcome to email me with their requests and all will eventually be answered.

Frontline

http://www.petguys.com

Pedigree

http://www.nationalpetpharmacy.com

Box of Milk-bones

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/

Booda Wonder Tug Solo

http://www.amazon.com/

Andis 23585 Super Deluxe Pet Clipper Kit

http://www.amazon.com

As a note of my findings all items are found online as an interest to my nationwide audience. Internet prices are subject to change as well as include shipping and handling charges that vary from area to area. However many of my findings may include large chain stores such as PetSmart and Petco, please know that they may or may not price match in store to their prices online, therefore saving the shipping and handling charges that usually apply. Doing your own research may assist you in finding a great savings as some sites offer free shipping and handling, discounts and more when you make large purchases. I also highly advice checking local stores to boost your economy.

Legal Information:

Saturday Quick Breed - Siberian Husky

2009-06-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Siberian Husky

The Chukchi's lived far inland in Siberia. A harsh environment of snow and ice. They had to travel to the coast in order to hunt and therefore needed some help to get there. The Chukchi's then bred dogs specifically to assist them and there came the breed we know today. The Siberian Husky.

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Breeds and the Law

2009-06-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Everywhere you go you hear the words "Breed Restrictions" and I just have to wonder what it all means. Where these legislators and government officials came to the conclusion that a specific breed is dangerous or even a nuisance. The answers I sought out shocked me. I've been in the veterinary field for quite some time and all the time I have never came across a "dangerous" or "nuisance" dog that was defined as the "bad" dog they are claimed to be. In fact they were outstanding patients. Now wouldn't this dangerous breed actually be dangerous in a hospital setting? I mean after all if the dog is coming in for anything from a nail trim to a blood test the dog would have to be restrained. A dangerous dog in my book would be more aggressive in these circumstances. Now don't get me wrong, I've had my share of aggression in the veterinary field, however I never looked at aggression to be classified by breed. I look at different circumstances to determine the aggression. Such as, have the owners trained him/her correctly or at all, was the dog socialized with other dogs and people besides the ones where he/she lives and was the dog abused or neglected in any way?

So, is one breed more dangerous than the other? Are some breeds hard wired to attack dogs and mame children? In the course of researching this article, my opinion is that much of this fire concerning the "bad breeds" is fanned by those who don't know the breed. The dog owners, the neighbors, the Johnson's with their 4 kids living down the street and yes even Mrs. Peterson the widow on the corner who makes those rock hard fruit cakes on the holidays and give them out. In one circumstance a middle-aged woman who lived a couple houses down from a young male was attacked by a "Pit Bull". This incident went to court and due to a few more similar cases this breed was thereby restricted and classified "dangerous". Now in Ohio a Pit Bull is classified not as a specific breed but as any dog of the bull terrier type. They also say that any dog that looks like a "Pit" will be classified as a Pit unless the owner has STRONG evidence supporting otherwise. Breeds earn their negative reputations from newsworthy attacks, media coverage and exaggerated stories spread word-of-mouth. Pit Bull types are crowding our animal shelters because their reputation as the uncontrollable and unpredictable attack dogs make it difficult, if not impossible for them to find a home. That is all because of "Breed Restrictions" and because of the reputation everyone is giving them. It's not the breed that needs to be punished with tainting it's name or restricting these possible family members filled with love from finding a home. We as a society are constantly placing a label on everyone and everything. We do it to our neighbors and colleagues. Whether by race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion.... whatever. Everything has a place and everything in its place, right? My final thought: blame the owner not the breed!

The information provided on this blog is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this blog and/or newsletter, you agree that Breed All About It and all it's affiliates will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this blog and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional.

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Wal*Mart Puppies

2009-06-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

Wal*Mart Puppy: A term used to describe any puppy attempting to be sold in front of a store front, such as Wal*Mart.

About three months ago, while snacking on a pretzel at the local mall, I happened to look over and see a woman peddling puppies. Four adorable Blue Nosed Pits to be exact. My instincts took over and I had to go over and look. Although the woman was pushing the pups in a shopping cart, her appearance was otherwise very professional. And at first glance, the puppies made a great first impression, too. To a buyer, they looked clean, healthy and eager to be adopted. But because I've had professional experience with dogs, I was alerted to some possible health concerns. Now feeling a little suspect, I asked her the normal questions such as medical history, ancestry and temperament. Her answers were evasive at best. Sure, the pups had just recently been to the veterinarian -- she just forgot the paperwork. But rest assured, the pups were current with their shots and were given a clean bill of health. Good to go.

I have ran into many Wal*Mart puppy peddlers before, during and after my experience in the veterinary field. They were evasive in their questions and never had proof to back up health exams, pedigree or vaccinations. My opinion, these peddlers are trying to sell these puppies as if they were purebred. I do not believe the ones I ran into were purebred, vaccinated nor in good health.

"Why pay good money and get nothing in return?"

Legal Information:
The information provided on this website is not intended to be the substitute for professional veterinary or animal behavioral advice. By using this website and/or newsletter, you agree that the Breeder Directory will not be held liable for any injuries or damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the information contained within this website and newsletter. Any medical or behavioral concerns you have about your pet should be referred to your veterinarian or qualified animal professional.

© Copyright 2009 by William Soberanis. All rights reserved

Wordless Wednesday - Fab-U-Lous

2009-06-24T00:00:00.001-07:00

Breed All About It

Wordless Wednesday

Fab- U- Lous

Pet Abuse Awareness Week

2009-06-23T00:00:00.001-07:00

Thank you for seizing this opportunity to learn and assist in the prevention of animal cruelty. Many pets everyday are subdued to neglect and abuse. This has been a growing concern for quite some time and is not an issue to be taken lightly. Our pets cannot speak for themselves through words as we can. So we must speak for them. Whether you have a Rex, Daisy, Mr. Whiskers or even a Mr. Cheeks these pets have made their way into our hearts and into our families. They are no longer just our simple companion, our guard dog, or even our mice traps. We buy them so much necessities now or days; clothes, expensive food, the newest toys, jewel encrusted collars, carrying bags, strollers, birthday gifts and even go about and make them apart of our holiday celebrations.

However many pets do not have this good fortune. Many pets are forced to remain outside with no shelter during a thunderstorm. Soaking wet by the next day to come and forced to remain until the sun warms and dries them. Dogs and puppies alike smacked for having a mere accident on the floor and thrown for jumping on the couch. When all they wanted was a little attention. Many dogs are subjected to harsh and abusive conditions everyday and all they want is a family to love them and show them how much they mean to you. Instead they find themselves in a home with someone who has an anger problem or someone who just doesn't care for them or cannot afford them.

Do your part as an animal lover and watch out for these guys. Turn in their unloving and undeserving owners. This week is dedicated to those pets. The pets that cannot speak for themselves and inform the proper people that their parents are abusing them, neglecting them and not showing them the love they deserve. After all they never asked to be placed in that home, they were forced to.

Legal Information:

Shorty's Gourmet Treats Review and Giveaway

2009-06-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

Shorty's is an online etsy store that creates home-made dog treats and pup-cakes. As I walked into my home, Shorty's treat package in hand, my dog lay asleep, snoring and on his back. I opened the package awaiting him to get up, however he was out for the count. I was delightfully suprised to see that the treats and pup-cakes I received were vacuume sealed and so neatly organized. Even a cute little note was in place thanking me. Rarely do you get a handwriten note from anyone when you receive an order in the mail. As I opened the sealed treats a whoft of many scents rose to my nose and his as well. He got up so fast and was litteraly in my lap. A 60 pound dog about ready to knock me down. As I read the note to see exactly what I was sent I could easily tell each treat appart. I was able to destinguish the pumpkin, sweet potatoe, banana, penut butter and more. I was even tempted to try them myself, but I knew if I did my dog would be pissed. He is a picky dog when it comes to treats. These I could tell he wanted them, so I gave them to him and he woofed them down. He loved them all, even the bone shaped hypoallergenic treats.

Although I loved the smell of the treats, the ones that through me for a loop were the pupcakes, so moist and sweet smelling I really thought they were cupcakes. That was until I read the ingrediants that were wisely placed on the vacuume sealed package they came in as well. Each bite sized pup-cake individually placed in a pup-cake cup and all of them in a alluminum pup-cake tray. You will be delighted when your order arrives as you can tell that time was taken in putting together your order.

Sweet, tasty and scentfully sensational are just a few words to describe Shorty's. With treats for every occasion and every dog, your nose and their nose will love you for ordering them. Never have you wanted the smell of dog food to fill your home. Wheather you buy treats for possitive reinforcement or as an occasional sinful delight, or even buy some pup-cakes for a birthday for your baby, Shorty's is the place where you are even tempted to sample everything.

Shorty's Dog Treat Giveaway

Prize:

Winner will have the choise of choosing any item in Shorty's shop

Entry:

1 entry per person

Simply visit Shorty's shop and provide the link of the item you want and why?

If you are entering anonomously, please provide email

Extra Entries:

Make a purchase at Shorty's shop

Follow the blog

Mention this review/giveaway on your site or blog about it

For each extra entry please leave an extra comment and provide link when neccessary

Open to all U.S. 50 states - Ends 7/6/09 at midnight PST

All postings that do not qualify for the giveaway will be deleted.

Winner will have 72 hours to respond to email, otherwise another winner will be chosen.

Sundays Compare and Save #1

2009-06-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Although we are slowly growing out of this recession we are now more aware about saving and finding the better deals. After all we save money so we can invest more money. Owning a dog can be very expensive especially after vet bills, food, meds, toys and more. Finding the best deals out there is the best way to make sure we don't go over board and spend more than we have to. I'm sure I'm not the first person to go crazy on my pets or the first that after doing so found the same items less expensive just minutes after buying it. In these errors that we all make I've come to an idea to do my research and create "Compare and Save" my weekly edition to Breed All About It. In this and the next three weeks of editions of Compare and Save I've chosen five items for each and researched on-line to find the lowest prices. For future editions I will require your input, to do so just email me the item you are interested in and I will find the best price.

As a note of my findings all items are found on-line as an interest to my nationwide audience. Internet prices are subject to change as well as include shipping and handling charges that vary from area to area. However many of my findings may include large chain stores such as PetSmart and Petco, please know that they may or may not price match in store to their prices on-line, therefor saving the shipping and handling charges that usually apply. Doing your own research may assist you in finding a great savings as some sites offer free shipping and handling, discounts and more when you make large purchases. I also highly advice checking local stores to boost your economy. I've been lucky enough to find great deals this way too. The food I feed my dog usually runs about $18.99 for a 20lb bag at my local pet store, however right down the road from me is a discount grocery store where I found his food for $12.95 for a 20lb bag. They only carried it for a month but it saved me $13 on two bags, this includes tax since the higher the dollar amount the more tax.

Now for the part you've been reading up to, my five items that led me to these stores to find the better deal.

Advantage

S - www.1800petmeds.com

M - www.1800petmeds.com

L - www.1800petmeds.com

XL - www.1800petmeds.com

Adams Flea and Tick Shampoo

12 oz. - www.drugstore.com

Small Kong Ball - www.petco.com

Large Kong Ball - www.petco.com

Science Diet Adult Dog Food

5 lb. - www.petlanddiscounts.com

20 lb. - www.petlanddiscounts.com

35 lb. - www.petlanddiscounts.com

Dog Crates

By Petmate- www.petco.com

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Saturday Quick Breed - Beagles

2009-06-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Beagles

The Beagle is a descendant of the Otterhound and Bloodhound. They are dated all the way back to the days of the crusades. They are believed to

be from ancient Greece or even early France.

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Behind the scenes in a kennel

2009-06-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Is your pet really safe in a kennel while you're out of town? 63% said yes and 32% said no during a recent poll asking pet owners. The truth, it all depends on the kennel as well as the pet. Kennels for some pets cause much undesired stress on your pet. Whether you have a small, medium or large breed dog if he/she is naturally a nervous dog having many dogs all at once in a confined area (and most kennels are) can cause stress. This of course can lead to stress related health issues such as diarrhea, vomiting and even loss of weight. If this occurs there may be an extra charge for medication and possibly even an exam fee. Do you as the owner ever take a tour of the kennels? It is very wise to always see where your dog or cat will be boarded while you are gone. A couple I've seen were very nice, they had Plexiglas doors, separate controllable thermostats, a fan in each room, a raised dog bed to keep them off the tile and even a web cam so you can keep an eye on your pet from far away. Of course for boarding rooms like those you will be paying a pretty penny. Than there are some kennels that aren't so nice. They were cold, had grates as floors for the runs where dog's toes could get stuck (and have), or just had cold cement like floors and was cleaned with a hose.

There are other dangers in the boarding facility besides uncomfortable living conditions. There is the possible dangers regarding the staff as well. After all how are you as the owner going to know how your pet is treated as a boarder when your not there. Now unless you know each and every staff member which is possible if it's a small veterinary hospital. I've come across some staff members who purposely hosed a dog down just for growling at another dog, leaving fecal matter in the dogs cage, spraying cats with water and yes even physical abuse. In fact one of my old employers, the veterinarian to be truthful used a rabies pole to get an aggressive 40lb dog out of the run so the kennel attendant could clean the run. The veterinarian applied way more pressure than needed to keep the dog at bay. This veterinarian could not control his anger and applied more pressure actually popped a vessel in the dogs eyes causing them to be blood red for days to come. Luckily for the vet this went all away 1 day before they came to pick up the dog. The owners never knew what had occurred.

The Lesson in this, do all your research on the kennel before hand. Take a tour of the facility and be sure to meet and talk to every person that will be handling your loved ones.

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Gone Doggies Review and Sweepstakes

2009-06-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Gone Doggie's, an online etsy store with plenty of dog collars and more to choose from. To put it simply Gone Doggie's is a store with plenty of style and class. Weather you are looking for a collar with a little flair, support the fight against autism or show your colors, this store has it all. You can even have a custom collar made if you just can't seem to find the one you want. A few of my personal favorites are Mad About Plaid and Red, White, and Paw Print. You know you can never go wrong when ordering from Gone Doggies as the store has received a 100% score on it's feedback. With 7 pages of feedback not one comment has a negative thing to say in regards to the store. Gone Doggies even has a great return policy, in the chance you are not happy with your item.

The collars are skillfully created. You can easily tell that time, talent, patience and plenty of love went into each item as they were created. The stitching is impeccable, perfectly aligned and in all the right places to ensure quality. Put through vigorous tests these collars can withstand the harshest conditions a dog can put it through. Placed through conditions such as mud, water, dirt and ice the collar did not show any signs of wear. When placed through the wash and than thrown in the dryer the collar came out just as it went in. Through the tests the collar shows how well it was made, the quality of the items used and how much skill was placed. The fabric still strong and soft, as well as the hardware still hardy and durable. Recommended by the creator, one shouldn't bleach to save the fabric or machine dry to ensure the durability of the hardware. Air dried is the recommended way to dry the collars. When the collars arrive they are neatly wrapped in tissue paper and beautifully tied with a bow.

As an end note, satisfaction and style is what Gone Doggies has to offer.

Gone Doggie's Sweepstakes:

One of these handcrafted collars, attractive and durable will being given away to a lucky reader.

The winner is chosen through a random number generator

Rules:

1 entry per person, available to U.S. mailing addresses only

To enter please visit Gone Doggie and choose the item you like the best and why

Copy the link to the item and post it on the blog

If you are not registered with blogger please post your email address along with your link

All postings that do not qualify will not be eligible and therefore deleted.

Sweepstakes ends June 25th at Midnight PST

Winner has 72 hours to comply or a new winner will be chosen

Extra Entries:

You can earn extra entries by

- Visiting Gone Doggie and making a purchase

- Following the "Breed All About It" blog

- Blog about this sweepstakes and provide the link

Each extra entry must be submitted as a another posting with the description and website address if applicable and will be verified. All postings not a qualified entry will be deleted

Sweepstakes

2009-06-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

All You Review has a review and sweepstakes going, up for sweeps is a magnetic wrap.

To Enter please visit the "All You Review" blog

Wordless Wednesday - Just loving my daddy!

2009-06-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just loving my daddy!

Cinderella Dogs Book Review

2009-06-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

"Another Opportunity to live, to love and to be loved.... That is what this book is about."

-Roger Caras

Cinderella Dogs is an eye opening and heart-warming book that has touched many hearts. I was lucky enough to come across this book at a local book sale and just had to read it. Cinderella Dogs is book filled with the success stories of dogs that've been redeemed as unadoptable, whose lives are justly turned around. These factual stories all take place in the SPCA of San Francisco, California. Stories selected by Ed Sayres and Edited by Paul M. Glassner this book reveals so many interesting stories and published nearly a decade ago I was lucky enough to get in touch with Paul Glassner who agreed to do an interview. Although Cinderella Dogs has been out of production for quite some time I had to a review and an interview on this book due to the nature of these stories, in hoping to allow your hearts to open up to seeing the love in all dogs. No matter their issues regarding health, behavior or age.

My interview with Paul Glassner has been a joyous experience with his co-operation and patience. His willingness to amuse me by allowing me to interview him is much appreciated.

1.) Tell us about the San Francisco SPCA.

Let's start with the official verbiage: The SF/SPCA is a private, independent, nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving and protecting homeless dogs and cats, providing them with care and treatment, advocating for their welfare, and enhancing the human-animal bond. Founded in 1868, The SF/SPCA is a national leader in saving the lives of companion animals through its pioneering programs. Visit us at sfspca.org.

If I may translate: The San Francisco SPCA showers kindness on animals no one else takes care of: homeless cats and dogs. We give them our best: Maddie's Adoption Center, opened in 1998, set a new standard for housing "unwanted" animals with individual, large, quiet, light-filled rooms. Utilizing in-house medical and behavior experts, The SF/SPCA rehabilitates and finds homes for thousands of displaced, needy animals every year. Most of these animals come from the city shelter, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, with whom we have an agreement (the Adoption Pact); we guarantee that no adoptable cat or dog will be "put to sleep" (killed) in San Francisco, a startling promise we've kept for 15 years. As a result, San Francisco's "live release rate" (the proportion of animals that survive the shelter experience) is 87 percent. We're doing an impressive job of recycling.

There's more to the story than that, however. Our relentless spay/neuter efforts have paid off as well; last year, fewer than 6,200 cats and dogs entered San Francisco's shelter system. In fact, The SF/SPCA now imports dogs from outlying shelters, animals that face euthanasia until ferried to San Francisco.

We also operate the city's busiest animal hospital, the brand-new Leanne Roberts Center, where more than 50 percent of the clients receive financial assistance directly from us. Other SF/SPCA enterprises include a huge foster program that nurtures underage kittens until they're healthy enough for adoption, the city's largest spay/neuter clinic (with free "fixes" for feral cats), and the internationally known Academy for Dog Trainers (with Jean Donaldson as dean).

All told, The SF/SPCA runs some two dozen specialized services. These include programs for people, such as Animal Assisted Therapy (provided free to more than 100 human-care facilities citywide), Humane Education, and a catalog's worth of dog-training classes offered to the public. Most SF/SPCA services receive invaluable help from - indeed, would essentially not exist without -- hundreds of volunteers, who donate well over 100,000 hours of their time and skills every year. For Be Kind to Animals Week, we put on a food drive for pets of homeless people. And when San Francisco Police Department horses retire, The SF/SPCA looks after them on a private ranch for the rest of their lives.

All this occurs with no government involvement and zero tax dollars. Our success is possible thanks to the kindness of our supporters.

Sorry to foam at the mouth, but that's how it is.

2.) What encouraged you to write this book?

Our Animals, The SF/SPCA's quarterly membership publication, runs a Cinderella story nearly every issue. But the magazine goes only to our supporters. With the book, we wanted to tell some of these stories to the general public. The goal was not merely to call attention to The SF/SPCA, but to inspire people to do the same thing in their own communities. As the introduction says, "If we can do it, you can do it."

3.) Why did you choose these specific adoptions?

Selecting stories was less a matter of sentimentality than of editorial necessity. To arrive at the book's final count of fewer than 20 tales, we started with around 40. If the adopter wouldn't or couldn't participate, we had to drop that dog's story. We wanted a big variety of animals, from probably pedigreed pooches to "Heinz 57" dogs, and from small and cute to large and troublesome. We also wanted to highlight the variety of adopters, from single people to couples to families, and to showcase The SF/SPCA's many programs. When we finished the shuffle, we had the book.

4.) Have there been any updates with those adoptions that my readers would like to know?

Goodness, we haven't kept up - we can't. The book went to the printer almost ten years back, and we adopted out 4,000+ cats and dogs last year alone.

5.) Which adoption touched you the most?

Aw, c'mon, William -- that's like asking a parent, which child is your favorite? Overall, though, I'm struck by the huge hearts of so many of these adopters. The SF/SPCA does amazing things, but we don't trick people into taking an animal nor can we force them to adopt; this book shows that people ARE willing to take on the "tough cases." One of my favorites is the man who can't bear to see the dogs himself because he'll want to take all of them home, so he sends his wife in to look for the most needy dog, and that's the animal they adopt - a used, 75-pound, growling Akita! This is the stuff of novels, almost unbelievably wonderful.

6.) My favorite adoption story that touched me the most was with Claudine Fletcher and Tornado, what ever happened to them?

I don't know. As I said, it's been nearly ten years. It's our job to prep the animals for adoption and get them into good homes. We follow up with surveys at three weeks and three months. We get some fan mail and happily-ever-after photos, but our goal, frankly, is to never see these cats and dogs again -- which is a good thing!

7.) How often do these Cinderella adoptions occur?

Every day. Of last year's 4,000 adoptions, about 1,000 were underage kittens that, most likely, would not have lived, much less found homes. Also, the nearly 900 dogs we fetched from other shelters last year each faced the chopping block until our rescue van showed up. Those two categories alone account for about half our adoptions.

8.) Have you adopted your own Cinderella Pet? If so can you tell us about him/her? Please include a pic if you can. If you haven't tell us about one of yor pets.

I have two SF/SPCA cats at home; they're cute and wonderful, of course. I adopted them after fostering them - and after The SF/SPCA (and I, as foster parent) put quite a bit of veterinary care into them.

9.) How long have you been with the SPCA?

25 years.

10.) Why did you start working with the SPCA?

I answered a want-ad in the paper. I was looking for a job, preferably writing about something I enjoyed. Talk about a perfect fit.

11.) What did you do before?

This and that. I worked or volunteered with several conservation organizations. Before joining The SF/SPCA, I rode my bicycle across the U.S., and right before that I worked in a print shop for a few years, where I learned the dirty side of publishing (printing presses, etc.).

12.) Although it's been a decade since this book has been published, is there any plan for another one?

No plans for another book at this point. For one thing, it's no longer necessary! The Web is cheaper, faster and reaches more people (prime example, this blog). Plus, even the last several issues of Our Animals are available atsfspca.org/resources/publications/.

For more stories like those found in the book Cinderella Dogs please visit sfspca.org/resources/publications/. I hope these stories can touch your heart as they have touched mine. Do not forget to visit your local SPCA or animal shelter to write your own Cinderella Story. Please support your local SPCA or animal shelter.

A Strain on the Relationship

2009-06-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

Eight out of ten couples have a dog; nine out of ten have a pet of some sort. I am one of those eight out of ten and I have to admit that the relationship between us every time a pet is involved there is more stress than our normal stress we give each other. Obviously the dog is not to blame at all. It's us the owners, the lovers, the couple and the sweethearts. We tend to forget that it's not the dog's fault that he chewed up the house while we were gone or the fault of our sweetheart. It's the fault of the entire couple at hand. Of course you can tell I'm speaking from example. We just got this new dog, Dominic an Olde English Bulldog. Let's just say he has a few behavioral issues that we must change. Now I know that I've done quite a bit of blame not only on Dominic but my sweetness as well. An example would have to be the other day Dominic had really bad gas; he also went to the bathroom (#1 and #2) in the house earlier that day, than he spilled his water all of the kitchen until he finally ate his dog bowl. I knew I forgot something; he also ate my papers for work. That night when I went to bed I was pissed off and I made sure my partner in crime knew it. When asked I simply replied your damn dog has issues. Out of anger I ignored the dog the whole next day as well as everyone else.

I guess it takes a couple of days to realize that my anger should be redirected to how I can ensure these issues do not reoccur. I guess the lesson of this article is, it's easier to blame the dog, your partner and everyone else. It's just easier to get mad and seclude yourself rather than just taking care of the issue at hand. What can I say, some people just like to be mad at times. So it is true that owning a dog adds strain to a relationship, but not because it's a dog but because it's more responsibility and when neglected it'll come back to bite you in the rump. After all if a responsibility is not taken care of you can bet your partner will tell you. But what you both have to remember is that a dog is both of your responsibility, to blame the other you must blame yourself as well. Unless you were gone all day. Than it's the one who was home, who is to blame. :)

"To err is human, to forgive canine."

Legal Information:

Review : Spot's Stew (Halo Foods)

2009-06-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently allowed to do a review on a Halo dog food product called Spot's Stew. I received Spot's Stew, Wholesome Chicken Recipe dry dog food. I also received Spot's Stew Wholesome Beef, Succulent Salmon, Wholesome Lamb and Wholesome Chicken wet dog food. The packaging is very appealing and shows a great detail of color. The dry dog food comes with a seal able top and the wet food a pop-top. The dry Wholesome Chicken dog food is very natural and healthy.

When reading the ingredients the first 21 are ingredients I use, in fact the first five is chicken, eggs, pea protein, oats and vegetable broth. When I opened the bag and looked through the food I saw actual peas, carrots and cranberries. It has a very natural smell and the dog food smell is light. You can actually catch the scent of fresh vegetables. The wet food is a great way to treat your dog. Almost every single ingredient in the wet food is all-natural, starting with the main ingredient. Salmon for salmon, beef for beef and so on. The wet food looks a lot like canned stew on the inside and smells very similar. The Halo dog food called Spot's Stew is a great food to feed your dog; it's healthy, natural and apparently delicious, because my dog can't get enough of it. I'd try it too but I'm not a big fan of the taste of dog food.

Halo Spot's Stew can be purchased online at www.halo.com or www.petco.com. Always remember that when changing your dog's diet to follow the rules of mixing so you don't upset their stomach.

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Basic Care

2009-06-08T15:39:00.001-07:00

Most owners know the responsibilities of owning a pet; they even know what hygienic care is required. Right? Actually you'd be surprised on how many people don't know everything you should do to keep your pet in good hygienic condition. Every year 10's of thousands of dogs, cats and other animals are brought into a veterinary hospital because their owners were unaware of the basic care needs of their pets. In this article I will not only tell you what those basic care needs are but what can happen if you don't do them.

As everyone basically knows, your dog must be given baths. Now depending on your dog's length of hair and how active your dog is will determine how often you give them a bath. Obviously if your dog has long hair and/or it outside quite often and gets dirty quick you will bathe more often. Also pay attention to what dog shampoo you use; there are different shampoos for different types, color and length of hair. There are also different shampoos for if your dog has dandruff, fleas, dry skin and more. So do your research and see what shampoo and/or conditioner will be beneficial for your dog. Neglecting to wash your pets can often lead to skin issues as well as odor problems.

Brushing your dog is very important as well. How often you brush also depends on length of fur and how often your dog sheds. Now there are many different kinds of brushes, combs and rakes. Each one is used for a different reason. Failing to brush as often as needed will cause well dog fur all over your home and even worse can cause knots and fur to stick together causing dreds that may form all the way down to the skin. Bugs can easily make their way into these dreds, even laying eggs in them. Since you may even wash your dog it is nearly impossible to get these dreds dry and can easily cause infections and more.

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Launch Date

2009-06-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know Monday June 1st was supposed to be my launch date of the blog and website. Due to design issues this was postponed to today. I've sent out my first newsletter and my first real official blog posting. Keep on checking in with me, I expect great blog postings and sweepstakes in the near future.

http://www.thebreeder-directory.com

Review and Giveaway Rules

2009-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

All companies and/or people who are interested in submitting an item for review must be willing to sponsor a giveaway as well. All fees due to shipping, handling and etc... will be the responsibility of the person/shop of the item for review and giveaway. All companies/people whom submit the item for review will be given the option to opt out of the review and giveaway if for any reason they will receive a bad review. They will be notified by email with the opt out option . Start date of the giveaway is the posting date of the review unless otherwise noted by you. It is in the person/companies hands to create the rules of the giveaway. Failure to create your rules for the giveaway by the start date gives us the permisson to use our standard rules. Will make exceptions for review and giveaway rules.

Standard Giveaway Rules:
1 entry per person - go to the comapies/person's website and write about which product you liked best and why - post on the review only
Extra Entries for:
Purchases made on the person's/comapies website
Following the blog
Submitted the review and giveaway link on their blog/website

2009-05-22T21:19:00.001-07:00

Sweepstakes Advantage - The Largest Directory of Free Online Sweepstakes!

Launch Date Sweepstakes

2009-05-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you for coming to the "Breed All About It" blog. As many of you may or may not know our launch date is June 1st, 2009. So to celebrate our launch date we are holding a sweepstakes for a Large Kong Ball. The sweepstakes ends June 7th of 2009. The lucky winner will receive the large kong ball, a kong treat, and kong coupons.

As many of you may or may not know we also have a website called "The Breeder Directory" where we have breeder listings, a daily newsletter, pet care tips, training tips and much more. The website will launch also on June 1st, 2009. However the site is up for breeders to list themselves (free of charge) and anyone can subscribe for our newsletter which our first issue will be sent out on June 1st.

Now to the part you've all been waiting for, your chance to win the Kong package.

To enter the Launch Date Sweepstakes and win the Kong package -

-Follow my blog

-Subscribe to my newsletter, to do so please go to "The Breeder Directory"

Both actions are required to enter the sweepstakes, when finished please post your comment in this blog posting.

Thank you!

Congrats

2009-05-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

Congrats to out last sweepstakes winner. They received 2 squeeky toys, a rope, a ball and a bag of dog treats.

Petsmart Hotel Sweepstakes

2009-05-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

An Island Life Petsmart Hotel Sweepstakes

Petsmart Hotel Website

Free Dog Treats

2009-05-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm always on the look out for free stuff for my pets. Like treats, toys and etc... Well every week I come across many freebies. You can easily benefit from my hard core searching. I have in my hand right now a website for free dog treats.

If you are interested in receiving this link and many more in the future please visit my website "The Breeder Directory" and subscribe to my newsletter. Once you subscribe I will send you this link. My newsletter as well as my website officially launch 6/1/09. I have a daily newsletter which will include any and all freebie sites I come across.

Thank You

Dog Toy Gift Bag Sweeps

2009-05-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

Currently up for Sweeps is a Doggy Gift Bag with 5 toys. 2 sweeky, 1 rope and a treat.

To enter please read blog "A Caution on Vaccinations" and leave a comment regarding the post.

For more entries follow me on blogger, add my button to your website or add my website link "Th e Breeder Directory" to your website.

Sweeps ends May 17, 2009

A Caution on Vaccinations

2009-05-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

Concerns in overvaccination has rose greatly in the past years. We know that giving boosters annually or even more frequently is reccomended by most veterinarians. However when these frequent boosters are not needed to the companion animal they are costing the owner greatly for a service that is not needed and create a false sense of protection from these infectious diseases. You as the owner should be aware of your pet's health and be sure to do the reaserch as to what vaccines and boosters will benefit your animal and in what time frames the boosters should be administered. Since not all vaccines are required depending on the area you live in be sure that your pet is not being vaccinated for a disease that most likely will not effect your pet. This is the same when it comes to prevention. Why spend the extra money on heartworm, flea and/or parasite prevention if you live in an area where these issues are rare and uncommon.

As an example I spent five years in Tampa, Florida taking care of Coal and Cheyenne. Coal and Cheyenne are half Bullmastiff and half Rhodesian Ridgeback. They weighed a good 90 to 110 pounds each. On total I spent $90 on heartworm/parasite prevention and $70 on flea prevention each, every six months. This comes out to $640 annually and does not include the cost of a heartworm test and a fecal annually for each dog. I currently reside in Northern Nevada where fleas, parasites and heartworm cases are uncommon if not rare. If I had not done my reaserch correctly I would still be spending that much a month on prevention when it is not needed. Now I can save that money for more important things for my pets.

Through my research I've come to see there are a few vaccines that come highly recommended no matter where you live. These are vaccines that protect against the canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, canine adenovirus and of course the rabies virus. Start vaccines 8 weeks, 14 weeks and than finally 16 weeks where the rabies vaccine is administered. Receive boosters annually for these vaccines. Bordetella and coronavirus although seemingly benefical vaccines prevents these viruses only for a short period on time and have questionable efficasy.

As I always say "Information is the key. The more you have, the more you know."