Bully Sticks

Presidential Pooches – Barney and Miss Beazley

Scottish Terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley have achieved almost as much recognition as their owner, President George W. Bush and First Lady, Laura Bush.

Barney has starred in 7 Movies and has dozens of websites devoted to him.  Miss Beazley, aka Beazley Weazley, has been Barney’s co-star in several of those films and has her own legion of fans.

When not busy creating movies, Barney enjoys his ball collection, including a golf ball, tennis ball and soccer ball or his new favorite pastime … horseshoes.

Meanwhile, Miss Beazley can most often be found devouring a favorite dog chew.

Barney and Miss Beazley follow President George W. Bush along the West Wing Colonnade Wednesday, July 23, 2008, on the way back to the Oval Office at the White House. White House photo by Joyce Boghosian

Presidential Pooch, Spotty – Born to be First Dog

Born March 17th 1989 at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC, Spotty was born to be First Dog.  Her mother, Millie was the Presidential Pooch of George H.W. Bush had her litter of pups on the White House grounds.  Little did she realize that when her daughter went to live with Presidents Bush’s son, George W,  that  she would be returning to her birth home a few short years later.

The spotted Springer Spaniel traveled frequently with the President and was known to love a good game of tennis ball throwing.  It seemed that tennis balls were her favorite dog chew.

She was known to sleep on a chair in the Presidential bedroom until her death at the age of 15 in February 2004..  She has been greatly missed.

Presidential Pooch, The sad tale of Buddy

Chocolate Lab, Buddy joined the White House Staff as First Dog in December of 1997 in the midst of the impeachment controversy of President Bill Clinton.

From the start it was a rocky road.  First there was the constant battles with Socks, the cat and then the allegations  from the press that poor Buddy was only added to the family as a media diversion.  After spending a couple hours playing for the cameras, Buddy was shipped off to a trainer and seemed to appear whenever the President’s Public Relations needed a boost.

Unfortunately, the sad tale ended when on January 2nd, 2002, Buddy was struck and killed by a car outside of the Clinton’s home in New York.

Hopefully, Buddy is spending his days chomping on bully sticks in a happy heavenly place.

Presidential Pooch, Millie the Children’s book Author

By far one of the most talented Presidential dogs has to be George H.W. and Barbara Bush’s beloved Springer Spaniel, Millie. Not only did she write her very own children’s book but she was also a role model for other working dog Mom’s.  While in office she had a boisterous brood of bouncing puppies, one named Ranger became President George H.W. Bush’s constant companion and another, Spot took over as first dog with President George W. Bush.

I’m sure Millie was well compensated with plenty of all natural dog treats for her successful writing endeavor.

Get a Dog, Dude

After watching this funny video called “Mean Little Kitty” all I can say is

Get a Dog!

and while you’re at it give him a dog bone to chew on and unlike mean little kitty, he’ll stop chewing on you.

Things to know before you buy that cute little puppy….

It happens to all of us…. we see that cute little face in the window of the pet store and immediately fall in love.  He’s so tiny and sweet and look at those big feet.  We watch him romp and when he “playfully” nips at our finger we are sure he’s the one for us.

Several months later when that cute “little” puppy is now 100 lbs of furniture shredding, romping stomping destructo dog, we realize that maybe this was not the right choice for your tiny apartment.   Or maybe, the tiny little puppy with the furry coat demands way more time grooming then you have hours in the day.

Then again,  it could be that cute face turned into a pit bull that keeps looking at your toddler like she’s lunch or could it be that your toddler keeps looking at that cute little chihuahua like he’s lunch.

Before deciding to share your life with a dog, take time to research the breed with the American Kennel Club.  There are certain tracts that are natural to certain breeds.  There are also some breeds that require more exercise, room to roam or extra grooming care.

Once you have decided on a breed that will match your lifestyle then be sure to ask the shop owner, breeder or current owner about the individual dogs personality, quirks, favorite all natural dog treats and food, temperament and whether they have been exposed to other dogs, cats or children.

When obtaining a dog from a shelter, be sure to ask for all the information available on the dog, including how he ended up at the shelter and what condition he was in when he got there.  Ask for any information on the breed and or breeds of the dog.

Adding a new pet to your family should be a lifetime commitment and care should be taken to best insure your dog will become a happy member of your family.

Dog Memory Journal

Most pet owners will experience the heartache of losing a beloved pet either to accident, illness or old age. The short lifespan of cats and dogs makes it almost inevitable and when it happens we want to cherish those memories.

Having a Memory Journal or scrap book can help you hold on to those memories. Adding pictures of the first day you brought them home, their favorite toys and friends will keep them alive in your heart.

Write down your favorite stories and adventures with your dog. Funny quirks and mishaps. Tell the story of the first time he/she tried a bully stick or had their favorite treat for the first time.

Write about how your pooch makes you feel …. the joy, the happiness and the frustration.

Dogs have become such a big part of our lives it’s only natural that when we lose a pet, we need time to grieve, but having a journal or scrap book can help us to move through our grief and celebrate the many blessings of having had the benefit of sharing our lives with one incredible four-legged friend.

Ustream’s hottest craze….. Puppy Cam

I can’t help it ….. it’s totally addictive.   I spend hours watching puppies sleep, puppies play, puppies eat and puppies piddle and I’m not the only one.  Over the last month, hundreds of loyal followers have tuned in to watch the every move of Shiba’s puppies on UStream Live TV.

The six Shiba Inu puppies, three boys and three girls turned 4 weeks old on November 4th 2008.  They now have their own collars that help to identify them.

Girls:
- Autumn (Purple collar)
- Ayumi (Yellow collar)
- Amaya (Red collar)

Boys:
- Aki (Green collar)
- Akoni (Black collar)
- Ando (Blue collar)

The feed has had over 570,000 views and nearly 300 subscribers… all watching these tiny pups grow right before our eyes.

It will be interesting to watch these pups grow and have their first taste of dog food, their first dog bones and finally find their new owners.

Tune in now and see for yourselves why Puppy Cam is the latest trend.

Planning a Dog Birthday Party

Want to celebrate your dog’s birthday or adoption day? Having a doggie party can be a lot of fun for you and your pup.

A pet can be a lot like any other child’s party, but with some very important precautions.

• Dogs can become aggressive around food when their are other dogs present.
• Some foods are poison to dogs – keep the chocolate out of reach
• Too much noise and excitement can frighten a dog and make them defensive
• Even “best friend” dogs can have a spat that turns into a fight

When planning your dog’s party, keep the above in mind. When possible choose an outdoor location and have each dog’s owner ready with a leash or crate for dogs that get out of hand. If you are inviting young children, be sure they are not frightened by dogs and no how to behave.

Have a party bag for each pup filled with all natural dog treats, dog chews and bully sticks but be sure to separate the dogs when giving treats or save the party bag as a take home gift.

Keep plenty of water on hand with lots of water bowls available.

If there is not an outdoor area available, you might want to check with your local Pet Center, Groomers and Pet Bakeries, many have special birthday party facilities.

Preventing Canine Distemper

There are certain requirements that should be required of every dog owner. Things like providing quality food and all natural dog treats. Love and attention should also be a requirement, as well as providing a safe environment.

Pet owners should also be required to provide the proper protection from Canine diseases like Distemper.

Canine Distemper is a highly contagious respiratory illness in dogs that can be up to 75% fatal in very young and very old dogs. Fortunately there is a vaccine available to dogs as young as 6 weeks.

Please take the time to view this video and insure that your dog has been properly vaccinated.