Getting ready for flea season

You have heard that old saying that summer is flea season. Well I have got some news for you. Since our homes are generally heated year round then flea season is when the warm and dry season is here and that could mean warm and dry indoors a well as outside. Fleas love it dry and warm. If it is wet then they move on to where it is dry or at least drier.

With the advent of those spot on flea products for our dogs like Frontline Plus our dogs don't have to suffer the agony of flea dermatitis or scratching themselves raw. As owners we also don't have to worry about flea bombing our homes because those spot on products also serve a double duty. What happens when a dog has a spot on chemical on them, fleas are killed usually within 30 minutes to and hour and any fleas that jump on the dog from their environment are also killed. Fleas that are dead do not reproduce and you end up breaking the flea cycle.

Controlling fleas that way sure does beat washing the dog once a week, shampooing the rugs, flea bombing the house every 30-60 days and using indoor flea powders, sprays and other chemicals. A word of warning, if you use those products be careful about washing your dog. There are shampoos that are made just to be used when dogs are using those flea products. Regular water from rain does little to affect the chemical but washing the dog will.

Flea season doesn't have to be a pain in the butt anymore.

When is a dog fully grown?

I bet you were told that a dog is considered to be fully grown at the age of 2 years old. That is like saying that every person has stopped growing at the age of 17. Like the human growth hormone, the dog's growth hormone is based on their individual genetic makeup. It is also a fact that different dog breeds develop at different rates. So next time someone tells you that dogs take 2 years to become fully grown just smile inside and know that it is not always true.

More wrinkled dogs

Oh my, this dog does have some extra skin folds around those jowls. Cleaning that doggy up after it takes a long cold drink of water must be a mess. I wonder if that breed has any eye problems? Will somebody fetch me some anti wrinkle cream for that dog?

A special message to the spammer who visits me everyday

I don't know if your comments are auto generated or you just can't read but all of the comments on this blog are read and either approved or deleted by me. Your constant links to acne home remedy and diet websites will not be tolerated anymore. When you first started to comment I was well aware of your link to the doggy chew toy site but now you are putting in links to practically everything under the sun. How do I know it is YOU, simple you misspell the same word each time and end your comments with those same 3 words.

Service dogs

When one hears the phrase "service dog," their mind usually conjurers up visions of the the seeing-eye dog. Dogs have come a long way in assisting the disabled person since the seeing-eye dogs were first used over 60 years ago. Not only are there service dogs that assist the physically disabled person but dogs that assist the mentally disabled as well.

The average cost of a service dog is approximately $20,000.00. Disabled people have enough on their plate with low incomes, the occasional battle over a disability appeal and finding healthcare shouldn't have to worry about getting a dog to assist them in their everyday living. That is why most of the service dog industry is funded by donations and run by volunteers, so that those who are in need of a service dog can afford one.

Worms and your dog

A fact of dog ownership is monthly worming. Worms in dogs range from tapeworms, roundworms to the deadly heartworm. My vet gives us a chewy monthly wormer for our dogs, sort of a doggy colon cleanser, if you will, that not only takes care of the intestinal worms but heartworms as well.

Make sure your dog is on a monthly worming plan. You will prevent many health related problems later.

The sex drive of entire male dogs

Anyone who has ever owned a female dog in heat can testify that male dogs can smell her miles away. If the female is outside at any time during her heat period she must be under tight supervision as a male dog could, will, can and get to her if he really wants to. The male dogs seem to have their own testosterone boosters that will enable them to go over, under or sometimes through fences. Never under estimate the power of a male dogs' sex drive, it is powerful.

Is the the prairie dog related to dogs?

Just because an animal has the word "dog" in its name does not mean they are related to dogs. Take for example the prairie dog, they are related to mice, rats, squirrels and other rodents, not dogs. That little cute guy in the picture above is located at the St Louis Zoo. After the photo was taken the prairie dog was last seen digging in some prime St Louis real estate and kicking up some dirt.

Playing cell phone vibes with your dog

I got an odd reaction from my dog today. I have one of those prepaid cell phones and it was sitting on the coffee table. I had it set to vibe only because I was at a meeting earlier. I forgot to turn it off like I normally do when I am at home and it went off. Of course the darn thing went vibrating across the table and it just gave me a slight chuckle...that was until my dog saw it.

He saw that phone wiggling and shaking but no ringing and went nuts. He did not try and grab the phone but started to howl and run up and down the hallway in the house. It was odd. I was wondering if the phone was giving off some ultra high sound that my dog could only hear. Anyone else have something like that happen?

Water for your dog

Are you tired of having to keep your outdoor dog water bowls clean or in one place? Then here is a neat idea, a plumbing fixture, water fountain that lets your dog get a nice drink of water. This is something I found at petshed.com. It looks like it is motion activated so I am betting some dogs will learn to use it very quickly while others will learn to play with it and drive their owners nuts.

Playing with the dog

My husband loves to tease our little dog. Being a small dog he thinks he is the protector of the house. When he hears a car in the distance he barks at the front door and windows. Of course hubby has his fun with the dog at this point. Hubby goes to the front door and holds on to the door knob as if he will open it. The dog will then be at the door wanting desperately to get outside. The dog is so hyper at that point that he is running in place on the tile flooring. When the dog is running at full speed in place the husband opens the door and the dog takes off down to the end of our property. He soon comes trotting back after his little run. Of course half way during the run down the property the dog has already forgotten what he was hyper about and usually one of our cats wants to play with him.

Is your dog living green?

You have changed your lifestyle to use less fossil fuels but have you done the same for your dog? Have you had a chance to look at any green studys about fuel consumption in relation to the manufacture of dry dog food or dog clothes? I bet you haven't. Consider the fact that we often buy items for our pets that are not really needed and there you have an item that caused a fossil foot print. Next time you buy a frivolous item for your dog, consider what kind of affect it had on the environment during its manufacture and transport to your store or mail box.

Let's work together to reduce our dogs carbon pawprint.