Search Results for: blog dog breeds golden retriever

Managing Smart Dogs

Smart is often a selling point for dogs. There are certain breeds, especially those known for herding, that are generally considered the cream of the clever canine crop. Thus if you want an intelligent dog it might not be too hard to seek one out, but there are some things you need to know before adopting a brainy companion. Pet site ZooToo has some tips. The most important thing to consider first is that smart doesn’t necessarily mean easy. We think that it will; we think how nice it will be to have a dog that can fetch slippers and … Continue reading →

Breed-Specific Dog Food

I was paging through an issue of Dog Fancy magazine and saw an ad for Royal Canin’s new line of breed-specific foods. Interesting idea, huh? Instead of just tailoring foods to dogs of a certain size or age group, they’ve developed foods for specific breeds. It makes sense that puppies would have different nutritional needs than adults or seniors… but what about dogs of the same age but different breeds? Royal Canin — backed by years of research — says that dogs of different heritage have different nutritional needs. Generally speaking, dogs all need the same things. Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins … Continue reading →

What Makes a Good Search and Rescue Dog?

The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is on a mission. They are rescuing dogs, training them to save lives, and sending them out to work with firefighters and other emergency workers. This is the search dog pledge: no one is left behind. Most candidates for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation come from shelters and breed-specific rescue groups. Dogs who are adopted by the SDF are guaranteed a lifetime of care — whether or not they work out as search and rescue dogs. Dogs that don’t complete the program are placed in loving forever homes. Active search dogs that retire … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for February 25-March 2

Aimee and I went to town last week with a variety of articles. In case you missed any, here’s your handy Week in Review catch up cheat sheet. Monday, February 25 How do you earn a roaming stray dog’s trust? I’m trying to figure that out so I can win over the stray in our neighborhood. Aimee logged another entry in her Diary of a Cat Care B & B: how not to wash a cat. I reported on Murph’s progress with the PoochIQ test. Tuesday, February 26 Hey what’s this? I know this chick! That’s right, Aimee conducted an … Continue reading →

Duke: A Dog Who’s Willing to Spill the Beans…For a Price

For the last day of July, which happened to be National Baked Beans Month, I thought it’d be fun to profile a dog associated with beans. Specifically, Bush’s Best Beans. Perhaps you’ve seen the commercials with Duke, the scheming Golden Retriever who’s always trying to sell the Bush family’s secret recipe? I get a kick out of Duke’s antics. The newest commercial has him leaning out an upper-story window ready to launch a pig off the roof. The pig’s on a skateboard with “wings” strapped around his back and flying goggles on ready for take-off. All because earlier in the … Continue reading →

About Sporting Group Dogs

The American Kennel Club divides show dogs into seven different groups: Sporting, Non-Sporting, Hounds, Terriers, Toy, and Working. Each group has particular characteristics in common. The Sporting Group includes dogs that were bred for pointing, flushing, and retrieving game, especially birds. Pointers, retrievers, setters, and spaniels are all found in the Sporting Group. These breeds are known for their instincts both in the water and in the woods. Sporting Group dogs hunt by air scent — rather than ground scent, like Hound Group dogs. Pointers are known for standing still in front of their quarry, using nose and body to … Continue reading →

Westminster Dog Show Results

I have what my friends call “Olympic Obsessive Disorder” – but I managed to tear myself away from the Olympics long enough to keep an eye on the Westminster Kennel Club’s 130th Annual Dog Show. If you missed it, check your local listings for USA Network; they will be running the highlights again over the next few days. Monday night, four dogs were sent to the finals: 1. Working Group – Rottweiler 2. Terrier Group – Colored Bull Terrier 3. Toy Group – Pug 4. Non-Sporting Group – Dalmatian Tuesday night, three more dogs went to the Best in Show … Continue reading →

Getting Fit With Your Four-Legged Friend

If you have a crazy work schedule, travel a lot or enjoy experimenting with unstructured fitness plans, then it might be challenging to find a consistent workout partner. Enter man’s best friend. Fido and Fifi often make ideal four-legged fitness companions. Exercising with a dog is the perfect solution for individuals, who long for company while they burn calories, but can’t seem to mesh schedules with a two-legged pal. That said there are some general tips you should consider before making your little wagster your main workout buddy: Agility activities: According to experts, medium dogs, especially herding breeds, are good … Continue reading →

Bronner’s: A Good Place for Pet Ornaments

A couple months back, when the deluge of catalogs started assaulting my mailbox, I received one from Bronner’s. Located in Frankenmuth, Michigan, they claim they’re the world’s largest Christmas store. If they are or not, I don’t know, but they certainly have quite the collection of ornaments in their catalog. Pet Ornaments They have ones with messages like “Loving Friend/Loyal Companion” or “Pets Leave Pawprints on Your Heart!” that you can also personalize with your pet’s name. They have bone-shaped ones that can also be personalized, like the glass dog bone or the one with an attached dangling heart under … Continue reading →

An Interview with Beth Terrell about Her Dancing Puppy, Luca

People who are active with their pets intrigue me. And when I say active, I mean doing things like doing agility training or enrolling in therapy dog programs. Back in February, I participated on a panel with some fellow Middle Tennessee Sister in Crime authors, one of whom was Beth Terrell. We got to talking about things outside of writing, and she told me about how much fun she’d been having with her little puppy that she got about a year ago. Specifically, she was raving about the puppy dancing classes they’d been taking. I thought that’d make a fun … Continue reading →