July 24, 2009
Yesterday, we wished our fabulous Golden Retrievers "Happy Birthday". The first night we brought them home, we must admit asking ourselves (in between the cuteness): "What on earth have we done to our lives??"
The New York Times has begun a weekly series, The Puppy Diaries, about "the challenges and satisfactions of raising a puppy through its first year of life". A snippet from author and new puppy owner Jill Abramson:
Somehow I had forgotten how much having a new puppy is like having a new baby. It's not only the made-up games, the hide-and-seek and stuffed animals. There is the special puppy smell, much like the distinctive scent, better than perfume, of a new baby's head. There is the reflexive urge to smother with kisses. There is the getting up in the middle of the night. There is the singing of lullabies to sleep, lying next to Scout's crate as if it were a cradle. There is the arrangement of play dates for socialization....There are the books written by experts (our puppy manual is by the Monks of New Skete, The Art of Raising a Puppy
). There is the feeling of total relief in seeing tired eyes close for a nap.
Have a new puppy or know someone who does? Sign up for Drs. Foster and Smith's email series: Puppy Care Today -- Everything you need to know about a new puppy through each stage.
Nothing beats enjoying a relaxing drink out on the deck in summer. These generously sized Swimming Dog Glasses are hand-etched with a water dog paddling along a ring of waves. The classic double old-fashioned shape is made of sturdy crystal that resists chipping and breaking. A terrific gift!
July 23, 2009
Who amongst us have not wondered what our dog is saying when s/he barks?
A Japanese toy company has invented Bowlingual Voice, a device that purportedly interprets the emotions expressed in a dog's bark then translates them into human words.
This gadget "detects" sadness, joy, alertness to danger, neediness, happiness and frustration, plus has a recorded repertoire of spoken phrases such as "play with me", "leave me alone", and "feel sad". And for the dog owner who doesn't want to miss a thing, an answering machine function can also record your pet's feelings when you are not around.
Or maybe, as is often the case in relationships, the less said, the better.
via DVICE / Daily Mail Online
Today is the 6th birthday of the in-house Super Cool Pets Golden Retrievers. Happy Birthday, girls, and many more!
Even though the girls prefer to go "au naturel", they will wear their Let's Pawty Dog Tank Top
for their celebration today.
And because they love their toys, they will each get their very own Birthday Cake Toy
. This is a 6" plush golden (of course) cake with white icing and 6 candles in pretty colors. The cake plays the birthday song melody, and when that happens, the girls will bark along.
Time to "pawty"!
July 22, 2009
A recent ConsumerLab.com study raises questions about the effectiveness of, or even necessity for, pet supplements.
Miami, FL small animal veterinarian Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA writes the popular blog Dolittler. Explaining a professional method to evaluate pet supplements, she cites Dr. Nancy Kay, a veterinary specialist who practices in Northern California and is the author of the popular book Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
:
"We veterinarians are taught to use the ACCLAIM system (described below) to assess nutritional supplements. You too can use this system to make educated choices about these products for yourself and your four-legged loved ones.
A = A name you recognize. Choose an established company that provides educational materials for veterinarians and other consumers. Is it a company that is well established?
C = Clinical experience. Companies that support clinical research and have their products used in clinical trials that are published in peer-reviewed journals to which veterinarians have access are more likely to have a quality product.
C = Contents. All ingredients should be clearly indicated on the product label.
L = Label claims. Label claims that sound too good to be true likely are. Choose products with realistic label claims.
A = Administration recommendations. Dosing instructions should be accurate and easy to follow. It should be easy to calculate the amount of active ingredient administered per dose per day.
I = Identification of lot. A lot identification number indicates that a surveillance system exists to ensure product quality.
M = Manufacturer information. Basic company information should be clearly stated on the label including a website (that is up and running) or some other means of contacting customer support."
Still have questions? Read Supplementing Your Pet's Diet
by Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff.
The Crypton Doodle Dog Bag
is a fun and fashionable bag for shopping or traveling. This eco-friendly reusable bag is made of Crypton's signature super fabric with the same print on each side. It's stain, moisture and odor resistant, easy to spot clean, and machine washable.
Crypton Doodle Dog Bag Collection
in the above colors Pool Blue, Gipsy Red, Kermit Green, Koala Tan, Persimmon Orange, and Twig Brown.
If you like this, you will love the William Wegman design Doodle Dog Pet Beds.
July 21, 2009
South Korean customs authorities have reportedly cloned a pack of six Labrador retriever sniffer dogs.
To create the ideal customs dogs, a team of Seoul National University scientists, led by researcher Lee Byung-Chun, cloned a successful Canadian sniffer dog in 2007. Lee was a former colleague of Hwang Woo-Suk, the scientist who was disgraced when his claims about his work with human stem cells were proved false. But Lee severed ties with Hwang in 2006, according to the Agence France-Presse.
Seven cloned puppies were born, and six completed the 16-month training program to become sniffer dogs. (The seventh had to drop out of the training program due to injury.) Three of the six Labradors that completed the training program have now reported for duty at South Korea's main airport, Incheon International Airport. The other three are assigned to customs checkpoints in Incheon and two other cities.
In keeping with humanity's never-ending quest to have us all march in step, all six dogs are have the same name, Toppy, a combination of "tomorrow" and "puppy."
via LA Unleashed
July 20, 2009
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association has begun checking toys for safety. As we have learned in recent years, we cannot rely upon corporate America or watchdog agencies to keep our pets safe, but our own best judgment when purchasing pet toys. A few tips via The Examiner:
- Avoid toys with painted decals: the item may not have been tested properly, and we know that paint can contain lead.
- Toys that are inexpensive may be poorly constructed and disintegrate in a pet's mouth, leading to choking.
- Exercise the same caution as you would when shopping for a young child's toy. If you wouldn't allow it in your playroom, it shouldn't be in your pet's toy box, either.
One solution is to make your own toys, as suggested in Make Your Own Cat Toys: Saving The Planet One Cat Toy At A Time.
July 17, 2009
Patty Khuly VMD, MBA is a small animal veterinarian in Miami, FL and writes a daily blog for pet lovers at PetMD that is a favorite here at Super Cool Pets. We wanted to bring yesterday's topic, bloat, to your attention.
This disease, also called torsion, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), can kill a dog in a matter of minutes or become chronic. From Dr Khuly's article The latest word on the dreaded "bloat":
Dogs of predisposed breeds or with relatives who have bloated should be "tacked." (Ed.--referring to the stomach) Steps should be taken to reduce eating speed (lots of bowls are made for such a purpose). Food should not be fed from a height (none of those raised dog bowls). And here are some other risk factors that have not necessarily been proven yet, but that should probably avoid these you can:
* Exercise immediately after feeding
* Rapid eating speed
* Decreased food particle size
* Once daily feeding
* Stress
At Super Cool Pets we focus on pet products that improve and enhance the lives of pets and the people they love. Dr Khuly recommends the use of bowls that reduce eating speed, such as the Brake-Fast Pet Bowl pictured above, and recommends against using raised feeders. If you are a dog owner, we recommend reading the entire article.
We wash off and hose down our pets a lot, but sometimes they just need a good scrub to soothe the various conditions that crop up, especially in the summer, such as itch relief, skin sensitivity, combating pests, odor relief, and coat conditioning.
Earthbath All Natural Shampoos
effectively combat skin irritation, promote healing, and re-moisturize pet dry skin. These shampoos are soap-free and pH-balanced for pets' sensitive skin--also non-toxic, 100% natural, entirely bio-degradable, phosphate and paraben-free, enzyme-free, and animal cruelty-free.
For dogs, a variety of Earthbath Shampoos are available--Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo, Clear Advantages Shampoo, Orange Peel Oil Shampoo, and Eucalyptus & Peppermint Shampoo.
For cats, Earthbath All Natural Cat Shampoo and Conditioner 
has gentle cleansers and conditioners with wild cherry essence to detangle and make your favorite feline's fur shine.
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