There’s a lot of “bark” going on about fashion for our furry friends, with a large dog pile of opinions on what kinds of accessories and clothing are appropriate for dogs, and whether dogs should even be accessorized and clothed in the first place.

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to the questions of canine fashion. For those of us that hold our furry friends close to our hearts, the choices we make about dog clothes resemble the fashion choices we make for ourselves and for the other members of our family. Dog owners who strive to look good themselves and make a fashion statement any time they walk out the front door will naturally be passionate about their pup’s appearance as well.

Dogs that sport a trendy collar or cute shirt get more positive attention from everyone they meet compared to dogs that don’t. Dog owners know that their pups thrive on this attention, and many times the owner does as well.

There is a bit of history behind dog clothing, dating back to around 520 B.C. Medieval men going to battle would dress their horses and war dogs in garments to protect the animals skin in the time of war. This is what led to the manufacturing of dog apparel and modern day clothing for dogs. Today we still follow that tradition of using apparel to protect our working dogs and pets. Imagine police K9’s not wearing their bullet proof vests. Or our beloved service dogs who guide the blind without their vests as helpful signs to let the public know they are doing their job.

Some of our small dogs and pets of today need an extra layer in the cold winter months. The hairless dog breeds appreciate the warmth and comfort of modern dog apparel. There are many forms of dog clothes including knitted dog sweaters, costumes for holidays, and soft cotton dog T-shirts for any breed to either amuse their owners and guests with their funny designs or warn the public not to feed a working therapy dog.

Clothing is a reflection of our personality, and attention is sometimes the primary reason that we make the fashion decisions we do. Our variety of clothing makes us interesting; the way we dress and accessorize is a chance to express our individuality, and the same is true for our dogs. We receive compliments when we wear something that we feel and look good in. Has your dog ever refused a compliment? Chances are your canine friend thrives on them even more than you do! So put your pup in a trendy designer ChristinaCline collar that outshines your matching shoes and handbag, and watch them be the talk of the dog park!

For whatever reason you dress your dog, dog clothes started out with a purpose and have a long tradition of protecting the canine from harm. So don’t feel silly if you have a separate closet of dog apparel for your pooch. It is a necessary tradition!

The joys that come with owning a dog are not comparable to anything else. With our trendy dog collars and new products being added all the time, you owe it to your furry friend (and yourself) to shop ChristinaCline! For more information, please visit our website at: ChristinaCline.com or www.dogclothesaccessories.com.

The Dalmatian is one of the most recognized dog breeds in the world because of his trademark black spotted white coat, his popularity as a fire dog, and his fame in movies. However, it hasn’t always been glitz and glamor for the Dalmatian. This dog belongs to the Non-Sporting group and was originally used in Europe during the 19th century as a carriage dog.

In order to be a carriage dog, a canine required plenty of strength and stamina, qualities that are naturally present in the Dalmatian breed. Dalmatians are an extremely energy-driven breed and often display hyperactive qualities such as jumping up and racing around the home. Hence, this breed requires the necessary exercise to prevent him from becoming destructive.

Due to the fact that this breed is a high energy dog, it’s not always a good idea to have them interact with small children. Although the Dalmatian is very fond of children and loves to play with them, he can unintentionally harm them by knocking them down. Aside from that, these dogs are extremely friendly and love people, and also make great watchdogs. They can become depressed without enough human attention and companionship. And they can also become timid if not properly socialized, and completely out of control if not provided with consistent training from puppyhood. The Dalmatian is a dog that loves to be in action and needs something to do. Don’?t expect this breed to sit around all day and be content. He will find ways to amuse himself by any means necessary.

The Dalmatian is a large dog that stands 22 to 24 inches high and weighs approximately 55 pounds. He is much too active to comfortably live in an apartment and requires the freedom of at least a small yard. They also have the highest deaf percentage of all canines. It is estimated that 12% of Dalmatian puppies are deaf. Thus, all puppies need to be tested for deafness soon after they are born. There aren’t too many other health problems that plague the breed with the exception of urinary stones and skin problems. In addition, their short coat makes them sensitive to extreme temperatures. On average, Dalmatians live up to 12 years.

The Dalmatian breed is equipped with a short, coarse coat that they do a good job keeping clean. In fact, Dalmatians are even known to avoid puddles! They also don?t have a distinct doggy odor. Their spotted coat should be brushed every two days or so to help with shedding as they shed plenty of fur year round.

In essence, the Dalmatian is a happy go lucky breed that wants to be challenged, loved, and most of all needs human companionship.

Richard Cussons cares about all dogs and Dalamtians are a favorite.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Cancer in pets is more common than you think. It is the number one natural cause of death in geriatric cats and dogs and accounts for nearly 50 percent of pet deaths each year. Some breeds are especially susceptible to cancer.

Although the leading cause of death in older cats and dogs, cancer also is the most treatable disease when compared to life-limiting diseases such as congestive heart failure, renal failure and diabetes. An educated and dedicated veterinary health care team is essential to caring for cancer-stricken pets.

“It is crucial for pet owners to take their pets to the veterinarian twice a year to monitor them for early signs of the disease,” says Dr. Gregory Ogilvie, a California Veterinary Medical Association member, world-renowned oncologist and director of the California Veterinary Specialists (CVS) Angel Care Cancer Center in Carlsbad, California. “Routine blood tests also can help identify problems early.”

Commons signs of cancer for pet owners to watch for include:

• Unexplained bleeding or discharge
• Loss of appetite
• Oral odor
• Abnormal swellings or swollen lymph nodes
• Drooling or difficulty eating or swallowing
• Changes in exercise or stamina level
• Lameness
• A sore that does not heal
• Chronic weight loss
• Change in bowel or bladder habits

The best treatment for cancer is prevention. Dr. Ogilvie recommends feeding cats and dogs a high-quality, balanced diet with low amounts of simple carbohydrates and high amounts of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. He also advises pet owners to ensure their pets exercise regularly and eliminate pets’ exposure to industrial chemicals and tobacco smoke. Talk to your veterinarian to determine what’s best for your pet.

If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, there is hope. Advances in veterinary medicine and technology offer multiple treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation and surgical procedures. Above all, enhancing your pet’s health, well-being and quality of life is the ultimate goal.

The California Veterinary Medical Association is the largest state veterinary medical association in the United States, with more than 6,200 members. For more information, visit www.cvma.net.

For our pets to be as healthy as they can be, remember; just like people, they are what they eat. Wellness(R) Natural Pet Food says pick up the bag and read the ingredient label. With Wellness you’ll see lean meats like deboned chicken, whole grains, and a rainbow of fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, apples and blueberries; not chemicals or fillers like wheat, wheat gluten or soy or artificial colors and preservatives.

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ — A new poll released today shows most people don’t know what ingredients are in their pets’ food, and when pressed, show they are ultimately not feeding the ingredients they think they are.

Of 1,305 U.S. adult dog and/or cat owners, two-thirds say they feed their dog(s)/cat(s) as if they are members of the family. But their actions don’t always support the claim. 56 percent say they always read the label on their own packaged foods (e.g. pasta, pre-packaged or frozen meals), but only 20 percent of dog owners and 19 percent of cat owners say they always read the labels on their pets’ food. Just 38 percent say they understand all the ingredients listed on their dog/cat food labels.

The new survey was conducted in August by Harris Interactive(R) and commissioned by the Wellness(R) brand of natural food and treats for pets.

No doubt Americans love their pets - 85 percent of dog and/or cat owners agree that the health of their dogs and cats is as important to them as the health of their family. But the survey shows a disconnect between what pet parents think should or should not be in their dog/cat food, and what
really is.

For instance, 91 percent of dog and cat owners said they would not want their pets’ food to contain ingredients that cause allergies or food intolerance. Another 66 percent said their preference would be to only feed natural pet food. In reality though, most consumers are buying pet food that is not natural, and that include some of the ingredients they don’t want.

“We know that with pets, as with people, you are what you eat, which is why it is so important to understand the ingredients we’re feeding our cats and dogs,” said Wellness President Michael Meyer. “We’ve made it our mission to educate dog and cat parents as to what makes a quality ingredient and to empower them to know what they are feeding their beloved animals. That way they can be confident they truly are meeting their mission of feeding their pets as high quality a food as they would the rest of their family.”

Additional findings of the survey included:

• 56 percent worry their dog(s)/cat(s) food contains ingredients they wouldn’t want him/her consuming.
• More than half of dog and/or cat owners (55%) don’t know what federal body is charged with regulating pet food quality
• When asked to name the first ingredient listed on the label of their cat(s)’ dry food, 48 percent of cat owners answered they are not sure
• When asked to name the first ingredient listed on the label of their dog(s)’ dry food, 44 percent of dog owners answered they are not sure

So what should pet parents who want to feed the best and trust their ingredients do?
The pet nutrition experts at Wellness recommend consumers pick up the bag, turn it over and study the ingredient label. They should look for:

• Real meat should be the first ingredient, not meat or poultry by-products
• Avoid commonly identified allergens (e.g. wheat, wheat gluten, soy)
• No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives should be found in the food
• Look for ingredients you do recognize, like de-boned chicken, whole fish and wholesome fruits and vegetables

All Wellness food and treat recipes for dogs and cats are made using human-quality ingredients without the use of meat by-products, fillers, potential allergens such as wheat (including wheat gluten), artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.

About the Consumer Survey
The Pet Food survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Wellness between August 11 and August 13, 2008 among 2,151 adults ages 18+, of whom, 1,305 are dog and/or cat owners, 906 are dog owners and 783 are cat owners. Data were weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Erin Vadala or Allyson Reckerman.

About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research that is powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

The premise of Cara’s site is wonderfully simple. Buy the appropriate political party bandanna for $9.95 and a vote will be cast on behalf of your state for the party you support on the basis of your purchase. It’s so simple, even humans can understand that a red bandanna with McCain dog paw means that he or she is a Republican and that the blue bandanna is for Obama supporting Democrats dogs. For those wondering the current status of the presidential race, Obama is running away with the Doggie Electoral Vote! Literally, like it’s a frisbee over the dog park… 367 to 46. On the positive side for the Republicans though, as Stella was so gracious to point out, a single purchase in some states could change the way the Doggie Electoral College votes. According to the interactive “Doggie Vote Map”(which I have to say, ROCKS) some states such as South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Idaho, Kansas and Oklahoma, to name a few have yet to cast a vote. Kudos though to the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 93 votes cast to be the state leading the way in the all important Doggie Vote with Oregon and Minnesota following closely.

For those undecided voters needing more information on the candidates, Barley, Raffles and Stella each offer political analysis that should prove to be hilariously to the point as they lead us through the process to the culmination of the election of our next President. As a civic minded canine or canine owner, don’t forget, to visit and vote, for as the site’s tag line reads “THE FATE OF OUR NATION LIES IN THEIR PAWS”!

Coming awake and alert under such stressful circumstances usually results in a minor skirmish, with possibly a short chase as a conclusion. Fast forward the situation five minutes and the two sisters will have somehow managed to both find my lap and be busily grooming themselves and each other. They will be calling a truce and making friends again as only cats know how… the rest of us tend to take longer in overcoming the resentment of being so rudely awakened!

I have to wonder though, “How does a cat make friends with a wild animal?” In our neighborhood, we have not only the various assortment of domesticated animals, but also a fairly large group of deer. I hesitate to call them a herd, because I honestly think the deer are several smaller groups that each have their own territory. If my tally is correct, two positively and possibly three of the deer live in the woods directly behind our house. Shelter in this area is plentiful, food in the form of acorns is abundant, and contact with humans can easily be kept to a minimum… all in all, prime territory for the deer! Now if you have read my earlier postings, you will quickly realize that at least three of my girls were born in these very woods and to this day Marie disappears into them daily.

Toulouse though, is the one I want to tell you about. I have seen her interact with the visiting deer before… as a kitten she would stalk them. I’m still not positive, but I believe she thought she could ride one like a horse. Would that not be quite the sight? It is her latest interaction though that has captivated my attention and what I want to share with you. This past Saturday, I happened to be passing a window in the back of my house and, as is frequently the case, I paused to take a look around the back yard. At first, I saw nothing unusual, but then a movement beside our wood pile caught my attention and focused my gaze upon the tree line on the edge of the property. The deer was a solitary figure, grazing on some of the new undergrowth from where we had taken out some small shrubs. I think it was a doe, though a very young one. I saw no evidence of nubs that could grow to be antlers. The deer seemed quite content as it was munching right along while keeping a cautious ear attuned to the surroundings. My eyes darted ahead in the direction the deer was headed and saw something that stunned me.

Toulouse was sitting, probably on the flat surface of a left over tree stump, about five feet ahead of the deer. At first, I doubted that the deer had seen her, but as I stared, it became obvious that Toulouse was nonchalantly grooming her paws. The fact that she sat so close did not seem to faze the deer in the least as it ventured even closer as it grazed. Watching this unfold left me thoroughly engrossed in the scene. Over the course of a few minutes of grazing and grooming, the deer and Toulouse were finally less that two feet apart. There they stayed, Toulouse sitting and the deer standing over her as they gazed at each other for the better part of a minute. My only regret as I watched was that I could not hear if they made sounds to each other or themselves. How would a conversation between a deer and a cat commence? Somehow in my head I imagine my cat, aptly named for a Disney character herself, inquiring, “Would you happen to be the famous Bambi?”

I can think of several avenues the conversation could continue along, but I’m positive they both introduced themselves to the other. After a couple of minutes, I noticed both heads turn to gaze in the same direction and Toulouse moved forward about ten feet passing right beside the deer. When she sat down and resumed her watchful position, the deer then followed her footsteps and came to stand beside her about two feet away again. At this point, I finally noticed what had drawn their attention as Marie walked quietly down our property line towards the pair sharing the sunny conversation spot beside the wood pile. As she neared them, Marie caught the scent of the deer and became wary in her steps. For it’s part, the deer also became wary, with Toulouse being the only one of the three to remain relaxed. I strained forward at the window and could almost catch her words on the breeze as Toulouse uttered “Oh Bambi, don’t give her another thought! That’s my sister Marie and I promise she’ll behave.”

In turn I saw her acknowledge Marie and figured that sounded more like, “Do you mind? Why do you have to go everywhere I go? My new friend Bambi and I were just talking and now you’ve ruined it!”

Evidently, the curt greeting miffed Marie as she stalked to the wood pile and settled atop, staring at the deer from slitted eyes. With the frost settling around the conversation, the deer turned to head deeper into the cover of the woods. Before leaving though, it once more turned to Toulouse and the two acknowledged each other again. Maybe it was with a “I must be going, but perhaps we could chat again soon?! It was so nice to have met you Toulouse.” “And you also Bambi. Come back by anytime, I’m usually here!”

With that final exchange each went in separate directions, but with the knowledge now of what it is to take a walk on the wild side and strike up a friendship with someone from the other side!

As the title proclaims, the site attempts to answer some of the basic questions about pet adoption and gives potential animal parents some solid information. In the 7 posts so far, the information ranges from the current crisis of the sheer number of animals in animal shelters (who are also experiencing budget shortfalls worldwide), to the signs, symptoms, and treatments of heatstrokes in animals.

The most recent article, Is Pet Adoption being shunned for Pet Rental?, deals with the rise of Pet Renetal agencies and the general public response. As a multiple pet owner myself, I’m outraged by the very idea of a pet rental. While the author of the article manages to present the facts on the proposed Flexpets pet rental business, keeping emotional arguments at bay, I found that I’d rather know the position this blog takes on the idea of a Pet Rental business and expected the author to discuss how the pet rental industry (should it become mainstream) might actually be harmful to pet adoption efforts.

The site is not yet a year old, with the first post appearing on July 19th, 2008 (although the “About Us” page notes the site’s beginning on the 22nd of May). With only 1 category (pet adoption of course) and 7 posts, there’s honestly not much there yet, though it could prove to be a useful resource in the future. I love the premise of the blog…

…the plan is to get all the latest news and information and put it here so that people don’t have to look all around the internet for pet adoption news!

However, the obsession with the words pet adoption (every instance of the phrase is linked to the home page of the site) actually makes me stumble at times when reading the articles. Hopefully Sean concentrates on the articles and stops worrying over how many times the words pet adoption can be inserted and linked to the home page. While I understand the desire to be found by the masses via search, I don’t think it’s worth trading the readability and personality of a blog for. I’d rather the site be entertaining and informative for the five people who see it than a waste of time for the five thousand who find it from a search. But that’s just me…

Graphically the site doesn’t offer much to look at. There are no images at all, in fact. And the sidebar devoted to displaying a tid-bit of information about the blog is actually still rendering the theme’s content placement holder text:

This is an area on your website where you can add text. This will serve as an informative location on your website, where you can talk about your site.

And, oddly enough, Sean Revel left his comment asking for a review of the site, but the “About Us” page of PetAdoptionHelp.uk notes Vlad Reznik and a different site (PetAdoptionHelp.com - which is a parked domain):

Hi, I’m Vlad Reznik and I write Petadoptionhelp.com to give people the latest news and information on pet adoption.

The one thing this blog has going for it right from the start is that it actually links to one of my favorite pets blogs. In fact, it’s the only link in the blogroll. One Million Pet Pics has the ultimate goal to feature one million (or more) pets and offer pet owners (and blog owners) a way to note their pet on the Internet. So for pets blog owners this is a great opportunity to have both your pet (and your blog) featured. Oddly enough, the single link in Brenda’s One Million Pets Pics blogroll leads back to Pet Adoption Help, the site I’m currently reviewing.

Perhaps I’ll include Brenda’s One Million Pets Pics blog in the featured blogs here next. But that will have to wait. I’ve got many more blogs on the list to review and hopefully include in our featured pets blogs section. Until then, be sure to check out Sean’s Pet Adoption Help site and my favorite news article there about the 20 kilo cat looking for a home.