by Kenn Bell
October 31, 2010 in Dog Files News, Holidays, Max & Remy, News
Max, Remy and the Dog Files wish you and your family, a very happy and safe Halloween! All treats, no tricks! And be careful you don’t leave dogs unsupervised around chocolate, which is very dangerous to them.
Max & Remy are ready for some trick or treating!
Max & Remy are all tuckered out from trick or treating.
by Kenn Bell
October 31, 2010 in Dog Files News, Fun Videos, Max & Remy
There’s nothing Max likes more than a squeaky toy! Remy, not so much.
by Kenn Bell
October 31, 2010 in Dog Photography, News
by Melody Chen
October 28, 2010 in Fun Videos, News
Truly, an incredible dog!
by Melody Chen
October 28, 2010 in Dog Safety, Health & Science News, News
Question:
How can I tell if my dog is overweight?
Answer:
Well, at least you’re paying attention to the issue. Many dog owners do NOT pay attention to their pet’s weight. According to Dr. Ernie Ward, a veterinarian who in 1995 established The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 45 to 50 percent of American dogs are overweight.
Why do we see so many overweight dogs today? Well, first of all, the role of dogs in American life has changed. At one time it was considered an affluent novelty to have a dog in the home if he didn’t perform some necessary job. And kids used to run and play more. Since the family dog accompanied our children, he got more exercise. In the same way that human obesity has become a major health issue, so it is with our four-legged companions.
Overweight dogs suffer from more physical ailments, do not have the same enjoyment of life and simply do not live as long as dogs that stay in their recommended weight range. Health issues for overweight dogs range from heart and liver disease to arthritis, diabetes and spinal problems.
As with humans, lack of physical activity is only part of the problem. We may be literally killing our dogs with kindness, because while we are aware that junk food is bad for our children, many dog owners don’t think twice about giving their dog a wide variety of between-meal snacks. Dog treats are big business too, (like $2 BILLION a year!). But these are not the dog bones of your childhood. To boost treat sales, manufacturers have increased the amount of sugar in your dog’s treats. Many dog treats list sugar in the first four ingredients (meaning in short, there’s a lot of sugar in there). So while the manufacturers get richer, your dog’s health is being bankrupted, because dogs have a sweet tooth just like us, and, besides spurring weight gain, it’s well documented in laboratory tests that feeding excessive sugar creates symptoms similar to drug addiction.
I think of treats like candy bars, and while I love my dogs, I know that indulging them with too many doesn’t help them.
by Melody Chen
October 28, 2010 in Lifestyle News, News, Working Dogs
By Jennifer Doren for nbcwashington.com
A new service in Maryland is putting the saying “a nose knows” to good use.
Parents can rent a drug-sniffing dog to detect even the smallest whiff of narcotics in their home.
The non-profit called “Dogs Finding Drugs” allows ordinary moms and dads to access a search tool typically reserved for police.
“It’s hard to fool the dogs,†said founder Anne Wills. “They’re talented.
“They’ve got an awesome nose and they can scent discriminate which we can’t which means they can tell the difference odors so you can’t hide stuff from them,†she added.
If drugs are discovered, police aren’t notified unless the parents decide to call on their own. The organization encourages moms and dads to take action on their own and show their kids they don’t tolerate drugs.
The dogs are all certified K9s meaning they can sniff out marijuana, heroine, cocaine, methamphetamines, as well as prescription drugs with trace amounts of narcotics. They can even uncover guns and explosives.
Renting a dog will run you about $200, though the price varies depending on the scale of the search.
by Melody Chen
October 28, 2010 in Dog Safety, Endangerment, News
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KABC) — A dog in Colorado survived after eating more than two dozen nails from the backyard.
Carla Borck has two dogs, a black lab and a Basset Hound named Sophie.
Borck’s black lab went around the yard digging up nails and Sophie followed behind and ate them.
Sophie looked like she was having trouble lying down so Borck took her to a veterinarian.
An X-ray revealed that Sophie had eaten 31 nails, siding off of the house and her rabies tags.
The veterinarian warned that once dogs taste metal and like it, they’ll keep trying to eat it.
by Melody Chen
