Archive for 2010

Occasionally we come across something so very cool that we simply can’t resist carrying it and bringing it to our customers.  Such is the case with The Cheerful Pet line of unique handmade toys that not only will thrill your dog BUT

Totally unique - your dog will LOVE the Ringzee Ball

are also a great way to help people in need far far away.

Cheerful Pet has made it their goal to not only provide great toys for your pet, but also to provide work for women in

The Tugzee for Two is perfect for a multidog household as well as for human/dog play

need in the country of Nepal.  All of their toys are designed here in the US and then handcrafted in Nepal by local artisans – woman who otherwise, wouldn’t have jobs at all.  In using their talents to craft these amazing items, these women are able to provide for their families, acquire health care for themselves and their children, send their children to school and develop a skill.

There are several varieties of Cheerful Pet toys – and each is absolutely unique because it is handmade.  All toys are made from 100% boiled wool that is imported from New Zealand and is available in a wide array of color combinations.

Tugzees have a very cool handle and are 6' long to give you plenty of "tug" length!

The Tugzee comes in four varieties.  The original Tugzee consists of a handle to allow you to easily play with your dog. The Tugzee for Two and Mini Tugzee for Two are meant for play between more than one dog BUT its still just as easy for you to play the role of the other dog if you want!  The Snake is….well it’s a snake!  Looks like a snake but a bit safer!  Works just like the different Tugzees for multiple dog play or human dog interaction.

The Fuzzees are just like a regular ball but….FUZZIER!  Easy to throw, easy to grip, fun to play with!  Frizzees are soft pliable frisbees that are soft enough to toss around

Fuzzees are a ball with a bit of extra "tickle" factor!

the house if you want!

Ringzees are so very simple but tons of fun – easy to throw, catch and carry, these wool rings are great for a good game of tug o’ war.

Ringzees are so simple yet SO much fun!

They are available in large and small sizes.  The Ringzee Ball is a one of a kind toss and tug toy.  Its design makes it so very easy for any dog to catch and cart around and its softness makes it a safe toy to throw in the house – so long as you take a LITTLE care!  Ringzee Balls are available in large and small sizes.

Let’s face it, we are all on the lookout for the next great toy.  We want something durable BUT it also has to be fun and spark our dog’s interest.  The Cheerful Pet line of toys are just that and more.  Dogs are drawn to the boiled wool material yet its durable enough to last more than one toss or one chew.  Fun and very very cool looking – its just a fantastic toy!

With the myriad of supplements out there, its sometimes hard to decide what is good versus what isn’t quite so good.  Many people feed unnecessary supplements, some make the mistake of feeding none at all.  We all must decide what is right for our dogs and as individuals, our dogs often help us to make that decision.  The one supplement, above all others, that, to us, is most beneficial and shouldn’t be overlooked by anyone, is fish oil.

Fish oil.  Humans take it for various reasons, chief among them heart health, but what does it do for our dogs?  Can’t

The Omega 3's that fish oil provides makes for a shiny healthy coat, bright eyes and so many other benefits

they just get it from their food whether its raw, cooked or kibble?

Fish oil contains Omega 3 fatty acids, most notably EPA and DHA.  Foods for our pets tend to contain plenty of Omega 6 fatty acids but a decided dearth of the all important Omega 3′s.  Supplementing with fish oil can give your pet’s food the correct balance of 3′s and 6′s and optimize health benefits.

What benefits?  Plenty.  Omega 3′s have been shown to help with heart, vision, skin and joint health as well as brain function.  It has been shown to advance immune system health as well.  All inflammatory diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease, allergies, arthritis and cancers, are beneficially affected by the addition of Omega 3′s as well.  In essence, Omega 3′s have a hand in keeping all systems functioning well and effectively.  It is a total body supplement that should figure prominently into your pet’s diet no matter what you are feeding.

What is the best way to get Omega 3′s to your dog?  Feeding fish itself would work BUT many of us don’t have access to good fish to feed and more often than not it has been frozen or canned and isn’t fresh caught when we do feed it.  Due to these processes, the Omega 3′s in most fish have been compromised and probably aren’t the most efficient way to get them to your pet.  Fish oil and its fatty acids is a volatile substance.  Not in that its going to suddenly blow up on you, but in the way that it breaks down quite easily and readily as soon as it is exposed to air, heat, cold, processing of any kind.  Yes, it still exists, but it is compromised and not as readily available to your dog as it should be.  If you have a good supply of fresh caught raw fish than by all means, feed away.  If, like many of us, you don’t, your best alternative is to give a pure natural wild salmon oil such as Grizzly Salmon Oil.  If you cannot get actual salmon oil, fish oils from other fish such as anchovies, sardines and mackerel.  You can use human fish oil capsules, such as those found at most drugstores and health food stores, as well.  Look to the ingredients to make sure that there are specific fish species (as listed above) in the capsules rather than a generic “fish oil” or “marine lipids” designation.  Dosages vary, depending on who you talk to.  If you are supplementing a healthy dog, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000mg per 20 pounds of pet should work well.  These dosages can be higher for dogs suffering from an illness and they should be dosed accordingly.   For dogs with kidney problems, for instance, as stated on www.dogaware.com, “Use an amount that provides 300 mg combined EPA and DHA per 10 pounds of body weight daily, preferably split into two doses. Pay attention to the amount that the analysis applies to — some supplements will show a combined 600 mg EPA and DHA for two gelcaps rather than just one, for example.”

There are other “oils” that people give their pets.  One is cod liver oil – often because they mistake it for fish oil.  They are NOT the same thing.  Cod liver oil can have benefits for your dog and is indeed a place where you would find Omega 3′s, but, put simply, it is not the best substance to turn to.  First, it contains very high levels of vitamin A and vitamin D neither of which should be given in excess to your furry friend.  Both A and D are fat soluble vitamins and therefore cannot be shed from the body like a water soluble vitamin can (such as Vitamin C).  The build up of either can cause

Grizzly Salmon Oil is one of the best fish oils you can buy for your pet - made from wild Alaskan salmon, it provides all the Omega 3's your pet needs

problems for your pet.  Secondly, cod liver oil is just that – oil from the liver of the cod fish.  The liver works as a filter for toxins that enter the fish’s body and therefore the oil of the liver can bring those same said toxins that are within the fish, to your pet.  In truth there is no reason to give cod liver oil to your pet when you can easily and safely get all of the same benefits and more from fish body oil.  Its generally easier to just avoid it. (www.fishoildaily.com)

Flaxseed oil is also rich in Omega 3′s – just not for dogs.  While flaxseed oil may contain Omega 3′s , “…the Omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed oil are the inactive form (ALA). In order to convert flaxseed’s ALA into a usable form of Omega-3 for a dog, your dog must produce a specific enzyme in the body. Most dogs, like all carnivores, do not produce the enzyme needed to convert flaxseed oil ALA to EPA and DHA.” (www.bestfishoilfordogs.com).  Therefore it makes little sense to rely on flaxseed oil to provide necessary fatty acids to your pet when the fatty acids in fish oil are immediately usable to your little carnivore.

So do we supplement daily, every other day, every three days – how much?  It depends.  Of all supplements, fish oil is perhaps the one that you should give the most often.  Generally speaking its not optimal to give any supplement daily unless there is a need for it such as an illness or condition that necessitates daily dosing.  With that in mind, skipping a day here and there when giving fish oil is fine and probably beneficial to your dog in the end.  In truth, the benefits of supplementing with fish oil are great – even if you feed kibble, perhaps ESPECIALLY if you feed kibble.  Though we may feed a natural diet we must always keep in mind that as time passes the foods we feed become less and less potent in many of the substances that can provide optimal health – we must remember to make up those differences for our pets as well as ourselves.

Time for the December contest folks – get out those cameras and start shooting some snapshots of your pets enjoying the

Winston says "Happy Howlidays to all and to all a good night!" Let's see those fabulous holiday shots!

holidays – no matter HOW they celebrate the holidays, so long as they are celebrating!  Remember that you can win gift certificates for up to $15.00 off of any order from our website!  Can’t beat that and its SO EASY!  Just go to our Enter To Win page for contest rules and details and send us those snapshots!  Enter as many times as you would like with as many pets as you would like – each individual photo will be judged separately!  Can’t wait to see those Howliday shots!