JustOneMorePet

Every Pet Deserves A Good Home…

Happy Easter and Passover From Just One More Pet

Angelina Not A Chocolate Bunny Pup - 2009

Choc Newf

Did you know that Americans consume 12 million chocolate bunnies for Easter and 75% of the people eat the ears first?

Wishing you and yours a fun, safe and blessed Easter!

Be sure to keep your furkids safe and away from the No-No foods

Happy Easter and Passover from Just One More Pet!

March 31, 2013 Posted by | Animal and Pet Photos, Dogs, Dogs, Holidays With Pets, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Pet Friendship and Love, Pet Health, Pet Nutrition | , , | 1 Comment

Apachi – Happy 7th Birthday

Our sweet little guy, Apachi… a Chiweenie (half-Chihuahua/half-wiener dog or Dachshund), turned 7-years-old on March 28th. Happy Birthday Apachi. He is the sweetest guy, worries about everyone and makes us smile everyday.

Father's Day '06 012Spindly Apache

Our daughter, who was working at a pet store at the time, rescued him from a box outside the store, where he and his siblings were being given away.

Save Me OmaFather's Day '06 014

Father's Day '06 015

He was quite the character from day one and the total opposite of our Chihuahua, Angel, who our daughter also brought home when she was working part-time for another pet store. She spent the bulk of her summer earnings on papered Angel, whereas Apachi was free.

Apachi The Mickey Mouse Dog

Hospital and Recovery Iliostomy Reversal 005Hospital and Recovery Iliostomy Reversal 006

Apachi was a sweet dog from day one, easy going, patient and he and Angel hit it off immediately.

Angel and Apachi 2007 011Angel and Apachi 2007 015

Courtship Dance

Very long story but through a chain of events before we knew it… puppies were on their way… and then there were six.

Curious PapaPapa and Grandpa Talking

Apachiman in the Basket

Male dogs are not always good with their offspring (some even kill and/or eat them), but Apachi was a concerned dad who wanted to be part of the process, watched over Angel and their pups from a distance (because she wouldn’t let him get any closer in the beginning) and then took over once Angel weaned them and was done. (Angel was a great mom… nursed them for 9-weeks, but when she was done… she was done!)

7 Week Old Pups - I Love You Papa 2

Apachi with his boys… Goji and Magnum their last night with us. Both went to their forever homes the next day. He spent time with both of them that night, like he knew they were leaving and he needed to give them his fatherly advice. They both went to great homes and we still hear from them now and again. Winking smile

We Are Ready... Where's Mom - June 2010

Although we found one of the girls a home as well… she came back to us because they couldn’t keep her and we had asked all the pups’ new parents to bring them back if for some reason they couldn’t keep them… and they did.

Chiweenies Apachi and Princess Sad That Jerry Is Leaving 06.29.10Pets and River Visiting - Mar 2009 010

Apachi loves his girls… Princess and Angelina. He is a great dad!

But as we all know parenting is a tough job!

Angel & Apachi's Puppies 039Angel and Apachi 2007 029

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Let's Go In Says Apachi

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These are not chocolate chip cookies. They are doggie friendly carob cookies.

Apachi's 4th Be-Day 3.28.10Pensful Apachi

Hospital and Recovery Iliostomy Reversal 004Silly Apachi

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Furkid Adventures at Our New Home - Sundance Wy 4

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         Aapchi in the Big Bowl Chair

Angel and Angelina's 3rd Birthdays 04.19.10

Outing to the harbor with our very pregnant niece… 6 of us and 6 furkids. And our nieces two were in Arizona. The following Thanksgiving we had an unusually small Thanksgiving… 6-adults, 1 baby and 8 furkids.

Sundance Wyoming - Our New Home 4Top of Steps at Jerry and ConniesLeaving CA  - We Are Sooo Ready to LeaveOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Aliens Have Arrived

We Want To Help 2

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Helping with the packing

Potty Break in Tucson

The Gang Moving Back to CA  12-2012

Happy 7th B-Day Apachi 3.28.2013-4

March 2013 006

Happy 7th!!

Apachi (the Patchman… Ears as Grandma JoAnn calls him) worries and watches out for everyone… his girls, Angel and us, his human parents. His favorite part of the day is playing with Dad… the only other male in the family. Apachi loves to help and be part of everything that is going on including travel… even though he suffers from severe car sickness. We do our best to keep him from getting sick (liquid ginger root or ginger cookies) and just go prepared for the often inevitable ‘in-car’ emergency. (We’ve taken him on three  1,600 mile trips in the past 3-years… twice  in a U-Haul moving truck and once in a pick-up… and he never got sick once. We stacked sofa cushions between the bucket seats, or pick-up bench seat, high enough for our 4-furkids to sit on making them level with the dashboard, which seemed to help Apachi’s nausea and sickness.) Maybe we should have been driving a U-Haul all along? (And yes… I’ve thought about it!)

‘Until One Has Loved an Animal, Part of Their Soul Remains Unawakened’

I made homemade treats today for Apachi’s birthday, as I do for all our gang’s special occasions… Here are the recipes for a few of them.

Photos by the UCLA Shutterbug

March 29, 2013 Posted by | Animal and Pet Photos, Chihuahua, Chiweenie, Dogs, Dogs, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Man's Best Friend, Pet Friendship and Love, Pets | , , , , , | 2 Comments

Liver Dog Treats Equals One Happy Dog

DoggieKitchen.com: If you want to see your dog happier than he’s ever been, bake him some liver dog treats. There is a characteristic aroma and taste dogs just can’t get enough of.

You can take advantage of this eager to please side of your dog and use liver as your dog training treats and training tool.

What to Consider When Using Liver:

Vitamin A – Even though liver has a whole host of beneficial nutrients and vitamins, one of which is vitamin A, too much can do damage. If you dog ingests a large amount of liver at one time, in severe cases it could lead to vitamin A toxicity.

What Will Your Dog do for Liver Treats?

liver dog treats

So, how much is too much? That depends on the size and weight of your dog. Typically organ meat should not be more than 5-10% of your dogs total diet. However, we are talking about treats. A treat is an occasional indulgence, so there should not be a need for concern.

  • Organic – You may want to consider purchasing organic liver. Since the liver functions in removing toxins from the body, an organic liver will have fewer toxins. You should also consider purchasing calf liver or organic calf liver. Since the calf is young, it will have a minimal amount of build-up compared to an adult. Whatever type of liver you purchase, it should be hormone, steroid and antibiotic free, and preferably pasture raised.
  • Stinky – OK, so this isn’t as important as nutrition. But you need to be warned that not everyone enjoys the smell of cooked liver. So, you may want to air out the kitchen during and after baking your liver dog biscuits to avoid the stinky fragrance.
  • Clean-Up – Some of the homemade liver dog treats require that you puree the liver in a food processor. Once liver is in a liquid state, it dries very quickly. It is then quite difficult to remove when it comes time to clean up. I recommend taking the time to immediately rinse any utensils used with liver. Once the treats are baking away in the oven, you can address the task of washing dishes (or in my case loading the dishwasher!).

If you are just getting into baking homemade dog treats, liver is a great place to start. Since almost all dogs love liver, you will have lots of positive reinforcement for your hard baking efforts. And with simple recipes, bake up a batch, and see what your dog will do for some liver dog cookies!

Roll Out the Fun with Dog Biscuit Recipes

These dog biscuit recipes make the quintessential or classic dog treat. Roll out the fun, when you roll and cut out these homemade dog treats.

When you make your own dog treats, part of the fun is collecting dog cookie cutters to use. That’s why we’ve compiled all of our roll and cut recipes into one easy to locate area.

But how do you choose from all of those adorable dog cookie cutters? Here is a list of helpful things to consider when choosing cutters for your dog biscuits:

  • Seasonal – This is probably the easiest cookie cutter to choose. If you are making dog treats for a special time of year, then you’re going to choose Flowers for Spring, Flip Flops for Summer, and so on.
  • Dog Treat Dough – One thing that you need to consider when choosing cutters is the thickness of your dough. If it contains rolled oats, carob chips, or another chunky ingredient, you want to use very simple shaped cutters like hearts or circles. If your dough is simple and has smooth ingredients, like the turkey wheat free dog treats, you can use shapes that have more detail since the detail will be evident after the biscuits are baked.
  • Final Destination – Where or whom are your dog biscuits going to? If you will be shipping your homemade dog biscuits you will want simple shapes to keep them in one piece while traveling. If they will be a gift, how will you package them?

All these things need to be considered before you choose a dog treat recipe, because it will effect your end result. We also have tips on using the cookie cutter once you’ve chosen the perfect theme.

  • Flour – Most dog treat doughs can be sticky. That’s why it’s a great idea to dip your cookie cutter in flour before cutting the dough. Having a lightly covered cookie cutter will help it to release from the dough and provide a crisp cut out.
  • Should You Wiggle? – When cutting the dog biscuit, resist the urge to wiggle the cookie cutter. It will make your cut out not as precise. Choose your spot and press firmly straight down.
  • Lifting the Cut Outs – Once you have cut out as many dog biscuits as you can, it’s time to transfer the cookies to the baking sheet. Start by pulling away the excess dough from around the cut outs. Place the unused dough back into your bowl to be rolled out. Gently lift the cookie away from the parchment paper or flour covered surface with a metal or thin spatula.
  • Cleaning the Cutters – You want to clean your dog cookie cutters as soon as your dog biscuits are in the oven. Using warm water and mild soap is usually all you’ll need. Once they are washed, place them on a clean baking sheet and pop them into the oven for a couple minutes. This will help them to dry completely and avoid rust. Once they are cooled, they can be stored.

Although baking homemade dog biscuits make the cutest treats imaginable, there can be a problem. That problem is rolling out, and working with sticky, thick dog biscuit dough.

Liver Dog Treats with Cheese

What’s not to love with these liver dog treats with cheese. The aromatic flavors of liver, that all dogs seem to go crazy over, and the creamy goodness of cheese combine to create greatness.

Liver is a fantastic addition to your homemade dog treat recipes. However, we recommend you review our tips on buying and using liver before you bake up a batch of these liver dog treats.

Tips: If you do not have oat flour you can make your own by grinding rolled oats in your food processor. You will need 1 1/4 cup of oats to make 1 cup of oat flour. Grind until it is the consistency of flour. If you don’t have brown rice flour, you can substitute a few different flours. You can use barley, potato, millet or spelt flour using the same measurements.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb. raw beef liver (you can substitute chicken liver)
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 1/2 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic (not garlic salt)
  • 1 egg

Additional flour for rolling

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F
  2. Puree liver in a food processor. It’s ok if there are a few very small pieces.
  3. Pour the liver into a bowl.
  4. Stir in the flours, cheese, garlic and egg until thoroughly combined.
  5. Roll the dough out to a 1/4" thickness.
  6. Cut with dog cookie cutters or a pizza cutter. OR, drop spoonfuls for dog cookies. You can flatten them with a glass bottom dipped in flour. Or you can leave them in a ball shape.
  7. Place on a ungreased baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden in color.
  9. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Storing: These liver dog treats with cheese will last for 1 week in the refrigerator. They will be good for 6 months in the freezer.

Liver and Cottage Cheese Dog Treat Recipe

Liver dog treats are seldom turned down by dogs. They all seem to love them. So, this liver and cottage cheese recipe is sure to be a big hit.

If you’re an old pro at cooking liver, and just looking for another great liver dog treat recipe, you’ve found it.

Maybe you’re new to cooking liver and have questions or concerns about using it. Then you’ll want to review our tips on choosing liver before baking your homemade dog treats.

Are you using this liver and cottage cheese recipe for dog training treats? Then be sure to use very small dog bone cookie cutters. Or, you can roll them into little balls for quick consumption during training.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. beef liver
  • 2 large eggs (wash shells if you are going to include them)
  • 1 cup fat free cottage cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups wheat germ
  • 3 cups wheat flour

Additional flour for rolling

Instructions:

Tip: It is easier to cut liver (and other meats) while slightly frozen.

  1. Preheat oven to 300° F
  2. Rinse liver and cut into 1 inch pieces (see note above).
  3. In a 2 quart sauce pan bring liver and one cup of water to a boil over high heat.
  4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until liver is no longer pink. Approximately 5 minutes.
  5. Reserve cooking liquid.
  6. In a blender or food processor puree the liver and eggs (if you are going to include the egg shells, now is the time to do so).
  7. Add reserved cooking liquid, as needed, to assist the puree process and keep the ingredients moving.
  8. Spoon liver mixture into a bowl.
  9. Stir in the cottage cheese, wheat germ, flour and any remaining cooking liquid.
  10. Knead dough until it no longer feels sticky.
  11. Roll out into 1/2" thickness and cut with dog cookie cutters.
  12. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
  13. Another option: Drop a tablespoon of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Slightly flatted the ball with a fork to make a dog cookie.
  14. Bake for one hour.
  15. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving to your dog.

Once the liver dog treats are cooled, they should not leave a residue when touched. If they do, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until completely hard and no residue remains.

These treats should last for one week in the refrigerator. If they are frozen, then they’ll last for around 8 months. You will want to use an airtight container when you store your homemade liver treats.

If your dog is motivated to please you for a food reward, these liver and cottage cheese dog treats are sure to be eaten quickly. See if you can take your dog to the next level in obedience or tricks with your homemade dog biscuits.

Fast and Easy Liver Training Treats

Ingredients:

Fresh Liver (preferably beef)

Salt

Water

Instructions:

  1. Add fresh liver to water which is at a full boil. You may add salt to this water if you wish. Allow to cook until liver is no longer pink. Usually about 5 minutes.

  2. Remove liver from the water and promptly rinse with cold water under the sink tap; all the while gently rubbing at the liver to remove any slime or white foamy stuff that may be on the liver.

  3. 3.  Pat the liver with paper towels until dry.

  4. Place liver on a cookie sheet and insert into a pre-heated 200 degree oven until it takes on a leathery appearance and feel. The liver should not crumble or break when picked up. This should take approximately 20 minutes.

  5. Once cooled, cut liver up into bite sized pieces.

Related:

Easter Candy Cautionary Warning for Pets

Free Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Gourmet Doggie Biscuits and Some Holiday Snacking Tips

Surprise, Surprise… the Best Food for Dogs Is Homemade Food

Common Foods That Are Harmful Or Even Fatal to Dogs

March 29, 2013 Posted by | Animal or Pet Related Stories, Animal Related Education, animals, Dogs, Dogs, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Man's Best Friend, Pet Friendship and Love, Pet Health, Pet Nutrition, Pet Recipes, Pets, responsible pet ownership | , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Easter Candy Cautionary Warning for Pets

Puppy Pen

Puppy pens keep baby out of trouble!
Image Copr. D.Garding/Flicker

AmyShojai.com: Easter season comes early this year. And although we love those chocolate eggs and candy bunnies overflowing the kid’s Easter baskets, a chocolate indulgence for pets can turn celebration into calamity.

Cats aren’t poisoned as often because they are a bit more discriminating about what they munch. But dogs often smell the candy right through the packaging, and eat it wrapper and all. Swallowed objects like foil or paper wrappers or the sticks off of suckers can cause intestinal blockage or damage, too.

CHOCOLATE TOXICITY

Any candy indulgence can pose digestive upset with messy results and a need for you to invest in a carpet cleaning service for the stains. But chocolate toxicity can actually kill your pet. Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant related to caffeine. Eating too much chocolate shifts your pet’s heart into overdrive.

Milk chocolate usually doesn’t cause life-threatening problems because it takes nearly two pounds of milk chocolate to poison a seven-pound pet. Baker’s chocolate can be deadly, though. It contains ten times as much theobromine as milk chocolate, which means a seven-pound pet only needs to eat two ounces to be poisoned. Licking chocolate frosting, lapping up cocoa mix, or gulping truffles—a very rich dark chocolate treat—causes vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, coma, and even death.

MAKE HIM VOMIT!

If you catch your pet snacking on such things, induce vomiting as soon as you can to get rid of the poison. You can make her vomit up to an hour after she’s eaten the chocolate, but sooner is better. After an hour, the toxin has probably moved out of her stomach into the intestines, and vomiting won’t get rid of it.

It can be dangerous to induce vomiting if the dog or cat acts woozy. They can inhale the material on its way up and suffocate. As long as she’s alert, there are several methods you can use to get rid of the chocolate. Call the veterinarian for further instructions after the pet has emptied her stomach. If you can’t induce vomiting after a couple of tries, prompt veterinary care is even more important.

Better yet, don’t bring dangerous treats into your house. Here’s a thought—you could give the extra chocolate to me. I’m willing to make the sacrifice and dispose of the deadly sweet treats to protect your pets.

Related:

Common Foods That Are Harmful Or Even Fatal to Dogs

Pets and Toxic Plants

10 Dangerous Everyday Things in Your Home

“Holidays Are Great and Fun To Share With Our Pets, As Long As We Avoid the No-No Foods”

March 28, 2013 Posted by | Animal or Pet Related Stories, Animal Related Education, animals, Dogs, Dogs, Holidays With Pets, Just One More Pet, Pet Friendship and Love, Pet Health, Pet Nutrition, Pets, responsible pet ownership | , , , | 5 Comments

Tomahawk, General and Commander

I’m writing to you today with an urgent plea to help a very special group of wild horses who were victims of the deadliest Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) roundup in recent history.

It was January 2010, when the thundering helicopters descended on the pristine Black Rock Desert in Nevada’s Calico Complex. For the wild horses living there, life would never be the same. The relentless helicopters, chartered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), forced the horses to run for miles. Stallions tried desperately to keep their families together; foals struggled mightily to keep up with their mothers. Finally, they reached the trap. In an instant, their families were shattered; their freedom destroyed.

General and CommanderIn the BLM holding pens, Tomahawk, a stallion captured at Calico, hung his head low. General and Commander, loyal friends, huddled together. The tags hung round their necks made clear that these noble band stallions — once great leaders and protectors of their herds – were now just numbers … casualties in the BLM’s war against America’s wild horses and burros.

In total, 1,922 wild horses lost their freedom in the 2010 Calico roundup. Hundreds of them perished in the years following the roundup in government holding pens. An untold number were sold by the BLM to a kill buyer, and almost certainly met with a horrific fate at slaughterhouses in Mexico.

Thankfully, over 100 survivors of the brutal Calico roundup — including Tomahawk, General and Commander — are safe, because Return to Freedom, the founder and parent organization of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, rescued them. The horses are living peacefully in the sanctity of Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary in the rolling coastal hills of Santa Barbara County, California and at another sanctuary in northern California.

But Return to Freedom needs your help to continue to care for them. Will you join me in remembering the Calico horses by donating to Return to Freedom today?

Since 2010, our attention has turned away from Calico toward other roundups and battles. But Return to Freedom must still care for the Calico horses, as well as 300 additional refugees from other federal roundups. The price of doing so is steep. Hay costs alone are $40,000 per month!

For 15 years, Return to Freedom has been on the cutting edge of the fight to save America’s wild horses and burros through its sanctuary, education and conservation programs. Return to Freedom pioneered a sanctuary model that utilizes birth control in order to allow wild horses to live together with their families, in their natural state. And Return to Freedom founded the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, a coalition that is now 50 organizations and tens of thousands of supporters strong.

Please, as we continue this fight, please let’s not forget Tomahawk, General, Commander and all the other beautiful Calico horses. Please help us show Return to Freedom that we stand with them… that we as a community are united our commitment to America’s wild horses both on and off the range.

Whatever amount you can give, no matter how small or large, will make a big difference in the lives of these horses. So please contribute as generously as you can today.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your compassion, generosity and dedication to saving our beloved wild horses and burros.

Sincerely,
Suzanne Roy

If you can donate, please do and if you know someone who can donate please forward this on!!

Horse lovers, Check out: StemEquine®

American Wild Horse Preservation

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March 27, 2013 Posted by | Animal or Pet Related Stories, Animal Rescues, Holistic Pet Health, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Political Change, Wild Animals | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How to Catch a Cat…

How to catch a cat

March 26, 2013 Posted by | Adopt Just One More Pet, Animal and Pet Photos, animal behavior, animals, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, pet fun, Pets | , | 2 Comments

Cutest Pugs Snow Sledding Party

A cute spin on dog sledding…

Video:  Cutest Pugs Snow Sledding Party

h/t to George King

March 25, 2013 Posted by | Animal and Pet Photos, Dogs, Dogs, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Man's Best Friend, On The Lighter Side, Pet Friendship and Love, pet fun, Pets | , , , , | 1 Comment

Jeb Bush says brother taken to painting dogs ‘with a vengeance’

Former President George W. Bush has always been a dog lover.  Seems now he has become a dog painter:

georgewbarney

The Hill

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Friday that his brother, former President George W. Bush, has taken to painting "with a vengeance" as he enjoys retirement.

"He’s actually become a pretty good painter," Bush said during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper. "I’ll just admit that this was a surprise to me when I found this out about a year ago. And he’s doing it with a vengeance."

Earlier this week, six new paintings by the former president were revealed on the gossip site Gawker. They were obtained by the hacker Guccifer, who in February also published two self-portraits that the former president had emailed to friends and family.

Bush told Tapper, a former White House correspondent for ABC News, that he might be able to snag a portrait of his own.

"If you’ve got a dog, I’m sure based on your past relationship, he would like to paint it," Bush said.

In an interview last month with an Atlanta television station, Bush’s art teacher said he had painted at least 50 animals already.

Related:

Bush family gets hacked: George W. Bush’s (semi) nude self-portraits revealed

Bush and Barney, Just Like Old Times

President Bush and His Pets

Pampered pets and pet survivors

Presidential Pet Museum.com

New First Pooch Is Arriving Soon

Obama admits to eating dog … fur finally flies

March 24, 2013 Posted by | Animal or Pet Related Stories, Dogs, Dogs, Just One More Pet, Unusual Stories | , , , , , | 3 Comments

National Puppy Day is Tomorrow (Saturday 03.23.13) #Adopt Just One More!!

Things You Should Know Before Bringing Home Puppy
by Colleen Paige – National Puppy Day Founder

Oooops... National Puppy Day

National Puppy Day is a day to celebrate the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring to our lives. It’s also a day to help save orphaned puppies across the globe and educate the public about the horrors of puppy mills, as well as further the mission for a nation of puppy-free pet stores. While National Puppy Day supports responsible breeders, it does encourage prospective families to consider adoption as a first choice.

Choosing the Right Breed
When considering bringing a puppy into your home, make sure that you’ve researched the breed you’re adopting, taking into consideration their temperament, activity level, breed characteristics and other needs in relation to your home environment and family lifestyle. When adopting, make sure to ask if you can be alone in a more isolated area to interact with the puppy and observe his or her behavior. Also ask the shelter staff about the personality of the puppy you’re interested in, as they will have spent more time around the puppy to better gauge that.

Not Just a Dog
Never adopt a puppy as a gift for a child, as this turns the puppy into a novelty but rather explain to your children about the overpopulation of pets in shelters and let them know that the puppy is a new family member and needs to be treated with love, respect and patience, just like a new baby would need.

Child/Puppy Safety
If you have small children, really young, hyper puppies are not a good match because they can scratch and chew on sensitive fingers and hands. Never adopt a puppy that is less than at least 8-10 weeks old, preferably 12 weeks or older, as they have had more time to learn social cues from their littermates and mother, which helps a puppy behave better in the long term. Teach young children to never pull on a puppy’s ears or tail, as both are sensitive and could injure and scare the puppy, creating a bonding problem between child and puppy.

Finances
Keep in mind that your puppy won’t be a puppy forever. Visualize how much your puppy will grow and how much they’ll eat. Make sure you know ahead of time that you can afford to feed your puppy once full grown. Veterinary trips are always inevitable at some point and time, so keeping an emergency fund for your dog is a smart idea, so you don’t get caught with major vet bills you can’t afford to pay.

Grooming
If you have an aversion to pet hair floating around your home and brushing your puppy every day seems like an abominable task, you may want to consider adopting a breed that has little to no shedding.

Exercise
Puppies need exercise every day, preferably shorter walks more often, as young puppies tire easily, especially in heat. Make sure to read about the breed or breeds of a mixed breed puppy to better understand what your puppy needs in terms of physical activity.

Nutrition
Give your puppy a great start in life! Make sure you buy an all natural, preferably organic food that is void of corn, wheat, sugar, by products, chemicals and dyes.

Teething
When your puppy is teething, he will try to gnaw on anything he can find to relieve his discomfort. The best way to quell this is to take an old washcloth, cut it into strips and tie a few small knots it in it, sticking the strips in a Ziploc bag and putting in the freezer. Once frozen, hold a frozen strip and allow your puppy to chew on it, which will soothe and numb sensitive gums. Always hold it and never allow your puppy to chew on it unattended.

See more cute puppy photos like these and others at Just One More Pet: Why God Gave Us Puppies

Ooops… Are We In Trouble??? Winking smile

March 23, 2013 Posted by | Adopt Just One More Pet, Animal or Pet Related Stories, Dogs, Dogs, Just One More Pet, Man's Best Friend, NO KILL NATION, Outreach for Pets, Pets, Stop Euthenization | , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Natural Herb That Fights Cancer, or Chemotherapy for Your Sick Pet… Which Would You Choose?

Story at-a-glance
  • Dr. Nancy Scanlan, Executive Director of both the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVHMF) and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) talks with Dr. Becker about holistic therapies in the treatment of cancer in pets, and the role of the AHVM Foundation.
  • Major drug companies pay for most of the cancer research (human and animal) in the U.S. Unfortunately, these companies are only motivated to fund studies that facilitate the development of new drugs to sell. Natural anti-cancer agents are of little or no interest to them.
  • Raising independent funding for research into holistic and integrative cancer therapies is a very important focus of the AHVM Foundation. The goal is to provide scientific proof to veterinarians and the public of the uses and benefits of alternative therapies to treat animal cancer and its symptoms.
  • Between now and March 17, 2013, every $1 donated to the AHVM Foundation will be automatically tripled. That’s right – Mercola Healthy Pets will contribute $2 for every $1 donation to the foundation from March 11 through March 17, 2013.

Video: Dr. Becker Interviews Dr. Scanlan

By Dr. Becker

In this week’s third and final video, I’m chatting with another very special guest, Dr. Nancy Scanlan. Dr. Scanlan is the Executive Director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVHMF) and also the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA).

Dr. Scanlan has been a small animal practitioner for most of her veterinary career. She also spent 10 years teaching veterinary technicians. Dr. Scanlan is an authority on the use of nutraceuticals in veterinary medicine, and was certified as an acupuncturist in 1988. She gradually increased her use of holistic therapies in her practice and ultimately spent 16 years as the sole holistic veterinarian in a seven-person practice in Southern California. Since then, she’s been very involved in a variety of wonderful endeavors for the AVHMA and the Foundation.

Dr. Scanlan currently lives in the woods of northern California. Her home is off the grid, meaning that among other things, she uses solar panels as her source of electricity. I think that’s very cool!

Studies in holistic veterinary medicine – including the prevention and treatment of pet cancers — get very little funding.

The theme of this year’s AHVM Foundation Be One in a Million fundraising campaign is “Advancing Research and Education in Holistic Veterinary Medicine.” I asked Dr. Scanlan to talk about why cancer research for companion animals is such a vitally important area for the AHVMF to be involved in.

Dr. Scanlan explained that studies in holistic medicine get very little funding. If she has an herb that is beneficial in treating cancer, chances are it will be ignored by the big drug companies, which are the major source of funding for most human and animal cancer research. Drug companies only fund research that results in new drugs they can sell, so natural healing substances like herbs are of no interest to them. And this is truly a shame, because many holistic therapies used for cancer have fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatments. They are less toxic to the patient and the environment, and are generally better for the patient’s overall health.

So raising independent funding for holistic and integrative cancer therapies is a very important focus of the AHVM Foundation. The goal is to provide scientific proof to veterinarians and pet owners of the benefits of alternative therapies. Currently there is no “proof” of the type the medical community relies on. It’s really not enough to say “The Indians used it all the time,” or “In China they’ve used this for thousands of years.” MDs and DVMs want and need this research.

Another reason we need independent studies of holistic remedies is to determine how natural substances can and should be used. For example, what parts of a plant are beneficial to treat different diseases and symptoms … what strengths or dosages are most effective … what type of growth environment is best … should we source only the wild-crafted plants, and so on.

As Dr. Scanlan points out, this type of research would be helpful not just in advancing the field of holistic veterinary medicine, but also for current and future holistic practitioners who want to understand the most effective ways to use natural healing remedies. And in general, good standardized research in holistic treatments is needed.

When it comes to raising funds for research and education in holistic veterinary medicine, there’s only ONE resource in the U.S. – the AHVM Foundation.

Next I asked Dr. Scanlan to give her perspective on why there is a need for a foundation for holistic veterinary medicine. She explained that the AHVM Foundation is the only organization in the U.S. specifically dedicated to research into holistic methods of treating animals. No other group currently in existence raises funds for research into holistic or alternative or integrative veterinary therapies exclusively.

As Dr. Scanlan points out, there are plenty of organizations out there dedicated to raising money for conventional medicine research (human and animal). But if you as a pet owner, pet caretaker, pet guardian or animal lover believe holistic and integrative veterinary medicine has value, then the organization you want to give your hard-earned money to is the AHVM Foundation.

I asked Dr. Scanlan what projects are on the horizon that the AHVMF is involved with. She responded that one of the Foundation’s biggest supporters is Dr. Greg Ogilvie, a DVM in southern California (you might remember his name from my recent interview with author Ted Kerasote).

Dr. Ogilvie developed the foundational research on the anti-cancer effects of omega-3 fatty acids, especially fish oil, on dogs. He has a long list of projects he would love to do if he had the funding.

I’d like to thank Dr. Nancy Scanlan, Executive Director of the AHVM Foundation, for making time in her busy schedule to chat with me today. I look forward to working with Dr. Scanlan and all the members of the Foundation to raise awareness of their Be One in a Million fundraising efforts.

How you can make a difference.

I’m tremendously excited to announce that now through March 17, 2013, all donations will be automatically tripled. That’s right! For every $1 donated, Mercola Healthy Pets will donate an additional $2. So please, take a moment right now to Be One in a Million and make a donation to the AHVM Foundation.

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March 22, 2013 Posted by | Animal or Pet Related Stories, animals, Dogs, Dogs, Holistic Pet Health, If Animlas Could Talk..., Just One More Pet, Man's Best Friend, Pet Friendship and Love, Pet Health, Pets, responsible pet ownership | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments