Mitch is ALWAYS yelling at me not to feed Chopper too much “people food”. It’s so hard to resist giving him a little nibble when he gives me the puppy eyes. Not surprisingly, I am not alone in feeling this way. Many other dog owners (or dog aunts in my case) feel this way. Most people feel as though they are depriving their beloved companion. While browsing the web the other day, I came across this article that discusses which people foods are suitable for your pooch. I was surprised at some of the items that were dangerous, like avocados and onions.

pug dog begging food

Thankfully, I’ve only fed Emperor Chopper some sliced turkey! Even though some foods are all right, the article maintains that this food should be given in small quantities as it can have negative effects on your dog’s intestinal track…I learned that the hard way one evening when Chopper had some not so pleasant odors.

- Elizabeth

It has been proven that water therapy has done wonders for people suffering from certain ailments, such as arthritis, but can the same technique be applied to man’s best friend? At Kasetsart University, the Suvarnachad canine pool, has helped to cure more than 5,000 dogs! The university just celebrated the pool’s three year anniversary!

Something hit close to home last week and I thought it would be an appropriate time to share with everyone because ticks are most prevalent from April-October in MA. Most people are familiar with the idea of Ticks being able to transmit Lyme Disease to people and to dogs. I had heard about this, but never actually saw it happen, until last week. I’ve been helping a family in Wayland to train their black lab puppy, Boo, for a about 4 weeks now. She is 4 months old and unfortunately contracted this debilitating disease from a Dear Tick while playing outside.

It was soooo sad!! The poor little girl was unable to even walk… What took the family by surprise was how rapidly the dog went from being just fine to such a suffering state. Of course, the family was very responsive and took her straight to the vet where she was diagnosed and treated. I’m happy to say that she recovered quickly and seemed happy and healthy last time I was there. I get to go see her tomorrow for some distraction training 8^)

There are many different Tick and Flea meds out there (Frontline, Advantage, K9 Advantix)… I’ve used Frontline for about 4 years and it’s been working well. Check out 1800PetMeds for good prices.

Almost everyone knows the character of Cruella De Vil, the fur-hungry villan of 101 Dalmations. Although 101 Dalmations is fictional, dog-napping is not as uncommon as one might think. Just last week, there were two articles detailing the capture of dogs.

The Times of India reports in the article “Thieves Take a Fancy to Pug” that the dog snatching has not been an isolated incident and that purebred dogs can be profitable for purloiners. Another article, “$5,000 Reward Offered for Stolen Puppy”, tells of how a pug puppy was seized from a car in a church parking lot in Fort Myers, Florida!

Coincidentally, both of the dogs that were stolen were pugs… Personally, I think that it is because pugs are so adorable that people can’t help but want them. However, I’m a little bias!

-Elizabeth

Recently, a commercial that aired in India for the company, Vodafone, has come under fire for featuring a pug running after a bus. According to telecomtiger.com, the Animal Welfare Board of India claims that the pug was made to endure tough physical exercise for the commercial. Vodafone, and the film production company hired to create the commercial, have both denied that the pug was subjected to any cruelty whilst working on set. We found the commercial in question on YouTube. What do you think?

Living in the city with a dog can definitely be a drag sometimes, especially when your pooch is a little stir crazy. As the weather warms, take a drive to Elm Bank. Approximately half an hour from Boston, Elm Bank not only welcomes dogs, but provides doggy poop bags to encourage visitors to pick up after their canine companion! Chopper had a blast running at full speed!