Friday, April 28, 2017

This tiny sweetheart needs a name

This little kitten (a girl) is a new addition to the Fetch! Pet Care family, and we have yet to name her. Let us know what your suggestions are by commenting below. We’ll be choosing our favorite name by 8am PT, Friday April 28th, and will announce the winning name here on the Blog at Fetch! Pet Care as well as on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.

Happy naming!

kitten

 

 

The post This tiny sweetheart needs a name appeared first on .

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Dog food recalled that may contain Euthanasia drug

 

party animal pet food recall

HOUSTON– Party Animal Dog Food is recalling one lot each of two different dog foods that may be contaminated with pentobarbital, a drug used for the euthanasia of dogs, cats and horses.

The company sounded its alarm after a customer in Texas turned over cans of two foods that had tested positive for the drug.

All cans of Cocolicious Beef & Turkey dog food and Cocolicious Chicken & Beef dog food with the specific lot numbers have been recalled.

Earlier this year, Evanger’s and Against the Grain brands issued similar recalls.

Click here for more information on the recall.

The post Dog food recalled that may contain Euthanasia drug appeared first on .

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Need a break? Try these five creative warm weather KONG fillings to pacify your pup

Our dogs LOVE their KONGs, and we pet owners love them, too, as this bouncy, hollow chew toy / vessel-of-awesomeness is a life savor if you have an active dog, or is an energetic puppy.

KONG, KONG filling

Photo credit: Elvissa Maudie Moo

What is a KONG?

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the KONG or Kong Company, KONG Company is an American company based in Colorado that develops, designs, and produces lines of dog and cat toys. Their primary line of product is a snowman-like chew toy for dogs also named Kong.

What’s so great about KONG in particular?

There are tons of great puzzle and chew toys for dogs out there; however, the KONG Classic is our go-to for its durability and multi-use capabilities. When not filled, the KONG acts as a chew toy and can even be used to play a good ‘ol game of fetch. Click here to see our latest Facebook Live where we play fetch with a couple of awesome dogs.

Why stuff a KONG?

Many dogs are motivated by food and KONG toys are perfect for stuffing with treats or kibble to keep dogs busy. A classic KONG filling is often peanut butter or a favorite treat, however, pet owners are taking their KONG game to the next level with some pretty creative concoctions, all of which have been tested and approved by our very own dogs here at Fetch! Pet Care. If you already have one of our wonderful Fetch! Pet Care sitters walk your dog daily, you may want to prepare a week’s worth of these treats ahead of time so that he / she may offer one to your dog after each walk.

KONG, KONG filling

Photo Credit: Oakley Originals

The method

For all recipes below you’ll want to mix the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, fill the KONG to the top, freeze and serve. Before offering the prepared KONG to your dog, run it under lukewarm water to remove any very cold ice or icy filling from the exterior of the KONG so as to not hurt your pup’s tongue or mouth.

Pro Tip: Use a muffin tin to hold your filled KONGs upright for freezing. Line the base of the KONG with peanut butter to seal it tight so that any mixture you add does not leak out. If your dog has a nut allergy, consider cream cheese as a sealant.

Editor’s Note: Please consult your veterinarian if your dog has any dietary restrictions, allergies, or gastrointestinal issues that could worsen as a result of a new food being introduced to their diet.

KONG, KONG filling

Cheesy Yogurt 

Not quite cottage cheese, cheesy yogurt has more flavor and texture than an all-cottage cheese-filled KONG. Simply mix 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese to fill your KONG the cheesy way.

KONG, KONG fillingElectrolyte Boost

Perfect for a hot day or following lots of exercise. Blend ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup boiled sweet potato, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut water. Add more coconut water if you’d like more of a pupsicle or if your pup needs extra hydration. 

KONG, KONG fillingFresh & Fruity Smoothie

Yes, smoothies are good for dogs, too! For this easy blend, combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 small handful blueberries, and 1 mashed up banana. Freeze and serve for a nutritious and delicious warm weather treat.

KONG, KONG fillingFishmilk (Sardines in Goat’s Milk)

This does sound completely unappetizing, but take our word for it, your dog will do a backflip for this one. All you need is 1 jar wild sardines in oil, mashed mixed with 1 cup goat’s milk. This is one of the more viscous KONG recipes, so the pro tip above where you seal the KONG will come in super handy here.

KONG, KONG filling

Apple Mint Frosty Breath Blast

Why not get two out with one pitch? Beat the heat and take care of some dog breath, too! Mix together ½ cup chopped Granny Smith apple (skin removed), ¼ cup chopped mint, ¼ cup chopped parsley, and 1 cup filtered water.

Have you tried these recipes at home? Have your own recipe to share? Tell us about it by writing in to social@fetchpetcare.com for consideration for a feature.

 

The post Need a break? Try these five creative warm weather KONG fillings to pacify your pup appeared first on .

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Renting with pets? Consider these cities!

Finding the purrfect place to live with our pets friends can be a chore. Fortunately, Trulia burrowed into their data to find the ten best places for pets. The number of pet-friendly rentals, percentage of open-space, number of dog parks, and pet-amenities per household in each metro determine a Pet-Score up to 100.

Denver, CO pawsitively outranked all other metros scoring 89.3. Denver’s ample pet amenities and dog parks help pet owners keep their furry friends pampered and active. Nipping at Denver’s heels is San Diego, CA scoring 88.5. Adventure awaits your pet in this Southern California city with 21.9% of land dedicated to open space. A larger than average selection of pet-friendly apartments help Madison, WI rank 3rd and Tacoma, WA rank 5th. A plethora of dog-parks and off-leash fun in Portland, OR helped secure its 4th place ranking.

pets

Do you have experience renting with pets? Let us know by leaving a comment or by writing us at social@fetchpetcare.com.

Editor’s Note: At Fetch! Pet Care, we’re interested in hosting a lively discussion, and encourage readers who believe they have a knack for a column to submit a pitch. We also encourage you to send in letter to the editor:social@fetchpetcare.com

The post Renting with pets? Consider these cities! appeared first on .

Friday, April 14, 2017

The Little Things That Separate and Unite Cat Owners vs Dog Owners

Are cat owners snobs? Do dog lovers have lower IQ’s? These questions may sound silly, but believe it or not, it’s what many people think about the owners of these lovable furballs.  For centuries, people have debated over which pet is better: cats or dogs, creating stereotypes, both real and based in fact, about them and their owners along the way.  For instance, cats, with their independent nature, were seen as evil for many years- and so were many who chose to have one.  And dogs have often been seen as sweet and loyal, making their owners appear to be more compassionate and friendly. So, what’s true and what’s just rumor and conjecture? You’re about to find out, thanks to Hunch.com. They asked over seven hundred thousand of their users various survey questions that might be able to shed some light on the cat owners vs dog owners debate once and for all.

Pet Ownership and Popularity

It is often believed that dogs are more popular than cats. However, this data would seem to suggest otherwise. There are 86 million cats owned in the United States compared to 78 million dogs. This is probably at least partly a function of the fact that it is easier to own multiple cats than it is to own multiple dogs. However, it still suggests that the cat and dog owners competition is much more evenly matched than some people might think.

hunch-infographic-woof-vs-meow

Personality and Pet Ownership

The popular stereotype is that cat owners are introverted while dog owners are extroverted. On the surface, this seems stereotypical and biased, but as the survey shows, in many instances it is true- but for a legitimate reason. Let’s take a look.

  • While dog owners are more likely to be extroverts and Kitten owners are more likely to be introverts, it is a small correlation. Cat owners are only 11 percent more likely to be introverts.

– Since people have to walk their dogs in order to keep them healthy, it is not surprising that dog owners are 36 percent more likely to enjoy the outdoors.

Cat owners are more likely to be politically liberalt han dog owners. They also seem to like many media choices that people associate with liberals. This may be coincidence, but since cats are more independent by nature, it makes sense they would be drawn to more carefree animals.

  • Dog ownership seems to be more strongly associated with people who have families and who live in the country. Since large dogs will need their space, this is a logical correlation. Many people get dogs in order to teach their kids about responsibility, so this also seems to logically follow.

– Cat owners are more likely to be urban. This is logical since cats are easier to keep in apartments than dogs.

  • Dog owners seem to be more group-oriented in general and less individualistic than kitten owners. They are 12 percent more likely to be technological early adopters, for instance.

They also have a demonstrable preference for popular music and television shows.

Conclusion – Do you agree?

It would seem that some of the stereotypes about dog owners and cat-owners are not completely without merit. However, they also seem to be exaggerated somewhat in popular culture. These kinds of infographics can allow researchers to display and distribute information about these sorts of popular subjects more easily, and people can test their own beliefs against them.

Cat owners compare to dog owners in interesting ways. However, it would seem that a lot of these differences are the result of practical considerations. The fact that dogs are large animals that need walks seems to shape the interests and personalities of dog owners. The fact that cats are small animals that more or less take care of themselves seems to shape the interests and personalities of those owning cats.

Kate Evans is an editor at TopReveal.com.

The post The Little Things That Separate and Unite Cat Owners vs Dog Owners appeared first on .

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Improve your dog’s physical and emotional health with The Tellington TTouch Method For Dogs

Pronounced (TEE-touch), The Tellington TTouch Method is a training system that uses bodywork and non-habitual movement to influence behavior and health. We were recently invited to attend a TTouch class with Jodi Frediani, a practitioner (and wildlife photographer) out of Santa Cruz, Ca., which inspired us to share the experience with you here on the blog. Jodi taught us that TTouch isn’t just about showing your dog how to relax — this is a holistic approach to increasing your pet’s lifespan, overall well-being, health and yes — relaxation, too. The techniques used are surprisingly simple and are easily done from the comfort of your own home.

Print out this nifty infographic on TTouch earwork we designed for you (or better yet, bookmark it) so you can use it as a reference when trying this at home:

TTouch, TTouch earwork

What is TTouch?

The TTouch Method was developed by internationally-recognized animal expert Linda Tellington-Jones. Linda began her TTouch journey with a background in horse training and massage. She later studied with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais who believed that with non-habitual movement, you might be able to activate unused neural pathways to the brain and expand your potential to learn.

Tellington-Jones began to experiment with touch on horses, where, her experimentation lead to the creation of The Tellington Touch Equine Awareness Method (TTEAM). This was essentially a training system for horses that included a circular touching technique, ground work, and riding exercises. With the application of TTEAM on her horses, Tellington-Jones immediately began to notice that her horses were more relaxed and demonstrated more grounded responses. She continued developing TTEAM through the 1980’s where she eventually segued into working with other animals and dogs. This is the origin of TTouch.

In a nutshell, TTouch is to: “stimulate the function and vitality of the cells in an animal’s body, and to activate unused neural pathways to the brain.”

Some of the benefits of TTouch include:

✔ relaxing muscle tension

✔ lowering the heart rate, blood pressure, and circulation

✔ lowering stress levels

✔ increased body awareness

During our session with Jodi Frediani we were taught that TTouch is based on a mindful approach to working with animals. You want to be attentive to your dog’s body language and how they respond to your touch. It helps if you imagine yourself as your dog and what he / she may be experiencing so that your dog is thoroughly benefiting from the experience. You dog will let you know with their body language — pay close attention.

TTouch, TTouch earwork

The Technique

With over a dozen movements, TTouch is fairly simple to learn. For long-term benefit you’ll want to practice TTouch regularly. There are tons of videos and other resources online if you’d like to take your TTouch practice to the next level. You may also want to check out this practitioner directory from the TTouch website, which will help you find a practitioner near you.

In looking at our infographic, you’ll see that TTouch’s signature motion is a circular motion for the most part. Some of the bodywork in TTouch requires only the use of your fingertips while others require the flat of the fingers and palm. There are also whole hand movements involved in TTouch. Circular movements are done clockwise, with all movements being light to the touch — not necessarily a deep massage but something a bit more gentle.

TTouch, TTouch earwork

To put this into perspective, we’ve outlined for you three examples of TTouch technique being put into practice:

“Tarantulas Pulling the Plow”: Don’t let them name intimidate you. Tarantulas Pulling the Plow is simply where you gently walk your fingers up your dog’s back like a spider. At the same time you let your thumbs drag behind (like a plow). This will help stimulate circulation and ease general sensitivity to touch your dog may have.

“The Clouded Leopard”: Here your fingers are slightly curved and you use the pads of your fingers to create the circles. This technique is known to alleviate anxiety.

Ear slides – Using TTouch on the ears is an important technique and can help calm a stressed or hyperactive dog. The ear slide is done by stroking the ears horizontally from base to tip, or by making small circles starting at the base and working toward the tip.

Consider this a crash course or a 101. We at Fetch! Pet Care have been noticing our dogs react wonderfully to this method and hope that yours do as well. If you’ve been practicing this method for some time now, or have tried TTouch at home after reading this article, we’d love to hear from you. Write us at social@fetchpetcare.com or Tweet us @FetchPetCare.

Editor’s Note: At Fetch! Pet Care, we’re interested in hosting a lively discussion, and encourage readers who believe they have a knack for a column to submit a pitch. We also encourage you to send in letter to the editor: social@fetchpetcare.com

The post Improve your dog’s physical and emotional health with The Tellington TTouch Method For Dogs appeared first on .

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Tips for Having a Safe & Fun Easter with Your Pets

Easter Bunny Dog With Eggs Selfie

With Easter just around the corner, we start planning holiday meals, baking and looking forward to celebrating the holidays with family and friends, so now it’s the perfect time to make sure that we take our pets and their safety into consideration and plan accordingly so everyone in your family can be safe and enjoy the holidays.

Here are a few safety tips to make sure your pets can be safe and have fun during Easter.

  1. Please stay away from the plastic grass for Easter baskets, it can become caught up at the back of the tongue or in the stomach of your dog making it impossible to pass through their digestive system. It can ultimately cause severe damage to the intestinal tract and require surgery.

If you using the grass, please make sure that the baskets are put away out of reach of your pets.

  1. Easter chocolate is very dangerous for your dog, the darker the chocolate the more toxic for your pet. Please make sure that all of the chocolate eggs and bunnies are not reachable by your dog.
  2. It is a great idea to include your dog in an Easter egg hunt, please plan accordingly, put your dog treats in one specific color eggs, or buy metallic color eggs, so you know which ones are filled with the candy for children and which ones are for your dog. Fill the eggs with treats that have a strong smell, like freeze-dried liver, so your dog can follow his nose and find his treasures.
  3. If you are planning on having your family and friends over for Easter it is a good idea to feed your dog prior to everyone arrival, with full belly he won’t be so tempted to beg for food from your guests. People unknowingly may feed him food that’s not good for him and will make him sick.
  4. Some of the spring plants like many different species of lilies are highly toxic to cats if you see your cat licking the flowers take them to the vet immediately, the sooner you get there the better chance you have of saving their life. The vet can induce vomiting and give activated charcoal to bind poisons in the gut and will most likely start IV fluids to flush the kidneys.
  5. Also if you have children over, they have a tendency to leave their drinks around the house, remember that caffeinated drinks and alcohol are also toxic to animals and symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea decreased coordination and difficulty breathing.

easter pet safety

If you want to treat your pets for Easter, bake them some special treats, like liver or peanut butter cookies. You can find a simple, healthy recipes online and if you are making Easter treats for the children, you can use the same cookie cutters to make their treats even more special and festive looking.

Now that you, your family and animals are properly prepared for Easter visitors, have a great celebration, enjoy your family and friend, human as well as canine.

Mira Alicki is a jewelry designer and goldsmith for the past 22 years. Her passion for animals led her to create her own line of jewelry and online store to benefit charities. 40% of each purchase is donated back to the animal community. You can find Mira on Twitter (@FIMHjewelry) or at www.ForeverInMyHeartJewelry.com.

The post Tips for Having a Safe & Fun Easter with Your Pets appeared first on .