GrouchyPuppy® Blog | Dog Lovers Source

Every Dog Deserves Campaign Launch and Contest

Every dog deserves unlimited belly rubs, love, patience, kindness. Dog lovers know this without hesitation (you told us clearly on Facebook). Do you know what else dogs deserve? A warm bed and decent, nutritious food.

Pedigree launched a brand new dry food formula this spring. In celebration they will be donating more than 100,000 lbs of food to shelters across the country.

Pedigree believes “Every Dog Deserves” leading nutrition.

Photo caption: Chelsea Kane and Pedigree kick off the "Every Dog Deserves" Campaign to donate 100,000 pounds of its best recipe ever to shelter dogs at The Amanda Foundation on June 1, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. 

Every Dog Deserves Campaign: Nominate a Shelter to receive $1,000 from Pedigree! [click the link below for details]

Throughout the month of June, PEDIGREE is asking you to help them help dogs by logging onto Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Pedigree), and Twitter (@PedigreeUS) use hashtag #everydogdeserves to tell them why you think “Every Dog Deserves” the very best.

For each Like, comment, @reply, re-tweet, photo upload, etc. directed at Pedigree they will donate (1) one pound of food (up to 100,000 pounds total).

With so many shelters overwhelmed from recent natural disasters, and many still struggling from budget cuts, the food donated by Pedigree will be enjoyed by thousands of deserving dogs across the country.

Spring into Action with the Great Food Giveaway!

Got Kibble? 

Nobody likes to hear or feel a rumbling puppy belly.  We are all on budgets and yet, wouldn't it be great to help your favorite shelter, rescue group or animal welfare organization? 

Here is a wonderful way to help fill a hungry belly and celebrate the joy of Spring!!  

From March 15 through April 15, you can nominate your favorite shelter, rescue group and animal welfare organization for the chance to win a ton of dog food. 

Two of my favorite magazines, LIFE+DOG and FIDO Friendly Magazines have joined together to present the Great Food Giveaway! 

Do dog lovers put too much pressure on Vets?

Monday we are taking our dog to the vet.  What is special about this visit is that we are headed to a new vet, who specializes in dermatology.  Cleo, our senior German Shepherd-Husky continues to suffer from itchy skin, dark spots on your face, bald spots on both sides of her ears and hot spots in various parts of her body, and more.  

We took her for an allergy test last year and that helped to identify several severe food allergies plus some environmental allergies.  However, she is suffering again with compulsive biting and because she knows we will stop her, she takes any unsupervised opportunity to bite herself silly.

Hoping to help her ourselves, we have tried tips from friends and what we have read online:

• We've been brushing her more often to get any pollen off her fur
• We add olive oil to her meal occasionally hoping it will help her coat
• We have medicated shampoo that we have bathed her with
• On bad days we give her Benedryl
• We never leave her alone for more than a few minutes at a time

Still she suffers and we need a solution.  We need our life back where we can leave her alone for more than five minutes.  We don't want her to aggravate her skin problems to the point she is forced to wear the cone of shame. So through the recommendation of a trusted friend, we found a new vet specializing in dermatology.  Did we wait too long?

Nashville Snow and the Canine Nutrition Summit

As a pet blogger and proud canine caregiver to a large rescue dog who is getting on in years now, and has food allergies, I appreciated being invited to attend a two-day Canine Nutrition Summit in Nashville, Tennessee recently.

Having never been to Nashville, it was a wonderful opportunity to see this famous musical city before spending many hours learning about the art and science behind pet food. 

Nashville snow.  I learned the hard way that my brief free time for exploring the city before the summit began, included a record 7th snow fall of the year for Nashville.  People I spoke with at the Grand Ole Opry giftshop were all Southern charm and hospitality, but I could tell they couldn't wait to close up so that they could start their slow trek home.

It was something to see the icy roads filled with snow covered cars creeping slowly along trying not to skid across lanes or spin their wheels in frustration. The snow was so bad for this city that doesn't normally get it, that the car service which was offered by the Hutton Hotel, where we all stayed, was turned back due to the snow and ice.  Fortunately I had Ryan from Houston Dog Blog with me, and we joined the people in their cowboy boots slipping down Music Row and got back to the hotel by foot in no time.  Talk about a boot scootin boogie!

This sponsored trip -- MARS Petcare US paid my way because they consider Grouchy Puppy dog blogs an influencer -- allowed me to catch up with many of my fellow pet media influencers, including:

Ryan Rice, Houston Dog Blog - Maria Goodavage, Dogster Dog Blog - Deborah Flick, Boulder Dog - Paris Permenter and John Bigley, Dogtipper - Debbie Jacobs, Fearful Dogs - Diane Silver, To Dog With Love - Michelle Maskaly, My Tail Hurts From Wagging So Much - Felissa Hadas, Two Little Cavaliers  and Ashley Niels, I Love Rescue Animals

We had a whole day together at the Mars Petcare US home office, but the summit really began with a nice welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant. They had grander plans for us that night but the snow cancelled them.  However it was still a great opportunity to be introduced to several people from within the huge Petcare division.

Dog Treats Not My Own: Thank Goodness Dogs are so Forgiving

With my dog's birthday in two days, here are five photos of dog cookies and dog treats that I am unable to make because clearly I might have mad skills, but they do not include crafting beautiful baked goods. 

Oh I will be making special dishes for my pet in honor of her homecoming day, but they will not look this pretty.  Thank goodness dogs are so forgiving.  The fact that Cleo could care less what her food looks like is a blessing.  I think our adopting her before Thanksgiving was divine providence. Seriously.

Cleo Says What?

How dogs smell, I don't know. Truthfully sometimes Cleo stinks at sniffing out dog treats right in front of her nose. 

My first fear thought is that she is losing her sense of smell as she ages.  My second worry thought is that I need to wash her dog bedding, because clearly the smells within it must be concealing the smells of the treat.

This is a tough one because personally I think a dog would love either smell.  Even if it is her feet, whatever stinks the most wins?  Is that how dogs process the smells?

She may be an aging huntress but Cleo can still track and find her favorite food - chicken liver.  Through "air-tight" packaging, she found these freeze-dried treats.* 

Since we found out Cleo can't eat corn, we've got ourselves a healthier girl. It's a good thing these treats are small and all natural because we are going through them like popcorn!

*Thanks Etta Says! for having your tasty treats at BlogPaws West, and sharing them with us attendees for free.

When Doggy Needs a Diet

Fat cat? Doughy dog? Our pets are getting fatter. When we first got Cleo, she was a little under weight. The vet told us it was likely due to the stress she had been under before and during her being surrendered to a shelter and our adoption of her. This was five years ago now. She is now clearly settled into her forever home, and gets regular meals.

Because she is our first dog and we adore her, sometimes we give her a few too many treats for every little trick or cute expression.  Last year, during her annual check up with the vet, Cleo weighed 10 lbs too heavy.  We were mortified. Fortunately after we cut back on her food, she dropped the pounds.

This alarm was our wake up call and ever since I've watched her diet more closely. However studies are showing that obesity rates are steadily increasing in our pets.

This guest post is from Peggy Frezon (Peggy's Pet Place) and she shares some great diet tips and tricks for both man and his best friend.

If your dog is overweight, you’re eating too much. This funny little saying certainly rang true for me. A few extra cookies for me…a Snausage or two for my pup Kelly. Next thing I knew, my jeans were too snug. And Kelly waddled when she walked.

If your dog is overweight too, you know how easily that can happen. Also, you probably know how to lose weight—eat less and exercise more. The same is true for our dogs. But that doesn’t make it easy. Here are a few tips that might help:

1.    Measure Your Dog’s Food -- You know how you intend to pour yourself one serving of cereal for breakfast? And then one day you add a little more and a little more, and the next thing you know you’ve got a heaping mound of Cheerios in your bowl. (It’s just one serving, right?!) The same thing can happen when we feed our dogs. The vet told me that I should feed Kelly ½ cup of quality food twice a day. Without thinking, I was scooping in 3 or 4 times that much. Now I measure her food to be sure she is getting just the right amount.

Dog Days of Summer Campaign - I am the change for Muttville

So a funny thing happened on my way to the store.  I was looking at my Facebook app on my iPhone, while I was filling up my car with gas.  As I was reading my friends updates, I saw many were posting about a challenge.

I sat in the car for a few minutes after I was done and read all about the Be The Change for Pets challenge.  A light bulb went off in my head then and I knew I had to join in!  Now San Francisco has lots of shelters and rescue groups that can use our help, and it would be up to me to choose just one.

As I sat there I remembered a story I had seen on my local CBS television station a few days prior.  The story had been about Sherri Franklin and Muttville, her nonprofit senior dog rescue group.

[Cleo and her female, Sharon with the senior formula from Wellness brand dog food. Photo by PL]

The news story not only introduced me to Muttville, a group I had not heard of yet in San Francisco, but it introduced me to Sherri's "pet project", her Senior Dog Rescue mission.  With my rescue dog Cleo a minimum of 7 years old now, I know that she could be a difficult candidate for adoption if she wasn't already in her forever home.  I also know that she eats a lot.

Thinking of the Dog Days of Summer food and supplies drive, I used my smart phone to find the number to Muttville and call them.  In my excitement to make this food donation before the end of July, I probably said too much about Blog Paws and the challenge in my voice message.  Fortunately for me Sherri heard my message (and offer of free food) through my enthusiasm and called me back quickly.

Sherri told me that many of her dogs did not have a lot of teeth and that they were short of canned dog food the most.  She gave me three brand names of what the dogs were currently willing to eat, without coaxing.

I left the gas station and went directly to Costco who only sold one brand of can dog food, which unfortunately was not part of Sherri's list.  My second stop was Petco and I scored because they carried Wellness brand dog food in cans. I grabbed a dozen large cans off the shelf with more than half being specifically formulated for Senior Dogs.

Here is Sherri, happy to have more food for her ever present and ever shifting pack of senior sweethearts.

Once again my time at Blog Paws 2010 has paid dividends.  The wonderful people I met through Blog Paws took an idea to a level where both pets and people are being changed simultaneously - and for the betterment of both!  At Grouchy Puppy we are focused on giving fearlessly and influencing positively our community and beyond.

This summer challenge introduced me to a group that speaks to me and my love of dogs, especially senior rescue dogs. I feel a special closeness to senior dogs because they remind me of my aging parents, and their need for love and compassion. 

A senior dog may move more slowly and have obvious physical challenges, but they can't hide the wagging tails and happy faces when you engage with them!  The adorable dogs I met at Muttville captured my heart as much as any puppy could.  The faces of Lucy, the sweet calm girl and the personality of Nila, the teacup pup kept my feet planted in the front room of Sherri's home (yes, Muttville is currently run out of her own home!).

[Sherri works the phones constantly to help find forever homes for her senior sweethearts]

This segment of adoptable dogs deserves more of our attention.  At this stage they have given most of their life already to serving their companions steady years of unconditional love and tolerance.  We owe it to them to help ensure they receive extra love and attention while they are still with us.

Thank you Blog Paws and everyone who steps up to be the change for pets and all animals around the world.  You inspire me to become better and because of you, I have met the folks at Muttville at a time when they needed it.