Washing off chemical toxins from Paws and Shoes

The beautiful suburban lawn is great to look at, and the road where you walk is the path to get you where you’re going, but there are unseen chemical residues EVERYWHERE getting on your pet’s feet and on everyone’s shoes and then brought into your home. These chemicals can be toxic causing allergies or illness over a period of time of exposure. For everyone’s health, you should get into the habit of washing your dog’s paws after a walk, and washing off the bottoms of your children’s and your shoes at least once a day. If you can avoid wearing the shoes inside that you use outside, it will help avoid the unnecessary transference of a dirty chemical world on your floors and carpets.

For all your pet supplies….. CalloftheDogShop

Protecting Your Dog During the Summer

Dr. Louise Murray, DVM, made an appearance on Fox News this morning to speak about ways to protect your dog during the summer months.

Her salient points were:

• For apartment dwellers, you should be sure to have screens on open windows so your dog won’t lean or jump out.

• Heat stroke is a big problem for dogs in the hot weather. They dehydrate quickly, and flat-faced canines don’t pant very well. Look for gums getting very red, severe panting, lethargy and even vomiting as signs of heat stroke. The latter two signs mean your dog is already in the real danger zone, so be alert. Best thing to do is exercise your dog during the cooler parts of the day, before 10am and after 2pm.

• Don’t leave your dog in a parked car in the hot weather. In 10 minutes, a car can get 20 degrees hotter. Leave your pet at home when you do your summer errands

• Watch out for lawn products that may be toxic to your dog. If you see a suburban-perfect green lawn, you can assume there are chemicals present that may be harmful to your pet.

Click here for a quality selection of COOLING PRODUCTS FOR YOUR DOG

The best dog beds have orthopedic memory foam

You would want the best bed you could practically afford for your own use and it is just as essential that your dog’s bed be designed with its health and well-being in mind. Your pet counts on you to provide a comfortable and supportive dog bed that fulfills its need for deep, restful sleep.

Advertising will display words like luxurious, the best, cool, fashion, custom, designer, orthopedic and discount prices, which are fine. However, more importantly, support, pressure relief, comfort and durability are the words that should get our attention.

Reduce tossing and turning up to 90% with orthopedic memory foam

For years, hospitals and burn units have used orthopedic memory foam for patients to eliminate pressure points that create bed sores. Your dog or pet is also susceptible to the same laws of gravity that cause the cutting off of circulation creating pressure point discomfort. These pressure points build up, and that is why people and pets toss and turn to get away from the pressure build up, triggering the need to turn over. The pressure points soon build up again and the cycle continues.

Traditional material is susceptible to sag; orthopedic pet bed surfaces refresh their form with every use, providing exceptional therapeutic cushioning — absorbing, redistributing and balancing weight pressure evenly across the dog’s body, as the orthopedic memory foam gently cradles the pet’s body, giving superior comfort.

Equally appreciated by younger pets, the sleep surface offers excellent preventative care. Orthopedic dog beds improve the quality of life for dogs and cats with hip or elbow dysplasia, arthritis and joint problems associated with large breeds and older dogs.

A Nature’s Foundation Deluxe Pet Bed was created for the best possible sleep surface for your pet. The bed’s two chambers are designed to work together to provide maximum comfort and support with 1 1/2 inch orthopedic foam and a bottom chamber filled with cedar bedding to mask any odors that may linger around your dog, allowing better smells around the house, and to keep bugs away. The 2 1/2 inch thick reversible pad on top has fleece for warmness in the winter and 600 denier nylon to keep your pet cool in the summer.

Available in decorator colors these beds are stylish and, more importantly, functional for both you and your favorite pet!

CalloftheDogShop specializes in COMFORTABLE DOG BEDS for all size pets, and supplies for all pet needs.

Related information at CalloftheDog’s Main Website — Take Your Dog’s Bed Seriously — Cool Pet Bed Technology

Stop your dog from jumping up on people (Nicely!)

This is a very sweet and endearing story. A friend went to bring the family dog in from the back yard, only to find that it was quite happy to remain outside to frolic with a little white Maltese puppy that had dug under their fence to play.

The little Maltese had always been super sweet, so there was no worry about the two dogs playing nicely together. In fact, all the neighborhood dogs are allowed to play as often as possible so they won’t all bark at each other, but that’s a topic for a different day.

We wanted to share this little story not to talk about digging, but because after a little white dog digs a hole under a fence, it tends to be extremely muddy.

Right on queue, as sure as the sun rises was the reminder just how quickly a puppy that hasn’t been trained yet to not jump up on people, can quickly soil a brand new pair of pants.

And that’s what happened. As soon as our friend went outside to see just how this Maltese had escaped into the yard, it ran and very excitedly started to jump up and claw its muddy paws all over summer white pants.

But instead of getting mad, our friend decided to turn the situation into a teaching moment for the little guy. A dog lesson… a nice and helpful lesson.

Taking a few minutes to quickly run inside to change into a pair of beat-up jeans, so not to cause any further damage to the pants he was wearing… Chet ran back outside to teach this Maltese a little lesson in not jumping up on people.

Now we know some folks will tell you to swat the dog every time it jumps up, or knee it in the chest, or pull up on it’s arms as a way to cause discomfort, and get the dog to stop jumping up.

But that’s FAR from the best way to teach a dog to stop jumping up…..

You see, a dog jumps up because it’s excited, and it wants your attention. So, we just have to make sure that we give the dog what it wants (attention) after it has asked for it in an appropriate way.

And we need to do this in a way that makes sure we completely stop giving attention to the dog when it does jump up.

The combination of giving the dog zero attention when it jumps up, and lavishing it with praise when it sits patiently at your feet, is the easiest way to do this.

This method took no less than 3 minutes to teach the neighbor’s little escape artist. Chet used a form of dog psychology to educate. He simply reached down in an excited manner so the dog got over-excited and wanted to play, and Chet continued to play with the dog until it’s over-excited exuberance led to the dog jumping up on his leg.

At the exact instant the dog jumped up, Chet quickly stood up, removed eye contact with the dog and remained as still as a stump, showing no emotion.

When the dog got bored waiting for Chet to resume playing he immediately got right back to playing excitedly with the puppy.

It didn’t take long at all for the dog to realize that the second his muddy little paws touched the pant legs the play session was over, and in 5 minutes the behavior was fixed.

So if you’ve got a dog that has a problem jumping up on you, try out this technique, and please leave a comment letting us know how it worked for you. Chet is a compassionate, true professional and we urge you to take a look at the training program he has available by CLICKING HERE.

Be sure to visit CalloftheDog’s Main Website where we cover many issues pertaining to your dog, including more information on How to Stop Your Dog from Jumping. Take advantage of CalloftheDog’s Online Shop for all your quality pet supply needs.

Happy Training!

Good Dog Nutrition and Trace Mineral Help to Avoid Cancer

The value of adding a quality source of selenium for good dog nutrition is of terrific importance, necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system and thyroid gland. Studies show that dogs benefit from high selenium levels in their diet for the prevention of cancer.

Take note that the form of the selenium is significant. Selenium derived from natural food forms may have beneficial effects not shared by human-synthesized selenium compounds.

The ancestral diet of canines derived selenium from two organic forms, selenomethionine found primarily in plants and selenocysteine found mostly in organ meats. For many reasons, you shouldn’t feed run-of-the-mill dry and canned dog foods which use inorganic types of selenium sodium selenite or sodium selenate. What is interesting and sad is that these forms of selenium are considered toxic by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

You can provide a dietary “insurance policy” for good dog nutrition and ensure your dog is getting enough selenium by adding Brazil nuts. The selenium in broccoli and other vegetables will vary according to the amount of selenium in the soils. Brazil nuts, on the other hand, are a reliable source of selenium, and the fresher, the better. One-half of a crushed Brazil nut per day for every 50 pounds a dog weighs will do the trick. And for your little guys, once a week is all that’s needed. Mince it, grate, and add it to the food.

Related information on CalloftheDog’s Main Website —

Dog Nutrition — What’s Really in Dog Food? — Raw Pet Food — Fish Oil for Dogs — Probiotics for Dogs

Pet Sitter or Dog Kennel Boarding – That is the Question

The lazy, hazy days of summer are upon us and many folks are looking to spend some vacation time away from home. Taking the dog is not always possible. Will you choose a boarding kennel or a pet sitter?

The decision has to be made as to what to do. If you do not have a trusted friend or family member to act as guardian, you are faced with two other options that both have pros and cons attached.

It is important to take your dog’s personality into account and how it’s likely to react to certain situations. Many dogs are more stressed at kennels than they would be staying in their own environment. Will you be able to depend on the kennel feeding your dog the food it’s accustomed to? Otherwise, dogs that are fed different food may experience upsets such as vomiting or diarrhea, conditions that can be compounded and made worse with the addition of “stress”.

Lots of dogs in a small area coupled with the stress of boarding can induce a viral infection in some dogs such as kennel cough, similar to lots of kids in close quarters passing around a common “cold”. Proper sanitation is critical for preventing the spread of contagious diseases. Cages and runs should look and smell clean, and the other animals currently being boarded should be clean and appear well cared for.

In case your dog becomes ill, how will it be addressed? Is there a kennel veterinarian on call for treatment, or will your regular veterinarian be contacted. You must be sure this is discussed with the kennel owner.

It is not recommended to board at an animal hospital for the simple reason that you increase the possibility of your dog coming in contact with other dogs’ illnesses that might transfer. If you are opting for the convenience of a dog boarding kennel, be sure to find a facility that you trust and, even better, that others have expressed trust in.

General safety and the friendliness and competence of the staff are most important. Not all boarding kennels are “great”. Some facilities do not give the dogs the play and attention they and you would desire. Extra amenities and attention in the way of treats, walks and play time can be optional “add-ons” to your base fee, so you need to consider these factors for your dog’s comfort and cost analysis.

Find a boarding kennel with a good reputation. Hopefully, you have gotten references and you can be confident that your dog is being monitored in a trustworthy location by professionals who understand their responsibility. The option to board your dog does eliminate the concern over having people you don’t know in your home.

Concern over strangers entering your home can be alleviated with a little advanced preparation. Seek recommendations from reliable people and check references.

The pet sitting situation offers you the advantage of someone checking your house, taking in mail and making your home look occupied in a normal routine. If you desire a higher level of service, you can often find someone who is willing to stay at your home. This gives your pet companion the added advantage of plenty of attention. Office and technical staff at veterinary clinics make good candidates for this purpose or they can often offer you reliable referrals. They or those they might refer are “animal people” and are able to properly handle medical problems should they arise.

Whether you choose a boarding kennel or pet sitter (the better choice, in our opinion, is a pet sitter), make sure you give clear instructions on what food your dog should be fed and any required medications. Whoever is left in charge of your companion should walk and play with the dog several times a day. Give clear directions on what you expect with regard to play time and interaction. Be sure you provide good contact information in the case of an emergency.

For all your pet supplies needs, Shop with Confidence at our CalloftheDogShop

Dog Cages, Crates, Kennels and Carriers Provide Security, Comfort and Safety

Dog crates, cages and carriers are important for your dog to have, providing our canine companions with a safe environment inside, outside, for travel and vehicle transportation, along with vehicle barriers that provide protection for your pet’s safety.

However, when transporting your pet, NEVER leave your dog in a hot car, even with windows cracked. In as little as 2-3 minutes, pets can suffer heatstroke and even die from high temperatures.

The crate/cage environment is a great solution for giving your dog a private, quiet space. Before deciding on a particular crate, cage or travel carrier, you must measure your pet. Measurements of your canine companion should be taken from the ground to the top of your pet’s shoulder and then add an additional 3 inches; this will give you the minimum height for your pet’s crate, cage, kennel or carrier. You must also take the measurement from the head to the base of the tail and add an additional 3 inches; this calculation gives you the minimum length for the crate, cage, kennel or carrier. It’s important to be sure your pet can comfortably stand, turn around, sit and lie down.

Casual Cratewear is a key piece to providing true comfort and protecting your pet from numerous possible crate-related injuries. Casual Cratewear is a complete 3-piece crate bed set that includes crate cover, quilted bumper, and crate pad that offers a total comfort environment for your dog.

High-quality and long-lasting wicker dog crates are the ultimate in dog crates that combine sturdy craftsmanship that will stand up to wear and tear, style and comfort, and are easily cleaned with soap and water.

There are tent-style cages made from canvas or nylon that set up quickly making them ideal for traveling, camping, or any time you want to give your dog a place of its own.

A deluxe travel dog crate is built extra sturdy, combining a tough plastic frame with steel inserts for added strength and built-in wheels that allow the dog cage to be easily moved from place to place. It folds down easily for storage and transport.

Pet carriers are available with telescoping handles with wheels for easy travel as a rolling case. Pet carriers can be used and function as backpacks, totes or car seats, and they meet most airline travel regulations.

An auto carrier is intended for dogs or other pets up to 15 pounds, and includes a treat/water feeding tray. An auto carrier is a great way to take your pet securely in your car.

All crate, cage and carrier information and selections available HERE

Spread the Word to Those Who Spread the Mulch

Cocoa mulch is harmful and can be fatal to dogs. Cocoa mulch is sold at garden centers world-wide and contains the component theobromine, an ingredient that occurs naturally in cocoa and can cause illness in dogs. This same theobromine is a toxin in chocolate, and that’s why ingesting chocolate is also so dangerous for your dog.

We have known this since 2003, but apparently many have not gotten the word. It depends on the size of the dog and how much is ingested but symptoms can range from an upset stomach to cardiac arrest.

If a dog eats a product with a low level of theobromine it will not affect the animal. However cocoa product with a high concentration of theobromine can cause major problems. Better than complying with the possible warning labels on the bag, it is best to avoid the product altogether. Please help spread the word to all gardening participants.

Click Here for a great review of DOG POISONS

Also keep in mind, the heat is upon us and consider a COOLING PET BED OR JACKET for you canine companions.

Dog training secrets to solve all your dog training problems

If you’ve got a dog, you’ll appreciate this story… A colleague of ours, Chet, recently got a brand new puppy he named Bauer…A cute little golden retriever, adorable, in fact. Glossy yellow coat, big sad eyes, and teeth like a piranha! Wow, could this puppy chomp! We casually talked about a few of the no-bite training techniques. But, to our surprise, Chet said he was addressing the issue a bit differently. In fact, Chet wanted to bet $10 he could train his new pup to stop biting in less than 24 hours — without ever TOUCHING the puppy, using nothing more than his voice. We were skeptical but not willing to doubt Chet’s training capacity.

To say we were impressed with what Chet accomplished with Bauer would be an understatement. In fact we were so impressed with Chet’s training secrets, that we convinced him to make his dog training tips available by online video to all of our CalloftheDog Blog and Website visitors! Because, while many so-called professional trainers require you to “punish” your dog, Chet’s system allows you to win the respect of your dog without ever touching it! And Chet’s already proved these secrets work for the toughest “mature” dog problems, too — like excessive barking, chewing, jumping, etc.

To watch his “no-touch” dog training videos, CLICK HERE. It’s certainly valuable information. So, we hope you enjoy it.

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for Chet’s FREE Dog Training Video by email. He promised that it would be up for at least another 72 hours. This video is worth something for the free lesson alone, but it’s a FREE GIFT to all our CalloftheDog visitors. To get your FREE GIFT Dog Training Video, CLICK HERE.