Archive for the ‘Animal Welfare’ Category »
Sources have said it is a Portuguese water dog, but to clarify, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said on Chicago radio this morning that the Obamas would be getting their dog this week, but did not specify what kind of dog it is.
According to Katie McCormick Lelyveld, First lady Michelle Obama’s press secretary, the first family’s new dog is definitely not coming this week, CBS News reports. It is said that the family has apparently already selected the dog and met him a few weeks ago, but there is no clear statement on when the dog will come to live in the White House. Obama have made a comment that they would get the dog after the G20 summit.
Most of us know that the big Easter Egg Roll at the White House is this Monday, and I believe the president is set to fly to Mexico at the end of next week. The Obamas are particularly busy, but I think they would be able to manage squeezing in a few minutes to get the dog. We’ll see what happens! 
The answer is — Yes! Perhaps this is the reason why my dog, Stinkie, is in a sneezing and scratching fit lately. I searched the internet for more information and this is what I found:
“Allergens that cause spring allergies in many of us–trees, grasses, weeds, dust mites, molds and insects–can cause skin infections, itching, sneezing and other reactions in our canine friends as well.
Constant paw licking, body rubbing and excessive scratching are all signs your dog may have an allergy. Hair loss, odor, rashes, a “flaky” or “greasy” feeling coat are other symptoms. Itching can also be caused by contagious mites, fungal infections, autoimmune skin diseases or hormonal abnormalities, so it’s important for your vet to distinguish the source.
Symptoms of airborne allergies are most often observed when dogs are between six months and four years old, but tend to become more severe with age. Dogs often show symptoms at the same time every year, usually when the seasons change.
Treatment can begin once an allergy is diagnosed. Simply washing the offending allergens off of your dog is often a great first line of defense. Washing your dog’s paws after spending time outdoors or frequent bathing of the entire body may also provide temporary relief. Oral supplements and medications may also provide relief, although something like fatty acid supplementation may take months to be effective. Over-the-counter antihistamines for humans provide relief in some cases, but never give these to your dog without asking your veterinarian first, as many also contain other ingredients that can be deadly for dogs, such as pseudo-ephedrine, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Allergy vaccines, oral or topical steroids or oral cyclosporine can treat very severe seasonal allergies”— Dr. Heather Peikes
So pet parents, make sure you do careful observations and plan a trip to your veterinarian soon! These are the first steps in helping your pooch survive allergy season. Enjoy your springtime!
Dr. Heather Peikes is Manhattan’s only board-certified Veterinary Dermatologist. She practices at Animal Allergy and Dermatology, located at 32 West 25th Street; 212-206-0969; www.animalallergyanderm.com.
OK, it’s my turn to promote my cause. On the first Saturday of May each year, GoodDogz.org teams up with Myers PR, the Reston Town Center and RestonDogs to host the annual Reston Pet Fiesta. The event annually draws about 8000 metro DC residents to the Reston Town Center for a day of pet adoption, family fun and a kick ass dog walk. The Pet Fiesta is GoodDogz.org’s primary fundraiser of the year and this year we need your help more than ever. With giving down and pet surrender up, everyone in the animal welfare sector is struggling and GoodDogz.org wants to help bridge the gap where we can.
We’ve spent a lot of time lately helping place dogs left homeless by the economy. We are also working diligently to help families that want to keep their dogs make arrangements. We need your help to continue doing what we do.
By making a $10 (or more) donation to our dog walk, your money goes directly to this mission. It’s tax deductible and can easily, securely be made by Visa, MC, Amex or Discover through Firstgiving.com. Our organizational goal for the event is $10,000. My personal goal is $1,500 - aggressive but attainable with your help.
It’s easy…
- Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/bethbates and make an online donation OR
- Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/GoodDogz, set-up your own pledge page and start collecting pledges.
You can also attend and participate in the ‘Tails on Trails” dog walk if you are in the DC area. We welcome you!!
And last, but certainly not least, if you own a business, you can be a dog walk sponsor by making a donation and receiving promotional considerations. Sponsors need to be signed up by March 21.
A gazillion thanks to everyone who supports GoodDogz.org everyday and a hearty WOOF to our new supporters!
THANK YOU!
Be a part of the 2009 Reston Pet Fiesta!
It’s finally here and you wouldn’t want to miss it!!! Pet Fiesta is one of the biggest events of the year for animal owners and animal lovers alike. It is an outdoor festival attracting an average of 8,000 targeted visitors. Pet Fiesta brings together local businesses, rescue groups and pet owners for an exciting day of interactive activities, demonstrations, exhibitions and animals galore!
We are inviting everyone to be a part of this event. You and your business can even be an exhibitor and/or sponsor at the 9th Annual Pet Fiesta & Exhibition at Reston Town Center on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
Each year this thrilling event continues to grow bigger, and 2009 will present another amazing festival! Admission is free to the public, and the event benefits GoodDogz.org and RestonDogs. For more information, visit www.petfiesta.org
Hope to see you there!!
Great Dog Needs Home
Gooddogz have decided to foster a great dog until he finds a great home. His name is Rocky.
Rocky is a beautiful male Greyhound Great Dane Mix with lots of energy. He is two years old and weighs about 80 lbs, and is altered. Rocky has been an outdoor dog all his life but is adapting to indoor life with little effort. He loves to curl up on dog beds and is very affectionate. It is unknown whether he does well with cats, but he adores playing with other dogs, but can be a little rough. Rocky came to us due to his owner falling victim to the economy. He grew up in a home with two kids, 5 and 7, and did great with them. It is unknown whether he is house-trained, but we have not experienced any “accidents” since we’ve fostered him. We are working on basic obedience, but he will need continued training to become a well-mannered gentleman. He is UTD on his vaccinations. His previous owner advised that if he gets loose he is difficult to get back, so a fenced yard is required.
Gooddogz is fostering Rocky until we can find him a great home. Could you please pass on the word to all of the dog lovers that you know? He’s a wonderful dog and we want to ensure that he goes to a home that will give him the love and attention he deserves. If you would like more information on Rocky, please email Beth Bates at beth@gooddogz.org
Let’s give this great pooch a home. Thanks!
Ants in Dog Food?
Okay, this has never happened to me before until a few days ago. I am a dog owner myself, and after almost 4 long years of feeding my dog, ants suddenly showed up and invaded her food bowl.
Pesticides is a no-no! After some research, I found two different and 100% natural techniques to keep ants from raiding your pet’s food.
First, you can try to sprinkle ground cinnamon around your pet’s dish. The cinnamon should repel the ants. Another way is to dab a small amount of petroleum jelly around the base of the food bowl. Ants will not cross the petroleum jelly. Hopefully these simple tips will do the trick!
I have yet to try them myself. I’m not quite sure what made this happen just now, because she’s had the same dog food ever since. If any case ants do invade your pet’s food, these are two simple tips that one should try without have to worry about your pet ingesting any chemicals from pesticides!
We Can Learn a Lot from Dogs
Harvey McKay is an incredibly motivational writer and speaker and all-around business genius. If you haven’t, but a book of his and prepare to be educated. Today, Harvey writes about how much we can learn from our dogs - enjoy!
Obamas Now Planning to Adopt!
After a 50,000 signature petition by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the family of the new president elect are planning to adopt their new puppy. Keep up on the progress at http://obamafamilydog.com!
Home 4 the Holidays a Success
GoodDogz.org rocked the Reston Town Center last Saturday at our Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption event. The weather was gorgeous and we had a steady flow of foot traffic. The event hosted about 20 dog and cat rescue organizations as well as 10 pet retailers selling their holiday wares.
We’ll be compiling the number of animals that were adopted over the next few weeks, but we do know that a new group, K9 Lifesavers, have adopted 20 of the 30 dogs that they brought to the event. A success unto itself.
Subscribe to our RSS feed to get more information about the results of Home 4 the Holidays as well as all the latest information on GoodDogz.org!
Pet retailers and rescue groups! Our online registration for Home 4 the Holidays is up and running! Our Home 4 the Holidays super pet adoption event will be held on November 1 from 11AM-4PM at the Reston Town Center. Registration is now open and all spots are first come, first served. So sign-up now!