We are loving this infographic from the helpful Vet’s over at Chastain Veterinary Medical Group which details common symptoms, signs and treatment for Canine Allergies.
Stay healthy and share the care!
How To
Bark Heard Round The World
Where in the world are all the dogs?
We have the answer! Maybe this has been the question keeping you up at night… or maybe not. Well we did the research on dog demographics and found out where all the dogs are.
Whether traveling with your pup or trying to decide where to move, it is great to know the cultures and places that are best for your pooch. Using statistics brought to us by statisticbrain.com, we see the most popular countries dogs:
| Most Popular Countries of Residence for Dogs | Number of Registered Dogs |
| United States | 403,760 |
| Canada | 23,068 |
| Philippines | 13,232 |
| United Kingdom | 7,835 |
| Australia | 5,301 |
| Singapore | 2,688 |
| Malaysia | 1,726 |
| Indonesia | 1,537 |
| Brazil | 1,085 |
| New Zealand | 868 |
| India | 747 |
| Mexico | 702 |
| Germany | 683 |
| Netherlands | 594 |
| South Africa | 583 |
http://www.statisticbrain.com/dog-statistics/
The US seems to have the most pups by a landslide! Lets see which states within the US are in the dog state of mind? Can you find your state?
| Most Popular States of Residence for Dogs | Number of Registered Dogs |
| California | 52,051 |
| Texas | 31,011 |
| Florida | 23,116 |
| New York | 21,717 |
| Pennsylvania | 15,191 |
| Ohio | 13,841 |
| Illinois | 12,918 |
| Washington | 11,383 |
| Michigan | 11,180 |
| Georgia | 10,929 |
| New Jersey | 10,638 |
| North Carolina | 10,604 |
| Virginia | 9,608 |
| Massachusetts | 8,281 |
| Ontario | 7,965 |
Within these states, we have found the top ten friendliest cities for dogs. Does your city welcome dogs with open paws? Find out which do:
1. Austin, Texas
2. Bar Harbor, Maine
Crusoe The Celebrity Dachshund/Flickr
3. Cape Cod, Massachusetts
El Condor/Flickr
4. Carmel, California
Vicki and Chuck Rogers/Flickr
5. Chattanooga, Tennessee
Michael Hicks/Flickr
6. Chicago, Illinois
Chris Bentley/Flickr
7. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Andrew Doak/Flickr
8. Key West, Florida
9. Portland, Oregon
Lulu Hoeller/Flickr
10. Sonoma Valley and Napa, California
Do you think your city is dog friendly?
What do you think can be added to your city to make it more dog friendly?
August 15th is Check the Chip Day
Friday August 15 has been declared as “Check the Chip Day,” by the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
What is the day?
Check the Chip Day serves as a good reminder to make sure your dog’s microchip contact information is correct.
What are the benefits?
Microchips greatly increase the chances that you’ll get your pet back if he/she is lost or stolen…but a microchip only works if its registration information is accurate.
What steps do I take?
Step 1: Make an appointment with your veterinarian for microchipping if your pet isn’t already microchipped (then make sure that your pet’s chip is immediately registered)
Step 2: Check your already-microchipped pet’s registration information in the microchip manufacturer’s database, and make sure it’s up-to-date.
*To check your pet’s registration information go to AAHA’s Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool
How do I spread the word?
Celebrate and join Check the Chip Day event on Facebook
Share the Flyer
Where can I hear more?
American Animal Hospital Association‘s President Dr. Kate Crumley talks about the importance of microchipping. Listen HERE from Steve Dale’s Pet World about the importance of proper pet identification, most importantly microchipping.
Grab your kleenex for this emotional video of a reunion between a dog and dad thanks to the chip:
Gimme more!
- Check the Chip Day (podcast)
- Microchip IDs help return lost pets (video)
- Give your pet a chip! (podcast)
- Lost and found (podcast)
- Microchipping of Animals
- Frequently Asked Questions about Microchipping
- AVMA Policy: Microchipping of Companion Animals
How to Make Your Dog Happy
I don’t know about you guys but I spend far too much time staring into my dogs eyes trying to understand if she is happy.
I know a few things for fact:
- She loves snuggles
- She loves treats
- She loves elephant the toy she’s had since the day I got her 13 years ago (Who I have managed to not lose, which I consider a feat, even though he may have been damaged slightly by a curling iron once and years of her playing with it..)
Souffie happily asleep after getting hours of cuddles
The there’s all those human things I think I project on her- her need for having more dog friends her desire to sniff a new scent. So even though she is not exactly what you would call friendly towards other dogs, I still feel she needs to socialize and keep trying to help her make friends. This is a losing battle. I’ll also try and spice up our walks and take a different path so she’s not bored by the usual smells and sights on our walks.
But all this wasn’t enough for me. Because doing this once in a while wasn’t going to make her happy in the long run.
So I’ve devised a method to measuring Souffie’s happiness. While not a direct formula (snuggles x treats x 20 minute walk) this at least makes me feel like I am taking care of all her needs. And I’m sharing it with you, because I’m sure I’m not alone in this!
After a bit of research, I found Tamar Geller’s Loved Dog. And I love it. In the book she talks about the 7 needs a dog has. Building on that I’ve broken it down into 3 main elements that I call the Doggie Happiness Index, DHI, which address a dog’s needs: physical, mental and social.
Physical- pretty straight forward… but happiness starts with health right? Here I look at all health, exercise and nutrition. Making sure she is moving enough, not eating too much and not getting over spoiled with treats
Souffie on her way to attend a wedding
Mental– dogs crave routine and security for peace of of mind. So I try to make sure Souffie has a built and established routine (which is not always easy). Also I make sure she is mentally stimulated. She spends a lot of time on her own so I like to get her games that require some thinking, like puzzle toys and treat balls and when we are together try and play more challenging games or teach her a new trick (it is possible to teach and old dog new tricks!)
She demands to be the center of everyone’s attention
Social– well obviously snuggle time falls in this category. And we can’t forget that dogs are pack animals and like hierarchy (which is also linked to their sense of security) so I make sure to get her around other people (and dogs when possible) and make sure she feels loved all the time.
In fact she wouldn’t even let me write this post since it was Souffie time!
So that’s my DHI. This is still a work in progress and would love to hear from you if you have any more ideas or improvements!
I love using Hachiko to help me track all of this! I can set goals for Souffies activity, with an added bonus of knowing how active she was on her own, so I know for how long we need to talk. Also I make sure to log her food and treats so I can both set a routine and also make sure I don’t over feed her (she is getting a bit well… huskier lately!).
Souffie with her Hachiko Sensor. Stylish and fun!
Hachiko Smart Sensors are a great way to keep track of your dog’s activity and behavior. To set routines and make sure they are receiving the care they deserve. Learn more about it and how it can help you keep your dog happy on their website. And to make you happy use the promocode HAPPYDOG to get $5 off!
8 DIY Summer Snacks Your Dog Will Love
We love sharing with our dogs, but when it comes to iced cream, we don’t like to share with anyone:
Make your dog their own refreshing summer snack with our top summer recipe picks:
1. Your pup will love these healthy and refreshing Blueberry Dog Cookies.
2. Were also going bananas for this Canine Cookie with bananas and blueberries.
3. Let your pup experience the delicious and healthy mix that is fruit and nuts with these easy-to-make Apple and Peanut Butter Dog Treats
4. Pupsicles: Frozen dog treats are great for keeping pups occupied and cool in the summertime, better yet they can be used to soothe teething pain in puppies.
- Berries and cream, berries and cream, I’m a little pup who likes berries and cream.
6. Add in some veggies with these Spinach, Carrot, and Zucchini Dog Treats.
7. Your dog have a summer birthday? Celebrate with these creative and festive pupcakes.
8. No time for cooking? Pop it in a blender and in the freezer like these easy to make frozen Dog Smoothies.
Comment with any fun family recipes you want to share!
Translate that Bark
Language barriers are hard! Especially between species! Understanding your dog’s wants and needs can be ruff. How can a dog be man’s best friend if they cannot understand one another?
It is imperative that every dog parent communicate with their dog and learn to understand what it means when their pup runs to the door or wags their tail. Our dogs have minds of their own and it is our job as parents is to try and understand the speechless conversation that goes on every day between pups and their parents.
Use this handy infographic to decipher your pooch’s body language:
Unfortunately no dog-human translator exists just yet but until then we’re loving October Jone’s blog Text From Dog. Check out his book being sold on Amazon!
Until doggy translator’s exist, Hachiko is the closest we’ve found to giving your dog a voice!
Remember, to listen to your pup:
9 Summer Tips for Your K9
It’s hot this summer so be sure to keep cool but don’t forget about your furry best friend during your dip in the pool. Here are some tips brought to you by dog experts Cesar Milan and Tamar Geller on how to care for your hot dog this summer!
1. Exercise at sunrise or sunset- Are you an Early Bird? Night Owl? Use it to your advantage and sneak in a walk either early morning or late at night to avoid the scorching heat of mid-day.
2. Use doggie boots- As the sidewalk can be hot, be sure to protect your dog’s paws with boots. Were lovin’ these kicks- and they’re a fashion statement too!
3. Beware of dog dehydration- Dogs cool themselves by panting so be sure to check for signs of panting hard, staggering gait, rapid heartbeat, dazed look, restlessness, dark red or purple gums and/or tongue, vomiting, excessive drool, bloodshot eyes, and lethargic behavior- these are all signs of dehydration.
4. Have water handy- Throw us a bone here, or just a drop of H2O every so often. Make sure to carry a water bottle while on your walk. You can even strap it onto a doggy vest which can double to cool down your pup.
5. Keep it shady- Be sure to take breaks in the shade if your dog has been out in the sun for a while. Set up a fan or sprinkler to allow your dog a bit of relief from the rays. If theres no shade in sight, create some with this handy pet canopy.
6. Start from the bottom- Dogs cool from the bottom up so be sure to spray from underneath when rinsing off. Try laying down a cool wet towel for your canine pal to lay on and rest.
7. Let em’ dig- By nature, dogs dig to keep cool so if they start digging at the ground, let em’ go!
8. Let them test the weather- Let them out for a bit before your walk to feel the weather for themselves. They will understand better why they are going for a shorter walk than usual if they assess the weather beforehand.
9. Dogs can swim too- Next time you go for a dip to cool off, bring your pup. Swimming can be another great form of exercise for dogs if they are comfortable in pools. Keep it safe with a flotation device!
Click here to read more from our experts Cesar Milan and Tamar Geller!
Comment below how you’re keeping your dog cool this summer:
