Do not leave your pet outside unsupervised unless he is in a safe enclosed fenced area.   Pets need time to get acclimated to the summer heat.  Be certain to have a shaded area that your pet can rest under without the hot sun beating down on him.   Remember that the sun moves so make sure he has shade all day. If the weather is over 80 degrees, let you pet come inside to cool off or even stay inside all day.

Never let you pet run loose. This is how pets get in fights with other dogs or animals, can bite people or get hit by a vehicle.  Always have your pet on a leash when you are walking him.

Most important is to make sure cool, clean, fresh water is available.  Many different outdoor dog waterers are available. The WaterDog Outdoor Pet Fountain operates automatically. The WaterDog actually will sense your dog’s approach to it for water.  It uses smart sonar sensing technology to trigger the WaterDog to turn on when you pet approaches within 3 feet.  It turns off automatically when your pet leaves.  The WaterDog connects easily and quickly to any outdoor faucet. It als includes a flow-through connector to accommodate a garden hose as well. The WaterDog operates on foud C-cell batteries and will last for up to one year.

A more basic outdoor waterer is the EverFull Bowl Auto Waterer This automatic dog watering system easily attaches to your garden hose. Simply attach the 3/4 foot hose to your garden hose, turn on the tapand the bowl automatically fills to the same level, no overflowing, every time your pet takes a drink. The extra large pan is constructed from galvanized steel with the dimesons of  17 L x 17 W x 3.75 H in inches.

NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET IN A CAR in warm weather. Even with the windows cracked open, your car can become a death trap for your pet.  Even in the shade, a car can be 10 to 20 degrees hotter than outdoors, and cracking the window has almost NO effect. At a pleasant 72 degrees, a car in direct sun can reach an internal temperature of 116 in a few minutes.   At 90 degrees outside, the interior of a vehicle can heat up to 160 degrees within several minutes. A dog’s normal temperature is around 101.  Once a dog’s body temperature gets over about 106 the result is  everything from nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, systemic organ failure,  and death.  It happens within a matter of minutes.

How about both?

Many customers are torn between American loyalty and Natural products.  Ideally, a product would be manufactured in the US and additionally be all-natural, especially products that are for your pet’s consumption.

Redbarn is proud to boast both of these criteria.  They manufacture many products in the USA and have an extensive Natural line that dog owners love.

Redbarn has natural body part items sourced and manufactured in the USA. Below are 5 of their best selling Made in the US dog treats that are also Natural.

• Natural Mammoth Bone
• Natural Pig Ears
• Natural Smoked Pig Ears
• Natural Pig Snouts
• Natural Porky Slices

So don’t compromise on your pup and choose both:  Made in the USA and Natural.

1. Emergency room waits under 5 hours.
2. You can’t board a human while you take off for vacation.
3. No PTA moms or soccer coaches to make you feel inadequate.
4. Pets never complain that “I just had that for dinner two days ago!”
5. Pets can’t talk back to you.
6. Toilet training takes less than a month.
7. Obedience training is way cheaper than college.
8. They never tell you that you’re embarrassing.
9. They don’t care if their collar is designer or not.
   ……….. and the number one reason being a pet mom rules:
10. Your pet is always, always happy to see you.

To all the moms out there, no matter who you love:  thank you for your love and care for all the creatures on earth!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Use coupon: dadgrad to save $6 on all orders > $59

The old rule that one human year equals seven dog years, although easy, is not a very accurate way to determine your dog’s age. Large breed dogs age faster than small breeds.  In general, a dog who is 7 years or older should be considered middle to senior aged.  Your vet is the best person to help you determine the health care maintenance of your dog as he ages.

There are things that MAY occur with your dog that will indicate he is aging.

1. You may notice your dog is slower.  Slower when he runs, slower when he goes up and down stairs and even slower when getting up.  In large breeds, arthritis is very common. Arthritis occurs in the legs, neck and back.  You may notice your dog seems stiff, has a problem rising and may even be reluctant to go for a walk. Your vet should examine your dog. He can prescribe medication (prescription or over-the-counter) to help with the discomfort.  NEVER give your dog human medicine.  This could greatly harm or even kill your dog.
2. Hearing loss is also common as a dog ages.  You may find the noises that used to wake him up no longer do or he may be startled if approached from behind because he doesn’t hear you.  This may be normal aging, but you should have your vet check for any medical condition that may be causing the hearing loss.
3. Most dogs show some sign of graying around the muzzle.  This is normal.  It happens to the best of us.
4. Aging dogs often show a cloudy or bluish haze in the pupil area.  This is called  lenticular sclerosis and is considered normal, with no effect on vision. However, if your dog pupils are white and opaque this is cataracts.  Vision will be affected by cataracts and your vet should examine your dog.

If your dog is showing signs of arthritis, there are many things you can do to help your pet.  First, keep your dog at a normal weight.  This is important to avoid excess pressure on joints. Second, exercise your dog.   A walk will exercise the muscles around the joints and this will help reduce stress on the joint.  Do not push your dog. Let him be the guide to when he is done.  Give you pet any medication prescribed by your vet.

If you have a pickup truck or SUV, you should consider a Pet Ramp which is perfect for helping your pet reach high places.  The Deluxe Telescoping Pet Ramp   extends from 39″ to 72″ and anywhere in between.  Fully extended it is perfect for  pickup trucks, SUVs, grooming tables, etc.  When the ramp is shortened it is perfect  for limited space or a lower upper surface, such as a bed, couch, or even side entry on a minivan.  The Deluxe Telescoping Pet Ramp is  lightweight weighing only 13 lbs and will  supports up to 400 lbs.  It has a  unique aluminum and plastic design making it   light weight and strong. Its compact size makes it easy use and store.  The dimensions are  39-72 in. long x 17 inch wide  x 4 inch rails.

A Half Ramp is also available. It only weighs 7 pounds an will support up to 2oo pounds.  The size is 39 inch  long x 17 inch wide x 5 inch rails.

Using a ramp to assist your dog will not only help your dog, but will help prevent injury to yourself since you will not need to lift your dog. A ramp is safe for both pet and owner.

Remember as you pet ages, it is your job to keep him safe and in as little pain as possible.

Diamond Pet Foods has voluntarily recalled some brands of dry dog and cat food that it manufactured in its Gaston, S.C. facility between December 9, 2011 and April 7, 2012 due to potential Salmonella contamination.

The brands that were recalled on May 4 have not tested positive for Salmonella.  The company is recalling certain batches of these brands, however, as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of customers and their pets. Consumers should check this website for the production codes and best-before dates on the bags of recalled food, and discontinue feeding it. To learn whether or not the brand of dog or cat food you use is included in the recall, please select it from the list below.

Please note: we have issued CORRECTED production codes for all the brands below except for Apex.

Each brand’s page will have the CORRECTED production codes.

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild
• Apex
• Kirkland Signature/Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain
• Canidae

Always try to walk your pet before you leave, especially if you will be gone all day.  The exercise is good for both you and your pet.  In addition, your pet will enjoy the bonding and will burn off excess energy and be ready to nap for awhile.  If you don’t have time for a walk, try a quick game of catch or at the very least, give him some added attention before you leave.

Once you are ready to leave, give your pet a treat. I like to  use  some kind of treat dispenser toy.  The brand Kong has a variety of dispenser toys and one is sure to keep your pet entertained..  The well known Kong Classic is available in size small to XXLarge.  Made from a natural rubber formula and chewer friendly, the Kong Classic is unmatched for  durability,  bounce and resilience.   The bounce is unpredictable so your pet receives a  great workout of every muscle and reflex while chasing and chewing the Kong.

I find that the trick to keeping the Kong Classic interesting is to stuff it with food.  This will keep your dog busy for hours while trying lick out the tasty treat.  It is easy to stuff the hole in the Kong with plain peanut butter or mix peanut butter and dry dog kibbles together.  You can put the Kong in the freezer overnight. This will make the treat last longer.

Another easy recipe is to put  a small amount of peanut butter into a Kong to seal the small hole at the bottom.  Mix a banana that is cut into slices with some plain yogurt (do NOT use yogurt with artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs).  Add the banana mixture to the Kong, then seal with more peanut butter.  This can be served immediately or frozen.

There are a variety of Kong dispenser toys available. Of course, you can stuff anything into any Kong dispenser toy  that your dog enjoys.  Just be careful about adding food that will stain carpeting, if your pet eats on a carpeted area.

Remember your pet will be less likely to try getting attention in negative ways, if you have taken the time to give him something special before leaving.  Some dogs will even welcome the owner leaving knowing a special treat waits him.

“Cycling the tank” means that you are establishing a bacteria bed in your biological filter to remove the toxins that the fish’s metabolism creates.

There are right ways and wrong ways to do this.

There are two steps to cycling.

First, your filter will grow a culture of bacteria that digest ammonia and turn it into Nitrite, then your filter produces bacteria that digest Nitrite and turn it into harmless Nitrate. However, Nitrate will contribute to stress and appetite loss in your fish, as well as contributing to algae growth, so it is important to do regular small water changes to keep your tank in best condition.

Adding Instant Ocean Bio-Spira to a new tank eliminates the cycling period and allows you to add fish immediately without risking their health, in most cases.

How Do I Cycle MY Tank?
If you do not use something like Bio-Spira, yyou should cycle your tank with a small number of  fish. They should be hearty fish, and something that you will want to have in your tank in the long run.

Cycling the tank takes between two and eight weeks depending on several factors including:

Amount of ammonia in water for bacteria to digest
Availability of bacteria in atmosphere to colonize filter
Frequency and relative amount of water changes
Reliability of source of waste (ammonia and nitrite)
Amount of excess decaying matter in tank (dead fish, extra food, plant leaves, etc.)
Presence of toxins/anti-bacterial agents/sanitation chemicals in tank water
Use of chemicals to remove ammonia from the water.

GregRobert has carried quality pond supplies for close to a decade and wants to earn your business if you are a pondkeeper!

Due to the mild temperatures this spring, the 2012 pond season has begun earlier than normal.

It’s time to purchase your pond starter products.

It is important that your run your pond pump for a week or two before you start feeding your fish.  If you are adding tap water to your pond this spring, be sure to use a Water Prep solution like Laguna’s.

For a new pond:

Use 50 ml per 265 gallons of pond water. Use the provided vial for an accurate measurement. Fill your pond with water and then add this product to the directly to the pond.
This method is not recommended when fish are already in the pond.

Water replacement:

Use 50 ml per 265 gallons of pond water every time water is added from the tap. To ensure maximum protection for fish already in a pond, dose the pond to be topped or filled before any new water is added.