Paw Nation

Surfing Dogs Ride the Waves for Charity

Taryn Fiol — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Ever since the skateboarding dog pedaled its way to YouTube fame, pooches everywhere have been in training to become America's next big athletic sensation. That's the only way to explain why 65 dogs mounted surfboards and tacked the West Coast waves this weekend.

The dogs competed in the fifth annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition in California on Saturday, an event to benefit the San Diego Police Canine Unit.

The competitors -- ranging in size from an 85-pound Bernese mountain dog to a 5-pound Pomeranian -- hit the shores of Imperial Beach, braving stormy weather to ride the waves on human-sized surfboards. Each life-vest adorned dog was placed on a surfboard and released onto the shallow waves to see how long they'd last on the board. They were judged not only on the length of their ride, but also their confidence and overall ability.

Of course, this isn't the first canine surfing event, and many of the competitors are veterans of the sport. Tonic.com reports that many of the pups competing Saturday have websites, Facebook fan pages and even sponsors.

Among the 2,000 fans in attendance was another famous dog; the Great Dane starring in the new Twentieth Century Fox Film, "Marmaduke" was present along with the film's two-legged stars, Owen Wilson and George Lopez.

The trophy was taken by Abbie, a 3-year-old rescued Australian Kelpie.

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Pet Pool Safety - Keep Your Dog Safe This Summer

Taryn Fiol — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dogs, Pet Health, Pet Training

soylentgreen23, Flickr

As tempting as cool pool water is on a hot day, it can be dangerous for your dog. An estimated one out of every 1,027 pets drowns in swimming pools each year. But there are things you can do to make sure you all have fun.

Evaluate Your Pooch
Most dog breeds have the ability to swim, but that doesn't mean yours can or will. Also, certain breeds such as bulldogs can't swim at all, and other dogs have physical limitations that put them more at risk in the pool, so you may need to be extra careful.

"When you've got an older dog or a dog with a handicap, like a dog that can't see well, definitely get a fence around the pool when you can't watch them," Shannon A. South, D.V.M., of Briarcliff Animal Clinic in Atlanta, Ga. tells Paw Nation. Even if the dog isn't attracted to the pool, they could always fall in. So keep an eye out when you and your dog both are pool-side, and be wary of letting a non-swimmer in the yard near the pool without you.

Be Careful With "Protective" Gear
While items such as pool covers do have their purposes, they may not be the best option for your dog. South points out that sometimes, covers actually can be riskier. If a dog jumps onto the pool cover, it may cause the entire cover to sink, possibly trapping the dog underwater.

Displacement alarms, which measure the water levels in your pool and can be set to sound an alarm when a pet or child falls in, may be a good way to prevent against accidental drowning as long as someone is around to hear it.

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Wii Fit Plus - Track Pet Health Using Your Game

Taryn Fiol — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pet Health, Pet Product Reviews

IslesPunkFan, Flickr

The Wii game system has been a major success for Nintendo in part because it's easy for just about anyone to use. So easy, in fact, that even your family pet can get in on the fun!

The Wii's popular "Wii Fit Plus" fitness game allows us humans to play body-toning games and track our weight , (weight loss, hopefully), all from our living-room TVs. But because the game includes a cat-and-dog-friendly "Pet Stats" feature, I wondered exactly how our pets are supposed to get involved.

For those not familiar, the Wii Fit Plus game and the included pressure-sensitive Wii Balance Board are the latest tools in the Ninendo Wii game console's active-play phenomenon. After you create a profile and a digital doppelganger (called a "Mii") you can exercise and track your weight with daily body tests.

I've had the Wii Fit Plus game for a while and always found tempting the button to create a Mii for your pet. But with only a fish in the house (who's weight I cared not to monitor), I held off.

Once I welcomed a Boston trerrier puppy named Bacon into my home, I knew the Wii Fit would be a fun way to track his growth from tiny little nugget to full-grown dog.

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'Pez for Pets' Treat Dispenser

Taryn Fiol — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dogs

Pez for Pets

Our favorite childhood collectible candy dispenser just got a pet-friendly makeover.

Pez for Pets works just like a regular Pez dispenser except it's bigger -- about 10 inches tall -- and it doles out dog treats instead of candy.

There are currently only two doggy Pez "heads" available: beagle or hound, priced at $14 each. Both come stocked with six yummy treats to pop from the top made from 100-percent corn starch in cheese, bacon, and beef flavors. And since you know how quickly those little treats disappear, make sure you grab a refill pack of 12 all-natural treats for $6.

Our only question -- how the heck do you pop the top without opposable thumbs?

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PetSmart Survey Reveals Motives for Pet Adoption

Taryn Fiol — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pet Adoption

Flickr/helorits Miller

In a group of animal lovers or "The Price is Right" hosts, it's easy to see a passion for adopting homeless pets and controlling the pet population. But thanks to a national survey commissioned by PetSmart Charities, we now have an insight to the overall national perceptions and opinions about pets.

Among 1,000 new pet owners (those who acquired a dog or cat in the past year), the study found that only 24 percent were adopted from shelters. This means a whopping 76 percent of pets were received from sources other than shelters, with the primary reason being a desire for a specific purebreed.

Interestingly, when those who purchased pets were asked what might motivate them to choose shelter adoption instead, knowing that "millions of purebred animals end up in shelters" was found to be the least motivating factor.

Despite Bob Barker's tireless encouragement, the study also found that nearly half of people who have acquired unsterilized pets in the last year haven't fixed them. As a result, more unwanted pets are being born into the world. Owners reported that more than half of the litters born to their dogs and cats were unintentional.

Other interesting findings from the study are that people earning $55,000 or more per year are more likely to adopt from shelters, and southerners and the under-35 set are the least likely to sterilize their pets.

"We hope that by providing this data to others who share our passion for saving the lives of homeless pets, we can break down the barriers to pet adoption and spay/neuter that survey respondents identified," said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of non-profit PetSmart Charities, Inc. "We can all use the data to develop new practices and messages based on what we now know to be key motivators and barriers."

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Smoke Mask for Pets Donated to Georgia Fire Department

Taryn Fiol — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pets News

House fires are dangerous enough for people, but they too frequently prove fatal for our four-legged friends. Over 40,000 pets die of smoke asphyxiation each year.

Good news, then, that neighborhood fire departments, like Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue in Augusta, Ga., are acquiring smoke inhalation masks for pet use in emergency rescues.

"The majority of dogs and other animals that die in house fires are due to smoke inhalation and this will be able to take care of that problem -- might be able to save a lot more animals by having these devices available to us," Captain Robert Rosier with Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue told NBC Augusta.

The smoke mask that the Martinez-Columbia fire rescuers received was provided by an anonymous donor through Bark 10-4, an online store dedicated to helping fire departments nationwide obtain pet oxygen masks.

If you're interested in donating pet rescue masks to your local fire department, visit Bark10-4.com. There, you'll be able to buy a pet oxygen mask for $25, or a set of three for $65, shipped free of charge directly to your local fire rescue.

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PETA Wants Michael Jackson's Giraffes Out of Harm's Way

Taryn Fiol — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Exotic Pets, Celebrity Pets

Michael A. Mariant, AP

The deaths of two of Michael Jackson's pet giraffes are creating a media circus of their own. PETA is accusing the creatures' caretakers of neglect and asking Arizona police to confiscate two remaining living giraffes that belonged to the late King of Pop, E! Online reports.

Jabbar and Rambo died on Nov. 20 and Jan. 2, respectively, while under the custody of Tom and Freddie Hancock, owners of the Banjoko Wildlife Preserve in Page, Ariz. where all four of Jackson's giraffes had been living since 2006.

PETA claimed on its Web site that Jabbar and Rambo "may have died as a result of improper feeding and/or exposure to cold temperatures." PETA is now asking the Page, Ariz. Chief of Police Charlie Dennis to remove the remaining animals from the Hancocks' care, citing a possible violation of the state's animal cruelty law.

PETA is also offering their services to help find permanent homes for the remaining two giraffes, Princess and Annie Sue, and to arrange wildlife professionals to transport them.

But Freddie Hancock, whose wildlife preserve also acquired Jackson's exotic birds, snakes and crocodile, insists that PETA's accusations of neglect aren't true.

"We've had them for three and a half years, and they are like our children," Freddie Hancock told Salt Lake City's KSL-TV. "We're just absolutely devastated by the death of these giraffes."

As of now, Police Chief Dennis told the Associated Press that there's no reason to remove the other giraffes until police receive conclusive necropsy (animal autopsy) results.

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Pampered Show Cats Work the Ring at Atlanta Cat Show

Taryn Fiol — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cats

Flickr/jilbean3

Dog shows have as loyal a following as the species themselves; pet owner or not, scores of animals lovers gear up to watch Westminster each February. But cat shows, even the biggest and most respected, have remained a pretty elusive affair.

The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) International Cat Show, held over two days in "Catlanta," is a much quirkier affair than its pedigree would let on. The Western Hemisphere's largest feline judging show hosts more than 750 primped and preened cats and the adoring owners that live for them.

Just one look around the expansive show room and you'll see that most of the floor is dedicated to giving each of the adorable show critters a pimped-out place of his or her own: fifty rows of tables organized by each of the 41 different cat breeds recognized by the CFA.

But these show cats don't arrive in plastic carriers. Their owners spoil them with full-on luxury kitten lounges that are adorned with perches, pillows and beaded curtains, as well as photo frames filled with pictures of the prized cat. A few lucky felines' spaces are able to boast their cover shot on Cat Fancy.

The rest of the floor is where the action happens. Twelve rings set the stage for judges to assess around 300 cats over the two days of the show. The rings are small, just 15 crates sitting in a semi-circle, with a judges table (a podium with an overhead light and a scratching post) in the center. The cats won't take laps or be tested for temperament. The cat critics are just looking to compare each cat's body tone and fur against its breed standard.

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Hot, or Fashion Faux Paw?

Taryn Fiol — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dogs, Traveling with Pets, Pet Clothes

Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images

The only reason we might have expected to see a puppy coming down a fashion runway would be if a toy breed escaped from the clutches of its fashionista owner. But during Vivienne Westwood's latest runway show at London's fashion week, spectators were caught off guard when a model strutted down the catwalk with a dog not in her arms, but in her pants.

This pair of skinny, cropped trousers is a part of Westwood's Red Label collection and features a sewn-in puppy pouch.

Will pooch-pouch pants be the new dog-carrier handbag for 2010? They're hardly flattering for the figure, but might be just the right fit for take-my-dog-everywhere types.

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Q&A with the Creator of YouTube Sensation 'Simon's Cat'

Taryn Fiol — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cats

Simon Tofield Photo: Chris Gavin

When your new kitten paws at you to feed him, it's usually not worth sharing with the world. But Simon Tofield thought otherwise. Inspired by his own three cats at his Bedfordshire, England home, Tofield, 38, creates line-drawn films depicting the hilarious relationship between a man and his ever-hungry feline companion.

Thanks to YouTube and more than 30 million viewers around the world, the films are now an Internet sensation and fodder for Tofield's new book "Simon's Cat." The paperback came out just last month, but Tofield is already hard at work on a second title due next year. Tofield took some time away from the drafting table to talk to Paw Nation.

So when did you fall for cats?
My first cat was a tiny barn kitten I found in a stable when I was nine years old. I wanted so badly to keep it and I was crying for weeks before my mum finally said I could have her.

But you've got more cats now...
Yeah. Jess is about nine years old and she's a real lap cat. She's never more than a meter away. Then there's Maisie, a lovely marked gray tabby who's seven, and Hugh, who's two. I thought two cats was enough, but it didn't take too much persuasion to convince me to get Hugh. But he was worth it -- he started the whole "Simon's Cat" phenomenon.

He's the inspiration for your films?
He was my first ever boy cat and the inspiration for my first film, "Cat Man Do." He was on top of me one day, pawing at me and trying to get my attention for a long while before I finally got up to feed him. As soon as I got up, he just jumped off like he knew he was getting what he had been after. I just thought, "That's brilliant! That'd be great to animate!"

Are all your films based on real experiences with your pets?
I like to base them on reality. It's important that you put things in there that cat owners can relate to, like cats' mannerisms. Great cartoons have to be based on realisms that appeal to people. That's the secret.

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P@W Bag Keeps Your Small Pet and Your Computer Safe for Travel

Taryn Fiol — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dogs, Pet Product Reviews, Traveling with Pets

Photo: PetEgo.com

Now we get to find out if man's best friend is also man's best personal assistant.

The P@W (That's for "Pet at Work") is a laptop bag that can also stow your pup. Or a pup bag that can also stow your laptop, whichever way you want to look at it. Either way, it's never been easier to take your small pet on the trek to your workspace.

The P@W keeps your pet and your computer safe on your back while you're en route. Then once you're at your desination and ready to get down to business, pull out the included foldable Pet Dome soft crate to keep your furry friend under wraps and out of the supply closet.

The P@W is available in black or tan for $178. Now you're all ready for when your office joins in on "Take Your Dog to Work Day."

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Obey the Purebreed! The Canine and Feline Revolution Starts with a Shirt

Taryn Fiol — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dogs, Pet Clothes

Photo: ObeythePurebreed.com

We all know who rules the roost. Your dog, and in some cases, your cat.

From the kitchen to the couch, your pet is the dictator of the house, and you ought to let everyone know about it.

Obey the Purebreed! supplies propaganda to let house guests, neighbors and the soccer mom behind you in traffic know that your Shar Pei is hell bent on world domination. The breed-specific t-shirts, posters, dog bowls and bumper stickers boast a variety of graphics and designs all with one bottom line: Your breed is top dog.

Prices range from around $4 for stickers to $40 for sweatshirts. Start shopping from their long list of breeds and designer mixes, or go with the simple "Mutt" for your mixed canine.

And if you're less about war and more about peace, you'll still find a shirt to spread your message with one of the variations of "A Insert Breed Here is my Homedog."

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