Choosing the Right Toys for Your Dog

Rubber toys
Great jaw and mouth exercise for dogs that like to chew; keeps them occupied for hours; fun for fetch or non-interactive play; great for aggressive chewers because they are so durable. Some are hollow so you can put treats inside of them for extra fun such as the Kong Toys.

Vinyl toys
Easily compressed by the bite of just about any-sized dog; usually have squeakers that almost all dogs enjoy; great for fetch, but items like our Clutch Ball are especially popular because of the squeaker.

Soft toys
Made of fleece, plush fabric; retains dog's scent for extended play; some have squeakers; great for fetch, other dogs just like to carry soft or plush toys around and snuggle.

Rope toys
Great for fetch, tug games, and chewing; often flavored; good for teeth and gums; they last a long time. Examples: Tennis Ball Tuggers Dog Toys and the Nuts for Knots Dog Toy.

Rawhide chews and bones
Chewing rawhide removes plaque from the dog's teeth and keeps them cleaner while the dog has a great time chewing; come in many flavors, sizes and shapes - from bones to chews. Choosing the Right Toy

Bone-Hard Toys & Chews
Great for dogs who love to chew; good for the teeth since they remove plaque and are nonabrasive; relieve boredom; come in various flavors and sizes. Nylabones are a long-lasting chew toy, as well as other bone-hard chew toys.

Courtesy of Drfostersmith.com

Happy Thanksgiving LCD Readers!

Turkey Day Safety




More safety tips courtesy of Thedoglog.com.

If your dog doesn't handle strangers well, put him in a quiet room with his bed, food and water, and hang a "do not disturb" sign on the door. If your dog will be part of the festivities, feed him ahead of time to minimize begging from guests. It's also helpful to give him a chew toy or rawhide bone in another room right before you sit down to eat.

Well-meaning guests may want to share some of the bounty, so it's best to let everyone know up front not to feed table scraps to him. Our Thanksgiving dishes tend to be very rich and high in sodium, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even pancreatitus which can be fatal. Foods to be particularly cautious of are turkey skin, gravy, dressing, onions, grapes, raisins, and chocolate.

After the meal, make sure to dispose of the leftovers and trash thoroughly. When disposing of trash in outside cans, make sure to weigh down the lids with something heavy so that outside dogs and wild animals can't get into them. Cooked turkey bones, aluminum foil, plastic wrap and wax paper can severely damage an animal's digestive system if swallowed. Even a well-behaved dog will be tempted to get into the great smelling left-overs if given the chance.

Pay special attention if you light candles or have decorative lighting, especially around puppies. And with all the excitement going on, don't forget to give your dog some extra attention so he won't feel neglected and bad behavior arises.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Keeping Your Pet Safe in the Cold Weather

It has started to pretty chilly outside so I found a few tips on the ASPCA website on how to keep your pet safe through the winter chill.

1)Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

2)Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

3)Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

4)Never leave your dog alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

5)Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

6)Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.

7)Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.

8)Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

The Tail of a Dog and Her Sweet Potato
Poet will do just about anything for a sweet potato. She loves them. So I found this conversation style retelling of a dog and a sweet potato absolutely hilarious. Read all about it here.
via dooce.

Bizarre Dog News
A man in India married a dog to ward of a curse he feels he received after killing two dogs in his youth. Read all about it here.

Pluff Mud Pet Supply Grand Opening

Saturday the 17th 10:30am until 6:30pm

Celebrate the opening of Charleston's first earth friendly pet store. Treat samples all day. A Doggie Walk Bag for every dog's owner (these are earth-friendly bags). 1/2 price dog baths (self-serve.... regular price $12) and $6 nail clipping by Michaela, (formally a groomer at Chas Pet Resort)

Pluff Mud Pet Supply is located at Station 41 Shopping Center 1039 Hwy 41, Suite 300 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466 Call 843.971.7955 for more info

Poet's New Toy Giraffe

I fell in love with the handmade in Nepal toys from Kreature Comforts in Mt. Pleasant. They are made from boiled wool so they are "green" and non-toxic, and the making of these toys is part of a social program to help Nepal's poor. A great looking toy, for a great cause!

GRAND OPENING of Dog & Horse's New Gallery formerly Dog Art Dealer)

When: Friday, December 7^th, 2007 5-8^th PM

Where: 106 Church Street, Suite B, Charleston, S.C.

Dog & Horse, Fine Art and Portraiture, & Sculpture Garden (formerly Dog Art Dealer/Horse Art Dealer), is pleased to announce its new home this fall at 106B Church Street in the heart of Historic Charleston. The gallery represents artists nationally and internationally recognized as leading talent in both equine and canine art. A sculpture garden in the gallery’s Charleston courtyard will be a lovely addition to the unique venue.

“Our success with clients looking for paintings and sculptures of dogs or sporting art has now evolved into a market for horse lovers,” says gallery owner Jaynie Milligan Spector. “We are pleased to include a selection of equine art which depicts horses in their many roles in life, from the countryside to the ring. Dog & Horse has added a number of internationally known artists and continues to feature a stable of top quality artists who do portraits of animals as well as men, women and children.”

The gallery offers individualized assistance throughout the artist selection process to ensure the most suitable artist for each custom portrait. Spector says, “We have found the new Church Street space to fit perfectly with our collection of unique art in the heart of one of the country’s most beautiful cities, now a nationally recognized center for art galleries.”

The gallery is located at 106 Church Street, Suite B, Charleston, SC, 29401, Open Monday-Saturday . For more information on artists, inventory, and events please visit www.dogartdealer.com which has a new inventory catalog or contact Jaynie Spector, (843) 577-5500.

Upcoming Events

November 17th
12-3PM
Howliday Pup Cake Party at My Three Dogs Day Care to benefit the Wild Heir Labrador Rescue.Pet Photo's with Santa and Frosty, homemade dog treats by Santa's Elves, Owner's treats made by Square Onion. Door Prizes, discounted Spa Baths' and more. For more information please go to Wildheirlabradorrescue.org

Upcoming Events


November 10th

Holiday Portraits by Stacy Howell at Palmetto Paws in Mount Pleasant Portraits from 10am to 5pm by appointment only, so PLEASE call in advance to reserve your time. (843) 216-3995

November 11th

6:30pm – 9:30 Hilton Head Humane Assoc. Four-Legged Frolic at the Crowne Plaza, Hilton Head. Seated dinner, silent auction, live entertainment. Call (843) 681-8686 for tickets.

Poet
Lover of all things sunny and soft

VA Puppy Mill Raided

Nearly 1,000 dogs were seized by Animal Control officers in Hillsville, Va., after they raided an alleged puppy mill last week. Officers had been investigating this mill for over 5 months.

Click here to stay updated on this developing story.

Pupdate




This picture of Bryson and Chelsea was taken after we collectively smashed our pumpkin after Halloween. I thought it was hysterical and decided to share it with the rest of our LCD readers :)

JASPCA Dog and Cat search

Dear JASPCA supporters, We are on the search for two JASPCA adoptees for an upcoming campaign that will help promote the brand new facility. This campaign will appear in various media outlets, including a print ad in Lowcountry Dog Magazine!!

We need one dog and one cat for this purpose. Is yours the one? Read on.

Requirements:
The dog and cat would need to have been adopted from the John Ancrum Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The dog and cat would ideally look similar to the pets in the attached pictures (for ease of photography, etc)
We would need access to your pet within the coming weeks and months for photo and video shoots, public appearances, etc. Flexible availability would include some weekday/business hour time periods and blocks of time on a few upcoming weekends.
Your pet ideally would be people friendly, good with crowds and able to obey simple training commands.

If you are interested and can agree to the requirements above, please submit the following via email to lcurler@rawlemurdy.com:
Confirm your pet was adopted from the JASPCA (name, date)
Your pet's name and picture (a few images from a few angles would be great)
Any of their interesting tricks or habits
Where you live
Your contact info (during business hours)
All responses are due by 5pm on Monday, November 5th.

If you know of a JASPCA candidate that would be a potential candidate, forward this email to them. Thanks for your interest and participation!

Lauren Rafferty Curler, Account Manager Rawle Murdy Associates, Inc.
Post Office Box 1117, Charleston, SC 29402
phone (843) 577-7327, fax (843) 722-3960
www.RawleMurdy.com

Can Your Dog Be a Therapy Dog?

A Texas woman trains dogs who pay visits to soldiers recovering from war wounds. Click here to check out the video on CNN.com

Dog Saved From California Fire

Watch this heartwarming video of two girls who lost their home and everything in it to the California fires but managed to get back the one thing that mattered most to them...their dog Brownie :)

Click here to view the video on CNN

SC Code Laws Involving Animals

Ever wanted to know where to go to learn about SC code laws specific to the professions of animal control, animal law, humane investigations, animal sheltering and public health? Then click here.

South Carolina Laws supports the positive and vital services of animal control, humane education, animal and human community disease control, animal abuse investigations and animal sheltering by providing Code Law specific to the day to day demands of these professions.

Be on-the-spot with direct information regarding what constitutes animal abuse, animal cruelty, stray animals, animals exposed to rabies, dangerous animals, abandoned animals in an 111 page field and office manual.

The $28.00 manual contains info on:

Obstruction of Justice
Perjury ~ False Reports ~ Bribes

Civil and Criminal Procedures
Felonies ~ Misdemeanors ~ Warrants

Dogs
Owner Liability ~ Feral ~ Theft
Service ~ Law Enforcement

Public Health
Dead Animals ~ Rabies ~ Disease
Dangerous Animals

Animal Protection
Cruelty ~ Abandonment ~ Fighting

Animal Shelters
Impounds ~ Microchips ~ Euthanasia
Spay/Neuter ~ Volunteers

Animal Control Officers
Veterinarians
Veterinary Technicians
Animal Ordinances
Horse Racing
Livestock at Large
Equine Liability Immunity
Farm & Research Protection
Horse Trading
Sheep-Killing Dogs
Livestock Brands

and more...