A Message About Joint Health from Tanner

by Tanner, with help from EventBarkers.com

Mom and Miss Paris have been very busy finding fun new ways to share the message of healthy treating with Zuke's. As I age, my hips may be prone to trouble. It's a problem that plagues many larger dogs, like Retrievers. Mom does all she can to assure that I don't have problems, like giving me Hip Action treats that supplement my diet with extra Glucosamine, Chondroitin and egg shell membrane. Sounds like medicine, right? Wrong!

Swimming: Also Good for Hips and Health

Hip Action Treats by Zuke's are super tasty. Even Oliver, whose hips are teensie weensie, loves to sneak a

nibble of my Hip Action treats. Mom looked up info on Papillons and learned that they are also prone to knee problems like lux patella, giving her yet another reason to buy Hip Action for us. Way to go Oliver!

My advice is to learn more about your dog's potential for hip or joint problems based on his breed or his mix. Ask your veterinarian for advice. And serve Zuke's Hip Action treats regularly as a healthy preventative. Your dog will love you for it!

Blogging Saves My Knees Too :)

Now we hope you'll enjoy our brief message about senior dogs and Hip Action Treats:

In our work with Event Barkers, All Things Dog Blog and DogTipper.com are helping promote Zuke's healthy dog treats. Join us on Friday, November 29 for the #BarkFriday #FueltheLove Twitter Party at 12 PM ET to have a chance at winning 10 great prize packages that each will include at least $100 in Zuke's treats. 

Dog Duo Announces Kumfy Tailz Winner

by Tanner

Oliver is stunned and confused by the Random.org selection of our first entrant as the winner of our Kumfy Tailz giveaway, so I've stepped in to take over. Sometimes you just need a big guy to manage a big job. Even when I put him in charge of a small task like running a giveaway, he seems to cower at times, so it's certainly a good thing he has me to back him up. Okay, I guess that's what big brothers are for.

courtesy AllThingsDogBlog.com
An Important Announcement from Tanner

I've posted a screenshot of the Random.org drawing so you can see how it looks when we bloggers, even the furry ones, use this tool to select our winners. Pretty neat, huh? We just fill in the number of entrants in the "Max" box and hit the "Generate" button and viola', whatever that means.

Our winner, "Evie", will receive a Kumfy Tailz harness for her dog, and one to donate to her favorite Petfinder rescue. We'll either send it to her for hand delivery, ship it to her rescue for her, or donate it to a local rescue on her behalf. We do aim to make things easy for our winners. Besides, half of our furry family has come from this Petfinder rescue near us, so we love to visit :)

Mom is busy announcing her winner over at All Things Dog Blog, along with Dogtipper.com, in their joint giveaway for Event Barkers. Be sure to go check their sites out  to see who their winning name is.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Oliver Chills in Kumfy Tailz

If you didn't win and you're looking to acquire a Kumfy Tailz harness for cooling or warming your dog in extreme weather, you need only visit their website to place your order. You an also learn more or ask questions by following them on Twitter or "Liking" them on Facebook. Be sure to tell them that Tanner and Oliver sent you!


Event Barkers is continuing their efforts to aid Petfinder shelters by facilitating this Kumfy Koatz giveaway and donation option for our readers and other pet bloggers. As with Super Dog Sunday™, we have donated our time and not taken a fee for this service to our beloved shelters.
The Comfy Pax gel pack pouch should be heated according to website instructions for safety and the longest life of the pouch. Sizing may be found at this same page; for best results we recommend that you take accurate measurements using a soft tape measure. A limited number of harnesses have been provided to us; we cannot make replacements for poorly-fitted harnesses.

Yay! Fewer Shots....We love Dr. Pat!

by Tanner

(c) Carrie Boyko
Yeehaw!

Did you read Dr. Pat's post today? Great news! Lots of us pups may be getting more vaccinations that we really need. Dr. Pat says that we don't all need to have EVERY vaccination EVERY year. That's great news.

Our mom is really into reducing the toxins in our bodies, so her ears perked up just like ours do sometimes. Mine didn't in this picture--boo!

So, if you're into living a more natural lifestyle, you might want to click over to All Things Dog Blog to see what Dr. Pat has to say about this. We think it's good to have choices. Thanks Dr. Pat!

We're Rolling Back our Shot Schedule!

by Tanner

(c) Carrie Boyko
Yippee!

We love Dr. Pat more and more. Every time she writes a post for All Things Dog Blog, we seem to get more good news. Our mom has been working at going green in everything, and Dr. Pat is going to help. She's not recommending that we have ALL of the vaccines EVERY year. Yeah!

Of course it is different for each dog. I'm a big healthy guy who lives in a low-toxin home. That should make me a low risk, right? I'm starting to like this going green stuff. What about you?

Holistic Dog Food Finally Defined

by Tanner and Oliver

(c) Carrie Boyko
Loving the Natural Life

"HOLISTIC":  Look it up in the dictionary and you'll find something like 'considering the mind, body and spirit'. Our own Dr. Pat is a holistic veterinarian. That's pretty easy for us to understand.

Today, over at All Things Dog Blog, Dr. Pat is explaining how food can be considered 'holistic.' Mom says Tanner and I are a spirited two-some, but that certainly does not make us holistic. It's so confusing! Thank goodness Dr. Pat is helping folks understand what holistic dog food is and how it is good for us.

"Hey Mom; can we read the ingredients on our dog food bag again? We just gotta make sure."

Diets for Dogs? Oh no!

by Tanner

© T. Boyko
Puppy School Graduation
My Skinny Days

Well, I suppose the tape measure will be coming out soon and mom will be watching our waistlines. Poor Oliver. He's so small that there isn't much chance of him getting a full bowl of chow. As much as we enjoy a green bean, carrot, apple or banana as a treat, we're not looking forward to a daily diet of them.

Mom says as long as we continue to exercise regularly, we can stay on our usual food regimen. Whew! Dr. Pat's diet is okay for a Chihuahua, but I'm a big 70-lb. Golden Retriever that needs a sizable amount of calories for all my fetching, running, swimming, dog parking, long walks and even the visits to the pet store. I used to be really skinny when I was a pup, but I've finally reached my goal weight--sounds fancy huh. That's what doc calls 70 lbs., so I guess it's good.

 I don't want to give up a scoop of chow if she's worried about my Halloween costume fitting me. Oh, that reminds me, we do need to get that ready, huh? Oliver and I are going to dress up in honor of Xena. Can you guess what we're going to be? Watch for photos here on Friday, so you can see our tribute to our favorite girl. See ya soon!

How Embarrassing: Dog Potty Schedules do NOT Belong on a Blog!

by Oliver

(c) Carrie Boyko
"I Can't Show My Face"

I got word that my mom is talking about my bathroom schedule over at her blog, All Things Dog Blog. I plan to give her a piece of my mind. Any ideas?

Apparently, she's had some readers write to her with back yard issues. I'm sure their dogs are embarrassed too. I can't show my face today.

Hopefully you don't have a dog with timing trouble, but I guess if you do, my mom knows how to help. You can read her stuff at her blog. Not here. No way! No how!

Salmon What? Is This Really a Dog Thing?

by Patches,
the 5 Minutes for Fido housecat

Hmmm? I'm hearing all this talk and chatter about Salmon-ella. All I hear is the first part of that word, and off I run to the kitchen. Where is it? It's got to me here somewhere. Yet I can't smell it.

Sometimes I wonder about this dog blog business that I've managed to find myself in the middle of. Really! What self-respecting cat wants to live in a houseful of dogs that seem to be all about themselves and their personal, private website? Me, I guess.

I have a great setup here. I get two squares a day, extras when dad rolls past my "room", my own kitty door, food area and litter box house. I even have an upstairs that the dogs pretty much ignore, so it has become my room--my perch. I love to sit on the steps and just watch the goings on below. When I do venture down, the dogs are okay....as dogs go. I'm not crazy about them (except Xena; she adopted me, I can't complain about her), but I love mom's lap, so I snag it whenever the dogs are out on a walk or dog park trip with Dad or our kids that come and go. It's glorious to have her all to myself occasionally.

Back to the Salmon. Turns out that is an illness, not chow for me. Bummer. Sorry I messed up today's post you guys. I just couldn't resist getting in on some Salmon. Maybe another time?

Free Help for Fido

by Tanner

(c) Bow Wow Resort

I hear mom talking about folks having money problems a lot these days. She says that some families have a tough time keeping their dogs, because they can't afford their food or healthcare. That's why she supports our local dog food pantry for families who need a little help. Central Florida Animal Pantry, among others, offer free food and pet supplies to families in need.


But what about health questions or assistance with training problems? Not all dogs are as perfectly well behaved as I am. "Ouch! Stop it Oliver! Just because you got your CGC doesn't mean you're the only well-behaved dog in the house."


Anyway, I just wanted to remind you that over at All Things Dog Blog you can Ask the Vet about your dog's health, and you an also get training advice from Judy, our Ask the Dog Trainer columnist. The best part is that this is all FREE. Unlike some of those ads you see on Internet pet sites, our advice is totally FREE. Write to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com with your questions. Happy tails! 

Dog Embarrassments and Natural Solutions

by Xena

It's sorta embarrassing to think that there is some dog out there with diarrhea. Whenever I have that problem, I find a private place way out behind a bush to take care of matters without onlookers watching.


Dr. Pat seems to have lots of new ideas for fixing this little predicament; she wrote about them at All Things Dog Blog today. 


Apparently, Jagger is like Oliver. He likes to eat whatever unsavory things he finds. Oliver's favorite outdoor treat is dried worms that didn't make it across the sidewalk in the hot, Florida sun. Yuck!


Not me, I'll stick to my organic kibble, thank you very much. Good luck, Dr. Pat. Hope Jagger feels better soon.

Woo Who...A Rescue Dog?

by Oliver

Mom's RESCUING ROVER column is back again at All Things Dog Blog, with a story from a lady in the Netherlands. We're getting pretty international over here, with readers visiting from more than a dozen countries now. 


This nice lady, Niki, rescued a little dog named Allie Woo Woo--funny, huh?!


Some folks say my name is funny because it isn't cutesy enough. But that's the way Toni wanted to name me. Mom liked silly names like Furbie and Gizmo, but Toni was having none of that.


Personally, I don't care what my name is as long as they don't forget to call me when dinner is ready. I have my priorities. 


Hope you enjoy Allie Woo Woo's story. It made me well up, and I have a hard time admitting stuff like that. It's a guy thing.

Our New Veterinarian Has Tips on Sun Protection

by Xena

I just heard about Dr. Pat's first ASK THE VET column over at All Things Dog Blog. Sounds like there are lots of dogs wearing sunglasses and needing sunscreen. Thank goodness I'm 25% Chow Chow and have a thick, black coat. Even at 14 1/2 I still have a thicker coat that Oliver or Tanner will ever have, and it's black. Well, sorta.

At my age a girl's fur can change colors a bit. I'm getting some red highlights that I prefer to think of as part of the aging process, rather than a product of being in the sun. I've taken quite a few walks in my day, so it adds up. Let's see 365 X 14 1/2 = ummmmmm... You do the math; I don't have enough toes. That's a lot of walks in the Florida sun.

If you have a thin coat or are very fair, Dr. Pat has some tips. Couldn't hurt to go check 'em out now, while you're thinking about it. It's good to take care of your appearance so you can stay as good looking as me, when you're old too. Is that modest enough?

Before I go, say hello to Hank in the photo up there. He belongs to Brian. Thanks for sharing Hank's picture, Brian. We think Hank is a hunk! LOL

(c) photo copyright Brian, full name on file for privacy

Exercising Us Dogs Appropriately for Our Age and Health

by Xena

It didn't get past me that today's post at All Things Dog Blog was all about exercising the younger crowd. That's right, Mom. I noticed. More Exercise Options for Your Dog was geared to the young and the energetic--sounds like a soap opera, huh?

Well, I need to get my two cents in. I may be a senior citizen but I need my exercise too. And lucky for me, you walk me regularly--always have. Thanks for doing that Mom. Thank the rest of the family too. They helped a lot.

I'm in my golden years now and taking a long walk with Tanner and Oliver is sometimes a bit more than I can handle. I'm glad Mom has realized that she can swing by the house and drop me off halfway through the walk. That works for me.

If you have a a senior dog, or one with health issues that interfere with exercise, you might want to read a couple of helpful posts:

Too Much Exercise?
ASK THE DOG TRAINER: Managing the Exercise Needs of Your Older and Younger Dogs, by Judith Joseph

What's Not to Like about a Cushy Dog Bed?

by Tanner

I love my corduroy dog bed in our family room. It's big enough for Oliver and me to share sometimes. But best of all, I love it when I have a toy and treat, like this chewy strip mom got at our vet's office. 


She says it's treated with an enzyme that's good for my teeth and makes sure it will digest completely.  All I know is that it tastes good.


Right now mom is busy trying to get Xena to nap on a dog bed, instead of the hard floor. Mom says Xena is getting older and should have padding under her hips.


Dr. Jacki suggested she take medicine for her arthritis over at All Things Dog Blog. I sure hope Xena feels better. You can follow her progress by reading our updates. Don't worry; I won't leave you out of the loop. Oliver and I are good reporters. Come back to visit us soon, here at 5 Minutes for Fido, where the dogs do the blogging. We hope you have a Bow Wow Day!