Author: Heather R.

Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away, and though we show those we love how much we care more often than once a year, I don’t think it hurts to have one day where you do nothing but. And, don’t forget to include your four-legged friends, who are just as much a part of the family!

PetSmart agrees, and has available a line of fun, pet-appropriate Valentine’s Day gifts that you’ll not only get a kick out of giving to Fluffy or Fido, but that they’ll have just as much fun playing with (whether or not they understand why they’ve gotten a new toy!).

Included in the Valentine’s Day fun are:

~ Valentine’s Loofa: Valentines loofa dogs are adorned with pink conversation hearts and an internal squeaker for hours of fun on Valentine’s Day or any day.

~ Plush Conversation Hearts: Watch how excited your Valentine’s pup gets when he “feasts” his eyes on this plush replica of a tasty treat with squeaker inside.

~ Plush Lip Toy: This plush toy makes kissing sounds when you squeeze it to entertain your Valentine’s pup. Dogs love the shape of these boldly colored toys and there’s a squeaker for added fun.

PetSmart has generously offered two prize packs for two lucky Blisstree Pets readers! Included in each pack are one of each of a loofa, conversation heart, and plush lip toy.

How To Enter:

Leave a comment here telling me what you love about your pet. That’s it!

…..

~ Contest ends Friday, February 5, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

~ Two winners will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ Two winners will each receive one loofa, one conversation heart, and one plush lip toy.

[images used with permission from PetSmart]

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V-Day Giveaway: PetSmart Valentine Packs

February, appropriately, is National Heart Month, and personally, I don’t think it should be limited to just humans! This Valentine’s Day, share your time — and your love! — with your four-legged friend and get both of you in top shape at the same time!

The Springer Dog Exerciser allows you and your best buddy to enjoy fun and safe bike rides together. Biking with the exerciser is one of the best ways to keep your dogs healthy, fit, and smiling and has been used successfully around the world by over half a million dog lovers.

The Springer uses a low-mounted, heavy-duty steel spring to absorb up to 90% of the force of a dog’s unexpected tugs, allowing bike riders to keep their balance, while protecting their dogs from traffic, pedals, and wheels. In addition, the patented safety release frees the dog instantly if he gets caught around a tree or hydrant.

Springer fits most regular, touring, and mountain bikes. All Springer components carry a 30-day money back guarantee, with a limited lifetime warranty on all metal parts.

Springer America has generously provided one Springer Dog Exerciser to give away to one lucky Blisstree Pets reader!

How To Enter:

To enter, simply leave a comment below — that’s it!

…..

~ Contest ends Friday, February 5, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

~ One winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ One winner will receive one Springer Dog Exerciser.

[image used with permission from Springer America]

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V-Day Giveaway: Springer Dog Exerciser

We all have rooms or areas in our houses that we’d rather our dogs not get to. Unfortunately, many of these spots are next to impossible to get a gate up to block off, either because the gate isn’t sturdy enough or doesn’t open wide enough to span the entry.

Bindaboo Pet Gates has come up with the perfect solution: a retractable gate that fits not only the narrowest of openings but will stretch to 55″ (4-1/2 feet) to cover larger entryways and stairways.

The pet gate comes with all the necessary mounting equipment, as well as two sets of mounting brackets so you can move the gate from spot to spot if needed. The gate retracts when not in use, which not only looks better than a permanent or folding gate, but saves a lot of space too.

Bindaboo has generously offered up one retractable pet gate for one lucky Blisstree Pets reader to enjoy!

How To Enter:

Leave a comment here telling me what area or room you need to keep your dog out of. That’s it! (Please note, there is no right or wrong answer. )

…..

~ Contest ends Friday, February 5, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

~ One winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ One winner will receive one retractable pet gate from Bindaboo.

[image used with permission from Bindaboo]

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V-Day Giveaway: Bindaboo Pet Gates

Your pet can be the “stylingest” four-legger on the block this Valentine’s Day with a cute collar and leash set from Zobo Pets!

Zobo dog collars and leashes are the hip and modern alternative in a market full of cute, preppy or blingy pet accessories.

Zobo describes their look as “the new VW Beetle made into a collar,” and they’re as functional as they are stylish! Using top of the line anodized hardware and high denier nylon, the leashes and collars are durable and soft, withstanding sun, sea, and all kinds of doggy wear and tear.

Zobo is generously offering three leash and collar sets for three lucky Blisstree Pets readers!

To Enter:

Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite collar color combination is from the Zobo website. That’s it! (Please note, there is no right or wrong answer )

…..

~ Contest ends Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

~ Three winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ Three winners will each receive one collar and one leash from Zobo Pets.

[images used with permission from Zobo Pets]

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V-Day Giveaway: Zobo Collars and Leashes

Ark Naturals Pet Products are giving you an easy way to show your dog how much you love him or her this Valentine’s Day with a bag of Joint Rescue natural jerky treats.

Joint Rescue combines natural, human quality, real meat with nutrient packed ingredients for a natural jerky strip that makes dogs lick their lips and beg for more. Made with 56% guaranteed USDA grade meat, pets can choose between Beef, Chicken, Lamb or Venison Jerky.

Joint Rescue is wheat, corn and soy free, so it’s safe for dogs with allergies. Best of all, Joint Rescue contains no hormones, no antibiotics and no by-products.This will keep your dogs joints healthy enough to jump into your arms for a hug on Valentines Day!

Ark Naturals has generously offered one package of Joint Rescue to one Blisstree Pets reader!

How To Enter:

Leave a comment here telling me which flavor of Joint Rescue you think your dog would most enjoy. That’s it! (Please note, there is no right or wrong answer )

…..

~ Contest ends Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be discarded.

~ One winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ One winner will receive one package of Ark Naturals Joint Rescue jerky treats.

[images used with permission from Ark Naturals]

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V-Day Giveaway: Ark Naturals Joint Rescue

Super teen queen Miley Cyrus has picked up a new best friend — a fuzzy white, nine-week old German Shepherd puppy. The Hannah Montana star held the bundle of fur close during her shopping trip around West Hollywood, and recently revealed that she’s named the pup “Mate,” since it’s a word her Australian boyfriend uses frequently.

In a blog post on her site, Miley said she’s enjoying Mate as a puppy because she can take him around with her, and that once he’s full grown at about 125 pounds it won’t be so easy! At least she understands the puppy won’t be small forever, and she’s not getting tiny little dogs and using them as fashion accessories, which is more than you can say for some celebs twice her age!

The dog was given to Miley by her parents, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and mom Tish, who wanted her to have a German Shepherd like her dad’s dog, Tex. Miley already has a maltipoo named Sophie.

[images: bauer-griffin]

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Miley Cyrus’s New Puppy Love

The American Humane Association have been busy: during the last two weeks they were the first to join the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) and are sending their first animal rescue responder to Haiti to aid displaced and injured animals and livestock after the devastating earthquake that rocked the island nation on January 12th.

Along with nearly two dozen other animal rescue organizations, the AHA have joined ARCH so they could work together to bring aid to as many animals, and in as short a time, as possible. Their first representative will be in Haiti on Thursday to set up feeding and vaccination stations to address the needs of the dogs, and as you can see, they are sorely needed.

For those interested in the relief efforts being done by volunteers, the AHA has set up a blog, and also have a Twitter account that gets updated regularly as well.

If you’d like to learn more about donating to help out the animals of Haiti, check out the AHA’s donation page for more information. You can specify if you’d like your donation to go directly to the rescue efforts in Haiti, or to general animal emergency services.

[images used with permission from americanhumane.org, ©WSPA/IFAW]

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American Humane Helps Out in Haiti

My dogs, like most dogs, love bacon. They don’t get it often (neither do we!) and being such small dogs in the first place they only get a tiny bit when we do decide to give them a taste. So when I came across a recipe for these bacon dog biscuits I knew they’d be a hit.

Flavored with real bacon fat instead of a processed “flavoring,” these treats seem to be pretty satisfying to my pups (who still only get them occasionally!). Though it seems like quite a bit of fat to use, keep in mind that your dogs won’t be eating the whole batch in one sitting, and that the recipe makes quite a few.

Due to the fat, which can make them go rancid fairly quickly, keep these stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Bacon Dog Biscuits
from allrecipes.com

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons bacon fat, melted
5 cups whole wheat flour

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

~ Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in milk, water, salt, and bacon fat until well blended. Gradually stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into 2 inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet.

~ Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on racks. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

[image: flickr]

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Bacon Dog Biscuits

Guinea pigs are one pet that I’ve never had much of a desire to own. I’m not sure why — they’re as cute as anything else, seem to be pretty easy to take care of, and are great pets for kids. Any way, I don’t mind seeing how to provide care for animals we won’t ever actually have, and upon looking for guinea pig care this morning I came across the following video on how to bathe a guinea pig:

The pet owner uses just her bathroom sink and runs tepid water for her pig. She thoroughly wets the pig under the running water, making sure to get the fur around the face without actually running her head under the water.

She uses a baby shampoo so the suds don’t sting the pig’s eyes, and takes the opportunity of rubbing in the shampoo to check the pig’s skins for any irregularities like lumps, bumps or cuts. Make sure all the shampoo is rinsed out so as not to cause irritation. (The belly rinse is one of the cutest things I’ve seen all day.)

Once the bath is over, you can use a towel to dry off your pig, taking care to get the ears and areas around the face (if you turn your speakers up you can hear the cute little squeaks!).

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Bathing Your Guinea Pig

I’ll admit, my first reaction upon seeing this was to think “For real?” But the more I consider it the more I can see that it would be a useful contraption for those who live in areas where walking your dog (or making sure your dog is getting enough exercise, as opposed to just letting them loose in the backyard) for health reasons might not be terribly convenient, or for people who can’t get outside easily in the first place.

The DogTread treadmill by PetZen is actually a cute, miniature version of a regular-sized treadmill that you might use at the gym.

It’s got a bone-shaped monitor that faces outward (Fido doesn’t care what it says!) complete with easy to use controls, and actually runs quietly with a 90-volt dc/-1/2 HP motor. Other features include safety side panels that keep your dog contained, and the unit folds up so it’s not taking up a lot of space when not in use.

At $489 it’s not cheap, but if your dog has packed on a few extra pounds over the years and your vet has recommended exercise that you have a hard time fitting into a busy schedule, this might be worth looking into.

[image: amazon]

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DogTread Treadmill for Your Pup

Back in 2008, a San Francisco breeder of Shiba Inu dogs hooked up a webcam that was pointed at a pen of six adorable Shiba Inu puppies that had just been born. The original intent was to keep an eye on the playful pups while the humans were at work, but it quickly turned into an Internet phenomenon.

Now, a new litter of puppies has been born to Kika, the same mom who birthed the litter in 2008, and though there are only five puppies compared to 2008’s litter of six, there is still just as much cuteness to be had with the new live streaming Internet video feed.

This year’s litter, born on January 16th, contains two males and three males. Two of the males are buff colored, and the rest of the pups have red coats.

This year’s video stream is live during West Coast daylight hours, so get your fix while you can!

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The Shiba Inu Puppy Cam Is Back

Who doesn’t love finding great deals and coupons for things they often need? This round-up of pet product offers and coupon codes have several that expire soon, so if you’re going to be needing supplies over the next little while, take a look!

~ Petco is having a Pet Essentials Mega Event where you can save up to 50% on basic pet items like beds, treats, food, and toys. They’re also offering free shipping on orders of $60 or more.

~ Petsmart is offering $5.99 shipping on orders of $60 or more, and are having a “Stock Up & Save Sale” with savings of up to 20%.

~ Wrappables dog apparel is offering 20% off all apparel, collars and leashes with coupon code PETS20 at checkout. Expires 2-1-2010

~ OnlyNaturalPet.com — save 15% on your first order and free shipping on orders of $75 or more.

~ PetCareRX: Take 10% off any order until tomorrow, January 20, 2010.

The Food and Drug Administration are recalling Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats as they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The treats are packaged and distributed by Merrick Pet Care and affected packages have a best by date of 11/19/11.

The affected Merrick Beef Filet Squares are packaged in a 10oz green, red and tan re-sealable plastic bag, pictured above. The best-by date is imprinted on the top portion of the bag, which is torn off when the bag is opened. The FDA recommends that consumers who are unable to determine the “best by” date discontinue use of the product.

Salmonella may cause lethargy, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting, and some pets may only experience a decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

No illnesses linked to the treats have been reported, but routine tests on the packages in December revealed a positive finding for Salmonella, and further inspections found deficiencies in the packaging and manufacturing processes.

Pet owners are warned to use caution with the recalled packages, and to not feed them to their pets or handle the treats.

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FDA Recalling Merrick Dog Treats

In my world, it’s never too early to start thinking about the next holiday! Whether it’s a big one like Christmas or New Year’s, or a “smaller” one like Valentine’s Day, I like to plan and get things done and/or purchased ahead of time so I’m not scrambling at the last minute for new ideas.

Of course, I try to include our cats and dogs! I know they don’t care or know the difference, but they are part of our family and I know the kids get a kick out of including them, and have learned that even the furry members are an important part of the family.

The video above outlines a few fun ideas for pet treats for Valentine’s Day, and includes cool things like greeting cards made of rawhide, bake at home dog cookies, heart shaped catnip toys, shampoo, doggy toothbrush and toothpaste, and even glimmer spritzer and breath spray!

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Valentine’s Day Treat Ideas for Your Pets

I love making my own homemade treats for my dogs because I like knowing exactly what’s going into them. I also like trying out new recipes now and then to mix things up for them a bit, and though I know they probably don’t care one way or the other, it makes me feel a little better that they’re getting a bit of variety, even if it is just treats!

Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers
from bullwrinkle.com

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup milk

~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

~ In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder.

~ In another bowl, mix peanut butter and milk, then add to dry ingredients and mix well. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead.

~ Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.

~ Bake for 20 minutes on a greased baking sheet until lightly brown.

~ Cool on a rack, then store in an airtight container.

[image: flickr]

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Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers

I really like the idea of a biodegradable doggy bag. I know, that’s a weird thing to like, but I always hated that pretty much the only thing available to us were plastic grocery sacks for cleaning up after our dogs, and though technically we were recycling those instead of tossing them straight into the garbage, you know it’s going to be sticking around a landfill for a while anyway.

I know I’ve already written about dog poop this week, but it got me thinking about how we clean up after our pets, and how glad I am that there are companies who do, too!

With that in mind, I did a little poking around the Internet and found Business Bags, eco-friendly doggy-doo bags made from corn that biodegrade within 45 days (typically this means they have to be exposed to the environment in the form of rain, sun, etc, before biodegrading, so they’re not just going to start breaking down in the box).

Each box contains 40 baggies, and are perfect for taking with you on a daily walk or stashing in a glove box for a car trip or ride to the dog park. They’re available at PlanetDog.com for $5.95.

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Biodegradable Doggy Business Bags

I’ve written about this briefly last summer, and unfortunately the problem is still ongoing. Last weekend when we took down the Christmas lights from around the house, my husband found numerous little mounds of rocks in our side yard, each pile covering several dog poops.

Our own kids rarely play out front (it’s been too cold), so we’re not sure who’s actually covering these landmines. It could be other neighborhood kids who think it’s some kind of fun thing to do (ew!), but I’m betting it’s the rude neighbor that’s letting his dog run around in the first place, thinking his lazy self is doing enough just getting them out of sight.

We’re out of ideas on how to handle this, which isn’t saying much because we didn’t have many in the first place! However, it’s gotten to the point where it’s just downright disgusting knowing that we’ve got a side yard full of someone else’s dog’s poop, and nothing we can do about it.

What would you do? Have you ever had a neighbor that cared so little for anyone else around them that you had to deal with their dogs’ messes? Is it time to bite the bullet and try rigging up some kind of camera system to see exactly what’s going on and who’s doing this?

[image: amazon]

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WWYD: Careless Neighbor, Pooping Dog

It’s been a few years since we’ve had rats as pets, and though I’d love to have more it’s just not in the cards right now. They do make fantastic pets and are especially great if you live in an apartment or condo where taking a dog out for walks isn’t practical.

Just like with my dogs, I liked making homemade treats for my rats. They’re easy to please and though they will eat just about anything that doesn’t mean you should give them just about anything!

Just like with any other pet, rats have nutritional needs that are easy to meet if you take a little bit of time to research it, and this includes treats. A homemade yummy now and then is also a great way to play and bond with your whiskery pet.

You can make your ratties work for their treat too: Using an empty cardboard toilet paper roll, crush in one end so it’s closed off. Place a few treats into the roll, and crush up the remaining end so the treats are sealed inside. Your rats will be able to smell and hear the treats and will have a blast trying to get them out.

Dried Fruit Balls

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup dried mixed fruit bits (raisins, apricots, etc)
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup fruit juice

~ Preheat oven to 250 degrees and grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

~ Mix all ingredients with a pastry blender.

~ Make 1/2″ balls and place on the cookie sheet. (The balls will not spread, so you can put them as close as you wish.)

~ Bake for 45 minutes.

~ Leave the balls in the oven until it cools. This will cause the balls to dry out and be crunchy.

[image: flickr]

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Treats for Rats: Dried Fruit Balls

Sure, Valentine’s Day is still just over a month away, but getting a few things squared away now in preparation is never a bad idea! If you plan to dress up your pet to show off your fondness for the day of love, check out these cute little collars and scrunchies that are perfect for parading around with your adored pet!

~ The cute little heart scrunchy collar above is available on Amazon for about $7 (plus shipping, of course). The sheer ribbon collar has delicate little red and pink hearts on the tips and the elasticized band fits most dogs. Though I know Honey wouldn’t stand for it, I think Chip might tolerate it!

~ If you want more of an understated look, check out the pretty “Heart of Gold” collar, also from Amazon. The red cotton collar has shiny little embossed gold hearts and is available in sizes from small to extra large.

~ FelineFido.com has a huge selection of cute Valentine’s Day collars for cats, with everything from the standard hearts to cupcakes, and even some basic red and pink stripes that can be worn year-round.

[image: amazon]

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Valentine’s Day Cat & Dog Collars

11-year-old Austin Forman and his appropriately-named golden retriever Angel went out to get some firewood this past Sunday evening to feed the family’s wood-burning furnace for the night. Not acting like her usual self, Austin noticed that instead of playing around the yard, Angel was keeping close to his side as he performed his chore.

As he began piling wood, Austin said he saw another animal in the yard but assumed it was a dog. Once it moved under the light, however, he saw that it was a full-grown cougar. 18-month-old Angel reacted quickly, placing herself between the boy and the big cat and taking the brunt of an attack as the cougar lunged and clamped its mouth around Angel’s head. Austin ran inside to tell his mother what was going on, and she called 911.

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer made it to the home within minutes and was able to kill the cougar after firing two shots. Angel, who looked to be in pretty bad shape, was immediately taken to the vet where it was found she had extensive injuries to her head, including a fractured skull and numerous puncture wounds. She’s had surgery and while she’s still recuperating she is expected to make a full recovery.

The family said they’ve bought her a nice, big juicy steak for when she comes home. I’d say she more than deserves it!

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Young Boy Rescued from Cougar by Pet Dog