Dog Crafts-Make a Poodle Flower!

Here's a site that shows a great tutorial on how to make a Poodle out of flowers! It's very cute as you can see in this photo. This flower Poodle would make a nice gift for Poodle owners or someone who is sick and needs cheering up!

Learn how to Make a Poodle Flower Here

Famous Dogs: Frank The Pug from Men in Black

Who can forget the funny scene in the film "Men In Black" in which "Frank" the Pug was shaken by the Tommy Lee Jones character in order to get information out of him. Frank is played in both movies by a trained pug named "Mushu" with a man named Tim Blaney providing his voice. Frank was actually an alien in disguise who acted as an informant for Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.

Dog Planter for Garden Fun

Here's a cute gift for your garden or the garden of another dog lover. It's an 11" high cast resin dog planter. It's hand-painted and only $35. Plant your favorite flowers, succulents or cactus in one of these and feature it in your garden!

Dog Planter here at Garden Fun.com.

Pet "OLYMPETS" Are Happening Too!

Forget the "Olympics"-those are just humans! The "Olympets" are the games to follow. The Olympets or "National Pet Games" are organized competions and games designed to promote the health of pets and their owners.

Check their site for local games in your area:

Read more about "Olympets" HERE!

Dogs Do Empathetic Yawning!

A study published in the journal "Biology Letters" says that dogs indulge in "contagious yawning" after watching humans yawn! The study included dogs watching a researcher give a big yawn. Surprisingly, 72% of the dogs yawned when seeing the research yawn. Studies show humans and Chimpanzees are the only other life forms that practice empathetic yawning but at lower rate than dogs!

Read the rest of this interesting study HERE.

PC Problems

Sorry Readers-My PC is giving me trouble right now-I'll be posting when things get straightened out. Thanks for visiting.

Great Article on Dog Parents and Dog Welllness

Canine Healthcare providers are reporting that dog owners are almost as concerned for their dog's well being as they are for their own. Owners are 92% as concerned with their dog's emotional health as their physical health.

From the dog health article: "They're All Ears - Dogs soak up praise and terms of endearment. They are great listeners and will patiently hear out the story of your whole day in return for a belly rub or scratch behind the ears."

One site has 50k queries each month about dogs and their health which I'm glad to see. Years ago people didn't concentrate on the health or food quality for their dogs.

Read the great article on dog parent/dog wellness at MarketWatch

New Stem Cell Treatments for Dogs

A veterinary surgeon in Twin Falls Idaho is practicing a new form of therapy for dogs with hip dysplaysia, joint problems and arthritis. He takes the stem cells and fat cells from the ailing dog and injects them into the painful joint. He is seeing a nice success rate so far.

The name of the new therapy is called "Vet-Stem". The vet has to be certified by "Vet-Stem" to be able to practice this procedure. The vet harvests fat cells from the dog while it's sedated (doesn't have to be under anaesthesia to do this. The cells are sent to Vet-Stem who isolates the cells and then sends the cells back to the vet in a syringe. The vet takes the syringe and injects the cells into the painful joint. In about two weeks there is a noticeable improvement in the pets ability to move around normally.

A Dr. Jarrold Bausman of Los Angeles does this therapy on his canine patients and these are his observations:

"The stem cells provide very good anti-inflammatory capabilities at the cellular level," Bausman said. The best research indicates the stem cells are not turning into other cells, such as cartilage or bone, but are rather stimulating existing stem cells in that area to regenerate, he said. This is suspected to be similar to the way that young animals are able to heal more quickly and completely from an injury than older animals. "How that happens, we don't know yet. I'm really excited to see what it turns into."

This new therapy can be used on older dogs 12 and older. If this therapy continues to work, it'll offer relief to pets who are too old to have surgery because older pets sometimes do not recover well from surgery. Dr. Bausman said he knows of a dog who had surgery at age 12 and three years later is still recovering from it.

The downside is that this therapy is expensive. The current price for this stem cell treatment runs around $3,000 per dog. But, that's only have the price for a single total hip replacement which runs around $6,500 in some cases.

The medical community is getting interested in this treatment for us humans as well. Taking cells out of our body's, isolating them and injecting them back is a therapy that can be used on humans as well as our canine buddies.

Veterinarians have to be credentialed by Vet-Stem to be able to practice this new stem cell therapy. Vet-Stem is a California company that isolates pets' stem cells for reinjection. Vet-Stem may be reached at vet-stem.com or 1-88-VET-STEM-1.

Greatest American Dog TV Show Premieres-Features Tillman Skateboarding Dgo

The Greatest American Dog TV show premiered on CBS on Thursday July 10th and according to Neilsen ratings won the ratings race for its time period! It would have to-It has "Tillman" the Skateboard riding Dog on it. Tillman and his owner are in the photo.

Twelve teams of dogs/owners arrive at an Agoura Hills mansion and compete with each other for prizes and the title of "Greatest American Dog."

The show will be repeated tonight Saturday July 12 at 8pm.

Here's the show info at CBS.com

Tricks for Snapping Prize-Winning Dog Portraits

Tricks for Snapping Prize-winning Dog Portraits


(ARA) – “He’s so photogenic!” gushes one mother. “She’s so lovely, I’m thinking of getting her into modeling,” asserts another. Are these would-be “stage moms” comparing the beauty of their babies? Not quite. For millions of dog-loving Americans, their pet pooch is among their favorite photo subjects.


From YouTube and pet-oriented Web sites to photography competitions like the Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the popular dog snack and those special moments between pet and pet parent, there are ample opportunities for pet-owners to show off their dog’s charms—and their own photography skills. So how do you get the shot of a lifetime, the winning snap that communicates to all who see it just how special your dog really is?


Celebrity Photographer Christopher Ameruoso, who has photographed hundreds of celebrities with their pets, offers some advice on how to get a howling good shot that captures that special bond between you and your pet:


* Use the Great Outdoors for Great Shots


“Most animals look better outdoors,” Ameruoso says. Plus, natural sunlight will make for a better picture. Take your pup outside and look for a background that enhances the subject – but doesn’t distract from it – with complementary colors, textures and visual interest. Natural light is warmest at sunrise and sunset. Position your pet with the sun behind him. For darker animals, direct sunlight can be ideal. Get down to the animal’s level, so that your head and hers are at the same level when you’re taking the photo.


“Some of the best photos I have ever taken are not just of the dog alone but of a dog and his parent,” Ameruoso says. Consider adding man’s best friend to the shot to capture the special bond and interaction between pet and pet parent.


* Be Patient


“Working with animals requires a lot of patience,” Ameruoso says. If your pet seems to be getting distracted, antsy or over stimulated, let him run around for a while, burn off some energy and then come back for the shoot. Keep the mood casual, and remember that once you start snapping you’ll probably have just 20 minutes to get the shot.


* Squeak and Shoot


Who doesn’t love the sight of a dog with his head cocked to the side and ears raised inquisitively? To get a dog’s attention, Ameruoso hides a small squeak toy in his hand and squeezes it just before he’s about to take a shot. Don’t overuse the trick, however; most dogs will catch on to what you’re doing after five to 10 shots, he says. Also, unless your pet is already trained for treats don’t bring them to your shoot. They’ll only distract the animal.


* Safety in Numbers


Ameruoso often takes hundreds of pictures to arrive at one he really likes. Digital cameras make it easy to take the numerous shots you’ll need to get one outstanding picture. Digital photos also allow you to touch up your picture. Use editing software to adjust color, contrast, brightness and saturation.


Once you’ve got that irreplaceable moment you share with your pet, why not enter it in the Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest? The contest commemorates the 100th anniversary of the famous dog snack first invented in a small bakery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The top 100 entries that display the special times between pets and pet parents will be posted on www.milk-bone.com where the public can vote for their favorite photo and select the grand prize winner, who will receive a $100,000 contract to serve as the first ever Milk-Bone 100th Anniversary SpokesDog. All entries must be received by Sept. 18 and must be accompanied by a brief essay that explains why the pictured Milk-Bone Moment is special. Visit www.milk-bone.com to learn more or to enter the contest.


Courtesy of ARAcontent