Whisker Therapy

Dog's Name:  Popeye 

Dog's Age: 12

Adoption Story:
Every Sunday, a rescue comes out for adoption events. Every week, Popeye was the last dog left. He sometimes was left under the table because he was “bossy” and barked at everything that passed by. But this quirk caught my eye and I knew I had to spend some time with him. On the last week of my other dog's puppy class, we went to go talk with the rescue and they offered us the chance to foster him. The moment she put him in my arms, it was game over. I said forget fostering, let me adopt him now!!  We named him Popeye after the sailor. They share a commonality, one eye!

Likes:
The word “snackies” and enjoying the sun during his walks. He also enjoys playing with his other fursiblings where he obviously is the boss. Lastly, he enjoys laying on his side while getting his tummy scratched.

Millions of people enjoyed an extra hour of sleep this weekend courtesy of the switch from daylight savings time to standard time. In my state of Arizona, only people who live on the Navajo Nation fall back an hour, and nobody in Hawaii does, but most of the country observes this semi-annual clock-changing ritual. Even if you are in that majority, it may have been irrelevant as a dog guardian. That extra hour of sleep is a human construct and a lot of dogs are having no part of it. Their circadian rhythms override our clocks and most of them probably got up at the crack of dawn as usual, ready to start the day.

As a dog ages, several changes may occur besides a greying muzzle. Senior dogs have more health concerns than younger dogs, but they can still make playful, loving companions.

Harmony Peraza, a veterinary technician and the study subject manager for the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ Dog Aging Project, discusses the most common health conditions that may arise in a senior dog.

While there is some variation among breeds, a dog is typically considered a senior at 8 years old. Large dogs may age faster, becoming seniors as early as 6 or 7, while smaller dogs may not start showing signs of age until they are 9 or 10.

If good things come in small packages, then Red is the goodest of things.

Sampson loves scratches, treats, toys, and hiking.

We’ve gathered together a selection of tasty treats and fun toys for your special canine co-pilot this Valentine’s Day. Show your pup some extra love this year with a Valentine surprise!

Take a look at our top three picks for dog products made in the USA. Find the perfect gift for yourself or a friend plus something keep your pup's tail wagging.

DOG-THEMED TEA TOWELS TO DELIGHT

Kate Brennan Hall is a masterful illustrator and printmaker, and her artistry and sense of whimsy shine in her canine tea-towel series. Many breeds are represented, and since a kitchen can never have enough towels, you’ll want to collect all of them. These one-of-a-kind towels also make perfect gifts if you’re itching to get a head start on holiday giving. (Check out her cat designs too.) The 100 percent cotton, flour-sack towels are handprinted in her studio in Iowa using eco-friendly ink; machine washable in cool water. $18

Spunky-brewster West is a bouncy young guy who loves people and is ready to find his forever home this Valentine’s day!

Tatonka, the Baby Dragon of Colorado prefers warmer weather, wrestling, agility and scent work.

Loving puppies is so universal that people who don’t love them tend to stay quiet about it lest they be shunned by society. Because puppies have the characteristics of any other young mammal, including our own human offspring, it’s no surprise that we find them incredibly endearing. Those big eyes, oversized heads, chubby cheeks, small mouths and small noses are cues that evolution has made appealing to us to ensure that we take care of the young and helpless. Animals we perceive as cute prompt our bodies to produce oxytocin, a hormone whose many effects include feelings of love and the urge to care for others.

Anyone who has lived with a dog will know their capacity for learning the meaning of words, even ones you don’t want them to know. How many times have you had to spell the words “walk” or “dinner” in the hope of avoiding an explosion of excitement?

Previous studies have investigated how non-human animals, including chimpanzees, sea lions and rhesus monkeys, learn words. But now a paper published in Nature shows some dogs learn the name of a new object after hearing it only four times, an ability previously thought to be confined to humans.

Dog’s name and age: Finnegan, 2 years

Nicknames: Finn, Finny, Boo, Boo Boo

Adoption Story: Finn began his life homeless on the streets of Mexico. When he was rescued by Compassion Without Borders, he was found skinny, anemic, and nearly hairless with mange. They nursed him back to health.

When we saw him, we knew we needed to have him as part of our family which includes one other dog, Rosie, and two cats, George and Lilah.

Finn enjoys food, warm, soft beds, and his bacon ball. His favorite people are mom and dad, followed closely by everyone else he meets. His favorite activities include eating, chewing on things, playing fetch, and doing zoomies.

When I envisioned my dog-walking service, I saw myself dressed in a cute white sweater and 501 red-tag Levis, walking along the Pacific shoreline with six attentive, well-behaved Golden Retrievers and Labradors. Being my own boss, making my own hours and being around dogs all day long. What could be better?

Reality hit on my second day of professional dog-walking, when I twisted my ankle and fell face-first into the sand after chasing a ball-obsessed, overweight yellow Labrador named Willard and a Sheepdog named Bear who behaved like she was on an acid trip. Sand was everywhere—up my nose; down my pants; in my mouth, my shoes, my hair. It was an exceptionally bad start to my new career.

Kona is a Certified Therapy Dog and he lights up every time he gets to put a smile on someone’s face!

Dina will have you rooting for the underdog! Her positive vibe is contagious and will have you giggling within minutes.

This past June, our fourteen-year-old Siberian Husky, Manya, was diagnosed with cancer and given days to a week to live. It is now January, and she is still with us. The reason could be the twelve pills a day cocktail she’s on, or the radical change in her diet, or the extra TLC she’s gotten from me and my wife, Diane. But we think it’s something much more than all of that.

1. Cleanliness. There should be minimal offensive odor and immediate clean-up of accidents, and the other dogs should be healthy-looking.

2. Playtime provided for the majority of the day. While a two-hour “naptime” is common, during the rest of the day, your dog should have time to play with staff members and other dogs.

3. Proof of current vaccinations. Distemper, parvo, rabies and bordatella vaccinations and/or titers should be required.

4. Adequate supervision. Staff members should be physically in the rooms with the dogs at all times; supervising through a window or a gate is not enough.

5. Safe staffing levels. A good daycare facility maintains an approximate staffing goal of one person for every 10 to 15 dogs.

When people think of military family life, countless associative words or phrases may come to mind, such as “hardship,” “separation from loved ones,” or “travel.” A defining feature of our lifestyle, one that holds us up throughout all of our separations, difficulties, and moves, is the beloved military pet. Chosen to bring the family together, to provide companionship and comfort, the military pet is an essential family member for a vast amount of service families all over the world, but faces challenges not seen by the civilian community and not taken into consideration during difficult duty station moves.

The world is not a dog’s oyster— unfortunately. The majority of offices, restaurants, hotels, museums and even national parks fail to welcome our canine companions with open arms. Until a major paradigm shifts, we’ll have to leave our dogs behind, sometimes, for work and travel. Happily, many dog-loving entrepreneurs are creating wonderful boarding and daycare environments for our furry friends. There are many and they aren’t all created equal, so we’ve pulled together some questions to help guide your selection process.
 

Sweet, wonky, Auntie Mims will waddle her way right into your heart with her irresistible charm and underbite. This friendly goblin, er, dog, is a true one-in-a-million: friendly, loving, adorable.