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Time to roll out the makes-me-happy products I am in love with this month.

Glittery faux diamonds collars and shiny metallic harnesses don’t cut it for me. I like to smile so I am drawn to silly and fun products such as the new collar line by Paul Frank.

Orange background and funky monkey faces? I’m happy and feel like a kid again while walking my dog, Gigi. Just watching her trot around with this monkey collar and lead causes the neighbor’s kids to giggle.

Priced at $28 for the set, you can buy it at a Paul Frank store or many online retailers such as FunnyFur.com.

What else is on my happy toy list? Toys shaped like plush dog bones or toy animals like squirrel and ducks just never end up in my shopping cart.

A must-have for this pet lover is Fez or Miyagi from the new line from Pet Flys named Knit Knacks. Yes, the company slogan is “Knit Knack Paddy Whack Give a Dog a TOY!” (Did you hum along to this? I did!) Great for smaller breeds, these organic cotton crocheted toys are not just for little girly dogs. The Ninja (Miyagi) and Fez Monkey (just love those monkeys!) topped my wanna buy them list. You can find them for $8-$11 on the web.

What is it with me and monkeys you are asking? Well, about three years ago I attended NYC Pet Fashion Week (this year it is August 21-22) and the company rep from Pet Flys gave me a sample of their famous Monkey toy. Roxi, my Chihuahua, has carried that monkey around for 900+ days. Every day she brings it down the stairs to be near her and every night she carries it up the stairs to her bed.

Hmmm. Would the new Pet Flys Fez Monkey replace her old Pet Flys Monkey? Not a chance. She chose to keep old Monkey in her bed for cuddle time and now she plays fetch with Fez Monkey–  because his squeaker is newer than old Monkey. But you just can;t replace a dog’s favorite plush toy- even when it is old, squeak-less and smells.

Here is a video of me being goofy displaying the toys on my computer.
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In this video you will  see how loud the toys squeak.
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Why has Pet Flys been so successful with their toys? My take: Roxi was a shelter dog with a broken tail, so I imagine Roxi had a rough puppyhood. Pet Flys new toys have great attributes for this suckling – little protruding features such as the piggy tail and tough stubby little arms on the Foo Foo Rabbit. I think of these toys as nurturing. But Funny. And Hip. I’ve now named a new toy category: fun, nurturing, hip, weird name, oh, and organic. Geez, we pet owners expect it all nowadays, eh?

Yes!

Time to roll out the makes-me-happy products I am in love with this month.

Glittery faux diamonds collars and shiny metallic harnesses don’t cut it for me. I like to smile so I am drawn to silly and fun products such as the new collar line by Paul Frank.

Orange background and funky monkey faces? I’m happy and feel like a kid again while walking my dog, Gigi. Just watching her trot around with this monkey collar and lead causes the neighbor’s kids to giggle.

Priced at $28 for the set, you can buy it at a Paul Frank store or many online retailers such as FunnyFur.com.

What else is on my happy toy list? Toys shaped like plush dog bones or toy animals like squirrel and ducks just never end up in my shopping cart.

A must-have for this pet lover is Fez or Miyagi from the new line from Pet Flys named Knit Knacks. Yes, the company slogan is “Knit Knack Paddy Whack Give a Dog a TOY!” (Did you hum along to this? I did!) Great for smaller breeds, these organic cotton crocheted toys are not just for little girly dogs. The Ninja (Miyagi) and Fez Monkey (just love those monkeys!) topped my wanna buy them list. You can find them for $8-$11 on the web.

What is it with me and monkeys you are asking? Well, about three years ago I attended NYC Pet Fashion Week (this year it is August 21-22) and the company rep from Pet Flys gave me a sample of their famous Monkey toy. Roxi, my Chihuahua, has carried that monkey around for 900+ days. Every day she brings it down the stairs to be near her and every night she carries it up the stairs to her bed.

Hmmm. Would the new Pet Flys Fez Monkey replace her old Pet Flys Monkey? Not a chance. She chose to keep old Monkey in her bed for cuddle time and now she plays fetch with Fez Monkey–  because his squeaker is newer than old Monkey. But you just can;t replace a dog’s favorite plush toy- even when it is old, squeak-less and smells.

Here is a video of me being goofy displaying the toys on my computer.
.

.

In this video you will  see how loud the toys squeak.
.

.

Why has Pet Flys been so successful with their toys? My take: Roxi was a shelter dog with a broken tail, so I imagine Roxi had a rough puppyhood. Pet Flys new toys have great attributes for this suckling – little protruding features such as the piggy tail and tough stubby little arms on the Foo Foo Rabbit. I think of these toys as nurturing. But Funny. And Hip. I’ve now named a new toy category: fun, nurturing, hip, weird name, oh, and organic. Geez, we pet owners expect it all nowadays, eh?

Yes!

I’ve always enjoyed hiking with my dogs, so I was intrigued by the idea of a first-aid bandana. I envisioned instructions on how to make a splint or use it as a sling in the event of a broken bone. That is about the only emergency situation not covered on this useful piece of bright red cloth, which should be kept easily accessible whether you are at home with your dog or out and about. If nothing else, you can use it to stanch bleeding if the recommended clean, sterile gauze is unavailable. Just don’t use the side with the directions on how to stop bleeding.

In white lettering that is easy to read, the Wag’N Pet First Aid Bandana gives advice on how to deal with 10 emergency situations–shock; seizure; temperature-related distress such as heatstroke or frostbite; burns; spider, snake and insect bites or stings; choking; and bleeding–plus instructions on conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a pet, general pet first aid tips, and a description of which situations require immediate veterinary care.

The bandana is best suited for wear by medium-size and larger dogs. On Twyla, it looked more like a Superman cape than a bandana, although I imagine that someone born with the scarf-tying gene could make it work on a small dog. The editor in me notes that the word “choking” is misspelled as “chocking”–twice. That’s really the only flaw, as far as I can tell, and of course it’s one that doesn’t affect the utility of the bandana, which is 100-percent cotton and machine-washable.

Whether you are a hunter, field-trialer, agility competitor, hiker, camper or new puppy owner, this is a useful item to have, one that is easily portable wherever you and your dog go. It’s available for purchase here. $8.

I’ve always enjoyed hiking with my dogs, so I was intrigued by the idea of a first-aid bandana. I envisioned instructions on how to make a splint or use it as a sling in the event of a broken bone. That is about the only emergency situation not covered on this useful piece of bright red cloth, which should be kept easily accessible whether you are at home with your dog or out and about. If nothing else, you can use it to stanch bleeding if the recommended clean, sterile gauze is unavailable. Just don’t use the side with the directions on how to stop bleeding.

In white lettering that is easy to read, the Wag’N Pet First Aid Bandana gives advice on how to deal with 10 emergency situations–shock; seizure; temperature-related distress such as heatstroke or frostbite; burns; spider, snake and insect bites or stings; choking; and bleeding–plus instructions on conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a pet, general pet first aid tips, and a description of which situations require immediate veterinary care.

The bandana is best suited for wear by medium-size and larger dogs. On Twyla, it looked more like a Superman cape than a bandana, although I imagine that someone born with the scarf-tying gene could make it work on a small dog. The editor in me notes that the word “choking” is misspelled as “chocking”–twice. That’s really the only flaw, as far as I can tell, and of course it’s one that doesn’t affect the utility of the bandana, which is 100-percent cotton and machine-washable.

Whether you are a hunter, field-trialer, agility competitor, hiker, camper or new puppy owner, this is a useful item to have, one that is easily portable wherever you and your dog go. It’s available for purchase here. $8.

The VIN News Service broke this story, following clinical observations from VIN member veterinarians, who were trying to sort out what was causing some rather alarming symptoms in pets. VIN’s Edie Lau reports:

The spreading popularity of topical hormone treatments in people — especially but not exclusively menopausal women —  is having unintended medical consequences for the users’ pets.

Spayed dogs and young female puppies are showing up in veterinary exam rooms with markedly swollen vulvas as if they are in heat. Male dogs present with enlarged mammary glands and abnormally small penises. Animals of both genders experience fur loss.

The phenomenon frequently stumps veterinary practitioners; sometimes patients go undiagnosed for weeks or months because clinicians don’t recognize the connection. Medical doctors in the human realm likewise are unfamiliar with the situation, a Veterinary Information Network (VIN) News Service inquiry found.

The problem appears to stem from the use by pet owners of hormone replacement treatments in the form of lotions, gels or sprays that are applied to the arms — especially inner elbows and wrists — or legs. The users then handle and snuggle their animals, unwittingly transferring the drug to the pets.

Here’s the rest of the article. We shared the VIN News story here on the blog, and on FB and Twitter as well. And I was pretty surprised that it seemed to go unnoticed after that. Or at least, it seemed to.

Apparently the FDA was paying attention, because today they issued a warning on the use of transdermal hormone treatments around pets and children:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing reports of adverse effects from Evamist in children who may have been unintentionally exposed to the drug through skin contact with women using this product. FDA has also received reports of inadvertent exposure in pets.

Evamist contains estradiol, an estrogen hormone. It is used in women to reduce hot flashes during menopause. Evamist is a topical product, sprayed on the skin on the inside of the forearm between the elbow and the wrist.

Patients should make sure that children are not exposed to Evamist and that children do not come into contact with any skin area where the drug was applied. Women who cannot avoid contact with children should wear a garment with long sleeves to cover the application site.

Children unintentionally exposed to Evamist may experience premature puberty. Female children may experience nipple swelling and breast development. Male children may experience breast enlargement.

Pets exposed to Evamist may exhibit signs such as mammary/nipple enlargement and vulvar swelling.

Here’s the rest from the FDA. I hope this story gets some traction now. It needs to get out there to everyone who is using these products.

Big tip of the hat to the team at VIN News, and a credit to them for the image as well.

The VIN News Service broke this story, following clinical observations from VIN member veterinarians, who were trying to sort out what was causing some rather alarming symptoms in pets. VIN’s Edie Lau reports:

The spreading popularity of topical hormone treatments in people — especially but not exclusively menopausal women —  is having unintended medical consequences for the users’ pets.

Spayed dogs and young female puppies are showing up in veterinary exam rooms with markedly swollen vulvas as if they are in heat. Male dogs present with enlarged mammary glands and abnormally small penises. Animals of both genders experience fur loss.

The phenomenon frequently stumps veterinary practitioners; sometimes patients go undiagnosed for weeks or months because clinicians don’t recognize the connection. Medical doctors in the human realm likewise are unfamiliar with the situation, a Veterinary Information Network (VIN) News Service inquiry found.

The problem appears to stem from the use by pet owners of hormone replacement treatments in the form of lotions, gels or sprays that are applied to the arms — especially inner elbows and wrists — or legs. The users then handle and snuggle their animals, unwittingly transferring the drug to the pets.

Here’s the rest of the article. We shared the VIN News story here on the blog, and on FB and Twitter as well. And I was pretty surprised that it seemed to go unnoticed after that. Or at least, it seemed to.

Apparently the FDA was paying attention, because today they issued a warning on the use of transdermal hormone treatments around pets and children:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing reports of adverse effects from Evamist in children who may have been unintentionally exposed to the drug through skin contact with women using this product. FDA has also received reports of inadvertent exposure in pets.

Evamist contains estradiol, an estrogen hormone. It is used in women to reduce hot flashes during menopause. Evamist is a topical product, sprayed on the skin on the inside of the forearm between the elbow and the wrist.

Patients should make sure that children are not exposed to Evamist and that children do not come into contact with any skin area where the drug was applied. Women who cannot avoid contact with children should wear a garment with long sleeves to cover the application site.

Children unintentionally exposed to Evamist may experience premature puberty. Female children may experience nipple swelling and breast development. Male children may experience breast enlargement.

Pets exposed to Evamist may exhibit signs such as mammary/nipple enlargement and vulvar swelling.

Here’s the rest from the FDA. I hope this story gets some traction now. It needs to get out there to everyone who is using these products.

Big tip of the hat to the team at VIN News, and a credit to them for the image as well.

I have no idea how it happened but somehow we ended up with three opened and almost empty jars of peanut butter. Usually I’m good about not opening one until the previous one is empty. Since Paul doesn’t eat it much at all I know I did it. Oh well.

When I discovered it I knew those three jars had dog treats written all over them. So I made sure each jar was equally empty as it would not be good for one dog to finish significantly ahead of the other two.

Then I had each dog sit for me and handed each one his own jar.

Oh my! It was Christmas in July!

Image: Not one of the Palika Aussies, obviously. McKenzie generously offered to pose for a picture with peanut butter, but only if I put some on a dog treat for being such a good sport. — Gina

I have no idea how it happened but somehow we ended up with three opened and almost empty jars of peanut butter. Usually I’m good about not opening one until the previous one is empty. Since Paul doesn’t eat it much at all I know I did it. Oh well.

When I discovered it I knew those three jars had dog treats written all over them. So I made sure each jar was equally empty as it would not be good for one dog to finish significantly ahead of the other two.

Then I had each dog sit for me and handed each one his own jar.

Oh my! It was Christmas in July!

Image: Not one of the Palika Aussies, obviously. McKenzie generously offered to pose for a picture with peanut butter, but only if I put some on a dog treat for being such a good sport. — Gina

Most individuals never believe that kitties could be trained. In fact, some of those men and women even own kitties, and will rapidly tell you that you never train pet cats, but cats do train you, which demonstrates the old stand-by ‘you do not own a cat, the cat owns you.’

Kitties are not dogs. Dogs aim to please…cat’s seek to ignore. A dog will protect you, even at the cost of his own life. A cat will silently watch you, and it even seems that they are enjoying any distress you might be suffering from.

Dogs will greet you at the door at the end of the day, retrieve your newspaper, and get your house slippers. If they bark too much you can buy Bark Off for dogs and train them not to bark.You can read Bark Off reviews here.

A cat will eventually allow you to come across him, after an hour of searching, and will then anticipate you to feed him, clean up his litter box, and pet him at his or her discretion.

Kitties and dogs are two separate species, obviously, but you can find those who enjoy dogs, and people who prefer the snooty attitude of pet cats. I happen to take pleasure in the snooty attitude, and even though I am a well qualified house human, I know that pet cats could be trained.

Cat instruction is just a matter of teaching them what they’re willing to study, in a way that they can find out it. Just realize that while you’re coaching your cat, if your cat has not already completed his course of house human education, such instruction will be in progress as he is also getting trained.

In case you don’t believe that cats can be educated, spend some time watching your cat. Feed him or her at a particular time each and each and every day for a week. Then, right after seven days, don’t feed him at that time. It will only be a matter of minutes before he seeks you out, vocally insisting to know what your problem is…in cat speak naturally…and naturally, being a cat, he probably won’t truly care what your issue is. They will basically be there to remind you, in the haughtiest of fashions, that you’ve neglected some thing crucial.

You’ve trained him to anticipate some thing in merely 7 short days. Not only did you train your pet to expect it, you’ve educated him to expect it at a certain time with the day. Now, once more, cats aren’t dogs. You will discover several things that a cat can do, but will totally refuse to try and do.

Once a dog learns tricks, he will execute on command. You cannot teach a cat to sit or stay…they possess a mind, and an agenda, of their very own, and it generally includes not doing anything which you want them to try and do, and especially not on command. They have way too much self respect with regard to that. But kitties may sit and stay if they desire to.

Gain practical knowledge in the sphere of house train a dog – please read this web page. The time has come when proper info is truly only one click away, use this possibility.