We firmly believe that all dogs deserve the opportunity to be clean, healthy and
happy, and we strive to provide the best pet washing experience possible.
Our goal is to improve pet cleanliness worldwide through our state-of-the-art,
patented bathing products.
By providing comprehensive information about dog washing as well as skin
disorders and related health issues, we also hope to educate dog owners about
the importance of pet hygiene.
We
are confident that our products positively affect dogs worldwide.
Here
at Paws for Thought, we are avid supporters of animal rescues, shelters and
caretakers. We recently became aware of the Baja Animal Sanctuary (www.BajaAnimalSanctuary.org),
the only no-kill shelter in Northern Mexico. The Sanctuary is located in
Rosarito, Mexico, just 22 miles south of the San Ysidro border. It was founded
by Sunny Benedict, a native New Yorker, and a former real estate agent in
Rosarito. From her office window, Sunny would see the local animals, mangy,
starving, and roaming the streets in search of anyone who might toss them a
morsel of food, or give them a kind pat on the head. She knew she had to do
something. With a mere $180.00 she gathered from friends, she turned her dream
into reality and started the Baja Animal Sanctuary.
BAS provides a safe haven for dogs, cats, and presently, two beautiful horses.
Rescued from the streets of Mexico, they now receive food, medical care, and
love for the rest of their lives. Once the puppies are old enough, or the sick
ones are well enough they are all spayed or neutered. Their ultimate goal is to
find each and every one of them a forever home. When this can't be accomplished,
since they are a no-kill shelter, the animals that are "un-adoptable" will make
BAS their permanent home.
So we sent Amanda, the marketing coordinator at Paws for Thought, down to
Rosarito with Booster Baths packed into her SUV! The owners were thrilled by the
donation of two Baths and a Booster Ramp, to help the older and larger dogs into
the tub. The first lucky recipient of a Booster Bath washing was Jason (named as
such because he had arrived at BAS on Friday, the 13th), a Golden Retriever mix.
Amanda and a volunteer demonstrated how to use the tub for the other volunteers
on the premises.
We were absolutely amazed at the facilities, which currently house over THREE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY animals! The founder, Sunny, gave us a tour of the Sanctuary,
and it is quite apparent that the animals here are very well loved and well
cared for.
And with their new Booster Baths, they will be cleaner, healthier, and more
adoptable than ever!
The Sanctuary operates entirely on donations, and could always benefit from your
contributions, however large or small.
And of course, be sure to check out the pictures we took while we were there!
Camping
is for dogs too!
Many of us enjoy camping with our dogs, especially in the
summertime. In fact, over half of RVers in the United States take a
dog with them on at least some of their trips. Although most
campgrounds designed for RV's and other mobile accommodations do
allow dogs, there can be many more restrictions are placed on them.
Tent campers with dogs aren’t quite as lucky; many state parks do
not allow dogs in all or some of their campgrounds and some states
(such as New Jersey and Connecticut) don't allow dogs to camp in
their State Parks at all. Even if your dog is allowed to camp in the
park they may not be allowed on the park's trails, hiking areas, and
waterfronts. However, there are many nice places to camp and scenic
trails to hike with your dogs at or near campgrounds.
Like hotels, some campgrounds place weight restrictions on dogs..
However, they are much more likely to place breed restrictions on
dogs. Besides Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes some campgrounds will not
allow Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds and an assortment of
other breeds. In addition, many cities or counties may also have
restrictions against certain breeds which would apply to all
campgrounds within those areas. For example, Pit Bulls and Pit Bull
mixes are prohibited in the entire Canadian Province of Ontario and
in the city of Denver, Colorado. For more on regional breed
prohibitions, see the
link here. Many campgrounds will also limit the number of dogs
allowed to a campsite to one, two or three. So if you are traveling
with more than one dog you need to be aware of this as well.
Some campgrounds charge additional pet fees in the same manner as
hotels, but these fees are usually much lower than those in hotels
and will typically be from $1 to $5 per night. Other common
restrictions on pets (usually including cats as well as dogs) are
that they must be tied or on leash when outside of the camper, never
be left alone outside of the camper, or in some cases never left
alone in the camper. Some campgrounds will have designated pet walk
areas that you must use.
Public campgrounds are usually located in National, Canadian, State,
Provincial or other parks. The rules regarding pets in these
campgrounds vary. Most National Parks in the U.S. and Canada allow
dogs to camp in some or all of their campgrounds but can severely
restrict the day uses of the park by pets. . When selecting a park
to camp in with your dog we suggest that you find those parks that
have reasonable day-use policies as well as allow pets in the
campground. For hikers, National Forests in the U.S. have less
restriction on day use by pets than most other American parks.
Some campgrounds are especially pet-friendly and offer amenities
such as off-leash areas, agility courses, kennels, dog cookies and
other treats and relaxed restrictions. These may still have
breed or weight restrictions so make sure to check.
Taking the time to find the appropriate campground will provide an
enjoyable stay with your entire family, including your pet. Whether
public or private, it is important to be aware of the things that
you need to look for regarding pet policies at campgrounds.
www.dogfriendly.com provides a comprehensive list by state
of dog-friendly camping areas and RV parks.
latest news
Paws For
Thought introduces Booster Bath®
Groomer's Edition Upgrade Package
As
some of you know, Paws For Thought recently released a new version of their
famous Booster Bath called the
Groomer's Edition Booster Bath®.
For those of you that own the standard Booster Bath®
an
upgrade package is now available.
With the Groomer's Edition
Upgrade package can can wash your dog like a pro. This package gives you
most of the added benefits that the Groomer's Edition Booster Bath®
provides.
Included in an upgrade package:
Dual fan
nozzle hose system that provides access to water from both sides
Reversible
elevated groomer's ramp that can be flipped over and set into the tub for
elevating small dogs
Pedestal
elevated system that gives an extra 4 inches of height to the Booster Bath
not to mention added stability.
Each component in
this special package makes bathing your dog even easier AND saves you money.
You save over $50 when ordering these components together...don't miss your
chance to improve your dog washing experience even more with the Booster Bath®
Groomer's Edition Upgrade package. Click
here for more information about the Groomer's Edition Upgrade System.
amazing dogs in the news
Dog Saves
Elderly Woman from killer Kangaroo
Farmer's wife Rosemary Neal, of Australia, owes
her life to the family dog when it fought off a killer kangaroo that had knocked
her over and badly mauled her.
'If it wasn't for the dog she wouldn't be alive
today,' said 65 year-old Mrs Neal's son, Darren, as his mother recovered
yesterday from facial lacerations, gouges to her back and legs and heavy
bruising.
'The kangaroo went crazy - it just laid into her
with its feet and claws and would have kept going if the dog hadn't chased it
off when she started screaming.'
Most species of kangaroo are
not considered aggressive toward humans, but a large male - more than 6ft tall -
decided that Mrs. Neal was an intruder.
'A lot of kangaroos who were in the paddock just
moved away, but this particular one has just jumped up and launched straight at
her,' said Darren.
'He hit her once and she just dropped and rolled
but it kept at her.
'My dog heard her screaming and bolted along the
field and chased him off.
'She'd probably be dead if the dog hadn't rushed
to help her.’
Mrs. Neal was taken to hospital where she was
treated for her wounds, kept under observation for a few hours and then allowed
to return to her farm house.
Complete details about this incident can be found
be clicking
here.
health tips
Some people food can be dangerous for your dog's health!
Most of us
probably treat our pets to human food every once in a while. But beware:
Giving in to the pleading look in your dog’s eyes and giving them human
foods can actually be harmful.
In 2007,
the Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. A large
number of these cases of animal poisoning were caused by common human foods
and household items.
Obviously,
it's best to stick to pet food and a diet recommended by your vet. Here are
a few of the most toxic foods that can harm your pet.
Foods to
Avoid:
Avocados
- They contain persin, which can damage heart, lung and other tissue in many
animals. This fruit is very toxic to dogs, cats and most animals.
Beer -
Alcoholic beverages can cause the same damage to an animal's liver and brain
as they cause in humans. But due to their smaller size, the effects can be
deadly! Even a small amount of alcohol may cause vomiting and damage the
liver and brain.
Nuts -
Walnuts and macadamia
nuts are especially toxic. Pets start to develop symptoms such as an
inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia (elevated body
temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate, which can lead to
paralysis or even death.
Chocolate - The
theobromine which is found in chocolate can kill your pet if eaten in large
quantities. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are the most dangerous.
Theobromine can also cause a dog or cat's heart to beat very rapidly or
irregularly, which could result in death if the pet is exercising or overly
active.
Candy -
Candy, gum, or
anything containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products)
can cause a sudden drop in an animal's blood sugar, loss of coordination and
seizures.
Caffeine
- Caffeine stimulates
an animal's central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to symptoms
such as restlessness, heart palpitations and death, depending on how much
the animal consumes.
Grapes
and raisins - As
little as a single serving of raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs.
And the effects are cumulative, which means that even if a dog eats only a
few grapes or raisins regularly, the toxin that builds in his system will
eventually kill him.
Onions -
Onions can destroy an
animal's red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing
difficulties. Like grapes, heir effects are also cumulative over time.
In case
of emergency -
Accidents do happen, which is why the ASPCA, Humane Society and animal
advocates advise pet owners to keep the telephone numbers of their local
veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — (888) 426-4435 —
in a prominent location.
Common
signs of poisoning include muscle tremors or seizures; vomiting and
diarrhea; drooling; redness of skin, ears and eyes; and swelling and
bleeding.
If you
suspect your pet has consumed or come in contact with a toxic substance,
stay calm and call for help immediately.
fun dog facts
Male dogs do not actually need to lift their leg
to urinate. A male dog urinates with one leg up to better mark his territory.
This scent can tell another dog many things, including the size of the dog that
did the marking. The size is judged by the height of the mark, and dogs like to
make themselves seem as big as possible by lifting their leg so they can make a
higher mark.
The expression "three dog night" originated with
the Eskimos and means a very cold night--so cold that you have to bed down with
three dogs to keep warm.
In the early 1940s, Swiss inventor George de
Mestral went on a walk with his dog. When they got home, he saw that his pants
and his dog's coat were covered with burrs. Curious as to why burrs would stick
to dog hair, he looked at them under a microscope. What he saw was a tiny hook
at the end of each burr. This became the basis for his invention of a unique,
two-sided fastener-- one side with stiff hooks and the other side with soft
loops. The result was Velcro--named for the French words "velour" (a velvety
fabric) and "crochet" -- which never would have been invented if he hadn't taken
his dog for a walk that day.
When a dog is barking and you yell at him to be
quiet, what he really hears is that you are barking too! Now he thinks everyone
in his "pack" is barking, so it must be the right thing to do. A quick way to
hush a barking dog is to quietly but firmly give him a command to do something
else, such as sit or lie down.
The original Benji was discovered by animal
trainer Frank Inn at the Burbank, California, Animal Shelter, which was about to
put the dog to sleep because he hadn't been adopted. Benji's real name was
Higgins, and his first acting role was in 1963 in the television series
Petticoat Junction. Higgins was 14 years old when he came out of retirement to
star in Benji.
A recent survey by the American Animal Hospital
Association found that 86 percent of all pet owners include their pets in
holiday celebrations: 97 percent include their pets in Christmas celebrations
and 4 percent include them in Hanukkah celebrations.
Here
at Paws for Thought, we are avid supporters of animal rescues, shelters and
caretakers. We recently became aware of the Baja Animal Sanctuary (
As
some of you know, Paws For Thought recently released a new version of their
famous 
