Attention Visitors to Dogcents I need your VOTES

Vote for me at Bloginterviewer. Make this month a Happy one by showing your support and voting for Dogcents at Bloginterviewer. At present Im running behind and I need to catch up with your votes I can make first place and win the prize that will desperately help me in my casue to Save the dogs with the prize I can buy food for these poor dogs who need help. I have asked for donations over and over again but seems no one cares enough to donate a few dollars to help me to in my quest to Save the dogs so Please show your support at least by giving up a few minutes of your time to stop and vote now for this blog so that I may have a chance to win this month so Click on the TEXT Link here FOR ME CLICK HERE http://bloginterviewer.com/animals/dogcents-ruth

Wishing you all a Happy New Year

WOMEN'S BEST FRIEND

Dog Grooming- Hair Brushing

Dog grooming is one of your dog's basic needs and an important part of dog ownership. Just like people, dogs need physical maintenance to look and feel their best. Generally, a dog’s grooming needs depend on the breed and hair type. If your dog has a skin, ear or nail condition, follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding grooming your dog. It is also important to use the appropriate grooming tools. Here are some dog grooming basics to remember.

A dog’s minimum brushing needs depend on hair type. Choose the right tools and follow these guidelines.

Long-haired dogs usually require daily brushing to prevent matting and tangling of hair.
Medium-haired dogs may be prone to matting and tangles and should be brushed at least weekly.
Short-haired dogs can typically go up to a month in-between brushing.
Regardless of hair type, you can brush your dog daily - especially if he enjoys it. More frequent brushing during shedding season can help prevent hair build-up and excess shedding.

Don't even think about shooting your dog

No, don't even think of shooting it -- people who do that deserve the punishment they get. But if your's dog's barking is driving you crazy and you feel like shooting it,just take him for a walk instead he may just need some exercise or play with him or better yet give him a treat.. He can't bark while his mouth is full. SMILE........................................................................... Come On How bout a Donation to help Save these dogs who roam the streets. Make their Christmas a Merry one by helping to buy them some food.. Thank you

Hero dog risks life to save kittens from fire

A dog was hailed as a hero on Sunday after it risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire, rescuers said.

In a case which gives the lie to the saying about 'fighting like cats and dogs', the terrier cross named Leo had to be revived with oxygen and heart massage after his ordeal. Fire broke out overnight at the house in Australia's southern city of Melbourne, where he was guarding the kittens.

Fire fighters who revived Leo said he refused to leave the building and was found by them alongside the litter of kittens, despite thick smoke.

"Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life," fire service Commander Ken Brown told reporters.

The four kittens also survived the fire and Sunday Leo,

Get Rid of Fleas and Please Donate to Save the Dogs

Another Quick tip for Fleas: Give your pet a bath in dawn dish-washing liquid the fleas die quickly.Also mix some in a sprayer to spray infested area`s they die to. Add about 50/50 of dawn and water and work up a lather and leave it on your dogs for about 5 minutes and then rinse if you use a white towel to dry them with you can actually see the dead fleas on the towel. This home remedy works. Be sure not to get any soap in the dogs eyes. I also wanted to ask that you open your hearts and give a small donation to help Save the dogs. Alot of people are having to give up their beloved pets due to the prices going up on food and gas and almost everything and they can no longer buy food for their pets much less take them to the vet so alot or turning to home remedies to help their pets with fleas etc. I try to bring you all information that I think will be of help to those who need it and all I ask if you value what I bring to you here at DogCents to please just find it in you to give a small donation to help buy food and give shelter to these beloved animals who cannot ask for your help themselves. Im only one person and I cannot do it alone altho Im trying but I need help so I hope you all will give whatever you can to help out. Thank you.

Depression dogged rail death pair

Katie Gumble and her boyfriend Dean Pickard died at Harlow Mill Station
A couple who died when they were hit by a packed commuter train travelling at 80mph had a history of depression and alcohol problems, an inquest has heard.
Dean Pickard, 33, from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, and his girlfriend Katie Gumble, 35, of Harlow in Essex, died on track at Harlow Mill Station in April.
The couple bought vodka on the morning they died and were seen drinking from a bottle in a car park, the court heard.
The inquest, held at Chelmsford County Hall, continues.
Miss Gumble cared for her two children from a previous relationship and Mr Pickard, who she met in summer 2007, worked in the family's swimming pool maintenance firm.

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Katie Gumble and Dean Pickard were killed at Harlow Mill station in Essex
A court official said the couple were seen walking away from Miss Gumble's home shortly before 0600 BST on the day they died.
Shortly afterwards they bought vodka from a Tesco store and were seen drinking it nearby.
At about 0800 BST they were hit by the train at Harlow Mill Station.
Miss Gumble's mother, Sally, told jurors her daughter had alcohol problems and had started drinking following the death of her father in 2000.
"As time went by her drinking became out of control," Mrs Gumble said.
"(She) had become a total alcoholic."
Mr Pickard's mother, Sharon, said in statement that he too had been hugely affected by the death of his father, but she could find no reason why he would have wanted to kill himself.
Source: BBC News

Be sure to do your Doggie excercise and eat healthy

>We are geting ready for the Doggie Olympics.. You be sure to get your dogs in shape. Watch those female doggies go crazy ga-ga for us..

Dog Owners Plea over Micro Chip Dogs

Pet owners have been urged by an animal welfare charity to ensure their dogs' microchip details are kept up to date.
The appeal, by the Scottish SPCA, came after six stray micro-chipped dogs were handed in to a Glasgow rescue centre.
The animals' owners cannot be traced as the information on a central microchip register is out of date.
It is believed that they moved to the Glasgow area and forgot to update their contact details. The SSPCA hopes the owners can still be traced.
The dogs being cared for in the charity's re-homing centre in Glasgow were registered as living in central Scotland and the north of England.
Normally dogs which have been micro chipped can be re-united with their owners in a matter of hours.
When owners cannot be identified the dogs are usually put up for re-homing after seven days.
The SSPCA has extended that period in the case of these strays in the hope the owners come forward.
Source: BBC News

Pet Urine and Urine Odors tips

Urine
Fresh stains on washable articles can be rinsed in cold, salty water, then washed. Soak dried stains in biological detergent and use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution if necessary. Non-washable articles: Sponge fresh stain with cold water, then white vinegar solution. For dried stains, you may need a drycleaner.

Urine Odors
Urine odors on mattresses and mattress covers may be neutralized by dampening the spot and sprinkling borax over it. Rub the borax into the areas and let dry. Brush or vacuum to remove the dry borax. Pet urine and sour milk odors can be neutralized using the same process.

Olympic gold medalist says "Don't wear Fur

U.S. swimmer Amanda Beard unveiled a demure nude photograph of herself urging women "Don't wear fur" on Wednesday, hours after Chinese authorities had prevented her from her staging a news conference for "safety" reasons.
The Athens 2004 Olympic gold medalist said she was determined to carry on even after plainclothes police banned her scheduled news conference at a Beijing hotel "for our safety."
Beard, 26, declined to say if she believed that was the real motive for the ban.
She went ahead with her campaign, only at a different location. Instead of the hotel, she appeared in front of reporters and TV cameras outside the heavily fenced Olympic athletes' village.
"What happens with animals when their skin is ripped from their bodies when they are still alive, it's heartbreaking for me," she said. The Olympics provided a great platform for making those views known, she added.
Chinese Olympic security guards watched the media scrum from the South Gate of the village but did not intervene. The German Olympic cycling team, heading out for training in hot, muggy weather, stopped for a look.
PETA spokesman Jason Baker said eight Chinese security officials in plain clothes showed up at the group's hotel late on Tuesday to announce the planned press conference would not be permitted. They cited safety concerns, he said.
"I think they just didn't understand what we had planned," he told Reuters. "We are not protesting against China. We just want to promote compassion for animals.
"We know they don't like talking about animal rights. I guess they didn't want to take any chances right ahead of the opening of the Olympics," Baker added.
But there would be no protest, he said. "Five years ago we wouldn't even have considered doing this here."
Source: Web News

Dog swallows long long stick

A dog has survived after an operation to remove a two-foot long stick it had swallowed.
Hector, an 11-stone great dane, gulped down the branch as he played in his owner's garden in Hertfordshire.
Vets spotted the 63cm stick, which stretched over two-thirds of the dog's body, when they gave him an x-ray.
Owners Gerrard and Pam Panting, of Wheathampstead, took the dog to the surgery after he began drooling and looking unwell.
Mr Panting said: "It all started on Friday night. He came in from the garden and he was just not himself, he was drooling and we thought that he had eaten something. The next day he was exactly the same.
"When we took him to the vet we were shocked."
'Gulped it down'
Mrs Panting said: "It was so long that they couldn't get the full stick on the x-ray and he had to be transferred after anaesthetic to the Royal Veterinary College."
The couple said they do not know how Hector came to swallow the stick but think he must have been playing with it in the garden.
"Because he had had not actually damaged himself too much, he probably had gulped it down rather than running around and it jammed down as he hit something," Mr Panting said.
"Talking to the vets afterwards, they said there are a lot of sticks around that are much, much shorter that actually kill dogs if they perforate the gullet or the stomach but we were very lucky! Source: BBC News

Physical benefits of dog companionship:

Increase longevity after heart attacks. Dog ownership increases the odds for survival in persons who have had a heart attack from 1 in 15 to 1 in 87.
Lower cholesterol and triglycerides. People with pets have been found to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared to people who did not have pets, even when matched for weight, diet, and smoking habits.
Decrease blood pressure and reduce stress. Studies of people undergoing stress tests or physical examinations have demonstrated that the presence of a dog lowered their heart rate and blood pressure during testing.
Increase physical activity and functioning. People who own pets often have better physical health due to the need to exercise and care for their pets.
Reduce medical appointments and minor health problems. The use of prescription drugs and the overall cost of caring for patients in nursing homes dropped in those facilities where companion animals became part of the therapy.
Predict seizures. Some people who have periodic seizures have reported that their dogs can sense the onset of a seizure before they can. Now it has been found that dogs can be specially trained to recognize some type of change prior to a seizure, and signal the owner of the imminent seizure. These dogs are called 'seizure-alert' or 'seizure-response' dogs, and can be trained to signal their owners from 15 to 45 minutes prior to a seizure.
Alert to hypoglycemia. There are also animals who alert their owners to episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which allows the owner to correct the level before serious symptoms develop. Web Report

Gangs use violence to steal pets

Labradors are among the most popular targets for dog thieves
An animal charity says criminal gangs are becoming increasingly prepared to use violence to steal pets.

Dog Lost says there are cases of gangs threatening owners with knives and even guns to steal rare or expensive dogs.

Spokeswoman Jane Hayes said it took over 100 calls a week from owners that believe their dogs have been stolen.

The Missing Pets Bureau, which says one-third of missing dogs are actually stolen, reports a surge in owners using pet detectives to find their animals.

Ms Hayes, of Dogs Lost, said that part of the problem was that the police did not take dog thefts seriously.

"We have a few forces lately that have been working together with us and we've almost cut it out in their areas, when it's known that the police will help.

"There are two types of dog thief. You've got your professionals that travel around the country and they're after the working dogs - lurchers, terriers, labradors, and then unfortunately the biggest increase lately is inner city, where it's basically for drug money.

"They see a dog tied up outside a shop, they walk off with it and sell it round the corner in the local pub for £20, £30.

"Unfortunately these ones get more and more violent. Now they realise they're desperate for money they're attacking owners at knifepoint in parks in daylight."

Ms Hayes said owners should make sure their animal is identifiable, by use of a microchip or similar methods, and to also vary their regular walking routes.
Source: BBC News

"GUS" crowned World's Ugliest Dog in the World

A three-legged, one-eyed, cancer-afflicted dog named Gus has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog at a fair in California.
Gus, a Chinese Crested dog, beat allcomers to take the title at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.
Owner Jeanenne Teed, from Florida, said she would spend the $1,600 prize on treatment for Gus's skin cancer.
The competition has been running for 20 years, and is one of the fair's top attractions, organisers said.
Vicki DeArmon, marketing director of the fair, said that in the past few years, winners had been dogs that had been abandoned or neglected before being adopted by dog-lovers.

In pictures: Ugliest dog contest"They may look hard to love, but apparently they are not. I've never seen dogs better cared for," she added.
Gus was rescued from a bad home.
One of his legs was amputated as a consequence of his skin tumour.
He lost an eye to a tomcat in a fight.

Training your Dog

Training a dog can be enjoyable and rewarding. It’s not necessary to have formal training to teach a dog behavioral skills. It is necessary, however, to be consistent, firm and loving, while making it fun. When dogs know what to expect from their masters, they’re much more likely to comply. Here are a few tips to make your training experience a rewarding one for both you and your pet. First of all, it’s important to begin training as soon as you bring a dog into your home. Whether you have a puppy or an older dog, it’s important that it knows who’s in charge. As dogs are pack animals, they need to know their role in the hierarchy of the home. Once the dog can identify its master as the leader, it will be much easier to teach it necessary commands. Some dogs may always test their boundaries, but knowing they have a set role in the family gives them a measure of comfort. Secondly, make it fun for the dog. Speaking in a soothing, encouraging voice, and lavishing praise on your pet when it follows direction helps reinforce the lesson learned. If a dog thinks sitting, staying or fetching is fun, it will be more likely to perform on command. When training a dog, it can be frustrating in the beginning if the dog doesn’t follow direction. If this happens, stop the training session. Dogs can sense stressful situations, and react accordingly. Lessons should be enjoyable for a dog. Practicing positive reinforcement goes much further than teaching a dog to fear its master. If it thinks it’s playing a game, it’s more interested in participating. Next, be consistent. If you’re teaching a dog the “sit” command, and it’s rewarded whether it sits or not, it won’t learn the lesson. Follow through is critical during training. A dog must be able to identify consequences for its actions. If it carries out the command, it’s praised. If it doesn’t do what’s been asked, it isn’t. Sending mixed messages to the dog will make training that much more difficult. Use the same hand signals and/or simple verbal commands for each lesson. If you’re teaching your dog to stay off the sofa, repeating the same word, such as “off,” each time is much more effective than using different words, like “down” and “go,” interchangeably. The dog needs simple, clear, consistent direction to best understand and carry out its duties. Also, every member of the family must commit to taking part in training the dog. If one parent enforces the rules, and someone else in the home doesn’t, the dog will quickly figure out that it can get away with misbehaving, and all the work the trainer did can unravel. Dogs can get bored with lengthy training sessions. Positive gains can be seen in just a few minutes per session. Focusing on one trick for too long can cause the dog to tune out entirely, while shorter sessions spread throughout the week can be effective and enforce lessons. As your dog learns tricks, add new ones. This way, their confidence grows when they can respond to commands they’re familiar with, but they can look forward to learning something new. They enjoy pleasing their masters, and can withdraw if they sense that they’re not doing so. Formal obedience training is also an option, for owners who would like to reinforce lessons they’re teaching at home. Generally, it’s a simple matter of spending enough time with the dog, and consistently enforcing rules. Not only is it rewarding for the dog, it’s rewarding for the master as well. Not only is a well-behaved dog a joy to be around, but training a dog can create an unbreakable bond between dog and master.

Make Dog Treats with Four Ingrediants

Things You’ll Need:
2 Cups of Oats
2 1/2 Cups of Flour
2 Cups of Water
Your choice
Step1 Preheat oven 375. Bake Time 45 minutes or until Treats slide off pan without help.
Step2 Mix all ingredients together - well. This is the fun part - Mix your pets favorite ingredient. Examples = Peanut butter, cinnamon, chicken flavor, beef flavor, carrots, pumpkin, garlic, or cheese. Have fun with it.
Step3 Roll out dough. Extra flour might be needed to keep dough from sticking to rolling pin and surface. Cut with favorite shape or use drinking glasses or cups.
Step4 Place on cookie sheet. Extra space for rising is not needed. These treats do not rise or flatten out.
Step5 Bake for 45 minutes or until color slightly browns. These cookies do not change color a great deal so you can also check for done by if the treat slides off the cookie sheet.
Step6 Let cool. Keep in the refrigerator. These treats are just like cookies that humans eat, in that they are perishable.

Don't Let Your Dog Suffer From Fleas or Ticks This Summer

Parasitology experts Bayer Animal Health is issuing a reminder message to all dog owners as the spring 'tick season' nears. During spring, blood-sucking ticks can be amongst the most common problems for the family dog. Bayer Animal Health urges pet owners to consider an anti-parasite treatment to prevent their dogs from being bitten by ticks during their daily walk.

"The recent mild winters have allowed a huge increase in tick numbers, which continues consistently throughout the year - although it is fair to say that the only time we stop seeing ticks is after a few days of frost."

"Ticks are a problem in certain areas and dogs should be checked for ticks after every walk, particularly after walking through vegetation such as rough grasses, bracken, gorse and heather areas that are particularly capable of harbouring ticks."

Not only can tick bites cause skin irritation for both dog and owner but ticks can also transmit dangerous diseases via their saliva. Lyme Disease for example can cause fever, acute lameness, joint swelling and renal failure in dogs as well as arthritis and skin problems in humans.

"We are seeing more and more cases of Canine Vector-Borne Disease (CVBD) transmitted by ticks and we have had several dogs die from tick-borne disease despite prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment."

The best protection against ticks is to treat your dog with a product which not only kills ticks but also acts as a repellent to block ticks from attaching to your dog in the first place. By using a preventative treatment, which is available from veterinary surgeons, owners can confidently protect their dogs."

It is thought that current official statistics for tick-borne diseases are underestimated of the real picture. The likely reason for this is because carriers of tick-borne diseases either do not receive treatment or remain undiagnosed.

Vet News

Kids open lemonade stand to help cat get surgery

This is such a heart warming story that I had to publish it and we can all learn from it. Learn to open up your hearts to all animals who are in need of our help and love. So please open your hearts to my cause and give to Save the dogs here. Buy a Permenant link.

OGDEN, Utah - The homemade signs says it all: Buy a drink, help my cat. Aspen Granath hopes the plea will draw enough customers to her lemonade stand on a street corner to pay for expensive surgery for her cat, Patches.
The 10-year-old and her 8-year-old brother, Skylar, opened for business a few days ago and say they plan to staff the roadside stand for about four hours a day.
A spinal cord injury left the cat partially paralyzed. The children's father said a veterinarian has recommended amputation of the leg so that Patches can have a more normal life.
The cost of the surgery, medications and other care could run as much as $700.
For thirsty passers-by, the cost of helping out is just $1 for a bottle of water and 25 cents for a packet of powdered lemonade or fruit juice.
Aspen said she'll "do this as long as it takes" because Patches is one of her favorite pets . Source: Web News

Cancer-Sniffing Dog to Be Cloned

Black Lab Like Me May 21, 2008 -- A Japanese center which says it has trained a dog to sniff out human cancer cells is cloning the animal in South Korea, a Seoul-based biotechnology company and the dog's owner said Wednesday.

Cloned fetuses from the black labrador retriever named Marine were last month implanted into a surrogate mother dog, said Ra Jeong-Chan, president of RNL Bio.

"We are going to see the clones around the end of this month," Ra said.

Marine, who is six and half years old, lost her ability to reproduce when she had her womb removed because of disease.

She is owned by Yuji Satoh, a head trainer at St. Sugar Cancer Sniffing Dog Training Center, located at Shirahama in Chiba prefecture.

Satoh said experts from Seoul National University, which created the world's first cloned dog in 2005, had taken some skin samples from Marine and brought them back to South Korea for the project.

"We are making clones of Marine. She is touted as having a world top cancer-sniffing ability. By making her clones, we want to promote studies into cancer-sniffing dogs," Satoh said.

"It's the world's first cloning of a cancer-sniffing dog."

He and the Korean firm, which is coordinating the project, have agreed to produce two clones and train them at Satoh's center.

Source: Web News,