Here comes the Bride.... and the dog!

Many pet owners and celebrities these days are choosing to include their pet(s) in their wedding. In many cases, the pet attending or in the wedding happens to be a dog, since dogs are most easily trained and social but I understand that cats, parakeets and other little ones have been a part of those special days too. I remember my sweet beloved Taylor (my first Weiner-dog) and how precious he was to me but I cannot say how he would do in a wedding and I am not sure if I would have wanted to find out.

I understand that it is all in the wedding planning. If you do not know how your pet will react around a group of people, I am not sure I would take the chance. Pets can be very unpredictable at times and over excited. BUT… if you are sure Fido will be an added blessing for your wedding day, I say GO FOR IT!

Why not I guess, there is even an online game where you can dress your pet for the big day. Freeplaynow.com offers a free online game where you change out outfits on your pet to participate in the blessed event. If you want a dog tiara, just add it on, if you want her with a doggie wedding veil change it up and you are ready to roll.

There are steps to take before planning your big day if you are going to include your best buddy in the festivities:

• Find out if the establishment allows pets whether it be in a church or reception hall.


• Make sure you tell your Wedding Planner about the plans to include Buster. She should know exactly what to do.


• Appoint a “temporary guardian” to be with your dog during the entire event making sure he is not overwhelmed, or needs water or simply to “relieve himself”.


• Always have a “Plan B”, just in case things don’t go as planned.


• Again.....unpredictable pets can cause an unpredictable outcome, so rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again.
  
  Most importantly in my book is for your pet to look good at the wedding!! Bridal fashion for dogs, whether they are tying the knot or involved in their owners wedding is so crucial. There are precious dog wedding outfits out there. You can spend as low as $25.00 all the way up to a $215.00 for this great Diamond Jim Leather and Swarovski Crystal Dog Vest. Don’t forget the wedding dog accessories either… the veil, the dress, the tux, the jewelry, hat and the bachelor party wear!
  
  Make sure your photographer includes your party go-er as well and have a wonderful wedding!

Read More

Have a "Howling" Good Time!

Expect an invitation and wear your best duds to the new growing trends of Doggie Birthday Parties! I thought we were in a recession, but have a birthday party for your doggie, why not?

Some pet parents throw extremely elaborate doogie birthday parties for their canines, other times, a dog birthday party is a low-key affair or simply an excuse to get together with friends. Planning can be extensive or relatively minor depending on what you have in mind.

Such dog birthday parties are part of a growing trend, according to the American Pet Products Association. The group's 2009-10 National Pet Owners Survey says that about 7 percent of dog owners hold holiday or birthday dog parties for their friends. That's up from 6 percent before 2008. And the APPA projects that those numbers will keep growing even through the recession, as overall pet spending hits $45.4 billion this year. That is a lot of partying!

There are many pup party preparations to take before throwing your pooch a birthday party, you must plan like you would any birthday party.

• Doggie cakes or doggie treats (there are so many choices, you can get flavours including banana nut, apple cinnamon and honey almond make it easy to customize for your pampered pooch and his friends.

• Doggie birthday hats or doggie bandanas
  


• Don't forget to decorate with balloons and Doggie birthday party theme plates, cups, streamers etc.

• Goodie bags

• Don't forget the best thing! Every birthday girl or boy should have a brand new pooch birthday outfit to sport at the special event!
  

• Don’t forget to give your “human party go-ers” refreshments! Try"K9 Candy", which is the cutest bone-shaped people candy around or "Kooky Chew" party food snacks, that looks like kibbles. Service snacks in dog bowls, it will be a HUGE hit! You can make sandwiches and then cut with a dog bone shaped cookie cutter.

Doggie Birthday Activities and Birthday party games are fun too! Have each doggie guest come in doggie costume and have a mini-fashion show! You might want to pick up some pet friendly small organic dog toys to use as prizes for best costume, most original, funniest, etc. There are great doggie costumes to buy out there!

Instead of receiving gifts for your Pooch, why not ask for donations to favorite charities, especially those benefiting animals. Have party go-ers bring a bag of dog food, or a pet bed, or something that you can take to a local shelter.

Whatever you do and how big you make your Doggie Birthday Party, remember to just enjoy your time, stay safe and make new friends!

Read More

Life Vest for Dogs, so many uses

Doing my normal internet surfing for dog clothing and accessorories, I stumbled across a pretty cool idea to keep your doggies safe while they are frolicking in the water, LIFE JACKETS FOR DOGS!

I am amazed, I had no idea that not all dogs can swim, so having a floation device on your dog would ease your mind. The life jacket also provides an effective way to rehabilitate dogs with leg injuries. Sometimes after surgeries, dogs are immobilized and this makes many of our furry friends unhappy. But with one of these lifejackets our dogs can take of excess strain and rehabilitate effectively by swimming rather than going for a run. Not all dogs take to them right off, I understand that in time, they adjust just fine. Not sure if your dog is anything like mine, but my playful doggy loves to jump in the pool and swim with our family during the summer. We love having him in, but have always worried about how long he can swim safely. You know, they swim out and then they look a little tired so you try and lead them back to the edge or step of the pool.

These canine life vests come in many different sizes, different prices, different colors and by different brands. I found great ones which I am excited to share with you today. Some of these are large size dog life vests others smaller sized floation support for your petite pooch. . Now your pup can play with the family and be just as safe as your toddler who should be wearing water wings ;).There is more than just safety when swimming with family. We go out on our boat pretty frequently and in case our pup slips off the edge or decides to take a dive, we know that he will be taken care of with one of these safe yet fashionable life saving dog vests.

What a great idea to take care of our dogs during these summer months. What pup wants to stay at home while the family is outside enjoying their summer? I can’t wait to see these on the lake this summer!

Here are a few dog water safety tips for your little one: You can get additonal tips at: http://www.akc.org/public_education/summer_safety.cfm

~Test your dog, see if he can swim. If not, don’t force him in the water, especially puppies.

~Do not let your dog drink pool, lake or saltwater. It can make him sick.

~Watch for algae scum in any body of water as it can be toxic for dogs.

~Know Dog CPR

~Be careful of unfamiliar lakes or parts of the beach. Strong currents can pull the dog right under.

~Limit your dog’s time in the water. They get very tired too and older dogs will poop out much faster.

~Dogs can get sunburned too, apply dog sunscreen to their ears and their noses.

~Keep your dog hydrated

~Hot sand or a hot boat dock or deck can burn your dog’s paws. Try putting your pooch in these great dog sandals to protect them!

Keep your family safe this summer and ENJOY!

Read More

The Proper Doggie

We all know Ellen loves her dogs! On her show yesterday we saw and were introduced to her guest and featured expert Hollywood dog trainer, Tamar Geller - of The Loved Dog Foundation - and Author of The Loved Dog - and she's also a dog and human life coach.

When the Doggie Bloggie Goddesses saw this; we knew we had to share with our readers interested in all things canine. We reviewed her website, and learned more. Tamar's methods include playful instruction based on twenty plus years of experience and observation of wolf culture; and surprisingly - human learning during the toddler years. She's developed training programs that have proven successful for dogs of all breeds, sizes and personalities.

Having been featured on Ellen, Oprah (here's an informative video of Oprah and Tamar training Oprah's dogs NOT to jump!) and Animal Planet - she's now written a book, The Loved Dog, and has a world of resources, Q&A, helpful tips and articles on her foundation's website The Loved Dog.

We're going to watch some of her videos; learn some of her techniques - and we hope you do too. Here's one of her videos we found on YouTube to introduce you to her - and let her explain to you how she came to her training methods and love for dogs. Enjoy!

Read More

Welcome to the all-new Dog Blog - Bloggie For Doggie

Welcome - and look soon for product reviews, cool products, and great gift ideas for our fine-furry friends!

Read More