Active Canines

Their Own Vending Machines

You know that you live in a dog-friendly town when you buy dog treats from a vending machine! Dallas Morning News: No More Playing Dead: Dog vending machines a downtown tipping point. 2007-Nov-24, editorial: The red vending machine on the Browder Street plaza between Jackson and Commerce in downtown Dallas seems odd when you first come across it. The contraption contains doggie delicacies, which makes you wonder: Do dogs really need their own vending machines these days?

Getting the Dog into the Game

Now you don't have to leave out the dog when playing games with families and friends. This company has a couple of different solutions: Darf Dog Games. DO YOU MIND is the new card/dice game people and dogs play. Friends and family compete to get their dogs to dance, pose, sing, play footsie among 60 fun activities. People and dogs have fun together while the dog learns, plays and becomes more socialized. This is a great game for parties!

Sniffing Out Termites

Digital Chosunilbo - Daily News in English About Korea: Termite Sniffing Dogs Patrol Palaces. , 2007-Nov-1: A pair of dogs have become guardians of Korea's ancient palaces, trained to sniff out termites that damage the wooden buildings. The Cultural Heritage Administration said it's the first time dogs have been used to guard the palaces since Korea won its independence. It's also the first time animals have been used to help preserve the nation's cultural landmarks.

How Much Chocolate Dangerous?

We once returned from holiday visits to discover our dog had chewed through a Christmas stocking to eat the chocolate. I wasn't sure whether to be more concerned about the chocolate or the foil wrappers and plastic beads she had consumed.... Here's the best guide to dog chocolate consumption I've found.

PetLvr.com: Will Your Dog Really Get Sick If It Eats Chocolate?. 2007-Jul-24, by Alex Page: Milk Chocolate can be toxic if your dog eats 1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight. Semisweet chocolate can be toxic if your dog 1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight. Bakers chocolate can be toxic if your dog eats 1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight. Based on that, 3 oz. of Bakers chocolate can be harmful to a 25 lb. dog, while 3 oz of of milk chocolate could just give him diarrhea.... If your dog is showing any signs of hyper excitability, hyper irritability, increased heart rate, restlessness, increased urination, muscle tremors, vomiting, or diarrhea, take him to the vet immediately.

Cuppa Joe for Fido

Doggy Java: I wanted Doggy Java to make dogs feel the way I did when I would smell and taste my cup of coffee or tea – all yummy inside.   So, we all worked long and hard to develop a formula that would be a nutritional, palatable fluid that was healthy and delicious for dogs.  With many years of research and going back and forth with ideas, I finally came up with a unique and wonderful treat for dogs that not only would hydrate them, but give them their nutritional value of vitamins and minerals.

Serving People and their Pets

Interfaith Animal Chaplains is a specialized ministry of Interfaith Officiants.com, listing dozens of independent Animal Chaplains around the world.  The listing is a community service, and each Chaplain works independently within his/her own congregation, ministry, or organization.  Independent Animal Chaplains provide an array of services to the community.  We provide pet loss grief support and perform memorial services, pray for animals who are sick or injured, as well as many other services.

Bike-riding Companions

Are your dog's legs too short to keep up with your bike? Then the Saki Seat may be the answer. It's designed to carry dogs up to 40 lbs on the "top tube" (runs from seat to handles) of the bike. The Saki Seat cradles your pets to provide secure lateral support, while giving them complete freedom of movement and balance for a fun and totally interactive experience for both of you!

Dogs Unleashed in new Book

Lisa Wogan has just published Unleashed, full of pictures and stories of dogs love to that play hard. Lisa is a contributing editor to Bark magazine, a lifestyle magazine about modern dog culture. A reviewer at Amazon said "Lisa's ability to tell the unique stories about the dogs featured in this book are what makes it a must buy! Her love for man's best friend and the excitement over the human-canine bond are obvious in the way the stories are written." Lisa says, "In short profiles and color photos, I celebrate more than 30 canine pals who climb, kayak, windsurf, innertube, climb, and on and on. These amazing pups—and many like them around the country—prod us to run a little faster, hike a little farther, and play a little wilder—and we are all the better for it."

Teaching Children to be Safe around Dogs

We've recently found a couple of web sites which offer ready-made educational materials for communicating safe behavior around dogs to children. Example material from  Safe Kids Safe Dogs: This dog is running loose in the park.  Most dogs can run faster than an Olympic runner or even you on your bike!  Dogs like to chase things that move fast.  Sometimes, these chases can lead to someone getting hurt!   Never run from a dog, chances are he will start to chase you.  You need to be boring.  Dogs do not like boring things. Doggone Safe has kits for teachers to use in the classroom.

Born to Jump

Excuse me, I'm new to this thing of embedded video (so behind the times!) but you have got to see the dog with pink ears jumping double dutch! She's quite the little athlete. These are happy dogs.

Link: YouTube - Jump Rope Dogs.