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A Happy Healthy Best Friend

Have you heard the amazing story of Jim the Wonder Dog?

Jim the Wonder Dog hunting trip

Jim was a Llewellyn setter born of pureblood champion field stock in Louisiana. Though his litter mates were selling for $25 each, a goodly sum in 1925, he was considered the most unlikely of the litter and came into Sam VanArsdale's hands for less than half that amount. Read On...

The site of the Jim The Wonder Dog Garden off the northwest corner of the Square is the place once occupied by the Ruff Hotel where Jim lived with his owner Sam VanArsdale, the hotel manager. This is town of Marshall Missouri's way of commemorating one of it's most famous "citizens".

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some
have entertained Angels Unawares." Hebrews 13:12

"A Tribute to the Dogs Aboard the Titanic " in Branson Missouri

These two lovable King Charles spaniels pay tribute to the dogs aboard the Titanic. They'll be here to welcome you onboard each day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Their job as official mascots of the ship is to meet you, greet you, AND spend time lounging in their lavish dog kennel located inside our ship. At the stroke of noon everyday, Molly and Carter will promenade down past our outdoor waterfall with a brief but brilliant presentation to our guests along with photo opportunities

Come find out how many were aboard and how many survived
Collect all ten dog boarding passes
Hear true dog tales
Receive an educational bookmark

Crate Training Made Easy - Teaching your new dog these critical lessons will pay off all his life.

Some twenty years ago I got a new puppy. Keli was an Australian Kelpie, acquired by the Marin Humane Society to be my Canine Field Agent, partner and assistant in my daily duties as an Animal Services Officer. Being selected for this program was a huge honor and responsibility. I was determined to do everything right in caring for and training my pup.

I had heard about a new technique in puppy-raising, called crate-training, where you put your dog in a small kennel at night, and whenever you had to leave him alone. I was skeptical. Put a puppy in a cage? It sounded cruel! Still, determined to provide cutting-edge care for my pup in this cutting-edge program, I decided to try it. After all, the puppy would be with me most of the time in the animal services truck, so we were really only talking about nighttime crating. Unconvinced but determined to try, prior to bringing the pup home I purchased a crate and set it up in my bedroom.

When I brought the 10-week-old pup home, I braced myself for the two most trying challenges of puppy-raising: house training and chewing. I was about to be pleasantly surprised. The first night in her crate, Keli cried for a few minutes – typical behavior on the first night away from her mother and littermates. But then she curled up and went to sleep.

At 2 a.m. she woke me with insistent crying. She was telling me she needed to go out – WOW! I got up, took her out to pee, then returned her to the crate and went back to bed. After another perfunctory period of protest she went back to sleep. When I woke up the next morning her crate was clean, I didn’t have to worry about stepping in – or cleaning up – puppy piles or puddles, and thanks to the boundaries of the crate, there were no chewed up shoes or electrical cords. My skepticism started to fade. Read Complete Article...

Purina Farms near St. Louis Missouri

Purina Farms combines a tourist center and two canine competition areas. Show and field events as well as hands-on activities and exhibits reinforce the bond between pets and their people.

THE VISITORS CENTER

Regularly scheduled obedience shows and grooming demonstrations captures the essence of the relationship people have with their pets. Children can also pet Purina’s own dogs and cats, milk a cow, and play in the hayloft.

THE CANINE COMPETITION CENTER

Designed specifically for field and test competition, our 10-acre Canine Competition Center features a spacious arena for herding trials and tests, lure coursing and whippet races. The Center also features a lighted course, holding pen and paddock.

Purina Farms, located in the center of the country on 300 acres of gentle rolling hills, is a well-established, prime destination for outdoor conformation show and dog performance events. Now Purina is pleased to announce a new world-class indoor event center with all the amenities to make every dog show an exceptional one. Combined with Purina's outdoor venue, the new Purina Event Center will be able to accommodate a full range of canine activities from all breed shows and national specialties to lure coursing, herding, agility and earth-dog trials. More Info...

Never Underestimate the Dedication of "Little Dog" with a Giant Heart

It was March when Midge joined the office of Ohio Geauga County Sheriff, Dan McClelland, as an aspiring drug sniffing dog. At the time she was three months old and weighed two pounds. She was just a rookie, but she had big dreams. In August she began training to be a state certified drug-sniffing dog. Now all grown up at eight pounds, Midge has received certification as a full-fledged K-9 drug detector in the state of Ohio. Midge scored 100% on her test. Sheriff McClelland, her boss and trainer, is ready to take her anyplace with him for full duties as a narc dog. Not only that, but she has also made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the tiniest drug sniffing dog on the planet. Stories about Midge have appeared in the press all over the world. If there were a Nobel Prize for good public relations in law enforcement, Sheriff McClelland & Midge would win.

Copper has stolen Trent's heart!

The pitter patter of four little feet arrived at the home of Trenton B. January 30, 2008. After what seemed like years of longing for his very own puppy, 6-year-old Trenton brought home his very own miniature Beagle.

Born mid December at the home of his breeder, a baby boy Beagle longed for a boy of his own for what seemed like such a very long time. Miles away, Trenton had a longing in his heart for a puppy of his very own.

One snowy day, Trenton's Mother took him for a drive for what was to be the most wonderful surprise for a Beagle puppy and a little boy.

"Copper" was placed in Trenton's arms, where he will stay and they will be best friends forever.

If you are as silly about your pets as we are, and we are guessing you might be because your here, you may be interested in Dogphoria...

Dogphoria - My Space for Dogs, only 10x cuter!

Dogphoria is your very own canvas to customize your pup's unique webpage. Meet like-minded members with great pooches. Be a fab photo-sharing community and give a whole lot back in the process. That's why 10% of Pro membership fees are donated to animal shelters.

Healthy Pet Foods

Many veterinarians wisely advise against using generic foods because their protein might be of inferior quality. Some extremely health-conscious owners shy away from semi moist foods, which may contain dyes and chemicals to keep them soft and fresh, as well as foods containing animal by-products. In light of recent food recalls many owners now make their own pet food. If that's the path you choose, consult one of the many publications with helpful information on dog nutrition, such as "The Whole Dog Journal".

What you can do:

Read the ingredients; look for dog foods containing whole meats, vegetables and grains. High quality meat proteins are important. Avoid meat by-products.
Remember that the more ingredients a food contains (with the exception of added vitamins and minerals) the less of each ingredient the food contains.
Expect to pay for quality, but realize it is worth it for a healthy dog!
Stop feeding any food if your dog exhibits signs of illness. Get him to a vet, and contact the manufacturer with the date-code from the bag.

Pet Food Direct – PetFoodDirect.com specializes in meeting your needs as a pet owner. We carry over 11,000 products for dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, birds, small animals and fish all delivered to your door! With over 400 brands to choose from, you’re sure to find the dog food, cat food, or other pet supplies you're looking for!

dog.com – It has been said that what goes into your dog is what makes your dog. Feed your canine companion to the best of your ability with one of our premium dog diets. With puppy, adult, senior and breed-specific formulas, in a wide variety of forms, such as kibble, canned and freeze dried; all our dog foods will help your dog live up to his potential! Plus, you can enjoy the convenience of shopping from home, which makes you doubly smart!

Halo, Purely For Pets! – Halo’s Spot’s Stew® for Dogs and Cats is all-natural, holistic food that has been served by discerning pet parents for over 20 years. Developed by a pet lover to nurse her pet back to health, Halo’s Spot’s Stew for Dogs and Cats is made with the highest-quality USDA-approved ingredients in a USDA-certified facility.

The Honest Kitchen – Our healthy, dehydrated raw pet foods offer a way to create fresh, natural meals for your pet in the comfort of your home. No cooking and no freezers required!

How to Choose the Right Dog Food

You are uniquely well-qualified to select the best food for your dog.

by Nancy Kerns

No one is in a better position than you are to decide which food you should feed your dog. That may not be what you wanted to hear. You may have been hoping that someone would reveal to you the name of the world’s healthiest food, so you could just buy that and have it done with.

But dogs, just like people, are individuals. What works for this dog won’t work for that one. A Pointer who goes jogging with his marathon-running owner every day needs a lot more calories than the Golden Retriever who watches TV all day. The diet that contains enough fat to keep that sled dog warm through an Alaskan winter would kill that Miniature Poodle who suffers from pancreatitis. The commercial kibble that stopped my Border Collie’s itching and scratching in its tracks may cause your Bedlington Terrier to develop copper storage disease.

Every food on the market contains different ingredients, and each one has the potential to cause symptoms of allergy or intolerance in some dogs. Every food contains a different ratio of macronutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates – and you have to learn by trial and error which ratio works best for your dog. Each product contains varying amounts of vitamins and minerals, and though most fall within the ranges considered acceptable by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), some may be in excess of, or deficient to your dog’s needs.

So how do you choose? Read complete article...

Finding the Right Rawhide Chew For Your Dog

Safe, natural chews are hard to find, but they do exist. By Nancy Kerns

There are an infinite number of things in pet supply stores that are intended for our dogs’ chewing pleasure. I wouldn’t buy a great many of them for any dog of mine. Why? Because many are too hard, inviting broken teeth. Some are splintery, risking perforated intestines and other internal injuries.

I wouldn’t eat plastic for any number of reasons, and I don’t allow my dog to chew up and swallow bits of plastic-based chew toys, either. Animal-based chews seem more natural, but some (especially things like pig ears) are dried to a level of brittleness that seems to invite internal injuries when the shards are crunched into small pieces and swallowed. It hurts my throat just thinking about it!

Chews made from dried tendons offer what I consider to be the ideal chewy consistency, but can’t be found in a large enough size to ensure that my large dog will be forced to chew them slowly, rather than swallow chunks that he could choke on. Dried “pizzles” (made from beef and other animal penises) also offer an ideal consistency, but I admit that I find them (and certain other chewy but identifiable anatomical parts, like pig snouts) too gross to handle.

That leaves me looking at the rawhide chews. Read Complete Article...

The Whole Dog Journal

As dog lovers we have learned much from reading The Whole Dog Journal from puppy to adult into old age Nancy Kerns has been there to guide us and assist us through raising, training and doing the very best for the happiness of our dog's lives. We highly recommend this publication if you live share your life with a dog.

Keeping your Best Friend Happy & Healthy!

Grooming is an important part of your dog's health, with regular brushing and combing helping to remove dead hair and dirt and prevent matting. Dogs who are regularly groomed tend to have a healthier and shinier coat because it stimulates the blood supply to the skin.

Grooming your dog can also be a good way to bond with your dog, and it's important to get him used to it from an early age. Many dogs learn to see their routine brushing as an alternate petting, another source of affection and attention. A good quality brush and comb will help you with your dog's coat, but also remember that your dog's eyes, ears, and nails require attention as well. Best Friends Pet Care also has Breed Specific Tips to help you with your breed of dog.

Regular grooming keeps your dog clean, healthy and manageable, as well as preventing yeast infections caused by matted hair, periodontal disease caused by uncared for teeth, ear infections from excessive buildup of wax, dirt and bacteria, etc. This article covers basic at-home grooming and ways to make the process more pleasant for everyone involved.

You will find helpful tips to Bathe and Groom your dog at How to Groom Your Dog.

Wikipedia.org

The Whole Dog Journal – We highly recommend The Whole Dog Journal for up to date information of Dog Food quality be it canned, dry or home cooked. There are so many pet foods on the market today; The Whole Dog Journal is a helpful resource in determining what and how to feed your best friend.

Dr. Marty.com

Dr. Marty Goldstein is recognized by his peers as one of the profession’s foremost practitioners of integrative medicine. He started his career as a highly trained conventional veterinarian, but he has spent his life understanding how to “integrate” alternative therapies to preserve good health and return sick animals to a natural state of good health. His knowledge, experience and the results he has achieved have placed him at the top of this "new school" of integrative veterinary care.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier

Shawn Messonier seeks to help you take a natural approach to your pet's health. He is a veterinarian who has done prominent work as a holistic pet-care specialist. He wrote the award winning "The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats," has a weekly newspaper column called "The Holistic Pet," and contributes to Body+Soul magazine. If you can't make it to Paws & Claws Animal Hospital in Plano, Texas (which Shawn owns), you can ask him your pet questions every Tuesday night during the award-winning "Dr. Shawn, the Natural Vet" on Martha Stewart Living Radio.

We all want to keep our furbabies safe and healthy. Dogster Kristy Sweetland, furmom to Seva and Finlay, will be providing weekly tips and warnings from the Pet Poison HELPLINE™ to make that job easier. As a veterinary technician with the Pet Poison HELPLINE™ she’s going to help us all stay more on top of what’s dangerous for our furry family members.
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2007/06/20/tips-from-the-pet-poison-helpline-grapes-and-raisins/

A Dogs Life

Where Nancy Freedman-Smith, dog trainer and owner of Gooddogz Training, provides a place for dog owners to find positive training tips, canine-activities and places to visit along with the latest information on keeping your dog healthy and active.