by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Pet Products and Celebrities

Once again Charlotte Reed, celebrity and pet product expert of Pet Socialite Events hosted a fabulous event on Tuesday, April 5th in New York City.  The Better Health and Wellness Pet Product Showcase event not only included some of the coolest new pet products this pet professional has seen in a long time, it was also host to many celebrities in attendance.  “I decided to do this showcase on Better Health and Wellness, because as more and more people are concerned with their own health and wellness, they are now looking for healthier, better, more organic and green products for their pets,” stated Charlotte Reed.

Charlotte Reed and Beth Stern

One of the first new products, I was really wishing had been invented while my other dog was still living since she always seemed to get minor cuts and scraps while playing, running, or on hikes is the PawFlex™ Bandages. I used to have to keep rolls of bandage, tape and gauze in the medicine cabinet – just in case – and this will solve that in an all-in-one simple solution, fantastic!  PawFlex is the first disposable, non adhesive stretch duel hook fastener bandage system designed specifically for our pets. Based in Brooklyn, and created by Jennifer DiGrazia, CEO of PawFlex – because of their beloved blind dog Maddy that she rescued, read more about it here.

PawFlex bandage2

Each bandage design has been specially created for a specific problem area regarding wound care as well as for distinct characteristics that has made past bandages less than adequate.  Also, each individually wrapped PawFlex bandage has a wound pad already attached, making it the first and only “ALL IN ONE” bandage for dogs.

There are currently four PawFlex designs ready for market with several more designs waiting to follow. Each design ranges from sizes XSmall to XLarge.  They will be soon available in local pet retail stores and vet offices.  Jennifer said, “they would also like to eventually be able to donate to small rescue groups and shelters.”

To prevent a little dog or puppy from falling off a balcony, your deck, through a slotted fence or baby gate – this next product is not only for safety, but pretty cute and very functional too.  Puppy Bumpers® originally called “Condo Collars” were invented by Ann Price in order to keep her own dog from getting through a baby gate.  The patented Puppy Bumpers® have been endorsed by dog trainers, veterinarians and other dog professionals as a non-aversive way to keep dogs safely inside a fence.

Puppy Bumpers

Ann Price of Puppy Bumpers showing Sonja Morgan of The Real Housewives of NYC

Did your pet just have surgery and is now a wearing a dreaded plastic e-collar and bumping into everything with it?  There is a better solution, the Trimline™ Recovery Collar.  Made from a specially designed fabric that is water resistant, non-allergenic and non-toxic, the Trimline collar easily slips over a pet’s head stays in place thanks to a drawstring design and is strong enough to withstand chewing and clawing. You also don’t have to worry about your pet bumping into things with the hard plastic e-collar with this new Trimline Collar – my dog would sometimes get stuck in doorways with the old big plastic e-collar on and scratch and dent furniture or walls – this won’t happen with the Trimline Collar.

My dog Max modeling the collar!

It is also folds, which is great to keep in a first aid kit in your car and one in your home.

The collar is an effective, flexible, collar for use with cats and dogs during grooming sessions or experiencing injury, surgery and trauma restraint conditions. It allows the animal to eat, drink and sleep in comfort while providing a barrier to the treatment area for licking and biting. It is soft, lightweight and easily applied with a simple drawstring design.

Then there was gym equipment made specifically for pets call FitPAWS which are like human fitness balls.  By looking at these you could see why they would be beneficial for pets with arthritis, that need physical therapy, and for pet enrichment and fun!  One may think a dog wouldn’t know what to do with the products, but all the dogs that were there hopped right on and seemed to instinctively know what to do, it was quite amazing.  One pit bull mix was having a blast it was very cute to see him on the equipment.  There was also a pet gym set up, that Charlotte Reed designed with pet health, activity and stimulus in mind and had FitPAWS equipment a doggie treadmill and more.

FitPAWS Gym Equipment

Going green – there were also a few different pet products that are honoring the green, holistic, organic and keeping local movement.  From very cool, unique and fantastic designed cat scratch posts, bed by Imperial Cat; to green dog beds by Molly Mutt – a dog bed duvet using your own old laundry for the stuffing of the bed; a brand new line of interactive pet toys and products that are safety tested to children’s toy standards by SafeMadePet™ and a local Long Island company; to lavender scented, made from corn, clumping cat litter by World’s Best Cat Litter; and grain free pet treats and raw pet food made from locally farmed products ingredients by Pawgevity™.

There will be a few other pet product reviews on products that were at the event coming up, right here on LIPetPlace.com – look for them soon!

Cubby, celebrity dog from Doggie Moms!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Springtime and Dog Owner Amnesia

It’s springtime on Long Island, what a beautiful thing!  We can walk our dogs more often now and not worry about slipping and falling on the ice or climbing over huge snow piles.  This past week especially I have personally seen a lot more dogs being walked than I have throughout the winter.  But I have also noticed many dog owners seem to forget the basics of walking their dog or maybe their spring fever has given them dog owner amnesia.

Or maybe you just got a new puppy or adopted a dog and haven’t had a dog in what seems like 100 years, and laws and park rules may have changed.  Maybe this is your first dog ever and you are learning the ropes, here are a few dog walking tips to help you along the way (for both new and old dog owners alike!):

Proper leashes and collars – The best leash is a 6-foot cotton or leather leash; which come in different widths and styles for your type and size of dog. Retractable leashes do not give you any control of your dog or dogs and can cause injury to people and dogs alike.  Most county and state parks require your dog to be on a 6-foot leash by law.  Your dog should have a flat collar with ID and NYS dog license on it, and if you are using a training collar to walk your dog, be sure to get it fitted properly by a professional dog trainer.  Most big box pet stores selling choke, prong, harnesses and other training apparatus do not fit your dog (or know how to) and will sell you wrong size for your dog. Smaller mom & pop pet stores or dog training facilities will have a better idea what to sell you and help you fit your dog in the store.

Greeting another person with a dog – ASK! Can your dog say hello?  Is your dog friendly? Many dog owners inadvertently just walk up to another dog owner without asking if their dog is friendly or can say hello. While most dogs are friendly and social with other dogs, not all dogs are dog friendly.  Maybe their dog was attacked before and is now terrified of dogs (or the owner is terrified), or maybe the dog is dog aggressive – and now you’re wandering over to the dog without asking.  Maybe they are just working on training techniques or just beginning to socialize their dog.  Ask! And don’t be offended if their dog can’t say hello to yours.

Watching other people’s body language – Did a dog owner you were approaching just cross the street with their dog?  (Maybe to avoid you and your dog).  Are they pulling their dog closer into them, putting the dog into a “heel” position?  Walking closer to the side of the trail at the park to give you more room to pass by?  These could be very easy body language signals that you can look out for – for tell ‘tail’ signs that they don’t want to or cannot greet your dog with theirs.  Pay attention!  Pull you dog closer to you if you see this happening, and for dog’s sake don’t cross the street for your dog to say ‘hi’ after the person just crossed to get away from you and your dog! Again, not all dogs are dog friendly – but those dog owners have the right to enjoy a dog walk in the park just as much as you do.

Don’t over do it the first walk out there, if you have only been walking your dog 10 minutes for the past 5 months, gradually get your dog back into a walking routine. Increase your time and distance a little each day and before you know you and your dog could be walking a few miles a day.  A tired dog is a good dog!

Off Leash parks – are popping up across LI, so there is no need to let you’re dog run loose and out of control where you’re not supposed to because you think he should be free.  An easy rule of thumb to remember is if you can not verbally control your dog off leash, i.e. having the dog ‘come’ on command or recall your dog to you. Your dog should not be running off leash where they are not supposed to!  Go to an off-leash enclosed dog park.  You can find many listed here.

Walking in your town of village – If your dog is out 20-feet ahead of you on a retractable leash and you’re walking through a village of busy town – pull that dog in!  If you see another person coming towards you with a dog or children, retract your dog in to walk next to you – how do you know that person’s dog is dog friendly or if the person is dog savvy?  Some kids are really scared of dogs, so don’t let your dog jump up or run up to a child.

Kids – Parents please teach your children to ask to pet a dog, not to run up to a dog (a bunch of charging children can be very scary to a dog that is not used to it!), and monitor your children around all pets at all times.  If you are teaching your child how to walk the family dog – this is a great idea, just be sure to have control of the situation.  Many times I have seen a kid holding the leash and running with the dog – it may look cute and seem fun, but if that dog decides to run after something or up to an unfriendly dog, it won’t be so cute anymore.  So just make sure you are controlling the situation as the parent, aunt, uncle, guardian, etc.  You want to have fun while out with your kids and dog and educate them at the same time about dog safety.

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Top of the mornin’ to you – St. Patrick’s Day is upon on us – that means lots of wearin’ of the green, parades all across the Island and fun dog costumes. Wait, what? That’s right many dogs, cats and horses will be sporting the green in honor of the festive Irish season. This looks adorable and fun, but might not be so much fun for the pet. Make sure if you are heading out to Montauk on the 20th for the big St. Patty’s Day parade that: 1.) your pet doesn’t mind wearing clothing, bandana, sunglasses, etc. (some pets are not happy with clothing, don’t force it); 2.) that your pet has proper ID with both your home and mobile number on it and is attached to their collar; and 3.) that your pet is well behaved, and has been around large, very noisy crowds before; 4) and use a proper 6-foot leash (leather or cotton is best) to bring you dog with to the parade.

Parades are a lot of fun for us, but our four legged friends may not enjoy the experience at all. If you have never brought your dog before, maybe for safety’s sake, yours, your pets, and the crowd’s – leave that pup home. Dogs that are well adjusted, trained, and socialized may and can do just fine, but people tend to bring their dogs that aren’t or have never been exposed to what a parade can bring. Dogs can easily get frightened from bag pipes, fire truck sirens, drum core, people petting the dog without asking and could snap someone or some child, slip away and could get lost.  (I have personally seen dogs completely freaking out and squirming in their owner’s arms at parades.)

With a parade almost every weekend for St. Patty’s Day across Long Island, if you insist on bringing your pet, pay attention to them. If you dog seems terrified or is pulling away, stay back from the crowd, or better yet, bring him home. Dog’s ears are more sensitive than human ears, so a blaring fire truck could send him running for the hills, or make the dog just plain uncomfortable. So enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day and think about leaving Buddy at home.

I had a Doberman that I brought with me almost everywhere, and she was well behaved and didn’t mind, crowds or noise, kids petting her, etc. at a parade (and happened to love, love, love horses!). But I always watched her body language and paid attention to her behavior while there. If she seemed off or uneasy (which was very rare for her being a well adjusted dog and not to mention Doberman), we left. The dog I have now is way too much of a scardy cat, and I would never subject him to the noise, crowds and other people’s unruly dogs.  So I can enjoy the parade and festivities and he stays home and sleeps!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

The Long Island Pet Expo drew in large crowds from across LI on Saturday, March 5, 2011, and with rain in the forecast for Sunday, expects the same turnout.  There is something for every type of pet or animal lover, whether you like dogs, pot bellied pigs, turtles, snakes, parrots and other wild life – this is the best place to see everything under one roof!

If you are thinking of adding a new pet to be a member of your family – there are rescue groups from all areas of LI with pets that are available for adoption from adorable little Yorkie, cats and kittens, amazing American Pit Bull Terriers, wonderful mixed breeds, ferrets and more.  Stop by each booth and get to know your local rescues, you may just find you new best friend.

One of the sweetest, adorable Pit Bulls looking for a Furever home at the Expo.

There are also fantastic educational shows and demonstrations for kids and families alike, like the Rainforest Reptiles Shows and the Birds of Prey Program.  You will also be oohhh and ahhed watching the flyball, dancing dogs, agility dogs, and the famous poker playing dog “Jilli Dog” and her friends. The bleacher stands were packed full of families watching and cheering on the different shows.  If you love cats, there is a cat show going on at the same time – some cat breeds you may have not seen in person before.  Tons of vendors too – if you are looking to purchase pet products for your pets.

If you were not able to make it today, the Pet Expo is taking place on Sunday, March 6 as well from 10am to 6pm at Suffolk Community College in Brentwood, NY.  For more details, cost and directions click here.  Be sure to pick up your complimentary copy of the ‘Pet Press’ published by the Long Island Press.

Also see Sunday’s schedule below.

SUNDAY – March 6

Dog Ring

10:30 AM       Agility & Frisbee Demonstrations by Doggie U

and LI Road Rage

11:15 AM       Dog Pals Dog Trick Show

12:00 Noon    Classic K9’s

12:45 PM       Dancing with Your Dogs

1:00 PM         Jilli Dog

1:30 PM         Agility and Flyball Demonstrations by Doggie U

and LI Road Rage

2:15 PM         Classic K9

3:00 PM         Dog Pals Dog Trick Show

3:45 PM         Dancing with Dogs

4:15 PM         Classic K9 Dog Show

5:00 PM         Agility, Flyball & Frisbee Demonstrations by  Doggie U

and LI Road Rage

Stage

11:00 AM      Rainforest Reptile Show

12:00 Noon   Petland Discounts Traveling Pet Show

12:30 PM      Birds of Prey Program

1:00 PM        Rainforest Reptile Show

1:30 PM        Dog Pals- How to Use Feeding Time to Train your Dog

2:15 PM        Pet Safe Coalition – “Leave No Animal Behind”

3:00 PM        Rainforest Reptile Show

3:30 PM        Petland Discounts Traveling Pet Show

4:00 PM        Birds of Prey Program

5:00 PM        Rainforest Reptile Show

Cat Ring

TICA CAT SHOW 10:00 am will continue all day until conclusion

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com with contribution from Dr. Keith Niesenbaum

Does your pet Floss?

Did you know that the month of February is National Pet Dental Month? Over the last few years every veterinarian that has spoken in the Town or Islip’s Free Dog Training & Education class has stressed the importance of brushing your dog’s teeth – daily. While most people giggle in the class about it, or look at the doctor in disbelief, “I have to do what?” Dental health in dogs and cats is very important. Smaller dogs often have worse dental disease due to the mere fact that their mouths are smaller, and teeth are closer together. But all dogs can suffer from periodontal disease as well as cats.

If you have a new puppy or kitten, the best time to start is while they are still young, getting them used to brushing their teeth. There are specially made pet tooth brushes and pet tooth paste, (do NOT ever use human tooth paste on a dog, it can be very dangerous to the dog), that you can purchase in any pet store. If you are not sure how to brush your dog’s teeth, consult your veterinarian on the proper tools and technique – this way you will not hurt your dog.

I asked local veterinarian Dr. Keith Niesenbaum his professional thoughts on pet dental health and this is what he had to say on the subject:

“Good oral health begins with regular examinations of the teeth and gums by your veterinarian.  If a disease is found it should be treated immediately as early intervention can prevent serious conditions such as pain, tooth loss, kidney disease, heart disease, and systemic infections.  Your veterinarian will probably recommend cleaning, both above and below the gum line and polishing, to remove micro etchings in the enamel, as well as treatments for any specific pathology that is found.  Clients always ask me what they can do to prevent serious dental disease that will spare their pets more invasive procedures.

Prevention is always preferred to treatment.  The obvious, and often off the cuff response to pet owners is to brush their pets’ teeth – just don’t use human tooth paste.  Pets will swallow this and may vomit or even develop fluoride toxicity if they eat too much. Use a veterinary specific paste, they work well, are better tolerated, and won’t cause the problems of the human products.  Besides, what pet can resist the allure of poultry flavored tooth paste?  If you can’t brush at least 3 – 4 times a week, and most of us can’t seem to get that done, then the next best thing is dental chews. You want to get a chew that is appropriately sized for your pets and impregnated with enzymes that inhibit the build up of plaque, the precursor to tarter.  The physical chewing activity is good, but the enzymatic activity is better.  Non-enzymatic chews and bones are my next recommendation, especially if paired with some sort of anti bacterial rinse or water additive.  Owners must be cautioned about chews though, if they are too hard, they can crack teeth, causing a more serious dental problem.  If they can be chewed down to a size small enough to swallow whole, they can become lodged in the GI tract, necessitating surgery to remove them.  Very aggressive chewers should be watched carefully and dogs especially should not be left alone with chews that they might get into trouble with.

Although none of these home programs will remove the tarter once it’s there.  Flip your dog or cat’s lip and try to scrape that brown, mineral encrustation off with your fingers.  There isn’t a brush or a bone in the world that will safely remove that concretion.  Once it’s there, it needs to be professionally removed, and no amount is normal for a healthy mouth.  Many veterinarians are offering some sort of incentive to promote dental health during the month of February.  You should contact your veterinarian to see what programs they have in place.  At Crawford Dog and Cat Hospital we are performing free oral health screening exams during Pet Dental Health Month and you can schedule an appointment on line 24/7 at http://petsmdbook.com/crawford/.”

Thanks to Dr. Niesenbaum for his sound dental advice for out pets and the next time you are flossing, or scheduling your own dental appointment, you may want to think about your dog and cat’s dental needs too!

Nancy Hassel: As a side note, I personally let my dog chew on marrow bones I get at a local health food store, specifically for dogs and made right here in the US.  I happen to know my dog won’t try to eat that actual bone but rather chew on it, and do monitor him while he has it.  Sometimes he chips away at it, but never swallows any piece-you have to know your dog, and know your breed.  Be careful with any type of bone, as a huge mistake I bought one from a big box pet store one day and because of the process the manufacturer put the bone through (some sort of basting/cooking process) my dog cracked it in half within minutes of having it and it was a sharp as a razor.  I immediately threw the bone in the garbage – since that scary instance I stick with the ones I have been buying for over 10 years.