Million Dollar Pet Pix

Pet owners worldwide are experiencing an increase in the options that will allow them to travel with their pets. From more lenient rules on airlines and other forms of transportation to the increase in the number of pet friendly accommodations, millions of pet owners who want take their pet with them as they travel are finding they now have much more choice than in recent years. When planning a trip with your pet, pet owners can now find hotels that advertise as being pet friendly.

But what does pet friendly really mean? Does it mean that pets are welcome to stay in the pet owners room, or does it mean that Fido will be invited to stay in an onsite kennel. Does it mean that the pet can accompany its owner throughout the hotel or must the pet stay outdoors, or only in the pet owner's room?

Dogs growl when they are scared about a situation or person, and when they are punished for offering the warning growl, your punishing behavior confirms the dog was right.

Many dogs are fearful of children. Children poke at them, pull their hair, run swinging arms and legs and act erratically.  A dog’s natural tendency is to give a warning growl, letting everyone around know they are uncomfortable in the situation.  Then – Bam! Someone smacks, spanks the dog and yells “BAD DOG!”  Proving to the dog he was right, when children are around, bad things happen.

There’s another reason not to purchase a puppy from a pet store... 

A ritzy pet store in Bel Air CA that sells to Hollywood stars has been shown to get their $3,000 puppies from mills in the Midwest. Puppy mills are businesses that are run without concern for the health and care of the animals.

The goal is to turn out as many dogs as possible for sale, without attention to the best possible pedigree, the health of the parents or the socialization of the puppies.

A number of celebrities are the proud pet owners of Golden Retrievers.

These beautiful dogs known for their qualities as faithful companions and being great with children... truly a family-friendly species of dog. Naming a pet is always fun and the celebrities have obviously given a lot of thought in naming their Golden Retrievers... think you'll agree that "Grammy" should get a prize for most original and most appropriate!

Pamela Anderson -- Jo-Jo	Bob Barker -- Jessie
Charisma Carpenter -- Sydney and Hurley	Anderson Cooper -- Ozzie
Phyllis Diller -- Gemina	Shannon Doherty -- Clancy Muldoon
Sally Field -- Rupert	Jane Fonda -- Roxie
John Goodman -- Bailey	Enrique Iglesias -- Grammy
Shirley Jones --  Buff	Peggy Lipton -- Shanti and Maha
Ricky Martin -- Icaro	George Michael -- Hippy
Bob Newhart -- Freddie	Paul Newman -- Lucky
Dennis Quaid -- Fawn Hall	Joan Rivers -- Callie
Oprah -- Luke, Layla and Gracie

READY TO BE  A PET PARENT TO A NEW PUPP?

You're standing in the pet store feeling like you're on a leash... for the third time this week. There are cages full of puppies, wiggling and jumping past one another, trying to get your attention. They've stolen your heart completely and all you can think is that you just have to buy that puppy on the left... no, maybe that other puppy with the scruffy coat... today!

There is no doubt that puppies make cute and cuddly pets. Actually you'd like to buy all the puppies if you could. You run through the facts you know about puppy ownership that convince you why this is not just an emotional or silly spur of the moment decision. You begin the list... being around puppies helps to lower your blood pressure. Puppies and dogs (most pets actually) have a calming affect on us and make us smile and laugh. Point two; dog walking provides great exercise... both for the puppy, dog and owner. No more convincing is needed... right?

Question from our "Ask a Dog Trainer" section: 

Our family dog, a small mixed breed named Jolly, has started becoming destructive when we leave the house.  Although he’s 3-yrs old and never had a chewing problem before, he’s started chewing things and has become quite destructive. Why has he done this now?  The kids’ school year started two weeks ago and we’re all very busy. Why did he choose to start it now and what can we do to stop his problem?  HELP!               

Rose from MN

Celebrities Discover The Amazing Chihuahua!

Some say it started with the Taco Bell dog. A five hundred million dollar ad campaign featured a talking Chihuahua which continually repeated the slogan, “Yo quiero Taco Bell,” which is Spanish for “I want Taco Bell.”

Then came the Legally Blond films and the unstoppable Bruiser. The topping on the cake was when Paris Hilton appeared on the cover of Seventeen magazine and later tried living The Simple Life on Fox TV with Tinkerbell, her pet Chihuahua. Celebrities have discovered what many pet owners already knew: Chihuahuas are the best dogs to own and care for. In the process, they’ve set off a Chihuahua Craze that is reaching towering proportions. 

Designer dogs as they are fashionably called today include such mixes as Labradors and Poodles, giving us the Labradoodle. Cute naming of these magic mixes of dog breeds is perhaps also part of the charm of these loveable little creatures. And the names of these mixed-up dogs are hillarious...

Beyond the now-accepted Labradoodle dandies, other interesting and popular mixes in this cuddly category of furry friends include the:

- Bugs... a combo of a Boston Terrier and a Pug 
- Dorkie... a mix of the Dachshund and Yorkie 
- Jug... Jack Russell Terrier and a Pug 
- Morkie which is a mix between a Maltese and  Yorkie 
- Peeka-Chi... a combo of Pekingnese and Chihauhau
- Porki... a Pomeranian and Yorkie mix

What will we think of next?

7 Dog Adoption Tips I Learned From My 2 Dogs

Adopting a dog? You want a special dog, perhaps just a full-grown adult. Maybe your code of ethics calls for saving a dog's life -not buying an expensive purebred. I'm not a veterinarian or a dog trainer, but I've enjoyed two successful adoptions.

Here are some tips I've picked up along the way.

(1) Clarify your requirements ahead of time.

Once you're standing in front of a cage, it's easy to say, "Well, he's a lot bigger than I expected, and I really wanted a female, but oh he's so cute!" No amount of love or training will help if your dog needs more exercise than you can provide.

Family vacations may involve parents, kids, and sometimes grandparents. These days, taking a family vacation might also mean bringing Fido, the family dog, along for the trip.
Taking pets on vacation might seem like a great idea. After all, who would enjoy the endless expanse of tropical beach more than your Frisbee-catching golden retriever? But to make it a great vacation for everyone, you need to look after every detail and prepare for any situation.