All posts by The Dog Lady

Meet Buford, K-9 Extraordinaire

burfordMy posts have been a little few and far between this week because I’m working at the community festival surrounding the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement.

Today, I was honored to meet Buford, one of Canton’s finest.  (And I apologize, Buford, for the smeary picture – not sure what happened.  Let’s just say we are digitizing your face so you don’t blow your undercover status!)

Hard at work protecting and serving the populace of Canton, 7-year old Buford rides with Patrol Officer Gilmore of the Canton Police Department.

I think Buford was a little disappointed when he got out of the car ready to work, and only got his picture taken instead of using his training and skills.

Canton’s K-9 force consists of 11 dog/officer pairs.  They are used for search and rescue, bad-guy tracking, and drug sniffing.

Average annual cost of food:  $300

Average cost of dog acquisition and training:  $15,000

Sleeping better at night knowing Buford is on the job:  priceless!

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!

Ripples Dog Treats

mint_chicken_bagI received a sample of Ripples Dog Treats last week, and I have to say, my dogs LOVED them! They are sold on the Web site of the Good Pet Stuff Company, where they also have cool stuff like harnesses and seatbelts to keep your dog safe in the car.

What I liked about the treat is that it takes the dog a bit longer to eat than most treats I give my dogs. I felt like they got at least a little bit of enjoyment out of the experience rather than just wolfing down some worthless calories.

According to the manufacturer, the advantage of Ripples is a “unique soft – but firm – texture that is the result of being fully cooked and extruded like dog food, rather than injection molded like old-fashioned chew treats.” They are billed as being easily digestible and shaped to avoid choking and digestive tract blockage.

Low in fat, high in protein, and made from American-made ingredients, Ripples actually have spinach (making your dog “strong to the finish”????) to give your dog extra chlorophyll, vitamins, and amino acids. They come in three sizes and two flavors (chicken or mint) for any dog over 5 pounds and older than 6 months.

The grooves and ridges work their way between your dog’s teeth and massage his gums to help control plaque and tartar. I haven’t bought a large supply, so I can’t vouch for the long-term benefits, but my dogs sure did like them, and I thought they looked like a good idea.

You can apparently buy them in any pet store or on the Good Pet Stuff Web site.

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!

Dog-Firefighter Bond

fiefighter-cinnamonCBS news reported yesterday on a unique bond between a certain Charlotte, NC firefighter and the dogs he finds at fire scenes. About 9 or 10 years ago, he rescued Cinnamon, a beautiful Dobie from a house fire, and the Charlotte Observer ran this picture which attracted worldwide attention.

Now, last week, Firefighter Jeff Clark is at it again. He and his crew arrived at a fire where a man stood outside with a mama dog. Inside, her nine puppies were in a box in the utility room. Clark and another firefighter were able to take a blanket and rescue all nine pups.

Thanks for doing such a great job Jeff!

Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!

Photo credit: AP/Patrick Schneider, Observer

The Furminator: God’s gift to shedding dogs?

furminatorI was talking to a friend today, and he told me about what he calls a miracle product.  He said a friend told him about the Furminator awhile ago, but said it had cost $50 at the pet store.  Although my friend John struggles with his German Shepherd’s blowing his coat twice a year, he decided he’d rather vacuum every day than spend $50 to get rid of the problem.

Then, he found the same product on e-bay (new in box) for just $15, so he decided to give it a try.  He couldn’t say enough good things about it!  According to John, he brushed Harley only twice this spring, and never had to worry about excessive hair around the house.

I’m thinking I’ll have to go buy one now.  If you look at their Web site, it’s unbelievable how much hair they got out of the pictured dogs (one of them shown above) with this product, but from what John said, it’s absolutely true!

Have any of you tried the Furminator?  What was your experience?

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!

Dog/cat picture caption contest

people-petsI received word that People magazine is holding a caption contest with this picture.

If you have a funny caption to describe what these two animals are discussing, simply go to the People Web site, create an account and enter your caption.  They also give you the opportunity to upload your own pet photos for future contests.

Make sure you comment here and tell us what you sent in so we can all enjoy a laugh!  My entry:  “Mom!  He’s looking at me!”

Rob Worrall – I especially want to see your entry!

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!

Taco Bell dog dead at 15

chihuahuaEarlier this week, handlers of Gidget, the chihuahua made famous by starring in Taco Bell commercials, announced that the dog suffered a massive stroke and had to be euthanized at the age of 15.

Now some tasteless bloggers have noted that Taco Bell has a new chalupa filling, but this blog would never go there.

The idea for a talking Chihuahua was first pitched to Taco Bell by two men from Michigan, but the company turned it down, afraid of being nailed by activists who thought it was too stereotypical.  The company dismissed the two men’s idea, but then used it anyways, resulting in a $42 million payout after a later lawsuit.

Rest in peace, Gidget.  Vamos a extrañar.

Until next time,

Good day, and good dog!