An Airline Just for Pets

We've been reading about a new airline company called Pet Airways, and they seem to have an interesting concept going. They have designed the cabin areas of their planes exclusively for pets, with the seats having been removed to make room for pet carriers, so no human passengers are allowed. These areas are reported to be climate controlled, pressurized, and fully lit, just as with normal airlines, and a pet attendant is present at all times to see to your pet's needs.

Weekly flights are scheduled to begin in July, and will go between New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, though they claim that other cities will be added as the year progresses. Pet owners will be able to track their pet's travel progress online with their Pet Tracker service.

As a dog owner, I find this to be a great idea. It doesn't take much research to learn how bad it is to have your dog packed into the cargo bay of an airplane, which is what most airlines do with them, and I've never found the concept of stuffing my canine babies in a carrier under a seat for hours on end to be very appealing either (which is the only other option for air travel, IF your pet is very small). However, I'm just waiting to see how things pan out with Pet Airways.

Their site is currently offline, which they claim is due to an overwhelming response to their service, and they have given an eMail address where you can make reservations instead. On one hand, this is understandable, because maybe they just underestimated how many people would be interested. But on the other hand, it shouldn't be taking an organized airline this long to increase their server capacity to allow customer access. Will the website be stable by July, when customers are supposed to be able to use it to track their pet's travel progress?

Another thing that has been at the back of my mind is; has anyone managed to find a picture of one of the cabins of these planes? Maybe I'm just paranoid when it comes to my dogs, but I think I'd appreciate seeing exactly what sort of setting my pups would be traveling in.

Winter Dog Care Tip #5

This tip should go without saying, but since I've seen so many people do this, I have to suggest... don't shave your dog in the winter!
I know, I know, Fluffy looks *so* cute in her show cut, and Scruffy will resemble a dust mop if he doesn't get a haircut soon, but they really do need the extra warmth during this time of the year. And truly, none of the other dogs are going to laugh at them during their "bad hair day" time : D

Winter Dog Care Tip #4

Even if your dog never steps a foot outside in the winter, it can still be a miserable time for them right in your home. Cold air drops. Floor temperatures are lower, particularly on tile and hard wood. And since your pooch is considerably lower to the ground than you are, they'll feel it long before it has you reaching for the thermostat. Try walking through the house for an hour or two with bare feet. If you find yourself wanting a pair of socks or slippers, then chances are your pup isn't as comfortable as he wants to be either!
The simple fact is, a dog who may have spent the summer months sprawled comfortably across your living room floor will not likely be so comfy when winter hits if you haven't got the proper sleeping area for him (or her). Now is definitely the time to consider getting a good dog bed, or at least pile up some warm blankets for him to lay on. Be sure to position their bedding away from doorways and drafts and... heat vents. Yep, you read that correctly, keep their bedding away from the heat vents. The reasoning here is twofold: For one, if the bed is near enough for your dog to get overly warm while the furnace is on, the large fluctuations in temperature between running times will not be good for him when he's snoozing. The other reason is, many modern heating systems have a "cool down" cycle where, for a short time, the heating elements shut off and cooler air blows through the vents. This isn't *cold* air so to say, but still cool enough that it could fall into the "draft" category.

Winter Dog Care Tip #3

It's a common misconception that all dogs can deal with cold weather "just fine" because they have fur. While it's true that Mother Nature has made certain breeds quite hardy, others have virtually no tolerance for cold and need extra protection to stay safe. The age, size, and physical condition of your dog are all factors to consider. Elderly pets and puppies are particularly succeptible to the cold, as are small breed dogs and dogs with thin fur or certain medical conditions.
So if you find that your pooch just isn't cut out for a job at Snow Patrol, the best thing you can do is to provide them with a warm dog coat or dog sweater before they venture outside. Those made of fleece or wool are the best choices because they help retain heat and carry moisture away from the body as well, and be sure to select a style that covers your dog's belly too!
Do keep in mind though that even if your dog is sporting the best coat or sweater on the market, a truly susceptible pet shouldn't be left outside for any longer than necessary.

Winter Dog Care Tip #2

Everyone knows that leaving you dog locked in a parked car during the hot summer months can lead to tragedy, but did you know that the same warning applies during the winter months too? A car loses heat rapidly after the motor is shut off, and then it becomes a giant refrigerator for your pet. Hypothermia can set in within minutes if the temperature drops too low, particularly in small dogs or elderly pets.
Symptoms of pet hypothermia include shivering, shallow breathing, weakness, listlessness and low body temperature. If your dog has been exposed to the cold and exhibits any of these signs, seek veterinary help immediately. First aid measures involve wrapping the dog in a warm blanket and moving them to a heated room (or vehicle... on the way to a vet!), but even if your dog appears to be fine after awhile you should still seek your veterinarian's advice because kidney and bladder problems are common in pets that have been exposed to overly cold temperatures.

Dog Webpage Templates

For those of you who are thinking of starting a dog-related website, we're now offering affordable dog website templates! More will be added soon, and our webmaster has also announced that he can do custom graphics work for those needing it. We also have two freebie website templates for introducing a new puppy into the clan Here.

Winter Dog Care Tip #1

Paw care is essential during the winter months, even if your dog doesn't go outdoors much. Snow and ice can quickly become crusted between their toes and cause serious chapping or even frostbite. If you walk your dog on public sidewalks, salt and other chemicals can also harm them, and can be very dangerous if your dog licks their paws after coming inside. You should always clean your dog's paws and belly thoroughly when they come in from the snow to help avoid this.
You may also want to consider getting a pair of dog boots for maximum protection, or at least some dog paw balm to soothe any chapping.

Check your dog's extremities frequently for signs of frost bite. The skin will redden initially and may be painful, then will exhibit pale whitish or grayish color changes. Eventually the skin or foot pad surfaces will begin to slough off. If you notice these signs, contact your veterinarian immediately for help. First aid measures involve warming the affected area with warm water-soaked towels (not hot), but do NOT rub or massage the area or it may cause further damage. Other areas that are also commonly affected by frostbite include the ears, tail, and scrotum.

A Holiday Wish

Tis the season of Christmas and it's our heartfelt wish,
That every dog has a food-laden dish.
And someone to cuddle them and rub their ears,
And give them a home for the rest of their years.
Someone who will praise them and have time to play,
And give them a warm bed on which to lay.
That all dogs have safe yards and a favorite toy,
So neighborhoods will ring with barks of joy.
That no dog will feel lonely or sad with mistrust,
And the rescue shelters will house nothing but dust.
So if you have room, and some love to spare,
Please rescue a dog and give them your care.

Cute Christmas Dog

This was sent to us by eMail this morning, and it's just about one of the cutest holiday dog photos we've ever seen!

The Dog Days of Christmas!

Hope everyone is having a pleasant holiday season so far! We've been busy as usual, putting up the tree and lights and all that goes with it.
Shopping for doggie gifts has been a real challenge this year though, particularly for our Boxer, Jay. He's almost 11 years old now, and has lived a terrifically pampered life, so finding anything new for him for Christmas is almost impossible. He's too old to want to have any interest at all in toys now, so those are out. He already has the best orthopedic dog bed indoors, and a comfortbale lounger for when he wants to sunbathe outside. He has a huge array of warm dog coats, and a plenty of padded collars and harnesses. We have just about every pet travel item that you could use, and his bowls are new. All of our pups get an amply supply of bones and treats in their stockings, but finding that one "special" item just for Jay is the trick.
So it raises a fairly humorous question... "What do you buy for the dog who has everything?"

Dogs Killed in Puerto Rico

We were all outraged last year when we heard the news about China killing thousands of dogs, but now it appears we have an equally appalling story coming from Puerto Rico, a United States territory.
The Associated Press reported that thousands of unwanted animals have been buried alive, thrown off of bridges, and otherwise cruelly killed. Adoptable strays were to supposed to be sent to shelters so that they could find homes, and the others were to be humanely euthanized. However, it appears that the leading private animal control program has opted to massacre them all instead.
The full story can be found here: Puerto Rico Pet Massacres

Several organizations are struggling to help the homeless animals in Puerto Rico receive the loving care that all dogs deserve. One is Save A Sato (http://www.saveasato.org/), and they are not only working to save these animals, but they are also working to motivate people to tell the government officials what they think in order to make permanent changes in how the animals are treated. Click on the link "How to Help" (left menu of their site) and you will find many ways to get involved with their efforts.
Even if you have no money or supplies to donate, if you have a minute of time and feel like speaking your mind, this website gives the addresses of several government officials you can write to, or they have a program where you can simply submit your mailing address to send a post card to the Governor.
Their website has a banner that also says they desperately need supplies to keep their efforts going. They need everything from bath towels and veterinary supplies to Frequent Flyer miles. The list is quite extensive, so it's easy to find some way to help.
If you are currently involved with a U.S. animal shelter or rescue organization, Save A Sato needs stateside shelters to help them find homes for these pets. They emphasize their ability to provide high-demand small breed dogs that are often not available in local shelters here, as well as large breeds. The list of organizations currently helping them find homes for these dogs includes New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Texas, but they need more.

Another organization who is working to stop the animal suffering is Island Dog Inc. (http://www.islanddog.org/sponseradogcat.html).
One of the unique things we noticed on their site was their "Escort A Pet" program. If you are vacationing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, or St. Croix, and have a direct flight into your city, you can help them by escorting a pet. It will not cost you a cent! They transport the pet to the airport and check them in on your plane. Once you land, a person from a stateside shelter will meet you at the airport to take the pet. It's that simple, and what better way to end a memorable vacation than to have the knowledge that you saved a life?

And on that note, I'm off to write a few letters and start gathering supplies!

Millionaire Dog

I read an article a couple of days ago regarding the death of a hotel owner who apparently left her little Maltese dog 12 million dollars in her will! While I can fully understand wanting to set aside some money to be sure your dog is cared for after you are gone, this is ridiculous.
Imagine how much good could have been done if she'd willed even half of that amount to the ASPCA or some other animal welfare organization. Her dog would have still had more than enough set aside for it's care, and countless other animals could have been saved.
What in the world was she thinking?

Real Estate and the Dogs

Along with many people in Florida now, we are busy house hunting. To be blunt, we are being taxed out of our own home, so it's necessary to find another that's more affordable tax-wise. What has me amused is that our arguments for/against each new home we look at has very little to do with our needs, and everything to do with what our dogs need! We were looking at the first round of home's listing sheets last night when I realized this. The one with the gorgeous retro kitchen was vetoed because it didn't have enough yard for the dogs to play in. The one with the prettiest view was tossed because there wasn't enough open floor space in the kitchen to put all of the dog bowls, and it had stairs that might be difficult for our littlest dogs. We decided against the one with the best location because it didn't have an extra bedroom for the dogs (and our pups are used to having their own play room).
So I guess at this point it would be more accurate to say that we are house hunting... for our dogs!
Maybe we are totally crazy, but for us there is very little difference between planning for children and planning for the dogs. How about you? If you were looking for a home, how much weight would your dogs' needs carry when you made your decision?

Dog or Squirrel... Which is Nuttier?

Ok, ever since we got her, Francis has had a real issue with chasing squirrels, which we have been trying to teach her NOT to do. We have taught her a "LEAVE IT" command, which is generally successful in making her leave all sorts of things alone and go find something else to do.
However, our brilliant dog has obviously found a loophole in the command. This weekend she decided to show mommy that in dog logic "Leave It" does not mean that you can't get as close as possible to an object and STARE at it.
Notice the squirrel to the left side of the photo? Both dog and critter were frozen in that same position for over 10 minutes... just staring. I was doing some yard work and had noticed that she was staring at something (and had been for a long time), but my eyes didn't pick out the squirrel in the scene until hubby came out on the porch with his camera.
I can't decide if this new situation is better than having a dog that chases squirrels or not? (lol).

Free Dog House Plan for Summer

Everyone knows that dogs who spend a lot of time outdoors need to have some kind of shelter, and we found a website that gives terrific free instructions for building a dog shelter that would be perfect for the summer months. It has a unique A-frame design that is open and airy enough for warm weather, yet it would provide good protection from the sun and rain.
If you're handy with a hammer and saw and are interested in making your dog an attractive summer shelter, check it out: Harry & Sal's Dog House

Respect Pet Friendly Hotels

Like many dog owners, we never take any vacation trips to destinations where our dogs are not welcome, and during a recent trip, we had the honor of staying at a VERY pet-friendly hotel (even their beach was pet friendly!). The owner complimented us on our dogs' good behavior, which then led to a discussion about how challenging it can be for hotels/motels to let pets stay.
He told us about two area hotels that had recently stopped allowing pets, and this got me thinking that maybe some owners weren't aware of what it takes to keep our pet-friendly hotels "friendly".
After passing what we had learned along to a friend, he wrote an informative article for our website which you can find here: Tips for Staying in a Hotel with Your Dog.

Free Dog Printables

With the introduction of our new website, we opened up a dog-related "printables" section. We are still working on more ideas for it, but currently you can find dog recipe cards, a pet sitter's information sheet, and a handy printable card that you can use to keep a record of your dog's measurements (for when you are shopping for dog clothes).
If there is something in particular that you are looking for or if you have something that you would like to share on the printables page, just let us know.

Meet Marty!

This is Marty, the newest addition to the Puppycoat Junction family. She's a rescue pup (of course!) and has a great little personality.

For some reason, she likes to walk around on her hind legs a lot, and it's hilarious. She also like to stand on the window sills, so it looks like we have some sort of strange cat in the window!

A Nursing Home for Dogs

Recently, Japan has announced that they are opening the first dog nursing home complete with round-the-clock veterinary care and puppies to play with the elderly dogs. Owners will pay around $800 a month to keep their pets there.

While we can only assume that dog nursing homes will become a trend that will eventually reach the U.S., I have to wonder how many of us will actually use them?

On one hand, I can see how owners whose pets have advanced illnesses may want or actually need the nursing home option for their dogs.
But on the other hand I personally can't imagine ever trusting the care of my own elderly dogs to strangers, and it seems that monthly fee would be beyond the reach of the average dog owner anyway.

What about you? Would you put your elderly dog in a nursing home?

World's Biggest Dog

I got this email yesterday with this photo of a massive dog and all I could think of was WOW! It's a beautiful animal, and the accompanying text said that his name was "Hercules" and that he was in the Guinness Book as being the world's largest dog.
Ok, so I fell for it, "hook, line and sinker" as they say (lol). According to this article though, the photograph is a hoax, but they do go on to tell about the pets who have the honor of being the *real* world's tallest and heaviest dogs.

So I'm gullible. But you do have to admit that the person who created this was *very* good with their photo editing software!