Tracking Your Dog's Fitness With a Smart Collar

News about the ability to track your dog's fitness was announced at this years Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. A French company called Invoxia announced a "smart" dog collar that can measure and tracks a dog's health through sensors and other tech. It can not only monitor health, it also keeps track of their whereabouts and warns of any potential health issues that come up. This is done by measuring respiratory and heart rate. It also has WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth to track the physical location of your pet.

Listen to the podcast here, thanks to USAToday:

The Ten Most Popular Dog Breeds on TikTok

Do you ever wonder which dog breeds are the most popular on TikTok? We were curious. Puppy Hero recently revealed the top ten dog breeds on TikToc and generously shared their results with us.

Dogs are extremely popular on the social media app TikTok, where the hashtag ‘#dog’ has amassed 244.8 billion views. Interested in which breeds are the most popular on TikTok, PuppyHero.com analysed 218 dog breeds to see which ones generated the most views. 

The 10 most popular dog breeds on TikTok

Rank	Dog Breed	Hashtag	Views (Billion)
1	Golden Retriever	#goldenretriever	21.2
2	German Shepherd Dog	#germanshepherd	9.1
3	Rottweiler	#Rottweiler	8.0
4	Pug	#pug	6.7
5	French Bulldog	#frenchbulldog	5.4
6	Labrador Retriever	#labrador	5.3
7	Bulldog	#bulldog	5.2
8	Pomeranian	#pomeranian	5.0
9	Poodle	#poodle	3.4
10	Border Collie	#bordercollie	2.9

 

#1 Golden Retriever 

The Golden Retriever is the most popular breed on TikTok, with the hashtag #goldenretriever gathering a whopping 21.2 billion views. It’s not hard to see why this dog is number one, golden retrievers have a friendly and intelligent disposition, which makes them perfect family pets and excellent guide dogs. 

#2 German Shepherd

German Shepherds,  as also known as Alsatian dogs, are the second most popular dog breed on TikTok, with the hashtag #germanshepherd gaining 9.1 billion views. This dog breed is favoured by police units around the world for its loyal and courageous temperament. With  its wolf-like appearance, this breed is certainly striking. 

#3 Rottweiler 

Rottweilers are the third most popular dog breed, with the hashtag #Rottweiler gaining 8 billion views on TikTok. Originally bred for herding, Rottweilers are now often used as guard dogs  due to their sturdy frame and fearless temperament. 

Credit: Shutterstock/ Hollysdogs

Credit: Shutterstock/Happy Monkey

Methodology:

1: PuppyHero.com were interested in which dog breeds are most likely to become TikTok famous.

2: PuppyHero.com collated a seedlist of 222 recognized dog breeds from The Kennel Club. 

3: PuppyHero.com then searched TikTok using the relevant hashtag per breed. 

4: The seedlist was reduced to 218, as the sub-breeds of long haired and smooth face Pyrenean Sheepdog were lumped into ‘Pyrenean Sheepdog’ and all sizes of Mexican Hairless dogs lumped into ‘Mexican Hairless dog’ due to lack of data.

5:The views per hashtag were then gathered and ranked. 

6: This data was collected on the 28th of April 2022 and is accurate as of then. 

VETBROS - Making the USA Pet Industry More Environmentally Responsible

 

 

 

 

 

VetBros Pet Education Charitable Fund, a 501c3 nonprofit institution, is changing the industry, one pet at a time. The VetBros PECF created by Dr. Mondrian Contreras is teaming up with Central Bark doggie daycare and Carol Stream Animal Hospital to implement sustainability, renewable/green energy and conservation into their facilities in efforts of influencing the USA Pet Industry to be more environmentally responsible. Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats of the twenty-first century.

The pet industry has had a strong desire to promote environmental sustainability within our industry, but lacks the resources available to make an impact.

The VetBros PECF is teaming up with Green2Gold’s TRANSITION PROJECT with this focus to support the pet industry in learning about and taking action to decrease its environmental footprint. The Transition Project, in partnership of a master national initiative by the insurance industry's Resilience Innovation Hub, is the environmental initiative that is helping the pet industry upgrade their facilities (veterinary hospitals, doggie daycare, pet stores, animal shelters, etc.) in order to reduce their general waste and energy consumption. The pet industry has always highlighted their own concerns about the impact that climate change has on the pets we care for and care about. It is time for our industry to lead by example, and the Transition Project provides the tools and guidance needed to make our industry be a leader in environmental sustainability and resilience. 

Services provided by Green 2 Gold’s Transition Project  includes 52 years of  expert consulting, research, identification of needs, applications and implementation of loss prevention opportunities, liability & insurance reduction, federal, state, local tax benefits, rebates, grants, private and philanthropic sector incentives and partnerships, permits, licenses, recognition (certification, awards, etc.) for energy efficiency, water & waste conservation, renewable energy usage, yielding reductions in overhead, maintenance, and operational costs, with enhancement of profitability of the business. Benefits of transitioning to “greener” facilities include providing a non-toxic and healthy indoor environment for the pets, human staff and clients as well as contributions to the local community's economic development. Additional benefits are seen in state, national, and global environmental quality, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptiveness.

Time4Pets, a Green2Gold enterprise and VetBros will also be launching a semi-annual “Eureka!! 4Pets” contest for new pet products in which these contest winners will be offered the opportunity to have their green products licensed for further development. T4P expects to market an extensive line of pet products from this contest. Our T4P team sincerely hopes that investors around the world will join our efforts in creating sustainable products while also helping VetBros save the lives of thousands of pets every year. Time4Pets has multiple opportunities for investors who are interested in being an active part of T4P.

Website Link: 

www.vetbrospeteducation.org 

National Transition Initiative

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9GQe8exeafhPDINtQruEmOhOlNm81sB/view?usp=sharing

Speech: See Dr. Contreras’s speech on the pet industry roll in sustainability  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15iX4WuTIFkVvdmNZ7WXhFyltWOSZqi6v/view?usp=sharing

Newsletter 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WQaEyZHfPzR2ZZNHmj7RlDDBQYpNj-GV/view?usp=sharing

Hail New Zealand's Bird of the Year - The Green Parrot

He’s never gonna stop talking about this. The kākāpō, a flightless, nocturnal parrot, has been named New Zealand’s Bird of the Year in its annual online competition. It’s the first bird in the contest’s 15-year history to win twice, beloved as the heaviest and longest-lived parrot species on Earth. The competition was marred by vote rigging in favor of the little spotted kiwi, but authorities spotted the fraud and disqualified the suspect votes. While the win doesn’t carry a cash prize, it’s hoped it will raise awareness and affection for the critically endangered bright green birds.

Sources: New Zealand Herald, The Guardian

Important Information About Deadly Pet Food Recall

Pet food recalled after at least 28 dogs die, 8 sickened: FDA

MEREDITH DELISO

Wed, December 30, 2020, 6:35 PM PST·2 min read

 

From Yahoo News -----

Several pet food products have been recalled after 28 dogs died, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

Three brands of Sportmix products for dogs and cats made by Midwestern Pet Foods may contain potentially fatal levels of the toxin aflatoxin, according to the FDA.

The FDA said it is aware of at least 28 deaths and eight illnesses in dogs that ate the recalled pet food.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture tested multiple samples of the food and found "very high levels" of aflatoxin, which is produced by a mold that can grow on corn and other grains used in pet food, the FDA said.

Midwestern Pet Foods has committed to recalling nine lots of Sportmix products, the FDA said. The FDA and Missouri Department of Agriculture are working to determine if any others need to be recalled.

The lot code, which begins with the letters "Exp," is located on the back of the bag.

As of Dec. 30, the recalled products are:

Sportmix Energy Plus

50 lb. bag:

Exp 03/02/22/05/L2

Exp 03/02/22/05/L3

Exp 03/03/22/05/L2

44 lb. bag:

Exp 03/02/22/05/L3

Sportmix Premium High Energy

50 lb. bag:

Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

44 lb. bag:

Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

Sportmix Original Cat

31 lb. bag:

Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

15 lb. bag:

Exp 03/03/22/05/L2

Exp 03/03/22/05/L3

The products were distributed to online retailers and stores nationwide, the FDA said.

Pet owners who have the recalled products should contact the company for further instructions or throw the products out in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access them.

Signs of aflatoxin poisoning include sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice and diarrhea. There is no evidence that pet owners who handle the products are at risk of aflatoxin poisoning, the FDA said.

If your pet has symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning, contact a veterinarian immediately.

Pet food recalled after at least 28 dogs die, 8 sickened: FDA originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Cannabis For Dogs?

I have to admit that I am up in the air when it comes to giving dogs cannabis. I don't think there has been enough research on the subject and it is difficult to ascertain its true health benefits. So I have started to do some research on the subject and will share what I have found in this post and in future posts.

The Canine Journal has an interesting article called the 8 Things You Need to Know About Dogs and Marijuana. The link gives you the full article but the gist of it is that according to their research, dogs can get high and can die if they ingest too much of it.

Two valuable Q&As from this article are:

How Does Marijuana Affect Dogs?

Below is a list of the affects of marijuana on dogs.

• Lethargic
• Breathing problems
• Lower blood pressure
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Loss of balance
• Urinary incontinence

 

Is Cannabis Poisonous To Dogs?

According to the Pet Poison Helpline, the risk of cannabis poisoning in dogs is moderate to severe. If your dog accidentally eats marijuana, you should call your veterinarian or Animal Poison Control immediately. The ingestion of too much marijuana can be life threatening.

Symptoms to look out for:

• Severe depression
• Walking drunk
• Lethargy
• Coma
• Low heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Respiratory depression
• Dilated pupils
• Coma
• Hyperactivity
• Vocalization
• Seizures

So while other sites may advocate the use of cannabis for dogs, this particular site lists all of the warnings about doing so.

Source: CanineJournal.com

Victory Against Puppy Mill Imports

Finally some good news regarding those heart breaking puppy mills. According to the Humane Society, the USDA recently finalized a rule prohibiting the import of young puppies into the US for resale. Here is the letter I recently received on the subject:

 

I have great news to share with you today: the U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized a rule prohibiting the import of very young puppies into the United States for resale from foreign puppy mills. This is a major advance for dogs, pet parents and for animal advocates like you who have worked for decades to end the import of dogs bred in foreign puppy mills and sold to unsuspecting U.S. pet owners.

Over the years, we have heard hundreds of sad stories resulting from this indiscriminate import and sale of puppies, like bulldog puppy Otis and teacup Maltese puppy Tink. Read Otis and Tink's stories, plus more about this historic news, on my blog»

This is a long-awaited victory for us at The HSUS. We started the process in 2008, when Congress passed the Farm Bill with an HSUS-backed provision to stop puppies bred in foreign puppy mills from being imported into the United States for resale. It took six years for the USDA to finalize the rule implementing the ban, but today we have a strong outcome on the issue and will finally stem the tide of sick puppies coming into U.S. airports, some of them dying in long-distance transport for resale.

With the advent of global commerce -- and what we've seen in the form of trade with exotic animals, ivory and rhino horn and factory farming -- this ban comes just in time to prevent a massive influx of puppy mill dogs from China, eastern Europe and Mexico.

This is the second leap forward that the USDA has taken to protect puppies over the last 12 months. Last September, the agency finally passed another HSUS-backed rule that brings internet puppy sellers under the Animal Welfare Act regulations and requires them to be federally licensed and inspected. That rule went into effect last November and will finally bring standards of care and oversight to thousands of online puppy mills.

Again, this significant step forward would not have been possible without your help. Thank you for all you do to help animals.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

50 Blogs with Tips For Caring For Your Pets

This very interesting and informational article was graciously authored by www.findananny.net and is reprinted here with their permission. Enjoy:

Are you considering getting a family pet? Before making any commitments, it’s important to do some research to determine the type of pet that will be best for your family and your living situation. While pets can be wonderful companions for children, caring for them does require work, and it’s important to have a realistic view of who will actually be doing that work. Everyone in the family will need to be willing to pitch in and help out with pet care. These 50 blogs will give you the tips you need for caring for your household pets.

Choosing the Right Pet

You know you want a pet, but how do you know what type of pet to choose? Research is key to making an educated decision about the type of pet that is best for your family. Ask yourself who will be taking care of the pet, how much time and money you have to invest in one and if you have the resources to support the pet as it grows. It’s also important to consider what your family wants to get out of the pet. Are you looking for a guard dog to offer protection or a bunny to snuggle with on the floor? Keep these points in mind as you read through these 10 blogs.

• Here is a list of factors to consider when choosing a pet for your kids.
• If you are thinking about getting a pet for your family you may want to start with something simple, like a fish or a hamster.
• Take a look at the advantages of pet ownership for a child and see if you think your child could benefit.
• Different breeds may be more appropriate for your kids based on the their age and maturity level.
• When picking out a pet try to replicate some of the things the pet may experience in your home, like loud noises or tail pulling.
• Think about the costs associated with different pets and make sure that you are ready to afford those expenses.
• It’s important to pick a pet that will fit your lifestyle. For instance, if you’ll be gone a lot, you’ll want to get a pet that is OK with that.
• Pay attention to the body language of the dog to see if it’s the right pet for you.
• Keep size in mind when choosing a dog for your family and make sure that your child is big enough to not get hurt by a large dog.

Caring for Pocket Pets

A ‘pocket pet’ is a cute way of describing pets like mice, gerbils, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs. These animals are all small enough to fit in your pocket, are inexpensive and won’t take up a lot of room in your home or budget, making them a popular choice for a child’s first pet. While your younger child may be able to help care for a pocket pet, it’s always the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the pet receives the care it needs. Take a look at these 10 blogs to learn more about caring for a pocket pet.

• Take a look at this home created for pocket pets that gives the pets plenty of things to do.
• Read about different things you should consider before getting a pocket pet for your family.
• Find out about different pocket pets that are available and the types of cages they will need.
• Read about hamsters as a small pet and how to care for it to see if this is the right pet for your family.
• Mice and rats are inexpensive to buy and care for and are not difficult to train, which makes them a smart choice for many families.
• While starter pets require less care than a dog, they still require proper care. Make sure your kids understand that they need to be careful and responsible with their pet before agreeing to purchase one.
• Mice are very social animals and can be trained to do simple tricks like getting a treat from your pocket.
• Dwarf hamsters are common pocket pets and are smaller than a regular hamster, so you need to use care when handling them so they don’t get injured.

Dog Care

Caring for a dog can be expensive and time consuming. It’s a big commitment, and one that shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Before deciding to get a dog, ask yourself and your family a few questions. Do you have the space and the time to exercise a dog? Who is going to potty train a puppy if you get one? Can you afford vet bills? Owning a dog can be a rewarding experience for you and your family, if you are ready for it. These 10 blogs will help you learn how to take care of a dog and teach the kids to care for it as well.

• Tips for Teaching Kids How to Care for Pets Teach kids to be calm around animals and to be gentle when handling them.
• How to Get Kids to Take Care of Pets There are ways to get the kids to help take care of the dog, but ultimately an adult will need to be in charge of pet care.
• Dogs and Kids Be mindful of how old your kids are when you pick out a dog and make sure that the dog is good with kids before you take it home.
• How to be the Best Human: Dog Care Tips You’ll find a wealth of dog care tips in this post that you may not have otherwise considered.
• Learn All About Caring for a Dog Train your dog in a quiet place so that he is better able to pay attention to you and not bothered by distractions.
• Teaching Kids to Care for Pets—Whether it’s a Cat, Dog, Fish or Bird Encourage your child to research a pet before getting one and show them how to be kind to the pet.
• The Importance of Teaching Kids and Families How to Treat Pets Learning to care for a pet can help children be patient with other people and can help them reduce stress.
• A Pet Can Teach Kids Responsibility As the parent, you need to be ultimately responsible for the pet, but you should also encourage your kids to take responsibility for some of the pet care.
• Toby the Doggie, Your Child’s Guide to Caring for Their Dog This blog post shares an e-book that will help teach your child to take care of their dog.
• Dog Care Tips for Kids This blog article is written for kids and explains how they should exercise, play with and feed the dog.

Cat Care

Cat people tend to enjoy the independence that this pet affords them, as cats don’t need to be walked or let outside to go to the bathroom. Cat care requires less time and effort than dog care, which make them good pets for busy people. It is important that you provide your cat with toys, food and water. You also need to make sure that your environment is safe for them to roam.  For more tips on caring for cats check out these 10 blog articles.

• 5 Tips for Teaching Your Kids How to Properly Handle a Cat Make sure that you teach your child how to pet and handle a cat with care.
• Solid Ideas on the Topic of Caring for Cats Make sure to keep your cat’s litter box in a quiet area away from noise and that the area is well ventilated.
• Cat Care is Simple with this Sound Advice Trim your cat’s claws every two weeks and provide him a place to scratch to avoid him tearing up the furniture.
• Have your cat implanted with a microchip in case he gets out so he is able to get home.
• Cats require brushing on a regular basis to reduce shedding and prevent hairballs.
• 9 Things Parents Should Know About Cats and Kids Keep your cat inside and help your kids understand how to handle and care for the cat.
• How to Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy Ask your kids to feed the cat and scoop the litter box. An adult should be the one to empty and change the litter box though to avoid children coming into contact with disease.
• New Kitten Care—Ten Tips for Raising Your Kitten Make sure to brush and wash your cat when he’s a kitten so that he gets used to it and will be fine as an adult cat.
• Choosing Kittens for Kids When considering a kitten for your child you will need to choose a breed that is good with kids and then be sure to teach your child to be gentle and caring with their kitten.
• When you bring your Bengal kitten home make sure to bring along at least four weeks’ worth of the same food it is used to so that it continues to eat.

Exotics

Caring for exotic animals like lizards, rabbits, potbelly pigs or birds can be a good learning experience for the entire family, but if you have young children you need to be careful bringing some exotic pets into your home. Some may carry germs that pose a danger to the health of children and others simply aren’t suitable pets for families with young kids. Keep these things in mind as you read these 10 blogs that provide a peek into what goes into caring for exotic pets.

• 10 Different Types of Pet Birds for Children Read about these different types of birds to determine which breed of bird might be the right match for your family.
• Top Three Parrots for Kids Keep in mind that birds tend to live longer than your child will live at home, so at some point you’ll need to consider who will keep the bird when your child moves out.
• Different Kinds of Birds for Kids It’s important to get a bird that has been hand raised so that it’s simpler to handle after you buy it.
• Bunny Care Part Three: Are Your Kids Ready for a Rabbit? Kids must be shown the proper way to handle their bunny and need to be supervised.
• Rabbit Care for Kids: Rabbits as Pets Make sure that the cage for your rabbit is big enough that your bunny can get enough exercise.
• Do Pot Belly Pigs Get Along with Children and Other Pets? Read this blog to learn why you probably shouldn’t get a pig if you have young kids.
• Care and Feeding of Ferrets There are a lot of things that you will need to do to make sure that your ferret is a pleasure to have as a pet.
• Think! Before You Get a Ferret Ferrets and babies don’t mix well according to this blog post.
• A Kid’s Introduction to Hedgehogs Watch this video to learn why a hedgehog may not be a good choice for young children.
• 8 Care Tips for Bearded Dragons/ Pet Reptiles This video will explain why caring for a bearded dragon isn’t as difficult as you might think and why they make good pets.

The Secret Life of the 1 Percent Pet

The Hollywood Reporter had a huge spread on pampered pets called The Secret Life of the 1 Percent Pet including (this is LA after all...) animal plastic surgeons, dog pilates, dog yoga, pet psychics and shrinks, pet massage, dog swim coaches, pet acupuncture and pet pot dispensaries.There are five star dog hotels and dog friendly dining venues. And there are certain animals that are considered "A-listers" who get behind that velvet rope into the VIP lounges whenever they please. There are also cases of pet custody battles that can turn very nasty ... the people not the pets.

As far as final resting places, look no further than the Los Angeles Pet memorial Park located at 5068 N. Old Scandia Lane in Calabases.

Here is a video that can give you some idea of what it is like to be a 1 Percenter Pet:

 

Insurance for Dogs Who Bite

"How much is that doggie in the window? $30 K, if it bites." Well that is an eye opener. But in fact dog bites can cost owners a lot of money. If your dog is frightened or feels threatened, even the mildest of breeds can become aggressive. So there is some good news to share --

State Farm insurance company is partnering with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the U.S. Postal Service to reduce dog bites. The average cost of a dog bite insurance claim is $30,000, which includes medical and legal expenses.

All insurers across the country paid nearly $489 million in dog bite claims in 2012, according to the Insurance Information Institute. State Farm does not refuse to sell you an insurance policy because you own a certain breed of dog. And if your dog bites someone, State Farm will not automatically raise your rates or cancel your policy.

An important factor is determining whether the dog bite was provoked or unprovoked. If your dog has a history of multiple bites, you might have a problem. More than half of all dog bite victims are children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The partners in this campaign hope to educate the public. Many sites have tips, including www.americanhumane.org and www.avma.org/public/pages/Dog-Bite-Prevention.aspx

Here are some AVMA tips:

• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it is a family pet.

• Don't run past a dog. By nature they love to chase.

• Never disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or taking care of puppies.

• If a dog approaches you, stay still. In most cases the dog will go away when it determines you are not a threat. Don't scream or yell. Avoid eye contact.

• Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.

• Get regular veterinary care and checkups. A sick or injured dog is more likely to bite.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/pets/pet-tales-the-high-price-of-dog-bites-689914/#ixzz2VBUFqFnl