Filed under: Dogs, Funny Animal Videos
We don’t know how we missed it, but this past summer, the second Dachshund Derby (staged as a brilliant PR campaign by Wienerschnitzel) took place in San Francisco where dozens of real life hot dogs invaded Golden Gate Fields to see who would leave each other in the dust (literally).
Filed under: Dogs
At Paw Nation, we share equal places in our heart for every breed, of course, but there is something particularly charming about the pug.
What is it about pugs that make them so darn cute? Ugh, that face! So wide, so full of life, emotion, and expression, the pug’s face can say so much with nary a sound. Happiness, sadness, boredom — it’s all there, and photographer Jim Dratfield knows it well. The celebrity pet photographer and author of “PugShots” has returned with “PugNation“, a collection of delicious photos that capture pugs in all their “quirky, bug-eyed, silly splendor.”
An ideal coffee table book for the dog lover in all of us, “PugNation” does not disappoint. Dratfield’s photos are both artful and thoughtful without ever feeling pretentious. It’s clear that he is both great at what he does and exhibits a true appreciation for his subjects. Whether the pug is swimming, costumed, or nonchalantly chillin’ beachside, the photographed pooches are a sight to behold, and Dratfield’s gorgeous imagery details the evidence that the pug mug is, if nothing else, worth a thousand words.
Filed under: Cats, Pet Product Reviews
Bell Rock Growers, Sonia Zjawinski
We all know how much fun a little catnip can be, but what happens when you give your cat “the most potent form of dried catnip available”?
Pet Greens Catnip Buds are the closest thing to growing your own catmint without having to remember to water. Entire stems of the herb are handpicked and dried, which you then crumble up and stuff in catnip toys, rub on cat beds, or simply sprinkle on the floor.
My cat, Gizmo, is a catnip connoisseur. It’s one of the few things other than food that pulls him out of his shell, so I had high expectations. After eating some of the dried stuff I had sprinkled on the floor, he rolled around a bit and then found the toy I had stuffed with the potent herb. With his paws, he vigorously rubbed the toy into his face as he lay on his back, legs splayed out. When I grabbed the toy and threw it towards him, to my surprise he caught it with one paw and again fell backwards to continue rubbing the toy on his face.
He instigated play with my other cats, rather than just sitting back and watching as he normally does. My other cats loved the stuff as well, rolling around in it, though not as actively as Gizmo. They became standard stoners, laying around and staring at the wall.
If your cats are already into standard-fare catnip, I highly recommend throwing down $5 for this potent stuff.
Pet Product Review – Sergeant’s Good Behavior Pheromone Calming Collars for Dogs & Cats
Having tried a different pet company’s pheromone room diffuser for cats earlier this year and seeing absolutely no change in our cat’s behavior, I was skeptical when I received the Good Behavior pheromone collars from Sergeant’s to test. Sergeant’s would really have to work a miracle to win me over!
We decided to test the cat collar on our FeLV kitty, Indy, who is high-strung and stressed most of the time, and the dog collar on our daughter’s hyper-active Papillion dog, Noah, who is suffering from separation anxiety in the form of barking and hyper-activity, (above and beyond the Papillion breed’s natural tendencies), since his best friend and companion, Yuki, went to the Rainbow Bridge 3 weeks ago. While attempting to get the collar on Indy, (who is an indoor cat and has never worn a collar before), I couldn’t help but wish I had my own pheromone collar to help me weather the ordeal!
The first few days passed and neither my daughter nor myself noticed any significant changes in our pet’s behavior, so I started to think it was all a bunch of hooey! But low and behold, after one week, family members started commenting on the fact that Indy had become more sociable and was tolerating petting for much longer periods of time before going in to “hiss mode.” Then my daughter called to say that, to her amazement, Noah’s behavior had changed dramatically too! His barking was reduced to a minimum and he was much less hyper than he was before wearing the collar. We’re sold! These collars really do work!
Check out the FAQ section on the Sergeant’s website for answers to some frequently asked questions about the Calming Collars.
You can purchase the Good Behavior Calming Collars at most pet supply retailers or you can purchase them online at Amazon.com ($9.49 for cats and $13.20 for dogs).
Filed under: Dogs, Pet Grooming
National Dog Show novices: what you see on your screens come Thanksgiving Day may look like nothing more than a pack of pretty pooches parading about for the judges, audience and cameras. But there’s some serious consideration happening on that blue carpet. Paw Nation asked National Dog Show co-hosts John O’Hurley and David Frei for their expert tips to train your layman’s eye.
Dogs are not graded on a curve. “Every breed is judged not against one another but against the written standard,” explains Frei, “which is the description of the ideal specimen of that breed.”
Play a game of “how doggy is that doggy in the window?” This is Frei’s personal trick for judging what he sees in the ring. “You look at the Afghan Hound and you say, ‘On a scale of 100, I’m going to give the Afghan a 90 as an Afghan hound. Now, the next dog is the Saluki. I love this Saluki — it’s this and this and this — and I’m going to give it a 92.’ Which means the Saluki is a better Saluki than the Afghan is an Afghan, in my opinion. Everybody doesn’t do this trick, but it’s what I do in my mind.”
Familiarize yourself with doggy formal wear. Show dogs are often groomed much differently than dogs kept as pets. (For example, take a look at how this Shih Tzu’s appearance changed from its show days to its retirement.) “Some of the coats and the cuts on the dogs may not be cuts that you would maintain your pet at home with,” says O’Hurley, “but that is a way of recognizing the history of the breed. Some of the coats are a little bit more traditional in their cuts.”
Continue reading The National Dog Show: How to Watch, What to Watch Out For
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