Digital Dogs: Woofin’ it up on the Web

Some dogs have something to say, and they’re not going to let silly things like the inability to “speak” or lack of opposable thumbs keep them from doing it. These pups have taken the Internet by storm, regaling their followers with humorous stories, tales of their days, and photos that just make you say “Aw!” They are the digital dogs, and these are some of our favorites.

Bo Hoefinger

Author of BoKnowsOnline.com and the book “Bad to the Bone: Memoir of a Rebel Doggie Blogger,” Bo blogs on everything from cats to health issues to products to politics. He even runs his own advice column where troubled dogs can write in with their questions and get Bo’s sage advice. Often irreverent and always humorous, Bo’s blog is a must-read.

The Vick Dogs

The Vick Dog Blog is “authored” by pit bulls that survived life with Michael Vick and the system. They post pictures of themselves with cute captions and updates on their lives and progress. It’s a heartwarming site that shows the resiliency of the canine spirit.

Pebbles the Puppy

A Westie from across the pond, Pebbles brings her take on the pastoral parts of England. Frequently posting photos of her travels and escapades, Pebbles’ blog may make you want to dust off your passport and hop on a plane with your pup to see these beautiful sights firsthand!

Mr. B

Another Brit, and author of A View from the Furry Side, Mr. B loves to post photos of himself with brief (and often insightful) captions. Make sure to check out his Dog Psalms, where he endeavors to enlighten us humans on a dog’s view of nature.

Alfie

Alfie’s Blog: A Mountain Dog’s View of the World is written by Alfie, a handsome Entlebucher Mountain Dog living in London. (Seems like British dogs are natural-born bloggers!) His is another picture-laden blog, with the added bonus of having such neat categories as Mischief Monday, Wordless Wednesday, and Friday Foto Fun. Enjoy Alfie’s adventures and his great “smile!”

Snoopy

Nope, not the Peanuts™ character; this Snoopy is a bearded collie from California who is also a therapy dog. The only thing that competes with his mission to help people is his mission to get into as much mischief as possible. Snoopy updates frequently, so check back often to see what hijinks he’s has been up to!

Jay

Or as he refers to himself, Dog with Blog. Jay is a Border Collie living in Wales, UK with his housemate Ellie (McSmelly) and his owner. He’s got a bit of an attitude, which makes for some amusing reading, especially when he describes his troubles with Ellie and his life-long nemeses: birds. Keep an eye out for Jay’s amusing captioned photos; they’ll definitely give you a chuckle.

Tank

An English bulldog with over 36,000 followers, Tank is a Facebook favorite. He frequently posts pictures and videos with anecdotes from his adventures. While not as verbose as some of his counterparts, he more than makes up for it with his wrinkly, floppy-jowled, adorable bulldog face!

And last but certainly not least:

Boo

Facebook sensation Boo is a Pomeranian and perceived by many as “the word’s cutest dog.” Boo’s precious haircut, propensity for cute outfits, and adorable smile has gained him over 4 million fans, as well as numerous endorsements, including a stuffed animal, a calendar, and a book. He’s even been on TV! Check out his page and be prepared to melt at the sheer cuteness that is Boo.


Many of the dogs who blog are also on Facebook and Twitter. Check out their blogs for links to their social media pages!

All photos are property of the respective blog owners.

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Great Apps for On-the-Go Dog Owners

Now that May is here and the weather’s getting warmer, both we and our four-legged friends are out and about far more often, which also means we’re away from our primary source of information: our computers. However, with today’s technology, no computer is no problem! Here are some helpful apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android that will make sure that out of the house doesn’t mean out of touch.

Pet First AidPet First Aid

None of us want to think about our pet being injured or having a medical emergency, but unfortunately, it does happen. The Pet First Aid app aims to help in these situations. It provides videos, articles, and illustrations on first aid and triage for common medical emergencies for both cats and dogs, and covers everything from cuts and bee stings to CPR and bandaging. The iOS version also allows you to record your pet’s vital medical information and veterinary info so you’re always on top of his medical needs. $3.99 for iOS; $2.99 for Android (Android version only contains First Aid information; updates are expected which will allow the ability to track medical stats)

Dog Park Finder PlusDog Park Finder Plus

With listings of over 6,000 dog-friendly parks and beaches and 12,000 dog-friendly restaurants across the U.S., no matter where you travel, this app will make sure you don’t need to leave your dog behind. Dog Park Finder Plus includes map markers and extensive details such as park hours, fencing info, small dog areas, restroom availability, park fees, park size, park photos, park star ratings, and more. Also features advanced search functionality. $1.99 for iOS; not yet available for Android

Fido FactorFidoFactor

Another app to help you find the dog-friendly spots in your neighborhood, Fido Factor lists local dog parks and dog-friendly restaurants, bars, pet stores, hotels, and more. The app includes directions, hours and contact information in its user-generated database, as well as user reviews. FREE for iOS; not available yet for Android, but Android users can access the online database via their web browser at m.fidofactor.com

Pet MasterPet Master

A easy way to store and remember of all your pet’s important medical and veterinary information. Keep track of veterinary appointments, meds, and shots (and be reminded of them in advance), log your pet’s daily activities, and more. Limited version FREE on iOS and Android; paid version also available with additional features.

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Cesar’s Way: “Dogs Must Have Boundaries”

Dave Wingfield (left) and Dog Whisperer Cesar MillanMost dog owners (especially those with, shall we say, “difficult” dogs) know who Cesar Millan is. Called the Dog Whisper, the self-taught Millan is well-known for his success in training particularly aggressive dogs. His methodology? Helping dogs find “balance” by utilizing his understanding of “dog psychology,” combined with “calm-assertive energy” and his “fulfillment forumula”: exercise, then discipline, then finally affection.

DogWatch dealer Dave Wingfield of Hudson Valley Boundaries was recently able to attend one of Millan’s seminars on his “Trust Your Instincts” tour, and had the chance to have a meet & greet with Millan backstage. During their chat, Millan noticed Wingfield’s DogWatch shirt. When Wingfield asked if he approved, Millan said, “Of course. Dogs must have boundaries.” That statement in and of itself sums up Millan’s ethos as a trainer: in order for dogs to be truly happy and healthy, they must have boundaries. DogWatch Hidden Fences, Indoor Boundaries, and Remote Trainers are all useful and appropriate components in providing such boundaries.

Here’s the quick breakdown of the Millan method:
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The DogWatch 2011 Dealer Awards

On February 10-12, DogWatch held our annual Dealer Meeting in Austin, TX. This meeting was our chance to gather our dealers together and discuss our techniques, strategies, and plans for moving forward, so we can continue to bring you the top-notch products and service you have come to expect from DogWatch Hidden Fences. We have some exciting new announcements coming down the pipeline (including a new product!), so stay tuned in upcoming weeks to learn more about what 2012 will bring!

Now, on to something else we are just as excited about. At the dealer meeting, we also announced our dealer awards for 2011. Awards were given out in several categories, including Top Dogs, Rookie of the Year, Top Dealers, Sales Achievement, and more. Congrats go to Major Market Dealers of the Year Emily & Pat West of DogWatch of Columbus and Jan Van de Kamp of DogWatch-Holland, as well as Mid-Market Dealers of the Year Eugene Harwell of DogWatch of North Alabama and Jon Simons of DogWatch of Omaha.

Read on for our full list of awards, and if your local Dealer made the list, we hope you will stop by their Facebook page to congratulate them! Continue Reading

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The Americanization of the German Shepherd: Changing Needs, Changing Breeds

German shepherd: European line. Photo by Erika Steer via Flickr.When you think of a police dog or military dog, the first thing that pops into your mind is most likely a German shepherd. German shepherds (also known as Alsatians) have become synonymous with canines in law enforcement, and for good reason. They are loyal, determined, hard-working, confident, and near-fearless dogs who are happiest when they have a job to do. Their innate need to protect their people, coupled with their strong senses of smell and vision and excellent endurance and athleticism make the German shepherd one of the most well-suited breeds for a career in law enforcement, military, or guard work.

In fact, everything about the German shepherd connotes a noble, trustworthy, incorruptible companion and protector. From the regal, chiseled head and muzzle to the broad shoulders and strongly-muscled legs, to the dignity of its posture, the German shepherd dog simply demands respect.

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The Dogs of Ireland

With today being St. Patrick’s Day, plenty of people are embracing their inner Irish, regardless of whether they can actually trace their ancestry back to the Emerald Isle. The dogs in this post, however, are Irish through and through, and many proudly bear names that reveal their Celtic roots. So put on your green, sit back, and read all about the dogs of Ireland. Sláinte!

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Balto: The Iditarod’s Unexpected Hero

The statue of Balto erected in New York' City's Central Park. © 2012 Uris.We’re now a few days into the 2012 Iditarod, dog sledding’s biggest race. Most people know that the Iditarod is a grueling distance race of over 1,000 miles that takes place on the Iditarod trail in Alaska and tests the endurance of both dog and man. Not everyone, however, knows about the dangerous and dramatic journey that the race commemorates, and how an unlikely hero emerged during it and helped save an entire city. That hero was Balto, lead sled dog of Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen’s team, and this is his story.

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The Presidential Pups

President Barack Obama and first puppy Bo race through the White House. White House photo.This Monday we celebrated Presidents’ Day, where we honor two intrepid men who were essential in establishing the United States as we know them today: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In leading the U.S., Washington and Lincoln, as well as all our other presidents, obviously had a solid team of advisors, experts, and confidantes who helped them handle the stressful decisions required by the role. While we at DogWatch are sure those experts are essential to a successful presidency, we are also inclined to believe that a good canine companion is just as important! So today, on Washington’s birthday, we’d like to celebrate some of the First Dogs who provided our nation’s leaders with love, laughter, and a whole lot of cute!

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Why “Fix” Your Pet if it Isn’t Broken?

Spayed kitten. Photo by Adrigu via Flickr.Those of us that grew up watching The Price Is Right remember host Bob Barker telling us at the end of every episode to “help control the pet population; have your pets spayed or neutered.” This month, the Humane Society of the United States is asking us to do the same thing: February is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, and the 27th is World Spay Day.

Spaying and neutering our pets is important for two primary reasons: 1) it helps control the pet population, keeping unexpected and unwanted pets off the streets and out of shelters where they are unfortunately frequently put down, and 2) it provides a host of health and behavioral benefits.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 6-8 MILLION homeless pets enter animal shelters each year; of these, 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized, many of which are the offspring of family pets that the family was unable to care or find homes for. Here’s a sobering statistic: according to PETA, if unaltered, one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in only six years; in seven years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 370,000 kittens! Since caring for that many animals (or finding homes for them) is an unrealistic proposition, it is almost certain that those offspring would wind up in shelters or on the street, where their survival is a matter of chance. Altering our pets can prevent this overpopulation, and help ensure that every puppy or kitten is wanted and has a forever home. Continue Reading

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Oodles of Poodles … Poodle Mixes, That Is!

We recently brought you a post all about the poodle: a highly intelligent, determined, and athletic dog that has been man’s faithful companion and workmate for hundreds of years. In fact, poodles are so beloved and their temperaments and traits so desirable (especially the fact that they don’t shed – a trait which they pass on) that they have become a breeder favorite for crossing with other dogs. These pairings have produced some amazing, interesting (and in some cases, quite amusingly-named) new types of dogs.  Here are a few of the more common mixes followed by a list of some others you might encounter. Continue Reading

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