Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© C Boyko

It’s good to be back in the saddle, touring the states to check out adoptable Petfinder Pets. I had a blast the last couple of months promoting Petfinder adoption through our Super Dog Sunday™ events. If you missed the photo contest, you may want to check it out here.

Chloe

Now let’s move on to Oklahoma where we find , Chloe, an adoptable dog. Chloe is a Border Collie, Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. If you’re familiar with breeds you’ll know these are two highly active breeds, so Chloe is looking for a family that will enjoy getting her out for long walk, swim, or hike every day. 

Tommy
Chloe is friendly, playful and has a love of life like no other. She may need a bit of obedience training, but then what dog doesn’t. She’s smart and will likely learn quickly. You can find Chloe in Prague, Okalahoma at the link above.

If you’re looking for a smaller pup, perhaps Tommy will suit your fancy. He’s a Chihuahua mix also available in Prague. 

Spyce
Spyce and his brother and soulmate, Pepper, cannot go with their owner to a new home. They are in need of a new home quickly. Spyce, a beautiful domestic long hair, and Pepper are available to adopt in Shawnee, Okalahoma. Their foster family’s phone number is on their profile page, so you can ask questions and get an idea if you are the right family for Spyce and Pepper. Please give them a chance!

Ophelia
Now let’s meet Ophelia, a bunny rabbit mix in Blanchard, Okalahoma. Unlike most rabbits, Ophelia likes to be in the middle of activity and enjoys showing off. She is quite an unusual rabbit. In addition, her caretakers say she is highly athletic with amazing jumping ability that is very entertaining. She is good with her human family members and would make a nice pet for many households.

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Oliver Dolls Up for
Mardi Gras
We were very torn about costuming for today’s theme. After all, it is President’s Day. Mardi Gras won out when we realized that our Red White and Blue costuming lies largely with bandanas. The beads are so much more fun!

Tanner took a turn as well. You may have noticed he has been on a bit of a vacation from the camera lately. After a mysterious rash popped up, he had the joy of wearing a Tshirt to save his side from being scratched during the itchy period. I think we’re about there now–finally past the days of requiring a homeopathic soothing, anti-itch spray. He’ll be back Wednesday for WW. Be sure to join us for a fun day of Fido photos, via Blogpaws.

© Carrie Boyko
Stuffing Free. Please Love Me!
Before we get to the main event, I have to ask if you’ve seen last week’s Mutt Monday post. I announced a cool giveaway of a Nylabone toy that is simply adorable. It’s great for all dogs, both small and large. All you have to do to have a chance at winning it is Tweet the #MuttMonday hashtag. It’s that easy! Here’s a simple Tweet to get you started:

#MuttMonday is an “Anything Goes Pet Topics” blog hop @AllThingsDog ea Mon written by & 4 pet lovers. Join us! http://ow.ly/8ZNqv 
Okay, on with the show. Remember, there are really no rules. Keep it family friendly and all about pets, and let ‘er rip. Feel free to share a sampling of your last week’s posts to show off what’s happening at your site. The more the merrier! It is Mardi Gras week, after all!

PS. For those of you who are really into the Oscars, I hear that The Tiniest Tiger will be in one of the secret rooms or “gifting suites” this week, tweeting and giving away a special hipster bag. You can learn more by visiting here.

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Article Content:
by Mark Nunez, DVM

© Oblivion9999 via Flickr.com
Facial Swelling
Common in Bug Bites & Ingestion
Dear Dr. Mark: Skipper likes to eat bugs. Are there any bugs Skipper shouldn’t be eating? All Summer long I had to watch him because of the bees. Lucky we did not have any bees for snacks. Today Skipper was out chasing a bug and he managed to catch it for his snack. Spiders are another thing he wants to snack on…Help! I don’t want Skipper to get sick.

Sharon G.——————————————-Hello Sharon,
This is a good question.  Most bugs are not toxic in the sense that they will cause liver and/or kidney damage if ingested, but there are a few notable ones that I will discuss.  The main problem is the same problem that people have, anaphylaxis (allergic reactions) to stinging insects.  
Fortunately, for our canine friends, their immune cells are distributed a little differently as compared to ours and they do not have the issue of their throats swelling shut like we do.  Their faces swell (angioedema), they break out in hives, they get very itchy, and could also have vomiting and diarrhea.  Occasionally, the diarrhea can be very bloody.  The good news is that they usually respond very well to Benadryl and corticosteroids (Prednisone).  Eating caterpillars with spines or non-venomous hairs can cause a localized itchy response due to mechanical irritation and foreign body that can result in hives, drooling, difficulty swallowing and tongue, lip and oral irritation.  The notable mentions that can cause major problems are listed here with images at the links:It can be very difficult to stop your dog from eating bugs.  Usually a good sting is motivation enough.  Fortunately, most dogs are not allergic and should learn their lesson once they experience the unpleasantness of a sting, or a bad taste as well :-).

© courtesy m.n.
Dr. Nunez

Dr. Nunez is a practicing veterinarian while also assisting patients through The Balanced Canine blog and his own online veterinary pharmacy. Have a question for Dr. Mark? Send it to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. You can also follow Mark on Twitter.

Want to read more from Dr. Mark? Try these, or visit his archives:

The Dangers of Animal BonesTuberculosis and DogsTiming of FeedingArthritis Treatment and Prevention
Dr. Nunez’s advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

The envelope please. We’ll dispense with the speeches, the gowns, the jokes and reminiscences. Let’s get to the meat of this game–the winners!

Little did I know what my readers could belt out when I started this trivia contest. Who knew? There are a number of you who blew me away with mountains of details about pets in the movies. What fun!

© C Boyko
Walk the Red Carpet on Sunday
Let me review the prizes first. Our judges’ first pick will get a Replendish by Petmate, perfect for large dogs or large pet families.

There will be 3 second place awards. Each will win a package of Terra Paws Sweet Potato Treats.

Three 3rd place winners winners will each receive a poop bag holder that clips to their leash or belt loop. 

Tanner Took Good Care
Before I open any envelopes, I just want to give a hearty thank you to the eveready bunnies of the pet trivia world: cdmtx and cstironkat. These two contestants were certainly in it to win!

Now let’s get down to business, starting with the 3rd Place winners Amy O, Tiny the Puggle and Island Snoopy. Along with the rest of the winners, you’ll receive either an email or a DM via Twitter notifying you of the email to send your address to: AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.

© C Boyko
Oliver Hoped to Dig In

Moving on to 2nd Place I have to mention special thanks from the judges to Danielle for digging up a great little gem about Baretta’s Cockatoo. The bit on the Harry Potter cats was also great fun, provided by cdmtx. The winners in this category are Danielle, cdmtx, and nzrd.  Feel free to send your addresses on in. These Terra Paws are getting a lot of interest from my two fidos.

© C Boyko
The Water Hole
Gets a New Home

First Place goes to cstironkat for an entertaining piece of trivia about the exact number of spots on Pongo and Perdita in the original 101 Dalmatians movie. Can you guess? If not, you’ll have to visit the comments section at this link to read up on some of the fun trivia. It’s definitely worth a visit–entertaining reading!

If you’re really into movie trivia and the Oscars, you may want to check out Dogtipper’s Twitter Party on Wednesday, Feb 22. She’s giving away a bundle of great cat swag, so if you’re a kitty lover, this is definitely the place to be. Sadly, I won’t be there, but you can go and have fun!

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Article Content:
Michael Baugh CPDT-KSA, CDBC

Refrigerator Snuggles for Xena

Dear Michael: I just wanted to touch base with you about your recommendations for Sarah and her fear of the refrigerator. She won’t walk by it!
Thanks, Michelle S.———————————————–

Thanks for your question, Michelle. Fear usually has one of two sources. 1) Unfamiliarity with the person or thing the dog is afraid of or 2) Some sort of bad prior experience with the thing or person. Regardless of the cause, your solutions are the same.

First, decide whether or not you really need to teach Sarah to conquer her fear of the fridge. This may seem silly, but give it some thought. I have a client dog who developed a phobia of his water and food bowl. That’s serious because the dog has to drink and eat to survive. Does Sarah really need to pass by the refrigerator? If so, let’s solve the problem. If not, let it go and watch to make sure the fear doesn’t spread.

Remember this when you begin training. Sarah should always have the freedom to make choices. Don’t force her to walk by the refrigerator and certainly don’t drag her past it. Instead, you’ll be incrementally reinforcing her for taking one, then two, then three steps, and so on. Clicker training will really come in handy here.

Here’s how you turn the task into a game. Teach Sarah to touch a flat object you can place on the ground. I sometimes use the lid of a Tupperware container. This is called a target and the process is called target training. Each touch of the object results in a click and a treat. This quickly becomes a fun game for the dog – touch; click; treat. Once Sarah gets hooked on the game, place the object a bit nearer the fridge. Touch; click; treat. Yay! Repeat the game with the target a little further down the path past the appliance. Eventually you’ll place the target at the end of the path and Sara will run right by the fridge to touch it. In the meantime, remember to keep the training sessions short and be patient.

Fear of appliances and objects in the household is not terribly uncommon in dogs. They’re foreign and often make strange sounds. These sources of fear are less common in humans. I sometimes wish I were more afraid of the refrigerator. It’s the bathroom scale that really scares me.

Houston Dog Trainer Michael Baugh CPDT-KSA, CDBC is the Director of Training and Behavior at Rover Oaks Pet Resorts. You may reach Michael at the link for a personal consultation, or write to him at our Ask the Dog Trainer Column @ LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Michael’s advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Check out Michael’s Archives Page, or these recent articles:
Helping a Fearful Dog
Adding Another Dog to Your Family
My Dog Climbs the Fence

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Am I Handsome Mom?

© C Boyko
My party animal is finally feeling less itchy and ready to celebrate. He enjoyed his Mardi Gras with some treats that are a little more tame than that of the taverns in New Orleans. After a couple of weeks of outsmarting an itchy spot (bug bite? bush attack? rough housing with the neighborhood hounds? He still won’t tell me what happened) Tanner is finally out of his scratch preventer Tshirt and looking pretty smart in his Mardi Gras getup. What do you think?

Patches, our cat, has gotten wind of the #RedCarpetCat Twitter Party that will be held tonight. She’s eager to snag some swag from the prizes. Maybe I’ll pop in and see what the scoop is. You?

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© C Boyko
Chow Time Mom?
Castor and Pollux is continuing to spread their wings. Organix now has a puppy version for your wiggly-nosed youngster. And if you’ve got a couch potato on your hands–one that maybe sports a few too many pounds–check out the weight management formula. 

Tanner and Oliver had me out for our daily walk this morning and I was reminded of this ongoing problem of many dogs when we greeted a Chubby Newfie that could have almost passed as a bear. Sweet as he was, I know those extra pounds are not doing him any favors. Watch your dog’s weight, based on a chart of average weights for your dog’s breed. Ask your vet for advice on his ideal weight. Or do the at-home test.

Looking down at your dog’s back, he should have a noticeable waistline. If not, check his ribcage. Can you feel the individual ribs? No? Time to watch Fido’s intake and slow down on the treats. Remember that they have more calories than many dog food brands, so it’s important to dole them out carefully.

Today I’m launching a giveaway in a big way. Six winners will get to win TWENTY POUNDS of Organix!  You’ll be able to choose from puppy, adult, grain-free or weight management–your choice. This is huge, so tell your friends, put up a sign in your yard, or chat it up on Twitter. I’ll help with that in the Rafflecopter entry form below. 

© C Boyko
Permission Please?

Entries will be accepted through midnight, Thursday, March 15. Winners will be announced on Friday evening, March 16. There’s one more rule, and this one is hard and fast. In order to win, you absolutely must leave at least 1 comment below, according to the instructions in the Rafflecopter. No comment=no win! Good luck to you all!

Full disclosure: The dog food in this giveaway has been provided as a promotional courtesy by Castor and Pollux Pet. There is no purchase required to enter. This giveaway is limited to the U.S. only and is void wherever prohibited.
Helpful Tip:  If you have trouble viewing the Rafflecopter entry form below, simply refresh this post by clicking on the title, and the Rafflecopter form will appear beneath this line:
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
<a href=”http://rafl.es/enable-js”>You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Event Barkers is gaining steam quickly. After last week’s Red Carpet Cat, which sadly was missing the @AllThingsDog Twitter handle :(, Paris and I are busily preparing for growth. 

© C Boyko
Event Barkers Promo Pack
We’re looking for new ways to get the word out about our parties. We have some new options available and you can win prizes by exploring them in the Rafflecopter below. We don’t want you to miss a single party!

Just for availing yourself of additional ways to keep up with our events, you’ll be entered to win a copy of Dogtipper’s book, Barkonomics: Tips for Frugal Fidos, an All Things Dog Blog bandana (size appropriate), a dog training video, 1 box of Zukes treats, and a dog toy. That’s a total value of nearly ! It’s that easy!

Entries begin now and will continue through midnight Thursday, March 15. One prize package will be given away by each of our blogs: 2 winners! Enjoy!

Note: Canadian winners will receive a substitute prize for the dog treats, due to border regulations regarding the shipment of pet food.

Helpful Tip: If you do not see the Rafflecopter entry form below, simply refresh the page by clicking on the title and it will appear just beneath this line:/*{literal}{/literal}*/
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway.

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Article Content:
by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Tanner and Oliver sure did have fun playing “Mardi Gras” for the camera this week. I do enjoy our photo shoots,and funny thing is they enjoy them too. Not only do they get treats for good behavior, but they seem to like being fawned over and put into fun themes for pictures. How about your dogs? Do they like having their photos taken?

Fido’s Freebie Friday has expanded its spread to the whole week. We’re now open 24/7 to make sure you have the best place to locate great pet products to win. If you’re a blogger,this is the place to link up your giveaways, contests, and prizes for pets and pet parents.

(c) C Boyko
Oliver Standing Guard
If you were here last week, you know that I was offering up bribes for sharing tweets about Fido’s Freebie Friday. As of Wednesday, Feb 22 at 1:30 PM ET, there had already been 131 Tweets with the #FidosFreebieFriday hashtag. You guys have done a great job!

The giveaway closes at midnight on Thursday, Feb. 23. Three winners will be drawn from the folks who helped us out by Tweeting. You can Tweet as often as you like until midnight Thursday, Feb 23.  Oliver is taking good care of the treats. He hasn’t even tried to tear a bag open–Yay!

For Bloggers:

Thanks to requests from some of you, Doggies and Stuff and All Things Dog Blog will now be bringing you Fido’s Freebie Friday all week long. You’ve told us in your emails and Tweets that you’d like to be able to link up whenever you open a new giveaway, so here we are: wide open 24/7!

Our new schedule is very simple. As in the past, each week’s new version of Fido’s Freebie Friday will continue to open at 4 PM ET on Thursday. The only change is that linkups will now remain OPEN through 3:59 PM ET the following Thursday. 

What does that mean for you? The only thing you may want to remember is that if you link up to Fido’ Freebie Friday early in the week, you may want to come back and re-enter the new version on Thursday afternoon, in order to continue your exposure here and on Doggies and Stuff throughout the busy weekend of browsers. 

If you need assistance with FTC guidelines, help with linking up, information on the Facebook rules for contests, or photo tips, check these links to our Help Page. Our two rules for linkups are:
Welcome and happy shopping!

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog and Doggies and Stuff take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. Please consult All Things Dog Blog’s Giveaway and Contest Rules for more detail.

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