the aspca reminds us about summer safety for pets: the top 5 summer hazards

July 4, 2015 Kristen Carr

With good reason, we often focus our pet safety efforts around 4th of July celebrations. The threat is real, as more pets go missing on that day of the year than any other. They flee because they are frightened and don't understand the loud noises from fireworks and the like. In addition to Independence Day dangers, summer, as a whole, can be a dangerous time for pets, so there are other summer hazards we need to consider. The ASPCA has created an infographic outlining the top five.

The ASPCA reminds us of the top five summer hazards for pets. Please keep your pets safe this season!

consider your particular climate and protect your pets from summer hazards

Here in Phoenix, Arizona, where temps commonly reach over 110° throughout the summer, we take special care to make sure our pets are safe. Though the extreme heat may seem more hazardous to our pets (and it can be if we don't take precautions), sometimes I think the extreme heat is a benefit. We don't mess around. There is NO QUESTION that our pets should not be left in a car or stand on concrete that can burn your skin off in a matter of seconds. Responsible pet owners keep their pets indoors, keep them well hydrated, and keep them protected.

In other regions, where it gets hot, but to a lesser degree, pets may be in even more danger. We may not think it's hazardous to keep Fido outside for an all-day celebration in 85° weather, but, in reality, he can become distressed and dehydrated quickly.

It's important to be mindful of your particular climate and know how it will affect your pets. Take all necessary precautions, as your pets are depending on you.

How do you keep your pets safe during the summer?

gluten-free: it's gone to the dogs

June 26, 2015 Kristen Carr

Have you gone gluten-free? These days, it seems like nearly everyone has, and I'm still not entirely sure why. Gluten seems to be the new devil, and people are eliminating it from their diets regardless of whether they are intolerant. This trend is now trickling down to our dogs, so I thought we'd take a closer look at whether or not going gluten-free is a good thing for our pups.

First of all, do we know what gluten is? The Jimmy Kimmel Show (bomb!) hit the streets and asked health enthusiasts about it in his "pedestrian question" segment.

If asked this question, would you have been able to answer correctly?

I would have flubbed it. Though I know the definition, I feel like it's sort-of morphed into this diet-craze thing that has become ultra confusing. While gluten can be a real problem for people with celiac disease, we're only just now learning about "gluten intolerance," something I would guess would be more of a "processed food issue," but perhaps it's simpler to peg it on gluten.

So what is gluten? You still don't know? Me either. I'm confused.

Let's clarify.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and some grains, including barley and rye. It provides elasticity to dough, giving it a chewy texture.

Bam.

And then I did some research.

is gluten all that bad for us or for our dogs?

Unless one has a sensitivity to gluten, it is neither particularly good (except for the fact that it is a source of protein) or bad for you. In humans, gluten sensitivity manifests in the digestive tract, causing stomach upset or bowel irregularity. The same holds true for dogs, but the most common and outward sign in the canine variety is poor skin condition. If your dog has itchy, dry skin, or maybe even a few bald spots, it could be due to a number of things, but gluten may be the culprit.

That being said, have you considered your climate or checked for fleas? Poor food quality (whether or not the food includes gluten) is the most common reason for these issues.

how common is canine gluten sensitivity?

True gluten intolerance is actually pretty rare in both humans and dogs. PetMD states that "in a study of 278 cases of food allergy in dogs where the problem ingredient was clearly identified, beef, dairy, chicken, egg, lamb, soy, pork, and fish (none of which contain gluten) were responsible for 231 combined cases. Wheat, which contains a lot of gluten, was only involved in 42 cases."

Hmmmm.

The scoop on gluten-free dog food.

As people become more interested in a gluten-free diet, the trend has trickled down to our dogs. Gluten is commonly in dog food as a binding agent. If your dog is experiencing tummy trouble or poor skin quality, it certainly doesn't hurt to try a gluten-free dog food and see if symptoms improve. If they do–great! Gluten-free dog food is readily available and becoming even more-so, so it's fairly easy to give it a try.

Gluten-free dog food is often a higher-quality food with meat being the only source of protein. For this reason, gluten-free dog food is usually more expensive. Very inexpensive, poor-quality dog foods will typically contain a lot of grain as a filler since grain is much less expensive than meat. As with the foods we feed our human family members, it's important to read the ingredient list on your dog's food. If your dog is truly gluten-intolerant, you'll probably be saving money on veterinary bills by putting him on a gluten-free food, but, if not, you may be spending extra unnecessarily.

is "grain-free" and "gluten-free" the same thing?

Grain-free dog foods are just that–free of any grain. Gluten-free dog food may or may not contain grain. Since gluten is only present in some grains (the most common being wheat, barley, and rye), a gluten-free dog food will be free of those grains, but may contain other grains that do not contain gluten. In summary, a gluten-free dog food might be grain free, while a grain-free dog food will definitely be gluten-free.

Is your head spinning? Mine, too. Just remember:

GRAIN-FREE = GLUTEN-FREE

GLUTEN-FREE may or may not = GRAIN FREE

how to make the transition.

Any time you switch your dog's food, it's important to make the transition slowly for two reasons.

1. Your dog will likely be more accepting of the new food.

2. Your dog's digestive system will have time to ease into the new situation, which is especially important for dogs with sensitive tummies.

I suggest a 1/4 over 4 days formula, which will gradually transition your pet over the course of 12 days. You'll switch 1/4 of your dog's food to the new food for four days, then increase the amount of new food by 1/4 every four days. It looks like this:

the bottom line.

If your dog experiences tummy upset or suffers from poor skin quality, it certainly can't hurt to try a gluten-free dog food. Regardless of whether your dog is gluten-free or not, it is important to research the ingredients in your pet's food and choose a high-quality option.

Is your dog gluten-free? Please share your story!

parenting pets vs. parenting humans: can we call a truce?

June 17, 2015 Kristen Carr

I'm sticking my neck out, here, I know. Lately I've noticed a ton of blog posts, Facebook posts, Tweets, and the like, on one side or the other of a particular issue: is parenting a pet the same as parenting a child? There are two extreme camps. Camp A says "my dog is my child," and Camp B says "dogs are not children" (substitute "dog" with "cat" or "mouse," or whatever your preferred critter is). The most common pet in question is the dog, so we'll focus on that. I just don't understand all of the controversy.

what's the gripe?

Some pet parents are furious and insulted that their pets will not be acknowledged by the world as children.

Some parents of human children are furious and insulted that pet parents would dare to call their pets "furbabies," "furkids," or (gasp) "children."

I think we all need to get over it. I am a pet parent and a parent of humans. I don't consider myself a part of either camp. I have friends in both camps. I am campless. I love my dog. I love my tortoise differently than I love my dog. And even the fish get some of my love, but it's different than how I love the tortoise or the dog. I love my step-kid. I love my biological kids differently than I love my step-kid. I love my biological kids differently than each other and differently than the pets. In my world, none of it is the same. Each is an individual, and each must be cared for and loved in it's own way. Does it matter to you what I call them? I love them all.

It seems that most of the people in Camp A admittedly don't have human children, so I'm not sure they qualify to compare their pet parenting to human parenting (I am sensitive to the fact that some of these people can't have children, and some have chosen not to). On the flip side, those in Camp B seem to be extremely offended by Camp A's declarations and are fighting back with a vengeance, which I think is a ridiculous waste of time on something that is really a positive aspect of the lives of so many. Lighten up.

In my opinion, people that see their pets as children seem to be more involved as pet parents, which I think is a great thing. So why do other people care what they call their pets or how strongly they feel about them? It's all good, people. There are plenty of other worthy causes that are actual problems that we can spend our time combatting. What if we took the energy we are spending fighting other parents of any kind and put it toward fighting puppy mills or child cancer, instead?

for the sake of argument

Though pet parenting has many similarities to human parenting, there are also many differences. I don't think we should argue, but for the sake of argument, let's look at some issues surrounding this topic that are most commonly debated:

OUTINGS: Though you can leave your pet home alone for brief periods, you can't do that with the human variety. WHO COMES OUT AHEAD? PET PARENTS. On the flip side, your human children can go everywhere with you, except the bar, so if you're looking for company, HUMAN PARENTS.

ENTERTAINMENT: Pets are usually good with a few minutes of fetch or a daily walk...maybe a bit of TV here and there. Human children must be constantly entertained. PET PARENTS FOR THE WIN!

SOUNDS: Barking vs. crying. Whining vs. whining. Farting vs. farting. I CALL IT A TIE.

SLEEP: Both pets and children will wake you in the middle of the night. Pets sleep a lot during the day, too, which gives them the edge. WHO HAS IT BETTER? PET PARENTS.

COST: Both pets and humans are expensive. Humans eat more, eat more often, require more clothes, require more expensive toys (no dog ever asked for an iPad for Christmas), and, oh, yeah...then there's the whole college thing. WHO GETS THE LONG STRAW? PET PARENTS.

EDUCATION: Pet training can be quite involved, but years and years of schooling and listening to your children whine about homework is a bit more intense. WHO HAS IT EASIER? PET PARENTS.

SUPERVISION: Sure, there are crates for dogs and cribs for babies, but once we're past that stage, it's much more difficult to catch a shower if you're the parent to human toddlers. THE VICTOR? PET PARENTS.

POOP: Diapers must be changed, but typically only for a couple of years. Pet parents have to deal with that shit for the life of the pet. THE WINNER: HUMAN PARENTS.

REPRODUCTION: You can't spay and neuter your human children. And then there are those awkward conversations that must be had. If you're dog is humping the couch pillow, we all get a good laugh and move on. Teenage pregnancy? Not a problem for pet parents. PET PARENTS STEAL THE VICTORY.

LONGEVITY: Typically, pets are only with their families for a relatively short time. We wish they could stay longer. WHO HAS IT BETTER? HUMAN PARENTS.

LOVE: Isn't this what it's all about? The end-all be-all. WHO WINS?

Love is love. And love is the most important thing. The love between parent and child or parent and pet is love, and you can never have too much. No competing here. EVERYONE WINS.

So who cares if pet parents choose to call their pets their "kids?" Who is it hurting? And for those of us who haven't parented humans? Perhaps we should not make strong declarations about how it's exactly the same as parenting a pet. It really isn't. In my opinion, we're kind-of all right, and we're kind-of all wrong.

Parents of any kind need support. Let's all be supportive of each other in our journeys to raise wonderful, beautiful living things. Can we call a truce?

it's here! the super-sized pet blogger summer giveaway

June 15, 2015 Kristen Carr

We've been anticipating it for weeks, and it's finally here: The Super-Sized Pet Blogger Summer Giveaway! What the heck is going on, you ask? Well, twenty-four awesome pet bloggers have come together to celebrate the onset of summer by offering our readers the chance to win one of three doggone amazing prizes.

what can you win?

3rd prize: A PawNosh Cubby Bowl. These bowls are GORGEOUS and made from 100% recycled glass. Safe for the environment, and safe for your pet to eat from.

2nd prize: Your choice of Italian Leather Collar & Leash set from dogIDs. These beautiful sets come in a variety of colors can be personalized with your pet's information.

GRAND PRIZE: A $400 Visa Gift Card. Lots of moolah. Need we say more?

how can you win?

Between June 15 and June 21st, just follow the easy steps in the Rafflecopter widget, below. The more you enter, the better your chances! If you want to super-size your chances of winning, visit all of the participating blogs. Since there are 24 pet blogs, that gives you like...um...a whole bunch of entries (does anyone have a calculator?).

And the coolest part? You get to check out some fabulous pet blogs you may not have previously discovered.

participating blogs

Pawsitively Pets

Christy Paws

Daily Dog Tag

Fidose of Reality

Cascadian Nomads

The Lazy Pit Bull

Oh My Shih Tzu

Pet Product Review

Kitty Cat Chronicles

Animal Bliss

Beagles & Bargains

You Did What With Your Wiener

Kol's Notes

Kama Loves Agility

My Life With Pets

It's Dog or Nothing

Confessions of a Rescue Mom

CindyLu's Muse

Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

My Rotten Dogs

Bones and Fishes

Dolly the Doxie

Tails Are Wagging

well minded pets

Please take a moment to visit our friends and enter to win on each of their blogs.

Be sure to submit all of your entries by next Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST. Come Monday morning, we'll randomly select three winners and officially announce them on The Lazy Pitbull Facebook page. I'll also be sure to give you the scoop on the Well Minded Facebook page. Now that's a way to brighten a Monday morning!

Happy summer, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the giveaway: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, except where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run from June 15 through June 21, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. Three (3) winners will be randomly selected and notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion.

the honest kitchen grants our wishes

June 5, 2015 Kristen Carr

Thanks to chewy.com for providing me with a sample of The Honest Kitchen's Wishes to review. I only share information I feel is relevant to my readers. All opinions and ideas are my own.

N.A.S.H.A. and I love it when we see the FedEx delivery dude approaching our door with a box from chewy.com because we know that delicious healthy treats are on their way. As I've mentioned before, N.A.S.H.A. is extremely picky when it comes to treats. We agree that the treats should be pure...for some reason she typically only enjoys treats with one ingredient, and I don't like to feed her things loaded with chemicals and preservatives. I'm a picky label reader, and she is quick to turn her nose up to anything not up to standards. Yeah, yeah...we're snobs. When I recently heard about The Honest Kitchen's Wishes treats, I was pretty sure they would meet our approval. We already love their healthy dehydrated dog food and know about the high quality of the ingredients, so we were anxious to try these treats.

these pure, simple treats grant our wishes

Wishes only have one ingredient: pure dehydrated all natural human-grade Icelandic haddock fillets. They were created for cats and dogs to equally enjoy. What's so great about them?

• low in fat

• high in protein

• great for pets with more common protein allergies

• large pieces easily break apart, so treats are great for pets of any size

The Honest Kitchen is also conscious about environmental impact. They explain on the box that "our haddock is caught in the cold, pristine waters off the coast of Iceland using a hook and line, not trawlers, to reduce impact on the ocean's delicate eco-system." Wonderful!

is there anything not to like?

Not in N.A.S.H.A.'s opinion. In fact, she begs for these like crazy on a daily basis. Perhaps because, as put by The Honest Kitchen, they are so "aromatic." I don't personally mind the smell of fish, but if one is bothered by that, these might not be the treats for your house. They are definitely aromatic, but, thankfully, the interior bag seals tightly for storage.

Yes, I eventually let N.A.S.H.A. try Wishes, and she loved them! Since she's small, we broke apart one of the large pieces and found just the right size for her.

Our first taste-test. I think she's wishing the piece was bigger.

I'm so happy to have found a nutritious, pure treat to add to our arsenal of snacks N.A.S.H.A. likes. I'm pretty sure any dog would dig these, and if both dogs and cats share their home with you, even better!

What do you think your pet would think of Wishes?

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