Carolina Mountain Dog

Welcome!

Welcome to Carolina Mountain Dog! This is a "blogazine" for dog lovers who live in or near the Carolina mountains (or wish they did). Please read the About page for more details. Be sure to check the  sections above for additional information. Subscribe to the right to get our regular alerts. Bookmark this blog with our shortcut URL: www.cmdog.com 
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Charlotte Pet Expo - May 18

The Charlotte Pet Expo will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Park Expo Center in Charlotte. Along with over 100 exhibitors, the expo will feature:

 

• Prize giveaways for people and pets
• Dozens of rescue groups and a mega-adoption event
• Discounted vaccinations, microchipping and heartworm and flea preventatives
• Free nail trims
• Agility demonstrations
• Obedience demonstrations
• Author readings and book signings
• The latest pet products
• Live entertainment, and more

Pets are welcome. Admission is free; parking is $7. For more information visit http://charlottepetexpo.com .

 

Free Stop the Barking Session-Asheville, May 18

Pet Behavior Aid will hold a free session to help dog owners deal with barking. If you tried everything you know to do do to stop your dog from barking so much, then this session is for you. Learn the different types of barks, what they mean, and creative ways to stop the barking.

The session will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 to 11 AM at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption & Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville (behind Harmony Motors, off Brevard and Pond Roads, near the WNC Farmers Market). Humans only, please.

For more information, visit www.petbehavioraid.org or call (828) 707-0644. This session is sponsored by Pet Behavior Aid, an organization dedicated to to increasing the retention of companion animals in their homes in Western North Carolina.

Dogs & Suds, Waynesville, May 16

Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation does great work to save Haywood County's adoptable pets. You can support Sarge's by attending the second annual "Dogs & Suds" fundraiser on Thursday, May 16, from 6 to 9 PM at the Frog Level Brewing Company, 56 Commerce Street, Waynesville. 

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. You can purchase tickets in advance at Sarge's Adoption Center, 256 Industrial Park Drive and Smoky Mountain Dog Bakery, 102 N. Main Street, both in Waynesville, or at Mountain Dreams Realty, 3457 Soco Road in Maggie Valley.

Your ticket includes a 16 oz. craft beer, along with hot dogs, chips and dessert. These aren't just any hot dogs, either -- they're from Blueridge BBQ Company, with your choice of beef or smoked sausage and lots of toppings. Smoky Mountain Dog Bakers is providing the dessert cookies. Home-brewed root beer and soda are available for the kids and Frog Level Brewing is dog-friendly -- so bring the whole family! The Celtic Knot Band will provide the evening's musical entertainment. Every ticket is a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from gourmet food supplier Chef's Table. And, of course, all proceeds benefit Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation.

Blueridge BBQ Company, the Tourism Development Authority, Smoky Mountain Dog Bakery and Frog Level Brewing Company sponsor the event. 

Dogs are Good for Your Heart!

Dog lovers have long suspected that owning a dog was related to good health -- but now the American Heart Association confirms it!

The following is the beginning of an article that appeared in The New York Times last week:

"The nation’s largest cardiovascular health organization has a new message for Americans: Owning a dog may protect you from heart disease.

The unusual message was contained in a scientific statement published on Thursday by the American Heart Association, which convened a panel of experts to review years of data on the cardiovascular benefits of owning a pet. The group concluded that owning a dog, in particular, was “probably associated” with a reduced risk of heart disease.

People who own dogs certainly have more reason to get outside and take walks, and studies show that most owners form such close bonds with their pets that being in their presence blunts the owners’ reactions to stress and lowers their heart rate, said Dr. Glenn N. Levine, the head of the committee that wrote the statement."

Read the rest of the article here.

Image courtesy of Digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

ReTail Scene: New YaffBar is for You and Your Dog

Carolina Mountain Dog recently learned about a unique new product -- an energy bar designed for you to share with your dog. "YaffBar" is produced by a Vermont company called Mudd + Wyeth (named after two dogs). And in case you're wondering, "yaff" is an old English word meaning "to bark," according to the company.

Says Mudd + Wyeth, "Now you can snack and stay on the go with the world's first 'people food' bar designed to be shared with your best friend! This is pure puppy love in a bar: wholesome, hand-baked, and seriously delicious. And it's full of healthy ingredients for both of you." 

YaffBar comes in three flavors, Blueberry Carob, Banana Peanut Butter, and Honey Almond Cranberry. Mudd + Wyeth includes an endorsement from a veterinarian on its website. YaffBars are not yet available in North Carolina, but they can be ordered online from the company. A sampler pack of 6 bars, 2 of each flavor, is available for $18. The company also sells some pretty cool-looking reflective gear (an absolute necessity during hunting season in the mountains) and dog toys.

In a Carolina Mountain Dog taste test, my two dogs went bananas over the YaffBars; in fact, they were particularly fond of the Banana Peanut Butter YaffBar. I thought they were tasty, moist and chewy, but the bars were just a bit too dense and fat-laden for my liking. Still, YaffBars could certainly compete with much better-known energy bars, and they were a big hit with my dogs -- and it is nice to know there's a product that's truly safe to share with your dog.