Carolina Mountain Dog

New Year, New Advertisers

We're pleased to welcome several new local advertisers as we begin 2012. You'll see their ads to the right of blog posts under the heading, "SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS." And we hope you will do just that -- show them your support! Just click on each ad and you'll be taken to the advertiser's website. Here is a little about them:
Patton Avenue Pet Company
A "new breed of pet supply store" in Asheville that features high quality products, many of which are locally sourced.
Bed and Biscuit Pet Spa
WNC's premier dog and cat boarding facility, in an idyllic setting in Black Mountain.
Best Bites for Pets
A free delivery service for the Asheville/Hendersonville/Brevard area focused on only natural food, treats and more.

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Holiday Gift for You!

Carolina Mountain Dog would like to thank all of our loyal readers with a free gift this holiday season. 

We've put together "The Best of Carolina Mountain Dog," a compilation of more than 100 blog posts with all links included. This publication is packed with information from more than two years of Carolina Mountain Dog, the most popular dog blog in the Carolina mountains, all in one convenient eBook.

To get your free copy, simply go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110357 and download the eBook in the format of your choice. Tell your friends about "The Best of Carolina Mountain Dog" too. Enjoy it with our compliments and best wishes for Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year!

New! Dog Lovers Bookstore

Just in time for holiday shopping, Carolina Mountain Dog is pleased to announce our new Dog Lovers Bookstore!

We've selected some fine books especially for dog lovers and made them available in one convenient place. Just click on any title in the store and get more information about the book, or you can purchase it online at a great price, thanks to our association with Barnes & Noble.

Take a look right here and see what's in store for you. You'll also find a link to the bookstore in the navigation at the top of this page.

Helpful Info for Buncombe County Dog Owners

Need to know about licensing requirements, low cost rabies vaccinations, spay/neuter, animals that are lost or found, or any other information about domestic animals? Here are several useful sites to check out:

Asheville Animal Services
If you live within Asheville city limits, go here for information about spay/neuter requirements, dog licensing, and what to do about nuisance domestic animals.

Buncombe County Animal Control
Buncombe County residents outside Asheville city limits will find information here about county spay/neuter requirements, low cost rabies vaccinations, restraint of animals, animal cruelty, wildlife and more.

Asheville Humane Society
Asheville Humane Society operates the Buncombe County Animal Shelter and the Adoption Center, both located on the Animal Care Campus off Brevard Road, near the Farmers Market. Go here for information about adoptinos, lost and found, directions to the Campus, and other helpful information.

Humane Alliance
If you need to have your dog spayed or neutered at a low cost, visit the site of Humane Alliance of Western North Carolina. This is our area's high quality low cost spay/neuter clinic, and it is also a training center for spay/neuter clinics around the country.

Happy July 4th!

 
 

Saving Money on Pet Costs

With the spiraling cost of both food and gas these days, Fido is just one more rising cost center in the family budget. While you never want to skimp on quality when it comes to veterinary care or doggie nutrition, there are some ways you can save money and keep costs in line.

Petside.com offers some good advice in two articles, both linked below:

11 Ways to Save on Pet Costs
This article has some useful tips on how to save money on food, supplies and healthcare. One smart idea every dog owner should take advantage of is the frequent buyer club, available at both PetSmart and PETCO. These programs are free and offer discounts and gifts that help reduce your overall cost. Another tip: Comparison shop for such items as flea/tick prevention, heartworm prevention, and medications online. There are numerous discounters who can beat retail prices, and many offer free shipping over a certain dollar amount.

Saving Money on Vet Bills
Many good ideas are included here for keeping the cost of veterinary care to a minimum. Obviously, prevention is key so you don't have to make frequent vet visits. That means providing your dog with proper nutrition (both for healthy body and teeth); using treatments to prevent fleas, ticks, and heartworm; keeping an eye out for dental disease which can be costly if treatment is required; getting your pet spayed or neutered, which has health benefits; and considering pet insurance, particularly for older dogs.
   

New! Asheville Doggie Guide in Kindle Format

The Second Edition of the Asheville Doggie Guide is now available as an eBook for Kindle for only $5.99. Kindle eBooks can also be viewed on an iPad or iPhone using the free Kindle app available in the Apple App Store.

The Asheville Doggie Guide, published by Carolina Mountain Dog in assocation with the Asheville Humane Society, is chock full of useful information for WNC dog lovers. Covering Buncombe and Henderson Counties, the guide is the most comprehensive up-to-date listing available of pet-friendly accommodations, adoption organizations, dog bakeries and boutiques, boarding facilities, dog-friendly campgrounds, doggie daycare, dog parks, emergency services, groomers, dog sitters, dog therapy, hiking trails, pet stores, veterinarians -- hundreds of listings with names, locations, phone numbers and website addresses.

The 160-page Asheville Doggie Guide includes a bonus section of material that represents the best of Carolina Mountain Dog. You'll find pages and pages of information reprinted from this blogazine listing favorite Canine Cruisin' locales, Pooch Paths and lots more.

Get the Kindle version of the Guide for just $5.99 here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SHJEH6
Purchase the regular eBook edition (file download) or printed version here: www.ashevilledoggieguide.com.

Try this Technique if Your Dog Pulls

Leashed walks with your dog should be a pleasant experience. You shouldn't be pulled and tugged all over the place. Unfortunately, many leashes permit and actually encourage just that. The most common way to attach a leash to a collar is clipping it on, and that simply gives a dog license to pull. In fact, "flexis" -- those popular flexible, retractable leashes -- simply exacerbate the situation, because dogs think they can go off on their own.

There are alternatives, such as "gentle leaders," which attach to the dog's muzzle, or harnesses that go around the body. These may be effective, but they cost more and may take some additional training.

Here's a technique that could save you a lot of headaches and frustration. Take any ordinary leash with a handle, and instead of attaching it to your dog's collar, slip the leash through the handle (see photo). Then put it around your dog's neck. Move the leash high up on the dog's neck so you can keep it snug and handle it from above. Keep the leash fairly short as you walk.

What does this accomplish? The leash acts as a slip-leash, allowing you to have more control by applying upward pressure. It usually only takes gentle upward pressure with a shortened leash to get your dog to walk by your side. An occasional gentle tug lets your dog know that you are in control. Always maintain a calm demeanor, giving gentle corrections if the dog tries to get ahead of you. Pretty soon, your dog should understand what you want and the walk should be a lot more pleasurable.

This method is preferable to letting a dog pull horizontally on a leash, which essentially means the dog is controlling the walk and pulling you. It is a simple, easy way to stay in control and have a more enjoyable walk.

We Have a Winner!

Congratulations to Gwen Kelsey for winning our recent contest. She submitted some great ideas for articles to appear in Carolina Mountain Dog. Check out her ideas in the Comment posted with the contest announcement.

Gwen will receive a complimentary copy of the new edition of the Asheville Doggie Guide. The guide includes everything for dogs in Buncombe and Henderson Counties, as well as 50 pages of content from "the best of Carolina Mountain Dog." It is available exclusively at the Asheville Humane Society store in the new Adoption & Education Center, which has its grand opening today.

Asheville Pet Central

Take a look at AshevillePetCentral.com when you get a chance.

Sponsored by The Ingles Pet Project, and supported by radio stations Mix 96.5 and 98.1 The River, Asheville Pet Central is a community resource for pet lovers in the greater Asheville area.

The site provides a central place for lost and found pets, as well as information about adopting, pet events, vets, and resources. There are some great dog photos on the site, too (and you can post one of your own if you like.)

Check it out.

Discount and Free Shipping on the Asheville Doggie Guide!

Know where the dog parks are in Asheville? Is there anyone who can scoop the poop in your yard? Do any vets offer alternative medicine? Where are the best places to hike with your dog in the Asheville/Hendersonville area? Where is there a campground that actually caters to dogs? 

You'll get the answers to these questions in the new 2010 Edition of the Asheville Doggie Guide -- everything for dogs in the Asheville, Hendersonville, and Black Mountain, NC area!

This handy pocket-size guide includes adoption organizations, animal services, dog bakeries and boutiques, boarding facilities, dog-friendly campgrounds, doggie daycare, dog parks, grooming services, dog photographers, poop pick-up services, dog therapy, hiking trails, dog training, sitters, vets, and more, plus adoption information, safety tips, and pet rules and regulations for Buncombe and Henderson Counties. It has hundreds of listings -- names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and websites -- saving hours and hours of research time! You will refer to it often. There is no other resource available like the Asheville Doggie Guide.

Pick up your copy today at Three Dog Bakery, 21 Battery Park in Asheville (a block away from the Grove Arcade). Or order the guide online via this special offer:

The publisher's list price for the Asheville Doggie Guide is $19.95, but you can get your copy of the guide for $13.95, a savings of $6! You'll get a $6 rebate when you purchase the Asheville Doggie Guide directly from the publisher! Learn about this special offer here. 
Added bonus: Enter the code FREEMAIL305 when you order online and get free shipping through May 1!

What's the Real Age of Your Dog?

Most of us remember the old formula that 1 dog year equals about 7 human years. But dog experts say it's a lot more complicated than that. A dog actually matures more quickly than a human, so at age 1, a dog is closer to 15 rather than 7 human years. A dog's breed and weight also factor into the age equation.

So how do you calculate your dog's real age? Take a look at the chart shown here, which is more accurate than the common 7:1 formula. For more information, visit WebMD's dog age page.

New Stamps Encourage Adopting a Shelter Pet

On April 30, the U.S. Postal Service will issue a set of "Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet" first-class stamps. The stamps show photographs of ten shelter pets (five dogs and five cats), all of whom were homeless at one time, and all of whom have now been adopted.

Shown here is Trevor, a Labrador Retriever. Trevor and his 8-week old litter mates were found abandoned at a new home construction site. They were rescued and Trevor has been adopted. You can read the individual stories of the other nine pets here.

To celebrate the launch, Halo: Purely for Pets will donate a million meals to animal shelters around the country.

The stamps will be available in books of 20 at local post offices as of April 30, or you can pre-order stamps here.

How We Communicate with Our Best Friends

The recent "Wags Not Words" Survey, conducted by a research firm for Del Monte's Pup-Peroni brand dog snacks, reveals that the majority of American dog owners believe they can communicate with their best friends.

• Nearly three in four (74 percent) dog owners surveyed say their dog's body language or facial expressions let them know how their pet is feeling.
• Seven in ten dog owners (70 percent) says they have "shared a look" with their dog on at least one occasion.
• Nearly half (49 percent) believe they know exactly what their pet is thinking.
• More than a third (34 percent) report that they've had an entire "conversation" with their dogs without saying a word.
• A remarkable 89 percent of survey respondents said there have been moments when their dogs tried to comfort them in times of need.
• Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) says their dogs are more dependable than their human best friends.
• The vast majority (89 percent) of dog owners admit that their dogs are usually more excited to greet them when they come home than their significant others (sorry, dear!).

So there you have it: Some very good reasons dogs really are our best friends!

Dogs and Car Safety

Two big safety concerns related to cars always pop up as the weather gets warmer: leaving a dog in a hot car, and letting a dog ride in the open bed of a pickup truck.

Hot Cars
On warm days, the inside of a car heats up very quickly. For example, when it's 85 degrees outside, the inside temperature of a car with the windows slightly open can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes. According to the Animal Protection Institute, a dog's normal body temperature ranges from 101 to 102.5 degrees. Dogs can withstand a body temperature of 107 to 108 degrees for only a very short period of time before suffering serious effects or even death... so don't take a risk leaving your dog in a car when temperatures are on the rise. For more information, visit www.mydogiscool.com .

Pickup Trucks
Dogs riding in the open beds of pickup trucks may look like they're having fun -- but they're not safe. A dog can easily be thrown from the truck bed onto the road. According to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), there is no brand of harness known that has been proven safe to restrain a dog in the open bed of a pickup truck. Instead, says HSUS, put your dog in the cab in a travel crate or other pet carrier.

The Animal Rescue Site

Need a daily dose of happy rescue stories? Want to help animals in shelters? Then all you need to do is go to The Animal Rescue Site once each day. There you'll read about dogs, cats, and other animals that have been rescued, and by simply clicking on the site, you'll be helping shelter animals. The Animal Rescue Site gets sponsors to run online ads, and the more clicks on the site, the more revenue they potentially make. They give all the money from the advertisers to partners who provide food and care for rescued animals.

Sign up on the site to receive a free daily email reminder to click and you'll receive a rescue story in each email, too. Shown here is a typical story.

Search and Rescue Dogs

Along with the many wonderful things we know about dogs, let's not forget the amazing canines in North and South Carolina that function as part of search and rescue teams. These highly skilled dogs are trained in search tactics and are used for tracking and trailing. Contrary to popular belief, search and rescue dogs come in all breeds and sizes.

These dogs work as part of volunteer teams supported by the North Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Association, South Carolina Search and Rescue Dog Association, and South Carolina Search Dogs, all of which are non-profit volunteer organizations. In fact, they typically respond at no charge to assist local, state and federal agencies in searching for lost or missing persons, including children, Alzheimer patients, boaters, downed aircraft, mountain hikers, or others in need. Consider supporting these organizations -- some day a search and rescue dog might help save you or someone you know!

World's Tallest Dog!

The world's tallest dog is a Great Dane named "Giant George" from Tucson, Arizona. Guinness World Records recently made it official -- in fact, they sent someone to measure the big guy.  Giant George stands 3 feet 7 inches tall and weighs in at 250 pounds. He measures over 7 feet when he stands on his rear paws. Giant George eats 110 pounds of dog food each week and sleeps in his own queen size bed.

And you thought we had some big dogs in the Carolina mountains!

 

Everything for Dogs in Asheville and Hendersonville

Know where the dog parks are in Asheville? Is there anyone who can scoop the poop in your yard? Do any vets offer alternative medicine? Where are the best places to hike with your dog in the Asheville/Hendersonville area? Where is there a campground that actually caters to dogs? 

You'll get the answers to these questions in the new 2010 Edition of the Asheville Doggie Guide -- everything for dogs in the Asheville, Hendersonville, and Black Mountain, NC area!

This handy pocket-size guide includes adoption organizations, animal services, dog bakeries and boutiques, boarding facilities, dog-friendly campgrounds, doggie daycare, dog parks, grooming services, dog photographers, poop pick-up services, dog therapy, hiking trails, dog training, sitters, vets, and more, plus adoption information, safety tips, and pet rules and regulations for Buncombe and Henderson Counties. It has hundreds of listings -- names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and websites -- saving hours and hours of research time! You will refer to it often. There is no other resource available like the Asheville Doggie Guide.

Pick up your copy today at Three Dog Bakery, 21 Battery Park in Asheville (a block away from the Grove Arcade). Or order the guide online via this special offer:

The publisher's list price for the Asheville Doggie Guide is $19.95, but you can get your copy of the guide for $13.95, a savings of $6! You'll get a $6 rebate when you purchase the Asheville Doggie Guide directly from the publisher! Learn about this special offer here.

Your Own "PetCast"

If the weather's been driving you crazy, take heart. Spring is coming soon (not soon enough!). In the mean time, you can rely on an online service that will not only provide you with the local weather, but also with a page of useful information that's customized to your pet.

Go to www.weather.com/pets, enter some brief information, and get your own "PetCast" with the local weather, as well as a dog "comfort index," a report of mosquito activity in your area, tips from the "dog care clinic," a park locator, a dog walking calculator, a list of local pet events, videos, and more.