THROW YOUR DOG AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Dog birthday parties are a riot! Treat your furry family member to a tail waggin’ good time. Don’t know where to begin? Start with this video. ENJOY!
This video was brought to you by www.WelcomePup.com , the awesome dog gift company!
Monthly Archives: August 2010
DOG CPR: Your First Aid Can Save a Dog’s Life!
DOG CPR: A MUST SEE DOG FIRST AID VIDEO!
Thank you Melanie Monteiro for creating this wonderful video on how to perform CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) on a dog and for Dogasaur.com for bringing this first aid gem to my attention.
Important point: Find your dog’s pulse now! In a life or death situation, you don’t want to fumble trying to find your dog’s pulse point.
You can find more great Melanie Monteiro videos on www.YouTube.com.
Looking for Good “Bad Dog” Stories for Giveaway
Got a good “bad dog” story?
Then WelcomePup.com and Embrace Pet Insurance have created a doggy giveaway just for you!
We’re looking for one lucky person with a good “bad dog” story. Do not post your comments on this site Click here to post a comment on the Embrace Pet Community blog with a quick story about your dog’s naughtiest moment. Embrace Pet Insurance will pick one lucky winner (via random drawing) to receive a WelcomePup.com Training Pup pack! Training pack (see below) includes great goodies, like a Port-A-Poo, StarMark Clicker, an Outward Hound Treat ‘n Ball Bag, and more!
Enter to win a Training Pup gift box from WelcomePup.com!
Click here to enter. Share post with friends. Giveaway open to all U.S. residents. Winner drawn 8/31/2010.
COMMENTS POSTED ON THIS SITE WILL NOT BE ENTERED IN THE CONTEST.
CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR STORY.
Pet Insurance: Who Needs It and Policy Considerations
Pet Insurance: Who Needs It & Policy Considerations
So you’ve decided to prepare today to address your new puppy’s health needs now and into the future. You’ve decided to purchase pet insurance. Wise choice! 
It is generally better to purchase pet insurance for a puppy than for an adult dog with pre-existing conditions. Also, you will be using your benefits immediately with well-puppy exams, immunizations and the eventual spay/neuter. A good pet insurance policy can offset those costs–a welcomed sigh of relief.
Which insurance is right? What do you look for? How do you compare?
Luckily, choosing pet insurance doesn’t have to be complicated thanks to the research already done by Pet Insurance Review. Just log onto their website at www.petinsurancereview.com to review approximately 3 dozen pet insurer plans and compare coverage features, monthly rates and user ratings. You may also wish to consult with friends and relatives that you consider to be responsible pet parents, or even your veterinarian. Ask them if they’d recommend their pet insurance policy and then do your homework. There is a pet insurance policy out there that is right for you!
Luckily, choosing pet insurance doesn’t have to be complicated thanks to the research already done by Pet Insurance Review. Just log onto their website at www.petinsurancereview.com to review approximately 3 dozen pet insurer plans and compare coverage features, monthly rates and user ratings. You may also wish to consult with friends and relatives that you consider to be responsible pet parents, or even your veterinarian. Ask them if they’d recommend their pet insurance policy and then do your homework. There is a pet insurance policy out there that is right for you!
Embrace Pet Insurance, based in Beachwood, Ohio, is a company that received high marks from the Pet Insurance Review. In a recent conversation with Lea, a Customer Care Embracer, I asked her what to look for when purchasing pet insurance and why Embrace received such great reviews. Her reply:
- Does the pet insurance company cover hereditary conditions, like hip dysplasia or luxating patellas? Embrace automatically covers all pets, regardless of breed, for these breed-specific conditions.
- Does the company pay based on your actual vet bill, or do they adjust your payout based on “reasonable” charge? Embrace reimburses right from your vet bill, without a benefit schedule or adjustment.
- Does the policy cover chronic conditions, throughout the life of your pet? Can your pet be dropped due to age or health conditions? At Embrace, your coverage is the same as the day you enrolled, regardless of your pet’s age or health status.
- How long will your claims reimbursement take? Embrace reimburses within approximately 15 days.
But do I really need pet insurance? Yes! Trust me. Yes! Even if you’re the most responsible pet parent, accidents happen. Dogs can chew electrical cords, get hit by a car, get attacked by another dog or ingest a foreign object. If you have doubts, I give you an example in my article on the $3000 Rope Toy, a purchase that almost cost my dog her life!
Dogs can become ill with sickness and/or disease. Dogs can have dental issues requiring a tooth extraction or suffer from periodontal disease like humans. They can also be predisposed to hereditary conditions such as hip or elbow dysplasia, even tracheal collapse.
Still not convinced? Click here to read real claim stories from the Embrace Pet Insurance website. There you’ll find examples of veterinary charges and how Embrace Pet Insurance came to the rescue. Buying pet insurance for your dog just makes sense. You are preparing now for your pet’s future. Thank you for being a responsible pet parent! 
Now we’d like to hear from you. Do you have a pet insurance story that you’d like to share. Do so in the comment section below.
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Bonnie Sweebe is a dog lover, dog owner, dog advocate, and rescue and service dog volunteer. She is also the owner of WelcomePup.com, an online dog gift delivery company.
What Do You Buy A New Puppy?
“Ashley got a new puppy! I saw it on Facebook!”
Okay Mom…now what do you do?
A new puppy is a new family member and a cause for celebration. If you live nearby, you’ll probably hop in the car and go visit. If you live a distance away or if time doesn’t permit, you’ll probably send a puppy gift.
You immediately settle on toys. But with all the dog toys out there, how do you know which toys are right for a puppy?
When you think puppy, think chew! Like babies, puppies put everything into their mouth–food, toys, even fingers. Puppies use their mouths to eat, explore and relieve frustration. As puppy teeth emerge, puppies gnaw to sooth irritated gums.
Make puppy happy by selecting toys with both soft and hard textures. Nylabone puppy keys and puppy bones are a great choice. Plush toys are great, too. There are also 100% organic cotton toys for eco-friendly customers.
How about a blanket to go with that puppy? Nothing says adorable than a puppy and its blankie. Blankets come in all sizes and some even include a built-in plush toy!
If the new puppy lives far away or your schedule doesn’t permit a visit, why not send a puppy gift? WelcomePup.com is the one-stop shop where you can find dog toys and products already categorized by theme, adorably packaged to wag a tail and warm an owner’s heart. You can even create your own gift box! With a selection from top manufacturers like Planet Dog, Simply Fido, West Paw Design and more, you can be sure that you’re sending that furry new pup the very best. Best of all, WelcomePup.com delivers!
Doggie's birthday coming up? How about a gift from WelcomePup.com?
Puppies grow up fast. Enjoy the celebration!
Handicapped Dog Gives to Others: Lance the Dachshund
The Doggie Dish Asks: Do You Suffer From Breed Bias?
GUEST VIDEO CONVERSATIONALIST: THE DOGGIE DISH!
By Bonnie Sweebe
Is your childhood dog your favorite breed? Do you have breed bias? Find out here. Then let me know in the comment section below.
For other great dog video conversations, visit The Doggie Dish, a web-based interactive video show for dog lovers!
BEFORE YOU BRING PUPPY HOME: Pet Insurance
BEFORE YOU BRING PUPPY HOME: Pet Insurance
(Part 1 of 2)
In 1997, I purchased health insurance for my first puppy through VPI. Back then, pet insurance was just coming into vogue. Many of my relatives and friends thought I was nuts. My puppy proved them wrong over and over again.
Cali was a sweet and spunky golden retriever; a clown who was always up to something. She’d dig for rocks in the mud, chew up towels and pull the stuffing out of her bed–the one guaranteed to last or they would refund your money with no questions asked. Thank you, Orvis!
Cali loved to steal food off the counter and would consume anything she could get her jaws on–like the thawed chicken breast that she snatched and ate (plastic wrap and all). She’d steal corn and eat the cob. Then there was my son’s missing $6. We found it encased in a dog pile in the backyard. (Don’t ask if we kept it.)
Not only was Cali a curious pup, she was very technologically friendly. Once, she ate my son’s Tamagotchi, a toy digital pet that supposedly came from another planet arriving on earth in a plastic egg. Once hatched, the pet creature required constant care and feeding or it would die. It did. Cali ate the pet creature–battery and all.
3% Hydrogen Peroxide (aka “the black bottle”) was a permanent staple in my house. Since Cali was a large dog, 2 tablespoons in an oral syringe shot down the back of her throat every time she ingested a no-no (and repeated every 15 minutes if necessary) usually did the trick. She threw up the alien pocket pet–battery included.
But not all of my four golden retrievers were so lucky. One ate a rope toy requiring major surgery that cost me $3000.00. (See blog post.) Was I glad that I had pet insurance? ABSOLUTELY!
Foreign object ingestion isn’t the only reason to consider pet insurance. From the first hello to the last goodbye, the cost associated with owning a beloved furry friend is high. Why? Because costs for everything from dog food to medical equipment has increased. In addition, advances in veterinary medicine can now address illnesses and injuries that were previously untreatable. There is a cost to that, but that cost is small in comparison to the unconditional love and companionship that a dog gives its owner. After all, dogs are family members, too.
So before Rover comes home, make sure that you don’t ever have to compromise canine health because of financial concerns. Plan now, before puppy comes home, to purchase pet insurance.
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Bonnie Sweebe is a dog lover, dog owner, dog advocate, and rescue and service dog volunteer. She is also the owner of WelcomePup.com, an online dog gift delivery company.
WASHING PAWS FOR A CAUSE AT WOOFSTOCK 2010!
Woofstock 2010
By: Bonnie Sweebe
I just returned from a refreshing Sunday afternoon of washing dogs at The Grateful Dog Bakery’s Woofstock Fun Fest 2010.
This was my very first Woofstock event and I wasn’t there as a vendor for WelcomePup.com, either. I was there as a human being, raising money for one of my favorite organizations, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).
The setting for the hippy dippy summer festival of doggy love was four acres of yard behind The Grateful Dog Bakery. Music, vendors, agility trials, fly ball, wiener dog races, even a pie eating contest for man and dog were just some of the events. Billy Rafferty, Oprah’s dog groomer and author of Happy Dog: Caring for Your Dog’s Body, Mind and Spirit, renowned animal portrait artist Michael Vistia and a wide variety of dog rescue and adoption groups were present.
Also there were two extremely well behaved CCI puppies in training. These gorgeous puppies wore their CCI vests like veterans. Needless to say, they were a huge draw. Local CCI volunteers washed dog after dog after dog and enjoyed every sloppy kiss received. What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Established in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs. CCI’s mission is to provide disabled individuals with highly trained assistance dogs to enhance lives and to provide ongoing support for the partnership. CCI also provide service dogs for U.S. wounded veterans. Potential CCI puppies are placed with puppy raisers who love, care for and teach the puppies basic commands. At 15 months of age, the puppy returns to CCI for further evaluation, training and eventual placement.
Interested in being a CCI Puppy Raiser? Visit their website at www.cci.org.
5 TIPS FOR VOLUNTEERING ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE
Dog Lovers: 5 Tips for Volunteering on a Tight Schedule
Attention dog lovers! Have you often thought of volunteering for a dog-related cause? Do you have good intentions yet little time? Have you put volunteering on the backburner for fear of over-commitment? Relax. Don’t let life’s demands stop you. A volunteer commitment doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Learn how:
1) Find a dog organization that you believe in. It can be a national organization or one close to home. If you’re a dog lover, you probably already support a worthy dog organization. If not, consider animal shelters, rescue groups, or service dog organizations. Some large animal hospitals have volunteer greeters to assist with check-in and to assist in waiting areas. If you are unaware of a local dog organization, begin with an online search to locate a parent organization of interest and then narrow the search locally. Check the bulletin board at your veterinarian’s office or local pet retailer for opportunities. Perhaps you own a gentle dog and have a heart for the elderly, for children or adult hospitalized individuals. Why not consider therapy dog training classes for eventual certification? Therapy Dog International and Delta Society are two organizations that test potential therapy dogs and their human handlers.
2) Locate the organization’s local chapter and attend a meeting. This is a great way to get a feel for the organization. Look at the group with spectator spectacles on. Examine the organization’s structure, its leaders, mission and schedule of events. What are the expected time commitments? Is the organization service, fundraising or educationally oriented? Are the organization’s goals and objectives realistic? Examine your strengths. Do you sense an area of service? Do you recognize a fit?
3) Volunteer for an event as an observer/non-member. This is a good way to get your toes wet. When the organization is right, you’ll know. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll want to jump right in.
4) Join the Group! Request to officially join the volunteer organization. Be upfront with the leadership concerning your availability. Be reliable and do not be tempted to over-commit. As with anything, over-commitment only leads to burnout and when that happens, everyone loses.
5) Spread the Word–Enthusiasm is Contagious! New members and new energy can revitalize an organization while at the same time respecting the leadership in place. Invite other like-minded friends to join you.
Promote your canine volunteer organization and be proud of your commitment. What you do and who you touch changes lives. Whether it is for an hour or a day, even the busiest of individuals can volunteer.
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Bonnie Sweebe is a dog lover, dog owner, dog advocate, and rescue and service dog volunteer. She is also the owner of WelcomePup.com, an online dog gift delivery company.
