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Puppy In Training Blog Carnival – October

October 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Welcome to the October 28, 2009 edition of puppy in training carnival.  So this time around I’m trying the Blog Carnival InstaCarnival.  Of course with my witty comments about each article and a little bit of editing here and there.

So lets get it on! (too much MMA for me)

Canines

The Pet Chatter presents It’s a toxic world, especially for our pets. posted at Pet Chatter, saying, “Our world is full of dangerous toxins that present a threat to the lives of our canines. Be informed and be safe.”  Beware…this is a sad story.   Hopefully it helps others be more conscious of the dangerous toxins in our everyday lives.

Dog

Surbhi Bhatia presents Doggie Woes posted at The Viewspaper » The Viewspaper.  A good article questioning why so many love there purebred, hybrid puppies, but look down to the mutt on the street corner.

Gary Mullen presents 50 ways to entertain your dog posted at World of Pets Blog.  Are you at home bored with your dog?  If so, take a look at this list and I’m sure you’ll find something interesting to do.

Puppy

edieness presents Afraid of the Dark posted at Unspecified Mass, saying, “I started this blog and was not sure which way to go with it. Then I got a puppy and she seems to be taking over Unspecified Mass.”  Yep it’s always good to blog about your puppy.

That concludes this edition.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of puppy in training carnival using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

If you’re interested in sharing your blog or a blog article with us then let us know at our Puppy In Training contact form.

Filed Under: Shelter Dogs

Hot Dog Halloween Costume Parade 2009

October 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I know, I know…I spelled it all wrong it’s not the Hot Dog Halloween Costume Parade. It’s actually the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade.  Yep, a funny play on words, that can sometimes be difficult to spell when you’re trying to look up information on the internet.

Hot Dog Halloween Costume Parade 2009

What:
Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade

When:
Saturday, October 31st 2009 at 2:30pm

Where:
Livingston Park
4900 East Livingston Drive (@Park Ave in Belmont Shores)
Long Beach, CA 90803

This years Halloween Parade in Long Beach, CA falls on the perfect day: October 31st, 2009.  Well, maybe not so perfect if you have dogs you’d like to strut around at the dog costume parade and then later on need to get the kiddies dressed up for an evening of trick-or-treating.  It could be along day for some.

Lucky for me I have no kids and the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade that seems to elude me every year will be on a date I can attend.  What does that mean for you?  More wonderful pictures on here at Puppy In Training.  Of course, I will do my best to get my mother the professional photographer to join me at the parade.  Unfortunately, neither Linus nor Stetson will be participating in this years parade.  Perhaps we will get them involved next year.

If you’re looking for some pictures from last years parade then check out:

Haute Dog Howl’owen Parade 2008

If you need more inspiration for your latest and greatest dog costume then go to:

6 Great Dog Halloween Costumes

If you want to learn how I made Derby’s Lion’s Mane Costume then go to:

How To Make Your Own Dog Costume

Come join us for the fun and excitement at the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade 2009.

Have you ever been to a Dog Halloween Costume Parade?  If so, I’d love to see pictures of your favorite dog costumes.

Filed Under: Dog Events Tagged With: , , ,

“Dog Friendly” Dog Car – Honda Element

October 19, 2009 By 5 Comments

It’s been a while since I talked about dog cars.  I’ve been on the look out for a new car to accomadate my dogs for quite some time now.  My 2000 Honda CRV has been holding up very well, but I must admit it’s not the greatest dog car.

Earlier this year I heard about the Dog Friendly version of the Honda Element.  I heard that they had the dog friendly Honda Element on display at the Orange County Pet Expo last April.  Unfortunately, I did not see the Element at the OC pet expo.  However, I have been thinking about it from time to time.

This past weekend we visited the Orange County Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center.  I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the new Dog Friendly Honda Element.  Once again I was met by disappointment.  They had the Honda Element SC, but it did not have any dog friendly upgrades.

Dog Friendly Honda Element

Today I received an email from a friend from the Car and Driver blog titled: Honda Element Adds “Dog Friendly” Package.  I was happy to finally receive some definitive information on perhaps my future dog car!  November 16th, 2009 is the release date and it’s listed on Car and Driver as a canine convenience package.  Here are the details:

  • There is a special kennel made of seatbelt like webbing that fits conveniently in the hatch.
  • There is also a soft floor in the back to keep your pooch nice and comfortable.
  • There is a special ramp in the back to allow your dog to walk rather than jump into the vehicle.
  • Dog designs on the rubber car mats, seat fabric, and exterior of the car.

The price tacks an additional $995 on top of the regular price of the Honda Element.

The Honda Element and I

I had already heard that the Honda Element was a great dog car.  If you read the dog cars blog then you’ll know they give the Honda Element their highest marks even writing “best dog car, ever!”  The Honda Element has received all these great dog car reviews and now to add on top of that the “Dog Friendly” package?  How could I go wrong?

I actually test drove this car about two years ago and I’m sorry to say I wasn’t extremely impressed.  I loved the plastic floors and the roomy interior.  The boxy shape makes it easy to accomodate even the largest kennels.  However, that boxy shape may be part of it’s downfall (in my mind).

First of all, I’d like a car that gets good gas mileage afterall we’re trying to be eco-friendly and the Honda Element is not the greenest of vehicles (gas mileage is somewhere in the low 20′s).  this is perhaps partially due to that boxy design that gives it such a spatious interior.  Second, I’m not a big fan of the suicide doors (doors swinging the opposite direction).  The car appears to be large enough to accomadate regular doors.  In my experience it is much more difficult to load and unload dogs, people, large items with suicide doors.

We are trying to raise Stetson and Linus as green dogs or eco dogs.  Our latest goal is to work on our eco dog training.  You might be wondering what exactly is eco dog training?  Well, we like to think of eco dog training as a slight modification on regular dog training.  We’d like people to make eco-friendly choices when it comes to dog training, dog food, dog products, dog cars, or even when choosing your next dog.

The Dog Friendly Honda Element’s poor gas mileage is the main reason why we will not choose it as our next dog car.  Our goal’s have changed over the years and as EcoDogs we hope to find a dog car that also does less harm to the environment.

How about you?  Have you found the perfect dog car yet?  Is it an eco-friendly dog car?

Filed Under: Dog Cars Tagged With: , ,

Eco Dog Training and Blog Action Day 2009

October 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

What does eco dog training have to do with Blog Action Day 2009? Keep reading to find out…

We started writing to this blog over two years ago and why?  Because we want to make a difference.  We like offering information we learn about dogs, puppies, dog training, events, tips, product reviews, etc.

However, today we focus on a much bigger issue.  This is our first year participating in Blog Action Day and once again we’d like to make a difference no matter how small.  Now you might be asking what the heck is Blog Action Day.  From the Blog Action Day website:

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Blog Action Day 2009 – Climate Change


This years topic is climate change.  I hear what you’re saying: “How can I – 1 person – make a difference?”  Well, we each need to do our part.  After today I’ve learned enough to start making the small changes in my life to make a difference.  When friends and family see the changes I make to my lifestyle hopefully it will resonate out through their own lives.

Here’s another interesting clip from the Blog Action Day website:

More than any other country, action taken by the United States to limit greenhouse gases and build a clean energy economy is needed to achieve a sustainable solution to our global climate crisis.

This December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a global response to climate change. As a world leader in greenhouse gas pollution as well as clean energy technology, the United States needs to take bold action by implementing comprehensive clean energy policies to curb emissions.

President Barack Obama has said that climate change is an urgent threat, and that he wants to restore America’s responsible leadership in the world.

This is a chance for people around the world and in the United States to join together in telling President Obama that we want him to lead the United States in taking bold and significant action to reduce greenhouse gasses.

Time is running out, and our planet can’t afford to wait.

Take Action

We want to make Linus and Stetson eco-friendly dogs and I want to be an eco-friendly person.  Eco Dog Training is a first step for us.  What are a few things we can do to reduce our carbon pawprint?  Well here are a some actions Linus, Stetson, and I plan on taking:

  • We’re going to start making our own toys.  Any toys we currently have will be stitched up and reused.
  • Continue to encourage others to adopt from animal shelters.
  • Only use biodegradable doggy poop bags.
  • Talk more about eco dog training and show everyone how to live a more eco-friendly life with your dog.

I know there are tons of other ways to help save the environment, but we don’t want to overwhelm you all in one post.  A great site for information on raising a green dog is Johann’s Raise A Green Dog website.  We follow his posts daily and use many of his green tips in our own lives.  By the way, Johann is also a participant in Blog Action Day 2009.  Which reminds me I did want to recognize all the pet related sites participating in Blog Action Day 2009:

Pet Sites Participating in Blog Action Day 2009

I read most of the articles from these sites and also added them to my RSS reader so I can read their future posts (except for the non-english sites).  If you participated in Blog Action Day 2009 on your pet website and you’d like to be included in this list then just email or add a comment with a link to your Climate Change article.

What can you do to reduce your pets carbon paw print?  How are you going to make a difference?

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Dog Tagged With: , , ,

Meet Me At The Corner And Canine Companions For Independence

October 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Do any of you have children?  If so, or even if you don’t have kids, have you ever heard of the website “MEET MET AT THE CORNER?”

Until recently I had not heard of the website, but lucky for me I received an email regarding a recent featured video about Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).  Of course after hearing about a video about CCI I immediately rushed over to check it out.  I was thrilled to not only see a great interview with one of CCI’s puppy raisers, but also witnessed perhaps the next Barbara Walters.   Maybe I’m going a little too far, but I was definitely intrigued by the young lady (Katelyn) conducting the interview.

Meet Me At The Corner – Virtual Field Trips For Kids

What exactly is the MEET ME AT THE CORNER website all about?  Check out this little excerpt from the about us section of the website:

MEET ME AT THE CORNER, Virtual Field Trips for Kids, is a dynamic, interactive site, which encourages individual expression and participation through video submissions from children worldwide. Through these video pod casts we hope to create a community of children, who learn the art of self-expression and storytelling through video.

What a great concept!  I sat back and watched several other videos from MEET ME AT THE CORNER and each time I was absolutely astonished by the professionalism of the kids conducting interviews.

Looking back at my own childhood I never would have built up the nerve to conduct an interview with adults.  Great job by all the kids and adults involved with this website!

If you have a chance I definitely recommend you check out Katelyn’s video on Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).  Here’s a little CCI snippet from the website:

CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE

Eight-year old, Katelyn, learns about the importance of service dogs for people with disabilities and meets a pet owner who is raising a puppy for Canine Companions for Independence.

How about you?  Are you interested in sharing your corner of the world?  If so visit MeetMeAtTheCorner.org for more information.

Filed Under: Service Dog Training Tagged With: , , ,

Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl Review

October 13, 2009 By 1 Comment

It’s Tuesday and we’re going to push forward with our series on travel dog bowls.  This week we have a dog bowl with a very descriptive name: the Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl. This is the first dog travel bowl we got years ago for Linus and our first camping trip to the Sequoia’s.  It’s already been four years since that trip and the Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl has definitely been put to the test.  As usual we have a great video for you and our in-depth review of the bowl.

So, without further ado here’s the Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl:

Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl Review

This dog bowl can be used with both food and water and we’ve had the opportunity to both feed and give water to Stetson, Linus, and Derby with this bowl.  Check out the product details:

Product: Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl
List Price: $4.99
Product Features:

  • Easy to just crumple up and pack away
  • Waterproof inner nylon lining
  • Great for traveling

Product Description

Made with a durable, light weight Kodra exterior and a waterproof inner nylon lining. Just crumple and pack away, or flip open and fill. Excellent as a food dish / water bowl for your pet. Great for Hiking, Camping, Boating, Road Trips, Indoors and Outdoor use. Cleans easily and stores compactly. Assorted colors: Blue, red, green.

Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl Video Review

Stetson, Linus, Derby, and I have used this dog bowl extensively throughout our travels.  Today we filmed a quick video Stetson eating some food out of the bowl and we also show how the bowl can hold water as well.

My Thoughts On The Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl

As I mentioned earlier this was the first travel dog bowl we used and we absolutely loved it.  It packs away easily in any pocket of your backpack, is very durable, and the price is right.  However, it is not without it’s shortfalls.  As I mentioned in the video one of the major issues we had with this bowl is the fact that if you left water in the bowl for a period of time it would penetrate the “Waterproof” nylon.  I guess it’s more of a water resistant nylon.  The second problem we encountered was when we stored the bowl in our backpack for a couple days we did notice the smell of mildew.  While not really a problem of the bowl it is a good idea to remove the bowl from your backpack and turn it inside out to make sure the water fully evaporates.

Overall we’ve enjoyed using this dog bowl in our travels and would highly recommend it.  If not for some of the newer bowls we tested this one would most likely still be at the top of our list.  By the way, at the end of all of these dog bowl reviews we will reveal our favorites.

Pros:

  • This dog food bowl is great for crumpling up and tossing in your backpack.
  • Easy to clean and durable

Cons:

  • Advertised as waterproof, but when I leave the water in for a period of time it does start to penetrate the nylon interior
  • It’s very lightweight which could be a pro – easy to transport and a con.  In this case I don’t like the lightweight bowl because as you can see in the video it can easily tip over and spill if not filled adequately with food or water.
  • Even though it’s easy to clean if not allowed to air out and properly clean then you run the risk of mold/mildew.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive travel dog bowl then the Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl might be the bowl for you.  It’s much cheaper then many of the dog bowls we tested and it can store away nicely in the pockets of your cargo pants.

Have any of you experienced the Collapsible Travel Dog Food Bowl?  If so, we’d love to hear about your experience.

Filed Under: Dog Bowls Tagged With: , , , ,

Riverside Humane Society Raises Over 46K

October 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Wow!  $46,000 raised at the Riverside (CA) Humane Society Pet Adoption Center’s 12th Annual Comedy Night.  That’s pretty cool and very encouraging to see that there are so many generous people in our community.

The main reason this article caught my attention is because the Riverside Animal Shelter is where we picked up the seven little German Shepherd puppies that we fostered for two months.  We also made several other trips to the shelter as volunteers and fosters for the Cuddly Canines Rescue.

My brother and his wife adopted George: the cute little (he’s ginormous now!) black and tan puppy in the bottom right corner.

Riverside Animal Shelter

It’s wonderful that so many people were able to donate to Riverside Humane Society.  However, I have heard that the Riverside Animal Shelter receives way more animals then they can handle so please if you have the time I’d encourage you to volunteer as a foster with an organization like Cuddly Canines Rescue that saves many puppies and dogs that would otherwise be euthanized.

I must reiterate that it’s great to see so many people give their hard earned money during these difficult economic times.

Here’s the link to the original article: Over $46,000 Raised at Riverside (CA) Humane Society Pet Adoption Center’s 12th Annual Comedy Night.

Have you been volunteering with a rescue organization?  If so, we’d love to hear about it in the comments section below.

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , , , ,

OCTA Bus Training And Knotts Berry Farm

October 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Once again we were lucky enough to bring a Guide Dog puppy in training on the OCTA bus service animal training.  Last year I took Derby on the OCTA buses, walked outside of Knott’s Berry Farm and even grabbed some lunch with Derby’s brother Dutch.  Unfortunately this year I didn’t have a puppy in training and at the last minute I was lucky enough to take Sidney on the buses.

OCTA Bus Service Dog Training

Every year the Orange County Transportation Authority offers bus training to service animals.  We’ve been lucky enough to participate in the bus training the past two years and we’ve seen  dogs from various service, assistance, therapy and guide dog groups including Canine Companions for Independence, Canine Support Teams, Guide Dogs of the Desert, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Therapy Dogs International, Delta Society, OCSPCA, Guide Dogs of America (of course), and we’ve even seen a cadaver dog puppy in training.

This year OCTA also set us up with passes into Knott’s Berry Farm!  Sidney and I had a great experience walking by all the different sights and sounds of an amusement park.  We didn’t go on any rides, but we did see several dogs boarding the train ride.  Here’s a slide show of pictures from our experience on the OCTA buses and at Knott’s Berry Farm:

Sidney – A Puppy In Training

As you can see we had a great time.  Sidney was great and did really well with all the funny sights, sounds, and smells.  He didn’t chase the chickens when we exited the bus.  He did very well walking up and down the ramp when exiting the bus.  He slept comfortably underneath the seat while riding on the bus (although he did pop his head out into the aisle a couple times).  He was very aware of the roller coaster and screaming kids and didn’t seem scared, but very alert to his surroundings.  The one area where he did get a bit frightened was when he saw the lady in costume with a big hat on.  I’m not sure if he started barking because Kelly started barking or if it was his natural reaction, but until the girl took her hat off Sidney was not too pleased with her appearance.  However, as soon as she took her hat off she and Sidney were best friends.  If you watch the slide show the girl I’m talking about is the one with the scary pumpking (jack-o-lantern) behind her.

Overall we had a great time and even had a chance to take a few pictures, test the Tazlab Travel Bowl, and the Water Rover- Portable Pet Water Bowl.

A big thank you to OCTA for providing us with bus training and passes into Knott’s Berry Farm.  As I’ve mentioned we had a great time and experience with our dogs.

Did any of you attend the OCTA Bus Training this year?  If so, let us know what you thought in the comment section below.

Filed Under: Dog Events Tagged With: , , ,

Trixie Koontz A CCI Golden Retriever and Author

October 7, 2009 By 3 Comments

Once again while sorting through my RSS reader I came across a touching article about a man and his dog mentioned on the Bark-N-Blog.  A story about how this dog transformed lives.  The dog I’m talking about is Trixie Koontz, a Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) service dog who entered early retirement because of elbow surgery.  Of course the “man” I was talking about is the famous horror novelist, Dean Koontz.

Here’s a little excerpt from the article:

When Trixie met us, she was a highly educated and refined young lady of three. We were standing with others, but she came right to us, tail swishing, as if she had been shown photographs of us and knew we were to be her new mom and dad.

Here’s the full article and be sure to have some Kleenex in hand: Our Golden Girl.

I’ve had many dogs throughout my life and it’s been over 7 years since we lost our last dog, but I can’t bear the thought of losing either Stetson (almost 3) or Linus (almost 5).  Hopefully I will be better prepared in the coming years.

By the way, not only was Trixie a wonderful family dog, but she is also an accomplished author of several books.  Take a look at some of the books she wrote:

Bliss to You: Trixie’s Guide to a Happy Life

Life is Good!: Lessons in Joyful Living

Christmas Is Good: Trixie’s Guide to a Happy Holiday

If you have any touching stories about you and your dog please tell us in the comment section below.

Filed Under: Service Dogs Tagged With: ,

Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl Review

October 7, 2009 By 2 Comments

As I’ve mentioned in the past we love to travel with our dogs.  Also, as a Guide Dog puppy raiser we are always out and about with our dogs and we are often in need of portable travel dog bowls for both food and water.

This past weekend we were lucky enough to participate in the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) bus training.  It was great fun and we were allowed to not only give our puppies a chance to get used to riding the bus, but also we had the opportunity to visit Knott’s Berry Farm with our puppies.  OCTA was kind enough to set us up with free passes into Knott’s for the morning of our bus training.  Not only did we have a chance to do all this great training, but we also had the opportunity to test some of our travel dog bowls.

This week we’re covering the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl.

Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl Review

As I mentioned earlier we had a chance to put the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl to the test on our OCTA bus trip to Knott’s Berry Farm.  Here are the specifications on the bowl.

Product: Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl
List Price: $15.00
Product Features:

  • Folds up flat!
  • Made from food-grade silicone.
  • Guaranteed not to wet through.
  • Available in 4 Great Colors.
  • Perfect for dogs on the go!

Product Description

Hiking and biking, climbing and riding, one constant exists when adventuring with dogs: they need water and food. Cumbersome metal bowls do not fit well in backpacks, and they slide around the back of the car. Sewn fabric bowls just don’t stand up as tall as we wish they would, Tasman has a hard time when the bowl tries to close around his snout while he is getting a drink. Tazlab came up with the Aqua-Fur, the cutting edge in dog travel bowls, made from FDA approved food grade silicone which does not off gas, does not contain BPEs, does not have any nooks and crannies for bacteria to breed in, and best of all it folds up to stash just about anywhere. Just like silicone bakeware the bowls are dishwasher safe, which means that when it gets all slobbery and caked with food it is a breeze to sanitize. You can even bake a bowl shaped cake if you feel like it! Our silicone travel bowl is a drooly dream come true for every dog lover!

Puppy In Training Video Review

We took the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl to Knott’s Berry Farm, but we didn’t get any video footage…any good footage that is…I have a video of Sidney drinking water out of the Tazlab bowl, but I only captured the top of his head and about half the bowl in the video.

Anyhow, here’s a video of Stetson, Linus, and I showing how the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Bowl works.  Check it out:

I hope you enjoyed the video of Stetson, Linus, me, and the Tazlab bowl.

My Thoughts On The Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl

We love the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl!  It’s a great travel dog bowl for both food and water.  As I mentioned earlier we grabbed our Tazlab dog bowl, threw it in our backpack, then spent the day riding the bus and walking around Knott’s Berry Farm.  When my Guide Dog Puppy In Training, Sidney was thirsty I whipped out the Tazlab Dog Bowl, unfolded it, and poured water.  Sidney had no problem drinking out of the bowl.  When we were finished I picked up the bowl folded back together and put it neatly in the pocket of my backpack.

As you can see from the video above the bowl can be used easily to give your dog food or water.  As mentioned in the product description section it is made of food grade silicone and has no nooks or crannies for bacteria to breed in.  If you’ve been keeping up with our dog bowl reviews then you know that we’ve been having some trouble with plastic dog bowls, bacteria, allergies, and canine acne.  Perhaps a silicone bowl is the solution.  I actually asked the makers of the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl if they planned on making a bowl to help slow down fast eaters made of the same food grade silicone.  Unfortunately, not at this time.

Pros:

  • Folds up nice and compact making it easy for storage and travel.  We prefer just tossing it in one of the pockets in our backpack.
  • Food grade silicone seems like a possible solution for the issues we’ve been having with Stetson’s canine acne.  I’ll have to use the dog bowl more often and see how Stetson’s chin reacts.
  • Very durable
  • Doesn’t leak…it even says you can bake a cake with it…maybe in our next review…

Cons:

  • If you’re using it as a travel dog water bowl then you have to guess how much water your dog will drink then toss out or try to siphon the water back into your water bottle.
  • It was a little tricky to figure out how to fold the bowl back up at first.  However, it  only took a few minutes to figure it out how to fold it back together (I know I’m reaching on the cons, but we have to list something for you).

Overall, we love this bowl for traveling.  You can use it for either a food or water bowl (or even to bake a cake…).  It’s folds up nicely and is easily stores away in the tiny pockets of your backpack.

If you travel a lot with your dog and need a nice compact travel bowl then we highly recommend the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl.

Has anyone else out there used the Tazlab Aqua-Fur Travel Dog Bowl?  If so, let us know what you think of this bowl in the comments section below.

Filed Under: Dog Bowls Tagged With: , , , , , ,