Here are the first entries for the Easter Frosty Paws Contest. What Easter contest, you say?

The one being hosted by Frosty Paws and ThoughtsFurPaws.com. You could win (the coolest pet treats around) Frosty Paws loot courtesy Purina (think stuffed animals and ice cream for dogs!), and PetSmart prizes (treats, toys, etc.) courtesy ThoughtsFurPaws.com!!!!

Please send up to three photos (AT ONE TIME) to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com with “Easter Contest” in the Subject Line. Pictures will be posted for viewing only; Administrators will make the final call on winners for this contest. You are welcome to leave your votes in the comments; READER VOTES WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. You have until the day before Easter at 6 pm to enter photos.

And without further delay, here are Bailey, Benson and Jester:

Bailey and His “Peeps!”

Bailey is “Eggcited” about Easter!

Benson Likes to “Hug” Jester…!

Jester and Benson, from left to right, in their ducky hats!

Benson in his ducky outfit!

Guest post by Maria Kruk, an author for Species.com

Designer Doggie!

The variety of dog breeds is in very deed amazing. However, it is not enough, as it turned out nearly a decade ago. Specifically, adventurous specialists started to introduce designer dogs, or deliberate crossing of two purebred parents of different breeds to produce a hybrid that inherits the best qualities of both parents and generally has a funny name. People got used to designer clothing, luxury cars and fabulous houses.

So, why dogs cannot be a part of such a glam?

Poodles were the first breeds crossed with others. In particular, the very first designer dog to appear was a labradoodle– hybrid of a poodle and a Labrador Retriever, as one could guess.

*By the way, names of new breeds appear to be a shortcut of traditional names. It is a nice way to distinguish new dog species, as the number of possible variations is

Labradoodle

unlikely to estimate exactly.

In contrast, not all of them happen to possess low allergen response, acceptable appearance and vital immunity characteristics. That is a reverse side of the medal – making hybrids does not always lead to successful results. In this case, breeding of designer dogs might cause some “genetic trash”. Professional canine organizations do not approve the work on hybridization, because indiscriminate crossbreeding increases the amount of genetic debris, and it is also often a subtle mockery of animals in hands of an amateur breeder.

Jessica Simpson and her Maltipoo

Nonetheless, let’s get back to designer dogs’ breeds. Some of them have already gained popularity among Hollywood stars and other celebrities: fabulous pets for fabulous people, so to say. For example, Jake Gyllenhaal and Uma Thurman have puggles (Pug and Beagle hybrids), and Jessica Simpson does not hesitate to pose with her Maltipoo (Maltese terrier and Poodle cross) in a special Louis Vuitton bag.

Sometimes names of the breeds became really puzzled and it is hard to define origin of the hybrid. Among the weirdest ones can find Chug (Chihuahua and Pug), Maltalier (Maltese and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), Yorkie Pin (Yorkshire Terrier and Miniature Pinscher), etc.

Demand on designer dogs increases constantly. In fact, American Canine Hybrid Club registers about 500 designer dogs every month. In some cases dog handlers truly strive to get a new canine breed, but mostly it becomes a way to make a pretty pot of money. Breeders are eager to use new dogs’ fashion instead of serve scientific purposes. On this account, designer dogs’ trend has faced both strong support and lots of critics. Enthusiastic canine handlers believe dog hybrids are stronger, than common dog species. On the contrary, opponents draw attention for the need of caution when breeding, as offspring can easily inherit diseases and conditions peculiar to both parents.

All in all, crossing hybrids is an unpredictable and uncertain process.

I have grown up with Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers in the family and close circle of friends – so naturally I’m the type of person who can’t even walk down my street exercising or through a pet store shopping without stopping to pet the bouncing, bubbly breed when I see one.

Lorie Huston, DVM, feels the same I believe. She has written a gem of a book about Labrador Retrievers, her preferred breed, and how easy it is for you, as a Lab owner, to become your Lab’s lifelong BFF. As a pet blogger, I was given a free copy of “Labrador Retrievers: How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend” to review and I feel so lucky to have gotten that chance because I absolutely adored the book and the valuable information contained therein. I think Huston is a fantastic writer and she weaves in information and how-to’s in a format that’s easy to comprehend and put to good use. She isn’t too wordy, she doesn’t use words most people don’t understand, and she’s straight-forward and gets to the point without beating around the bush.

“Labrador Retrievers: How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend” is a wonderful yet short read, almost a reference guide if you will, that anyone considering adopting the breed should read before they get one. It’s also great orientation for someone who already has any aged Labrador Retriever.

Huston’s book is a How-To, a Top Ten, an “I Should,” and a “I Need To” in terms of Labs. In other words, it’s a ‘how-to have a great lab and keep him healthy,’ a Top Ten on any dog book list, an “I should follow these guidelines and read this information to stay up-to-date on my dog’s health,” and an “I need to follow along with these guidelines to keep my dog happy and healthy and myself grounded and informed as an owner of a bounding, excitable, yet intelligent breed of dog.”

Chapter 1 is on the history of Labradors and it’s short yet interesting. Chapter 2 is on where to get a Labrador Retriever. It’s by far the best chapter because Huston is against buying from pet shops and gives some brilliant information on how to find a good dog breeder or rescue group. I personally am not against all breeders like some rescuers are and believe firmly in good ones, so I agree whole-heartedly on her points in this chapter.

The next few chapters cover how to prepare your house for a Labrador Retriever, what to get for him so he’s comfortable, how to complete basic training, the importance of socialization, pet care tips including feeding recs, and veterinary visits.  A part I found particularly insightful was on feeding portions. Huston is bright and informed and it shines through in her writing. A well-written excerpt is below where she discusses recommendations for feeding portions as it’s easy to over-feed our precious pooches…

Lorie Huston, DVM

Huston endorses in this part, “Evaluate your dog’s body condition to determine whether it is eating the proper amount of food. Feed your dog to keep it lean. You should feel the ribs without fat between the rib cage and skin, see its waist when viewing your dog from above and find an abdominal tuck when viewing it from the side. Use the body-condition evaluation to adjust your dog’s daily food intake. If the ribs are getting difficult to feel and your dog is losing its waist, decrease its food by 15 to 20 percent of what you were previously feeding. Re-evaluate your dog’s body condition regularly, preferably weekly for a growing puppy. Don’t be surprised if your dog requires less food than the feeding guidelines indicate for optimal body condition. “

I never knew that. Wow, what a revelation.

Huston them details in a full chapter the lessons of basic training. She not only covers the basics, but also behavior issues. She doesn’t promote one certain training method as being better than another but does stress against the use of dominance training – and gives a damn well put-together argument against it. She also talks about things like being consistent and how to manage fears and phobias, which I thought was awesome as Labradors historically, get separation anxiety (hello, Marley and Me!)

Huston goes on to discuss the importance of grooming, veterinary visits, dental care, spaying and neutering (which I was absolutely THRILLED to read because many think they have the perfect lab and want to breed it right away), and tackling emergencies – , i.e., expecting the unexpected.

Overall, Huston has a well-written, informative and intriguing book on one of America’s most beloved breeds. I found so many novel and perceptive subjects in this book about Labs — particularly the importance of socialization and other forlorn topics you won’t hear much about like shedding, diseases to watch for in the breed, ear cleaning (how to and importance), raw food diets and pet insurance.  These are crucial topics that every dog parent needs to know about.

Labs are great dogs from the get-go, from puppy-hood on through their senior years, no matter the time you take them home; they will be a fantastic addition. So applying a few of Huston’s lessons and ideas will bring out the sweet, caring side and help moderate the excessive energy these breeds have (especially the young ones).

Kudos and congrats to Lorie Huston, DVM, on her accomplishments with creating a great reference guide for new and “used!” dog owners! I think every Lab owner should grab a copy of this book ASAP!

You can get “Labrador Retrievers: How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend” as an e-book on Amazon for just $2.99. If you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle for PC on Amazon for free and read it on your computer.

According to Amazon.com, Lorie Huston, DVM, currently blogs at Pet Health Care Gazette. She specializes in providing pet health care information to pet owners to assist them in making educated decisions about their pet’s health. Her work has been published in many venues both online and in print. Huston is a practicing veterinarian and works in a busy animal hospital in Rhode Island. She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska.

Nation’s Most At-Risk Pets – Pit Bulls – Aided by National Grant Program, “Primp Your Pit”

PetSmart Charities®, the country’s largest funder of spay/neuter efforts, will sponsor the “Primp Your Pit” (Bull) promotion during the month of August as a result of a $1 million national spay/neuter grant program aimed at saving the lives of pit bull terriers, one of the most at-risk pet populations of being euthanized due to overcrowding in shelters.

This campaign/promotion allows Pittie parents to take advantage of high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter surgeries and in turn, celebrate the lives of their beloved pets.

The grant program, which builds on PetSmart Charities’ efforts to improve spay/neuter rates, reduce shelter overcrowding and increase pet adoption, provides clinics resources to spay or neuter pit bulls.

During the month of August, 63 non-profit spay/neuter clinics nationwide will provide spay/neuter surgeries for a special rate of $20 including a free nail trim with a goal of reaching a total of 6,750 pit bull terriers in 30 states – from California to North Carolina! (Click here for full shelter list.)

“Our national grant program gives much-needed help to pit bull terriers that are especially at risk,” said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. “Through the ‘Primp Your Pit’ promotion and our ongoing efforts to make affordable spay/neuter surgeries available to the public, pet parents can prevent unwanted litters and ensure their pet lives a long, happy life.

Primp Your Pit Ad from PetFix NE Ohio

Through the promotion, spay/neuter clinics receive: grant funds to help lower the cost of spay/neuter for the public; professionally-developed marketing materials to educate the public; and funding and support to advertise and promote the campaigns in local communities.

Each year, about 8 million pets end up in shelters and half – about 11,000 a day – are euthanized. Many of these homeless pets are a result of accidental litters from pets that are not spayed or neutered.

Today, 35 percent of dogs and cats in U.S. households are not spayed or neutered yet the procedure is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population, which I have talked about on the blog before. Pit bulls, in particular, end up in shelters in large numbers due to the myths and negative media and public perceptions that are associated with the breed.

“Spaying/neutering a pet is the most effective step a pet parent can take to prevent unwanted litters of pit bull terriers,” said Timy Sullivan, founder of PetFix NE Ohio. “Within two weeks of announcing the ‘Primp Your Pit’ promotion, we filled all 72 appointments available and had wait lists of pet parents eager to provide their pit bull terriers these life-saving surgeries made possible by the PetSmart Charities’ grant.”

PetFix NE Ohio, which is geographically near ThoughtsFurPaws and works with six large OH counties, is a non-profit dedicated to ending pet overpopulation in the northeast OH region by promoting the importance of spay/neuter and making spay/neuter surgeries affordable and accessible to low-income pet owners, feral cat caregivers, and shelters, rescues, and animal control agencies placing animals for adoption.

So everyone should help spread the word about the “Primp Your Pit” promotion to help save the lives of pit bull terriers across the US! After all, this is not the first time PetSmart Charities has done this!

To find high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter services locally, you can go online to www.petsmartcharities.org and click on Spay/Neuter to access a free searchable database made possible through  a partnership between PetSmart Charities and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®).

How to Donate to Save Pets’ Lives

Donations allow PetSmart Charities to offer these types of grant programs and resources that support local clinics and shelters across the nation. Members of the public can support these programs by making a donation online, by email at gifts@petsmartcharities.org or via phone at 623-587-2826 to help save the lives of homeless pets across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Donations may be tax deductible.

Follow PetSmart Charities’ other remarkable, nationwide pet-saving endeavors through Facebook and Twitter.