Dog Lovers and Poodles

"Ever wish there were one central location where dog lovers and dog service professionals could
connect on everything from lost dogs to veterinarian recommendations? Well, the fairy dogmother has granted that wish in a big way with today's launch
of DogServicesUSA(TM) ."



"Not all Poodle breeders are alike. Buying from puppy broker websites online is the same as buying from puppy mills. A genuine Poodle breeder cares passionately about what homes the pups wind up in. Fake Poodle breeders couldn't care less. Never buy a puppy sight unseen, lest you be scammed by a fake Poodle breeder. Please consider adopting from your local animal shelter or a breed rescue instead."

Adopt A Pet Process

"So, what happens when you're serious about adopting a pet from a shelter?

Mullins said that the first thing they will do is introduce the potential adopters to the animals.

"If something happens to strike their fancy, they can come and ask us if we know anything about the animal," she said.

There is then a pre-adoption application to fill out. The Humane Society will decide whether or not to approve the application. If it is approved, there is a $100 adoption fee for a dog and $80 for a cat. The animal will not go home with its new parent the same day. It will still need to go to the vet and be spayed or neutered, if that is necessary. The adopter will also be responsible for those costs as well.

It's an involved process to adopt a pet. If you're looking to go right down and pick one up the same day, it's not going to happen."

Oprah: Adopt A Ferret Too

April is Adopt A Ferret Month. There are 39 ferret shelters participating.

"We will be featuring different shelters through out the month on our website so that you can meet the people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference to this little guys. It really takes a special person to work in pet rescue."



"Oprah Winfrey plans to dedicate a show investigating abuses at puppy mills to her cocker spaniel, Sophie, who died last month from kidney failure.

"Sophie gave me 13 years of unconditional love. She was a true love in my life," Winfrey says on the broadcast scheduled to air Friday. (Advance remarks from the show were released Tuesday by Harpo Productions.)

The show features special correspondent Lisa Ling investigating puppy mills, which Ling calls "horrific" and "haunting."

Winfrey says the show is "for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment."

The Vital Ground Foundation

"As a member of the Board of Advisors of The Vital Ground Foundation, I invite you to learn about this wonderful non-profit organization by first learning about the inspiration for its beginning, Bart the Bear and its founders, Doug and Lynne Seus. Please enjoy this video and then take additional action by visiting Vital Ground’s website to learn more about the importance of grizzly bears as an umbrella species."


"Operating as a land trust, the mission of The Vital Ground Foundation is to protect and restore North America's grizzly bear populations by conserving wildlife habitat. While preserving the areas where grizzlies roam is the focus of Vital Ground, the positive impact of our work goes well beyond saving a single species. Because the grizzly's range covers several hundred square miles−from alpine meadows to valley bottoms−protecting grizzly habitat benefits entire plant and animal communities in the wildest, most scenic places left on the continent."

Pets and Your Health

"In the United States, one out of every two households owns a pet. Studies indicate your mental and physical health can be positively affected by owning a pet. Today, stress is ever present in our daily lives and animals have proven to function as buffers against this stress. A University of California study determined that people with pets are less affected by stress than people without pets. Just by petting an animal, you can reduce stress and blood pressure. A study in Australia by Baker Medical Research Institute determined that pet owners have significantly lower blood pressure than people who do not have pets. Often, people with pets have better physical health and experience a reduced use of prescription drugs."

Watch and Train

"Watch and Train, LLC was founded by Jeff Millman, one of the most well-known trainers in Chicago. Jeff also runs Chicago Paws, a very successful, private dog training business.

Jeff only uses positive reinforcement, which is based on teaching and rewarding appropriate behavior. Jeff does not believe in using choke chains, prong collars, shock collars or fear to teach dogs. You will see in the videos specific examples of teaching dogs how to behave better. It is an often misunderstood style of training. Positive reinforcement training does not mean allowing your dog to do whatever he or she wants to do. It does not mean having a misbehaved dog. It does not mean your dog will get fat. It does not mean you have to use treats forever."

Two Awards

Thanks to Jen at SaveAShelterPet for these 2 wonderful awards. They are appreciated and it is an honor to receive them.






I'd like to pass these awards to That Mutt which is one of my very favorite pet blogs.