Ruby's Blog

We Have A Winner!

2009-12-02T00:14:00.000-08:00

Actually, we have two!!

Two winners have been selected for the Puppia Harness giveaway.

Abigail

Amanda

Congrats ladies! I will be in contact with you tomorrow to send you your new harnesses!

Have a Pet-Safe Holiday Season

2009-11-27T17:11:00.000-08:00

ASPCA has some helpful tips for you and your furry friends

to enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.

"Easy Tips for a Pet-Safe Holiday Season

There’s nothing more scrumptious than gathering with friends and family for the holidays, but many of the ingredients in human fun can result in distress for pets. As we kick off this season of lights, parties and yummy treats, the ASPCA wants to remind pet parents of the potential hazards certain goodies and décor can pose to our furry friends.

“As you prepare for your holiday celebrations,” says Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Animal Health Services, “remember to be wary of foods and traditions that can bring potential dangers to companion animals.”

In honor of the joyous season to come, ASPCA poison control experts offer these essential tips for having pets at the party in a safe way:

Avoid Too Much of a Good Thing

While the holidays are a time for giving, there are some foods you should not share with your furry friends. A taste of mashed potato or a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn’t pose a problem. However, alcoholic beverages, coffee, onions, fatty foods, yeast dough and macadamia nuts can all lead to stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. A special no-no is chocolate, which if ingested can lead to death. And you may want to skip sharing the turkey—poultry bones can splinter and cause blockages.

Put the Meds Away

One of the most common holiday-related emergencies is the consumption of human pharmaceuticals. Make sure all your medications are securely locked away, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.

That Holiday Glow

When you leave the room, put the candles out! Animals can easily knock lit candles over, causing a fire, and curious cats are particularly at risk of getting burned by candle flames. Also, be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on stable surfaces.

Decorations Can Be Dangerous

Holiday decorations such as breakable ornaments, string, ribbon and dreidels should be kept out of paws’ reach. These traditional decorations can cause choking or severe intestinal problems if swallowed. All holiday light strands, loose wires and electric cords can also pose serious dangers to your pet, especially puppies, who may chew on them.

Go Tinsel-less

Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching “toy” that’s easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It’s best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.

Forgo the Flowers

Be careful with holiday floral arrangements. Lilies are commonly used this time of year and all varieties, including Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Stargazer and Casa Blanca can cause kidney failure in cats. In addition, common Yuletide plants such as mistletoe and holly berries can be potentially toxic to pets. Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. Safe alternatives include artificial flowers made from silk or plastic.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Cats often see trees as fabulous climbing posts. Be sure to securely anchor your tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. Also keep in mind that tree water may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset if ingested. Stagnant tree water can also act as a breeding ground for bacteria, and, if ingested, a pet may suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

New Year’s Noise

As you count down to the New Year, be alert to any pet hazards such as noise-makers and confetti. Noise-makers can frighten your pets, causing them to bolt out an open door or window. Confetti, if ingested, can wreak havoc on the digestive tract.

Holiday Travel

Before traveling with your pets by car or plane, make sure they have all the required vaccinations and are wearing identification tags or are microchipped. If you're traveling by car, be sure to secure your pet safely with a seatbelt harness, crate or barrier and make frequent stops, allowing pets time to exercise and relieve themselves.

If your dog or cat accidentally ingests any potentially harmful products and you need emergency advice, please consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee applies) or www.aspca.org/apcc."

{ via ASPCA }

Honda Introduces Dog-Friendly Vehicle

2009-11-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

The Honda Element now comes with a great accessory package - The Dog Friendly Package

This Honda Element comes equipped with a built-in rear kennel with a pet bed

A stowable ramp

Dog pattern car seat covers and rubber floor mats

Spill resistant water bowl

Tote bag with matching collar, leash and dog bag holder

Dog-friendly emblems

{ via Motortrend and AutoNewsCast }

If Ruby lived in...

2009-11-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, we would definitely be at Pussy & Pooch.

Ruby would love this Pawbar - they serve raw meats, organic prepared meals and treats

They also have a fabulous doggie spa

And of course she would love to shop in their gorgeous retail store

Ruby's Loving: Safe Travel

2009-11-26T17:34:00.000-08:00

During the holiday season I'm sure many of you are planning a lot of trips to visit your family members, and will probably want to bring along your furbaby. But cars can be dangerous places for dogs when not propoerly secured. Here are some of Ruby's favorite items to travel safely.

Booster Car Seat from NitroDog

Skybox Car Seat from FunnyFur

Comfort Ride Travelin' Dog Car Harness

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Puppia Harness Giveaway!

2009-11-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

Ruby is having her first giveaway!

We are offering a Brand New Large Puppia harness in your choice of two colors, PURPLE or ORANGE.

Size Large fits dogs size 15 - 25 lbs.

Fits neck size 13 - 15"

Fits chest 19 - 23"

To Enter:

{ Both of these are Mandatory for Entry }

1. Become a Follower

2. Leave a Comment with your: name, email and link to your blog or site (if you have one)

There will be two winners for this giveaway!!!

This giveaway ends Monday, November 30th and 11:50 pm PST

Happy Birthday Ruby!

2009-11-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it, but today is Ruby's 4th birthday! 4 years have flown by with my little furry friend.

Ruby is quite a tiny little girl, but can you believe she used to be this small?

Happy Birthday to my little ball of fluff!

What do you do to celebrate your furbabies' birthdays?

Canine Cancer Awareness Month

2009-11-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

November is Canine Cancer Awareness Month.

"To help celebrate its fifth annual Pet Cancer Awareness Month, Veterinary Pet Insurance has partnered with the Animal Cancer Foundation to raise funds for pet cancer research. This will include bi-coastal pet cancer awareness walks in Long Beach, Calif., and Brooklyn and Manhattan, N.Y.

"The Brea, Calif.-based company said that it launched the observance after noticing that cancer diagnoses often caught pet owners by surprise. Many either did not know their pets could develop cancer or underestimated the cost to treat cancerous conditions. In fact, cancer is among the most common and costly pet conditions, according to VPI.

"In 2008, Veterinary Pet Insurance received almost 30,000 claims for pet cancer. The company’s claims data draws from a population of more than 450,000 insured pets.

"The most common form of pet cancer is lymphosarcoma, which made up about a fifth of the claims. Other common forms of pet cancer included mast cell tumors, neoplasia of the spleen, neoplasia of the eyelid, osteogenic sarcoma, neoplasia of the liver, neoplasia of the thorax, neoplasia of the brain or spinal cord, fibrosarcoma and hemangiopericytoma. Fibrosarcomas stem from connective tissues while hemangiopericytomas is a tumor generally arising on a limb. Neoplasias are defined as a growth or tumor.

"To detect cancer early, pet owners should be attentive to any growing lump or sore that fails to heal, drastic changes in a pet’s appetite or weight, unusually strong odors coming from a pet, discharge or bleeding from any body opening, difficulty chewing or swallowing or an unwillingness to exercise."

Be sure to see your vet regularly, and take your fur baby in as soon as you notice any bumps, discharge, bleeding, or difficulty exercising or eating.

Ruby's Loving: Warm and Fuzzies

2009-11-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

Bunny Tail Turtleneck by LouisDog

HoneyBunny Coat by LouisDog

Cinderella Coat by LouisDog

Fur Trim Sweater by LouisDog

Christmas Monkey Fleece PJ's by Klippo

Punk Stripe Sweater by Ready to Wag London

Awesome Giveaway from Lucky Fiona

2009-11-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Design Girl is offering an amazing giveaway sponsored by Lucky Fiona.

You can enter to win a year subscription to Lucky Fiona's "Collar of the Month" Club.

The giveaway is valued at $250!!

Each month, you will receive a new collar for your furbaby. Just visit The Design Girl for all the details and to enter this awesome giveaway!

Here's just a sneak peek of some of the collars Lucky Fiona offers in their Etsy Shop!

Holy Cuteness!

2009-10-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

Is there anything cuter than puppies? Holy Cuteness is an adorable blog that has the sweetest pictures.

{ Photos courtesy of Holy Cuteness }

Comfy Cuddle Cups

2009-10-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Don't these just look like the comfiest beds for your little snuggle bug? Ruby loves these!

{ The Sassy Pup }

{ Muttropolis }

Ruby's Loving: Collar Cuteness

2009-10-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

{ The Cool Puppy }

{ Crazy for Collars }

{ Pecan Pie Puppies }

Halloween Photo Contest

2009-10-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Do you have a photogenic furbaby with a costume? If so, enter the photo contest over at Funny Fur for a chance to win $200!! But hurry up, today's the last day!

The cost to enter is $5, and 100% of the proceeds go to the Best Friends Animal Society.

Wellness Donates To US Military Dogs

2009-10-22T00:04:00.000-07:00

Wellness Natural Pet Food, along with the WellPet Foundation, has donated 52,000 all natural Wellness Pure Rewards Jerky Bits dog treats to the Military Working Dog Team Support Association Inc.

The snacks will be sent to the working US Military dogs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Djibouti.

Be sure to support this great company by visiting their site and picking up some of their treats or food for your lucky furry friend.

Eco-Friendly Collars

2009-10-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

OhMyDogSupplies now carries WonderDog, an amazingly adorable line of eco-friendly dog collars and matching leashes.

Carbon neutral pet products?

2009-10-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

Are the products you use on your pet also safe for the environment? Well, if you use Pet Botanics, Crazy Pet or Gold Medal Products than they are! Cardinal Laboratories is converting their plant in Azusa, California to be 100% run on solar power. So now their products are good for your pet, and the planet. What could be better than that?

Halloween Costumes

2009-10-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Does your furbaby have a costume yet? You only have 13 days left! Here are some adorable costumes I found on BowWowsBest:

How about a Pink Hippo...

or a mokey...

or a duck?

Ruby's Favorite Things: Collar Charms

2009-10-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

We love looking for awesome new items for Ruby. We especially love handmade items! We found these little gems on Etsy and just had to share.

How cute are these little collar charms from PoochyCouture!?

How Does Your Food Stack Up?

2009-10-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

Dog Food Analysis is a great site to read reviews of many dog food brands. They rate foods on a scale of 1 to 6, 6 being the best. They rate foods based on their meat content, the type and amount of grains and the types of fruits and veggies included.

There are many dog foods to be leary of. Although they have sweet-sounding ad campaigns, that doesn't mean it's good food to feed your pets.

Here are a few brands and how they stack up:

6 Star Foods - Innova EVO, Blue Wilderness and Orijen
5 Star Foods - Before Grain, Canidae and Merrick
4 Star Foods - AvoDerm, Blue Buffalo and California Natural
3 Star Foods - Dog Whisperer by Cesar Milan, Kirkland Signature and Newman's Own
2 Star Foods - Nutro Natural, Eukanuba, Purina and Royal Canin
1 Star Foods - Beneful, Pedigree, Alpo, Science Diet and Iams

The best foods to feed your dog are the brands with 6-star of 5-star ratings. And here's my dog food rule-of-thumb: If you can buy it at a grocery store, you shouldn't feed it to your dog!

I know that cost is a concern for a little people these days. But one great thing about high-end pet foods is that they are more nutritious and have less fillers, which means you feed your dog less.

The best places for higher-quality foods with more nutrition value are specialty pet stores such as Nature's Pet and even Petco and PetSmart carry some higher-end brands.

Doesn't your furbaby deserve the best?

The No-No's of Dog Food

2009-10-14T23:34:00.000-07:00

Dog food is a complicated thing. So many people have no clue what they should be looking for and what they should be avoiding.

Here are some key ingredients that you should always avoid:

Glyceryl Monostearate - Preservative. Can contain many chemical additives that may not be indivdually listed, therefore this should be avoided.
Phosphoric Acid - A harmless but unneccessary additive in inexpensive, lower quality foods.
Propylene Glycol - Can be dangerous if consumed in large amounts. Foods that dogs eat on a regular basis should not contain this ingredient as it could become harmful.
Corn Gluten - An inexpensive food binder. Should be avoided for its poor nutritional value.
Wheat Gluten - An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing with almost no nutritional value left, serves mostly as a binder.
Brewers Rice - A processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice. Contrary to what many pet food companies want to make you believe, this is not a high quality ingredient, just much cheaper than whole grain rice.
Cereal Food Fines - An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing of unknown source, quality, possible chemical residue, sweeteners or other additives.
Feeding Oat Meal - A food-grade fractionated grain, byproduct from human food processing, that is not as nutritionally valuable as the product obtained from whole oats.

*This list is not all-inclusive. Check out Dog Food Project for more information about your pet's food.

She's Ruby

2009-10-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Sassy. Opinionated. Loud. Energetic. Intelligent. Playful. Loving. Best Friend.

That's Ruby. This is her blog.