by Marcia Pledger

At the Marcus Thomas marketing agency, a pat on the head goes a long way. Not for the employees. For the dogs.
Dog bowls and leashes are practically as common as computer monitors at the agency in Warrensville Heights, one of hundreds of businesses that allow employees to bring pets to work.

At a time of tight budgets and falling employee perks, companies increasingly view pet-friendly policies as a way to maintain morale, reduce stress, improve productivity and recruit employees.

"Dogs are part of the culture here. Fun is one of our values," said Beth Hallisy, a partner at Marcus Thomas.
"Most of them are just extremely well-behaved dogs," Hallisy said. Every Wednesday morning, eight to 10 canine friends join the weekly staff meeting at Marcus Thomas.

The agency's 26,000-square-foot building was designed with dogs in mind. All of the flooring is made of concrete and rubber tiles, while cubicles have carpeted squares that can easily be replaced. All six conference rooms are named after employees' dogs. The pet policy at Marcus Thomas goes back 18 years ago, but pet-friendly policies are spreading.

A survey last year by the APPMA found that one in five companies allows pets at work. The HON Co., an office furniture manufacturer, commissioned a survey of 600 consumers and found that 30 percent were allowed to take pets to the office. Twenty-four percent took dogs, 12 percent fish and 8 percent cats. (Yes, fish were more popular than cats.)

Pet Sitters International, which promotes an annual "Take Your Dog to Work Day," expects about 10,000 companies to have some sort of canine-related event on June 26, a substantial increase from the 300 that participated the first time 10 years ago in 1999.


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by AFP

While Russia's two-legged population feels the financial pinch, designer lines from sportswear to mink coats, evening gowns to bootees are being snapped up... for the nation's dogs.For mankind's four-legged friends the rigours of the Russian winter have long required some extra layers to keep out the cold.

But the jewel-encrusted, over-the-top creations on offer today, together with perfumes, facial masks and Swarkovski-studded leads, go way beyond the imaginings of, say, the 19th century writer Anton Chekhov, who touched on the phenomenon of women and their dogs in "Lady with Lapdog."

Unlocking the commercial potential of the instinct to pamper one's pooch are designers like Svetlana Abramova, who in 2004 launched her own brand, Very Stylish Dog (www.styledog.ru), and is now breaking into the foreign market.

She started out making clothes for humans, but began designing for her chihuahua Boniya in 2001 which soon became a full-time business.

Having got to grips with canine chic, Abramova last year created a range of matching woman and dog outfits for American firm Diamond Dogs, due to go on display in London in March and later in Los Angeles.

The luxury London department store Harrods has ordered a new autumn collection, she says.

And along with fur coats and day, evening and sports wear, her customers can push the boundaries of good taste as never before with costumes that allow their dogs to pose as bees, angels, emergency service workers or nurses.

"Cut with respect for the rules of human haute couture, and weuse only natural materials -- jersey, cashmere and silk -- because some dogs are allergic to synthetic materials," she noted.Shops like Charli in central Moscow offer not only dog apparel but numerous accessories -- including dog rucksacks for venturing far from home turf.

Charli can also give your dog a manicure and dye or plait its hair.

But while it is not unusual to see Russian women in restaurants and nightspots with a dog on one arm, the economic crisis has led to some stylistic changes.

"We today make more clothes in casual style -- more comfortable, more day-to-day and less luxury. Our clothes are being priced more accessibly but remain elegant and fashionable," said the marketing director of Very Stylish Dog, Nail Abrarov."The dogs very quickly get used to the clothes, which protect them from cold and mud. The owners, who treat the dogs like their children, don't want them to get sick," he said.

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by Jimmy Orr

Well, we all know that Germans love David Hasselhoff. But now Hasselhoff is going to have to share the love.
Enter President Obama’s new dog, Bo.

The president’s decision to get a Portuguese Water Dog for his family has resulted in a boom in demand for the breed. At least in Germany. The German newspaper Bild reports that the breed has sold out in the country and interest in the dog “is out of control.”

Everyone wants puppies, but there are hardly any in Germany at the moment. Surprising? Well, perhaps Bo Obama didn’t know how popular he would be once donning the title of First Dog. But it was certainly something expected in the US.

Just this morning, animal behaviorist Terry Jester wrote, “I hope the Portuguese water dog breeders are gearing up for what will be a huge surge in the demand for puppies.” Dr. Jana Kohl, an animal-rights activist who featured President Obama in a book promoting pet adoption, predicted a run would happen — especially with the president’s decision to opt out of his campaign promise to get a dog from a shelter and go the breeder route instead.

Obama accepted a Portuguese Water Dog named Bo from Senator Ted Kennedy. Bo originally came from a Texas-based breeder.


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via Doggynaire

As a human, flying is sometimes one of the most nerve-wracking experiences, even when you know it is safe, efficient and generally pleasant. If flying can be that troubling for humans, you can only imagine how tough it is on our pets. Both dogs and cats can be transported by plane, as can many other types of pets, providing they are in the correct and approved crates or cages.

Preparing your pet for a safe airplane journey does require some advance preparation that can help minimize the stress that your pet experiences. The tips that follow will work with dogs, cats and most other types of pets. Prior to the trip, a trip to the dog groomers is a nice way to begin

Food and Exercise
It is important to restrict both food and water for approximately 12 hours before a flight. This means that the pet should be fed normally and on schedule and then kept from food or water for approximately half a day. If you only feed once a day in the morning and if you are not flying out until the next afternoon you may wish to adjust the feeding schedule to the evening at least a week before the flight to avoid the pet going for over 24 hours without food or water. Withholding food and water for 12 hours will prevent messes in the carrier and will also prevent vomiting and possible choking concerns while the pet is in the air.




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by Chris Smith for WebVet

When you mention the concept of massage therapy for pets, some people might question the practice as something they already do – touch and handle and rub their four-legged companion frequently.

That part hasn’t changed, but something else has. The art of healing touch, long considered a standard therapy for humans, is now experiencing significant growth in the pet industry.

“Pet massage has been around since the time of the Greeks, but it’s really gained momentum in the past 10 years,” said Jonathan Rudinger, an author of pet massage therapy books who lives in Toledo, Ohio. He is finishing his fifth book and hopes to write two more before year’s end. Rudinger says that the recent popularity of pet massage therapy is easy to track.

According to Rudinger, the benefits of a massage for pets include:

    * Increased overall sense of wellness
    * A sense of calming and reduction of stress
    * Increased flexibility and movement
    * Relief from pain
    * Decreased recovery time from surgery or trauma
    * Increased circulation of the blood, lymphatic and nervous systems
    * Removal of toxins from organs

Full article ...
Reviewed by Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS and John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD


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A Harvard University professor says a study at his Massachusetts school is focused on dogs' thinking to better understand human behavior. Harvard Professor Marc Hauser said by studying canines, scientists at the prestigious university's Canine Cognition Lab hope to gain insights into the human mind, The Boston Globe said Monday.

"Here's this species we live with. Everyone has their views about how smart they are. No doubt we are overinterpreting - and in some cases underinterpreting," the head of the new lab said. "To what extent is an animal that's really been bred to be with humans capable of some of the same psychological mechanisms?"

The Harvard study includes tests to determine if dogs can understand basic communicative gestures including gesturing to a food bucket, the Globe said. University of Florida psychology professor Clive Wynne told the newspaper such studies on canines have been been a long time coming.

"Psychologists have been ignoring animals that were sleeping quietly at their feet while they were doing work on rats and pigeons," Wynne said.


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by Carol McGraw

Pets are living longer, and sometimes presenting care issues for their owners. The average life expectancy of a cat has nearly doubled since 1930, and the average life expectancy of a dog is 12.8 years, but the number varies widely depending on breed and size.

"Pets get better nutrition, better medical care and aren't out wandering neighborhoods having accidents," says Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, coordinator for community practice at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.

Here are some tips on caring for elderly pets, from Ruch-Gallie:

• Schedule regular checkups with a vet, and have blood work done periodically. The tests can catch kidney and other ailments early.

• Make a list of what your animal is capable of when he's young; then watch for signs of deterioration so you can catch problems early.

• Give your pet senior diet products. These special foods contain supplements that help ease arthritis and are good for sensitive stomachs.

• It's essential to provide fresh water.

• Consider giving your pet supplements with glucosamine and chondroitin, which are good for healthy joints. And nonsteroid anti-inflammatories can help keep them moving and manage pain.

• Watch for fearful behavior, which sometimes shows up as aggression.

• Some animals get cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which is similar to Alzheimer's. Symptoms include disorientation, less social interaction, altered sleep patterns and house soiling. Treatments are available to manage the symptoms.

• Continue playing with your pet, and give it regular exercise. But don't overdo it.

• Groom your pet often with natural products. As animals get older, the natural oils aren't distributed as well. This will also help you feel suspicious lumps early.

• Consider treating them to massage, acupuncture and physical therapy, which are good to keep them mobile.

• Don't let them become overweight. It can contribute to diabetes and cause joint pain.

• Dental hygiene is important. Start when they are young by brushing their teeth and getting them regular checkups.

• Keep their environment enriched with interesting things to look at, and which allows them to safely move around — no dangerous stairs or high perches.

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