MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. – The Fourth of July holiday typically signifies the official start of summer when millions of Americans go on vacation. During these “dog days” of summer, pet owners are packing their bags and planning the perfect summer getaway without their pet companions. With the help of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) nationwide referral network, planning a vacation without your pet has never been easier.

NAPPS nationwide referral network is a valuable online resource for locating pet sitters in all areas of the country. With one simple search, pet owners have access to contact information for member companies, services provided, and even details regarding their experience and expertise.

The nationwide referral network is easily accessible at www.petsitters.org.

Choosing a professional pet sitter is beneficial to both the pet and owner. Although the master is away, the pets will still play, and be happy within their own home. Pets benefit from being in a safe, comfortable, familiar environment following the usual diet and exercise regimen, and medical treatments as necessary. Although the owner is out of reach, the pet still receives lots of love and personal attention.

Pet owners are foregoing the burden and anxiety of transporting their prized pet in exchange for peace of mind and additional security. With a professional pet sitter, the owner can rest assured the pet is safe and well cared for, while their home is protected by crime deterrent measures provided by most professional pet care-givers.

“Professional pet sitters are licensed, bonded and insured, and ultimately the best option for owners leaving their precious pets behind this summer,” commented Candance Labane-Godfrey, president of NAPPS. “No longer do pet owners have to worry about inconveniencing family, friends and neighbors. Hiring a professional pet sitter is a win-win situation for everyone involved, especially the pet.”

In-home pet-care is one of the fastest growing industries in the country today. Pet-sitting as a career has become a popular alternative to the traditional corporate world, and continues to thrive as the demand increases. With more than 60% of all households estimated to have at least one pet, and experts concluding that a familiar environment and diet and exercise routine are important for every animal, demand continues to increase every day.

NAPPS is a national trade association dedicated to promoting the concept of in-home pet care, supporting the professionals engaged in at-home pet care, promoting the welfare of animals and improving and expanding the industry of pet sitting. NAPPS provides valuable credibility, networking and education to help foster the success of their members.

For more information on NAPPS, please contact the national headquarters: 15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C, Mt. Laurel, N.J. 08054; Phone: 856-439-0324; Fax: 856-439-0525; Email:  napps@ahint.com. To find a pet sitter in your area, check out NAPPS’ nationwide referral network at www.petsitters.org.

The Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is warning owners about the increased number of cases involving xylitol poisoning in dogs.

Found in sugar-free chewing gum, candy, and baked goods, xylitol is a sweetener that can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening problems for pets.  More info here.

Also, the ASPCA put out this public service video warning dog owners about the health risks of some common back yard plants:

Teaching The Dog To Go Through Various Types Of Obstacles 

There is more to training your dog than teaching it to obey your commands, since there is also dog agility training in which you can teach it to do perform different types of sport including jumping, climbing obstacles and even dodging in between poles. Dog agility training is an offshoot of horse show jumping and it was first showcased in the UK in 1979 at the Crufts Dog Show, and from then on, it has rapidly grown in popularity for the entertainment value as well sports value of it.

Must Be Able To Obey Simple Commands

Dogs by and large are very agile creatures though the dogs that are most suited for sports competition are those that are medium in size and also the larger varieties. Any dog that is being considered for undergoing dog agility training must first be checked by a veterinarian and he should also be able to obey simple commands such as sit and lie down as well as come, and it has been noticed that dogs that are well trained to obey will succeed at dog agility training much better than those having problems with obeying simple commands.

Dog agility training can be carried out in many different ways though the trainer must ensure that the method used suits the dog the best, and the agility training must be fun for the dog and it would be wise on the part of the trainer not to become overly critical of the dog or try and make it ultra competitive.

Essentially, dog agility training means making the dog weave its way through an obstacle course under the supervision of a handler and there are different types of obstacles including tunnels, poles jumps as also ramps for the dog to traverse. To begin with, the dog starts off with the simplest of obstacles and as its skills improve, the level of training becomes more difficult, and it is also to be seen how agile the dog is to begin with as that will help evaluate the type of agility training to impart to it.

When dogs have been trained in dog agility training, they will then enter into competitions in which the judge selects the direction of the obstacle the dog must follow which it does along with its handler, and once the dog has successfully completed an obstacle course, he is entitled to receive an agility title along with plenty of praise as well as goodies and of course, many toys.

Every little girl and boy who takes horseback riding lessons from me wants his or her own horse. Sometimes their parents are amenable to such an investment, and sometimes they are not, but if you think you might like to buy a beginner horse for your child, it’s important to think this decision through. Too often, I see parents run out and buy the first pretty piece of horseflesh they find, only to discover later that is was the wrong choice.

For one thing, most parents of horse-crazy kids aren’t very knowledgeable about horses in general. They don’t know how to safely shop for horses, and they don’t know what qualities to seek out. Consequently, they come home with a dangerous or ill-mannered or incapable horse that send their child home in tears every night. To avoid this, it is important to follow a few guidelines for selecting an appropriate beginner horse.

1- Get Advice

Reading this article is a great first step toward choosing the best beginner horse for your child, but you need more than words on paper if you don’t know the first thing about equines. A trainer, instructor or equine professional can make your buying experience much more pleasant, and you’re far more likely to choose an appropriate animal. In most cases, the trainer at your barn will be more than happy to assist you, but may charge a commission fee for their time.

Even if you don’t know a qualified individual, however, there is guaranteed to be someone in your city who knows about horses. Look through the Yellow Pages under “Riding Academies” or “Stables” to find equestrian facilities near you, then contact the owner to see if he or she can help. Again, you might have to pay a small commission, but it’s worth it in the long run.

2- Buy Close to Home

It is sometimes beneficial for an experienced equestrian to look for horses across the country, or even on the other side of the world. When you’re buying a beginner horse for your child, however, look in a small radius, and don’t buy a horse you can’t visit beforehand. Not only will this give you an opportunity to “try out” the horse before purchase, but it is a lot harder to get scammed by someone who lives virtually in your own backyard.

Additionally, you might also try to buy from someone you know, or based on a referral from a friend or family member. Working with people you know and trust will take much of the stress out of buying a horse, and you’re almost guaranteed to get what you asked for. Unfortunately, the scams in this country aren’t limited to credit card fraud and identity theft; they also extend to the equine industry.

3- Ride More than Once

You should never buy a beginner horse for your child without riding it first, but I advise at least two or three rides before you offer up a check on a silver platter. One ride might be stellar, but your child might discover in subsequent rides that the horse is harder to handle than he or she previously thought. Other issues, such as lamenesses or bad habits, can surface after “meeting” the horse several times.

In fact, I recommend putting a down payment on the horse and taking it to your barn for a week to “try out” before paying for it entirely. Most reputable horse dealers are more than happy to accommodate this request, and it simply adds another layer of security to the process. Generally, you’ll need to give the seller at least 50% good-faith deposit before you take the horse from their property, and you’ll need to return the horse in seven days if you don’t intend to buy.

4- Conduct a Vet Check

Just because your trainer says that a beginner horse is the perfect one for your child doesn’t mean that this should be the end of the road. Horses, like people, are susceptible to injuries and illnesses that often don’t materialize for months or years. A thorough examination by a veterinarian will turn up things like navicular changes and parasites. Have your veterinarian conduct this examination (called a vet check) prior to buying the horse.

If you’ve driven far to buy the animal, however, you can always write a check contingent on a clear vet check. This needs to be placed in writing so that you can return the horse if there are any significant health problems uncovered by the veterinarian.

5- Pay Attention to Demeanor

Unscrupulous horse dealers will actually drug a horse before showing it to potential buyers, creating an extremely dangerous situation. When you’re buying a beginner horse for your child, you want an animal that won’t try to hurt anyone, and drugs can make the feistiest, wildest, most unmanageable horse seem like a school pony. Therefore, horses who are overly lethargic or dull-eyed should raise a red flag.

If you think that something “just isn’t right”, don’t buy the horse until you’ve called out a vet. After the vet check, ride the horse again to make sure that he wasn’t drugged the first time you tried him.

Check out this informative video demonstration of the Pet Product of the Year:

Diane, my dog walker and pet sitter, lost her own beloved Mason, her Labrador Retriever, at the ripe old age of 13 several days ago.

I’m just posting this beautiful photo of Mason just chillin’.  He will be missed.

Are there hypoallergenic cats to help with you with your cat allergies?

There is a common misconception that hypoallergenic cats or dogs mean allergy free but there are no allergy free cats or dogs. Hypoallergenic means less allergenic not allergy free. Cat allergies are caused by a protein in cat saliva and skin. As cats are constantly grooming themselves the protein gets on cat fur. The microscopic particles are easily airborne and can migrate quickly through out a house. Common cat allergy symptoms are itchy eyes, wheezing, runny nose, and coughing. The protein causes a allergic reaction when the immune system over reacts which leads to excess histamines.

Some people find they have less allergic reactions around Siberian cats and they are often referred to as being hypoallergenic cats. Siberian cats are a distinct breed, long haired and known for their jumping ability. The Siberian cat is relatively new to North America and there is little scientific evidence as to whether they are hypoallergenic or not. They are however intelligent and have the loyalty of dogs which is perhaps responsible for their popularity.

There are hypoallergenic cats which seem to cause fewer allergies even though they are the same breed as cats that seem to cause allergic reactions. This is do to the fact that some cats are born with a genetic rarity and they have far lower levels of the fel D1 protein that is responsible for cat allergies. A company called Allerca breed these cats that are genetically rare to produce hypoallergenic cats. Though testing and finding these rare cats is not easy since only around 1 in 50,000 cats are born with this genetic rarity. The initial cost for each kitten was $4,000. Science is also working on better ways to block histamines so that those who love cats but have allergies will be able to live in harmony with their pets.

According to Animal Fair Magazine’s Five Dog Bone Awards, New York City is the place to be — if you’re a dog!

Not an obvious choice if you ask me.

Don’t get me wrong — I LOVE New York (I live in a suburb of New Jersey and visit often — having commuted there for nearly 20 years!).  But the traffic and all the people, and having to pee in a little patch of dirt where there used to be a tree by the curb doesn’t exactly seem like dog heaven to me.

But then again, New York City is home to many pet-friendly hotels, like the W hotels, the Loews Regency, the SoHo and TiBeCa Grand Hotels and even the glitzy Waldorf Towers, among many others.

And there are a ton of dog parks and runs — 24 in Manhattan alone!

So maybe it’s not so bad after all.  All I know, is that the few times I brought my two suburban dogs into New York, they found it very hard to pee on the sidewalk since they’ve always associated that as a job for grass.

According to the Food And Drug Administration’s Center For Veterinary Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 103 people in 33 states reported Salmonella infections between May of ‘07 and January of 08.The culprit?

Turtles.

Turtles and other reptiles commonly carry Salmonella bacteria on their outer slin and shell, and while it does not harm the turtle, Salomonella poisoning can cause serious or life-threatening infections in people.

While small turtles have been prohibited for commercial sale since 1975, a loophole in the regulations does allow for turtles to be sold legally for “scientific, educational or exhibition” purposes, leading to turtles becoming household pets.

The FDA recommends the following tips to prevent the spread of Salmonellosis:

• Don’t buy small turtles for pets or gifts
• Remove pet turtles from the home before an infant arrives
• Keep turtles out of homes with kids younger than 5, elderly people or people with weakened immune systems
• Don’t allow turtles to roam freely through the house, especially in food preparation areas
• Don’t clean turtle tanks or other supplies ion the kitchen sink.
• Use bleach to disinfect tubs or other places where turtle habitats are cleaned
• Alweays wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching any turtles, their housing or anything that comes in contact with them
• Be aware that Salmonella infection can stem from contact with turtles in petting zoos, parks, day care facilities or other locations
• Call your doctor if you or your family show any symptoms of Salmonella infection

Symptoms typically include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache

Symptoms usually appear six to 72 hours after contact.