What is the Smartest Breed of Dog

The American Psychological Association's (APA)hosted their 117th annual convention recently. The convention featured renowned psychologist and leading canine researcher Stanley Coren. Coren is a widely published author teaching at the University of British Columbia. The subject of his talk was "How Dogs Think."

Professor Coren's research revealed that Dogs are as smart as 2-year-old children, can comprehend more than 150 words although "super dogs" can comprehend up to 250 words, and can count up to four or five. The downside to Coren's reasearch? Dog are "consciously deceptive" and trick people into giving them what they want (like we didn't already know that!) "And they are nearly as successful in deceiving humans as humans are in deceiving dogs," Coren said.

To settle a common argument among dog owners over which is the most intelligent dog Coren studied data from 208 dog-obedience judges in the United States and Canada to determine the differences in working and obedience intelligence across different dog breeds. And the results of the smartest dog breed?

What is the most intelligent dog breed

1. Smartest dog breed: Border collies.
2. Poodles
3. German shepherds.
4. Golden retrievers
5. Dobermans.
6. Shetland sheepdogs
7. Labrador retrievers

So what is the dumbest dog out there? I will let you guys decide that in the comments section.

Two Legged Dog

Two Legged Dog

After reading about the amazing three legged police dog I am sure you will be amazed now by a TWO legged dog!

This Lab-Chow mix has been touring around the USA with the message, Faith walks.

Faith was born without any front legs and rejected by her mother. Luckily Rueben Stringfellow was there to save her. Rueben was only 17 atthe time and asked her mother if they could fix faith? Her mother said no, but we can help her.

At first the family carried faith around so she would not hurt her chin or chest. Then later they used peanut butter and a lot of practice to teach faith to walk on two legs.

Fast forward to today and faith walks upright. If she runs she will add a hop and a skip, but does not stumble very often

Faith takes Dog vitamins and Joint supplements, and vets have declared her very healthy.

Full the full story visit the Stl Today Article

Target Pet Food Coupons January 2010

Hey all of these pet food coupons can be printed from Targets website - Target Coupons

$1.00/1 Purina Cat Chow Dry Cat Food (exp 1/27/10)
$1.00/1 Purina Cat Snacks (exp 1/27/10)
$1.00/1 Purina Dog Chow Dry Dog Food (exp 1/27/10)
$1.00/1 Purina Dog Snacks (exp 1/27/10)
$1.00/1 Tidy Cats Litter (exp 1/27/10)
B2G1 FREE Cesear Canine Cuisine Entrée (exp 12/32/09)
$1.00/1 Cesear Treats (exp 1/3/10)
$2.00/1 Pedigree Food for Dogs (exp 1/3/10)
$1.00/1 Pedigree Treats for Dogs (exp 12/32/09)
$1.00/2 Temptations Treats for Cats (exp 1/3/10)
$2.00/2 Pup-peroni Dog Snacks, 25 oz (exp 2/14/10)

Wellness Dry dog food coupon

Hey I just found another coupon for wellness dry dog food. There is a coupon for Canada and the United states. The coupon is good until the end of December so print it off and redeem it soon! If I find any more wellness dry dog food coupons I will be sure to add them to the blog. You can print the coupon off here http://wellnesspetfood.com/NWPC_Coupon1.php

For more coupons you can visit this wellness coupons site, they post regularly with updated coupons. 

The Three Legged Police Dog

I found this story online and thought it would be really cool to share on my blog.

The Three Legged Police Dog Returns to Duty

A California police dog who has lost a leg to bone cancer is back on duty.
Although the dogs duties have been cut back, and they are uncertain about his future health, Yasko, a 7-year-old German shepherd who works for the Paso Robles Police Department, showed no signs of cancer after the surgery, without which he probably would have had less than a year to live.
“This is where he wants to be,” Officer Tod Rehner told The Tribune in San Luis Obispo. “He loves working.”
Paso Robles’ Friends of the K-9 Inc., aided by a $1,000 donation from Wal-Mart, raised money for the dog’s $1,500 surgery,according to Sgt. David Bouffard, another canine handler and Friends’ president.
Yasko will only be used in drug investigations now, though he is trained in protection, tracking, searching, apprehension and narcotics detection.
“He’ll still be very effective at that, so we’re lucky, but this is a big loss to our program,” Bouffard said. “Yasko was one of the better tracking dogs in the county.”

Copper vitamin for Dogs

Copper plays an essential role in plants and animals. It helps in the formation of red blood cells, also is an important protein to make up bone and tissue. It can help during the healing process.

Copper is found in liver, fish, whole grains, and legumes. Most quality commercial dog foods are supplemented with copper to assure adequate intake.

Copper is necessary for a number of body processes including the formation of collagen, bone and connective tissue, the absorption of iron, the development and maturation of red blood cells, the function as an antioxidant, and the development of pigment in hair.
Dietary sources of copper

Copper can be found in these Dog Vitamins that I highly recommend. I have a full list of the dog vitamin ingredients on the site

Heartworms in Dogs

Dog Heartworm: What it is and what you need to know
By: Shelley Vassall

While Heartworm disease in dogs is easily preventable [and treatable], it still continues to be a major problem. Heartworms are an internal parasite which live in the dogs blood vessels. They are transmitted by mosquitoes which means they can be found throughout the world. It is common for these worms to live in a dogs pulmonary arteries and the right ventricle of the heart. Whether your dog lives indoors or out (those living outdoors are four to five times more likely to be infected), every dog should be placed on a prevention heartworm program.
It is critical for dog owners to understand how the life cycle of the heartworm parasite works so as to be able to fully understand what to do to prevent and treat it.

How dogs get Heartworms

The infection starts when an a mosquito transmits (when biting the dog) an infected larvae. Once on the the dog, these infected larvae burrow under the dogs skin eventually developing into small worms. The entire process from bite to burrowing is one to 12 days. These larvae then remain under the dogs skin for 50-68 days before turning into worms. These worms then make their way through the dogs peripheral vein where they end up in the pulmonary arteries and the right ventricle of the heart. After approximately six months from the time the worms gained access to the dogs system, these small worms turn into adults. These adult worms can grow from 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm) long and can live up to five years. In a dog that has been heavily infested, up to 250 worms can be found.

Depending on the number of worms living in an average sized dog, they will live primarily in the pulmonary arteries and the right ventricle of the heart (generally less than 50 worms). When the worm population increases to more than 75, they will then move to the right atrium (of the heart). If a dog has an even heavier infestation, the worms could migrate into the two large veins that carry blood to the right atrium of the heart. Heartworms can also eventually end up in a dogs lungs where they will cut off the blood flow and then cause the blood vessels to clot. By the same token, worms that wind themselves around a dogs heart valve can interfere with the overall mechanics of the heart; following this, the collapse and death of the dog can take place in just two to three days.

Heartworms Symptoms

Detection of heartworm in your dog is key to its treatment, depending on how long and how much the dog is infected. Dogs with few worms in their system, or a light infestation, may be asymptomatic. The signs themselves depend on both the size of the dog and the number of worms that have taken hold. Early, typical signs are: tiring easily, difficulty exercising (or not able to at all) and a soft, deep cough. Once the disease progresses, these signs become even more severe to where the dog will lose weight, their breathing will become more rapid and after exercising, they may faint.

Heartworm Diagnosis

Diagnosing heartworm is as simple as a blood test; the most accurate is called the Antigen test (this will identify the antigen produced by adult female heartworms). There are additional blood tests which are also used (whereby a sample of blood is used to identify parasites under a microscope), but the Antigen test is the most common and the one that is used most often. Following a blood test, if it becomes necessary, a chest X-ray is then used to determine the severity of the infection.

Heartworms Treatment

To treat heartworm disease, several factors must be considered: number of heartworms in the dog, location of the worms, medical complications, and age and condition of the dog. In layman's terms, a vet could decide to go after the adult worms first using a drug [intravenously] over a period of two days, that will poison them. Like with any drug, there can be side affects for the dog (loss of appetite, vomiting, vomiting, kidney failure and death). If these worms don't die, there are additional steps your vet will take with different drugs. If your dog is lucky enough to fall into a category where they can be treated, then three to five months following drug therapy, another Antigen blood test should be done; if all the worms were destroyed, the test will come back negative. If the test returns positive, you will need to consider re-treatment.

How To Prevent Heartworms

Ultimately, the treatment of heartworm disease is difficult and dangerous. Why put you and your dog through this ordeal when you can prevent it to begin with. Keeping your dog from being bitten by mosquitoes is the easiest way to prevent the disease, but it is also completely unrealistic. Dog owner's should talk to their vet about putting their dog on a heartworm prevention program. Administering of this easy to swallow chewable pill (or liquid applied to the skin of the dogs neck) should start at 6 to 8 weeks of age, particularly in areas where large mosquito infestations are prevalent. If you are not living in such a place, the heartworm pill (or liquid) should be given one month prior to the start of mosquito season and continue one month beyond the first frost (May or June to November or December). If mosquitoes are an issue all year long (such as in the Deep Southern U.S.), heartworm pills (or liquid) should be administered though the entire year.. In addition, any dog that is going to start on a heartworm prevention program, should have the Antigen blood test done first to ensure no heartworm is present. If you opt not to do this test prior to giving your dog the medication, your dog can become ill if heartworms are already living in the dog.

Make no mistake: heartworm disease is deadly to canines, but both you and your dog will be much better off if you just follow the simple prevention steps so as to avoid an outbreak altogether.

Compare Dog Insurance

This is just a quick tip for anyone looking to buy dog insurance for their dog.

1. Shop Around
2. Email each dog insurance company
3. Get a free quote
4. Look for dog insurance reviews online
5. Don't pay for things you do not need

The first tip is fairly obvious, shop around, visit a few different dog insurance web sites and go from there. The second tip is to email the dog insurance companies that you are considering going with. If you email them they will email you back with their best prices (after all they do want your business). The third tip is to get a free quote, many of the dog insurance companies have free quotes you can get right on their website. The fourth tip is to read dog insurance reviews, many sites have places to review dog insurance plans. Be careful which site you are reading reviews on as some companies may plant positive reviews, or only put positive reviews online. Try to find a forum where they discuss dog insurance. The fith tip is to not pay for things you do not need. There are all kinds of dog insurance plans, ranging from very expensive, to very cheap for just the basic. Try to research the bloodlines of your dog and the breed to find out what common health ailments your dog may incur. This will help you decide on what dog insurance plan is right for you.

Visit this Dog Insurance site for more tips on Dog Insurance Comparison

Halo Dog Food Review

Halo Spot's Stew Review - Dog Food

In this article I will be reviewing the Spot's Stew dog food by Halo.
Spots stew, Wholesome Chicken Recipe is an all natural dog food produced by Halo. I am reviewing the adult dog formula. The dog food comes in an easy to carry 4lb bag.
What's in the Bag?
Upon opening the bag I notice the kibble looks fresh (not all dried up like some dog food), comes in a thin disc sized kibble, which means it will be easily digestible for many sizes of dogs. I also noticed that there is not just kibble in the bag! I can also see bits of dehydrated vegetables and meat. I think having dehydrated bits of food mixed with the kibble is a great idea. I checked the back of the bag to see what those bits are. There is green peas, cranberries, butcher-quality chicken, flax seed and carrots. I guess it's called spot's stew for a reason!
Why is Spot's Stew better than other dog foods?
Reading on the bag I can see that Halo Spot's Stew is made with vitamins, minerals and trace nutrients, has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and is made without any rendered meats, and no animal or plant meal (meaning they use whole foods, much more nutritious)
Another advantage to feeding your dog Halo Spot's Stew dog food is that the food is free of corn, wheat and wheat gluten. The aforementioned ingredients are not natural in a dogs diet and provide little to no nutrition to a canine (they are usually used as fillers).

Halo Spots Stew Ingredients
Flipping the bag over I can see the ingredients. It is very important to look at the ingredients in your dog food to know what you are feeding your dog. Because most dogs are not allowed to rummage for food they depend on you, their owner and provider to give them the proper nutrition. This is why it is important to know the ingredients of your dog food. On top of having a healthier dog (usually resulting in less vet bills), your dog could actually end up eating less, and going to the bathroom less. This is because if a dog eats a food with a lot of filler, they will need to eat more of it to get enough nutrition. This means eating more and wasting more. Now to the Halo Spots Stew Ingredients
Chicken, Eggs, Pea Protein, Oats, Vegetable Broth, Pearled Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Whole Peas, Chicken Liver, Salmon, Flax Seed, Salmon Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Pea Fiber, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Green Beans, Carrots, Cranberries, Zucchini, Alfalfa, Inulin, Calcium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Salt, Vitamins (Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Bitartrate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Ascorbic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum.
Deciphering the Ingredients
Taking a look at this ingredient list (or deciphering them) we can see that the first ingredient is chicken. Not chicken by product or chicken meal, just chicken. The next ingredient is egg which is a great source of protein. You may also notice that they use eggs, not dried egg which is a big plus. The next ingredient is pea protein which adds some more vegetable protein for your dog. Protein is important in dogs to help them build bones and muscles. Looking at the rest of the ingredients you will see many whole foods including vegetables, fruits and meat as well as some vitamins and nutrients. This is a great list of ingredients that I would be proud to give my dog. heck I'm even tempted to have a handful of kibble!
Now Lets take a look at the Guaranteed analysis
Halo Spot's Stew Dog Food Analysis
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein 28.0% (Min), Crude Fat 16.0% (Min), Crude Fiber 6.5% (Max), Moisture 10.0% (Max), Omega 6 Fatty Acids* 3.0% (Min), Omega 3 Fatty Acids* 0.48% (Min), Taurine* 0.1% (Min) *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles
Calorie Content ME (calculated): 4,410 kcal/kg, 441 kcal/cup
The protein level being 28% is great, having to much protein is not recommended for small breed dogs. 16% fat is good and 16% is a minimum. Dietary fat is the most concentrated source of energy in dogs. Fat also provides essential fatty acids and aids in nutrient utilization and transportation. Fat is involved in cell integrity and metabolic regulation. So this why fat is important in dog food. Fiber is also important to help your dog have bowel movements. Fatty acids are important to help a dog have a healthy coat and healthy skin. This analysis shows a good balance for the food.
But does my Dog like it?
This is also one of the most important questions. If your dog won't eat it then it will be hard for him to get his nutrition. Well good news! My girlfriend has a Basset Hound and my mom breeds Bernese Mountain Dogs.
I have included a picture that I took of my girlfriends dog, I sent it to the breeder and now it is right on their homepage!



Well Beuford (yes that's his name) loved Spot's Stew. He is a pretty picky eater, and as we all know Basset Hounds have the best sniffers out of any other dog! Beuford did not smell anything wrong with this food, he ate every last kibble and then licked the bowl!

What about the Bernese Mountain Dogs? well they loved it as well but they barely chew when they eat their food so I thought Beuford the picky eater would be a better test subject.

All in all I think that Spot's Stew is a great dog food for it's ingredients, price and taste (according to Beuford anyways)

Check out our newest site for blue buffalo coupons

Embrace Dog Insurance Review

I have posted a review for embrace dog insurance on my dog insurance blog. Embrace dog Insurance offers pet insurance to protect pet and dog owners from unexpected vet bills. Embrace dog Insurance offers reimbursements for costs relating to surgery, hospitalization, diagnostics, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, as well as alternative and homeopathic therapies. Visit this link to see the complete Embrace dog insurance review

Christmas Dog Toy List

Christmas Dog Toys - Christmas Dog Toy List

Christmas is a season of gifting, and you probably have a list of friends and family to purchase gifts for. Your dog is definitely family! He is your companion, loyal friend and confidant. Give him something wonderful this Christmas like a new toy.

Dogs are choosy about not only their food but also their toys. To pick the right sort of toy that the dog would love to play with, you need to know what your dog loves to do. The first thing is that dogs love to play and get bored rather easily with their old toys. Another thing is that dogs love interacting with their toys. They love to chew, bite and carry their toys with them. They are not satisfied with just sniffing the toy, they like to gnaw, nip and chew.

Some toys are popular and suitable for all breeds of dogs like balls to play fetch with. The right sort of toy also depends on the size of your pet, his breed and age. I have included a list of Christmas dog toys to help you find the perfect christmas dog toy.

Plush Dog Toys
Puppies, light chewers and small breeds love these toys. They are soft, chewy and can be carried around easily. The good thing about these toys are that they are soft and don’t get damaged easily. There are toys shaped as bones, bars, etc. You need to know your dog. Some dogs love them, others are scared of the squeaky sounds they emit. So you need to know if your pet will like them before you buy.

Canvas Dog Toys
Canvas dog toys are really safe and are good for small pups and small and medium breed dogs. They are chewy and they last really long. They are safe too, and you do not need to worry that some harmful bits can bet swallowed by your dog. They come in variety of shaped the dog can recognize, like bones, balls, biscuits etc.

Denim Dog Toys
Another excellent fabric based chewy toy for pups and small and medium breed dogs. They come in various shapes too and have a hidden squeaker. They are filled with polyester and are safe. If your dog finds the squeaker interesting, it can play really long with these toys.

Rubber Tire Dog Toy
If you have a big dog or an aggressive chewer, you can gift many hours of happiness to the pet by buying it a rubber tire toy. They come in various sizes; some of them even have a rope attached to them to play tug of war.

Rubber Bones
This has been the popular choice for teething dogs and heavy chewers. Many hours of happy chewing guaranteed! They come in various sizes, but the 7 inch one is a preferred option, easy to carry in the mouth and to get gnawing on.

Rope Toys
Sturdy braided or knotted rope toys are well liked by every type of dog. They are perfect for an active and energetic tug of war with your pet. When you are low on energy, they play with these themselves, or chew at them.

Rubber Tennis Dog Toys with Strap
These toys are made of heavy duty rubber and have a fuzzy tennis coating on them. They are durable and have a strap that can help play tug of war with your pet.

Empty rawhide basket
Completely edible basket that you can fill with your selection of dog toys and dog treats and give your pet a Christmas to remember.

Doggie Stockings
Sturdy stockings made of PVC and filled with dog treats and munchies made from rawhide. These could be put up on the mantel and given to the dog on Christmas when every other family member is opening their gifts.

Candy canes made of Rawhide
For many hours of munching, these are attractive, with multicoloured strips running through the white surface.

With this long list of potential dog gifts for your pet you should be able to choose the toy that is the best for your dog! You should check the website of your favourite pet store, or even shop online. Hope you and your dog have a great Christmas