The Paw Plaza Grooming Spa

Grooming Spa Opens: 10 AM – 4 PM Monday – Saturday

• State of the art grooming salon.
• Appointments available every day except Sunday.
• Full service grooming in about 1 hour.
• One-on-one, customized, private session with you, your dog and the groomer.
• Comfort your pet while we work.
• Guide us to give your pet exactly the hair cut you like.
• Walk-in bath service are available for dogs 25 lb or less without appointment – Although there is a possibility for a short wait. Prices vary depending on size of the dog.
• We groom cats as well!!  Brushing, bathing, de-shedding and haircuts (by appointment only).

Healthy Eating for Dogs 101

Did you recently add a dog to your family, or are you concerned about your current dog’s eating habits? Dog nutrition can seem complex, but we’ve made it easy with this roundup of tips, tricks, essential info, and solutions to common feeding problems. Read on, and your dog might just eat better than you.

Take a look at the ingredient list on your dog’s current bag of food. Look for recognizable ingredients, a minimum of starches, and essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have a bag on hand, you can use a site like Dog Food Advisor to see what’s in popular brands and compare ingredients. Make sure there’s a whole protein source as the first ingredient, and check that your dog’s food meets AAFCO nutritional adequacy standards, which you can see on the label.

DIY Dog Treat

This two-ingredient recipe on Curbly will get you started with something quick and easy:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups any kind of flour
• 2 (4-oz) jars of organic baby food. Beef, chicken, blueberry, and sweet potato are all good choices.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Mix ingredients to form a stiff dough, adding extra flour or water as needed
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about a 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters for fun shapes, or a pizza cutter for bite-size cubes.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before storing in a paper bag (storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but they’re still edible)

If you’re feeling adventurous, consider including grated carrots, apple, or sweet potatoes, a bit of mint or parsley (which can help with bad breath), dried blueberries, or even a touch of nut butter. Almost good enough for people, right? Here are tons more DIY dog food recipes. There are gluten-free, special-occasion, and even vegetarian options here—something for every pup.

Why dogs tilt their heads?

Besides how it's absolutely adorable (like everything else about dogs), we know little about why dogs tilt their heads, though we can't help but melt a bit when they do it. Though if you ask some people, that's exactly why they do it.

Dogs are man's best friend for a reason, and part of our connection with them comes from their emotional intelligence being off the charts. One suggestion of why they tilt their heads is that they're reading our emotions and looking for the positive response they usually get when they do it. (That's right, your dog is trying to make you smile. Granted, it might be in hopes of getting out of trouble, but kudos for ingenuity.)

An Illustrated Guide to Dog Behavior

Home Remedies for Anxious Dogs

• White Noise

Use a fan, white noise machine, or radio to distract your dog from startling noises. Try playing classical music—it’s known to have a relaxing effect.

• Check Your Stress Level

Dogs are sensitive creatures and your anxiety can increase their anxiety. Try yoga or other relaxation techniques to decompress and find your own inner calm.

• Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!

A tired dog is a happy dog. Plus, exercise releases serotonin, a feel-good chemical that we humans also get when we work out.

• Give Your Dog a Massage

Giving your dog a ten-minute massage every day can help relax your four-legged friend, and is a great way to bond. There are many different techniques you can try. Just remember to be gentle and make sure your pet enjoys it.

Gear and Toys for Anxious Dogs

Luckily, there’s a plethora of toys and gear specifically created with the anxious pup in mind. Overall, harness the power of distraction, and give them a comfy, dog-designated area while you’re gone. These selections are key to creating a soothing environment.

1. ThunderShirt: Uses gentle, constant pressure to calm dogs.

2. Puzzle Toys: Perfect for keeping pups occupied while you’re out. The tricky treat ballis a particular favorite.

3. Long-lasting Chews: These chews will give your anxious dog something to focus on. Naturally-shed antler chews or a KONG with frozen peanut butter always work wonders.

4. Comfy Bed: Nothing relaxes a dog like a comfortable place to rest their head. Extra points for supportive memory foam that’s easy on the joints.

5. Dog Crate: With tons of variety and designs, you’re bound to find the perfect crate for your family. Training is a must, of course, before you implement the crate with your dog.

6. The Sentry Calming Collar: These collars release pheromones that help relax dogs and reduce their feelings of stress and fear.

Why Do Dogs Lick Their Lips?

Your dog might not have Kardashian lips, but when he licks his chops, he is likely sending a message. So just what does it mean when dogs lick their lips? There’s more to the story than meets the eye.

Dogs lick their lips for a variety of reasons:

• Anticipation of food
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Nausea, physical pain, or oral discomfort
• An appeasement mechanism

The most obvious reason your dog might lick its lips is in anticipation of food. According to Patricia McConnell, an applied animal behaviorist, dogs generally lick to the side of the mouth when they’re expecting a meal. She adds that licking in anticipation of food can also be linked to increased salivation.

“We humans tend to do the same thing when anticipating something wonderful about to pop into our mouth,” she writes.

Find a new sport for you and your pet

There are a variety of activities that, depending on the breed of or mix of your pet, can help meet their exercise needs. Don’t be put off by the competitive aspect of trials and certification. Yes, you can work your way up through the rankings, but simply learning a new activity for fun can be a great bonding experience for dogs and owners.

• Dock-diving: This is exactly what it sounds like. Dogs leap from a dock into a regulation pool to see how high or far they can go. Facilities around the country offer classes that build up your pet’s confidence in the water long before they get into competition. There is a lot you can do outside of class, if you have a body of water to practice in. Ultimate Air Dogs explains how to gradually teach your dog to swim and retrieve toys in the water.
• Herding: This teaches a dog to use its basic breed instinct to control livestock. You can start by teaching a puppy how to chase things and stop on command.  Then take them to a place that has livestock and get them used to listening to you, despite the obvious distractions.  From there, a training facility like Ewe-topia in Roy, Washington can take you and your dog to the next level.
• Agility: Over time, dogs learn to negotiate obstacle courses made up of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, and more, at the direction of their owners.
• Fast cat: An AKC event where dogs compete in a straight race of 100 yards by chasing a lure.
• Field trials:  Dogs compete in four components based on hunting breed characteristics; pointing, flushing, retrieving and scent, trailing.
• Earthdog: This type of  training lets those little diggers use their natural abilities to hunt for prey underground.

Are You Over Vaccinating Your Dog?

It’s recently been reported by the senior brand manager of Boehringer Ingelheim that the majority of vets are vaccinating more often than necessary. Unnecessary vaccines place your dog at unnecessary risk for vaccine related health issues. This quick guide will help you decide if your dog is being vaccinated more often than research shows is necessary. Read in full the Free Vaccine Guide by clicking here.

Lipomas And Other Canine Lumps And Bumps -Treatment

 

My choice of treatment for fatty tumors is to first stop supplementing the toxins by avoiding those mentioned above. Next, you must help your dog to remove any existing toxins and aid his body in its detoxification and healing process.

I recommend a natural diet, filtered water, no drugs, chemicals, herbicides, pesticides or vaccines on or around my patients. Treatment choices include classical homeopathy, gemmotherapy, aromatherapy, bovine colostrum, fatty acid supplementation and glandular therapy.

All of these modalities will complement the body’s healing capacity.

Remember that surgery is a suppressive treatment and will only drive the toxins and disease deeper into the patient. It should be used only as a last resort in any dog, no matter what issue you are dealing with.

Three Critical Problems With The Kennel Cough Vaccine

 

I’m willing to bet that …When your dog’s daycare, training facility or kennel asks for a kennel cough vaccine, you vaccinate your dog … am I right?And why wouldn’t you? You want to protect your dog (and other dogs) from illness and you trust your vet or daycare provider to have your dog’s best interests at heart, like any caring dog lover would.But I’m here to tell you some things that will make you question whether the kennel cough vaccines your dog has been getting are actually in his best interests …… or all just a lie.

What You Should Know About The Kennel Cough Vaccine

Bordetella, also known as kennel cough, is a vaccine that’s been required by groomers, boarding kennels, training facilities and veterinary hospitals for years. It’s become a routine requirement for any dog that spends time with other dogs (which is nearly all dogs).

The fact that a vaccine exists is surprising in itself. Kennel cough is almost always a self limiting disease that’s about as dangerous to your dog as the common cold is to you. So it’s not really much of a problem for your dog … but it can be a problem for any facility that has a case of kennel cough go through it.

Or at least they think it is. I’ll get to that part in a bit.

What Are the Benefits of Having Two Dogs?

When you're not home and can't provide entertainment for your pooch, another dog in the household can be a comfort. It also can often prevent boredom and resulting behavioral issues. Although owning multiple dogs can work well for some households, it's not suitable in all situations.

Canine Companionship and Socialization

If you have a busy work schedule and spend a lot of time out of the home, having two dogs can help your peace of mind. Your dogs can play with each other, which can be effective for keeping boredom and lack of stimulation at bay. Boredom and inadequate stimulation can trigger destructive canine behaviors such as chewing, pacing, digging and excessive barking. Not only can constant companionship help prevent behavioral troubles, but it can help to eliminate or minimize separation anxiety.

Being a guardian to two dogs also can be advantageous from a socialization standpoint, particularly in the cases of younger animals. Socialization can be excellent for their emotional development. When dogs spend a lot of time around each other, it can help them learn how to deal with other animals and humans.

5 Dog Breeds Vets Worry About the Most

1. GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

Goldens have had more than their share of breed-related health issues, the most common and most tragic is cancer. Our family has been lucky enough to escape this diagnosis, but countless other owners will be getting bad news about their dogs today, and many of those dogs will be young. Many of us veterinarians not-so-secretly call this breed "The Cancer Retriever," which is why I'm so excited about the Golden Retriever Lifetime Project, a huge and important step in helping to save many of these dogs down the line. And many people too!

2. BULLDOGS

The Bulldog is the beloved breed of the advertising world, today more than ever. There's no denying the adorability factor here, and I'm as much in love with the look of the Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug as anyone else. But the exaggerated features of the Bulldog and other related breeds have produced a perfect storm of health problems that diminish the quality of life for many of these dogs, and often make them extremely expensive to own. Many need surgery to shorten their soft palate and enlarge their nostrils just so they can breathe somewhat normally. Much as I love them as individuals, as a veterinarian these problems make me hurt for these dogs and their families.

The 10 Most Poisonous Houseplants for Dogs

Dog owners: before you go out and buy a pretty potted plant, do your research! Some houseplants can be dangerous for dogs—even deadly—so make sure you know before you grow. We’ve rounded up 10 common houseplants that are most toxic for dogs. Check out the list here, and click on the pictures and to find out how each plant can affect your dog.

• Aloe Vera
• 'Hedera Helix' or Ivy
• 'Crassula Ovata' or Jade plant
• 'Dieffenbachia' or Dumb cane
• Philodendron
• 'Cycas Revoluta' or Sago Palm
• 'Zamioculcas' or ZZ plant
• 'Caladium' or Elephant ear
• 'Dracaena fragrans' or Corn plant
• Asparagus fern

Alternatives to the Classic ‘Cone of Shame’

Looking for post-surgery options more comfortable than the plain old plastic cone of shame? We’ve got some great options for your dog.

If your dog has a surgery scheduled or suffers from hot spots, you may be frustrated with the plain old Elizabethan collar from your local vet. The cone of shame certainly gets the job done, but sleeping, eating, drinking, and just generally being a dog can be tough while wearing a giant white lampshade. As if healing up from an injury wasn’t painful enough, right?

Soft collars, neck braces, and even onesies may help make your pet comfortable as she heals. Just make sure your cone alternative adequately protects the injury site, and that your dog can’t sneak out of it when you aren’t looking. And don’t forget that even when wearing the cone, dogs need supervision after surgery. So book an experienced pet sitter or find a dog lover to drop by during the day if you can’t be around to monitor.

Now, on to our cone of shame alternatives! Click here.