Pet Owners Help Find a Cure!

Pampered Pets Bed & Biscuit has come together to help Brenda Proch attend the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. We have been selling candy bars, muffins, homemade cookies & raffle tickets for a pet gift basket valued at over $100 dollars! We are also selling homemade mini pupcake muffins, made fresh each day in our facility, for our furry friends! All the proceeds go to the Avon Foundation.
The Avon Walk for Breast Caner is the Avon Foundation’s largest fundraising initiative, and also one of the largest fundraising programs in the country.  From 2003 through 2010, the Avon Walks have raised more than $380 million funds that are directly saving lives.
Brenda Proch is our Dog Trainer at our Fort Wayne Location. Her friend Diane is celebrating her 8th year as a Breast Cancer Survivor. Brenda has known Diane since 2nd grade and believes everyone has a personal reason for participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and Diane is her reason.
 Brenda will be walking 26.2 miles on Saturday, October 22 in North Carolina along side her friend Diane. This commitment to participate in the Avon Walk is also a commitment to raise a minimum of $1,800 to help the Avon Foundation to find a cure for Breast Cancer.
Please stop by Pampered Pets Bed & Biscuit, to purchase any of these items or to enter in the drawing. We are located at 2013 West Cook Road Fort Wayne, IN 46818. You can also donate by going to Brenda Proch's personal donation page. All donations are welcome.
http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=2080&px=6187107

11 Fall Pet Dangers to Avoid

  The crisp chill of autumn is upon us, find out the top 11 fall pet dangers to avoid.

The crisp chill of autumn is upon us, that means changing leaves, cozy sweaters, and lots of holidays. But along with all that excitement comes some dangers for your adorable pooch and kitty. Find out the top 11 fall pet dangers to avoid.

Antifreeze

Every year more than 10,000 dogs and cats are accidentally poisoned with automotive antifreeze. Pets are attracted to the sweet taste of ethylene glycol and one to two teaspoons will poison a cat and three tablespoons is enough to kill a medium size dog.

Allergies

Fall weather can bring about all whole new set of allergies. Ragweed and mold are two big aggravates, along with grass and dust. Look for signs like scratching, biting, chewing, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, and hives and rashes.

Arthritis

Cold weather can lead to arthritis caused by inflamed joints. If your dog or cat is limping, having trouble moving, jumping, or sitting, moving slower than usual, or whimpering when he moves, he may be suffering from seasonal arthritis.

Mushrooms

All mushrooms are toxic to dogs. Always watch for mushrooms in areas where you walk your dogs or where they run and play. Be especially cautious of parasol-shaped mushrooms and all small brown mushrooms. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning can range from mild vomiting and diarrhea to severe digestive problems to complete liver failure.

Compost Pile

Your compost pile in your backyard is also dangerous to your pet. The decomposing organic material could contain mycotoxins that can cause hyperthermia, agitation, excessive panting or drooling, and even seizures.

Rodenticides

In fall and winter, mice and rats come flocking indoors to warmer surroundings. Putting out rodenticides will get rid of rodents but could also be fatal to your pooch and cat. There are four different types of poison and each has the potential to kill your pet: anticoagulants, cholecalciferol, bromethalin, and phosphides.

Candy

Everyone knows that chocolate is toxic to dogs, especially the baking variety, but so are raisins and the sugar-free sweetener xylitol. Be extra cautious on Halloween where pets can get into bags of candy. Wrappers and sticks from lollipops can also pose a threat causing intestinal blockages.

Thanksgiving

You may have the urge to share your yummy feast with your pet. This is ok in moderation. Just check the list of toxic foods for pets before you feed them. Avoid fat and fatty foods that can trigger pancreatitis in dogs and cats, and never feed your dog poultry bones. They easily splinter and break and can cause serious damage if swallowed.

Cold Weather

Chilly temps can also pose a threat to your pet. Indoor animals don’t develop a thick double coat like outdoor pets and should not be left outside unattended for any period of time. Consider buying a sweater for your dog for walks or booties to keep his paws safe from ice and rock salt. Also be cautious around ice – your pet could easily slip and rip a ligament or break a bone.

Decorations

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations can all be dangerous to your pet. Ornaments, tinsel, plants, costumes, and other decorations should all be kept out of your pet’s reach.

Plants

Although beautiful, some holiday plants are toxic to dogs. You should avoid holly, amaryllis, mistletoe, poinsettia, Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus, American and European bittersweet, chrysanthemum, Christmas rose, Jerusalem cherry, autumn crocus, and burning bush. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lack of appetite, tremors, belly pain, difficulty breathing, shock, organ damage, slowed heart rate, collapse, and even death.

Tips for keeping your pet neat, clean and healthy between professional groomings at Pampered Pets Bed and Biscuit

Brushing 

 Brushing your dog’s coat on a regular basis benefits your dog in many ways and is highly recommended. Taking care of your dog’s coat will help keep it in good condition by removing loose fur, removing dirt, and spreading natural oils around throughout your dog’s coat. The type of hair that your dog has will determine how often your dog’s coat should be brushed. If you have a dog that has long/thick hair, they will need daily brushing. A slicker brush will remove tangles from long hair and a bristle brush will remove dead hair. If you have a dog that has medium length hair, they may be more likely to have knotted or tangled hair and should be brushed 3 to 4 times weekly. Dogs with short, smooth hair need to be brushed less frequently—about 1 or 2 times a week. Short haired dogs need a rubber brush to loosen dirt and dead skin, and then a short bristle brush to remove dead hair.

Ears

 A dog’s ears can be the perfect hang out spot for bacteria if they’re not kept clean. Because of this, it is important to give your dog a gentle ear cleaning every week if possible. The first step to cleaning your dog’s ears is to choose an earwash that is made specifically for a dog or cat ear cleaning. Next, get your dog into a position that is comfortable for both of you. Your dog won’t want to stay in a position that is uncomfortable, and you want to be positioned so you can easily clean your dog’s ears. Once you both are in a comfortable position, soak a cotton ball in the ear wash solution. The cotton ball should be wet, but not dripping wet. If you find the cotton ball dripping, wring it out. Gently rub down the inside of your dog’s ear canal in a gentle twisting, circular motion. Once your dog gets over the initial newness of this, they will most likely enjoy it a lot! Next, use a new cotton ball damp with ear cleaning solution and carefully run it along any areas along the cartilage of the ear and inner flap to wick away wax and dirt buildup. 

Bathing

 The frequency of baths you give your dog will depend upon the type and length of hair that they have. Dogs with long hair need to be bathed more often than dogs with short smooth coats. Other factors that affect how often you should give your dog a bath include the weather (people usually bathe their dogs more often in the summertime) and how often they go outside. Choose a mild shampoo for dogs.  Using dish soap or human shampoo can dry your dog’s skin out which can lead to further problems. Before giving your dog a bath it is always a good idea to give him a good brushing. This will remove excess hair and help prevent your drain from becoming clogged. Fill the bathtub (or sink) to about the level of your dog’s knees. Use a spray hose or a cup or pitcher to thoroughly wet your dog. Carefully massage the shampoo into your dog’s coat starting from the back and working your way forward. Very gently wet your dogs head, face, and ears and lather those areas as well. Be extremely cautious as not to get any shampoo in your dog’s ears, nose, or eyes. Next rinse your dog off very thoroughly. Leaving shampoo on your dog’s skin can cause irritation to the skin. Once you have rinsed your dog off completely, you can dry him with a large towel to get rid of excess water followed by a hair dryer. If you chose to dry your dog with a hair dryer, be sure to keep the heat at a comfortable temperature and to keep it a safe distance from your dog’s skin. It is also a good idea to have eye wash for your dog to rinse their eyes after the bath. Only use eye wash specifically for dogs or cats and never use eye drops for humans!

Grooming Between Baths

There are also options for keeping your dog looking clean and smelling fresh in between baths as well. Pet grooming wipes are a great way to keep Fido clean in between baths.  Also there are leave in spray on coat and skin conditioners as well as a multitude of pet body sprays and colognes! * Only use products made for our furry four legged pals as human products almost always contain alcohol and other ingredients that will dry your pets skin and coat out and could cause serious irritation.*

Nail Clipping

A good rule of thumb for gauging when your dog is ready for a nail trim is by whether or not you can hear their nails clicking as they walk across the floor. If you can, it is probably a good idea to give Fido a nail trim. Since most dogs aren’t the biggest fans of getting their nails clipped, the first step to clipping their nails is to make sure your dog is comfortable. To do this, you will need to make your dog comfortable with you touching their feet. You can do this touching their paws lightly (this is always a good thing to do even if you are not trimming the nails as it will allow the dog to feel as comfortable when your groomer needs to trim the feet and nails!). As they grow accustomed to this, you can begin to apply a little bit of pressure to their paws and nails. Once they have grown used to this, you can move on to beginning to trim their nails. Make sure to get a pair of nail clippers that are suited to your dogs size, small, medium or large and also pick up "Qwick Stop" which is a styptic powder that you can apply if you cut back too far and your pets nail bleeds. If you find yourself without any styptic powder, you can use flour as it will act as a clotting agent if in a tight spot! Watch the nails for re bleeding if your pet walks on a surface that may dislodge the powder for a few hours after the nail trim if the quick has been nicked. Before using a nail clipper on your dog, carefully read the instructions so that there are no questions on how the clippers are to be used. Avoid cutting the area known as the quick which is painful and can cause bleeding in dogs. On white nails the quick is distinguished as the pink section, but it is more difficult to see in darker nails and if you are unsure you can always bring your pet to PPB&B to have a quick nail trim and no appointment is needed for this service.

Dental Care

  Dental care is extremely important in dogs. Although people loosely throw around the term “dog breath”, dogs should not have dog breath! To help ensure that your dog maintains his oral health, it is recommended to take a look at your dog’s teeth between vet visits. Notify your vet if you find anything out of the normal like halitosis, otherwise known as bad breath or “dog breath”, inflamed, red, or bleeding gums, pain when chewing, or anything else that might appear to be out of the usual. To aid in preventing dental disease in dogs, one of the things you can do is to brush your dog’s teeth with a finger bush (made especially for brushing dog’s teeth) and dog toothpaste (human toothpaste can make dogs sick). Brushing should be daily or every other day.  Brushing your dog’s teeth and keeping your dog up to date with his vet visits is the best thing you can do to maintain his dental health.

We will cover these tips in more depth over the coming weeks and months and also get you in the know when it comes to the best tools to use as well as breed specifics and our feline friends!

Also, watch for grooming and bath special's to be announced from Pampered Pets Bed and Biscuit on facebook as well as Twitter and email if you have signed up for this option!

Have a furry and fun day!

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Give your pet a scratch behind the ear from us 

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Pampered Pets Bed and Biscuit!

Preparing Your Pet for the Fall Season

Pets, just like people need to get ready for the cold weather. Use these tips to help your pet through the season change.

Pets that spend a lot of time outdoors may need extra calories to stay warm. More food or a change in diet may be necessary. You should talk to your vet and come up with an eating plan for your pet.

-Cats and dogs shed their summer coats in the fall before they build their winter coats. Help your pet with this process by brushing it regularly and removing excess fur.

-Halloween candy, particularly chocolate, can be deadly to your pet. Be sure to keep candy tucked away in a place that your pet cannot get to.

-Take your pet in for a winter check-up with your vet to make sure they are going into the cold season healthy.

-Short coat breed dogs may need extra protection from the cold weather and wind. A sweater or a sweatshirt will help keep them warm, as not all breeds are meant for cold weather.

A trained Dog is a Happy Dog! The Three R's of Training

Repetition is needed for a dog to understand what is expected from his / her behavior. Dogs rely on structure and consistency for learning. Repeat your exercises and it will pay off.

Respect will follow when you invest the time with your dog in training. You are becoming the leader and its instinct for them to follow the leader of the pack. If there is no leader, they will try to become the leader which may cause many behavioral problems. It is part of their nature to have a leader.

Relationship is developed from your leadership and commitment to guide them in the right direction. It is a great feeling to have a dog want to do things for you … because of the relationship and not have to be forced to obey.

Learn what motivates your dog to work. Does he / she have a favorite treat or toy to start off training. Eventually that will be weaned off, but it is a hugh motivator in the beginning of training.

Of course exercise is a must for all dogs. They really need both mental and physical exercise to keep  balanced and out of trouble. A tired dog is a good dog!

Training should be fun and a great bonding experience for you both!

Training is a life long process if you want success. Always feel free to call if you have any questions.

Ohio 419-592-7387 ext 12

Indiana 260-489-7387 ext 10