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We are moving our regular blog to our store site. Keep reading on here!

Why do dogs eat grass?

Any dog owner has probably seen their pup grazing the grass in the backyard at some point. We often overlook this as just a common occurrence in dogs, but have you ever given a second thought to why your dog is doing this?

No, your dog most likely isn't trying a new vegetarian health kick. However, there are some theories as to why our dogs do this.

#1- He is sick.
Some people's dogs only eat grass when they are not feeling well and throw up later on after consuming the grass. Some say the dog knows he has an upset stomach and wants to induce vomiting so they eat the grass to do so.

#2 He is bored.
As we all have fallen victim to the eating while bored syndrome, this is another theory why Fido is munching down on the foliage. Perhaps your dog might be bored and need to do something more stimulating than sleeping the day away. Sometimes eating grass is the next best thing.

#3 He wants some nutrition
Another reason proposed is that your dog instinctively knows they need more of something(nutrition wise). The grass provides fiber and it is often a beneficial food for a dog's digestion. Other suggested reasons why he is eating grass are to treat intestinal worms, or ease the digestion process. The fiber theory is interesting because there is a published study of woman who noted her dog ate grass and vomited every day for 7 years. She found out about the fiber theory and switched her dog to a high fiber diet. The dog completely stopped vomiting.

So, in the end your dog's eating grass isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, there are a few things to be cautious of if Fido continues to eat grass every chance he gets. If you often used powdered pesticides on the grass or perhaps some miracle-gro to keep the garden looking nice, this can be harmful to your pets health and should be monitored.

Other than that, eating grass is nothing new for a dog owner and nothing to be worried about. It's just another one of those interesting things our dogs do.

Maybe your pup is eating grass because he hasn't tasted anything as good as our all natural dog treats!
 Surely after a Peanut Butter BonBon or two, your dog wont even remember what grass tastes like.


Signed, Puppy Love Dog Store

Crate Covers and Luxury Canopy Dog Beds

These crate covers and luxury canopy dog beds are handcrafted by our exclusive Puppy Love Designer. Each one is beautiful and turns an ordinary crate into something worth having in the living room! With such an impressive design and great style, it is hard to decide who will enjoy it more, you or your dog.

With new designs coming in all the time there is no limit to what new art you may find in these awesome luxury dog crate covers and canopy day beds (found on site).

These crate covers are beautiful and exclusive to Puppy Love. Check them out now!

Beautiful Luxury Leather Designer B.B. Simon Dog Collars

Is your pup a luxury deserving dog? Well, we have we got the collar for them! These collars are literally a piece of art work within themselves. Each collar is unique and exquisite. Cute, Trendy, Fashionable, popular, modern, cool ,voguish, in fashion, and in high demand are just a few of the words to describe these great collars!

This accessory will have all the dogs in the neighborhood turning their heads in jealousy. It is the perfect puppy apparel to show them you love them, and they will love all the attention they get from it!

Get yours TODAY and let your pup start living the life of luxury they deserve!

Rage Syndrome? In Dogs?

www.puppylovedogstore.com

Rage Syndrome.... no, it isn't what you get when a red hummer cuts you off and nearly destroys your car.

This genetic disorder is found in dogs, and mainly effects the Spaniel dog breed.

Imagine you're sitting there with ole Fido enjoying your day and with no apparent reason he goes into a fit of anger growling with a cold hard stare at nothing, pulling his head back as if uncontrollably.

This description is exactly what any dog owner who has a rage syndrome pup might experience. It is defined as an epileptic bout of rage which effects the emotional part of the brain. Most the time the dog can not control their actions and doesn't even realize it is happening. Almost like a seizure of some sort.

Though some dogs are able to stop it, some go into a bout that leads to them attacking without even realizing they are. For some dogs, there is a triggered situation which causes it to happen. Sometimes it can be  from suddenly being wakened from sleep, or certain words that cause them to have their attack such as aggressive negative commands ("bad dog", "go lay down in your kennel", etc.)

Often people believe it is a training issue or the onset of rabies, but that is rarely the case in certain breeds.

However, as bad as rage syndrome sounds it is something that can be tolerated. Other than those situations where the dog is seizing with rage, he is still your sweet baby dog. The dog comes out of his rage and is completely normal as if unaware anything has even happened. I would imagine this makes it very hard to be mad at them. It's almost like puppy tourettes.

Treatment for rage syndrome is limited and often involves finding a canine neurologist.
Some other dog breeds that this can happen to is Papillon, Rottweiliers, English Bull Terriers, and Golden Retrievers.

The Name Game- Top Dog Names for 2011

There are a lot of top dog name lists out there. I'm betting dog name favorites are somewhat regional based on where you are from and the breed you are naming.

With our Puppy Love Dog Boutique in Southeast Texas we sell quite a few dog name collars. These collars have the letters that slide on the collars and spell out the name in blingy rhinestones or shiny silver letters.

We also sell a lot of engraved name tags. Based on our records our top dog names for 2011 are as follows:

-Boy Names: MAX, BAXTER, and JAKE

-Girl Names: LUCY, BELLA and IZZY

We see a lot of boy pups named Bailey, Zack, Ace, Axel and Bentley

The girl names that we see over and over are Coco, Abby, Zoey, Molly, Emmy and Lily are also popular in our area.

While Buddy and Daisy make the national lists, we don't see them as often. Petmd.com has a great list voted on by site visitors. It certainly seems to be a comprehensive collection of pet names. It will definitely get you started thinking of that perfect name for your perfect pup.

Whatever name you finally choose that special name will take on a whole new meaning when it defines your precious puppy. "Lily" wont be a name on a dog list anymore. "Lily" will be the name of the best dog ever! Our "Lily" certainly is!



Also guys, do not forget to checkout Obsessive Chihuahua Disorder's newest blog, we think you might enjoy it!
ObsessiveChihuahuaDisorder.com BLOG

Lily's Corner
Puppy Love Dog Boutique

Check out our Halloween Dog Costumes

Hey guys check out our newest video from Puppy Love. All about our newest dog costumes, its kind of funny also.  Enjoy

All Natural Made in USA Dog Treats!

Its hard to tell sometime what is the best dog treats to get for your pup. So we took the liberty of asking our dog Lucy which ones she liked best and she decided to do an awesome product review of our Gourmet Barkery Dog Treats! Here it is: Enjoy! Get your baby some treats @ www.puppylovedogstore.com

Sunglasses/ Doggles for Pups? Fashion and Practicality

Owning a dog boutique in Texas you get to hear a lot of different comments on a lot of different things. What people love, dislike, or aren't sure about when it comes to their dog's apparel. Our topic today is one of those items that even the most avid doggie shoppers usually will roll their eyes at when they see it. I'm talking about Doggles- Puppy Sunglasses & Dog Goggles

http://www.puppylovedogstore.com

To most this seems the over the top dog luxury. "Sunglasses for dogs- now I've seen everything!" is one remark we get quite often.

The pups do look like Hollywood starlets with their little diva pink-lensed sunglasses with the rhinestone hearts in the corner. Surprisingly enough, these accessories do have a practical side!

The week I got my first order of sunglasses in a lady called asking if I had any sunglasses for her pug- her vet had told her she must have them. Really? Even I was surprised. She explain their family was heading for the beach with their pug who had an eye infection. The vet was worried about wind and sand irritating the eye even more. He told her a pair of goggles would protect the eye. For dogs who love to hang their head out the window, sunglasses are the perfect protection from flying debris. Dogs who ride in the back of a truck or with their owners on motorcycles or boats need protection also. They make them adjustable and available in sizes to fit a 3 pound to 250 pound dog!

The dog sunglasses we carry have a UV coating to reduce harmful exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

They are specially made to fit comfortably and protect your baby's eye. These glasses can protect the eye from trauma, reduce glare, and relieve light sensitivity.

For the older dogs with developing cataracts or poor vision, these glasses prove to be extremely helpful. They are also developed to be shatter proof.

So... ok. They do seem awfully "cutesy" but they are a practical aid for many dogs and yes, quite the fashion statement for the rest. 

So next time you see that adorable chihuahua or that fashionable doberman rocking the shades, don't judge too fast. They may be on the edge of trendy luxury dog fashion, or they may just be practicing safety habits and avoiding blindness or eye infections.

GET YOUR DOGGLES HERE

Prepare Yourself for Dogtoberfest Beaumont!

As usual, Puppy Love will have a booth and be attending this years Dogtober Fest in Beaumont, Texas. Come in and get your outfits for your pup's so your dog isn't under dressed for the occasion! We've got costumes, dresses, collars, and everything else!

Can't wait to see everyone out there!
www.puppylovedogstore.com




Dogtober Fest 2011 Brochure
Downtown Beaumont at the World’s Largest Fire Hydrant
                                               
Join us on the Main Stage!

                         Simply register your favorite canine at the
                         Main Stage 15 minutes before any contest
                                         8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Pancakes on the Plaza ($5)
                                         8:30 – Dedication of 9/11 Memorial
                                         9:00 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
                                         9:20 a.m. – “Strutt Your Mutt” Parade
                                                                Registration begins at 8:30 at the BIG hydrant!
                                   
                                         10:00 a.m. – Adoptable Dog Style Show (only adoptable dogs)

                                         10:30 a.m. – Prizes Awarded to PAW-traiture Winners!
           
                                         10:45 a.m. – Parade of Champions (dogs that help others)          
                    
                                         11:15 a.m. – Prizes for Parade Winners
                                                                 Announcement of Facebook Favorite         
           
                                         11:30 a.m. – Best Dressed Dog Contest
                                         Noon – Master/Dog Look Alike Contest
                                         12:30 – Miss Flame Contest (Fire Museum of Texas)
                                         1:00 p.m. – Cutest Dog Contest
                                         1:30 p.m. – Fire Demonstrations including REPELLING
                                         1:50 p.m. – Best Tail Waggin’ Contest
                                         2:15 p.m. – Most Talented Dog Contest
                                         2:35 p.m. – Mr. and Ms. DOG-tober Fest Crowning
                                         3:00 p.m. – Close

  For More Information:  Beaumont Main Street - 409.838.2202

Families and their favorite canines can enjoy great food, music and festive things to do with your dog at Beaumont’s DOG-tober Fest. Held in conjunction with the Fire Museum's Fire Prevention & Family Safety Festival, DOG-tober Fest includes an array of festivities. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to enter your dog in some of the many cute contests held throughout the day, including the “Master/Dog Look-a-Like Contest” and the “Best Dressed Dog Contest.” And you won't be able to resist the BONE Appetit Food Court, BarkArt, The SPAW, The Barkery, PAW Readings, NEIMAN BARCUS SHOPPING (that would be us!) and the Blue's Clues Moonwalk. Everyone and their dog will be there!

Smelly Dog Breath? Puppy Love can fix that!

www.puppylovedogstore.com

Oral health care is an important part of everyone's life, including your dog's! Most people think that their dog has bad breath and it is simply something you have to deal with. However, this is not true. Plaque and smelly bacteria buildup is the main cause of your dog's mouth odor. 

Dogs over the age of 3 often suffer from periodontal disease, in fact 70% of pets over three years old do.
Periodontal disease- A bacterial plaque build up destroys and rots your dog's teeth and bones around the teeth.  The bacteria then makes its way into your dog's bloodstream. After it has fought its way into your dog's blood it starts attacking his liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart.

By keeping your dog's teeth healthy , you can extend 5 years to your dog's life, not to mention you can save considerable amounts of money in vet bills.

When dealing with this smelly situation, we have something that we feel can really make a difference in your dog's life.

Luckily, we aren't just reading this off of the label and talking it up to you. Lily, our little rescue,was having bad breath problems and her teeth were not exactly impressive to look at.
However, we found out about this product and tried it out, and to our surprise it actually worked! The amazing part was the one dark spot that would not scrape off Lily's tooth was totally gone! Her breath improved and her teeth were pearly white-that's when we decided we should definitely sell this gel!

This gel has no chemicals-100% all natural made with a grapefruit seed extract.

Teeth: Before & After

"This peppermint flavored gel is made with all-natural, holistic ingredients. It safely removes plaque and tartar, reverses oral disease, promotes healthy gums, brightens teeth and kills the bacteria that causes bad breath. The ingredients mix with your pet's saliva when applied on your pet's teeth and completely coats your pet's teeth and mouth. This process kills harmful bacteria and loosens plaque and tarter. Safe for cats and dogs of all breeds.

Start your pet on the road to better oral health today. "


So get your pup some good health, and a new-found confidence in their smile!

Puppy Love Dog Boutique Oral Care Gel 


Of if you're dog is more of the independent type who likes to keep his mouth clean while chewing, then surely he'd like some Flossies. Our flossies are all natural- made in America dense beef tendon chewing treats that dog's love to eat and helps clean their teeth in the process. 


Check Out the Flossies Today!




Signed, Sebastian's Section
Puppy Love Dog Store

It's Just a Vacuum Cleaner? Calm Down Fido

It's just a vacuum cleaner? Calm down.

1 minutes ago

It's time to clean the house and you've done everything on the list, from doing the laundry, dusting the living room, wiping the mirrors, all while Fido rests in his favorite dog bed from Puppy Love unaffected. Until of course you decide it's time to vacuum. Some dogs cower in the corners or hide under beds far away from this evil contraption, others make like Cujo and attack the intrusive object until it returns back to the closet and their home is safe again.

The Culprit of All Your Dog's Fear

So what is it about dogs that make them hate this object with a passion? There are the obvious reasons that it's loud and big, but could there be more to it?


As humans the loud noise coming from the vacuum doesn't really bother us; however, dogs ears are very different. In the anatomy of a dog ear there are 18 muscles that can change and direct the position of the ear in order to focus on particular sounds and know exactly where it is located. The ears act as funnels taking in the sound and magnifying it. Dogs with pricked ears and somewhat floppy ears can usually hear better than dogs with larger basset hound-like ears.

To get an idea of how much more dogs hear than humans:
Loudness is measured in decibels and frequency.
As humans we can hear high frequencies of 12 to 20,000Hz,
while our dogs can hear high sound from 40 to 100,000Hz.

Most vacuum cleaners in a regular cleaning mode work at 70 dB, or on a strong mode at 90dB.
So there is little wonder as to why at 70 dB, a vacuum cleaner could be frightening to our pups.


But there is another side to the fear, it is the movement. If you look at a vacuum cleaner when it's in motion it is usually pushed back and forth constantly with tubes and pieces pulling out and moving to corners of your house with no regularity. Most dogs do not know how to interpret this and see it as a symbol of aggression coming from the machine.

Now of course it's obvious that loud sounds and erratic movement aren't comfortable for dogs, but there is something more you may not have thought of when it comes to your dogs irrational fear of vacuums compared to other loud or moving objects (cars, stereo, tv, air conditioning units, etc.).

It goes all the way back to simple dog instincts and rules. When in the wild and running in packs, the alpha dog, the head pooch, the top dog, always runs the pack and leads them. As the care taker of your dog,  they consider you their alpha dog.  As their pack leader you are following and moving in synchronization with this foreign object that is disrupting their day with loud sounds and unpredictable motion. How could his master be following something else? It is an inconceivable thought to our dogs and it makes them act in one way or another.

So the next time your dog runs away at the first sign of a little bit of cleaning, or goes for the kill and bites your vacuum's wheels, you'll know they are just protecting their favorite pack leader.


However, this fear doesn't apply to all dogs, our Cocker Spaniel Sebastian is not bothered by it at all and even follows us around pawing our legs to get some attention in the process. As for the other 3, Lily, Lucy, and Abbie, either let them outside or expect to find them in the bed cautiously awaiting for you to finish.

Speaking of cleaning and ears, why not pick up Fido some Organic Dog Ear Wash!

So how does your dog react to your vacuum cleaner?

Terrified the whole time

or doesn't even notice it?

You Can't Afford Cheap Dog Food!

Does your dog have itchy ears, watery eyes, scratching all the time?

Anyone who knows me likes to say "I'm the cheapest person alive." So I would be the last person to shell out for something as basic as dog food. My education with dog food began with my daughter's experience with her Wheaton Terrier. Murphy had ear issues over and over. His ears itched, they smelled, they were diagnosed infected. The vet prescribed antibiotics and drops and he recovered for a week or two. Then Murphy's ears started to itch and smell and become infected all over again. My daughter finally took him to a new vet after his second round of antibiotics and he told her "get him off of corn, soy, and wheat and he wont have these issues anymore."

Corn, soy, wheat? When would he have had those items- every time he eats his dog food!

It seems most of the well advertised name brands that everyone uses are full of exactly that. In fact a quick look at the ingredient list of most common dog foods will show them at the top of the list-way before any meat ingredients. Some how dog food companies decided ingredients like beef, chicken, and fish are only needed to be included-if at all-after the all important (and probably much cheaper) corn, soy, and wheat.


In the wild I'm pretty sure dogs would have sought after small game, or chickens..... not really pursuing too many wheat or corn plants. As the vet explained if dogs are proned to allergies, these three ingredients are typically allergens for them. These allergies result in smelly, itchy ears, hot spots, itchy skin, paws, and runny eyes.

With a daily diet of the offending substances it is littler wonder why Murphy had continued to have health issues.

It seems the better dog foods have gotten smart and realized the value of no wheat, no soy, and no corn and many are proud to display it right on the front label. It is important to note that Murphy has never had another infection since the diet change. No more smelly ears and no more constant antibiotic rounds.



So I buy my $20 bag of dog food and pass up the $12.00 bags.

Because I am still the cheapest person alive and I can't afford to pay for bad food, cheap ingredients, and unnecessary vet bills. It seems premium dog food is really quite a bargain!


If you are interested in analyzing your dog food go to www.dogfoodadvisor.com and look it up. They are a wealth of information that evaluates dog food brands.

That is why here at Puppy Love we carry all natural dog treats that are soy, corn, and wheat free.

Was this something that you were aware of?
How does your dogfood stack up?


Lily's Corner
Puppy Love Dog Boutique

Blame the Breed or the Deed? Breed Specific Laws in America

Our Personal Favorite Pitbull Terrier: Tater Tot!

 For most pet owners, it's a regular luxury to wake up and incorporate our dog into our day's plan to some degree. Whether it be by taking him on a walk before work, picking up some of their favorite treats at the local dog store, giving them a bath, or just laying on the couch watching our favorite episode of Friends together. However for some people this is not a luxury they can take part in, all because of one ignorant slap of political legislation.


I am talking about BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) or as I like to call it "breed discrimination."

Now most of us have heard the stories about BSL that involve larger dog breeds such as American Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, or German Shepherds. However, these are not the only breeds that come in to play when discussing BSL. I would assume the type of people who endorse breed specific legislation are people who have had bad situations with a certain breed, or just have nothing better to do than to stir the pot of political absurdities. The main purpose of banning a breed is said to lower and prevent dog bites/ attacks. Despite that view, in doing a little research on areas that outlaw certain breeds you will find that the rate of bites/ attacks stay generally the same. This means that the only thing this legislation has changed, is the number of families who have a loving family dog.

A dog can be banned for two separate reasons in lawful rulings. It can either be processed by a local ordinance who ban a breed by breed type alone, or also by a certain description (such as if a dog has a stocky build and a short coat with bulldog type features, or any mix of words they decide to include.)

However, bans are not the only laws they can enforce on an owner with a certain dog.
There can be implementations of:
-Dog city registration: The city would know what kind of dog you have and would inform the neighborhood to be wary of your "dangerous" dog.
-Dog Sterilization- Enforcement of spaying/neutering your pooch so that reproduction of that breed in the area is less likely (All at owner's cost of course)
-Impossible dog insurance requirements which if not obtained, forces owners to either surrender the dog to the city to be put down, or move out of the area.
-Weight/Size restrictions which is in enforcement in Iowa: a dog can not be over 100lbs
-forced micro chipping at owner's expense

The more I read about breed specific legislation the more ridiculous the idea is to me. I would like to think that our government is founded on a justice system that is based on situational analyses only, even for laws pertaining to our dogs.

I imagine a few people out there are reading this interested, but unworried because they have a smaller breed dog that would most likely not be effected by BSL.
Well it seems BSL has a few more victims on its list. Airedales, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, German Shepherds, Bulldogs, Huskys, Australian Cattle Dogs & Australian Shepherds, Sheepdogs, Blue Heelers, Borzois, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Bull Terriers, Catahoulas, SharPeis, Chows, Dobermans, English Mastiffs, Springer Spaniels, Eskimo Dogs, Fox Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Labradors, Newfoundlands, Pugs, Saint Bernards, and Scotties are all dogs that at one time or another have been banned in certain areas by breed specific legislation.

If you do a little research on the topic you're bound to find sad stories/ classified ads/ rants that involve a family having to give up their favorite family dog because legislation has deemed them unworthy of living in their own home.

This type of breed character stereotyping is something that I'm sure everyone has experienced in one form or another whether it be about your dog having aggression, hyper activity, or any other deemed trait simply because of it's breed.

I know our local R.A.S. Pit Bull Rescue out of Lumberton, Texas (Their facebook link can be found on our RESCUES page) understand that its more about responsible ownership rather than the breed alone.

Luckily in Texas right now (hopefully permanently), there are laws that prevent BSL put in place by local ordinances. It definitely puts things into perspective and I'm glad we live in a state where we have the luxury of waking up and planning a day that involves our dog whether he/she be a Miniature Chihuahua or a Giant Great Dane. Once again, Everything's Better in Texas.

What is your personal opinion on BSL? Do you think that the blame should be on the deed, not the breed? or do you think that certain breeds do have tendencies that are breed specific?

Was your dog found on the list of dogs that have been banned at one point in the U.S.?

Let us know what you think, we'd love to hear from you!



Puppy Love Dog Boutique Barking Blogger
-Sebastian's Corner