Animal Radio® July 2008 Newsletter

In this issue:
- Take your dog camping! Liz Palika has tips for the trip.
- 5 common myths about dog training.
- Allergy season is here - and our pets can be affected too.
- How will you celebrate your pets life? – Turn them into diamonds!
- Single Women: Using your dog's grooming products to attract men.
- Cutting costs. Protecting our furry-family from foreclosure.
- What to look for in a Pet-Friendly Hotel.
- Animal Radio® studios are on the move...

Camping With Your Dog Get Outside this Summer: Take Your Dog Camping! By Liz Palika Visualize this: I’m sitting on a bed of fallen leaves with my back against a huge redwood tree. My dog, Bashir, an Australian Shepherd, is by my side. The woods around us smell damp and although I can also smell some of the plants around us, I know he smells much more because his nose is twitching vigorously as he inhales. About thirty feet behind us, the river is burbling as it moves over smooth, water polished stones. Overhead, through the treetops, I see a deep blue sky. Ahhh! I don’t think there is anything more peaceful. My husband and I both grew up in families that went camping two or three times every summer and now, years later, we still enjoy camping. We’ve camped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the California coastal redwoods, the mountains of Arizona, the hills of North Carolina, the beaches of Southern California, and the plains of the Dakotas. We share our joy of being outside with our dogs and a huge part of our camping fun is also watching our dogs’ reaction to the world around them. Last October, we took Bashir for his first camping trip to the beach. He’s a well-traveled dog, but had never been to the beach before. The sand was okay, and the dried seaweed got a good sniff, but he wasn’t sure about the waves. The first wave that wet his paws caused him to jump backwards about twenty feet and I’m sorry to say, we did laugh at him. But over the course of an hour or so he got braver. Of course, I’m sure the fact that the older dogs were splashing in the water, retrieving thrown sticks, and just generally having a great time also gave him some confidence. Before we went back to our campgrounds that day, Bashir was thoroughly wet and sandy and very proud of himself. Ahead of Time Taking your dog camping will require some advance planning. First of all, not all campgrounds allow dogs and those that do often require reservations made well ahead of time. The Internet is a great resource; find the campground you would like to visit and find out if the campground allows dogs and what their rules are pertaining to dogs. In addition, the American Automobile Association published books with information on hotels, motels and campgrounds, and lists those that allow pets. A magazine called “Fido, Friendly” (www.fidofriendly.com) can be found in bookstores and on newsstands and it regularly publishes travel information for dog owners. Once you have reservations, it’s time to get your dog ready. Brush up on his training skills. Does he walk nicely on the leash? He will spend most of the camping trip on leash and if he’s constantly pulling, yanking and jerking on the leash, you’re not going to enjoy his company at all. Does he come when called every single time you call? He needs to or he may end up lost in the campgrounds or woods. If you need some help, enroll in a dog training class prior to your camping trip. Make sure your dog is up to date on all his vaccinations and get a copy of this from your veterinarian. Tell your vet where you will be camping and ask if your dog will need anything in preparation. Depending upon where you will be going, he may recommend a Lyme Disease vaccination or heartworm medication if your dog is not already on a preventative. Pack for Your Dog Your dog won’t need as many supplies as you will, but he does need some essential items. First of all, make sure he has a secure collar with identification on it. That should include the cell phone you will be bringing with you, not your home number. He will need a walking leash and a longer leash so you can give him room to explore and play yet also keep him safe. Don’t forget a couple of toys. Grooming supplies are a good idea, too, including a brush, comb, insect repellant and a few towels just in case he gets wet. A first aid kit is also a necessity. Make sure you have bandage materials, scissors, tweezers, an antihistamine and Pepto Bismal in case of tummy upsets. Bring enough of your dog’s regular food for the number of days you’ll be gone plus a couple of extra days’ worth. This will cover in case your trip is extended but also your dog may be hungrier than normal because he’s getting more exercise. If your dog has a sensitive gastrointestinal system – everything gets him upset – bring some water from home, too, for at least the first few days. While Camping The first day at the campgrounds, take things slowly. Give your dog a chance to adapt, see where he is, and what’s going on. Our dogs are experienced travelers but we still plan hiking trips, sight seeing adventures, and other explorations for later days. The first day or two is for relaxing and getting used to the campgrounds. This is especially important if you’re camping in the mountains. Let your dog get used to the altitude. Slow gentle walks are good for both of you. Make sure the two of you are also drinking plenty of water so you don’t dehydrate. Camping is great fun for both dogs and people as long as the dogs are not allowed to disturb the other campers. Keep your dog within your camping spot unless you’re going for a walk. Don’t allow him to bark, either. If he likes to bark while playing, take him away from the camping area to play and throw his ball. Don’t leave uneaten dog food around the campground; it will attract wildlife. On our last camping trip, our campground neighbors left out dog food and ended up being visited by a gang of very destructive raccoons during the middle of the night. They not only ate the food, but also tore up their camping chairs and made a huge mess. Before it gets dark, make sure you pick up uneaten dog food, water, toys and all of your belongings, too. A clean camp is always best. Bring a supply of doggy clean up bags with you, pick up after your dog, and dispose of it in a trash container. Don’t leave feces where the dog deposits them; even in the woods they are not natural. Instead, pick them up and dispose of them properly. While camping with your dog, please observe all the posted rules and the rules of common courtesy. Please, please, please observe the rules, be considerate and kind! It only takes one or two dog owners who don’t observe the rules for those rules to change. I enjoy camping with my dogs and don’t want to see more campgrounds saying, “Sorry. No dogs allowed!” Liz Palika is a Certified Dog Trainer and a Certified Behavioral Consultant. She teaches dogs and their owners through Kindred Spirits Canine Education Center in Vista, CA www.kindredspiritsk9.com. She is also an award winning writer with more than 55 books to her credit such as The Ultimate Cat Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Finicky Felines and The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Man's Best Friend, both published by Howell Book House. One of her most recent books, “The Howell Book of Dogs” (Wiley, 2007) recently won Best Reference Book from the Dog Writers Association of America annual writing contest. Look for more Howell titles by Liz such as Labrador Retriever: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD, 2nd Edition, and German Shepherd Dog: Your Happy Healthy Pet, with DVD, 2nd Edition out this Spring. For more pet advice go to www.howellbookhouse.com Go To AnimalRadio.com

Greatest American Dog - Victoria Stilwell Visits with Animal Radio® Victoria Stilwell will be one of the judges on the new reality show, the “Greatest American Dog.” The Greatest American Dog premieres on Thursday, July 10th (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and will consist of 12 extraordinary teams of dogs and owners from across the nation who will compete for the title of Greatest American Dog. Hosted by zoologist/television personality Jarod Miller, owners and their pets from "pageant dogs" to those simply trained at home, will live together and compete against each other in challenges that put the owners' ability to train their dogs to the test. Each week, the judges (Wendy Diamond, Allan Reznick and Victoria Stilwell) will eliminate one dog and their owner. The last remaining team will walk away with a $250,000 cash prize and the title of Greatest American Dog. Victoria Stilwell is currently the host of "It’s Me or the Dog." But, she didn’t start out as a dog trainer. She was actually an actress “between gigs” when her sister, who is a veterinary nurse, suggested that she do some dog walking. So, she took it up out of necessity and started off with walking one dog a day, and within a month, she had about 20 dogs to walk. Slowly, she became more interested in dog training than acting! Victoria currently lives with her rescued animals a cat and chocolate lab along with two fish. Victoria would like to add a snake to her menagerie, but her husband is opposed! Victoria guests on Animal Radio® and tells us she's shooting 20 episodes for the new U.S. version of 'It's Me or the Dog!' - stay tuned to Animal Radio® for casting details!! Listen to Victoria Stilwell on Animal Radio®

5 Common Myths About Dog Training and Reality Checks Vladae The Russian Dog Wizard Myth #1: Dog training will break my dog’s spirit. Reality Check: Proper dog training will definitely break your dog’s bad habits, but never his spirit. Remember, the happiest dog is the one who knows who is boss and whose in charge. His life will become sweet and secure like it was in his momma’s pack. Myth #2: It is cruel to discipline the dog. Reality Check: It would be the ultimate cruelty to raise the dog without rules and structures and as a result, he eventually will be banned out of the house as the unwanted pet or he will forever be a prisoner in your backyard or under house arrest. Myth #3: I never disciplined my dog, he should be free, I never discipline my kids either. Reality Check: Behavior problems in dogs and kids both reflect the same thing. Lets look at the parents; in a lot of households, I saw dogs who were ruling the family by growling and biting, and in the same household, there were kids who ruled the parents by screaming and yelling. I believe some people should never have dogs, some people should never have kids either. But, unfortunately, those same people have both. Myth #4: Dogs don’t see people as dogs, so all ranking theory with dominance and submission is not applicable to them. Reality Check: Even though dogs see us differently, they don’t treat us differently, they treat us as dogs. Dogs don’t have any other language to speak to people. They don’t use English, they use doglish, such as nudging, growling, snapping, and barking. Humans have a hard time pulling the rank on their dog and teach them acceptable rules as the dog’s own mother would do in a heart beat. If you treat a dog as a human, a dog would treat you as a dog. Myth #5: Only positive training methods work best. Reality Check: We all want to be positive, but lets look at the doggy momma. Is she always positive? No! She is motivational. Doggy moms have two motivations: she has the tongue to lick and the teeth to bite. The puppies obey the momma for the same two reasons: get the lick and avoid the bite. It doesn't take the whole village to raise the child, and it doesn't take a PhD to raise the puppy, but it takes a parent or pet owner who is not only not afraid to say no but also who isn’t afraid to reinforce it. My grandfather, famous Soviet Biologist, always kept telling me, don’t cheat mother nature, you will lose. Hear Vladae on Animal Radio®

Summer Travel: Pet-Friendly Hotels By DogTime.com For dog owners who love to travel, there's no longer the tough choice between hitting the road and spending time with a treasured pet. Hotels across the nation, and some worldwide, are opening their doors to pets and their owners. According to AAA's guidebook Traveling with Your Pet, more than 13,000 lodgings throughout the U.S. and Canada welcome pets warmly. How To Find One Start by visiting the main websites for chains like Holiday Inn, La Quinta Inn, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, Best Western, Sheraton, and Westin. There are also travel-specific sites that pool information into a central repository--check out Trips with Pets or DogFriendly. Humane societies often list local pet-friendly hotels on their websites, so check online for the humane society branch at your destination city. What They Require While making your reservation, be sure to discuss any specific pet policies, since they differ according to hotel. Common hotel policies cover: Room availability Hotels usually have a limited number of pet-friendly rooms, so call ahead to be sure you can book one of them during the dates you need. Weight limits Many hotels accept only dogs weighing less than 40 pounds. Owner supervision Not all hotels will allow you to leave the dog alone in your hotel room while you're out. Surcharges Expect extra fees for bringing your dog along; some hotels charge much more than others. Feel Like Pampering Your Pet? Some chains give you a pleasant room; others opt for the ultimate spa experience. The range of offerings includes: Veterinary references Dog-walking services Dog-sitting services Maps to local dog-friendly trails, parks, and beaches In-hotel grooming Dog-friendly restaurants Fresh-baked dog treats How to Handle Hotel Living with Your Dog Although your pet-friendly hotel may make every accommodation, it's best to prepare in advance so you're ready to deal with daily necessities as well as unexpected problems. Pack as carefully for the dog as for yourself. Put together a collection of medications, favorite toys, familiar bedding, food bowls, and treats. Check on local availability of your dog's brand of food. Switching his diet suddenly can cause stomach upset, so if his normal fare is hard to find, bring your own supply. Talk to the concierge in advance about the daily schedule. You'll want to know about dog-walking possibilities, dog-sitting services, housekeeping visits to your room, and any other events that will impact your dog. Prevent anxiety by spending the first few hours with your dog. Hang out in the room together, then go on a first outing nearby. Next, leave the room for short periods--10 minutes to go downstairs for a newspaper, for instance. This will help your dog understand that although you leave, you also return. If possible, don't leave your dog alone in the room at all. http://www.dogtime.com Listen to Animal Radio®

Pet Cremations Made Into Jewelry Dean VandenBiesen, LifeGem Oh, what a beautiful ring! Is it a diamond, a sapphire - no, it’s a cat! Pet owners are getting creative with pet cremations. While most owners go for the traditional grave in the backyard or a cremation urn, some owners are having their pets made into jewelry. Life-Gem has come up with a new idea of having your pet’s remains turned into paperweights, crystals and jewelry. They can turn a doggy into a diamond for about $2,000 to $25,000.00. The LifeGem® is a certified, high-quality diamond created from the carbon of your loved one as a memorial to their unique life, or as a symbol of your personal and precious bond with another. LifeGem diamonds are molecularly identical to natural diamonds found at any high-end jeweler. To qualify as diamonds, they must have the exact same brilliance, fire, and hardness (the hardest substance known) as diamonds from the earth, and of course, they do! Whether you've lost a loved one or simply want to celebrate your love, the LifeGem diamond provides a way to embrace your loved one’s memory day by day. The LifeGem® is the most unique and timeless tribute available for creating a testimony to their unique life. It’s all just a way of showing that dog is man’s best friend, or maybe diamond’s are a girl’s best friend, or maybe a little of both! http://www.lifegem.com Listen to Dean VandenBiesen on Animal Radio®

Top Money-Saving Strategies for Dog Owners Amy Ammen, Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs Dog ownership can be prohibitively expensive – but it doesn’t have to be. The budget-conscious owner can save a bundle by being a smart shopper over the life of his or her dog. Selection Look for a dog that’s available “free to a good home,” or adopt from a shelter with low adoption fees of, say, under $200 for a puppy or $100 for an adult. Ask if the dog is up-to-date on medical basics such as vaccinations, worming, spaying or neutering. If not, factor these costs into the equation. Inquire about freebies, such as collar, leash, bed, gates, dishes, kennel, food, even heartworm preventative. Consider asking a professional to temperament-test the dog before making a commitment. Training Do not give your dog unsupervised freedom until he’s proven himself trustworthy. Puppy-proof your home to keep temptations out of reach; you’ll avoid the need for replacing items as well as the potential for costly emergency surgery. Speak with and observe a prospective trainer in action to avoid wasting money on training methods that you disagree with. Go with group classes, using private lessons only as needed. Don’t send your dog away for training; it’s expensive, and doesn’t teach YOU how to bring out your dog’s best behavior. Services When your vet recommends an expensive test or treatment, ask, “Is this really necessary?” “Do I have to do it right away?” “What are the pros and cons?” “Is there a more conservative approach?” Price-shop for medications if your vet will give you a prescription. Learn to do maintenance grooming yourself between professional appointments. Avoid dog day care. Instead, form a community with neighbors, coworkers and relatives. Supplies Don’t cut corners on food; avoid generic and grocery store brands. Feed dry food to reduce waste and the tendency toward finicky eating habits. Don’t feed treats at all. If you must, offer chopped veggies, cereal or kibble. Avoid cutesy, poorly constructed toys and equipment. Instead, choose sturdy and practical items. For money-saving suggestions on training, quick energy burners, grooming and trouble-shooting tips, Ammen recommends consulting her book Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs (Wiley, 2007). http://www.dogclass.com http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470041013.html Listen to Amy Ammen on Animal Radio®

On Animal Radio® this month Mimi Ausland, Ben Hian, Dr. Marty Becker, Vladae the Russian Dog Wizard, Kaye Brown, Joy Turner, Francesco Quinn, Dr. Jim Humphries, Dr. Jill, Ray Stenson, Britt Savage, Amy Ammen, Sue Weiss, Vinnie Penn, Gary Burghoff, Dr. Debbie, Dean VandenBiesen, Joshua Leeds, Brady Barr, Fred Willard, David Alan, Bobbie Hill, Victoria Stilwell, Brielle Morgan, Lucinda Delaney Schroeder, Vicki Lawrence… You're invited! Listen to Animal Radio®

Beauty Inspired by Beast Brielle Morgan – Diary of a Human-Grade Literalist As a single-and-searching girl, I’m always looking for ways to, er, get hotter. Personal strategies to date have involved lots of ball sports, flat irons, and sporadic bursts of quasi-exercise on the living room floor (i.e., twenty random push-ups fueled by lots of grunting). Despite these efforts, I find myself sans that “special someone.” Where am I going wrong? Like many people in need of inspiration, I turn to my dog. When it comes to the ladies, Oliver is consistently confident in his approach and the chick-mutts seem to dig him. Observation leads me to believe that his shiny black, freshly-washed coat might have something to do with his success. Hmm. Human-grade dog products, you say? And, suddenly, I have a new tactic. If all these self-enhancing products can help Oliver to smell better, look better, score better…well, it’s worth a shot. Day One Inspired by one of my gorgeous-haired coworker and her personal endorsement of Fuzzyard’s Jojoba and Basil organic dog shampoo, I decided to work from the top down. Shea Pet’s Green Tea & Sea Kelp shampoo appealed to me for its organic ingredients and the company’s fair trade policies are a huge bonus. Post shampooing, my thick hair feels really light and smells date-ready. Am very pleased. I’ve even opted to pass on the flat iron as the Shea Butter conditioner worked really well. I’m frizz-free for a change. Next I dipped into Olly’s stash of 100% Natural For Pets Invisible Boot, which protects paws from salt, ice, heat, and cold. Ooh, I like this stuff. Makes my hands feel really soft. Later, I’m introduced by a friend to a potential suitor. We shake hands and I’m almost positive he held on for a few seconds (note his meaningful departure from the standard two-second handshake). Perhaps there’s something to this little project after all. Day Two Stepping out of the shower, I spritz on Sexy Beast’s unisex canine cologne. The name in itself instills a ridiculous and rather primal sort of self-confidence. Moving on, I apply a coat of Colour Paw’s Premium Pet Nail Polish in Tigerlily. Pretty! Though I do think Olly’s black fur sets it off better than my glaring white skin. A few hours later I’m cruising the produce section of the local farmer’s market. I spot a cute guy by the field tomatoes and summon the courage. He smells me coming—I can tell by the way he glances in the mirror over his shoulder—and, well, he doesn’t scurry immediately over to the cucumbers so I’ll take that as a positive. I grab a tomato, hold it up to my face and spin it just so: a bold invitation for him to check out my nails should he dare. He dares. I bail. There’s always tomorrow. Day Three If ever there was a time for extremism, it’s now. Nodding encouragingly to myself, I fasten the pink wig from Wiggles Wigs for Dogs to my brunette ponytail. A little flair can’t hurt, right? A trip to the corner store teaches me that pink gets noticed. True, it’s tough to tell whether the looks are incredulous or encouraging. Nonetheless, props go to Ruth Regina for creating a wig that’s equally hot on a Pomeranian or a Canadian. Day Four Today a much-awaited accessory arrived from Pup-pup Designs. I take to the streets sporting a red collar personalized with four letters (O-L-L-Y) and a vintage dog head button that I popped into the collar’s grommets. Instantly I’m getting second glances. On the bus, one 50-plus woman weighs in with “nice collar.” Her blunt yet seemingly sincere comment spawns a casual conversation and, while she’s nice and all, I can’t quite see us spending Sunday mornings in bed together. Still, I’m smart enough to realize these ladies have nephews. Potential yet. Later on, I ask my beautiful, wonderful, understanding best friend if she wouldn’t mind testing a product she’s better equipped for. “Yeah, sure,” she says. My next question: have you shaved lately? She cocks her (generous) eyebrow suspiciously and I pull out the Furminator. Regretfully I can’t say how this awesome tool fares when challenged with human hair removal but I do encourage you to be gentle when combing sensitive areas. The Furminator, when wielded as groomer style weaponry, is effective—and sharp. Day Five A date! Well, sort of. The cute guy from down the block finally asked me out for post-work drinks. Before leaving the office, I pop into the washroom to freshen up. I spray a little Healing Dog’s Sleeping Dog Spray, intended to create a calm, soothing space for your dog, and am happily overcome by a feeling of zen-like centeredness. Next, I rub a little bit of Sir Shadow’s delicious-smelling Organic Coconut Oil behind my ear. Some people use this product as a canine supplement or hotspot treatment; I wear it with an aim to sexy up any would-be hugging. The evening starts out wonderfully: lots of meaningful eye contact and he even compliments my still frizz-free hair. The would-be hug even became an actuality—and, yes, it was lovely. Nevertheless, the end of the night saw me hoofing it home on my own. Humph. I blame the wig. Conclusions Okay, so I’m still single. But five days ago I was minus one seriously extended handshake and my hair couldn’t flaunt fair-trade associations. There’s something to this canine-inspired makeover and I’m going to keep it up. Wish me luck! Interested in hosting your own dog/human makeover party? The following websites are a great place to start sourcing human-grade goodies: fuzzyard.com; sheapet.com; natural4pets.com; sbstyle.com; wigglesdogwigs.com; collarsandleashes.com; furminator.com; retropup.com; shadowsbeautypalace.com. Can you say bow wow? From our friends at Modern Dog Magazine – Fall Issue http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/human-grade/205 Listen to Brielle Morgan on Animal Radio®

Dog Visitation – What’s Next? by Vinnie Penn - The Party Animal I wanted to read this email to you. It’s actually just from a girlfriend that I haven’t talked to in a long time. I actually worked with her many years back, and she’s telling me how she recently broke up with a boyfriend of hers, and that they had been together for a long time. At one point, this most ridiculous word pops up, and for all of you dog owners who got a dog together as a sign of commitment in a dating relationship, this word comes up and it is the stupidest word known to dog owners – visitation. Yes, they’ve broken up and now they’re trying to determine what the visitation rights will be so they can both spend time with their dog Sarah. Sarah is short for “Serendipity” because that is the first movie they went to see together, a John Cusack movie with Kate Beckinsale. That’s trouble right there, when you’re naming animals after this one wonderful romantic night that they have together. So now they’re discussing visitation rights. He’s keeping the dog, since he had just gotten it when they first started dating. But I imagine there was an adoption process, a little ceremony, perhaps even a doggie treat with a little ribbon around it – whatever! At this point, though, she wants to know when she can see the dog? Can the dog stay with her every other weekend? And, there’s a lot of crying. If you ask me, this is just another way to stay in relationship. You don’t need visitation rights for the dog, as much as the dog may love the two of you. There’s really no debating this as far as I’m concerned. She got the CD’s he got the dog – end of story! To come to this, especially for her, who was a kind of “cut the chord woman,” stating that he needed to “cut the chord with his mother.” Well, she then needs to “cut the chord with Sarah” and move on. Visitation rights for a dog? What if you bought an appliance together? “I need to see the refrigerator, it’s stainless steel, I remember the day we move it in, it was a wonderful day, we ate Chinese food on the floor, it’s the first thing we bought. I’m coming over next Thursday – don’t be there, leave the key under the mat – I want to spend time with stainless steel. I want to spend time with Dipity, the refrigerator!” Listen to Vinnie Penn on Animal Radio®

Allergic Pets and People From springtime through the late fall, many people are subject to seasonal allergies. But people are not the only ones suffering. For our dogs and cats, these same seasons can bring intense itching and discomfort. Yes, it seems our pets can get their own “hay fever.” It’s a very frustrating and somewhat common situation. Pet owners by the millions flock to their veterinarians in the hope of relieving their pet’s itchiness. For many people, the constant chewing, licking, and scratching can test their love for their pets. Current estimates show that about 20 million pets suffer from some sort of skin condition and many of these are allergies. Allergies are an over-reaction of the body’s immune system to a foreign substance, such as pollen or flea saliva. For people with allergies, we sneeze and sniffle as our bodies respond to histamine released by immune cells. These symptoms are due to the reaction of histamine with receptors in our nose and upper airways. Our pets, however, react somewhat differently. Dogs and cats have many more histamine receptors in the skin and fewer in the nose. As histamine is released, the receptors cause an itchy feeling and the pet reacts by scratching at that site. Scratching can generate more histamine release, thereby causing more scratching. The constant assault on the skin by the pet’s claws can actually damage the skin, leading to bacterial infections. Areas of hair loss and oozing sores known as “hot spots” are very common with allergies. Fleas are often found to be the reason for a pet’s itchiness. However, the pet who is truly allergic to fleas will often appear to have no fleas at all! Why? Because these pets are the ultimate flea catchers, doing everything in their power to bite or scratch the discomfort of the flea away. The flea’s saliva sets off an allergic reaction leading to a flurry of chewing and digging at the skin. Allergies to airborne substances, such as pollen and mold spores, are another reason for itchiness in pets. This is known as atopy and affects many pets from springtime straight through until fall. This condition can be inherited in certain breeds. If your pet has signs of allergies year round and you see little or no improvement with certain medications, you may have a pet that has food allergies. Contrary to popular belief, food allergies take time to develop and are not due to recent diet changes. Most pets that develop food allergies have been eating the offending food with little problem for years. Common food allergens can include any major protein or carbohydrate source in the pet’s food. In some mild cases, the itchiness can be treated with anti-histamines or even steroids for a short period of time. However, pet owners need to be aware that allergies are not a condition that can be cured. The good news though, is that they can be well managed with a team effort from the pet owner and the veterinary team. Utilizing diagnostic tests such as blood testing and even skin allergy tests, veterinarians can often find ways to reduce the pet’s discomfort level. In some cases, your family veterinarian may refer you and your pet to a veterinary dermatologist. This specialist has many more diagnostic and treatment resources available to bring relief to your pet. In all cases, you, the pet owner, are a vital part of the team. It will be up to you to make sure that all pets in the household are treated for fleas or that your pet stays on the recommended hypoallergenic diet and doesn’t sneak other treats! Allergies are not only one of the most frequent reasons for a trip to the veterinarian, but are also a big reason for pet owners becoming frustrated with their pet. Working with your veterinary team to identify what is causing your pet’s symptoms will help keep your four-legged family member right where he needs to be…with you! Visit www.MyVNN.com to see a video of how pet owners deal with their pet’s allergies. Listen to Dr. Humphries on Animal Radio®

Happy Dog Days! The Dog Days (a period of 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11) are named for the Dog Star, Sirius, which is visible with the rising Sun at this time of year. Ancients associated this sky picture with the hot days that coincided with it. Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog). Dog Days bright and clear, indicate a happy year. But when accompanied by rain, for better times our hopes are in vain Listen to Animal Radio®

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Animal Radio® is Moving its Offices It's no secret that Animal Radio has outgrown its current facilities. Growth is good....and we're happy to announce we're moving into new studios. Animal Radio and Animal Radio Network is moving JULY 15th. We have new a new office phone number and new and mailing addresses. Make note that one address is for US Snail-mail and one is for FedEx, UPS, DHL and other door-to-door correspondence. Please change your records to reflect our new contact information. New Mailing Address for US mail. (July 15th): Animal Radio Network P.O. Box 197 Shandon, CA. 93461 New Physical Address for FedEx, DHL, UPS (July 15th): Animal Radio Network 898 Mesa Grande Dr. Shandon, CA. 93461 New Office Phone: 805-237-2067 Studio Listener Line: REMAINS THE SAME toll-free number - 1-866-405-8405 Thanks for being a part of our success. We only wish you could be here to help us pack boxes! :) You can also get specific mailing and email addresses at http://AnimalRadio.com

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