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Poochy Doos, LLC: Posted on Saturday, February 09, 2013 1:12 PM
Spot's Light Lighted Collars & Leashes By Mary Watterson, Fort Collins Dog Walker, Pet Sitter & Trail Guide
And God said: "Let there be light." And Spot said: "Make mine neon!"
 So, as many of you know, Bella handles our Twitter account here at The Poochy. The other day, she was minding her own business, when a dog named Honey started following her.
Being the friendly pooch she is, she stopped what she was doing and made friends. It turns out Honey is the R & D Director for a very cool family-owned company named Spot's Light. So, after passing some Tweets back and forth, Honey beamed Bella a package of light containing an awesome collar and leash - that light up. Too cool!
Bella, being a tiny dog of large character, gave it to her friend Bailey...a much bigger pooch, and Bailey has been sporting it ever since!
Here at Poochy Doos, LLC, we've found Spot's Light to be an invaluable tool and way over due! The collar and leash are constructed of sturdy nylon with a swivel clip and they light-up for night-time walking.
I can't tell you all the close calls we've had at Poochy Doos walking dogs at night with good drivers (or bikers) who just didn't see us or were distracted. That being said, we're not your average dog walkers. Our dog walkers are trained to be "actively scanning the horizon" for potential hazards that can threaten a dog's safety. We don't chat on cell phones, listen to i-pods or walk and chat with friends along the way. We're simply there, walking our client's dog, and paying attention to our surroundings.
This product is perfect for the average dog owner who frequently walks their dog around the neighborhood or bike trails at dusk (perhaps the poorest lighting of all) or at night. It provides a six foot lead lit-up with very bright, neon-color lights that projects your presence from several yards away. It is also reasonably priced. In fact, for the same price you'd pay for a regular collar and lead, you could purchase the added security of Spot's Light!
Used correctly, the visibility this product provides could easily help avert accidents that could otherwise occur from distracted drivers, bikers (and dog owners)!
We hope you check them out and support their great products!
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Poochy Doos, LLC: Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2012 11:27 AM
What Santa Shouldn't Put in Fido's Stocking: Rope Toys Can Kill Your Dog By Mary Watterson, Fort Collins Dog Walker, Pet Sitter & Trail Guide
Rope toys have become very popular of late. Go to any pet store, and you'll see a variety of shapes, sizes and styles to choose from. They are even touted by many vets as great "natural flossing" tools for your dogs. While that may be the case, we're hoping that this year Santa's Workshop doesn't make any. We all know that dog's have a tendency, just like kids, to put things in their mouths. Dogs will chew and swallow just about anything, given the opportunity. We also know that it's unwise to let your dog chew on string, fishing line, yarn, tinsel, etc. But we nevertheless allow them to chew on rope toys or even play tug-of-war with them. Why is that? Is it because we trust that whatever is brought to the marketplace is safe? Is it safe because vets have recommended it?
Clearly we have every reason to trust our vet. But what if some veterinarians are misinformed? What if a potential danger simply hasn't occurred to them? Well, there's one dog lover in San Antonio who will be much more careful next time around. 'Next time around' because her dog recently suffered an agonizing death after playing with a rope toy. And now she wants them pulled off the market.
Lea Robinson lost her one-year-old, pug-beagle mix "Perry" after two unsuccessful surgeries to fix severe internal injuries. You can read her story here. According to Jaie Avila of WAOI, Robinson said: "she bought a rope toy for Perry and within minutes he tore it apart." Robinson then disposed of the ruined toy and only later discovered Perry had ingested a large amount of string. According to Robinson, the toy got tangled up in Perry's intestines and acted like "a saw."
Unfortunately, Robinson's dog is not the only dog who has died after playing with rope toys. The Internet is strewn with similar tragedies related to this seemingly innocuous toys.
Mina Youssef, a vet at Becker Animal Hospital, (unrelated to Perry's death) commented on similar incidences saying: “It is very common to see that. What it does, it can cause a lot of damage and it can cause a blockage in the intestine which basically makes the intestine twist like an accordion.”
And what makes it worse, is it is not easily detectible. According to Avila: "not only can string or strands of rope cause severe internal damage to a dog, they don't show up on x-rays. Often an ultra-sound must be performed, which can make the problem difficult and costly to detect."
As with all toys we give our dogs, we have to continue doing everything in our power to make sure they are safe and harmless for them to play with. Please help spread the news that rope toys can be very dangerous.
In the meantime, please be sure to keep your pets away from all your Christmas decorations. Turning your back, even for a minute can be disastrous! From all your friends at Poochy Doos, LLC, we wish everyone a very merry (and safe) Christmas and New Year!
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Poochy Doos, LLC: Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2011 9:18 AM
Pin-Ups for Pitbulls "Little Darling's" Crusade by Mary Watterson, Fort Collins Dog Walker & Pet Sitter
 A well-know pin-up model and burlesque performer, Deirdre Franklin, has made it big time in pit bull advocacy!
Franklin, who goes by the stage name of "Little Darling," launched Pinups for Pitbulls, a non profit, in 2006. They produce an annual calendar featuring like-minded models, dressed in vintage pin-up fashions, along side their pit bulls or dogs available for rescue.
The calendar has been a smash! Donations from Pinups for Pitbulls, benefiting rescues groups around the nation, total 80K thus far. Also included in the glossy, full-color calendar are lists of rescue groups and facts about all the various Pitbull breeds.
"I'd like people to celebrate dogs the right way and train dogs the right way so that everybody is happy and everybody is safe. That's my ultimate goal," says Franklin.
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