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Health

A pup with allergies needs your help!

Hello Golden lovers!

Miley, one of the pups from a Wednesday Friendsday feature, is having some allergy issues and she needs your help! Her mom Jen wants to know if anyone else is having the same problems with their dog. Please read about the allergy issues Miley is having below, and comment on this post if you have had the same experience or have any advice for her. Thanks for your help!

Here’s what Jen wrote me:

Miley started itching about 6-7 months ago. Our normal Vet gave her a steroid injection and started her on Benadryl daily. This resolved her itching for about 2 months until one day we ran out of Benadryl and couldn’t get to the store. In that one day her allergies caught up to her and we could never get it under control again with just Benadryl (or any other antihistamine available over the counter). The Vet was reluctant to do another steroid injection due to the side effects of excessive steroid use.

This is when we took her to the Dermatologist. She had itched herself so badly that she had the red, pimple type bumps on her tummy (his was a Staph infection on her skin that was treated with antibiotics). The itching and licking had gotten so extreme that she was bleeding between her paws, under her armpits and on her belly.

The dermatologist started her on a low allergen diet to rule out a food allergy. For 6 weeks all she was allowed to eat was Rabbit and Potato (brutally painful for Miley who was accustomed to treats and bones on a regular basis).

She has now finished the diet and a food allergy has been ruled out because she is still extremely itchy. Miley was also treated for parasites with an antibiotic to rule out a parasite allergy. So now we are left with environmental allergies…

My question, and point in rambling on, is…Has anyone ever had their dog allergy tested? If so I’d love to hear from someone who has. I’m wondering if it is worth it? Not only from a financial aspect but also from the results aspect. Has anyone been successful in pinpointing an actual allergen in the environment and treating for this specific allergen?

It sounds like the allergy testing and desensitizing is a long drawn out process (sometimes 1-2 years to actually see results). Are long term steroids a better option? I’ve heard that the steroids have horrible long term consequences…

We want to make the most informed decision possible and do what is right for Miley so any input is appreciated!

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Cute photos

Happy New Year!!

Just wanted to wish all of our readers and their pups a happy and healthy new year! Cheers to 2012!

Doesn’t Quincey look so dapper in his new years crown? 🙂

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12 Days of Christmas Health Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 12

And so our 12 Days of Christmas draws to a close.. But – before we go, we wanted to share this final gift suggestion!

Golden Gift #12: Homemade dog treats

Personally, I think a homemade gift is the best gift of all – something that someone put a lot of heart into.. and nothing says that more than a warm homemade baked biscuit! There are tons of recipes available online – but here’s one that is super simple (great for beginner bakers) and affordable! Plus, they’re healthy! The peanut butter provides just the right amount of protein while the canned pumpkin is extremely high in fiber, excellent for your doggy’s tummy!

Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Doggy Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

2 eggs

1/2 8 oz can of pumpkin (approx 1 1/2 cups) – just eyeball it

2 heaping spoon-fulls of smooth peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

pinch of salt

Cookie cutter of your choice (I used the small Martha Stewart dog bone cookie cutters from PetSmart)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place all ingredients into a stand mixer and whisk together (or whisk it yourself – it will be tough though so be ready to get an arm workout!). You may have to add a bit of water (tablespoon or so) if the dough is really hard to mix. Confession: I’m embarrassed to say this is the first time we have used our Kitchenaid stand mixer. I’ve always been so intimidated to use it.. but it was surprisingly really easy to learn and so easy to clean. Can’t wait to use it again!

3. Roll out dough onto a floured surface

4. Use cookie cutter to cut out individual cookies. Take excess dough, roll it out again, and repeat until you’ve used most of the dough.

5. Place cookies on a cookie sheet coated with some Pam and bake for approx 40 minutes – until hard. Warning: while cooking your dog’s nose will be going crazy with the lovely smells throughout your kitchen!

6. Remove from oven and let cool – enjoy! I tried a bite (you know you’re going to do the same!). Let’s just say these biscuits better suit your dog’s pallet – so don’t be expecting super yummy human food. 🙂

Once whisked, dough will be in a big lump
Use whatever cookie cutter you'd like!
The best part..
Ready to go into the oven!

You can wrap several of these up in some basic cellophane wrap with holiday ribbon and take them to your friends’ pups. Easy, inexpensive, yet a very thoughtful and appreciated gift – done and done!

Whoa mom, those looks really dog-gone good!
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12 Days of Christmas Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 11

I know we are a little biased.. but we think our i heart golden retriever online store has some super cute gift ideas for golden retriever lovers! Plus, a portion of your purchase goes to help goldens in need of a home. It’s a win, win!

Golden Gift Suggestion #11: i heart golden retriever gear

White i heart golden retriever hat – $19.99

Classic white hat with adjustable back. 10% of profits donated to Rescue A Golden of Arizona.

Women’s Fitted i heart golden retriever t-shirt – $25.99

This is one of my favorites! In the photo above I’m wearing the charcoal color. Note: it does run small, so order a size up. 10% of the profits donated to Rescue A Golden of Arizona.

i heart golden retrievers tote bag – $16.99

I love this tote bag. I use it all of the time when we travel with the pups for their leashes, treats, and food bowls. I even use it at the grocery store and have gotten so many compliments! 10% of the profits are donated to Rescue A Golden of Arizona.

We have several other options available at our online store – food/water bowls for your pups, coffee mugs, mens clothing, performance jackets, car magnets.. the list goes on! Check us out!

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12 Days of Christmas Products Travel

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 10

Here are some suggestions for those who love to travel with their dog!

Golden Gift Suggestion #10: Dog-friendly Travel Guides & Travel Accessories

The AAA Petbook for Traveling With Your Pet – $18.95 – available at Barnes & Noble.com

We absolutely love this book! It’s easy to navigate and search through, and is up-to-date info on thousands of pet-friendly hotels! Also, every year they have a fun photo contest to see which pup will land the cover. Quincey was a finalist and his photo is featured in it!

Jolly Pets Road Refresher Non-Spill Water Bowl – $12.99 – Amazon.com

No water spills in your car while traveling with this water bowl – genius!

JLA Pets Crate Mate 42 x 36 inch SUV Travel Pad – $59.99 – Amazon.com

How cozy does this look?

Portabottle Travel Sport Bottle & Dish – $8.99 – Buy.com

We love this product! Great for short car rides and hikes with your pup.

Outward Hound Designer Port-A-Bowls – $5.99 – PetSmart

Super easy to travel with. They don’t hold a bunch of water – but plenty large enough for mealtime.

Pet Gear Home ‘N Go Portable Soft Crate – $179.99 – PetSmart

This awesome crate not only comes in a variety of fun colors, but it folds flat for easy storage and travel. This is great for keeping your dogs safe and secure while alone in a hotel room so you can sneak out for a quick dinner.

Please visit our Travel Section to learn more about traveling with your dog, and some of our favorite places to visit with them.

Safe travels!

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12 Days of Christmas Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 9

Just some fun ideas to advertise your love for your dogs!

Golden Gift Suggestion #9: Jewelry for dog lovers

Life Is Golden 14K Gold Filled and Sterling Silver Necklace – Pangaea Designs on Etsy – $71

Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Necklace – Pangaea Designs on Etsy – $53

Personalized Dog Bone Sterling Silver Necklace – Vision Quest on Etsy – $45

Golden Love Necklace – Bully Paws on Etsy – $12

Categories
12 Days of Christmas Health Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 8

One of my favorite times of the day is enjoying a nice morning speed-walk with the pups. Here’s a great gift for those who love walking their dogs as much as I do!

Golden Gift Suggestion #8: Nike + for the iPod, iPod Nano & iPhone

This amazing gadget syncs with your iPod (3Gs or later), iPhone, or Nano – and tracks the distance, speed and calories burned during your workout. I love ending a good power walk with a little voice saying “You have burned 429 calories” – makes me feel even better! Your workouts are then uploaded and synched with your Nike+ account, tracking all of the miles and workouts you have done. I’m proud to say that since I purchased the Nike+ this summer, the dogs and I have walked 297 miles together!

We love our walks!

I have the iPod Nano because I unfortunately I don’t have the iPhone. However, I really like it because it’s super tiny with a clip that can hook right onto my yoga pants, and the battery lasts for weeks! I didn’t purchase the special Nike shoes for the sensor because I love my New Balances.. but for less than $5 I bought this silicone sensor pouch on Amazon.com that straps right onto my shoe laces and it works perfectly!

Rain, snow, or shine – I love a good walk with my pups 🙂

 

Categories
12 Days of Christmas Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 7

Now that we’ve given you some ideas on a christmas stocking for your pup, here are some toy suggestions to fill it!

Golden Gift Suggestion #7: Chew Toys

If your goldens retrievers are like ours – they LOVE to chew. Sometime’s it’s difficult to find toys that will last them a while.. there’s nothing more frustrating than spending $15 on a new toy and having it destroyed within 5 minutes – and having tons of pieces to pick up all over your house! Here are our suggestions on some chew toys, for tough chewers, that make great stocking stuffers!

Nylabone Durable Dental Dinosaur Chew Toy – $4.34 – Amazon.com

How cute are these? I’ve never seen them before at my local pet store, so I was so excited to find them online! They also got terrific reviews. Roxy and Quincey can look forward to opening these Christmas morning!

KONG Classic – $7.21 – Amazon.com

Can’t go wrong with this toy. Maybe Santa can fill it with some peanut butter and a cookie?

Zanies Christmas Holiday Naught & Nice Tennis Ball Rope Toy – $3.50 – Amazon.com

How cute is this? Great deal, too!

Jax and Bones Good Karma Rope Toys Holiday Ring – $12.00 – Wag.com

Very festive – and great for tug-of-war!

Got any other ideas to share? Let us know!

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12 Days of Christmas Charity Products

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 6

Let’s be honest, dog parents need to be spoiled, too. On Day 6 – here’s a great gift suggestion for animal lovers that will be sure to please!

Golden Gift Suggestion #6: ONEHOPE Wine

ONEHOPE’s award-winning portfolio is produced by world-renown winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr, and HALF of the profits are donated to a good cause. We love that online shoppers can see how much of their purchase is going to charity, and that they also can choose a charity of their choice to receive an additional donation. Animal lovers can choose the ASPCA to receive 10% of the purchase – all at www.onehopewine.com!

Here are some of our favorite gifts from their site:

ONEHOPE Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir Reserve Gift Box Duo – $52.99

For every gift box sold, $8.00 goes to Children’s Hospitals, and $5.30 can go to the ASPCA if you wish!

Pink Perfection Gift Basket – $75.00

$6.00 is donated to the Fight Against Breast Cancer, and $7.50 can go to the ASPCA if you choose it!

Wood Box Gift Set with 5 Mixed Bottles – $120.00

$15.00 goes to the ONEHOPE Foundation, and $12.00 goes to the ASPCA if you pick it!

 

I love that I can support the ASPCA and other fabulous charities by simply enjoying a bottle of wine – we love ONEHOPE Wine! So does Quincey 🙂 – his favorite is the Zinfandel because it supports the troops, and his dad is a Veteran!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
12 Days of Christmas Charity

12 Days of Christmas – Golden Gifts – Day 5

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me… 5 GOLDEN RETRIEVERS!

Golden Gift Suggestion #5: A golden retriever!

The holidays are a perfect time to bring a new member into your family. I can’t think of anything I’d rather see under the Christmas tree than a Golden Retriever!

Below are 5 wonderful Golden Retrievers that are available for adoption at various places across the US. All they need is a loving home – could it be yours?

Jake (Male, 6 yrs old, Red Golden, 115 lbs) – available through Rescue A Golden of Arizona

Hi, my name’s Jake and I really like to play and swim but my owner is too busy to do too much with me. I love everybody and my owner has helped me learn lots of commands so I know I would make a terrific companion for the right family.
Oh, did I mention that I am very handsome? If you are interested in Jake, please email foster@golden-retriever.org

Woody (Male, 5 years old, Red Golden, 64 lbs) – available through Rescue A Golden of Arizona

Woody here. I’m just a lonely 5 year old boy that somehow got lost and ended up in a kennel at a shelter. No one came looking for me, so the nice folks at RAGofAZ came and rescued me. They don’t know too much about me right now because I can’t tell them, but I’m a scared little boy. If you would like to give me a nice, warm home with a family to love, contact foster@golden-retriever.org for more information.

Toby (Male, 12 years old, Red Golden, 85 lbs) – available through Rescue A Golden of Arizona

My name is Toby. The folks at RAGofAZ found me at the Maricopa Shelter. I know what you are thinking…how did a distinguished senior boy like me end up in a place like that! I wish I knew. The good news is that I am with a wonderful foster family now and I’m waiting for a forever home with people who will love and take care of me. I promise that I’ll do my best and love whoever adopts me. If you’d like more information you can contact foster@golden-retriever.org

Andy (Male, 4 yrs old, Gold, 66 lbs) – available through Southern California Golden Rescue

Handsome Andy is as gentle and sweet as they come. “Velcro Golden” is an understatement for this playful and happy boy. If you can’t seem to find him, look directly to your right and odds are he’ll be there smiling back at you. This happy pup loves people, other dogs and most especially his chew toys! He hasn’t met a rope or a bone that wasn’t his best friend. He is great with the local cat and has become best friends with his golden foster brother. He is light on commands as his first language is Chinese, but as smart as he is he’ll pick up the basics in no time. Andy is house trained and great on the leash, but a slow mover over all. Despite a slight limp, he’s still very mobile and has no problem going for a healthy walk of a mile or so. Stairs are no problem and getting on the couch is a piece of cake as well. He’s a stunner so expect lots of looks when this handsome boy is with you!

Sami (Female, 3 yrs old, Red Golden) – available through Golden Treasures Rescue of Ohio

She’s as sweet as can be, this little girl. Between 2-3 years old, we found her waiting for us at a shelter. How she knew we’d be there we’ll never know! Anyway, we’ve found that she’s heartworm positive and will be treating her for that. It’s also apparent that she has suffered an old fracture to her right front leg. We have an appointment with an orthopedic specialist within the next few days, to see what needs to be done. In the meantime, if you need someone to carry things around your house–shoes, old socks, balls–Sami’s your girl. She lives to tote stuff.

 

*As always, we remind our readers to think about the time and financial obligation it takes to raise a golden retriever, and to be fully prepared and committed upon adoption. I can promise you that their endless love and devotion are worth every minute and penny!