Above: Pediatric patient Delana Guffey, 14, of Waynesville, enjoys time with pet therapy dog Dooley at Mission Children’s Hospital

The dogs from Paws with a Purpose offer aid and comfort to the sick and ailing. Spending time with an animal has proven to be extremely therapeutic, speeding up healing time and easing stress. Volunteers with the nonprofit organization Paws with a Purpose bring specially trained pet therapy dogs to hospitals in and around Asheville, North Carolina.

“The visits lower stress and anxiety and create healing bonds”, says Pam Hardin, Paws with a Purpose founder/executive director and pet therapy coordinator at Mission Hospital. "Dogs are perceptive and more in tune with nature than we are,” she says. “They can sense what a patient needs.”

“Pet therapy helps lift moods, which can relieve symptoms like nausea,” says Dr. Orren Beaty III, a pediatric oncologist at Mission Hospital. “It gives children a chance to just be a kid with a dog."

Learn more about Paws with a Purpose.

Photo Credit: Mission Hospital/Michelle Rabell/Special to WNC

It has been widely reported that Dogs May Be Able To Sniff Out Cancer. Now the New York Times has a wonderful article on how dogs are using their amazing sense of smell to sniff out and locate bedbug infestations. The article is called A New Breed of Guard Dog Attacks Bedbugs and is authored by Penelope Green.

Above is a photo of Cruiser, the chief Bedbug Inspector for New York based Bed Bug Inspectors. This natural process is actually very safe for the dogs and locating the bugs involves no chemicals or harmful agents. The dogs come in, sniff around, and then point out where the bugs are. Don’t worry – dogs never contract bedbugs, they simply can smell the bugs and they point out the locations for inspectors. Bedbugs subsist on human blood (not canine) and dogs seem to enjoy the detection work.

In 2008 the University of Florida came out with a bedbug dog study showing that trained Bed Bug Dog Teams could detect live bedbugs and viable bedbug eggs with up to 95% accuracy. Amazing!

Photo by Chad Batka for The New York Times

Celebrate Earth Day with a fun, bright, and 100% recyclable dog toy! In honor of our favorite holiday, limited edition colors Sunshine Yellow and Cherry Blossom Pink are available in the Hurley, Zisc and Bumi Durable Dog Toys.

Made from 100% recyclable Zogoflex material. This pliable material is gentle on your dog’s mouth and floats, but is still strong enough to last when the game of fetch turns to tug of war. Made in the USA.

Go Earth!

We met this adorable rottweiler in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. His owners had just finished up a long day of skiing and were relaxing in the sun with their favorite pup. Isn’t he the cutest?

The temps are starting to rise, and with the snow melting away, the PupLife pups have been venturing to the beach lately. Here is a shot of Scout on the beach, with that “where’s my toy” look.

What a sweetie!

Anthrozoology recently reported research from Deakin University that shows mothers and children in families with dogs spend significantly more time exercising than those in families without dogs.

“Dog ownership has been shown to be associated with increased levels of walking in adults, but until now less had been known about the association with physical activity and children,” says researcher Dr Jo Salmon from the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences.

“This latest research clearly shows that children and mothers in families who own a dog spend significantly more time exercising than those without a dog. Our findings include:

- Mothers are 70% more likely to meet physical activity recommendations if they own a dog;
- On average, younger girls with a dog performed 29 minutes more exercise than those without a dog; and
- 50% of younger children (aged 5 to 6) and 62% of older children (aged 10 to 12) walk the dog in a typical week.

Read the full article here.

We do. And, dogs go crazy for it!

Check out our new line of 100% natural, wild-caught Alaskan Salmon treats for dogs and cats. Salmon Paws are a terrific training treat because they can be broken into tiny, delicious pieces and they will not crumble or turn into mush.

Salmon Paws, Salmon & Broccoli and Kitty Bitts offer a taste sensation for your precious pooch or feisty feline. Get hooked today!

Fred the dog, former shelter dog and most recently the star of the hit musical “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” now enjoys the posh life of a pampered Manhattan pooch. Found wandering the streets of New York, this amazing pooch was discovered at an ASPCA shelter by Bill Berloni, a theatrical animal agent. Read more about this wags to riches story here.

The International Kennel Club of Chicago will host the 2010 International Cluster of Dog Shows, which draws top dogs from across the United States and Canada to compete for prizes and the coveted title of “Best in Show,” at Chicago’s McCormick Place Lakeside Center, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Saturday and Sunday February 27 & 28, 2010.

One of the largest all-breed benched dog shows in the country, the International Cluster of Dog Shows attracts over 60,000 visitors to observe more than 10,000 purebred dogs from 161 breeds demonstrate their skills in a variety of competitions. Judged competitions include conformation, agility and obedience; the Best in Show Amateur-Owner-Handler Competition; Junior Dog Judging, offered exclusively at International Cluster of Dog Shows for children ages 9  19; and the Puppy Spectacular, which features the finest puppies aged 6 months to 12 months competing for “Best Puppy In Show.” Again this year, a “Chicago-style” no-benches format is to be used allowing guests to meet and greet with dogs and their handlers.

010 International Cluster of Dog Shows
McCormick Place Lakeside Center
2301 S. Lake Shore Drive
Sat. & Sun.
773-237-5100

Check out Remy. This adorable pooch is a two year old Aussie mix. He has lots of energy and a super sweet disposition. He loves playing fetch and he is very, very smart. We love you Remy!