Just in time for the holidays, PupLife.com is offering a free Kurgo Treat & Litter Bag with every Kurgo Skybox Booster Seat purchase.

The Skybox Booster Seat provides your pooch a comfortable and enjoyable ride. A safe and secure way for you and your best friend to travel together. And, with a FREE Kurgo Treat & Litter Bag you can store all your pup’s essentials. Get yours today!

**Offer good through December 15th, 2008 while supplies last.

A new study conducted by Deakin University (Victoria, Australia) found that children who have a family dog in the home are less likely to be overweight or obese compared with those who do not. Associate Professor Jo Salmon, of Deakin’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, said that physical activity was the key to children maintaining a healthy weight. The study’s findings suggest that even incidental play with the family dog helped children keep the weight off.

Published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, the study involved more than 1100 children aged five to 12 randomly selected from primary schools in economically diverse areas of Melbourne. Professor Salmon summarized,”For parents who are trying to get their kids off the computer and switching off the TV and getting out and playing, having a pet might be a really good strategy for doing that. Social support for physical activity is vital, so this research suggests the extended family network — not just parents and siblings but also dogs and pets — is important for children’s health and their physical activity.”

We think that’s great news for kids and dogs!

According the American Kennel Club the names we choose for our pets mean alot. In the past, pet owners tended to select names that reflected an animal’s outward appearance or personality like “Spot” or “Sassy”. But as more and more people have begun to view their companion animals as members of the family, pet names have begun to reveal this collective change in attitude. Lisa Peterson, AKC spokesperson, says, “today we are seeing human names, such as ‘Jack’ and ‘Molly,’ and names that reflect a pet’s stature in the home, such as ‘King’ and ‘Princess,’ gain in popularity as more people consider their dog a valued member of the family.” Here’s a list of top names according to a recent AKC survey:

Boys:
Bear
Blue
Max
Duke
Buddy
Jack
Prince
King
Bailey
Rocky

Girls:
Lady
Bella
Princess
May
Rose
Daisy
Gracie
Baby
Molly
Maggie  

Thanks to all that entered PupLife.com’s 3rd Annual Halloween Dog Costume Photo Contest. The photos this year were amazing and it was difficult to choose the winners. But after long deliberations, we finally have the selected our top three for 2008.

Congratulations to the winners of the the 3rd Annual PupLife.com Halloween Photo Contest:

1st Place: Codee The Ladybug

2nd Place: Meatloaf The Ewok

and 3rd Place: Mother Goose

Thanks once again to all that entered and to everyone for their great feedback. See you next year!

Meet Tiki The Stallion!

Hooray for Darci the Smurfette!

Hooray for Hope!

Hooray for Solomon Daniel Brown!

Hooray for Macy the Bumble Bee!

Marissa is Raggedy Ann and Shakina is Raggedy Andy!

Meet Bella and Diego!

Hooray for Mindy!