Doggie Blog

Putting Our Best Paws Forward: Waggytail Rescue 0

Here at Doggie Dailies, we believe there is no better feeling than helping those in need. That's why every quarter we pick a new charity to donate a portion of our proceeds to!

We’re now in our fourth quarter of the year (October-December) and this quarter we're excited to be donating to Waggytail Rescue.

About Waggytail Rescue

Waggytail Rescue is an all-volunteer, NYC-based animal rescue organization dedicated to the rehabilitation and rehoming of small breed dogs. Waggytail focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating animals in urgent circumstances like high kill and overcrowded shelters in NYC as well as Texas, Los Angeles, and Tijuana, Mexico. Their ultimate goal is to find these animals furever homes.

Founded in 2004, Waggytail has rescued over 6,000 abandoned dogs and even a few cats and kittens! Waggytail rescues between 300-500 dogs each year. 

From Foster to Furever Home

While Waggytail does not have a physical shelter location, its amazing network of foster “pawrents” provides loving, stable foster homes for all their rescued dogs until they are adopted. 

Many dogs do not respond well to the stress of overcrowded shelters. Taking a scared and confused animal out of the shelter system and into a loving, private home gives them the opportunity to relax, recover and become the best version of themselves before adoption. Fostering dogs greatly increases their chances of adoption. 

Waggytail’s foster “pawrents” work with each dog to rehabilitate them physically and emotionally. For many dogs, this is the first time in their lives that they are experiencing love. Fosters help the dogs decompress, become trusting pets, and give them the chance they are so deserving of. Learn more about foster dogs with Waggytail.

Waggytail Expands Westward

In 2014, Waggytail heard that shelters in Los Angeles were overflowing with small breed dogs. They knew they could make an impact and find these pups homes in NYC where the demand for apartment friendly dogs is high. By partnering with Los Angeles rescues, Waggytail expanded its efforts westward and launched Waggytail West, which focuses on rescuing and relocating dogs to NYC.  

Unlike other bicoastal rescue groups, Waggytaill transports rescued dogs by flying dogs in cabin with volunteer chaperones, who are given an airline-approved carrier and are reimbursed for the costs.

Finding success in their bicoastal rescue efforts, Waggytail expanded its western efforts, partnering with several Texas rescues in 2016 and San Diego/Tijuana missions in 2018. They have saved over 800 dogs in the three outreach areas and relocated them to NYC with the help of 375 flight volunteers and countless ground transports. Learn more about being a flight volunteer. Take a flight, Save a pup's life.

Our friends at Waggytail work hard each and every day to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome as many dogs as possible, but they can’t do it alone!

There are a few ways you can help…

Of course, you can make a donation to Waggytail Rescue. Any amount you can afford to give helps!

Any plans to flying from LA to NYC? If you do, keep Waggytail in mind. They always need responsible individuals to chaperone dogs on LA-NYC flights. They will cover the cost of the pup’s ticket and will provide a carrier. If you’re flying soon, fill out an application and email it to waggytailwest@gmail.com.

They also have fostering opportunities. Their foster network is the most crucial part of their operation and they are always looking for new, great fosters. If you are in the immediate New York City area (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Hoboken & Jersey City) OR Los Angeles and interested in fostering one of their animals, fill out an application!

They have a lot of cute animals available for adoption. Share this organization with your friends or consider adopting one of their amazing rescues yourself!

To learn more about Waggytail Rescue or to assist them in their mission, visit their website, ‘Like’ them on Facebook, or ‘Follow’ them on Instagram.

10 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Safe This Halloween 0

Halloween is a highlight for many people, with a continuous flow of costumed visitors coming to trick or treat and the festive sound of fireworks in the neighborhood. Your dog might not share in your appreciation for this autumn fun and instead feel stressed and agitated by the change in activities. With a little planning, you can have a happy and safe dog along with an enjoyable evening.

Keep Your Dog Indoors

Even if you have a fenced yard and your dog has never escaped, you should still bring him indoors for Halloween. The extra foot traffic by your house and the sound of fireworks can be stressful to an animal wired by nature to protect his territory. Save him from the extra anxiety, as well as potential Halloween pranks, by keeping him indoors. 

Test Your Dog’s Costume Before Halloween

If you’ve seen the perfect human-dog costume pairing (such as a dog dressed in a Grandma disguise next to Little Red Riding Hood), you might be tempted to ignore the advice to leave your pet at home. If you’re convinced he’ll be ok with a costumed walk, test the costume in advance. Try it on your dog a few days before Halloween to make sure it fits without falling off, it’s safe and doesn’t obstruct vision or breathing, and it doesn’t cause your dog any irritation to wear it and walk in it.

Walk with Dog Safety in Mind

If your dog’s costume is a success and you really want to take him out with you, keep him leashed at all times. Be on the lookout for dropped candy on the ground that your dog might find and eat. Keep him close to you, and watch him closely for signs that his busy surroundings are causing him anxiety.

Update Your Dog’s ID Prior to Halloween

Don’t let your beloved friend be the lost dog who’s found with the out-of-date telephone number on his tag. Even if you plan to keep your pet inside, all it takes is an open door and a sudden, startling noise to cause him to bolt out of the house. Make sure all ID such as collar tags and microchip and tattoo registries have current contact information.

Keep Candy Out of Reach

While Halloween treats merely represent a short detour from your healthy diet, they can be far worse for your dog. Keep a close watch on anything edible to make sure your pet doesn’t eat the wrong thing. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which can stress your dog’s heart and nervous system. Chocolate poisoning in dogs can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and even death. The sweetener xylitol can also make your pet sick. Keep all the Halloween treats for humans out of the reach of your furry friend.

Be Careful with Decorations

Depending on the age of your dog, chewing non-edible items might still be a regular behavior that you have to prevent. If you have a young dog who is seeing your Halloween decorations for the first time, the impulse to taste them might be too much. Plan ahead for this temptation by purchasing a few new dog-safe chewing alternatives, such as flavored bones, long lasting dental chews or a couple of new dog toys.

Work on Training

You’ve probably taught your dog some important commands such as sit, stay, leave it and drop it. Practice them more in the days leading up to Halloween so that compliance is a conditioned reflex for your pup rather than an occasional occurrence. When you’re surrounded by glow sticks, fake skeletons and bowls of candy, you should be able to count on your dog to drop a forbidden item on command rather than running away with it.

Watch Out for Lit Pumpkins

While trick or treaters and their parents know better than to make contact with candle-lit pumpkins, your dog does not. A hyper hound colliding with a lit candle can result in a hazard.

Create a Calming Haven

Set up a quiet room with a comfortable bed and a TV on as a place to confine your dog while the traffic to your front door is heavy or your party is in full swing. Keep the lights low, and check on your dog to make sure he’s calm. If he’s crate trained, put a blanket over the crate to make him feel more secure.

Have Help Handy

Even with the best planning, sometimes mishaps happen. Check your vet’s hours, and if they’re closed in the evenings, make sure that you have an alternative plan. Know the contact number and location of a 24-hour animal clinic near you, just in case.

Your dog relies on you to feel comfortable and safe, and Halloween can be anxiety-provoking for your pet. However, if you plan ahead you can avoid problems by creating an evening that’s only minimally disruptive for your dog but plenty of fun for you.

8 Fun Activities For You And Your Dog This Fall 0

While everyone seems to love to frolic with their pups on the beach, it also seems that many pet owners have trouble finding fun activities to enjoy with their dogs during the cooler months. Indeed, while taking your dog for a walk on the pier is an obvious activity for the summer months, you may be struggling to find things for you and your dog to do this fall. Nevertheless, the following is a list of dog-friendly fall activities that you and your furry friend are just bound to love.

Halloween Happenings

Spending the Halloween season with your dog can be one of the funnest experiences ever. For instance, as long as they are pet-friendly, Halloween hayrides can be a fun way to bond with your pet. Hayrides are filled with kids, stacks of hay, leaves, strange sites, and more. However, if your pet spooks easily, you may want to enjoy this activity during the daytime. Is there a Halloween parade in your area? Sign you and your dog up for an exciting day of fun, exercise, and more. On another note, if you are gung-ho about Halloween you can take it a step further and buy or design matching or complementary costumes and attend costume parties. Additionally, if you are passing out candy, you can include your pup in that as well. As long as they are child-friendly, you can allow the kids to pet your pup, take pics with him or her in their cool costume and more. Or you guys can even hit the town and go trick-or-treating yourselves!

Apple Picking

One very fun fall activity for you and your dog this fall is apple picking. As long as the orchard or farm allows pets (many do), you can spend a whole day picking and tasting apples, frolicking in the leaves, and snapping super cute photos for your social media following, of course. Not only will you have fun and get some exercise, but you will also enjoy some tasty, fresh-picked apples!

Take a Bike Ride

There is nothing quite like a nice fall bike ride. Even better, there is no need to leave your dog behind. On the one hand, you can teach yourself how to ride a bike while walking your dog on his/her leash. On another hand, you could also get a bike with a child seat, strap your dog in, and ride around town in style. Lastly, for the doggie daredevils, you can purchase or rent a motorcycle with a sidecar and go where the wind takes you.

Play/ Rake Up Leaves

While your dog will likely want no parts of helping you clean up anything, you can turn your yard work into a fun fall experience for you and your dog. In the midst of raking up your leaves, you can also give your dog some playtime as well. For instance, you can play fetch with the various twigs you find while cleaning up the leaves and debris in your yard. Moreover, you can also hide things in the piles of leaves (i.e. balls and other toys), so your dog can dig through the piles of leaves to retrieve them. Either way, when you are done, you can simply take your dog elsewhere for a feeding and bag these leaves. Additionally, for smaller dogs, you can simply put them in a separate area (i.e. a sectioned off area of the year or an empty kiddie pool), fill it with leaves, and allow them to play until the yard work is complete.

Take a Hike

While the old saying "go take a hike" is usually not meant to be positive, this instance is the exception to the rule. The fall is filled with beautiful falling leaves and other foliage. Find a trail you're comfortable with and take a long hike with the beautifully scenic fall sky as your backdrop.

Camping

Before the winter air starts to strike, autumn is a great time to go on a camping trip. No matter if you and your dog go it alone or if you choose to bring other people (and or animals) along, going camping is a great way to be at one with nature while also having lots of fun. Plan some dog-friendly events to pass the time, bring a few dog-friendly recipes to throw on the campfire, and more. This is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

Go Kayaking or Canoeing

While many do not seem to think that kayaking or canoeing are dog-friendly activities, there are actually many dogs who would enjoy this activity. As long as you have a dog that does not mind taking a dip in the river now and then, you can take your kayak or canoe for a spin with your pup as your co-pilot. What a great way to get away.

Play Football

Although pup-warner football is not yet officially a thing, your dog will most likely want to throw around the old pigskin anyway. No matter if you play alone or with a group, your doggie will love trying to catch the ball and bring it back to you. Pick teams and play all day but don't forget the doggie cheerleaders!

Overall, there are plenty of dog-friendly activities you can try this fall. If you do not like any of these suggestions, just be creative and be sure to pick activities that both you and your dog will enjoy.

A Healthy Dog Needs a Healthy Gut: The Importance of Probiotics 0

Is your dog displaying some unexplained health problems, from chronic inflammation and poor immune resistance to allergies or digestive disorders? Believe it or not, all of these issues, as well as many others, may originate in one part of his body -- the gut. Bacterial imbalances can make your pet sick in all sorts of ways, drastically (and unnecessarily) limiting his quality of life. The good news is that you can fix those imbalances by giving your dog probiotics. Let's examine how bacteria affect animals' health, how "good bacteria" can help, and what kinds of probiotics might do your dog a world of good.

The Role of Bacteria in Your Pet's Gut

An animal's body plays host to trillions of bacteria on a regular basis, and at least 70 percent of this bacteria lives in the mucosal tissues that line the digestive system. If the thought of your beloved dog filled with bacteria makes you cringe, think again. While some bacteria can indeed have damaging or even deadly effects, other strains of bacteria actually convey a variety of healthy benefits, including:

• Protecting the body against infection
• Synthesizing vitamins and other key nutrients
• Helping your pet digest food
• Preventing digestive disorders such as diarrhea and "leaky gut" (in which unwanted molecules breach the digestive mucosa, prompting an inflammatory response)

More Good Bacteria = Less Bad Bacteria

What happens, then, when your dog has too little of this "good bacteria" in his gut? The bad bacteria has an opportunity to overrun his digestive system -- and so it does. Many of the resulting problems strike the digestive system directly, resulting in constipation, diarrhea, digestive ulcers, bloating, discomfort and gas. Cases of "leaky gut" related to bacterial imbalances may be factors in the development of diabetes, arthritis, allergies, mood disorders, liver disease, and obesity.

Fortunately, you can fight fire with fire -- or rather, you can fight bad bacteria with good bacteria. These positive bacterial strains take up space in the gut that would otherwise be occupied by destructive strains, resulting in a healthier gut and a healthier dog. The foods and supplements that provide these positive strains are called probiotics.

Probiotics Can Give Your Dog's Health a Boost

The benefits of probiotics on human health have long been known and studied -- and the veterinary community is starting to see the same benefits in research done on dogs. Veterinary experts believe that the right probiotics, administered in the right dosages, can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. One of the more dramatic examples has been the effect of probiotic treatment on dogs suffering from acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome, or AHDS. Research found that the introduction of probiotics helped the bacterial balance in the gut return to normal, reducing toxins and allowing the dogs to recover quickly.

Common Probiotic Recommendations for Canines

A variety of foods offer probiotic effects for dogs. While you should never automatically assume that your pooch can eat the same foods that you can, certain foods are both safe and beneficial for the guts of dogs and human alike. Examples include kefir (a fermented milk drink), sauerkraut, miso, and tempeh. Your veterinarian can also recommend specific foods or dietary changes to add more good bacteria to your pet's gut. But if you want to make certain that your pet is receiving a healthy daily dose of probiotics, you'll want to look into supplementation. Seek out supplements designed specifically for dogs, containing such gut-healthy bacterial strains as:

• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus casei
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Bifidobacterium animalis
• Enterococcus faecium
• VSL#3

Products to Enhance Your Pet's Health

If you're looking for one handy product that gives your pet the benefits of many powerful probiotic strains, look no further than Doggie Dailies. Our Advanced Probiotic Supplement for Dogs is rich in five critical Lactobacillus strains, with each strain including 200,000 live organisms. That's a total of 1 billion good bacteria in every dose.