Bubbles n Beads Shampoo & conditioner contains gentle ingredients to help remove doggie odor

Getting Rid of Doggie Odor

Few things are guaranteed to brighten my day more than a huge furry cuddle with my dogs, and I admit that I love that fresh, clean dog smell. But if your canine pal smells far from fresh, the last thing you want is a display of pet affection, so what do you do when your dog (to put it politely) stinks? Bad odor can be a symptom of many different conditions, and determining the cause is key to finding a cure.

One of the simplest, and often overlooked, causes of a smelly dog is their curious nature. Has Buddy been rolling in something you’d rather not think about? Perhaps that dead squirrel in the garden? Or has a skunk been on the defensive? Luckily, as foul as these may smell, they are easily treated by a good bath and no medical intervention is needed. A tomato juice bath is widely reputed to remove skunk smell.

Other smells may be signs of an infection. For example:

• Bad breath may indicate gum disease or dental decay, or a more serious condition such as diabetes or kidney problems.
• Stinky ears can be a sign of mites, allergies, or some other chronic infection.
• Smelly skin may be the result of a bacterial (pyoderma) or fungal (dermatitis) infection. Bacterial infections, sometimes accompanied by hair loss and pimples, are usually easily treated. Bubbles’n’Beads , a shampoo and conditioner, contains antibacterial tea tree and lavender oils to remove the odor and replace it with something more nose-friendly.
• Yeast infections, on the other hand, may be caused by allergies or a reaction to steroids or antibiotics. Finding the underlying cause is an essential part of treating the infection.

Then of course, there are those smells that are released from your dog’s other end.

• There is little mistaking the strong smell caused by blocked anal glands but a vet can show you how to safely empty them.
• Flatulence can also cause problems. Some gas may be normal but frequently occurring emissions can be caused by food allergies, in which case a change of diet will help. Some Dog Smog Remedy , a breath freshener and digestive solution added to your pet’s drinking water can aid bad breath or gas by neutralizing digestive enzymes.

Once the source of the odor has been found, you can work on getting rid of it. In the case of infection or allergy, it may take some time for treatment to work or a change of diet to take effect, but there are still steps you can take to help reduce the bad smell in the meantime. Dry Dog Instant Clean , a spray on bath replacement or dry shampoo,  offers an alternative to frequent washing, and Fur Breeze can be used to help remove smells or whenever your dog wants to smell a little fancy.

Sometimes just giving your dog a bath does the trick. If you didn’t take a bath for 3 months you might be smelly too! There are lots of opinions on how often you should bathe your dog but if you’re like me, I sleep with my dog, so I prefer to wash my dogs weekly. Many people shy away from it for fear of drying out their dog’s coat. But there are many high quality dog shampoos available that will not dry out the coat so it’s probably worth the wash to avoid the unbearable doggie smell!

Serious dog odor shouldn’t be ignored (and most of us can’t ignore it for long), but once the underlying cause has been discovered, there are plenty of treatments and products available to ensure that you are soon enjoying cuddles with your pet again.

My Dog Has Acne!

by Fiona Young-Brown

No doubt many of us have unhappy memories of pimples during our teen years, but who knew our dogs could also get acne? As it happens, young dogs go through the trials of puberty too, and that may include dog pimples. I had never heard of such a thing until my husky pup Sam developed a small bald spot on his chin, covered in little pink pimples.

The condition is more common in younger dogs, usually appearing at around five or six months of age, however since the acne may also be cause by allergies or hormonal imbalances, it is not restricted to younger dogs. The larger the dog, the greater the chance of developing pimples, so your Great Dane or German Shepherd is more likely to experience acne than the Shih Tzu next door. As for what it looks like, doggy acne usually appears as little red pimples or pustules on the chin and around the lips.

Before going any further, it is vital to mention that under no circumstances should you use acne treatments designed for people on your pooch’s pimples. The levels of benzoyl peroxide will be far too high for use of animals.

It is always a good idea to check with your vet at the first signs of any skin condition. The vet may want to run a few tests to rule out other more serious conditions, such as mange and ringworm. If the pimples are being caused by an allergic reaction to something in your dog’s food, the vet may also be able to advise you. Once more serious illnesses have been ruled out, you can move on to treating it to ensure that the pimples don’t return. Common treatments prescribed by your vet may include skin wipes (with animal appropriate levels of benzoyl peroxide, a topical skin treatment), steroids, or antibiotics.

Understandably, not everyone feels comfortable using steroid or antibiotics treatments, and may prefer to reach the root of the problem. Fortunately, there are also a number of more natural remedies you can do at home. My dog Sam is incredibly inquisitive when he’s out and about and gets into all kinds of dirt and other things filled with bacteria,  so one of my first concerns was making sure the pimples did not get infected. Each day, I would hold a warm washcloth over the area to open the pores, then gently clean the affected area with a mild shampoo . If you have an aloe vera plant at home, a small dab of the gel can also help to ease any itchiness.

Another convenient option that doesn’t involved wetting the dog’s face with shampoo are pre-moistened wipes. Believe it or not the antibacterial ingredients in the Happytails Eyepads make them an ideal wipe for the entire facial area. They contain witch hazel, which is a gentle astringent, colloidal silver, a very effective natural antibiotic and golden seal which is a natural antimicrobial agent.

For a more long-term solution, an all natural or raw diet has proven to be helpful for avoiding all sorts of skin complaints. Common allergens in commercial food, including wheat, soy, gluten and corn, can all cause acne in some dogs. Switching to an organic diet of meat and vegetables, with some added salmon oil for essential fatty acids can help enormously.

Fortunately, puberty-related acne usually resolves itself after a few months, as your puppy’s growth hormones settle. In the case of allergies, an organic diet like the one mentioned above can have quick results but the diet must be continued to prevent recurring outbreaks. With a little care and attention, you can not only clear your dog’s skin of pimples, but also ensure that our beloved pet has a lifetime of healthy, beautiful skin.

By Kevin Fisher

As we bask in the afterglow of our 700 day, $2.5 Billion dollar presidential campaign we find the blogosphere obsessed with a single issue. Foreign policy changes? Economic crisis? Wall Street Bailout? No, the burning issue of the day is of course "What kind of dog should the next president get? "After putting an African-American in the White House it seems that our next job is to put a Canine American in the family’s quarters.

If you don’t know the story, President-elect Obama promised his daughters that after the election they would get a dog. (Already he’s demonstrating leadership and initiative; we all know that there’s nothing better than a bribe dog to keep the kids happy.)

The first family-elect is being inundated with opinions about the best breed of dog for them but being in the industry myself I thought I’d add my two cents. And being a contrarian I’ll discuss not the best dogs for the first family but the worst.

Smart Dogs.

Not a good idea to get a really smart dog. We’ve already seen with the Bush Baked Bean fiasco (the brand not the president) how one smart dog can subvert an empire. And I think most of us already know that Barney wins most of the tugs of war with the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Foreign Breeds .

Also an iffy call. Surely we’d all feel more comfortable with a good Canine American in the White House. Think about it, Chinese Crested, Swiss Mountain Dogs, Australian cattle dogs all so closely affiliated with foreign powers! To have such foreign agents so close to the seat of power (probably even sniffing the seat of power!) may not be the best idea. How could we be sure of their loyalties, that they wouldn’t turn around and sell state secrets to their home countries at the drop of a hat? I know this sounds farfetched but mark my words- if you see the president walking through the Rose Garden with a West Highland Terrier don’t be surprised to discover that Scotland has the bomb and is not afraid to use it.

Politically Expedient.

On the other hand there are some foreign breeds that would help to strengthen ties with friends and allies. An Afghan Hound, Italian Greyhound or German Sheppard would work wonders in restoring our image overseas and cost billions less than foreign aid. There is, as far as I can see, only one glaring exception to this rule; "Please Mr. President, I beg of you, Step away from the French Poodle"

Oh No He Didn’t.

Common sense says there are some breeds that would be a definite no no. Imagine the scene at the first White house press conference when the reporter stands up and asks in a strong clear voice "Mr President, is it true that you have a Giant Schnauzer" (And it would be even more embarrassing if they had chosen the Miniature Schnauzer)

Whichever Dog the Obama’s Choose

I’m sure they’ll be wise enough to adopt a rescue dog and take care of it with only the best products. Like other celebrities and world leaders they’ll probably choose happytails Canine Spa Line to make sure that the presidential dog is never scratching or licking in inappropriate places and that he (or she) always looks, feels and smells his/her best.

I’m no lawyer, but I think the Constitution mandates that after the Vice President and Speaker of the House, the president’s dog is next in line for the job. So pick carefully Mr. President your dog will be only two heartbeats and a butt sniff away from the presidency.

Your Dog’s Constant Scratching Could be a Habit

I have two dogs that both eat a healthy no grain, raw diet. One is a constant scratcher, the other rarely scratches.

Brie, the itchy dog, is a Westie mix. True, this breed is notorious for their itchy skin but with many dogs what starts out as a real problem, develops into a habit even after the underlying cause is cured.

We discovered that Brie had sand fleas. We live at the beach and she plays on the sand every single day. Since we wash her at least twice a week and were well past flea season, we didn’t suspect fleas were the cause of her distress. Once we found out what the problem was, we treated her immediately with a whole host of remedies until every last flea was gone.

Weeks went by and she was still scratching. We double checked and there were no fleas. But she scratched with determination and could hardly walk down the street without stopping for a scratch. She would even wake us up at night with the sounds of her biting, licking and scratching. Finally she started to develop actual lesions from the constant scratching, which only made her want to scratch those areas more.

It seemed to be a never-ending cycle until I noticed that Brie seemed to forget about her discomfort when she was playing, eating or chewing on a bone. Distraction seemed to be an excellent method- so we gave her a full schedule of bone chewing, game playing and toys to occupy her time.

Restraint is also another tool we used. You could try an e-collar (if you do look up Comfy Cones for a softer alternative) but what I did is purchase a a soft pair of inexpensive booties ($5.99) so that if she did scratch her paws wouldn’t have direct contact with her skin.

In addition, when she woke up at night and started scratching, I gave her Sleepytime Tonic , an all natural herbal blend that helps to calm dogs. This relaxed her enough so that she forgot about the itch and went back to sleep.

Amazing! Between her full agenda of bones and bully sticks, Sleepytime Tonic and her booties, scratching levels are down to a few times a day!

Flea Season’s Over! Why is My Dog Still Itchy?

As we head into the cooler months (it’s actually quite cold in many places already) we can finally rest knowing that flea season is finally over – right? Unfortunately, for many pups out there, the itchy skin they’ve suffered from during flea season only continues at the same itchy level past flea season. Why can’t these poor dogs get any relief?

There are numerous reasons that dogs continue to have itchy skin past flea season. From a poor diet to other health conditions such as allergies, many dogs will continue to suffer from skin ailments throughout the year. Many dogs also suffer skin allergies that cause them to scratch and itch all of the time. There are a variety of irritants that can cause a dog to itch including mold, food allergies and even skin infections. Some dogs will itch excessively due to stress as well. However, one reason that many people simply don’t realize is that their dog might just have plain and simple dry skin!

It really makes perfect sense when you think about it. As the days get colder, does the water in your daily shower get hotter? I know I begin cranking up the heat when it gets cold outside. The same is true for my house as well. I’m a cold natured person, so the heater gets cranked when the days get cold. But, the effect that I and other people suffer from during this time of the year is dry skin. The hotter showers dry your skin out and the heater in your home sucks the moisture out of the air. This leaves us with dry skin and dry skin itches!

The same is true for your dog. As the days get colder and you crank up the heater, your poor dog is losing moisture out of his or her skin. If your dog is suffering from allergies, not only might they have dry skin, but they are also suffering from other ailments that cause them to be itchy. This itchiness may be even worse if the dog has flea allergies as well. The problem with all this itching and scratching is that the skin is constantly irritated and never has a chance to heal. No matter what the cause if of the itchiness, this can cause your pup to develop a secondary skin infection as well.

Now, how do you remedy your dry skin? How does a nice shea butter lotion sound? Or, what about a bath of an oatmeal based skin conditioner? There are products similar to these that are designed for your dog and provide the same relieving effects that you seek in your lotions and bath conditioners.

Colloidal oatmeal products provide a variety of benefits to pets year round and not just during the winter when they have itchy skin. Colloidal oatmeal products can be used year round should your dog find himself bitten by bugs or in a patch of poison ivy. This is because colloidal oatmeal is capable of pulling out irritants that get into the skin and hair. After a warm oatmeal bath, pets begin to feel the effects of the colloidal oatmeal in no time. They will also benefit from smooth skin and smell better afterwards too. However, when you do use these products in your pet’s bath, be certain that you don’t make the water too hot! A lukewarm bath is ideal to sooth irritated, itchy skin.

Colloidal oatmeal is not the same as the oatmeal you eat for breakfast. This is oatmeal that has been ground into a fine powder. When you add it to water, it creates a milky dispersion, rather than congealing as regular oatmeal would. Colloidal oatmeal has a specific anti-itch property to it that makes it perfect to relieve your dog’s itchy skin during the winter months. When your dog’s skin is itchy and irritated, the skin has a high pH level. Colloidal oatmeal helps to lower the skin’s pH back down to normal and it takes away the need to itch. So, not only will your dog benefit from having the irritants removed from their skin, they also lose that urge to itch. Not itching provides your dog’s skin time to heal and recover from whatever has been irritating it.

There are several products available that contain all of the healing effects of colloidal oatmeal. One of those products is Fur Butter. This product is ideal for dogs with long hair and helps to control itching and irritation. Fur Butter also utilizes shea butter to moisturize the fur. Another product is Comfy Dog . This shampoo is ideal for those dogs that really suffer from dry and irritated skin. This shampoo helps to relieve swelling, inflammation, hot spots, and insect bites in addition to the itchy skin caused by the winter months. Both of these products are ideal natural steps that you can take to relieve the itch of winter and you can keep using it when flea season comes back around as well.

Why Oatmeal Helps a Dog’s Itchy Skin

by Fiona Young-Brown

You may have products containing oatmeal in your own bathroom cabinet, but did you know that oatmeal is also great for your dog’s skin? When my Husky Sam began to develop a case of puppy acne, the first thing the vet recommended was an oatmeal shampoo. Regular use helped to ease the irritation and lessen the redness, and now oatmeal products remain a regular part of our doggy beauty regimen.

Oatmeal isn’t just good for our insides – those same factors that make it so nutritious also make it good for our skin. The starches, mainly cellulose and fiber, are what help it to hold moisture once it is mixed with a liquid. Meanwhile, the vitamin E acts as an anti-inflammatory, and the phenols have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Throw in a few other antioxidant and cleansing components, and oatmeal is truly a skincare powerhouse.   

Oatmeal has long been used in baths and skincare treatments; historians have found that the Romans and Egyptians used it as a cleanser and skin protector. Yet only recently has its effectiveness in protecting skin and soothing irritation been clinically proven. In 1978, the Food and Drug Administration approved colloidal oatmeal as a natural skin protector, and today it can be found in a wide variety of human skincare products.

            One of the few all-natural ingredients to be approved by the FDA, colloidal oatmeal helps with a variety of skincare problems. One of its best known uses is to relieve itching. Patients with eczema and dermatitis have found it particularly soothing, and it can also help our furry friends when they are suffering from itchy bites or when they’ve been running around in poison ivy. Not only does oatmeal help to soothe the irritation, it can also help to actually heal the skin and protect it during the healing process. Since my other dog Lizzie suffers from seasonal allergies which affect her skin, a good oatmeal conditioner stops her from scratching all season long.

           So what is colloidal oatmeal anyway? Basically, it is oatmeal that has been converted into a very fine powder, usually with the intent of then adding it to a liquid, perhaps a moisturizer, a shampoo, or even bath water. It can be made at home with a good quality coffee grinder or mill. Before you grab your box of breakfast oatmeal, however, it is important to understand that the instant stuff won’t do. If you are going to try making your own, you will need to use old-fashioned style, organic oatmeal, the type that requires a long cooking time. Simply add the dry oatmeal to the blender and grind to a fine powder. Because the powder granules are so tiny, the oatmeal becomes a colloid. In other words, it will readily absorb water or moisture. This then acts as a ready made moisturizer, binding itself to the skin in a protective layer.

            You can use colloidal oatmeal in a variety of ways. One of the easiest is to add the powdered oatmeal to lukewarm bath water and use it as a soak. If your pet (like mine) is not the water lounging type, you can also find a number of shampoos and conditioners that will help soothe their skin and add a little shine to their coat at the same time (an added bonus of the Vitamin E). Try Fur Butter, a rich conditioner containing colloidal oatmeal and shea butter.

            With regular use, products containing oatmeal can make a dramatic difference to both your and your dog’s skin. It will feel less dry, less irritated and smoother, making you and your pooch the perfectly beautiful natural couple.