| E-Cards Have Gone to the Dogs; Cats Fight Back!
Trend spotting is easy. Sales figures go up sharply when something new catches on, whether it's rap music, hybrid cars, or the newest i-phone. Remember when most homes didn't even have a computer? It's no surprise that since busy people everywhere are choosing to communicate at the speed of light in every way, e-cards have forged their way into our culture. But dog-loving e-cards? And what about the cat lovers? They need to send greetings, too!
www.SloppyKissCards.com debuted in June of 2006 and the site has already caught on in a big way. For just $9.95 USD, members can send customized greetings with any of more than 50 different breeds of dogs featured on the card. The combinations are unlimited.
Sloppy Kiss Cards is the brainchild of Nicole Stocker, a former Microsoft employee.
Dog’s name, River, is becoming an ironic label
It turns out I named a dog that can't swim after a body of water.As a good dog owner and San Marcos resident, I, of course, wanted to take my dog to the river and let her swim, chase tennis balls and do other dog stuff. Too bad that it turns out River may be the first ever dog that doesn't have the doggy paddle ingrained in her DNA.That's why I've found myself, on my last two trips to the river, giving my dog what I think may be the first ever canine swimming lessons. I figured I wouldn't have to teach swimming until I have a kid, and then I can enroll him in proper lessons so he learns not to take shortcuts. Of course, public pools won't take seven-month old Irish Setters into their swimming tutorial programs and I wouldn't pay for it anyway. That left me, River's hefty owner, to handle the process of teaching her how to swim.
Salt Lake County pets of the week
Sadie is a friendly and energetic husky/shepherd mix. She's playful and fun, and she seems intelligent and attentive. She definitely got her pale blue eyes from the husky side of her family tree. We recommend that Sadie live in a home without small children, because she has a lot of energy. Sadie's adoption fee is $95.
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Golden Retriever Foundation donates to canine cancer campaign
The Golden Retriever Foundation has pledged $500,000 over a five-year period to the Morris Animal Foundation's Canine Cancer Campaign. In April, the MAF officially kicked off the campaign, a large-scale, $30 million initiative to cure cancer in dogs within the equivalent of a dog's lifetime of 10 to 20 years (see JAVMA, May 1, 2007, page 1287). The GRF was the first breed foundation or club to pledge a major gift to the campaign. "Cancer is the leading cause of death among Goldens, as it is among many breeds," said David Kinghorn, president of GRF. "We hope that other breed groups will follow our lead and support this important endeavor." Established in 1997 by the Golden Retriever Club of America, the GRF supports research, rescue, and education and has awarded more than $1 million in grants.
Pet obesity raising concern
LOGAN - Over recent months, adult and childhood obesity has been a major concern for many people across the nation, and now there is another form of health problem, and it includes our favorite four-legged friends.
Obesity in pets is a growing concern for pet-owners across the country, who sometimes don't even realize their cat or dog is growing larger every day. In fact, a recent study conducted by Pfizer Animal Health said that many owners don't realize their pets are overweight or at risk of health problems. According to the study, 47 percent of American dogs are overweight or obese, yet only 17 percent of dog owners would classify their dogs as being such.
As the No. 1 nutritional disorder in dogs, an estimated 25 to 44 percent of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese.
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