PetSugar

In the Spotlight: Alicia Keys Has a Furry Run-In On Set!

PetSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:25:35 -0800

Don't worry, these pics are from the set of a music video - no doggies were actually harmed! Songstress Alicia Keys, recorded "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" featuring this furry scene from her upcoming fourth album on Friday.

The pooch sports a couple collars with a super-chunky, braided-orange one on top - Get a similar, slimmer styles in tangerine (chocolate, white or aqua) from Wagwear for $22 and a matching leash ($34), too. And, of course, peep at the rest of the pics below.

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Cat Owners Eight Times More Likely to Have MRSA at Home

PetSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:55:01 -0700

If you're not familiar with it already, MRSA is a bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics, dangerous because of, well, its drug resistance. The first cases in pets popped up about five years ago in therapy dogs exposed to patients or healthcare workers, but the tables could turn, putting humans in more danger any day.

Typically, humans usually infect pets (and not vice versa), but animals can serve as a reservoir for the bacteria and pass it back to humans. Healthy animals rid themselves of bacteria in a matter of weeks.

According to a study this Summer, Elizabeth A. Scott and colleagues at the Center For Hygiene and Health in Home and Community at Simmons College in Boston swabbed household surfaces and found that one variable that overwhelmingly predicted the presence of the germ was the presence of a cat - they were eight times more likely than others to have MRSA at home.

To learn some tips to keep your human (and furry) family safe, read more.

Wash your hands or use antibacterial hand gels before and after playing with a pet or handling wastes and food.
Don't let pets lick near your face or any cuts or sores, and be sure to keep your broken skin bandaged up.

Dog Swallows an Arrow, but Her Name Isn't Cupid

PetSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:10:48 -0700

I said give the dog a bone, not give the dog a bow! Betty, a lucky pup from London, recently swallowed a toy arrow that got lodged in her tummy. Betty's family noticed her gulping down an object and rushed her to the vet's office where doctors were stunned to find a 10-inch arrow! And after a risky surgery, doctors were able to put the pup on the road back to recovery.

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Curious pets are prone to swallowing everything from pennies to action figures and toys, so if you have a pup in the house, be sure to puppy-proof your home. Need some tips? Check out ways to keep your home safe for your pets here!

Mind Your Manners at the (Doggie) Table

PetSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:00:30 -0700

I don't even let North on my bed, let alone join me at the dining table. But now he can practice his table manners with his own Wooden Dog Dining Table ($40).

Unlike most food risers I've seen, this table adjusts to five different heights to fit your doggie (or kitty!) perfectly at any stage. It's been shown that raising your dogs' food and water bowls can aid digestion, and when paired up with a Portion Pacer, your pup will not only slow down his eating habits, but he'll savor his food like a proper pup.

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Blake Takes Penny's Basic Bed To-Go

PetSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:10:56 -0700

Peek-a-boo, I see you! Blake Lively arrived on the NYC set of Gossip Girl yesterday with a furry friend in tow. Pretty Penny gets spoiled with sweet treats like cozy Winter accessories, and now she's being carried around in her fluffy donut bed. What a life!

I'm a fan of the basic donut bed, not only because it's durable and washable, but you can make it even better with a few personal touches. Just like a great wardrobe, start with the basics and jazz it up! Make it green by adding eco stuffing (once the stock stuffing goes limp and lumpy), and infuse your own style with cool custom covers. Besides, Blake knows a thing or two about fashion, so she's probably got a whole dresser full of fun accessories for Penny!

Foster a Dog Virtually, Help Feed Them in Real Life

PetSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:00:07 -0700

If you've ever wished you could give a homeless dog a forever home (or could foster a dog until the lucky pup found a permanent family), but don't have the time or space, now you have an easy and fun way to pitch in with the help of Facebook. The Save a Dog Facebook app allows you to virtually care for an actual shelter pup, and by getting friends to co-sponsor or foster their own canine online, you'll earn points that will translate into real food in the mouths of shelter dogs.

DogTime and Rescuegroups.org teamed up to produce the charitable app, and the best part is that it costs you nothing to help out. Just install the app on your Facebook page and you're off and running. Aside from donating a few hours at your local shelter, this has to be the easiest way to help thousands of needy pups.

What Do You Know About Saint Bernards?

PetSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:40:13 -0700

Gentle giants, these dogs know how to drool! What else are Saint Bernards known for . . . and how much do you know? Test yourself on this big breed in this little quiz.

Take the quiz

All You Need Is Love: Dogs Nurse Lions and Tigers to Health

PetSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:10 -0700

I thought we'd reached the epitome of adorable when I saw the photos of the dog that took in a pair of red pandas as her own, but this story might take the cake in the cute department. Two more pooches in China are helping to raise not only their own growing puppies, but a pair of lion cubs, and twin tiger cubs as well! Born earlier this month, the lion and tiger cubs were abandoned by their birth mother, and two hero dog mamas stepped in to help.

We've seen a lot of dogs assume the role of mother for a variety of different animals - from piglets to rabbits - so I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this pairing. Check out a few more photos of the dogs and cubs in the gallery when you read more.

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Would Your Dogs Sing Along?

PetSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:00:07 -0700

Although my tolerance for too much barking is pretty low (I do live in an apartment, you know - too much noise and my neighbors would be knocking on my door), I could watch videos of "singing" dogs all day long. A clip of one of my favorites is below: a Frenchie that sings along with the harmonica! I'm not much of a singer myself, so I gotta give credit where credit is due, this little guy can really carry a tune . . . or would it be carry a bark? Either way, check out the adorable video and then share your singing dog stories in the comments!

Surf's Up For These Pups in San Diego!

PetSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:35:26 -0700

North may like to play in the waves, but these brave pups surf them! Dogs of all sizes competed in the Fourth Annual Lowes Coronado Bay Surfing Competition in San Diego this weekend. And even though it was raining in SoCal, hundreds of people turned out to watch the sporty pups ride their surfboards. I guess the rain doesn't matter though, since these guys look pretty waterlogged anyway!

There's a bunch more photos of the four-legged surfers after the break (some of which I recognize from last year's competition). Trust me, you'll want to see these - they're totally radical, dude! Check them out when you read more.

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