Guess what? I entered into a contest for my blog, Bark N Blog, WOOF! And I need your help in making sure I win.

All you have to do to vote for me is to go to www.TrainPetDog.com and enter this code PCf1x into the voting box. Then all you have to do is click on the Submit Button and wah la, I’m voted for, WOOF!

Now in order for me to make it to Round 2, I need FIFTY votes humans, so those of you who love my blog please vote me and spread the word okay?

What do I win? Well nothing less than $50,450 worth of prizes and advertising exposure is at stake in this contest, WOOF! AND the potential to have my blog read by some of the 600,000+ subscribers that TrainPetDog.com has on their mailing list!!!

Imagine all those humans learning about the NATURAL approach to caring for their dogs! What an opportunity to help my fellow canines not have to eat kibble poop anymore and all the other conventional things that are not really about health for us, WOOF!

So again all you have to do is go to www.TrainPetDog.com to vote for Bark N Blog and use code PCf1x

Okay and ask all your friends to vote for me too, WOOF! Additionally you can Tweet It and post to Facebook for me too. I only have until February 20th humans so I’m counting on you to help!

Thank you!!!! HURRY time’s a’ wastin’ humans and this dog needs your vote, WOOF!

Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy, Contest winning day, WOOF!

Visit us at www.AspenbloomPetCare.com to learn more about naturally caring for YOUR dog!

You know for human men graying, premature or not, is often considered “suave and debonair” or distinguished while in human women it just seems to mean you’re distinguishably aging, which my human finds extraordinarily unfair…but then life often is unfair humans, and we animals ought to know better than you, WOOF!

Anyway, someone contacted my human a few months ago to find out why some of us dogs gray prematurely and others don’t. I thought I’d share some of her personal observations. And while none of this is written in stone or maybe even not that important to most of you, I thought you may be curious to find out what may be some of the possible reasons, so here we go.

Possible reasons for premature graying in dogs:
1. Some dogs just do gray early, plain and simple…just like some humans do.

2. Water – I believe that fluoridated/chlorinated water definitely aggravates for premature graying.

3. I have heard some things about copper mineral supplement being able to reverse premature graying but I don’t necessarily agree or disagree. If your water has a heavy mineral content that can contribute to the extra early graying.

4. Feeding unnatural foods (i.e., kibble or canned) can be a major contributor. Feeding veggies and grains can also overtax the liver and pancreas lending to using up more of the enzyme reserve in your dogs’ bodies, rapidly aging them. Dogs are opportunistic scavenger carnivores and would only ever venture to eat berries, grasses, etc., when starving or self-medicating in the wild. They get their needed phytonutrients in the predigested form of the flesh of the prey animals they consume.

5. And yes, I believe absolutely that vaccines can and do contribute to premature aging factors and a whole lot of other health and behavioral problems as well.

So a little bit of trivia to maybe PAWnder for your canines, WOOF! I personally think I look rather distinguished with my graying hehe!

Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy day, WOOF!

To learn more or to obtain a consultation with my human just go to www.AspenbloomPetCare.com

Well imagine my delight when my human was contacted on Facebook this week and told that my blog was voted a Top Pet Blog on Shannan Bentzien’s pawsome blog, http://flameless-candle-holders.com/!!!

While many bloggers, us dogs who blog as well, often aren’t recognized for our efforts in blogging to share our passion, knowledge, and interests with others, it’s always nice when someone does recognize those efforts and even nicer when it is a fellow blogger who is doing the recognizing!

I give a big four paws up to Shannan for being so kind as to recognize Bark N Blog and share it with her readers. I hope you will all go visit Shannan’s blog and check out the other nine blogs that she recognized and hang out on her blog while you’re there read her blog too, WOOF!

Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy day, WOOF!

I’ve discovered something recently. Humans have all begun to start calling me “The Shad“…kind of like a modern day “Shaft” hehe. You know that cool brother from back in the day that had all the ladies and was smooth cool all the time? Anyway it might have been before your time AND mine but my human mom told me all about him. She said that this new name of mine has evolved all on its own. She said she has never told anyone to call me that, she doesn’t call me that, and neither does my human dad.

But humans will email her or call her and ask “How’s The Shad?” Yes, THE Shad. Not Shad, not Shadrach, but THE Shad! I suppose I’ve become a legend in my own time, WOOF! These are humans who know me in dogson and humans who only know me online. At any rate my Mom told me this morning that I am The Shad: Ability Dog Extraordinaire. Yes ABILITY not AGILITY although I can be quite agile when I want to be.

Let me break it down for you so you can see why she calls me Ability Dog Extraordinaire and why I believe that humans have started calling me “The Shad“:

1. I have the ability to pout when I don’t get to do my favorite thing which is go for a walk but minutes later I have the ability to be tail waggin’ happy wanting to play with whoever wants to play! Forgiveness is my specialty! Read the rest

Recently my human and her colleague, Dr. Jeannie, had a guest on their online radio show, Jeff Coltenback. They talked with Jeff about a whole health approach to dog care. He runs a holistic pet shop that offers a variety of natural products for pets. Anyway he said while he sells a variety of water/food bowls for dogs, he doesn’t advocate humans using plastic or ceramic dishes. The ceramic dishes can contain lead was the primary reason they all said to NOT use them. My human and her colleague concurred wholeheartedly. I drink out of of a stainless steel bowl.

After the show a regular listener to the show and a member of my human and Dr. Jeannie’s Natural Health Care for Dogs Group send us the following informative information, WOOF! So it will behoove you humans to do your homework by being proactive in caring for your dogs, naturally, WOOF! Read the rest

Have you heard about the new digital magazine??? If not, where have you been, WOOF! I’m so tail waggin’ excited about this new magazine dedicated to the natural rearing of us dogs, I can’t stop waggin’ my tail!

And for the record, they don’t even know I’m sharing this information with you…but I couldn’t NOT share it since it’s the beginning of a MAJOR natural health movement for us DOGS!

Before I tell you all about the magazine, Dogs…Naturally!, let me tell you how it all came about.

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you’ll know that my human, Dr. Kim, and her colleague, Dr. Jeannie, are the hosts of the online radio show, Animal Talk Naturally. Dr. Jeannie has been naturally rearing dogs for over 25 years, so her heart and passion has been to institute a natural rearing association for breeders who adhere to the natural rearing principles for the health and well being of us dogs. That led to her instituting the Natural Rearing Breeders Association which I have blogged about here a few times, WOOF!

She has wanted an updated website and a newsletter for some time now but knew it wasn’t within her realm of expertise to design and do all of it herself and still run her own business. So just this past year two women stepped up to help, Dana Scott and Erika Philips. They both naturally rear dogs too of course. So Dr. Jeannie introduced the two to each other and now the rest is history! The NRBA has a PAWSOME new website and logo you’ll want to check out thanks to their talent….AND… Read the rest

My special canine friend this week is a Bassett Hound who goes by the name of Dudley! He’s been feeling a bit blue since he and his human came out here for a couple of months from Illinois.

Dudley is raw fed and on an all natural health regimen that includes regular exercise so when Dudley’s human contacted mine she knew it wasn’t bepaws he was kibble fed, WOOF! Thank God for that hehe. When his human told mine that Dudley had a clean bill of health prior to leaving Illinois, my human thought it could be a variety of things that included being in a higher altitude which does affect both humans and animals, different water, a different home, a different environment altogether. Dudley isn’t one for change so he was very unsettled.

Upon my human’s suggestion Dudley’s human went off to our local natural pet store here and got him some flower essences and then she ordered a pawsome essential oil blend from Young Living called Grounding. So Dudley is on the mend and spending LOTS of time with his human taking nice sunny walks along the Rio Grande River, WOOF! As you can see Dudley keeps himself in shape which is VERY important for all dogs, but it really helps to keep trim when you have a long back like Dudley does. I hope he feels happier soon and knows that he’ll be going back to his hometown soon.

I couldn’t ask for a better dog’s life myself Dudley, WOOF! Dudley’s human was referred to my human by a mutual friend who does myotherapy for us animals, Sue Olmos. You can listen to the interview with Sue on Animal Talk Naturally here:
The Benefits of Myotherapy & Aromatherapy for Animals – Show #285

Here is the recent update on Dudley’s state of being from his human, Kitty (see photo):
I’m happy to report Dudley is getting better. I’ve used Grounding (essential oil blend) for two days (between the pads on his feet), and he is calmer and getting more interested in his food, though I haven’t left him alone much. I have another friend coming out the 23rd for a week, so I’m trying to “fill him up” as much as possible now, and hopefully he’ll be ok being left at home for hours at a time then. I still give him doses of Left Alone (flower essence) now and then. I figure it can’t hurt. He really loves getting in the car with me and going places. It’s just being left alone that’s a problem. Thanks for all of your help. And remember, Dudley is NOT spoiled!

I agree, Dudley is NOT spoiled, he’s VERY loved, WOOF!

Thanks for being with me this week Dudley and I hope the rest of your stay here in NM goes well – enjoy the sun my canine friend, WOOF!

Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy day, WOOF!

If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety or depression, remember to consult with your veterinarian first to rule out any possible health issues. You can use natural products in lieu of pharmaceuticals so if you’re unsure which to use or how, you can obtain a consultation with Shadrach’s human.

Pamela Picard is a champion of us dogs and cats. On her blog, Aimee’s Law she keeps our humans up-to-date on all that is going on with the rabies law reforms and any other news that pertains to vaccines for pets. So today I want to share with you some of her latest posts that have some VERY important news on those stinkin’ vaccines, WOOF!

1. Mark Twain once wagged, there are “lies, damn lies and statistics.” This was never more true than with the potential of adverse reactions from annual vaccination of dogs and cats:
http://aimees-law.blogspot.com/2010/01/vaccinating-dogs-cats-yearly-you-bet.html

2. The Rabies Challenge Fund is mobilizing a writing campaign to help pet owners in the West Virginia reform outdated rabies laws. http://aimees-law.blogspot.com/2010/01/action-alert-reform-west-virginia-2.html

3. Good news! Fewer rabies booster shots for Nashville dogs and cats is at the discretion of pet owners and their veterinarians in Davidson County, Tennessee. Annual dog licenses are still required.
http://aimees-law.blogspot.com/2010/01/update-nashvilledavidson-county-permits.html

Subscribe to Aimee’s Law blog with Pamela Picard for frequent updates on rabies law reforms in Texas and nationwide here: http://aimees-law.blogspot.com/

Now that you are more informed you can make better decisions as regards the whole health care of your dogs, WOOF!

Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy day, WOOF!

To learn more about vaccines check out our Vaccine Resource Page

I’ve shared with you all some of Nancy’s pawsome dog art AND her previous video that showed her art. Now she has a new video with new art and a new song, WOOF! It’s country music and of course for me, any time humans sing about us dogs in a positive light, I’m all for sharing that with you, WOOF! Here’s the news AND the video from Nancy Schutt:

Hi dog and art lovers,
And now add music to that list with a brand new dog art slideshow on youtube accompanied by a delightful country-flavored song by Dan Reising, “Better With You There“. With impeccable timing, Dan sent me this song just as I was assembling images for a new Dog Song. Please take a few minutes to enjoy some new dog paintings and a great song- and prepare to be singing it to yourself all day. Just click on image below.

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Have a pawsitively tail waggin’, NATURALLY healthy, doggone great Dog Song day, WOOF!