It’s minty & buoyant and is ranked a four out of five on the chew-o-meter rating. Planet Dog produces durable, non-toxic, recycleable toys for big chewers. We tested them in Henry’s Lab and here’s what Riley’s Mom had to say…

 ”I actually had to take this away from him at night so he could go to sleep! I did find that the strawberry was a bit large for his little mouth at the time*. But now that he is three months old and 25 pounds, the “strawberry” is a better fit for his mouth. The main problem is that while the idea of putting treats inside a toy is a great idea in theory, my puppy didn’t and doesn’t really quite understand what he’s supposed to be doing with it. I haven’t tried anything pasty yet, such as peanut butter, as I am a new Mom to a puppy and would like to check with my vet first before giving him anything other food specially designed for puppies, but he does get excited when he hears me shaking it!”

UPDATE: We are happy to report that Riley has finally found the treats inside!

*Also, a note on the size…it is very important to buy toys that puppies cannot swallow as they like swallowing all kids of things. So if the toy is a little too big in the beginning, don’t worry, he’ll likely soon grow into it.

Welcome to Henry’s Lab - a new category where me and my advisory panel will be reviewing products on the market to help you make decisions on the best products for your dog.

Here’s what Boo Boo & Lily’s Mom had to say about testing out Happytails Dry Dog Instant Clean spray - it is just like it sounds - a “dry shampoo” for your pup:

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“We tried the Doggie Instant Clean on our dogs, Boo Boo & Lily and it was great.  It made their coats very shiny and great smelling, but for a deep cleaning all the way to the skin, I would still do a full blown bath with shampoo and water.  The Instant Clean was great for a quick spruce-up job, like when you don’t have time for a regular bath, have company coming, and your dogs smell “less than wonderful”. I even had someone comment on how shiny their coats looked after using the Instant Clean, which was very nice.  The scent is great too. We all highly reccommend it!”

Boo Boo & Lily’s Mom, Lora.

The next generation in luxury doggy daycare, the Wag Hotels are designed exclusively for discriminating dogs and cats. It is the brainchild of Ritu Raj - shocked by the conditions of the kennels in his area, he launched this 24/7 hotel boasting spotless facilities and a professionally trained staff. There are rooms for all dog types including mini and luxury suites. They are located in West Scramento California but may be looking to expand to the Midwest and East Coast. It just looks fantastic! Have a look and by all means, let me know if you have been there!  WAG HOTELS

“CIGARETTES, GIN, DOG FOOD.”

A shopping list Billie Holiday gave a friend who asked what she needed from the store.

(Photo is of Lady Day and her beloved dog, Mister.)

“My dogs get away with murder. I live with them at this point, they don’t live with me.”
Janeane Garafalo

I read a letter written to Dog Fancy magazine regarding using human shampoo on dogs and thought it was good information to pass along…

Q. “When I give my dog a bath, I use human shampoo. I see no reason why I should buy dog shampoo when I don’t bathe her very often. Is it bad to use human shampoo?”

A. It may be convenient to share your shampoo with your dog, but it’s not the best thing for her. Human shampoo, which is pH-balanced for people but not for dogs, can dry out and damage your girl’s coat and skin. The resulting itchiness - aside from making your dog miserable - could cause her to scratch and chew her skin to the point of irritating and abrading it, which can set the stage for secondary bacterial or yeast infections.

Most dogs don’t need a lot of baths, as long as they don’t play in the mud, roll in something stinky or - worst of all - have a close encounter of the black-and-white kind. Regular brushing keeps the coat and skin healthy and odor-free.

When you bathe your dog, place cotton balls in her ears to keep them dry, and use only the smallest amount of shampoo needed to lather well. Rinse well, using a spray nozzle if possible. Then rinse her again to make sure you’ve gotten out all of the shampoo. Leftover shampoo residue will dull her coat and maker her itch. Next, stand back. You know she’s gonna shake!

Just read about a new book - Rescue Me! It is a guide to selecting, adopting and caring for a shelter or rescue dog. The book is also filled with real-life rescue success stories and heart-warming happy endings - how wonderful is that?

Did you see it on the Today Show? There is a vet in Long Island, NY who is having tremendous success helping and curing dogs by utilizing Chinese herbal combinations and acupuncture.

The stories are inspiring - the Today Show link just highlights Jill Rappaport from the show and her dog’s health issues but I saw a man with a beautiful St. Bernard who was actually on the Today show. His dog was on his death bed at 2 years old and is now happy and healthy (and drolled a bit on the set…so sweet).

Here’s another story I found about “Gus” whose tumor is now gone thanks to the good Dr. Wen. Gus’ Story

This guy is definitely worth a look if you have a sick dog which conventional medicine has not helped.

Dr. Wen, Holistic Vet in Long Island

Just a follow-up…Henry and Jess loved the dog treats. A few comments on the recipe…I didn’t put 1/2 lb. bacon in them - it sounded like a lot to me and when my dogs have too much fat, their stomach can’t handle it.

Having said that, I didn’t put any bacon grease over top before baking but I would do that in future because they do come out a little hard.

Anyhow, give it a try - your dogs will love them!

My sister found another yummy treat recipe from Rachael Ray. In fact, here’s a link to her site where you can find lots of yummy homemade dog treat recipes! Rachael Ray Dog Treats.

I’m going to give this one a try this weekend…

INGREDIENTS

1.  Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with foil.
2.  In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving the grease. Let the bacon cool slightly, then crumble.
3.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal and crumbled bacon. In a large measuring cup, stir together 1 1/3 cups warm water and the broth and pour into the dry ingredients. Add the EVOO and stir together to form a loose dough. Knead on a work surface until smooth.
4.  Divide the dough into balls of the appropriate size for your dog (about 1 inch for large dogs and 1/2 inch for small dogs) and set on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the reserved bacon grease. Bake until firm to the touch, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely.

Enjoy!