Bradenton Dog

Dog News

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The Christmas Party for Paws- November 30, 2012

Some of you may know Debbie Capobianco from her real estate business.   Many of us know Debbie and her family for their unconditional love and determination to help homeless pets in our community. 

Since the year 2000, Debbie has been throwing a Christmas party bash to help shelter pets and everyone is invited.   Live music, open bar and food.  What you must bring is dog and/or cat food.  The biggest unopened bag that you can carry!!  And an appetizer to share.

Where does all this pet food end up?  Debbie and her family donate to shelters, rescues, foster parents and even send some down to the Homestead area where people are dumping dogs in the Everglades.

Last year more than 19,000 lbs of food made its way to empty bowls across the state.  This year the Capobianco’s are hoping to top that.

Here are details so that you can come to the party and help them break a record!

The party date is Friday November 30, from 5-10pm…at 5211 21st Ave West, Bradenton. See you there!

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Breed Profile: Pomeranian

by Lauren R. Tharp

A close relative of the Keeshond, the Pomeranian has been strutting its spunky stuff since the 17th century!  In recent history, Pomeranians have been a favorite pet of several celebrities; including Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Jessica Alba.  And talk about cute!  Boo, the “World’s Cutest Dog,” is also a Pomeranian.  Officially recognized as a legitimate breed by the AKC in 1888, the sweet lil PomPom has been a stellar companion dog for many years, and currently reigns as the 13th most popular breed in the United States.

Physical Traits

Size & Weight:  Very small!  The Pomeranian is a Toy breed and generally measures 5-11 inches at the shoulders and typically weighs 3-7 pounds.

Coat & Color:  This breed comes in every color and all patterns!  However, the most common/popular color is solid orange.  Their fur is a classic double-coat with a plush, thick, undercoat; and a harsher, longer, overcoat.

Other:  I mentioned some modern celebrities earlier, but did you know that Pomeranians were also favored by Queen Victoria, Marie Antoinette, and Mozart?  It’s true!

Life Expectancy:  12-18 years.

Temperament
Highly intelligent, extremely friendly, and full of “big dog” spirit in a little dog’s body, the Pomeranian is quick to bond, fast to learn, and your certified best friend for life.  Other than their excessive barking (Hey!—It’s a Spitz family tradition!), you’d be hard-pressed to find anything negative to say about the gentle PomPom and their endearingly quirky temperament.

Wags

  • Gets along fantastically with children and other pets.  (Though, due to their fragile physique, you’ll need to watch them around younger kids).
  • This breed sports an above-average lifespan.  With love and proper care, you could easily end up with a friend for life!
  • Pomeranians are well-suited to apartment living.  With few exercise needs, their space requirements are minimal.

 

Challenges

  • Pomeranians’ double-coated fur requires frequent heavy grooming.
  • Thanks to their loyal bond with their owners, they can suffer anxiety/separation disorders if separated.
  • The barking.  Oh, the barking.  The smallest stimuli can send this breed into a frenzy of yapping unlike any you’ve ever heard—and it can be very hard to get them quiet again!

Do you think a Pomeranian would suit your lifestyle? Find an adoptable Pomeranian by visiting Adopt-A-Pet and search for one in our area.

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Up for a Bath?

If you want to do something fun this Saturday, November 10th, please come to Palmetto Animal Services to wash dogs that have not been bathed since our last dog wash unless there were any accidents. This is a fun event and the dogs get scrubbed and loved for a short time with animal lovers.  The gates do not open until 10am but be ready. 
  Please bring cameras and take pictures so we can share them.  To sign up to wash and love dogs, or comb and love cats in the shelter please click here.

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The shelter in Palmetto is located at:   305 25th St. W., Palmetto, Florida. The phone number is 941-742-5933.

 

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Dog Days of Autumn

Saturday at Adventure Park in Lakewood Ranch drew a nice crowd out for the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch’s 2nd Annual Dog Days event. Dozens of vendors, food trucks and contestants in the Hot Dog Cook-Off were on hand to ply their wares.

We were especially excited to see Doris Schmucker of a darling design with her portraits of cats and dogs.The Hot Dog Cook-Off Competition even brought out ABC 7’s John Scalzi to taste and judge the incredible entries. The prize winner was Go Go Dogs.

John Scalzi of ABC 7 and Christine Legge, Chairperson

We spotted Max, a gorgeous Akita/Huskie Mix whose blue eyes had us entranced. He’s alert, friendly and a great family dog. Available for adoption from the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch.

Congratulations to all of the volunteers, organizers and participants in this fundraiser for one our community’s 501(c)-3 organizations dedicated to helping pets in need.

For more pictures, scroll down.[nggallery id=3]

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Breed Profile: Siberian Husky

One of the oldest breed of dogs in the world, Siberian Huskies originate from Siberia, where they were bred to pull heavy loads across harsh, freezing conditions. Once they made it to Alaska during the Gold Nome Rush, Huskies became famous for their dog sledding abilities, but did you know that their outgoing and gentle personalities make them suitable for much more than sledding?

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Male Huskies stand between 21-23.5 inches at the withers, and females are smaller at 20-22 inches. They weight between 35-60 pounds, with males generally being heavier than females.

Coat & Color: Huskies have very thick coats that consist of two layers which keep them warm in the Arctic winters and reflect heat in the summers. Their undercoat is dense, while the topcoat is longer and has short, straight hairs. Huskies come in all colors from black to pure white, and often have distinctive markings on the head that are not found in other breeds.

Life Expectancy: 12-15 years

Temperament

Huskies are intelligent dogs that enjoy learning new things, and with some obedience training they do well as family pets. They are generally happy, playful dogs who love spending time with their families. Because of their gentle, trusting nature they do not make the best guard dogs, but will always be your best friend (and your best friend’s best friend too!).

Something to Bark About: In 1908 Siberian Huskies were used in the very first All-Alaska Sweepstakes, a 408 mile dog sled race from Nome, to Candle, and back to Nome, where they immediately dominated the race. In addition to their unmatched sledding skills, they have often been used in many different ways to service people—transporting medicine to the ill during a diphtheria epidemic in 1925, accompanying Admiral Byrd on his Arctic expeditions in the early to mid-1900’s, and serving in the Army’s Arctic Search and Rescue Unit during World War II.

Wags

  • With proper training, Siberian Huskies make excellent family pets, as they are loyal and loving with people.
  • Huskies are very gentle and laid-back, and do well with children.
  • Huskies bark very little, although they do let out the occasional howl.

Yelps

  • Huskies have strong predatory instincts, so they should be closely supervised around small animals.
  • Huskies are great escape artists who can climb chain-linked fences and find other creative means of escape.
  • Siberian Huskies are easily bored and require daily mental stimulation and physical activity to keep them from exhibiting destructive behaviors.

If you’d like to learn more about adoptable Siberian Huskies in Florida, visit Siberian Husky Rescue of Florida for more information.

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Breed Profile: Coton de Tulear

With a name like Coton de Tulear you would expect a dog as fancy as their name, and they are! Favored by the royals and wealthy upper-class of Madagascar, Coton de Tulears, or “Cotons”, have been living lives of luxury in France and Madagascar since the 16th century. They are known as the “Royal Dog of Madagascar,” but don’t let their aristocratic roots fool you—Cotons are a happy and playful breed of dog without airs, who love nothing more than spending a fun day with the family (wealthy or not).

Physical Traits

Size & Weight: Cotons typically stand between 10-12 inches tall, making them small dogs. They should weigh between 12-15 pounds. Male Cotons are typically larger than females.

Coat & Color:  The Coton’s coat is their most distinctive characteristic, and is where their name derives from. They have medium to long, flowing coats that are actually hair, rather than fur, that is very soft and fluffy, like cotton.  Cotons can be white (sometimes with tan markings), white and black, or tricolored.

Life Expectancy: 14-16 years

Temperament

Cotons are happy dogs that are full of energy, with witty, lighthearted personalities. They are known for their expressive “joie de vivre” faces, which always seem to be smiling. Highly intelligent dogs, they love learning new commands and tricks. Cotons are not always clowns though—they also have a serious side, and possess a striking sensitivity and awareness to those around them, often expressing this with unique vocalizations. They develop strong attachments to their home and family, making them surprisingly great watchdogs. Because they get along with everyone, human or animal, Cotons make great family pets.

Something to Bark About: Cotons are full of tricks and entertaining behaviors—one of their trademark traits is to jump and walk on their hind legs.  Perhaps they learned this from the court jesters during their time with the Madagascan royals?

Wags:

  • Because they have hair instead of fur, Cotons have little to no shedding and are considered hypoallergenic.
  • Cotons do well with apartment living, as they are fairly active indoors.
  • Cotons love people and other animals, and do well when meeting new people.

Yelps:

  • Grooming is a daily task when it comes to Cotons. Their hair mats easily, and needs to be carefully brushed every day.
  • Cotons can be a little stubborn without proper training and leadership.
  • Because Cotons are still a fairly rare breed, it’s unlikely that you will find one through a rescue organization or shelter. Cotons can be expensive when purchased from a breeder, reaching up to $3000 per dog.

Want to welcome a jovial Coton de Tulear into your home? Try finding one at one of your local small dog rescue groups at RightPet.com.