Doggie Couture Shop Celebrates Mother’s Everywhere!

Mommy! Momma! MA! Mother! You hear it soooo much! Now you can spread it around a bit with all the wonderful “Momma loving” dog items from Doggie Couture Shop!

There are great items that can make any Mother feel special and very loved~

I Love My Mom Tee – doesn’t get any better than this cute dog tee! This precious dog t-shirt has a cute country flair to it and made of 100% cotton, colorful fabric appliquéd letters and adorned with Swarovski crystals and white lace flowers, this is the perfect tee for any pooch who adores their mom.

Mommy's Best Friend Dog Tank – what a neat way to show your everlasting friendship with this cotton tank. Great shirt because it comes in so many colors and sizes, even BIG DOG Sizes TOO!

Maybe you’re a Earthy Mom, try the Bamboo Pink Mommy's Little Girl Tank. Sure to please your baby on his or her skin! This Organic Dog tank is made up of Bamboo and Organic Cotton.

If you really want to show the LOVE, you need the New York Mommy and Me Collection shirts. You can actually match your pup! What a great show of love and affection and a perfect way to show you two are a “Match”.

So, thank you for all you do, for all you are and for all you will continue to be to make the world a better place.

Happy Mother’s Day

The DIGGING Dog

Why is it that our dogs don’t like to be clean? How come we spend tons of money making our dogs cute and smell good, and then they love to get dirty? I guess they are a lot like children and love to be little rebels.

It can get frustrating when you plant grass in your backyard or spend hours grooming your flowers and then you go out there and there is dirt everywhere and BUNKERS dug in the grass! Be careful not to fall in a hole and sprain your ankle, that would just add to the frustration.

The cold hard truth is:

• Dogs love to bury things, dog toys, dog bones, and even bits of their food sometimes. Not sure who they are hiding their items from but still they dig and hide.
• Dogs love to try and dig under the fence, to visit other dogs or possibly to just run amuck! Maybe they are curious about what is on the other side of the fence.
• If you live where the climate can get hot, some dogs dig to lay in the cool earth. Again, getting nasty and dirty, but doing what dogs do.
• Some dogs dig because they are looking for bugs, or smell something yummy underground. Maybe they smell rodents, or bugs or possibly a earlier treat.
• Maybe your dog is just bored and doesn’t get a lot of physical activity. If you leave your dog outside for extended periods of time, they more than likely are going to be a ditch digger. Really, what else is there to do?

Digging is one of the major complaints of dog owners. Not many dog owners have never dealt with the digging dog. It is simply a part of dog ownership and more than likely will disappear as they get older.

If the digging continues, and you just cannot handle it any longer, go to your local pet store and look for items to deter him from the dirt.

Continue to be patient with your dirty pawed friend and hope that this is just a “phase”. Try exercising your dog, or giving him a interactive dog toy outside to keep him busy. If he continues, maybe make your backyard a baseball field or land mine and just ride out the storm. Maybe try the "if you can't beat up, join em" and get him a Digging Dog in Sand Ceramic Dog Bowl or a "I can dig it" dog tank to wear!

Go for the Green - Earth Day 2010!

It’s time to celebrate Earth Day with your four legged friend! I bet your thinking “How could I possibly celebrate Earth Day with my pet?”

It’s very simple; by making some minor adjustments to the care and keeping of your pet, you’ll create major positive effects for our environment.

When you’ve decided to make an addition of a pet to your home, it’s always wise to adopt a dog rather than buy. Many breeders are only focused on producing high priced purebred dogs for profit; there is no concern that these little ones may not have a home in the future. Currently there are millions of homeless animals so by adopting a dog you contribute to decreasing the number of dogs needing homes and or being on the streets.

During play time, be sure to choose dog toys that are made of all natural or organic materials. These materials do not contain any chemicals or pesticides which could lead to allergies or illness for your dog. The natural materials are all earth derived and they do not contribute to the environmental pollutants when being produced. So, it's OK to GO GREEN!

A major pet product that contains toxic chemicals is flea and tick prevention sprays or gels. When shopping for these necessities be sure to read the label and look out for things containing chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, naled, diazinon, and malathion. Some natural sprays are even safe enough that they will not harm pets when your dog starts to lick it off.

If you really want your dog to be a TREE HUGGER, try these precious organic items from Doggie Couture Shop: "Be Kind to Mother Earth Dog T-Shirt", or Organic Gourmet Biscuits or this beautiful Louis Dog Pink Organic Ribbon House. With everyone trying to be a bit more natural these days, there are also organic dog toys, organic dog health items and even organic dog clothing.

Make a decision today to be more earth friendly with your pet with just these few changes and you’ll see a world of difference.
Happy Earth Day!

When you hear the grumbling.....

Humans are not the only ones that get upset stomachs. Your dog’s tummy can ache too!

Since your pal cannot speak how can you tell what is going on? There are simple things to look for when your pup just isn’t himself or to see if it’s a tummy ache. You know...... when your hearing your dog's stomach make that weird grumbling sound?

• Is your dog vomiting?
• Does your dog have diarrhea or excessive gas?
• Does he seem to be bothered when you touch his stomach area?
• Is he eating good?
• Is he eating a lot of grass?
• Does he still seem active?

These are all things that we need to ask ourselves when trying to figure out if our doggy is ill or has a stomach ache. The symptoms could be individual or be combined with other things. Some of these symptoms could be serious and its important to see what the cause(s) could be.

The cause for most upset stomachs in dogs is diet related. Are they eating too fast or eating too much at one time? We all know that puppies can be little PIGS. Dogs also eat things they shouldn’t be eating: bugs, trash and sometimes human food that can upset their digestion.

Make sure that you feeding your dog the right amount of food, at the right times. Use a elevated dog feeder to help in digestion. Clean your dog’s feeding bowl often and always give clean water. Take a little extra time in picking out the bowl for your dog and deciding which food is best. Maybe a special sensitive food might be good.

Tummy aches are usually not life threatening however; if the problems persist we encourage you to see your vet, it could be that your pup partied a little too hard the night before and might just need a good night's sleep.

The perfect gift for the perfect person ...or doggie

If you are like me you search and search for the perfect gift for your friend or family member. You think of their likes, their dislikes and many times things you like personally.

The greatest thing lately is the ability to purchase gift cards or gift certificates. With a gift card or certificate, your gift recipient can purchase anything they wish from the place you purchase it from.

Things to keep in mind when getting a gift card or gift certificate are:

1/ Where does this person shop?
2/ Is there a expiration date?
3/ Is there a fee to use the card?
4/ What is your recipient’s hobbies or passions?
5/ How much money do you want to spend?

I have many friends who ADORE their animals and spend whatever they need in order to make their dog look FABULOUS! This has helped me out so much because it makes it easy to go to Doggie Couture Shop and purchase a gift card or gift certificate for their best friend, who ultimately will look good because of them ~ And that makes dog lovers happy.

When you purchase a gift certificate/gift card from Doggie Couture Shop, you can choose whether you would like a email gift certificate or a print gift certificate.

The difference is:

Email Doggie Couture Shop gift certificates are:

• Delivered in 1-2 Business Days
• You can send gift certificates to multiple addresses at once

For Print Doggie Couture Shop gift certificates, you can:

• Have the gift certificate be delivered in 3-7 Business Days
• Send multiple gift certificates to the same address all at once

You can choose your amount for the gift certificate: 15.00 on up to 500.00 or choose your own amount. You also can add a gift message and the quantity of cards you want. It is so easy!

There is no better gift for the pet lover than a gift certificate to Doggie Couture Shop. You can find the best doggie fashion and dog accessories for the pet lover and many of their dog items make the perfect gift! So, shop with confidence and shop for the perfect gift at Doggie Couture Shop.

Diamonds are a Dog’s best friend too!

Women love diamonds and some men even love diamonds. If you are P-Diddy you drape them around your neck as a sign of wealth and fortune. For anniversaries, men buy women diamonds to express their love and sometimes we just buy diamonds because we want them!

Humans are not the only ones who have a diamond or rhinestone fetish, your pooch prefers the sparkly items too. You can pamper your pooch with rhinestone dog charms, diamond collar accessories and all sorts of rhinestone dog jewelry. If your dog doesn’t have a wealthy parent ~ he can certainly look like it sporting the glimmering jewels.

If you are just in love with your best friend, you can wear items as well that show your love for him… Posh Puppy Boutique carries diamond paw cufflinks, and diamond bone pendants! Go for the GOLD and wear a beautiful diamond dog ring, no one else will have one like you!!

Whatever your desire, whether rhinestone dog items, or jeweled dog accessories ~ go in style! Show the love and remember we all like to shine and sparkle!

Questions for your Vet...

Sometimes medication is necessary to get better or feel better, that is just life. We get sick, we take medication and get better!

Whether we are giving our children yucky cough medicine or our pet nasty pills, we have to do it. You need to treat your dog the same as you would a human when taking to the Doctor and or giving medication.

Dogs rely on you, their pet owners to take care of them and provide the best pet healthcare possible.

If you take your dog to the Vet because he is sick, remember that there are things to ask and you might not remember, so it’s so important to take notes beforehand and during your visit to your Vet.

Make sure when you are prescribed medication by your Vet that you ask very important questions:

1/ Why do I have to give my dog this medication and how is it going to help him?
2/ How long do I give this pet medication?
3/ How do I administer the medication to my pet? Should I give with food or on an empty stomach?
4/ What kind of side effects could my dog have from this medicine?
5/ If the medication is liquid, do I refrigerate and or shake before given?
6/ What do I do if my pet vomits or spits out the medication?
7/ If I forget a dose of the medication, what do I do? Do I go ahead and give the medication when I remember, or just wait until the next scheduled dose?
8/ What if I give too much of the medication, will it harm my dog? Will I need to go to the pet emergency room?
9/ If you dog is on other medications, will this new medicine counter act anything else?
10/ When do I need to have my dog re-checked?

Remember that the Federal Drug Administration encourages Veterinarians and animal owners to report side effects from medications to the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine at 1-800-FDA-VETS.

So, if your pooch is puney, take him to the vet and be a responsible dog owner. Have a pet emergency kit on hand too! Our dogs depend on us! Good health will keep your best friend around for years to come.

Pet Health and Safety Widget

April showers bring May Flowers

This is the time of year when people are spending hours outside working in their gardens and planting beautiful lush flowers. We pick the right hanging baskets, buy new planters and pick out the perfect flowers for our yard. All the showers we get in April, bring out our beautiful flowers in our yard.

Pets love being outside on those beautiful spring days, especially when we are outside with them. I think at times we as pet owners forget to be extra safe with our lawn and garden choices. There are precautions to take when choosing the right flowers, especially when we have pets.

We love fragrant flowers and all that they attract. Our dogs are often very curious and have a great sense of smell and can get themselves into trouble. Sometimes dogs will consume the foliage or flowers of our plants and these flowers could cause bad side effects, and at times~ could be life threatening.

There are many dog websites that can help us decide on which pet friendly plant to choose and which pesticides are safe for our animals. You can visit the ASPCA or visit the Poison Control site to actually see what these flowers look like.

A quick reference for toxic plants for dogs are:

• Castor bean (Ricinus communis)
• Oleander (Nerium oleander)
• Morning Glory (Ipomea sp.)
• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
• Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
• Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
• Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

Don’t’ forget that bulbs can be toxic too!
• Daffodil
• Tulip
• Hyacinth

If you are unsure about the flower you have chosen, you can ask your Veterinarian or ask the nursery for help. If you think your dog has ingested any toxic flowers, call your Poison Control Center asap or visit your Vet!

Grab your dog toys, family toys and get outside and enjoy this weather and watch your flowers grow knowing they are safe for your dog and family!

Leash Training your Wild One

We love to buy the precious leashes for our dogs, the fancy crystal dog leashes , the colorful leashes , the all leather dog leashes, there are just so many!

The problem is we buy these great dog leashes thinking that our pooch will follow directions and just be as cute as the leash itself!

So, here are the tips if you are going to go for the fantastic leash for your dog and have him strut in style!

• Make sure you hold the dog leash with your dominant hand and place through the hoop. If you got a wild one, your other hand should be a foot or so up from where the leash attaches to the dog collar.
• Try to walk your dog on the left side. If they stray to the other side, guide them back to the left side.
• If your dog still continues to pull on the dog leash, slow down and wait until he turns back to you. Then after he settles down, praise him and continue on your walk.
• If your doggie still decides in his mind that he wants to walk in front of you and pull on the leash, invest in a dog halter or dog harness to help them along the way.
• Be patient and keep trying.

Walking your dog should be a super easy routine of everyday life, however there are those dogs that decide they like the couch better and refuse to participate, even after you got them the cutest and nicest dog leash in town! So, maybe buy two, a really cute dog leash for his "good days" and a leather stern looking dog leash for the days he gets a little "crazy".

If you are still having trouble with your "heck raiser", try finding a good dog trainer to help you along.