Trick-or-Treat Safety

Make sure all candy wrappers are out of reach.  Wrappers are as deadly as the candy.

Halloween Photos - Ultimutt Dog Care TONIGHT

Halloween Photos - Ultimutt Dog Care TONIGHT from 6 - 7:30pm. Contest is at 6:30.

Trick or Treat Safety

The best pets are often scared of costumes.  Keep them in a secure location during parties.

Halloween Photos at Ultimutt Dog Care TONIGHT

Halloween Photos - Ultimutt Dog Care TONIGHT from 6 - 7:30pm. Contest is at 6:30.

Halloween Dog Photos & Costume contest at Ultimutt TOMORROW night.  Pictures are from 6:00 - 7:30 PM and the costume contest is at 6:30. Prizes will be awarded!  Come join the fun!

Trick or Treat Safety

Keep pets inside during Halloween week. More cats and dogs are tortured this week more than others.

Most grooming breeds should receive a full haircut monthly and schedule bi-monthly touch ups for feet, fanny, and face upkeep.

Upload your favorite dog Halloween costume to our Facebook page.

Bark for Art and The Ultimutt Coloring Contest are going great.  Submitt your entry before 11/10 at Ultimutt.

Does your dog smell like, well a dog?

ALL dogs big and small should visit their groomer at least once a month for a good bath, nail filing, pad hair cut, tooth brushing, and ear cleaning.

Neutering Your Dog

Do you want to reduce the risk of prostate, perianal, and testicular cancer? Then neuter him before he is 8 months old!

Win a gift certificate! Join Ultimutt's Halloween pet photo contest, winner receives $10 gift certificate. Post your favorite Halloween dog pic on Ultimutt's Facebook page.

Cancer in dogs?

Do you want to reduce the risk of your pet developing ovarian, uterine,or breast cance or pyometra (an infection of the uterus)? Then spay your pet before her first heat!

Be sure to watch 40/29 news at 5, 6 & 10 tonight to see Ultimutt's story on the Canine Influenza vaccination!

Eye Envy

Eye Envy Tear Stain Remover is the most effective product for curing runny, ugly tear stains on your dog or cat on the market today. Their solution removes tearstains effectively, safely and gently. Eye Envy is an eye treatment solution that is non-irritating and proven to prevent eye leakage and discharge, quickly and through an easy to use method your pet will appreciate.  This product can be purchased at Ultimutt for $29.

Vaccination Clinic TODAY!

Canine Influenza & Bordetella Shot Clinic Round 2. TODAY 10/20 7:30-8:30am

Dog's Pads

4Paws is a great product for pads that are dry, cracked, rough, split, or torn.  You can purchase this product at Ultimutt.

Canine Influenza Shot Clinic at Ultimutt

We will host another shot clinic for the Canine Influenza and Bordetella this Wednesday from 7:30-8:30am.  Drop your dog off for daycare and get their shots!

Puppy Pedicures!

Long toe nails are more than just clickty clanks on the floor-they can cause your dog to walk differently which will result in severe damage to your dogs' joints. (See additional infomation here) Toe nails, especially dew claws, can curl under and grow back into the dogs pads. On rocks, stairs, carpet, crates or frozen ground a dog can easily break off a toe nail-this almost guarantees you an infection unless antibiotics are administered. By filing your dogs toe nails monthly you can prevent many of these injuries.

Photo Contest!  Enter your favorite Halloween pet photos on Ultimutt's Facebook page.

There ain't No Bugs On Me...

There ain't no bugs on me... This happens only if you do flea prevention and yes, year round!!!  Remember, fleas don't come alone!

Head, Shoulders, Tails, and Paws

This week we will help you know how to care for each part of your dog!

Blue Buffalo Recall

Yet another recall has been initiated. This time it’s a dog food recall by Blue Buffalo. The recall, which is voluntary has been initiated because there may be levels of vitamin D in the dog food which are too high for safe consumption. The following products, bag sizes and lot numbers are part of this dog food recall:
BLUE Wilderness Chicken- 4.5 lb., 11 lb., 24lb. – JUL1211B, JUL1311B, JUL2611Z, JUL2711Z, JUL2811ZBLUE Basics Salmon – 11 lb., 24 lb. – AUG2111B, AUG2211BBLUE Large Breed Adult Chicken – 30 lb. - SEP 22 11 P, SEP 23 11 P, OCT 26 11 P
Blue Buffalo has released the following statement regarding this recall:
We came to this conclusion after discovering that our ingredient supplier had made a scheduling error and produced a Vitamin D supplement immediately prior to preparing the ingredients for the BLUE products that are in question. We believe that some of the Vitamin D supplement may have been carried over into our products, resulting in more Vitamin D than is called for in our formulas.
While the potential of increased Vitamin D presents no serious health risk, and any negative reaction to these products has been confined to a very small segment of the canine population who appear to be sensitive to higher levels of Vitamin D, we have a zero tolerance for any product that does not meet our specifications….
Blue Buffalo has suggested that if you do have one of the recalled bags in your possession, you should immediately stop feeding your dog from that bag, and call 1-877-523-9114 for further information regarding a refund of the product.
Blue Buffalo produces both cat food and dog food. They are headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut.

Dog is Love

Dog is patient, dog is kind, dog does not envy, dog does not boast, dog is not proud. Dog is not rude, dog is not self-seeking, dog is not easily angered,dog keeps no record of wrongs, dog always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perserveres. Dog is Good. Dog is Love.

Don't they deserve the same from us?

Shirts with this saying on it are available at Ultimutt for $24.00.

 

Heat Stoke and Frost Bite/Hypothermia

Heat Stoke and Frost Bite/Hypothermia can be deadly in dogs.   A dogs average temp is 101.5-102.5. You are at danger any time their body tempeture rises or falls outside of this range. If your pet is a puppy or geriatric dog, don’t leave him outside without supervision, especially in snow. Dog feet can get very cold very quickly, especially on thin-coated dogs, and you may have to rescue a shivering pet who cannot walk across the snow.

Socializing Your Dog

Socialization is essential when it comes to providing your dog with all the necessary things he needs, such as food, water, shelter, and love.

What is socialization? Socialization is the process of introducing your dog to new stimuli in order to get him acclimated to strange sounds, smells, people, dogs, and environments. This will help to build his confidence, but also prevent any behavior problems from developing as a result of poor socialization, such as fear aggression, submissive urination, or separation anxiety. Socialization should begin as soon as you get your puppy. Introduce them to sights and sounds around your house before taking them out into the world. Be careful, too, that you don’t jeopardize his health by bringing him to a public place before he has his all of his puppy shots.

One of the best ways to socialize a young dog is to enroll him in doggie daycare. Daycare can provide a wonderful opportunity to expand your dog’s horizons and allow them to learn from other dogs and people. If the doggie daycare has well-trained, experienced, and non-threatening staff, your dog could blossom in the positive environment. Aggressive dogs would not be allowed into daycare immediately; however, with proper training and desensitization, it could happen someday. Daycare can also be useful for the fearful or shy dog, too. Playing with other dogs and people during the say is a very functional way to help your dog come out of his shell. Socializing your dog is so easy and so much fun that a lot of people fail to take it seriously. However, without adequate socialization, your dog may become fearful and is likely to develop two of the most serious and hard-to-resolve problems, biting and fighting. A well-socialized dog may still chase, hump and argue. However, socialization ensures your dog has the requisite social savvy to enjoyably and confidently interact with unfamiliar dogs that he may meet and to resolve arguments with other dogs without doing damage. It is easiest to socialize your dog when he is young, but it is never too late to make him more dog friendly.

Supplements

Joint Health: Glucosamine is an amino sugar that helps build strong joint cartilage. Chondroitin helps keep the cartilage healthy by absorbing fluid into the connective tissue.

Skin and Coat: Omega-3 and Omega-6 cannot be produced by pets. Omega-3 & 6 are essential fatty acids and help damaged cell membranes. If your dogs coat appears dull, dry, if there is greasy skin or hair loss a supplement of Omega 3 or Omega 6 will help produce a shiny healthy coat.

Digestive Health: When there is 'good bacteria' in the large intestine there isn't room for pathogens to proliferate or bad bacteria. Think of 'Activia.'  It works the same way for dogs.

Food

Food: A new concept for most pet owners is that to determine the true cost of food you must look at cost per day not per bag to meet your dogs nutritional needs.

http://ultimuttdogcare.blogspot.com/

Nutrition

Ultimutt Dog Care understands that there are 14,000 brands of dog food sold in the United States so we try to do the research for you. First understand that while some brands are less expensive per pound than other brands, your pets may need more of the food per day to be well nourished. "This is a new concept for most pet owners to understand.They are realizing that to determine the true cost, they must look at the daily cost to feed not the cost per bag." Says Jason Castillo of Pet Nutrition Magazine. The more nutritionally dense the food is the less a dog needs to eat to fulfill their nutritional needs. Many of the premium food brands are not household names because they are not backed by elaborate marketing and advertising strategies however the owners that feed the premium brand would never switch back to 'big box brands.'

A fenced in yard and a bowl of Ol Roy aren't enough for a healthy happy dog anymore.  Stay tuned this week to see how to improve you and your dog's happiness!

Your Ultimutt Staff's favorite thing about Work

Mary:  Seeing how excited the dogs are in the morning to get to Ultimutt

Brook: Playing ball, playing with the dogs in the waterhose, and seeing dogs come and go in their owners car with their heads out the window!

Christine: Being with all the dogs and them not being able to talk back, seeing them socialize and go home worn out!

Buddy: Watching the dogs and learning all of their different personalities.

Fall Favoites of your Ultimutt Staff

Fall Favorites of your Ultimutt Staff

Mary: Hog football

Brook: Hog & Dallas Cowboy football, changing colors of leaves, cooler weather

Kristal: Cooler weather

Christine: Football, the colors and wearing hoodies!

Buddy: Football and having the windows open at night when I sleep

Nana: Hog & Dallas Cowboy football

What's Happening at Ultimutt This Week

Dear Ultimutts:

Bark for the Cure was a success! Thank you to everyone to participated! We had about 100 people in attendance. We had 50 complete the race and 60 dogs. A special thanks to the sponsors and the Northside N'Steppers for all your help!

Remember that as of Oct 1, 2010, we require the canine influenza vaccination for all dogs that come to Ultimutt. We will host a clinic again at Ultimutt Wednesday, Oct 20 from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. for the canine influenza booster and/or bordetella. The vaccinations are $15 each. The sign-up sheet is at the front desk at Ultimutt. Payment must be made in advance. Click here to learn more.

We're selling Razorback shirts and dresses for $24. Go Hogs!

We're also gearing up for another round of our Basic Obedience Dog training. It starts on Monday, October 4th at 6:00 PM. Be sure to reserve your spot for this 4 week class. It will teach you and your dog how to communicate clearly using basic commands. The class will be $80 total. Email Mary at Mary.Young@ultimuttdogcare.com to sign up and reserve your spot! You will learn these basic commands:

• Sit, Stay, Come, Leave It, Off, Down, Free

We will have our Halloween dog photos on Tuesday, October 26 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Our Halloween costume contest will take place at 6:30. Prizes will be awarded! It's a $5 sitting fee and $12 for a sheet of photos (1 - 8x10, 2 - 5x7, 3 - 4x6 or 12 wallets) -- must pay in advance.

Happy Fetchings!

Brook & Mary

First/Favorite Childhood Pets of your Ultimutt Staff

First/Favorite Childhood Pets of your Ultimutt Staff

Mary: Fuzzy Wuzzy - my rabbit ... Calico and Punky Brewster - my cats

Brook: Sandy - a golden retriever who lived to be 16.  I got him when I was 3 and always told him I was taking him to college with me.

Kristal: I got my first pet, Manny (pug), just a few years ago.

Christine: Blaze - a lab mix

Buddy: My family had many different pets when I was growing up. My favorite dog I had was a golden retriever named Paige. Right now my family has an 11 year old cat named Caz. He used to be 16 pounds, but he now lives with my older sister in my hometown of Chicago. My sister put Caz on a vegan diet and he is now a normal size for a cat.

Hobbies of your Ultimutt Staff

Hobbies of your Ultimutt Staff

Mary: Spending time with friends & family, going to the lake, and being outside

Brook: Spending time with friends & family, going to the lake, and being outside

Kristal: Watch her boys play football

Christine: Hang out with friends and playing in tennis tournaments

Buddy: I love to play golf. I played for the University of Arkansas for to years and UAFS for two years. I love to watch football (especially the Hogs!)

Nana: Spending time with my family and watching my grandkids & great grandkids play sports

Fun Facts about Your Ultimutt Staff!

Fun Facts about Your Ultimutt Staff!




Mary: teaches dance at Grayce Dewitt Studio and coaches the Pom Squad at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.





Brook: just got engaged this weekend! :)





Kristal: sells Scentsy & keeps Ultimutt smelling amazing!





Christine: is on a tennis scholarship at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith




Buddy: is originally from Chicago





Nana: her name is Jean & she has 3 children, 7 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and two granddogs