Summer is in full swing which means it’s vacation time! If you have a pet, though, you’ve got a lot of extra preparation to consider before you even pack your bags: Where will the dog stay? Who will take care of the cats? Why not take them with you!

Many hotels and resorts around the world are realizing how important pets are to their guests and have become accommodating by not only allowing supervised pets on the properties but some even go so far as to provide special outdoor areas for them as well.

My friend and fellow pet lover Alicia helped me find a few of the links below - they’ll definitely help make life easier the next time you need a weekend away!

BringYourPet.com lets you search worldwide for pet-friendly hotels, chalets, bed and breakfasts, resorts, lodges, and motels.

PetsWelcome.com offers pet-friendly listings (use the menu on the left), as well as emergency vet locations and kennels nationwide. They even have a section just for cat-friendly spots!

PetTravel.com lets you search by city, country or region, and even has informative articles on pets and timeshares and immigration and quaratine.

DogFriendly.com provides travel guides specifically for dog owners.

PetFriendlyTravel not only lists hotels, motels, B&Bs, etc, but also restaurants and recreation areas.

1ClickPetHotels lists only pet-friendly hotels and motels by state or province.

[image: flickr]

I love ferrets. We’ve had the opportunity to pet-sit them a couple of times for friends and they’re such sweet little things. What keeps us from getting any of our own is the age-old issue of scent. My husband had two ferrets at two separate times before we met and he said that even though they were “de-scented” they were still pretty odorous.

Oh well. I can now get my fix from the Smithsonian’s Ferret Cam! Georgia, a black-footed ferret, gave birth on June 20th. This is a big deal because The National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia have been breeding the ferrets for the last 20 years in an effort to keep the animals off the brink of extinction. Black-footed ferrets are actually considered extinct in the wild because they currently survive only in captivity. This year alone 21 females were bred at CRC, four by artificial insemination and 17 by natural pairings. So far four ferrets have given birth!

In the screenshot above you can see what a good mom Georgia is as she gives her little kit a bath. It won’t develop its markings for a while yet.

[image: screenshot]

Hope, a one year-old Maltese puppy with only nubs where her front legs should be, is finally getting a chance to see what life is like with a little mobility!

The custom designed harness is attached to independently moving arms that are actually attached to model airplane wheels, and with a just a bit of push from her hind legs she’s able to move around almost as she should as opposed to the hopping she previously did.

As she gets older she’ll have to have another device made for her. Make sure you check out the rest of the article linked above - she’s too cute to miss!

The Early Show on CBS did a segment last week on the smartest and dumbest dog breeds. I’ve heard of some breeds not being as bright as others, I’m not sure what their criteria was.

Anyway, they say the dumbest breeds are:

1. Afghan Hound
2. Basenji
3. Bulldog
4. Chow Chow
5. Borzois
6. Bloodhound
7. Pekingese
8. Mastiff
9. Beagle
10. Basset hound

and the smartest are:

1. Border Collie
2. Poodle
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Doberman Pinscher
6. Shetland Sheepdog
7. Labrador Retriever
8. Papillon
9. Rottweiler
10. Australian Cattle Dog

Like I said, I’m not sure what they’re basing their rankings on exactly. I’ve known a pretty smart beagle and a dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks poodle so it’s a safe bet that it’s all relative anyway!

What do you think of the lists?

[image: flickr]

Aww, this is so cute! Apparently a little piggy in the UK is actually afraid of mud and dirt and refuses to join its littermates when they’re rolling around in it.

Image details: Piglet served by picapp.com

Her owners noticed that Cinderella, as she’s been dubbed, would sit off to the side of the pen shaking while the rest of the pigs were being, well, pigs and came to realize that she was having a problem with the mud. They grabbed some small wellies (rain boots) that were being used as pencil holders and slipped them on Cinderella’s feet. She now joins her littermates doing what pigs do best!

She’s so used to them now that she runs over to have them put on as soon as she sees the owner enter the pen!

Remember, these are for the dog, not you! (Although, admit it - when you make your own treats you take a nibble, right? Right?)

Apple Cinnamon Drops Dog Treats

1 large apple
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/8 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Core, slice and mince the apple (use a food processor if you have one). In a large bowl, combine the minced apple, honey, water, cinnamon, and oatmeal. Gradually blend in the wheat flour, adding enough to form a stiff dough.

In a small bowl, add 1/8 cup wheat flour. Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in the wheat flour (to prevent sticking), flatten each spoonful of dough into a circle. Adjust the size of the drops based on how big a treat you like to feed your dog.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and flip each cookie to brown evenly on both sides. Reduce oven temperature to 325 ° F. Return to oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let cool overnight.

Makes about 3 dozen crunchy cookies, depending on how big you make them.

[image: flickr]

I love this! Furniture made with sisal for both cats and people - no more worrying about the cat scratching up the couch or coffee table. In fact, it’s encouraged!

It’s made by Cat Livin, who also sells other items from sleeping mats to live catnip.

What do you think? Would you furnish your home with your cats in mind like this?

[product image: cat livin]

You can get soda, food, and even movies through vending machines now, why not pet supplies?

Check out these pet supply vending machines made by Hey Buddy! They can be loaded up with balls, toys, Frisbees, flea collars, pick-up bags, leashes, vitamin-water, and treats.

They’re franchised out now, and you can see where a few have already been placed.

Have you seen any of these around?

[image: product photo, hey buddy!]

Image details: Seoul University Scientists Produce Three Cloned Dogs served by picapp.com

Pet cloning has been a hot issue for a couple of years now. Ever since Dolly the sheep was successfully “copied” in the 90’s some pet owners have clamored for a chance to make their four-legged companions live on just a little longer.

Cloning involves creating a new animal using the genetic material of an existing animal. Many people mistakenly think that this will create an exact duplicate of their beloved pet, but in reality there are enough differences - in both looks and personality - that the providers of this “service” are quick to point out it’s more like an identical twin than an exact copy.

Personally, I can’t imagine ever doing this. I love each of my pets dearly but I know that eventually they’ll leave us - that’s how it goes. And with no guarantee that the clone will have the same personality and looks (which, frankly, is just creepy anyway!), I think it’d end up being a big waste of money, especially when there are already so many sweet animals that need homes as it is.

What do you think? Would you clone your cat or dog? Why or why not?

Image details: Pet Food In Red Plastic Bowl served by picapp.com

Companies that were sued over the tainted pet food that caused the deaths of thousands of animals last year have reached a settlement amount of $24 million to pet owners in the United States and Canada.

The agreement still needs a judge’s approval but if it makes it through it will benefit the people who incurred expenses directly related to the illness or death of a pet linked to the food, and pet owners could be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses, including veterinarian bills and burial or cremation costs.

The pet food was discovered to contain wheat gluten imported from China that was contaminated with melamine, a chemical used to make plastics.

A court hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 30.

Were you or anyone you know affected by the tainted pet food?