Just when you think turning on the evening news is going to bring nothing but gloom and doom, we at Central Bark Doggy Day Care have an inspiring story to tell.

An amazing female French bulldog, named Baby resides outside of Berlin, Germany at the Lenhnitiz animal sanctuary. Not only does she live there, but she is truly part of the team in assisting and offering care to others at the sanctuary. Baby has acted as the foster mother to cats and even racoons. This winter,  Baby has broadened her mothering horizons to include baby wild boar piglets that are almost as big as she is.

 Baby does everything for her surrogate children including snuggling up to the six piglets to grooming them and keeping a watchful eye. There is nothing this amazing pooch won’t do!

The Superbowl came and the Superbowl went and now we are left with some pretty amazing commercials.

There was definitely a doggy trend this year among commercials.  There was the highly anticipated “Dog Strikes Back” Volkswagen commercial about a dog who really works it out…

Wheat Thins used America’s favorite Family Guy characters including Brian the dog…

This year’s fan favorite was probably the Doritos ad…

Most of us understand the importance of good oral health for ourselves and visit our dentist at least twice a year. However, dental care is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of our pet’s health.

Just as with people, periodontal disease starts when food particles, saliva, and bacteria attached to the teeth produce a filmy matrix called plaque. If this matrix is not disrupted, calculus forms. More commonly known as tartar, the calculus makes the surface of the tooth rough and provides a better hold for more bacteria and protects the bacteria from being dislodged. These bacteria will then infect the gums, causing a condition known as gingivitis.

If not treated appropriately, gingivitis can progress to periodontal disease, destroying the bone that supports the tooth. There is even an association between dirty teeth and other serious diseases. The same bacteria that cause dental disease have been found in the heart, kidney and liver of diseased animals.

As your pet ages, a weekly check of the mouth may help to find issues before they become dangerous. You should take time to look for plaque and tartar, especially on the large canine teeth in the front of the mouth and the big shearing teeth in the back of the mouth. Other potential areas of concern include fractured teeth, gum tissue that is overgrown or does not appear to be a healthy pink color, bleeding from the gums or any tumor or ulceration in the mouth.

In addition to using your eyes, your nose can be an important tool as well. Pets are not supposed to have bad breath! If you can detect any foul odor, or if you see any problems in your pet’s mouth, see your family veterinarian.

There is a great advancement for busy pet owners who don’t have time to brush their dog’s teeth. After you have done your weekly exam, you can apply a barrier sealant called OraVet. In less than one minute per week, your pet’s teeth can be protected and the effects of plaque and calculus can be minimized. By adhering to the surface of the teeth, OraVet gel actually helps to repel plaque-causing bacteria. Without plaque formation, dental disease is much less likely to begin or get worse.

For optimal results, see your veterinarian to have your pet’s teeth cleaned, followed by an initial application of OraVet Professional Strength applied after the dentistry. You then simply continue weekly applications with a home care kit.

For more information on OraVet contact your local veterinarian.

Source: Brenda Johansen, DVM Harmony Pet Care

As a precursor to their highly anticipated Superbowl 2012 commercial, Volkswagen released a commercial ad featuring a canine chorus barking the tune from Star Wars.

This is sure to be one of the greatest ads of the year.  Make sure you watch the entire commercial because it has an adorable ending.

Many of us are very conscious about what we put into our bodies.  How many times are you at the grocery store and stop to read a label, or the back of a box? You may look at the calorie intake, the nutrient content or maybe just the ingredients. Contrary to popular belief, dog food labels do read the same way.

Pet foods are regulated by a sector of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and are required to have certain information listed.

Below is a list of the info required and what it all means…

-Feeding Instructions: In dog food terms, feeding instructions set guidelines for how much to feed a dog based on its weight.  Puppy food will even give feeding instructions based on age!  The feeding instructions will often also let a pet owner know how often to feed their dog.

-Guaranteed Analysis: This is just a fancy term for what nutrients are included in the food, broken down by percentage.  Here you will find minimum levels of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum levels of crude fiber and moisture.  You will also find vitamin and minerals percentages here.

-Ingredients: The ingredients part of the label will list, in descending order by amount, what the food is actually made from.  Normally, a form of protein appears first, then grains, fats, additives and preservatives.

Nutritional Adequacy Statement: The nutritional adequacy statement says whether the food provides complete balanced nutrition for a dog based on levels set by the AAFCO, or Association of American Feed Control Officials.  The statement will also include a life stage claim, which will let you know the stage of life that this food is intended for (puppy, adult, etc).

AAFCO Nutrient Profiles: All foods must meet at least one profile set by the AAFCO: growth/lactation or maintenance.  Some labels claim that the food is intended for all life stages.  Those foods provide enough nutrients for an animal’s growth and reproduction as well as for maintaining a healthy adult.

Manufacturer’s Contact Information: A name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor are ALWAYS required.

If you’re looking for a place to buy your dog food and you’re just not sure what will suit your pooch the best, stop by your local Central Bark Doggy Day Care.  Their dog experts will help you determine which food will benefit your dog the most!

To find a Central Bark nearest you click here or call 866-799-2275.

This article idea was submitted by Holly of Central Bark New Orleans!

Central Bark Doggy Day Care would like to wish you and yours a very happy holiday!  To celebrate the holiday season check out out festive doggy gallery below!

Dogs are adorable, but I think we can all agree that when a dog gets dressed up they become a million times more adorable.  Enter Designs For Paws.

Designs For Paws sells custom made, designer bandanas for animals.  The quality of the construction of these bandanas are as amazing at the designs.  Handmade in the USA, the edges of the bandanas are sewn with a turned serge edge to keep the fabric from fraying and contorted while being washed.

They even offer embroidery services to customize your pooch’s bandana!  You don’t even have to worry about Fido undoing the knot on these babies because there’s an open sleeve at the top where the collar slides in for fastening.

These make great gifts!  Check out their full line here.

One beach in California has issued a new life saving technology…for dogs!  Doggy CPR masks have been issued to one lucky beach’s lifeguards in the state of Cali.

Although it is not often that a dog needs CPR at a beach, when they do a human face mask doesn’t fit well.  Air tends to escape out of the sides and renders the mask useless.

Dogs are just like humans and this video just offers more proof.  Check out this dog who just can’t keep still when one of his favorite Black Eyed Peas songs comes on.  Prepare yourselves because this dog has some moves…

Most dog lovers confuse hip dysplasia with arthritis of the hips.  In a normal dog, the ball and socket of the hip fit together well and the ball stays in the socket where it belongs. When a dog has hip dysplasia, the ball and socket of the hips have an abnormal relationship to each other.  This can range from mild incongruity to the ball being partially out of the socket.  This abnormal relationship between the bones will then eventually result in arthritis – and in pain for the pet.

The only way to diagnose hip dysplasia is with radiographs of the hips.  Unfortunately, there can be a poor correlation between how the hips look on film and how the dog feels and behaves.  Some dogs with mild hip dysplasia can be severely lame, while other dogs with very bad hips act perfectly comfortable.  Inevitably, all dysplastic hips will result in arthritis at some point – we just can’t tell when.  How and when a dog develops pain in the hips determines what treatment options are available.

For more information like this, be sure to sign up for Central Bark’s monthly newsletter!

Source: Central Bark Doggy Day Care Newsletter

Author: Dr. Biermeier