I got your Furminator rules right here

Rules.

And in the column on the left.

Healthy Kate

We went to the vet first thing this morning for Kate's annual checkup and rabies shot.

The old gal is in good shape, so the vet said.

And since Kate is over 13 years old, the vet recommended that we skip the teeth cleaning.

That means I can spend my economic stimulus check on something else — like gas for the car and my credit cards.

Nevertheless, I went to the pet store and bought a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste.

We already had one session, which Kate tolerated.

I'll be better about it this time.

Really.

Walk for canine cancer research Saturday

The 2nd Annual Mickey's Mile Dog Walk for canine cancer research will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the East Fishkill Community Center in Hopewell Junction. On-site registration will be at 10 a.m.

It's a rain or shine event and is a 1 mile walk.

All funds raised go directly to the Purdue Foundation Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.

There will be demonstrations by the Yankee Flyers Dog and Disc Club, vendors, raffles, a picnic and a banjo player.

For sign-up sheets or questions contact Camille.

Ready for adoption — video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Pretty Kitty — Domestic Shorthair
"This young, gray and white female shorthair is the whole package. With stunning good looks (isn't it obvious?) and a pleasing personality, she is well on her way to earning the title of 'Ms. Congenmeowity' at the shelter. The name isn't very original, but the cat is one-of-a-kind!"


The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

A Wednesday funny

Here's a cute dog-related 'toon from Dave Coverly who draws "Speed Bump."

If you aren't reading this on Wednesday, when you get to Coverly's page on the Washington Post Web site, select Wednesday, May 28.

Week 3 Furminator recipients announced

Donnie Corbin and Lisa Selage, both Wappingers Falls residents, will be receiving grooming tools courtesy of the Furminator people.

Selage will be getting the medium yellow Furminator for her three dogs. She entered and wasn't chosen in weeks one and two, but tried again.

She is hoping the Furminator will let her spend less time grooming her pooches. "Please feel the desperation emitting from this e-mail and pick it," Selage wrote, "so maybe on the 4th of July I'll be able to spend my day off flipping burgers on the BBQ."

After not being chosen last week, Corbin bought a Furminator for his mother's birthday/anniversary gift. "It's a good thing Uncle Sam came through with my tax return," he wrote.

This time he entered for his mother's two cats.

I would say his mother is now set, grooming tool wise.

And now we start receiving entries for the fourth — and final — Furminator give-away.

The rules are below and over in the left column. Please follow them; no full name, no street address, no phone number, no entry.

The Rules

No purchase is necessary. All you have to do is send an e-mail to me saying why you need the Furminator.

Please include your full name, a street address to which the Furminator will be shipped via Fedex by the Furminator people and a day-time phone number. Entries will not be accepted without this information.

Make sure you tell me whether you have a dog, cat, ferret or rabbit and give me the size Furminator you will be using.

Small Blue Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets
Purple Cat Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size cats
Medium Yellow Tool — recommended for medium- to large-size dogs
Large Yellow Tool — recommended for large dogs

Each person's name will be put into a hat for a drawing. Including a picture of your pet will get you an extra entry.

By sending an e-mail or picture, you have given me permission to use your comments and/or picture on my blog.

I will be choosing the next two recipients at random Monday at the crack of noon, so you have until then to send in your e-mails.

The Furminator company is generously supplying the grooming tools to recipients of the give-away. Neither the Poughkeepsie Journal nor I are receiving any compensation from the Furminator company. I bought my Furminator myself before I started blogging about it.

Canary in the mine?

An environmental watchdog organization said that your pets could be bellwethers for your own health.

The Environmental Working Group reports that our dogs and cats are exposed to many of the same toxins that we are. Their shorter life spans and rapid development mean health problems they suffer as a result appear much earlier.

Here's the full article from the Stockton, Calif., Record.

They list some ways pets might be exposed to chemicals. They include:

• Scraps eaten from the floor by a dog might swallow dust from outdoors contaminated with heavy metals or pesticides.

• A cat might take in chemicals leached from a pop-top can of food.

• Chew toys containing plastic softening chemicals.

• Foam beds coated with fire retardant chemicals.

• Herbicides used on the yard.

Happy Memorial Day!

Here's a picture of Kate taking a quick break on our walk this morning. Enjoy the day.

Rescue dog gets pacemaker

The life of a 5-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever named Molly — a search and rescue dog — was rescued Thursday when surgeons implanted a pacemaker.

She needed the operation because she was diagnosed with a complete electrical heart blockage.

According to an Associated Press article in the Arizona Republic, Molly's owners were overwhelmed with offers to pay for the $2,500 surgery. The medical company that manufactured the pacemaker donated the device, and a Kansas anonymously paid up to $2,000.

After a couple months of limited activity, Molly will be able to return to full-time rescue work, the article said.

Worsening times affects pets, too

It seems the economy is continuing to take its toll on Americans. The price of gas at the station near me is at $4.06 a gallon.

The housing foreclosure crisis, which we've talked about before (here and here), is still affecting people who cannot find housing that accommodates their companion animals or, simply, cannot afford to take care of them.

The American Humane Association has some tips for homeowners, mortgage lenders and shelters that may be impacted by the crisis.

They are even offering grants to shelters and animal welfare organizations so the agencies can help care for the animals who are collateral damage in these hard times.

Some of the tips for homeowners include asking family, friends and co-workers to care for your pets while you relocate and surrendering your pets to your local animal shelter.

The association urges people not to just abandon pets or set them free. State criminal animal-cruelty laws may apply, if even you think you've left enough food and water for your pets.

Ready for adoption

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Violet — Lab mix
"Roses are red, but Violet is blue. Because she's sitting in the shelter, and she'd rather be with you. With a wagging tail and big brown Lab eyes, she waits diligently to say all her 'Good Byes.' Now it's time for this rhyming to come to a stop, which means it's your turn to come in and adopt."

The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Election night at the Journal

Since we are all covering school budget votes, we were treated to pizza.

I hope Kate will appreciate my saving the crusts for her.

She loves pizza.

UPDATE @ 11:02 p.m. Kate loved the pizza crusts. You can all go to sleep now.

Make yourself comfortable

I don't know what the penguin is looking for.

Week 3 — Furminator give-away

You guys love give-aways. Thanks for all the e-mails and pictures.

Kate and I will be giving away two more of the grooming tools this week — one for a dog and one for a cat, ferret or rabbit.

No purchase is necessary. All you have to do is send an e-mail to me saying why you need the Furminator.

Please include your full name, a street address to which the Furminator will be shipped via Fedex by the Furminator people and a day-time phone number. Entries will not be accepted without this information.

Make sure you tell me whether you have a dog, cat, ferret or rabbit and give me the size Furminator you will be using.

Small Blue Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets
Purple Cat Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size cats
Medium Yellow Tool — recommended for medium- to large-size dogs
Large Yellow Tool — recommended for large dogs

Each person's name will be put into a hat for a drawing. Including a picture of your pet will get you an extra entry.

By sending an e-mail or picture, you have given me permission to use your comments and/or picture on my blog.

I will be choosing the next two recipients at random Tuesday (because of Memorial Day) at the crack of noon, so you have until then to send in your e-mails.

The Furminator company is generously supplying the grooming tools to recipients of the give-away. Neither the Poughkeepsie Journal nor I are receiving any compensation from the Furminator company. I bought my Furminator myself before I started blogging about it.

Week 2 recipients of the Furminator

Congratulations to Daniel Upton Sr. of Hyde Park, N.Y., and Jenna Zeidler of Champaign, Ill. They will be receiving Furminators courtesy of the Furminator people.

Upton wanted a purple cat tool for Baby, who was given to him four years ago as a companion during recuperation from surgery. He is hoping that using the Furminator will ease his wife's allergies and eliminate the fur that "gets into and sticks to everything," he wrote in his e-mail.

Zeidler entered during week one. She didn't receive the Furminator then, so she tried again.

She will be using the small blue tool on Sully, her 5-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

She writes:

He's a black-headed tri, and looks rather unkempt when he's shedding since all that tan undercoat shows through his lovely jet black fur. Our most success in getting the hair is the tried and true method of bathing and then blowing out with a comb but this is MESSY and time consuming and Sully doesn't like it at all. He is a rescue and is scared of loud noises (dryer) and small spaces (bathroom/tub). The furminator would allow us to groom in the comfort of the sofa or maybe even the backyard with breaks for some ball-throwing!

Kate's eating healthy

I was given a book by Catskill, N.Y., residents Corbett Marshall and Jim Deskevich called Eco Dog, which I will be doing a story about soon for the Life section.

The premise is healthy living for your dog using recycled materials, safe cleaning products and organic foods. The publisher is Chronicle Books.

They have a couple of recipes in the book, and, of course, I chose the simplest one to try.

It's called "Quick Dog Treats," and the ingredients, in their entirety, are wheat germ and two small jars of baby food — organic, of course. Mix the ingredients. Roll into balls. Put on greased baking sheets. Flatten with the back of a fork. Pop into a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Give to your dog.

Never one to completely follow recipes, I did not use organic wheat germ. Didn't feel like paying an arm and a leg for it at a health food store, so I used the good old bottled wheat germ from the grocery store. And this time I didn't bother flattening with a fork; I used my fingers.

My treats don't look anything like the picture in the book. (Click on the picture to embiggen for a closer look.)


That didn't matter to Kate.



This is the second time I've made these. The first was with peas and brown rice organic baby food (OK, I panicked in the baby food aisle of Stop & Shop). Today I made it with sweet potato and turkey organic baby food.

Big dogs, big hair problem

Maria from Lagrangeville has two Great Pyrenees dogs named Dante and Daisy.

She writes:

Ever since we got them last July (they were rescues) our house looks like a street out of the old West with blowing tumbleweeds. We have used combs, rakes and brushes but nothing seems to get all the hair. Our male dog Dante looks like he was put in a clothes dryer without a dryer sheet. The Furminator is our last hope in cleaning up this two-dog town.

There's still time to enter. Here are the rules, and you can also find them in the left column of this page.

Cat with dreadlocks?

Allison L. from Wappingers Falls sent the picture above as an entry to the Furminator give-away. For that she gets two entries. Sweet.

Allison writes:

I need the Furminator because I have a ragdoll cat named Grendel. Any neglect in grooming causes him to become one big dreadlock. This makes no one happy. I also have a tabby who just enjoys being brushed. A friend, who ironically has a mostly hairless sphynx, recommended the Furminator as the greatest invention ever.

There's still time to enter. Here are the rules, and you can also find them in the left column of this page.

Keep sending your Furminator entries

Thanks for the great response to the second week of the Furminator give-away.

We even got our first rabbit entries!

Betsy from Lagrangeville sent this picture of Rosebud and Koala.


She writes:

Boy, could I use a Furminator! My three dogs, eight cats and 25 bunnies in my little sanctuary shed more fur than my brushes and combs can keep up with.

Good luck, Betsy.

The rules — please follow them — can be found here or in the left column of the page.

Dry dog food dangerous to human health?

FoxNews.com is reporting a story that links Salmonella to dry dog food.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, humans became infected with Salmonella in 2006 and 2007 from dry dog food produced by Mars Petcare in Pennsylvania. Dogs were not affected, but, officials say, infants were.

Health care officials recommend washing your hands after handling any dog food, treats or vitamins, as well as keeping young children away from pet food.

More from the Washington Post.

Now I'm going to give Kate her breakfast.

Another happy Furminator user

My colleague Irwin Goldberg, the digital editor, took my Furminator home and used it on Ace. He said the first time he used it there was a shopping bag full of hair. He just sent me a picture from a subsequent grooming session.

Irwin writes:

Here's a picture of Ace, our Australian Shepherd after being furminated. I'm not sure he enjoyed the experience as much as the dog on the Web site, but he certainly looks better and will deal better with the summer heat.

Embiggen the picture for a closer look.

You can still send in an e-mail to enter the second week give-away of two Furminators. Here are the rules. Please follow them. No full name, no address, no phone number, no entry.

Ready for adoption — video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Curious — Domestic Mediumhair-gray
"Look at the mischievous look on his face ... we know Curious has been up to something (again)! This adult male mediumhair has an inquisitive spirit and is seeking a 'partner in crime' that can keep up with him."


The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

Furminator give-away — week 2

Here's another chance to get your own Furminator.

This is the second week Kate and I will be giving away two of the grooming tools — one for a dog and one for a cat, ferret or rabbit.

No purchase is necessary. All you have to do is send an e-mail to me saying why you need the Furminator. Tell me how it will improve your life. Tell me how it will improve your pet's life. Tell me you just love give-aways.

Please include your full name, a street address to which the Furminator will be shipped via Fedex by the Furminator people and a day-time phone number. Entries will not be accepted without this information.

Make sure you tell me whether you have a dog, cat, ferret or rabbit and give me the size Furminator you will be using.

Small Blue Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets
Purple Cat Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size cats
Medium Yellow Tool — recommended for medium- to large-size dogs
Large Yellow Tool — recommended for large dogs

Each person's name will be put into a hat for a drawing. Including a picture of your pet will get you an extra entry.

By sending an e-mail or picture, you have given me permission to use your comments and/or picture on my blog.

I will be choosing the next two recipients at random Monday at the crack of noon, so you have until then to send in your e-mails.

The Furminator company is generously supplying the grooming tools to recipients of the give-away. Neither the Poughkeepsie Journal nor I are receiving any compensation from the Furminator company. I bought my Furminator myself before I started blogging about it.

Cats on treadmills

Oh ... my ... god.

Click here.

Too funny.

Furminator winners for week 1

Congratulations to Beth DiGiovanni of Hyde Park and Melanee Ellis of Eugene, Ore. They are the first recipients of Furminators, the grooming tool we are giving away this month.

DiGiovanni said in her e-mail that her dog Max, a cocker spaniel mix, "would feel SO GOOD after a combing with the Furminator!"

Ellis was the entry that came from the furthest away. She runs the Lane Area Ferret Shelter and Rescue. At any given time, they have eight to 38 ferrets.

"We have lots of little bodies to remove fur from," she wrote in her entry. "With the Furminator, we would be able to make the ferrest more comfortable during their shedding seasons, as well as keep them healthier."

She sent in a picture (below) of 1-year-old Taz, which got her an extra entry.


We are now accepting entries for the second week of the Furminator giveaway. The rules can be found in the left column on this blog page or here.

Please remember that I need a complete name, street address and phone number for the entry to be valid.

Good luck.

Week 1 for give away coming to an end

Only a couple more hours until the first week of the Furminator give away comes to an end.

We stop taking Week 1 entries at noon today. Here are the rules. They are also in the left column of this blog.

Winners will be announced as soon after noon as possible.

Trena in Meriden, Conn., sent in this picture with her entry.

Hi! I'm e-mailing you about your free Furminator giveaway. I currently have 5 ferrets and shedding season is just terrible at my house. Fur seems to be everywhere. ... My poor babies seem to sneeze and cough all the time. I change bedding every other day, but it seems like once they crawl back into bed the fur is there again.

Suds and suds

If I were in Portland, Ore., next Saturday, I know where I'd be.

Here.

What a great idea for a fund raiser.

Beer, dog bathing and bloodgiving.

Hey, isn't there a beer place in Hyde Park which is also the home of the Dutchess County SPCA?

This is just wrong, but funny

Here's a short from MGM circa 1930.

It's got dogs in clothing and walking on hind legs.

It's wrong on so many levels.

Kate is overwhelmed

Kate had to take to her bed when I told her how people were responding to the Furminator giveaway.

You have until Monday at noon to send in your entry. The rules are in the left column of this page or you can click here to read them.

Below are a couple of cute kitties whose owner Alicia in Poughkeepsie entered the giveaway.

Alicia writes:

I NEED the Furminator! As you can see from the attached photos, I have 2 (very) furry kitties, Gizmo (top) and Girly. I could brush them all day long and would still be picking up furballs rolling across the hardwood floor like dustballs in the desert. The Furminator would really help reduce the amount of hairballs I pick up! Gross!

Ready for adoption — the tad late video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Oscar — Chow Chow mix
"The loss of vision should not mean the loss of love or hope. This handsome male chow may be vision impaired, but, for the most part, his everyday life is relatively normal. Special assistance is needed in new situations, but Oscar can quickly adapt to his new surroundings."


The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.

More entries

The entries for the Furminator giveaway keep coming in. Thanks to everyone. And good luck. The drawing for the first week is Monday.

And then we start all over.

The rules are in the left side of this page. Or here.

I received a nice picture of Hollie (above) from Heidi in Wappingers Falls.

Hi Kate:

Pick me! Pick me! My name is Hollie and I'm driving my parents wild with my short black hairs. My poor mom spends many hours washing the floors because they are everywhere. I'd rather she spent the time playing with me. I love to chase my squeaky balls. As you can see, I'm not a tiny girl. I'm at least 72 lbs. I'm a mixture of a Black Lab and Great Dane. I love getting belly rubs and back rubs and this FURminator is the perfect thing. I'm going to go now and wait for the Fedex man to come deliver the package. I promise not to bark too loudly at him. I'm a friendly girl.

Enough said

Here's a Web site that features cats that look like actor Wilford Brimley.

Blog header sez it all.

Keep the entries coming

The response to our Furminator giveaway has been really good. And a lot of you are sending in pictures, which gives you an extra entry.

Here's one from Colleen in Poughkeepsie:

Dear Michael and Kate:

Boy do we need the furminator! My name is Keeto and I am a 6-year-old German Shepherd/Akita mix. I am a really good boy (except for my habit of still taking treats from the trash can). I have a combination of my parents coats — my bottom coat is Akita and my top coat Shepard. So when I shed (all year-round) I shed both types of coat — I am a shedding machine!! What was my mother thinking?? An Akita?? Oh well, I guess Dad was just as handsome as me!

My owner/Mom tries her hardest to keep me groomed — lots of brushing and quarterly trips to the groomer but there is no stopping the mess I make. I am really friendly and want people to pet me but when they do I cover them with my hair and they back away. The shedding hair is also very uncomfortable for me — it itches a lot!! Kate, has this happened to you?

The furminator would improve both our lives. Mom wouldn't have to sweep and vacuum everyday. People would pet me more which I would love!! I love to get mail so having the furminator delivered to my house would be really cool — the cats would be so jealous...heh, heh, heh!! The medium yellow tool would probably be best for me.

This give-a-way is purr-fect for me! I have attached a picture of myself so you can see just how handsome I am.

Kate, what do you think? Ever seen a guy as good looking as me??

I would never think to speak for Kate, but I would imagine she would be impressed.

There's a link to the rules here and to the left under Kate's picture.

What cats are really thinking

Here's a clever commercial about human/cat interaction.

Enjoy.

Furminator give-away — week 1

You've seen the video, now here's your chance to get your own Furminator.

Beginning this week Kate and I will be giving away two of the grooming tools — one for a dog and one for a cat — each week for four weeks.

No purchase is necessary. All you have to do is send an e-mail to me saying why you need the Furminator. Tell me how it will improve your life. Tell me how it will improve your pet's life. Tell me you just love give-aways.

Make sure you tell me whether you have a dog or a cat and give me the size Furminator you will be using.

Small Blue Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets
Purple Cat Tool — recommended for small- to medium-size cats
Medium Yellow Tool — recommended for medium- to large-size dogs
Large Yellow Tool — recommended for large dogs

I use the medium yellow tool on Kate, as an example.

Please include your name, a street address to which the Furminator will be shipped via Fedex by the Furminator people and a day-time phone number.

If all the information isn't there, I can't include you in the give-away.

Each person's name will be put into a hat for a drawing. Including a picture of your pet will get you an extra entry.

By sending an e-mail or picture, you have given me permission to use your comments and/or picture on my blog.

I will be choosing the first two recipients at random Monday at the crack of noon, so you have until then to send in your e-mails.

The Furminator company is generously supplying the grooming tools to recipients of the give-away. Neither the Poughkeepsie Journal nor I are receiving any compensation from the Furminator company. I bought my Furminator myself before I started blogging about it.

On the air

I will be on the radio tomorrow morning talking about this blog and announcing a give-away.

Tune in to Mix 97.7 (WCZX-FM) during the 7:30 a.m. half hour.

Kate will be at home sleeping while I'm on the air, naturally.

Pets and pocketbooks

Lots of money is spent on pets.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, we are going to spend over $43 billion — yes, billion — on our furry, feathered or finned love ones.

Even funerals. See this article from the Chicago Tribune, printed in the Houston Chronicle Web site.

Despite a slowdown in the U.S. economy, pet lovers with disposable income appear to be sparing no costs when it comes to keeping their animals dressed in the latest fashions, maintaining a lavish lifestyle at home and even funding funerals.

Busy on Sunday?

The American Cancer Society is hosting the 16th Annual Dogswalk Against Cancer Sunday at Bear Mountain Park.

Last year, there were almost 1,000 dogs and 3,000 people, according to event organizers. Funds raised will support the work of the American Cancer Society, and a $2,000 grant will be given to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

There will be food and vendors, along with games and contests for dogs.

Online registration ends today at 3 p.m. Click here for the Web site. Preregistration is $25 per dog; day of registration is $35 per dog. Fees do not include parking at Bear Mountain. Check in is from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Here are directions to Bear Mountain.

Ready for adoption — video edition

Here is the Dutchess County SPCA Pet of the Week — Ready for adoption. What are you waiting for?

This week's featured pet:
Aloe — White domestic shorthair
"Nothing is quite as soothing as a little bit of Aloe. Super-sweet female adult shorthair would be a great companion and a warm greeting at the end of a long day! Plus, she is cat and dog friendly!"


The Dutchess County SPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park, NY 12538. The shelter is open Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Wednesdays. Call 845-452-SPCA (7722). Browse our adoptable animals today!

Shelter pets rule.