David King is one of my favorite artist so I thought I would share it with you. He does the best abstact pugs that are really cute but also beautiful. Check it out his stuff at pugcasso.com

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I can say from experience that there is nothing funnier watching your pup try to walk in shoes for the first time.

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Having trouble picking a name for your new pet?

You could give your dog a celebrity baby name like Lourdes (Madonna's baby's name), Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow) or Suri (Katie Homes). Which probably work BETTER as pet names... or you could pick from the top 10 most popular male and female names according to a survey given by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VIP).

You will be SHOCKED by the number one male and female names... OK, probably not but check it out anyway

CLICK for list!

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I have recently been vacating in Phoenix, Arizona, and so many funny pet things have happened since then.

Having four dogs is always a challenge when going on vacation. Luckily for me, I have great friends who don't mind dog-sitting.

Calvin went home with my friend Laura, who has two kids, a husband and a cat. He bonded with her immediately, but I think he may have taken a step too far. She thought it was very cute that he wanted to be on her lap and always be near her, but he started showing signs of jealousy with the kids.

She told me that her son, Zane, who is almost 4-years-old, ran to her and tried to jump on her lap, but as he came flying up Calvin lunged at him, as if to bite. (Which, our course, scared little Zaney)

Apparently his dominate behavior continued through the rest of the week. I find this interesting because Calvin used to be protective over me when we first adopted him, and he would try to fake bite Chris every time he came near me. But when we added Silvio to our family (and then the puppies) this behavior (mostly) disappeared.

(Just as a side note, Calvin is 99% all talk and no action when it comes to biting, so Laura and I were not too concerned.)

For all you behaviorist out there, can anyone tell me what that behavior is all about and also what should I do to try to prevent it the next time he has a sleep-over elsewhere?

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I know it's not remotely time to think about Christmas but my coworkers and I have recently been talking about our pets behaviors (and the funny things they do) so I thought I would share a funny story, about my first Christmas with Calvin, with you.

Chris and I adopted Calvin in November of 2003. The holidays were approaching fast and this would be our first Christmas away from our families. Though, somehow Calvin helped soften the homesickness.

Our parents were obviously missing us for the holidays because we had more presents than we knew what to do with. When Christmas morning came we dove in head first and when we were done the floor was covered in wrapping paper. We laughed as Calvin try to maneuver through the chaos.

As Christmas day wore on, it was time to get ready for work (some of us newspaper folks have to work on Christmas day). We decided to pickup the huge pile of paper later, so we kissed our little Calvin goodbye and we were off.

When we got back, Chris found something very strange in the bedroom...

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In tribute to the earth I'm not going to buy a new toy this week, I'm going to make one.

All you need is a water bottle and a large sock (an old tube sock would work perfectly).

It's really easy. Take the lid off a water bottle and squeeze and crush the bottle as much as you can. Then put the bottle into the sock and tie the top.

Ta da, instant toy.

Note, this toy is not for all dogs and if your dog rips through the sock you should either get another sock or recycle the bottle.

Norman goes crazy when he crunches down on the water bottle because it makes a very loud noise.

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We've had Silvio for about three years now (and it's been a very long three years). My boyfriend, Chris, and him haven't always seen eye to eye. But, yesterday Silvio showed a side we've never seen before.

Chris and I play in our company softball league on Sundays — he made a great play from shortstop, running into the outfield to catch a pop fly. Just as he caught it he came down on his ankle wrong and rolled it badly.

When we got home he hobbled upstairs to our bed while I prepared a large bag of ice. While he was resting I stayed downstairs with the dogs (to keep them out of his hair) but Sil wanted to be with Chris so I let him go upstairs. (this is unusual because Sil usually clings to me)

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Doctors Foster and Smith are celebrating their 25th anniversary and they want you to celebrate too ... by giving you money.

Share your favorite photos & win! They are giving away 30 prizes every month, which includes: $300 for first, $200 for second and $100 for third.

Plus, if you are one of the monthly first prize winners you become eligible to win a trip to Maui, Hawaii; Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL; or Sea World, San Diego, CA.

I don't know about you but I already have my first entry picked out. (Calvin has always had a really great smile.) If you think you've got a winner, post your pictures so we know what we're up against.

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We pet owners all have stories to tell.

Well, write one of those stories down and you could win this Ocala Mansion (valued at $1.25 million). The owner, Miss Clementina Marie Giovannetti, a national best-selling author, is coming out of retirement, moving and apparently giving away her home to the person who writes the best "Pet Lover Story"

Send in your "Pet Lover Story" (according to the rules and regulations) along with a cover letter and a 4X6 color photograph of the pet. There is also a $200 entry fee. The contest begins on April 23 and all the entries must be received by July 25th but postmarked on or before July 23.

For all the details (because there are many) check out Ocalamasion.com/mansion.

I think this is awesome that someone can win this house, but I don't really understand how she can afford to just give her home away.

I hope someday I'm in a financial situation like this, where I can give away my million-dollar home.

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When we first brought Calvin home from the shelter I thought he was perfect. His cute little face, his chubby little tummy — just adorable.

After a few days I noticed he was nursing his back left leg. This being my first dog and all, I was freaked out and took him to the vet the very next day.

It turns out that Calvin was quite overweight. My vet told me that it is common for little dogs to get serious knee issues when they are overweight. He asked how much I've been feeding him, and I told him that I fill his bowl when it's empty. (That's how we did it when I was growing up.) He shook his head no and set me straight.

I learned that day that Calvin is not the type of dog that can be free-fed. The vet told me I should be feeding him a 1/2 a cup a day, twice a day. Growing up, our family dogs were always big, I really had no idea how much small dogs ate.

When we adopted Calvin he weighed 12 pounds and now he weighs 9. He still has a limp but it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be.

I know that overweight pets is a real problem. I want to know how do you help your pets lose weight?

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Norman was once again totally stoked by his new toy. This week we took a trip to Pet's Mart and found a very loud and animated octopus. (FYI, I couldn't find these on Pet's Mart website)

Squeeze Meeze Jr. Octopus has crazy extendable arms that spring outward when squeezed. This freaked Norman out at first (in a good way) and he was out of control with excitement.

The Squeeze Meeze Jr. is made out of latex and, unless Norman rips a hole in it, I don't think he will be able to "kill" the squeaker.

The toys range from $3.99 for the Jr. brand (made for smaller dogs) to $5.99 for the regular size.

This is a toy that will keep your dog entertained for hours. (Well, that is if your dog is anything like Norman, obsessed and relentless.)

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If you've never checked out the collars at Around the Hounds you must. Everytime I go to this site I wish I had a girl dog because the female collars are gorgeous.

Around the Hounds make customized collars for hounds, and have recently expanded into the all breed buckle market. They specialize in martingale collars for sight hounds, like my Italian Greyhound Silvio.

If you have any great sites for dog collars let me know. Calvin has been sporting a Chicago Bears collar for over a year now and it's probably time for something new. (Though, I think the Bears are going to bounce back from last season so I'll be hanging on to it.)

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More than a year ago Chris (the boyfriend) and I bought a brand new Nikon for our picture taking pleasure. We were so excited just thinking about all the great pictures we could take, but we never dreamed that 98% of our photos were going to be of our dogs.

They do so many funny things; I am constantly saying "Chris look at how cute Calvin looks; Chris look at Chewy's hair; Awwww, CHRIS look at Silvio and Norman snuggling". Needless to say, Chris is pretty tired of me telling him to "look". Our camera solves this problem because now I just take a picture and he can "look" at the pictures whenever he wants.

The whole point of this long, drawn out story is not just to, once again talk about my dogs, but to send you to a site that has great tips on taking pictures of your pets.

Kodak.com has some great tips to remember (or help) when you're trying to photograph your animals.

Also, I want to know what tips you use to get great shots of your pets.
I usually get great shots by continuously shooting. (Which is why I have 756 photos of my dogs on my memory card, OH and three of Chris).

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I don't know how many times I've been walking Chewy and Norman and someone stops to ask me "what are those?" I usually say schnauzer-Yorkie mixes but the truth is, I have no idea.

They have bearded faces and hair that grows like wild fire. Their previous owner had their tails cropped (which makes us think schnauzer). When we get them groomed Chewy's body looks a lot like my Italian Greyhound (deep chest and long legs). Norman, looks similar to Chewy but has short legs.

Well, now instead of guessing what our mutts are mixed with, why not just get a DNA test. That's right, buy a DNA Breed Identification Test from Happy Dog DNA and in two weeks the mystery will be solved.

The test costs $59.95 plus $4.85 for shipping. All you have to do is swab your pups mouth and send the test to the lab.

This test can be important because it can tell us a lot about our dogs and why they act the way they do. Plus we can learn about breed specific health risks to watch for.

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This week Norman met his match. The Bad Cuz Toy, a very loud and rubbery ball with feet and horns, kept going and going — and going. We bought him the medium size which is quite big for his little mouth. This was great because it really wore him out.

The toy was so much fun that even Chewy played with it. I rate the squeakability very high. Norman did not completely break the squeaker but he did damage it enough to mute the squeak quite a bit.

You can buy these toys at most pet stores ranging from $5 to $10. I highly recommend them, but earlier when I said the squeaker is loud I was not exaggerating!

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We recently moved from a neighborhood that had doggy bag stands everywhere. In our new neighborhood there is only one, but you have to walk a mile to get to it. Which is why I'm so excited that I can now buy BÄSTIS (pet waste bags) from our local IKEA.

I know it's not the most exciting thing to buy, but these bags are only $1.49 for 50 bags and are way more reliable than my reused Publix plastic bags.

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I have four boy dogs, all rescues. Which means that when I adopted them I also adopted their bad habits.

For instance, Calvin, the Chihuahua, is the leader of our pack and he tries to dominate Silvio, the Italian Greyhound. Silvio also wants to be the leader but Chewy (right) and Norman, the schnauzer mixes, won't listen. They follow Calvin.

Because of this we have a major problem called MARKING. Silvio wants all the dogs to think the furniture is his, so what does he do? He pees on it.

Then of course, Chewy and Norman must retaliate and mark over his scent.

This is where diapers saved my life, and my furniture. They make diapers specifically for dogs called Simple Solution that have a hole cut out for their tails, which may be what you're looking for. But they are expensive and I only need the diapers to wrap around their little bellies.

Chewy and Norman wear Publix's brand "stage one" diapers and Silvio wears "stage three". The diapers fit perfect and they are a cheap solution to a huge problem.

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How can you tell if your pet is getting enough water?

You can actually check the elasticity of your pet's skin; pull on the neck. If the skin
doesn’t bounce back to its original position right away, your pet may be under-hydrated.

Check your pet's gums. They will look drier than normal or even look slightly discolored.

Excessive or uncontrollable panting is also a sign.

Here's a cool product that you can carry with you on hot days (especially on long walks). The Handi-Drink is a portable water bottle that unfolds into a dish. Squeeze the bottle and the dish will fill up.

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Occasionally one of my little companions jerks his leash out of my hand. I then have to chase him, which is exactly what he wants me to do. The dogs think it’s a game we play but in reality it is very dangerous because of traffic.

If your dog likes to be chased, next time just lie down on the sidewalk. Your dogs will probably wonder what you’re doing and why you’ve just taken all the fun out of the game. If all goes well, they will come to investigate and probably even lick your face.

Tip: Remember, even though you want to yell at them for running away from you, it’s best to reward them for coming to you.

You tell me: What do you do to get your dogs to stop running or to come to you?

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For all you Italian Greyhound lovers you must go to Iggyplanet.com.

You can learn everything you ever needed to know about Iggies, plus meet hundreds of IG owners who are as obsessed with their dogs as you are!

(And they have a great link to Italian Greyhound rescue groups)

This is my IG Silvio.

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What is this little Chihuahua doing?
CLICK HERE to find out...

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My parents recently adopted a black Chihuahua puppy named Quincy. My Mom always said she would never get another dog, but apparently Quincy was too cute to resist. When vacation came, my Mom was anxious about leaving him.

My aunt Sue was more than happy to watch him for the week. After four days in sunny South Florida, my Mom called home (Indiana) to see how things were going. She regretted it immediately. Qunicy was not finishing his food. This is very unusual since the dog will eat anything, which includes rocks, plastic, hair and or other bite-sized items.

I think it is common for dogs to be stressed while their owners are away. Going off their food seems pretty normal in most cases.

But in this case it turns out Quincy was eating all the other dogs’ food and just wasn’t hungry by the time Sue fed him. When my parents got home Quincy was quite plump and gained about pound.

You tell me: How do you help your pets cope when you go on vacation?

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If you were a dog what breed would you be? Take the quiz on Dogster.com

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Growing up, I lived with three brothers, two cats and one beloved dog, Molly. Now I live with four dogs and one boyfriend.

I have a lifetime of animal stories to share. And I hope you'll join me!

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Our little Norman, a terrier mix, is a toy-destroying machine. He has “killed” every squeaky thing in the house. There is nothing more frustrating then giving him a new toy and three minutes later it is de-squeaked, de-stuffed and destroyed.

We have been buying him mini tennis balls, likes these Kong Mini Squeakers, lately (which he loves) but he knows how to break them in two minutes flat. Plus, they are small enough to find their way under everything. Yesterday we literally found 12 under the stove!

So we’re on a hunt to find a toy that can withstand his wrath. We will buy a new toy each week and judge its durability, squeakability (how long the squeak lasts) and overall interest.

You tell me: What toys would you like me to test or what works for your animals?

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Puppies, kittens, birds, bunnies and even piglets!
This site is full of the cutest of the cute.
Even the snakes, rats and bugs are adorable.

You have to check out cuteoverload.com. If you’re having a bad day this is your answer.

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