Dear Quan Yin,
How do you stay so beautiful? Any beauty tips for summer? What’s your recommendation for curing bad breath? (not that we have it!)
Thanks,
Ella and Sally (Angel and Devil-dog)

Dear Ella and Sally,
You are so kind to compliment me! It is i who should ask you for beauty tips!

I think a healthy lifestyle is the key to beauty. My pet humans feed me good dog food, a brand that does not have wheat, corn, soy or by-products. Lately they have been cooking turkey, rice and veggies for me- as i have been such a delicate creature with the move, heat and the scary truck sounds of Salem.

I drink only filtered water- never tap! Several downward facing dog yoga poses each day help me to stay flexible and i insist on at least 3 to 4 walks per day. I recommend meditating on squirrels for at least a half hour each day. And my mantra is Om Take Me For A Walk Om…..

I cannot imagine either of you suffer from bad breath. My pet humans add parsley to my food and also give me the Dragon Teeth bones by Solid Gold. I did an entire blog post on those the other day so scroll down to read about them! I think they will be using the Leba dental spray soon on my pearly whites.

Let’s have lunch one day, a walk on the beach or a squirrel meditation. Perhaps we can have our pet humans contact one another. Would love to meet you both since you are so famous in Marblehead! (Of course my feline roomies are still talking about the day Sally came to visit… and they have never stopped playing with Ella’s red ribbon of peace!)
Kiss kiss
Quan Yin

When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. ~Chinese Proverb

I would like to thank the oh so handsome Dewey for the lovely Kong gift. It was so sweet of him and his pet humans to think of me. These pics are not the best- i am camera shy. Actually i am terrified of the flash.
Soon there will be more pics of gifts from my Aunt Jean and her dog Guinness and cat Ethel who sent a lovely scarf from Texas. My Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Laura sent a beautiful handmade collar too. Thank you all for being so kind.

Opening the present! (Beta-chic would like me to remind everyone that this picture was taken during an extremely humid day which makes her hair turn into the Medusa.)

Chasing the Kong filled with turkey!
For all those who do not know what a Kong is visit their website at www.dogtoys.com/kongtoys.

The Handsome and oh so Debonaire Dewey!

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself.”
Tecumseh Shawnee Chief

Thank you!
Until next post remember- Gratitude is the best attitude!
Quan Yin

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

It’s the hot dog days of summer. It has been horribly hot here in Salem these past few days. Taking long walks without water can be dangerous for dogs, especially while wearing a black fur coat. So the pet humans bought me this oh so cool water bottle called the Gulpy Pet Water Dispenser. It is easy to carry. Beta-chic carries it in her purse and it has a cool little bowl attached so its easy to sip from. You can find them at most local pet stores.

Oh and please use filtered water not the tap water for your dogs!

Who wants to go for a walk…….
Happy Tails
Quan Yin

Humans are always complaining about stinky dog breath. Mine just bought me a bag of these new cookies. Check out the ingredients! I even liked them. (I can be fussy about treats- which is a good thing i am told!)

It is supposed to be another really hot day today. Guess i will be hiding out in the only room with AC with the cats again. If only the humans would provide squirrels for us to chase in the house.

Wishing everyone a happy weekend!
Quan Yin

Solid Gold Dragon Teeth Biscuits for stinky dog breath!
Ingredients

Oatmeal, Spelt, Krill, Canola Oil, Flax Meal, Dry Spinach, Perilla Oil, Olive Leaf Extract, Green Tea, Chlorophyll, Avocado, Peppermint, Lamb Gelatin, Vitamin E Tocopherols
www.solidgoldhealth.com

Quan Yin reporting for PR duty. I now have a new nickname…. Poopalina. (Apparently the Beta-Chick comes from an odd lineage of Italians with a warped sense of humor who have named their dogs Poopalus, Poopalina and Poosie.)

It’s been a strange since the 4th of July evening for everyone living here. I have had nonstop explosive diarrhea starting the night of the 4th, keeping the humans up a few nights in a row. I had one accident in the house too. Incense does not cover up THAT!

They tried everything to stop it…..including a really mean thing like stopping my regular food. I have been fed white rice with pumpkin. YUCK! Potato and chicken. Yogurt. Given probiotics, Eagle Pack holistic stuff, and Chinese herbal remedies – none of which really fixed it completely. I have gone through an entire box of biodegradable poop bags. I can only hope Al Gore calls to thank me.

And of course both of the humans had countless possible reasons of what caused the poopathon : The stress of the fireworks, the horrid heat, the water, the Salem water, the food, Beta-Chic’s singing (actually i like her singing because it’s so bad it’s funny, also it annoys the Alpha-Guy and especially, the cats!)

So fearing it may be a parasite or cootie they took me to the V-E-T. Beta-Chic was nervous that i would freak out there. I got to ride in her Barkmobile in the front seat with my new seat belt with the window open. Very cool. The real reason the window was down was because we were taking a poop sample in too that stunk up the car. Beta-chic gags a lot. She really needs to toughen up.

And ha ha ha.. i fooled her. I was brave and i actually liked the V-E-T. Everyone was so nice to me there. Dr Leslie Story at Atlantic Vet Hospital in Marblehead rocks! My feline roomies also go to Atlantic Vet hospital when they have too and all seem to like it too.

Dr Leslie got on the floor and talked to me and she did not torture me. How cool is that? So she gave me a check up and then some drug known as Flagyl® (metronidazole). See the link below for info on that.

So today i took my last Flagyl. (It taste best in provolone cheese.) We found out that most of the dogs in this neighborhood have had the same symptoms in the past few weeks. So perhaps it is the Salem water or the city of Salem sprayed some pesticide at the Salem Commons, or the city grass. Unfortunately the City of Salem is not environmentally conscience. .. but that is another topic for another day.
Hoping everything comes out OK … literally!
Happy Tails,
Quan YIn

From http://antibiotics.emedtv.com/flagyl/flagell.html

Flagyl® (metronidazole) is a prescription medicine approved for the treatment of various infections caused by parasites and anaerobic bacteria. By entering a bacterial or parasite cell, the antibiotic creates a reaction that produces free radicals to kill the bacteria or parasite. Flagyl comes in the form of tablets (long-acting and short-acting) and capsules, and is also available as an injection. Some of the side effects that have been reported with Flagyl include a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, and headaches.”

I’m clean thanks to the Halo Cloud Nine Shampoo for dogs!

Cloud Nine Herbal Shampoo is a revitalizing infusion of botanical oils and extracts – turning grooming into a pleasurable experience

Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Coconut, Olive and Jojoba, Tea Tree Oil, Rosemary Oil, Sage Oil Cedarwood Oil, Peppermint Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Pine Needle Oil, Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract (as a preservative)

There are several other great shampoo products for dogs on the market. My pet humans decided on the spur of the moment i needed a bath and bought this at Whole Foods. Now they are going to spray me with some stinky Neem oil to keep away the ticks and fleas.

Swami Dog-ananda is the patron of all homeless, flea ridden dogs.

In shelters devotees of this Master place a biscuit at his image in hopes of finding a new home. Others chant his mantra….Home Please find me a Hooooooome

. Swami Dog-ananda has stayed in embodiment until all dogs find homes. Go to your local shelter and adopt a dog. Good DOGma…Good Karma.
Find the Swami Dog-ananda Throw Pillow and other pawsitive gifts for dog lovers at The Tao of Dog Galleria

Earth Day is around the corner. How can you and your dogs help the environment? Biodegradable poop bags!

“Picking up after your pet is part of being a responsible pet owner. In many communities, it’s also the law. We are constantly amazed when pet owners put 100% biodegradable dog waste into plastic bags that can take over 100 years to decompose. Now owners have a logical solution.”

There are several eco-friendly poop bags now on the market. Save fossil fuel and burn calories by walking your dog to your local pet supply store for a box!

Here’s Trouble!” In January, 2006, after some tough times of her own, then twelve year old Kendra Duncan of Marblehead, Massachusetts, decided that kids (and adults too) could use some help during difficult times … maybe they were ill, or had lost a loved one … or were simply feeling a little bit afraid. They needed a great big hug … and more!

She sat down and drew a very simple little pup, and named him “Trouble”! She then worked with her aunt, Sheila, to design a cuddly plush toy as well as a children’s book which tells Trouble’s story of rescue and hope…and how to “be tough” when times are hard.

Trouble has a mission … to make people feel better … and he does! It’s magical! ” To learn more visit http://www.troublesaysbetough.com.

Purchase this adorable stuffed Trouble dog or the children’s book and the proceeds are donated back to the SPCA of TN towards rescuing another poor dog that has no hope.

It is shocking that the FDA still allows the pet food industry to add harmful and disgusting ingredients in their products after all the recalls in the industry. These are the same brands that have the wonderful commercials on TV, sponsor ACK Dog Shows, and have full page ads in most dog magazines. Advertising at its best.

These are just a few of the ingredients found in some well known brands of pet foods. A warning to those with weak stomachs please read with caution!

*Animal meat meal and animal by-products: this is what is left of the slaughtered animal after the meat is removed. It can include things like beaks, feet, blood, intestines, bones, and tissue.

*Beef and bone meal: another by product of beef which can include hair, hooves,horn,manure, entrails and blood.

*Chicken Byproduct Meal: Consists of the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines — exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

*Corn bran: which is the outer layer of the corn kernel. It has no nutritional value.

*Corn Gluten: is the residue from corn which can be used as a protein but can cause allergies in many dogs just like wheat gluten.

*Wheat Gluten: The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch. An inexpensive byproduct of human food processing with almost no nutritional value left, serves mostly as a binder.

Wheat also exacerbates pain in dogs and humans.

Take the time to research your pet’s food before buying a pretty package. Most of the smaller pet supply shops carry the healthy brands. It is difficult to find those in most grocery chains unless it is a natural health food store.

If you would like to learn more about the best commercial dog foods on the market please visit the link below. Your dog will thank you!
www.dogaware.com