Pet Tales

Cold, tasty treats for your favorite fido.

By Beth J. Bates

Everyone loves chilly, tasty treats during the summer time. I'm not a big ice cream eater, but I do love it in the summer. You know who also loves cold treats? Your dog! Yes, it's true. On hot summer days, your dog would enjoy a frozen goodie just as much as you! Here are a few super easy recipes to make your dog's summer delicious!

Bidding you a fond farewell. It's been a howling good time!

By Beth J. Bates

Well, all good things must come to an end. It's time for the Pet Tales blog to hang up the leash. I've had a fantastic time sharing my insight, tips and stories about my favorite animals in the world - dogs. I hope that Pet Tales has inspired you to potentially start your own blog about your pets or has at least made you think about how important pets are in our lives.

Keeping your dog cool during the hot summer months.

By Beth J. Bates

Panting dogs. That's what I see when I look out my window into my yard. Big pink tongues wagging in the sun. My dogs, George and Rocky, love to be outside. We don't let them overheat and often bring them into the air conditioning to cool down, but they do love the outdoors. So I've been looking for new ways to keep them cool when they are outside on a warm day.

Soothing your dog's anxiety during a thunderstorm.

By Beth J. Bates

Lately, here in the mountains of Virginia, we've had several pretty severe thunderstorms. Luckily our dogs (all five of them) don't seem to have any problems with thunder and lightning. When I was a kid, my aunt's dog had a fear of loud noises so severe that she had to sedate the dog during thunderstorms and fireworks. I used to think that there was little you could do for a dog that was afraid of storms, but I've come to find that there are a few tips to help him feel a little less anxious.

Muttigrees.org gives a shout out to your mixed breed dog.

By Beth J. Bates

I love a mutt. I have two purebreds and two mixed breeds and while I love all my dogs, I do love my mutts. So much emphasis is put on purebred dogs having the proper confirmation and pedigrees that I've always wanted a group for mutts. Well, ask and ye shall receive! Enter the American mutt-i-grees Club.

How we are dealing with mast cell tumors and canine cancer.

By Beth J. Bates

As you may recall, back in January we adopted Hugo, a wonderful Cane Corso mastiff mix. He has become my best friend and, quite frankly, the best dog we've ever had. In late March, I noticed a large lump on Hugo's side. I didn't think anything of it since dogs can be lumpy and its usually nothing. Luckily, Hugo got an eye infection and I had to take him to the vet. Since we were there, I had the vet check the lump. In less than 3 minutes my world changed. Hugo had cancer.

These simple first aid tips may save your pet's life in an emergency.

By Beth J. Bates

It's happened to all of us. Our dog is hurt and our first instinct is to panic. But there are many actions that you can take at home that may solve the problem or at least make your dog comfortable until you can get to a vet. Please remember that any attempt at first aid should be followed by a vet visit for follow-up care.

How to keep your pup perfect during dirty summer months.

By Beth J. Bates

It seems like my dogs are dirty all of the time. They spend a lot of time outside and seem to find the muddiest parts of the yard to play. They roll in dirt and play in the rain. George, my mastiff, was covered in yellow pollen - so much that I felt compelled to hose him off.

How do I keep my dogs clean during the summer without bathing them every single day?

Stay up-to-date on animal welfare and pet issues ala Twitter.

By Beth J. Bates

For those of you who haven't caught the Twitter fever, here's the down and dirty explanation. Twitter is a microblogging tool that enables user to share information in immediate, short 140 character bursts. I think that Twitter is a valuable tool for networking with great people, keeping up on news and issues and keeping in touch with friends and family.