Written on July 28, 2010 by jallen14
We get to have lots of interesting conversations with our wonderful customers at our retail store and grooming salon at Dee-O-Gee in Bozeman, MT. Listed below are answers and explanations to 3 of the more common questions we get.
1) Can my dog have Chocolate?
The worst a Hershey bar can do to you is add an inch to your hips. But that same candy – even in relatively small amounts – can make a dog very sick. In addition to a high fat content, chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, two different types of stimulants that affect the central nervous system and the heart muscle, as well as increasing the frequency of urination.
Symptoms: If your 50-pound dog gets his paws on a single chocolate-chip cookie, it probably won’t cause him serious problems. However, if he gobbles up more – a pan of brownies, say – he may develop vomiting or diarrhea. Once toxic levels are reached, the stimulants kick in, and this is when you really have to worry. Symptoms of potential toxicity secondary to excess chocolate ingestion include: restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination and/or excessive panting. If your pet isn’t treated, there is a possibility that he will go into seizures or worse.
We get this question a lot at Dee-O-Gee because of our home-baked dog treats, some of which have carob on them. Carob looks a lot like chocolate, yet it is extremely low in caffeine and calories. Carob = safe for d-o-g’s, chocolate = not so much.
2) Why do dogs bury bones?
To understand why your dog buries his bones, even though you feed him twice a day, you have to understand his nature. You can do this by looking at your dog’s genetic heritage. Although dogs have been around for millions of years, they have only been domesticated for a few thousand years, and they spent a lot of time developing behaviors that helped them to survive.
One of the most important behaviors had to do with finding and maintaining an adequate food supply. Being carnivores, dogs might sometimes kill a prey animal large enough to feed the entire pack, like a moose or a mammoth. Alternatively, when small prey animals were abundant , they might kill many of these bite-sized creatures.
Either way, they often found themselves with more food than they could eat at once. However, they could never be sure when they would be able to find and kill another prey, and much time could pass – sometimes weeks – without them finding another meal. So to be on the safe side, they carried the bones, which were filled with nutrient-rich marrow, back to their lair, and buried them nearby. When food was scarce, they could always rely on the bones to keep them fed.
This process is called caching or hoarding, and it is common among dogs, wolves and foxes. In fact, other animals practice a form of caching; squirrels gather enough nuts to last through the winter, and camels store enough food and water to last for several days in the desert. Our domesticated dogs may have their food handed to them each day in sufficient quantities, but they still carry this caching trait and bury their bones or toys in the back yard – or even under your pillows – to guard against a possible shortage of food.
So, why do dogs bury bones in the ground? Because it’s in their nature.
3) Why do dogs have cold wet noses?
Although most people say a healthy nose should be “cold and wet,” it is actually more appropriate to describe it as moist. A wet, runny nose is a sign of trouble and should be checked out by your vet. By the way, a normal moist nose doesn’t always mean a dog is healthy; if your dog has a moist nose but seems lethargic, or in discomfort or pain, consult your vet.
Conversely, a dry nose doesn’t always signal illness. Dogs just waking from sleep often have a warm, relatively dry nose. And, some dogs, like bulldogs, just have dry noses that even chap and crack.
Despite what many people think, you cannot determine your dog’s temperature by feeling his nose. A warm nose does not mean your dog has a fever. Only a properly used thermometer can tell you that. So remember, if your dog shows discomfort, lethargy or loss of appetite, you’ll need to have your local vet examine him, regardless of the condition of his nose.
If you see a nasal discharge, swelling, or detect unpleasant odors emanating from your dog’s nose, or if he has difficulty breathing, get him checked out right away. It could mean the presence of a foreign object, tumor or infection.
THANKS FOR READING! – Dee-O-Gee
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Written on July 3, 2010 by jallen14
10. Your hairdresser doesn’t remove the boogies from your eyes.
9. You don’t go eight weeks without washing or brushing your hair.
8. Your hairdresser doesn’t give you a sanitary trim.
7. Your hairdresser doesn’t clean your eyes.
6. Your hairdresser doesn’t wash and clean your rear end!
5. You sit still for the hairdresser.
4. Your haircut doesn’t include a manicure and pedicure.
3. Your hairdresser only washes and cuts the hair on your head.
2. You don’t bite or scratch your hairdresser.
1. The likelihood of you pooping on the hairdresser is pretty slim!
Wondering why you should get your dog groomed? Read this post http://www.dee-o-gee.com/dogblog/grooming-what-for/
More info on all-natural dog grooming at Dee-O-Gee here. Happy Independence Day!
D-O-G
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Written on June 14, 2010 by jallen14
Have you ever heard the saying – you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink? We at Dee-O-Gee think that is accurate. The same might be true for dogs, too.
You can have plenty of fresh clean water available but that doesn’t mean a dog will drink it. Jericho (our resident “watch dog” at Dee-O-Gee) seems to pant more (at times) now that the weather is getting a bit warmer. When he pants for a long time, we tend to think that he should have some water, right? But, he doesn’t always seem to want to drink.
Here are a few things you can do to get your dog to drink (or encourage water intake).
1. Give your dog an ice cube to lick.
2. Allow your dog to lick water from your hand or your finger.
3. Feed canned dog food (the water content is higher).
4. Add warm water or low-sodium broth to your dog’s food.
5. With your veterinarian’s permission, offer small amounts of Pedialyte.
6. Adding an ice cube to the water bowl can encourage some dogs to drink.
Thanks for reading … feel free to “retweet” and pass this on to your d-o-g loving friends! As always, stay up to date with Dee-O-Gee on Twitter (@Dee_O_Gee) and Facebook (here).
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Written on May 26, 2010 by jallen14
We know you love your d-o-g … you love how they make you smile, how they are always excited to see you, how they play so gently with your kids … but, what does your d-o-g love about you? Here are a few ways in which you could show your d-o-g that you love them in return. Thanks for tracking with us on this stuff!
1. Keep your d-o-g healthy. If your dog looks or acts sick, have him checked by your veterinarian. Dogs can’t talk. They can’t tell you when they’re sick and they can’t just get in the car all by themselves and go to the vet when they don’t feel good. They rely on you to care for them. A great way to show your love is to make sure that your dog is taken care of when he is sick.
2. Give your d-o-g regular playtime. This is a great way to spend time with your dog and to show your love (hopefully every day!). Good toys are really important to your dog’s health and happiness. Here are some of our favorite dog toys:
- The Tux from West Paw Design (made locally in Bozeman, MT) – you can toss it or your dog can chew it, and you can hide treats inside of it. This toy is REALLY tough … and, it floats! Or, you can place some pe
anut butter or cream cheese in the back cavity, freeze it, then give it to your d-o-g for a nice treat on a hot summer day.
- The Tuffy Ring (we love this toy) – This is a very durable toss toy that can really stand up to your dog’s teeth. It’s made out of multiple layers of luggage material!
3. Monitor your dog. One way to show your dog that you love him is to monitor him. Note if he is eating, drinking and having normal bowel movements. If he is sitting with you – feel his body for lumps and bumps and note any abnormalities.
4. Quiet time is also important. Not only does your dog need regular playtime with you, your dog also loves quiet time with you. Give your dog an ear rub or a tummy rub (or whatever he likes) while you are watching TV together.
5. Practice good preventive care. In addition to taking care of your dog when he is sick, preventing health problems with good preventive care is also a great way to show your love. Prevent fleas, ticks and heartworm with appropriate medications from your veterinarian. Feeding a high quality diet is a great way to do this (more info
here).
6. Don’t let your dog get fat. Obesity can cause a variety of health issues – especially joint and arthritis problems. Monitor your dog’s weight. Make sure you get your d-o-g outside for some regular exercise!
Until next time … D-O-G.
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Written on May 15, 2010 by jallen14
We have recently been notified by Natura of a purchase agreement between Natura (makers of Innova, EVO and California Natural) and Procter & Gamble. The closing of the sale is subject to customary closing conditions, including receiving regulatory approval. The closing is anticipated to occur in early June 2010. Natura has long been the industry leader in high-quality all-natural pet foods. We have received communication from the CEO of Natura stating that Natura will continue to operate “as is” – no processing changes, no ingredient changes, and (most importantly) no changes in distribution. This means that Natura products will continue to be available ONLY at local independent retailers.
Here at Dee-O-Gee, we will surely keep a close eye on the ingredient panel of the Natura products and we will continue to stock their dog and cat food. The Innova line is what we feed our dog, Jericho, and will continue to do so until we feel that the quality of Natura’s products decreases. However, we do encourage all Innova, EVO and California Natural customers to consider other food options (in case the quality of the Natura products decreases in the future) at Dee-O-Gee. Some of the other high-quality, human-grade dog/cat foods that we carry are: NOW! and GO! by Petcurean, Prairie and Instinct by Nature’s Variety, Nature’s Logic and Canidae. All four of these companies are listed as “Top” foods by the Whole Dog Journal. More information on these companies is available at dee-o-gee.com/nutrition. Stop by Dee-O-Gee in Bozeman for some free samples and brochures from these companies.
Thanks for reading and, as always, wag more and bark less!
D-O-G
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Written on May 8, 2010 by jallen14
Spring time in Bozeman, MT is usually indicated by a repeated mix of sunny and snowy days! Spring time at Dee-O-Gee is usually indicated by an over-full grooming schedule. So, why all of the rush to get dogs in to the groomer in the spring time? A few reasons …
- Most every dog will need a bath a few times a year. This need will vary depending on your dog’s lifestyle, breed and any skin problems he may have. Bathing helps remove old hair, dirt and oil from the skin – spring is a great time for this.
- The physical action of being washed is pleasant to most dogs and it may make you aware of a lump or bump that may have appeared or changed suddenly.
- By far the most dreaded grooming chore is trimming your dog’s nails. If you have a young dog, touch it’s feet and toes often to get it used to having their feet handled. Older dogs often are very frightened by the chore of nail trimming and may be completely uncooperative. Despite their protests, nail trimming is a must. Long overgrown nails often break at the base exposing the nail bed. Walking on long nails can be painful, aggravate arthritis and cause the toes to splay. Long nails can curve around and grow into the pads – ouch!
Perhaps a bath or hair cut for your d-o-g would be something to consider this spring? Give us a call at 406.551.2364 – we would love to help you out! Remember, all-natural shampoos, nail trimming and to-go-home bakery treats are standard with every Dee-O-Gee grooming appointment!
Don’t forget to sniff out Dee-O-Gee on Twitter (@Dee_O_Gee) and Facebook (here). Here’s to spring time!
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Written on May 6, 2010 by jallen14
Greetings Dee-O-Gee fans and followers!
This post to introduce you to TWO new things: 1) our newest member of the Dee-O-Gee team and 2) new design of the dogblog.
1) Mason Allen – DOB: 4//24/10 – Wt: 6lbs 14oz – Ht: 20.5″
Holly and baby are both doing very well. Mason and Jericho are getting along great! Many thanks to all of our wonderful customers for the kind words of encouragement and congratulations.
2) New dogblog layout – what do you think?
Thanks for reading! More to come in the future.
D-O-G
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Written on April 16, 2010 by jallen14
The following (or, something very similar) will appear in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and on mtbusiness.com in the coming days. We wanted to give you Dee-O-Gee fans a taste, in case you miss it from other sources. If this is something that “strikes a chord” with you – you could send an email to the Bozeman City Commission at agenda@bozeman.net
- – - – - -
Dear Editor,
The City of Bozeman has long been known for having a very strict sign code for businesses. In part, this has led to the preservation of the beauty of the Gallatin Valley by limiting the audacity of signage normally displayed by large corporate “box” stores. But, does this the rigid enforcement of out-of-date sign codes, masked as “preservation”, come at a high price for local businesses? This question has come to light recently as the Bozeman City sign code enforcer has issued a citation (and, hefty fines) to Dee-O-Gee in Bozeman for their unique window murals featuring photographs of dogs (photography from Loneman Photography in Bozeman). The City of Bozeman is also attempting to force Dee-O-Gee to remove their new murals (and, even threatening jail time!) – likely leading to a loss of newly generated business traffic as well as the expense of the murals. Dee-O-Gee is an all-natural pet supply & services store on Main St. in Bozeman (www.dee-o-gee.com) – locally owned by native Montanans, Josh & Holly Allen.
Dee-O-Gee window murals (see images below) are tasteful, appropriate, enlivening and effectively convey the spirit of Bozeman – a great dog town. The rigid enforcement of Bozeman’s obscure 20-year-old sign code does not take into account creative and diverse modern signage and technologies and is indeed a hindrance to local business. The City of Bozeman should be ashamed for claiming to support locally owned business development in the Gallatin Valley. City sign ordinances must be flexible to allow the generation of commerce! Common sense must rule in the application and enforcement of code, across our great state. An enforcement to remove the Dee-O-Gee window murals is simply bureaucracy at it’s worst, truly!
As a Montana native and local business owner in Bozeman, I highly encourage all cities across Montana (Bozeman, especially) to carefully review your opposition to signage for local business and ask yourselves the larger question; which is, how can the role of city administrators vitalize our community rather than antagonize commerce and common sense?!
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Written on April 12, 2010 by jallen14
As some of you may know, we at Dee-O-Gee (Josh & Holly) are expecting a newborn in the next few weeks. We have been talking about how to best prepare Jericho (the resident Papillon at Dee-O-Gee) for the day when the new baby arrives at home and his world changes forever. Perhaps some of you are currently at this stage of life – or, maybe you know of someone who is. Listed below are a few helpful tips we’ve found (and, how we are trying to implement them). We’ll post a few more later on. For now, enjoy!
Before the baby arrives
1) As you are getting the baby’s room ready, make sure to let your dog spend ample time in that room. Perhaps you could have him lie-down in a specific area of the room and give a special toy to chew on. Don’t forget to PRAISE him when the dog is being good in the baby’s room. You want the dog to understand that he/she can be in there but it must behave accordingly. Make sure to allow the dog plenty of time to sniff around at all the new baby stuff. We have allowed Jericho to spend plenty of time in the new baby’s room as Holly has been decorating and organizing. He seems to really like it in there and we have even found him napping on the floor in there on occasion!
2) Food bowl safety is a important area. Get the dog used to (enjoying) others near it’s bowl. While he is eating, put your hand into the bowl and drop a really special treat or two. Do this frequently. Also, Make a lot of noise around the dog. Act like a child by running through the house screaming – your dog will learn to take it in stride and not be freaked out when the baby screams or the toddler runs through the house during your dog’s meal time. Luckily, Jericho is not an overprotective eater and we don’t think he’ll have any issues on this one.
3) A day or so before you bring baby home from the hospital, take home a blanket the baby has been wrapped in, or a cap and present them to your dog along with some yummy treats. Let him/her smell it thoroughly. This will get the dog familiar with your baby’s scent, therefore, when your dog and baby meet for the first time, your dog will recognize the scent of your baby and should be more receptive. DO NOT let the dog play with it; instead, each time you present the scent item to the dog have him “sit” and give your d-o-g some praise and treats. By doing this frequently, the dog learns to associate the scent with sitting and getting a treat. Another great idea we plan to implement. We’ll keep you posted on how this turns out.
That’s all for now, more suggestions to come in Pt. 2. Thanks for reading – don’t forget to pass this along to your friends!
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Written on March 30, 2010 by jallen14
Some people are just smarter than others … same thing goes for dogs. Leading canine researcher Stanley Coren (from beautiful British Columbia, Canada … eh!) was featured at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention. The subject of his talk?
“How Dogs Think”
Coren notes that dogs are as smart as 2 year olds, can usually comprehend more than 150 words, and can count up to 5. They are “consciously deceptive” and trick people into giving them what they want (some of you readers know this all too well!).
So, which dog is the smartest? To settle this debate, Coren studied data from 208 different dog obedience judges in the Unites States and Canada. The results … drum roll please:
1. Border Collie
2. Poodles (this is as much of an upset as Butler making the Final Four!)
3. German Shepherds
4. Golden Retriever
5. Doberman
6. Shetland Sheepdog
7. Labrador Retriever (someone muse have bribed Coren on this one!)
No, papillons did not make the list … our much be-loved Jericho must be an anomaly! So, where does your d-o-g rank? Please share a story of how smart your d-o-g is for all to enjoy.
Until next time,
D-O-G
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