Archive for April, 2007

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Dog Sukiyaki Japanese Recipe

Monday, April 30th, 2007

Ingredients

½ kilo minced steak
½ kilo noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 spring baby cabbage , cut into strips
1 small baby cabbage, cut into quarters
½ cup mushrooms
½ cup bean sprouts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 cup beef broth
100 grams tofu, cut in cubes
White rice steamed
Cut beef into very thin slices and reserve.

In a big pot, boil 1 liter of water.
Add in the noodles and reduce the heat, simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes, then drain the noodles and cut into 3 cm pieces.
Reserve on the side.
Put a large frying pan or wok over high heat and brush some oil on the bottom.
Add in the spring baby cabbage , mushrooms and bean sprouts.
Cook all of this very quickly turning only once until soft.
Move the vegetables to the side of the frying pan and put the meat on the frying pan.
Cook it for a short time and add a dash of soy sauce and sugar, then add in 1 tablespoon of the beef broth.
Add in the noodles, tofu, and the rest of the beef broth.
Cook for a little bit and then serve over white rice in dog’s bowl.
Sukiyaki can be put on the top.

Makes 1 kilo.

http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_sukiyaki_japanese_recipe.htm

Posted in Recipies | 1 Comment »

Doggie Weddings – what next?

Saturday, April 28th, 2007

Yup – you heard right! People are actulally arranging weddings for their canines. The following is an excerpt from Modern Dog Magazine:

Bow Vows
By Sandy Robins

AT ALBERT AND BRIDGET’S WEDDING, ADHERING TO THE CLICHÉ THAT HAS PRACTICALLY BECOME wedding tradition, the bride was late for the ceremony. No, it wasn’t wedding jitters; in this case, our bride was busy searching out the perfect spot to pee.

When she finally squatted on some rocks in full view of the wedding guests patiently waiting for the sunset beach ceremony to begin, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Bridget, a Maltese,didn’t spoil her Vera Woof lace dress, and her Chinese Crested groom, looking dapper in a tuxedo and top hat, really didn’t care. After all, this is normal doggie stuff despite the occasion.

While “woof weddings” are now very fashionable amongst the pet set, they first became headline material in 2005 when former Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson arranged a wedding for her Golden Retriever, Star, and her Chihuahua, Luca, on the beach in Malibu, California. They were getting to the “I dos,” when “Kazakhstani journalist” Borat (the alter ego of English movie star Sasha Baron Cohen), wearing swim trunks, a leather jacket, and a Village People-style cap, arrived in a raft and literally crashed into the wedding party. He was unceremoniously dumped back into the sea by Anderson’s unamused security detail.

www.moderndogmagazine.com/spring07_bowvows.html

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Calgary’s Dog Bylaws

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007

Calgary is home to some 100,000 dogs and many of them regularly visit our city’s parks and pathways with their owners. If you and your dog enjoy spending time outdoors, it’s important to abide by the following bylaws to ensure that your community remains a safe and pleasant place for everyone.

On Pathways:

- All pathways in Calgary are “on leash” for dogs, even in Off Leash areas. $100 Penalty.
- Leash length must not exceed two meters. $75 Penalty.
- You and your dog must stay on the right hand side, unless passing someone travelling in the same direction. $75 Penalty.
- Dogs must not interfere with, obstruct or chase other pathway users. $200 Penalty.
- You cannot cycle, in-line skate or skateboard with a leashed dog – it’s dangerous for you and your dog. $75 Penalty.
- Leaving behind doggie doo is a definite don’t. You MUST clean up after your pet. $250 Penalty.

In Parks:

- All parks in Calgary are considered “on leash” for dogs, unless otherwise indicated with appropriate signage. $100 Penalty.
- Off Leash does not mean out of control. You must keep your dog under control at all times in designated Off Leash areas. This means your dog must remain within sight, and come to you when called. $100 Penalty.
- All parking lots are “on leash” even if you’re entering an Off Leash park. $100 Penalty.
- Dogs are not allowed to enter or swim in any body of water within a park. $100 Penalty.
- Leaving behind doggie doo is a definite don’t. You MUST clean up after your pet. $250 Penalty.

Throughout Calgary:

- Dogs are not allowed to be “at large”. This means they need to be under their owner’s control at all times. A dog that is out without its owner is considered “at large”. A dog that is tied up and left alone outside a building such as a store or school is considered “at large”. $100 Penalty.
- Unless within a securely fenced yard, your dog must be on leash at all times. The only exception to this rule is designated Off Leash areas. Visible signs are posted in all designated Off Leash areas. $100 Penalty.
- Areas where dogs are prohibited at all times include: school grounds, playgrounds, sports fields, golf courses, cemeteries, and wading or swimming areas. $100 Penalty.
- Leaving behind doggie doo is a definite don’t. You MUST clean up after your pet. $250 Penalty.
- All dogs three months and older must be licensed. $250 Penalty.

Please visit the City of Calgary for more information: www.calgary.ca

Posted in City of Calgary | Comments Off

Pet Food Update

Monday, April 23rd, 2007

From the US Food & Drug Administration site
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html

On March 16, Menu Foods, Inc. recalled dog and cat foods produced at two of its facilities between Dec. 3, 2006, and March 6, 2007, and sold under a number of different brand names. Since then, Menu Foods has expanded its recall and several other companies also have voluntarily withdrawn products from the market. See the links below for complete listings.

The FDA’s investigation remains open and active, and the agency continues to follow leads to get closer to the root cause of the problem and to ensure that all contaminated product is removed from the market.

Please find comprehensive information on the following:

What Pet Foods Have Been Recalled?
What Is FDA Doing About the Pet Food Situation?
News Updates
Recall Notices by Company
How to Report a Pet Food Complaint?
FAQ
Recall Email List

Posted in Dog News, Pet Food Recall | Comments Off

Earth Day Calgary – April 22 – Join Muttnik

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Scoopy Doo Day
9 a.m. – noon
“Everybody and their dog is welcome”
Come and join other dog lovers at the second annual “Scoopy Doo Day”, coordinated by the City of Calgary Natural Areas’ Adopt-A-Park program.

Look for Team Muttnik out cleaning up our favourite parks!

To participate in the clean-up, go to your favourite park listed below:

Bowmont Park – Scenic Bow Rd. & 85 St. N.W.
Edgemont Escarpment – Edenstone Rd. & Edenwold Dr. N.W.
Edworthy Park – west end of Spruce Dr. S.W. (off-leash areas at the 3 parking lots on top)
Nose Hill Park
Brisebois Dr. & John Laurie Blvd. N.W.
Berkley Gate & 14 St. N.W.
SW corner – first left after the Winter Club on 14 St. N.W.
Hidden Valley – Hidden Creek Dr. & Hidden Creek Blvd. N.W.
North Glenmore Park – 37 St. & 66 Ave. S.W.
Oakridge off-leash area – 1 block west of Oakmount Dr. & Oakwood Dr. S.W.
River Park – 14A St. & 50 Ave. S.W.
Southland Park – Deerfoot Tr. & Southland Dr. S.E.
Winston Heights – in field north east of 16 Moncton Rd. N.E (Old Firehall)
Bags, latex gloves and trowels are provided. Sanitation stations with paper towels will also be on-site.

You could win!
Each participant will be entered to win dog-related prizes that may include one hour with a professional dog trainer, dog treats, and doggy doo bags.

Project will go rain or shine, but if it snows, it’s a no go. The alternate date in the event of snow is Sunday, April 29, 2007.

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Food Recall Update

Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

A number of pet food manufacturers have recalled products in relation to the pet foods recall. Pet owners are urged to continue to check their pet food labels against recalled product lists and monitor their pets for symptoms of acute renal failure or any other illness.

Symptoms of Acute Renal Failure include lethargy, loss of appetite, increase or decrease in drinking, increase or decrease in urination, difficulty urinating and glossy eyes. Pet owners who have any concerns about the health of their pets should seek the immediate advice of a veterinarian .

The following list may be incomplete. Please contact each company listed for details.

Medi-Cal Royal Canin
Royal Canin Canada Recalls “Medi-Cal Feline Dissolution Formula” (Canned)
www.medi-cal.ca/Default_EN.asp

Nestlé Purina PetCare
The company has recalled a number of products in the United States, but no products have been recalled in Canada. For more information, pet owners may call 1.800.268.5345 or visit www.purina.ca

Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Voluntary recall of 1 product:
Hill’s Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry
For more information, veterinarians and pet owners can call 1.800.445.5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com

Delmonte Foods (Updated April 3, 2007)
Delmonte Foods has recalled a number of products with varying expiry dates. Pet owners are advised to check the Delmonte web site for a full listing at http://www.delmonte.com/petfoodrecall.html
Most products were only recalled in the United States. The only product affected in Canada, according to Delmonte Foods, is:
Jerky Treats Beef Flavor Dog Snacks
Consumers may also call 1.800.949.3799 for details about the Delmonte recall.

Menu Foods
Pet owners should check the Menu Foods web site for a full list of the products recalled by that company:
www.menufoods.com/recall
Pet owners may also call the Menu Foods recall hotline at 1.866.895.2708.

Posted in Pet Food Recall | Comments Off

Thinking of Raw?

Monday, April 9th, 2007

The recent pet food recall has created a lot of uncertainty and has prompted some people to feed their dogs and cats homemade pet food, instead of taking chances with the store bought variety. Homemade pet food is nothing new, but it certainly is getting more attention now that people are afraid they could be unintentionally poisoning their own pets.

One danger with the raw diet is that since you are dealing with raw meat, you must be extremely thorough when you clean your preparation space and the bowls your pets use.

Many Muttnik clients feed their dogs raw food and they are healthy and happy and would not have it any other way – but be careful and do your research – it is a healthy commitment and one that you need to understand before taking on. Make sure you are not simply switching because of the food recall – do your research.

Here is some great info on the Barf diet:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/nutritioninformation/a/QandA_barf.htm

Below is a link to a book that is a good intro to switching to raw:
www.switchingtoraw.com

Posted in Health & Wellness, Pet Food Recall | 1 Comment »

Easter Chocolate Warning for Dog Owners

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Beware – feeding your pet chocolate could have fatal consequences!

Large amounts of chocolate can poison dogs and other pets including hamsters and rats due to the toxic effects of theobromine a component of chocolate. The effects of chocolate poisoning in dogs usually appear within 4 to 24 hours of ingestion, and can last as long as 72 hours.

Chocolate toxicity symptoms include vomiting, abdominal tenderness, hyperactivity, salivation and increased heart rate (although sometimes a slower heart rate). In severe cases there are fits, increased rate of breathing, and heart beat irregularities. In very severe cases it can even result in the death of the pet.

Some chocolate contains more theobromine than others on average, plain chocolate can contain approximately 500 to 1000 times more theobromine than white chocolate. A particularly bad culprit is cocoa powder; it can contain around six times more theobromine than plain chocolate as do cocoa shell mulches – a particular favourite with gardeners.

Posted in Health & Wellness | Comments Off

Pet Death Toll – do we really know?

Friday, April 6th, 2007

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration admitted Thursday that the official number of pet deaths related to tainted food will climb much higher.

The FDA said that in the past three weeks it has received more than 12,000 consumer complaints, more than twice the number of complaints it usually receives in a year for any product.

“These recalled products represent less than 1 per cent of the pet food industry,” said Sundloff. “There remains an ample supply of pet food.

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/200028

Posted in Dog News, Pet Food Recall | Comments Off

Menu Foods products safe after March 6 packaging date

Monday, April 2nd, 2007

Menu Foods said on Friday it is no longer using a Chinese supplier of wheat gluten after U.S. officials found the chemical melamine in some of the recalled products.

Menu Foods stopped using the supplier on March 6, 10 days before the recall was announced, Paul Henderson, Menu Foods’ president and chief executive, told a news conference in Toronto. He said all pet food manufactured by his company after that date is safe.

It is still unclear how the chemical got into the wheat gluten.

Menu Foods says its investigation into the toxic ingredient that caused the recall is continuing.

www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN3022490320070330?pageNumber=1

Posted in Dog News, Pet Food Recall | Comments Off

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