You have probably seen television commercials for flea and tick medications like Frontline and K9 Advantix, but you may be surprised just how much you don’t know about protecting your dog from fleas and ticks. Every dog should be treated with a flea and tick preventive but there are several other things you should also do to keep your dog protected. 

Common Myths 

Many dog owners mistakenly believe that cold weather kills fleas and ticks, but the truth is that these insects thrive during the late fall and early winter. Though you may not see many ticks outside during the cooler months near the end of fall and the start of winter, they could still be living in your house. Another common misconception about ticks is that once a dog has been vaccinated against Lyme disease, flea and tick preventives are not necessary. This is absolutely false – even in humans, no vaccine is 100% effective and ticks are capable of carrying a variety of diseases other than Lyme. 

When it comes to fleas, many people assume that they only live in carpeted areas of the house. While fleas tend to prefer carpeted areas, they are also likely to live in the cracks between boards or floor tiles where they can easily hop onto your dog. Perhaps the most devastating myth associated with fleas is that if you find a few fleas in the house you have nothing to worry about. The truth is that the fleas you are seeing are probably adult fleas - there could be hundreds of eggs and developing larvae that you can’t see. Don’t assume that just because you can’t see them, the fleas aren’t there.

Tips and Prevention

Flea and tick populations vary seasonally and may be worse in some areas than in others. In order to protect your dog completely it is best to treat him with a flea and tick preventive all year round. Though flea and tick preventives are one of the most effective methods in protecting your dog, you can also find collars designed to deter fleas and ticks that will also kill their eggs. In some areas, however, fleas and ticks may be resistant to the insecticides used in these collars, so it may be best to pay a visit to your veterinarian to see what he recommends you use. In addition to treating your pet to prevent fleas and ticks, you can also take steps to control these insects in your yard. Keep your grass cut short and trim back overgrown bushes and shrubs. You may even go so far as to apply an insecticide to the shrubs in your yard or even to the lawn itself. It is up to you to make the choice that is right for you in preventing fleas and ticks, but keep in mind that the more you educate yourself and the more proactive you are, the less likely your dog will be to experience a problem.

On a beautiful spring day the 5th Annual Paws 4 A Cure walk was held to raise funds to assist families who cannot afford medical care for their dogs and cats that are suffering from illnesses such as cancer.  The organization was founded in 2008 by Keri Goldman who lost her Chow Chow Nikko to cancer.  Paws 4 A Cure has paid out over $40,000 since its creation to help animals in need.  

My PupPup participated in the walk around Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, MA.  Bella was a trooper walking along with us.  Temperature was a warm 78 degrees and animal water bottles were handed out at the start of the walk, but many a dog was heavily panting as we walked along. Some small dogs got some help from their owners and were carried for stretches here to there.  Dogs are allowed to go in the water of the lake and as the opportunity presented itself many dogs took advantage of this to cool off.  There were also some shady spots along the route where groups of dogs and their owners could be seen taking a rest.

Vendors of organic food and treats came out for the event as well as veterinary clinics, pet hospice care and pet cpr training facilities.  Bella sampled the apple cookies from the Bare Naked Dog Bakery which uses all natural and USDA certified organic human grade ingredients.  The New England Pet Hospice follows a human hospice model of care and helps those who care for elderly, special needs and terminally ill companions at home.

Many people turned out for the event enjoying the beautiful day with their pups and meeting other pup owners and sharing stories. We met a lot of great people with really cute, well behaved pups.  After everyone had walked around and had time to see the vendors it was time for the activities to begin.  The walk started with a biodegradable balloon launch, sending messages to pets that have passed. It was quite a sight to see all the purple balloons fill the sky. The balloon launch was followed by the walk around the lake.  Its about a 5K walk around the lake so everyone got a good workout.  Bella was definitely happy when we got back to the car and she could lay down and rest!

All different breeds of dog took part in the walk.  We saw Cavaliers, Great Pyrenees,Chihuahuas, Sheepdogs, Basset Hounds and Golden Retrievers to name a few.  No matter what breed of pup you have, and hopefully they are in good health!, you can still make secure donations on line to the Paws 4 A Cure organization.  Just visit http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/mypuppup/5th-annual-paws-4-a-cure-walk.

The Boston Globe Magazine:

OUR EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING ON OUR ANIMALS GROWS UNABATED. This year, people in the United States will drop nearly $53 billion on everything from catnip to MRIs, according to an American Pet Products Association report released March 1. And a couple in Great Britain recently forked over the equivalent of about $15,000 on a face lift and tummy tuck for their bloodhound, Junior. Crazy, sure, but I completely understand. Two years ago, we adopted a Chihuahua/schipperke mix named Zeus. I soon began treating him like a son, which is kind of weird, because I already have two daughters. Granted, he’s not exactly a baby brother, but he is sometimes called “The Boy” and is copiously photographed. Moreover, like an infant, he carries on when left alone, and thus we engineer our weekend plans for him. 

Before we got Zeus, I didn’t get it. The gear was the first clue. We’re talking about a dog, I reasoned. How hard could it be? Hard. The pet emporium has a leash section, a treat aisle, and an entire wall devoted to toys. Long before settling on a collar, I had accessory rage. 
Zeus is oblivious to the consumer heroics I wage on his behalf. (The word “ungrateful” comes to mind.) He lives in the moment, puts his slobbery mouth on things he shouldn’t, and fails to observe my personal space. On top of providing him with food and janitorial services, it falls on me to structure his day. And since Zeus does not cook or do laundry, he has oceans of time. How does he fill these hours? By running away after I have told him to sit still for just one minute and pawing at things I have expressly told him NOT TO TOUCH. 

The concept of “you’ll thank me later” is a nonstarter with Zeus. Try putting a coat on a 17-pound dog on a winter morning. He suffers this indignity (barely) as you thread paw A through paw hole A and then move on to B. Naturally, as you are negotiating paw hole B, paw A has wriggled free. The last time I struggled so much I was trying to inflict onesies on my daughters. 
Communication is as challenging with pets as it is with infants. You gaze at an unspeaking interlocutor and demand, “Do you want Daddy to give you yum-yums?” Conversation then degenerates, if that is possible, to include poignant queries about elimination. (The upside is that you can make cheeky assertions about politics, the neighbors, even the spouse, and as long as you keep the kibble and belly rubs coming, nobody says “boo.”)   

I don’t know whether dogs are the “new” kids, but they certainly enjoy a similar lifestyle. Many a contemporary canine’s weekend is packed with birthday parties, play dates, and agility classes; during the week, more than a few are dropped off at day care. At the park, you can’t help but boast that your dog plays well with others. But if your beloved is terrible off leash, the blame falls like an anvil on you, the grown-up.   

There is, however, one difference between kids and dogs, fur aside, and it’s a big one: Dogs don’t change. Zeus will never grow tired of walks or seeing me come through the door. I also don’t have to worry that one day he will be exchanging inappropriate texts with the Shih Tzu next door. And let’s say down the line he decides he would rather hang out with his friends than stroll with me. Well, that will be just too bad for him, won’t it? 

When we decided to get a dog we knew we had to find one that was "hypoallergenic" due to allergies.  We searched the internet for images of 'hypoallergenic' pups and the Cavachon caught our attention with its cute little face and big expressive eyes. We learned they are a cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Bichon Frise.  When we read about the traits of the Cavachon, including the fact that they have a low shedding coat which contributes to their hypoallergenicness, we knew this was the breed for us.  

With Easter coming up next month, its a great time to order a box of Puppy Cake mix as seen on Shark Tank.  It is available in three flavors Wheat-free Peanut Butter, Banana and Carob (a safe for dogs chocolate substitute) cake.  This great treat was featured on the ABC show Shark Tank.  This is a show where entrepreneurs pitch their product to investors in hopes of getting funding/using their connections to get their product manufactured and distributed.  The Sharks chose not to back this product, they weren't pet people and couldn't grasp the concept, but that was their loss.  My PupPup now carries Puppy Cake!  Here is your chance to try Puppy Cake for yourself and see just how much your pup loves this special treat.

I watched a new show today that my owners had recorded on TV and I wanted to tell all my friends from My PupPup about it.  It's an Animal Planet show called "Too Cute" and it was all about little puppies!  I don't usually pay attention to the TV, but when I saw all the cute tiny puppies I had to stop playing to watch.  I stood on my hind legs and steadied myself with my front paws holding on to the tv stand.  My owners thought it was funny how I stood watching, wagging my tail.  This episode featured three types of puppies, Labs, Golden Retrievers and Shih Tzu.  We learned the Shih Tzu were bred by monks to look like lions and they do a little, well actually I've never seen a lion so I don't really know!  The Shih Tzu puppies were three sisters who lived with their Mom and Dad, but Mom was good at keeping Dad away until the tiny pups were big enough to meet him.  

 We finally got snow!  I was so excited, I like to hop around like a bunny.  When it started snowing it came up over my belly and walking around in it, it got all clumped up on my legs and belly. I didn't like trying to get the balls of snow out of my hair when we came inside.  It got cold overnight so when we went out today I was mostly able to walk on top of the snow and I liked that much better.  Its fun to play in the snow, but I enjoy cuddling up inside just as much.  Maybe my owner will even bake me a puppy cake this weekend!