Just in case you thought you were acting a little too crazy for your own good when it comes to your pet, I’m bringing you a story about a Brazilian hotel that is designed for romantic getaways… for your dog.  That’s right, for 50 dollars a session you can arrange a romantic rendezvous for any dog that still has its factory standard equipment intact. Animalle Mundo Pet is a pet superstore that has a sleazy motel designed for dogs. You can’t even make this stuff up. The idea is: if you are going to be breeding your dog then do it in a place that’s got some ambiance! Although I called it sleazy, the place doesn’t sound half bad. With Japanese styled pet spas, red mattresses, and—get this—a mirror on the ceiling, it sounds like an ideal love in for any frisky hound dog. Because you know, your dog may like to inspect its work from a vertical angle, if it so chooses. Now to be clear, I’m a big believer that anything worth doing is worth overdoing, but we are venturing into the theater of the absurd here. I get it, that’s very cute to think of your dog going to town and watching him/herself in the mirror, but at what point does that stop being cute and start getting creepy? Right about the time they installed that mirror, that’s when. But I digress. Animalle Mundo Pet is a huge hit. The Pet motel is part of Brazil’s expanding pet products and services market which, thanks to years of economic growth and shifts in middle class demographics, is currently exploding with billions of dollars in revenue. These niche market pet supercenters cater to a wide variety of clientele, and their services don’t just include the aforementioned “assisted reproduction.” In case you were beginning to worry that this place is run by a bunch of weirdos with no business petting puppies, let me assuage your anxieties. They have a full staff of qualified veterinarians on location, daily activities for pets, grooming services, a taxi that can pick up and drop off your pets, a dog café which sells specially made treats, and plenty of other non-breeding related enterprises. They even have a store in the building that sells “Chic Animale” a freaking 40 dollar perfume bottle for dogs. A little l’eau d’toilet that might actually resemble the smell of toilet water. The place is actually pretty extensive and does indeed offer everything a pet could possibly be pining for. So if you’re a native Brazilian or a globetrotter with an affectation for over the top pet services, you may want to stop by and check the place out. It’s in Portuguese of course, so you may need to open the page in a Google Chrome browser to get the English translation. Or take the long route and buy the Rosetta Stone. Either way, tell your pup about the birds and the bees before checking in!

Brushing your pet’s fur isn’t just a maintenance issue, it’s  a necessity! Brushing helps keep pets clean, eliminates excess shedding, and serves as a wonderful bonding experience for you and your favorite family pet. No matter how much fuzz your pet produces, a little brushing can go a long way. Dogs are not exactly what you would call cleanly animals. Therefore, it becomes necessary to engage in some regularly grooming. For short haired doggies such as Doberman pinchers, greyhounds, or Chihuahuas  this isn’t such an imperative. However, if you’ve ever owned or know someone who’s owned a Siberian huskie, border collie, or a Lhasa Apso then you’ll also understand the apocalyptically fuzzy nightmare that awaits you if you miss even a single scheduled session of brushing. So there are a few things you need to consider before smoothing out those rampant tufts and tangles in your beloved mutt. First among these considerations is the question of which brush to bust out? If you’ve got a pooch with a long, flowing, smooth coat that looks like it could be a candidate for a L’Oreal commercial you’ll need a wire pin brush or something with some softer bristles, depending on your preference.  Softer and shorter coats do better with closely set soft or medium grade bristles.  A tramp like coat that’s all matted and scruffy is going to require short firm bristles that are again spaced closely together. If that doesn’t keep your pup covered then you might need to seek out some professional grooming advice. In fact, that’s probably a good idea either way. Ask your local veterinarian or groomer what sort of brush they would recommend before breaking the bank on the super specialty brush you read about in Dog Fancy magazine. Next you need to think about how to brush your dog. It’s not a complicated process, but there are some idiosyncrasies and intricacies that bear mentioning. For example: where to start, whether to go with or against the grain, and how long to continue. Start at the dog’s head and be extra careful here, because your pup’s skull is the most sensitive part. And you may need to avoid the frisky mutt’s bite as they might think that brushing is a new game, if they aren’t used to the idea. Start at the head and work your way down the body until you get to the legs and tail. Then do those individually in any order you choose. Going against the grain is usually reserved for those shorter finer coats that won’t pull so strongly against the dog’s skin. However double coated dogs require both: with the grain for the top layer, and against to get those hard to reach bottom hairs. As for how long you need to keep this up, that’s entirely up to how clean you need your dog to be. Some mutts can be brushed for hours and still have plenty of fur in reserve so use your best judgment and get to work!

After you take your precious princess in to be spayed, you'll want to look out for some common and not so common side effects and reactions that might cause some discomfort for your kitty. Most of these side effects are from the anesthetic used to keep your cat from moving during the surgery, or feeling any pain during the surgery.   Common Spaying Side Effects:   - Digest Upset - Mild Vomiting - Mild Inflammation - Decreased Activity - Lethargy/Drowsiness - Pain Around the Incision Site - Lowered Appetite 48 Hours Post Surgery - Excessive Licking/Grooming of Surgical Site   Most of these mild reactions are short term, and you can help your cat through them by making sure they get plenty of rest, fresh water, and if they want it; your never waivering affection.   Now, if you're feline friend starts to experience any more extreme side effects, you should call a vet as soon as possible, preferably the vet who preformed your cats surgery. Look out for things like:    - Dehydration - Heavy Bleeding - Excessive Swelling - Excessive Vomiting - Infections Around the Incision Site - Continued Extreme Lethargy After 72 Hours (3 Days)     In general, serious side effects are uncommon, as spaying is a very common procedure in most rural cities and towns. The worst side effect you will probably run into, is a cat who no longer likes going for car rides with you. Though that side effect is worth it for every pet owner who knows their cats will live longer happier lives after being spayed.

Does your dog suffer from a bad case of puppy breath? Perhaps you’re at your wit’s end with trying to figure out an unintrusive, simple, and effective method of ridding your best furry friend of the dead fish fragrance that always seems to be wafting over its tongue? Well, never fear pet lover. There are a few simple and super easy preventative measures that almost anyone can take to improve the overall quality of your dog’s breath as well as its dental health in general! It starts with the basics. Dogs love to chew, and nature has provided them with some little known benefit whenever they go about this behavior to which they are so inclined. Chewing rawhide or raw bones can greatly decrease the occurrence of bad dog breath. The reason being, that chewing on this surface acts as a sort of makeshift toothbrush, cleaning up all the plaques build-up as they chomp away. If these are too small, and your dog tends to eat them whole, you will have to purchase the larger mutton type bones that are too big to swallow. If your dog just isn’t interested in chewing, or you just prefer the more personal touch then brushing your dog’s teeth is always an option. If you do this, make sure to focus most of your efforts on the top row of teeth. That area is the most prone to tartar build-up. Another very simple solution is the water additive: Biotene. This is a dental hygiene product that has multiple uses. Veterinarians most often use it as an additive which inhibits plaque growth as well as the bacterial growth responsible for bad dog breath, whenever it’s added to a dog’s daily water supply. It’s non-toxic and completely safe for your dog to ingest daily. It’s an effective and easy method for daily teeth cleanings without relying on brushing. Though to really keep your dog’s teeth in top condition, a healthy diet is always the best dental protection. Refer back to this older blog post: /blog/57838/dog-nutrition-puts-you-in-an-awkward-position.html to help you decide which dog food best suits your pup. Or perhaps consider your own homemade recipe, which is often the best method to keep track of exactly what kind of nutrition is going into your dog’s diet. Finally, veterinarians are always the ones that are most qualified to make dental determinations on your pet’s health. You should schedule regular visits to ensure overall health, and make certain to inquire about any dog dental problems you might have encountered between visits. Bad dog breath is enough to deal with, but it can often be a symptom of a bigger problem, so be sure to consult your vet regularly. It’s also important to note that these visits need to become more frequent as your dog ages, as plaque and bacterial infections build up quicker in older dogs with weaker immune systems. If you try all that and the breath still stinks, you might need to feed them a steady diet of Altoids!