GreenPets Blog

Shaw Dog Park Anniversary

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:01:57 -0500

The city's first dog park, Shaw Park, just celebrated its first anniversary. GreenPets was on-hand with gift baskets as door prizes, gift certificates for the volunteers, and, of course, treats for the dogs of Shaw Park!

No, we are NOT closing!

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:37:14 -0400

Thanks to some very questionable 'blog-journalism' on-line, we've been fielding a flurry of inquiries about the rumor that GreenPets is closing.

It's not.

Quite the contrary: GreenPets is expanding.

If you've been to the store at all recently, you'll notice that we've been refurbishing our physical space (pardon our dust during the process, by the way). You'll notice new products, such as 100% recycled-materials leashes & collars, USDA certified organic pet foods, and innovative products like no-spill bowls. You'll even notice new personnel, as our staff of experts evolves toward greater excellence.

GreenPets is always looking to expand and improve our services to you, to your pets, and to our neighborhood! See you soon at the store.

Who Leads?

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:57:43 -0500

Dragged. Yanked. Pulled.. some of you call it Walking. You know what I'm talking about; you are at one end of the leash, and find your dog at the other end- miles in front of you - ecstatic that he is on a wild journey through the city. The hunt is on for him, and he has no care that he is pushing over women carrying Christmas packages, knocking down kids on bikes, or that your shoulder has almost become detached from your body.

"He's too strong", "he's just being a dog", you say.

I wonder about these excuses for our dogs behavior. If you had a child that liked to play in traffic- would you make the same excuses?

The answer of course is no- playing in traffic is not safe for kids.

Running down the street and pulling as hard as they can is also not safe for your dog. There is a time and a place to let a dog be a dog- to sniff and run and have its own way. It's in the safety of an enclosed area under constant supervision.

There are two main reasons for not letting your dog yank you down the street- the first is that most collars put a lot of pressure on the trachea (windpipe) and a dog with a high pain thresh hold is not going to tell you when he's in pain or when his trachea has collapsed from constant strain.

The second reason is that because you are not the alpha to your dog, when he sees a squirrel across the street, and wants it badly enough- there is nothing you can say that will make him stop. I don't take this subject lightly, and I believe it is important enough to not pull any punches here- if he pulls the leash out of your hand to get to whatever it is he needs (wants) to get to- the thing that could be in between the two in a city like DC is a truck.

At the end of the day, basic obedience is NOT about you having total control for control's sake- it's about safety for your animal. The piece of mind of knowing your dog is safe in any situation should far outweigh any hesitancy about what your training collar may look like, or the time you need to put into having better communication with your dog.

My favorite tool for helping a dog to not pull on the leash is something called the Gentle Leader. I have used this in obedience training for over 15 years and have found nothing more effective.
Designed by a vet, the Gentle Leader has the unique ability to communicate your needs to your dog in a language he can understand. The top loop that goes high and tight directly behind the ears simulates the way a mother dog would make a correction to a puppy in the wild. The loop that goes over the nose simulates the way an alpha male would make a correction as well. When the two tighten as you make a correction, its just like you are saying "no!" in dog. Plus, there is the added bonus of not putting pressure on the neck. No more chocking, no more danger to the windpipe.

Come in to GreenPets and have one of our trained staff members find the right Gentle Leader for your dog. You will be thrilled you did!!

Most Owners Say They Understand Their Pets

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:34:40 -0500

According to a recent AP poll,

67 percent of owners say they understand the noises their pets make.
62 percent of owners say that when they speak, their pets get the message.
Only one in seven owners have trimmed holiday spending for their pets this year due to the recession.
48 percent of dog owners will buy holiday gifts for their dog.
28 percent of cat owners will buy holiday gifts for their cat.
74 percent of all pet owners have a dog.
46 percent of all pet owners have a cat.
12 percent of all pet owners have fish.
7 percent of all pet owners have birds.
2 percent of all pet owners have something else (e.g., horse, turtle, rabbit, rodent, snake).

Treat Envy

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

In today's Washington Post an article posited that "Dogs Feel Envy -- or at Least Grasp Inequity When It Comes to Treats." The study found that dogs that watched another dog get a reward for following a command would start to hesitate, get upset and act frustrated if they were not rewarded for the same behavior. But you knew that, right?!

Come into GreenPets to stock up on treats that are healthy for your pet and adds to their well-being and good nutrition. It is so tempting to give your dog just a little extra from the table over the holidays. resist the urge to give them food that can cause problems, keep the treat jar filled with a variety of yummy snacks you can feel good about sharing.

More Treats Please!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

We've been so happy with the Dogswell line of treats that we have expanded our offerings. Come get some delicious and nutritious treats for your canine companions!

No More Stains

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

We've just received a new shipment of Angel Eyes, a customer favorite here at GreenPets. Angel Eyes is a product for both dogs & cats that eliminates tearstains without the use of dyes. Read more about this useful product here. And look for the Angel Eyes display in the front of the store.

Petsicles?

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

If cryogenic science is perfected, it promises a future where humans can travel to the future just by freezing themselves. But cryogenics entrepreneurs have more mundane ideas for bringing freezy suspended animation into everyday life. Scenario Land imagines that someday home cryogenics products could perform important tasks like freezing your pets for easier travel.

John Heylin, a future blogger at Scenario Land, envisioned the Cryotranz pet carrier, which would give pet owners the ability to place their furry loved one in suspended animation so they won't have to endure the trauma of travel:

Although the operation of such a device may seem rather daunting, Cryotranz hopes that by combining their newest cryo-breakthroughs with eye-appealing design that cryonics will move past the image the industry has of just freezing the heads of the rich and break into the mass consumer world.

Although you're meant to take cryo-kitty with you in the car or on a plane, it's not a huge leap to imagine how people might use cryogenic devices to try to ship animals through the mail. Or, as one commenter pointed out, how small children might try to use it to freeze their young siblings.

Britain's Biggest Loser!

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

Eight of Britain's fattest pets are to embark on a 100-day diet and fitness regime in a bid to crowned this year's pet fit club champion.

The seven dogs and one cat, who are all more than 30 percent overweight and weigh a combined total of 421 lbs, were picked by veterinary charity PDSA who are running the slimming contest.

The animals, who need to lose a total of 163 lbs to reach their ideal weight, will be put on specially tailored diet and exercise programs.

The pet who achieves the biggest percentage weight loss and best follows their new regime will be crowned champion, winning their owner a pet-friendly holiday.

PDSA statistics show around 30 percent of Britain's dogs are overweight or obese, amounting to around 1.95 million fat dogs.

"Alongside their daily portions of pet food, owners often show their affection by giving unhealthy human treats such as cheese, buttered toast and biscuits. They don't realize they are actually killing their pets with kindness," said Sean Wensley, a veterinary surgeon at PDSA.

Exotic Pet Amnesty in Florida

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0500

Faced with growing reports of exotic snakes and reptiles roaming the wilds of Florida and competing with native animals, state wildlife officials have made it easier for exotic pet owners to give up pets they no longer want.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted one of its "pet amnesty days" on Saturday at the Jacksonville Zoo.

Though "pet amnesty days", the commission hopes to stem the number of animals being "set free" to roam.

Even though it's illegal to turn exotic animals loose, boa constrictors, monitor lizards and the like are often reported. More than 130 species have established reproducing populations in the state.

On pet amnesty days, owners can surrender the exotic pets for free, with no questions asked. According to a commission news release, the animals will be examined by a licensed veterinarian, and, if they're healthy, the state will try to place them with qualified owners.