Road Trip!

To our most precious and valued customers,

If you have been following LaDeDog! during the past six months, you have surely noticed our lack of presence on our blog posts and social networking. Some have expressed their concern of the fate of our website after the close of the Boutique in Astoria, but I can assure you, new horizons are just around the bend for our beloved store.

Our new horizons are full of sunshine and new ideas - we have been very busy cooking up some exciting additions to our store, which includes an entirely new location.

LaDeDog! will be relocating to California, near the beautiful shores of Santa Barbara. Until our re-launch of the Brick and Mortar Shop, we will continue serving our customers through the web store at http://www.ladedog.net/ . The web store, however, will be temporarily closed from July 6th through July 12th do to inventory and hiring for the new shipping department.

We sincerely appreciate your love and support through our transitions, and look forward to this new endeavor in our lives.

Sincerely,

Roxy, Renee & Tony Weatherford

Those funny little markings...

I thought this was a great article from the Happytails website & a good one for the summer months, as our dogs spend more time outside in the sun. I often wonder, as I notice little freckles or new markings appear on Roxy:



"What are those freckles/blotches/liver spots on my dog’s tummy?



It’s nice to sit with your dog, and give him a rub on the belly, but when you see blotches and spots on his tummy skin, it can give you a fright. You probably have no idea what they are, and you may not know how long they’ve been there. In many cases, these blotches are quite normal, and may be present from birth. Some dogs develop dark patches on their skin as they get older. They aren’t itchy or scaly, the skin isn’t thickened and they don’t cause the dog any harm at all. There’s no need to worry about these, unless your dog is losing hair in these patches. This usually indicates there’s a problem, such as an infection, that needs attention.

Join the dots! By far the most common cause of darkening of a dog’s skin is irritation and trauma from licking or scratching. If the blotches have appeared suddenly, it may be an allergic reaction. Dogs can react to plants or insect bites, which may cause multiple blotches and welts to develop on the tummy skin. They may then scratch at the welts, which can make their skin worse. You’ll find that Itchin’ For Relief will help stop the itch and soothe the inflammation, and help to return the skin to normal.

Dogs can also develop a bacterial infection on their tummy, either with or without an allergy. The blotches from a bacterial infection tend to be round, and they often have a crust around the edge. They’re very itchy, and again, the scratching may lead to dark patches on the tummy skin. These dogs usually need antibiotics from their vet to get the infection under control and stop the itching.

You do need to treat inflamed skin very gently. Comfy Dog shampoo contains colloidal oatmeal , and herbal extracts which will relieve the itch, and make your dog more comfortable. After the shampoo. slather Fur Butter on his skin and coat. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly. This too contains colloidal oatmeal and will help heal dry and itchy skin."


Happy Tails Spa is a WONDERFUL product that produces a fine array of shampoos, skin treatments and a wide variance of spa gifts for your furry friends.

LaDeDog! Mother's Day Special!

Any order of $25 or more through May 16th qualifies for a free engraved I.D. Tag! Choose from any of 3 sizes, 8 designs & 3 colors of our beautifully designed inlaid enamel over stainless steel (a $13.00 value).

After placing your order, send us your dog's name, and choice of address, phone number or both to ladedog@msn.com with the word CHARM in the subject line. Visit our direct link HERE to explore the many choices & place your order today!

Happy Mother's Day!

Right Here Waiting For You

Ever wonder if there is a special little bundle of fur out there just waiting for you to discover him or her? Waiting... Hoping... Wishing... For you.

Visit your local Shelter and see just how easy it is to find a little soul ready to love you unconditionally. Forget the puppy mills, the backyard breeders and Pedigree - you can make a difference in the life of the lost & forgotten, and contribute to your local community as well by adopting your next pet. Thousands of innocent lives are lost because we as a society have forgotten the value of a mutt. The aging, the special needs, the over-bred and the undesirable markings of a pure breed. These are the ones who end up here, and these are the very souls who will love you the most.

For information on these or other pets in the Clatsop County Animal Shelter, visit their website by clicking on the above poster.

Did You Know?

Did you know April 18 - 24 is National Pet ID Week? Do you know what you need to do to ensure that your pet is protected if he wanders off into a busy street or gets lost?


We want to make sure you keep Fido safe and armed with information just in case he should get himself into trouble. According to the Dogster website, "One in three pets will get lost in their lifetime and sadly, most of these dogs and cats do not find their way back home. You can reduce the chances of losing your dog by preparing for the worst today. The steps are simple, quick and will save you from unnecessary heartbreak should your dog ever go lost or missing in the future."


How many of the following can you check off your list?

• Arm your pet with your contact information. There is a huge array of stylish I.D. Tags out there to choose from (LaDeDog! has some really great ones!) Be sure to keep your current phone number, address, or alternate contact number that is readable.
  


• Take a picture of your dog. Right now. Not only is it important to have a recent photo of your dog, but you should make sure that it is stored online somewhere, so that you can access it from anywhere at any time, if you should need to print up posters or show people what your dog looks like. Whether you choose to store your images on Flickr, Snapfish, Photobucket, Dogster, or on your dog's pet ID and recovery service profile page, you'll be glad that you can access them when you need to.


• 
  Get your dog microchipped. Every vet's office will now do it for you, so what are you waiting for? As our own Dr. Barchas says, "Microchips cannot be lost, and they remain the most effective way to identify your pet permanently." Enough said.


• 
  Make a contact list for your pet. Take a few minutes to write down the names of people who know your dog well. This should not only include friends and family members, but people who see your dog every day, like the dog walker or friends at the dog park. Then, make sure that you have a current phone number and email address for everyone on the list, and make sure that they have yours. These are going to be the first people that you contact in the event that your dog goes missing. They may not only have tips for you when you need them most, but they will be of great benefit when it comes to helping you keep an eye out for Sparky.


• 
  Register with a pet ID and recovery service. While having an ID tag on your pet is a great start, you should make sure that your ID tag is connected to an online pet ID and recovery service, so that your up-to-date contact information is always easily accessible to the finder of your pet. We believe that our own pet ID and recovery service is the best one on the market, but we also believe that no matter which service you choose, it's the decision to register that's most important.

Into the Wild

Anybody who comes for a visit, usually receives the grand tour to Saddle Mountain Road. The Elk live there.

"The Natives Are Restless"

After several ”Hunting” expoditions (with the camera, of course) we have learned of their hiding spots behind large tufts of grass, enjoying a cool drink of water at the creek or grazing in the meadow. If at first you don’t spot one, look closely… you will usually spy a rack of fuzzy antlers sprouting behind a mound or a tree.

Here, we have witnessed salmon spawning up-river, soaring eagles, various wild-life and a beautiful waterfall, all within a short drive from town.

Many areas within the community are dog-friendly. When traveling with your pet, you just have to be creative with your outings, keep them on a leash, and of course be the responsible pet owner and bring along your biodegradable waste bags.

Nature's Playground

With long legs built for running and a bundle of hyperness, our Weimaraner needs plenty of space to exert her bottled up energy. When the rains cease and the tiniest glimmer of sunshine peeks through the clouds, we waste no time in getting down to the beach.

Many visitors may not know how close Astoria really is to the ocean & beaches, but within a short drive over the bridge to the west, you can access many sections of the beach in the Fort Stevens State Park vicinity, overseeing the mouth of the Columbia River.

Here, you can find many areas to hike and explore within their miles of paved nature trails that spider-web to various beaches, as well as Coffenbury Lake, which offers two swimming areas & is stocked full of fish. With camping, boating, fishing, clam-digging and touring the military battle grounds, you can have an amazing stay in the area and of course, your dog is welcome to come too!!

Some recommendations for some enjoyable fun on the beach:

1. Frisbee - The Hover Craft is a great one! It lasts a lot longer than the cheap plastic brands, and the material makes it easy for dogs to pick up in the sand. (Come in small & large)

2. Pull toy - The Gourdo is rubber, easy to clean, and it floats (for the smaller dog).

3. Bouncy balls - Orbee-Tuff (S) is buoyant & glows in the dark.

4. CHASE!! - Our personal favorite, the Chuck-it with rubber replacement balls. These guys can be "chucked" a very long distance with the amazing launch, and we have found that the rubber replacements are perfect for the wet, sandy beach!!

Now get out there & have some fun!