Cool things for dogs ...
... and their people!
Welcome Dog Lovers!
Our goal is to provide a personable online source where dog owners and dog enthusiasts can find reliable information on topics ranging from training to socialization, health considerations to nothing but good times and fun stuff for dogs and their people. At the end of the day, we simply want to help improve and fulfill the lives of as many dogs and their people as possible through our website and through outreach to service-dog organizations. Did you know...? Courtesy of Reader's Digest Essential Dog by Caroline Davis 
Updated Sept. 24th
Seven Oaks Dog Park
Follow along and learn how to plan and construct a brand new dog park, like the one our very own community is working on!
Our Mission Statement
Factoids
Apart from domestic dogs Canis familiaris, there are 36 recognized species of the Canidae family, including:
Say Hello to Our Lil Friends!
Just a few of our friends from around the neighborhood!
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IMPORTANT NEWS - New Pet Food Recall - September 12, 2008
Here we go again ... Franklin, Tennessee (September 12, 2008)—Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Schwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States.
A big thanks to our friends over at Pet Poison Helpline for informing us of another unfortunate pet food recall.
Here's the press release, including a long list of the recalled brands, issued by Mars Petcare U.S., the company responsible for the manufacturing of the most recently recalled items.
If Mars Petcare U.S. sounds familiar, it's because they had a similar recall last year -
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Mars Petcare US Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall
The company stopped production at the Everson facility on July 29, 2008 when it was alerted of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant and two isolated cases ...
read more >>
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CoolThingsForDogs disclosure -
It was the pet food recall in Spring 2007 that took the lives of so many pets across the country. Now, just a year and half later, we're seeing a very familiar story.
When we brought Otis home last winter, the 2007 recall was still fresh on our mind as we considered what type of food to raise him on.
After looking at several of the premium brands, we decided on Life's Abundance for many reasons, but among them was the fact that Life's Abundance (or any of the HealthyPetNet products) was not on that recall list ... and it's not on this one either.
You'll see links for HealthyPetNet throughout our site. That's because we're that confident in the quality of their products.
We found that HealthyPetNet not only offered our dog a safe and healthy food choice, but that the company's ideals and business philosophies fall in line with ours - our pets are part of our families too, and we want the very best for them.
Based on that, we became independant distributors for the company. It was a smart business choice for this family that loves dogs ... especially Otis!
If you're looking for a safe, all-natural/holistic food for your dog (or cat) - one that has never appeared on any recall list - we recommend Life's Abundance.
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Here's a few tips from the Humane Society to keep your pets safe from recalled food >>
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Every dog owner loves Cool Things For Dogs!
As dog lov
ers ourselves, we decided to launch this website to explore and share those Cool Things for Dogs that will improve and fulfill their lives and the lives of their people.
Let's face it, we often identify ourselves by the type of dog we have. Manly men have butch dogs. Women of sophistication have classy dogs. Regular Joes have mixed breeds. Spoiled little rich girls carry a Chihuahua in their purse (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
Obviously, that's not an all inclusive observation, but I think you get the picture - our dogs play a huge role in our lives. They're our pets, our companions and our family members ... an extension of us.
The idea for this site was inspired by our late Black Lab/Chow/Malamute mix - Kodi (so named for the Kodiak Islands in Alaska where we got her), who passed in November 2007 at the age of 16. Kodi was a beautiful, protective dog bred in the true definition of an "Alaskan Husky" - to withstand the extreme conditions of Alaska. Roaming around outside in minus-20 degree weather was not uncommon for Kodi - she thrived on it! That's her in the photo above, taken on the Upper Youghiogheny River in PA a few years ago.
We've since added a new member to our family, an energetic young Boston Terrier named Otis. Otis was born in September 2007 and has an i
ncredible personality. This is our first Boston and we're extremely happy to have gotten such an intelligent dog. He's a bit on the small side - looks like he'll top out at about 16 or 17 pounds - but we were looking for a smaller one and couldn't be happier we found him. That's him wrapped up in one of Diny's favorite blankets, just after he came home with us.
While Kodi inspired us to provide the best life possible for our dog and to really enjoy her as a companion, Otis has propelled us to take it a step further - to get more involved with the local dog community and the many organizations that allow dogs to have a second chance and those that train dogs to help people realize their potential.
It is these ideas that we dedicate this site to.
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By the way, the Boston Terrier Artwork you see at the top of the page was done by our good friend Ali Spagnola. You can find a ton of Ali's artwork at www.AliSpagnola.com.
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Check back often, as we'll continually update the site with general dog info, stories, reviews of products, and other good to know Cool Things for Dogs!
