Pet Blogger Hop and Happy Holidays!

Whether you're staying close to home or traveling on a great adventure, Cosmo and I wish you happy holidays and a Merry Christmas! Just be sure to pack something special for your furry pals!

Cosmo makes sure all his essentials are packed!

Now, let's go to the hop!

How to Prepare Your Dog for a Long Plane Flight

To pee or not to pee that is the question...

Cosmo has traveled in-cabin on many flights of various lengths -- from two to nearly 10 hours. A little advance planning ensures Cosmo stays comfortable and stress-free throughout the entire trip. And while he's never had to relieve himself en route, we do have a strategy in place in case he does!

We think it 'tis nobler to be prepared, so here you go... our tips for giving you and your dog peace of mind on a long airplane trip. 

Our Seven Tips to "Peedom From Worry on a Long Flight"

Cosmo heads through airport security with his
carrier and small carry on filled with the
essentials -- treats, leash, bowl, pee pads,
poo bags. The light blue pad under the
 fleece in his carrier is a Dry Fur pad.

Cosmo takes a break in the dog park at
Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. This is a great
spot to take your dog before a flight,
during a layover or upon returning from a trip.

After a good walk, Cosmo is ready for
nap time in his travel carrier

Cosmo's "in the bag" during a trip
earlier this year

1. Have the right stuff. The last time we traveled to Italy we purchased the small size Dry Fur pads and placed one underneath the pad in Cosmo's carrier. It's supposed to absorb all wetness and keep pets completely comfortable and dry in the event of an "accident." Cosmo's never had an accident in his bag, but we've kept it in place for extra assurance. Two pads come in a pack so you can replace the pad if one gets soiled.
2. Bring some pee pads in your carry on. On our last long trip, I put a couple of these  Wee-Wee Pads in my bag with the idea that if Cosmo seemed stressed, I'd take him to the bathroom on the airplane and spread one of these on the floor. Cosmo already was familiar with pee pads -- an important point -- because we used these when we lived in a condo. He's never needed them on any of our trips, but I still take these, just in case.
3. Take it easy on food and water. Your dog has probably gone around nine hours or more at night without going to the bathroom, right? So a nine-or-so-hour flight is not an unreasonable amount of time to expect a healthy dog to stay dry.  I do make sure Cosmo doesn't have gobs of treats the day before we travel. And for a long International flight, l I feed him a light meal at least six hours before flying. I also go VERY light on the water once we get inside the six-hour window. Maybe a few sips... or some people use ice cubes. I don't want to dehydrate him, but I do want him to be comfortable. Pets need to have a health certificate and all other sorts of paperwork from your vet for International travel, so you will want to make sure your pet is healthy and in good shape for this type of trip. 
4. Get to the airport extra early.  Delta is recommending we arrive three hours ahead of time for an International flight. This actually works to our advantage. We can check in, and then have plenty of time to let Cosmo sniff around the dog park at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. I also make sure Cosmo has time for some activity or a walk before we leave the house. That way he's ready for a nice, long nap.
5. Sedatives? We don't use them. Cosmo is very relaxed and has no issues with curling up and sleeping in his bag. If you have concerns, check with your vet. 
6. Success for us is "in the bag." I've heard people talk about taking their dogs out of their carriers once they are on the airplane. I decided to try to open the bag "just a little bit" one time, and like a genie in a bottle, Cosmo wooshed out of the tiny opening and magically appeared in my lap in like .00001 seconds. The flight attendant yelled at us, and it was torture trying to wedge the wiggly fur ball back in the bag at a 90-degree angle. (Most airlines have regulations that require you to keep your pet secured in a carrier, anyway.) So once Cosmo is in the bag, he stays there until we get to our destination. He's never made a peep, and like I said, he sleeps the entire way.  If you're comfortable with the situation, likely your pet will catch your vibe and feel comfortable too.
7. Get comfortable with your carrier. Cosmo travels in a large SturdiBag, which measures 12x12x18, the maximum dimension allowed by Delta for a soft-sided bag. We like it because it's light, durable and easy to smoosh under the seat. Do make sure your pet is comfortable and familiar with the bag before travel. We wrote all about travel bag comfort here. 

A few other resources

• We consulted PetTravel.com many times before our first trip to Italy. We also bought our SturdiBag here. 
• Fido Friendly magazine and blog has loads of useful travel tips. 
• I recently learned about DreamofItaly.com travel newsletter and blog from editor/publisher Kathy McCabe. 
• Dog Jaunt has tons of travel info about taking your dog on a plane and other great tips especially for small dog owners.
• GoPetFriendly.com and blog offers great tips to travel like a pro with your pet across the U.S. and Canada.

Most importantly, know thy dog!  Cosmo is very social and handles travel quite easily, in part due to his nature and in part due to preparation and endless training!


Now, it's time to get packing! 

Cosmo's big green bone has traveled round
the world with us! 

Winners of the Hartz® Dura Play™ Giveaway!!

It's Dura Play all the way for Cosmo and now four lucky winners will be taking home their own Hartz® Dura Play™ bones!

Drum roll please as Cosmo gets ready to announce four lucky winners of
the Hartz® Dura Play™ medium bone...

And the  winners of our Dura Play giveaway are ...

1. Sparky Glover
2. Wrigley Schnauzer
3. Nancy and Dog Thunder
4. Oskar

Congratulations!!!!

I'll contact you each with the details so we can get some Dura Play goodness heading your way! 

Squeak ON! 

Grab a Sweet Treat and Help a Rescue Animal at Sophie's Uptown In Atlanta

So cute you might not want to eat it...
but there are more where this came from! 

Eat a cupcake, help a dog! 


It might sound like an unlikely combination, but if you're in the Atlanta area, check out Sophie's Uptown at 54 Pharr Rd., in the heart of Buckhead. The bakery/lunch spot is the latest creation from David York, founder of Barking Hound Village and the Barking Hound Village Foundation. 


York created Sophie's Uptown in memory of his beloved rescue pup Sophie, who passed away in 2008 at an incredible age of 20! Now, York celebrates the memory of Sophie by dedicating 25 percent of proceeds from Sophie's Uptown to Atlanta pet rescue organizations.


The treats at Sophie's Uptown range from apple "dumplins"  to dog-inspired cupcake sculptures. There also are sandwiches and salads if you'd like a little nutrition before you indulge. The best thing about it is, you can have your cake and help the animals who need it too!  

The treats are for people, but proceeds are
for the animals. Twenty-five percent
of proceeds help rescue groups.

York was in the restaurant business before moving to Atlanta in 1995. He opening his first Barking Hound Village doggie daycare and boarding business  in 1999 to ensure Miss Sophie had a safe and happy place to stay when he traveled. He also founded Barking Hound Village Foundation to work with rescue groups. 

The space features William Wegman and Robert Mapplethorpe photographs and some of these nifty dog photos on the ceiling tiles!

Look up and you'll see this cute pup on the
ceiling tiles at Sophie's!

There also is an indoor putt putt course called "Putt for the Pups" available for private parties. 


Sophie's Uptown is open Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., but they say expanded hours are coming soon. 

RIP sweet Miss Sophie and enjoy all the sweet treats
you want at the Rainbow Bridge... 

Sophie, a Spaniel mix, was rescued from a country road in Nashville when she was just two years old. For 18 years she was David York's greatest friend and companion. And now, her memory lives on at Sophie's Uptown.


Go ahead, get some cupcakes... you know you want to! And help the animals who need it most.

Travel to Italy With Your Dog: International Paperwork Preparation

Cosmo enjoys his visit to an Italian pasticceria
during our last trip

A few years ago Cosmo and I traveled abroad for the first time. It took a lot of research and planning to ensure we had all the correct paperwork done ahead of time so that our trip could be worry free.

Now, we’re about to head off again -- this time to Rome and Milan! The planning has been easier this time, since we already know what to expect. But there are still a number of things that need to be done before traveling internationally.

Traveling to Italy with a Dog

We collected lots of information from our vet, the airlines (we are flying Delta), the Italian Embassy in the United States,  APHIS/USDA and the CDC. Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning a trip from the U.S. to Italy.

• Check with APHIS about international animal export regulations. You can locate your local APHIS veterinary service office here. For Italy travel, we needed to obtain a bilingual certificate filled out and signed by our vet. Then we sent the certificate to our local APHIS office where it received the required stamp from USDA/APHIS. The “Certifico Veterinario” must include your dog’s microchip number and rabies information and be completed within four months of travel. 
• Contact the Italian Embassy in the U.S., which tells you pretty much the same things... that you need a bilingual certificate with rabies and microchip information. You can find the bilingual certificate on the embassy site here or on the APHIS site. 
• Check with the CDC about bringing your dog back to the U.S. Here’s the link, but it basically says that you’ll need proof of rabies vaccination. We got our Certificate of Vaccination from our vet. 
• Visit the vet. Our vet filled out all the paperwork and gave Cosmo the required health examination which resulted in one final piece of paperwork.  The health certificate must be issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of transport. 

International paperwork checklist

That sounds like an awful lot to do, but for us it all boiled down to two trips to the vet, one phone call and paperwork sent to USDA/APHIS, and some time spent looking at these links online to make sure nothing had changed since we last traveled to Italy.

Here’s the paperwork we’ll be bringing:

• Certificato Veterinario -- USDA-certified bilingual certificate completed by our vet within four months of travel (includes microchip and rabies vaccine information)
• Health Certificate -- completed by our vet within 10 days of travel
• Rabies Certificate of Vaccination -- provided by our vet

Other things to note

When traveling by air, you also need the check with the airline for its specific requirements. Before we booked our trip on Delta, we called the airline to ensure there was pet space available in cabin and then we reserved that space. Dog Jaunt, one of our favorite blogs for small-dog travel info, includes this handy list of airline policies for international in-cabin pet travel. You should still check with your airline to make sure you know the most current policies. 

When traveling with a pet, you also need to allow a little extra time at the airport for check-in. Delta is recommending we get to the airport three hours ahead of time for international travel with a pet. 

You can read more about preparing your dog for in-cabin travel here. Cosmo enjoys traveling in his large, soft-sided SturdiBag. Its 12x12 x18 measurement is the largest allowed by Delta for in-cabin travel.

Buon viaggio e arrivederci!

Product Review and Giveaway: Hartz® Dura Play™ Bones

Cosmo's living large with his medium Dura Play bone

Fa la la la la! 


Cosmo is looking quite smug with his new Dura Play bone from Hartz, and today he gets to give away some of these bad boy toys! 


But first, he took a few new toys from Hartz on a test run. 


Hartz sent us a selection from its holiday gift guide, including the medium Dura Play bone, a small Dura Play bone and the Tuff Stuff Tiny Flyer.  


Yesterday we reviewed the Tiny Flyer so today it's all about Dura Play! 

The medium Dura Play bone captured Cosmo's attention from the start. I like it,  because the bone doesn't roll and get trapped under the sofa.  It does have a fun bounce and also seems quite durable.


Cosmo seems to like:

• Its squeak and color -- most of Cosmo's favorites are green, hmmm.
• The firm Power Play Core™ -- a foam technology that seems to provide a good chewing experience
• To fling it in the air and chase it!

Cosmo demonstrates the two Dura Play bones here. Check it out! 

The Dura Play bones are available at Walmart and Kmart stores. (suggested retail price: $2.99 small bone;  $5.29 medium bone)

Now, here's how you can win your  pup the magic of Dura Play!

Mandatory:

• To enter our giveaway for a medium Dura Play bone, leave a comment on this post telling me why you think your pup will like a Dura Play bone

Optional (for more entries, please leave a separate comment for each):

• "Like" our To Dog With Love Facebook page
• Follow our blog publicly using Google Friend Connect  (on our sidebar to the right)
• Follow @CosmoHavanese on Twitter and tweet the following: Win a Dura Play bone from @CosmoHavanese and Hartz! http://tinyurl.com/2dufqqn

That's all!! Don't forget to leave your comments below and get your entries in by midnight ET, Tuesday, December 21. We'll use random.org to choose FOUR winning entries! Winners will be announced here on Wednesday, December 22.


Wheeeee!




Disclosure: I received these products for free from Hartz. The opinions in this review are my own. 

Product Review: Hartz® Tuff Stuff® Tiny Dog™ Flyer

Left to right, the small Dura Play bone, Tiny Dog Flyer
and medium Dura Play bone

Some of you may remember Cosmo's glee over the Hartz Dura Play ball in our BlogPaws swag bag. If you missed it, go check out the video at the bottom of this post. I don't know what they put in that ball, but I had to lock it up at night so Cosmo would get some rest and stop the squeaking madness.  


So when we received a package recently with more toys from Hartz, Cosmo's head spun around and he about jumped out of his fur. Two of the toys are made of the same Dura Play goodness and the third is a little disc-type toy, perfect for a dog like Cosmo who loves to chase, catch and squeak! 


Today we are reviewing the Hartz® Tuff Stuff® Tiny Dog™ Flyer. Be sure to check back tomorrow when we'll review the Dura Play bones AND do a giveaway! 


First a few specs on the Flyer:

• Made from durable ballistic nylon
• Measures about 5.75 inches in diameter
• Nice squeak in the middle
• Three openings perfect to grab for tugging

Special note: we were given a sneak peak at this toy. It will be available in Walmart stores March 2011. The regular-sized Tuff Stuff Flyer  is available now at Walmart and Kmart stores, measures about 9.5 inches in diameter with a recommended retail price of $11.99.


Let's head on over to Cosmo's Test Kitchen. Take a look!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for more fun and games! We'll review the small and medium Dura Play bones AND you'll get a chance to win some great stuff! 

Here's where it all began. For Cosmo and Dura Play it was love at first sight...

FTC Disclosure

Hartz gave us these toys. We didn't buy them. Our opinions are our own... dogs don't lie.

PETCO, Natural Balance Team Up to Help Shelter Pets and Rock the Rose Parade!

We love how so many companies have gotten into the holiday spirit with programs that give back to shelter animals as well as offering great deals for pet owners. Here’s one that’s got too much good stuff to pass up!

Natural Balance is putting this piece of doggie paradise
on wheels and rolling it down the Rose Parade!

Maybe it’s because we have such a soft spot in our hearts for the Rose Bowl -- because I went to the University of Michigan during the glory years when it was a really cool thing for the Big Ten Champ to win the honor to play there. Or maybe it’s because we think really big floats with dogs is about the coolest thing for the Rose Parade. Either way, here’s a way to win some great prizes AND help shelter animals along the way!

Here’s the Scoop

Tillman the skateboarding, skimboarding doggie!

Natural Balance and PETCO are teaming up to help raise more meals for shelter animals AND Natural Balance is building an awesome big float with skimboarding and dock diving dogs that they expect the Guiness World Record folks to bless on the day of the Rose Parade, Jan. 1, 2011! Tillman and Rose, the famous skateboarding English Bulldogs, will be skimboarding on this year’s World’s Heaviest Parade float and dock diving dogs will be flying into a huge pool of water. Meantime, Natalie Malaszenko from PETCO will get to ride on the float (we want to ride with you next year!) and provide live updates via Twitter, Facebook & Foursquare! Wow, what a pawty! 

There’s also a sweepstakes you can enter with GREAT prizes. Be sure to read all the way down because these prizes are too good to pass up. And, for every time you enter the sweepstakes, Natural Balance and PETCO will donate a meal to shelter pets.

Here’s How You Get To Play!

Help donate meals to shelter pets by:

• Entering the weekly sweepstakes at petco.com/rose
• Going to facebook and clicking “like” for both PETCO and Dick Van Patten Natural Balance fan pages
• For every new “like” and sweepstakes entry a meal will be donated to shelter pets in need!

If you happen to live in one of these markets, you can also watch the TV Special: “Making of the World’s Heaviest Float”

A dock diving dog during open
casting call

• New York, WPIX: Sat 12/18 @6:30pm  
• Chicago, WGN: Sat 12/18 @5pm  
• Los Angeles, KTLA: Sun 12/19 @5pm & Sun 12/26 @4pm                                   
• Washington DC, WDCW: Sun 12/19 @5pm
• Philadelphia, WPHL: Sat 12/18  @5pm                                    
• Miami, WSFL: Sat 12/18 @6:30pm                                                   
• San Diego, KSWB: Sat 12/18 @4:30pm                                      
• Seattle, KZJO: Sun 12/19 @ 5pm                                                  
• Portland, KRCW: Sat 12/18 @ 5pm                                 

And now for the fabulous Sweeptakes prizes
Here’s what you can win each week! The event started last week, so we are starting on Week Two.

WEEK TWO WINNER: The winner for week two will be chosen at random, from the entries received on Monday, December 13, 2010 at 12:01 am PST through Sunday, December 19, 2010 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will receive one Apple® iPad™ and one Tillman Plush Toy.

WEEK THREE WINNER: The winner for week three will be chosen at random, from the entries received on Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:01 am PST through Sunday, December 26, 2010 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will receive three bags of Natural Balance® SYNERGY dry dog food (winner’s choice of size, flavor and formula) and one $200 PETCO Gift Card.

WEEK FOUR WINNER: The winner for week four will be chosen at random, from the entries received on Monday, December 27, 2010 at 12:01 am PST through Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will receive The Flip™ UltraHD™ video camera, $300 PETCO Gift Card and four bags of Natural Balance® Tillman’s Training Tips™ dog treats. 

WEEK FIVE WINNER: The winner for week five will be chosen at random, from the entries received on Monday, January 3, 2011 at 12:01 am PST through Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will receive a Natural Balance® Prize Pack and a $200 PETCO Gift Card. The Natural Balance® Prize Pack includes one bag of Natural Balance® dry dog or cat food or one bag of Natural Balance® SYNERGY dry dog food (winner’s choice of size, flavor and formula), 2 bags of Natural Balance® Tillman’s Training Tips™ dog treats, one Tillman Plush Toy, one Natural Balance® Calendar, one commemorative Natural Balance® 2011 Rose Parade pin and one Natural Balance® Mug.

WEEK SIX WINNER: The winner for week six will be chosen at random, from the entries received on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 12:01 am PST through Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will receive three bags of Natural Balance® SYNERGY dry dog food (winner’s choice of size, flavor and formula) and one $200 PETCO Gift Card. 

Get all the details and enter here! 

Dock diving image courtesy of Robert Ochoa of Pawmazing Photography

Rose Parade float rendering and Tillman image courtesy of Natural Balance

Eat at California Pizza Kitchen in Atlanta TODAY and help Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue!

Just print out this flyer and take it with you to any of  six metro CPK Atlanta locations ALL DAY TODAY (Lenox, Perimeter, Northpoint Alpharetta, Atlantic Station, Norcross Forum, East Point Marietta)!!!

CPK in the Atlanta area will be donating 20 percent of your check to Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue! So if you're getting hungry... and who isn't!... head to CPK TODAY!


You MUST bring the flyer to qualify for the 20 percent donation. So print it now and get going! What are you waiting for!!

Get Your Holiday PawPawty ON!

The monthly fundraising PawPawty on Twitter typically supports one animal shelter a month. But this month we're doing something a little bit different. We're raising funds for the six shelters who are being supported by the second annual Santa Paws Drive. So come on down and have some fun and help the anipals who need it most! The Pawtying lasts until 2 p.m. ET tomorrow (Dec. 12)!  Just follow the #pawpawty hashtag on Twitter or go here for more info. 


The six Santa Paws Drive shelters include three in the United States, one in Canada, one in the UK and one in Tenerife:

• Animal Rescue League in Laurel, MS
• Big Dog Ranch Rescue in West Palm Beach, FL
• Harmony House for Cats in Chicago
• K9 Tenerife, located off the coast of Africa
• Southern Ontario Animal Rescue in Canada
• Chestnut Cat Sanctuary in the South of England

Santa Paws drive is taking donations until Dec. 20, because shelter pets deserve some holiday goodies too and the elves need time to deliver them! You can donate through our Santa Paws Drive widget in our sidebar or go here to get more info. 

AND, to put you in a holiday mood, here's a preview of our PawPawty playlist. Cosmo Havanese will be in the DJ booth tomorrow from 10 - 11 a.m. ET! Pawty ON!

                            

AND, since it's Saturday, it's ALSO time for the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop! Come on down and hippity hop! 

Atlanta Botanical Garden Opens its Doors to the Dogs for Annual Reindog Parade!

If you want to take your pup to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, this Saturday is the day to do it! Once a year, the Garden opens its gates to the dogs for the Reindog Parade, a competition for prizes and a chance to enjoy the Holidays in the Garden.  Cosmo and I plan to be there and we hope we get the chance to meet Victoria Stilwell, host of this year's event and celebrity dog trainer of Animal Planet's "It's Me or the Dog."

Pre-registration has ended, but the Garden will be accepting walk-ups. Here's all you need to know!

Reindog Parade

Date: December 11

Time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. 

Join the once-a-year fun of dogs in the Garden! Dress your pooch in holiday finery to compete for prizes or to just show off. Also, connect with local canine enthusiasts and businesses in the Doggie Expo.

Dogs compete in the following categories:

Best Dog-Owner Look-Alike

Best Botanical

Best Puppy (under 2 years)

Best Senior (older than 10 years)

Best Dog Pack

Not competing -- just showing off

Get more information here.

Here's a few photos from past Reindog Parades. We went last year and the costumes were a hoot! Some people go all out, but you can enjoy the fun no matter what you wear! 

Two little angels!!

Top Dog!!

Holiday finery!

See you at the Garden this Saturday!

Santa Paws Drive Brings Holiday Joy to Shelter Animals

I don't go anywhere without my big green bone. I want all
the shelter animals to have special toys too! -- Cosmo Havanese

Because shelter pets deserve toys too,  a couple of our best pals created the Santa Paws Drive -- an online toy, treat and donation drive designed to bring holiday cheer to shelter pets this season. While we're all warm and cozy at home with plenty of food, toys and treats, we'd like to think the shelter animals can have a little something special too. The Santa Paws Drive makes it easy to help.


Just go to the donation tab on SantaPawsDrive.com and choose what you'd like to donate. The Santa Paws elves have made it super easy to choose from dog toys, cat toys or cash. The elves will take care of all the shipping and send the goodies off to six shelters across the world.


Here are a few other ways to help too! 

• Buy a $1 raffle ticket for a chance to win some great prizes from some generous sponsors. All proceeds raised will go directly to the shelters.  
• Participate in one of the Santa Paws Drive special events to help raise awareness AND have a great time!
• Spread the word by writing a blog post, tweeting (#BeTheChange #SantaPawsDrive), posting to Facebook and then add your link to the list below so we can see our collective effort!

Special thanks to the elves behind the Santa Paws Drive: Your Daily Cute, PawPawty, Nip and Bones and The Kitten Crew!


December 10 is the last day for treat donations and December 20 for cash donations so what are you waiting for!!  It's time to get hopping!