We've Moved!

After a couple of years on the kindly hosted Blogger service, we have moved to our own, brand-spankin-new domain: theblogofdog.com. Hope to see you there!

Who Am I?: Dog DNA Testing

A friend recently adopted a puppy (pictured above) from Homeward Bound Dog Rescue. What is Quinn? Until recently, it was anyone's guess.

Canine Heritage came to the rescue. It is dog DNA testing. Who knew? It's an easy and relatively inexpensive test.

You order the kit for around $100.00 (there are less expensive options, which test fewer breeds), take a cheek swab of your dog (the difficultly of this step will vary by dog) and send it in. A couple of weeks later, you get a certificate with the breed DNA analysis back.

Quinn was determined to be a mix of Collie, Labrador Retriever and .... Italian Greyhound. How did the Italian greyhound get in there? It's anyone's guess. But Quinn is an Italian Colbrador.

If you have been forever wondering about exactly what breeds have combined to create your best friend, give Canine Heritage a try.

E-Collars and Alternatives to E-Collars: More Than Just a Fashion Statement

As a result of Xek's cancer bout, we have become intimately familiar with the world of E-collars. Few things are more pathetic than a dog wearing one of those enormous monstrosities. They bump into things, eating and drinking are near impossibile and moisture builds within the cone.

So, I investigated various options to the dreaded plastic monstrosity. First, you have what I call the inflatable doughnut, called the Pro Collar. It basically is like a little inner tube that you put around the dog's neck and it makes it very difficult for him or her to bite his body or scratch his face with his foot. It looks very similar to those airline pillows that you put around your neck. It doesn't, however, keep him or her from rubbing his face against the carpet or bumping into something.

There is also something called a "no bite collar." It works similarly to a neck brace and keeps the dog from being able to bite it's body.

The one product that has intrigued me most is the soft e-collar. It's the same idea of the plastic e-collar, but it is made of softer material. Xek isn't a big chewer and I think that this will work to keep him from rubbing his face on things.