Shoreline Dog of the Week - Dunadan

Dunadan

Name: Dunadan
Nickname: Dune
Age:  1.5 years
Breed: Mountain Dog/Rottweiler mix
Hometown:  Old Lyme, CT
Favorite Place: Great Brook Sports, Groton
Favorite Dog Food:  Blue Mountain Lamb
Favorite People Food: Chili
Favorite Toy:  His younger sibling, "Gandalf the Cat" (see photo)
Favorite Activity:  Going to work to see his best friend Bruin (see photo)
Most Annoying Habit: He likes to wake up at 3am to go sleep outside.  The colder the better!

Dune and Gandalf

Bruin and Dune

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Luna

Luna

Age: 5 years

Breed: Black English Labrador

Luna at Turtle Creek

Hometown: Old Saybrook, CT

Nickname: Luna Belle

Favorite Place: Turtle Creek

Favorite Dog Food: Chicken

Favorite People Food: Pizza

Favorite Toy: Yellow Rubber Monkey

Favorite Activities: Hiking and swimming

Most Annoying Habit: Bed Hog

Luna loves to swim!

Great Brook Sports

I love the dogs in this video!  To see Bruin, the star of this ad, as Shoreline Dog of the Week, click here.  Check out Great Brooks Sports at greatbrooksports.com.

Dog Days Adoption Event

Help homeless dogs in need at the Dog Days Adoption Event! It takes place this Saturday and Sunday at 11am in Salem.  Shoreline Dog will be attending and posting stories about the adoptions!  To learn more about this event,  click here.

This week, Sweet Luna's is donating 20% of all profits and 100% of all tips to the Dog Days Adoption Event!  Sweet Luna's is a fun, dog-friendly frozen yogurt shop in Old Saybrook.  To learn more about Sweet Luna's, click on the image to the right. It's a great place to have a delicious treat and some fun with your pooch!

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Max

Max

Age: 13 years

Breed: Boston Terrier

Hometown: Old Lyme, CT

Nicknames: Maxie, Max-amillion, Ralphie

Favorite Place: Snuggling in is bed at home

Favorite Dog Food:  California Natural

Favorite People Food: Pizza Crusts

Favorite Toy: Blue Panda

Favorite Activities: Playing outside with kids, sleeping

Most Annoying Habit: Begging for food

Autumn Lists

The summer is almost over!  Where will you take your dog when the warm weather and the cloudless days are gone? Most swimming holes will close, the sunny skies will be behind us, the water will turn cold and the air will become chilly..... Never fear, Shoreline Dog is here!  Warm weather isn't the only thing you need to take your dog swimming, hiking, and other activities your pooch adores.  Autumn is a chance to explore new places, try new things, and adventure further into the realm of nature with your beloved hound.  No, the weather may not be as warm, but... the weather won't be as boiling HOT as it is in the summer, right?  This provides an opportunity to do more active outdoor activities without overheating (especially for your pup, I mean just think about wearing those thick fuzzy coats all summer).  So, we came up with places to go, activities to do, and more suggestions that will make this Autumn the best Autumn ever for you and your pooch.  With our brand new, (temporary) tab, Autumn Lists, you can access these references anytime you want.  Have a great rest of the summer, and an even better Autumn!!

Heads up! -Every season comes with different surprises - and different safety hazards.  To avoid this season's dangers for your pet, read our Autumn Safety Hazards List, listed on the new Autumn Lists Page.

Good To Know #14

Good To Know #14 - Don't waste time and money on breath freshening mist and bones! Instead, use apple slices, which help to clean residue off a dog's teeth and freshen their breath.  Apples are also a good source of vitamin A, fiber, and vitamin C. But to avoid chooking hazards, be sure to remove the seeds and core before feeding to your pooch. There's no need for bad tasting, minty breath fresheners for your pup when instead they can enjoy a healthy - and yummy - snack!

Be sure to cut into slices or cut out stem, core, and seeds

Tip: Put some peanut butter on an apple and give it to your dogs as a yummy toy!

Good To Know #13

Good To Know #13 - It's a myth that a dog's dry nose means a fever.  For starters, most of the time a dog will lick continually lick his nose, and, as a result, his nose is almost always wet.  But, when dogs aren't feeling 100% (this could mean exhaustion, thirst, hunger, etc) they tend not to lick their noses, and therefore the noses become dry.  If your dog's nose is constantly dry, talk to your vet, but otherwise don't worry too much.

Changing Your New Dog's Name

You just brought your new dog home! Yay!! You love him - his personality, looks - but not his name. But don't worry - this is a very common situation, especially when adopting older dogs.  A dog of any age can learn a completely different name within days.  If you want to change you new dog's name, follow these easy steps and before you know it, Fluffy will respond to Rover.

• Decide on a new name for your pet.  It can be totally dissimilar, anything will work. But, once you start training your dog with that name, there's no going back.  Changing a dog's name once is easy, but twice is another story.
• While you are spending time with your new pooch, carry a few training treats with you - Not those crazy unhealthy jumbo-peanut-chicken-pork-chunky-chewy-yummy-bones!  Use small ones, that can fit easily in your pocket.  Chances are, you'll be feeding your pup many of them in the next few days, and you don't want to have to give him one of those big beauties every time he does something good.
• Call out the new name to your dog, and then smile and give him lots of praise, along with a training treat. Do this even if he barely blinks at the new name.

Once you do this enough, he will begin to learn that hearing this word means a treat and praise, and will respond to it.  Soon, he will recognize the name as his own!

Good To Know #12

Good To Know #12  - Dogs chase their tail for a variety of reasons: exercise, anxiety, curiosity, and predatory instinct.  Sometimes, watching your dog chase his tail is hilarious!  However, if your dog is chasing his tail excessively, he might have fleas.  If you notice your pooch acting strange and always chasing his tail, talk to your vet.  Fleas are NOT fun - for you or your pet.

Fleas cause a LOT of itching!

Birthdays

It's your pooch's birthday!  You give him a bone, maybe buy a new toy... but now you can bake him a cake!  Here are some  drool-worthy birthday cake recipe for hounds on their special day:

For a peanut flavored cake with a darker, richer taste:

Carob Chip Bundt Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey (optional)
• 1 egg
• *1/2 cup carob chips

Directions:

Mix the flour and the baking soda together.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix quickly.  Bake in a greased ring mold a 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Melt the carob chips and drizzle over the cake when cooled.  *Carob is a chocolate substitute.  If you cannot find carob chips, do NOT use chocolate chips! See Good To Know #7.  You do NOT have to put carob chips in this recipe, as it is included mostly for decoration purposes.  This recipe serves 16-20 dogs, so I would recommend dividing up the recipe if you aren't expecting a party of more than 10 hungry hounds.

Favorite Pics

Got a great photo of your pooch?  Send it to Lily@shorelinedog.com!

Good To Know #11

Good To Know #11 - Salmon is great for dogs!  It's a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which keep your pup's coat healthy and shiny, as well as supporting your dog's immune system.  To add these great vitamins into your pooch's diet, put a little salmon oil in his food bowl, give him your leftovers or unwanted fish skins, or even simply feed him salmon.

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Ginger

Ginger

Age: 5 1/2
Breed: Dachshund / Beagle mix
Home Town: Old Lyme, CT
Favorite Dog Food: IAMS Healthy Naturals
Favorite People Food: Steak & Chicken
Favorite Toy: Stuffed turtle
Favorite Activities: Chasing geese, taking walks
Nicknames: Roo Roo, Scooby
Favorite Place: Home
Most Annoying Habit: None 

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Grace

Breed: Weimaraner
Age: 8

Hometown: Old Lyme

Nickname:  Gracie, Gray, Rooster and Goosie

Favorite place: sunning in a window or in the yard

Favorite dog food: Victory Pet Food Raw Food

Favorite People food: Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Vanilla Ice Cream

Favorite toy: baby blankets 

Favorite activity:   runs on the beach 

Most annoying habit:  being rude to other doggies (barks like crazy)

Good To Know #10

Good To Know #10 - Don't scold your puppy for something he has done a few minutes or more ago, no matter how terrible the action.  Dogs have no sense of "time," so they won't understand why you are punishing them.  This leads to confusion and, if it happens to much, they can become afraid and anxious around you.

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Barrett

Age:  1 1/2  years

Breed:  Golden Doodle

Home Town:  Old Lyme, CT

Nickname:  Linus

Favorite Place:  wherever his family is

Favorite Dog Food:  still deciding....

Favorite People Foods:  ice cubes  (see  Top 5 Doggy Diversions)

Favorite Toy:  his blanket

Favorite Activities:  toss-up between snuggling and playing

Most Annoying Habit: none yet!

Barrett - and his sidekick, Sailor

Barrett loves his blanket!

Good To Know #9

Good To Know #9 - It's a total myth that dogs are color blind!  They can see color, but not as vividly as humans can.  A dog's vision is like our vision at dusk.  Maybe what we see compared to what they see is something like this...

Good To Know #8

Good To Know #8 - Most dogs love to swim! This is why you always have to make sure you dry your pup off with a towel after he swims.  If you don't, their wet fur in the air temperature can lead to hotspots.  Also, they love being rubbed with a fluffy towel.  It's like a doggy massage!

Tonka and Trout, two Chesapeake Bay retrievers,
love to splash around (even in chilly Maine water)!

Good To Know #7

Good To Know #7 - More than just chocolate can hurt your dog!  Macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes, cooked onions, apple seeds, pear seeds, anything with caffeine, and of course, chocolate, can harm your pooch.  Even a little bit of any of these can cause renal failure and other fatal problems.  Sorry pup, you're out of luck!

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Bruin

Bruin

Age:  3 years
Breed:  Chocolate Lab
Home Town:  Old Lyme, CT
Nickname:  Handsome
Favorite Place:  Central Bark Dog Park, Groton
Favorite Dog Food:  Pup-Peroni
Favorite People Foods:  Anything you're willing to share!
Favorite Toy:  "Foxy" - Stuffed Kong Toy
Favorite Activities:  Playing with other dogs, Hide and Seek
Most Annoying Habit:  Interrupting you when you're talking to someone

Good To Know #6

Good To Know #6 - Dogs are capable of understanding as many as 250 words and gestures.  They can also count up to five and perform simple math problems.  The average dog is as intelligent as a two year old child!

Maggie, the Dog Scholar

Good To Know #5

Good To Know #5 - The closest thing to dog body odor is commonly called "Frito Feet."  Dogs' feet are in constant contact with the ground, and they pick up thousands of tiny organisms in their paws, claws, and fur on their feet.  When a dog sweats through the pads on their feet, the combination of all the bacteria and moisture releases an aroma that resembles corn chips.  Therefore, its nickname is "Frito Feet."

Good To Know #4

Good To Know #4 - Life spans are different for the size and breed of a dog.  Believe it or not, small dogs live the longest.  For example, some breeds, such as the Tibetan Terrier live as long as 20 years.  Toy Breeds can live up to 16 years or more.  However, the life span of larger dogs is 7-12 years.

Good To Know - #3

Good To Know #3 - Marshall's is a great place to find terrific deals on toys, treats and quality beds for your pooch.  We recently picked up some tasty training treats and a water bottle toy (see Top 5 Doggy Diversions) in the Clearance section.  The store also carries training aids, feeding supplies, and canine hygiene products at discount prices.

Good To Know #2

Good To Know #2 - Dogs read people by their energy.  You may overwhelm a dog by presenting an excited or nervous energy.  Instead, try to maintain a calm and assertive energy so that you can really meet the dog without it being overwhelmed.  This is an extremely important key when meeting a dog for possible adoption, as the dog can appear badly behaved when the wrong type of energy is presented.

Adoptable Dog - Lady

LADY

Lady needs a loving home!  She is a Shiba Inu mix, around 1 year old and weighs about 40 lbs.  She is very affectionate and happy.  Lady is crate trained, house trained and loves other dogs, cats and children.  She does not show any aggression and loves to run, play, go for walks and ride in the car.  To visit Lady, please email Lori at shorelineconcierge@gmail.com

Good To Know #1

Good To Know #1 - Dogs LOVE yogurt! Make sure that its plain and does not contain added sugars or artificial sweeteners.  Yogurt is high in calcium and protein, and yogurts with active bacteria can act as a healthy probiotic for a dog's digestive system.  It's yummy too!  Yogurt is also a nice, cool treat on a hot day for any pup.  Try some for your pooch today!

Places to take Your Dog - Watch Rock Review

If you are ever looking for a fantastic place to take your dog, Watch Rock is the place to go.  It's located in Old Lyme CT and is one of the town's secret treasures.  Not many people know about it, so you and your pooch will most likely have this vast area on the river to yourselves.  It has a convenient stand at the entrance with information and dog waste bags (we all LOVE that part of the hike)! This spot is one of my favorites and I highly recommend it for you and your hound.

The path leads into a shady hike with small pathways sprouting off the main route if you want to explore further.  One of the pathways leads into a "fairy wonderland" made by Old Lyme Girls Scouts.  It's great for children as there is a scavenger hunt, a puppet stage, animal masks, a fairy tea table, painted rocks, and other fun activities for little kids to enjoy. Other side tracks lead to picnic tables, clearings, small beaches, and other interesting spots to explore.

The main pathway leads to a clearing on the river with porta-potties and tables.  My pups love to splash around in the water here, and there is an island not too far from the shore if your pooch is a strong swimmer.  My golden retriever, Maggie, loves swimming out to it and bringing backs sticks and rocks as souvenirs.  Beware of the swans though - many swan families live in this area and linger around the island and shore.  Be careful with your dog when these large birds are nearby, as they can get angry and injure your pup.

Many people visit Watch Rock for its incredible and natural beauty.  It is a fantastic spot for sunset picnics and hikes, as the sight is truly breathtaking at dusk with the sun shining over the beautiful Connecticut River.  I highly recommend it for everybody - dog owner or not.  Try visiting Watch Rock today!

Directions

The Watch Rock property is reached by taking McCurdy Road from the center of town, crossing 156, and turning right on Joel Drive. Then a left and a quick right brings you to the entrance and the parking lot. The preserve is also accessible from the water by kayak or canoe.

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Annabel

Annabel

Age: 5 months

Breed: German Shepherd

Home Town: Old Lyme, CT
Nicknames: Anna-Belly-Bum-Bum, Anna-Belly, Belly, Bum
Favorite Place: Under the Desk
Favorite Dog Food: Rawhide

Favorite People Foods: Plain Yogurt and Raw Eggs

Favorite Toy: Squeaky Water Bottle Animal

Favorite Activity: Riding in the car

Most Annoying Habit: Chewing EVERYTHING in sight (including her dog sister's ears!)

Top 5 Doggy Diversions

Are you always trying to find ways to calm your crazy pooch down? For my dogs, these 5 diversions have proven to be favorites without fail.  Both of my dogs are extremely different from each other, but one thing they have in common is that they adore these toys! From squeaky to stuffed, I assure you your pup will be busy for hours with these items that dogs love.

Empty Plastic Water Bottle - Some stuffed animals come with a hole to put an empty plastic water bottle in, and dogs -especially puppies- LOVE to make that crinkling sound that drives us crazy! It will keep any dog entertained for hours.  My dogs' favorites are the ones shaped like animals with squeaky buttons on the tail and head.  Try one out for your pup!

Stuffed Rodent/Bird - Retrievers especially like these toys because it is in their nature to fetch for animals of this kind.  It's not too complicated, and it's a great item for fetch or tug-of-war.  Sometimes they come with squeaky buttons, and my dogs love those.  They are a fun toy for any dog, but I highly recommend one for your retriever.

Sadie loves to chew!

Rawhide - This classic favorite will occupy most dogs for hours on end. Although they can get disgusting after too much chewing, they are good for puppy teeth and keeping your dog silently busy.  Make sure to get one that doesn't splinter, because you always want to get the safest products for your pooch.  They're great fun for any pup!

Ice Cube - The cool slippery feeling of an ice cube will busy your pet for  - well, as long as the ice cube exists!  It might create a wet mess on the kitchen floor, so settle your pup down on a towel or blanket to chew on this refreshing snack.  Dogs especially enjoy an ice cube on a hot day, as it cools them down and distracts them from the heat. Plus, you don't have to purchase this chilly treat!

Carrot-  Your pooch will be chewing from dawn 'til dusk with this secret toy replacement. Carrot sticks are actually good for a dog’s teeth, and are high in fiber and vitamin A.   If you want your pup to be busy for a longer time, try avoiding baby carrots, or give it multiple sticks.  This is both a healthy and fun snack for any pooch!

Shoreline Dog of the Week - Maggie

Maggie

Age: 7 years

Breed: Golden Retriever

Home Town: Old Lyme, CT
Nicknames: Magalena-Hagalena-Hoopatalka-Walkatalka-Holka-Molka-Polka, Mags, Maggot
Favorite Place:  Watch Rock, Old Lyme
Favorite Dog Food: Greenies

Favorite People Food/s: Scrambled Eggs

Favorite Toy: Stuffed Birds

Favorite Activities: Swimming and sleeping on the bed

Most Annoying Habit: Being so smart that she understands English!