Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone! The Park Avenue Chihuahua Crew would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! :-)

Dog Saved by Firefighters

God Bless Firefighters! I don't think we say it enough. Firefighters are amazing people that risk so much for all of us. It is easy to forget all they do until we need them. Well, I am here to give a BIG thanks to all the wonderful firefighters of the world for saving so many lives.

I saw the video below on Life With Dogs Blog and had to re-post it. It is amazing!!! :-)

The dramatic raw footage of a dog rescue will make your heart soar. Firefighters performed rescue breathing on a dog that was found unconscious/unresponsive in a house fire. The dog was found at the back door in the kitchen, pulled from the building with minor burns and initially had a respiratory rate of 40+. Firefighters performed rescue breathing for approximately 12 minutes and as you can see, the dog survived. The owner was not home at the time so firefighters decided to bring the dog back to the firehouse for dinner and water.

Watch closely and as the puppy dog is revived she starts wagging her tail. So completely precious!



While I watched the video I was reminded of something. I did a post back in August of this year about Pet Oxygen Masks. If you haven't read that post click here to see it. These Pet Oxygen Masks are wonderful tools for firefighters to have on their trucks.

If you are thinking of a charity this holiday season to give to, please consider donating a set of Pet Oxygen Masks to your local fire station or another fire station in need. All fire stations and emergency response vehicles should be equipped with these wonderful life saving devices. :-)

Sunday Smiles

To all of those wonderfully crazy pooches out there...we love you just the way you are! :-)

Lulu Products by Anne Keenan Higgins

As the holidays approach, I am sure everyone is trying to decide what cards you'd like to send out and what gifts you'd like to purchase for friends and family. Well, look no more.

I'd like to introduce to you my favorite artist/illustrator of all times....Anne Keenan Higgins. I recently had the pleasure of connecting with the artist herself via e-mail. She is so sweet and completely humble which makes me love her that much more! :-)

I am IN LOVE with Lulu products by Anne Keenan Higgins. I can't get enough of her stuff. She offers anything from stationary, note cards, holiday cards, greeting cards, invitations, calendars, ornaments, checks and so much more. The Lulu products are fun, feminine and completely fabulous.

Lulu is a character that she created years ago. In Anne's illustrations you will see Lulu with her pooch or kitty traveling all over the world on her many adventures or just relaxing at home.

Anne recently created a new character called " Fiona." Fiona has the same whimsy charm as Lulu but with her fab style inspired by Twiggy and Audrey Hepburn. Anne decided to use Fiona for her 2011 desk calendars. If you would like to view or purchase one then click here.

Anne has also created products for weddings, new baby, moving, birthday parties, etc. To view a few of her items then click here.The great thing is that Anne doesn't just decorate the front of the cards. She also has artwork inside the cards and on the back (see Birthday Vespa Card below for details). She even decorates most of the envelopes with cute stripes, etc....so you get a lot for your money.

Below are a few (well more than just a few ;-) of my favorites from Anne Keenan Higgins. You can check out some websites that sell these fabulous products by clicking here, here, here, here and here too! Enjoy! :-)

Chihuahua Notes (other dog breeds are available here)

Holiday Dogs

Lulu Shopping Break Notes

Lulu Swinging Notes

Lulu in Mini Notes

Party Dog

Lulu Village Notes

Lulu Yellow Dots Notes

Lulu Home Notes

These are graphics for cute t-shirts you can purchase in boutiques.

Lulu Holiday Pups

Lulu 5th Avenue Notes

Lulu Birthday Vespa Greeting Card

Inside of Lulu Vespa Greeting Card

Lulu Dog Walking Notes

Lulu Christmas Presents

Obviously, I am a huge fan of Anne Keenan Higgins products and can't get enough of her stuff. There are so many more of her designs that I couldn't put on my blog (or it would be a mile long). I hope you love her illustrations as much as I do. Happy Shopping! :-)

Foods and Plants Toxic To Dogs

Photo Source: www.entirelypets.com/toxicfoods

As the holidays get closer I thought it would be a good idea for all of us to brush up on what foods can be toxic to our beloved pets. Most of us seasoned pet owners are aware of some basic foods that are harmful to our pets. However, the lists are growing as more people are feeding their dogs homemade foods due to pet food contamination, pesticides, antibiotics in meats, etc. Some have decided to go organic or just use food from their kitchen so they know what their pooch is eating.

It is also very tempting to want to slip a "little of this" or "a little of that" to your pooch at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. You see those beautiful, sad eyes staring at you and your will power is gone. I know, I have done it before myself. You think..."oh, just this little bit won't hurt." Well, I am here to say it will. Below is a list of foods that are poisonous to your fur baby. The list is by no means complete but it will give you a good start on what you CAN'T give your pooch.

Items (and reasons) To Avoid

Alcoholic Beverages - can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Apple (skin, seeds, stems and leaves) – flesh of ripe apples doesn’t pose a problem for pets. However, apple stems, leaves and seeds contain substances known as cyanogenic glycosides, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, a lack of oxygen in the blood, decreased heart rate, respiratory congestion, seizures, coma, and if large amounts are ingested, can lead to respiratory failure and death.

Avocado - the leaves, seeds, fruit, and bark contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources - can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Cat food - generally too high in protein and fats.

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine - contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea and be toxic to the heart and nervous systems.

Citrus oil extracts - can cause vomiting.

Fat trimmings - can cause pancreatitis.

Fish (raw, canned or cooked) - if fed exclusively or in high amounts can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death.

Grapes, raisins and currants - contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.

Hops (found in beer as well) - unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron - can damage the lining of the digestive system and are toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Macadamia nuts – contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Milk and other dairy products - some adult dogs and cats may develop diarrhea if given large amounts of dairy products.

Moldy or spoiled food, garbage - can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.

Mushrooms - can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Onions and Garlic (raw, cooked or powder) - contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Persimmons Seeds - can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.

Pits from peaches and plums - can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.

Raw eggs - contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw meat - may contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Rhubarb leaves - contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.

Salt - if eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

String – (Although this is not a food it is used often to wrap meats while cooking and when discarded after cooking can be in reach of your pets.) String can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body" and can be deadly.

Sugary foods - can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table scraps (in large amounts) - table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet.

Fat - should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed.

Yeast dough - can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

Xylitol (artificial sweetener) - can cause very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can result in vomiting, weakness and collapse. In high doses can cause liver failure.

Don't forget to keep in mind that some food you make may have certain ingredients that are harmful to your pet (i.e. - mashed potatoes that have garlic and onion powder/salt in them). When in doubt - leave it out! :-)

The best thing to do is to have healthy doggie snacks available for your pooch so when he/she begs then you can give them a yummy dog biscuit, carrot stick, fresh green bean or favorite dog treat.

With Christmas around the corner, we must think about toxic plants too. The Poinsettia plant is toxic to dogs. For an expanded list of toxic plants then click here.

For a few sites that go into further detail of toxic foods click here, here and here too. Hopefully this information will help ensure that we all have a fun, safe and yummy holiday season.

Sunday Smiles

I saw this video clip on America's Funniest Home Video's last week and almost fell off the couch I was laughing so hard. Yes, I am easily entertained. ;-) The funniest thing about it is that this dog's leg seems to have a mind of its own and the dog is clueless. It is hysterical.....enjoy! :-D

"Puppy Massage" - Canine Massage Therapy

Hi everyone! Well, I am BACK from the living dead. Seriously, I haven't been that sick and for that long in a very long time. I am almost back to feeling 100% again. I have really missed blogging and reading others blogs too. I miss all my online fur friends. :-)

On to the "puppy massages". I use the word "puppy" a lot when describing puppy dogs. I just love the word. Who couldn't? It's fun and describes vast ages of dogs that will forever have that beautiful innocent playful spirit of a puppy (even if their bodies can't keep up anymore).

As dogs get older their bodies ache just like ours do. Even younger dogs can play too hard and become stiff and sore. One great way to alleviate pain, soreness and stiffness is canine massage therapy. Some people look at me funny when I mention it but think about it. Who doesn't love a great massage? I know I do. I love going to the spa (as a very special treat) and getting a massage. It relaxes me, takes away all my tension and rejuvenates me. It does that for your pets too. Massage is not limited to humans. It is great for dogs, cats, horses, pet birds, etc.

The benefits of canine massage therapy are wonderful. Click here and here to see some wonderful sites that go into great detail about Pet Massage Therapy. Some of the benefits are:

1. Relaxes and Calms Your Pooch.

2. Improves Blood Circulation.

3. Soothes Aching Muscles.

4. Increases Their Immune System.

5. Flushes Out Toxins In The Body.

6. Releases Stress and Tension.

7. Restores Flexibility and Aids Injuries.

8. Promotes Longevity and Overall Health.

9. Strengthens Your Bond and Builds Trust.

I love giving my pooches some puppy massage. The great thing about it is that you can do it anywhere, anytime and for as little or as long as you like. I usually do it when I am watching tv and the pups are chilling on the couch with me. I will either sit them up or let them lay down....whatever is more comfortable for them. I'll start by gently massaging their neck and work my way down their back (don't massage directly on the spine as it could hurt your pooch). Then I massage their front and back legs, feet, chest, ears and head. Be very careful around their head because it is a very sensitive spot. Many dogs (especially Chihuahua's) have soft spots on their heads and too much pressure can seriously hurt your pooch. When in doubt don't do it. Expert Village has some great video's on You Tube that go into detail about how to massage each body part on your pooch. Just type in "dog massage" on the You Tube Search Box and you will see so many by them that will pop up.

I have been giving my puppy dogs massages for as long as I can remember. All of our dogs are 6 years or older and two of them are way into their senior years (11 & 12 years old). It helps them so much and increases their mobility as well. I know that I am doing it right when my pups close their eyes, relax completely and have big smiles on their faces. 

So if you'd like to pamper your pooch then give them a puppy massage (as I like to call it). It is a great bonding tool for you and your beloved animal and it will benefit them tremendously. They will definitely enjoy it and will return the favor ten fold with love and loyalty.






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