Swank Pets Dog Blog

It seems like the whole fad in the fashion industry lately has been vintage clothing.  Many Hollywood A-listers and pop socialites can be seen in US Weekly sporting vintage tees and garments.  However, the trend for vintage clothing does not stop at humans.  The hot trend in small dog clothing has also been the vintage look.  Luckily, Swank Pets is proud to announce that we just received our new collection of vintage clothes for small dogs.  Our vintage clothes for small dogs are made from the best materials (as always) while keeping comfort for your pup in mind.  If you look at the stictching and overall craftsmanship put into these vintage clothes for small dogs, you will see that these dog garments weren’t simply slapped together. 

So what really defines vintage clothing?  Well, wikipedia defines it as simply clothing from another era, generally older than 25 years old.  If I were to chose an era where these vintage clothes for small dogs were inspired from, I would have to say the 70’s and maybe late 60’s.  Either way, we are very excited about this new collection and we are sure that you will also love our new line of vintage dog clothes.  Hmmm…that was kind of an oxy moron.

Anyhow, here are the trendy dog garments that we just got in.  These looks are definitely inspired by a more rocker/rebel lifestyle.  If your little one gives some attitude now and then, these hot new designer dog clothes are a must have. 

When we buy our new puppies, we usually assume that our new little babies will be our best friends.  We picture our dogs following us where ever we go, sleeping in our arms, and never leaving our sides.  We envision a new best friend that will never betray us or leave us for someone else, after all, dogs are supposed to be the most loyal animals on the planet.  However, do you sometimes get the feeling that your dog is cheating on you?  Do you feel that the dog YOU bought and brought home gives more attention to someone else in the house?  The dog YOU spoil with tons of cute and trendy dog clothes, the dog YOU spoil with fancy designer dog beds and dog carriers, the dog YOU give endless treats to……..is possibly cheating on you?  Well, I’ve been very suspicious lately about my dogs cheating on me. 

You see, my Fiance’ lives me and I see that my dogs seem to cuddle up with him more than they want to cuddle with me.  When I try to look for them, they’re always on his lap sleeping while he watches TV.  When I try to call for them they don’t come to me because they’re busy playing with daddy.  I mean, what’s going on here?  Aren’t I the one that they should be giving all the attention to?  I bathe my dogs, feed my dogs, take them to the groomers, but they just seem to love their dad more.  When I scold my dogs for doing something naughty, who do they run to……daddy.  You know, this isn’t what I signed up for.

If you suspect that your dogs are cheating on you, here are 5 tell tale signs.

1.  When there are 2 people on the same couch, who’s lap does your dog jump on first?  If its not yours, there’s a good chance that your dog is cheating on you.  I know how it is.  You both get home from a tough days work and now its time to relax.  What better way to relax than some TV and your little fur baby in your lap.  But wait a second, your dog doesn’t even want to sit with you.  They automatically jump onto your significant other’s lap and nestle in for a nap.  There goes that plan for a night with you and your and your dog.

2.  For those that allow your dogs to sleep in your bed, watch to see who your dogs spends most of the night with.  My dogs always end up snuggling right next to my fiance’.  Its like clock work for them.  Once the lights go off, they jump into bed and go right next to him.  They don’t even bother coming over next to me to say ‘goodnite’.  This is definitely another bad sign that your dog is cheating on you. [Read more →]

Its been a while since I last posted here, but I’ve been soooo busy. Sorry about the lack of posts, but hopefully this will make it up as my “Good Deed for the Day”.   A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the show Oprah did on the perils of puppy mills. If you didn’t read the post or you’re too lazy to click the link, it was basically a show on how undercover correspondent Lisa Ling goes into puppy mills to reveal the shocking truth on these sickening places. The footage was even a little shocking to me having seen similar footage before, but I’m sure it opened the eyes of millions of other people. Anyway, I decided to continue on that post with this one. So here are 5 ways to help stop puppy mills. If anyone has some ideas to add, please leave them in the comments.

HSUS MySpace Page | Stop Puppy Mills Website

1. Avoid buying your puppy from a pet store at all costs. According to the Oprah show, 99% of all puppies from a pet store come from a puppy mill. No matter what a pet store tells you, its almost a guarantee that puppies from pet stores come from puppy mills. The pet store may tell you that they have ‘health certificates’ or ‘USDA approved’ puppies, but all that stuff is a smoke screen to hide the truth. Take your business to a reputable breeder or the adoption shelter. Whatever you do, NEVER buy from a pet store. You will only fuel the business of puppy mills.

2. Tell all your friends and family about puppy mills. Spread the word to everyone you know, and tell them to spread the word to everyone they know. I know you’ve gotten those email chains at least once in your life. Probably about how to lower the cost of gasoline or something like that. However, lets try that same technique on spreading the word about stopping puppy mills.  Send out an email to your entire contact list and tell all those contacts to do the same. One thing that worries me is the cost of gas has only sky rocketed, so it doesn’t seem like those chain emails did much. However, look on the bright side, we’re not talking about a necessity like gasoline, we’re talking about cute little puppies that need to be saved!

3. Send out petitions and letters to your state legislature. Or, send one to the Pennsylvania’s state legislature, [Read more →]

So I’m driving home the other day and I see a lady walking on the sidewalk with a double stroller.  The stroller was set side by side as opposed to back to back if you can picture that.  As I drove by, I kind of peered over hoping to see a couple of cute babies. but to my surprise, I see 2 hairy Chihuahuas!  Now this isn’t the first time I’ve seen people push their dogs in strollers, but I was completely surprised because I just kept expecting to see human babies.  Now I know many of us feel that our dogs are our babies, but I have a little problem with people pushing their dogs around in strollers everywhere they go. 

For one, it totally deprives your dog of the proper exercise they require.  If you’re going for a walk around the neighborhood, then why not take that opportunity to walk your dog also.  Exercise is such a vital part of your dog’s health and pushing your dog in a stroller does nothing for them except for getting them a sun tan.  Furthermore on the subject, I think that pushing your dog in a stroller on a constant basis will eventually train your dog that a stoller is only way to travel.  I bet that these dogs that are pushed around in dog strollers all day have become accustomed to their stroller and refuse to walk.  Why do I believe this?  Well, some people feel that they have to hold their dogs in their arms 24/7.  Its a great thing that you want to be close to your dog as much as possible, but your dog will soon be accustomed to this treatment.  I’ve been to dog parks where some dogs refuse to play.  What are they doing you ask?  They’re scratching their owners leg and jumping up and down begging and barking for their owners to pick them up.  These dogs refuse to play and socialize and would rather be held by mommy or daddy.  The same thing will apply to people who push their dogs around in doggy strollers.  The dogs will only want to stay in their ’safety spot’ of their stroller wherever they go. 

Don’t get me wrong, I hold my dogs quite a bit, but I also make sure that they get plenty of exercise and that they socialize and play with other dogs at the park.  Who knows, perhaps some of these dogs have a medical problem that prevents them from walking.  In that case, a dog stroller is just fine.  But if you’re pushing your dog around in a doggy stroller because it looks cute, then do yourself and your dog a favor and trash it.  Your dog will benefit from walking a lot more.  Besides, that’s what their four legs are meant to do

One of the best things that you can buy for your small dog is a harness.  Luckily, Swank Pets carries a huge selection of cute harnesses for small dogs.  Besides quality food, a dog harness is very important for small dogs because they can help prevent a collapsed trachea.  Smaller sized dogs and especially teacup dogs are more prone to throat and neck injury when a normal dog collar is used to walk your dog.  Dog collars are great for holding dog tags and adding a little extra flair to their wardrobe, but I recommend against them for walking dogs.  Dog collars tend to put a lot of pressure on a small fragile part of your dogs body, the throat.  If you have a dog that loves to tug when you walk them, a dog collar can put extra pressure on that vital trachea and possibly cause it to collapse.  Small dog harnesses help spread out the pressure on a much stronger part of your dog’s body, their chest.

However, many people feel that small dog harnesses  don’t look good.  However, times have changed and there are now many different styles of cute harnesses for small dogs.  They come in many different fashion styles to fit your little pup’s personality perfectly.  Our cute harnesses for small dogs are also made from high quality material with comfort kept in mind.  All of our cute harnesses for small dogs feature a sturdy D-ring so that you can attach any leash you wish.  Some of our harnesses also feature matching leashes for those of you that have to have everything match.

For those of you with boy dogs, don’t worry, we also carry a pretty good selection of harnesses for boy dogs.  Below are just a few of our cute harnesses for small dogs.  You can see our entire collection of harnesess for small dogs here.

We all want our dogs to live as long as possible.  Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that we can simply give our dogs to make them live longer.  However, there are things that we can do ourselves to help prolong our dogs’ lives.  These are simple to do but it does require effort on your part.  These 5 simple tips will help keep your dog living healthy and strong.

1. Brush your dog’s teeth on a regular basis.  This is a very important aspect to keeping your dog healthy even though it may not seem like it.  A major cause of death in many dogs is due to poor dental hygiene.   By brushing your dog’s teeth on a regular basis with the proper technique, you can help reduce the risk of dental disease in your dog.  Here is a post on “How to brush your dog’s teeth“.

2. Feed your dog a healthy and proper diet.  Today, many people tend to over feed their dogs and they also tend to give their dogs horrible food.  If you buy your food from a grocery store, it’s most likely junk food.  Meaning the dog food is probably filled with grains and fillers that offer your dog no nutrional value.  Also, if you can’t feel your dog’s ribs, then you’re probably over feeding your dog.  Learn the correct portion sizes for your dog’s size and start feeding them some healthy and nutritious dog food.  Here is an excellent read on dog food analysis to see what to look for in the ingredients of your dog’s food.  Here is another great read on preparing home cooked dog meals.

3. Regular exercise is another key factor in keeping your dog healthy.  All dogs need exercise regardless of their size.  Make sure you give enough time each day to exercise your dog.  You can either take them to the dog park or simply go on a 20-30 minute walk around your block.  Either way, the more exercise the better.  You’ll also end up getting a good work out also!

4. Give them lots of attention!  Its been proven that sad and neglected dogs have a shorter life span than dogs that are happy and given lots of attention.  When you come home from work, don’t ignore your dog.  Give them lots of attention and show them that you care about them.  The happiest time in their life is probably hearing the door open to see you come home.  Play with them, praise them, and show them that you love them on a constant basis.  A happy dog is a healthy dog!

5. Watch your dog.  Its the most unsuspecting times where danger lurks.  Cars can come out of no where and be a huge danger to your dog.  If you have toy breed dogs like I do, always keep an eye out for larger dogs that are not on a leash.  Large dogs can pounce on smaller dogs in a blink of the eye.  Even though the larger dog may not mean any harm, toy breeds are very fragile and can get seriously hurt.

Hopefully these 5 tips can help you prolong your dog’s life! 

Last week on Oprah, there was a special report where super undercover reporter, Lisa Ling, went along with Bill Smith to find out what really goes on in puppy mills.  Bill Smith represents the Main Line Animal Rescue , an organization that recovers and rehabilitates dogs that puppy mills no longer want because they are unable to keep breeding.  In this one hour special, Lisa and Bill’s main goal is to raise awareness to the public that 99% of all dogs found at pet shops come from puppy mills.  Bill Smiths’ hope is that people across America will see the absolutely horrid conditions that these dogs and puppies live in, and hopefully deter anyone from buying a dog from a pet shop in the future. 

I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of this at one point in our lives.  We go into a pet shop and see all the cute little puppies.  Their furry little faces are so adorable that you just can’t resist bringing one home.  In actuality, the majority of people love to just look, but there are still many many people that buy their dogs from pet shops.  Bill Smith and the MLAR hope that their show on Oprah will help deter people from buying puppies from a pet shop and end the puppy mill business.

The show on Oprah was actually very disturbing to watch.  Lisa and Bill wanted to prove that these puppies [Read more →]

Do you think of your little fur babies as your prince or princess?  Do they act like royalty because you pretty much spoil them to death?  If so, your little one deserves to sleep in only the finest beds.  That’s why I want to show off some of our designer dog beds.  These designer dog beds are all absolutely stunning and gorgeous.  Keep in mind that these aren’t your everyday dog beds.  These designer dog beds are all made with the highest quality material and the finest details.  Some of these dog beds aren’t cheap either, but I’m sure your little furry balls of royalty deserve them!

This designer dog bed pictured above was made to resemble to famous Russian Faberge Eggs.  Great detail and attention was put into this super gorgeous dog bed.  From the delicate gold lace trim, the jeweled accessories, soft velvet exterior, and ultra plush interior, this designer dog bed is the most beautiful bed we have ever carried.  Only 500 of these in the world, don’t wait one more second to get your own.  Words cannot describe how NICE this bed is.  You’ve got to see it to believe it.

Next, we have our beautiful canopy dog bed.  This designer dog bed is definitely a must for any princess.  The faux fur and soft sponge pillow will guarantee that your dog gets their beauty nap. 

Last, we have this absolutely beautiful leopard print luxe lounger.  This bed will look great in any room of your house.  Your guests will never guess that it’s a dog bed.  This designer dog bed is perfect for those little dogs with an attitude!

Be sure to check out the rest of our designer dog bed selection here.

Many people are kind of confused on the term ‘Teacup’ when it comes to dogs.  Many people will come up to me and ask if my Yorkie, Munchkin, is a Teacup dog.  Sometimes, when I’m just tired of answering this question, I simply reply “Yes, she’s a teacup.”  Then this is usually followed up by a bunch of  “awwww! she’s soooo cute!”  But in actuality, there is no actual breed known as ‘Teacup Yorkies’ or ‘Teacup Chihuahuas’ or ‘Teacup Pomeranians” or “Teacup you fill in the toy breed here”.  Simply put, these so called teacups are not a different breed of dog.  They are simply smaller than normal.  Sometimes, smaller dogs come about because they are the runt of a litter.  Sometimes, smaller sized dogs are bred on purpose through many years of breeding for that particular size.   But in no means are teacups a whole different breed of dog.  Teacup dogs should only be used as a description.

So what if you have a teacup dog?  I know you are just dying to find them some cute teacup dog clothes.  Well, this is probably easier said than done.  Not many boutiques specialize in teacup dog clothes like we do.  Our business started because we couldn’t find clothes that would fit our little 2 pound Yorkie.  When I say teacup dog clothes, I’m talking about clothes that will fit a dog anywhere between 1 and 5 lbs.  Pretty small isn’t it!  Its hard to imagine, but teeny tiny clothes for dogs this size do actually exist, and Swank Pets definitely has a huge selection of teacup dog clothes to choose from. 

Now I’ve never seen a full grown dog at 1 lbs before, and if I did, I think I would be looking at the world’s smallest dog.  So the clothes we carry that fit dogs at 1 lbs are meant for teacup puppy clothes.  If you just brought home a cute little teacup puppy, we can help you find some ultra cute and trendy teacup puppy clothes.  I guarantee that you will not find cuter or more gorgeous teacup puppy clothes anywhere else besides here at Swank Pets.

Here are some pieces of teacup dog clothes that we have to offer.  Visit our site to see our entire collection and available sizes.

I read this story in the news and immediately thought of my little Yorkie Munchkin.  Since she also weighs almost 2 pounds and has big giant eyes, I thought about this happening to her and started to feel sad.  I’ll summarize the heroic but tragic story below.  WARNING, this is a pretty sad and graphic story, so please be prepared.

I’m not too sure where this took place, but it involved a woman named Dorothy, her husband Gary, and her little 2 pound Yorkie, Peggy Sue.  Apparently, Dorothy and her husband Gary decided to take an afternoon nap in their recliners at home.  Their Yorkie, Peggy Sue, was fast asleep on Gary’s lap.  Suddenly, Gary is awakened by Peggy Sue barking non-stop at Dorothy’s face.  When Gary turned to look over at Dorothy, he noticed her shaking uncontrollably.  He also noticed her lips turning blue with no response to any of his questions.  He suddenly knew that she was having a seizure.  In a panic, he yelled for his housemates downstairs to call 911.  The couple also had another dog, a black border collie that they kept outside. 

Preparing to get Dorothy to the hospital, Gary let his border collie inside.  Being a very protective pet and noticing the little Yorkie, Peggy Sue, barking at Dorothy, the collie immediately thought that Peggy Sue was trying to harm Dorothy.  Out of  instinct, the collie suddenly grabbed Peggy Sue by the head so hard that the poor Yorkie’s eyes had popped out of her head.  Still in a panic, Gary put Peggy Sue in the bathroom away from harm, and rushed to the hospital with his wife.  Fortunately, their neighbors were able to take the Yorkie to the vet to have one of her eyes removed and sewn shut.  The other eye was saved, but Peggy Sue still suffers from partial blindness out of that eye.

The good news is that Dorothy survived the tragic seizure, but her heroic Yorkie has almost lost her eye sight.  If Peggy Sue never barked to wake up Gary, chances are that she would have died. 

Personally, I’ve heard of dogs being able to predict seizures and the ability to detect cancer.  Perhaps I’ll do some research on this and save it for another post.  Either way, this story was both heroic and tragic at the same time.  However, the story did leave a sour taste in my mouth.  I don’t understand why the border collie acted so aggressively towards the Yorkie.  The news story may have left out some information, but if the two dogs live together, I would figure that they should know each other well enough to not attack one another.  It almost sounds like the owners have done a poor job training and raising this collie because of the aggressive nature that it exhibited.  If the collie was properly brought up, this incident should have never happened as far as the injury to the Yorkie.  That’s why this story kind of makes me mad. 

 Dog owners must take full responsibilty of their pets for their sake and their pets’ sake.  When owners ignore the proper discipline and training required for a pet, it just shows how irrepsonsible and undeserving they are of owning a dog.  I’m just ranting and I know I don’t have the whole story, but it still makes me mad that a poor Yorkie lost her eye sight.

Many people are always curious about which is the best type of dog food.  Its only natural for us to want to feed only the best foods for our dogs.  I’ve actually written a couple articles and posts related to dog food.  I think your dog’s diet is one of the most important things in your dog’s life.  Just like humans, a healthy diet will mean a healthy dog.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to feed your dog the correct type of food.  This is a pretty good article I wrote on choosing the best type of dog food in general.  It goes over what your dog needs in their nutrition and some dog foods that I recommend.  It was a little more focused on food for small and toy dog breeds.  I also wrote a blog post on how to prepare home cooked dogs meals if you care to check it out.

Anyhow, I’d like to discuss the complications that wet dog food can cause in our dogs.  In general, you’ll want to feed your dogs dry kibble.   The dry kibble is great for cleaning teeth and keeping their teeth healthy.  The crunchy kibble will help reduce bad breath and even helps with keeping a healthy and strong jaw.  The problem with wet dog food is that this moist and wet food can easily become lodged in your dog’s teeth.  When the wet dog food becomes trapped in their teeth, it starts to decay and cause plaque build up.   In a nutshell, this is the major problem with wet dog food.  I’ve also written a blog on the importance of good dog hygiene and how to brush your dog’s teeth.

I’m not saying that wet dog food should never be fed to your dog.  I’m sure your dog drools when they see that can of yummy wet goodness splash into their dog bowls.   I would use the wet dog food more as a treat rather than a normal consistent meal.  What we do a lot of times with our dogs is mix in about half wet dog food and half dry kibble.  This way, the kibble can still do its cleaning job, and your dog still gets to have some super yummy food.  I mean lets face it, that dry kibble we feed our dogs looks really unappetizing.   On the other hand, there have been times where I was tempted to eat some of their canned food because it smelled so good!

The only other time I would feed my dogs wet canned food is if they refuse to absolutely eat anything else.  To be more specific, if you own a toy breed puppy, it is imperative that they eat on a regular basis.  If you have a really small toy breed puppy that refuses to eat, your puppy can start to become hypoglycemic, a very serious and often fatal condition if not treated correctly.  So if you have a little teeny tiny puppy that won’t eat anything else except canned dog food, then feed them canned food.  You can always change your puppies diet as they grow older and have less of a danger with bouts of hypoglycemia.

All in all, lets do our dog’s a favor and leaved the canned dog food for treats and special occasions.  You will have a healthier dog and that is the most important thing.  As always, consult with your veterinarian on anything related to your dog’s health.

So perhaps you’ve just gotten a new puppy or maybe you’ve had your dog for a while now. Either way, many women these days are looking for chic and trendy ways to keep their little babies with them at all times. Some women complain that their dog carriers are too bulky or too large to carry around on a regular basis. I can agree that carrying these small dog carriers while shopping at the mall can be quite a nuisance. This new line of trendy purses for small dogs are an absolute must have dog accessory. Not only are they absolutely gorgeous and fashionable, they do a great job of keeping your little one safe by your side at all times. Many of our customers have mentioned that the best things about these trendy purses for small dogs is that they look like normal purses! No one will ever suspect that you have a little furry baby sitting snugly inside your purse. We’ve gotten many compliments from normal everyday people asking where they can get a purse just like ours. When we tell them that its actually a purse for small dogs, they are absolutely in awe.

All these trendy purses for small dogs are made with the utmost quality and detail in mind. The fabrics for these dog purses range from a natural linen look to a more sophisticated patent leather appeal. Whatever your taste is, you will not be disappointed with either of these ultra trendy purses for small dogs. Each small dog purse provides many useful features and meticulous detail. Each carrier comes with machine washable quilted comfort cushion so your baby can stay snug for hours on end. The security leash inside the dog purse itself ensures that your dog will not jump out. The pockets inside [Read more →]

Okay, now that I am awake again, this is Part 2 of the series “Dealing with your Dog’s Aggression”. You can read part 1 here.

MANAGING AGGRESSION: PACK DRIVE

The pack drive is usually associated with reproduction and being part of a group. Dogs that exhibit the pack drive may show signs of aggression towards people, attack other dogs, and not failing to stop an attack on another dog. These aggressive behaviors are seen a lot in dogs that leave their mothers too early. I’ve stressed this point a lot in previous posts, but puppies should leave their mother at around 10 - 12 weeks of age at the soonest. Any breeder that lets a puppy go any earlier is acting irresponsibly and your business should go elsewhere. Anyhow, at the age of 5 to 7 weeks, a puppy learns many instincts from their mother, such as canine body language. This canine body language pretty much teaches a puppy that they are dogs. Puppies that do not learn this canine body language tend to exhibit more aggressive behavior towards other dogs and sometimes humans.

To manage a dog that exhibits this type of behavior, you may try using these techniques:

[Read more →]

WHAT IS AGGRESSION

The term Aggression may have different meanings to different people. For example, some people may think that a dog that barks and growls at people as they walk by the house is aggressive. However, the dog is simply claiming their territory which is perfectly normal. The official definition (okay, official in my mind) is a dog that bites uncontrollably and unpredictably without any sort of warning. I know many people may disagree, but I think that most dogs that are considered “aggressive” are only acting out of their environment or upbrining. Most aggressive incidents are actually predictable, provoked, or both.

CAUSES OF AGGRESSION

When you think of aggressive dogs, pictures of vicious Pitbulls and Rottweilers probably come to mind. However, aggressive dogs come in all sorts of sizes and breeds. Even toy breed dogs can be “aggressive”, but this is [Read more →]

So you think you’ve got a tough little pup, huh? Is he the type that walks around the house thinking that he owns the place. Does he run around and terrorize the other dogs in your house even though he’s a quarter of their size? If so, it sounds like you’ve got Tuff Little guy on your hands. Little boy dogs with these characteristics need to wear the proper attire to match their little attitudes. What better pattern screams “Tough!” more than camo. Yes, that’s right, Camo Dog Clothes! The camo pattern has been around for many, many years. Of course we know it all originated from the military, but many modern designers today have incorporated the camo look in many of their outfits. We see many trendy designers not only for humans using this pattern, but also for dog clothes.

Camo dog clothes are in essence the perfect way to distinguish your little baby from the rest. I know I just used the term ‘baby’, but we still want everyone to know how tough our dog is even though he may be the most loving and cuddling thing in the world. Anyhow, we get asked a LOT about carrying small clothes for boy dogs. I agree, a lot of our dog clothes are best suited for girl dogs, however, many of our small dog clothes are also unisex. But if you’re tired of people always asking “Is that a boy or a girl?”, then these small camo dog clothes and harnesses are perfect for you and your fur baby.

The camo dog harness pictured above is absolutely great for boy dogs. Most importantly, these small dog camo harnesses are the safest methods for walking your dog. The benefit of using a harness is that it places the pressure on your dog’s chest. A dog collar, on the other hand, puts most of the pressure on your dog’s throat and trachea, which is a lot more delicate than their chest. Anyhow, this small dog camo harness is made from high quality mesh and cotton trim. It also features a sturdy D-ring to attach the leash of your choice. If you’re looking for a small dog harness for hot muggy days, then this is your answer. The mesh will definitely help keep your pooch cool and safe all day long.

Next, pictured below, another one of our popular camo dog harnesses. This one is little more trendy as you can see from [Read more →]

It seems like Gisele Bundchen, the former face of Victoria’s Secret, owns a cute little Yorkie also. She was spotted leaving her posh apartment in New York’s west village about to bring her Yorkie puppy to the vet. Hopefully her little baby is OK! Tom Brady, New England Patriots quarterback, was also seen leaving Gisele’s apartment. From the look on Gisele’s face, it looks like she’s a bit concerned for her Yorkie.

Ok, I’ve talked about cute dog clothes and small dog clothes, and even teacup dog clothes. However, I want to focus on some really trendy dog clothes. I’m talking about dog clothing that Paris Hilton or Nicole Richie would sport on their pups. These types of dog apparel have a more modern and pop culture flare to them. If you think your pooch is a true hipster, then pay attention. Heck, if you’re a true hipster yourself, you’ll probably find some of these trendy dog clothes a must have addition to your little babies wardrobe. Trendy to me is something that you don’t see everyday. Trendy people are the fashion forward that wear the clothes you don’t see at on everyone else. They tend to make a statement with their wardrobe and the trendy dog clothes that I’m about to showcase will definitely make a statement. I know for a fact that you will have people pointing and looking from all directions when your pup struts their stuff down the street, at the mall, or anywhere else you go.

[Read more →]

Ever wonder about your dog’s sex life and sex habits? If not, its time to learn. Since sex is such a hot topic when it comes to humans, I figure that I’d bring it up with dogs. First, dogs are  very close relatives to wolves, however their sexual behavior is quite different. The first dogs were derived from wild wolves, and over many years of evolution, our dogs have become  what we know today.

As I mentioned earlier, dogs are quite different from their wild counterparts in terms of sex. Dogs are a lot more promiscuous when it comes to sex. That’s right, as much as we would like to deny the fact, our little babies are sex addicts! Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating, but dogs do not stick to one mate their entire lives. If you have a male dog, I’m sure you’ve seen him running around the dog park trying to hump every thing and everybody! Wolves are different in that they usually tend to stick to one mate for their entire lives. However, don’t blame your little babies for being such roaming casanovas because this trait was actually bred into them by humans.

Another trait that we see in dogs is that they reach sexual maturity at a much younger age than wolves. Dogs tend to reach sexual maturity at around 7 to 10 months. Wolves on the hand reach their sexual maturity at about 22 to 24 months of age. Smaller breed dogs tend to reach sexual maturity at an even younger age than large dogs. That probably explains your little teeny tiny humper! Male dogs are pretty much able to breed anywhere and anytime. However, wolves can only breed during a short period time.

Once your female comes into heat, you will probably notice a difference in her behavior. She may get more playful with male dogs, but she may also become more aggressive to other female dogs. Male dogs can smell and sense a female in heat up to a quarter mile away. And I thought Superman had some pretty crazy senses. Anyhow, its not always the dominant male dogs that get to breed with a female. If a female does not want to breed with a dominant male, she will lay on her back or on her side so he cannot breed with her. Weaker males that are rejected can sometimes get a little nip or bite to let them know that they aren’t wanted. Harsh world isn’t it? Can you imagine a girl at a nightclub nipping at guys’ noses as they try to hit on her?

Dogs also have different breeding cycles than wolves. Female dogs usually come into heat about twice a year. Wolves, on the other hand come into heat only once a year.  We can obviously see that the first people that were breeding dogs obviously wanted dogs to be able to produce more puppies.  Today, we kind of see the opposite fact because there are so many dogs in humane societys.

Well, I hope this short look into your dog’s sex life can help you understand a little more why you dog may do what they do.

So it seems like someone has received a $1000 fine for dying their Poodle’s hair pink.  I’ve seen it a couple times on the street, where a pink poodle is walking down the street.  I think I saw that lead singer from Twisted Sister on MTV Cribs with a pink poodle also.  It was strange to see a heavy metal rock star with pink poodle by the way.  I also saw a green Maltese this past weekend because of St. Patrick’s Day.  Anyway, it appears that Joy Douglas out of Denver, Colorado received this fine after she was told on several other occasions by animal control to stop dying her poodle pink.  Supposedly, there is a law in Denver that prohibits any body from dying animals, rabbits or livestock.  This seems like a very quirky law to make, but I guess it was put in effect by the city to prevent people from dying rabbits and baby chicks during Easter.  I don’t ever recall seeing pink chickens or rabbits, but I guess they run rampant in Denver.

[Read more →]

So Paris Hilton is in the news again, but this time it doesn’t involve pictures of her getting drunk at Hyde Nightclub, nor does it involve any sort of hidden sex tapes. This time she’s in the news for potentially housing 17 dogs in her Hollywood mansion. Supposedly Paris Hilton appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show and revealed that some of her dogs had puppies which brought her dog total to 17! I guess there is a law that maximizes the number of dogs allowed in a household, probably for sanitary reasons. Anyhow, soon after the show aired, animal services began an investigation to get down to the bottom of everything. Although Paris wanted to keep all the puppies, she was forced to give away 7 of her puppies to her stylist and friends. Some people have been criticizing her for keeping so many dogs in her house. Many people argue that she’s a bad pet owner and she doesn’t deserve to have these dogs. Some critics also argue that Paris Hilton abandoned her original Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, because she got too big.

Well, I have to disagree with a lot people. Although Paris Hilton is often in the limelight and in the news for things we hope our children will never do, I have to say that I really think Paris Hilton is a genuine animal lover and great dog owner. [Read more →]

With so many celebrities owning  dogs these days, it’s no surprise that you see a Hollywood star dressing their dog in the trendiest dog clothes.  Paris Hilton’s dogs can’t get caught dead without a hip looking dog dress or t shirt on.  Paris Hilton, along with many other stars’ dogs always need to be styling for the paparazzi cameras.  Many of these Hollywood stars dress their pups up in hottest and trendiest dog fashion on the planet.  From glamorous dog dresses to stunning dog shirts, these dogs need to be looking their best all the time.  And we all know that these hip Hollywood socialites are the biggest fashion trend setters so why not dress our own dogs up like stars?  Swank Pets offers a HUGE selection of ultra chic fashion for the trendy minded.  Our trendy dog clothes are worn by many Hollywood dogs.

[Read more →]

So us humans have these comfortable things in our houses called furniture.  Many times, we use furniture to relax and be unwind.  So why shouldn’t our dogs have furniture too?  They need to relax and take a load off every now and then also…..don’t they?  I mean, our dogs spend all their lives working hard trying to make us happy.  And let me tell you, making us happy is no easy task.  However, to be honest, I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to my dogs.  I could have the worse day at work, but when I come home to wagging tails and bright eyes, my day is suddenly not so bad anymore.  Anyhow, I’ve seemed to digress, so how can we treat our dogs while treating ourselves at the same time you may ask? The answer is dog furniture! Yes, furniture that your dog can actually sit on or sleep in.  We recently decided to sell some our dog furniture online, so check these out and enjoy.

Most of the following are teacup dog furniture.  Meaning these probably won’t be able to fit a pug or a Boston Terrier.  The sofas, chairs and couches are really meant for small teacup dogs.  Using these dog sofas and chairs as photo props is a great way to utilize the dog furniture shown below.  Imagine the great portraits you can create with the dog furniture shown.  Or how about a Christmas card with your dog on the front.  Again, these would make excellent photo props for dogs.

The above teacup dog chaise lounger pictured above features solid hardwood and intricate fabric detail.  No expense was spared in making this one of a kind chaise lounge.  Can’t you just imagine your little fur baby laying down on this beautiful piece of dog furniture?  These also add a very unique charm to your house because they don’t look like your ordinary dog products.  These actually look like miniature versions of furniture that humans would use.

Next, we have a very gorgeous dog chair.  Again, these are meant for teacup dogs no more than 5 pounds.  I know this looks like some fancy Victorian chair at your grandmother’s house, but believe me, this is an actual chair for dogs.  This would make the perfect prop if you love taking portraits of your dog.

Next, pictured above, we have a retro teacup dog sofa.  Something straight out of the 70’s, this gorgeous piece of dog furniture will add some nice accents to your house along with providing your little baby a comfy place to relax.  Again, made with high quality fabric and hardwood, this is an absolute must for any dog furniture aficionado.

Here are a few more of our favorite pieces of dog furniture.  Make sure to browse through our site for more selections of contemporary dog furniture, dog beds, dog sofas and more.

So it seems like the Winter months are slowly coming to an end, but we’re still getting plenty of rain down here in San Diego. So if its raining here, I know it must be raining a lot more across the country…sorry to rub it in. Anyway, I don’t mind the rain every now and then, because I know we can enter a drought any time. But if it rains for more than 3 days in a row, I’m not going to be a very happy camper. Worse, the rain puts a big damper in outdoor dog activities. Forget about taking your dog to the park or a stroll along the beach. Heck, its even tough to take my dogs to use the bathroom when it rains. Every time I take my dogs to go potty on a rainy day, I end up having to wipe their feet down and drying their fur. Its becomes a big pain in the you know what when you repeat this 3 times a day for multiple dogs. Someone really needs to come up with an invention that keeps a dog completely dry when they go out on rainy days.

Anyhow, since we have to keep our dogs indoors on these wet and gloomy days, I figure I would come up with some fun things we can do with our dogs indoors.

1. Watch a movie with your dog: This is one of my absolute favorite things to do on a rainy day. First I pop in a great DVD, hop on the couch in my PJ’s and a blanket, and then have my dogs all curl up around me. What more can you ask for on a rainy day? Oh yeah, some pizza or ice cream wouldn’t hurt either. [Read more →]

1. The infamous butt scoot! I know many dog owners that can attest to this behavior that still makes me laugh when I watch my dogs do this. It’s especially funny when I see my little 2 pound Yorkie scoot her teeny tiny butt across the floor. I know…..its kind of gross, but I can’t stop but laugh when I see them do their little booty scoot. Some people probably hate when their dogs do this because they leave a little trail behind, if you know what I mean. Anyhow, this is just a natural behavior of dogs, so don’t get mad at them for ruining your carpet. When a dog’s anal sacs get full of fluid and other gross bacteria, they scoot their butts on the floor to relieve this uncomfortable feeling of a full anal sac. You can remedy this by having a professional groomer ‘express’ their anal glands on a regular basis.

2. The Bichon Blitz! This is a breed specific trait that I see in a lot of Bichon Frise breeds. At least once a day, my Bichon, Muffin, goes on this crazy run around the house at full speed while grunting. It looks like a big white whirlwind just went through our house, as papers, floor mats, and any other object that gets in her way goes flying through the air as she does her “crazy run”. There’s also a specific pattern that she usually follows. She will run down the hallway, and dart into each room a few times and then run around the living room in a figure 8. She usually does this when I get home from work. I think she does it out of excitement, but either way, it’s pretty entertaining to watch.

3. The Feed Me Frenzy! Every time I start walking towards my dogs’ food bowls, they start to do this funny ‘Feed Me’ dance. It’s sort of like a ritualistic dance that they feel needs to be done in order to be fed. I don’t even need to have food in my hands. They instinctively know that its meal time, and that’s when the dance begins. It usually consists of some quick back and forth head motion, while their feet pitter patter around at a rapid pace. Quite a funny dance indeed.

4. Butt Sniffing. If you’ve ever taken your dog to the dog park, I’m sure you’ve witnessed this strange method of greeting fellow dogs. I suppose they can’t really shake paws like how we shake hands. But I always think it would be so funny if humans sniffed each others’ behinds as a way of greeting one another!

[Read more →]

Swank Pets Dog Blog Sitemap [Read more →]

Sometimes, Teresa and I talk about wishing that our dogs could live forever. We think how nice it would be if someone could think of some sort of invention or miracle drug that would make our dogs live indefinitely. Well, maybe not indefinitely, but the average life span of most dogs is about 12 -15 years and increasing that to maybe 100 years would be nice. It scares us to even think about our dogs not being with us. Now, there might be a solution, which a company based out of Seoul Korea has come up with.

The Korean biotech company, RNL Bio, has claimed that they can successfully clone a dog. Although the current success rate is only 25%, they mention that further research should prove a successful clone every time. All they require is a very good DNA sample from your dog, and a whopping $150,000. That’s right, cloning doesn’t come cheap these days, but supposedly there are hundreds of people lining up to get their dogs cloned.

[Read more →]

Every year for the last 12 years, the Del Mar Kiwanis club has been putting on the Ugly Dog Contest.  This year, the event will take place on March 9th, 2008 from 11 AM - 3 PM.  As always, the event will take place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego.  Here is the actual address:

Del Mar Fairgrounds

2260 Jimmy Durante

Del Mar, CA 92014 

Admission: $8.00 Adults

                    $ 2.00 Child 12 and under 

The event will feature many other categories, although the event was made famous by the “Ugliest Dog” contest.  The event will feature 13 other categories which include:

• Best St. Patty’s Day Costume
• Adults Cutest Dog
• Child’s Cutest Dog (child 16 and under)
• Most Unusual Markings
• Cutest Puppy
• Dog Who Looks Like its Owner
• Best Trick
• Best Dog Costume (Adult)
• Best Dog Costume (Chile 16 and under)
• Best Mutt
• Most Beautiful (Female)
• Most Handsome (Male)
• Adopt Me Please!

As you can see, there are many opportunities for your dog participate in the contests.  A prize is given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.  Entry fee for each category will  be $6.00, or $20.00 for entering 4 categories.  Make sure you register for the ugly dog contest online. The proceeds from the event will benefit the Rancho Coastal Human Society’s Animal Safe House program, and the Helen Woodward Therapeutic Riding Program.  Both are excellent non-profit organizations that help pets and humans alike.

The event is definitely a great, fun family event.  There will be lots of booths with food, doggy goodies, and other retailers.  Last year, the weather was absolutely perfect and the event was a blast.  Munchkin actually walked away with 1st Place for “Cutest Dog” category.  We were so proud of her.  Unfortunately, Muffin didn’t place in any of the events, but we still love her!  Below is a picture of Munchkin with her “Cutest Dog” trophy.

So this year, be sure to make out to the 13th Annual Ugly Dog Contest.  The event will take place rain or shine, so be sure to make it out with the entire family.

We recently got a lot of new dog purse carriers into our inventory. We’re pretty excited about these new dog purse carriers. They all look absolutely stunning and best of all, they don’t really look like pet carriers. These dog purse carriers look more like normal purses or handbags more than anything. Sure, they may be slightly larger than most handbags you see women carrying, however many movie stars are carrying around larger handbags these days. So not only will your dog be with you all the time, but you’ll be looking super trendy while you carry your little baby around in these hot new dog purse carriers.

[Read more →]

If you currently live in San Diego or if you decide to take a vacation here, you might want to know where all the local dog parks and beaches are. These dog parks and beaches are all leash free so your dog can run around as much as their hearts desire. Being a coastal city also allows San Diego to have a couple dog beaches also. Not many cities can claim that they have a Dog Beach! Here are a list of some of the dog parks in and around San Diego. I’ve visited some of them, so I can give you my take on the parks I’ve been too. I have to admit I haven’t taken our dogs to the beach yet. I’m just afraid of how sandy and muddy my Yorkies and Bichon will become after they get back from the beach!

[Read more →]

I must admit, smaller dogs seem a little tougher to train than larger dogs. I don’t have much experience with larger dogs, but I have many friends that do. I recall one friend that had their Doberman Pincher completely potty trained in 1 week! It took me nearly 6 months to completely potty train our little teacup Yorkie, Munchkin! However, I do have to admit that potty training toy dogs is much tougher because they do have really small bladders and require more frequent trips to the bathroom. Anyhow, the key to training any dog is patience and persistence. Also, never ever get angry or upset with you dog when you are training them. They are simply trying to learn and they are not perfect just like us.

In this post, I’m going to go over how to train your dog to stay.  The ‘Stay’ command means DON’T MOVE. Training your dog to stay is an important and safe “trick” for them to learn. It allows them to control themselves in situations where danger may present itself. Training your dog to stay can also make your life easier. For example, you may want your dog to stay put when guests are in the house. Or you may want your dog to stay put when there are lots of cars driving by. Either way, the ‘Stay’ command is a great one for your dog to learn.

[Read more →]