Friday, April 30, 2010

Mother's Day Help From MANKINDdog'!

Mother’s Day

Sunday May 9th is Mother’s Day. Being a Mom is all about loving those you care for. From managing our homes, careers, kids, dads and dogs, our Moms do it all.

Our Mom’s have so many children including their own as well as dogs and puppies that have been adopted along the way. This Mother’s Day, don’t forget to let Mom know how much your dogs and puppies appreciate all that she does for them too.

For Mother’s Day gifts from your family pups, visit MANKINDdog’. There you’ll find everything from specialized spa bags to oils and vinegars, candles to home décor, books, apparel and other fun and fresh gifts to choose from.

Don’t leave out the feelings of the special dogs in your Mom’s life this Mother’s Day. You’re sure to find something at MANKINDdog’ to let Mom know how much everyone in the family appreciates all she does!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Top Tips for Dog Friendly Travel

With more and more dog friendly hotels available, traveling with our furry friends has become much more common. While fun to do, it does take a little practice to become adept at vacationing with our pets. Here’s a few Top Tips to make traveling with your dog a little easier.

Road Trips
Make confined spaces comfortable. If your dog has a little travel anxiety a favorite blanket, pillow and dog toy will help keep her occupied.

If possible, try to limit non-stop driving stretches to no more than 90 minutes to 2 hours. “Can we stop?” “I gotta go!” “I’m bored!” We’re used to hearing these quips from the back seat people passengers. A short whine or quick bark usually sends the same message.

Limit on-the-road feeding to light snacks, healthy treats and ice cubes. Ice cubes are an easy way to keep fluids in your pooch when pulling off the road to fill the water dish isn’t an option.

In The Air
Feed, water and walk 4 hours before flight. Having an empty tummy will help your dog adjust to the sensations of flight and limit the chance of voiding in her crate.

Confined space comfort and safety is crucial in the air. Limit crate comfort to a blanket or pillow, something that won’t get tossed or moved around too easily.

Extra identity! Be sure your buddy has a flight tag in addition to her regular dog tags. The crate should be clearly labeled and her flight collar tag should contain all identification as well as destination information!

Packing
Extra collar, leash, poop bags, trash bags, disinfectant, carpet and air fresheners and dog grooming supplies are a must. Whether you’re going to a hotel or staying at someone’s home, helping your dog leave things as clean as she found them is important.

For a head start on getting packed for your next trip check out our Classic Colleciton. You'll find a few necessities will ensure your dog’s bag is up to snuff!

For extended travel it’s a good idea to take a long your dog’s medical records along with vaccination certificates, recent pictures (in case she decides to sight-see on her own), and any necessary meds.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

MANKINDdog's Canine Concierge Partners

For our complete list of parternered Pet-Friendly Hotels, Resorts, and Spas, just CLICK HERE!

Partnering with companies that understand the needs of owners and their dogs who provide quality services and amenities is important.  We hope you find these resources as helpful as we have and enjoy them as much as Gotham and his brothers and sisters.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Humane Society of Southern Arizona

A humane approach to rescuing, protecting and saving animals in need.

One of MANKINDdog’s core objectives is to work with and support the efforts of the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. For nearly a year, we’ve worked hand in hand with them to help dogs find a loving home. As a sponsor of the Humane Society’s Adopt-a-Dog Program, we donate one of our special gift baskets to be given to the person or family that adopts the weekly “featured” dog. Each basket, valued at $150, is packed with all kinds of special items for the adopted dog and his or her new owner: shampoos, bowls, a leash, toys, treats and more for the pooch; t-shirt, sport towel, blanket, camera, etc. for the parent.


However, this is only the beginning. The safety and well-being of animals is a high priority for MANKINDdog. In addition to our affiliation with the Humane Society, we serve as a sponsor and donor for many other animal advocacy groups and events, and our plan is to increase our support to these groups throughout the country.

Simply put, we want to place as many pets into loving homes as we possibly can. To accomplish this goal, we will continue to give back to the animals that have become our best friends, and to the people in local communities all across the U.S. who share our love for dogs.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Learning Toys for Your Puppy & Adult Dog

Our dogs are amazing. Even the most stubborn and hard to train dogs are brilliant, eager and always learning. Toys allow puppies as well as adult dogs to build cognitive and motor skills as well as bond with their humans.

Did you know that different dog toys promote different learning experiences? It’s True! Dogs, old and young, develop a lot like we do. What they play with helps them learn…
Plush Toys: Teach comfort and familiarity as well as scent development. Plush toys, more than any other, absorb scents from the environment around them.

Balls & Fetch Toys: Promote motor skill development as your dog learns how to jump, run, kick, dig, pick up and move. Hide & Seek with fetch (or any toy type) is a great way for your dog to learn about their environment and develop cognitive searching skills.

Pull Toys: Rope or other tug toys promote social development through interactivity. This type of play also helps them learn bite-control.

Chew Toys: In addition to actually helping keep their teeth clean, chew toys teach your dog what is and isn’t OK to satisfy that oh so gratifying urge to gnaw!

Squeak Toys: Dogs learn to pick up on auditory queues and commands with squeak toys. Their hearing, like their sense of smell, is highly developed.

Whether the needs of your puppy are developmental or are focused on behavioral modification for your adult dog, the right dog toy for the job is important. In our Dog Gifts and Luxury Dog Products, we’ve taken care to provide a range of top-quality toys from balls and chews to pull and plush. Remember, playing hard is just as important as working hard for you and your dog.