Bigwag Dog Bakery

Sudden Blitz Redemption Instructions

2011-06-21T09:23:00.000-05:00

Attention All Sudden Blitz Purchasers!

When redeeming your voucher, please be aware of the following:

Please allow 48 hours after purchase to use your voucher online
You may use your purchased Voucher at the store same day
Enter the only the last 4 characters of your unique Gift Voucher number (located at the top left of Voucher) into the coupon code section at time of purchase
You must print the voucher to use
Vouchers gifted to friends and family must be in the recipient’s name

Lucy's Luau

2011-05-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

The Guest of Honor!

Hey Everyone!

On Saturday, May 14th we were honored to host Lucy's Luau, a celebration of the life of Lucy the Rescue Pug. This is the third year we've held a party celebrating the continually remarkable Lucy. Last year we held a Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds party and the year before that it was an I Love Lucy party. If you aren't familiar with Lucy's story, you can read it here. The luau was great fun for both dogs and humans alike, complete with cake for the dogs and cupcakes and punch for people!

Lucy's Beach Ball Cake

Andrea and Maddy get in the Hawaiian spirit

The spirited refreshments

Lucy's mom, Jolene (right)

And just a few of Lucy's guests...

Protecting Pets in Severe Weather

2011-04-23T18:28:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

As I'm sitting here, it's pouring down rain, we had tornadoes touch down last night and Hannah is wearing a path around my coffee table in a release of nervous energy. Which makes me think that there are probably some precautions that pet owners should take during severe weather season. I was able to find this list from the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters that I think warrants taking a few minutes to review. Many of the items are pretty common sense, but a few of them may just make you think again about habits to get into!

TORNADOES AND THUNDERSTORMS

Severe thunderstorm watch
Conditions are right for:
• Lightning or damaging winds greater than 58 mph
• Hail that could reach a diameter of 0.75 inches
• Heavy rain
A thunderstorm watch indicates that you should take action to protect yourself and your pets.

Severe thunderstorm warning
Severe thunderstorms have been sighted in your area.
Animals, especially dogs, can often hear thunderstorms before humans and may show this by becoming anxious, hiding, and vocalizing. Horses will sometimes run frantically around their pasture.

Tornado watch
Conditions are right for a tornado to develop and the sky should be watched.

Tornado warning
A tornado has been sighted or is spotted on radar. Warnings will give the location of the tornado and the area immediately affected by the warning.

There are several steps that you can take to keep yourself, and your animals safe during thunderstorms and tornadoes. Preparedness actions are listed below.

• Designate a safe area in or near your home to shelter your family and animals in a severe thunderstorm. Teach family members what to do in a storm if they are at home, outside, or in a car, including how to relocate animals to safe locations.

• If you have animals that get nervous and pose a safety risk in thunderstorms, contact your veterinarian for advice on how to mitigate this situation.

• The best preparation for a tornado is to designate a tornado shelter for yourself and your animals. Tornado shelters are safest if they are underground — a storm cellar or basement away from windows offers the best protection.

• If your home has no basement, stay in the center of the house away from the windows or in a small room on the ground floor that is away from outside walls. Take cover under solid furniture or mattresses. Protect your head.

• Do not drive. If you are driving and spot a tornado, get out of your car and go into a nearby building or ditch and take your animals with you. Protect your head and stay low to the ground.

• Know the location of the designated shelter where you work or go to school. If you frequently travel with your dog in the car, keep a leash in the vehicle at all times in case you have to vacate the car during a tornado.

I would add to this list that it's important to have current identification on your animals at all times and that they be up to date on all vaccinations. That way if they do become separated from you in case of severe weather it becomes much easier for them to be returned to you. And while identification tags are great, microchipping is ideal, because microchips will be carried with your pet, even if they lose their collar.

The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters also provides tips for keeping your animals safe during other types of disasters, ranging from hurricanes to tsunamis. You can view their entire emergency preparedness document here.

Mardi Gras, Bigwag Style!

2011-03-09T11:59:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we had our annual Mardi Gras Yappie Hour. We had a great time and gave away a $50 gift basket for finding the "baby" in the King Cake.

Cecil, King of Mardi Gras!

The gift basket to be given away

Winner - Matt Sims

The Power of One

2011-03-08T11:50:00.001-06:00

Hey Everyone!

You always hear that one person can make a difference. It's said so often that it's become cliche. But every once in a while we get a glimpse at how true it really is.

We have a customer who recently has begun "paying it forward". I won't mention her name, because recognition isn't her intention. But I will tell you that the last few times she has come in to purchase food for her pups, she also purchases an extra bag for the next person who comes in for food. That in itself is remarkable and inspiring.

But, what is amazing is the reaction to her gift. The next customer is often floored, and speechless and thankful. Then, when they recover, they want to find a way to continue passing along the good will. For example, the last customer who got free food continued paying it forward by buying treat mix for the next customer and that customer bought an extra bag of treat mix and donated it to the Humane Society. And, it doesn't end there. Those of us who work here are equally inspired, as are people who hear about or witness these acts. And while these simple acts aren't curing cancer or eliminating homelessness they are brightening people's days and reassuring others that there is still hope and love in a world that sometimes seems to have run amok.

So, thank you to the remarkable customer who began this and to all who have participated in it. You all inspire us to be better human beings.

Just a Little Fun

2011-03-02T11:04:00.001-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Here's a fun cake that I got to do for Bess today. Bess is turning ten and she's an agility champion!

We also got to do goody bags for the guests at Bess' party! Lucky dogs :D

By Request

2011-02-25T11:02:00.002-06:00

Hey Everyone!

As you probably know, we take lots of special orders around here. Sometimes it's barkday cakes, sometimes it's pupcakes and other times it's a completely unique order. So, I thought that from time to time I'd post some of our most unique special orders.

This week we made a dozen carob pupcakes for Willow to share with her agility class.

(Thanks to Grant and Kathy Johnson for providing this photo)

Unfortunately for Willow, there were new students at class this week and she didn't get one! So, Kathy called and asked if we could make a quick little something special for Willow. But Willow can't have peanut butter - so our Monster Bones were out and a cake was just too much for this pup! So, we were able to make a very special custom Howl at the Moon Pie for Willow's birthday...

One other fun request this week: Mardi Gras Ninjabread Men! We delivered yesterday, but sadly, I forgot to take a picture before they walked (or maybe danced) out the door. So, Joan if you're out there reading this and Ted E. hasn't already gobbled them up, would you send us a pic? We'd love to share your special request.

Oats - The Next Super Food?

2011-02-19T11:17:00.000-06:00

An ingredient that you should start to see a lot more of in pet foods and treats starting this year will be oats. The first federally sanctioned health claim for a manufactured food was granted to makers of oat-rich foods in early 1997, and are common ingredients in horse and rodent diets, but not so much in dog foods or treats today. There is no reason why except pet food manufacturers just have not thought of it yet, but they are starting to come around.

The nutritional composition of oats is high compared to other cereals. Oats are higher in protein (17.1%) with more essential amino acids than most other popular grains. Oats also carry a higher level of lipids than most other grains, of which about 40% is the essential fatty acid linoleic acid.

Most people think that the biggest benefit of oats is heart health, since that is the effect on humans. That is just simply not the case in dogs or cats. The biggest benefit of oats, however, is the large amounts of Beta Glucans. Beta Glucans harden the stools, and prevent the reabsorption of cholesterol and starches in the digestive track, thus lowering the glycemic index and help prevent health disorders like obesity and diabetes.
Another benefit of oats is the low allergic reactivity of the proteins. Many vets feel that the protein in oatmeal is very hypoallergenic (less likely to cause an allergic reaction) and therefore an ideal nutrient to be included in a diet formulated for pets suspected of having a food sensitivity or skin allergies. There are other benefits in performance and long term health as well.

This isn't something new for us - in fact all but two of our baked treats have oats as a primary ingredient - usually either the first or second ingredient in our recipe, and we've been using oats since day one, back in 2006.

CONTEST ALERT - The first person to comment on this post with one of the two treats that does not contain oats will win a free pound bag of treats - our Fish Sticks - great for skin and coat health with both oats and real Alaskan Salmon. Make sure you include a phone number or email address so that we can contact you. (We won't make anyone's information public). Or email us at sales@bigwag.com . Just head over to our online store http://www.bigwag.com/ and check out the treats section. We list all of the ingredients for all of our treats under each product.

For more information on oats and related pet food applications visit these articles on PetFoodIndustry.com

Gift Baskets - A Photo Essay

2010-12-13T09:00:00.004-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Every year at Christmas we put together our world famous gift baskets, so I thought it would be fun to create a little photo essay of what exactly goes into making them.

Keeping Christmas Safe

2010-12-02T13:20:00.001-06:00

Hey Everyone!

I know that Cary just recently posted some tips about keeping your pets safe at Thanksgiving, but the Christmas season can be just as dangerous to the four legged children in your home. This article from Drs. Foster & Smith is worth looking over as you decorate your house and prepare for the upcoming holiday!

HOLIDAY PET HAZARDS

by Scott A. McKay, DVM on November 12, 2009

Well it’s that time of the year again. The holiday season will be here before you know it. As we festoon our homes with holiday decorations, seasonal plants and entertain family and friends, let’s be sure to remember that some of our seasonal favorites are hazardous to the four-legged members of our families.

Foods served this time of year tend to be higher in fat and very rich. While these foods help make this time of year special, they also can cause real problems for our pets. I’m always ready for the phone call after the holidays when someone’s dog has gotten into the turkey pan and is now ill and vomiting because of acute pancreatitis. In addition, holiday beverages containing alcohol are palatable to pets but real trouble if ingested.

Other holiday hazards include:
Christmas trees (needles, stagnant or treated water in the tree stand), Christmas tree lights (electrocution), ornaments, tinsel, and garland (choking and/or intestinal impaction hazards); even the Christmas packages under the tree can lead to trouble if they contain items that smell appealing.
Another holiday call I received was a cat that was vomiting because he had swallowed a length of tinsel causing a linear foreign body and intestinal blockage.
Holiday plants including: Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and hibiscus are toxic to pets.
Chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate is harmful.
The oils in a potpourri pot are harmful if ingested.
Another consideration is the effect all the holiday company may have on our pets. New faces, smells and voices in the home can be stressful for some pets. Make sure they have a safe place to go. In addition, traveling with your pet presents its own set of hazards.
A little pre-planning and pet-proofing can make the holidays stress-free and enjoyable for everyone. The point here is not to damper the holiday spirit but to avoid an unnecessary trip to your veterinarian.

Be safe and enjoy the holidays.

Think Small - Shop Big

2010-11-27T12:22:00.000-06:00

Today, Saturday, November 27th is Small Business Saturday - an initiative spearheaded by American Express OPEN, the division of the credit card giant that serves small businesses, the campaign supports the locally owned businesses that help give neighborhoods their character.

Here are some facts that are presented on the Small Business Saturday website:

According to Civic Economics, when $100 is spent in a small business, $68 of that somehow gets returned back to the local community.
According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses employ half of all private sector employees.
Also according to the Small Business Administration, small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
Again, according to the SBA, 60 to 80 percent of new jobs generated every year during the last decade have been from small businesses.

Civic Economics also produced a study which measured economic effects of small locally owned business and big-box retailers.

This study examined financial data from 15 locally owned businesses in New Orleans and compared their impact on the local economy to that of an average SuperTarget store. The study found that only 16% of the money spent at a SuperTarget stays in the local economy. In contrast, the local retailers returned more than 32% of their revenue to the local economy.

The primary difference was that the local stores purchase many goods and services from other local businesses, while Target does not. The study concludes that even modest shifts in spending patterns can make a big difference to the local economy. If residents and visitors were to shift 10% of their spending from chains to local businesses, it would generate an additional $235 million a year in local economic activity, creating many new opportunities and jobs. Likewise, a 10% shift in the opposite direction - less spending at local stores and more at chains - would lead to an economic contraction of the same magnitude. Another noteworthy finding of the study is that locally owned businesses require far less land to produce an equivalent amount of economic activity.

We are a small, locally owned independent business, and do believe that businesses like ours help the community in numerous ways. Yes, I shop at the big box retailers and don't want them to go away, but I like the diversity small businesses can bring to a community.

Shopping at a local independent business isn't just the only way you can help. They need you to talk about them with your friends. Share them every chance you get. So, in the spirit of helping all small businesses during Small Business Saturday, I encourage you to share some of the locally owned independent businesses you like, and I will start us off with some of the ones we use and like.

Sabores Mexican Cusine - In Bentonville just down 8th street, we like this restaurant because we think the food is fantastic, and the service has been spot on. Lunch prices are very reasonable and the staff are always bright and cheery.
Lewis and Clark - I love this place. I've bought camping and backpacking gear here and bicycle gear as well. Staff is very friendly and believe it or not, the prices here were cheaper than Sportsman's Warehouse when it was open.
Sweet's Fudge Kitchen - up in Eureka Springs, this shop is a chocolate lover's dream. I have yet to have anything from this place that was anything less than amazing.
Napoli's - To us, this is the most authentic Italian we've found in the area. I have had something different each time we've been, and never been disappointed.
Melody's Choices - This shop is just amazing. Tons of cool gifts for any person on your list. I cannot remember a Christmas that has gone by where we haven't found something in here for someone special.
Shirley's Flowers - Hands down the best flower shop in NWA that I have used. They are always beautiful and never disappoint.
Jim's Razorback Pizza - We now live in Lowell, so use the one here and the pizza is always great. I went to college when Jim's was in the UofA student union. It was always a treat to get a fresh slice in between classes around lunch time. I don't think their pepperoni can be topped.
Dilly Dally's - Ok, we've never been in this store, but if we shopped for the two legged variety of kids, this would be one place we would frequent I think. Such a fun looking toy store. Reminds me of Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - at least from the windows.

There you go - there are many more that we like and use - I could list reviews here all day long, so just because it's not on this list doesn't mean we don't like it.

p.s. - I used Yelp for all of the review links. When we were in Denver, Yelp was our best friend. It never failed to deliver an outstanding restaurant that was within walking distance while we were in downtown. We don't use Yelp much in our community here - not like they do in Denver. So, I encourage you - if you like a local business - give them a review and help share with everyone else out there. I can tell you as a small business owner, that kind of feedback is what keeps you going when the hours are long and you seem to be stuck. I will if you do!

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

2010-11-23T15:15:00.000-06:00

This is the season for holiday feasts for people, but this can also be a time for stress for your pets. Here are some tips to keep your pets happy during the holidays.

Turkey Time
A little turkey may be ok for your pets, just make sure it's well cooked and there are no bones. Cooked poultry bones can be bad your your four legged friends. Undercooked turkey can contain salmonella and can lead to food poisoning for your pets.
Sage Wisdom
Herbs like sage can make your feast taste savory, but these herbs may contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and depression if ingested in large quantities - especially cats.

No Yeast for the Beastie
Raw bread dough can be a double whammy for your pets. It can expand in the stomach requiring surgery to remove, and the yeast can create alcohol during fermentation and because their bodies are so much smaller than ours it can easily lead to alcohol poisoning.
Raw Eggs
Cake batter or anything containing raw eggs can cause salmonella in pets just like in humans.
A Little Goes A Long Way
Mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, boneless turkey, or even a small bite of pie may not hurt your dog, but even slightest dietary changes can lead to stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—a condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. Often fat trimmings are the leading cause of this condition. Any dietary changes can upset their digestive system, so keep the splurging to a minimum.
Me Too!
It is often tempting to give them some table scraps while we are chowing down on a feast fit for a king. Often those poor pathetic "sad faces" are too much for us to resist while we are stuffing ourselves. It can be a fun and safe time for them as well during the meal by indulging them with some healthy treats, a long lasting chew, or loading up an interactive toy for them to play with during dinner. These will occupy them while they feel they are getting something special along with everyone else.

Happy and Safe Holidays from the Bigwag Team

Won't You Be An Angel?

2010-11-22T18:04:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Today we put up our Angel Tree! This year there are tags for four different rescue groups: Pug Rescue, Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue, Bella Vista Animal Shelter and the Humane Society for Animals of Benton County. These groups have a variety of needs ranging from cleaning supplies to collars and toys to foster homes.

So, please stop by and pick up a tag to help out. Items need to be returned to Bigwag by December 24th. We hope you'll find it in your heart to help these groups who do so much to help homeless animals.

A Tree To Remember

2010-11-18T11:33:00.000-06:00

This last Monday Erin and I decorated a very special Christmas tree for some very special, lucky dog out there. Last year we auctioned off our in-store Christmas tree display just because we thought it would be fun. This year, we donated our (mostly Erin's) Christmas tree decorating talents and all of the ornaments to the Alzheimer's annual Christmas Tree Silent Auction, being held this week and ends on Saturday at the Highlands Crossing Senior Center in Bella Vista.

This is a special cause for me, since my grandpa Hague succumbed to Alzheimer's several years ago, not to mention Erin and I got to play hooky on Monday. When Erin found the tweet that they needed more volunteers to decorate a tree we thought this would be a great and fun cause to help in, and Erin took up the challenge to design a tree that was dog themed from the bakery. We'd never been to the Highland Center, so the adventure began just trying to find the building.

Erin adding some finishing touches to the ribbon, still a bunch more ornaments and toys to add

Complete with some surprises under the tree

no tree is complete without a Christmas "Yule Doo" - frosted of course!

So for our tree the theme was "Doggie Dreams". We loaded it up with tons of dog lover ornaments

as well as enough toys to keep your pup occupied for at least a year.

Planet Dog's guaranteed Mint Chew Toy

This guy sings Christmas songs

Planet Dog's Christmas Bulb chew toy - also guaranteed

We also donated the dog bed, and there is a pound of treats under the tree along with a "surprise" for the lucky bidder under there as well. We made the tree as pet friendly as possible. There are no glass ornaments that can break, and all of the toys are near the bottom. There are even some plushies that sing Christmas carols to get everyone into the spirit.

Alas, the tree is complete. 8' tall and loaded to the brim with goodies for you and your dog. probably worth about $500 including the pre-lit tree and all of the toys

I also snapped some photos of the other trees that were works in progress when we finished.

Check out the rest of them at the Highlands Crossing center, bid on a tree, and help a good cause.

Getting to Know You

2010-11-10T18:30:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone!

As I told you yesterday, we have two new employees at Bigwag. I thought it would be fun to ask them a few questions (ala Inside the Actor's Studio) so you can get to know them better. Of course, we hope that you'll stop in and introduce yourselves and meet them in person!

Tonight, meet Andrea. Andrea has been working for us for about six weeks now.

1. What is your favorite word? Swimmingly

2. What is your least favorite word? Awesome possum or Ain't

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? A band I'm into or a crafty project

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Someone who's overly artsy and tries to make it seem like it's their life

5. What sound do you love? The THX sound in the theater at the beginning of a movie

6. What sound do you hate? The seatbelt warning sound in the car

7. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? Study wolves/large cats

8. What profession would you not like to attempt? Doctor - hate blood

9. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Welcome - I'll answer your questions

10. Cat person or dog person? Dog

11. Favorite Bigwag treat? Apple Blossoms

12. What's your pet peeve? Stupid questions

13. What's your guilty pleasure? Ridiculous rap and singing along to it in the car

14. What do you drive? 2007 Passat Wagon

15. What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Vanilla Bean

16. Where is your favorite spot to hang out? At friend's houses

17. What was the last book you read? Dead in the Family by Charlene Harris

Best Wishes Brandi!

2010-11-09T09:29:00.001-06:00

Hey Everyone!

Today's post is a bittersweet one. Most of you know Brandi, whether from being in the store or from reading her contributions on the blog. Brandi began working for us way back at Christmas time 2007 as seasonal help. In 2008 she became a permanent employee and more recently she became my assistant manager. But even before Brandi was officially my assistant manager, she was someone whom I could rely on, someone who helped keep me sane and who helped make Bigwag a brighter place. She did a number of jobs here, too many to really even enumerate. Mostly, I will remember her as the person I could always turn to in a pinch, whether that meant her coming in early, working on her day off or staying late. She was here to fill in for me when Lynn passed away, she was here to keep things running smoothly when I needed vacation. She worked tirelessly to prepare for our birthday party and decorated for Christmas while I spent Thanksgiving with my family in Texas. Once when I thanked her for all her hard work and her simple reply was, "No Problem. I'm here to assist the manager." That pretty well sums it up. She was always here to do whatever was needed of her without complaint. As Brandi moves onto a new life in Russelville, we wish her all the best. We will miss her charm, her crazy stories and her love for Bigwag.

P.S. We do have two new employees, Andrea and Nicole. Andrea has been working here for about six weeks now and Nicole is just beginning. In the next few days, I will be posting a little information about them so you can get to know them better. And we hope you'll stop into the store to welcome them both to the Bigwag family!

Faces of the Humane Society - November 2010

2010-11-08T18:53:00.001-06:00

20 pounds of treats for the Humane Society, donated by you!

Hey Everyone!

Saturday Cary and I went out to the Humane Society to deliver treats, cleaning supplies and donations from our fabulous customers. With everything that's happened in the last month, I hadn't been out to the Humane Society in October. And did we have treats to give out! Cary weighed the treats you guys donated (because he likes to do things like that) There were 20 pounds of them! Lots of treats for each dog, plus plenty to leave behind until our next trip out. Also, I'd like to say a special thank you to Rainey W., because many of those treats were donated in honor of her birthday. She chose a treat for every dog at the Humane Society when she visited us on her tenth birthday.

Here are some of the cute faces we encountered Saturday, all of them still looking for forever homes.

Bountiful Harvest

2010-11-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

We are ready for Thanksgiving here at the store. For the first time in years, we have Thanksgiving treats. I know that probably seems weird, since we celebrate every holiday here, right down to back-to-school.

The thing is, the first year we were open, we made Thanksgiving treats and they were a huge flop. So, I kind of figured people didn't really want them. And so I've skipped Thanksgiving treats since then and just gone straight to Christmas treats.

But, the last few years I've had more people ask about them. Plus, I hate putting Christmas stuff put right after Halloween. Life's too short as it is. Do we really need to rush it? So, I'm giving it a second shot. I do have to say this year's are much cuter than the ones from 2006. Ultimately, though, you decide. So, if you want Thanksgiving, come and get it!

P.S. We also have great coats and sweaters for those of you looking for them this fall!

And the winner is...

2010-11-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Thank you for your patience in waiting for the results of our Halloween costume contest. As you know, there were four categories: cutest, best hand-made, scariest and best overall. The best overall wins the gift basket that was featured in our blog on October 25th, which is valued over $50. The cutest, scariest and best handmade each receive $10 gift certificates.

Here are some of the entries:

Roxy, Drake and Mercedes as two bees and a pirate

Miss Mollie as a firefighter

Lucy as Jackie O

Hannah as a hot dog (Love the parent participation by the way! And extra points for the picture being taken on the OSU campus.)

Penny as a devil

Kelsie in a handmade costume

Bandit and Sissy as royalty

And the winners are:

Cutest

Sebastian as Dogzilla

Best Hand-made

Willow as a 50s girl

Scariest

Jaina as a shark

Best Overall

Phoenix as an organ grinder and Aladdin as his monkey, complete with tin cup!

Thank you to everyone who entered both in the store and online. We loved seeing all your costumes.

Winners may pick up prizes in the store or may email or call us to make alternate arrangements.

We Want You...

2010-11-02T09:49:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Photo courtesy of Florian

Just a reminder to get out there and VOTE today! We don't care how you vote, we just know that your vote affects everyone (and their dog!) As a thank you for all of you who have voted, we're holding a special extended Yappie Hour, ALL DAY! Instead of just 5pm-7pm. If you come in today, November 2nd, with your "I voted sticker", we'll give you 10 FREE TREATS! Just our way of saying, thank you for participating in this democracy that affects us all.

Halloween Costume Contest

2010-10-25T13:38:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Just a quick reminder that our Halloween Yappie Hour is tomorrow from 5-7pm. Bring your dog in costume for a chance to win the gift basket pictured above. It's valued over $50 and is filled with lots of Halloween treats and toys! Plus everyone gets the employee discount on Halloween costumes, tees, toys and treats tomorrow night from 5-7pm. So be sure to stop by and join the fun!

Costume contest categories are: Cutest, Best Hand-Made, Scariest and Best Overall (which wins the basket featured here)

P.S. If you can't make it by for Yappie Hour, you can still participate in our Halloween costume contest. Just email your dog in their costume to sales@bigwag.com or send them to us via Facebook or Twitter or bring your picture in before October 31st!

Wiener Take All

2010-10-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

As promised, here are some belated pictures from the 4th Annual Wiener Dog Races that took place on Saturday, October 2nd. The races are an annual fundraiser for the Bella Vista Animal Shelter.

All Ready to Begin!

Our Booth! We gave away samples of treats and our new Premium Edge Healthy Weight food, plus registered people for a $25 gift certificate.

There were lots of spectators! (Which means I didn't get any good pictures of the actual races, but what a good problem to have at a fundraiser!)

The King and the Queen of the Wienies!

Some of the cute racers and spectators!

"Pup"tials of the Century

2010-10-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posting these pictures. Maddy Poo Poo and Baxter the Boston were married on Tuesday, September 28th. We were honored to provide the wedding cake, beer for the reception and even the tux for the groom! This was truly an event like no other and mother of the bride, Susan was kind enough to give us permission to post pictures here.

The Engagement Photo!

The Bride

The Groom

The Wedding Cake

The Reception Table

Chowin' Down!

In Loving Memory

2010-10-20T14:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I apologize that we haven't blogged for the past two weeks. It's not for lack of good material, I have great pictures to share from the events that have happened this month. But there is a post that I feel has to come first and I've struggled with exactly what to say and being able to say it. But, I think it's time so here goes:

Two weeks ago, on Wednesday October 6th, I received a text message from my mother-in-law saying that Cary's stepdad was in the hospital in critical condition. Never in a million years would I have guessed how severe the situation really was. I guess that with all the news and television dramas, critical condition simply doesn't have the sting it should. Or maybe my brain was simply in denial. Maybe my mother-in-law didn't want to admit the severity of the situation when she said we could come by the hospital sometime later that evening instead of coming right away. Heaven knows that placed in the same situation I would be in denial too. But unfortunately, no matter how hard you try to deny the truth, it's still the truth. And the truth is this. By 3am Thursday, October 7th, Cary's stepfather, Lynn Couch, had left this world forever.

When someone is gone, you quickly realized all the things you loved about them and how important they were in the fabric of your daily life, even if you didn't realize it while they were alive. Lynn was a tough guy, a guy who wasn't raised in the current climate of political correctness, a guy who said and did exactly what he thought. I have to admit, sometimes I found his bluntness and politically incorrect jokes embarrassing. Now, I wish I had let those little idiosyncrasies go and appreciated the larger picture. Because under that tough guy facade was a very loving, funny, caring man.

With Lynn gone, I've quickly come to realize how much he did and how much he meant to this family. A family that wasn't biologically his, but one which he loved fiercely no less. Lynn took care of everything Cary's grandmother needed, whether it was fixing the car or running errands. He cared and provided for Cary's mom. And he was a cornerstone of our family. With his ever present toothpick, his knack for remembering embarrassing stories about Cary and Toby and his call it as you see it approach to the world, it's hard to believe that he's really gone. He was just one of those people you figured was much to tough to every really die. And he's one of those people who I wish I had one more moment to appreciate, one more moment to thank for all he did so quietly while never asking or expecting anything in return. He will truly be missed.

Our First TV Commercial!

2010-10-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I got the proofs of our first commercial and I think it's precious. There are two fifteen second spots here, they'll be airing on television in rotation. I'm very excited about seeing them on TV, they should start airing this month on KNWA, so keep an eye out! (They'll also be better quality on television, so please excuse that for now, we wanted you to get a chance to see them before everyone else!)

Thank you so much to everyone who brought their dogs out for the shoot. We couldn't have done it without you. I hope you won't be too disappointed if your dog's wag didn't make the final cut, we had so many dogs that I'm sure that choosing tails for the final production was difficult.

Creeping and Crawling All Month Long

2010-10-03T10:54:00.000-05:00

October is the month where all manner of creatures shall creep and crawl, searching for happless prey or wandering through the streets searching for victims. Oh, wait, that might just be my dogs looking for critters in the back yard.

Halloween is one of my favorite seasons of the year. When I was a kid (10-12) I got to stay out late, tromping through the neighborhood until all hours of the night, basically unsupervised. That was back in the day when we had the whole neighborhood as our playground, and nobody worried about kidnappers, or pins buried in your candy, and everyone really got into the "spirit" of the evening. People dressed up their houses, both inside and out. You might even go inside someones house to grab your booty, and the whole living room would be decorated to match the homeowners theme.

I don't have kids - just dogs, so we try and make "howl-o-ween" fun for the dogs as well as the neighbor kids. I try to keep the tradition going, and if you trick or treat in Lowell you might find my house as the neighbors call it, "the spookiest house on the block". I have even adorned our house with bloody foot and hand prints the whole way up our driveway. Hey, ketchup is biodegradable, right?

There are a ton of dog events this month, and so we start with our annual Howl-O-Ween costume contest again this year, only this year it will be all month long. Submit a photo of your dog in one of the following categories:

Cutest Ensemble - This category is the best costume that works with your dog - breed, size, and owner participation all factor into this category.
Best Hand-Made - one of a kind costumes have their own category - no store bought costumes, but you can assemble props and pieces.
Scariest Costume - We're looking for scary and spooky. Blood is encouraged!
Best Overall - Chosen by the Bigwag staff - this will be our overall favorite and can be any of the other categories.

You can submit photos by emailing them to sales@bigwag.com, Facebook, or Twitter, or bring them into the store the old fashioned way - on photo paper. You can also bring your dog into the store all dressed up and we will snap the photo for you.

Tuesday, October 26th - Halloween Yappie Hour. Get your spooky spirit all warmed up in advance! We have a gift basket valued at $50 for the best costume that we see tonight! So bring in your dog in their costume, whether it's spooky or sweet, for a chance to win! Plus, get the employee discount on all Halloween Treats, Toys & Costumes tonight!

Prizes for the four categories will be awarded on Saturday, the 30th, and we will inform the winners via email. The prize awarded at the Yappie Hour will be additional and you have to be present to win.

No Howl-O-Ween would be complete without tricks and treats, so be sure you check out our special Howl-o-ween treats this year.

(top to bottom, left to right) Tombstones, Jack-o-lanterns, Cinnamon Ghost Crunch, Candy Corn, BBQ Bat Wings, and Jolly Rogers.

And don't forget the Murphy Dog Park Howl-o-ween social:

Howl-O-Ween Social
When: Sat, October 16, 11am – 2pm
Description: Fundraiser for Murphy Dog Park/Humane Society for Animals Will include trick-or-treating and costume contest with categories including most creative, owner/dog look-a-like, and vendor's choice. Vendors will be participating in a booth decoration contest with the favorite winning a 4x3 sign at Murphy Dog Park. A Biggest Wag contest will also take place.

And finally, Dog Party USA's Halloween and anniversary party:

Dog Party USA 5th Anniversary & Halloween Party

When: Sat, October 23, 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Food, Beverages, Treats, Goody Bags, Games and more. Costumes encouraged for all. For more more information contact Dog Party at 479 306-4660 or visit their website at www.dogpartyusa.com

It's "scary" how much there is to do with your dog this Howl-o-ween.

Happy 4th Birthday Sam!

2010-09-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Last Friday, September 24th was Sam's fourth birthday. (At least as close as we can figure, since we adopted him from the Humane Society) We celebrated last night at Yappie Hour. Thanks to everyone who came out for cake and brought donations for the Humane Society!

Sam got one of our new beds, so he can have somewhere comfy to lay in the living room. He also chose a football that makes a funny boing sound instead of a squeak. He loves it and I have to admit, it's actually way less annoying than the squeak :D

Cave Springs Centennial Fall Festival

2010-09-28T20:59:00.000-05:00

Cave Springs Centennial Fall Festival (1910 - 2010) was last Friday and Saturday. Events started at 5 PM on Friday with the Ms. Loch Lono contest, with BBQ, a 5-K run, pancake breakfast on Saturday, a car show, a parade, and a dog show at 12 PM.

Erin was asked to be one of the celebrity judges for their dog show. We have been donating gift baskets to this event for several years now, but this was our first time to attend in person. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Cave Springs puts on such a neat festival and parade - plus, everyone we met was so nice.

There were three categories the dogs were judged on. ‎*Pooch of the decade (20s, 50s, 60s, 80s etc), *Best Tricks (Obedience) and *Mr. & Mrs Congeniality (most adorable, etc).

To see all of the pictures, visit our facebook page.

While the judges tallied their results, the Cave Springs K9 unit gave a demonstration of their skills.

There was also a talent section with tricks. Visit our YouTube Channel to see all of the action.

Cave Springs Centennial Festival also has a Facebook page if you would like to check out more.

Welcome FiFi

2010-09-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

This is Ms. Walrus Sophie FiFi, she was a gift for my now three year old daughter, Olivia. She was given to us by Olivia's grandmother for her third birthday. I suppose Tessa the Weenie needed another friend to keep her company on her days off as a Bigwag taste tester. I must say it is a crazy house trying to potty train two puppies and a toddler! Don't hesitate to stop in and welcome FiFi to the Bigwag family!

Our Little Store is Growing Up

2010-09-20T19:47:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Four years ago when we opened the store, we were pretty clueless. We thought that we'd just open the doors and the store would do the rest. Since then, we've come to realize that a new business is a lot like a small child. In the first year, the store was completely dependent on us. We lost lots of sleep and spent a lot of time wondering what the heck we'd gotten ourselves into. But, over the years it's grown and changed and become more independent. Some days the signs of that growth are subtle and others it's pretty blatant. Today was one of the latter. Today, the store got a real, vinyl logo on the door. It's one of those little things that we wanted to do a long time ago. One of those little things that "real" stores had that we didn't. And it's one of those things that makes us feel like our little store is growing up!

The remaining scraps of paint from the old hand painted logo

The new, fantastic vinyl logo! Thanks to Jen and the team at A&B Reprographics for their fantastic work.

Bigwag Customs

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

One of the great benefits to actually baking our treats on site is we can do pretty much anything you want. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was bagging up two pounds of custom allergy treats for Miss Mollie, right after Ike's mom had picked up a dozen special order pupcakes for his going away party. And it made me realize that you might not know that we're always happy to take such orders. So, if your dog wants bacon & egg piglets made with spelt flour, we can do that! If you want gingerbread treats in June or beach mix in January, we can do that too! If you want a special size or shape, we will do our best to make it happen. Usually we just need a day notice to make these things happen. (Single or small orders of custom pupcakes can actually be done while you wait)

Something else we do: gift baskets.

We can put these together for you ahead of time or you can come in and pick out the items you like and then we'll create a cute basket for you. And you can choose from just treats to treats, toys and clothes. They're great for new puppies, dogs recovering from vet trips, hostess gifts and the dog lover who has everything.

Okay, this blog turned put more commercially than I meant it to be. Sorry about that. We now returned you to your regularly scheduled programming... ;)

Are You Ready for some Football?

2010-09-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

We are excited about the potential the Razorbacks have this season and we're showing our spirit in cookie form! We finally got our Football Treats, Woo Pig Cookies and Hog Helmets out. We also have great Razorback jerseys, tees and dresses for your dog and football toys. Plus, you can't forget the Bowser Beer for your "tail"gate. And tonight, Tuesday, September, 14th, is Tuesday Night Lights Yappie Hour, so you can save on all these items from 5-7pm.

P.S. Credit for table design goes to Cary this month! He was very excited about the "ice cubes" in the beer bucket, so be sure to check them out when you stop by :D

Low cost Adoptions

2010-09-02T09:41:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone,

We all know what an animal shelter is and the goal of today's animal shelter is to provide a safe and caring environment until the animal is either reclaimed by its owner, placed in a new home, or placed with another organization and some animal shelters are more caring than others. Regardless, there are so many dogs and puppies in these facilities than they know what to do with.
I just wanted to let everyone know that Fayetteville Animal Shelter is making it easier for
(This is Nikko, a Labrador retriever boxer mix at the FAS) everyone to have a furry friend. The whole month of September, you can adopt a pet for only $30; this includes spay/neuter, all vaccinations, micro-chipping, heart worm testing, and city tags/licensing !!!

For more information you may contact:
Fayetteville Animal Shelter
1640 South Armstrong Road
Fayetteville, Ar 72701
(479) 444-3456

Let Them Eat Cake!

2010-09-01T15:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

We've recently added new shapes to our barkday cake line and I had the opportunity to decorate two of the new shapes today, so I thought it would be a great chance to post some photos and let everyone know what is now available. By the way, these cakes were all created because someone asked if we could do the shape for their dog. So please, if you have a request, don't be shy about it! We'll always do our best and you may see your idea here in the future.

Along with that note, I should say that we do need at least a day notice to do cakes and if you want something unique, your chances of getting it are better if you give us more notice. :D

Sample of the new shapes

STAR - Deekyn's Cake is a tribute to the fact that he's a Cowboy's fan.

CROWN - Max had his yellow, but we've also done pink or peanut butter. As always, it's your choice.

DOG BOWL - This cake's two layers, so it feeds a large crowd. In this case, four lab littermates, plus their mom!


HEART - Great for Valentine's but also for any day you want your dog to feel loved.

And of course, we still offer the ever popular BONE! And you can have it personalized however you like, as you can with any of the new shapes.

To Ward Off Vampires

2010-08-31T13:15:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

You may notice in the coming days that a few old posts from our blog are missing. There is a simple explanation for why. I'm trying to prevent lawsuits and resulting settlements. You see, this morning I read an article about a lawyer who is now making money for newspapers by trolling blogs and suing for copyright infringement. (Thanks to Matt for bringing this to the attention of the Twitterverse!) According to this article, our local media group is among his clients. So, in a preemptive strike, I thought I would take down any old news articles that might be seen as copyright infringement. Of course, the goal was always to share news about dog events, dogs and anything related to them. And we always gave credit to the author and linked to the source of the article. However, it seems that none of this matters to this particular lawyer, who is aiming not to keep the purity of copyrighted work, but rather to make money for dying newspapers. So, I would rather take the articles down than try to come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay off this man. I apologize to those of you who might have been looking for a particular article as a resource.

How a Tiny Tick Killed Four Tigers

2010-08-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I received an e-mail from Jen Cole the other day that contained some sad and important information from Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. I thought I would re-post the email here so you can learn about a disease that is not only life threatening to the beautiful large cats at Turpentine Creek, but could also affect your domestic cats.

The four tigers above have all passed away from bobcat disease. Read below for more information on this terrible tick-transferred killer. Your house cats are at risk too. Take proper precautions. From left to right: Sally (DOD 6/3/2002), Tasha (DOD 7/4/2009), TJ (DOD 7/6/2010), Tom (DOD 7/10/2010). As you can see from the date of death dates the problem is growing. Contact your local vet for more information on protecting your domestic cat. Please Help.

We Need Your Help
Ivy Cooper/Staff Biologist

At Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, we are being faced with Cytauxzoonosis or Bobcat’s Disease. Cytauxzoonosis is a disease that is most commonly found in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, but unfortunately seems to be slowly spreading beyond these three states. Cytauxzoonosis is caused by a blood parasite that attacks the red blood cells of the feline, originally thought only the domestic cat, but now we know it can affect Big Cats as well. The disease is transmitted via a tick from the bobcat to a domestic cat and even Big Cats and, unfortunately, is almost always fatal.

When the disease occurs in a bobcat, a species native to much of the United States, it's a minor illness. The majority of bobcats recover in a short time and become hosts, or carriers, of the disease.

Last year we contacted Dr. Leah Cohn, a professor and associate department chair of veterinary medicine and surgery at Missouri University and a leader of clinical research studying Cytauxzoonisis. We wanted to know what we could do to help her research this disease. In October Dr. Cohn and two of her colleagues, along with our vet, Dr. Ron Eby, came to the refuge to take blood samples from some of our cats. One really important aspect of Dr. Cohn's research is being able to grow and study the organism, learn its biology and structure, and one day be able to develop a vaccine and better treatment for this horrible disease.
The treatment for domestic cats is mostly supportive therapies which include crystalliod fluids, prophylactic heparin, nutritional and nursing care, analgesia, and transfusions. These treatment options are very difficult and almost impossible to administer to a Big Cat; which makes treating this disease in Big Cats even more of a challenge.

We are always looking for ways to improve the refuge and the lives of our cats; one way to help us better care for our cats is to renovate our current perimeter fence. We must have a perimeter fence that no small animals such as feral cats, opossums or raccoons can get through. We keep the grass cut and we also tick dust to keep the ticks and other bugs down, but we need to prevent other animals from bringing ticks into the habitat field and possibly infecting our cats.

Like all projects at the refuge, we need our supporters to make this possible. We have received three bids to build the perimeter fence and the best bid so far is $50,000. We know that this is a huge chunk of money during these difficult economic times but this project must be completed quickly. While we raise the money to build the new, impenetrable fence we cannot allow the cats to enjoy the freedom of their habitats and be subjected to a deadly disease. All of you have worked with us for the past 10 years to build habitats which provide a high quality of life for our furry friends. They deserve it!

Those of you who are able, please, help us, help them. Call, email, or stop by with your contribution. There are many cats waiting in the “wings” who need saving. The future of all the cats living in people’s backyards, basements, and garages, along with those suffering in filth and disgusting conditions, need all of us to continue with the Turpentine Creek mission... “To provide lifetime refuge for abandoned, abused, and neglected Big Cats.” A tenth of a gram tick killed these beautiful creatures. Help us put an end to this desperate situation.

To donate to this desperately needed project:
Call: 479-253-5841
Email: tigers@turpentinecreek.org
Donate Online: Click Here
Send Via USPS: 239 Turpentine Creek Lane
Eureka Springs, AR. 72632
Stop by The Refuge With Cash, Check or Money Order...

Secret Sale

2010-08-19T14:25:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone!

I have been having a secret sale going on all week since Cary and Erin are on vacation! The sale ends soon, THIS SATURDAY! We want to give you the chance to save on everything in the store!!! Everyone will be receiving our employee discount!! Hurry in before Cary and Erin return.

Birthday Party ends with a Wag

2010-08-13T08:55:00.002-05:00

Brandi getting the cupcakes ready

On Saturday, July 24th at 9 AM Bigwag Dog Bakery celebrated it's 4th year in business. We've done this every year as a "customer appreciation day", a "hey we are still here day", and a "here are our friends" day. The day starts off with 100 goody bags for the first 100 people who show up starting at 9 AM. The goody bags are generally gone in about 30 minutes.

Outside in our side parkinglot we have donuts (provided by Daylight Donuts of Lowell), coffee (provided by Mountain Bird Coffee), and juice, along with 18 vendors, rescues, shelters, groomers, pet sitters, boarders, photographers and dog parks. These are area pet businesses or groups that have come to talk about their business or rescue, give out more freebies, get your face painted, pet some dogs, or get your dog microchipped.

Starting at about 10:30 AM, we break out the burgers and hot dogs, and start the grilling. All food is free, and the grilling was provided this year by Arkansas Fireplace and Grill.

Maddie - our phto contest winner of a year of free treats

Throughout the day we hold giveaways - in "Lets Make A Deal" style, where we ask participants to sing a song, call the hogs, find items in their purse, or answer trivia to win a wide array of prizes. We gave away over 100 lbs of dog food, gift baskets, collars and leads from Lupine and Planet Dog, toys, gift certificates, and salsa from Shaggy's Salsa.

The event is capped off with the "Biggest Wag Contest", a tradition started in our second year of business, where dogs and their owners are encouraged to exhibit as much enthusiasm as possible, and where truly size does not matter..

To see all of our photos visit our Facebook page or our Facebook Photo Album.

Thank you to everyone who came out and partied with us, and to all of the pet businesses and groups that came out and set up a tent with us or donated prizes for the give aways and the goody bags. We feel truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful pet community in NWA.

Splish, Splash!

2010-08-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

Photo Credit: Wayan Vota

Hey Everyone!

I just got some very exciting news from Linda over at Camp Bow Wow. The City of Rogers has officially given permission for Northwest Arkansas' first ever "Pooch Plunge" Next Wednesday, August 18th from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, the Lake Atalanta pool will be turned over to the dogs! For the price of a donation to the Humane Society, your dog can take a dunk in the pool. Food will also be available for donations.

I would usually send this out in our newsletter, but since time is short, I thought I'd post it here instead. So, if you know of anyone who would like to attend the event, please pass the word along.

(And count us there in spirit. Cary and I will be on vacation, so we won't be able to attend, which bums me out, but we will definitely look forward to future events. Splash around for us!)

Faces of the Humane Society - August 2010

2010-08-10T11:56:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Last Friday I took treats out to the Humane Society and Cary's cousin Erin came with me, which gave me a unique opportunity to get pictures of the dog actually eating some of the treats you guys so generously donate every day. So, I wanted to post those pictures here for you to enjoy! There are lots of dogs and it seems like an abnormally high number of cats at the Humane Society right now, so as always, if you have room in your heart and your home, please consider adopting from the Humane Society.

On a side note, there will be a yard sale at Murphy Dog Park on Saturday, August 21st from 8am-12pm that will benefit several animal rescues in the area, so if you get a minute drop by and check it out. And that evening, beginning about 7:30pm there will be a Vigil for the Homeless Animals at Murphy Dog Park to remember all the homeless animals that were euthanized over the past year. It's a beautiful and moving ceremony and I recommend attending.

Treats Make Me Happy!

We'd love some treats too!


Look into my eyes - You want to give me treats...

YUM!

Thanks to Everyone who Donated Treats!

Eyeshadow for Dogs

2010-08-09T10:00:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Okay, before you dismiss this blog post completely, let me reassure you that we are not selling eyeshadow for your dog at Bigwag! Actually, my mom called me and asked if I would host a Mary Kay E-Party for her and I agreed because she's donating 10% of her proceeds to the Humane Society for Animals of Benton County. As I've mentioned countless times, the Humane Society runs on donations. So, every little bit helps. And if you can buy something you were already going to buy and help support the homeless animals, well, then it's pretty much win-win.

Here is the e-mail my mom sent me with the details:

Hi,

Erin Hague is holding a Mary Kay E-party for me. Besides the benefits mentioned below, I will also donate 10% of my profits from all sales to the Humane Society for Animals of Benton County. After looking at the e-catalog, go to my website to place your order. www.marykay.com/debrawhinnie In the comment section please add "Erin's party". If you have any questions, you can e-mail me at debrawhinnie(at)marykay(dot)com.

Thank you so much,
Debra Whinnie

Check out the Mary Kay® eCatalog! You can mark your favorites with sticky notes, create a wish list and share with your friends on your favorite social networks.

Please, click here, to check it out:

All orders will be shipped free. Orders over $40.00 receive a gift with purchase. I will pay your tax for you if you order in August.

Expanded Merrick Recall

2010-08-06T21:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I know it seems like there are an awful lot of recalls lately and I don't want our blog to be just gloom and doom, but I do feel like it's important to pass along these recalls for the safety of your pets and those of your friends and neighbors. I do want to note that we don't carry any of the recently recalled products, we just feel that as part of the pet community, it's our duty to help disseminate this information. This article was originally posted by Pet Sit USA, you can view it here

Merrick Pet Foods is extending a recent recall, due to salmonella, announced last month.

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is extending its July 2, 2010 recall of 10oz “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs (Texas Hold’Ems)” pet treat (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 BEST BY MARCH 24, 2012) to also include 83 cases of “Texas Hold’ems” (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10127 BEST BY MAY 6, 2012) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The Beef Filet Squares (Texas Hold ‘Ems) were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.

The treats are sold in 10oz plastic bags marked with “Lot # 10127 Best By May 6, 2012” on the top of the bag and on a sticker applied to the bottom.

No illnesses have been reported to date for either lot of product. A sample tested positive for Salmonella.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of “Texas Hold’ems” are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.

Merrick does have the announcement on their website: Merrick Pet Care Recalls Texas Hold’ems 10 oz. Bag (Item# 60016 Lot 10127 Best By May 6, 2010) Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk.

Grazing on Green: Is grass eating normal?

2010-08-05T11:10:00.001-05:00

I hear customers, family, and friends talk about their dogs eating grass and it just doesn't seem right to me, so I've done some investigating. I've heard everything from it being a natural remedy for gassy stomachs/force vomiting to cure constipation.

I found no evidence that grass eating is detrimental to your pooches health. Although, there are many dangers and concerns as a pet owner, you should worry about.

So When you find Fido munching away in the backyard, you may want make want to take the initiative to find the underlying problem.

Here are some health hazards that experts say you need to take in consideration:

Fiber Deficiency. Don't mistake this habit as a behavioral problem, let it be a sign that Fido is lacking the efficient amount of fiber in his or her diet! Nutrition studies support high protein, high fiber diets for their ability to improve weight loss and satiety in overweight dogs. More fiber in the diet can mean better blood sugar control in overweight dogs with diabetes. And of course, we offer many different varieties of high fiber and high protein foods!
Houseplant Hazards. If they cannot satisfy their need for fiber from nontoxic sources, they may turn to houseplants, like a Dieffenbachia, which can be fatal. And lilies are fatal to cats ( For a complete listing of poisonous plants click HERE).
Fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, and other contaminants such as parasites on the lawn could pose dangers.

So, when you think about it, grass munching isn’t that bad at all. However, watch out for a sudden increase in grass eating; it could be a sign of a more serious underlying illness that your dog is trying to self treat, and that requires immediate veterinary assistance.

Check Us Out in At Home In Arkansas!

2010-08-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Maybe it's silly, but we still get excited when we're mentioned in the news and in magazines, so we were thrilled when At Home In Arkansas called and asked if they could feature some of our products in their magazine. And after a few months of waiting, the August edition is finally here and we're in it! Check out both our treats and the ever fabulous Molly Mutt duvets in this month's issue. And you can even view it online!

Now Introducing...

2010-08-03T11:51:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I am very excited to introduce to you the newest food line available at Bigwag! As of yesterday, we officially carry Premium Edge Healthy Weight I, Healthy Weight II and Skin & Coat Formulas. Now, I know, we already carry several varieties of food that you know and love, but I want to tell you a little about these foods and why I felt like they were worthy of being sold in our store. (After all, I am infamously picky about the ingredients of dog foods)

Our newest foods are currently available in 6lbs and 35lbs sizes

As with all of our other foods, these foods contain NO corn, wheat, soy or by-products. Because of course, I don't believe that any dog should be eating those items as a part of their regular foods. Now, these foods are NOT grain free, but the grains they do contain are high quality, nutrient dense grains like oatmeal or whole grain brown rice. The fact that they do contain grains makes them a little less expensive than the Taste of the Wild formulas.

But here's what I find really impressive about these foods and why I decided to make room on my shelves for them. The healthy weight formulas are made specifically for overweight, adult dogs. I have long been frustrated with the foods available for overweight dogs, because the solution is always the same - lump the overweight dog in with the senior dogs and simply feed them a food that is high in carbohydrates and therefore lower in calories. But the thing is many times this leaves those overweight dogs hungry again in a few hours and whining for more food, which inevitably makes us feel guilty and then we feed them more or give them treats or scraps and viola! the whole diet is blown. This food is actually a different solution - the Healthy Weight I formula is really high in protein (44% Crude Protein vs. 18-20% in your typical senior formula) and low in carbohydrates - think of it like an Atkins or a South Beach diet for your dog. Which actually, makes even more sense for dogs than it does for people, seeing as how dogs are carnivores.

Then, once your dog has lost the weight that it's supposed to lose, you switch them to the Healthy Weight II formula, which is a maintenance formula. Because anyone who has ever struggled with weight knows that keeping it off is half the battle. This formula still has moderate protein levels (25% Crude Protein, which is the same as the salmon Taste of the Wild) but it also has lower fat (8-10% Crude Fat versus 15-18% crude Fat in Taste of the Wild) That combination keeps your dog from going hungry while maintaining a healthy weight. Pretty amazing that it took this long for someone to redesign weight loss for dogs, considering that obesity is a rampant problem among our pets. But I am really impressed that Premium Edge thought outside the box on this one and I believe came up with a solution that makes much more sense than the traditional remedies.

As to the Skin & Coat Formula - I have to say that I know many people who are concerned about the quality of their dog's skin and coat. Usually, poor skin leads to poor coat which then causes shedding, which no one likes! There are several remedies to this problem. You can supplement your dog's food with something like Grizzly Salmon Oil, which is a great product, but I always wonder how economical it really is to supplement a poorer quality food rather than just switching your dog to a higher quality food. And for a long time, I have just recommended switching to a grain free food, like Taste of the Wild to improve skin and coat quality. Which does work - but for many people, it is too expensive. So, the Skin & Coat formula provides a less expensive option for decreasing shedding and improving your dog's skin and coat quality. And because it's a salmon and ocean fish based food, it has lots of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids which work wonders internally as well (like lowering cholesterol.)

Oh, and if those things weren't enough, all of the Premium Edge Foods have glucosamine and chondroitin! Which means they are great for older dogs with joint problems or larger breeds with risk of joint problems or even dogs who have been injured and now suffer from arthritis. Not such a bad idea in my book!

P&G Recall Expanded

2010-08-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

P&G has expanded their earlier recall and even though we don't carry these foods, I wanted to pass along the information. This article was originally posted by the examiner.com.

Five days after an initial pet food recall, P&G announced that they are expanding the recall to include other product lines. Iams and Eukanuba dog and cat foods are on the recall list due to possible exposure to Salmonella. These foods were sold at veterinary clinics and and specialty pet retailers throughout the US and Canada.

The newly added products include:
Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas (All dry sizes and varieties) with "Best by" dates of 01Jul10 – 01Dec11-- All upc codes of all Iams dry foods within those dates are included.
Eukanuba Naturally Wild (All dry sizes and varieties) with "Best by" dates of 01Jul10 – 01Dec11-- All upc codes of Eukanuba Naturally Wild products within those dates are included.
Eukanuba Pure (All dry sizes and varieties) with "Best by" dates of 01Jul10 – 01Dec11-- all upc codes of Eukanuba Pure products are included if they are within those dates.
Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin (All dry sizes) with "Best by" dates of 01Jul10 – 01Dec11-- all upc codes of Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin upc codes within those dates are included.

The company has expressed that because all of these foods are made in the same facility and the previous foods did test positive for Salmonella, the rest of these products are also at risk of contamination.

Consumers need to understand that pet owners who touch pet food may become sick with Salmonella. Symptoms of Salmonella in humans include abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Children, the elderly and those with a compromised immune system can develop serious complications from Salmonella. If you handled any recalled food and are experiencing symptoms of Salmonella you are advised to talk to a health care provider.

Sometimes pets can be carriers of Salmonella and not show obvious symptoms, but they have the potential to then infect other pets within the same household. Symptoms of Salmonella in pets include lethargy, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea. If you have concerns over the health of your pet you should consult a veterinarian.

Consumers are asked to properly dispose of any recalled food taking care to ensure that no other animals may get into it. You may also call P&G to discuss any concerns including replacements or refunds at 877-340-8823. That number is staffed from 9 am to 6 pm (EST) Monday through Friday.

Bad News Bearer

2010-07-29T17:53:00.005-05:00

Good evening everyone,

I hate to start out the blog bearing bad news. No one wants to see price increases, not even business owners. We have made it our mission to provide healthy affordable treats for all dogs. As you all know we have been in business for four years but you may not be aware that we have never changed our prices on our treats. The price of ingredients have been rising steadily since the business opened but the business had been absorbing the cost. We hate to do it but unfortunately, it is to the point where we have to increase the prices because we would not be making any profit. The good news is we made the increase as low as possible and it wont be effective until August 1st. AND tomorrow is $5 FRIDAY, so you will be able to get great deals on things like Peanut Butter, Carob, and Yogurt Chips (which, sadly, will be affected by the increase). The new prices are as follows:

Basic Treats: Were $0.33 Now $0.35

Premium Treats: Were $0.50 Now $0.55

Carob, Peanut Butter, and Yogurt Chips: Were $5.50 Now $6.50

Pupcakes: Were $1.00 Now $1.25

Howl at the Moon Pies: Were $1.00 Now $1.25

Barkday Cakes: Started at $13.00 Now: starting at $15.00

We really do apologize for the inconvenience and thank everyone for their understanding and continued support.

Our Year of Free Treats Winner!

2010-07-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Sorry the blog has been a little sparse lately, the birthday party takes a lot out of us. It was great and I will post some pictures soon, along with details and thank yous. But, for the time being I wanted to post the winner of the year of free treats!

You guys made it really hard on us, we got tons of great photos. But in the end there was just something irresistible about this picture of Maddie with her cake. Nicole Harris, Maddie's mom, tells us she carried that piece of cake around for quite a while before eating it. Guess she wanted to have her cake and eat it too :D

Maddie and Nicole came in today to claim their prize and of course, I had to get a picture of that too.

Congratulations again to Maddie and thanks to everyone for participating in the contest!

Iams Feline Renal Formula Recall

2010-07-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

P&G is recalling some prescription cat food due to possible salmonella contamination:

CINCINNATI, July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE: PG), is voluntarily recalling two specific lots of its prescription renal dry cat food as a precautionary measure, as it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.
Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs
Lot Code: 01384174B4
UPC Code: 0 19014 21405 1

Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs
Lot Code: 01384174B2
UPC Code: 0 19014 21405 1
This product is available by prescription through veterinary clinics throughout the U.S.
For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).
[...]
No illnesses have been reported. A FDA analysis identified a positive result on the lot codes listed above. Lot codes can be found in the lower right corner on the back of the bag.

Thank You Lillian, Stella & Margaret!

2010-07-22T11:10:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I've typed this blog about a hundred times, but I can't seem to express the words that are in my heart as well as I'd like. You see, yesterday Lillian and Stella, our winners of last year's Year of Free Treats, came in for their very last free treats. And it made me want to break down and cry right there in the store. I know, that probably seems ridiculous, but here's the thing. Lillian and Stella are truly remarkable dogs. And I feel blessed and honored to have been able to provide their treats over the past year. I'm sure I'm still not making any sense. Perhaps I should mention that Lillian and Stella are search and rescue dogs. And that they recently worked at Albert Pike State Park. Along with their owner Margaret Choffel, they do a job that I can only imagine is back breaking and heartbreaking. I know that I could never bring myself to do their job and that makes me so grateful that they do it, because I also know that families need answers and closure in situations as devastating as the recent flash floods. So, I feel like giving Lillian and Stella treats for a year was the very least that we could do and I feel like there will never be enough words to express how truly grateful we are that they do the work they do.

And since the words to say all of that are just not making themselves available, I will simply say this. Thank you Lillian and Stella and thank you Margaret. I am truly honored to call you customers.

Below is Margaret's winning entry from last year's story contest. We will be announcing the winner for this year's photo contest at our birthday party on Saturday.

"My name is Margaret Choffel, I am part of the K-9 unit for Washington County Search and Rescue. I've been part of the team for the past ten years. My first search dog, Annie, was a hero, with finds to her credit, sadly died in her prime at five years of age. I currently have two Labrador females, Stella does area air scenting live find searches and cadaver searches.. She has helped to find lost victims, and has been on recovery missions as well, she is five years old and when she isn't doing SAR work, Stella goes to the Veteran's Home weekly to visit the patients, I also show her in local dog shows.. She loves her ball and as a Lab she loves treats as well.

Lillian is a yellow Lab, she is half sister to Stella and is a year younger at four years of age. Lillian's speciality is land cadaver, she has a very nice passive indication and loves treats as a reward. On her off time she also joins her sister in weekly visits to the Veteran's Home and likes to strut in the show ring when she can.. Search and Rescue requires lots of time and effort and is all voluntary. 99% of the expenses are born by the handler, the Girls work for treats, so a year's worth of treats for rewards would be very welcome."

Bigwag in Citiscapes

2010-07-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

We were recently included in an article by Wendy Teal on Pets Going Posh that ran in this month's Citiscapes. You can check out the complete article on us and many other fine pet businesses in NWA by clicking here!

Bigwag employee has a warrant for her arrest!

2010-07-15T18:26:00.004-05:00

It was a usual day at Bigwag, baking treats, helping guests in the store, and answering the normal phone calls. The phone rings, "Thank You for calling Bigwag. This is Brandi, how may I help you?" "Ma'am, did you say your name was Brandi? We have a warrant out for your arrest and your bond is $1,000." Erin knew immediately that there was something wrong with this phone call by the expression on my face. The voice on the the other end of the line says "Brandi are you there? Someone had turned you in for being a kind person and we have probable cause that you would be a great inmate at the March of Dimes Jail & Bail." So, I need your help! I will be turning myself in peacefully on August 5th, 2010 at MiMi's Cafe in Rogers.

Here, at Bigwag, we not only like to help animal shelters and animal related charities. We enjoy helping with whatever we can! I asked myself, "Why not?" It will be a fun and I would love to support March of Dimes Charity. I have my own website that you can check out and make donations if you would like as well. We will also have donation jars in the store! All donations are 100% tax deductible and will help to fund important research, grants, and educations to further the mission of improving the health of Arkansas' babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

If you would like to be an inmate or would like to turn in someone you know to the March of Dimes Jail & Bail, you may contact Hannah Jennings at (479) 751-5475 or hjennings@marchofdimes.com.

CNN Money names Rogers, AR #10 top place to live

2010-07-13T08:36:00.002-05:00

CNN Money names Rogers, AR #10 in the US in it's 100 best places to live 2010.

"If you focus only on the averages, life in the typical American town frankly doesn't seem so hot right now. The median home continues to lose value. Cash-strapped state and local governments are cutting services. And unemployment, at 9.3%, is still high.

But those bummer statistics obscure one important-and encouraging-fact: There are plenty of outliers. MONEY found them through its annual search for the best places in America, which this year focused on the nation's small cities (those with populations of 50,000 to 300,000). Reporters crunched reams of data to find the optimal combo of job opportunities, fiscal strength, top-notch schools, low crime, good health care, lots to do, and many other factors that help make a town great for raising a family."

The details:

10. Rogers, AR
Population: 57,000
Unemployment: 5.8%
Pluses: Low cost of living, diversity
Minus: Strip malls

If you're inclined to dismiss a small city in Arkansas as a backwater, you're making a big mistake. Rogers is right next door to Bentonville, where Wal-Mart is headquartered.

Given the power of the retail behemoth, many Fortune 500 firms that sell it their wares have moved executives to the area. Lots of them have settled in Rogers, giving it a cosmopolitan feel. (Wal-Mart's CEO, Mike Duke, also calls Rogers home.)

They're drawn by top-notch schools and outdoor activities, including swimming and wakeboarding on the town's two lakes and golfing on its five courses.

(Not all is picture perfect: Rogers does contain some rundown areas.) Though Wal-Mart has had layoffs in recent years, the jobless rate here remains low.

To see the whole article, click here. We kind of like it too ;)

Kibble Crack - The Dirty Dozen

2010-07-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

We know that sugary pet treats are bad. When pet treats first started out, there wasn't any sugar added as an ingredient. As large companies began vying for shelf space, two factors became universally important - cheap ingredients and that dogs love them. One of the ways large manufacturers found out they could solve both problems was to use sugar or corn syrup. These in themselves are a cheap ingredient, but dogs have a sweet tooth, and lots of sugar meant that you didn't have to really worry about adding anything else they might want, like peanut butter or liver.

Dr. Ernie Ward, pet expert for WebMD writes

"What I want to bring attention to is what ingredients are in pet treats – and why. Pet owners must begin to question why there is sugar in a treat that claims to help teeth.” Following the trend of sugar-laden children’s snacks, pet treat manufacturers are tapping into a dog’s sweet tooth to boost sales. “One of the key reasons I became involved with fighting pet obesity was when I began seeing sugar added to pet treats. I think if more pet owners were aware of this, they may choose their treats more carefully.” says veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) and author of “Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter – A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives” (2010 HCI). “When you have popular treats such as Snausages SnawSomes that list sugars as three of the first four ingredients, you know there’s a problem.”

And the problem is huge. APOP estimates that 45% of US dogs and 58% of cats are too heavy. That equals an estimated 89 million pets that are at high risk for developing conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.

Ward says the problem is linked to money – lots of it. With US pet treat sales estimated to be nearly $2 billion in 2010, the treat bowl has turned golden. “Sugar is incredibly attractive to dogs. If a dog gobbles a treat quickly, an owner is more likely to give another – and another. This adds up to more sales – and profits. In the race for pet treat profits, our pets’ health is being bankrupted.”

Ward also contends that added sugar has behavioral consequences. “Numerous studies in rats demonstrate that overfeeding sugar can create symptoms similar to drug addiction. A dog’s daily sweet treat may be contributing to overeating and other undesirable behaviors. This is why I call today’s high-sugar treats ‘kibble crack.’”

Dr. Ward has compiled a list of "The Dirty Dozen" = sugar pet treats you should avoid and why:

Canine CarryOuts Chew-lotta Dextrose first ingredient
Snausages SnawSomes! Beef and Chicken Flavor Sugars 3 of first 4 ingredients
Pedigree Jumbone Mini Snack Food for Small Dogs Sugars 2 of 3 first ingredient
Petrodex Dental Treats for Cats Dextrose second ingredient
Pedigree Jumbone Sugar third ingredient
Milk Bone Essentials Plus Oral Care Sugar third ingredient
Pup-Peroni Lean Beef Recipe Sugar third ingredient
Science Diet Simple Essentials Treats Training Adult Treats with Real Beef Sugar third ingredient
Cesar Softies Dog Treats Sugar third ingredient
Milk-Bone Chewy Chicken Drumsticks Sugar third ingredient
Meow Mix Moist Cat Treats Corn syrup fourth ingredient
Pedigree Marrobone Sugar third ingredient

Other common sugar-containing treats according to Dr. Ernie Ward:

Beneful Snackin’ Slices – Sugar fourth ingredient
Pit’r Pat Fresh Breath Mint Flavored Cat Treats – Maltodextrin first ingredient
Three Dog Bakery Lick ‘n Crunch – Dextrose third ingredient
Beneful Snackin Slices – Sugar fourth ingredient
Busy Chewnola – Maltodextrin second ingredient
Exclusively Dog Vanilla Flavor Sandwich Creme Dog Cookies – Sugars first two ingredients
Canine Carryouts Dog Treats – Corn syrup second ingredient

You can read Dr. Wards full article here.

I know I don't really need to do this, but here is the ingredient statement from one of our most popular treats - Where is the sugar? There isn't any. I can't really put it any better than Dr. Ward. This has been one of our founding principles since we opened the bakery in 2006. I also completely agree with Dr. Ward - READ THE INGREDIENT STATEMENTS!

Bacon and Egg Piglets - Ingredients: Whole Wheat Flour, Oats, Water, Whey, Pork Fat, Bacon, Egg, Cheese, Yeast, Baking Powder, Garlic.

Recalls making us sick, or are we sick of recalls?

2010-07-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

Today a front page article in the Washington Post indicates a new study shows that the US is experiencing "Recall Fatigue"

"One recent study found that 12 percent of Americans who knew they had recalled food at home ate it anyway. After Hasbro recalled the iconic Easy Bake Oven in 2007 because about two dozen children had gotten fingers stuck in the door, the toymaker received 249 more reports of injuries over the following six months. One 5-year-old girl was so seriously burned that doctors had to partially amputate a finger."

As Gina points out over on the Pet Connection Blog, this seems like a "Dump and Run" to me. What is a "Dump and Run" you ask? Well, a "Dump and Run" recall is a recall that is issued very late on a Friday, as in Friday evening, so that the recall gets minimal press coverage. This one was even worse, because they did it before a 3 day holiday weekend. Merrick issued a recall last Friday on it's Beef Fillet Squares. The recall details are here in a previous post. There has been a lot of speculation on both sides this week. Did they know about this earlier or was this unintentional? Hard to tell.

There seems to be two contributors to this "Recall Fatigue". One is this type of corporate behavior. I'm not really making the claim the Merrick's behavior was ill repute, but enough companies have done this to warrant the question. There are plenty of good examples out there of how to execute a recall.

The second is QA. Taking shortcuts across your production line is not a very good way to minimize the amount of QA failures you have. Not cleaning your equipment between production runs - like how does salmonella reach a product that is baked and never is an original source of salmonella in the first place? It has to be either the production line or the packaging equipment that was not properly cleaned in between runs or never cleaned at all. Companies are being forced to to more amounts of QA testing these days, but they really aren't making the necessary production processes or methods to prevent test results from showing the problems. Hiding, retesting because you believe the results are false positive, and trying to minimize recall impacts by "Dump and Run" tactics are all shortcuts that do not address the problem.

Corporate responsibility has got to start to look at taking the high road, because yes, I am sick of all of the recalls myself, I am sick of sorting through them all, but that doesn't mean I don't need to read or act on them. I want them to stop happening in the first place. The "cheap way out" is no longer going to cut it as our global food economy starts to become more transparent. Hiding, misinformation and misdirection may have been the way of the past, but it will be the way of the dodo bird before too long. The longer companies engage in these tactics the faster you are planning your own funeral. There are too many choices and things are becoming too transparent to make this your corporate strategy.

Birthday Press Release

2010-07-08T12:56:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I just finished sending out the press release for our birthday party, but since you never can tell whether a press release will get picked up by a media outlet or not, I thought I'd go ahead and post it here. That way I know that I didn't do all that work for nothing :D We're so excited about our birthday party and the Year of Free Treats contest - We've already received some fantastic photos, but be sure to keep them coming. You have until the 21st to submit those great pictures of your dogs eating our treats. And you know you want a year of free treats! (Or at least your dog does!)

For immediate release

Bigwag Dog Bakery Celebrates 4th Birthday

Rogers, AR… July 8, 2010

Saturday, July 24th from 9am-12pm, Bigwag Dog Bakery is celebrating their fourth birthday. But they don't expect to be the center of attention. Rather the focus of their party will be the pet community of Northwest Arkansas. Bigwag's birthday will include vendors and pet organizations such as Angel Pet Sitters, Friends of the Lowell Animal Shelter, Murphy Dog Park and many more. Also a focus of the party – the guests, both two-legged and four-legged. The first 100 guests will receive goody bags. Guests who don't receive a goody bag will still have much to enjoy, including low cost microchipping provided by Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue, coffee from Mountain Bird Coffee Company of Eureka Springs, free food and free cake for both dogs and people. There will be giveaways all day with prizes ranging from gift baskets to bags of premium dog food and collar and leash sets. The day will conclude with the Biggest Wag contest and the announcement of the winner of a Year of Free Treats. To enter to win a Year of Free Treats, guests can submit a picture of their dog enjoying Bigwag treats to treats@bigwag.com through Wednesday, July 21st.

About Bigwag Dog Bakery
Bigwag is located at 2301 W. Walnut, Suite 23, Rogers, AR in Turtle Creek Plaza. It opened July 29, 2006.

Bigwag can also be found online:
Online Store http://www.bigwag.com
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BigwagDogBakery
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/BigwagDogBakery
Blog http://www.blog.bigwag.com

Further Information:

What: Free food, goody bags for the first 100 guests, low cost microchipping provided by NWA Animal Rescue, vendor booths, contests, prizes and much more!

Where: Bigwag Dog Bakery
2301 W. Walnut Suite 23
Rogers, AR 72756
(Behind Popeye's Chicken)

When: Saturday, July 24, 2010 9am-12pm

Why: Bigwag is celebrating it's 4th year of being business

Who: Open to the public

Cost: Free

A Friday Night Dump & Run Recall

2010-07-07T21:33:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

From time to time recalls are necessary. It's simply the nature of food items. Sometimes, even under the best of circumstances, things happen. Recalls are then issued for the safety of consumers. Unfortunately, recalls are usually not seen in this light. They have come to reflect on the capabilities and integrity of a company. Perhaps it is this perception that led Merrick to issue their most recent recall is such a cowardly way. Merrick issued a recall on their Beef Filet Squares late Friday, July 2nd. That's not only what's become known as the Friday dump and run (a technique used to minimize the media attention given to a recall) but a dump and run on a holiday weekend! I have to think that Merrick damaged their name more by issuing this recall in such a cowardly fashion than they would have if they had simply manned up and issued the recall in a straight forward, honest manner. But they didn't. And that leave us as consumers wondering what we can really expect from a company that displays such a lack of integrity...

Here is Merrick's official statement:

Merrick Pet Care Recalls Beef Filet Squares 10oz Bag (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 Best By March 24, 2012) Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

07.02.2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2010
Customer Inquiries:
Other Inquiries: JAMES WITCHER, COO (806) 322-2806

MERRICK PET CARE RECALLS BEEF FILET SQUARES 10oz BAG (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 BEST BY MARCH 24,2012) BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling 86 cases of its 10oz “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs”pet treats (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 BEST BY MARCH 24, 2012) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptcial.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The Beef Filet Squares were shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.
The treats are sold in 10oz plastic bags marked with “Lot # 10084TL7 Best By Mar 24, 2012” on the top of the bag and on a sticker applied to the bottom.

No illnesses have been reported to date. FDA collected a surveillance sample of “Merrick Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” (lot #10084TL7) which were purchased from a retail store. The sample tested positive for Salmonella.
Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.

We found out about this recall thanks to the watchful eyes of the Pet Connection Blog. If you don't already follow them, I recommend checking them out.

Keeping Your Dog Calm During Holiday Fireworks

2010-07-02T09:07:00.005-05:00

Hello Everyone,

It's not the fourth of July yet but the fireworks have already begun bringing fear to many dogs. Last year, I was babysitting Sam and Hannah as Cary and Erin went out of town to visit family and I soon realized the fear that fireworks brought to some pets. Sam didn't mind the fireworks display, in fact he sat outside and enjoyed them with me on the patio. Hannah, on the other hand, was absolutely terrified! I could not get her to go outside to use the restroom and she would pace back and forth constantly.

According to Dog Star Daily, veterinary offices are filled with people looking for drugs while humane societies report a steep increase in the number of dogs wandering at this time of year.

To keep your furry friend from becoming a statistic this holiday weekend author Lisa Spector offers these tips:

1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise earlier in the day.

2. Keep your dogs inside during fireworks, preferably with human companionship.

3. Provide a safe place inside for your dogs to retreat. When scared of sounds they can’t orient, dogs often prefer small enclosed areas.

4. If possible, keep the windows and curtains closed.

5. Make sure all your dogs are wearing ID tags with a properly fitting collar. Microchips are ideal in case they get lost.

6. Leave your dog something fun to do – like a interactive toy filled with his favorite treats.

7. Train with counter classical conditioning. Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., CAAB, has a very clear definition and tips here.

8. Sound Therapy: play music to calm your canine companion.

These tips are useful with sound phobias such as thunderstorms as well. Hopefully these tips will make the holiday enjoyable for you and your pet!

It's Our Party...

2010-07-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

It's our birthday, Saturday, July 24th from 9am-12pm! This year we're turning four and the party promises to be spectacular, topping even last year's event, which was amazing. We have prizes lined up from lots of great vendors including Taste of the Wild and Lupine. Plus we have goodies from your local favorites too! You'll want to start warming those tails up for the Biggest Wag Contest, and in the coming days look for the announcement on how you can win a Year of Free Treats! (Let me just say, you should start sorting through your photos now...) But for now, the invitation:

Lovin' Linkables

2010-06-30T13:00:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Ever since I saw the video on throwing out your food bowls, I have really reconsidered how I feed my dogs and what it's doing for them or not doing for them. We've always had plenty of interactive toys that we stuffed with treats for play times, but we only rarely used them as food dispensers. Well, I have now taken to feeding Hannah and Sam using those same interactive toys as a way of stimulating their minds and bodies. (It should be beneficial for Hannah's weight to have to work a little harder for her food) They really seem to enjoy even the simplest games, like scavenging food from the back yard after I've tossed it all over. (I'm guessing the birds enjoy the spoils of this game as well)

Our new Linkables (top shelf)

Anyway, last week we got a new toy, called Linkables, in the store and I couldn't wait to get them home. They come in three styles, an elbow, a twist and an orb. Each one has "threads" similar to a screw, so that you can connect them together easily. They're similar in concept to the Canine Genius, but easier to connect together and the openings are smaller, making them better for kibble than treats. The toys are made of a dense rubber (which I do have to say doesn't smell fantastic when new, but the dogs didn't seem to mind) I actually took all three pieces home because I wanted to challenge them as much as possible, since they're kind of old hat at interactive toys. Did they love them? Well, check it out for yourself!

Good Night, Sleep Tight!

2010-06-28T21:11:00.000-05:00

Our new Molly Mutt duvets

Hey Everyone!

Last week we got in several new Molly Mutt duvet patterns. I love the beautiful colors and patterns of Molly Mutt and I also love that the duvets allow you to re-use old dog beds, towel, clothes and so much more! In addition, they are easy to take apart and wash (although I haven't gotten a chance to test that out yet.) Today I cleaned the carpets in our house and I decided it was a great chance to re-do Hannah and Sam's beds, so they each got a new Molly Mutt duvet. Sam's has a bird on it, of course, since Sam loves birds so much. We simply put it over his old bed that we got at Walmart several years ago that had shredded after it's first washing. Hannah got the Mr. Postman pattern, which is purple with a squirrel and was absolutely too cute to pass up. We filled Hannah's with Cary's old clothes, which served a couple purposes. One, it cleaned out our closet, which was long overdue! The second is that our clothes carry our scent, and since Hannah has separation anxiety and is nervous, especially at this time of year with the fireworks, our scents help to calm her in our absence.

Sam's bed (left) and Hannah's bed (right)

Checking out their new beds!

Not Meant to be a Three Dog Bakery

2010-06-25T09:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

A little over a week ago I ask those of you with three dogs if you would recommend it. The overwhelming response was yes! So, last Thursday, Cary, Hannah, Sam and I went to the Humane Society. We let Hannah and Sam play at Murphy Dog Park with the hound puppy for a little while to try and get a feel for how they would do together. But, it was hot and the end of the day and there were lots if dogs at the park, so it was hard to get a good read. Clay was kind enough to allow us to bring the puppy, Huckleberry, home for the evening to get a better feel for the situation.

Huckleberry snoozes at the store.

Well, I am sorry to report that it didn't work out so well. I was really most concerned about Hannah's reaction, because she tends to be a little anti-social. Turns out she was fine, but Sam was not! Sam was just grumpy and growly and generally not his happy-go-lucky self. (Cassie threw her vote in with Sam, by the way)

Sam while we had Huckleberry

I think maybe given time, Sam could have accepted Huck, but I don't think he would have ever loved him. So, unfortunately, we had to return Huck to the Humane Society, which was indescribably difficult, considering he only visited us for one day. Clay said they had already had a call about him, though, and he is a smart, sweet and gentle puppy, so I know he'll find a good home. Just not with us. Maybe in the future, we'll try again. I've learned a couple things from this experience, like Sam gets along with females better than males, and any dog that's going to be a part of our family needs to be fast to keep up with Hannah and Sam. And overall, I'll try to remember not to get too attached before Hannah and Sam get their say.

Sam's smile returned after we'd dropped Huck off.

Newest Addition to the Bigwag Family

2010-06-24T20:02:00.005-05:00

Tessa the Weenie Dog (names by my daughter, Olivia)

The Bigwag and VanOrder family has a new member, Tessa the Weenie Dog. We (Brandi and two year old daughter, Olivia) was given this cute little girl last week by our uncle. Unfortunately, our uncle's house sold and had to move and couldn't take this precious little stinker with him. He called up to Bigwag and told me that he couldn't see Tessa in a better place.....and I wasn't too hard to convince. I was a little weary after losing Oliver and Precious, all within a two year period. Olivia has been asking for a puppy friend for awhile now so needless to say, we immediately went and got her and she's now here to stay! Olivia had the privilege to name Tessa when our Uncle first got her and has now added "the Weenie Dog" to her name. Olivia has named every dog in our whole family actually, like Maggie the Ferocious Beast!! Tessa the Weenie Dog loves attention so feel free to come into Bigwag to say hello and see her tricks!

Top Ten Reasons to Take Your Dog to Work

2010-06-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

This coming Friday, June 25th, 2010 is Take Your Dog to Work Day. The event is organized by Pet Sitters International and is intended to promote pet adoptions. You can find out more about Take Your Dog to Work Day by visiting http://www.takeyourdog.com/

In the meantime, enjoy their fun Top Ten!

A Sticky Situation

2010-06-18T10:30:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Lana Flowers contacted me yesterday morning and told me she'd recently written an article on a local dog who got into some sugar-free gum and nearly died as a result of poisoning from the Xylitol the gum contained. This is an important warning to all pet owners. There are many foods which can be toxic to your pets and while most people are aware of chocolate, there are far more dangerous substances out there. Read Miles' story below or at First Arkansas News. Most importantly, be sure to protect your pet from similar situations by educating yourself about household dangers!

Dog Chews Ice Breakers Gum, Nearly Dies from Xylitol Poisoning
by Lana Flowers

ROGERS — The plastic shopping bag was left on the floor, with a container of sugar-free gum inside.

Miles, an inquisitive puppy, investigated and consumed part of the bag’s contents.
He spent a Sunday morning through a Wednesday evening at two different veterinarians’ offices, because the Xylitol in the sugar-free, strawberry flavored Ice Breakers gum made Miles deathly ill.

He even went into liver failure.

The Reiser family of Rogers, Ark., discovered Miles and his plight after they came home on a Sunday morning from eating breakfast at a local restaurant.

“When we walked in, his ears were low and he had thrown up once on our bedroom floor and and once on our bed,” said Miles’ owner, Jeni Reiser.

Above: Miles, victim of Xylitol posioning, goes for a car ride after his recovery.

Read the full article at First Arkansas News. You can also read more facts about Xylitol in Lana's article, Doggie Don'ts: Hold the Xylitol

P.S. If you'd like to contribute to our blog, please e-mail us at sales@bigwag.com !

Pet Food Recall: Iams canned cat food

2010-06-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

Iams is recalling Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food due to low levels of thiamine

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved.

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it. For further information or a product refund, call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).

The following Iams canned cat foods are included:

Product Name:
Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans

Date on Bottom of Can:
09/2011 to 06/2012

If you want to read the news release on the Iams Recall click here.

Weave Poles and Tunnels and Jumps, Oh My!

2010-06-16T11:34:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

This Saturday and Sunday, June 19th and 20th, from 8am-12pm at Marchant Hills Arena in Springdale, Northwest Arkansas is hosting a UKI Sanctioned Agility Trial! I'm very excited about this event, because it's just further proof that Northwest Arkansas is home to world class events of all kinds. While Nanette Nance and Karen Valle, who have organized the event, tell me that it's a smaller than they had originally planned for, due to a conflicting event in Springfield, I think it's a fabulous step in the right direction for Northwest Arkansas. I urge you to come out and see the teams compete, because agility in person is truly breathtaking. The event is free to the public, so there's really no reason not to come out and watch. Plus it's a great place to find out about the sport and how you can get your dog involved in the future!

Spot of Trouble?

2010-06-15T15:27:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

As you know, we carry Frontline Plus in store and we make every attempt to make it as affordable as possible. (We also carry all natural alternatives, but that's another blog) Well, recently, I've had a very difficult time getting Frontline in. It's out of stock, back ordered from the manufacturer, you name it, I've heard it... Now, I may be the only one experiencing these problems, because as a retail location rather than a veterinarian, I have to go through a distributor. And I won't order from just any old distributor, because I have to trust them and have guarantees on their products. I won't sell products that are imported from Australia or wherever else, because, well, if it isn't really Frontline, then it really doesn't matter how cheap it is.

But, I did happen across and interesting article in one of my industry magazines this month, and I'm wondering if there's a connection. The article addresses the recent EPA report on spot on flea products. It turns out that the EPA began a review of about 200 spot on products from 19 manufacturers in April 2009 and they released their findings in March of this year.

The reason? Multitudes of consumer complaints about reactions and fatalities from spot on products. (Read our experience with spot on reactions)

The results? They concluded that it's consumer error and that labeling and dosage instructions need to be better. They will be meeting with the manufacturers individually to discuss those changes. They also found that inert ingredients will need to be disclosed more fully. Apparently, as it stands currently, the inert ingredients could actually be toxic in their own right, but because they aren't pesticides, they don't have to be enumerated on the label.

Now, I don't know if either of these issues has anything to do with me not being able to get Frontline in the store, but I do have to say that these findings border between ridiculous and frightening in my opinion. I find it hard to believe that every instance of reaction or death was caused by misuse. Is the EPA is really saying that every death or reaction was caused because consumers accidentally put dog products on their cats or overdosing their dogs? That seems a little off when they can't even tell us exactly what the inert ingredients are. Or that the inert ingredients are even the same from batch to batch. Call me crazy, but I don't think potentially toxic ingredients should be allowed in a product, period. Let alone under the label of inert ingredients. It seems to me that the EPA is taking some much needed action, but it it took far too many serious complaints to get such a minimal reaction. And I'm not sure I believe that this action will really provide safer flea products in the end. And shouldn't that be the ultimate goal? Or is it really too much to ask for a safe, effective flea treatment?

Three: Company or a Crowd?

2010-06-14T16:35:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Cary and I dropped by the Humane Society on Saturday to take the treats you donated and while we were there we fell in love with a little brindle hound puppy. Cary and I have both said previously that two is enough, but on occasion we've also seriously considered getting a third dog. The last time we found one that we were drawn to, Cary had just been laid off and we didn't feel like it was financially responsible to take on another dog. By the time he'd found a job, she'd found a home, so obviously, it just wasn't meant to be.

This time, we're in a good place. We have the room in our home and our hearts. Of course, there are still lots of things to consider before we bring another dog into our family. For example, Hannah and Sam will have the final say on whether this dog is a good match for our family. We'll have to take them out to the dog park to meet this little guy and see if they get along. Plus, we'll have to make sure this puppy would be good with cats as well.

But, the point of this blog is this: For those of you with three, what is your experience? Paul Knutson tells me that the adage "one dog is like one dog, two dogs is like two, but three is like six" is true. I've never had three dogs (my parents drew the line at two!) so I'm curious if that's everyone's experience. Plus, I'm concerned about someone being left out. What if Sam takes to the new puppy and doesn't want to play with Hannah anymore? Has anyone experienced that, or do they all get along well? And overall, I just want to know what you guys think. If you have a three dog family, are you glad or do you wish you'd stopped at two? I'd appreciate any feedback that will help us make an informed decision. Because, if anyone knows, it's you!

Tips for First Time Dog Parkers

2010-06-11T09:30:00.009-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I saw this great article on Earthbath's blog the other day and I thought it was worthy of passing along. If you'd like to read the article from it's original source, you can view it here:

If it’s your first time heading to the dog park,

Go to the park for the first time at an off-peak time! This will help allow your dog to get acquainted with the territory without any pressure or anxiety brought on by other dogs, high excitement and activity.
Transition your dog slowly to the off-leash area, using the gated entrance.
Stay with your dog, and be alert! Take notice of the other dogs in the park, how they are playing and interacting with other dogs, and how your dog is reacting to them.
Your dog should be confident, be well socialized to other dogs and people, and reliably come when you call him.
Supervise your dog at all times and don’t talk on your cell phone or get too involved with talking with other people; this is your time to bond with your dog in a fun, dog-friendly social environment.
If there are designated areas for small dogs and big dogs, use them. These areas are for the safety and comfort of both large and small dogs; whether or not your dog is a gentle giant or fierce teacup poodle; the other dogs may not appreciate the size differential and become intimidated or aggrieved.
Be prepared to leave if your dog seems overwhelmed or isn’t having a good time.
Remember that there are as many human personalities at the park as there are canine personalities, so prepare to be patient and polite.
As always, clean up after your dog.
Though it’s a good idea to start socializing your dog to other dogs at an early age, puppies under the age of 4 months should stay home.

Throw Out Your Pets’ Food Bowls!

2010-06-10T20:50:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday after I blogged about the Crazy Critters, Cary and I were talking about interactive pet toys. He mentioned he'd seen a segment online that addressed interactive toys and how we're actually making our dogs less inelligent because we do so much for them. Being Cary, he forwarded the link to me. And although it's a little long, the overall concept of the video is pretty interesting. Who'd have thought that we're actually creating not only health problem but also mental problems for our dogs because of how much we care for them? And even better, who'd have thought that you cannot only make your dog healthier, but also smarter, simply by tossing out their food bowl?

You can check out the video by clicking on the link below!

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/06/04/throw-out-your-pets-food-bowls/

Crazy Critters and the Myth of the Indestructible Toy

2010-06-09T15:49:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday I had a sweet customer who wanted a tough toy for her Golden Retiever call and ask if we carried the Crazy Critters. For those of you who have yet to see the commercial, you can watch it below:

When I first saw this commercial, I thought two things: First, we carry a very similar product called Unstuffies, and immediately I thought, I should get more in stock because people would be looking for Crazy Critters. Second, I cringed at the claims that these toys were so tough. To put it simply, plush is not a tough, durable material. And although they never actually use the word indestructible, they certainly give the impression that this toy is going to be around for years to come with phrases like "super strong", "reinforced" and "durable". They even say they'll stand up to "the toughest dog."

I spend a lot of time telling people there is no such thing as an indestructible toy. It's a myth. Even our lovely, wonderful, guaranteed Planet Dog toys are not indestructible. Guaranteed, yes. Indestructible, definitely not. I have a stack of items that have been returned for a new toy sitting here next to me as a reminder of that.

I have searched the world (via the internet) for the toughest toys I could find. Because, Hannah is that dog. The dog who will chew anything and everything. The dog who ate Cary's electric razor and all of our television remotes. The dog who ate my nativity scene at Christmas time and a t-bone in three chomps (the first and last time she was ever given steak bones, by the way) So, I know what it's like to have a dog that destroys her toys. I know how sad the stuffed animals look when they have only one eye and a nub where an ear used to go. And I understand how frustrating it is to get a toy that's supposed to be tough only to have it destoyed in under twenty minutes (I'm looking at you, Walmart fire hose toy!)

So, when companies make claims about their products that are too good to be true, it makes me angry. And so after speaking with the customer looking for the Crazy Critters, I went online in search of information on the product. What I found were multitudes of reviews. And while I found some happy people, I found a lot more with comments like this:

Cassie 5 weeks ago
I gave a crazy critter to my dog this morning. In fifteen minutes he had removed the squeakers. Normally it takes less than five minutes for him to remove a squeaker, but even if it did take three times as long, fifteen minutes isn't long for it to last. Crazy critters are not as durable as advertised.

David 5 weeks ago
These reviews have been extremely helpful and have successfully prevented me from wasting my money and time. It is time for consumers to take charge and blow the whistle on companies that gain market share based on false advertisement! Kudos to those of you who took the time to share your experience.

mj 3 weeks ago
my chihuahua played with it 3 or 4 days before she got the squeaker out. I was really disappointed with the toy.

Becky 3 weeks ago
Well our dogs DID love them crazy critters but unfortunatley our big chocolate lab ripped it apart-THOUGHT THESE THINGS WERE INDESTRUCTABLE - WRONG- How can we get our money$ back?

If you'd like to read reviews from their original source, you can find them at http://hubpages.com/hub/Crazy-Critters

So my recommendation? Give up on the indestructible toy. You'll be far less likely to be disappointed that way. Then, pay attention to what your dog enjoys. Does your dog really like gnawing on things or does your dog simply get bored and destroy things? We found that if we offered Hannah alternatives to chewing, like interactive toys with treats inside, our household possessions had a much more favorable fate. If your dog really likes to chew, buy things that are meant for chewing. We keep deer antlers on hand for Hannah when she has the need to gnaw. If your dog really likes the soft, plushy toys, there are tougher lines, like Tuffies Sea Creatures, but they still aren't indestructible. My advice? If you want to go for the plush, make peace with the fact that it's going to end up destroyed. Let your dog enjoy a cheap, plush toy for fifteen (or five) blissful minutes and then clean up the pieces before they become a choking hazard!

Your Voice Can Make Stray Cats Sterile

2010-06-05T12:00:00.002-05:00

Some of the fabulous, fun volunteers from Spay Arkansas

Hey Everyone!

Spay Arkansas, a local non-profit organization that is raising money for a low-cost spay/neuter clinic is having a fundraiser in two weeks that sounds like a blast! It's called Sing for Spay: A Night for k-9's kids and karaoke with the Schulertown Band.

Spaying and neutering is the only way we'll ever solve the problem of homeless and unwanted animals and control the feral cat population. But unfortunately, not everyone is able to afford spaying or neutering, so a low-cost clinic is a real, viable solution to ending animal homelessness.

If you'd like to help raise money for this worthy cause while having a great time, check out Sing for Spay! It's going to be out at Dog Party USA on Saturday, June 19th, from 5:30 until dark. For more information, visit our Pet Events Calendar!

Invasion of Flying Saucers!

2010-06-04T10:00:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone!

We are honored to be sponsoring the First Annual Arkansas Disc Dog Championship, coming Saturday, June 19th at 10am to Old Tiger Stadium in Bentonville. Matt Srum of NWA K9 Disc Club has worked very hard to organize this event and he already has 38 teams registered to compete in four events. If you are interested in participating in the event, you can pre-register online until June 17th! You can also register on the day of the event. Even if you don't have a dog that catches discs, this will be a great event to come out and watch!

Above: Matt & Draykun prepare for a demo at Dogwood Walk

Low-Cost Vaccination/Micro-Chipping at Bigwag

2010-06-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I am happy to announce that Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue is going to hold another low-cost vaccination/micro-chipping clinic at Bigwag! The one we held last year was very successful and I look forward to this one being successful as well! The information is as follows:

When: Saturday, June 12th, 10am-2pm

Where: Bigwag Dog Bakery; 2301 W. Walnut Ste 23 Rogers, AR 72756 (behind Popeye's Chicken)

What: Low-Cost Vaccination & Micro-chipping clinic hosted by Northwest Arkansas Animal Rescue

Cost: Rabies $10; Parvo/Distemper $10; Bordetella $10; FVRCP $10; Feline Leukemia $12;

Microchipping $20 (Microchips are on the 24 hour Petwatch system)

There are no appointments taken. Everyone will be seen on a first come, first serve basis. You may want to bring lawn chairs and water for yourself and your dog or cat. For more information you may contact us at (479) 631-2WAG.

Belated Dogwood Walk Photos

2010-06-02T11:13:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I think I am possibly one of the world's worst bloggers when it comes to posting pictures with any kind of efficiency. The 18th Annual Dogwood Walk was held Saturday, May 22 on the Old Main Lawn on the U of A campus. I have to admit that when I heard the venue wasn't Gulley Park, I was disappointed, because it just seemed like it wouldn't be the same. But, the Old Main Lawn was amazing! The turnout was fantastic, the weather was great (if a little windy/warm) and we had a great time.

Congratulations to Amanda Fagg of Fayetteville, who was the winner of our $25 Gift Certificate giveaway at the event!

Our booth, complete with shiny new banner, before everything began!

Mollie & Riley worked the Arts Theater Live Booth with their mom!

Romy & Matt enjoy the festivities

Greta & Ox were available for adoption from the Fayetteville Animal Shelter. Greta is 2, Ox is 1. They told me Ox was on the short list, so I'm not sure if he's still available or not, but you definitely need to hurry if you'd like to adopt him!

Izzy had just taken a dip in the wading pool!

The sweet girl on the left is Neon. Her parents said that since she was black & white, they gave her a colorful name :) On the right is Jersey

Pebbles & Sienna had just finished the walk!

Some of the walkers who helped raise money for the Humane Society of the Ozarks

Photos from Bark at the Ballpark

2010-05-30T17:15:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Last weekend was jam packed with events and this week has been pretty hectic, so I'm kinda behind on my blog posts. These are just a few pictures we took at last Sunday's Bark at the Ballpark out at Arvest Ballpark. It was pretty hot out there, but we still had a great time and Sam and Cary even made last Monday's Democrat Gazette(of course, there was beer involved - it was the Hague men after all!)

Before the game begins!

Cary and I

Brandi and Peggy enjoy the game

Waiting at the concession stand. Can you say hot dogs?

Maggie the ferocious beast!

Wags & Licks (that's dog for thank you!)

2010-05-29T10:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who donated at Tuesday's Puppy Shower Yappie Hour. The skies were threatening ugly weather and you still came out to give. We collected so many cleaning supplies I can't even mention them all without sounding like a shopping list. Plus, we got dry and canned food, bags full of blankets and towels and even collars and Walmart gift cards.

I dropped all the items off at the Humane Society yesterday and Clay was very thankful. He told me they've been distributing dog food to people who just can't afford it right now, because that keeps people from surrendering their animals and making the Humane Society fuller. So, I can never truly say thank you enough to all of you for helping not only homeless animals but less fortunate people as well. I am honored to have such truly beautiful customers.

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu

2010-05-28T15:40:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Saying good-bye is never easy, but as a small business owner, I find it particularly difficult, because everyone who works for me is a part of our business, our dream, our livelihood and our family. So it's with sadness that I type this post to let you all know that Terresa is leaving us. Over the past two years, Terresa has been the creative force behind Bigwag, coming up with countless new innovations from recipes like Beachy Peachy Starfish to endless types of hand decorated treats that everyone has come to expect at the holidays. She has pushed us all to create cuter, more colorful barkday cakes in a range of designs. She will be sorely missed. At the same time, we are happy for her and her family, because she is taking a full time job that will mean new opportunities. So, thank you, Terresa and good luck in the future.

One of Terresa's most recent cake designs

Margarita Treats were just one of Terresa's many creations

P.S. Terresa will be here Monday (Memorial Day) morning, so if you'd like to drop by and wish her well, you can see her then. She's also promised to help out with our birthday on July 24th and I plan of holding her to that!

Play Ball Photo Contest Winners

2010-05-23T08:47:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Announcing the winners of our "Play Ball" Photo Contest - Bill & Nancy Gross with their photo of Miss Mollie and Brett & Erin Clark with their photo of Jaina. We had planned on choosing one photo as a winner, but both of these entries were so perfect in their own unique way that we couldn't choose just one. Congratulations to both winners, who receive a pair of tickets for today's Bark at the Ballpark Naturals' game. Also, congratulations again to Robbie Cornelius, who won the drawing for two tickets at Tuesday's Take Me Out to the Ballgame Yappie Hour. If you weren't a winner, we'd still love for you to join us today. The game begins at 2pm at Arvest Ballpark, but if you'd like to go with our group you can meet us at Bigwag at 12pm. If you're wearing yellow, you will get a surprise!

This is Miss Mollie, among her many balls. Nancy points out that she's even sitting on one. We loved this picture because it so embodied the theme of play ball!

Erin titled this photo of Jaina, "Thinking Outside the Box". When I received the e-mail, I couldn't see the picture immediately but I could read the title and as the picture downloaded, I wondered how it was going to be outside the box. I wondered if there would even be a ball in the photo. When I finally saw the photo, I laughed so hard! It's just too cute and clever to pass up!

Faces of the Humane Society - May 2010

2010-05-22T10:05:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I went out to the Humane Society yesterday and took more pictures of the beautiful animals out there. This May edition is focused on puppies, because this is the time of year when there are lots of puppies that need homes. Not all of these dogs are tiny puppies, but they are all young dogs. And as a bit of a soap box for a moment, Please Spay or Neuter your animals. It's the only way we will ever end animal homelessness!

Please remember that Tuesday, May 25th from 5-7pm is our Puppy Shower for the Humane Society. Bring in donations such as cleaning products, healthy dog food or gift cards to be donated to the Humane Society and we will give you 50% OFF your treat purchase!

Also, a few weeks back, I told you that I had news about an adoption, but Clay wanted me to hold off, because he didn't want to jinx it. Well, here it is... Frisco got a home! If you remember I featured Frisco in April and told you how he had been at the Humane society for years. Well, he and Chunk, his run-mate, got a loving home together! I have to admit, it was kind of bittersweet for me yesterday, because I really grew to love Frisco and I missed seeing him, but I am soooo glad he finally found a home and it's even better that Chunk got to go with him!

Unfortunately, I have a bit of bad news as well. Swirl, who had found a home after the Bunny Hop, is back at the Humane Society. Apparently the man who adopted him lives next door to some people with a male dog who didn't take to Swirl at all and the man brought him back and said he'd have to adopt a female instead. So, if you're looking for a beautiful, sweet, silver brindle dog - Swirl is available again!

Okay... Without further ado, the faces of the Humane Society, May 2010.

This little girl was so sweet, all she really wanted was a good scratch.

This guy was really jealous that I was taking pictures and petting the brindle girl above, so I had to humor him and get his photo as well.

This photo looks so sad, but this guy was really sweet and gentle and I think he would make a really loving pet.

This bundle of fur was everywhere and unfortunately this was the best picture I got. Definitely had a puppy's enthusiasm for life

Can I have another treat? Please?

This little one was all over the place, unless there were treats involved

This guy was shy and will definitely need someone with patience so he can learn to trust. And, no, he's not snarling, he's eating a huge chunk of biscotti!

Boing, boing, boing... Puppies are like that!

This little girl stole my heart. Cary says she looks sad, but she wasn't, she just really wanted to go home!

A Bird in the Hand, Er... Mouth

2010-05-20T21:21:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to send your pictures of your dogs playing ball before midnight Friday for your chance to win 2 tickets to Sunday's Bark at the Ballpark!

Sam and Cassie enjoy watching the birds in our yard.

Hey Everyone!

I don't have anything much today, but I do have to tell you how Sam brought the bird community down on our heads yesterday morning.

Sam loves birds. He watches them constantly and tries to catch them every chance he gets. In fact, when he has jumped our fence in the past, it has always been in pursuit of a bird. His favorites are robins and mourning doves, mostly because they're big and slow. And at this time of year, Cary and I have to keep a constant vigil for baby robins in the yard, because we don't want Sam to get them.

But yesterday morning, I apparently hadn't had enough coffee, because I let the dogs out before sweeping the yard. Sam darted out and had a ball of feathers sticking out of his mouth before I even realized there was a bird in the yard. But this day, it wasn't a robin, but a young blue jay. Big Mistake! I yelled at him and he dropped it and it flopped toward the house, but not before the adult blue jays were sounding the alarm. They began swooping down at Sam and shreiking a sound that apparently was the universal bird distress signal, because all of the sudden, I had robins and mourning doves and grackles (I think, I didn't get a great look, because I was fearing for my eyes, having seen too many Hitchcock movies!) descending on my yard. Fearing for Sam's safety, I called him back to me and we cowered in the doorway until the commotion subsided. The whole time I'm yelling at him, "Why'd it have to be a blue jay!" I'm sure my neighbors think I'm crazy. I honestly had no idea that birds would cross species lines like that to protect each other. It was definitely an experience I won't forget.

In retrospect, I wonder if I should have let the adult blue jays get Sam a little. Maybe a well placed peck would have detered future escapades!

By the way, I am happy to report that the young blue jay survived and flew away after he shook off the shock Sam's morning breath! :D

Thinking Twice About Benadryl

2010-05-19T09:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

The other day Cary and I were speaking with a customer about her dog's allergies. Like many of us, she occasionally gives her dog Children's Benadryl to treat the symptoms of her dog's allergies. It was at that point that Cary mentioned there had been a recent recall on Children's Benadryl. The customer and I were both unaware of this recall and I thought that many people may have missed the recall, or else not thought about it in the context of their dogs. So I thought I would re-post the information here for anyone who gives their dog Benadryl for allergies. You may also view this article from its original source here.

Recall of Kids' Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, Benadryl

43 Liquid Child/Infant Products Recalled by Johnson and Johnson's McNeil Division

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Editor's Note: On May 4, 2010, the FDA cited more than 20 manufacturing problems at the Fort Washington, Pa., plant.

May 2, 2010 -- Manufacturing defects have led to the recall of 43 child and infant liquid formulations of Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl by McNeil, a division of Johnson & Johnson.
No injuries or deaths have yet been reported. The voluntary recall follows an April 19 FDA inspection of a McNeil plant in Fort Washington, Pa. that uncovered "manufacturing deficiencies," the Washington Post reports.
The company says the chances of injury from one of the recalled products are "remote." Yet consumers are warned not to use the recalled products.
"Some of the products included in the recall may contain a higher concentration of active ingredient than is specified; others may contain inactive ingredients that may not meet internal testing requirements; and others may contain tiny particles," a company news release states.
If children who have taken the recalled products have unusual symptoms, parents are urged to contact a health care professional.
Parents should not give children adult formulation of the medications. Alternative brands of the products, including generic medications, are available. Parents who have questions about alternative treatments should consult their child's pediatrician.
Recalled products may be returned for a refund or exchanged for a fresh product once manufacturing issues have been resolved.
McNeil did not say how many units were being recalled, but the number likely is huge. Recalled products were distributed in the U.S., Canada, Dominican Republic, Dubai (UAE), Fiji, Guam, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, and Kuwait.

List of Recalled Products

PRODUCTS	NDC Number
TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 1 OZ. GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-144-01
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. GRAPE FLAVOR*	50580-144-15
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 1 OZ. CHERRY DYE FREE	50580-167-01
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. CHERRY FLAVOR	50580-143-15
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 1 OZ. CHERRY FLAVOR	50580-143-30
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. GRAPE - HOSPITAL	50580-144-18
CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 0.25 OZ. GRAPE - SAMPLE	50580-144-40
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSIONS
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 2 OZ. CHERRY BLAST FLAVOR	50580-123-02
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 4 OZ. CHERRY BLAST FLAVOR	50580-123-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL DYE-FREE SUSPENSION 4 OZ. CHERRY FLAVOR	50580-166-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 4 OZ. GRAPE SPLASH	50580-296-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 4 OZ. BUBBLEGUM FLAVOR	50580-407-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 4 OZ. VERY BERRY STRAWBERRY FLAVOR	50580-493-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 1 OZ. CHERRY BLAST FLAVOR - SAMPLE	50580-123-01
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL SUSPENSION 4 OZ. CHERRY BLAST FLAVOR - HOSPITAL	50580-123-03
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSIONS
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COUGH & SORE THROAT CHERRY FLAVOR	50580-247-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COUGH & RUNNY NOSE CHERRY FLAVOR	50580-249-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS DYE-FREE SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COLD & STUFFY NOSE GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-253-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS DYE-FREE SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COLD & COUGH GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-254-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS DYE-FREE SUSPENSION 4 OZ. MULTI-SYMPTOM COLD GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-255-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. FLU BUBBLEGUM FLAVOR	50580-386-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COLD GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-387-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COLD & ALLERGY BUBBLEGUM FLAVOR	50580-390-04
CHILDREN'S TYLENOL PLUS SUSPENSION 4 OZ. MULTI-SYMPTOM COLD GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-391-04
MOTRIN INFANTS' DROPS
CONCENTRATED MOTRIN INFANTS' DROPS 1 OZ. BERRY DYE FREE	50580-198-01
CONCENTRATED MOTRIN INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. BERRY DYE FREE	50580-198-15
CONCENTRATED MOTRIN INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. BERRY FLAVOR*	50580-100-15
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSIONS
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. BERRY DYE FREE	50580-184-04
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 2 OZ. BERRY FLAVOR	50580-601-02
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. BERRY FLAVOR	50580-601-04
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. TROPICAL PUNCH FLAVOR	50580-215-04
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. GRAPE FLAVOR	50580-603-04
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. BUBBLEGUM FLAVOR	50580-604-04
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 1 OZ. GRAPE SAMPLE	50580-603-01
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 1 OZ. BUBBLEGUM SAMPLE	50580-604-01
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 1 OZ. BERRY SAMPLE	50580-601-01
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. BERRY HOSPITAL	50580-601-50
CHILDREN'S MOTRIN SUSPENSION 4 OZ. COLD BERRY FLAVOR	50580-902-04
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC LIQUIDS IN BOTTLES
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC 4 OZ. BUBBLEGUM SYRUP	50580-721-04
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC DYE FREE 4 OZ. GRAPE SYRUP	50580-730-04
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC SUGAR-FREE DYE-FREE 0.5 OZ. GRAPE	50580-730-15
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC SUGAR-FREE DYE-FREE 0.5 OZ. BUBBLEGUM	50580-721-15
CHILDREN'S ZYRTEC SUGAR-FREE DYE-FREE 2 X 4 OZ. BUBBLEGUM LIQUID	50580-721-08
CHILDREN'S BENADRYL ALLERGY LIQUIDS IN BOTTLES
CHILDREN'S BENADRYL ALLERGY 4 OZ. BUBBLEGUM FLAVORED LIQUID	50580-535-04

*CONCENTRATED TYLENOL INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. GRAPE FLAVOR is also included in JOHNSON'S Baby Relief Kit.

*CONCENTRATED MOTRIN INFANTS' DROPS 0.5 OZ. BERRY FLAVOR is also included in JOHNSON'S Baby Relief Kit.

Win Tickets to Bark at the Ballpark!

2010-05-18T09:30:00.012-05:00

Hey Everyone!

You can win two tickets to Sunday's Northwest Arkansas Naturals "Bark at the Ballpark" game by sending us your favorite picture of your dog playing ball.

There are three easy ways to enter:

E-mail your photo to sales@bigwag.com
Post your photo on our Facebook page
Send your picture @BigwagDogBakery via Twitter.

All photos must be received by midnight, Friday May 21st. You may enter more than one photo, just be sure to include your name and contact information. First prize is two ticket vouchers good for any Naturals home game. Second prize and third prize winners will receive one pound of baseball treats. All winners will be selected by the staff of Bigwag Dog Bakery and may be used in future Bigwag promotions.

Want another way to win? Tonight from 5-7pm is our Take Me Out to the Ballgame Yappie Hour. All our baseball jerseys and Planet Dog baseballs will be 20% OFF. There will be baseball treats for every dog that comes in and peanuts and Crackerjack for people. Plus, everyone who comes in will have a chance to win two tickets to Sunday's Naturals "Bark at the Ballpark" Game!

And even if you don't win, you can still join us Sunday! We're meeting at the store at 12pm and we'll caravan to the ballpark. Be part of the Bigwag crew by wearing yellow and you'll get a surprise from us. You won't want to miss out - just check out the fun we had last year! Want more details about Bark at the Ballpark? You can find the information you need on our Pet Events Calendar.

Cinco de Mayo Contest Winners

2010-05-17T09:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

I was supposed to post the names of the winners of our Shaggy's salsa giveaway on Thursday, but I got a little behind. I apologize to everyone for the delay. Without further ado, the winners are:

Jamie Smith

Jack & Rita

Becky Rangel

Mary Lou Pohlman

Jessica Capps

Congratulations to our winners! You can come by the store to pick-up your salsa or you can contact us at sales@bigwag.com or (479) 631-2WAG to make arrangements. For those of you who didn't win, be sure to check out this great local company at www.shaggyssalsa.com or follow them on Twitter. You can also be their fan on Facebook. Be sure to look for your chance to win Naturals tickets coming tomorrow!

Lucy's Party Pics

2010-05-16T17:38:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday we were honored to host a "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" drop-in for Lucy the Rescue Pug. The drop-in was to celebrate two years since Lucy came into the lives of Pug Rescue and the home of Jolene Turner. Lucy was originally given only 3-6 months to live due to kidney failure and other health complications. A few months ago, she was given only two weeks to live. But Lucy continues to defy the odds and brighten the lives of everyone she meets.

Jolene and Cary prepare for the party (left) Brandi decorates Lucy's cake (right)

People cupcakes and a special cake for Lucy!

Toni and Riley enjoy the party

Lucy and her sisters mingle

Lucy among her guests

Loving the cake!

Are you a Damsel in Distress?

2010-05-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

So, this rainy spring weather brings back memories of long ago, when I was a kid and used to build forts in the neighborhood with my brother and JJ. One such fort was a tree house fort with a retractable rope ladder and a dumb waiter to haul up our sodas and snacks. We had carpet and a roof. We always had to top the last one you know.

This brings up a great activity to do with your dog. When was the last time you built a couch cushion fort? A LONG time right? Well, what better activity to do inside when it's rainy out then build a couch cushion fort? Here is why this is so great. You will more than likely be crawling around on the floor (if you are doing it right) and your dogs love it when you get down to their level. They should be interested in what you are doing. Once your fort is constructed, I found my dogs will play one of two roles - either they will play the attacker, and try to knock down your walls, or they will seek safety inside with you, against the invisible evil hordes trying to reach you inside. You could probably even build some additional forts around the house and see if they take to their own fort, and can serve as your outposts, or the enemy may use this fort to stage their attack.

Don't forget the important essentials when building your Couch Cushion Fort. Rations (snacks) will help your team get through those long siege periods, but make sure they are secured or the attackers will attempt to steal your supplies out from under your nose. I recommend treats that aren't iced, like our trainer chips, as the small serving size means they can have more than one and not over indulge.

My dogs thought this was big fun. It was giving them some attention, and weren't sure what exactly I was doing at first, but once I crawled inside they instantly knew what to do. Sam was my ally while Hannah staged her attack and then would pounce. They switched roles a couple of times, but had a blast. I think Sam really just wanted to get to the blanket.

If you would like to check out the quintessential guide to constructing the perfect couch cushion fort, go here.

Too Big of a Wag

2010-05-13T09:29:00.005-05:00

If your dog is an exuberant tail wagger, like one that I know (Jeff Smith), he will smack it against the corner of the treat table, or the wall and you can hear that it hits hard sometimes. I was reading an blog about a dog named Woody who sprained his tail from wagging too hard! WHAT!?! is there such a thing as too big of a wag?

Picture to the right: Jeff Smith, the winner two years in a row of our Annual Biggest Wag Contest.

About the Tail

Dogs wag their tail to communicate. The more excited or aggravated they are the more vigorous the wag. A damaged tail can be extremely painful. Veterinarian John A. Bukowski explains that tails are just a continuation of the spine. It is made up from 6 to 23 additional vertebrae. It has significant nerves near the base that contributes to the control of bowels.

Injury

Injuries to the tail are common. Vigorous wagging may smack the tail hard agaisnt a wall, piece of furniture, causing break, bruise, or sprain. A tail casn also be bitten by another dog, caught in doors, or even stepped on, if not careful. You can tell when your pooch's tail is injured when it droops and stops wagging. Check for swelling and tenderness.

Repair and Care

Tail injuries can be extremely painful. If a broken tail is crooked, it could heal that was if not set and splinted correctly. If you think your dog has sprained or injured his tail from too much wagging or any other reasons, you should take your dog to your local vet, immediately to avoid amputation or any other serious repair that could be avoided.

Sources:

http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=227&med=1

http://www.vetinfo.com/treating-dog-tail-injuries.html

Being Eaten By the Big Guys

2010-05-12T22:05:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Cary forwarded me this article last week and I'm just now getting a chance to post it.

"Procter & Gamble, the immensely huge consumer-products company that snapped up Iams/Eukanuba years ago and put the former specialty brand on grocery-store shelves for the first time, has picked up another pet-food company.

From Reuters: The acquisition [of Natura] may surprise some industry watchers who had wondered in the past if pet food was a business P&G would exit. The business, a relatively small one for P&G, has not performed as well as other parts of the consumer product maker’s $79 billion portfolio.

Natura, based in Davis, Calif., sells products under the Innova, Evo, California Natural, Healthwise, Mother Nature and Karma brands in some specialty pet stores and through veterinarians, mainly in the United States and Canada."

I find this news unsettling, not so much because I care what P&G does or how it might affect my portfolio (although I did happen to get this news on the day the stock market took a record hit, partly due to a shocking drop in P&G stock...) But rather because I'm concerned about what will happen to Innova, Evo, California Natural and other Natura lines. The thing is that these are very well respected foods. High quality foods that I trust, as do many other educated pet owners. What I want to know is, what happens when this big company starts imposing their rules on this "small" company's product? In my experience, large corporations, such as P&G put the bottom line above all else. Which means that they will soon start squeezing anywhere they can. Maybe they change to a foreign supplier. Maybe they change to a cheaper ingredient. Maybe the just reformulate altogether. In the end, the result is the same. You end up with a good name that's no longer a good food. I hope I'm wrong. I hope P&G keeps Innova just the way it is. But, if I was feeding Innova, I think I'd start looking for another food.

Keeping the Bugs Away

2010-05-11T22:34:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Just a quick blog post today, partly because I feel guilty for not posting over the past few days and partly because I discovered something interesting over the weekend that I thought was worth sharing.

For the past six weeks or so we've been carrying a product called "No Flea" from a Texas company, Ashley's Green Products. When they first contacted me, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. An all natural alternative to Frontline that was really effective and reasonably priced seemed like a lot to ask for. But, the woman who called me seemed so genuine and really believed in and used the product herself, so I thought I'd take a chance on a small case of it.

The bigger leap was trying it on Sam and Hannah. A big part of me felt like I was being a bad pet mom by not putting Frontline on them. A part of me still doubted how effective something all natural could really be. Another part of me worried that trying to save a little money would land me in a heap of trouble all over again, like when we tried using Seargant's.

But, I didn't feel like I could carry something in my store that I didn't believe in, so we began our test run of Ashley's Green Products "No Flea". And for several weeks nothing remarkable happened. No fleas, but so what? It's still pretty early in the season. Sam and Hannah seemed to scratch less, but I figured I was over analyzing. Then I had a customer come in the store who has used No Flea since last year and said it really did work for her.

But the real turning point for me came this weekend. Cary and I went camping at Lake Ft. Smith this weekend and we took the dogs with us. Saturday, Cary and I both found ticks on ourselves. Two each... which even now gives me they creepy crawlies. So naturally, we checked the dogs thoroughly. And neither one of them had anything on them. Even after crawling through the grass, hanging out under the trees and generally being exposed as much as Cary and I were. Now, I have to admit, I'm still cautious about how this will work in the summer against fleas. But for now, I have to admit I'm pretty excited about the possibilities of this product!