A Guide to Canine Oral Health
Comments Off on A Guide to Canine Oral Health
February is Pet Dental Health Month. Here’s some tips on how to brush your dog’s teeth and other great doggie dental tips.
Blog
DogGeek Originals
Everything Helps! Ways to Volunteer at Your Local Dog Rescue
Comments Off on Everything Helps! Ways to Volunteer at Your Local Dog Rescue
A DogGeek.com exclusive by Teresa Barker
Well, it’s no surprise that running a dog rescue is an enormous task. It makes sense that rescues can always use volunteer help with cleaning, feeding, bathing, walking, and caring for the dogs who reside there. But there are also unlimited possibilities for alternative volunteer support that you may not have thought about when the desire to help overcomes you. Here are a few ways you might be able to help, which may utilize your talents or professional qualifications, along with a few that take no time at all!
Make a Cash Donation
This is often the most overlooked and fully appreciated area that dog rescues could use more help in. If you think that donating money seems impersonal, you are wrong! Organizing fundraising events is time consuming and laborious, which takes away time that could be spent directly with the dogs. If you want to get creative, call a shelter and offer to pay their electric bill for the month. Or, make a donation in the name of a friend (human or canine) for a holiday or birthday. Set up a payment plan that you can afford, and skip 1 latte a week to donate your coffee fund.
Donate STUFF
Picking up a bag of dog food for your pooches? Pick up another for a local shelter. Have too many blankets and towels in cupboards all over the house? Red Rover, Red Rover, send them right over! Did you get a new computer, printer, digital camera, or (fill-in the blank)? Maybe your local shelter has that on the top of their wish list. In most cases, cash and items donated to a non-profit shelter are also a tax write-off for you. Woohoo!
Share Your Talents
If you’ve ever taken a photography course or tinkered around with taking photos for fun, you’ve probably got services that would be appreciated at the shelter. It’s hard to get a headshot of a dog who wiggles, pants, and thinks that “CHEESE” means it’s treat time. The better the photo of the dog needing a home, the more likely he is to get adopted. What do you love to do? Now ask how that can be a service to the rescue.
Use Your Professional Qualifications
Whether your profession is Web Marketing or Event Planning, there’s a need at the shelter! After all, you have to remember, a dog rescue is a business with a heart. Running a business requires an administrative department, volunteer coordinating, a marketing team, a legal team, and much more to keep going. Donating a few hours of time sharing your expertise goes a long way for many of the rescues running on a skeleton crew.
Obviously, fostering a dog and sharing photos of adoptable dogs on your Facebook page are awesome ways to help. But the need to help doesn’t stop there. Get creative and realistic about what you have to offer, and go for it! Heck, you might just be asked to dress up like Santa Claus for a holiday photo fundraising event. Now that sounds like fun!
Remember, Your Animal Shelter Donations Are Tax Deductible
Comments Off on Remember, Your Animal Shelter Donations Are Tax Deductible
It’s the end of the year and that means it’s unfortunately time to think about tax donations. What better way to save on your taxes than to make a donation to an animal shelter or dog rescue and save lives. Here’s a few things to remember before you right your check:
- Make sure the animal shelter/rescue is a 501(c)(3) charity. This is a charity that has been given tax-exempt status by the IRS. They have an ID number assigned and any donations are tax deductible. When making a cash/check donation, be sure to get a receipt from the charity.
- Donations other than cash/check are tax deductible also. Remember to itemized receipt for proof. It is also good to get a receipt of items given from the shelter just to back up the fact that you gave to them. May shelters have a list on their website of items that they need.
- Adoption fees are not tax deductible. Only donations which do not receive anything in return are tax deductible.
- Did you foster this year? All items purchased for the foster are considered donations and are tax deductible just like donations to the shelter.
- Did you volunteer? Mileage can also be written off. Check with your accountant for the amounts.
Be sure to always check with your accountant on what is and is not deductible where you live and how much you should claim.
Need to find a shelter/rescue to donate to? Find an animal shelter or dog rescue near you>>
6 Ways to Help Homeless Pets and Animal Shelters
Comments Off on 6 Ways to Help Homeless Pets and Animal Shelters
A DogGeek.com exclusive by Michael McCamish
You don’t have to adopt/foster all the animals, have a lot of money or be a petexpert to help your local animal shelter out, there are pleanty of other ways. Below is a list of things that you can do at almost any shelter that we can guarantee they would be thankful for.
- Volunteer. Whether or not you can afford to donate cash or items, you can always donate time to volunteer! Ask your local shelter how you can help. They always need people to help walk and wash dogs, assist visitors, volunteer at adoption events and more. Not only do these things help the shelter keep costs down, they help pets get socialized so it’s a win-win.
- Donate supplies. Almost every shelter has a list of supplies that they are always in need of normally containing blankets, chew toys, leashes, collars, paper towels, cleaning supplies and more. If there is not a list online, call or drop by. Make sure you do contact them though to ensure that you are getting the brand they need. Some cleaners are harmful to pets. Some shelters need items like computers, cameras, printers, etc… next time you upgrade, don’t just throw your old one out or let it sit collecting dust, donate it.
- Marketing. We all can’t be marketing and ad people like of Mad Men, but we can help spread the word! Take time to repost things on Facebook or reTweet on Twitter posts from your favorite organization to help raise awareness. If the organization you are volunteering for doesn’t have a Facebook or Twitter page, ask them if you can create one. Positive talk and word-of-mouth does a lot and will help them.
- Take photos. Most shelters at least have a presence on PetFinder.com (if not, you can help them out there) and it really helps dogs get adopted if they have a photo. Grab your camera and take some photos.
- Make some phone calls. Most shelters have a wait list of people who are looking for a certain type of dog. The problem is that the staff does not have time to call people on the list when the dogs come in. Take time to help out and call potential adoptors when there is a match and help them find a forever home.
- Events. Every shelter does events to help raise funds and awareness. Volunteer your time to help recruit sponsors (even ask the company you work for), find vendors and at the very least, support the event by coming and telling all your friends to come.
Got more ideas? Help spread the word below. Don’t know of an animal shelter near you to volunteer with?
Exercise with your dog through indoor play on a rainy or cold day
3
A DogGeek.com exclusive by Teresa Barker
We all need exercise to stay healthy, no matter what the weather forecast says, especially dogs! Here’s some indoor games you can play to get your pooch off the couch, get moving, and to keep him from being bored on dreary days.
- Hide and seek with favorite toys
This game may start with teaching your dog how to sit and stay. Start by having him sit and stay while you place a favorite toy (squeaky ones are a favorite in our house) where he can see it, but away from him (like across the room). Use your release word (ours is “OK”) and let him go fetch the toy, making sure to allow enough time to celebrate the reward of waiting patiently, by dancing around with his toy in his mouth. You can make this game more and more complicated, incrementally, by moving further and further away with the toy, around a corner, to another room, up a flight of stairs and eventually by hiding the toy in places where your dog could eventually find it. When hiding the toy, think about a child’s Easter egg hunt. Don’t make it too hard, you do want your dog to be successful, eventually! - Keep Away
There are many variations on this game. With two people, you can simply toss a toy or ball back and forth to each other, letting your dog chase it in each direction. We’ve even gone as far as to use tennis rackets and a tennis ball in the garage, for greater distance. Be sure to “accidentally” drop the ball once in a while, to keep your dog a part of the game. - Agility Training
You can get very creative at home with simple props, like a hula hoop. Start by using a piece of kibble to coax your dog to walk through the hoop, as it rests on the floor. Once your dog is used to walking through the hoop on ground level, lift it off the ground one inch at time. By the end of a very rainy week, you might have your pal leaping through the hoop a couple of feet off the ground! - Puzzles and Toys
There are many treat-dispensing and puzzle toys on the market for dogs now. These toys are mentally challenging, requiring your dogs to ‘figure out’ how to get the treat out from it’s hiding spot. Look for sturdy toys that will withstand heavy chewing. - Fetch
A hallway with doors closed makes for a perfect runway for a game of fetch. A straight stairwell does, too. Use a plush ball or toy to avoid the ball going in all directions and to get the most distance out of running to fetch.
Mental exercise, as well as physical exercise, is an important part of your dog’s health. It’s fun, relieves boredom, and can be extremely bonding for the both of you!
Hot Weather Tips for Dogs
Comments Off on Hot Weather Tips for Dogs
When temperatures rise so do the dangers for your dogs. Follow these hot weather safety tips to ensure your best friend has a great summer.
- Never, ever leave your dog in a parked car when it’s over 60 degrees. When it’s 72 outside, a car’s temperature can jump to 116 even with the windows cracked.
- Always have pleanty of fresh, clean water accessible.
- Ensure that there is shade to cool of under if your dog is outside for an extended amount of time.
- If you run or job with your dog make sure to take frequent breaks. Also remember that asphalt and concret get hot quickly and can burn the pads on dog’s feet.
- When the weather is dangerously hot remember to keep your dog inside.
- Remember to give flea, tick and heartworm prevention medication as the warm months are prime time to spread each.
Remember most of all that summer is a time to enjoy so make sure you enjoy with your best friend.