9 things I learned about pet blogging at Barkworld 2013

Time for our annual trip up to Atlanta for Barkworld!

Me and my #petchat pals at Barkworld!

Barkworld is a conference for dog lovers of all types -- from bloggers to rescues to businesses. But the primary goal is to teach us how to get our messages out to you in the most effective manner possible.

But even better -- we get to see the friends we talk to online all year long, and our dogs get to meet too.

This year, I learned a lot more than just about social media. Here are the nine things I learned at Barkworld.

1) When you've got dogs in the car, ALWAYS have the child locks on the windows and doors. We almost lost Mom's dog Cappy on the way to Barkworld. He had broken the tether on his car seat, and he tried to get over my shoulder to the front. He put one of his paws down on the window button in the back seat and was almost sucked onto I-75. Fortunately I was able to grab his leash and pull him over my shoulder. Very scary. 

2) Come to brands with more than questions. Come with ideas. 
I got to meet a number of groups and companies this weekend, especially Thursday at Blogger Speed Dating. What I learned is that you can't just come to them, flash a media kit with your numbers and say "What can you do for me?" But at the same time, you can't just offer them the same old stuff everyone else does -- ads, sponsorships, etc. Companies are looking for new ideas. So come up with new stuff.

For instance, I'm starting work on a couple campaigns for the next couple of months that you'll hear about soon. My hope is that we'll do some giveaways with it!

Lulu at the Barkworld Opening Night Party.

3)When your dog starts dancing on the dance floor, take pictures!
We had a welcome party Thursday night, and there was a dance floor. Lulu did a few turns on her hind legs. Very impressive for a beagle. But I didn't get any pictures! I'm hoping someone else did and are willing to share.

Matt Silverman's keynote at Barkworld.

4) The key to success with killer content is a killer headline.
The first keynote speaker at Barkworld was Matt Silverman from Mashable.com and the Fluffington Post. And aside from his feeling that pictures rule the web (cat pics, HELLO!), this was a big take away for me, and an interesting one. When I'm not here blogging I work for a TV station, and we were taught how to write searchable headlines. So that's what I try to do here. But maybe I need to do a better job balancing the two sides.

5) Lulu has come a long way!
Last year, Lina, one of the top trainers for Petco, borrowed Lulu for onstage demos. At the time, she'd only had a couple of private lessons. Now she's been through almost a year of classes, and gotten her CGC. You can see the difference. She was calmer around MOST dogs -- she didn't bark at Pudgie the bull dog, or Carma Poodale (YAY!). She didn't bark at Pepper either. She did bark at Fabulous McGrady. I kept telling her that barking at a dog who was deaf was useless, but she didn't listen. And she still doesn't like Norman the Scooter Dog.

Here is Lulu last year.

(I'm trying to get this year's video up. I will add it when I can.)

6) Know the signs that your dog is not feeling well.
I realized that Lulu wasn't eating all of her food before Barkworld. I didn't know why, but I was prepared if she didn't want to eat that, at least mentally. What I wasn't prepared for was her sudden desire not to poop, and then for her tail to start drooping and her back reacting negatively to touch. It's the first time Lulu was doing anything like this, and while I tried not to panic, I couldn't help myself. Fortunately I was surrounded by more experienced dog people -- bloggers, rescue peeps, and vets. But Lulu wasn't well the rest of the conference. Poor baby!

Lulu wearing a heating pad on the last day of Barkworld. As you can see, the tail is not up.

 7) People really want to know how to work with the media effectively.
I facilitated a roundtable discussion on working with the media the Saturday of the conference. I was amazed at how many people came to our discussion. I hope everyone liked the information I gave. Perhaps I will write on the topic here at some point.

8) "If you drink tea and juice on a daily basis you are a blogger. If you drink whiskey and beer on a daily basis, you are a journalist."
This was the takeaway from one of the other roundtables, and being on both sides of the coin I totally find this to be true. But what I hope that, one day, more people consider themselves "journalist-bloggers. That's how I consider myself. Tea and beer. Though more wine for me.

9) I am bi-petsual. Are you?
I participated in a discussion on cat bloggers vs. dog bloggers. I learned that since I have a dog and a cat, I'm bi-petsual ( and I need to start writing more with Galadriel). 

One of the conclusions we also made was that we cannot be just dog bloggers or cat bloggers. We should say that we are pet bloggers, even if we only write about one pet. Why? Because we want people to understand that pet blogging is more than just a hobby. We are out to help people take better care of their pets, and to save pets by raising awareness. That means we need to be more unified to get people to take us seriously.

COMMENT BELOW: Where you at Barkworld? What was your biggest takeaway?

We got a sneak peek at the new Star Wars collection from Petco!

 

Ruff and Mews from Petco.

The bowl I painted Friday night at the Nutrish Block Party.

Lulu with Victoria Stillwell. She already wasn't feeling well by then.

You know your dog's a beagle if... The Tail

Last month we talked about the beagle nose. This month, especially with everything going on, we are going to talk about the beagle tail.

 
First of all -- the main purpose of the tail is to help guide the dog. It is supposed to help them balance their bodies when they're walking on something narrow (like a sidewalk), or to help them when they swim or make turns.

But the tail, especially for a beagle, has other important purposes.  And that's what we are going to talk about.

You know your dog is a beagle if...

1) The tail looks like it's been dipped in white paint.
 A proper beagle should have a white-tipped tail. That white fur is a product of breeding. It's so that hunters can find the beagles while they're chasing their quarry. The tail also shouldn't curve too much, but if you have a couch beagle and not a show beagle, that doesn't matter.

I also notice that, when grooming beagles for competition, handlers fluff up the white part a bit, so it looks like a bottle brush almost. Just a thought if you want your beagle to look fancy.

A beagle in the ring at the AKC/ Eukanuba show last year in Orlando.

2) The tail ain't up, they ain't happy.
The tail should be up. Pretty much always. If the tail ain't up, beagles aren't happy doggies. In fact, breeders call it the gay tail, and you kind of get that when you watch the tail. Beagles are one of the breeds in dog shows that have to have their tails up in the ring or they won't go up. So you will often see handlers try hold their beagles tails up and get them to stay up.

Watch out! A pack of beagles on the hunt! Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.

3) It seems that tail never stops wagging.
 I sometimes call Lulu's tail a metronome. It seems like it's constantly moving back and forth, particularly when she's out on a walk. Well there's actually a word for that, and it's called feathering. It's especially true when beagles are on the hunt for something.

But just because the tail is wagging or up, it doesn't mean they are always happy.  There's an article in Psychology Today on the website that is very interesting. For instance, did you know that if the tail wags more to the right of their butt, it's a positive tail wag, but if it wags more to the left, the dog is possibly exhibiting negative feelings?

Tail wag image courtesy of Psychology Today.

4) They have a tail malady named after them.
 I spoke earlier this week cold tail. It is also known as beagle tail. It happens in some working dogs like labs or beagles when swimming or doing heavy activities. Then their tail goes kind of limp, and it actually hurts at the base. The only thing that will help is time and anti-inflammatories.

But be careful -- it may be something more than that. It could be a problem beagles can get called Intervertebral Disk Disease. It can happen anywhere on the spine, but when it does the dog might go weak in the legs, or cry out in pain, and may have pain on the base of the tail. So no matter what, follow up with the vet.

5) The tail is docked.
There is a lot of controversy on tail docking. It's done with many breeds, including beagles. In the case of beagles, part of the tip is taken off field beagles because they can get tangled in briars, brambles and high bushes, leading to tears and bleeding. Hunters in the UK and the US sometimes dock the tail.

The American Veterinary Medicine Association is against tail docking. They say that it can be extremely painful for the dog, even if done when the dog's are young and the tail is not fully developed.


TELL ME: What other things about the beagle tail have you noticed, or I've missed?

Beagle of the week: Luna of Beagles and Bargains

 
Time for our Beagle of the Week! This week, we're talking to Jessica Shipman from Beagles and Bargains about her beagle Luna!

1) How old is Luna? 

She is a rescue dog, so we can only guess. We think she is around 2 years old. We picked her birthday to be March 21, 2011, so she can have a day to celebrate! Any day Luna gets her own pupcake is a perfect day. Those days can only be topped by the days she gets two pupcakes.

2) Where did you get Luna? 

Luna was adopted from the Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART), which is a local no-kill animal rescue organization. Her rescue story was published on I Love Dogs not too long ago.

3) How long have you had her? 

Her Gotcha Day is October 13, 2012, so we are just two months short of a year. That doesn't sound like a long time, but Luna is such a huge part of our family that time doesn't matter. October 13 is also my anniversary with my boyfriend, so it is a day full of celebrations!

4) What's her favorite food? 

This dog will eat anything except lettuce. She loves cheese, peanut butter, pumpkin, and anything with meat. Unfortunately she also thinks a balanced diet includes cardboard, a lot of fluff, a Kindle, and recently an entire tissue box.

5) What's her favorite thing to do? 

As a Beagle, her nose is always working, but sniffing is only her second favorite activity. When I see her in true bliss, she is rolling in the grass on a beautiful summer day. Wiggling away, that is her favorite thing to do.

6) What's her favorite toys? 

She loves anything she can chew, so Nylabones can keep her busy for a while. Squeak toys do not have a very long life span with her. As a result, we have lost many.

7) Does she take part in any special activities (i.e. therapy dog, service dog, spokes dog, etc.) ? 

Not formally. She is my personal therapy dog. Nothing makes you feel better than cuddling with your wiggly Beagle. She is also the spokes Beagle for Beagles and Bargains.

8) What's the best part about owning a beagle? 

You don't need to buy a shredder and you always know when a firetruck is coming. I love her Beagle howl!

She is also the most expressive dog I have ever met. I'm not sure if it is a Beagle thing or just a Luna thing, but I always seem to know when she is frustrated, tired or relaxed. I never knew a little dog could say so much with just a few sighs.

9) What's the worst? 

Your house always seems to be covered in fluff. Always. It is a never ending cycle. Beagles also shed. A lot. Way more than I thought a short haired dog could.

I have also had to learn some crafty ways to hide food and defend my dinner. A hungry Beagle will find food if left unattended and Beagles are always hungry.

10) Anything you'd like to add?

Follow Luna and I at www.beaglesandbargains.com for pet deals, product reviews, and pet parenting tips. You can also find us on Facebook (www.fb.com/beaglesandbargains), Twitter (@beaglesbargains), and Instagram (@beaglesbargains)! 

Also, every Beagle deserves a forever home, so please share the Beagles who are still looking for loving homes!

And speaking of which -- here's this week's beagles who need rescue!

We're checking out beagles from Hillsborough County Animal Services in Tampa.

They have two beagles -- Adria and Smokey Dog.

Adria -- A156-4220

Smokey Dog -- A1564204

 Adria is a girl, and Smokey Dog is male. There's no more info other than the fact that they are adult dogs, and they are fixed.

Please help by sharing this post. Hopefully we will find homes for these beagles.

If you want to check them out, please contact:

Hillsborough County Animal Services, Tampa, FL

• 813-744-5660
• See more pets from Hillsborough County Animal Services
• For more information, visit Hillsborough County Animal Services's Web site.

Cold tail, limp tail, beagle tail: What is it? What should you do about it?

Lulu has not been well.

It also started at Barkworld (which was lots of fun and I'll have a recap up soon!). On Friday afternoon, her tail came down, and it hasn't been up right since.

We tried to take some fun Star Wars pics Friday, but she wasn't in the mood.

What's wrong? Well we heard all kinds of ideas from other attendees, especially from veterinarians. The general consensus -- a tail issue. Either she hurt herself at the tail base, or pulled something. That's what my vet thinks as well. She saw the vet Tuesday, and she prescribed anti-inflammatory meds.

Some beagle owners, however, suggested something even my vet didn't know about -- cold tail.

WHAT IS COLD TAIL?

Not a lot of people know about it. It's not even mentioned on PetMD. And we're not even sure how it happens.

Basically, the condition occurs in dogs who are hunting dogs -- that includes beagles. The tail goes numb or limp at the base. It normally happens after a strenuous day of work, or after swimming or bathing in cold water.

The condition is known by many names, such as cold tail, limp tail, broken tail, even beagle tail.

Janet Steiss and JC Wright at the Sports Medicine Program at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University studied the condition, and I found this article about it AKC Labrador Retriever website. They found many of the dogs who were examined early on had higher levels of serum creatine phosphokinase, which is a muscle enzyme. It's why the muscles around the tail base will seem sore.

But if you don't know to look for that, or catch it early on, there's no way to know that's the cause.

So what can be done? The best medicine is time. But anti-inflammatory meds, according to beagle experts, can also shorten the duration.

Right now, I'm happy to report Lulu's tail has come up every once in a while. She is just not holding it up. But other than this, she is totally fine.

On Saturday at Barkworld, we tried to take a group picture of my #petchat peeps. Mom's dog Cappy accidentally stepped on Lulu's back. Lulu yelped and then snapped at Cappy.

But today I can pick up Lulu's tail without a yelp. So she will be fine. This is not a permanent, dangerous condition. Just give your dog some rest. And get some anti-inflammatories from your vet.

How did it happen to Lulu? We're not sure. The vet thought that maybe her tail was stepped on or something. I'm wondering if she wagged it a little too much during Friday's training session with Petco. She could have gotten waglash! 

I can make jokes now, but I can tell you I was near tears over the weekend.

Snoopy a beagle? 5 ways to tell

I love Snoopy.

I've loved Snoopy ever since I was a kid, and I have a small collection of Snoopy memorabilia, including dolls, action figures, ornaments, books and even an uncut sheet of trading cards.

But I admit, I'd never really seen how Snoopy is a beagle. He certainly doesn't look like one.

Courtesy Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

But I made the same mistake many people make -- I went by looks alone.

To begin with, lets look at the background:

We first got an inkling about Snoopy's breed in 1960. In one strip, Charlie Brown makes a comment which leads Snoopy to retort "I ain't no stupid beagle."

But since then Snoopy has embraced his beaglehood. There are a number of beagle comics on the Snoopy Facebook page. Like this one:

Courtesy Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

 So, I had a good long think, and after perusing the web for some comics, I've come up with 5 ways to tell Snoopy is a beagle! All of the following are courtesy of Peanuts Worldwide LLC.

1) He can tell when there's food on the way just by listening.

Lulu can hear me open the fridge to get something out from across the apartment.

2) He is imaginative in play.

Lulu comes up with her own games when I'm not there.

3) His vocalizations are loud and proud!

Yeah this is self-explanatory for anyone who knows beagles.

4) He's a philosophical dog. Beagles are very soulful.

Anyone who has ever looked into a beagle's eyes knows they are deep and sad and beautiful. There is so much in a beagle's eyes.

5) And.. while they are very active, beagles also love to be lazy. And so does Snoopy.

As for how Snoopy looks... believe it or not white beagles are possible. And besides, the colors are so basic in the comic strip. Can you originally imagine Snoopy looking like anything else? What do you think? How else can you tell that Snoopy is a beagle?

Heading to Atlanta! Georgia beagles up for adoption

I'm heading to Atlanta for Barkworld this week!

We'll be talking about pets, and blogs and companies, and learning more information to bring to you guys!

So, in honor of this, I'm featuring some Georgia beagles who need homes! Please share these beagles with friends, family and other rescue groups, and lets get them adopted!

This is Bella! She's a four years old and pretty thin for a beagle. Her owner turned her in August 15. She's good with kids, and they say she is potty trained. Don't know why the owner turned her in.

Can you help Bella? She's at:

Cobb County Animal Shelter, Marietta, GA • 770-499-4136 • quietzsch@aol.com

If you want to check her out, her Pet ID is 558742 and she is in run 312.

Cobb County Animal Shelter also has April:

April is seven years old, and she came in as a stray. The shelter seems to think she once belonged to someone, but no one has come looking for her. She loves squeaky toys and sits vet well. She did test positive for heartworms.

Her ID is 558137 and she is in cage 13. 

Again, Cobb County Animal Shelter, Marietta, GA • 770-499-4136 • quietzsch@aol.com

Then, Fulton County Animal Services in Atlanta has Candice:

We don't have much info about Candice, according to PetFinder. She's a girl, and she's spayed, and she's an adult beagle. Her ID number is A457537.

You can find Candice at Fulton County Animal Services, Atlanta, GA. The phone number is 404-613-0358.

 Meanwhile, there's a new Facebook campaign to raise money to pay veterinarian bills for sick homeless pets.

Adopt-a-Pet.com is hosting a campaign on its Facebook campaign. For every new "like" they get on their page, a $1 will be added to their veterinary fund -- up to $10,000. All you have to do is go to Adopt-a-Pet.com's Facebook page and click like. That's it.

Helping this campaign will help give sick pets a new lease on life. The campaign goes through August.

Caturday: Natural Balance Fat Cat or Fat Dog food GIVEAWAY

Hello all, Galadriel here!

I know this post is a bit late. Stupid servant belly-aching about her belly. Oh well, every day should be Caturday anyway.

When Natural Balance began selling Fat Cat and Fat Dog food, the company offered the servant the chance to try the food and giveaway a coupon for a loyal reader.

The beast, the servant says, is in good shape.

I, on the other hand...

I perhaps could lose a bit of weight.

So the servant picked up a bag of this Fat Cat food.

Fat Cat and Fat Dog, I'm told, are designed to help pets specifically to lose weight or maintain it. It has less calories than the reduced calorie food.

I like it because it tastes like chicken and salmon, which I like. Plus, I don't need to eat much to feel food. The servant gives me about 3/4 of a cup, and I graze on it throughout the day. Of course, I am not losing as much weight as I should, because I still demand my Natural Balance Platefuls pouches every once in a while. I just eat less dry food.

I am looking a lot better. Of course, I'm still fighting the servant on using the yellow thing she got from Natural Balance.

But she did put me on the scale today, and I am down to 15 lbs. Not bad. Everyone else notices I'm not so much of a fat cat as I was either.

Still, I have a ways to go. I might need to have the servant reduce my food.

Now from the servant:

PROS:

• Galadriel took to the food very well. She likes it a lot. 
• I have seen noticeable loss in her size. 
• You can adjust food according to what else your pet needs in their diet.

CONS:

• There is only kibble. So if your pet doesn't eat kibble, this will not work for you.
• You need to keep a good notes to make sure you see proper weight loss, that way you can make adjustments.
• The diet works best when you increase exercise. This has been crazy tough with Galadriel.

DISCLAIMER: Natural Balance provided me with the free coupon to give away. Every thought in the review, however, is my own.