As pet parents, our dog’s overall health means a lot to us. However, sometimes it is easy for us to overlook the most common (and preventative) diseases that can affect our four-legged family members. We all know that diseases such as pet obesity (see our article Obesity in Dogs) are becoming all too prevalent. However, […] Read More »
This lifestyle issue focuses on two local non-profits who do great work here in Southern California. Both were founded in 2014, yet they serve our communities (and the pets within them) in two diverse yet equally important ways. We hope these stories and their noble work inspire you – as they do us – during this season of gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving! Read More »
Consider it your very good fortune to enter Three Dog Bakery in Encino. The first thing to greet you is an amazing aroma of freshly baked goods – so pleasant is the scent that it just simply makes you smile. Then when you feast your eyes on the wonderous creations on display, and happily, you start reaching for your wallet only to realize that these treats are not for your consumption. Read More »
We would like you to meet Madison (Madi), Butler. This remarkable (and we do mean exceptional) eleven-year-old is our newest – and youngest – investor (of course, through her dad) in D.O.G. Pet Food. Please check out her video, as to why she chose to become an owner in our company. Read More »
As we enter into the full swing of the holiday season, our festivities will be a little different this year. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we are going to need to celebrate conscientiously. This care should extend beyond our human companions to our pets. Read More »
For K-12 students, back-to-school means continuing their education as well as building social and behavioral skills through interaction with their peers and teachers. Unfortunately, this school year in this midst of the COVID-19 pandemic looks very different this year. Most students have to get used to the ‘new normal’ of virtual education, which poses challenges both socially and academically. Read More »
Six years ago, Milya Burian (a lifelong animal lover) chose to open a pet store and grooming establishment in the famous beach community of Santa Monica, California. She called it, To Wag For. Located on fashionable Montana Avenue, it is a welcoming establishment for A-lister pet parents. In 2016, Milya opened another To Wag For location in Bel Air, Maryland. These beautiful bi-coastal stores offer toys, hardgoods, pet nutrition products, and grooming. Read More »
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps your grand designs for a summer vacation were not realized. Well, we have an excellent idea for you, your neighbors, and friends to end this month with a happy and safe gathering. Read More »
To call Kim Woods, a renaissance woman would not be an understatement. She spent most of her professional life in national sales, advertising, and marketing then made a career change to a financial advisor with a world-renown financial services company. Read More »
In these uncertain times, we all owe a debt of gratitude to our courageous first responders during this COVID-19 pandemic – each one of them is a hero. This month we would like to salute the four-legged heroes who also work tirelessly to aid humanity worldwide. Read More »
If you spend any time with Teresa Mistretta, you quickly come to realize you are speaking with someone with a kind and caregiving spirit. She is a woman who has an honest and abiding concern for the welfare of people and animals. Read More »
Sustainability. It is a word tossed about in our culture for quite some time. Yet, sustainability is more than just about we humans leaving a smaller carbon footprint. For Brett Newton (store manager of My Pet Naturally), it means a commitment to an agrarian lifestyle where people, animals, and the land work in partnership with each other. Read More »
This weekend we happily celebrate both the first day of summer and a day to honor our fathers. We hope you enjoy this tribute to all the ‘dog dad’s’ out there! Happy Father’s Day! Read More »
It is our hope as we all enter the usually very merry month of May, it will prove to be a joyous one indeed. Read More »
A year ago, we introduced you to Diane Dewberry and her amazing shop The Healthy Animal. We wanted to get Diane’s take on the current climate in the pet retail industry during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as her opinions on the future of the independent pet retailer. Here, we give you her insights and our original article about Diane which ran in May 2019. Read More »
I don’t know about all of you, but the climate in my house is getting a little testy. All this inseparability was, at first, enjoyable, but now we are all too quickly getting on each other’s nerves. What started as happy hearth and home, has turned into an episode of American Horror Story. Read More »
Picture this: Two teenage boys working at a pet shop when suddenly a pipe bursts flooding the store. It is the task of these two young men to clean up this watery mess so the store can reopen. To pass the time, one decides to crank up the tunes on his iPod mostly to the music of the band Strung Out. Read More »
Born and raised in New Jersey, you can say that Robert Walling isn’t one to stray too far from home. He is a man dedicated to the township where he grew up, got married and raised his children. Part of that dedication was to open a pet food store where his neighbors could get exceptional products, and he, in turn, could support his local community. Read More »
There has been a lot of talk about how we humans are feeling (coping) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there has been little discussion about how our emotions could, in turn, be disconcerting to our pets. To ponder this further, D.O.G. Certified spoke with Dr. Deena Case-Pall, a consulting psychologist who works with pet owners, veterinarians, pet rescues, and animal control organizations to help we humans better understand our companion animals. Read More »
It would be hard to argue that by the time February rolls around, we are all ready for a little more sunshine and a little less of old-man-winter. Read More »
Although the third largest city in Los Angeles County, the municipality of Santa Clarita (and its surrounding cities) is populated with citizens who have lived there for generations and have worked hard to maintain a small-town feel. Read More »
What can you say about a man who is devoted to his community, his customers, and all species of animals? Perhaps he might be Camarillo’s resident Dr. Doolittle! Chris Hoeflich seamlessly cannot only communicate with a variety of animals but has an instinct to help pet parents find exactly what they need. Read More »
Happy 2020! We all seem to start every year with the best intentions for improvement in our lives. If you were fortunate enough to bring a four-legged friend into your family over the holidays, dog training would be a great resolution! Read More »
Do Only Good Certified Pet Nutrition (D.O.G.) announced today the agreement with AFCO Distribution & Milling, Spokane Valley, WA as the distributor for the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. Read More »
Some people in this world were destined for their professions. This certainly seems to be the case for Dan Lavallee, manager of Pet World in Natick, Massachusetts. Read More »
Don’t all our hearts melt a little at the thought of unveiling from the last beautifully wrapped box under the tree a perfect puppy with a big red bow – an idyllic and already loved member of the family - Well, this image works in a thirty-second commercial, but not in the real world. Read More »
In this month, where we as a nation take time to gather and give thanks, we pet parents know all too well the blessings our pets provide for us all year round. Read More »
For many people, California is a mythical locale of countless celebrity sightings, a place where year-round tanning is a requirement, and the only things predictable are traffic jams and earthquakes. Although those of us fortunate enough to call California our home may see “The Golden State” through polarized sunglasses, it doesn’t mean we are not down-to-earth nor value ties to our neighbors and local communities. Read More »
A wise man once said, “do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life” – for Angela Marra, this adage holds - she loves being a groomer and a small business owner. Although her shop, Fur-ever Grooming, has been at its current location since 1976, Angela bought the business in 2011. Read More »
We are fast approaching the night we get to dress up in scary outfits, and make it our mission to ask perfect strangers to give us candy - yes!...it’s Halloween! And although this night can provide a lot of fun, frightening adventure (in a good way), it can prove to be a terrifying experience for your pet. Read More »
Unfortunately, it is time to wave goodbye to summer and greet the back-to-school and a quickly approaching autumn season. No doubt, as kids are at school, they will miss their beloved pets and visa-Versa. Read More »
While not devoting her time to fiction or felines, you can find Judy managing a pet store in a suburb of Portland, Oregon. The Holistic Pet Center is in Clackamas, a county located on the east side of the Willamette River and situated near a freeway and railroad tracks. The store has been in its strip-mall location since 1988. Read More »
Outside of the metropolitan area of Minneapolis, there are plenty of small towns which occupy a rich history for the good people of Minnesota. In these towns, there are plenty of classic buildings that need a little TLC and are brought back to life. Enter Mike “Spike” Persons Read More »
As summer begins to fade into the sunset, many of us want to take advantage of these last days of warm weather and enjoy outdoor activities with our pets. However, in the height of this season’s heat and humidity (or dog days…pardon the expression), there are dangers lurking – literally in your yard – which can cause injury to your beloved pet. Read More »
The entrepreneurial spirit is not lost on George Vukmirovic, owner of Friends Forever Pet Food located in Kirkland, Washington. Read More »
Now that summers upon us, it’s time to hit the road for a little R & R. We all know the best va-kays include our four-legged family members, so we have a few tips for you while traveling with your beloved pets. Read More »
Dear Dad – Father’s Day seems like the perfect time to pay tribute to my favorite guy – you! A lot of dogs would certainly envy me because I have such a great dad. You always make a point of doing the things I love – running, playing, eating – oh and hanging out watching TV! How lucky am I to have a dad who is as excited to see and spend time with me as I am with him? Read More »
Within the historic town of Litchfield, Connecticut lies the small borough of Bantam. This rural hamlet (with less than 800 residents) has quickly become a favorite spot for weekend trips and summer holidays by New Yorkers. But if one of these New Yorkers asked a local where to buy food for their dog, they would tell them, “go to the hippie store.” Read More »
It is not often you stroll into a premium pet store and hear “La donna è mobile” from Verdi’s Rigoletto sung a cappella by a twenty-five-year-old parrot, but if that store is The Healthy Animal in Pembroke, Massachusetts chances are good that Ollie (the parrot) will offer up an aria. Read More »
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California, May 14, 2019: Do Only Good Certified Pet Nutrition (D.O.G.) announced today the agreement with Northland Natural Pet (NNP), Minneapolis, MN as the exclusive distributor for the upper Midwest United States. D.O.G. produces and markets a line of single protein kibble and paté foods. NNP is the leading distributor of holistic pet products in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Read More »
As we usher in the seasons for warmer weather, unfortunately, this also means the unwelcome visitation of fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes which can harm our beloved pets. As we know, pets can contract Lyme disease from ticks, heartworm disease from mosquitos, and typhus from fleas. Of course, the first line of defense again these parasites is prevention, but we pet parents must also take a proactive approach for the health of our four-legged friends as well as humans who live in our households. Read More »
It is safe to say, that we here in the United States love our pets. In a 2017-18 survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) 84.6 million U.S. households’ have pets. That means that 68% of us have at least one pet within our homes. There have been other surveys which convey that the vast majority of Americans consider our pets as part of the family. Read More »
In this month where we as a nation celebrate our pets, no better person is an advocate for rescue animals than Felicia Singer. Both her dog Oliver and cat Siclone where adopted from local southern California shelters. Her greyhound, Song, is a rescued track dog from Mexico, and her treasured dog Neung, spent its first four years at the Soi Dog Foundation in Thailand. Read More »
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California, March 15, 2019: Do Only Good Certified Pet Nutrition (D.O.G.) manufacturers of ultra-premium dog food announced today the creation of a new line of pumpkin products to aid the digestive health of both dogs and cats. Read More »
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, California, March 7, 2019: Do Only Good Certified Pet Nutrition (D.O.G.) announced today the agreement with Paws-itively Purr-fect Nutrition (PPN), Oxford, MA as the exclusive distributor for the New England United States. D.O.G. produces and markets a line of single protein kibble and pate foods. PPN is the premier distributor of pet products to independent pet stores in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Read More »
Over 20 years ago in picturesque Kitsap county, Randy Maag opened his first Pet Town store in Port Townsend, Washington. Since then two more locations were added, one in Port Orchard and the other in Belfair, where Steve Brown leads a team of six employees as store manager. Read More »
When you speak with Connie Manning, the owner of Bare Bones Dog Wash, you are immediately struck by her passion for dog nutrition and her devotion to helping her customers and their pets in her beloved hometown of Eugene, Oregon. Connie did not begin as an entrepreneur. She had a thirty-year career in corporate retail Read More »
Now that we are a month into the new year, chances are a few of those resolutions you made have been broken. No worries. Instead of resolutions, we suggest some simple activities you can do throughout this year that affords you the opportunity to partner with your beloved pet. Here are our top 5 suggestions Read More »
