Just like allergies are not limited to a certain type of race of humans, allergies are not limited to Springers either!  But they are devastating to deal with!  While people sneeze, cough and have a runny nose, your dog will have different signs of allergies.  Dogs may lick their paws until they are red and sore, or their bellies and or tails as well.  Allergies keep you in constant contact with your veterinarian.  Your vet may suggest an antihistamine that can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy.  But a word to the wise, do NOT medicate without a veterinarian’s consent on which medication and dosage.

If your dog has outdoor allergies, one thing that you can do is wipe the allergens off of your dog’s paws when he/she comes in for outdoors.  Baby wipes are great for this and also keeps your house cleaner.  Once a dog starts licking and the area becomes red, seek veterinary care.  Once the area becomes red, it is usually a sign of infection and antibiotics are needed to clear up the problem. Your veterinarian may also prescribe a dose of prednisone, which eliminates the itching.  If your dog has indoor allergies, cleaning constantly is your best defense.  Washing your dog’s bedding often and vacuuming frequently will help keep the allergy issue to a minimum.

I have friends that had their dog tested for allergies so they knew what allergens were causing the problem.  Now their dog gets regular shots for his allergies.  By the way, this dog is not a purebred dog.

An all natural nutritional supplement, Dinovite can be added to your dog’s diet that has had quite a bit of success for allergy conditions.  To find out more information go to www.dinovite.com and be sure to read the testimonials.  I have supplemented Eliot’s diet with Dinovite and was successful at keeping his allergies under control.

Remember, you are not the only dog owner that has this problem!  Best wishes for finding a good solution for you and your dog!

I am sure that I am not the only dog owner who buys gifts for their precious pet at Christmas time.  When we would gather at the tree on Christmas morning, all my dogs knew there was going to be something special for them too.  New toys and biscuits all wrapped in Christmas paper just like all the other gifts.  Oh boy what fun!

Now when my daughter was little, I used to hide the Christmas gifts in the attic and while she was at school, I would go to the attic and wrap gifts.  I would sit on the top step on a carpet remnant, and wrap the gifts on the floor and then push them to the side out of view.  One cold day, I went to wrap gifts and Spencer, my second Springer, went with me.  He sat down on the carpet beside me and I proceed to wrap gifts.  I had quite a few wrapped, when I looked over at him and he was carefully unwrapping each gift to see if they were his new toy or biscuit!   While I was not too happy with his help it did make me laugh!  It is a Christmas memories that I will always treasure!

Since then, I’ve hidden the dog’s wrapped presents in a place where he can’t find or sniff them.  Treats work best, because the scent is enticing to open.  However, once the thrill of Christmas and opening gifts is there, dogs enjoy chewing on the paper and opening anything.  Just make sure that the toy is safe to be immediately played with or consumed by the dog.

The 134^th annual Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden, New York, NY is already scheduled for two days of dog loving fun!  A lot will be going on both days with the judging of each breed, and then each evening the best of each breed will be judged in their respective group.  On Monday evening, February 15, 2010, the judging will begin with the Hound group, followed by the Toy group, the Non Sporting group and ending the evening with the Herding group.  All this can be seen live on USA Network from 8pm to 9pm and then immediately finishing the evening on CNBS from 9pm to 11pm.   Then on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 the judging will start with the Sporting group, then the Working group, the Terrier group and ending with the Best In Show!  Tuesday’s group judging will also be televised live on USA Network from 8 pm to 11 pm.

The invitations that were sent out this year to the top champion winning English Springer Spaniels went to Ch Cerise Jesse James (call name Jesse, son of Ch Felicity’s Diamond Jim “James“, Westminster Best In Show 2007), Ch Cerise Signature of Telltale CD RN (call name Dustin), Ch Tara’s Master of D “Game”, Ch Tiffany’s Esspecial Imagery, and Ch Wynmoor Brightwater Timeless.  Some of these gorgeous dogs can be viewed at  www.essonlinemagazine.com , volume 5, issue 1.  I will be watching and cheering on the English Springer Spaniel that takes best in breed and hoping for an ESS for Best In Show!!!!