Little Boy Blue: A Puppy's Rescue from Death Row and his Owner's Journey for Truth

LITTLE BOY BLUE

A Puppy’s Rescue from Death Row and his Owner’s Journey for Truth

By Kim Kavin
Foreword by Jim Gorant



When Kim Kavin decided that she wanted a puppy, she did what millions of people do every year: clicked on an online photo and submitted an application. She had no idea that the adorable brindle--advertised as healthy and near her home in New Jersey--was actually a last-minute rescue from a gas-chamber shelter in North Carolina.

Blue had arrived in the Northeast with at least a dozen other dogs in an RV that is just one among countless transports whose sponsors are dedicating their efforts to saving dogs by any means possible. Blue was happy and friendly, but he seemed to have endured some unusual, albeit unknown, ordeal. The dog's manner prompted Kavin to trace his history all the way back to a long row of cages where Blue had been tagged to be put down in just three more days.

LITTLE BOY BLUE: A Puppy’s Rescue from Death Row and his Owner’s Journey for Truth (Barron’s Educational Series; August 2012; $22.99; Hardcover) is the true story of one sweet puppy's journey of survival. It's also a shocking exposé that describes a brutal ongoing reality inside some of this country's taxpayer-funded shelters. But Little Boy Blue also tells an inspiring story of the grass-roots rescue network that has exploded across the nation in recent years. Readers will come to know and love a very special dog who now brings smiles to the faces of everyone he meets. From a single click of Kavin's computer mouse, Blue's journey of a lifetime began. This is the story of Little Boy Blue, told with candor and love.

Kim Kavin is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, and website developer. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism in 1994 and worked as a daily newspaper editor until 2000, when she became executive editor of Yachting magazine. She has been a full-time freelance journalist since April 2003 and is now considered one of the world’s foremost authorities covering the luxury yacht charter industry. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, a member of the Author’s Guild, a past president of Boating Writers International, and a member of the Dog Writers Association of America. “Little Boy Blue” is her ninth book. In her spare time, Kim does volunteer work for Lulu’s Rescue, one of the charitable organizations that helped to save her dog, Blue. She opens her home to foster dogs and writes biographies of dogs in need for Petfinder.com

Barron’s Educational Series will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book to the Petfinder.com Foundation (www.petfinderfoundation.com)

Read the first two chapters of Little Boy Blue http://littleboybluethebook.wordpress.com/free-first-two-chapters

Little Boy Blue dog book video trailer:





Disclosue: This post contains affiliate link(s), which may result in compensation for AllAboutLabradors.blogspot.com. For more information about All About Labradors please read our Disclaimer and Disclosure Policies. We've shared this information to inform you of your option to either use our affiliated links or to go directly to the site of interest.

Continue Reading...

A Look at Veterinary Radiology

A Look at Veterinary Radiology is a guest post by Maire Hunter.

As the saying goes, dogs are man’s best friend, but you can just as easily replace “dogs” with “pets.” People around the world own cats, birds, reptiles and other domesticated animals. Whatever a pet owner’s preference, there’s a good chance the animals have become a part of the family. Pets become almost like children and, like children, they can get sick. Should your pet fall sick or become injured, it’s time to see a veterinarian.

Every veterinarian and technician receives extensive training in animal care and treatment, including courses in animal anatomy and physiology. Pet and livestock owners trust veterinarians to provide competent care and treatment to their beloved animals. Sometimes veterinarians see animals that are in pain, but the source of their discomfort isn’t clear cut. Animal radiologists and ultrasonographers use X-rays and other technology to take pictures of an animal’s internal organs and tissues if it’s determined an ultrasound is necessary for diagnosis. Veterinarians are able to detect cysts, tumors and diseases from the images they get from the scans. These procedures ensure each animal receives an accurate diagnosis and can help detect swallowed toys, string or other objects harmful to the animal’s health.

Images captured during the exam can be saved to a DVD for later viewing, which is helpful for tracking a pet’s health over time. A veterinarian can compare images taken at the time of diagnosis and track an animal’s progress during a course of treatment. When these exams are needed, either the vet or a technician will prepare the patient and the necessary tools. Veterinary radiologists and ultrasonographers start their day by calibrating their machine and inspecting its parts. Routine maintenance like tee probe repair is necessary to ensure the machine works properly and provides accurate images with minimal stress on the animal.

Once the medical equipment is ready, the vet or technician will escort or carry an animal to the examining room. Depending on the procedure and animal’s demeanor, anesthesia may be used to ensure the doctor gets accurate diagnostic results. Patient comfort is the primary goal. The pet must feel comfortable and safe while undergoing an exam to avoid injury to itself, its owner, the office staff and to avoid damage to the equipment.

After the exam, the technician makes sure the animal is resting quietly and comfortably before going over the results with the vet. After that, the task is to determine an effective treatment plan and confer with the animal’s owner before beginning treatment.

In addition to exams in the veterinary office, portable radiology and ultrasound machines allow vets to provide mobile exams. Although a vet’s office can accommodate household pets, but not livestock or zoo animals. Portable equipment is useful for sick animals who need to stay confined or on the farm where they live.

A veterinarian’s job is important and the best doctors take pride in providing top-notch medical care for their patients. From basic check-ups to radiology and ultrasound exams, pet owners can trust their beloved family additions to vets who strive to provide excellent care for all kinds of animals.



Disclosure: This post contains affiliate link(s), which may result in compensation for AllAboutLabradors.blogspot.com. For more information about All About Labradors please read our Disclaimer and Disclosure Policies. We've shared this information to inform you of your option to either use our affiliated links or to go directly to the site of interest.

Continue Reading...

Checklist for your New Puppy

Today we are going to be talking about getting a new puppy and some of the essential things you want to have before the new puppy comes home. I know that getting a new puppy or your first puppy ever its and exciting time, but you want to plan ahead and make sure that you have everything you need so that your puppy gets off on the right start.

The Food

The first thing we are going to talk briefly its food. When you are getting a new puppy, you must make sure you are not changing his diet drastically. Try to find what was his diet before and stick with that for at least a couple of days or a week and then you can slowly transition to other type of food. You want to do this so that you will not stress the dog too much. He is already stressed about changing homes so try to minimize other stress factors.

Bowls

For the bowls, I suggest going with stainless steel bowls because your puppy will not be able to chew them and they will last forever. I believe they are a bit more expensive than other type of bowls, but you can what you pay for, so in the long run, stainless steel bowls are a good choice, both for food and water.

Cleaning

Even if you are planning on house training your dog on going outside I suggest getting some floor protection pads just in case. For cleaning, you want to use an enzyme based cleaner, not a detergent based cleaner, because you want to neutralize the ammonia in the urine so the dog will not try to remark that area.

Pens

When you are not able to watch your puppy, you want to have a create or indoor dog pen. Dog pens are very good containing solutions if you do not want your dog running around all day or if you plan on training him.

Grooming

For grooming your puppy, I suggest getting yourself a puppy brush what will help you remove any loose furs. You also want to get a nail cutter and take off the tips of your puppy nails every two weeks or so.

You also need to get some puppy shampoo. Please note that human shampoo is not safe for dogs because it dries their fur and skin too much. You can also buy some puppy wipes as puppies can get dirty often.

Toys

The last thing on our must have list are the toys. Toys for a puppy can be almost anything, however, you do want to supervise every puppy with every toy and make sure they are not going to tear it apart.

I hope you find this helpful and have fun with your new puppy!

Continue Reading...

Free Sample of Spark Pet Nutrition Supplement

Spark is a unique, natural, whole food supplement formulated by a leading veterinarian.

Reasons to Try Spark!

* Supports healthy digestion
* Aids in absorption of nutrients
* Supports antioxidant function
* Helps maintain a strong immune system
* Nutrients for healthy skin and coat
* Helps maintain strong teeth and bones
* Dogs and cats of all ages love the taste
* Because you Love your Pet!

Visit the Rocky & Bella website to learn more about this product and to request a Free Sample of Spark Pet Nutrition Supplement.

Continue Reading...

Free Can of IAMS Dog Food at Petsmart (coupon)

Petsmart is offering coupons for a Free Can of IAMS Dog Food on their Facebook page.

"Like" the Petsmart Facebook page and you'll be able to print out two coupons.

Continue Reading...

Free Instinct Raw Boost Dog Food Sample from Nature’s Variety

Nature’s Variety is offering Free Samples of their Instinct Raw Boost Dog Food (and cat food).

Instinct® Raw Boost™ is the first ever grain-free kibble with freeze dried raw in the same bag. It's never been more convenient to nourish your dog with the nutrition of raw. The grain-free kibble provides low carb, high protein nutrition along with freeze dried raw pieces to give your dog a bite-sized boost of healthy raw food.

To get your Free Sample of Instinct Raw Boost Dog Food (or cat food) from Nature’s Variety, become a fan on their Facebook page and fill in the form. "Offer only good while supplies last. 18 years or older. Limit one sample per household."

Continue Reading...

Free PetHub “Blue Fetch” Digital ID Dog Tag

To celebrate 10k Facebook fans, PetHub is giving away Limited Edition “Blue Fetch” premium digital ID tags!

Sign-up for the PetHub Newsletter & get a FREE “Blue Fetch” Digital ID Tag.

Limited to one per person, while supplies last (meaning…if they run out of tags, we’ll stop the giveaway)!

Tag must be activated first at PetHub.com and linked to a pet profile to work.

Continue Reading...

Four Great Dog Movies to See with your Labrador Retriever

As a young kid, I had an aversion towards Labrador Retrievers, particularly one named Gus. My first and many encounters with my neighbor's dog Gus involved him forcefully jumping on me, knocking me down to the ground, and licking my face. As you can imagine, I wasn't hopping at the chance to play with any other labs after getting to know Gus.

That was fine with me, however. My whole family was perfectly happy with our two adorable shelties, Pete and Lassie, and we always thought that if we ever decided to get another dog to join our clan, it would most certainly be a sheltie. But, then Bonnie came running into our lives.

One day after church, my family and I were on our way home when all of the sudden my mother yelled, "Stop!" We were about five miles from home in the middle of a gravel road when she spotted a black lab puppy running on the side of the road, the dog's head ferociously tossing in every direction looking around.

My mother swung the Chevy's door open, swooped up the small black dog, and cradled her in her arms. My family then circled around to catch a glimpse of the lost puppy without a collar. The next day, we put up signs and called various shelters around town to see if anybody was trying to find her, but, alas, nobody wanted to find the lost dog. Without an ounce of hesitation, we took Bonnie in and she became a loving member of our family. I quickly forgot about my unfortunate memories of Gus.

I'm much older now, as is Bonnie, but one of our favorite things to do together is snuggle up in my down comforter and watch a movie. Although she isn't able to express it, I know Bonnie loves the experience just as much as I. For those of you who are looking for a movie to watch with your dog, look no further than these four must-see films.

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

This movie is for anyone who remembers their first dog. The dog that started it all; the dog that made you love dogs. It's about two dogs and one cat that get separated from their family and end up making any every effort possible to make it home. Along the way, the trio must work together, survive in the wild, and overcome their personal Achilles Heels. You dog will certainly chime in during the film's action with an excited bark or two, and the final scene will have you cheering and tearing up at the same time.

Best in Show

If you are active in dog shows, please don't watch this movie. You'll be horribly offended. If not, pop a bag of popcorn, grab a cold one, sit back, and prepare to enjoy. It's a hilarious dark comedy that pokes and prods at the dog show industry and all its notorious pretentiousness and stuffiness. When I first heard about the film, I was skeptical, but I can say that it's probably one of the best comedies I've ever seen. And I'm sure that if Bonnie could comment on it, she'd give it two paws way up.

My Dog Skip

I've only seen my father cry two times in my life. Once was when his mother passed away. The other was when we watched My Dog Skip. This is a film that tugs firmly at your heart strings and reminisces on those quintessential adolescent years that everybody goes through when sometimes the only things you have are a shred of self-confidence, a lot of curiosity, and a dog by your side. Have tissues on hand during this movie. Trust me, you'll need them for you… and maybe even your dog.

Air Bud

It's been several years since I last saw Air Bud, but I can still perfectly recall every scene. It's a family film about a lost boy who finds an equally lost dog that ends up helping bridge the boy's family members back to each other. Sure, it sounds like just another cheesy dog movie, but it isn't. Air Bud has a solid plotline, great character development, and an awesome basketball-playing dog. What more could you ask for? Just from watching this with Bonnie, I can almost certainly say this was her favorite of all these four movies. But you'd have to ask her to know for sure.

Sometimes a rainy day or a lazy Sunday afternoon calls for a movie occasion. The next time yourself wanting to pop in a film and hang out with your dog, try one of these four great dog movies.

Four Great Dog Movies to See with your Labrador Retriever is a Guest Post by Maria Rainer:

Maria Rainer is a freelancer blogger who believes that online learning is at the cutting edge of higher education. In her mind, the online degree path is an ideal one for students who want an education that fits the needs of a web-centric society. Please write her some comments!

Continue Reading...

Postal Puppy Box Giveaway WINNER!

Congratulations to Kris Peterson for winning the Postal Puppy Box Giveaway!!



To get your Postal Puppy Box in the mail, please send your mailing address to allaboutlabradors (at) gmail (dot) com, so we can pass it along to Jessica at PostalPuppy.com.

A big thank you to everyone who entered!!

Disclosure: I would like to thank Jessica at PostalPuppy.com for the opportunity to host the Postal Puppy Giveaway The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. I was not compensated in any manner, other than the opportunity to post this giveaway and an opportunity to receive a Postal Puppy Box (review coming soon). My reviews may not always positive, but they are my personal and honest opinions. Please conduct your own research before purchasing products. For more information about All About Labradors please read our Disclaimer and Disclosure Policies.

Continue Reading...

Coco - Black Labrador Retriever

Steele (USA) sent in these wonderful photos of Coco.





Image Credits: Steele Burrow's Photography Galleries

Continue Reading...