April was a tough month for some dog lovers. A few of our own challenging experiences led to research into dog insurance and prevention options:

1. A Great Dane attacked Comet. Fortunately injuries were minor so no trip to the vet was necessary. We discovered that you can get separate accident insurance for dogs and there's no restriction regarding the dog's age. We'll be putting out more information on that soon...
2. A lady who lives around the corner rescued a litter of abandoned pups. Since they weren't vaccinated, several contracted and died of parvovirus. Her dogs' feces may have contaminated some common outdoor areas, although she tried to remove all traces and used bleach, which is supposed to be effective in killing the virus. We hope Comet has immunity from being given the right shots as a puppy, since we didn't get him till he was older. Without dog health insurance, treatment for parvovirus runs in the thousands and has only an 80% success rate...
3. Someone sent us an email about an ad from the Charlotte, South Carolina, craigslist: Amy and her family lost their beloved 100-pound dog, Chilly, after he got his head stuck in a bag of potato chips while they were out on errands. Theirs is not the first dog to die this way, and they want to warn as many people as possible - pass it on if you would...
4. After eating inferior (but expensive) kibble for a month, Comet was showing signs of dental problems such as bleeding gums, bad breath, plaque and tartar. Daily brushing of his teeth and a change in diet are helping, but we're still working on remedies for some of the problems...

For some great historic photos of dog-powered treadmills, check out American Artifacts
To view the photos, look on the left side and scroll down to where it says Photo 1.

• Blank paper or cardboard, butcher paper preferred
• Tape (any kind that sticks to paper)
• Thumbtacks or push pins
• A pencil and good eraser
• Crayons, markers or paints
• Newspaper, plastic or a tarp to serve as a dropcloth
• Decorative items such as buttons, ribbons, glitter, lace, yarn, pompoms, feathers etc.
• Glue

1. Measure the space where you'll put your finished mural
2. Lay out pieces of paper or cardboard to get the right size
3. Tape together on the back side, then turn the whole thing over
4. Tape or tack your mural surface to a door or put it on a large table
5. Draw an outline of a dog or dog's head with the pencil
6. Step back to check it and make corrections with the eraser and pencil as needed
7. Put down newspaper or tarp to protect the floor
8. Color or paint, using big, bold strokes
9. Glue on decorations, being as creative as you dare!
10. Let things dry, then tack up your dog mural for everyone to see

Remember, we'd love to hear from the rest of you, anywhere in the wide world - if you have a question, we'll try to find the answer somewhere, somehow...
Jo, Stan and Comet

Extreme Dog Racing is based on high speed dog racing. Extreme Dog Racing and the Extreme Treadmill Sprint are the two main racing events held year round on a monthly basis. Looks like it would be fun to watch!

Weight Pull Sports is just what it sounds like. Dogs compete to see who can pull the most weight. Since some breeders were starting to stack the odds in their favor by indiscriminately breeding stronger dogs, as of February 10, 2008, the AAPBA changed the standard measure of strength to pound for pound, meaning the most weight pulled per weight of dog.