The Underwater Dog Guy
Seth Casteel, Underwater Dogs

Photographer Seth Casteel says that his photographing dogs underwater was a "Happy Accident." Dogs are his passion, his career and his entire life.

Seth is interested in the emotion of dogs. He was originally photographing a little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Buster on land, telling his story through photos. All of a sudden Buster decided that he would rather do a swimming pool shoot and he jumped in the pool over and over again chasing his ball. Seth was watching him the whole time, where Buster was actually going completely underwater to retrieve his ball, and having so much fun.

Seth then started to wonder what it looked like when the dog was underwater. So he ran out and bought a little point-and-shoot underwater camera and came back and started shooting pictures underwater. This was the beginning of the series of Underwater Dogs.

The underwater pictures that Seth has been able to capture are one-of-a-kind. They are hilarious! His first book, Underwater Dogs, has instantly become a bestseller, all from a guy who was just fooling around in a pool with dogs!

Seth Casteel is passionate about helping animals and believes every pet deserves a loving home. He volunteers with animal shelters and rescues all over the country, professionally photographing dogs and cats to give them a better chance of finding forever homes. Seth's professional photos result in increased adoptions and help generate more traffic to the shelters and rescues.

Seth's volunteer efforts have led to the launch of SecondChancePhotos.org, a non-profit dedicated to saving pets through photography. By teaching workshops at shelters in the United States and beyond, Seth's mission is to educate and inspire other passionate animal ambassadors to improve the image of rescue and adoption, striving towards ending pet overpopulation and unnecessary suffering. Please visit the website to learn more and how you can help.

Picking Up After Your Pet Becomes Law
Eric Mayer, Poo Prints

A company called Poo Prints started when one of the research scientists at Bio Pet Vet Lab had a pet waste problem in one of the apartment complexes where they lived. They then thought how could they solve this problem? They had the lab and the DNA technology; so they knew there had to be some way to come up with a solution. That is how Poo Prints was born.

In order for this to work, the managed communities that use Poo Prints collect a small cheek swab sample of the pets' DNA, for all of the pets in the community. These are then held in a secure online database. So if there is ever any waste found in a community, a small sample can be sent in to the laboratory for analysis, matched up and identify the "Poopatrator!"

But what if you have one of those pets that likes to eat other dog's poop? Will both DNA's show up? Poo Prints is able to detect whether or not the sample comes from one or more different pets.

It's good if you clean up after your pet, as it creates a nice, clean, green living environment. It also prevents the bacteria from pet waste from washing into the water supply when it rains. Pet waste that is left on the ground also harbors parasites for other animals, as well as other infectious diseases. Keep your pets healthy (and people too) and keep that poop picked up.

Most major cities have a "Pooper-Scooper" law on the books. Basically it states that if you are walking your pet in any public area, or any private areas that are not your own, you have to pick up after your pet's waste. Unfortunately these laws are not always being followed and are hard to enforce.

The company sells $29.95 DNA kits that come with a swab to take an oral sample from a pet that is then recorded in a world pet registry. Poo Prints also sells $49.95 testing kits to sample dog waste, which can be matched to pets recorded in the registry.

http://www.pooprints.com

The GPS Pet Tracker
Danielle Jackson, TAGG

The TAGG Pet Tracker is great for so many reasons. Obvious, the first reason is in case your pet is lost. Or, if you are one of those people who like to have close tabs on your pet all of the time, and you don't fear losing them, there are many other reasons for the TAGG Pet Tracker, such as tracking their activity level.

The TAGG Pet Tracker is a GPS location tracker, which was launched about a year ago. In October, they added an activity tracker. The activity tracker is a way to measure your pet's activity throughout the day, so you can see what your pet's doing all day long. If your pet is very anxious when you leave to go to work, you might wonder if he acts like that all day. With the activity tracker, you can see if they calm down after a few minutes. Veterinarians recommend that pets receive about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day, so now you can tell if your pet gets close to that amount.

Soon, not only can you view this activity from your computer, but you will also be able to view it on your smartphone.

Some of the features of TAGG are:

-TAGG uses GPS to track and find your pet using your mobile device or computer
-TAGG sends you texts and emails if your pet gets out
-Pinpoint your pet's location using a map on your computer or mobile device
-TAGG tracks your pet's activity levels to make sure they're getting the vet-recommended amount of exercise
-Lightweight, water resistant and easily attaches to a pet's existing collar
-Free TAGG app for iPhone and Android smartphones
-Free shipping through the end of 2012

Over 10 million pets in the U.S. are lost each year. Don't let your pet become a statistic, get the TAGG Pet Tracker.

http://www.tagg.com

Pooches For Parkinson's
Roy and Lynn's Rodens' Parkinson's Ride Across America! "PD Challenge 2012"

We are checking in weekly with Roy & Lynn Roden who are traveling by bicycle from Seattle, Washington to Miami, Florida to raise awareness for Parkinson's Disease. They are taking on this 4,500-mile journey with their two dogs, Oliver (a 65 pound Springer Spaniel) and Samantha (a 90 pound Labradoodle). Currently, they are here in the Animal Radio Studios located in Morro Bay, California.

Roy tells us about his brain surgery, called DBS, which stands for Deep Brain Stimulation. He says it was like an outpatient surgery and was done while he was awake. This is because he had to be able to follow commands during the surgery. He also tells us that his wife caught him at a weak moment after the brain surgery, when she came up with the idea to bike ride across America. The bike ride is not only to raise awareness about Parkinson's Disease, but to also talk about the many options available to people who have PD. He mentions that beside his DBS surgery he received, where he basically received a pacemaker for his brain, there are other options available such as the use of drugs and exercise. Roy states, "It's not the end of the world!"

So far, they have covered about 1,250 miles, met wonderful people and have had great experiences, and wouldn't trade it for the world! They are hoping to spend Christmas in Los Angeles with friends.

Roy and Lynn would like to thank two of their sponsors, Life's Abundance who donated all of the dog food for their trip, as well as Only For Pet Lovers, who sponsored them personally to help them complete their ride.

Roy's Story: Cat's out of the bag.... so here's my Story. It all started several years ago with a thumb twitch on my right hand, not always...just when I positioned my palm face up. It was a nurse practitioner that mentioned the possibility of Essential tremors or possibly even Parkinson's Disease. The findings were conclusive to a 99% probability of accuracy. My twitch now had a name. Parkinson's Disease (PD).

I became an active advocate for Parkinson's Disease. I've organized fundraisers for the National Parkinson's Foundation as well as the University of Miami /Miller School of Medicine at Olympia Gym in Aventura.

I'm making it my charge to educate people living with PD and their caregivers about the opportunity to participate in clinical studies that will hopefully better treat or better yet, cure Parkinson's.

On July 18 2012, I underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in an effort to reduce my physical motor symptoms caused by Parkinson's' and hopefully to cut down on the dozens of medications I was taking every day. Embarking on this journey, I hope to prove to myself and others that I may have Parkinson's, but Parkinson's does not have me. Together we can make a difference and find a cure.

Lynn's Story: Having been married for a little over 4 years and struggling with Roy's Parkinson's diagnosis as our 1st year anniversary present, we have decided, with our dogs, Oliver and Samantha, to take a 4,000 mile cross-country journey via bicycle to help put in perspective our personal struggles, both individually and as a couple

This journey, through the grueling physical trial of biking cross-country, will mold our confidence of ourselves and each other and strengthen our bond that together we can overcome our obstacles. In the hopes that by being selfless, we may find ourselves and find our way through this new and wonderful world of Parkinson's.

The Cause: The more our message gets out there, the more help, awareness and education we can provide to facilitate people living with PD and their caregivers about the opportunity to participate in clinical studies that will hopefully better treat or better yet, cure Parkinson's.

Have a clean T-shirt? A place to stay? A warm meal? All efforts are welcome. The more contributions we receive the more donations go directly toward Parkinson's foundations for research. The ultimate goal is to give the maximum amount to charity to support this great cause.

In addition, we absolutely welcome the opportunity to have others ride with us for this great cause. View our journey route and if we are coming through, or near your town, please contact us for details on where we can share this journey together.

PD FACTS

- It is estimated that about 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson Disease.
- Approximately 60,000 people are diagnosed each year.
- About 10%-20% of those diagnosed with PD are under the age of 50, and about half of those are diagnosed before age 40. Some are even diagnosed as early as the age of 21.
- Someone is diagnosed with Parkinson Disease every 9 minutes.

To donate or sponsor the PD Challenge 2012, please visit http://www.pdchallenge.com.




Laurel Canyon Animal Company
Squeaky Christmas

The Dogfather's Grooming Tip with Joey Villani

Bar Soap Dog Shampoo
Dog shampoo makers are now trying to put the shampoo in a bar soap form. But how does this work on your pet? While it might be easier and more convenient to grab a bar of soap when bathing your pet, it is more of a sales pitch than anything else.

Joey warns people to stay away from shampoo in bar soap form! The best example Joey can give is if you don't clean your shower regularly, you can get a soap buildup. That buildup is from what is contained in the bar soap. It's not the soap itself, but the scum. If you use a liquid body wash, there will not be any soap scum. But in bar soap, what holds it together is actually what causes that scum.

If you use bar shampoo in your pets coat, you cannot rinse it clean. There is a reason why people don't use bar soap in their hair. Bar soap will leave a tremendous amount of residue. This residue will buildup over time, dull the coat and cause knots and tangles. This may even cause itching for dogs with sensitive skin.

Bar soap dog shampoo is a great concept and neat idea, but they do not make bar soaps for pets (and Joey knows them all) that will not leave a residue. Instead, use a good quality liquid shampoo.

Animal Radio® News with Stacey Cohen

Dogs Shot By Police on The Rise
In response to an alleged increase of dog shootings by police officers, several people, including owners of murdered pets, are using Facebook as a tool to increase awareness of the problem and seek change to police policies toward dogs. Videos of dog shootings are all over the Internet and it seems like there's a new one every week. Unfortunately, the number of videos online is not a misrepresentation of the high number of dog shootings. It's impossible to determine the exact number of dog shootings by police officers because every police department in the country doesn't keep records. However, in Milwaukee, the 28th largest city in the country, a recent lawsuit claimed that more than 400 dogs were shot to death by police officers over a nine-year period between 1999 and 2008, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. If those numbers are similar for cities around the U.S., a low estimate for the annual number of dogs killed per year by police in the 30 largest cities alone is 1,100. In addition, a dog-training manual for police published by the Department of Justice showed that most police shooting incidents involve dogs. In Los Angeles, at least one-half of all "intentional discharges of a forearm by an officer from 2000-2005 involved an animal," the study said.

Millionaires Have Gone To The Dogs
Dogs And Millionaires Have A Lot In Common. They are relentless opportunists (especially when it comes to rewards). They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They defend their turf. And in general, they don't like cats. Perhaps that explains a new survey that shows that millionaires are far more dog friendly than the rest of Americans. According to a study by Spectrem Group, 58% of millionaire pet owners have a dog. 37% own a cat. Only 3% keep fish, 2% birds and 2% have a horse. Why have millionaires gone to the dogs? Jennifer Cona, a trust and estates attorney said dogs provide one thing especially important to the wealthy: "unconditional love." "You don't get that from a cat," Dogs are like children for some families, except they don't mess up in college or run off with money. Sometimes it's easy to see why dogs are the favorite child." Plus, she says, millionaires know that dogs don't love them for their money. "Its unbiased love and money doesn't enter into the equation," she said. "That's important." Millionaires show their love for their dogs in part by their spending. One quarter of millionaire pet owners spend more than $1,000 a year on their pets every year, the Spectrem study said, while more than half spend more than $500 a year.

Rent-A-Puppy, Good or Bad Idea?
Business is booming for a Brigham Young University student who recently started a puppy rental service. Jenna Miller says she's had more than 100 rentals since August. The business has stirred some controversy, with the Utah Humane Society concerned about the health of the dogs.

Private Security Guards Goat
The city of Gavle, Sweden, is going to great lengths to protect a goat, because this is no ordinary goat. According to TheLocal.se, the horned animal in question is a 42-and-a-half-foot tall straw goat that the city erects every year as part of a Christmas tradition that started in 1966. And while the goat has become very popular in the Swedish city, it has also become a target for vandals and arsonists. One resident says it appears another attempt was made on the goat this year, noting at the structure's official inauguration on Sunday that the front hoof smelled strongly of gasoline. But this time the city is taking no chances, and has hired private security guards to keep the Gävle Christmas goat safe.

North Korean Report Says Unicorns Existed
Those who thought unicorns were relegated only to annals of fairy tales and storybooks need look no further than North Korea for confirmation the mythical beasts once existed. Professor Sung-Yoon Lee with Tufts University analyzes the revelation about a unicorn lair. According to the Korean Central News Agency, archaeologists from the History Institute of North Korea have "reconfirmed" a unicorn lair that was present around the year 277 B.C. It was purportedly located right in the capital city of Pyongyang. The lair was discovered nearby a rectangular rock with the words "Unicorn Lair" carved into it. Some media reports indicate the KCNA article may be a "tongue-in-cheek" response to humor newspaper "The Onion's" fictional article that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was named the "sexiest man alive."

Simon Cowell Wants A Penguin
Simon Cowell is a big fan of flippers, and we're not talking about beach gear.
"The X Factor" judge, who is known for being a bit of a curmudgeon, apparently likes penguins so much that he said he would love to have one of the flightless birds to call his own. "Watching Mr. Poppers Penguins again," the 52-year-old tweeted this week. "I love this film. I really do want a pet penguin." The 2011 film, based on a children's book of the same name, stars Jim Carrey as a divorced real estate entrepreneur who is bequeathed a gentoo penguin named Captain in his late father's will. But when he tries to send back the penguin, due to a mix up, five more arrive. Suddenly he's sharing his New York City apartment, which doesn't allow pets, with a bunch of birds! Of course, if Cowell really wanted a penguin, and we're sure he has the cash to afford one. He'd have to purchase an entire zoo, as it's not legal to keep a penguin as a domesticated pet in the United States.

NEWS UPDATE Brought To You By ScoopFree.com. Free Shipping on trays plus up to $20 off your first subscription.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#681)