This post comes to us from Alana Taylor, a social media marketing consultant for Halo. She is currently living in the East Village and double-majoring in Journalism and History at New York University. She also writes for Mashable.com and PBS.org. Alana will post here on occasion to teach us all how to use social media to help pets!

Our first blog post on using social media highlighted Facebook groups and fan pages as well as ways to use blogs. This time around, I’m going to give you a heads up on Twitter, DIY (do it yourself) social networks and social bookmarking — all ways you can spread the word about holistic pet care!

Create Your Own Social Network

If you are more of a leader and organizer than a participant, then do your part by creating your own social network where other like-minded pet owners can join and start discussions.

Ever heard of the site Ning.com? The popular and fast-growing DIY social network site is easy to navigate and set up. Anyone can do it. All you need is a positive attitude, a niche interest, and a reason for people to join. Before you know it, you’ll be running your own social network!

Some examples that are popular are Pet Lover’s Paradise, The Million Pet Network, and Kitty Happy.

Talk on Twitter!

If you don’t have a Twitter account yet, then you’re certainly out of the loop when it comes to virality and word-of-mouth marketing online! Twitter is a micro-blogging site that acts as a never-ending chatroom where people hold conversations, share links, and follow interesting people or brands.

Twitter has proven to be one of the most effective ways of sharing information with people online having news spread fast. Really fast. Once you get your account started, you can begin by following pet-lovers, pet companies (like @HaloPets!), and other interesting people in the community.

Some pet-loving Twitter users I like include:

@HelpAnimals
@AboutExoticPets
@WeAreTheCure
@Paw_Naturaw
@AlleyCatAllies
@PetHabitats
@HealthyPet
@ASPCA
@Kat5Rescue
@Action4Animals
@Liberty4Animals
@EcoPup
@SSPets
@AnimalActivism
@WoofWellness
@BFNetwork
@DogQuality
@PetReLocation
@Bideawee
@HolisticHealing

Begin by listening to what they have to say, and then be useful by contributing to the conversation, re-tweeting their messages and links, and getting people to follow you back. One tweet, much like the wings of a single butterfly, can create a great wind that can make a difference.

Subscribe and Share

Lastly, one of the most simple but extremely effective ways of helping to spread the word online is by subscribing to RSS feeds and e-mail newsletters of important pet sites, companies or organizations so that: a) You can stay aware, and b) You can forward the information to your friends, family and online network.

Even something as simple as sharing a blog post from your Google Reader feed or sharing it on a site like FriendFeed can make a difference. Start to build up your credibility as a person who is up-to-date with the latest news by consistently sharing important links and people will slowly start turning to you as their source. That’s how you become important on the web, by filtering information for people and sharing only the most important things.

So, there you have it! These tips should be a starting point for you to get the ball rolling and be more active online.

Have tips of your own? Success stories? Share them in the comments! (Don’t forget to use the social bookmarking tools below to share this post and your other favorite posts with friends!)

This post comes to us from Alana Taylor, a social media marketing consultant for Halo. She is currently living in the East Village and double-majoring in Journalism and History at New York University. She also writes for Mashable.com and PBS.org. Alana will post here on occasion to teach us all how to use social media to help pets!

Whether you have just one tiny Jack Russell Terrier named Frankie who licks your ears in the morning or a dozen Dachsunds you love to let loose in your backyard, you are a pet owner. And chances are that you are also an animal lover who cares deeply about making sure that pets (not just yours) are properly fed and taken care of.

But spreading the word about holistic pet care isn’t always easy. Life can get busy and jam-packed. So read on for some tips on how just a few minutes spent online can make a big difference.

Join a Facebook Group/Fan Page

Chances are that if you don’t already have a Facebook profile, you’re on the verge of getting one. Perhaps you love connecting with friends on the site or maybe you don’t see the point of having your information online. But one thing is for sure: you love your pets.

Facebook can be a great place to meet other caring pet owners. Do a group search for terms you care about most, like “holistic pet food,” “pet foundations,” or even “I love dogs.” Then, pick from the fan pages and groups that interest you and join. Start out by checking the HaloPets, Bideawee, Humane Society, and Best Friends Animal Society fan pages!

(Keep an eye out for how many members each group has. It’s better to be a part of a group that has lots of members rather than just two.)

Now it’s your chance to really shine. Be active! Have a question? An interesting tip or link to share? Want to upload a video about the ingredients in pet food? Then do it! And keep checking back to see what other members have to say about your comments. Soon you’ll be connecting and networking with other people on the web who share your same interests.

Most importantly, you’ll be spreading awareness about the issues that matter to you without having to spend too much time or money.

Write a Blog Post

A great way to reach out online and get people thinking is by writing a blog post on your blog. It doesn’t matter if you don’t usually write about animals, make a special post and state why you think it’s so important to highlight pet care.

If you really want to get people to stop and read your post, make sure to write a catchy title or create a “top ten list.” Don’t just tell people but show them why it’s important to care about pets or why certain issues are significant in improving the lives of animals around the world. You can check the Halo Pets blog for ideas or get inspiration from other blogs like For The Love Of Dog Blog, Pet Lover’s Blog, Dolittler, and Dog Lover.

Not a writer? That’s fine! Put together a link round-up from across the web. Point people to other great sites, like charities or foundations, and blog posts that you think are most interesting. Post pictures and videos that are inspirational, eye-opening and motivating. Check out SlobberSpace for photo-blogging inspiration, or KC Dog Blog for ideas on how to round-up links!

Make sure to share your blog post with all your friends, submit it to viral sites like Digg and StumbleUpon (which you can and should do often with pet-related article you like), and post the link to your social network profiles.

Dental disease is the number one health issue affecting pets.

Would you believe that dental disease is the NUMBER ONE health issue affecting pets? According to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS), 75% of pets over the age of 4 years have dental disease. Dental disease doesn’t JUST lead to bad breath…it can also cause tooth and gum infections, pain, loss of teeth and even organ damage in pets.

No one likes to go to the dentist and pets are no exception! But like humans, pets also need routine dental care because the key to management of dental disease is prevention.

The AVDS recommends that pet owners follow three basic steps:

1. Take your pet to the veterinarian for a dental exam. Don’t wait for their annual checkup if you suspect a problem.

2. Begin a dental care regimen at home. You veterinarian can show you how to effectively and safely clean your pets teeth.

3. Schedule regular veterinary checkups. These are essential in helping your veterinarian monitor the progress of your pet’s dental health routine.

Click here to read more about dental care in pets. This month, work with your veterinarian to create a dental care plan for your pet that keeps the bad breath away and will maintain your pets’ health for years to come.

The following post comes from Diane Herbst, a freelance writer who is passionate about animals, and has written many articles involving dogs and cats for People magazine. Diane’s two dogs, Rudi and Smokey, love their Spots Stew — which her three cats savor, too.

Chocolate and flowers are cherished gifts on Valentine’s day. But they can also poison your pets.

The ASPCA’s poison control experts warn that the lillies in your Valentine’s bouquet are toxic to cats. And in the week prior to Valentine’s day last year, there was a 74 percent increase in cases of pets ingesting chocolate, another pet poison.

Dana Fabman, an ASPCA pet poison prevention expert, said in a recent article : “We do see an increase in calls regarding traditional holiday gifts, particularly in the few days leading up to and after Valentine’s day — right when those bouquests and lovely boxes of chocolate arrive.”

Lillies and chocolate are not the only toxic substances, warns the ASPCA, which has created a list of Valentines Day safety tips . And remember, that romantic glass of wine can turn toxic if sipped by your pet, possibly causing vomiting, lack of coordination, even coma.

If you suspect your pet has ingested a toxic substance, contact your veterinarian or the APCC’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.

Where do you go for information to help you choose food and care products for your four-legged family member(s)?

I’ll share one of mine: Buzzillions.com.

Buzzillions collects reviews from 2,300 different web sites including Amazon, Petco, Drugstore.com and many more that carry pet care products. For example, check out Buzzillions’ review of Halo Dream Coat. It’s ranked the #1 of 302 Pet Vitamins and Nutrition products by long-time pet owners, and #2 of 302 among all pet owners. Here are the three most recent reviews (as of 1/11/09):

“I started using Halo’s Dream Coat 3 months ago. One of my 3 dogs was recovering from Deodactic Mange when I adopted her.The skin and coat were in bad shape. I use it daily for all 3 dogs and one cat and the improvement is stunning! Annie is getting a beautiful coat where there was none for over a year.The others coats are lush. The dogs like the taste and one of them licks it off the spoon before I can mix it in her food! “  -Dorothy

“I have a VERY large sheddy Rotty. I tried Dream Coat and saw a difference within the 1st week. He gets so many compliments for his lush shiny coat and he has not been shedding as much as before. Harley’s vet even complimented his coat and asked what i was using. Now they carry Dream COat at his Vet;s office!”  -Harley’s Mom

“Dream Coat is a dream come true. It slowed down the excessive shedding I incurred daily with my 3 year old German Shepherd, Shepp. Shepp is extremely picky and turns her nose up at most supplement. However, I mixed Dream Coat in her food and didn’t noticed the product was added to her meals. Her coat is beautiful, shiny and looks extremely healthy.”   -Proud Patty

Please, comment here to share your best online information sources with other devoted pet owners!