Did you know that Vancouver, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics Games is also a “Dog-Friendly” city? According to the article, “Pet Friendly Vancouver” on PetTravel.com; Vancouver’s abundant off-leash dog parks, miles of pet friendly hiking trails, and dozens of pet friendly hotels affirm its reputation as a world-class pet friendly destination.

Vancouver is a safe and easily accessible walking city, with numerous pet friendly activities located throughout the city. One “must do” activity is a stroll along the pet friendly Stanley Park seawall, a paved six-mile loop with spectacular mountain, ocean, and city views. If your pet needs more exercise after his walk, then head over to one of the 30-plus off leash dog parks in the Vancouver metro area.

Vancouver’s North Shore, located 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver, is another incredible place to enjoy the great outdoors with its hundreds of miles of pet friendly trails, creeks, and rivers. The Grouse Grind is a popular pet friendly hike that is often referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.”

Other pet friendly attractions include Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, a ferry ride to Granville Island, a walk down pet friendly Robson Street. Another must-see is Gastown, where you and your pet can stroll down charming cobbled streets, and be sure to check out Vancouver Chinatown.

These are just some of the places to go in pet friendly Vancouver. If you are thinking of traveling with your pet, there is a lot to see and do. Click here for some great pet friendly travel tips.

Please avoid fatty foods and treats – they only lead to digestive trouble. Even though you may feel tempted to have your dog share in the bounty from your kitchen, please don’t include anything too rich or fatty.

Some of the items that do not belong in your dog’s mouth are poultry skin, bacon, and baked goods full of butter and sugar and fried foods. None of these do a dog any good and in fact just the opposite – they may upset his digestive tract and can even lead to serious illness if there is an ongoing fat-rich diet.

Thanksgiving and other holidays are a great example of the dinner table offering temptation to share – but turkey gravy; skin and even sometimes the meat (if it’s been basted in butter or oil) can set off a big tummy upset. Even though you may want your dog to join in the festivities when you have company and lots of extra food, don’t think you’re doing him any favor by feeding him rich foods.

Foods that are high in fat can cause a dog to throw up or get diarrhea – no fun for him or for you! And there’s the more serious problem that in some dogs, over-indulging in fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, which can require hospitalization and can even be fatal.

Tip of the day: you can make your dog just as happy – and much healthier – by offering a Halo Liv-a-Little in any of the delicious flavors of lean, pure protein. Not only are you eliminating any fat in that treat, but Liv-a-Littles are pure dehydrated chicken, salmon or beef so they have absolutely no carbohydrates, which we want to keep low in our dogs’ diets.

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and the Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Franny Syufy was kind enough to talk about our favorite 13 year old animal rescue hero, Mimi Ausland, on her super-popular Cats page on About.com, saying “Since I first interviewed Mimi Ausland, I’ve followed her progress, and like pet lovers in 137 countries, have become addicted to playing the Freekibblekat game, Meow Trivia, every day.”

“Cue TV Announcer Voice: But Wait! There’s More! Friday, February 5, 2010, is Freekibblekat HI-5 Day! If you play the game on the 5th, 50 kibble bits will be donated. Halo, Purely for Pets, is sponsoring this event, to help meet the needs of shelter cats and dogs.”

Thanks, Franny!

Click over to our News page for the whole story.

Check out this funny video clip of Ellen DeGeneres’ monologue from the Ellen Show that aired on Thursday, February 18th.

Ellen really loves her dogs Wolf and Mabel; it was a few years ago she was looking for some dog food for Wolf who was allergic to everything.

Ellen explains, “I tried everything, our vet tried everything and finally I found a little company that had the perfect food for him. It’s called Halo, Purely for Pets.

So, because I think Halo is incredible, I decided to become part owner in hopes that all animals have the chance to be the healthiest they can be.”

Ellen is amazed by dogs, explaining, “We think we’re so much smarter than animals. Dogs can understand what we’re saying, but we can’t understand what they’re saying. Doesn’t that make them a little bit smarter?”

Question: I have a 10 month old Siamese male kitten that all of a sudden does not want to use the toilet to urinate. He also seems like he has a hard time pooping, he strains. I feed him Eagle Pack Holistic Select Chicken formula for Cats and Kittens. One of my students recommended Halo chicken dry food for indoor cats. I tried wet food but he does not like it much. He seems like he is drinking enough water though the day. Any suggestions?

Answer: Thanks for writing in. The reason your cat may not want to use the litterbox to urinate may be one of a few reasons. Many cats that experience painful defecation or constipation will shy away from the box for urination as well because they recall it as a “bad” or painful place. The Halo dry food can be an excellent choice for pets with constipation as it contains fiber-rich vegetables, prebiotics and probiotics to support intestinal health. See my article about natural remedies for constipation in cats, Natural Remedies for Constipation.

The other very common urinary ailment of cats is a condition called interstitial cystitis. This is a sterile inflammation of the bladder that causes pain and avoidance of the litter box. Increasing water intake (try fountain waterers, etc) and enriching their home environment (see www.indoorcat.org) can help with the condition dramatically. You should see your veterinarian to make sure he doesn’t have issues like stones or other bladder problems.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector