As you know fleas are common parasites found on puppies and dogs and while these insects are a nuisance, fleas also create skin irritation, cause anemia, and carry tapeworms, so it is important to your dog’s health and well being to make sure he or she is on a regular monthly preventative to remain flea free.  All dogs are susceptible to flea infestations, except for some dogs that live in high elevations or in extremely dry environments.

 Eradicating fleas requires patience and perseverance.  The life cycle of a flea is three to four weeks, and in general it takes that long to completely rid your pet and its environment of fleas.  When a flea finds a ‘host’ ie: your  puppy or dog, it feeds and mates. Female fleas start laying eggs 24-hours later, some 40 to 50 eggs a day. Different flea control products work in different ways and have varying levels of effectiveness and kill different flea stages including eggs, larvae and/or adults.  

If you have an infestation, you will need to use a combination of products at the same time to be effective.  You may want to consult your veterinarian to determine your plan of attack to ensure your pet’s health and safety.  Some of the most common preventatives include: Frontline, FrontlinePlus, Advantage, Advantix, Sentinel, Comfortis and Revolution.

Very Important Paws requires all clients administer a monthly flea preventative to their dog to ensure our facility and our guests remain flea free.

Canine Assisted Therapy will be hosting their first Doggy Orientation/Evaluation in Palm Beach County at Very Important Paws on July 24, 2010 from 10:00am til 12:00 pm.

If you are interested in getting your dog certified as a Canine Therapy dog, please contact C.A.T at volunteer@catdogs.org or via phone 954-319-3170.

Have you ever noticed after it rains it is cooler, fresher, and greener outside…perfect conditions for one of our least favorite creatures the BUFO TOAD.  The giant, short legged toads with rough, warty skin present a serious threat to dogs and other pets. The Bufo marinus also known as the cane toad, giant toad or marine toad original purpose was to help control the rat and mice population in sugar cane fields. They also eat millions of insects. In 1955, Bufo toads were accidentally released by a pet dealer traveling through Miami International Airport. The toads made their escape and spread through canals and ponds in South Florida procreating all the way. They breed all year round in standing water, canals and ditches…so much for ambience for this amphibian. They are so common here we are surprised they don’t have their own Florida State license plate, but honestly who would want to save the Bufo? They will not attack, but they will defend themselves from curious and playful dogs and predators by secreting a milky toxin from the glands behind their head. The poison is highly toxic and causes seizures and cardiac arrest. Depending on the dog’s size it may die within hours of injesting the substance, it is so lethal that there is enough toxin on the skin of a large toad to kill a 150-pound dog. Just licking the skin of the toad can result in the absorption of enough toxin to kill a small dog.

Prevention is the best way to deal with these demonic creatures. Keep your dog on a leash and do not let him run attended. Do not leave food and water dishes outside. The toads thrive on dog and cat food, even if a toad sits in your pet’s water dish for awhile it may leave enough toxin to make your dog ill. Dogs exposed to the poison will salivate or drool profusely. They will shake their head, cry, and have loss of coordination, and in more serious cases have convulsions. The dog’s gums will turn red. It takes less than 20-minutes from the time the toxin is ingested to becoming a full-blown life-threatening situation. If your dog encounters a Bufo toad rinse out your dog’s mouth immediately, pointing its head toward the ground so the tainted water is not swallowed, then wipe the dogs tongue, teeth and gums with a wet cloth. If your dog has eaten the toad, after thoroughly rinsing its mouth, you may have to induce vomiting with a solution of hydrogen peroxide or Ipecac syrup. After administering first aid, see your veterinarian immediately.

‘Dog lovers’ always seem to have time to share a special story. As you may imagine over the years here at Very Important Paws we have heard many heartwarming, humorous, and heroic stories about dogs.  The bond between people and their pets is a beautiful and rewarding one.

National Pet Week is a few weeks away and this year’s theme is “Pets & People Healthy Together,” promoting the importance of exercise for people and pets. 

The theme of National Pet Week brings to mind a wonderful story one of our longtime clients shared with us about his hound dog. Several years ago this gentleman was seriously injured, his doctor advised his family to purchase a exercise treadmill to assist in his rehabilitation. The man’s son was anxious to see his father regain his strength and walk again, and he immediately went to the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League where he adopted a white and black hound dog pup from the shelter. When the gentleman’s son visited his father with his rescue pup, he asked “who is this?” his son replied “this is your new treadmill.”

We always look forward to seeing Treadmill Johnson at Very Important Paws, she exemplifies the bond we all share with our dogs and the significance of exercising with your pet.

National Pet Week is Sunday, May  2^nd, through Saturday, May 8^th.

*The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Auxiliary to the AVMA founded National Pet Week some 29-years ago. Since 1981, National Pet Week has been recognized  throughout the United States, Britain, as well as other countries around the world. The goal is to promote responsible pet guardianship , celebrate the human/animal bond and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine.

 “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?”

                                                                                                    Satchel Paige

We’ve all heard the tale that claims that one year of a dog’s life is equal to seven human years .  Apparently that is not so; for example, dogs are capable of having a litter of pups by their first birthday, but obviously a seven year old child is not  able to have a baby.

Veterinarians  now say a five month old puppy is equivalent to a 10-year old child in age. A one year old dog to a 15-year old. A five year old dog to a 36-year old adult, a seven year old dog to a 44-year old, and a 15-year old dog is 76-years old in human terms. Yikes.

Of course that is from a ‘human’ perspective. From the canine point of view as long as dogs  may run and play and roll over, they will,  and they will not let their age get in the way…because they are not counting.

George Bernard Shaw said- “We don’t stop playing because we grow old;  we grow old because we stop playing.”

By investing some quality time with your dog and getting some basic training you will reap the benefits of having a pet that is welcome almost anywhere and is appreciated by your family, friends and neighbors.

The Canine Good Citizen Program (CGC) established in 1989, is an American Kennel Club program designed to promote responsible dog ownership and encourage the training of well mannered dogs. It is a team effort, you and your dog(s).

This Saturday and Sunday, March 13^th and 14^th, The Palm Beach County Dog Fanciers Association, Inc. in association with Very Important Paws (West Palm Beach & Wellington) co-owner Marc Street who is also the owner of The Happy Dog Training Inc. and a member of the Palm Beach Dog Fanciers Association Inc. will conduct  Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing.

The CGC test is open to mixed breed and  purebred dogs who are at least 6 months of age or older.  All dogs must be vaccinated including puppies. The cost for CGC test is $5.00 per dog plus the dog show entrance fee. 

The CGC will cover:

1. Accepting a friendly stranger.

2. Sitting politely for petting.

3. Appearance and grooming.

4. Walking on a loose lead.

5. Walking through a crowd.

6. Sit and down command and staying in place.

7. Coming when called.

8. Reaction to another dog.

9. Reaction to distraction 

10. Supervised separation.

Upon successful completion of the 10-items on the test, you dog will be awarded a CGC certificate from the American Kennel Club.   Certification may enable your dog to accompany you to accepting restaurants, hotels, and may also be the prerequisite for acceptance into Condo and Homeowners Associations.

CGC Testing will be conducted on Saturday at 11am and at 3pm, and Sunday at 11am.

Join us this weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds, East and West Expo Centers, located 9067 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33411.

It is, and our clients and our guests are the best! 

And thanks to you Very Important Paws is now celebrating our  SIXTH ANNIVERSARY at our Downtown West Palm Beach location. 

You know that every great business starts with a brilliant idea…

Seven years ago NYC native, West Palm Beach transplant Will Corrente was cruising past The Breakers Hotel on the Island when he had a thought…why not create a LUXURY HOTEL FOR DOGS.   It’s Palm Beach where perhaps there are more privileged pooches per capita than anywhere else in the world, who quite frankly would not stand for the cold, dank,  and unwelcoming  common cinder block and chain link accommodations of traditional kennels.

Will floated his Very Important Paws idea to a couple of friends professional dog trainer Marc Street and businessman Kevin Keene who agreed  there needs to be a VIP and the friends were off and running.  Who knew Doggie Daycare, Luxury Boarding, Grooming, and Training would be in such demand.

Our flagship location in Downtown West Palm Beach has an interesting history, the main building used to be a Harley Davidson dealership; we like to say we’ve gone from hogs to dogs.  

 The building adjacent to the reception area and hotel where our guests play was once a movie theatre.   The projection room is on the second floor overlooking the play area.  

In December, 2007, VIP opened its second location in Wellington to serve the western communities.

Since its inception Very Important Paws has maintained a relationship with the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. VIP recognizes the importance of adopting and rescuing pets from area shelters.  In fact, VIP’s fourth and silent partner ‘CoCo’ , a Black Lab who regularly visits both of our locations was adopted from The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League by Will when she was just seven months old.   Many clients ask Will how they can get  their dog to be as well trained as CoCo.   Will says ‘CoCo’ is a testament to the kind of quality companion you may adopt from a shelter. He  says it was the best ninety-five dollars he ever spent.   We all agree.

During an average season VIP donates to some thirty charities including the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, The American Cancer Society,  American Lung Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma, Dreyfoos School of the Arts, The Epilepsy Foundation, Evening on Antique Row, Juvenile Diabetes,  King’s Academy. Various local neighborhood associations and sports teams, St. Ann’s and St. Julianna’s, The Shriners,  The Boys and Girls Club, The West Palm 100, and Toys for Tots just to name a few.

Please join us in celebrating our SIXTH ANNIVERSARY with special savings and discounts offered at  our Very Important Paws location in Downtown West Palm Beach.

On Monday March 1, 2010 save $6 off  the purchase of a single day of daycare

On Tuesday, March 2, 2010, save $6 off the purchase of a Requested Bath

On Wednesday and Thursday March 3 & 4, save $6 off the purchase of a 5 day play pack, or save $12 off the purchase of a 10 day play pack, or save $24 off the purchase of a 20 day play pack.

Thank you for 6 great years we look forward to serving you for many more!

That’s just one of the many reasons why we all love working here so much .

The team at Very Important Paws in Downtown West Palm Beach and Wellington are an experienced and diverse group of individuals from all walks of life who share a common bond…we all love DOGS!

Many of us have had careers in other fields. One member of our team worked as a professional classical musician, another was an executive chef, another was a broadcast journalist and still another worked as a microbiologist before choosing to work at VIP.   Very Important Paws has also been an inspiration for some members of our team to learn to groom and for others to move up to middle management.   No matter what service we offer Doggie Daycare, Dog Boarding, Dog Grooming, or Dog Training it is always a pleasure interacting with our four legged guests because we receive lots of unconditional love and perhaps that is the best love of all.

Thank you for sharing the love in your life with us!

Since we are talking about football, sort of…What do dogs and football players have in common?   Aside from running around and chasing a ball on a field, dogs and football players are both prone to rupturing their ACL, anterior cruciate ligament.  It is the most commonly injured ligament in a dog’s knee as well as a football player.  A  Football player’s knees are frequently injured while running, twisting , and turning on the gridiron.   A Dog may rupture their ACL during exercise that involves jumping or running on changing terrain or stepping in a hole while running.   

Obese dogs are at greater risk for suffering an ACL injury as are specific breeds including, but not limited to Bichon Frises, Cocker Spaniels, German Shepards, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Lhasa Apso’s, Mastiffs, Minature and Toy Poodles, and Rottweilers.   Injuring an ALC can be painful and result in lameness if the injury is not treated. In addition, an untreated ACL injury may lead to debilitating arthritis.    If your dog is reluctant to put pressure or weight on one of his hind legs, or sits crookedly, you should have him checked by your vet for ligament injury.  

A normal dog’s knee works like a hinge, keeping the dog’s leg stable as it bends.  When the knee has a ruptured ACL the “hinge” becomes loose.  By taking x-rays or applying pressure on the knee, a veterinarian will feel the bones move and determine any abnormality or ligament injury and decide on the best course of treatment for the health and well being of your dog.

 Call us today and book a SUPERBOWL XLIV WEEKEND SUITE at one of our two convenient locations: Very Important Paws in Downtown West Beach or Wellington 561-366-9000.

Automatic feeders make it easier and more convenient to feed your pet while also ensuring that the supply is fresh. Automatic water suppliers and automated water replenishers provide clean, clear water that help to reduce the occurrence of urinary tract diseases.

So this year, resolve to keeps your pets happy as well as healthy, and from all of us at Very Important Paws, HAPPY NEW YEAR!