Enter our Huge Jetaway Contest to San Francisco!

March 9th, 2010

We are super-psyched to announce our San Francisco Jetaway Sweepstakes, in which one lucky grand prize winner will win a HUGE prize package worth almost $3000 for you and your dog to enjoy!!

Check out all of this great swag you will win for yourself and your dog!

  • Roundtrip airline tickets for two PLUS your dog to San Francisco, CA from within the 48 lower United States
  • Two nights stay at the pet-friendly Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco
  • Photo shoot with San Francisco based pet photographer Ann Hamilton including three custom prints
  • One year’s supply of earthbath totally natural pet products
  • Six month supply of Dogswell natural dog food and treats
  • One year subscription to The Bark magazine
  • Other toys and accessories including: a pet carrier from Porta Pet, Pet Zen Deluxe Chow Pal Travel Kit, a leash and harness, and Dura Doggie Discs to last your dog 6 months!

How do you enter? First, leave a comment for us on our blog (we love to hear from you), become a fan of earthbath on Facebook (if you’re not already), then RUN, don’t walk on over to earthbath Jetaway and simply fill out the online registration form by May 31, 2010!

Image credit:

Brian Finke/Stone/Getty Images

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Posted in contest, dog, pet travel, travel | 1 Comment »

The skinny on cold-weather grooming: Top 5 Tips

March 2nd, 2010

Though the calendar may (finally) say March, the majority of the U.S. is unfortunately still firmly clutched by the icy grip of winter with no immediate signs of relief. In this frigid and dry season, we find ourselves reaching for the heavy-duty lotion and lip balm to stave off the effects of freezing temperatures, whipping wind, and moisture-robbing indoor heat.

Our pets’ skin and fur coats are also not immune to winter’s harsh effects, and contrary to popular belief, dogs don’t need less grooming in the winter. In fact, many dogs’ coats actually need more attention. In the summertime, a lot of pet owners give their dogs (and even longhaired cats) close cropped cuts or even have their coats shaved to help them stay cool in the high temperatures and humidity of summer. However, in the winter, it’s natural for pet owners to let their pets’ hair grow out to provide additional warmth in the cold.  As anyone who has ever had experience with a longer-haired dog or cat knows, fur and long coats can easily become matted or tangled, causing discomfort and even overheating. Mats can become painful to pets, especially if they form close to the skin, and the natural tendency for animals is to scratch or bite away at the mat, which causes even more skin irritation. Playing outside in the muddy slush ensures dirt and snow gets splashed all the way up a dog’s legs and belly, and the salt and sand that helps to melt snow from the sidewalks and streets is ultra-irritating when it gets in fur and can dry paw pads and skin out even further.

So, what’s the best way to prevent mats, skin irritation, dry, itchy winter skin, and ensure your pet is warm and comfortable through good grooming?

1.) Get those strokes in! Brush daily if possible, but at least every other day or once every three days at a minimum, even if your dog or cat is short-haired. Regular brushing ensures shinier coats, less shedding, and prevents matting by ridding coats of the dead hairs that stick and cause mats.

2.) Keep up the grooming: Whether you bathe and brush your pets at home or take them to a professional groomer, regular grooming (both brushing and bathing) ensures the natural oils in the skin are stimulated, naturally moisturizing and creating shine, which all helps to prevent itchy dry winter skin.

3.) Bathe based on coat length (and smelliness!): You’re probably the best judge of how frequently your furry friend needs a bath, but in general, long-haired dogs should get a bath about every few weeks while short-haired pets can go anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Some cats never get baths at home (or ever), as many cat owners find the trauma (to both human and water-hating cats) of a full water bath too much to bear. However, cats’ coats and skin benefit from periodic shampoos and conditioning, just as dogs and humans do, which many cat owners don’t realize! Here’s where a professional groomer can come in handy, as well as regular brushing and #4 (wipes)…

4.) Easy, at-home maintenance with between-bath wipes are an easy way to spot-clean and condition Fido or Fluffy between professional grooming visits or full baths. Earthbath wipes come in several formulations and scents, including green tea, mango tango, hypo-allergenic, and formulas specifically for puppies and cats.

5.) Choose gentle, extra-emollient and all-natural ingredients, like oatmeal (Try our Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo) and aloe (contained in our Hypo-Allergenic formulas), and avoid chemical ingredients such as sodium laurel sulfate and parabens, which can dry out the skin even more.

In the meantime, lotion up and enjoy the last days of snow and winter chill… the warm days of spring around the corner will be just that much sweeter!

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Posted in cat, dog, grooming, pet health | 1 Comment »

Spay Day Saves Animal Lives! Celebrate & Participate: February 23, 2010

February 23rd, 2010

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 23, 2010, marks the 16th annual “Spay Day,” a campaign initiated by the Humane Society of the United States designed to highlight the importance of spaying and neutering pets. Spaying and neutering is critical for saving animal lives and reducing the amount of homeless animals who have to struggle for survival in inhospitable conditions. In the U.S., there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals that are brought to animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and tragically, the other half are euthanized. Most people are shocked to learn that 3 million pets are needlessly killed each year in the United States due to overcrowding of animal shelters. These are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions.

Find a Spay Day Event near you (CLICK HERE)>>

Find additional information, including the history of Spay Day, current news and articles, Spay Day Action Kit, How to Participate, and more HERE>>

To raise awareness and funds for Spay Day, the Humane Society of the United States is hosting a Pet Photo Contest, accepting submissions through Feb. 26: “Participants can upload digital photos of their furry friend and tell the world how their pet has improved their lives. Entrants are encouraged to share their pet’s photo and story with their friends and family and ask them to vote for their pet (each vote is just a $1 donation toward the eligible organization of the entrant’s choice). Every vote their pet receives will help spay and neuter animals around the world.” The prizes are pretty cool too! One Grand Prize winner will win a studio session with Amanda Jones, one of the country’s top pet photographers, a $500 shopping spree at the HSUS’ official online store: Humane Domain, and a copy of “Pet Photography 101: Tips for taking better photos of your dog or cat” by Andrew Darlow.

Many nationwide events are occurring tomorrow, Feb. 23, and throughout the month of February (some into March) which include subsidized and low-cost spaying and neutering hosted by animal rescue groups, veterinarians, city- and county-run animal service agencies, private humane societies, and humanitarian-focused organizations. There are over 500 events scheduled within the U.S. this year, and Spay Day is not localized to the U.S. alone: Internationally, more than 80 events in 43 countries are planned, providing life-saving spay/neuter services to more than 40,000 animals around the globe.

You can find a Spay Day event occurring near you by clicking HERE!

Many people choose not to spay or neuter their pet for a variety of reasons, but most would never believe that their pet would have unplanned offspring that could become unwanted shelter pets, or worse, euthanized. However, the reality is that every time the dog finds his way out of the yard or under the fence to visit the neighbor’s female dog, or the indoor/outdoor male cat goes out “on the prowl,” and finds his way to a feral female cat, the result is an unwanted, and sometimes unknown, litter of dogs or cats. Even if the puppies or kittens are placed into homes, it is still possible for them to reproduce further if they are not spayed or neutered, or to wind up in shelters if there are simply too many animals to handle, and the sad cycle continues. The only way to reduce the amount of needless and tragic animal euthanizations is to spay or neuter your pets, as this is the only foolproof method of birth control for animals.

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Posted in cat, dog, humane society of the united states, pet health, spay/neuter | 2 Comments »

Fun facts & trivia about the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: (134th annual is Feb 15-16, 2010)

February 16th, 2010

The 134th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show started today and we are SO excited… we are especially psyched to see one of our very own local champions, CH Casanova the bulldog “represent” at the Best of Breed competition, and hopefully win the category to go on to compete for Best in Group, and then Best in Show! As we prepped for the next two days of prime-couch-time for Westminster, we thought it would be fun to research and share some Westminster Dog Show facts and trivia.

Did you know…?

1)  No other continuously held sporting event in the United States is older than the Westminster Dog Show except for the Kentucky Derby, which was first held in 1875 (The first Westminster Dog Show was held in 1877).

2) The Westminster Kennel Club was started by a group of hunting men who regularly met at the Westminster Hotel in New York City to promote interest in sporting (hunting) dogs, particularly setters and pointers. Prizes for these first shows were usually pearl-handled pistols!

3) The Westminster show has been held each year despite power shortages, hazardous snow storms, national depressions, and World Wars.

4) Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.

5) The Empire State Building first honored Westminster by lighting its tower in the Westminster colors of purple and gold in 2004 and will do so again in 2009.

6) There have been a total of 296,451 dogs entered in Westminster’s 133 shows through 2009.

Best In Show Facts:

1) Only once has the offspring of a Best In Show winner duplicated the feat. In 2000, the best in show winner was an English Springer Spaniel, offspring of 1993 Best In Show Champion Ch. Salilyn’s Condor.

2) If I was a “Gamblin’ Man” I might take a close look at the terrier group: As of the 132nd Westminster Show in 2008, Best in Show has been won by the Terrier Group  44 out of the 100 times that the prize has been awarded since 1907, more than twice as many wins as any other group, even though only 27 of the 157 (or 17%) officially recognized AKC breeds are terriers.

Westminster Welcomes Three New Breeds for 2010:

IRISH RED AND WHITE SETTER – Sporting Group
“Despite its name, the Irish Red and White Setter is a distinct breed, not just a different colored version of the Irish Setter. Bred primarily for the field, they should be strong, powerful and athletic, with a keen and intelligent attitude. The coat’s base color is white with solid red patches. Known in Ireland since the 17th century, the Red and White is thought to be the older of the two Irish Setters. However, it was nearly extinct by the end of the 19th century. During the 1920s, efforts were made to revive the Irish Red and White Setter and by the 1940s, the breed began to reemerge in Ireland.” (www.akc.org/breeds/irish_red_white_setter)

NORWEGIAN BUHUND – Herding Group
“Once the cherished companion of Vikings, the Norwegian Buhund is a versatile farm dog from Norway that herds livestock, guards property, and has been used for hunting game. The name means farm-dog –”Bu” in Norwegian means homestead or farm and “hund” means dog. The Buhund is a double-coated, squarely-built spitz, a little under medium size, with mobile prick ears, a tightly-curled tail carried over the center of its back, and dark, almond-shaped eyes with an intelligent, friendly expression. This working breed has a lot of energy, strength, and stamina, but is also known to be independent. (www.buhund.org)”

PYRENEAN SHEPHERD – Herding Group
“The Pyrenean Shepherd is also known by its French name, Berger des Pyrénées, but fanciers of the breed in America often shorten his name to “pyr shep.” Herding has been and remains the mainstay of the economy of the High Pyrenees, and the Pyrenean Shepherd is the traditional working companion of the larger dog, the Great Pyrenees. Together they aid the shepherd in his everyday workings with his herd of sheep or other livestock. Outside his homeland of France the breed is rare, but in France his popularity as a wonderfully devoted family companion has grown considerably since the early 1970s. Although small in stature and weight, it is said, “pound for pound, he has few equals in both herding or guarding.” (www.pyrshep.com)

Get ready for your close-up, doggies, are you prepared for the PAPARAZZI?:  The USA Network has a cute promo video for Westminster, featuring Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi, which you can see HERE.

Source: Westminster Facts and Figures

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Posted in dog, grooming, westminster dog show | 13 Comments »

Valentine’s Day Top 7 Pet Pitfalls: Keeping your pets safe and healthy

February 10th, 2010

Although we humans look forward to the edible and sweet-smelling treats that usually come on and around Valentine’s Day, all of those flowers, perfumes, chocolates and candy hearts can be dangerous, and even fatal, to our pets.

1. Beware the flowers, especially lilies. All lily flowers are extremely toxic to cats and will cause fatal kidney failure. Even the smallest nibble of any part of the lily plant can be deadly to felines. The best thing to do  if you have cats is to ensure that no flower arrangements contain lilies, and if they do, remove them before they have a chance to wilt and drop petals, which cats can easily get into and chew on. If you think your cat has been exposed to any part of the lily plant, a trip to the vet ASAP is imperative.

2. Get rid of those thorns! If your florist doesn’t de-thorn your bouquet of roses, make sure the quintessential symbol of Valentine’s Day is pet-friendly. Biting, chewing or stepping on thorns cause trauma and can lead to infection.

3. Keep the chocolates as a sweet treat for yourself and your honey only!  Although most of us know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, the level of toxicity depends on the kind of chocolate (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet, or Baker’s) and whether it is pure (e.g., in bar or truffle form), or mixed into pastry like cake or cookies. Generally, the darker and more solid it is, the more dangerous it is for your dog. If you’re concerned that your dog ingested chocolate, call  animal poison control immediately because they can walk you through an assessment of what kind of chocolate it was, how much was eaten, and the size of your dog, how worried you should be. Generally, cats don’t like chocolate so they wouldn’t eat it even if it was laying around; however, if you suspect that your cat developed a sweet tooth and took it out on your Godiva, call poison control.

4. Sugar-free foods are also toxic to dogs. While you may think you’re doing your own health a favor by skipping the sugar, artificial sweeteners like Xylitol, found in many types of sugar-free candies and baked goods, are toxic to dogs and can cause liver failure. Better to be safe than sorry and keep all sugar-free foods out of your pet’s reach.

5. Ribbons and string don’t make good pet toys. This tip goes for any holiday in which bows, ribbons, and string accompany gifts.  Throw it all out, immediately, before Fluffy gets a hold of it! Cats LOVE to play with ribbons and string, and many times actually end up ingesting it which can be very dangerous and even fatal if it gets twisted up in the intestines.

6. Finish your wine, already!  While Valentine’s Day is a wonderful excuse to break out the bubbly, don’t assume that your very curious cat or dog will leave it alone, or worse, assume that just a taste might be amusing for them as well.  Even small amounts of alcohol can be very harmful to pets, states the ASCPA. Alcoholic drinks or foods and products containing alcohol (including perfumes and colognes) can cause “vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.”

7. Blow out the candles. Obviously, open flames are dangerous. Never leave your pet(s) alone with lit candles or a wood-burning stove or fireplace.  Candles can get knocked over, curious cats’ whiskers (or worse) can become singed, and worse-case scenario, you don’t want your Valentine’s Day to end with a visit from the fire department!
Should your pet get into mischief on Valentine’s Day, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year at (888) 426-4435. (A $65 consultation fee may apply.)

Source: PEOPLEPets.com.

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Posted in cat, diet, dog, holidays, pet health | 10 Comments »

Cheer CH Bullwrinkle Casanova along on his road to the 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show!

February 2nd, 2010

CH Bullwrinkle Casanova Bentley

You can see the name Casanova is well deserved

One of our favorite local pups, Champion Bullwrinkle Casanova Bentley, has been invited to the 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City!! He is a San Francisco favorite and our office’s vote for Best in Show.

Although not his true handler, the lovely Ms. Madison (pictured below) aspires to keep CH Bullwrinkle Casanova in tip top condition and recommends earthbath totally natural grooming products for use on all Champions: contenders, winners, & wanna-bes alike.  When asked for tips on how to put one’s best paw forward, Ms. Madison stated, “A winning game plan includes proper diet, exercise, discipline, regular grooming, looking and feeling your best, and well, just remembering that it is mostly all about how you play the game.  I attribute our success to my best friend’s intrinsic beauty and wonderful disposition, my pre-school’s focus on play, and to the stunning outfits I wear to training and shows.  Thanks to KIDSAGOGO I feel we both get the attention we deserve.  Joking of course, but looking good makes me feel good, and confidence is intoxicating in the ring and out.”  Well, thanks little lady…. and a resounding GOOD LUCK to our friend Champion Bullwrinkle Casanova Bentley from the entire earthbath team.

Make sure you become a fan of earthbath on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter for daily updates, and more news and info on Westminster as we start our countdown this week to the 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Show on February 15 and 16! We’re so excited!

Ch Bullwrinkle Casanova Bentley and Madison

Casanova and Madison taking time out to smell the flowers

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Posted in dog, grooming, westminster dog show | 1 Comment »

What’s the best way to stick to your New Year’s exercise resolution? Answer: Your dog holds the key, and it’s a leash.

January 27th, 2010

Most dog owners won’t be surprised to hear that results from a new study, published in a recent NYTimes Well Blog, found that your dog is the best exercise partner you could ask for, in terms of ensuring consistency and gaining overall fitness improvement. Amazingly, people assigned to a group that had to take a bus well out of their way to an animal shelter in order to walk a dog daily stuck to their walking schedule much better than another group of people who chose a friend to walk with them on a trail close to their home. It turns out that the people who were supposed to walk together started influencing each other to skip their daily walks. Hmm, that sounds all too familiar. The last time my workout partner and I planned to hit a spin class together, somehow we ended up at happy hour instead.

It’s not something I pay much attention to, from a personal fitness point of view, but the twice-daily walks I take around the neighborhood with Rupert, my always sweet and sometimes sloppy retriever mix, have become such a part of our daily routine it’s like brushing my teeth. In fact one usually occurs immediately after the other. When he looks at me with those beseeching “puppy dog eyes” (literally), tail a-wagging a mad tempo rhythm, and then starts running in circles around me, it’s hard not to be infected by the same level of enthusiasm, and out the door we go.

I’ve always had a hard time motivating to work out, and once a trainer said to me: “Just get yourself to the gym, and tell yourself you’ll just do 10 minutes. See how you feel after 10 minutes. Chances are, you’ll keep it going.” With Rupert pulling me towards and out the door twice a day, I don’t need to muster up any motivational tricks. On days when I think it’s too cold, too rainy, too early, too dark, too… whatever, I tell him, “we’re just going to the corner.” The corner is our “10 minutes” and usually, before I’ve even realized it, half an hour or more has passed, he’s bounding along, I’m jogging along with him, and we’re both feeling more clearheaded and energized.

A lot of my friends have made the predictable “I will exercise more this year” New Year’s resolutions, and I’m darn sure they wouldn’t have any trouble keeping it if they became dog owners. What do you think? Do you have any stories to share about your dog-walking experiences and any related exercise or mood benefits you’ve noticed?

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Posted in exercise | 8 Comments »

Natural Relief for Dry, Itchy Winter Skin

January 24th, 2010

If you’re like most pet owners, you’ve probably noticed that your pets’ skin can tend to get dry, itchy, and flaky in the winter time. This can be quite irritating for pets and their people alike! Fortunately there five simple steps you can take to provide natural relief.

  1. Keep the house humid. Use humidifiers to counteract the drying effects of forced-air heating systems. They help maintain adequate moisture in the air, preventing dehydration.
  2. Use oatmeal-based grooming products. Oatmeal is recognized as a natural moisturizer that temporarily relieves itching, and re-moisturizes dry skin and soothes minor skin irritations. Be sure to use a high quality shampoo such as Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo or other high quality natural pet shampoos that contains at least two or three percent colloidal oatmeal. Lather up your dog and massage oatmeal shampoo down to the skin. Leave the preparation on the dog for three to five minutes, rinse well and towel dry or blow dry with air that is not too hot.
  3. Don’t overdo the baths. Limit baths to every week or two in the cold months, as excessive bathing can deplete the skin’s natural moisturizers. Use grooming wipes or waterless grooming foam in between baths if needed to help control odor and dander.
  4. Pay close attention to your dog’s diet. Dry, flaky skin can also be caused by poor quality diet or food allergies. What you feed your pet is just as important as what you put on his skin. Feed super premium foods formulated to avoid skin allergies. For severe cases of dry skin, you can also supplement your pet’s diet with olive oil mixed into his food.
  5. Ask your vet. Last, but certainly not least, absolutely consult with your veterinarian if your dog’s skin problems persist.

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Posted in diet, grooming | 9 Comments »