The weather is perfect for the Uptown Art Fair this weekend! Trycia and I were there yesterday with some of our friends. As we were walking around we saw a bunch of our customers and their dogs at the fair. I know I have mentioned this before, but I really LOVE how dog friendly Minneapolis is! Even some of the artists started getting into the “dog friendly city” by offering water and treats at their booths. Hope everyone had a good weekend and that you were able to spend some quality time with your pooch!
Keith
Can you believe that it is already August? This summer has been so much fun with Beer with your Buddy, Wine and Wag, Pride, and the only Sushi with your Poochie that we will be at, but it is not over yet. I was just going through our dog event calendar to update our website and it is not over yet. We have another session of Doga and a few more Beer with your Buddies on their way, plus some other fun events.
We often get asked why we do so many events… Simply put, we like doing them! Quite honestly we have been so busy with the events and at the daycare that I have slacked at blogging!
I hope everyone is having a good summer with their pooch!
Keith
Max is being fostered by one of our friends and would make a great addition to a home that is ready for a dog that has a little energy.
Here is what his foster family said about him….
He is a lover of love! When he’s left alone for hours on end, he can get into some trouble with digging and chasing chipmunks but what Wirehair wouldn’t when left to their own devices for that long? I think he’d do best crated, in the house and then being exercised with a ball, a dummy throwing session or going for a swim. He adores people, does well with other dogs but has growled and nipped at a child- but only when they were trying to ride him like a horse. He is so gentle and really would be a terrific pet for someone who has the time. For more information on Max, send us an email.
With this extended stretch of warm weather, Blue-Green Algae has started to show up in Minnesota lakes earlier than normal. The algae gathers on the surface of the water and is known to kill dogs if they drink enough of it. It can also cause rashes and respiratory problems for people. We found list of FAQ’s about Blue-Green Algae. When in doubt, it is safest to keep your dog out of the lakes. We take Roxy to the Minnehaha dog park so she can walk in the river (which we feel is safer because the water flows more).
What is Blue Green Algae?
Blue Green Algae is the common name for Cyanobacteria. Most types of algae are not a problem. Blue Green Algae, however, is very toxic.
What does Blue Green Algae look like? Blue green algae does not float ON the water, it is distributed WITHIN the water. The algae that floats on top is typically duckweed, which is not toxic. Blue Green Algae laden water is not clear and generally takes on a deep dark green color. Usually Blue Green Algae is found in the shallow bay of lakes, slews or ponds.
When is Blue Green Algae a problem?
Blue Green Algae doesn’t always release it’s toxin. The environmental temperature has to be right for this to happen. In Minnesota, cyanobacteria toxins typically occur in July and August when water temperatures rise to 85 degrees and runoff fertilizer byproducts of nitrogen and phosphorous are present.
How does Blue Green Algae cause illness?
Animals (and people) can get sick from Blue Green Algae by drinking or swimming in the water. The Algae releases a toxin into the water, and when ingested, the toxin can cause liver failure.
What are signs of Blue Green Algae toxicity?
Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, seizures, respiratory distress and death. Signs can occur within hours to days.
What is the treatment for Blue Green Algae toxicity?
There is no specific treatment for Blue Green Algae toxicity. Pets are treated with supportive care, typically IV fluids. If you suspect that your pet has been exposed to Blue Green Algae, wear rubber gloves and bathe your pet immediatley. Then bring your pet to the nearest Veterinarian.
How can I prevent Blue Green Algae Toxicity?
First, don’t let your pet drink or swim in water that is not clear. Tests are available through the University of Minnesota Veterinary School Toxicology Unit that can test the water for presence of Blue Green Algae toxins.
Is it safe to give my pet Blue Green Algae herbal supplements?
No, you should not give your pet Blue Green Algae tablets. A 2006 case at the University of Minnesota Veterinary School involved a sick cat with severely elevated liver enzymes after ingesting these tablets. The tablets that were given to the cat were analyzed and confirmed to contain blue green algae toxin.
Some dog walkers can handle a large pack of dogs, but many can’t. We have a great list of dog walkers should you ever need one, just ask and we will tell you who makes our cut! (thanks to Google Images for this picture)
Yesterday I was leaving the doggy daycare and noticed a lady walking about 10 dogs on 10 leashes. All were small dogs and they were all tangled with each other. I almost stopped my scooter to take in this entertainment, but decided to keep going. The best part was that she was talking on her cell phone while walking all these dogs. There is no way that she was able to pay any attention to the dogs and what was really going on. If one dog would have snapped at another dog, they were so tangled up that it would be almost impossible to break them up… Oh, and she would have to stop talking on her phone and put it down. I know there are some dog walkers that can safely do this, but that was not the case yesterday. I really wanted to stop and take a picture of this chaos, but decided to keep moving.
I point this out because you might have noticed that we have added a daily walk to the list of services for when a dog is spending the night with us. When we do a walk, it is a 1 on 1 walk with a member of our staff an the dog has our full attention the entire time. Our staff are never allowed to use their phones while working (either in the play rooms, or on walks). As always we put the safety of your dog above anything else when they are with us.
Hope everyone has been staying cool. Have a great weekend!
Keith
Sarah one of the PPP staffers had fun in the Modern Life Photo – Photo Frame!
This was the 4th year that Pampered Pooch Playground was at the Twin Cities Pride Festival and I personally think it was our most fun year! We had our doggy lounge which was complete with our doggy bar, our cool new Minnepawpolis shirts, and a fun staff that really wanted to be there! Seriously, it was such a grew time and loved seeing all of our customers stopping over. We had our good friend Amber from Modern Life Photo at our booth taking pictures of people and their dogs. You can see and download the pictures she took on her website. Thanks again for making it such a fun and successful event!
Neddie (Ellen’s dog) and Hubble the corgi puppy who belongs to Kelly M (one of our staff).
I have to give a big thanks to Ellen our general manager (and Neddie’s mom) who filled in for me today! For the past week I have been dealing with a pretty bad toothache and the only time the dentist could get me in to work on it was this morning at 8:30. The only reason I bring this up is because Ellen gave up her day off today to come in and cover my shift in the lobby. This is something I LOVE about our staff, they are always willing to fill in where needed. After I was done at the dentist today around 11, I texted the daycare and asked if she wanted me to come in.. She said that it was ok, and i should just relax at home. So I am giving Ellen a huge shout out on our blog tonight for helping out today! Oh, my tooth is feeling much better, but the root canal hurt just as much as everyone said it would 
Funny thing… As I was waiting for the dentist, one of our customers was there and made a reservation with me for doggy daycare while sitting in their waiting room. Random!
Speaking of Ellen, her boyfriend designed some really cool shirts that we will have for sale at Pride this weekend. Stay tuned to see what they look like!
Have a good night!
Keith
Because I worked in the media for 11 years before opening Pampered Pooch Playground, I know how much celebrities value their privacy. We often get asked in the lobby if any famous people bring their dogs to us, and they do… But because we value their privacy we will never mention who they are on the website, Facebook or Twitter. I know you really want to know who they are, so lets just say we have had at least one of the following in the past 2 years:
- Minnesota Twins Player
- Minnesota Wild Player
- Minnesota Vikings player
- Musician (no it was not Prince)
- Radio Personality
- TV Personality
- DJ
- Artist
So there you go.. You can guess and guess, but we will never tell you who they are, heck, you might even run into them in the lobby sometime.
Have a good night.
Keith
When we first opened our doggy daycare, we did a regualr nap time like most places do. Dogs go in cages for 2 hours, and end up barking most of the time. This lasted for about a month and we decided that there had to be a better way of doing things. Now we do a group nap time, where we let the dogs lay down when they are tired. This has worked great and it creates more of a stress free setting for all the dogs and staff. We really try to re-invent doggy daycare and become an industry leader. Very often we get emails from other doggy daycares asking how we do our nap times and if they work.
Have a good day!
Keith
