Down the street from me lives a young Labrador Retriever whose plight breaks my heart every time I see him. He’s not mistreated, at least not in an obvious way. He’s just always alone. Day after day, he stays outdoors in his fenced yard, with no one for company. From his yard, he barks at all who pass by as though he were asking for someone — anyone — to pay attention to him.

The dog’s owner is a busy guy. He’s got a full-time job, a house to maintain, and all the other tasks to perform that go with life today. I sympathize: 21st century life can be chaotic for anyone. But we can make time for our dogs without exerting very much effort or spending a lot of extra time. Here are some ways to do just that.

Take her along. Whether running errands, picking the kids up from school, or stopping by your office, including your dog can be a hassle-free way to give her attention and stimulation. “For adult dogs whose owners’ lifestyles primarily revolve around being home, at soccer games, and ferrying the kids to school, having the dog participate in these activities can meet much of her social needs,” says Alice Moon-Fanelli, Ph.D., certified applied animal behaviorist at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Sleep with her. Experts agree that having your dog sleep in your bedroom, but not necessarily on your bed, can be a great way to spend extended time with your canine companion with no additional effort on your part. You sleep, she sleeps. What could be easier?

Find things you both like to do. Some activities you do for your own enjoyment are even more fun if your four-legged friend does them with you. Moon-Fanelli recommends spending some one-on-one time with your dog “in mutually enjoyable physical activities,” such as swimming and hiking.

Try multi-tasking. Are you busy fixing lunch or preparing dinner while your dog hangs around? Use this opportunity to help her practice sit-stays and down-stays. Are you watching TV? Use that time to brush your best friend, too — or at least give her some cuddle-time.

Do some delegating. If you don’t live alone, other family members can help out with dog care. For example, “when there are children in the household, they can become the designated walkers, exercisers, and players,” notes Terry Curtis, DVM, veterinary behaviorist at the University of Florida in Gainesville. “It just spreads the interactions over more people.”

That said, you do need to at least spend a little extra time with your dog if she’s to become a happy member of your household and stay that way. Every dog needs training, exercise, and some one-on-one time with her people each day. A little creativity on your part can go a long way toward meeting those needs without putting much of a dent in your schedule.

The Muttin’ But Love Fundraiser benefits the non-profit organization’s commitment to rescuing at-risk dogs from Los Angeles area shelters, finding them safe and suitable permanent homes through adoption, advocacy and education.

The star-studded event will include: C. Thomas Howell (The Amazing Spiderman); Music artist, Natalie Imbruglia; Hilary Duff (Cheaper by the Dozen); Celebrity Dog Trainer & Best Selling Author, Tamar Geller; Jennifer Missoni (Gossip Girl).

The evening will feature drinks, entertainment, and live and silent auctions for remarkable items, including trips to Santa Fe and Lake Tahoe; spa services including Dry Bar, Sally Hershberger, B2V Salon, and Bliss Spa, plus Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers tickets.

Come and meet the editors of DOG FANCY, one of the event sponsors, who will share a sneak peek at Rescue Me, a soon to be launched new national publication dedicated to the world of rescue.

Dogs rescued thanks to donations at last year’s fundraiser.

Four-month-old Jazzy, a “mostly Lab” puppy, has just been adopted by a newlywed couple. They head out to shop for supplies, leaving Jazzy free to explore her new abode. But after spending several days in a boring old cage at the shelter, Jazzy is bursting with energy and ready to examine the couple’s finery in great detail—by running it through her mouth. Two hours later, the newlyweds arrive back home to find feathers everywhere, not to mention a puppy with a very bad bellyache who requires a trip to the veterinarian. Can this adoption be saved before “Jaws” strikes again?

ThinkstockChewing is a common complaint among those caring for dogs younger than one year old. Part investigation, part teething, and all fun, chewing is a rewarding activity for dogs, and rewarding activities are likely to be repeated. But with a combination of training and chewing-management methods, dog guardians can keep their homes intact and their dogs in their homes.

Dogs are apt to chew for several reasons. First, they are curious creatures who lack opposable thumbs. Hence, they cannot pick up most objects with their paws for closer scrutiny. Instead, they examine them with their mouths. Second, from four to eight months of age, they will shed all their deciduous (puppy) teeth and grow a new set of permanent teeth. Chewing assuages the discomfort that accompanies teething. Third, chewing expends energy and gives a bored pup something to do. Older puppies and young adolescents are bursting with energy. If not properly exercised, they may expend that energy gnawing on your family heirlooms. Fourth, dogs suffering from separation anxiety often chew objects embedded with their owners’ scents to help relieve the stress of being left alone. Finally, some dogs were purposefully bred to use their mouths. Retriever guardians are the group most likely to complain about excessive mouthing and chewing by their pups.

Take the Bite Out of Teething

It is possible to get through this difficult stage without major losses. The first step is to create a safe haven for your puppy. A dog crate or small, carefully dog-proofed area will do. When dog-proofing an area, get down at puppy eye level to scope out potential problems. Electrical wires, drapery cords, and curling wallpaper corners will jump out at you from this vantage point. When you cannot supervise your puppy, place her in her safe haven with an approved yummy chew toy, such as a rubber toy stuffed with kibbles or treats

Invest in a variety of chew toys appropriate to the size and chewing preferences of your dog. As the dog’s

guardian, the onus to select desirable yet safe chew toys falls on you. Items such as beef-marrow bones, rawhide, chew hooves, and pigs’ ears all have their pros and cons. The first few times you offer such items to your dog, watch closely to make sure they’re suitable for her. Throw away any sharp splinters or small, sticky remains. Alternate the chewies to keep her interest high, and save the most desirable of them for crate time or when the puppy is left alone.

Cue Good Behaviors

The only way a dog can learn which items are okay to chew and which ones are forbidden is by getting well-timed feedback from her humans. When she eyes or chews a table leg, give a verbal warning such as “eck” or “phooey” and then draw her attention to an acceptable toy. When you catch your dog chewing on an approved object, don’t forget to praise, reward with a tasty morsel, and tell her to carry on. Remember that rewarded behavior is more likely to be repeated. If the table leg or rug fringe remains your dog’s favorite chew toy, diminish its desirability by coating it with a commercial anti-chew cream (for wood) or spray.

It’s also important to remember that a young dog does not need access to the entire house. If you have children who are messy with their toys or a spouse who can’t seem to locate the dirty laundry bin, keep the dog out of those rooms by closing bedroom doors or installing pet gates during the dog’s chewing phase. Through a combination of management and training methods, assisted by the natural aging process, the Jazzys of the world will outgrow their “Jaws” nicknames and eventually earn full household access. Until then, make use of your dog’s safe haven when you aren’t there to supervise, and you’ll no longer fear what awaits you when you walk through the front door.

The following is an excerpt from Petfinder’s FurKeeps Kickoff Ask the Experts Forum.

Q: Unlike my Lab, who carries around her rawhide bones for days, weeks even, my parents’ female Lab chews them up in a few minutes.

How do we stop my parents’ dog’s aggressive chewing? She is overweight, so it’s not hunger. They live on a farm and she goes everywhere in the car with my retired parents.

A: I wish there was a solid great answer for your question. The bottom line is, every dog is different. Some are serious chewers and some are hobby chewers! It sounds like your dog is more of a hobby chewer and your parents’ dog is really dedicated to the task!

ThinkstockYou can experiment with various types of bones, as you may find that some are more hearty and appropriate than others for their dog.

Regular rawhide tends to go very fast with a dedicated chewer so some suggestions for your parents’ dog would be to try some of the more indestructible toys like Kongs and Busy Buddy toys from Premier.

These toys are very hardy and are also interactive, so your parents’ dog will have to use her mind as well as her mouth to get through them. All of them can be stuffed with food to some degree and your imagination is the only thing that limits what you put into a well-stuffed Kong! Leftovers never go bad in my house as they get stuffed into a Kong and more often than not frozen to make the challenge that much tougher for my dogs.

Stuff the toys easily at first and then make it harder as the dog gets better at unstuffing them!

The other bones I like are the huge bronto bones — they are essentially cow femurs and are available in most feed stores and some better pet supply places. They look like a dinosaur bone really. They’re huge! If you hand her that outdoors or on a dog bed it should take her a while to make a dent in that. Of course, she should not eat the whole bone in one sitting. This would be a few days or a week of entertainment in my house, even with the power chewers sitting below my desk!

Bronto bones are generally hickory smoked so they have a coating that comes off. Be sure to avoid white carpets or nice dog beds until they lick and chew off all the good stuff.

My short-version advice?

The bigger the better with power chewers.

If she cannot get her whole mouth on the bone or toy to get a good chomp down that will help. The power comes from the back of the jaw so if she has to work at it at the front of her mouth, rather than being able to get it entirely inside, it may last longer.

If you stick with regular rawhide, look for big, industrial size ones — no smaller than 12″ in length. Pressed rawhide or something with multiple layers of rawhide rolled into a retriever roll is ideal.

If she consumes a lot, be sure to buy USA-made rawhides, as some of the other countries still use chemicals that are not ideal to consume in larger quantities!

The vitamins and minerals a dog needs are necessary for many complex chemical processes in the body. They deliver nutrition from food, regulate and affect many of the thousands of nervous system processes. AAFCO-approved dog foods are formulated to contain all the right vitamins in the proper amount for your dog. Each vitamin plays many roles in maintaining healthy function. A few are listed her:

Biotin: Aids in enzymatic processes

Choline: Helps maintain the nervous system

Folic acid: Works with vitamin B12 and helps form red blood cells.

Vitamin A: Helps maintain vision, bone growth, tissue and reproductive processes

Vitamin B1 (thiamine): Aids in normal growth, appetite and energy production

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Aids in growth

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): Helps produce energy and metabolize protein

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): Helps metabolize protein and form red blood cells

Vitamin B12: Helps synthesize DNA and aids intestinal function

Vitamin C: Helps form tissue, heal skin and maintain bones and teeth; may help support healthy joint function as well as immune function

Vitamin D: Helps use calcium and phosphorous to maintain bone and cartilage

Vitamin E: Important for muscle function and normal reproduction; protects muscle cells from damage due to oxidation in the body

Vitamin K: Facilitates proper blood clotting

Dogs also require some of the same minerals humans require. The following are the most important of these minerals:

Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorous

Sulfur

Calcium and phosphorous work together to strengthen bone. Magnesium helps with cell action and nutrient metabolism. Sulfur helps the body synthesize protein and protects joints.

Dogs don’t just need these minerals, but in the correct amounts. For example, insufficient calcium can result in muscle, nerve, bone and blood problems, but excessive calcium can cause bones to grow too quickly and lead to future orthopedic disorders such as hip dysplasia.

Dogs also need trace minerals, such as:

Iron

Zinc

Copper

Cobalt

Selenium

Manganese

Iodine

Cobalt

Mineral requirements differ slightly for different dog breeds. Check with your veterinarian to be sure the food you have chosen has the correct nutritional profile for your individual dog.

Like the winners of the Miss America contest or the Nobel Prize, the pageantries and celebrations of the World’s Ugliest Dog did not end when he stepped off the stage.

The two-year-old Chihuahua-Shih Tzu mix named Peanut won the big trophy and the admiration of his peers at the Marin-Sonoma Fair in Petaluma, CA last week, but that was only the beginning of his journey.

Last night, Peanut and his owner Holly Chandler were guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel, who was familiar with the tough road that Peanut, a rescue dog and burn victim has traveled, wanted to make sure he could give the little dog an experience that he would not soon forget: a makeover.

Kimmel’s initial take on Peanut was that “he’s either the World’s Ugliest Dog or the World’s Prettiest Rat.”

In the montage, Peanut is put through all the essentials of a makeover: grooming, accessories and wardrobe. When Kimmel finally brings him on stage, dressed in a multicolored polka dot bowtie and his hair expertly combed, Peanut looks like a star.

Benjamin Franklin said it best: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This sentiment is especially relevant right now, as March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month. If you haven’t already, now is the time to review the potential poisons and toxins in your home, and make sure they are safely out of reach of your pets.

1. Food for Thought

Dogs can’t always dine on the same things people do. Make sure you keep the following foods away from your dog, as even the smallest taste might be dangerous:

Alcoholic beverages

Avocado

Chocolate

Coffee

Macadamia nuts

Onions

Raisins and grapes

Xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in sugarless gum)

Yeast

2. Prevent a Kitchen Nightmare

There are other things to consider keeping away from your pet besides food. Dish soap, degreasing products, dishwasher tablets and steel-wool cleaning pads can all pose a health risk to a nosy pup. Consider using cabinet locks to keep your clean-up supplies away from curious canines, or store them out of the kitchen in a place where you can keep them up and out of reach.

3. The Rx for Safety

Keep your medication in its original, safety top containers, and store it high out of reach of your pet — preferably in child- or pet-proofed cabinets. With regard to flea medication prescriptions: Don’t give your dog flea medication prescribed for a cat, as these meds are not interchangeable among species. Cat-specific medications may contain additives that can harm your dog. Check with your veterinarian about flea medications that can accommodate both cats and dogs.

4. Washing Woes

Similar to the kitchen, you’ll want to have a place to store your laundry supplies where they’ll be safely out of reach of your pet. Detergent, dryer sheets and stain removers are all potential poisons if your dog eats them.

5. The Sweet Scent of Safety

Fresh flowers can make your home look and smell beautiful, but sometimes, dogs just can’t help themselves to a nibble or two … or twelve. Lilies, poinsettias, oleander and daffodils are all potentially poisonous if ingested, so keep temptation at bay by nixing the table floral decorations.

6. Yard Matters

Poison safety doesn’t end once you step outside the house!

Landscape chemicals: Keep lawn and garden chemicals, such as fertilizer and weed killer, stored in a secure bin with a lid when you’re finished using them.

Garage chemicals: Bug spray, lighter fluid, gasoline, charcoal — if it’s in the garage or shed, it’s probably not suitable for your dog. The sweet smell and taste of anti-freeze is often enticing to most pets, but it can be fatal if ingested. Make it a habit to put all chemicals away before you leave the garage (in an out-of-the-way cabinet, if possible).

Trash: Invest in a tamper-proof garbage can that your pet can’t open. Trash bins are treasure (read: poison) troves for curious dogs. The potential for your dog to find and eat something he shouldn’t is too great with an unattended trash can.

Kimmel gave Peanut some sound advice: “I hope this doesn’t change who you are…it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

He looks beautiful, doesn’t he?

There isn’t much you can change about Peanut to make him into a different dog. A bowtie and combing doesn’t change much about the pain and suffering this friendly dog went through to get to where he is.

A makeover is a nice gift, but truthfully Peanut should be proud to be who he is. You do you, Peanut. We love you just the way you are.

Peanut and his human live in Greenville, South Carolina. They entered Peanut in the contest in order to raise awareness around the subject of animal abuse.

Early German breeders developed the German Shepherd Dog from herding and farm dogs. Today’s German Shepherd Dog embodies the versatility needed to excel at various careers like policing, tracking, drug sniffing, search and rescue, and assisting.

The GSD’s history traces to the 1890s, when German calvary officer Capt. Max von Stephanitz sought to perfect a superior herding dog from his native country. He admired intelligent, strong dogs and saw many superior traits in native herding breeds. Despite his search, however, he didn’t find one that embodied his ideals until he attended a dog show with a friend in 1899.

Known as the father of the breed, von Stephanitz spied a dog named Hektor Linksrhein who impressed him so much that he purchased him on the spot and formed Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), of Society for the German Shepherd Dog, later that year. This milestone in the GSD’s history marked its entry into the purebred-dog arena.

Von Stephanitz renamed the dog Horand von Grafeth, and his seed became the genetic starting point for the breed we know today. Horand’s most celebrated son was Hektor v. Shwaben, who in turn sired Heinz v. Starkenburg and his little brothers Beowolf and Pilot. Each of these dogs produced offspring who became pillars in the development of the German Shepherd Dog. As president of the SV, von Stephanitz guided the German Shepherd breeding programs. He followed the credo that the GSD should be bred for utility and intelligence above all else.

The German Shepherd Dog breed made its debut in the United States in the early 1900s and got its biggest boost in popularity after World War I when GSDs served as messenger, rescue, sentry and personal guard dogs alongside servicemen. Big-screen superstars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart also helped promote the breed as loyal family dogs and home guardians.

The American Kennel Club recognized the German Shepherd Dog in 1908 as part of the registry’s Herding Group. Though the dogs retain their shepherding heritage, German Shepherds are now predominantly used as service animals and family companions. GSDs consistently remain near the top of the AKC’s most-registered breeds, securing their spot as one of the country’s most admired dogs.