Dogs around the world are giving the hair off their backs to help clean up one of the worst oil spills in history. Groomers have gathered the hair trimmings from their doggie salon floors, as individuals collect the fur that their dogs are shedding, all sending it along to Matter of Trust, a San Francisco non-profit organization. This fur, along with human hair and donated nylons, is being stuffed into casings to make mats that will help contain the recent Gulf oil spill.

Last week, I talked about ways you can prevent your pup from getting fleas. But even with these measures in place, we can find these nasty pests in our home. How can you tell the difference between an itchy dog and a flea-ridden one?

It’s summertime, and as pet owners we know that also means it’s flea time. Up until now, I’ve been lucky enough to avoid the pests. My last dog Tony, or Tony Bologna as he was known to friends, was an elderly fellow who wanted little to do with tall grass or shrubs. He was content with the concrete, thank you very much! But my two youngins have a propensity for getting into trouble… and adore rubbing on whatever greenery is nearby. Fleas, I fear, are in my future.

There are few things more classic than a dog and his bone, and the idea of using these leftovers may seem like an inexpensive and eco-friendly way to give your dog something to gnaw on, but before you start sucking up to the local butcher, you should be aware of the potential dangers. Nowadays, many veterinarians recommend against them, as each kind of bone poses unique problems.

When my puppy Lady gets a squeak toy, it’s like she's got a box of cereal with a prize in the middle. She immediately tears through the thing to find the plastic squeaker in the center -- and then chews it to shreds. As you can imagine, that results in her ingesting a ton of chemicals that aren’t good for her -- PVCs in the plastics as well as pesticides and hormones used to make other materials -- and, of course, it produces a lot of waste.

Whether or not you’ve “gone organic,” you probably know how crucial a role diet plays in your overall health. People who switch to organic foods report a boost in their energy levels. Their complexions improve and rashes clear up. They catch fewer colds, suffer fewer allergies, and recover quicker from illnesses. The health benefits of eating organic seem to last long-term.