Shampoochie Grooming Photos

Photos are not very well taken though. These are just some of the dogs and cats that we have groomed over the past many years and the pets that comes to our new place at Ericsson Pet Farm. We really do appreciate all of you for trusting your beloved "friends" to us. Thanks so much and we hope that you will continue to support us as we grow together to gain more pet's knowledge.

A Miniature Schnauzer
This is a rare breed in Singapore - A Brussels Griffon

A Toy Poodle in Teddy Bear Clip

A Shetland Sheepdog

A Miniature Schnauzer doing Rejuvenation Spa

Shampoochie Grooming Photos

Photos are not very well taken though. These are just some of the dogs and cats that we have groomed over the past many years and the pets that comes to our new place at Ericsson Pet Farm. We really do appreciate all of you for trusting your beloved "friends" to us. Thanks so much and we hope that you will continue to support us as we grow together to gain more pet's knowledge.

A Persian Cat that has to be shave down due to tangles

A Cairn Terrier

Hizer - The German Shepherd

Toy Poodle - Shaping up a Scandinavian Clip

Miniature Poodle in Teddy Bear Clip

Shampoochie Grooming Photos

Photos are not very well taken though. These are just some of the dogs and cats that we have groomed over the past many years and the pets that comes to our new place at Ericsson Pet Farm. We really do appreciate all of you for trusting your beloved "friends" to us. Thanks so much and we hope that you will continue to support us as we grow together to gain more pet's knowledge.

This is Chuchu - belong to Lucan Tan

This is Aki - Siberian Husky

This is LongLong - belongs to a ex Mediacorp Artiste.

This is Einstein - A Miniature Schnauzer (belong to Christina Chiam)

This is Super - A Standard Poodle (belongs to Mr Quek)

See The Light....

This was given to me from one of my favorite dog people. I had to steal it, too cute!

No matter what situations life throws at you...
No matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem...
Remember, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

You're laughing aren't you?

That's good... My job here is done!

Have a great day!

Top 10 Dog Breeds for 2007

The American Kennel Club announced their top ten dog breeds for 2007 based on registration statistics of its members...

2007 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S.

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd Dog
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Bulldog

For the first time since 1935, the Bulldog has broken into the top 10. The organization says that this breed has recently gained appeal to a very wide range of dog lovers. The Bulldog is both docile and adaptive, and can thrive in small or large homes. It's also one of the few dog breeds to be adopted as a mascot for some sports teams.

The Bulldog was first recognized by the AKC in 1886, just two years after the organization's founding, and was most popular in 1915 when it peaked in 5th place. The breed's popularity ebbed and flowed throughout the mid-20th century, but since hitting a low of 41st place in 1973, its ranking has steadily increased.

The AKC published statistics by cities...

• The Bulldog is most popular in Los Angeles where is it currently ranked 2nd right after the Lab.
• Atlanta, GA did not include the Bulldog in its top 10, despite being the home to University of Georgia's "Bulldogs".
• The Poodle and Dachshund, who each once enjoyed the top spot in Manhattan (2006, 2005 for the Poodle and 2004 for the Dachshund) now share a tie for 3rd place, ousted by America's top choice, the Labrador Retriever.
• Detroit, Knoxville, Miami, Honolulu and Orlando are the only cities that do not have the Labrador Retriever in the top spot. Detroit and Miami favor the German Shepherd, Orlando puts the Yorkie in 1st place, Honolulu the Golden Retriever and Knoxville the Boxer.
• Salt Lake City is the only city to place the Shih Tzu in one of its top two spots. It moved from 3rd in 2006 to 2nd in 2007.
• The only cities to not have the Yorkie on their lists are Buffalo, Milwaukee and Des Moines.
  Des Moines had the most unique list of all 50 cities, considering that it shared only four dogs with the national Top 10.
• The Miniature Schnauzer, which was displaced on the national list this year by the Bulldog, still claims top dog status in Oklahoma City where it ranks 3rd, higher than in any other U.S. city.
• San Francisco and Los Angeles were the only cities in the nation to include the French Bulldog in their Top 10 lists.

Other interesting dog breed preference facts...

• The Miniature Schnauzer was bumped off the Top 10 list in 2007 to make room for the Bulldog.
• The Yorkshire Terrier held steady in 2nd place, after making news last year by displacing the Golden Retriever and German Shepherd.
• The Havanese, a small dog with a coat type that is a good choice for people with allergies, has enjoyed the greatest surge in popularity since 1997, increasing 994%. It now ranks as the 37th most popular breed.
• Other small dogs (under 20 lbs.) that have gained popularity in the past decade include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (+406%), the French Bulldog (+404%) and the Brussels Griffon (+157%).
• Large dogs with notable increases are two Swiss breeds -- the Bernese Mountain Dog (+74%) and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (+127%) -- as well as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (+130%).
• Breeds on the decline include the Rottweiler (-81%) and the Dalmatian (-96%). Many breeds of Asian origins are also waning in popularity: Chow Chows (-84%), Pekingese (-79%), Akitas (-76%), Lhasa Apso (-75%), Chinese Shar-Pei (-73%) and Shiba Inu (-38%).
• The Beagle is the only breed that has consistently been included in the Top 10 list since 1915. It reigned as the most popular breed from 1954 to 1959.
• Poodles enjoyed a long reign as the most popular dog for 23 years (1960–1982), the longest any breed has held that position consecutively.
• Cocker Spaniels ranked number one from 1936-1953 (replaced by the Beagle in 1954). Cocker Spaniels made a comeback and were number one again from 1983-1990, making them the dog with the longest total reign in the top spot at 25 years.
• The Toy group has been steadily on the rise since the 1970s, when it made up only 12% of the registry versus 23% today.
• The Working group peaked in the 1990's at 17%, most notably due to the Rottweiler being in the Top 10 at that time, including several years in 2nd place.

You can read more about the AKC's top ten dog breeds here...

http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3408

Pet Ownership Benefits of Health

Having a dog has been shown to be beneficial both physically and emotionally. Here are some of the findings:

- Dogs encourage people to get out and exercise. It gives you a motivation and reason to get outside and walk or move around. And, it's not as boring going for a walk with a dog then it is when walking alone.

-Pets can help improve your mood. We've all had bad days. But how many times have you come home and as soon as you walk in, your dog is jumping and wagging his tail and greeting you at the door? It's hard to stay in a bad mood when your furry friend is always so happy to be with you.

-Pets can help lower your blood pressure

- Between the exercise and mood lifters as mentioned above, your stress level gets reduced and your blood pressure may actually drop.

- Facilitate laughter. Let's face it, pets do funny things, and make us laugh. Which then goes back to reducing stress and lowering blood pressure.

- Builds responsibility. A pet gives you something to care for and teaches you how to take care of another living, breathing mammal. Some first-time parents say their dogs helped prepare them for parenthood.

-Becomes a trusted friend. A pet is always there when you're sad, and always wants to be your best friend. Sometimes, my dog is better to me then people!

-A pet helps to keep you from being lonely.

-Improved sense of well-being. Again, a combination of a lot of the issues above, a pet helps you feel better overall.

Dear Non-Pet Owners

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"nitur e.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3 Are easier to train
4. Normally come when called
5. Never ask to drive the car
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college.

And finally,

11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children :(

Do You Talk To Your Pet?

All About Pets is pet website from the UK and they posted a survey asking if you talk to your pet. Not surprisingly, 97% of those taking the survey said yes.

Do animals know you're having a conversation with them? In some ways they do. They get to know certain phrases and certain actions that go with those phrases. Like it or not, humans are creatures of habit, and our furry pets, especially dogs, learn based on repetition, so it's no surprise that they know our habits.

I have conversations with my pets all the time. That doesn't mean they know what the heck I'm talking about, and they aren't going to solve the price of our rising living costs, but they do become a way for us as humans to vent, and provide therapy in so many ways.

What kind of conversations do you have with your pets?

Top 10 Peeves Dogs Have With Humans

1. Blaming your farts on me..... not funny... not funny at all!

2. Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG

3. Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4. Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose. Stop it!

5. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.

6. The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo oooooooo what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

7. Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

8. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

9. Dog sweaters. Hello ??? Haven't you noticed the fur?

10. How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous.

There are Breeds and Then There are Breeds

People often bring problems and questions to us, wanting advice and answers. 90% of the time it comes down to knowing about your dog's breed or mix of breeds, how to groom your dog, about your pet's health and training the dog accordingly.

For example, Siberian Husky are one of the most popular breeds in the Singapore. Because there are lots of Huskies around, there are lots of Husky mixes around too. They're an excellent family dog, but inevitably owners get angry and frustrated with young Husky chewing things up. Sadly lots of huskies and husky mixes end up in animal shelters (at least, the lucky ones!) in search of a new owner.





Dogs are genetically programmed to do certain things, according to their breed. To stay with the husky example, originally bred by the nomadic peoples of the Chukchi Tribe, of Siberia. The Siberian Husky was developed to provide transportation over the vast frozen land. This tough, strong large size dog was able to quickly cover long distances on very little food. They were bred to have a gentle nature and were a intrigal part of everyday family life. The relationship born of mutual need and nurtured by mutual respect existed between this dog and the Chukchi people. The Siberian lived in isolation for centuries before the outside world discovered it and bought it to other regions. The present day Siberian Husky has changed a lot since entering this country around 1900, but with in the current Siberian Husky breed the heart and drive of the beloved and much prized, Chukchi dog still lives. Today's Siberian is a beautiful, captivating, eager, outgoing, animated canine companion.They have the ability to charm and hold captive the hearts of many. Their abilities in addition to companion animals are: Sledding, carting, running companion, agility, obedience. This breed has many charms, however they also have strong and difficult behaviors that require a special effort for successful ownership.


So, if you take an animal with that programming and put him alone in a house for several hours, he will get bored and restless. He will want to run and jump and use his mouth. The younger he is, the more likely he is to start in on your hand-tooled leather couch, even if he has chew toys he's allowed to destroy. When you come home he may even proudly "retrieve" a piece of the couch and present it to you. All too often people interpret this as "he's being spiteful because we left him alone." Or "he was just being a brat... some nerve bringing me a piece of my expensive couch!" None of that is true!! Dogs aren't that complicated, especially husky. He was feeling an excess of energy and wanting to do his job and present things. Since the couch pieces wouldn't let go of each other, he had to pull them apart in order to get individual tropies to bring you. When he slinks away he' s not reacting in guilt, as people assume. He's seen your body language (maybe heard your screams) and he wants to get out of town! If he could talk he'd say, "I dunno what they're mad about, but I know I'm in trouble."


So what does our husky guy think if you smack him upside the head and/or yell at him. He's going to be very scared and conclude that he has a great time when you're away, but it sure goes downhill when you get home. What to do? Well, mainly, it's super important to research a breed before you get a dog. Once you know you're going to have a high energy animal in your house, you can plan accordingly. For example, he needs strenuous exercise before you leave him alone. Like fetching a ball or frizbee outside about a million times. Buy one of those gadgets that has a cup on the end of a stick so you can throw a tennis ball far away. The more he runs, the better chance your leather couch has of surviving. Also, while a husky is young, you should crate train him - put him in a crate that's large enough for him to stand up and turn around and leave him there for progressively longer periods of time. Start with 5 minutes and don't let him out no matter how much he cries. Go on to 10 minutes, half an hour, etc. Always put healthy chewies in the crate with him. Greenies are good; also dentabones, nylabones and other tough materials. Also make sure the crate is comfy - an old quilt or thick blanket for him to lie on.


In addition, you're going to need to train your husky. It's work. It's a commitment. It has to be consistent for the whole family. Cute tricks are a whole lot less important than your being able to get and hold his attention when there are distractions. Make him sit and stay while you bounce a ball, then as a reward tell him to "fetch!" It takes endless repetition, but in time he will start to focus on you when your voice sounds like a command. If you don't train your husky, he's going to run around and jump on people, maybe injure a child or an elderly person, or cause a rotary cuff injury to someone trying to walk him. Remember: genetically he has an overabundance of energy! Only with training and consistent, desirable rewards, can he learn to walk next to you nicely. If everyone in the house is out during most of the day, send him to a dog playgroup or a dog day care center at least twice a week. The most common thing we hear from our customers is "It's so wonderful that she's exhausted when we get her home at night!"


Other breeds? Well, if you want calm and cuddly, think about a dog that's bred to be a decoration, like a Chihuahua or Maltese or Toy Poodle. If you live in a big house and want calm and cuddly, think about a large working dog like a Saint Bernard, or Bernese Mountain Dog, or a Alaskan Malamute. These dogs have a slow metabolism and are kept warm chiefly by their coats. However, be aware that, generally speaking, large dogs live shorter lives than small dogs. If you buy a Standard Poodle because they're so darn cute, be prepared to have her professionally groomed at least every four to six weeks, and budget for that. If you don't, her coat will matt up tight and she'll have to be shaved periodically, which in either extreme heat or cold endangers her health. If you crave a Shih Tzu for your kids, be aware that they have been overbred in the Singapore, and have persistent health and temperment problems. You can get around that by going to a high quality professional breeder and paying a lot of money. In any case, it's "pay now, pay later".


If you're thinking about getting a dog, go to the American Kennel Club (http://www.akc.com/) website and research your preferred breed. If you're getting a mixed breed, find out as much as you can about his ancestry, so you know what to expect. If you already have a dog, research him or her and ask a professional trainer how to compensate for the breed's tendencies.