Several years ago, Carolina Mountain Dog covered Fletcher Community Park (off Howard Gap Road and Hendersonville Road in Fletcher, NC) as an ideal "Pooch Path." The park features flat, paved and very walkable trails that run through the park and beyond to a lovely greenway, behind the park. Bordering the park is also Cane Creek, accessible from a crushed stone path, where dogs can splash around and get a cold drink. Now, Fletcher Community Park is an even better doggie destination. The park has added the new Morris Broadband Dog Park, which consists of two separate large fenced in areas,... Continue reading

Despite varying opinions about the efficiency of SEO and social media, both of these "inbound" marketing methods seem to be increasingly favored by companies for lead generation. According to the 2013 "State of Inbound Marketing Report," published by HubSpot, 21 percent of companies say social media has grown more important... Continue reading

Full Moon Farm is an organization dedicated to the well being of the wolfdog (wolf-dog hybrid). Situated on 17 beautiful mountain acres in Black Mountain, NC, the sactuary operates as a not-for-profit organization for abused and refused wolfdogs who find themselves in need of love, shelter, and care through no fault of their own. Full Moon Farm provides a safe haven for animals that cannot be placed into homes for the rest of their lives. You have the opportunity to visit this unique farm during the Full Moon Farm Howl-In on Saturday, May 25th. Tours of the Farm begin at... Continue reading

The Charlotte Pet Expo will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Park Expo Center in Charlotte. Along with over 100 exhibitors, the expo will feature: Prize giveaways for people and pets Dozens of rescue groups and a mega-adoption event Discounted vaccinations, microchipping and heartworm and flea preventatives Free nail trims Agility demonstrations Obedience demonstrations Author readings and book signings The latest pet products Live entertainment, and more Pets are welcome. Admission is free; parking is $7. For more information visit http://charlottepetexpo.com . Continue reading

Pet Behavior Aid will hold a free session to help dog owners deal with barking. If you tried everything you know to do do to stop your dog from barking so much, then this session is for you. Learn the different types of barks, what they mean, and creative ways to stop the barking. The session will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 to 11 AM at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption & Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville (behind Harmony Motors, off Brevard and Pond Roads, near the WNC Farmers Market). Humans only, please. For more... Continue reading

Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation does great work to save Haywood County's adoptable pets. You can support Sarge's by attending the second annual "Dogs & Suds" fundraiser on Thursday, May 16, from 6 to 9 PM at the Frog Level Brewing Company, 56 Commerce Street, Waynesville. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. You can purchase tickets in advance at Sarge's Adoption Center, 256 Industrial Park Drive and Smoky Mountain Dog Bakery, 102 N. Main Street, both in Waynesville, or at Mountain Dreams Realty, 3457 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Your ticket includes a 16 oz. craft beer,... Continue reading

Water's Edge, the first novel featuring Blackout the dog, is now available in paperback. Originally pupblished exclusively as an eBook, a paperback edition has been added because of popular demand. Ekta Garg of BookPleasures.com reviewed Water's Edge and wrote, "overall this immensely enjoyable novel will have readers staying awake at... Continue reading

Dog lovers have long suspected that owning a dog was related to good health -- but now the American Heart Association confirms it! The following is the beginning of an article that appeared in The New York Times last week: "The nation’s largest cardiovascular health organization has a new message for Americans: Owning a dog may protect you from heart disease. The unusual message was contained in a scientific statement published on Thursday by the American Heart Association, which convened a panel of experts to review years of data on the cardiovascular benefits of owning a pet. The group concluded... Continue reading

Carolina Mountain Dog recently learned about a unique new product -- an energy bar designed for you to share with your dog. "YaffBar" is produced by a Vermont company called Mudd + Wyeth (named after two dogs). And in case you're wondering, "yaff" is an old English word meaning "to bark," according to the company. Says Mudd + Wyeth, "Now you can snack and stay on the go with the world's first 'people food' bar designed to be shared with your best friend! This is pure puppy love in a bar: wholesome, hand-baked, and seriously delicious. And it's full of... Continue reading

Is your dog friendly towards dogs off-leash, but becomes a wild, reactive beast when restrained? Then this free help session is for you! Pet Behavior Aid presents "GRRRR! Leash Reactivity Help Session" on Thursday, May 9 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. It will be held at Pet Harmony, 803 Fairview Street (off Hendersonville Road near the Rt. 40 exit). Topics include: How to read your dog's signals before he or she erupts Management tools and ideas to reduce reactivity Helpful behaviors to teach your feisty fido How to set up for successful dog greetings This help session is open to... Continue reading

The Blue Ridge Humane Society in Hendersonville, NC operates a thrift store that is the top source of revenue for the society's animal shelter. In the last five years our shelter has helped over 3,000 animals. Thrift store revenue has helped in so many ways, including paying for spay/neuter surgery, microchips, vaccinations, medical attention, and food for those 3,000 animals. Now the Blue Ridge Humane Society has opened a second thrift store. It is located at 1034-A Greenville Highway (near Merrell Paint and Pita Express), a half mile north of the current thrift store at 1214 Greenville Highway. The new... Continue reading

The 2nd Annual Watauga Humane Society Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, May 17 at the Blowing Rock Country Club with a 1:30 PM shotgun start. The field will be limited and deadline for entry is May 10, 2013. The tournament will feature team prizes, special event prizes, and a hole-in-one prize. Individual players and teams of four are welcome and sponsorships are available. Proceeds benefit the Watauga Humane Society. For more information and to download an entry form for the tournament, visit www.wataugahumanesociety.org. Continue reading

Animal Compassion Network (ACN) and Asheville Humane Society (AHS) have announced they are integrating their teams and talents to strengthen and expand their capability to save and serve more of Buncombe County’s neediest animals. ACN brings a strong history of programs that keep animals in their homes so that they don’t have to come into the Buncombe County Animal Shelter in the first place. Examples of these programs include the Community Pet Pantry, Meals on Wheels for pets, and the Betty Fund for financial assistance in spay and neutering. ACN also brings a dedicated foster network. AHS brings a long... Continue reading

Want to know where marketing is really headed? Take a look into the future with McKinsey & Company as they explore what they refer to as "on-demand marketing." In a predictive article for McKinsey Quarterly, Peter Dahlstrom and David Edelman suggest that there will be four emerging areas of consumer... Continue reading

The Greenville Humane Society will hold a Yappy Hour on Thursday, May 2 from 6 to 8 PM at the society's facility, 305 Airport Road, Greenville, SC. Enjoy listening to local artists with a cold beer in hand while your dog has a chance to run around the canine courtyard and cool off in one of the “doggie pools.” This event is open to the public, but all canines must come on leash, be dog-friendly, spayed/neutered, and up to date on vaccinations. Admission is $8, which includes beer, bark and band. All proceeds benefit the Greenville Humane Society. Visit www.greenvillehumane.com... Continue reading

By Stacey Brecher for Exceptional Canine Ready to hit the road with your dog? Before you put the car into drive, it’s important to make sure that your dog is safe. Some options for properly restraining your dog while in the car are in a crate, a harness or a seat belt. Using a Crate If you decide to keep your dog in a crate for the duration of the car ride, and your vehicle has enough room to stow it, the crate should be large enough for your dog to lie down or stand up and turn around. Bill... Continue reading

Pet Behavior Aid will hold a free information session, "Be Brave!," for owners of fearful dogs on Saturday, April 27, from 9 to 11 AM. The session will be held at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption and Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville. (Off Brevard and Pond Roads, behind Harmony Motors, near the WNC Farmers Market). Humans only, please. Topics include how to help your dog gain confidence, learning how to understand signs of anxiety and when to step in, how to prevent fear from becoming aggression, and fundamental techniques to help your "wallflower" blossom. For more information, visit... Continue reading

Need to get your dog or cat vaccinated against rabies? Come to a low-cost shot clinic on Saturday, April 27 in Leicester. The clinic will be held from 10 AM until 2 PM at the Liecester Community Center. Rabies vaccinations and other vaccinations will be available at low cost. Microchips to protect your pet if lost are also available at a low fee. Continue reading

Few brands have reached the level of sophistication that consulting firm Vivaldi Partners Group (VPG) calls "social currency." Social currency, says VPG, is made up of six attributes: utility, advocacy, information, identity, affiliation and conversation. VPG looks at the impact or brand performance of social currency by measuring the following... Continue reading

The Humane Society of the United States is holding an "Advocating for Animals" grassroots meeting on Thursday, April 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Isothermal Community College, Polk County Campus, 1255 West Mills Street in Columbus, NC. Join the NC State Director of The Humane Society of the United States, North Carolina Voters For Animal Welfare, and Susie's Law for a special award ceremony and grassroots meeting. The Foothills Humane Society has received a "Shelters We Love Award" for their community outreach and outstanding work for animals in the Foothills. This meeting will celebrate the Foothill Humane Society and... Continue reading

Guest Post by Logan Hickey, FetchRx.com Pet Health Blogger Yes, it is true. The disease facing thousands of canines each year has met its match. It may surprise you, however, who this match is. It is YOU. You, the pet owner, are the most effective match in thwarting the deadly heartworm disease. Before describing how you can do this, it is important to learn the basics of heartworm disease. In short, heartworm disease in canines is a condition caused by a mosquito bite that transmits microfilariae into the dog. Over many months, the microfilariae develop into adult worms, located in... Continue reading

Pet Behavior Aid is offering "Housetraining 101," a free one hour housetraining help session, on Saturday, April 20 from 10 to 11 AM. The session will be conducted at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption and Education Center at 14 Forever Friend Lane in Asheville (off Brevard and Pond Roads, behind Harmony Motors, near the WNC Farmers Market). Topics include: How to teach your dog when and where to eliminate Housetraining schedules Management options including crate training Proper accident cleanup Troubleshooting The help session is free and open to the public, but donations are accepted and appreciated. Humans only, please. For... Continue reading

Your puppy needs socialization with other dogs to develop into a healthy, balanced pet. Join other puppy owners at a puppy social on Saturday, April 20 from 9 to 10 AM, at Asheville Humane Society's Adoption and Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville (off Pond and Brevard Roads, behind Harmony Motors, near the WNC Farmers Market). Mingle with other puppy parents and get your training questions answered by certified trainers while your puppy romps with other pups and meets new and different people and things. Doggie treat bag and human treats provided for all participants. Requirements: - Ages 9-20... Continue reading

Bring your doggy to Asheville Humane Society's Yappy Hour on Thursday, April 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. It will be held at Edna's of Asheville, 870 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville. Yappy Hours are the place for cool canines to congregate. They'll enjoy special treats and drinks made especially for them while you and your four-legged friend get to mingle with other dog lovers! Admission of just $10 per person includes food and beverages and dogs are free. The Yappy Hour is being sponsored by Mix 96.5 and Paramount Kia. All proceeds go to help the homeless animals of Buncombe County.... Continue reading

Pet Behavior Aid will hold a free session to help dog owners deal with barking. If you tried everything you know to do do to stop your dog from barking so much, then this session is for you. Learn the different types of barks, what they mean, and creative ways to stop the barking. The session will be held on Thursday, April 18 from 7 to 8 PM at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption & Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville (behind Harmony Motors, off Brevard and Pond Roads, near the WNC Farmers Market). Humans only, please. For more... Continue reading