Business Insider ranks top websites for dog lovers

Business Insider ranked the 10 best websites for dog owners to consult on important subjects from selecting a dog breed and petfood, to maintaining a healthy pet and traveling with dogs.
For those trying to select the right dog, Dog Breed Info provides information on many breeds with pictures and breeders.net  provides contact information for dog breeders by zip code. Gotta Love a Lab was selected as a top resource for all things Labrador-related, including articles, pictures and tips. 
Once the right dog is chosen, Baby Dog Names lists dog names by categories: popular, unique, famous, wacky and gender. Cesar Milan, the "Dog Whisperer," was named as a good online resource for dog tips and training advice, as well as the dogproblems.com forum.  Business Insider named Petco as the number one resource for selecting a petfood online because they offer coupons, free shipping on orders over US$60 and a wide variety of brands for consumers to choose from. When traveling with a dog, dogfriendly.com lets pet owners know which hotels, restaurants and parks are pet friendly.
Dog owners must also look out for their pet's health. To help do so, vetinfo.com offers resources about dog illnesses and lists of local veterinarians to consult for professional pet examinations. Dog owners looking for pet health insurance may want to consult the Dog Health Insurance website, according to Business Insider.

Trupanion releases obesity claims list as warning to pet owners

Trupanion pet insurance company released a list of obesity-related claims it received since 2008, warning that obesity in pets is equally as dangerous as obesity in humans.
According to WebMD, up to 40% of dogs in the US are overweight, resulting in many severe health issues. The number one obesity-related disease reported by Trupanion was pancreatitis, which had a 255% increase in claims since 2008. This was followed by diabetes and arthritis, with a 112% increase and 209% increase in claims respectively.
To prevent obesity, the pet insurance company advised pet owners to feed their pet a healthy diet, monitor the amount of treats given throughout the day and give the pet an appropriate amount of daily exercise. A healthy dog should generally have a bone structure that can be easily felt but not seen, with a well-defined waist and tight abdomen.

Latest trends seen at Global Pet Expo

More than 3,000 new products were presented by 779 exhibitors at the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Among the new products, “We're seeing more and more of the same trends in pet health, wellness and fun that we see in our own lifestyles,” said Don Tomala, managing partner of Matrix Partners, an advertising and PR firm specializing in pet products. "These days, we are constantly looking for newer and better ways to stay healthy, fit and happy. These trends are just as important for pet parents and the products they buy for them.”