June 1, 2008 – New York, NY – MatchMyPet.com, the One-Pet-Stop portal for pet owners and animal-lovers will launch today its highly anticipated contest, “The Sleeping Beauty”, designed to find the world’s best Pet sleeping position.

Collaborating with Secure Snuggler, a manufacturer for the world finest pets beds, the Sleeping Beauty” contest invites all pet owners around the world to submit a picture of their pet sleeping and let the community (and the judges) pick the world’s best pet sleeping position.

In addition to all the worldwide glory, the contest’s winners (and finalists) will win luxury pet beds, other gifts and get the chance that their pet will be the official model for Secure Snuggler’s next campaign.

To learn more about MatchMyPet’s Sleeping Beauty contest, please visit http://www.matchmypet.com/the-sleeping-beauty.aspx

About MatchMyPet.com

Founded in 2006, MatchMyPet.com is a One-Pet-Stop for people who would like to connect with other pet owners and animal lovers. MatchMyPet.com has developed an innovative platform with an easy, fun, and content-rich environment to allow millions of pet-owners and professionals to find their pet-mates (social utilities), service providers, forums, entertaining and/or informational videos, like-minded friends (i.e. neighbors with a love for the same breed), and more. People use MatchMyPet.com to share their pet experiences, expand their pet-related knowledge, and to be a part of one of a growing online pet community. Armed with one of the most comprehensive platforms and cutting-edge technologies in the P2P (pet-to-pet) market, MatchMyPet.com is continuously closing the gap existing today between the virtual online world and the physical animal’s world.
“MatchMyPet.com – Bringing Pets Together”

To learn more about MatchMyPet’s, please visit us at http://www.matchmypet.com/

The summer can be a great time to spend with your dog. You can go on walks, enjoy the beach, and relax in the sun. However, summertime can also be dangerous for your dog’s health if you don’t take precautions.

Overheating

The heat is, of course, a major concern. Dogs can easily become overheated, especially if they are dark colored or heavily coated. To prevent overheating, there are few things you can do. First, always make sure your dog has access to cool, clean water. If you are walking your dog or taking him for a car ride, have at least one bottle of water and a portable dog bowl with you. Also, try to plot your route so you’ll be near places where you could easily get more water for him.

Another way to prevent overheating on walks is to schedule the exercise during the early morning or late evenings and to avoid walking over asphalt which attracts heat. Hot roads and parking lots can cause a dog to overheat faster and can even burn the sensitive pads on its paws.

Obviously, you never want to leave your dog in a car during the summer. And if your dog spends most of his time in the yard make sure you have adequate shelter to protect him from the harsh sun.

To read more about Tips for Protecting Your Dog’s Health during the Summer

Some say the world can be divided into two types of people: the ones who love cats and the ones who love dogs. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do think more people would enjoy feline companionship if they understood some of that “strange” behavior cats seem to be guilty of.

So to help cats make a better name for themselves with the dog lovers of the world, let’s look at why cats act so weird some times.

Why do cats run into one room then run back where they came from?

Cats, like dogs, have a lot of energy because they were meant to be hunters. Unlike dogs, cats in the wild don’t work with a pack – they have to be solely responsible for their own survival so they need plenty of energy to sustain them for hunting. And lots of what cats hunt – birds, mice, etc. – are pretty darn fast movers.

In a home, cats don’t get to use up as much energy so they expend it by running around crazily. It’s really not so weird – I’ve seen the same behavior in at least two of my dogs.

Why do cats “knead” everything?

Kneading is the term to describe the way a cat will push down on people or material then alternate paws – almost as if they were carefully working bread dough. Cats often do this before they lay down somewhere. And sometimes the process can go on for an eternity.

Cats do this because it reminds them of those long ago memories of being a kitten. Baby cats have to use kneading to help milk come from their mothers. That means kneading reminds them of being safe, warm, comfortable, and near their mothers. It’s a pleasant feeling for them and one they want to experience before lying down for a nap.

Click here to continue reading about the answers to Your Five Most Common Questions about Cat Behavior

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Do you think you know everything about your dog? Are the two of you really as close as you think? Well, there’s a good chance your dog has been keeping some big secrets from you.

But we’re about to break the silence on four of your dog’s biggest secrets.

#1 – Doggie Dreams

All dog owners have watched their sleeping pets begin to move or make noise while not waking up. Well, those are all signs that your dog is dreaming. Just like humans, dogs can go into a deep sleep and dream. It’s just one of the many things we have in common – like a love of hamburgers and a dislike for rainy days.

But what are dogs dreaming about?

If your dog is a sound sleeper, you might be able to get a good idea just by paying attention to his body movements. When your dog’s legs are moving a lot, he’s probably dreaming about walking or running. The faster his legs movement the faster he’s running in his dream. If your dog’s nose is twitching a lot, then he’s probably sniffing around some doggie paradise in his dream.

#2 – Coprophagia

What bizarre secret is your dog keeping? Well, he may possibly be a backyard coprophagiac. What is that? That’s the technical name for a dog that eats feces – either his own or other animals’ feces.

Yes, it’s a disgusting and gross habit, but it’s surprisingly common among puppies and even some mature dogs. Usually, the cause of this behavior has nothing to do with nutritional deficiency. Dogs eat feces because it has a strong smell, and strong smells seem tasty to dogs.

Other dogs may pick up the habit by imitation. One dog in the house starts eating feces, then you have your entire pack munching on their own bathroom in the backyard. It’s an ugly secret.

The good news is it is a habit you can break. First, talk about your dog’s secret with your vet so health problems, such as parasites, can be ruled out. Next, make sure you clean up after your pet more often or make his bathroom less tasty either by adding pumpkin or meat tenderizer to his food or by putting hot sauce on his feces.

Click the following link to continue reading more about Four of Your Dog’s Biggest Secrets

Once upon a time, human travel plans meant lonely hours or unpleasant kennel stays for dogs but today they can go on vacations right alongside their non-canine companions. Here are your pooch’s top vacation picks for this summer:

Pooch Pick #1: Portland, Oregon

Portland may not be a hotspot for human summer travelers, but dogs adore its friendly atmosphere. For starters, they can enjoy the sighs and smells of a pub at the Lucky Lab Brewing Company. It’s not just a clever name – dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating areas with their human companions. To avoid getting a “beer gut” after the pub, your dog can enjoy any of the whopping 20 off-leash dog parks found throughout the city. And that’s just for starters – your dog can also take in many of the most popular Portland attractions right along with you, including hiking by the river, the Hoyt Arboretum, the Rose Gardens, and more.

Pooch Pick #2: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is one of the hottest cities in the world for travel and fun, but it’s also one of the most dog-friendly cities in the United States. If your dog is an active traveler who loves the outdoors, Chicago offers ten off-leash parks and three beaches where your canine can mingle, enjoy outdoor activities, and have an incredibly good time. If your dog prefers a more relaxing vacation, then Chicago is perfect for him, too. You can take a boat ride from Navy Pier together, enjoy a horse and carriage ride around the city, or play in air-conditioned comfort at Of Mutts and Men, an indoor off-leash “playground” for pets and humans.

Click the following link to read more about Top Five Places YOUR Dog Wants to Go on Vacation This Summer

A new feature that we added to our site last week is our new voting tool that allow you to rate and vote “Who is the hottest pet on MatchMyPet.com?”

To vote for your hottest pet, go to www.MatchMyPet.com and start vote for your favorite pet between two pets that we display to you. You can vote as much as you want!

To view our top pets for each animal group, go to http://www.matchmypet.com/top-rated-pets.aspx and see what our community voted!

A new service that we are launching today is our birthday party announcement feature which list our birthday boys and gals on MatchMyPet.com home page.

To celebrate with our birthday guys, send them a greeting or a gift, either go to our home page on www.MatchMyPet.com or visit our pet birthday channel on http://www.matchmypet.com/pets-birthday.aspx

If you have a pet and you would like to celebrate it birthday with us (and everyone else), just signup to MatchMyPet, add your pet and we will organize the rest!

Hi guys,

A  reported from “Columbia News Service”  is looking to make a story on a MatchMyPet.com  members that had a unique experience using our site. If you have an interesting story, please contact her directly. We enclose her post below:

“Hi, I’m a reporter with “Columbia News Service” a news wire put out by the New York Times. I’m writing a story about pet dating–as in pet owners who set up their pets–and would like to speak with folks who have done this or thought about it. I hope to put together a cute, fun article about pet love lives. Please call or e-mail me if you’d like to share your story.”

Many thanks,

Zehra

e-mail: zm37@columbia.edu

phone: 646-528-0085

As part of our continuing effort to improve our service, we would like to share with you some of the new things that we have added to MatchMyPet.com over the past few weeks.

  The Service Directory

In a large effort to ease the lives of millions of pet owners, we developed one of the most sophisticated online   pet service directory, which consists of more than 16,000 service providers (and are adding about 1,000 new service providers a week).

What does this mean to you? When you need a vet, pet-sitter, dog-walker, pet food, pet accessories or any other service provider, you can find a local one with our simple directory. And use our interactive maps for easy directions, to write and read reviews, and much more!

We are committed to expand the variety of services that we offer, so you can easily find the best and most convenient service provider — which might be just around the block! So if you see that we are missing a service type, email us with the service type information or use the feedback option on our site and we will add them to our listings.

To visit our Service Directory, click on the following link:  http://www.matchmypet.com/pets-service-directory.aspx

  The Pet Store

As winter approaches, it can be a real treat for both you and your pet to do your pet shopping online and let others drag their feet in the snow. So if you are looking for food, toys, grooming or medication for your pet(s), enjoy our upgraded store (safe & secured purchases with our partners at Amazon.com). You can browse through hundreds of categories or search for a particular product. Many items have free shipping, so make sure you stop by and compare our competitive prices before you walk out the door…

To visit our pet store click here: http://www.matchmypet.com/pet-store.aspx

Pet Forums

We know that to have the right information is extremely critical when you raise your pet. Therefore, we teamed up with Yahoo! and other web-services to put together one of the strongest   pet forums on the internet today with more than   half a million (500,000!!!) question and answers about pets.
Our forums have become so popular that we are adding about 10,000 new posts a week. So next time when you have a question
about your pet, make sure you stop by at our forums first.

To visit our forums: http://www.matchmypet.com/pets-forums.aspx

Tag It! Share It! Rate It!

Sharing distinct information with your friends is extremely valuable in today’s information flow. This is why we add our little widget that allows you to rate, share or tag any type of information you found on MatchMyPet.com and help your friends to discover it too. Whether it’s a forum post, ReciPet, article or service, with a simple click, you can share your opinion with your friends and others.

The Pet Mosaic

With the strong growth that MatchMyPet.com has experienced in the past year, we were looking to find another fun way to introduce our pets to the world. The result:
  The Pet Mosaic, the first (and only) interactive Pet Mosaic that help you to meet our new and existing members.

Make sure you check this fun application at: http://www.matchmypet.com/pet-mosaic.aspx
 

We are looking forward to having you sniff around MatchMyPet.com.

We are excited to announce that our development team (a.k.a “The Development Barn”) has launched one of the most sophisticated (yet easy-to-use) applications on our site: The Pets Service Directory.

This service directory, currently contains more than 4400 different pet’s service providers (nationwide), growing daily using algorithms and web-services, enabling us to identify new service providers (located anywhere in the U.S) and adding it to our directory.

The directory provider detailed information about the provider such as exact address, contact info (phone, fax, etc) and detailed map. In addition, using the service directory, members and visitors can search providers by service type or location, share it with friends, rate it, “Bark Back” and more.

Soon, we will open this directory to providers to allow them to manage their profile and add more information about their service.

This is another step for MatchMyPet.com to establish itself as the one-stop-pet-shop and providing varied array of online services for pet owners.

 Visit our service directory at: http://www.matchmypet.com/ProviderPages/ProvidersCentral.aspx