Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Garden, Grocery, Gadget Girl: Edible Landscaping – Eton Collection

Edible Landscaping – Eton Collection. Here are some shots I snapped on my outing to Eton on Chagrin Blvd, home of Penzey's Spices, Trader Joe's, Sur la Table, and Barnes and Noble. It's always a delight to visit during gardening season …

Commercial Landscaping Business – Excellent Equipment – Top …

Business For Sale – Commercial Landscaping Business – Excellent Equipment – Top Clients South Central Ontario.

Pruned: Landscaping Non-Places

A blog on landscape architecture and related fields.

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Landscaping with Cojones, Part 1

Landscaping. I'm guessing this is the corporate headquarters of Viagra.

Tips for Green Backyard Landscaping | Calfinder Remodeling Blog

CalFinder Blog: Tips for Green Backyard Landscaping.

Landscaping Edging- A Defining Touch

It's a given that effectively designed landscaping can transform a home from boring to dazzling, and with the current gardening aids and how-to manuals, doing so is well within the grasp of the average homeowner. …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

Maximizing the resale value of your home: Strategic Landscaping …

When planning renovations, don't overlook the value of your yard. Nothing adds more immediate curb appeal than attractive landscaping. Choosing the right plan will definitely make your home more saleable. Even if you're not planning to …

The News Herald: Breaking news coverage for Southgate, MI

How fortunate that the biggest problem facing Trenton schools is landscaping. While other districts are failing their kids, are losing hundreds of students and are having to lay off employees, Trenton just has to deal with some weeds. …

landscaping « SexyMagick

landscaping. Yesterday was a day of contractors, designers, trying to comprehend it all and understand what everyone was saying. I like my landscape architect, he's patience, he incorporates my ideas into his design, he listens and he …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Hey Readers! I’ve been comin across some crazy stuff the past few days from a few different blogs around the web which I just had to share with you. Check em out below…

Cape MUA launches water-saving system

The county Municipal Utilities Authority will use treated wastewater from the region's toilets, sinks and bathtubs to water landscaping and ball fields, …  Read More…

WKU Makes Tailgating Changes

More fans mean more vehicles, which cause damage to trees, landscaping and sidewalks. So the university is asking its football faithful to keep the cars off …  Read More…

When choosing a lawn care company, be sure to get what you need

There are basically three different types of service: partial lawn care, total lawn care and those that offer full lawn and landscaping services. …  Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

The Dry Garden: A visit with Susan Gottlieb and a landscape that …

… her husband to rip out the ivy, native gardening is the model lauded by conservationists and utilities alike as the future for Los Angeles landscaping. …  Read More…

Outdoor Kitchens By Borst Landscape And Design Extend Summer …

Borst Landscape and Design, a full-service landscape firm in Allendale, has been busy designing and installing outdoor kitchens throughout northern New …  Read More…

Mold keeps woman confined to her tent in Somers Point

About a year after she purchased her first home with profits from her landscaping business, Jennifer's Turfscape Landscaping LLC, Parker started …  Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Is Landscaping work dangerous to your health guys?

I read the job description about 3 days ago and… I've been thinking a LOT.

On the description, it stated that you would be required to spray + mix herbicides, fertilizers and insecticides.
Either by hand or mechanical sprayers/spreaders.

Ummm… ^ aren't these things very bad to your health?

Would working in this kind of job for half a year to say; about a whole year effect your health in any negative ways?

If so ^ , what would be the short and long term effects?

Thanks.

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Getting Raw Land Not A Raw Deal
 by: Dan Auito

There is more to buying raw land than meets the eye and more than a few individuals have wished they’d had a second chance upon finding themselves duped, conned, misled, ill-advised, uninformed, oversold, undereducated and often unprepared. They realize, often too late, that a raw land purchase should be properly investigated, evaluated and negotiated using a logical and rational plan.

Let me start by saying I’m not a geologist, soil analyst, surveyor, engineer or land consultant. I’m a passionate real estate investor, licensed agent, appraisal assistant and landlord who purchased various raw lots, as large as a 15-acre parcel, for investment and building projects. In addition, I have consulted with numerous individuals proficient in real estate, who have contributed to my general awareness of the conditions and merits of raw land. We, as small investors, can further use this information to our advantage in wisely choosing land and utilizing it to it’s highest and best use regarding fulfillment of our needs, wants and desires.

This chapter is not a technical sleeper and as such, it will not go so far as to tell you how much lime to add to your soil to adjust PH levels (7.0 is neutral) but it does try to get you thinking about some of the more general considerations that can lead you to further investigate your options using this material as your starting point.

With that said, the first question I’ll ask you is what exactly do you intend to do with this land once you have it? Why are you buying it? What purpose do you have in mind for land? Are you going to build a home, purchase a lot for retirement or investment? Will you acquire considerable acreage for farming or subdivision? Do you want commercial, residential, recreational or agricultural? Will it be in the north, south, east or west?

So your first question should be, what am I, or we, buying this land for? Will it satisfy my, or our, requirements? To get answers to these questions you would best be served by talking to those who will be most intimately involved with the land, such as your spouse, partner, family members, associated owners, etc. Once you have a clear understanding of what the land is supposed to satisfy, then your search can begin. So often people waste their time and effort because the significant partners have such a wide gap in what each person truly wants from the purchase that they never settle on anything or end up with much less than they could have had.

Land can be said to consist of soil, geology, water and climate. Whether you’re looking at beaches, mountains, deserts, high plains or city lots, they all have some basic components. Some of the basic requirements we most often seek are clean air, water, electricity, sewage disposal and trash removal.

Clean air might be construed as freedom from dusty roads, smog, foul smells from industry or landfills, free from noise of traffic, airports and/or neighbors.

Water availability is essential and is often desired for aesthetics as well as drinking, bathing, washing, cooking, cleaning, toilet facilities and watering vegetation. We also enjoy lakes, rivers and streams for recreation. Others enjoy the tranquil sounds that our streams, rivers and oceans can provide. Without a doubt, water availability is a major concern. Note: A 1666 square foot roof can capture 1000 gallons of water for each inch of rainfall; cisterns of all types have existed since the dawn of man.

Electricity is another necessity that we often take for granted. Is a power plant within a reasonable distance from the land or will it cost you thousands of your own dollars to run cables across public lands to get your electricity hooked up? How far are gas and oil suppliers?

Sewage disposal – 25% of our country is on a well and septic system. If you don’t have access to public utilities, will your land support a septic system as well as the water to operate it?

Solid waste disposal – how far is the landfill? Is there a collection service? You can’t burn everything; how will you get rid of it?

Those are the major necessities for modern, everyday living…things that we really need, but can often overlook until after the contract is signed. Others essentials are a telephone, mail delivery, shopping, police, fire station, hospital/emergency services, schools, churches, recreation facilities and access by good roads and highways.

You‘ll want answers to questions like those above and county officials such as planning and zoning, community development and building departments are a good place to start. I would also call utility companies about water, sewer, electric and phone, and talk to neighbors, contractors, developers, real estate agents, appraisers and a local surveyor to have some of the more important questions addressed at the beginning of my search. I wouldn’t rely on the sellers to be all-knowing, either.

Again, planning and zoning departments can offer the following: Maps of existing uses, forecasts of future development, lists of planned new roads, utility extensions, locations of planned waste disposal facilities, details on environmental areas and future land uses. They also regulate building codes, curb-cut permits, historic preservation, housing codes, subdivision regulations, tree cutting and zoning laws. They usually have aerial photographs and plat maps that can help you to better identify and evaluate the land in question.

Do you already have your location identified? Will it be in the east where the weather is often wet and humid or out west where it is predominantly arid and dry? Will you be living in cold weather in the north or gravitating towards the southern hemisphere? Concerning location, what are you least comfortable with: Avalanches, landslides, earthquakes, flooding, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, volcanoes and/or wildfires? You may want to investigate areas of interest by going to websites like http://www.officialcitysites. You will get a better picture of what awaits you concerning it’s economy, environment, population, recreation, educational, medical and employment facilities to name a few.

Let’s assume you know where you want to buy this land, why you want to buy it, and how and when you will use it once you have it. The following general observations, ideas and information may help you to further investigate the alternatives that are available to you in your endeavor to find the land of your dreams.

Raw land is unimproved property; it has no utilities, sewers, streets or structures and usually must be cleared.

Here are (or can be) a few drawbacks that are sometimes associated with raw land:

Negative cash flow; usually the land does not generate any income while you pay the principle, interest, taxes and costs of development.
Tax advantages are scanty as land cannot be depreciated.
Generally, raw land is considered a long-term ill-liquid investment that often takes time before gains can be realized.
Risk of loss on resale can occur if you choose poorly, fail to evaluate and negotiate properly, the economy slips or various other unforeseen events occur.
It is difficult to obtain traditional financing on or borrow against accrued equity.

Here are some possible benefits to raw land:

Land has the potential to experience tremendous appreciation if bought in the way of growth, or if a higher and better use can be achieved.
Owner financing can often be obtained through the seller at below-market rates.
Subdividing can create added value and provide for immediate returns.
Privacy and pride of ownership can provide a secure feeling to the holder.

What is considered good and bad land?

The worst you can buy is swamp or marshland. Most often flat land is the least expensive to develop and the most desired for building purposes. Land with barren rock will increase costs and virtually eliminate a basement just the same as a high water table.

Note: Loamy soil, which consists of a balanced mixture of clay, sand and some organic matter, appears rich and dark in color and is considered ideal for most purposes. As opposed to good soil, you don’t want hard cracking ground when dry and sticky soil when wet. Warning! Check with your state offices for the presence of expansive soils; this stuff cracks foundations in the most insidious ways, leading many to ruin.

Many people are literally being driven to the hills. Granted the views can be spectacular but roads, utilities, water, sewer, and foundations, such as pilings, can add 25-30% to building costs alone, further adding to this already expensive proposition. When considering going vertical, an 8-degree slope is about the limit when concerning building economically on hillsides.

Plots with trees, a view, rectangular in shape, a gentle slope or none and a good location are most often preferred, and streams can boost values by 100% in some cases.

How to determine the value of raw land

Using the appraisers standard view of estimating value can give us some clues, so let’s look at what appraisers do!

Site size and shape, represented by frontage, width and depth.
Corner influence equals visibility for commercial, or privacy for residential.
Plottage, has assembly or combining of parcels been accomplished.
How much land is excess or surplus; surplus has less value than what is required.
Topography: Land’s contour, grading, natural drainage, soil, view and usefulness
Utilities: Sewers, drinking water, natural gas, electric, telephone, cable, etc.
Site improvements: Landscaping, fences, gutters, walks, drives and irrigation
Accessibility: Parking, location, streets, alleys, connecting roads and highways
Environment: Climate, adequate water supply, air quality, streams, rivers, lakes, oceans and the absence of any hazardous materials

An old timer once gave me this advice: He said, “Dan, always try to buy land that is located as close to those amenities that an area is famous for, as that is often the reason people come to certain areas. He lived in Florida and had plenty of beachfront property located in tourist areas, which clearly illustrated his point.

Who has this raw land and how do we find it?

You may start your search by contacting farmers, investors, real estate agents, state and federal agencies, cities with odd lots they need to put back on their tax rolls, bureaus of land management, federal marshals, tax sales, bank foreclosures, developers, property heirs, the elderly, and family and friends. Use your networks and birddogs while driving areas of interest looking for further opportunities to buy.

Property is often advertised through newspaper ads, real estate brokers, For Sale by Owner signs, flyers, bulletin boards, the Internet, etc. A quick note on how not to buy is in order here. I would not recommend buying land from a glossy brochure or big development company as it is almost always overpriced to cover large overhead costs, advertising and profit. Also remember when a building boom is on, land prices rise. You will do much better buying when demand is low. Another caveat is to stay away from land that is advertised outside of its normal market as it is often overpriced or has problems; otherwise, a local buyer would have bought it!

If you want to find the deals, then most often you are going to have to dig for them. A few successful methods may include visiting the county clerk/recorder’s office to search the public records for the following:

New probate filings, use them to contact heirs
Eviction proceedings to contact out of state landowners
Arrests – these people may need money and may also be going away for a while.
Bail bondsman who may have forfeited collateral in the form of land.
Divorces filed, leading to a division of assets
New guardianships to contact disinterested heirs.
Deeds in lieu of foreclosure, private sellers may in turn sell it to you.
Lis pendens means litigation pending, often signaling foreclosure.

You will most often be contacting many of these sources by writing to them. Don’t get discouraged when you don’t get immediate replies, as the average response rate is one reply for every eight letters that you send. The pros will get on lists and pay services to monitor many of these potential sources, however, good old-fashioned detective work does pay off. When researching in this manner, secrecy is one key and fast action using all cash is the other.

A special consideration to note when hunting legally challenged property is to have a title company in addition to the regular search of mortgage. Tax and easement liens also check files for I.R.S. liens, bankruptcy filings and judgment liens.

Quick review

Up to this point we have talked about not getting conned when starting out. We also noted that it pays to understand what everyone wants from the land to start. You are aware that utilities and basic necessities are very important considerations. You know whom to contact to get further in-depth information on properties of interest. You know flat land with natural amenities is the most desirable and economical to develop. You are more familiar with the risks involved with this type of real estate and you also know that rock, marshes and hillsides can be expensive to develop. You have a better idea of how an appraiser begins to determine value and you may have a few ideas on how to find land and the people who own it.

With that said, we are ready to get down to the business of evaluating, negotiating and financing our well-sought piece of terra firma. What follows is a basic checklist. There is more to consider but this will get you off to a running start.

Basic Raw Land Checklist

Get the most recent and valid information available: A copy of the deed containing the legal description with any covenants and/or restrictions.
Get the street address, a plot plan indicating the specific property location, a survey, a preliminary title report, a recent map and any aerial or land based photographs to help you locate fence lines, trails, roads, streams, ponds, building locations, etc. Walk the land to verify, evaluate and correlate what is indicated, also looking for any signs of hazardous waste dumping, burying or burning.
Determine present use in zoning, according to what planning and zoning tells you. Symbols are used to designate uses – here are a few:

A1: Agricultural with single family home

C: Commercial business

CO: Commercial office

FP: Flood plain

M: Industrial

R1: Residential single family

R1H: Residential hillside

R2 : Residential multifamily

RT : Recreational tourist/ Residential transitional

General categories include:

Farm, Ranch and Timberland

Recreational or Resort

Industrial

Commercial/Business

Residential

Mixed use

Confirm who owns it, their full name, address and phone number
Find out what they do; are they a dealer in real estate?
Ask if anyone else is on the title or has authority to act
What are the annual taxes and assessed values?
Ask why they are selling and how long they have owned it
If the owner doesn’t want to sell, ask if they would consider selling a parcel of it.

The preceding is an abbreviated checklist. It is meant to get you started off on the right foot. Many people will research buying a new car more thoroughly than they would when buying raw land; there are many good books that are devoted solely to the subject of raw land. This type of investment is generally not the best choice for the new investor but often times people look to build they’re dream homes away from developed areas and for that reason I have included my two cents here.

Finance considerations $$$

Raw land as opposed to improved property is much more difficult to finance through traditional lenders. The main reasons are that it generates very little income, development costs can be expensive, there are no buildings or improvements that can be used as collateral and it is often considered speculative.

For those reasons mentioned we find that sellers are often our first choice regarding financing. It is typical for a seller of raw land to accept 10% down and the rest to be paid over time at a specified (below market) interest rate. This would be an example of an installment land contract. Other forms are contract for deed, mortgage and note and purchase money mortgages. In these cases, a real estate attorney usually drafts these contracts and a bank will act as an escrow agent to facilitate verifiable records of payments received. The seller often retains the deed until the property is paid for in full.

If you want to investigate bank financing, then you may start out by offering 30% down with a seven-year mortgage, with the bank getting an extra percentage point over and above the current interest rates for standard loans. This may not be accepted but it does give you a starting point to see just what they may be willing to do.

If you plan on building on your land, then having a development plan with an appraised set of blue prints for the project will help the lender in justifying your loan. If you can use equity from other property, then paying substantial down payments may also be an option.

My final words of caution here would be to know values and don’t overpay. Always offer less when possible and research recent sales of comparable properties. The larger a parcel is, the cheaper it tends to get per acre. Ask an agent what an acre of land tends to go for in the area that you are considering; try to buy more than one acre.

When buying residential lots, builders try to keep raw land costs down to 10% of the overall value of the project. If streets and utilities are already in place, then they will use 25% as their guideline. If you can combine or assemble parcels or achieve zoning changes with property, you have a good chance of immediately increasing its value. Always physically inspect the property and do your research before obligating yourself to buy it. Try using contracts with contingencies put in to protect yourself. In essence, these are really options that let you control the deal while you investigate and research the land’s potential to satisfy your objectives. Happy Hunting and buy the high grounds!

About The Author

Dan Auito is a dual-licensed real estate agent and appraisal assistant. Dan is a 20-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard. He has acquired over 1.3 million in real estate assets in 14 years while also founding a non-profit drug prevention corporation, a real estate consulting group and is the author of “Magic Bullets in Real Estate.” This 300-page power-packed book (due out in early July 2004) comes with a website that further supports its readers. Dan lives with his wife Kimberly and their two children, Brandon and Briana, on the emerald isle of Kodiak Island, Alaska. Dan may be reached at magicbullets@alaska.com or by visiting www.magicbullets.com. Call 1 907 481-6300 or write 1619 Three Sisters Way Kodiak AK 99615

Technorati Tags: landscaping

I’ve been working with several clients recently on the notion of creating a marketing funnel, also called a sales funnel, sales pipeline, or marketing platform, depending on what business you’re in. If you imagine a funnel, wide end at the bottom, and gradually narrowing as you go to the top, this is the sales pipeline through which potential, current and former clients travel in their business relationship with you. The idea is to get prospective clients in your target market to enter the funnel and become repeat customers by purchasing various goods and services from you at increasing price points.

What I see quite often (a marketing blunder for which I am also guilty) is that most service professionals have one item in their marketing funnel — their 1:1 service, whether that’s coaching, virtual assistance, web design, copy editing/writing, pest control, landscaping, professional organizing, financial planning, etc. They offer absolutely no other way for someone in their target market to sample or benefit from their expertise.

My clients typically get stuck in one of the following marketing scenarios:

1. They’ve hit the 1:1 service ceiling in some way. They either have a full schedule and can’t take on additional clients without expanding hours or hiring help, or they don’t want to work as many hours in providing individual client assistance (i.e. they’re tired of trading time for money)

2. No one is buying the pricey 1:1 service.

So, then, what’s an independent service professional to do? Map out your marketing funnel.

Your marketing funnel should have 9 layers, as outlined below. Please note that these price points aren’t fixed but are merely established as a guideline for you to establish your own price points with your target market based on what your target market can afford to pay or will pay for your type of service. The price points refer to your total customer purchase. For example, if you sell an ebook/audio package for $399, the total purchase price is $399. If you have a monthly subscription service, like for a monthly consulting retainer that runs $700/month and your client has agreed to pay for one year, your total customer purchase is $8400.

1. Target market layer: As much as I had to disappoint you, your target market isn’t “everyone”, even though I’m sure you provide a wonderful service of which “everyone” should take advantage. Going for this shotgun approach rather than a laser marketing approach will make your marketing very difficult and permit the wrong people to enter your marketing funnel. So, you need to put a screen on your marketing funnel and ensure that only your target market enters.

2. Entry layer (free): This is your free offering that you provide on your web site in exchange for a prospect’s contact information — a free newsletter, ebook, special report, ecourse. etc. This freebie serves as your introduction to prospective clients so that they can begin to get to know, like and respect you, which are the progressive steps necessary before they’ll decide to buy something from you.

3. Introductory layer ($5 – $150): This is your lowest price point at which someone can purchase your expertise. You can offer ebooks, special reports, subscription ecourses, audio products, teleseminars, etc. Most of your offerings at this level should be information products that require little, if any, of your individual time.

4. “Not Quite Newbie” layer ($150 – $450): This is a higher level price point at which you can sell more in-depth versions of the types of information products listed above that showcase your expertise. You may provide some of your time in your offerings at this point, but only in a group setting, like a teleseminar series, discussion forum of a membership subscription web site, or group coaching/consulting.

5. “Experienced Newbie” layer ($450-$1000): At this level you may be providing a bit more of your time in group settings, or offer items like home study courses or special packages that bundle several of your products together.

6. New Expert layer ($1000 – $3000): You’ll begin to offer your 1:1 time again at this level. whether it’s to offer some open office consulting hours each month as an addition to some type of action group you’re leading, or to create a short-term service retainer.

7. Expert layer ($3000 – $5000): Clients at this level will buy exclusive group time with you not readily available to the public, like a bootcamp conference on a particular topic or a year-long service retainer.

8. Master Expert layer ($5000 and greater): This is the level at which a client is paying handsomely for some type of 1:1 time with you, whether that’s a year-long commitment of coaching, consulting, mentoring, advising, etc. Only a few clients going through your marketing funnel will buy at this level.

9. Well-educated client outcome layer: After traveling through your marketing funnel, you should now have a bevy of loyal, dedicated customers who return again and again and make referrals to you because of the value and results they received from participating in your marketing funnel. You’ll need to continue to add and update your product offerings, as this well-educated client may travel up and down the funnel again as his needs change.

What do you offer in your business at each of these layers? Take out a piece of paper and jot down these price points and fill in the blanks from your current offerings. Where are the holes? How can you plug the holes? Creating a marketing funnel in which members of your target market can buy your expertise at several different price points will increase your exposure to larger numbers of your target market, ultimately bringing you more clients willing to go through the marketing funnel experience.

Copyright 2006 Donna Gunter

About The Author

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Business Coach Donna Gunter helps self-employed service professionals learn how to get more clients online. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.GetMoreClientsOnline.com. Read about running an online biz at our blog, http://www.getmoreclientsonlineblog.com

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Back with more news for you today. It’s amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were…

The Landscape Garden Make It For The Family | Landscaping | A blog …

Like the living rooms of your house, the garden or recreation area is for the comfort and enjoyment of your family. No stock set of plans answers the needs of all. You must first decide what your family needs are and then plan a garden …

Steve Snedeker’s Landscaping and Gardening Blog » Top 5 Questions …

(Most landscape contractors look for a smooth-running project as well because, if they are good, they have clients waiting.) Things which should NOT be over runs are any materials or lines running underneath the property. …

Newswire / Press Release: Lillard Lawn & Landscaping Mows Down the …

Free PR press release & newswire distribution services news wire network distribution to companies, to Google News, Bing News, and hundred others, business journalists, public relation agencies, Corporate newswire distri- bution, …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: landscaping

Chocolate And Your Dogs Health — What You Should Know
 by: Carolyn Schweitzer

Chocolate — Who can Resist it?

Your dogs health depends on it! (resisting, that is). We humans get to indulge because most of us know when to stop. But your dog won’t quit after just a few. Give her a chance and she’ll down the whole box of Godivas in one gulp. So on Valentine’s Day, you’re actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself!Why is chocolate harmful to a dogs health?Chocolate, as you know, is made with cocoa beans. And cocoa beans contain methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobromine and caffeinea, which are toxic to dogs. Chocolate can also contain high amounts of fat which can put your dogs health in jeopardy as well.

How Much is Too Much?

Though it’s certain that dogs and chocolate don’t mix, different dogs react differently to the methylxanthines. And reactions can vary according to the age, size and overall health of the dog. The smaller the dog the smaller the dose needed to produce an effect. And of course, if your dog’s health is already weakened by other medical conditions, he’s more susceptible. The same holds for older dogs.. Theobromine is present in differing amounts in different kinds of chocolate:

White chocolate 1mg/oz
Hot chocolate 12 mg /oz
Milk chocolate 44-66 mg/oz
Semi-sweet chocolate 260 mg/oz
Dark chocolate 450 mg/oz (wow!)
Baking/bitter chocolate or cocoa powder varies as much as 150-600 mg/oz.

How much chocolate can a dog eat and survive?

That depends in part on her weight.

Under 200 mg theobromine per kg body weight (91mg per lb) has not been observed to be fatal. A potentially lethal dose in a 16 pound. dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Only two ounces of baking chocolate can cause serious problems in a 10-pound dog. People stop eating chocolate before getting to toxic levels, but dogs don’t!

What are the warning signs of a problem?

Any dog who’s eaten chocolate should be watched closely for symptoms, particularly smaller dogs, “seniors”, and dogs with health problems. Symptoms may range from from vomiting and diarrhea to panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death in severe cases.

While white chocolate may not be as likely to cause a methylxanthine poisoning, the high fat content of lighter chocolates could still lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and possibly the development of life-threatening pancreatitis. Too much fatty food will also affect a dogs health in the same way it does ours, by packing on the pounds!

What can be done once chocolate is ingested?

Make note of the type of chocolate ingested and how much was eaten, if possible.

Theobromine will stay in the bloodstream between 14 and 20 hours. Within two hours of ingestion, try inducing vomiting unless your dog is over stimulated, comatose, or has lost the gag reflex.

If your dog has eaten a considerable amount of chocolate, or displays any of the above symptoms, take her to the vet right away. If her symptoms are minor, make her eat activated charcoal. The unabsorbed theobromine binds to it and be passed out of the system. (In a pinch, burnt – as in thoroughly blackened – toast will do.)

Are there any other products I should worry about?

Yes — Cocoa Mulch!!

No, it’s not chocolate, but the two products have something in common. They’re both derived from the cocoa bean, and they’re both hazardous to your dogs health.

Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like the attractive color and scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer.

Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

Eating cocoa mulch has four possible outcomes. The most common is vomiting, in 50% of cases. Next most common, in 33% of cases, is tremors (shaking). And 17% end up with tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hyperactivity or diarrhea. The fourth outcome is no effect on the dogs health at all, and this is the result in 33% of cases.

Although only 16 cases were reported in approximately one year (the duration of the study), reports are on the increase. California accounts for about 2/3 of cases reported so far. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities, and getting your friend to the vet promptly will assure a happy outcome.

What’s the Bottom Line?

Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days.

Still, it pays to keep up with what’s currently known about various foods and their effects on a dogs health and well being. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were discovered only recently to have harmful effects.

If your dogs health is important to you (and I’m betting it is!), then keep him away from the chocolates on Valentine’s Day and other holidays as well. And watch out year round for products made from the cocoa bean.

In an emergency, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

About The Author

Dr. Carolyn Schweitzer, a former family dentsit, is a PowerSeller on eBay and owner and editor of several websites, including http://www.Great-Dog-Gift.com. Visit her there to read about other foods that can harm your dogs health at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/harmfulfoods, and check frequently with sources like the ASPCA for updates. Or sign up at “http://www.great-dog-gift.com/coldnoses” to keep informed!

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