At The Swanky Pup we focus on helping you find the best products and services out there for your lucky dog, but we never lose sight of the fact that there are millions of less fortunate pooches out there. It is a sad reality, but there are plenty of ways for all dog lovers to get involved and we would be happy to tell you how!

• First, if you are in the market for a new dog always consider adopting. There are lots of great dogs of all ages and breeds looking for a great home so it can’t hurt to check out your options. Petfinder is our favorite site to search for homeless animals and connects you to a ton of different adoptable pets in your area. Yes, there can be challenges with rescuing a dog but when you adopt you are truly saving a life!

• If you are looking for a pure bred dog, you can rescue one of those too! Most breeds have a dedicated rescue organization that will help you find a dog of that breed that needs a home. Check out the AKC's Rescue Directory for a complete listing.

• Another way to get involved is to be sure when you are buying a new dog that you are not supporting puppy mills, where dogs are mass-produced and not treated with the dignity a living animal deserves. To find out more about the horrible reality of puppy mills visit Stop Puppy Mills ' website. Also, make sure that the breeder/store where you are considering purchasing a puppy is not selling puppy mill puppies check out these puppy purchasing tips.

• If you are interested in helping out dogs in need by fostering, sponsoring or even walking dogs and socializing them find your local shelter and give them a call. Most shelters are constantly in need of volunteers and will have a variety of opportunities for you to choose from.

You can make a difference for our nations homeless animals so why not start today!