How Spoiled Are You?

I heard that celebrities and people with lots and lots of money spoil their dogs.  For example, Paris Hilton’s dogs have a two story dog house with a winding staircase, pink walls and a balcony. 


Hummm…. What’s the big deal?  I have a two story house, well if you include the basement where we have our studio.  It has stairs but thankfully the walls are sort of white, not pink! We don’t have a balcony but we have a nice screened in porch we can lay in and watch the birds and squirrels.

 DixieLee and I have our own place in the studio with a big soft rug and toys so we can play and nap when we get tired of working and we can go anywhere we want upstairs.  We can sleep on the big bed or on the couch and we each have our own creates in the office if we want to have some private time.

 
I also read that there is a company that makes mink coats for dogs.  How horrible!  First of all I have my own fur coat and it is quite beautiful, thank you.  Second, why would I kill another animal to steal its fur?  Sometimes I worry about humans.

 
Did you know they make dog collars with diamonds in them?  I sort of liked the one I saw.  It was very sparkly and it might look good on me.  I’ll have to figure out how many dog cookies I can buy for $1.2 million before I ask Mom to get me one.  The diamond collar is very nice but if I have to give up too many dog cookies, it’s not worth it.

 
Speaking of cookies, mostly we get ordinary cookies.   When she shops for regular cookies, Mom makes sure they are made in the USA.  Too many pets got sick or got died from eating cookies not made in the USA.  Sometimes, we get special cookies, like when we get an order from Locomotion Pet Treats for our gift baskets or samples from another company we might like to order from.

 Another friend, Organic Pet Boutique, has a Kobe Beef and Truffle Jerky Treat that sounded pretty good to me but Mom said $1,000.00 for an 8 ounce bag was a little out of our budget.  They have other treats we can have, but not that one.  She must be right cuz she knows money stuff.

 Summer time is vacation time.  Some dogs have to stay in kennels when their humans go on vacation, others get to go along.  I read about one dog who won a special vacation that cost $73,000.  He got to do lots of stuff like get a chauffeured car ride, had a personal chef, got grooming and Reiki sessions and got to meet a famous author and dog behavior expert. 

 
I don’t see what was so special about that.  We get chauffeured car rides all the time.  We get chauffeured to the vet, the dog park and daycare.  No big deal. We have a personal chef.   His name is Dad.  He fixes us breakfast, lunch and dinner and makes sure we have our snacks on time.  We can get groomed when we go to day care, I hate it but DixieLee likes to have her nails clipped, and Mom is a Reiki practitioner so we get Reiki all the time. I got to meet The Amazing Dog Training Man lots of times.  He is a famous author and a famous dog behavior guy.

 

 

 You don’t have to live with a celebrity or a super rich person to be a spoiled dog.  We have a sign at our front door that says “Spoiled Rotten Dogs Live Here” and I guess that’s true.

 
If you’re a spoiled rotten dog, I’d like to hear what your humans do for you that makes you feel special.

 Your Spoiled Rotten Friend,

Zeva

 P.S. Blatant self promotion.  You can have your very own sign that says:  A Spoiled Rotten Dog Lives Here so there's no question who's spoiled at your house.  Just go to our website and order and I'll make sure you get your special sign.

 

Dogs Against Fireworks

July 4^th (Independence Day) is a big holiday for humans in the United States.  They get together and they have picnics, which means the Dads cook on the grill and everyone eats outside.  Then, when it gets dark, they like to have fireworks.

 Fireworks are an important part of the Independence Day celebration.  Even the old guys who signed the Declaration of Independence said the day should be celebrated with bells and bonfires and the Congress of Philadelphia said there should be 13 fireworks to represent the 13 colonies/states.

 Fireworks are big explosions of color in the sky which I might like if it weren’t for the noise. Fireworks are very, very loud.  Human have little ears that are close to their heads.  Dogs have big ears so we hear things ten times louder than you do.  That would make fireworks very, very loud times ten.

 I read a lot and so I know all about 4^th of July and fireworks but most dogs don’t so imagine, hanging out at home, catching a little nap after a nice day of begging for treats at the picnic and all of a sudden, the world explodes!  Whoa!  Next thing you know, Spot and Fluffy are 20 miles from home and still running.

 Here are some things humans can do to help pet not be scared when there are fireworks.

 1.  First thing is to know when there are going to be fireworks.  Lots of towns have big fireworks shows where everyone goes to the park and watches.  LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME!  Check for fireworks in all towns near you because, remember, dogs can hear things happening much farther away than you can.

 2.  Make sure your pet has their tags on and that their microchips are up to date.  That way, if they do run away, it will be easier for them to find someone to help them get back home.

 3.  Being in the house will make your pet feel safer.

 You can make it even better by keeping the lights on (not only humans are afraid of the dark).  Closing curtains helps with the sound and with the flashing lights.  When I’m scared I go in my crate and close my eyes.  DixieLee’s crate is a wire one so Mom puts a blanket over the top and two sides.  She keeps the front open so DixieLee can get air.

 If your pet doesn’t have a crate, keep them in one room.  If they get really scared, they will want to run and could hurt themselves running and jumping from room to room trying to get away from the noise.

 Make sure they have water.  Drinking water can help keep calm.

 Turn on some soothing music or the tv.  Having a little noise will make the house more “normal”.

 4.  If you are home with your pet, don’t get crazy yourself.  If we want to cuddle, hey, cuddling is good, but if we don’t, please don’t force.  Remember we are scared and scared pets will scratch and bite even if we don’t mean to.

 If you set up a nice room for us but we prefer being under the bed, let us stay under the bed.  We know what makes us feel safe even if we can’t tell you.

 5. If you know your pet is really scared of fireworks, talk to his/her vet.  They may be able to give them something to help keep them calm.  I prefer something herbal but that’s up to you.  My friends tell me Thunder Shirts work too.

 6.  If you had fireworks at your house, check the yard the next day.  The firework’s casing and sparkler sticks don’t make the best toys.   

 Knowing your pet is safe will make celebrating Independence Day much more fun for you.

 Your friend,

 

Zeva

 

 P.S. Please check out my new Facebook page at Laurel Mountain Basket Company Pet Division where you’ll find lots of fun and interest pet posts.  Like us while you’re there.  Don’t make me beg!

The American Dream - Dog Version

Hi!  DixieLee here, filling in for Zeva while she works on our new Facebook page.  I joined the family business when I was rescued and adopted last summer.  I can’t believe it’s been a whole year! It’s been a struggle, but it has been worth it.

 I know lots of you dogs out there are rescues and I’m sure many of you share my story. We’re the lucky ones.  I lived on the streets in rural South Carolina for a long time.  One day while I was begging for food, a nice lady rescued me and fostered me until I got adopted.  My life before being rescued was so bad I don’t like to think about it, never mind talk about it.  Let’s just say the scars you can see aren’t the only ones I have.

 I was full of bugs when I was rescued.  There were all kinds of bugs but the worst bugs were the heartworm kind.  The nice lady and the vet helped me to get rid of them all.  It was hard because I had to get shots with these HUGE needles that made me not feel good and I couldn’t play with the other dogs.

 I thought living with the nice foster lady was going great until she said I had to go live at another place.  I thought I had been a good dog and didn’t understand why the other two dogs got to stay and I had to leave.  Maybe it was because I was full of bugs.  I was very sad.

 We went in the car and drove for days, all the way up to Massachusetts where I got left with another nice lady who only had one dog.  Maybe there’s a rule about only having two dogs in the house that I didn’t know about.  I tried to be good but then I had to go to another vet and get more shots and get my tummy cut.  Again, I had to stay in a crate and not play for a long, long time.  I began to think that the life of a dog wasn’t such a good one.  I wished I had been born a human.

 I was only at the adopted house a short time and I got moved again.  This time the two humans and the dog came with me.  I was so sad I didn’t want to do what I was told.   I was sure if I started acting nice, like it did with the foster lady, I would be sent away and I wanted to stay. 

 

I had lots of yummy food and all sorts of toys.  I got to sleep in a warm bed at night and I had another dog to play with.  Zeva kept telling me it was okay but I didn’t believe her because the man who I now call Dad said if I wasn’t good I was going to go to the pound.  I didn't know what a pound was but it didn't sound good.  Zeva said he didn’t mean it but he sure sounded like it when I chewed his glasses up or dug that big hole that made the outside stairs fall down.

 Like I said, it’s been a struggle but now I have a good job, I’m the Assistant Product Tester, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to get to stay with this Mom and Dad and Zeva.  I still have the pretty collar and soft blanket the nice rescue lady gave me but now I have a bowl, leash and crate all of my very own.  I’m beginning to think that life as a dog is kind of good after all.

 

I would like to hear your rescue story.  You can write to me here.

 

Your new friend and Zeva's little sister,

 DixieLee

 

P.S.  I forgot to say we would like you to stop by our new Facebook page Laurel Mountain Basket Company Pet Division.  Thanks.

Take Your Dog To Work Day 2014

Mark your calendar.  June 22, 2014 is Take Your Dog To Work Day.  I want all of you to be ready and looking sharp.  Make sure your nails are chewed short, your coat is licked clean and you are wearing your best smile.  You need to be ready just in case your human’s workplace is going to take part in this very important day.

DixieLee and I are lucky.  We get to go to work with our Mom every day but that’s because we work at home.  When I was a baby and we had a Studio in another town and I used to go to work with Mom.  It was a really good deal.  She would make gift baskets and I would get people to come into the store.  I was so cute, no one could resist.  Together we sold lots of gift basket.

Take Your Dog to Work Day was created by Pet Sitters International to celebrate and show people what great companions we dogs are and to get more people to adopt.  We sever as ambassadors, showing dog challenged co-workers what they are missing by not having a dog in their lives.

It was hard convincing some employers to let dogs go to work but research has shown that having dogs in the workplace leads to better teamwork, boosts morale, lowers stress and even contributes to higher employee retention.  In 1999 when the Pet Sitters International started the TYDTWD there were 300 companies that said okay and dogs went to work for the day.  In 2005 there were 10,000. 

Randolph T. Baker, a professor of management at VCU School of Business, said that “Dogs in the workplace can make a positive difference.”  He said that “The differences in perceived stress between days the dog was present and absent were significant. The employees as a whole had higher job satisfaction than industry norms.”  Yup dogs in the workplace are good.

Even if your Mom or Dad owns the company, there are some rules that have to be made.  Some people have allergies.  It‘s not their fault but dogs make them sneeze and be sick.  Some people are actually afraid of dogs.  Even when I was really little, Mom would go in the hall when she talked with her friend Nita cuz Nita was uncomfortable around me.  I still don’t understand why someone wouldn’t love dog kisses but it is a fact of life.

Dogs have to be on their super best behavior.  I could go with Mom to a “real” office job but I’m not sure DixieLee would like it. She doesn’t like to be around lots of people or to be in places where people are walking around and talking.  Mom would have to remember to bring my food, water, toys, and a bed or my crate so I would be comfortable.  She would also have to take breaks so I could go outside and, you know…

At our Studio, Mom had a baby gate between the Studio and the Shoppe.  Without the gate, I could go into the Shoppe and then right out the outside door.  A baby gate would be a good idea in big companies because it would keep the dog in one office and not let her walk around the whole place by herself and maybe get into mischief.

There are lots of places that let dogs go to work with their humans all the time.  Something like 17 percent of people have jobs at those kinds of places.  There are even career sites that let humans look for jobs in dog-friendly environments.

Do you get to go to work with your human every day or have you ever gotten the chance to take part in Take Your Dog To Work Day?  I'd love hear all about your experience.

Your hard working friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  One of our Puppy Power Gift Baskets would make a great gift for any hard working dog.

A Place of My Own

When you work from home like I do, it’s not always easy to separate your work life from your home life.  After a hard day in the office, I like a little peace and quiet but when you have a noisy and energetic sister it’s not always easy.

If I go in the bedroom, she goes in the bedroom.  If I sit on the couch, she sits on the couch.  If I go outside, she goes outside.  She can be so annoying. The only place I can have a minute to myself is in my crate.  I know lots of folks think that crates are just used for training or a place for a dog to be when no one is home but for me, my crate is my special place.

My crate is pretty.  It’s blue with nice wire windows on the sides to let me see out and let air in.  It has a wire metal door that I can look out too.  I keep the door open so I can go in and out any time I want. It’s a pretty big crate.   I can stand up or sit up straight or even stretch out a little when I nap.  My crate also has a fluffy blue blanket to sleep on.

DixieLee’s has her own crate and blanket too.  Her crate is all wire and has a plastic tray on the floor so the wire doesn’t hurt her feet.  Mom put a rug on top of it that also covers one of the sides so DixieLee can have some privacy.  It’s a big crate so she can sprawl out or sit up.  She also has a little crate that stays in our car.  When we go for rides, DixieLee rides in her little crate because she isn’t a good car rider like I am.   Mom puts her in the little crate and she naps otherwise car rides would not be fun because she wants to sit in the front seat and drive.

Since our house has both of the more popular kinds of crates, I’ve become pretty much an expert on crates.  So, if you are looking for a crate for your dog but don’t know what kind to get, let me help.

First of all, plastic crates are prettier than wire crates, mostly because they come in different colors.

Plastic crates are cozy and more private.  I can see out if I want but if someone wants to look in, they have to get close.  I can curl into a ball and not see any outside if I want to sleep.  I like my crate to feel like a den.

Plastic crates keep body heat in so they are nice and warm in the winter but wire crates are better in the summer because air has more places to get in.

Dogs in wire crates can look out all the sides while there aren’t many places to look out of a plastic crate.  Some dogs don’t like not being able to see out.  They feel trapped rather and secure.

Plastic crates are harder to break out of.  DixieLee had another kind of wire crate before and she was always getting out.  Mom finally got one with a double closer on the door and she hasn’t gotten out since.  I think she also likes her new crate more so she stays in it.  My cousin Sophie can also get out of her wire crate.

If you have a puppy or if your dog has a bad tummy, cleaning poop out of a plastic crate is more difficult than a the kind of wire crate that has a removable tray.

Both kinds are easy to store when you are not using them.   The top half of most of the plastic ones come off and fits into the bottom and the wire ones fold up flat.

If you really want a extra special crate for your dog, some crates look like furniture that you can keep in your living room.

No matter what kind of crate you choose, the most important thing you need to remember is to get the right size for your dog.  It should be big enough so your dog can sit up, stretch out and turn around but not over big.  After all, it is supposed to be your dog’s special place. Some of the wire ones come with dividers so you can buy a big one and make it small by using a divider while your puppy is little and make it bigger as the puppy gets bigger.

What kind of crate do you have and what’s the best thing about it?

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self promotion.  Having a place of my own is one way my humans pamper me.  Our Spot's SPA Gift Basket is another way to show your dog how much you care.

5 Resons People Need Dogs

I was relaxing on the couch this morning when I heard the bulldog on TV say that having a human is a big responsibility.  Wow!  I never thought of it that way but he sure is right. 

 Humans need a lot of care if they are going to lead healthy, happy lives and dogs can play a big part in making sure they are the healthiest and happiest they can be.

 In our family, if it weren’t for me letting Mom and Dad know what time it was, they would probably sleep way past five o’clock in the morning.

 1.  Dogs help their humans keep physically fit.  It’s true that people who have dogs in their lives are much more apt to exercise.  Taking them for walks is probably the biggest way we help keep them fit but I know one dog that helps her Dad run.  We also make sure that our humans get plenty of sunshine and fresh air by playing games with them outside.   Right now DixieLee is helping Dad stay fit filling in the holes she dug.

 My friend Sadie takes her Dad hunting pheasants and I’m going to take Dad fishing soon.  He says I’m the only Lab he knows who doesn’t like water.  I thought going in the water while he was fishing might not be such a good idea so I just like to sniff along the banks and check out the near-by fields.

 2.  Dogs can help improve a human’s social life.  We meet all kinds of people wherever we go. The dog park is the best place to meet new people.  If you happen to be as cute a dog as I am, people will come up to say how adorable or whatever and before you know it, we have a new friend.

 Some dogs even take their humans to therapy dog school.  After they complete the class, they can go to visit schools, libraries and places where older people live.

 3.  Dogs are good health care providers.  Just by petting a dog a human can lower their blood pressure.   Dogs can smell stuff 1,000 to 10,000 times better than a human so some dogs are able detect bad things like cancer or let a person know when their blood sugar is low.  Other dogs can know when a person with epilepsy is going to have a seizure.

 Dogs know how to cuddle just right to make a person not be depressed. 

 4.  Dogs keep people safe.  One very important responsibility we dogs have is keeping our humans safe.  For example, Mom would never have known there was a squirrel in the back yard just now if DixieLee hadn’t been lying on the bed looking out the window.  They would never know when any of our neighbors came home or when the mail came if we didn’t let them know. We can alert them as soon as someone turns onto our street because our hearing is so much better than theirs. 

 5.  Dogs provide companionship.  We make the very best friends.  We always want to do whatever you want to do.  We love unconditionally, are always happy to see you, never criticize your singing, or find your stories boring and we are excellent secret keepers.

Even though they can be trying at times DixieLee and I take good care of our humans because they are worth it.

What job do you do that you think is the most helpful to your humans?

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotion: Every dog deserves to be spoiled rotten so we created our Spoiled Rotten Dog gift basket just for them.

 

 

Home Sweet Home

It’s a beautiful Saturday morning, the first warm day we’ve had in months and Mom says to me, “So, Zee, what do you think about dog houses?”. 

I’m like, “Is this trick question?” 

 Okay, DixieLee and I have been a little crazy and noisy lately.  After all, it is Spring and it's been a long winter.  And she has had to remind us to use our quiet barks a lot lately, but still, telling us we had to find our own house sounded a little drastic, even for Mom.

It tuned out that's not what she had in mind.  She just wanted a dog's perspective on a dog issue.  She does that a lot, ask me for my opinion.  Anyway, she said that some of her friends were building houses to give away to families who couldn’t let their dogs live in the humans' houses.  She said the dogs have to stay outside all day and all night.  She said they can’t go inside and sleep in their humans’ beds or anything.  Can you imagine! 

I think that if a dog has to be outside when it is cold or raining, they should have a house to go into to where it is warm and dry.  The problem is that sometimes those dogs are chained to their houses and can’t go very far.  I don’t think the chaining part is a good thing.

If they are chained to their dog house, they can only go far enough to poop and that’s not very far.  That is very, very sad and should not be allowed to happen. Dogs need to have a safe place to run and play.  Now if they could build fenced in yards AND give the dog his own house, then I would totally support that.  Mom says that that’s not an option in most cases but she was sure they would consider it.

DixieLee and I have a nice big pen where we can be outside by ourselves. We call it our pen but it is really a 36’ X 36’ section of our yard that is fenced in so we can play and Mom doesn’t need to worry we will play in the road or get lost.  If it is too cold or too hot or raining or snowing, we can stay inside our big house and play.  We can sleep on the beds, on the rugs and even the couch if we don’t want to sleep in our own crates.

Mom says that dog houses are sort of like crates.  I do like to go in my crate when DixieLee is being a pain or when I just want to be alone and think.  So after careful analysis, I think all dogs should have their very own place where they can be warm, dry and safe, and if that place is a dog house, then I think it’s a good idea.

Do you have an outside house of your own?

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  For all you Spoiled Rotten Dogs out there, tell the world with one of our special signs.