Drop It!

Hey Everyone, it’s me, Zeva!

Our friend Jim Helems and Jake came in to visit us at the Laurel Mountain Basket Co Studios the other day. Jim is a dog trainer and Jake is one of his Aussies. Jim and Jake teach lots of things including Pet Health and First Aid.

I was really surprised to learn that the ASPCA Poison Control Center received over 167,000 calls last year. That’s a lot of calls about pets getting into things that can make them very sick and even make them die. The most common calls were about pets that got into over-the-counter and prescription medicines. There are so many things around every house that are poison. Much of the stuff used to clean the house or take care of the car are poisonous. Antifreeze is really, really bad. I don’t know from experience but it’s supposed to taste sweet so dogs and cats don’t know it is bad.

Lots of household plants like Aloe and Jade and garden plants like many type of holly are very bad for dogs. We have Aloe and Jade in our house and Mom makes sure they are way out of my reach like on top of the refrigerator.

People food can be bad for pets. I know I’m not supposed to beg but I love pizza. I only get the crust, if I get anything at all, because onions and garlic are two people foods that are very bad for dogs.

Even if your humans are careful and keep all the bad poison stuff on high shelves or in cabinets, curious or bored pets can get into lots of trouble. I learned from The Preventive Vet that Mom’s purse has lots of things in it that can make me sick, like aspirin and sugarless gum with stuff called Xylitol in it. So Moms, don’t hang your purses over the back of a chair or on a door knob where we can get to them.

If you know of other stuff that is bad for us, I'd like to know cuz I want to have my house be as dog safe as we can make it.

And remember, when your human says "drop it!" you need to let go of whatever is in your mouth because it could be very bad for you.

Until next time, be safe

Your friend,

Zeva

Gingerbread Whoofie Pies

I love my job! Like it says on my business card, I am the Product Tester for the Pet Division of Laurel Mountain Basket Co. On Saturday our friend Nancy from Cozy Home Cookies (and more) had a booth at a crafts fair in our building.  She asked me to taste test her newest dog treat, Gingerbread Whoofie Pies. 
OMG!  Delicious!  The gingerbread was soft and not too sweet and the cream cheese filling was heavenly!  Definitely worth a five paws rating.  I could have eaten the whole box in one sitting but we put one of the Whoofie Pies in the fridge and I got to sample a little piece every day to test for freshness.  I know they are supposed to be healthy but it's hard to believe healthy tastes this good.
If you live in Western Mass and want to try the Gingerbread Whoofie Pies or any of the other home made pet treats from Cozy Home Cookies, you can usually find Nancy at the Greenfield Farmers' Market or you can contact me and I'll send you her email address.
Nancy also makes the cat blankets we put into our Cat Napping Gift Baskets.
We're expecting an order of dog toys any day now from Angelica of The Smiling Pets.  She embroiders sayings on her hand made dog toys.  I'm thinking of having her embroider my name on all of the toys but Mom says that would not be nice since the toys aren't all mine.  We are buying them to add to our expanding line of pet gift baskets.   Angelica is from Maine which makes her extra special.  We like working with New England crafters.
I am constantly sniffing out great new products of our pet gift baskets so if you have any ideas, let me know.
Your Friend (a/k/a Designer and Product Tester)
Zeva

Best In Show

Hi Everyone,
Are you ready for the greatest sporting event of the year?  No, not the Super Bowl, that's over with, to the disappointment of many New England fans.  It's the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and it starts on Monday, February 13th.  I've got my favorite cow's knuckle bone and seat on the couch all set.
Established in 1877 the Westminster is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs and it is the second longest continuously held sporting event in the United States, the longest running being the Kentucky Derby.
Although the whole show is amazing to watch, I am most interested in the Sporting Group and the Herding Group competitions since I am part Labrador Retriever and part Border Collie. Like lots of people I am  interested in learning more about my ancestry.
Did you know that the Labrador has a "kind" expression and an outgoing temperament?  We are great assistance and therapy dogs as well as search and rescue dogs.  Labs are one of most popular breeds.
Border Collies are great at herding because of the our intensity, energy and agility.  Border Collies rock in obedience and agility competitions.  We love to please but can get into lots of trouble when we get bored. So if you have a Border Collie they need lots of chew toys.  If you don't know what kind or where to get them, ask me and I can tell you.
Being a Lab and Border Collie mix I think I would be an awesome therapy dog.  Mom is going to let me go to therapy dog school but she says we are going to wait a couple of months.  She says we need to get some more basic training down first.  I get too distracted and excited and forget to listen.
The winners in the Westminster show get silver trophies. I guess trophies are nice but I think most dogs would rather get something like my Best In Show! gift basket.
Do you have a favorite group that you like to watch?  Let me know and I'll make sure I tune in to watch.
Good Luck to all of the competitors! You're all champions!
Your Friend,
 Zeva

Top 10 Dog Names

If you were rescued like I was, you may have had a couple of different names.  I was 14 weeks old when my mom found me on Pet Finders and came to get me.  The nice people who drove my six brothers, sisters and me from South Carolina to Connecticut called me Puff.  Names are important and everyone should have one.
My name got changed as soon as my mom and dad came to get me and take me to my forever home.  Dad said "Zeva" and mom said "perfect". I am named after Cote de Pablo's character on NCIS.  My dad thinks she's hot. I think she's smart, athletic and very pretty. If she were a dog, she would be a border collie lab mix, I'm sure of it.
My name is spelled Zeva because mom thought it looked better than Ziva.  Mom's kind of weird about some things.
Zeva is a good name because it has two syllables so it was easy for me to learn and easy to remember.  Sometimes mom calls me Zee which is nice but when she calls me Zeva David, I know I'm in big trouble.
I checked around and came up with a list of the most popular names for dogs. Here are my top ten:

Names for boy dogs

1.  Max
2. Bailey
3. Jake
4. Charlie
5. Buddy

Names for girl dogs

1. Molly
2. Sadie
3. Lucy
4. Daisy
5. Sophie

I meet lots of dogs and love to know their names.  One new friend is named Misty.   She was the winner of a Dogs In Toy Land gift basket from Laurel Mountain Basket Co .  She got the most votes in a contest we ran over the Holidays.  I'm thinking up a new contest, so stay in touch and maybe you will be our next winner.
In the mean time, I'd love to meet you and learn how you got your name.
Your friend,
Zeva

Give A Dog A Bone

Hi Everyone
Well, the Holidays are over with for another year.  Hope Santa Paws brought you everything you asked for.  I got some really tasty treats and some great toys.  I did lots of toy testing to see which ones shred the easiest. Toy testing is part of my new job as Designer for  the Pet Division of Laurel Mountain Basket Co and I take my job very seriously.  My new NylaBone and King Kong are the only toys that passed the Zeva destroy test.  My mom makes sure all of my toys are safe to play with and when they get shredded she takes them to their new home in the trash.
I did get a couple of raw hide bones but I'm not allowed to have them.  My mom has some concerns about where and how they are made.  She learned that some raw hide, especially from foreign countries, is treated with chemicals like arsenic. Also, I like to eat my toys, not just chew them and she is afraid some raw hide chunks will get in my tummy and cause indigestion or blockage which is really, really bad.
Instead of raw hide I get marrow bones to chew on.  Because I am a fast eater, I get all the good stuff off of the bone so it doesn't sit around collecting bacteria.  If I eat too much of the yummy stuff inside the bone, I can get diarrhea so mom makes sure I don't have too much.  I did get a huge knuckle bone that didn't have any middle stuff but it's great for chewing anyway.
I don't think I will be putting any marrow bones in our gift baskets but I'd be interested in knowing what types of chew toys you think I should include in my new designs.  Drop me note.  I'd love to hear from you.
Remember, no chewing shoes or furniture,
Your friend
Zeva

My Own Credit Card

Hi Everyone,
I have my very own credit card.  It's a special credit card that takes care of me when I have to visit the vet.  I don't go have to go to the vet often because I try to be healthy.  My humans help out by making sure I get good food, lots of exercise and enough rest.  That's all good stuff but I still need to get regular check ups at the vet's and I could get sick.  Like last Thanksgiving Eve. I had a bad tummy for a couple of days and kept being sick.  When we called my vet's office, we found out they were closed for the holiday, so my mom took me to the Emergency Hospital.
The doctor at the hospital said I was sick because I was stressed out and acid was making me sick.  She was supposed to make sure I had food in my tummy when I went to bed and that would help.  It was good that we didn't have to do any big tests or get a prescription for medicine but just a visit to an Emergency Hospital can be very expensive.  So I'm glad I've got me my own credit card.
My friend Honey hurt her legs and not only did she have to go to her vet and the Emergency Hospital, she had to go to Tufts Veterinary Hospital which is far away.  She had to go stay at Tufts for a couple of days and even when she came home, it took her a long time to get better.
Being sick is no fun.  When any of my friends gets sick I send them lots of hugs and sometimes I send them one of my Best In Show or other pet gift baskets from my design collection.
After my visit to the hospital and Honey's scary story, I'm beginning to wonder if I should get pet insurance.  I've been doing some checking and have talked to some of the dogs at the day care but I'm not sure it's right for me.  Do you have pet insurance?  Do you think it's a good investment? Let me know what your think.
Hope you all have a happy and HEALTHY New Year!
Your friend,
Zeva

Dog Heads Up New Division

Hey everyone, check out this draft of my Press Release:

Marie Lisewski, owner and chief designer of Laurel Mountain Basket Co is pleased to announce the promotions of Zeva The Dog to Designer of the company's Pet Line division.  Zeva will be responsible for choosing and testing all of the toys and treats that will be used in the company's expanded line of pet gifts and gift baskets.

"Zeva has been a key part of our success and we are thrilled to promote her to this important position", said Lisewski.  Zeva joined the company in August of 2010 as a puppy and due to her Border Collie intelligence and organizational skills quickly rose to several management positions including Retail Greeter at the company's Easthampton Massachusetts location.

"We plan to expand our on line presence in the pet gift field in the next twelve months and Zeva will be an important asset to help our organization reach its goals", said Ms. Lisewski.

"I am thrilled to be taking on this new role.  As a dog, I am very aware of the need for more toys and treats in every pet's life and my goal is to see that we provide pet gifts to fit every taste and every budget." said Zeva.

-end-

 I am so excited.  I've been promoted.  As you know, we already carry a nice selection of gift baskets for dog and cats but in the coming months my goal is to expand the line to include lots more gift ideas.  I'm looking forward to to taking on this new challange and would love your help.  Let me know what you think we need to do to provide our clients with the best pet gifts and gift baskets in the Universe.

Love,
your friend
Zeva