Should I stay or should I go....

It’s never happened before.  Mom and Dad are going in the car and are going to be gone for a long, long time and this time we can’t go with them.

We have a big decision to make.  Do we get someone to live with us at our house or do we go to our doggie day care and stay over nights too?  This week I am going to investigate pet sitters and next week I am going to check out kennels.  After that, I should be able to decide which is best for DixieLee and me.  Wish me luck.

First of all, how do you find a pet sitter?  The internet is a good place to start.  We found the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.  A professional pet sitter is a good choice because they have training and a code of ethics which means they are good people.

There are different kinds of pet sitters.  We have one who will come to the house and feed us twice a day but we want one that will stay with us during the day and at night too.

Since we haven’t lived here very long, we don’t know lots of people. At our other house we knew all kinds of people who worked with dogs that we could ask.  Since we don’t know lots of people at our new house be we do know our vet and our friends at the local humane society. They were very helpful.

Our vet told us about a woman who used to work at the clinic.  She said she was good with animals and might be able to help

.

We like the idea of having someone come live with us.  We like our house with our beds and yard.  We have a routine.  We know where we sleep and when we eat.  If someone is staying at our house, they will be able to let us in and out anytime we want.  We would be on our schedule, not the kennels and we like that.

We have to meet her to see if we like each other.  She bakes her own peanut butter cookies so I’m thinking I already like her.

Some things that are important to know.

1.  What kind of training does she have?

2.  Is she associated with a vet in case one of us gets hurt or sick?

3.  Is she bonded?

Mom talked with our neighbors and told them that we are going away and someone will be staying at our house.  Mom asked them to keep an on us and help if our sitter needed any.

DixieLee and I like the idea of having someone stay at our house but there are other options that we are going to explore next week.  Stay tuned and if you have an opinion, let us know.  We value and appreciate your input.

Thanks,

Zeva

P.S. W have gift baskets for pets and the people who love them.  You can check them out at pawpalsboutique.com 

The Grass May Be Greener After All

A couple of months ago Zeva wrote a blog (Moo, I Mean Woof) pointing out some of the reason dogs eat grass. Most people think that dogs eat grass to make their tummies want to vomit but as Zeva so eloquently explained, vomiting is not the only reason and not even necessarily the primary reason.

The story is a little different for cats. We eat grass specifically to vomit.

You see, before cats found nice homes to live in where we get nice food served in pretty dishes, we had to go out and kill our dinner. We didn’t have the luxury of savoring every bite in a nice safe house. We needed to gulp down our dinner and get to safety before we became dinner for some other animal.

Instead of fancy feasts of pate liver or chicken or turkey, filet of beef or tuna, we ate birds or mice or other small animals that we were able to catch. Because we had to eat quickly, we ate fur, feathers and bones and, if our dinner contained any parasites, we ate them too. I know, that is really gross but, hey, some humans could brush up on their table manners. Just sayin’.

Grass doesn’t have much nutritional value but it does contain lots of fiber. Unlike dogs, cats don’t have the special enzymes that allow us to digest large amounts of grass. Without the special enzymes, when we eat lots of grass, the grass irritates our tummies and we throw up. I know, I know, throwing up is disgusting but it’s better than getting really sick from some of the stuff we ate.

I know, like me, most of you reading this blog live in nice homes where your humans feed you yummy food from a can or a bag. Personally I like canned food but I do occasionally have to settle for dry and (don’t tell my humans this) some of it is really delicious. Anyway, even though we don’t eat dinners filled with yucky stuff like fur and feathers, we do groom ourselves frequently. In the process of grooming, we ingest our own fur and like the fur we talked about earlier, it needs to get out of our systems.

So even cats who spend all of their lives inside, they need to eat grass some times. Since we live inside and don’t have access to real grass, we tend to munch on the plants we find around the house. Unfortunately, those pretty green things that sit in the window can be super dangerous to cats.

Because they are easy to grow, lots of houses have philodendron, pathos and jade plants. Aloe Vera plants are a staple in many kitchens because they are good for healing burns. The problem is that these plants are harmful to cats.

If you want your cat to be able to eat grasses to help their tummies that are actually good for them, there are lots to choose from. Personally, I LOVE catnip. It’s easy to grow and well, it’s cat nip. Then there are Bee Balm, Lavender, Thyme and Valerian. These plants that are pretty, smell really nice and are good for cats.

Now that you know why we eat grass and vomit on your carpet, keep the tuna and salmon pate coming and plant a little cat nip in the front window and I guarantee we will get along just fine.

Love

Fo

P.S.  While you're here, check out the largest selection of gift basket for CATS at pawpalsboutique.com

Sisters Share Secrets

Trying to look innocent. 

Hi Everyone

I'm Zeva's Mom, Marie. She's letting me write her blog this week. If you know Zeva, you know it's a big deal because she loves to talk.

And talking is what this blog is about. A few weeks ago, Zeva wrote a blog entitled “Are You Talking To Me?” in which she talks about how dogs communicate. Well, it seems she may have kept a few “facts” out of her blog.

She talks about how dogs communicate by using their tails and ears etc but I don't think she is telling the whole story. If you've seen the movie The Secret Life Of Pets you know they are not as innocent as they would like us to believe.

Take for instance what happened at our house the other day. DixieLee, Zeva's sister, hasn't had a very good summer. She had a liver infection that had her down for a full month and the other day she started feeling poorly again. Now, they are usually pretty independent, but we noticed that Zeva was hovering over DixieLee all day.

It took us humans another day to realize DixieLee was not feeling well. Luckily we were able to get her a vet appointment right away. The whole time I was getting DixieLee ready to go Zeva would not leave her sister's side. It took a big cookie bribe to get her to let me take DixieLee away while Vic stayed home with her.

I had noticed an unusual behavior before but it seemed to have gotten more and more frequent. The two of them stand nose to nose for a few seconds and then take off together. I understand that when Zeva hits DixieLee on the head with her paw it means she wants to play but there are times when they just look at each other and simultaneously bolt for the door to the pen where they launch into an energetic game of tag or out on the porch to watch for the mailperson.

The minute we returned from the vet Zeva met DixieLee at the door and it sure looked like she was asking DL how things went. I'm sure DixieLee told Zeva about how horrible it was having her temperature taken and thankfully that was the worst part of the visit.   Bottom line, we got some meds and she should be fine in a few days.

I know that we project human characteristics to our pets but I swear they are tele communicating or using some sort of Vulcan mind meld.

I'd be interested in knowing if parents in other multi pet households find their pets communicating in mysterious ways.

Marie

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  Zeva would never forgive me if I didn't put in a good word for Paw Pals Boutique.  Come and check out the largest selection of dog and cat gift baskets on the web at www.pawpalsboutique.com  

Pamper Your Paws

Mom believes that “a home is not complete without the pitter patter of doggy feet”.  She loves to hear the click click of our nails on the floor but she also knows that when she can hear the click click of our nails on the floor, it’s time to get them trimmed.

I am good at keeping my nails trimmed but DixieLee, not so much.  She lets her nails get too long.  She says long nails help her dig holes better.  Her hole d
igging is something else that gets in trouble but that’s a story for another time.

She doesn’t like to have her nails trimmed so rather than fight with her, Mom has her get her pedicure from the professional groomer at doggy day care.  I manage to keep my nails short by walking on pavement but sometimes I have a hard time walking across the kitchen floor because the hair between my pads gets long and make me be slippery.  I don’t like it much but I let Mom give me a trim with her littlest scissors. It is a traumatic experience so I make sure I get lots of treats for sitting still.

Keeping our paws healthy is important.   After all, we don’t wear shoes like humans so our paws walk on hot pavement in the summer and freezing snow and ice in the winter.  Our feet get coated with chemicals from lawn care and salt from deicers.  We love to go hikes with our family but we don’t go where it is super rocky or where there can be broken glass because rocks and glass can cut our pads.

As I said, one of the ways I keep my nails trimmed is by walking on pavement.  We love to go for walks with our humans but during the summer we make sure we walk early in the day before the sun makes the pavement too hot or we only walk on grass or dirt paths.

In the winter we get our feet washed after our walks. Warm water washes away any salt we may have picked up from the sidewalk.  Mom checks our feet when we come inside from our pen too.  We don’t use salt in our pen but sometimes we get clumps of ice and snow stuck between our toes.  I’m not thrilled about having my feet checked and washed but it’s better than having cracked and bleeding paws.

I’ve never had cracked and bleeding paws but I know that Dr. Nancy has moisturizer just for dogs because people moisturizer would make our pads too soft.  We need our pads to be tough to keep our feet protected.

I know some dogs who even get their nails painted pretty colors when they get groomed.  I guess that’s okay if you are a city dog but if you live in the North Country, you want to look tough.  You never know when a bear will cross your yard.

Keep your feet dry and nails clipped because going for walks with your human can be the funest part of your day.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion  for some of the bestest Pet Gift Baskets anywhere, check out our website at pawpalsboutique.com 

The Not So Great Outdoors

Hi Everyone,

Fo the cat here.  I had such a big scare recently. It was so scary that I think it cost me one of my nine lives.

The door to the outside of our house was accidently left open.  I was walking by and the sounds and smells coming in from the garden were so interesting, I followed my nose out the door and into big trouble.

It started out as a wonderful experience.  I loved feeling the grass under my feet and the sun on my back but remember I’m blind.  I wasn’t outside long when I realized I didn’t know where I was and I could hear other animals all around me. I panicked and ran and ran.  I don’t know how long or how far but it was suddenly night time.

Meanwhile my girl was at home crying because I was gone.  It was too late to come looking for me but early the next morning her Dad did come looking.  He looked and looked and then a nice lady told him she heard a noise coming from a grate in the street.

He looked in the grate and saw that was where I was hiding.  I was so happy when he brought me home again.

As much as I liked being outside at first, it is too scary and I will never, ever go outside again.  There are lots of dangers for cats outside but there is a way for humans to let us experience the outside while keeping us perfectly safe.

All they have to do is get a catio.  In case you hadn’t heard, a catio is an enclosed space that lets cats enjoy fresh air, exercise and simply sit in the sun and watch (or listen to) the birds and other animals.  It’s just an escape proof screened in box but with a little imagination, it can be a really wonderful place.

A catio can be small, fitting in a window, or a big, set in the yard or on a deck.  There are lots of ideas for catios on the internet.   If they are handy with tools a human can build one with a little bit of lumber and some chicken wire.  They can find plans on line or can buy kits that have all the material so they only need to be assembled.

For those who aren’t very good with a hammer, catios can be bought fully assembled.

Add a scratch post, soft pillow and water bowl and your catio can be a vacation paradise for your cat.

I have had enough of the outdoors for the time being so I think I’ll just sit in the window and soak up the sun.

Love,

Fo

Blatant self-promotion  check out the huge selection of cat gift baskets at our website pawpalsboutique.com  My favorite is Cat Nappin' because it comes with a super snuggly blanket that would be nice in a catio.

Take A Hike

It’s summer time in Northern New Hampshire. Majestic is the word Mom likes when she describes New Hampshire’s mountains.  I know, the Rocky Mountains are nice, but, being New Englanders we think we live in the most beautiful part of the world.

Every summer people from all over the place come to hike our mountains.  And every Monday morning our newspapers are filled with reports of people who have gotten themselves lost.

I usually don’t pay much attention to such reports but this weekend a lady was rescued after she got herself lost when her dog bolted off the trail and she went looking for her.  The lady used her cell phone to get help and her dog found some other hikers who took her to safety.  Luckily it was a happy ending for all but when you realize that New Hampshire has something like 4.8 million acres of forest land, getting lost is very serious.

We do a little hiking, mostly at a place called Cherry Pond Reserve because it is close to home.  It’s only about 125 acres and has really well marked trails but Mom and Dad are very careful when we go there.  I can go off leash for most of the walk but DixieLee is NEVER off leash.  She’s a hound and if she gets on a scent, she could end up in Canada.  I worry because she doesn’t have a passport so she won’t be able to get back into the USA!

We follow trail regulations and practice good etiquette.  Well, most of us do.  DixieLee thinks everyone is her best friend and, even though she is on leash, tries to run at people and other dogs.

We always give non-dog hikers the right of way.  We step off of the trail and wait for them to pass by.

Even though we are in the woods, Mom still brings poop bags and cleans up after us.

Our hikes are only a couple of hours long but we still bring bottled water and a small bowl to drink from.  And we are not allowed to drink from the pond or any of the water we find along the way.

Cuz our hikes are short we don’t need a lot of equipment but I know some dogs who have their own backpacks and have to carry food and water and even a first aid kit with them.

We don’t hike on very hot days either.  Dogs need to be in top physical condition to go on hikes so older or sickly dogs might enjoy a day at a dog park more than a hike up a steep mountain trail.

I hope you get to spend some time out of doors with your humans this summer and if you are vacationing in Northern New Hampshire, we know you will have a great time!

Happy Trails

,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  Check out the large selection of dog and cat gift baskets at our website PawPalsBoutique,com and follow us on Facebook at PawPalsBoutique. 

Five Second Rule Challenged

My sister DixieLee and I love to watch Mom and Dad eat.  Although it hasn't happened yet, there is always the chance that some of their yummy food will fall on the floor and we will get to eat it.

We all know that there are human foods that are very, very bad for dogs.  Foods like chocolate, grapes and raisins, onion, garlic and leeks, candy and baked goods with sugar and the sugar free ones with artificial sweeteners and cooked bones.  Some of these foods are so bad that they can make a dog be died!

What we don't hear about so often are the human foods that are good for dogs.

I was talking with my friend Beauregard and he said his Mom feeds him a raw diet made up of totally human foods.  Boy is he a lucky dog!

Our Mom is a horrible cook but there are some human foods we get that are super good for us.   Here are some of our favorites:

1.  Peanut butter.  Mom hides pills in peanut butter.  We know she is doing it but the peanut butter is so good, we don't care.  You have to be careful which peanut butter you buy.   It should be unsalted and have no xylitol in it cuz salt and artificial sweeteners are bad for dogs.

2,  Carrots.  Carrots are our favorite snack.   We like carrots even better than cookies.  Mom likes us to have them cuz they have vitamins and the crunchiness is good for our teeth.  We like them because they are sweet.

3.  Broccoli.  Dad doesn't like many veggies but he loves broccoli which is alright with us cuz he give us a taste some times.  Not too often though cuz it can make our tummies irritated.

4.  Yogurt.  Yogurt is another food that Mom can hide pills in.  Dogs that are 'lergic to dairy shouldn't eat yogurt and no dogs should eat yogurt that has sugar or any artificial sweeteners.

5.  Sweet Potatoes.  This is Mom's very favorite food.  Some people consider it a “super food” which means they have lots good stuff in them.  We like them because, like carrots, they satisfy our sweet tooths.

I could tell you about others but just writing about all these good foods is making me hungry.  I think I'll wander in the kitchen to see if anything is in danger of falling on the floor.

Bone appetite,

Your friend,

Zeva

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