Becoming a Phd (People Helping Dog)

I was napping on the couch with an ear open to the news when I heard the news person say that dogs are good at helping people who suffer from depression.  That's not news.  I've known that forever.

Our friends Niles and Caber are certified Therapy Dogs.  They visit people in nursing homes or hospitals and help them be not sad.

Harriet is another friend of ours who helps her Mom be able to go to work and not be afraid to leave the house.

You might have read the story about Charlotte, the dog who helped her Dad, a disabled veteran, get a job.  He is a good worker but he has a sickness that make it difficult for him to be with people. Charlotte is his Service dog whose job it is to help her Dad deal with his problem.

Lowe's saw that her Dad would be a good worker and hired Charlotte so she could go to work with him and help him not be anxious.  Charlotte even gets to wear a vest like all the human workers!

People who have depression or anxiety have a hard time leaving their house because they get scared.  

Certified Therapy or Service dogs, like all dogs, give their humans unconditional love.  They understand when their humans are very sad and give them lots of cuddles and kisses.  They don't say things like “Get over it” or “Snap out of it”.  Dogs don't judge, they just love their humans.  More and more studies are showing that the unconditional love a dog gives can make a big difference in the life of a person who suffers from depression.

I help Mom when she gets sad but dogs like Niles, Caber and Harriet have extra special training.  Dogs can be trained to help people who suffer from things like Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety or even Schizophrenia.  

So, the next time your human is feeling sad, cuddle up and give them kisses.  You'll be surprised at how fast they get happy again.  And if you know someone who has a serious illness like those I talked about,  tell them there are organizations that can help them find a specially trained dog to make their life less stressful and easier to deal with.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. I know what would help me get unsad, a new toy like the ones you find in our extra special pet gift baskets. See for yourself at pawpalsboutique.com

Seniors for Seniors

I recently read a story about a dog who had to go live in a shelter because his human could not afford to keep her.  Her human is old and got sick so he had to go live in a place where he could not have a big dog. My heart broke. But this story had a sort of happy ending.

She was a lucky dog because she got adopted right away. She is a big dog with lots of energy so she is going to live in a house that has children and a big yard. Lots of dogs aren't so lucky. Especially older dogs. Older dogs that end up in shelters have a hard time getting adopted.

That is so sad. Older dogs have lots and lots of love to give and there are lots of good things about older dogs. They are probably already house broken, leash trained and know basic commands like stay and sit. Oh, and old dogs can learn new tricks!

Older dogs aren't as energetic as puppies. They like to go for walks but they don't need to play, play, play all day long. They are happy to sit by your side and nap.

Older dogs make good companions for every body but especially for older people. There are even programs that help older people adopt older dogs! Some shelters give a discount or even wave the adoption fee for senior humans who adopt senior pets. Our vet gives a discount to Mom because she is old.

My Grandmom lives in a community for older people. It's a really nice place because, unlike some places, the people who live there can have pets.

The houses/apartments are small so there are rules about how big a pet can be. That's okay. There are lots of small dogs looking for homes.

So, if you are “getting older” and thinking you should not get another dog because you might need to move into a smaller house or apartment, think about getting a smaller senior dog.

Senior cats make excellent companions too!

Adopt a senior…. I know he or she will be your bestest friend.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. Looking for a super gift for your favorite pet? Check out the huge selection of gift baskets at pawpalsboutique.com I know they'll love it!

Let Me Be Perfectly Clear

Communicating can be frustrating

I love my Mom but there are times … Our friend Kathi is an Animal Communicator.  She is so easy to talk to.  She is a really good listener and she understands when we tell her things. 

I wish Mom was more like Kathi.  I know she understands us.  Like when I want a cookie and she is watching TV or reading.  It’s not like she is doing something important and I know she can see me sitting right in front of her staring but she is not listening.

After a really, really long time of trying to get her to understand that I am starving and need a cookie she’ll say “Not happening, Sweetie” and tells me to go sit on the couch.  So frustrating!

And then there was the other day.  It was really scary.

Mom was at a business thing and didn’t get home until it was way past bed time.  DixieLee and I were waiting up. After she came home I went in the room with her where she keeps her nicer clothes so she could get into her comfortable clothes.

I was busy making sure there were no strangers hiding in the closet or behind the big mirror and the next thing I know, the lights are out and the door is shut.

Well, I immediately told DixieLee what happened and she tried to get Mom to come back and let me out but Mom would not listen.  DixieLee kept running to Mom and then back to me but Mom kept watching TV.  DixieLee was very frustrated because Mom kept telling her it wasn’t time for bed yet and that she should settle down.

Well, finally, Mom decided it was time for bed.  We sleep with Mom and Dad so when DixieLee stopped at the door to the little bedroom instead of going to the big bedroom, Mom thought she was being silly but opened the door anyway.  That’s when she realized she had locked me in! 

I was so relieved!  It was the most awful 30 minutes of my life! I could have starved to death!

I wish I could get Mom to be more like Kathi.  I read recently that humans can be better communicators with their animals.

The first step is to get our humans to talk to us more.  We do understand their language as long as they use the same words all the time. 

We have to get them to ask us only one thing at a time.  They should say, “would you like a cookie?”  Not would you like a cookie now or should we go for a walk first?”, that’s too much all at once.

Once the ask they need to be quiet and give us a time to respond.  Now, if you ask me if I want a cookie, I will either tilt my head, lift my ears or head over to the cookie jar.

Once the animal has responded, it’s the humans turn to react.  The right response to my head tilt is to go to the cookie jar and give me a cookie. They could say "good girl" or something but going to the cookie jar is the best response.

It’s so simple but it takes time.  I am going to practice with Mom now, you might want to practice with your humans too.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant Self Promotion.  For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe check out pawpalsboutique.com  

The Hole Story

She’s at it again.  My sister, DixieLee, is a very energetic dog.  We try to give her lots of exercise.  Mom and Dad take us for walks and I run and play fight with her all day long, but I’m usually warn out long before she is so she finds other ways to entertain herself.

One of those ways is digging holes.

Dogs dig holes for lots of reasons.

1.  Keeping comfortable and safe.  Before dogs lived in houses with people, we dug holes to make dens to live in.  They would be warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

2.  Storing valuables.  Holes are also great places to hide things so we bury extra food or other valuable things.  Lots of dogs today bury bones or toys to keep them safe.

3.  Hunting.  There are some breeds like terriers that hunt animals that live underground like moles and groundhogs.  They dig to get to their prey.

4.  Escape.  Even when a dog has a nice big yard like we do, they don’t like not being able to go where they want to so they dig to get out.

5.  Boredom.  Digging is something we do to relieve boredom and some, like DixieLee, find digging fun.  She loves to dig and she digs really fast.  Dirt flies everywhere and it is fun to watch.

If you like to dig and your humans don’t mind a yard full of holes, there is no problem but if they prefer a nice lawn, digging can be a problem.  The first thing for your human to do is figure out why you are digging.

1.  If you can’t stay inside all the time you could dig a den or your human could make sure your outside area has shelter from the cold, like a dog house with some nice blankets, or from the sun, like a shaded area. 

2.  We have lots of toys and antlers but are not allowed to take them outside.  If we are given a treat while we are outside, it is one we finish right away so there is nothing for us to bury.

3.  Stopping a dog that is hunting for prey is not easy.  The instinct to hunt is very strong so you may need the help of a professional trainer to stop this behavior.

4.  Dogs don’t like to be left alone and digging our way out of a pen is our way of breaking free to find our family members or other dogs to hang out with.  A layer of paving stones around the inside of the pen might stop escape efforts.

5.  DixieLee loves to dig because it’s fun so we have a place in the pen where she is allowed to dig.  Dad dug a hole about three feet square and filled it with sand.  DixieLee is allowed to dig all she wants in her sandbox and at the end of the day Dad rakes the sand back over the hole.  DixieLee can dig all she wants and our pen still looks nice.

We always look for a way to solve our problems that lets everyone one be happy.

Love,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotion.  Don’t forget the Holidays are coming soon and we have lots of gift baskets especially designed for pets and the people who love them at pawpalsboutique.com

Looking for the Purrrrfect Pet

Hello again, Fo the cat here. We seem to be hearing more and more from cat friends so Zeva asked me to talk a little bit about cats and how to choose the right one for your family.

Just like dogs, there are many different breeds of cats. And just like dogs, each breed has different characteristics. Some breeds are known to be playful and energetic while others are more affectionate and gentle. Of course every pet like every human has his or her own personality but if you are looking for a cat with a more mellow personality, a Persian may be a better choice than a Bengal.

Age is also a consideration when choosing a pet. Age of the cat and age of the humans in the household. Kittens and little children are not generally a good match. Kittens need to be handled very carefully and little children don't realize that a big hug can hurt a kitten. A rescued elderly cat can be a good companion and may be a good choice for an older person who spends much of their time at home alone.

Cats make really good pets and we need less care than dogs which make them good for busy households. If you want a really low maintenance cat, choose one with short hair. Long haired cats like Persians and Ragdolls, like Grumpy Cat, do need to be brushed more often to keep their coats extra pretty.

People like cats because they are more independent and are easier to take care of than dogs. Mostly. Cats don't need to be taken outside to pee which can be very nice when it is cold or rainy but their litter boxes still need to be kept clean. Zeva reminded me cats, like dogs, also like treats and toys and a nice place to sleep.

Responsible cat parents make sure that their cats are kept healthy which means regular trips to the vet  and see that their cats are spayed and neutered to help keep the number of cats without good homes as small as possible.

Lots of people think that dogs and cats can't live in the same house because they will fight. I know lots of dogs and cats that live in the same house. The trick to making it work is to give them a chance to slowly know each other.

We encourage anyone looking for a cat to look at local shelters or look on Petfinders.com. Even if you want a specific breed, you many not need to spend thousands of dollars at a breeder because there are breed specific rescue organizations that may be able to help you find the perfect cat.

No matter what breed or age cat you choose for your family, we hope you will all benefit from the choice and enjoy living together for a long, long time.

That's it for meow,

Fo

P.S.  Blatant self promotion.  Zeva said to make sure I reminded you that you can find the purrfect gift basket for any occasion at pawpalsboutique.com 

It's Almost Here

Oh boy. It's getting busy around here. Mom's making up gift baskets to bring to the craft fairs and Dad has been looking for the bestest tree for our house. Thanksgiving is only a few days away and then comes Chanukah and Christmas and then New Years Eve. Humans sure have lots of Holidays coming up.

Did you know pets have special holidays too? We have lots of them. Like all of November is National Senior Pet month so the ASPCA encourages people to adopt a senior pet.

While people will be watching the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving Day, dogs will be watching the National Dog Show hosted by the Kennel Club on Philadelphia that features 2000 dogs. And you know that the Puppy Bowl and Kitty Bowl will be shown at the same time as the Super Bowl in January. Now those are really exciting games.

There are a bunch of holidays in November like November 17^th is National Take a Hike Day (which is good for dogs too) and it's also National Black Cat Day. Did you know that black cats are the last to be adopted? In the very olden days black cats were thought to be evil and some people are still stupidstitious and think that black cats are bad luck. Well, in lots of places in the world, black cats are good luck and National Black Cat Day lets people know that.

National Mutt Day (also known as mixed breed dogs) is December 2^nd . DixieLee and I are both mutts and we are very proud our our heritage. December 10^th is Animal Rights Day and December 15^th is Herding Cats Day. Okay, so Herding Cats Day isn't really about cats but it is kind of a fun idea.

There are more fun holidays coming up next year like Squirrel Appreciation Day in January. DixieLee appreciates squirrels all the time. Every time she sees one she barks and barks until it goes away. We can both appreciate National Biscuit Day and Spoil Your Dog Day is high on our list of good holidays.

In our house dogs get to celebrate human holidays too so we are excited that Christmas is coming. We love checking out all of the presents Mom buys and it's fun watching her put them in the pretty paper. We know there will be presents for us too cuz Mom always remembers to leave out biscuits and water for Santa Paws and carrots for the reindeer. I can't wait! 

I hope you get to celebrate the upcoming holidays but remember you have to be very good so Santa Paws will stop at your house too. Ask your humans to check out our website because Santa shops there too.

Happy, happy holidays to all,

Zeva

P.C. Here's the link to our site pawpalsboutique.com with all the great gift baskets for good little dogs and cats.

Happy Birthday DixieLee

November 20, 2011 is DixieLee’s birthday!  Sort of.  Could be.  See, the truth is we don’t know when she was born and she was too young at the time to remember so she can’t tell us.

I know my birthday is May 2, 2010.  I know because I was born in a shelter and the shelter gave me a piece of paper telling me when my birthday is.  DixieLee was a stray so when she got found and adopted by us, the vets had to guess how old she was. 

By the time DixieLee came to live with us she was no longer a puppy and into her adolescence, which is like being a bossy human teenager.  She didn’t seem to have good training like I did so there were lots of bad things she needed to overcome.  It took some time but she has managed to overcome lots of those bad habits like not being scared that I was going to steal her food and no one was going to hit her.

Now we are both grown up dogs and everyone gets along just great.  Sort of.  She still wants to play with the toy I am playing with and still wants to sit in Dad’s chair when he is sitting in it, but she is working at be good.

Just like humans, the different stages of a dog’s life mean different things.  For example, by the time a puppy becomes an adolescent he or she should have learned appropriate social behavior with other dogs, like no biting and should have formed a strong bond with humans.

Some of the most important time in a puppy’s development is around 8 or 10 weeks when they are especially impressionable and negative experiences can permanently harm a dog. Dogs always need to have love from their humans but it is especially important when they are this young.

 Around 10 or 12 weeks old is a good age to take a puppy to training.

By the time a dog is 6 months old, he or she should have confidence and some independence.  Continued training is important so that the independence doesn’t get to the point where they don’t listen at all.  Mom says I am too independent sometimes just because I don’t hear her call until she says my name 3 times.

DixieLee and I are getting close to being seniors like Mom and Dad.  Because we are both medium /big size dogs we can have many, many years ahead of us.  The important things we need to be aware of are eating well, getting enough exercise and having regular vet check-ups.

I’m just happy DixieLee is my sister now and that we are going to be celebrating her special day soon.  I love birthdays because in our house, no matter who is having the birthday, we all get presents!

Join me in wishing DixieLee a very happy birthday!

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotion.  Looking for a gift for you dog or cat's special day?  Check out the huge assortment of dog and cat gift baskets at pawpalsboutique.com