Hi, My Name Is.........

Most of my blogs are about dogs because, well, I’m a dog so I can talk from experience but because at Paw Pals Boutique we make gift baskets for all pet, this blog is about other types of pets.

There was a stray cat that liked our neighborhood so she would come by our house every day. She finally adopted a family that lives on our street. We don’t get to see her much any more because she likes her new family and has turned into a house cat.

DixieLee and I were talking about her the other day. We called her Midnight because she is a beautiful all black cat. We are wondering what her new family named her. The next time Mom sees someone from her family, we’ll find out but in the meantime we searched out the most popular cat names for 2018 to see if she gets one of them.

According to Healthy Paws, here are the top ten:

Stella, Oscar, Gracie, Finn, Daisy, Jack, Chloe, Simba, Mia and Loki.

Nala, Oliver, Luna, Milo, Bella, Leo, Lucy, Charlie, Lily and Max were also really popular.

We have lots of friends who have horses as their favorite companions so we looked to see what are the more popular names for horses.

Saddle Box finds Bella, Alex, Lilly, Alexia, Fancy, Sugar, Lady, Tucker, Dakota and Cash are really popular.

People also like the names Jasper, Misty, Smoke, Cheyenne and Breeze.

We like to know the names of our friends so let us know what your name is and what kind of pet you are.

Love,

Zeva

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

Eau de Stinky 2

I’m in the dog house.  Mom is wearing her not happy face so I think I’ll just hang out where she isn’t.

Everything was going just fine.  We all went for a big walk and, like usual, when we get back to our yard I get to go off leash.  I like when I get to go off leash because I can investigate more places.

Just as I got to the top of the little hill, I smelled something interesting so I ran for it.  Just what I thought, I nice big pile of poop.  I think it was from a coyote.  There are lots of wild animals living in the woods around our town.

I don’t like when they cross our yard but they are sneaky and do it when I am sleeping so I can’t stop them but maybe, just maybe there is a way to catch them.

If I smelled like a coyote, they wouldn’t know it was me and I could sneak up on them and chase them away.  So, I rolled and rolled in the pile until I was covered all over with their scent.

Coyotes might like the smell, but Moms don’t.  Oh boy, was I ever in trouble.

This wasn’t the first time I got myself in this particular kind of trouble so you would think Mom would remember that I told her that it was what dogs have done since early, early days.  We cover ourselves with the scent of prey so that they don’t know it is us sneaking up on them. She wasn’t buying it.

So, just like last time, I got washed and dried and now I really smell yucky.  Mom used some of the stuff we get for our Spot’s SPA Gift Baskets.  Humans like the smell and it makes fur more fluffy.  I guess I’ll look at this as a “product testing” session.

DixieLee loves to roll around on grass and rugs.  She does it all the time but never in poop so she doesn't get in trouble.

Here comes Mom now.  I think I’ll find another room to be in for a few minutes.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe go to pawpalsboutique.com

Camera Shy?

If your Mom is like ours, she is always trying to take pictures of you when you are doing something “cute”. 

DixieLee is okay about having her picture taken.  She is always doing something funny but lots of times she moves too fast to get a not blurry shot.

Me, I prefer my privacy but it is important that your humans have some good pictures of you just in case you go missing or get pet-napped.

Every day we see lots of posts on Facebook and flyers in store windows of pets that have gone missing.

A “good” picture is one that shows lots of you so peoples can get a sense of how big you are and what colors you are all over.  A “good” picture is a recent one.  I know I look way different than I did when I was younger.

A good description of you to go along with your picture is also important. It should tell how big you are, how much you weigh, how old you are (I know, girls don’t like to tell those things but they are important to know) and tell where you were last seen.

Your humans should call the local rescue/shelter and police department.  Sometimes peoples take lost pets to shelters or call the police to say there is a stray in the area.  Getting your picture to the shelter and police is good too.

We hope you never get lost or pet-napped but if you do, having a good picture and having your humans act quickly, will be a big help in getting you home safe and soon.

Smile pretty!

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, visit pawpalsboutique.com

It's Not For Everyone

I have read that there are peoples who put leashes on their cats and take them for walks but until we went out for our Sunday walk, I had never seen one with my own eyes.

Now I have nothing against cats. We had some cats for neighbors and I would have tried to be friends but they were kind of stuck up. They mostly sat in the windows in the house across the street and stared at me and DixieLee.

We had a stray cat that hung around our house for a few days. I learned that she adopted the family that lives at the end of the street. Mom liked having a cat around because she said that cats scare away chipmunks and squirrels.

If that is so, I don’t think she was doing a very good job.

The other day Dad saw her eating some of the catnip plants in our garden. Mom said it was okay because although she planted the catnip to keep the mosquitoes away, she is happy the cat is enjoying it too.

Anyway, back to seeing the cat walking on a leash. First of all, I’m used to seeing cats run fast. This cat was walking really, really, really slow. Mom saw her first so she detoured us into the park so DixieLee wouldn’t see the cat. DixieLee thinks chasing cats would be lots of fun.

We had to wait a long, long time for the cat to walk a little way down the street and then turn around to go back home.

The lady and the cat were sitting outside when we went by their house and DixieLee and I were very good. The cat however, got stressed out. I think she wanted to climb a tree where she would be safe but she couldn’t because she was on a leash.

From what I have read, it seems that walking on a leash stresses cats out. Cats are pretty independent and don’t like to have anyone tell them where to go or what to do and like the cat we met on Sunday, if they feel in danger, they want to run away.

Peoples that would like their cats to be able to go outside because outside is nice, should think about getting a Catico. If you want more information about Caticos, here’s a link to a blog I wrote a while back about Caticos.

I would be very interested to hear from any cats or dogs who live with cats and see what you think.

All this talk about taking walks is making me want to go out myself. It’s such a beautiful day. Let’s see if using the stare works today.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, go to pawpalsboutique.com

What to do on a Hot Summer Day

Boy, it’s super hot outside. We love to go outside to play and go for walks but not when it is this hot. I found a spot right in front of the air conditioner. I don’t want to move until winter comes back but DixieLee wants to play and fight. Sigh

Mom says there has to be something we can do to get rid of extra energy that doesn’t tear the house apart. We went looking and found an article listing 101 things to do with your dog. Here are some ideas.

1. Go for a walk. Well, we love this idea but not when it is so hot the pavement would burn our feet.

2. Go shopping in a pet-friendly store. Mom said NO to that one. She says we have bad manners and she doesn’t have enough money to pay for all the cookies we would eat right out of the bins and the toys DixieLee would destroy.

3. Go to a beach or pond and swim. DixieLee likes to swim but even though I am part Lab, I hate water. So “NO” to the whole swimming idea.

4. Make an appointment with a groomer for a nice bath and pedicure. Did I mention that I hate water and I understand baths involve water. DixieLee hates to have her feet touched so, I guess we can cross that one off the list.

5. Sing to your dog. They can’t be serious. Whoever made this list never heard Mom sing or they would never suggest this activity.

6. Dance with your dog. See number 5.

7. Go on a canoe trip. This also involves water but I would pay to see Dad try to take DixieLee out in a canoe. 

8. Blow bubbles. DixieLee actually likes chasing bubbles but then she is easily amused.

9. Play tug-of-war with an old sock. Not a great idea since it took us 4 years to break DixieLee of the habit of stealing Dad’s socks and chewing holes in them.

10. Make Pupcicles or doggy ice cream. Now this is an activity I can get behind. There are lots and lots of recipes on line so we could have a different flavor every day.

Finally, we found an activity that we can do as a family! I think I’ll just sit here in front of the air conditioner while Mom makes up some peanut butter ice cream treats for us.

Stay cool and make sure you are drinking enough water.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe to to pawpalsboutique.com

The Stare... What You Need to Know

Puppies stare at their new humans because they are so happy to have someone who loves them.  They may also be afraid the human will disappear.

Puppies soon learn that staring at a person can get them to say“how cute” or some other nice thing.

A smart dog will soon learn that there is a difference between staring and The Stare.

When used properly, The Stare can be one of your bestest tricks. After you have perfected The Stare, you can add The Tilt for added effect. 

But one step at a time.

Dogs easily communicate with other dogs but to communicate effectively with humans, you must perfect The Stare. The Stare is how you get your humans to give you what you want. I use The Stare when I want a cookie, to go outside, to go for a walk or if lunch is late.

When I want something I sit so that when Mom looks, she is instantly hit with The Stare. If she is watching the TV or working on a project, I first have to get her to look at me. When used correctly, The Stare can make a human turn to look at you. Once you have connected with their eyes, you keep The Stare steady until they speak.

Mom will say something like “what?”. Then I shift The Stare to the cookie jar, the door, the leash rack or the dinner bowl. Don’t shift too long because you don’t want your human to get distracted and forget you need something. This works most of the time.

I like to shift The Stare to the clock when I want to remind Mom that she is late with a meal or with my before bed cookie. I know, making her feel guilty is not a nice thing to do but I could starve to death waiting for a TV show to end or for her to finish a knitting thing.

The Stare also works when humans are asleep. It takes a little longer but they do respond eventually. I don’t like to use The Stare when Mom is sleeping but sometimes I need her to wake up and tell DixieLee to move so I can get space on the bed.

DixieLee has finally realized the power of The Stare.  She as added a Tail Wag to The Stare for emphasis.  She used The Stare on Mom twice yesterday (once when Mom was sleeping) and it worked like a charm.

Remember to use The Stare wisely. If used too often, your human could become immune to it. The good thing is, if they do become immune, it’s only for a little while.

Blogging is hard work so I think I will go use The Stare on Mom and get myself a cookie.

Keep practicing,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, go to pawpalsboutique.com

What Color is Your Ribbon?

Our friend Beauregard had a very bad experience the other day. He and his Mom were taking a walk. There was a Mom and a little boy walking in front of them. The little boy spotted Beauregard and started to go toward him.

Beauregard is a service dog. His Mom has Autisim. Her Autisim makes her uncomfortable around strangers so they crossed the street to avoid the little boy. The little boy started running toward them, waving his arms. Beauregard’s Mom was so upset.

I guess if you are not a “dog” people, you don’t realize how dangerous it is to approach a strange dog. Not all dogs are friendly and dogs like Beauregard have big jobs to do and should not be bothered.

Some service dogs, emotional support dogs or therapy dogs have special vests that they wear to let people know that they are working.

Some peoples use colored ribbons to tell certain things about the dog.

Blue means the dog is in training.

Orange means the dog is okay around peoples but not so good around other dogs.

Green means the dog is friendly.

White means the dog is blind or deaf.

Yellow means the dog is fearful.

When we walk, Mom and Dad make sure we don’t get too close to strangers or other dogs. If we stop to talk with friends, Mom watches to make sure we are on our goodest behavior.

The idea of using ribbons is a good one except not everyone knows what the colors mean and lots of us like to wear pretty colored collars, harnesses and leashes. I have a pink collar, black harness and a pink leash.

DixieLee and I wear colorful kerchiefs too! All the mix of colors could confuse peoples. I think the bestest thing to do is not go near any dog until you ask the Mom or Dad and even then to watch the dog’s body language. Hey, we all have grumpy days.

It’s another beautiful day outside. I think I’ll get DixieLee and we’ll both stare at our harnesses until Mom and Dad get the idea that going for a walk would be fun.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe check out pawpalsboutique.com