Dining With Zeva

I just saw another post listing names of dog treats coming out of China that may be causing dogs to become sick or even died!  The list is getting longer and longer.

My mom tries to buy only good treats for me, made in the USA, that we can get at the pet food store, not at the supermarket.  We buy my regular food from the pet food store too. Our pet food store is called Dave's Soda and Pet City.  Dave and his people know a lot about pets and they help Mom find the food that is best for me.  Buying really good food at the pet food store costs a little more but, hey, I'm worth it!

Anyway, Mom recently changed my food again and boy, am I glad she did!  I like my old food but I LOVE my new food.  To me, it's all about the taste but to Mom, it's about keeping me healthy.  She recently switched me to Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream cuz I have dry skin and she's hoping the good salmon and other omega stuff will help.

Mom reads labels on all the food that we buy, canine and human, and she knows that the first word listed is what is most in the food.  Can you believe Salmon is the first word on the label for my new food.  Salmon is soooooo yummy.  Just ask any bear.

Also near the top of the list is sweet potato (another yummy food).  A little farther down are tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries!  Of course there are the vitamins and mineral stuff too but no grain.  Lots of dogs are allergic to grains and even if I'm not allergic, I would rather have real meat and salmon than soy meal.

Do you know what is in some dog food.  Meat by products.  I looked up what meat by products are and yuck!!!!

Meat by products are anything that is not strictly speaking meat (like liver, spleen, bone, blood, cleaned/washed intestines, brain, lungs, etc.) but does not include questionable items like feathers, hoofs, hair, horns teeth, etc.
I'm glad my Mom gets me food with stuff like salmon and sweet potato in it and not stuff like intestines and brains!

Some day I may get Mom to make food for me at home like some of friends humans do, but for now, I'm totally happy, except I could use an extra cup or two every day.

What dog food do you eat and what do you like best about it?

Bone appetite,
Your friend,
Zeva

P.S. Shameless self promotion  A pretty dog dish is the "basket" in our To The Rescue Dog Gift Basket! Photo above.

 

Road Trip Safety Tips

Hey Everyone!

Doing a little catch up. My humans and I took a day off this week and drove up to the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire. It was sooo much fun. Before we left, Mom and I made sure I had everything I needed to have a good trip.

Here are some things your humans can do to make sure you are safe and have fun on your next trip.

1. Safety is Number One. It was a long ride but it was so pretty I sat up the whole way looking out of the window. We always drive with the window closed, or only open a little bit so I can’t stick my head out. We don’t want me to get dirt or buggies in my eyes.

Dogs always should ride in the back seat or the way back of an SUV and never in the open back of a pick up truck. Some humans let their dogs sit on their laps while they drive. I’m too big to sit on anyone’s lap but even if you are a small dog, it is a dangerous way to ride.

Crates or seat belts for dogs are also a good idea, especially for active dogs.

Don’t stay in the car alone cuz you could get too hot or too cold depending on what time of year you are traveling. Too hot or too cold could make you sick or died. It was a beautiful day, not hot, not cold but still, whenever we stopped for something, someone stayed with me in the car. I think Dad was happy cuz he doesn’t really like shopping stuff.

2. Do some test drives if you don‘t ride often. Since I help Mom deliver our gift baskets, I ride in the car all the time and we go to lots of places so we know I don’t get car sick. If you’re not used to riding in the car and your humans want to take you on a big ride, they should take you on some short rides first so you can get used to it.

We don’t like to take meds but if you don’t like riding in a car and get sick all the time, check with your vet or someone in at your pet store. There are meds to help you not be sick. Car rides are fun, being sick is not.

3. Like all good Dog Scouts, be prepared. For this long trip, we packed my daypack. It’s a little back pack that I can carry myself. I made sure I had my collapsible bowl and some bottled water, my halter and leash, poop bags and of course extra cookies. I ate breakfast a couple of hours before we left and we were going to be home by supper time so we didn’t take any of my trail meals.

I’m not taking any meds but if I were, we would take them along too.

Mom put my microchip information in her wallet and we made sure I had all of my tags. Mom always has a bunch of pictures of me on her phone but if she didn’t she would bring along a photo. We do all of this just in case my humans get lost. I wouldn’t be able to find my way home without help so we make sure we have everything I need to help me get back home safely.

I had so much fun, I’m ready for our next road trip! How about you? Have you had a good road trip lately?

Your travelin’ friend,

Zeva

Mom's Gone To The Dogs

My Mom took a test today and found out that she is a Dogaholic. 

Here are a few things she found that confirmed she needs help and that I am a very spoiled dog. (Like that's a bad thing....)

1. My crate is in the living room and Dad uses it as an end table.
2. The new living room carpet is gray because gray doesn't show my dog hair or the dirt I track in as quickly as some other colors.
3. My humans bought their 4 Runner because there were two dogs living here back then and they wanted the dogs to be comfortable.
4. All of Mom's jackets have treats and poop bags in the pockets.
5. Mom knows the names of all the neighborhood dogs but not their humans.
6. Some weeks Mom spends more in the Pet Food Store than in the grocery store.
7. My name gets added to all greeting cards we send.

and maybe the biggest one, I have my own business cards.

Is your favorite human a Dogaholic? How can you tell?

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Sales pitch..... Until October 31st, get 20% off any of our Pet Gift Baskets.  Just type "pets" in the coupon code section and we'll take care of the rest.