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

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work I Go!

I just took a look at the calendar and boy, time is sure moving along. At the Studio we are getting ready for the upcoming Holiday Season. DixieLee and I are working very hard testing treats and toys and approving designs. We are very lucky that we get to go to work every day with our Mom.

I know lots of dogs and cats that get to go to work with their humans every day too and there is even a special day called Take Your Dog To Work Day in June where some places let the humans bring their dogs in and spend the day in the offices.

Most people I know think it is a wonderful idea to let pets go to work with their humans. Allowing pets to go to work lets the employees have a more balanced life. They will stay later to finish projects when they don’t have to rush home to feed their furry friend and walking a pet for a potty break gets the employee outside for some fresh air and exercise which can increase creativity and productivity.

Of course there need to be some rules about pets that go to work like they have to be housebroken, well mannered and friendly. Having dogs peeing in the office, fighting with other pets or biting coworkers would be a very bad thing. No company wants a smelly office, employees rushing their pet to the vet or dealing with lawyers over dog bite claims.

Some pets, like DixieLee, manage to get in trouble without trying. She’s not B-A-D just curious and klutzy. She chews socks and pulls pillows off of the sofa or gets into the trash. In an office it would be very bad for a dog to chew on computer cords or jump up on other workers or clients.

When we had our Shoppe, I had to stay in the office/studio part and not go out into the store area. I know I was a good greeter but there were some people who are afraid of dogs who might not think so. Also from the Shoppe I could get into the main hall and wander into other businesses.  I love to socialize with our neighbors but Mom says it's a no no.

As hard as it is to believe, not all people like pets and there are some people that are allergic. I am a very clean dog but there are still some businesses like medical offices and restaurants where animals shouldn’t go because of germs.

I’d like to know if you get to go to work with your human and if you do, do you work from your house or do you go to an office. If you go to an office, what are the rules you need to follow?

Sorry, got to go, I see the big brown truck just brought us some more packages. I wonder what we’ll be testing today.

Your busy friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotion.  The Holidays are almost here so check out the huge selection of pet gift baskets at pawpalsboutique.com  Remember we are also happy to custom design gift baskets especially for you,