Monday, December 31, 2018

This Dog's New Year's Resolutions


Hello there.  I know, I haven’t been good at keeping up with the blog. I apologize. It’s been crazy busy this Holiday Season.  I helped Mom while she was making all the gift baskets.  Keeping DixieLee from getting under foot was a full time job.

Now that things have slowed down I can get back to writing regularly.

As a matter of fact, that is one of my New Year’s Resolutions.  I love all of my on line friends and I love keeping in touch with you, sharing ideas and hearing about your lives.  This blog lets me do that. It’s also a way to discuss things that are important to dogs.

New Year’s Resolutions are more of a peoples thing but I think it is important that we pets reflect on our lives and see where we can make them better.

Lots of peoples make resolutions to get more exercise and eat better. I think that is a great resolution and I am going to help Mom and Dad keep that one, even if it’s not one they choose.  I am going to make sure that they get out and take big walks every day.  We may have to wait until the weather gets warmer, but I will make sure it happens.

I will also make sure they eat better.  That’s also an easy one.  Whenever they start eating stuff that isn’t “healthy” like potato chips, I will stare and stare until they feel guilty and put the bag away.

I explained New Year’s Resolutions to DixieLee and she is making resolutions to stop stealing socks and to stop eating paper towels.  Stealing her socks is a good way to get Mom moving in the morning but we decided that throwing a toy works good too.  

As far as eating paper towels, I have tried to tell her that it is bad, bad, bad for her tummy and stealing them off of the counter makes Mom not happy.  She said she was going to try really, really hard to do better.

Have you decided to make a New Year’s Resolution?  Let us know what it is so we can share what is important to the health and well being of our friends.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2019.

Love,

Zeva

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


Friday, November 9, 2018

It's A Jungle In Here

Always curious DixieLee

You would think that once dogs (and cats) got domesticated and started living in houses that we would be safe from danger. Not so.

There are many dangers to pets in every house.  When DixieLee came to live with us, she was always getting into things.  She was good at getting into the trash which is very dangerous for dogs.  Besides lots of food that are bad for dogs, there are things in the trash like cellophane wrappers, paper towels and aluminum foil that can make a dog super sick or even died.

DixieLee is super smart so it took Mom lots of tries to find a trash can she couldn’t get into.  She also figured out how to open the cabinet door and get into the dog food bag!  Putting childproof locks on the cabinet worked.  She also put locks on the cabinet under the sinks in the kitchen and bathroom where we keep cleaning stuff.

We learned to keep the lid down on the toilet too.  We don’t use that blue stuff but we do clean it with bleach and it’s better to be safe all the time.   If you live in house with a kitten, it’s a good idea to keep the lid down so they don’t fall in and drown.

DixieLee wasn’t a super chewer but she does like Dad’s socks.  All kinds of every day things like wires and electric cords, children’s toys, batteries, coins rubber band are dangerous so it's best to keep them out of reach.  And if your house has valuables like some jewelry, keep that stuff locked away in a drawer.  It would be awful if something got so chewed got ruined!

When we go outside we stay in our pen so we can’t get to dangerous chemicals that Dad keeps in the garage like gasoline, antifreeze, pesticides and car cleaning stuff but he still keeps them high on a shelf.  We also make sure that any lawn stuff and plants are pet safe.

We live where it snows A LOT so we make sure to use a salt that is pet safe.

Be careful when you bar-b-que or use your fire pits too!

Decks and balconies are fun places but a dog can get hurt they slip through or get caught between the railings.
 
Pets, ‘specially young ones, are curious and can get into real trouble so it is up to your humans to make sure they live in a safe home.

Take care and be safe,

Zeva

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

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Halloween is too Scary!

Wearing our Halloween kerchiefs 

We like doing tricks to get treats!  I think all dogs do. But not all dogs like when humans do trick or treat on Halloween.

Sure, some dogs like to get dressed up in costumes but some dogs don’t.  DixieLee and I don’t like to be dressed up.  We like pretty collars and even kerchiefs but say no to anything else.

Our job is to protect our house.  We get overwhelmed when lots of peoples come to our house on Halloween night.  And it’s not just that there are lots of them, they don’t look like friendly peoples, some look very, very scary!

And then there are the “treats”.  In our house, we get treats that are sort of healthy.  On Halloween, most treats are not so healthy.  In fact, some of them are so bad they can make a dog died.  Lots of peoples buy chocolate candy and chocolate is poison to dogs!

Chocolate isn’t the only treat that is bad.  Some candy is made with Xylitol, a make believe sweetener.  Xylitol is poisonous to dogs and cats!  Treats that peoples think are healthy, like raisins, can make dogs really sick too.  So if your humans give chocolate or other treat to the peoples who come to the door, make sure they keep it out of reach.  Even though we know certain things are bad for us, they can be awfully tempting.

Empty candy wrappers are also tempting but if you eat them the foil and cellophane can get caught up in your belly and make you so sick you could died or at least have to go to the vet and get an operation.  Everyone knows that operations are not fun so it is best not to eat stuff you shouldn’t.

There are things we don’t eat that are also dangerous for pets at Halloween (and other times too).  Candles make a house look spooky but they can cause a big fire if they get knocked over by a super excited tail.

Childrens like toys called Glow Sticks.  Glow sticks and glow jewelry are fun toys for children to carry on Halloween.  If you live in a house with cats, tell them that glow sticks are really pretty but that they should not chew on them.  The stuff that makes the glow will make you sick!

DixieLee and I going to stay in the bedroom and listen to pretty music on Halloween and let Mom and Dad deal with the scary peoples that come.  We can trust them to do a good job one day out of the year.

Have a happy and safe Halloween,

Zeva

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


Thursday, October 18, 2018

Paper and Poop


When DixieLee came to live with us five years ago, I didn’t like it. 

I liked being the only dog.   Mom and Dad thought it would be good for me to have another dog to play with. I loved going to daycare and dog park and playing with the other dogs so having someone to play with all the time did sound like a good idea until I met DixieLee.

Of all the dogs I met, she was the most unfriendly.  I know she had a bad life and I tried to be understanding.  

At first she had to eat in her crate because she thought I was going to steal her food.  I tried to tell her we had more than enough food but she didn’t listen.  Seriously, Mom buys extra big bags of food and the man in the brown truck brings more even before we run out.  It’s like magic!

It’s been five years now and DixieLee and I are totally BFFs.  I teach her stuff and she teaches me stuff.  I taught her how to lick her lips when she wants a cookie.  It doesn’t work all the time but Mom and Dad think it’s cute and if we both do it, they usually give in.

She taught me how to eat paper.  Since she came to live with us, she has stolen paper towels off of the counter or from the trash, taken them to her crate and eaten them.

DixieLee says that paper towels sometime smell like food and so they must be food.

Mom went back to work recently and it gets a little boring around the house so I decided to try eating paper towels.  Still don’t see the attraction but it is something to do.

Mom is not happy. She said that eating things that are not food is bad for us.  Eating paper can mess up our poops and then we would have to go to the Vet and we would not like what the Vet needed to do to make us good again.

Mom told Dad to be more careful and to make sure that the penny can is on top of the trashcan so that we (really DixieLee since I don’t do trash) can’t get into it without sounding the alarm.

Looks like it’s almost time for lunch and I need to get to the cabinet to supervise Dad while he feeds us. 

Being a helpful sister,

Zeva

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

Friday, October 12, 2018

Sweet Dreams


I was having a nice quiet sleep when all of a sudden DixieLee yipped really loud. She scared me awake and I jumped off of the bed. I guess while I was having a good dream about lying on the bed, watching the birds, she was have a bad dream.

I ended up sleeping on the sofa because she was whimpering and shaking. She was moving around so much that she even woke Mom up. It’s a really good idea not to wake up DixieLee (or any dog) when she is whimpering and shaking cuz she just might think you are the bad person and snap at you.

Mom talked whispery to her. She said things like “DixieLee is a good girl” and “It’s okay now” and “Mom is right here” until she settled down and slept quiet.

When I asked her the next morning what she was dreaming about, she said she was sorry she woke me up but she didn’t remember any dream. Dogs are like people like that. Sometimes we remember or dreams and sometimes we don’t.

Scientists did tests so they know that dogs dream because of something called REM (rapid-eye-movement). They said that when a dog’s breathing gets irregular and their legs start to move, they are dreaming.

Puppies and older dogs are more likely to have running legs because of something called pons in their brains. Pons in adult dogs are strong and keep the leg muscles from acting like they are running. All this science stuff is complicated but it is important to know.

The scientists also say that dogs dream the same way that people do. They could even have nightmares. I think DixieLee was having a scary nightmare when she woke me up. They say dogs probably dream about things that happen when they are awake. Like a Black Lab might dream about chasing birds and a German Sheppard might dream about chasing bad guys.

All this talk about dreaming is making me tired. I think I’ll take a nap and maybe dream about sitting in the sunshine.

Sweet Dreams,

Zeva

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

Monday, October 8, 2018

Saving Lives


October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.  DixieLee and I and Fox, Dana, Cassie and Nico, the dogs who lived with Mom and Dad before we did, were all adopted.

We have lots of friends who were born at houses where the humans are “respectable breeders” and that’s okay with us.  Sadly, we all can’t be “mutts” (sorry, mixed breeds), so having good and responsible humans who loves a particular breed sell puppies is okay.

We want to encourage peoples who want to share their lives with A DOG, no matter of parentage, to please look to the shelters instead of “Pet Stores” who get heir puppies from Puppy Mills.

I don’t even like to think about Puppy Mills, never mind talk about them. They make me cry. 

“SOME” of the puppies get to go to good homes but some don’t’ and I can’t talk about the Mama dogs.  My heart breaks.

So, let’s get back to Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.  How do dogs end up in shelters? Lots or reasons and they are all sad. 

Some are strays, they got lost, ran away or their owners left them on the street to fend for themselves. 

Some are rescued from horrible homes where they were mistreated.

Some had loving families but something happened to the family, like they had to move and couldn’t take their pets or they didn’t have a job anymore so they had no money.

Some are untrained and their owners don’t want to put up with “bad behavior”.

Super sadly, some had their humans die and no one is left to take care of them.

And the super super saddest is that the pet got old and their owners don’t want them anymore.

Please help us spread the word that October is National Shelter Dog Month.

If you can’t adopt, foster, if you can’t foster, sponsor, if you can’t foster, volunteer, if you can’t volunteer, donate, and if you can’t donate, educate.

And don’t forget, cats and other pets end up in shelters too.

Love,

Zeva

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


Saturday, September 22, 2018

Don't Forget Us



It has been a week since Hurricane Florence made so many people have to run away from their homes.  We are so sad seeing that some peoples left their pets behind.  Thankfully there are other peoples who went in and saved them.

We have talked before about having a Pet Emergency Evacuation Plan.  It’s not super easy but with planning it’s not so hard to take dogs and cats and birds in your car and drive to safety.  We talk about making sure you have enough food and water and other things your pet will need but what do you do about horses or other farm animals?

Not everyone who has a horse or cows have trailers and not many horses will fit in the back seat of a car.  And where would you put all the hay and stuff?

 That doesn’t mean you should just leave them behind.  There are many things you can do to make sure they are safe too.

What to do depends on what the emergency is.  There are “emergencies” that don’t mean you have to leave your house but are still dangerous.  At these times you need to know if your animals are safer in a barn or out in a field.  But, if it is not safe for you to stay, it isn’t safe for your animals either.

The Humane Society website has lots and lots of information about what to do in the different kinds of emergencies.  If you have a large animal or know someone who does, please share the information with them.  No one wants to see their animals hurt but may not know what to do.   Knowing what to do ahead of time can avoid needless suffering.

We hope you never have an emergency evacuation but please take a minute to make sure you know how to protect your pets if you do.

Stay safe,

Zeva

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

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Nurse Zeva


Being a big sister is a hard job. Last week DixieLee had a bad belly. She couldn’t eat anything because she would just throw it up. Mom said I had to help by not asking for cookies.

The vet said she should not eat anything for 24 hours! I can’t imagine anything worse than not being able to eat! You could get died if you didn’t eat for 24 hours.

I guess the vet was right. After 24 hours she could eat again and was not sick any more. The bestest part was that she got to eat really yummy stuff like boiled chicken and scrambled eggs. I got to have some too as a reward for being so helpful.

You would think that once she got to eat again everything would be good. Instead of being happy about getting kibble and cookies, she started stealing paper towels off of the counter and paper signs from Mom’s desk. She would rip them and chew them and swallow them.

Mom was not happy. When DixieLee first came to live with us, she would try to eat stuff from the trash and she really like paper towels. Paper towels are NOT good for dogs. They can get caught in the tummy and you can get a blockage. Not sure what that is but it can make you have to get an operation or even get died.

Mom and Dad had to buy lots of different trash cans before they found one she could not get into. DixieLee is very smart. She can’t get into the trash any more so she found different places to get paper.

I understand how she feels. She told me that before she came to live with us, she didn’t have a Mom or Dad to give her food so she had to find her own. There were some days when she didn’t get much so when Mom wouldn’t give her food for a day, she thought she had to get her own again.

Some dogs eat paper and other stuff they shouldn’t because they are hungry. I explained to Dixie that she didn’t have to worry. I saw a big new bag of dog food in the back room so we would have plenty of food forever.

Being hungry isn’t the only reason dogs eat paper. Way long ago, before there was food like kibble that is easy to eat, dogs had to rip and tear their food so that they could eat it. Even though we are now have easy to eat food our ancestor memories can make us like to rip and tear.

Now that DixieLee is eating regular food at regular times again I hope she will not eat paper. Aside from being bad for her, it makes Mom unhappy and I don’t like it when Mom is not happy.

Do you eat paper or other things you shouldn’t?

Love,

Zeva

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

Monday, August 27, 2018

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


Friday, August 17, 2018

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

Monday, August 6, 2018

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

Friday, July 13, 2018

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


Monday, July 2, 2018

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


Wednesday, June 20, 2018

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


Tuesday, June 12, 2018

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




Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Summer Safety Tips


It was cold for so long we wondered if it was ever going to be summer. Happily the weather has gotten nice so we can spend more time outside. We love watching Mom and Dad put plants and flowers in the ground.

DixieLee really wants to help. She is a very good digger but they aren’t using any of the holes she’s dug so far but that’s okay. She says she’ll just make more, just in case.

Hot weather is nice but we have to be careful. Most peoples know not to leave their pets in the car cuz they can get died but there are lots of other things peoples need to be careful of in the summertime.

1. Bugs! To me this is huge. Bugs like ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are very dangerous to pets. We don’t like to have to wear chemical stuff but these little critters can make you very sick.

You need to look out for bees, wasps and spiders too. One of the dogs who lived with Mom and Dad before us got bit by a spider and her face got too fat. Mom had to rush her to the ‘mergency Vet. They gave her some medicines and she got better but I bet she was scared.

2. Water. I don’t particularly like water and DixieLee doesn’t even like to go out when it’s raining but lots of dogs love to swim. Swimming is okay as long as you are careful. The water in a river can be moving fast and even a little pond can be deep. If you like chasing sticks or floats make sure you don’t get too tired.

Remember that not all water is good to drink. If you are lucky enough to go to the ocean, don’t drink that water and swimming pool water is definitely a NO NO for drinking. Swimming pools have chemicals in them.

Boating can be fun! Just make sure you are wearing your life jacket at all times.

3. We talked about how hot cars can get. Sidewalks get hot too! If your human can’t keep their hand on the sidewalk or road for minutes, it is too hot to walk on. A nice grassy field or park is a better place to walk on hot days.

4. Dogs and cats can get sunburned so don’t spend too much time in the sun. Walk or play where there are lots of trees to give you shade. Make sure you drink plenty of good clean water when you are outside.

5. Bar-B-Ques and Picnics. Oh Boy! I love the smell of hamburgers or steak cooking on the grill and I know how to look so adorable that I’m sure to get a scrap or two from somebody. Mom has strict rules about begging at the table but most of our friends don’t know that one.

Gaining weight isn’t the only problem. Favorite Bar-B-Que foods like corn on the cob can cause tummy troubles and onions are super not good for us.

We also have to be extra careful not to get our teeth around any bones.

All this talk about fun is making my want to go outside. I think I’ll go tickle my toes in the nice cool grass.

Have a fun filled and safe summer.

Zeva

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



Monday, May 21, 2018

I Love My Job


It is so much fun talking with peoples who love their pets so much that they want to get them a special gift. Then we have more fun when we actually put together all the bestest toys and treats that make up the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe.

All of our friends love pets and lots and lots of them work in jobs that involve pets. We have friends who are dog trainers and pet sitters. Other friends who have day care places for pets and even a friend who can communicate with pets and tell their peoples what the pets think or feel.

There are lots and lots of businesses that work with pets. For people who like to bake, a bakery that makes cookies and cakes for pets is a good business.

For people who like to sew, a business as a pet clothing designer would be fun. They could make coats and dresses. They could have more fun making all kinds of Halloween costumes for pets.

DixieLee and I don’t like to dress up but we LOVE wearing different bandanas. We’ve worn handmade collars and leashes that are super pretty.

People who know how to sew also can make toys. One of our favorite toys to put in our gift baskets is a bone made from denim that a lady friend makes.

So many peoples are busy these days that they don’t have time as much time as they would like with their dogs so they hire other peoples to take them for walks. Other peoples who are busy, busy hire peoples to clean up the poop in their yards. Not as glamorous as pet gift basket designer but we understand the money can be pretty good if you live in certain areas.

Peoples who have artistic talents paint pet portraits or are pet photographers. Mom says she admires people who can get a dog to sit cute when they are having their picture taken.

The last time she tried to get a photo of me when I was doing something cute, I jumped off of the couch and all she got was a white blur. I couldn’t help it, that awful commercial with the smoke detector going off came on the TV. Don’t ad peoples know that sound is bad for dogs’ ears?

Most of the jobs we know about are for dogs and cats but one other unusual pet business we know about is tank designer. Big fish tanks are nice in an office lobby and there are peoples whose job it is to make sure the fishes stay healthy and the tank is clean and pretty all the time.
I bet there are lots more businesses where peoples get to work with pets all day. If you work in one, let me know.

Now I have to get ready to order some more dog treats. Didn’t I tell you I have the bestest job!?

Love,

Zeva

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