The Misadventures of Miss Lee

DixieLee being her silly self

Before my sister DixieLee came to live with us, Mom had to choose a name for her so the peoples who were fostering her could start using that name in training. 

Mom chose DixieLee because, like many other dogs, she was from the one of the Southern States.

Since she came to live with us, Mom said she chose the wrong name. She said DixieLee should have been named “Trouble”.  For some reason, DL can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

One of the latest troubles she got into was drinking out of the toilet.  We always have a big bowl full of fresh, cold water but DL discovered, like lots of dogs, that the water in the toilet is really coldest.

Even though the lids on the toilets in our house are kept closed, DL found a way to open them enough to get to the water.  Mom wondered why she was suddenly hearing a thunking noise coming from the bathroom.

The thunking sound happened when the lid closed after DL was done.  Mom finally caught her red pawed.

Keeping the door shut seemed to be the only way to keep DL out of the room but Mom and Dad forgot more often than they remembered so Mom needed to find another way. 

She searched found a child proof latch that actually worked.

Even though she tried, DL could not open the lid with the latch.

So…. DL found another source of water.  (sigh) Again, we always have a full bowl of fresh water but DL decided that the big jugs of water we keep in the basement for ‘mergencies, were cold too.  She chewed the tops off and spilled the water so she could drink some.

Putting the jugs on a higher shelf solved that problem so…. DL found the smaller bottles of water that we take on walks and tried to do the same with them.  Mom started keeping a really close eye on DL and caught her before she could open any of them.  Moving those waters to a higher shelf is working so far.

I can’t wait to see what she does next to get herself in trouble…. As long as I am not involved, it is fun to watch Mom and DL match wits.  One of these days, I think DL will win.

BOL,

Zeva

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

Will Do Tricks For Treats

Kids like treats, but so do dogs.  I am willing to do a trick, like “sit”, but I am NOT willing to let Mom put a silly costume on me no matter how many treats are involved.

I know that some dogs (and cats) like to play dress up with their humans.  If you like wearing a costume, make sure it fits good and is safe.  Costumes that tie around the neck can choke a pet if it is too tight and costumes that drag on the ground can trip you.

 Wearing our collars and a kerchief are as far as DixieLee and I are willing to go.  It took DL a long time before she would stand still enough so Dad could put a kerchief on but the treats won out.  Also being told how pretty she looks helped.

Today we are wearing our Halloween kerchiefs. Mine is black with orange pumpkins, DL’s is purple with green ghosts. Pretty scary stuff!

Speaking of scary… Halloween is really scary.  It’s really scary when strangers come to my house and want treats!  Strangers that don’t even look like peoples!  I don’t particularly like sharing my treats.  It took me a long time to even think sharing treats with DL was okay.

Mom understands so she buys special treats for the scary strangers.  She buys them really good treats so they will be happy and not come back.  She says everyone likes chocolate so that’s what she gives the strangers.

Everyone might LIKE chocolate and I bet dogs would like it too, except chocolate is very, very bad for dogs.  Chocolate can be so bad it can make a dog died! So if you also give chocolate treats to the scary peoples who come to your house, make extra sure you keep the chocolate where dogs can’t get to it.

So, have fun but be safe

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotions.  For the Bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, pawpalsboutique.com Check it out!

Happy International Dog Day

Hi Everybody! 

Kids are starting to go back to school, meaning Summer is almost over, so Mom said I have to get back to work writing my blog.

Around our house, we believe that there is something to celebrate every day and today we have a really great reason to celebrate.  Today is International Dog Day.  Today we celebrate dogs and their bond with humans.    Good dog parents make sure that their dogs have a happy and safe life and in return dogs do the same.  We make sure our parents have a happy and safe life.

Mom and Dad make sure that DixieLee and I are happy by giving us lots of toys and treats and a big pen to play in.  They also make sure we are happy by playing games with us and taking us for walks.  They make sure we are safe by giving us good food and taking us to the Vet and giving us a home where we are not abused.

We make sure that Mom and Dad are happy by playing games with them and making sure they get plenty of exercise and fresh air.  We keep them safe by guarding the house against attacks by squirrels, mail peoples and big brown trucks.

There are lots of ways to celebrate International Dog Day, like playing more games or giving more treats but one of the bestest ways is to encourage adoption.  Both DixieLee and I are adopted.  Lots of peoples only want “Pure Breeds” so getting a forever home when you are Mixed Breeds like us, makes it harder to find a good home.

It was especially hard for DixieLee because she lived in a house where she was really abused so she had bad behavior when she came to live with us.  Lots of peoples would have dumped her at a shelter.  It was hard for all of us.  It took lots of time but now she is the bestest sister and really lovable.

We plan on having a fun International Dog Day and I think I’ll let Mom know that I have written my blog and now I deserve a treat.

Happy  International Dog Day from me and DixieLee.

Let us know how you are making today special.

Love,

Zeva

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

Good Pet Parenting 101

Staff Brainstorming Meeting

It’s been a long time since I’ve had time to write in my blog.  Since summer finally arrived we have been really busy.

Anyway, I’m back.  The other day while Mom and Dad were working on the yard, I got to thinking what a nice home we have and how lucky we are to have a good Mom and Dad. Most of our friends have good pet parents too but there are some dogs that don’t.  It makes me very sad.

I got to thinking about what makes a good pet parent.  DixieLee and I came up with lots of things so we thought we share a few here. 

We first thought of things like making sure we got lots of treats and toys but then we thought about some other really important things.

1      Getting treats is fine but getting nutritious treats is better.  In our house Mom makes sure we get quality treats and the bestest food. She also makes sure we have plenty of fresh water all the time. 

2     We don’t really like it but Mom makes sure we get regular vet visits. We get vitamins and stuff like coconut oil to keep us healthy.  We aren’t allowed much peoples food but when Dad makes soup or a roast, we always get some carrots.

3      Going for walks and making time to play games with us it important but giving us a space all our own and allowing us time to just sit and enjoy some quite time is nice. We each have our own crate where we can go when we don’t want to be bothered. I like to sit alone on the screened in porch while DixieLee likes the outside deck for chillin’.

4     Mom and Dad consider our feelings.  Sometimes Dad expects too much and Mom reminds him that we are dogs and we think like dogs.  We like when they talk to us, and not baby talk, after all we are adults.  We ‘specially like when they tell us we are good girls and that they love us.

5      DixieLee is still a trouble magnet.  The other day she shredded a paper towel, which was bad enough, but this one was used to wipe up some oil!  Luckily it was a tiny spot or she could have gotten really sick. Even though Mom was angry, she was understanding and told Dad he was bad for leaving it around and not DixieLee for chewing it..

6      Keeping us safe is a big job too.  Never leaving us in the car alone, especially in hot weather.  Making sure that the sidewalk is not too hot when we go for walks and not letting us stay outside too long when it is hot or cold. Making sure that we have a good fenced in yard and keeping our tags up to date, just in case.

I think being mindful of all of our needs and being understanding is what being a good dog parent is all about.

What does your Mom or Dad do that you think makes them a super good dog parent?

Be safe and be good,

Love,

Zeva

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

Lost and Found

Today is Memorial Day.  Lots of fun things going on but Memorial Day is one of those days when peoples like to shoot off fireworks.  Fireworks are very scary for animals.  Dogs and cats can get so scared that they break out of their pens and run, trying to find a place that has no noise,

They run so fast and so far that they when they do stop, they realize that they don't know where they are or how to get home.  It is a very scary thing.

Meanwhile, back at their home, their humans find that they are missing and they get scared too!

If your humans find that you are missing, there are things that they should do to help you get back home quickly and safely.

They should contact shelters and vet offices.  Not just ones in your town since you could have run very far.  They should give a really good description and get them photos so they can be on the look out for you.

They should call daily to see if you have been found.

As soon as they see you are missing, they should start searching your neighborhood.  Let all your neighbors know you are missing and ask them to check around their houses.  Pets look for places to hide and garages, sheds and under porches look like good places.

They should make up flyers with your photo, description and a phone number so they can call your humans if they see you.  Places like grocery stores, community centers, and pet stores are good places to post the flyers.

Contact local internet services.  In our area Granite State Dog Rescue and Above the Notch Humane Society will post your photo and ask peoples to look for you.

Your chances of being returned to your family are better if you are wearing your collar with up to date rabies tags and town license.  Your Vet and the town peoples know how to find your family real fast. 

Micro chips are also a really good idea.  Any body who finds you can bring you to any Vet and they can use a magic wand to read your chip.  They can contact the chip company who will have the name and address of your family.  (make sure your humans keep this information updated)

The most important thing for you and your humans to remember is never give up looking.  It could take a very long time but with luck you and your humans will find each other and be a family again.

I hope you never get lost but if you do, I hope you get found real fast.

Love,

Zeva

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

Don't Bug Me!

How can something as small as a tick or a mosquito be such a big problem for pets? 

Mosquitoes can make dogs and cats get sick with Heartworm, West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus and other nasty illnesses that can even make a pet died!

A teeny, tiny Tick can make a cat sick with diseases like Lyme, Haemobartonellosis and Tielarema.  Dogs can get those plus Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and more.  All of these sicknesses are very, very bad to get.

Even though we don’t like to use chemicals, Mom does use the drops kind from our Vet but we don’t use any kind of chemicals in our yard.  Instead we plant pet friendly plants that keep bugs away.

There are lots of plants that are pretty to look at that ticks and mosquitoes don’t like.  Every year we fill nice planters with these plants and put them around the outside of our pen.  We could put them inside our pen but DixieLee Lies to dig and I have been known to nibble on grass and sticks.  Most of the plants won’t hurt me but there are some like garlic that are poison to dogs and cats.

Some of our favorite plants to keep ticks away are lavender, sage, mint, lemon grass and eucalyptus. Lavender is a pretty color and sage, mint and eucalyptus smell really nice.

To keep mosquitoes away, we like catnip (cats really like this one), rosemary, basil and citronella.  Mom says rosemary is her favorite because it smells extra good.  She’s not a great cook but she does use rosemary when she cooks chicken sometimes.

If your humans like to cook, they might like having fresh sage and basil right in your yard.

Now that the snow is gone and the grass is growing, it’s time for Mom and Dad to go to the plant store.   We like that plants not only make our yard look pretty, they help keep us safe from some bad bugs.

Love,

Zeva

P.S. Mom helped me spell the extra big words.

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

Home Alone

Mom and Dad are retired so they don’t have to go to work every day for long times like some of your humans do but they do go out sometimes and leave me and DixieLee alone. We don’t like being left alone because there is nobody to let us in and out when we want and there is nobody at home to give us cookies.

Those are really stressful times.

Also, it is our job to help guard the house and when our humans are gone, guarding the house is all OUR responsibility.  A responsibility we take seriously.

Mom says it’s okay for them to be gone because they will come home soon.  Really?  How does she know that we will not have a Zombie Apocalypse while they are gone?

Here are some of the things we do at our house to make being left alone less stressful.

Get a Good Work Out.  When we are sleeping, we are not stressing.  The bestest way to get a good work out is to go for walks.  We love going for walks but long walks are not always possible especially if you live in a place like we do where yucky weather makes going outside not always fun.

When we can’t go outside, we have exercise by playing tug of war or Fetch Extreme. Playing Fetch Extreme is like playing fetch but you have to run up and down the stairs.  Boy, you can get tired easy when stairs are involved. (Not recommended for dogs who are not as fit as DixieLee and me).

Soothing sounds. We keep the television on all the time, even when Mom and Dad are in other rooms or far away like in the yard.  Some humans like music playing all the time. So, when the television is on, we know that everything is okay.  Rumor has it that there are television stations that play dog friendly stuff all day long. I think that is a great idea!

Puzzle toys.  Another good idea!  When we have something to keep us busy, we forget that we are alone. I like puzzle toys but DixieLee gets frustrated and kills them.

Secure spaces. We love our crates!  It’s like having our own room in the house where it is ours alone.  No one bothers us when we are in our crates.  They are big enough so we can stand up and turn around and have comfy blankets and when we are left alone, we have a caribou antler (or other safe toy) to chew on. 

When we are in our crates, Mom said that we only have to protect that space since we can’t get to other parts of the house. 

Our crates are on different sides of the room but the fronts face each other so if DixieLee and I want to talk to each other we can, if not, we can turn our backs and not be bothered.

Hello and Good Bye. We’re really good at the Good Bye part since we get a treat but we do tend to get a little over excited at the Hello. After all, we weren’t sure we would ever see you again.

It's been days, okay, a couple of hours, who keeps track of time, anyway it is annoying when Mom and Dad ignore our pitiful cries and casually let us out of our crates.  No matter how much we carry on, they act like it’s not a big deal. 

Being left alone is not fun but it doesn’t have to be stressful either.  Think of it as a time when you can just chill in your special place and listen to the blah, blah, blah of the TV guy or the singers on the radio and dream about cookies and squirrels.

Chill,

Zeva

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

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Zeva and DixieLee sound asleep

We think letting sleeping dogs lie is a pretty good idea.  DixieLee is not as good a sleeper as I am.  I go to sleep and sleep soundly all night, except if she kicks me.  If she kicks me I move from the big bed and go to sleep on the couch so I don’t get kicked again.

Lots of dogs cry or make other noises when they sleep.  Dad thinks that DixieLee cries because she is remembering how bad her life was before she came to live with us, but it could be because she wasn’t able to chase the squirrel she saw in the yard today.

Either way, we shouldn’t wake her up.  Dogs sleep like peoples do.  They have REM sleep times too. REM is part of the sleep cycle and when we are in REM sleep we might cry, whimper or even growl. 

We might move our feet, which looks like we are running.  We might move our eyes even though they are closed or we might twitch our noses. 

Sometimes, DixieLee’s whole body wiggles.  Like I said, she is not a good sleeper.

But that’s okay.  All that sleeping stuff is normal, even if I have doubt that my sister is
“normal”, asleep or awake.

Bottom line, if your humans say that you run in your sleep or cry or whimper, tell them that it’s okay and that they shouldn’t wake you up.  Waking you up will mess up your sleep cycle and if they wake you up, you won’t be able to catch that squirrel that you are dreaming about.  Also, that if you bite them instead of the squirrel, you are not responsible

.

If you are not a good sleeper and your humans want to wake you up, go sleep on the couch or some other comfy place where they can’t bother you.

Wishing you pleasant dreams and I hope you catch that squirrel.

Love,

Zeva

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

Worth Every Penny

Of course we're not spoiled

Mom says it’s a god thing that DixieLee and I are cute ‘cuz we are very expensive to keep.  I never thought about how much it costs to have a pet. 

I knew that pure breds and designer dogs cost lots to get but peoples have to give money to shelters if they want to get a good dog like me.

 DixieLee was a stray that ended up at a friend’s house so we didn’t have to pay to get her but we had to pay to have her spayed, micro chipped and get all her shots.

This month we had our annual vet checks and had to get our town licenses.  I was sick and had to go to the vet again. Tests, medicines, special food, all cost too.

Food, now there’s something we need lots of and don’t forget the cookies. We order huge bags of food and a super big box of cookies that get delivered right to our house.  Mom says that’s because we are spoiled.

Toys are important too. We need lots of toys. And other stuff like collars, leashes, halters, bowls, crates, a fenced-in yard.  Those all cost money.  I didn’t realize I had so much stuff!

I bet you have lots of stuff ‘cuz you’re spoiled too.

We can’t go out to work like Mom does but we work very hard all the same.  It’s our job to make sure Dad knows when the mail person comes or when a big truck drives by our house.  We keep the squirrels from getting close to the house and we watch over the birds while they are eating out of the feeder.

Those are all really important jobs but we have other jobs.  Our most important job is make sure our Mom and Dad have lots of kisses and cuddles.

Mom says we are expensive to keep but that we are worth every penny.

Time to go back to work.  Another important job is napping on the sofa so that no one can steal it.  DixieLee has done her shift, now it's my turn.

Love,

Zeva

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

Leave the Gobbling to the Turkeys

Mom says the sound of a dog vomiting gets a human out of bed faster than any other sound.   One night last week Mom and Dad didn’t get any sleep at all.  I didn’t know my tummy was so full until I was sick four times.

Since I had just had my annual physical and I didn’t have any other signs of being sick, Mom though it was because I had been eating my food too fast. 

She checked with my Vet and sure enough, eating too fast can make air go into your tummy and cause all kinds of problems.

Eating too fast can also make it easier to choke on a piece of kibble or cause bloating which can make you died!

We had to find a way to make it so I didn’t eat so fast.  How could I not eat fast when I am starving all the time.  I suggested extra cookies between meals but Mom wasn't buying it.

Mom looked for other ways.  The best way was to make it harder for me to get so much food in one bite.  She started by putting a toy ball in my bowl.   It was annoying because I had to move it around and couldn’t eat fast.  Dad also forgot to put it in the bowl when he fed me so we needed something else.

If you use the ball in the bowl trick, you want to make sure the ball is big enough so you can’t swallow it!

Some peoples use muffin tins.  They put a little food in each part so you’d have to stop when you went from one little part to the next.

They also make all kinds of “slow feeder” bowls.  Mom bought one kind but the design made the spaces so small, I couldn’t get my muzzle in easily.  DixieLee got one too and she got so frustrated that she tried to paw it over.

When that bowl didn’t work, Mom got a different kind.  This one worked better.  I could get my mouth around the food but had to move from one place to another, which did slow me down about the same as putting putting a ball in my regular dish.

As far as DixieLee was concerned, it was still a stupid bowl and she easily managed to flip this one over.  She said eating off of the floor was much better.

If you are a fast eater, what does your human do to slow you down?

Bon Appetite,

Zeva

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

Off To Work I Go

Supervising dog food delivery

This week we honored sled dogs.  These are hard working dogs that live in places like Alaska.  Alaska is a really, really big place and there are lots of places where there are no roads.  Sled dogs help peoples get food and fuel from one place to another.

Although it is super cold and it can be miles and miles between places, sled dogs love running and pulling sleds.  Their peoples know that they are super important so they get treated really, really well

.

There are all kinds of dogs that work hard for peoples.  Some do dangerous work like those who look for bombs or drugs or help police get bad guys.  These dogs have lots of training.

There are other dogs that work hard helping their companions lives better.  We think every dog makes our families better but the dogs I am talking about have special jobs.

Like Service Dogs.  Service Dogs are trained to help peoples who have disabilities.  People who can’t see or hear, have mental problems, or have sicknesses like seizures or diabetes.  Service dogs help make these peoples’ lives easier by helping a person who can’t see walk outside or one who can’t hear know when the phone is ringing.

Another helping dog is the Companion Dog.  Their job is to be the bestest friends to their peoples.  Companion Dogs are sort of like Emotional Support animals.  I say animals because cats make good Emotional Support animals too.

Emotional Support animals help people who have emotional or mental health issues.

Then there are Therapy Dogs.  Therapy Dogs are trained to give comfort and love to peoples who are in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices or who lived through a disaster like fire or flood.  They also visit schools and libraries where childrens go.

So, even though we all give love and comfort and help our families, there are dogs have these special talents and we give a big paws up to them.

Keep sharing love wherever you go,

Zeva

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

To Your Health

Mom works hard to make sure that DixieLee and I are healthy and happy. I bet your Mom does too. 

Poor DixieLee has had the itchies for a long, long time.  Our old Vet said to give her a peoples medicine called Benadryl.  Our new Vet said to give her another peoples medicine called Loratadine.

Even after a long time, she still has her itchies.

Then Mom read that CBD, something that she takes sometimes for chronic pain, works for itchies.  We did some research and CBD is supposed to be helpful for lots of hurts.

She also read that CBD is good for dogs as well as peoples.

I don’t understand some of the words but Mom does so I will let her explain what she read.  CBD is a compound that is found in the cannabis plant.  Most peoples know that the cannabis plant is where marijuana comes from.  But what they maybe don’t know is that CBD comes from a different kind of cannabis plant and it is non psychoactive, which means you don’t get high.

Some of the good things about CBD is that it is safe to use, non-toxic, which we think is really, really good, and it is not expensive.

CBD is supposed to be good in helping make things like big pain, arthritis, anxiety, stress and seizures be less.  Since I am getting a little older, I am taking CBD to help me not hurt from any arthritis and I do sometimes get stressed out.  You would too if you lived with DixieLee.

I know some of our friends have been taking CBD for arthritis already.  Do you take it, and if you do, what for? I would like to know if it helps you and if you have anything bad to say about it.

Sharing information is the biggest reason I write my blog and having you share information back is helpful.

Wishing you much happiness and healthiness,

Zeva

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

Turn Sad to Glad

You may not know this but Paw Pals Boutique (my company) has a FaceBook page and I spend lots of time online.  Mom thinks I spend too much time there but I need to keep up with what is happening to all my dog and cat friends. (Like us at Paw Pals Boutique)

Social Media is a great way to get humans to help lost pets find their ways home and for shelters to let peoples learn about the animals that are looking for forever homes.

I read a story about one of Mom’s friends from where we used to live, who drove his car a long way to adopt a senior dog whose human died.  It was sad enough for this dog to not have his human anymore but no body wanted him so he had to go to a shelter and we all know that senior dogs have a harder time getting adopted.

He found a great forever home because the shelter told his story on FaceBook.

DixieLee and I were both adopted because Mom saw our faces on Social Media but this post isn’t about Social Media.  It’s about shelters and pets looking for good, loving homes and what you can do to help.

When Mom sees a dog on FaceBook that needs a good home, she wants to adopt her but we live in a small house that is really full with two humans and two dogs

.

Maybe there are reasons you can’t ADOPT but maybe you could FOSTER. 

Shelters are so crowed, FOSTERING gives an animal a nice place to live while waiting to get adopted.

If you can’t FOSTER, maybe you could SPONSOR.  Sponsoring means giving money to go toward the care of a specific pet until they can be adopted.  Sometimes animals need surgery or expensive medical care and sponsoring can really, really help.

If you can’t SPONSOR, maybe you could VOLUNTEER.  Volunteering means you give your time to a shelter.  It could be helping care for the animals, like walking dogs or cleaning cages or it could mean giving your time stuffing envelopes for a fundraising campaign.

If you can’t VOLUNTEER, maybe you could DONATE. Donating means giving money to a shelter.  It doesn’t have to be lots, every penny helps.  And Mom says that donations are tax deductible, which I guess is a good thing.

If you can’t DONATE, you maybe could EDUCATE.  Educating is what I am doing now.  If you don’t write a blog, maybe you could share this post or you could find good animal pages on FaceBook and other Social Media sites and share their posts.

There are so many animals that need humans to help them find good, safe, loving homes and now you know so many ways that you can help.

Thanks from all the animals looking for forever homes.

Love,

Zeva

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