Home Sweet Home

Our friend Lise just ‘dopted a baby. His name is Lucas and he is a  Morkie (Yorkie and Maltese mix). Lise needed to ‘dopt a new baby cuz Missy, her 15 year old baby, crossed over Rainbow Bridge.

We haven’t seen Lucas yet but Dad went to the airport with Lise to pick him up. Yup, he flew all the way here by himself. I would have been extra scared but Dad said Lucas didn’t think it was a big deal. He was sad to leave his Mom but was excited about having a new Mom and a forever home of his own.

He came in a crate that had a place for his water and food. Dad said it is a nice crate and will be a good place to go when he wants some alone time. When you have a sister like DixieLee, you know how important “alone time” is. Lucas has two sister cats and two brother birds so I’m sure he will like having his own special place.

Not all dogs have crates but I think they are important. It’s nice to have a quiet place to nap when Mom and Dad are not at home:

I made a list of some other things every dog (and cat) needs when they go to a new forever home.

1. Food and water bowls. Of course they need to have extra good food that goes in the bowls and fresh water all the time. And don’t forget they need treats. Lots of treats.

2. Bed. We are allowed on the bed and furniture but we also have our own beds. Well, they aren’t real beds but extra soft blankets in our crates to snuggle in.

3. Collars and leashes. Pets should wear their collars all the time because that is where their tags go. One of the first things a dog should learn is how to walk nice on a leash. If they walk nice, their humans will like taking walks with them.

4. Identification. Town tags and rabies tags attached to a collar are super important if a pet gets lost. Pets should also have a micro chip. Micro chips are teenie tiny so you don’t even know you have one but if you get lost, they are very helpful in getting home faster.

5. Grooming supplies. I don’t totally agree about grooming supplies cuz I hate baths but I do like having special towels to get wiped off from the rain and snow.

6. Toys. I saved the most important thing for last. Actually it was a toss up between toys and treats but good toys are super important. They are so important that I had Dad take a cuddly Zanie toy to Lucas when they went to the airport. Lise says he carries it around all the time. She said it is almost as big as him but he will grow into it.

If a human has all of these things ready when they bring home a new pet, they will have almost every thing they will need. They will only have to remember to add lots of hugs and kisses every day and then they will really have every thing.

Just so you know, we have gift baskets designed especially to welcome new pets to their forever home.  They are To The Rescue for dogs and Kit Kat Kit for cats.  You can see them on our website. 

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  To see all of other pet gift baskets, go to pawpalsboutique.com I think you'll like what you see.

Harvard, Yale or Podunk State?

So, you’re thinking of getting a dog?  Great… I think every dog should have a good home but that doesn’t mean I think every home should have a dog.

I don’t want to see any dog have to live in a puppy mill or shelter but being adopted by the wrong humans could mean that they get abandoned and end up back in a shelter or worse.

For those thinking of getting a dog, I hope you will think about a few things first.  For starters, what kind of dog do you want?  The most popular dogs in the US today are Labrador Retrievers (I’m part Lab), German Sheppards, Beagles and Golden Retrievers.    All of these are great breeds and have certain characteristics that make them special.

Let’s say you want to get a Lab because we are good with young children.  Do you know we Labs are high energy dogs so we need lots of exercise and we’re also high strung so we need good consistent training?  We’re also very smart so we need lots of mental as well as physical stimulation.  We also tend to like to eat so without a lot of exercise, we get obese.  Like humans, obese dogs tend to have many more health problems like diabetes and hip, knee and joint problems.

When choosing a dog please remember that a dog is not a status symbol, fashion statement or a lawn ornament.  A dog is a living being that needs love and attention.  If you want to buy a pure bred German Sheppard for example, you could pay anywhere from $3,000 to $24,000.  A Pharaoh Hound $2,500 to $6,500 and a Bearded Collie is a steal at $1,000 to $5,000.  The average shelter charges from around $300 to $575.  And shelter dogs often come with all of their shots, spayed/neutered and with a micro chip! 

Having a dog is expensive.  I’m not only talking about how much it costs to buy a dog, I’m talking about how much it costs to keep a dog.  The first year, the cost to have a dog in your household averages between $1,300 for a small dog and $1,800 for a big dog.  After the first year it averages between $580 and $875 a year.  If your dog gets extra special treats like I do, the cost will be more.

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.  If you are considering getting a dog, please check your local shelters or rescue service and choose a dog that fits your life style.  Consider adopting an older dog if you don’t have lots of time for training.  Many dogs in shelters already know the basics, like knowing to go outside to pee. 

 You don’t have to go to a big name college to get a great education and you don’t need to pay a ton of money to get a great dog.  I didn’t come from a high cost breeder but from a really small rescue organization and I am the perfect dog for my family.

Your Adopted Friend,

Zeva

P.S. Shameless self promotion.  Your dog doesn't need lots of blue ribbons to deserve one of our Best In Show gift baskets. (shown above)