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

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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

So Many Choices!

We were in the Vet’s office last week for my annual check up and it was really busy. While waiting our turn, we met a bunch of dogs and a cat who looked and acted just like Grumpy Cat. All the dogs knew to stay away from him!

One of the dogs we met was a Mini Pin and another was a Shih Tzu. When one of the Moms asked Mom what breed I was, she said I am an All American. She said DixieLee is an All American too. That confused me cuz DixieLee and I don’t look anything alike. I look mostly like a Lab and she looks mostly like a Hound.

I tried looking up All American on Google and although I found out that there are over 300 breeds of dogs recognized by dog groups like the FCI.. I didn’t find All American on any of the lists.

What I did find was that the breeds are broken down into ten groups according to the breed’s purpose/function and appearance/size. Dogs in the Sporting group were bred to hunt while dogs in the Working group were bred to do things like pull a sled. Dogs in the Toy group were bred mostly for companionship but don’t be fooled, they can be very protective and their yappie bark can scare away a burglar as well as a big dog’s bark.

With so many breeds to choose from, how is a human supposed to know what dog is best for them? Mom said she chose me because I looked like a little angel. Both of the dogs who lived with Mom and Dad before me had just got died and she said that they sent her an angel.  She said they played a trick on her because I am not always a little angel.

The best way for a human to choose a dog is to think about their lifestyle. Even though they may not need a dog to hunt or pull a sled, they might want a dog from one of those groups if they like to spend time outdoors doing things like hiking or snowshoeing. If they live in an apartment in a big city, they might want a dog that doesn’t take up too much room and who can be carried when they go outside.

If you know someone who is thinking of adding a pet to their household, please ask them to check shelters and rescue services first. Shelters get pure bred dogs too and there are breed specific rescue services. Just check on line. If you know someone who wants to buy from a breeder, tell then to make sure they are honest and have a good reputation.

Also remember that lots of pet stores deal with puppy mills and those are TERRIBLE places for dogs.

One thing I can tell you from personal experience, All Americans are a terrific breed. We come in lots of different colors and sizes and we are all extra special in our own way.

Your All American friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion. Know of a household getting a new dog or cat? Send them a To The Rescue or Kit Kat Kit. You can find them at pawpalsboutique.com

Finding The Perfect Pet

In last week’s blog I said that, after the loss of a special pet, adopting another is the best way to honor that pet.  I still believe that is true HOWEVER choosing a pet is not like shopping for a dress.

I’ve talked with shelter dogs and they say that being chosen and then returned to the shelter because they were “not a good fit” is worse than not being chosen at all.

A pet is going to be the member of your family for, hopefully, a long time.  10 to 15 years.  That’s a long time.  So, please think about the type of pet that would fit best in your family BEFORE you take one home.

Here are a few tips on how to choose the perfect pet.

1.  Look at your family and think about how a new pet will fit in.  Every breed has a different personality.  Our family has two adults who could live with lots of different dogs.  A family with children, especially young children, needs to be more considerate of the age and breed.

2.  How much can you spend?   We don’t like pet stores very much and they often charge much more than reputable breeders.   We like the idea of adopting from a shelter but shelters cost lots to run so they have to charge a fee too.  A “free to good home” ad on Craig’s List may seem like a good idea but it may not be a bargain in the long run.

The cost doesn’t stop there. Since you already had a pet, you know taking care of a pet is expensive.  There are food and vet bills and training and grooming costs and of course the toys and cookies.

How much can you spend also means time.  Certain pets need more attention than others.

3.  What is your lifestyle?  We have a pretty laid back household with a good yard to play in but we still need to have walks and interact with our humans.  Walking together is good exercise for everyone but it’s much more.  We get to socialize with other people and animals and make our bond with Mom and Dad stronger.

There is a lot that goes into choosing the right pet.  Breed, size, age, and disposition are just the beginning.

Mom found me on Petfinders.com.   Sites like Petfinders.com can help you narrow down just what you are looking for in a pet.  There are also breed specific sites that can help you find your next best friend.

DixieLee was abandoned and found by one of Mom’s friends.  DixieLee, like many abused and abandoned animals, needed lots and lots of TLC.  It took a long time to build trust but now she knows she is in a safe and happy home.  Mom says it was worth the effort because DixieLee is a special dog.

Not every household could deal with the issues DixieLee brought with her.  Many would have brought her to a shelter where she may even had to be died because she was unadoptable.  Not because she was a bad dog but because she had the misfortune of having bad people in her life.

I hope you always have a special pet in your life and if you take the time to choose wisely, you will.

Your friend,

Zeva

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