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)

The Story of Cassandra Sally

My Mom is old, well, not real old like my grandma, but old enough to have had dogs before I came to live with her. All of the dogs who have ever lived with Mom were rescued.  Most of us found her when we were babies.  I was only 11 weeks old and the two dogs who lived here before me were 12 weeks old and her first dog was also really young when Mom took her home.

The only dog Mom adopted who wasn't a baby was Cassandra Sally, better known as Cassie.  Mom found Cassie in a newspaper ad (I told you Mom was old.  They didn't even have the internet yet).  Anyway, Mom adopted Cassie when she was about seven months old.  They weren't sure exactly how old she was but Mom found out she was rescued wondering around, half starved.  The rescue people who found her  think she was also physically abused because she was very afraid of everything.

Mom and Dad loved Cassie and took her home.  They loved her even after she tore the curtains off of the kitchen windows and chewed them to ribbons.  They loved her even after she scratched all of the paint off of the kitchen door and even after she ate the collection of pewter bowls Mom got for her wedding and  ate a HUGE chunk out of the kitchen floor. Mom thought of giving Cassie back to the shelter but couldn't abandon her like the other humans did.

They tried everything they knew to make Cassie feel loved and safe even when she was destructive and wouldn't listen to commands.  When a neighbor lady FINALLY told Mom that Cassie cried from the time Mom left the house in the morning until she got back from work,  it was time to take action. Mom felt horrible that Cassie was so unhappy.  It was time to call in an expert.  Back in the olden days, there weren't as many people who were trained in animal psychology and stuff as there are today.  Luckily, there was a really good woman who lived in the next town.

She taught Mom and Dad how to work with Cassie to help her become a great dog.  One of the biggest things Mom and Dad learned was that not all dogs are the same.  You see, Cassie was part Border Collie.  Yup, just like me.  Border Collies have a lot of traits that make them great dogs as long as you understand them and work with them.  Border Collies are super hyper. They need lots of exercise and socialization and don't do well being left alone for 10 hours a day. After working with the trainer, every one got along just fine.  Cassie lived with Mom and Dad for 12 years and after that first year or so, they got along great.

October is Adopt A Shelter Dog Month.  Adopting a Shelter or Rescue Dog is wonderful but humans have to realize what they are getting into.  Living with a pet is a HUGE responsibilty.  We are not fashion accessories or lawn fixtures.  We are living beings.  I want every dog living in a shelter today to have a loving home like I have so please adopt. But before you take home your new best friend, make sure he or she is the right fit for your household.

Over the next month I will be posting some of the things you should be aware of before you adopt a shelter dog  (or bring any pet into your life).

Your friend,

Zeva
P.S. Shameless self promotion  Good Dog Spot Gift Basket because every dog is a good dog.

To The Rescue

My name is Zeva and this is my blog.

July 23, 2012 is Bloggers Unite for Dog Rescue day.    I am a rescued dog. I was born in a shelter in South Carolina.   Some very special people gave a pregnant homeless dog a safe place to have her puppies.  When  my brothers and sisters and I were old enough, they helped us get to another rescue service in Connecticut where we would have a better chance at getting adopted.

It was a very long ride in a car but it was well worth it.  Before we even got to the rescue service our pictures were posted on www.petfinders.com.  That's where my mom saw me.  She said she knew as soon as she saw me, that I was very special and she would be taking me home.

I am a very lucky dog.  I have a very loving home.  Millions of dogs are killed each year because instead of choosing a perfectly excellent dog like me from a shelter or rescue service, people buy dogs from pet stores.  Dogs that are sold in pet stores have sad stories to tell also because lots of them come from horrible places called Puppy Mills.

Many dogs end up in shelters because people don't realize how much responsibility there is to having a dog as a pet. They get tired and frustrated and dump perfectly good dogs at the shelter adding to the over crowding.  Because their humans didn't understand them, many of these animals developed "bad habits" which make it even harder to find good homes for them.

Not everyone who loves dogs can adopt.  If you can't adopt a dog cuz you already have one or two, you travel too much, or live where you can't have a dog.  There are still lots of ways you can help.

•  Volunteer at a local shelter or rescue organization.  A few minutes a week walking a dog or simply spending time with him in a shelter will mean the world to that dog.
•   Foster a dog.  Shelters only have so much room.  By taking a dog into your home,  you may be saving that dog's life.
•  Drop a bag of food into the collection box at your local pet food store or organize a fund raiser to help raise much needed money and supplies for a local shelter.
• Spread the word that we need your help.

We dogs can do lots of things but we can't speak for ourselves. Please be our voice.  Please help me help other very special dogs find forever home.

Your friend,
Zeva

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