Senior's Have Class

"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog." - Sydney Jeanne Seward

Being very active in social media, I follow a lot of dog blogs, dog rescue and adoption groups on FaceBook.  I am always sad to see so many dogs who don’t have furever homes and most sad that lots of older dogs never get adopted at all.

I know, puppies are cute.  But I have to tell you, puppies can be a pain in the butt.   I mean, we adopted my sister Dixie.  She’s not a baby but she’s just out of puppyhood and I’ll tell you, what a handful.  She runs, and plays and chews constantly.  Good thing she likes old bones and not the furniture.

Now, if we adopted a Senior Dog, he or she would be much quieter.  They would walk nicely, not run a hundred miles an hour everywhere.  They would also take more naps.

When we got Dixie, she didn’t have all of her shots yet and she wasn’t spayed.  It costs a lot of money to get a dog spayed and to have all of their shots.  Many older dogs that are turned in to the shelters already have had their shots and have been spayed or neutered.

And most shelters don’t charge as much to adopt a Senior Dog as they do to adopt young dogs.

People think that older dogs come with “bad habits”.  Any dog can have “bad habits”.   That’s what dog training is about.  Helping dogs have good habits.  Old dogs LOVE to learn new tricks!

People are afraid to adopt Senior Dogs because they think they will die soon.  That is so not true.  When a dog has a good home, with good food, it can live a long, long time.  Who wouldn’t want to experience unconditional love for 8 or even 5 years?

So, if you or someone you know is thinking about adopting a dog, suggest an older dog.  They make wonderful companions and are very deserving of a good furever home.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.  Every dog deserves a little pampering now and then.  That’s why I created Spot’s SPAGift Basket.  It has everything a well groomed pooch needs.

 

Good Bye Schoep

“Dogs lives are too short.  Their only fault, really. ” (Agnes Sligh Turnbull)

I’m sure you heard the sad news that Schoep passed over to Rainbow Bridge last week.

Like many of us, Schoep was a rescued dog who found a wonderful furever home.  He and his Dad, John were the bestest of best friends for almost 20 years which is a very long time.  Some people say that dogs are angels in fur coats because we come into people’s lives when they need us the most.  I know his Dad is going to need a long time to heal and I hope that when he is ready he finds another wonderful dog to share his life and love with.

Run Free Schoep,

Your friend Zeva,

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  Paw Prints on the Heart Gift Basket.

Birth Control for Pets

According to The Humane Society of the United States… “About 2.7 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs—about one every 11 seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet overpopulation, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.”

My sister Dixie went to the vet on Tuesday to get spayed.  I did a Google Search and found out that spaying is an operation that makes it so girl dogs can’t have puppies.  I’m a girl dog so I asked my Mom how come she didn’t take me to the vet to get spayed and she said I was already spayed when she adopted me. I was really little so I didn’t remember.

Mom and Dad love us, and they loved all of the dogs that lived with them before and they made sure all of them were spayed or neutered.   Mom said it wasn’t a difficult decision because she did lots of research and believes the good that comes from “fixing” her dogs, out-weighs the bad that could possibly happen to them.  Yes, she said sometimes bad things happen but the odds or on our side.  Whatever that means.

Spaying not only stops dogs from having puppies when there aren’t enough homes for all of them, it can be good for the mental and physical health of the dog.  Spayed dogs have less of a chance of getting sick with uterine, ovarian or breast cancer which are all very, very bad sicknesses to get. Spaying also makes dogs act nicer.  Believe me, when Dixie first came to live with us, she was in heat and she was a major witch with a “B”. She tried to get out of the pen all the time.  She was moody and so bossy and when we would play fight, sometimes she would try to bite me for real.  I hope they are right when they say spaying will help her not be so witchy.

Like any operation, bad stuff can happen but she has been home for couple of days she seems to be okay.  Neither of us is happy that she can’t jump on the couch or bed or play fight with me.  She has to be in her crate a lot during the day and all night. Mom says we have to wait a couple of more days and then we can play all we want.  Some people say girl dogs get fat after they get spayed.  Maybe that’s why I tend to be a little on the chunky side but we do watch my diet and exercise and I’m sure Mom will do the same for Dixie.

There are lots of different opinions about what is the best age to spay or neuter a dog but I think most responsible dog owners will agree that spaying and neutering is the right choice for their pets. After all, if I had a litter of puppies, we could never give any away and we would have too many dogs in our house.

Are you spayed or neutered?  Is so how old were you when you had your operation?

To your health!

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion:  We have a whole line of gift baskets for cats too.  Check out our Finicky Feline Gift Basket!

 

Be A Picky Eater

It seems like every day there is another recall of pet food or treats but did you know that it is okay to sell pet food with stuff in it that is not all that good for you.  My friend Eric, The Amazing Dog Training Man, showed me what to look for and what to look out for when choosing food.

Here are the ingredients on two different bags of dry dog food.  Which one would you choose?

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine.

Or:

Whitefish, Herring Meal, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Canola oil (preserved with Mixed Tocapherols) Pea fiber, Tomato Pomace, Natural Fish Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries,

Vitamins (E supplement, Beta Carotene, Nicacin, d-Calcium. Pantothenate, A supplement, Riboflavin, D3 supplement Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrae, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Folic Acid)

Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfte, Iron Proteinate, Ferrou Sulfate, copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Maganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate)

Choline Cloride, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation product, Rosemary extract.

I know, the second one has lots of weird sounding stuff in it, but the weird stuff is mostly vitamins, minerals and probiotics which are good for you.  The second one also has many more good for you foods like different fish and lots of veggies.  Corn, rice, soy, sugar and animal by-products will fill you up but they aren’t all that nutritious.  Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 2 are actually pretty bad for you.

I think the best food to eat is raw but making raw food takes time and you need to make sure you are getting the right mix of good for you stuff.  Me, I’d love a whole chicken (raw) or a nice chunk of beef (raw) with a side of mashed sweet potato and carrots.  And for desert, I would love a big Frosty Paws!

Now I’ve done, it.  I am starving.  Think Dixie and I will see if Mom will give us a cookie.

Bone Appetite,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant Self-promotion. My Own Cookie Tin Gift Basket.

Summer Safety Tips for Dogs

I was talking with my friends Bumo and Miu who live in India.  They are having the hottest summer in ten years.  The temperatures are reaching 118F and 120F.  That's super hot! They are lucky that they live in a house that has air conditioning.

It doesn't usually get that hot here in New England but it still gets hot enough to be dangerous for us dogs.  Everybody knows that dogs should not be left in a car at all in the summer because even if it is only 70F outside, it can get over 100F in the car very, very fast.  Leaving a window open doesn't help.

Dogs need to be able to get fresh water to drink all the time but it is even more important in the summer when we can get dehydrated.  Humans should bring along enough water to share with their dog when they go for a walk.  They have these really cute bowls that fold up or humans can just make a bowl with their hands to give their dog a drink.

We dogs like lots of exercise but it's best to exercise in the early morning or evenings when it is not too hot.  Running is fun but we get tired easily so walking is better.  Please remember that we don't wear shoes and that roads, sidewalks and sand are hot and can burn our paws.

We love to play in grass.  I especially love to roll and stretch in the cool grass so be sure not to go on grass that has been chemically treated until it is safe.

Summer time is buggy time.  Fleas, ticks and mosquitos are everywhere.  They are not only annoying, they are dangerous because they can spread serious sickness.  In New England we are especially careful of ticks that carry Lyme Disease and in the South, where my sister Dixie comes from, mosquitoes are filled with heartworm buggies.  There are shots and medicine and stuff to put on our coats to keep us from getting buggies.  Make sure you are protected.

Swimming is a good summer sport, so I'm told.  I don't particularly like swimming, which is shameful since I am part Lab.  Anyway, if your human takes you swimming, let them know if you don't like it and make sure you are a good swimmer before you go too deep.  You should never go swimming without having your human there because a big current could come along and make you drown.

The beach is a fun place but ocean water is very bad for dogs.  Dog should not drink ocean water cuz the salt and stuff can make them sick.  Also if you swim in the ocean water, get washed off when you come out cuz the salt and stuff can make your coat and skin bad.  Also watch out for that hot sand.

You may not know that dogs can get sunburned just like humans so don't stay in the sun for a long time.  There are sun screens available to help protect sensitive areas like our ears and noses.

Summer is a very fun time for dogs and their humans to play outdoors.  My sister, Dixie, and I love to wrestle outdoors in the summer time.   Let me know what your favorite thing is to do in the summer.

Have fun but remember to stay safe.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Shameless self promotion.  No matter what time of year it is, it's important to be well groomed.  That's why I created our Spot's SPA Gift Basket so every dog can be pampered pooch.

Two Dog House Redux

This might just work.  A while back I wrote that I was getting a sister.  I was kind of excited since I would have someone to play with all the time but then I would also have to share things like my toys and my Mom and Dad and I wasn’t so sure about that.

Well, Dixie, that’s her name, came to live with us a couple of days ago.  Mom and Dixie’s foster Mom were only a little concerned about introducing us at my house.  It’s way better to introduce strange dogs in an neutral place like a park but since Dixie was used to living with other dogs and I am very socialized, we met at my house.
 
Of course, Mom picked up my food bowl and toys but we barely noticed.  It didn’t take more than a couple of minutes of checking each other out that we started playing.  And playing, and playing.  I have had other dogs come to my house so I was a little surprised when her foster Mom and Dad left and she stayed.  I guess that’s what it means to have a sister, not just a friend. 

Mom kept my schedule pretty much the same.  I got to eat at the same time and we went to sleep at the same time.  Going to sleep the first night almost didn’t work.  Dixie couldn’t settle down so Mom finally brought her crate in the bedroom and Dixie went right to sleep.
 
The next night, she jumped on the bed with me and went right to sleep.  I am going to have to talk with her cuz she is a bed hog and she snores.  She wants to sleep on Mom’s feet and that is where I like to sleep.  I’ll just cuddle with Dad until she gets more used to us then I’ll get my space back.

I still get to eat at the same times but Dixie doesn’t know how to eat nice.  She gets way too excited, jumping up and down, and she eats way too fast.  Then, when she is done with her food, she tries to eat mine.  Mom says the people who owned her probably didn’t feed her nice so she is helping her to have better manners. Dixie gets fed in her crate so even when she finishes first, she can’t come and try to get my food and I can take my time and enjoy my food.

Mom makes sure we each have alone time with each human.  Yesterday Dad took me to dog-park while Mom took Dixie to see our Vet.  I also get to spend time by myself on the deck.  It’s my thinking time.

Enough work for now.  Time to get back to playing and then a little nap. 
Let me know what your experience has been with having a new dog come live with you.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Shameless self promotion… Our To The RescueDog Gift Basket

 

Help Me If you Can...Where Do You Bury Your Bones?

I need your help.  Where do you bury your bones?

Only a few more days and Dixie is coming to live with us.  If you follow my blog, you may remember, Dixie is a Ditch Dog (i.e. dog abandoned by the side of the road).  Mom’s friend found her and got her heartworm treatment and everything but she can’t keep her cuz there are already two rescues living in a very small house with two humans.  When Dad saw a picture of Dixie he said she could come and live with us. Okay, so she is “cute” but cute isn’t everything.  I’m cute ….

I guess it will be fun to have someone to talk to and play with all the time but I’m not sure I want to have another dog living in MY house with MY humans.  Mom says she will have her own dish and her own crate but I still will have to share my toys and we will all sleep in the big bed.  I’m wondering what else I will have to share with her.

When Mom bought dog food this week, she bought a GIANT bag and she bought two boxes of treats instead of one.  Still, what if Dixie eats all of my food and all of my treats.  What will I do?

I am a smart dog, and always want to be prepared so today, when Dad gave me treats for helping him work outside, I hid them all.  I hid one under the rain spout and the others all around the yard.  If Dixie eats all of my food and treats, I will at least have something to eat so I don’t starve.

We dogs have been burying bones for hundreds if not thousands of years because you never know when you will need food.  Treats are okay, but bones are the best. Our ancestors used to eat their fill and then bury what was left so they could eat it later when they didn’t have fresh food to eat.  Even back then they knew that bones were the best.  Bones have marrow in them and we know that marrow has good protein and fat and tastes awesome!  Mom and Dad are very good to me.  I get three meals a day and treats but still, I need to be prepared “just in case”.

I buried the treats outside but most of the time, I bury my treats inside the house.  My favorite places are in the corners of the couches.  I need to start burying all of my treats “just in case”.  I could use a few more hiding places.  Where are your favorite places to bury your treats?  I won’t tell anyone your secret hiding place if you don’t tell Dixie where I hide my stash.

Appreciate your help,

Your friend

Zeva

P.S. Blatant self-promotion.... Our Spoiled Rotten Dog Gift Basket... in case you know a spoiled rotten dog :)