My Leo
Many of you know that my dog, Colt, passed away in July. He developed a brain tumor and went downhill very quickly. I was (and still am) heartbroken. Although I wanted a new dog immediately, I wanted to wait for the right dog, so I waited for Colt to “send” one to me. Here he is:
No wonder Colt sent him. He’s just like his brother.
Zoo Adventures
I always feel really torn when I visit a zoo. On one hand, I feel really sad for the animals that are not in their natural habitats. On the other hand, I feel thankful that I am able to see these amazing animals up close and I am able to learn about . This week, I had the chance to visit the Oregon Zoo. Here are some of my pics:
I think that it’s really important to educate kids that animals are not to be teased and that most of them are predators. For example, at almost every exhibit, kids would be pounding on the glass and saying how “cute” the animals look. I agree, they do look “cute,” but if you encounter a black bear in the wilderness, you shouldn’t be teaching kids that it’s ok to feed it honey. Animals are to be respected -that’s what parents should be teaching their kids about all living things.
That being said – I saw something AMAZING at the red ape exhibit today. I was completely blown away. If you don’t think we are closely related, just watch:
What are your thoughts on zoos?
Talk to you soon!
Woof!
I Don’t Even Know What To Do With Myself
I don’t even know what to do with myself. I have discovered so many awesome dog products this week that I have to share with you!
While I was visiting my parents, I found this store in one of the local malls called Moochie & Co. It is the cutest store EVER! While I was there, I met an awesome Golden Retriever Rescue (check out this month’s featured organization for more information) and I found the best product for those of you who have a bath-phobic dog (like I do.) It is a foaming mousse and you rub it into their fur. Plus, it smells great! I searched all over and wasn’t able to find it from any other place, but you can order it here.
Dry shampoo for dogs
Most of you know how much I love the organization Pets of the Homeless and this week they were featured on Cause Tee. Every two weeks, Cause Tee has an independent artist design a t-shirt representing a non-profit, while donating a portion of the proceeds and raising awareness via social media. You can never have enough tees and I’m excited to see what organizations they design for next! (PS: The current campaign is Cell Phones for Soldiers – providing U.S. soldiers with pre-paid calling cards.)
For all of the things I know about my dog, I will admit that I never though about his astrological sign! Luckily, Zodiac Dog has done that for me! They have products for each sign (I’m totally getting the Aquarius placemat!) Check these charts if you ever wanted to know more about your dog’s personality!
K9 Cakery (who won “Best in Show” at 2012 Global Pet Expo) is the place to shop for any dog bakery or treat supplies. Everything is so cute! Plus, they have dog party supplies! Why not register for a wish list at The Giving Paw and then throw your dog the best party ever on their birthday?!
Have you discovered any exciting new products lately? Let me know!
Hope you all had a great Memorial Day! Thank you to all soldiers, past and present. You are braver than I will ever be.
Woof!
A Monster Lives In My House
My dog has turned into a monster. The reason is because a few weeks ago, Mr. Chewy contacted me and offered us a $50 gift certificate to their online store. Colt and I were so excited! I immediately jumped onto their website (which is super easy to navigate, btw) and ordered a variety of treats for Colt. Some were his tried and true favorites, and some were new brands that I wanted him to try. He is really picky and Mr. Chewy had so many options!
A plethora of doggie treats!
I placed the order on a Friday afternoon and by the next day, I already had the package at my front door! Now, that is service! I have never experienced shipping that was so fast and what’s even better, it’s free if you spend over $49.
Why is that box empty?
Colt is really, really enjoying his treats from Mr. Chewy! He has turned into a very needy monster; constantly hanging out and whining at the pantry hoping to sample another one of his treasures! Mr. Chewy sells much more than dog treats, so make sure you check out their site. I will most definitely be ordering from them again – there are not too many places where I can find all of Colt’s favorites, combined with fantastic customer service. Thank you Mr. Chewy for making my life miserable, but my dog’s life wonderful!!!
Woof!
Colt’s Latest Obsession…
One of my favorite things about being a blogger is having the opportunity to review exciting new pet products! Recently, I had a chance to take a look at something really cool called the LeashLocket.
When you have an almost 80-lb Boxer who doesn’t have the best leash manners in the world, (as he is 12-years-old, I have basically given up) walks can be somewhat stressful. I have a leash that is working pretty well for us, but I love trying anything new! So, off we go to the park…
The LeashLocket is really easy to use. It took me about two seconds to figure it out. You hook it onto your dog’s collar using these snaps/magnets, so your dog can carry it’s leash if you want to be hands-free! Watch How LeashLocket Works!
It took me a few seconds to become used to the new leash, because Colt is such a puller. But, it worked great! It was definitely strong enough to handle an 80-lb dog! And, it was fun to use and super cute!
Thank you to LeashLocket for the opportunity to review this great product! You can purchase your own LeashLocket here.
Woof!
Freedom Tails
I love this month’s featured organization! I met Karen, who volunteers for Freedom Tails, at BarkWorld last year in Atlanta. Freedom Tails is a non-profit organization that supports a program run out of the Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) in Aberdeen, Washington. This program trains dogs who were once in various shelters in the local area and pairs them with incarcerated prisoners to be trained. I think this is completely awesome! There is a non-profit organization, also called Freedom Tails, that supports the prison dogs.
First, everyone wins in Freedom Tails’ program. The shelter dogs receive another chance at life and the prisoners receive the opportunity to take care of a living being, providing love and affection. Second, the prisoners learn skills that they can apply to their life outside of the prison after they are released. Finally, the dogs are adopted by families who receive a new friend that is trained in basic commands. And, the cycle continues!
The dogs are trained using hand signs. I'm going to try using some of these! This is a good drawing!
Like any non-profit program, Freedom Tails can use our assistance with monetary donations and other items such as toys and medications. Please check out this website for their current needs!
Everyone deserves a second chance, whether it be a dog or a person. I always say that no one deserves to be judged by their very worst moment in life. The Freedom Tails program teaches responsibility, compassion, love and respect to the animal, handler and adoptive family. Please visit these two websites (Freedom Tails, Freedom Tails wish list) supporting the Freedom Tails program to learn more about them and spread the word about their mission today!
How To Preserve Your Pet’s Memories
Since I don’t have any kids, I treat Colt like he is somewhat of a human. I never thought I would be this crazy about my dog, but it’s happened – he’s totally pampered. And, he’s almost always the subject of my photos. I just think everything he does is so cute! I know that every other obsessed pet parent can totally relate.
Just when I was thinking how I was going to organize the hundreds of photos of Colt sleeping, running and just laying around, I received an awesome email from Shutterfly informing me of this great new product they are offering – yearbooks!
I mean, how cute are these! For those of you pet parents who are thinking, “What am I going to do with a yearbook?” Well, let me tell you! The new Shutterfly yearbook option offers templates that allows you to customize your own yearbook, so that yes, you can make one that features all of your dog’s pictures! One idea I had was to do one for each year of Colt’s life – I have lot’s of pictures that could fill up each of those pages. Here’s one:
Hey, I'm 4!
These would make such a fun keepsake! Don’t forget about all your pups’ friends at doggie daycare, too! What a great way to celebrate friends!
To find out more about Shutterfly’s new photo yearbook feature, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest; or click here!
Woof!
PS: This was a post sponsored by Shutterfly. For more information on disclosure, please click here.
If You Aren’t Volunteering For An Animal Rescue, You Are Missing Out
I spent most of this past Sunday volunteering at an adoption event for Eleventh Hour Rescue. It was so much fun! If you haven’t been volunteering for a local animal rescue in your area (well, like the headline says) you are missing out.
I do have to say that I had quite the initiation by Charlie. While I was talking to one of the other volunteers, he decided to pee on my leg and on my sparkly TOMS! I love dogs so much that I didn’t care, but let’s just say that Colt wasn’t very happy when I got home – he was convinced I was cheating on him. 
Eleventh Hour Rescue has so many fantastic and loving dogs. It is unimaginable to me how someone could abandon their animal, but at least now they have an opportunity to be placed in a warm and loving home. I want to really encourage everyone to consider adopting an older dog – don’t pass up the opportunity to add your new best friend to your family because they are not a puppy. Take a look at this post from the ASPCA on the benefits of adopting an older dog.
Are you volunteering with an animal rescue? Let me know!
Woof!
Planning For Your Pets
This weekend in the New York Times there was an article about planning for your pet’s care in the event you become incapacitated as well as after you pass away. Often, even if family members have the best of intentions, it may be become overwhelming for them to care for an elderly pet or add another dog or cat to their family. I have written about pet trusts and pet protection agreements before and they are affordable and easy to complete. Rachel Hirschfeld, one of the country’s leading experts on animal law, created the Pet Protection Agreement, Hirschfeld Pet Trust and a special program through the NY Bar Association which makes special arrangements to care for patients’ pets while they are in the hospital. She is awesome!
When I was at BarkWorld in Atlanta this past fall, my favorite session was the one on legal issues and your pets. The attorney who led the session mentioned that if you do have one of these agreements or want people to know you have pets in your home, place a laminated card in your wallet next to your insurance card. That way, if you are in an accident or incapacitated in some way, people will be notified. He argued that your insurance card will always be looked at and I tend to agree! He also mentioned that there are now “pet retirement homes” available and the North Shore Animal League has one of the best known plans available.
Also, it is easy to obtain a sticker to place on your door in case of an emergency. This lets rescue personnel know that there are animals inside – both for their safety and to make sure that they do not leave them behind. You can obtain a free safety sticker from the ASPCA.
It just takes a little bit of planning to make your furry family member’s future secure! Get to work today!
Woof!
