Category: Uncategorized

Sick as a dog

It’s pretty weird that I posted all those pictures of Hobie last night.  He was perfectly fine when I did it, it was just a subject to use for Wordless Wednesday.  Well, overnight last night, he became really sick and vomited and had diarrhea all over our brand-new wall-to-wall carpeting.  It took me a while to figure out what could have made him so sick (to complicate matters, Charlie Brown also vomited once last night).  But little pieces of plastic cat food container are coming out, so I guess he got hold of one somehow.  We are pretty diligent about throwing the cat food containers away where they can’t get at them, but I suppose a cat could have bapped one off the counter or something.  Anyway, he is now outside sleeping in the yard, and not doing badly, but also not doing great.  Just metza-metza (sp??).

I’m quite freaked out as this is almost the two-year anniversary of Hector’s sudden death under similar but different circumstances.  It took me almost two years to figure out that Hector had a bad head injury that he had sustained in a fall down the stairs in June of that year (2011).  He had a seizure immediately following the fall, and then had many seizures for the two months after that, until he died on August 28th, the day Hurricane Irene hit this area.

We were supposed to go to the Cape today, but our dog association meeting got cancelled, so I cancelled the trip.  Good thing, as there is no way I would have left Hobie in Spencer in this condition (nor would I have made him travel).  That, too, is reminiscent of the passing of Hector… we did a quick, two-day trip to the Cape and I always felt bad that the very rushed and somewhat stressful (we turned right around because of the hurricane) trip had escalated his illness and subsequent demise.

Hobie is in good hands this afternoon, as I head off to work — the cleaning woman/pet sitter is on her way, she cleans on Thursdays.  Poor thing has to shampoo all the carpet!

Have YOU ever tried to brush a cat’s teeth?

Dental care for dogs and cats runs the gamut from conventional tooth brushing with a specially-designed brush and meat-flavored toothpaste, to chewy dental treats known to get lodged in a pet’s digestive tract, to those funny little rubbery things you put on your finger that remind me of (ok, I’m showing my age!) the “rubber fingers” we used to use in the office to flip through piles of paper!  

Along comes Entirely Pets, and their suggestion that we try C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogsand C.E.T. Chews for Cats.  Yeah, really, for cats!  This post is sponsored by EntirelyPets.com, by the way.  Known as the leading provider of online pet supplies and non-prescription pet medications, they’ve been around since 1999, and I can see why — safe and secure web site, low prices, and free shipping for orders topping $85.



Back to the C.E.T. chews.  The beefhide dog chews are flat or slightly rolled, about the size of a playing card each, maybe slightly bigger.  The bag says (in English and en Français!) that they’re for veterinary use only, so that was a little puzzling to me, at first glance. 

The cat chews look like Combos — the human hollow pretzel snack stuffed with cheese!

I gave each of the dogs one oral hygiene chew. Hobie, as always, was first (Charlie Brown likes to get a little aggressive with Hobie, so Charlie is last on the totem pole).  Hobie took the treat into his mouth without sniffing it, realized he’d never tasted THIS before. It seemed as if he was not going to eat it, but then he started chomping away.  Cooper and Charlie both acted pretty much the same way, but a little more hesitant.



The cats had absolutely no interest in the cat chews.  First, I tried to give it to Newman.  He sniffed at it and walked away.  Next was Cali. She took a sniff at it, and then a swat with her paw, got up, and left.  I didn’t even try giving one to Tux.



The next day, I tried again at supper time.  The three dogs each grabbed their chew and ran outside where they proceeded to devour them in the back yard in record time. They are DOGS, after all!

I had read on blogpaws.com that the chews are water-soluble, so for the cat chews I ran tap water over one and mashed it up between my finger and thumb (by the way, the manufacturer suggests that humans wash their hands after handling the product, and I did).  I put it in the cat dish for Newman.  He licked at it, but then started to walk away.  I mashed it some, then put it back in the dish.  Newman went back and gobbled the whole thing down in a few short seconds.  He made handy work of that!  


This post was written on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network and EntirelyPets.com, I received a product for review as well as compensation for my time. Like all reviews on this Blog all thoughts and comments about the product are my own.

GOOD + Purina ONE’s Photo Challenge; and Cooper the Tripawd Hero

I’m posting this on behalf of the Picturing Pets Challenge http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/ 
There are just 4 days left for pet owners to share a photo of how their furry friend has changed their life and enter for a chance to benefit two pet shelters in GOOD (good.is) and Purina ONE’s Picturing Pets Photo Challenge. 
GOOD and Purina ONE have partnered to showcase our furry friends in order to change perceptions on shelter pets. The Picturing Pets Challenge (http://picturingpets.maker.good.is/) calls on entrants to share a photo and story of their cat or dog that describes how they change our lives and the world we live in. The winning entrant will be featured on good.is, receive a year’s supply of Purina ONE dog food, and a $1500 donation in the winner’s name to one of four pet shelters, among other rewards. 
The Picturing Pets photo challenge is open for submissions now until August 14th noon PST. 
#PicturingPets
Similarly, I wrote about Cooper on our blog on Tripawds.com, in much the same way that GOOD and Purina ONE are asking entrants in the contest to write a story about their pet(s).  
Cooper is one of Tripawds.com’s featured “Tripawd Heroes” for the month of August, and boy are we thrilled!  Here’s his picture at the head of Tripawd’s Facebok page  
Not only that, but the other day (August 7th) was his one year “ampuversary” (um, that means it’s been a year since his operation where they amputated his leg!); AND I purchased one of Tripawds’ nifty, personalized “Tripawd Heroes” books to commemorate the occasion.  The personalized Tripawd Heroes book features [your pet — in our case, Cooper] on a page in the book, with photos and a blurb about what makes him so special.  I needed help from the Tripawds people to shorten my story, as there is just way too much that makes THIS hound special!!
Enter the contest with GOOD and Purina ONE, you just might win a year’s supply of Purina ONE dog food, a $1500 donation to a shelter, or something else.
Here is the official press release about this partnership/contest:

Purina ONE® and GOOD Team Up To Benefit Pet Shelters With New Photo Challenge
“Purina Picturing Pets Challenge” Encourages Pet Owners Nationwide To Share Their Inspiring Pet Story For A Chance To Win Purina ONE®Brand Pet Food And A Donation To A Shelter
LOS ANGELES — The key to helping shelter pets find homes isn’t about pity–it’s about changing perceptions. Purina ONE® and GOOD have teamed up to launch the Purina Picturing Pets Challenge to highlight how pets inspire and change lives, making the world a better place one home at a time. 
Beginning now until August 14, proud owners can go to picturingpets.maker.good.is and share an inspiring story that celebrates the simple, everyday things that pets do to make our world a better place. The winning entrant will receive the following: be featured on good.is; win a year’s supply of Purina ONE brand pet food; have a donation made on their behalf that will enable professional photographer Nanette Martin to conduct a pet photo shoot and photography training session at a shelter, helping to facilitate adoptions by revealing shelter pets’ true beauty and personality. In addition, the winner will choose one of four pet shelters to receive a $1,500 donation on his/her behalf. 
“Every pet picture tells an important story, and every pet deserves the chance to tell their story and change someone’s life. With the rising number of homeless pets worldwide, we are proud to partner with GOOD to celebrate the difference that shelter pets have made in people’s lives and showcase their beauty,” said Christina Schneider, Assistant Brand Manager, Purina ONE.
The Purina Picturing Pets Maker Challenge aims to shift current and often misleading perceptions surrounding shelters that ultimately leave many pets homeless. This Challenge leverages the power of stories to make a difference in the lives of pets and their owners.
“As the proud owner of two dogs, I have enjoyed our partnership with Purina ONE,” said Jay Ku, Head of Partnerships, GOOD. “And now we’re going to direct a ton of attention on these shelter pets and hopefully drive adoptions. The more people who are connected to their community with pets, the better off we all are, and this partnership with Purina ONE is a great way to make this kind of progress.” 
To enter the Challenge, participants submit an inspiring story that celebrates the simple things pets do to make the world a better place. Submissions, accepted at picturingpets.maker.good.is between July 31 and August 14, will be followed by a public voting period, September 3 to September 17. The winner will then be announced around October 1.
In 2012, Purina ONE® and GOOD began their partnership to create the GOOD Pets Hub on good.is to change perceptions around shelter pets. The editorial hub has since expanded to include personal stories, shelter appraisals, revolutionary ideas, infographics and community challenges called GOOD Maker challenges. 
About Nestlé Purina PetCare Company
Purina ONE® brand dog and cat food is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, one of the leading global players in the pet care industry.  Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. The company has provided more than $30 million dollars in support to organizations nationally. By supporting their partners in animal welfare, Purina® assists in providing care and adoption for more than 2.2 million pets annually. The North American headquarters for Nestlé Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri. Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A. — the world’s largest food company. For more, visit www.purina.com.
About GOOD
GOOD is a global community of people who give a damn, and good.is is a social platform where community members can connect with the best ideas and tools for progress, like GOOD Maker, an online grantmaking platform. GOOD Local brings the collaboration and efforts of the community to life in person at a local level, and GOOD Magazine is a quarterly publication that reflects the activity and impact the community creates. GOOD/Corps partners with member companies and organizations to align their social impact efforts with organizational success. To learn more, visit www.good.is.

Anyone into digital scrapbooking?

I watch HGTV’s show “House Hunters” almost every night.  One night, a woman hunting for a house had a necessity for a room to do her “digital scrapbooking”.  I was intrigued because I had attended a scrapbooking party in the past, and love the idea, but hate cutting up photos (even badly-taken snapshots).  I have a very visual mind and cutting up photographs, to me, is akin to violence! LOL!
Anyway, I was intrigued as to what she meant by digital scrapbooking, so I decided to go online and hunt around (ha ha see that little pun there, “hunt”?).

I tried a few different digital scrapbooking products, but the one I liked best was MyMemories Suite Scrapbooking Software.  There seem to be a lot of designs to choose from, many focused to a specific hobby or interest, and it was very user-friendly.

About a day after I was on their site, I got a letter from them asking if I’d like to advertise their product on my blog.  I figured what the heck, why not?

You’ll see the banner to their site towards the bottom of my blog pages, along with a discount coupon code for my readers and followers.  If you’re interested, give it a whirl.  If not, no big deal.

Happy scrapbooking (sans the scissors, glue and heavy books — and oh, those creepy cutting utensils!)

STMMMS32892

Wordless Wednesday

On vacation without the dogs.  I miss ’em!

Met Cesar (for the 2nd time) and Junior (for the first time) 
with my friend Lori, before going on vacation!  WOOF!
Cesar puts on a great show, it’s like a comedy stand-up routine 
and an educational seminar all in one. Not to be missed!