Are you a Parent or Owner of your Pet?

So tell me, do you think you choose to be a parent or owner of your pet … or does your pet choose to be your child?

Interesting question if you have a dog. Knowing that I get into trouble when I make the comparison of dogs being like children, but on many occasions they act like they are and yet, we know they are a dog, but then … take this example …

 

On a stormy night this past week the screens started to blow off my house. My wife raced outside in the pouring rain to save them, with thunder and lightning everywhere. She snagged her first screen, turned to take it into the house and tripped over our little dog, a Bijon Friese named Paco. As it turns out Paco was by her side helping! Or at least it appeared that way. In total 4 screens came down, each time my wife caught one and took it into the  house, there was Paco … running along her side giving her morale support. When done they both went inside with Paco vigorously shaking off the water … my wife not being so talented. Once dry the two of them snuggled for the rest of the evening.

 

Is Paco just a unique lil dog, who considers himself our youngest child?

 

What do you think?

The things I must remember …

It’s so hard to be  a good dog, nearly every day you tell me one of these things! There are so many I just can’t remember them all.

1. I will not eat the cats’ food before they eat it or after they throw it up.

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.

3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.

4. The sofa is not a ‘face towel’.

5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s underwear when he’s on the toilet.

7.  Sticking my nose into someone’s crotch is an unacceptable way of saying ‘hello’.

8. I don’t need to suddenly stand straight up when I’m under the coffee table

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house – not after.

10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a ‘squeaky toy’ so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it’s usually not a good thing.

 

I Rescued a Human Today

>>   Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels.  I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.  I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

>>   As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage.  I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today.  Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

>>   As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past.  I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

>>   She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.  I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.  Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.

>>   A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.  Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.  I would promise to keep her safe.  I would promise to always be by her side.  I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.  I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.  So many more are out there who haven’t walked
the corridors.  So many more to be saved.  At least I could save one.

>>   I rescued a human today.                        

This article is compliments of Ann Platt, Owner of Pets Are Inn Minneapolis, Mn

Pets and lawn chemicals

You are out walking your dog, you see a sign that reads “This area has been chemically treated, keep children & pets off until: _ _ _ _ …. or keep them off until dry. You know that lawn chemicals can cause disease and perhaps even death for your pet … but what do you do?

The people / companies all have a recommended time to stay off the lawn. They range from “until dry” to a wide range of number of days. So who is right? Does it matter?My guess it that your dog has already been exposed to the treated lawn well before you were able to see the signs.

One item that is a universal truth … all companies tell you that you should make sure the “product” should not touch your skin or clothing. If you inhale the “product” for long periods of time you may experience damage to your central nervous system. This applies to your  pet as well.

For a simple solution either wipe your dog down with a wet cloth or safe cleaning solution or give your pet a bath … personally I use a natural cleaning solution that is  non toxic and safe for pets. This fully cleans the pets hair and is safe.

Dogs & Chocolate

If you have a dog pay attention to the chocolate …

Happy Easter everyone … Today is Easter, another glorious day. The sun is out and there is a promise in the air of a warm sunny day …

and only as a reminder, dogs and chocolate do not mix. A few years ago my sons Cocker Spaniel figured out a way to get a full box of chocolates off our dining room table, still not sure how he did it, but he did! The end result was a large vet bill and a dog that just barely survived. When we found him his gums were a brilliant red, the effect of the chocolate. He would not have survived another hour according to his vet.

While our vet gave us our well deserved lecture, we were very thankful he survived. Keep the chocolates away from your pet!

High chemical levels found in dogs

An environmental group has tested dogs for chemical exposure and found some levels much higher than in humans.

The analysis showed that in dogs, levels of perfluorinated chemicals (from stain- and grease-proof coatings) were 2.4 times higher than in people. Overall 35 chemicals were found in dogs.

The research used blood and urine samples from 35 dogs collected at Hanover Animal Hospital in Mechanicsville, Va., in December and January with the results representing average levels.

The testing “raises tantalizing questions,” says Larry Glickman, a professor of environmental health at Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in West Lafayette, Ind. “These things are just too controversial to ignore.”

Glickman says that “we’ll need to figure out how widespread this contamination is, where’s it coming from and whether it’s associated with adverse health events.”

Pets’ high levels of exposure come about because they spend their days in direct contact with floors and the ground, where dust, dirt, chemicals and pesticides concentrate. They also chew on toys, so they have exposures to plastics.

The findings give cause for concern, because “there’s a 20-year body of scientific literature showing that pets can be sentinels for human problems.”

More to follow …

High chemical levels found in cats

An environmental group has tested cats for chemical exposure and found some levels much higher than in humans.

The analysis, released by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group, found levels of brominated flame retardants (used in furniture, fabrics and electronics) 23 times higher than in humans, and mercury levels (likely from fish in pet foods) five times higher.

The research used blood and urine samples from 37 cats collected at Hanover Animal Hospital in Mechanicsville, Va., in December and January. Results represent average levels.

“Because cats are finicky, owners find a food they like and stick to it,” which could explain the high levels of mercury in cats, says Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University who’s researching a book on pet food.

The findings give cause for concern because “there’s a 20-year body of scientific literature showing that pets can be sentinels for human problems.”

More to come in future posts ….

Pets and Chemicals

Removing grocery store brand cleaning and personal care products from our homes is probably the easiest thing we can do to prolong the health of our pets. Animals are more exposed to toxic chemical vapors which tend to accumulate on the ground. A study found higher levels of chemicals in dogs and cats than in humans. Pets are unable to avoid chemicals on the ground where dust, dirt and pesticides concentrate. It is up to their human companions to make healthy choices for them.

More to come in future posts.

Growing My Business

I have been talking a lot lately about Business partnerships, frequently using the term “Master Mind groups”. These partnerships (or groups) are those special relationships that are formed over time, usually for a variety of reasons. Most often however, they are based on economics, where it is quite clear that by forming partnerships you can help grow your respective businesses through referrals. I am blessed to have 2 of these groups under development.

The first can be found at www.MinnesotaHomeServices.com. It is a dedicated group of professionals that are working together to provide high quality services to home owners. Check them out!

The second group is our “Pet Alliance”. Businesses involved are Green Clean Carpet Care & Restoration www.GreenCleanCare.com, Mountain duct cleaning www.MountainDuctCleaning.com, Dr Rebecca Amstutz Chiropractor fb page@Perpetual Motion | Animal Chiropractic, Pets Are Inn www.PetsAreInn.com, Pure Spirit Animal Communication & Training www.pure-spirit.com and of course myself.

Check them out. They are all “very good” at what they do!

How to tell who would be a good referal

Life is always amazing. Last week found me sitting at the Mn Timberwolves Basketball game with some of my business associates. As is always true with small biz owners we talk about each others business. We were in deep conversation on how to recognize who would be a good referral for me when one of the spouses leaned into our conversation and said … that’s easy, if you are looking for people who will do anything for their pets, just ask them if their pet sleeps with them!

After a moment of silence, we found ourselves all nodding our head in approval … it was a fun evening with friends, business associates and discovery!