Cat Trees and Pet Supplies

Dog’s need some sort of exercise every single day to stay healthy. Walking your dog every day is a good habit to get into. Whether going for daily walks in your neighborhood, or heading out to a trail out in the wilderness, there’s always supplies you need to take with. The DawggieGoPak leash bag makes getting these things ready a little quicker, and carrying them a lot easier.

What is the DawggieGoPak leash bag?

The DawggieGoPak leash bag is a compact, waterproof carrying case with multiple pockets that attaches to your leash.  It’s designed to carry both a car and house key, dog treats, any MP3 player, any mobile phone, and dog poop disposal bags.  This leash bag is large enough to accommodate all of your on-the-go needs, but still compact enough to easily attach to any leash.

Why Do I Need a DawggieGoPak leash bag?

If you are a dog owner or professional dog walker, this leash bag will save you valuable time. Your dog(s) will no longer have to wait while you find everything you need, most of it will already be packed in the leash bag and attached to the leash.  A spare car and/or house key, poop bags and dog treats can be kept in the leash bag at all times. You just need to add your MP3 player, cell phone, or any other accessory you may want to bring with.  It also makes it easy to carry everything with you. No more stuffing what you can in pockets, and holding things in your hands for hours.

Are There Different Styles of DawggieGoPak leash bags?

You can choose from five different color leash bags: black, hot pink, navy, purple and tan. Each color has a variety of bright, stylish and fun ribbon designs to choose from. The DawggieGoPak leash bag is very stylish and will fit any dog owner’s style.  Priced under $20, this leash bag makes the perfect, affordable gift this holiday season.

When researching activities to do with my dog, I ran across a website for a dog camp and thought the concept was really cool.  If you are trying to find something different to do with your dog, you might want to invest in a pet tent and look into a dog camp.

• Trails and Hiking
• Frisbee
• Herding
• Dog games, tips & tricks
• Treatmaking for your pet
• Flyball
• Freestyle Dancing
• Search & Rescue Tracking
• Costume/Talent Show
• and much more…

10 years ago today, 300 dogs helped emergency workers search for survivors after the twin towers fell to the ground.  In honor of these Hero Dogs, Kenn Bell of the dogfiles.com created this video (link below).  Help celebrate these brave canines, by watching this video, and passing it on to friends and family.  I hope you are as moved by this video as I was.  Never forget.

Hero Dogs of 9/11

I had a special funeral dress by the time I was 17, and by the time I was in my early 20′s, I lost track of how many loved ones I had lost. I am no stranger to death. At 16 I watched the most important person in my life, my mom, take her last breaths. After all of this, I wouldn’t have thought that the loss of a pet that was only in my home for two weeks would affect me so deeply —- but I would have thought wrong.

My boyfriend and I welcomed our first ferret into our home just 5 months ago. His name is Charlie, and he’s awesome. He’s given us countless hours of entertainment. Shortly after he joined us, we began talking about finding him a brother/playmate. Our search was not a short one.

We looked to the shelters first, but some were just too far away for a couple without a car and one wouldn’t allow us to adopt because our cat is not vaccinated (as was recommended by our vet because of his age and a possible reaction to the vaccine). Our next stop was Craigslist. I answered several ads, but was mostly ignored. The few that answered me seemed insulted that I asked if their ferrets were vaccinated, claiming that they were long time ferret owners and that ferrets don’t need to be vaccinated. (If you are considering adopting a ferret, please know that this is not true. Ferrets do need yearly vaccinations for rabies and most importantly for distemper.)

Finally, about a month and a half ago, I got a response. This was a young girl leaving for college, and she couldn’t take her beloved ferret, Ringo Starr, with her. He hadn’t been vaccinated, but I was okay with that. I just wanted to know ahead of time what kind of vet bill I’d be looking at. It took a month, but we finally got our fuzzies together, and three days later, Ringo came home with us.

Everything we read claimed that ferrets need to be kept separate for a week or two, allowing them to interact for a little bit each day so they can bond. By the second night in our home, Ringo joined Charlie in his cage and they were sleeping snuggled up together. It couldn’t have been a more perfect match.

Our plan was to get Ringo to the vet within a month or two. We figured that he had gone two years without his vaccinations; another month or so wouldn’t hurt. He seemed healthy and active. I noticed his hind legs shaking a little bit his first few days home. I assumed it was nerves. After all, he didn’t just join a new household, he joined a new household with a child, a cat and another ferret – all of which were new to him. I didn’t notice the shaking after the first week, and so thought nothing else of it.

Then this past Tuesday night, I walked past our fuzzies’ cage and noticed Ringo hanging upside down almost completely out of his hammock. At first I thought it was cute. I’ve seen them sleep in wacky positions before and just figured this was another new one. Then I noticed that he was awake. I picked him up, but he was barely moving. His breathing seemed steady, but he would just stay in whatever position I held him in. I yelled for my boyfriend, and we began the quest for vet care.

We placed Ringo in his own cage to monitor him. We laid him in his hammock, and tried to get him to drink. My boyfriend went back to calling vets while I searched the internet for answers. I must have gotten up every five minutes to check on Ringo. He was breathing, but still not moving. And then he had what I can only guess was a seizure. I picked him up, wrapped him in his blanket and held him close.

My boyfriend was on the phone with yet another vet when I yelled that I didn’t think Ringo was breathing. A ferret’s breathing is sometimes soft, and we were both still hoping we were wrong. We kept waiting to see his little body move, but it didn’t. And I lost it.

This little fuzzy depended on me, and I let him down. I should have brought him to the vet for his shots right away; maybe she would have seen something then. I should have called the vet when I first noticed the shaking; maybe this all could have been prevented. As soon as I saw him not moving, I should have hopped in a cab to the emergency vet hospital. I should have, I should have, I should have . . . It’s all I keep thinking about. Logic aside, I can’t help but blame myself.

It doesn’t matter how many deaths I’ve been through, human or animal, each one is brand new and brings a new pain.

Ringo may have only been a part of our family for two weeks, but he will be in our hearts forever.

More than four million cats and kittens in the U.S. enter shelters every year.  Many shelters are running out of room and actually have to use relocatable trailers to house some of the cats and kittens.  If you are planning on getting a cat or kitten, please consider adopting from a shelter.

For the month of June, the ASPCA and Fresh Step litter are encouraging shelters to waive the fees associated with adopting cats.  They have already had over 100 shelters sign on.  Also, for every “like” Fresh Step gets on it’s facebook page, they will donate $1 to the ASPCA.  For more information, see the article the ASPCA posted. 

“I love cats because I love my home and after a while they become its visible soul.” – Jean Cocteau

Cats love the outdoors.  They love rolling in the grass, lounging in the sun, climbing trees and chasing birds or small rodents.  The fresh air is good for them, and the added stimulation helps them release some of their built up energy.  So what do you do for an indoor cat? 

If you already have a screened in porch, put a cat tree or scratching post out there for your cat to play on.   She’ll be out in the fresh air and still have things to keep her busy to release that energy.  You can also put up some shelves for her to sit on.  This way, she can still bask in the sun while on the porch.

If you do not have a screened in porch, you can build or buy a cat enclosure.  Cat enclosures are usually made of wood and some sort of netting.  They can be any size you want, and anywhere in your yard.  If you build a cat enclosure away from your house, you may want to build an enclosed cat run with cat doors that leads from the house to the enclosure.  You can put your cat’s cat tree or scratching post in there, and again, build shelves for her to bask in the sun. 

Either way, your cat can get outside and enjoy the fresh air and warm sun, while giving you peace of mind that they are safe.

If you have a new puppy that’s not trained to stay in the yard yet, but you want to give him some outdoor play time off of a leash, an exercise kennel pen is a great idea.  They also work for turtles, rabbits, and other small pets.

Exercise Kennels are are usually made of wire, and come in different sizes.  You should choose a pen that is at least 4 inches taller than your pets head, to make sure they can’t get out.  Depending on how big you want to make their play area, you can buy more than one and link them together.  You can also make the pen into different shapes to fit your yard or to make the play area a little bit more interesting for your pet.  Keep in mind that exercise kennel pens do not have covers over the top.  If you are worried about predator animals getting to your pet, or plan on putting a pet that can climb up the wire sides in the pen, do not leave your pet unattended.  And of course, if it’s hot out, make sure your pets have plenty of water and part of the kennel pen is under a tree or some short of shade.

Memorial Day can be a busy day for you and your pets.  You may have a barbecue with friends and family, or a party elsewhere to go to.  A parade may even be in your plans.  If you plan on including your pet in the festivities, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

• If you plan on going to a parade, keep your dog on a leash.  Even if your dog normally stays by your side, the excitement of the crowd and loud noises could send your dog running.  There may also be other dogs attending the parade that your dog may want to chase.
• Make sure your dog has plenty of water.  At home, a friend or family’s house, or even out at a parade make sure you have water readily available for your pooch. 
• If it’s hot out, and you are enjoying an outdoor get-together, try to get your dog to lay in the shade.  You don’t want him to over heat.
• If around large crowds, make sure your dog is comfortable.  As soon as you notice your dog looking or acting uncomfortable, get him out of there.  Large crowds can sometimes over-excite your dog and trigger unusual behavior.  You don’t want to risk someone getting bit.

Whatever you decide to do this Memorial Day, we hope you and your pets enjoy!

Preventing behavior problems isn’t hard if you start right away when you get a new pet and don’t give up.  Here’s a few quick tips to get you started:

1. Set rules immediately and stick to them. (If you don’t want them on the furniture, a firm “NO” every time they try will teach them early.)
2. Encourage good behavior with praise and attention. (“Good Boy”, “Good Girl” and a pat on the head whenever they do something good.)
3. Correct bad behaviors by providing positive alternatives. (When you take away the slipper your dog’s chewing on, replace it with a toy.  When your cat tries clawing at the furniture set her near a scratching post.) 
4. Don’t play rough or encourage aggression or play biting. (You don’t want them thinking that hands are chew toys.)
5. Expose pets to people, animals, and environments where you want them to live. (If your pets are exposed to children, adults, animals and environments they will frequent quite often, they won’t be distressed around them and are less likely to act up.)