Cat Trees and Pet Supplies

I know I’ve been lax with my blogging, but until today I had no idea how long it’s been!  I apologize for the long span.  The summer has been packed with graduations, birthday parties, pool parties, family get-togethers, and a short little vacation.  I’m sure your summers have been jam packed too.  I hope you and your pets are enjoying every minute of the summer air!

We recently just got back from Wisconsin Dells.  (If you’re not familiar with the area, it’s waterslide central!)  Anyway, I found it very interesting that so many hotels advertise that they are pet friendly now.  Hotels are starting to realize that when it comes to pets, people treat them like children- and who wouldn’t take their children with on a family vacation?!  So, I did a little research, and it looks like most hotels have the same charges and rules. 

• It’s roughly $10 or $15 a night for dogs, and usually not more than 2 dogs per room. 
• When taking them outside you must have them leashed, and clean up after them. 
• No Cats- this was listed on a few of them, some didn’t specify.
• Do not leave pet unattended in room.  If unavoidable circumstances require a pet to remain in a room while the owner is offsite, the pet must be secured in a pet crate or travel carrier on your service day to avoid injury or damage.

All in all, that’s not bad!  Not having a dog sitter is no longer a reason to call off a vacation!  Take them with you!  And if you’re worried that you’ll have too much to do, and would have to leave your pet alone in the room more than you’d like, some hotels even have their own version of “doggie daycare”.  Feel free to comment if you have stayed at a pet friendly hotel with your pet, and let us know what you thought.  Our current dog doesn’t like car rides very much (I know, strange) so we probably wouldn’t bring him with on any vacations, but I’m glad that the option is there if we decide to!  Happy travels!

According to the ASPCA pet statistics, approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year.  Caring for animals is an expensive business. It also requires a great deal of time, space, and involvement, and these things are not always available for every animal.

Many Animal Shelters are usually privately funded and can do with all the help they can get from the local community. If there is an Animal Shelter in your area, you can consider making a donation or, if they allow it, volunteering your time.  Check with the shelter to see what items they are in need of most. 

For the most part, most shelters need:

• Financial Support- as stated above, it’s a very expensive business
• Litter and litter boxes
• Break-away cat collars and dog collars
• Food-Many of the animals dropped off or found are malnourished and in need of a good meal. 
• Flea treatments
• Toys and Treats- the best way to socialize rescue animals is through play.
• Cleaning supplies (Bleach, towels, trash bags, newspapers,plastic bags, laundry detergent,etc)
• Pet houses, pet beds, and pet cages and crates- If an animal needs to be confined due to an illness then a pet cage or crate is necessary. Pet carriers are also high in demand.
• stand alone scratching posts
• and of course, people willing to adopt

Anything you can do is a big help.  New shelters are going up every day, but they’re filling up immediately and need all the help they can get.

Pet owners all over agree that their pets are like children to them.  Many take them for professional photo shoots for cards and family portraits.  Or maybe you just take hundreds of pictures of your cutie at home.

Either way, we’d like to see your Pet Easter photos.  Whether dressed up in a pet costume, sitting in a basket, or lounging in the sun after Easter dinner- we want to see it!  Have some fun and show off your furry friends!

Winter is definitely here.  The frigid, arctic air has everyone bundling up to go outside.  Make sure your pets are warm and safe this winter too.

If venturing outside with your pet, here are a few ideas to keep them warmer:

• Pet Boots or Shoes-Keep their paws from freezing on a long walk.
• Pet coats- Not all animals have long fur.  Dress your pet in a pet coat for any outing this winter.
• Pet Sweaters- No reason your pet can’t be stylish while keeping warm!

If your pet is normally outside year round, make sure that they have a nice warm pet house to seek shelter in.  This will block the wind, and give them somewhere to relax out of the elements.  Make sure they have fresh food and water, and that it’s not frozen.  Keep  a warm blanket in their house for them to cuddle up on.  When temperatures get into the single digits or lower, bring them in the house or at least into the garage.  How would you like to be sleeping out in the frigid cold air?!?!?!

Your pets can’t tell you exactly what they want or need, so use your common sense and have a little compassion. Put yourself in their “shoes”.  If you think it’s way too cold outside, dress them warmer or bring them inside.

Give your pets somewhere warm and comfortable to relax this holiday season.  Since cats and dogs sleep up to 14 hours a day, they will appreciate their own cozy pet bed.  Sure, they would prefer to sleep right next to you in your bed, but this is not always feasible or practical. Your pet needs a spot to retreat, and relax, somewhere soft and comfortable to call his own.

Pet beds come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.  Once you’ve chosen a size, think about how your pet sleeps.  Does he curl up?  Sprawl out?  This can help you decide what shape of pet bed to buy.   Then, decide which room you want to put the bed in.  Choose a color to match your decour.  Smaller dogs can even use a cat cuddler!

Make this Christmas memorable for your pets, and get them their own cozy pet bed!

Everyone knows that usually the best sales are the weekend after Thanksgiving.  With pet sales up, this now includes pet supplies.  Not only in stores, but online as well.  This is great news for anyone buying gifts for their own pets, or a pet lover in their life.

Since more and more people are adding pets to their Christmas lists, many pet stores are having “Black Friday” sales, and ”Thanksgiving Weekend” sales.  Pet Owner’s can save anywhere from 10%-50% off the items on their list.  Free shipping is sometimes an added perk.  With all these deals out there, pet owner’s can finally get their pets the gifts they’ve been wanting.  Search online for anything from pet collars and cat trees, to pet apparel and personalized pet placemats.  You’re sure to find a deal somewhere!

Not sure what to get your faithful companion for Christmas?  If you don’t have a particular item in mind, why not try a holiday gift basket made especially for dogs!

Just like any gift basket you would give a family member or friend, these holiday gift baskets for dogs are filled to the rim with things they will enjoy.  From gourmet treats and rawhide bones, to chew sticks and holiday toys, these baskets have you covered.  They come ready to give, with holiday colored crinkle, already shrink wrapped, and tied with a holiday bow.  Throw in a couple of “human” gifts and these baskets will be perfect for both pets and their owner’s!

Since Christmas is rapidly approaching, we’ve decided to give you some gift ideas for the next few weeks.  We hope this helps you find the perfect gift for your pet, or a pet lover in your life.

Our first gift idea is a personalized pet placemat.  Embroidered “Personalized” Pet Placemats are the perfect solution to the mess your pet makes during “Dinner Time”.  Made of plush, yet durable carpet, these mats are stain, fade, mold and mildew resistant.  Only the finest threads and mat materials are used, to ensure that they stay looking sharp long after your four legged friend makes it theirs.  They come with a tough vinyl, non-slip backing and are edged with a color matching poly binding. 

Mix and match carpet and thread colors and choose from a large selection of font styles to create a very special dinner mat.  Available in 3 sizes, these All American Made pet mats make great gifts for any pet owner.

Halloween is just around the corner.  You’ve got your costume, your children’s costumes, the house is decorated, candy for the kids…..  but what about treats for dogs?

More and more pet owner’s are dressing their dogs up for Halloween.  Dogs love the attention, and the nice long walk around the neighborhood.  Make sure you have something to give these festive trick-or-treaters!   Stock up on some gourmet treats and you’ll win the hearts of all the four-legged visitors you get this Halloween!