Holiday and Summer Tips

Read Your Dog’s RightsCelebrate Independence Day by reflecting on your dog’s rights and freedoms. Dog Sense author John Bradshaw lends voice to our four-legged citizens with his “Bill of Rights for Dogs.” Read it—and Bradshaw’s book—for more insight into your dog’s mind

 

I haven't read Bradshaw's book yet, but a client of mine has and has good things to say about it!

 

 

Tips for Happy Trails
Looking to spend some quality time hiking with your pup? The Mountaineers Books helps you prepare for a day hike—or an even longer trek—with articles on safe and friendly interspecies hiking. Gather the essential hiking gear for you and your dog; then brush up on your  hiking trail etiquette.

 

 

 

 

Have a Safe Fourth of JulyFireworks and barbeques are fun, but they can also be hazardous to your dog’s health. The ASPCA reminds you to keep a special eye out for fire hazards and scary noises, and to watch what goes into your dog’s mouth during the Independence Day festivities.

 

 

Happy Fourth of July!!

Thumbs up for Florida!!

Victory for Victims

It’s a red-letter day! Dogs in Florida will no longer automatically be euthanized after they've been saved from dog-fighting busts. Instead, they'll be evaluated as individuals and given the chance to find great homes! It's all thanks to Senate Bill 722, spearheaded by Best Friends Animal Society and sponsored by Rep. Garcia of Miami and Sen. Norman of Tampa. It's just been signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott!

Here's smiling at ya!

Meet Georgie! This 3 legged dog was rescued from a shelter and is now living on a farm. He helps feeding the horses, riding shotgun in utility vehicles and playing big brother to his 3 other siblings. His favorite activity is running in big fast circles sporting an ear to ear grin.

 

Even with 3 legs this handsome boy smiles and warms everyone he comes in contact with. Maybe we should take lessons from him?

 

I just gave you a bath, don't roll in that!!!!

Wonder why after we give our dogs a bath they will go outside and roll around in the dirt or something even worse?

There are several theories why dogs roll in smelly stuff. One is that it's an instinctive behavior harkening back to pre-domesticated days when hunting dogs would bring back information about available food to the rest of the packs. The thought was that if they found decaying fish, perhaps fresher fish could be found nearby. Some modern-day dogs may have retained this behavior even though it has lost its once necessary function.

A second theory is that dogs roll in foul-smelling material to provide an olfactory disguise to improve their hunting opportunities. What better way to catch a rabbit say, then to smell like one, even a dead one, rather than like a dog? This canine camouflage technique also may be employed to hide their doggy scents from other predators.

Unfortunately we don't agree with our dogs with what smells good or what smells bad. We carefully shampoo our dog, rinse them, towel them dry and brush them. Finally our dog is clean and smelling sweet. To the dog, the shampoo is a dreadful stench that needs to be disguised immediately. That would explain why dogs will dash outside and roll in the dirt. Some will even roll in poop to cover that awful shampoo smell. It's their version of a high-priced perfume or cologne.

Maybe we should create a shampoo that smells pretty bad, not something that we cant stand just something that an incense would cover and then maybe our dogs wont throw a good bath out the window! Yeah that probably wouldn't work either...

A couple good websites to check out......

Morning!

I have come across a couple websites that may be helpful to you and also helpful to shelter dogs as well!

 

The first link is for a website that has all kinds of information pertaining to dogs. Here is a quote from their website.

"This site is a gathering place for pet lovers to share and enjoy articles, tips, columns, and stories ... some are educational, others heartwarming, and still others are published just to bring a smile to your face."

http://www.pawsperouspets.com/index.shtml

 

 

The second link is for the Animal Rescue Site. There are a lot of sponsors that you can click on and with every purchase that you make through any of their sites, a donation is made to local shelters. You can also set up an email reminder for yourself everyday to click a button and when you click all of the sponsors will donate .6 bowls of food for shelter dogs. How can you go wrong with that! It takes 5 seconds to click and a doggie is fed!

 

https://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/store/site.do?siteId=310

 

Happy Clicking!!

A smile to get your day started!

 

Meet Lucy!

 

She's smiling because she has found her forever home! Hopefully your home gives you a smile like this!

 

Have a great day!

 

A very blessed dog walker.....

I have always looked at some people and have thought boy it would be nice to have the life that they have!

I am not one that needs to have all the "bling". I don't need to have all the shiny things that are out there. I am very content living the simple life. I was walking my dogs this weekend and realized that I have that life that I wished I would have. No I don't have a lot of fancy things or a huge house to live in or a fancy car in the driveway. BUT I don't have to get up to the sound of that annoying alarm clock every day. I don't have to go into work and read 20 emails asking me to solve all the world's problems by 7am. I can sleep in and get up at 8 if I wanted to. It's a beautiful day and I get to spend it outside walking a dog or two. To me that is "that life"!

I didn't graduate from High School but I did get my GED a year earlier than if I had actually stayed in school. I had a few jobs in my life where I was working behind a desk, pushing paper and working for people who really didn't care about you, they just wanted to see the work get done. This was not what I call "that life". I have always loved dogs and wanted to do something with dogs. I had tried getting a job at a local SPCA or a vet's office but unfortunately I am allergic to cats so working at those kinds of places really wasn't an option for me. So I decided to start a dog walking / pet sitting business! I started the business 4 years ago part time so I could still keep my full time job for the steady income. I also thought it was a smart idea to start off slow, get my name out there and eventually make the transition of doing it full time. Well a little over a month ago that happened for me! I was really nervous about quitting my job, really didn't sleep that much for the two weeks that I had left, but something was telling me it was time.

I listen to Joyce Meyers who is a Christian preacher and one thing that is always in my head is you have to take that chance to get the life that God has planned for you. People tend not to take that first step because they cant see what's next. Well God isn't going to give that next step to you until you take that first step and trust that he will not let you fall and that everything will work out the way it's supposed too.

I feel I am very blessed because since quitting my job, I have been busy with the business, been feeling happy inside and out, I got back into going to the gym and getting in shape and enjoying "that life". I have awesome clients, have made friends with close to all of them. All of my doggies love me and my schedule has fallen into place to where 99% of the time, I can accommodate everyone that calls me. I am very grateful for everything that has come my way and look forward to what is to come! All this has happened to me because after 4 years I got enough courage to take that first step! I know I am a dog walker and not someone in a management position for some big corporation and that is A OK with me!