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Holidays

3 Ways to Keep Your Dogs Safe This Halloween!

October 26, 2016

I love Halloween! To be perfectly honest with you, I love holidays in general! But Halloween is my 2nd favorite holiday behind Christmas! (57 days and counting!) While Halloween can be tons of fun for pets, kids, and the whole family, it can also be dangerous, especially for dogs. Halloween means an excess amount of chocolate in the home, uncomfortable costumes, and extra noises in the neighborhood (we even heard fireworks last year!). While chocolate toxicity isn’t new for most pet parents, Trupanion, Rooney’s pet insurance company, sees a 71% increase in chocolate toxicity during Halloween! As a result of this kind of data, I thought it would be great to share with you some tips from Petcurean’s Dr. Jennifer Adolphe for keeping your dog safe this Halloween.

Other Potential Halloween Threats

Unfortunately, Halloween threats don’t start and stop with chocolate and xylitol. There are a few other items that can pose a threat to your pet on Halloween. Dr. Nold from Trupanion recommends making sure that your pet’s costume fits appropriately and is comfortable. For me, I select costumes that don’t fit over Rooney’s head because he doesn’t want to have anything holding his ears down. In addition to costumes, make sure that your decor isn’t something that your dog may decide to try to eat, like light strands for example. Lastly, make sure that your pet’s identification is up to date since you will be repeatedly opening your front door.

Now that we have talked about all the dangers and threats, let’s focus on the fun! What is your dog’s costume this year? What is your costume this year? Are you going to any parties? Dog Parties? I would love to hear about your Halloween plans!

Disclaimer: I have a long-term partnership with Petcurean and Trupanion, I may financially benefit from the occasional distribution of content. However, My Kid Has Paws doesn’t share information unless we feel it will be helpful to our readers.

Preparing Your Pet for the 4th of July!

June 29, 2016

The 4th of July brings about fond memories for many people; barbecues, summer fun by the pool, enjoying the nice weather with friends and family, and of course, fireworks. While many of us humans will rejoice in the unwavering sounds of American Independence, many of our canine and feline counterparts will be freaking out!

Therefore, today I wanted to talk to you about preparing for the 4th of July. The inspiration for this post comes from the below infographic from K9ofMine.com.

Here are some steps to get ready for the big day:

  1. Make sure all of your pet’s tags and microchips are up to date with the correct information.
  2. Make sure your pets have had plenty of exercise leading up to the 4th of July.
  3. Don’t forget to keep them cool & hydrated in the hot temperatures.
  4. Purchase a Rein Coat that reduces stress and anxiety during firework shows.
  5. Don’t forget to have fun! Make some awesome summer treats for your dog! Here are some of my favorites from our friend Sugar the Golden Retriever:
    1. Layered Strawberry Frosty Paws
    2. Frosty Yogurt Berries Bone Parfait
    3. Watermelon Banana Honey Popsicle
    4. Banana Berry Appsicle
    5. Red, White & Blue PAWsicle

If this is your first summer with your dog and you aren’t sure how they feel about fireworks, I have 8 safety Tips for Your Dog’s First 4th of July here.

Please share your plan for keeping your dog safe & happy this 4th of July!

Preparing Your Pet for the 4th of July

Please include attribution to K9 of Mine with this graphic.’Dog

 

If Pets Had Thumbs… (And a Chance to Win!)

February 29, 2016

March 3rd is If Pets Had Thumbs Day! (It’s also Rooney’s Grandma’s Birthday!)

I was just made aware of this day and I think it provides an excellent opportunity to think about what our pets would do if they had thumbs.

Corgi wearing Notre Dame Leash and Collar

Here is my list of things Rooney would absolutely do if he had thumbs:

  1. Open doors so that he could run around the neighborhood and visit his friends
  2. Send love letters to his girlfriend Shasta
  3. Get treats out of the treat jar regularly
  4. Open the fridge at snack time

For a chance to win two 25lb bags of Petcurean dog food (our favorite), leave a comment below and tell me what you think your dog would do if they had thumbs!

Win a 25lb bag of Petcurean - NOW Fresh Grain-Free Adult Dog Recipe

Why do you want to try Petcurean?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I can’t wait to read the entries!

 

Also, yesterday marked the end of our 20 Day Dental Health Challenge. How did it go for you?

Here are my results.

I definitely brushed Rooney’s teeth more often throughout the month. However, it was really important for me to leave the toothbrush in a location where I was easily reminded.

How did the challenge help you?

Disclaimer: I am a Petcurean Blogger Advocate. I have been compensated in exchange for providing my opinion. However, My Kid Has Paws only discusses products I truly believe in. In fact, I feed Petcurean to Rooney every day.

4 Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Your Dog-Loving Valentine

February 13, 2016

This post is for all those procrastinators out there! Yes, this includes me too!

I love holidays, and I love gift giving. However, every now and again I find myself the day before a holiday or occasion without a gift to give. While running to the mall is always an option, sometimes I find myself circling still very unsure of what to buy.

If you are like me, and you find yourself late in the day on February 13th with no Valentine’s Day gift, here are a few last-minute ideas that may impress your dog-loving Valentine.

4 Last-Minute Ideas for Your Dog-Loving Valentine

Picture: This is Shasta, Rooney’s Valentine!

  1. Plan a Picnic: (Weather-permitting) All you need to do is run to the store (or not, if you have everything to make sandwiches or some other picnic-y food) and get some basic supplies for a nice lunch. In most cases, sandwiches will do. Find a cute basket and a cozy blanket and take your loved one out for a nice picnic. Make this Valentine’s Day gesture extra cute by including your dog(s). Make sure to pack a travel food and water bowl for your dog(s) so that you can all enjoy a lovely lunch.
  2. Plan a Spoil Your Dog Day Trip: Every pet parent loves to see their dog get spoiled. So plan a day where you, your Valentine, and, of course, your dog(s) visit a few of their favorite places. If you live in a colder area, the day may start out with an indoor dog park. Then a trip to the local groomer so that your dog can feel fresh and clean. In the Bay Area, you can take your dog(s) to Pet Food Express where they have a self-service dog wash. Then take a trip to your local pet store so that they can pick out some toys and treats. Then head to the local bakery to pick up some after dinner dessert for both your Valentine and your pup. If your Valentine is someone who LOVES to spend time with their dog, this will be a rewarding day!
  3. Donate to a Rescue on Their Behalf: It’s not uncommon to be able to donate to a rescue and personalize that donation in honor of someone. If your local rescue has these types of forms, be sure to put them in your card to your Valentine. Or, you could get some construction paper from Target, cut out a heart, and make a custom certificate. I know that this gesture would really warm my heart and the hearts of many other pet parents.
  4. Plan a Hike: (Weather-permitting) If your Valentine is someone who likes the outdoors, plan a Valentine’s Day hike on a dog-friendly trail! Perhaps add a little flare by giving them their gift at the top of the hike
    bring all of your hiking essentials.

If your Valentine loves dogs, but doesn’t have one yet: If your Valentine loves Corgis (because who doesn’t, right?), but they are not ready to bring one into their home just yet, you could look up a local meetup on Facebook or Meetup.com to see if there are any play days scheduled. If there is one in your local area tomorrow, take your Valentine to visit with their favorite type of dog! You could even post a message about it within the group tonight. I know that many of the Corgi groups I am apart of would love to have other Corgi enthusiasts visit :).

It’s always a good idea to have flowers and dinner plans for this day too. It may be too late for reservations, but you could always make dinner at home!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

What are you and your Valentine doing tomorrow?

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