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8 Pet Items You Will Forget to Clean Before the Holidays

December 10, 2016

If you are expecting guests this holiday season, you are probably in full host/hostess mode, which includes thoroughly cleaning your house, preparing meals and recipes, buying gifts and decorating, etc. Pretty soon, you might start to feel overwhelmed. And who could blame you? There is so much to do! Therefore, I want to provide you with a brief checklist of pet items you will want to clean before your holiday guests arrive. Because taking care of this list will make your pet-friendly home smell great for the holidays!

1. Pet Crate

When was the last time you took all of your pet’s beds and blankets out of the crate to clean the inside? If you are a busy pet parent, this might have been a while ago. So, don’t forget to take everything out of the crate. Then, give it a good sweep and vacuum, and lastly, wipe down the inside of the crate with an environmentally friendly and pet-safe cleaner.

2. Dog Blankets

Since you will be taking the blankets out of your dog’s crate anyway, you might as well throw them in the washing machine. Since the oils on pet fur can change the smell of a blanket rather quickly, you might want to keep a few blankets aside for the day your guests arrive.

If you are interested in investing in a blanket that you won’t have to wash every week just to keep up with the smell, I highly recommend this anti-microbial blanket from World of Angus.

3. Dog Sweaters and Bandanas

When you look down at your pet amidst your scheduling, planning, cooking, and cleaning, you might think to yourself, “Oh ya, I wanted you to wear your Christmas sweater”. Most of Rooney’s sweaters and bandanas have been sitting in a box upstairs. So before anyone visits for the holidays, I want to make sure Rooney’s holiday related clothing and bandanas are freshly laundered.

4. Treat Jar & Shelf

In our house, we have a dedicated shelf for Rooney’s treats, in addition to Rooney’s treat jar. Think to yourself. When was the last time you cleaned the treat jar or the shelf? The shelf is probably covered in dust and treat crumbs. Additionally, the treat jar probably has a strong bacon odor. Today just might be the perfect day to take the time to clean both.

5. Kong & Regular Toys

Do you know what your dog’s toys and kong smell like right now? Imagine what your shirt would smell like if you drooled all over it and got your smelliest food crumbs on it. The answer is, pretty bad. Therefore, I would take the time to clean your dog’s Kong and wash any washable dog toys. You may not think these are a problem item, but each toy is adding to the cumulative smell of your home.

6. The Doors & Windows

Of course, these aren’t an item in your home that are specifically used by your pets, but I bet your pet lays by the doors or windows quite a bit. If you take a look at those windows right now, I bet you will see some nose art. Additionally, on the front door, you might see some dirt marks where your pet has been resting lately.

7. Under the Couch and Guest Bed

I don’t know about you, but these are the spots that seem to collect Rooney’s hair the most. Don’t forget to give these areas an extra once over with the vacuum before your guests arrive.

8. Pet Bowls & Placemats

Pet bowls can get dirty very quickly. If you aren’t already in the habit of cleaning your pet’s bowls daily, this is something you will definitely want to do before your guests arrive. Lastly, don’t forget to wash or clean your pet’s placemat as well.

I hope you find this list helpful for cleaning your home this holiday season!

Giving Tuesday – 8 Ways to Give Back to the Pets in Your Community

November 29, 2016

Last year I outlined a few organizations that could use some help on Giving Tuesday. But this year, I want to talk about ways you can give back while spending little to no money. I originally wrote about how to give back to the pets in your community 3 years ago (oh man, where has time gone?). Today, I would like to revisit some of those topics and add a few. Giving Tuesday is awesome! I love that we are reminded of what’s most important during the holiday season! Without further adieu, here is a concise list of ways to give back to the pets in your community today and through this holiday season.

1. Clean out your closet

Blankets and towels are always needed at local veterinary hospitals, shelters, and rescues. Blankets can be used as bedding to comfort pets awaiting their new home and pets who are recovering from procedures and surgeries. Towels are often used at veterinary hospitals to help pets feel more comfortable while on the table or the floor for their exam. Not to mention, they are used to clean up the messiest of messes in a veterinary hospital and therefore have to be replaced often. So if you are looking to give back today, take a quick look through your linen closet and bring those freshly laundered blankets, sheets, and towels to your local animal shelter, rescue, or veterinary hospital.

2. Toys & Beds

Shelters, rescues, and veterinary hospitals can also make use of gently-used pet beds and toys. So today, take a look at the pet bedding and toys you have at home. Are there any you could donate to a pet in your community waiting for their new forever home?

3. Volunteer

Volunteering can come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Reach out to your local animal shelter or rescue and see if they need any help caring for their animals this holiday season. Sometimes, shelters could use a hand keeping their facilities clean for potential new adopters, other times they could use some help at an off-site event like a local PetSmart adoption day.

If working at the shelter doesn’t fit into your current schedule, reach out to a local rescue or shelter and see if you could offer your skills as a professional. For example, your local animal shelter might need help building a new website, or they could use some new photography for their newest adoptable pets.

4. Feed the Homeless Pets

Many communities have programs for feeding homeless pets. Sometimes, it’s simply a good samaritan that feeds the stray pets at the nearby park, but other times, these efforts are part of an organization. Reach out to these organizations and see if they could use some help this winter.

5. Build an Outdoor Shelter for Your Neighborhood Cats 

Cats have an amazing ability to survive in feral colonies. However, they struggle when the weather becomes extreme. Snow has already fallen in several parts of the country which means that it’s time for feral cats to seek shelter on cold nights. The Humane Society of the United States has some excellent resources for building the perfect DIY outdoor shelter (many of these materials you have lying around your house) for the cats in your community.

6. Food

You can always donate a few food bags (even ones that are already open) to the pets at your local shelter. These types of donations can be particularly helpful at your local food banks or other resources that help feed the homeless and their pets.

7. Visit the Elderly 

When I was in college, my local shelter (shout out to Yolo County!) had an awesome program where you could volunteer to take shelter pets to visit the elderly. If you have a pet that is well-behaved and perhaps is even certified as a Canine Good Citizen, see if you can take them to visit a local retirement home. I can’t tell you how amazing it was to see the residents in the Woodland retirement community light up when the dogs walked in the door. Additionally, this particular program helped the pets from the shelter get some much-needed attention and socialization!

8. Walk Your Neighbor’s Dog

You don’t have to be a professional dog-walker, especially during the holiday season. I bet you can think of someone in your neighborhood who could use some help walking their dogs this holiday season. Maybe they work full-time and don’t have any daylight to walk their dogs (and don’t feel comfortable walking at night). Perhaps they are injured or unable to walk in extreme weather and could use some help getting their dog the proper exercise. Maybe you know they are stressed or have to visit family this month. No matter the reason, if you have the time, this is an easy way to give back to the pets in your community this holiday season.

I hope that you are able to find some inspiration from this list to remember that the holiday season is a great time to give back and it doesn’t have to cost you money!

Let Us All GATHER With Gratitude

November 27, 2016

As many of us gathered around the table together this past week to celebrate Thanksgiving, many of us shared what we are most grateful for in our lives. A theme throughout the holiday season for many is the feeling and practice of gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful emotion. It can change our perspective, open our hearts and minds, and ground us in our reality. But it is a practice. We often don’t wake up feeling grateful. It takes practice and diligence to remind yourself that gratitude is imperative to the improvement of our mental and physical health. Without gratitude, we could lose out on the many joys of life. That being said, I find it easier to feel gratitude when you have a dog in your life.

When I look at Rooney, my heart fills with joy and I always feel so grateful to be in his life. While our dogs remind us that we have them to feel grateful for, they also remind us how to express gratitude. Dogs look at us and thank us for every meal, for every treat, for every walk, for walking in the door, for waking up in the morning, for being home, and the list goes on. When Rooney looks at me and his eyes say “thank you”, I remember that gratitude is not only about a feeling, but also about an expression.

So I asked myself, how do I show Rooney that I am grateful for him. Here are some of the ways I do my very best to give Rooney gratitude and ways you can show your dog you are grateful too:

  • Pets: just the simple act of petting Rooney expresses love and gratitude that he is in my life. I pet Rooney first thing every morning when I get up and I pet him right before I go to bed every night. I never want to start, or end, a day without him knowing that I love him, and I am so grateful he is there.
  • Walks: giving your pet daily exercise is a great way to show them your gratitude. They need the exercise and the stimulation in order to live an enriched life.
  • Shelter: of course Rooney is always inside at our house, however, bringing them inside isn’t the end of the story. As pet parents, we have the opportunity to provide our pets with the best shelter possible. Meaning, we not only invite them inside but provide them with their very own space and the best bedding for their needs.
  • Time: giving of your time is a great way to show gratitude. In addition to providing your pet with the proper exercise and training, you can just simply be there, when they are there. Sit with them, read with them, be home with them.
  • Training: training shows your pet gratitude by providing them with treats and food incentives, in addition to providing a necessary level of mental stimulation that every dog needs.
  • Food: Providing your pet with high-quality food is a wonderful way to show your pet your gratitude. For us, that means feeding Rooney Petcurean. Petcurean is a wonderful family owned company that has always focused on high-quality ingredients for their pet food. Just recently, they have made efforts to improve upon their recipes with their new line of food, GATHER.

GATHER

Petcurean is an excellent food source that we have fed to Rooney for over a year. He absolutely loves the flavors, and I know I am providing him with a balanced high-quality food that was designed by veterinary and pet food specialists. But what makes GATHER different from other Petcurean recipes? This time, their focus was on creating the same great product while improving sources and sustainability.

“GATHER is a new pet food line crafted from certified, organic, non-GMO and sustainably produced ingredients.

Petcurean went through the trouble of finding the farmers, growers, and fisherman that met strict sustainability practices. Their sustainability standards can be summarized in 5 requirements:

  • Following humane animal welfare practices
  • Protecting water supplies and limiting water use
  • Protecting farmer, rancher and producer livelihoods
  • Ensuring the preservation of natural resources
  • Actively working to preserve biodiversity

Petcurean’s efforts in sustainability don’t stop at the food and food sources. The company also wanted to make sure that they were reducing waste by switching to a 30% bio-based plastic bag. GATHER allows us to know that we are providing Rooney with healthy food to show him our gratitude and we can show the earth our gratitude as well!

Tell me, what is your favorite way to show your pet gratitude? Does GATHER sound like a pet food that would be good for your pet?

Disclaimer: I am a blogger advocate for Petcurean. I am compensated for providing my opinion on Petcurean products. However, My Kid Has Paws only provides reviews for products that we feel our audience will enjoy. Additionally, Petcurean is the food we feed Rooney every day.

A Healthy Gut for the Holidays: Only Natural Pet

November 13, 2016

I feel like there is no better time of year to discuss gut health for both ourselves and our pets. The holidays are full of opportunities to try tasty desserts and indulge in seasonal foods and drinks, which is great, but not necessarily for the health of our gut. For pets, the holidays serve as a time to get free snacks from house guests. Especially, food they normally wouldn’t have access to, like turkey. In addition to extra snacks, the holidays are also a stressful time for pets due to inconsistent schedules and a generally hectic environment.

Recently, we shared with you the importance of probiotics for your pet’s gut health and if you haven’t started giving your pets their daily probiotic, now might be the time to start. The holidays bring about the top reasons pets can benefit from probiotics:

  • Stress
  • Dietary problems
  • Changes in food

A Healthy Gut for the Holidays: Only Natural Pet

Today, I want to talk to you specifically about Only Natural Pet’s Complete Gut Health Probiotic + Enzyme Digestive Complex! This complex is more than just a probiotic. It combines, probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes to boost the immune system. What is the importance of these items to your pet’s gut health? Only Natural Pet breaks it down for us:

Digestive Enzymes

“Often lost in the cooking process of conventional pet food, digestive enzymes are essential for nutrient absorption. Complete Gut Health features a blend of four plant based digestive enzymes, each with a unique function: Protease for protein, Amylase for carbohydrates, Lipase for essential fatty acids, and Cellulase for fiber.”

Prebiotics

“Essential food for probiotics, prebiotics in Complete Gut Health are derived from chicory root in the form of insulin, a dietary fiber that is not digested by your pets, but easily digested by healthy bacteria in their guts. Prebiotics stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, supporting overall immunity, as well as increases metabolic activity, which relieves constipation.”

Probiotics

“Sometimes called “friendly” bacteria, probiotics are the microflora living in your pet’s gut. Complete Gut Health’s proprietary blend of probiotics support your pet’s overall health and immunity, as well as supporting with occasional diarrhea, flatulence and stool issues.”

What kind of household can benefit from this product?

While I think that most pets can benefit from additional digestive support, Only Natural’s Pet product fits a household that is looking to take a more holistic approach to the pet’s health care, while investing in their long-term health. However, before adding anything to your pet’s health care plan please speak with your veterinarian.

What do you think? Do you think your pet will benefit from probiotics this holiday season?

 

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.

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