Personalized Pooch

Phoebe and LuLu know how they feel about this subject, but their owner would like to hear your thoughts about it. There are many things to consider when leaving your pet in the care of someone else. And to complicate things, there are many options to choose from. Please share your experiences both good and bad. We would like to hear them.

How long is it safe to leave us outside in extremely cold weather, such as the 21 degrees below zero temperatures we just experienced where we live. It really got me wondering.

Okay, I am a big 67 pound Golden Doodle.  I was outside today trying to take care of my bodily functions and geesh, I couldn’t even put my rear leg down!  Try to balance and pee at the same time in this weather!  You shoud see my “roommate” Lulu. She’s a 8 pound mini-dachshund. LuLu was so cold after two minutes that she couldn’t move.  Our owner had to come running outside and scoop her up. What really makes us mad is the dog next-door was outside and barking all morning. We really did feel bad. Do you think this is fair?  Please share your thoughts and experiences with us. We care.

Phoebe and Lulu are concerned about treats and toys made in China. What are your thoughts about this?  Do you think that they are safe?  Our owner is getting fed up trying to read labels with tiny print that most of the time don’t really tell you where our pet treats and toys are made.  They will say “distributed by” and list a company that is based in the United States but that doesn’t mean that the product is made in the United States.   We feel it should be a regulation that the country the product comes from is placed prominently on the packaging.  It should be in a type size that is easy to read.

Please write to us and let us know your thoughts and the experiences you have had with this issue.  If our owners feel strongly enough about this maybe they can make a difference in Washington and we can live longer healthy lives.

Chances are, those of you who own/have owned a pet know how difficult it is cope with the loss of a pet. Pets become intricately woven into our lives and when they pass on, it can be extremely challenging to deal with. Sometimes dealing with the death of a beloved pet can be just as difficult as the loss of a friend or a family member. When children are involved, it can make the situation even more complicated.

Our pets offer us unconditional love, they are always there for us, they know when we’re not feeling well or sad and need a little extra attention. They wait by the door until we get back from work or running errands, they are funny, goofy, and cuddly all at the same time. Often, we’ve raised our pets since they were only a few weeks old and with the exception of an occasional vacation, we are never separated from them.

The feeling of intense grief after a pet dies is normal. It is important to realize that we are not alone in our sadness. Talk to your family members and friends who have been through it before. There are also numerous support groups around the country to help people cope with pet loss. There are also chat rooms and internet sites that focus exclusively on the subject.

Please share your experiences with pet loss, and how to cope on this blog. It will help others going through the same situation.

These are some sites that I visited after the loss of my beloved dachshund, Ethel Doris.

Coping With Grief: Sympathy & Grief For Lost Pets
http://sympathysite.com/2008/06/25/pet-loss-coping-with-grief/

Saying Goodbye
http://www.bellaonline.com/subjects/565.asp

Pet Loss
http://www.imom.org/loss

Welcome to the blog house - your best resource for anything and everything dog. We will be updating the blog on a regular basis, and every month, we will have a new topic. We’re also going to have fun contests - like cutest dog, ugliest dog, smartest dog - with some great prizes too. Visit the blog house often to share ideas and thoughts about your pets with other owners. We look forward to seeing you at the blog house again soon!

Our first month will focus on the topic of pet loss.