With our busy lifestyle, these postcards save me the time or worry of trying to keep up with which of our pets need to visit the vet - the vet keeps track of everything and lets all his patients’ families know when they need to schedule an appointment by mailing them adorable postcards that make the vet look caring and professional.

Actually, there are such a huge variety of animal postcards that almost any business could use these to send out reminders or advertisements - horses, fish, zebras, dogs, cats, pigs, cows, birds, pandas, tigers, etc. - there is probably a postcard for your business.

This is a paid review, but the postcards are very well done and attractive, and much cheaper to mail than a first class envelope, so that I have no misgivings about promoting this product. Our pets’ veterinarian, our daughter’s dentist, and our heating/air conditioning company all use postcards to remind us that we need to make an appointment.

With the bad economy, businesses need to promote themselves more than ever, and postcards are an inexpensive way to do it - and by using decorative, amusing, and interesting designs on the postcard, almost any business can get the recipient to take a second glance at their ad. It’s that second glance that will increase the likelihood that person will remember that company name when they need a vet, plumber, or whatever service your business is providing.

Last year we took in one stray, a young American Bull Dog. Our next door neighbor took in 2 dogs, a chihuahua and a small terrier. There were other strays we saw but who wouldn’t allow us to get close to them.

It’s always so sad to see a dog roaming the neighborhood, dirty, hungry, looking for their owner.

A second dog we took in is a Weimaraner whose owners decided they needed to find another home for her. They had planned to breed her, but their daughter couldn’t play in their backyard because the dog was too wild, and the dog kept jumping the fence into our yard to play with our American Bull Dog. So they offered her to us so the two dogs could be together.

The two dogs are best friends. Because they are so big (about 55 pounds and 80 pounds each) it’s like having two elephants playing in the backyard. Thankfully, when they are in the house they are fairly quiet and spend most of the time sleeping.

Weimaraners are great guard dogs, watch dogs, companion dogs, and hunters. She’s already caught several rats, a couple of pigeons, and almost got a duck that happened to fly into our yard. She’s very beautiful, and incredibly fast.

A couple of warnings about Weimaraners - they will go after smaller animals like pet rabbits, cats and birds unless they are socialized with them at a young age. They love to be inside with the family (they were bred to be companion dogs) but need plenty of exercise.

If you have the time to take your dog on a couple of walks each day, want a dog that wants to be with you, and have time to train a strong-willed dog, a Weimaraner is a great dog breed to have.

Three of the dogs (2 pugs and a boxer) belong to the family who owns the goats, the 4th dog (a german shepherd) was obviously a pet (he had a collar and license), but somehow got into their backyard and into the goat pen, along with the 3 family dogs. From that moment, they behaved like a pack of vicious wild dogs.

My sister heard the goats crying and went to investigate (our backyard is up against the goat pen). She saw the 4 dogs attacking the medium-sized goat, who was crying, and the smallest goat lying dead-like on the ground. My mom hopped the fence, got the pugs and the german shepherd out of the goat pen, and went to tell the neighbors.

Thankfully, the goats were all okay and survived. The medium-sized goat had some damage to one ear, but that was all. The littlest goat was apparently in shock and had no cuts.

Neither we nor the neighbor had ever seen the black german shepherd before, and I don’t know what became of him after my mom got him out of the goat pen.

I guess the point I’m making here is that even docile, obedient dogs can go crazy in a pack and attack any defenseless animal. The pugs and the boxer are normally not vicious at all, but they went after the goats as if they were killers.

I’m sure it was the german shepherd’s idea to break into the goat pen and go after the goats, and the pugs and boxer followed. After all, the pugs and boxer have always ignored the goats, until yesterday.

So there are at least 2 lessons - don’t let your dogs roam the neighborhood where they might go after other animals (as the german shepherd did), and make sure your animals (if you have goats, rabbits, chickens, or whatever) are safely locked up in a secure area.

We experienced something similar a few years ago when our hen hatched 3 chicks. The chihuahua we were fostering and our cocker spaniel worked together to kill all three chicks when they were about 4-5 months old. The spaniel would chase a chick until it tired, then the chihuahua would go in for the kill.

Our spaniel had always ignored our chickens, rabbit, and all the wild animals on our property. We had no idea he would go after the growing chicks. But when the chihuahua came, they formed a pack and found it fun to chase and kill the chicks who were almost full grown.

We now have 3 more chicks, and even though the chihuahua is not with us any more, we are going to be careful to keep them separate from the dogs.

The chemotherapy is shrinking the tumor, and the doctors say everything is going better than expected. But it requires a lot of time spent at the hospital and lots of doctor visits. One thing we have had to do is simplify our lives to make time for my brother’s medical needs.

With 4 dogs, 7 cats, a rabbit, chickens, and smaller pets, it hasn’t been easy to be gone as much as we have been. Here’s what we have done:

1. When I need to go stay with my aunt (for choir practice and to help teach a Sunday school class), I take the oldest dog with me. She is 15, and requires a lot of extra care. That frees my mom up to spend those days with my brother at the hospital.

2. We freed one room for the 2 cats who had been living in my brother’s room. He isn’t allowed to have any pets in his room until the treatments are all finished. So those 2 cats now live in the TV room.

3. I have had to start taking care of the chickens (my brother used to). When I am going to be gone for several days (to my aunt’s house) I fill the chicken’s food and water containers so my mom doesn’t have to worry about the chickens while I’m gone.

4. We had been fostering an elderly collie, who we all enjoyed, but he required a lot of extra care. We had to let him go to another home. It was hard to say good-bye, but it was something we really needed to do.

Now when I’m gone for a couple of days each week, or counseling at a camp for Easter week, my mom has less pets to take care of, and the ones left are fairly easy to care for.

If you ever have to simplify your life, for whatever reason, try to find temporary homes for your pets rather than sending them to the animal shelter. You probably know people who would rather help you out (people are very willing to help someone going through a difficulty) than see your pets end up at the shelter.

When my brother was diagnosed with cancer, lots of our friends and family offered to help any way they could. If you know someone going through a tough time, perhaps you can help them in some way. It really makes a difference.

We felt so bad for her, but she wouldn’t less us near her. So we, and a few other neighbors, put food and water out for her each day. I started calling her Missy.

When she started chewing up newspapers left in driveways, we gave her a chew toy, which she started carrying around.

Finally, near the end of January she let me walk up to her and pet her. She even let us bring her inside our home. We contacted a dog rescue about 1 hour from our home who agreed to take her and find her a home.

Missy was fortunate. She found a great home in less than 2 weeks. A woman came to the rescue one day and Missy crawled up into her lap and went to sleep. The woman fell in love with Missy and took her home after passing the application process.

Now Missy lives in a loving home, and even gets to go to her owner’s work.

So if you ever see a stray, remember Missy and how she got adopted, and try to do the same. Even if you take it to the local shelter, at least it will have a chance to get into a good home.

Ideal choice for your dog toys are the rubber toys.

When choosing the dog toys your main concern should be safety. So always read the label of the toys very carefully to know which material is used? The inner parts of the toys should not have toxic material as this is not good for the …

Holiday Pet Safety Tips from VPI Pet Insurance | Otay Pet Vets

Pretty as they are, ivy, holly, mistletoe, poinsetta, lilies and Christmas greens can all be toxic to animals when ingested. Keep a watchful eye on your pets. Everyone loves a party, but sometimes the hustle and bustle of holiday guests …

Aspen the Yorkie » Pet Safety During the Holidays

I’m not sure I want my owners to know all of this pet safety information, especially the part about food, but since I’m happy to eat just about anything, maybe it’s a good idea. During the holidays, there are things around the house, …

How to Pet Proof the Christmas Tree: Hints to Prevent the Dog or …

Follow these tips to prevent the dog or cat from climbing the Christmas tree, knocking over the Christmas tree and also prevent pets from breaking holiday ornaments.

Supplies for pets can range from food to grooming items, from medications to litter of varying types. While you can certainly visit your local pet store and seek help and advice from the staff, many people prefer to get their pet supplies online, saving time and trouble.

How can you choose the right supplies for your pets? First, know your pet. If you are purchasing foods, do be certain to make any food changes slowly.

(more…)

Also, don’t get a dog unless you are willing to have it in the house. It is so sad to see a dog sitting alone in a backyard, or worse yet, chained to a tree and sitting alone in a yard.

Dogs are social creatures, and they want to be with their family.

My brother and I enjoy having a dog or two in our rooms at night, and my mom feels better knowing that if anyone tries to break in the dogs will make a lot of noise.

Once you get the dog, you might need to help your child remember to feed the dog. If it is a puppy, you will need to help your child remember to let the puppy outside after eating so no accidents occur in the house.

It might take awhile for your child to remember to pick up after the dog. My brother started that job when he was about 8 and fed them until I took over that job when I was 9. I trained them to sit while I set the food bowls on the ground for them.

I’ve always had at least one dog. Right now we have 4. It is a big responsibility, and it requires time every day to feed them, brush them, and make sure they have water, and it’s sad when one of our dogs dies, but I would never want to live without them.

The idea of having pet dog insurance on your canine family member may have never crossed your mind until it is needed. Providing your pet with appropriate care undoubtedly will be needed at some time in a dog’s life, and having pet dog insurance can take away the financial hardship it could present.

If you have children you may also find that your family pet is more than just a dog to your kids as they often bond closely. When the animal becomes ill or is injured in an accident, your children may not understand the financial impact that veterinarian costs can have on the family budget. With pet dog insurance the animal can be treated in a timely manner, protecting its health and prolonging its life.

(more…)

When dogs are not properly trained, however, things are much different. Bad dog behaviors such as urinating on the floor, refusing to come when called, barking and growling at strangers, and going up on the furniture can ruin your relationship with your pet.

If you have a big dog, it is especially important that you get rid of bad dog behaviors. Large bad behaving dogs are not just annoying, they are a menace.

A little yappie dog can give someone a nasty bite, but a large mastiff or pit bull with an anger problem can actually kill someone! Bad dog behaviors are not only unpleasant and difficult for dog owners – they are often a menace and a hazard to the neighborhood.

(more…)