NEW PET STORE!!!

Did you know Tillamook now has its own pet store?  Well we do it is located right next to Tangled Yarn on Main Street.  Currently it is painted hot pink and on the left so very hard to miss.  Maybe once everything gets set-up the paint will change…the former shop owner painted that color.  I went in and scoped things out and am very excited to say there are TONS of fun stuff and healthy food.  There is pretty much something for every pet (except livestock) in there.  Yes, there is even things for fish, birds and snakes.  I was happy to see the great food selection and samples are available….very important.  This means people that feed their pups Taste of the Wild can get it locally and no have to drive to Manzanita.  Some of the food I saw was Taste of the Wild, NutraSource, Evangers and Blue Buffalo they are still getting the food organized.  Did I mention the TOYS well they have several choices and this cool floppy one on a stick that mama can swing around that would be perfect for Ruby.  Maybe she would leave my toys alone then…hmmm.  Well you just have to stop by and see for yourself.  Monday – Saturday 10am to 6pm.

EXCITED!!

I'm so EXCITED TODAY cause mama found out that MY (ok so mama wrote it) recipe made it to the voting stage of the Excalibur Dehydrator contest!!  You can head over to Kol's Notes and checkout all the other wonderful recipes.  Oreo Pup the one we shared and entered is #2 so please click on the like button but voting ends on April 14th. 
We would really like to win but it's not because mama needs the dehydrator.  Instead mama is going to donate it to the local 4-H so all the kids can use it for all kinds of stuff but I'm putting my paw down that the first thing they need to do is make goodies for their pups and the shelter pups.


Better go Mama is baking human goodies and I have to supervise to make sure she makes me and Ruby something......I wonder if Kol has this much trouble with his mama.

Help Bring You Pup Home with Microchips

Hi, it’s Ruby here.  Nanqu is off somewhere looking for the “EVIL kitty”.   Many of you know that once upon a time I was a stray rooming around.  I know Nanqu talked to you about our COOL glow collars but I wanted to talk about another safety item all pups should have….Microchips.  I was someone’s pet before and how many of those pups that have gotten lost have people looking for them but never found them.  One of the first things mama did was have me scanned for a microchip (which I didn’t have) and then she put up flyers.  No one claimed me and mama wasn’t going to take me to a shelter so she kept me.  Now if I was chipped the vet would have called the number in and got the contact info for my “old” family.  This would have reunited me with them.   The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice so they are small, yes some can be bigger.  Nanqu got his at a fundraiser event and said it hurt a little but he can be a sissy.  I on the other hand got mine when I went in for my ration shots and I don’t think it hurt at all.  Some of you may be thinking it costs so much but mama said it’s worth it by having peace of mind.  The price can vary from vet to vet for administering it but a lot of the time different rescue groups will have events and offer low cost micro chipping.  We have ‘Home Again’ which is what a lot of vets have the scanner for.  I think they have a multi pup fee but I know that the initial setup is $20.  You can then log onto their website and update your pup’s info. like vet, your phone, etc.  Also if your pup goes missing you can do an alert.  Mama prints off cards with our chip numbers that goes into our emergency pack and then if someone is watching us.  She also has a copy of our chip numbers on her keys just in cases.

Let’s face it tags are great but we can NEVER loss a microchip. 

If your pup goes missing a Microchip gives them a better chance of finding their way back home to you!!!  Mama says if you’re not sure about to chip or not to then think about not only how you’ll feel if you can’t find your pup but how scared, abandon, cold, hungry and lost your pup would feel.  I know I was scared, hungry and sick when mama found me.

No bigger then a grain of rice!!

Something Sad

I want to talk about something sad but it has to be talked about.  It can be supper hard on our people when we leave them and they get sad.  I’ve seen mama really sad when Jordi left us and even though him and Simba have been gone for several years it still hurts her.  A friend of mine is going to be leaving his family soon cause he is really sick and old.  I know there isn’t anything we can do about this, it just happens.  I think it’s important that our people know that day is going to come but not focus on it even when it is close.  Every minute is so precious and we need to enjoy it while we can.  When mama gets sad Ruby and I show her extra love or let her love and hold use until she’s not so sad anymore.  It’s also important that our people not blame their selves or feel guilty about opening their heart to another pup.  I know mama tried everything possible for Simba and Jordi but also tried to make every moment she had left count for something.  Even though mama would have loved to have kept them longer she knew they were ready to leave and she didn’t keep them. My friend’s family is doing the same, when he tells them he’s ready they will say good-bye.

Mama always says “they are never truly gone because the love and memories of them I hold in my heart forever and I know they are watching over us”

Are we really gone or are we just becoming angels to watch over our humans??

"They are never truly gone those that leave paw prints on our hearts"

No More "EVIL" kitty

Happy Day the ‘EVIL kitty’ is gone!!!  Mama’s friend came over early this morning and set out traps with stinky stuff.  He said it would attract the kitty and it would be REALY hard for it to escape.  Well mama and I went outside to get some firewood when we heard a ‘bang’ noise and screaming.  Mama went over to check and there it was in the trap…it was screaming cause it was so mad!!  I felt kinda bad cause I don’t like being caged but it wasn’t very nice.

Well mama called her friend and he came to get the traps and the ‘EVIL kitty’.  Don’t worry the kitty will go live on his farm.  He said this kitty is mean enough to hunt down those pesky rats.  I’m told that’s natural for kitties and I think it will enjoy that every much.  The traps also catch some other kitties that will get a vet check and go to a nice lady until they get a forever home.  Whenever mama would catch the other kitties she would call this lady and take them to her.  I call her the ‘Kitty Lady’ cause she takes care of stray kitties and finds them loving homes.  Which is really nice cause kitties need love too!!

Poor Ruby

Ruby had a scary day with the ‘EVIL kitty’!!! We were outside playing with our ball running around.  It was a lot of fun until it went wrong.  The ball went over by our blueberry bushes and the raised beds for the garden.  Ruby ran after it and as she went to grab it the ‘EVIL kitty’ jumped out and grabbed a hold of her, it wouldn’t let go and she was crying.  Mama and I went running to help Ruby but by then it let go and started to run off.  I went after it while mama checked Ruby.  I wasn’t able to get the ‘EVIL kitty’ and Ruby was okay just really really scared.  She went inside and stayed ALL day, she wouldn’t even go out when I asked her to come play with me.  Now I have had my own run-ins with this kitty and it always lays in wait then attacks.  Mama has tried live traps with tuna but other strays windup in them.  Once mama say it push another kitty into the trap and another it climbed into the trap without getting trapped.  This is one smart kitty. Now I don’t mind kitties except this one…this one is different.

A few months ago I had a bad run-in with the ‘EVIL kitty’ and when I say bad I mean I got hurt.  Usually it jumps on my back with claws which hurts and is scary but this time it slashed my leg open.  Mama had to clean it and doctor it….I was so MAD…I hunted for that kitty whenever I got the chance.  Anyway this is about Ruby not me. 

Finally we go Ruby to go outside to go potty and she would go out only if mama went out to with a flashlight.  We walked out to our potty spot and everything seemed to be okay but that was short lived.  That kitty was in the apple tree waiting and we didn’t see it until it was too late.  Out it jumped onto poor Ruby attaching her AGAIN.  Well this time I was close behind and got a mouth full of hair before it got away.  Mama has a friend coming tomorrow to place some different live traps to catch that ‘EVIL kitty’ and hopefully it works this time.

Let me clear a few things up for all the kitties reading this.  I like to play with kitties but not hurt them.  I try to respect their personal space but grandma is allergic to kitties and people like to abandon kitties by our house which is very sad.  The ‘EVIL kitty’ has been around for a few years; it hurt other kitties and has even attached mama!!!

NEW CHEWIES!!!

CHEWIES, CHEWIES and more CHEWIES!!!! This is one of my favorite topics.  Since mama was a Dal mama for so long she is extremely picky about the type of chewies we get.  When most pups get cow ears, bully sticks, tendons we don’t.  Mostly we get sweet potatoes, lamb ears and antlers.  However, mama came across….wait for it…..BISON BULLY STICKS!!!! This means we can have them.  I have tried to tell her that I can have the beef ones but she says NO, so this find is really EXTITING for me.  I see all my doggy friends with their bullies and it would make me sad.  Anyway, mama got me and Ruby each one….I wouldn’t have shared otherwise…..to try.  Ruby wasn’t so sure to begin with but she might have had the other type before she came to live with us.  I of course took my time chewing it and savoring it.  Ruby did chew on hers and actually chewed hers kinda fast but did leave a little piece that I felt obligated to finish so mama would get us more of these.  Mama did say they were smelly but not overpowering like some other chewies.  Of course they got slobbery and could make some humans say they are yucky and do the ewww thing but what do they expect.  I was helping mama shop for more and found they are available in 6”, 12”, braided, small pieces, rings and even a 30” long one!!!  Oh my 30” of yumminess and mama wouldn’t hear a peep out of me for quit sometime.  Mama wants me to tell you that it depends on each pup as to how long the bully will last.  For me and Ruby it averaged about 40 minutes of quite for mama and that isn’t including my nap I took afterward.  These bullies are made in the US from bison grown in the US.  This is really good since some of the beef ones are imported plus mama is BIG on only buying US products.  We got the ones from Bingo Pet Treats  and are available on Amazon.

Sooo Yummy!!! I'm busy chewing!

Keeping Your Pup Safe

One of the worst things about winter is it get dark really early.  This means by the time we get done with our evening walk it is dark.  This can be scary and even more so if you live by a busy road like I do.  Safety becomes VERY important especially for use black guys cause we are super hard to see.  I’ve seen several pups without safety gear and one reflective strip doesn’t count.  I live right on the highway so NO fancy street lights here.  Mama tries really hard to keep use from walking in the dark.  We only walk a little while along the Highway then we go down a side road but people still don’t always pay attention.  Mama also tries to make sure I’m visible even in our yard just in case and I may or may not like to hide and jump out at her which scares her……I’m an ANGEL.

We have tried different types of reflective gear and lights for the collars but I either loose them or mama isn’t happy with the quality/performance. So this year we tried a new brand of glow collar and leash called Litey.  The leash comes in a 5’ length, 4 colors (blue, yellow, green, red) and 3 settings (solid, fast flash, slow flash).  The collar has the same settings and comes in blue, orange, yellow, pink (from the ones we found).  Now most people think red or yellow for safety which may be fine in their area but here it’s not going to get people’s attention.  Mama got me a blue collar and green leash, while Ruby got an orange collar with a red leash.  Yes, they don’t match but when we have them on and flashing people driving by take notice and several have slowed down and moved over. 

The other day I got my collar yucky and mama was able to clean it without worrying about the light stipe.  The battery pack and strip can be pulled out of the collar for easy cleaning then slid back in once the collar is dry.  As for the leash its actually pretty durable if pulled and jerked on.  Ruby put it to the test when she decided she wanted to go play with a kitty on our walk….she can be very naughty.  Mama is very pleased and it helps keep us safe so I’m giving it 2 paws up.

See how bright the leash is.