Search Results for: blog taking care of the family dog

Taking Care of The Family Dog

The joys of lazy summer days. If you have pets, this time of year can be hard on them and your house. First there is all that hair. In order for them to lose their winter coat and be cooler in the summer, all that hair has to go somewhere, and it’s usually on your floors and furniture and clothes. While you will never get rid of pet hair without getting rid of the pet, there are some things you can do to reduce the hair in your home. Regular, frequent brushing is the best thing you can do. If … Continue reading →

Dog Days of Summer: Pets on Vacation

Pet owners face a unique situation when making our summer travel plans: we have to worry about our pets. Do we only go places where we can take our pets, or do we try to find care for them while we’re away? Website Pet Relocation released its third annual Summer Pet Travel Survey. They found that 70% of the people questioned plan to travel with their pets. If you want to take your animals along with you on vacation this summer, there are a few things you have to consider. Make sure you can bring your animal with you where … Continue reading →

Caretaker Stories: Feeling Guilty

I’ve been composing this post in my head since I read about the Utah State University study on the relationship between caretakers and Alzheimer’s patients. I was one of the primary caretakers for my grandmother — who among other health issues has Alzheimer’s disease — for the better part of three years. It’s hard, frustrating, stressful, exhausting work, and eventually I had to stop. I packed up and moved across the country to have a fresh start in a new place, surrounded by friends. And left my mother doing the majority of my grandmother’s care. When I was still there, … Continue reading →

When Did Your Children Start Taking Showers?

Bath time in our home is a key part of our bedtime routine. However, it is also a monumental production… for two reasons: First, the bathtub has morphed into another playroom. There are more toys in there than an average daycare has in its entire building. That’s not counting the 31 “flavors” of bubble bath, gels, beads, funny foam and other various accoutrements that my daughter chooses to enhance the water with on a nightly basis. This, of course, turns what could be a simple 5-minute wash-n-go, into a 55-minute (when I’m lucky) play-a-thon. Second, my preschooler screams like a … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Month in Review: July 2008

Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too? We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new … Continue reading →

Thoughts on Reuniting Lost Dogs with Owners

The story about Rocko the beagle who was reunited with his owners after five years got me to thinking: Should a pet always be returned to the original owners? Taking Responsibility In Rocko’s case, the Naranjo family obviously still loved the dog –even though they’d only had him for two months before he’d disappeared and he’d been gone for five years. However, they were willing to fork out some bucks and time to get him back. First they had to fly to Georgia to pick him up, then they had to rent a car and drive (14 hours I might … Continue reading →

Comfort Measures for a Single Parent Family

We often talk about organization and planning when it comes to a single parenting, and I do try to touch on ways to pay some attention to self-care. As a family, however, it may be time to figure out how to incorporate more comfort measures into your daily life and find ways to connect and nurture the family as a whole. Comfort measures do not have to be expensive—of course, a dinner out or spending the weekend being pampered at a lovely spa are both nice, but not practical for many single parent families. Simple things like soup and warm … Continue reading →

Tips for Saving Money on Pet Care

A recent trip to Costco had me taking a good look at how much I spend on my pets compared to how much I spend on myself. I do tend to be more frugal for my own stuff, mostly because I can’t explain WHY to my pets. They don’t know high gas prices or cost of living — they just know it’s time for a treat. Owning pets doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some tips to help you cut down on your pet spending (without denying your four-legged family members). Shop around for medical procedures. If your … Continue reading →

Taking Care of a Stressed Cat

At the cats only boarding facility, I’ve encountered lots of stressed cats at very different levels of stress — from the shy cat who hides behind her litter box to the panicked cat who lashes out at anyone who reaches into the cage. If your cat is showing a dramatic behavior change, your first step should be a visit to the veterinarian. Illness may be behind the behavior change — being sick can be a big stress on a cat! Rule out any physical causes first, and then you can work on any emotional causes. Some sources of stress could … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for December 24-30

This is it…the last Pets Blog Week in Review for 2007. Because Christmas was last week, perhaps family duties and celebrations kept you from enjoying all the blogs Aimee and I brought you. Enter stage right: the Week in Review…your handy week-at-a-glance way of keeping up on things without missing a beat. Monday, December 24 ‘Twas the Day Before Christmas… I attempted to adapt, at least part way, a classic Christmas favorite to show Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby’s anticipation of Santa’s arrival. Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Syringe Feeding Aimee learned something new at her part time job … Continue reading →