These Paws are Made for Walkin’

Dog expert Cesar Millan explains that a happy, well-behaved dog knows how to walk on a leash properly. The Dog Whisperer takes a six-step approach for stepping out with your furry friend.

1. Walk in front. You’re the pack leader. Stay in front and always enter the door first.
2. Keep ‘em on a short leash, which gives you more control and makes it easier for you to correct missteps.
3. Don’t rush walks. Dogs love walks mostly in the morning, and most breeds need 30 to 60 minutes of quality walk time per day.
4. Reward dogs for good behavior during the walk. If your dog behaves, let him sniff around and relieve himself. You decide when reward time is over.
5. Keep leading. Make your dog wait patiently and obediently while you put his leash away.
6. Reward your dog for working hard with a healthy treat. Provide a purpose, and make dogs work for their food.

For more Cesar Millan Tips check out his YouTube Channel.

The post Dogs: Expert Training Tips for a Perfect Pooch appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Anyone who meets me knows I’m obsessed with dogs. Especially my dog. You may not know that I grew up with a stray that my family took in. The only problem was my mother’s severe allergy to cats. Mom’s eyes swell up, and she breaks out in a sneezing fit. The solution was to make a cozy home for our kitty in the garage. She was happy with the trifecta: a loving family, privacy, and freedom.

Cat Named Telka

My oldest sister named the cat Telka after an Egyptian princess. I envisioned a royal family with dark hair and olive skin — in retrospect, they looked suspiciously like my family. The princess had long black hair, large brown eyes, and full lips like Cleopatra but with my sister’s face.

However, I recently googled ‘Telka Egyptian Princess,’ and it appears there was no Egyptian princess with that name. In fact, I can’t find any princess from any country named Telka. Oh well, that only makes the memories more magical.

Telka waited for me every day. She sat at the curb across the street from my elementary school. I have no idea how long she sat there, but she had an internal clock for meals, so she must’ve sensed when it was time to come get me. I’d cross the street and greet her with a scratch behind her ears. Her reaction was to elicit loud, long purrs. Then, as we began to walk, she would rub her body against my legs, which made her purr louder. She walked around my legs, weaving as if drawing the infinity symbol.
I knew she was saying, “I love you to infinity.

My childhood home was a block-and-a-half from school. Upon arriving at the front doorstep she’d purr again, then run off to chase birds. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was her proclivity for bringing me “presents.” Her gifts were poor little dead birds left in front of the door. Not only was it sad, it was disgusting to clean them up.

“Such adorable serial killers cats are,” said my Facebook pal Dan Collins. “When we got our cat Muffin, the family was overcome by his overwhelming cuteness. He was a little lint ball of a gray kitten. Who knew he would mature into Catzilla? At his best, Muffin was a lovable curmudgeon. At worst, he was a vet’s nemesis and the inspiration for Stephen King’s “IT.” Muffin never brought us a bird, but he was quite a good mouser.”

I asked my 2D and 3D friends what makes their cats purr. Here are the funny responses:

Lara B. Sharp, freelance writer said, “My cat Oscar purrs as loud as an idling truck when he sees the only non cat food he will eat. It’s nacho cheese Doritos. Poor little Oscar. He can’t meow properly. He walks around the house saying , “Wow, wow, wow.” But he makes up for his inabilities with an over abundance of enthusiasm. I say, “Oscar!” and he says, “Wow!” like he’s stunned that I have the ability to talk so he makes me feel like a genius.”

Andrea Beitler, who works for the nonprofit USO (United Services Organizations) said, “My cat loves licking plastic bags at night while I’m trying to sleep. He also loves snuggling. His name is Stimpy and we have a Chihuahua named Ren. Stimpy thinks he is the Lord of the Laundry. He loves lying on laundry piles. He also enjoys chasing his tail and bopping Ren on his head. He’s content lying in gift wrap at the bottom of a box. I never see him anymore. I just hear crinkle, crinkle. I tried to get a photo of Stimpy and Ren together but as you can see Stimpy gave me a look that said, “I will not sit with that lowly plebeian — even if it is for a picture.”

Melinda Dalke, the artist of Laughing Paws Art Studio adopts rescue cats. She said, “Miso and Saki love playing fetch. Sedona enjoys watching birds, Mocha loves my lap and Rebel loves everything —especially food.”

Freelance writer Shelley Renee said, “My cat’s name is Sebastian. He is a funny cat. Whoever thought up the term ‘catnap’ to mean a quick little snooze obviously never had a cat. Sebastian naps for about 20 hours a day. The other activity that he’s fond of is eating. Other funny behaviors are that he loves to sit on the windowsill and watch the birds outside, and he loves to play with my elastic hairbands. He will roll around with them and chew them all up. Sebastian also likes to taunt visiting dogs. He has been known to beat them up and then steal their beds and toys.”

See also: Dog Pics Guaranteed to Cheer You Up

Real estate appraiser Neil Adams said, “Technically, Karma and Ollie are my roommates cats but it’s been two and a half years now so I know them well. Karma is a big fatty who loves her cat food and spends all day in her cat tree. The only time she seems interested in anything else is when I offer her catnip. She’ll still stay in the cat tree but when I give her the catnip she’ll bounce around a bit and then get down with her nip. Ollie is skinny and has to eat a special diet but he likes chicken or tuna when he can get it. He’s not as enthusiastic as big Karma but Ollie is much more cuddly and purry. He has zero interest in the catnip. If they had jobs Karma would be on unemployment and Ollie would be a thief.”

Freelance writer Linda Melone said, “My cat’s name is Sephora. She’s named after my favorite store. Sephora loves getting brushed and loves it so much she rolls around purring and drooling. It’s a riot. Cracks me up.”

Pet fashion designer Ada Nieves said, “Martini Beethoven loves boxes. Whenever he sees a box he jumps into it right away. Then he glares, communicating “Don’t you dare take this box away. It’s mine.”

Happy cat mom Jane Mitchell said, “Violet loves drinking straws and adores her cat climbing furniture thingy. Violet rules the house from her perch.”

The post September is Happy Cat Month appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

I don’t know about you, but I hate to drop $50 on a dog costume when it is easy enough to make one myself. These photos serve to spark ideas for costumes you make with your recyclables, knick-knacks and leftovers. These are options that will cost you next to nothing. And, they’re easy peasy to put together. Have fun by tapping into your artistic side and create a memorable outfit.

Marilyn Monroe. This is my little Buddy James, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They were bred for royalty, and Buddy seems to know that. He has a low tolerance for doing anything he doesn’t want to. He takes after me. My free-spiritedness must’ve rubbed off on him because he prefers to be unencumbered by frilly fashions. The best way to get him to cooperate for Halloween is to make the most minimalist of costumes. Here he is as Marilyn Monroe — the wig was leftover from my old costume. It’s always smart to save and recycle ‘em whenever you can. The only thing is I couldn’t get Buddy to sing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” but Buddy looks damn good, doesn’t he?

Dog Taco. This is the little dog sandwich I met during a fundraiser for animal shelters. Costume ingredients: 1 small dog, 1 light-colored dishtowel, felt strips — hopefully matching the color of the dishtowel — snaps, buttons or Velcro to hold the costume in place around the neck and underbelly. For doggie sandwich fixings, create lettuce, tomato and onions by sewing snippets of lace to the sides of the towel or, if you’re in a hurry, use leftover gift-wrapping ribbons.

Groovy Hippy. This is Nadia the Shih Tzu. She belongs to my friends Terry and Elena Stewart. Nadia is shy, but apparently she lets her hair down on Halloween. Terry used his art skills to make a decorative “Hippy Chick” label, which they safety pinned onto Elena’s flowered scarf, and voila! Instant happy flower-power hippy-dog.

Chinese Laborer. This is a patient pug that I met at one of the annual events. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it as it’s always a joyful occasion. This costume is simple to duplicate. You’ll need one long piece of bamboo cut into two pieces and another piece left over to shred into flat stringy strips. Or go easy on yourself and pick up some beige string. For the little buckets and woven hat, you can try online or your local crafts shop, florist or hardware store. Any old scrap of material will work for the wrap-around garment, but I do think red works especially well. You can shake things up by attaching a sign to the overworked laborer that says, “Where’s my union rep?”

Superdog. Here’s my Buddy again. I found this inexpensive cape at my local CVS, but it would be simple to make. All you’ll need is one yellow plastic garbage bag, yellow string, scissors and a red fabric marker. Draw the Superdog “S,” and you’re done. Buddy and I got lots of laughs the year he wore this little superhero cape.

Dog Boat. If you’re seeking a fun project for the whole family, here it is. You’ll only need standard supplies. Google blue and brown cardboard or stop by an art store. You’ll need a matte knife or scissors to cut out the wave shapes and the sides of the boat. Cut scraps of white fabric and poke holes for the string. You’ll build your cardboard boat around a milk carton. That’s where the dogs will sit. Attach the fabric to sticks with string, then attach them securely to the milk carton. The whole thing should rest securely atop a sled or wheeled cart. You could throw in a pirate hat or an “Ahoy, mate” sign. That’s it.

Scary Cape. If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to spend any money, look through your drawers for a black shirt. I happened to have this “Saw” T-shirt from a movie premiere, but any creepy image will do — skull, skeleton, Chucky, Freddy Krueger, or you can use felt and glue to make white eyes and a creepy red grin. Bah-da-bing, done.
Note: This dog model is my neighbor Norman.

Rock Groupie. Here’s another T-shirt route. Pull out any of your rock ‘n roll T-shirts and feel free to accessorize. For Jimi Hendrix, you’ll want to tie a scarf around the forehead a la Jimi. If your dog has a tendency to let his tongue hang out, a T-shirt with The Rolling Stones logo will be perfect, or you can go the Bob Marley T-shirt route and add a multi-colored hat with long felt strips for dreadlocks.

Two-Headed Dog. Here’s another super-simple option. If you have two dogs or if you want to team up with a friend and her dog, reach into the closet and pull out a large flannel shirt. That’s all you’ll need. Dress the doggies in the shirt as shown in the photo. No muss, no fuss. Of course, you’ll need two dogs that get along swimmingly, and hopefully they’re both mellow because if one darted off after a squirrel, things could go terribly awry.

Witch’s Sidekick. Have to come up with something quick? No problem. Cast a spell over your closet and pull out black garments to drape over you and your pooch. No double, double toil or trouble. If you happen to have a witch’s hat from years past, throw that into the magic brew, too, or make a black yarn hairpiece for Fifi. That’s it, and you’re good to get on your broom and fly to the last-minute party.

Degas Ballerina. All you need is a yard of pink tulle fabric or that old dance-class item abandoned in the bottom of a drawer. Fetch gift-wrapping ribbon from your “re-gift” box. Cut the tulle into thick strips. Grab the ribbon and cut a piece that is long enough to wrap around Fido’s middle. If you only have small pieces of ribbon, knot them together until it’s long enough, then attach the tulle to the ribbon by either tying knots or sewing. When all the tulle is attached, wrap the ribbon around your doggie and tie a knot. You’re ready to plié to the party.

Spooky Tree. This sexy number requires brown ingredients. The tree in the photo is made with a combination of burlap and wire. An easier, softer way is to use an old brown T-shirt you don’t care about, brown paper, cardboard and tape or glue. Cut the cardboard into one 4 inch by 24 inch piece. Score the cardboard strip at 12 inches and fold the two sides so it looks like a thin letter A. Cut the brown T-shirt from the bottom so you have enough T-shirt material to wrap around the cardboard. Tape and/or Krazy Glue the cardboard/T-shirt A-shaped piece. Roll, twist and scrunch pieces of brown paper for the branches and secure those with tape and/or glue. Lastly, make sure it’s sturdy so it doesn’t flop over.

Chinese Food Container. Here’s another arts-and-crafts project. You’ll need pieces of white board or Styrofoam. The vegetables in the container can be made with brightly colored strips of paper. With a red marker, create the Asian artwork on the side.
Note: This Pug’s owner created a wire handle so the container won’t wobble or fall off. This costume requires a very mellow dog and lightweight materials.

Subway Map. Yup, that’s my adorable Buddy again. Isn’t he photogenic? I happen to have a cool T-shirt with the New York City subway map on it. But you could use a white T-shirt and colored markers to create a map of your local transportation. For the streets on the map, you can use colored tapes.

Say it with Words. Come up with something funny, print a sign from your computer, adhese it to cardboard, add string and hang it around the doggie’s neck. Now, go forth and make something cool. Boo!

The post 15 DIY Halloween Costumes for Your Dog appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Take Your Dog for a Long Walk in the Mornings

Your dog won’t be happy with the diminished time they get to spend with you due to your business commitments so it’s important you make sure you take your dog for a long walk at least once per day, even if that means you have to get up an hour earlier in the morning. There is no good to come of letting your dog out in the garden and then expecting another family member to take the dog out for a walk during the day when you could be getting up earlier to do it instead. Deep down, your dog will wonder why they don’t get to see you as much, but as long as they get to spend at least a little time with you per day, that’s is all that matters.

Make the Most of Your Weekends Off

When running a business, it’s hard to have any time off at all, but any time you do get off should be spent with the family and that includes your dog. Whether you go on a day trip somewhere or even just for a walk around the park, try to get your dog involved as much as possible so they don’t feel left out. Even if you are running a successful business that takes up most of your time, it’s always important to make time for your loved ones and that includes your dog.

Buy Your Dog Regular Treats

This doesn’t necessarily mean buy your dog any treats related to food. Instead, buying a new chew toy once every couple of months, and a small treat every week or so, could be the difference between your dog knowing you care and thinking you don’t.

You may well have achieved an online MBA degree via one of the many online MBA programs to give you the business administration experience required to succeed in running your own company, but none of that will matter if you do not spend some time with your loved ones once in a while. Your dog might be a dog, but it doesn’t mean that they do not understand what is going on around them.  So please keep these tips in mind to keep your beloved dog a priority.

The post Keeping Your Dog Happy While Running a New Business appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

We know how that feels, clothes can be restricting. If you’ve ever had to wear brassiere you KNOW the relief of taking it off at the end of the day. How do we know it’s not the same for our puppy pals? When I take my dog’s collar off to give her a good brush, she seems to relish in her nakedness. I feel bad putting the collar back on, but I know it’s necessary for her to wear. After all, it has her personal ID and immunization records, so if she’s found wandering away from home (fingers crossed this never happens) the kind stranger that finds her will know her name and to whom she belongs. Though just as an extra safety measure, she’s been microchipped too.

Understanding Your Pooch

Like humans, dogs have unique eccentricities. Some like to run through a dewy field and others would prefer to lie in front of the stove all day—keeping their paws nice and toasty. Some dogs adore playing fetch for hours at the local dog park, others show absolutely no interest in rubber balls. No two dogs are the same, so why would we expect them to be happy with the same uniform collar and tags? I know what you’re thinking…different styles appeal to the dog owner’s taste. Fido may not have our delicate fashion sensibilities. To keep our dogs and ourselves happy about canine accessories it’s fun to check out personalized pet ID tags and collars. It’s fun mixing and matching to find a favorite combo.

What’s in a Lifestyle?

The comfort of a dog collar first depends on your dog’s fur type. Typically, rolled leather collars are best for dogs with long hair, and flat collars are ideal for dogs with short hair. However, the material of the collar and the design of the ID tag depends on the activity levels of your pooch.

For the active dog, the flat nylon collar would be the most durable, particularly if most of the pup’s movements have to do with water sports. The nylon collar forms well around the dog’s neck, and its flathead buckle keeps from being a hindrance. The only problem with the nylon flat collar is that it only lasts for about a year before showing considerable signs of wear and tear. And because the material becomes weakened over time, sewing in a flat, engraved ID will cause it to weaken that much quicker. Thus a nylon collar requires the traditional ID tag.

One way to keep the traditional, dangling ID tag from bothering your four-legged fur baby is by framing the tag in a rubber tag holder. That will keep the tag from bouncing around as much and will silence the clinking of tags, proving to be less of a distraction for your puppy in training.

You can get a flat leather collar for the active dog too, but it requires more care. When leather gets wet, the oils of the leather bind with the water, making the leather more brittle. If the wet collar is not removed and cleaned properly, the water will damage the leather beyond repair. This is about the only drawback of the leather dog collar. Leather collars are more form fitting and move with the movements of the dog. And unlike the nylon collar, you can sew a nameplate tag into the collar without fear of weakening the material.

Here’s to a new year of fun with your dog!

The post How to Pair the Perfect Dog Collar Pet ID Tag Combo appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

As intimidating as they seem, these gentle-giant-headed pooches are calm, quiet love bugs with patience for children at legendary levels.  And don’t even get us started on the puppies… Sqeeeeeeeeeee!

They are so charming and lovable but many new owners don’t realize that this breed is prone to many medical problems and they are often abandoned. Here is a fact sheet about these marvelous dogs.

Education is the key factor in protecting these funny little beasties.

VIEW THE ENGLISH BULLDOG INFOGRAPHIC

Bulldogs can be high maintenance. They have a tendency toward more health problems than other breeds. They wheeze, snort and snore and can be prone to pinched nostrils that make it difficult to breathe. Treatments vary depending on severity but your dog may need surgery to widen narrow nostrils or shorten long palates.

To learn more visit Beth Stern’s favorite nonprofit for this wonderful breed: Long Island Bulldog Rescue.

The post Facts About English Bulldogs. Check Out My Educational and Fun Infographic! appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

The post Are Your Pets Messing with Your Sex Life? appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

One day, during a regular check-up, the vet said Buddy had a luxating patella. My chest constricted and I felt faint. “A what?” The vet said, “A patella is a knee cap. Luxate means dislocate—it moves easily out of position.” He mentioned the prospect of surgery.

I was horrified. “Buddy is fine now and we’re talking about a future maybe. Is there a way to avoid an operation?”

“Don’t let him jump up and down,” the vet said. “Landing from a jump causes extreme stress on the joints which can lead to arthritis.”

 
At home, I began picking up Buddy from the bed or couch and placing him gently on the floor. But he mistook this as a game and would wriggle free, run around in circles chasing his tail, and resume jumping on and off the bed.

One night I saw a TV commercial for Doggy Steps and called the toll free number. When I found out the Steps only cost $24.95, I was pleased and ordered one set, but thanks to a promotion received two sets for the price of one. I was excited when the two sets of stairs arrived, but disappointed that they were made of flimsy plastic and had to be assembled. The cover was made of cheap carpeting and it was white, which I knew would get filthy in a week. Determined to be a good mom I assembled the pieces and propped one staircase in front of the couch and one in front of the bed. Problem solved, right?

No.

Buddy was fine walking up and down from the couch but the steps weren’t high enough for him to reach the bed. He tried scrambling up from the too-short top step to the mattress but he’d stumble and I’d catch him mid-fall. He couldn’t figure it out and quit trying. Instead he avoided it all together.

Dismayed, I talked to neighbors who owned dogs. Some had steps, some didn’t, but nobody could remember where they’d gotten them. I turned to Google.

I wanted to upgrade. Aside from the TV steps being less than adequate, they looked cheap. I wanted high quality, attractive, long-lasting doggy steps that would be made of wood to match my décor.

What I Bought

I spent days searching all of the options. My research paid off. The Uncommon Dog sells elegant cherry wood decorative two, three and four-step doggy stairs with carpet pads on each step. It is a solid piece of furniture, sturdy enough to hold more than 200 pounds. The cost was the best $188 I ever spent, and shipping was free. The piece arrived assembled within a week and, after one day of training him with treats, Buddy took to the stairs with ease. He hasn’t jumped off the furniture since. He is now 10 years old and still has a luxating patella, but he is not limping and shows no signs of needing surgery. Seeing him trot up and down the steps with abandon is all the confirmation I need.

Here are a more products I found online to protect your pets, or help them if they are post-surgical or have joint problems.

The post Best Dog Steps to Prevent Arthritis and Protect Joints appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Yes, there really is a man named Henry Lizardlover. Born Henry Schifberg, this 56-year-old lover of lizards has shared his California home with as many as 60 for over 25 years. “They have different faces, bodies and behaviors,” said Henry, who has named each one.

Henry has 21 lizards now—Schneider skinks, tree skinks and Chinese water dragons. He no longer has iguanas. Some died after 20 years and others he found loving homes for. He’s brought lizards to lectures in schools, libraries and museums and has appeared on TV in Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Thailand and the U.S. “The foreign shows paid nicely,” said Henry.

So what does he do with the lizards? In addition to raising them with love and care, Henry poses them in lizard-size lounge chairs. They remain statue-still and he photographs them, sells greeting cards and writes lizard care manuals.

“There are some that are better behaved than others,” said Henry. “It’s the calm ones that are the easiest to work with.” He brings his lizards to Urth Café in West Hollywood every afternoon and shares the posed reptiles with intrigued passersby.

Why? Because he likes to.

“I’ve learned a lot from the lizards and met people from all over the world. Total strangers became lifetime friends. I met a lot of really nice girls too. One I should’ve married but I blew it—I was too caught up with my books and TV shows and pursuing what interested me most.”

Lizards are vegetarians who should be fed small leaves and pieces of fruit. They don’t chew their food. They’ll swallow whatever you give them. Never give human foods if you want your lil guy to live a long healthy life. See Henry’s website for loads of lizard care instruction.

Iguanas can grow to 6 feet. “Most of that is tail, though,” Henry said. “There are a few types of lizards that can make good pets but I warn people that iguanas are a total gamble.” Other types of lizards get frightened easily and won’t make good pets.

Pet shop workers will tell you what to feed a lizard but most don’t know they need direct sunlight for vitamin D and that without it their bones can break. “People buy a reptile basking light thinking that’s all they need,” said Henry. “These lights sell for $15 but don’t do anything more than a regular 50-cent light bulb.”

Some pet stores carry fluorescent UVB lights that simulate sunlight but most are weak and only effective if the lizard is 10 inches away and these lights must be replaced every six months.

“It’s important to remember they’re wild animals,” Henry said. “Lizards are quite capable of doing you harm. Especially iguanas.” Female iguanas tend to be safer but there’s no way to determine the sex until at least one year.

Male iguanas can be tame but they have a hormonal shift during breeding seasons and can become enraged when they see another male iguana. Hyped up with hormones they can easily confuse humans with other male iguanas.

“Then you have a very powerful animal,” Henry said, “They can leap—fly off furniture—right into your face and want to tear your face off.” They would kill their own son during a hormonal rage.

Despite the risks, many pet owners love their lizards. Abby Venzor, NYC animal activist and social worker raved about her pet iguana. “She was completely domesticated and roamed the house climbing onto people and eating out of strangers hands. I got the craziest looks from guests when they walked into my home and saw a 5-foot reptile on the couch. She’d lie on my cats back, they were best friends.”

Most of us know Geico’s Gecko from commercials. Leopard Geckos make good pets for beginners. They’re docile and friendly, have minimal care requirements, only grow to 11 inches and they’re inexpensive.

To rescue one of the many abandoned lizards visit: AdoptAPet.com.

To learn more about Henry Lizardlover and how to care for pet lizards visit his website.

Video of Henry’s lizards.

The post Lounge Lizards appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.