The Purrfect Nanny & Purrfect Pet Health Blog

Forbes recently had an article on how to best care for your pet after you are gone. Within the article was a slideshow of 10 ways to best protect your pet.

One of my favorite ideas and one that I had never considered is to carry a Pet Wallet Card.
“In case of an accident or sudden illness that makes you unable to care for your pet, carry a wallet alert card listing your address, the number of pets in your home, their species, size and friendliness, and their names. On the back, list emergency pet caregivers and contact info for a pet sitter, vet or kennel to watch your pets if the caregivers are not available.”

It amazes me how logical simplistic and simple the best ideas are, rest assured one of these will be going into my wallet today!

From Recipezaar:

This recipe is from 3 Dogs Bakery Cookbook. The recipes are natural and you could eat them yourself if you wanted to.

Simon’s Birthday Bones
30 large bones

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup natural-style peanut butter
1 cup skim milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl.
Combine milk and peanut butter in a separate bowl.
Mix wet and dry ingredients together
Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface
Knead
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick
Cut into shapes.
Place on a greased baking sheet and
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.
Cool on a rack
Store in an airtight container.

Based in Canton, GA, Military Working Dog Team Support Association, Inc. is a non profit organization that works to support Supporting Current Dog Handler Teams, Veteran Dog Handler events/causes, retired Military Working Dogs and the War Dog Memorial.

From their site:
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom dogs work in rugged conditions from the craggy, snowy almost unearthly cold of the Afghanistan Mountains in winter to the hot, desolate, dry deserts of Iraq. MWDs are trained to patrol or search out explosives (weapons caches, IEDs) or drugs. Breeds most often found working in the military include German shepherd dogs, Belgian malinois and Labrador retrievers. Each breed has qualities of intelligence, stamina and special inherent genetic traits which predisposes them to be excellent working dogs.

All dogs receive basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and then are paired up with their handler. In a change from policy during the Vietnam Era, dogs return home with their handlers and at the end of their working life are generally available for adoption to their handlers and, if qualified, to the public. More information and photos about MWDs check out Military Working Dog Support Association’s the web site: www.mwdtsa.org. You can also view a wish list of needed items and find out more about the organization itself.

Wow my news feeds these past couple of days have been loaded with pets living REALLY long lives!
I hope ours live that long!

Check out the oldest dog, Otto, a 20 year old dachshund-terrier mix. That’s almost 145 years in doggie years!

One of the oldest cats, Caterack, passed last week at age 30! While that is quite old, the oldest documented cat lived to 38 years old!

Looks like the chances of our pets living this long are increasing!
Check out this article on the longer living trend in household pets. A gentle reminder that having a pet is a lifelong commitment.

How old is your pet?
Have you had a pet live longer than average?
Share you story with us!

It really doesn’t get easier than this for pet treats!

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Take one raw sweet potato or yam (more if like me you like to make a bunch at a time) slice in half lengthwise. Then cut lengthwise about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for a few hours, the less you cook them the chewier they will be. If you bake them longer, my personal favorite, they take on a crunchier texture.
Let the sweet potatoes cool and let your pets enjoy!

Rescuing and Rehoming Labradoodles and Goldendoodles throughout North America

International Doodle Owner’s Rescue is a group close to my heart and my home.
We were able to find our goldendoodle Barley through a rehome and have had the pleasure of fostering a few labradoodles on their way to their forever homes. Our current foster Kramer is really learning his manners well and becoming an AWESOME dog!

IDOG Rescue is always looking for foster and transportation volunteers, the more foster homes that are available the more dogs that can be rescued. If you have ever considered adding a dog to your family, volunteering as a foster can be a great way to find the perfect dog. Of course, not all fosters will come to your home with perfect behavior. Here are some things IDOG recommends you consider:

Are you ready for a rehome or rescue doodle?

Do you have some extra time to devote to the dog as he first arrives?
Do you have a secure fenced yard or are prepared for lots of walks?
Do you understand that the doodle is an indoor dog and should not be left outside unattended for long periods of time?
Do you have a total commitment by ALL members of your family?
Do you have a support network to help you get through the tough times?
Do you have the flexability to change how you help the doodle if what you are doing isnt working?
Do you have patience to let the dog adjust on their terms/timeframe and not yours?

Expect:

You will have potty accidents (even with adult house trained dogs) and you will have to either train or remind the dog to potty outside.
You will need to enroll into a training class once the dog becomes adjusted to his new home.
If you already have a doodle, do not expect the rescue/rehome doodle to be like your current dog. Different breeding, different life experiences, different temperaments create different dogs.
Expect to adjust your life at least for a while to help the doodle adjust to the new home.
Expect to keep very close attention to the dog for a while.
Expect to have 100% supervision of children while around the doodle.
Expect that it will take some time for the doodle to learn to fit into your family and learn to assoicate with other pets in the home.
If the doodle is highly submissive, frightened or fearful training will need to be much slower and approach to situations will need to modified.

But speaking from experience it is a very rewarding endeavor! And IDOG is an awesomely supportive team.
If you would be interested in becoming a foster or volunteering to transport rescue dogs please sign up!
This is a nationwide rescue group, so even if you are not in the Atlanta area we could use your help.
For more information check out the IDOG Volunteer pages.

To find out more about Kramer and the other doodles available for adoption through IDOG please take a look at the IDOG Petfinder page.

With Halloween just around the corner everyone is out to find the Purrfect Costume.
This includes the family pets too!

Petsmart is having a Pet Costume Event in stores on October 20th at 6 pm.
Bring your pet in for fun and prizes!

Can’t make the party? Submit your favorite costumed pet picture to their online Howl-O-Ween Costume Photo Contest.

Need help taking pictures of your pet?
MSNBC has a great article on how to get the Purrfect picture of your pet all dressed up for the occasion.

Will your pet be dressing up this year?

As the economy has many of us tightening our belts, it is great to know that we do not need to sacrifice the health of our pets!

Atlanta Animal Alliance is pleased to announce that they will now be offering low-cost rabies, vaccination and microchip clinics with the City of Griffin, Spalding & Cherokee County Animal Controls!

September 18, 2009

9 am - 2 pm

Elks Lodge (across from Animal Control)

1512 Williamson Road
Griffin, GA

October 2, 2009

9 am - 2 pm

Cherokee County Animal Control

1015 Univeter Drive
Canton, GA

Pets can receive an annual rabies vaccination for only $10, with no office visit charge! Dogs, and cats who are 12 weeks of age and older are required by Georgia State law to be vaccinated against rabies annually as it is a fatal virus transmissible to humans and pets.

Annual vaccination packages including a 1 year rabies vaccine, DHLPP-C (dogs) or FVRCP (cats) annual booster & de-worming treatment for round and hook worms is only $35!! That’s a savings of nearly $70 when compared to other metro Atlanta prices. And we’re just getting started on the savings…Microchips INCLUDING lifetime registration are only $25!

Annual cat & dog boosters, treatment for parasites, heartworm tests, Feline AIDS and leukemia tests and microchip ID’s will also be available. Cash and credit cards will be the only accepted method of payment. No appointment is necessary.

Animal Alliance encourages all pet owners to keep their dogs and cats up-to-date on vaccinations. Annual boosters are essential to keep pets healthy and prevent the contraction of deadly diseases.

For more information about the Atlanta Animal Alliance’s other programs such as the low-cost spay & neuter clinics and WellPet Humane - our low-cost veterinary clinic, go to www.AtlantaAnimalAlliance.com.

Wow!
Looking over our pet event calendar this weekend, you could plan a very busy Saturday!

Start out the day at 7 AM in at Riverside Park in Roswell with the 2nd Annual Hoof and Woof - 5K Run/Walk Event. In conjunction with That Dirty Dog, this fun 5K run/walk is for the “entire” family. Family members and dogs of all sizes welcome. Only pre-registered participants will receive a T-shirt and their dog will receive a bandana. Children ages 15 & under can sign up for the 1.5 mile fun walk. There will be prizes, fun activities, adoptions and more. Concessions available for purchase.
Check in begins at 7 a.m.
Start time is 8 a.m. for 5k
Start time is 8:15 a.m. for 1.5 Mile Fun Walk

Follow that up with an afternoon wine tasting from 2 PM to 4PM in Marietta at Marietta Wine Market. This charity wine tasting will benefit Adopt a Golden Atlanta. The tasting features Laetitia Winery which is located in the Arroyo Grande Valley in southern California. This winery is well known for producing award winning Sparkling Wines,Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.The cool climate and excellent soil conditions produce wines that are rich,supple, and complex. Stop in and see for yourselves why this winery is a must see when you’re in the Santa Barbara area.

Finish out your evening in Alpharetta at the 5th Annual Bark & Boogie Ball! to benefit The Forsyth County Humane Society.

Doors open at 7 pm at The Metropolitan Club off of Windward Parkway. This year’s main entertainment with be provided by BandX. All funds raised will aid the Humane Society of Forsyth County. We face new challenges due to the economy. Foreclosures have forced some families to give up their pets. Veterinarian costs for illness, shots and spay/neuter are a large part of our budget. All animals are spayed/neutered and receive medical care, all paid by the shelter. Please keep in mind that we receive no public funding; only generous donations from caring folks like you.

Hope to see you out and about this weekend!

Two years ago we adopted a one year old Goldendoodle. His previous owners warned us that he was not fond of riding in the car. His car sickness might not have been an issue except that we needed to drive him from Pensacola Florida to Atlanta Georgia! As soon as I found out about his car anxieties, I started researching solutions; when I was 11, I’d had an eight hour car ride in the company of a car sick puppy and had no doubts that I did not want a repeat of that! The idea of drugging a dog that was new to us really didn’t appeal to me so I looked for alternatives and found lots of positive stories about Bach’s Rescue Remedy. I don’t know alot about homeopathic remedies or flower essences, what I do know is this product worked for us.

On our 7 hour car ride, our new puppy did not get sick once! I’ve since read differing opinions on the effectiveness of Rescue Remedy for pets and understand it may be effective on a case by case basis, but it is definitely worth looking into. I recommend it every chance I get.
Read more about flower essences and their indications at Bach’s.