Thursday, September 25, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Poor or Pampered
Is your pooch poor or pampered?
Is your pooch caged or chained the whole day? That is a sign or a sorry dog.
Do they eat their fill and have two types of treats and three kinds of toys? They have a favorite blanky and a plush pillowed bed? Then that means they are pampered.
What is your pooch?
Is your pooch caged or chained the whole day? That is a sign or a sorry dog.
Do they eat their fill and have two types of treats and three kinds of toys? They have a favorite blanky and a plush pillowed bed? Then that means they are pampered.
What is your pooch?
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Dressing the Dogs
Photo credits: Hello Miss Dar Photography!
Remember when dressing your dog, to dress them responsibly. Do not over do it and make sure the total weight they carry of clothes + accessories will only be 20 to 30% of the weight of the pet.
Have a great day!
Remember when dressing your dog, to dress them responsibly. Do not over do it and make sure the total weight they carry of clothes + accessories will only be 20 to 30% of the weight of the pet.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
Petiquette for Yaya
·
Yaya
is the colloquial term for house maid or nurse maid. A more politically correct
term is kasambahay. It literally
translates to those who live with us at
home.
Just because we left our babies to our Kasambahay doesn’t
mean we relinquish all responsibilities. If you find out from the law, if the
dog bites somebody the person liable is the owner not the minder. It is the
owner’s job to make sure the dog is behaved through education or proper
classes. If you are a bit iffy on your pet’s behavior, better keep them in the
house.
Now, picture yourself so busy that you have no time to take
pooch out to walk. You ask Yaya to take them for a walk. First and foremost,
Yaya should be prepared and willing to take your dog out. Some yayas are scared
of dogs. Before selecting our Kasambahay, we ask them if they like dogs. They
even come to the house to see the dog before accepting the job. It is important
for all to get along. Now, yaya is happy to take your pooch to the park for
you. Show her the proper commands. If you can, give her a test run with you.
Sometimes, it is your dog who freaks out when there is a change of routine. A
test run with yaya is in order.
Next, prepare the things yaya will need. Your dogs need
leash, water and poopie kit. Sometimes,
I give yaya a treat to bribe pooch in case he turns belligerent. Don’t forget
the poopie kit and enforce this on yaya. Most villages and park have fines for
owners not cleaning up after them. Tell yaya to bring plastic and newspaper all
the time.
Lastly, enforce a time schedule on yaya. As harsh as it
sounds, you must do this. At times, our yayas take a side trip to meet their
friends in the village taking your babies with them. I had a yaya once and she
took my baby for three hour walks. They leave at 2pm and come back five to
half-past five. When my dog comes home, he runs under the table and sleeps in
exhaustion. They didn’t do much walking but my yaya tended to talk a lot and
flirt a lot. She can go sit with other yayas for hours leaving my baby to wait
with her. The heat outside was getting to my dog. When I realized this, I asked
them to just take an hour and no more.
Now, make sure your yayas understand the why’s of petiquette.
Petiquette may be for a good mannered pet owner but it also helps us avoid
getting into trouble. That goes for your yayas as well. Forearm them with
knowledge and you will be at ease when they go out for walks.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Gift Giving 101 for Cats
So, what do you give as gifts for pets in a party? It is not
as easy as selecting something in the department store. First, let us know the
reason for the party. Cats are much simpler to give gifts to than dogs.
First birthday: Congratulations, it’s a kitten. Kittens are
a bit different than puppies. For one thing, they are just an innocent bundle
of joy!
What best to give: Balls, blankets, treats, gift
certificates, books.
Second birthday and up: Cats are more or less more
consistent than dogs. It would not matter to then what age they are. They know
they are gown up cats and demand to be treated so. By this age, the have taken
to a specific brand of cat food and treats. It is hard for them to try new food
items and not all cats eat fruits.
What best to give: scratching post, toy mouse, laser toys,
extra blankets or old clean towels.
Blessings and milestones: Most cats hardly achieve
milestones because they are secretive. They don’t usually let their pet parent
know what they have accomplished, good or bad. When the pet parent do catch
them in the act, a party is in order.
What best to give: congratulatory card, books, gift
certificates, unique pet gadgets.
Celebrating adoption (newly adopted kitten): It’s a baby!
It’s a kitten! It’s a bal of love! So, like a puppy adoption, it is like a baby
shower. Show them love by giving necessities.
What best to give: scratching post, bowls, unique pet
gadgets, blankets, treats, toys.
Celebrating adoption (older, rescued cat): Celebrating rescue adoption is celebrating
commitment. There are problems in adopting rescue especially if the pet has
suffered trauma. Congratulate and pat the pet owner’s back by coming to the
celebration.
What best to give: congratulatory card, unique pet gadgets,
blanket, books, toys. Ask if they have bed and cat food. It’s lovely to aid the
adopters too.
What not to give: As in any pet, Don’t give pet food unless
you know the dietary restrictions of the pet. Don’t give clothes if you don’t
know the size or preference of the pet and pet owner. Consider the views of the
pet owner before giving clothes.
Never give mixed message items. Even if you know the diet of
the pet, giving them “diet” food shouts you are affirming their pet is
overweight. Giving things like deodorizing sprays and air freshener says you
think they smell bad.
Never give items from a dead pet like their old bed, old
toys, old bowls. A pet knows this and might take offense.
Don’t give very expensive things unless you are very close
to the pet owner. Items like jewelry, expensive carriers, strollers and such
are a bit too much for party gifts.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Think Before Getting a Pet
Before you get yourself or the family a pet, have you
thought of it thoroughly? There are many things to consider and not just the
financial.
·
Approval of the family. This comes especially if
you do not live alone. You must consider that some of them might have
allergies. Also, they might not like having a pet underfoot. Make sure everyone
is on the same page.
- If living in a rented property, will the owner of the building approve of a pet in the premise? Especially for apartments, some buildings do not allow pets in the building.
- Do you have disposable income? Disposable means that money will never come back to you. This money goes to dog/cat/rabbit food, pet care products and annual shots. Even the carrots they eat will take up cost. Don’t forget that your consumption of water and cleaning products will also increase.
- Emergency money. Consider that having a pet is like having a child. There will be accidents and sickness. We must prepare for an emergency.
- Time. Pets demand time. Domesticate pets need the attention of the pet parent. Do you have the time to spare? If not you, then yaya(helper)? Does yaya have enough time to do her chores plus take care of the pet/s?
- Patience. Do you have what it takes to be a pet parent and not a pet owner? As stated earlier, domesticated pets become more dependent on human emotions. At times they want your attention by being bad. At times they just want to wreak havoc. Do you have the patience and understanding to love them as they are and dole out discipline if needed?
Remember this: having a pet is a responsibility not a right. Their love is a grace given, not to be taken as a brand of ownership.
Photo credits: Bridget Shih Tzu Owner and Photographer: Greggie Mercado.
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Blog Description
This is a blog on pet fashion, lifestyle and the changing pet trends in the Philippines.