Why I Have Pet Insurance

No, this isn't an advertisement for pet insurance....I'm just glad (or my humans are) that they have pet insurance for me. Just last week I was playing outside, which is what dogs do, and I tore my nail; right down to the quick. Laurie cleaned me up nicely and didn't think about it until late in the day. Realizing that it was Friday and the vet would be closed for the weekend, she called to see if there was anything she should do to keep an eye on my foot. You know, infection, whatever. Well, the vet said I should come in because, being a dog and all, I would probably continue to get it dirty, and get all sorts of bad stuff in it. Plus, since it had bled they needed to see how badly it tore. So, in I went and $200+ later I was home...E-collar and all. (I hate that thing!) I had torn the quick so they had to clip my nail WAY back and cauterize it. The e-collar was to prevent me from pulling the bandage off and licking my foot. It didn't stop me at all! Thank goodness Laurie took the bandage off after 1 day (it got wet). And I never licked my foot/toe so she took the collar off early as well.

We don't know how much the insurance company will pay but they do cover "torn nail" (yes, it's an actually code on the insurance sheet!). So, even if they pay half it's well worth it. Who knows what trouble I'll get into next!

For those interested, our policy is with VPI.

New Product News

Hooray! martingale collars are here! These beautiful slip on collars are great for training. A quick tug reminds me when I'm doing something that I'm not supposed to be doing. I've been wearing one for several months and I can vouch that it's great. Plus, they're made with all the same good stuff that all a tail we could wag collars, leashes and belts are made with.

Here's the product lineup: sun valley holiday, starry day mango shine, harborside daybreak, at the beach catalina and foolish fish real red.




















They are 1" wide and come in sizes s - xl. To order, please call us directly as they're not yet available through our web (or ask you local pet store to bring them in!) Our number is 866.726.wags (9247). Hope you like them!

On Being Considerate

I just got back from a lovely walk through my neighborhood. I'm always on a leash because, well, if I weren't I'd probably find myself in all sorts of trouble. And because the neighborhood asks dog owners to walk their dogs on a leash or have one nearby. Most of the folks follow these rules. But tonight we encountered one of the truly inconsiderate ones...A dog without a leash. The owner just shrugged and announced she didn't have a leash. Thankfully the dog was relatively well behaved and decided not to come meet me. Now I know that some dogs do great off leash, but what if...What if he sees a squirrel across the street? What if she sees another dog down the block? What if there is a group of kids playing that sparks his attention. Chances are the dog will go running after one of these distractions, regardless of what you, the human says or does. What if running after one of these distractions puts her in the middle of a street, busy or not, only to get hit by a car? Or if he decides to "play" with the kids but his play ends up injury one of the children? Any of these things can happen. And the outcome may not be pleasant for anyone. So why not be responsible and keep your dog on its leash while talking a walk. There are lots of other opportunities for your pooch to be off leash, like your fenced backyard or the bark park. (and if you don't have a really cool leash yet, check out www.tailwags.com for a great selection of leashes!)

The other thing that really gets me (and my humans) is those people that don't pick up after their dogs. It's also a rule in our neighborhood (and most places). I guess some people think that common area means they don't have to be responsible or considerate. Not only do we see lots of stray poop on the common area but tonight we saw several piles right in the middle of the sidewalk. Yuck! So, in addition to being the right thing to do, here are some other reasons to pick up after your pooch:

1. Tapeworms

2. Roundworms

3. Cryptosporidium

4. Salmonellosis

5. Giardia

6. E. Coli

7. Parvovirus

8. The smell

9. Poo on shoes

10. The flies (which could bring with them: Shigellosis, Polio & Eye Diseases)

We all know that we dogs love to smell other dogs' stuff. Why risk getting another dog sick? And conversely, do you want your best friend encountering some other pup's poop? And if a human is unlucky enough to step in it watch out! I don't know of much else that makes humans as mad as stepping in dog poop. So, please be considerate AND responsibl. Remember your poop bag and pick up after your pooch!

Now I must rest because the day has ended and the walk did me in! Wags!

Dog Days

It's been kind of quiet around here. The dog days of summer are setting in. Boise can get really hot! We don't go outside much when it's near or above 100. Without much activity I go a bit goofy, particularly when new people come around. Today, Andrea came by. She's a great dog trainer. I really like her and she's helping Laurie work with me. It's a good thing I get to try all of the cool new stuff from a tail we could wag. Like the new martingale, or training, collars they are about to launch. They're a great way to let me know when I've done something wrong. A quick pull and I'm reminded but they don't hurt like zappers or choke chains with spikes. YIKES! I'm glad I don't have to wear one of those. I get to wear a beautiful collar from a tail we could wag. Here's a picture of me in the prototype of the martingale. This is sun valley holiday. The only change is that the blue web will be black. I heard Joe and Laurie say they're going to be available in a few weeks, so if you're interested check out the website at www.tailwags.com or call them at 866.726.9247.

Well, I've got bones to chew and grass to dig up. Maybe I'll go for a walk soon, even though it's really HOT!

Wags!

Pets are Good for People

As my human Laurie sometimes says, here's a blinding flash of the obvious...Pets are good for people! Of course, I've known it as does Spacejam and all the pets out there. But here's an article that gives some reason on why pets are so good! Now of course I still do things that I shouldn't like jumping over the gate that separates the upstairs from the main living area, stealing toys, shoes and other off-limits items and jumping all over every guest that comes over, but then I wag my tail and give them a couple of doggie kisses and all is forgiven. (And if that doesn't work I cock my head and look at them with my big brown eyes...!) As the article says, I really don't require a whole lot (food, food and more food. some water and an occasional bath). But what I provide in return is priceless.

And now for a completely unrelated topic but since I feel like musing (for a dog, that is or is it rambling?!), a new airline for pets only launched today. They don't offer flights to/from Boise yet but you never know. Maybe next time the humans take a trip somewhere they'll take me and Spacejam along!

Obie - The Outrageous Retriever

Thanks to everyone that submitted stories for our outrageous pet story contest. We received some wonderful stories about things our four legged friends did (and sometimes continue to do). The good folks at a tail we could wag had a difficult time selecting the winning story but decided that Obie's story was the winner.

Obie, a yellow lab, loves water. But, he's also been extremely protective of his human children, especially around water. He loves to romp in the stream by his mountain cabin (ok, so the cabin belongs to the humans but us dogs need to stick together!) but does not like it when the kids wade in. Even though the adult humans have told him time and again that the kids are safe in the water he thinks otherwise...He actually goes in and drags them by their swim trunks back to shore!

Obie just turned 8 and has been doing this his entire life life. The "kids" that he protects are now 17 and 19 but to him they will always be his to love and protect!Congratulations Obie!

Take Your Dog to Work

Did you know it's take your dog to work day on June 26? Now I'm lucky, because I go to work everyday with the folks at a tail we could wag (and so does Spacejam, she hangs out with Joe while I hang out with Laurie, and Cheech, who hangs out with Mary at the warehouse), but not all dogs are quite so lucky. So, check out the Take Your Dog to Work website. You can get all sorts of good info there, like how to ask your boss to participate, posters to put up in your office, tips on making the day successful and more. According to the site, here are the top 10 things to say to convince your boss to take part in Take Your Dog to Work Day:

10. The squirrels in the neighborhood deserve a break.
9. Wagging tails work great when the a/c is on the fritz.
8. With a dog as your passenger, you’ll be able to use the car pool lane.
7. It’s a great way to lick the work day blahs!
6. My dog thinks you’re grrrrrrreat!
5. Meetings end as soon as Rover starts staring at the conference room door.
4. You can blame those missing reports on one of your employees’ dogs.
3. It’s the leash you can do.
2. Finally, someone at your office will actually be working like a dog.
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK…
1. Friday, June 26, is Take Your Dog To Work Day®!

Please visit the site and check it out!

And now, since I'm a dog, it's mid-afternoon and the sun is shining, I'm going to find a nice warm spot to curl up in and nap the rest of the day away!