Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Season's Greetings for all! We've been busy this holiday season but want to take time to share our season's greetings. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. There's me and my new toy, me all tuckered out, my two human brothers (Zack & Max) and my bfff Spacejam!

Holiday Treats

I'm a dog. I'll do anything for food! I love treats. Big ones, small ones, any kind. My human family loves giving me treats when I'm good (and sometimes when I'm not so good). Recently, my human mom made some homemade treats. Boy, were they yummy. What a great holiday gift idea! Instead of another toy that will be quickly destroyed or forgotten (just like human kids!), how about making your pet some holiday treats. If you're baking for human family and friends, why not bake for the rest of us! Here are a couple of my favorites:

Cheesy Dog Biscuits
Super Simple Chunky Peanut Dog Treats

Please make sure the recipe you are using is for dog (or cat) treats, not humans! I'll eat anything but not everything is good for me. Click here Toxins (Poisons) That Effect Dogs for a list of items that can really hurt us. For more information on pet poison control, visit the ASPCA - Animal Poison Control.

Please have a happy and safe holiday!

No Puppies for Christmas, Please!

I know we're really cute, with our big eyes and floppy ears, but, as my human owners can tell you, puppies are TONS of work! When I came into the family, my humans had been considering a dog for many months, did plenty of research of what type of dog would be best for their family, looked at dogs at the local shelter and spoke to responsible breeders before selecting me. Once they made the decision they made sure they were ready to bring me home...they had food, grooming supplies, toys, treats, a crate, a collar and leash (of course!) and information on a puppy pre-school class. They already had the vet because of Spacejam. (As soon as I came home they made my first appointment to see the vet.) They were very prepared for me. However, since Christmas (or Hanukkah) puppies (and kittens) are often a surprise, people may not be ready for the responsibility of pet ownership.

Human experts (humane societies and shelters, AKC, PETA, etc.) agree that it's better to wait until after the holidays to bring home a new pet. Here's a great article from the Humane Society.

The Best Gift You Can Give

Instead of a new pet, give pet supplies and other items (e.g. gift certificates from your vet) to start preparing for your new family member. (Make sure you have a really cool collar and lead from a tail we could wag!) If you really want to give a pet for the holidays, please consider adopting from a local shelter. Visit Petfinder to help locate a shelter near you. If you can't find a shelter dog (or cat), please work with a responsible breeder. For more information on breeders, visit the AKC.

I hope you have a tail wagging holiday!