Home Zookeeper

“Want to go for a walk?” That was the phrase I always used with my dogs to get them excited for, obviously, a walk. With Pepsi though, I didn’t go that route. I simply would get out the leash, clip it to her collar, and take her out. I thought that then there wouldn’t be any verbal slip ups (like talking about a walk when I don’t intend on taking the dog on one) that get a doggie all excited only to be disappointed by her human.

Well dear readers, it seems actions speak louder than words. Pepsi just knows when I’m going to take her for a walk. It’s not just the fact that I’m getting ready to go somewhere, but it seems, how I get ready. Maybe I’m letting off some kind of vibration heard only by her that says, “Shelly’s taking you for a walk!”

Whatever it is, she just knows when I’m getting ready to take her out, long before the leash comes out of the closet. And she gets soooo excited that she can’t contain herself and has to pace in front of me, letting out little whimpers of anticipation. And once we’re outside? She barks for the first few minutes of the walk out of sheer joy (and possibly announcement) that she’s on the move.

Goodness, I love her!

pepsi, dog walking, dog senses, pomeranian love

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that I would like to move out to California, possibly next year, with my little dog, Pepsi. I decided that it might be best to leave my cat, Mia, behind to live with my parents indefinitely. Well, as we all know, plans change, and I just don’t think I can leave Mia behind. So, that leaves me with quite a task; moving my sweet, sensitive kitty safely across the country.

My first thought was to take her in the same way I had planned to take Pepsi; with me on the road when I transport all of my things. But I just think it would be unfair and even traumatizing to take Mia that way. Unlike Pepsi, she’d have to be caged at all times, and I don’t want to do that to her for such a long drive. My next thought was to have Mia flown out to California once I get settled, but I’ve heard the horror stories, and even if the chances may be slim, I’m not willing to risk anything happening to my baby in the cargo hold. So, I’m left with one last option, which is to somehow arrange it so that I can fly Mia out to California with me, as carry-on in the cabin. It’ll be a job to arrange and save for, but I think it’s the safest option for her and I really, REALLY want to have her live with me.

I would, however, like your opinions, dear readers! Have you made a big move with a cat? What was your method and how did it work out for you and your precious pet?

flying with pets, animals on planes, airline animal deaths, cats, moving, travel with pets

Did you know that kitty kisses are gentle little nibbles from your cat? I got four or five kisses just now from sweet Mia! I feel special.

You can learn all sorts of kitty cat facts here. Let me know how you do on the quizzes!

kitty kisses, cat affection, cat trivia, pet quizzes

“My little dog — a heartbeat at my feet.” ~ Edith Wharton

Both of my (indoor) cats have their front paws declawed. Dharma had the procedure done once she reached maturity, getting spayed at the same time. With her, it was pretty much a no-brainer. She was clawing the furniture, so we figured it needed to be done.

With Mia, it was different. She was nearly feral when we adopted her. In her first month or so of living with us, we confined her to our enclosed porch because she would hide in a dark corner of the house all day otherwise. It took me that long to gain just a little bit of Mia’s trust and get her to the point where she’d be allowed to come inside.

The problem was, just as Mia started calming down in the house, she would begin to sharpen her claws on the furniture and we’d have to shoo her away, putting her back into a state of alarm. We knew that we’d need to declaw her to not only allow her to become comfortable in the house, but in order to bring her to the next level of trust with us. Only recently have I been able to pick her up without too much of a struggle.

This time I decided to do my research on the subject of declawing. We were actually considering having both Mia’s front and hind paws declawed, so I searched the internet on the subject. Not only did I find that some veterinarians refuse to declaw hind claws (this is because even just hind claws are essential to a cat’s self-defense, including climbing trees if they happen to get outside) but a lot of people are actually adamantly against the whole idea of declawing.

My research has discovered that many believe a cat is never the same after being declawed. These people say that the experience is not only traumatizing, but painful and mood altering. People have testified that they’re kitty was just never the same after declawing. That the animal seemed depressed, losing the desire to play like they once did.

Though I cannot disprove any of that, my experience has not been that way. In Dharma’s case, she was back to being her curious, frisky, and demanding self soon after her declawing. As for the pain, just like with any other surgical procedure she was put under for the actual declawing and sufficiently medicated for the pain afterward. For about a week (maybe two) she had a pain patch on the back of her neck supplying constant relief.

With Mia, I believe the procedure helped her to make a huge leap forward in her trust for me and my family. The day we brought her home from the vet, she was unbelieveably lovable, and snuggled in my lap in bed for the first time that evening. I was elated. She was able to get comfortable in the house because her “claw sharpening” no longer resulted in damage to the furniture, and she didn’t seem to know the difference.

Also, neither of my cats experienced bleeding from their sweet little toes once they were brought home. So, in my opinion declawing is a safe procedure for your pet, but I recommend only for indoor kitties, and only if you are experiencing problems with clawing of the furniture or, like with Mia, think it will really help your feral cat come around.

What is your opinion on the issue of declawing?

declawing, animal surgery, cat care, cat issues, animal debates

I love my vet. He is so caring, so empathetic. He truly loves animals and really cares for his human clients. Oh, and he’s one of the very few people I’m ok with crying in front of. I really appreciate my vet and all he’s done for my little critters.

It is so hard taking in an animal to be put down because of illness, but it would be so much harder without an animal doctor like him. He feels what you feel and completely understands the deep love you have for your pet. Even in the animal’s final minutes of life, he is gentle and loving, and after they’ve gone, he treats their remains with the care he would for his own loved one.

My family takes the time every year to send our vet clinic Christmas cards and vet appreciation cards (yes, they do make those!) But it never feels like enough. It takes a special person to do this kind of job with the right balance of emotion and professionalism.

Do you have a wonderful vet? Tell me a story about them!

veterinarian, vet, animal doctors, vet appreciation

Anybody watch The Late Show last night? David Letterman was sick, so one of his slated guests, Adam Sandler, filled in as host. With his sweet dog, Matzah Ball, as his sidekick! What an adorable little chubkin! The female Bulldog just sat in the guest chair, completely quiet and comfortable in front of the active audience. Sandler even showed clips of Matzah snoring at home, and of her playing with a helium balloon on a string. So cute!

I don’t know much about the Bulldog breed, in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had close contact with one, but I’d love to hear of your encounters! Do any of you have a Bulldog? What is he/she like? Tell me about your experiences with the breed!

bulldog, adam sandler, the late show, matzah ball, celebrity pets

I’m very interested in working as a dog walker and pet sitter. It’s the job I hope to obtain if I ever move to Los Angeles. Well, before a move can happen, I’m going to need quite a bit of money and I think it’s a great time to test my skills as a caregiver to other people’s pets.

There’s a challenge that comes with this idea; I live in a community of only 10,000 people. Not exactly an ideal location for this kind of “new age” idea of pet care. My plan is to talk with my local vet and see about elderly clients, less capable of walking their dogs, that kind of thing.

I’d love any advice those of you with experience in this field may have! I really think I’d enjoy the job, but I’m not sure how to market myself and that kind of thing. So, if you’re a dog walker, or use the services of a dog walker or pet sitter, I’d love to hear about your experiences!

pet care, pet sitting, dog walking, Los Angeles, working with pets

We all know a kitty’s whiskers make them look even cuter, but how much do you know about the functions of those whiskers? Take this fun quiz to find out, and I bet you’ll learn something new! I got 6/10, by the way.

whiskers, cat facts, kitty whiskers, pet quiz, cat trivia

I have the hardest time giving Pepsi the pills she needs. Namely, her heartworm pill. You all know how it goes, the vet tells you these pills are flavored so your dog will just think it’s a treat, but that’s never the case (at least not with my dogs). With my easier pets, all I’d have to do is stick the pill in an actual treat and they’d eat it right up.

Not with Pepsi.

It’s like she just knows there’s a pill in that “nummy-num” and she ain’t fallin’ for it. Pepsi loves cheese. So, I discretely place the pill in a small chunk of cheese, but she rarely takes the bait. It’s no use trying to just put the little pill down her throat either…that dog knows how to squirm! But, with a little patience, it eventually gets done…

…until the next month, that is!

Is your dog as difficult to medicate as mine?

heartworm pills, pet medication, difficult dogs

I have a sensitive kitty. Dharma was a farm kitten, she was fairly sick when we got her, her little eyes matted. Her siblings that were left behind didn’t make it. As Dharma grew, she developed skin allergies that we refer to as “itchy twitchy,” for which she is still medicated.

Last year when she had her booster shots, poor little Dharma had an allergic reaction. Her ears got all hot, and she seemed very uncomfortable. We took her to the vet and it turned out she had kitty hives. We’re thinking that since she’s an indoor kitty anyway, not exposed to potential diseases, we’re not going to risk another reaction from booster shots.

More recently, my mother bought some new treats to mix into the cats’ food, salmon flavored tidbits of some kind. Every time Dharma ate, she would vomit. It turned out to be because of the treats. Poor, sensitive kitty cat.

Do you have a sensitive pet? Tell me about it!

sensitive pets, animal allergies, allergic cats, booster shots

Do you have an adorable photo of your irresistable pet? Maybe you should enter it in a cutest pet contest! There’s cool prizes ranging from cash to pet supplies, and you’ll get to show off your special critter to the world.

Let me know how you do!

cutest pet contest, photography, prizes, critter photos, cute pets

I’m planning to move from here in Nebraska, to (hopefully) Los Angeles sometime in the future. I would say near future, but the reality is, that the move would likely be a year away at the soonest. But for now, I’m doing my research, and mentally preparing for the long trip that would come with such a move.

One big issue I face is taking my dear little Pepsi on the move with me. I’d love to take Mia as well, but such a big move wouldn’t be safe for her, and I think it could mentally scar her, she’s already so skittish. Dharma is actually my mother’s cat, so she and Mia will stay with the parents. Anyway, I’ll likely be driving, in a moving truck from here to my destination, and a lot of planning comes with taking a pet on a long trip.

Things we as pet owners have to worry about is keeping our little critters comfortable, facing as little stress as possible. We need to remember to keep the animal hydrated, cool, and comfy. For trips that could possibly take more than a day, remember to search for accomodations that allow pets. It’s also important to give your pet breaks on the trip. They can definitely get stir crazy and anxious, so try and let them stretch their legs if at all possible (keep dogs on a leash!) at rest stops and such.

One of my biggest worries with Pepsi is that, already being a bit of an anxious dog, she gets even more anxious if I’m the one driving and insists upon being in my lap. This is not only unsafe for the dog (imagine having to break suddenly), but unsafe for you. I know for a fact that steering is much harder with a doggie in your lap. There are two options to resolve this issue. You can kennel your dog, restricting them to a space that won’t interfere with your driving. Another option is to have someone else drive if your pet is particularly attached to you. That way your pet can still sit with you, and it’ll be a bit safer than being in the driver’s seat.

Do you have any stories of moving with pets? I’d love to hear them!

moving with pets, travel, los angeles, nebraska, driving with pets

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” - Anatole France

pets, animal quotes, love, words to live by

I found an article yesterday about a man in my home state that saved his dog from drowning in a freezing lake. It seems the dog was chasing ducks into the water and was soon paralyzed by the cold, going under. Her owner, a war veteran, went after his dog and pulled her out of the water, thinking she was dead. But still, he attempted CPR and brought his pet back to life. After a stay at the vet, she made a full recovery.

A guy that’s willing to perform CPR on a pet? Now that’s my kind of man!

Here’s the full story

animal CPR, pet rescue, hero of the week