holiday shopping with #Pet360.com

Has your pet created his holiday wish list?

If so, you can most likely find everything his heart desires at Pet360.com. I love Pet360.com because not only is it an online retailer (so we can skip the crowds at the mall), the website also offers advice, news, and discussions. So it's not all about selling you on stuff, it's about caring for your pet and making sure you can compare products and make the best decision for your pet at a great price. When you search for something, you'll not only get the product matches, but related articles and discussion links. I'm big on research when I purchase something, so I really dig the fact that I can get all the information I need and shop in one place.

You don't have to register to shop at Pet360.com, but, the experience becomes even better, if you do. When you register, you add your pet's information to the site so you can get customized recommendations. Once you make your purchase, Pet360.com will remember what you purchased for each pet, and will even give you an option to set up auto-ship for greater convenience. Just don't give your pet the password, or he might auto-ship himself the holiday loot each month.

Pet360.com offers a 100% Guarantee, so if Fluffy changes her mind about that deluxe pet bed you thoughtfully put under the Christmas tree, you can return it within 30 days. 

So, get to shopping, and get free shipping! 

Disclaimer: Well Minded is an affiliate of Pet360.com, but all opinions are my own. Well Minded does not promote products or services that we would not use, ourselves. Shopping through the Pet360 links on this site will provide you access to the same great prices, but you'll also be supporting this blog, so, thank you!

Veteran's Day in the eyes of the children of a pet sitter

This past Monday was Veteran's Day, and though our family didn't officially give thanks in a formal way, we went on a long hike, and we talked about the meaning of the day with our littles, Porter, our six-year-old son, and Campbell, our four-year-old daughter. We wanted them to understand that it was more than just a day off school.

We didn't go into great detail. A fact that was brought to my attention by the conversation they had in the car on the way to school Thursday:

Campbell: I can't wait for show and tell at school today! I'm so excited!

Porter: Why? What are you sharing?

Campbell: I'm sharing my veterinarian game!

Porter: Oh, that's cool. Is it "V" day at school?

Campbell: (sighing) No, Po! It's for Veterinarian's Day, o'course!

Porter: Cam, you're too late for that. It was last Monday.

Campbell: Well, I didn't have school on Monday, and Thursday is show and tell day, so I'm sharing it today. 

Porter: Well, you're really late, because Veterinarian's Day was on Monday.

It then sunk in. They had no idea about Veteran's Day, and probably were under the impression that all the veterinarians in the U.S.A. were out fighting for our freedom. And that all of the veterinarians in the past had fought for our independence and rights. They know all about the sacrifices veterinarians make for their families, and how some even die for our country. 

They probably wondered who was taking care of all the sick animals.

It took me about three different explanations to untether a veteran and a veterinarian in their minds, and I'm honestly not sure I was successful. They probably just told me "we get it" so that I'd shut up about the whole confusing mess. This is what happens when your mom is a pet sitter. 

So on behalf of our family, however belated, I'd like to send out a big THANK YOU to all of our veterans...and veterinarians. 

the nose-to-tail check for preventative pet health

This November is BlogPaws'  Pet Health Awareness month, a time to learn and share ways we can improve, maintain, and protect the health or the animals in our care. Not only do I care about the health of my own pets, but I am also concerned about the health of my clients' pets, and I want to make sure I'm always an extra set of eyes looking out for any potential health issues.

When I meet a client for the first time, I always ask detailed questions about the health of their pet. Do they have a limp that is normal for them? Do they vomit frequently? For how long and how briskly are they usually walked? How do their medications affect them? I like to know what is normal for the individual animal so that if I notice something out of the ordinary, I can report it to the client. 

Each time a client books service with me, I ask if anything has changed regarding the care or health of their animal. 

In addition to getting to know the animals in my care through their owners' eyes, I make my own observations each time I see the pet. Part of this is a nose-to-tail check.  

A nose-to-tail check doesn't have to be a formal event. The animals never even know I do it. I just pet them and feel around for differences in their coat or weight or skin. I feel and look for lumps that may have gone unnoticed by the owner. I look into their eyes and mouth, if they will let me. It's nothing as formal as a check-up at the vet (I don't put a thermometer you-know-where), but being able to let the pet owner know about any changes I've observed can be very important. When they see their pet every day, changes can be difficult for them to notice themselves.

You can do this with your pet once a month. It's like a self-exam you might do on yourself. It's no replacement for a professional medical assessment, but it can often help catch things long before they may have been caught otherwise.

illustration source: Chest of Books

How do I do a nose-to-tail check? 

• Make sure the pet is calm and comfortable.  

• Start at the nose and focus on how your pet feels and what they look like. Look inside the pet's mouth, if they will allow it. 

• Observe any changes in your pet's eyes. Is there discharge or do they look cloudy? 

• Move your hands over your pet's head and neck, feeling toward the skin for any abnormalities. Be gentle, and let your pet feel like he's getting a massage.

• Look at your pets paws and claws. 

• Move your hands over your pet's body and investigate any lumps. If benign lumps are known, keep an eye out for any changes. 

• Do the same for your pet's tail, if he will allow it. 

Overall, you are looking for changes. If you observe changes, it might be a natural part of aging or your pet's environment, or it may be the sign of something more serious.  It is always a good idea to write down any suspicious changes and report them to your vet as soon as possible.

Most of the time, the changes I notice turn out to be nothing–thank goodness! But the pet owners appreciate the fact that I am paying attention and that I care, and when we work together to make sure the animals are as healthy as they can be, everyone wins.

What do you do to make sure your pets are healthy? 

pet food safety and #giveaway with #DiamondNaturals

 It's unfortunate that it has become downright scary to feed our pets these days. Not only do we now worry more about nutrients and the quality of the ingredients, but we have to make sure the food we are feeding our pets hasn't been recalled due to contamination. It's alarming to hear about recall after recall. Pet food manufacturers are realizing how damaging these recalls can be, and reputable ones are taking drastic steps to ensure the safety of their food.

Diamond Pet Foods, who manufactures their pet food in the USA and has just introduced Diamond Naturals Grain Free, is one such company. Their commitment to food safety means that they are producing a product that we can trust. They say:

At Diamond Pet Foods, nothing is more important to us than the safety of our products. We adhere to stringent and scientifically advanced food safety protocols. We constantly monitor and test our raw materials, production environment, processes and finished products. By continuously improving performance with the latest advancements in science and technology, we've developed a comprehensive food safety system.

So what is their food safety program all about?

• on-site product testing: They test and monitor every part of the manufacturing process, including pre-production and post-production.

• mycotoxin control: Diamond Pet Foods describes mycotoxins as "toxic chemicals produced by fungi that can appear in grains." They allow no grain ingredients to enter their facilities without being thoroughly analyzed, and they perform 1,075 mycotoxin tests every week.

• microbial control and testing: The dreaded word we all hear is "salmonella." By adhering to a strict environmental monitoring program, Diamond Pet Foods analyzes the processing areas during production and after cleaning and sanitation. They conduct extensive tests, and ingredients must have a Certificate of Analysis, proving to be salmonella negative before being submitted to a Diamond Pet Foods Facility.

photo courtesy of Diamond Pet Foods

 * water and air quality: Integral in pet food manufacturing, Diamond Pet Foods uses a reverse osmosis water purification process and their zonally segregated manufacturing facilities are equipped with HEPA® filters.

• test and hold program: No food is distributed without certified, independent laboratory tests. 

• independent good manufacturing practices audits: Every Diamond Pet Foods facility undergoes an annual Good Manufacturing Practices audit to verify that the pet food produced has the "identity, strength, composition, quality, and purity that it is represented to possess."  

• state-of-the-art facilities in the United States: With Diamond Pet Foods, we can rest assured that all manufacturing is done in the US and is carefully monitored and tracked.

All of these practices help to ensure that the Diamond Pet Foods we choose to feed our pets are safe as well as nutritious. After researching their newest food, Diamond Naturals Grain Free in terms of safety, affordability, and nutrition, I felt confident letting N.A.S.H.A. try it when Diamond Pet Foods sent me a sample. Not only did I feel that she was getting a high-quality, safe food, but she was more than happy to partake and gave her review with a jump-up-and-spin, full-motion tail wag, and quick gobble. Diamond Naturals Grain Free passed the taste test, too.

Diamond Pet Foods is giving away some sweet swag to our readers. How awesome is that? Please enter, share, and spread the love. Good luck! 

check out the loot!

Connect with Diamond Pet foods on Twitter  and Facebook.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Diamond Naturals as part of the Blog Paws Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Diamond Naturals Grain Free dog food, but well minded only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Diamond Naturals is not responsible for the content of this article.

accident at the groomer: Desi's story

I firmly believe that how a mistake is handled is often more important than the mistake, itself. As a Pomeranian puppy, Desi was the victim of a horrifying grooming accident. Unfortunately, the mistake was not handled as it should have been.

Patty left the house with Desi and his older sister, Jack Russell Terrier Lucy. Both dogs walked to the car. She set off to drop the duo off at their regular groomer for their usual service. Soon after, Patty received a call stating that Desi's foot was tender and they couldn't groom him. She turned around, and when she arrived back at the groomer, Desi was sitting on the counter with his leg dangling, whimpering. She left Lucy at the groomer and rushed Desi to the vet.

The vet determined through x-rays that Desi had a broken leg. Patty thought "this is impossible. He walked to car. He was in no pain."

When Patty went back to the groomer to pick up Lucy, they blamed her for Desi's broken leg and charged her for Lucy's grooming. Patty remembered "the owner said it was my fault and that the leg was already broken." She knew that was impossible. She knew something happened at the groomer. Patty said that she would have appreciated the truth. "What he doesn't know is that if he had just been honest, I would have understood. I know these dogs are fragile. But to blame me and then charge me for the other dog was more than I could take."

Desi with a broken leg.

Patty and her family explored all the options for Desi. The break was in a difficult spot, and it was severe.

Option one: Surgery that was not likely to work. And it was costly–nearly five thousand dollars.

Option two: Amputation.

With great sadness and anger, they opted for the latter.

Desi, post amputation.

The initial recovery was rough, and it took Desi some practice to get used to his new three-legged status. Patty remembers, "when we first brought him home, he lifted his leg to pee and fell over, but he learned quite quickly that he couldn't do that." 

Desi today. Because he's so small and fluffy, his missing leg isn't easy to detect.

I've taken care of a handful of handi-capable three-leggers, and they can often outrun their siblings. Dogs are so adaptable, and Desi is no exception. We should all take a lesson from him. Patty says "Desi is doing really well now. He has trouble on hardwood floors, but can run and chase Lucy on grass and carpet...he can't take very long walks, but he barks at all dogs outside and thinks he is a bad-ass." 

Just as it should be. 

Though it's of secondary importance, I asked Patty if they ever recouped any costs. "No. We didn't recoup any costs. And it wasn't worth suing," Patty said. Instead, she spreads the word about what the groomer did, the only recourse she has. And not because of Desi's broken leg as much as because they didn't care. And they lied and tried to cover up an unfortunate–yet understandable–mistake. That  is unacceptable. 

So what's the lesson, here?  It's not that groomers are bad or that we should feel sorry for Desi. To me, it's simply that honesty is the best route. Taking the high road is the best choice. We are all human, and we all make mistakes. Had the groomer been honest, Patty and her family could have been spared a large portion of their emotional pain. A good groomer...hell, a good person  doesn't pretend they are perfect. A good person holds themselves accountable for their mistakes and makes it as right as they can. It's a shame that this groomer chose the low road.