the big, bad world: enter, ThunderShirt, part 3 (making it through the 4th)

Fireworks. Spectacular celebratory tools of our nation's independence, or an annual source of terror? Fireworks can be so stressful for some dogs that their owners are house-bound during one of the best get-out-and-enjoy-summer events of the year, the 4th of July. And the fireworks don't even have to be nearby. Some dogs completely freak out over fireworks miles and miles away that we humans can't even hear. Remember that their hearing is more sensitive than ours.

I've posted first-hand accounts about the success the ThunderShirt had for Jack and Rex. Rex donned his ThunderShirt on the 4th of July last year and slept through a massive fireworks show less than a mile from his home. Jack will try his for the first time this year, but I believe his owner is so thrilled with the results they've achieved so far, that she might just dress Jack in his 4th of July party suit and head out for a night on the delta (so we may have to ask the neighbors how he did).

shop-shirtThe ThunderShirt calms pet fears by "hugging." It seems silly and too simple, but it works. Why can't you just hug your pet and save yourself some money? Because you are anxious when your pet is anxious, and your own anxiety is transferred to your pet. So you'd just be compounding the problem.

Check out this compilation of before & after results...amazing!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7lilXT8Img]

Again and again, the steady pressure of the ThunderShirt seems to work for so many. What a wonderful natural alternative to "doggie downers," which so many pet owners have had to resort to. Considering that the shirt comes with a 100% money-back guarantee, it seems silly not to give it a try this 4th of July.

You can order ThunderShirt online, or you can purchase it in most pet stores in time for the fireworks.

I started my inquiry about the ThunderShirt because I'd simply heard so many positive things about it, and I wanted to see for myself. The more I experience the Thundershirt, the better I feel about it. Have you used ThunderShirt? I'd love to hear about it!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ThunderShirt in exchange for my honest opinion.

Take Your Dog To Work Day 2013

I'm lucky in that even before I opened Well Minded and became a full-time professional pet sitter, I was able to bring my dog to work. As I worked away as an account manager at JDA, Inc., my faithful companion, Kermit laid by my side, or, more often, plopped down for a belly rub in front of anyone who came within 100 yards of my desk. My bosses in the office downstairs would bring their dog, Lucy, so we had a downstairs office dog and an upstairs office dog, and sometimes we'd join the two together for a romp. I'm a bit biased, but I think everyone benefited from having the dogs there. They gave us good laughs during tense times, and were always good for a snuggle. Or ready to accept a belly rub. logo-smTomorrow, Friday, June 21, 2013, is the 15th Annual Take Your Dog to Work Day, created by Pet Sitters International. PSI says:

First celebrated in 1999, Pet Sitters International's Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWDay®) was created to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters, and breed rescue clubs. This annual event asks pet lovers to celebrate the human-canine bond and promote pet adoption by encouraging their employers to support TYDTWDay. Employers are encouraged to open their workplace to employees' four-legged friends on this one special day.

In case you are more musically-inclined, check out the TYDTWDay song!

Will you be taking your dog to work tomorrow?

 

the versatile blogger award: we got it!

After looking longingly at others' Versatile Blogger Award badges, I was awarded one for my recent ThunderShirt posts, so kindly, by We Live in a Flat, one of my favorite dog blogs! We Live in a Flat follows the adventures of Donna, a rescued pup who lives in Singapore. Great writing and wonderful images...thank you, We Live in a Flat! I would like to nominate the following blogs for their excellency and appeal to, well, ME! Love and the Versatile Blogger Award, in no particular order and with no obligation, lest I irritate you, go to:

veggie 4 a year for luscious vegan recipes and activism, helping me though my own transition

No Dog About it Blog for insightful tips and sentiment

Adventures at Run a Muck Ranch for making me feel like my dog chaos could be worse with sweet, candid stories

The War in My Brain for bravery

Love and a Six-Foot Leash for gorgeous photos of gorgeous dogs and a wonderful parenting philosophy

Brie Brie Blooms for creativity

Pawsitively Pets for being so dedicated to all things animal

101 Books for being intelligent and keeping it real in a single bound

Oz the Terrier for informative cuteness

My Brown Newfies & Me for writing with true versatility about a seemingly narrow topic...I'm always coming back for more

Why We Love Green for great tips on how to go green while saving green

Sugar the Golden Retriever for awesome tips and insight...and who doesn't love a golden?

Jen Hatmaker for making me laugh harder than I can remember laughing in a long, long time. If you haven't read her viral post Worst End of School Year Mom Ever, you must. NOW.

Nature Moms Blog for great green mama info that I actually use

my.blind.world. for unflinching honesty

Should you accept your award (you are under NO obligation to do so), you're in for a bit of work, but it's not painful. Versatile Blogger award rules:

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  •  Thank the person who gave you this award.
  •  Include a link to their blog.
  •  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
  •  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
  •  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

Seven things about me...

• We have a sulcata tortoise. I just haven't blogged about him, yet.

• I have three tattoos. One for each of my kids.

• One of the main reasons I love being a pet sitter is that it keeps me from having too many animals, myself.

• Our dog, Kermit, who passed away almost two years ago, had Addison's Disease and seizures. I haven't blogged about him, yet, either.

• I have a scar on my right hand from a overly-boisterous game of fetch with a dog client. My hand went up and her fang came down. Accidental puncture all the way to the root of the tooth. This happened exactly on the one-year anniversary of breaking three fingers on my other hand.

• I kiss all animals on the lips.

• I don't really like listing "things" about myself.

Congratulations to the newest recipients of The Versatile Blogger award! I can't wait to read your posts.

big tipper: my haul from Farmyard

Aren't big tips just the greatest? As the owner of Well Minded, I don't always get a gratuity, but I sure appreciate it when I do. Today I got an awesome tip from a client who is also a friend. She is away for a while, and I'm caring for her dogs, so she was unable to pick up her CSA basket from Farmyard today. Instead, she gave it to me as a tip, and I couldn't be happier about it! I've had the pleasure of testing out some of the gorgeous produce from Farmyard before, as my client friend can't always consume all she receives, but I've never had a whole basket, so I'm quite excited, and already planning what to make with it for the next few days.

I was provided an address and a Farmyard tote to return when picking up this week's haul. 20130614-143215.jpg

Although I needed my navigation system to find the neighborhood, once I got there, the house was unmistakable. The front yard presented rows of tomatoes, lettuce, squash, and the like. When I pulled up, it was something out of a Norman Rockwell Painting, only modern. Rebecca waived and greeted me warmly. She knew who I was, even though we'd never met. She was collecting some small yellow tomatoes from the garden, and her bucket was overflowing, literally, so I followed behind, picking up the dropped tomatoes that trailed behind her.

She invited me into her home, where her big yellow lab lumbered a welcome just as warm. Rebecca took my tote and handed me a fresh one full of her garden's bounty. It included a bunch of sorrel, some giant zucchini, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, a variety of small tomatoes, two jalapeños, some garlic, a bunch of apples, and a dozen eggs. Gorgeous! Rebecca explained what I was receiving and even provided a recipe for using the sorrel, something I've honestly never cooked with. I'm excited to try it!20130614-143244.jpg

I am especially impressed with the eggs. As a verging-upon vegan individual who loves her eggs, it makes me feel better about falling off the wagon when I know they come from happy, healthy, pampered chickens, which is the case with Farmyard. We've considered getting our own chickens because they make great pets and provide eggs, but haven't taken the plunge quite, yet. I love caring for my clients' chickens, and often get tipped in eggs, Little House on the Prairie-style. 20130614-143305.jpg

The kids just loved the jewel-toned eggs and couldn't keep their hands off of them. They are beautiful.

As I started the car, Porter chomped into a freshly picked apple, which was satisfying to us both.

What a wonderful first experience we had at Farmyard. We've been considering signing up for a CSA for quite some time, and this might be just the thing to send us over the edge!