January Pet Holidays

January Pet Holidays

The January Pet Holidays jump start 2016 for us.  Read all about the zany holidays and some more practical and useful January pet holidays in 2016.

January is designated as National Train Your Dog Month, Walk Your Pet Month and Adopt a Rescued Bird Month. Notice it is Walk your Pet, not just walk your dog month.  Sure enough, some cats can be trained to walk on a leash, but it is not recommend for every cat.  Click here to read a great article on the subject.

January Pet Holidays

Luke and Beth on a snowy hike

We know it’s cold outside in January, but that does not give us a “bye” for giving our dogs the exercise they crave and need.  If it’s too cold for you to walk your dog every day or if it’s dark by the time you arrive home, consider having us walk your dog from one to five days every week. Check out our doggy care page to learn about the services we provide for your dogs.

January 2 was National Pet Travel Safety Day.  We strongly advocate that when you are transporting your pet that you secure them with a pet safety belt and harness or inside a crate. Airline approved crates are the most sturdy for this purpose.

January 14 is National Dress Up Your Pet Day.  It’s one of those zany holidays just because it’s fun.  Pet MD even offers 10 reasons it’s a good idea. Be sure that your pet enjoys dressing up, that the clothing is not too tight and restrictive and and that nothing dangles off that could cause your pet to choke.

National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day (January 22) was designed to remind us to pay attention to what our cats are trying to tell us in the only language they have. Rather than simply being annoyed when your cat pees outside the litter box, scratches your sofa or scratches and bites you, think about the issue from your cat’s perspective.  If your cat’s behavior is perplexing you consider booking a consultation with Charlotte based Rita Reimers the Cat Analyst. Rita is a trusted colleague who also offers cat sitting services in the Charlotte area.

Change a Pet’s Life Day is celebrated on January 24. The ASPCA is sponsoring a contest to tell how you have changed a pet’s life. Check out this link to enter the contest.

January 21 is the day that Luke, Daisy Mae and Trooper are most looking forward to. On that monumental day they get to appreciate squirrels!

January pet holidays

Luke, Daisy Mae and Trooper (front to back)


How to Change a Pet’s Life

Change a Pet’s Life Day

Did you know that January 24 is Change a Pet’s Life Day? This celebration began in 2009 to increase awareness of homeless pets and to encourage adoption of pets from shelters and rescues.  Of course there are numerous things we all can do to change a pet’s life.  Activities range from teaching your own dog a trick (after all, January is National Train Your Dog Month!) all the way to adopting a dog.  Often people are just not able to adopt a dog for various  reasons. They still can contribute to changing a dog’s life though. That might include taking pictures of homeless animals so they look attractive on an adoption website. It might include grooming a dog, taking shelter dogs for walks, providing transport for dogs from a shelter to a foster home, or fostering a dog. Of course, financial contributions are always needed too, especially to pay for long neglected medical needs.

Today we want to talk about one lovely dog that longs for her forever home.  Mocha has a special friend, her “Aunt Michelle” who is working hard to change a pet’s life. “Aunt Michelle” visits with Mocha on a regular basis, takes Mocha to her own home for some family life time and takes Mocha on outings in the community.  She advocates tirelessly on Mocha’s behalf and has even created a FaceBook page to showcase Mocha right into her own home. She has done a beautiful job of keeping Mocha well socialized.

Meet Mocha-Chino ……in Her Own Words

Change a Pet's Life

Mocha

I am a beautiful chocolate colored pittie girl, about 3 years old, with the most stunning eyes that will melt your heart. I am one of the most affectionate dogs out there but I keep getting overlooked.

Here’s the thing with me….I can’t remember everything from my past, but I do know that someone witnessed me being thrown from a moving vehicle and because of that, I have some trust issues. I take a bit of time to warm up to new people BUT PLEASE understand that I want to love you and trust you and I try really hard, but I get scared so you need to give me a bit of time (and plenty of yummy treats) and once I trust you, there is nothing that you can’t do to me. Once I give my trust (and it only takes a couple visits) , it’s yours 100% and I will love you with my whole heart and soul!

I would do best in a home with older, respectful children and I am selective with other dogs,. If they are submissive and calm, I am calm but if they’re in my face and hyper, I don’t like that. Just ask and we can do a meet and greet with your doggy to see if it’s a match. It may take a little time though as I don’t have a lot of experience with doggy manners. I do know that I don’t get along with cats though.

I may be best as the only pet in the home. I definitely cannot live with cats. I was in a temporary foster home for 6 months and lived with a teenage girl and I was great but I had to come back through no fault of my own. I have wonderful house manners, I’m housebroken, know basic obedience, ride wonderfully in the car and am a really good girl. I’d love to have a family of my own real soon. Check out my bio to learn all there is to know about me.  Woof!

If you’d like to make my acquaintance, please complete an adoption application & be sure to mention my name – MOCHA!!

Change a Pet's Life

Mocha

 How We Know Mocha

We know Mocha through her Facebook Page .  From her page (and from communicating with her “Aunt Michelle”) we have grown to know and love Mocha.  She resides with Eleventh Hour Rescue in Randolph, New Jersey. Click here to see Mocha’s very own web page.

Mocha has lots of friends and her “Aunt Michelle” created Mocha’s FaceBook Page. Although “Aunt Michelle” would love to adopt Mocha, she cannot do so.  Mocha explains the reasons quite well.

She has a very dog aggressive dog at home that cannot share her home. Aunt Michelle knows that this is not the ideal situation for me and wouldn’t put me in a potentially dangerous situation. I have made so much progress in my dealings with the real world and she doesn’t want me to regress and have any set backs. She loves me enough to say that her home is not 100% ideal for me, even though i know it hurts her, I understand her decision and know how much she loves me and only wants the best for me. She is my best friend and I love her for all she does for me.

 Special Perks that Accompany Mocha

  •  Mocha’s adoption fee will be covered to an approved adopter by http://www.sammyshope.org/daves-faves
  •  A local trainer has offered to provide training for Mocha, free of charge to her new family

A Few Requirements

  • Due to Mocha’s trust issues, you must be willing and able to come meet Mocha a few times.
  • Mocha must feel comfortable with you before you will be able to bring her home.
  • The Eleventh Hour Rescue will not transport Mocha to you.

Mocha is waiting. Will you be the one who changes Mocha’s life today?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Here is to you and yours in 2015. We hope you have a happy new year and that the start you get in January lasts all year long. We want to see at least one good snow for an opportunity to walk with our dogs through a winter wonderland. We trust all your hopes, dreams and wishes will come true.

January is National Train Your Dog Month (http://www.trainyourdogmonth.com). To celebrate, Daisy Mae and Beth are looking forward to participating in a training course. We bet Beth is the one who will be trained!

Good Dog!

Good Dog!

January is also  National Walk Your Pet Month. Do you walk your dog or cat on a regular basis?  Yes, cats can be taught to walk on a leash, believe it or not. The ASPCA (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/teaching-your-cat-walk-leash) has great tips for getting your cat accustomed to a harness and leash. You would be amazed at how well you can train a cat if done in a positive fashion.

 

 

Bird Adoption

Bird Adoption

 

Have you considered acquiring a pet bird? January is Adopt a Rescued Bird Month so there is no better time. A great place to start is Companion Parrots Re-homed (http://www.companionparrots.org/) in Pineville. Another wonderful place to learn about bird care is Parrot University (http://www.parrotu.com/) in Pineville. They even offer boarding for your parrot when you must go away. Please be sure to educate yourself on the intricacies of bird care and the issues facing captive birds (http://www.avianwelfare.org/links/organizations.htm).

 

Here’s what else January offers. January 2 –  National Pet Travel Safety Day; January 5 – National Bird Day; January 14 – National Dress Up Your Pet Day; January 16 – National Penguin Awareness Day; January 21 – Squirrel Appreciation Day (our dogs are ready for this one Sealed); January 22 – National Answer Your Cat’s Question Day; January 24 – Change a Pet’s Life Day and January 29 – Seeing Eye Guide Dog Birthday.

 

Happy New Year to you and your pet family.