HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

My older, 13 year old dog is a IVDD survivor–that is, Inter-Vertebral Disc Disease.  It is completely genetic and not the result of any avoidable injury. While I always was mindful about avoiding stairs and using a nylon harness instead of leather dog collars with a dachshund and other precautions,  I am even more conscious of all the choices out there to alleviate strain on backs and necks.

I have recently come across the Buddy Belt, named for Buddy the dachshund (shown at left). It is a harness especially made for dogs with a tendency towards a collapsed trachea, such as chihuahuas, and those with tendencies towards spinal weakness, such as dachshunds. Instead of a strap around the neck or across the chest, it sits a bit lower on the body, and when a dog pulls, it puts no pressure on the spine or neck, unlike dog collars or even harnesses that encircle the neck or sit high on the chest. The dog’s front legs are slipped in two adjoining ovals and it straps behind the shoulders. When removed, the harness does not look like the typical tangle of straps.

The Buddy Belt is made in Toronto, each one by hand. The prices start in the $30’s.  FunnyFur.com is one of the retailers that carry them.

There are a lot of other great harnesses out there for back issues – some look more like a dog t shirt. And of course there is the Hug a Dox. I thought I’d point it out because its a completely different type of design that might just suit your pup.

I have some exciting news!

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., is holding an online auction next month.

Donatons are currently being sought to auction off in this event. If you are an artist, collector, business owner, or just an individual with something to donate…. send an email at info (at) savingshelterpets.com with your contact information, and a description of the item you would like to donate. You may submit a clear, quality photo and ship the item at the conclusion of the auction, or, if you prefer, mail the item to an SSP volunteer who will photograph and ship the item. The auction begins October 4th, so if you are interested in contributing, make like a duck and…nevermind.  Tell em you head about it on HoundsGood!

**Please Note** Due to the fees involved with the charity auction site we will be using, we can only accept items valued at $20 or greater at this time. This will not be held on Ebay, but rather, SSP will have a dedicated auction “page.”

Please spread the word so we can make this auction a huge success for all the dogs & cats helped! Saving Shelter Pets, Inc., a 501(3)c charitable organization, has several wonderful programs including Spay & Neuter, Puppy Promises (puppies are intercepted from ever entering a shelter environment), Bernie’s Buddies (help for heartworm positive shelter dogs), TNR programs for feral cats, Rescue & Transport and more!

Click the banner to travel to the SSP site, or click HERE to read previous stories from this blog on SSP.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am an incessant sun screen user in the summer. In the past year, I have become very conscious of the chemicals in sun screen and have ditched a few that contain titanium dioxide and now use one with zinc oxide exclusively. Not only am I not burning, but I noticed any redness from dermatitis on my face is no longer red. Sure, it could be the Vitamin D of the sun, but I attribute it to the zinc. Because of the thick consistency, I am hesitant to use it elsewhere on my body.

There is another product that uses zinc oxide, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, which is a diaper rash cream. It is also good for razor bumps, and I have heard some folks using it for prickly heat and psoriasis. I am not surprised, also, to hear folks using it for their scalp. The first time I heard about it was actually when I ran into someone who used it for their dog. The dog has alopecia and was always suffering from a raw tail. His tail would wag so much and beat against chair legs that the skin would be very dry and it would crack and bleed.

The ingredients are natural and contain zinc oxide and balsam oil. Just make sure you don’t have a balsam allergy before you try it.

Right now, you can receive a free sample if you send a 6×9 self addressed envelope stamped with $1.39 in postage to:

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
1600 Brian Drive
Columbus, IN 47201

Let me know what you think of it.

P.S. Balsam Pear plants are poisonous to dogs and cats.  The Balsam pine will upset stomachs if large quantities are consumed, but is not fatal, especially in the sparing amount in a tiny dot of paste.   Of course, keep all topical applications out of the reach of children and pets, even if non-toxic in normal use.

An old business associate of mine recently relocated to the west coast and were looking for a Portland Pest Control company. While they were familiar with the bugs and rodents back home, the new cast of characters just is not familiar to them yet. Of course, some are just a different variety of the same insect or mole, but when they differ just a little bit in color or size, the mind completely forgets how to tame or evict them.

Before you call an exterminator, here’s a few methods for evicting moles from coming into your dirt basement if they have not already taken over:

• Spread soiled kitty litter around the cracks and crevices. Felines are a natural enemy and moles will retreat.
• Stuff coffee grounds or dryer sheets where moles have been sighted. I am not sure why, but moles detest the scent.
• Turn on a radio. Now, this method is a bit unorthodox, but I have read that you can seat a small radio in a plastic bag. Leave it on, and place it in a mole hole or near where they like to come into the house. I would assume the bag protects the radio, but also perhaps muffles the sound so that they don’t know where the human voices are coming from. They scurry away from human voices.

I have also heard about exterminating the grubs they like to eat. The chemical dehydrates them, and the moles remain alive and well, but go on to another yard looking for grubs. This can be effective, but I always worry about what other species eat the grubs or what harmful insect or fungi the grubs could be eating. By periodically switching your method from dryer sheets, cat litter and…um…radios…the moles can live out their lives without getting in yours.

I bought a nice bed for my dog on sale at Marshall’s, but I’d like to find one for my younger dog, too. Every time I look, I can never find something comparable. Everything is pink or pink cheetah or pink camouflage, or just is poorly sewn. I am a bit of a purist, and that just won’t do for a dude dog. A “Made in China” tag also stops me in my tracks. There are some things that are just not made in the US anymore, such as rubber rain boots. I don’t mind spending a little more, especially something that is not filled with something my guy is allergic too, but I should be able to find a fabric pet item that doesn’t cost $100 from some specialty catalog.

I recently found some Sherpa pet beds that are made in the USA over at Overstock. I sort of have forgotten about that site. When they were new, I checked it all the time, but in the past few years, I don’t think I have been there once, but now I’ll be checking. The bed is $19.99 for the 27″ size. Be careful. There is a rectangular bed shown in a similar fabric that is NOT made in the United States, and there are other round beds that are international.

I’m going to surf around for some Overstock coupons to see if I can pinch a few more pennies. I’m not cheap; I’m frugal.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

May is NAVTEQ’s Map Update Month. What does this mean for you? It is a gentle reminder to update your GPS system. Every year, new highways are built, streets are bypassed for new arenas and subdivision configurations change. It may not be critical if you stick within a three mile radius, but I know folks who took a cross country trip with outdated maps and they were really turned around. They were lost and it took an hour or two a few times to right themselves.

According the the NAVTEQ Navigation Benefits Study study, using a GPS device conserves approximately $200 in fuel per year, reduces CO2 emissions by 20%, and saves time. Time on the road saved in hours equals 4 full days per year!  How? Since a driver isn’t aimlessly driving around and looking for a destination in “hit or miss” fashion, less fuel is wasted and time is trimmed from trips.

For those of you who participate in volunteer transports, you know just how critical this is. Rescue transports are planned with precision, with only 15 minutes allotted for a bathroom break for the dog and to buffer traffic and delays.  Cats and rabbits really don’t get bathroom breaks on the trip, but it provides extra time to make sure that they have the water the supplies the need for the next leg of their journey.For more information, click on www.mapupdatemonth.com.  There is a list of downloads on the site for both independent GPS units and systems built in to various makers and models of cars.  It is a worthy investment before playing “around the world.”

One would have to live under a rock to not know that Christmas, Hannukkah, and other heavy duty gift giving occasions.  Some folks choose to buy jewelry for someone special.  Some gift givers want to purchase from someone local to support a local business or want to purchase something that is sustainable.  They do not want jewelry that is being made for pennies or don’t want to be in danger of purchasing blood diamonds.

One jeweler maker that is also easy to purchase from is John Hardy.  An example of cufflinks using lava rock, pictured at left. His work is accessible on sites such as JR Dunn Jewelers.  In the late 90s, John and his wife/business partner Cynthia purchased land in Bali.  They fell in love with the island and to learned the silversmithing techniques of the area.  Since the land they purchased had produced rice, they were concerned about the taking land that was used for food production.

In response, the Hardys did two things.  Their workshop and design studio, as well as additional buildings, are constructed using the local materials.  The river rock, bamboo and mud for adobe bricks all come from Bali.  The company also sits on an organic farm that they developed.  Cows and goats are humanely raised.  Sugar cane, Bali rice and more are grown to provide healthy lunches to the more than 700 employees that work at John Hardy. It sure beats the vending machines and the cold sandwiches at places I have worked over the years.

If you are looking to support a company that cares about the health and well being of their employees, supplies an area with a significant number of jobs, you can feel good about purchasing gifts from John Hardy.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of GoViral. All opinions are 100% mine.

Getting a pet for someone as a Christmas present is never the right move. Often, the giver does this to be a hero to the recipient as a huge gesture. Other times, an individual puts a pet on their wish list without thoroughly examining the suitability of the pet. After the holidays, or more so in the six months following the holidays, shelters are packed with Christmas presents. They arrive either immediately as the recipient is not allowed to have a pet where they live, or in the next few months when the pet is past the tiny and helpless stage and starts to roam around.

Here is a pet that you can really give someone without there being any consequences for the pet. MyFelix is an adorable java based feline that is ready to wiggle his way into your heart. This is a preview, where you can pet Felix. You can share him via email as well. When you download him, you will also be able to teach him tricks. He might even roam around your desktop. Occasionally, he may have a message for you. There may be contests you can enter in or special offers. You will not be asked to register MyFelix or provide your contact info when you download him, which is an added bonus.

To download MyFelix, you need Microsoft® Windows XP or higher. I can preview him on a Mac, but he is not Mac compatible right now. Hopefully a Mac OS version will be developed. MyFelix will have to just hang out on my PC. I’ll go over there and visit him once in awhile. Shh…don’t tell Mac.

There are many hotels and motels that are pet friendly. However, just because they allow pets to hang out does not mean it is a home like situation. Some hotels allow you to leave pets in your room while you get a quick bite to eat, but others do not, and require you to be with the pet at all times. Of course, if you are just crashing for the night, it is easy, but if you are staying for a number of days, it becomes a challenge if there is now way to cook in the room and there aren’t any outdoor cafes where you can eat with your pet. Of course, in the winter time, that would be a little chilly.

That being so, luxury vacation rentals seem even more out of the question. However, I stumbled across Masterpiecerentals.com. Not all of the accommodations are mansions, some are more modest, but they are all private residences or condos. You can rent a house out for a night or for a few weeks with no worry about cleaning staff coming in and out of the room and potentially stressing your pet. Not all properties allow pets, but a very fair amount of them do. While in some cases, it is more expensive than a night at a hotel, when you stay for a week and way the expenses you would have dining out, it is obtainable. Also, many of them can sleep more than two people. Just doing a spot check, I saw that many slept six. Some large homes and cabins sleep up to 16. There is a great potential to go with a few family members and save a lot of money.

For this Thanksgiving and Christmas, if there are numerous relatives out of town, or if no one lives in the same city, what about all meeting at another location and having a few days of togetherness? Maybe its not for everyone, but there would be room. Of course, you would have to see how many bedrooms the arrangement had to determine if there were privacy or it was a case of fold out sofas.

Whatever you decide, I think renting a home would be a great way to include the pets during the holidays across the miles.

My neighbors are very concerned about recycling. Not only is there recycle bin full at the end of the week, but they are always looking for ways to reuse some of those bottles and papers a few times before they hit the bin. I have found that many people are in the neighborhood are the same way. I am far from radical, but what I notice the neighbors overlook is a few old fashioned ways to trim a few dollars off of the utility bills, such as conserving water. I am not talking about brushing your teeth dry, but water use for gardening and the kiddie pool.

Rain barrels are something that never crossed my mind until I lived somewhere that did not have running water for several days. The well was on an an electric pump, and when the power went out in the area, water was lost, too. I had filled the bathtub with water days prior to flush the toilet with, and there was still a water bottle or two at the store. Even so, just the suggestion of being without makes one thirsty. As Samuel Taylor Coleridge penned: “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.” The whole situation made me wonder how I could use a rain barrel to somehow benefit a bit more from the rainy season.

While rain barrel wouldn’t provide me with delicately filtered water to serve in champagne flutes, it has many important uses. I could water the lawn and garden with water I saved. Those tasks involve many gallons at time, so catching rain water would cut my water bill during the spring and summer. During a storm, I could use the water to flush the toilets. Washing the boys is something else I could use the water for.  The dogs usually are bathed in the stationary tub.  I could fill up a container from the rain barrel and use it to rinse them.  Of course, they are spoiled and like warm water, but I am sure they wouldn’t mind a tepid rinse, as long as they were compensated with being wrapped in a fluffy towel and held awhile.

Have you considered using a rain barrel?  Do you already use one?  Tell me what you think!