Critter Consulting

Enjoy this collection of holiday safety tips, gift ideas, and fun new videos!

Keep your pet safe & happy this holiday season:

• “Fact or Fiction:  Are Poinsettias Poisonous?”  Read the ASPCA’s update on the low toxicity of this popular plant.  Take note that other holiday growies are dangerous to your pet:  Just a nibble of a lily can cause kidney failure in cats. Holly and mistletoe can cause GI distress and cardiovascular problems.  Bacteria & fertilizers in tree water can also trigger tummy upset.  Cats often vomit after eating evergreen needles.  Per the ASPCA:  “If you suspect that your animal companion has eaten a potentially toxic substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s emergency hotline at (888) 426-4435 for round-the-clock telephone assistance. A fee may apply.”
• “Veterinarian Urges Pet Safety During Holidays” by Russ Krebs (FreemontTribune.com, 12/08/08).
• Browse our Thanksgiving post, “You Are What You Eat” for holiday food safety tips.
• Read our articles, “‘Tis the Season for a Change in the Weather” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside!” for tips on keeping pets cozy this winter.
• Help Fluffy & Fido relax:  Pet-proof your house, and keep your pets away from holiday chaos.  During festivities, find a quiet place in your home where they can relax without being scared or overstimulated.  Stick with your pets’ routines, including lots of exercise, to help them cope with holiday unpredictabilities.  Stay on top of house training; many pets regress due to schedule changes, stress, and unpleasant weather.  Read more tips, and contact us for additional advice.

Looking for the purrfect gift for your cat, dog, or pet-loving friend? 

• Never, ever, ever give a pet as a surprise gift!  If you’re considering adopting, make sure the whole family is in agreement, and do your research first.  Take your time choosing your new family member.  We can help!
• We’ve seen a lot of impractical lists of pet gift ideas this season.  NAPSI’s list is one of the best.  Visit our always-updated recommendations for dog products & toys, as well as cat products & toys.
• You can find great gift ideas & discounts @ our favorite catalogs & online shops.  Check the list for the latest discounts offered by each company.  And please support local pet stores and shelter gift shops. 
• Your pet doesn’t care how much you spend on a gift.  Playtime; homemade gifts; an extra walk; or a romp @ the dog park are wonderful - and free!
• A recent study showed that 84% of Americans would rather receive a gift that gives to someone else than something that’s just for them.  Why not make a donation in a friend’s name to your local shelter or favorite rescue group ?
• Every shelter has a wishlist of items they really need.  Check their websites or call ahead for the list.  You can make a big difference with items you have around your house - no monetary donation needed.  Or, volunteer your time - it’s priceless! 
• It’s always nice to curl up with a good book or video.  Our reading lists (dog & cat) are always updated for browsing.
• And - Critter Consulting offers gift certificates for pet training (for dogs & cats of all ages)!

Fun videos in time for the holidays:

• The RSPCA is on a mission to end pet obesity in the UK.  They’ve enlisted the folks behind “Simon’s Cat” to help:  Meet “Simon’s Sister’s Dog”.  (Contact your vet, as well as Critter Consulting, for help in reducing your pet’s weight in a healthy manner.  And we can help if your dog begs like Simon’s sister’s dog!)
• Barney’s celebrating his last Christmas in the White House.  (Corny, we know!)
• And our personal favorite:  “Dog Having a Blast in the Snow”.  Woo-hoo! 

Warmest wishes to you and your family: two and four-legged, alike!

ã 2008 CritterConsulting

A friend sent me this article.  (I’ve certainly heard this said of cats, too.) I had to share it with you:

“From time to time people tell me, “Lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “That’s a lot of money for just a dog.”  They don’t understand the distance traveled, time spent, or costs involved for “Just a dog”.  Some of my proudest moments have come about with “Just a dog”.  Many hours have passed with my only company being “Just a dog”, and not once have I felt slighted.  Some of my saddest moments were brought about by “Just a dog”.   In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “Just a dog” provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “Just a dog”, you will probably understand phrases like, “Just a friend”, “Just a sunrise”, or “Just a promise”.  “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.  “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and purpose that makes me a better person.  Because of “Just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks, and look longingly to the future.

For me and folks like me, it’s not “Just a dog”.  It’s an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.  “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday people can understand it’s not “Just a dog”.  It’s the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “Just a man or woman”.

So the next time you hear the phrase, “Just a dog”, smile, because they “Just Don’t Understand”.”
-author unknown-

Big hugs to your dogs (and cats!). 

Happy Thanksgiving!  This edition of “You Are What You Eat” includes Thanksgiving safety tips; recall updates; and this month’s news on melamine in the food supply. 

Thanksgiving prep, safety & diet info:

• “Thanksgiving Safety Tips”- from aspca.org
• “Talking Turkey with Your Dog”(holiday food that’s good for dogs) - from dogtime.com, 11/19/08.
• “Don’t Let Pet Odors Mar the Holidays” - by Christie Keith, Universal Press Syndicate, 11/25/08.

Recall updates:

• “Mars Petcare USA Announces Extension of Voluntary Recall” - from MarketWatch.com, 11/25/08.
• “Origen Pet Food Linked to Cat Deaths” - by Susan Thixton, TruthaboutPetFood.com, 11/23/08.
• “Update on Origen Pet Food”- by Susan Thixton, TruthaboutPetFood.com, 11/24/08.
• “Dry Pet Food Sickens Humans” - from Reuters, 11/6/08.
• “Tiny Tots Dog Treat Voluntary Product Withdrawal”- from solidgoldhealth.com, 10/13/08.
• “Hartz Recalls Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips”- by Susan Thixton, TruthaboutPetFood, 10/21/08.

Melamine in pet & human food supplies:

• “Walgreens Recalls 173 Teddy Bears With Chocolate Bars Sold Since Late September 2008″ - FDA press release, 12/5/08. 
• “FDA Details Its Food Safety Campaign” - by Andrew Martin, NYTimes.com, 11/30/08.  A quote from this article:

“…the agency’s recent reaction to the discovery of the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula was evidence of its continued dysfunction. This fall, the agency said that any amount of melamine in infant formula might be harmful. But the agency then said that trace amounts of melamine were acceptable after they were found in formula made in the United States.”

• “Our Home-Grown Melamine Problem” - by James McWilliams, NYTimes.com, 11/17/08.
• “FDA Alert:  Detention of Chinese Imports”- by Susan Thixton, TruthaboutPetFood.com, 11/12/08.
• “Chinese Regulators Destroy Tons of Tainted Animal Feed”- by David Barboza, NYTimes.com, 11/2/08.
• “China’s Tainted Food Inquiry Widens Amid Worries Over Animal Feed”- by David Barboza, NYTimes.com, 10/31/08. 

I hope this catches everyone up on the food news.  Warmest Thanksgiving Wishes to you & your family: humans, canines & felines, alike!

Often overlooked, with lots of love to give, older cats & dogs are wonderful companions!

• Please visit your local shelter or rescue group to meet senior pets you can share your home with.
• Read the The Senior Dogs Project’s reasons for welcoming an adult dog into your heart & home, and what you need to know before you adopt.
• Read the SFSPCA’s reasons for adopting a senior pet (cats & dogs).
• See our article on adopting an older Kitty.
• See our info on special-needs pets for helpful links.
• Listen to tips on caring for your elderly dog.
• And - you can teach an old dog (or cat) new tricks!  Contact us to help your new pet make the transition into your family.  Begin training as soon as you bring your pet home, to prevent unwanted behaviors.  Training will also keep your pet safe & comfy through the holidays.

 ã 2008 CritterConsulting

Lots has happpened in the last few days!  Prop 2 passed; there’s going to be a new “first dog” in the White House; and Barney had a bad day…..

• “Effects of Prop 2’s Passage Debated” - from Press Democrat.com
• “Who Are Obamas’ Candidates for First Dog?” - from USA Today
• “Obama Girls to Get a Puppy” - from ChicagoBreakingNews.com
• “Barney Snaps at White House Reporter “ - video courtesy of Aprildryan.com

We hope the new “First Dog” is adopted from a shelter.  (Why not a “First Cat”?  Remember “Socks” Clinton?) If you’re considering adopting a pet, contact us for help in choosing the right dog or cat for you & your family.  See our reading list for books on choosing a pet, and visit local shelters & rescues.  

There’s tension in the White House, and Barney’s surely feeling it.  If your pet has behavior issues, don’t hesitate to contact us, sooner rather than later.  Don’t forget, early training, beginning as soon as you bring your pet home, is always best for preventing unwanted behaviors like aggression!

ã 2008 CritterConsulting

Please consider these arguments in favor of Prop. 2 before you head to the polls:

• Per the Marin Humane Society:  “Prop 2 will phase out the most abusive factory farming practices in California: veal crates, battery cages for egg-laying hens, and pig gestation crates.”  Read more about the Marin Humane Society’s position & argument in favor of Prop 2.
• Read the ASPCA’s argument in favor of Prop 2, as well as their rebuttal to those opposed to it.
• Visit yesonProp2.com to read the list of organizations endorsing this proposition.
• Pass this info on to your friends before election day!

“How we treat the least of beings among us determines our own humanity”  -Oprah Winfrey-

We wish you & your pets a safe & happy Halloween!

Check out these links to safety & behavioral tips:

• ASPCA’s guidelines
• Dogtime’s guidelines

Assuming Pup is happy in a costume, always supervise him while he’s wearing it.  Here are some cute costume ideas.

If your pet is fearful, territorial, or overstimulated by Halloween celebrations, keep him away from the excitement, safe & calm.  Contact us for help.

And, for a Halloween laugh, enjoy this video!

Boo!

Animals are great teachers, if we’re open to learning from them.  Do we know what our pets already know about the simple joys of every day life?  Here are a few lessons to learn from our dogs:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch often.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you’re not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Source:  Internet, submitted by a client & friend.

Have a great weekend!

This is a recurring topic for us because we believe that your pet’s diet affects his/her physical, emotional & behavioral well-being.  And, in light of the news of melamine entering the human food supply via Chinese-made powdered milk, we cannot assume that processed foods are safe for our pets or ourselves.

Manufacturers of processed pet & human foods are not required to disclose the countries of origin of their ingredients.  And, only 1% of the imports entering the US are inspected by the FDA.  Demand to know the sources of ingredients in your food supply; contact manufacturers!  See our diet info for pet food brands that have disclosed the sources of their ingredients, making their products more trust-worthy.

As always, here’s the latest in recalls and, now, the presence of melamine in the human food supply:

• Recall:  The ASPCA warns that several popular brands of pet food manufactured by Mars may be salmonella contaminated, including Pedigree.
• The FDA says: Eating small amounts of melamine isn’t harmful to adults.  But, they say there is no safe level for infants (and, we assume, for pets, either).  Do you believe this safety claim?
• In time for Halloween:  Melamine found in candy in U.S.

Keep your pet safe this Halloween.  Read the ASPCA’s tips.  Keep candy out of your pet’s reach.  Wrappers, chocolate, and artificial sweeteners in sugar-free candies (xylitol) are all harmful to Fido & Fluffy.

Be safe; be healthy!

ã 2008 CritterConsulting

OK - We may be late in “discovering” Simon’s Cat.  But we’re glad we did so we can share these animations with you.  Anyone who’s lived with a cat can relate to Simon!  (By the way, if you need help changing your cat’s behavior, like Simon does - contact us.)   Enjoy! 

• Simon’s Cat in “TV Dinner“
• Simon’s Cat in “Cat Man Do“
• Simon’s Cat in “Let Me In!”