My favorite things: Paco Collars

I love doing reviews on products and promoting businesses that I love. I also love finding new product to talk about! This brings me to the business I am sharing with you today, Paco Collars! I found out about these at the American Family Pet Expo in Puyallup, Washinton this past Saturday and they are absolutely great. These Collars are made of good quality leather and are custom made by hand. You don't find that very much any more.

I am wearing The Pickles black leather collar, but they also come in brown and tan as well. There are also a wide range of designs and sizes for your dog too. From Giant and Large to Medium and Small, Paco Collars has them all! Just check out their website. You won't be disappointed! http://pacocollars.com/

The company doesn't just make dog collars either, that's just what I'm highlighting on today. You can get leather leashes, cat collars, and you can even get custum ID tags. For the humans, you can get belts, bracelets, Paco Collars t-shirts, and more!

These collars also come with a lifetime guarantee. This is what the website says.

***Your Paco Collar comes with a lifetime of free repair. Of course, we’re banking on the fact that you’ll never need it, but should something break, we’ll repair or replace your product.

That said, know that we do have limitations…if your dog chews its collar to shreds, we can’t fix that, but any repair resulting from product failure will be taken care of. This offer doesn’t extend to paint jobs, carving work, and a handful of pre-fabricated decorations (like the Milan Hearts). However, even those are covered should any of the hardware fail.

Also note that the tan colored leather does vary greatly from hide to hide, and may turn quite dark over time. You can prevent this by removing it before your dog goes swimming or does something particularly dirty, and then it should retain its color for years to come and break into a lovely light brown shade.

Lastly, and there’s no gentle way to say this, when your pet goes, we will turn your product into a memorial bracelet for free. Just send us the collar and your wrist size, and we’ll make you a wearable memento. ***

I highly recommend this company. You can buy online as well as in many stores across the United States. If you live outside the USA, that's okay because there are also stores that sell Paco Collars in Australia, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany and Japan.

Rescue Friend of the Day: Alexa!

Alexa is a young(under 2 yrs) Great Dane/Mastiff mix who is looking for a forever home. She has a very sweet, mild temperment and wants to be loved. Alexa is also housetrained, working on crate training, is great with other dogs, and is also good with cats. Dog respectful children, 12 and older would be best. She was surrendered when her family could no longer care for her.

Alexa's Health:

Alexa may have Wobbler disease; this has not been confirmed due to the cost of the confirmatory MRI but based on her symptoms, breed and age, it is likely. She is on gabapentin and needs to stay on it indefinitely. It makes the difference for her in not being able to walk or even stand easily, to that of a dog who can be a dog! She is on 7 pills, twice a day but we're hoping she can get to a maintenance dose of 5-6 twice a day. Costco has the lowest price - it is $81 for 1,000 pills (so 71 days worth on the high dose; 100 days if she can get down to 5 pills twice a day - so this is pretty afforadable, about $40/month). We also recommend investigation into acupuncture and other naturopathic treatments/maintenance. There is a surgery that can be done eventually if her condition declines but there is no guarantee that she will need it. This disease may very likely shorten her lifespan, but she has plenty of good years left! For more information about Wobbler disease, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wobbler_disease. Alexa is spayed, microchipped, flea treated, dewormed, and is current on vaccines. Your adoption donation goes toward the cost of this vet care as well as transportation and general care costs. In addition, all pets adopted from Motley Zoo come with 30 days of free pet insurance provided by Shelter Care.


Notes from Alexa's Foster Home:

Alexa is a gorgeous girl and has been described as a "lovable doofus", so she has a silly streak! She can be shy of new people but she bonds quickly and once she knows who are people are, she is very loyal and likes to be around them as much as possible. She's a very smart girl and knows the commands for "Sit", "Down", "Stay", and "Leave it". She walks well on a leash and is food motivated so the sky is the limit for her obedience training! She is eager to please and smart, which is the perfect recipe for a well behaved dog! She loves people, toys and food and she enjoys trips to the dog park. She doesn't love being brushed but luckily she has a short coat that doesn't need much brushing! She would prefer to be part of the family and wouldn't do well in a really solitary environment as she does have a bit of separation anxiety (a family where someone is home a lot would be perfect for her). Unfortunately due to her health, she is unable to walk a flight of stairs; she can manage a handful of steps, i.e. a short porch, but she can't manage much more than that. However, at a recent vet appointment, she got a good stamp of approval so although she will have Wobblers forever, with the gabapentin, she is enjoying each day. She does need some continued training around resource guarding. Due to her probable health issues, she really needs a dedicated forever home who is willing and able to fund her health costs so that she isn't in constant pain. She will more than reward this family with dedication and love!

If you are interested in adopting Alexa, please contact Motley Zoo Animal Rescue by email: adopt@motleyzoo.org or for more information, visit their website www.motleyzoo.org.

Let's find Sweet Alexa her forever home!

Why I Blog For My Dog

Hi all of Oscar's blog followers. I know I usually blog in Oscar's voice, but today I am writing from my point of view.

When I tell people that I have a blog for my dog, they either think it's totally awesome or that I'm completely crazy. It's one of those things that some people just don't get. I explain to them that there really isn't one specific purpose to the blog, but several. I blog about favorite parks, dog or pet events, review pet related products, promote businesses, and more!

I raise awareness for puppy mills because they absolutely disgust me and I want to help make them stop. I do this for my Chihuahua Sadie, who was a puppy mill survivor rescue, and any other animals who have to suffer like she did. I fight for those who don't have a voice for themselves. I encourage adopting a shelter animal instead of buying from a breeder for several reasons.

1) There are so many loving animals(dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, etc.) that are in shelters or foster care that need homes. Many are killed because the shelters don't have enough room or the animals have been there too long. Many times the elderly animals have the hardest times finding homes because the young ones get adopted first. It's so sad because, often times, the seniors are the sweetest ones.

2)It seems like rescued animals are always so much more grateful because you saved them and they know it. I got Oscar when he was 8 weeks old and he is happy to see me when I get home, but Sadie gets REALLY HAPPY when I return home from work. I mean, she won't stop dancing around me and scratching at my legs until I say hi to her and give her loves. I think they are just so thankful that you gave them a loving home, that they want to show you everyday how much they really appreciate what you have done for them.

3)Because no animal deserves to be left behind. Some get overlooked because they are scared and don't want to come close to you. These special animals are the ones that need the most love. Take Sadie for example. I worked at a dog kennel when her puppy mill was raided. The kennel took in some of the dogs to help the shelters out and Sadie was among them, along with her 7 puppies. She was so scared and she would sit in the back corner of the kennel all day. Every time someone came near her, she would poop or pee because she was so frightened. When it came time for the dogs to go to foster homes, all the social dogs got taken first. Nobody wanted to take Sadie. There was something about her that struck my soul. Maybe it was the fear in her eyes or her look of pure innocence. Whatever it was, I knew that I was going to take her. It was the best thing I have ever done. I know she probably would have been put to sleep had I not taken her. She just didn't want anything to do with people and would bite somethimes out of fear. You would never know it if you saw her now.


I was really touched the other day when I received a message via Facebook from a follower of Oscar named Judy. Over the last few days a whole story has unfolded and I will share it with you now. It will help you understand more about why I do what I do.


This was the first message I got from Judy on October 26th:

* Oscar, please pray for us. We are in the process of adopting a rescue Boston Terrier. We need a name for him. He is about 5-7 years old and is a good boy! We have to wait one more business day as his owner has not shown up yet. If we get him we will find out Tuesday morning. I know this is the right thing to do and is the perfect time for us. My only wish is that he will get along with the 2 cats and Lucy. We love him already.*


I was so glad to hear this since Oscar and I are all about adoption. I told her that I would be praying for their family. Then, we received another message on Tuesday October 30th.


* Oscar and family: We get to bring home Barney tomorrow to his forever home. His owner never came to pick him up so we are adopting him. We have no clue what he has been through but is a really neat dog. He is in the pound overnight recovering from his neutering. He has a very stressed out stomach and has an ulcer. We are going to have to give him several different meds but I am a nurse so can handle just about anything. We are introducing Barney and Lucy at the vet office so we can make sure everything goes well. I am a little concerned but am confident they will figure it out. I will post pictures when we have a moment. I feel like a new Mom getting to bring home another addition! It is an awesome feeling to be able to give love unconditionally! Sadie is our inspiration and I know she has an awesome life! Thanks for "featuring" her on Oscar's page!*


That was the message that really touched me. To have Sadie be an inspiration is an amazing feeling. It's things like this that keep me going everyday and continue helping animals find homes on behalf of Oscar. It's people like Judy who understand what Oscar and I stand for. I sent this Message back to her.


* Thank you for sharing! It's hearing things like this that keep us doing what we do. I'm so glad that Sadie could be an inspiration for you. It may be some work in the beginning but it's all worth it in the end. After saving Sadie, I can't imagine doing anything but adopting.

In fact, you may have heard that my parent (Oscar's human grandparents just adopted a dog today. They had talked about buying one from a breeder, but I convinced them to just look at petfinder.com. Sure enough, they found Harry. It's just two more happy endings!

I know Barney will be in a great home with people who love him. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to ask them as I know what adopting a rescue is like.

Kathryn, Oscar, Sadie and the rest of the gang*


I got this message back and it reminded me of what my life was like after I first brought Sadie home with me.


* He is such a cute boy in need of love, food and a stable environment. We have no clue what type of a situation he came from so he is really stressed. We pick him up in an hour. I will try to take some pictures and get them to you but probably not today. I just want to settle in with him and get his stomach settled down. He has had massive diarrhea for the past 5 days. All he needs is love! I will be encouraging people to adopt vs buy from a breeder! I am sure I will be in touch with you with some questions so I am going to thank you in advance and thanks for sharing our story. I will be sharing Oscar's page with people too! All for now.


Again, this brought tears to my eyes. Partly because I know what it's like and partly because someone understood what message I am trying to get out and then, taking it to heart. This is what I live for. Thank you Judy for sharing Oscar's page and, hopefully, we can get the word out about this little Boston Terrier who is just trying to do good.


Thank you Judy, Steve, your Boston Terrier Lucy, and your cats Calvin and Hobbs. You will be rewarded with love for your decision to adopt. You will find that it's the best feeling in the world to know that you saved a life and changed Barney's world forever. You are going to be great parents and Barney is going to have a wonderful life.


The next time someone asks me why I have a dog blog or when someone rolls their eyes says and says that it's a stupid idea, I am going to tell them this story. Maybe then they will understand that it's not all fun and games. I don't waste my spare time writing, I am trying to make a difference.

Thank you all for following Oscar and his life. I enjoy hearing your stories, seeing your pictures, and answering your questions.

~ Kathryn Snyder




I will leave you with pictures of Sadie the Survivor. The dog that inspired this adoption story.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all my blog fans! This year I asked my Facebook followers to send in pictures of their dogs in costume and we got a lot of great pictures! I will start off with my picture first, followed by the others.


Me as the Mailman and Sadie as a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box

From left to right Blue, Bono, and Roxy Pugstar as Gandalf the Grey, Frodo Baggins, and Galadriel

Arlo as a Bumblebee

Harley Girl

Napoleon the French Bulldog as a Lion

His sister Josephine is a Piggie

Gracie Gladstone the Boston Terrier is a Bumblebee

Gracie dresses up again as a Pumpkin

Oscar the Rhodesian Ridgeback dresses up in style! I personally love the picture of Oscar in the bandit mask.

Lucy the Vampire

Izzie in her Halloween dress

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! I will leave you with these cuties!

Mud Puddle Club Photography

So, this past Saturday my family went out to several pet stores to do several pet costume contests. One of the shops we went to was Pet Pros in Bothell, Wa. They were having a pet costume contest and to enter you would get your photo taken by a photographer and that picture would be emailed to the store.

Mud Puddle Club Photography was doing the pictures and they were having a Halloween special, so mom decided why not have someone else do the photography for a change? That way we can get our pictures taken and promote a business at the same time. Especially since it's a photography business, which are near and dear to mommy's heart.

Here are the pictures!

If anyone in Washington State is interested, here is the website.

www.mudpuddleclub.com

I Wish Every Dog Had A Loving Home

I live in a very loving home with my wonderful sister Sadie, my Guinea Pig sisters Cinnamon Spice and Vanilla Bean, and my lizard Gollum. I get my belly rubbed everyday, a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, food in my belly, lots of toys to play with, and walks/hikes/or trips to the beach. Could I imagine my life without these? No. Sadie could though.....because she lived it for the first 3-5 years of her life. Sadie knows how it feels to be all alone, with no one to snuggle, no one who cares. She was lucky enough to never end up in a shelter.

Most of my doggie friends are in wonderful, loving homes too. I say most because like Arnie, who I posted about on Monday, some don't have a home. Oh sure, some may live in a foster home but it's not the same as having a real home. I wish every dog could experience it at some time in their life. Actually, I take that back. I wish every ANIMAL had a loving home starting at some point in their life and only ending when their last breath escapes from their body. To have their human right by their side the whole time.

I am a dog on a mission! To help get as many dogs out of shelters or foster care and into loving homes. As many dogs as I can at least. Sadie inspired me to make this mission my goal in life. Look in her eyes. What do you see?

I can tell you what you won't see. You won't see the scared dog I saw almost 4 years ago. Sitting in the back of a crate with her tail between her legs from being so frightened. You won't see the pain she suffered for all those horrible years living in a very small crate with no food or water, having to pee and poop where she slept. She would then be forced to get pregnant and give birth to her puppies all by herself. No one helped her because no one cared.


What you will see is a very content dog that is happy for the life she has now. She has been given a second chance at life. Mommy loves to watch her sleep because she looks so peaceful.

I may be a small dog, but I am on a BIG mission. I won't be able to help them all, but I will sure try!

Rainbows Really are Good Luck

Rainbows are supposed to be a sign of good luck and it looks like it's true! On Sunday me and my family saw a double rainbow outside of our apartment. Yesterday I had another vet appointment to check my eyes again and we were hoping that this double rainbow would be a sign of good news at the vet office.

Well, it must have been a really good sign because the appointment went great! The eye stain was done first to make sure the scratch had healed and it did. This is great news because I don't have to be on the antibiotic eye drop or the Rimadyl anymore.

I still have to be on the anti-inflammatory eye drop and the drop to reduce the pressure in my left eye. I will have to be on these two medications the rest of my life and I'm okay with that. Mommy gives me a treat every time I get an eye drop!

Mommy and Daddy have to watch out for my eyes getting really red, squinting of either eye, or any other sign that my eyes are bothering me. If I show any of these signs, I have to go to the vet again as soon as possible. Hopefully that won't happen any time soon and, if all goes well, I will be seeing the vet again in three months for another eye check.