Embrace Pet Community blog

Daily Nuzzles Contest Extravaganza

While we here at the Embrace Pet Community blog can post a few cool contests per month, there is a whole 'nother world wide web of pet contest blogs out there.  Daily Nuzzles is on a mission to collect the best of these contests.  They've got books, goodies, foods, treats and more for cats and dogs. Plus, they've got great ways to help pet charities and shelters while you're doing fun stuff online. How can you go wrong?

Wood Chuck Giveaway from Planet Dog

I used to think that tools for throwing dog balls were just silly--a way for a pet parent to avoid having to touch a slimy tennis ball.  That is, until I recently saw a dog dad using his Wood Chuck to throw tennis balls into Lake Erie for his Viszla.  That ball went much further out than most people could comfortably throw, which meant that much more swimming fun for the Visla.  Is the Wood Chuck ideal for the average small back yard?  Probably not.  Is it an awesome addition to a day outdoors? Absolutely!

We're planning on using the Wood Chuck to entice Kayden to swim this summer.  But more than that, I'm always happy to partner up with Planet Dog, because they donate a portion of proceeds to charities.  Read more about the Planet Dog Foundation.

Planet Dog has offered up one of their Wood Chucks and a Glow for Good Ball to one lucky pup.  To enter, use our RaffleCopter Widget below.  Bonus: 5 entry points to anyone that posts a photo of their dog to our Facebook to show us why your dog would love a Wood Chuck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pet Dreams Bed Review and GIVEAWAY

Kayden is head over heels in love with his new bumper bed from Pet Dreams.  It just arrived yesterday and he spent the entire shift bringing all of his office toys into it, snuggling up and snoring.  It's his new favorite spot, which is really something, because he's so partial to bunkering down under a desk.  I'm so glad he feels so comfy out in the open with this snuggly soft bed.

The bed is quite plush, with plenty of padding to keep joints off the ground, and the cushion has channels inside to help keep the stuffing where it should be, even after washings.  The bumpers dip in the front so seniors can get in and out easily, but it doesn't sacrifice that chin rest for snuggling.  Eco-bonus: the filling is 100% green, made from recycled plastic bottles. 

No less than three people commented yesterday that they'd like to snuggle up in the bed with Kayden.  There's almost room.  This bed is the large ($89.99) in sage, so it's very roomy.  The color is much more like what they show on the website than how it appears on my camera, and this is just one of four options...one of four color options that one lucky winner will get to pick from!

Pet Dreams is giving away a bumper bed to one lucky winner.  Use our RaffleCopter widget to enter, and we'll pick a winner on June 1st.  The Facebook likes are mandatory, but you can earn extra entries by commenting or following our Twitter feeds.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Veterinarian's Best Flea and Tick sprays

I've never been a fan of chemical based flea repellents.  If I have to be careful and wash my hands after applying it at what point is it really safe for me to pet my dog?  If the dog is on the couch is the chemical transferred?  If it kills insects what does it do to me or my pets?  Now, all of these questions are just my inner dog-mom talking.  There is no scientific research or study involved here.  Just a matter of personal preference.

To up my paranoia, when this flea season hit I was 5 months pregnant, making me even more reluctant to go the chemical route.  Instead, we're opting to try Veterinarian's Best natural flea spray with peppermint oil and clove extract.  We just give the dogs a good spritzing with the spray to prevent flea issues.  No chemical weirdness and as an added bonus, my dogs smell so pretty!  I'm particularly careful to hit the abdomen, groin and neck area, as I understand these to be some of the most common flea hang outs.  We do a quick spritz about once a week, which is about how often my stinky guys need a clean up anyway.

Is it working?  Yes, it's now well into the warm weather of flea season, and no signs of fleas.  Kayden is particularly sensitive to flea bites and will chew his fur away at the first bite, but we've had not a single issue.

Do I feel better? Yes!  My husband and I love knowing that we can spritz our dogs for their protection without risking side effects from chemicals.  It's better for them, for us, and for our baby.

Crazy Cat Lady Board Game

While I prefer to be called a "pet enthusiast" there are plenty of gals out there that take pride in being called a crazy cat lady.  (Embrace CEO Laura Bennett has the coffee mug to prove it.)  Whether or not you're one of these feline fanatics, you're eligible to play The Crazy Cat Lady game, $16.99 at MentalFloss.  Try to collect as many cats as you can as you take your trip around the board. Some bonus spaces include "rescuing a grumpy old cat from the pound" or "kitten distracted by a bit of fluff".

Are you a crazy cat person? How have you collected your cats?

Four Legged Gear for the Two Legged new addition: Kitty time!

Yesterday's post featured my favorite canine themed baby items, but you'd better believe our little girl will have plenty of kittens in the nursery too.  I love this vintage chenille quilt, and it's a handmade steal at just $39.

The sleepy kitty crocheted doll is so calming and the perfect size for tiny hands to grab on to.

Pretty and bright, perfect for spring, this little tank top from VanessaandCompany.

Newborns see black and white more clearly than they see colors, so I like the stark contrast of this feline mobile.

I could go on and on about the darling burp cloths, baby shoes, and little hair accessories.  

Four Legged Gear for the Two Legged new addition

My husband and I are expecting our first baby come August, so we're in full-blown baby shopping more. Nothing cuter than those tiny onesies and little socks, right?  I have noticed that most of the baby things with puppies are for boys, so I'm determined to find cute puppy stuff for our little girl.

I am head over heels for this little one-piece that features a Kayden look alike, spots and all.  It comes in custom fabrics at Oliver Blu on Etsy. Here's another cute onesie with a little girl hugging her scruffy pal from TinyTeru.

Can't forget the nursery furnishings, like this custom mobile.  The artist, HingMade, will create your own pets and their favorite accessories.  How darling!

Etsy's got the market covered on nursery prints, quilts, and the rest.  Check back tomorrow when I feature my favorite kitty themed ideas.

PetSmart Giveaway: Puppy Prizes!

 

Ruthie the Cutie

Puppy Season is in full swing.  Our Embrace Pet Insurance call center is ringing off the hook from new pet parents bringing home the new additions and we're loving it!  There are two puppies in the Embrace offices today, as a matter of fact, including foster pup Ruth, shown right.

 

PetSmart is ready for the puppy-palooza too.  They've got everything from housebreaking supplies, grooming tools, cute tags and collars...the list goes on!  When puppy Kayden came to Cleveland the first trip was to PetSmart for one-stop puppy shopping.  They've got great resources online, like the puppy starter checklist and great puppy classes for training and socialization.

To help you with your new little angel, (or devil, depending on how the chewing and housebreaking is going) PetSmart is giving away a starter kit with vouchers for products and services worth over $130.

Now, here's our favorite part.  To enter, all you have to do is upload a cute picture of your puppy to the Embrace Facebook.  We'll pick one cutie at random and have PetSmart ship the pack out in early May.

Photos submitted to Embrace's Facebook wall during April 2012 will be considered for entry. Winner will be contacted by Embrace Pet Insurance for prize fulfillment via sponsor. Embrace staff and families not eligible to win. Must not have won within last 90 days. Good luck!

 

Petmate UV Light Infinity water fountain

Embracer Laura has been putting the PetMate Water Fountain to the test with her 3 darling kitties.  Enjoy her guest post:

I have always wanted a water fountain for my cats but I never got around to spending the money on something I secretly felt showed how lazy I really must be. Really – a caring and considerate cat mom would be changing the cats’ water every day, wouldn’t she? Reality says though I get to it when the water is low – poor babies! Accepting my limitations, I requested a water fountain from our friends at PetMate and they sent along the UV Light Infinity Water Fountain for me to test out.

One of the first things I noticed was that the fountain is made in the US – faint! I didn’t know anything plastic was made in the US anymore.

Then I went to put together the fountain. As I usually do, I started without paying much attention to the instructions (admit it, you do the same too) but after I put it all together in about the right spots, I did have to refer to the instructions. The water was not flowing down the waterfall even though I could hear the motor lightly whirring away as it should. Upon closer inspection, I found I had not precisely wedged in the part that shuttles the water up to the fountain and once I fixed that, it was a go. Note that the UV light piece has separate instructions, which would have been better intermingled with the instructions for the rest of the fountain. I did work it all out though and the fountain was working in about 15 mins of assembly and head scratching start to finish.

 

As for the result, I really like the fountain. It took me a week or so to see the cats actually drinking from it but I know they were using it much earlier than that because I put their old water bowl away and made sure all toilet lids were down in the house.

My one criticism is that the fountain is not as quiet as I would expect. This isn’t a bad thing in our house as we have a lot of distance between the kitchen where the fountain resides and the living room, and I quite like the background burbling when I am in the kitchen (good feng-shui); however, if you have a small apartment, you might not be so enamored with the gushing noise, especially if you have bladder issues :)

Other writers of online reviews for the fountain seem to have issues with it breaking down after a short period of time. Mine has been working nicely for about 6 weeks now so that has not been an issue for me. I’ll update you in a few months on how we like the fountain longer term. So far, so good. 

And just to finish off, I started my review by saying that I got this because I am lazy; however, even if you do change your cat or dog’s water every day, I think this is a good accessory to have because the water is fresh and flowing. I’m hoping my cats are drinking more than they used to for their kidney and overall health. 

Have you used a water fountain like this? What do you think about your experience?

 

PetSmart Graduation: Intermediate Obedience

It's a proud moment when your pup graduates from his intermediate obedience class.  I was so glad to be able to share the good progress with his foster friends and rescue group.  I have to send a big shout out to PetSmart and our trainer Juliet for inviting us to join this program. 

I've never gone through formal classes with my dogs and I've always regretted this (especially when Lyger's pulling me down the sidewalk).  After adopting a strong, young and shy dog I knew Kayden needed to get his education off on the right foot.  I had hopes that the course would help him understand what is expected of a pet dog (instead of a stray desert dog) and hopefully bring him out of his shell a bit.  Mission accomplished! And then some!

Kayden's new skills include:

Sit Stay and Down Stay: Pretty self explanatory, but super helpful on a daily basis.  I use it when it's time to hook him to his leash, time to get out of the car, wait while I walk him down stairs...I don't need him to look pretty doing it.  I just need him to stay safe when I'm trying to get something accomplished.  We're working on having him stay for longer breaks and with greater distances.  Distractions can always be an issue too.

Wait: Waiting before a dog enters a door or heads down the stairs.  Being that I'm 6 months pregnant, my balance on stairs is iffy to begin with.  Having a polite pitty wait at the top of the stairs instead of rushing through your legs is a huge safety bonus!  When I'm carrying his new baby buddy in August, I won't have to watch my footing quite so much.

Park it (aka Go to Bed): This is just telling your dog to go to his safe spot when asked.  In our house, that's go to the closest dog bed, so that you're not jumping on company or getting under foot while I'm working in the kitchen.  Practical uses abound!

Heel: Again,  pretty self explanatory, and a skill we're still working on, but I cannot recommend it enough.  It's transforming our walks from a time of aggrivation into a bonding experience.  When your pup looks up to you, waiting for his next queue, it's a great feeling.

Tricks: We're working on "bang, you're dead." Somedays, Kayden is feeling more "alive" than "dead" but this trick is surprisingly easy to learn, if you've got the right trainer.

More importantly: Anyone at Embrace will tell you that Kayden is "like a different dog".  The dog that used to run from umbrellas and people with purses now greets the FedEx guy and his cart!  Instead of hiding under my desk he's visiting everyone in the office, getting his picture taken, getting pets, taking treats, and enjoying life.  Socialization is one thing, but I'm a firm believer that helping Kayden feel more prepared for what humans expect and need from him has been critical.

Other tips from our class experience:

• I loved that there were just two dogs in this course. Not sure how many pets are in their other courses, but it was nice to get the personalized attention.  Kayden wasn't overwhelmed, and that's a big deal for a dog like him.
• We used a clicker, which is not required, but was super helpful in keeping Kay attentive and alert.  Strongly recommend it.
• Have good treats.  Kayden was much less interested in the beef treats, but perks right up when he smells his peanut butter and banana bits.
• You have to do your homework. There's no judgement from the trainers at PetSmart, but I know that we could have been better at practicing. We were consistent about asking Kayden to do his task when an opportunity arose, but his responses would be more consistent had we spent more time explicitly training.  

Fortunately, we'll be able to continue to practice on a regular basis.  Juliet invited us to come back for the advanced course in a few weeks.  We'll be joining a pretty Italian Mastiff named Mouse to perfect our safety skills and hopefully earn our Canine Good Citizen badge.  Fingers and paws crossed!  

 

 

Spring Clean with Stomp 'n Go

Bissell is back and to the spring cleaning rescue with a sweet giveaway for April. They're offering up 2 prize packs of Stomp 'n Go pre-moistned clean up pads.

Sometimes we find the pet mess long after it's dried and the stain has set in, but the Stomp 'n Go pads remove even set in stains.  Muddy paw prints, accidents and spills don't have to be a big problem any more.  Just drop the pad on the spot, stomp and let it sit.  The formula will work its magic.

Their user reviews are so clearly the typical pet parents:

"My dog was having some issues and this pads worked magically!!"

"I was shocked to fined out how well the work in removing dog urine stains and smells."

"I purchased the "Stomp and Go" product in hopes it would help me with my new puppy stains. I didn't want to have to shampoo the whole carpet each time she had an accident while she was house training. I was AMAZED that the product did exactly as the advertisement said it would."

Now's your chance to test them out on your carpets.  2 Pet Parents will win 2 boxes each.  To enter:

Stop by our Facebook wall and tell us (or post a photo) about the worst mess your cat or dog has ever made.

We'll draw 2 names from all the entries and contact our winners in early May.

Contest details: Photos submitted to Embrace's Facebook wall during April 2012 will be considered for entry. Winner will be contacted by Embrace Pet Insurance for prize fulfillment via sponsor. Embrace staff and families not eligible to win. Must not have won within last 90 days. Good luck!

 

Unbreakoball Test

Our Unbreakoball arrived yesterday from DoggyLoot.  It is what it looks like, a hulked up version of a wiffle ball.  The plastic is VERY thick and sturdy.

We ordered this for super-chewer Kayden, and he's more than happy to chill on his bed and lick and paw at it.  (He's bunkered down in his crate with it as we speak.)  At first the scardy pants was spooked by the rumbling noise it makes when it rolls on the hardwood, but he got over it.  I think the thick plastic, combined with the large diameter, makes it hard for a dog to get in a good position to really chew it, lending to the durability factor.

But, surprisingly Lyger has been playing with this a ton.  While his 12 year old self is hardly one to be breaking much of anything, he has a blast chasing this thing around the house.  

If Lyger could write this post, I think he'd probably say that he likes that the ball is big enough that it doesn't go under the couch, so the fun never ends.  He probably also likes that I can stick a couple of treats in the holes and make it a bit more enticing.

I like that it's not easy for him to grab, so it's a bit of a struggle for him to finally catch and hold onto it.  Because of his age and limitations, I like that it's a toy he can play with at his own pace.

Who knew that the Unbreakoball would be fun for all ages?

Unbreakoball 6" starts at $17.95, including free shipping. Spend $60+ and get 10% off.  Just remember--they guarantee that the ball won't break within 90 days or they'll replace it. 

 

TGINPD: Thank Goodness it's National Puppy Day!

As a former puppy foster care coordinator, I usually consider myself "less" affected by puppies than most people, just because I know all too well how much work they require.  But, this photo feed from PetSmart has me missing my old role bottle feeding and snuggling the babies (especially 11th down with those big blue eyes!)

In honor of National Puppy Day, they've also posted a handy tip sheet to help you get the best photography out of your baby.

Do you have tips for getting great puppy photos?  Want to show off your baby?  Post pics to our Facebook.