Olympic short track speed skater Jordan Malone relies on his dog, Oly, to manage his mood! Our furbabies do the same for us.
Link to the video
February 27, 2010
February 14, 2010
February 13, 2010
Happy Year of the Tiger 2010
January 17, 2010
Soft Paws: The Miracle Cure
My cat, Bingley is a darling. He's mellow, social, and loves all animals - and humans - equally. He's so easy going, in fact, that he is one of few cats approved to be part of the P.A.L.S. program - he does three visits per month to senior care facilities in Calgary, and he's great at what he does. He has never scratched, bitten, or hurt the residents in any way.
I can't say the same for myself. Or my furniture.
You see, Bingley loves to scratch. And while I might sometimes deserve it when I cuddle him too much for his liking, my furniture has done nothing! It just sits there, trying to look pretty and provide comfortable seating. But does Bingley care? NO! My poor couches are abused beyond belief, and no amount of disciplining keeps him away. I've tried it all. Citrus spray? No problem - unlike every other cat on the planet, he likes the smell. Foil? He shreds it. Water spritzed at his face? He thinks it's a game. I have had some success with the two sided sticky tape in all his favourite scratching places. Unfortunately, he just finds new favourite places to destroy. And I refuse to cover my entire couch in sticky tape. I mean, really. I have my limits.
So where does that leave me? Until a few months ago, I believe I was doomed to live forever with Mr. Destructo's special brand of interior decorating efforts. My dream of having leather couches would never amount to anything - who in their right mind would invest in leather under such circumstances?
But that all changed when I saw Soft Paws at the local pet store. I asked my vet about them, and voila! Problem solved!
Soft Paws are rubber caps you glue on the cat's nails to prevent scratching. They're non-toxic, they don't cause any damage or pain to the cat, and they don't interfere with the natural scratching motion - which is part of the cat's nature. They do, however, keep the nails from causing damage.
I took Bingley to the vet for the first application, so I could watch them do it and make sure he'd behave himself. Originally they did all four feet, because I wanted to avoid some of the scratching and destruction that occurs when he jumps off a surface (usually my legs). I've since given up on the back feet - he chewed them off within a few days and was so angry every time I tried to reapply, my hands looked like they'd been through a wood chipper. Okay, I exaggerate. But I still had many scratches and bite marks on my hands. It wasn't pleasant!
The front paws, however, have been great. He still scratches, but he can no longer cause any damage. I think this irks him immensely! But he's good about having them reapplied when his nails grow out, and though he's a consummate nail biter (he was even before the Soft Paws), they stay on pretty well.
Here are some photos I took during Bingley's first application. You might find it funny that my cat now has blue toes, but it was important to choose a colour I could actually see - how else would I know when one needed to be replaced? The blue looks rather good on him, I think!
January 12, 2010
Stella in Tonimari "Tiffany" coat
Stella just had her first haircut.
This classic pink "Tiffany" beaded dress coat from
www.tonimari.com keeps this little fashionista warm.
Christine Monroe Sculpture - Harry, the Agility Maltese
Talented sculptor Christine Monroe made this sculpture - Harry, the Agility Maltese:
Harry is in agility training and he loves it - especially the "Dog Walk!" Here's a video clip of him in class:
If you are on Facebook, become a fan of Christine Monroe Sculptures on Facebook! She's a very talented artist.
December 21, 2009
Happy New Year - and Another Canine Photo Secret for You!
Harry and Stella wish you a very happy 2010! We’d like to give you a Christmas present by explaining how we got them to pose with the piano.
When you first bring out a prop, it can make your dogs a little nervous. You want to encourage them to be curious and get comfortable with this new object. Clicker training is marvelous for this!
We put the toy piano on the floor in the middle of the living room so they’d have to learn to live with it. At first, we clicked and treated every time they even so much as looked at it. Gradually they were approaching and sniffing it. Again we clicked and treated for this. Eventually the piano was no big deal.
We left the piano there for a week. Every so often, we’d play a game with Harry and Stella. We’d call them over and put a treat on top of it. When they bravely approached and took it, we clicked. We gradually increased the complexity of this game until they were putting their paws on it. This was harder than you might think because it is very slippery plastic and they were nervous about sliding off. (BTW, it’s battery operated, so without the batteries we didn’t have to worry about getting them used to the sound it made when they pressed the keys!)
After a week of clicker training, the piano had become a fun exercise. Time for the photo shoot! Harry and Stella were given treats and praise for posing and the picture turned out beautifully!
December 19, 2009
Harry & Stella model Christmas fashion!
Harry & Stella are this month's cover models for go.fetch!
They look like Hansel and Gretel, but don't worry, there's no wicked witch, only visions of liver treats dancing in their heads. Stella is modelling a My Little Gingerbread Girl embroidered Christmas dress and Harry is wearing a My Little Gingerbread Boy embroidered Christmas vest! You can see these styles and more at the go.fetch online store. They are very happy to have such high quality canine couture to wear for Christmas and go.fetch has fantastically friendly customer service!
