I was secretly sort of happy when I realized that Kayden would need some winter wear. He's got very little hair and equally little body fat, so he shivers at the first sign of snowflakes. Yes, even big athletic Pibbles need coats. So, of course I was gleeful when PetSmart wanted us to try out the Martha Stewart Christmas sweater.
The large fit him just perfectly! It covers from collar to bum without being too short. The sides close with these classic wooden buttons, two buttons per side so it's secure, but allows for enough room that the sweater won't tear or pinch if he gets wound up.
I think Kayden is ready to tag along when we go Christmas caroling or riding in a one horse open sleigh! Now, your pup can join in on the winter fun too!
Now until NOON on Wednesday 12/7, PetSmart is sponsoring a quickie contest to giveaway one sweater and one PetSmart holiday toy. To enter:
LikeEmbrace and PetSmart on Facebook. Comment here and tell me what holiday activity your dog would like to partake in! Making snow angels? Sipping hot cider? (You must log-in with your e-mail address to qualify.)
We'll draw a winner at 12:00pm ET on 12/7, so let's get this party started!
Comments submitted before 12:00pm ET on 12/7 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.
We're looking at some pretty harsh winter claim stories at the Embrace Pet Insurance blog. We get a number of small claims for paw pad irritation from rock salt, as well as some bigger claims for pets falling or getting cut on ice. (I can only imagine the human medical bills for people slipping on the ice while walking the dog.)
To help keep our Embraced pets (and people) safe this winter, Dog.com is giving away an 8 Lbs. jug of Safe Paw ice melter. Safe Paw is safe for kids and pets, not harmful to skin or eyes because it contains no corrosive salt. It's 2-way non-corrosive time-release action won't harm your lawn, concrete or deck either, and it's been awarded the PTPA Green Product Seal. It was even the official ice melter of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Who knew?
To win a jug of Safe Paw:
Visit our Facebook page and upload a picture of your pet enjoying the cooler temperatures
Photos submitted during the month of November 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
Dog ramps or stairs are really key to keeping your pet's spine and joints healthy when they're hopping up and down off the sofa or bed. What we don't realize is that their tiny bodies do a lot of twisting and torquing, and then there's the impact. Some little dogs can't even make it up on the bed. Isn't that sad?
So there are dog ramps. But frankly, they usually look like dog ramps or stairs--very utilitarian. Which is why I LOVE the Puppy Stairs we just received for Gracie to test out. Gracie, the cutest mini-Dachsund ever, (loved by Embracer Jessica) races right up her stairs and goes to her snuggle spot--no risk of falling or injury:
Notice that the interior decor doesn't have to suffer. The ramp's lovely oyster suede cover blends right in with the sofa's upholstery. They've got ramps and cubes to make any configuration you can imagine in four designer colors--so you're not stuck with a one size fits one dog and still doesn't match.
The style doesn't suffer when the dog gets bigger--they've got excellent ramps for larger dogs too. We had Embracer Sara's foster dog, Patsy, a big o' Basset mix try the large dog ramps and she was up on the bed before you could say "hop up"!
I'm so pleased with the Puppy Stairs. I wasn't sure that the fabric cover was going to look nice as it does, but it's quite smooth and sure to blend in well in almost any room. It's traction, safety and design in one. Gracie approves!
UPDATE: Now, save 10% on Puppy Stairs. Details here.
Trick-or-Treating Tips for Families with Dogs Provided by Dr. Martin Glinsky of SmartBones
Halloween can be a fun time for families with dogs, especially when taking the dog along for Trick-or-Treating. But, there are some important safety tips families should keep in mind on Halloween:
Dogs should be kept on short leashes when out Trick-or-Treating so little ones have less of a chance of tripping over the leash.
While Trick-or-Treating, pet parents should make sure their dogs are under control at all times and kept away from loud noises or ruckus. This may frighten dogs and cause them to run away or bite.
Although dogs may look cute in costumes, pet parents need to keep their dog’s comfort, safety and ability to see properly in mind when choosing a costume.
Pet parents who are staying home with their dog and handing out candy should keep their dog in a separate, closed room with a TV or radio on to keep the dog calm. This will prevent the dog from becoming spooked by Halloween costumes and possibly running off or jumping on Trick-or-Treaters.
If homeowners would like to hand out treats for Trick-or-Treating dogs, rawhide-free dog chews are the best option. Treats such as SmartBones contain no rawhide, are 99% digestible and are available in a “mini” size appropriate for all dog breeds.
After Halloween festivities are over, it’s important to keep dogs, and other pets, away from candy because it may be very bad for pets’ health. Pet parents should keep SmartBones dog chews on hand so their dogs can enjoy a healthy, vitamin-and mineral-fortified Halloween “treat” with the family.
As a thanks to our readers, SmartBoneswould like to give away a SmartBones prize! To Enter:
1. Like Embrace and SmartBones on Facebook 2. Comment here (using a login so we can contact you) and tell us what your dog's perfect halloween costume would be.
Comments submitted during the month of October 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.
Halloween can be a fun time for families with dogs, especially when taking the dog along for Trick-or-Treating. But, there are some important safety tips families should keep in mind on Halloween:
Dogs should be kept on short leashes when out Trick-or-Treating so little ones have less of a chance of tripping over the leash.
While Trick-or-Treating, pet parents should make sure their dogs are under control at all times and kept away from loud noises or ruckus. This may frighten dogs and cause them to run away or bite.
Although dogs may look cute in costumes, pet parents need to keep their dog’s comfort, safety and ability to see properly in mind when choosing a costume.
Pet parents who are staying home with their dog and handing out candy should keep their dog in a separate, closed room with a TV or radio on to keep the dog calm. This will prevent the dog from becoming spooked by Halloween costumes and possibly running off or jumping on Trick-or-Treaters.
If homeowners would like to hand out treats for Trick-or-Treating dogs, rawhide-free dog chews are the best option. Treats such as SmartBones contain no rawhide, are 99% digestible and are available in a “mini” size appropriate for all dog breeds.
After Halloween festivities are over, it’s important to keep dogs, and other pets, away from candy because it may be very bad for pets’ health. Pet parents should keep SmartBones dog chews on hand so their dogs can enjoy a healthy, vitamin-and mineral-fortified Halloween “treat” with the family.
Today's featured photo is Houston, winner of our PetSmart contest giveaway! Nice smile Houston!
It's official: Meet the newest member of the family, Kayden! You might remember my post from our trip to Best Friends where we met this cute little dude. We'd promised ourselves that when the time was right, he'd make the flight to Cleveland...and well, he did! Our little guy flew from Las Vegas, we picked him up in his crate, and here he is! Lyger took a few days to get used to this scrapper 10 years his junior, but now they're tag teaming chew toys with the best of 'em!
To help get Kayden settled in, we hit up the one stop shopping for pet supplies, PetSmart. We took a tour with store manager Jim, who started out with this handy-dandy checklist to help us get him started with his basic needs; safety, enrichment and nutrition.
First things first! A new dog needs ID. While Kayden came with his tags and microchip linked to Best Friends, a dog isn't official until he's got his new tag. I have all of my dogs old battered tags and look back at them, remembering them as pups.
PetSmart has a super cool TagWorks machine to laser engrave custom tags. Watching this contraption print on this tag brought out the gadget-geek kid in me:
This process is an easy way for the entire family to help welcome the new addition:
Head to the machine, located at the front of the store. Pop the tag in, close the door, and type in your pet's data. Name, address, phone, medical needs. Our tag was double sided, so name phone number on the front, address on the back.
The jump ring and a protective label are included in the package. Getting the tag on those annoying jump rings is the hardest part!
Since the sanctuary had Kayden listed as a "flight risk" and he's got a vertical leap that would put most air dogs to shame, I feel much better knowing Kayden's got his tag on.
I want to send a shout out to the great folks at the PetSmart in Mayfield Heights, OH. Jim and his staff took exceptional time to show us around and were patient with our shy guy. Kayden was fearful of the automatic doors, the strange men, the shopping cart...but slowly and surely, with the help of some liver treats, it came into a socializing experience! I was particularly touched when Kayden's leash got looped around his leg and when I didn't notice, the cashier guy came over, leaned down quietly, and helped Kayden out. Kayden offered a tail wag thanks, but that cashier should know he helped an undersocialized dog in a big way that day.
Stay tuned for more posts from our PetSmart Shop, including a review of Blue Buffalo, a Thundershirt, and more!
PetSmart has graciously granted us the products summarized in these reviews. There was no other financial compensation granted. For more information on how to get your new pet settled in visit your local PetSmart or visit them online.
Crazy K Farms is offering nice incentive for folks wanting to walk their cats while supporting breast cancer research. The rest of this month they're offering 10% off the pink kitty holster.
Just call 800-980-4165 and mention this discount when placing your order to save and have 10% of the proceeds donated to breast cancer research.
Ready to take your pet's fall fashion from underdog to Wonderdog? Yeah, that's what we thought. So we were right to get you a sweet 35% discount on EVERYTHING in store? Cool.
Now's the time to splurge on your dog's collar, leash and harness wardrobe as promo code EMBRACE gets you 35% off their entire stock of darling pet wear. No minimum order. That means the $44 harness shown top right is now just $28.60! Bargain!
I think my new pup, Kayden, needs a MetroStripe collar in gray. What do you think? The promo code knocks the price from $30 to $19.50. That's fashion on a budget!
Promo can be used on anything at WonderdogNYC.com. Shipping is additional. Can be used more than once and is valid through 10/31/11. Can not be combined with other offers.
PetSmart has invited all of you to a live chat, tonight, with veterinarian Dr. Robyn James.
The Live Facebook Chat, which takes place TODAY Wednesday, August 31, 2011 from 6:00-6:45 p.m. EST. is on the PetSmart Facebook page. They'll host an open discussion session with pet parents, answering pet parents’ questions about scientifically-formulated foods, what they are, and how they might be able to help your pet. Hopefully you'll come away with some great information, helping you choose the food that’s right for your pet’s unique needs!
Today's cute pictured pals are Indy and Rowdy, two cutie-pants mixes that live in Atlanta, GA.
