 By, Katy Cable-TWR / A 4 min. Read Wanna know the WORST possible holiday gift you can give someone...-A NEW DOG they didn’t ask for! This time of year I see lots of happy pet parents stocking up for the “new addition!” And usually nothing makes me happier. But at the same time, many of these dogs are surrendered to shelters come February 1st. About the same time the novelty wears off and the responsibility becomes apparent. So as much as you may love dogs, here’s a checklist to review before you take the big leap and become a pet parent. 1. What are your plans for the next 5-15 years? If you’re lucky, a pet may be around for 15 years. Prior to getting one, evaluate your plans and goals. Like anything else, a new family member requires additional time and attention. You may want to hold off if you’ve just started a new job or are adjusting to the demands of a new baby. Also think about what the next 15 years holds. Will you be retiring, will you be in a position to care for a then aging pet. 2. Can you afford to care for a pet? New pet parents are often blind-sighted by the expense of a new dog. They assume adding a large bag of dog kibble to the grocery list and the costs of a few quick vet check-ups will be about all it sets them back. While my blog tips will certainly help with costs, you must anticipate the additional expenses of a high-quality food, pet training, initial pet supplies, regular vet care, dental care, grooming and pet daycare/boarding. If a pet gets injured or suffers from a medical condition you could be looking at thousands of dollars for treatment. It’s best to be realistic about your financial situation prior to bringing home a new pet. 3. Are all the adults in your home OK with getting a pet? Take it from someone who initially never wanted a dog. I was filled with anger and resentment that my feelings weren’t being considered. Thankfully I was actively involved in the decision making process and we had clearly defined agreements on pet care duties. I advise getting everyone’s input on the pet selected and who will be responsible for various pet care details. 4. Do you have the time and energy for a pet? Many new pet owners are surprised at how much time a new pet requires. -Especially a new puppy. If you’re rarely home, travel extensively or presently find it hard to carve out time to get out for a quick dinner with friends, a new pet may put you over the edge. New pets need time to bond with you and get a stable routine that includes training/obedience classes, daily walks, exercise, socialization, grooming, feeding and of course, belly rubs. If you leave the house before the sun rises and return completely spent late in the evenings, you’ll need to seriously consider if you want to set that alarm even earlier for a morning run with your new dog. Will you be OK with hiring a dog sitter while you’re away all day? Will you have the energy to throw on sneakers and get out for another walk after putting in a grueling 15 hour day? A bored, neglected dog will typically develop behavior problems and create unnecessary stress. Think seriously about whether you have the time to provide a new pet a good quality of life. 5. Lastly, are you prepared for a disruption in your home? One reason I initially dreaded getting a dog was the mess! I suffered from bad allergies and liked keeping my home obsessively neat. The thought of dog hair covering all my furniture and my designer shoes serving as the chew toy of choice for a new pet was my idea of a living hell. Be realistic about how important your fine clothing, furniture and household tidiness is. If you’ve considered the above-mentioned points and it’s still a “GO,” let’s consider a few more important details: What type of dog will be the best fit for your lifestyle? This is a biggie? Read up on different breeds and get an idea of energy levels and temperament. Do you want a cute designer dog you can pack in a purse and take with you everywhere? Are you the outdoorsy type that enjoys hiking, camping and water activities? A retriever might be the perfect breed. If you’re an avid runner or swimmer, some breeds are perfectly suited for those activities while others, like Pugs, overheat easily and typically sink like stones in water. Many people are misinformed and choose a breed that conflicts with their lifestyle and energy levels. I urge you to research breeds wisely first. Are you prepared to deal with emotional or behavioral issues? I’m hoping and praying you will opt for getting your new pet from a rescue or shelter, but do want to remind you that most of these innocent animals were completely let down by humans. They weren’t properly cared for, trained or socialized. Often it takes time for the new pet to form a bond and trust again. Poor little Olive was a breeder dog who was tossed out in the streets after having a litter of puppies. Just a puppy herself, she had lived in a crate her entire life. She had no interaction with humans or other dogs. Coming into a new home was terrifying and overwhelming. She ran and hid at the slightest noise or anyone approaching her. I was so heartbroken for her but remained loving and patient. Three years later she’s thriving, but it took lots of time. Remember most dogs are relinquished for house breaking problems, barking and other issues due to fear and anxiety. Are you committed to rehab this pet if needed. Do you have an existing pet to consider? Usually after an adjustment period, a new pet can be happily added to the family but there are times when two pets simply DO NOT GET ALONG and leaving them alone together is an outright dangerous situation. I recommend planning a meeting at a neutral setting that’s not too busy and stimulating. Try a nice walk with both on leashes and slowly see how a short interaction goes with the ability to pull them away if one gets aggressive. If it’s not a match made in heaven try consulting with a good trainer before ruling things out. Often shelters and rescues have ideas and recommendations to help you welcome a new pet into the pack. Typically it just takes some time for the pets to adjust and have a balanced relationship. I realize I’ve just painted a terribly grim and unpleasant picture of dog ownership. I left out all the best parts which is the unbelievable amount of joy they can bring to your life. The true unconditional love they shower you with, and all the happiness they bring typically FAR OUTWEIGH all the hassles and extra expense. However, I would rather prepare you for the worst case scenario and not have you blindsided by a rude awakening. These tips will hopefully make it a smooth, wonderful experience. I hope many of your holidays include a special new addition. Please pass my website and blog on to any new dog owner friends that may find it helpful. Until next week: Pugs & Kisses 😘❤️🐾 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By Katy Cable - A 4 min. Read It’s the most wonderful time of the year! While it is for some, it’s also the most stressful time of the year for many. Suicides and domestic violence skyrocket and everyone seems spread WAY too thin. Everyday I hear people do much more complaining about the holidays than actually enjoying them. It’s a shame the commercialization of Christmas has got us brainwashed. This time of year, far more people feel depressed and sad instead of loving and thankful. As a “recovering” co-dependent I used to feel obligated to do everything and then guilty I didn’t do enough. I dreaded the holidays because I had enormous expectations for myself. It was up to “ME” (not Santa Claus) to make everyone’s holiday magical. I always did a pretty good job 😜 but every year I ended up angry, exhausted and sick. Now I actually enjoy the holidays because I’ve learned how to do things entirely different. So here’s a few tips that have turned things around for me. I hope they help you enjoy a much merrier holiday season. 1. Self Care is the name of the game. Most women (especially moms and wives) don’t do anything for themselves until everyone else is OK. They put themselves last on the list. I’m giving you permission to put yourself FIRST !. Nobody’s going to give you what you need or set your boundaries. In order to feel happy and joyful you simply must “Put Your Oxygen Mask On First” Shut down and rest if you’re stressed or getting sick. Eat well. Get some fresh air and connect with those special people in your life that lift you up. Spoil your pet with an extra walk and watch how many people you talk to and how great you feel. Make a list of 5 things you’re going to do EACH day for self care! Fun little things that make you feel good and rejuvenate you. ⭐️I enjoy taking Olive on a walk through the beautifully decorated canals near my home. It’s like being at Disneyland. All the homes and boats are so festive. It always puts me in good spirits and a place of gratitude. No canals or picturesque walking spots...How about taking a holiday drive through a pretty neighborhood. Blast that Christmas music and enjoy! 2. BE STILL AND BREATHE! If you’re like me you’re addicted to going, going, going! Sitting still and doing nothing is extremely uncomfortable. AND all the more reason I need to do it. Sit your butt down for a few minutes and breathe. Go online and do a 5-10 minute guided meditation or just sit quiet and do your best to think calm, happy, beautiful thoughts. When your “to-do” list or negative thoughts crop in, immediately shut them off by thinking to something peaceful. I can hear it now, “That might be fine for you but it’s so hectic right now I don’t have a minute to breathe!”...Well, make 10 and watch what happens. I have enjoyed sitting in bubble bath with candles and meditating in the warm, soothing water. Listening to the water fill the tub is also very relaxing. ☯️Sometimes It’s just impossible to stop my busy mind. When this happens, I swim some laps and focus on the cold, blue water and my breathing. Another helpful thing is taking a gratitude walk and thinking about all the things I’m thankful for using every letter of the alphabet. Try this when you can’t fall asleep or you’re obsessing about something! (-Bonus points for getting 5 things for each letter!) Usually I’m out like a light before I get to the letter “X” but if not, that takes some serious thinking! 3. JUST SAY “NO!” All month long the invitations and obligations come pouring in so do yourself a favor and say “NO!” Trying to get healthy and not pack on 20 extra holiday pounds...Pass on the cookie swap. Would you rather have a root canal than sit through another painstaking production of The Nutcracker or holiday chorale show? -JUST SAY NO! Everyone’s busy and either they’ll understand or they’ll get over it. Doing things you have zero interested in will only build up stress and resentments. NOW, in the true spirit of the holidays, there are some things that you should do. For instance your niece landed the lead role of Clara in the Nutcracker this year and the entire family is going. But, there will certainly be many, MANY, other invitations you can pass on that aren’t a big deal. Especially hitting every holiday parade, show, and get-together. Watch the volunteering too! DO NOT take on the ENTIRE job of organizing the office holiday bash, and a million extra volunteer jobs that are time-zappers. 4.”YES PLEASE!” That’s right! Now that you’ve cleared your calendar, go crazy with things that sound warm and fuzzy and FUN! Things that make your holidays MERRY! Start planning, inviting, organizing and doing a few of those! Love those holiday cookies, -host or attend a cookie swap. Is a favorite tradition hitting holiday sales at the mall or outlets until your feet bleed with blisters...go get those deals! Again, be honest about what is truly fun and not an obligation. Recharge those batteries doing fun things you love. 🎁One of my my favorite things to do is have my friends over a day or two after Christmas. Everyone comes in sweats, or PJ’s with a “RE-GIFT” (something nice but just not their thing.) Each friend brings left-over holiday cookies and food and we drink lattes (or champagne) while catching up on holiday happenings. Sometimes we make vision boards by cutting inspiring photos and headlines out of magazines with goals and dreams for the new year. 5. Surround yourself with DOGS! (Or cats, puppies, kittens, etc!) Seriously! Petting a dog actually makes the neurotransmitters in your brain go crazy. Oxytocin (a stress reducing hormone) is released and cortisone (a nasty stress hormone) is reduced. Walking a dog is easy exercise. It forces you outside in the fresh air getting your heart pumping and your blood flowing. Dogs are filled with love. Any attention drives them bonkers. Hug a few dogs, talk to them, pet them, love on them and watch how you feel. Why not see if a rescue or shelter will let you foster one for the holidays. 😜 🐾BONUS: One of my favorite traditions is participating in Justin Rudd’s Operation Santa Paws. Right after Thanksgiving, collection bins are put out all around the community. The weekend before Christmas all the items collected are taken to a variety of shelters and given to all the pets. It’s such fun to see the joy on the faces of all the needy pets. It’s a magical day! How about starting this in your community? If you’re a pet lover it will make your holidays extra special. ‘Tis is the season do something kind! Buy someone a coffee! Tip ridiculously! Donate to needy kids. Be someone’s secret Santa. Low on funds...”hold the door for someone, let the other driver take that prime parking spot. Offer to take someone’s “selfie” or just smile and give a genuine compliment. Doing kind things for others doesn’t have to cost a cent! It will make you feel wonderful! And you’ll be doing a kind deed during the holidays! Wishing you a peaceful, STRESS-FREE and happy holiday season. Pugs and kisses! -Katy 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.  By Katy Cable-A 4 min. Read Happy Holidays! I hope all of you are delighting in the merriment of the season and not stressing out over schedules, finances, obligations and expectations. I'll be honest with you, when it comes to Christmas, I tend to be a bit of a "Grinch"! I over-commit and never remember to take traffic, crowds, budgets, or my own energy levels into consideration. I’m usually left sick, tired, broke and frustrated before most people have their Christmas lights up. Every year I promise I'm going to "scale-back" and do things differently but it never happens. I would do much better if the holidays came every FOUR years like the Olympics or Presidential elections. So, if you’re re anything like me, here are a few suggestions that I’m trying out this year. I’m hoping to have a much less chaotic, “happier” holidays! 🎁It's all about the gifts🎁 It astounds me, all these catalogs and websites showcasing “perfect” gift ideas that START at $500! If I had funds like that, I sure wouldn’t need a gift guide for assistance. But coming up with a personal, unique wonderful gift on a minimal budget is difficult. And honestly, most of us don’t remember what we gifts we got from people anyway. This year, instead of all my favorite products and finds, I’m doing something completely different. When it comes to the hottest gifts this year, the big trend is not presents that need to be wrapped but “experiences!” I love this! Instead of your closet overflowing with thoughtful items you’re just dying to re-gift, now you can have some fun making memories with your recipients AND possibly treat yourself at the same time. I’m going to start with my BIG IDEA for the pug lover, while this isn’t inexpensive, or something you can consider if you’re flat-broke, but if you CAN swing it, I promise you it will be the gift that keeps on giving and worth every penny you spend and more. That gift is to attend the 2019 Vegas Pug Party. What could be more fun for a pug-obsessed person than an entire weekend of pugs. Last year’s gathering was such a huge hit, and this year promises to be even bigger and better. So my one extravaganza is THIS! Put it on YOUR wish list, make plans with a friend, or just treat yourself! This is what I’m asking Santa for after having the time of my life last year. Please read my blog and watch the videos to get a glimpse! (#Pugs Take Vegas) This year the party takes takes place Thursday, February 28-Sunday, March 3, at the Lake Las Vegas Hilton. A lavish, 5 ⭐️ resort. All the fun parties (PJ’s, Party Buses) from last year are offered, but new this year will be a pug convention with vendors, seminars, auctions, games, contests, and a pug adoption fair. That evening will be “The World’s Biggest Pug Wedding” uniting all pug lovers, withElvis officiating. So, if funds are tight, start saving NOW or talk to friends and look into ways to keep costs down by carpooling, sharing hotel rooms and attending select activities. (Click here for link with details: Vegas Pug Party) Back to my great gift ideas when you’re broke. If you have even less money than time, don't feel bad. Some of the most cherished gifts are those that come from the heart and don’t cost much money. Here are a few of my favorite ideas: 🎁Are you great with a camera or love social media? How about offering to set up an Instagram for a friend’s new pet. Last year I made holiday videos for my friends. I used clips and photos of fun things we did all year long. On Christmas morning I sent them in a text message. 🎁Have a flair for fashion? Why not take a friend shopping and help them select some nice pieces for an occasion or work. Maybe hit a vintage store and get a special piece not found in stores. 🎁How about giving a friend a facial, massage, or show them how to make that amazing dish of your grandmother’s that they rave about. 🎁Have a cookie swap with some friends and place them on an inexpensive pretty plate. 🎁Fill small sachets or jars with Epsom salts and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Tie them with a holiday ribbon. 🎁Buy a pretty vintage tea cup and add a sachet of tea. 🎁Fill a small holiday stocking and with a coupon offering to do some dog walking or pet sitting for a friend. My favorite holiday tradition is my “White Elephant Christmas” Postpartum Party. In between Christmas and New Year’s, I invite a few friends over. Everyone brings a favorite dish and a “re-gift” We have a “re-gift” exchange and play some fun games like Pictionary or Jenga. Some years we decorate gingerbread houses, others we make vision boards by cutting inspirational photos from magazines and making collages. It’s such fun to spend quality time with friends and it doesn’t cost much money. Plus we usually trade an unwanted gift for something g we like better. Other ideas are movie nights, a sporting tail-gate party or meet for pedicures or massages where everyone can treat themselves to some post-holiday pampering. Another wonderful idea is treat yourself to a shelter pet. Many rescues and shelters offer “Home Fur The Holidays” programs where families can foster a shelter pet for the holidays. This allows prospective adopters to try things out before committing and gets a needy animal out of the stressful shelter for the holidays. Hopefully the pet will end up being a “foster-fail” and become a new family member. Check your local shelters or rescues for info. I hope this year you’ll spend much less money and have much more fun by trying a few of these ideas. -And wIth all the money you save on gifts, I’m hoping all you pug lovers can make it to the 2019 Vegas Pug Party! 😜 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By, Katy Cable/A 4 minute read Happy Thanksgiving! No doubt many of you are busy, busy, busy, knee deep in preparations for the big event which, for many years was the case with me. Thankfully, this year we’re all gathering at Mimi’s Cafe and I will not have to worry about the fact my home is covered in a thin layer of dog fur and picking up all the clutter. The only thing I need to pick up is the VERY reasonable CHECK! But let's discuss our dogs for a second. I assumed since so many dog foods are turkey based and turkey is a very gentle protein that doesn't cause the allergies of say, beef or chicken, it was perfectly healthy for dogs. Also, with most of us wanting to indulge our pets with human "living foods" and not just processed food, "table scraps" can actually be a great thing. They key is HOW MUCH and WHAT KIND. So, here are some tips for enjoying a DOG-FRIENDLY Thanksgiving. TIPS FOR A DOG SAFE THANKSGIVING: 🦃 Keep the Dogs outside, in a bedroom or in a safe place. If you have a dog run, kennel, or crate, your best bet is to keep the dog safely inside it until all of the food has been put away and the scraps and bones disposed of. It's impossible to keep an eye on the dogs with guests coming and going and food everywhere. 🦃DON’T LEAVE UNCOOKED TURKEY UNATTENDED ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER – THE SMELL IS TOO TEMPTING FOR YOUR DOG. COOKED OR SMALL TURKEY BONES COULD CHOKE YOUR DOG OR BREAK/SPLINTER WHILE THEy'RE EATING THEM. BROKEN BONES CAN TEAR, OR GET STUCK IN, ANY PART OF YOUR DOG’S GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM; 🦃 ONCE YOU’VE COOKED YOUR TURKEY, AND BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN TO EAT, CLEAR AWAY ALL THE WRAPPINGS SUCH AS TIN FOIL, CELLOPHANE WRAP, PLASTIC BAGS, STRING AND MEAT SKEWERS – THEY ARE ALL POTENTIAL HAZARDS FOR YOUR DOG; I also recommend having someone clear all the appetizers and food and drinks guests may have left laying around while watching football or chatting, prior to the meal. Clear trash immediately and IF YOU PUT THE WRAPPINGS IN THE BIN, MAKE SURE THE LID IS ON FIRMLY; WE HAVE USED BRICKS ON THE BIN LID IN THE PAST TO KEEP OUT PERSISTENT SCAVENGERS! 🦃 I PREPARE A TURKEY dinner for the dogs with Nulo canned turkey, dried organic cranberries, puréed canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and ground pumpkin seeds. If possible, I add some gizzards and fresh turkey meat to their food. It may be possible for the dogs to eat alongside the family, then return to an empty bedroom until the meal is finished. 🦃I also stock up on toys for my dogs to play with and present a Kong stuffed with kibble or white turkey meat to keep them entertained. If your dog is happily playing, they're not getting into mischief in the kitchen. 🦃A TIRED DOG IS A GOOD DOG. I try and get out and give my dog A GOOD ENERGETIC WALK IN THE MORNING, SOMETHING THAT’S MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY STIMULATING. If you have an older dog, maybe a long walk in the stroller for fresh air. This way, they will BE MORE INCLINED TO SLEEP OR AT LEAST LIE QUIETLY WHILST YOU ARE PREPARING AND EATING YOUR TURKEY FEAST! 🦃If Thanksgiving gets too hectic, grab all the dogs and go for a nice walk. It might be a great escape and help you and the dogs gets one fresh air and manage the stress of the day. 🦃For anxious, stressed-out dogs, try TREATIBLES (https://www.treatibles.com/collections/shop). I swear by these little turkey flavor treats containing CBD oil. These have a drastic effect and calms anxious dogs. Good news! They're human grade so you can indulge as well! These will do a lot to help calm and sooth holiday stress. -Especially if you don't drink alcohol or are the designated driver! JUST TO BE SAFE: 🦃Most Veterinary offices will be closed on Thanksgiving. Know the phone number and the closest 24hr. Emergency Animal Hospital. 🦃Dogs and cats can get anxious with the commotion and unfamiliar crowds, make sure they are wearing a proper ID should they get out. 🦃Remind guests not to indulge your dog and be cautious. Those who don't own pets may not understand their ability to get into food and the complete lack of willpower many pets have when it comes to food. As a reminder, dogs and alcohol don’t mix either. 🦃While turkey meat and organs can be a wonderful healthy meal or treat, RICH, FATTY FOODS SUCH AS TURKEY SKIN AND DARK TURKEY MEAT ARE DIFFICULT TO DIGEST AND CAN CAUSE VOMITING AND DIARRHEA IN YOUR DOG, AND IN EXTREME CASES, BLOAT OR PANCREATITIS.* SYMPTOMS OF PANCREATITIS INCLUDE LOSS OF APPETITE, LETHARGY, VOMITING, ABDOMINAL PAIN, DIARRHEA AND FEVER. IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR DOG HAS HELPED HIMSELF TO A TURKEY DINNER AND IS SHOWING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, I SUGGEST YOU TAKE HIM TO YOUR VET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! No-No's for dogs: Artificial sweetner: Xylitol (100x's more deadly than chocolate) found in sugarless gum, breath mints, candy, peanut butters, sugar-free foods. chocolate -The darker the more toxic. caffeine, alcohol, onions, grapes, raisins, popcorn, garlic, salt/sugar, macadamia nuts, avocado skin & pit. I want to wish each and every one of you, and your beloved pets, a wonderful, happy, SAFE Thanksgiving! Gooble-Gooble🦃❤️🐾 *(PANCREATITIS IS AN INFLAMMATION OF THE PANCREAS WHICH CAN BE LETHAL FOR YOUR DOG.) THE PANCREAS PRODUCES DIGESTIVE ENZYMES, AND WHEN INFLAMED THE NATURAL PRODUCTION AND RELEASE OF THESE ENZYMES IS DISRUPTED. WHEN THE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES ARE PRODUCED AND THERE’S NO FOOD TO DIGEST, THE ENZYMES WILL START DIGESTING BODY TISSUE INSTEAD. THIS CAUSES FURTHER INFLAMMATION OF THE PANCREAS – THE SEVERITY OF THE PANCREATITIS, AND YOUR DOG’S PROGNOSIS, WILL DEPEND ON HOW HE REACTS TO THIS INFLAMMATION. 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By Katy Cable-TWR /A 4 min read Ahhhhhh the holidays... Not only the most wonderful time of year but also, when it comes to travel, the busiest. If you’re staying home and love pets, you may be considering making some serious cash by offering your services for dogs staying “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!” You’re probably thinking it’s easy money and how hard can it be walking a dog and setting out a bowl of food. Before you agree and add pet sitting to your Google calendar, be advised! Today’s pets are the new royalty and you’re more likely to see dogs in strollers and toddlers on leashes. A pet sitter is often required to be a highly skilled professional accommodating incredible demands. Even a seasoned pet-sitter may be shocked at the efforts involved in caring for a pampered pooch these days. Take my recent experience for example: Nothing could have excited me more than to receive a call to pet sit for a certain celebrity pup while her parents went away on business. The rates they offered were 3xs more than I would’ve considered charging for even the most difficult dog. And honestly, I would’ve considered paying THEM to watch this darling, healthy, FAMOUS, 4 year-old pug, Petunia.* I thought I’d hit the pet-sitting Lotto and was about to embark on the easiest “JOB” I’d ever had! As I sat down with Petunia’s millennial pet parents* to review the schedule, I realized pet sitting today is anything but a simple “walk in the park!” Petunia * is a princess and lives a pug life that’s beyond reach for 90% of most humans much less dogs. This pug’s wardrobe, grooming, nutrition and health-care budget rivals a competitive athlete. Her parent’s would saw off an arm before they’d dream of using a pet-sitting service or boarding facility. After careful vetting and extensive research, they reached out to ME! With over 1 million social media followers, sponsors and major endorsements, Petunia isn’t just a pet, she’s a regular “PUG-lebrity.” Her Instagram alone has nearly 250K users that don’t want to miss her latest outfit, treat or adventure. I had to laugh at the fact I offer pet parents tips that will save them a rent payment in vet bills and I’m lucky to get a follow. -And that’s probably someone only interested in me trying their new health supplements. Petunia’s schedule included everything but leisurely dog day afternoons. Her jam-packed itinerary made my mom-ager duties for my daughter’s professional acting career look laid-back. Here’s a look at my daily “pet-sitting” regimen: Dearest Nanny Katy, Thank you for watching our baby! You know how difficult it is for us to leave her😭 Please text or call if you have any questions or need anything!”🎁❤️❤️😘😘 7:00AM PETUNIA GOES OUT FOR HER AM POTTY Please ONLY use the lawn on the corner, (it’s NOT treated with chemicals.) After she goes bring her home for breakfast. Please use the hypoallergenic paw wipes by the door and clean her since her allergies are awful this time of year. 7:30AM PETUNIA’S BREAKFAST IS IN THE FRIDGE Remove her evening meal from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge. Petunia is a very sensitive pug and her RAW, homemade diet is delivered each week Her meals consist of free-range turkey with a purée of sweet potatoes, kale, green-lipped mussels and a cocktail of vitamins and minerals. It seemed excessive for anyone not battling a life-threatening disease much less a healthy dog, but just one look at Petunia and you could see the results. A glistening soft coat, sparkling white teeth, a lean muscular body, bright eyes and remarkable disposition. Petunia attacked her breakfast like a fight dog. Her head didn’t rise from the bowl until it had been licked so clean, it looked like it had just come out of the dishwasher. It was like a pig at the trough, snorting and slurping. This was an Instagram moment if ever there was one. When her face finally emerged from the ultra clean bowl, half her meal was buried deep into the folds of her darling wrinkles on her face. I laughed hysterically while giving her an after-breakfast facial. 12 NOON-1:00PM PETUNIA’S WALK IN THE PARK (Leashes/sweaters/coats in the closet) Stop by the La Croissant on the corner where Petunia gets a treat. A walk in the park was anything but. It took me nearly 40 minutes just to select the perfect ensemble. -Oh the choices! “Sweaters, and collars and leashes OH MY!” It was too much! I finally chose a fall-colored, bedazzled argyle sweater with a matching beret and scarf. A lovely understated LV harness with matching leash and Petunia was perfected poised for the park. I, on the other hand, had to up my game since ripped sweats, old Converse kicks and a baseball cap would’ve had someone quickly reporting Petunia stolen by a hobo. First stop was a darling French Bistro on the corner. Petunia is a regular and they always have a treat for her. Today’s seasonal snack was an organic pumpkin biscuit baked with coconut flour. I grabbed a turmeric, chai latte which ended up all over my shirt as petunia darted for another biscuit. As unfortunate as my spill was, it was ridiculous to think I could've managed a latte while also shooting IG’s of Petunia. Everywhere she went people recognized her and wanted to pet and snap a selfie with her. It was so wonderful to see how she brightened everyone’s day. -Including mine. Watching her prance down the street with her head held high and her cute little double-curled tail filled me with joy. 1:00-3:00PM SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES Please tag the outfits, sponsors, and pics with the list on the desk. I have left some fun hashtags and ideas. I admire your creativity but ask that you please stick to the list since we don’t want to go “off brand”! This put me in a panic! Instagram isn’t a fun hobby but a JOB! My pictures were average at best and the videos were atrocious. Lots of bad footage of my shoes and the sidewalk. Thank God there was a library ready to go and I just had to select a few things I liked. I spent the next 2 hours going through Petunia’s scroll, 💕💕💕pics and responding with kind endearments until my eyes were bleeding. And I still hadn’t made but a small dent in the staggering number of comments. By 3:00pm, It looked like Santa’s workshop on Christmas Eve. The entire living room was filled to the brim with the day’s delivery of products for Petunia. Hopefully she would try them, use them, love them and give them a shout-out on social media. In addition, her fans sent new products and everything from artwork to exquisite one-of-a-kind jewelry. Petunia’s afternoon/evenings were filled with a variety of “Yappy-Hours” events, premieres, grooming appointments and yes, DOGA (-yoga for dogs.) 6:00PM DINNER/FACE-TIME CALL. Please call us after Petunia finishes her dinner. We don’t want her to feel abandoned. ABANDONED????!!!! That was a laugh! Petunia was far FAR too busy. That dog got round-the-clock love and attention every waking (and snoring) second. My husband on the other hand, DID feel completely abandoned! He thought I’d lost my mind jumping through all these hoops and didn’t for the life of him understand how people could go to such lengths for a “DOG” -Until he learned the annual income Petunia brings in. 8:00PM PETUNIA GOES FOR HER EVENING POTTY ON THE CORNER. Again, wipe her paws when she returns home. 8:30-9:00PM BRUSH PETUNIA’S TEETH/GIVE HER A MASSAGE WITH CBD OIL. She loves cuddling in bed and should fall asleep immediately. I was so exhausted adhering to Petunia’s schedule I literally forgot to brush my own teeth. Petunia shares a bed with her mommy and daddy and she wasted no time attaching herself to me like Velcro. I was amazed how cramped a king-sized bed can be when a 17lb Pug is always underfoot. The entire night was filled with interrupted sleep. Petunia’s snoring was so loud, not only did she keep me from getting any sleep, occasionally she’d wake HERSELF UP out of a deep sleep. . By day four I was out of gas and ready to drop from exhaustion. I badly underestimated the stamina it takes looking after a high-profile pug. Thankfully Petunia’s parents were returning home. The second they walked through the door, Petunia sprinted over to them crying and squealing as if she’d been left alone inside a cardboard box all week. She was so excited to be reunited with her family, I didn’t get so much as a goodbye. Don’t get me wrong, I had an unforgettable time watching Petunia and I really miss her, but I was seriously delusional about the demands of pet sitting these days. And while Petunia is far from the norm of a typical pet -sitting gig, I want to warn you, the requirements can be anything BUT a cake-walk job! So, pet sitting may be the perfect way to earn some much-needed cash this holiday season, just be prepared that it may not be the simple walk in the park you’re expecting. -Especially if it’s a pampered, celebrity pet! *names and details have been changed to protect privacy 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By Katy Cable- 3 min read Halloween may be over but don’t go smashing your pumpkins just yet! I bet you didn't realize what a nutritional powerhouse pumpkin is. -And not just for you, but your fur babies as well. I specifically saved this blog for today so if your pets get into something "naughty" and wind up with an upset tummy+ this may be the perfect cure-all! -Read on! These amazing tidbits about Pumpkin are guaranteed to make you feel all lit up and warm inside. 🎃 I learned about the Great Pumpkin many years ago. I vividly remember coming home from a quick trip to the market. The second I walked in the door I found my Pug Raisin on top of my dining room table, devouring the contents of a gift basket like a ravenous grizzly bear. A dozen gourmet marshmallows were long gone, and he was halfway through a tin of Almond Roca, (gold foil wrappers and all.) I raced him to the vet and after a thorough examination he was luckily given the OK to return home. The vet advised me to add a few spoonfuls of pumpkin to his diet. Well, genius that I am, I raced into the nearest market and grabbed pumpkin pie filling! But it still worked like magic! Since that incident, canned pumpkin is now my secret weapon for tummy troubles. I recommend every pet parent stock-up while it's readily available and keep a can or two in their cupboard year-round just to be safe. Your Halloween pumpkins may get an interested sniff from dogs but raw Jack-o-lantern pumpkin is not suitable for human or dog. However, canned and cooked fresh pumpkin, along with pumpkin seeds, is the new "SUPER FOOD" ! It can be a healthy addition to their a regular diet as well as a perfect ingredient to use in treats. Just look at all the health benefits it can also provide for you AND your dog.
Before you race out the door with your pooch to grab a few cans (and a Starbuck's Pumpkin Carmel Spiced Latte) consider this... The typical 13oz can of pumpkin contains around 29 tablespoons, and lasts about a week in the refrigerator. Unless you're catering for a small shelter or pack of canines, this is far too much pumpkin for your average dog or two to consume in a week. In an effort not to have this bounty end up in your garbage can, I suggest freezing extra in ice cube trays. Simply freeze, and pop out the cubes into a freezer bag. Thaw one out when you need it, mix with a spoon to blend any separation of water, and refrigerate the leftover pumpkin cubes to serve at your pet’s next meal. If you don’t want to retrieve pumpkin cubes from the freezer every other day, count out a week’s worth of servings into small freezer containers. Put them into the freezer and take out one container at a time to thaw and serve to your pet throughout the week. 🎃Just a note to those of you who may be considering buying a small jar of baby food. While the jar size may make it tempting, unfortunately pumpkin by itself is not a commercial baby food flavor; it’s usually mixed with sweet potatoes. So it’s not a good idea to feed this form of pumpkin to your pet. While pumpkin is readily available this time of year, good luck finding a can of it when you might need it in, say, April. Out of season you can still find it at many PetSmart stores. I like their brand of Authority, 100% pure canned pumpkin which runs between $2-3 for a 13oz a can or .70 cents for a small 4oz cat sized can. After my recent blog on how crummy most store-bought treats are, (MIS-treating your dog??) I now enjoy making my own creative delicacies using this super-food. These treats are far less expensive than most store bought ones and also healthier. An added benefit is baking the biscuits also makes your house smell wonderful! Now your sweet doggie can also enjoy a bit of the season while you are savoring your own slice of pumpkin pie. 🎃Crunchy Pumpkin Biscuits🎃. Makes 75 small biscuits/50 medium Preheat oven to 350 degrees 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin 1/4 tsp sea salt 2 1/2 cups organic brown rice flour/or coconut flour 1 tsp ground parsley (optional) 2 eggs *unsalted organic creamy peanut butter/coconut oil/dried cranberries for decor if desired Combine eggs and pumpkin until smooth. Add salt, parsley, and slowly add in flour. Roll mixture out using additional flour if needed for sticking. When dough is 1/4 - 1/2" thickness, use small or medium cookie cutters to make biscuits. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn biscuits over and bake for another 20 minutes. Drizzle or dip warm biscuits in organic, unsalted creamy peanut butter or coconut oil that has been melted in a microwave for 30 sec. Add dried cranberries for decor. Place on wax paper until cooled and dipping sauce has hardened. 🎃🎃Pumpkin Pops🎃🎃 1 can organic canned pumpkin 1 cup organic, plain Greek yogurt/plain Kefir/coconut water or milk 1/2 cup organic, creamy, unsalted unsweetened peanut butter unsweetened organic coconut flakes/dried cranberries if desired. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into ice cube tray. You can add coconut flakes, dried cranberries, if you wish. Freeze for 12 hours and add to meals or as a cool treat. So whether you're enjoying the cooler fall temperatures or an Indian summer, I've got you and your fur baby covered with some Great Pumpkin options. And, best of all, neither one of you needs to feel guilty about indulging in a few tempting pumpkin delights. Enjoy!🎃🎃🎃 +This blog is not intended to take the place of veterinary advice/care! Always consult your vet if your pet is ill. 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾 For more great ideas, tips and events follow me on social media and subscribe to The Weekly Runt by clicking the button below.  By, Katy Cable-TWR A 3 minute read It's time for a change! This Sunday, November 4th, if you live in the US, you’ll get an extra hour to sleep in -or be lazy in bed. Saturday at 2AM is when we (in the US*) FALL BACK! I love the extra time in the morning and think it’s a fair trade to have it dark at 4:50PM. For me it’s much more difficult trying to get my “dog tired” butt in gear to “spring forward!” It got me thinking...”What about our dogs?” “Can your dog tell time?” Many people claim that their pets know, to the minute, when it's mealtime, walk time, or time for their owners to arrive home. Is it true? Can dogs tell time? As research shows, the answer is an overwhelming YES! It seems clear that dogs are aware that time is passing, but many pet owners are amazed by how well pets are able to learn household routines. Dogs are highly adaptable and able to tell time well enough to stick to a schedule. They can also quickly adjust to a new one. Dogs, in particular, have evolved to be very skilled at picking up social clues and reading human behavior. You may not realize that your body language sends subtle cues about your mood and intentions, but your dog certainly does. Maybe you always grab the leash or your commuter mug before you venture out on your afternoon walk. Perhaps you stand up and walk toward the kitchen just a little more purposefully than usual when it's feeding time. If your dog is paying attention, they may be able to convince you that they're anticipating your every move in advance. Most dogs are also quite good at figuring out associations between events, so your dog probably knows that when you pick up his leash, it's time for a walk, and that when they hear a can opener or the pitter-patter of kibble, it's mealtime. And those are the “no-brainer” cues. They also seem to know when you're preparing to travel long before the luggage appears. The stacks of clothes, the way things are being organized and you're general demeanor is a dead giveaway to your dog. Internal Clocks: Like most living things, dogs derive most of their time sense from their circadian rhythms. Earth takes approximately 24 hours to rotate once around its axis and experience a full cycle of night and day, so most life on the planet has evolved to wake, eat, survive, and sleep on that 24-hour schedule. Scientists have observed this in humans, dogs, cats, and interestingly enough, insects, fungi and even some microbes. An animal's circadian rhythm is governed by it’s genes, but these cycles are also very dependent on light and dark. Your dog's circadian rhythm probably plays a big role in when your dog thinks it's time to play, sleep, or eat. This was very clearly demonstrated by my dogs always waking at the exact same time of the morning even though the time had changed. It also explains why as the daylight hours get shorter they will adjust to the new time and sleep a bit later. This internal clock along with aligning to the circadian rhythms is what gives all of us, including our dog's, the sense of time. If your dog is having some trouble with the time change, I advise these 3 easy tips: ⏰ 1. Begin slowly adjusting feeding and walk times by 10-15 minutes the week PRIOR to the time change. They should be adjusted within the week. Since, in this case you didn't get the memo until AFTER the time change, you can still slowly adjust time their schedule in 10-15 minute increments until your dog has transitioned. Then, in the SPRING start a week prior. 2. What I personally do is keep my feedings & walks not at a specific time but within a 1-2 hour time window. I get up and walk Olive between 7 & 8 AM, then feed her when we return home. I have the same 1-2 hour window for walks. This makes it an easy adjustment not just for time change, but also when we travel or have unexpected delays that throw off our schedule. 3. Another easy tip is to tire your dog out with more exercise to help them sleep and adjust to transitions. I have also found Treatibles, (Tap to visit site.**) CBD/Hemp products, can drastically help a pet having difficulty adjusting to the new time or a schedule change. Your dog should adjust easily to the shorter daylight hours and new time change. You, on the other hand might want to hold off on taking your dog for pa run after work (since it’s going to be pitch dark) and enjoy morning yoga or meditation while you adjust to the return of longer sunny days!. Happy FALL! Pugs and 😘 kisses! -Katy🍁🍂🦃 *Arizona & Hawaii are the only 2 US states which don’t participate in Daylight Savings Time and therefore stay on the same time schedule. **www.treatibles.com (For 10% Discount on your order use code: WEEKLY RUNT at checkout 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By KATY CABLE-TWR/ A 3 min. Read TRICK or TREAT??? It's that time of year again. And now, even pet retailers are getting into the act by offering costumes and Halloween dog treats in every shape and size. And it's not just because it's almost Halloween. Take your dog for a walk around my neighborhood on ANY given day and they'll be offered a plethora of Pup-peroni, Milk Bones, and Beggin'Strips before you even reach the corner. Many local shops also have water bowls and treat dishes filled with doggie delectables right at the entrance door. Of course any pet shop is certain to have goodies at all the check-out stations. Basically everyday is a "trick-or-treat" opportunity for canines. We all love rewarding our dogs and giving them goodies. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the joy dogs get devouring treats. Let's face it, isn't my charming personality that's winning over the hearts of most dogs I meet, it's THE TREATS! ☠️ But don’t be tricked! Many treats can be downright dangerous for your pet! My first Pug, Raisin knew exactly where to walk in our neighborhood to get the goods and would drag me on his preferred route. As Raisin aged I began to notice a direct correlation between the treats and the tummy issues. I learned many expensive lessons so hopefully I can save you some similar pitfalls. Here are a few startling facts as well as some nutritious alternates to keep your pet happy, healthy and "well-treated!" When it comes to pet treats use extreme caution!☠️ It's not just your pooches waistline that can suffer. I was given the Halloween scare of a lifetime when I began researching this blog and learning about all the toxic chemicals being used in many popular pet treats. This has resulted in numerous illnesses and fatalities. What’s most alarming is that these products continue to be sold today in many large retail pet stores.* SIZE MATTERS: Treats should be tiny (yes, tiny) morsels of food you use to reward your pet for training and reinforcement of positive behavior. But remember, even tiny amounts of treats can add up over time. Dog's can quickly start packing on pounds or stop eating their more nutritious meals. And much worse is the fact some of the most popular treats contain preservatives, flavor enhancers, colorings and even toxic ingredients.* These can make a pet, especially a sensitive one or a pet with a compromised immune system, deathly ill. For starters, many popular pet treats are not bite-sized morsels, but biscuits as big as SmartCars. Not only are they too large for most dogs, they contain harmful ingredients like those highlighted.. Here's a list of a few "No-No" ingredients found in many popular varieties of treats currently sold in most grocery and large retail pet stores. I personally would stay away from any treat containing these ingredients but most certainly those highlighted:
BUYER BEWARE! Some of the worst, deadliest treats can also be the most deceiving. Such as the case with RAW-HIDE. You can't go into a big-box pet store or even a pet section in a large retailer without seeing numerous raw-hide products. Bones in every shape, size and color are front and center. Like me, most pet parents ASSUME if it's sold at a popular retail chain it must be safe! That couldn't be further from the truth. Rawhide is extremely dangerous and in my opinion should be pulled from the shelves of every pet store. Just watch the short video below by expert pet Blogger, Rodney Habib to see the truth about how this junk is made. Such as the case with those packaged jerky poultry/meat/fish dog treats. What many people don't know, is that seemingly safe bag that reads: “All Natural Made-in-the-USA” was completely misleading. In fact, in an effort to cut-costs, these treats contained toxic additives from China that killed thousands of dogs. Rumor has it the problem was identified and sourcing was changed but with piss-poor regulation and no accountability, I personally stay away from any and every treat that I don’t make myself or that doesn’t come from a trusted source. If you've just realized you're feeding your dog toxic treats or they are not up to par, don't panic or feel guilty. There are lots of healthy options your dog will love! Dr. Karen Becker, the world's most popular integrated vet, makes AMAZING natural, holistic treats and supplements: DR. BECKER BITES www.drbeckerbites.com/ When I attended the SuperZoo pet-product convention, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Becker as well as her lovely mother and niece Blair who run Dr. Becker Bites. I stuffed my convention tote with as many samples as I could get away with without being too conspicuous and my pug Olive literally DANCED every time those goodies came out. TREATIBLES makes amazing hemp-based, organic, natural biscuits that are not only healthy and delicious but contain hemp oil which is a miracle cure for dogs suffering from anxiety, excessive barking, seizures, joint pain and a number of other issues. The woman-owned company has been a leader in holistic medicinal hemp for over 26 years. If your looking for some healthy options you can grab at the pet store, I am thrilled to announce NULO has introduced a wonderful line of healthy treats. They offer bite-sized training bites, soft jerky strips, and individually wrapped protein sticks. All treats are made with the same thoughtful consideration that goes into their food: Low carb, high human-grade animal/fish/poultry protein/no corn, wheat, soy, or molasses and amazing patented probiotics. These are pet feet for sensitive pets. Grab some next time you're in Petsmart or your independent pet retailer. Now when I'm out and about and kind people want to offer my pets a treat, I give them my own to feed them. If you don't have treats, in a pinch, Cheerios are a far better alternative to toxic treats. Small, gluten free, low sugar morsels. Right now they even offer pumpkin flavored ones. That way dogs won’t risk getting sick and everyone is happy. Plus it's often a great an opportunity to meet new friends and tell them about wonderful healthy treats options they can look into. When I'm at home with Olive I use blueberries, apple slices, carrots and broccoli as tiny treats but Olive is a PUG! A dog with a pickier pallet may not go for those options. I recommend if you're cooking and have any meat trimmings or organs, cut them up in small bites and freeze them for healthy treats or toppers. Lastly, for those of you in the mood, here are some treat options you can make yourself. These treats are easy, healthy and will work for even a very sensitive dog. They are also far less expensive than what’s available in stores! So toss out those toxic Milk Bones and give a few of these options a try! 🎃 🎃Crunchy Pumpkin Biscuit🎃. Makes 75 small biscuits/50 medium preheat oven to 350 degrees 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin 1/4 tsp sea salt 2 1/2 cups organic brown rice flour/coconut flour 1 tsp ground parsley (optional) 2 tablespoons dried milk 2 eggs *unsalted organic creamy peanut butter/coconut oil/dried cranberries for decor if desired Combine eggs and pumpkin until smooth. Add salt, parsley, milk and slowly add in flour. Roll mixture out using additional flour if needed for sticking. When dough is 1/4 - 1/2" thickness, use small or medium cookie cutters to make biscuits. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn biscuits over and bake for another 20 minutes. Drizzle or dip warm biscuits in organic, unsalted creamy peanut butter or coconut oil that has been melted in a microwave for 30 sec. Add dried cranberries for decor. Place on wax paper until cooled and dipping sauce has hardened. 🎃🎃Pumpkin Pops🎃🎃 1 can Organic Pumpkin 1 cup organic, plain Greek yogurt/plain Kefir 1/2 cup organic, creamy, unsalted unsweetened peanut butter unsweetened organic coconut flakes/dried cranberries if desired. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Pour into ice cube tray. You can add coconut flakes, dried cranberries, if you wish. Freeze for 12 hours and add to meals or as a cool treat. ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️ For more information, watch this short, entertaining video by Planet Paws blogger Rodney Habib: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPaws.ca/videos/ *(In researching this blog, the pet food manufacturers make the argument that these chemicals are used in very trace amounts and not enough to be worried about. Well after millions of recalls and pet deaths I'm not taking any chances or trusting their word.) 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By, Katy Cable-TWR/A 3 min. Read BOO👻! It's Halloween time and nobody could be more excited! What’s more fun than dressing up as whoever or whatever you want while also going door-to-door scoring free candy. I will never outgrow that! I love that all the cobwebs and dust around my house just enhance the scary decor! I was so eager to begin the season I dragged out all our scary decorations before we were even in the month of October. But in all my excitement I completely lost sight of little Olive. My husband Rick, who loves this holiday as much as I do, came out in a scary mask looking like a 200 year-old crusty sea monster, and Olive started frantically barking and darted behind the couch for cover. We felt terrible giving her such a fright. Even when Olive watched Rick slowly put the mask on in front of her she still barked and ran away the minute it covered his face. And it only got worse. My little Pug Olive isn’t alone when it comes to “getting spooked” by Halloween! Think about it, a dog witnesses a barrage of boisterous costumed strangers pounding on the door. Their normally safe environment is now dark or billowing with fog, candles, and flashing lights. Their highly sensitive ears pick up sounds of dogs barking, cats hissing, chains clanking, footsteps, plus deafening screams and moans. If you’re not careful, pets can literally be “scared to death!” Many pet owners, myself included, get so caught up in the fun they can easily forget how frightening things can be for a fluffy and Fido! Halloween is one if the busiest holidays for pet emergencies so here are a few “TRICKS AND TREATS” to keep your pet safe! 1. Keep Your Pet Calm: A frightened pet can react by barking incessantly, losing bladder control, racing out the door or escaping, and often with aggression and biting. Keep your dog happy and calm with natural CBD tests by Treatibles. These natural treats contain none of the harmful THC and will do wonders for calming a frantic pet. 2. Keep your pets safe inside. Not everyone has good intentions and there are always several awful stories about killed, tormented, injured, or stolen pets on Halloween. Don't allow your dog to be the helpless victim of an evil prankster. 3. Keep your pets away from the front door. The constant knocking or ringing of the doorbell and excited chanting "trick-or-treaters" can send dogs into protective mode. Don't risk your doggie bolting out the door and running away or getting hit by a vehicle. Also, you don't want your terrified dog biting a costumed visitor. 4. Be careful with decorations. I've seen wagging dog tails knock over candles and nearly burn down a house. I've witnessed many excited pets jump up on tables, knocking over candles, eating harmful foods and causing total mayhem! Make sure all decorations are secured and not in reach of pets. Check that they cannot get trapped or entangled in large spider web decorations. Also, they may think decor is a chew-toy and eat something hazardous if it's within their reach. 5. It should go without saying not to give your dog candy. Chocolate contains theobromine, which can be lethal if ingested. Lollipop sticks can be a chocking hazard or cause damage to internal organs if swallowed. Ditto for caramel apples and the wooden sticks. Foil wrappers can be as sharp as razors if swallowed. The very worst are the sugar-free treats which contain toxic Xylitol. Dogs love the smell and bright colors of sugary candy and it just takes a few minutes of distractions to realize your dog has consumed an entire bowl of Halloween goodies. Even dog treats can cause major GI problems if too many are consumed. Remember, ONE dog treat, or a few healthy nibbles is PERFECT! 6. Use good judgement and think twice before you take your dog in the car or out with the kids trick-or-treating. All the crowds and excitement might turn your normally chill dog into a terrified, aggressive or protective bully. It may be way too distracting to manage both costumed kids AND a dog that gets freaked! 👻If you do venture out with your pet for Halloween festivities here are a few tips: 1. Give costumes a trial run to let your dog get used to them. Make sure their costume is not too binding or restrictive and that your pet can walk normally. Be very careful of masks. Dogs need to be able to see and breathe with ease. Nothing should go over their nose. Be extremely careful about dogs overheating, especially Pugs, Bulldogs and other flat-nosed (brachy) breeds. Make sure dogs can freely drink water in their costume. Some dogs (like my Olive) simply don't do well with costumes. Perhaps a lighted collar, decorative harness or bandana would be a better option. 2. Make sure your dog is micro-chipped and wearing a collar or harness with your contact number on the tag. If you will be out after dark, add reflective strips to your pet's costume and grab a small light to attach to their collar so they remain visible. 3. BE AWARE! While you are admiring those amazing costumes, your dog could well be devouring chocolate bars someone tossed on the sidewalk. If you are planning on hosting a Halloween bash, consider keeping your dog safe at a boarding facility like PetSmart's PetsHotel. http://pets.petsmart.com/services/petshotel/ With guests coming in and out, even if your dog is secluded in a quiet bedroom, it just takes one person to open a door and BOOM! Your dog escapes. Loud guests in strange costumes can scare and overwhelm even a normally easy-going dog. Some guests aren't familiar with pets and don't know alcohol, sweets and many human-foods can be deadly. A well-intentioned guest wanting to indulge your dog may bring them undue harm. Even if they aren't offered, a cup left on a table or half-eaten plates of food and desserts laying around can be far too tempting and could make your dog very sick. It's very difficult to keep your eyes on pets while hosting a party. Don't take the risk. PetsHotel and other boarding facilities have special packages and fun activities planned. This way you won't end up with a real Halloween horror of a sick or injured dog on your hands. Halloween may be a perfect night to bake some healthy treats, stay in, cuddle up and enjoy watching a Halloween movie with your furry best-friend. If you can't stay in with your dog, give them some yummy CBD calming treats by Treatibles, put them in a quiet room with some soothing music, low lights and douse the room in some lavender oil. I recommend, if possible, take your dog out during the day for a good run, a long brisk walk and plenty of exercise. This should wear them out and burn off excess energy. Make sure they potty before all the festivities begin at dark. If you're looking for some fun Halloween activities you can do WITH your dog, check my home page for events in the So Cal. area. http://weeklyrunt.weebly.com/ So go EAT, DRINK, and be SCARY! 👻 Have a wonderful 🎃Halloween! Pugs and Kisses! Katy & Olive 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾  By Katy Cable-TWR-A 3 Min Read Fleas suck! -Pun intended! Unlike bees that pollinate our planet and keep us alive, or ants who are brilliant little armies of team players, capable of. carrying an entire picnic a GA-ZILLION times their own size and body weight on their tiny backs, what purpose do fleas and ticks serve anyway? Here in Southern California fleas can be year-round invaders. Although the dog days of summer days are over, your pup may still be wearing more than a cute collar and bandana. Right now, no matter where you live, chances are these blood sucking monsters are just waiting to spread like wildfire on your pet. The FDA recently released an alert warning pet owners of the potential dangers of popular brands of flea/tick preventatives containing the drug Isoxazoline.* While effective and safe for most pets, a notable number of otherwise healthy dogs and cats have had adverse neurological reactions including seizures, and muscle tremors. Brands mentioned include: Nexguard and others. Pet owners are urged to discuss flea preventative options with your vet and report any unusual side effects that may arise. Click the link below to review the full report The first few years we had our Pug Raisin I tried, honest to God, EVERY flea prevention product on the market. It started with OTC products whose effectiveness diminished after each passing month. Following that I tried all the RX brands my vet had in her arsenal and again, I had to apply harsh chemicals more and more frequently for them to work. I tried relentlessly cleaning, scrubbing, and vacuuming my home. I tried flea foggers, flea baths and flea combs on Raisin and still, nothing worked. I even called a non-toxic exterminator with a perfect track record and a money-back guarantee to get rid of these invaders. Guess who was the first customer to receive a FULL-REFUND! What started out as a few fleas soon turned into a terrible infestation of fleas, spiders, and eventually termites. I was frustrated and out of ideas. The final straw was when I came face-to-face with cockroaches as big as my size 6 foot. I then brokedown called an exterminator. Three days and several thousand dollars later, I was finally PEST FREE and never had another flea problem. When I rescued my current Pug Olive she was on Revolution, a monthly flea and heart-worm preventative I have used successfully in the past. Although Olive doesn't have fleas, she did get suffer a terrible allergic reaction to a flea bite. I raced a sneezing, coughing, incessantly itching Olive to the vet. Upon examination, the vet discovered red bumps all over her and was convinced it was an allergic reaction to a flea bite. I couldn't see how that was possible as she was on flea prevention. The vet explained that even with protection, fleas can jump on and bite a pet before dying. If a pet is allergic, that's all it takes. After Olive's incident, I am extremely diligent about washing her and keeping fleas away. I have discovered some excellent natural alternatives to products containing harsh chemicals. I currently apply organic coconut oil, to Olive's coat. It acts as both a great moisturizer and flea repellent. I also make sure to bathe her following adventures where she may have been exposed to fleas. I also am SO happy I replaced all my carpets with wood and tile flooring and “knock-on-wood”, haven't had another issue. Believe me, it's much easier to keep fleas away in the first place than it is to get those pests to leave once they've invaded. My advice, use something strong and powerful to kill them then hopefully you can lighten up and use some natural, less toxic remedies to keep them at bay. This does bring up a good point: It certainly doesn't have to be a harsh, toxic chemical for your pet to have a horrific reaction. Just like a human who can't touch a strawberry or a peanut. -Be it an unsalted raw one or a Reese's cup, pets too can have adverse reactions or even die from wholesome, organic products if they happen to be allergic. Before trying ANY product or food, I urge YOU to first research it. Check out the company, the ingredients, where it's produced. Talk to trusted vets and pet parents and always test it out with a very small amount first. So while natural products are usually preferred, even those can have disastrous outcomes if your pet has the rare allergy. Also fleas, ticks and other parasites may be resistant to some natural, less intense repellents and your pet won't be protected. Hopefully you can try a few of these tips and find a perfect, less toxic balance. And, as always, a clean healthy pet with a strong immune system will naturally repel more parasites than a sickly one. That starts and finishes with a nutritious, balanced diet 😃. Every flea season I consult with frustrated pet parents looking for flea repellent shampoos. I always advise against strong, harsh, shampoos loaded with chemicals. Any soap and water will kill and remove fleas. For heavy infestations. Here's a recipe for a gentle, non-toxic, flea repelling shampoo you can make at home. I use this on my shelter/rescue dogs who typically come in poor shape infested with fleas. Again, always sample a small amount first to check for adverse reactions. 🐞ALL-NATURAL FLEA BUSTER SHAMPOO: Slice 1/2 lemon and add to 1 Cup boiling water. Stir for 5 minutes then remove from heat, steep and cool. Remove lemon parts, drain juice into large canning jar or bottle. Add 2/3 Cup Dr Bronner's Purecastle Soap Add 1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar 1 TBS organic coconut oil 15 drops pure organic lavender oil Mix together and WASH your PUP! In addition, here are some recommendations for healthy flea/tick control: 🐾Remember, there is simply no chemical based pest control pill, dip, solution, shampoo, or collar that is without the potential for side effects. Just because a compound is applied to or worn on your pet’s fur doesn’t mean it’s completely safe. Remember: what goes on your pet goes in your pet, by absorption through the skin or ingestion during grooming.
*https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm620940.htm *https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm620934.htm 🐾Katy Cable is a former actress appearing in “Back To The Future” and starring in the TV series: “Safe At Home” & “ Fired Up!” In addition to her dog health & lifestyle blog/vlog: The Weekly Runt, (https://www.weeklyrunt.com/) she’s a contributing writer to numerous publications including Thrive Global, & The Huffington Post. Cable lives at the beach with her husband, Rick and her rescue Pug, Olive.🐾 |
BY:
|
