Flying on a jet with my pets for vacation? Wow– just tell me when and I’ll pack my bag!

Chip here. Traveling on an airline sounds so exciting to me, but a little scary because I see stories on the news sometimes about dogs who get lost or worse. Then again, we’re probably safer traveling by jet than we are running around the neighborhood with all those cars and stuff, not to mention the cats that are out there.

I keep hoping my pets will take me on one of their trips like that. Sure, I’ve gone visiting a few times, but more often end up going to the “doggie hotel” when they on their trips. I know they think I enjoy myself — okay, it IS nice to have my own little room and talk with dogs all day. Some of them like to talk all night, too, though. And I miss my own room at home.

Now that so many people hotels let dogs stay I’m hoping my pets will take me along, especially if they want to fly somewhere.

Dogs Flying on the Airlines

Did you know that dogs are able to fly places on jets even if their pets aren’t with them? I don’t think I would want to do that because it doesn’t sound like much fun being on vacation without my pets, but everyone’s different.

When we travel with pets there are options for some of us. I read about some smaller dogs, smaller even than me I think, get to travel up in the people area of the plane with their pets. Some of them have these great airline approved crates and kennels when they do, too.

Dogs who are bigger, especially giant ones like Reilly, can still fly but have to travel in the cargo area of the plane along with the suitcases, golf clubs and other stuff. Not nearly as nice but still on the plane. You can’t use one of those cute little pet carriers for that, either, but in airline approved crates and kennels, which aren’t nearly as nice but do protect against getting bumped around.

I will some pictures of some carriers I recommend, both small and large, below so you can check them out with your pets.

Travel Guidance for Our Pets

I found this great page from the International Air Transport Association, a group that represents airlines, that talks all about having pets travel on planes. You might want to check this page out with your pets as well. I think they have some great tips there, including these.

• Guidelines regarding the right size crates to use for larger dogs going in the cargo hold so they have room to turn and lie down comfortably while flying. They also say that some airlines have their own guidelines, too.
• Pets should let us become familiar with the crate in which we will travel for weeks ahead of time so we have less stress on our trip.
• Make sure we get enough water before we fly but reduce our food the day before. A small meal (yeah, I know Reilly, you hate small meals) a couple hours before we fly will help keep dogs calm.
• Take us out for a walk before leaving to go to the airport and then again when we arrive, before we check in with the airline.

You and your pets will find more helpful information on that page and probably on the website of the airline you’ll be using for your trip. Don’t forget to check the requirements for any hotels, too.

Most of all — have a GREAT trip!

CHECK OUT THESE TRAVEL CARRIERS SUGGESTED BY CHIP & REILLY

FLEAS?? Ugh – just thinking about them makes me feel like I have to scratch.

It’s that time of year again! Just when the flowers bloom so do the bugs. Spring is finally here and that also means the start of flea & tick season.

Reilly here! I talked before about flea protection for yourself and your home. Well, I want to discuss a little more about fleas and ticks because it is the beginning of flea and tick season. Just like our pets and us, fleas and ticks enjoy the warmer weather.

Fleas & Ticks: How We Get Them

How do you get fleas and ticks on you in the first place? Well our research staff has found that when some other flea-infested animal, a stray dog, stray cat, some other neighbors’ dog or cat, or some wildlife animal like an opossum or raccoon, went through your yard and then you went outside to play or do your business. The eggs of fleas fall off one of those creatures and land in your yard. They then hatch and grow up and jump onto YOU! Gross!

Did you find a way to stop them from hatching in all that research you did Reilly?

Stopping Fleas (At Least Trying)

I sure did Chip! There are these yard flea spray that you put into the yard that will kill the eggs and hatched fleas. However there is a downside that I’ve found.

What’s that?

We can’t use the yard after the spray is applied for a certain amount of time. That depends on which flea spray your pets buy and what the bottle says.  Usually the time is only 4 hours but that’s still 4 HOURS! Don’t let your pets allow their little pets out there if you can’t be out there! It’s bad for them as well!

That isn’t fair! But I think I’d rather be flea free than covered with all those itchy biting fleas!

Tick Talk

Me too Chip! I hate those things! Now, I said that I’d also be talking about ticks. How do we get ticks on us? We get ticks on us because they’re out in the environment when running around in the woods or though the high grass. You should get your pets to check you every time that come back from walking around in these environments.

I’ve had a tick on me before! Those are weird. You don’t know they are there feeding on your blood until someone sees it! And the only way that you can get it off is having your pet twist it off so that the head doesn’t come off and continue to feed! YUCK! Ticks!

What my research staff has come up with to help avoid either of these blood suckers is to not only use the flea spray but to cut the tall grass, trim back the bushes and shrubs, then rake up all the leaves from under the bushes.  Also don’t let your pets to just spray everywhere! Spray mainly in the areas where these insects will appear-under shrubs, under bushes, in crawl spaces and along fence lines.

Here are some products that we managed to find that will help your yard become flea and tick free.

Hey cats – we found a great product for your pets to get you!

Unlike my partner Reilly, I try to write about more sophisticated topic. Do you remember the first post I did? The one in which I discussed my bed that looks like an end table and sits in my pet’s living room? While looking around for similar great ideas, I found something for those who have feline siblings (hey, some dogs and cats DO get along).

Chip here (if you haven’t guessed already)! I have found some great cat litter boxes that are concealed — you know, just like my bed! That got my attention right away and the cat next door thought they were neat, too.

Litter Boxes That Are Hidden

These litter boxes are displayed in a variety of really different ways. Some are in a potted plant! How cool is that!!! Well, I wouldn’t use a litter box but for a cat it’s cool. Who’d think to look in a potted plant for a litter box? I know I’d never think to look in there!

Chip, do you wish you had a potted plant hiding place? Or is it a litter box that you desire?

NOOOO, of course not Reilly; well maybe I do want a hiding place. Sometimes I need an extra spot to hide from YOU! I certainly don’t want a litter box! Why would I need a litter box for??? Wait, don’t answer that!

Privacy for Cats

Anyway, cats apparently need private time to do their “business”. These litter boxes allow them to have that privacy with the added bonus of hiding the actual box from everyone else.  I don’t understand why cats just can’t go outside like we do, but I guess they are cats and need a box but who knows really.

Some of the litter boxes look like cabinets for your pets to put into their bathroom or they can get an end table like mine! Whichever they choose, these litter boxes are designed to make your house look like it doesn’t have a litter box in it. But what about the smell that usually comes from a litter box? Hmmm, maybe I’ll do a post about that or I can get Reilly on it.

CLICK BELOW TO CHECK OUT THESE GREAT LITTER BOXES I FOUND

Organic seems to be very important to many of our two-legged pets. Are yours concerned about eating organic foods and buying organic materials? Well, now you can join that wave with your own organic and natural foods and other assorted products.

Reilly here again! I’ve found some natural and organic dog food and other products that will help your pets keep the family organic.

Oh, yeah, that includes a bunch of natural dog treats! How could I forget dog treats?

What exactly is organic? Well, here’s some information I found (ahem), okay, that Chip found for me.

• Organic materials and food are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation.  In other barks, they are grown completely by themselves in their natural environment.
• Organic foods should be certified by the USDA as being organic. Otherwise, you might not have something 100% organic. However, there are products and food that contain organic materials. From what I’ve  we’ve found these usually have 70% organic materials.  Be careful to have your pets read the labels of food and treats to make sure that they actually are organic and not just partly organic.
• What’s the different between organic and natural materials you ask? To use a quote from the American Association of Feed Control Officials; natural is: ”A feed or ingredient derived solely from plant, animal or mined sources, either in its unprocessed state or having been subjected to physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation, but not having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic except in amounts as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing practices.”

Do you actually know what any of that means, Reilly???

Well, I CAN read too, Chip! All that chemical speak really means is that the food is minimally processed and grown in a natural environment, for example a field outside instead of inside in a lab.

Natural and organic dog food and treats are not as strictly tested and regulated as our pets organic food is. However, they do make them for us dogs.

They even make organic dog toys, collars, leashes, shampoos, beds and carriers! Organic everything! The materials used are made from organic grown materials. They look just like regular non-organic items.

So if your pets are organically minded and you want to join them, lead them to these items and then you can become organically minded as well!

Here are some organic dog foods and treats I thought you might like to try. I will let Chip follow up with another post on other organic products.

First aid kits are what our pets pull out when we get a cut or somehow banged up.

When you play too hard with another dog and get a cut yourself – or even a bite or two – is there anyone pulling out a first aid kit for you? Well, now they can!

Chip here! While I haven’t gotten banged up too badly while playing with Reilly, I have managed to get a few scrapes myself so I’ve been researching (with the help of my staff) first aid kits for dogs! What are these first aid kits?

First Aid Kits for Dogs

Well, according to our… I mean MY research, first aid kits for dogs usually include some kind of spray or gel to seal the injury and then also some kind of bandage to cover it to prevent scratching. There are also some gauzy things that are supposed to clean the injury as well before you put that spray or gel on it and way before you put the bandage on it. It all seems complicated but seems to work.

They make different sprays and gels and even balms that our pets can put on us, with the selection depending on our needs.

• If you hurt the pads on your paws while out doing something fun, they have special balms to ease that pain.
• If you have an itch like me that doesn’t go away, they have sprays and gels that you can get your pets to put on you and it helps to ease that pain and cool the itch.

It works great…for a short period of time, then you have to get them to put more on you! That’s a pain to make your pets keep up with that!

Special Bandages for Dogs

Speaking of pain, the bandages can be bothersome too, especially if you have to have one on your paw. Thankfully, though, pets think of everything (well, we can let them think so, right?). They have special tasting bandages that make us NOT want to taste them. I don’t know what these pets put on it, but it tastes disgusting. Even Reilly won’t lick them – - and he likes everything (hehehe)!

It probably tastes as bad as the spray that my pets put on me so that I won’t lick something they think I shouldn’t.

That’s the idea of the bandages. Is it really that bad Reilly?

Yeah, it’s awful!  What’s more awful than those bandages? If you get really hurt, like worse than you were before your surgery; then you could end up needing a dog wheelchair.  Did you see those things? Those do NOT look like fun!

Reilly, MUST you try to take over again?

To answer your question, no those did not look like fun and I wouldn’t want to have to use a dog wheelchair. Those are for the dogs that can’t use their back legs for one reason or another. Usually because they’re hips are unusable due to hip dysplasia or some other condition. Or even because their back is injured in some way making the use of the back legs impossible.

If your pet doesn’t know what to do for you, they can always get a book on first aid for dogs to help them figure it out.  If something isn’t in the book, or is too serious, PLEASE beg your pet to take you to the vet for some professional help.

Don’t let your pet do something that will further harm you!

CLICK TO CHECK OUT THESE FIRST AID ITEMS SUGGESTED BY CHIP

Look at that you came back! You must really want to know about the completion of our St. Patrick’s Day ensemble! Well then, I won’t keep you from enjoying it!

Reilly here (of course, as if Chip has any style)! Like most holidays, there are special clothes – I think the humans call them costumes – that you can wear. These costumes make you look like leprechauns. Do you know what those are? Well I didn’t either, so I had a member of our team do some digging, and here’s what I, I mean they, found.

• A leprechaun is a diminutive fairy and a supernatural creature. Tales were passed down within the rich history of Irish oral storytelling about these supernatural creatures.
• Leprechauns originally had nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day.
• In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called “Darby O’Gill and the Little People”, which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore.
• This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is an American invention. It has quickly become an easily recognizable symbol of St. Patrick’s Day.

So, you can wear a leprechaun costume or you can wear a bandana with the shamrock and green. Yes, they make St. Patrick’s Day dog bandanas also! There are also some that say “Kiss Me I’m Irish”; that may not be true unless you’re an Irish Setter (and I know some Irish Setters who like to kiss), but pets wear stuff that says it and they aren’t Irish, so why can’t we?

Speaking of stuff pets wear, they have t-shirts that say “Kiss me, I’m Irish”; now we can match them! They make shirts in all types of colors and in a hoodie form as well if you live in a cooler region – - or just want to look cool. The color you buy depends on what you want to be seen wearing.

As we’ve discussed before, if you go out to celebrate at night you need to be wearing reflective material. My team has found some reflective shirts in green to match the holiday spirit. So, please be careful this St. Patrick’s Day and be safe! To use an Irish blessing:

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go.

Check out the St. Patrick’s Day clothing I recommend

For St. Patricks Day do your pets drag out green clothes and hats you never see the rest of the year? Will they be going to be out drinking green beer and eating green food? You feel left out?

I’m not talking about getting green water because I just don’t think that will taste real good.

Now you can join in on the festivities with these cool St. Patrick’s Day collars and leashes. Perfect for when they take you along with them – - or when you take them along with you!

Reilly again! I wanted to pass along some information about St. Patrick’s Day before I tell you how WE can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day along with our pets.

St. Patrick’s Day is widely recognized and celebrated throughout the United States. It is primarily observed as a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture. Celebrations such as prominent displays of the color green, consumption of alcohol (often dyed green), religious observances, and numerous parades are often seen throughout the United States.

Of course, those are things that our pets might do, but what about us? We can definitely go with them and enjoy this holiday, even if we’re not Irish Setters!

Dog Treats for St. Patrick’s Day Too!

I think that we could also get some kind of deliciously yummy St. Patrick’s Day dog treats to celebrate along with our pets! There are handmade treats that are iced with holiday designs. They are perfect for our eating while they are enjoying their green food.

They are also great for making us stay and be good while they are having too much fun drinking and partying with their friends. Each treat is made specifically for us dogs!

The St. Patrick’s Day collars are all decorated in a different shamrock fashion. One even has Snoopy! A great doggy hero and one of my business idols! A few of the collars even include different charms to celebrate this day.

These collars come with matching leashes that complete the ensemble of fashion.

Speaking of completing the ensemble tune into our next post for some more fashion made by pets just for St. Patrick’s Day!

CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW FOR MORE INFO & TO PURCHASE

Reflecting clothes, can you believe it? The things humans get and wear! Maybe you’ve seen your pets or others wearing those clothes that reflect light at night so that no one hits them?

Do you ever go out with your pets – or, even worse, all alone – but don’t have that same reflectiveness and are afraid that you’ll get hit?

Reilly here! I’ve got the answer to your fears! I’ve got some of those light up reflective dog collars that act just like your pet’s clothes!

Darkness is Dangerous for Dogs

I’ve found (okay, I used Chip’s research staff) some safety information about reflective material at night. Here are some things that I found; it really made me think that maybe no matter light or dark out that I should be wearing one of these lighted dog collars. Did you know?

• More than 60 percent of pet injuries and deaths and nearly one-third of fatal bicycle crashes occur in low light or the dark.
• Wearing light or white clothes is not enough. Drivers can first see you and/or your pet wearing blue at 55 feet away, wearing red at 80 feet away, wearing yellow at 129 feet away, and wearing white at 180 feet away.
• It takes 260 feet for a vehicle going 60 mph to stop so that it won’t hit you or your pet.

However, just wearing the colors aren’t enough. Reflective materials can make all the difference between the driver seeing you and not hitting you thus allowing you and your pet to continue your walk without a sudden hospital visit. According to the Federal Highway Administration, reflectors are the only proven method of making you and your pet visible at night no matter what color you wear.

Lights are also able to help make you and your pet visible at night. And I’ve found some great lighted dog collars that do just that! They are reflective and the light up with different colors depending on your fashion choice.

Check out some of these collars below and give yourself a better chance to avoid becoming one of those statistics I talked about.

Has anyone ever told you that your breath stinks? Have they told you that you need to take a breath mint or that you need to brush your teeth?

Chip here! I’ve been told my breath stinks a lot. I don’t know how that’s MY fault, but at least they have things to counteract that smell.

Even little baby Emma told me that my breath was awful! Man that made me feel incredibly bad! Even worse since Christina got her reaction on film!

Toothbrushes & Toothpaste for Dogs!

Well, after that episode I got some supplies to help my breath smell better. First thing I did was get some toothpaste and a toothbrush. I didn’t even know they made toothbrushes for dogs. Not only that but there are so many different flavors of toothpaste for dogs to use—chicken, beef, turkey—mmm all so good it’s making my mouth water right now!

Those do sound good. They probably taste as good as my canned food that I get each night now!

Aw, no fair you get canned food? I only get dry food!

Just TRY to Hold the Toothbrush

Yup, but it means that my teeth get that yucky plaque faster than yours will. Just means that I have to brush more. Well, have Christina brush my teeth more. But it also means that I get more treats and minty fresh breath spray to help with both my breath AND my plaque. Bet you didn’t know they made those did you?

No! Really! MMM, those minty fresh spray sound good. And they’re made just for us dogs right? I’m sure they are, don’t answer that. You’ve already taken over MY post again. Why do you keep doing that?

Anyway, these treats are made by several companies to help with the plaque and allow your pets not to have to brush our teeth as often, which is great because sometimes I just want to eat the paste and not allow someone to brush my teeth!

Alright, here are some of the ideas that both Reilly and I have for YOU to help with your breath issues!

CLICK ON A PICTURE BELOW OR ON A LINK ABOVE TO SEE SOME OF THE DENTAL PRODUCTS WE THINK WILL HELP YOUR BREATH!

Do you love your food the way I LOVE mine? If so, these are tragedies if they happen to us!

Does your pet ever run out of your food and have to run out thus making your feeding time late?

Do they sometimes get the wrong kind of food because they were out of your usual because they bought it last minute?

Have you had to go hungry all night because they didn’t or just wouldn’t go out in the evening for more food?

Reilly here! I just happen to have a solution. I found this place called PetFoodDirect that delivers food right to your door! AND they always have what you want. They also have automatic home delivery so that your pet doesn’t have to worry about ever running out of your food or having to go back online and re-order your food. It comes on a regular basis!!! Isn’t that amazing!

That’s cool! Hey Reilly did you know they also have cat food too? So for those families that have “those” animals as a part of their family, they can also get their food as well. That way everyone is happy.

Hey that’s neat. Yeah, good for everyone in the family I guess. They even have some other products like beds and some great links to other sites that will get all your needs.

Don’t we know of another site that allows for home delivery? But for our heartworm and flea needs?

Yeah we do Chip! They call themselves PetCareRx to make pets think of a pharmacy. I guess they are, but for us dogs and other household non-people residents. Come to think of it, we need this too much around my house! This home delivery will send you your medical needs. Like Chip said, heartworm and flea products but also vitamins and other medical needs. They say that they are better priced than the vet and allow your pet to stay home and order in their sleepwear instead of using their cars and wasting gas simply to pick up our medical needs. I guess that’s okay with me – - I am important, after all.

If it involved a ride in the car, that’s a great thing in my book. But our pets would rather have the convenience of both of these sites that allows our products to be delivered straight to the door.

I think these sites are so great, Reilly, I put a link to both in the main menu of the store so anybody can stop by to order what they need.

Hey, as long as I have a full belly and feel good I’m happy!

Here are a couple of links to discounts at those sites! We’ll keep our eyes open for more.