ID Tags for Dogs and Cats

Reviewing the Importance of ID Tags for Pets

Is your pet missing? Never underestimate the
importance of having an ID tag for each of your dogs and cats.

We've all heard the amazing stories of dogs and cats that travel for miles, sometimes over months, to get back to their old homes.

It happens and the science behind how it happens is fascinating. But if it's your dog or cat that's gone missing, it can be a heartbreaking time of waiting, watching, and hoping that he or she will be returned to the family.

The least we can do as pet owners is to make it as easy as possible on someone who might find our missing pet. That's why I want to talk today about the importance of ID tags for pets, both dogs and cats.

Dogs are slippery and cunning and some are "rovers" by nature. We had a neighbor dog who loved to run away just to see how far he could get, or so it seemed. Fortunately, he was returned several times before he finally disappeared for good. How did the pet lovers who found him get him home? They checked his ID tag and called his owners. Having the phone number right on the tag was the key to reuniting the family with their much-loved pet.

A cat I knew also had an interesting adventure that was rather amazing. When his family moved to a new home several miles away and across a very busy highway, within two days that cat was back at his old house. How he found his way through the countryside, across the highway, then through town to get to his house only his Creator will ever know for sure. In this case the cat didn't have a tag, but a neighbor recognized him and called his owners who happily came back to get him and secure him for good. Fortunately, that story had a happy ending, but many do not.

I've seen plenty of "lost dog" or "lost cat" ads with the statement that the animal "needs his medicine." Knowing that time may be running out quickly for a cat or dog with a medical condition only makes the ordeal worse.

So now you know the background and the reason why you might want to choose one of these ID tags for your pet.

(Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.)

I love the "freak out" dog tag at the top of the page because I'm a dog mom who certainly would freak out if our Daisy were to go missing. It's a beautiful tag, perfect for anyone with a sense of humor.  Consider ordering one for a friend's dog or cat. It's a great gift idea.

Have a diabetic dog or one who needs medication for seizures or another condition? Customize this tag, currently featuring our grand-pup Adrian (who is not diabetic but is an adorable model), with your own medical and contact information. It's also available in a dog bone shape.

Or choose this tag without a photo but with a brightly colored center that's very visible even at a distance. Very simple to customize with your message and contact information.

If you're a cat owner, then you know he or she deserves demands pampering. If I were a cat I'd choose this Cat on the Moon ID tag and I think your cat would like it, too. It's beautiful and should suit even the most finicky feline. Customizable with a name and phone number on the back.


I hope you never have a lost pet but, given the odds that any pet can get away at any time, your dogs and cats need to have an ID tag. Please take care of that little detail right away.

Just in case.

Before it's too late.




~ Susan Deppner
Read more of my reviews.

This is important information for all pet owners.
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Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Slow-Feeding Dog Bowl Review

Daisy is a bit suspicious of her new
Outward Hound Fun Feeder slow-feeding dog bowl.

Is your dog a chow hound, determined to set speed records every time he eats his meals? Or perhaps you have a dog (possibly a large breed) that has problems with bloat or regurgitation.

If so, then your precious pet could use a slow-feeding dog bowl such as this one that we recently bought for our Labrador Retriever, Daisy. Here's my review of the Outward Hound Fun Feeder.

Daisy is a sweet girl, always curious, never wanting to miss anything that the humans in our family are doing, especially when it involves food. She's a begger who loves people food (and yes, I take full responsibility for that, but we're doing better). Her habit is to rush through eating her dog food so she can spend the majority of the dinner hour at my feet, waiting for me to cave in and share what's on my plate.

Fortunately, Daisy doesn't have a problem with bloat, but many dogs are prone to the condition. Bloat happens when dogs gulp their food, filling their stomachs with air and food, causing the stomach to twist or rotate. Bloat is a serious problem and can cause death, so it's important to take measures to slow your dog's input of food. Regurgitation, when food backs up into the esophagus and into (and out of) the mouth can be caused by medical issues, but eating too much, too fast is a common cause as well.

(Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.)

The ridges and valleys of the Fun Feeder bowl
forces the dog to eat more slowly as he
accesses small quantities of food at a time.

If your dog suffers from bloat or frequently regurgitates her food, a slow-feed dog bowl can be very helpful. How does it work? Look at the pictures I've included with this review. The ridges and valleys pattern in the Outward Hound Fun Feeder separates the food into small sections that require the dog to slow down and find the food, reaching into the narrow sections to eat just a few pieces at a time. In fact, the product information claims that your dog will eat up to 10 times slower with this bowl and, after using it with Daisy for a couple of weeks now, I have no doubt that that's an accurate figure.

Now when Daisy eats, she actually works her way around the bowl, slowly seeking out each section and each individual morsel of food. In our case, if I feed her at the same time I feed our family, we can eat in peace while she's peacefully eating. Plus, since digestion has already started, she's satisfied and feels full sooner which cuts down on the begging (yay!). Since the food is able to travel to the stomach a little at a time, the bowl certainly helps with prevention of the bloat or regurg problem.

Daisy slowly works her way around the bowl,
eating just a few morsels at a time.

Interestingly, Daisy seems to find the Fun Feeder entertaining. She tends to be wary of new things, and she did eye the bowl suspiciously at first, but when we tried it out with a small amount of food it didn't take long before she figured out exactly what she had to do to eat.

Another thought we had going into this dog-feeding experiment was that she might just use her big paws to tip the bowl and pour the food out onto the floor. Nope, didn't happen. This well-designed, well-made bowl has a non-skid rubber base plus it's heavy enough that I think even a much bigger dog would have a hard time tipping it over.

The bowl holds 4 cups of food (Daisy's daily ration is about 3 cups). The Fun Feeder is also available in a 2 cup capacity size for use with smaller dogs. Besides the flower-looking design (perfect for our Daisy) there's also a swirly and a maze design if you'd like to change up the food dispensing from time to time or for multi-dog homes.

I should add that the bowl is top-rack dishwasher safe, made from BPA, PVC and phthalate-free plastic. Designed in Colorado USA, manufactured in China. Available in three colors and two sizes.

Bottom line, Daisy and I award this slow-feeding dog bowl 5 stars. It works perfectly to slow her eating and she actually enjoys using it. Little does she know, it's good for her digestive tract, too. I hope your chow hound likes her new bowl, too.

UPDATE: It turns out that many dogs gulp their water, too, often leading to annoying hiccups or (worse) regurgitation of both food and water. By request, I've added a link below for a very well-reviewed anti-gulping bowl, also available in several sizes and colors. 

QUICK LINKS: 
eBay has excellent prices on slow feeder dog bowls
Outward Hound's Fun Feeder from Amazon
Anti-Gulping Bowl (to slow down drinking or eating)

~ Susan Deppner
Read more of my reviews

P.S. A slow-feed dog bowl is a great gift idea for any dog owner! 

Thank you for pinning and sharing with other dog owners.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Losing a Dog is Beyond Difficult - Dedication to Our Dog

I never believed I would create a dedication page for a dog; I love them, of course; it's just that we've owned cats most of our lives. Only cats. 

However, our life changed in 2009 when we adopted a nine-year-old dog from an elderly family member. She was our first family dog.

The biggest reason we never committed to owning a dog in the past was the realization that a dog was very much like raising a child: As dog owners already know, they require a great deal of attention, and of course, there's a lot of work involved. 

Having raised many kids, we knew only too well what the demands were, and until we could fully commit, we would never just casually jump into dog ownership.

Unfortunately, the inspiration for this article comes from people close to me who recently lost their dog, but mostly from our own hearts ... 

Our precious dog was called to doggie heaven earlier this year (2015). She was elderly, and it was her time, but that didn't make one speck of difference; the pain of losing her was fierce.

We were all present with her as she underwent the procedure to end her suffering. There were seven of us with her: my husband and I, our four sons, and our second son's girlfriend. 

My second son insisted that we all be there for her, he said "she deserved that, she gave us unconditional love for five years" ... he said, "we owe her our presence during her hour of need". I'm not kidding you, that's how he put it. Although I was moved by what he said, I told him it was up to each person whether they could deal with seeing her lose her life, and in the end, everyone decided they could handle it, and everyone wanted to be there, for her.

I called the boys and my husband from the Pet Hospital to let them know it was time, and they showed up with an ice cream from Dairy Queen for her as a final treat. Still breaks me up to think of that.

For those who've been through this, you know only too well how brutal it is. I have never seen so many grown men cry at one time. We went through two boxes of tissue. We stayed in that room with

Here She is, On One of Our Many Christmas Eve's

her for two hours before we could all agree to let her go. We all held her and told her how much we loved her. The boys took it so hard. In typical mom style, I kept it together for them, but later, I wept in my own quiet and private moment at home.

Our 'girl dog' (my nickname for her sometimes) made everyone smile. As soon as the boys walked through the front door, they called her, and she'd come running and barking, and that tail would always be wagging. She was loving and gentle. She was the boss. She had all the power. And everyone loved that. That little Shih-Tzu taught us what it means to love a dog.

When she passed, I couldn't sit at home and work for at least three days. She was my sidekick and very attached to me. Wherever I was in the house, you could count on finding her nearby. She slept in her doggie bed while I worked. She was a sweet girl; I miss her. 

Not one of us could be in the house the day she left us. We all headed to the arena to watch two of the boys play hockey. Sitting in that house without her on that first day may qualify as one of our most empty feelings.

This Christmas will be our first in five years without our girl-dog romping through the holiday wrappings. But we know she'll be running around spreading doggie love in heaven this Christmas.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Realistic Cat Tree With Leaves

Today (October 29th) is Cat Day and I'm missing my cats. Oreo's been gone over a year now, so our household has been cat-less for some time. I'm not sure when we'll be ready to add a feline to the family, but I have decided that when that time comes, the new kitty will be treated like royalty, as no doubt she (or he) will demand. First order, buy kitty a deluxe cat tree and I've found the one I want. Take a look.

Is this not an awesome accessory for a household with a cat? Frankly, the picture doesn't do it justice so let me describe this for you in more detail.

This realistic cat tree with leaves is approximately 5 feet high with a nice heavy base that's 26 inches in diameter. Hidden among its silk leaves are three platforms on which my future cat (or yours) can sit, recline, play, sleep, or, most importantly, hide as he keeps a close eye on his surroundings. Isn't that awesome?

I already have a spot picked out for our cat's cat tree, next to the window in my office. The room could use a green plant there anyway, even a silk one. It's certainly prettier than a carpeted cat tree or wooden cat condo, but what I like best is that cats can feel hidden and safe as they nestle in the "branches," exercising their instinct for spying.

People who own this tree say that it looks nice in their homes and their cats love it. The cats quickly learn how to go from one platform to the next and they use the bottom of the trunk for scratching, which is definitely a good thing.

The tree arrives in four pieces and assembles quickly and easily. The entire piece weighs 40 pounds, so it should be quite stable even for larger cats.

The tree is a bit on the pricey side but mid-range in the selection of cat trees with leaves that I found and that you can see, too, on the CatsPlay.com site. I would encourage you to check out this page for other alternatives both to fit your budget and your lifestyle. In fact, if you have both more space and a bigger budget than mine, don't miss this large Sapling Cat Tree that is hand crafted from real trees and includes multiple levels, silk leaves, plus a cat-sized covered house at the bottom. Wow, it's amazing!

If you have a cat, be sure to give it some special attention today even if it isn't officially Cat Day when you read this. All pets deserve special treatment every day. Do let me know if you'll be treating yours to one of these fabulous cat trees and which one you like best.

~ Susan Deppner

Read More of My Reviews 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Train Your Cat to Use the Toilet

Kitty Toilet Training Kit!

They actually have Training Tools for this!

Back in the 1970's we had a very smart Siamese cat who learned to do this, but believe it or not we DID NOT train him!

True Story

In the middle of the night my dad, the jokster teaser type, woke up to use the washroom in the master bedroom ... before he could do his business, he sees our Cat squatting on the toilet taking a pee-poop (cause the cat did both on the toilet!) .... I can just imagine dad's expression!

The next morning he told Mom and the rest of us about it, and NONE of us believed him, we just thought he was joking as usual.

Well, mom was the next person to see our Cat do his magic, then I was the third.

Our cat learned this simply by watching people in the bathroom. WOW - Now that should scare the heck out all of us.  He was so incredibly smart!

When our neighbor would watch our cat, she only had to flush the toilets. Can you imagine telling your cat sitter, 'there's no litter to change, just freshen up the food dishes and flush the toilets' ... and be sure the lids are always up! When I think back, I can hardly believe it.

I've read online about these kitty toilet training kits featured above, but if your cat is smart enough to learn by watching like ours was, then save the money and just let them in to observe on a regular basis!

Here's a video from YouTube that shows you how to train your cat to use the toilet

I like to think my Cat was a Pioneer, after all, he didn't require training, and mastered this in the 70's before Kitty knew he could get famous on YouTube.

I should add, although we've had many pet cats since this little genius, not one of them was able to duplicate this ... and we've never attempted a training. He still holds the record in our house for the 'most outstanding cat of his and many generations'.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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You Can Own a Rare Richard Burns Print, Signed by the Artist

Richard Burns Art Prints are Available Online

*Click any photo to buy the prints at Amazon.com

Thru the Pass by Richard Burns

I'm totally biased because he's my husband but I love Richard Burns' art. This year he released a few prints from his archives that are now available at Amazon.

All of the prints are from the 1990's when he did a series of wild animals. Each print was created in a batch of from 500-2000 prints only, and signed and numbered.  After the initial run many of them sold out, but somehow we ended up with around 10-20 prints of some of the animals, so Richard released them this year.

My favorite one is his Snow Leopard perched on a rock. The wound up energy is palpable! It's called Winter's Veil and was one of his most popular prints. His other Snow Leopard is also a best seller called Thru the Pass. (yes we know it's misspelled, but that's how it was printed so we're stuck with it now.) It's the one pictured above. Below is Winter's Veil.

Winter's Veil by Richard Burns

We have a friend who has all his "cat prints" as he calls them on one wall of his house. The Snow Leopard ones are my favorite and he has them in the middle of that wall. Then on the end of the wall is a huge print of Tigers, called Icy Courtship. (Another best seller of Rich's.)

Icy Courtship by Richard Burns

Rich seems to have a way with animals as the Los Angeles Zoo had him go into the cages to paint these magnificent animals in their habitat, for a series of cards he did for them. He did coyotes and wolves too, and swans and owls. But the cats were the best sellers and continue to be used on calendars, mugs, puzzles, needlework kits, and t shirts.

Still there's nothing like a wonderful art print on your wall to remind you every day of the animals who used to roam  whole continents.  So just click on any of the prints you see here if you are interested in purchasing. They won't last, so best to get over there soon.

Which cat print is your favorite?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Bats in Time for Halloween

Not-So-Scary Side of Bats

Bats and Halloween just seem to go nicely together. Those wonderful mammals are associated with the spooky side of Halloween. From fright night activities to Dracula's alter ego, bats just lend themselves to the spooky. But are they really so bad? It's time to review the world of bats.

Yes, I am an animal lover and an animal rescuer. Well, you have to love animals to be able to rescue them as a professional. But my passion for animals goes beyond the sweet fluffy ones. All wildlife plays it's part in keeping our entire world in check. That includes those so-called spooky bats.

Can you imagine how hard it would be for you to enjoy a warm summer evening without the benefit of bats? You would be over run with flying insects, literally. Bats have a voracious appetite when it comes to those pesky and biting insects. Enjoying bats in your neighborhood means you don't need to use chemicals to keep mosquitoes away.

Bat Lover Design Mugs by BuckHawk
Browse Bat Mugs online at Zazzle.com

We can also thank bats for helping to keep the destructive insects out of our farms. Which translates into less chemical sprays on our food supplies, higher yields and lower prices in the grocery store.

OK, so now you've gotten just a few of those great reasons to love bats. Well, you don't have to actually love them, but you can tolerate and support them in your world. There are plenty of ways to support the efforts of those saving the bat population. The Not-So-Scary Side of Bats gives you lots of ways along with videos of some adorable orphaned baby bats and how bats use echolocation to find their food source.

Bats for Halloween are fun, but bats in real life more fun. Time to review your own attitude about bats. 

 


Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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