Patriotic Dog Bandanas, Collars, and Clothes

The Reviewer's Dog, Daisy, Models Her
Patriotic Bandana on the 4th of July

Bandanas, Collars, and Clothes (Oh, my!):
Apparel for Your Patriotic Pooch

It's summer, which is synonymous for "fun," and one of the most fun holidays of the year happens to fall smack dab in the middle of summertime, on the 4th of July.

While picnics, parades, and parties are popular ways to celebrate Independence Day, people love to dress up in patriotic patterns and colors, too, to demonstrate their love for their country. For those of us whose pets (in this case, dogs) are important members of our families, we like to include them in our celebrations, too.

Let's review a few ways your dogs can help to show off your family's patriotic pride.

Red, White, and Blue Bandanas for Dogs

Patriotic Bandana with Space for Tags
by KirasPetShop on Etsy

During the weeks leading up to the 4th, it's easy to find bandanas in patriotic colors and designs as you stroll through your local department store. While it's fine to pick up an extra bandana for the pup, there are options that work better for dogs than using scarves designed for people.

For instance, take a look at this, my favorite dog bandana design, which works with the dog's collar. The bandana actually attaches over the collar using velcro, a feature you may have seen before, but the truly unique part is that there's a slot in the middle for the dog's tags to hang through. That's not only convenient, it also keeps the scarf from sliding around the dog's neck while you're on your daily walk. Order this bandana in sizes from extra-small to extra-large.

Prefer a different style or design? You'll find a huge selection of patriotic dog bandanas at this link.

Dog Collars for the 4th of July

 

A red, white, and blue dog collar is a quick and simple way for your patriotic pooch to show her true colors. Stars, stripes, and American flag patterns are always popular. Consider a bright patriotic collar with a pretty bow for her or choose something more subdued like the red, white, and blue preppy plaid collar for him, as shown above.

ACU Digital Camo Dog Collar by Swanky Pet on Etsy

If you're looking for something a little different but equally patriotic and perfect for a dog belonging to a veteran, take a look at this awesome made-to-order digital camo dog collar. It's sturdy and includes a high-quality metal ring (or substitute plastic hardware) for displaying your pup's dog tags. 

Patriotic Dog Clothes

Thank God For Our Heroes Patriotic 4th of July Dog Dress
by JustForBella on Etsy

I've saved my favorite 'til last. This is for the girls, custom made for dogs 8 to 18 inches in girth. It's a harness dress, which I like because of the practicality, its custom fit, and the velcro openings at the neck and tummy. The embroidered message on the back of the dress says, "Thank God for our Heroes" in red and blue and includes white stars as well. The patriotic-patterned skirt is trimmed in pretty rick-rack and the outfit is topped off with a beautiful bow and heart-shaped button. There's a convenient D ring at the waist for attaching her leash. This is such a beautiful dress, created by a popular, 5 star-rated Etsy designer/seller. Be sure to check out her other designs, too, including this whimsical, totally adorable, and very seasonal red, white, and blue flip-flops dog harness. 

Whimsical Patriotic USA Flip-Flops Dog Harness by JustForBella on Etsy

No matter which patriotic holiday is on the calendar, I hope you'll include your canine companions in your celebrations. Before you take your dog out during the day, even if it's just for your daily walk through the neighborhood, take an extra few seconds to tie on a patriotic bandana or switch to a red, white, and blue collar. It's an easy and fun way to show off your patriotic pride. 

Have a safe and happy 4th of July! 

Susan

Read more of my reviews.

P.S. Did you know that July 5th is the day that the greatest numbers of dogs are admitted to animal shelters? Please keep your pets indoors and safe during 4th of July fireworks celebrations so they don't run away.

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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Action Movies for Bored Cats (A Review)

Dandy and Oreo, my cats watching
their favorite action movie.

Is your Siamese sad? Tabby troubled? Burmese bored? If your cat needs entertainment, it's time to check out these action movies for bored cats, made just for them!

Believe it or not, cats love action movies. Specifically, they enjoy watching DVD's starring birds, squirrels, mice, gerbils, chipmunks, butterflies, and more, all in their natural habitat. At our house we call these DVD's "bird movies."

Meet Oreo and Dandy, our (now dearly departed) sibling cats, inside cats who never had the pleasure of partaking in the pursuit of winged prey. They were certainly attracted to birds, though; that was obvious whenever they watched them through the window. So we bought them a bird movie - and they loved it!

I laughed when I read the warning on the DVD label advising you to make certain that your TV set is secure because your cat may try to get inside the TV to get to the birds and squirrels. As you can see in the picture below, that was good advice.

My cats loved the video at first and would watch it every day, but then they figured out that they weren't going to catch those birds and tired of it. That's why I recommend that you choose a couple of different movies, to provide some variety for your precious feline friends.

Yes, even cats eventually tire of reruns.

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

Try as she might, and she did try, Oreo never caught
any of the birds in her "bird movie."

The DVD that I bought for our cats is no longer in print, but there are some great, highly-rated alternatives. The "Cat Dreams" DVD has received great feedback from cat owners. The video is on a 90-minute loop, shot from a cat's perspective, and includes lots of movement, definitely an action movie that cats enjoy.

"Cat Sitter" is a trifecta of action movies for cats, available three in a package or singly if you just want to try one to see if your felines are interested (I'm betting they will be). All of these action movies include nature sounds which, actually, provide enjoyable background sounds for humans who are stuck inside and would rather be out, too.

EBay has an excellent selection of DVD's for cats, quite a few different titles, with great prices. Or try Amazon if you're interested in checking out more customer reviews of cat movies.

If you have a cat that lives indoors, I highly recommend trying one of these "bird movies" to bring a taste of outside action inside. The cats will have fun and you'll be entertained just watching them watch it!

P.S. Don't own a cat? Bet you know a cat lover who would love to have a movie for their bored cats. Why not share this information with them?

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews.

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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Review This: Bringing Home a Puppy Day

Today according to the Calendar of Funny and Weird Holidays, today is Bringing Home a Puppy Day.

For those of you who are dog lovers, I'm sure you can remember the day you first brought your new puppy home, with great joy and anticipation.  For those of us who don't have dogs or any other pets, just thinking about bringing home an animal, will make our hearts beat just a little faster.

One thing is certain, puppies are just so darned cute that it is hard not to have your heart melt into a puddle of love!  Those cute little faces and bodies covered in fur so soft, and that small helpless yelping that comes out of them when they are in your hands, is enough to make a grown person melt into a puddle of "Ahhhh's!"  and "Ohhhh's"!

Handling them is the first step into "Puppy Oblivion and Puppy Fever!" Now you are on a path that will forever change your life.

Welcome to the family oh little four legged creature, that stole my heart!  We are forever changed and will never be quite the same as we were before.

That is all good.  Now let's make our family ready for it's newest member.  The one member who will get away with all kinds of good and bad behavior, and will love each of us in our own way.  He will bring what he feels we need into our days each and every day and all we need to do in return is love him, feed and shelter him!  He will be the antidote to stressful days, the balm for restless spirits, and the eyes that see himself as our four-legged fur child, that can only please us with his presence.  And he is so right.

Dogs are one of the most wonderful creatures on the face of the earth.  They make us better people by their presence in our lives and the only thing they want in return is to be loved and cared for by us.  That's not so hard to do!  Several years ago someone told the story about the Ninth Day when God Make a Dog, you can view it by clicking on the link!  

So God Made a Dog!

One thing is certain, once you have a dog in your life, you will never be the same again.  They come into our homes and hearts as little bits of fur and feet, with a tail following behind and they park themselves in our hearts forever.  We will go crazy to make sure that our puppies have the best toys, the nicest bed, leashes for walkies and we will poop and scoop gladly.   For all the love, that these critters give to us, we will be, their forever family gladly.  

We will buy them treats, and treat them to some new toys, buy them coats and boots, costumes and scarves and they will look at us with so much love in their eyes, that you could drown happily in their love for us. 

Bringing home a Puppy Day has to be one of the Best Holidays on the Calendar of Weird and Wonderful Days of the Year.

The only thing that I would add, is learn how to make puppy behave in ways that are acceptable to society.  There are things that puppies need to be taught and there are great ways to train your puppy. So please do some research before going to the kennel or pound to get your newest member of the family.  Research what kind of dog will fit into your family dynamics and then also research how to best train the dog.   Puppies will look to you  for guidance and you have to be ready.  Gentle training will make puppy and the family meld into one big happy group.  

Then have fun, walk the dog, make him part of your life and best and most important of all, love him!

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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The Best Way to Bring Home a Dog for Christmas!

Every year, hundreds of puppies are bought for children as a Christmas present and every year right after Christmas,  shelters see an increase in the numbers of animals given up.

A new furry friend is NOT a great gift at a time when everyone's attention is more focused on the "big picture".   Little puppies get lost in the confusion and hullabaloo that is happening during the melee of opening presents.

They are new to this whole world of ours and bringing them into the middle of it during the holidays is really unfair to a little bundle of fur that just wants to be loved, cuddled, kept safe and gently explore it's new home and new family.

If, after all the warnings not to, you are determined to bring  a puppy or kitten as a gift, there is a way to do it that will keep everyone happy and excited, without being a major trauma to the animal involved in your choice.

Presumably, the kids have all mentioned that they wanted a pet to begin with.  To that end, if a new puppy or kitten is on the way to your family, start by preparing your family first for the newest member.

Along with some toys for the kids (a stuffed dog or cat), make sure there are books for each one of them, about caring and training a pet.

Buy them dog/cat dishes, dog/cat toys, dog/cat treats, a bag of good quality puppy or kitten food.

Wrap a flattened dog crate, or kitty carrier and address it to one of the kids.  A leash, harness, and tags would be another great gift.

A Puppy Starter Kit would be a nice bundle to give to the whole family!

And then when everyone is wondering what the heck it all means, take the video you made, when you visited the Dog/Cat Breeder and show them the newest member of their family.  Give each of the kids a "ticket" to ride in the car on the day after New Years or later, to go and collect their new furry friend.  Make arrangements with the Breeder ahead of time, to give the children a lesson or two about caring for their new pet.  Most reputable breeders will be more than happy to help along, because they want their puppies to be happy and well adjusted as well.  When I got my dog, the breeder was more than happy to give the puppy a bath, show me how to care for his coat and let me help to dry him and brush him.  She was pleased that I was interested in his well being before I even got him home.  She had valuable experience with puppies and could help me make his transition to my home much smoother.  Having a puppy is like having a baby, there are all kinds of things to learn.

By that time, hopefully most of the Christmas things will have been put away and the new fur baby will have a safe place to call his new home. Tinsel and cookies and candy lying around with a new puppy, could spell disaster.  So it's better to wait.  Not only will those dangers be gone, but, the children, having settled in with their new toys, will find time for the newest member of the family too!

This little video (click on the link) will help you understand  a little more about:

Bringing Home the Puppy!

Remember, that while getting an animal for Christmas (or later) is wonderful, they are a commitment for years to come, not just over the holidays.  This is a living and breathing being that requires love, companionship, exercise and food.  He is like a new member of the family and deserves to be treated with the utmost respect.

Do it right and your family will have Christmas memories to last a lifetime and a dog or cat,  that will fill each year with happiness and joy.......

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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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.
Thanks for pinning and sharing!

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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How to Make a Personalized Ornament or Decorative Tile to Honor or Remember a Much Loved Pet

Wouldn't you like an ornament of your pet hanging on your Christmas tree?

Eldon the Cat Yawning, © B. Radisavljevic

Pets are an important part of the family, but unlike your children, they can't make special ornaments to hang on the tree.  They can, however, have their pictures displayed on customized ornaments you can create at Zazzle. You know your cat or dog (or rabbit or bird or turtle or whatever pet you have) is full of personality. You probably have a memorable picture of your pet on your computer right now, just waiting to be made into an ornament or decorative tile. 

The process is simple Just follow my links to Zazzle and use my easy directions to customize. I used a former neighbor's cat, Eldon, as my model, since I don't have any pets at this time. Eldon has already crossed the Rainbow Bridge. An ornament is a great way  to memorialize him,  as you might want to do for a pet who is no longer with you. During the holidays, we miss those who are gone the most. That certainly includes our pets.

Sarah the Cat Sitting, © B. Radisavljevic

And don't forget your friends. Maybe you have a pet sitter who would like an ornament or decorative tile with your pet's picture for Christmas. Maybe your children who have moved away from home and left the family pet behind would appreciate a decorative tile or trivet to remember them all year. Or maybe you have a great shot of a friend's pet that friend would appreciate as an ornament or decorative tile. Just use your imagination and you will soon know what to give those people who won't really tell you what they want, but they really do love their pets. These ornaments don't even have to hang on a tree. They can  hang anywhere you can attach them so you enjoy them all year. 

How to Customize an Ornament for Your Pet Keepsake

You met Eldon above. Now let's see him on a premium square ornament. There are many shapes you can choose, but because Eldon has a long tail, I had to make a square ornament to squeeze it all in. Square is one of the easiest ornament shapes to work with. 

Just click the ornament images to get to  them on Zazzle.

When you click on Eldon's ornament, it will take you to its product page. I'm now going to change Eldon's ornament into one to memorialize Sarah, my neighbor's cat who visited me daily and hung out on my porch, always there to greet me when I came home, always hoping for the cat treat she knew she'd get from me. She died this year and we miss her. Read about my relationship with and see more pictures of Sarah here. 

This is how you can change the ornament for Eldon to one in honor of your pet, as I did to make mine in honor of Sarah.   

• On the ornament, you will see the  "Customize it!" button. Click it. The photo will change to a design view with some red boundary lines. 
• Look to your right under "Customize it!" Scroll past the blue icons. 
• Look for Eldon with "Change Image" on his right. 
• To put your pet's picture in, just click to change.
• Upload a picture from your computer. The picture you upload should be at least 2" square, 300 pixels resolution, and in png format. 
• Use the buttons over where you changed the photo, to increase or decrease the size of the photo in the frame to fit or fill it. you can also use buttons to move the image up and down, left and right. Just play with it. You want to keep the image within the inner red box to keep it from being cropped. Test by clicking the button underneath to change to art view. That shows you how your finished product will look. 
• Above where I changed the image, you can change the text to match your pet's name and date, to remove any text, or to change the text to whatever you want to say. While the square is still around your text, you can drag it wherever in the product you want it to be. 
• As you scroll down the right side, you can change the background color or the ornament's shape and style.   I normally pick my style first and then fiddle with the images and text, either of which you can change from this screen.

If your image doesn't look quite right, you can use the "arrange" or "edit" drop down menus, or you can mouse over the icons to see what they do and use them to make your picture large enough to fill all the space or smaller to  fit better. You can play with them until your ornament looks the way you want it to. The previews where you choose your shapes shows you how  your photo will look in those other shapes. When your ornament is just right, use the big blue/orange button near the top right to "Add to Cart." (It's blue until the mouse turns it orange.)

Here's how Sarah's ornament turned out. Notice that I dragged the text to a location where it would show better.

Ornament: Black Tuxedo Cat Sitting Square Metal Christmas Ornament
View other Pets Ornaments at Zazzle.com

Now Let's Look at Some Other Ornament Styles

First, meet Nicki. She was the shiest of one neighbor's cats and she didn't like to pose. I was lucky to get her at all. I have put her on a premium round ornament, and her photo had to be 2.13" x 1.25," resolution 300, png format. Larger pictures will also work, but they shouldn't be any smaller. The important thing to remember about round ornaments is that the subject should be easy to center. Before you choose a shape, be sure your photo can conform to it. 

Let's Look at the Ceramic Ornaments You Can Make from Your Pet's Pictures

Let's meet Pumpkin, the most docile of my previous neighbor's cats. She's a sweetheart, but I had to get candid shots. I have her on a ceramic round ornament. You can use the customize button to switch pictures and text. Your picture should be about 1150 pixels in diameter, 300 resolution, and png format. 
See how easy it was to get her centered? 

Ceramic ornaments have two sides you can fill and you have a lot of design flexibility. Be sure to customize both sides by clicking under the ornament to choose the front or back to work with. I put the date on the  back side, leaving the front for just the photo. You can also make both sides identical. 

Zazzle is playing around with their image links and in some cases below you will see the design, not the actual ornament. If you click the title link of the ornament, it will take you to how the design will look on the ornament, and you will also have the option of choosing the design in a different shape.

Here are some other appealing kitty ornaments you might get ideas from. This one has a frame. Just click through and put your cat into the frame.

The heart-shape ornament is also very popular. Here are some of my favorites.

This ornament is two sided. It features two photos of the same cat. I show you the back side here. One could also choose to put a picture of two  different pets on the two different sides -- maybe even a cat and a dog. 

And, lest you think I'm anti-dog, here is an ornament featuring a canine pet.

Some photos will do well on the oval shape. I like this one.

I think the star is the most complicated shape to fit a photo into, but here's one that worked well. 

If You'd Like a Pet Keepsake Larger than an Ornament to Display All Year, Make a Decorative Tile or Trivet

For a tile such as the one below, use a 4.25" x 4.25" picture, 300 resolution, png format. If you want some wiggle room, you might make your picture a bit larger to make sure it will fill the space. You can, of course, also add words. When you click through to the product page, you can customize with your own picture and words, but you will also have the option of adding a frame to make this a trivet or a box, for which this would be a decorative top. One tile gives you three different options. Here are what some others have done.

Are You Inspired to Make an Ornament or Tile to Honor Your Pet Yet?

I hope I've given you some inspiration and some practical help on how to do it. Please use the comment section for feedback, questions I've not answered, more ideas for using pet ornaments, or just to let me know you were here.

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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

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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'.

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Cooking for Dogs

Everyone knows how much we love our dogs.  In a way, we treat them like children.  If one seems out of sorts, we sit with them, pet them and try to figure out what might be wrong.  I have even been known to run to the vet's office without make-up and still in my pajamas. 

Any time we go out to eat, we absolutely must bring home a treat for our furbabies!  After all, they have had to stay home and guard the house.  They deserve a special something for their devotion and hard work, which brings me to our featured article for the day.


Cupcakes for Dogs

Susan Zatautas shared a recipe for  Cupcakes For a Dogs Birthday and I can hardly wait to pop some in the oven.  Why wait for a birthday?!!  My babies deserve a treat today!  I just know Merlin will devour the cupcakes in a flash and our prime & proper Daisy will take her time and savor the flavor.

Now, I just need to figure out how to keep their "dad" from eating their cupcakes too.  Of course, I didn't see anything in the recipe that would prohibit him from testing these delicious treats too, even if they are labeled Cupcakes for Your Dog.

Bone Appétit Puppies!  

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