Staying connected is a lot of work. Every time I turn around there is some new social media thing I'm supposed to be signed up for, some new thing I need to remember to update. I can barely keep up with what I have. I've found anything that allows me to maintain lists online is preferable to one that requires me to remember where I placed a book, or a stack of business cards. Which is why, with the blessing of the BlogPaws team, I've started a Google Docs Spreadsheet for BlogPaws attendees to ... Read more »
Sleepypod Yummy Bowls Review
Back to School Week continues with a stylish offering from one of my favorite designers of modern pet accessories: Sleepypod's Yummy Travel Bowls! I have a dog who, despite his low-maintenance background as a retriever, is much too fussy to actually drink water from a bottle and prefers it to be delicately decanted into a bowl. Preferably chilled. Whenever we go for a walk, this means I have to remember to bring his travel bowl. This offering from Sleepypod is my new favorite, for a few ... Read more »
The Introvert’s Guide To Having an Awesome Time at BlogPaws
It's just around the corner- the biggest, best, and most entertaining pet conference of the year- BlogPaws 2011! If you're a three-peater like me, you probably know the drill by now, you've met some people already and are looking forward to reconnecting with your buddies. But if this is your first time, perhaps you find yourself a little bit intimidated. I know I was- well, I'll be honest, I still get intimidated by these things. Do you all read The Bloggess? She is hysterical and she ... Read more »
Tagg Pet Tracker: Another ruffolution
I've spent the last two weeks feverishly snapping up shoes, backpacks and pencils trying to get my kids ready for school. I forgot how much thought your average six year old needs to put into deciding what kind of lunchbox she wants for the year. That is pressure, man. In the meantime, since I'm in a consumer state of mind, I decided this was the perfect week to do some Back to School reviews and previews of stuff your star pet might be interested in this autumn. So welcome to Back to School ... Read more »
It’s always the dog’s fault
Yesterday was a long day. A long day, filled with TSA lines and loud kids and turbulence and bad pretzels. But I was OK with that, because at the end of the day I had a very rare Night To Myself. No husband, no kids, just me, the pets, and maybe a John Hughes movie or two. I got home at the end of this Very Long Day to find that Kekoa (I assume) had an accident. I sighed, blamed my husband for obviously not following proper Kekoa Escort Protocol in the morning, and cleaned it up. She had ... Read more »
Kitty Purry
Here's one of the great things about raising pets: sure, your lack of training may turn them into ill behaved mischief makers, but it's much harder to really screw them up psychologically than it is kids. Teach them sit, stay, and a few basic manners and for the most part, you have harmony. Kids, on the other hand, are almost impossible not to mess up. You either neglect them or spoil them, demean them or overly praise them, treat them like Oliver Twist or Veruca Salt. No matter what you do, ... Read more »
News that’s Fit To Click
Pardon me for my brevity today. I just went to a Katy Perry concert and it struck me both deaf and blind, mostly in a good way, but still. I'm trying out something new to share all these great stories I find over the course of the week: It's the weekly roundup! The FDA approves a drug for steroid-responsive incontinence in dogs. [PetMD] Old dog vestibular disease: a common but mysterious problem. [PetConnection] Dogs helping victims of abuse get through their trial testimony. ... Read more »
Dog is my wingman
I spent much of my time at the BlogHer expo looking for mascots to take pictures with. For all the time I spent doing that, I see I missed at least half of them- Paris over at DogTipper found the Pine Sol lady, the Jimmy Dean sun (who looks exactly like my high school history teacher), and a...piece of Swiffer lint, I guess. Some people have all the luck. That's what I get for going home too early. Nonetheless, I found some singular photo opps myself: A dog from Canine Companions for ... Read more »
Be Funny and Cute
As I've mentioned, I'm attending the BlogHer conference in San Diego this weekend. I was a little unsure of whether I thought this was something I would get anything out of, but hey, I figure might as well give it a go since it's so close to home anyway. There are a lot of diverse bloggers at this show. This is, in fact, what the organizers promote as one of its key enticements. I met dominatrices and peace activists and mommy bloggers and soul enhancement coaches and lifestyle experts, ... Read more »
CSI: Missing canines
What would you do if your dog ran off? Would you post flyers? Go to the shelter on a daily basis? Do a 76 day stakeout in your car armed with traps, binoculars, and motion detection cameras? I have to tell you, as much as I love my dog, I simply wouldn't possess the mental or physical stamina to spend several months living in my car to chase my dog down. God bless this woman who did, because obviously it paid off. That is one fortunate dog, to have owners that dedicated. I will never ... Read more »
Good art challenges you
My daughter had a dance recital this weekend. Instead of flowers, the in-laws thought to get her something a little more long-lasting and picked up a Fur Real stuffed dog thing she has been wanting. She was very happy about this. A day later, she was upstairs, playing with some friends politely and quietly. This usually means trouble, so I popped in to check on them. The first clue something was amiss was the pungent odor of nail polish, which is supposed to be one of those "only under adult ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: Papergirl designs
Congratulations to the winner, Kelly Ann T! Ever receive a beautifully wrapped present that was so adorable you don't even remember what was inside? It doesn't even matter what's inside. The packaging sets up such a great expectation for the contents that you just know it is going to be wonderful. Same goes for getting a really, really cute card. Even if the sentiment is "Sorry about the layoff, man," you're just too busy being happy about the card to worry too much about the ... Read more »
Stay Classy, San Diego
There are a lot of reasons I love living in San Diego. Obviously, the weather is a huge draw- although the monoseason climate gets a little depressing come autumn when I miss the fall foliage, I'm grateful for it a month or two later when my New England relatives are posting on Facebook about the three feet of snow they had to shovel out of the driveway. And yes, we have some of the finest Mexican food in the United States (taquitos from Albertos at 3 am for the win!) I love our zoo and the ... Read more »
Paranormal Snacktivity
My daughter is doing a horse riding summer camp this week. She has been subjected to plenty of "Well I never got to ride horses when I was a kid, I had to sit in a cardboard box with some yarn stapled to the lid all summer" flibbity floo sorts of things from me, enough so that she hopefully realizes we are by no means embarking down the slippery, expensive slope of riding on a regular basis. One week this summer and that is it. The camp she is going to seems to be doing a good job of giving ... Read more »
Mind Games
Brody and I went on one of my favorite hikes yesterday. It's a 3 mile loop, the first half straight up and the second half straight down the side of a mountain plunked square in the middle of a suburban center. It's unusual to have such a pleasant, heart pumping yet short hike so conveniently located. And at the top, you get an amazing 360 degree view of the entire county. As such, it is the most popular trail in San Diego. If you can deal with the ankle-twisting rocks, the crowds, and the ... Read more »
Koaisms
Kekoa is a quirky dog. I mean, all pets (and people, now that I think of it) are quirky in their own way, but she's quirky in that extra-special "I've been down a bit of a cobbly path these last few years and my insecurity is showing through." After a year and a half, I thought some of those behaviors might mellow with time but if anything, they're gotten worse. It's nothing destructive, nothing I can't handle. Just definitive behaviors that I haven't found the time or inclination to get to ... Read more »
Giveaway Tuesday: What’s in your toy chest?
Congratulations to the winners: Dog pack: Jessi and Duke Cat pack: Heather T! Every pet is different when it comes to toys. Some dogs love, love, love their toys and drag them around like Linus with his blanket, dropping their slobbery offerings in your lap like a sticky love note. If the object of their affection has the misfortune to be a stuffed toy, well, the affair may be short lived. Loved to death, shall we say. ... Read more »
The Litterbox Chronicles: Scoop Free Litter Box Review
As you know, Apollo has some marking issues that have made life rather, well, pungent. That is not a good thing. On the bright side, by following veterinary behaviorist Dr. Yin's advice to create a beautiful, austere, absolutely delightful potty palace for the cat I have been able to reduce a large amount of that behavior. So now that we're in a good place, I think you can understand why I was nervous to mix things up and try a new litter box, but in the name of technological advancement, ... Read more »
