Whiskersandpaw's Blog

Best Friends Voice ~ February 2012

whiskersandpaws — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:30:56 +0000

We love Valentine’s Day.

The simple, sweetness of a card of remembrance is something that will brighten anyone’s day. We hope you get remembered on Valentine’s Day and we hope you will send a Valentine to a special friend or loved one.

Skin and Shedding issues

Our Winter weather has been pretty mild so far this year. One of our dogs, Beau is shedding as if it was summer. So, after a good brushing and our mild shampoo on one of those warm days, we decided we had better add some Royal Coat to his food. His shedding has leveled off and his coat is shinier. If you are experiencing the same thing, you may want to start adding some of this wonderful, natural addition of thousands of milligrams of fish oil and borage oil that helps skin and coats all year long.

Dental Health

We also want to remind you that we have great dental products that are so easy to use. We have a “treat” that is made out of natural products and actually acts as a toothbrush. Instead of a an argument to get your dog to comply with your tooth brushing routine, you can be a real hero by using “Breathless Brushless Toothpaste.” Use once a day for dogs and cats. Controls any bad breath, too.

My dogs love Pup-rrr-Mint Sticks as their after breakfast treat if we want to alternate with the Breathless/Brushless Toothpaste. We also have Clean Teeth Gel or Fresh Breath Instant Fresh Foam. These treats create kissable moments.

BEST FRIEND’S CHOICE

Be sure you are checking your dog’s food preference, too. You can easily change up your dog’s diet by switching between our proteins. If you want to try Lamb or Salmon instead of Chicken with every order, you may want to ask for a recommendation. We also have our Lean food and our Sensitive NO Grain food for our allergic prone dogs.

Our food must be approved by AAFCO before we can even sell one bag. We feel confident that our food is healthy and contains all the vitamins and minerals that your pets need without any of the harmful chemicals and additives to preserve or flavor the food. We alsoprovide the best wet/canned food that complements the dry kibble for cats and dogs. Our food recipes are created and monitored by experienced veterinary nutritionists with field trials before any of the recipes are offered for sale to our customers.

Pete visited Angels Stadium for a marketing opportunity at the end of January and he will be visiting the corporate offices of Wet Seal at the end of February. It is a new concept of lunchtime marketing opportunities to be offered during a Health and Wellness Faire for their Corporate employees. We are excited about the opportunity and hope this will generate new customers. Sean is passing out free samples of our food on his delivery routes and if you have a neighbor that you think might like to try a sample for their precious pets, please let us know and if they become a customer, we will be very happy to add a $10 credit to your next order. You can leave us a message or tweet Sean at #whiskerspawsca.

Be safe and give your pets a Valentine kiss for us after you brush their teeth.
We’ll talk to you soon,

Pete, Sean and Karen

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Best Friends Voice ~ January 2012

whiskersandpaws — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:42:52 +0000

January 2012 Newsletter

Happy New Year
Thank you for the goodies and the thank you notes and the great cards with enclosed pictures of our customers. We enjoyed every one. The pictures are on our cork board, the cookies and candy were eaten with gusto and we are now officially on diets!

We are so lucky to have reasonably good weather, lots of reputable Shelters nearby and many active and conscientious dog walkers and sitters, groomers and veterinarians to take good care of our pets. We also have devoted and passionate animal advocates who care for and help find homes for unwanted pets.

I was recently reading an article about a woman who volunteers to help the pets in Pontiac, Michigan. The city has no functioning animal control. The city has 20% unemployment, a dwindling police force, and no animal control without the help of Pam Porteus. Pam is the manager of a local rescue group called Animal Care Network.

She does not even live in the city but she receives about 150 telephone calls a day for help in Pontiac. She says, “Nobody else is going to do it, so we have to do it.” If want to learn more about Pam and her group you can go to their website: www.mi-aan.org. I read about this incredible woman and her organization through “Best Friends Animal Society’s” newsletter.

How to find your next Pet

Speaking about great organizations….if you are ever interested in looking at available shelter animals from the comfort of your own computer, go to www.petfinder.com. Whoever came up with this fabulous site should get a gold star. You can add your own specifications from how far you want to drive, to age, sex and even breed of animal. You can see pictures of animals in shelters all over the US. It is a fabulous resource to find a pet and it couldn’t be easier to use.

Canine Flu Vaccine

We recently received information from our vet recommending the canine flu vaccine for our dogs. Dogs are especially vulnerable when they are around other dogs. So, if you board your dog at a facility or take him to dog day care you may want to consider the vaccine for the virus. The symptoms are coughing and sneezing and the usual treatment is antibiotics to fight secondary infections. It is a relatively new virus, discovered in 2004 among Greyhounds. Most dogs are not immune to the virus because it is such a recent discovery. It can lead to pneumonia. Animals of all ages are susceptible and it is possible to get the flu year round. So, if you don’t already know about the virus you might want to discuss the inoculation with your vet. Cats and people have not yet been diagnosed with this flu. Let us know if you decided get the shots for your dog and let us know if it had any effect on your animal.

Marketing Ideas

We will be continuing to market our service to groups throughout the year. If you know of any gatherings with vendors that you think might draw potential customers like yourself, please let us know. We are reaching out to groups in large office settings or to events that appeal to women. As you know, the lady of the house usually makes the decision as to what the dog and cat get to eat. We thank all of you for choosing us and if you have a friend that you think could use our delivery of excellent food, please let us know. We love to give referral discounts to our customers.

We’ll talk to you soon,

Pete, Sean and Karen

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Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friends Voice ~ December 2011

whiskersandpaws — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:59:10 +0000

December 2011 Newsletter

Just a quick good-bye for the year… .….. knowing that everyone is gearing up for the holidays we just wanted to touch base and say thank you for all your orders of our Best Friend’s Dog and Cat Food this past year. We also want to thank those of you who “sold” our service to your friends, co-workers, neighbors and relatives. We appreciate your loyalty and your friendship. We have been together for so long we want to send this newsletter as a Christmas Card to all of you.

We have upgraded our treats. Most are human grade and made in the US.
We want to keep our dogs and cats as safe and well as we possibly can.


KONA’S CHIPS Comes to us from a California manufacturer of Chicken Jerky. The 8 oz. packages of USDA sliced, chicken breast are tasty and smell delicious. The fat content is only 4.7%. The package sells for $16	KONA’S CHICKEN JERKY CRUNCH STICKS These are crispy , sliced, thin bars of 100 % chicken formed into delicious looking treats. 16 oz. for $20	KONA’S LAMB CRUNCHTIMES 100% lamb ( lamb lungs) – dried and crispy and mouthwatering. 3 oz. for $5

We have lost a few never to be forgotten dogs and cats this year. For that we grieve but take hope that we gave them the best of lives. We also welcomed new puppies and kittens. We helped find homes for those unfortunate people and pets that had to be separated. So many pets were given to shelters and it is encouraging to meet the many kind souls who volunteer to evaluate, train and foster pets. My wish for next year would be that more people were responsible for finding a good home for their family pet before they found they had to give them up.

We will be cutting off the list of Holiday Bags in the next week. So, please place your order now if you want me to assemble a bag of goodies and squeaky/teaser toys for your pets. We also have really nice, wholesome, packaged treats that you can tie a bow around for a special gift from Santa? Let us know, as most of you will be getting your last delivery of the year within a week or two.

We wish you all have a safe, warm Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah —

See you all in January.

Pete, Sean and Karen

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Best Friends Voice ~ November 2011

whiskersandpaws — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:39:18 +0000

November 2011 Newsletter

Boy the weather changed quickly and seems to be Winter now. I know we are still getting a few fleas and itching is still a problem. Three things we use and recommend:
Keep flea control on hand –“ Advantage” or “Frontline”
Keep “Itch Free” on hand – gentle spray that heals itchy skin from bites and winter dryness
“Royal Coat” – A general, natural healing product for everything from allergies to skin inflammation with 4000 mg of fish oil and Borage oil. It works wonders.

Veterinary Costs

From a Wall Street Journal Article on Veterinarian Costs – We recently read an article explaining the high cost of veterinary care. ( November 2, 2011 – “The Dog maxed out my credit card”) Evidently, veterinarians are faced with lower salaries than others with advanced degrees. High student loans and lower salaries have caused vets to raise fees. With clients facing higher costs to visit the vet, people are taking their pets less often. I know we think twice about going to the vet. We prefer to use natural remedies when we can. And, of course we feel good food as a starting block, is essential to a healthy pet for life.

When your vet suggests changing your Whiskers and Paws diet to a Weight Management food from his office or a Grain Free food from his office, call and talk to us first. We have successfully kept our dogs and cats on a really good food that is low in fat, reasonably priced and includes quality ingredients with no harmful chemicals. Our new Grain Free diet can be used for any dogs but it is especially good for dogs with unspecified allergies that can affect skin, eyes, ears and tummies. It is very high in both Omega 3 and 6.


ADULT LEAN	LEAN CAT	GRAIN FREE

Winter Bathing

During this time of year dogs and cats still need to be groomed. Many of our customers love their groomers and they love the way their pets come home smelling sweet and clean from the grooming parlor. Just in case you want to be able to bathe your pets when you can’t get them to the groomer or want to save the cost of a visit we have two products that you should try:

NEW
Tropiclean’s Hypo-Allergenic and Tearless formula Shampoo for all dogs and cats but safe for both kittens and puppies. A soothing and mild shampoo that can clean even the dirtiest puppy. Comes in a generous 20 oz. bottle for $10.

WATERLESS BATH
Our old stand by for winter bathing – Waterless Bath. Natural Chemistry makes this product and it is excellent for an in-between “bath” for your dog or cat. Just spray on, rub/brush it in to let it dry and you are done. It works for elderly pets as well as pets who don’t cooperate in the bath. It’s natural enzymes remove odor. It is a must in our house for the cold winter months. 24 oz. for $12.50.

End of the Year Plans

Sean will be at the Orange County Baby Fair event on November 12th at Saddleback Memorial Hospital in Laguna Hills from 10 – 2 pm. Pete and Karen will be at an Open House for Prospective Franchisees on that same day, at the office (10-2). Come by if you want to say Hi.

DON’T FORGET TO LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT ANY HOLIDAY BAGS THIS YEAR – CAT or DOG $25 – Filled with our excellent treats and a cute stuffed, squeaky toy or cat teaser.

$ Saving Tip: Order an extra bag of dog or cat food and get a discount on the price per pound up to 60#’s for dogs and 24#’s for cats. Also, our Beef complete diet canned food is only $1.50/can if you buy a case of 24.

Thank you for your referrals that came in this month. Be sure we thank you with a $10 credit on your next order.

Talk to you soon,

Pete, Sean and Karen

Leave us a comment!

Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friends Voice ~ October 2011

whiskersandpaws — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:09:12 +0000

I recently came across a new book, “Dog Sense – “How the new science of dog behavior can make you a better friend to your pet,” by John Bradshaw.

One of the author’s suppositions is that “Dogs are expected to be much better trained and controlled than they used to be.” I am sure that is true as I frequently run into dogs when I am out shopping. Not my dogs of course, but other people’s well behaved dogs. I have often wondered how much time and effort was spent in training. I give the owners a lot of credit. Approachable, friendly and quiet dogs are so attractive.

My own dogs are such that we have adapted to their quirks and misbehaviors. They are certainly approachable to us but would they be to another dog or a noisy child? We are the trained owners with the wild and unruly pets.

I began to read further as to the different training methods. The domination method was used and promoted by Barbara Woodhouse and Colonel Konrad Most. These famous trainers displayed physical domination in creating submissive pets. Cesar Milan believes if you are not asserting leadership over your dog, your dog will try to compensate by showing dominant or unstable behavior. I am not sure his methods are appropriate for all dogs.

The flip side of this thinking is one promoted by Dr. Ian Dunbar who suggests training built on rewards and not physical punishment. By using treats and praise as a lure-reward method the animals happily learn to do what is expected. Dunbar has 25 years’ experience as a veterinarian and puppy trainer who has a doctorate in Animal Behavior from UC Berkeley.

You can read all about the latest ideas in dog training by checking this book out of the library or ordering a copy from Amazon. The subject is an interesting and important comparison of totally different methods and if you are considering sending your new puppy to Boot Camp or joining other struggling owners at a group dog training class, you might want to check this out.

New Treats

We have been researching lots of healthy new treats. We are pleased to present a whole bunch at once. The concept of human grade, easy to store and sometimes very low in fat, tasty treats and MADE in the USA, is what we were looking for:

KONA’S CHIPS

Comes to us from a California manufacturer of Chicken Jerky. The 8 oz. packages of USDA sliced, chicken breast are tasty and smell delicious. The fat content is only 4.7%.

The package sells for $16

KONA’S CHICKEN

JERKY CRUNCH STICKS

These are crispy , sliced, thin bars of 100 % chicken formed into delicious looking treats.

16 oz. for $20

KONA’S LAMB CRUNCHTIMES

100% lamb ( lamb lungs) – dried and crispy and mouthwatering.

3 oz. for $5

“SMART DOG JERKY”

REAL BEEF JERKY STICKS

About 7 inches long that can be broken in two to share or for later.

8 oz. for $12

REAL RABBIT JERKY STICKS

About 6 inches long. This new protein ought to intrigue a few dogs.

6 oz. for $12

REAL VENISON JERKY STICKS

Also about 6 inches long and very low in fat.

6 oz. for $12

NOTE: Our “Smunchies” are turning out to be a big hit with CATS. After all what cat wouldn’t want a sugar cube sized piece of freeze-dried liver? Ask us for a sample if your cat isn’t already begging for this treat. Beef or Chicken Liver -

7 oz. for a$15 bag

Year End

The year is quickly winding down. We have a few more events to attend to attract new customers but we still love your referrals, the most. I will soon be taking orders for Holiday Bags once again this year. They will most likely be filled with our new treats and a chubby, squeaky toy. Be thinking if you want a bag for a cat or a dog and I will put you on the list so you won’t be disappointed as we usually run out.

We’ll be talking soon I hope. Happy Halloween.

Pete, Sean and Karen

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Best Friends Voice ~ September 2011

whiskersandpaws — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 23:37:53 +0000

Barley Foxtail

September has arrived just as we were enjoying summer. School has started. All the new clothes the grade school kids will wear for the first time will be itchy and hot as the daytime temperatures will inevitably really heat up. The Santa Ana winds will kick up and weeds and grasses will dry up. This often leads to trips to the vet with foxtails having invaded our best friends.

The weeds are now dry and brittle and the most dangerous. The needles of the foxtail type grasses latch on to the fur of passing animals. They can quickly burrow into to the eyes, noses, mouths, paws, tails and armpits of dogs, particularly long haired ones. Dogs tracking scents inhale them. Dogs galloping swallow them. The foxtail’s ability to burrow into the dirt is the same method that allows the foxtails to move in through the animals. This can cause infection and may result in the need for surgery.

The best prevention is to stay out of areas with foxtails: along mountain trails, vacant lots and even in lawns. That is almost impossible but you can ask your groomer to trim the fur around the paws, making it much easier to inspect. At the end of a walk it is a good idea to inspect your pet in all the areas mentioned above. One sign of adog that has a foxtail is compulsive licking of a paw or convulsive sneezing. Keep your pets safe.

E-mail & Facebook

We have found that some customers would prefer to get a quick e-mailed message from us rather than a telephone call or message. If you are one of those busy people, please let us know. We will be glad to notify you that an order is scheduled. Instead of calling us back, just send us a quick response with any changes from your last order. We can also re-file your order for another delivery day in your area.

See Sammy on our

new Facebook page!

We are finally establishing a Facebook page. One of the uses will be to add available dogs or cats needing homes. Especially time sensitive material that you can access and check out if you are interested. We get notified almost every week about a dog that needs a forever home. Not too many cats, but we know there are many needing someone to adopt them. These are animals that very adoptable, good looking, healthy and usually young. Sometimes they are in shelters that we might not visit. We hope we can be another source for adoption to good homes.

New food News

We are again getting a new food. We are excited to be able to offer a new kibble that is GRAIN FREE. It will be chicken based protein with potato flakes. No grains at all. It will also include duck meal, catfish meal, carrots, celery, beets, parsley, watercress and spinach. It has 28% protein, 15% fat and 3.5% fiber. It will also have the most Omega 6 of any of our foods except the Puppy/Working Dog. We will be phasing out the Sensitive/Low Grain. We anticipate we will have our new NO GRAIN food in October.

By Year End

Just a “heads up” on another change coming up. We plan on getting our food in 30# bags and discontinuing the 20# bags of dog kibble by the end of the year. We will be discontinuing the 8# bags of cat food and getting our cat food in 15# bag sizes. This should enable us to achieve some cost savings that we can pass along to you with a minimum of disruption in scheduling. Watch for that.

We will be adding some new treats that we will talk about next time.

Take good care of yourselves. Stay healthy and hug your pups and kitties.

Thank you for your referrals that came in this month. Be sure we thank you with a $10 credit on your next order.

We donate to Best Friends Animal Society and to Puppies Behind Bars each month. We do that because YOU make it possible. Thank you.

Talk to you soon,

Pete, Sean and Karen

Leave us a comment!

Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friends Voice ~ August 2011

whiskersandpaws — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 23:00:39 +0000

August 2011 Newsletter

We hope this monthly newsletter is finding you relaxed and happy enjoying backyard barbecues and trips to the beach. Lots of people seem to be on vacation — you would think the traffic would be lighter — maybe it is all those out of state
cars ….

We haven’t gone anywhere but the weather has been so nice, the bubbling patio fountain I hear throughout the house makes me happy and the dogs are good. Too soon the demands of the school year and shorter days will ramp us all up again.

Food Education

Because we always want you to know why it is important to buy good food for your precious pets we want to share some information that you may not know. Always look at the ingredient label. High quality dog food is made with whole ingredients. Protein sources should only be from whole, fresh meats or a single source meat meal. Chicken Meal, Lamb Meal or Salmon Meal is the product from those meats, only. This ingredient has been cooked and dried but it is still only meat with the water and some fat removed. The ingredients are considered healthy and nutritious and have nothing foreign added to them. It is when you get By-Products or By-Product Meal that you should be concerned. This is made of things other than the meaty muscle tissue of the protein source. Something else to consider is the source of the protein. If, for instance, it says, Poultry Meal it can indicate a variety of sources such as chicken, duck, turkey, goose, etc. This variety may indicate a conglomeration that won’t be healthy. It is a cheaper product and it is inferior to a single source protein like we use. Grains should always be whole. When you see brown rice, rye, barley they are using the whole grain in the food. If you see corn gluten meal or wheat middlings these are a lower quality grain fragment.

Using vitamins E and C to preserve the food like we do instead of chemicals like Ethoxyquin or BHA and BHT is very important.

The order in which the ingredients are listed on the label is based on how much weight they contribute to the final product. So, you should always see the meat or meat meal listed first.

WE want you to know that these lower quality products are never used in our “Best Friend’s Choice dog and cat foods. You are feeding your pets fresh, quality ingredients with every meal. Congratulations.

A new innovation is food with a higher meat content. We have been very successful with our grain-free and air dried THAWED RAW, complete diet. Instead of the severe handling restrictions imposed by raw food we found what has proven to be a very popular option – Beef, Lamb or Chicken – “Thawed Raw.” The value of the raw diet without the hassle of dealing with raw food restrictions. The meat is “air – dried” so that it doesn’t lose food value in the heating process. Dogs crave the meat content and it serves as a good complete diet. Most customers, especially big dog customers, use the Thawed Raw as a topper for the kibble. IF, you haven’t tried it for your dog, please ask us for a sample. You can keep it on the shelf with no refrigeration necessary. 2 lbs./ $28

Summer Activities

For some reason I love to bathe our dogs. It makes me happy that they are so happy and frisky after a bath. Their coats shine, feel soft and clean and their coloring is enhanced. Beau’s little white shoulders show up. Louie’s silky coat is a pleasure to stroke. I just bathed both of them this week as the sun has been out and they dry so quickly. Brushing the hair from their coats after a bath relieves the itchy feeling of all that dead hair and keeps it off my floors, too. So, even though you can and should schedule an appointment with the groomer you may want to get the satisfaction from bathing your dog or a cat, yourself. Then, when they are dry you can apply flea control if you have a dog that is sensitive and attracts fleas, like Louie. We carry both Advantage, Frontline and a choice of Shampoos for your convenience.

See the results for yourself! Beau and Louie

We recently attended a big dog event (Bowser Bash) in San Dimas near the Dog Park. It seems to be a very active and attractive group of dog lovers who support the efforts of a clean and safe dog park. Way to go, San Dimas!

Giving up a Dog for Adoption

We have recently tried to find a home for another dog being offered up for adoption due to changes in the family’s life. This cute, little dog was a Lhasa mix, eight years old and in great health. Whenever we are notified about these situations we add it to our voice mail to alert anyone that might call about the opportunity. Usually, the dogs are adopted quickly. We rarely hear about cats. I hope that is because cat owners keep their cats. The latest dog, Baxter, was adopted at a shelter event last Saturday. So, we hope he went to a forever home this time. IF you are in the market for another dog and want to be on an e-mail list to be notified, please let us know.

By the way. WE are obsessed with Maru the Cat. If you want to see this most beautiful and entertaining cat, go to www.youtube.com, type in “Maru the Cat” and you will have a variety of choices to see him perform. Fantastic!

We will be at an August event in LONG BEACH. So, we hope to see all of our Long Beach area customers there, for sure! It is sponsored by SCART – “Surf City Animal Rescue Team.” It is called, “Pet Fair in the Park” – August 21st from 9:30 am – 3:00 at Long Beach Marine Stadium Park – 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach.

Thank you for your referrals that came in this month. Be sure we thank you with a $10 credit on your next order.

We donate to Best Friends Animal Society and to Puppies Behind Bars each month. We do that because YOU make it possible. Thank you.

Talk to you soon,

Pete, Sean and Karen

Leave us a comment!

Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friends Voice ~ July 2011

whiskersandpaws — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:57:30 +0000

The “Dog Days of Summer” have arrived. The term comes from ancient times when the night sky reminded the people below of images. The clear skies exposed images if you connected the dots of stars. Bears, bulls, dogs were viewed as pictures above the earth. Sirius is the brightest star also referred to as Canis Major (the big dog). In the summer Sirius rises and sets with the sun. During late July, ancients believed that Sirius’ heat in conjunction with the sun, created hot and sultry weather. They named the period of time “Dog Days” after the dog star.

Water

Now, that we know it’s hot….. be sure to keep the bowls of water filled with fresh, cool water all day long. If the bowls can tip, be sure to have a second bowl available.

Shedding is in full swing. Dogs shed for a reason. Like human hair, dog hair grows, dies and falls out. While most double-coated dogs blow their coats seasonally, some drop hair year round. Shedding is also linked to hormonal changes, daily sunlight exposure and balanced nutrition. Brushing helps. We have wonderful soap- free shampoos in tropical scents.

Flea Facts

50 – Number of eggs a female flea can lay in ONE day
180 – Number of days a flea can live in your home.
12- Number of months fleas are present in California.
20-40 % – Estimated percent of pets allergic to flea bites.

Be sure that you have some flea control on hand as the fleas will be jumping and biting your cats and dogs. Not just a nuisance. Flea infestations can affect the whole house and yard. Hot spots can result in expensive and painful visits to the veterinarian. So, be prepared with your arsenal of products that can be delivered with your food order:

Advantage and Frontline Plus – cost based on animal’s weight.
De Flea Shampoo – safe for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens. 16.9 oz. for $12.50.
De Flea Pet area spray – You can use on bedding and/or spray directly on your pet. Kills fleas on contact. Use and then rinse off of puppies and kittens. 22 oz. for $15.
Itch Free – Spray with this probiotic solution to relieve itching and hot spots. $15
Royal Coat – I always have this on hand for an itchy animal. It has 4000 mg of fish oil which is blast of relief for dogs. 8 oz. – $22.50 or the larger size – 16 oz. – $40.

ASPCA Warnings for Summer

Just some reminders for all of us when we are welcoming guests to our homes or leaving our pets as we go on vacation…. to keep our pets safe …..

1. Keep your pet cool with shady spots and lots of water available.

2. If you put sunscreen or insect repellent on your pet – make sure it is formulated for canine or feline use.

3. Keep matches, citronella candles and lighter fluid away from your pets and

kids!

4. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool, lake or high waters.

5. NEVER leave your pet alone in a car. The inside of a car can heat up very quickly – even with a window open.

Irvine Shelter Event

We met lots of dogs and owners as we manned our booth at the Irvine Shelter Event in June. Shelter groups from all over Southern California were able to participate in bringing their shelter animals that were available for adoption.

Many specific breed-rescue groups were there along with the adorable mixes. At the end of the day, 281 animals found a new home. We were glad we attended. The next Irvine Shelter Event is scheduled for December. Tell your pet-less friends.

Upcoming Events

July 30th, Saturday

Saturday “Bowser Bash” at Horsethief Canyon Park, San Dimas – 9am to 12 noon.

August 21st, Sunday

6th Annual – “Pet Fair in the Park” –

Long Beach – Long Beach Marine Stadium Park – 9:30 – 3 pm.

Thank you for your referrals that came in this month. Be sure we thank you with a $10 credit on your next order.

We donate to Best Friends Animal Society and to Puppies Behind Bars each month. We do that because YOU make it possible. Thank you.

Talk to you soon,

Karen Pete and Sean

Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friend’s Voice ~ June 2011

whiskersandpaws — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:50:21 +0000

June 2011 Newsletter

Summer Days
Summer, minus the hot days, seems to be upon us. The kids will soon be out of school and there will be lots of activities and trips and guests visiting. This is a good time to be sure to make everyone aware of the responsibilities of pet ownership and go over the do’s, don’ts and must remembers.The distractions of visitors and the excitement of summer plans can cause us to forget to give our pets fresh water, every day. The gates to and from the backyard need to always latch securely. Shady areas for laying comfortably on soft grass or cool dirt need to be cleared away and planned for. Food and treats need to be purchased in advance of a holiday that leaves pets at home with the neighbors or a pet sitter. Changing your pet’s diet when they are already stressed at your absence, can lead to an ill pet on your return.

Flea control and preventative products for itchy, irritated skin needs to be on hand. A good supply of Advantage or Frontline, Royal Coat, Itch Free, De Flea Shampoo and De Flea Pet Area Spray should be in the cupboard. I also like to have a supply of cotton squares and hydrogen peroxide. A bottle of cleaning/drying solution for pet ears needs to be in the cupboard along with a good pet shampoo. Ask us about any of these products before you need them. We also have G-Whizfor urine spots of grass. It really helps keep the urine from killing the grass, especially newly planted grass.

If you are traveling with your pets and need a calming tablet for travel or the noise of the 4th of July, be sure you have Happy Traveler. For tummy upsets.

Gentle Digest is a probiotic that restores a nervous or upset digestive problem.

De-Skunking

I recently came across a home remedy for de-skunking just in case you run into that problem: 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of dish detergent. Wet down your dog, rub the mixture into his coat. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Discard any left over mixture as it can become combustible when stored.

New Books

A new book came across my desk called, “A Dog’s Purpose,” by Cameron. I tried to read it but couldn’t. It was too upsetting to me. An interesting premise about dog reincarnation and the same dog that kept dying and being reborn. That is a good thought, but I could not read about each new death.

A book that I liked was “Until Tuesday, ” by Montalván. “Tuesday” is the fabulous Golden Retriever service dog that was raised by Puppies Behind Bars (one of our charities) and trained by East Coast Assistance Dogs. Tuesday’s story is entwined with her new owner, a disabled veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He had physical impairments and severe Post Traumatic stress. Tuesday is the beautiful dog that saved this soldier who was unable to lead a normal life. The soldier voices his opinions and political comments so be aware of that, but the description of the training these animals go through and the work they do is remarkable and life affirming. It is a very interesting book and if you already love Golden Retrievers it just confirms your opinion.

“Pet Lover’s License Plate”

Thanks to Kathy, one of our great customers in the Inland Empire, we learned about this new CA license plate that when purchased will allow proceeds to go to the local shelter you choose. Other amounts from the cost will go into a spay/neuter fund. This would make the DMV renewal fees palatable when you consider the help this would provide. The plates won’t be made until they have 7500 orders to start production. You can follow up and find out about the plates at: www.caspayplate.com/index.php Their telephone number is 800 390-1541 or e-mail your questions to info@caspayplate.com

Shelters

We have recently worked towards trying to find homes for dogs and cats that need to find a home before they get sent to a shelter. We have been successful recently, because someone always stepped forward to take an animal that needed help due to no fault of their own. It would always be better to have an animal in a home situation instead of the scary and noisy place most shelters are. We are lucky to know of some very good shelters in Orange, LA and Riverside counties. The volunteers that watch over and support these shelters deserve every bit of our help and support. If you live in Irvine, Mission Viejo, Long Beach and San Dimas you are lucky to have good shelters that work very hard to make a safe and secure home for their “guests.”

We will be spending the day, in our booth, at the City of Irvine Shelter on June 11th for their Super Adoption Day. Dogs and Cats from all over Southern California will be brought to the Irvine Shelter grounds in cages and offered up for adoption. We hope to see you there between 10 and 4pm – 6443 Oak Canyon, Irvine, 92618

Thank you for your referrals that came in this month. Be sure we thank you with a $10 credit on your next order.

We donate to Best Friends Animal Society and to Puppies Behind Bars each month. We do that because YOU make it possible. Thank you.

Talk to you soon,

Karen Pete and Sean

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Twitter with Sean at- #whiskerspawsca

Best Friends Voice ~ May 2011

whiskersandpaws — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:01:33 +0000

Hi Everyone,
Hope everyone had a nice Mother’s Day. I did as my boys remembered me and I had a day to do what I wanted. Too bad my beloved Lakers ended their season so raggedy but I can only do so much.

Saturday, as I watched a man struggle through the store buying charcoal, prepared hamburger patties, and a “Happy Mother’s Day” cake, I thought about how much “easier” it is for wives and Mothers to plan and prepare most of the other holidays during the year. It is just that one day that Mother’s get the day off. One holiday that is for the special recognition of all the love and caring that each wife and mother gives to her family. We salute all the Mothers that choose to buy their dog and cat food from us and we say thank you. We appreciate your smart decisions, thoughtful choices and the loving care that you give to your pets.

Website Update
Look for our website to change a bit. We are discarding the old and sometimes incorrect system that calculated our online orders. We have worked with our graphics designer to come up with an easy and straightforward way to place your order. It will no longer go through a system that captures your credit card information directly. We will still get your clear order and communicate its receipt back to you. We will charge your invoice at our office where your card information is kept under lock and key.We have grouped our products in a better, more cohesive way that should make it
easier for you to find and order what you need.

Chicken & Rice in SMALL SIZE BAGS again!

For those of you that like to order the small size, 8# bags of Chicken and Rice we have them again. We appealed to the manufacturer based upon your requests. They agreed. We do have the $30 minimum order for delivery though so keep that in mind if you want it delivered.

New Size Package of California Chicken Pieces KONA CHIPS

Our Kona Chips are made from CA grown chickens. They are safe to chew and eat for even our smallest customers. These sliced and dried chicken breasts are healthy and chewy so even our most discriminating dogs are requesting them for their special treats after they have done their daily chores. 8 oz package – $16

Tie for Most Requested Food Topper -

We are having trouble keeping our warehouse stocked with SMUNCHIES ($15 bag) and THAWED RAW (starting at $28lb.). Both of these healthy products are in such demand we need to reorder constantly. Some of our little dog customers are buying Thawed Raw for the complete diet of their pets. It is a grain free food that is easy to feed, store and use.

We also found SMUNCHIES to be an irresistible treat to most dogs. It is sugar-cubed-sizes of freeze dried liver. That is all that is included. So it is not a complete diet because it doesn’t have vitamins and minerals added to make up the essential nutrients needed for a healthy diet. Our oldest dog, Beau, has recently decided to play games at feeding times. He now knows that I will crush a few SMUNCHIES on top of his kibble and he races to lick his bowl clean. If I don’t, he waits and acts as if I have forgotten something. Just because he is such a good dog, I am willing to give him just what he wants. He deserves it.

Allergies

We have been suffering with Spring allergy symptoms and if you are too, here are a few tips for humans as we live with our animals:

Wash your bedding and cover your entire bed in protective coverings – box springs, mattress and pillows. “Bed, Bath and Beyond” carries a doctor recommended brand.
Regularly change your home’s HVAC filter. Install a new pleated MERV 12 rated filter every 3 months.
Vacuum when the allergic person is not home. Vacuuming makes indoor allergy symptoms worse by blowing particles back into the air. Cat allergens remain airborne for two hours; dog allergens, which are heavier, stay suspended for about 12 minutes.
Keep pets out of the bedroom. Animal dander builds up over time on pillowsand bedding, making symptoms worse at night and in the morning.
These are some of the more moderate recommendations from The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Note: Thank you again for your referrals that came in again this month. Be sure

to ask us if we haven’t thanked you with your $10 discount for referring a new customer.

Make sure you also know that we donate to “Best Friends Animal Society” each month and to “Puppies Behind Bars.” We do that because YOU make it possible.

Talk to you soon,

Karen Pete and Sean

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