The Gift Exchange

The warm summer weather is officially here in the Northwest. I am not a big fan of the hot weather. I prefer to spend my days inside with the AC cranked up with something cool and refreshing to drink. My dogs, however, will not allow that! They just love the sun and are sun worshipers through and through. They love running all over the yard, barking at the squirrels, birds and passing cars. One of their most favorite things in the whole world is to play ball. Though they’re not very good at dropping the ball once they bring it back. This is not my idea of a good time when it’s 90 degrees outside, but I’ve recently discovered something that will make the dogs and me happy. One of our new Pet Gifts at GiftTree is the Chateau La Paws Dog Lover’s Wine Gift. It comes with 2 bottles of the creatively named Chateau La Paws wine, which was created by veterinarian Dr. Kent Rosemblum. It’s creatively packaged along with three tennis balls. So maybe the next time it’s too hot to play, I’ll set the hammock up in the shade and enjoy a bottle of wine while tossing the ball for my dogs. Sounds like a good summer day to me!

The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday but definitely not my pets. They absolutely hate the loud noises and the bright flashing lights. I read that more pets get lost on the 4th of July than at any other time of the year. With the 4th just next week, it’s time to start planning ahead.

Remember to keep a collar and ID tag on your pet. My dogs have a tendency to chew the fabric collars off of each other, so we make sure to have the chain collars on them. I have a friend who has her dog micro chipped so she can track him if he’s lost.

My dog, Frank is an expert at escaping. His nickname should be Houdini. So if your dog is anything like my dog, you’ll want to resist the urge to keep him tied up outside. If they get spooked, they may very well find a way to escape the loud noises.

Also, don’t bring your pet to the fireworks display. Dogs can hear three times greater than humans, so all those great big booms are going to terrify him. You’ll want to keep him in a quiet room with the curtains closed. I like to keep the TV on for my dogs if I’m going to be gone a long time. I’m not sure if it actually helps them, but I figure maybe it’s a distraction from all that’s going on outside.

And I always make sure they have plenty of food and water along with a chew toy so they can calm their nerves by chewing.

With all that said, Have a Safe and Happy 4th everybody!

My husband and I have a big old loveable black Lab we rescued about 5 years ago that we named Gunner. When Gunner looks at our garbage can he sees a giant snack bin, an endless source of exotic food that he has never tasted and will die if he doesn’t. He has gotten resourceful at getting to it too. A few years ago, we had to resort to putting the can on a high shelf in the garage because he was constantly raiding it. That didn’t stop him. We came home to a trail of eggshells leading up to him and an orange peeling stuck to his fang that he was desperately trying to shake off. He’s even tried framing our other dog by putting garbage in front of her and then running away. We tell everyone that he has food issues from his sketchy past before we found him.

Still, there are times when he will strut past the garbage can in an aloof manner as if to thumb his nose at his trash addiction. I know it’s killing him and he’s only putting on an act for our benefit, but we still give him a treat for exercising such amazing willpower. The Dog Bone Treat Jar in our pet gifts section is a perfect alternative to the “snack bin” we currently have. Maybe it will help Gunner stop looking in sordid places for the snacks that he craves? Maybe he will be cured of his food issues once & for all? Maybe I won’t have to store it on a high shelf in the garage? It’s definitely worth a try!

The GiftTree office is full of pet lovers. There are even a few employees here that bring their dogs to work everyday. Throughout the day I hear the rattle of dog collars and the sound of dog paws walking throughout the office. The fact that we have dogs in the office each day, really makes this a fun place to be.

We have a selection of some really great pet gifts and I think it’s because we have so many pet lovers here. We have gifts for cats, dogs, even gifts for the pets to share with their owner. The designers really do a great job and finding unique gifts that I’ve never seen. Like the Dogsmarts game, for example. It’s a game full of trivia about dog behavior, breeds and all sorts of fun stuff. Or the His & Her Stoneware Mug Set, which is a gift of two mugs with coffee, biscotti & cocoa for you and dog biscuits for your little friend. Maybe you can’t bring your pet to work. We do have some really cute dog and cat frames that you could put on your desk. So while you’re browsing for gifts for your mom, brother or co-worker, take a look at our pet gifts. I’m sure you’ll find something for Fido, too!

I want to tell you guys about my 2 dogs. Their names are Fritz and Frank and they are miniature dachshunds, but the miniature part went out the window years ago. They are spoiled rotten and do silly things that make me laugh nearly every single day. I think before they go to little doggy heaven I need to get some good pictures of them doing these humorous things. Gift Tree has this nifty picture frame called the Dog PawPrint Desktop Frame that holds a picture & their paw print. I may invest in one of those.

Anyway, back to telling you about my dogs…

Frank has little dog syndrome. He barks furiously at anyone or anything that comes near our yard. I really and truly think that he believes he is scaring everyone away. One time my husband and I were taking the dogs on a walk and a bigger dog was coming our way. Frank just barked and barked and barked, until the big dog came closer. Once the big dog was right next to us, Frank ran behind my husband, tail between his legs and peed himself. Poor thing! But it was quite funny!

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I’ve owned dogs my whole life and one of my least favorite chores is giving the dog a bath. But over the years, I’ve learned a lot and I thought I’d share with you some tips that I use to help things go a little smoother.

1. Get everything ready first. Towels, shampoo, cup for pouring water on his back, etc. Be sure to remove anything that could get knocked in the water. Especially when bathing a big dog!

2. Get your patience ready. This one is self-explanatory.

3. Take your dog for a long walk or play ball before the bath. That way he’ll get worn out and won’t fight you as hard!

4. Never ever say the word “bath” before giving the bath unless you want to chase your dog all over the house trying to get him in the tub!
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It seems lately that ‘going Organic’ is all the rage.  I was never into all of that, until recently when I started actually reading the labels of all the organic vs. non-organic products.  They tend to have much less sodium, no preservatives and the ingredients tend to be all natural.  All those things put together equal good food and good health!  Then I started to think about how junk food is bad for humans, we still eat it, but we make that choice ourselves.  When it comes to pets, they don’t have a choice.  The food that they put in their stomach is dependent on us and what food we choose to buy them.

I started to do a little reading on the subject and there are so many benefits to switching to organic pet food.  Just like organic food that we would eat, organic pet food will give your pet more energy and a healthier weight (which one of my dogs could use!).  One study says that organic food doesn’t contain ‘bulk-fillers’ therefore many owners have said that their dogs eat less food.  Eating organic food also means fewer digestive disorders.  Natural food is much easier to digest than processed food, as we can all attest to after eating at greasy fast food restaurants!  Organic can also lead to stronger immunity and better overall health.  Who wouldn’t want all of this for their pet?

I’ve decided that organic is the way to go for my dogs and me.  I think I’m going to give Gift Tree’s Go Organic Dog Kit a try and I’ll let you know how my dogs like it!

If you know someone who travels frequently or is into very chic pet gifts, take a glance at my pet travel story:

The first road trip with my dog was a disaster. Bonsai was a puppy and we were on an epic drive from Florida to Ohio. I had her food, bowls, doggie sweaters, leash, and treats all bunched together in a plastic shopping bag.

One the first night of travel my hotel room was, of course, on the third floor. I remember trying to haul Bonsai’s bag while wheeling my suitcase behind me, carrying a bag of fast food in one hand, and the end of Bonsai’s leash, as well as having a toiletry bag slung over my shoulder. And you just know that Bonsai was on the other end of the leash acting like a jumping bean. I must have looked like a bag lady in distress as I heaved and hoed up the hotel stairs at the mercy of a 15 lb dog.

These days I travel in style with my dog, and I rely heavily upon the Dog Travel Bowl. It’s easy to transport, plus it looks super cute. Sometimes if we are traveling for just one night, I will store Bonsai’s kibble inside the bowls to eliminate even more clutter. She likes it, I like it, and it’s one less thing to worry about when traveling.

I just love the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.  They’re a nice, light read with uplifting stories that I like to read before bed. They’re mostly short stories that are guaranteed to make you smile. I tend to get teary eyed when reading them, though. They have them for just about every occasion that you can imagine. From teens and vets to love stories and nurses.

A couple of new gifts that we have are the Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul Gift Basket and the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul Gift Basket. Both of the gifts come with one of the Chicken Soup books, along with some treats for you and for your pet. They come in a really nice leather tote that you can use for storing odds and ends, once you’re done with all the fun stuff inside.

I really can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than curled up on the couch with my dogs, a Chicken Soup book, and some goodies to snack on. I’m sure my dogs would appreciate some goodies, too.

He’s a rebel, an edgy kind of guy befitting his name. We rescued him 7 years ago from doggy jail. His rap sheet said he was arrested for chasing horses—a big no-no in these parts. We didn’t have high expectations for Maverick. The first weekend with us we took him to the beach and he promptly jumped off a 50 foot cliff in his enthusiasm. He must be a bit like the Abominable Snowman from Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer because he bounced—not a scratch on him (thank goodness). Despite his shady background and obvious lack of common sense, Maverick has become a model citizen and an important part of the family. He’s given up his wild days. He now spends most of his time sneaking onto the couch when he thinks we aren’t looking or visiting the neighbors to beg for a biscuit or two. To us he’ll always be a renegade, the leader of the pack, a true maverick who lives up to his name.
What’s your dog’s name and what’s the story behind your pet?  I’d love to hear all about it.

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