October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month – that makes it my favorite month!!!!
Fall is my favorite time of year; the colors, the crisp Minnesota weather and the yummy fall produce – squash and apples and more! It is also my favorite time to get to the trails with my dogs – cooler weather and fewer bugs!!!
There are a lot of new items on The Rescue Mama website to tell you about; a book review on Going Home, Finding Peace When Pets Die by John Katz; a featured item from my Rescue Chic line, the launch of new line products and some tips on staying safe during Halloween. Enjoy!
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I recently added a book review of Going Home, Finding Peace When Pets Die by John Katz. I read just about every book I can find on the topic of dealing with loss after the death of a pet and this one really stands out. I read this book in two sittings (only because I was interrupted when I initially sat down with it). John Katz offers wonderful perspective on our relationships with our pets and why our grief can be so intense when we lose them. I found this to be one of the most supportive books I have read in terms of working through the guilt issues we often feel after we have had to euthanize a pet. It does require a box of Kleenex beside you to read through this one but it is well worth the time, a real soul cleansing.
Click here for full review of Going Home
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In honor of October being Adopt a Shelter Dog Month my feature item from The Rescue Mama store is my handmade Rescue Dog tags!
This necklace is handmade from a 2 inch metal dog tag. It is ornamented with the definition of “rescue”. The definition of rescue on this tag is: “when a human gives a home to an animal who has no home, human is rewarded with unconditional love forever” – it is formatted to look like a dictionary definition. The background is stained tan and brown with portions of paw prints around the definition (the location of the paw print may vary slightly on each necklace). Each necklace has a black paw print charm as well as a small heart charm. These necklaces are sturdily made though I would highly recommend not wearing them in water. The back of the dog tag is blank. This necklace makes a great gift for the dog lover in your life.
The chain is 28″ long though these chains can be easily cut to any length you desire, even simply attached to a key chain or hand bag.
Each necklace comes in a white burlap bag with paw prints on it, tied with red ribbon and a tag that tells about the Rescue Chic line.
20% of the sale of these necklaces is donated to the ASPCA. These necklaces are available for $29.99 and ship for free. If you are interested in one of these necklaces click here.
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This month I launched a new product line that I am really excited about! Its called the PUPCase. My husband and I had always considered ourselves big dog people. That is until one day two small breed dogs ended up at our door needing a home – we fell in love with them and were surprised by just how much fun we have with these little guys! The nicest surprise – small breeds travel so well – we take them everywhere – especially on vacation. Thiis picture on the left is Kringles and Lacey packed in to their car seats heading off to Door County, WI for an art retreat with me – we had so much fun!
After a few trips and going through the process of packing all their things I decided that they needed their own travel gear – thus the PUPCase was born. I am having a blast working on these PUPCases. I am launching the line with these first four cases and hope to double my production to about 8 PUPCases per month by Christmas. The cases pictured are available to be purchased at my ETSY store https://www.etsy.com/listing/166640473/pupcase-stylish-travel-gear-for-your-dog.
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One of the best things about October is of course Halloween – I just love Halloween! I thought it made sense to add some resources this month on how to keep our pets safe during the Halloween festivities. I love handing out candy for the trick or treaters – they are so darn cute in their costumes but I have to keep in mind that it can be a stressful night for my dogs. My husband and I manage Trick or Treat night by tag teaming duties; Bret takes the dogs down to my studio (where they can’t hear the door bell) and piles on the sofa with them to watches a movie and I usually stay upstairs handing out the candy until Trick or Treat is over. When the night is over I make sure to pack any left over candy well out of reach of the dogs and cats. Its also a good time of year to remember to check your dogs tags to make sure they are still readable and considering micro-chipping your dog if you haven’t yet – this is a notorious time of year for dogs sneaking out the door unnoticed.
ASPCA Guidelines for Halloween Safety – http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/halloween-safety-tips