Fall Fashion for Dogs

Fall is in the air and tomorrow is the first day of October. Many pet parents like to dress up their pets for Halloween, or even just in sweaters to keep them warm. Shiner likes to wear sweaters herself when colder weather comes because she does get cold easily. And I like to have a little fun and take photos of her in Halloween costumes for dogs.

Recently, the nice people at Martha Stewart sent Shiner a couple of new dog outfits from their Fall 2014 line. I took a couple of photos of Shiner modeling the outfits and now she's featured on MarthaStewart.com. You can click here to see for yourself. There are also a few other familiar doggy faces in the gallery.

Transitioning Your Dog to a New Food | #PawNatural Canine PowerFood

This post is sponsored by Only Natural Pet and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the NEW Canine PowerFood, but Pawsitively Pets only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Only Natural Pet is not responsible for the content of this article. 

For many dogs, change can cause stress and affect their overall health. Changing your dog's food is no exception. Some dogs with sensitive stomachs might experience upset stomach if their food is changed too quickly. Fortunately, Shiner has never experienced any issues with diet changes. That is one of the reasons why she likes to try new foods occasionally.

This month, we were introduced to Only Natural Pet's new line of dog food - Canine PowerFood. The food comes in different flavors but we chose the Just Fish Feast formula. The first five ingredients in this food are Deboned Whitefish, Whitefish Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, and Garbanzo Beans. They also offer a Poultry Feast formula for all of you chicken lovers out there.

To make things easy for dog parents, Only Natural Pet includes an easy to follow transitioning guide on the label of their new Canine PowerFood. Transitiong your dog to a new food should be done over a 10 day period, according to Only Natural Pet. Slowly mix your dog's new food in with their old food. Here is a guide to follow during the transition:

6 Important Questions to Ask Your Vet

Yesterday, Shiner went to visit her favorite veterinarian for a check-up. It wasn't her idea of a fun Saturday... Shiner never liked going to work with me when I was a Veterinary Technician, and times have not changed since then I guess. She must have a special doggy vet sense, because she trembled during the whole car ride there.

Once we got there, she inspected the waiting area and said hello to our old receptionist friend. She sat on the bench next to me. After a while, she got weighed in - 55 lbs. Then we went to the room and waited to see the doctor.

When we saw the vet, I asked her lots of questions about Shiner's care and health. Here's a list of important questions we asked our vet during Shiner's check-up. You should ask your vet questions during your pet's check-up as well.

5 Unique Rabbit Breeds for International Rabbit Day

September 27th is International Rabbit Day. A day to recognize both wild and domesticated rabbits that are kept as pets. Rabbits really do make great companions. Just like dogs and cats, they can easily be trained to do tricks and learn to use the restroom in an appropriate place like a litter box.

depositphotos/kalinovsky

And just like dogs and cats, there are many different breeds of rabbit with varying colors, sizes, fur textures and personalities. To celebrate International Rabbit Day, here is a list of 5 unique rabbit breeds you may have never heard of before. Get ready to squeal with delight, because they are all super cute!

September PetBox Giveaway

Each month, Shiner receives a PetBox to bark about as part of her PetBox Spokesdoggy contract. She also has the opportunity to give away one free PetBox (for dogs or cats) to one lucky Pawsitively Pets reader. Her favorite time of the month is when her PetBox arrives in the mail.

For those unaware of what PetBox is, they are a monthly subscription box filled with goodies like food, treats, toys, grooming products, and more for your pet. PetBox offers several different subscription plans no matter what your budget is like. PetBox subscription plans range in price from $9.95 to $59.95.

Our September PetBox contained lots of interesting pet products. Shiner has already tried a few of them out and is pleased. Here's a peek at what we received in our September PetBox.

Achieving Serenity with Chicken Jerky Dog Treats | Spot Farms Giveaway

This post is sponsored by Spot Farms. I received free products and am being compensated for helping spread the word about Spot Farms, but Pawsitively Pets only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. All opinions stated here are our own. Spot Farms is not responsible for the content of this article.

If your dog is anything like mine, that means they love their meat. Shiner isn't discriminatory against her meats. She'll eat just about any kind of meat, but one of the treats that she really loves is chicken jerky.

Of course, this means I have to be careful when choosing chicken jerky dog treats for her to eat. Not all chicken jerky dog treats are created equal, after all. That's why I was happy to recently be introduced to Spot Farms dog treats. The list of dog treats Spot Farms offers is long and they take pride in bringing dogs tasty treats that are made in the USA with human grade, all natural ingredients.

Eat Your Vegetables

Today, Gus brings you a special PSA. 

Happy Wordless Wednesday! 

One Rescue Cat's Mission to Help Paw It Forward

Blogging and social media is a powerful tool when it comes to helping pets find good homes, gathering donations for charitable causes, and spreading the word about important projects to help educate the public about pets and their care.

Today, I'm glad to share with you an exclusive interview with Savannah the rescue cat from the blog "Savannah's Paw Tracks". She's been blogging for quite a while now and while her blog's objective has always been to support rescue pets and have a little bit of fun here and there, there's rumor that there's going to be some big changes at Savannah's Paw Tracks come October 1st, 2014.

Photo used with permission from SavannahsPawTracks.com

I was able to talk with Miss Savannah a little bit about these big changes, and what we can expect next month during my interview with her.

You Pet's Health Is About Having Fun Too #GetHealthyHappy

During our time helping to promote the "Healthier Pets, Happier Lives" Campaign with Hill's Science Diet, we've already share some important tips to have healthy, happy pets. Keeping your pet healthy includes visiting the veterinarian regularly and choosing a healthy diet. Keeping your pet's body healthy and nourished is pretty important, but what about their mental state?

You can keep your pet's body in tip-top shape, but what good is that if they never have any fun? That's where the little extras come in. There are lots of ways to show your pet you care about them and keep them happy. Don't just get healthy, get happy too and be sure to have some fun everyday!

Take the #WholeBodyHealth Survey

I am excited to announce that I am participating in the #WholeBodyHealth campaign by Natural Balance and would like to extend an invitation to our readers to participate as well. Together, we would like to know a few things about you and your pet's health, care, and nutrition in order to create a fun infographic.

This project cannot be successful without YOU, so we are asking if you could please spend just a moment of your time to answer 5 short and simple questions below. The survey is anonymous and I promise it won't take long. 

It's Friday! Who's Thirsty?

It's Friday furry friends! That means it's time to sit back, relax, and *maybe* even enjoy a nice cocktail or beer if you're into that sort of thing. Shiner's dog beverage of choice is a PrideBites Paws Lite. How about you?

Thanks to PrideBites for sending this fun new toy over for Shiner. Not too long ago, we reviewed a different PrideBites toy (a pig) here. Check it out - they have some really cute toys.

You can get your own cool PrideBites toy by clicking here. Don't forget to use the code "PAWSITIVELY" at checkout to save 10% on your order.

Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekend everyone! 

Immunity Response Testing for #PetAllergies at Home With ImmuneIQ

Many cats and dogs are plagued by allergies. In pets, allergy symptoms are typically manifested as itchy skin but they can also cause other symptoms like runny eyes, sneezing, and even intestinal problems. Just like humans, pets can be allergic to all kinds of things that are present in their environment.

I've always suspected that Shiner must be allergic to something in her environment. She likes to lick her paws and other parts of her body. She also has frequent ear infections and scratches her skin a lot. Figuring out what a dog or cat is allergic to is a lot of trial and error. Sometimes, it requires pet owners to try new foods with different ingredients. Without expensive allergy testing, it can take a lot of time and patience.

Wigglebutts Go Hollywoof Red Carpet Event for Dogs

If you could attend a glamorous red carpet event with your pet and other like-minded dog lovers, would you? I'm excited to share that this one of a kind event does exist and it's called "Wigglebutts Go Hollywoof". What makes the event even more special is that it's focus is to raise funds for dogs in need.

As a sponsor of Wigglebutts Go Hollywoof this year, I'm excited to share more about it with all of you. I think it's a super creative and extra fun way to raise money for dogs in need. This is my first time sponsoring something and I'm glad to have had the opportunity. Especially for an event of such a large scale and popularity. 

7 Tips to Help Your Dog Beat the Back to School Blues

By now, the school year should be in full swing for most kids. What does this have to do with your dog? Many dogs may be left home alone more often during the school year. This calls for the need for them to adjust to a new schedule that is different than summer time.

I have both furry and human kids. The kids like playing with the pets, both our dog and pet rats. I'm thankful for that because it's nice to have a little help caring for the pets. Fortunately for me, I work from home so Shiner is always with me. I do remember that when I worked away from home, Shiner was left by herself in the afternoons. I know that caused her a bit of boredom and stress.

The Humane Society Silicon Valley has created a helpful infographic with several great tips on how to keep your dog happy, stimulated, and on a good schedule this school year.

DIY Shelter Cat Toys #PAW2014

Did you know that many shelters have lists of items they need donated for the animals that stay there? Donations from people like us are very important to many shelters and greatly appreciated. For today's DIY project I was tasked with the job of visiting my local Tractor Supply Company with a $25 budget to create something to donate to my local shelter.

This was my first time visiting Tractor Supply Company. There is one about 20 minutes away from where I live and with some helpful driving directions from my father, I made it there with no problems. He's obviously been there pretty often.

Tractor Supply stores can be found all over the place in rural communities. There are about 3 different stores I easily could have visited here. The people in the store were very nice and helpful.

The Rat That Started It All on National Pet Memorial Day

The second Sunday of September is celebrated as National Pet Memorial Day. As a special celebration of past cherished pets, I wanted to remember my late rat, Nibblet. Many of you I'm sure remember Nibblet. She was my first pet rat and is one of the reasons why I love these furry little critters so much.

Young Nibblet. 

Still, I feel like there may be several new followers who don't know who Miss Nibblet was. What a better time to share her than National Pet Memorial Day? Let me start by saying that Nibblet was much different than my current pet rats, Jack and Gus. Having these two really makes me miss my Nibblet. I'm not saying that I don't love them, but they just have very different personalities.

New Fotor Slideshow to Showcase Your Favorite Photos of Your Pets

As a pet blogger, I love sharing photos of my pets. I'm also a human kid mom, so I like sharing photos of the kids as well. No matter what you love sharing photos of, the new Fotor Slideshow maker can display a collection of photos easily.

I've shared Fotor before on the blog, with a few simple effects that the photo editing website offers. If you're looking for a new photo editing website to try out, you should check it out sometime.

Some recent Instagram photos. This collage was created with Fotor. 

Now, Fotor is very proud to introduce their latest feature - Slideshow. In five easy steps as described at their blog, you can make a photo slideshow to share via email, Facebook, or with a link. Here's how it works.

How Important Is Credibility as an Advocate for Animals?

Online advocacy for animals is a powerful way to help animals in need of homes, stop cruelty to animals, and more. But how important is credibility as an online advocate for animals? If you see a random tweet showing an image of supposedly abused animals, how likely are you to share it? Are you going to make sure the image is real first? Imagery in the form of a photograph is a powerful and convincing tool.

Photo via Dave Parker

I for one am really not a huge fan of the gruesome pictures some animal advocates share to make their point to the public. It may be effective for some, but it's just not something I prefer to look at all day long. With that being said, this post does contain some images that could be disturbing to some. They are definitely not the worst I've ever seen, but sharing them in this post is critical to make my point. 

What I've noticed lately is an abundance of images displaying false information to make a point in the realm of online animal advocacy. As an example, I'm sure you're all aware of the Heineken debacle that happened a few years back.

Do I Smell Bacon?!

As I was enjoying a few slices of bacon yesterday, this face was staring at me. 

Who can blame her though? Bacon IS delicious! 

Pets From Around the World | 10 International Pet Blogs

The month of September has been deemed as "International Pet Blogger Month" by the BlogPaws online pet blogging community. As an American Pet Blogger, I find it fascinating to read and follow other pet blogs from around the world. It's amazing how much I learn.

Over the few years I've been blogging, I've been lucky enough to "meet" people and their pets via the internet from places like Europe, Australia, Asia, and more. The fun part is that they all have different types of pets too. Cats, dogs, turtles - you name it!

In order to celebrate International Pet Bloggers Month, I've put together a {small} list of International pet blogs. This list barely touches the surface, because there are so many other International pet blogs out there. Thank you for sharing your stories and knowledge around the globe!

How to Choose a Healthy Food for Your Pet #GetHealthyHappy

As part of the "Healthier Pets, Happier Lives" campaign by Hill's Science Diet, we are sharing tips to keep your pets healthy and happy. Health and happiness go hand in hand, or in this case - paw in paw. The first step to ensuring that your pet is happy is to make sure that they are healthy.

We've already discussed the importance of regular Veterinary care for your pet. Besides taking your pet to the Vet on a regular basis, feeding your pet a healthy diet is very important. There are a few things you should consider and ask yourself when choosing the best food for your pet.

The Life of Corgnelius and Stumphrey on Read a Book Day

Today, September 6th, is Read a Book Day. We don't get much time to read as many books as we'd like to but reading is an enjoyable and relaxing activity. Shiner enjoys reading too. She's read several books this year, and even one treat menu from Merrick. Pets really do make great reading companions.

Shiner mostly enjoys reading about other dogs or food, of course. Here's a list of a couple of our favorite dog books that we've read and reviewed.

I'm a Crazy Rat Lady With Help From Spreadshirt

People love wearing their passion for animals or their pets in the form of t-shirts. Love dachsunds? There's a shirt for that. Are you a crazy cat lady? You can probably find a t-shirt for that too. In my case, finding a t-shirt specific to my pet rats is a little more challenging...

There's a rat on my head!

When I was approached by Spreadshirt.com to try out one of their custom t-shirts, I of course went to browse their website first. Actually, the first thing I searched for at Spreadshirt was "pet rats" and "rats". I found not just one shirt, but several that I would love to have. And I was quite surprised because let's face it - pet rat apparel is just not that easy to come by.

Celebrating a Special Young Lady's Birthday!

Today, our oldest human girl turns the big 10 years old. 

Lily loves her animals and pets. She's grown from this... 

What Is Your Cat's Tail Trying to Tell You?

Since cats can't speak human, they use their body to send us cues as to how they are feeling. One particular body part on a cat that communicates how they are feeling is their tail. Some of the body language they display with their tails is not always so obvious.

Photo via S. Carter

As an individual working in the field of Veterinary medicine, learning a cat's body language was important in order to know if they were happy, angry, scared, nervous, etc. It can help you come up with the best way to approach them. Here is a helpful list of different tail positions to help you better understand your cat's mood:

Don't Work Like a Dog on Labor Day

We'd just like to wish all of our hard-working friends a happy and relaxing Labor Day today! 

As you can see, Shiner is off for the day. She's taking it easy with a nice long nap!