Christmas has arrived

It is a week before Christmas and I have been watching cars go by with trees on their roofs, people carrying them, on bicycles and it is such a great feeling to see some happiness in the city the past weeks with all the gloom around.  

The first is a very special memory where in the dog park I would go to with Baby and they every year dressed up a tree and hung photos of all the dogs in the dog park which was so much fun, as the lights would sparkle with all the photos and we would stand around, drink something and celebrate. That is my memory of Baby at Christmas.

 

Another memory is the Santathon which they have every year in San Francisco when everyone dresses up as Santas, the town goes red LOL and you see many drunk Santas pub crawling and having fun. It is also very special as one of the pubs does a toy drive for those that need toys. 

This I did with Layla every year, The other event is the Skivvie run which is a fundraiser for the AIDS Foundation where in the Castro Area everyone runs in skivvies and have fun, it is a great event and wonderful fundraiser. Layla and I always went to support this event.

As Nili is still learning and big crowds would be a nightmare for her and me I decided to skip them this year but I did take her to the Christmas party I was invited to, I put her in my shopping cart which is big and comfy so she would not wander around and cause havoc, she was happy but I think got bored towards the end and when we got home she fell asleep LOL after a good walk to burn off energy.

This is what I did to keep her busy BOL

 

 

I do not do much for Christmas as I celebrate Hanukkah but watching people in the streets with Christmas hats on, the happiness in the air warms my heart as life is so short and we must enjoy every moment and make lots of memories.

As always, I remind everyone to keep their pets safe around the holidays, as I always say rather be safe than sorry.  

 

Merry Christmas Everyone, may you have a wonderful one with your family.   With woof and love from Nili and Me

Hanukkah has arrived

Hi Friends, we hope you staying warm as it has been crazy cold here brr, the coldest in over 100  years. Our week has been crazy this week  so this weekend Mom has decided we are having a slow weekend but might do the Santacon.

Wearing my new jacket before going out last night, it was cold brr, Nili

On Sunday Chanukkah starts, it is celebrated for eight days where we light a candle every night. Do you know the story of Chanukkah? I am sharing it for those that do not know it so you will understand why it is celebrated for eight days and what we eat.

Hanukkah is celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against Greek-Syrian rule, focusing on the miracle of a single day’s worth of oil burning for eight days, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, religious freedom, and Jewish perseverance. It’s known as the Festival of Lights, marked by lighting a Hanukkiah for eight days, eating oily foods like latkes, sufganiot (jelly doughnuts) playing the dreidel  (spinning top) and giving gifts. Children get Hanukkah Geld which is chocolate coins.

Below is a recipe for latkes for dogs so that they can share in the festivity also plus it is a healthy treat and Layla loved them and am going to make them for Nili this weekend so she can enjoy them also.

Safety tips for Hanukkah

I went to a Chanukkah party last weekend, got from friends a Ross Gift card, so on Monday I went shopping for myself and came home LOL with new clothes for Nili so she has enough now for the cold winter and Mom got nothing. She also got a bag of treats, a pink squeaky lambchop toy so she is all set now.

My new clothes and toy, I am a lucky girl, Nili

Happy Chanukkah to all our friends that celebrate, enjoy the holiday and see you next week on the blog

With a woof and love from Nili and Mom

I am wearing my bandana which says Happy Hanukkah, Nili

 

 

 

 

Thank you

Dear friends, followers, and fans,

Thanksgiving is around the corner and as my sister did in the past, it is a time to say thank you letter, so I am barking out my orders to Mom as to what to write and share, and because Mom is getting old so not to forget anyone.

I want to thank all my friends who I meet up with in the park, my uncles who give me treats when Mom does not want to and so many more people in my life. My followers on social media you are the best and keep Mom amused but most of all sharing my life with you makes life so much more fun and interesting.

 

A very big thank you to PAWS (Pets are wonderful support) and the Shanti project for helping Mom when needed and keeping her busy and happy but most of all I am included in it all which adds a lot of extra fun into my life plus I am with Mom.

 

I also want to thank some of the suppliers that produce the supplements that help me stay healthy and I am blessed that Mom found you and gives all to me as I am growing up to be a healthy girl.

  1. Vetericyn : Your All In Supplement is amazing, your ear cleanser keeps my ears clean all the time which means I get no Infections. Also, when I have an itch your skin products fix it immediately.

https://vetericyn.com/

 

  1. Real Mushrooms: and yes, they are real. They are the best, Their relaxing mushroom supplement keeps me calm, their immune system supplements keep me healthy and I am very blessed that Mom makes sure I get them all.

 

https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488   –  Coupon 10% off with LaylasWoof

 

  1. Peanuts, thank you for your fantastic carrier that I arrived home to Mom with and is fantastic for emergencies also. Mom loves your products and service and we are so grateful for all.

https://mrpeanutspetcarriers.com/?rfsn=7819747.8b3521&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7819747.8b3521

 

  1. Coco Therapy that have healthy fantastic treats for both cats and dogs and must have, I love them and I get so excited when I see the bag come out

https://www.cocotherapy.com/

  1. YumWoof which is the yummiest best air dried food in the world, Mom uses their products for my home made treats also so I am eating a balanced healthy diet all the time and cannot get enough of all.

https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze    You have a 5% coupon with YUMNILI

 

And last but not least the best toy in the world which keeps me so busy and my favorite amongst all that I have – it keeps me very busy plus it cleans my teeth at the same time as I am chomping on the treats

https://shopyomp.com/collections/all?platform=grin&link_id=1782778&token=JjkBK6hlw2hexUsKSfehrmSXqdKTOgBq&contact_id=da921bab-143b-4d60-9190-357718a3f8ff&attribution_window=60    Coupon Code 15% off with LAYLASWOOF

 

 

Phew I am exhausted with all this barking and now going to chew a bone but please keep us safe on Thanksgiving with the list below which are not good for us and of course do not drink and drive as we are waiting at home for you.

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving Gobble Gobble, be safe,

With love from Nili

 

Keeping Nili busy when it rains

Woof good morning, Winter has arrived or should I say the rain grrr which means less time in the park especially as daylight savings are not helping either as it gets darker earlier. That means less playtime for me, so Mom is trying to figure out how to keep me quiet and busy during the day.

Layla used to sleep most of the day or chew on bones but hated the rain so we hardly went out but Nili is like an energizer bunny wanting to go nonstop, oy vey.

You see friends, I bark at Mom for attention when she starts working and that makes her mad as she loves peace and quiet BOL but I need to remind her that I am here and need attention. That makes her stop working and play with me till I get bored with that. My favorite thing is making head bumps against Moms’ legs for attention also and I have tripped her once or twice but thank goodness she did not have her coffee mug in her hand although kadoof she fell on the carpet and phew did not hurt herself. I have an old Mom, and I forget and think that everything I do is funny not thinking of the consequences.

So how Mom is trying to deal with my indoor boredom and need any ideas that you have. I love my Kong which Mom stuffs with carrots which keeps me busy, I have killed most of the squeakers in my toys and Mom refused to buy anymore, the toy pile is growing BOL, I love my YOMP ball which you can fill with yoghurt, or any other spreadable food which cleans my teeth at the same time (You can see them on my affiliate page plus you have a coupon there.

https://laylaswoof.com/?page_id=19

 

Another thing which is the best of the best is bones which I love. Mom goes to the butcher and buys beef neck bones 2 inch thick, half boils them to get the blood out so the house stays clean, cools it off and yummm I can chew for hours on them. My favorite morning ritual now is to grab my bone towel and walk around the house with it in my house hinting to Mom that it is bone time. She is miserly BOL and only gives me one a day. They also keep my teeth pearly white so there is a method to her madness.

 

I am going for walks, wearing my raincoat, I do not like the rain but potty breaks with exercise is very important and Mom does not give in to me when I sit and refuse to walk, she wins on this one as she knows I am desperate to potty so will walk and do it once we get going. I do not like pee pads and have chewed them to pieces so it is not worth putting them on the floor. Plus walking for Mom is really good also so off we go.

I need to smell along the way

 

So that is what is happening in the Nili Neighborhood, trying to keep busy, napping more and of course snuggling under the covers at nights.

 

Be warm, safe, make lots of memories, have a wonderful week,

Nili

My special memory in November

TGIF ! Phew it is Friday and I am really looking forward to this weekend, to kick back and relax, I need it. Madam on the other hand is full of energy so am sure my relaxing will be walking her also plus weather permitting park time.

Mom got me some bones this week from the butcher to compensate for her crazy week and I got so excited as I love them and was barking to get one when I saw the bag. I was being a brat BOL.

 

Nili in the park today, she was so funny, she carried the last of her bone from the morning with her and lay in the sun chewing on it till she got up and then aww it got lost (I found it and put it in the garbage)

I decided not to stress Nili out with a costume this year but instead put a bowtie on her, which she tried getting off LOL it was really cute though.

Halloween always brings back bitter sweet memories for me as I remember the last time Baby dressed up for Halloween, our first one in San Francisco, she dressed as a fire hydrant which I had found at Goodwill and did not realize what it was till I got home. It was the last event we did together as 5 days later she passed away from IMHA.

Her famous costume

It came on suddenly, from one moment running in the park and within 24 hours she was listless lying on her bed refusing to eat or drink. I at the time lived around the corner from the vet so I ran her there and by the time they figured out after tests what was happening, there was very little we could do for her, she spent her last night at the clinic, went into a coma and I held her in my arms as I let her cross the Rainbow Bridge. It was one of the hardest days in my life and I miss her in so many ways to this day.

 

So today I decided that the blog would be a memorial for my little trooper, my rock, who went through so much with me but we survived it all and once we were free, in our own home she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I say to this day she left me safe and allowed me to rescue a new fur kid which I could open my heart and home to so along came Layla.

I do not have many photos of Baby as in those days there were no phones with cameras so am sharing one of my favorites of her

Everyone please hug your fur kids, make memories and remember we are all blessed to have them share our lives with them.

 

Have a safe wonderful weekend

With a woof and love from Nili

 

Pets in Shelters

TGIF!! Friday and the weekend has arrived, phew.

 

We discussed October being Domestic Violence Awareness month in my last week blog and  I want to discuss having a pet in a shelter.

This is a subject that I have seen discussed on many groups on Facebook, and how important it is for a survivors to have their pet with them in the shelter, so I am going to share my story here.

Listening to Mom tell her story as I am a doggy shelter survivor, Nili

I was fortunate to be able to take Baby into the shelter with me towards the end of my stay, before I moved over to another shelter and then transitional housing.

It was fantastic having her with me again and I was really blessed but people also need to understand Shelter policies also, so I do understand why shelters say no. They are not selfish but, in a way, practical and this is why :

01.There are children in shelters who are going through trauma and might be afraid of pets

  1. Allergies from pets
  2. The shelter staff are overloaded already so if you are running around sorting out your life you are adding another burden to the staff as your pet is in your room.
  3. Shelters have curfews so if your pet needs to go potty at night you cannot take him/her out.
  4. Not all shelters can give you a single room so you might be sharing with someone who does not like pets.

When I was in the shelter with Baby I took her out just before the curfew started, I had my own room which made it easier but her food and water was in my room, she was not allowed in the public areas because of the reasons I listed above, when we did go out she was on leash and was on leash when we got back till we got to my room.

This is food for thought and there are shelters that are slowly allowing pets of have solutions for your pet who will be fostered, this actually became an important issue during COVID which opened the doors to some solutions.

I would love to hear your input on this subject and what is happening in your area ?

Have a safe weekend, Nili

 

 

 

 

 

Remember Me Thursday

Hello to all my friends,

Saturday is a special day for Mom, it is her birthday as I am speaking for my sister Layla also wishing Mom a very happy Birthday, I am so blessed to have been adopted by her and spending her special day with her as my sister is over the Rainbow Bridge makes it even more special.

I have always rescued a pet and that is why today, 25th of September is Remember Me Thursday is so dear to me.

What is this day?

Remember Me Thursday is on the last Thursday of September every year when we speak out for the orphan pets in shelters wanting homes, they are innocent and, in many ways, we are to blame.

This is a day when we all get together campaigning for them as no innocent orphaned pet should have to die in a Shelter because someone dumped them there.

 

As Mike Arms, President and CEO of Helen Woodward Animal Center says : We all come from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, but together, we can raise our voices and share one life-saving message and literally save millions of pets on this one day.”

You can read more about it on their website:

https://remembermethursday.org/about/

How can we shine a light on:

  1. Attend a Remember Me Thursday event near you. – You can find the events near you on Google or on the website above.
  1. Hold a pet food plus other pet related items fundraiser for your local shelter.
  1. Check to see if one of your shelters in your area are having an adoption event.
  1. Speak out, encourage friends and family to adopt and open their homes to an orphan pet.
  1. There are so many ways we can all help, so let’s take one step forward today to do it.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our friends a Happy, Sweet, Healthy New Year as our New Year 5786 started on the 22nd of September and our prayers are that the New Year will bring homes to all the orphaned pets.

With love and woofs from Nili

 

 

 

A day in the life of a rescued dog

TGIF! Weekend has arrived and that means time to kick back, relax and forget all the errands and tasks for two days but spend quality time with Nili.  I need to start doing this the way I did with Layla as it is only fair to her. Yup am having a guilty conscience at this moment LOL. So I decided to share with you what a day with Nili is from early morning till we fall asleep at night and how she keeps me on my toes, plus her training that she is getting, which is helping a lot, thank you Dani.

Nili my growling alarm clock, wakes me up at about 5 every morning and does not keep quiet till I am awake and searching for clothes plus to get her out. This for her is the best time of the day as I am sleepy and she is a bundle of energy but off we go. I normally walk her for about 3 blocks for her to potty, sniff and of course burn off energy. Once done and I by then am desperate for coffee, we come home. I normally let her run into the building to burn off more energy, but she will make a bee line for the front door, sitting with a wagging tail waiting for me.

I then take her harness off and feed her breakfast which is air dried kibbles, carrots, blueberries, apples and some coconut oil. She gobbles her breakfast down and then starts squeaking toys or takes a nap. While I drink my coffee finally LOL, she will sit at my feet growling and barking for attention and of course treats but have cut back with them because of her diet.

Breakfast time

 

While I work during the morning she will let me know if she needs to go out which of course we do and then once she is settled, I get back to whatever I am doing. I normally give her YOMP toy or Kong with veggies in plus a bit of salmon which keeps her busy for about a half hour. Then it is nap time for her. If we have been out longer than planned and it is hot I will give her some chopped up watermelon, carrots, blueberries and apples instead.

Yomp time yummmm

In the late afternoons around 4 or so I take her to the park to run and play while I sit back and watch her with my  coffee. She loves that time especially if all the treat people are out although most know she cannot have treats because of her diet.  I am battling to keep her on her diet plus now buying everything for her to munch on that is not more than one calorie which is not easy. If it’s a biscuit she gets a quarter. She is not starving but I do not want her to be obese and the 2 lbs she needs to lose. When we get home from the park in the evenings she gets her dinner, which is the same as breakfast and then the kitchen is closed for her.

Nili and Monkey, I just love this photo

Our last walk at night is around 9 pm when we walk about 4 blocks, she has time to potty, smell and check the p-mails. The other night while walking we came across a racoon which was as big as her, she barked like crazy while he looked at her as if to say what do you want. She thought she was so smart walking home tail wagging it was quite funny.

 

I then brush her out, make sure there are no matts, clean her teeth and she gets half a greenie and it is bedtime. Nili sleeps in different places each night but am relieved she settles down and goes to sleep.

 

So that is what our days are like, of course we do different things on weekends, but she gets lots of exercise, playtime in the park, and most of all she is not starving and goes to bed with a full tummy.

 

Rescuing a stray, is not easy in some ways, but I would not change it for anything, she keeps me on my toes and for a senior that is enough LOL.

 

Have a wonderful weekend, be safe

With a woof and hugs from Nili

I had a sleepover

Woof hello friends,

It is Friday and I had such a fun week although Mom is exhausted BOL. My angel sister Layla never met Cash who came to spend a couple of days with me while his Dad went away. It was so much fun having a playmate in the house with me.

Everyone meet Cash

Cash is a funny little boy, a big personality, playful and full of energy like Nili. From morning till night, in between walks they were bouncing on the bed wrestling, catching balls and very busy. It kept them very busy and by night they were both exhausted. The cutest of all is that they did not fight over food or treats but when they finished their meals they would go to each other’s bowl to check to see if there were any crumbs and of course chunky monkey licked Cash’s bowl extra clean. Another thing that amused me is they lay side by side looking out of the window and if one started barking the other would join in, noisy but they were happy and that was all that counts.

Waiting to lick his bowl clean, Nili

Below is a video of them playing.

So that has been our week, and the weather has warmed up so yesterday I took Nili to the park to sunbathe for a bit and of course beg for treats, although no one was there to give her HA.

Exhausted after playing

 

Have a wonderful weekend all, stay and and make lots of memories

With a woof and love from Nili

 

Vet Experience

TGIF!  Weekend has arrived and they are expecting a heat wave here in San Francisco so we are going to be indoors quite a bit as to not overheat. We have had a cold summer with drizzles and suddenly it has decided to warm up and Mom is happy but I am not, too hot for me grrrr. Thank goodness I have my cooling vest which helps a lot.

As you all know two weeks ago Nili was sick and we went to the vet clinic that Mom has been going to for over 15 years. She always loved them but this time she got fed up. I am going to break down the story here which upsets me as it was one of the best clinics to go to but since it has become private, owned by the vets that work there, has all the modern day equipment,  open 24/7 so much has gone wrong also and we have decided to move to another place, smaller but friendlier.

These are the reasons / red flag that made me do it :

 

  1. When Nili was sick, I made an appointment with our regular vet who knows Mom but was not there so we saw a new vet. A young guy, and during the exam he had another vet there too so we are wondering if he was a student or not, I have no issues with that but feel vets should listen to the dog Mom not force things on her. While checking her he said she needed fluid shots, nausea shots plus dog diet food to help her lose weight. I was astonished that he was deciding all this without discussing with me. Nili had just finished a cup of water so she was not dehydrated, she had been eating so I knew she was not nauseas. Telling me to buy diet food is not an option as I do not believe in them plus in a nutshell he was telling me to have her get a flu shot. I was in shock over it all but kept quiet as I did not want stress at the clinic for the sake of Nili. He also mentioned probiotic dog food which although I hate kibbles decided to give her instead of medications plus so much more. He wanted me to buy the cans but I put my foot down and got the kibble which I must admit helped her. In a nutshell I came home with no answers to my questions but being sold as such things I did not need.
  2. The final straw with this clinic was on Monday I called them to make an appointment for her Leptospirosis vaccine, I told them on the phone that I wanted a vet tech to do it as it is a lot cheaper and they told me they would call with time and date. By 6 that evening I had not heard from them so I called them back, the customer service told me the following : There is no vet tech appointments, He then had the audacity to tell me that for an extra $55 I could have it done with a vet and as I have credit there to cover it there would be no problem. That is when I got really angry and told him he has no right to tell me what to do with my credit, so his reply was well he would give me other places to go. I told him about an article I had read about vets thinking more of money than pets and felt that is what is happening at his clinic, he was not happy that I said that, I also told him I blogged and would talk about it here today, and then put the phone down.
  3. On Wednesday they called me again, LOL, telling me that they had place for a vet tech at the price they had quoted me $98 but I told them thanks as I had made an appointment at another clinic. I know the reason she called me was the other clinic had called them for all Nili’s files so that they would have everything before I went today.

This morning, Nili and I went to get her shot, what a difference, what a great family vet clinic, everyone was smiling, welcoming and the vet was fantastic. Did not push anything on me,  discussed chunky monkey’s weight, what to do and in a nutshell I have found the place to go now. Actually, all my friends rave about this clinic and they are so right. I always say a first impression says it all.

Waiting for the bus to go to the ver, Nili

Mom can we go home please, it is nice and cool here but I do not like vets, Nili

One of the many reasons I am sharing this with everyone is I want pet parents to know there are always other options, and it is sad that some clinics are so money motivated, causing many pet parents to avoid them plus dumping their pets as they cannot afford the vet expenses. I am not wealthy, on a fixed income, am blessed to have certain coverage for Nili but I still must watch what I am spending as to not go over my annual budget for vets where possible and if a clinic is checking my finances as such I am not interested in working with them. Their loss not mine and Nili and my gain having found a fantastic new one.

As always Nili keeps me amused so am going to share our video of the week, as she is such a clown.

Please be safe and have a wonderful weekend, with lots of  memories,

Love Nili  aka chunky monkey and Mom