Category Archives: Dog Blog

Nili’s journey home to me

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Good Morning friends,

Today 2 years ago Nili made the long journey from Palm Springs to her home in San Francisco.

I was very blessed by my friends for stepping in and fostering her the two weeks till we could find someone to bring her to me. She has spent two weeks living with them, been spoiled by the family and playing with Winnie, their rescued dog.

https://youtube.com/shorts/bqfbXo7-R5Y

As you all know Nili, was rescued from the L.A. Animal control where they put all her details down and I have subsequently learned they were not correct. Here name at the shelter was Gladys and all I thought was oy vey, I could not keep that name. A friend of mine who does animal rescue explained to me they cannot always do it as they do not have the funding for DNA tests. Avi, my friend took her to the vet for a check up and told me that she was not afraid at all WOW, and the vet told him the following:

She was sure Nili is about 2-2.5 years at most based upon her teeth and the brightness in her eyes. She has been through one or two heat cycles but does not think she has given birth. She is very healthy. No Upper respiratory infection at all and she was spayed when she got home.. She heard no wheezing or crackling in her lungs that the Shelter said she had and that is why they did not spay her. . She weighed 16.4 lbs. She has a cutaneous histiocytoma on her head which has cleared up.   She said Nili is a very healthy, alert pup, and a great rescue.

One of my favorite photos of Nili

I drove myself nuts and child proofed the house, had everything ready and drove myself crazy waiting for her arrival.  Matt who brought her to me every couple of hours texted Avi and then Avi would text me with updates. It is a long ride from Palm Springs to San Francisco, about 8 hours and he stopped along the way so she could potty  but she slept peacefully in her expandable pet carrier that the company Mr Peanuts gave her. They are such a fantastic small family business and so quick to help where possible. They sent  her a large expandable carrier, medium sized one and a pink regular carrier so Nili was spoiled. The medium sized I left with Avi to give to whoever he would like to as sharing is caring and that is so important.

Being bribed to get into the carrier

 

Here is their link and I strongly suggest you look at all their amazing reasonable products.

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

Nili had a lot to learn upon arrival but she has settled in well, listens 90% of the time to commands LOL and if you use the magic work treat she really listens LOL.

.Her friends in Palm Springs Quasii and Winnie

 

Upon arrival she pottied, ate some food, explored the apartment and then went to bed.

I want to say from the bottom of my heart thank you thank you thank you to Jonathan, Avi, Will, Shai, Boaz, Quasi, Winnie and Matt for helping me with everything, keeping Nili safe and amused and most of all getting her home to me, I am so blessed to have you all in my life.

Have a wonderful weekend, we hope you have loads of fun and relax also,

With a woof and love

From

Nili and Mom

The fireworks are coming keep us safe please.

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We a week before our pets nightmare, the fireworks. The 4th of July is a fun day for families but they forget their pets suffer terribly during the night and we need to make sure they are safe. I hate fireworks as I worry about the wildlife also BUT most of all I feel it is a waste of money and in todays economy especially we should be donating the money to rescues and so many other nonprofit organizations.

So many pets get lost on 4th of July thanks to stupid owners who do not care for their pets by keeping them safe.

How to keep pet safe on 4th of July :

Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them – these can be poison and make us very sick, death can also be possible

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals, this can also poison us.

Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach – these can also make us sick

Keep your pets on their normal diet.  This is important as a change of diet with all the stress from fireworks etc can cause indigestion and diarrhea

Never use fireworks around pets – these can cause severe burns, trauma to the face plus they contain toxic materials.

I used to keep Layla calm and now Nili by giving them Real Mushrooms Relax which is a must have as it is natural mix of mushrooms no chemicals.

Link  https://www.realmushrooms.com/RUTH10842

You have a discount of 10% with coupon 10%

Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets – leave your pets at home in a safe quiet spot, why traumatize them in this situation which is just being selfish and uncaring.

Be prepared in the event that your pet does escape – make sure your pet is wearing a collar with an updated tag, microchip is updated and BEST of all just keep your pet inside in a safe place where it cannot escape.

Please be safe and have a Happy 4th of July and please please do not drink and drive

Nili

My memory of Layla smiling all dressed up

I have not been sponsored by Real Mushrooms but sharing what I feel is really helpful for your pets.

 

Happy Gotcha Day Layla

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Dear Layla,

I am writing this letter to you over the Rainbow Bridge as it is your Gotcha Day and I will celebrate it like I do each year but with sadness also as you are not with me only in my heart and I cannot hug and kiss you the way I would love to do.

I miss you barking at me each time I said we were going bye bye, tail wagging so excited and happy.

I am so proud to have been your Mom, and was so blessed to have spent so many years with you, growing old with you and enjoying our adventures and fun together.

I am once again going to share your Gotcha Story here so that others will realize rescuing is so worth it and that is why I speak out for rescues, as like you, they all need a home with a warm bed to sleep on.

I remember when your sister passed away, I waited about 6 weeks and then decided my home was too empty without the pitter patter of paws, so the search was on. I ran around to all the shelters in the city but could not find a little fluffy at the time, which is what I wanted.

So Uncle Michael introduced me to Aunt Cindy by email, told me that he would be in LA for a week so I had a week to search online for a new fur kid and he would bring her home to me.

I sat 24/7 on Petharbor and Petfinder and was nearly giving up when I saw you sitting in a cage in the Carson Shelter. The look on your face said to me take me home. I immediately emailed Aunt Cindy with your information and photo and she went to the Shelter on Saturday to fetch you for me. I remember her calling me from there telling me she had a smelly matted mess kissing her, that sealed the deal.

You arrived on Sunday evening, the 31st of January 2011, I had got the house  ready for you, bought you a new pink bed and was so excited. Yes, you were smelly and dirty but I did not care as for me what was important was you were finally home, safe and sound with a nice warm bed.

Your dumping papers said you had been an outdoor dog; you bit when groomed and in a nutshell everything negative a person can say and OH What A Lie. You were the opposite. I am ashamed to even say what your name was in the shelter.

I waited a couple of days and then met a friend of mine, a vet, Dr. Phil in the dog park, he looked at you, checked you and said I had won, and he was so right.

I was so lucky to celebrate your last Gotcha Day with a big party, pink bacon cake, lots of treats and all your friends, it is a special memory that I think of all the time.

You passed away on 4 May 2024 at the age of 18+ and you are not suffering anymore, missed every day and I have saved and will not let Nili play with your pink poodle which was your first toy you got from me.

Happy Gotcha Day my little angel, I hope you have a wonderful time over the Rainbow Bridge today,

Big hugs, kisses and love from Mommy and Nili xxx

 

 

 

New Years is around the corner

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What a week, I need a break from all. Last Saturday we were without power for over 12 hours and trying to keep a pup busy in the dark is not easy, I was exhausted by the time the power came back on, then the storms this week have been a nightmare and Nili has not been settling down at night because of the heavy rain and winds, Tuesday was really bad. I tried to go to the park when the rain stopped but each time we got there it started all over again so we have been cooped up inside most of the time. My energizer bunny is overloaded with energy, and I am exhausted from doing short walks with her to burn off the energy. She is playing with her toy, or should I say killing the squeakers, but she needs more stimulation than that. I live in a studio so there is not that much place for her to run so when possible I open the door and let her run and chase her toys in the hallway. It is a locked building so she cannot get out into the street phew.

Sleeping like a baby after a CBS treat

New Years Eve is around the corner. The pet’s nightmare as I call it as so many are afraid of the stupid fireworks and that means pets getting lost.

I have made sure Nilis’ microchip and tags are all updated with emergency numbers, so we are prepared for the nightmare plus stocked up on CBD treats to keep her calm. I wish they had it for me also LOL. I got CBD treats, chewable from https://treatibles.com/ a company I had used with Layla and they are really keeping her calm plus she thinks she is getting a treat LOL and  has made her stormy nights calmer and she is sleeping well plus she has also become afraid to go out all of a sudden, she sees the harness and hides, so giving her a half in the morning relaxes her and has made it easier to get her out of the house, once out she is fine.

This has totally confused me and I am working on this issue, am always open to ideas and input if you have some for me.

New Years Eve, one of the nights I hate when everyone gets drunk and sets off fireworks everywhere that it is scary. My heart goes out to all the animals that are in shelters shivering already from fear, and then have to endure the fear of fireworks with no one around to comfort them. I wish we could just empty those shelters and all animals would have loving homes.

How do you keep your pet safe during fireworks?  This is my second New Year with Nili and hopefully she will be ok, I do not go out so I will be with her the whole night.

Unfortunately, we always must remind everyone of safety tips for their pets:

And most of all everyone please remember this when out partying:

So, on this note we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, may 2026 be a good year for all of us with lots of love, laughter, health and happiness and most of all Peace on Earth.

Woof with love from
Nili

Hanukkah has arrived

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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

 

 

 

 

Halloween is here

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TGIF!

October is coming to an end and although it means that Domestic Violence Awareness Month might be ending but it does not mean we must forget about Domestic Violence that happens daily all over the world and we must not forget the abuse the poor animals go through because of it. We must keep standing up for them and be their voices.

With our reminder of this awful daily occurrence below is a list those in this situation should try to remember to do, keeping a journal and having it all written down will make life easier when one runs as they will have proof. It is not easy to do but the more information you have the better.

We pray you will be safe and get away safely from the abuse.

Halloween is a fun holiday for kids but can be really frightening for pets and therefore we should take all the precautions to keep them safe.

Layla did not like to get dressed up as she is uncomfortable in a costume and her comfort comes first in my eyes although in the past LOL I did try so am sharing with you some of her pictures , Baby in her famous costume and Nili I have not yet decided what to do so am sharing a photo of her wearing a sweatshirt the other day her first outing with clothing.

This photo I love so much of Layla

Below is a list of how to keep your pets safe during Halloween as they are part of our family and need to be.

 

So as this is the last blog for October and another month is beginning next week we would like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween, do not OD on candies LOL and of course please keep your pets safe.

With lots of love from Nili

 

 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

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Good Morning,

October has arrived and with it the Month of Domestic Violence Awareness. This is a topic that is very close to my heart as I am a proud survivor.

 

I am one of the lucky ones that managed to get away with my little dog, hid at a friend and then moved to a new city where we were both helped.  If I had left her I know my ex would have carried on abusing her so the minute I could run, we ran.

Baby since has passed away, but she was my inspiration, my hero, my trooper and my lifeline through those dark days, and when she passed it was when I was finally in my own home so she knew I was safe, and could then open my doors to a new pup, and Layla arrived to live with me.  Layla wears a tag that says: Shelter Survivor which speaks for both of us. Layla as you know has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge so Nili wears the Shelter Survivor Tag as it speaks for me and for her as she was rescued from a shelter.

Today I am not going to talk about me, but “The Power and Control Wheel” of Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence. This gives us a better understanding as to what happens behind closed doors, and why so many victims stay in the relationships.

  1. Threats – The abuser will threaten to kill or abuse the pet during the relationship or if left behind. (I stayed in mine as to protect Baby.)
  2. Isolation – Refusing vet care for the pet. Isolating the victim that the pet also suffers as it is not socialized with other dogs. It is as if you are living in a cage.
  3. Emotional Abuse – Giving away or killing the pet to take away her source of unconditional love.
  4. Economical Abuse – Refusing to permit her to buy pet food or vet care
  5. Legal Abuse – Custody battles over pets. This is heart breaking as they file charges against the victim claiming theft if she leaves with the pet.
  6. Intimidation – Harming or killing the pet and then saying to the victim “Next time it will be you…..” They do this to family and friends who assist with the victim and pets getting away.
  7. Denying and blaming – Blaming the victim or the pet when something happens.

An abuser will want to control everything, and if he or she does not have that, we, the humans, kids or pets become the victims of his or her anger, although he/she will never admit it.

So when people reach out and talk about wanting to leave a Domestic Violence relationship but cannot leave their pets, these are some of the reasons and I from experience would have rather carried on suffering the abuse to make sure Baby was safe, than left her in a house where she would suffer.

Pets do not understand abuse the way we do and they should not have to suffer at the hands of an abuser of any kind as they give us the unconditional love and loyalty that unfortunately humans do not do.

October is also the National Month of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month so reach out to a Shelter and give a dog a new home, as I always say about Layla – from pound to princess.

Be safe, have a wonderful week, with a woof of love from

Nili

 

National Disaster Preparedness Month

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Woof hello Everyone,

This is Nili here telling Mom what to write as I am carrying on my sisters Laylas Legacy.

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month; it is very important as we must be prepared for any type of Disaster especially with climate change happening all over the world and not knowing what can happen.

Because we live in San Francisco where earthquakes happen, we have a bag ready for emergencies with everything Mom can think of so that we do not have that worry if we must run out of the house. Since I have come to live with Mom, and having been a stray in my past life, Mom has added to the list a carrier for me so she can put me in it and not have to worry about me trying to run away or hurt myself walking on the debris in the streets. The plus with this carrier is that expands so that I will have room to stretch out plus Mom can put a water bowl or food in it. She would keep it closed for carrying but once in a safe place she would expand the sides and front. It also has a strap in it so she can strap me in, and I cannot run. It would give her peace of mind.  Thank you Mr. Peanuts for this amazing carrier, you can see their fantastic products on their website :

The bag I have to carry Nili, it expands so when on the ground I can open it up on all sides so it is bigger and more comfortable

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

I am practising to stay in the bag for an emergency, Nili, when I carry it the sides are folded in and it looks like a normal pet carrier

This is what is in our bag which Mom has and it on wheels so it is easier for her to pull as it is heavy: Boxes of Water, Food for both of us, Treats, Flashlights with batteries, sleeping bag for Mom, toys for me of course, Leash and harness with ID tags on,  and BOL some coffee for Mom, and most important a first aid kit for both of us. We also have a wallet with cash in just in case ATMs are not working so I feel Mom has covered everything.  If you think she has forgotten something, please tell Mom so she can add it to our bag.  I also keep my phone charged so that it will be charged if I must grab it and go out. Most important and was reminded all vet documents and of course your personal documents also (copies are also great)

Layla and I shopping for items for our disaster bag

 

We are discussing this subject this week as Mom says it is very important to be prepared for all so that we can be safe as we are family, the furkids of the family although I am the only kid here.

Have a wonderful weekend, be safe

With hugs and love from Nili

What a week

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Good morning, friends, we hope you have had a good week as mine has been a busy crazy one and phew thank goodness it is weekend time.

I have been very naughty eating the mud in the park which made me sick, Mom took the hood off my head as the dogs did not want to play with me when I wore it so I went crazy being hoodless and ate some mud, which is not good as it is full of fish fertilizer and it upset my tummy big time, yes I paid the price of being naughty and Mom did not sleep for at least 4 nights. She was giving me probiotics, bland food, no treats but nothing was working so on Thursday she took me to the vet for a check up as she felt she was losing. I was eating and drinking but nothing was staying in my tummy and as she said to the vet I suppose it is a good way for me to lose the weight that I have to lose BOL. The vet laughed with her and told her I had not lost anything.

Sitting on the windowsill at the vet clinic waiting for the vet, Nili

 

So after a thorough check up including tests which came back negative the vet sat down with Mom and suggested a vet kibble, now you all know how anti kibble Mom is but this time can you believe it she agreed and am munching on them plus she is giving them to me as treats but not getting more than the vet told Mom to feed me, she is on a strict regime with me.  The vet and Mom think I am allergic to rice and chicken and that is why my tummy was not settling so we are taking each day as it comes but I must admit today for the first time in a week I am feeling a lot better.

 

Today, Friday was one year since I arrived home from my foster family, but we could not celebrate cos of my tummy issues and Mom explained to me that is the price I am paying for eating the mud, she has promised me a cookie when I am healthy.

My first photo on Nili in the house sitting on a pee pad chewing a treat

 

So this week has been a crazy week with my upset tummy and we have not done much, we are recharging our batteries this weekend as it is miserable outside and drizzling, next week we will take each day as it comes slowly cos Mom says she is getting old BOL.

My first time in the indoor crate and it is cozy, Nili

 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, be safe and stay cool,

 

With hugs and love from Nili

 

15th July was National Pet Fire Safety Day

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TGIF!!!!!!!

Good morning all my friends.

 

15th of July is an important day, to remind us to keep us pets safe is there a fire. It is so important with what is happening in the world today with climate change, extreme heat and droughts, floods  we need to be prepared as our pets are our family and they depend on us.I am prepared for every disaster, so Nili is fortunate and safe.

Enjoying sunshine, Nili

I have an emergency bag which I check and update every six months, her information is up to date, and we are organized for anything and hopefully your parents are also. But unfortunately, we must remind everyone as people forget or do not believe in climate change, so this is our reminder.

 

 

Please be safe everyone, I am now going off to the park to play

 

With a woof and love from Nili