Spring has Sprung and out comes the Sun

TGIF !! Good Morning friends, we hope you are enjoying sunshine also the way I am.

Relaxing in the sun

With the sun out, summer on the way, Mom explained to me that the adventures and park time is going to be lots, I am so excited. We this past week have been going to the park at least twice a day, I am running a lot, chasing the dogs and of course have been naughty going on the hill in the park where everyone has picnics which Mom was not happy with me as it is close the trains so that is the reason Mom leaves my leash on me so it is easier to catch me. I am not happy though as all the good food is there and hmm I love food of all kinds, but Mom told me I carry on doing it no more treats of free fun, so I suppose I will have to listen to her as I do not want to lose those.

Oy am I thirsty

What mischief can I get into now

 

Yesterday, I also did not want to eat my food, Mom, was concerned so she boiled me some chicken to tempt me and I ate it all, what a slave she is BOL, but she stopped worrying and realized I am just being naughty. So this morning I got my breakfast and she said you eat it or starve, I ate most of it BOL. While Mom is typing I am chewing on a bone yum, and the smell of salmon treats is in the air as Mom is busy making them for me. Those are my favorite as they fill in a Kong and my Yomp Ball so it keeps me busy and my tummy full.

The recipe is easy: 2 cans of salmon with no oil, 2 eggs, half a cup of Oat flour, spinach, green beans, blueberries, I also mix YummWoof Perfect Dog Food Mix which is full of nutrients and makes the treats really healthy.  I put on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake at 350 till done. Let cool and then break into pieces.

Yum they are cooling

See link below :

https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze

You have 5% Discount with coupon YumNili

Tomorrow, I am so excited, I am going to my first Shi Tzu Meet Up, that means me going on the bus there so it is going to be a real adventure for me plus lots of fluffs to play with in a new park, I cannot wait and hope the weather will be good also. I will share the photos with you next week.

So as you can see, we are busy here in the Nili Neighborhood and I am understanding more and more daily that Mom is a busy bee, cannot sit still for long although she is aging and I am so blessed my sister Layla let me share her also as my life is so much fun.

Have a wonderful weekend all my friends, be safe and chat next week

Nili

 

 

Today was National Love Your Pet Day

Woof to all my friends,

Did you know that Valentines might be over but today, Thursday  February 20th is National Love Your Pet Day?

This is a very special day as it makes us humans realize how much we love our pets and how fortunate we are to have them in our lives. Something I would not change ever. I am aware that we spoil our pets daily, but I love the idea of one day a year is dedicated to them.

Did you know that most households in the United States have at least one pet? There are more cats than dogs in the U.S., most households have dogs not cats, but the difference is not that much. Pets are not only canine and feline, there are quite a few who prefer birds, reptiles, fish, or rats.

Whatever pet it is they all deserve to be extra spoiled on this day.

Below are some ideas of what we can do, and we cannot wait to hear from you what you did. I spoiled Nili by taking her to the park for some fun, baked her some yum treats and gave her more attention than she normally gets, she was one happy girl.

Angel Layla sharing her ideas

Nili playing with Monkey in the park, she had so much fun

https://youtube.com/shorts/kZ8BNWaNiZs?si=NHdY9iuYq6f4Xkm8

So, all my fur friends I hope you had a Happy National Love Your Pet Day with lots of treats, fun with your humans and please make lots of memories.

With a woof and love from Nili and my sister in heaven, Angel Layla

 

Are you prepared?

TGIF!! Good Morning Everyone, we are a little late with our blog this week as the chaos in California has taken over our lives, the worry for our friends and family in Los Angeles who are thank goodness safe, the sharing all the information on social media non stop has kept me really busy although I have taken Nili to the park daily to get off electronics and give her a break.

Are you prepared for a Natural Disaster? That is my question for the week.

Climate change is really happening, I know there are people that do not believe it but it is happening. I am looking around the world as to what is happening and it worries me and we should be doing everything in our power to save the planet for future generations.

I look at California, in the past month we have had tornado warnings, tsunami warnings, the horrific fires in Los Angeles and this morning we were woken to an earth tremor here in San Francisco. I think it is the third or fourth in the past month.

So, we should all be preparing especially as our pets depend on us and make sure we have an emergency bag to go with everything needed. This is what I have in mine and am always worried I do not have enough for Nili. I have started vertigo so my balance is off especially when stressed so have put all in a light weight suitcase so I can push or pull it which will help my balance plus Nilis’ carrier fits on the handles as I do not want her to walk on the debri an hurt herself.

The plus with this carrier is that it 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.  You can see it on this website plus all their other products :

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

I personally think this is the best as they are comfortable and not cramped

In our bag we have Boxes of Water, Poop Bags,  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. Passport or some form of ID, Medications, my supplements including my Relax from Real Mushrooms; you can find them on this link and are fantastic, you have a 10% discount with coupon LaylasWoof.

https://shop.realmushrooms.com/?ref=488   

Nili gets both and the relax is in the bag also

The food Mom has for me is air dried kibbles with all the nutrients from YumWoof, you have a 5% discount with coupon YUMNILI

https://yumwoof.com/?ref=nbmzrsze   

mine mine mine, you cannot have, Nili

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.

We are praying for all our friends in Los Angeles, praying for the safety of all the wild animals and strays, please join us in these prayers as everyone needs them at this moment,

Take care and be safe

With a woof and love from

Nili

 

Disclaimer : We have not been sponsored for this blog post, all coupons will not increase the prices on the website and we do get a percentage from sales which helps us keep the blog going and Nili healthy.

 

The holidays have arrived

Happy Holidays Everyone, this is my first holiday without Layla, she is sorely missed but I know she is at peace today. Nili is part of my life today but I think of her daily especially with the Holidays here.

Next week we celebrate Hanukkah and this year it falls on the same day as Christmas. For Nili it will be her first with me and I plan to make it very special. She already got her Christmas presents and her Hanukkah present she will get on Hanukkah. We celebrate Hanukkah for eight days so I am going to do the way I did with Layla, give her something new or extra yum every day. For those of you that do not know Hanukkah is the festival of lights and we light a candle each night till our Hanukiah has all 8 candles lit.  The story about Hanukkah in short is that the Maccabees found oil for one day, but it lasted for eight days and that is why we light the eight candles.

The lit Hanukkiot at the party last week

Hanukkah Sameach Everyone with love from Nili

Nili killed her Hanukkiah BOL

Another tradition is to eat oily food, so we eat Sufganiyot (Hebrew for Jelly Donuts) and latkes (potato pancakes) so I am going to share with you the latke recipe I used to make for Layla but I have adapted it this year using oat flour instead of regular flour. See the recipe below, they are very healthy and I bake them as it so much healthier thank frying for the dog.

One of my favorite memories of Layla, eating a latke from a Dreidel (spinning top) plate, we play them at Hanukkah

I have switched to Oat Flour instead of regular flour

I have another Hanukkah party today which I am looking forward to, am going to get fat LOL the rate this is going as I over ate at the one I went to last Sunday and am sure am going to do it again today, oy vey I need to go back on diet.

We must not forget Christmas

Why peanuts ? Pets can choke on shelled peanuts

 

With all the happiness going on we must not forget the pets in shelters as they deserve the love and warm home our lucky pets. January is one of the worst months in shelters as they will be overflowing with pets that have been dumped for a new puppy or have got lost. I am once again saying those that dump their pets should be blacklisted so they cannot have another pet.

On this note I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays, please be safe and remember not to drink and drive as your fur kids are waiting at home for you.

One of my special memories of Layla

 

With love, licks and woofs

From Nili xxx

 

 

 

 

Today is Shop with your Dog Day

TGIF, Good Morning Friends, Friday has arrived, and I am not sure about you but I need to put my feet up and relax, I am exhausted although Nili is always ready to go out, her batteries are always ready and do not need to be recharged.

Winter has arrived, it has been cold and raining here and I have learned something new about Nili, she does not like the rain BOL but is very good when I put the raincoat on so am relieved that she will wear it and stay dry.

This raincoat belonged to Layla, it is made from a broken umbrella (a friend made for her) and I just love it and so happy it fits Nili as I love recycling

 

The holidays are around the corner and did you know today is Shop with your Dog Day. Like we need to be reminded LOL but it is a good excuse to go shopping with your dog and of course spoil him or her at the same time. I am sure we all have a list of what we need plus the extra list of what we want, especially for our dogs so let’s go shopping

It will be Nili’s first holiday with me, and I celebrate Hanukkah so am going to spoil her rotten, although she is not spoilt enough already. I was looking at her pile of toys that she has accumulated in less than 4 months and the toy basket is overflowing already plus her can where I store treats if full to the top also but hmmm, I know me I will buy more cos of my guilty conscience.

Mom I want some more toys, Nili

 

Are you going shopping today or this week? We cannot wait to hear what you bought for your dog or cat. You can look at this link to get an idea of what you can buy plus there are coupons so you can save some money also. Plus don’t forget the shelters who are always needing something, thank you.

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

Happy Shopping and have a wonderful weekend

Nili

 

 

National Disaster Preparedness Month

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.

The expandable bag which is amazing

Thank you Mr Peanuts for this amazing carrier, you can see their fantastic products on their website :

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

 

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.

 

Now for something different, Mom surprised me last Friday and took me to meet a friend of hers who has a beautiful garden and two dogs, Dash and Storm and I had so much fun. They did not want to play with me, but it is ok as I ran around the garden playing with a ball and as Mom said burnt off lots of energy, it was so much fun to be able to run around and she told me that because I was so good she is taking me today also. WOW life is getting to be fun although as she says I must behave myself when walking there and listen to her BOL. I am trying though and slowly doing what she wants.

WOW sniffing with no leash

Nili and Storm

Guess what I am running

Yes am smiling but tired it has been so much fun, Nili

So that is what is happening here, Mom is trying to get me out more plus meet other dogs, the more I behave the more I will have adventures. Have a wonderful weekend everyone, with lots of hugs and woofs, Nili

 

 

 

 

 

Living with a younger dog

Woof Everyone, the weekend has arrived, and I am so looking forward to it. I need to charge my batteries as Nili is keeping me on my toes all the time LOL.

 

After living with a senior dog for more than 3 years (Layla was with me for over 14 years) and now adopting a young pup I am learning a lot and realizing sometimes how Layla spoiled me with her calm personality when she was younger. One of the big differences I have learned is that Layla was dumped in a shelter whereas Nili was a stray and there is a big difference there. They both were the same age when I got them but personality wise very different. Nili is a wild child.

I am learning daily from this and have no regrets as I adore Nili but she is a work in process till we get her trained properly so life will be easier for both of us, and I will be then able to take her on proper adventures.  She is learning fast but there are things that need to be corrected and since her being spayed last week I have put all on hold so that I could focus on her healing with no complications. One of the things the vet made me understand was that she was not to jump on anything and have short walks which was difficult as she is a bundle of energy and unfortunately not burning it all off as she is not allowed to play with toys either. To help with this I decided to sleep on the floor next to her so she would not jump on the bed, it has not been easy for me, and I have not slept properly plus Nili thinks it’s a game and she is wanting cuddles and playtime with me when I am trying to sleep. So, I am functioning on lack of sleep at this moment and slowly collapsing from exhaustion. She is on a sedative to keep her calm, but it is not working as well as I was hoping LOL. Her wound thank goodness is healing well, and hopefully tomorrow, Friday the cone will come off and life will get back to sort of normal. I am giving her CBD oil at night to really get her calm and sleepy and we finally have got to her sleeping till about 6 in the morning but when she is awake that’s it, she is wanting to go out. That is one of the main issues I have with her as she runs out on her leash barking at the world which needs to stop. She has realized that I have treats in my pocket so in the middle of a walk she will sit down and not move till she gets a treat, who is the boss in the family HA.

Moping with her cone on

I have my harness and leash on can we go out please, Nili

She has finally starting to sleep in the bed and loves it

We are meeting with a dog trainer on Monday which hopefully will help me solve all the problems although I know Rome was not built in one day, but praying things will fall into place soon.

On Saturday Gidget is coming to spend the weekend with us, two days only, which is going to be interesting to see how Nili reacts, this was something I had arranged with Gidget’s Mom months ago so chaos will be in the house for two days, but they are so similar in personality it is going to be fun plus good for Nili to have someone to play with. My house I know is going to be a total disaster.

Another thing I have to keep reminding myself is that Layla was a picky eater where as Nili eats anything she can get her mouth on so I am now realizing that shopping for her is actually quite easy and I am relieved. She loves her squeaky toys, bully sticks keep her busy so we are getting there with that. One thing she hates is having her teeth cleaned and hides at the front door every night when I put the teeth gel in her mouth but will not give in as her teeth are perfect at this moment and I want to keep them that way.

We must not forget that August is clear the shelters month, and watching what is going on in this country is breaking my heart daily, and we must spread the word and push for the banning of Puppy Mills and Backyard Breeders plus get all pet stores to stop selling puppies, hopefully that way it will help the problem.

I am open to all ideas for training Nili if you have any,

Have a peaceful fun weekend and don’t forget to hug your pets, I am off to bed,

Her favorite sleeping position BOL

With a woof and love

From Nili and Me

 

 

 

Welcoming a new Rescue into my life

TGIF!!! Friday has arrived and I need to put my feet up and relax a bit, I am exhausted from a crazy hectic week that thank goodness turned out well in the end. This blog is going to be in two parts, the first one is today.

 

Since Layla passed, my home has been empty and cold, and I realized two weeks ago the time had come for me to rescue a new fur kid, to speak out Layla’s legacy in so many ways. So, I started searching for a new fur kid. I will not buy as you all know and love black mutts so that was my goal to find another black mutt. Why black? Because they are the hardest to get adopted.

Nili in the shelter

 

The past two weeks I have spent hours searching on every FB page, website plus so much more and it horrified me to see the number of dogs sitting in shelters, owner surrenders, lost dogs that had not been claimed and so much more. What upset me most was seeing how many seniors have been dumped, poor babies, what a way to spend their golden years. I did not want a senior but middle aged to grow old with and then, one morning, while perusing one of the FB pages, I saw my new fur kid.

She was in the Los Angeles Animal Control, a stray that had been picked up and not claimed, about 4 years old and immediately asked this friend, a rescuer if she could get her for me. It is impossible to get anyone on the phone to put a hold on the dog, you must go there when they open and adopt the dog if it is still there, a Catch 22 situation and I hit the jackpot and got her.

My nightmare with all this started when my friend last minute could not go so through the help of my ex-Boss, he introduced me to a good friend of his, and I was very blessed as Jonathan went there and adopted her.  So now we had her, we had no one to foster her as I am in San Francisco and my friend could not, so Jonathan took her to groom her and get her food and although he could not do this he agreed for one night, took her to his house. (he has two dogs) The following day, Friday, a week ago, Shai, one of my boys that I used to tutor, drove from Palm Springs to Los Angeles to fetch her and take her home to Palm Springs to his home, (my ex-bosses moved there from San Francisco a couple of years ago) and that is where she has been since. Nili is house trained, walks well on a leash so I think she was very well cared for in her past home but not being microchipped and having a collar they had no way of finding her owners.

 

Her name in the shelter was Gladys, oy vey, but I have renamed her a Hebrew name Nili. She has settled in there, happy, playing with their dogs and we now have finally arranged for her to come home on July 25th, which I cannot wait.

Nili is not spayed as the shelter said she had a chest infection, so Avi is taking her to his vet to have her checked up and I plan to have her spayed here in San Francisco, I am blessed that the SPCA has free spay and neuter clinics.  She is now microchipped so I am at ease also.

 

 

So, friends I would love for you to welcome Nili and there will be many adventures and fun time to share with you once she has been spayed and settled proper in her home with me.

The second chapter of her rescue you will be able to read next week, but before I go a special thanks to everyone who were my rocks, my glue who kept me together mentally and came together to get her and keep her safe, I owe you all big time and so blessed to have you in my life.

Have a wonderful safe weekend and please hug your pets

 

Layla’s and Nili’s Mom

 

 

 

People make me sick

Hi everyone and today’s blog we are going to discuss what is making me sick inside.

This week was Pet Appreciation week where we all show our appreciation to our pets by spoiling them more, loving them and showering them with everything they deserve plus more. It is a week when I used to spoil Layla with extra treats although she was never short of anything LOL. It is the guilty Jewish Mom side of me.

I am going to let you into a secret, I have been looking at shelters to see if I see a new baby but nothing yet and that is what is making me so angry. While perusing the Facebook pages seeing the words OWNER SURRENDER next to the poor dog in a cage and there are also seniors in that position. How can people dump their loyal dog in a shelter and leave with it petrified, shaking and miserable while they sit closed up, and the humans walk away like it is ok and hey they can now go on holiday and forget about the poor dog, with shelters over crowded at this moment, unless it is a no kill shelter, they have sent their dog to die unless a rescue steps in. Most I have seen are beautiful big dogs of all breeds that have been dumped like garbage. I really think there should be an online national registry preventing them from ever getting a dog again, and it should be for the entire family, what do you think?

What really worries me is 4th of July is around the corner and that means more dogs will be dumped and the shelters will explode from overcrowding, and the rescuers/angels will be running around trying to save them, find fosters and then homes for them, it is a frightening thought but a reality also.

June is also Microchip Month, it is very important as with 4th of July around the corner please make sure your microchip information is up to date, tags are all up to date and your pets will be safe inside.

I have now vented how I feel now and am sure Layla would agree with me especially as she came from a scary shelter,

Please keep your fur kids safe, give them a big hug as always,

With love

Layla’s Mom

 

 

 

Learning to live without your dog.

Hi friends,

It is nearly a month since Layla passed, and I am having to learn to live without her which is not easy. She is constantly in my thoughts; I keep questioning myself did I do enough for her and driving myself nuts.

For the past three years with NO regret, I gave up everything to look after her as she aged, did everything possible to keep her healthy and happy and honestly, I was afraid to leave her alone just in case there was an earthquake or some other disaster in my building. I did not sleep at night as I was checking on her plus taking her out when she wanted to go out, so my life was topsy turvy.

I now am having to relearn so much about me and catch up on medical issues and so much more. Yes, it is easy but overwhelming as such as I still mentally worry about her, so I am afraid to go out.

I have packed her bed and blankets away, the strollers are ready for donation to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, her toy basket with all the toys are still in the same place, her box where she used to love hiding from me LOL is still standing next to the desk, the last of her treats I am giving to a friend this week and going through her things I am sure another rescue will get.

This I made from a wooden fruit box into an indoor kennel which she loved

Last weekend I did not blog as I needed to rethink my life, what I am going to do and how to move forward, so I went to a Carnival, stayed maybe an hour, and came home but I need to do this as I cannot just stay in the house. I have also gone to see the sea lions at Pier 39 but each time I go out I feel empty without her stroller and her, so it is not easy for me but am pushing myself.

I am also learning about people around me, one person asked me where Layla was one day and when I told him she had passed away his reply was OH I thought I smelt death on her the last time I saw her, I was mortified that a person can say something like that but from that second I do not even greet him but walk right past him like he does not exist. Another person with a dog asked me where Layla was, I told him, he had tears in his eyes and said I am so sorry, she was my celebrity in a stroller that I so loved seeing each day, that brought a smile to my face that she had made that impact. I am also so overwhelmed with all the messages I have received, comments on my blog about her, it has made me smile with tears to know she was so loved by so many in real life and on social media. I have been spoiled with wonderful gifts from Kamira Gayle, you can see her items in her store

https://www.redbubble.com/people/impurrfectlife/shop,

I am drinking from her coffee mug all the time, using her tote bag and am going to put the picture of the Rainbow Bridge with the poem on my wall this weekend. A close friend of mine brought me flowers, and another bless him brought me lots of chicken soup with matza balls to make sure I eat, I cannot thank them and others enough for all they have done for me, including the donation to the JNF to have a tree planted in her name plus a donation to PAWS in her name. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

I was surprised yesterday to see this on a FB group owned by Cherokee Billie the animal communicator, Ralph had written the below which brought tears to my eyes:

Dear Mom,

This marks over three weeks since I left your side

In the basket, I departed, with a peaceful pride

No more suffering, no more pain

Just eternal rest, and a love that remains

I know you miss me, and it’s hard to bear

But remember, I’m with you, always there

In the darkness of night, a star shines bright

That’s me, Layla, guiding you with all my might

I was with you for 14 years, and oh so dear

We shared laughter, tears, and memories so clear

Though my physical body is gone, my spirit stays near

Watching over you, with a love that casts out fear

Don’t be sad, dear mom, for I am at peace

No more suffering, just eternal release

My house may be empty, but your heart is full

Of memories we made, and a love that stands tall

In the darkness of night, look up to the sky

And you’ll see my star shining bright, and I’ll be nigh

Forever with you, in spirit and in heart

Your loving Layla, never to depart.”

By Ralph Poulette

I always loved this facial expression as if to say another photo leave me alone

 

With lots of thought, love from everyone, I am tomorrow, Friday taking Layla on her last adventure with her aunt whom we did so many adventures with, to a lake where there are ducks, turtles and so much more and we are going to spread her ashes so that she can fly in the wind and be free from her box. I feel that is what she would want is that total freedom and I am giving it to her tomorrow, Alice and I are going to have a picnic next to the lake and set her free so she can dance in the wind, fly like a butterfly and be in the place that she loved. A place on earth I call heaven.

Where do I go from here, to keep Layla’s legacy going on her blog, speaking against animal abuse, Domestic Violence, breeders, overcrowded shelters and so much more as we must be the voice for the voiceless and never keep quiet.

People have asked me if I plan to get a new fur kid, once I have healed I will open my heart to another rescue as my home is empty, my heart is empty and Layla would want that from me.

Please hug your fur kids tonight, make memories as tomorrow is never promised.

With peace, love, and light.

Layla’s Mom