Category Archives: Dog Blog

Gotcha Day is over, but I did a Reiki and Animal Communicator Session

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TGIF!!!! I need to relax LOL.

Layla and I went shopping last Saturday for her Gotcha Day on Tuesday, if she had her own way, she would have bought everything in the store LOL but I stuck to two bags of her favorite treats, minnows and shrimp and she cannot get enough of them in her snuffle toys.

My favorite pet store

I do not want the hat but want treats only

Mom did not buy this for me as she said it was too big for my tummy

On Wednesday the sun was shining so I took her to the park which she loved and just slept in the sun plus of course wandered around smelling all the pmail, she had to catch up on all the gossip which she has missed out on so she was one happy girl when we came home, and went to sleep, such a hard life.

 

In my last blog I had said there would be a surprise this week and this is the surprise, I have wanted for months to know if Layla is happy as she does not smile anymore, and have always been fascinated with people who do Reiki and communicate with animals so I have been following this woman on FB and when she contacted me to thank me for following her and sharing her posts she offered to do a session with Layla which I of course jumped on the idea.

Her name is Cherokee Billie Spiritual Advisor

YouTube : https://youtu.be/QTNmv5hrmd0

Website : https://cherokeebilliespiritualadvisor.com/

So last Sunday we did one on Zoom which unfortunately got cut off before it ended because of connections, but I got so many answers to my queries I was really pleased with the results as they have relaxed me. I am also understanding Layla more as she ages so our lives will be less stressful, anxious and we can age peacefully together.

When we started the session Layla was sitting on my lap in front of the camera and was very antsy, could not figure out where the voice was coming from so Billie suggested I put her on the floor, she went to drink water and then went to her normal sleeping place and totally calmed down.

I will share our video session on our blog next week as my laptop keeps freezing but cannot wait to share.

What I learned:

Since going blind Layla is afraid to go out, that is why she will only walk a little and then stares into space with her tail between her legs but is comfortable sitting in her stroller, so we are going to have to slow down on adventures in some ways so she is not afraid.

She cannot understand why her body is changing as she ages although she feels like a puppy inside and is very healthy TG.

Because of all the above she is not smiling anymore which has upset me as I miss her smiles, but I understand also and I am sure I would be the same if it happened to me.

She does love me very much.

Another thing I learned is that because of the above her anxiety has gone through the roof, so am checking into new calming solutions for her and keeping a t-shirt on all the time that does keep her calm. Billie also suggested music by Mozart or the Beatles to calm her so am going to do some research this weekend on YouTube to see what I can find although I have the Jazz on all the time I do not think it’s working for her.

So as a dog Mom to a senior dog I strongly suggest others do a session with Billie as it is an eye opener and will make everyone’s lives calmer and happier.

Everyone please have a safe happy weekend, make memories and enjoy your moments with your pets, they are precious and deserve the best.

 

Lots of love from

Layla

 

 

 

January is here

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TGIF !!!! It is Friday and what a week we have had.

San Francisco has been wet with rain for over a week, Mom is not happy as walking me in the rain is making her wet and cold all the time BOL but as she says we need the rain.

I am getting old, so I love to go out in the middle of the night, I moan to Mom to tell her and then sit and wait for her to get out of her warm bed, get dressed and bundle me up for the cold weather. I think it is fun and wag my tail while Mom curses under her breath.

Mom surprised me this week to help me stay extra dry and warm from the winds and bought me a plastic stroller cover, so I sit under a tent as such and do not get wet. We learnt the hard way last weekend when it was pouring, and my stroller became a pool it had so much water in plus everything was wet, so our bathroom turned into a laundry room with everything drying.

There were no small ones in the store so bought whatever size I could find and it is working

Because of the rain we have not been out that much, and the past 24 hours have been really bad so we are doing short walks so that I can potty, but the best is coming home for treats and snuffle ball time which keeps me busy.

I am very lucky as I have a raincoat made out of an umbrella that a friend of Mom made for me, so while Mom tries to hold the umbrella, I wear one BOL and it keeps me warm and dry. Mom also bought me some fleece t-shirts which I sleep in so am cozy when I am in the house.

Layla loves sleeping with her head under the bed LOL

So, I should not complain as Mom does her best to keep me healthy, happy and warm in the cold weather and she dries me off when we get home and changes my clothes also so I am always wearing something dry.

That is what is happening in our neighborhood, please be safe and warm everyone,

With lots of love

Layla

 

 

 

 

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

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Halloween is over, phew, we had so much fun last weekend I am still recovering LOL so this weekend we are lying low and just going to our regular dog park weather permitting.

November has arrived and it is one of the important months of the year as it is Adopt a Senior Pet Month.

There are so many pets in shelters, they are overflowing and the saddest of all is the amount of seniors that are dumped in a shelter.

Seniors should be able to live their golden years in comfort, in a warm house with love, not in a cold shelter which is so not good for their health. I get so mad when I see the seniors that have been dumped in the shelters, bewildered, not knowing what is going on, being dumped there like garbage because of their age.

A pet is family, should be with us till the end of their life, their love is unconditional, they have so little demands, but love, food and comfort and we should provide that to them till the end not decide that because they are aging they are unworthy of our love, dumped in a shelter and then the human goes and adopts a younger one, and the circle carries on. It makes me sick that people can do that.

So, if you are wanting to adopt a pet, or know someone who is looking to add a pet to their family, speak out for the seniors and help them find loving homes.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Il2zYs9hLrk?feature=share  

Have a safe weekend and lets us pray that all senior shelter pets find homes this month

Love Layla

 

 

 

 

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

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This month is one of the most important months of the year. You might wonder why but it is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.

The benefits are endless but most important it is an incredible rewarding experience to get the unconditional love and companionship from a loving dog.

I am aware of those that only one pure bred dog but there are so many dogs sitting in cold shelters waiting for homes including pure breeds that I strongly advise everyone to go to a shelter and open your heart to a dog sitting there. We, humans are to blame for the over crowding of shelters as people are so quick to dump their dogs at a shelter for ridiculous lies and excuses like we are moving, we having a family, the dog causes allergies, and the list can go on and on but instead of thinking of the poor dogs life they are selfish and think of themselves only.

Unfortunately, because of this so many dogs die each day in shelters while those snobs want a pure breed and instead of thinking of those dying, they pay some breeder for a dog, which absolutely makes me sick inside. Some of you might disagree with me on this point but this is my opinion and each to his own. I could not live knowing I paid for a dog from some puppy maker who keeps dogs like machines just to produce and when they cannot produce anymore dump them in shelters.  Dogs have feelings, souls and emotions and should not be treated like garbage.

Layla’s wise words :

https://youtube.com/shorts/gGUJQ2eBloM?feature=share

So on this note I am asking everyone to go to a Shelter, open up your heart and home and give a shelter dog a place they can call home.

Have a safe weekend and lets be the voice for the voiceless and spread the word to empty the shelters.

With a woof and love from

Layla

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping Your Senior Healthy

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TGIF!! The weekend has arrived and never mind Mom I am exhausted and need a rest.

Mom has been running around all week, nonstop, like an energizer bunny and she needs to put her feet up but hey I love keeping her busy.

On Wednesday Mom took me to the Eye Vet to have my eyes checked up.  They have found that I have now an ulcer on my right eye so have doubled my eye drops and hopefully all will be good. We have another appointment in 6 months’ time unless something happens before then.

As you all know I have a Jewish Mom that drives me nuts trying to keep me healthy and happy so she decided that I need a new dog food to add to my homecooked food so it would be very balanced and healthy. I sometimes worry that she will make me chicken soup and matza balls BOL.

So, as we love the Dr Harvey’s Foods Mom got me their new one, The Raw Vibrance as she got excited when she saw it has milk thistle, green lipped mussels and so much more and it takes the worry off her shoulders with me not getting a balanced diet with all the right supplements. The plus with eating Dr Harvey’s food is it Holistic, Chemical Free and made with organic ingredients. What could be healthier than that.

The ingredients in this food are Broccoli, Green Beans, Squash, Celery, Cabbage, Carrots, Crushed Eggshell, Spinach, Beets, Raw Goat’s Milk Powder, Apples, Blueberries, Bone Meal, Sesame Seeds, Chia Seeds, Shiitake Mushrooms, Green Lipped Mussel Powder, Ginger, Kelp, Parsley, Eggshell Memb 

I love this food and it is pink from the beets which is my favorite color so am gulping it down as quickly as possible when it is put in my bowl.  Mom also takes it to the park for me so I can have a picnic.

https://youtu.be/wI5BiznZBAs

Mom has also started making me treats with the food which she mixes with my homemade food and bakes it, then cuts it and puts it in my snuffle ball and it is yummy. I am a very lucky old girl here.

Home made dog treats with the dog food

So, because we love this food, and want to help everyone keep their babies healthy and happy, we have decided to do a giveaway for a bag of Raw Vibrance which one lucky winner will win.

We were sponsored by Dr. Harvey’s with a bag of this food. The giveaway is for the USA only and you must be over 18 to enter.

Below is the Rafflecopter link to enter:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/baa88aa62/?

And of course, if you want to check out Dr Harvey’s website this is the link – Your code for a discount is: Layla10. The great thing is you can order samples of his food to try on your dog before you buy a big bag.

https://www.drharveys.com/

I solemnly swear with my paws that your dog will be a happy healthy furkid.

Good luck everypawdy, with a woof and love from

Layla

 

Mommy got me a stroller

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Happy Friday everyone, the weekend has arrived which I hope will be full of lots of fun and treats.

Mom has been crazy busy this week, but she is being good sticking to schedule and taking me to the park once a day which is so much fun.

Watch my video below :

https://youtu.be/-HFY9CzfFpA

Last Saturday Mom took me to get my stroller, from Muttville Senior Rescue (Thank you Sherri) https://muttville.org/ which is so much fun to ride in and now I am an official princess. All I need is a crown. The reason Mom got one is she cannot carry me on her back anymore, I weigh 15 lbs. and the backpack weighs about 2 lbs., and it was getting too hard for Mom. Plus, I love to go shopping with her and it was getting too heavy, so I now go in the stroller.

My new chariot

Mom is still making me walk on our daily walks which I love as I love sniffing everything plus it is healthy to get exercise but when we go to the park Mom wheels me cos as she says she does not have to carry all the things we need for the park.

So, my friends as you can see, I have Mom wrapped around my paw which is pawsome BOL, I always say Mom is my slave and I am the Boss.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, please be safe, cool and hydrated,

sleeping in the grass

With a woof and love from

Layla

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Challenges of living with an Aging Dog

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Friday is here, week is over, although a short one it has been chaotic as always. Life is never boring here.

Layla and I are both seniors, we are aging gracefully together but its hard to see your baby age and facing new challenges each day.

Layla is now blind, her halo is fantastic, but I think the harness for the halo is hurting her back so am not walking with it all the time and trying to figure out if I can attach it to her regular harness. I have noticed the difference in so many ways. I look at it as trial and error till we find the balance. I am concerned about her back and neck, and I need to keep that in mind as I do not want to her hurt her. She is as stubborn as always and its either her way walking or no way so we have our arguments LOL.

With her loss of sight, she has become a barker, standing, and barking for attention and it has got out of control in many ways and exhausting me so its another challenge I am dealing with. If I give her the snuffle ball, she quietens down till she has got everything out of it and then we start all over again. I have turned her into a snuffle ball monster LOL. (The reason her food is there and not where it used to be is she is  having problems eating from the raised bowl as she knocks it over so this is the solution I found for her food)

Her eating has not changed, she is eating well, getting all her supplements and I feel the mushrooms have done a lot of good for her plus because it has Vitamin D which increases her appetite.

 

Food or Snuffle Ball, which should I choose, Layla

 

One of our new routines is instead of walking her at noon each day I am taking her to the park where she can wander around, sniff and get fresh air and I can get some fresh air also plus balance myself out. It seems to be helping as she loves that freedom and I sit away from all the crowds.  The plus with the park is there is nowhere she can bump her head when wandering around. These are the times I wish I had a garden.

On guard

Shnoozing on the lawn

Otherwise, her happy personality has not changed, she is a healthy happy girl, bossy as always and I would not change it for anything in the world, even the sleepless nights when I check to make sure she is breathing LOL. I cannot believe she is 15 years old, it seems like yesterday I rescued her, we are aging together, crossing the bridges together, and living our lives as best as possible.

Before we go for a walk this is a reminder that July is National Pet Hydration Awareness Month, please keep your pets inside from the heat and make sure they are hydrated with lots of fresh water.

July is Pet Hydration Awareness Month, please make sure your pets are hydrated

So that is the life in the Layla Neighborhood at the moment,

Have a safe wonderful weekend everyone

With a woof and love from Layla and Crazy Dog Mom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pride weekend has arrived

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Pride weekend has arrived, San Francisco is full of Rainbows, in the streets, supermarkets, stores and so much more. It looks so pretty and happy, and I really love this weekend. I am not sure what event we going to do but I am sure we will do one at least, am going with the flow and seeing how the weather will be.

Photo take in 2015 at the Dykes on Bikes

Madam got groomed on Wednesday. They did an amazing job and cleaned her teeth, ears, plus so much more so she is all clean now, and smells of fruit thanks to her shampoo. She was exhausted when we got home and has been sleeping, eating ever since.

Her halo arrived finally and I am so happy because now we can go for proper walks and I do not have to worry about her head. I was trying it on her in the photo and it needs to be adjusted which I will do before a walk.

Layla seems to be feeling so much healthier, eating like a pig oink oink since I have put the mushrooms in her food, I feel like she has more energy which makes me happy although I do say sometimes slow down as I am tired BOL.

If you want to try the mushrooms, especially what I am giving Layla (you can read all about them on last week’s post). The bottle I got for her is 5 Defenders Organic Mushroom Blend for Pets. Please discuss with your vet before you buy.

The link is below and guess what you get a 10% discount when shopping. You might even be surprised to get a bigger discount on some of the products.

Link :   https://shop.realmushrooms.com/discount/LaylasWoof

I Layla pawsitively approve them as they have made me, a senior feel better plus all my internal organs are being kept healthy, what a concept!!

Last weekend I took Layla to the park, which was great, she was happy sleeping amongst the daisies and of course begging for treats LOL which of course I gave her.

So, in a nutshell, life is good in the Layla neighborhood, we are both aging gracefully though,

Happy Pride to everyone that celebrates, have a wonderful weekend, and please please stay hydrated.

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The link is below and guess what you get a 10% discount when shopping. You might even be surprised to get a bigger discount on some of the products.

 

https://shop.realmushrooms.com/discount/LaylasWoof

 

I Layla pawsitively approve them as they have made me, a senior feel better plus all my internal organs are being kept healthy, what a concept!!

 

Last weekend I took Layla to the park, which was great, she was happy sleeping amongst the daisies and of course begging for treats LOL which of course I gave her.

 

So, in a nutshell, life is good in the Layla neighborhood, we are both aging gracefully though,

 

Happy Pride to everyone that celebrates, have a wonderful weekend, and please please stay hydrated.

 

With a woof and love from Layla

Are Mushrooms Magic?

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TGIF !! Another week over and the weekend is starting. I cannot believe how fast this year is going it is scary in a way or maybe I am just aging LOL.

Last Friday we had a picnic in the park with one of my closest friends, it was the first time Layla was in the park in months as she has become afraid of them, but she surprised me and was totally relaxed, wandered around a bit, and then went to sleep. It was relaxing for me to see her that way and not worry so have decided that am going to try it again today for a couple of hours. I think it was because the park was not full.

As you all know Layla is aging, it worries me big time and having lost her sight has made walking hard as I am so scared of her bumping her head, so I got her a halo which is arriving today. I am praying it will make outings less stressful for me as she will be able to walk on a longer leash and I will not have to keep pulling her in before she hurts herself. I think the pulling on the harness is hurting her back poor baby.

I have also been doing research on mushroom supplements for her and now am trying one on her.  She seems to be more energetic with it which is fantastic. What it is a capsule with 5 different mushrooms in.

A breakdown of the mushrooms and benefits below :

Reishi : have antioxidant properties to nourish, detoxify and protect the liver. It can also renew liver cells, strengthen the liver and improve the detox process.

  • Shiitake :
  • High Fiber Content Supports Digestion
  • High in B Vitamins. …
  • Contain Vitamin D. …
  • Protect Oral Health. …
  • Help Immune Function. …
  • Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds. …
  • Good For Heart Health. …
  • Promote Healthy Coat And Skin.
  • Turkey Tail Mushrooms: Boost The Immune System.
  • Support The Digestive, Urinary And Respiratory Tracts.
  • Provide Phytonutrients.
  • Protect The Liver.
  • Increase Longevity In Dogs With Hemangiosarcoma.
  • Fight Other Forms Of Cancer.
  • Reduce Side Effects of Chemotherapy.

Maitake means “dancing mushroom” in Japanese.

  • Preventing cancer.
  • Supporting the body during chemotherapy and other cancer treatment.
  • Helping manage diabetes.
  • Supporting dogs with liver problems.

Chaga Mushrooms

Some of the earliest uses of chaga mushrooms were for ulcers, stomach pain, and inflammatory bowel disease. It’s believed that the immune-stimulating traits of chaga help balance the gut bacteria and ease ulcers and gastritis. Chaga mushrooms can help regulate blood sugar levels for animals with diabetes

I approached an Organic Mushroom Company – RealMushrooms.com to get a bottle for a review as they have one capsule with all 5 in and I can open the capsule and mix in her food.

I am giving her their 5 Defenders Organic Mushroom Blend Capsules for Pets.

 

 

Their customer service has been fantastic, they have answered all my questions and I would recommend them to any other dog blogger who is interested.

I have not changed Layla’s diet or other supplements but adding the mushrooms have given me peace of mind that I am controlling her body health wise inside and out.

If you are interested in learning more about them this is their website :

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

So, on this note as I pack to go to the park to relax a bit which I need, I want to wish everyone a wonderful safe weekend with lots of fun, stay cool and hydrated,

With a woof and love from Layla

 

Are you prepared ?

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June has arrived and it is important month for us pet parents. It is the month where we should make sure we are prepared for any disaster that can happen and our bags are packed and ready to go.

Living in San Francisco which is earthquake city I am prepared and check my bag once every six months to make sure all is good. With Layla aging and now on medications I have got extras in the bag, so I do not have to worry if we must run.

In the bag I have food for Madam, I have put freeze dried food as she eats homemade, boxes of water, water bowl, food bowl, leash, poop bags, first aid kit and so much more. I also have a wonderful carrier which expands on all sides to enlarge it so I can put her inside it, and she will be safe plus I will not have to worry about her wandering off especially as she is going blind.  There is also a file with all her important info which includes a document with emergency contact if something happens to me. Her microchip is up to date, like her tags with an emergency phone number in case my phone is not working. My plan is if we must run to put her in her backpack and carry the bag, so she does not fall and hurt herself.

 

For me LOL, some instant coffee and creamer, crackers, and some cans of food but not much as the bag is so heavy with all her stuff. As I say I can live off bread and water, but she needs proper food. I also have a sleeping bag, flashlight, battery operated radio and I put to protect us from winds which San Francisco does have a beach canopy which will give us some shelter.

Being prepared can be a life saver for our fur family plus being prepared makes my life easier as I do not have to worry If something happens.

Are you prepared? Tell us what you have in your bag as hey maybe I forgot something. Please keep microchip and tags information updated at all times.

 

So, everyone, get the bags ready, please be safe

Happy Pride everyone, get rainbows flying in the wind,

 

With a woof and love from Layla