Category Archives: Dog Blog

I have been Itchy

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TGIF !!!!!!!!!! We cannot believe we are in the middle of October and the year is nearly over. It has gone fast.

The past two weeks have been hell in our house as Layla got a flea bite, am not sure where but she started scratching like crazy, had hot spots and there was no sleep in this house.

There are no emergency vets in San Francisco anymore so it was a nightmare trying to ease everything with no vet help although I knew we had an appointment on the 7th which had taken me two months to get. There is also a shortage of vets in the city so many clinics are not taking on new clients. My favorite vet from my clinic has left but the vet I got to see is amazing also.

This is a city that has more dogs than kids and this is the situation we are dealing with.

So this is what I did, thank goodness I had some Apoquel which I started giving her and then started researching on line.

Layla takes an amazing senior supplement from a company called Vetericyn called ALL-IN Dog Supplement for seniors which my vet approved so I went onto their website to see what else they had. Voilia I found hot spot treatment and shampoo so I went shopping.

The products I bought were :

Vetericyn FoamCare® Medicated Pet Shampoo – this shampoo helped so much with her itching it was like magic after I bathed her.

https://vetericyn.com/

Vetericyn Plus® Antimicrobial Hot Spot Spray – easy to spray on and works wonders.

https://vetericyn.com/

Vetericyn Plus® Hot Spot Antimicrobial Hydrogel – This I put on after the Hot Spot Spray and it is amazing.

https://vetericyn.com/

I went to the vet on the 7th I took a shopping bag with me with everything to show her and she was really impressed. Her overall health thank goodness is good, her weight is good, her diet is good and my vet was really impressed that I am feeding her the Dr Harveys Allergy food (Turkey) mixed in with my home cooked food, so I was one happy Mom.

She did find that Layla had a skin infection from the fleas so put her on an antibiotic which is working wonders. I hate medicines but I also realized we needed to get rid of this infection as soon as possible.

Today, one week since we were at the vet Madam is eating like a pig, which is fantastic as her immune system is being replenished, she is back to being happy Layla and the itchies have nearly all gone. The only problem I have is getting her to take the medicine, she is a smart girl and knows I hide them in chicken so she will not eat the chicken when I give it to her LOL plus she hides in her box so I cannot get to her, so I have started blocking the box in the evenings especially till she gets her pill.

Never a dull moment here but I highly recommend their products which they have for other animals also, especially those that are outdoors a lot as they are just fantastic.

Vetericyn has sponsored me for this review by sending me a care package of their products for Layla for emergencies.

Their website is:

https://vetericyn.com/

For my readers they are offering a coupon of 10% off, valid till 12/31/21 Good for 2 times per customer – LAYLASWOOF

Have a safe weekend everyone,

with a woof and love from Layla

Mom punished me also with a groom and then a bath a week later with the anti itch shampoo, she deserves the stinky eye

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 ran, 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.

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

Layla

 

They just amaze me

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Last Saturday we went to the 10th Tripawed Meet Up in our dog park. These dogs just amaze me and I always say we humans can learn from them.

Some of the dogs at the event

Madam watching what is going on

Most of the dogs are rescues and unfortunately have been dumped in shelters because of their disabilities but it does not bother them as they are happy dogs, some hopping on two legs, others with three legs and they just playing around, begging for treats and absolutely adorable.

It was a great day to have a picnic in the park with all dog parents, with lots of laughter and forget all the world problems.

This Saturday, August 21st is International Homeless Animal Day – Every year on the third Saturday of August, International Homeless Animals Day is celebrated to draw attention to the issue of pet overpopulation.

To raise awareness spay and neuter clinics are held, adoption fairs are held, unfortunately because of Covid a lot of these events will not be happening but we can all do something to stop the over population of pets.

We must remember that worldwide there is an over population of pets and if we do what I listed below these poor homeless pets will not face euthanasia and will live happy healthy lives in homes.

How can we help with over population of pets :

  • Spay and Neuter
  • Foster a shelter pet
  • Microchip your pets
  • Become an animal rescue advocate

So Layla is begging everyone to spay and neuter your pets, do not buy from breeders but open your heart to a homeless pet who desperately needs a safe home,

Thinking of all the homeless pets

Be safe everyone, with a woof and love from Layla

The Mischief Maker Senior in my house

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The weekend has arrived, phew I need it. Layla is full of piss and vinegar as always and I am exhausted.

Living with Layla is never boring, she is a funny little girl that keeps me amused all the time plus for her age she is so full of energy it is exhausting so I decided to share with you this week her quirks, some are new with age.

She loves to walk, once outside we could walk the whole of San Francisco if she had her own way, and we are talking about 4 walks a day, I on the other hand drinks cold coffee in the morning because of her, cold dinners as she times her wanting to walk when I sit down to eat, and her newest quirk now is barking.

She wakes up in the morning and if I do not get ready as she is awake she stands and barks at me ordering me to get moving, and if I take my time she lets me know. We are talking about 7 in the morning and I rush as I do not want her to wake up the neighbors so by the time I get home my coffee has become cold brew.

 

In the evenings she watches me make dinner, as soon as it’s nearly ready barky starts wanting to go out and bang goes my warm dinner as I take her out to keep her quiet.

 

Now before you all jump to any conclusions, Layla goes out 4 times a day if not more as I take her shopping with me, so she has ample time to do her business, sniff every leaf on the ground, wag her tail at every dog we pass plus so much more. She is the Boss of the house and I am the slave.

 

My final laugh over her goes to what she did this week, late afternoon. I live in a building with lots of dogs, it is a secured building so no one can get in or out with unlocking gates. I went to the garbage room to throw out the garbage that is one place I will not take her as I never know what is on the ground there. I came back inside, started preparing dinner when there was a knock on my door. I was surprised she did not bark but did not make a big deal of it till my neighbor outside tells me Layla is sitting on my door mat next to my door. I opened the door and Madam sashayed in wagging her tail thinking she was so smart. I was angry but just laughed so much over it, she is such Velcro should won’t go far without me.

 

While I am typing this the Boss is now telling me she wants to go under the bed so will I move the covers up for her so she can have her afternoon nap.

 

Having shared this with you, and I am chuckling at the same time, I can say I would not change any of it for anything in this world. Growing old with a rescued senior dog is quite an adventure and I am so blessed to have her in my life through the good and bad days.

We are family !!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone, be safe and treasure your memories with you pets

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

Pets are Family

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TGIF !!!!! It is the end of July wow, weekend has arrived.

There are so many pets sitting in shelters at this moment it is heartbreaking.

I have been watching on social media lately how people who adopted pets at the beginning of the lock down are now returning them to shelters as they go back to work.

My question to these dumpers, are you going to dump your kids or other family members now you going back to the office ? What are you teaching your kids? This is not educating them but the opposite, never mind putting a pet into a miserable cage.

I personally feel that those that dump their pets at shelters should be blacklisted and not able to adopt again, there should be some penalty to pay.

Rescuers run around looking for fosters, looking for homes for these poor pets and as a cage empties it fills up again thanks to the dumpers.

When I rescued Layla, I knew in my heart it was for life, she is aging and so am I but with all the expenses that there is I would never ever give her up, she is my fur kid till the end and nothing will make me change my mind on this.

I will not go into stores that sell pets, I am not interested in breeders and will not support them on social media and puppy mills need to close down.

And for those wanting a pure bred pet you can find one at a pure bred rescue organization on this website.

https://www.petfinder.com/

So as I watch daily these poor animals sitting in cages, my heart breaks as we as humans have let them down and they are paying the price for our selfishness.

Let us pray for all the animals in shelter that they find new homes where they will be cherished and live the rest of their lives, and a big thank you to all rescuers and fosters who are working hard for these animals, you are our heroes.

Have a safe weekend

With love from Layla

The fireworks are coming keep us safe please

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Dressed up ready to party

Its Friday, the beginning of a long weekend and that means the fireworks are coming. Actually people have been letting them off for weeks now and I personally am sick of it all.

In a nutshell a waste of money which could be used on better things like donations to non profits, helping the homeless, helping shelters and so much more. I actually do not even want to go into this subject too much as my blood pressure goes through the roof.

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.

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.

Safe in my box where I love to hide

Now for some fun stuff – we had a very busy weekend last week, on Friday we went to the Trans March and Mom and I met the Mayor of San Francisco. She was nice enough to let us get a  photo of her.

Mayor London Breed chatting with me and Layla (Sorry my face is covered but I have to because of my ex

On Saturday we went to the Shi Tzhu meet up which was awesome as I saw all my friends that I have not seen in over a year, it was a fun fluffy morning.  From there we went to another park for Storm and Dash’s Birthday Party. It was windy and freezing cold but so much fun to see so many people again and of course the dogs.

Lots of fluffies all my size

We had the pools out as we were hoping to swim but because of the cold we decided not to, Mom says I would have turned into a popsicle.

Protecting the pool from blowing away

The pool we had was amazing though and cannot wait to try it out on a hot day. It is from a company called Pecute and they sell on Amazon. The pool is safe and made with a non toxic PVC material, durable with a nonslip bottom, it has quick drainage which is fantastic, an additional adaptor which will help you recycle the water and most of all it can be conveniently stored. For all those that have yards this is a must as it is big enough for us humans also.

Birthday cake time

Dash and Storm and their yummy birthday cakes, Happy Birthday both of you with love from Layla

Uncle Troy handing out the treats

We have the size XL which is large and comfy.

The company is giving a $10.00 coupon for all those that buy it by the 3rd of July which is a great money saver of course. Coupon on the link below.

Coupon for Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Pecute-Outdoor-Bathing-Portable-Playing/dp/B07MW4FG5F/ref=sr_1_5?crid=20LEYFO7G2ZZ2&dchild=1&keywords=pecute+dog+pool&qid=1625194206&sprefix=pecute+%2Caps%2C233&sr=8-5

We were given the pool to try out

So last weekend was busy but on Sunday Mom put her feet up and relaxed and I slept all day BOL as I was tired also plus I need my energy for this weekend adventures, not sure what they are.

 

On this note we want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July, please keep us safe and have a wonderful family fun weekend,

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

It is Passover and I am on Diet

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TGIF !!

Good morning fur friends,

Happy Passover to those that are celebrating, it is a time when families get together to celebrate freedom, the story we read is from the Haggadah and tells the story of how Moses led the Jews out of Egypt from slavery.

This year it is especially special as we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, freedom for us with the vaccines. We hopefully will be able to go back to a normal life, what a great feeling to be able to hug our friends, see our family and celebrate the holidays together. I am getting my first vaccine today and I am really relieved.

There are many customs and foods we eat on this holiday plus for one week we do not eat bread, cookies or anything that rises when baking. It depends also on what country you come from as to what you can eat or cannot eat which is a long list and can be complicated sometimes.

In the very religious homes the women clean out the kitchen of all non Passover foods which they sell to their neighbors or burn, they have cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils for the Passover only, and before Passover starts they go around the house with a feather to make sure there are no breadcrumbs anywhere. Passover starts at sunset and all cooking is done before then and kept warm, there is no cooking done on Passover evening so that means loads of cooking and preparations beforehand.

The reading of the Haggadah can take up to 4 hours during which you drink 4 glasses of wine, and then when it is over you stuff yourself with food as you are starved.

My favorite food of course is the chicken soup with matzo balls yummm

It is a wonderful holiday as there is a lot of singing also and I remember growing up when my grandfather read the whole Haggadah in Yiddish not Hebrew which was very special.

So it is not easy to be on a diet LOL and I have put Layla on a diet as she is a couple of ounces overweight which I want her to lose. She is not a happy girl at all and stands at her plate moaning for food. Being a Jewish Mom it breaks my heart but her health comes first so have now divided her meals into three tiny ones to keep her happy. Treats have been halved also so the Brat as I call her now makes me feel guilty all the time with her moans LOL.

So Layla and I would love to wish all our friends Chag Sameach (חג שמח) which is Hebrew for Happy Holiday,

Be safe and take care

With a woof and love
from Layla

Quirky Layla’s week

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TGIF !!!! 


Good morning everyone,


The days are getting longer, the weeks are going fast and living in lock down is slowly taking its toll on me.  That is one of the reasons I took a break from blogging last week also.


I lost all my work so am sitting here figuring out daily what to do and like many I think I am driving myself crazy. BUT thank goodness for Layla she is keeping me on my feet and amused especially as she is back to being her funny normal self.

Layla has some new quirks which are amusing but on the other hand not sure where she has picked them up or do they come with age ?
She now sits at the door barking when she wants to go out, telling me to get ready to go and does not let up till she sees the leash. This is a dog that has never barked unless someone knocked on the door and I have to laugh although it can be aggravating also.  She has become a really bossy little girl.


I was very fortunate and a friend of mine, who grooms his dog did Layla for me last week so her fur is short and with the heat I am sure she is a lot more comfortable. It is not perfect but a lot lot better plus she got a bath. 


Last Saturday we did a professional photo shoot in our dog park with a great photographer who took some amazing photos. Unfortunately towards the end some idiot decided to set off fireworks in the neighborhood and she freaked out but thank goodness I had her backpack with me so I put her in it and she started relaxing. As soon as I get the photos I will share with you as some of them are really adorable.

Our adventures have become nothing as such which is sad as I miss them and am sure she does also and like me getting bored of the same walks and dog park so I decided that as they are having a ShiTzhu meetup this Saturday in another park to take her. There will not be many people, the park is enormous so great for social distancing and for both of us it will be mentally good to be somewhere else for a couple of hours.  Yes I will be wearing my mask and have hand sanitizer with me.


So as you can see we have slowed down here, our routine is not exciting and praying for it all to be safer so that we can start out adventures again.

Be safe everyone, have a great weekend 

With a woof and love Layla 

Hide the Fireworks are Coming plus Give Away

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Good Morning All,
Me the social butterfly has been really busy as always but it is keeping Mom and I young which is what i keep telling her.


I went to the vet last week as my eyes were really red and Mom was concerned, I hate that place. Anyway my favorite vet was there and she checked them and told Mom I have really bad allergies and dry eyes, so she gave Mom some ointment to put in my eyes and I think it is working cos I am less itchy. 


On Saturday we went to the Shih Tzu Meetup which is one of my favorite events as there are lots of dogs my size and they are all fluffy. It was loads of fun, the weather was fantastic and also being in a different park always makes things more interesting.


In the evening we met up with one of my favorite Aunts who was here in the city for 2 days. She is a very special lady as she runs a Fospice for pets by rescuing the seniors that have been dumped in shelters so that they can live the rest of their lives with love. You can read about her Sanctuary on her Facebook page.

This is the link to her Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/dreamsanctuary/

Sunday we just relaxed, Mom says she had no energy for anything so I took control and made sure we did lots of long walks. I am not interested in her being tired as I do not have a computer and need to check my pmail.

NOW as you all know 4th of July is around the corner, the nightmare for many pets because of the fireworks. It is so important that we, the parents keep our pets safe in the house and this is what I have found works for Layla.


I put a bed in the shower, water and some toys, making it comfortable for her if she needs it. I also keep music on, give her last walk at about 7 before the chaos starts and most important of all is I give her Hemp Oil. I am a firm believer of the Hemp Oil as it keeps her calm, relaxed and less worrying for me. 


The Hemp oil I use is from a company called Restorative Botanicals and swear by it. What I love also is that they have products for us also which makes a difference and when I am stressed out I drink their delicious coffee which keeps me calm. A must for us coffee drinkers.


This weekend we are going to Pride in San Francisco which is exciting although I hate the noise of the motor bikes so Mom will be giving me the Hemp Oil to stay calm, actually with age I am getting scared of many noises so this product is really easing my life in a big way.  

You can read all about them on their website :

https://www.restorativebotanicals.com/?rfsn=2263342.782237

GIVEAWAY TIME

So we decided to leave the BEST NEWS for last and that is Mom surprised me this week with some wonderful new treats, chicken jerky yummm and raw turkey necks to chew on especially on 4th of July which will keep me busy as I am inside more than normal plus what could be better than chewing away on something good.


What is the give away ??????? 


Freeze Dried Wild Caught Minnows. They are a single ingredient treat for both cats and dogs. This single source treat is perfect for pets on a limited ingredient diet, who have food allergies or stomach sensitivities. Minnows are easily digestible containing no grain, gluten, artificial flavors, additives, or preservatives. Sourced and packaged in the USA. 
I, Layla personally puts my paw of approval on them, they are delicious and I strongly suggest you enter to win as they are a must for the treat jar. I am also excited as once again I am sharing for both cats and dogs so everyone can enjoy.

You can find them on the link below and remember if you do shop there you have a discount of 15% with the coupon Layla15.

https://www.rawpawspetfood.com/Default.asp?sscid=51k3_szat

We have been sponsored for this give away by the company. It is not open to Canadian residents only the USA.

All you have to do is enter on the link below :

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7d1ec19c49/?

Before I log off here for the week we must NOT forget that 5th of July is the busiest day in shelters as they are saving and keeping all animals that have run away from the fireworks safe, so to all my fur friends everywhere, both domestic and wild, please be safe, try to stay calm and remember the stupid humans are to blame for us being scared on 4th of July.


Happy Pride to those that are celebrating this week and Happy Safe 4th of July Everyone.


With a woof and love from Layla 



Weekend is here

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Good Morning All,


Weekend has arrived and the fun will begin. 


The weather is lousy here in SF at the moment, cold, windy and raining and not sure where the sun disappeared. Layla is not happy getting her paws wet so she is hibernating as much as possible in her box.


Last Friday I took the day off to spoil myself and went with friends for the day to Muir Woods. I have never been there and was so excited to go, I decided to leave Layla at home and spend some down time for myself in nature. I know some of you will say poor Layla but it is the first time I have done something like this, and although I felt guilty I really needed it. The Woods are magical, listening to the water running in the streams, the quiet, the birds singing, was heaven for me and relaxing that I came home with new energy and I think I need to do this more often. I am sure she slept and said to herself phew thank goodness she has gone LOL.

On Saturday we went to National Dog Mom’s Day held at Pet Camp San Francisco. 
What is Dog Moms Day ? Dig-The Dog Person’s Dating App created a day to celebrate and thank the dog moms who dedicate their love and support every day to their dogs. It’s a different, special and visceral love that deserves its own day to be recognized and appreciated.


Us Moms were spoiled with beautiful tote bags and caps from a company called Drink Babe whom gave us cans of bubbly Rosé Babe, Grigio Babe, and Red Babe to celebrate Mothers Day.

There were also vendors for the dogs :


The hosts : Pet Camp who is San Francisco’s only certified green dog and cat boarding, day care, grooming and training facility. A wonderful place with lots of place to run and have fun. Highly recommended.

V- Dog – V-dog is a family-owned vegan dog food company based in San Francisco,

CA VetCBD – teaching us the safe and effective use of cannabis for pets! 

 Paw Patch Pastries – Fresh Baked Organic Gourmet Treats, Cakes, Fashion, Accessories More! 

Yoga Force – Yoga for Humans and Dogs together

Vetted Pet Care – Vetted is an in-home veterinary care provider for dogs and cats

Dog Log App – DogLog’s mission is to improve the lives of pets and their caretakers by facilitating better communication and providing more visibility to the dog’s activitiesHappy

Hounds Massage – Happy Hounds Massage provides a variety of massage services including surgery rehabilitation, arthritis and dysplasia management, preventative treatments, athletic care and weight management.

 And then of course the Rescue Organizations Grateful Dogs Rescue and Copper Dreams Rescue.


In a nutshell we had a great time and I think the best of all was watching Layla climb down the stairs at the agility section LOL. Click on the link below :

https://www.facebook.com/LaylasWoof/videos/2629654410438244/

On Sunday we had a lazy day, met a friend for coffee and a chat with Madam of course but otherwise we did nothing.


So that is what has been happening in the Layla neighborhood as with the rain at the moment and me back at work nothing exciting is happening although shhh she is getting groomed today and I have not told her yet.

Oy Vey I am going to have to stock up on treats and spoil her afterwards.
Have a wonderful weekend all with lots of fun and laughter.

Hugs and Woof Layla