Halloween Memories

Woof woof everyone,

With Halloween around the corner and we have been discussing this month Domestic Violence Awareness I am going to share with you one of my special memories of Halloween which was in the shelter.

When Mothers and kids run from the abuse many arrive with very little and have to start all over again. It is really sad to see these kids with a small bag with literally nothing inside and a Mother trying to soothe the child. The staff at the shelters are amazing and immediately step in with toys, clothing, hygiene items and whatever else is needed. I remember when I got to the shelter at night and was shown my room on the bed was a care package waiting for me with all the necessities to get me started. It is a comforting feeling to know you are being looked after and can finally breathe.

So when a holiday comes up like Halloween all the kids are treated to costumes of their choice donated by wonderful giving people and that way they do not have to feel left out when going to school or just walking down the road. The laughter and happiness in those moments is something money cannot buy. They also do get bags for their candy and of course lots of candy LOL.

I had Baby with me in the shelter at the time and there were Halloween dog parties in different pet stores so I decided to go get her a costume. I did not have much money and went to Goodwill and was lucky to find one that fits. I thought it was a space outfit until someone told me it was a fire hydrant ROFL, I fell off the bed laughing so much but she looked adorable in it.

So because we are on this subject we decided to skip the diary this week as we had a slow week and instead talk about trick or treating, or as Layla woofs treating only as she will not do tricks. You all know we love to support small businesses and when Jen approached us to give Layla Halloween treats I said yes for definite plus we decided to do a give away so one other dog can be spoiled too.

Layla was in seventh heaven when I opened the package, so many boxes beautifully wrapped and so many different smells, it was mind boggling for her as to where to start. I just sat back trying to take pics but she was moving too fast from excitement. She devoured a pumpkin looking one and wanted more but as she had not eaten her breakfast I said no and she will get another after dinner.

What I love about her treats is that they are all wheat, grain and soy free which really makes a difference when you have a dog with food allergies. The frosting is made of yoghurt with different flavors so in a way they are kind of healthy LOL. I will highly recommend these treats to everyone.

About Muddy Puppys :

They have the most Fun and Healthy Dog treats. All Natural, some Organic and some Grain Free. Decorated and Plain, Crunchy and Soft, Homemade / Handmade Gourmet Dog Treats. All made to order, and you can order custom or in bulk. Perfect gifts for your fur family.

You can read more about them on her Etsy Website :

MuddyPuppys

The box of yummy treats give away prize :

Layla received hers as a wonderful gift from Jen whom we thank,

Good luck entering the Give Away which is open for the USA only.

Rafflecopter

Have a great week,
Woof with love from Layla

We doing Thursday with a Give Away

Woof it is Thursday !!!

Another week has passed since our last blog and we are one day late with our blog, bad Mom but it has been as usual a busy week.

So last Thursday was movie night, a movie I really wanted to see. We went to the park, sat with a friend and his dog and got all comfy. I made a mistake and did not think of one thing !!! Popping wine bottles, and when they started popping Layla crawled onto my lap shaking like a leaf. Why my mistake as I should have given her some CBD oil before we left the house. That was the end of our Movie night in the park as I brought her home immediately. The movie I will have to see another time LOL.

On Saturday we went to a BBQ which was fun, it was held at the Church where I volunteer and they once a year do a thank you BBQ for us volunteers, lots of food, laughter and some dogs. Layla was of course in seventh heaven as she got some goodies off my plate. Something I do not normally do.

Sunday was another adventure where we went to visit friends who were doing a pop-up outside a grocery store in one of the great areas of San Francisco. They have an amazing online store where you can shop till you drop for fantastic healthy products for your pampered pet, both dog and cat.

Layla is in love with their beef jerky and cannot get enough of it. I have found her new doggy crack and she just hears the bag and all hell breaks loose, dancing all over the place. So she has decided to share with her friends and we are doing a give away one 1/2 lb bag to one lucky winner. PetWantsSF homemade beef jerky is made with human grade top round steak. They marinade it overnight, dehydrate each batch and if Ms. Picky Eater loves them you know they are good.

They also have amazing health care products, CBD Oils, and so much more to keep our pets healthy and happy. and guess what, that includes cats too.

You can see all their products on their website :

PetWantsSF

We are being sponsored for this give away and it is only for the USA, to enter to win please fill in the Rafflecopter app below so that one lucky pup can win a bag of delicious beef jerky. This give away is open to the USA only.

Rafflecopter

Now it is time for me to have my afternoon snooze as life is hard in the Layla Neighborhood.

Have a wonderful long weekend all,
Cannot wait to hear what you did and please be safe

With Woof and Love from
Layla

Woof what a week

Woof Happy Wednesday,

Mom is still on the famous mission BOL of research and phew in a way it is keeping her busy so she is not bothering me.

We had a great weekend with lots of activities. On Saturday we spent the whole afternoon in the park as the weather has been awesome so I have had lots of park fun with my friends and of course lots of treats.

On Sunday we went for an adventure to Japan town where they were having the annual Nihonmachi street fair. It is a great event that is held annually with dog events, local rescues of birds and dogs, and local vendors. It was an eye opener for me as I did not realize how many local businesses there are that make the food / treats here in San Francisco. Met up with some great people and in a future blog will be doing a review on one or two of them and their products. Layla of course had fun, sitting in her backpack which many people asked me about plus she filled up on treats, Miss Piggy. They also had a display of antique cars which was so great to see, lots of food of course for us humans and just a great family filled fun day. I love these small festivals and once again can say thank goodness for the backpack as it makes my life so much easier.

We got home in the early afternoon, I needed coffee LOL, and then packed up and went to sit in the park to relax. The weather has been amazing and a lot of our friends came and sat with us, so it was fun chatting, dogs wandering around and of course mooching where possible and the type of afternoons I love. By the time we got home I was exhausted, so was Madam, she ate her dinner, I cooked something easy and then we both went to bed.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I took Layla for her bi-annual check up, the vet is very happy with her health for her age, excluding her left eye where she is going blind slowly and we are just letting nature take it course, she is one happy healthy little girl. I discussed with the vet that I am changing her diet, she gave me a resource to check to make sure it is well balanced, so in a nutshell I, the Jewish Mom is relaxed.

In the evening we went to our dog park where there was a community BBQ, the police get together to cook for us, it is a lot of fun plus we meet them in person, a wonderful community fun evening for all.

So that has been our week, busy as always and as Mom says she is slowing down for the rest of the week kind of LOL, till the weekend arrives and more happenings.

How has your week been ?

I am now off to sleep for a bit as I am exhausted,

Woof with love from Layla

What are we up to !

Happy Wednesday all,

We have recovered from the AiDS Walk and last weekend I decided to just relax and take it easy whatever easy is LOL. On Saturday I did volunteer like I always do but then the rest of the weekend was just Layla and Me, walking, and relaxing in the park. The weather was perfect for it and hopefully next weekend will be too.

And of course Madam has to do this :

Lets Roll and get Stinky

I am at the moment re-evaluating Layla’s food as I feel with her getting older am questioning her supplements etc plus with what I have been reading online lately with the no grain, yes grain, etc which is mind boggling and confusing I think the time has come to do it. Plus I already cook half of her food and make some of her treats so why not do the whole lot at home. (I use Grandma Lucy’s Macanna Premix for the extra supplements plus add others)

So with the research I am starting to go to the different pet stores in the city to see what they have, what is interesting and get more ideas.

On Monday we went to visit a store called SFRAW. It was an adventure for both of us as it took 2 bussess each way to get there and by the time I found the place we were hot and tired. Layla of course was in her backpack and I made the mistake of forgetting her cooling vest at home. Bad Mom.

What is SFRAW – They are the largest resource in California for people who feed their pets raw food. It is a great store with loads of products of all kinds, some were incredibly interesting like the frozen chicken necks which you can feed your dog, I am petrified to do that as the bones are small and have always heard that they are not good for your dog although I do have friends that feed them to the dogs and if they sell them then I do know it is perfectly safe.

They support local family farms that practice humane, organic, sustainable and pastured farming methods. So everything is really healthy.

They do not ship their products but their treats which they had which were slices of goats cheese, turkey hearts and beef hearts. Layla got to come home with the turkey hearts which she loves.

Their website :

SFRaw

I have started making Layla a new treat which she loves, and what I love about giving them to her is when we are on the go they can also be a type of food which is better in the long run.

The recipe is simple :

One pound of ground turkey or ground chicken or salmon which I chop up (I do not use ground beef as it can be fatty sometimes)
One Egg
Grated veggies like carrots, zucchini, broccoli and whatever else you want to add

Mix all together, lie flat on a baking sheet so it is about one inch thick, Bake in oven on 350 Deg till ready. (I leave it softish)
When cool I cut into squares and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge and take out as I need.

Bon Appetit !

So as you can see there is never a dull moment in our lives and as a good Jewish Mom one of my main focuses is keeping her happy and healthy as possible.

Madam is at this moment doing what she does best, sleeping and I am off here to carry on with my research and will keep you all posted in the next blogs with recipes. I am always open to suggestions so bring them on 🙂

Have a wonderful week all.
With love as always
Layla

Two old ladies doing the AIDS WALK

Woof its Wednesday !

We are half way through the month and the year is speeding by, I cannot believe it.

We have been busy as always Layla keeping me on my toes raring to go some where all the time, she is a busy bee for an 11 year old and I love it and would not change it for anything.

On Saturday I volunteered like I always do but kept it slow also so we would have more energy for the big day which was Sunday.

On Sunday we left the house at about 8 in the morning to get there on time plus depending on public transport I would rather be early than late.

Layla was in her element as we were riding the tram which she loves so it was a great way to start the day. We had to walk down hill from there to Golden Gate Park – Robin Williams Meadow where it was all happening.

There were loads of people, different booths, each organization had its own booth where they had set up snacks, etc for their walkers. We also had to sign in and I got a baseball cap, t-shirt and badge as a thank you for raising the money that I did. I also received an invite to the party afterwards but I did not go as Layla was tired and so was I.

Why is this event so important – With what is happening in the world today Organizations are having problems with funding and to keep them going every dollar helps so being able to get people to sponsor me, helps an Organization keep on doing the amazing work they do.

Why the Shanti Project – PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) are part of the Shanti Project and as we are clients of theirs it is my way of giving back to them. They are an incredible organization and I do not know where I would be without them today. I have been with them since I had Baby, they helped me when she passed away, and they have been with Layla ever since.

What is the Shanti Project : ​ Shanti Project exists to enhance the health, quality of life and well-being of people with terminal, life-threatening or disabling illnesses or conditions. Through a continuum of services, including in-home and onsite patient and care navigation, emotional and practical support and preserving the human-animal bond, Shanti strives to achieve the highest medical and quality of life outcomes for San Francisco’s most vulnerable.

Shanti is a Sanskrit word meaning “inner peace” or “tranquility”. It is an appropriate name since, ultimately, all of Shanti’s direct service and educational programs are aimed at easing the burdens and improving the well-being of people in difficult life situations.

The mission of PAWS is to preserve, support and nurture the human-animal bond for those most vulnerable in our community.

As a Domestic Violence Survivor this organization have become my rock in many many ways and have helped me become who I am today and therefore being able to walk the AIDS WALK and raise some money for them makes me feel great as I love giving back and this is one way I can do it with a smile on my face.

What is really unique about the walk also is that it is diverse, you will find kids walking, elderly people walking and of course the dogs walking so it makes it to be a fun family day for everyone. As you walk you have volunteers cheering you on, stands with water and other goodies, bands playing music, dancers and of course the natural beauty of the park.

Layla trotted along most of the way in her pink cooling vest which was great as I did not have to worry about her over heating although the weather was cool, I carried her backpack for emergencies LOL and I think when we got to the last mile is when she started lagging a bit so I put her in the backpack and carried her to the end. I think she was amazing though, doing at least 5 miles of the 6.2 miles with little legs but most important of all is we completed it – WOW.

So that was our Sunday, a long busy day but well worth it as I loved the walk in nature at a great easy pace chatting with a friend but giving back to the community at the same time.

I would like to say a special thanks to the following :

01. All my friends that had faith in me and sponsored me, you are all heroes

02 Jones Natural Chews who donated to Layla and Shanti lots of treats so no dog would starve and what was left over thanks to you has been put into the PAWS Pet food bank for others to enjoy.

Jones Natural Chews

03. Cool Aid for sponsoring Layla with the cooling vest, what a wonderful gift keeping her cool and comfortable during the walk – love this vest and would highly recommend it to everyone.

CoolAid

04. Last but not least, The Shanti Project, you are all amazing, no words can describe my gratitude for all you do and a special thanks for helping me get home after the walk with a ride.

The Shanti Project

Layla is off to her box to sleep after reading this through with me and I am drinking coffee,

Have a wonderful week all, take care and thank you for reading our blog this week,

Woof with love
Layla and Me