Tag Archives: #sanfranciscodogs

Fun times in the parks

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TGIF!!!! What a week and I personally cannot wait for the weekend when I can put my feet up and relax.

As you all know Layla went last week for her annual senior checkup, I got the results on Friday but did not understand them LOL so was stressed all weekend till I spoke to her vet on Monday. Excluding the UTI which she is on medications for at the moment her bloodwork is good so I am more relaxed. We have based our week on her taking her medications on time like clock work and she has to have a follow up in ten days to make sure it has cleared up. Layla thank goodness is eating well, playing with her snuffle toy, so I suppose I cannot complain.

Last Saturday we spent some time in the dog park which was great, I met a good friend there with her two rescues and we just sat on blankets relaxing while the dogs wandered around. It was a perfect afternoon.

I took her to the park on Wednesday morning which was awesome as we sat on our blanket, she wandered around, sniffed a lot and came home and slept like a baby.

Today we met friends for a picnic in a different park, one of my favorites, enormous with a view of the Bay. It was chilly but the sun was shining so we were all bundled up including Layla and she was in her element. I think she was sniffing and walking around for about an hour plus till she lay down and started dozing LOL.

Layla wandering around sniffing with no fear plus the beautiful view of the Bay and the beautiful trees

Mom this is fun, lots to smell

zzzzzzzzz I need my nap in the sun

 

I know many do not agree with dog parks but since doing the session with the Animal Communicator and understanding Layla more, thanks to her I now know that Layla does not like walks on the sidewalk, she is afraid but in the dog park where she can wander around without worrying about banging her head, plus me letting the leash go gives her that confidence and freedom to wander safely and she is happy, so as the sun comes out we will be doing more of these fun times plus the fresh air is healthy and good for both of us.

 

That is what is happening in the Layla neighborhood, am waiting to see the weather forecast to plan our weekend,

 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

With a woof and love from

Layla

What a wet week

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TGIF !!!!

 

Hi everyone and oy vey today is Friday the 13th. This day brings back so many memories of my childhood with my grandmother who was so superstitious that it drove all of us crazy. I must admit that thanks to her I wear a Hamsa all the time around my neck and has a blue stone in to protect me against evil. Layla has one on her harness too. (In Jewish culture, the Hamsa hand represents protection from evil and a reminder to pray. Five is a significant number in Judaism and is considered the number of protection)

Her blue stone fell out and I have glued new ones but they do not stay in, the fish on the hand symbolize luck and in the circle below the loop you will see Hebrew word Chai means Life

Some of my memories of my grandmother was her spitting on her hand and then touching her head, always avoiding walking under ladders and the funniest of all was when my sister crawled through a window to open a door so my grandmother made her crawl back through the window or she would not grow. We were not allowed to put keys on the table, we had to set our shoes in a certain way and the list can go on and on and I am giggling here while sharing.

So Friday the 13th brings back so many memories for me and what a wonderful weird life it was with all the superstitions.

Now lets go over to this past week, what a week !!!! Climate change is really happening and the storms in San Francisco is proof of it, the rain has been relentless, the hail, thunder and lightening WOW it has been hard to take Layla for long walks as we swim not walk plus Layla has this new thing of standing and staring into space so we stand for like 10 minutes every time getting drenched and that is how we were caught in the hail storm also. Thank goodness for the stroller and plastic cover I picked her up and put her in immediately and we ran home LOL.  Two wet old ladies, me and Layla.

Today thank goodness it did not rain so we went for a long long walk about 5 times, I am exhausted and Layla is sleeping at the moment. I hope she sleeps through the night which has become a new thing of her waking me up at about 2 to go potty and then we come inside, she moans for a treat of course and then I sit on the floor with her till she settles down and goes back to sleep which can take at least a half hour if not more. I am slowly becoming a zombie from lack of sleep and Layla is full of energy as she sleeps during the day also. It is a hard life for her LOL.

But however I share all this, watching her age is heartbreaking, and I would not change any of her quirks however irritating they can be sometimes, she is my fur kid and needs the best of best love and attention.

Her snuffle doodle bug was the best thing I ever got for her I think, she loves it and lately when she does not want to eat her food because of the supplements, I put the food in the snuffle doodle and she sniffs it and eats her food that way, it has become a game so am washing it all the time and cleaning the floor also. Never a dull moment here.

Doodle Bug Time

So no adventures this week, only swimming in the rain and trying to stay dry, have a wonderful weekend everyone, stay warm and dry and please be safe,

With a woof and 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

 

 

 

 

Booo Halloween has arrived

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Good morning, friends,

 

Halloween has arrived and that means lots going on and lots of yummy treats.

 

Last Sunday we went with Aunt Laura and Coco and Thomas to a Halloween event which was organized by a vet clinic called Dr. Treats, yes can you believe a name like that BOL. It was a parade on Union Street in San Francisco and all the stores along the way gave us treats so it was a yum parade and Mom found two new doggy treat stores which I hope she will take me back to as I need to try everything.

 

I am riding Dr Treats car vroom in my costume

 

Mom insulted me with my costume although everyone loved it, you can see my thoughts about it on the video below.

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/euzBhZ5KsIk?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/HWP5NajMaHI?feature=share

This Sunday we are doing two events, yes I did say two events, one with Aunt Melinda and the other with Aunt Laura and Coco and Thomas, it is going to be so much fun and the best of all is Mom has to push me in my stroller BOL and work off all the treats so she does not get fat.

So, I am happy to say that events are slowly starting to happen in San Francisco again woof and that is so exciting as it means going different places every weekend.

On a serious note, we must not forget :

Black Cats

Halloween season seems to spark violence against cats in general black cats, and therefore many shelters do not allow the adoption of black cats. Sadly, this does not protect cats that are normally outside from would-be sadists and other miscreants at Halloween-time. So please help keeping all cats especially black ones safe, whether feral or domesticated, they deserve to live a safe life like us all.

Also here is a list of hazards for us pets that we need to keep an eye out so that we can be safe :

 

On this note, have a Happy Halloween everyone, be safe, enjoy and do not eat too many sweet candies HA.

Now I have spoken, warned all my fur friends about the dangers, am off to sleep.

Woof with love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

Quality of Life

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TGIF!!! The weekend has arrived and with the weather still being warm I plan to go to the park as much as possible plus we are going to a dog event on Sunday.

Layla had her 6-month checkup last week where with the vet I discussed her quality of life as she is over 15 years old, in so many ways healthy but since her fall her anxiety has gone through the roof and she barks all the time. Her paw thank goodness has healed.

The vet replied to my answer like this which relaxed me a lot as I do not want her to suffer with age.

  1. She is eating and drinking – phew
  2. No accidents in the house – phew
  3. Her tail is wagging – phew
  4. Her heart and internal organs are all good – phew
  5. Barking (I had sent a video to the vet to see) – can be from anxiety and the start of Dementia. She prescribed Gabapentin which I have started giving her and she is now sleeping through the nights.
  6. During the day she gets a calming supplement which is working so she is a lot more relaxed now also which makes my life a lot easier. Vet approved.

So in a nutshell this is what my vet said: She is doing good, her quality of life is good and I should not think about it but focus on making memories, enjoying each day with her and keep her brain working all the time.

So, I have put that question on the shelf and enjoying each day as it comes as I am blessed to have her in my life.

My question this week is what are your thoughts of quality of life? I would love to hear from you,

Be safe everyone, our prayers and thoughts are with all those in Florida, both humans and animals.

Have a wonderful weekend,

With woof and love from Layla and Me

 

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

 

It is Friday and Pride Month

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TGIF!! It is Friday that means this weekend we are going to have some fun.

Last weekend Mom took me to Caturday in the Park and well LOL we did not see one cat, lots of people and dogs but no no cats. There was a woman there handing out information about the park and when Mom asked her about it she said Mom was the third person to ask and she knew nothing. So we came home and Mom was upset as she really wanted to see the cats of San Francisco. It was a funny outing.

I am really excited as today I am having a picnic in the park with my one of my favorite aunties and best of all it is my favorite food from the Syrian restaurant. Mom always shares a bit with me so I cannot wait.

They are expecting a heatwave today so we will sit under a tree and relax while Mom catches up all the news with Aunty. It is going to be fun and the best of all is that there is no electronics.

With summer here Mom has booked a spa day for me to get my haircut, grrrrr I feel good after it but hate going. Mom says there is a price to pay for being beautiful and that is the price I must pay I suppose.

San Francisco is full of rainbows at the moment as it is Pride Month. It makes the city all happy with all the colors and I am loving it, seeing them hanging from homes, on the street poles and everywhere else. We do not know if we will go to Pride this year as I have become afraid of big events, noise and it becomes too much for me plus as Mom says her back cannot hold me for hours anymore in my backpack LOL.

Rainbows in our supermarket

So, with love in air, rainbows flying high, the Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks, (The Pink Triangle is in memory of Gays that were killed during the Holocaust and were made to wear pink triangles), all the stores decked in rainbows we want to wish everyone a wonderful weekend.

Below is the link for the Pink Triangle

https://thepinktrianglesf.org/

 

With Pride and love, 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

 

I have become a Snuffle Ball Addict, Layla

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Woof it is Friday, and this weekend is a long weekend. Do you have anything planned that is special?

Here in the Layla neighborhood, there have been changes as Layla’s sight is just about gone so am learning with her to navigate life without being able to see. It is not easy and learning daily how to make it easy for her plus keep her busy especially her brain. She does not want to walk like she used to, has become afraid plus she is so busy sniffing she knocks her head on trees ouch, which is concerning me so am looking into getting her a halo which hopefully will help. What I have read about them is most dogs regain their confidence so am praying that will happen for her too. Things she used to like to do she does not want to do anymore, plus she is petrified of going downstairs so am carrying her which is not easy, but we are managing. At least she will walk up the stairs phew.

With all this happening I won a couple of weeks ago a $ 25 Amazon gift card so bought her a snuffle ball. Layla has never been a toy lover but this snuffle ball has hit the jackpot. She loves it, wants it all the time and it is keeping her active and busy in the house. Yes, it is stuffed with treats but am putting homemade chicken jerky in, tiny bits and the ball is rolling. She worked it our quickly and she is a happy girl. I do have the snuffle mat also but this ball is so much better for her.

See the video below of her playing with it :

https://youtu.be/XRdZrmR_kMI

Another thing I have done is put her food on a place mat instead of the bowl which has made her eating a lot easier and not knocking it over.

I knew this would happen because of her cataracts but one thing is knowing and another realizing it has happened. I am not going to let it get us down and try carry on with life as normal.

Our plans this weekend, Saturday is to go to a concert in one of the parks in the city, I will take her carrier instead of backpack so she can lie comfortably in it and feel safe plus this way I can sit back and relax and of course enjoy the concert. It is Indonesian dancers, and I am excited to see them.

On Sunday will be garden time, which she still loves and feels safe roaming around or lying in the sun. I personally need the outdoors as being indoors can be stifling after a long week.

 

Monday which is a holiday I am just lying low at home with her.

So, these are our plans this weekend, filled with fun and quality time together,

Have a safe wonderful weekend everyone,

With a woof and love from Layla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is returning to normal

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Hello, all my fur friends today is an important day, it is Earth Day, This day is so important for all of us as we need to keep our planet clean, look after the environment and make it safe for the future generations.

Before it is too late we need to keep our oceans clean, the wild life safe both in the ocean and on the land and most important is to keep our air clean so that we can all breathe which means leaving forests alone.

So we are asking all our friends to work with us keeping our planet clean like we keep our houses clean.

 

Life here in San Francisco is slowly getting back to normal, events are slowly starting with the weather warming so weekends are becoming busy for us.

 

Last Sunday we went to Easter Sunday in the park which is held every year by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. It is a fun filled day in the park with many wearing costumes, a show and so much more. This one was the first in three years so it was extra fun.

 

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are an organization of queer and trans nuns. They believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty.

 

The Sisters devote themselves to community service, ministry, and outreach to those on that need it.  They promote human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment.

 

They use humor and wit to expose bigotry, guilt that chains the human spirit.

 

So, we spent a couple of hours there walking around, Layla was in her backpack because of the crowds and she was happy that way. It was fun to be out with others and just laugh at all.

 

This Saturday is one of my favorite dog events, DogFest in the dog park near where I live. I am so looking forward to seeing all the dogs, people and the vendors and of course see what is new on the market.

 

I will be taking Layla with me of course but once again she will be in her backpack as she is safer there at her age especially.

 

As I said life is slowly getting back to normal and it is such a wonderful gift, sun shining, mask on and off we start our fun this year.

 

Have a great safe weekend everyone

With a woof and love from Layla