The FiveSibes buckle-up; do you? Going for a ride is one of their favorite things to do. They get so excited as soon as they they hear their leashes or the words "car ride." They each have their own favorite way of riding, some with their nose stuck out the window, sometimes with their head lying on the console to feel the a/c, or just sitting perfectly still gazing out the window. Whichever way they prefer is totally up to them...and belting them in is totally up to me.  Since it is National Animal Protection & Safety Month, and today is also Blog the Change for Animals (BtC), it's also the perfect time to talk about the Be Smart Ride Safe® campaign. Have you taken the pledge? I sure have! I am an avid supporter of buckling up when in a vehicle - both Hu and Sibe family members alike. I have for several years now used a safety belt on each of my Sibes. We have used both types of restraints, the harness style and the seatbelt style. The latter is my preference as ...

 

Our alpha gal, Harley, is getting into the spirit of the spooky season. She loves all the glowing orange jack-o-lanterns and festive decorations around the house; especially the lighted ceramic black cat…to which she tips her head in curiosity as I “meow”…yes, I really did. I almost lost that ceramic cat to a ready-to-pounce Sibe, so I won’t be replaying that joke again! Since it is that spooktacular time of the year, which just happens to coincide with National Animal Protection & Safety month (see my earlier blog entry), I’d like to take a few moments to discuss Halloween Safety Tips for Pets . Please keep these in mind, whether you do a dress rehearsal of your canine character now for some photo ops, or on Halloween day/night, that while dressing up furbabies can be fun and entertaining for some Hu-family members, it could be dangerous for the animals. Here are some pet Halloween costume tips to help keep the festivities safe: Never, ever leave pets dressed in costumes alone. ...

The Scene: Early evening on a cool Autumn "Wordless Wednesday." Pan in for a tight shot of two sister Sibes. Chloe  (whisper tone)  "How long do we have to be quiet???" Bandit  (whisper tone) "Shhhhhh. All day. It's 'Wordless Wednesday.' So don't let the Hu-Mom hear you!" Chloe & Bandit (impatiently sigh in unison) Chloe (waiting a beat)  Woooooo, is it Thursday yet???

Many pet owners worldwide welcome October 4 with open arms for it is the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and many churches worldwide will be holding  “The Blessing of the Pets”  ceremonies. Regardless of individual religious convictions, St. Francis’ message is a unique one that all loving pet owners share, that it is the “…duty of men to protect and enjoy nature....” for which all animals are part of. One of the more famous tales is the “Wolf of Gubbio” story where in this small town, St. Francis was told about the existence of a vicious wolf that lived in Gubbio’s countryside. All efforts on the part of the townsfolk failed to capture or chase the wolf away. It is told that St. Francis went out to seek the wolf, carrying no weapon or threatening attitude. He found the wolf and spoke to him to repent for all the harm he had done.The wolf then lay at St. Francis’ feet. He then led the wolf back into town to the startled people and an agr...

The rains and stormy weather have finally passed by and the cooler Sibe season is here (hopefully to stay!) Gibson had a nice outing, sans the rest of the pack; all part of his "health regimen" to loose a few pounds (but shhhh, don't tell him that! He thinks we're just going on a fun walk!) So here in honor of Friday, the kick-off to the weekend, is my boy enjoying the cooler air and his solo walk with his Hu-Mom! Happy Friday to all!!!

You arrive home and discover your beloved pet is injured and bleeding. Or, he is in the middle of a seizure, or has stopped breathing. What do you do? While these are extremely scary scenarios, do you know what you would do first? Do you know if CPR is required? Do you know how to administer CPR or First Aid? Do you have a method of moving an unconscious and injured pet, especially if it is a large breed? Are the phone numbers handy for your vet, emergency hospital, and poison control centers? Are they pre-programmed in your phone? Do you have someone to call who can help you? Our Bandit practicing her Pet First Ai d . These and many other questions were recently answered during a Pet First Aid (American Safety & Health Institute) program recently sponsored by Paws Unlimited , an animal rescue located in Upstate New York. Charles and Donna, the husband and wife team of instructors from Emergency Educational Training, have over 20 years of experience in the healthcare ...