Pets Add Life…and Smiles and Laughs and Love!!!

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Daisy smile

When we adopted Daisy she was an abandoned shelter pup so we don’t know anything about what her previous life was like, but what I DO know is that the day you adopt a pet is the day your life changes for the better in SO many ways! You think you are changing their life, but in reality THEY are changing yours.

You’ve probably seen the photo of Daisy and me on my blog, Facebook page or Twitter profile, but you might not realize that it is especially significant to me because it’s a photo that my hubby took of us the very first time I held Daisy at the shelter before we adopted her! She’s been my office mate and constant companion ever since, and a big part of how I came to be called Woof Woof Mama. I really do consider myself to be Daisy’s mom and know many other pet parents feel the same way about their fur kids, too!

Mama & Daisy on Adoption Day!

 In addition to the obvious benefits of love and companionship, having a pet also offers an excellent opportunity to meet other pet parents! Through visits to our local dog parks, and crossing paths with other people walking their dogs on similar schedules to ours, we’ve made some great pet pals and gotten to know several of our neighbors. Not only is it fun for Daisy to have regular play dates, but humans get to enjoy socializing and feeling a sense of community as well! Here’s Daisy with her good pals Fin and Stella on a recent outing to the local Dog Beach:

Daisy Fin Stella Lake Play Date

Daisy has added so much love and life to our family that I’m super-excited to let you know about a new nonprofit PSA campaign called Pets Add Life (PAL), designed by the American Pet Products Association to help spread the word about the awesome benefits and importance of having pets in our lives.

Over the next weeks and months I’ll be bringing you news and sharing more updates about the PAL campaign including some exciting new Youtube Videos! You can help me get the word out about this important message by using the Share the Love buttons at the bottom of this post to share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!

PAL Pets Add Life

Do you have a photo of how your pet adds life? You can ‘LIKE’ Pets Add Life on Facebook and post a picture of  YOUR cute PAL there…and connect with other pet parents! Several other pet bloggers are also participating in PAL, and you can follow us all by searching the hashtag #petsaddlife on Twitter.

This post is sponsored by the Pets Add Life campaign and the American Pet Products Association. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the benefits and joys of pet ownership.

Got a Blog? Write a Post, Help a Shelter Dog!

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Daisy Pound Puppy

As you probably already know if you’ve been following our blog, Daisy is a rescue dog. Here she is the day we adopted her from the shelter and brought her home to be part of our family! Causes that help shelter animals are near and dear to my heart.  Did you know that nearly 4 million dogs face homelessness each year in the US?!?  Pedigree is in their third year of sponsoring a terrific program to help, called Write a Post, Help a Dog!

Pedigree Write a Post, Help a Dog Postcard

Whether you have a pet blog, or ANY kind of blog, you can help shelter dogs by writing a post.  With each post, Pedigree will donate a 17-pound bag of dry food to a shelter. You have until midnight ET on Saturday, June 30 to write your post. It can be a Wordless Wednesday photo post, a personal story about your own experience with dog adoption, or a quick info post about the program. Doing so will generate another 17 pound food donation for shelter dogs in need. Just make sure you add the direct link to your post to the Linky below so your post is counted!

And if you don’t have a blog, you can still help shelter dogs by sharing this post with as many people as possible! Use the Share the Love buttons to help spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ so other bloggers know how they can help, too! Also follow the #DogsRule hashtag on Twitter!

 

Celebrate Take Your Dog To Work Day: Friday June 22nd!

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Take Your Dog To Work Day 2012

Tomorrow, June 22nd is Take Your Dog To Work Day! Since I work from home, every day is Take MY Dog To Work Day, but if you work in an office or other location it can be a very special day for you, your dog AND your co-workers! Here’s some information about the day to help you prepare and make the most of it.

First celebrated in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWDay) was created to celebrate the great companions that dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs.

This annual event asks pet lovers to celebrate the humane-canine bond and promote pet adoption by encouraging their employers to support TYDTWDay. Employers are encouraged to open their workplace to employees’ four-legged friends on this one special day! You can listen to a really cute Take Your Dog To Work Day Song here!

7 Rules for Success on TYDTWDay:
1) Do an office check.

Check with management and co-workers to see if anyone is allergic, afraid of or opposed to you bringing your dog to work for this one special day.

2) Puppy-proof your work space.

Remove poisonous plants, hide electrical cords and wires and secure toxic items such as correction fluid, permanent markers, etc. Any office items in question should be placed out of your dog’s reach.

3) Bathe and groom your dog before its office debut.

Be sure its shots are up-to-date. If your dog appears sick, don’t bring it to the office. Dogs that are aggressive or overly shy should not accompany you to work. Instead, consider bringing a favorite picture of your pooch.

4) Prepare a doggie bag.

Include food, treats, bowls, toys, leash, paper towels, clean-up bags and pet-safe disinfectant (just in case). If you are routinely in and out of your work space, consider bringing a portable kennel for your dog’s comfort and your peace of mind.

5) Plan your pet’s feeding times carefully.

Be sure to choose an appropriate area for your dog to relieve himself afterward.

6) Avoid forcing co-workers to interact with your dog.

Dog lovers will make themselves known. To avoid pet accidents, monitor the amount of treats your pet is being given. Remember that chocolate, candy and other people food should not be shared with dogs.

7) Have an exit strategy.

Although most dogs enjoy TYDTWDay, your pet may not. Should your dog become overly boisterous, agitated or withdrawn, consider taking him or her home. Most companies allow for this on TYDTWDay. Never, under any circumstance, leave your pet alone in a vehicle while you work.

If you’d like to get involved and participate, there are plenty of resources available on the TYDTWDay website including these handy downloads:

PDFPreparing Your Dog for the Office

 

Are you planning to Take Your Dog To Work tomorrow? Does your dog already work with you? Leave us a comment and tell us all about it! Be sure to help spread the word by sharing this post with friends using the Share the Love buttons below!

 

 

Happy Birthday Dog and Cat Gift Wrap Set only $1.99 Shipped!

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pet gift wrap set

Today’s Barking Deal is $1.99 including shipping for this cute set of Dog and Cat Happy Birthday Gift Wrap. Each set includes one gift bag and three sheets of 20″x30″ wrapping paper and features some of artist Mary Badenhop’s most adorable kitties and canines from her greeting card and gift company, Pipsqueak Production. You can order up to 10 per customer, so stock up!

Wordless Wednesday: Love at First Sight

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Daisy at Humane Society Shelter