A Cat In The Road

They say no good deed goes unpunished. I was walking the dogs recently and saw a cat sunbathing….in the middle of the street. So, walking with one dog in each hand, I figured I would try to scare the cat out of the road for her own safety.

The dogs, of course, see the cat and since they want to play with everything and everybody, they start pulling on their leashes trying to take me over to the cat. Since I don’t want the dogs to actually come into contact with the cat, I walk across the street, to the side of the kitty, figuring she would run when she saw us coming. Didn’t quite turn out that way.

Instead, the cat stood up in the attack position and hissed at me and the dogs. Now, my original thought was that the cat would turn and run away from the human walking two dogs. Instead, the cat FOLLOWED US. So much for my plan! But, at the very least it got her out of the street. The cat followed us for a little bit, while my dogs kept pulling towards her. Finally, I picked up the pace of my walk while getting my dogs attention away from the cat. Once the cat decided we were pretty much out of her territory, she gave up following us. However, I’m sure this could have ended with the dogs and cats essentially fighting….like dogs and cats.

I guess the cat was protecting her turf. Since I haven’t had a cat in a while, I’m interested in hearing from cat owners about how their kitty’s react to threats in their turfs.

New Product - Taste of the Wild Food

I recently wrote about the different, unique, pet foods on the market, all trying to find their niche. This particular brand recently caught my eye. Not so much for their product itself, but because of the marketing aspect describing why it is such a good product.

It's grain-free products "feature high quality, unique protein sources such as bison, venison and wild fowl. Combined with fruits and vegetables for added vitamins and antioxidants, Taste of the Wild gives pets a balanced taste of the diets on which their ancestors thrived. "

Now, how do we really know what our pets ancestors thrived on? I don't imagine the wild food they were eating was fortified with extra vitamins and antioxidants. But, I give the company credit for coming up with a unique product name and marketing idea. Still, there is something about feeding my dog food made from wild animals just doesn't appeal to me. If you disagree, or want to check it out, visit http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

Pet Contest - Vote for Rocco!

Rocco has been entered in another photo contest. This one sponsored by Snapfish.com. Here is the link where you can vote for Rocco. You have to pick how many stars he is worth on a scale from 1 - 5, with 5 stars being the best.

Rocco appreciates your votes and hopes you consider him worth 5 stars!

http://www.snapfish.com/viewsinglevote/contestname=funnypets/contestentryoid=1246508/a=87121869

Doggie Sushi

If you're a sushi lover, then why not share that experience with your dog? Full Petential, Inc. recently introduced Doggie Dance Doggie Sushi - sushi-styled pure chicken breast treats encased in a fish wrapper. The product claims to use a low-allergen chicken and fish formula as a protein base. Plus, the fish wrap contains healthy omega fatty acides, which research suggests helps dogs maintain a healthy heart, coat and skin.

I haven't tried them on my dogs yet, but if you're interested, visit http://www.fullpetential.com/

Pet Food Products Industry Growing

My friends at http://www.healthypetcompany.com/ recently attended a manufacturers trade show. These shows are essentially a way for manufacturers and distributors to connect with retailers and introduce their new products.

However, at this particular show, the majority of the companies with booths were displaying some type of pet food. From "all natural" to "human grade" to "holistic" to "allergen free," each manufacturer tried to find their own little niche.

From a trade show perspective, it was a little disappointing to have a majority of the booths showing off the same category of product. From a year anniversary of the pet food recall perspective, it's refreshing to see that there are a ton of choices out there that aren't being manufactured in Canada with tainted Chinese ingredients....the formula that started this mess in the first place.

Although it is encouraging to see all these pet food products, how do you decide which one is best? For my dogs, we experimented with several brands, and making sure they weren't on the recall list, found one that didn't cause allergies in our dog and also appeared to come from a good company.

With so many new foods on the market, there is going to be a ton of clutter in the premium food category....and a ton of decisions to make as to what the best foods will be for your pets. My quick suggestion: do your research before experimenting. Check the company background, the ingredients in the food (make sure they are premium ingredients) and see if other people are blogging and posting about that brand.

What are your thoughts on the best way to find a food brand for your pets?

New Product - Pet Tents

Although I haven't actually tried this product, I came across it recently. According to the manufacturer, when your pet enters the tent and lie on its buckwheat hull-filled pillow, they will feel safe, secure and special.

Many of the tent designs allow owners to use closable doors to replace their pet's kennel. Each is lightweight and easy to move and assemble. They can be found on www.pettents.com.

Baseball Dog

I know I used this photo before, but in honor of the Yankees opening game, here is Rocco enjoying my Yankees Blanket.
Happy Baseball Season!