Does your dog like to hide or bury his treats in your house?

Whenever I seem to give Pedro something he will usually take it and carry it in his mouth around the house trying to find the perfect spot to “bury” it for later.   His favorite spot is the pillow on the couch, he will place the treat under the pillow and try to cover it up with “dirt” aka the other pillow nearby using his nose.  While I find it cute, I am not a fan of surprises and always get a little frustrated when I find little bread pieces or bones that have been sitting for days under a pillow or in a corner of the house that isn’t used much. What is your experience with this? Does your dog love to bury his/her treats? Do they have a spot that they use the most?

This past weekend NJ had a big snow storm, which unfortunately ruined some of our plans.

However, the Super Pet Expo was in town and I was determined not to let a foot of snow get in the way of us attending. Every year I take Pedro the Chihuahua to the expo and I always find the neatest little things there.  The expo is usually a weekend in February – and after I finagled a few things around – I was able to take Pedro just before their final day in town came to a close.

Although the Super Pet Expo is for pets, there are also rescues with animals for adoption, activities for the kids and shows put on – this year one of the acts was a Marvelous Mutts Dock Diving Show.  They also have some food stands if you get hungry.  The $13/adult fee to attend, is well worth it (kids are cheaper and more info can be found on their site here: http://www.superpetexpo.com/). In addition to hundreds of vendors

After going up and down the aisles a few times – I found a few good finds and came home with a ton of goodies including; a wool sweater with bow-tie, toy chest with an opening at the bottom for small dogs to get the toys and a skull feeder (the bowls are missing because they are in the wash).

I also entered Pedro into the EVO Food Contest - you can help us win by clicking here and hitting “LIKE” on Pedro’s photo.

The best part of the expo is that you can bring your pet, as long as they are on a leash (non-retractable). So Pedro got very tired out by the time we were done, which meant a nice quiet ride home!

Pedro is taking a nap with his paws hanging out of the blanket!

Holiday gift and stocking stuffer alert!

We found these adorable dog silhouette iPhone 4 & 4S cases over at Steadfast Friends (a family-owned company offering canine-centric gifts). The cases are made of soft silicone, are available in 23 breed silhouettes and 3 different color combinations.

They even have temporary tattoos (73 different breeds) for the kids!

Why is an iPhone case the perfect gift? Damaged iPhones have cost Americans $5.9 billion since their introduction in 2007, according to a recent study by mobile device insurer SquareTrade. The study also found that 30 percent of iPhone users have damaged their devices in the last 12 months alone. Protective cases can help reduce damage. Sharing the love of one’s dog on an iPhone case is a way to be both practical and pet-proud.

Why do we like this company? Steadfast Friends donates 10% of revenue from each sale to their canine-driven Charity Partners. Customers can direct a donation resulting from their purchase to any of Steadfast Friends’ Charity Partners.

How do I get one? Go to www.steadfastfriends.com and purchase yours for $30.00 + tax, with FREE SHIPPING!

iPhone Case Facebook Giveaway! 

Steadfast Friends has teamed with Chihuahua Mamas to offer one U.S. winner one iPhone 4/4S case and one pack of temporary tattoos (both in the breed of their choice).

To be eligible for the giveaway, go “LIKE” Steadfast Friend’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SteadfastFriends and leave them the comment “Chihuahua Mamas sent me“. The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on the Chihuahua Mamas Facebook page and blog on December 15th 2012.

As the weather starts to get chillier here in NJ, I always make sure I have Pedro all set up for walks outside in the cold. Of course he has sweaters and hoodies (which he loves) but the one thing I was never able to get him to wear was a pair of boots.

Now some people might think “he is a dog, he will be fine, they do not need to wear shoes or clothes,” however, living in a town-home development, the landscaping men are always outside  throwing piles of salt onto the pavement and sidewalk which can really irritate a dogs paw and be poisonous if they lick it.

Usually halfway through our walk Pedro starts limping (it is so cute) and looks at me like, “ok mom, it is time to pick me up.” Today was no different. It started snowing early this morning, and most of the road was slushy. When we went for our afternoon walk we made it about a half a block and I got “the look”.

Now I have bought a few pairs of boots for Pedro in the past, but he is either just dreadfully uncomfortable in them (prancing around like a show-horse) o[slideshow]r bites at them till he can get them off.  I try to put balm on his paws before we go out in winter weather, and make sure they are wiped down after, but boots would be so much easier.

So here I am, ready to try again. If your dog uses boots, what kind are they?

We loved this video and just had to share.

Not many of us had the blessing of seeing our little-ones when they were this young. This is because it is recommend that puppies stay with their mother for several weeks after birth so that they receive proper nutrition and guidance. The little chihuahua in the video appears to be just waking up from a nap and doing things that my Pedro does now: stretching and eating their foot!

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Will your dog be taking photos with Santa or attending Hanukkah festivities with your family? Or perhaps he has a fancy date with the pup next door?

Whether you normally dress up your pooch or just deck them out for the holidays to be cute, you need to make sure that the clothing is comfortable, safe and pup-approved! So check out the list below for Pedro’s top holiday “menswear” picks for dogs and stay tuned for some helpful tips on purchasing dog clothing!

1) G.W. Little’s White Tuxedo Bib for Dogs is perfect for those black-tie holiday occasions or even to get your pup spruced up for wedding festivities.  Made in the USA! With a cotton bib, satin bow, crystal detail and easy velcro closure – Pedro the Chihuahua gives this little number 2 paws up! It also comes in a red and black version. G.W. Little is a great place to find other small dog clothing as well, so check them out.

2)  For the cuteness effect, Petco has an adorable reindeer hoodie (Wag-a-Tude Reindeer Dog Hoodie). And it may be a good choice for those of you who prefer to shop in store rather than online.

3) We found this really adorable snowman sweater by FouFou Dog on Amazon – which is more generic and can easily be worn well into the winter months without being labeled “holiday”. They make a penguin version as well.

Looking for something specific? Don’t be afraid to use Google , comment below or join us on our facebook page and post some questions for the rest of our fans!

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Pet donations are still needed for the NY & NJ area who were hit by Hurricane Sandy. Being located in New Jersey, Pedro and I continue to see the need for supplies for our neighbors at the shore. There are many ways you can help, even if you do not have funds for supplies.

1. Spread the word via social media, like facebook, it is free! One of our favorite facebook pages dedicated to Hurricane Sandy animals is Hurricane Sandy Lost & Found Pets. Scroll through the photos of those animals that are lost/found and see if you can find a match. Share photos to get the word out.
2. Foster. Many animals also need temporary foster homes while their families rebuild. Sites like Foster A Sandy Pet can help match pets with potential foster families.
3. Donations. NJ/NY appreciates everyone that has donated and continues to donate. As long as you bring the donations, we will continue to distribute them.

Requested supplies include:
• Food – Dog & Cat(wet or dry), Rabbit, Bird, Etc…
• Clean Bedding, Sheets, Blankets
• Clean Towels
• Litter & Litter Pans
• Food and Water Bowls
• Cleaning Supplies
• Dog, Cat, Bird, Etc…Toys
• Cages, Crates, Runs
• Dog Houses
• Cat Condos
• Collars & Leashes

Below is a list of those assisting in donation distribution or needing donations:

• Briarwood Veterinary Hospital is taking donations for the many displaced animals of Hurricane Sandy. All items will be distributed directly to NJ Shore Animal Shelters and Animal Rescue. You can drop off donations during business hours or ship. Their address is: Briarwood Veterinary Hospital, 1100 Route 9 South, Howell, NJ 07731
• Guyon Rescue is located in Staten Island NY, an area hit very hard but not mentioned in the news outlets like the Jersey Shore was. Guyon Rescue is collecting all types of donations, including pet, and helps to distribute them among the area. I personally work with one of the volunteers here and they have been doing great work. They are also on facebook. You can ship or drop off donations. Someone is there 24/7. They are located at 575 Mill Road, Staten Island NY, 10306.
• The Monmouth County SPCA is in need of all items and are operating out of their Pet Pantry at 264 Wall Street
  Eatontown, NJ 07724 to distribute items for pet owners in need.

Please feel free to post in the comments section if you have any additional information you would like to share regarding needs.  NY & NJ appreciate your help!

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High Fat Foods: such as turkey skin, ham, gravy, butter and desserts may cause inflammation of your dog’s pancreas. Pancreatitis causes intense abdominal pain and vomiting and requires hospitalization to recover. Keep foods sealed in containers and enclosed in a high space or the refrigerator and don’t forget to make sure the trashcan is tightly secured.

Bones: Chewing on bones, particularly turkey bones can cause splintering. Once swallowed, the splinter bones can cause trauma to the intestinal tract, requiring surgery. Ham bones, while they tend not to splinter, are hard and can fracture teeth during chewing.

Feel free to leave some additional cautions in the comments below.