The Red Dog Inn

All the people and critters at the RED DOG INN are a-okay after the quake.  Sending prayers to the folks who were affected by the quake.

It’s also a good reminder to prepare for your pets, too.  Add a 5 lb. bag of your critters’ favorite dry food and treats to your emergency kit as well as bowls and water!  Make sure you have extra leashes and tags and collars.  The canines of the RED DOG INN have been microchipped, too.

There’s a misconception about microchipping.  You can have your pets microchipped and then CHOOSE to subscribe to the additional service. The Red Dog Inn dogs were microchipped for about $50 each, which included one year of service.  The chip can always be read!  Ask your vet about this method to get your pets home safely and quickly!

Here are some good resources: bit.ly/9RCqeP and bit.ly/b7Z23

Lately, I’ve been taking part in the I LOVE effort. Today, I found myself making wishes. See, I’m in the market for a new SUV.  My beloved Green Machine (1996 Ford Explorer) is not doing well.

I’m looking for the perfect vehicle for me and my pets.  I think the US Auto Industry could save themselves buy developing pet friendly add-on packages.  According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) — yes, there is such a thing — the pet product industry grew last year (2009) by $2 billion.  That’s $47.7 billion in 2009.  We Americans love our pets! 

So why haven’t Ford and GM caught on to this?  I’ve been developing my wish list.  Here are the features for my dream pet mobile:

• Pet friendly interior fabric
• An integrated ramp
• Optional lift platform for infirm pets or heavy objects
• Automatic lift hatch
• Crate anchors, like baby seat anchors.
• Bowl holders
• Leash tethers for use with halters
• Rear A/C
• Automatic venting when the car temp reaches 70* to create a comfortable and safe environment (Law Enforcement K-9 vehicles are equipped with this type of feature.)
• Interior temperature gauge that’s visible from the outside
• All-weather floor mats for muddy days at the park or stable
• Cargo holders to keep things like buckets, towels and carrot supplies in place.
• Run flat tires
• Incorporate dog parks, vets and pet stores/services into Sync

It looks as if pets are here to stay. We need our vehicles to consider them, too.  I WISH: Ford Motor Company would develop a pet package for their vehicles… specifically the Explorer.  (Butters, Lula and I will gladly test it!)

If you live with critters, eventually you’re going to clean up an accident. Here’s are a few solutions to cleaning up those accidents.  Before  trying these, check manufacturer instructions and TEST in an inconspicuous spot.

Urine on carpet – Blot. Lay a few paper towels over the spot and put a weight on top. I take an old metal tray and add a few weights.  This will sop up the urine. To get the SMELL out, mix a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Dampen a paper towel with the solution, cover the spot and add weight. In about 30 minutes, pick it up.  The vinegar smell will disapate, and you won’t have soap residue on your carpet. A bonus: Vinegar has anticeptic properties.  Vinegar shouldn’t bleach your carpet.

Fecal Matter on carpet - Hopefully, you’ve been feeding a good diet and all you have to clean are well formed stools from your carpet.   If so, just pick them up and use the 50/50 vinegar solution to disappate any odors. 

If you have a sick pup with loose stools, you’re going to need a little more firepower.   Butters got sick after eating too many biscuits.  You’re going to need paper towel, plastic bags, something you can scrape with that’s disposable may be helpful, too and hopefully a small carpet cleaner.  Clean up what you can with the paper towels and scraper, e.g. paper plate, dust pan, etc. and place in plastic bags. (take those to the trash.) Spritz the remaining stain with the vinegar and water solution, then use the small carpet cleaner to finish the job.  You may want to respritz with the vinegar solution.

An alternative to the last spritz with the vinegar solution is to spritz with water that’s been laced with 20 drops of tea tree oil.  Tea tree oil is an anticeptic, but also has a really nice scent.

Vomit has acids. So proceed with the clean up procedure for loose stools but you may want to mix a baking soda solution to neutralize the acids. 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 cup water dampen a paper towel and weight. Follow up with a spritz of tea tree oil solution and let dry.