While visiting family and friends in Pennsylvania, we found that we needed more doggie treats. Because of the problems some dogs had with the treats made in China, I have been on a quest to not only find treats made in the USA, but treats my dogs like.
The first thing I noticed was that the words "Made in China" have become a little more difficult to find. But when I product is made in the USA, it is often written in big print on the front of the package. Here are a few treats we found and how my dogs feel about them:
Champion Breed Chew Strips - original bacon flavored. My dogs love bacon but won't eat these. Maybe when they have no choice, they will give them a try. These were on sale for only $2.29 at KMart.
Pup-peroni. I have hunted all over the bag but can only find that it was distributed by Del Monte Foods. At first Zooey loved them, then she wasn't interested anymore. Seymour wasn't interested at first and now will nibble on a few pieces. Not a great favorite for them. Don't remember how much these cost.
Colorado Naturals - Chicken Jerky Treats. My dogs devoured these! They even tried to find the bag and lick the empty bag. These were on sale for $4.99 for 4 oz. at PetCo. The overall favorite. I need to get another bag or two.
Time to get my daily breakfast: Egg McMuffin (on sale this month for 2 for $3 so my Dad gets the other one), and free small coffee. I get one for me and my dad since we are currently the only coffee drinkers in the house.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Monday Night and Tuesday in PA
A quick stop at Mc Donald's with my iPad and WiFi !!
A couple of days ago, I had shopped for some decorations for my Dad's party so I went to the Party Store and the Dollar store with my dogs, and the dogs were welcomed into both stores. In fact I think I got better service because of the dogs. I left them home while we went to McDonalds to sit with the gang later.
After McDonalds Shannon, my grandsons and I did a little shopping at Good Will. Shan keeps finding things and says "But they are small". A bunch of small things add up to a big pile in my little Prius when we drive home!
After later heading to bed, Shan came out to my couch/bed to say that Gibson was sick and his breathing was hoarse. We both felt she needed to take him to the hospital. We texted back and forth while they were there and it ended up that he had Croup. Needless to say, none of us got much sleep last night.
Tuesday, we went to visit our friends, Pam and Dennis. Paxton still wasn't feeling well, so after a yummy lunch of pasta and pumpkin pie, we headed back to my parents. We took a little detour to check put Monongahela, where Shan was born. It was nice seeing the old town and our old house.
Things went down hill after that. Gibby was sick and started a marathon screaming fit; Paxton was unhappy that he didn't get what he wanted at the store so refused to get out of the car when we got home. Not going into detail, but everyone was upset, including my parents tonight. Zooey was hiding and Seymour got under the covers on my couch/bed. It is almost 10 pm and the house is quiet. I didn't take an aspirin tonight but was considering liquor until I remembered that there isn't any in the house and I'm too lazy to go buy some.
Seymour and Zooey are my comfort, unless Seymour sees a big dog, then just Zooey is my comfort! Tomorrow is another day!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
A couple of days ago, I had shopped for some decorations for my Dad's party so I went to the Party Store and the Dollar store with my dogs, and the dogs were welcomed into both stores. In fact I think I got better service because of the dogs. I left them home while we went to McDonalds to sit with the gang later.
After McDonalds Shannon, my grandsons and I did a little shopping at Good Will. Shan keeps finding things and says "But they are small". A bunch of small things add up to a big pile in my little Prius when we drive home!
After later heading to bed, Shan came out to my couch/bed to say that Gibson was sick and his breathing was hoarse. We both felt she needed to take him to the hospital. We texted back and forth while they were there and it ended up that he had Croup. Needless to say, none of us got much sleep last night.
Tuesday, we went to visit our friends, Pam and Dennis. Paxton still wasn't feeling well, so after a yummy lunch of pasta and pumpkin pie, we headed back to my parents. We took a little detour to check put Monongahela, where Shan was born. It was nice seeing the old town and our old house.
Things went down hill after that. Gibby was sick and started a marathon screaming fit; Paxton was unhappy that he didn't get what he wanted at the store so refused to get out of the car when we got home. Not going into detail, but everyone was upset, including my parents tonight. Zooey was hiding and Seymour got under the covers on my couch/bed. It is almost 10 pm and the house is quiet. I didn't take an aspirin tonight but was considering liquor until I remembered that there isn't any in the house and I'm too lazy to go buy some.
Seymour and Zooey are my comfort, unless Seymour sees a big dog, then just Zooey is my comfort! Tomorrow is another day!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, September 24, 2012
Late blog update
We have no WIFi connection except for at McDonalds, so here is a short entry. We found that New Jersey had the best pet rest area. It had a sidewalk, a picnic table and was not near the freeway. It was between where the trucks park and where the cars park. I thought I was in heaven for a few minutes.
Although there was lots of road construction, we made it to my parents by about 5 pm on Friday. At about 8 pm, I took my first Aleve. Quiet night with the dogs. Zooey didn't even bark at the kids but she does bark at my daughter (her adopted sister). My Dad's eyesight is very poor so I made sure the dogs were out of his way when my Dad got up.
Saturday Shan and I went to my old neighbor's daughter's wedding while my high school friend watched Seymour and Zooey. Beautiful wedding and great food, especially the cookies. Luckily I brought stretch pants to wear the rest of the week.
Sunday, my high school friend and her daughter (my god daughter) and I went to the Casino (what a surprise) while my friend's husband watched my kids, I mean my dogs. As much as they loved him, because he gave them treats, every time my friend's husband went downstairs and came back up, Zooey barked at him like he was a stranger. Oh, what a strange dog I have!
Today I came home from my friend's and did some shopping for decorations for my Dad's party and now we are at McDonald's with the "over the hill bunch". I am starting to fit in nicely :)
I will take more pictures because the leaves are starting to change and since the speed limit is mostly 25 mph I will be able to take nice pictures as I am driving.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Although there was lots of road construction, we made it to my parents by about 5 pm on Friday. At about 8 pm, I took my first Aleve. Quiet night with the dogs. Zooey didn't even bark at the kids but she does bark at my daughter (her adopted sister). My Dad's eyesight is very poor so I made sure the dogs were out of his way when my Dad got up.
Saturday Shan and I went to my old neighbor's daughter's wedding while my high school friend watched Seymour and Zooey. Beautiful wedding and great food, especially the cookies. Luckily I brought stretch pants to wear the rest of the week.
Sunday, my high school friend and her daughter (my god daughter) and I went to the Casino (what a surprise) while my friend's husband watched my kids, I mean my dogs. As much as they loved him, because he gave them treats, every time my friend's husband went downstairs and came back up, Zooey barked at him like he was a stranger. Oh, what a strange dog I have!
Today I came home from my friend's and did some shopping for decorations for my Dad's party and now we are at McDonald's with the "over the hill bunch". I am starting to fit in nicely :)
I will take more pictures because the leaves are starting to change and since the speed limit is mostly 25 mph I will be able to take nice pictures as I am driving.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Day 2 of our Texas to Pennsylvania trip
Our room at the Super 8 passed the "dog didn't do anything" test so we headed out at about 10 am. A little later than I planned but I had to eat the free toaster waffles first.
We drove through Tenn. most of the day. I-40 was under construction in quite a few places so I am hoping to find a different way home. We stopped at a rest area in Tenn that again had the pet area between the highway and the parking lot. Obviously the people that planned these rest areas are not pet people. See how attractive our walk was?
Seymour finally got tired of sleeping in the car so he squeezed under the seat to the front and gave me those pleading eyes that said "I need outtttt! Now!". I think he had 4 drops of pee he hadn't used. I talked him into waiting until we crossed into Kentucky and stopped at the Welcome Center. See how pretty the sign is?
Then I remembered! This was the place that disliked pets more than any other State we had been in. They almost had more "No Pets Allowed" signs than parking spaces.
I do think they upgraded their pet area since I was there last. Now they have a chain link fence about 4 feet from the parking spaces where I think you are supposed to walk. Over by the freeway, of course. But, if anyone parks on that side it leaves about a foot of walking space. I filled in a suggestion card to ask them to make a more safe place for pets and left my name and address. It will be interesting to see if they write. Oh, I also left my blog address.
I don't have any more rest areas to complain about for now. The good news is that I picked up a hotel coupon book in the Kentucky Welcome center and ended up staying at the LaQuinta in Elizabethtown, KY. They don't charge extra for up to 2 pets weighing less than 20 pounds. Plus I got an additional discount with the coupon so it cost me about $5 more than I paid last night, with a free hot breakfast included. My friends Jan and Betty told me to be sure to pick up those coupon books in the States I was staying, and it proved cost effective.
I mentioned that my daughter and her 2 boys were coming home with us. I am surprised at how much I brought with me. When I went to Italy for 3 months, I had a backpack, a purse and Seymour's crate. I am going to be gone for 2 weeks and this is my trunk. We are in big trouble!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We drove through Tenn. most of the day. I-40 was under construction in quite a few places so I am hoping to find a different way home. We stopped at a rest area in Tenn that again had the pet area between the highway and the parking lot. Obviously the people that planned these rest areas are not pet people. See how attractive our walk was?
Seymour finally got tired of sleeping in the car so he squeezed under the seat to the front and gave me those pleading eyes that said "I need outtttt! Now!". I think he had 4 drops of pee he hadn't used. I talked him into waiting until we crossed into Kentucky and stopped at the Welcome Center. See how pretty the sign is?
Then I remembered! This was the place that disliked pets more than any other State we had been in. They almost had more "No Pets Allowed" signs than parking spaces.
I do think they upgraded their pet area since I was there last. Now they have a chain link fence about 4 feet from the parking spaces where I think you are supposed to walk. Over by the freeway, of course. But, if anyone parks on that side it leaves about a foot of walking space. I filled in a suggestion card to ask them to make a more safe place for pets and left my name and address. It will be interesting to see if they write. Oh, I also left my blog address.
I don't have any more rest areas to complain about for now. The good news is that I picked up a hotel coupon book in the Kentucky Welcome center and ended up staying at the LaQuinta in Elizabethtown, KY. They don't charge extra for up to 2 pets weighing less than 20 pounds. Plus I got an additional discount with the coupon so it cost me about $5 more than I paid last night, with a free hot breakfast included. My friends Jan and Betty told me to be sure to pick up those coupon books in the States I was staying, and it proved cost effective.
I mentioned that my daughter and her 2 boys were coming home with us. I am surprised at how much I brought with me. When I went to Italy for 3 months, I had a backpack, a purse and Seymour's crate. I am going to be gone for 2 weeks and this is my trunk. We are in big trouble!
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Two weeks traveling with two dogs!
This is our first big trip since Italy - except for a short trip to a Texas Casino! Seymour, Zooey and I are on our way to Pennsylvania to go to my dad's 90th birthday celebration. We are in a car instead of our camper because my daughter and her 2 children will be driving home with us. There is only room for 2 people and 2 dogs in my camper.
So, I am getting a chance to experience finding places to stay overnight with 2 dogs. But I'm getting ahead of story. We left Wimberley Texas yesterday morning after a stop at the local Diamond Shamrock for coffee and breakfast taco. When I went to pay, they said "it's already taken care of". Thanks, Mary! Nice start to a trip.
The dogs settled into their sleeping spots; Seymour in a small crate and Zooey in her bed. Our first stop was a new rest stop in Texas, near Salado. It had a playground, a storm shelter and nice restrooms. As an after thought, the put in 2 "Pet Area" signs in the weeds near the road. Seriously? Notice the trucks on the freeway behind Seymour?
Zooey could barely walk in the grass/weeds because they were too high for her. This was definitely not a plan for pets in this new rest area. All they needed to do was make a gravel walking path, put in some trash cans for pet waste and maybe add a fire hydrant for fun.
In comparison, we stopped at the Welcome Center when we entered Arkansas and they had a nice pet area, not near the highway. I could walk on the sidewalk while the dogs enjoyed the walk through the nicely trimmed grass. The trucks in the background are parked, not racing down the freeway. Thanks, Arkansas! Also, while we were walking at in the rest area, I was on my cell and a lady kept following me around. She finally tapped me and asked how old Seymour was. She has a puppy that looked like Seymour and wondered how big her puppy might grow. (Seymour is 8 years old and about 7-ish pounds). A little while later, while still on the cell, a truck pulled up beside me and when I looked, it was that woman again. This time she was with her husband and she rolled down the window and said in broken English, "How old to your dog get this size". Because her English wasn't strong, I didn't tell her that I didn't rescue Seymour until he was 2 1/2 and he is a mix so who knows how big a dog who looks like him will get - so I just said "about a year". Dog lovers find each other even if we don't speak the same language.
We then started looking for places to stay. I remembered that Motel 6 was pet friendly and heard that Holiday Inn was, also. We stopped at a Holiday Inn in Malvern and they didn't accept pets but told me that the Super 8 did or I could drive further to Bryant, AR and there was a Holiday Inn that allowed dogs. I decided to drive further since the trip is 1500 miles and I'm trying to do it in 3 days.
We arrived at the Holiday Inn and found that they did allow pets, for $25 extra for each pet, and a long contract to sign. I opted not to stay. They told me that the Super 8 allowed pets and even called them for me. Celeste, at Super 8, was very friendly. We paid $10 extra for each pet and they will check the room before we leave this morning. The dogs were great so I'm not worried. They actually both slept with me. I've never allowed Zooey to do that because she is so small I was afraid I'd roll over on her. We were all well this morning.
I was told that the Super 8 Motel's are all individually owned so they can set their own rules regarding pets. But I will add this chain to my places that possibly allow pets for a reasonable rate.
On to day 2 of our trip.
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So, I am getting a chance to experience finding places to stay overnight with 2 dogs. But I'm getting ahead of story. We left Wimberley Texas yesterday morning after a stop at the local Diamond Shamrock for coffee and breakfast taco. When I went to pay, they said "it's already taken care of". Thanks, Mary! Nice start to a trip.
The dogs settled into their sleeping spots; Seymour in a small crate and Zooey in her bed. Our first stop was a new rest stop in Texas, near Salado. It had a playground, a storm shelter and nice restrooms. As an after thought, the put in 2 "Pet Area" signs in the weeds near the road. Seriously? Notice the trucks on the freeway behind Seymour?
Zooey could barely walk in the grass/weeds because they were too high for her. This was definitely not a plan for pets in this new rest area. All they needed to do was make a gravel walking path, put in some trash cans for pet waste and maybe add a fire hydrant for fun.
In comparison, we stopped at the Welcome Center when we entered Arkansas and they had a nice pet area, not near the highway. I could walk on the sidewalk while the dogs enjoyed the walk through the nicely trimmed grass. The trucks in the background are parked, not racing down the freeway. Thanks, Arkansas! Also, while we were walking at in the rest area, I was on my cell and a lady kept following me around. She finally tapped me and asked how old Seymour was. She has a puppy that looked like Seymour and wondered how big her puppy might grow. (Seymour is 8 years old and about 7-ish pounds). A little while later, while still on the cell, a truck pulled up beside me and when I looked, it was that woman again. This time she was with her husband and she rolled down the window and said in broken English, "How old to your dog get this size". Because her English wasn't strong, I didn't tell her that I didn't rescue Seymour until he was 2 1/2 and he is a mix so who knows how big a dog who looks like him will get - so I just said "about a year". Dog lovers find each other even if we don't speak the same language.
We then started looking for places to stay. I remembered that Motel 6 was pet friendly and heard that Holiday Inn was, also. We stopped at a Holiday Inn in Malvern and they didn't accept pets but told me that the Super 8 did or I could drive further to Bryant, AR and there was a Holiday Inn that allowed dogs. I decided to drive further since the trip is 1500 miles and I'm trying to do it in 3 days.
We arrived at the Holiday Inn and found that they did allow pets, for $25 extra for each pet, and a long contract to sign. I opted not to stay. They told me that the Super 8 allowed pets and even called them for me. Celeste, at Super 8, was very friendly. We paid $10 extra for each pet and they will check the room before we leave this morning. The dogs were great so I'm not worried. They actually both slept with me. I've never allowed Zooey to do that because she is so small I was afraid I'd roll over on her. We were all well this morning.
I was told that the Super 8 Motel's are all individually owned so they can set their own rules regarding pets. But I will add this chain to my places that possibly allow pets for a reasonable rate.
On to day 2 of our trip.
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Sunday, May 27, 2012
I have no affiliation with this dealership except for taking my car in for maintenance, etc. In the past, I always took Seymour with me and the staff was always friendly with us. This last time, I took Seymour and Zooey and I wasn't sure how they would handle 2 dogs in their waiting room.
The staff was equally as friendly with us. More people talked to me, or at least my dogs than they do when I am alone. Maybe my dogs are dressed better than I am normally? Or maybe they just have a lot of dog lovers working there. One person does have a statue of a life sized dog in their office doorway. I haven't checked to see if it barks when you walk by.
It is so nice to go places where pets are not only allowed, but welcomed. It makes the long wait for my car a little more pleasant.
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Location:San Marcos Toyota
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Hospitals and Dogs
I am behind in my posts due to some surgery and recovery. I do think my dogs have helped in my recovery and would have been able to help more if I had known one thing.
Having surgery is a stress but for me, worrying about my dogs while I'm gone is almost a bigger stress. I was lucky that 2 neighbors offered to watch each dog. One has a medium sized dog that Seymour is pals with and one has a small poodle that Zooey kinda tolerates. Being a recent rescue and having endured abuse by another dog, Zooey is very skittish around almost all dogs - except Seymour. They are a bit of a handful together, as another kind neighbor found out when watching them for 2 days, so separately them was the best way to go. But back to my story.
I was in the hospital for 3 days and feeling pretty bad both mentally and physically. The last night I was there, one of the nurses mentioned that if I had my physician write an order for "pet therapy" my dogs could have come to visit me. They would have had to be in their crate - at least when the door to my room was open, but at least I could have enjoyed their company for a few hours. Unfortunately, I wasn't told this until the night before I was going home so didn't try to get a physician's order. I am not sure hospitals publicize this, but I recommend that if you are ever in the hospital, you ask your physician about it. I do think that I would have been in a much more positive frame of mind, and maybe I wouldn't have been thinking about my pain as much,if I had my dogs to cuddle. Another good thing about seeing your dogs when you are in the hospital is that you don't have to walk them. It's like having grandchildren. You can play with them and love on them and give them back.
Instead, when my dogs came home after my hospitalization, they considered me the same person I was before; the one who walked them, gave them treats, fed them and held them. I'm sure they were wondering who that strange person was who had to just about roll off of the couch and on to the floor to be able to get up to open the back door for them. Maybe if they'd seen me in the hospital, they would have been more prepared for living with a semi-invalid for a little while.
I am hoping to not go in the hospital for a long time, but if I do, I want to add "dog visits" to my advanced directives.
Having surgery is a stress but for me, worrying about my dogs while I'm gone is almost a bigger stress. I was lucky that 2 neighbors offered to watch each dog. One has a medium sized dog that Seymour is pals with and one has a small poodle that Zooey kinda tolerates. Being a recent rescue and having endured abuse by another dog, Zooey is very skittish around almost all dogs - except Seymour. They are a bit of a handful together, as another kind neighbor found out when watching them for 2 days, so separately them was the best way to go. But back to my story.
I was in the hospital for 3 days and feeling pretty bad both mentally and physically. The last night I was there, one of the nurses mentioned that if I had my physician write an order for "pet therapy" my dogs could have come to visit me. They would have had to be in their crate - at least when the door to my room was open, but at least I could have enjoyed their company for a few hours. Unfortunately, I wasn't told this until the night before I was going home so didn't try to get a physician's order. I am not sure hospitals publicize this, but I recommend that if you are ever in the hospital, you ask your physician about it. I do think that I would have been in a much more positive frame of mind, and maybe I wouldn't have been thinking about my pain as much,if I had my dogs to cuddle. Another good thing about seeing your dogs when you are in the hospital is that you don't have to walk them. It's like having grandchildren. You can play with them and love on them and give them back.
Instead, when my dogs came home after my hospitalization, they considered me the same person I was before; the one who walked them, gave them treats, fed them and held them. I'm sure they were wondering who that strange person was who had to just about roll off of the couch and on to the floor to be able to get up to open the back door for them. Maybe if they'd seen me in the hospital, they would have been more prepared for living with a semi-invalid for a little while.
I am hoping to not go in the hospital for a long time, but if I do, I want to add "dog visits" to my advanced directives.
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