Prepared Pet

Petsmart Dog Obedience Class

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:54:00 +0000

Well it turns out that Chloe and I aren't seeing eye to eye on important issues such as sit, stay, and the dreaded come. So I signed us up for dog obedience class at Petsmart in Longmont, Colorado. Everyone I talked to raved about the classes. This particular class is focused on "loading the marker", which is basically, command, click on success, treat. Sounds simple enough. Unfortunately; Miss Chloe is not having any of it. She refuses the treats! I couldn't believe it. I have never seen her turn down a treat. I had brought her favorites, Zukes All Natural Salmon. What could be better? I watched dogs that I would consider semi wild go through their paces. Not Chloe. So I asked the trainer to give it a shot. She also got nowhere and she had yummy liver treats. Oh boy! Now what? This was our second class. I had taken her to the store a half an hour early to walk the aisles and get used to the noises and smells. We had a great time. She went up and sniffed every dog and was petted by every person willing to bend over for her. We went into the enclosure and she went hyper vigilant as her classmates arrived. She started panting and her eyes just ran with tears. I wasn't able to get her to look at me or focus. At the end of class most of the dogs had left and I was sitting there thinking about what plan B was going to be if this training didn't work.

Still in the enclosure was a beautiful Burmese Mountain dog named Cobert. This dog will dwarf a St. Bernard. Chloe went up to him, gave a once over sniff, and decided he was going to be fun. She played and played with him, crawling on him, launching herself at him, licking his paws and generally bugging him. He was so gentle, he would take one of those giant paws and in very slow motion gently swat her. She loved it. Kept going back for more. Cobert licked her head which meant she was going to need a bath. Cobert rolled her on her back and she just loved it. She tried to roll him over, it took awhile for him to notice and he accommodated her by rolling on his back. She got up on him and looked him in the eye.

So the good news is, Chloe is not a yappy, nipping, and uncivilized dog. She loves people, when we go to the dog park she stops to be petted by everyone there. She loves to play with big dogs at the dog park. But, she doesn't really care about all of this training business.

There will be a lot of work ahead, mostly for me, but we'll get there sooner or later.

My Son Graduates

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:32:00 +0000

Well, it has been a really busy week. I took Chloe to the groomer to get her spiffed up for the holidays. She had been rubbing her ears on the carpet for several days and I was worried she had an ear infection. Turns out she had enough hair growing in her ears to make a wig.

My son Ed, graduated from the Masters program at Colorado School of Mines this morning. He now has a BS in Computer Science and his Masters in Computer Science. So I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up. He has decided he loves theoretical mathematics and wants to do research and teach. Right now he will be hitting the job market inorder to pay down some school loans and develop a nest egg for his Phd work. Not sure which university he will appy to.

Today is a great day for this mom!

I have hope

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:29:00 +0000

I now have hope for my country for the first time in 8 years. 'nuff said.

And Why Exactly Did I Take Chloe to the Groomer?

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:08:00 +0000

Chloe, my shih tzu got spayed on Oct. 1st. I delayed taking her to the groomer because she needed to heal up. By the time I took her to Rennet, of Topknot and Tails, she was a total stinky matted up mess. When I picked her up four hours later she smelled great, totally relaxed, clean with a nice short cut. Wow, didn't even look like the same puppy. Two days later I left her in the backyard for about 15 minutes while I ran over to the neighbors. When I got back, I let her in. Later she came and sat in my lap for some me time. As I was petting her I noticed lumps all over her. OMG I immediately thought of wasps. Turns out she was covered in miniature burrs. Well I got about 18 to 20 of them out of her hair. Still have 5 to go on her ears. Decided to wait until tomorrow, she was freaking out and couldn't hold still any longer. Reminds me of when the kids were toddlers. I would give them a bath, shampoo their hair, attempt to clean their teeth, get nice fresh jamas on, put them to bed and then they'd poop themselves. So tomorrow, I need to get the rest of the burrs out, find and kill the plant she got into.

Chloe got spayed on Oct. 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:15:00 +0000

Chloe is 8 months old and overdue to be spayed. I went ahead and called my vet to set it up. The cost was 245.oo. About 200.00 more than I could afford. I went online and found a rural vet, Every Creature Counts in Fort Lupton. The total cost was 45.oo which included a plastic Elizabethan collar in case Chloe tried to chew on the incision and 3 Rimadyl, one a day for pain. I dropped her off at 7:30am, and picked her up at 4:00pm the same day. Usually Chloe wears a little chest harness which attaches to the seat belt when she goes for a ride. Since she had surgery I brought her crate in the car. She cried all the way home. The ride took about 30 minutes. I was totally freaked out! The vet said not to give her a pain pill on the day of surgery because she was already sedated. I decided to call my sister Nan Greenly, she breeds Olde English Bulldogges, and see what she suggested. By the time I got home she was howling nonstop. I opened up her crate and let her out. Total silence. Apparently; the crate not the surgery was the insult. I kept her quiet. She slept most of the day and night. The next morning I wasn't able to get her to eat or drink. I tried coaxing water and treats, she wasn't having any of it. By the evening on the day after surgery I was getting quite worried. I started giving her water with a large plastic eyedropper. She seemed ok with that. I don't think I got a lot of water in her. I made tacos that night and set aside some cooked plain hamburger for her. She got up and ate it right up. Ok, good, she's on the mend. Next day, still not eating her puppy chow or drinking water on her own. I kept up with the eyedropper and gave her some moist ham, which she again ate right up, hoping the salt would encourage her thirst. No go. I called Nan and she suggested Chloe's throat might be sore from the tube during anesthesia. Made sense. I gave her a rimadyl and about an hour later she got up and headed for her water bowl. Nan suggested Pedialyte, non citrus flavored to replace some of the electrolytes she lost. On Saturday evening she started drinking a lot of water, still only taking soft foods. I gave her a Rimadyl on Saturday as well. She went out for a poop too. By Sunday afternoon we had turned the corner. She started eating normally and going outside to potty. Downside of all of this is she really likes people food more than puppy chow! Now when I eat she watches me closely, waiting for a treat. Once she is all healed up, I won't be babying her anymore. I took her for a short walk on Tuesday, she loved getting out of the house. I am glad we only have to put our puppy's through this once.

Chloe and the Cricket

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:57:00 +0000

Chloe, my 8 month old Shih Tzu needed to get outside to potty. From the way she was acting this was an emergency. I ran to the door and let her out right away. The first thing she spotted was a cricket on the patio. It was night time and I like to get out and back in quickly. She followed that cricket all over the patio. She would get up close and wait for it to hop and then run to it, again and again. No matter how many times I reminded her to potty, she never took her eyes off the cricket. Its kind of tough when the hunting instinct kicks in at night. Finally I grabbed her and brought her inside. You guessed it, out again in 10 minutes to potty.

Puppy Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Last night Chloe and I went to our second session of puppy kindergarten. At the first session she was terrified of the other puppies. At the class we work on dog socialization and one command. When we got to the Assisted Living Home, where they hold the class, Chloe went up to each of the residents to say "howdy do" and yes you may pet me. I thought we were off to a good start. They introduce the puppies to each other one on one. Well, Miss Chloe was terrified of a 3 pound Shih Tzu named Gina. Gina chased her and chased her. So basically, Chloe flunked the first day of Puppy Kindergarten.
On the second day a new dog came to class, a three month old Akita, (beautiful and very large dog). Made friends immediately and played with her. Yahooo. She is gaining confidence! Turns out she is still terrified of the Australian Shepard, the mini Australian Shepard, the Boxer/Shepard mix and of course little tiny Gina.
The trainer also referred to Chloe as Snarky when she is upset. Whoaaa! Anyway, learning the commands is going really well. So, we are going to practice leash walking whenever the winds die down. Jean in Colorado

A Walk on the Wild Side

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Today Chloe and I went down to Boulder Colorado to go for a hike by Boulder Creek with my daughter Katie. It was a perfect day, sunny, around 75 degree and no humidity. Parking was a bit tough, but we found a spot at the Justice Center. I was a bit worried about how Chloe would do around so many dogs and people. She totally ignored the other dogs and stopped to get petted by her admirers. Everybody loves a puppy and she is no exception. We went the whole day without any nipping! Katie and I went to the outdoor patio restraurant at the Hotel Boulderado and shared a Turkey Blt. Chloe got a drinking bowl full of water, had her fill and laid down for a little siesta under the table. I am so happy that she likes to go places. I have a Teafco travellor for her in the car and she just sits there and enjoys the ride.

Snuggle Puppies have arrived at Prepared Pet

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Snuggle Puppies are in stock!
If you are planning to add a puppy or rescue dog to you home, be prepared to comfort and help your baby with a Snuggle Puppy.
Help your new puppy sleep through the night with his new Snuggle Puppy which has a heartbeat just like mom and his littermates. Comforts your puppy and helps stop whining, crying and separation anxiety. Keep your adult dog or puppy company while you are away.
Each SnugglePuppie™ includes: • Plush stuffed animal (13"l x 8"w x 4"h)• Two 20 hour all natural disposable heaters• 1 terrycloth pouch for renewable heat • 1 heart with batteries
$36.99
Snuggle Puppies

Chloe, My Shih Tzu Puppy

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:15:00 +0000

Chloe, a Shih Tzu, arrived on April 20th. She is a gift to me from my sister Nan Greenly. Chloe gets up every morning at 7:00 am. Being a night person, this has really changed my habits. She was born on Feb. 5, 2008 and is growing rapidly. So far she has had 2 sets of puppy shots and will have her 3rd set in the middle of June. Next after shots will be registration and tags. Chloe is a bit stubborn and will be attending Puppy Kindergarten. Right now she is working on fetch the toy. When she arrived I had a Snuggle Puppy all ready for her. She sleeps at night in her crate with the Snuggle Puppy.

Changes Are Coming to Prepared Pet

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:32:00 +0000

Spring is almost here in Colorado. Puppies are arriving and it is time to think about your best buddy and outdoor comfort and safety. For those of you who are uncomfortable with nail clipping, I highly recommend the Quickfinder. Quickfinder will be adding a new clipper for large dogs and those with very hard nails in the coming months.Prepared Pet is going to be making some exciting changes to the line up of terrific products for your dog or pet. I will be adding two brand new carriers, one is fun, and has a whole new look. The second one is a technical marvel. It automatically controls the temperature in the carrier. It cools and heats according to what is needed. This carrier plugs into the cigarette lighter in your car, rv or boat! Additionally; you can purchase a 110 adapter and a battery back up! I was at the Global Pet Expo in February and selected many new items which are practical, well built or just plain fun!In the coming weeks I will be redesigning this website for better navigation. Please bookmark this site and come back often to check on our new additions.

Off the Beaten Path, Quartzsite, Az.

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:37:00 +0000

On my way to the Global Pet Expo in San Diego, my sister Nan and I stopped off in Quartzsite to visit my sister Maggie, who is a full time RVer. We missed all the winter storms in Colorado and New Mexico and arrived to enjoy beautiful weather in Quartzsite. Quartzsite is home to tens of thousands of snowbirds during the winter. Nan and I hit the flea market and found some great stuff. We had Silly Al's pizza and called it a day. On Wednesday, the 13th, we headed to San Diego on Interstate 8. We had high winds most of the way and it really wore me out. Thursday morning we dressed in business casual with a light sweater and slacks. Turns out the weather folks completely missed a winter storm headed our way. We had to walk 6 blocks to the light rail from our motel in Little Italy. High winds and rain all the way. Interstate 8 was completely shut down with ice and snow. We lucked out that we arrived the day before the storm. People were stranded in their cars for up to 18 hours. I am pretty sure it was warmer in Denver! On my return thru Quartzsite on our way home I plan on stopping at Naked Pauls' Bookstore.

Zonked!

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Hello!
Attached are pictures of our Olde English Bulldog, Luca, with his Snuggle Puppy.
He absolutely loved sleeping with it when we first brought him home! He's already a few months old now, and still carries his Snuggle Puppy into his crate for bedtime. They'll be buddies forever.....
Nicole

Thank you for sharing Luca with me. It is a lot of fun to see customers of Prepared Pet using our products. If you have any great pictures to share please send them to Jean

Road Trip!

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:22:00 +0000

My sister Nan and I are heading out on a road trip next month. We will be heading down I-25 out of Denver, Colorado. We are headed to bohemian Quartzsite in Arizona. I am really excited. We always have a good time. While there we are going to the San Diego Convention Center for the Global Pet Expo. I hope to find some terrific new products for pets. I really like the Quickfinder and the SnuggleSafe, so easy to use and handy too. We are planning on at least one overnight, maybe two to get there. If you know of any small towns or cities that have a restraurant or motel worth stopping for, please let me know. Usually we hit places on the freeway and I would like to find some of those gems you never see at 75 mph. Keeping expenses down is a must. Any suggestions? As I get closer to the trip I will post updates. If there are any new products you would like me to scope out, let me know.

Blackout in Longmont

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:40:00 +0000

I spent the early evening sorting two and a half weeks worth of laundry. Ran a load in the washer, put it in the dryer and started a load in the washer. I went into the living room to catch the news. Suddenly, all the power in the house went out. I freaked out. Thought I may have fried the entire house. Grabbed the flashlight and headed for the garage to check the circuit breakers. All of them were okay.....Now what? I went back into the house, looked out the window and found all of Longmont in a blackout. I couldn't believe it. Last time we lost power here was at least ten years ago. I had posted a message to the Freecyle group earlier thanking everyone for their advice and support while I was learning how to fix the dryer. I also, tongue in cheek, said that if the power goes out in Longmont to send help.....

It All Worked Out

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:55:00 +0000

I was able to determine which part was bad, turns out it was the heater assembly. I removed it along with the parts attached to the assembly. I went ahead and ordered the part. Then I decided to leave the front off which was a pain to remove. It was still attached to the door switch assembly, which I never really looked at. That night I walked into the laundry, didn't turn the light on and immediately tripped on the door. As I grabbed for something to hold on, I could hear many little parts skittering across the floor. OK then. I gathered up the pieces and spent an hour figuring out what it was. Next morning I ordered that part. Now the whole idea was to save a lot of money. So far I have purchased an ohmmeter, 1 set of standard wrenches, 1 set of metric wrenches, 1 heat assembly, 1 door switch assembly and a ratcheting hex nut driver.

I currently have a working dryer. I put it back together again, and it smelled like something was burning so I turned it off and ran out of the house. Then I remembered that machine oil usually has to burn off. Next I went into the kitchen to clean up all of the tools on the counter and found a part for the dryer. That explained the 3 extra screws! Fixed everything. Put the dryer back together again, opened the dryer to throw a wet towel in to see if it would dry and noticed the wiring assembly was hanging down and caught. Took the front off yet again and fixed that problem. Next came the hard part. I needed to duct tape a new dryer vent to the opening in the wall and attach that piece to the dryer. Well....it's a short piece. I had to keep pulling the dryer closer to me. Became trapped between the dryer and the wall. After a lot of finagling, I escaped.

Prepared Pet is adding some great ideas for wind generators to the site. Check them out

I am an Electric Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Today's blog isn't about pets and practical tips. It is about an electricity chicken overcoming her fears and getting on with it. I posted to the Longmont Freecycle Community Website, asking for advice and help. I got terrific advice and quite a bit of encouragement.

To those of you following my saga, I am now the proud owner of an ohmmeter and I know how to check continuity. The number 1 to the very left of the readout is not good. I can also banter about the phrases Open and Not Open. For an electricity chicken, I have made a major step forward in my life. Turns out the heating element on the dryer is shot, and the thermal fuse is fine. Of course getting those little screws out was the nightmare. My husband took every wrench and socket set, except the pipe wrench with him when he headed out. When I asked him why, he said he wasn't sure what he was going to need. So, I am also the proud owner of new metric and standard wrenches. I think I will hide my new tools. I am going to order the heating element on Monday. Probably won't get it until Wednesday. If there is a brown out late Wednesday afternoon, send help....lol I wonder if I should post that I need some socket sets? Not really the type of thing people give away. thank you again for your encouragement and advice, Jean

I Met One of the Good People Today

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 08:53:00 +0000

I belong to the Longmont Freecycle group on Yahoo. We have a huge group and recycle everything imaginable. A lot of people outside of Longmont have joined and it gets pretty lively. When you are cleaning out your house or business, you post your item as Offered: *** in the subject line. Then you are contacted by people who would like the item, through your email. Then, if you get a lot of responses, you can post Promised:****. Once your item or items have been picked up you post Taken****. Hopefully; the person who got the item will post Received****with a thank you. Freecycle runs on the premise of wanting to help others, wanting to help the planet and really good manners. You email your address to the recipient and set the item on your front stoop for them to pick up. Pretty simple and since most Freecyclers are avid Internet users, posting on the Yahoo Freecycle for your city isn't a lot effort. Sometimes I think the stuff I want to pass on is junk and then I remember being young and broke and a free lamp for the living room is a great thing. I have gotten a lamp for a spare bedroom, office supplies and a CD stand made of wood and wrought iron, old torn and worn sheets for paint drop cloths, 3 pink spirea for my front yard and some pavers that I used in the backyard.

So I bet you are wondering about the title of today's blog. One of my neighbors passed away and her husband decided to pass on her cookbook collection. They had been married for 60 years and Harriet believed in cooking from scratch. My neighbor Mary got the box of cookbooks first and chose one. She passed the box onto me, and I let my two kids Katie and Ed go through it. Katie found a few she wanted. What I was left with was a box of pamphlets from the 50's and 60's. The color themes from the booklets made me laugh. Brown and aqua, sound familiar? Pop art, you remember those flower shapes with the circle and petals? Lime green and pink? Well, I really didn't have a use for them, so I offered them on Freecycle. A gal named Ivy asked for them. We made an arrangement for her to pick them up the next day after a vet appointment for one of her Boston Terriers. I happen to spot her as she drove up, so I brought the box to her car. We got to talking in the middle of the street which is pretty common here. Turns out she is a mom to 3 Boston Terriors. So I would say Ivy is a Boston Terrier fan. One day she was headed home, out in the country and spotted a very ill Newfoundland, Newfie. She took her home, tried to find the Newfie's family, and then headed to her vet in Denver, which by the way is a 50 mile one way trip. Took care of all of the Newfies ills, welcomed her to a definitely Boston Terrier family and has loved her ever since. One of the good people.

The Doggie Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 02:35:00 +0000

Early this afternoon I received a call from Alexandra at the Doggie Chronicles in San Francisco. She offered me an opportunity to talk about Prepared Pet, our new products as well as our mainstays. How did our products work, why did I choose these products? Doggie Chronicles is a radio broadcast that can be subscribed to through ITunes as a podcast for your Ipod. Or you can read about their guests, info, product reviews and tips for dog lovers at http://www.doggiechronicles.com/ . I decided I wouldn't do the show. I generally have brain freeze and glitches when speaking. My sister Nan is a natural talker and I called her right up and told her the only way she could refuse is if her daughter Robin was actually in labor. Well Robin was visiting her mom and not in labor, so Nan agreed. We put together some info, I told to her be sure and have a glass of water nearby and thank you very much. Nan called and said it was great and she would love to do it again. Scott and Lisa had Nan do a telephone call in. She said she went blank a couple of times, but Scott and Lisa had it all under control and helped her through it. They were so enthusiastic and upbeat. I believe it will be podcast this Saturday.

Nan is my main product tester, she breeds a few gorgeous litters of Olde English Bulldogges to conformation standards and has been doing that for about 17 years. If she doesn't like a product, you hear about it pronto. She helped me start Prepared Pet by suggesting the first product. Snuggle Puppies! And from there it took off. She is also a website designer for small businesses with small budgets. Well I was constantly calling her with products to add and pictures to fix and add, that I decided with a lot of encouragement from her to try my hand at designing my own website and maintaining it. Whoa! I went through so many website software and shopping cart packages I thought I would go insane. Once I started to get the hang of it Prepared Pet changed on a weekly basis. Every time I made a change, I thought, "this is it". Well I am still making changes and learning so much. Eventually Prepared Pet may look more like the other commercial websites. Problem is, I have dug in and don't want it to look like the same old, same old websites. I have so many things to add, it is hard to know what to do next.

Go ahead and Google Greenly's Bulldogges and check out her adorable puppies and website designs. She really came through for me today and I was just tickled to be asked to join the Doggie Chronicles as a guest. Sisters rock!

Does your Pet need a Seatbelt or Harness?

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:54:00 +0000

Here in Colorado we are having back to back snowstorms. The roads have become icy and snow packed. This morning the news was full of one vehicle accidents involving rollovers. I know that we all know that our kids and selves must be buckled in. Why? So they don't go through the window, or out the car door or get slammed into something in the car. A flight attendant told me they call babies held in their parents laps during flight "lap rockets". If the plane loses altitude quickly the parents can't keep a hold of them. What is different about our pets? Not a thing! They need to have us make good decisions for them. I prefer a crate or harness set up over a leash attached to their collar. The harness works the same for pets as it does for small children. It diffuses the impact over a greater area. My dogs have always been family and we need to think of them as such. Many of us are good drivers, but we can't count on the drivers in the vehicles around us. Start when your puppy first rides along with you. If you are consistent, they won't put up a fuss. Take it easy on the road. I have always felt that there is nowhere I am going that is worth risking my life or the lives of my family.

Water Bowls and RV's

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:23:00 +0000

My daughter Katie and I went to Yosemite National Park to visit my sister Maggie. Maggie is a full time RVer who was spending the summer in El Portal near one of the entrances to Yosemite.

It had been a long drive from Colorado and I was very tired. Maggie has two dogs, one large and one small. I entered the RV and moved backwards down the aisle, I was trying to make room for Katie who was carrying our luggage. Well, I stepped in the dog's water bowl. My shoe was soaked, the carpet was soaked and the floorboards were soaked. I know that a lot of people keep the dog bowls under the table and out of the way. Maggie kept extra food and supplies there. Not stepping in the water bowl became the challenge. When I got home, I checked into water bowls and found the Lixit No Spill Waterboy. I liked the design immediately. It held enough water for two dogs, it wasn't going to slosh water around when the RV was on the road, and the most important aspect of all, I could step on it. I also liked the idea that it was grab and go. One item to store enough water for two dogs for the entire day and the bowl was included. It has a handy handle for carrying on day trips. I wasn't sure that Maggie's Shih Tzu, Sassy was going to be comfortable using it. Turned out it was perfect, no wet ears! No water sprayed onto everyone and everything.

Voice Control of Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:04:00 +0000

It is that very sad time of year when the reports of dogs and their companions falling through the ice on lakes, rivers and ponds come out weekly. Many factors affect ice quality. Ice is subject to variable freezing temperatures from above, and yet subject to constant thawing temperatures from below due to water temperatures in the 40-degree Fahrenheit range. Wind-whipped water, areas where there is any water movement due to either overland runoff or underground springs, and shaded or sunny areas, all lead to freezing and thawing conditions. Snow is another contributing problem, as snow cover acts as an insulator and ice may actually begin to melt despite freezing temperatures. Ice thickness is not consistent. Water currents, particularly around narrow spots, bridges, inlets and outlets, are always suspect for thin ice.Hypothermia, the rapid cooling of a body, can result in death. When it comes to ice, please remember one rule....there is no such thing as safe ice! Do not allow your dog out onto ice. Be sure to keep your dog on a leash, particularly if you do not have absolute voice control.

Little Dog, Deep Snow, Now What?

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:54:00 +0000

I was thinking about 4 little snowshoes, easy on, easy off step in bindings.....Or you could select an area in your backyard near the door and well lit by the outdoor lights.You can shovel that area after every snow or go out and tamp the snow down by trampling it.The idea is you do not want your little dog to sink into the snow up to her little belly. She needs to be able to relax and do her business quickly and head back inside. Always stay outside with your dog at night or during winter. Don't wait for your little guy to bark to be let back in. If your dog knows they can come right back inside, they'll be more willing to brave the elements instead of your cozy living room carpet. If it is very cold, think newborn baby, bundle your dog up with a warm jacket or shirt and put some easy on, easy off booties on her paws. It is very important that her paws are not packed with snow, or cut with sharp pieces of ice. If you have any great winter care tips please send them to me, Jean, at sales@preparedpet.com

What is Wind Chill and Why is it Important?

noreply@blogger.com (Jean at Prepared Pet) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:34:00 +0000

Understanding The Wind Chill Factor & Frostbite

"Wind Chill" is a misunderstood term. It is not a temperature scale but a measurement of heat loss from the combined effect of wind and low temperatures. Another way to look at the wind chill factor is that it is the temperature a person or pet feels because of the wind. If you've ever used a fan to cool yourself on a hot day, then you've felt the effects of a wind chill. A breeze doesn't make the temperature drop, but it can make it seem as if the temperature is cooler than it actually is. Here's how it works. The basic law of thermodynamics says that any object warmer than its surroundings will lose heat. Normally we have an invisible layer of "still" air on the surface of our skin that acts like a blanket of insulation and slows our loss of body heat. Blowing wind reduces this insulating layer of warm air next to our skin and increases our rate of heat loss. The faster the wind blows, the more quickly we lose heat. Secondly, wind draws away body heat by quickly evaporating any moisture that forms on the skin; the stronger the wind, the greater the evaporation and the colder you feel. The wind chill factor becomes critical when the air temperature drops below the freezing point. If wind is taking away heat faster than our bodies can replace it, we can end up with frostbite. The danger of frostbite increases sharply as the air temperature falls and the wind speed climbs. Frostbite occurs when skin and the underlying tissues freeze. The areas most likely to be affected by cold temperatures or low wind chill factor are the hands, feet, paws, tails, nose, and ears. If numbness remains, seek professional medical or veterinary care immediately. The following chart is a wind chill guide to winter danger and frostbite. The wind chill factors shown indicate the danger zones for when frostbite can occur within only 15 minutes of exposure. To use the information below you'll need to know two things. First: the actual temperature and secondly, a good guess at the wind speed. Note: for wind speeds under 5 miles per hour, there is no significant wind chill factor and for wind speeds above 45 miles per hour the wind has no further appreciable effect. Wind Chill / Frostbite Guidelines 30° F or greater. Chilly. Generally unpleasant. 15° F to - 30° F Cold. Unpleasant. 0° F to -15° F Very cold. Very unpleasant. - 0° F to - 20° F Bitter cold. Frostbite possible. 20° F to - 60° F Extremely cold. Frostbite likely. Outdoor activity becomes dangerous. -60° F or less Frigidly cold. Exposed flesh will freeze within 30 seconds. It's that time of year to stock up on your winter safety products at http://www.preparedpet.com/ Check out the wind chill chart from NOAA. Thank you to the folks at NOAA for a great explanation!