Dogs should play with skunk dog toys instead of real skunks!

After Betsy’s late night adventure, with a skunk, I decided to research how to remove skunk order from a dog.  I am surprised at all of the home remedies.  Most of them include alcohol, and recommend that you apply it to the dog, as well as yourself.

Unfortunately, usually dogs get sprayed in the face.  I recommend that you very carefully, apply these remedies with a cloth to a dog’s face.  Make sure you avoid their eyes.  Also…don’t let your dog drink any of these de-skunking solutions!

Here are the skunk order removal recipes that I found:

• 1 quart peroxide or white vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda, & 1 to 2 tsp dish soap. Leave this solution on for 5 to 10 minutes, rinse, then bathe with dog shampoo.

• Cheap Vodka — rub it in, let it set, and then shampoo it out thoroughly.  Drink some while it is setting.

• Tomato juice, sauce, canned tomatoes, and tomato soup — reportedly they work.  Some people say to leave it on until it dries.  I am not sure how Betsy would have reacted to that.  Make sure you thoroughly rinse this solution off your dog; I do not think this acid would be good for your dog’s skin.

• Half Vodka and half tomato juice combination.  They did not recommend that the dog chew on celery, but it does seem appropriate.

• Massengill Douche powder, mix it 2 to 3 times as strong as they suggest and bathe the dog in it.

• Beer — wash your dog with regular dog shampoo, and then apply two cans of beer for every 10 pounds.  Let it soak then rinse and rinse.  It is recommended that you drink some as well.

• Mint or Cinnamon mouthwash.  I am not kidding!  Use it like shampoo, rinse, and bathe again.

Someone told me you should never apply water directly to the area where the skunk sprayed because it sets the order.  I am guess that is why these are all alcohol or acid based formulas.

Whatever you decide, I recommend that you wear gloves or your hands will smell like skunk for days.  I walked around for days asking if I smelled like skunk.

I would love to hear your home remedy to remove skunk smell from your dog.

Big & Little Alfonzo Frog Dog Toy

Organic dog toys…Betsy and Norman just approved a new line of organic dog toys.  Flat Katz dog toys are manufactured by Loopies.  The fronts are made from organic cotton and the back side from soybean plush.  Plus the dyes are responsible safe dyes…good for the environment and safe for your dog.

Betsy is happy because now we have furry eco friendly dog toys…she loves furry toys.  Norman is wagging his tail because these natural dog toys are thin…all the better to reach the squeaker.  Both Betsy & Norman think these environmentally friendly dog toys will help the earth.

These Flat Katz designs are just so fun.  All of the names have the letter “z” in them: Rozcoe the Katz, Razzle the Puppy, Zsa Zsa the Cat, Spaz the Cat, Carl the bunny (woops…there is no “Z” in that name!), Zippy the Dog, Zigfried the Squirrel, and Alfonzo the Frog.  The are certainly a zany group.

Now even our little dog friends who love tiny dog toys can have organic dog toys too!  Because the Tiny Flat Katz are under 4 inches tall!  We think that these toys are going to be a big hit with all of our dog friends.

We have lots of natural dog toys for our earth loving dog friends.

Where The Dogs Live in Chino Valley Arizona

You might wonder where in the world Chino Valley Arizona is…and you might wonder why we moved BestFriends General Store there.  Well, Chino Valley is on Arizona State Highway 89, north of Prescott.  We call Highway 89, the road to nowhere…and that is why we love it here.  Even though it is a state highway, we frequently take our long evening walks along it.

OK…now why did we move here?  Well, we use to live in Laveen Arizona…it is just outside Phoenix.  One July night, mom and dad were heading to the airport at 2AM and it was 102 degrees!  That is why we wanted to move.  We moved to Chino Valley because we found two fully fenced acres, next to horse farms, beautiful sun rises, amazing sunsets, and everything we need is within 1 1/2 miles.  You just don’t find rural settings where everyone is so friendly and you can walk anywhere you need to go.

The weather is great here…it is everything a dog could want.  A little snow, lots of sunshine, some rain (for an occasional mud bath), and lots of blue sky.

Well that is who we got here and why we LOVE Chino Valley Arizona!

Norman & I will be showing you all the fun things to do in Chino Valley Arizona…just think of us as your guides to the Best of Chino!

Oh dear…I have not been keeping up with my “how to stop re-zoning” steps.  I have been busy approving dog toys, which is a hard job but some dog has to do it.

Mom and dad just got home from the Chino Valley Arizona Planning & Zoning meeting.  First, it seemed that the P&Z Commission was not going to approve the development because of the problem with so many cars entering a two-lane Arizona state highway.  In addition, ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) said all of the cars and RV’s can only go to the right unless the developer does some fancy report.  Hmmm…if they can only go to the right…it will take them right back down our street.  Anyway, several of the Commissioners said they could not approve it.  Then the developer said, that they would stipulate that the approval was only if ADOT approved a traffic light or a roundabout.  So, the Commissioners approved the requests, with the stipulation.

Now, some dog might think that this is the end and put their tails between their legs.  Not me I have a whole new plan!  It is top secret; however, I can tell you it is going to take a lot of people telling the council what they want for their town.

Let me tell you about roundabouts.  My mom just loves roundabouts.  Traffic enters from every street and they go around in a circle until the come to the place that they want to get off.  I think my mom is the only person in Chino Valley that likes them.  They are going to put a new roundabout at 4 North…so if they put one at 3 1/2 North everyone will be getting dizzy.  If they do not put a roundabout in then they will put a traffic light.  Boy, oh boy…I think someone is going to kick us out of town because since we move to Chino Valley, almost two years ago, there has been three, maybe four new traffic lights!

There is more news!  Apparently, they are talking about putting a stop sign at 3 1/2 North and 1 East!  That is so when all of the traffic comes out of 3 1/2 North to 1 East they at least will not hit each other.  Just think…our little rural street will have a stop sign.  Now, that is certainly a sign of progress…don’t you think.  Oh…did I tell you that the stop sign would be right in front of the Vineyard…the one that has a lush country feel?

I will be back posting about how to stop re-zoning…when my secret mission is done!

This morning I promised Kenn Bell, of The Dog Files, that I would help him find the perfect dog toy for Max that will last!  According to Kenn, he thinks Max is a busy Destroy Loving Dog.  (Here is how to determine your dog’s Playing Style)

So, first we need to gather some background.  Ken, can you tell me what dog toy Max loves most, what toy has lasted the longest, and how does Max destroy his toys.  By how he destroys his dog toys, I mean does he rip them apart to find out what is inside, is he just determined to destroy them, does he love to de-stuff them and create a stuffing snow storm, etc.?

Lately, customers are calling asking for help in finding the perfect toy for their dog.  Therefore, I thought it would be helpful if we started a conversation about finding nearly indestructible dog toys.  I say nearly…because NO dog toy is indestructible.  However, by observing your dog’s Playing Style and finding out what dog toys have lasted for them…I will make recommendations on what dog toy I think your dog will love and will last for them.

To get your very own recommendation, just enter a comment with your dog’s name and their dog toy challenge.  Include the dog toy that has lasted the longest for them, and their favorite dog toy.   Then the dog toy expert will help you find that perfect toy.

Now that you have everyone barking about the development…it is time for you to do your research. Norman and I headed over to the Chino Valley Arizona Town Hall to see if the Mayor Bunker was in; however, we decided to do some exploring at Memory Park first. Memory Park…hey, I have an auntie Memory but, this park was not named after her my mom said…auntie Memory I think you need to come to see me! Back to Memory Park, there are many good sniffs at the park, Norman and I sniffed them all. Some of the sniffs told us about the Mayor and Council members…we are going to put that to good use. They even have a playground at Memory Park…but, it is not very big and there were no children there. Norman and I tried to figure out how to play on the equipment…but we need children to show us.

Then we went to Town Hall…the Mayor was not there…maybe because it was Sunday. If you go to talk to the Mayor, you should probably find out if he is in his office first. I know if I barked my concerns to Mayor Bunker, he would surely agree with me.

You can find many things out at Town Hall. The first thing that you can find out is where the other offices are…like Development Services…that is the department that handle all of the new zoning and building requests. Sure wish they were there because the first thing I would have asked is if they always approve all re-zoning requests or if they ever agree with the neighbors. I think that is a good question don’t you?

When you go to Town Hall, be prepared, and have a list of questions to ask…that is Step Four!

Norman & Betsy at Memory Park Chino Valley Arizona

Betsy & Norman doing sniffing research at Memory Park "Hey, Norman I think this dog had information about Council Member Joel Baker

Hey Norman...can you see how to play with this thing? We really need children to show us how.

I think the more people who know what is happening in Chino Valley Arizona, the better! This morning mom was talking to a customer who lives in Chino Valley on the south end of the town. Her dog just LOVES Durango Chiplets dog treats (by the way, they are really yummy)! When mom was taking her order she mentioned the re-zoning of the land across the street from us. Our customer said she read it in the paper and that they are not happy about a KOA Kampground in Chino Valley Arizona…at all!

As they talked our customer said that awhile ago, before the housing bust, the town approved a hundred acre subdivision across the street from them. They were not happy; however, it turned out that the new subdivision would be 1 acre lots and that the homes would start in the $400,000′s. The developer got all the streets and utilities in…then nothing has happed!

100 Acre Subdivision With No Houses

As you can see from the picture there are street signs and stop signs…but no houses. Our customer said that the neighbors do not mind because it is a great place to walk your dog…no one complains if your dog pees on the fire hydrants! BOL! BOL! (bark out loud)

Our customer is so upset that the town would approve another development, especially a fancy trailer park, that they are going to come to the zoning meetings.

So, step three is tell every one about the meetings the more people giving their opinions the merrier! I bet then city council never figured on how powerful a bark-fest could be!

I just found out that I am famous with the people who love PetSafe pet products, which include shock collars. Betsy has been “talking” with Tom Clements on facebook — he owns the Mutt-alica, The Grrrrreatest Show On All Four Paws. They have been conversing about the KOA Kampground that may go in across the street from us. We have really enjoyed our conversation and learning about his dogs.

Imagine my surprise when I went to Muttalica.com and found that his new sponsor is PetSafe! For those of you who do not know, PetSafe makes dog shock collars among other pet products. RSC, Radio Systems Corporation makes the Pet Safe products…yep, you remembered didn’t you, they just merged with Premier Pet Products. Not only is PetSafe one of Tom Clements sponsors…his home page says, “Mutt-allica wishes to welcome aboard our new sponsor PetSafe! They are a wonderful company based out of Tennessee. We love that there main focus is keeping pups at home where they belong! We are happy to say we use PetSafe products daily! Click on their logo to visit there awesome website, tell them Mutt-allica sent ya!”

When I read that quote, I was shocked that someone who seemed to love his dogs so much would be supporting a company that makes dog shock collars.

Well…it seems that I mis-understood Tom Clements…here is his letter to us (in it entirety)
=
“Tom ClementsApril 30, 2010 at 6:44pm
Subject: Pet Safe
Candy,
I didnt appreciate what you wrote on my wall, I will keep this short (well probably not). You dont know me, you dont know what PetSafe products I use or dont use. For your information the collars I do use are the “Vibration” collars. I use these for my deaf dogs (5), they are harmless, they are not the “static type collars” I’m a vocal promoter of positive reinforcement training methods.

However with that said I do have a stance on static collars/fences but of course you didnt ask me so I wont explain here.

I do know of your Premier Product ties and your complaints about the merger, to be honest if I knew that Betsy Farmdog was Candy Blakeslee I would never had accepted that friend request, I just dont need your sort of drama in my life.

I have been responsible for rescuing and finding homes for hundreds of dogs, I currently have 22, most are not performers but dogs that couldnt survive in this world if someone like me didnt take a chance on them. To assume because I have PetSafe ties I use static collars is irresponsible. In the least you should have asked me in private what is my relationship with them. I would welcome some adult conversation on this.

If I go by your method, anyone that shops in a Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, MFA’s etc. etc. use static collars because heck they are sold there!

I will save us both the time and energy and just remove you from my friends. Now I feel bad I tried to help you out with that KOA info, just trying to ease your mind a bit in case the zoning laws came to past.

Sheeze, need to watch whom I make friends with these days. ”

Because I have been banned from his page…here is my response…

Dear Tom,

What a great idea to use vibration collars on deaf dogs! I applaud you in your rescue efforts and for giving un-adoptable dogs a home. I just cannot imagine having 22 dogs in my house; however, then again you did say that you traveled with 16 dogs. It must certainly be a barking good time!

Because of your public support of PetSafe…”We are happy to say we use PetSafe products daily!”…is why I made the public comment. I sure wish your home page said that you use their vibration products on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many people will mis-understand your message and think, as I did, that you support the shocking of dogs. I am so glad to find that you are a “vocal promoter of positive reinforcement training methods.”

I might be missing something, but I do not ever remember seeing a sign in Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, etc that said “We are happy to say we use PetSafe products daily!” Or that, “They are a wonderful company based out of Tennessee. We love that there main focus is keeping pups at home where they belong!”

Actually, Tom this is exactly what I was afraid of when RSC merged with Premier Pet Products…good people who love dogs are now being enticed, by money, into supporting shock collars. They are working very hard, and it looks like it is successful, to legitimize dog shock collars. Now they even have you, supporting them. If you think you are NOT supporting shock collars, ask them how much of their sales come from dog door versus shock collars. I think you will find the answer…well, shocking.

Thank you Tom for letting me know that my name now stands AGAINST RSC, PetSafe, and hurting dogs!

Thanks to Pepper, Gizmo, Cora, Norman, and the Basset Hounds last night went great! We think the news barked all the way to Prescott. Thanks to Winston, who is going to get his dad to tell all of the local RV parks about the Chino Valley Arizona Planning & Zoning Commission meeting! Trisha’s mom is going to the local motel, hotel, and the Bed & Breakfast to let them know what is happening. Now I am sure there will be lots of humans at the meeting…that is what we need to stop the zoning change…lots of people giving their opinions.

Dad has been going to all of the Safe Yield water meetings, for some time. Now mom is going to all of the city council meetings and the other Planning & Zoning meetings. She also called the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce to learn how they think this project will benefit Chino Valley, but they have not called her back. I told mom and dad, if you want the city Council to listen to you, then you should show them that you are willing to participate in the city.

Tomorrow…step three…

Road 1 East Chino Valley Arizona -- all of these trees are at risk because of this proposed development.

Chino Valley KOA Kampground Spot -- a little ways back from Arizona State Highway 89...trees are NOT included