PetSugar

Peek Inside the 2010 Surf Dogs Calendar!

PetSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:56 -0700

Surfing is a skill I've yet to master but it's still fun to watch . . . and when you add dogs to the equation, it just becomes even more so. Check out this calendar's photo shoot - I'm stoked!

View Slideshow ›

Bare Bones: Pet Safe Electrical Cords

PetSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:00:17 -0700

If you have a furry little troublemaker on your hands – always trying to sink his teeth into something dangerous – then an electrical cord protector is a must have. Keeping a safeguard around your TV, cable, or stereo cords is a good idea so that your pet doesn't get the shock of his life when he feels the need to chew.

Thankfully, you can get a protector on the cheap at Ikea or by shopping online. This cord protector is only six bucks ($6) but can save you a ton of worry and hassle, and it's clear so you don't have too much of a distraction running along your floorboards. Best yet, if your pet doesn't know better than to take curious chews on cords, it's infused with a citrus scent to deter any naughty nibbles. When I lived with rabbits, however, we had something a little tougher, and a lot bigger, because they were quite the super chewers!

Source

6 Places For Pet-Proofing and Protection

PetSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:05:39 -0700

When it comes to dangerous items in your home, an accident is just something you haven't prevented yet. For furry families with nosy noses, check out six places you can make these pet-proofing and protection steps.

Pet-Proofing Your Laundry	Pet-Proofing Your Bathroom	Pet-Proofing Your Kitchen Area
Protect the Pumpkins	Protect the Toilet Paper	Protect the Electrical Cords

Keep Crates Cool With This K-9 Kooler!

PetSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:35:08 -0700

I know I don't need to remind you not to put a crated pup in direct sunlight - he's not trying to get a tan! In addition to also selecting a spot away from windows or heavy objects that could hurt him in an emergency, good ventilation is key. If your apartment gets super toasty (and you can't leave the a/c running while you're not home), pick up this K-9 Kooler.

On sale for just $9.50, it runs up to 100 hours on 2 D batteries - so more cost-saving than corded fans - and clips to any crate or kennel for home or travel use. Stay cool, dogs!

Mischa and Ziggy Take a Flexi(ble) Flight to The Beautiful Life

PetSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:10:09 -0700

What better flying companion than a pooch! Mischa Barton took off from LA with best pal, Ziggy, on their way to begin filming The Beautiful Life in NYC.

Sadly we can't see the surely stylin' collar, but I do spot what looks like an older model Flexi for her tiny Tibetan Spaniel - the retractable leads come in a rainbow of colors with cord or tape models available. Since they're in public, Mischa keeps the pooch on a short leash, but these range up to 26 feet long! If you're still unsure about the controversial style, check out more pictures of the twosome's JFK arrival below.

View 5 Photos ›

Pull the Cord and Kitty Critters Jitter!

PetSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:25:41 -0700

If you've got a playful cat that can't get enough chase, consider picking up – and putting down – a collection of Jitter Critters ($8) for your feline's frisky fun. All you do is pull the string of the mouse, squirrel, tiger or hedgehog versions and let your kitty do the rest . . . plus, there are no risky batteries involved for those chew-prone pets. Purrrfect!

Fabric Scraps Plus Catnip Equals One-of-a-Kind DIY Mice

PetSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:30:07 -0800

Did your lil kitty get everything her heart desired over the holidays? If you've got extra time to kill – or think your pal could use an extra toy to kill – check out these one-of-a-kind catnip mice. Wouldn't you rather see this laying around than a real mouse?!
Get started on the DIY project spotted by a pal of mine (Thanks, Casa!) by gathering the following supplies:

Patterned fabric for mouse body
Scrap fabric, preferably with a loose weave, for catnip pouch
Cotton cord, ribbon, or rick rack for the tail
Embroidery floss for face details
Catnip
Polyfil stuffing
Needle and thread

Get instructions when you read more.

Print out this pattern and cut out fabric as shown.
Tie a knot at one end of the cord for the tail and set aside.
For catnip core pouch, fold fabric and half, stitch two sides, add catnip, sew closed, and set aside.
Embroider a mouse face on the main fabric.

Lightly mark small circles on one side piece (two pins seen above towards the left side), the large circles on both side pieces (the blue dot), and begin by sewing the two sides together as shown (along the green dotted line) skipping the pinned parts.
Pin the tail at the large circle, match the slightly pointy end of the bottom piece to the large circle on the sides and pin together. Then sew back-and-forth, alternating sewing from tail to nose on one side and nose to tail on the other for reinforcement but don't sew between the two small circles.
Turn mouse right-side-out, gently poke out the nose with a pin. Add polyfill, catnip pouch and a bell or crinkly stuff if your pet's into that sort of the thing making sure to bury it well.
Sew the mouse closed and hand it off to kitty to enjoy!

(See the detailed instructions with step-by-step photos on Craftster.)

Source

Pet-Proofing Your Home: Tech Edition

PetSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:15:42 -0800

Next up in the pet-proofing series: pets and technology, a particularly sensitive subject for yours truly. Back before Mac laptops came with easy-off magnetic power cords, North made a flying leap off my bed and, with his back paw, my laptop also took flight before slamming shut on the hardwood floor!

Recovery and repair were out of my price range so, several hundred dollars later, I replaced the hard drive altogether… bringing my old one home in a sealed bag. To save you the same heartache from home-office accidents, I’ve got a couple of tips that I’ve learned the hard way. To start pet-proofing, it makes sense to get down on your pet's level. You may feel silly, but you can get a necessary perspective of what he could likely find to “investigate.”

To see the rest of my pet-proofing advice, read more

Large Objects. Secure objects that are heavy or easily moved. Lucky for me, North wasn’t harmed in the laptop adventure, and keep pets safe by making sure large objects are secure. Bookcases should be attached to the wall so if kitty takes a leap or pooch takes a slide, it can’t come down on top of them.
Small Objects. Keep dangerous items out of reach – that includes small supplies that could be sharp or pose a choking threat as well as office cleaning goods. Shiny objects are appealing, and there's only slight difference between a pencil... and a stick!
Cords. Cords can trip up both you and your pet. Make sure your cords are gathered together and secured to the floor or wall. Use cord covers (like CritterCord) and consider adding a natural, anti-chew spray with an unappealing smell and taste.

Source

Ten Tips 'Til The Holiday: Christmas Lights

PetSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:00:23 -0800

Next up, while decking out the tree, are those pretty twinklers! Unfortunately, Christmas lights still come with electric cords, and while we've already discussed dangers of cords from electronics, these cords are no different. Like babies, puppies often chew when they are teething – this puts them at the greatest risk of bad results from naughty nibbles. Many dogs chew to relieve stress and anxiety and, when stressed, anxious, or just plain curious, they often choose the nearest, least appropriate thing to chomp. To keep them safe, tack cords to the wall behind the tree out of pet's reach when they are not plugged in, and apply a chew deterrent like Grannick's Bitter Apple or Nature's Miracle Best Behavior Pet Training Aid to the wires. These products have a strong smell for pets that will discourage biting or licking. And remember, not only is chewing the cord dangerous, pets could also pull the tree down on top of them if it's not secure!

If you have a favorite anti-chew spray or solution for your pets, share it in your comments below!

Source

Cosmo: Pet of the Week

PetSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:30:42 -0700

Meet Cosmo, the Canasta playing cat. I don't know much about that card game, but I'm picturing old dudes and cigars . . . hmm, or cats. This little Ragdoll is one tough cookie, I mean kitty. When not playing this game (or professional poker, natch), he is staging a constant battle against his nemesis, the cable ~~army~~ armor. You see all he wants to do is eat cords – cell phone charger cords, PowerBook charger cords, Roomba charger cords, I have a feeling if it can charge, he will charge. Fortunately, it sounds like mom facin8me has them pretty well protected.

You may have noticed that I've switched up Pet of the Week! Because our lovely group was created back before us animal lovers had our own site – and the ability to add pets to our profiles – I'm gonna be delving into all the great added pets (and play which pet is cuter) and call out the cuties I see. I'll still be checking out the posts in the POTW group, but I wanted to also show some love to users who spent lots of time adding beautiful pictures, galleries, and pet profiles to your own TeamSugar page!