Remembering Your "Other" Family Member.

As you know, Christmas is coming. This is a time for rejoicing and being with family. If you are like I am, my dog, Chance, is a big part of my family. My step-son is 18 now and Christmas is really for little children, so, we will spend on Chance. My step-son just wants money so he can pick out what he wants. I saw a great article in the paper on Nov. 18Th about a boutique called Ooh LaLa in Westmoreland. I had heard about this shop from a lady that had her little poodle, Cubby, in the same obedience class as Chance at Timbral Pet Services. I haven't been to this boutique myself, but I plan to now that I have seen this article. They carry luxury items such as Juicy Couture and Ed Hardy. But, they also have outfits that fit dogs from teacup size to 100 pounds. Other items include playpens, which are great for the toy breeds, collars, stairs for the pet that isn't as spry as they used to be, and much more. If you get a chance, take a trip to Westmoreland and check them out. Remember, when buying treats, rawhide treats are O.K., but they can cause gastric problems, such as blockage, bloating, and they can cause the gums to bleed if you let your dog chew for long periods. Let your dog chew for awhile, and then take the treat and put it up, substituting with a toy. Also, any stuffed toys need careful supervision. Your dog may be a chewer/tearer and will get the stuffing out of the toy and possibly ingest it. I have a friend that had to have surgery on his German Shepherd because she decided she liked the inside better of her stuffie and tore it out and ate it. Her intestinal tract became blocked, resulting in surgery. Keeping your pet happy and healthy is so important. Remember, dogs and cats have feelings. Dogs, more than cats, actually feel left out. Dogs are pack animals, as cats are solitary creatures. But, that does not mean that they (cats) can't and don't feel left out, too. Have a great holiday and remember to give a little extra attention to your "other" family member(s).