Happy New Year all! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/imyE4fLUuE/

Sleepy Simon on a rainy afternoon #dogsofpawsct by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ihDfRPrUiW/

Hiking #oliver by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ibi5NurUhx/

Cuddly wuddly Roger by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/iUjD64rUtW/

Rosie #dogsofpawsct

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/iMljXfNvur/

Baby Ruth #dogsofpawsct

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/iMcDEINvgv/

Twas the night before Thanksgiving... by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/hPL1FcLUvK/

by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ggcOQqrUt-/

Happy Howloween! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gIc-75rUrQ/

Early morning walk at Cranbury Park with Oliver by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/f8IWpZLUvo/

by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/f4yAGOLUnp/

Walkies! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fvApiarUmD/

Review: CLIMBERS Rope Leash from Zippy Paws

ZippyPaws (check out their Facebook page here) contacted me a while back and asked if I would be willing to review their CLIMBERS Rope Leash. With four dogs of my own and as a volunteer dog walker at a shelter, naturally I said yes!

First, a little background on ZippyPaws. In business since 2011, ZippyPaws is a boutique supplier of some pretty neat, select products. Check out their Holiday page - who can resist a holiday hedgehog toy? Of course, with my active destructive chewers, stuffies are not an option, so I'd probably go for one of the rubber toys like the Tuff-Tire. I'll also have to check out Throw-A-Robin, a soft toy/rope combo - I think Oliver (not a tough chewer) would love chasing this! Products are reasonably priced, and, with free shipping on orders over $10, you really can't go wrong.

Now, on to the review! The CLIMBERS Rope Leash is made from the same material used for mountain climbing rope. It's tough and durable, yet lightweight and appropriate for dogs of most sizes (I probably wouldn't use it on very small dogs, but it's definitely great for very large ones!). I've seen these leashes before, but I've always loved my leather leash and never had a reason to try anything else. Hey, it's served me well for over 15 years! But, sometimes you have to crawl out of your comfy box and try something new.

Oliver and I went to Cranbury Park, a beautiful setting of 220+ acres with trails, a pavilion/picnic area, a playground for children, a large dog park, a mansion for event rentals, and even a small theater which stages plays from late spring into early fall. The best part is that it's dog friendly and as long as your dog is under your voice control, he can go off-leash on the trails.


I have to say, I really liked this leash - it's comfortable in my hand, unlike a web leash, and has very little stretch which is one of my reasons for preferring leather - I don't want something that stretches out and takes the control from me. I always felt in control with this leash. And when we walk at Cranbury, I let the leash drag behind Oliver. It never caught on anything and he picked it up several times, so it earned his Paw of Approval, too!

Bottom Line: We both highly recommend this leash. It's comfortable, durable without being bulky, good-looking, and affordable at $19.95 for the six foot leash. Check out ZippyPaws!

Gallaher Mansion

"Quit it with the pics, mum, let's get movin'!"

CLIMBERS is a tough, rugged design,
perfect for active pooches.

Silly Dog walks himself

After the walk, two paws of approval, neither dog nor leash worse for the wear!

Where's Waldo, um... Oliver?

Rest Little Pip, There ARE Cheeseburgers in Doggy Heaven!

Brave little Pip made his final journey yesterday. Please go over to visit Pip's humans and fur-siblings.

Pip made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing so hard! He'll be missed and will always have a place in our hearts.

Rest in peace my little friend! xoxo

Boo getting cuddles by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/foIq7gLUnC/

She might stand in the water bowl now and then, but her blood work came back A-OK. Take that, kidney disease! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fffWlkLUme/

All I wanna do is plant some stinkin' daffodils. But I keep running into these. I think the last glacier that moved through CT stopped in front of my house. by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fanTcGLUk1/

Lucy, beyond thrilled to be in the car (she hates it) by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/faFewZrUrc/

It's Charlie and her great pumpkin! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/faCIYDLUng/

Shhhhh... Someone's sleeping... by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fQkJfjLUqw/

With hazel eyes, Capone is such a stunning boy! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fJDqsYrUtR/

Beautiful eyes! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/fGiSAlrUsg/

Strut Your Mutt - NYC

A few of us represented PAWS of Norwalk, CT in this past weekend's Strut Your Mutt in New York City. The weather was spectacular and the festival was a lot of fun.

Jenny from PAWS and I got to meet Gregory Castle, one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society. She charmed Gregory and everyone she met - why is this little girl still waiting for a home?! Jenny also got to meet Will Estes from CBS' Blue Bloods during the kissing contest! She lost, but was okay with that - a sweet little pit bull won!

Less-than-flattering pic of me - with Jenny doing what she does best: Giving kisses!

Jenny giving sniffs of approval

Archie at PAWS #catsofpawsct by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/ejbyEtLUha/

@papa_roxy Charlie's new tag - thank you, Auntie Roxy! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dkw7WPrUgR/

Lazy day by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dfBBexrUqj/

Thank you, auntie Roxy! @papa_roxy by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dX5-GGrUql/

There's pretty, then there's gahgeous! by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dW_-X5LUsc/

Rosie at PAWS #dogsofpawsct by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dH2H55LUu8/

Review: Prime Pet Supply

I was contacted a while back to do a review of Prime Pet Supply. Serkan at Prime gave me a credit to spend any way I wanted - so I set off to shop, shop, shop! I ordered a few things that we needed, then asked my furry assistants to help me review them.

Prime Pet Supply has an attractive and easy-to-navigate site, offers auto-ship (ensuring that your pets will never go hungry again because Stupid Human forgot to stop and pick up food!), and free shipping on orders over $69.

It should be noted that Prime carries higher-end dog foods, and at very good prices (at least compared to what they'd cost in local pet supply stores in Fairfield County, CT). Couple that with free shipping over $69 and the fact that you won't have to go to the pet supply store and lug around heavy bags of food = excellent stuff!

My shopping booty!

My first purchase was a harness for Oliver. Prime carries lots of harnesses, and I went for the Puppia soft harness. Second, I went for the EarthRated eco-friendly poop bags - which happen to be lavender-scented. Since we bring our own reusable totes to the store, we have few plastic bags hanging around the house any more. I like that these are biodegradable and come in a small, handy dispenser that attaches to my leash. The last thing I chose was a set of PAWZ rubber booties for Lucy. She's having problems getting up on slippery floors, so I thought this would be a good solution for her. (She thought differently.)

My lovely model, Oliver, was happy to show off his new harness. I love the Puppia soft harness because it doesn't rub or irritate his oh-so-tender body. He likes it, too:

With a glint in his eye, and a smile on his face...

"Okay, I did my part, now let's go for a walk!"

Charlie is very happy with the scent of the poop bags from EarthRated. She's also thrilled that they're biodegradable!

"Hmmmm... smells like flowers, not poo."

Of course, Oliver had to get in on the action, too.

The PAWZ were less-than-popular with Lucy - who wouldn't even let me put them on her. But, I've seen dogs at the shelter wear these happily. They're comfortable, don't slip off, and give the dog a natural feeling of the ground beneath them. It's not like wearing booties which can be so foreign feeling to a dog. And PAWZ are water-, salt-, mud-, etc.-proof, and are easy to rinse off and keep clean.

"I think this is a cookie, but I'll have to wait and see."

Overall, I was very happy with the offerings at Prime Pet Supply. I placed my order on a Sunday and received it on Tuesday - not bad considering I didn't ask for expedited delivery. Based on reviews on the web, their customer service seems to be excellent - people LOVE Serkan! Although my brands of dog food (Wellness and Merrick) aren't on their site, as I said, they do offer higher-end foods, auto-ship, and free shipping over $69 - hard to beat.

We give Prime Pet Supply a huge thumbs-up. Visit them today and take a look at the great stuff they have to offer!

From the hibiscus tee that won't stop giving by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/dCzHZWrUmd/

Olivia - sweet and silly, and so darned cute! #dogsofpawsct by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/c2UQOtrUoi/

My pal by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/c2R0VdrUj2/

Dear Trouper, I love you and I miss you

Fifteen and one-half years. That's how old we think you were when we had to let you go. We rescued you from New England Border Collie Rescue in 1999. Were you a year old at the time? Older?

We lived in Guilford when you first came home, and you ran right into the brook and sloshed your way along in the water. A happy, silly dog. It's ironic that after you ran away last month we found you at the edge of a brook so close to home, exhausted and confused. Even at 15 1/2, with bad arthritis and weak legs, I somehow expected you to pull through. I never expected you to leave us five days later. You really were a Trouper. You were my Trouper, and letting you go was so hard but it was the right thing to do.

I could write 40 pages about you and our lives together. You were so very loved! And you gave so much love back! I'll start by saying that you lived a good, long life. I'm glad we could give you that; Almost 15 wonderful years filled with car rides, walks, playing in the yard with your dog siblings, and cuddles, lots of cuddles. You spent your days lounging on your human's beds and your nights snuggled against my chest, fast asleep in my arms. You were an expert cuddler, and you were so loving that I nicknamed you Casanova. You couldn't get enough attention from us! And it was easy to give it to you; such a handsome and loving boy, plopped on our laps even though you weighed 55 pounds - hardly a lap dog!

When you first joined the family, I took you for training and we were part of a class of about 25 dogs. You would sit patiently by my side, waiting for the next command (each of which, I might add, you perfected quickly and executed perfectly). At the end of each session the trainer would go around the circle, summarizing each pair - human and dog - and tell them what needed work. "You have to work on sit," "you have to work on down," etc., etc. How many times did she get to us and say "he's smarter than you and that will never change" and move on to the next pair? (She was right but it still wasn't nice!) You always anticipated my next move and, in synch, we moved through life complementing each other perfectly.

You did have a little bit of the devil in you, though. Remember when you first came home, ran into the kitchen and leaped up on the island? I couldn't stop laughing, staring at you, standing on the counter with that crazy tail wagging and a huge, happy grin, as if to say "d'ya like my new trick?" but you never did it again. You seemed to know it just wasn't where dogs belonged. Or, you got it out of your system. You kinda made your own decisions.

I have so many wonderful memories of life with you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to love you, and for loving us back. You made each day a little more interesting, a little more amusing, and a lot more fulfilling.

Now, you're at The Bridge and your pain is gone - only happiness fills your heart! Chester, Rudy, Max, and all the others who've gone before you will show you the way, and one day we'll all be reunited.

I love you, Casanova, and I can't stop missing you.

Sleepy by oliver2day

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/cmv2MXLUkE/