This is a product and educational blog for anyone who is interested in doing the best for their pets! L4P is located in the beautiful Kern County mountains in Lake of the Woods, CA. Come visit!
7025 Cuddy Valley Road
661-245-1886
Exciting is the word to describe the big Holiday celebration for all the kids, old & young alike, to take place in lovely Pine Mountain Club, this Saturday 12/15.
First off, we are looking for dog participants in the parade. The parade starts at 1:30 so if you and your dog want to participate meet me at Lola 4 Pets by 1:00. If your dog has holiday attire, hats, antlers, anything festive, that would be great! It's going to be a lot of fun so please participate!
Not only will there be a parade, but there will be kids activities, including a visit by Santa. Many businesses are participating with music, food and drink. Later in the day there is a special event at the PMC Clubhouse.
At L4P, we will be hosting Michi's Magic Bookshelf starting at 11am. We may also have some pets for adoption from Mountain Communities SPCA. Should be a fun day for EVERYONE including your pets! See you there!!
A few posts ago I discussed separation anxiety in dogs. Did you know that this condition can also be affecting your cat? It's true, some cats hate to be alone and find it very stressful. Here is an interesting article explaining some of the signs that your cat may be suffering from separation anxiety.
Exciting news, beginning Dec.2nd, L4P will be open on Sundays from 12-4 all of December! Also, Lola 4 Pets will have a booth at the December 1st Holiday Faire in Frazier Park. It's going to be a blast and I expect that everyone on the mountain will come out for a good time. The Faire starts around 10am and goes until 7pm! The parade is at 4pm so make sure to be there for that! So much fun! L4P will have lots of stuff for your pets like toys and treats. This is my first time doing this so I'm a little nervous but I think it will be great. The store in PMC will be open as usual this Saturday (10-4) so you can still buy what you need, but I'm taking a bunch of holiday stuff down to the festival so if you are Xmas shopping you may just need to see me in FP... or on Sunday.
Over-eating whether it's you or your pets on Thanksgiving!
Los Angeles Animal Services Important Pet Alert
Over-eating during Thanksgiving can be serious for pets too!
Thanksgiving is the time of year when family and friends get together to enjoy each other’s company and a myriad of delicious foods. We have a tendency to include our four-legged family members in this feast, which often results in overindulgence. Even when we don’t purposely include them, the agile and creative dog or cat can capture a special treat from the kitchen counter, trash or even the dining room table!
Thanksgiving weekend is also a busy time for emergency veterinary clinics. Dogs and cats suffer very serious and sometimes fatal consequences from turkey bones, too much rich and fatty foods and just plain overeating. If your pet is not acting like himself or herself, consult your veterinarian. Your best friend could be seriously ill.
It is difficult to comprehend, but when giving pets treats you must consider the relative size of their body compared to yours. If you weigh 150 pounds and your dog weighs 25 pounds, he or she is only 1/6th of your total weight. If you visualize yourself as a whole pie, comparatively your dog is only one slice of pie. Consequently, sharing an unfinished plate that still holds a generous serving of mashed potatoes with gravy, a side of very rich dressing, a few bites of turkey and a small slice of pumpkin pie with your best friend can make him or her feel miserable.
You do want your pets to enjoy the holiday. Stop by a pet food store and purchase some new dog biscuits or cat treats; then reduce the amount of their regular meal to accommodate the treats they will be getting throughout the day. Remember, biscuits and treats are usually much higher in calories than regular pet food so having them skip dinner may be a prudent choice if they have been snacking all day.
If you are planning a quiet holiday at home without a lot of company and confusion, and you don’t already have a dog or cat to share your life with, this could be the perfect time to visit one of our six Los Angeles City Centers and fall in love with your new best friend. You can get him or her settled in while you have a couple of days off work. What better way to give thanks than to give an orphaned shelter pet a home? You will be repaid with unconditional love and laughs for years to come.
Los Angeles Animal Services is one of the largest municipal shelter systems in the United States with six shelters serving approximately 60,000 animals annually and responding to 20,000 emergency calls involving an animal or person in danger each year. Visit us on the web athttp://www.laanimalservices.com.
Well, first off, Halloween was a blast here in PMC. Trunk or Treat had a huge turn out and everyone seemed to have a great time. L4P ran out of treats by about 6pm which is crazy because I bought a lot of candy! I was very happy to see all the kids and I think some people notice L4P for the first time.
With Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving only weeks away, it seems we are now in holiday mode full throttle. As a new store owner, it can be tricky to know when to start putting out Christmas items. I'm doing a little bit at a time and saving the big stuff for December 1st which is the BIG Frazier Park Holiday event where L4P will have it's own little booth with lots of fun stuff.
Also, we are planning on offering groovy gift baskets with all your favorite doggie or kittie stuff in it. You can even pre-order a basket if you are thinking ahead! You can either pick out what you want in a custom basket or you can order a basket that I fill with goodies. The baskets I make are for either small, medium or large dogs. Smalls are $30, Mediums are $40 and Larges are $50. The basket has toys, treats, collar/leash, a winter sweater, etc. If you are interested give me a call at 242-1886.
Also, I have 2 MC SPCA kittens for adoption who are coming with me to the store most days. I'm calling them Yin and Yang for obvious reasons...
Lot's of new items here at the store and right now the weather is WARM!!! Get out and about, it's gorgeous. However, rumor has it that on Thursday it will be very chilly indeed so don't think winter isn't coming this year... Come visit us soon!
Hey, before you know it Halloween will be here! I'm looking forward to the Trunk or Treat event on Halloween and I hope I will have a lot of visitors.
Even though Halloween is a lot of fun for everyone there are some safety issues involved especially for your pets.
If you take your pet out with you for some trick or treats, be sure to keep your pet on a leash and it's a good idea to use something reflective so you can keep a close eye on Fido's whereabouts. He could get spooked! Most importantly, keep candy and chocolate away from all your pets. Chocolate can be lethal!
If you are considering adding a new dog to your home, you should really consider one or both of these wonderful dogs, Ziggy and Arnie.
Both belong to an Frazier Park person who rescued them from a situation where they were tethered all the time, often without water or food. How sad is that!?
Now the rescuer needs rescuing. She is overwhelmed with caring for these dogs while being ill. She did this good dead and now I hope that someone can do a good dead for her.
Please network these dogs if you can and if you know anyone who may be interested, please contact me right away! 661-242-1886.
I recently read an article about how most pets, cats and dogs, do not get enough moisture in their diet. Much like people, animals don't necessarily drink as much water as their body needs. In fact, a lack of water has very negative effects on the organs which require a substantial amount of water to run at full efficiency. This is one reason we see so many kidney and urinary tract problems with our pets, especially with cats.
Out in the wild, way back when, our companion animals hunted for their food and ate what they caught. The moisture available from the animal food source was high, about 70% moisture, plus the animals drank water in addition to what they ate. Now think about what our pets eat most of the time now, dry kibble that contains about 10% moisture.
Not that kibble is terrible and of course some are better than others. That said, there is still little moisture in a cup of kibble and that's a problem.
One way to deal with this discrepancy is to provide moist foods in addition to the dry food. One can do this by simply adding some warm water into the dry food and letting the water absorb some of the flavor from the kibble. Freeze dried foods where you add water to rehydrate the food is another great option to add to your pet's diet. Canned wet food can provide additional moisture as well since this type of food is about 75% water. Of course read the labels and choose a wet food that contains wholesome ingredients!
Cats in particular are less inclined to drink from a bowl (non-moving water source) so it is recommended to provide a water source that appeals to your cats natural instinct. Even still, your pet is more than likely not drinking as much as he really needs so it's important to sneak some moisture in your pet's diet so he gets all that he needs. You pet's organs will thank you!!
Continuing the theme of moisture and diet here is a link to another really interesting article on moisture content in dry food and how to get a better reading on the actual amounts of protein and fat in your pet's food: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/choosing-dog-food/dry-matter-basis/
Wouldn’t it be cool to see your favorite canine featured on a bag or can of CANIDAE Natural Pet Food? Well, now’s your chance!
Yesterday, CANIDAE announced an exciting new photo contest for dog owners. If your photo is selected as the winner, you might get to see your four legged friend on a CANIDAE pet food package.
That would certainly be something to brag about, right? But wait, there’s more! The winner will receive a one year free supply of CANIDAE dog food, too!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Submit your best photos of your dog. CANIDAE is looking for only high quality photos with your dog looking directly into the camera. Large file sizes preferred with 5MB as the maximum size. You can submit as many photos as you like until the contest closes on October 31, 2012. During the contest you and everyone else can vote for your favorite entries. CANIDAE staff will select the final grand prize winner.
THE PRIZE
The grand prize winner receives FREE Pet Food for One Year!! All photos submitted become property of CANIDAE and may be used for commercial purposes including packaging, websites and any type of marketing or advertising material.
What are you waiting for? Submit your best photo today via the CANIDAE Facebook page.
Terms and conditions apply. See contest for details.
Okay, so you probably already know I like to shop... I'm working on getting in some of the cool products that I saw at SuperZoo in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. In fact I finally got in my first product from the show called the Dirty Dog Doormat. So much more than your standard doormat though...
This mat holds 7x its weight in moisture, repels dirt and is pretty darn cute to look at. It's very soft to the touch so your dogs will love it (so will you). Definitely goes inside the door and not outside. I will be using this when the wet weather starts at every entrance, that is for sure. Don't forget it's an El Nino year!
You can also use this mat in a dog crate or just as a place to lay down. I just love this thing! It's very reasonably priced, $25 for the medium and $35 for the large. Comes in red, beige with red and brown with black.
What a cute item for anyone's home!
My next new product is something that I think people up here in the mountains will really like. This is an indoor potty for your dog. It can also be outdoors on your deck for instance. I mean who wants to walk your dog in the dark especially in the cold winter months! Now you can have this product readily available for those times when it's just not convenient to go outside!
My favorite design feature is the "hike shield" for your little leg lifter. What a nifty idea! :-)
This indoor potty also isn't the "usual" fake grass from the past that retained all those nasty smells. This product drains easily to the plastic container and then the ribbed design makes it super stable and easy to drain as well. The entire design revolutionizes this type of product. The "grass" is replaceable too as it will deteriorate over time, but it's a long time. The designer of this product was in the carpet business so she gets it. The grass is easily washed with Dawn detergent and is then good as new. You even can throw it in the washer if you like. I would use a hose with the Dawn myself.
These potties come in Large and Small. Small is for your little dogs & puppies, Large is good for medium size dogs. Maybe you can use two large ones for a big dog?! :-)
I am an advocate of training your dog. Not so much for doing tricks and such although that is a lot of fun, but in creating a language that you both understand. Training gives you control and a form of communication. We are not all dog whisperers unfortunately so learning how to communicate is the best we can do.
My background in training comes mainly from 5 years of training shelter dogs for LA Animal Services in West LA. During that time I studied with Animal Behavior College and I completed their certification course. I am now a mentor trainer for ABC. I continue to take seminars with well-known trainers such as Sue Sternberg and Pia Silvani. I love working with dogs and find them to be wonderful students.
There are many methodologies used in dog training and although I prefer using positive reinforcement for your average dog who doesn't have major issues, that doesn't mean there isn't validity in using other methods. However, what I like about positive reinforcement methods is that:
Anyone can do it.
It won't hurt the dog.
It's effective in many situations and so easily transferable to new behaviors.
It's fun for both you and your dog
My new class, that has limited space, starts on Friday, Oct.5 at 9am. It is 4 Friday mornings. The class is specifically for adult dogs with little or no training. It is also good as a refresher course.
This is a beginner class teaching "sit," "down," "stay," and loose-leash walking. The class is an hour and the series of 4 costs $80. This is a bargain if you compare this price with other training classes. I do this because I really want people to train their dog and have a successful relationship that lasts a lifetime.
REMEMBER: The success of each dog is based on the work the person puts into it!
What you will need:
Leash & collar/halter,
High quality soft treats cut into very small pieces (pea size),
A treat bag
A positive attitude and an open mind
Call me at 242-1886 or email me at lola4dogs@gmail.com if you are interested!
SuperZoo 2012 - there were a lot of wild dye jobs!
I know I've been MIA!
Lucky me, I went to SuperZoo which is the BIG trade show for the pet supply and grooming business. I have to admit it was pretty fun and I even managed to sneak in a 4 star meal into my 24 hours in Las Vegas. I highly recommend The Barrington if you are ever in LV and want to have a wonderful dining experience.
Anyway, I found some really interesting products that I would like to bring into my store. One is Molly Mutt Duvet covers which are basically a dog bed without the filling. The washable fabrics are really beautiful and fun. Rather than having a filler inside, you fill it up with your old clothes, sheets, etc. and make it yourself. It's super cool way of recycling things you may be throwing away. I love that! Plus it smells like you. Dogs love that!
You add your own filling to these really great bed covers!
Ta da! And now your dog can think of you when he's sleeping!
Another cool and green company is Cycle Dog who makes collars and leashes made from old bicycle tires. Some collars have a bottle opener on the clasp and others have what looks like a seat-belt clasp. They come in different widths and patterns too. How cute is that?!
extra wide with bottle opener
reflective collar with bottle opener
Cute fabric patterns with large clasp
Slumber Beds on sale this week! 20% off!
Right now, here at L4P, Slumber Beds are 20% off. These are some cute and comfy beds in bright colors. The sides are nice and high so your dog or cat can get really cozy! These will be on sale while items last. I only have medium and large left. Come check them out!
26" is $32.79 regularly $40.99 and 34" is $44.79 regularly $55.99
Although I have been buying dog food and cat food for years as a animal guardian, I find that as a pet food retailer I am much more concerned about what I am selling than what I was buying for personal use. Seems strange to me that I went more by word of mouth than by READING labels. Let's face it, there is no joy in reading labels. I can't even see writing that small without a magnifying glass! Yet, I have now discovered that there is a ton of valuable information on what to serve your animals easily accessible on the internet. So when it is slow at the store, I read read read...
Sure there seems to be a lot of mumbo jumbo on food labels of all processed foods including pet foods. Multi-syllable words that require a computer to look them up isn't very practical when shopping. So, to save you some time, I will give you some information on pet food labeling, ingredients and websites where you can do more research on your own. I'm actually surprised at who quickly I got up to speed and I think you will find the same.
Most of the people I meet who have pets really care about them as part of their family. They care about their food and well being. Yet, with all the love they have for their animals, they may choose to feed them food that is not the best for their well being and could even shorten their pet's life. Not on purpose of course, but for lack of knowing what could be unhealthy.
For anyone who has suffered through pet loss, it is a very painful experience. So why wouldn't you feed your animals the best food you can afford to serve them? There really is no answer to that other than most people don't realize they can afford something better.
So what makes a food good quality and wholesome for your pet? First, I would say it is best to buy food sourced either in the US or a country that maintains high standards on meat that is exported such as New Zealand. I avoid anything manufactured in China since there have been multiple deaths related to pet foods made in China being sold in the US. Just to be safe I stick to products manufactured here in the US.
A quick word on recalls. Just because a product is recalled doesn't mean that everything from that company is bad going forward. Often companies opt to recall even for things that wouldn't necessarily have ill effects, but the company is not willing to take a chance. You really should look at each recall individually before writing off a brand because of a recall.
Also keep in mind, there are not many manufacturing plants for pet food and big brands need big plants to make the food. Few companies can afford to have their own plant so many brands will share the manufacturing plant. Smaller exclusive brands can be made in smaller facilities since their batches are smaller and are usually more expensive to buy for that reason.
Okay, so back to the topic, a BIG issue within the pet food right now are fillers in pet food. Fillers would refer mainly to corn, soy and wheat in all shapes and forms, all foods that are not bad in themselves, but serve no real purpose in pet food. Plus, it is true that some animals can have a sensitivity to these ingredients.
The question is, do dogs or cats need any of these ingredients in their diet and the answer is a resounding NO! Dogs are mainly carnivores and can eat some fruits and veggies but meat protein should be the mainstay of their diet. Cats are even more strictly carnivores and do best with a grain-free diet.
Probably the most common filler in both dog and cat food is corn. Corn in itself isn't a horrible thing, but dogs and even more so, cats don't need corn in their food, period. It's called a filler primarily because it is not necessary to the animal's health. Corn may have some nutritional value but it would also be the cheapest and least digestible source of these nutrients. For corn to be digestible it needs to be processed, but that also causes it to be higher in sugar content. Why corn then? In a word, CHEAP.
Cheap is key here, more money for the company and less nutrition for your pet. Corn is a carb that can make your pet FAT too! Dogs and cats need Protein and Fat in their diet but very little to no carbs. Just like we humans, carbs can put on the pounds if you aren't super active. Weight is an important factor in maintaining pet health so why feed your loved one a steady diet of carbs when they don't really need it?
Here are some interesting articles (and websites) that talk about corn in dog and cat food. Enjoy!
If you live in the Frazier Park area, you know how cold it can get up here in the winter months. Brrrr! Your dogs feel the cold too, especially the seniors and short-coated dogs. Sure, my Rottie Ace loves the snow, but the rest of the kiddos rather be snoozing under a blanket!
What about a festive sweater or a reversible puffy vest for your furry ones? I can pre-order these at a great price if you order yours today through September 1. The sweaters are on sale for $35 and the reversible vests are $40. There are several choices of sweaters and the vests come in a variety of colors as well. Stop by and I can show you what is available!
Many dogs (and even cats) can suffer from ANXIETY. This is an extremely common problem!
Anxiety can manifest in different ways, everything from fearful behavior, hiding, shaking, whining, barking to neurotic behavior like pacing, licking, tearing up the house, etc. Probably one of the most common anxiety-related afflictions is separation anxiety which, if you've had a pet with this problem, you know how difficult it can be to treat successfully.
Anxiety can be learned or it can be a temperament issue. There may have been a trauma in puppyhood and the dog has become sensitized to something in particular. Sometimes it is due to a lack of socialization and exposure to different situations so the dog hasn't had a chance to build confidence. All of this said, whether it is temperament or it is a learned behavior, it is still possible to improve your dog's quality of life..
Although anxiety is a very complex issue, it can be helped through some very basic procedures that can put your pet at ease.
Teaching your pet to be neutral about staying home alone is a good place to start and one that I highly recommend. Tone down your comings and goings. Downplay your emotions relating to leaving your dog and then being reunited. Sure, you are sad to leave your baby and happy to see her again, but the less emotion that you display at these critical times will help your dog to feel less emotional about it as well. Less is more in this case and a big help to your dog in dealing with being alone. You are not doing your dog any favors by having dramatic arrivals and departures.
What most people fail realize is that our emotional state directly affects our pets. If you think about it, you can probably come up with several examples where you felt that your pet was responding to your emotional state. A lot of these emotions can be projected onto your pet including anxiety!
Crate training can also be very helpful to dealing with anxiety because your dog learns to enjoy the crate as a safe haven. If you crate train you are more likely to have a dog who doesn't mind being alone and quiet. It's also great for travel and especially in an emergency to have your dog acclimated to the crate. Crate training is something that needs to be gradually introduced so I will leave that to another post...
Another thing that can keep your dog calm is having a regular schedule. Dogs are truly creatures of habit. I find that when a routine changes there is usually an adjustment period that needs to take place. Try not to change too many things at once. Even a food change can cause some mental upset.
Thankfully there are a lot of articles and books on how to deal with anxiety in dogs and I would advise anyone that they should take full advantage of the information that is readily available online. Websites like Dogstardaily.com and Cesarsway.com have dealt with the topic of of anxiety many times. These websites are a great place to start.
In recent years, products have come on the market like Thundershirt which is basically a snug fitting shirt-like wrap that can help the dog feel more secure much like swaddling a baby. I personally would recommend the Thundershirt before going the medical or herbal remedy route. If you do try Thundershirt, remember, read the directions first! Oh and btw, I sell them at Lola 4 Pets! :-)
If you have an anxious dog, come by Lola 4 Pets and I will be happy to help you come up with a solution that works for you and your pet without breaking the bank.
It seems that these days many people feel that their dog should be able to walk around off leash in public spaces. I don't mean in a dog park or a dog beach where dogs are sanctioned to be off leash, but rather just out and about in the public realm where there are all kinds of animals and people mingling.
Needless to say, the people who feel entitled to an off leash lifestyle for their dogs feel that their dog is super well trained and has no aggression issues towards people or pets. They will usually say that their dog "always" obeys their command of "come" or "no" or even that their dog is not interested in people or other animals. In fact, the person may feel they are in total control over their dog which is often referred to as "bomb proof. " Thinking your dog is perfect is okay (although unrealistic) and may even true up to a point. Regardless of whether you have what you think is a "bomb proof" dog or not, is it EVER okay to have your dog off leash around other people and dogs who may not be so dog friendly or well trained?
Here are some reasons that I feel it is not wise to walk your dog around the neighborhood off leash:
Some people are afraid of dogs, I mean phobic, so they panic if approached by a dog. Some kids also feel this way. A dog could react negatively to sensing the fear in the person or sudden movements. Kids are especially susceptible to dog bites since they are small and their face is so close to the dog's face.
Some dogs are not dog-friendly when approached by a dog especially when they are on leash and the other dog is not, this can be very dangerous to the off-leash dog and the on-leash dog.
No dog is 100% bomb proof, if something unexpected happens, how do you get your off-leash dog under control?
If something goes wrong are you prepared to pay for any damage, vet bills, doctor bills? It could be very expensive and may even end up in a lawsuit.
It's against the law to have your dog off leash in public places,I guess there is probably a reason for that...just sayin'.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
