As we're constantly tweaking the wooflesandmeowz website I decided to put up a FAQ page and log it in here just for a "FYI" read.....
FAQ page:
1. Do you make your own treats?
answer: Yes! We bake our own treats inhouse using only the finest ingredients we can find. We source out organic and local ingredients like
100% whole wheat, spelt, virgin olive oils,roasted lamb and chicken, vegetables, and more! What we don't use is sugar or salt in the baking instead we favour using
molasses and carob and certain spices...yummy!
2.How do I get to your store?
answer: We are located on Granville Island which is just under the south side of the Granville bridge and can be accessed either by car or by the fun and funky
aquabusses running from the north shore of false Creek. Come summertime you can take the trolley from Science world righ to the Island too.
Located right outside of the Kids Market we are in the caboose...you can't miss us!
3.What products do you carry?
answer: We carry a variety of signature line products like our doggy soaps-shampoos-bed fresheners-dry shampoo that are all made by us as well as our famous
inhouse made treats. We also carry a large supply of dog and cat toys, products, clothing for fun as well as protective,collars, tags, poo-poo bags, gifts for the dog and cat lover, dishes and other treats and some food. We also are a distributor for many of our supplier partners for those who can't get to us as often as we would both like. We also try to buy as locally as possible with many of our producers within 100kms and/or Canadian.
4.Do you sell pets??
answer: No! we do NOT sell pets and our policy is never to do so. We believe that people should get to know and meet a good breeder and/or research the many
wonderful rescue organizations that are available. The SPCA also does a great job of finding homes for unwanted pets who can be just fantastic.
We think the first step should be sober and methodical research on the type of pet you may want and that would be suitable for your home and situation and then go from there. Pets should never be purchaced as gifts or simply because the are "on sale". If you look on our links page you will find some great links to some organizations.
5. Can you recommend a good Vet?
answer: Y'know..we could, but we don't. Simply for the reason that what will work for a cat may not work for a dog with regard to facilities. There are a vast number of great Vets here in Vancouver and with the internet a huge number of great chat rooms and weblogs that pertain to people's experiences. What we Do advise is to do your homework before you need one so you are prepared. Timing is everything!
6.Can I bring my dog into the store?
answer: Yes! all well behaved dogs are always welcome in our store (this does not always apply to all children though hee hee!) A good treat is always instore for our four footed friends. Sometimes we have Brodie (a boxer) here in the store to welcome everyone with a wagging tail.
7.We live far away and would like to get some items we saw in the store...do you ship?
answer: Yes! we have links to our suppliers with a huge catalogue of items and you can call us with your requests. All information is secure and items can be shipped across North America. We only charge the same as the local freight charges.
8. Is your store locally owned and operated?
answer: Yes. The owner of the store is Darren Monette who has a diverse history and quite a bit of experience handling and training animals.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Spring has sprung..the grass has riz, but why oh why is it my cat and dog's biz??
Ok bad rhyme..but you get the point...why do dogs and cats eat grass??
Both dogs and cats can sometimes be seen eating grass....but is this normal ?
Grass is pretty indigestible for cats and dogs because they do not have the digestive enzymes necessary to breakdown the fibre content ..which is high. Apart from fibre and water, grass also contains some minerals, vitamin A and sometimes vitamin D.
The nutritional value of grass for cats and dogs is very poor...so there is unlikely to be a basic instinctive nutritional reason why cats and dogs would eat grass ...unless they have a need for dietary fibre itself which is thought to be unlikely. Cats in particular are known to be obligate carnivores and have no requirement for nutrients derived from plant material. However the nutrients in vegetables as well as the motility inducing properties of vegetables are invaluable in my humble opinion.
It has been reported (but not scientifically proved) that cats and dogs will eat grass if they have a digestive system problem such as gastritis or nausea. They will also eat unusual materials if they have a nutritional deficiency, or if they are hungry and do not have access to food. I have heard that if there is a deficiency of chlorophyl or nitrogen......the jury is still out but ya never know. On the other hand eating small amounts of untypical foods ..grass, wood, leaves ..can just be a normal behavioural trait and is not important providing the material eaten is not toxic - such as laburnum leaves or sticks. Grass is usually safe - unless it has been sprayed with herbicide or insecticides.
"Cat grass"..the kind you buy in the store is usually some familiar grain,rye,barley seed that while only six inches looks very similar to grass and cats seem to love..I mean LOVE to chew the heck outta it. It seems to help with some digestion problems or else my previous cats would have left it alone. Could it be the same as when we take a big swigg of beer and burp afterwards...cats like to barf a bit??? So no harm there I guess unless you find alot of little green barf balls all over the house..oh well they clean up easily unless you have a white carpet....!
The joys of pet ownership.
Both dogs and cats can sometimes be seen eating grass....but is this normal ?
Grass is pretty indigestible for cats and dogs because they do not have the digestive enzymes necessary to breakdown the fibre content ..which is high. Apart from fibre and water, grass also contains some minerals, vitamin A and sometimes vitamin D.
The nutritional value of grass for cats and dogs is very poor...so there is unlikely to be a basic instinctive nutritional reason why cats and dogs would eat grass ...unless they have a need for dietary fibre itself which is thought to be unlikely. Cats in particular are known to be obligate carnivores and have no requirement for nutrients derived from plant material. However the nutrients in vegetables as well as the motility inducing properties of vegetables are invaluable in my humble opinion.
It has been reported (but not scientifically proved) that cats and dogs will eat grass if they have a digestive system problem such as gastritis or nausea. They will also eat unusual materials if they have a nutritional deficiency, or if they are hungry and do not have access to food. I have heard that if there is a deficiency of chlorophyl or nitrogen......the jury is still out but ya never know. On the other hand eating small amounts of untypical foods ..grass, wood, leaves ..can just be a normal behavioural trait and is not important providing the material eaten is not toxic - such as laburnum leaves or sticks. Grass is usually safe - unless it has been sprayed with herbicide or insecticides.
"Cat grass"..the kind you buy in the store is usually some familiar grain,rye,barley seed that while only six inches looks very similar to grass and cats seem to love..I mean LOVE to chew the heck outta it. It seems to help with some digestion problems or else my previous cats would have left it alone. Could it be the same as when we take a big swigg of beer and burp afterwards...cats like to barf a bit??? So no harm there I guess unless you find alot of little green barf balls all over the house..oh well they clean up easily unless you have a white carpet....!
The joys of pet ownership.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Humanizing your dog.....bad baby!!!
I was going to do a blog about the dangers of humanizing your dog and why it is so prevelant with all the "purse babies" that are hanging off the arms of the post teenage women who are longing for their "doll" fix (PARIS!!!) and just as popular the older ladies who find themselves in an empty nest syndrome and transfer all the motherly instincts they have to a poor wee pooch. I see it time and time again in the store and not five minutes ago a woman complained that her dog eats all the toys to which I explained that "toys are tools and made to be played with and then taken away if the dog eats them in favour of chew sticks like the bully bones...then bring'em out when its play time....dogs think that by destroying them they are doing a job and what they are supposed to do"...she replied "well its his toy how is he supposed to know if it is his if I take it away...he'll feel like he doesn't own anything".
Ummmmm yeah.....I said nothing but in my mind I was thinking "he doesnt...hes a dog...dogs dont own things...they can inprint for a time on certain things but they dont OWN anything......stop making your dog into a child and then feeling pissed off when he acts like a DOG!!!" good thing I was only thinking it.
Some of the people have come into the store sharing dialogue such as "oh she/he says or feels or tells me" when refering to their dog. Or another person recently (I loved this one) said her dog "destroyed her $4000.00 couch because he needed an outlet for his anxiety by being in a new place".......?????????? or another said he was "afraid to move while sleeping cause the dog would get angry when woken up". This one I did respond to in a manner along the lines of "how about getting Rover's sorry ass off YOUR bed to sleep on his
own bed and let him know that YOU are the boss and not the other way around!?!?!?"
..I got back.."oh but he's my baby!!".....yeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh okaaayyyyyyyyyy have a nice day!
I absolutely LOVE the ideals and applications of one particular dog trainer who is getting alot of press these past few years but who really knows his stuff and can put into ink much better than I can so I have cut a bit from his teachings about the dangers of humanizing the pet....read on gentle readers!
Caesar Milan says:
I'm going to begin today's blog with a stunning revelation. It's a discovery that I made many years ago, and it has been invaluable in developing my human/dog relationship philosophy. Here it is:
Dogs are not people.
They are friendly, affectionate, and highly intelligent companions, but their mental processes are not the same as ours. A dog's fulfillment doesn't depend upon the cute outfits you buy for him. He doesn't remember with resentment the time you skipped the dog park because it was raining. And he won't love you more because you buy a more expensive brand of dog food. The keys to a calm, balanced dog are regular exercise, stable leadership, and affection given at the right time.
It makes sense that we should see a soulful glance from a dog and assume that he was mourning the loss of his toy, or that he understood and sympathized with the frustration we feel after a long, hard day at work. But our humanization often leads to what I call "issues." Issues can range from dominance and fear aggression, to phobias, anxiety, obsessions, or hyperactive energy. The mixed signals that result from treating your dog the way you would a human child may cause the dog to question his own role in your pack. This confusion can lead him to adapt erratically to ensure the pack's survival, and erratic behavior in any dog is a recipe for an unhealthy relationship.
Always keep in mind that your dog is what he is. He lives in the now and has specific needs. Make it your responsibility to know what those needs are and fill them, and you'll be able to maintain a strong, healthy pack.
.......so there ya have it from someone who can delicately wrap a message up in elegant prose to make it more palatable....makes it a wee bit nicer than."stop treating your dog like a child or small person who has the same screwed up mental afflictions that you may have...you are doing him/her a huge disservice and freaking them out buy not being a clear and strong pack leader/pet owner.
...my portable soapbox is now folded up for another day.
WOOF!!
Ummmmm yeah.....I said nothing but in my mind I was thinking "he doesnt...hes a dog...dogs dont own things...they can inprint for a time on certain things but they dont OWN anything......stop making your dog into a child and then feeling pissed off when he acts like a DOG!!!" good thing I was only thinking it.
Some of the people have come into the store sharing dialogue such as "oh she/he says or feels or tells me" when refering to their dog. Or another person recently (I loved this one) said her dog "destroyed her $4000.00 couch because he needed an outlet for his anxiety by being in a new place".......?????????? or another said he was "afraid to move while sleeping cause the dog would get angry when woken up". This one I did respond to in a manner along the lines of "how about getting Rover's sorry ass off YOUR bed to sleep on his
own bed and let him know that YOU are the boss and not the other way around!?!?!?"
..I got back.."oh but he's my baby!!".....yeeehhhhhhhhhhhhh okaaayyyyyyyyyy have a nice day!
I absolutely LOVE the ideals and applications of one particular dog trainer who is getting alot of press these past few years but who really knows his stuff and can put into ink much better than I can so I have cut a bit from his teachings about the dangers of humanizing the pet....read on gentle readers!
Caesar Milan says:
I'm going to begin today's blog with a stunning revelation. It's a discovery that I made many years ago, and it has been invaluable in developing my human/dog relationship philosophy. Here it is:
Dogs are not people.
They are friendly, affectionate, and highly intelligent companions, but their mental processes are not the same as ours. A dog's fulfillment doesn't depend upon the cute outfits you buy for him. He doesn't remember with resentment the time you skipped the dog park because it was raining. And he won't love you more because you buy a more expensive brand of dog food. The keys to a calm, balanced dog are regular exercise, stable leadership, and affection given at the right time.
It makes sense that we should see a soulful glance from a dog and assume that he was mourning the loss of his toy, or that he understood and sympathized with the frustration we feel after a long, hard day at work. But our humanization often leads to what I call "issues." Issues can range from dominance and fear aggression, to phobias, anxiety, obsessions, or hyperactive energy. The mixed signals that result from treating your dog the way you would a human child may cause the dog to question his own role in your pack. This confusion can lead him to adapt erratically to ensure the pack's survival, and erratic behavior in any dog is a recipe for an unhealthy relationship.
Always keep in mind that your dog is what he is. He lives in the now and has specific needs. Make it your responsibility to know what those needs are and fill them, and you'll be able to maintain a strong, healthy pack.
.......so there ya have it from someone who can delicately wrap a message up in elegant prose to make it more palatable....makes it a wee bit nicer than."stop treating your dog like a child or small person who has the same screwed up mental afflictions that you may have...you are doing him/her a huge disservice and freaking them out buy not being a clear and strong pack leader/pet owner.
...my portable soapbox is now folded up for another day.
WOOF!!
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