In Honor of National Pet Day: We're celebrating by talking all things dogs with PuppySpot!

It's a big day for our fur babies as today (April 11) is National Pet Day!

This holiday is all about appreciating and celebrating all the special pets in your life.

For me, that means kissing and cuddling my adorable girls, Bella and Lulu.

According to the ASPCA approximately 6.5 million companions enter the Unites States' shelters nationwide each year. On average, 3.3 million of those are dogs. 

For most pet owners, choosing and falling in love with a dog is instant,  but some times the experience of finding the right pet can be a little overwhelming, and that's where PuppySpot is here to help! 

PuppySpot created a "Find Your Perfect Dog Breed" flow chart to give you some guidance on spotting your next new buddy. Simply follow the questions below and let's see what happens.

 

So is it a husky, bulldog or irish setter that you matched with best? Or, was it recommended you wait a bit? Looking for a smaller, hypoallergenic dog? We have recommendations for those, too. 

Regardless of your outcome, there's a perfect dog for you!

PuppySpot offers a variety of dogs ready to go to their forever homes. Their service is committed to helping responsible breeders place their puppies into caring homes. With a screened and vetted network of responsible breeders, PuppySpot makes fetching your new best friend incredibly simple. They use a personalized approach catered to you and each breeder that is invited into the PuppySpot community is held to the highest standards, with health and safety for all dogs (not just puppies) as top priorities. The PuppySpot comprehensive screening process for breeders significantly reduces the allowance for unhealthy breeders and allows less than 15 percent of breeders into the PuppySpot exclusive  community.  

Pretty awesome, right? Check out the puppies for sale here.

 Ok, so I promised to share a little more about the hypoallergenic breeds. Both Bella and Lulu are hypoallergenic, perfect for a girl prone to allergies. Bella, the Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle) and Lulu the Yorkshire Terrier, are super easy to manage with minimal hair loss (shedding).

PuppySpot sent over the girls' breed cards to share with you.

ADOPTION OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to the great options on PuppySpot there is one other company dog team I'd like to introduce you to. Their name is Bichon FurKids Rescue.  

This sweet team of dog lovers goes above and beyond to show case the most adorable little Bichon puppers, highlighting their personalities. Most recently they posted on their social media Instagram account about Cody. 

Cody is a sweet little playful two-year-old Bichon boy that loves belly rubs. His glistening brown eyes caught my attention and I was instantly smitten. Cody currently resides in San Diego, California and is looking for his forever home and a human to call his own best friend. If you'd like to meet Cody, please contact Bichon Fur Kids.

Whether you're ready to adopt or purchase a sweet pup, you have some awesome and healthy avenues to do so and with Bichon Fur Kids who foster sweet dogs like Cody, to good breeders found through Puppy Spot, you are well on your way to find your new fur baby. 

I wish you luck and a ton of joy for the blessing that will leave paw print marks on your floors and a whole lot of love in your heart! 

Hiking with Bodyceuticals!

Hike + Spa = Heaven in my book!

Ok--so it's not a real spa facility in the great outdoors, but it is just as soothing.  The scent of sweet lemon, lavender or even citrus has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, heart rate and rest rattled nerves, but so is a long walk out in nature, so when you have the opportunity to combine the two, why wouldn't you?!

 

I'm talking about BodyCeuticals Calendula's refreshing facial toner in neroli orange blossom with aloe vera. I took this little gem on my last three-mile hike and spritzed three plush sprays over my face in a crisscross motion and back of my neck.  The rich ingredients relieved my flushed skin from the hot sun.  Ahhh.... the release of endorphins from my cardio session partnered with bodyceuticals at the finish line was the perfect combination. 

 

As a beauty products hoarder and a nature lover, combining these two components into one afternoon was pure bliss. The 100 percent vegan toner is made up of aloe vera orange blossom, neroli and kosher vegetable glycerine. 

Pure aloe vera is extremely effective for sunburns and Neroli is helpful for dry, mature or sensitive skin.

 

I will be bringing this toner with me on every hike going forward. Extra beauty tip: stock in the fridge or cooler pack for a chillier skin refreshment.


Enjoy!!!



Happy National Puppy Day!

All photos: @shoesdogsandchocolate




Happy National Puppy Day, 2017! The last couple of weeks, I got to work with an amazing team of pet therapy dogs and their handlers. Part of a volunteer service program in Los Angeles, Calif. When asked to go on assignment, I didn't hesitate to say yes! As an avid dog-lover and dog mom (see Bella and Lulu above), I couldn't wait for the opportunity to meet these certified dogs and learn all about what they do and their program.


Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a person (handler) and a trained animal. In this case, it was dogs. The purpose of pet therapy is to help aid in a person's or patient's recovery or help the individual cope with a health problem or mental disorder.

Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy, however, fish, guinea pigs, horses and other animals that meet the proper criteria can also be used. The type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person’s treatment plan. In this case, this particular healthcare organization, uses dogs as the only source of pet therapy, and I have to tell you, it's pretty darn amazing what these dogs while on duty can provide to the patient's overall well being. Among the many benefits, these were found to be the most common:

• Reduces stress
• Reduces anxiety
• Reduces depression
• Increase self-esteem
• Improve social skills
• Overall mental wellness

The certification process for a human (handler) and the dog takes a year, less if the dog is just that sharp. If you're interested in becoming a certified pet therapy handler, check out these local programs.


Paws4Healing , Bright and Beautiful , Pawsteams




Well wishes to you and don't forget to love on your precious fur babies today and everyday! They need you and rely on you for their livelihood. And in return, they will offer you the most love and loyalty for the rest of their days, than you will ever receive in one lifetime.

Rascal and sweet, therapy dog, Whiskey.

 

Adorable and loving 10-year-old, pet therapy dog Trevor.

 

 

Cutie Goldendoodle pet therapy dog, Atari. 

and precious and fluffy 2-year-old Buddy.