Thursday, October 26, 2017

Bliss Loves Dog Friendly Oxnard!

In a recent blog, Bliss wrote about her Staycation at Silver Strand Beach. For those of you who don't live in the area, she wants you to know that Oxnard is the perfect place to visit with your four-legged family member. 
Here's why:
Pet-friendly hotels in Oxnard
One of the first things you’ll want to book for your Oxnard vacation is a hotel. Many have a designated pet wing where you and your buddy can stay. All of the hotels charge an additional fee to accommodate your pet, so be sure to add it to your budget.
Hotels that welcome pets in Oxnard include:

Pet-approved activities in Oxnard

Here’s a look at some of the great fur-friendly activities you can take advantage of during your stay:
  • College Park Dog Park

It’s a pet-lovers paradise at College Park Dog Park. The park offers two areas for small and large dogs and has plenty of agility equipment spread throughout. There’s a great shaded area with benches for the owners and a pet bathing station to wash off the day’s festivities.
The park is fairly large, so if you’re headed to the dog park enter via Raiders Way and make a left right under the bridge.
  • Head to the beach

Want to take your dog to the beach for a little fun-in-the-sun? After all, they enjoy a little sand between their toes too. When you’re ready to walk along Oxnard’s ocean side, you have a choice of several dog-friendly beaches.
You can visit Oxnard Beach Park anytime with your dog as long as it’s on a leash. At Hollywood Beach, you can let your dog roam free before 9am and after 5pm, and, as Bliss has already reported,  Silver Strand Beach allows dogs on a leash before 9am and after 5pm.
  • Grab a bite to eat

Oxnard has five dog-friendly restaurants in the city. What better place to take your dog than The Lazy Dog Café? This dog-themed restaurant has locations across California, Nevada and Texas and offers seating for both humans and pets.
Sea Fresh Channel IslandsChina Square, a Bliss favorite especially on Sundays, Toppers Pizza and The Waterside Restaurant and Wine Bar all have pet-friendly patio seating too.
  • Enjoy some retail therapy

There are a handful of pet stores where you can take your pets in Oxnard too. Your cat or dog can mingle with other pets while you pick up a few treats or extra food for the trip.
Take your dog or cat through Pet Food Express, where there’s a DIY dog-bathing station that owners rave about.
PetSmart is another hot spot for pet-people. Since you’re on vacation, treat your pet to a little spa treatment with a bubble bath and nail clipping.
Oxnard is a pampering paradise, where both humans and pets can bask in the sun, make new friends and enjoy stunning ocean views. For more help planning your Oxnard vacation, download the visitor’s guide.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Have You Seen IKEA's New Pet Collection?

IKEA just-announced its new LURVIG collection of dog and cat products, all Bliss approved!

LURVIG means "hairy" in Swedish, BTW. Here are some Bliss faves:

Forget that regular old dog bed. This one has a bona fide frame that raises it up from the floor and can also be used upside down for more height.

ikea.com
Then, choose from an array of different cushions to complement your décor. At $7.99 to $19.99 depending on the size, you can order a bunch.
ikea.com
This "cat/dog bed" is actually an animal Fulton! Bliss says get one for each room of the house.
ikea.com

The cat house is practical and cute and slips right into the KALLAX shelf unit.
ikea.com

For the pooch that loves propping his head up on a pillow like Bliss.
ikea.com

This dog blanket will look great on your couch, and you and your guests will appreciate how it leaves the other cushions dog-hair-free.
ikea.com

Forget the ugly scratching post and protect your furniture at the same time by wrapping the legs with this LURVIG scratching mat. Even better—it's only $5.99.
ikea.com

A kitty hangout that's also a chic side table? Yes, please. (It's actually a cat house on legs.)
ikea.com

It's not like you can't get a dog bowl at any pet store, home improvement store, Target, Walmart, and on and on. But the nicer ones can be pricey. These bowls are metal, and also have a non-slip bottom, for just $2.99!
ikea.com



Bliss also likes IKEA's new collection of leashes, harnesses, and collars, which are affordable, come in a range of sizes and are made of a reflective material. 
What do you think of Ikea's Lurvig collection? Woof!

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Introducing the Second Chance Movement™ Matte Black Key Bracelet

Countless healthy, loving, adoptable shelter pets are euthanized every year due to overcrowding and underfunding. You can save some of them just by buying this Second Chance Movement Matt Black Key Bracelet! It's only $28.00.
IHeartDogs.com believes these animals deserve a second chance!
These are adoptable animals with many years of love to share with potential owners, yet their lives are ended before they get a chance at a family.
Plenty of shelters throughout America have more demand for pets than they have animals, yet in other parts of the country, there are shelters overrun with pets and not enough funding to keep them alive.
IHeartDogs.com partnered with GreaterGood.org to donate travel miles for every product in the Second Chance Movement collection to charities that facilitate the transportation of adoptable pets from areas of low-demand to areas of high-demand. Many of these innocent pets are on death row and would have been put to sleep in just a few days if they were not rescued.
Every Second Chance Movement purchase provides travel miles that contribute to the transportation of animals from overcrowded shelters to areas where there is high demand for pets.
Size: Adjustable; One Size Fits Most: Adjustable from 7 1/2″ to 9 1/4″
Bracelet measures 9 1/4″ length
Key Charm measures 1 1/4″ length
Material:   Key & Chain – Copper with Electrophoretic Painting Process
Bliss says buy one! Woof!

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

22 Howl-Worthy Pet Events

Join me and Seven at the Ventura Harbor Village Howl-O-Ween on Saturday October 22 for a fun doggie costume contest!  Prizes include:

  • Gift Certificates from Harbor Village restaurants
  • 1 doggie entrée from the PAWlor menu at The Parlor restaurant
  • 1 pair of choice doggie socks from Lost in Socks
  • Pumpkin of choice
  • Blue Ribbon
  • Best-in-Show gift certificate provided by The December Store & More
Every costumed canine will receive a treat from the sponsor, Ventura Pet Barn, and a 50 cent off wooden nickel from Coastal Cone. Owners can enjoy pet-friendly dining patios, alongside pet-friendly boat rentals and hotel stays so your dog can join in on the fun! The fun begins at NOON and entry is FREE!

If you can’t make it to the Harbor, here are more fun events to check out:

October 14: Join Long Beach Animal Care Services and Timmons Subaru of Long Beach for a special adoption event. All adoption fees are waived including spay/neuter, microchip, and vaccinations.
October 14: Join the 12th annual Race For The Rescues! This is 5K, 10K, 1K Dog Walk & Kid’s Fun Run to raise funds for 30 non-profit 501(c)3 animal welfare organizations that annually save the lives of thousands of dogs, cats, and horses.
October 14: Join Barks of Love for a ghoulishly special fundraising event featuring a classic car show, pinup contest, live music, and more.
October 14: Pet Loss Counseling and Support Groups provide therapeutic and compassionate support to assist you when saying goodbye to the pet you love.
October 14: Join LCA Founder Chris DeRose and fellow animal advocates to celebrate another year of fighting animal cruelty!
October 15: Join the annual Blessing of the Animals with Justin Rudd and his nonprofit Community Action Team. About 300 animals and their owners/handlers receive a blessing from a menagerie of faith leaders.
October 19: Join Healthy Spot for a special howl-o-ween themed costume bash. Activities include a costume contest, Grandma Lucy’s “cake” eating contest, music, games, adoptions and raffles, face painting for humans, and more.
October 21: Join OC Animal Care Services for discounted adoptions (does not include licensing and microchip). Bring a new family member home today!
October 21: Operation Blankets Of Love (OBOL) is participating in the Strut Your Mutt event to also help raise money to help 1,000 homeless animals every month.
October 21: Bring your Bichon and other fur kids for a parade of rescues, vendors, demonstrations, contests, raffles and more.
October 22: spcaLA is looking for Foster Parents for pets of all ages and needs. Foster Parents provide temporary homes for pets that are too young for adoption or in need of socialization or extra TLC until they are ready to be placed into adoptions.
October 26: Canines and their companions are invited for tricks and treats in celebration of Howl-O-Ween. This seasonal Yappy Hour celebration is a chance for pups to strut their stuff in their favorite costume.
October 28: National Pit Bull Awareness Day (NPBAD) is a day of appreciation and education designed to change perceptions and stereotypes about pit bulls and their responsible owners.
October 28: Celebrate and advocate for Pit Bulls! Join the family-friendly fun with a pack walk, activity stations including scent work, agility and more!
October 28: Grab your corgi and get on your corgi-kinis…and head to the beach! Visit the main booth to sign-in and grab some merch, then head to the Kissing Booth for smooches, enter raffles to win dog food for a year, and more.
October 28: Join Pug Nation Rescue of LA for an afternoon of contests, adoptions, vendors, food and more!
October 29: Join in the fun! Anaheim is hosting Doggie Trick-o-Treating including a photo booth, entertainment, and more.
September 10 – October 29: Dozens of dachshunds scramble in pursuit of fame and imaginative lures as hundreds of spectators cheer them on along a 20-yard cobblestone track.
October 29: It is national cat day today! Celebrate with your favorite feline or felines by making a special dinner and adding more play time to their day!
October 29: Justin Rudd and his Community Action Team host the biggest Halloween pet event in the world. The highlight of the day is the 500+ costumed dogs parading a few blocks in front of a few thousand gawkers and a panel of judges.
Woof!


Monday, October 9, 2017

Save Money on Feeding Your Pet With These 8 Bliss Approved Tips!



Whether you own a dog, cat, or turtle, you can spend less money on pet food and still keep your pets well fed.

Here are the best tips I've found for saving money on pet food:

1. Tip #1: Get your pet food at a big-box store.

Websites and specialty stores are typically more expensive. For example, a Consumer Reports study found consumers can pay up to twice as much for the same food, depending on whether it’s purchased online (most expensive) or at a big-box chain. Much of the difference can be attributed to shipping costs.
Make your own comparisons. Check Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target, and the others. Convert to the price per pound to determine the difference between getting pet food at those outlets and your other options. Normally, the big-box store will save money – although special offers and coupons can be an equalizer.

2.  Tip #2: Buy the generic brand.

Branding and advertising can sucker you into paying considerably more for the same – sometimes even less nutritious – pet food. How do you know which is best? Do the same thing for pet food you do for your own food: read the label and compare the ingredients. You could be in for a big surprise!

3.  Tip #3: Always check for coupons!

Get in the habit of searching for coupons before you go shopping. Sign up for deal alerts on Coupon Chief to make sure you don’t miss current coupon discounts at your favorite stores, online or off. You don’t have to go overboard on coupon clipping to save substantial money on expenses. Digital coupons make it easy to stay up on cost savings.

4.  Tip #4: Buy pet food in bulk sizes.

You’ll want to pay attention to freshness, of course, and you’ll definitely want to make sure your pet will eat the food you buy, but getting a 40-lb bag versus a 10-lb bag can save considerable money. That assumes dry food (75% of pet food purchase is), and it assumes the food will be used within 4-6 weeks of opening the bag.
Depending on the type of food you get (ingredients determine the length of freshness) and the usage rate, you might consider repackaging or freezing food to capture the savings on bulk without risking that it might become stale.

5.  Tip #5: Join the club!

Many retailers offer rewards programs or have special days when certain items will be discounted. Remember, too, some stores offer regular discounts to veterans, teachers, or other groups. You may be able to save 10% or more on every purchase just by claiming your special status!

6.  Tip #6: Do your research when it comes to supplements.

Depending on diet and physical condition, it may be a good idea to give your pet nutritional supplements – or it may be an unnecessary expense. Don’t base your decision on advertising. Talk to your veterinarian, do your research, and use common sense. You may want to upgrade your food supply rather than pay for supplementation.

7.  Tip #7: Feed your pet-less!

Obesity isn’t just rampant in humans, our pets are also feeling the strain of too much food. Don't allow your pet to become obese. Obesity can lead to chronic issues like arthritis and diabetes.

8.  Tip #8: Make your own pet food.

You may not want to prepare every meal your pet eats, and every question about diet should be discussed with the veterinarian, but supplementing your pet’s diet with acceptable, healthy food can cut down on the budget.
Don't waste money on expensive treats. Use fresh fruits and vegetables like blueberries, melon pieces, carrots, and broccoli instead. You can dry small slices of chicken or beef in the oven to make dehydrated treats your pet will love.
Both you and your dog, for instance, would do well to have a bowl of oatmeal now and then. Do your research, and you’re sure to discover a few things easy and inexpensive to prepare.
Woof!!!!