Cat vs Dog

Our cat, Tatiana, and our dog, Sushi, have grown up together. They are both 7 yrs old. They got off to a rocky start, though. Tatiana was 5 months old when we brought 2 month old Sushi home. Tatiana growled, hissed and swatted at poor puppy Sushi. Sushi wouldn't come out of his crate if she was around. This lasted for about a day and a half. Finally, Sushi had had enough! He came racing out of his crate barking his head off at Tatiana, who quickly ran off. After that, they were the best of pals. Since they were the same size at that time, they would chase and wrestle all over the livingroom, it was pure fun and entertainment! As they got bigger, they still continue to play, and Sushi often mimics how Tatiana uses her paws. But, Sushi likes to be sneaky and tries to get in a few hipchecks now and then. Tatiana is almost always the instigator. I took this video the other night, as this goes on every time I am preparing their supper. You'll see our other cat, Bailey, for a few seconds at the beginning, she doesn't like to get involved!

FREE SHIPPING on Fleece Pet Beds

Hey everyone!

I had a meeting with Sushi, Tatiana & Bailey. They want me to give FREE SHIPPING this weekend, starting today, on all Fleece Pet Beds! So, I am! Shipping costs will be refunded via paypal. So, please check out my shop and I hope you find something comfy cozy for your furbaby.

Here are some of the beds available, but there are more on my shop's website.






Bonnie

Who Loves Sushi??

If you love sushi, check out my newest treasury. My dog's name is Sushi and he is Japanese, so he kind of insired this treasury, in a weird sort of way :)

SUSHI!!

Bonnie

Happy Dogs and Cats!

Snack 'n Snooze Homemade Pet Products was recently featured by a new customer, .tira's destash. Please take a minute or two to read what she blogged about - not just because it is about my shop, but because it is so well written and I love the photos she took!

Happy Customers!

Bonnie

Meet Some Real Cool Cats

BETTY (Ithink she is the most glamorous looking cat, just look at those eyes!)

ANNIE (voted best lap cat by Wayside Waifs!)

SCORPIO & HARVEY (Scorpio is a great lap cat, and very playful too! Harvey is one of our older cats at the shelter, but he is very sweet and laid back).

It's pretty obvious that I love animals, particularly dogs and cats. I've always had a love for animals. As a child, I grew up with 2 Basenjis (at different times). When I grew up I wanted to be a veterinarian until I realized that didn't mean I just got to play with the animals all day :)

As I got older, the need to "do something" animal-related was very strong. When I got Sushi, my 6.5 yr old Shiba Inu, I became Organizer for the Toronto Shiba Inu Meetup group. Then, I became one of the co-founders for Shiba Rescue GTA.

Then, nearly 2 years ago, my husband and I decided to move to Missouri (his family is here). I was unemployed, searching for a job. When we first arrived, I wanted to find an enclosed dog park to take Sushi to. We found Bark Park at Wayside Waifs! Little did I know what my discovery of this park would lead to! I was so impressed by the grounds for this no-kill shelter, that I signed up to volunteer.

I originally started out volunteering mainly with the dogs - walking them, playing with them, giving them plenty of love. I even became involved in playgroups with the small dogs, which was a lot of fun. Whenever I was ready to leave for the day, I would go in to see the cats. Slowly, I started to spend more and more time with the cats. I'm not sure what it was. We have 2 cats that I love to pieces, but I always considered myself a dog person first. Well, the cats of Wayside Waifs won me over. They also taught me a lot about cats. Doesn't that sound funny, considering I had 2 at home? Well, these cats taught me that things happen on their terms, and most importantly to be patient. I have had so many favourites, I miss many of them, but I am also overjoyed when they are adopted to their new families and given the loving home they so much deserve.

A little over a year ago, I applied to work with the Feline Comfort Crew at Wayside Waifs. Basically, cleaning the kennels, and socializing the cats. We also check on their health and if something doesn't seem right, we notifiy the vet clinic. Anyways, I love my job. The best part, for me, is seeing new cats improve - they come in scared, shy, matted, angry and some do come in as if nothing ever changed and are happy go lucky. I enjoy working with the cats that need a little bit more help, and those tend to be my favourites.

These cats are currently up for adoption, awaiting their forever home. If you, or someone you know, is looking to give a cat (s) a wonderful home, please visit Wayside Waifs webpage for more info.

Finicky Felines Dine in Style

If you like your cat or kitten to snack in style, then this placemat is for them! Show how much you love your feline by using this cute placemat for their food & water. Same pattern is used on the bottom, so this can be reversed. Measurements: 21.5 X 12 inches

To order, visit Snack 'n Snooze Homemade Pet Products

Who Loves Stuffed Toys?

I think everyone loves stuffed toys at some point in their life. Some, like me, love them forever.


Wish With Me has a fun and unique mix of machine and hand stitch creations. From a dog dressed as a pirate to a Kitty cat ballerina. Tiny animal play sets, plush dolls, whimsical fairies, and stuffed toy animals. Custom orders are welcome, too!


Please check out this shop, so many cute items! Post which one is your fav!


Here are some of my favs:


Turtles in tie dyed colores - hand stitched

Wedding Anniversary Cats Customized Personalized Plush

Tiny Garden Fairy Carly

How To Improve Your Craft Fair Experience as a Seller

A wonderful Etsian, LayneDesign, has posted a very helpful list to help those of us that want to attend our first Craft Fair, or even for those that have gone but would like a few extra pointers. She has graciously agreed for me to post her advice here, so be sure to check it out, and please add comments or questions. Maybe you will have some tips as well!

Be sure to check out LayneDesigns's shop - she makes "everything from oil painting, to decorative painting to cloth primitive dolls." It's a really cool shop. - Bonnie

LayneDesign says:
I have been doing craft shows for 16 years. I spent 3 years weeding out the bad ones. Here is my advice.

1. Stay away from churches and firehalls.

2. Display means a lot!! My sales tripled when I took the time to put a nicer display together. (you dont want to look like a garage sale)

3. You have to have your 1 and 2 dollar items. then middle price 5-10 dollars then the higher stuff. Around 75 - 80% of your sales will come from the lower and mid ranged priced items.

4. Check with your chamber of commerce or with who ever is holding the craft show. They usually have numbers of how many people attended the year before.

5. Talk to the other vendors. They usually have a good idea as to which shows are better.

6. Be picky as to what shows you do. I used to try to do as many shows as I could a summer. All I did was make myself tired. Now I only do 3-5 shows a summer and one in the fall.

7. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! People steal at the shows!! (not other vendors, but the crowd). Make sure you have someone with you for potty breaks!!!! If not another vendor next to you is usually willing to keep an eye on things. If it is a super big show always have another person with you. You have to really pay attention especially if you have smaller items.

8. Don't give up my first show I made 18 dollars. Now I usually make over $1000.

9. You MUST have a state tax ID number. Yes the state goes to the shows and checks. AND you can get a fine. (You have to collect sales tax and send it to the state) The Certificate must be displayed in your area. (check with your local state as to the exact laws)

Featured Etsy Shop: Artby TuranLoch

Hey Blog Followers, I've decided to start featuring some of my favourite Etsy Shops. I"ll try to do this on daily basis. Some of these shops I have already purchased some, but they are all very creative, and I think they deserve a spotlight, so please check them out.



Today, our featured Shop is Artby TuranLoch



Artby TuranLoch created Snack 'n Snooze's Logo!





I had just started out on Etsy, tried to make my own logo and failed miserably. I checked out Alchemy on Etsy, and found Artby TuranLoch. Very talented, and most importantly patient. Listened (read) my own ideas but provided suggestions as well until the logo was complete. Because my shop was inspired by my pets, a Shiba Inu & 2 cats, of course they had to somehow be involved in the logo.



Artby TuranLoch does custom banners, avatars, business card templates, birthday, party or wedding invites, thank you cards, labels, logos, photocollages, silhouettes, blog banners, blog templates etc.

Woof Woof! Something for the Pooches.

I just listed this new fleece dog bed. My dog, Sushi, is approx. 20 lbs to give you an idea of the size. I love this pattern. My in-laws found it for me, and it has a variety of dogs in the pattern - maybe one of them looks like your dog! Sushi was kind enough to model with it (treats always help!) I think this is one of my fav beds so far! What do you think?

2 New Pet Products!

Meowza! Yes, both new products are for the felines, but don't let your doggies fret. I have an ongoing project for a new product for them, it's just taking a bit longer.

The 2 new products are:


Catnip Fish Toys














Cat Kitty Crocheted Blanket









My cats love toys and they love it when I make new crocheted cat blankets. I've lost count of how many they have. I also donate several to the shelter I work at for the adopted cats to bring to their new forever home.

If you have a cat or kitty that might enjoy some fun toys or a cozy blanket, please check out my shop at Snack 'n Snooze.

Picking Colors for our Pets

Does your pet have a favorite color, or do you? When you buy things for your pets, which colors do you tend to buy? Does it matter? Some owners may want to match their own home decor, some might go for bright colors, and for some it may not matter. Which colors do you look for when buying for your pets?

For our dog, for collars or harnesses, usually black, blue, or purple. For our cats, just about anything goes for our Torti, but for our black DSH - yellow or red goes well with her.

Bonnie

It's Bailey's 6th Birthday Today!

In honour of our cat, Bailey's, birthday, any fleece pet beds purchased from Snack 'n Snooze TODAY or TOMORROW, will have FREE SHIPPING. I will refund the shipping cost via paypal. A lot of the fleece pet beds are on sale, so please take a look! Some are only for dog, only for cats, and some could be for either.

Meowwza!!!!

Bonnie

217 Adoptions!!

As my dog would say...ROOHOO!!! Wayside Waif's adoptathon on the weekend resulted in 217 adoptions, and that included 2 bunnies. It was a busy weekend, but a happy one :) Josephine, in the previous post, was adopted. The others are still there awaiting their turn. Now that the adoptathon is over, I'll be back to concentrating on some new items for Snack 'n Snooze!

Keep Your Pets Safe While Traveling

I am a huge advocate of safety for pets when traveling in the car.

About 6 years ago, my wonderful Shiba Inu, Sushi, and I were leaving the dog park. We had just spent about an hour there to let Sushi burn off some energy. We had a lot of fun, and it was time to go.

The street we needed to turn left onto was quite busy, so I decided to turn right which would take just a few more minutes to get home. Well, it was about 2 hours before we got home. An oncoming car lost control and not only hit into us head on, but also into the driver's side. I remember thinking we might die, then I heard Sushi scream. It was quiet. When I opened my eyes, my first concern was Sushi. We've always used either a crate or buckle him in the backseat using his 3-in-1 Vest Harness. This time he had the harness. I managed to get out of the car and checked on Sushi - he was scared, but physically seemed ok. He was still buckled in.

Our car was totalled. Even though I had been wearing my seatbelt, I had 7 months of physio. Sushi was afraid to go in a car for a few months, but otherwise he was perfectly fine. That seatbelt harness saved him from possible injury or worse, death. It also prevented him (20 lbs) from being thrown against me.

There are many options when it comes to taking your dog (or cats) in the car, and keeping them safe. Some car companies often sell barriers to fit into your car. There are a variety of seatbelt options as well.

Please, if you love your pets, find the safest way to travel with your pets in the car. The crate is probably the safest, in my opinion, especially for cats! If you choose to use a crate, place it in the backseat facing the back of the passenger seat. Move the passenger seat back just enough so the crate is snug. If it is a small crate, you should be able to use the car seatbelt to put through the crate's handle.

Never ever travel with your pet loose in your car. You never know what could happen. Do not allow your pets to ride in the front seat. You don't allow small children, so why should your pets? I have seen a small dog, who was wearing a cheap seatbelt type of harness, get so excited to see the dog park, that it jumped out of the rolled down window. Luckily, the car was not moving very fast, and the dog was ok.

Also, as much as dogs love to stick their noses out the window, do not allow this. A loose object could actually hit them and depending on what the object is, how fast you are driving, etc...this could really injure your dog.

As Sushi liks to say....BUCKLE UP DAWGS! (and cats).

Bonnie