Smart about Pets - Great Pets

My older boys see their younger brothers as pets.  No, really.  They are constantly petting them and wanting to take them for walks and playing with them. I try, over and over again, to explain to them that their younger brothers are not dogs and that they have to treat them as people, but it's just not exactly working.  I am learning from this one thing - it looks like my boys want a dog!  But, since I don't want to invest in an animal for them, I'm going to have todfine other creative outlets for their animal cravings.  Let's look at a few ideas.

1. The zoo - I try to take my boys to the zoo as often as possible.  This way, they can get their animal fix without inflicting pain upon their brothers and without bringing anything into the house.  It works for a few days...and then they are back to throwing sticks at their brothers.

2. Neighbor Animals - Our neighbor has two dogs and I send my boys over there whenever I can.  They walk their dogs, and play with them and it seems to curb their appetite for a short while.

3. Turtles - Ok , so I can't invest in a large pet right now, but I have given in to turtles.  My boys find turtles in the neighborhood often, and I do let them bring them home.  While they aren't cuddly or furry, they do seem to satiate a little bit of the boys' appetite for something to look after.

And that's how I handle the constant question, "Can we get a dog" and how I deal with the fact that my boys have turned their brothers into family pets.  It's working this week...who knows what next week will bring!

So, now that my kids found three turtles and experiences the deaths of two of them, they are begging for a store bought turtle.  They seem to think that a store bought turtle won't have the same illnesses or problems that our turtles from the street seem to have had, and that it will be guaranteed a longer life.  They also, of course, want a water turtle.  It didn't seem to faze them when I explained that we let them have turtles because they were cheap, and that buying an elaborate water sanctuary for a water turtle wouldn't be cheap. 

It always seems that the free thing turns into something expensive.  I was so happy when they found these turtles - what could be better than a free pet that they could enjoy?  But, somehow the free pet has turned into a request for something very costly.  What is a mother to do.  I keep telling them to go back to the woods - search for more turtles!  They keep saying, "Yeah, but mom, what if we don't find any?"  And it's a good question.  What if they don't?  Will I splurge on a new turtle.  Can't this one die just as easily? And then I've actually paid for something that then dies.  These are the questions in our house at the moment.  I guess the answers will reveal themselves with time!

My kids recently found one, then two, then three turtles that they were nurturing and loving.  Two of them died mysteriously and quickly, leaving us with only one little turtle.  The kids buried the two without shedding a tear, surprisingly, and seemed to move on.  It made me start to think that I definitely think having a pet - whether it's a fish, a turtle or a dog - is a good thing for kids.  I think this for many reasons. They learn responsibility.  The fish must be fed; the turtle needs rocks to bury under; and the dog needs to be walked.  But, they also learn larger things about life and death.  And they learn them in a gentle way, if death can be described as such.

Rather than first learning about death when a family member or friend dies, they learn about it when an animal dies. Now, that's not to say that it's not painful or difficult. But, it doesn't have the same impact, most of the time, as the death of a person.  Many of us remember the Cosby Show and the death of the fish.  They flushed it down the toilet and it was a big growing experience for the kids.  Pets are great in life and in death...you never know what you will learn from one and what your kids will gain.  As much as we benefit the animal, taking it in and caring for it, we benefit even more from having it.  Something to think about!

So, as I wrote in the last blog, we had three turtles that my four boys loved.  And suddenly, the big one had something coming from his nose, and then the medium one did, and the next thing we knew, they were dead.  I had never seen a dead turtle before, and it was awfully sad to see it.  But, not as sad as it was to explain to my sons.  How does one explain that their turtles have suddenly and mysteriously died.  Did they die from fighting?  Did they have a disease that my kids now had on their hands from playing with the turtles for the past week!  We didn't know what had happened, but now we needed to deal with the kids' grief and bury the turtles.

Thankfully, my husband took charge.  He scooped the turtles into a box and carted them away with my two older boys. They buried them and then one son came running into the house - he needed a permanent marker.  "For what?" I asked. "We are going to write on the rock next to the turtles mom!"  Well, duh.  So nice. So, they went out and wrote a note, "Here are the turtles we loved."  I assumed they would come in with long faces and the desire to talk.  So, when they entered, I was a bit surprised when Dan said, "That was sad.  Mom, can I have a popsicle."  And he never looked back.  Kids are funny...but, maybe it's healthy to grieve for only a bit and then move on.

My poor kids.  They found a turtle a number of months ago that they gleefully dragged home and put in a box.  Well, with some time, we found a nicer box for it and they enjoyed watching their little turtle.  Eventually, they found another and soon the box had two turtles rather that one.  Turtles are great because they are so low maintenance.  With four boys in the house, I am definitely in need of a low maintenance pet!  The kids throw some lettuce at them, watch them chew, add a bit of water, and the turtles seem to stay content.  No barking, no walking, nothing.

Well, the kids have gotten so happy with their turtles, that they've started wanting more.  So, they found another turtle and invited him into the turtle home.  This one was much larger and now we needed to get a bigger home.  We went to the hardware store and bought one of those large storage boxes that you might fold sweaters into and declared this a home.  All seemed fine.  For a day or two that is.  And then the big turtle seemed to have something coming from his nose, and so did the medium turtle.  I had no idea what it was or what to do for them.  Well, you can get where this story is going.  The next day - the two older turtles were dead.  I still don't know what happened.  Did they have a fight? Was the big one sick and he infected the medium one?  I'll never know.  But, now we had to deal with two dead turtles and four disappointed boys.  More to come about how we did that in the next instalment!

We've been asked by the neighbor to walk his dogs once a day while his family is away. He's home working while they travel for a few weeks and he's asked us to step in each afternoon.  My five year old has been begging for a dog, particularly since his died a few years ago, and Jay (the neighbor) figured that this would be a nice way to make my son feel good.  Feel good for him - chaos for me! Since it's not part of our daily routine, I've been finding it hard to find the time to walk the dogs.  There are three dogs - and I have four children under 7 to watch!  So, we try to squeeze in our dog walking between this one's nap and that one's swim lessons, etc.  You get the idea.  My five year old is in heaven, of course, and that is making it all worth while. 

Yesterday, we forgot to walk them.  Completely forgot.  And I pictures them at home all afternoon with their legs crossed, wondering when that absent minded woman was going to show up.  Oh dear.  We failed that one. But, other than that day, we've been pretty good about going to Jay's each day.  Hopefully, when his family returns, my son will be able to let go and will feel satisfied with the work that he's done.  That's what I'm hoping at least...because I don't think that I can maintain this for too much longer!

My son wants a pet.  He's wanted one for quite awhile and we are just not ready to commit to an animal.  With four wild boys in the house, we have all the animals we can handle.  So, what's a mother to do?  At the moment, I'm bribing him with a stuffed animal.  Lame, I know.  But, I'm desperate and it seems to be working. I've promised him that we will go to one of those Build A Bear places where he can pick out any version of the cutest stuffed animal in the world that he wants.  This company is amazing.  He can pick out the heart to put in its body and watch as they "build" his bear.  Then, he can pick out clothes for his bear and make a birth certificate for it.  He can even name his little creation.

Ok - so it won't cuddle with him in bed and make for adorable bonding experiences.  But, it also won't bark in the middle of the night and demand to be walked at all hours.  It won't cost money for food and veterinarian shots.  And, it's his very own.  He doesn't even need to share this pet with his brothers.

No, this solution won't work for everyone, but it seems to be working for us.  He's forgotten about his quest for a real animal for the moment and is focusing on his exciting trip to the mall.  I can't guarantee that this excitement will last forever, but it's paying off for now.  One day at a time!

So, you've booked your amazing trip to New Zealand and everything is ready.  Suddenly, you realize that you haven't made any arrangements for your animals!  What are you to do, about to abandon your beloved dogs for your three week trip?  There are a number of choices that you have, and each one has its pros and cons.  Here are a few ideas.

1. Pet Hotels - There are amazing pet hotels out there these days that will cater to your every whim - and the whim of your animal. They cost almost as much as your travel plans, but they will let your dog live in style while you are away.  They walk the animal, play with it, feed it, and even offer certain perks like haircuts, exercise time, and swimming.  If you can afford it, go ahead and give your animal a vacation while you have yours!

2. Modest Pet Hotels - There are, of course, some more modest pet hotels that offer brief walks, food and a safe shelter for your pet while you are away.  Your animal will do fine in this location and there is no reason to feel guilty about abandoning your dog or cat.

3. House Sitters - Sometimes, it's easier to hire someone to come to your home. This serves two purposes.  You have someone watching your house to prevent burglaries and the mess that an unwatched burst pipe can cause, and you have someone to watch your animals.  This is a great idea - as long as you find someone that you can trust.

4. Animal swap - If you can't find someone to stay in your house, maybe you can find someone who will want your dog for a week or two.  Many people who don't want to personally own an animal wouldn't mind having one on a brief loan.

These are all great options for your animal.  Remember to figure out some plans for your pet before you take off so that you can both enjoy your time away!

Whenever possible, keep those shaggy little creatures at home when you fly.  That's really the best rule of thumb there is.  There's nothing as difficult as trying to deal with your own travel plans, and those of your family; and then also having to make sure that your animal is taken care of.  I actually know a woman who flies around the world with her dog.  Her dog is small and, are you ready for this, she buys it a seat on the plane.  Her little dog is able to fly around the world with her, relaxing in its business class seat and enjoying the good life. But, for the rest of us, flying with an animal means securing it in a cage, trying to keep it calm before and after the flight, and hoping the rest of the time that's it's doing alright in the belly of the plane.   It's most better to find someone to watch your animal while you are away, and to rest assured that it is comfortable and well cared for at home.

I was also on a flight once with a small dog.  The dog was actually so good that I didn't even know until about the 9th hour that it was there.  Poor little thing.  It needed to go to the bathroom desperately.  The owner let it out for a bit of air, only to hear her name being paged over the speaker. Turns out that the dog ran away, peed in the flight attendants' area and was making a mess everywhere!  The embarrassed owners ran around the plane trying to retrieve their animal.  Quite a show for the rest of us!

We all love our animals, but we also love our sanity!  In addition, most animals don't actually enjoy seeing Tahiti, Japan and Switzerland.  Let them stay at home in the routine that they know and love.  And enjoy your trip by yourself!

Here's a great idea.  Open a home away from home for pets in your house.  Come again? Well, this could be a great way to make money, and an easy one as well.  Many people want to know that their pet is taken care of when they take a vacation.  They would ideally like the pet to stay at home, but know that it may not be possible to find someone to come to their house.  Before they will settle for a kennel, however, they would prefer to have the pet in a loving home environment.  And that's what you've got.  You can welcome animals into your home and take care of them while their owners are on vacation.  Whether it's a bird, a bunny rabbit or a dog, it's a great way to enjoy animals on a short term basis and to make some money at the same time.

The only things that you would have to consider are the size of your house, how many animals you can accomodate at one time, and the mix of animals that are accepted.  You certainly don't want to have a war in your house all day as the dogs and cats square off and the iguanas try to eat the mice.  That would not be a pretty situation.  But, assuming that you take in an appropriate mix of animals and number of animals, it could be a fun way to make money while doing something that you love.  We all want to love our work - why not love it while loving animals at the same time? Sounds like a winning combination, doesn't it?

Last week we talked about dog walking, and how it could be a nice side business, and potentially a nice full time business.  Another great idea is dog sitting.  There are two ways to accomplish this.  You can either have people bring their dog to your house while they are out of town, or you can go and stay in their house.  If you don't have your own family commitments, staying in someone else's house can be a great way to make money.  Particularly if they have a nice house, you are making money to sit in a lovely home, watch a dog, and continue with your regular life.  It sounds amazing!

Many people love the idea of keeping their animal safely in its own environment.  Rather than taking it to a kennel, where it may be lonely or get an infection from another dog, they know that their animal is safely and quietly in its own house.  They can rest assured that it is keeping its regular routine and being well cared for.  Many people in this day and age are willing to play a huge price for this type of peace of mind for their animal.  In many wealthy areas in America the sky is the limit for what they will spend on their animals. Why not cash in on this love for animals and get some enjoyment at the same time?  Think about pet and house sitting - it's a great way to go!

Dog walking is an interesting profession or hobby.  Dog walking?  Well, yes.  Dog walking is a great way to pick up extra money and to enjoy being outside.  It can be a fun extra activity, or a way to make a living.  Many people have dogs and don't have the time to walk them during the day.  People have very busy lives and work long hours.  What are they to do with their animals in the middle of the day?  So, dog walking was invented and has taken off in many cities throughout America.  As an official dog walker, you would go to the family's house once, twice, or more a day, pick up the animal and take it for a stroll.  If they want you to, you might play with the animal, feed the animal, and go for a longer walk.  If you were able to find animals in the same neighborhood, you might be getting paid to walk a number of dogs at the same time, thus making a good deal of money an hour.

This is a great, creative way to make some money, or to start a full time business.  Many people love knowing that their dog is being taken care of during the day while they are at.  In addition, this could be an activity when they are on vacation.  Rather than taking the dog to a kennel, many people like to know that their dog is safely in their home - or in your home - and being taken care of.  Think about it. There are many creative ways to make a living out there that you might now have considered - and dog walking is one of them!

Pet sitting is a great way to get involved with animals without having to commit to them yourselves. It's a little bit like having grandchildren - you get to enjoy them without the responsibility of taking care of them all the time.  So, by pet sitting, you can enjoy the pet and then give him back!  Also, pet sitting gives you a chance to experience all sorts of different animals.  One week you can sit for a family's dog; another week you can take in the neighbor's cat; want to try out a snake?  Grab the neighbor's for a bit. 

None of these activities require you to commit to anything.  You just have to make sure that you have the time for the animal and that you take care of it in the same style that it is used to.  It is important to remember, however, that there can be difficulties.  The animal could have adjustment issues.  It might miss its owners and cry a bit; it might decide not to eat some of the time out of depression.  It might accidentally go to the bathroom in the house, even if the owner swears that it never happens at their home.  In general, however, being a pet sitter can be a great way to enjoy an animal without the commitment of keeping it!  It's a fun way to try out different animals and to see if one of them suits your family.  You never know, you might just fall in love with that iguana and decide that you need to have one yourself.

We had Griffey first and he was a baby of sorts to us.  And then, two years later, along came our first kid.  I laugh at it now, but we were really worried at the time about how Griffey would adjust.  Would he be jealous?  Would he attack Matan and want to hurt him, this little baby?  Would he bark in the middle of the night and wake the baby?  These were all real concerns at the time. Of course, everything worked out, as they tend to; when you are approaching change, it's always very difficult.  I had read somewhere that we should give Griffey an item of the baby's to smell before actually bringing the baby home.  So, when my husband returned from the hospital to walk the dog, he brought a baby item with him and put it in the dog's bed.  Griffey was definitely curious about it.  I don't know if it made a difference, but I did think that it was a good idea.  Another good idea was for me to walk into the house, when I returned home, without the baby in my arms.  I came home, greeting the dog and showered him with attention, and then Josh walked in with the baby.  We certainly didn't leave the two of them alone for a long time and always had the baby on a table or in his bassinet and out of the dog's reach.  This ensured that they could get used to each other without the chance of the dog hurting Matan.

Everything worked out and Griffey and Matan became the best of friends.  It is, however, very stressful to change things in your life - and it's also stressful for your animal.  Keep this in mind if you are planning some large changes and think about ways to ease the transition for your pet.  After all, you love him too!

My five year old considers his two year old brother to be his pet.  While that sounds funny, it's not really so funny when it's your life.  Poor Ami gets dragged around by his big brother all the time.  Judah is constantly asking where he is, taking Ami for "walks" and seeing what he can feed him next.  I think he subconsciously wants an animal that I'm not about to buy him, and he's projecting his desire on his brother.  Weird?  Perhaps...but what is a mother to do about it.  I've tried not to laugh when I see Judah doing things that he would do with a dog, but it's hard not to.  The other day, I found them playing fetch in the yard.  Judah was throwing the ball and yelling at Ami to run after it.  Now, some people would think that I'm misinterpreting things and that this is really called "catch".  But, when Judah is purposefully asking Ami to retrieve the ball, and to carry it back to him, I think it looks more like fetch.  I'm not ready to buy him a dog, but I'm also not quite sure how to wean him from treating his younger brother like one!  Fortunately, Ami seems to like the attention, and I haven't yet found him licking milk off of the floor or anything of that sort.  I guess it's all in a day's work as a mother of four crazy boys...it will certainly make for an entertaining story at Judah's wedding some day!

Have you ever been to a dog or cat show before?  If you haven't you just simply don't know what you are missing. They are a hoot!  Imagine watching 100s of people who've come together to prance around with their animals and show them off.  Now, we all love our animals and there is nothing wrong with being proud of them. It's just a whole different galaxy to watch what people are willing to do with their animals.

This can be a great way to entertain your children for an afternoon.  These shows don't general cost very much, and they offer hours of fun entertainment.  The kids can guess which animals will do best and which will fail the test. They can watch all of the colorful displays and all of the action.  It's almost like the state fair, but with a flair. And what a flair it is!

Try to pay attention to your local papers. These are usually the places where animal shows are advertised.  You never know, your children might get so interested and involved that they will want to dress Fifi up and take her to the next show! Watch out or you might become a very busy mother, shlepping your kids from one animal show to the next.

But seriously, this is a great way to have a little bit of entertainment and a lot of fun!  Be creative and let your kids see a whole new side to pet ownership that they may not have known existed.  Enjoy!

So my neighbors went out and bought two pet iguanas.  What were they thinking?  Apparently, the husband used to raise iguanas and he was excited to be able to teach his trade to his kids.  What he failed to remember, however, is that he travels a lot for work.  So, there Lara was with two pet iguanas and six kids while her husband was travelling all over the place!  And apparently iguanas don't know how to eat well when they are born.  You have to actually train the iguana to eat.  So, Lara quickly found one dead iguana in her son's cage. She ran back to the store with the dead iguana and asked for a refund - or a new one.  And they gave her the new iguana!  The next day, she found that the other one had escaped its cage and was wandering around the house somewhere.  The question, of course, was where!

The moral of this story, of course, is to think about your purchases before you make them.  If you really want a certain type of animal, but aren't going to be home to care for it, it might be better not to get it.  And if you don't have the time that it takes to really care for it properly - wait until a point in your life when you do.  We all love animals - at least most of us do - but few of us want an iguana loose in the house!

Birds can make great pets.  When I was a kid, my friend had a bird and I loved going to her house.  I asked my parents for ages to allow me to get one as well.  Finally, they allowed me to.  I purchased Woodstock at the Farmer's Market near our house in L.A. and loved him.  What a great pet!  He was chatty, beautiful and fun to watch.  He didn't make a big mess in the house, he didn't need to be walked, and he never peed on the floor.  He was the perfect pet!  People often say that fish are the perfect pet, but you can't pet a fish or play with a fish.  The bird sat in his cage most of the day, but I was also able to take him out when I wanted to play or watch him fly around my room.

If you are thinking about getting a bird, it is important to do your research.  Some birds are louder than others, and this can, obviously, influence the noise level that you have in your house.  Some fancy and expensive birds can learn to mimic your speech, which can be a lot of fun.  Some birds do better with partners, while others like to be more alone.  Birds are a great way to have a pet in the house without a terribly large commitment.  If you go away for the weekend, it's usually not too difficult to find someone to watch him.  The children can learn responsibility for changing his newspaper and his food/water and you can enjoy the music that he makes while you cook or organize the house.  A bird - what an interesting possibility.  Think about it!

Our neighbour was dog sitting this weekend and we had the pleasure of admiring one of the most gorgeous breeds I've ever seen.  It was a Bernese Mountain Dog.  What an animal!  These dogs come from Switzerland and get to be quite large.  They are supposed to be very gentle and fantastic with children.  I have never seen a more gorgeous animal and I loved looking at it and playing with it.  The last time that I saw a Bernese Mountain Dog I was packing through Europe and had stopped in Belgium.  I saw a dog that was so beautiful, I had to go over to its owner and find out what it was.  And, of course, it was this exceptional breed.  Prince, the dog we saw this week, was like a teddy bear - with a mostly black body and brown and white around its eyes and legs.  This particular puppy was only 7 months old, but he was as soft and gentle as you can imagine.

It was fun to walk Prince down the street and watch people literally turn around and stare.  Bernese Mountain Dogs are more popular in Europe than they are in America.  They are quite expensive to get in the States, and are, therefore, a bit rare.  I felt like we were showing off a beautiful masterpiece as we walked, and a few people even came up to ask us what type of dog it was.  Unfortunately, the day ended and we had to return Prince to his babysitter, but it was certainly a fun experience to enjoy Prince for a day.  If you ever have the money and the home for a large size dog - this is a great choice for beauty, personality and fun!

So, my poor son has been asking for a dog for ages now, and we just don't want to get one yet.  Why?  Well, with four kids underfoot, no extra time in our lives, and no extra money, we really don't feel that this is the time to get a pet.  We love dogs - and would love to bring one into their lives.  But, we have to wait until they are a bit older and can help us out.  I just can't think about walking the dog by myself, dragging along four kids and trying to look after everyone.  I also can't imagine training a puppy (which is what we would want to get) and losing any more sleep than I already do.  It's just not going to happen right now.

So, what is poor Timmy to do?  Well, we heard over the weekend that one of our neighbours was babysitting a beautiful little puppy.  And this was the perfect activity for Timmy.  We sent him over there early on Saturday morning and Timmy was in heaven for the entire day.  He got to walk the dog, pet the dog, play with the dog and feed the dog.  He actually mentioned a few times during the day that it was a lot of work.  Yes, he still asked for a dog when he got home - and I quickly pointed out that Prince would be available to play with again tomorrow. And then tomorrow came and Timmy played with him again.  This time, he played with less interest and less zeal.  The magic was already wearing off.  I was actually surprised that my plan worked, but Timmy got bored of Prince quite quickly and came home satisfied.  For now, at least, the dog issue has been put to bed.  I'm sure it will come up again soon - but Timmy got his fix for the time being, and I will, hopefully, get some quiet for awhile!