Embracing the New Year with Hope, Growth, and Canine Joy!

Dear Valued Clients, Potential Partners, and Fellow Canine Enthusiasts,

As we stand together at the threshold of a brand New Year, the team at The Dog Goddess extends our warmest greetings and heartfelt wishes for a joyous, healthy, and prosperous New Year ahead! Amidst the wagging tails, playful barks, and heartwarming moments we've shared throughout the past year, we find ourselves embracing the possibilities and opportunities that 2024 has in store for us all.

At The Dog Goddess, our passion for fostering a deep bond between humans and their canine companions, while building our community remains unwavering. We've been privileged to witness countless tales of love, trust, and loyalty from our furry friends. In these unique connections, we discover the purest forms of happiness and lessons on resilience, empathy, and unconditional love.

The past year has been a journey marked with both challenges and triumphs. Through it all, your trust and ongoing support have been the cornerstone of our success. Your belief in our services, your steady enthusiasm for the well-being of your beloved pups, and your commitment to nurturing a harmonious relationship with them continue to inspire us daily.

As we step into the canvas of 2024, let us paint it with colors of optimism, kindness, community and growth. Let's embrace the unknown with an exuberant spirit, channeling the curiosity and boundless energy of our canine companions. Together, let us forge ahead, creating moments that celebrate companionship, understanding, and the profound beauty of the human-animal bond.

We are excited about the prospects this New Year holds for all of us at The Dog Goddess. From innovative services to insightful resources, we're dedicated to enhancing the lives of both you and your cherished pets. Your satisfaction and the well-being of your furry friends remain at the core of our mission.

May this New Year be filled with joyous tail wags, tranquil walks, and countless memories shared with your beloved companions. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your continued trust and collaboration to helping us to build and maintain our compassionate community of dog lovers worldwide.

Here's to a prosperous, joy-filled, and paws-itively amazing 2024!

Warm regards,

The Dog Goddess Team

Questions Regarding Tipping Your Pet Sitter During The Holidays Or Any Season

So, over the years we have gotten alot of questions on whether it is ‘appropriate’ to ‘tip’ your pet sitter; during the holidays and as per usual visits.

The answer to that question is ‘yes‘ of course it is appropriate to tip your pet sitter.  For holidays and any regularly scheduled visits.

Pet sitters are service providers who often work seven days per week, all year long; some even traveling long distances for these assignments, and as a service provider; just like your hair stylist, gardener, pool man, restaurant server, massage therapist, etc. it is appropriate to tip them for their services.

Today’s acceptable tip rate for most service professionals is typically 20-30% of the total services rendered.

Some Pet Sitters do so much more than provide food and water for your beloved pets while you are away, and this is an occupation built upon trust, dependability, professionalism, and a deep love of all animals.

Pet Sitters spend ‘quality’ time with the pets, and in addition to providing them the basics of food and water while you are away, they also give them love, attention, clean up their waste; ie. litter boxes and poop scoopers, any other little ‘accidents’ like vomiting, etc., as well as providing your pets with healthy exercise, conversation, petting, playtime, etc., so it’s not surprising that you want to give them the moon for looking after your precious fur babies.

Many pet sitters also take care of your treasured home while you are away; making it look ‘lived’ in and busy as usual to the outside world.  They bring in your newspapers, get your mail, keep your lights on and off at strategic and sensible times of the day and nite to deter unwanted guests as well as potential vandals.  They water your plants and maybe your lawn, deal with your regularly scheduled contractors such as your pool man, gardener, and other service professionals while you are away.

The bottom line is that your pet gets to stay in the environment she knows best and have her regular routine, and you get to go about your plans with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your beloved pet is safe and cared for by a professional, and that your home is being watched over by someone of integrity.

Acceptable, thoughtful, and appreciated ‘tips’ might include such items as a GIFT CARD FOR A SPA VISIT 
for your hard working service professional, or perhaps a GIFT CERTIFICATE TO AN ONLINE STORE SUCH AS THIS ONE.

Tips don’t always have to come in the form of ‘money’.

Remember to be grateful and remain in the ‘giving’ spirit all year long. You might just surprise someone and really make their day, and you are honoring the Universal Law of both giving and receiving with acceptance and gratitude.

We hope that this answers some of your questions and please be safe and have a joyous holiday season this and every season..

~Peace, Love, Light, and Abundance to You and Yours, this and every season


HALLOWEEN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SCARY FOR YOUR DOG OR YOUR OTHER PETS-

Most of you conscientious pet guardians know by now that most all dogs and many other species of pets are irritated by, if not downright afraid of loud noises like fireworks on the 4th of July and on other holidays that us humans choose to celebrate.

Well, imagine that you can hear 100 to 1000 times louder than you do right now; kinda like the Comic book Superhero ‘X-Men’ do. This is how dogs hear every single day unless they have hearing loss.   This level of loudness coupled with strange people coming to your door, ringing your doorbell every few minutes, and on top of that, they come dressed in creepy costumes with masked faces, the shrill laughter and screaming of excited little children; which many dogs are not used to being around at all; can be enough to send even the most accepting and docile of dogs into a panic attack and or a barking frenzy.

Obviously, this is not what we wish for our ‘best friends’.

When you think about it, our beloved pets really do put up with a lot from us, and we certainly don’t want to traumatize them, all in the name of one nite of fun for Halloween or any other holiday.

Just like on the 4th of July and those other ‘loud noise’ holidays we spoke about in our Journal article entitled: ” How To Help Your Pets ON Holidays Involving Fireworks An With Other Loud Noises” we would recommend and use some of those same protocol for Halloween; such as -Take your pup out for a walk in advance– way before the festivities begin, in order for them to exercise, relax, and go potty.  If you have a cat, and you do normally allow them to go in and out; for this holiday and for many others, I suggest keeping them safely indoors for a few days and let them use a litter box to go potty and just play with you and some inside toys. * Black cats and dogs especially need to be under extra special protection, because unfortunately there are still many humans who would wish your pet harm just because of the color of his coat; and this is also a holiday when many scared pets are so scared that they take that split second opportunity to bolt out the door first chance they get and they end up in animal shelters or worse.

USE COMMON SENSE– · If your pet is extremely sensitive to loud noises as many definitely are, you can alleviate your pet’s anxiety by doing things such as: playing calming music on your iPhone, old school MP3 Player, or TV, petting them, and giving them a gentle massage, spraying some Organic lavender essential oil https://a.co/d/4CVXnKO lightly on their/your bedding, *If you share your home with a cat, do NOT use Lavender oil and do your research to make sure anything you use in the home is safe for whatever animal species you live with. Perhaps using a holistic product such as Dr. Bach’s Rescue Remedy for PETS   https://a.co/d/3FksHrT directly on their tongue or in their water for anti-anxiety, or Hemp Calming Treats such as Thunderwunders Hemp Calming Treats https://a.co/d/91Qrv4Y with L-Theanine and Hemp.   You can move your pets into another room in the house such as a bathroom or laundry room located away from the front door.  This way they won’t be sent ‘springing into action’ every single time that doorbell rings, and masked strangers appear at their door yelling, “Trick Or Treat!”

‘WE’ know it’s just a traditional holiday and all in good fun, but our pets have no clue what this is all about, so put yourself in their place and take necessary preparations and precautions to help keep them safe, ok.

We might also mention that some pets have such a strong sense of smell and some have a ‘bit’ more of a curious and mischievous sense than others, and they just might be tempted to get into things that are not intended for their little tummies, like sugary Halloween candy.

Although it might be a fun tradition for Halloween, sugar is not good for us, and it certainly is not good for our pets.  Remember that theobromine; the active ingredient in chocolate, is ‘deadly’ when ingested by dogs or cats; *in fact it is deadly for most of our animal friends.  Most ‘sugar-free’ candies are not safe either, because most of these candies and gums contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol and aspartame and are also ‘deadly‘ to dogs and cats.  If you are having a party catered to the adult set, then please use extra caution and not leave anything like alcohol or cigarettes, or products containing THC where curious creatures can get a hold of them. That could seriously be the LAST time the pets get ahold of anything. Period.

BE SURE TO KEEP THE CANDY, GUM, AND THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS IN PLACES WHERE YOU ARE ‘CERTAIN’ THAT WONDERING NOSES AND PAWS CANNOT GET INTO IT AND SAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR BELOVED PET A VISIT TO THE EMERGENCY VETERINARIAN’S OFFICE.

OF COURSE YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE YOUR OWN VETERINARIAN’S AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY VETERINARIAN’S PHONE NUMBERS ON HAND JUST IN CASE; AND MANY OF YOU ALREADY KEEP PET INSURANCE LIKE Trupanion or Embrace Pet Insurance IN ORDER TO HELP OUT IN UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS.

JUST REMEMBER TO BE SAFE, KIND, RESPECTFUL AND HAVE FUN THIS HOLIDAY AND OTHERS !!

THE WORLD OF PET COSTUMES AND CLOTHING: SAFETY, COMFORT, AND FURRY FASHION

Pomeranian Dog in Pumpkin Costume

Dressing up our beloved pets in costumes and clothing has become a popular trend, especially during holidays and parties. We’ve got Halloween/Samhain, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve all coming up here real soon so we think it’s a good time to release this article as a gentle reminder. While it's undeniably adorable to see a dog in a pirate hat or a cat in a tutu, it raises questions about the safety, comfort, and preferences of our furry companions. In this article, we delve into the world of pet costumes and clothing, exploring whether they are safe, whether pets enjoy them, and what research and pet owners have to say on this intriguing subject.

Safety First: Assessing the Risks

When it comes to pet costumes and clothing, safety should always be the top priority.

Here are some key considerations:

Comfort and Fit: Ensure that any costume or clothing you choose for your pet fits comfortably and allows them to move freely. Avoid items that are too tight or restrictive, as they can cause discomfort and stress.

• A well-fitting outfit should allow your pet to walk, run, sit, and lay down without any restrictions.

Breathability: Choose materials that are non-toxic and allow for proper air circulation. Pets can quickly overheat if their costumes don't provide adequate ventilation. Remember that dogs can only breathe through their mouths and sweat through both their mouths and paw pads so don’t restrict of cover those areas or dress them in heavy non-breathable fabrics.

• Lightweight and breathable fabrics like cotton are preferable anytime, especially in warm weather.

Vision and Mobility: Ensure that your pet can see clearly and move easily while wearing a costume. Impaired vision or restricted movement can lead to accidents, fear, or distress.

• Test your pet's mobility by observing how they walk and checking if the costume obstructs their movement.

Potential Hazards: Be mindful of small parts, buttons, or accessories that could be chewed off and swallowed. These can pose choking hazards. Pets; especially young pets are very similar to human toddlers, so any item you know or think a human toddler could pull loose or ingest is also an item that your pet could easily do the same thing with.

• Choose costumes with securely attached accessories or opt for simpler, safer designs.

  Supervision: Never leave your pet unattended in a costume, especially if they are not accustomed to wearing one. Some pets may try to chew or tear off their outfits.

  • Keep a close eye on your pet when they are dressed up, especially during the initial stages of costume introduction.

  Do Pets Like Them? Understanding Pet Preferences

  Whether pets enjoy wearing costumes is a matter of individual preference. While some animals might tolerate or even enjoy dressing up, others may find it uncomfortable or distressing. Many times we humans want to ‘believe’ or ‘think’ that our pets enjoy things such as wearing costumes, when in reality they are only tolerating such things because they continually want to please us.

  Here are some factors to consider:

  1. Temperament: A pet's personality plays a significant role. Some outgoing and adaptable pets may enjoy the attention that comes with wearing a costume, while more reserved or anxious pets may prefer to go au naturel.

  Do remember that it is your responsibility to pay attention to your pet's personality traits and adapt your approach accordingly.

  2. Early Exposure: Pets introduced to costumes and clothing at a young age are more likely to accept them. Gradual acclimatization can help pets become comfortable with wearing outfits.

  • Start by introducing your pet to clothing in a positive and gradual manner.

  3. Body Language: Pay attention to your pet's body language when they are dressed up. Signs of stress or discomfort, such as excessive panting, trembling, or attempts to remove the costume, should not be ignored.

  • Always monitor your pet's behavior and be responsive to their signals of distress or discomfort.

  Research and Pet Parents' Perspectives

  While there is limited scientific research on this specific topic, there is anecdotal evidence from pet parents which can shed light on their experiences:

  1. Positive Experiences: Many pet owners report that their pets seem to enjoy the attention and pampering associated with dressing up. Some even believe that costumes can boost their pet's confidence.

  • Some pets thrive in the attention they receive when dressed up, which can positively impact their overall well-being.

  1. Mixed Feelings: Others have had mixed experiences, with some pets clearly enjoying the attention and being in the spotlight, while others may not be as enthusiastic.

  • Recognize that each pet is unique, and their reaction to wearing costumes can vary widely.

  • Negative Reactions: It's not uncommon for pets to show discomfort or resistance, or feeling constricted when wearing costumes. Some pets may simply prefer their natural state of being, showing off their beautiful fur and other physical attributes.

  • Respect your pet's preferences and avoid pushing them into costumes if they consistently exhibit negative reactions.

  1. Safety Concerns: Pet owners emphasize the importance of safety and responsible costume choices, underscoring that the well-being and comfort of the pet should be paramount.

  • Prioritize safety by selecting costumes that meet your pet's comfort and mobility needs and avoid outfits with potential hazards.

    Pet costumes and clothing can add a fun and festive element to our pets' lives, but they should always prioritize safety and the comfort of our furry friends. Understanding your pet's preferences, respecting their individual comfort levels, and closely monitoring their behavior when dressed up are crucial steps in ensuring a positive experience. Use ‘common sense’.

  • Here are some cute, safe costume suggestions for various seasons:

    https://a.co/d/daxk0c5 https://a.co/d/6Wz11kW https://a.co/d/7MFlF4s https://a.co/d/8HK6igb

    Ultimately, whether your pet enjoys wearing costumes or not, the bond and the sheer love you share with them are far more important than any outfit. When chosen and utilized responsibly, pet costumes can be a delightful way to celebrate special occasions and create cherished memories with our four-legged companions.