Thursday, August 26, 2021

National Dog Day 2021: 4 Paws UP for Canine College of Michigan!!

 It's National Dog Day 2021!! National Dog Day was started in 2004. 

"National Dog Day is a holiday dedicated to celebrating all things dog, of course! Sure, it seems like a pretty simple concept, but it’s as complex and deep as our love for the dogs in our lives. The bond between a pup and their person is life-changing, after all; our dogs’ support, comfort and, yes, hilarious antics make our lives immeasurably better. They keep us active with their daily walks. They ease our minds with their snuggles and loving looks. Many of them even do jobs for us, like therapy dogs who help PTSD survivors and service dogs who assist people with disabilities." 



National Dog Day is a day where we honor all things DOG!! (Yep, as with cats, it's what our household does every day, but today is the official day to honor  all things dogs! )

While celebrating our nearly one year old Levi, (and of course the memory of our beloved Dakota),  and ALL DOGS, I wanted to take a slightly different spin on this day and honor a place that is enriching the quality of Levi's life, each time he visits. That place would be:


(***Providing mental and physical enrichment for your canine pal is just one of many ways to celebrate this day! I also would like to say that I am not being compensated by Canine College of Michigan in any way by featuring them today, I had planned on featuring them for MONTHS, but am finally just getting around to it).

ABOUT CANINE COLLEGE: "Canine College is the largest, premier indoor / outdoor dog daycare, boarding, training & grooming facility serving Farmington Hills, Michigan and surrounding communities since 2007. Our service offerings are designed to utilize the latest expertise, best practices and products available in the pet-care industry for a happy and healthy pet"


The above photo was taken March of 2021 on Levi's first day at Canine College

When Deb Watkins opened Canine College in May of 2006 it was part of a franchise. In December 2007 she decided to separate from the franchise and opened Canine College (Michigan).

As stated in the handbook that they give the parents of the "students",  Canine College offers "exemplary customer service." Not just to the pet parents but to the DOGS too!! It is their dedication to customer service, particularly an incredible man named Dylan (who was my FIRST contact at Canine College when I called for info), that sealed the deal on our decision to send Levi there.

Dylan gave me permission to post this photo,
 see how Dylan and Levi have matching manes???

That's Dylan in the photo with Levi!! Lenny and I ADORE Dylan (as well as the entire staff at Canine College), but  more importantly, Levi LOVES him and we can tell that Dylan GENUINELY loves Levi as well. Levi started at Canine College when he was about 6 months old (he will be a year old in September), and the fact that he is a puppy, as well as being larger than most Shelties, and is MUCH more boisterous, stubborn, determined and out-going than many Shelties, makes training him that much harder. (Being incredibly smart doesn't always help the equation either!). 

While ALL of the trainers at Canine College are fabulous, as I mentioned, it was Dylan's customer service BEFORE we ever enrolled Levi that was exemplary, (and continues to be so, as well as every other staff member we have dealt with since Levi was enrolled. )

Those that know me KNOW I ask a zillion questions and I talk A LOT. Poor Dylan!! Dylan answered every question professionally, warmly, enthusiastically and patiently (and trust me, there were NUMEROUS phone calls and questions from me!). He never acted annoyed. 

Why Daycare? The Benefits of Daycare:

Being at Canine College provides exercise and activities that are vital to Levi as well as other dogs. It helps with their longevity, it provides socialization, mental stimulation, absence of boredom and more. Many of these things we can't always provide at home since we live on second floor of an apt/condo complex.

Canine College offers:

Daycare: All-day play, Monday through Saturday from 6:30am to 6:30pm Monday thru Saturday. (Levi attends once a week, for a half day and we also have him enrolled in Training.) Hoping to increase his day care visits this Fall.

Boarding:


 

I took these photos when we had a tour on Levi's first day.

"Your dogs do not spend their weekend locked in a crate at Canine College! Dogs who have successfully passed our temperament test will be playing in our doggie daycare on Saturdays and Sundays!"

"Your furry student will retire to a private room to find it prepared with a sling bed, fresh water and his or her favorite toys or treats. We will tuck your student in tightly, impart a warm hug, turn the lights down low and allow them to drift off to sleep and dream of their victories on the playfields that day."

This guy greets you in the entryway of Canine College

"Our 24 hour security system is activated should anything go bump in the night plus we have a team of trained faculty members who stays late and even into the wee hours of the morning walking the Dorm Halls, cuddles those students that need a little extra tuck-in, watches movies with lucky students whose parents have ordered Snuggle, Snack and a Show, and taking care of those “last call!” late night potty breaks and so much more."

We are excited because we already booked some overnight stays for Levi during the football season, so he doesn't have to be crated all day! They also offer grooming, training, a bark shop that is to die for!! It is stocked with all sorts of treats, toys, leashes and so much more! 

The training classes include evening obedience classes, (which I forgot about until I started working on this post!), Board & Train, Brain & Fitness (which I believe is what Levi is enrolled in), and Puppy Development.

In order to attend Canine College you must have all of your vaccinations and you must pass an admissions test.



Levi can't believe he passed!! HA!!

They also have PetExec  an online software system where you can log in and among other things, watch your dog on their College Vision Webcam. (Everything at Canine College is college oriented, their play fields are broken down by Puppy Freshman, JV, Sophomore, etc., you get the idea) and the Playfield coaches are attentive, often pet and play with the dogs and are certified in First Aid, etc. The dogs are assigned "playfields" by their temperament, size and play style.


I took the above photo when we were on the tour (I think), and they gradually introduced Levi to other dogs so he wouldn't be overwhelmed when he reached the playfield.

Here are a few other photos from various other times I watched Levi on camera while he was there:

Levi is standing on the left

Levi is also on the left above. On warmer days, they fill a dog-bone shaped "pool" and many of the dogs play in it. Because Levi has so much fur and it has been quite warm, he seems to prefer being inside rather than outside.


Levi absolutely adores his time spent at Canine College and I am hoping to add more daycare days to his schedule because it is a huge benefit to him. He is a "work in progress", trying to get him to stop jumping and more......but those things will come in time.


The above photo was taken on August 4th, before one of Levi's visits to Canine College. He is so much larger than he was when he started!!

Lenny and I are thrilled that Canine College of Michigan exists and we couldn't be happier with the staff, etc. If you live in the area or know others who are seeking daycare/training etc., that live here that could benefit from Canine College, visit their website, follow them on twitter or give them a like on Facebook!!!

Thank you Canine College for always taking such good care of Levi!! See you soon!!!


(Photo used with Permission from Canine College)



Dedicated with love in memory of our beloved Dakota on National Dog Day 2021. 


Friday, August 20, 2021

Fun Friday: Shiba Inu Celebrates His 4th Birthday

 Hi furiends! Sometimes the cutest blog posts turn up unexpectedly, THIS would be one of those blog posts!

On August 15th my younger brother and I were texting and he told me it was his Shiba Inu's 4th birthday (Casper),  and that he and my sister-in-law would be celebrating. I told him to be sure to send photos and a video if he had one. 

Here is a photo from that day:


He looks thrilled doesn't he? Get ready......this video TOTALLY made me laugh (turn up your volume), the video is super short and I must have watched it 50 times already!






The expression on his face and how Casper is sitting there sooo politely just letting his humans cater to him, totally cracked me up! Levi would NEVER sit still like that if we sang to him!


Happy, Happy 4th birthday again Casper!!!! You are definitely one WISE woofie and we love you!!

Monday, August 16, 2021

Pet Blogger Review of The "Loo" All in One Modern Litter Box by Meowy Studio

 


(Photo used with permission from Meowy Studio)



THEIR STORY:

Meowy Studio began when founder Jimmy, had an idea to make sustainable cat products that would complement a harmonious living space. He wanted to create cat products that were practical but with modern design in mind.  Jimmy founded Meowy Studio, your go-to place for cat products tailored for modern living. Made from 100% recyclable ABS plastic, the design incorporates a handy litter catcher, so you no longer have to worry about the mess your furbaby leaves behind. The closed-structure box is sleek and stylish but also combats nasty smells by blocking the odor in the tray. The tray is easy to clean with a simple rinse-and-wipe solution, which will keep you feeling zen every day. They care about their customers and want to offer as much support as they can after making a purchase. In their package, you will receive info so that you can  contact Jimmy personally to discuss ways they can improve their products for the future.

I was excited when I was offered the opportunity to review the Loo All in One Modern Litter Box.   Roary has been using Cody's  old litter cabinet/box and I felt that he deserved to have one of his own, so I was eager to give the Loo a try. 

I was impressed with what I saw and read on their website and loved the minimalist design.  The day the box arrived, of course Roary was "on" it!


The kind people at Meowy Studio KNOW that cats will be drawn to the box, so much so that they have THIS on the outside of the box:



THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO ASSEMBLY!!

COULDN'T BE EASIER! The Loo comes with a filter plate, litter catcher, litter base, cover, scoop, scoop holder, an optional curtain for the door and a scoop holder hook


PROS:

NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, NO TOOLS NECESSARY! TAKES SECONDS TO "ASSEMBLE"

SUPER EASY TO CLEAN: just rinse with water and wipe dry!! Easy Peasy!

SIMPLE, SLEEK, BEAUTIFUL DESIGN

Made from 100% recyclable plastics and manufactured without the use of harmful chemicals. The materials are high quality/ABS plastic that is SCRATCH resistant and durable.

CLOSED STRUCTURE: It EFFECTIVELY blocks odor

ROARY LOVES IT and USED IT DAILY!



COMES IN AN ASSORTMENT OF ATTRACTIVE COLORS-Carbon Grey, Blush Pink and the Aspen White (which I have)

The grate DOES help keep litter from tracking on the floor

CATS LOVE TO PLAY WITH THE BOX THAT IT COMES IN!



  • CONS
  • The entry door is much smaller than my other litter cabinet. Only small to medium sized cats would fit easily through the door. Roary is on the small side (he is smaller than both my Angels Bobo and Cody were), so he has no problem at all. 


For me, lifting the entire top of the box in my small bathroom to clean it is rather annoying. I wish it had some sort of an opening where I didn't have to lift the entire top off and lay it on the floor like I have to now. For some, that may not be annoying, but my other litter cabinet has a door that you open in the front and you can slide the pan right out to scoop.



Mine came with an optional little curtain flap (not pictured), that was annoying and fell off the first time Roary went through the opening with it on. I have chosen to leave it off.





  • (Photo used with permission from Meowy Studio)
  • The litter pan is smaller than I would like. Roary actually PEED on the side where the grate is, into the side that had NO LITTER. I ended up putting litter on BOTH SIDES.

  • (Photo used with permission from Meowy Studio)

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE:

A Loo that is designed for larger cats.

A design where you do not have to lift the top off to scoop

I would like to see the grate removed and make the entire lower tray non-divided, so that the litter tray would be larger. (A smaller tray means I have to add litter more often. Maybe a grate could be an optional feature to add on should the owner want to do so?)

Would love to see a model where it could be used in more than one way, an example would be to add snap on plastic shelves or something so if you use it in a bathroom you could store towels, etc., on it.



HERE'S MY "SCOOP":

I DO like the Loo, (even with the "cons" I mentioned above). More importantly, Roary likes it!

I love how the actual litter pan is easier to clean than a normal litter pan. I love it's smaller "footprint" visually. I love that Roary tried it out on his own with no encouraging necessary.  What is funny is that Roary is actually using both the Loo and his old litter cabinet. When one is soiled, he uses the other. (Roary has always been rather fastidious about his litter, I scoop twice a day, so I DO intend to keep both the Loo and Roary's old litter cabinet, since I am the only one who uses the bathroom with him). This way I am certain he will pretty much ALWAYS have one litter box that is clean.



  IF YOU WANT A STYLISH, EASY TO CLEAN, SMALLER  ENCLOSED LITTER BOX THAT WILL BLEND UNOBTRUSIVELY WITH YOUR DECOR, THIS IS DEFINITELY THE BOX FOR YOU!!!


Thank you so much Mr.Jimmy !!! I LOVE my new Loo !!! I make "DEPOSITS" in it daily!!!!

You can get YOUR Loo TODAY by clicking here!

Love, Roary (and Mom too!)

**We received no monetary compensation for this review. We received The Loo to try in exchange for our always honest review.



Tuesday, August 10, 2021

WORLD LION DAY and NATIONAL SPOIL YOUR DOG DAY

 


SO YOU WERE EXPECTING TO SEE

 A CAT ON WORLD LION DAY?

OR MAYBE A LION?


OK THERE ARE YOUR LIONS

AND HERE ARE SOME MORE...


Ok, there is a cat there too, but YOU tell ME

WHO LOOKS MORE LIKE A LION?

(I had to check my camera to be sure that the photo on the right above WAS Levi, even I was shocked at how huge he has become. That was taken outside the Vet when Levi went to be groomed)


I REST MY CASE


ABOUT WORLD LION DAY


"World Lion Day  is an annual observance that takes place on August 10. This day is an opportunity to celebrate the king of the jungle and raise awareness about its well-being and conservation. On this day you can voice concern about the threats faced by lions such as poaching, habitat destruction, human-lion conflict."


TODAY IS ALSO NATIONAL SPOIL YOUR DOG DAY



Yes, you should (and we do!), spoil your dog (and any pet), EVERY DAY but the top "spoiling" offender at our home would be my husband, Lenny. The photo above was taken when we were on our way home from Ohio with Levi for the first time. The spoiling from Dad started that second!

Levi does things with Lenny that he doesn't (and would NEVER) do with me (because he knows there are things I just won't allow). One of them is that Levi will do this annoying whining/crying when Lenny is in another room. (I heard from the man who is the daddy of Levi's brother, Stormy, that Stormy also does the annoying crying/whining, and Levi's breeder said that Levi's mother used to whine and cry when she wanted to see her puppies, so...maybe he has a good excuse to be whining/crying...he learned it from his Mama)....

Levi will also bark at Lenny until he takes him out (for trips outside that HAVE NOTHING to do with potty breaks because  he immediately wants to come back in. With Lenny being home for the summer this can happen at least 50 times a day. ANNOYING!!!!)

Our weather isn't supposed to be that great today (severe storms are coming), so we can't take Levi to a pet store or to the park or anywhere today to "spoil" him more, and he has yet to eat people food. (We are holding off on that as long as we can), otherwise I would make him a burger like I used to do for Dakota.

So, since EXTRA spoiling can't take place, we'll just stick with our usual a zillion times a day hugs and kisses.....oh and maybe I will try and yell at Levi a little bit less.......(like THAT will ever happen!)



Ok, so I lied, I guess it will!



Monday, August 2, 2021

Late Revealing Our July "Mew Are My Sunshine" #CatLadyBox !

 Eeek!! It's the beginning of August and I FINALLY opened my July "Mew Are My Sunshine" CatLadyBox! 

Ok, I have a good reasons to be late.  I fractured my right ankle (multiple fractures) on July 9th ....as of July 13th I do not have to have surgery (thank COD!) but I have to wear an ankle brace (mostly when I leave the house or if I am doing laundry or something that requires a lot of standing when I am inside). I can't take my long walks with Levi, which I do miss and it's pretty much ruining the summer, but what can you do? Things could always be worse! My next appointment is August 24th to check and see how the ankle is healing, so here's hoping it's on the mend!

So, today I am going to briefly show you the goodies that were in this fabulous July box:


The first item is the pawsitively adorable "Mew Are My Sunshine Shirt" As the description states, "Cats are the sunshine of our hearts!" I am crazy about the coral color of this shirt ! It is bright and cheerful and the saying is darling. I honestly think my favorite part of my monthly CatLadyBox subscription is when they include a T-shirt. The shirts are always unique, well-made, adorable and true to size!

The next item is at the top of the photo, it is the "Happy Cats Canvas Bin." It is collapsible and sturdy! I am currently using it for some of Roary's cat toys, but it could also be used as a grocery bag for the store, a bag to store knitting supplies or anything your heart desires!

The yellow item on the bottom right that looks like a sunglasses smiley face emoji, is the "Sunny Sunshine Catnip Toy." Super cute!

On the top right is the "Elbow Meowcaroni Catnip Toy". How cute is that?

Last but not least is the "Cat Nightlight"....it is in the shape of a cat's head and is just darling! I currently have mine plugged in the kitchen, not far from Roary's bowl. It really gives off a lot of light! 



Speaking of Roary, he was taking a nap when I was taking photos so that's why he isn't in any of them. Didn't feel like waking him up to have him pawticipate!

The artwork featured in the collage above on the far left was done by the featured Cat Lady Artist for July: Elizabeth Anderson of Elizabeth Anderson Art.

Some of the proceeds from the July CatladyBox were donated to:

  • St.Sophia's Forgotten Felines
  • Cedar Valley Humane Society
  • A Wing and a Prayer Rescue
  • Tabby Tales Rescue


One of the most fun times of the month is when my CatLadyBox arrives! If you haven't signed up for a subscription you should! The CatLadyBox is unlike any other cat subscription box out there. Each month, you'll receive a meowvelous selection of high-quality cat-themed items only available through them. From super-soft shirts and beautiful jewelry to inspired home decor and quirky cat toys, the boxes NEVER disappoint! What a great way to show off your CatLady pride!!!  GET YOUR CATLADYBOX TODAY!!


I was not compensated for sharing this content. I pay for my monthly subscription. Like other bloggers, I enjoy "unboxing" and showing you just how great the CatLadyBox is!!!