Each year we hear people talk about setting their “New Year’s Resolutions”, which, almost always go by the wayside after a few weeks. STOP! Set some realistic resolutions, which will assist you in being a more responsible pet owner.

• Set dollars aside in a saving account for your pet’s well being. This money should be used toward vet bills, good nutrition, care giving (including boarding) and grooming. Emergencies can happen requiring veterinarian services, in addition to regular maintenance (vaccinations).
• Provide your pet with the highest quality nutrition, researching the ingredients. Don’t allow fancy packaging to sway you. Avoid corn, cornmeal, soy and wheat, these are difficult for pets to digest and cause allergies. Choose grains from barley, rolled oats, millet and brown rice. Avoid animal-by-products, which may include heads, feet and other animal parts. Avoid preservatives and additives. Dogs and cats are carnivores, doing best on a meat-based diet.
• Be realistic about the pet’s weight. Pets need regular exercise. It’s very scary when people think their pet’s obesity is funny or a joke. Obesity shortens longevity of the pet. Playing with your pet, exercising daily is important for social skills plus their health. Integrate playtime into your daily routine.

Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits recognizes the importance of these resolutions. There is never an additional charge for parents to bring the pet’s special diet, plus pets get playtime several times a day while boarding or at daycare.

At Ms C’s “Pets are our kids”, we assist pet parents by regularly discussing positive routine care and maintenance, which can significantly improve the pet’s quality of life.

During the month of January, Ms C’s staff refresh kennel floors, paint suites and gear up for the upcoming season.

Call Ms C’s at 865-986-6325 to make an appointment for grooming, boarding, or day care as one of your 2012 resolutions.

Christmas is an exciting time of year! To assure happy and safe holidays, it yields dividends to take some precautions for our four legged family members, our pets.

The tree is usually the center of the home’s decorating theme. Tips when decorating the tree:

• Make the tree as safe as possible. Real trees are more dangerous than fake/plastic trees. Pine needles can puncture internal organs. Skip decorative flocking or artificial snow, these chemicals can be toxic. For cats, natural and faux trees are filled with interesting smells, and offer great hiding places. Avoid tinsel and foil garland like the plague, if eaten it can block or shred the intestines. A safer alternative is strands of beads. Stabilize the tree with a wide, flat base, and tying craft or fishing line to the top, attaching to hooks on the ceiling.
• Tree water can be toxic to pets, depending on the fertilizer and preservatives used. Cover the water container by fitting a plastic or metal lid around the trunk, and over the stand, securing with clips. Use clear plastic carpet protectors and place under the tree nub side up, pets will resist lounging under the uncomfortable tree. Another trick, sprinkle citrus scents, which are offensive to cats, around the base of the tree. VIcks (menthol smell) is also a deterrent to pets.
• Tree lights can be tempting chew toys, causing burnt mouths. Place cords in protective coverings, such as paper tubes, hide beneath the tree skirt, or inside a box disguised as a package. Keep cords OUT of view! Wire ornament hooks can cut paw pads. Bend ornament hanger tightly around the branch to prevent wire hooks from falling within pet’s reach.

Forethought during holiday decorating, with your pets in mind, will make for happy holidays. While decorating your home, take the stress out of your life, make Ms Kitty or Fido’s holidays special by arranging a day at the spa, or overnight camping trip for them.
Call Ms Cs Bed & Biscuits, 865-986-6325, we believe your pet’s deserve a fun, safe holiday, their well being is precious.
We want to be a part of making their holidays special too.

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Like most humans, dogs are social creatures. Dogs form strong attachments to other dogs and people. Dogs are dependent on their owners; you being out of their presence is likely to cause some anxiety. It’s important you help your dog feel comfortable being left behind, reassuring him of a safe, secure, comfortable environment. It’s critical your dog understands your absences are tolerable, temporary, and can be fun. Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits provides your dog a “camping” environment. Dogs have a large backyard in which to play throughout the day; being physically tired helps the dog relax in their sizable suites.

Keeping departures as friendly, quiet and calm as possible allows dogs to venture and feel comfortable in the boarding environment. Dog owners should not indulge in long “good byes”. Treating the dog as if they are entering an extended family member’s home assist in providing serenity. Upon entering Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits, the lobby is set up as a living room, with plants, photos, and leisure chairs, allowing “Uncle” John” or “Aunt” JeanAnn to greet guest prior to entering the suite area. Allow your dog to feel extra special during their boarding stay with a “day at the spa”, full grooming appointment.

Many parents bring “Kong” toys stuffed with treats which provides entertainment for the dog while in their suite. An article of clothing that smells like the owner, such as an old T-shirt worn but not washed, plus a dog blanket from home lend a calming olfactory cue for the dog during quiet time.

Attending “day camp” prior to extended overnights, to familiarize the dog is a great idea.

National Pet Parent’s Day is usually celebrated the last Sunday in April, this year with Easter being April 24; National Pet Parent’s day is changed to the third Sunday in April, April 17. You ask “Why another holiday? Is this commercialism gone too far?” The answer: “VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance) created the holiday to celebrate pet owners’ love, energy and time devoted to their furred four-legged kids”.
Parents of pets purchase specially-formulated oatmeal shampoo, costing more than their own, and stroll down the pet aisle every trip to the convenience or grocery store.
For tirelessly scooping poop, dishing out kibbles, sharing a cramped bed with four paws, we honor the devotion of pet’s parents.

Responsible parents partner with their veterinarian and their boarding caregiver to assure the pet’s life-long health, taking a proactive approach to wellness. The goal is a long and healthy life for the pet, and a strong preventative wellness program.
Spring and summer months, pets are outside more, are probably boarded more often, following their parent’s lifestyle and routines.
Comprehensive physical exams are most important in a strong wellness program.
Your boarding facility staff should be partners with you and your veterinarian in assuring your dog is properly vaccinated and okay to be boarded. New research indicates some vaccinations provide immunity for more than one year, other vaccinations provide immunity for LESS than a year. The time when all vaccinations should be given ONCE YEARLY IS PAST! Vaccinations should be tailored to your pet’s needs and the risk of exposure.
&JeanAnn Carrigan, of Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits, “as owners/operators of our boarding facility but not veterinarians, we must develop a strong relationship with all vets in our service area. We speak with vets daily, they are wonderful partners in providing us assistance, answering questions, and helping us guide our customers to assure proper care of our guest.”

Being outdoors during the spring & summer can cause problems for your pet, due to increase of fleas, ticks and other parasites. It is imperative your pets receive comprehensive physical examinations and are on proper flea, tick, and heartworm preventative regimen. Your veterinarian will tell you what product is best for your pet, and your pet’s lifestyle. Your pet’s caregiver (boarder and groomer) should remind you, and assure you have visited your vet prior to accepting them into their care/facility.

Yes, there is much more to being a responsible pet parent than just cuddles and fun.
We at Ms C’s believe pet parents deserve to be recognized and honored for the care and devoted love they provide their four legged kids.

Walking barefoot outside can be tempting but not in the mud during spring showers. STOP! That is exactly what your dog must do when it is damp and rainy outside. Would you be able to walk comfortably wearing a pair of shoes where the sole is made of cotton yarn, the material used on a mop head? That’s similar to dogs walking on their fur-matted paws. When walking outside, your dog may get punctures or wounds on his feet from glass, cement particles, nature seeds, or small stones.

Paws provide better traction for quick turns and effective sprinting. Paws provide shock absorption and soften pressure on dog’s joints from standing, walking and running. Paws increase your dog’s endurance, plus come in handy for digging.
When a dog walks, his toes rub together and the paw gets repeatedly pressed against the ground. The fur around your dog’s paws, though short, can get tangled and matted. If these mats and tangles are not regularly removed, they can harden and cause discomfort.

Dog’s toenails grow as do human finger and toenails. The nails on dogs’ feet never stop growing. Long nails can cause the dog to rock back on his paws, causing strain on his leg assemblies and interfering with his gait. Long nails can cause havoc on your wood floors and can snag carpets. If nails or dewclaws, on the back of the leg are left to grow too long, they can curl into the dog’s skin, causing discomfort and possible infection. Trimming his nails is important.

Sometimes, dog nails grind down naturally if the dog exercises on concrete, but most often dog’s paws should be manicured by a groomer. The nails should be trimmed regularly. Clipping dog’s furry paws is for hygienic, safety, and aesthetic purposes. Well-trimmed paws give your dog better traction when walking on smooth, polished, slippery flooring. Due to their functions, paws should be a basic part of your dog’s regular care routine. Canine paw care is critical contact Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits, 865-986-6325 for your grooming appointment.

Cats are “place oriented” by nature, and often resist change in their environment. So, what if you own a cat and travel extensively? Your cat should not be left home alone more than a couple nights at a time. There are steps you can take to make boarding your cat less stressful for both you and your loved cat.

The cat condo at Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits has large individual play pens, with three levels, in a secluded area of the building, completely separate from the noisy canines. Environmentally clean, on it’s own ventilation system, the air temperature controlled condo offers a quiet, sunny, spacious place for guest to relax and play. Lighting from the large windows brightens the area, and offers wonderful views of nature.

Pets are part of the family, it is only fitting they get the pampering they deserve. We all love having clean hair and skin, and feeling sassy. Our pets are no different! They depend on their owners to love and pamper them. Pets have a natural tendency to groom their fur, or remove debris from their toes, but they can not bathe themselves, trim their toenails, or clean their ears.

Humans respond to touch positively, same for your pets. Grooming sessions should be relaxing and fun, not mass production.
At Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits, the groomer, takes his time with your pet, providing it a calming and relaxing environment. Old pets may require touch to soothe aches and pains, and to clean soiled hair from private areas, grooming is an answer.

GROOMING — A vital part of your dog’s health!
Brushing & combing helps remove dead hair and dirt, preventing matting.
There’s a new deshedding program introduced by Barleigh Productions, an explosive force in the pet care industry. John Carrigan, Groomer at Ms C’s Bed & Biscuits, trained at Barkleigh and has implemented this program for many clients with tremendous results.

“Dogs who are regularly groomed tend to have a healthier, shinier coat because it stimulates the blood supply to the skin.”

Set your New Year’s resolution to assure your dog’s fur coat is in great condition. Grooming is not just for fancy dogs, all dogs need basic physical upkeep; specific needs will be based on your dog’s breed.

This Halloween, put yourself in your “pet’s shoes”, think like your pet would think!
“Halloween” day from any other day of the year. Halloween guests may be perceived as intruders, making the best nature pet nervous. Don’t be afraid to exclude your pet from the Halloween festivities.

The chaos that accompanies celebrating Halloween trick-or-treaters, costumes and such may be rattling enough to a great natured dog, making him nervous, irritable, possibly snapping. Naturally protective breeds may mistake jovial, good fun for genuine threats.