Good Friday always has me thinking about the stories from my youth, about Jesus hanging on a cross dying for our sins, making the ultimate sacrifice. It's always cloudy on Good Friday, even here in Arizona where we get 300+ days of sunshine a year so I'm reminded especially today of someone who died for what they believed in.
I'm not a religious person...rather spiritual in my beliefs. Knowing there is something greater than us that guides us, and a plan. I totally believe in angels and that we should try to be good people and make our own sacrifices in life.
You hear the current administration talking about sacrifices, but I'm not talking about foregoing that Starbuck's every morning. I'm talking about changing your life to help another living being in a time when so many are struggling.
My "living beings" happen to have 4 legs and bark, but they are in my soul and I count my blessings for everything they have taught me over the years...like that it's OK not to wear mascara every day and that love stinks....well, only when they need a bath :)
I used to wear awesome clothes and have the latest hairstyle, shopped whenever I wanted to and answered to no one....now I sit home and laugh when they spin and twirl for a treat, knowing that this once homeless little dog is now safe in my care until we find them a forever home that will cherish them. Fostering dogs has been one of my most rewarding and challenging endeavors EVER. And the thing I am most proud of.
I never had skin kids, y'know the ones that need college educations, braces and cars. I don't feel like I've missed out on anything and some of the things my friends have been through with their kids makes me cringe at the thought of dealing with that guilt. Maybe I'm just a big chicken, unwilling to make that sacrifice. Or maybe I'm just selfish.
I guess I found something that I am willing to sacrifice for, and I will not apologize for their fur.
Happy Easter. May all your chocolate bunnies have two ears (they are so much fun to bite off!) and may you be blessed with something worth sacrificing for ;)
Friday, April 10, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Fun Easter Egg Soap Giveaway
Oh I hope I win!
I love Shine Your Hiney's yummy soaps and lotions. I recently got some black raspberry and pear vanilla Pamper Your Hiney lotion and it smells divine. So lightweight, but it really keeps your skin moist. The pink sugar soap sample smells great too!
Anyway, Shine Your Hiney is running an Easter soap giveaway...12 little egg-shaped soaps and a jar of lotion! You pick the scents. HURRY! Offer ends tomorrow :) http://shineyourhineysoap.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-dozen-egg-giveaway.html
I love Shine Your Hiney's yummy soaps and lotions. I recently got some black raspberry and pear vanilla Pamper Your Hiney lotion and it smells divine. So lightweight, but it really keeps your skin moist. The pink sugar soap sample smells great too!
Anyway, Shine Your Hiney is running an Easter soap giveaway...12 little egg-shaped soaps and a jar of lotion! You pick the scents. HURRY! Offer ends tomorrow :) http://shineyourhineysoap.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-dozen-egg-giveaway.html
Saturday, April 4, 2009
What are you feeding your pets?
From my website, Holistic Hounds. So important to know what we are feeding our fur kids!
I've had the pleasure of working with companion animals for several years, starting my Scottsdale, AZ petsitting business in 1995. Seeing the benefits of feeding natural and whole foods not only to my pets, but to my clients pets and foster dogs we've hosted has been very eye-opening!
Let me share with you what I have learned from my extensive personal research involving holistic pet care. My goal is to help you realize exactly what is in commercial pet foods and treats and how to avoid them and their potential risks to your dog's health. I truly believe many people just don't know about these chemicals and how they are potentially sickening our beloved pets or they would certainly not be feeding them.
Our first dog Mugzy was a sickly puppy, likely from the brightly colored cornstarch chews (Booda Bones) I was giving him as an alternative to rawhide. I just didn't know they were dangerous, as probably many of YOU don't. At 12 years old, he still battles pancreatic, joint and digestive issues which I believe are a direct result of these fake chews. He's had both ACL's repaired and is our "million dollar baby."
He is the reason I started researching pet foods and what I discovered made me ANGRY and sad that dogs are suffering from what their humans are feeding them without knowing it.
I continue to be horrified at the inferior quality of commercially available dog foods and treats. Taking a walk down the pet food aisle at any grocery store (which happens to be bigger than the baby food aisle) is maddening. Preservatives, artificial coloring, inferior by-products and chemicals added that have been reported to cause degenerative illness in dogs. Treats that are so brightly colored you just have to wonder what's in them. If a dog food resembles candy, it's probably a close equivalent. Dogs don't care what color their food is ! These chemical colorings are added to please YOU....the unwary consumer. Why are these potentially disease-causing chemicals and cheap fillers used, you ask? Money, big money. Over $10 billion is spent in the US per year on pet food and the competition is steep.
Current marketing research shows that people are seeking natural alternatives not only for themselves but for their pets as well and several large pet food companies were quick to respond with their own version of "natural" or "holistic" dog foods. Just because there is a picture of a vegetable on the pretty glossy bag, or the trendy marketing buzz-words "natural" and "holistic", doesn't mean that anything that closely resembles a vegetable or anything natural is inside. These so called "healthy" foods are not all that healthy and certainly FAR from natural!
WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO DO THIS??? This deception has to stop, and only we as consumers can see that it happens. Stop buying those "pretty" bags of dog food and learn what is in them. Call the toll-free number on the bag and ASK! Don't be fooled by clever marketing schemes. There is very little policing of the pet food companies claims of "healthy" and "natural".
Because of the HUGE Menu pet food recall in March 2007, many people are FINALLY paying attention to what they are feeding. I am saddened that it's taken so many pets dying for them to do so, and I blame only the pet food companies for their deceptive practices. I've talked to so many owners who have lost beloved pets because of the tainted wheat gluten from China added to their pet's food to boost the protein content. It's heartbreaking....
Please know what you are feeding your fur family. Email me anytime with questions and please visit Holistic Hounds to see what we use and recommend.
Gone to the dogs,
Holly
I've had the pleasure of working with companion animals for several years, starting my Scottsdale, AZ petsitting business in 1995. Seeing the benefits of feeding natural and whole foods not only to my pets, but to my clients pets and foster dogs we've hosted has been very eye-opening!
Let me share with you what I have learned from my extensive personal research involving holistic pet care. My goal is to help you realize exactly what is in commercial pet foods and treats and how to avoid them and their potential risks to your dog's health. I truly believe many people just don't know about these chemicals and how they are potentially sickening our beloved pets or they would certainly not be feeding them.
Our first dog Mugzy was a sickly puppy, likely from the brightly colored cornstarch chews (Booda Bones) I was giving him as an alternative to rawhide. I just didn't know they were dangerous, as probably many of YOU don't. At 12 years old, he still battles pancreatic, joint and digestive issues which I believe are a direct result of these fake chews. He's had both ACL's repaired and is our "million dollar baby."
He is the reason I started researching pet foods and what I discovered made me ANGRY and sad that dogs are suffering from what their humans are feeding them without knowing it.
I continue to be horrified at the inferior quality of commercially available dog foods and treats. Taking a walk down the pet food aisle at any grocery store (which happens to be bigger than the baby food aisle) is maddening. Preservatives, artificial coloring, inferior by-products and chemicals added that have been reported to cause degenerative illness in dogs. Treats that are so brightly colored you just have to wonder what's in them. If a dog food resembles candy, it's probably a close equivalent. Dogs don't care what color their food is ! These chemical colorings are added to please YOU....the unwary consumer. Why are these potentially disease-causing chemicals and cheap fillers used, you ask? Money, big money. Over $10 billion is spent in the US per year on pet food and the competition is steep.
Current marketing research shows that people are seeking natural alternatives not only for themselves but for their pets as well and several large pet food companies were quick to respond with their own version of "natural" or "holistic" dog foods. Just because there is a picture of a vegetable on the pretty glossy bag, or the trendy marketing buzz-words "natural" and "holistic", doesn't mean that anything that closely resembles a vegetable or anything natural is inside. These so called "healthy" foods are not all that healthy and certainly FAR from natural!
WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO DO THIS??? This deception has to stop, and only we as consumers can see that it happens. Stop buying those "pretty" bags of dog food and learn what is in them. Call the toll-free number on the bag and ASK! Don't be fooled by clever marketing schemes. There is very little policing of the pet food companies claims of "healthy" and "natural".
Because of the HUGE Menu pet food recall in March 2007, many people are FINALLY paying attention to what they are feeding. I am saddened that it's taken so many pets dying for them to do so, and I blame only the pet food companies for their deceptive practices. I've talked to so many owners who have lost beloved pets because of the tainted wheat gluten from China added to their pet's food to boost the protein content. It's heartbreaking....
Please know what you are feeding your fur family. Email me anytime with questions and please visit Holistic Hounds to see what we use and recommend.
Gone to the dogs,
Holly
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