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Posts Tagged ‘ My Joy of Living in Kansas City ’

Dog vs. Cat – Which is better?

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Author Bradley Trevor Greive upset more than a handful of happy cat owners upon the release of his book, “Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats.”  However, upon turning the pages of this book, it becomes apparent that Greive  is not anti-cat.  He is merely pro-dog.  In fact, many of those cat owners have now come to embrace the meaning behind this book.

The book, which took six months of work and of intense observation of dogs, sets forth accounts as to why dogs simply make better pets.

Jessie, the dog, interrupts:  HA!  I knew it!  I was right all along!

Bo, the distinguished cat, interjects:  It is only one book.  I am sure someone is now feverishly penning a title to the contrary!

Along with Greive’s prose, the works of famed photographer Rachel Hale were used to present a collection of complementary images.  The working relationship between these two was nothing short of fantastic and supported the grand evidence of how modern technology works wonders.  Greive  was at home in Tasmania recovering from shoulder and knee surgery while…

Bo:  What?  Did some angry cat rip him to shreds?

Jessie:  Be quiet…I want to hear more!

….as we were saying…while Hale got married in New Zealand.  She worked from illustrations to build sets and then took various photos to accompany Greive’s written portions.

Despite Greive’s obvious preference for the canine kind, he does point out a few down sides to such pet ownership:  the intense time needed to care for them and the money it takes to feed them are just two examples.

Greive will admit that cats are attractive to look at, and, “when possessed by their own frisky demons, hilarious to observe.”

Jessie:  Hey, Bo…you demonic thing you!  What’s up?

Bo merely glares devilishly at Jessie.

Despite the humorous tone in this book, Greive does note that before one decides to own a dog, he or she has to take into consideration the responsibilities that come along with that role.

Greive continues to live with his three wonderful dogs and has no plans to introduce a cat to the clan anytime soon.  Nor does he foresee a feline rebuttal in the works, at least from his pen!

Bo quickly runs off and turns on the computer to open a Word document!  Let the games begin!

For more about Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats, go to http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/products/?isbn=0740785133

The experts at My Joy of Living Pet Sitting in Kansas City had the unique opportunity to visit with Mr. Greive when he was in town recently.  My Joy of Living will refrain from providing its preference between cats and dogs.  These pet sitting experts tend to both wonderful creatures!

Dog vs. Husband….You Decide

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

It seems like there are surveys for everything these days, and finding out what women want is on the list of such surveys.  In a recent poll conducted online, a whopping 78% of women indicated they would choose a dog over a husband.  According to one of the respondents, age 29, she would much rather have a pet and just date the men.  She believes overall that would be less stressful, and she really does not want to commit to getting to know someone over time, concluding that life is just too short for that sort of thing.  In a related survey by a mattress company, 55% of women noted that it would be preferable to sleep with their pet in the bed than with their partner, citing the partner as far more annoying than the pet!  Overall, 67% of the respondents noted they like to sleep with their pets.  Can we get the dogs to do the laundry and take out the trash next?

Pets provide a lot of Joy of Living for us.  As long as they make you happy, that is all that matters, right?  The pet sitting folks at My Joy of Living in Kansas City love all pets and will be happy to take care of them for you in your absence!  Unless, of course, your dog flies first class with you on the airplane!

(Information for this post was obtained at www.pets911.com.)

 

Go grab a breath mint, dude!

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Bo:  You know, Jessie, I have been meaning to tell you this in some diplomatic way, but I don’t know how to say it other than, “Do you need some mouthwash or something?  Your breath is kind of foul at times!”  There is no Joy of Living in that, my friend!

Jessie:  How dare you!  I maintain proper oral health care!  Perhaps I have just been breathing in some of your aroma and spewing it back out.

We often joke about bad breath in dogs, but it truly is not a laughing matter.   Those breath mints for dogs only serve to cover it up, and it is of greater importance to discover the reason behind the foul odor. Some factors could include excess build up of tartar on the teeth, infected gums, or loose and diseased teeth.  Other larger problems could be an oral tumor or some systemic disease at play, such as kidney problems or even diabetes.  All of these can cause a change in the smell of your dog’s breath.

The most common culprit, however, rests in tooth and gum problems. (Jessie:  Yes…like if I was ever so insane at to snack in Bo’s litter box, I would possess very foul breath.)  If your pet’s bad breath is raising a concern with you, make it a point to get him or her to the vet so that a proper diagnosis can be made.  If it is simply the teeth and gums causing the odor, then most likely the vet will recommend a good dental cleaning and provide you with some home-care guidelines to keep up the maintenance.

Bo:  For now, I intend to sit as far away from Jessie as possible.  I just threw a box of Altoids in her general direction.  Hint!  Ah…now I have My Joy of Living in Kansas City!

(Information for this entry provided by http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/caninehealthdogs/f/FAQ_badbreath.htm)