Toys for Shelter Dogs – How One Arizona Businessman Makes a Difference!

As the owner of a pet waste removal company, people often ask me why I got into the business. I usually just say that I love dogs and I saw a great business opportunity in a niche market. But truth be told, I was simply burnt out of working for other people and had declared that “I would rather pick up dog s*** for a living than do this anymore!”. Never one to be all bark and no bite, I followed through with my declaration and began building my business.

Certainly, I had plenty of doubters when I got into this business and I was constantly questioned. Thankfully, my sarcastic attitude and a desire to prove them all wrong got me through it...

“Why would you want to do that?”

Yes, Susan, I’ve always dreamt of picking up dog poop for a living.

“Ugh, the smell must be horrible! How do you do it?”

Yes, Wendy, it’s dog poop and it smells bad. I use a scooper and a bucket.

“Do you really think you can make money doing something that I MAKE my kids do?”

No, Bob, I just want to relive my childhood when my dad MADE me do it too.

I started off with a small handful of customers on the weekends which brought in a little bit of extra money to help out with the bills. Even as my number of customers began to grow, I honestly wasn’t sure if it would ever be more than a part-time side job to supplement my income. But word continued to spread and within a year of starting the business, it was already time to make the leap to full-time. It is safe to say that I severely underestimated the demand for this type of service!

Now with a thriving business underway, I find myself in a great position to give back to the furry friends who helped me get to where I am today. There are so many dogs in shelters, rescues, and foster homes that just need a loving family to call their own and I want to help them all! I began using some of the company profits to purchase toys and treats for the dogs at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. I remember being so excited about purchasing 150 dog-friendly tennis balls and bringing them to the dogs!

 As I walked through the facility, handing out a ball to each dog in their kennel, I realized that I would not have enough. There were over 300 dogs being housed at this one facility alone! It was then and there that I realized that I had to do more.

Having spent the last year building a network of animal lovers, I knew  I had a platform to make a bigger difference. This is when I started the Poodini Pals Toy Drive. I asked my customers to donate any toys, treats, blankets, leashes, or other supplies that could help the dogs feel more comfortable in the shelter and ultimately give them a better chance of being adopted. My customers answered the call and I quickly collected several trash bags worth of supplies.

I began contacting local businesses to see if I could put up a poster and leave a donation bin. Fortunately enough, several businesses jumped at the opportunity to help my cause. Word began to spread and there was a flood of donations coming in. 

 

At my next visit to the shelter, I had a full truck load of supplies with me!

If you would like to support Mike's efforts, please contact him at toydrive@poodiniaz.com to see how you can help!

Thanks to the love and generosity of so many compassionate people, I have been able to continue to supply the shelter with much needed supplies on a regular basis. Though managing the toy drive can be quite laborious at times, if it helps even one dog to be adopted, then it is totally worth it! I feel very fortunate to be able to help and honestly wish that I could do more.

Dogs have been good to me, and I can only hope to be just as good to them!

Mike Casten

Dog lover and owner of Poodini Pet Waste Removal

Poo happens...We make it disappear! Visit us at https://www.poodini.com/

5 Canine Travel Experts share their travel tips

With summer vacations at it’s peak, I decided to interview a few Canine Travel Experts.

 I've asked them to tell me about their main reason for traveling with their furry friends and what they feel is essential to take with them on their journey. They also shared some helpful online resources they use and what they find most challenging during their travels with pets. Lastly, they share some tips on skills they feel are important to teach dogs to make them good travelers. 

1. Shandos Cleaver

Shandos currently travels around Europe with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel. Shandos is the founder and blogger-in-chief of Travelnuity, a travel blog focused on dog-friendly travel around the world.

“I love to travel, but I also love my dog, a Miniature Dachshund called Schnitzel. Like most pet owners, both my husband and I miss Schnitzel greatly when we travel without him, plus he misses us. All of us are a lot happier when we travel together, even if it complicates travel somewhat.

We found it's a must to have a pet carrier that meets the transport guidelines but also allows your dog to be comfortable. Schnitzel loves his bag so much that he tries to get inside, if he thinks we're leaving. If you travel by car, ensure your dog has a seat-belt or harness so the dog is secure at all times.

Unfortunately, there's not a single app or website we can turn to when preparing for our trips. We travel through different countries in Europe and use a variety of sites. Whether booking accommodation or flights, it's necessary to plan far ahead. It’s often difficult to find dog friendly options, so we learned to be flexible, especially when something doesn't turn out to be dog friendly that we expected to be.

I highly recommend three things: get your dog used to being in a crate, used to being in different environments with lots of people, and train your dog to be well behaved while dining out.”

 

Find out more about Schnitzel and Shandos at Travelnuity.com

 2. Preston Schutte 

 

Preston lives in England and travels with Zeus and Hades, his two rescue-puppies through Europe on his motorcycle.

"I love that I don't have to leave them behind for weeks at a time and don't have to bother my friends to watch them. Seeing Zeus and Hades on the back of my motorcycle seems to bring joy to other people as well.

I make sure to bring their goggles and helmets. I would hate for them to catch a bug or rock in their eyes. Waste bags because nobody likes to find a strangers' dog waste. The only other thing important for me is a tie out stake, so I don't worry about finding something to hold them with while tenting. I have checked out a couple of Apps (Petlas, Dogbuddy, SiteSeeker) but haven't used them. I am not that interested in planning my trips with such detail. I used to get so focused on the plan that I would miss a lot. Most campsites seem to be pet-friendly.

Zeus and Hades aren't that well trained, so I would feel a bit of a hypocrite to tell others what to teach their dogs. I would say most pet owners would benefit from having a dog with a bit of obedience training; a house-trained dog is definitely important and so is a well-socialized dog. Know your dog's limitations!" 

If you would like to follow Preston on his motorcycle adventures, subscribe to his YouTube Channel "UncleRocco's Modern Life", as he intents to vi-blog about it there.

3. Kayla Fratt

 

 

Kayla is a freelance writer and dog behavior consultant. She currently travels with her boyfriend and border collie, Barley, from Canada to Argentina.

“I’m a big runner and hiker, so traveling with Barley means I always have a partner for adventures! He travels really well, so it’s like having my best friend and a piece of home with me everywhere I go. As a professional trainer, having my dog with me is also good advertising.

We don’t travel with much beyond the basics: leash, collar, KongWobbler, collapsible water bowl and a few toys.

To prepare for travel, I’ve used BringFido.com for some things. Mostly, I just find dog-friendly AirBnbs and take it from there.

One of my challenges is that I don’t want strangers to come up to pet my dog, and it’s often hard to avoid that when your dog goes everywhere with you. On long driving days, I often worry about stopping for lunch in the heat.

I recommend Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol for dogs that travel. It’s almost the only thing I used to teach my dog to calmly lie under tables at coffee shops and bars. I tell everyone about it! Teaching your dog to come when called and leave it are absolutely life-saving skills any dog should know. And, of course, walking nicely on leash will make taking your dog places just a lot easier and more pleasant.”

Read about their travel adventures at Kayla’s blog “El Perro Tambien” or visit her on her website JourneyDogTraining.com.

4. Courtney Dickson

 

Courtney, a Travel and Lifestyle Producer and creator of A Bulldog Abroad, travels the world with her Frenchie, Cutter.

 

“Our Frenchie Cutter comes with us everywhere! When we're home he is always by our side, so why not continue that as we explore the world? Also, it saves us needing to get someone to look after him while we are gone. He travels well, and there is nothing better than knowing he's waiting to greet us at the hotel if we've had to leave him there for a few hours.
We always take his blanket so he has familiar smells. He knows to sit on it in the hotel room, car, or at the airport. It's his spot and a little piece of home.
We pack a couple of his toys, food and if we have room his food/water bowl. These are the basic essentials we pack on our trips. To check pet passport rules and regulations we use PetTravel.com, before visiting a new country. Sometimes it just takes a little extra time to find the right pet-friendly hotel in the location we are staying in the comfort level we like.

Many hotels will not allow dogs to be left alone in the room. When you are able to leave your dog alone, he/she shouldn't disturb other travelers by barking. If your dog is a barker, you should work on this before you travel with him/her, otherwise you may wish to leave the dog with someone you trust.”

Follow Courtney and her Frenchie Cutter at A Bulldog Abroad – Luxury travel with your pet.

5. Bruno Maiorana

Bruno is a teacher and writer, who travels the Americas with his dog Bong Gu, as a way to raise awareness about animal abandonment issues. His message: “There's no excuse to abandon our pets.”

 

“What are my favorite things about traveling with Bong Gu? Waterfall showers, finding wild animals, sleeping under the stars, feeling her warm body during cold nights and the sounds she makes when she's dreaming and imagining she's probably dreaming of me.
To ensure we will never get separated, the most important item is a capsule she wears in her collar with my email and phone number on it.
Bong Gu and I travel mostly on foot, sometime we walk 10 or 12 hours in a day and I couldn't have done most of it without maps.me a GPS app. On our travels, packs of wild stray dogs in the outskirts of towns have been most challenging for us.

If I would recommend one thing to teach your dog while traveling: Teach your dog to stay by your side and trust you completely. If I tell Bong Gu to wait, she knows, I have a good reason to ask her!”

For more information on Bruno and Bong Gu, visit them on Instagram MyLastVacation or see Bruno’s website Best Friends stick together.

I hope you enjoyed our Expert Roundup on traveling with your dog. Please leave your comments below and check back for more exciting canine travel tips and other dog related subjects.
To share your own travel adventures with us, join our Facebook Group 

Until next time: Keep Your Paws on the Road!

Bee

 

Pet Safety for the 4th of July Celebration

Just a few more days and it's the 4th of July! Everyone around the US is looking for some way to enjoy the holiday. Whether you plan a get-together at your home or away from home, please take a few moments to plan for your pets this 4th of July.

Unlike people, most pets do not enjoy the whistle and bang of the fireworks to celebrate our Independence day. Although not all pets get scared of the noise, many do feel uncomfortable with the celebrations. The 5th of July is historically the busiest day for shelters around the country. This is due to the fact that many animals are so frightened by the noise of the firework displays that they run away from home.



1. Make sure your tags are up to date! 

One of the most basic precautions you can take is to ensure your pet's tags are up to date. Especially if you are traveling, check to make sure your pet's tag has your current mobile number on it. You may also wish to include your email address. This ensures anyone will be able to contact you in case your pet is lost during the hustle of the 4th Celebration.
If your pet is microchipped, you also want to go to the hosting site and review your contact information. Your pet's collar can be lost, but the microchip is with him/her at all times!

2. Bring Your pet inside!

This may seem obvious, but if you have a pet door that allows your pet to go in and out, you need to make sure it is closed. You may not think your pet will run away, but animals that are frightened will flee from what they perceive to be the danger zone. So if your pet feels afraid at your home, it may try to escape the scary situation by running away. Many pets that are otherwise comfortable at home have jumped fences or escaped enclosures during the 4th of July.

3. Create a safe comfortable place!

Close off the pet door and make a comfortable place in a quiet room for your pet. You  may even want to play some quiet background noise to  drown out some of the noise. Even if you are home, your presence alone may not be enough to keep your pet comfortable. The banging and wheezing of the firework displays in the neighborhood is very scary!  You can provide some distraction by offering a favorite treat or chew toy, but don't be surprised if your pet isn't interested during the hight of the celebration time. Many pets are rather afraid of the loud and unusual noises. Allow your pet to hide under a blanket or furniture. Don't try to console them, it is best to allow them to find a comfortable spot where they want to 'hide.'
Unless your pet chooses to be close to you, don't try to pet or hold your pet. Petting actually enforces the anxiety, because your 'approval' signals the pet that he should be afraid. Be a calm and soothing presence that encourages your pet, but don't overdo the attention to the anxious behavior.



4. Leave your pet at home!

Taking your best friend to the festivities may not be a good idea if there are going to be firework displays. Even if your dog has never shown any panic around loud noises, the combination of loud bangs and wheezes and the smell of the burning sulfur, together with the hustle of the party is hardly a fun activity for any dog. it's great to take your dog with you to all kinds of activities, but 4th of July celebrations are  likely the least favorite on your pet's list.

The safest and best bet for celebrating this 4th of July with your pets is to exclude them from holiday festivities. Instead, find a safe, secure spot in the home for your pets while you go out and enjoy the loud bangs, bright lights and spectator fun. Your pets will appreciate the quiet a lot more than you’ll enjoy the noise.

5. Provide additional comfort for anxious pets!

If you have noticed your dog is especially anxious during 4th of July fireworks (or at New Years), you may wish to take additional precautions for your pet. You can talk to your vet in regards to a sedative that can help alleviate some of the stress. I personally prefer natural ways to help my dogs with anxiety. You can use CBD oils or a Thunder Jacket, both are holistic ways to relieve stress in pets.

Thank you for coming by and reading my blog. I would love to see your comments on this subject.

Keep Your Paws safe and secure during the holiday!

Thank you,
Bee Walker