Houston Dog faces and 1 more

Gizzie on the left and Georgia below were minding their own business at Tanglewilde Vet Clinic when they were bombarded with pictures. This owner was so accommodating-the girls REALLY  just wanted to get out of Dodge and defeated our repeated attempts to photograph them together. 
One of them turns 11 this week!

Mikey and Missy were both adopted  by my wonderful bud Gretajean, both had heartworms(will people never understand the importance of prevention?) and both have this binkie addiction:)

These are their Halloween witch binkies. Mickey gets whichever one he can yank from under the computer table when Missy is otherwise engaged.

Bailey was incredibly patient for her nail trim. Richard her owner came by for a nail trim,which I do for 5.00-Greater Good sends lots of clients to me, thanks!. Then he asked to be shown how to do it. Kim my bud was visiting, so was quickly conned into helping:)

Chloe was patiently waiting her turn at Westbury Vet Clinic last month when the roving Pet Stuff Resale camera caught her. She looks about 4, she is really 13. She has a wonderful owner who did major research into vets after moving to Houston from New York. I very much enjoyed visiting with her and think she made a good decision in vets!

I really feel sorry for folks with real jobs that can't rove around as I do, so the dog faces are to add a little joy to your day. It is not by accident that most of them are "seasoned" faces, those are my favorite.

Oh, yea, this blog is supposed to also highlight items from Pet Stuff Resale for sale.......
Rocco was turned in to a shelter when his owners could not afford treatment for his broken leg.  All healed, he now needs a permenant home, all 4 lbs of him. He desperately hopes the Halloween costume finds a different home! It says Devilish Dog on the back which is 180 dogrees from his personality. He is one of the sweet, even quiet, chihuahuas, gets along with other dogs and even cats.

I will have items for sale(and a foster dog) at the Kingsland Blvd 30th anniversary Open House this Saturday 2-5 pm. 281-578-1506 is their number. Of course there will be a pet costume contest. I have a booth in Exam room 9. My cell is 817-480-8400 if you want to see what I am bringing.

Also share this blog with your buds if you like. A portion of PSR sales benefit
rescue animals.

Pet supplies I can personally recommend for fleeing a fire.

Evacuating with pets from any disaster is tough at best; I am extremely grateful to all of the law enforcement folks that made it orderly. It was also a major help that I had so many pet supplies on hand.

 I would have had crates for the dogs if I didn't already own Pet Stuff Resale, but probably would not have invested in this puppy pen before the Magnolia fire. It was such a major help it gave me the idea to share;the stress reduction was incredible. There was no worry about a scared dog backing out of a collar or otherwise getting loose or jumping out of the pen. It was used for feeding and potty both since it could be moved around. 75.00 at Pet Stuff Resale
 (It is not recommended to feed dogs together, especially when they are stressed, no matter how friendly they are. There was a time issue at that point, I stood right there and grabbed a dog as soon as the picture was taken)

The crate below is great for small dogs and cats, being able to lift them out thru the top is a big advantage. It is amazing how such small legs can brace against the traditional door. Vet clinics really like these for cats. Note, sometimes, the wire top pulls loose at the latches, I recommend anchoring with ties to prevent an escape. 17.00

Leo is a very shy dog on the best of days so NOT interested in modeling this next crate, a Kennel Cabin. He weighs 4 lbs; any bigger and this crate would not be appropriate. The crate on the right, also a Kennel Cabin, has a wire top with a small opening. I evacuated a Quaker parrot and a cockatiel together in it. It is also great for most other small mammals and reptiles. 12.00 each

The wee wee pads were a God send, a bud had just given them to me 2 days before; I did not realize their value in an evacuation until I was grabbing stuff in haste. They were great not only for crates but also on the truck seat for car seats when the dogs were not crated. Honey B said not to tell...just a little car sickness on the first day.

Evacuation was mandatory Monday, then Tuesday, then Wednesday. By then the dogs were thinking this was a new routine. I began this blog on Thursday and in the middle of typing and loading pictures, we all had to bolt immediately.We got NO notice due to the rapidity of fires renewing and I was not allowed back in until Sunday.

The only reason I still have a house is that a neighbor defied the mandatory evacuation, so was there when a spark ignited in his back yard, from probably a mile away. Firefighters could not have gotten there in time. I am so blessed. 

Everyone is fine and settled back in. Many thanks to Razelle and Mark Smith who housed all of us. I cannot express the importance of being better prepared than I was to leave with your pets on short notice.

Can you pass the dog "drivers permit" test?

clients at Westbury Vet Clinic

Pet rescuers usually feel that people should pass a test before getting a dog:) How well would you do? Some of the answers seem SO obvious but I have seen every one of them in my years of rescue! You might be surprised.

1-Heartworms are caused by:
   a-fleas
   b-flies
   c-mosquitoes

Mosquitos is what many of us know, but heartworm ignorance is very high in Houston. I was recently told that they are caused by spoiled canned meat.

2-Soft sided totes are great for puppies and easier to carry than plastic crates..
   a-sure
   b-no
   c-well, 1/2 of that is true

Many soft totes  have been destroyed by sharp puppy teeth, from both the inside and outside, when one is  put on the floor, ie. left within chewing range. They particularly like the zippers!

3-It doesn't matter how you travel with a dog in your vehicle, as long as they are contained.
   a-sure
   b-no

It does matter-none of us leave home expecting to get into a car wreck, but if you are side swiped or rear ended, the impact of a wire crate will crush a dog. It has a slightly better chance of surviving if a plastic crate breaks apart. A loose dog becomes a rapidly moving projectile as well. I hope this never happens to you, but it could.

4-It's fine to get a puppy before your elderly dog passes away so you are no tleft without a buddy.
   a-yes, they will probably get along just fine
   b-no-it is way too much stress on the older dog and they feel pushed aside
   c-rarely and only if done very carefully can this be done


Bubbles still looking for a permanent home

 I am of the B category,  think it is very selfish to foist a rowdy puppy on most older animals. A middle aged dog is a much better "bridge" dog. A few people are dedicated enough to keep a puppy from harrassing a senior dog.

5- Females make better pets
    a-yes, they don't "hike"
    b-no, males are actually calmer
    c-no right answer-everyone has their preferences

Many people assume that females are better just because of the hiking issue. Males are more often euthanized due to this misconception. Many males do not and some females do or show other dominant
behaviors. Once neutered, males are often calmer. Please don't automatically reject the idea of a male based on that generalization.

6-Females need to have a heat cycle before spaying and motor oil can be used on mange are both so ludicrous that they don't even warrant a separate True/False section, but they are both still believed. You don't have to admit it if you assumed either is true:) Neither is.

Do you know of other often believed (non) "truths"? Please share them in the comments and share this blog with folks who may believe some of these misconceptions.  It's a diplomatic way to educate:)

(As always ,please advise me if you no longer wish to receive the blog from Pet Stuff Resale. I do not want to intrude. Please share with people who might be interested.)


Durango begins painful heartworm treatment with Dr Burda at Jester Plaza Vet Clinic



Five small dog napping niches for under $10 at Pet Stuff Resale

This 17x17 canvas cube holds its shape after being jumped on, so small dogs still feel elevated, an all important factor! The base is plastic so it stays cleaner. It also has a pouch for holdinng treats and toys. 9.00

This hideaway is held in place by velcro so can fold up for transport to your weekend swankienda. Gives small dogs a place to hide, yet watch all that is going on. About 12x17, it has a removeable fleecy pad. 8.00 



 These mummy sleeping bags(their real description) are addictive for small, burrowing dogs. They can be used unzipped  for several dogs or folded over for just one dog. The pink one is about 4 ft long, the blue one a tad shorter and is from REI . I currently have 3 sleeping bags on  my bed to reduce encroachment skirmishes.  8.00






Your dog could be here!

 This vinyl cube also holds its shape when a dog jumps into it and is a little lighter in weight than the canvas one, but the same size.  7.00

All of these items have been consumer tested by various rodents at my house, mostly chihuahuas, and meet their admittedly low standards. If it's soft, they are happy. I can vouch for durabiity and cleanliness!

A reminder that if you take a picture of your pet in/on any itme purchased form Pet Stuff Resale, I will feature them in a future blog.

We will NOT look at the camera, we made a pact!

These precious babies were turned into a shelter together as strays. They are all the same age, about 18 months old and the two rough coated ones are obviously litter mates and the 3rd smaller one may be as well. They are all altered and heartworm negative. I have been fostering them for about 6 months as they had no social skills, but I have yet to come up with good names; Eenie, Meeny and Moe didn't work, nor did Larry, Moe and Curly. Don't even suggest Huey, Louie and Dewey! The 2 rough coated ones are a male and female at 8 lbs and the other one, a 5 pounder, I call HoneyB after her lookalike Honey the Pibble. I would like to place the pair together and all 3 will need patient homes as they are still a tad spooky. Of course al adult homes are needed in ths case. They are crate trained and skilled at both burrowing and snuggling.They are also fine with other dogs, even bigger ones.

Dog adopters get 10.00 discount at Pet Stuff Resale

Beginning today, November 1st 2010, Pet Stuff Resale will reward shelter and rescue group dog adopters with 10.00 off any crate 35.00 or above. This applies to both new and used crates and is good anytime before to 3 days after the adoption. All used crates are disinfected and this is my cell number so people can reach me immediately: 817-480-8400.

This baby was successfully treated for heartworms by a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

As a one person business I won't be able to reach everyone. I cover Southwest, West and Northwest Houston area mostly. Please share this with not only your buds but rescue folk as well:). I am trying to get even more attention to dogs from shelters and rescue groups that need homes.

New Kidco metal walk thru gate and extension in at Pet Stuff Resale

This is still in the original box. The white center gate extends from 29" to 37", the extension is 12 1/2". It is
pressure mounted so no damage to door jambs. It is 29" tall. All of the bars are vertical so dogs cannot climb it and the spacing between bars is 2 1/4 ", so most pets cannot squeeze thru it.

The original invoices were still inside; the gate was 89.95 and the extension was 34.95.
At Pet Stuff Resale they are 70.00 together.

TIP: I purchased this at a thrift type place where it had probably been donated. Both the invoice and the boxes had the original buyers name, address and even phone number. Please be sure to remove or obliterate
any personal information on anything you sell, donate or even throw out. I see this fairly often.

Bingo a hit with Pepsi Refresh Project and PRP update

This precious little chihuahua/rat terrier  has gone from heartworm positive stray to TV and blog star! He first came onto my radar thru my bud,  HOPE cat volunteer Lynn.  His face was not only picked out of several pictures to be featured on a future blog article about the grant award providing heartworm treatments, but
will also be in the 15 sec ABC spot currently being edited for local showing. What most people won't see is a great shot of Bingo getting tired of me fliming with a horse and he snaps at Stormy, then jumps back as if he realizes how big his opponent was!

Most importantly is that dogs are receiving treatment. Cinco, from All Texas Dachshund Rescue was the
first dog treated. A red dachshund mix male, you can probably guess what day in May he came into rescue.
TR from Country Hearts, a large male sweetie hound with Kate Harward and Buddy, a black lab  being fostered by JoAnn at Fondren 5 Star Kennel (regular client of Pet Stuff Resale) have also been treated.

Part of this project is being done to honor dogs that were not able to be saved, due to owner neglect. Pepsi
was a wonderful black chow pulled from BARC and scheduled to be the first dog treated. Sadly pneumonia on top of a heavy load of heartworms took his life just as he was being scheduled. Thanks to Laura for loving him.

Many more  dogs are scheduled and vets are being their usual generous selves donating the time. Many, many thanks to Chestnut Animal Hospital in Bellaire, whose connected non profit arm is functioning as HQ for this incredible project.
None of this could have been possible without the Pepsi Refresh Project and LOTS of willing voters!

Wheel Away transports dogs in style, saves your back

The Wheel Away is one of the sturdiest doggie "totes" I have ever evaluated. In fact, it is so conducive
to being rolled on the ground that I do not recommend it to be used as a back pack, for which it is also
made. This is the medium size, up to maybe 15 lbs. (I never trust manufacturer recommendations due to experience, I always test with real animals.) Tugboat weighs 12 lbs.
The materials are canvas and mesh. It does zip all the way to enclose the dog entirely if wanted.
This is in excellent condition. I do not think it was ever even used.
$45.00 at Pet Stuff Resale

The hesitant model Tugboat is my own dog. I fostered his litter (during Hurricane Ike!) after his owner turned them in as an unexpected litter. I so hope he got the mom spayed, he did keep her.
She was a Blue Heeler and he said one of the dads was a chihuahua. I thought Tugboat was the runt, but then figured out his size is the chihuahua influence. When even his female littermates weighed 2
lbs., he was barely 1 lb.

(His 2 sisters Mandy and Pandy are still up for adoption. They are stunning looking, look like long haired miniature Blue heelers at 15 lbs each. Yes, I have pictures.)

Survey: Does having local wholesalers affect your buying decisions at Pet Stuff Resale?

As well as recycled pet supplies in good condition, Pet Stuff Resale sells new cat trees and new wire crates
in 5 sizes. The crates are from a pretty good sized local  wholesaler and I really like keeping the local economy flourishing. The new cat trees are an even better cog in the cycle of Houston's economy as they are handcrafted by one local artisan. Furthermore, he helps with recycling by getting his new carpet in end rolls, keeping them out of landfills, so outreaching the green aspect even further. The big pet stores just cannot compete with either of those factors.
However, Pet Store Resale is not about me, but my consumers, so I have been discussing with people if these are features and benefits that are important or not. I get the feeling that people say it makes a
difference because they think that's what I want to hear:)
The end reason for my survey is to decide if I should add this information to my brochures or not. Jan, my wonderful bud and adopter in Dallas does the updates on the brochures and we are discussing this right now.
Please post your honest feedback. If you have animal friends who might have an opinion, please forward this  for their input.

Foster dogs and sweaters need new homes at Pet Stuff Resale:)

Flan the chihuahua is now all of 14 weeks old and waiting for his new home. He is crate "aware", not quite trrained yet and has learned to whip out of his sweater in seconds flat! He plays nicely by himself with stuffies, but also likes to play with other dogs and LOVES to run thru the leaves at the park across the street.
He was turned in at a shelter as a stray at 4 weeks, who would leave a tiny puppy outside?

Kirby the 7 year old cocker (I thought he was 10) has no interest in removing his sweater, he likes them, wanted a new one on our last trip to Petsmart. He wants a home who handles his slight dominance with
a firm but gentle manner; he understands immediately that he has pushed his luck just a hair too far. He is
a very nice dog, TOTALLY housebroken, quiet and a great walking dog. He has the demeanor of a 4 year old dog. His owner died and he has been in my care since August. He has learned to get along with other dogs and loves to ride in the truck, can't figure out why we sometimes walk right past it!

Both dogs are available for adoption thru a shelter and so are both sweaters for 4.00 and 7.00 at Pet Stuff Resale!

Easy way to help cats and kittens at BARC in Houston

BARC(animal control) is in dire need of disposable litter boxes and newspapers; they are using paper plates
temporarily for litter pans. The cardboard bottoms of canned pet food are perfect for litter boxes, small and
disposable, so keep an eye out at pet stores. If you can snag any from grocery stores before they are crushed, that would be great. Of course, not just pet food ones there, any cardboard base/tray will work:)
(Don't get me started on why permanent litter boxes are not used.)

BARC is also in need of newspapers so please save those as well.

I will be happy to be  a drop off point; since I sell in front of the Greater Good every weekend 12-4, you
can bring there or email me for alternative connecting.

I like projects like this where we can make a difference and not open our checkbooks!

Wire top crate at Pet Stuff Resale almost HALF of new price!

This is an unretouched picture of a crate just posted on petstuffresale.com. Retail shows it is 41.00. At Pet Stuff Resale, it is only 23.00, disinfected. It is 12x14x23 and especially great for cats who are scared; they can be lifted right out the top safely. It is also good for small dogs, ferrets and some birds.
Not all price differences are so dramatic, but some are more. Pet Stuff Resale also provides education to new pet owners as well as comparisons between crate types, for example.
Save money and recycle at Pet Stuff Resale!

Romeo poses with the afghan that will help pay for his jaw surgery

As I posted last week, Romeo was turned into a shelter BY HIS OWNERS in this horrible condition; mange so bad he had no fur, secondary infection from scratching, heartworms and a permanent
limp. Of course he wasn't altered because they were breeding him. The biggest obstacle he
faced was the broken jaw. He can eat alright but the jaw will deteriorate without surgery soon; he has been in foster care for over a year being rehabbed.
Pet Stuff Resale is sponsoring the 1.00 raffle for the Queen sized afghan displayed at the Citizens for Animal Protection Thrift store annex. The address is 11925 Katy Freeway, Houston, 77079. Please stop in and visit. Romeo
won't be there; he was a little barky last Saturday even though he is perfect at home.

1$ raffle benefits Romeo the poodles' cracked jaw

This precious 3 year old came into a shelter over a year ago. He would have been immediately euthanized at most shelters due to his medical needs. He had absolutely
no hair due to sarcptic mange and deep skin infection from scratching, was horribly emaciated, limping from a permanent leg injury, a cracked jaw and of course heavily loaded with heartworms. Not surprisingly, he also had a serious distrust of humans.

Due to dedicated, unwavering care by Rebecca the Poodle Queen, Romeo now has hair!
He has been treated for heartworms.
He is learning how to play like a dog should and to relate to humans.
He has picked up weight and does not appear to have problems eating.
Our wonderful vet at Westbury, Dr Chalkley, examined his jaw and said wiring it is possible and he shouldn't have any major problems after that it done. The jaw will deteriorate if it is not fixed fairly soon.

Here's where you can help inexpensively. Pet Stuff Resale is raffling off a gorgeous Queen afghan in shades of green, mauve and cream for 1.00 a ticket. It will be displayed in the Annex part of the Citizens for Animal Protection Thrift store, which is just to the left of the Greater Good. There will be a big bowl(which will move around, so I can't say it is in a certain place!) Just put your name and a phone number on any white 3x5card(to keep all cards equal). Ask anyone you can to enter. The winner will be announced on Sunday Dec 13th at the CAP Holiday Open House.
It also looks much better "in person".
Unlike other raffles, you will not be solicited to buy a timeshare or scuba lessons
for entering!

I will have pictures of Romeo in a future post.

A second beneficiary of the raffle will be some of the many dogs coming in with heartworms.

Some of you may remember when I let people pet a crippled chihuahua for .25 to raise funds for his orthopedic surgery. Two Bits now Ricky, raised close to 1500.00!


Thank you for helping to spread the word.

Shopping at both rooms of the Thrift Store benefits the animals at the shelter and is particularly fun the last quarter of the year because so many donations come in for end of the year tax write offs!

Adoption chihuahuas model camo jacket at Pet Stuff Resale

Cricket on the right and Meerkat below are modeling
this darling Size 1 camo jacket. They are actually hoping to get some media attention so they can get adopted as they are currently my fosters.

I purposely posed a male and a female in it because
it has a pink lining,which I have never seen paired
with camo, so it can be considered unisex! It is 4.00 at Pet Stuff Resale.

Cricket has been featured on this blog before; he was found wandering with a broken leg and had to
have a metal plate inserted, so he will have to be hand scanned at the airport for life. He is 3 years
old and needs an all adult home. He would like to have a play buddy.

Meerkat and her heartworms were turned into an animal shelter last year. She is 7 years old and has been successfully treated for them. She would be fine with other dogs or as
a solo dog in an all adult home.

Where does Pet Stuff Resale get inventory?

This is one of the most frequent questions I get, so decided to show one of my sources.
This is a flea market outside of College Station that is full to the road on Sundays; I was there on a Saturday(ok, I was up there visiting a vet also!) when the place is almost deserted.
(I sometimes drive up on Sunday before driving back to sell in front of the Greater Good near I 10 and Dairy Ashford.

Finding things for clients really makes my job fun and I actually found an aquarium set up at one of the maybe 5 tables that were there. That struck me as so funny that I had to take a picture to post here.

The answer to the inventory question is I buy anywhere I can, often from previous
customers, vets, groomers, Craigslist, inquiries from my truck signs, thrift stores, even deserted flea markets
and some places I accidentally run into.

Yorkie gets Tailgate pet exam at Kinglsand Blvd Vet Clinic

Scotty was allegedly left at someones house by his owner who never came back. Several months later he was dropped off at an animal shelter in dire need of a dental and actually a bath also, as well as flea meds...

He began hacking a little and needed to see a vet to determine if what he had was normal "Yorkie Snort" or collapsing trachea or was really sick. I try not to spread upper respiratory into a vet clinic, so usually vets are kind enough to come outside for a tailgate exam! Dr Shows had just come out of surgery so was glad for the break and it was beautiful outside anyway.

He pronounced him healthy enough to go for his dental surgery.

Scotty is 8 years old and neutered, as well as heartworm negative. He weighs a whopping 4.6 lbs. He will be looking for an all adult home when his hair grows back in.

Cleaning cat trees at 4 am?

Yes, I was just outside in my driveway doing exactly that! I was excited about it; a load of cat trees when it is rare to get even one in the secondary market. Ok, I wasn't quite that excited to be out there but was wide awake and wanted to put my time to good use. I grabbed Kirby the cocker to give him some out time and multitask also, I confess. Too bad none of my neighbors were up to get a photo!

Between the truck dome light and a subdivision street light I could get quite a bit done. It's a tiny community with lots of pine trees and a couple of small lakes, so the breezes are quite nice,great working environment. (This is just another of the many benefits of working for ones self.)

This 5 and 6 foot cat trees are in great shape and are in neutral colors. The support piece of wood(the trunk) is all one piece, not two pieces nailed together, which is important for stability. It also speaks to the quality of workmanship, no cutting corners on this cat furniture. They are priced between 100.00 and 125.00.

One of the most important aspects of Pet Stuff Resale is product cleanliness, so these trees need to be isolated for 90 days, until 12/9/09, as a precaution. There is no way to disinfect all the way thru the carpet, nor is leaving them outside adequate. FIP is the longest lasting germie affecting cats; even though it is not common, I don't take any chances.

Clients buying one of these neat trees and getting a picture of their cat(s) on them will get it posted here with their bio.

Almost a yard of dachshund!

Mikey is 34" nose to tail and was loaded with heartworms when he arrived at a Houston area shelter, but not anymore. He stayed at the shelter seemingly for ages as no one had room to foster. Dachshund rescue who is very good about taking some of the many dachshunds needing
medical attention was full as well.

My dear friend who got me onto dachshunds (and I paid her back by getting her into greyhound
adoptions:) kindly offered to take him in during heartworm treatment, even though it's a 2 month or more commitment.

Mikey did try a few tricks at first such as "I will push the tray out of my kennel" and "I will
get out of the kennel" but soon settled in and did well during the treatment.

Last week he announced that he was staying there permanently as it was too much trouble to
train in a new person(he is a little bossy, in a polite way). Yea for both Mikey and Greta Jean!

Here's another plea for giving heartworm prevention, It is so much cheaper than treating for heartworm disease and of course the treatment is extremely painful for the dog. It also reduces the number of animals a shelter or rescue can save, both in money and space considerations.