Valentine Gifts for People and Pets: Celebrating Companionship

Unusual Gift Ideas For Your Valentine Person or Pet

Trying to come up with unusual gift ideas for your Valentine Companion Person or Pet?  Ah yes, this is a task ideally suited to the InterSpecies relationship-supporting philosophy and purpose of WoofCalls!  Just ask, "Want to know how much I love you?", and give one of these top Valentine gifts. Whether for your Significant Human or your Companion Dog or Cat,  these hot holiday gifts will bring joy to anyone you love!


VALENTINE GIFT BASKETS:

A Gift Basket For Your Valentine Human:

A visual and edible delight for any Significant Human who loves fresh fruit and chocolate! This special gift features a highly detailed wood trunk filled with a heart shaped box of assorted chocolates, a jar of Chocolatey Cherry Amaretto Cheesecake Fondue, two solid Milk Chocolate Roses, creamy Lindor Chocolate Truffles, rich Belgian Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Peanut Clusters, a cute Valentine's Day box filled with Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a festive bag of savory Snack Mix with the message "I'm Nuts For You, Valentine"!  Your Companion Human will hug you for this!


A Gift Basket For Your Valentine Pet:


 PUPPY LOVE - A Valentine's Day Dog Gift Basket - WHAT!?! MY DOG ATE THE BASKET!!! No worries, this basket was made for your Pooch to eat. Great gift!  No Waste (so very 'green') - This edible basket is wrapped in Bio-degradable cellophane and tied with ribbon. This 100% organic Dog treat basket is filled with a variety of crunchy holiday/seasonal shapes and yumsical flavors. Decorated with organic yogurt and colored with organic colorings from fruits, vegetables, seeds or roots. Heidi's never uses salt, sugar, or synthetics. Holiday & Season Cut Treats:  February - Heart and Bone Cut Treats!

  

GIFTS OF LOVING COMFORT FOR FEET AND PAWS:

Your Valentine Human Will LOVE These Aroma Home Aromatherapy Microwaveable Hot Booties!  The Hot Sox  booties are soft, cosy and the perfect way to soothe tired or chilled feet. Heating up the insert slowly releases the aroma of the pure essential oils. Now encourage your Significant Human to sit back and enjoy the warmth and comfort. She can enjoy her own private Spa right at home! The perfect Valentine gift for your Human Companion who takes you on those long, foot-tiring but heart-bonding walks!


Paw Protection and Comfort:

Ultra Paws All-Weather Dog Boots: 

• Easy to put on - difficult to slip off!
• Two Velcro straps with slides fasten the boots in place.
• Petite 1 1/4"; X-Small 1 3/4$; Small 2 1/4" width; Medium 2 3/4" width; Large 3 1/4" width
• Toughtek® performs in wet and dry, hot and cold conditions.
• Available in six sizes in red or black, in sets of four, in a reusable mesh bag.

TIME SPENT WORKING TOGETHER ON A PROJECT IS A GIFT OF LOVE:

Project to do with your Dog or Cat:

Uncle Milton Pet’s Eye View Camera by Uncle Milton.  One Reviewer opined, "My Dog's spirits have been lifted since we purchased the Pet's Eye View camera for her. It is a shame that Casey's God given gift for photography had been stifled for the first 13 years of her life. It is easy to compare our Dog's photos to that of Ansel Adams, Anne Geddes or Alfred Eisenstaedt. Next week Casey is scheduled to photograph her first wedding. The Pet's Eye View Camera has been a great conversation piece and a fun tech device that doesn't break the bank." Now you can identify your Dog's favorite hangout spots and go back with her to share more interesting adventures, as she can share yours:

Project to enjoy with Your Companion Human: Give your Significant Humans the uCorder IRDC250 Wearable Video Camera / Recorder with 2 GB Built-in Memory plus PC Webcam (Black). The uCorder Camcorder / Webcam combo allows them the convenience of Wearable Video Recording, plus the benefit of a Webcam, so it's like a Pet Cam for People. The 3.5-Inch Wearable Video Camera / Recorder can easily be attached to their clothing and is ideal for recording different aspects of your Family life, hands-free! When connected to a computer, the uCorder can be set to function as a Webcam for use in popular chat programs, and includes a clip-on stand. Files are easily transferred to any computer via USB connection. Compatible with PC / Mac, there is no proprietary software required to play or transfer the video and audio files. The internal Lithium ion battery is charged via USB. There are endless uses for uCorder – lectures, events, memorable Family moments and vacations your Family shares with you, their Companion Dog!

GIFT WEEKENDS FOR COMPANION HUMANS AND DOGS:

"DogFriendly.com's Lodging Guide for Travelers with Dogs", "Pets Come Too!: Quality-assessed Pet-friendly Hotels, B&Bs", "Dog-Friendly Hotels: 
Your Comprehensive Guide" 










 all make great gifts.  But the most comprehensive guide is published by AA: Give this Pet Friendly Guide to your Valentine, then make plans for a weekend of Companion travel and adventure, any time of year!

MUSIC FOR YOUR VALENTINE:

For Companion Dogs, Cats and Humans who like to breathe deep, Fresh Aire DVDs convey a feeling of wide open spaces!  "Fresh Aire 8 " DVD explores 8 topics of infinity, as you experience the art of DVD with multi-platinum selling artist Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller. Fresh Aire 8 is a unique double-sided disc--one side is DVD Video with 5.1 surround sound audio in Dolby Digital and DTS, and the other side of the disc features the new high-resolution 24 bit/96 kilohertz DVD-Audio format. Both sides are stunningly beautiful!

Music for your Dog and Cat:

 "While You Are Gone: Music Pets Love" and
"Music Cats Love: While You Are Gone",  by Bradley Joseph, are wonderful collections of calming music and soothing sounds for the Companion Animals you love. Over one hour of relaxing music mixed with soft nature sounds and short stories, create a peaceful environment for Pets who are left alone.
Exotic birds, children playing and soothing voices, are just a few of the sounds that come in and out of this beautiful music to entertain your Pet while you are gone.  Humans love it, too!

COZY AT-HOME VALENTINE TREATS FOR YOUR COMPANION HUMAN OR PET:

For your Companion Human: Dark Gingerbread Valentine Cake - Fill your house with the delicious aroma of old-fashioned Gingerbread, baked in a heart-shaped pan!

As this fragrent cake bakes in the oven, the warm, sweet and spicy aroma of your simple, inexpensive gift will bring happy childhood memories to your Valentine Human of any age. Relaxing nearby for "support", you can help your Companion make it from scratch, or from a mix. Decorate with a big Valentine Heart, and give with a kiss.

For your Companion Canine: Valentine's Day Hearts and Bones Dog Treat Gift Box by Claudia's Canine Cuisine

Fabulous treats made with loving care, of only the finest, all-natural, human-grade ingredients by Claudia's Canine Chefs, these treats not only smell unbelievable and taste so good, (we can often be found eating them ourselves), but they also have healthy benefits for our Canine friends, says Claudia's Canine Cuisine.

  

VALENTINE TREATS FOR KIDS, BIRDS, DOGS:

For the Kids you love: This Valentine Express Brings Love to Your Little Engineer: A Valentine Cake Train, comin' down the track!

If you have time to be creative, buy or bake a pound cake, cut and decorate this Valentine Express following the guide in the picture, with peppermint hard candies for wheels, and popped corn on a wire for "steam". The cake itself could be chocolate, or gingerbread, for a double treat!  If you are a Canine or Feline Companion, stretch out nearby during the creative process, to offer your heartfelt "assistance".

For Outdoor Birds: Have a Heart For Feathered Friends - A Valentine Heart Bird Feeder!

Show Birds you love feeding them with the retro design of the BirdBrain Mod Pod Bird Feeder.  This feeder holds 0.5 quarts of mixed seed and offers two perches for two Birds to dine simultaneously. The base of the feeder has four drainage holes to help keep seed dry. A top panel lifts off of the feeder for ease in refilling. Additional seed is kept in the thicker sides of the heart, preventing spoilage. Use the included metal cable to hang this feeder from a branch or hook. Add a modern feel to your Bird sanctuary with this heart shaped Mod Pod Bird Feeder, a delight for all the feathered friends that trust you to help them through the winter. The pretty heart feeder, and the many different Birds who will flock to it, will also bring hours of enjoyment to your Valentine Human or Cat.

For Companion Dogs: Nina Ottosson's Puzzle Toy For Dogs: A "Dog-Tornado" Snack Puzzle for your Canine Valentine!

Your Editors here at WoofCalls have lots of fun with this new Dog puzzle! You load it with healthy Dog treats, or even just small amounts of your Dog's regular dry chow, and your Companion spends delightful minutes nose-nudging the revolving trays to get at the treats hidden within the whirling toy.

INTERACTIVE PEOPLE AND PET TOYS MAKE GREAT GIFTS OF LOVE:

For Companion Humans and Felines to enjoy together: You twirl it, your Cat catches the Feathered "Bird": "Da Bird" Interactive Cat Toy -

You've never seen your Cats play with you more acrobatically than when you involve them with these chase wands with bird-like feathers on the end. It's great exercise for both of you!

Indoor Play for Companion Humans and Canines: Valentine's Day One Love Heart Dog Toy by Pet Edge is made of the soft, moppy chenille plush that Dogs love to chase and chew, with the all-important squeaker inside. 


Perfect Valentine: The Heart Throb Talking Red Plush Dog Toy by Multipet proclaims your love with the slightest squeeze as you toss and fetch.






Highly interactive Outdoor Play for the two of you: Kyjen Dog-Agility Starter Kit - Provide interactive fun and exercise for the Family Dog with this agility starter kit. Agility training is a popular Dog sport that can be learned relatively quickly. The kit comes complete with the supplies needed to perform the following agility tests: weave poles, high jump, open tunnel, and pause box. On command, the dog must accomplish the tests by racing against the clock or other Dogs. The agility tests keep your Dog's senses sharpened, body properly exercised, and brain occupied. In addition, it enhances the bond between Dog and Human.

Excellent books to help you both get started: "Agility Training for You and Your Dog: From Backyard Fun to High-Performance Training" by Ali Canova; "The Beginner's Guide to Dog Agility" by Laurie Leach; and "101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog" by Kyra Sundance.

We hope you will enjoy giving these unusual Valentine's gifts to someone Special in your life.  It's the time and love you put into enjoying these gifts with your Companion, whether Human, Dog or Cat, that makes them true Valentine gifts from the heart.

 by WebWoof, Canine Editor of the Dog Blog WoofTracks.com


Photos Courtesy Ask.com and Google Images

Preparing For The Paws of Winter

Preparing For the Paws of Winter

Ah, the roaring fire in the fireplace, the mug of hot cocoa, a good book and your trusty Companion Dog. If you heard the title of this blog instead of seeing it, you'd think it was about preparing for that long, cozy winter pause between active seasons, when the warm hearth looks so inviting, wouldn't you? Well, there's the snowed-in Pause of the season, and then there are the dreaded Paws of Winter, that leave big soggy black pawprints, full of road salt, slush and grit, all over your rugs, your furniture, the kitchen floor, even the interior of your car or van. If you've visited my Dog Blog, WoofTracks.com, you know that your Editor and his Assistant are doggedly determined to improve understanding and relations between Species. Here, then, in the interest of better relations, are some ideas for cleaning dirty paws before they track in that dirt, and for cleaning up if they evade your preventive efforts.

First, and removable as the Dog comes in, there are Dog Boots with a whole range of useful features and corresponding prices. Examples range from the $16.99 Guardian Gear Pet Boots that promise to keep paws safe from heat, cold, ice, salt, stones, and abrasive surfaces, with a reflective strap for visibility, to the Granite Gear Dog Clogs that provide serious traction as well as protection, at $44.76.

Two paws up for the latest invention, the Paw Plunger, sized for your dirty Dog. Just fill the Paw Plunger with water and the soft bristles inside the container gently yet effectively remove dirt and debris from your Dog's paws. It can also be used without water to brush off sand and dirt, so it's useful year-round.

In case those dirty paws get by you, remember the "ounce of prevention": To keep paw prints off the sofa and rugs, bone up on cleaners like Scotchgard Fabric Protector and Scotchgard Carpet Protector for Rugs and Carpets. For rescuing upholstery that wasn't protected, Scotchgard makes Fabric and Upholstery Cleaner. If you're at the end of your leash with winter paw prints, there's Bissell's mean Little Green machine: The Proheat Turbo Carpet Cleaner that uses hot water, a cleaning agent with solution trigger and a tough stain tool to eliminate both deep-down dirt and surface spills. Designed for use on carpet, upholstery, automobile seats, and more, the Little Green disperses and sucks up cleansing solution in one swipe across the dirty surface. Paw prints don't stand a chance.

There are car and truck seat covers with Dog and Wolf prints, made just to protect your vehicle's seats from our dirty paws and sharp claws, and the Ez Cargo Area Protector does a great job if your Dog stays in the cargo area of your SUV or wagon. For the furniture at home, the paws-down best solution is the couch saver Quilted Pet Throw, and those Dog Gone Smart Pet Throws, in Microfiber and Faux Suede: They have pet-safe fabric that repels dirt, oil and liquids, and reduces the spread of bacteria that can cause that (shhh...) "doggy" odor.

But for all-around usefulness, we recommend door and entry mats that clean up after the whole Family: The Dirt Stopper Doormat and Waterhog Premier Door Mat that come in many sizes and colors, both stop water, snow and dirt in its tracks. Says the maker: "This super-strong polypropylene mat protects floor with a combo of thick fibers that whisk mud from paws and soles of boots, and thin fibers that remove moisture. Side channels allow water to drain quickly. These mats have nonskid rubber backs, and are easy care - just hose off to clean." Our Significant Humans at our editorial office at WoofTracks.com use them: They're a must, in New England!

Relax, grab a cup of cocoa. Then, fetch some of these suggestions. We know they will help, next time the dreaded Paws of Winter are on your doorstep!


WebWoof, Editor of the Dog Blog WoofTracks.com 

Tracking Man's Handiwork in Your Woof: The Why and How of It

Look at This Magnificent Example of
Irish Setter/Golden Retriever Mix!  Say WHAT?

Your Family needed a Dog, so you did what most right-minded, feeling Humans do: You went to the Shelter and brought home a "Mutt".  Not the most prestigious term, perhaps, but realistic.  Mutts even come with Perks, the most beneficial of which is that we mixed breeds are often healthier than purebreds, and less prone to the potential weaknesses of inbreeding to keep the line "pure".

Now, you've heard about the DNA testing kits you can buy, to find out what went into this character that has taken over your sofa.  It took a long time for the Wolf to evolve into your Woof, with major recent handiwork from Man, (in the form of breeding), along the way.  So why spend $50 or $100 to find out about your Mutt's great-grandma's escapades?

Well, for starters, breeds have traits: Differences of behavior and personality which give you some idea of what to expect.  A Doberman is not going to act like a Poodle.  Those traits are going to figure into your Dog's training. (There are breed-specific training books and DVDs, like the Terra Nova Series and dog-training DVDs by breed.)  A Saint Bernard is not going to have the crisp "sit" of a German Shepherd (if you're into that).  So if you find out that the cute little Poodly-Mutt you brought home has some Terrier in his mix, don't expect a canine couch-potato!

Take my esteemed Co-Editor of our WoofTracks Dog Blog, RuffWriter, for example.  Observe his picture, above at the top of this Blog: Does he LOOK like an Irish Setter or Golden Retriever?  His DNA test included these breeds in their report of his genetic makeup.  Maybe there's no physical resemblance, but he's got the Setter's sensitive heart and the Golden's sunny personality.  He also has the high intelligence and problem-solving ability of his Border Collie forebears, the thick, regal coat of his partial Chow ancestry, and...the hard-wired imperial code of honor of the Akita!  At one time bred as fighting Dogs and to hunt bears, this loyal but fearless breed requires an understanding of their nature, with specialized training and nutrition.  Have an Akita, purebred or mix? Read "How to Live With, and Love, an Akita" for the voice of experience, and "Dog Man" for historical background.


So besides learning about the best nutrition for your breed, and knowing how to suit his training to his breed and nature, why else get a DNA test for your Mutt?

Unfortunately, each breed has its own hereditary weaknesses:  The gutsy little Boston Terrier often has eye problems, the Saint is prone to "hot spots" and has a delicate digestion, the Border Collie can get hip dysplasia (bad hips, I call it), an inherited eye disease, and so on.  If you know your Dog's genetic background, you can get books about breed-specific health problems and be on the lookout for these weaknesses, providing special care to prevent or make these problems less severe.  For instance, this Canine Editor's own mother was a true Saint, so my Significant Humans give me Linatone.  Result?  I've never had a hotspot!

That's the "Why" of getting your Dog tested.  The "How" is easy: Buy a Kit, take a cheek swab, send it in, wait for the written results.  There's a BioPet DNA Kit for $59.85 that has over 60 qualified breeds on file and gets fast results via USPS within 2 weeks, a Canine Heritage Standard Breed Test for $69.97 that provides a frame quality "Certificate of DNA Analysis", and a Wisdom Panel Insights Mixed Breed DNA Test  for $79.99 that provides an information booklet explaining the test, as well as the other material.  My advice? Two paws up for the BioPet Kit: It's got all you'll need.

Then there's one last reason why any Human would get one of these tests for us, their beloved Mutts: The Curiosity Factor.  You never know when you might be entertaining a National Treasure in your Imperial Household!

WebWoof, Editor-in-Chief, WoofTracks.com

Welcome to WoofCalls!

Some night when the moon is a gigantic ball rolled just beyond your reach for play, if you’re following silvery WoofTracks in the moonlight, perk up your ears: You may hear the long, high echo of WoofCalls.

You may track important long-range goals if you’re a Canine or Significant Human on a quest for Animal/Human understanding at WoofTracks.com, but at WoofCalls our hunt is immediate and urgent: What products, what books can help Humans better hear and communicate with their Companion Animals? What supplies, what tools can Dogs dig up that let us teach our ways to Humans, as if our woofs were words?

At WoofCalls, I and my blogging crew start by sniffing out a problem: For example, maybe there’s a fellow Dog in some household who’s afraid of being left alone while his Human Family members are at work or school. Maybe he’s chewed the furniture in his distress! He urgently needs his Family to understand his fears, and how to help him through them. What solutions can we fetch here? At WoofCalls, we compare products and books: There’s the “Music Dogs Love:While You Are Gone” series of Dog and Animal CD’s and DVD’s; books like “Dogs Home Alone” by Roger Abrantes, that help our Significant Humans train us to learn how to feel more confident; there are dog collars with pherimones for calmness, scents for relaxation, Dog Beds and crates for those who find comfort in their soft cushions and protective spaces. At WoofCalls, we not only review, we compare and recommend solutions, since as Canines ourselves, we sense the scent of troubles in our fellow Kin, and want to help.

Your Editor-in-Chief is a book-hound: I “read” everything I can get my paws on. I love to chew on ideas. Being a self-respecting Canine, I love to use those meaty ideas to help. Remember my fictional hero Enzo’s intriguing idea in Garth Stein’s “The Art of Racing In the Rain”? He learned from his Significant Human, Denny, that “that which we manifest is before us”. I chewed on that for a long time. I admire Enzo, but it’s one romp through this world for me, so I’m manifesting NOW, tossing the WoofTracks ball to you with my nose, howling to help with WoofCalls. Feeling pawprints on your heart if you’re a Human, kisses on your cold wet nose if you’re a Dog? Manifest yourself: Join me.

WebWoof, Editor-in-Chief of WoofTracks.com and WoofCalls.blogspot.com.