Boomerang Tags "For Pets That Come Back"

We are getting the car packed to head for Orlando in the morning. I'm excited! I haven't been to Florida in a while. I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

Mom and Ms. PopArt had a long phone call the other day. Mom said Ms. PopArt suggested I start setting up other sites of my own like a MySpace page and some YouTube videos. I don't know what all of that is but I'm all for anything that lets me show everyone how smart I am about traveling with Mom so they can learn too. I think we'll get started on these when we get back from Orlando.

Mom has my packing list out and she is putting all my stuff in my little travel bag - my collar, my leash. She packed the collar with my dog tags on it even though I have a microchip. She says it's an extra layer of protection.

I like my dog tag. It doesn't hang down and get in my way or get caught on things like other dogs' that I have seen. It's a collar tag. And it doesn't clink when I walk which helps a lot when I'm stalking cats or squirrels! If you aren't sure what a collar tag is, I have a picture so you can see what it looks like. This isn't my collar. Mine's already packed and I'm not letting Mom dig it out to take a picture! I love my Mom but she forgets things when we travel. That's why she has a list. But sometimes even that doesn't help. I could tell you stories..... But back to the tags. This is a picture off the Boomerang website. That's where mom buys my tags. It looks just like my red collar so you will still be able to see just how cool it is. Mine looks like the top one.

Mom said she first checked Boomerang out because she just liked their advertising: Boomerang Tags "For Pets That Come Back". Then she read more about them and she says they are the best dog tags on the market. She says they may not be "cute" but when it comes to keeping me safe she'd rather have functional than cute. And besides I'm cute enough already! And I think they look great - I'm a manly dog and I don't want anything "cute". Aspen, Pixel and Zeena can wear "cute"!

Mom says Boomerang tags are more durable (that means they last a long time) than those cheap aluminum tags. I've had mine for 6 years now. That's how long they last!

You don't have to get a tag like mine. Boomerang also makes those "hangy" tags if you really want one. You can get a metal one like mine or you can get a plastic one. They are both guaranteed, just like mine.

Mom says she buys my tag to keep me safe so if she gets lost, someone will know how to help me find her again. She says since that's what it's for she wants me to have one that will stay on my collar. She wants the people helping me find her to be able to read my name so they know who I am, and my address and phone number so they know where I live and how to reach Mom. Mom has never been lost, but it makes me feel safer knowing that she has done things to help me find her again.

If you want to find out more about Boomerang tags, check out their website at www.boomerangtags.com. And tell them Travelin' Bob sent you. I don't get anything if you do, but I want them to know how much Mom and I like their tags.

Heading for Orlando in the morning! I'll keep you posted on my trip!

Meet my new friend Zeena!

Well, it's official. Mom and I are going to Orlando! I LOVE Florida. She has a client out there she needs to visit. And she said I can go this time because the client knows me and doesn't mind if I come along. We'll be planning the trip this week and I'll keep you posted on my adventures, as usual.

Mom was going to make me do a boring - but important - post on the importance of dog tags and tell you about my microchip. But I have exciting news to share about a new friend so she said I could do the other post later in the week.

We got an email this week from our human friend, Teri Dempski. She was so excited to share the news - she had a new baby! Her name was Zeena! Mom laughed and said that was an unusual name for a baby. Then we read further and discovered that Zeena is actually a Chihuahua! Zeena, Warrior Chihuahua Princess! I think it's a perfect name! Don't you agree?

Over the weekend Teri was having a yard sale. On Sunday, a Mexican family stopped to look over all the baby items she had for sale. They didn’t speak English, but the son (maybe 7-8yrs. old) came out of the car clutching something tightly to his chest. Teri heard squeaking, and asked if she could see, in her best broken (poor) Spanish. The boy spoke enough English (with Teri's broken Spanish) and said Teri could buy the puppy for $100.00. Teri said, when the baby is old enough she wanted it. The boy talked with his mother, and she said the momma had 8 puppies, and the momma would not take care of them. The family had been hand-feeding the babies every 2-3 hrs. and wanted someone to take over, so was only letting the puppies go to someone who would be able to devote time to care for them. Once Teri held the baby, whose eyes were barely open, no teeth yet, tiny little whimpers, she fell in love at that moment. Zeena nuzzled Teri's neck and sucked on her baby finger—then happily fell asleep on her chest. The family got the $100.00 and Teri got a new fur baby. **Note to dogs looking for homes - that's how I made Mom fall in love with me! I was not the cutest or the smartest in the litter, but when I curled up on her chest and went to sleep, after a good night kiss on her chin, that's all it took. I'm telling you it works every time!

Teri has never hand-raised a puppy. But she is quickly learning all she needs to do to help Zeena grow strong.

So now I have friends all over the country! Aspen the Yorkie in New Jersey, Pixel in Arizona, and now Zeena in Colorado. Wouldn't it be fun if I could travel to see each of them and tell you all about our adventures? MOM, Hey MOM! I have an idea!

The Best Dog Collar!

I overhead Mom tell Dad she may be going to Houston in a few weeks. She really seems to like Texas! I don't know if she is going to be able to take me but I hope so. It's been a while since we have been on a trip. I'll keep listening and if so, I'll tell you all about our trip when we get back!

Meanwhile, I'm going to continue with my recommendations for the best of the best items on my packing list. That way, when it's time for you to travel with your Mom and Dad, you'll know what to have them pack for you.

Last post, I shared with you my favorite leash. But a leash is useless without a collar! But before I recommend MY particular favorite collar, I want to share some tips. There are so many different types of collars to choose from that it can sometimes be overwhelming.

1. Make sure the collar is right for you. If you are a big dog, you need a big collar. Smaller dogs can wear smaller, lighter collars. Puppies should wear soft nylon collars so you don't get hurt. A buckle collar is best, especially for puppies, because they are least likely to come undone and fall off and they are easily adjusted if necessary. Choke chains and pinch chains should NEVER be used for your everyday collar. You should only wear them when you are training your human! In fact, Mom has never put a choke chain on me. There are other types of training collars that are much easier on my neck. Choke chains put pressure on my neck and that is scary so I don't always behave as well just because I'm scared. My training collar doesn't hurt me and so I can focus more on showing Mom my newest trick instead of trying to figure out how to get away from the choke chain.

2. Once you have the correct collar, make sure Mom or Dad know how to put it on correctly. It needs to be snug so you can't lose it, but not so tight you have difficulty breathing or swallowing. Mom always puts two fingers between my collar and my neck. She says if she can do that, then the collar is just right. And since there is always some collar left over after she has put it on, she cuts the end of it off so I can't reach it. I wish she wouldn't do that. I have a nice leather collar and the end of it would have been great to chew on. But she said I could possibly chew it off and choke on it so she cut it off and threw it in the trash. Darn! Guess I'll have to settle for one of those "greenies."

I also have a red nylon collar which is my favorite and it is the one I am going to recommend for most dogs. The red color looks good with my black and white fur. And the nylon is soft and doesn't fray so it always looks good - not old and worn. It is a buckle collar, like all of my collars. Mom bought it at Petco, but I think it might be made by my friend, Aspen the Yorkie. Mom says no, but the collar is called the Petmate by Aspen Pet Single Ply Nylon Dog Collar, so I think she might be wrong. Aspen, did you know you have a dog collar named after you? Mom paid $5.00 for my collar but she checked online and said that Petco is having a sale and you can get a collar just like mine for $3.99. What a deal! You can't have the red one because it's mine. But they have lots of other colors to choose from. If you want to tell your Mom or Dad where to get it, tell them to go to http://www.petco.com/.

By the way, Mom told our friend PopArtDiva, that it was time for her to do my PopArt rendering. So keep checking back, because once it's ready, we'll be posting it here and launching my Squidoo lens. Mom helped me build it and it's cool! And we are working on some other projects together as well - all of which will have my PopArt picture from PopArtDiva. It's all very exciting. Stay tuned!

And here are my recommendations so far - 5 bones for both of them!

Leash: The Best Leash (www.bestleash.com)

Collar: Petmate by Aspen Single Ply Nylon Dog Collar from Petco (www.petco.com)

The Best Leash is - Best Leash!

As promised, I am going to give you a heads up on some of my favorite things. These are all part of my travel kit. Each one gets a 5 bone rating!

Today I'm going to tell you about my leash. Normally, I don't wear it. At home I have a big fenced in yard that I can run free in all day long. But when I travel, I have to be on a leash. Mom says it's a law. It's annoying because I like to chase squirrels and birds and being on a leash prevents me from doing that! But I suppose it does have it's good points. One day when we were out walking a car suddenly veered toward us and Mom was able to use my leash to pull me out of the way. Whew! It was a close call but Mom - and my leash - saved me! And I always feel safer knowing she is attached to the other end and can't wander off and get lost.

If I have to be on a leash, then I'm glad Mom chose the one she did. Appropriately, it's called Best Leash. What makes it so great? Well first, it's 9 feet long. Most other leashes are only 6 feet long. That's 3 feet longer so I have more freedom to move around. Mom often just ties the leash around her waist when we are walking and with 9 feet, I still have plenty of space.

You can order Best Leash at http://bestleash.com for $25.99

Mom says I should also share some leash safety tips with you. So here goes!

1. Never leave your dog unattended while on his leash. A dog can quickly chew through leather or nylon. Or a leash dragging behind a puppy can get snagged and choke the him.

2. Use a leash that is the correct size for your dog. Smaller dogs like me need thinner leashes with smaller hardware, while large dogs may require leashes of a slightly thicker width.

3. Never pull or drag your dog with a leash. If he is reluctant to come, simply backup & call his name in a happy voice.

4. Yanking or jerking a dog leash can injure your pet, especially younger pups and senior dogs.
If your dog likes to pull, consider using a no-pull harness.

5. Keep your leash in good shape. If the snap seems unstable or broken, replace it immediately.

I hope this information will help you and your parents choose the best leash for you. Despite many tales of dogs finding their way home when their humans get lost, it is certainly not the norm. Having a missing human parent is a heart wrenching experience. Mom and I wish all dogs the healthiest and safest life possible. Please use a durable collar and leash combo whenever possible.

Sharing My Close Up and My Tips for Traveling with Your Mom

I know, I know...it's been a long time. But Mom has been busy traveling (without me if you can believe that - she said it was business and she wouldn't have time for me!). Since I need her to type for me, I've had to be patient and wait.

I have great news! Jessica finally sent my picture. I am a handsome boy if I do say so myself! And now that I finally have my photo, I want to share it with all of you. Here it is!






What do you think? Pretty sharp looking, don't you agree? Especially for 11 years old. That's like 77 in your years. You should look this good when you're 77!

Mom says we aren't going to be taking any trips for a bit. She is redoing her kitchen and she wants to get it done before we go anywhere else. It's really a mess right now and I don't like having strange men in the house but Mom says she needs them to fix her cabinets and build her breakfast bar. The only good thing about it is that Mom isn't cooking so much right now, which means I get to sneak treats from her doggie bags. Not as much as I used to - I'm still on that "diet" - but at least it's better than those "greenie" things she keeps trying to feed me!

Since we aren't going on any adventures right away, I thought I'd share some basic tips on making sure your mom and dad have everything you need when you travel with them. You want to be comfortable, safe, and have a good time so it's up to you to make sure your humans are well trained and prepared. If not, ask them to leave you with a pet sitter or a boarding kennel!

Whenever possible, tell your mom and dad you want to travel in the car. While it is possible to travel by plane, I wouldn't recommend it. Would you believe they treat us like cargo?! And if you've ever traveled in the cargo hold of a plane, then you know it's not much fun. Since I'm small, sometimes I get to sit on the floor under the seat in my carrier with Mom, but that's still very scary and cramped. Always encourage your mom and dad to take the car unless there is no other choice.

If your humans aren't used to driving with you in the car, then they need to take you for some short practice drives. When they get nervous, they can make you nervous so some nice short rides to the park, or to PetSmart, (or for hamburgers!) will help you both learn to ride together. If they still make you anxious, tell them to get some medicine from the vet to help you relax before you go on your trip. And make sure they have a doggie seat belt for you. A regular human seat belt won't work and you want to make sure you have the same protection as they do.

Make sure they plan the trip with you in mind. Remind them you will need to stop every 2-3 hours for a potty break and some water. You should take them for a walk when you stop too, so they can stretch their legs. If you get all cramped up just sitting in the car, imagine how tired they must get driving all the time. A short walk will do you both good.

I am including my traveling packing list. This is everything I insist Mom brings with us so I'm safe, comfortable, and happy. In future posts, I'll go into detail about each item and maybe I'll even rate some of the different options!

My 'Top Ten List of Things I Need on My Trip':

1. My Leash - almost every city has some sort of leash law so bring it along unless you want to spend the entire trip in your crate in a hotel room.

2. My Collar with ID Tags - just in case you get lost, your ID tags should help you get home. Mom got me a microchip, but if you don't have one, you definitely want the collar and tags.

3. Food and Water - who knows what the local food and water may be like. Bring your own!

4. My Dishes - you'll need something to eat and drink from. Bringing your own dishes will also make strange places seem more like home.

5. My Blankie - I always sleep better with my favorite blankie!

6. Pooper Scooper - it's just polite to clean up after yourself.

7. My Favorite Toy - sometimes traveling can be stressful. Having my favorite toy along with my favorite blankie is comforting.

8. Copy of Pet Health Certificate or Shot Record from your Dr. Karen - just in case you do get sick or hurt, this will help the vet give you the best care.

9. My brush - so I always look my best!

10. Carpet deodorizer or Cleaner - just in case. I'm a good dog, but accidents do happen!

That's it! Sometimes she brings some extra things like my carrier, or my toothbrush, or some treats. But this is the basic list. I even have my own little travel bag to pack everything in. Put together your own list using mine to give you some ideas. Then tell your mom and dad that you're packed and ready to hit the road!

We're Back!

And though it was a fun trip, I'm glad to be home. I think Mom is too. She seems a little tired. Baby John and I kept her pretty busy.

We arrived a couple of days before all the fireworks. I'm not much of a fireworks fan. Too much noise! Too many people! So we checked into the hotel, called Christine to let her know we were there, and then just spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the hotel. Long drives make me sleepy! We stopped at the local Sonic for some dinner and just ate in the room. Mom even let me have a few of her french fries (not too many because I'm still on that diet! But she said if we shared them, then neither one of us would eat too many!). I love Sonic! After dinner, we went for a quick walk and then came back to the hotel and just watched TV. I fell asleep early. I hope Mom wasn't too lonely. She had Dad with her, but I don't think he was much company. He was asleep before I was!

The next morning, we got up early and went straight to Christine's. Baby John wanted to have breakfast with us so we didn't even stop to eat. I was worried because Mom didn't feed me or stop for something to eat on the way. I thought she had forgotten me. But it was alright. Baby John has a new friend named Duke. Duke is a Beagle and he let me have some of his breakfast. It was pretty good. Different from my usual breakfast but not too bad. After breakfast, we just played in the yard with John and Duke. Mom, Dad and Christine sat outside and talked. We played until we all got tired and Mom said it was time for a nap because after lunch we were going for a boat ride! I love boats. I go fishing with Dad all the time. He says Mom and I are his fishing buddies - when he can't take Carter.

The boat trip was fun! We took a ride around Corpus Christi Bay on Captain Clark's Flagship Tours (http://www.captclarksflagship.com/.com/). The captain told us all about the bayfront and I saw lots of odd looking birds (not like our birds at home) and I even saw some dolphins! There were lots of pretty sailboats too! I had a great time! I was so excited by everything I missed my afternoon nap!

After the boat ride, it was time to go home. John and I were both tired. John was cranky and Mom said Dad and I were cranky too. So we had a quick dinner at Christine's and then went back to the hotel to sleep.

The next morning Mom got up early. Dad was still sleeping so Mom and I went to an outdoor bakery called Les Succes Bakery. They are a French bakery and one of my favorite places to go. But when we got there, they were closed! Mom said the sign in the window said they were closed all month so the owners could go on vacation. So we ended up back at the Sonic. Mom bought some breakfast for her and Dad and we went back to the room to eat. I was disappointed because I love sitting at the outdoor table and watching everyone while we have breakfast.

After breakfast, Mom and Dad and I went to see some gardens. Mom loves flowers and spends a lot of time at home working in her garden. We even planted a Pizza Garden this year (I didn't know pizza grew in a garden?!). This garden was big - a lot bigger than Mom's. She called it the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center (http://stxbot.org/). I had to be on my leash and I had to be careful not to potty on the flowers, but other than that it was fun. There were lots of big plastic birds all dressed up in costumes. Mom said they were flamingos. I don't know why anyone would want plastic birds in their garden. You can't chase them so they aren't any fun. But Mom said they were helping to raise money for charity. We even got to vote for our favorite flamingo. I liked the one that was all covered in flower petals. I hope Mom voted for it!

The rest of the trip was spent relaxing. We stayed home on fireworks night and just had some sparklers in the backyard. I don't mind them since they aren't loud. We walked on the beach and went to the park. I played with John and Duke a lot. Mom visited with Christine and sometimes left me and John with Dad and John's daddy so she and Christine could go shopping. It was a fun trip - but I'm glad to be home.

Here are the places we stayed - with my new ratings (thanks again Ms. PopArtDiva!)

The hotel where we stayed:

Omni Corpus Christi Hotel: Mom was a little disappointed with the room. She said it looked old and the bathroom was kind of dirty. She said for a 4 star-rated Omni, she expected more. But the bed was comfortable and everyone on the staff treated me well. I would give it 3 bones but because Mom was a little unhappy, I'm going to give it 2. She knows more about these things than I do.

Omni Corpus Christi Hotel:


Captain Clark's Flagship Tours: Other than the fact that I wasn't allowed to go down on the carpeted area, this was great! 4 bones!


South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center: I'm going to give it 3 bones. It's nice but it's hard to remember not to potty on the flowers.




Padre Island National Seashore ( http://www.nps.gov/pais/index.htm): I had to be on a leash and I couldn't go on the deck of the Visitor Center. But it was still great fun! 4 bones!


Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas.html): Dad likes alligators and there are plenty of them here. I had to stay on a leash and we couldn't go on trails where there might be gators so Mom and Dad split up. On the one hand it was nice having some alone time with Mom, but this was supposed to be a family trip. For that reason I'm giving it 3 bones. But it might be worth 4 if your family doesn't have a gator-lover in it!


Corpus Christi dog-friendliness rating: 3 bones! Lots of places to stay, places to eat, and things to do.

Can't wait for my next adventure. After I rest up a bit, I'll be ready to go again!

We Leave Tomorrow!

I heard Mom talking to Christine today. We are leaving for our visit tomorrow! I'm so excited. I can't wait to see baby John. I'm not excited about the drive to Corpus Christi in this heat, but it's worth it to see everyone.

I was hoping my new pictures would be ready so I could take one with me to give to John. But Jessica has been busy and hasn't finished them yet. She said she would get them done this week. I guess I'll have to wait until we get back to see them.

Our friend, PopArt Diva, made me a little bone widget to use on my blog. She thought my giving the Omni Corpus Christi 5 "treats" was cute and made me a "treat" to use. Which gave me an idea. While I'm in Corpus Christi, I'm going to take notes on the hotel and other places we visit. Then I'm going to report on them when I get back. I'll use PopArt Diva's bone to rate them. It looks like this:

Isn't it great? She sure is talented! You can check out her other work at www.PopArtDiva.com. And Mom is working on Squidoo pages for me so I can share my experience with lots of others. I think I'll use these there too! Thanks Ms. Terri, for making these for me. I can't wait to see what you do with my picture. Someday Mom and I are going to put up a whole website for me, but that is taking a lot of work and we want to share things faster. That's why we made this blog and why we are using Squidoo!

Oh wow! I just heard Mom ask Dad to get the laptop out of the office. That means she's taking it with her. Which means I'll be able to stay in touch even while we're traveling. Maybe Jessica can send my pictures so I won't have to wait to see them.

Well, Mom and I have a little bit more packing to do. I want to make sure she takes everything I need: treats, toys, blanket, leash, collar, food and water bowls, food, water, vet records, brush, odor remover (just in case! I'm potty trained, but accidents do happen...). And she'll need a little time to get her own packing done too. I'm going to help her finish and then I'm going to have dinner and go to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day!