Seriously Funny Stuff !

Lately I have been too obessed with wedding planning to BLOG. But I saw this today and it made me want to share it with the world (or at least whoever comes across the store blog).

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

The cats on the above site are FUNNY !

Also, we have the cutest, sweetest cat for Adoption from Hop Along Animal Rescue. Sundance is a beautiful tabby with a lot of spunk. He would do best in an only-pet household and is a snuggle kitty. Stop by today to see Sundance. For more information on adopting him or another cat that needs a forever home, go to http://www.hopalong.org/.

Flea & Tick Season

Spring is here and it’s flea and tick season. According to the Environmental Protection Agency “in one day a single flea can bite a dog or cat more than 400 times and consume more than its body weight in the pet’s blood.” The above quote is enough to make our blood curl. The best cure is prevention.

Topical application applied monthly such as Frontline & Advantage are both effective and easy to use. They are also both approved by the EPA. For people seeking natural remedies, we carry herbal flea powder and spray made by NaureVet with herbs. We have a new natural product in stock called “De-Flea,” which is a natural flea spray.

If you are facing fleas, these simple tricks should help: Wash pet bedding and clean furniture. Vacuum, (Researchers recently found that vacuuming kills both fleas and flea eggs). If you have a lot of brush, and bushes in your yard, pruning them may also help. Finally, apply a topical application to your pet. You can win the war against fleas.

TAX SALE TODAY !

Taxes have you down ? Treat your Pets.

Stop by today between 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and we'll pay the Sales Taxes !

Pawsture Bakery & Boutique
576 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610

See you soon !

Super Sized Pets!

I was home on Saturday and watching Animal Planet. There's a British show called "Me or the Dog" which features a British dog trainer, troubled pooches and their owners. The show I saw featured overweight pets and a weight loss competition. We have all heard about the rising pet obesity rates, but this really shocked my conscience.

As everyone knows, I am a proud beagle owner. Bailey is a cutie and a total foodie. If it was up to him, he would spend his entire life eating, sleeping, eating, eating some more. It's his nose which means he can smell everything and immediately wants it in his mouth. He's knocked over trash cans, stolen pizzas, loaves of bread, ate ant covered candy, you name it he wants it.

The show featured a female beagle who topped the scale at 60 pounds. 60 pounds, the average female beagle should way between 25-30 pounds. Bailey is a little longer than the average and weighs 30 pounds (thanks to our diligence). All I could say was OH MY !

The beagle's owners showed her stealing food, wherever however. It was crazy, they even showed her stealing from the fridge when no-one was home. Needless to say, they sent the beagle to FAT CAMP for dogs, where limited food and lots of exercise helped trim pounds.
Ultimately the beagle put the weight back on when she was reunited with her family.
What a shame.

We all have our problem pet behaviors, and need to be reminded that we not out pets are in control. I made a commitment to monitor our cat's food. He is notorious for cruising the counter for left overs and has put on a few extra pounds. I also am reducing everyone's treats (including my own).

If you have a pet that has a weight problem, see your vet. Develop a plan and don't despair.

If you decide to switch to low fat food, we carry several low-fat natural foods such as Innova low fat, Nutro Light, Chicken Soup for Dog Lover's Soul Light and Reduced Calorie Wellness. Stop in today for a free sample of any of these foods.

Remember, your pet is what they eat. Treat them well, they deserve it !

National Pet First Aid Awareness Month!

April is designated as National Pet First Aid Awareness Month. Pets are just as susceptible as their owners to accidents. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, one in four more pets would survive an emergency if a first aid technique was applied. That’s twenty-five percent! Here are some easy tips you can take to protect your pet:

(1) Know your Vet. Do you know where the nearest emergency vet is? Make sure your pet is current on all vaccinations, has an ID with current information, and is micro-chipped. The City of Oakland requires dogs to be micro-chipped to get a city dog tag. For a new engraved dog tag, check out our elegant tags available in silver or brass.

(2) Keep hazards out of the way. Coffee grounds and foods such as garlic, onions, grapes, raisins and chocolate can be toxic. If accidentally ingested contact your vet.

(3) Purchase a Pet First Aid kit for minor bumps and bruises. We recommend “Medibags for Petz” which will be in stock 5/1/08. Email us today at: shimea@shoppawsture.com or call (510) 832-1430 during business hours. To make your own check out http://www.hsus.org and type in “First Aid.” The Red Cross also sells a pet first aid kit online: http://www.redcrossshop.org/firstaid/kit4.htm

(4) Living in California, we are always on the lookout for earthquakes. Make sure that your earthquake kit includes your pet. If you feed raw, place dry food in your kit. Make sure there is a working can opener or purchase some tab easy-top cans of pet foods. Ideally it would be the same food that you currently feed, so pick up a few extra cans today. Make sure that you have water available too.

Foreclosure Crisis Effects Pets!

I recently signed up for Google Alerts which allows you to have news stories on relevant topics emailed to you daily. I of course have my alert set up for pets, which is a great way for me to stay up to date on pet issues. A few days ago I first saw an article about pets and the foreclosure crisis. Again, today I saw another article. Apparently in areas hit hard with foreclosures, pet owners are abandoning their pets with their homes. It's a sad time when even fido has to worry about foreclosures.

On a more positive note, I thought that this was great reminder of the importance of rescue organizations which give pets another chance to find homes. If you're looking for a new pet, please consider rescuing one of the many deserving pets. The best way to find pets is by going to petfinder.com. Many Bay Area rescue organizations post animals looking for homes on this website.

www.petfinder.com

Answers to 2 common food questions!

Lots of dog and cat owners who come in have questions about food. Here are the 2 common questions and our response:

If I change food, how do I do it ?

We recommend changing food over a period of 7 or so days. Mix the old food with the new food, gradually decreasing the amount of old food you are feeding while increasing the amount of new food. By the end, your pet should be enjoying the new food.

While changes in food can be difficult, if you have any questions about what you're feeding your pet, stop in today or post a comment to our blog. Better yet, browse our website: www.shoppawsture.com for ingredient lists and information on the food sold at our store.

What’s the difference between adult, kitten& puppy formula and senior food ?

The biggest difference is in the amount of fat. Kitten & puppy food is generally more fattening (they are still growing), adult food is in the middle and senior food usually has less fat since cats and dogs are less active. Senior food can contain supplements such as glucosamine & chrondrotin for joint health. One of our favorite brands of senior and puppy food is Wellness. Made with 100% human-grade ingedients and the first ingedient is always real meat like chicken. Stop in for a free sample!

Feel free to post any questions that you have about food and we'll gladly provide you with a response.

Spring is Kitten Season.

Spring is kitten season, with lots of kittens being born and needing homes. With so many animals needing homes, we encourage everyone to visit their local shelter or rescue organizations before getting a pet.


As part of the ongoing effort to get homes for all pets, we partnered with HopAlong Animal Rescue.


In the past 6 months, we have had more than thirteen cats get adopted ! We are sad to see them go, but glad that they found their forever homes. Next time you're in the neighborhood, stop in to see the newest rescue cat. You never know, the cat may be the perfect addition to your family. We recently adopted a orange tabby male kitten named "Amadeus" from HopAlong and are now proud cat owners.


Pawsture provides the cats with food, litter and lots of love. Potential cat owners can view the cats in our store located at 576 Grand Avenue or online at http://www.hopalong.org/.


The next step is to fill-out an application form online and wait. Hopalong screens and approves applications. There is a $95.00 application fee for the cats which goes completely to Hopalong to further their rescue mission.

For more about Hopalong Animal Rescue, check out their website: http://www.hopalong.org/

If you already own a pet, have it neutered or spayed to help end pet overpopulation. It is estimated that one stray female cat can produce 100 unwanted cats in a seven year period. We encourage you to part of the solution!

For more information about spaying and neutering see this article on the East Bay SPCA website:
http://eastbayspca.org/petownership/aboutspayandneuterforcats.cfm

Welcome to Pawsture's Blog !

Pawsture Bakery & Boutique is located at 576 Grand Avenue in Oakland, California across from Lake Merritt. For customers looking for natural food, treats and pet supplies, we welcome you to our store. Pawsture customers enjoy shopping at locally owned and operated businesses and benefit from our specialized knowledge of pet foods and treats.

Customers also enjoy our wide selection of pet products made locally. When you buy local products, you support your community and support local business owners. You can buy bulk treats made in Los Altos at Five-Paw Bakery or all-natural shampoo for your dog made in Pacifica by Pal Dog. You can take home a cozy bagel bed made in Berkeley by For Your Dogs Only, and shop confidently in our store knowing that every product is hand-selected with a focus on nutrition, and quality.