This has got to be the simplest yet ‘never-before-thought-of’ safety tip for pets that I have ever seen. When out and about traveling with your pet, create a temporary ID tag with your hotel information and the length of your stay. That way if your pup runs off or gets spooked, he or she can be returned to you by one of the local residents. Isn’t that clever? I will definitely be doing this for Rory during our next cottaging adventure! Kudos to Martha Stewart for this very clever notion!

sources 1, 2, 3

They say to let sleeping dogs lie. Why? Because they are so gosh darn cute of course — and partly because you have no idea what sort of mischief they are dreaming up as they snooze. The same saying can apply to men. Ever disturbed your guy from a catnap? Oh boy! (Sorry fellas, it’s true!)

I love coming home after working late at the office to discover my guy and my canine gal passed out on the couch together with the 11 o’clock news droning in the background. I only wish I had a photo to show you! Instead here’s a roundup of some handsome men napping with their handsome pooches. Swoon worthy, right? 

Do you ever come across your significant other or a family member taking naps with your dog? Any pictures to share? Feel free to post them here today! I’d love to see and shall do my best to snap a picture of my two snoozing too!

We talk a lot about different dog collar styles. It can be a difficult decision to know exactly which  will best suit your pooch — stripes or polka dots, bold or neutral, funky or fabulous. But apart from knowing exactly what kind of fabric and look you like the most, it is important for pet parents to also keep in mind what sort of catch they prefer.

By catch I am of course referring to the collar clasp. Overall there are two main options to choose from: the very common plastic clasp (left) or the old-fashioned buckle style (right). The first is extremely easy to use — simply squeeze either side and the collar pops open. Voila! However, I often wonder about the durability of a plastic catch under extreme pressure. For everyday use is fine and dandy, but my internal worrier wonders how those catches stand up against a big dog pulling after a squirrel for example. (Of course, I know these clasps are indeed very strong…) The second option is usually metallic by design and is most definitely very strong and secure. The con? It can be a bit fiddly and more time consuming to open.

So I’m curious, which clasp option do you prefer? Do you use one kind more than the other? Is this something you think about when collar shopping for your pup?

By the way, how great are each of the above collars? Aren’t the colours stunning? The first is called ‘Prism‘ by Collars by Design and the other is called ‘Cassette‘ by Backbeat Leather.

Photo by Brittany Venoit

Here at Pawsh, books are beloved almost as much as our lovely pets. We’ve gushed about funny books, heartfelt books, the importance of reading with children and of course always take great care in putting together our ‘Tails that Wag‘ reading lists each issue.

Today I would like to introduce you to Julie Davies, the coordinator of R.E.A.D, a program run through Ottawa Therapy Dogs to help little ones learn how to — you guessed it — read! She’s generously taken some time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about this wonderful reading initiative and how dogs can help improve literacy. R.E.A.D recently launched a brand new (and oh-so ‘pawsh!’) website and our dear  friend, Brittany Venoit, did the photos for it! Keep reading for some surprising facts about reading with dogs!

{by Julie Chambers} This month’s motto is “PAWSH pets always have their noses stuck in a good book!” and what better way to wrap up the month than by highlighting therapy dogs who help kids discover the joy of reading?