Invest in our Planet: Embrace the 5 Rs of recycling on Earth Day
We grew up being taught the three Rs- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. That's where it all began. Fast forward to the present day. Pollution and human-caused climate change are far more devastating problems than we could have predicted. We are in a climate crisis, and three Rs aren’t enough.
Happy International Women's Day: Defining what being a woman means to you is a unique and personal journey
Womanhood is such an unpredictable journey. I continue to learn from the women in the past who paved the path of privilege that I walk on today. When I say they paved it, I mean it! They saw a path of dirt that wasn't good enough. They didn't know where it would lead. So they dug it up and ripped it apart. Burned it to ash. They levelled it out, trying to make it as even as possible. They mixed the asphalt with their blood, sweat, and tears, and paved their way through women's suffrage. We have a smooth road now, a direction to walk. Sometimes we still don't think we deserve to walk it.
The truth about brewers rice: What is brewers rice in dog food?
Reading the back of a bag of dog food can be confusing. Some ingredients are easy to identify- meats, fruits, and vegetables. Even some vitamins and nutrients are familiar. Other items in the list baffle pet owners. Nutrients, the quality of the ingredients, and where they are sourced is far more important than the ingredients on that list. The same goes for brewers rice. A low-quality product purchased from an illegitimate source can be bad for your pet. If the ingredients are regulated and of the highest quality, it makes all the difference.
In love with love: Today isn't about romance, it's about LOVE
I have a public service announcement to make, brought to you by someone who doesn't live her life 'as expected.' I'll keep it brief. Here it is: We have been doing Valentine's Day ALL WRONG. Today is thought to be a day of 'romance.' I think it's time to divorce that concept. Ghost it. Valentine's Day is about LOVE.
Frito feet: Why do my dog's paws smell like corn chips? And should I be worried?Frito feet! I know it sounds corny, but if your dog's paws smell like corn chips, then your dog has Frito feet. Full disclosure, Hazel has Frito feet sometimes, and so did Keira. Although TikTok is popularizing the term, this is something that I've heard pet owners mention in veterinary practices. January 29th is the perfect day to talk about why your dog's paws may smell like Fritos. Why is that? To celebrate National Corn Chip Day! Yes, that's a thing, and yes, it's today. Let's bite into what causes Frito feet!
Wishing Hazel a happy 8th birthday!
Hazel is sweet as the biggest piece of birthday cake! I was in Orlando, Florida attending the VMX 2023 Veterinary Conference and spent a week away from Hazel. It really makes you appreciate your pets more when you are separated from them. I missed her so much. I returned to Canada just in time to celebrate the most asymmetrical Saint Bernese's 8th birthday!
Hazel has defied all the odds and made it past age five. She is happy and healthy, and despite her injury and frequent health problems, she remains in fantastic shape. She is a genuine underdog. Hazel has taught me a valuable lesson: Folks may underestimate me, but as long as I never give up and keep a positive attitude, I'll beat the odds and surprise them all! It's one of the many lessons she has taught me in the past eight years that I've been blessed to call her MY dog.