Thursday, May 26, 2011

Using print-on-demand to find the perfect pet gift

 Print-on-demand services are really popular on the internet right now. You’ve probably seen these websites, where you can design your own t-shirt, coffee mug, calendar, etc. and have it printed up. The nice thing about these websites is unlike most printing companies, you can have a single item printed rather than being forced to buy a bulk amount. Everyone from famous comedians to musicians are using print-on-demand these days; there is no overhead cost to them, so it’s a great option to get merchandise out there.

Photo: Ruff Ruff and Meow
But print-on-demand is more than just funny posters and band logo t-shirts. Did you know that these services can also be great for creating the perfect gift for pets and pet lovers? For example, some of these websites allow you to custom design your own doggy shirt. If you’re like me, you probably think that most of the commercially available doggy tees with sayings on them are less clever than they are just plain…lame. With print-on-demand, you can design your own doggy tee or choose from the thousands and thousands that other users have created. The possibilities are literally endless. A custom doggy tee would make a great gift for your pup, or any other stylish dog you might know.

Example of a custom Birman mug
Beyond doggy tees, there are literally millions of ways to design the perfect gift for yourself or any pet lover with print-on-demand shops. You could create a calendar containing photos of your pet, an iPhone case with your pet’s photo on it, a coffee mug with your pet’s cute mug on it, a photo necklace of your favorite animal…and on and on. There are so many different items available to design (clocks, mousepads, ornamenents, etc.) I literally cannot list them all.  Instead of visiting store after store looking for just the right gift only to find they carry that cute greeting card in every breed *except* your friend’s favorite, or they don’t have the adorable Dachshund t-shirt in your size, just check out an online print-on-demand shop. Finding the absolute perfect gift will be easy and painless.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Dogs on the Square THIS WEEKEND- May 22, 2011

Mark your calendars for Madison's first annual Dogs on the Square!

May 22, 2011
12pm to 3pm
Capitol Square, Madison WI

Admission: $10 per dog, humans are FREE!

Benefiting: Madison Police Department Capital K9 Units

Tell your friends, grab a leash, round up your furry companions and join us at the Capitol Square for a fun packed day of games, contests, prizes and more. You won’t want to miss this event! The event begins with a Dog Walk around the Square at NOON, immediately followed by sponsor-led games and challenges. Turn in your Challenge Card to win an assortment of great prizes. Don’t miss out!

For more info or to register, visit http://www.dogsonthesquare.com/

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Review and Coupon Code: Fizzion Pet Stain & Odor Remover

If you’re a pet owner, you’ve probably tried just about every cleaner under the sun to get rid of pet stains and odors. I was lucky enough to try out Fizzion, a new and unique product designed to break down the toughest stains and odors (even urine!) Fizzion is a little different than the “usual” cleaners, as it comes in a concentrated tablet form rather than a pre-packaged spray bottle. You just drop the tablet into a 16 oz. spray bottle full of warm water, let it dissolve, and you’re ready to go. This is a great concept, as you are reusing the same bottle over and over, thus reducing plastic bottles in landfills and the petroleum needed to produce more plastic bottles. During my test-run of Fizzion, I just used a well-rinsed bottle from a previous cleaner that I had run out of.
Fizzion was developed by a chemist, and oddly enough the formula was originally developed for cleaning bowling lanes. As it turns out, the product worked amazing on all kinds of stains, including chocolate. The formula breaks down proteins to dissolve them, and also includes a bacteria-killing chemical that prevents stains and odors from sticking around. This awesome stain and odor removal plus the non-toxic nature of the formula made it a perfect match for the pet care market.

Personally I rarely have difficulty getting stains out of my carpeting, but odors are another story. Urine, in particular, is a smell that I’ve found to be nearly impossible to get out. I decided to test Fizzion on a urine spot—the ultimate challenge. I had an old couch in my basement that one of our more neurotic kitties decide to urinate on…repeatedly. As you probably know, once a cat pees on something it will likely continue to do so if it continues to smell the urine there. After several incidents of urinating on the couch, the urine began to seep through the frame and ended up on the carpeting below. Even after we got rid of the offending couch, the carpet still reeked of nasty boy-cat pee. Icky! After I prepared the Fizzion (which is super-fun to watch dissolve, by the way!), I liberally sprayed the area and crossed my fingers. I should mention that Fizzion smells really, really good…it has an amazing clean scent, like freshly washed laundry or something. I let the cleaner do its job, and checked back in on the carpet the next day. Amazingly, it did not stink of cat urine any longer. I gave it another week, just to see if the cat in question would begin urinating on the carpet, thus indicating the smell of urine was still there (but undetectable to me). He didn’t. As of today, he has not peed on the carpet and is back to 100% litter box usage. Yay!!! Turns out Fizzion's claim to get rid of that stinky ammonia smell is absolutely true.

Here are some highlights of Fizzion, straight from their website:

*Fizzion promotes the use of a reusable spray bottle to prevent landfill waste.
*Non-toxic formula is safe for pets to sniff or lick.
*Prevents pets from returning to the same spot to relieve themselves.
*Easy dissolvable tablets mix up fresh every time you use it.
*Formula lasts over one year at 100% potency after activation.
*Can be used on most protein-based stains including red wine and chocolate.
*Can be used on most fabrics and textiles.

Rory, the guilty party
Fizzion is also a very affordable cleaner. All in all, it works out to around $3.50 for one full bottle of solution. Compare that to other leading pet stain and odor removers: Nature's Miracle (around $10/bottle), Urine Off (around $10/bottle), Simple Solution (around $12/bottle), Arm and Hammer Pet Stain & Odor Remover plus OxiClean (around $6/bottle). The best part is, you mix up Fizzion when you need it; this way, it's at its strongest and most effective. And it stays effective for up to 1 year after dissolving.

After testing Fizzion, I’m a true believer in their product. In addition, they have the lowest carbon footprint of anyone else in their category, so they are truly a GREEN company. Fizzion is currently available at 2 stores in the Madison area: Bad Dog Frida and Nutzy Mutz & Crazy Cats. It can also be purchased online at the Fizzion Online Store.

Use code MADABOUTPETS at the Fizzion Online Store for $1.00 off your order!
Coupon code valid until 5/28/2011

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

DCHS Felines need YOUR help!

Food-releasing toys are best known for dogs, but did you know cats can also benefit from them?  High-energy, overweight, and many other kitties could use this extra enrichment during their stay at the shelter.

Dane County Humane Society is looking for around 30 food toys for their fun-loving felines. Please consider donating one today!


These food toys can be ordered online as well as picked up at any Mounds location. Please see the links below to view the specific products the humane society is looking for:


These toys and dishes are between $5 and $20 depending which one you choose, so it's really an inexpensive way to help the kitties at DCHS.

You can drop off your donation at any DCHS location, or ship it (if ordered online) to the main location at Dane County Humane Society, 5132 Voges Rd, Madison WI 53718.

If you have any questions, please contact Anna Kelton at akelton@giveshelter.org

Friday, April 22, 2011

BIG Easter sale tomorrow at Tabby & Jack's

THE BIG EASTER EGG HUNT AND EGGCELLENT SALE!
TOMORROW (4/23/11) ONLY!

FOODS ON SALE!

BRAVO RAW DIETS 25% OFF
STELLA & CHEWY $6 OFF 6# FRZN & 16OZ FRZ DRD
$3 OFF 3# FRZN, 6OZ FRZ DRD AND CARNIVORE TREATS
CANIDAE AND FELIDAE 10% OFF
SOLID GOLD 10% OFF
NUTRISOURCE 10% OFF
PURE VITA 10% OFF
NATIVE 10% OFF
VITAL ESSENTIALS RAW DIET 10% OFF
NATURE'S LOGIC $10 OFF LG BAGS & 50% OFF SM BAGS
FROMM SURF AND TURF 12# AND 26# BAGS 20% OFF
NATURE'S INSTINCT 5# BAGS BUY ONE GET ONE FREE
VITAL ESSENTIALS BUY A 2# CHUB & GET A 1# CHUB FREE!

OTHER GREAT DEALS!

BEDS 20% OFF
BOWLS 20% OFF
SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS 20% OFF
CRATES AND SOFT CARRIERS/SHOULDER BAGS 20% OFF

FREEBIES IN THE EGGS!


HUNT FOR YOUR EASTER EGG AND REDEEM FOR A FREEBIE WITH YOUR PURCHASE!

Examples of prizes: BOWLS ~ BEDS ~ CAT TOYS ~ DOG TOYS ~ FREE BATH AND DESHEDDING TREATMENT ~ FREE NAIL TRIMS ~ COLLARS ~ LEASHES ~ DOG AND CAT FOOD ~ PET NATURAL TREATS ~DELIFRESH 8 OZ BAGS OF DOG NATION TREATS ~ CAT ATTRACT LITTER ~ TECH CLEANING PRODUCTS~ MUCH MORE!

Fitchburg Store

2990 Cahill Main
Fitchburg, WI 53711
608-277-5900

Store Hours:
M-F: 10-8, Sat: 9-6, Sun: 11-4
Capitol Square Store
14 W. Mifflin Street
Madison, WI 53703
608-271-7888

Store Hours:
M-F: 11-6, Sat: 10-5, Sunday: 11-4

Thursday, April 14, 2011

How to quickly locate a lost dog or other pet

What would you do if you lost your pet? The first thing most people think of is to put up flyers around the neighborhood. Some might go knocking door to door. Others might post an ad to Craigslist to reach a wider audience. What you may not realize is there are actually services out there which can help spread the word about your lost dogs or other cherished pets.

You may have been watching television before and seen an alert come across the top of the screen notifying your area of a missing or kidnapped child. These alerts are highly useful because they make it easier to locate the child before he or she leaves the area they were last seen. The same concept applies to lost pets; the further away from your home the pet wanders, the smaller the chance your pet will be returned home safe and sound.

Here’s how this type of lost dog finder service works…when you realize your pet is missing, immediately contact the service. They’ll need basic info about you and your pet, and a photo is also helpful. They will then send an automated phone call to all businesses, residences, veterinarians, etc. in your vicinity notifying them to be on the lookout for your pet, as well as faxing the information to local businesses. Many of these services also have large social network followings, so they’ll also send a message out to their Twitter and Facebook followers. The key to making this service work is to contact them as soon as you notice your pet is missing. The more time that lapses, the less successful your effort will be.


Another important thing to do is to check your local shelter for lost dogs and cats. There is always a chance that someone picked up your pet and brought them in to the animal shelter. If your pet is microchipped, the shelter will scan the pet and contact you based on the information embedded in the microchip. However, there have been instances of poorly placed microchips or poor scanning equipment where a microchip went undetected; therefore, it’s always a good idea to place a phone call and see if your pet was admitted to the shelter.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Dairyland Classic Dog Show May 6-8, 2011 in Jefferson, WI

Badger Kennel Club and Janesville-Beloit Kennel Club's annual Dairyland Classic Dog Show is set for May 6-8, 2011 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Jefferson, WI. This is a 3-day all-breed show, including obedience trials.

For more information, please call BKC's 24-hour hotline at 608-242-8824 or check out their website.