Appreciating Pet Photographers

I got the brilliant idea of a “family portrait” the other day — Moose, Lally, and I all in the same picture for once. (It’s rare that I can get that to happen.) Moose is the easy one. He’s pretty happy to lay there and pose for pictures without a problem for quite some time. All it takes is a little petting and you’ve got a Moose in place! I’m probably the second-easiest one out of the family trio. I’m not usually fond of pictures of myself, but I’m willing to pose and try not to blink. Lally is the … Continue reading

Win $300 in the Doctors Foster and Smith Pet Photo Contest

After I wrote the article about Grandma Dorothy’s top Doctors Foster and Smith cat catalog picks, I placed an order for some of her suggestions. (Specifically, the cat grass and the catnip bubbles, which I’ll be writing about in another article.) That’s when I noticed their pet photo contest. The Anniversary Photo Contest As part of their 25th Anniversary celebrations, Doctors Foster and Smith launched a pet photo contest. Each month they award 10 First Place, 10 Second Place, and 10 Third Place prizes to winners in 10 different categories. The neat thing about it is that all First, Second, … Continue reading

My Life as a Pets Blogger, Part I: Claiming the Fame

I’m pretty reserved about telling people I’m a writer. (In addition to blogging, I also write other articles, short stories and I even have a book out.) It’s not that I’m not proud of what I do. Far from it. Instead, I’m hesitant to share my occupation when I first meet people because (a) I’m modest, and (b) you’d be surprised how many times I get this reaction: “Well, isn’t that a nice way for you to bide your time, dear? I wish I had that luxury.” A Better Way However, I subscribe to this one newsletter called Funds for … Continue reading

Murphy’s Gatlinburg Getaway Part I: The Holiday Inn and Doggywood

I’m so glad I took the time to plan Murphy’s Smoky Mountain getaway. We were pretty much prepared for what to expect while traveling with a dog in the Smoky Mountains, but we also lucked out a little too. Everywhere we took him held surprises! Our Accommodations: The Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort I decided to book us into the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort instead of renting a cabin. For one thing the price was more affordable, but also we didn’t have to worry about driving back and forth from a cabin into town. We could walk to Gatlinburg’s main thoroughfare … Continue reading

Part Time Jobs for Pet Lovers

Are you looking to turn your love of pets into some extra income? Here are some business ideas that can work for you on a part-time basis… and maybe develop into a full-time career! Pooper-Scooper Service It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Starting up a pooper-scooper business is pretty easy — if you have some garbage bags, a shovel, and some gloves, you’re just about ready to go. Nose plugs wouldn’t hurt, either. There are lots of people out there who are willing to pay $30-$60 a month for a weekly yard clean-up. That doesn’t sound like … Continue reading

What You Can Do for Animal Shelters

Early in my time as Pets blogger at families.com I listed a variety of volunteering options available to those who love animals but for whatever reason aren’t able to own them. The possibilities I provided all involved volunteering with animal shelters or rescues, but I limited my suggestions to those with high levels of animal interaction. However, if you just want to share your passion for pets with those pets that don’t have any homes, shelters/rescues have several volunteering opportunities that extend beyond what I mentioned before. Specific needs obviously depend upon the particular shelter or rescue in question, but … Continue reading

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Pictures and Report Cards

Today was a frustertaining day at the cats-only boarding facility. Frustertaining = entertaining and frustrating at the same time. Why? Because I was working on report cards. We try to write up a little report card for every guest who stays with us. It’s got checklists for how the cat ate, how the cat seemed emotionally, and what health issues we may have noticed. There’s space for comments… and we put a picture on the front. (School pictures and report card day, all in one!) Once again, I found myself appreciating the folks who do pet photography professionally. Some of … Continue reading

Meet the Josephs

Tucker Joseph with his Aunt Court and Uncle Wayne Labor Day Weekend 2006 I’d like to introduce you to some very dear friends of mine, the Josephs: Michael, Karen and Tucker, the 80 pound wonder dog. (a.k.a. Murphy’s best friend.) When we lived in Jacksonville, the Josephs lived at the top of our block. They moved into their house right around the same time we moved into ours. I remember thinking as I’d see Karen walk Tucker up and down our street, “My golly, that’s a big dog for that lady. I hope she can handle him.” Well, of course … Continue reading