Category: Pets

Wondercide – Great for Yard, Garden, Pets, You

On By stepheeckhoutIn Miscellany, PetsLeave a comment

We have completed an annual cycle of using products from this company. The bottom line is they work, and work well, and are gentle on our environment, our plants and yard, our pets, and us.

For the yard, we did not buy each individual product (e.g. bug, flea & tick, etc) but opted to work with the Outdoor Pest Control Concentrate for Yard and Garden in the 32 oz size. It worked great and was effective against ticks, which were a problem in 2020. We have never seen fleas…knock on wood. It also helped mitigate those nasty stink bugs we have in the Mid-Atlantic. It did not take them out 100% but it sure knocked them down to a minimum. I will hit their favorite areas again as the weather turns warmer and they start coming out; earlier than I did last spring. Now that we know this works, I will order the larger bottle of concentrate. I mix it up in a one gallon sprayer that we bought at our local ACE store. I do recommend to not use this product with another at the same time. I did and damaged the leaves on some of our garden and yard plants, which recovered for the most part. Something in the competing products did not play well, although we use mostly natural products with the OMRI/Bonide seal.

We bought two different scents (cedarwood and rosemary) of the Flea and Tick Spray for Pets & Home in the 16 oz bottles, and the same two scents in the Insect Repellent for Kids & Family. If we forget “ours” we simply use those for the pups if we head out to a park where we either suspect or know there is an active tick and potential flea presence. The only issue we have had is the little pump action on the human bottles gets stuck and I keep forgetting to mention that on their website to see if there is a fix. At any rate these are good, safe products that really do work.

The latest set of products is the Ear Wash and Treatment Kit for Dogs and Cats. Again, these work and smell great. I groom our dogs, which includes their ears. pedis, and haircuts for the Bichons. Yes, we have complete spa days together, one-on-one time that I enjoy with them. Naturally, they are not a replacement for prescription products in the event of an ear infection, which our Poochon has been susceptible to since he was a puppy. However, they work well and are not greasy.

Here is their website – https://www.wondercide.com/. I am signed up for their e-mails and they have a new Fruit Fly Trap that I want to order and try. We have been using ACV in little traps we bought, which has kind of been working but not as well as desired. I will add one to my shopping list. While all homes and yards are different, we found these products to be effective even in our very humid Maryland.

Dogs and Paradise

On By stepheeckhoutIn Pets, Positivity2 Comments

In last Sunday’s comic section, the “Mutts” cartoon by Patrick McDonnell featured a person bundled up out in the snow with their dog. The pup had a little sweater on and was bounding gleefully through the snow with a stick in their mouth. The quote attributed to Milan Kundera is “Dogs are our link to paradise.” This and more is true about the love and joy that dogs selflessly give to their humans. We are their pack.

I am better with dogs, and often even a more balanced human because of their steadfast love and positive energy. They know when I need more care and surround me in a protective shield. I adore them and need them, perhaps as much or more than they need me, depending on the day or night. I grieve deeply and for a long time after I have to tell my beloved pup that I will see her/him later when it is my time to cross the bridge, knowing they will all be there to lead me over and continue to guide me on my next journey. Those who wait across the bridge, running around again and playing ball (Lucy), still watch over their pack…their family, along with their feline pack members who have joined them along the way.

To live with dogs as companions gives one a glimpse of how humans should live and treat one another. Dogs love unconditionally and may bark at each other, which is how they communicate. They do not hold grudges, even against evil and hateful humans who harm them. They are smart and know what we need, when we need whatever it is that we need, or they think we need, like a personal escort everywhere in our own homes. Humans obviously have no idea how to do anything on their own, let alone safely, so they protect us from ourselves and others, like the weekly trash and recycle collection trucks. They let us know the “threat level” then go back about their business, which is usually a nap because they are all seniors, but never underestimate their ability to guard our home and property. Nothing moves without notice.

Dogs pick us up when we are down, or even when we do not yet know we are down; they make sure we are okay. They are the best snuggle buddies and make sure we are safe when we sleep. They rouse us by washing our faces and perhaps ears that somehow got dirty overnight whilst sleeping. They look at us with love and gift us with more of the same. They miss us while they watch us work outside in the yard when their “help” is not needed, often for their own safety. They get excited to take us for walks in the neighborhood, but especially at the park where there are fewer rules about where they may wander.

Dogs are perfect examples of unconditional love and foster scenarios of paradise for the ones they love, even their cats. Dogs are companions. Dogs are guardians. Dogs demonstrate love. Dogs give humans a glimpse into what could indeed be a version of paradise on Earth Mother. For the love of Dog.

Our Favorite Earth-Friendly Companies and Products

On By stepheeckhoutIn Miscellany, Pets, Positivity1 Comment

We do our best to help the environment and others in need. Last year my Subaru Drive magazine included information about environmentally-positive companies. We noted three that seemed to be right up our alley, tried their products, liked them, and are regular customers. Below are three of our new go-to businesses for household necessities.

Bee’s Wrap – It is no surprise that this company is based in Vermont. Say goodbye to plastic wrap! We have numerous Bee’s Wraps of various sizes and they work great and are reusable. Check out their story at https://www.beeswrap.com/

Stasher – Goodbye ziploc bags! Stashers come in multiple sizes and colors and we just added four of the newest travel stashers with carabiners to our growing collection. We have given them to family as gifts. They are awesome. Check them out at https://www.stasherbag.com/.

Who Gives a Crap – This company makes bamboo and recycled paper products – toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, and dream cloths. Having tried both types of TP we recommend the bamboo in the black, gold and white wrapping although the colorful wrapping is fun. All shipping and wrapping materials can be recycled! They build toilets for people across the globe who do not have this luxury sanitation device. Check them out at https://us.whogivesacrap.org/.

We have quite the lovable and needy pack of four-legged family members so we need a lot of cleaning and other supplies, so we try to keep it as earth-friendly as possible. Many we make ourselves, to include laundry soap and rinse. We recycle and compost everything that we can but still have a least one trash bag weekly. Our favorite bags for daily litter box cleaning, and pup poop patrol are: EcoLeo Cat Litter Waste Poop Bags – X-Large, Compostable, Plastic-Free, Thick, Leak Proof, Pet/Dog Poo Bags with Easy-Tie Handles,10.5 x 18.5 inch, (120-Count). They fit the scoops that hold grocery bags, which take forever to degrade. I buy these on Amazon. For the tall kitchen bags I prefer Hippo Sak Tall Kitchen Bags Made with Recycled Ocean Plastic, 45 Count after reading reviews of similar items and bought these. I also buy these on Amazon.

If each of us does something it adds up to saving our planet, her natural resources and species, to include the human race, which is the most destructive animal residing on Earth Mother. As a collective, humans have the knowledge to save our planet and precious resources that are vital to the survival of all living things and the entire life cycle. So be it.

Look Mamas, We Brought You a Gift!

On By stepheeckhoutIn PetsLeave a comment

All pet parents have likely been there and witnessed our dear little four-legged family members and their earnest presentations of their gifts from the great outdoors. Last month we received our latest offering, a token of their enduring affection. I was walking by Winston, our serious goofball Poochon, on a rug with a toy. I took a couple of steps and was like, even among their vast collection of toys, I did not recall something that even remotely resembles a bird. Of course, I backed up and knelt down to investigate. The gift was indeed a bird that had crossed the bridge and had some small portions missing. It must have fallen out of a tree or something and into our yard because the cats do not go outside…most of the time unless they escape and feel the need to climb a tree. That is a story for another time. Anyway…I took the gift and thanked him then told Kathy about our latest gift and she said oh, I saw him concentrating on something in one of the front beds. I was like oh no…he took it with him to his favorite spots, similar to what he does with one of my flip flops when we are both gone. We tracked his path to his favorite spots and of course had to clean two beds and one rug, then took the poor creature out to our woods in the back to offer it back to Mother Earth.

Several years ago, the cats caught their gift that had apparently either ventured too close to the gap that was under the bottom of our screened porch door (rectified shortly thereafter) or the little bird decided to somehow manage to get onto our porch underneath the door. I discovered this gift well after what appeared to have been its demise at the paws of our Maine Coon/Abyssinian litter mates Amos and Andy. They were acting crazier than usual and obviously had their fun in chasing it before their instincts went into kill mode. I went into the master suite for something and saw feathers literally everywhere and was like hmmm, I do not recall a stuffed bird that has these kind of feathers or any for that matter. I think it was Amos at that point that had what remained trapped in the bathroom on a rug and was not happy to part with his “toy.” Now, that was a mess to clean up and we found more feathers in our main living area when we investigated further. The cats are smart and quick as lightening when they decide to go for something.

We love all creatures and feed the birds and squirrels out back but do not really want them in our home. However, we accept the gifts as they come, thank our pack members for their diligence, and then present their offerings back to nature to include the mother hawk who has her nest in our back woods. We had an incident with Andy and one of her babies a few years ago but I will leave that tale for another time.

Full Moon Berserkers

On By stepheeckhoutIn PetsLeave a comment

We have three dogs (lost our dear Angel Lucy in March) and eight cats…our petting zoo as my best friend with whom I grew up refers to our home. I reviewed journal entries last night prior to going to sleep and recorded a new entry. I still felt unsettled and very anxious, due in-part because I am very worried about my dearheart who is far away. Anyway, the cats and dogs were acting like berserkers. Prior to turning in, one of the youngest cats was running around our main level looking for…something…behind and under every piece of furniture. We were like what is she doing, and the others were also not exactly calm. Then when we were all tucked in with several fur babies, one pup decided to go after at least two cats and got a tuft of fur from the one that was running amok earlier. This pup is the same one who sensed my anxiety and was snuggling next to me, apparently to protect me from anything and anyone. I checked my Samsung Gear and was like ah, yes of course, it is a full moon, which I already knew from looking at the twilight glow outside in the middle of the night. I must remember to more closely track the moon phases so I can fortify myself, our pack, and home in preparation for the pull of the moon’s energy. I will say it was entertaining to watch the cat run around but then I should have checked in with the energy of nature as there is always an answer. Namaste.