Pet Urine Smells In the Car

March 4th, 2010

I read a review  sent in from Ben in Sacramento  the other day and I just had to share it  because  of 2 things:  keeping safe and saving money too!

Here is what Ben wrote:   “I called several businesses that advertised they would eliminate the urine odor from my car and car seats but they charged in the vicinity of $200. I called the phone number listed on the can of Clean+Green and talked to Dennis. He was extremely helpful. He advised that I spray the product into the car’s air conditioning filters located under the hood. I did this twice and also applied spray to the leather seats. The smell was gone the next day. Thanks for saving me lots of money!”

Keeping safe.

Ever notice that urine smells like ammonia?  Do you know why urine smells like ammonia? Urine is high in nitrates, compounds high in nitrogen and oxygen. Ammonia is made up of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3).  What you are smelling is the high concentration of bonded nitrogen.

So, when urine smells like ammonia, you need to make sure that the area is aerated and you take steps to get rid of the smell because adverse health effects are possible. Strong ammonia odors can cause eye, nose, or throat irritation to humans and pets!

Saving Money

It looked like Ben saved up to $200 by using Clean+Green and getting the right tips on how to use it properly.  Here are the instructions that Ben got from Dennis.

Use the Clean+Green Auto product.  When odors are detected throughout the interior of your car you will need to follow these instructions:

  1. lift the hood of your car and locate the intake vent(s) for the air conditioning/heating system  (intake vent(s) are generally located below the windshield, and could be one long vent or two short vents), 
  2. start your vehicle and then turn on the air conditioning system with the fan on the “high” setting,
  3. lower one of the rear windows by 2 to 3 inches (if there is no rear window then lower front passenger seat by 2 to 3 inches), and then 
  4.  spray directly into the intake vents for a period of 3 to 7 seconds.  Wait about 5 minutes and repeat spray process, then wait another 5 minutes before turning off the air conditioning and checking for odors in the interior of the vehicle.

For “accidents” on fabric or the carpet, use Clean+Green Carpet & Upholstery.  For accidents on vinyl or leather, use Clean+Green Auto.

Hope this keeps you (and your pets) safe and saves you money like it did Ben!

Quincy and Simon

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Carpet Cleaning – Question 1

February 15th, 2010

Quincy and Simon - Golden Gate Bridge

After a lot of prodding and pushing, I have started my Carpet Cleaning blog entry.  You wouldn’t think this was such a hard thing to write about, but it is…and to do it right, I am going to do a series of blogs on the subject. 

To begin,  I am going to give you a shorten version of the training we give to our customer service folks.  They are the ones who answer your phone calls so everyone gets Basic Cleaning 101 before they are allowed to talk to you.

If you have ever called in and asked about using Clean+Green to clean a pet mess on your carpet or area rug, you will probably remember being asked the following questions:

Question 1: What kind of carpet are you cleaning?
Question 2: What type of mess you cleaning?
Question 3: How long has the problem existed? new or old?
Question 4: What other products have you used on your carpet?   

Well, we are asking you these questions because they are all important for us to help you determine if you should or should not use Clean+Green, and to give you directions on how to clean-up the stain and odor mess.

Question #1  What kind of carpet are you cleaning?

Why is it important to know what kind of carpet you are cleaning?   Because the best method of cleaning will depend on the type of carpet you want to clean.  Different carpets will respond better to different carpet cleaning treatments. The wrong carpet cleaning method could ruin your carpet!

Carpet Fiber Types Pros & Cons
There are a lot of different carpet fiber types, but  I will focus on the four most popular ones and give the pro and cons (as they relate to appearance, features and cleaning)  for each:

NYLON

PROS
-  Good Elasticity – Nylon will stretch up to 33% of its length and still regain its original shape.
-  Very Abrasion Resistant – It even surpasses wool.
-  Heat Sets Well – When properly heat set, nylon retains its crimp, twist, and dye extremely well.
-  Good resiliency – Nylon can be crushed for long periods and still regain its original shape.
-  Non-Absorbent – Nylon dries quickly since it will absorb less than 8% of its weight in H20.
-  Mildew Resistant – Nylon provides no food source.
-  Nylon responds very well to most professional cleaning methods and treatments.

CONS
-  Nylon is almost always acid dyed, so it can have problems with bleaching, fading, urine reactions, etc.

POLYESTER

PROS
- Polyester is usually solution dyed which makes it very resistant to bleaching, fading and soil dye reactions.
- Stain Resistant – This applies only to water based stains.
Low Absorbency – Quick drying

CONS
-  It is not resistant to oily stains, and in fact an oily spill or spot left without proper cleanup can oxidize and even chemically bond with and become part of the fiber. You need to know that some of these spots just won’t come out.

OLEFIN (polypropylene)
Olefin has become almost synonymous with one of its trade names “Herculon” a trademark owned by Hercules Corporation, a major manufacturer of olefin.

PROS
-  Olefin is very moisture resistant. It will absorb only one tenth of 1% of its weight in water.
-  Very difficult to stain.
-  Chemical Resistant – Most chemicals and bleaches won’t damage it at all
-  Solution dyeing makes it resistant to fading.
-  It has good cleanability and stain release. (Except oil/petroleum-based stains – see cons)

CONS
-  Olefin is not a resilient fiber. When crushed it does not regain its original shape easily. Traffic areas tend to lie down, showing “apparent soiling”. Furniture marks can be permanent reminders to the owner of where his furniture used to be.
-  It is a very heat sensitive fiber.  Its melting point is around 300 degrees but damage can occur at lower temperatures.
-  Olefin can be damaged by friction – Even dragging a heavy piece of furniture across an olefin carpet can cause permanent marks from the heat generated by friction.
-  Like polyester, extended exposure to oil-based soils may become permanent.
-  Olefin is very difficult to dye due to its low absorbency rate. It is almost always solution dyed.
-  Quite often, Olefin is in a glue-down situation, which creates a potential to brown from soil wicking from the base of the yarns due to incomplete soil removal. Over wetting and/or slow drying increases the likelihood.

WOOL

PROS
-  Wool has excellent soil hiding capabilities. Wool will not exhibit or show soil as much as other fibers.
-  Wool is very strong, elastic and resilient. Wool face yarn in a well-constructed carpet will stand up to the heaviest traffic and still look beautiful.
-  Good Absorbency – This means that wool reacts well to a number of dye types and techniques. Keep in mind, this means easy staining also.
-  Soil Release – Wool responds very well to cleaning as moisture makes the fiber swell and release dirt.
-  Wool is naturally flame retardant.

CONS
-  Fiber Distortion – Wool is very prone to distortion by excess agitations such as jet streaks and wand marks. This is particularly pronounced when it happens under heated conditions.
-  Stains Easily – Due to its absorbency and ease of dyeing, wool is also easily stained by wine, Kool-Aid and other acid dyestuffs.
-  Chemical Sensitivity – Wool is sensitive to alkaline chemicals above a pH of 9.5 after prolonged exposure. This exposure will tend to make wool brittle and discolor somewhat. Wool is also very sensitive to chlorine bleach; it will completely dissolve wool within a matter of minutes. The New Zealand Wool Bureau recommends water-based cleaning solutions with a pH not lower than 5.5 and not higher than 8 pH.

Solution Dye vs.  Acid Dye

Solution dyeing is a yarn coloration process in which pigment is added to the polymer melt before the fiber is extruded into yarn. The color, therefore, is an inherent part of the yarn itself.   Although solution dyeing does not offer as wide a color selection as other dye methods, its colors are the most permanent. Solution dyed yarn is highly resistant to color loss through fading from sunlight, ozone, or harsh cleaning agents and bleach. The solution dyeing process is, in addition, environmentally friendly and efficient, using little water or energy.

Acid dyeing is the process of in which dyes are added to the yarn or fabric. They are often applied from an acidic solution in order to intensify the staining. The acid used in the dye bath is often vinegar (acetic acid) or citric acid. The uptake rate of the dye is controlled with the use of sodium chloride.  Acid dyes are generally divided into three classes which depend on fastness requirements, level dyeing properties and economy. The classes overlap and generally depend on type of fiber to be colored and also the process used.

SUMMARY

Nylon carpets are usually acid dyed so it can have problems with bleaching, fading  and urine reactions.   It heat sets well so responds well to most professional cleaning methods and treatments.

Polyester carpets are usually solution dyed so they are resistant to bleaching, fading and soil dye reactions.  It is not resistant to oily stains, and in fact an oily spill or spot left without proper cleaning can oxidize and even chemically bond with and become part of the fiber.   You need to know that some of these spots just won’t come out, so you need to treat a polyester carpet as soon as possible before a stain sets.

Olefin carpets are usually solution dyed so they are resistant to fading.  Most chemical and bleaches won’t damage it.  However, it is very heat sensitive.  Because it is a glue-down situation, over wetting and/or slow drying increases the chance of the carpeting to brown. 

Wool carpets stain easily and are the most sensitive carpets to clean.  They should never be treated with hot water.  In fact, hot water could ruin the carpet.  Keep bleach and chemicals as far away from the wool carpet as possible.  Only water-based cleaning solutions with a pH not lower than 5.5 and not higher than 8 pH should be used.

Color Fast Testing.  Regardless of the carpet type, we ALWAYS recommend that you do a color fast test a hidden spot on your carpet before using any cleaning method or product.  Regardless if it is a solution dyed or acid dyed carpet, the quality of the dye job is always a factor as to whether the dye will hold.

Now that you understand why we ask Question 1 (What kind of carpet are you cleaning?),  look for my next blog  for Question 2 – What type of mess you cleaning?

Quincy and Simon

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Why Aerosol?

January 11th, 2010
 
 

BECAUSE… it works better, faster and more efficiently… and it is green and eco friendly too!

 

Better, faster and more efficient

Because our hands get very tired when you have to keep pumping the bottle to get the job done, AND aerosol cans deliver a consistent and even spray with a touch of a finger so that I don’t need to use as much of the product to do the job.

 

Have you ever noticed that a lot of popular branded products that we use to spray larger areas (I define this as needing more than 1 shot) are in aerosol cans? Non-stick pan sprays, carpet cleaners, furniture polishers, bathroom cleaners, clothes starch, oven cleaners, paint spray and hair sprays…

 

Green and eco friendly
As I wrote in my blog, aerosol cans are green and eco friendly because they are generally steel and recyclable, and since the 1978 ban, are not allowed to use CFCs (the bad stuff that poked holes in the earth’s ozone layer).

 

Pump sprayers, on the other hand, are generally made of plastic. Plastic is also recyclable, but not all the plastic materials you throw into the recycling bin gets recycled, and everything I have been reading lately seems to indicate that we should all reduce our use of plastics; see the Ecology Center article, http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html .

  1. Steel is North America’s #1 recycled material.

  2. All steel containers are made up of an average of 25 percent recycled steel.

  3. About 19 billion steel containers are recycled and turned into new products each year.

  4. Recycling one ton of steel saves about 2.5 tons of iron ore, 1 ton of coal and 40 pounds of limestone.

  5. Steel cans’ magnetic attraction allows steel cans to be more easily separated (for recycling) from other recyclables (such as plastic) or from municipal solid waste.

 

Why we package Clean+Green in aerosol cans vs. pump spray

  1. Clean+Green works better under pressure; you don’t have to soak the area or scrub the product into the carpet or upholstery.

  2. It is easier to use for larger areas. No more tired hands having to pump the spray.

  3. You don’t use as much product for the same pet messes (compared to pump sprays or having to pour (and saturate) a pet mess area.

  4. Aerosol packaging is actually more eco-friendly than using plastic pump spray bottles.

I hope that we have answered your questions, Why Aerosol?

 
 
 

 

 Quincy and Simon

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Wood Floor Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts

January 5th, 2010

 

My children were older, we got a dog and I was tired of cleaning the carpet.  About 10 years ago, we decided to get rid of the wall to wall carpeting in our home.  The great news was that we uncovered beautiful hardwood floors through most of the house; one of the few benefits of having an old 1928 San Francisco home.  The bad news is that we and our furniture had to move out of the house for 2 weeks while the contractor sanded the floors, put in new laminate wood floors where there was just concrete, and then lay down 3 layers of clear coat floor.  The good news is we came home to beautiful floors that have held up! After having wood floors, I know why people are constantly asking, is this (product) safe on wood?  There are a lot of misconceptions about cleaning and maintaining wood floors, and then there are some really simple common sense things to do.  Thought I’d share. 

  1.   Minimize water and liquids on the floor.  Natural wood floors expand and contract due to moisture.  So, wipe up spills ASAP, and definitely do not leave large amounts of liquids on the wood as this will make it swell, and possible cause the floor to crack.
  2. Stiletto heels are veroten unless you want to plan to have a mosaic of floor pock marks.  Since I stopped wearing heels, especially stiletto heels, after having my first child, this is not a problem for me.
  3. Trim your dog’s and cat’s nails regularly because they are the animal world’s version of stiletto heels when left to sharpen. 
  4. Put floor guards on your chairs and furniture.  The last thing you want to hear is a scratching noise as you pull out the chair from the table. 
  5. Place mats at all entry doorways to trap dirt and grit off of shoes entering the house.  Dirt and grit are like sandpaper on wood so keep them out! 
  6. Make sure that your wood floor finish is in good condition.  If not, make sure to put on a maintenance coat.  The finish protects the wood, and if the finish is worn away, your wood is left unprotected. 

 Cleaning Do’s and Dont’s

  1. Don’t vacuum your wood floor using an attachment that has hard bristles or rotors.
  2.  Do vacuum your wood floor with bare floor attachments.
  3.  Do lightly sweep the wood floor with a soft-bristled broom or dust mop regularly.  I think this is a better way to clean wood floors versus vacuuming, but that’s my preference.
  4.  Don’t clean your floor with just water or any cleaner that requires you to use a lot of liquid; water/liquids are not your floor’s friend and cause the wood and the finish to deteriorate.
  5.  Don’t use vinegar and water or any other acidic solution that will harm the wood finish.
  6. Don’t use oil soaps.  They leave a harmful film and can build up and create problems when it’stime to put a maintenace coat on the floor.
  7. Do use neutral pH cleaners made specifically for wood floors such as Clean+Green for Wood & Tile.


Well, there are my major Do’s and Don’ts.  Will they be yours?

 

Quincy and Simon

  

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De-Skunking Your House

December 30th, 2009

Instead of answering questions on how to de-skunk a dog, we were telling folks how to de-skunk their homes this week. Dog owners from Texas, Pennsylvania and California called up this week asking us how to get rid of skunk smell their homes. Their dogs had run into the house after being skunked, and now their houses reeked!

Jill from Pennsylvania was desperate! She was ready to move out of the house to escape and upset because people at work were calling her, Miss Pew. Her dog had run right into her bed after being skunked, rubbing his head on the pillows and sheets, leaving black skunk oil streaks all over her bed. She got rid of the dirty bed linens, but not before the smell had somehow spread throughout the house and on her clothes. She had used air deodorizers, opened the windows (even though it was freezing) and still the smell stayed. What to do???

Bill from Texas was helping out his neighbor who is really sensitive to smells. His dog had killed a skunk right outside the house. Not only did his dog get sprayed, but so did the neighbor’s concrete front porch. Even worse, the wind blew the skunk smell right into the house and now the smell was everywhere – inside and outside! Bill had picked up Clean+Green at the feed store for his dog, but did not know what do about the house. What to do???

Barbara from California was getting her vacation home ready for her daughter’s honeymoon when the family dog met up with a skunk and came running in. Before she could catch him, he had run through the living room, up the stairs and into the bedroom leaving a trail of skunk smell. She was at her wits end because the house needed to be ready in a week! What to do???

Have you noticed that there are a lot of tips on how to de-skunk a dog, but not a lot of help on how to de-skunk your home? And, have you ever wondered if it was such a good idea to put in the doggy door because now there is nothing to stop our dogs from running into the house tracking mud on the floor or sharing the outcome of a skunk face off?

After asking several probing questions, we discovered that all three homes had central heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and that the systems had been running when the skunk attacks all happened. Since the smells seemed to be all over the house (not just where the dogs had run), our guess was that the smell had gotten into the HVAC system which then spread it to all the rooms. So, here is what we suggest:

  1. First, clean out the HVAC system. Pull out the filter, turn on the fan and set it to heat. Then find the return vent (vent that pulls air from the house into the system) and spray a non-corrosive, non-flammable cleaner without any perfumes, like Clean+Green, into the return vent for about 3-6 seconds. Let the system run for about 5-10 minutes to clean out the system. Repeat if necessary.
  2. Second, clean out the rooms. If the rooms are really smelly, spray down the walls, carpet, drapes and other areas that smell. If it is just a lingering smell, use the HVAC system to spray the cleaner throughout the rooms. To use the HVAC system, repeat the process in step 1.
  3. Lastly, walk through the house to see if the smell is all gone. If no odor, place a new air filter in the system. If there is still odor, repeat Step 2 until the smell is gone.

Jill from Pennsylvania called back about an hour after we had talked to her; she wanted to let us know that she had pulled out her HVAC air filter, that it was dirty and smelled of skunk, and that she was on her way to the store to buy Clean+Green. I guess the black filter made a believer out of her.

Quincy and Simon

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Spirit of Giving

December 24th, 2009

Eight years ago on December 12th, our family rescued Simon and brought him home to celebrate Christmas.  Simon had been abandoned during the middle of the night, when his parents drove him to the animal shelter, took off his collar and left him in the outside pen.

When Simon first came home, he hated it when we took off his collar, flat-out refused to get into the car once it got dark, and would back down whenever I took the frying pan out of the cupboard.  As Simon grew more comfortable and confident that there was no way he was going to lose us, he began to relax.  However, one thing did not pass – every December, Simon acts differently – he starts mopping around the house and won’t let me out of his sight.  It is as if he knows its December and is remembering the night he was left, in the cold and dark.

People think animals can’t think, remember and feel as we do.  Well, Simon proves them wrong.  He remembers every December, making us all very sad.

Simon was one of the lucky ones who found a family that loves and takes care of him.  But, there are so many more that are abandoned and need to find homes, especially today.  And today, when animal rescue services need more support than ever, raising money to do their work has really gotten tough.  We, like all small businesses, have had to tighten our belts and really look hard at how we spend our money.  So, I am proud to say that even with all of our belt tightening, we continue giving back to our community as a corporate sponsor for Romeo the Cat, which is focused on helping to raise money for grass roots animal rescues and shelters that don’t have a lot of money to raise money.  Each of the following shelters received $1,500 – $4,500 that was raised for them:

  • Animals in Distress, Coopersburg PA – March Winner
  •  Kitten Rescue, Los Angeles CA – April Winner
  •  Beaufort Community Cat Project, Beaufort NC – May Winner
  •  Angels for Animals, Canfield OH – June Winner
  • Spay & Neuter Action Project, San Diego CA – July Winner
  • The Emergency Animal Rescue Service, Birmingham AL – August Winner
  • Red Door Animal Shelter, Chicago IL – September Winner
  • Persian and Himalayan Cat Rescue, San Francisco and Northern CA – October Winner
  • Nine Lives Foundation, Redwood City CA – November Winner

In the spirit of the holidays, please join us and others to help those who help rescue the animals that we all cherish.  We can’t adopt all the animals that have been abandoned, but we can help rescue animals so others can adopt them.  Visit http://www.romeothecat.com/donate/ and make a donation in the spirit of giving!

 

 Quincy and Simon

Posted in Giving Back | 14 Comments »

Men and Their Dogs

December 8th, 2009

 I found out last Friday that my neighbor was in the hospital.  I asked what happened and if he was okay.  His wife told me that he was okay and wanted to come home;  that he was bored, hated the food and was worried about and missed his dog, Sam.  His wife also said Sam missed her husband and was really depressed.  She was worried, and was giving Sam extra attention, extra treats and extra walks at the park to try and cheer him up; nothing was working!

This got me thinking about men and their dogs.  I use to work with a guy who was a corporate rain maker; in other words he worked with companies to bring in and close large deals with Fortune 500 companies.  He was a “master of the universe” type – a tough, buttoned-up, no-nonsense, road warrior who took no prisoners…and he expected those of us who worked with him to keep up with his pace.    One day while we were waiting in the American Admirals Club in Chicago, I overheard him speaking tenderly on the phone asking how Bella was doing:  Was she getting her exercise?  Was she eating properly?  Was she missing him?  Saying he was missing her and looking forward to seeing her and was she coming to the airport to pick him up.  And, saying he was bringing her home a surprise.  I thought this was really sweet and asked if Bella was his wife or daughter.  He started laughing and said Bella was his dog!

  There is something special about a man and his dog.  Here’s my top 10 list of what men say or do when it comes to their dog:

  1. Men ask about their dog before they ask about their wife or children.
  2. Men are always disappointed if their dog does not come to the airport to pick them up.
  3. Men are devastated if their dog doesn’t come to the door to greet them when they come home.
  4. Men always bring home a present for their dog.
  5. Men think their dog never does anything wrong. When the dog gets into the trash, it is your fault for leaving the door open.
  6. Men will take the dog for a walk before their wife.
  7. Men will always talk to their dog, but not their wife.
  8. Men will always let the dog up on the furniture.
  9. Men will always smile for their dog, but not their wife or kids.
  10. Men will say good morning and good night to their dog before their wife.

My neighbor came home from the hospital yesterday, and I ran into his wife on my way to the dog park.  I asked how he was doing back at home.  She said that he was feeling a lot better and glad to be home. She also said Sam was like his shadow, never out of each other’s sight.

 

 Quincy and Simon

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Aerosol Cans = Eco Friendly? Yes

December 2nd, 2009

 

 

 

For some reason, people think that aerosol cans are bad for the environment.  Simon and I have been asked if aerosol cans are safe for the environment a thousand times so I thought it was about time that we just sat down and wrote down why our research proved that they are.

  •  Fact 1:  Since 1978, aerosol propellants do NOT hurt the ozone layer.    Consumer aerosol products produced in the U.S have not used chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) since 1978, when they were banned.  CFCs were the substance that negatively affected the earth’s ozone layer.  
  • Fact 2:  Aerosol cans are recyclable.  About 90 percent of all aerosol cans are made of steel and the remaining 10 percent are made of aluminum. Both types can be recycled.  Here are some facts regarding the disposal and recycling of aerosol cans
  •    Steel is North America’s #1 recycled materials.  Each year, more steel is recycled than plastic, glass, paper and aluminum combined.   Scrap has become the steel industry’s single largest source of raw material because it is economically advantageous to recycle old steel into new steel.
  • All steel containers are made up of an average of 25 percent recycled steel. Using recycled steel for production consumes 65 percent less energy than creating the containers from raw materials. This type of energy savings is enough to light the city of Los Angeles for almost a decade.
  • About 19 billion steel containers are recycled and turned into new products each year. This equates to about 600 containers recycled every second.
  • Recycling one ton of steel saves about 2.5 tons of iron ore, 1 ton of coal and 40 pounds of limestone. Using recycled steel also assists in cutting down on water usage and the release of air pollution. This is due to the fact that the process for creating steel from scratch utilizes a large amount of resources, where using recycled steel allows the production of containers to bypass the steel creation stage. 
  • Steel cans magnetic attraction allows steel cans to be more easily separated (for recycling) from other recyclables (such as plastic) or from municipal solid waste.

Clean+Green aerosol products are produced in the United States.  Our product packaging is steel and we use nitrogen as the propellant, which is all natural, non toxic and non flammable.   When you are ready to dispose of your empty Clean+Green can, please recycle and add to the 19 billion steel containers being recycled each year!

Quincy and Simon

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Holiday Feeders

November 23rd, 2009

Every year, we have over 20 family and friends at our house to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Four generations come under one roof;   we have toddlers, children, teenagers, adults, seniors and, of course, Simon.  We eat, we talk, we drink, and they all feed Simon…regardless of what we say! Have you received the same responses that we have?

  •  But it’s the holidays for him too, and he should get a special treat.
  • The turkey skin will be good for his coat and I don’t want it to go to waste.
  • I couldn’t finish everything on my plate so I cleaned my plate by giving it to Simon.
  • Oops, it just fell on the floor
  • But he looks just so sad, and we just gave him a little something. 

Simon is part of the family so banishing him to his room during holiday festivities is not an option.  So, we have resigned ourselves to the fact that it is loosing battle to prevent our guests from feeding Simon and just deal with the day after effects of Simon being indulged. We have, however, set three simple “guidelines” which our guests seem to be able to follow when indulging Simon:

  1. Meat treats are okay.  Beef bones are okay.  No turkey bones.
  2. No highly seasoned foods – really bad for his digestion. Our humans understand this because this affects them the same way.
  3. No desserts – too rich for his system and chocolate will kill him.  Again, our guests can relate so this flies. 

A couple of additional tips I also have to offer for the big day:

  1.  Simon goes out for a special park run on Thanksgiving morning so he is gets a little tired and mellow;  it makes it easier for him to handle a house full of friends and family.
  2. Our guests are asked to have Simon perform a simple trick for his treat; this slows down the speed of the treats and tells Simon that these are special treats.
  3. We keep the trash secured against the forays by Simon.  He may not think he has had enough when we all do. 

This seems to work for all AND Simon.Happy Thanksgiving!  Quincy and Simon

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Doggy Meatloaf

October 9th, 2009

My friend of over 40 years commented the other day (as I was dishing out Simon’s specially prepared doggy meatloaf) that she could not believe that I actually cook Simon’s food rather than feed him dog food.  This made me stop for a moment to reflect.

Yes, I love Simon and he is a member of my family, but he is a dog.  And until a few months ago, we did feed him regular dog food — albeit premium, all-natural dog food and avoiding anything with chicken (allergic) and focusing on non-allergic ingredients such as lamb, rice and venison.  However, starting about 1 year ago, we had to change his dog food multiple times since he continually developed a reaction to the food after about 3 months.

I finally decided — enough was enough — after having to treat “really nasty” hot spots that developed over multiple parts of his body. I started cooking his food following recipes out of Eco Dog by Corbett Marshall and Jim Deskevich.  Well, his hot spots went away, and now I make his food weekly and his food looks like our “human” family dinner food.

So, yes I am cooking for my dog, and no, I did not think I would be cooking for my husband, kids and dog.  I am still looking for a dog food that will not give Simon hot spots since having to figure out what to cook for family everyday is hard enough without having to do so for Simon.  I would love to go back to just buying his dog food and scooping it out everyday, but until I can find something that will not give him hot spots, I am cooking for him.  Taking care of my dog and giving him medicine everyday is harder than taking care of my kids.

So, yes Gina, I make doggy meatloaf and what other recipes I find to cook for Simon… at least until I find something that he can stomach.

 Quincy and Simon

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