Last year I provided a bunch of tips that included info on feeding dogs bones and table scraps, which many people know about, to lesser known issues like hidden toothpicks and skewers that dogs can easily choke on.

Another thing that occurred to me last year is that if you have an influx of people visiting you for the holiday, consider keeping your pets in a separate room away from the commotion and especially from the front door (similar to Halloween and trick-or-treaters). Many extended family members won’t know that Fluffy isn’t allowed outside, or that Spot bolts for an open door, so be proactive and avoid the issue entirely.

When we have family or friends over for a large gathering, the cats and the dogs (with the dogs in their crate) go into one of my kids’ bedrooms. It’s an environment they know and are comfortable in, and it’s the furthest from the front door and even the bathroom, so they won’t get stressed out from noise they’re not used to (and they won’t be “played with” by younger kids). I tape a hand-written sign to the bedroom door saying “Animals Inside, Do Not Open,” and thankfully, we’ve yet to have a problem!

If you’re the one doing the traveling this year, and you plan to bring your pet(s) with you, always check with your hosts first to make sure it’s ok — not everyone is a pet person and just showing up with them in tow could make for an awkward (and possibly resentment-filled) stay.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Blisstree

Thanksgiving Pet Care

I did, however, learn a bit about them because I needed to know at least the basics when customers asked. Though I’m not interested in having one myself, I do think they’re very interesting animals, and my husband, who did have one as a teenager, said they make great pets.

The video above goes into more detail about what’s involved in iguana keeping and care. For example, though you may get one that’s quite small at first, they can grow to be upwards of four to six feet from nose to tail and can weigh up to 20 pounds!

They’re also not a pet you only plan on having around for a few years — in captivity they’ve been know to live for 20 years.

It’s also important to teach kids how to safely handle an iguana. As babies, their claws are needle sharp and I can’t tell you how many times I’d come home scratched up after a shift of feeding babies. Their tails are also used as a defense and can get pack a pretty good wallop when they whip it around! You get used to keeping the tail away from your face pretty quick.

Have you ever had an iguana?

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What Do You Know About Iguanas?

The video above, hosted by Dr. Kat Miller, a certified applied animal behaviorist at the ASPCA, gives an outline of the whole series, and describes the process and preparation as being similar to bringing home a new baby. She explains what should be done before, during and after bringing your new kitty home, as well as the supplies that will be needed to make for a smooth transition for both you and your cat.

The series has six segments, and includes: How to Cat Proof Your Home, How to Set Up a Safe Location for an Adopted Cat, Local Services for Cats, How to Adjust a New Cat to Your Home, How to Set a Routine for a New Cat, and How to Keep a Cat Safe and Healthy.

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Caring For Your Newly Adopted Cat

The 120-page book offers a bunch of planet-friendly, natural tips and how-tos, from how to make a lemon flea tonic or rosemary shampoo to how to make your own homemade dog jerky (no preservatives and you know exactly what’s in it!). It touches briefly on why it’s important to feed high-quality foods, and includes a recipe for a homemade meatloaf for dogs.

It also includes information on potential and hidden dangers with conventional pet foods and tools, but it doesn’t leave you on your own: it then provides you with shopping tips and home improvement ideas to get you started on a path to all-natural pet living.

All the ideas in the colorful, slick book are nontoxic and canine-friendly, and the pictures are cute too!

[image: amazon]

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Do You Have An Eco Dog?

I’ve been using AcneFree once a day every day (following the itchy rash on my throat) and have gotten great results with it. This week, I started rotating it with the Mary Kay TimeWise skincare line, which promotes elasticity and prevents wrinkles, or so I’m told. Things are definitely improving, and I continue to receive compliments on how my skin has cleared up, but THEY’RE STILL THERE.

The good news (???) is that I’m not alone, which probably explains why people like the AcneFree folks and the inventors of Proactiv are wealthy and have great job security, no?

How do you deal with your adult acne?

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King

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Acne: It’s Not Just for Teens

This month’s issue of Vogue includes a refreshingly candid, practical article about acne in adult women. The writer, 41-year-old former MTV2 veejay and Rolling Stone contributing editor Jancee Dunn, recounts the time she had a zit so prominent that the production staff scrambled to camouflage it before an interview with U2’s Bono. Her experience may have been especially embarrassing because she was on television, but many of us can relate. After all, our zits sometimes take center stage in our own lives.

Thankfully, new technologies to prevent and treat acne are being developed all the time. And some of them actually work. Dunn says she spent several months trying all sorts of products and a new, FDA-approved laser treatment called Isolaz that she raves about. Her personal picks:

• Dr. Patricia Wexler’s anti-acne products (available at Bath & Body Works stores or online at www.bathandbodyworks.com)
• Murad’s Acne Regimen (available at most higher-end beauty stores and Web sites, or directly from www.murad.com; the site touts a 60-day money-back guarantee)
• Zeno, a palm-sized device with a heated tip that you press directly on the pimple (can be purchased at most drug stores, at beauty websites, or directly from the manufacturer at www.zeno.com)

Preventing and controlling breakouts — and, for those of us in our 30s, combating wrinkles as well — can be a frustrating and expensive balancing act. What works for some may not work for others. For that reason, I try to get samples of new products from a local skin care store, and I ask my esthetician for advice and updates on industry developments. I also read the customer reviews on skin care stores’ websites before blindly purchasing any product.

What about you? Do you have occasional or regular acne? What skin care products work for your skin?

- Cory Jubitz

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Acne Is in Vogue — The Magazine, That Is