April Pet of the Month: It's Fonzie!

Fonzie: 4.5 pounds of cuteness! All photos courtesy of Tracy A.

Who is proud to be a good mama's boy, has a musical and powerful bark and a special appetite for carrots? That's Fonzie, a 4.5 pounds Chihuahua-terrier mix, who loves to be awarded by Petzi Treat Cam. The pooch was born in a shelter, and it took seven months to be adopted by a wonderful family. Fonzie now lives happily with two sister kitties and Buckley. As his mommy Tracy says, he is a very affectionate dog,  always willing to share his love.

     
Tracy adopted Fonzie form A Pet's Wish animal shelter in Del Rio, Texas. He was just waiting for a permanent home: "They told us that in Del Rio they can't get small dogs adopted easily, so they take them to larger cities", says Tracy. When Fonzie got to his new home he met Buckley the dog and Zoe and Gipsy.

Ooopsie...Playtime!

Tracy and the boys: Fonzie and Buckley

"Life is good with Fonzie and Buckley and the kitty girls. We enjoy getting greeted with jumps and licks every time we come in the house. It is so exciting to come home to them. They are the best. They give you unconditional love and want to be around you all the time. We think animals are awesome and have adopted all of ours. We feel they appreciate us for picking them", tells Tracy. What's not to like? "Fonzie is very playful and inquisitive of everything around him. But his best trait is that he is very affectionate".

Homebody: he loves his cozy life

He is also a very adaptable pet: "Fonzie is kind of a homebody and loves his backyard. When he goes places he likes to be held; however, he is a great walker too. He is a great car traveler as well, and is always very good when he goes to visit his grandparents in Houston", says Tracy.

Zoe, the cat,  defending her territory

Now, a mini  interview with Fonzie, with a little help from his mom: 

What is your favorite noise in your home? 

I love to hear the garage door opening because I know that means that Mommy is home. I also love when my Petzi makes noise because that means treats, treats, treats! I love 'em.

What is the best thing your humans do for you?

They take care of me every day; give me lots of love, treats, and bones; and best of all, they let me sleep in their bed under the covers.

Fonzie likes to smell...but his pastime is to bark! Woof!

 Do you smell everything like every other dog in the world? 

I do like to smell everything who wouldn't. You never know what you might find. The best smell would be a combination of meat grilling and dog backsides.

Best buddy Buckley, 4 years old, was also adopted. 

Do you like cats?

I like my sisters, Zoe and Gypsy. I especially like to chase them, but they always jump up on a counter and get away from me.


Treat or food? 

Treat, treat, treat!!! I dance and walk for treats.

Treat Dance

If you were a human singer who would you be?

I would probably be Prince because I am tiny with a big voice.

Fonzie relaxing on his favorite spot

* To see more of Fonzie's photos (and share your pet photos with us)  visit our social petzwork! 

Earth Day: Green Pet Parenting Tips

By Anna Muggiati

Today is Earth Day and it's never too late to adopt some easygoing ways of helping the planet to heal. Here are 4 earth friendly suggestions for pet parents to help celebrate our planet:

1. Adopt, adopt, adopt...
If you are considering growing your pet family in an eco-conscious fashion, nothing greener than helping animals in shelters. Not just humane, but also a wonderful way of bringing balance to the pet world, already out of shift due to an immense number of dogs in cats abandoned and rescued.

2. Paper instead of plastic
Substitute plastic for paper bags when cleaning after your pet. They are biodegradable and don't clog the landfills, allowing their content to be decomposed (all that organic material will be wasted inside a plastic bag!). Of course if you're walking your dog, use gloves that can be reused, or a little scooper used for that function.

3. Recycled and biodegradable
Choose toys that are made from recycled materials, as well as biodegradable cleaning and grooming products.

4. Every H2O drop counts
Empty water bowls in the garden and plants if you need to change the water dish.



To read more:
http://www.aspca.org/blog/its-earth-day-go-green-your-pet
http://www.dogingtonpost.com/7-ways-to-be-an-eco-friendly-pet-parent/
http://www.petcarerx.com/article/7-money-saving-steps-to-having-a-green-pet/195
https://www.care.com/a/protect-the-environment-make-earth-friendly-pet-choices-07021340
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-pets.html

Fire Sign March 20-April 20

By Pet-o-Sirius*

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”

Winston Churchill

 “Spring has sprung, the grass is ris. I wonder where the birdies is?"...
Those energetic, daredevil, athletic Aries pets with their magnetic personality are ready to tackle anything. This pet will scale a wall, or go rock climbing, or challenge an eel to an all or nothing sprint, chances are good that those pets are Aries.

They are the headstrong ones because they are ruled by Mars and Pluto. This has a tendency to veer them towards independence. However some of these traits are iffy…for example pet parents may experience their Aries pets as optimistic and enthusiastic, leaping about and the next minute they are moody, short tempered, snappy, impatient and aggressive. Think a cockatiel with temper tantrums refusing to sing or recite the National Anthem.

In spite of occasionally being difficult to relate to because they might be self-involved, Aries pets can also be upbeat, can be a good friend and a plus is that they do need people. Consequently, in spite of a few negative traits, the spontaneous Aries pet responds well to receiving diamonds or anything that is the color red. The sign symbol of Aries is the Ram so this courageous creature will be the one leading the way to protect a pet parent who is under siege.

*Our guest writer's work can be seen at http://valeriekent.com