The joys of Pet Parenting

It's just so awesome to be a doggie mom! Sara brings me immense joy in countless ways everyday!

Here's a little something dedicated to other doggie mom's!

Jojo's story by Komal Bhende

As a true animal lover- It's so tempting to want to take in almost every homeless dog you see with sad eyes walking around. And yet- there are so many if's and but's on adopting a fully grown abandoned pet. Komal Bhende shares with us a special story of how she took in an abandoned dog. Read on...!

This story is about JOJO, a little white dog who suddenly became a major part of our lives without us even realising it. 

In April 2005, my housekeeper, Gulab, saw this poor little thing crounched up behind some trucks probably hungry and scared at the same time. Feeling sorry for him she started feeding him small bits of chapatti, rice and milk which she had taken for the three street dogs we look after, and placed him in our “sick-bay”, a small shed that we had made to shelter sick and homeless animals. JOJO refused to wake up for three consecutive days only coming out to eat and pee. 

 

Komal with Jojo

One morning when I returned from my night shift, I saw my mother and Gulab standing at the gate as JOJO had been howling all night keeping everyone including the neighbours from sleeping. I realised it was time to find him a home and started calling my friends immediately to do the same. Eventually at 5 p.m. that evening a rather daunting man showed up. Seeing him JOJO immediately took him as a threat and hid behind me growling and snarling, something he would usually never do. It was then that the realisation dawned on us that JOJO had chosen us and would not accept anyone else as his masters.

JOJO was a mess but our first concern was to get him vaccinated so we immediately called our vet who came and did the necessary with the help of a sedative and took the opportunity to bathe him and groom him well. He was a surprise for my father and it was surprising how they took to each other when they met. JOJO refused to leave my father’s side for even a minute and would get hysterical if that happened. After a month of his being with us we learnt that he was one of the few dogs who liked all vegetables including cauliflower, bhindi, carrots, peas etc and fruits like papaya, watermelon and chickoo with alfanso mango being his favourite. We finally managed to toilet train him though it is only my father who can give him a nice bath. 

JOJO

It is then my father’s responsibility to brush him and powder him. After spending his morning eating and getting ready JOJO spends the rest of his day at my father’s feet, be it under the chair when he is doing his paper work or by his bed. But the minute the clock strikes 4 p.m. his attention shifts to my mom who he looks at with the most mischievous expression enticing her to come and play in the garden with ginger, the cat. After 2 hours of playtime JOJO along with the 3 garden doggies and 3 street doggies are given a treat. Come night time he has a small bowl of milk and is in slumberland by 10.30 p.m!

Having been with us for eight years, JOJO has become a part of our family. He has given us all unconditional love and joy and is an element of security for my parents now aged 72+. It was his bulgy eyes which made us name him JOJO which stands for ‘eyes’ in Gujarati. Being away from home made me miss him more and value and him love like never before.

Komal has been practicing medicine for twelve years in some of the leading Intensive Care Units. Having grown up surrounded by 22 cats and dogs, her love for animals intensified to such an extent that people often call her the “animal whisperer”.  She says, "My childhood memories are dominated with the various activities that I engaged in to rescue poor, helpless animals who had been tortured and beaten mercilessly. I have spent endless hours in the police station till 2 a.m. fighting for a defensless dog, saved a monkey who was been beaten by his keeper and eventually went on to join “Ahimsa” with Dr. Satnam Ahuja to fight for the cause."

 

HUFT chats with Shweta Khurana from Dogs and Pups Magazine!

Shweta Khurana, Editor- Dogs and Pups magazine talks to Heads Up For Tails! Read below to find out more about the magazine!

HUFT: Tell us about Dogs and Pups Magazine.

Shweta: Dogs & Pups celebrates RESPONSIBLE PET PARENTINGA bimonthly magazine- we celebrate eternal love. Each issue makes you understand your pet better, become a responsible pet parent, get acquainted with pooch and kitty needs, ensure great health, get information on training , agility & grooming. Share fun- n- frolic, gear up to enjoy stardom, find out what’s hot what’s new. The magazine is also for a cause wherein we promote awareness for strays and abandoned dogs/cats and the people/organizations who help them. 

HUFT: When did you start ?

Shweta khurana, Editor- Dogs and Pups Magazine
with her dog- Sparkles!

Shweta: We started in July 2004

HUFT: What are your thoughts about the pet market in India? 
Shweta: People are 'pawsionnate' about their pets and pets are family to majority :)

HUFT: What do you love about your work?
Shweta: We love to share reliable information with people, the magazine is very interactive so- we keep reaching to the pulse of the reader as they write in about their pooches in our various sections.

HUFT: What's your favorite section of the magazine.
Shweta: All the sections!
We have great knowledge shared by experts in all areas and we love our INTERACTIVEs ( Love expressed MULTIPLIES)- where in the readers write in for several sections such as:

• PICTURE PERFECT- we get amazing pictures here
• PAWTAILS-Readers share their Paw love!
• Ask The Expert- get questions answered  from our experts-on various areas of Health, Nutrition, Grooming ,Training etc
• Just Fur Fun- we recive  inputs about what your doggy likes.
• New Face- Your dog is super cool- let the whole world know.
• Facebook Friends- Become a Friend on Facebook and share views which get printed in the magazine
• Wags for the wonderful Vet- Your veterinarian is WONDERFUL- let the world know.
• Remembrance- Memories are everlasting-share your loved ones memories.
• Paws for thought- share your concern and seek advice...etc

HUFT: What are the challenges you face everyday. 

Shweta: Looking for new pet parents everyday is rather challenging!

HUFT: What are the Future plans?

Shweta: There is a lot is in the pipeline- will consolidate next year- its gonna be a wagging 2013!

HUFT: Why is Dogs and Pups special to other dog magazines?

Shweta: It's all about PAWSIONNATE PET PARENTING.....a  magazine from the heart- reaching out to people’s heart.

HUFT: What are your thoughts on Heads Up For Tails?  

Shweta: Simply awesome- stylish products and way to go!!

Shweta wishes all our readers a Merry X-mas and a Very Happy New Year!

You can buy the subscription to the magazine right here!

Winter collection 2012

It's honestly the best feeling when after spending months on designing a product, and coordinating a million things that go into making it- you have the ready stuff in front of you- all crisply packaged and ready to sell :)

An evening in Paris Jacket

Woolies cable sweater

There were so many Oooh's and Aaaah's when we opened up all our deliveries of the winter collection!

Here are some of the new products that have just arrived! We hope you like them. We'd be delighted to hear from you if there are changes/improvements we can make to future collections.

For this year's collection, we worked with colours such as Nice rusts, oranges, Blues, Reds and Black. They look nice on our dogs, and don't get dirty too fast either.

We've made easy to put on and take off styles, and have tried to add maximum adjustability to keep your pooches warm, but comfortable.

If you dog fits into almost no jacket because of a sizing issue, we recommend that you try our navy quilted jacket: This comes with a huge amount of velcro adjustability on the tummy making it super comfortable for most dogs. Moreover, its a nice waterproof material on the outside and a soft jersey inside.

Navy Quilted Jacket

And we love our range of new sweaters if your pooch prefers something cosy and snug.

For the entire range of our winter collection: Click Here!

Our Partners- Red Paws Spa, New Delhi

Red Paws Pet Spa, located in chic Haus Khas village, New Delhi is the latest hangout for all the fashionista pooches whose parents know the importance of good grooming!
They are our newest partners and we are so proud of their venture. The company is run by Sakshi and Sadhwi Sondhi.  Sadhwi is a trained dog groomer from London, whereas Sakshi has a degree in Business from Australia and takes care of the spa management.

Read more about the girls behind the brand in an interview with HUFT:

HUFT: Tell us about the Red paws spa- when did you start and what was your inspiration?

Red paws Pet Spa:

Red- the inspiration behind Red Paws Spa

Our main inspiration for all our endeavors is our dog Red who was an amazing companion. 

We started RPS in September this year as we saw the lack of awareness of dog grooming in Delhi. Not all dog owners are aware that their dog is in need of regular grooming sessions. We wanted to change the perception and educated all dog owners.

HUFT: What services do you offer at RPS?

Red paws Pet Spa:

Full Service Bath:This package is packed with the basic essentials your pooch will need to look dashing, fresh and amazing. Recommended for pet owners whose dogs do not require much grooming. i.e very short haired coats

Full Service Style:This package is for dogs that have medium to long haired coats. Our groomer will provide breed specific hairstyles according to the Kennel Club U.K. These styles are followed by groomers world wide, the most famous being a full groomed standard poodle!

HUFT: What makes Red Paws Spa special?

Red Paws Pet Spa:

Sadhwi at work

At Red Paws Pet Spa, we treat your dogs as our own as we both are genuine dog lovers. Also most importantly part of our profits go towards our own NGO - Red Paws Rescue which helps rescue and rehome stray and abandoned puppies/dogs.

HUFT: Tell us about your dogs.

Red Paws Pet Spa:
We have got 3 dogs - Nikki, Phoebex and Zoey. Nikki is a rescued beagle adopted by our family when she was 5 years old! She is adorable, loves cake and playing with Zoey. Phoebex is a Labrador Retriever born in our house to our inspiration and our very first dog Red who passed away a year back. Phoebex just loves to sleep and sleep and sleep. Zoey is our very own adopted Indian puppy who joined our family when we found her strolling in the middle of the street as a month old puppy. She is a bundle of energy and she is often called Hurricane Zoey as she leaves a trail of destruction after her play time!!  

HUFT: Tell us about Red Paws Rescue.

Red Paws Pet Spa:

Red Paws Rescue is a registered non - profit charity aimed at the rescue and rehabilitation of stray and abandoned dogs in New Delhi started by Sadhwi. The aims and purposes of Red Paws Rescue include finding homes for Indian dogs and pups and placing abandoned pets into loving homes. RPR is closely associated with several animal shelters throughout the country and we assist in providing them with food, medicines and awareness regarding their work.

HUFT: What's your favourite HUFT product?

Sadhwi and Sakshi

Red Paws Pet Spa:

HUFT is a very cool, fashionable and chic brand. One of our favourite products is the Oh La La Collar. The products show that a lot of thought and passion has gone into creating each and every unique product. We are glad to be partnered with such an amazing company!

For all of our Delhi friends and customers- do visit Red Paws Spa with your pooches! 

Address: 29A haus Khas Village, First Floor, New Delhi-16

Website: http://www.redpawsonline.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RedPawsPetSpa

Our partners- PAWS the pet store, Banglore

In 2008- Heads Up For Tails was established as an online store for pet accessories! As a tiny, home run business, I was anxiously waiting for orders. Just a few weeks later, the phone rang- It was Sandeep from Paws, The Pet store in Banglore. "Send me 10 of everything you have", he said. "We love your collection and want to stock it at PAWS!". While I danced in joy, with my first big order- that was also the start of a special partnership that has grown into a solid friendship over the past few years as Paws and Heads Up For Tails have worked closely together! 

We'd love to tell you more about our special and oldest partners through an email interview with Sandeep and Ridhima from Paws, The Pet Store, Banglore.

Read on :)

Ridhima

HUFT: Tell us about Paws- when did you start and what was your inspiration?

PAWS:
Our passion for animals and wanting to spend every minute with our dogs was our inspiration to launch PAWS. In the beginning of 2008 when Bangalore had very little available in fun, funky and functional products for cats and dogs, we knew that on the other side of the world pooches were being showered with the latest fashion, hilarious toys and coolest cribs, we knew we had to get some of it for our dogs. But not stopping there, we wanted to share the love and offer these same products to your furry kids too.
As animal lovers, we understood that pet owners desired the very best for their four-legged friends.
A spacious, friendly environment where pets are encouraged to browse along with their owners, PAWS is a beautifully designed store!

Sandeep with Oreo

As busy working Bangaloreans we sought -and rarely found - the professional yet loving care we needed for our pets cookie and pudding. we started paws in june ‘08 to provide others the exact and affectionate service we always wanted for our pets.
PAWS offers a wide array of upscale merchandise for dogs, cats and pet lovers worldwide. This includes designer collars and leashes, chic pet beds and cozy blankets, stylish pet apparel, unique toys and treats, sleek pet carriers, fabulous feeding bowls and grooming accessories, as well as heartwarming gifts for all animal lovers. No matter whom you are shopping for — dog, cat or pet owner — you'll find something special at PAWS.

HUFT: How do you and Ridhima divide up the work and responsibilities.

PAWS:

I look after Retail, Wholesale, Ordering, Stock management and Window display, while Ridhima is in charge of Online sales, Web Marketing, Facebook, Emails, P R  and Customer relations. We make a good team!

HUFT: What makes PAWS special?

PAWS:

Being a family business PAWS knows its individual customers, their pets and their special needs and will go the extra mile to provide assistance and quality service.

Freya

HUFT: Tell us about your pets.

PAWS:

Oreo is a wire hair dachshund. She's always around at the store to greet customers!

Cookie, a cocker spaniel -  who we sadly just lost. She was the inspiration behind PAWS.

Pudding is a labrador

Freya is our african grey parrot

Oreo

HUFT: What's your favourite place to take your dog out in Banglore?

PAWS:

To the restaurant. A lot of restaurants in bangalore are open to the fact of people bringing their pet along for a meal. One of the restaurants we love going to is Sunny's. 

HUFT: What words of wisdom do you have for first time pet owners?

PAWS:

Never buy on impulse and really think through the decision to get a pet. A pet is a lifetime commitment and will rely on its guardian for all of its needs.

The average life span of a pet is anywhere from ten to fifteen years or more and a puppy is a living creature you cannot "try on for size". Be prepared to make a commitment to the care and well being of your dog from puppyhood to old age.

HUFT: What are your best selling products?

PAWS:

Our unique range of collars and leashes. and beds and our vast collection of grooming products like perfumes and toys as well.  

HUFT - Share how Paws is special to its customers.

PAWS:

It's how Paws- the pet store has become a must visit destination for anyone coming from out of town. Every wife, girlfriend , brother- sister sends them over with a list of products they have to pick up for their four - legged companions. Every time we see a customer like that it brings us such joy; it makes us realise that we've not only managed to impact our local market but people all over the world. 

HUFT: What's your favourite HUFT product?

PAWS:

The colourful vibrant range of dog collars !

HUFT: What are your thoughts on HUFT? :)

PAWS:

It has changed the way our dogs dress and look like. It has allowed doggies to have a comfortable soft place to rest every night and more over it has given owners the ability to look after their pets just like their would look after for their own family. 

Paws is a beautiful store, based in Banglore, and a must visit if you're in the city!

Here's their address: 

PAWS the pet store, No.10 , K 2nd street , Markham Road , Ashoknagar , Bangalore 560025

Help your pet cope with fireworks

Most dogs react negatively to loud noises and fireworks. And understandably so- everything at night normally looks, sounds and smells familiar. And then suddenly, there are loud bangs, flashes of light and strange aromas for no reason at all. 


Here are a few tips for keeping your pet secure during Diwali fireworks:

Most dogs are scared of fireworks

• Make sure your pet always has a secure place to hide whenever they feel insecure. This could be under furniture etc. Make this place of comfort accessible to them. Pets feel great comfort in retiring to a familiar den which makes them feel safe.
• Walk dogs as much as possible during the day, and keep them indoors at night during fireworks time.
• At night- close windows and doors, and play soft music to muffle the sound of the fireworks.
• Make sure your pet is always in a safe, secure environment. A lot of dogs tend to run away during this time of the year in fright. It's always safer to have your pet micro-chipped or atleast have a tag with their name and your number engraved. 
• If your pet shows signs of fear- ignore that behaviour so that your pet realizes that there's nothing really to worry about.
• Consider feeding your dog slightly earlier in the day, so that if they do become stressed with the loud firework noises in the evening, their eating won't be affected.
• Don't get angry or upset with your pet at this time. After all- they are experiencing a normal fear reaction, and getting upset with them will only stress them out more.
• Distract your pet- with toys or the nicest chewy you can find!
• Do note that a frightened pet can show signs of aggression- and so do not allow children and other pets to pester the frightened animal.
• Try not to react to the sound of fireworks yourself. If you jump, shout or tense up when you hear fireworks- you may make your pet's fear worse as your body language will convey that there is something to be afraid of.
• Avoid leaving your pet alone. Remember that a frightened dog is not rational.
• And remember- do provide some comfort and cuddles if your pet needs it!

Have a Happy and Safe Diwali :)