Traveling Pet Safety

Please view our new animated clip supporting our Traveling Pet Safety SHONVest!
Feel free to leave your comments (we are kind folks do please use your polite voice) so that we can improve.  Thanks!  Jonni

Living With a Blind Dog -- Happily Ever After!

When my dog Shon began going blind, emotionally, it hit us like a ton of bricks. This dog was so spirited and family dedicated and such a very happy guy.  How would blindness change him?  How would we ever learn how to be parents to a pet with disabilities.  We were fearful that we could not provide a wholesome and fulfilling life for this precious guy.

I remember sitting in the car and crying after we left the Ophthalmologists office. I looked over to the passenger seat where Shon loved to ride.  His front paws already stood on the passenger arm rest and he took on his "riding" pose to look out the window and see the world go by!

"What on earth are you looking at?"  I whispered with a saddened heart.  He turned towards me looked me straight in the eyes and his little nubby tail took off wagging so fast!  He wanted to RIDE!

My tears turned to a hearty laugh.  I suddenly knew how we would learn to be great special needs pet parents.  We would learn it all from Shon!  I started the car and we both happily began our journey.

And that was exactly what we did. ... Learn from Shon.
And he learned some new things from us, too!
We taught Shon the "STOP!" command when there was danger.  "upup" when there was a curb or a step up.  "downdown" when he needed to get down from a step or curb.  His favorite was "lead the way".  That command meant that he would walk in front of us with a full heart of trust.  No obstacles.  It was safe.  He walked so secure and proud.  No one knew that Shon was blind until we mentioned it.

Over time, we learned what situations Shon was insecure with and which ones he just LOVED!  Like going to the beach.  The waves would lick around his feet and he would happily jump and run.

Shon also loved to attend events where there were lots of dogs and people.  All the smells were just heaven for him.  That is when I learned how to mark him so that others could see that he was disabled.  People stopped walking into him.  At the beach, if he ran out of reach, others kept a watchful eye with their own dogs to make way for Shon.

All I had to do is listen to his cues and act accordingly, assuring his safety.
Over the years, his life was full and his well-being was maintained.
And that was all that mattered.

Next week we will blog about making the house a calm and secure place for a blind dog.  In the meantime, please look at our website, where we sell the vests that we designed to mark Shon and other disabled dogs.  Our brand is named after Shon and his safety gear.   www.SHONGear.com

Kindest Regards,
Jonni

Summer's Here! Pet Safety and Lost Pets are Paramount!

Have you noticed that as summer time unfolds, there is a dramatic increase in the notices and emails that we see regarding lost pets?

With the kids home and doors opening more frequently, our companions often decide that it means freedom for them, as well.

In order to safeguard your pet from straying from your property, There are many products designed to help keep you pets home and safe.  Many folks invest in an electronic fence which assists in keeping them safely on their property.

But what happens when your family is on vacation and your four legged companion bolts out of the car when you stop to gas-up, or when your pet sneaks out of an open motel door that your son left ajar?  Safety is lost while your pet saunters off happily exploring all of the new scents.

                                                                  A stray pet is often viewed by locals as a local pet and they are ignored and allowed to explore until they are happened upon by animal control.  But that could be many days and many miles from your original location.

At SHONGear Designs, we believe that by marking your pet in a vest with vivid neon colors, it alerts others that see him -- that your pet is a lost pet.

Mark your pet with a high alert SHONVest when leaving home for any reason, but especially when you are traveling.

 Pets are more easily identified as being separated from their owner and they carry itinerary and owner information that can help promote a speedy reunion with your faithful companion.  A SHONVest also carries important health information regarding your pet which can be immediately viewed and does not need a computer to read.  If your pet is on medication, it can be securely carried in a water resistant pill container in a pill pocket.

Your pet's safety when traveling, either locally or away from home, is paramount in keeping your pet from being separated from you and among the statistics of lost pets this Summer.  

Visit us at www.SHONGear.com and view the array of products designed to keep our pets safe for dogs of all sizes and levels of curiosity!

Wishing you, your family and your faithful companion a healthy, happy and safe Summer!

Kind Regards,

Jonni 

All Dogs Are Show Dogs

So here we are, past day one of one of the most respected dog shows in the world: The Westminster Kennel Club. Did you watch? How did your breed perform on day one? Judging happens tonight and we won’t be the only ones on pins and needles! But with 2,721 top dogs from our favorite breeds on display these past few days in New York it reminds us that all dogs are different. And with different types of dogs come different types of responsibilities.

Last year’s Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show went to a 4-year old Pekingese named Malachy. Pekingese, those plucky little balls of fur best known as Chinese emperor’s dogs of choice, have a rich history. At one time they were admired as the living Buddha, which gained them some great perks from their human counterparts. But not even insane amounts of pampering can help avoid sometimes genetic problems in dogs. With their stout little bodies and cute faces, Pekingese sadly are prone to a deal of problems with their eyes as they grow older.

Having a dog with eye problems, or going blind, is something we never hope anyone has to go through. The inspiration for SHONGear actually came from a dog that had gone blind and we understand the hardship that goes with it. One of our favorite products is designed especially for those little cuties that have had some eye problems or lost their eyesight. The Blind Pet SHONVest comes in bright colors with “Blind Pet” clearly written in large letters across the side to alert anyone to the fact that your pet needs extra attention.

With the Blind Pet vest your dog will be clearly visible during travel, if he or she gets loose, or even at the dog park. When you don’t need to worry about how the people around you interact with your dog, leaves more time for you to love him or her. And with the security of a high visibility vest, your dog will be safer.

We look forward to the conclusion of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and the continued health of all dogs everywhere! Who are you rooting for?

Take Your Pet on a Trip in Safety and Style!

It’s clear that dogs are way more than just man’s best friend: they’re our companions, our cheer-er uppers, and sometimes our travel partners. With the Westminster Kennel Club show just a few days away, despite nature’s best attempts to stop the show, thousands of dogs will be traveling to New York for one of the most prestigious dog shows out there.

But traveling with your furry friend is not always as simple as jumping in the car and going. Some dogs, such as the Westminster show dogs, travel thousands of miles and need to be crated while flying or being transported. It is not always possible to keep an eye on your canine all of the time, but we all want to know our dogs are safe despite where they may be in the travel process.

This reality hit hard in 2006 for Jil Walton, owner of a whippet named Vivi recognized for an award of merit at Westminster, who escaped from her cage at the Kennedy Airport while being prepared for her flight back to California. Even after a huge search of the airport, Vivi was never found. One can’t always count on others to handle their companions with the care that they normally would. Things like a lock failing or cage door being not fully closed are possibilities that always have to be considered. 

 

Here at SHONgear we prepare our dogs for travel by hooking them up with a Traveling Pet SHONVest. While we can’t always ensure the safety of our pets, we can take any necessary precaution. The Traveling Pet SHONVest has pockets for pertinent travel information such as your trip itinerary, dog’s medical information, and your contact information just in case your little guys decide to do some sightseeing on their own. The Travel Vests come with our own SHONGear travel itineraries! Just fill out your trip and contact information on the cards, place them in the itinerary pouch or water-tight pet information container, and anyone will be able to easily identify your dog.

Not all dogs get loose at the airport like Vivi. But what if Vivi was wearing a high visibility SHONVest?   Would she have been spotted?  Being out with your dog there is always the chance he or she may wander away from you or simply get out of eye-shot. With the security of a Travel Vest you can be positive that your dog will have the information needed to return him or her safely to you. We never leave the house without our wallets and IDs, why should your dog? Click here to view more about SHONGear's Traveling Pet Vest and check out this short video below about the Travel Vest and head over to our shop for even more information and pricing! 

http://SHONGear.com

2013 Budweiser Super Bowl Ad — The Clydesdales: "Brotherhood"

For those of you who missed this ad during the Superbowl last Sunday.  What love!

Special Needs Pet: Safety

If you are like us, we worry quite a bit about the safety of our pets with special needs and considerations.  Their conditions often bring their status in the family to one of an additional child – don’t they?

·         Dedicated time and special obedience lessons for the deaf or the blind; 

·         Medications and learning how, daily, they can be successfully administered;

·         Costly prescription foods and treats;

·         Vet visits and testing;

·         Insurance issues;

·         Learning and applying unique socialization skills.

 The list is endless.  But yet, the purpose of our efforts is pet well-being and safety.  We wish for a good life for our companions, regardless of limitations.   They deserve it. 

A Vet acquaintance of mine once told me that in her years of veterinary practice she has learned many things about our pets who are not “perfect”.  To her, it appears to be evident that what may be missing, whether it is eyesight, or hearing or other ailments, these pets most often make up for their health shortfalls with vibrant personalities.  These pets are often the most dynamic heart-throbs!   She stated that their dedication and love for their families are often unsurpassed.

So how do we, as pet owners, repay them for all of this personality and love?
-- By safeguarding their wellness and safety.

This is the driver behind the development of the high visibility  SHONVest™ for pets who travel and/or have special needs.   When setting out to develop our thoughts about the vest, we asked simple questions --  Like – “How can we better maintain safety for our pets with special considerations?”  And -- “How can we assist the owners of special needs pets with their stressors?” 

When designing the vest, our thoughts were aimed on one fundamental query for all pet owners. 
If any pet were ever unexpectedly removed from your immediate care, who would ever know what the immediate needs are of your companion?  Think of these scenarios or others similar:

·         While on vacation, who would be able to distinguish that a pet is separated from his family upon immediate sight, or if the animal might belong to a local?

·         We live in Florida.   And hundreds of thousands of homes are storm targets every hurricane season.  If a storm breached the integrity of your home and your pet took flight in fear, who would know that he was a diabetic or had seizures and needed medicine?

·         Walking a deaf or blind dog on a busy street is often stressful for owners, for fear that someone may walk into your pet, harming them.

·         When traveling across town, if your pet escaped the car to give another animal a chase, how would anyone know that they had a special diet to maintain -- or they would suffer severe medical problems, such as pancreatitis.

Logically,  there are hundreds of scenarios that could come to mind depicting an unexpected owner/pet disconnect.   And half of those could surely be aided by high visibility marking of your pet.

The folks at SHONGear® have been assigned 5 US patents for designs that assist in maintaining the safety and wellbeing of your pet with special concerns.  Two more are in Patent Pending status.  And each vest is designed to help owners keep their pets safe.  By utilizing high visibility neon colors and words, others are alerted quickly that the pet is in need of assistance.   Pets carry their medications and their “story” (pertinent information) with them at all times.  Be it an hour or a couple days, you can help others quickly understand how to care for your pet in the interim time, until you are re-united.

Here is a list of the SHONVests™ that are available at www.shongear.com  --
Blind Pet, Deaf Pet, Diabetes Pet, Seizure Pet, Special Needs Pet and Traveling Pet  

There is at least one type that fits most needs.  And SHONGear will even create custom gear designed for your vest-able pet, if your needs are unique.  (Small pets such as hamsters and ferrets are not vest-able – but horses are!) 

Stop by our web store or Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/SHONGearDesigns . 
Our message is  simple and heart- to-heart. 
Keep your pet safe.