Identification

One of the biggest worries of any dog owner is the possibility that your best friend could slip out the door or wander too far from you and never be seen again. Unfortuantely, we've experienced this with Odie when she was a puppy. The door was left open just a little bit while hockey equipment was being brought inside, and no one noticed her trying to slip out. I wasn't home at the time, and Mike ran around our neighbourhood in a panic, asking anyone he saw if they had seen our tiny girl. He was starting to fear the worst when he turned a corner and saw one of our neighbours holding her. The neighbour had seen Odie on walks and knew she belonged to someone that lived close so she grabbed her. Thank you neighbour! Typically, she's not a "bolter", but that day she decided to give it a shot. Ever since then, the door has been deemed a dangerous area of our home. We've since taken some precautions. 


1. Dog Gates
These have been super helpful in house training her as well, but the best part is that we don't have to worry about someone accidently leaving the door open a second too long.

No, she doesn't jump over that.

We wanted something that we could easily step over. An added bonus is that it barely phases the cats to jump over, and it gives them an area of refuge from the little monster. I couldn't find anything like these anywhere, so I just decided to make them myself, which was incredibly easy. All it took was three of the grid storage panels from one of those storage cubes you can buy, like this one, and attached them together with zip -ties.  I found the panels at a thrift store, and I think it cost me about $5. 


2. ID Tag
When at home, she doesn't wear a collar. We're too worried about it getting snagged on something when we're not around. However, when she's out and about with us in public or on vacation, she wears an ID tag. We bought our cats those tags that you customize and have made by a machine in the store (pointless since they don't wear collars either), and they're not super lightweight. We decided to go with the Lola tag, by Dawgtown.

Odie's Lola Tag

This tag is perfect for little dogs. It's super light, and doesn't make a lot of noise. Name on the front, number on the back. It's perfect. 


3. Microchip
When she was spayed, we opted to also have a microchip implanted. They're totally safe, and are supposed to be painless when inserted. If your pet is lost, the only permanent ID it can have is a microchip. When found, the person can take it to a vet clinic, animal control centre, or the SPCA to have the chip scanned. They also can tattoo their ear, to identify that they have a chip (something we chose not to do). 

Odie Post-Op: Spayed and Microchipped

We don't plan on ever losing her again. 


Drinking: Lipton Orange Blossom Hibiscus Infusion Tea
I bought this tea because it sounds like it would be good. It smells like a mix of flowers and an old boating goods store. It tastes like perfume.