WHEW!!  It's hot out there!!

We frequently hear ourselves complaining about the heat at this stage of the summer. Imagine if you had to spend any time outdoors in a fur coat, with no voice to complain about it! As the "Dog Days" of summer continue, my doggies and other pets are spending a lot of "nap time" indoors during the day in the cool air conditioning. A reminder to all that we should not keep our dogs or any of our pets’ outdoors when it is extremely hot and humid. If there is no alternative, PLEASE make sure they have plenty of shade and water and a cool place to lie down . If you have bunnies and keep them outdoors, remember they cannot pant like a dog, to cool themselves and can very quickly become overheated.  I great tip that I discovered years ago is to save your empty plastic jumbo soda bottles, rinse out, fill with water and freeze them. They become a giant ice cube for your rabbit to lie next to, to keep cool on hot days... and they are the perfect bunny size! Keep a couple in the freezer for each rabbit, as they do thaw out and need to be replaced every few hours.
 
An abundance of indoor time can often be boring for pets....especially dogs and cats. Often a bored animal can become a destructive animal. Dogs and cats both love to find interesting thing to chew and often swallow. Keep an eye on what your pet is chewing on. I often pry open a clamped shut mouth, to see what’s inside. Dogs will give you that look of "oops, I know I'm not supposed to be chewing on this" but cats, as always, are slyer. Watch those teeth....but it's best to remove anything questionable before it gets swallowed.  Don't assume a swallowed item will simply "come out the other end"! Often surgery is required to save your pet!

Here is a list I got from my Vet's office of the "Top Ten Items Surgically Removed from Pets", according to a survey done by Veterinary Pet Insurance:  SOCKS, BRIEFS, PANTY HOSE, ROCKS, BALLS, CHEW TOYS, CORN COBS, BONES, HAIR TIES/RIBBONS, and STICKS. Other frequent culprits include rubber bands, Christmas tinsel, plastic six-pack rings, and those plastic rings you remove from milk bottle caps.  So, be aware of what your pet can have access to when you're not looking and if they're chewing on something that isn't food or an approved toy, take it away from them before they swallow it.

Yes, we should keep pets indoors when it's hot, but remember to spend quality play time there as well and do walk your dog early in the morning and later in the evening when it's cool.
 
Enjoy the dog days....and try to stay cool! Fall will be here before we know it!
 
With love,
Carolyn and the Critter Crew

Hello Pet Pals !

Here's hoping your summertime has been fun, relaxing and filled with quality time for you and your furry and feathered friends!! We have been busy here at the Gracie Zoo! Not only maintaining the status quo in our usual orderly chaos, but acquiring a few new (adorable) mouths to feed and critters to love.


Our new kitten, Purrl, passed her first vet visit with flying colors and was deemed "a very intelligent kitten" by the staff, with many extra points for cute-ness! (She also had her claws trimmed!!)



We have added two baby goslings to our goose yard. Rosie and Jasper are the proud adoptive parents of two baby white Chinese Geese. (Rosie and Jasper are Brown Chinese). Rosie sat on her own eggs for what seemed like forever, and I felt so bad for her that nothing was happening. So, when I saw the two orphaned babies at the local feed store, I thought it was a perfect solution for all. I replaced the eggs with the babies when the two adults were out swimming in their pond and upon their return, Rosie immediately started to make "mommy goose" noises and it was love at first site. (Jasper was a little incredulous at first and kept staring at them for a couple of days, but now is the "goose in shining armor" protecting his little brood as they strut around their yard.) The first swimming lessons were adorable....the babies would not leave the shallow end. But gradually the urge to follow Mama was too strong and they were soon paddling with all their might around the mighty expanse of our little pond. I'm sure it seemed quite vast to them. (It reminded me of that old song..."Boom Boom Diddum Daddum Bottom Shoo" about the little fishies that "swam and swam". The funniest thing they do in the water is when they dive under and swim around totally submerged like little seals. They have so much fun! They run up the bank and do the "silly goose twirl", flapping their tiny fuzzy wings, peeping the whole time. (Again, picture Daddy Jasper with that "oh brother" stare). For the first few weeks I babysat the whole time they were outside, keeping a wary eye out for the red-tail hawks that sometimes circle above. Baby and small animals are always in danger from their talons. However, geese grow very quickly, and now that a month has passed they are now half the size of their parents and nearly covered with "real" feathers, except for a tiny crest of yellow down on the very top of their heads. They have not started honking yet...they still peep, but soon we will have a quartet of "Quankers" as I call them. Rosie and Jasper could never decide if they were supposed to "honk" or "quack"...so they "quank" instead. This has been an endless source of amusement to my dear friend, Jeanne Bice of Quacker Factory . I once surprised her with a whole basket of "borrowed" baby geese on a live Quacker Show. Jeanne is not a pet owner, but loves animals and kindly tolerates my occasional live critter surprise. (Another time it was baby bunnies.) But I digress... the Gracie Geese are the latest pet chapter and I look forward to sharing more antics with you soon. By the way...the wonderful folks at the feed store named the baby geese "Gertrude and Heathcliff" and begged me not to change their names. They had already become quite attached. They are such big names for such little quankers, so for now we've been calling them Trudie and Clifford...or Gertie and Heath....hmmmm....either way they are just plain adorable!!

Till next time, I remain your forever Pet Pal,
Carolyn (Quank Quank!)

Hey Pet People! ...Just checking in with the latest from the Gracie Zoo!

First, I want to thank you all again, for your overwhelming response to Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer both during his live program and to his Q&A on QVC.com. We had many many questions submitted online to Cesar and he spent quite a lot of time while he was here, personally answering as many as he could. You will see these questions and answers posted by clicking here. We are working with Cesar on getting more of your questions answered as his schedule allows and will be posting those in the near future. Please be patient and keep checking back in!! More good news is that I've heard from Cesar's team that another show is being planned soon...maybe even by this Fall. I'll keep you posted on that as soon as I know something definite!!

Okay, cat lovers....we've been on the subject of dogs for the last couple of weeks, so let's talk felines....BABY felines, to be more specific. We have just added a new kitten to our critter fold here at the Gracie household.Her name is PURRL and she is a little American Shorthair Domestic cutie....gray tiger-stripe tabby and white. She is currently approx. 10 weeks old...I don't know for sure, as she is a rescue. I adopted her about a month ago for a friend and co-worker who wanted a new kitten, but her circumstances changed, so my husband and I, being the pet people that we are (he by default, mainly) decided she was not going back to the shelter. For the past few weeks, she has become the darling of the home office, where she spending most of her time until she's a bit bigger. The room has two sets of french doors leading into it and it's "high hilarity" entertainment watching the adult cats peering in from seated positions outside both sets of doors, while the kitten runs and scampers and TOTALLY shows off for all of them. Now that she's been to the vet, they are allowed in to play with her, one or two at a time, so that everyone is accustomed to her by the time she's "released into the general population", as my husband puts it. (The two male cats seem to like her the most....the girls are more aloof and tend to swat at her and seem to think she is an obnoxious little bug.) When we got her she was so tiny, she could fit in the palm of your hand. However, she is growing so quickly (along with her claws) she will no doubt be allowed out to explore the rest of the house (with the "big kitties") very soon. Meanwhile, here in the office/kitten suite, she has made fast friends with two of our dogs, who chase and play with her and with infinite patience, allow her to climb on them, pull on their ears and practice her "sneaking kitten sabotage moves" on them constantly, like the mini-huntress that she is. They very considerately act "surprised" each time. I do have some terrific doggies...even Cesar complimented me on them! Purrl will be a kitten for awhile yet, and is still learning her "sophisticated cat etiquette", so if you notice extra scratches and puncture wounds on my hands the next time I'm on the air presenting a lovely line of Q jewelry, you'll know who to blame!! Who knows, it may even be a collection of "purrls"!!

Till next time,
Love from Carolyn, mini-PURRL and the Zoo

Welcome to July, Fellow Pet Lovers!

I hope you enjoy your Fourth of July holiday and that all pets are kept safe and sound from the loud noises and commotion of the festivities! My dogs tend to bark at cracking and booming sounds of fireworks, just as they do during a thunderstorm. However, the picnic food that occasionally falls from the tables during this holiday, (indoors and out), more than make up for the scary noises!!

Wow! Didn't we have fun with Cesar Millan??!!?? What a fantastic show yesterday! I do hope you were able to join us. The Dog Whisperer is quite an amazing person. Two of my dogs were able to meet him in person and gave him "paws up!" and many doggie kisses. We hope he will come back soon to QVC to share more doggie wisdom, tips and great Cesar products! Meanwhile, if you missed the show, you can still check out Cesar's new line of products for your dogs on QVC.com.

Also, please keep in mind that Cesar and his lovely wife, Ilusion, have a wonderful non-profit foundation that aids and supports the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of abused and abandoned dogs across the country. If you are interested in joining me in lending your support to this very worthy cause, you can find all of the information about the organization on the internet at www.millanfoundation.org.

Wishing you loads of continued summer fun with your pets! Give them all a big hug from me!

Love,
Carolyn and my menagerie

I want to answer a BIG question that has been coming my way and that is yes, we are very excited here at QVC to have The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, coming in as our special guest for a show on Wednesday, July 2 at 8p.m. ET, for an entire hour, during which he'll be debuting his new line of excellent products for your dog.

All I can say is WOW!!!! I have been a HUGE FAN of his since day one and truly admire him and his talent. The first thing he'll often say is that he is NOT a trainer and he is NOT a vet. He is a human being that can communicate with dogs in an extraordinary way. He understands them and respects them and they know it, and the feeling is mutual.

If you'd like to get more familiar with him and what he is all about, Cesar's television show, The Dog Whisperer can be seen on the National Geographic Channel...check your local listings. He is AMAZING to watch. I am thrilled to be hosting our show with him and I hope you will tune in. Again, the show date here at QVC is Wednesday, July 2 at 8p.m. ET.

Check back soon for more info and meanwhile, don't forget to check out my Favorite QVC Pet & Pet Themed Products (Cesar's are not listed yet...you have to wait for the show!) but there are frequently new items being added. Also, thanks for your ideas and requests for new pet products on the Q....we're working on it, and your suggestions are always welcomed! There is also my Frequently Asked Questions , where you may find an answer to something you were wondering about.

Love,
Carolyn

Welcome back to the Pet Corner Forum! Now that summertime is upon us, it's a good time to review some important Pet Tips to keep your much loved critters safe and cool. These tips fall into two categories:KEEPING COOL and KEEPING AWAY FROM POISONS.

First, KEEPING COOL:
Make sure your pets are INDOORS in the air conditioning, on days when the heat is intense. Not in the garage, not under a shady tree, certainly not left in the car!! Keeping our pets indoors insures that they will be comfortable, and safe from the heat, dehydration and insects that can cause them extreme discomfort or worse! This holds true for dogs, cats, rabbits, pet birds and almost all other pets as well. The only exception at OUR house is our pet geese, who much prefer being outdoors in their pond, to being inside their goose house. They live in a fenced-in area, under lots of shady trees, with their own pond, complete with waterfall, to help keep the water recirculating and clean. They go back into their little house at night, to protect them from predators that live in the area, especially foxes, but during the day, they enjoy it outdoors. My rabbits also are kept indoors when the heat is intense. They live in a large bunny room in our basement, where it's cool (and ventilated) year round. Rabbits do NOT do well in extreme temperatures of heat or cold. So, if your pet rabbit is still living outdoors in a hutch, or something similar, PLEASE consider bringing her inside. She will love being around YOU as well as being in a comfortable climate-controlled area. If you have questions about how to set up an indoor area for your pet rabbit, please feel free to email me or check out www.mybunny.org, which is the rabbit rescue I used to work with in Los Angeles. Their site is full of great info about pet rabbits. If you have a pet bird, remember they do love and need sunshine to be healthy, so be sure to keep your bird indoors on an extremely hot day, but near a sunny window. Also be sure to keep him away from any drafts. Don't place his cage where the air conditioning vent blows directly on him, or he will catch cold. Birds are very susceptible to respiratory ailments, so watch out for cold drafts, either from the AC or from an open window when it's cool outside. Remember to keep your birds wings trimmed (your avian vet can do this for you) if you are going to bring him outside with you for awhile on a comfortable sunny day. Many inexperienced bird owners have lost their pet by having him accidently fly away, either out an open window or by bringing him outside, if his flight feathers are not properly trimmed. Once your bird takes off, he will likely have no idea how to get back home to you, so be sure his wings are trimmed.

Remember to NEVER leave any pet inside a hot car, even for a few minutes. On an extremely hot day, it's too hot in your car even with the windows partly down. Your pet can quickly become overheated. It is very dangerous and sometime deadly, to allow this to happen. Please leave your pet at home indoors when the weather is very hot. Be sure to give your pet access to plenty of fresh, cool water during the summer months, whether they are indoors or outside with you for a short time. Imagine how uncomfortably hot you would be if you were outside in the heat, wearing a fur coat that you could not take off? You'd be VERY hot, even in the shade.

Next, KEEPING AWAY FROM POISONS:
Something else that is an extreme annoyance to we humans in the summer months is INSECTS. We use pesticides, insecticide sprays, baits, and all sorts of things to trap and kill bugs, especially in the summertime.

Remember, if it kills bugs, it's most likely dangerous for your pet to ingest. Bug sprays, plant pesticides, snail and slug bait, and rodent poisons are all very toxic to your pets. Please use these wisely and keep your pets away from these items and from areas where you have used them. On a related note, some other things that are poisonous to your pets include chocolate and caffeine (for all pets) , avocado (for birds), raisins and grapes (for dogs), toads (they can emit a toxic substance when threatened...don't let your dogs lick or pick up a toad!), many plants (for a complete list of poisonous plants, check out the Humane Society's website at www.hsus.org), antifreeze (it tastes sweet and is extremely poisonous), household chemicals, cleaning products, toiletries, and "heavy metals" like lead paint and copper pennies....all of these are dangerous to your pets. So, "keep a wary eye", as they say in pirate movies, and protect your pets from dangers this summer and year-round.

Be sure to tune in to QVC for PET SHOP on Friday, June 13th at 4p.m. ET. Then again on Sunday morning, June15th at 6a.m. ET, for a really fun PET SHOP show, which will be co-hosted by my good friend, Show Host Dan Hughes and myself, with lots of terrific products for your pets, including the NEW size FURminator that will be available starting June 13th, the just back in stock Bodipedic pet bed (we LOVE this at our house) and lots of other items featured on my list of favorite QVC pet products favorite pet products!! Also, mark your calendars for the exciting debut of The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, coming to QVC on July 2nd, at 8p.m. ET with an entire hour of brand new products for your dogs!!

Till next time, here's to lots of summertime fun with our pets!

Big hugs to you and your fur and feather babies!

Carolyn

PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department.

Mother's Day was Sunday, and I often get cards and best wishes from family and friends on that day, not only because I am a Step Mom and Step Grandmom, but because I am a "Pet Mom". I, for one, LOVE this idea! After all, for those of us who are nuts about our pets, they are often like "children" to us. We love and care for them, play with them, discipline them, take them on vacation, take them to the doctor, put them in "daycare", buy them holiday presents and have birthday parties for them and when the time comes, honor them with memorial services. For many pet owners, much of their quality time in life is spent with their beloved pets. So for all of the Pet Mom's out there, I salute you, relate to you, laugh and cry with you, and wish you the happiest of Mother's Days!!

Again, I want to thank all of you, Pet Mom's AND Dad's for embracing the Pet Corner Blog. Every week I receive more and more terrific feedback, comments and emails. I am so glad you have found a place of pet camaraderie, and a shared love of pets, whether they be four-legged, two-legged, or have fins, covered with fur, feathers or fish scales. I welcome your comments, and read every single one. I try to respond to as many in person as I can, but please know that I do read every email and often will try to answer a question or address a comment here, if many of you are asking a similar question. In upcoming blogs, I will be discussing some pet issues that relate to the summertime and being outdoors more often, like plants that are poisonous to our pets, taking our pets on vacation, preparing our pets for out of town visitors and finding a great pet-sitter!

An obvious reminder as the weather warms up is to make sure that any pet that is outdoors during the day has plenty of water and a cool, shady area to shelter him from the heat. Never leave your pet in a parked car in the hotter months of the year, even with the windows cracked or the sunroof open. The temperatures can soon become unbearable and quite dangerous. Imagine sitting in a hot car, wearing a fur coat, with no way of escaping? These are just a couple of issues we'll be touching on in upcoming blogs here.

Have a terrific day and special hugs to you Pet Mom's and all of your "Kids"!

Love,
Carolyn

PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for my Favorite QVC Pet & Pet Themed Products and the most Frequently Asked Questions I receive from viewers.

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back to the Pet Corner! I am happy to report that we had a fabulous time on our cruise and that it all went by way too quickly. We have loads of wonderful memories to keep with us, however and we are so glad we finally decided to take a vacation after all this time. I must send out a HUGE thanks to my terrific and thoughtful parents, who volunteered to house-sit and pet-sit for us and worked VERY hard all week to take great care of our "babies" while we were gone. My friend Dina, who was to assist with birds and bunnies, discovered after the first day that she was highly allergic either to the bunnies or to their hay, so was only able to assist with the birds, doing an A-Number One job, I might add. My folks jumped right in and added bunny-duty to their to-do list (along with dog, cat and goose duty) and the bunnies have never been happier. The geese were crazy for my Dad and followed him everywhere. May I just say that I have the MOST wonderful Mom and Dad ever!! Anyway, we did miss our pets like crazy and are happy to be back and received loads of wiggle waggles and kisses from our pups, and slinky rubs from our kitties, squawks and tweets galore and approving thumps from the bun buns.

While on our vacation, we explored Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman (where we spent the afternoon aboard a Pirate Ship, ARRGGGHH), and in Cozumel, Mexico, I was able to fulfill one of my lifetime dreams, which was to swim with dolphins and participate in a dolphin encounter. My dolphin was a beautiful creature named Scarlett. She was magnificent. So incredibly intelligent and kind. Although she was obviously a very powerful animal, she was also incredibly careful and gentle. I felt like we had an instant bond between us. I learned how to give her a kiss and she kissed me back. I learned how to give her a hug and she literally hugged me back. I held onto a boogie board and she swam around behind me and pushed my feet with her nose, so that I could cruise through the waves at dolphin speed! While I was treading water, she swam around beside me and turned belly up, so that I could grab onto her fins...then she swam upside down with me holding onto her, almost like water ballet. She was so graceful. Before my afternoon with Scarlett began, I was a bit nervous, not really knowing what to expect, but still very anxious to fulfill this special dream. As soon as we were in the water together, and I saw the twinkle in her eye and her dolphin smile, I knew everything was going to be just fine. And it was more than fine; it was a tremendous experience that I will never forget. I have heard stories of dolphins coming to the rescue of stranded swimmers in the ocean, and even fighting off sharks to protect these helpless humans. I totally believe it's true. I have even more respect for the dolphins now than before. They are a wondrous creature...intelligent, yet respectful of us, calm yet playful, powerful yet gentle, and we have such a responsibility to take care of and protect the oceans for them, and for all the creatures of the sea. They have already shown that, when given the opportunity, they can and do take care of and protect US.

Before signing off this week, I am happy to report that we have lots of new and exciting pet products coming soon to QVC, per your requests! We also have one of the most exciting Celebrity Guests in the pet world coming on air with me here at QVC at the end of May to introduce his brand new line of pet products. I am jumping up and down and thrilled that he will be here, and I will reveal who it is and when he'll be on, in my next blog....stay tuned!!

Hugs to you and your fur babies,

Carolyn


PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for more exciting products.

Greetings Pet Folk!

Just a short entry this week to say that hubby and I are on our first real vacation in about 5 years, and I am super excited to get away and have some fun! We are going on a Caribbean cruise, along with my sister, her husband and my nephew. We've really been looking forward to it. I have to thank my wonderful parents who are pet sitting for me, along with my friend Dina who will be lending a hand with the birds and rabbits. I know I will really miss my critter crew, but they are all in very good hands with my folks there. After all, my Dad is the person I inherited my love of pets from in the first place! I will be back in touch here upon our return...I'm sure with a "tail" or two from my parents on how the "kids" behaved while we were gone.

I did want to mention one thing in closing, and that is to thank all of you for the tremendous response to the Pet Corner. I have read every one of your comments and appreciate them all. There have been so many great ideas, suggestions and sharing of feelings about your beloved pets. I have been especially touched by the comments regarding pets who have passed away. I have been very choked up over many of your heartfelt words of loss and sadness over losing your pet and I so appreciate your kind words regarding my Orangie cat. Please know that my heart goes out to each and every one of you and that I have you all in my thoughts. Till next time, give all of your furry and feathered kids an extra hug from me!

Your friend, (currently sailing the ocean blue!)
Carolyn


PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for my Favorite QVC Pet Products and the most Frequently Asked Questions I receive from viewers.

Greetings once again!

I hope you and your beloved fur-balls and feathered family members have been enjoying the beginnings of Spring! Thanks again for the terrific response to our Pet Corner blog. As always, your questions, comments, ideas and suggestions regarding pets and pet products are always welcome here.

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that, often when I am out socially with family and friends, the conversation eventually involves something pet-related. Many times this will begin with my sharing a "Betty-ism". Betty is my 13 year old African Grey Parrot. Actually, she does not realize she is a parrot at all, rather, she feels she is a smaller, often more eloquent, human member of our family, only with grey feathers and a red tail!! We've had the pleasure of Betty's company since she was a little hand-fed bitty Betty, first weaned. From day one, she stole our hearts and took over the household. This was no small task, as my husband and I are very busy people, with two jobs, a household, and lots of other pet family members to give our love, care and attention to. Betty did not even consider any of this to be competition at all. She soon learned, with very little effort, how to get our attention: she started talking. Not just babbling...TALKING. First a word or two, in a bappy voice, (baby parrots are known as "bappies"), then in phrases, then sentences....and in the voices of several people that she is familiar with, mainly my husband. It's like living with a ventriloquist. Most of the time when she calls me from the next room, I can't tell if it's Betty or my husband, Mike.

Now, many parrots can learn how to talk and they are amazing in their ability to copy a sound or mimic a word. We have 10 parrots and several of them do talk....but none comes close to Betty's repertoire of words, songs, and sound effects. Betty's first word was "Wee-boo" (a mysterious Bappie word that I still don't know the meaning of), and her first sound effect was the "clip clop" sound of horses hooves. Then she said "Whit-Wooooo", which was actually her way of doing a "wolf whistle" before she could whistle. Now she whistles AND says "Whit-Woooo" depending on her mood. Okay...so for the sake of space here, I will skip ahead a few years and share with you some of her current favorites. She answers the phone when it rings here..."Hello? Uh huh, yeah, uh huh, okay, Bye",,,,,then" BEEEEEP", like the answering machine. Often, she will chime in with the phone and just start doing ringing noises until we pick it up. She knows the dogs by name and calls them....either by name or by whistling. "Come on, Henry! Good girl, Eliza"...or when there's a lot of barking going on, either inside or out in the backyard, she'll yell "QUUUIIEEETTTTT!!" in my husband's voice. And they actually DO stop barking!! She remembers pets that have passed away, especially two bunnies named Claude and Chipper. She still looks for them and calls their names, when she sees another bunny in the room. She sneezes, and coughs and clears her throat just like we do. She laughs along with the laugh track when a sitcom is on TV. Unfortunately she learned how to exactly mimic the loud beeping of the smoke detector and will sometimes break out into that "lovely" noise at random, just to annoy us! She whistles the entire tune of "the Andy Griffith Show, and the movie theme songs to James Bond, Star Wars and Indiana Jones among others. Often she'll whistle the Indiana Jones theme as we enter the front door after being gone at work or running errands. It makes us feel like we are making such a grand, red carpet entrance every time we come home. Now...tell me that does not cheer us up after a lousy day!!

Her sound effects include all sorts of food prep sounds from the kitchen...chopping, water dripping, the various appliances beeping. This is just the tip of the iceberg. One of the funniest Betty-isms happened last year on my birthday. My family was here visiting and we had a lovely dinner, followed by a homemade birthday cake from my Mom. Needless to say, there were A LOT of candles on that cake! As everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me, Betty was silent, observing from her cage. As I blew out the candles, and everyone applauded, suddenly amidst all the smoke Betty broke out into the emergency siren of a fire truck or ambulance!! We all laughed hysterically....she was right on cue!! Now THAT's a lot of candles on a birthday cake....Betty felt we needed to call the fire department!!

It's been really fun in the QVC salon lately too, because one of our wonderful stylists, Dina acquired a "Bappie" African Grey parrot, "Chi Chi" about a year ago, and now whenever I'm getting made up for my shows, we share stories of Chi Chi and Betty...just like two Moms sharing the latest things about their kids at school. I hope you've enjoyed a few of my Betty's gems. I promise to share more in future blogs. For now, as Betty and I say to each other every evening as I cover her cage, "Night Night" "Kiss Kiss" "See you tomorrow"!

With love to you and your animal friends,
Carolyn, Betty Bird and the Zoo

PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for my Favorite QVC Pet Products and the most Frequently Asked Questions I receive from viewers.

Hi Everyone!

Many of you have written to me to share your feelings during the difficult time of losing a pet. Our pets are truly members of our family and when one of them dies, it is not only very sad, but it leaves a gap in our lives, very similar to the loss of a human family member or friend. Our pets are our companions, who love us no matter what. They offer unconditional love and support and enthusiasm for us and make us feel as if we are the kings and queens of the world. Well, of course we are....certainly of THEIR world anyway and they make us feel wonderful, needed, happy, and oh so special. When our pets leave us, it's not easy to go on as before. No wagging tail, entwining kitty cat purrs, to sparkling eyes to greet us at the door. Remember to allow yourself to grieve for your pet and to go through the normal grieving process we need to go through when any family member or friend passes away. Talk to other family members and friends about your pet, look through photos, and remember how wonderful your pet made you feel. Our pets are truly gifts from God, put here to make our time in this life a little easier, a little happier and much more rewarding. We all wish they could be here longer than they are, but I think they are just such special creatures, that they are not meant to be here for long and we must cherish our memories of them, the feelings they brought us and the lessons we learned from them. Patience, kindness, tolerance, joy, living life to the fullest each day, not holding grudges, the benefits of quiet time and a good nap, and unconditional love. Our pets give us so much....that's why we try (or should try) to give them the best life they can have with us, while they are here.

We recently lost one of our cats, Orangie, to a heart ailment. It was very sudden...one day he was fine, the next day he could not breathe and we were rushing him to the emergency clinic. He died two days later after a valiant attempt by the doctors there to save him. He apparently had advanced heart disease at age 8. He never showed any signs or symptoms, and it was never picked up in his regular veterinary exams. My vet told me he was probably born with it and she was very surprised that he had lived to be 8 years old. Most cats born with this condition only live for a year or maybe two. Now, I'll tell you, Orangie had a great life with us. The life of Riley, as they say. He was rescued by us at age 18 months or so...I found him curled in a shy little ball at an adoption event at a pet store. He was trying to be invisible, but that bright orange fur certainly caught my eye...and then the VERY sweet face. Orangie hid behind my husband's sound booth for the first several days he was with us, and then gradually came around, making friends with the other pets and stealing everyone's heart. I've heard Orange Tabbies are one of the sweetest, gentlest breeds of cat, and I totally believe it. He was a love. He was absolute best pals with my Korat, Grey Poupon....they were inseperable most of the time. Grey Poupon had a very hard time when Orangie passed away, too. He became ill himself, due to depression and we had him in and out of the vet's office for a couple of weeks afterward. (I've attached a photo here of the two best pals). He has now come around, thanks to LOTS of extra attention and affection from my husband and me, as well as my little Cockapoo Eliza Jane, who was SO worried about him. They now snuggle together regularly, just like Grey and Orangie used to do. So, remember your other pets too, if you have a multi-pet household....when one passes away, the others will also feel the loss, some worse than others, as in Grey Poupon's case. Keep your spirits up and remember your pet will never be truly gone, as long as his memory stays in your heart. I've attached a link here to two of my favorite poems dealing with the loss of a pet. I hope they will bring you a bit of comfort and hope as well.

May God bless you and your wonderful pets!
Carolyn (and my critter crew)

PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for some exciting products.

Hi Everyone!

WOW! I am SO thrilled to see the response from all of the Q Pet Lovers already!! First, thanks VERY much for your comments, suggestions and tips about pets, pet care and pet product ideas for QVC! What a wealth of knowledge and experience we can all share with each other. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to have a Pet Corner on QVC.COM. Since I joined the Host Team, I have received so many wonderful emails and letters just like you're seeing on the "comments" section following these blogs. Isn't it fun to hear about everyone's beloved furry and feathered friends!! I am hoping we can add a page for your pet photos in the future....paws crossed! Meanwhile you are welcome to email photos of your babies to me here at QVC.

I wanted to take a moment to write about something that is very near and dear to my heart, especially at Easter time....and that is rabbits and rabbit adoption. I have been involved with rabbit rescue for a number of years. Rabbits make some of the most wonderful pets in the world. They are intelligent, gentle, playful, loving and have SUCH personality! Not to mention they are very quiet, with the exception of the occasional THUMP to express any number of things. I love my bunnies dearly!! Which is why, especially at this time of the year, I need to HOP up onto my soapbox. Every year at Easter time, the pet stores are full of adorable baby bunnies for sale. Every year, thousands of cute baby rabbits are purchased for Easter, often as a surprise for a child. Most of them end up abandoned or dumped at a shelter (or worse) before the year is over. Rabbits are not a child's toy. They are wonderful, living creatures that often live 8-13 years or more with the proper care, love and attention. Although they look cute and cuddly, most rabbits do not like to be held. So if you are thinking of getting a pet rabbit for Easter, take the time to learn about rabbits and their care first. Rabbits can and often DO make wonderful family pets, but they are not the right choice for every family and they are never the right choice for anyone's Easter basket. (Unless they are made of chocolate and wrapped in foil!) So, please do not buy your child a pet rabbit for Easter.....buy your little one a stuffed toy instead. If you would like to learn more about rabbits and their proper care, I highly recommend visiting the websites of The House Rabbit Society, and two wonderful rabbit rescue groups that I am familiar with...Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue, and The Bunny Bunch. I'm sure you will find the answers to many of your questions there. If you already have a pet rabbit, you will still find tons of great info there, along with some really safe and fun toys for your bunny. You are welcome to email me anytime with rabbit questions or to share bunny tails and photos from YOUR house. Remember, after you've done some research and you're ready for a bunny of your own, please ADOPT! Visit your local animal shelter to see all of the wonderful rabbits waiting for loving homes. There is sure to be SOMEBUNNY just perfect for you and your family!

Now, if you will excuse me...I'm off to feed MY rabbits....tonight's menu: LOTS of timothy hay, a small amount of pellets, and a nice serving of greens including romaine lettuce, parsley and cilantro...all washed down with lots of fresh, cool water! Yum!

HAY! (I mean HEY!) Don't forget to tune into our next QVC Pet Shop, coming up on March 20th at 11 a.m. ET, with lots of cool things for your dogs and cats. (No worries, I'm working on getting some items for rabbits in the future!) Meanwhile, check out the Minute Groom Waterless Pet Bath and Quick Clean Brush Set . It cleans and deodorizes your dog or cat without water...and also moisturizes the skin. We'll have this and lots more coming up on the 3/20 show with Jacque Gonzales.

Till next time, Happy Easter from me, the Gracie bunnies and the rest of our critter crew!
Carolyn

PS. Don’t forget to visit QVC’s Pet Supplies department for more exciting products.

I hope you've been enjoying our new area dedicated to pets, as much as I've been enjoying writing it! Just a reminder that in addition to this blog page, I have also listed two other pages that you'll want to check out. One is a page of Frequently Asked Questions , made up of the questions I receive the most in my emails from QVC viewers that are on the topic of pets. You may find the answer to a question you were thinking of here, as well. Another page to take a look at is my list of Favorite QVC Pet Products. This is made up of products that I love...not only for your pets, like toys, beds and grooming tools, but also products with a pet theme for you as well.... like jewelry, clothing and home decor, as well as household cleaning products. It's sort of a "shortcut" to finding some great pet-related items that we offer. As I've mentioned on the air, my "dream pet show" would be made up of a product list like this...some items for your pets and some items for YOU as well. A show where you could find your dog a hot new toy and yourself a cute new doggie charm bracelet...or how about matching sweaters for you and Rover? Anyway, you get the idea. Meanwhile, this Pet Corner product list will get your started. By the way, YOUR suggestions about pet products or pet-related items that you would love to see available on QVC are ALWAYS WELCOME here!! Please do feel free to tell us what you'd like to see available on our upcoming Pet Shows and on QVC.COM as well. It could be something you've always hunted for...or something you ran across at a Pet Expo, in a little boutique, or in a magazine. Let us know and we'll see if we can make it available for you and your pets here at QVC.

Speaking of QVC Pet Shop shows....please mark your calendar for our next one, coming up on Thursday, March 20th at 11a.m. ET with Jacque Gonzales!! We'll have lots of great products on the show for your dogs and cats...and here's a sneak peek at a couple of them, in case you want to get a jump on your pet shopping: the Furminator works if you have problems with excess pet hair around your house and on your clothes, this very popular grooming tool will put you ahead of the game, but removing loose hair from your pet BEFORE it gets all over everything else! This is definitely one of my "must haves" and is also included on my favorite pet products list. The show will also feature Three Piece Microfiber Dog Drying Towel and Mitt Set . This is also a nice edition to your dog grooming collection....super soft and super absorbent and cute too! Too often, I think we either save our yuckiest old towels for drying the dog (not so great for the dog) OR, we give up on trying to bathe our dogs at home because we don't have the right tools, and then we wind up spending a ton of money at the groomer. If you'd prefer to wash your own doggie, this set is a handy tool. Also check out my Favorite QVC Pet Products list for a terrific doggie shampoo set from none other than the fabulous Nick Chavez!!

Until next time....I'll leave you with a quote that is framed at my vet's office “Dogs come when called....Cats take a message”. (Certainly true at my house!)

With love to you and your pets,
Carolyn (and my critter crew)

PS. Check out QVC’s Pet Supplies department for more exciting products.

Welcome fellow QVC pet lovers, long time pet owners, new pet "parents" and those who may be considering adding a new pet to their household. This is the NEW Pet Corner Forum, hosted by yours truly, Carolyn Gracie. As someone shares her home with a wonderful array of God's creatures and who has been actively involved with pet rescue, I have wanted to get this started for quite some time. I want to send a big shout out and thank you to a couple of wonderful gals from our internet team, Kris and Kim, for being quite instrumental in getting this off the ground! In this section, we will be featuring my blog, updated bi-weekly, in which I'll share stories of pets past and present, my pets and yours. I have been receiving a lot of email with questions relating to pets, and so you will also find a link here to a page of answers to frequently asked pet questions. Many of you have asked me to recommend the QVC pet products that I use and have found to be helpful to me and enjoyable to my pets, as we