Food 4 Paws

05/29/2026

Good morning. Oliver is with me today. He is so happy to be back to being official store greeter. Stop in and say hi!! And stock up on some yummy snacks.
Have a GREAT day!!

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05/28/2026

Some more info I just found online regarding the hazards of tennis balls. I had heard several years ago that the lettering contains lead. Turns out it does.

The Facts on Lettering and Toys.
The Research: Studies conducted by groups like The Ecology Center’s Healthy Stuff Lab found that roughly 48% of tested pet products, including tennis balls made for pets, contained detectable levels of lead.
The Lettering Risk: In some cases, the painted logos or lettering alone registered significantly high levels of lead and other toxins (like arsenic), far exceeding safety standards allowed for children.

Why Tennis Balls Can Be Problematic
Aside from the potential toxicity in printed logos, traditional tennis balls have other hidden hazards for dogs:
Felt Abrasion: The felt fuzz acts like sandpaper, slowly grinding down your dog's tooth enamel.
Industrial Glues: Balls designed for humans use glues that dogs shouldn't regularly chew, and their felt can collect abrasive sand or dirt.
Choking Hazards: Dogs that love to shred can swallow pieces of the felt, which can cause intestinal blockages.

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05/28/2026

Good morning. What a nice day it is today. We have some some good ones lately. And not that much wind. Yay.
Let's talk about tennis balls. Dogs LOVE them but did you know they are HORRIBLE for their teeth?? The rough texture of tennis balls can erode the enamel on dog's teeth. NOT good.
But an even more scary thing is tennis balls can harbor dangerous bacteria. Like Tetanus. Yes, Tetanus!!! TWO dogs have recently died at Iowa State Vet Hospital of Tetanus!!! TWO!!
Tetanus is a bacteria and deadly. We have been told for years we can get it from rusty nails and deep wounds. Not really. Tetanus lives in the ground. The vets at Iowa State vet hospital said it is everywhere really, on their floors even. But tennis balls being sponge like can absorb that bacteria. And if a dog has a bad tooth or a sore in it's mouth, they can get Tetanus from the tennis ball.
Yes, that is coming from the vets at Iowa State Vet hospital.
So if your dog loves balls, give them anything BUT a tennis ball.
Some other type of material.
Be safe and have a great day!!

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05/27/2026

Change of plans. A friend is going to watch the shop while I got to Clark's appointment with him. Thank you friend!!
Shop is OPEN NORMAL HOURS today.

05/26/2026

Good afternoon. I hope you all had a nice long Holiday weekend. Mine was not what I had hoped it would be. But that's life right. And that is why it is so important to make the most of the time we have with those that we love.
Let's talk about feet for a bit. Our feet are SO important. They are our foundation. When our feet hurt our whole body hurts. Our feet are also reflex points to all the systems and organs in the body.
I dremel my dog's nails every 2 to 3 weeks. Yep, our nails grow just as fast and we file them that often. I also trim the hair around their paws and pads at the same time. I hate grinch feet. I like tidy toes as I call them. I was trimming Lucy's nails and hair when I found she had large mats in her back feet. In the center, between the pads. That must have felt like she was walking on a big ball of something.
Another time when I was trimming Kally's nails she had gotten a pinecone like thing stuck in the middle of one of her feet. I know she must have gotten that morning on our walk. At least I think that's when she got it.
So it's very important to check out your pet's feet often and keep them neat and tidy.
Have a great day everyone.

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05/22/2026

Good morning. I am OPEN today, Friday.
I will be CLOSED SATURDAY, for the holiday weekend.
Funny story. Often times meds used for humans are used in the animal world too. Gabapentin and Tramadol are a couple are used often. One of my husband's antibiotic is Metronidazole. We give that to dogs for diarrhea usually. But it has that antibiotic too.
Clark took one last night and made the worst face and said that taset HORRIBLE!!! I laughed!! I asked him if he wanted me to give it to him in a spoon full of peanut butter!!! 😆
He used yogurt instead!!!
He has to take that one 3 times a day for 7 days!!!
Stop in and get stocked up for all your pet's needs for the long holiday weekend.
Have a great day!!!

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05/21/2026

I am here and OPEN.
We had a little bump in our healing road yesterday.
My husband had an emergency appendectomy! Not how I thought my day would go. But he is home and, on the mend, again.
He had hip replacement surgery 5 weeks ago. And he had a tooth pulled 10 days before the hip surgery. So, I think we have had our 3 things and should be good for awhile. Until the 2nd hip surgery in September anyway. It's all good. I am very grateful to ALL the staff at the hospital. Waiting in the ER is NOT fun but it's what you have to do in a situation like this.
You all stay WELL!!

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05/19/2026

Good afternoon. That was quite the thunderstorm this morning. Kally was not a fan. She moved over by Oliver's bed and laid with her head under the bed I think. When I got them up however she had her head laying on the dog bed where Ruby was laying.
Kally has never gotten on the furniture or laid on a dog bed.
Coming from a puppy mill I'm sure she never had a bed to lay on.
She could now if she wanted but her head has been the closest she has come to laying on a dog bed. Whatever makes her happy.
Have a great day.

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05/16/2026

Good morning. I hope you didn't have any bad storms last night. We had thunder, rain and wind. But nothing terrible. And thankfully I no longer have dogs that are afraid of storms.
I know many dogs are however very afraid of storms.
I have some great calming treats to help your pets get through the noisy weather. Stop in and check them out today. As we have more storms coming throughout the weekend and Monday.
Have a great day!!

05/15/2026

Good morning. Another beautiful day.
Oliver is so funny in the mornings when I'm getting breakfast ready. When he knows it's getting close he gives me a little nose bop on the back of my leg. He is such a precious boy. All my kids are!!
Have a great day!!
Remember I will be close next Saturday, May 23rd for Memorial Day weekend.