Wishing you hopeful holidays: We may not all suffer the same this season, but we can heal together

This Christmas I feel something I haven't felt in the past few years; calm. The past few years have been transitional for me. Moving away and starting anew. Again. Sometimes my life feels like it's in a perpetual state of starting over. Losing Keira was devastating. Isolation from the pandemic was beginning to drag me down. The veterinary industry has been in a crisis and empathy is not always a renewable resource. Healing the fault lines on my surface was something I knew needed more attention. When you compare last Christmas, featuring another COVID catastrophe and a looming clown convoy, to this year, it's like going from a panic attack to finally taking a deep breath. Switching from heavy metal to folk music. Folk music is the sound I want to live with.

This post contains affiliate links to pawsitively adorable dog products, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Bum wiggle-worthy dog gifts: Canadian-made Christmas and holiday dog collars that are merry and bright

It's beginning to look a lot like spoil your dog season! What better way to make your dog merry than a new collar that will make it stand out from the rest of the pack? We don't have much time left for holiday shopping, but I wanted to squeak in another holiday dog gift guide to support local sellers. I searched Etsy for the most festive holiday and Christmas collars for dogs that are made in Canada to share with you. 

Etsy is an online shopping platform that supports small, independent sellers and creators where you can find unique, handmade, and one-of-a-kind products. It offsets 100% of its carbon emissions from shipping. This Christmas if you must shop online, support independent sellers by shopping Etsy. 

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking one of my links

Hill's for the holidays: Making sure our pets are well groomed, well fed, and stay safe this season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Our pets are as much a part of our holiday celebration as any other family member. I know my dog Hazel is! So, how do we get our fur-family holiday ready? It's all about priorities. My top priority is keeping Hazel safe this time of year because she is a trouble magnet. Hazel’s top priority is having a full tummy at all times!  

'Make More Merry' with Petco: Certified dog trainer Darris Cooper shares holiday safety tips and his top picks for dog gifts 

Let the festive season begin! Holiday festivities include gift shopping, and although we may have mixed feelings about this, our pets LOVE it! Not the shopping but the gift-receiving part. I'm not trying to throw shade at cats, but let's be honest; dogs are often much more enthusiastic when opening holiday gifts. Hazel is adorable. She's learned what gifts are and assumes all gifts under the tree are for her of course, and how to tear into them to get her prize. She shoves her big, fluffy head into gift bags, and holds wrapped gifts between her giant paws to rip the paper off with pup-precision.