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The PetsitUSA.com News

November - December, 2007     Page 1     Page 2

Lighted Dog Collars & Leashes
(continued)

Conditions of Use
If you are letting your dog roam in the woods or the backyard then we recommend the Visiglo collars because they are the most visible. If your dog is swimming in a lake or a pool, remove the lighted collar, and put on a cloth or nylon collar. For visibility in water, we recommend the spotlits, which float above your dog and are waterproof.

Older Dogs
Many people find as their dogs age that they are restless at night and typically have poor eyesight and hearing. They are worried about stepping on the dog during the night. The Niteize glow collar is perfect for this situation because the gentle glow lets you know where your dog is without disturbing your sleep.

Dog Parks
Any lighted collar will work but you might also consider the Spotlit. It hangs under their collar and has a flicker and glow setting. The white is used by the military and is super bright. Also popular are the blinkie lights and the puplights, which also serve as a flashlight for your dog.

Lighted Leashes
A lighted dog leash is the perfect complement to the lighted dog collar. The leash forms a visible line between you and the dog protecting you both while you are walking. The same flickering or blinking lights create a bright light that draws drivers' eyes to you both. THE LED leashes are the most visible and come in a variety of styles. There are also glow leashes and reflective leashes that are not quite as visible. Once you walk at night with this leash, you will not want to walk at night without one.

To protect you at night, I recommend wearing a reflective arm band or lighted accessory to protect you at night, particularly when you aren't with your dog.

With the change in daylight savings time upon us but with the great fall weather, there's no better time to get out there and walk safely.

Karen Gold runs Keepdoggiesafe.com, and has been working with pets for the past 30 years. Keep Doggie Safe researches and tests all of the products with a research panel for durability, visibility, quality materials, and warranties. Karen can be contacted at topdog@keepdoggiesafe.com.

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A Tale of Two Inspiring Dogs

My husband was a firefighter, a Battalion Chief, in Pomona, CA. In 1999 he was killed in the line of duty in an airplane accident, on a trip to a coordinator’s meeting in Sacramento, CA. Due to bad weather he landed in Bakersfield and called to tell me of the delay, but three hours later he left the airfield to fly home. On his way, he hit bad weather in Gorman, CA, and flew his plane into a mountain at 140 mph. I was contacted at 1 a.m. in the morning that he had been killed and was in the Los Angeles morgue.

I was absolutely devastated. I was in an electric wheelchair at the time because of a neck injury, so I called my son who Mother. I didn't know how I was going to manage without my husband, and being in a wheelchair forever didn't help. I was unable to work because I was permanently disabled. My Mother stayed with me for a week, and reality set in when she said to me, "Carla, you're a widow now." I truly realized I was all alone in this difficult world.

My husband's Dalmatian’s name was Boot, like a recruit on the fire department. He rode on the ladder trucks with him when he went on calls, and was devoted to my husband. He loved me too.

I was determined to get out of that wheelchair and walk again, by any means possible. I went to a new neurosurgeon and when he said, "Carla, I think I can get you out of that chair some of the time". I was filled with joy. A new determination came over me. The doctor put me in braces up to my knees and I used a long walking stick, and by golly, I learned to walk with them. I used them for two years, with my faithful dog Boot close by my side.

When I developed a knot in my heel, a bone specialist told me I had to get out of the braces and back in my wheelchair or I would destroy the bones in my ankles. I came home and threw my braces in the trash and walked with a cane. Determined, after several months I started walking on my own.

Today, I walk really well, and am starting a part-time pet sitting business. Sadly, I had to put down my best friend Boot because of extremely advanced arthritis. Boot was 14 1/2 years old.

I have a new dog in my life now, a yellow lab. His name is Joshua and he is the light of my life. We are totally bonded to each other, and he is my best friend. I trained him both in a novice class and in an intermediate class, and he won first place in one event and second in another. We walk and play ball every day. His favorite pastimes are playing fetch and his playing in his very own small swimming pool - he just plain loves water!

I still miss my beloved husband of 23 years, but I am content, happy, and because of my two very special dogs, I consider myself a very lucky person.

Karla Murray is the owner of Murray's Wet Nose Pet Sitting

Do you have a great pet story?

If you've got a great story about your pet that you'd like to share, we'd like to hear from you! We're looking for stories about funny pets, lovable pets, pet heroes, and more. Contact us with your story and we may put it in our next newsletter.