welcoming the wintertime.

Since I've lived in Nashville, I've noticed that the fall season holds on as long as it can until winter finally comes crashing in. After the blazing hot summer that we had, it will be nice to pull out the cozy blankets, sweaters, and scarves. [Remind me that I said that in a few weeks when I'm crying out for the summer to come back]. It's supposed to rain all day tomorrow and then drop to 32*F tomorrow night. Being from New England, I'm used to lots of ice, but I'm also used to snow plows and rock salt and ice scrapers.

During my first winter in Nashville - which was also my first winter with Claire - not only did I learn about the city's lack of proper equipment to keep everyone safe during snowy/icy conditions, but I also learned about how dangerous rock salt is for dogs. It gets between their paw pads and causes abrasions. The dogs then lick their paws, leading to the ingestion of rock salt, which makes them extremely sick. When the vet warned me about this, I bought little booties for Claire - not as a fashion statement, but to keep her safe. She was high-stepping around town for a whole ten minutes before deciding that she'd had enough, and she ripped them off and tore them to shreds. I got the message. That was not going to work. I ended up spending the winter wiping her paws off with warm water every single time we came inside.

When I went to the BarkWorld conference a couple weeks ago, I found out about a product that will change your life. Or, it will at least change your winter: thanks to Morton Salt's Safe-T-Pet Ice Melt, I don't have to make Claire wear boots, nor do I have to worry about washing her paws constantly. It's salt-free and chloride-free - safe for pets, safe for people. And guess what else! Morton is making a donation of $20,000 to the ASPCA to help keep pets safe in homes and in shelters. But they need your help!! Increase their donation by visiting the Morton Salt Facebook page and "liking" the page - Morton is going to donate an additional $1 for each "like" that they receive before January 31 which could equal up to $75,000 in total donations. They have also posted some great winter pet safety tips on their FB page too, so go check it out, and then let me know if you have any tips to add by leaving a comment for me!