Squirt says hi from his pet stroller

Squirt is a customer at our bricks-and-mortar store in Milwaukee. His human companion purchased a Happy Trails pet stroller some months ago. His first trip in the stroller he seemed a little nervous, but within a few days he adjusted and now absolutely loves it. We're told he runs right for the stroller whenever he's asked if he wants to take a walk.

Squirt can run into some agressive dogs during his walk, and being a little guy he sometimes could be intimidated. Now, he stays in the stroller for certain portions of his walk, and then hops out at the park or as he walks down streets on which he feels more comfortable.

This picture was taken in our store. He has his pillow and blanket along for the ride in his pet stroller.

If you have any pet stroller pictures you wish to share, please visit http://justpetstrollers.com/contact.html for our contact info.

"Massive Thanks" for a pet stroller

We love to hear from our customers (and to share their feedback with you). Just got this from a customer who purchased a Happy Trails pet stroller:

I would just like to say a massive thanks to you for the stroller. It managed some very rough terrain and is still intact. It also survived a bad rain shower and kept it's waterproofness.

But most of all my pup loved it to bits. She even crawled in one day to go to sleep as it's her little safe house now. She is growing quickly so i am getting as much use out of it as possible. Lots of people loved it who stopped to look at her in it and believe me EVERYONE stopped.

I have printed out a picture of her in it and it is on my vets notice board, i took the liberty of adding your website on there in case anyone wants to order one.

Once again a massive, huge thanks for all your help in making sure I received it in time. We walked miles and couldn't have done all our usual mileage without it.

Best regards

Hazel

Thanks Hazel!

Call to voice your displeasure over unfunny animal abuse game

While I often hate to give any additional visibility to things that are better off ignored, I was appalled by an unfunny online game that involves the abuse of dead pets. The site (deadpetsgame.com) supports a book that "explores and explains the universe of the Dead Pet. From dead pets in public life... to a selection of the cruellest (sic) deaths meted out to pets in the movies... from a comparison of attitudes and doctrines of pet afterlife across religions to Ancient Roman recipes for dormice and songbirds."

I won't fault the publisher of the book (Canongate) for the book itself--I love that we live in a world and country where people are free to purchase or read virtually anything. But that doesn't mean that a "game" in such poor taste needs to be used to market a book. Animal abuse isn't funny, and offering a free game where any kid (or adult) can beat a dead animal with a baseball bat is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable.

I try to keep my sense of humor about things, but I let the publisher know I did not approve and requested they take down the Web site. If you agree (or if you disagree and feel the publisher's site is appropriate), you can e-mail the publisher at customerservices@canongate.co.uk.

Uses for Pet Strollers

We keep getting e-mail and customer comments about purposes for pet strollers. This all started with one person asking "Why would anyone need a pet stroller?" So, here is the complete list built by our customers:

• Snow/Winter: A northerner reported her dogs paws were taking a beating on the ice and salt, so she purchased a pet stroller to get her dog to the parks where they can play safely. She loved the stroller and shared a picture (at right.)
• Festivals: One couple liked to take their dog to local festivals, but between the crowds, noise, and other agressive animals, they found it stressful rather than relaxing. With the pet stroller, they keep their small dog safe and the puppy still enjoys getting some fresh air.
• Jogging: One athletic customer reported using the pet stroller while jogging. She reported that the pet stroller wheels could get wobbly at higher jogging speeds. (We expect to add a true jogging stroller to the line of pet strollers at http://www.justpetstrollers.com/ within the next month or two.)
• Boaters: A boater said she loved using the stroller to get her dog onto the boat safely since her pet didn't enjoy walking on the docks.
• Traveling: The right pet stroller can make it much easier to travel with a pet. One customer who took a lot of driving trips especially liked the Kittywalk model, which includes a detachable carrier and collapsible frame--this allowed her to keep her pet secure in the car and easily roll the pet into buildings.
• Alternative to pet carriers: Some pets can be walked into their vet's office, but some pets need to carried. Rather than using a heavy carrier, some customers find it much easier to use a pet stroller (which really is just a rolling pet carrier).
• Cats: Cats can be tough to walk on leashes--if you don't get them into harnesses at a young age, some cats will never adjust to a harness. A cat stroller is a great way for cats (or rabbits, ferrets, or other animals) to get some fresh air.
• Injuries: Animals with certain types of injuries cannot be walked for long distances but still want to get outdoors.
• Safety: We have had city customers use a stroller to get their dogs to parks--the stroller keeps them safe on congested urban streets. Another customer had a dog that could get aggressive, so walking him in the dog stroller helped to keep him calm (and other dogs safe.)
• Teacup dogs: Some small dogs cannot be walked very far, so customers find they can get all the way to the park and back if they use a pet stroller.
• More quality time: One customer shared that the stroller simply gave her more quality time with her pet. Using the stroller, she could take her dog more places than she could've otherwise, so she and her pet were enjoying more time together.

Any other purposes for a pet stroller? If so, let us know, please!

Another picture of a pet in a stroller

One of our friends reports his Shiba Inu loves riding in the pet stroller, and he shared a picture (which we're sharing with you).

Will my pet enjoy being strolled?

A month ago we posted the question "Will my pet enjoy being strolled?" Most pets will take to the stroller right away, but you'll find some tips to help your pet adjust in that older post.

I thought I'd share the following e-mail we just received from Zeda in California, which may help answer the question about if pets enjoy being strolled:

I received my Happy Trails stroller the other day and finally got off my duff today and assembled it. It is great! The "assembly" just consisted of putting the wheels and drink tray on so even I could do it.

I put my miniature pinscher (Terminator) into it and he immediately loved it. He is young (about 2 years old) and I figured he would want out on the ground to walk and sniff --- that wasn't the case. He was playing "King of the Hill" in the stroller.

I was also more than pleased with the quality of the stroller, it is made better than some that I see that people use for their children!!!

I have already emailed a couple of people to tell them about you --- hopefully this will bring you more business. If you wish, feel free to put this into your "Customer Raves" section.

Thanks for the comments, Zeda. We really appreciate when our customers share their questions, praise, and concerns!

ABC Television Looking for Families Who Love Their Pets

This isn't related to pet strollers but may be of interest to those of you who own or want a pet stroller:

A Casting Producer with ABC Television has contacted us and asked us to pass the word to our customers that they're looking for families who truly love to pamper their pets! ABC is seeking unique, outgoing, over-the-top dog fanatic families for their upcoming season of 'Wife Swap!'

Please don't be confused by the title - "Wife Swap" is a family show on ABC primetime. The premise is simple: two moms from two very different families get the opportunity to swap lives (but not bedrooms!) for a week to experience what it's like to live a different lifestyle - and to see what they can teach each other about their own! All featured families will be given a financial honorarium of $20,000!

ABC is looking for two parent families with children (ages 5 and older) that are up for an adventure. If you're interested, please e-mail your contact info to petlover@metropawlis.com and we will, in turn, forward it on to the contact at ABC.