A is for...

As some of you probably already know, April is the month of the A to Z Challenge.

Each year, when this fun challenge rolls around, I spend my fair share of time brainstorming what to do. Since I'm a stick in the mud, that brainstorming always ends with lots of doodles in my sketchbook. This year, my alphabetical doodles are all going to star my angel Rosie. What's more, in this A to Z series of doodles, Rosie will be going throughout a more or less routine sort of day, doing this and that, A to Z style. So, what's Rosie doing today with the letter A?

A is for...Alarm Clock Wars

Throughout this A to Z challenge, I'm going to do my best to share furbaby photos that in some way correlate with angel Rosie's daily alphabetical adventures. This might require me to go through old photos, share some flashbacks, make some serious liberties in interpreting photos, and change up the resident furbabies' usual scheduled days to star on the blog. Despite all of that, we're going to see if we can't go all out with this A to Z Challenge. For today's A to Z topic of Alarm Clock Wars, we have for you Evan, at the moment he realizes the alarm is going off for real and not just in a nightmare. That's a tough reality to stomach.

Wishing you all lots of snoozies, sans the alarm clock!

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Our Tip of the Day:

We're so into this A to Z Challenge, that throughout this month, we're even going to do our best to produce tips that correspond with that day's alphabetical topic. Today, we are indeed talking about alarm clocks, or other potential items in the home that might produce loud noises. When using noisy products such as an alarm clock, try your best to keep your furbaby in mind. Though it is often indeed important that we humans wake up with the help of an alarm clock so that we can get up and bring home the bacon for our furbabies, we also need to keep in mind that our kitties and pups might be alarmed or scared by loud noises.

If you bring home or already parent a more skittish cat or dog, try to slowly get them used to sounds such as that of an alarm clock. You can do mock, practice exercises with an alarm clock, starting with having it go off for only short bouts, and on a low volume. Sometimes, with repetition, a cat or dog can acclimate and learn that a particular noise, such as that of the alarm clock, is not a source of harm or fear. In other cases, you might have to get a bit more creative to help a kitty or pup accept the alarm clock. If need be, consider choosing an alarm clock that allows for different sounds, or even music, to be used to wake you. Your kitty or pup might be scared by a jarring beep, but not by a more melodic sound or a song playing when it's time to rise and shine.

It is worth it to note that, in some cases, a particularly skittish cat or dog may never fully acclimate to certain sounds or other sources of fear. In such cases, simply ensure that your kitty or pup has a safe place to go should they feel the need to hide even temporarily, such as when the alarm clock goes off in the morning. Whether this be a quiet room or an area beneath the bed, make sure that your kitty or pup has a place they know they can go to feel safe. The important thing is to observe and understand your individual furbaby, determine whether or not they are scared by sounds such as an alarm clock's beeping, and then find the best solution to allow you to have a wake-up call while also allowing your kitty or pup to feel safe.