I Spy on Woof Woof Wednesday

Astrid was playing I Spy on one of her walks the other day. First she spied something white and black. Can you see what she saw?

Astrid spied a soccer ball in the creek. Isn't that nice? It's certainly not the weirdest thing we've ever seen in this creek. But there's something else Astrid spied near that soccer ball. Actually, it's a few somethings, all brown and feathered. Do you see them?

You probably can't see it very well, since this zoomed in photo leaves a lot to be desired, but there is a mama duck and her ducklings just ahead of the soccer ball. Astrid has always been quite fascinated by ducks. Not so much when it comes to geese, though. Astrid thinks geese are downright terrifying, and she'd rather run away from them than walk past them.

Astrid hopes you all enjoyed her game of I Spy! Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Yesterday we shared a flashback doodle from a past Father's Day, simply because we forgot to share it around actual Father's Day. So, how about another forgotten Father's Day doodle from a year past? This one illustrates my dad's daily life with curtain-shredding kitties, including a couple of chubby little cuties who often need helping cleaning their rear ends. Makes sense, right?

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Tip of the Day

We've been offering some pet parenting hacks, including ways to save money or space while also having a happy furbaby. Today's tip is another plain and simple one, and that's to consider making your own toys for your cats, or even your pups. For example, if you have an old shirt you no longer intend to wear, you can cut it up and use the cloth to create simple knot toys for your cat. If you have some catnip on hand, you can even include some of that in the knot itself, or let the toy soak up some catnip in a sealed bag prior to gifting it to your cat. You can also use old clothes to make knotted or braided toys for a dog, as long as the dog is not know to eat such items. Even a lone or unwanted sock could be used as a toy, such as simply by rolling it into a ball that a cat or dog could bat around or chase. You can even fill it with or soak it in catnip for a kitty.

You could even try your hand at making an interactive toy for your kitty, or even your pup. One such idea is to take a Tupperware container, cut roughly golf ball-sized holes in its lid, put some of your kitty's toys or treats in the container, put the lid on, and let your kitty use the holes to have fun trying to access their goodies. Then again, a cardboard box might work just as well for this DIY interactive cat toy. Interactive toys such as this can be great for a cat or dog's physical as well as mental health, especially if they are spending extra time closed up indoors due to the weather. It's even better when you can save money by creating such toys yourself.

The options for making your own cat toys, or even dog toys, are endless. You can even take cardboard boxes to make a cheap castle for your kitty. So, if you're looking to save some money, or if you want to find a use for safe yet unused items such as clothing, then consider how they might be used to create something fun for your furbaby. If you want further ideas, there are an astonishing number of ideas online, so look into all of your options if you wish to. Of course, always make your furbaby's health and happiness your highest priority, so do not create any toys that might put them at risk.