Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Lauren (as Katy Perry) and Hannah (Banana)! What are you dressing up as?

Pros of a Pet Rat!

If you read my blog or know me, you know I have had a pet rat for over a year now. I've always wanted one and when I was living in an apartment I decided to get one after doing some research. Most people are freaked out by the prospect of someone having a pet rat, but I want to give you some pros to getting a rat for a pet!

1. They are adorable! When most people think of a rat, they think of the giant ones in movies with beady red eyes. My rat is black and white with black eyes and the cutest little face!

2. They are pretty easy to care for and low maintenance. All you have to do is clean their cage regularly, give them fresh water and food and keep them entertained with treats, toys, and play time. My rat always puts his bedding into his food dish - no clue why but I always have to un-bury his food!

3. They are very smart. I wish I had more time and patience to teach Buddy more tricks, but I taught him to stand on his hind legs and take treats nice. You know he listens because when I give him a treat he will go to snatch it, but I will say "Take it nice now..." and he will gently take it from me. I know you can even litter train them if you have the time!

4. They are fun. Rats like to have a lot of human interaction. Buddy loves his house though and loves to stay in his cage, but taking him out to play is important. I let him run around my living room with supervision and he loves to just sit in your arms and cuddle. Who would have thought rats love to snuggle? :) Rats prefer to live with other rat friends, but I am only able to have one and I feel bad when I get busy and don't get to hang out with Buddy as much as I'd like. But even when he is alone a lot, he never gets angry about it and loves when someone comes to talk to him or plays music for him.

5. They are loving. Buddy loves to lick me and I read that it means they consider you part of their family - so cute!


6. They are really clean. Buddy constantly cleans himself, much like a cat (but no hairballs!). While his cage gets smelly, cleaning it regularly will solve this problem.

I hope this inspired you to get a pet rat or simply just be kind to those who choose to have one instead of going... "Ew a rat?!?!" You should definitely give them a chance!

Do You Dress Up Your Pet?

I’m sure you’ve all seen it. A poodle dolled up with bows, a sweater, maybe even little booties and a hat to match. Dressing up your pet for Halloween is quite popular, but many people choose to dress up their pet on a regular basis. In the winter it is completely justified to put your dog in a sweater, especially if they have short fur. But what about designer doggie clothes? Wigs for your cat? Is this completely strange or a popular trend that is here to stay?

Nearly two-thirds of Americans have at least one pet and Americans total spend $41 billion a year on their furry friends. Sure, some of this counts for food and toys, but it also includes the ever-expanding industry for pet clothing.

From raincoats to sweaters, wigs and crowns to shirts and pants, and even pajamas, the world of pet fashion is certainly booming! But do pets love this attention or will they hate you for it?

Mario DiFante thinks they love it. DiFante, who staged New York’s first Pet Fashion Week last August, has an elevated view of the place of dogs and cats in the family hierarchy. As he puts it: “Many of us consider pets as the new babies.” That means clothing furry little ones in a range of sweaters, raincoats, leather jackets, and dresses. For Lara Alameddine, co-founder of Little Lily, a better word might be “babes.” Her four-year-old company clears $1 million a year selling products including doggie slippers, bikinis, and even canine versions of Oscar-night gowns. It’s popular with celebrity dog owners such as Paris Hilton, who often dresses up her Chihuahua, Tinkerbell. “We’re catering to the owner’s sense of style,” says Alameddine. “There are no bones on our clothes.”

With shows like “The Dog Whisperer” popping up everywhere, we are encouraged more and more to treat our pets like our children. We feed them, give them toys and love, and now even clothe them! While many fashionistas use this as an excuse to dress up their pet as they would themselves, some people just like the novelty of it and love their pet so much they want to treat them like family. As long as the pet isn’t harmed in any way, what is wrong with that?

Now you’re itching to dress up your pet? Head to a local pet boutique! Teacups & Toys is a pet boutique in Birmingham that offers fashion for all dogs, no matter the size. The Four-Legged Socialite Pet Boutique in Ann Arbor is another fancy place for pets. Finally, Bark Place Avenue in Rochester is a doggie spa to pamper your pet and also has unique clothes and toys! You can also find pet clothing in your local pet store, such as Petsmart, Pet Supplies Plus, and more. Even Martha Stewart has a brand of pet clothing at Petsmart!

What do you think? Check out these photos of dolled up pets and tell us what you think: ridiculous trend or totally adorable?

See the original article on ASKinyourface.com!

My loves!

Getting dry after a bath!

Wearing my cute scarf!

Here are some cute recent pictures of my pets - they're amazing! :)

Pet Update!

Hannah Banana is getting old! :( She will be 12 in April and I hate seeing her get older, but she is still so cute and sweet even when she begs for treats.

Buddy! He's learned to go up on his hind legs when I say "Up!" and he takes treats nice when you say "Be nice!". He's adorably fun! :)

Pet Update: Hannah the Dog

For those of you new to this blog, I have two pets. One is Hannah the dog, who is 11 years old and the other is Buddy the rat.

Here are some pets names I like to use with Hannah (this may make me sound a little crazy...but who cares right?) ;): Hannah Banana, Hannah Montana, Hannerpus, Nutter Butter, Noodlehead, Nut, Silly Goose, Sassy...and the list goes on. I love my Hanny Banany. :)

Here are some pictures that I love of her. She is more tired and lazy these days as she ages, but she is still sassy, fun, loud, and energetic. In fact, most people as how old my "puppy" is!






Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway! It ends soon!

Pet Update: Buddy the Rat

So if you follow my blog, you'll know that I have a dog named Hannah and a rat named Buddy! Here's some updates on how Buddy is doing...

1. I bought him some different shaped and different colored wood blocks to play with. For some reason, if you put them on top of his castle, he immediately will pick them up and put them back in the corner. Any other toys, he leaves alone! Here's a video...



2. He LOOOOVES snacks! Haha...he will grab anything you give him. My dad even gave him an ice cube the other day when it was very hot outside and he sat there and licked it.

3. My favorite thing Buddy does is when I put my finger inside his cage and he takes it in his paws and licks it! You might think they have a gross or scratchy tongue, but really it is smooth and adorable!

I love pets!

As promised here are some pet pictures... tell me all about your pets and send me some pictures if you'd like!

Here is Buddy and Hannah, my rat and my dog checking each other out. :) Both of them are very friendly! Buddy is about a year old and Hannah is 11! They both love to play and give kisses.

Here are my cousin's two pups that I dog-sat this weekend. They were so sweet. Briar, the brown one, was sweet and wanted to sit on my lap at all times. Chewie, the black puppy, was hyper and loved to play!

Have a nice Memorial Weekend!

I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend! Today I get to finally have some time with my boy and I am puppy-sitting for my cousin this weekend. Also I am having a bonfire for my friends Sunday night! It is going to be a fun weekend. :) What are all of you up to in this beautiful weather?

Some pictures of the puppies and of my pets coming soon, but in the meantime from cuteoverload.com...

New friend!

Yes, I have a new friend. The furry kind. I bought myself a rat yesterday. Before you go "ewww" or "Rats are disgusting"... listen up. I don't care. I think they're cute. I've always wanted one. I am definitely a dog person, but dogs aren't allowed at my apartment building. I'm allergic to cats and rabbits and I'm not a fan of a few other pets out there. So I decided on a rat. They are curious, friendly, can learn tricks and their names, and mine likes to cuddle.

His name is Buddy. Here, you can meet him too...


Any other rat owners out there? I'd love some tips or cute stories!

Today Buddy decided he loves my books and got stuck on top of my dictionary. :) More rat stories to come...