Shop Local & Celebrate Dogs

Honestly, what else is there?

Photo by James Barker on Unsplash.

Dear Travelers,

Today was my dog-store-trip day.

Every other month I go to my favorite dog store to stock up on supplies. I buy food, treats, and a new toy for my favorite four-legged friend.

I could order all of this online, sure, but I make a special trip to a local pet store to buy what I need. Here’s why.

When I first got my dog from our local shelter, I didn’t know where to start. I hadn’t owned a dog since I was a kid. We popped into our local pet store. The manager, Chris, was so excited for us! She recommended food and leashes and gave us her honest opinion on what wasn’t good (that, my friends, is hard to come by). We even signed him up for their puppy classes they hosted on weekends with a local trainer.

The amount of support and information they gave us was invaluable.

We took our dog there for multiple training classes and we washed him there once a month. It has been our one-stop for all of our dog needs. Now, 9 years on, I will go out of my way to buy from them. They are the epitome of the neighborhood store and I will do everything I can to help them stay open.

Sure, I buy stuff from Amazon occasionally. I go to Starbucks once in a while. But I stay loyal to my pet store and frequent local coffee shops as well. It does wonders to build your local community and economy and that is worth all the trouble!

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Speaking of dogs, next week, November 3, 2021, is Kukur Tihar.

“Kukur Tihar or Kukur Puja literally means the worship of dogs. This is a mini-festival within a larger Hindu celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights. According to Nepalese tradition, one of the festive days is dedicated solely to the human's most devoted friend and guardian. In Hindu religion, a dog is a sacred animal, intended to have a special bond with a human, so as to accompany us on our way to heaven.” - Rove.me

I absolutely love this. Any celebration where humans honor animals is okay in my book, especially dogs.

So, as you are out and about next week running errands and buying local, take a moment to honor your best friend as well. Bring him an extra snack home from your local pet store. I’m sure he’ll be grateful.

Until next time friends…

Peace,

Kit