Apartment Blog

During this holiday season it is important to factor in the safety of all of your family members; even the little furry ones! You’d be surprised what dangers are lurking for your family pet during this festive season. So to help out all of our pet-friendly readers, we have compiled a list of items to watch out for this year. A trip to the veterinarian hospital would not be a pleasant thing!

Ingesting items:
Everyone knows chocolate is bad for dogs. But did you know that onion, grapes and raisins are horrible for them too? Fatty foods like turkey skin or gravy is not good for their stomach and alcohol is toxic! And be aware of things they can get into and eat such as plastic wrap, toothpicks, napkins, disposable plates or flatware. Items likes these can definitely do some damage to their internal organs.  If you are traveling with your animal or having friends staying at your home, make sure all medications are put in a place where curious animals cannot find them.

Safety for your pet:
This is not only about the safety of your animal, but also safety for humans around your animal. A pet that lies down in the middle of the kitchen is an accident waiting to happen. Make sure all of the left-overs are properly sealed and stored away where counter surfers cannot reach.  If serving turkey, make sure the carcass is in a plastic bag and taken out of the apartment. You don’t want to leave it around where any animal can take interest. And be sure to tell your family/friends visiting that feeding your pet is not good for him/her.

And finally, make sure you keep your animals’ routine as normal as possible. If your cats are terrified of people, let them have one room (perhaps a bedroom) to themselves. Or if your dog doesn’t like to be pent up in the house for too long, take him/her out for long brisk walks (for small dogs make sure they are dressed accordingly). Since there will be people coming in and out of your apartment, make sure that your animal wears proper ID tags should they escape in the confusion.

Wishing you and your family, all of them, a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Pet owners of America understand the true meaning of ‘your pet is a part of your family.’ There’s no way around it, that dog or cat that you have included in your home is now like one of your children. And ForRent.com understands that too, because just like you, we are pet owners! Take a look at a few of our family members.

Bailey, Chihuahua, Male, 3 ½ years old.
This picture accurately portrays my Bailey. He is feisty and always ready for action. Contrary to the Chihuahua label, he is far from a prissy dog. With cat-like characteristics, he pounces on you or anything else that moves by.  He also likes to bark….a lot! But you’ll get no better security system, as he hears noise ½ a mile away! He his is father and I’s pride and joy; I cannot imagine life without him. -Gillian Luce
                 
            
          

Bailey, American Red-Nosed Pitbull, Female Almost 2 years old

Bailey is very high energy and would play Frisbee all day long if she had the opportunity. As a morning routine (if she’s not running around with a sock in her mouth) she has a tendency to put her paws on the bathroom counter and watch me as I am brushing my teeth. She loves being involved in everything, which includes licking anyone who comes within reach. Her charm is undeniable. Bailey transcends the stereotypes about Pitbulls on a daily basis! -Jessica Lambert
                   
                  

Cash, Rottweiler/Doberman Mix, Male, 1 year

Ladies. Hide your heels. Cash wants nothing more than to destroy them! A young pup, Cash loves to keep his mom on her toes! At nearly 100 lbs, his massive size is only trumped by the massive amount of love and affection he shows to others, whether he knows them or not, Cash never meets an enemy. His dark, shiny coat and smiling face is always a crowd pleaser attracting young and old, male and female who can’t help but pet this larger-than-life little love bug. In his spare time, Cash enjoys running around in circles and playing with his favorite chew toys! -Meredith Mobley

We understand how important it is to keep your family together, all of your family. So when you need to move, be sure to check out ForRent.com for pet-friendly apartments.

Summer is in full swing now! And it’s time to not only get yourself outdoors, but your pet(s) as well. We’ve put together a list of tips for you to follow to keep your pet safe this season.

1. Never leave your pet in the car.
2. Be on the look out for fertilizers and deadly plants.
3. Always have your dog wear a collar and identification tag.
4. Fresh water is a MUST for your pet while outdoors.
5. Think about the heat (especially with older dogs or dogs with longer coats).
6. Be careful of hot asphalt or cement. Dogs can blister just as easy as people.
7. Have your animal on the proper medication to prevent against fleas, ticks & mosquitoes.
8. Don’t forget sunscreen….for the animal! Light skinned pets will burn if they are outside long enough without sunscreen.
9. No ‘outside dogs’. It’s not healthy for your pet to be outside for long periods of time, even if there is shade. They can get overheated quickly.
10. And finally, just be observant of your pet. You will notice when they start to act differently and if they do, take them to the vet.

Everyone loves keeping their animals safe and healthy. They are a part of the family. So if you’re looking to move this summer, be sure to check out Pet Friendly Apartments on ForRent.com so you can bring all your family with you healthy & safe!

The very color of St. Patrick’s Day happens to coincide with the same color as reduce, reuse and recycle…. GREEN! So it’s only fitting that this St. Patrick’s Day you follow the second tip from our ‘10 New Years Resolutions for Renters’ blog by ‘going green’.

Did you know that 45 tons of used discs end up in the landfill every month where they will never degrade? There is a great organization called Discs for Dogs, a SPCA program, that uses your unwanted discs to help save animals. It’s a win-win!

This is an AMAZING way to go green this St. Patrick’s Day and help out a great cause.  You can mail in your disks for free and the SPCA will sell them for $1 each and all proceeds will go to help provide better living for sheltered animals.So why don’t you go through your unwanted disks (CDS and DVDS) and mail them in. You have a chance to really help out a lot of animals! An added bonus is you’ll be following our third tip from our ‘10 New Years Resolutions for Renters’ blog by getting organized!

My father use to say ‘what do you get the person who has everything? A box to put it all in.’ (yes, my father is corny like that) But seriously, what do you do when you have a gift to purchase for someone and it appears that they literally have everything!?! 

Here are a few suggestions from the team at ForRent.com if you really wanna ‘wow’ someone who has everything…..

1. Unveil their inner Monet.  Local art studios and recreation centers typically offer classes starting at the beginner level and work their way up to advanced.  A class like this will let them try a hand at their pottery, wine slumping, or mosaics skills (the list goes on).  Pick a class you think would be of interest and see if it results in a new hobby.

2. Personalized wall art.  You pick the letter-shaped photos and the word; a first or last name is classic, but words like laugh, joy, and peace look great too!  A gift like this can’t be copied!

3. Go local.  Ever been complimented on a one of kind piece that you bought when visiting such and such a place?  Offer someone the same experience by bringing them back something unique from your travels.  Not only are you giving them something they couldn’t find themselves, but you are also supporting small, local businesses at the same time.

4. Everybody wants a good laugh!  Gifts from the heart are great, but every once in awhile someone needs to be thrown for a loop, why not be the person to do so?  Gifts like the below “Ignorance is Bliss” and “Bittersweet” scales are sure to be a hit and are definitely hard to come by.  You’ll walk away knowing this gift will be the source of much laughter! (www.uncommongoods.com)

5. Give to more than just them.  Sometimes people really do have everything and another knick knack isn’t the answer.  Organizations like Farm Africa (www.farmafrica.org/uk) allow you to make a sustainable purchase that benefits those in need under the name of a friend or family member.  Farm Africa actually has you purchase an animal that will be given to families in poverty; these animals help them overcome their poverty.  You can also adopt endangered species through certain organizations and send that animal’s information to your gift recipient.

Does your friend or family member feel passionately about a different cause?  Give them a TisBest Charity Gift Card and let them decide what to support.  All they need to do is log on to http://www.tisbest.org/ and choose from over 200 charities to contribute your predetermined gift amount toward.

6. Cooking Lessons.  Some people need to learn the basics, some people want to go gourmet, and some people would love to learn more recipes that fit their on the go lifestyle.  There are cooking classes out there that cover all these needs.  You could select a gourmet cuisine they may be interested in or lend them a hand with some beginner basics; either way this hands on gift lets them walk away with more than a good food sampling.

You should also check out available classes in your area for wine making or making beer. What an interesting trait to say you have learned? Who knows, you could inspire them to make some for your present next year!! Go for the skill they’d learn and the experience they’d have while doing it.

7. Have you, yourself learned a trade? Why not put it to good use! If you’ve taken scrapebooking lessons, put your talent to work for a friend. If you are a skilled photographer, why not utilize your skills with a photographer the person would love. It’s the personalized gifts that really take the breath away of the recipient. So go ahead….get creative!

8. So they may have everything, but have they done everything?  Think through things they have mentioned wanting to do, but either put off or chickened out.  Maybe they have always wanted to learn to ski, so you buy lessons or they think skydiving looks fun, but are too afraid to sign up.  This gift may take more thought, but they are sure to remember it.

 9. Feeling especially green this season?  Purchase a tree or several in your favored friend’s name and let them feel good about helping to sustain our planet.  Places like http://www.arborday.org/ and http://www.americanforests.org/ make giving gifts like this as easy as planting seeds.

10.  How many people can say they have a star named after them? This is something my brother did for one of his girlfriends and I thought it was the sweetest thing. You can literally name a star after a friend or loved one. Go on http://www.starregistry.com/ for the process!

11. Photo gifts. I am a personal fan of Walgreens.com photo center. They have a really nice collection of gifts you can do for anyone. One year I did a calendar of photos for my mother. There are also mugs, pillow cases, aprons, mouse pads and more! Or you could take a photo that you have, that the recipient would like, and enlarge it. Frame it with a matte and it’s a one of a kind piece of art!

12. Coupon book. This works if you’re a little financially strapped during the holidays as well (who isn’t these days). In a book I created, I had a coupon for various tasks such as: FREE dog sitter one night, hot chocolate and a movie, dinner at your favorite restaurant, NO boys allowed-girls night out, etc. I also incorporated my skills at their disposal whenever they should need it (which I’m sure will happen since I’ve already offered it and they have a coupon saying I’d oblige). This was extremely appreciated as it came from the heart and literally is a gift that keeps on giving (until the coupons run out)!

We hope these gifts have inspired you and given you something to get for that one difficult shopper on your list!  Happy Shopping!

 Animals’ roles in a household have changed dramatically from providing services to the owner’s family to now becoming a staple in the family dynamics.  And it’s been headed in this direction for awhile; consumers have started to spend a great deal of money for items such as clothing for their pets!  Plus, when you toss in a holiday to the mix the appeal is even more overwhelming!  This may come as no surprise to you, but the market for pet costumes is quite large. Just Googling the term ‘pet costumes’ pulls an array of websites ready to cater your every desire to dress your feline or canine in the most subtle or outrageous outfits.

I myself am guilty. I have bought my dog a Halloween costume in the past and this year his tuxedo collar is serving as his elegant costume. But if you see the picture left, you’ll see what a friend of mine has done to her family Fido. He’s in a pumpkin costume!  Or take a look on the rigt below at what my brother had his dog be last year…..a LOBSTER!

Going into an animal retail chain you’ll be surprised by the quantity of Halloween costumes available. There are Yoda costumes, Inmate costumes, various insects, Superheroes, as well as the traditional scary witches and Dracula costumes.   The ideas are infinite and there is a market where consumers will pay for them (as evident by my purchasing habits)!!!

So going back to the true point of this article, pets have essentially become members of our families.  They’ve gone from protecting us and aiding us in our daily tasks to now becoming a closer companion than many would have imagined.  Why this very morning when listening to the radio I heard a story of a woman and her husband divorcing. The only thing they have disagreed on, and are now going to court for, is who gets the dog!! That’s how deep our bonds with our pets have grown! So trust me when I say that I realize looking for an apartment that accepts pets isn’t a ‘nice to have’ option, it’s a MUST HAVE option!  That’s why ForRent.com gives you the capability to narrow down apartments for rent based on pet-friendly apartments.

And just think this year when you greet Halloween Trick or Treaters, you can have your pet greet them too! Dressed to the Nine!!