It’s not an uncommon occurrence. Your pet is in its carrier and you think it is clear sailing until you get to your destination. Suddenly, your pet has an “OOPS!” moment and the interior of the carrier is a wet mess.

According to DryFur, “Contrary to what many pet owners believe, it is never a pet’s fault when he/she has an accident while in a pet carrier, crate or cage. Many pet owners further believe that this is a way for the pet to show signs of anger, revenge or resentment. This is never the case. It is completely against the pet’s nature to soil an area that he/she then must sit, lay or sleep in. Since this is not a ‘behavior problem’ that can simply be addressed by discipline or training, you as the pet owner must be understanding and know why it happens.”

DryFur lists three main reasons that pets have accidents in carrier kennels, crates, and cages:

1) Excessive periods of time in the carrier

• auto trips (vets, moving, kennel, groomers, dog or cat shows, vacations)
• airplane trips (vacations, breeders shipping (vacations, breeders shipping pets to new owners, dog or cat shows)
• on exhibit (dog and cat shows)
• times when crating is necessary (hotels, motels, house breaking, introducing new pet to household)

2) Fear

• being forced into unfamiliar environments (loud noises, unfamiliar sounds, vehicle motion, strange smells, temperature changes)
• associates carrier to bad experience (visit to vet, surgery-spay or neuter, moving, being caged long periods)

3) Age and/or illness

• medications (can cause excessive thirst & urination)
• kidney disease (common in elderly pets, causes excessive thirst & urination)
• diabetes (causes excessive thirst & urination)
• muscle control (senior & very young pets may not have same control as adult pets)

You could line your carrier with newspaper in anticipation of wetness from an accident, but newspaper remains damp, leaving your pet uncomfortable. Plus, when moistened, newspaper tears apart ultimately making cleanup a less than pleasant endeavor. Another alternative would be to use an old cloth, but it too remains damp when moistened and less than comfortable for a pet.

DruFur pet carrier inserts, however, have super absorbent polymers that trap wetness and keep it away from a pet in a gel-like state deep below the surface of the pad. The pads are soft, cushioned and cloth-like to help keep pets comfortable. Also, an insulated rigid core provides stability to the carrier and helps to hold the insert in place (no bunching up) providing a stable surface for the pet to sit, stand, and turn around. Dry Fur pet carrier inserts are disposable, so no washing or laundering is ever required.

There are four available DryFur sizes: Pink-Petite, Blue-Small, Yellow-Medium, and Green-Large. Flexible wings pads in each size category adapt to the size of your carrier, crate or kennel.

DryFur Pads are sold two to a package and are available at Sleepypod’s on-line store and at Dry Fur’s on-line store.

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Rawl Rawl remains dry and comfortable on long trips thanks to DryFur pet carrier inserts.

61 days until the first day of spring. No, it’s a leap year so make that 62 days until spring.

When lazy, sun-dappled vacation days seem far, far away and travel is not an option until … there’s always Dewey, Lewie & Clark, Buster, Pa & Pea, and the rest of the Loose Leashes gang to evoke the feeling of grass between your toes and a slobbery tennis ball in hand.

Feel better now? We do.

Find Ron Schmidt’s photos at LooseLeashes.com. Prints are available for purchase in four options ranging from $39 for an unframed print to $165 for a matted, framed, and signed by the photographer print .

There’s also a picture book available of select Ron Schmidt images that are accompanied by his wife Amy ’s witty rhymes. Loose Leashes, the book, is available on Amazon.com. Another book is in the works and is scheduled to be released in summer 2013.

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We saw these prints on Dog Milk shortly after our winter vacation ended. The images brought smiles to our faces and made us reach for a tennis ball awaiting slobbery affection.

While traveling, Tearless Tender Touches Natural Wipes from Prince Lorenzo Borghese’s Royal Treatment Italian Pet Spa are a quick and convenient way to freshen and soothe your furry pet.

The wipes, available in Lavender and Cashmere, Coconut and Vanilla, and Papaya and Aloe varieites, are enriched with naturally hydrating properties selected by their laboratory to pamper your pet’s skin and coat.

Each container holds 40 wipes and is too bulky for travel. So before every trip, we place a couple of these wipes in a sealable plastic bag and then toss the pouch of scented goodness into the pet bag ready for a mid-trip pet cleanse and refresh.

$16.95 at the Royal Pet Club web site.

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Playtime or a soothing rubdown for Shelby? All activity screeches to a halt and Shelby comes running when she spots the Tearless Tender Touches Natural Wipes.

Organic cotton balls are good for babies, boo-boos, and a multitude of uses to include feline amusement. A cotton ball is a simple and inexpensive entertainment fix when kitty becomes bored on a trip, made even better because you need only reach into your own toiletry case to find it.

$3.49 for a package of 80 jumbo, organic cotton balls at Walgreens.

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One swish of the paw sets a cotton ball aloft and then it’s pure heaven for Flower.

We can’t decide who loves Little Eatz pet & people treats™ more, our dogs or us.

These tasty cookies for pets and people are handmade with all natural ingredients like whole grain oats, applesauce, and organic peanut butter. They are dairy-free, corn-free, and contain no trans fats, thus making them healthy snacks that you won’t feel guilty about handing out at treat time.

About 30 to 36 crunchy cookies, in Carob Chip, Cinnamon Crunch, or Perfect Peanut Butter flavor, are packed in a re-sealable pouch which makes them easy to transport with little mess. A perfect bundle of goodness for you to share with your dog on a trip … or is it your dog sharing them with you?

We found there’s just one drawback to Little Eatz: you might find yourself gobbling up more of the crunchy cookies than your pooch!

$3.99 per bag at the shop on the Little Eatz web site.

Also find Little Eatz at Wet Nose (3041 Butterfield Road in Oakbrook, Illinois).

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Is it treat time? Anxiously awaiting their perfect peanut butter Little Eatz, Shelby and Rosie demonstrate that they can be perfectly obedient pups.

We saw Moderncat.net‘s post on Junk Food Flyers a couple of months ago and bookmarked it to remind us to add it to the shopping list for Stevens. Recycled cat food bags are sewn together with colorful felt pieces to form fun shapes for kitty to flick, flip, and fling. A clever way to repurpose refuse.

Sold in sets of five, there are enough Junk Food Flyers to tuck into kitty’s travel bag  for on-the-go entertainment, leaving extras for at-home play.

$5 for a set of 5 toys in assorted colors at the Moderncat Studio Etsy Shop.

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Junk Food Flyers for Stevens? Yes, please!

No trip to the park with your pooch is complete without a game of fetch. Mid-air catches are easier on a dog’s teeth with the Tuff Stuff®Flyer by Hartz®. The toy is made of ballistic nylon so it is softer and more flexible than rigid plastic discs. The ballistic nylon, augmented by double stitching, makes it a great toy for “chewers” who are tough on their toys.

A squeaker in the center provides solo activity for your pup, while grips make for a great game of tug between dog pals.

Various sizes are available for diverse dog sizes.

Starting at $5.99 at http://www.amazon.com/

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Shelby never travels without a Tuff Stuff® Flyer in her travel bag.