Halloween is my favorite time of year and with it exposes my inner child that thrills in the fright of others.  Over the years I have found myself more engrossed in the event of Halloween as time passes.  As a teenager I enjoyed trick-or-treating and evolving in college into full fledged parties.  As I aged I returned more to the thrill of fright by turning our home into a haunted house for kids and adults alike.  Every year the haunt would grow and grow eventually becoming the talk of the neighborhood.  I have now branched out and joins others at a professional haunt where I enjoy thrilling people to death.. for a price.

My dog is a lovable beagle named Mandy.  She’s a bit overweight, not because I overfed her but because she’s on the lethargic side for a beagle.  Speaking of feeding, I’m a vegetarian so for a while I decided to try putting Mandy on a diet like mine.  I figured it would be easier to buy food if we shared some of the same staples, and she might lose a little weight.  The thing is, she really liked the tofu I gave her.  I’d chop it up in her bowl, then add a little of the dog food that has mix in gravy over the top and she’d lap it up like it was the greatest steak.  And she did lose weight so I think it was pretty healthy for her.  Unfortunately buying tofu actually got more expensive than buying dog food, so after she got a little trimmer looking and healthier I’ve stopped that.  I found some organic dog cologne spray though. Besides, now people don’t laugh at me when I go into Whole Foods and buy a whole case of tofu at a time.

When buying a dog it’s important that you watch out for dog scams. Breeders are often shady people who would do anything to sell a dog. You also need to watch out for puppy mills. The puppies are often over populated and are not taken care of very well. Ask to speak to former buyers. See how their buying experience went. When buying a dog you should check out the breeder you’re buying from.  Contact the AKC to see if they are on the Active breeders list and talk to your local Animal Control to see if they have any complaints against them.  Ask your breeder a ton of questions. Ask where the puppies are kept, what kind of food they eat and what they have done medical wise. Also, do they enjoy wearing dog pajamas? Don’t take a dog that is younger than 8 weeks of age. They are not old enough to even have their second shots yet. It’s important to make sure the puppy is vaccinated. You need to protect yourself so you don’t get scammed. Get a record of your payment to the breeder. Make sure the puppy is guaranteed against illness. You don’t want to end up broken hearted.

My cousin’s two dogs have been brought up on a no-meat diet and they love bread and boiled food, including potatoes, beans and carrots. Gopi, my friend who has four dogs of various ages, ensures that even the snacks he gives his pets are vegetarian. I am doing my bit to lessen the impact of climate change caused by meat production. My dogs are healthy and active, mentally and physically. There’s a lot of variety in vegetarian food. I feed them dry dates, roasted grams, vegetables, boiled chickpea and fruits such as papaya. If I had fed them meat, they would’ve probably missed out on the little joys of experimenting with these foods. My oldest dog Susu (whom I adopted off the streets due to her old age) is partially blind and deaf, but is very alert for her age; this is evidence that they are not lacking in anything. She also loves her dog Christmas stockings. Dangerous food includes chocolate and raisins, which are fatal. Oily or spicy food must be avoided too. It’s advisable to ask your veterinarian for a list of prohibited food.