Our Pet Management Visual Aid System!

Two people and 1 dog.
The dog's day? Why daily morning and evening meals & ditto for his outdoor 'visits'.
 The two people's day? Why hectic and sometimes vastly different morning schedules.
 And toss in the daily predictable conversation dazzlers such as  " did you take the dog out this morning?" or  "When did Pepper eat last!"
And you have the feeling that everyday is going to be like the last - forever confused!

As I lay blissfully sleeping recently one morning, I heard my daughter's voice breaking through the muddle of my mind - first faintly, then becoming painfully clearer with each repitition: "Mom! - did Pepper go this morning?"

Being "so" asleep moments earlier, it was all I could do to drawl: noooo-oo-o - .

 Then, her, casually: "OK - just checking - thought maybe you took him out really late like you do sometimes" ......and then she was gone! Just like that. No compunction for having wakened me from critical slumber - and all over a dog's peeing!

I had enough!

It was time to come up with a better "communication" system. Something neither of us had to be awake in order for the other to understand - and better than having to write something down (because after awhile, we never do!) ....and something sort of fun, so we would continue to do it.  Plus, something that I wouldn't mind if it was displayed on a wall - so cute would be good too!

Here is what I came up with.

Using my Big Shot, I took the Bigz Scalloped Circle, and 2 colours of cardstock - one green to signify 'YES' and one reddish for 'NO'.  More cardstock in a fun print. A few dog-related stickers and embellishments, and something small dies that I'll point out later.

I made the Scalloped Circles in each colour and glued them back to back. These were to represent our dog's feeding - so I hand cut some nifty patterened 'dog bowls' from the print cardstock - in a fun floral pattern. Then I made some 'food' for one bowl - and I used a small 2x2 die for 'jelly beans'!  I made them in brown colours - and piled some in the bowl, and it looked reasonably like his dry dog food, I think! I mean, c'mon - they're lumps!

I pasted this all on the green scalloped circle, and added some final touches with - and lucky me, a 'dog food can' sticker, and a few other fun things. Voila!

{Click on pictures for larger views}
I left the food bowl on the opposite side, the red scallop circle, empty. It signifies the dog needs feeding.
But just in case, I drew 2 wavy lines with black marker, and had fun ' p r i n t i n g ' a message that Pepper has NOT eaten in the past 6 hours. Embellishments - and now, the whole ' TAG ' is done.  Or is it?

I wanted to hang it - but where?  I went to the hallway, and there was a large wooden bone on the wall - and it occurred to me that it should hang on there, so I need a way to make the tag 'hang'.
Another inspiration came, when I realized a "watchclock" die I was working with earlier - could serve as the tag's hook!  And show the time frame - the last 12 hours or 6 hours.

After this I still need a tag to deal with "outdoor visits" [code for peeing, ha ha].

 I went to task making a "smaller scalloped circle" - in much the same way - only this one shows  a dog walking meaning that the dog needs to go outside for his dutiful and very necessary function - if you get my drift as any one with a dog  or small children knows - those nighttime visits are important, LOL!  I was really lucky that I had a fire hydrant sticker too - how appropriate for this tag!!!

After showing them to my daughter, it was her idea to make 2 of the feeding tags, and leave only 1 tag to represent his 'night' outdoor visit - as that is the one that is crucial for the following morning. If he does not get out within 12 hours of his last outdoor function, we're all in trouble.

So here they are and this is my system:

Here is what the first person up in the  morning will see - 2 red tags meaning the dog needs to go out to pee, and requires his first feeding.  (ignore the little red bone collar safety light)...so its this person's duty to make sure that the dog goes out right away - to do his thing! Feeding him is not the top priority, if this person must be off to work fast.....

 

Now, the next person up will see that the dog has been out to pee, but still requires his first of two feedings for the day - so that's what they do.  His lengthy daily walk can be done at any time since we are not in a hurry to get him outside since his outdoor morning visit has been done. 

Later in the day, anyone can tell that he has had his first feeding, and one more to go. Its still too early for his nightly outdoor visit, so that tag (small one on the right) is still green . And on it goes....

We 're-set' it at night after his last feeding, and night outdoor visit, to 'red' for both tags. We're ready for the next day.

So far - its working, no one has to come and wake me up. I love that - God Bless America! LOL - gosh, I love un-broken sleep when I can get it! Don't you?

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STAMPIN' UP! SUPPLIES:  Bigz Scallop Circle {for manual die-cutting machines}, Big Shot, Small Scallop Circle Punch, Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay IN COLOR 8.5x11 cardstock, black Stampin' Write Marker, Taken with Teal Ink Pad, glue. 

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