It's SO important that my customers communicate their dog's measurements to me after purchase and so many times they just don't :( I pride myself on custom made petwear so this is an imperative step into assuring that the item FITS. I do not accept returns on custom items.

For standard items like collars, hats and snoods, most dogs fit into the following categories and because these items are somewhat adjustable I don't worry as much about exact numbers: 
x-small-chihuahuas, teacup dogs, toy breeds under 8 pounds.
small-yorkies, Italian greyhound, maltese, shihtzu, mini poodle, min pins, mini dachshund and dogs in the 10-12 pound range.
medium- Jack russell terriers, westies, bichon, boston terriers, mini poodle, scottish terrier, King Charles cavalier, standard dachshund, pug and other dogs in the 15-22 pound range
large- whippet, most spaniels, puli, Shiba inu and dogs in the 25-30 pound range. 
XL-dogs over 35 pounds 

For coats, bellybands, sweaters and jammies I MUST HAVE the proper measurements.
Please look at the charts listed here and find your dog's best "shape". Is he long and skinny like a doxie? Short and thick like a pug? Built straight with an "up" tail? Or curvy like my beloved IGs?

For coats, jammies and sweaters, have someone help you if possible and stand the dog on a flat surface like a countertop or table. (be careful he doesn't JUMP!) Standing beside the dog, take the first three measurements, neck, collar ALL the way to where the tail starts and a chest measurement around the dog at the widest part of his ribs.
Take ALL measurements TWICE for accuracy.
Now, stand in FRONT of your dog and place the tape measure right behind where his front leg is attached to the body and measure ACROSS the front of the dog to right behind the other front leg. This is a SHOULDER or front girth measurement and helps me determine belly strap placement on coats and sleeves on sweaters so the outfit moves with the dog and doesn't constrict.

For bellybands I need only a waist measurement which is shown here.

If you have ANY questions about these instructions, please just ask. I'm only an email away! hollyjoy@holistic-hounds.com

Proper measuring will provide you with a perfectly tailored outfit for your dog's unique style!

Have you ever lost a dog or cat?
I was a petsitter for many years and people entrusted their precious fur babies to me on a regular basis. My worst fear was that someone would get out and lost so I was always so diligent about double checking gates in the yard and taking a head count several times a day. I also made sure that EVERY single dog that came into my care wore MY ID TAGS. My name, my phone number, my address. What good is leaving their owner's ID on them when they are cruising the Greek isles, right?
My mom's little foster dog is LOST. She is an older Shihtzu that was rescued from a puppy mill a few months ago by a friend of mine in Chicago. This dog spent her life in a cage, being bred over and over again to produce puppies to be sold in pet stores like PetLand. She was a commodity and when her producing days grew short, she was auctioned off like a cheap watch to the highest bidder. I digress but remind you to NEVER, EVER buy a dog in a pet store.
Peaches went out the other night and was goofing off under the shed in mom's completely fenced yard. How she got out, no one knows but she vanished. Mom and her husband Marv searched tirelessly for her all day yesterday and she was spotted once, and bolted. She is a frightened little creature, not knowing her surroundings and I'm sure in survival mode by this point, cold and hungry and not reacting normally. She's been missing for two nights and we pray she has found a safe place to ride out this winter storm that is blanketing the east coast. She has lots of people on the lookout for her.
We have a pet communicator working on locating her and she was spotted exactly where they were told she would be when she bolted. This communicator has worked on many searches and has been successful more times that not! An amazing gift she has to talk to the animals!!!

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Please, if you have pets, be sure they are wearing CURRENT ID at all times. Red Dingo makes sturdy stainless steel tags that are guaranteed for LIFE and available on my website www.holistic-hounds.com . If your dog or cat runs off, start printing posters IMMEDIATELY and get them distributed. The first 24 hours are CRITICAL in getting info out there. Post them at places where a lot of people congregate...convenience stores, schools, banks, churches, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and the like. All your neighbors should get one. Call EVERY vet within a 20 mile radius and let them know your pet is missing. Most vets keep a "log" of people who call in reporting lost animals. Call animal control in your town/city and most police stations also keep a log. Call every rescue group and shelter and VISIT local shelters daily. Put a picture on your poster!!! Place a small ad in the local paper. They ALL have lost pet sections. Use the Internet and post on Fido Finder and other lost pet websites. They even have a "amber alert" of sorts available and all of it is FREE. Craigslist is another resource that's free and many people check it.
Most importantly...don't give up. I have a cat that was missing for 10 days back when she was a kitten. (she is now 19) She was safely found, eating from a dumpster behind a restaurant when someone saw my ad in the newspaper.
Please say a little prayer for Mom & Marv's Peaches. They were giving her the gift of a loving home for Valentine's Day and the paperwork was signed making her adoption almost official. And now all they have is  broken hearts and a little lost dog that will hopefully somehow find her way home.

After several requests from clients and friends, I've been toying with this product and my own design for a while and finally had the time to make a few yesterday. I am thrilled with how they turned out and just listed several yesterday.
My dogs love these types of beds because they are ALWAYS cold and love to burrow. I've been buying similar beds for years so thought I would design a few of my own in easy care fabrics that are soft and durable.
These snuggle sacks are very versatile as they can be used several ways. As a flat mat or blanket they are thick and cushy because of the double layers of fleece. As a snuggler they lay on their side and the dogs tunnel in. Stand it up and roll the edges down for a "nest" type of bed. They are easy to wash, travel well and basically fit all of your pet bedding needs. They are also completely reversible with no seams showing. I use only premium anti-pill fleece in all of my petwear and accessories.
My standard size is 22" X 25" but they can be made bigger or smaller. This size is perfect for most pets up to 20 pounds. Cats love them TOO! 
I'm also introducing a simple "mat" type bed with genuine memory foam liners. Perfect for senior pets. Look for them debuting in February.

Enjoy your last few days of January...SURELY spring is not far away!
Gone to the dogs,
Holly

Over the last 5 days, Flagstaff and most of Northern Arizona has been blessed with about 60 inches of fresh snow. It was a combination of three storms with very little time in between! I've spend the best part of the last 4 days shoveling so the resident Bratz would have a place outside to do their business, amidst the falling snowflakes.
It was an awesome sight the other morning when I walked outside at 4am to begin my task of clearing the dog path. In the dark with the snow continuously falling, the yard was covered with about 4 feet of rolling banks of snow. It looked so surreal, almost what I would imagine the surface of the moon to look like!
What is MOST suprising to me is how many people don't know that it snows in many parts of Arizona! It's not all saguaro cactus, golf courses and sand, it's actually home to the largest ponderosa pine forest on the continent and of course God's masterpiece, The Grand Canyon, is only an hour away. 
We have four distinctive seasons and the average snowfall for this part of Arizona is about 110 inches per year, yet the average annual days of sunshine is 288. In the summer, temperatures reach into the high 80's, with warm days and cool nights, some of the best summer weather in the world.  We are located at 7000 feet elevation, the highest in the entire state. Our famous volcanic mountain range, The San Francisco Peaks is home to the Arizona Snow Bowl which is a popular ski resort for the residents of Arizona and only 2.5 hours north of the desert. The highest summit in the range, Humphreys Peak, is the highest point in the state of Arizona at 12,633 feet (3,851 m) in elevation. In the fall people come from all over to see the golden aspen trees which blanket the mountains and much of Flagstaff. 

So now you've "been" to Flagstaff and the next time you see our little town mentioned on CNN you'll know that it does INDEED snow in Arizona!!!
Please visit my photo album with lots of pictures documenting this epic snow event. http://www.flickr.com/photos/spoiledbratzwear/
Off to shovel,
Holly

It's that time of the year when retail sales usually take a little dive, but not here in the JAMMIE JUNGLE! Dog jammies, coats and sweaters are flying out of here like crazy! A wild winter is a great time to find some warm accessories for your cherished pet.
Snoods, both handknit and fleece keep ears & neck warm when the temperatures dip, wool and fleece coats are sure to keep your puppy toasty. Single layer fleece sweaters are a top seller as are JUNGLE JAMZ™, animal print PJs which give full coverage yet open underneath for potty breaks.
Visit the studio today to reserve your custom petwear! Each piece is individually handmade to fit your pet PERFECTLY. Shipped FAST, satisfaction guaranteed.

Stay tuned for our line of CASHMERE COATZ which are being launched Feb 1.