5 Things

Zum Kiss Lip Balm Phone Bypass

For a lot of years, I kept my phone downstairs at night. But then one child went off to college, and the other started driving, so I want to be able to be notified if a situation arises. I don’t want to check my phone or be bothered by it, though, throughout the night. Do Not Disturb bypass solves my dilemma. I am able to place my phone on Do Not Disturb but can allow notifications to come through if either girl texts or calls. It’s easy … go to the contact you want to put on bypass, click on “info” and then scroll down to text tone. Click there and you’re able to choose “emergency bypass on.” Voila! A little peace of mind at night.

It’s winter, and along with the cold weather, I typically contend with dry skin and chapped lips during the season. A few years back I was introduced to Zum Kiss lip balms, and they quickly became my favorite to help soothe dry lips. A friend recently gifted me a few, which is good, because I like to keep one in my purse, in the car, next to my bed—pretty much always within reach. To boost your December holiday spirit, be sure to pick up a stick of the peppermint. The candy cane scent puts me in the holiday mood! IndigoWild.com

5THINGS WE LOVE RIGHT NOW

Compiled by Margaret Sarver

Tacos

Who doesn’t love tacos? We in the Sarver home certainly love Mexican fare and often enjoy a taco dinner. We recently tried the new Tacos 4 Life in Overland Park (coming soon to Blue Springs), and we’ve added it to our short list of go-to places. Not only is the food yummy—and I love their combo options—but for every taco or entree sold, Tacos 4 Life donates 24 cents, which equals one meal packaged at MobilePack, to feed starving children in over 70 countries! Plus, they cater, which is perfect for the holiday season! A win-win-win! Tacos4Life.com

2022

Awards

KC Parent belongs to Parenting Media Association (PMA), a national trade association of regional parenting media companies with magazines, websites and e-newsletters from across the United States. The group hosts an awards ceremony annually, and I’m thrilled to share that KCParent and KCParent.com picked up six prizes this year! As a matter of fact, this column was a winner! Part of why our team is so excited is that this year the competition groups were changed, putting KC in the category with the larger markets, including Chicago and Atlanta. We work hard each month to bring you an award-winning publication and website!

GloWild

Did you hear the news? GloWild has been extended at the Kansas City Zoo through Dec. 30. This is good news for those that haven’t been able to visit yet because you don’t want to miss this amazing walk-through display of lanterns. It’s also great news for those of you who have already been, because they’ve added some holiday lanterns to the display, so you’ll want to go again! The pictures don’t do it justice—it’s a very cool exhibit that is best seen in person. Make plans to attend! KansasCityZoo.org

We adopted a six-year-old rescue German Shepherd a year ago. Within a short period of time there developed a serious hate between her and our other female dog. There have been three or four serious fi ghts between the two and no matter how hard we try, they still hate each other. The Shepherd “stalks” the other dog wherever she goes and growls when she comes near. “No” and “back off ” commands work only temporarily. Sure wish we could get them to tolerate each other. – Connie

This is diffi cult to answer without meeting or knowing your pets, but sometimes pets are just not compatible, like some people. Other times, it could be related to food, humans, toys, or other triggers. I recommend working with a trainer to help identify the trigger so you can work on the behavior. Avoid aggressive situations and triggers if you can. Check out the Nothing in Life is Free Training online (it’s free) and follow up with your veterinarian and dog trainer. If you’re near Merriam, KS, we would be happy to help. Our email is behaviorteam@greatplainsspca.org.

-Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

I have a six-month-old kitten and I’ll be fl ying with her in December. She’s high energy and very vocal when she travels in the car with me. I put her carrier out and I’m letting her get used to hanging out in the carrier, but I’m concerned she’s going to be very loud on the fl ight. I’ve read mixed things about giving meds to cats for travel. Are there other behavioral things I can do to prepare? Or are there cats that would just be better off medicating? – Lauren

I recommend talking to your veterinarian about the safety of using sedatives for fl ying and if your kitten would be a good candidate for those medications. There are medications that your veterinarian could prescribe that are not sedatives but will reduce anxiety and should be discussed. As far as traveling, there are things you can do to make the travel easier for little one such as Feliway pheromone wipes to use in the kennel or Thundershirt swaddles made for felines.

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

My 23-month-old pit mix keeps chewing the carpet and the bed sheets. She does not chew anything else. She has tons of Nyla bones and hard rubber toys to chew on. She only does it when I’m in the bathtub or not at home. We don’t leave her out of her kennel when we are not there anymore. Help! – Jill Lee It sounds like your dog might be struggling with anxiety and is chewing on carpet and bed sheets to release stress. Your dog could have separation anxiety or isolation distress. Treatments for this range from desensitization and counter conditioning training to behavior medications to help ease stress for your pet. I recommend working with an Animal Behaviorist to get a better understanding and diagnosis. There are a lot of articles online about treatment as well. If you’re interested in an inhome consultation, please email us at behaviorteam@greatplainspca.org.

– Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Guinness has the best ears in town, and they aren’t just for looks! He is an excellent listener and loves to please his people. He knows tons of commands, walks excellently on leash, and is kennel trained! He is living in a Foster home with his favorite volunteer and loves the luxurious life of an owned pet! His favorite things to do are ride in the golf cart, go through the drive thru at Wendy’s, and nap on the couch with his Foster mom. He is sensitive and bonds quickly to his people. Email foster@greatplainsspca.org for more information about Guinness.

Email askashley@greatplainsspca.org for a chance to have your pet question answered in

KC Parent magazine. Animal expert, Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA, is the Senior Director of Animal Behavior and Training at Great Plains SPCA. Ashley has more than 16 years of experience in animal training and behavior.

Great Plains SPCA is an independent 501(c)(3) no kill shelter, with a 98% live release rate, GPSPCA provides lifesaving services for approximately 4,000 animals annually in the greater Kansas City area. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the seven municipalities with which we are contracted, including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Shawnee, Bonner Springs, Lake Quivira and Johnson County Parks Department and the Johnson County Sheriff ’s Department.