4-Letter Word… Diet!

I know there is no excuse, but, hey, I’m a busy working girl. I come home after a hard day at the office and I’m tired. Make a healthy, home-cooked meal for myself? I’ve been working non-stop – sometimes for 14 hour + shifts – slaving away over a hot stove is the last thing on my mind.

So it was no surprise when I started to put on a little weight. I’m sure you working girls out there can relate. You sit behind a desk, in front of a computer, all day. The most exercise you get is an occasional trip to the copier or printer, and answering the phone doesn’t exactly substitute for weightlifting. You grab lunch out – when you have time to get out. And so when you can’t get out, you order in.

Sure, my intentions were good. I put in a dog run in the backyard so I could exercise. I have a treadmill in my living room. But I just can’t seem to find the time to keep fit. I’m lucky if I can get out for a few short walks during the day. I can’t even remember the last time I went to the dog park! So now weeds are starting to creep into the dog run, and the treadmill has become an extra coat rack where I drop things when I come home at the end of the day. You wouldn’t even know there was a treadmill there if I didn’t tell you.

Not only did I start packing on the pounds (and believe me, at my size even one pound makes a big difference!), but I also just wasn’t feeling my best. I was sick to my stomach all the time, tired, and moody. I started snapping at my employees for no reason – I was becoming a real bitch.

But for the past few weeks I’ve been testing a new food, making sure it was of high enough quality to carry in our store, and there has been a noticeable difference. I have been eating James Wellbeloved kibble and I have so much energy! James Wellbeloved dog foods are hypo-allergenic and they have no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. And they are packed with antioxidants. The pounds have started to come off. I wake up in the morning and I’m not tired, and I’ve actually cleaned off the treadmill and have been using it regularly. And most importantly, it doesn’t taste like “health food,” so I don’t find myself tempted to return to my old eating habits!
http://www.cleverclaws.com/james-wellbeloved-lamb-rice-p-1766.html

To get a little variety, I’ve also been eating Land Of Holistics food, which is really yummy! The great thing about Land of Holistics is that they also make nutritional supplements to help with whatever ailment I may be suffering from – so they have been perfect for helping settle my stomach and to keep me on track with a healthy, balanced diet.

I’m not only losing weight thanks to my new diet, but I’m also starting to have definition to my muscles again – just in time for swimsuit season.

I have trouble resisting the bad stuff, though. I can’t live without treats and snacks! But I’ve found a solution for that, too. I’ve been eating Fish 4 Dogs treats. They are gluten free, low in fat, hypoallergenic and rich in Omega 3! What does that mean? It means that my hair and nails have never looked better and my skin feels great. I’m ready for some special petting…
http://www.cleverclaws.com/fish-dogs-complete-finest-salmon-p-1754.html

This is perfect because Gary has noticed how great I’ve been looking (and my improved attitude) and he asked me out! He mentioned my “extra-shiny coat” specifically. We’ve gone out once and … I don’t kiss and tell. But I will say that I insisted that we dine only on these delicious, healthy foods, and Gary loved them! I think this is the first of many dates… Or at least I really, really hope so. 

Great times, great food, great company, and I’ve haven’t felt this good since I was a puppy. What a difference a diet can make.

--Emmy
CleverClaws.com

Now that you’ve had a chance to meet part of our staff, I’d like to finish introducing our team!

Ensuring that we sell only the highest quality items is of paramount importance to us. To help us make sure that everything meets our standards we have two excellent product testers.
First there is Gary. Just look at those big, brown eyes… How could you not trust this face?
“I want to make sure you aren’t barking up the wrong tree when you buy a product from CleverClaws – I’ve tested them all and they are all wonderful!”

And working closely with Gary is Zoe. Zoe is a flower child, but she doesn’t let her loving spirit interfere when it is time to be ruthless in evaluating a product for sale. The needs of the customer come first and she knows how to spot quality and value.

“Even if you are stuck in the dog house, we’ve tested that dog house to make sure it is the ultimate so your time there is blissful. Peace.”

Our creative designer, Hola, definitely has the creativity down. She has an unbelievable eye and can make even the drabbest display beautiful with just a few pieces of fabric and ribbon. She really is a miracle worker.

“I work hard to make sure that our designs don’t go to the dogs.”

Top dog in modeling is Petey. I mean, just look at his breeding! He is a champion and we are extremely lucky to have him on our team.

“Even if I’m sick as a dog, I’m too sexy for my shirt.”

And none of the work we do behind the scenes means anything without the help of our shop staff. These are the people who do the nitty-gritty work. They deal with customers day in and day out and make sure that shopping at CleverClaws is a rewarding experience.
First is Fergus, the shop assistant. He directly supervises a staff of two and does most of the work on premises.

“In the dog eat dog of retail, I’m glad I have such wonderful friends to work with.”

Working for Fergus are Saucy and Zeus. Without the help of everyone, CleverClaws wouldn’t be as successful as it is!

“We’ll be glad to help you if you come sniffing around the shop.”

And, if you ever try to reach me, you’ll have to get through Boykins first. Boykins has been my loyal assistant for many years and he knows exactly who to put through and who to keep on hold. A good assistant is an invaluable asset. Other companies have come sniffing around trying to take him away, but he is completely loyal to me.

“My bark is worse than my bite, but I need to be ruthless sometimes to protect Emmy from the unpleasant phone calls that are inevitable in business.”

Well, that’s everybody. Without their unique contributions and hard work, CleverClaws wouldn’t be nearly as great a place to work and we wouldn’t be reaching the new levels of success we reach each day.

--Emmy

CleverClaws.com

My, things have been going swimmingly here at CleverClaws – and not just in our aquatic pets department! Over the next few days I’d like to introduce you to our wonderful staff, without whom we would not be able to provide such excellent products and customer service. And they would also like to say a quick hello to you.

When you first ring us, you will no doubt be taken aback by the charming and friendly voice on the other end of the line. That’s Moo, our receptionist. Isn’t she just the cutest?

“I’ve made it my pet project to make sure that everyone who calls CleverClaws has a pleasant experience.”

Most of the calls that Moo puts through go straight to Sweetie, our customer service representative. She’s here to make sure our customer’s every need is met.

“You can teach old dogs new tricks, and I’m here to make sure you have all the tools you need to do it.”

Lola, our sales representative, also gets quite a number of calls. But just look at her, you can imagine that not all of her calls are work related!

“Hot dog! Whatever I can do to make a sale, I’m on it.”

Lukas is Lola’s direct supervisor. He can be hard-nosed, but deep down he really is a big softie.

“At the end of the day, we’re all dog-tired, but the last call of the day is just as important as the first.”

Rufus heads our marketing department. You can be sure he’ll do whatever he can to sniff out the best possible deal for our customers.

“In addition to the standard four ‘Ps’ of marketing – product, price, place and promotion – I’ve added another, paw-pularity! We only stock items we know will be paw-pular with your pets.”

The youngest member of our team is the incredible fashionable Ellie. Don’t yet her youth fool you. She is in tune with the cutting-edge trends that all the young animals will be begging for.

“I go to all the major fashion shows to make sure you’ll have the perfect outfit for every season – from the dead of winter to the dog days of summer.”

Ellie’s older brother, Bentley, is also a member of our team. We aren’t afraid of being accused of nepotism here – we hire the best dog for the job, and if he happens to already have a sister working for us, so be it. Bentley is responsible for our advertising. He is quick on the ball and knows what’s hot!
“Every dog has his day, and it’s my job to make sure our advertising appeals to every dog.”

We don’t age discriminate here at CleverClaws. Not to say that Dari is old, but she is our oldest member. But don’t let her age fool you. She is our accountant and she is sharp. And the wisdom that has come to her with age hasn’t diminished her sex appeal. She’s a cougar in dog’s clothing!
“Meow!”

And that’s just half of us! We are a big team, and growing bigger each day so that we can continue to service our customers in a timely fashion with courtesy and accuracy.

-Emmy
Clever Claws
www.cleverclaws.com

March 15, 2008 – Logo Woes

Third meeting with the graphic designer this morning did not go well. Why he insists on keeping a CAT in the logo is beyond me. Sure, cats are fine for some people, but I don’t want to give the wrong idea that we cater to cats. I mean, look at our spashy front page – dog collars, dog clothes, dog beds.

Sure, you could try and put a collar on a cat, but have you ever done it? First, you get one with a bell thinking, “Oh, won’t that be cute? A cat with a bell!” Only to realize the first night that cats don’t sleep at night and that bell rings ALL NIGHT. So you go to a fancy collar for the cat, sans bell. Which is all fine and good (aside from the dirty look the cat gives you for putting a collar on him) until the cat comes home without the collar. “What happened to your collar?” “What collar? Me? I never had a collar.” Sheesh. Cats. They need those less-expensive cat collars which will break away when the cat climbs someplace he shouldn’t, so he doesn’t get injured and so you won’t feel bad for having to keep replacing it. We sell those kinds of collars. I recommend buying several at once so you are always prepared.

And have you ever put clothes on a cat? It always seems like a good idea at the time. “Oh, won’t pussy look cute with a biker’s jacket on!” So you fight your way through the scratches and teeth to get you sweetie dressed, and he immediately plops over on his side and refuses to move. It’s quite funny, actually. But not recommended. No, we here at Cleverclaws do not recommend clothes for cats. (snickers) No, seriously. We don’t recommend dressing up your cat in a silly little holiday costume, ever. Don’t let the fact that we will, on occasion, sell them, be mistaken as an endorsement.

And dog beds…well, they’re for dogs! Cats like to sit on scraps of paper or to climb up to the top of the bookcase and throw your flowers on the floor so they can be up high and see everything that’s going on. If you bought a dog bed for your cat, it is more likely than not he would sleep in the box and ignore the bed. You just bought that bed as something for yourself to sit on when you get down on the floor to play with the cat with one of its thousand toys. All cats need at least a thousand toys because they are bored so easily. We sell thousands (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating) of cat toys on our site, too. So buy a cat bed and a thousand toys for your cat.

(Hmm… This bed looks comfy enough for dog or master! )

But why feature a cat?? I’m the CEO!! I should be the mascot. What’s wrong with me!! I’m pretty!

Dogs should be the focus here! Sure, we sell items for all kinds of pets, dogs (always first), cats, fish, birds, and all kinds of small furry creatures. But, dogs! Dogs are, without a doubt, the pet that all smart, highly discerning pet owners have!!

Will have to schedule another meeting with the graphics designer to discuss the logo. In general, I like it. Just not sold on the cat. Maybe fire this graphics designer and hire one who doesn’t have a pet cat…

--Emmy
www.CleverClaws.com