ClayPaws® Connection

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

It's official! World by the Tail, Inc. has a print catalog for the very first time! We have been hard at work for several months to create our print catalog! And it arrived yesterday afternoon. Boy, does it look good!

Lora, our new business manager/print media person went to work on this catalog as her first big task! She did a great job of designing a very professional catalog! Working with each of us to get it put together, our catalog has been realized!

You can see it online by going here. If you'd like a copy mailed to you, email me with your name and mailing address. (If you're a current customer, you will automatically receive a copy!)

Donate Kibble for Clicking

I have read about this cool idea several times recently! The girl who came up with the idea is a genius! :) We here at the World by the Tail headquarters are always on the lookout for new, great ideas that help people and pets!

Go visit FreeKibble.com or FreeKibbleKat.com. Every day, if you answer a trivia question (correct answer or not) you help donate free kibble to shelters feeding stray and unwanted animals! The girl who came up with this idea is Mimi Ausland, a 12 year old from Bend, OR. She based her idea on the site FreeRice.com, an organization that donates rice grains for clicks, helping to feed the world's hungry people. Helping Mimi succeed in her mission is ZooToo.com. They are donating and distributing the free kibble from the clicks on Mimi's site.

Currently, the kibble donated goes to the Humane Society of Central Oregon and they are going to expand to help more shelters! Coming up next in line for donations from Mimi's sites is Furrytale Farms on Bainbridge Island in Oregon.

I think this is such a great idea! I'm going to click often to help out these shelters. Maybe Mimi's idea will go nationwide with great success! Have a minute? Go on over and click to donate!

(Photo from FreeKibble.com.)

New Products!

We just added a couple of new products to our online catalog/store!

They are made locally (in Colorado) by a wonderful craftsman. He designed these shadow boxes specifically for pet memorials! He is a pet lover, and had created them for his own animals. He shared the idea with us, and we are now offering two different size shadow boxes!

They feature a unique thing - a built in wood support to place a collar on! There is a small size - 8 x 10 - that would be ideal for cats or small dogs. And the larger size - 12 x 16 that is better for larger animals.

The inside backing is black velvet, and included is a piece of heavy duty Velcro that will allow you to attach your ClayPaws® print to display as well! (Collars and photos are not included - you supply those items!)

Check these out on our website at http://veterinarywisdom.com/shadowboxstore.htm. The craftsmanship is superb! If you do order, we'd love to see your photos once you've set up your shadow box! Email me at wbtt@wbtt.com! (Pictures are clickable to see more detail.)

Changes for the New Year!

I am going to change things up a bit on this blog!! I will still post ideas about ClayPaws® techniques, etc., but I am also going to post much more frequently and broaden the topics!

I will be posting comments from you, our customers, about our products, etc. I am also looking for news items about pets, stories, anecdotes, you name it! I hope to make this blog more fun but also keep it informative for you!

If you have ideas, send them along to me! I'll gladly take suggestions!

New Choice - Soft ClayPaws Kits!!

New clay!! Always a fun thing here at World by the Tail headquarters!

We have added a new kind of clay to our ClayPaws® line! It is called Soft ClayPaws® , and, well, ... it's ... soft!

We now have our original white, terra cotta, and white soft! What is the difference in this new clay you ask?

• It is easier and quicker to soften and to make an impression.
• It works well with living animals like puppies and kittens.
• Your first order comes with a Patty Pad and Circle Mold that will help keep edges free of cracks and surface smooth and even.

If you are used to our original formula, be aware of these differences as well:

• It may get dirtier easier.
• The edges may crack if you don't use the Circle Mold.
• The cost is a bit more than the original white, but the same as the terra cotta.

We suggest you try a few to start with before deciding whether to "replace" your original ClayPaws® kits with the softer formula. Some people have loved it, while others have not! It will depend on your clinic, and what you prefer! You can always order online, or give us a call. 1-888-271-8444 We'll be happy to send out one sample to your clinic! 

Can I Put my ClayPaws Print Outside?

Yes. This is an oft asked question here at World by the Tail. Many people want to put this memory of their animal in the garden in their pet's favorite spot, or near a memorial for their pet.

There is a way (directly from our suppliers) to preserve your print against the elements. The steps to doing this follow. First, let me make a little disclaimer (my own opinion, mind you!)

If you have ONE, and only ONE, print of your deceased pet, I recommend that you not put the original outside. It would be really sad for this print to be broken, stolen, lost, etc. What I do recommend is to make a duplicate print that will go outside, while the original remains safely inside. And, yes, you can make duplicate prints of animals who have already died. We sell a product called MoldMaker that will help you do this. Buy one package of MoldMaker and one ClayPaws® kit, and you can make one duplicate print.

OK - on to the preservation instructions for outside use:

Step 1: Bake as directed and let cool completely.

Step 2: Brush on one coat of shellac.

Step 3: Brush on three coats of finishing glaze (Sculpey brand is best). Let each coat dry completely before applying the next.

Step 4: Finish your print with either a 2-part epoxy, or a Varathane Diamond Wood Finish Interior Glaze.

Can I Bronze my Paw Print?

This is a question we receive now and then. We got a call just this week asking about it. There is a company out there that can help!

You can have your precious ClayPaws® print bronzed. The company that does this service is called Paws for Keeps. They have a website at www.pawsforkeeps.com.

Paws for Keeps actually uses ClayPaws® kits in order for customers to get a good print of their animals paw for bronzing! If you already have the print of your animal, you are one step into the process already!

Just go to their website and figure out which option you like best. Then contact them - let them know you have a print already and they will help you through the process. If you have only one print, and would like to keep an original (unbronzed) version, we have your solution for that as well.

MoldMaker is a substance that allows you to make a "reverse" print - a mold that will then allow you to make "duplicate" prints of an animal's paw. (This is especially wonderful if your animal has already passed away, but you would like an additional print!) Make your second print, and then you have your original plus one to bronze!

This is a special way to take your paw print to a whole new level. Bronzing is a gorgeous way to save and preserve this special keepsake! Paws for Keeps will do a great job for you! (www.pawsforkeeps.com)

ClayPaws for your Veterinarian

We received a check in the mail this week that was a bit of a puzzler for us. Every so often, a pet parent who has received a ClayPaws® print from their veterinarian sends a donation to us here at World by the Tail, Inc. Well, we are a business, and not able to accept donations.

What we did instead was this:  We turned that donation around and sent ClayPaws® kits to the veterinary hospital that served this client. This gentlemen was so moved by the good service at his vet's office, that he wanted to donate money. We thought that sending kits to the hospital would honor his wish by helping this veterinarian to help more clients!

If you have received a ClayPaws® print from your veterinarian and wish to do something as a thank you, why not consider sending them more kits? You can order right online and specify that we send them to your vet's office! We can also include a card if you tell us what you want written on it!! OR - alternately, if your veterinarian doesn't use ClayPaws® kits yet, and you would like them to, how about sending them a sample kit? Or a few kits to try out? It is a great way to introduce the kits and let them know you would love to see them offering these to future clients!

Dressing up your ClayPaws prints

We have several new ways that you can dress up your ClayPaws® prints - available through our online store, or by calling us here - 1-888-271-8444.

We like to make our prints with holes in the top so that we can run a ribbon through it. We now have available for you to purchase and use as well. Our favorite for memorials is the brown "furry friend" ribbon. It is a lovely satin ribbon that has the words "furry friend" and paw print icons printed on it.

We also have a plain teal satin ribbon. It is nice for a more basic look. It is a thinner ribbon, so it may be a bit easier to work with as well.

The last type of ribbon is a brightly colored paw print ribbon. It is the widest of the three, but it still works great to decorate the prints. It would be perfect for a print made of a new puppy or kitten, or to celebrate a birthday, or special event in the life of your pet!

You can order all of these ribbons online. They come in packages of 12. Each piece is cut to a pre-measured length of 18". Pick some up today!

Sit on Your ClayPaws Kits

I received a phone call the other day here at World by the Tail, Inc. A veterinary clinic was using two patties to make a print for a VERY large dog. They were having some trouble mixing the two patties together. The caller was wondering if I had any tips for how best to do this.

I do! The key is to get the clay really soft before trying to mix the two patties together. It definitely takes more doing than just one patty. You shouldn't have to put two together very often... only for really big pets! (like Mastiffs!)

Now, don't laugh at me... I know you'll want to. But, I got this tip quite a while back from another customer... and it works!! Very well! If you know that you are going to have to mix two kits together, start a bit ahead of time. Get the two patties and, still in their plastic bags, place them under your behind and sit on them! Yep, I said, "sit on them". While you are doing paperwork or other desk work, you can be softening up the clay with your own body heat! It truly works.

When you go to soften them up and mix them together, they will be more pliable and it will take less time and effort! You can, of course, do this for just one kit as well!

DO NOT microwave. This may seem like a good solution initially, but what it really does is to advance (in essence: BAKE) the clay. It will cause the print to be less likely to hold up for the long term, and to crack more easily! If you don't have any time to sit down on the job, you can use a heated pack that you can microwave (like a first-aid hot or cold pack). Heat this in the microwave and then put the pattie(s) between this to soften.

Importance of More than One Print

We get so many calls from distraught pet parents about their one and only print. They are so worried to even bake it because they don’t want to ruin it. This is the only thing they have left of their pet. We have realized how much better it would be if there were multiple prints for these pet parents.

Consider making more than one print of the pets that die in your clinic. Absorb this cost into the cost of euthanasia. Knowing how much these prints mean to your clients is important! They mean the world to so many of them. It is nerve-wracking to have just one last memory of your pet and then to worry about that memory getting crushed or broken… or burned in the oven during baking! Yikes!

Having two prints would ease the minds of many of these sad, grieving clients. I have two prints of my Lissy-cat. I’m glad I do because I have a back-up if something happens to one print!

How to Absorb the Cost

Do you want to use ClayPaws® Kits in your clinic but worry about the cost of them? Well, first, know that we have attempted to keep our prices as low as possible so they aren’t a huge expense. Our packaging is simple for that very reason – no extra frills means less extra cost to you!

Think about this – if you use one kit per euthanasia or patient death, you could feasibly go through a lot of kits in one year. How about, the next time you have a price increase, to include the cost of the kit into your fees? Your clients expect there to be some increases over time. Work this into your figures!

Also, most clients will not be averse to paying for a print. It is a very special thing to have this memory of their pet. Think about charging a nominal amount (enough to cover your costs) for the prints you make. Have this information readily available when talking about euthanasia. Clients can choose to include this print in their plans, or not.

If you don’t like charging for the print, consider making the first print free – something you just do for the client. If they request more than one (which many people do), charge enough to cover the costs of the additional prints.

These are some ideas of how to absorb the cost of the kits into your practice. How does your clinic do this? We’d love to hear!!

ClayPaws print for an amputee

I talked with a woman last week who has a dog whose leg had to be amputated due to cancer. She was so touched that the hospital made a ClayPaws® print of her dog's soon-to-be removed paw for her.

This was a new idea for me. I had never thought about this! Unfortunately, cancer takes the limbs of many pets. What better memory and comfort object than a print of the removed paw? If your pet is experiencing cancer and may soon lose a limb, ask your vet's office to make a print for you. Or make one for yourself at home.

If you work in a veterinarian's office, think about offering this to your clients as they go through the decision-making process for amputation. It is a stressful time, and this gesture may just help ease their minds!

ClayPaws prints - Practice Management tool?

Have you ever thought that a ClayPaws® kit/print can be a practice management tool for your veterinary clinic? Well, we think they can!

If you already use ClayPaws® kits, we have a couple of ideas for you. How about keeping a baked and decorated print at or near your front counter where clients can see it? This will encourage them to ask about the keepsake and possibly want to purchase them from you. Even if you give them away with euthanasias or patient deaths, your clients may still wish to buy them from you for additional pets or to make additional prints for other family members.

Another idea is to use the kits as a promotional tool for your practice. What about advertising a dental exam for their pets and while their pet is anesthetized, you make a free print for them? It might be a good way to promote your dental health exams and also make wonderful memories for your clients.

ClayPaws® kits are for more than memories surrounding the death of a pet. Think about different ways your clinic can use them as a tool to help boost client loyalty. Let me know if you have other ways you use the kits in your practices! (or if you're a pet-owner - ways your vet clinic has used ClayPaws® kits!)

ClayPaws = Non-Verbal Communication

Something like 93% of communication is non-verbal. It can be very difficult to find the right words in a tough, emotional situation with pets. Euthanasia and death can be a very stressful time for clinicians as well as pet parents.

ClayPaws® prints can help you communicate more effectively with your clients - non-verbally - during these tough times. Giving a ClayPaws® print to a sad or grieving client can convey more than the "right" words.

We get calls all the time from clients who have received prints from their veterinarians. Many times they say this gesture meant more to them than the vet could imagine. Using this tool can help you make a very difficult situation just a little bit easier.

Spay/Neuter ClayPaws Prints

When a family brings a pet to your clinic (or you bring your animal to a clinic) for a spay or neuter surgery, it can be a tense time.

A new puppy or kitten undergoing surgery for the first time is nerve-wracking! (I know - I've sat through the procedure and been the worried pet parent!) Consider making (or having your vet make) a ClayPaws® print of your little one while they are undergoing the surgery. It is a good time to take a print because the animal will allow you to press their paw and get a nice deep print while they are sedated.

It is also a wonderful keepsake to have a print of your animal when they are small!

PetPeopleHelp.com Support Service

We have discovered that most of the practices that use ClayPaws® kits use them surrounding a sad time with pets - death, euthanasia, diagnosis of a terminal illness, etc. We also discovered a need for a support service for pet parents dealing with issues surrounding all of these occurences.

The PetPeopleHelp.com Support Service is available and active now! We have expert counselors who can help clients or clinics with all sorts of pet parenting issues. We do all of this counseling and consulting via telephone, but our counselors are also willing to do one-on-one consulting with clinics (considered on an individual basis - call for details.)

Clients can call in and set up appointments, or clinics can do this for them. We have kept the cost low at $47.00/hour session. We have brochures ready and available for clinics to hand to clients who may benefit from our service. You can see all of the details about the service by visiting our website at www.petpeoplehelp.com or call for information at 1-888-271-8444.

Prints of Litters

We received a call here at World by the Tail the other day. The woman calling was a puppy breeder (golden retrievers who would grow up to be service dogs!) and she was ordering ClayPaws® kits to use for the puppies her dogs were soon to have. The photo is of her dog and the pups! (with their service jackets already on! Check out the organization - www.cci.org)

She had seen a kit from her veterinarian and decided it would be a wonderful thing to do with her pups. She was planning to make a print of each puppy and give it to their new companion when they were trained and ready to place.

Are you a puppy or kitten breeder? You could use ClayPaws® kits to make imprints for yourself, or you could include a print already made to go home with each animal for their new families. Have you recently gotten a new puppy or kitten from a breeder? What better way to thank them for the new addition to your family than a ClayPaws® print of their little paw?

Demo Prints

We have started something new here at World by the Tail. We are making demo prints to send out to our clinics. This showcases what a finished ClayPaws® print will look like. Clinics can use this for staff training purposes, or to show clients an idea of what their print will look like.

We have used a mold of our owner’s dog Sam for our dog prints, and of her cat Jewel for our cat prints. Raquel is our resident expert print maker. We send these to all new customers, but if you’re an existing ClayPaws® kit user and would like a demo for your clinic, just let us know! (email wbtt@wbtt.com or call us at 1-888-271-8444) We’ll be happy to send one out to you!

Using a Tortilla Press

We have heard this idea from several customers.

It can be a little difficult to make your patty into a nice round, flat surface once you have softened the clay for your ClayPaws® print. We use our own creation - Portable Patty Pads and they work just great! But, if you're looking for a different solution, think about trying a tortilla press.

This inexpensive kitchen utensil can make this process a nice, easy one for you. Especially for veterinary clinics that make a lot of prints in a day - having a tool such as this may simplify the process for you! (One note - if you're using a press that you intend to use for food again, you'll want to cover the surface with wax paper or plastic wrap before pressing the clay!)

I found this particular press at Williams-Sonoma.com, but you can probably locate one in a local kitchen store also! 

Prints of your favorite patients

If you work in a veterinary clinic, have you considered making prints of your favorite patients for yourself? We know that your clients love the prints you make for them – we hear thank yous all the time (as do you hopefully!) But, you get attached to patients too!

Consider making prints for you to remember your favorites by! I’ve worked with several veterinarians who did just this. It kept the cases fresh for them, kept these special patients close to them even after they have died.

Just as the clients will appreciate having the print you make for them, they will appreciate knowing that you have kept a print of their beloved pet for yourself.

If you are a pet parent, consider making a print as a gift for your veterinarian. The bond they have with your pet is a special and unique one. What better way to honor that bond than by making them a print as a thank you or a remembrance.

Got ClayPaws® Hands?

If you have ever made a ClayPaws® print, you know that the residue from the clay is difficult to remove from your hands.

We make a LOT of prints here at World by the Tail, so we've searched out a way that works to remove that residue effectively!

Lava Soap. It does the trick! We keep a bar at our sink in the office so we can get our hands clean! The pumice in the soap is what works against the oils in the clay. Scrub your hands with a bar of Lava and you'll have squeaky clean hands once again!

We have soap available if you'd like a bar for your home or clinic. Just ask next time you call to order! 

Making a Casting of your Print

We get a question fairly often here at World by the Tail. "Once my pet has passed away, is there a way to make a mold or casting of my print?"

Until recently, we didn't have a good answer for this. However, we have found the answer! And the answer is YES!

There is a product called MoldMaker by Sculpey clay company. We have experimented with it and found that this process is not only fairly simple, but extremely effective. Above is a photo of one of the molds we made using one of the owner's dog prints. Below is the ClayPaws® print we made using the mold!

If you work in a veterinary clinic, this can be an extremely useful tip to pass on to your clients. We get calls all the time from distraught owners who are concerned about their print breaking. With MoldMaker, they can make duplicate prints and have more than one.

We also get calls all the time about putting the prints outside. We DO NOT recommend this if the print is the one and only. Weather will break the clay down even if it is glazed eventually. Using MoldMaker to make duplicate prints can allow owners to put prints outside, but still have the original print in a safe place.

You can purchase MoldMaker from most craft stores or online from DickBlick.com - art supplies.

Farm, Large Animal, and Equine Prints

  So many people have large animals that are just as much a part of the family as dogs and cats. I lived on a farm that had pygmy goats and they were very much pets (as much as they were a 4-H project!) We made several prints of baby goats!

These prints can be a bit trickier to make than a dog or cat. First, you have the dirt to deal with! Then there is the safety factor. These animals can hurt you if they kick, so be sure you are working with an animal who will allow you to mess with its feet. And have help! Don't try this alone!

Covering the hoof with plastic can be a good way to get the print without the dirt. The students at CSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital used the exam gloves to cover the hooves. If you don't want to use this method, you'll need to either be OK with the dirt, or pick the hooves in advance to get rid of much of it.

Taking a lock of tail or mane hair can also add a nice touch to the print. Be sure to save it aside until after the print is baked. Hair won't last through the baking process. You can affix it after baking.

We sell hoofprint kits that include enough clay to make a large enough patty for a hoof!

ClayPaws are for Families

If you have children, using ClayPaws® prints can be a fun process and a great way to involve them in your animals' treatment or euthanasia.

If you are having a pet euthanized, ClayPaws® kits can be a good way to have your child(ren) actively participate. It can be a very overwhelming and emotional time, but many times, children want to be involved.

While you are making decisions or visiting with the veterinarian (or if you are a vet - with the client), have the child(ren) soften up the clay to ready it for making the print.

Once you are ready, have the child bring the patty to the animals paw. Be sure the animal isn't hurting or agitated. You don't want the child to cause any more agitation or get bitten. You will need to help them with the pressing so they don't hurt the animal.

If there is more than one child in the family, consider giving each child their own print. This way they will each have their own special memory object of their pet!

Puppy and Kitten Memories

We know that most of you use ClayPaws® kits when your pet or your clients' pets are dying or have been euthanized. But, have you ever considered what a great memory a paw print would be of a puppy or kitten?

Think about this - they grow up SO fast! And almost all pets get much bigger than puppy or kitten-hood. Wouldn't it be great to have a print to remember how small they once were?

To get a print of puppies and kittens, you have to be a little sneaky. The best time to do this is when they are being spayed or neutered. Capture the little paw print when they are under anesthesia! This way they won't be freaked out by you messing with their paw!

If you can't do it at this time, make the clay as soft as you can so you don't have to press too hard. Then be prepared to do this swiftly so you don't have to restrain them for too long. Have someone help! Press the hardest on the biggest part of their pad and then quickly press each "toe" in to get the impression.

If you don't like your first attempt, you can certainly soften the clay up again and try over! Give your pet a break between attempts though!

If you are working in a clinic, consider making prints for your clients! Surprising them with a puppy or kitten print will be a great way to build client loyalty!

Fish, Lizards, and Birds! Oh, My!

ClayPaws® prints aren’t only for pets that have paws! Some of the best prints I’ve ever seen have been exotic animals and even “farm” animals!

My very favorite story about a ClayPaws® print is this:

A lady came into the hospital with her very sick Koi goldfish. It was a gorgeous fish and she was very attached to it. Unfortunately, her fish did not live. She was embarrassed that she was so sad about her fish dying. The techs and I decided to try to make her an imprint of her fish.

Technique was hard to figure with a slippery goldfish, but we actually froze the fish (post-mortem, of course!) We then made a patty large enough to accommodate the flowy fins of her fish and pressed it into softened clay. It turned out amazingly well, and she was SO happy to have such a great memory of her fish.

The photo here is not the afore-mentioned fish. Rather, it is an imprint of Tailly, a fish who belonged to our employee, Susan's,  little boy. Patricia decorated it using embossing powders on the body of the fish and the stamped name and beads. His name is stamped using our Alphabet Stamp kit.

Other interesting prints I have seen included lizards, birds, goats, and even the body imprint of a crawdad. Be creative! If you have exotic pets, or work with them, you can certainly make lasting imprints of them with ClayPaws® kits!