Alaska’s Best
As someone who has lived in Alaska my entire life, I have been lucky enough to explore many different cities and towns and try local restaurants.
If you’re in the Anchorage and Eagle River areas I recommend giving these restaurants, breweries, and activities a try
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
Bear Tooth Theaterepub (dinner, drinks, and a movie)
Village Inn (great breakfast foods and easy on the wallet)
That Wing Place
Josie’s Bakery (delicious Filipino food)
Simon and Seafort’s Saloon & Grill (fresh Alaskan seafood with a waterfront view)
Pizza Man
Garcia’s Cantina & Café
Double Shovel Cider Co.
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Some activities I recommend
Hiking Flattop Mountain
Taking the historic tour in downtown Anchorage
Thunderbird Falls (a short hike to a beautiful waterfall)
Hike up Mt. Baldy
Campbell Creek Science Center
Alaska Botanical Garden
Eagle River Nature Center
The Alaska Zoo
Traveling down the Seward Highway can be intimidating. It’s a long and windy stretch of road, but it has plenty of places to stop, take pictures, observe wildlife, and relax. Girdwood is a lovely little town about 45 minutes from Anchorage. They have a perfect pullout spot with, pizza, ice cream, souvenirs, and a gas station. I love Coast Pizza, they are a locally, woman-owned business and offer by the slice and full pizzas. Their menu also includes calzones, quesadillas, and salads. The Ice Cream Shop is another place you have to try in Girdwood and they are conveniently right next door to Coast Pizza. They have ice cream and sorbet options from your typical Old Fashioned Vanilla to Alaska Wild Berry. You can also get milkshakes, smoothies, coffee, and snacks! If you’re planning an overnight stay, you should consider booking a night or two at the Alyeska Resort. They are known for their spa, skiing, and delicious food. On your way out of Girdwood, I highly recommend you stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The wonderful people there are dedicated to helping Alaskan wildlife. They offer tours, bear and moose encounters and so much more.
As you make your way down the highway, Portage, AKA Ghost Town in Alaska, is a great town to visit if you want to see the Portage Glacier. They offer on-land tours, as well as cruises through Gray Line Alaska. Now of course many people travel to Alaska for fishing. Anchorage, Soldotna, Sterling, and Cooper Landing are just a few of the cities and towns that offer great fishing areas. You can go by yourself or even book a guided fishing experience.
Alaska has so much to offer when it comes to food, outdoor and indoor activities, lodging, and wildlife experiences that there’s no way I can fit it all into one article. I highly suggest checking out Alaskatravel.com and Alaska.org for more information and tips to get the most out of your Alaskan adventures. Make sure you take the time to research wildlife safety and tips for fishing to make sure you have the correct licenses and gear. More ways to travel through Alaska are small plane tours, train rides, and bus tours. Each offers its own unique take on the Alaskan life and wilderness.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through and I hope this helps as you plan your trip to Alaska. It truly is a wonderful State with so much to offer its residents and visitors.
A Simple Guide to K9 Friends
*Please note I am not a veterinary professional and this is my personal input on dog ownership. I am not giving any medical advice.*
Having a trustworthy veterinary clinic close to home is probably the most important and most useful resource. Now, there are situations where we take an animal into our homes with no time to prepare, and that's okay. I've done it myself a few times. If you have time to research veterinary clinics around you, I highly suggest it. A lot of clinics these days offer monthly plans that will cover vaccines, dental care, blood work and other services you may need as your puppy gets older. Most plans are yearly and can be adjusted to what fits you, your pet and also your budget. If you do not have a vet clinic near you that offers a plan, that's okay! Make sure you have enough money to get the necessary vaccines and testing (stool and urine samples are common) your vet may want to run to make sure your puppy is healthy.
When it comes to your pups diet there are an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. Grain free, with grain, raw, dry kibble, wet/canned and so on. I'm not here to tell you what I think is the best or worst option or how much they should eat in a day. Talking to your vet and local pet stores is going to be the most helpful when making a decision for food. Keep in mind when choosing food for your pet their age, breed/size, and activity levels. If you have an active dog you're going to want to make sure you're feeding enough calories daily to keep their weight healthy. The same goes if you have a "lazy" dog. You don't want to over-feed and cause them to become overweight and unhealthy. It may seem like common sense, but obese animals are common so always ask your vet if you're unsure about the daily amount your dog should be eating.
When it comes to training you have books, the internet, professional trainers and yourself. Whichever you choose is a great choice and your pup will thank you. A wonderful way to keep them engaged during training is with small training treats. If your dog is food motivated you may be able to get away with turning their dry kibble into training treats. If not that's okay, there's plenty of yummy treats out there to choose from.
Another great use for training treats is teaching your dog to walk on their leash. Whether you decide to use a collar or harness, your dog will need a leash. A tip I learned over the years to help stop leash pulling is to entice your pet with treats and make sure that if they start to pull you stop walking and redirect their attention to you. Once you have their attention, give a treat and start walking again. It could take 10 minutes to get from point A to point B this way, but think about how nice walks will be in the future if you can stop pulling from becoming a habit.
Now let's talk about kennels and gates. Kennel or crate training is a good idea as long as you use them properly. It keeps your pet safe when you're not home, and it gives them a safe space to hang out when they want some alone time. If you have a large breed dog I recommend buying a kennel that they can use throughout their lifetime as they grow. Kennels that come with a separation wall are a great way to do this. You don't want to put a small puppy in a large kennel because this may encourage them to use an area to relieve themselves and the rest of the space for sleeping. Potty training will not become any easier if they get the idea they can go where they sleep. If you are going to put bedding in their kennel make sure to keep an eye on them and check it daily to ensure they are not chewing it up or ingesting it. Puppy or baby gates are a great tool to use when it comes to training your pet to stay out of certain areas of your home, like the kitchen. Eventually you can take them down and work on commands to keep them out, but in the meantime a gate works wonderfully.
We all know that potty training can be stressful so I suggest following this rule of thumb; when your pup wakes up, finishes eating, is done playing, or it's been a couple of hours with no break, go ahead and take them outside. When they relieve themselves, tell them good boy/girl or whatever positive reinforcement you choose and give them a treat. This will encourage them to continue to go outside more often. If you want to use potty pads, go for it! I suggest keeping them by the outside doors so they know to go to that general area. Never yell at your dog for going in the house, just take them outside and say "(insert name) go potty outside." You don't want to scare your dog! Positive reinforcement is always the way to go.
If you want to groom your pet yourself it's best to start them as young as possible. Let them get used to you touching their paws and ears for nail trims/ear cleanings and to build a safe connection with them. Slowly introduce the tools to them and make sure you stay calm. Do not start yelling. If you or your dog feel overwhelmed take a break and try again later. I suggest using a professional for haircuts, but this is my personal opinion and something I do not have any practice with. Don't forget you can also ask your vet for tips and tricks on how to safely trim nails at home and make sure you're properly cleaning their ears. Styptic or "Kwik Stop" powder is good to have on hand in case you accidentally cut a nail too short.
Keeping your dog healthy isn't done only through diet and exercise. Like humans, dogs need mental stimulation too. A great way to give that to them is by using interactive toys. Snuffle mats, puzzle games, and lick mats are all great ways to stimulate your dog and deter destructive behavior.
If you are planning to travel out of state or out of the country with your pup you will need to make sure you've done the research for each place you plan on visiting. You will most likely need a health certificate from your veterinarian so plan ahead and schedule any appointments in advance. Double check that you are not getting it too soon though as they are only valid for a certain amount of days. If you are traveling and not taking your dog with you and are in need of a boarding facility, you can always check with your veterinary clinic, as most offer this service. If they do not, Google boarding facilities nearby and I'm sure you will have plenty of options. Don't be afraid to call around and ask about different services they offer, prices, and if they have any packages they offer, especially for new clients.
When taking your dog outside for long periods of time, or even short periods, depending on weather, you want to make sure they have the correct gear. I live in Alaska where it gets cold in the winter so I like to have a coat, sweater and insulated booties for my dog. This way they can still go outside and play comfortably if we go to the dog park. It's important to protect their paws in hot weather too. Pet stores and online suppliers have sticky pads that go on each paw pad to help keep dogs safe and from getting burnt pads. Another thing to keep on hand in the summer time is pet safe bug spray, something else you can find in pet stores or online. A travel bowl for water is an excellent item to have on hand as well.
Whether you just adopted a puppy, senior dog or somewhere in between I hope this information was helpful!
My Day as an Office Manager for a Pet Cremation Company
My alarm is going off, it's 7:30 in the morning and my dogs and cat are wide awake waiting for potty breaks and breakfast. As I open my eyes my small dog is on one side of my pillow eagerly watching my every move and my cat is on the other side meowing, my large dog is standing on the bed wagging his tail, all waiting for me to pull my covers off and get up. Once my eyes adjust and I've checked the notifications on my phone I'm ready to get out of bed. All three animals jump down, the cat is in the closet now where his litter box and food are kept, and the dogs are waiting impatiently at the bedroom door waiting to be set free into the condo. The litter box is clean, the cat is fed, and now it's time to take care of the dogs and bearded dragon. I can find the bearded dragon sun basking in his tank or eating his food, I turn his UBV light on, check his food and water levels and he's set for the day. My little pup, Rylee, is waiting by her food bowl and my big pup, Doug, is at the back door waiting to go outside. Now that "the zoo" is taken care of I can start on myself. I brush my teeth, get dressed and start my car. It's winter in Alaska right now and has been in the negative temperatures, needless to say leaving the comfort of my home is unpleasant and cold.
Now that I've arrived at the office it's time to get to work. I start with the typical office manager/receptionist duties of checking voicemails and emails, making coffee and engaging in small talk with my coworker. Every other week day our full-time crematory technician is in charge of doing pick-ups around our city from local vet clinics. We also have people coming into the office for drops offs and this is where I handle intake.
When someone comes to our office with a deceased pet I am in charge of getting owners information, pet information, helping the owner decide what services they want and collecting payment. We deal with all species of pets, not only cats and dogs as some people think or assume. I enjoy hearing people's stories and seeing photos of their pets and getting an idea of each personality before they came to us. After the owner leaves I start on their requests. Sometimes it's nothing more than placing the pet in a cremation safe bag and other times they have requested prints, fur and even a tooth from time to time. I enjoy doing prints for the pets we see, it's nice creating a keepsake for the owners to cherish through the years when they can no longer love on their pet. Once each request is completed the body is bagged and taken to our secondary location for cremation.
Our crematory technician works hard to ensure our clients pet gets to go back home as soon as possible. Once the cremains arrive back at the office I call the owner and let them know their pet is ready to be picked up. We never rush our clients to come and pick up as it is difficult for some people to adapt to life without them and we want them to grieve in their own way and in their own time.
This job can be difficult at times as we are dealing with people on one of the hardest days they've had. It is also a rewarding job when you see the smiles through happy tears as the owner looks at the prints you have made for them and the pet is being returned home.
Happy the Bird
Duke the Dog
Changing Careers is Scary
Let me start by saying thank you for taking the time to get to know me and how I started writing, I hope you enjoy my story.
I was born in August 1995 in Anchorage, AK. I have lived here my entire life, other than 2 months in 2017 when I lived in Washington. While I enjoyed being there I decided it wasn't going to be long-lived when my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer for the 3rd time. Since coming back to Alaska I have never felt happy or content with my career path. I worked for a local women's consignment store, but fashion isn't something I care much about. I worked for vet clinics in reception, but answering phones all day doesn't give me a sense of purpose. Furthermore, I worked in a couple of dog daycare and boarding facilities, but got burnt out. The veterinary medical field, no matter your position, is understaffed and underpaid which leads to working long hours and still not being able to pay the bills. I found a position with a local pet emergency clinic as a crematory technician. It was decent pay, I was working alone most of the time, and it had a great schedule of three 12-hour shifts with four days off in a row. Once my boss showed her true colors though I decided to leave that position after two years and started working as a part-time crematory technician and full-time front office manager for a different pet crematorium. I have been here for close to a year, and it's become monotonous and unfulfilling.
One weekend I was sitting at my kitchen table thinking about what I have a true passion for. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy being a crematory technician, but the office manager aspect is not something I am excited to come in for 5 days a week. I've always been a true-crime fan, I love reading, and I always wanted to write a book. I decided at that moment I was going to start writing. My long term goal is to go to school and get a B.A. in creative writing and one day publish a book. For now, I am excited to be starting from the bottom and working my way to the top. I have a lot of learning to do and I can't wait to share my experiences with everyone.
If you have any input, tips or constructive criticism please share it with me. I look forward to hearing from you and getting to know the world of writing as I start this new career journey.
An Introduction to Pet Cremation Services
An Introduction to Pet Cremation Services
My goal is to educate my readers on pet cremation and help pet owners feel more at ease when it comes time to make that final, yet important decision. As someone who has worked in the pet cremation field for three years, I know the process from start to finish.
Once you decide it's time for euthanasia or if your pet has already passed people often wonder, what's next? You may go to Google and search what to do or reach out to your vet. If you choose to bury your pet at home you will need to check your city's laws. If you decide cremation is the right option I am happy to help you figure out the different options crematoriums may offer to you.
Typically, when you place a call to a pet crematorium they will start by asking for information like your name, phone number, your pets name and an estimated weight. Now that they have this information they will ask you if you would like your pets' cremains (ashes) returned or not. From this point you will be given 1-3 cremation options. Some facilities only offer a communal cremation, also referred to as mass cremation. Then you have your semi-private vs. private cremation services.
If you choose communal cremation your pet will be placed in the retort with others, and you will not receive any ashes. Most companies will take your pets ashes to a large property or field and dispose of them there. If you choose to have a semi-private cremation your pet will still be placed into the retort with other animals, but they are separated from one another, usually with refractory brick, so you can be assured you are receiving your pets ashes back. If you are uneasy about a semi-private cremation you can then choose the fully private option. This tends to be a more expensive option as the entire retort is being used for one pet, but this is the best way to ensure only your pet is coming back home. Most companies will return your pets ashes in a decorative tin urn unless you choose to purchase one either through them or on your own. This is not something you have to decide right away, as ashes can be transferred to a different urn at any given time.
Now let's talk about keepsakes. Keepsakes for pets are often requested and highly recommended if you want to have a physical object to display other than an urn or if you choose a communal cremation, but still want a form of memorabilia. Keepsakes range from paw prints, nose prints, fur clippings, jewelry and more. Some crematoriums offer clay, ink and even shadow box prints. The options may feel overwhelming in the moment, but you can always ask to see examples of their work and decide what you think looks best and what you'd be happy taking home.
Losing a pet can be difficult and many people don't think about cremation until they are at a loss on what to do next. The employees at pet crematoriums are always there to help and can walk you through each step so you feel confident in your choice. Never be afraid to ask questions or to see examples of their work.
I hope this brief introduction to pet cremation helps you decide if cremation is right for you and your pet and gives you an idea of where to begin and what to ask your vet or local pet crematoriums.