Your Childs First Pet And Managing The Mess #ShedHappens

Clay and I debated for YEARS about getting the kids their first pet. When our son (our oldest child) was born we had an outdoor cat and lived in the country so that wasn’t really much of a big deal. But he was an infant and didn’t get to enjoy having a pet. Then when he was around 5 and we had two more kids I thought it would be a great idea to get a puppy. Sadly, that pup had serious personality issues and had to be re-homed within just a couple months. So we waited. And debated.

This post is sponsored by Swiffer® and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am helping spread the word about Swiffer but Cinnamon Hollow only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Swiffer is not responsible for the content of this article.

Two years ago one of the schools had an event where the majority of the prizes were goldfish. I think we ended up walking away with 6 or 7 fish. We bought a tank and all the stuff they needed and considered them our first pets.

Half of them died. All of us cried. The kids wanted a dog.

Jump ahead a year to Christmas 2014 and we were at the pet store looking for a Christmas tree decoration for the fish tank. We really love those silly fish. Clay and I had also discussed looking at the kittens and maybe adopting one. We rounded a corner and there sat the most adorable black and white puppy looking at us with big, round eyes seemingly pleading with us to take him home. I swear he had a little ray of sunshine shining down on him. I fell in love. Clay said no. I moved on to the kittens. The kids stayed behind looking at the puppy. So did Clay.

I got one of the girls’ attention and told her to tell her daddy that I’d found a kitten I liked. She went to get him but came back a few seconds later and said that he was holding the puppy and for me to come there. I had her sit with the kitten so she could let them know we were interested. I went to Clay who was still holding the dog. He said the girls really wanted him. Yet, he was the one sitting there in the chair with the puppy! I reminded him that he had said no to a dog. A half hour later we were walking out of the pet store…. proud parents of a black and white pup we’d named Jasper.

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet Welcome Home Kit

We got him home only to discover he was full of worms, malnourished and had a major kennel cough. We got the medicine he needed and proceeded to fatten him up and get him healthy again. He recovered very quickly and soon went from shy, quiet Jasper to “oh my gosh, what were we thinking” hyper Jasper. But we love him.

Welcome Home Kit courtesy of Swiffer and BarkBox and Co.

Fast forward nearly a year later and we are now still (and forever will be) the proud parents of Jasper as well as 4 kids, 2 fish and a black and white kitten named Honey. And, sometimes, a messy house because of it. Jasper went through a really big shedding phase just before he turned a year old and now Honey is shedding tons. I’ve learned a few ways to deal with it.

I vacuum a lot to get rid of the pet hair. But it isn’t always practical to drag the big vacuum out to sweep the house and furniture. If we have last minute company coming or if the house just needs a refresher but not a full cleaning, the vacuum is a hassle. So I’ve started using several different Swiffer® products to clean up after the pets. And the kids. I can use them on the furniture, the floors and even the walls and what-nots. I love the basic Swiffer Sweeper because I can use it with the dry cloth to grab all the pet hair, loose tracked in dirt and dust on the hard floors and then go over them quickly with a wet cloth to get any caked on dirt. I also LOVE the Swiffer Duster! That thing really grabs the pet hair. They work really well for dusting the end tables, tv stand, etc. but they also work perfectly on the sofa and chair to grab pet hair. It only takes a few minutes to go over the house with each thing. Then I give a spritz of Febreze to freshen the air.

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet

Pet hair mess and frustrations shouldn’t be an obstacle to adopting a loving pet because you know, in life, #ShedHappens.

This holiday season, Swiffer and Bark & Co. want to help more families and pets experience the love through pet adoption – and have more time for play and less time for clean-up. Swiffer and Bark & Co. are donating 10,000 Welcome Home Kits to participating shelters across country and Swiffer is making a $50,000 total donation to select shelters to support their needs this holiday season.

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Swiffer is also teaming up with Scott Foley to celebrate Family’s First Pet and the fur-ever friendship that comes with adopting a child’s first pet. @BarkBox and @Swiffer are teaming up to make sure cleaning concerns are never an obstacle when bringing your child’s first pet. Through December, new pup parents who adopt from partnering shelters will get a free Welcome Home Kit packed with goodies and cleaning supplies. Because with any furry family member… #ShedHappens.

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet Welcome Home Kit
Actor, dad of three, and rescue pet parent of two, Scott Foley partners with Swiffer to spread the word that cleaning concerns should never be an obstacle to bringing home your child’s first pet, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, in New York. Foley joined Swiffer and Bark & Co. to provide 10,000 Welcome Home Kits, including free Swiffer products, to shelters nationwide this holiday season. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Swiffer/AP Images)

Here’s what is in my Welcome Home Kit. Isn’t it fabulous?

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet Welcome Home Kit

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet Welcome Home Kit

Of course, our nosy boy had to check it out. He sniffs out every package that comes into this house!

Swiffer And Your Child's First Pet Welcome Home Kit

If you adopt and get a Welcome Home Kit,  share a photo on Twitter of your new fur-ever family and everything in your box with @Swiffer and @BarkBox to show how ready you are for when #ShedHappens.

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4 thoughts on “Your Childs First Pet And Managing The Mess #ShedHappens”

  1. We love Swiffer products and use them weekly when we clean. The dry mop is a long time favorite in this dog household. Nice to see Bark & Co involved, too. Thanks to Scott Foley for getting involved. Happy holidays. Jasper is adorable. Glad your hubby said yes!

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