Travel

     With spring break and summer approaching, most of us are planning to get out of town, and some of us will be taking our dogs. More and more awareness is being made of travel safety for our pets. For example, as much as they love to hang their heads out of the window, serious harm could come to them by a passing car tire throwing a rock, or a bug hitting their eye at relatively low speeds. Pets can be a distraction to the driver and be a danger to other passengers if an auto accident occurs. Now there are many affordable options for pet safety gear in the car.

     Brands like Kurgo make great travel gear for dogs that not only protects your dog, but protects your vehicle. The harness that buckles into a safety belt buckle is great, because it allows the dog to still see out the window with the wind in its face but prevents their head from the leaving the car. It also helps provide stability for the dog on curvy roads or stop and go traffic. I also like the hammocks or back seat barrier, because it prevents the dog from getting into your space and distracting you from driving. These companies even provide travel aids for aging dogs that may have joint problems, such as stairs to assist them into the car and padded beds. Click on the links above for online product pricing and inspiration. Also, check out ASPCA and BARK for more travel tips.

     You may also be considering traveling by plane with your pet. More airlines are becoming more pet friendly, but there are still concerns. Small pets, under 20lbs, can travel in the main cabin with you. Larger pets are stowed away as cargo. If your pet is going to be packed with the cargo, please read these tips from the FAA to ensure your pet has a safe flight and consult your vet regarding health concerns. There are specific airlines just for shipping pets that are more accommodating. However, these airlines charge high prices, and you cannot accompany your pet.

    For area specific pet travel tips and recommendations, see these helpful links:

Bring Fido

Dog Friendly

Fido Factor

     Happy Travels!

Newest Addition: Therapy Dog?

     Our newest addition to our family, Dacie, has been an eye opener. She was given to us by a family who turned out to be allergic to her. She is a pure bred Labrador Retriever with an awesome temperament. At just 7 months old, she was very calm, loved everyone and every animal, had a healthy curiosity and was not easily scared. I then realized that she would be a great therapy dog, so my research began.

     As it turned out, she had already been through obedience school, was spayed and up to date on shots. The first requirements were met. However, she cannot be temperament tested until she reaches one year of age. We're now at 9 months and counting. We have made an effort to continue socializing her, taking her to pet friendly stores and to friends' homes to meet new people and animals. So far, she has done amazingly well!

     Our local Love on a Leash group meets monthly at the library for children's reading and also visits schools, The Cancer Center and many other events and locations. If you're interested in more information or want to find a therapy dog group near you, check out this website.

DIY: Dog Paw Prints

     The cold weather and Pinterest combined has motivated me to try out a winter craft project. I have been wanting to display some dog art, and what better dog art is there than stamping your own pooch's paws?! This can be done many ways, but I tried one of them out today with the help of my lovely husband.

Supplies

Paper plates

Foam brushes

6" x 12" artist panel (cheaper and sturdier than a canvas wrap)

Acrylic paint to use on their paws (easily washes away)

OPTIONAL Paint for a background color (I used a paint sample I already had)

     I first painted on the background color of choice. I wanted something to match the decor, not just plain white. I applied 3 coats, letting it dry for a few minutes in between each coat. After the background had thoroughly dried, I then prepped the acrylic paint I would use on my dogs' paws by brushing out a large amount onto a paper plate. I chose brown to go with the blue background, but black or white would stand out well, also. My husband and I set up a station on the kitchen floor including:

1 Paper plate with the acrylic paint brushed onto it for dipping their paws

Plain paper plates to test on before placing the print on the panel

A bowl with 1 tsp dawn dish soap and warm water to rinse paws

1 Towel to clean/dry paws

     We had 3 dogs that were all very curious about this set up. We had treats ready to give them after they had cooperated. I won't lie, it was a bit tricky to get them to be still. One of the paw prints messed up, but the acrylic paint made it easy to quickly wipe it away and try again. The prints aren't all perfect, but I like that. It's real.

Now, where to hang it?

These muddy paw prints being tracked into the house recently has also made me consider another idea. 

     If you didn't want to use a display such as this one, you could ultimately use a picture frame by placing parchment paper on the floor. Put the paint on your dog's paws, and let them walk on the paper. After cleaning them off and letting the paint dry, you could then cut out the paw prints you like best and place them in a frame. If you try it, let me know how it goes. 

Baked Glazed Apple Treats - Limited Ingredients

     We recently acquired a third dog, fostering, and the amount of treats we're going through is crazy! I only purchase treats and food that are wheat and corn free due to Maeby's food allergies, which can get pricey, so I decided to make some treats again. I wanted to do something more simple and less messy than the usual process. I then thought of apples; my dogs love apples! They're relatively cheap and very healthy. So, this is the concoction that resulted:

Baked Glazed Apple Treats

Ingredients:

3 Apples, of any variety

3 TBSP honey

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 275.

Clean and dry the apples (leaving the skins on provides extra fiber). Chop off the tops and bottoms, since they will be too thick for the desired result. Slice the apples horizontally as thin as possible, approximately 12 slices per apple, removing seeds.

Place the apple slices on cookie sheets lined with wax or parchment paper. HINT: Spray the cookie sheets with oil before applying wax paper, as the honey will cause the paper to stick to the pan. 

Combine the honey and cinnamon in a small bowl and microwave x 30 seconds. Now, spoon or brush small amounts onto each apple. If the honey starts to become too thick to spread, reheat in the microwave at 10 second increments. 

Place the cookie sheets in the oven for 2 hours, flipping the apples every 30 minutes.

Apples should be crispy around the edges and dehydrated. Let cool before serving. 

Store in airtight container and refrigerate. 

Spay and Neuter

Bob Barker always gave this good advice, "Spay and neuter your pets." Many don't realize the importance of spaying or neutering their pet, so I'm going to share these reasons to encourage you or a friend to listen to Bob Barker.

This past month, I have been seeing first hand the results of not following this advice. I have been going to our local shelter 1-2 times a week to take photos of the dogs and cats in hopes of finding them homes before their time runs out. Many are saved from an early death, but most of those are saved by rescue organizations who want to give these animals more time to find their forever home.

Why spay or neuter my pet?

- Keep the population down so less unwanted pets end up in shelters.
  (About half of all pets in shelters are euthanized,  3-4 million yearly.)

- Medical evidence shows that females that are spayed before their first heat are generally healthier.

- Your dog's personality will not be effected by spaying/neutering.
   Their personalities are formed mostly by genetics and environment.

- Studies show that pets who are exercised and given the appropriate diet will not gain weight.

- There are many spay/neuter clinics that will provide low-cost assistance for payment.
   Most of them perform the procedure at a reduced rate.

- 1 out of every 4 shelter animals are purebred, so look in a shelter before supporting a puppy mill.

 

If you have more concerns or questions about this, please visit
The Humane Society of the United States' website.

PLEASE check your local shelter, rescues or humane society if you're looking to get a pet.
They desperately need homes, and you can always find a good match for your circumstances.

After all, we got these two great mutts from our local shelter!

Heat Advisory

It is extremely important that we know what to do with our pets during these hot summer days to prevent heat stroke.

• NEVER leave your pet in a car, even with the windows down. The temperature can rise very quickly in a car parked in the sun, so leave your pet at home if you can't take them in the store with you.
• If your pet is outside, make sure it has access to shade and always has fresh water available.
• Give your pet a summer trim if they have a long or heavy coat, but leave approximately 1 inch of fur to prevent sunburn. 
• Don't over exercise them, whether it be play or going for a walk. Again, they must always have fresh water, especially during increased activity.
• When opening home windows, make sure your pet cannot climb or fall out of them.

Be aware of the signs and symptoms of overheating.

• Heavy panting (more than usual)
• Drooling
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Increased heart rate
• Bloody diarrhea
• Temperature over 104

Fore more information, visit the ASPCA website. Know your closest Veterinary Clinic and it's after hours phone number in case of emergency. Please share this information with friends. 

Have a happy and safe summer!

Fight the Fleas!

It's confirmed! Thanks to our mild winter, this is one of the worst summers for insects in Kentucky, and that includes fleas. I don't know if you've ever had a flea infestation, but we know just how bad this can be.

Before my husband and I ever had a dog, we lived in an apartment with two cats who never went outside. We somehow became overrun with fleas! We spent hundreds trying to fix this problem, but it wasn't until we did some thorough research that we were able to resolve it. Now, our dogs will never go without some kind of flea prevention, and there's many to chose from.

If you're trying to chose a medication like Frontline Plus (our choice), click this handy link that will help you to decide. If we didn't have a cat, we would go with K-9 Advantix, since it has the added mosquito repellant. But there are other options for that.

I know many people do not want to use insecticides, but be aware that natural alternatives only repel and do not kill. So, if you have an infestation, see the steps at the bottom of this post.

Natural Repellants

If you suspect your pet has fleas, place them on a white surface and brush them to see if any fall off of them. Inspect their armpits, between toes and face. If you see any fleas or flea stools, bathe them using a flea comb to remove as many fleas as possible. A shampoo with citrus oil is helpful. Many fleas come off in the rinse. Apply apple cider vinegar to your pet's coat during the rinse. Fleas will also migrate to their tails and face when bathing, so be ready to pick them off. Drown the fleas in a glass of alcohol or a glass or water with a TBSP of cooking oil added to it. Keep in mind that over washing your pet can be harmful to it's skin, causing dryness, irritation or rashes.

After bathing, combing and removal, there are some natural products you can use to help keep fleas off of your pet, but again, this will not kill the fleas or prevent a home infestation.

Many have found brewer's yeast and apple cider vinegar to be effective as a repellant, adding 1/2 tsp of brewer's yeast to pet's food daily and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into the water bowl.

Other helpful repellants to apply to the fur include lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, lavender and citronella.  There are many natural spray repellants with these ingredients, but do not spray your pet's face. Always apply some to your hands and pet onto the face to avoid the eyes. It's also helpful to do a quick application of citronella, watered down apple cider vinegar or water from boiled lemons to your pet's legs and stomach before going outside. Remember, heart worms come from a bite by an infected mosquito, so you want to keep them off of your pet.

Medicated Flea Repellant

Since our experience with flea infestation, I will not go without Frontline Plus. I was so excited when a generic came out for the basic Frontline, but I ran into a couple of issues with these generics. First of all, Maeby was very allergic to the generic form. I had to bathe her in an oatmeal bath and keep Benadryl in her system for days to get her rash to go away. I felt so guilty. But I did notice that it wasn't as effective as Frontline Plus on Kingsley, who has a double coat and is difficult to comb.

In case of flea infestation, follow these steps:

1) Gather this grocery list:

Flea bath with flea comb

Bug bombs - must have permethrin* as active ingredient

Borax or carpet sprinkle containing permethrin

A preventative treatment AKA Frontline, K-9 Advantix or Advantage (doesn't kill ticks)

Capstar tablet from your vet, but not necessary

*Permethrin is an insecticide that efficiently kills the lifecycle of fleas*

2) Pack up your pets and an overnight bag along with the grocery list above, minus the bombs.

3) Follow the instructions on your bug bomb and leave your home for the directed amount of time.

4) Give your pet a Capstar tablet, so it can start killing fleas immediately.

5) Take your animals to a friend/family member's home if they'll let you. If not, there are many dog bathing stations that you can utilize. You may also check with your groomer to see if they will work with you on this. If not, bathe them in the flea bath combing thoroughly to remove as many fleas as possible. You may need an assistant. Your dog/cat will not be patient. 

6) After drying, apply the preventative treatment. Advantage begins killing fleas in 24 hours, Frontline in 18 hours and Advantix in 12 hours. BEWARE Advantix cannot be used on cats or on dogs in a household with cats, as it is poisonous to them.

7) After the allotted time has lapsed for you to re-enter your home post bug bomb, follow the instructions on the bug bomb container for cleaning up. FYI A bug bomb can only kill the living fleas. There are, however, flea eggs that may be in your carpet or on your furniture. Wash all bedding and stuffed animals in hot water and vacuum your bed and furniture. The heat from vacuuming can cause the eggs to hatch, making them vulnerable to the carpet powder you will now apply. Follow instructions on your carpet powder container. You will need to place your pets in a closed off area while the permethrin powder is setting. If you use Borax instead, it will need to sit on carpet overnight. Vacuum thoroughly. You may need to repeat this step in a week or so, but your preventative treatment on your pet will be doing it's job by then. I have also heard many people say that sprinkling salt into the carpet and furniture will kill the fleas, but this takes 2 days before you can vacuum it.

I hope these steps help you or a friend to prevent wasting your time and money, like we did.

Wet Noses Dog Treats

We have had a crazy 2 weeks! We've had a small rescued dog at our house for 48 hours followed by dog-sitting for a friend whose pup went into her first heat at our house. Then some friends came over with their doggy for a weekend, and finally, a family member came to visit with her new puppy.  In the midst of all these paws coming a going, we received a shipment of new treats from Wet Noses.  Their story is great! But knowing the following information hooked me.

"We bake our products within our own  facility using 100% human grade, organic ingredients. Our products contain NO CHEMICALS, NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, COLORS, PRESERVATIVES, CORN, WHEAT, OR SOY."

So, I ordered a variety of treats for my mutts to taste test.  It was even a treat for myself to open the box and find such cute packaging!  My kitchen counter looked like a doggy boutique but without the boutique price. Below is a list of the treats I ordered and their nutritional info (all of which is listed on their website).

DOGRANOLA

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Peanut Butter

Organic Whole Oats

Organic Flax Seed

Organic Dried Cranberries

Organic Cane Molasses

Calories per Treat: 30

NO WHEAT, NO CORN, NO SOY… 100% ORGANIC

APPLES & CARROTS

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Apples

Organic Carrots

Organic Whole Oats

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Molasses

Organic Ground Thyme

NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY

SWEET POTATO LITTLE STARS

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Sweet Potato Puree

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Molasses

Organic Cinnamon

Organic Ginger

Calories per Treat: 6

NO WHEAT, NO CORN, NO SOY, VEGAN... 100% ORGANIC

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SWIRL

Ingredients:

Organic Rye Flour

Organic Cane Molasses

Organic Butternut Squash

Organic Canola Oil

Organic Whole Eggs

Organic Molasses

NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY, NO SUGAR, NO SALT

All the doggies that came over loved these treats!  That included my 2 large mutts, a chihuahua, boston terrier, jack russell and a long-haired dachshund.  However, if you have a picky puppy, they offer trial sizes in many flavors for only $1.99!  I should have gone with the full size, though.  Currently, they're offering a flat shipping rate of $5.  They also included one of their brownies for free!  We'll definitely be a repeat customer.

Defending Our Favorite Dog Treats

There has been a craze of people thinking that they can't feed their dogs anything not manufactured in the US. However, we personally eat many foods that are not manufactured in the US without knowing it. What many don't realize is that the threat of illness is actually from jerky (processed meat with additives) as well as raw hides (treated with lye and bleach that is absorbed into the hide and very difficult to digest).

A few years ago I found a treat that I could finally feed Maeby, who has food intolerances. The ingredient list is as short and sweet as a concerned pet owner could wish for! In my 2+ years of feeding my dogs these treats, I have never had a bad experience. As a matter of fact, my pups have had less stomach upset and less constipation. Here are the treats I am talking about.

The first in the line up is dehydrated chicken and duck tenders or chips. The meat does come from Thailand, however, it is cooked, dehydrated, irradiated and tested by the FDA. I have come across many other breeders and trainers who recommend these treats.

Ingredients: Duck fillet  .... that's it! Just duck!

Ingredients: Chicken   ... yep that's all too!

The second line up is the combination treats... meat plus veggies or meat plus fruit. 

Ingredients

Ingredients

You may also find some of the chicken and apple products along with chicken and rice poppers on Amazon... guess how short those ingredient lists are!

Lastly, a product that I love from VitaLife is their PrePro biscuits.  These have both prebiotics and probiotics that your pup needs to stay healthy digestively and keep a healthy immune system. 

PrePro Info

I give my dogs the PrePro treats pictured regularly to help keep them... regular.  However, there is an immune booster that I like to give them a few weeks before they go to the kennel. They love these treats! It's the only "soft" treats I give them, since I want to put off vet teeth cleaning as long as possible.  If your dog has issues with constipation, these treats will be helpful.  Once your dog is regular, you don't have to give them daily, just a few times a week will do.

Vitalife's website is very informative, and they seem to hide nothing.  Please, check them out.  Truly healthy dog treats are very rare!  Corporate companies love to throw the word "healthy" around and have degraded it. 

Other brands I am also a fan/supporter of:

Sojos

Blue Buffalo

Zukes

However, when it comes to price, Vitalife has these beat.  I use Zuke's minis for training and Zukes Z-bones for healthy chewing/teeth cleaning.  Sojos also makes mini bones that are great for the treat dispensing toys and training.  Blue buffalo has some of the highest rated foods/treats when it comes to quality and health, but they are the most expensive. 

Other great healthy chews to replace rawhide would include: pig or cow ears that are not basted, duck feet and cow or pig hooves.  These are all "leftovers" from the meat we eat that would normally be thrown away by any human, however, our dogs love them! And most of them are very affordable.

Happy snacking!!

Dog Photography

Here are a few shots of my favorite subjects.

Bailey

Allie

Sophie and Oliver

Kylie

 Portia and Pearla

If you would like to have photos taken of your fur baby, please contact me at wheresashley@gmail.com

I would love to work with your pooch!

Shedding

With the warm weather becoming a norm, Kingsley has started shedding more, and I'm sure you're fur baby is, too.  I wanted to include some basic tips that have helped us tremendously.

First of all, when I can afford it, Kingsley goes to the groomer to be raked... vacuum powered raking.  But when we can't afford that luxury, we try to work as hard as the groomer does to get all the excess hair off of him.  The benefits include not just less hair to vacuum off the floor or furniture, but a happier more spry dog.

Step 1: Brush Regularly

All year, it is good to brush your dog weekly.  This removes lose dead hairs and keeps the skin and coat healthy.

Step 2: Rake

Raking is a great way to get excess hair off of your dog.  Beware of the rakes with razors, because they are very irritating to your dog's skin.  They're safe to use, but you shouldn't rake over the same area twice.  I prefer the style of rake as pictured to the right.  It grabs any loose hair from the undercoat without being overly irritating to the their skin, so you can repeat multiple times.  When raking, it's best to take your doggy outside if it's a pretty day, or non carpeted area to avoid getting dog hair on your furniture or clothing.  There will be a lot of hair.

Step 3: Wash

Washing is a great way to get excess hair off of your dog.  Make sure to lather well and massage your dog's skin to promote a healthy coat.  If you wash your dog frequently, weekly, it's best to use a puppy formula or shampoo with oatmeal to prevent skin irritation.  If your dog's fur gets matted easily, you may want to use a conditioner after washing.  Rinse well.  Most lose hairs will rinse off in the bath tub keeping more hair off of your floors, furniture and clothing.

Step 4: Dry and Brush

Completely dry your dog's hair before brushing again.  If you have a young dog, you may be able to teach your dog to tolerate a hair dryer or vacuum brush attachment.

After your dog's coat has dried, use a regular brush to smooth and remove any final lose hairs.  Continue to brush once or twice weekly.  I am in love with our new brush that has a quick clean button on the back.  Just place your fur filled brush over a trash can, press the button and watch all your dog's hair neatly fall into the trash can.

Happy brushing!

Click here to shop great deals on self-cleaning grooming brushes.

Treats! Fresh from Your Kitchen

The quality of ingredients in our dog's food and treats are slowly improving, even getting some attention in advertising.  I'm so glad it's getting easier to find healthy treats, but if you're still concerned about the ingredients in your dog's treats, why not try to make them yourself?  We have had a blast and saved some cash!  Here's a few of my dog treat recipes that have been approved by my Maeby and Kingsley... but they're not picky.


In case you're in need of some cute cookie cutters, check out these cute little sets. Before I found these, I made the mistake of spending a lot for what I've found to be over sized and over priced Martha Stewart cutters at PetsMart.  At least the cookies are breakable!


Peanut Butter Dog Treats

2 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1 cup water
1/2 cup oatmeal
1TBSP baking powder 
1 TBSP Honey

Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease baking pan.  In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder and oatmeal. Mix, then add peanut butter, honey and water. Stir until dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it and then roll it out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into desired size and shape. Place onto lightly greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and store in airtight container.


Apple Cinnamon Dog Treats

2 cups flour
1 chopped apple, with peel for extra fiber
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 TBSP peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 375 and lightly grease pan.
Mix flour, oatmeal, apple, peanut butter and cinnamon together, adding water to make dough workable. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead and roll the dough out into 1/2 inch thickness. Cut and place on lightly greased pan and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin Dog Treats

2.5 cups flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 TBS peanut butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter and cinnamon in a bowl.  Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff.  Roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick roll and cut. Bake for 40 minutes.

Refreshing Summer Dog Treats

16oz plain yogurt

2 mashed bananas or 1 chopped apple (peel on for extra fiber)

2 TBSP peanut butter

2 TBSP honey

Mix and spoon into ice cube tray and freeze.

Thanks to my friend, Penny Arnett, for taking these great photos.

Ikea Hackers!

I'm very excited to show off our Ikea hack we came up with for our doggies! It's a steal of a deal. You'll know what I'm talking about if you've ever shopped out elevated dog bowls. For only $27, you can make a very modern doggy diner. Ikea offers this table in a variety of colors, too.

Home made dog diner

Project made of:

Ikea Lack side table, white     $7
2 small stainless steel bowls   $10
1 large stainless steel bowl     $10

Grand Total                         $27



My husband simply used a dremel to cut out the holes to set the bowls into.  It may be smart to line the inside edges with foam to keep water from seeping into the table.  I haven't dont that, yet.  I also need to saw the legs down at least an inch or two, so their heads can be even with their shoulders when they eat.

The purposes of elevated bowls are two-fold.  1) The dog ingests less air, so they don't get as bloated.  This was Maeby's problem before the elevated dog bowls.  She would regurgitate her dog food frequently after eating.  2) It takes less stress off of the dogs joints.  Would you like to stay standing in a squat the whole time you eat?  I wouldn't!  This was to help Kingsley, who is predisposed to joint problems.  I highly recommend it for your doggy.  Dog diners come as short as 3" and as tall as 18."  If you would need a shorter version, Ikea also has a Lack rectangular shelf that would work perfectly!  I've actually seen people mount them to the wall at whatever height is appropriate for their dog and cut the holes in it for their dog's bowls.  It's very doggy chic when done that way, however you would have less color options.


I have seen some very good deals for dog diners that you don't have to build yourself.  I have to share a favorite of mine I found on Etsy.  How cute are these?!  Sold by ModPet, they are very unique!  If I had the space for multiple doggy diners, one for each of my dogs, I would do it!  They are only $38 - $48 depending on size.  ModPet also makes some very modern chic dog furniture.  You'll have to check them out!

There are plenty of other awesome doggy diners out there.  I just wanted to show off ours, really.  =)  I hope you check them out for your dog.

Identity

We all love to decorate our dog through their collars, leashes, little clothing and tags. I can't get enough! So, I thought I'd share some very cute dog tags that I've tried out.

Sofa City has some really unique and colorful tags.  I love the design.  However, I have noticed 2 negatives to these tags.  The first being, both the tags I ordered, one for each dog, fell off within a few days.  We did find the tags; one was in the yard and the other on the bed.  I would recommend replacing the mini key ring for a more tightly wound one before putting these tags on your dogs' collar.  It was my husband who noticed the second negative.  He states, "the DPI is only around 160."  He is a graphic designer who works in print.  Basically, the print quality is poor.  I will say that one tag was better than another, which makes me think they may have been running out of ink when the second tag was printed.  This 'problem' really doesn't bother me.  The lesser quality is only noticeable when examined closely and not at all noticeable when hanging from the dog's collar.

PoochyCouture on Etsy has so many hand crafted tags that I'm in love with!  I love the natural look using predominantly metals.  The price is right and turn around time is great!  My only warning is: get more tightly wound key rings to replace the one that is sent with the tag.  I have purchased 4 total; some were gifts.  Two tags were lost.  They were both the larger sized tags.  Otherwise, these are great quality, and I will order more in the future.

All in all, I could use a few of these! Just found it on Amazon, but the reviews of this particular product weren't so great.  A similar item may be found at a craft store.

Red Dingo tags have been both the best deal and most durable I've used.  They come in such a wide variety of sizes, colors and design options that they should fit anyone's style needs.  All the options are not listed in the photo.  Check out the link above for the the best deal on these tags.  I've never had a problem with damage or loss with Red Dingo.  You won't regret getting one. I now use Maeby's first small tag as my key chain.  It's too small for her now, but I can't bring myself to get rid of it.

Finally, if you're looking for some bling, you must check out MegaTags.  They cost a bit - a lot more than the others, but you pay for what you get.  They're stainless steel and some have cubic zirconia!  If I were to order one of these, I would definitely go through Bluegrass Barkery (my favorite all-things-cool-dog store).  They also have RedDingo tags along with a few others.


I hope this has been a bit helpful.  Again, if you have found any good deals on dog tags or have had any experience with the ones mentioned, and want to share, please post a comment below.

Toy Time

Toys may be one of the most disappointing things you can buy for your dog.  The package always reads 'durable,' 'long lasting' or 'fun for hours,' but if your dogs are like mine, they're destroyed in minutes.  So, I will share some toys with you that we've had some good experience with.  There's even a little DIY fun I'm looking forward to sharing.

Busy Buddy

I am in LOVE with the concept of Busy Buddy toys - interactive rewarding dog toys that keep them occupied for a while.  So far we have tried out the Bristle Bone, Tug-A-Jug and Twist 'n Treat.  The one that we have had the most success with is the Twist 'n Treat.

This toy is disc shaped with 2 adjustable openings to dispense treats.  The size of the opening can be adjusted depending on the size of the treat and how difficult you want it to be for the dog to retrieve those treats - the more difficult, the longer he/she will play with it, that is, if they don't lose interest.  It is dishwasher safe, which I love!  It has been through at least 5 cycles and is still in good shape.  The only negative is this:  when I wasn't looking, Maeby chewed an extra hole in it.  She's mischievous like that!  It is still very usable, though.

Another Busy Buddy toy we've used is the Tug-A-Jug.  The concept is to place treats in the jug, then when the dog pulls on the rope, it will dispence a treat.  It's a great concept!  However, the dog cannot push the rope back into the jug by itself.  Kingsley quickly grew tired of this toy, because of the frustration of seeing and smelling the treats but not being able to get them out.  So, we made a little adjustment... we cut the rope off.  It still has a chewable top that's good for your dog's teeth, and it still dispenses a treat when they tip the jug over.  So, we still use it, and it's also dishwasher safe!


The last Busy Buddy toy we tried was the Bristle Bone.  I got this toy specifically for Kingsley to help clean his teeth.  It has soft pointed bristles to help clean the gums and even some tooth brush action!  But we found two negatives.  The "Gnawhide Rings" that come on it to motivate the dog to chew have some controversial ingredients (see this eye-opening information about rawhide), and instead of chewing on the teeth cleaning part in the middle, both of my dogs prefer to chew on the ends resulting in ingesting the plastic pieces that come off.  See images below.

The thought of them ingesting these little hard plastic pieces didn't please me, so the toy has been tossed, and today I went looking for a replacement.  This isn't the first time they've done this to a hard plastic toy.  Busy Buddy also offers a hard rubber toy with grooves in it called the Waggle.  However, I came across a cheaper alternative at the pet store.  For almost half the price, I purchased the Chompion hard rubber bone.  It too dispenses dog treats.  So far, we love the response.  It has kept the dog's attention longer than I had expected and the treats are a little more difficult to dispense, making the play time longer than with the other toys.  This might be the 'new toy' effect.  I'll keep you posted.


Balls

Multipet makes a variety of amazing ball toys made out of rope.  I can typically find these at outlet stores, but Amazon has a great deal, too.  Yes, they fray and come apart, but they generally last about 1 month with my 2 large dogs.  I thought I could make them last longer by trimming them and throwing them in the washer with the dog blankets, but they're so dense that it makes them impossible to dry without having a bad smell.

Your dog may be more like our dog Kingsley, who is obsessed with fetching and playing ball.  If we say the word, "ball" someone MUST play with him.  The best invention I've come across for this kind of dog is the Chuck-It.  Since I'm not a professional pitcher, I can't throw a ball the length of our yard 30 times in a row.  That's where this wonderful 'toy' comes in handy!  It's really more for the dog owner, but the dog reaps the benefits as well.  It's basically designed to work like a sling shot for the ball.  With minimal effort on your part, the ball will fly through the air with ease.  Then, when your dog brings the slobbered covered ball back to you, you don't have to touch it!  It simply pops right into place and is ready to be launched again.  If you buy the medium or large size Chuck-It, a regular tennis ball will fit in it perfectly and is a little easier on the wallet.  However, there is another product that is made for the Chuck-It that I highly recommend.  For those winter months when the sun sets before you get off work, yet your dog still wants to play ball in the dark, I must highly recommend the Max Glow ball.  It not only glows in the dark but whistles when thrown.  Kingsley typically would have lost about a dozen balls this winter, but one Max Glow made it through the darkness and will last another few winters.  They're very durable.  Chuck-It offers indoor options as well!  These products are a must!



Plush Toys

These have been mostly a failure in our house.  Kingsley doesn't really know how to play gentle with any toy.  However, Maeby has surprised us with a few.  She tends to treat stuffed toys like her babies.  She doesn't like the hard plastic eyes.  She pulls those off, but otherwise, they make it.  I know in most cases these toys are the first to get destroyed, so that's why I'm going to recommend a cheap, non-stuffed plush toy.  Wal-mart sells a variety of unstuffed squeaky toys made by Multipet.  The cheapest options are the loofa dogs.  The standard unstuffed loofa dog is only $2.47. However, I would recommend the floppy dog for $2.97, because the shell is more durable and will last longer.  I have yet to find a price better than that!



Interactive Games

We haven't tried these products, yet, but I have had my eye on them for a while.  The first is the Seek-A-Treat board games by Ethical Pet.  The second is a line of interactive dog games made by Nina Ottosson that look like a lot of fun.  Since the latter has plastic removable pieces, I recommend monitoring your dog while they play with them in case of ingestion.  Both of these brands have made these games to provide mental stimulation with the motivation of treat dispensing technology. You can read the reviews for both of these lines of dog games on Amazon.





Make your own!


I know the following idea won't last long, as we do this often, but at least you'll be recycling!  Use your old socks - you know, the ones with broken elastic and holes in the bottom - and stuff them with other old socks, t-shirts, etc.  However, I do not recommend this for those of you who are struggling to keep your good socks away from your pup.  We broke our dogs of the sock stealing a long time ago.  They  now know if there's a knot in the sock, it's theirs!


Also, see this site for more DIY ideas.

I know there are SO MANY toys out there, and I'm sure you've found a toy that works well for your dog's play style.  If that's the case, feel free to list your good experiences in the comments below.