Merry Christmas from my pack to yours

Christmas is just around the corner (time flies so fast) and every year the center of my Christmas cards is my pack. I mean just look at them, they can make anyone smile. This year I didn’t really create a card online or offline but this photo pretty much says everything. Who needs words when a photo can speak for itself?

Below are individual photos of each of my dogs showing their Christmas spirit to you all.

Princess

 

Lady

 

Oliver

 

I will tell you, it is no easy task catching a pack photo that looks great. Every second one of the dogs looks away, closes its eyes or jumps off the couch. Treats help but patience is the main key. I took about a hundred or so photos and kept only a few of them. But the ones that I kept really expressed the pack.

Anyways, enough about my pack, what about yours. Do you include them in your Christmas card? During Christmas how do you capture your dog in the Christmas spirit? If I do not write on Christmas, I hope everyone has a joyful and safe Christmas!

Dogs in Christmas Hats

December is here and Christmas is just around the corner. As you are running around buying gifts and preparing the Christmas tree, take a break and look at these cute dogs in Christmas hats. They definitely will make you smile and remember the joy of Christmas.

via toxeh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

via airdna

 

 

 

Senior Sunday (12-2-12)

Another Sunday is here and these senior dogs need homes.

Kipsy is a 9 year old boxer mix. She is super friendly and walks well on a leash.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24187738

Milo is a senior retriever mix
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22349706

Sophie is a senior husky, labrador retriever mix. She is super sweet.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24661040

Precious is a 9 year old labrador retriever mix. She loves to be right by her human and her favorite toy is tennis balls.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24630118

Methusaleh is senior terrier who is quiet. He is only 10 pounds and would make a perfect lap dog.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/24646118

Hope these cuties get adopted soon.

No place like home

The bond between a person and a dog can be unbreakable. I know nothing can get in between me and my dogs. They complete me and make my life whole.

It is like the bond between Sweet Pea and her mom. I took her home today because her owner was missing her too much. Its good to know that her owner can still have her around for now. Hopefully they can stay together with no road blocks getting in their way. I know I could never leave my pups behind. They are family and I love them so much. But I will tell you. It was a joy taking care of Sweet Pea overnight. She is definitely a sweetie!

Introducing a new dog to your pack

Is there ever too many dogs in a house? I mean what brings more joy than a pack of dogs, right? All the nose sniffing, ear twitching, head tilting and those eyes that can speak so much without words.

Meet Sweet Pea. She will be with me and my pack for awhile, while her owner goes through an emergency situation. So, I am pet sitting/fostering this girl. Her owner said she is a jack russell mix but I see chihuahua and beagle. Who knows but she is a sweet heinz 57 dog. Gotta love those mutts!

I had her with me for a few hours now and already I am getting to know her. Right now she is just missing her owner a lot. Keeps wanting to go outside and try to find her. Poor Sweet Pea. She lays by the door with her face turned towards it. Waiting…hoping a familiar face walks in.

I think it is very important to introduce a new dog to my pack the right way, especially if they are all gonna be living in the same home together. You dont want the new dog thinking it can dominate over the rest of the dogs. The pack can take a few days to adjust but the new dog cant bully them around.

I learned from the owner that Sweet Pea is a little possessive about her owner and her toys. Also, she has some insecurity but she is doing good so far.

Because of her past abuse and her nervousness I decided it was best to introduce her to my pack of dogs one by one. Which keeps her calmer than having a whole pack of dogs sniffing and barking at once at her.

First, I introduced Princess to Sweet Pea because she is the top dog (alpha) of my pack. If they don’t get along its a wrap. Sweet Pea did growl and snap at Princess at first but I realized she doesn’t like another dogs face right in her face. Her tail was down and she was nervous. So, I walked them together and they did fine. They seem to accept each other now. As long as Sweet Pea doesn’t try to dominate Princess everything will be fine.

After that I introduced Lady. Now, when she first meets a dog and gets excited she likes to nip and try to get the dog to play. So, I had to calm Lady down before getting her too close to Sweet Pea. A little lip went up on Sweet Pea but I stopped it before it got any worse. It is important to catch it before its too late. Lady is curious about Sweet Pea but they are tolerating each other.

Now, last but not least the boy of the pack, Mr. Oliver! There was no problem there which I knew there wouldn’t be because she is a girl. His little tail wagged and Sweet Pea just stood there trying to figure out where her mom was. I wonder if she ever got flirted with from other male dogs?

Most people would be happy with that outcome. Not me, I had to take it one step farther and see if she could walk with my pack. That is important to me. If she can handle walking next to my dogs she will do just fine. And guess what, she did! Thay all walked with each other or should I say walked me.

While she is in the house for the next few days I am going to keep her on a leash to make sure everything goes as plan. I need the ability to grab her fast if a scuffle starts between her and one of my dogs. So far so good. Once she starts settling in, than that’s when her personality will shine.

Also, I will be keeping her in a crate while I am out and about because its never a good idea to keep a new dog out unsupervised with the pack. I don’t need to come home to any hurt dogs.

As you can see she is a little over weight. Her owner spoils her a lot but while she is with me I bet she will lose some pounds with the walks and less treats. I will keep you updated on her and the pack. Remember, its always possible to introduce a new dog to a home with other dogs. It just has to be done slowly and you cant lose patience.

Health benefits of pumpkin for your dogs

I never knew this but pumpkin is actually good for your dog. I am talking about natural pumpkin canned (unsweetened), cooked fresh pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Its not healthy to give your dog pumpkin pie or a pumpkin that been sitting outside gathering bacteria. You don’t want your dog jumping off the walls because of the sugar from the pie or getting sick from bacteria. You can keep your dog healthy but also be able to give them pumpkin to enjoy.

via flickr

There are three main health benefits of pumpkin for dogs that I read on care2.

1. Fiber: Pumpkin has a lot of fiber in it which is great for dogs AND humans. Pureed pumpkin (sugar free) can help dogs with diarrhea or constipation. You can give them a tablespoon or two depending on your dogs size regregularly to help them go to the bathroom regularly if they have some trouble doing so.

2. Urinary Health: Pumpkin seeds have a high in fatty acids and antioxidants which is good for fur and skin health. Pumpkin seeds and pumpkins flesh is a great source of Vitamin A, potassium, and iron. There are signs that it may also reduce the risk of your dog getting cancer.

3. Weight loss: If your dog is over weight and needs to lose some pounds here is a little idea to help your dog out. You can remove a portion of your dogs food and replace it with canned pumpkin. Dogs seem to naturally love pumpkin and it will fill their bellies up just like their food would.

So dont worry, giving your dog pumpkin is not bad. If you want to make your dog some pumpkin treats go for it! They would love it and so would their body. Here are some links to already made pumpkin treats for your dogs to enjoy.

The Lazy Dog pumpkin gingrrs
Blue Buffalo pumpkin & cinnamon health bars
Wet Noses pumpkin

 

Britney Spears gives her new puppy a twitter page

Britney Spears new puppy, Hannah is already in the spotlight. With over 10,000 followers on twitter and growing, she soon will have more followers than most twitter users. One this is for sure, this puppy is a cutie.

With a bio like, Im Britneys B****, you would expect a bad ass puppy. But actually, she has a lot of sweet dog talk on her profile. Latest status was, “What should I chase today…squirrel or chipmunk? Arf arf!” I wonder if this puppy will get more followers than Britney Spears. I doubt it but you never know! So, are you following Hannah Spears on twitter?

Cyber Monday dog deals you cant miss

Black Friday has passed and Cyber Monday is finally here. I am not a fan of Black Friday because of the crowds and trampling of people. I prefer to shop from my home on my laptop. Nothing is more convenient than that.

Amazon is having some great Cyber Monday dog deals that I just cant let go. I had to just let you all know about it. Some great items to get for your dogs for Christmas or just to have in general.

Are you ready?

– Kyjen: $5 off when you spend $25
– Nylabone: $4 off a $20 purchase
– Merrick Food & Treats: $5 off a $25 purchase
– Hill’s Science Diet: Buy 2 Treats, Get 1 Free & 15% Off Food
– Pioneer Pet: $10 off a $60 purchase
– Iris:$20 off a $100 purchase
– Midwest: Buy one bed and get 20% off a second bed
– Wisdom Panel: Buy a DNA kit, Get a Greenies treat free

Oh! I cant forget about their great coupons they have also. There are too many to list but to check them out just click here

Now, go shop and have some fun shopping. But remember don’t spend all your money!

5 safety tips for your dog this Thanksgiving

Its that time of year. A big turkey, a bowl of stuffing and family gathered around a table together. A time for thanks and happiness to be shared all around. Even with our dogs. But we cant forget to be aware whats good and bad for our dogs when we have company around.

I am not going to be at my house this Thanksgiving but in the past I always keep my dogs safety in mind. As much as its a fun time for us humans, it also should be a fun time for our dogs. So here are a few important tips to remember this Thanksgiving.

1. Dont share the bones
As much as dogs love bones, cooked bones from the turkey can be sharp and cause tears in the digestive tract. Also, the bones can make a dog choke. Best thing to do is just throw the bones away in a secure trash that the dogs cant get to.

2. Exercise your dogs before company arrives
A well exercised dog is a happy dog. Especially, if you are having company over it is important that your dog doesnt go crazy. You want your dog in a calm state of mind when your relatives start coming in. A hectic house can be a dangerous house. Worse comes to worse, if your dog is nervous or has too much energy you can lock him in a crate or in a bedroom away from everyone.

3. No no to alcohol
There are some dogs that really seem to enjoy an alcohol beverage. Dont leave your glass of wine on the table where your dog can reach it. Alcohol can cause a dog to get disoriented and sick. Too much alcohol can cause a dog to go into a coma or even cause death.

4. Don’t over stuff your dog
I know how it is. With those big brown eyes staring at you wanting some turkey and other food. A few pieces of boneless chicken wont hurt him but dont over do it. Too much fatty foods can cause stomach ache or diarrhea in your dog. Also, in some cases life threatening illnesses like pancreatitis. So, share but don’t spoil this Thanksgiving.

5. Toxic all around.
Remember  onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and chocolate are all bad for your dog. So, be cautious about what your dog is eating.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving with their dogs and family. Have lots of laughs and remember safety first.