Monday, July 29, 2013
Annual Carmel Dachshund Picnic!
It’s one thing to own a dachshund and love it. It’s an entirely different thing to take your beloved dachshund to an annual beach day picnic and find yourself surrounded by hundreds of them - all barking up a storm. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 100+ Dachshunds and their owners gathered on Carmel Beach last Sunday as the Carmel, CA Dachshund Club hosted its annual ‘wee-nie’ roast. The Carmel Dachshund Club meets on the beach the first and third Sunday of each month – and even though we have never met up with this group before – we decided to visit this yearly picnic and witness the crazy event.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Black and White Sunday #54
We are teaming up with Dachshund Nola to host a Black and White Sunday blog hop. Want to join the hop? Just follow the rules below.
- Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
- Follow your co-hosts and follow as many other blogs on the Linky
as you’d like. - Please only submit a few photos with minimal or no text, and
make sure it’s in BLACK AND WHITE. - Grab the “Black and White Sunday Blog Hop” button below and
include it in your Sunday Blog post.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Bark and Bites - Dog Stationary & Office Supplies
On my most recent hunt for dog themed stationary, I ended up spending way too much time on Etsy curating my collection of pretty designed cards, stamps, and letter pressed note cards. Stationary to me are like little pieces of artwork - I never seem to want to give them away, but would rather collect and frame them. For this week’s Bark & Bites links I am bringing you a few of my favorite dog themed stationary and office supply links.
- This is a cute Pencil Kit, from Mel's Eclectic Supplies.
- I love this Dachshund Pencil Holder, from Jauku Design.
- This Etsy shop has lots of Modern Dog Thank You Note Cards, by Oodles and Doodles.
- You can get this cute Dachshund Magnet Set, by Find A Happy Place.
- This is a pretty set of 8 Tonal Paws Matchbook Gift Tags or Note Cards, by SwtTsCrafts.
- Michaels - for stickers and scrap-booking items.
- Target - for office supplies and cute dog themed storage boxes.
- Cafepress - for customized spefic items like mouse pads, pencil holders, and note pads.
- Uncommongoods - for the truly unique gifts that are often hand crafted by designers.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Barks of Desperation
Luna is the better-behaved of our two dogs. It’s a close call, really, since both dogs can be a handful in public – Penny with her happy ‘let’s-get-moving’ bark, and Luna with her ‘I’m-still-a-puppy-and-like to-meet-new-people-by-jumping-on-them’ routine – so the deciding factor is their respective behavior when we leave the house*. Penny, from when we adopted her, has exhibited signs of separation anxiety, the most apparent of them being frequent/sustained barking (when crated, which we do to avoid any other issues). Luna, on the other hand, is allowed to roam free throughout the house, having earned our trust by not once –
in five years – destroying a single shoe, chair leg, blanket, pillow, or anything else. She’s quiet and low-key, and likes to sleep on the living-room couch within sight of Penny’s crate.
in five years – destroying a single shoe, chair leg, blanket, pillow, or anything else. She’s quiet and low-key, and likes to sleep on the living-room couch within sight of Penny’s crate.
Why is this intro important? Well, as we were travelling on our recent road trip to visit family in Arizona, we stopped for an overnight at a pet-friendly hotel on Coronado Island in San Diego, CA (more on the facility later). D was really keen to take me to one of his favorite eateries - the Burger Lounge on Orange Ave (the main drag through Coronado) - which he visits every time he’s in San Diego for work. While Coronado seems to be a nice ‘dog town,’ we weren’t certain that taking both our dogs with us to dinner would be the best (or most manageable) decision. We debated this for a little while during the drive before even arriving in San Diego; taking both dogs with us might make enjoying a leisurely meal not-so-leisurely because of their public-behavior shortcomings, but taking Luna and leaving Penny alone in the room would possibly irritate the occupants of neighboring rooms (if she went into one of her barking fits).
Luna, with her amazing track record in hotels (maybe one or two barks in about two dozen nights that she’s been in hotels, always crated), was the obvious choice to remain behind. So after checking in at the front desk and getting all our essentials into the room, we cleaned ourselves up, prepped Penny for another outing, set up Luna’s crate and ushered her into it – along with a handful of treats. We walked to the door, opened it, and then heard the most high-pitched, desperate bark barrage that Luna has ever unleashed. It was heart-wrenching! D and I looked at one another, both of us in agony at hearing such a sound emanating from Luna. D sighed and dropped his head. “I’ll go get her. Take Penny down and we’ll meet you at the car.”
What was going on in Luna’s head? She must have felt like those dogs in movies/on TV – you know, the ones whose owners drive out into the country, then pretend to play fetch by throwing a stick out into a wheat field before driving off and leaving the dog behind. My favorite portrayal of this is in the Looney Tunes’ “Often and Orphan” (1949) where, after being left behind, Charlie the dog tries to ‘sell’ himself to the farmer Porky Pig (“I’m 50% Pointer –There it is! There it is! – 50% Boxer, 50% Setter – Irish Setter – 50% Watch dog, 50% Spitz, 50% Doberman Pincher. But mostly, I’m all Labrador Retriever!”). Think about it. Luna’s been in the car for 6-and-a-half hours, a somewhat uncomfortable venture, if we’re to infer anything from her constant panting. She’s then taken into a completely unfamiliar structure, with its unfamiliar sounds, its unfamiliar smells, and its unfamiliar surroundings, then, with very little acclimation time, she’s put in her crate only to watch her people AND her little canine ‘sister’ walks out on her! I really think Luna believed she was being left behind… for good!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Black and White Sunday #53
I am teaming up with Dachshund Nola to host a Black and White Sunday blog hop. Want to join the hop?
Just follow the rules below.
Just follow the rules below.
- Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
- Follow your co-hosts and follow as many other blogs on the Linky as you’d like.
- Please only submit a few photos with minimal or no text, and make sure it’s in BLACK AND WHITE.
- Grab the “Black and White Sunday Blog Hop” button below and include it in your Sunday Blog post.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Bark and Bites - Dog Toys That Look Like Cats
For this week’s Bark & Bites link list, Robin and I thought it would be fun to either round up dog toys that look like cats, or cat toys that look like dogs. I will admit that I had a hard time finding cat toys that looked like dogs, but found it incredibly easy to find the other. In fact, I think we have owned all of these toys before. Since D is extremely allergic to cat hair, only stuffed cats are allowed in our house - and obviously the dogs don’t seem to mind.
- Fat Cat Mini-Dog Squeaker Bones
- Terrible Nasty Kitty
- Large Plush Upcycled Dog Toy
- KONG Chase-It Cat Dog Toy
- Skinneeez Plush Jungle Cat Dog Toy
- TY Beanie Buddy - AMBER the Gold Tabby Cat
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Black and White Sunday #52
We are teaming up with You Did What With Your Weiner and Dachshund Nola to host a Black and White Sunday blog hop. Want to join the hop? Just follow the rules below.
- Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
- Follow your co-hosts and follow as many other blogs on the Linky as you’d like.
- Please only submit a few photos with minimal or no text, and make sure it’s in BLACK AND WHITE.
- Grab the “Black and White Sunday Blog Hop” button below and include it in your Sunday Blog post.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Capturing The Moment
Sometimes you just have to get down and hairy if you want to capture the moment with your camera! I watched as D prepped his spot on the floor with camera in hand ready to start taking photos of Luna. I knew exactly what Penny was going to do – she was going to go sit on his belly. That is when I grabbed my phone so I could take a photo, and I couldn't help but to laugh when she started turning circles in an attempt to find 'her post' on D's stomach.
While D was on the floor he managed to get these beautiful photos of Luna!
Do you find yourself getting into weird positions taking photographs of your pets?
We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Bark and Bites - Water Toys
The dog days of summer have arrived, and it’s time to get wet with your favorite four-legged swimmer. Grab your best friend, a beach towel, sunglasses and sunscreen and head to the nearest water hole. Here are a few of my favorite water toys I came across the web!
- Bumi by West Paw Design is made from flexible zogoflex material and your pet can stretch this one out all the way to the pool.
- The Wet Wubba toy is perfect for water and it is fast to dry when playtime is over and can be used as a tug and toss toy anytime.
- These dog pool floats are just what the doctor ordered. Imagine floating side-by-side with your best friend … taking a snooze. You can even get the extra-large one and float with your pet!
- This safe and pet-friendly alternative will keep your pet cool and entertained and your lawn will thank you.
- This chew toy absorbs and holds in liquid that is slowly released as your pet plays. This fun and flexible toy helps keep your pets hydrated and entertained while they chew away.
- Kurgo Surf n Turf Coat - The Kurgo Surf n Turf Coat is both a lifevest and a three season shell in one.
- Doggles - Protect your pup’s eyes from sun, sand, water and windblown debris with Doggles
- Doggles Pet Sunscreen - Keep pets protected from painful sunburns and irritations.
- Safety Turtle - A loud alarm instantly sounds at the Base Station when your pet — and his device — ventures into the water.
- WaterDog - An automatic outdoor pet fountain that attaches to your hose spigot.
- HyperKewl Dog Cooling Vest - Keep your pooch cool this summer with the HyperKewl evaporative water vest
We are teaming up with Newfandhound for this weeks Bark & Bites link list (she will be posting on Saturday) - so make sure to hope on over to see what links she has for you!
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Black and White Sunday #51
We are teaming up with You Did What With Your Weiner and Dachshund Nola to host a Black and White Sunday blog hop. Want to join the hop? Just follow the rules below.
- Link up your blog name and URL using the Linky Tool below.
- Follow your co-hosts and follow as many other blogs on the Linky as you’d like.
- Please only submit a few photos with minimal or no text, and make sure it’s in BLACK AND WHITE.
- Grab the “Black and White Sunday Blog Hop” button below and include it in your Sunday Blog post.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Luna Has Purple Paws
I generally feel like I do a good job preparing and packing for the dogs before we go on any type of road trip. I get all of their bedding situated in the back seat; food and water staged in the car door pockets, toys, leashes, and harnesses packed in a little doggy suitcase, and poop bags handy in every remaining storage cubby throughout the car. It's all very routine, so before we drove to Arizona to visit family, I got everything squared away in the car for the journey in record time. Unfortunately, coming from a very temperate climate, I hadn't quite thought about protecting the dogs' pads from the hot Arizona pavement (or if the thought had crossed my mind, I hadn't acted on it).
At our first rest stop break east of Los Angeles, I noticed Luna doing a hot-foot-not-so-happy-dance; the temperature was getting close to 95*, and she was having a fit walking on the ground. Penny didn't seem to mind, as I didn't have time to groom her feet prior to traveling, so her pads were hairy and protected. We found some shade and made the best of it. Unfortunately, as the trip progressed, things got worse - after crossing into Arizona, each rest stop had pet-specific areas (presumably to prevent animal waste from accumulating near the picnic tables), but unlike the human-only sections, there was NO shade provided - ZERO!
This was true rest stop after rest stop - not a single awning; nothing but leafless Palo Verde trees (whose foliage-less limbs do diddly for shade). Shame on you, Arizona! Since we didn't have a reputable pet store along our route through the barren desert, we made our rest stops quick, knowing that Luna was
uncomfortable on the ground. Once we got to Tucson I knew that I needed to find a pair of booties to protect Luna’s feet, especially if we were going to be there for two weeks.
I ended up ordering a box of the Pawz disposable booties after talking to Sugar’s mom about them. Luna took to the boots quite well as they are a light weight natural rubber that really doesn't feel like boots at all. They were easy to put on and take off, and they protected her pads when we were outside. They also stayed on during our car trip back home, and came in handy at our rest stops and bathroom breaks. The best part of the boots, according to my husband, was watching Luna walking around awkwardly for the first few minutes after we put them on her... I was not asked to write a review about the boots, I just think they are a great product and they are now filed away in my brain for necessary travel paraphernalia. If we lived in Tucson, I would probably have the dogs wear a boot like the Ruffwear brand that comes with a hard rubber sole. These kinds of boots would do well in the Tucson environment where the pavement is always hot, and you have to deal with rocks and other dangerous things like scorpions, which we did run into:
What ways do you keep your dog's feet protected from the scorching summer temperatures? Or do you
not have to worry about it in your part of the country?
not have to worry about it in your part of the country?
We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop! You can join the hop by visiting any of those three blogs.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
We Are On Instagram
Guess who is on Instagram? Well that would be me... along with Luna and Penny of course. I finally upgraded my phone and I can now join all of you Instagramers and share my gazzilion (so not a word) photos with everyone. You can find the link to my profile among my social media icons, and if you are also on Instagram then please let me know! I would love to follow you!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Back From Tucson - I Think
D, myself, and the dogs recently came home from spending two weeks in Tucson visiting his parents. I still don’t feel like I have gotten “my groove” back since returning home, and I find myself being as lazy as possible right now. It didn’t help coming home to a stuffy house that I feel like I need to clean, a mail pile that is stacked high, an inbox that is overflowing, and a feed reader that says I need to catch up on over 300
feeds - but those are silly things to worry about. While we were in Tucson, the temperature was consistent
at 105’, and we definitely learned a few things about traveling with our dogs in desert like conditions. When I can summon up the energy, I will share with you some of the things I learned about car travel, and why our current seat belt system for Luna sucks! I also have a lot of great photography to share with you, and why shooting in bright light at 8:00pm in Tucson is difficult. There will also be something on purple booties, and glow in the dark scorpions! For now, you get to see some really silly travel photos taken with our super cool iPhone – that was supposed read as somewhat sarcastic. Here is a little video of Penny (and David) singing in the car.
Don’t forget to enter our cool BuildASign giveaway that is happening all this week!
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