All Dog Blog

The Dog :A little {pre} spring cleaning

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

I keep jumping to the conclusion that Spring is here already. We’ve gotten snow exactly one time this year (which has to be some sort of record low), and have had an extremely mild winter as far as we’re used to. No snow combined with mild temperatures has let my mind wander ahead

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I keep jumping to the conclusion that Spring is here already. We’ve gotten snow exactly one time this year (which has to be some sort of record low), and have had an extremely mild winter as far as we’re used to. No snow combined with mild temperatures has let my mind wander ahead to next season. Our dogs’ toy basket has gotten a little out of hand lately and the “spring cleaning bug” temporarily took over.Toys, toys everywhere! I only keep about half of their toys out at a time because I rotate them to avoid boredom.Yet it still seems that toys laying around are a constant nuisance in our house. A little cleaning and organizing was definitely in order.I started by sorting the toys into three piles: stuffed toys, plastic toys, and ‘other’. Immediately all the stuffed toys went straight into the washing machine, and the plastic toys met with a sink of soapy water. Once they were clean, it was just a matter of deciding which toys stayed out, and which ones I wanted to pack away. I settled on re-purposing an old linen bag to store the rest of our dog toy collection away in the closet.Ahhhhhh. It’s so much better now that it’s nice and tidy Notice how the toys look so nice and clean compared to the grunge-ified first pics? What are you cleaning and organizing this week? Does anyone have organization on your list of resolutions? Better yet…are you and your dogs out enjoying some great weather?

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Pet Dog :Roasted

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

This isn’t the first time you’ve heard me talking about pumpkin on this blog. And it won’t be the last either. Pumpkin is awesomely healthy for our dogs. And they love it! Today I want to show you how easy it is to skip the canned variety and roast a pumpkin at home instead. I already

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This isn’t the first time you’ve heard me talking about pumpkin on this blog. And it won’t be the last either. Pumpkin is awesomely healthy for our dogs. And they love it! Today I want to show you how easy it is to skip the canned variety and roast a pumpkin at home instead. I already know what you’re going to ask. So yes….I have had this pumpkin laying around on my counter since before Halloween. And yes, I know I’m lucky it didn’t rot away on the counter. Don’t judge me In our Howl-oween post this year, I shared a kong filler recipe that called for canned pumpkin. The roasted pumpkin “recipe” (not sure I can call it that- it’s too easy!) I’m sharing today could easily be used in place of the canned pumpkin for this or any other recipe. So no excuse not to try this right away, since you’ve got a recipe to try already! You could bake it into biscuits, birthday pupcakes, the possibilities are endless. Honestly though, our dogs prefer to eat a few scoops of pumpkin mixed in with their kibble at night.Roasted Pumpkin:1. Start with a small “baking” or “cooking” pumpkin. These are much smaller than your traditional jack-o-latern, and are sold in the produce section of your grocery store {See photo of Scooter above for size reference}2. Cut pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and stringsReady for the oven3. Line a glass baking dish with aluminum foil. Place each pumpkin half open-side down and add 3/4 cup of water. 4. Bake at 375 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Pumpkin should be fork-tender and slightly browned when done. 5. Let pumpkin cool completely before scooping out the cooked insides 6. Store roasted and finished pumpkin in an air-tight container in your fridge if you’re not planning to make kongs, or other bake pup treats with it.Final Product What have you been baking for your dogs lately? Who’s planning on roasting a pumpkin this weekend? Oh just me then…

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Best Dog :Will you be my Valentine?

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

Happy Valentines Day!I made Scooter’s sweet little heart collar by following the “5 Minute Valentine” tutorial found on PrettyFluffy. Her DIY heart collar was so cute on her border collie Soda that I just couldn’t resist an attempt of my own. I think Scooter’s turned out adorable,

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Happy Valentines Day!I made Scooter’s sweet little heart collar by following the “5 Minute Valentine” tutorial found on PrettyFluffy. Her DIY heart collar was so cute on her border collie Soda that I just couldn’t resist an attempt of my own. I think Scooter’s turned out adorable, don’t you? It justsohappened to snow overnight which worked out splendidly for an impromptu photo shoot.I thought it would also be fun to share a Valentines themed recipe today. This is one that you can quickly whip up as an extra special treat for your dogs this year. Not only are these treats right in time for Valentines Day, they’re also full of delicious heart-healthy ingredients. Directions: Preheat your oven to 375 FIn a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and stir together until well combined.Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Roll dough into 1/2 inch balls and bake 15-20 minutes.Remove from the oven, and allow to cool. Enjoy!They look like little meatballs when finished, not the most appetizingcookie to share with human friends, SO glad this ones for the dogs How do you and your pup celebrate Valentines Day? What types of treats do you bake for your dogs?

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Dog Pets :Sparklin’ clean

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

February is Pet Dental Health Month. My calendar tells me so Last February, we shared our top tips for clean teeth. They ranged from various food & water additives, teeth cleaning toys, and our favorite store-bought & natural bones. In case you missed it, be sure to brush

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February is Pet Dental Health Month. My calendar tells me so Last February, we shared our top tips for clean teeth. They ranged from various food & water additives, teeth cleaning toys, and our favorite store-bought & natural bones. In case you missed it, be sure to brush up on your doggie dental education. Pun intended.Remembering to brush your dogs teeth isn’t one of those second-nature things for most people. Count me in that bunch for sure.That’s why I’ve had a standing rule for years. Every time our dogs gets a bath, they also get their teeth brushed. I try to remember to brush in- between baths too, but this little rule is a sure-fire way to make sure they never go too long without a brushing.So go ahead, give it a try. Your pups ‘toofers will be forever grateful.

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Best Dog :Lovin’ Pomeranians (Part 2)

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

I first expressed my adoration for Pomeranians in a post dedicated to the breed after Scooter’s cute little face became the ‘poster child’ for pomeranians on a breed website. That post, chock-full of cuteness has been a huge hit. And I don’t blame you guys one bit. Pomeranians

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I first expressed my adoration for Pomeranians in a post dedicated to the breed after Scooter’s cute little face became the ‘poster child’ for pomeranians on a breed website. That post, chock-full of cuteness has been a huge hit. And I don’t blame you guys one bit. Pomeranians are just too deliciously cute to resist. So don’t even try… cause I’m back today with round two. {Image via}{Image via}{Image via){Image via}{Image via}{Image via}Cuteness overload! Is your heart melting yet?

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Dogs :23.5 hours

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

So my plan for self-discipline has been going pretty well until this week. Priorities loomed and I felt “too busy.” Then along came this YouTube video that I thought was very good, and I wanted to share it. I have been doing 35-45 minutes of exercise for a couple of weeks, and I’ve

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So my plan for self-discipline has been going pretty well until this week. Priorities loomed and I felt “too busy.” Then along came this YouTube video that I thought was very good, and I wanted to share it. I have been doing 35-45 minutes of exercise for a couple of weeks, and I’ve felt better than I have in months. Training the girls was more fun! This was good motivation to keep it up!

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Dog :A friendlier reminder

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:08 +0000

Yesterday I started the boys back on their monthly medication regimens. We take a break from heartguard and frontline during the winter months while the ground is frozen. I feel better knowing they get a break from all those chemicals, and my wallet appreciates the rest as well

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Yesterday I started the boys back on their monthly medication regimens. We take a break from heartguard and frontline during the winter months while the ground is frozen. I feel better knowing they get a break from all those chemicals, and my wallet appreciates the rest as well : )I decided there MUST be a more exciting way to remind myself to give them their medications on time each month. I’ve tried a lot of different methods: setting a reminder in my gmail calendar (too many annoying pop-up reminders), on my cell phone, paper planner, apps for the smart phone etc. The reminders get annoying to me because I’ve almost always taken care of it before my {insert electronic device here} goes wailing on about it. And those little stickers that come with the medications are so basic and boring. Half of the time they are just way too big for my paper planner anyways.As I was digging through my craft supplies the other day I found the perfect solution…..I couldn’t think of a better way to use up a sheet of old puppy stickers than as a cheerful reminder to go take care of my own dogs.Now it’s your turn…spill the details….how do YOU remember those monthly medications for your pets?

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The Dog :Wheremydogsat yo?

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:07 +0000

The array of social media sites available to dog owners has really exploded in the last few years. Your dog can now have their own Facebook page (mine do! Do yours?), dogster profile, or twitter account to name a few.Well, here’s a new one for you: Wheremydogsat.comStarted by three

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The array of social media sites available to dog owners has really exploded in the last few years. Your dog can now have their own Facebook page (mine do! Do yours?), dogster profile, or twitter account to name a few.Well, here’s a new one for you: Wheremydogsat.comStarted by three dog-loving friends, Wheremydogsat.com is a mobile web application for dog lovers who are seeking to connect with other dog owners in their area. Users simply set up a profile with some basic contact information and set their location (by zipcode) to get started. And its free!As you can see from the screen shots, this app really is your one-stop shop for getting out and about with your dogs! Wheremydogsat allows users to search for locations in their vicinity, add dog lovin’ friends (and send them messages), and ‘check into’ various locations from their smartphone (like foursquare and facebook). But the fun doesn’t stop there. Oh no. Wheremydogsat is even able to find a pet-store or veterinarian for you. I can see this coming in extremely handy if you were out of town and needed to pick up a few dog supplies, or heaven-forbid, to find an emergency vet. To me, its nice knowing that I’ve got a dog-oriented resource available at my fingertips. You can change your current location very easily, making this a very relevant app for those who travel with their dogs regularly. On our next road trip I certainly plan to use wheremydogsat to find a dog park where we can get out and stretch our legs a bit. What social media sites do your dogs belong to? Any of you have a wheremydogsat profile set up already? How do you find dog-friendly areas in your town? We’d love to hear from you!

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Dog :Training Tips For Happy And Obedient Dogs

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:07 +0000

Dogs are some of the most popular pets! Younger dogs often misbehave, running through the house and destroying things. Use the advice in this article, and train your dog properly. It is best to nip unwanted chewing in the act by catching him doing it and dealing with it immediately.

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Dogs are some of the most popular pets! Younger dogs often misbehave, running through the house and destroying things. Use the advice in this article, and train your dog properly.

It is best to nip unwanted chewing in the act by catching him doing it and dealing with it immediately. Since this action teaches him what he can and cannot chew on, it will help prevent him from chewing on your things when you are distracted or just not around.

Whenever possible, training a new puppy should become a family affair. Although he will probably be working with one person more frequently, involving all family members helps to promote consistency and continuity.

Many dog bites come from a source of fear. This can happen if the dog feels backed into a corner or otherwise unable to escape a bad situation. Dogs cannot be trained through force. This could make the dog act out in an aggressive manner. Your dog will be ready and willing to regard you as the dominant one.

Include plenty of physical activity in your dog’s training routine. Just like humans, dogs can become bored easily. When dogs feel bored, they are much more stubborn when it comes to training. A happy and well-exercised dog is an easily trained dog. You and your dog can run or walk together daily.

You won’t get anywhere in your dog training routine if your dog feels unsafe. If dogs don’t feel safe, they will probably lash out with some kind of behavior that is bad. To avoid this, your dog should be housed in a safe environment.

Dogs learn best through consistent, reward-based training. You need to make sure your dog understands what the expected behavior is, be consistent in your expectations and practice the behaviors daily. Your dog will then correctly learn the way to do a trick. The key is to praise success and maintain continuity.

One of the most basic dog training tips around is to use your dog’s name to command its attention. You dog needs to know his name well for you to have control over his behavior. Call them to you at least ten times a day. In order to maximize the effectiveness of this training technique, make sure you never give your dog a negative response when he comes to you after you call him by name.

Give challenges to your dog regularly. Give him a quiz where he has to perform all of his tricks, even if you know for a fact he does.

Appropriate training can help ease your dog’s separation anxiety the times you are away from home. Non stop barking and the destruction of your house while you’re away occurs when your dog has separation anxiety. You can fix this by training your dog to do activities that are acceptable while you are gone. Make sure to spend time with your dog when you get home, so that he calms down.

One of the most important part of dog training is communication. Clear commands and consistency are necessary when you work with your dog. You have to be conscious of your body language and your verbal cues when training, and remember to always give rewards. Be well aware that your dog is telling you something too. When you look closely, you will be able to tell whether your dog is still receptive to training or getting too tired to continue.

You can have both a clean, orderly house and a few dogs at the same time. Having a dog that destroys things or acts rowdy makes it harder to maintain your home, but the problem is easily solved with good training. These tips can help you live at peace with pets!

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Dogs :Dog Training Made Easy ? Read This Great Advice!

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:07 +0000

All the negative qualities that a dog might have, such as growling, excessive barking and rowdy behavior can all be handled with proper training. While dog training will not make your pet perfect, it will go a long way in making him more obedient and a better pet. Dog training can

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All the negative qualities that a dog might have, such as growling, excessive barking and rowdy behavior can all be handled with proper training. While dog training will not make your pet perfect, it will go a long way in making him more obedient and a better pet. Dog training can turn a dog into an ideal pet.

Make training with your dog fun. Playful interaction strengthens the bond between you, and will have your dog striving even harder to please you during training. While you can have fun during training sessions, it’s a good idea to spend a little time simply playing.

Be cognitive of the duration of time you and your dog devote to training sessions. Spending too much time just on one aspect of training will bore your dog and waste your efforts. This is why you need to limit the time of your training sessions to around 10 minutes.

If any sudden behavioral issue occurs, take the dog to the vet to make sure that there is not a health issue involved. Animals that are in pain or that have certain health conditions may lash out or behave inappropriately. This behavior may be his way of telling you that there is something wrong with him.

There are different tricks you can try when you are crate training your dog. If they don’t want to go in the crate, try luring them in with a treat or chew bone. As soon as they smell the tempting treat, they will want to get into the crate to enjoy it. Once they enter the crate, be sure to praise them to show that what they did was good.

Dogs can have a one-track mind and remain focused on one thing until you break the dog out of it. Repetition and practice will result in your dog waiting to take cues from you rather than being distracted by other things.

Choose a set phrase for house training your dog. By using a dedicated expression to handle training commands, you can make it easier for your pet to focus and make connections. Although it sounds silly to repeat something like “poopie time!” over and over, the consistency will help your dog make the right link between being taken outside and relieving himself.

You must correct you dog each and every time he misbehaves, as well as reward the dog for correct behavior. Everyone in your house needs to set these boundaries too. It will instantly undo all of your hard work!

Small steps, gentle ways and patience are all a part of getting your puppy used to their crate. When your dog appears to be at ease while inside the crate with the door ajar, you can help him adjust to the crate even further by slowly latching the door and rewarding him with treats fed to him through the spaces between the wires. Start off small, like 10 seconds at a time, and slowly move up the times. If your dog becomes restless, you may be ramping up too quickly.

Your dog will be more comfortable in a harness, but you will not have enough control for training. You must use a proper training collar until your dog is very well-trained. Use a collar and a harness at the same time to make your dog understands that the harness means he must obey you as well.

Training a dog is easier than you might have previously realized. With the right mindset and good information, the owner can accomplish successfully training their companion. Any dog can take on the challenge of learning the things that their owner is trying to teach them and thrive.

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