It's Dog or Nothing

All Things Great Pyrenees

Archives for August 2014

East Coast Part 1

23 Comments

Our 30 hour road trip led us to our first stop in Virginia. Nick’s parents have a house on the lake so we were really excited to see how the pups took to all the activities that come with lake life.

Warning: This post will be picture overload!

DSC_0053editIn the back yard of the house, they have a nifty little beach area. This was pyrfect for helping to keep the pups in one place. As you can see, the beach is surrounded by a rock ‘wall’. There are stairs entering the beach so Mauja and Atka could easily exit, but it helped teach them boundaries. [Read more…] about East Coast Part 1

Bravo! Crunchy Delights

20 Comments

Image provided by Bravo!
Image provided by Bravo!

The listening skills of a Great Pyrenees are beyond abysmal. They were bred to work independently from humans so they aren’t like most dogs. The won’t listen because they want to please you; you have to give them a reason.

Usually, a tasty treat can convince a pyr that what you are asking is worth doing. Keep in mind, I said usually. Many times the treats simply aren’t ‘good enough’ for them to pay attention. I’m always trying to find that irresistible treat that can grasp their attention when I really need it. [Read more…] about Bravo! Crunchy Delights

Are We Crazy?

26 Comments

Great Pyrenees Road Trip

I think we are.

This weekend we undertook an extreme challenge:  traveling from Montana to Virginia with both dogs.

According to Google Maps, the trip should take approximately 30 hours. Well, we all know how that goes. Once you factor in traffic and stops long enough for the pups to stretch their legs, several hours get tacked on.

I was a bit worried about how the dogs were going to handle the long drive. They love being in the car, but can anyone like being in the car for two days straight? I wasn’t sure.

Aside from Mauja throwing up all over the hotel room (why we always bring cleaning products!), we made it through without any major issues. For the most part, they just napped the day away. We brought plenty of new toys and time-consuming treats to keep them occupied, but they were content to snooze away.

We made frequent stops where Nick and I would take turns running around with them to ensure their legs got a good stretch. We also made sure to have the windows open when they were awake. The new smells kept them very entertained!

Overall, I could not be more pleased with how the trip to the east coast went. Paws crossed that the trip itself and the drive back go just as well!

Check back over the week to see all of our adventures!

PetAlive – The Natural Way

17 Comments

PetAlive by Native Remedies
PetAlive by Native Remedies

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try a few products from PetAlive by Native Remedies. PetAlive has a wide variety of homeopathic remedies for dogs, cats, horses, and small pets.  Their list of products is really quite extensive.

I’m not a fan of drugging my dogs, or myself for that matter. I prefer to find a natural treatment when possible. As I scanned through the list of homeopathic treatments, I knew exactly what I was looking for: a calming agent for Mauja. [Read more…] about PetAlive – The Natural Way

12 Realities of Being a Dog Owner

65 Comments

12 Realities of Being a Dog Owner
DepositPhotos | gdolgikh

 

  1. Poop on your hands is not the end of the world. How many times has the poop bag broken or you just miscalculated the size? Wipe it off on the grass and don’t touch anything, but no need to hurry home.
  2. Speaking of poop, you will talk about poop more than you could have ever imagined. How did his poop look this morning? She had some runny poops last night. This makes for lovely dinner conversation.
  3. Complacency is not acceptable. Just because he didn’t chew the computer cord last time, doesn’t mean it won’t happen this time. Always be on your toes.
  4. Food on the floor is okay. I hear people who don’t own dogs have to pick up their food when they drop it on the floor. That’s not a problem in this house.
  5. Don’t assume it’s water. What did I step in? Is it water? Or pee? Did someone throw up? I can’t look, just tell me what it is!
  6. Keep the ‘pee ladle’ separate from the ‘food ladle’. Ever have to get a urine sample from a female dog? I suggest not using the ladle you use to serve food.
  7. Spelling words is second nature. Are you ready to take the dogs for a w-a-l-k? Think they are h-u-n-g-r-y? Do you want to take them to p-l-a-y?
  8. Dog fur is an accessory. Wear it proudly. Also, accept that it will be a garnish to many meals.
  9. Vacuuming is done daily. Or twice daily. Really, I could have a vacuum cleaner running 24/7 and would never keep up with the fur, dirt, leaves, and grass they bring inside.
  10. Your backyard will need to be on an episode of ‘Yard Crashers’. Don’t look at my backyard. Just don’t. Between the chewed on trees, digging spots, and dead grass, it’s a mess.
  11. Bedtime is not about your comfort. Let me just squeeze myself into this tiny open space with no covers so I don’t disturb anyone.
  12. Your wallet will never be full. I can’t tell you the last time I bought something for myself, but I did spend $150 the other day on dog food.

What am I missing? Anything you can add to the list?

Agility: Is it For Every Breed?

30 Comments

Free Digital Downloads/Vlado
Free Digital Downloads/Vlado

Have you ever tried agility with your dogs?

When Atka was a baby, we took him to puppy socialization classes. Almost every class we would do confidence building with the puppies by teaching them how to use the agility equipment. I hadn’t expected Atka to do well with agility (he’s easily spooked and not very agile), but he surprised me with his ability! [Read more…] about Agility: Is it For Every Breed?