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Archives for January 2015

How to Have a Dog Friendly Super Bowl Party

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DepositPhotos | 33ft
DepositPhotos | 33ft

The Super Bowl is right around the corner (as if you needed me to remind you). Do you have your plans made yet? What about your plans for you pet?

If you will be hosting a Super Bowl party or your dog will be attending one with you, here’s a few tips to ensure a safe celebration.

Fido No-No’s

Alcohol. Enjoy your beer (responsibly), but keep that to yourself. It only takes a few ounces of alcohol to cause ethanol poisoning in your pets.

Chicken Wings. While these are a Super Bowl staple, remember to keep them out of your dog’s reach. Aside from the high sodium content, consumption of chicken wings can cause an intestinal obstruction. No one wants to be racing to the emergency vet mid game.

Soda. Caffeinated drinks can be of serious harm to your dog. Breathing issues, heart palpitations, and muscle tremors are all possible side effects of ingesting caffeine.

Guacamole. Containing avocado, garlic, and onions, guacamole is dangerous to dogs. Another reason to keep the delicious dip to yourself!

Chocolate. Theobromine is present in chocolate and toxic to dogs.

Want a healthy snack you can enjoy with your dog? Try these sweet potato chips!

Great Pyrenees

Fido Comfort

The Super Bowl can be a stressful time for many dogs. With the yelling and abrupt movements (you know what I mean, sports fans), it’s obvious why many dogs may feel insecure. Add the large amount of people and it could be a very hard evening.

Create a safe space. Does your dog like to relax anywhere specific? Set up a calm area for your dog to retreat to if he starts to feel uncomfortable. Place his bed, toys, food, and water in a quiet(er) area. A calming CD or radio station could also help to tune out some of the noise.

Put on that collar. Between guests leaving doors open and fearful dogs wanting to bolt, it’s essential your dog wears a collar with tags.

Don’t forget potty breaks. The Super Bowl is long. If your dog is stressed, he may be drinking more water than normal and need more potty breaks. Frequent breaks can also help eliminate any stress urination. Make these breaks a special time with your pup where he can feel reassured.

Consider your dog’s personality. If your dog doesn’t do well in hectic social situations, it’s probably best to have a low key evening. Leave your pup at home or in good hands if you enjoy the crazy Super Bowl parties.

Keep it tidy. Open garbage bins, half-empty plates, and smelly shoes can be irresistible to your dog. Keep trash, shoes, and other temptations out of reach.

Most importantly, don’t forget to tune into the Puppy Bowl!

To the Man That Didn’t Leash His Dog

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DepositPhotos | membio
DepositPhotos | membio

Yes, you.

The man with the toddler in tow and the happy lab running twenty feet ahead of him.

I saw you from the other end of the street. I saw your dog wasn’t on leash. I saw your lack of attention to your dog.

I crossed the street. You noticed me with my two giant dogs, but you didn’t bother to grab your dog.

Your dog noticed us. He sprinted at us full speed with his hackles raised.

My dogs growled. He didn’t stop.

They realized your dog was only interested in greeting them (and not harming me), so growling ceased and they wanted to play.

But you didn’t hear the growling.

You just shouted your dog’s name (which he didn’t respond to) and you tried to run to us with your toddler in tow. It took you 30 seconds to reach us.

Do you have any idea what could have happened in those 30 seconds?

You’re lucky my dogs are friendly.

Leash your dog.

Rejeneril – For a Youthful Pet

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Rejeneril

The fluffies aren’t old.

At the ages of two and one, they are both still considered puppies in the world of giant breeds. When I was offered the chance to try Rejeneril, I thought, “What’s the point?”.

After doing a bit of research and chatting with the brand, I decided to trade out our usual skin and joint supplement and give Rejeneril a try.

Rejeneril is a vitamin, mineral, and amino acid supplement developed to rejuvenate mitochondrial energy for your pet.

Cool, but what does that mean for my dog?

  • Improved health
  • Strengthened immune system
  • Prevented skin issues
  • Treated dry skin
  • Reduced joint pain

The best part about Rejeneril is that it can be added to your dog’s food or water. When I administered their first dose, I was worried about the smell. Mauja can be a bit of a diva when we add things to her food or water, but she continued to eat like usual.

Research on Rejeneril has overwhelmingly positive findings, which even my young ones were able to notice. The biggest difference we found was in the health of their skin and fur. Mauja can also be a little slow to get up (being a giant breed is ruff), but she has a bit more spring to her step now.

Can we all just take a moment and look at Atka's adorable tongue?
Can we all just take a moment and look at Atka’s adorable tongue?

Rejeneril is suitable for all ages, I believe seniors, arthritic dogs, and dogs recovering from an illness or surgery would benefit the most.

Want to give Rejeneril a try? Check out more information here and then enter the giveaway!

Can’t wait to get your paws on Rejeneril? Use code “ItsDogOrNothing” at My Ultimate Pet for a 15% discount!

Disclaimer: We received Rejeneril in exchange for our honest opinion. It’s Dog or Nothing only shares products we believe in and feel our readers would enjoy.

* Per the request of My Ultimate Pet, It’s Dog or Nothing is not running the giveaway. We are simply hosting the giveaway on our site. If you enter, your information will be visible to the hosting company.

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Why Do You Love Great Pyrenees?

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We all have different reasons for loving this beautiful breed, but here are a few common reasons for loving Great Pyrenees!

People always ask me why I love the Great Pyrenees breed, so I thought it would be fun to poll other pyr owners to see their responses. Here are the most popular reasons that people love Great Pyrenees (in no particular order).

Loyal. In the good times and bad, a pyr will always be at your side.

Protective. A pyr would give his life to protect you. Coyotes, bears, and untrustworthy people are no match for a Great Pyrenees.

Great family dog. Their gentle nature makes them great with children, the elderly, special needs, and everywhere in between.

Great Pyrenees

Pyr paw.  Have you ever taught a dog to shake only to have the dog continually offer their paw in hopes of a treat? Well, pyrs do this without being taught shake. Imagine being whacked by a giant pyr paw. We pyrents love it 🙂

Independent. Pyrs were bred to work without the need for human intervention. While they’re not highly trainable, we love their intelligence and instincts.

Low odor. The Great Pyrenees has a self-cleaning coat which has minimal oils. This leads them to be a very low odor dog.

Great Pyrenees

Sensitive. For being such a large, strong dog,  pyrs have a very sensitive personality that makes them even more endearing.

Intuitive. They always ‘just know’.

Beauty. The Great Pyrenees is absolutely breath-taking.

Broad personality. Cuddle bug one minute and guard dog the next, the pyr can easily switch between roles.

Expressiveness. Between their stunning smile and soulful eyes, you can always tell how a pyr is feeling.

Great Pyrenees

Gentle. As livestock guardians, they were bred to tolerate animals of all sizes and ages. It’s not uncommon to see a pyr wrestle with a Great Dane and then lie calmly to play with a Pomeranian.

Versatile. A livestock guardian dog living in the country protecting his flock or a therapy dog living in the city. A pyr is happy either way.

Butt swagger. Nuff said.

Why do you love Great Pyrenees?

Pin It!

We all have different reasons for loving this beautiful breed, but here are a few common reasons for loving Great Pyrenees!

Indoor Activities for Dogs

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DepositPhotos|Lilun_Li
DepositPhotos|Lilun_Li

Just because the fluffies enjoy plenty of outside time in this weather, doesn’t mean that I do. I am a summer loving girl and count down the days until the warm weather returns again. Unfortunately, Montana likes to keep the warm months to a minimum.

If there’s too much snow, too much wind, or the cold just doesn’t agree with your dog, here’s some indoor activities for dogs to keep them stimulated in the winter.

Training

Pyrs aren’t trick dogs, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work on training. Rather than focusing on adorable tricks, we spend a lot of time on impulse control. Training requires a lot of mental attention which can be more exhausting than physical activity. Rubicon Days and ZoePhee are great examples of bonding with your dog through trick training.

Interactive Toys

Do you have a puzzle toy or treat dispenser? The fluffies love when I add some treats to their Kong Wobbler or IQ Treat Ball. Mauja will knock the ball around to get the treats and Atka will follow behind to gobble up the treats she misses. Teamwork. Adding peanut butter, yogurt, wet food, or your dog’s favorite treat to a Kong Genius and popping it in the freezer is also a great time-consuming activity.

Agility

Have a little extra space in your living room? Many agility pieces can be easily broken down and stored when not in use. Look into a basic agility kit or head to your local hardware store to create your own!

Hide and Seek

Does your dog need to brush up on his recall? Why not make it a fun game! Put your dog in a sit/stay while you hide somewhere in your house (keep in mind your dog’s skill level). Call your dog and praise lavishly when he finds you!

Find It

This is another fun game that we used to play with Kaeto all the time. Hide a strong smelling treat and encourage your dog to use his nose to find it. Kaeto loved searching for hot dogs!

Go on an Outing

I like to take the fluffies to stores that allow pets in the winter. It gets them out of the house and we can work on training and improve socialization. Make a stop at Starbucks for a puppuccino as an added treat!

Cuddle

There’s nothing better than some cuddle time with your favorite pooch. Curl up on the couch and take a nap after all your indoor fun!

How do you keep your dog entertained during the winter months?

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Great Pyrenees in the Media

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Great Pyrenees in the Media
DepositPhotos|lifeonwhite

 

Fads are everywhere. From diets to clothing and everywhere in between, something in the media triggered the trend. We can never be sure how long a trend will last, but we do know that those in the trending market will earn a huge profit.

The majority of the time, a fad isn’t a huge deal. Maybe you’ll have to look at a style you don’t particularly like or hear a music artist over and over. Perhaps your co-workers will try and get you hooked on the new weight loss or exercise plan. Kind of annoying, but really no big deal.

When a particular breed of dog becomes a fad, it IS a big deal. [Read more…] about Great Pyrenees in the Media