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Archives for July 2016

PetSafe Redefines Pet Hydration + DIY Water Bowl Upgrade

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With far too many pets suffering from dehydration, especially during the summer months, we wanted to bring attention to National Pet Hydration Month. With the help of our pals over at PetSafe we were able to transform our mucky water bowl area to a beautiful home accent that even I want to drink out of!

PetSafe Redefines Pet Hydration

Did you know that July is National Pet Hydration month? Although we’re nearing the end of the month, we wanted to take some time to talk about this very important issue. We all know our dogs need water, but exactly how much do they need?

According to Willie Wallace, CEO of Radio Systems Corporation, makers of the PetSafe brand,

Our pets need one ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. Proper hydration plays a big role in a pet’s health, and can save pet parents a trip to their vet’s office.

By that math, Atka needs about 130 ounces, or over 16 cups of water a day. That’s a LOT of water! Makes our recommended 64 oz of water seem like child’s play, doesn’t it? 😉

Maintaining proper hydration levels is extremely important for your dog’s health as it prevents urinary tract infections, helps with energy levels, regulates body temperature, and improves recovery time from illness or surgery. Serious dehydration shows obvious signs, but there are several signs that can indicate even mild dehydration:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lack of energy
  • Excessive panting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Sunken or dry eyes
  • Dry, sticky gums
  • Loss of skin elasticity

Pet Fountains

Before BlogPaws, I never even considered getting a pet fountain for two reasons: they’re (obviously) more expensive than a traditional water bowl and I didn’t think Mauja and Atka would see any benefits from using a fountain. My mind changed when PetSafe set up pet fountains all throughout the BlogPaws conference hotel.

With far too many pets suffering from dehydration, especially during the summer months, we wanted to bring attention to National Pet Hydration Month. With the help of our pals over at PetSafe we were able to transform our mucky water bowl area to a beautiful home accent that even I want to drink out of!

First, Mauja loved drinking from them. I’m not sure why I never thought of that because she loves drinking from a spigot. She’ll run over mid bark sesh if she hears us turn on the spigot to get a quick drink. For all you Great Pyrenees lovers, you know it takes a LOT to pull a pyr away from bark duty!

Second, they were gorgeous. I don’t need fancy, expensive things, but I love putting items that look nice into my home. The fountains looked so much nicer than our plastic water bowls – I was kind of jealous that the fluffies got to drink out of them and not me!

So, when I was given the opportunity to try one, I just couldn’t pass it up.

PetSafe Drinkwell® Sedona Pet Fountain

With far too many pets suffering from dehydration, especially during the summer months, we wanted to bring attention to National Pet Hydration Month. With the help of our pals over at PetSafe we were able to transform our mucky water bowl area to a beautiful home accent that even I want to drink out of!

I’m not going to lie, I was drawn to the Sedona fountain because of the sleek and stylish look. I knew it would look much better than our current water bowl while still being functional and beneficial. When it arrived, I got it set up (which was a breeze) and put it in place of our original water bowl. I was worried that Mauja and Atka would try and play in the water and make a mess of our new floors, so I went searching for a mat to put it on.

When I came back in the room with a towel, I noticed that Nick had put our boot mat under the fountain. It was the perfect size and the tall edges prevented water from running out onto our new floors. However, it looked awful.

With far too many pets suffering from dehydration, especially during the summer months, we wanted to bring attention to National Pet Hydration Month. With the help of our pals over at PetSafe we were able to transform our mucky water bowl area to a beautiful home accent that even I want to drink out of!

Can we just take a moment and look at how the boot mat ruins the beautiful fountain in front of the reclaimed wood counter? Not only is it hideously dirty from our boots, but the grooved plastic doesn’t do it any favors either (also, this picture was taken AFTER I hosed down the mat – yuck).

A Better Way to Hydrate

After staring at the fountain for awhile and trying to determine the best way to improve the look while keeping the functionality, I had an idea. I didn’t need a new mat – I needed a way to improve the look of our current mat. So, I ran out to Home Depot to pick up some rocks.

My massive bag of rocks (which will replace the current ones over and over as they fade) only cost me $4.

I placed the PetSafe Sedona fountain back on the boot mat and surrounded it with the cracked marble rocks and couldn’t believe the difference it made. I went from a horrid, dirty mat to a beautiful place for Mauja and Atka to drink which fits into our house. Whenever I get the chance, I’m going to spray paint the mat, but I still think it looks really good now.

The Fluffy Test

Mauja immediately took to the fountain, but it took Atka about a week to warm up to it. After he barked at the strange intruder, he became curious and would sniff it a few times a day. I made sure to always praise him lavishly when he showed interest in the fountain. After about a week of sniffing and praising, he began to drink from it as well. Now, he chooses to drink out of the fountain over any other bowl in our house.

Our biggest worry with getting a fountain was their ability to drink out of it. Big dogs have big faces and tongues – they need a big bowl! I’m not sure if Mauja and Atka feel the bowl is too small, but they choose to drink from the top of the fountain rather than the bowl. It could be that the water tastes fresher or it’s just more fun that way!

https://youtu.be/Z2MJeeb0t-s

Overall, I’m thrilled with the PetSafe Drinkwell® Sedona Pet Fountain and how much more the fluffies drink from it than their traditional water bowl. We have several water bowls, both inside and outside, that I hope to replace with fountains in the future!

Since we love the fountain so much and know you will too, we have a giveaway for you. Enter below for your chance to will a PetSafe Drinkwell® Sedona Pet Fountain!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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With far too many pets suffering from dehydration, especially during the summer months, we wanted to bring attention to National Pet Hydration Month. With the help of our pals over at PetSafe we were able to transform our mucky water bowl area to a beautiful home accent that even I want to drink out of!

Giant Breed-Friendly Hotel Chains

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Traveling with giant breed dogs can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be! Here are our top picks for hotel chains that allow dogs of any size to stay for free!

Giant Breed-Friendly Hotel Chains

Traveling with dogs is difficult, but traveling with multiple giant breeds can be quite the frustrating endeavor. Either the hotel only allows one dog, small dogs, or charges a ridiculous pet fee – I’ve seen hotels where the charge was $20 per pet per night.

That adds up quick.

Being a military family and also one who likes to take their dogs everywhere, we’ve done our fair share of traveling with dogs. We always make sure we find a giant breed friendly hotel without a pet fee and have had great success with a few hotel chains. Here are a few of our go-to hotels:

*Pet policies can change at any time and vary throughout the same hotel chain. Always be sure to call and double check the pet policy where you plan to stay.

La Quinta

Hands down, this is our number one choice. When we know where we plan to stop for the night, we will do a quick search for a La Quinta. If there isn’t one where we planned to stop, we will often change our plans to find one. With over 900 hotels in North America, there’s always one around the corner.

Not only does La Quinta allow multiple giant breed dogs, but their rooms are great. Every room we’ve stayed in has had a fridge and a microwave – if you have food sensitivities you know how important this is! Add on a free continental breakfast and I have a happy husband (and puppies because he always gets them some bacon!).

Kimpton Hotels

After Nick and I got married, we decided to do a mini honeymoon. We had traveled across the country with Mauja and Atka so they could be in our wedding, so naturally, we took them with us!

I can’t even begin to tell you how much attention those two drew as we walked through New York City.

During our time in NYC, we stayed in a Kimpton Hotel. I had never been to one, but I was blown away by their pet policy. Kimpton states, “If your pet fits through the door, we’ll welcome them in”; and they do more than just welcome them in. From providing bedding and bowls to having a Director of Pet Relations, they have your furry friend covered. Kimpton even allows pets at their nightly wine reception. Need I say more?

Motel 6

If you’re looking for an affordable place to catch a few hours of sleep, Motel 6 is for you. Motel 6 has no limit on pet size or number and doesn’t charge a pet fee. It’s definitely a very basic hotel chain, but it has everything you need and you can’t beat the price!

What are your favorite pet-friendly hotel chains?

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Traveling with giant breed dogs can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be! Here are our top picks for hotel chains that allow dogs of any size to stay for free!

Monitoring Mauja’s Health with CheckUp

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For far too long, Mauja struggled with frequent UTIs. CheckUp helps me to ensure my Great Pyrenees is healthy and saves us the stress of a vet visit!

Monitoring Mauja’s Health with CheckUp

When Mauja was a puppy, frequent urinary tract infections were a big problem. The issue started when she was about four months old and continued until she was 10 months old. I cannot even imagine how much discomfort that caused her.

While “marking” is generally attributed to male dogs, it’s fairly common in female Great Pyrenees as well. As guard dogs, letting intruders know your territory is important. I had read this fact about pyrs and when Mauja started peeing in short bursts, I wondered if she was already beginning to mark. I didn’t think it would start at four months, but you really never know.

When I noticed this new behavior, I wasn’t immediately alarmed. The day after the behavior began, she peed in the house, something she hadn’t done in quite some time. While still a puppy, it was very plausible that she just got distracted playing and forgot. Even though I knew it was highly likely, I wasn’t convinced. The next day, we had a visit with our vet.

Sure enough, poor Mauja had a UTI. She was put on medication and a cranberry supplement and we scheduled our follow-up appointment.  After a few days, Mauja wasn’t showing any signs of improvement so back to the vet we went for stronger meds.

Finally, we got the UTI cleared up. A few weeks later, I noticed the same symptoms. Back to the vet.

Another UTI.

This time, the vet had us change her diet as well. After a few weeks, she felt better and I thought we were in the clear.

Wrong.

A few weeks later it happened again. And again. I can’t remember how many she had in a row at this point. While she never showed any signs of pain, I can’t imagine that she was feeling very well.

We were about to take the step to more invasive procedures when the UTIs finally went away for good. Thank goodness.

Mauja hasn’t had a UTI since that spree, but I’m not willing to chance it. We’ve taken several trips to the vet just to find out that she’s healthy. Not only is it a lot of money, but Mauja hates going to the vet. She doesn’t need another thing to be stressed about.

CheckUp At Home Wellness Test

For far too long, Mauja struggled with frequent UTIs. CheckUp helps me to ensure my Great Pyrenees is healthy and saves us the stress of a vet visit!

Trying the CheckUp wellness test has been on my to-do list for quite some time, but I kept pushing it aside for some reason. When I was approached about trying it, it was the kick in the pants I needed to get going.

CheckUp is a tool that allows you to test for common issues in dogs in the comfort of your own home. These include:

  • High glucose levels
  • Kidney failure
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Blood in urine

For far too long, Mauja struggled with frequent UTIs. CheckUp helps me to ensure my Great Pyrenees is healthy and saves us the stress of a vet visit!

While not a complete substitute for a vet visit, it can help to prevent you from making unnecessary trips to the vet. If you have a dog who struggles with vet visits, you know just how much stress you’ll save your dog by doing a quick test at home. It really is a quick test and I completed Mauja’s in under ten minutes (that includes following her around and trying to get her to pee). It takes just a few easy steps to complete:

  1. Assemble the included pole. It really takes like ten seconds and couldn’t be easier.
  2. Collect a sample of your dog’s urine. Now, this is definitely the toughest part, especially if your dog is picky about her “pee spot”. I absolutely love that CheckUp comes with its own pole and collection cup. You can’t even imagine how many “pee ladles” and tupperware containers I went through with Mauja!
  3. Fill the included vial with the collected urine for testing.
  4. Dip the testing trip.
  5. Read the results. That’s it!

For far too long, Mauja struggled with frequent UTIs. CheckUp helps me to ensure my Great Pyrenees is healthy and saves us the stress of a vet visit!

I didn’t take pictures while completing the test because I wanted to make sure I did everything on time to get an accurate reading. Everything came back normal for Mauja, but I wasn’t anticipating any positive results. However, I do plan on keeping a few of these around the house for future incidents. I know she’s going to display symptoms again and I’d much rather do this at home test than put her through a stressful veterinary visit. At only $14.99 a kit, it’s definitely worth it!

Would you use CheckUp for your dog (or cat!) before deciding to go to the vet?

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For far too long, Mauja struggled with frequent UTIs. CheckUp helps me to ensure my Great Pyrenees is healthy and saves us the stress of a vet visit!

Disclaimer: I was compensated to help spread the word about CheckUp. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and we only share products we use and believe in!

Leaving Dog Fur for Birds

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When you have dogs, you're bound to have a lot of fur! Here's how I put my Great Pyrenees' fur to good use by leaving fur for birds.

Leaving Dog Fur for Birds

When the weather is nice, I prefer to brush Mauja and Atka outside. Not only do I enjoy the sunshine, but clean-up is so much easier. I pick up most of the fur because I don’t want it to blow into a neighbor’s yard and they’d definitely know it came from us! We’re the only ones with white dogs on the block 😉 However, I can just grab the larger chunks and it’s not a big deal if I leave a bit behind.

Over the years, I have seen several bird nests that were made with the fluffies’ fur. It always makes me happy to see that it’s going to good use! Recently, I was actually able to see a bird grabbing some fur for the nest. How cool?!

After seeing a bird collecting their fur, I wanted to leave more out for them; but again, I didn’t want to be “that neighbor”. I thought about leaving the fur in a bag for them, but it didn’t look good and I worried the birds wouldn’t go near it. I was out of ideas until I was wandering through Target and found the bird feeder section.

Perfect!

When you have dogs, you're bound to have a lot of fur! Here's how I put my Great Pyrenees' fur to good use by leaving fur for birds.

A bird feeder would work perfectly. I’d be able to hang it up for them while keeping the yard looking nice. At first, I was just going to get a simple feeder and use it only for dog fur. As I was grabbing my choice, I noticed a really cool bird feeder with wiring on the side for suet. I could put their fur in those and have food for them, too!

So, I set out to brush the fluffies. When I was finally finished, I bagged the fur and set it inside, completely meaning to put it in the bird feeder right away. Well, I got distracted and forgot, so the fur sat there all day until Nick came home.

When you have dogs, you're bound to have a lot of fur! Here's how I put my Great Pyrenees' fur to good use.

Nick: Hey, I’m going to take the trash out. Anything you need me to take?

Me: Nope, we’re good. Wait! Is that the dog fur you’re carrying?

Nick: Uh, yeah. Why?

Me: No, no, no don’t get rid of it! I need it for the birds and I still need to take pictures for a blog post!

Nick: *laughs and rolls his eyes* I just love being married to a pet blogger!

#petbloggerproblems #sorrynotsorry

Anyway, I put the fur in the feeder and hung it outside waiting eagerly for the first bird to appear (apparently, I thought it would be some kind of bird magnet?). When nothing appeared, I was slightly discouraged, but knew it what silly to expect a bird so quickly.

I checked the next day and…. it worked! The birds love it.

Now every time I brush Mauja and Atka, I add some more fur to the feeder. I think I’ll set up my Vimtag camera to see if I can capture a glimpse of a bird in action.

Next step – find someone to spin the fluffies’ fur and make something for me 🙂

Do the birds love to grab your dog’s fur too?

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When you have dogs, you're bound to have a lot of fur! Here's how I put my Great Pyrenees' fur to good use by leaving fur for birds.

Pest Prevention with EasyDefense

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Fleas and ticks are a problem no matter where you live. Skip the chemicals and protect your dog from pests using the natural EasyDefense from Only Natural Pet.

Pest Prevention with EasyDefense

One of the toughest things I’ve had to deal with as a pet parent is a flea infestation. Once they’ve made it into your house, those pesky, little bugs can be extremely difficult to get rid of. Trust me, I know.

When we were living in California, we had to find a new apartment when our lease ended, but we didn’t have orders to move yet. Shortly after moving, I noticed Kaeto, our first dog, biting at his rear end. I hoped it was just dry skin, but deep down I knew we had a bigger issue. After combing through his fur a bit, I noticed tiny, black specks: flea dirt.

Shoot.

I combed over Mauja and found a flea crawling through her fur.

Double shoot.

Fleas and ticks are a problem no matter where you live. Skip the chemicals and protect your dog from pests using the natural EasyDefense from Only Natural Pet.
“OMD I have fleas?! Grab the All-in-One Flea Remedy!”

Kaeto and Mauja were on one of the top flea preventatives – how did they get fleas? Having no experience in the flea area, I foolishly assumed that they would be easy to get rid of. Get the fleas off the dogs and you’re done, right?

Wrong.

They had already made themselves at home in our apartment Thus began the daunting task of getting the fleas out of the apartment and off the dogs. We visited the vet for different medications and grooming materials and looked for a product to kill the fleas in our house. Multiple times per day I would rip apart the house to vacuum every little crevice and examine Kaeto and Mauja, giving them meds if they needed them.

Not only was it an absolute pain, but I really didn’t like flooding them will chemicals. I have nothing against using medication for my dogs, but I prefer a natural solution, if possible. Since our chemical preventative didn’t work, I had even more motivation to try a natural alternative. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find something that was both natural and effective.

EasyDefense

I was eager to try the EasyDefense Natural Flea & Tick Control kits from Only Natural Pet. As you know, we are huge fans of their products and use several of them on a daily basis (like their salmon oil). Depending on your needs, you can choose a kit to Protect, Repel, Prevent, or the Ultimate Kit which includes every product for a complete approach.

Fleas and ticks are a problem no matter where you live. Skip the chemicals and protect your dog from pests using the natural EasyDefense from Only Natural Pet.
Everyone loves treats – especially when they protect from nasty bites!

Ultimate Natural Flea & Tick Control Kit

It’s important to note that we tested this product in Montana and Washington. Depending on the state and the severity of fleas and ticks, the experience may be different. However, I have talked to people in various states who have seen success.

The Ultimate Kit contains 8 products:

  • Flea & Tick Tag
  • All-in-One Flea Remedy
  • Barrier Bites
  • Herbal Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Herbal Flea & Tick Collar
  • Herbal Squeeze-On
  • Herbal Oil Blend
  • Herbal Spray

By combining the above 8 products, you build a complete approach to natural flea and tick defense. If you are dealing with an existing infestation like we were in California, All-in-One Flea Remedy would have been perfect to eliminate the fleas that were living in our couches and carpet.

While I’m unsure of the flea and tick prevalence in Washington, I have heard from others who live here that there are plenty of fleas around. Thankfully, we have yet to see any on Mauja and Atka!

One thing we do have a frequent problem with is mosquitos. Both Atka and myself get eaten by mosquitos every summer. When we go on walks, I’m always swatting them off of his snout. It makes me so sad when I see mosquito bite bumps on his face 🙁 I’ve tried every chemical and herbal product I could find with no luck – the mosquitos always persist. I’ve been using the Herbal Oil Blend and Herbal Spray before walks and it has helped tremendously in keeping the mosquitos away. I can’t say enough good things about them!

Fleas and ticks are a problem no matter where you live. Skip the chemicals and protect your dog from pests using the natural EasyDefense from Only Natural Pet.

As we learn more about the Washington climate, I’ll be able to decide which products we will need to keep the fluffies pest-free. For now, I can say with absolute certainty that the Herbal Oil Blend and Herbal Spray will be essential for us.

The Only Natural Pet EasyDefense kits are the natural solution to flea and tick prevention. Do your dog a favor and skip the chemicals for a product designed by a holistic veterinarian to keep your dog healthy and pest-free.

We have an amazing discount code for you – use code “AFDOG25” for 25% off + free shipping on all Only Natural Pet Flea & Tick products through August 31, 2016!

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Fleas and ticks are a problem no matter where you live. Skip the chemicals and protect your dog from pests using the natural EasyDefense from Only Natural Pet.

Disclaimer: We were compensated to share our opinion about the EasyDefense line. Don’t worry – an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and we only share products we use an believe in!

Surviving Events with an Anxious Dog

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Great Pyrenees

Surviving Events with an Anxious Dog

As Mauja has matured, her anxiety has become worse and worse. Even with extensive socialization and training, we were never able to stay a step ahead. It seemed like whenever we started to make progress, we’d immediately be set back by some unknown factor.

Mauja’s anxiety was a huge consideration during our preparations for BlogPaws. Before we were completely sure of Nick’s work schedule, we thought that I may have to do the road trip alone. In that case, only Atka would have attended BlogPaws with me. It simply would have been too much for Mauja.

When Nick found out he would be able to take off work, I knew taking both of the pups would work for us. Nick wasn’t going to be attending many of the sessions, which would give Mauja ample time to relax in the hotel room with him. I figured Mauja could make brief appearances, especially since she loves people and other dogs so much. As long as we limited her time and kept her from getting overwhelmed, I figured we would be fine.

Great Pyrenees

I failed to consider the severity of the added stress of the move. For an entire month, Mauja and Atka never stayed in one place for more than a week; most of the time it was just a night. By the time we got to BlogPaws, they were both a bit on edge. I can’t blame them – I definitely was too!

High-Value Treats

For any large event, I’m always prepared with a “trail mix” filled treat bag. Mauja and Atka will get bored of the same treat extremely quickly, so I toss about 4 or 5 different treats in the bag. A few of their favorites are the Green Beef Tripe Nibblets, All Meat Bites (a new one we tried at BlogPaws and they went NUTS for!), Wellness Pure Rewards, and WellBites. I also tossed in some of the Wellness CORE Air-Dried food for more high-stress situations. I usually use this as a food topper, but they absolutely love it so it makes a great training treat as well!

Overall, Atka was his usual rock-solid self. He did bark a few times when he saw other dogs, but it was his normal excitement barking. As an adolescent, we’re still working on impulse control! Mauja definitely had a rough time, but I was really proud of how she did. There were a few random snarly incidents – things that wouldn’t normally bother her, but after giving her a brief break from the commotion she settled down. She even went to the exhibit hall with me!

Great Pyrenees

If you’re going to take an anxious dog to a large and/or stressful event – be prepared. We brought VetriScience Composure calming chews to take the edge off and planned for frequent breaks. I can’t even begin to imagine what such a large and stimulating event is like for a dog; I was even overwhelmed at times! We also always had a full treat bag on us. When Mauja would show early signs of anxiety, we would first attempt to distract her attention by playing basic “leave it” and “focus” games with her. This tactic usually works really well.

The most important thing to remember is that just like we aren’t perfect, dogs aren’t perfect either, and it’s crazy to expect them to be. Dogs have their own unique personalities and have a right to express them. While I will continue working with Mauja to lower her stress levels, she really is just a canine introvert. Nothing makes her happier than curling up on the couch with her family <3

How do you handle large events with your dog?

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