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Kelsie McKenzie

From Scared to Service Dog: Kiska’s Unspoken Story

September 29, 2020 13 Comments

This story is sponsored by CUDDLY. Don’t worry—we only share information about products and services we truly love and support.

Rescue is kind of my thing.

When I was younger, I’d help any animal I came across. I can vividly remember riding my bike around our small neighborhood and finding an injured baby bird. I ran to my friend’s house, grabbed some gloves, and put him into our mailbox until I could get an adult (because my kid brain felt that was the safest place for him).

As I got older, I fell in love with the Great Pyrenees breed and became obsessed. Once I brought my first pyr home, Mauja, I was hooked. I started getting involved in rescue and trying to help as many as I could.

And now, I run my own kitten rescue focusing on orphan neonatal kittens and special needs.

Like I said, rescue is kind of my thing.

Mauja and Atka came from an amazing, reputable breeder, so I knew their backstory. I knew how they were treated, who their parents are, where they lived, and more. Even though I wasn’t there to witness it, I trusted what I was told about them—the breeder had a great reputation.

But Kiska is a different story.

I was on a trip and heard about a litter in poor shape. I banded together with local pyr rescue people, and we headed out to check out the situation.

Even though I’ve had her since she was about 7 weeks old (and she’s 3 now), I don’t know her whole story. Here’s her story as I imagine it—told by her.

Kiska’s unspoken story

I don’t remember much from before coming to my forever home, but I remember being cold and scared.

Oh, and itchy—extremely itchy.

I lived outside with my brothers and sisters (I think there were eight of us, it’s hard to remember at this point). The floor was really hard and cold, and at nighttime, we’d shiver and huddle together.

We also didn’t get to spend time with our mama. We were with her to start, but one day, my siblings and I were on the porch, and she was out in the field.

She was whining because she couldn’t get to us, but the human wouldn’t let her in. We would run up and down the fence together which was fun, but I really just wanted to snuggle my mom. We watched her and learned how to bark. If there was a shadow or a weird noise, she’d bark, bark, bark, and we’d do the same.

The humans didn’t like that. They’d yell at us to stop, and we were scared so we hid. My mama didn’t hide though. She was strong and she’d keep barking. She said she had to protect the chickens and the black cat.

I liked that cat. Occasionally, he’d jump over the fence and snuggle with us. It was nice because he always smelled like mama—it was comforting.

I never really got to see humans though. The person that lived in the house didn’t come visit us much. She’d come out and give us food and water, but the buckets were huge, so she didn’t have to do it very often.

Did I mention I was itchy? I’d scratch and scratch, but I couldn’t make the feeling go away.

Then one night, some other humans came to visit. My siblings were a bit nervous, but I was absolutely terrified. I tried to crawl into a shelf, but I knocked things over, scaring myself even more. I eventually hid behind a rake and hoped the humans would leave.

But they wouldn’t.

Eventually, one came over and picked me up. I was so scared and couldn’t stop shaking, but it felt… good. I let her keep holding me, and I felt so calm. When she put me down, all I wanted was to be held again. I stayed close by her so she knew, and touched her leg over and over to remind her I was there.

But then she left.

I don’t know why she left. I was so sad, and so scared. I finally felt warm and comfortable, and then she left me. I couldn’t believe she left.

But when the sun came up, I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was back! I was so happy my tail wouldn’t stop wiggling. She came onto the patio, picked me up, kissed my face, and we walked out together.

She took me to a new place, and while I knew I was safe with her, I had never left my patio, I had never left my siblings, and now I couldn’t see my mom. I couldn’t make the drools stop, and I threw up on her a few times on the drive.

I had baths—a lot of them—but they removed the itchies! I think they said it was fleas? I quickly became a new girl and couldn’t wait for our adventures.

x

I got a new collar, a new leash, and a new raincoat. Mom said, “Puppies in Seattle need raincoats.” Whatever that means. I didn’t like it, but it made all the humans ooh and ahh. I liked the attention. I learned that humans can actually be pretty good. And you know what? My new life is pretty awesome.

CUDDLY: Help for shelters and rescues

Kiska and her littermates were lucky enough to have the support of many people to get healthy and find amazing new homes, but having resources is always difficult for rescues to come by.

That’s where CUDDLY comes in.

CUDDLY enables rescues to create fundraisers and wishlists to support animals in their care. Their mission is to help save as many animals globally through community, innovation, and creativity, and they currently have over 2,000 animal welfare organizations on board.

My heart broke as I browsed through all the animals in need on CUDDLY, but at the same time, I was overcome with emotion seeing all the support. There’s so much negativity in the world right now, but seeing strangers come together to save animals warms my heart.

I was especially touched by the work Angels Journey Home Animal Rescue is doing for these puppy mill puppies. Kiska was in better shape than these babies, but I can understand the blood, sweat, and tears that are going into getting them healthy (and flea-free).

I encourage you to take some time to explore CUDDLY and see if there is an animal that speaks to you. Some organizations are in need of supplies, while some are requesting monetary donations for veterinary bills.

If you work with a rescue, I’d also encourage you to look into how the platform can help you save more animals. I know I’ll be registering my kitten rescue soon. CUDDLY is an invaluable tool for any animal welfare organization.

Share your pet’s story

What’s your pet’s unspoken story? What do you think your pet would say about his/her life before being adopted? Share their story on any social media platform using the hashtag #MyUnspokenPet. I can’t wait to read your stories!

Filed Under: What's New

Tikaani Progress

September 9, 2019 13 Comments

It’s hard to believe Tikaani has been with us for four months!

I really wish I knew what happened earlier in his life, but we’re just going to push forward regardless. He’s living the good life and learning a lot.

Once he trusts you, he’s extremely eager to please—he always wants to make his people happy.

Great Pyrenees and man in Air Force uniform

Quick recap

  • Kaani trusted me after spending 48 hours straight together.
  • It took about 76 hours for him to start to trust Nick. Nick wasn’t with him full-time, but Kaani knew I thought he was okay, which helped.
  • If Kaani could see a person—no matter how far away—he lunged and barked like crazy. He wanted people to know he meant business.
  • He had very similar reactivity to dogs.
  • He would pick fights with the floofs (usually Atka) about once per day.
  • We couldn’t have all four dogs inside at the same time without the risk of a fight. We would rotate: Kiska and Kaani inside, Mauja and Atka outside, the switch.
  • When it was time for everyone to come inside in the evening, he had to go upstairs to his crate.

Check out this quick video of Tikaani’s progress over the first few days with us!

4-month progress

Tikaani and the floofs

It's summer and it's hot, hot, hot. We're all melting, so take some tips from these Great Pyrenees trying to beat the heat.

Things were a little rocky between all four dogs at first, but that was to be expected with all of the changes Kaani was going through. Although Kaani was a bit nervous, the first intros went great. Mauja, Atka, and Kiska were pretty respectful with his space to not freak him out too much.

Kiska and Kaani bonded almost instantly. I think a lot of it is because they’re so close in age. They seem to have a similar relationship to Mauja and Atka, who are also just a year apart.

Two Great Pyrenees smiling

Everyone was able to be outside together without an issue. We struggled when we brought them inside. Kaani would lunge at Mauja in the evening, causing Kiska to jump in as well. Then we had three dogs going at it.

So, we did a version of crate and rotate. Two inside, two outside. It definitely helped everyone relax. After a few weeks, I was able to have all four inside without an issue during the day. Dinner time seemed to be the tipping point. Kaani would get tired and snippy.

Thankfully, he absolutely loves his crate, so he was happy to go hang out in the evenings.

Because of this, I was definitely worried about all the hotel stays during our move from WA to VA, and our next home being an 800 sq foot apartment.

They continued to improve over the weeks. We had a few hiccups, but overall, things were great.

Once we moved into the apartment, everyone got a little feisty again (definitely can’t blame them!). There were a few scuffles, but nothing as bad as it used to be.

It only took a few weeks for everyone to settle in—I couldn’t tell you the last time we had a fight here. Everyone is being very respectful of space, and they can even enjoy bully sticks within a few feet of each other without any issues.

Four Great Pyrenees and a cat

Related: How to Muzzle Train Your Dog

Tikaani and strangers

When I first got Kaani, he would bark and lunge at every stranger he saw. It seemed he wasn’t the dog to actually bite based on my experiences with him. He’d grab your arm, but never clench down. He wanted you to know he meant business.

Can’t say I blame the guy.

I’d want them to know I’m not messing around if someone smacked me with a baseball bat (or something similar since we don’t know exactly what happened).

We’ve been working on a few things to help with this: the check-in, confidence, leave it, and general comfort around strangers.

The check-in and leave it are a very similar concept—although one is prompted and the other isn’t.

Kaani is learning the check-in, so he can recognize his own level of discomfort. He looks to me if he sees another person and is feeling uncomfortable. Then he gets all the praise and treats for being able to make that decision on his own.

But sometimes, it’s too much and he can’t think to check-in. That’s where leave it is important.

If Kaani starts to show signs of stress and forgets to look to me, I instruct to leave it. We’re still perfecting this skill, but he’s doing really well. I teach my dogs that when they leave it, they should look up to me (rather than just ignore the item/person).

Kaani looks to me and the treats start flowing.

He’s made a lot of progress, and he can now walk calmly past people 90% of the time. We’ve had strangers within 10 feet of us, and he handled it extremely well.

We still have a lot of work to do, but I’m extremely optimistic.

Tikaani and friends/family

Happy Great Pyrenees

Tikaani is slowly warming up to people he sees more frequently. In fact, just a few weeks ago, my best friend was able to watch the dogs for the evening so we could enjoy a soccer game.

Not only did Kaani want to take treats from her, but he adored her affection! I couldn’t get over the videos of him running up to her for attention.

I thought my heart was going to burst.

He’s also doing really well with my mom and sister. He doesn’t want to be pet by them, but he’ll gladly take treats! String cheese is the key to becoming his friend.

So now, Kaani is completely comfortable with myself and Nick. He’s 98% comfortable with my bestest, Jess. He can handle being around my mom and sister for a bit until he gets overstimulated. I think with another visit or two, he’ll be loving them as well.

The next step is getting Kaani comfortable with another male. This is definitely going to be challenging because he is much more fearful of men. It took a long time for him to completely warm up to Nick, so introducing another male figure is going to be challenging.

He’s been making great progress with my dad, so we’re going to keep working on building that relationship.

Every day, Tikaani learns that the world is just a little less scary, and it makes my heart happy.

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: Tikaani

Happy 2nd Birthday, Kiska!

August 9, 2019 10 Comments

How oh how is Miss Kiska two already? It feels like yesterday that we were giving her bath after bath to remove the fleas from her. I still remember my stomach churning when I saw the massive amount of them by her eyes.

I never thought this little fluff nugget would become my service dog. She amazes me every day with her skills. Between gluten detection and blood pressure alerts, she helps me in numerous ways.

So, let’s take a look back at some puppy pictures! You can never go wrong there, right?


The first picture I got with this nugget. I fell in love with her instantly. I think a part of me always knew I wasn’t going to let her go.

Adorable Great Pyrenees puppy

She adored this Kong toy, but mostly used it as a headrest.

Great Pyrenees puppy with Kong toy

She was seriously one of the cutest nappers, ever.

Great Pyrenees puppy sleeping

Always with the blep!

Great Pyrenees puppy blep

I worked in a dog-friendly office, so she got to go to work with me. Hard to believe she ever fit on the front seat of my car!

Great Pyrenees puppy on car seat

She didn’t do the frog pose often, but she did, I couldn’t handle the cuteness.

Great Pyrenees puppy frog pose

The best trio photo I got in Kiska’s early days.

Two Great Pyrenees and a Great Pyrenees puppy

Yes, I put her in pajamas. What’s cuter than a puppy in pajamas?

Great Pyrenees puppy in pajamas

Her favorite place to sleep was in the coffee table.

Great Pyrenees puppy on furniture

Sometimes, she forgot to climb all the way in the coffee table though.

Great Pyrenees puppy sleeping on furniture

She didn’t always nap in the most comfortable positions.

Great Pyrenees puppy sleeping pose

But she did always choose the most comfortable places. My pillow was her favorite place to sleep at night.

Great Pyrenees puppy on bed

Anyone else obsessed with puppy paws?!

Great Pyrenees puppy paws

She definitely had quite the sass from day one.

Great Pyrenees puppy on stairs

Mauja and Atka warmed up to her fairly quickly!

Three Great Pyrenees

She was always grumpy post-bath. But come on, how cute?

Great Pyrenees puppy wrapped in a towel

And she gravitated toward the warmest areas when she was little.

Great Pyrenees puppy in front of the fireplace

Happy 2nd birthday, Kiska!

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: birthday, keeping up with kiska, kiska

13 Great Pyrenees Trying to Beat the Heat

August 5, 2019 5 Comments

It's summer and it's hot, hot, hot. We're all melting, so take some tips from these Great Pyrenees trying to beat the heat.

It’s summer and it is hot. We’ve been living in the Seattle area for the past three years, so the switch to Virginia weather has been quite the shock for the floofs. Between a/c, baby pools, and frozen treats, we’ve been able to keep everyone fairly cool. Here are some ways other pyrs are beating the summer heat.

Mauja also likes to go into the shower on a hot day (or when she’s trying to hide from fireworks).

View this post on Instagram

“When it’s over 100° outside, I gotta seek out the coolest spot in the house to sleep. And I need a bath.” -Hazard ☀️?

A post shared by @ hazardousadventures on Jul 23, 2019 at 5:33pm PDT

“Just dippin’ my paws in the water. Nothing to see here.”

View this post on Instagram

Cooling off my paws ?

A post shared by T U C K & B E A U (@the_rescued_boys) on Jul 27, 2019 at 9:25am PDT

I’m sure a day at the beach was more than necessary!

View this post on Instagram

Beach day on the Volga riverside at Nizhni Uslon ? Купались в Волге в селе Нижний Услон казанской агломерации, пока погода позволяла. Очень скоро начался дождь #thegreatpyrenees #greatpyreneesofthehour #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneespuppy #пиренейскаягорнаясобака

A post shared by Aurora ? Аврора (@aurora.thepyr) on Jul 30, 2019 at 1:05am PDT

Ahh, what a happy face!

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Thomas and Theodore got to go to camp today at @jumpingjackdogranch and had the most fun EVER! #thefloofcrew #floofcrew #greatpyrenees #pyrenees #greatpyreneesofthehour #akbash #akbashofinstagram #adoptdontshop #rescuedogsofinstagram #buzzfeedanimals #thedodo #caninesofaustin #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogs #doglover #hundefoto #dogoftheday #travel #doglovers #dogstagram #hundeliebe #instadog #awkbash #wackbash #thomassullivanmagnumthepyr #theodoretheakbash #texasgreatpyreneesrescue #tgpr

A post shared by The Floof Crew (@thefloofcrew) on Jul 29, 2019 at 4:59pm PDT

Atka wants to join the party.

View this post on Instagram

?Happy Place ? #floridaliving #petstagram #greatpyrenees

A post shared by @ snowball_thegreat on Jul 29, 2019 at 1:57pm PDT

“It’s like, really hot outside, guys.”

View this post on Instagram

Putta putta putta beep beep, I’m a motorboat! I like blowing bubbles and Trina to fit my big lanky body in this wee lil kiddie pool. #motorboat #bubbles #bathtime #kiddiepool #pool #pooltime #summer #summertime #summervibes #swimmingdog #dog #dogsofinstagram #doggo #greatpyrenees #goldenretriever #juniper #junipergypsydog

A post shared by Juniper (and Karen) (@juniper_gypsydog) on Jul 29, 2019 at 10:26am PDT

Related: 11 Great Pyrenees Trying to Keep Cool

Another pyr enjoying the cool, tile floor!

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Bo loves the cool tile floor. These hot days are just too much for his furry self! ?? #bloom #lazydog #lazyday #summer #colorado #puppiesofinstagram #greatpyrenees

A post shared by Heather Willets (@h.willets) on Jul 28, 2019 at 6:37pm PDT

Looking so unamused, but I love the face!

View this post on Instagram

Bye, Monday ??

A post shared by Bane the Great Pyrenees ? (@banethegreatpyr) on Jul 29, 2019 at 6:12am PDT

What a view!

View this post on Instagram

Would you look at that mountain?! #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneespuppy #greatpyreneesmix #mountaindog #wolfdog #malamute #malamutepuppy #pyr #greatpyreneesmalamute #mix #pup #dog #mansbestfriend #puppies #adventure #pnw #pnwonderland #pnwhiking #pnwhikers #pnwroamers #oregon #oregonian #oregonhikes #getlost #mtjeffereson #mountjefferson #coyotelake

A post shared by Abyl Channing (@adventuresof_abyl) on Jul 28, 2019 at 10:16pm PDT

Pyr pups in baby pools—not much cuter!

View this post on Instagram

?? collar by bandedpines. Check the link in my profile for more! #sheepdog #fluffy #puppylove #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneesofthehour #greatpyreneespuppy #pyreneanmountaindog #bestwoof #pupsofinstagram #ilovemydog #petsagram #doglover #bandedpines #enjoytheadventure #pinespack

A post shared by Sully AKA Fluffy McFluffyace (@fluffy_mcfluffyface) on Jul 28, 2019 at 7:13pm PDT

Okay, how many people have taught their pyrs to do this? I’d love to try with Kiska!

View this post on Instagram

#本栖湖 #SUP #greatpyrenees #今年初

A post shared by coma (@coma.coma503) on Jul 28, 2019 at 6:38am PDT

Ranch dogs have to keep cool, too!

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Beating the heat at the ranch! #dogdaysofsummer #greatpyrenees #ranchlifeisgoodlife #bestbabysitter #polarbear #adventuresofmontyandstewy

A post shared by Melanie Hanna (@melaniehanna) on Jul 27, 2019 at 9:29pm PDT

Waterfall pyr love.

View this post on Instagram

Found myself a little waterfall ? #happysunday #waterfallchasing #adventureswithdogs

A post shared by Dakoda (@pyrenees_dakoda) on Jul 27, 2019 at 6:06pm PDT

Want to see some more floofs trying to beat the heat? Check out Mauja, Atka, Kiska, and Kaani enjoying some pool time!

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: cooling, great pyrenees, keep cool, summer

How to Earn the Trust of Fearful Dogs (and my foolproof treat)

July 18, 2019 10 Comments

Understanding the fight or flight response of fearful dogs is very important when trying to gain their trust. Here are some tips plus my foolproof treat.

Dogs have two ways to deal with fear: fight or flight. When I first met Kaani, he was leashed—he chose fight because he couldn’t get away. He never hurt me, but wanted me to know he meant business.

Once I got him into a larger area, he chose flight. He would run away and cower in a corner somewhere. His favorite place was his crate—his safe place.

When I opened his crate to take him on potty breaks, he varied between the two. Sometimes, he would squish to the back of the crate, and other times he’d lunge toward the door.

Interestingly, he always let me hold his leash without a problem. I just had to leave the crate door open for 5–10 minutes while I waited for him to come out into the room. I think that once we got outside, I was less terrifying than his surroundings.

How to identify a scared dog

Nervous Great Pyrenees puppy wearing a vest. "I'm nervous. Please ignore me." - It's Dog or Nothing

There are a lot of very obvious signs that a dog is uncomfortable—like tail tucking or flat ears and ducking away. But then there are some less obvious signs:

  • whale eyes (the whites of their eyes shows)
  • stiffened or tense posture
  • raised hackles
  • large pupils
  • exaggerated yawning

Tips for gaining trust

I can’t say this enough—take it slow. Everything needs to be done on the dog’s time. Assume everything is new to the dog. Something so simple, like a large hat, could spook the dog because he wasn’t socialized to it. We’re always eager to show the dog we’re safe, and sometimes the best way to do that is by giving them plenty of space.

Related: How to Muzzle Train Your Dog

Give the dog a safe place

Great Pyrenees puppy | It's Dog or Nothing

I’m a big fan of crates, especially for nervous dogs (check out my favorite giant breed crate here). Before bringing Kaani home, I put a crate in the corner of our bedroom. This way, he was away from the bed and had his own area.

Then, I put some towels over the crate to block out stimuli so that he could get as relaxed as possible. I left the front of the crate uncovered because I still wanted him to see me at times. I wasn’t in his normal view, but if I walked in or out of the room he could see me, and I wouldn’t surprise him.

Some dogs will need the entire crate covered, but this worked really well for him. A little fan, some music or a white noise machine, and a stuffed Kong made it his favorite place to go.

After potty breaks, he’d sprint back upstairs and crawl into his crate to relax.

Ignore the dog

This is so, so important. Eye contact can be seen as threatening for any dog, but especially a fearful one. Pretend like he’s not around and let him come to you.

Even when we took potty breaks, I wouldn’t look at or acknowledge Kaani for the first few days. He would occasionally sniff my leg or rub against me, but I let him figure me out on his own.

Remember, the crate is a no touch, no eye contact place for your fearful dog. You don’t want him to feel threatened in any way while he’s crated.

At this point, Kaani doesn’t mind me reaching into his crate when he’s in there (to refill his water bowl or something similar), but he cowers if Nick tries to. So Nick makes sure to give him plenty of space.

Keep things positive

Silly Great Pyrenees puppy napping comfortably after once being extremely fearful. | It's Dog or Nothing

Never, ever punish a dog for growling. Growling is a dog’s warning sign before a more serious warning or potential bite. If you punish growling, the dog will eventually skip that step and go straight to a more severe fear response.

Talk in soft, happy tones—this is typically easier for women than men—and try to keep the environment as relaxed as possible.

Treats, treats, and more treats

To gain Kaani’s trust, I started by casually walking by Kaani’s crate a tossing a few treats in. Every time I was going to be near his crate, he got a treat. Don’t stick your fingers in (especially if you’re worried about a fight fear response). With slow, swift movements, gently toss the treat and keep walking.

After a day, he would come out of his crate to check me out while I was sitting on the bed.

Same thing. Toss treats his way without making eye contact. The next day, he was taking treats from my hand, again without eye contact (I may have lured him with cheesy fries and bacon).

Obviously, I couldn’t make cheesy fries and bacon the main treat I offered Kaani to work on trust. But no regular treat was going to do the trick. He snubbed his nose at every training treat I had in the house.

Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend

Great Pyrenees try Dr. Marty's freeze-dried raw dog food, Nature's Blend.

Dr. Marty’s Nature’s Blend is technically a balanced meal, but I prefer to use it as a topper or high-value treat. The floofs go absolutely crazy for this freeze-dried raw food! I love that it can go either way, depending on your dog’s needs and your budget.

Related: Dr. Marty & Freedom Service Dogs: Why I’m Obsessed

Quick facts about Nature’s Blend:

  • made with 77% raw beef, raw turkey, raw game, and raw organ meats
  • free of artificial preservatives and fillers
  • supports higher energy levels, easier digestion, joint and coat support, and strong brain health
  • contains high levels of EPA/DHA for optimum canine health

Try Nature’s Blend for a pretty great discount here!

Don’t forget gut health

The Great Pyrenees at It's Dog or Nothing love Dr. Marty's ProPower Plus for optimal gut health.

Kaani had a lot of stomach issues when we first got him. There were two nights that he suddenly pooped all over his crate and needed a backyard hose down. Poor guy just started softly whimpering after it happened.

Dr. Marty sent us some ProPower Plus—a blend of 14 different health and digestive ingredients designed to optimize your dog’s body.

This instantly made a difference in his gut health (no more runny poops!), and I’ve started using it for Atka as well—who also has tummy issues sometimes.

Remember to snag this great deal on Nature’s Blend!

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: Dr. Marty, Nature's Blend

Forever By Your Side with BellaBeads

July 9, 2019 1 Comment

Your furry friend never has to leave your side—even after passing—with Forever Flowers & Bellabeads.

I spent a lot of time living at home while I was in college. It was mostly because I was always sick, but I also struggled with social anxiety. Being at home gave me more time to hang out with our family dog, Rascal.

Rascal was a Samoyed, and the start of my love for white, fluffy dogs. He was getting older and then suddenly took a turn for the worse. I was making him homemade meals to try and convince him to eat, and we’d have to carry him outside to go to the bathroom.

He wasn’t living a quality life.

My parents made the difficult decision to help him to the rainbow bridge, and our hearts were all shattered. We all thought it was going to be awhile before we could open our hearts to another dog.

I worked at Gold’s Gym at the time and was working a shift one Saturday morning. After a long morning, I came home to relax. My mom asked me to go to the porch to grab her drink, and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

Two Bernese Mountain Dog puppies.

“DO WE GET TO KEEP THEM?!” I shrieked.

Not only did we get to keep them, but my brother and I got to name them. I named the girl Mallie, and he named the boy Kai. My brother, sister, and I were so excited to have these new babies in our lives.

They became our world. I was on summer break, so I was able to be home to care for them while my parents worked. I can vividly remember sitting outside watching them frolic and play.

And get into trouble.

They continued to grow, and I got married and moved across the country. The best part about taking trips back home was seeing Mallie and Kai. Mallie was a goofy, bouncy girl, and Kai was a goof—and a true mama’s boy.

With all the kids leaving the house, Kai and Mallie became my parents’ world. Everything was for them, and they were spoiled in the best ways possible.

One day, I got a call from my mom. “Kai has cancer.” My heart dropped.

I’d be lying if I said we were completely shocked. We were well aware of the occurrence of cancer in Berners. But we always hoped that day would never come.

My mom immediately set out to do everything she possibly could for him. He met with some of the best vets and went through very promising clinical trials.

He received all of the best care possible, which included hours upon hours of travel every week (and thousands of dollars) for treatments and therapy.

He was doing really well with treatment, and we were all very optimistic. Even though I was across the country, I loved getting the video updates of his progress.

One morning, I got a call from my mom—who never calls early in the morning. A part of me just knew what she was going to say.

I didn’t answer.

She called again.

I didn’t answer.

Eventually, Nick texted me saying she was trying to get ahold of me, and I was even more certain what she was going to say. I finally got the courage to call back.

He was gone. Kai passed just days before his 9th birthday.

I wanted to do something special for my parents. They had invested so much in him and losing him was extremely difficult. I remembered an email I had received a while back about pet memorial jewelry, and I reached out to the company.

Flowers Forever & Bellabeads

Cristina specializes in creating one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces using mementos like wedding flowers, honeymoon sand, pet fur, and ashes. She is truly a creative artist with an eye for unique detail.

I wanted to get a necklace for my mom and a tie tack for my dad. That way they could always have a piece of him when they wanted. Kai was cremated, but unfortunately we didn’t have any fur to include in the jewelry.

Cristina was able to work her magic anyway.

I wanted the base color to be red because red was Kai’s color. His collar, leash, and his harness were red.

We sent her some of his ashes, and in just a few days, I got the notification that the jewelry was shipped.

The jewelry arrived beautifully packaged. She even sent back the ashes/fur she didn’t need to make the jewelry, so you never lose a piece of your loved one.

I’m blown away by her work and attention to detail, and I’m so happy she could give my parents this priceless gift.

Check out more of Cristina’s amazing work.

Your furry friend never has to leave your side—even after passing—with Forever Flowers & Bellabeads.

*We received the product mentioned above in exchange for our honest feedback.

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: bernese mountain dog, jewelry, memorial jewelry

Super Chewer—saving couches one box at a time

July 8, 2019 2 Comments

Giant breeds can destroy all the things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people reach out to me because their Great Pyrenees has shredded their couch or chewed through a wall.

If they can do that, there’s no way standard dog toys can hold up to their giant chompers. Even the “indestructible” dog toys have been shredded by my gang.

Thankfully, none of my pups swallow the stuffing, but it’s definitely a common problem—that can lead to thousands of dollars in vet bills.

So, we’re constantly trying to find new toys to recommend—especially to our fluff-eating friends. Plus, we always want to mix up their chews, but these guys are so particular. I hate spending $50 on a bag of chews, only for them to turn their nose at them.

That’s why I love subscription boxes.

You can try a few things, see if they work for you and your pup, and then purchase more if you want. Plus, constantly rotating your dog’s toys keeps them entertained and interested.

Unfortunately, most subscription boxes won’t work for giant breeds. The toys are small, flimsy, and can be destroyed in seconds.

That’s why I’m loving the Super Chewer.

Super Chewer box

Every box comes with:

  • 2 tough toys—always fluff-free
  • 2 full-size bags of treats—always made in the US or Canada
  • 2 meaty chews—always all-natural

It’s Dog or Nothing readers can get 50% off their first box on a 6 or 12 month plan purchase! Click HERE.

Starting your subscription

Setting up your Super Chewer subscription is simple. Start by choosing your dog’s size, allergy info, and subscription length.

All three floofs can’t tolerate chicken or turkey very well, so I love that Super Chewer has allergy-friendly boxes!

And their 100% Happy Guarantee is pretty amazing.

Each month is a new theme!

Vikings of ValHowla
Sniffs From the Abyss

So what’d we get?

We got the Shakespeare in the Dog Park box. And let me tell you—it was beyond adorable.

Slingin’ Air Rose

This toy made from natural rubber and durable nylon is great for “Fling + Fetch Play.” Hold the stem, swing overhead, and watch the rubber rose fly! Pyrs aren’t typically fetch dogs, but Atka and Kiska love chasing down the ball (I just have to go get it to start the game again).

I just say they’re helping me get some exercise 😉

Treat Lock Goblet + Treat Lock Treats

This thing is so cool and really gets Kiska’s attention. Mauja and Atka aren’t really “puzzle toy dogs,” but this is amazing for tiring out Kiska’s little brain. Foster puppy is also really enjoying this puzzle treat toy.

Dogberry Pup-Pet

This natural rubber toy has a soft plush layer and a textured design to keep your dog interested. This toy is very heavy duty and my three love gnawing on it.

Merchant of Chicken Treats

These chicken and duck dog treats are wheat, soy, corn, and grain free. Plus, they’re sourced and made in the USA.

Jones Natural Chews Woofers

Woofers are 100% beef patty chews. My giant floofs can get through them fairly quickly, but they still enjoyed them.

Jones Natural Chews Lambly Links

Lamb from the USA in an edible collagen casing with no artificial ingredients.

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am for our next box! Foster puppy, Tikaani, is especially enjoying these new toys.

Try Super Chewer and get 50% off your first box on a multi-month plan subscription.

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: subscription box, Super Chewer, toy dog

Washington to Virginia | Day 5

June 12, 2019 6 Comments

A recap of day five of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

Phew, day five done! Today, we traveled from Davenport, IA to Dayton, OH with a stop in Indianapolis.

*Note: I’m writing these at the end of each day, so I’m pretty tired when I do. I apologize if I rant or things read strangely.

We got up fairly early since it would be about a five hour drive from our hotel to my sister-in-law’s house in Indianapolis. Plus, we try and take fairly long breaks every two to three hours to let the floofs stretch their legs.

Kaani did pretty well at relaxing when he saw people during our breaks. He was still very alert, but as long as people were at least 50 feet away, it was fairly easy to redirect his attention.

Great Pyrenees snuggling during a long road trip | It's Dog or Nothing

But, it’s definitely not all good.

A few times, people walked by the parked car and made Kaani extremely upset. At this point, if he barks at someone, it’s usually just an alert bark (it used to be a very ferocious bark/growl). When the people came within a few feet of the car, the ferocious bark came out.

Once we’re not in the midst of moving, we’ll be able to actually work on these behaviors. Right now, we’re just trying to manage them. There’s only so much you can work on when you can’t create a stable, manageable training environment.

But, we’re still trying to turn every opportunity we can to create positive training experiences for Kaani.

Visiting relatives

We were able to take about two hours this afternoon to visit Nick’s sister, her husband, and their kiddo (who will be two later this summer). Luckily, they have a fenced in yard, so we were able to let everyone run around for a bit and burn off some energy.

Kaani didn’t meet the family because we knew it would be too much for him at this point. But he was happy relaxing in the shade in the yard after a quick zoomie session.

Two Great Pyrenees on a road trip | It's Dog or Nothing
“Hey, lady. We gonna hit the road or what?” – Kaani

Indie was in the house with us and wasn’t too sure about the miniature, squealing human, but she warmed up quickly. She even let him give her kisses—which was beyond adorable.

Here’s where I completely failed. I didn’t get a video of the adorable kisses. I didn’t get a video of the floofs running zoomies and checking out the neighbor’s chickens. I didn’t get a video of the adorable toddler holding Mauja’s leash and walking her around the house.

Mauja absolutely adores kiddos. She’s so gentle, relaxed, and easy-going. She’ll gladly follow little ones around, wagging happily the entire time. Atka and Kiska are also great with kiddos, but I thought they had too much pent up energy. My nephew loves dogs—and would even “woof woof” with them—but I still didn’t want him getting knocked over!

I went from, “I need to document everything!” to “I just want to enjoy this moment.” So, sorry I can’t share the adorableness with you, but we all have to take the time to be present.

Great Pyrenees tuckered out after a long day
Tuckered out after a long day

Since we’re going to be living closer, I’m sure we’ll get many more opportunities.

After a few hours, we had to hit the road again to finish our day. Thankfully, we only had about two hours until we hit the hotel.

Tomorrow, we head to my in-law’s house for the evening. They have a house on the lake and Atka absolutely loves the water. He’ll be excited to get to swim for a bit!

Learn about the rest of our trip

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

A recap of day five of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

Filed Under: What's New Tagged With: moving with cats, moving with dogs

Washington to Virginia | Day 4

June 11, 2019 2 Comments

A recap of day four of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

On day four, we traveled from Kearney, NE to Davenport, IA. We had planned to stop in Des Moines to see my brother—where he is working on his PhD—but we managed to miss each other as he went home to see our parents.

*Note: I’m writing these at the end of each day, so I’m pretty tired when I do. I apologize if I rant or things read strangely.

This meant we had another shorter (7 hour) day. These days have been great for getting the dogs out and exercised. They’ve been living in a hotel/car for seven days, so they definitely need the extra moving time.

There’s not too much to update on today. We didn’t encounter anything too eventful, and we kept things pretty low key.

I’ve noticed that Kaani is more gimpy on longer driving days. I’m guessing this is because his arthritic shoulder becomes stiff from the lack of movement. It’s so hard to find the balance between enough exercise to keep his joints moving, and limiting his exercise to prevent his pain from getting too high.

We finally have everyone eating more consistently—thanks to the food topper from Dr. Marty. They all go crazy for the freeze-dried raw food.

The only one still struggling with eating is Atka. He definitely shows his stress by being clingy and a lack of appetite. It’s not unlike him to go a few days without touching his food when he’s stressed.

It doesn’t help that it’s the summer and it’s getting hot—which always causes the floofs to eat less.

Even with our walks, everyone is definitely getting stir crazy—Indie included—so we were glad our hotel was on the bigger side tonight! The floofs definitely miss having a yard to run around in. Check out the zoomies from everyone.

Well, everyone except Mauja, that is. She’s six and has lived in five houses/apartments and countless hotels. She’s a moving pro at this point!

Tomorrow, we’re going to stop and see Nick’s sister, her husband, and their kiddo. This will be the first time I’m meeting my little nephew! #militarylife

It should be interesting visiting them. We’re super excited to see them, but having four dogs (one who is terrified of people) and a cat makes life more difficult. Thankfully, they have a fenced in yard, so the dogs should get some good zoomie time while we catch up.

Learn about the rest of our trip

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 5

A recap of day four of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

Filed Under: What's New

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Someone never lets me go to the bathroom alone. Ca Someone never lets me go to the bathroom alone. Can anyone guess whose paw this belongs to? 🐾
Tikaani has a massively floofy booty and if he doe Tikaani has a massively floofy booty and if he doesn’t get frequent sanitary trims, he gets a 💩 build up in his fur. We used to have to get him sedated for sanitary trims, but a few months ago we were able to switch to Clonidine and do them ourselves. We’ve been gradually reducing the dosage, and today, he had his first trim with ZERO drugs and ZERO growling 🙌🙌
🎶 Atka sings the song of his people 🎶 🤣 🎶 Atka sings the song of his people 🎶 🤣
Sup, pup 😜 [Tikaani] Sup, pup 😜 [Tikaani]
So helpful 😂 So helpful 😂
It’s been awhile since this handsome man has had It’s been awhile since this handsome man has had a solo outing. We drove up to @thehappytartbakery to get some goodies to go and enjoyed a picnic and walk at a nearby park. I think he enjoyed it ❤️
I think they’re trying to tell me something 🤨 I think they’re trying to tell me something 🤨 #breakfasttime
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