FitDog Friday: The Importance of Dog Booties

Welcome Back! (Or Welcome, for those who haven't read my blog yet!)

It's been soooooo gosh darn freezing here this week- it's been quite the challenge to get mental and physical stimulation (for both humans and dogs).  But the past few days, it's been cold enough to get to the point where I don't want to go outside (which normally is one of my favorite things to do) because my paws hurt.

I used to huddle with my Mom next to the heater when it was (and still is) freezing outside!

Cue my little reminder for us who live in cold weather: dog paws and human feet have a lot in common!  Humans don't walk around in bare feet when it's 100 degrees out- nor do they walk around in bare feet when the windchill is -35F.  Being outside for short periods is just fine- most dogs do it!  However, when you're like me and take forever and a day to do my business, my paws start to sting.  It's important to remember that dog paws can crack, get dry, get cold and sting- much like they can burn from really hot pavement!

Little did I know as a puppy, that my little paws needed a s"paw" day after long periods outside.

What have we done to alleviate all this pain? (Going out to potty quickly) Momma got a pair of some dog booties.  There's an online store that we bought them from where they make them way up north in Minnesota, and they use them for sled dogs.  They were very cost-effective, and are definitely worth the money- they're so durable!  And....you can pick the colors, quantity, material, everything!  We love them.  Now, instead of licking my paws in chilly-ness when I go outside to do my business, I (look like a crazy bouncy antelope) go about my business, come inside, and my paws aren't stingy and frozen.

Mom has been putting the booties on me since I was a wee pup- that way, I'm not so opposed to wearing them- I'm used to it!

Does it ever get this flippin' freezing where you live?  What do you do to keep your paws (or your buddy's paws) healthy in this crazy weather? I'd love to know so that my paws can be in tip-top shape, too!  We got our fantastic booties from dogbooties.com .

FitDog Friday: The LAST Last Roughhouse

Hey, Everyone!

Happy Friday!  I'm sooooo happy we're finally to the weekend- TGIF.

It's a big day around here- Kaiser's big "Gotcha Day"!  His family will be here in a few hours to pick him up.  The 2 big humans are coming over earlier than their 2 small mailmen think- they don't think they're getting a puppy until tonight.  Little do they know, our friend will be there by the time they get home from school!  Woo hoo!

I'm not really allowed to play very hard with my little chew toy (whoops, I meant Kaiser)- he just got neutered a few days ago.  But, I can't help myself- we got a little exercise today to make sure he'll be nice and tired for his big adoption day. :)  I have to teach him how to be fit, right?

Enjoy some pictures of our last moments together! :)  Until our next playdate (or so we hope), we love you SO much, Kaiser (or now Geno)!!!

We share so well- I have to teach him how to eat sticks.

Those eyes....so gorgeous.

Boss got me a new collar!

Look at how big my buddy has gotten! Me (53 lbs) vs. Kaiser/Geno (now 15.5 lbs)

Look at Boss' beautiful fall bush!

I will sure miss going on our strolls around the yard together. <3

Dog "Furr"st Aid: Be Prepared

Boss was thinking about this the other day, and it got me to thinking: "What would happen if I got hurt while outdoors?"

Fear not, fellow dogs and humans!

Boss got down to the bottom of this.

A dog "furr"st-aid kit is just as important as a human first-aid kit.  We all have similar organs, skin, tissues, etc, and we all participate in similar activities.  Hiking, climbing, swimming, running, the list could go on.  When we all went camping in July, Small Boss took a huge fall down a rock face (and I'm not exaggerating) when we were trying to get to the top of a scenic overlook.  She fell/rolled/splattered about 15 feet down, with her really nice camera in hand, so naturally, she tried to save that.  Whoops.

View from where the overlook is- just don't fall down part of it!

She ended up being stopped by a tree trunk, thank goodness.  She was pretty cut up, though.  She only sustained minor injuries, but after the incident, we all were looking for a few bandages to cover up the wounds.  Hmmmm.  All the Bosses forgot to bring any first-aid equipment!

Bad idea.

So...Boss ended up hiking another 2-3 miles with open wounds.  Had they thought about packing some first-aid supplies, she probably would've been a bit more content walking back.  Which gets to my point here:

What if me, as a dog, got hurt?  What if I got stung by a bee?  Fell down a rock face?  Got caught on something? Scratched myself really good?

Enter the thought of packing some doggie "furr"st-aid supplies.  Taking care of us fluffies is just as important as the humans.  Someone wise once told me "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".  Can't we prevent worsening symptoms by planning for the worst?

Absolutely!

Beautiful nature also brings dangers- like all those pointy rocks!

Now, you've got to be wondering: "What do I pack in my "furr"st-aid kit?

Wonder no longer!  Here is what we have put together as our little "furr"st-aid kit!

• Benadryl (ask your veterinarian what the appropriate dose would be for your fluffy friend)
• Gauze bandages
• A paper with vet phone numbers and emergency contacts (nearest emergency vet to your location, poison hotline, etc)
• Vet records (we made a copy and put them in a ziploc bag)
• Extra leash- you never know what could happen!
• Coban Wrap- this stuff is nice because it sticks to itself, not to fur.
• Disposable gloves (we used latex ones since we're not allergic to them)
• Hydrogen Peroxide

Things we have on our trips, but are not in the specific dog bag:

• Tweezers
• Antiseptic
• Cotton balls
• Scissors (the kind that don't have pointy ends)
• Antibiotic ointment (the kind you can get from the store)
• Flashlight
• Needle-nose pliers

This is merely a list that I thought would be nice, however, the Humane Society has a great list of some possible things to think about packing, whether it be in your doggie "furr"st aid kit, your human "furr"st-aid kit, or in both.  Ours will probably change in materials over time, too, as we learn new information.  Long story short, be prepared!

I love camping, staying active, and being prepared! :)

Chow!

FitDog Friday: Healthy Snacks for Dogs

IT'S FRIDAY!!!

To celebrate such an occasion, I'd like to share with you special little snacks my bosses have made me:

• Sweet Potato slices- dehydrated: Bosses have this cool thing called a "dehydrator", which cooks food at a low temperature for a long period of time, sucking all the moisture out of the food which is being cooked.  Bosses like to eat sweet potato fries on the grill, and they always buy an extra potato (or three) to make into potato-chip-sized slices for me.  When they're done cooking, they are a jerky consistency, and are perfect for a little "snackeroo".  Plus, the only ingredient?  Sweet potato.  Since the moisture is all gone, they last for quite some time, too!
• Apple Slices- raw:  Raw apple slices are a nice treat at our place.  Usually, Bosses go apple picking in the fall, and bring home gratuitous amounts of apples.  They make tons of cooked/baked goods for themselves, and they give the extra pieces to me when I'm being good.
• Apple Slices- dehydrated: The dehydrator works wonders on the apple slices.  After I'm done with a few slices of fresh apples, Bosses put the rest in the dehydrator to preserve them better.  Then I can have chewy apple slices/bits longer into the season!  Also? Only ingredient, again, is apples.  Can't go wrong with that.
• Banana slices- raw: I love the ends of the bananas!  Bosses don't like the very last bit on the banana, so if I follow a training command or trick, they give me the tiny little nub off the end of the banana.  They think it's pretty funny when I eat that one- the texture of a banana is so chewy, I sit there and make the most hilarious face while chewing it.  Maybe a video of this will surface here later...who knows.
• Pumpkin/Peanut butter biscuits: Small Boss is really into cooking/baking, so she bought a bone-shaped cookie cutter, and experimented by making some pumpkin/peanut butter biscuits for me.  She loves pumpkin-flavored things in the fall, so she figured she'd share the love.  She used rice flour (since I'm on a gluten-free diet), peanut butter, gluten-free oats, and pureed pumpkin.  She baked them at about 450 for 30 minutes, or until they were golden brown.  After they cooled off, they got nice and crispy.  Perfect snack!  My buddies liked them, too!

Please note that I, nor my Bosses, are veterinarians.  This is not dietary advice, and all of these snacks are fed in moderation, and not as a meal.  Bosses only give me a few of these per day.

What are your favorite healthy doggy snacks?  I'd love to know!  I love to eat- but I love to keep my "fit" figure!

Loving this fall weather!  Laying in the yard is my favorite (while the biscuits are cookin')!

Chow!

FitDog Friday: Mental Stimulation

Hiya, Everyone!

Well, Boss has been up to lots of blog hops this week- I hope everyone has been thoroughly enjoying all of them thusfar!  A big thank you to everyone I've met so far this week- you are all so fantastic.  It's great to meet you all!

Today's thoughts are my first FitDog Friday!  Boss got her college degree in Human Performance/Exercise Science/Kinesiology and Health, so this is right up her alley, at least for the humans!

Run, run, run...as FAST as you can!

Boss has learned that raising a puppy is no chore.  Puppies need a LOT of exercise, especially as they grow.  Exercise keeps them physically healthy, happy, and mentally healthy.  After a dog stimulates their mind and body, they are much less likely to get into devious trouble- or at least that has what Boss has found with me so far.  Boss has fostered 1 other puppy, as well as raise me, and will be fostering a 13-week-old puppy in 2 weeks.  What has been similar with all of us?  Staying busy and happy.

My braided rope tug toy.  I love it!

Boss will be honest, she doesn't take me for a walk every single day.  She feels a bit guilty about this.  Sometimes, though, I get exercise in a different way.  We play fetch in the yard, or play a game of "Chase Boss", or we go to the dog park and get the hiking/running/socializing out.  During physical exercise, of course my mind and body are both busy!  It's great!  Some of those days, though, Bosses are tired from work or have commitments where they can't slip physical activity in, Bosses have to get clever.

I need to keep my mind busy, right?

So, what are some of the ideas Bosses have come up with so far to keep me busy (hint: Bosses really prefer I don't stay busy by ripping up the stairs anymore)?  Here are a few:

• Hiding treats around a room.  Well, let's be honest here- Bosses would hide treats around the house, but I am so easily distracted and don't get the whole determination thing yet, so we'd just have old treats hanging around the house.  One room is all we can handle right now.  My personal favorite is ice cubes!
• Treat-dispensing toys.  Bosses have bought me a few different types of treat dispensing things, and they seem to keep me busy.  Balls with holes in the center for smaller treats, a big treat dispenser with goodies, or even a fabric "maze" game with the stuffies taken out from the middle and stuffed with ice cubes.  I looooove ice cubes.
• Honestly, the kitties and I interact and keep each other...busy.  Allie usually stays out of it, since she is a pretty mellow gal, but Thor and I play chase.  He is usually the instigator, getting me all excited and then bolting off.  He gives me mixed signals, because then he growls at me when I actually get to him, but I like it anyway. ;-)
• Chewing toys.  I love to chew everything.  It's not over-exaggerating when I mention that, because I have probably chewed on almost everything.  Bosses like to take me to the local pet store (again, the outing keeps me busy), and I get to pick out something to chew on whenever I am out of food.  I usually pick one of those cow-hoof things, because not only does it take me forever to demolish, it smells SO good.  Boss thinks it smells like a horribly bad piece of bacon (she even likes bacon!), but I think it smells glorious.  Mmm mmm mmm!

Why did Bosses have to get so innovative?  Ha.  Let me tell you why! (Boss laughs just remembering the Cabin Fever we had last winter!!!)

Playing fetch when it was a balmy 20F out last winter.

Last year, I was a tiny little puppy during what was considered a horrible, never-ending winter up here in Minne"snow"ta.  Holy cow, it was brutal.  Temperatures were at -40F, and that barely counted the windchill.  Sometimes, we had windchill/temp readings up to -60F.  Needless to say, we ALL were cooped up.  Bosses and myself.  Boss had to come up with ways to keep me busy during those long, frigid days.  So this is where all the mental stimulation comes into fruition.  At least we're prepared in case it happens again!

I LOVE my floating bumper toy- I can't break it!!!

When it is too cold to play outside, Bosses and some volunteers/friends from RAGOM get together and plan playgroups for us as well.  I got invited to my foster sister's birthday party at an indoor doggy play area last winter.  It was sooooo much fun!  Here's a snapshot of my momma and I getting a picture together- I love when I get to see her!  The weekends are usually for wearing myself out with play and physical activity, and the weekdays are my chance to get my brain working and stay sharp.

Carrying sticks to my "nest" is also a personal hobby.

This weekend, I plan on completely wearing myself out- it's football weekend again, and that means more tailgating and play time with friends!  I cannot WAIT!

What are some ways you keep yourselves fit, mentally active and healthy?  Any fun plans for the weekend? Give me some ideas!

Chow!