Check out this video...This is a border terrier who is quite a hunter! We were watching it with Riley (yes, she watches TV) and she went nuts! Now, if she could only be that intense at an earthdog trial...
Friday, September 3, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
John Paul Pet
We have border terriers and the proper way to groom their coats is to hand-strip them, not use clippers. When Finlay was a pup, our breeder recommended a gentle shampoo like Johnson's Baby Shampoo which worked really well. One day, we found a dog grooming salon that had a groomer who knew how to hand-strip, so we made an appointment. Finlay's coat is softer and fuller than most border terriers and it took us forever to strip his coat. We were excited that we found a professional who could help us!
It turns out, it took a lot longer than the groomer anticipated because of Fin's coat, but he looked great! That evening, we noticed bumps all over his skin and he was rubbing all over the sofas, scratching constantly. Since he smelled 'perfume-y", we bathed him with the baby shampoo and also put him in an oatmeal bath to soothe his skin. After a few days, Finlay was feeling better and we realized that we had to make sure to bring our own shampoo when we got him groomed.
Fast forward a few years and a colleague of mine gave me two bottles of a new shampoo her husband was representing, John Paul Pet. Yes, this is related to the famous human hair care line, Paul Mitchell; the founder is John Paul DeJoria (CEO and Co-founder of the Paul Mitchell brand). Now, I am not a frou-frou person and my dogs are not frou-frou dogs, but it was free and it looked and sounded good! Because of Finlay's sensitive skin, I was hesitant to use it, but after reading about it, decided to give it a try, after all, the kind she gave me was "oatmeal". We tried the shampoo and not only did it clean well, but more importantly, it was not irritating to our dogs' skin. What we love even more is that the company's mission is to promote proper care of all pets and they support several outreach programs for pets.
If you're looking for good shampoos for your pets, make sure to check out John Paul Pet. You can visit their website at http://www.johnpaulpet.com/ to see where to get their products.
It turns out, it took a lot longer than the groomer anticipated because of Fin's coat, but he looked great! That evening, we noticed bumps all over his skin and he was rubbing all over the sofas, scratching constantly. Since he smelled 'perfume-y", we bathed him with the baby shampoo and also put him in an oatmeal bath to soothe his skin. After a few days, Finlay was feeling better and we realized that we had to make sure to bring our own shampoo when we got him groomed.
Fast forward a few years and a colleague of mine gave me two bottles of a new shampoo her husband was representing, John Paul Pet. Yes, this is related to the famous human hair care line, Paul Mitchell; the founder is John Paul DeJoria (CEO and Co-founder of the Paul Mitchell brand). Now, I am not a frou-frou person and my dogs are not frou-frou dogs, but it was free and it looked and sounded good! Because of Finlay's sensitive skin, I was hesitant to use it, but after reading about it, decided to give it a try, after all, the kind she gave me was "oatmeal". We tried the shampoo and not only did it clean well, but more importantly, it was not irritating to our dogs' skin. What we love even more is that the company's mission is to promote proper care of all pets and they support several outreach programs for pets.
If you're looking for good shampoos for your pets, make sure to check out John Paul Pet. You can visit their website at http://www.johnpaulpet.com/ to see where to get their products.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Dachshund Saves Owner!
I am a sucker for dogs (but you already knew that) and a sucker for heart-warming stories. Today, a story is circulating that's both heart-warming AND features a dog. Woo-hoo!
A dachshund in Oregon saved its owner! Yep, you heard me right, a dachshund saved its owner! You may wonder how such a little dog could save the life of its owner. I've attached an article from www.widetrends.com for the full story and a photo (love those wrinkly little legs!) of sweet Missy, an 11 year old hero, um, I mean heroine.
Missy's owner collapsed so, like any dog would do (or as we would hope any of our dogs would do), Missy went next door and stayed in the neighbor's yard (he was gardening) until he followed her back to her house where her owner had collapsed inside. Paramedics were called and luckily, Missy's owner is recovering. In case you're wondering, her owner had recently had heart surgery and suffered vertigo, hence the fall.
Stories like this are not only fun to read and heart-warming, but they also provide evidence about dogs' intelligence and bonds with their owners. Dogs are amazing creatures and give us so much that we need to remember to give them all the love, companionship, and stimulation they deserve. Think about your relationship with your dog. Can you improve it? Does your dog need more playtime, more walks, or a fun exercise like agility or flyball? We are responsible for our dogs and in saying that, we are responsible for giving them fulfilling lives. Don't just be a dog owner, be a responsible dog owner, it's amazing how it will enrich your life and strengthen your bond with your dog.
A dachshund in Oregon saved its owner! Yep, you heard me right, a dachshund saved its owner! You may wonder how such a little dog could save the life of its owner. I've attached an article from www.widetrends.com for the full story and a photo (love those wrinkly little legs!) of sweet Missy, an 11 year old hero, um, I mean heroine.
Missy's owner collapsed so, like any dog would do (or as we would hope any of our dogs would do), Missy went next door and stayed in the neighbor's yard (he was gardening) until he followed her back to her house where her owner had collapsed inside. Paramedics were called and luckily, Missy's owner is recovering. In case you're wondering, her owner had recently had heart surgery and suffered vertigo, hence the fall.
Stories like this are not only fun to read and heart-warming, but they also provide evidence about dogs' intelligence and bonds with their owners. Dogs are amazing creatures and give us so much that we need to remember to give them all the love, companionship, and stimulation they deserve. Think about your relationship with your dog. Can you improve it? Does your dog need more playtime, more walks, or a fun exercise like agility or flyball? We are responsible for our dogs and in saying that, we are responsible for giving them fulfilling lives. Don't just be a dog owner, be a responsible dog owner, it's amazing how it will enrich your life and strengthen your bond with your dog.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Finlay's & Riley's Fabulous Friday!
Friday night was a great training night for me and the dogs. I got a late start as I was working on a stationery order, a memorial service program, and simply got the walks in late...but late was good in this case because we saw more dogs! It's been so hot here in the Atlanta area (yes, hotter than normal) that many owners were out with their dogs late in the evening. I have to give them props for being good pet owners and waiting until the sun was going down.
Riley saw Maggie, the neighbor dog who we trained with when Victoria Stilwell was here. At first, Riley barked which totally surprised me. However, I was talking to my friend, Maggie's owner, and Riley settled really quickly. In fact, Maggie is not confident with Riley (because of her nutty behavior), and was really trying to avoid Riley at all costs! I was treating Riley for he passive behavior and she was so interested in Maggie that she started "army crawling" on her belly to get to Maggie. Maggie also relaxed after a bit and they sniffed each other and were very good dogs. Being a golden retriever, Maggie wanted to see me really badly (Goldens just seem to love people SO much!) so I put Riley in a sit/stay and gave Maggie some loving. Riley was great, Maggie was great, and I was able to bring Riley one step closer to being more balanced around another dog - yea!
Riley also saw her new "buddy" Baxter who is an adorable 9 month old terrier mix and she was great with him too. I call him her buddy because she's got to meet him before and really seems interested in him. She did the army crawl with him too and really seemed like she likes him. In fact, she may have been flirting a little, I'm not sure! ;)
Then there's Finlay; my little guy is making some good progress. We saw our neighbors with their Chihuahua, Lodai and I wasn't sure what to expect. Remember, my dogs are hunters and Chihuahuas are small and can be easily mistaken for rodents! No offense, meant here at all. So, Fin barked and barked as we passed, but then I began to talk to my neighbors and he settled. I gave him treats when he was calm and the one owner even wanted the dogs to meet. They sniffed and did well, though Finlay did "snap" a little bit after sniffing, but did not attempt to bite or anything like that. Since Lodai is very calm (yes, a calm, relaxed Chihuahua!), she didn't react and we used it as a training opportunity for Finlay. It got to the point where he was more interested in me and his food than Lodai and I was able to have a nice conversation with my meighbors. I think it was a success. Fin and I also encountered a Jack Russell who was off leash in his own yard, BUT when he saw us, he ignored his owner, walked across the street (thank God no cards were coming by) and came towards us. Fin did indeed react, don't get me wrong, he's still got a way to go, but we handled it well. I immediately turned him around and walked in the other direction as the Jack Russell followed...his owner still calling for him to no avail. Fin calmed down and we walked back the way we were going. The Jack was now back in his yard and we passed with no barking from our end - Finlay didn't seem to even care that the dog was in the vicinity! Again, it was a great experience for us to train and we are making progress!
Every chance we have to do training is a good thing and while I used to hope not to see other dogs, I now look out for them and try to walk where I know we'll encounter another dog!
Riley saw Maggie, the neighbor dog who we trained with when Victoria Stilwell was here. At first, Riley barked which totally surprised me. However, I was talking to my friend, Maggie's owner, and Riley settled really quickly. In fact, Maggie is not confident with Riley (because of her nutty behavior), and was really trying to avoid Riley at all costs! I was treating Riley for he passive behavior and she was so interested in Maggie that she started "army crawling" on her belly to get to Maggie. Maggie also relaxed after a bit and they sniffed each other and were very good dogs. Being a golden retriever, Maggie wanted to see me really badly (Goldens just seem to love people SO much!) so I put Riley in a sit/stay and gave Maggie some loving. Riley was great, Maggie was great, and I was able to bring Riley one step closer to being more balanced around another dog - yea!
Riley also saw her new "buddy" Baxter who is an adorable 9 month old terrier mix and she was great with him too. I call him her buddy because she's got to meet him before and really seems interested in him. She did the army crawl with him too and really seemed like she likes him. In fact, she may have been flirting a little, I'm not sure! ;)
Then there's Finlay; my little guy is making some good progress. We saw our neighbors with their Chihuahua, Lodai and I wasn't sure what to expect. Remember, my dogs are hunters and Chihuahuas are small and can be easily mistaken for rodents! No offense, meant here at all. So, Fin barked and barked as we passed, but then I began to talk to my neighbors and he settled. I gave him treats when he was calm and the one owner even wanted the dogs to meet. They sniffed and did well, though Finlay did "snap" a little bit after sniffing, but did not attempt to bite or anything like that. Since Lodai is very calm (yes, a calm, relaxed Chihuahua!), she didn't react and we used it as a training opportunity for Finlay. It got to the point where he was more interested in me and his food than Lodai and I was able to have a nice conversation with my meighbors. I think it was a success. Fin and I also encountered a Jack Russell who was off leash in his own yard, BUT when he saw us, he ignored his owner, walked across the street (thank God no cards were coming by) and came towards us. Fin did indeed react, don't get me wrong, he's still got a way to go, but we handled it well. I immediately turned him around and walked in the other direction as the Jack Russell followed...his owner still calling for him to no avail. Fin calmed down and we walked back the way we were going. The Jack was now back in his yard and we passed with no barking from our end - Finlay didn't seem to even care that the dog was in the vicinity! Again, it was a great experience for us to train and we are making progress!
Every chance we have to do training is a good thing and while I used to hope not to see other dogs, I now look out for them and try to walk where I know we'll encounter another dog!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Kong Toys - A Terrier Owner's Treasure
If you've been reading my posts, you know I have two border terriers, two border terriers with lots of energy, enthusiasm, and sass! I grew up with yorkies and was accustomed to having all sorts of cute, fluffy toys for my dogs to play with...then I got my first border terrier. I quickly realized that cute, fluffy toys of any kind are not a good thing in my house. Finlay can "kill" a soft toy in seconds. One day, I found an "indestructible" canvas toy that was made of military-grade canvas...This one lasted a bit longer, about 15 minutes.
I have found that Kong toys are the best toys for my dogs. Their website says they are "nearly indestructible" and I have to disagree...I find they are simply indestructible! Now, I'm sure someone out there can tell me a story of a Kong that was destroyed, but I'm not that person. Finlay is all about the food and loves to work out the treat. Riley loves this part as well, don't get me wrong, but she also loves to play with the toys, grabbing one, playing "keep away", tug (yes, we've found a way!), and simply running around with it, bouncing to and fro. When I am able to wrestle it away from her, she loves to chase it as it randomly bounces across the floor. She is cute, she gets such a kick out of her Kong toy!
Below is a short video clip of Riley with her Kong...Isn't she cute?! Oh yeah, that's Fin you hear in the background...we got him all excited with our play, but he was being camera shy. ;)
I'm really looking forward to the new Kong wobbler and will let you know what the three of us think of it!
What's your dog's favorite toy? Have you found anything else that is "nearly indestructible"?
I have found that Kong toys are the best toys for my dogs. Their website says they are "nearly indestructible" and I have to disagree...I find they are simply indestructible! Now, I'm sure someone out there can tell me a story of a Kong that was destroyed, but I'm not that person. Finlay is all about the food and loves to work out the treat. Riley loves this part as well, don't get me wrong, but she also loves to play with the toys, grabbing one, playing "keep away", tug (yes, we've found a way!), and simply running around with it, bouncing to and fro. When I am able to wrestle it away from her, she loves to chase it as it randomly bounces across the floor. She is cute, she gets such a kick out of her Kong toy!
Below is a short video clip of Riley with her Kong...Isn't she cute?! Oh yeah, that's Fin you hear in the background...we got him all excited with our play, but he was being camera shy. ;)
I'm really looking forward to the new Kong wobbler and will let you know what the three of us think of it!
What's your dog's favorite toy? Have you found anything else that is "nearly indestructible"?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sneak Peek - Paperweights & Necklaces
Most of my recent posts have been about my dog training updates and I figured it would be a nice break if I showed you a sneak peek of my newest products. These items are not yet available, but will be really soon. I'm so excited about them that I just had to show you what I'm working on!
I got inspired over the weekend and off I went...shopping and working. So, paperweights and necklaces are in the on deck circle and I'd love to get your feedback.
My apologies that the photo isn't the best, but I was too excited to wait!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Dog Training - Week 5
'Evening everyone! And what a muggy, mosquito-filled evening in the South it is! I was out with Riley and saw a few neighbors, so we chatted and I think I've fed all the mosquitoes in my county!
So, I think Riley had a little break through tonight. While I was talking with the neighbors, we saw no less than 4 dogs and 2 of them we saw twice (they lapped us as I yapped!). While Riley got a little bark-y and pulled a bit, I refocused her and she settled down. One neighbor has a miniature schnauzer who is quite excited to see other dogs and we actually chatted for about 10 minutes. Riley did really well with Caesar the Schnauzer and at one point, she got on her belly and sort of inched towards him. I was quickly cataloging through my sleepy brain, trying to remember what Victoria said in her book about body language and cues from the dogs. At one point, she was licking her lips and I thought I recalled this was a nervous sign, so I called her over to me and treated her. She then got on her belly again and again inched towards Caesar. We let them sniff each other and she did really well - not one peep! I was a proud mama indeed!
Just so you don't think I forgot about Fin, we had a nice walk, but he didn't get a chance to see another dog, so no training opportunities for him, just a fun walk with me!
So, I think Riley had a little break through tonight. While I was talking with the neighbors, we saw no less than 4 dogs and 2 of them we saw twice (they lapped us as I yapped!). While Riley got a little bark-y and pulled a bit, I refocused her and she settled down. One neighbor has a miniature schnauzer who is quite excited to see other dogs and we actually chatted for about 10 minutes. Riley did really well with Caesar the Schnauzer and at one point, she got on her belly and sort of inched towards him. I was quickly cataloging through my sleepy brain, trying to remember what Victoria said in her book about body language and cues from the dogs. At one point, she was licking her lips and I thought I recalled this was a nervous sign, so I called her over to me and treated her. She then got on her belly again and again inched towards Caesar. We let them sniff each other and she did really well - not one peep! I was a proud mama indeed!
Just so you don't think I forgot about Fin, we had a nice walk, but he didn't get a chance to see another dog, so no training opportunities for him, just a fun walk with me!
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