human obedience class [a shared post]

"Welcome to human obedience class,the class will meet every Tuesday night for four weeks,
do not bring humans who do not like other humans,
or cannot communicate in a civil way, this means
no Congressmen, people of the left or right, bankers,
tech support or customer service reps or
radio or TV talk show hosts.
We will teach basic obedience:
come when called, stay when told, feed when commanded.
The class will instruct you on  basic obedience:
how to get humans to stop
when you want to sniff something, pee on a bush, growl at a squirrel
or a cat, walk in a crooked line, throw a ball when looked in the eye
and given the command of three barks. How to make a  human take you into
bed, let you on a sofa, buy those gourmet bones.
In class two, we will learn how to maintain eye contact with humans,
triggering the "guilt response," where humans say "awww, puppy"
and offer a treat, a hug, walk or a meal.
In the third class, we shall learn to move pull humans along a path while
they curse and shout and make curious noises. We will
teach them to wait patiently while we sniff for food and sniff other dogs.
Class four is about learning to not emotionalize humans.
They are not like dogs,
they have poor instincts, are easily confused,
possess few natural hunting or survival skills,
and generally impaired senses of smell. It is impossible to train them
well if they are emotionalized, they are simple, elemental creatures,
very needy, with very short attention spans. They are not only
willing to be manipulated by dogs, they seem to love and need it.
Classes are important if you wish to live with humans.
Training is not about obedience, but communication.
We need to show them how to be safe in our world.
First, we will learn to read human body language,
how to read their posture, facial expressions, rear ends
when they move.
Humans make a wide variety of sounds, they are given to shouting,
waving their arms, making loud gutteral and whining noises,
especially when they are running after dogs, shouting commands.
They are nearly helpless when left alone, especially outside,
they have no instincts to speak of, speak too much and
need exercise several times a day.
Among the lesson topics: how to communicate with rescue humans
who have been abused – most humans seem to be – how to choose a human.
We all love humans here, and want to help them.
We believe the only way to choose a human is, in fact, to rescue one,
there are so many of them in desperate
need of a dog, it is almost immoral to choose a happy and healthy one.
Be prompt, bring leashes and some treats for training – humans call them donuts."

For more incredible writing, visit Jon Katz at Bedlam Farm. His books are wonderful, as well!

projects and painting and planning, oh my!

A title like that can only mean one thing: Mom was in town! She came for a visit this weekend and whipped our house into shape with nine million projects that were able to be completed in a mere 72 hours - and she still made sure that we had time to go out to eat with friends! I am jealous of her energy, especially since it takes me a solid five cups of coffee before I am even 25% as efficient as she is with her time! I don't know how she does it, but I'm hoping she'll share her secret with me someday!

The house projects were as follows:

-- hang up the kitchen curtains that have been sitting in storage for a year

-- hang up the guest room curtains that have been sitting in storage for two years

-- caulk and repair the corner of the cabinet that Claire destroyed from the act of busting out of her kennel when we first moved in... which took place back in 2010

-- caulk and repair the window frame in my bedroom that was damaged during the Break-In of 2011

-- buy new frames for pictures

-- hang up two pictures

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the kitchen

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the living room

-- touch up the paint on the walls in my bedroom

-- touch up the paint on the walls in the guest room [which turned into repainting the whole room because we bought the wrong paint color and didn't realize until it was too late]

-- clean out the shed so my friend can store her things there while she's out of the country

-- search for the Missing Suitcase [this was the one thing that was unsuccessful]

-- decorate the bathroom

Claire was a rockstar this weekend. I really wanted to be able to take her hiking with my mom and me, but as you can see from the aforementioned list [which is not comprehensive, by the way], there wasn't enough time! It was also really hot and humid this weekend, so it wasn't the best hiking weather anyway. So Claire hung out with us while we worked on these projects, and she was happy doing just that: hanging out with us [and getting some treats while doing so, like coconut milk ice cream and fresh strawberries]. The paint made her sneeze, though, so she laid by the bedroom door while we worked in the guest room. That didn't stop her from trying to help out by rubbing up against the freshly painted wall...

Oh, my dog? She's the one that's black and white with a gray butt.

Claire and Mumsies!

claire-friendly peach muffins.

Okay, so I'm about 3.5 months into this vegan thing, and so far so good. Interestingly enough, I've found that Claire and I now have a similar diet which is excellent for my grocery budget! Winning, all around!

I made some fantastic vegan peach muffins last weekend - for both of us - and they were so delicious that it's worth sharing with you all [and your dogs, of course]. Let me know how you like them!

Claire-Friendly Peach Muffins

1-1/2 cups all-purpose rice flour

(or whole wheat flour if your dog can have gluten)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/3 cup of organic peach jam

Preheat the oven to 400*F.

Coat muffin tin with non-stick spray, or use liners.

Scoop batter into muffin tins.

There should be enough for 12 muffins.

Bake for about 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite recipe that both you and your dog love?

Share it in the comments section below!

happy 4th birthday to claire!

My sweet girl turned four today - making the next six months the only time in our lives that we will be the same age (if you're counting her age in dog years, that is).

She could feel the excitement in the air, which was evident at 730am when she forced me to wake up to begin the celebration! We started the day by going for an early morning hike at a new place, and we will definitely be going there again! It was a perfect day for a perfect hike that included a dip in the creek, a run through some cornfields, and a romp with some horses. We both loved it and will be hiking this trail a lot over the next few months!

On our way back home, we stopped by my dear friend Shannon's house and Claire had a great time hanging out with Shannon's adorable kids! Lindsay Miller and Brooke played fetch with her and chased her around their backyard - two of her favorite games. Claire couldn't get enough of the kids and would've been quite content to follow them around for the whole day.

Next, we went to See Spot Eat to get Claire some special birthday treats. Her day wouldn't be complete without some fresh salmon ice cream! Of course, it didn't make it out the door, so we grabbed some other snacks for the next few days too!

Claire was completely exhausted at that point, so we went back home for a little nap. Because it was such a beautiful day, I opened all the doors to get some fresh air in the house while we napped, and it was nothing short of amazing!

When we woke up, Claire was ready to go back outside, so we went on another long walk and stopped by Rebel's house so she could see him and play for a bit before we continued on our way. He is such a good boy, and he was just as excited as she was to get a chance to play. He is so sweet to her and kept kissing her baby face. It just melted my heart!

Once we got home, Claire was just about ready for bed. So much excitement will do that to a girl, you know. But she had to have "cake" first, so I made her one that was made of dog food and mashed pumpkin, and topped with a pumpkin and rice flour biscotti dipped in carob and yogurt. And after that? Well, she's been fast asleep for the past few hours already, which can only mean that her birthday was a success!

Enjoy some Instagram pics from Claire's 4th birthday!

saved by mr. chewy.

Want to know what really sucks? When one of the only kinds of food that your dog isn't allergic to has a massive nationwide recall juuuust after you received a 30-pound shipment of it that was special-ordered. AHHH. California Naturals, get it together!!

I spent most of Saturday researching different kinds of limited-ingredient high-quality dog food in the hope that there might be something out there that Claire could eat in place of California Naturals. Hope (and patience) was fading so I went to a local pet boutique to discuss the situation with them. They suggested Natural Balance - which is actually what I fed Claire for awhile when she was a puppy, though not the limited ingredient line. Unfortunately, they didn't have any in stock, but they said they could order it for me. The problem was that I needed to find something to give her immediately since I only had 30 pounds of potentially contaminated dog food sitting in my kitchen. The boutique did have a medium-quality brand available that would suffice in the meantime (which is basically like taking someone to Uno's while waiting for a table to open up at Lou Malnati's - but hey, it's better than the options at Pizza Hut).

As I drove home, I called my pals at Mr. Chewy's, which is where I had ordered the recalled food from. I have never had such an amazing experience with customer service before. I had the most wonderful representative in the history of customer service (her name was Andrea, so if you call to place an order, you must request her assistance). I explained my situation and she was so understanding. I listed Claire's many allergies and asked her opinion on the best food to try, and Andrea also suggested Natural Balance. She helped me place the order, gave me a discount, and fully refunded the cost of the bag of California Naturals. Oh, and my order arrived today, making Mr. Chewy the fastest delivering company in history. And hey, they did not ask me to post this or compensate me in any way for this informal review of their services. I'm telling y'all about this because I was stressing out and they were a HUGE help for me and my sweet special-needs pup, so take it for what it's worth!

I am going to try giving Claire the Natural Balance tomorrow morning, so I'll let you know how she likes it! She can hardly stand to be picky with the few options out there, but she obviously doesn't realize that - nor does she care! ;)

Also, I sincerely hope that all of your pets are okay and didn't get sick on any food made by the Evo company before the recall.

well-matched.

When people ask me what mix Claire is, I like to joke that she's 50% dog and 50% human. But seriously, when I think about how alike we are, I think there's a lot about me that has rubbed off on her over the past almost-four years together. For instance...

1. We have some of the same hobbies: eating, sleeping, exploring, and being with friends.

2. We are both extremely empathetic. Whenever someone is crying and sad, Claire stops whatever she is doing and goes right over to the person to try and make them feel better. As for me, I'm a social worker. 'Nuff said.

3. We love snuggling, but we can't fall asleep unless we both have space to stretch out.

4. We have a strong appreciation for nature, and we love being outside. The weekends have been filled with leisurely walks and romps in the field near my house.

5. It doesn't take much to make us happy. We like the simple things in life.

6. We guard our food. No sharing when it comes to deliciousness! Get your own!

7. We get grumpy when we are tired. And then it's best that we have some quiet time.

8. Two words: peanut butter.

9. We are very sensitive to our surroundings, whether it be the people we're around or the situation we are in the midst of. Change is hard, and it takes us a little longer to adapt - though we always do!

10. We love being around others, but we are most comfortable and happiest when we're with our best friends.

11. When we put our mind to something, we don't stop until we've reached our goal (though for Claire, this mainly has to do with chasing squirrels out of our yard).

12. We're each other's favorite.

staying focused.

After I posted earlier this week about our hike, I got to thinking about some things. Y'all remember how I said that when another dog comes our way during a walk, I have to tell Claire to watch me? When she focuses on me, she forgets to be threatened by what is ahead because she knows I've got a treat that's all hers if she doesn't react.

I realized just how similar that is with me and God. When there is something in my path that I'm afraid of or unsure of, it's my natural instinct to react and try to deal with it myself. But God always reminds me that I don't have to do that - I just need to keep my eyes on Him and let Him do the work of preparing me and protecting me. I'm not I'm control of my environment, but I can learn how to cope with what surrounds me - and that is what God teaches me. My "treat" for keeping my eyes on the Lord may not be venison or lamb... but it's peace.

speaking in code.

I follow a lovely blog called "Something Wagging This Way Comes" (I'd link to it, but I am blogging from my phone and the app doesn't allow that - but google it because it is worth it!) and one of the most recent entries was about speaking to your dog so that they don't understand you. It's much like how parents talk to other adults when their kids are around. Words become spelled out or spoken in some kind of code. My friends and I have to do this a lot with our dogs - what can I say, they're all really smart!

Claire starts looking around frantically when someone mentions squirrels, so you have to call them SQ's when she's nearby. You definitely have to spell the word "bone" or she goes on alert and sits in front of the refrigerator, waiting expectantly for you to get one out of the freezer for her chewing pleasure. She sits by the front door and waits for you to get a move on when someone says "walk" or "school", so we all have to spell that out too. I can't mention her friends' names (particularly Tucker, Sooki, Asya, and Chase) or even some of my friends' names (especially Carrie, Brianna, and Amy) or she will go to the front window and wait for them to show up - you have to just refer to them as "pals." And if you are talking about treats or snacks, you have to refer to them as "delicious food" or she will instantly go through a plethora of tricks in the hopes that she'll do something that will allow her to have one.

What are some code words that you and your friends or family use around your dog?

you can't always get what you want.

It's a tough lesson to be learned: you can't always get what you want. You know that, I know that, and hopefully Claire knows that now, as well.

I haven't been feeling well over the past few days, so it's taken me a little longer to get moving in the mornings. I was doing some things in the kitchen this morning before leaving to take Claire to daycare, and she was perched at the kitchen window checking out the scene in the backyard.

What started as a whimper turned into a full blown temper tantrum. Why? A squirrel. It's always the squirrels' fault. At least in our house anyway... If I hadn't been preparing to leave the house 10 minutes later, I would have let Claire go into the backyard to go chase it. But to be honest I was feeling sick, needed to get to work, and didn't have the head or the time for it today.

Claire's reaction was like that of a 2-year-old child's when they are told that they can't have cookies for dinner. She had an absolute meltdown. I tried to lure her away from the window with a venison treat, but that didn't work. Then I tried soothing her. That didn't work either. Then I tried scolding her. Nope. To make matters worse, her response to my many attempts was to get so frustrated that she started barking. AT ME.

I did what any mother would do when their child is throwing a massive and prolonged temper tantrum: I shut myself in the bathroom. Sure enough, after a few seconds, the barking and screeching stopped. I heard her come over to the bathroom door. She stood there for a second, then slid to the floor and sighed. Isn't it amazing to see what happens when the audience is taken away from such a performance?

I opened the door and when I asked if she was done with her meltdown, I was greeted with kisses and a wagging tail. It was like it never happened. I grabbed our things, leashed her up, and off we went.

Claire learned a hard lesson today. We came out a little frazzled, but were otherwise okay. Though now we BOTH have a vendetta against those squirrels...

claire's christmas list (2012 edition).

I know. I lose major points for posting our annual Wish List so close to the gosh darn holidays. But there might be some last minute shoppers out there. Maybe... In any case, here are the items that are on Claire's wish list this year!

I love finding a reason to get Claire a new collar or leash, especially because there are such fun ones out there! Like these, from Silly Buddy:

My little one always tears up stuffed toys (except for elephants - she loves her ellies), but I don't think that's a reason to stop buying them for her! That's why I have to include this awesome toy from PLAY:

I need some fun posters for my cubicle at work, so I thought this poster is appropriate, even though Claire's only 50% lab... Most of these features are certainly appropriate for her, anyway!

Simply Fido caught my eye when they shared pictures of this adorable moose. I mean, are you kidding me?! Who DOESN'T want one of these?! And they're stuffed with crinkled paper, which I'm sure is easier to clean up than stuffing. It has to be!

If you've been following this blog for awhile, you are very well aware that I'm obsessed with The Black Dog, which is a store in my hometown. It's only natural that I browsed their website to find things to add to Claire's Christmas list. I found this placemat, which will be perfect for her!

Some of Claire's favorite treats are from The Black Dog, too - and it's great because they're free of the millions of things that she's allergic to! They're available in bacon, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter flavors!

Hopefully this list will be helpful for you late shoppers out there. If you've already shopped for your favorite dog, then I'd highly suggest considering buying some of these items for a New Year's Day present. Or maybe even Valentine's Day. Or heck, buy it just because!

  

the carb consequence.

Though Claire and I did not have the privilege of celebrating Thanksgiving Day with our family, we did manage to share leftovers of our friends' meals (thank you to both Callie and David!) I enjoyed everything, of course, and Claire loved the sweet potatoes and even some of the pumpkin pie!

Two words describe the outcome: carb overload. Or: food coma. Or: tryptophania mania. The possibilities are endless!!

Claire has been working it off at the dog park for the past two days, and she even got me to do a little rough-housing with her yesterday. I'm down one old fleece jacket and I've got some bruises, but hey, it was all in good fun!

Not only that, but she even was kind enough to push me out of bed this morning so I would go to the gym. On a Saturday.

What a pal.

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving, and I pray that you have as many things to be thankful for as we do!

coping with DST.

Daylight Savings Time: the bane of my existence. I like getting up when it's light outside, but to get out of work at 5pm when it's already dark really puts a damper on things. Like my outside playtime with Claire. And my social life, for that matter, which largely revolves around the dog park. What can I say? Most of my friends are dog people!

If your dog is a couch potato and is happy to sleep 23 out of 24 hours of the day, then you don't hate DST as much as I do. But for those of you who have active dogs, chances are that you are anxiously awaiting April - when DST ends.

I have to get creative this time of year. First off, we increase the number of days that Claire goes to daycare. Two times a week will suffice in the summer because we spend the off days at the park when I get out of work... but we bump it up to three times a week in the winter. My girl's gotta get some time in the sunshine, you know? For the two other work days, she chills at home and guards the house and catches up on sleep. But when I get home, energy abounds!!!!

Here's what's worked for us so far. On the days she doesn't go to daycare, we start the morning with a half mile walk. It's short and sweet because it is freezing outside - and we both hate ice cold weather - but it's just enough to wake me up and to give Claire time to do her business (she is easily distracted).

When I come home, we go for a mile walk and then hurry back inside to defrost ourselves. Then it's dinner time for both of us. After dinner, we either do 15 minutes of training (gotta keep our manners polished) or we play a rousing game of hide and seek. The only problem with this is that my house is tiny and Claire is rapidly figuring out that I can only hide in five places during the game. But hey, we make it work. After that, Claire gets a raw marrow bone which keeps her happy and busy for an hour or so. Then it's quiet time for both of us - reading or journaling for me, and tearing apart toys for her. Actually, it's just one toy, and I re-stuff it when she isn't looking. Don't tell.

Weekends, of course, are very different for us. I try to spend the majority of the weekends with Claire, whether we are by ourselves or hanging out with friends. I'm excited for this weekend, in particular, because it is the First Annual Friendsgiving in Nashville! We will be spending all of Sunday with our pals to celebrate the holiday early, since most of us will be with our families on the actual day of Thanksgiving. Stay tuned, y'all - pictures will be sure to come soon!

positive-reinforcement training.

I think we need to step up the training. Or I do, rather. Little One's anxiety has been gradually kicking in again. I think it's happened so gradually that I didn't even realize it until a friend commented about it the other day while we were at the park. My friend commented (with part humor and part seriousness) that Claire doesn't like many dogs. Maybe I'm biased, but I just don't think that's it. I mean, she's around dogs all the time at daycare and she is just fine. And again, she's great with the dogs that she knows. I guess I've always thought that it was normal for some dogs to need a little space when meeting new dogs. But maybe that's just "normal" for Claire...?

I've always been aware that Claire's anxiety mainly manifests itself in that she is leash-reactive, and we have continued to work on that; I'm seeing improvement there, mainly because we work on it every time we go for walks. But as I look back on the past few months, I find that, when we're at the park, she is only 100% comfortable around the dogs she knows. She hates when puppies jump all over her, and she gets nervous when dogs get in her face - even if they're just coming up to say hello. Her reaction is to give them one quick bark, and then she removes herself from the situation. I'm proud of her for doing this, but ideally, she wouldn't react at all and would just walk away. What are your thoughts? Am I overreacting and making this a bigger deal than it needs to be?

I'm big on positive-reinforcement training. It promotes trust and confidence. That's why, if you're around me and Claire, you'll notice that I praise her a lot with either treats or "life rewards" such as positive touch and verbal praise. I don't yell at her for doing something wrong, and I would never ever cause discomfort or pain. On the rare occasions that she needs a scolding, she gets a stern voice and a time-out immediately after whatever incident occurred. Instead of saying "no" all the time, I redirect her to do the correct thing and then I praise her for it. I'm a firm believer that positive-reinforcement training is the best training method for all dogs, but especially for dogs who deal with anxiety. This is why it's the best fit for Claire. So now it's time to kick it up a notch to get her over this hurdle.

our bucket list.

So, by now, most of you have probably heard about this sweet story of a boy who created a bucket "lick it" list for his terminally ill service dog. When I read it, of course it got me thinking about all of the things I'd like to do with Claire in her lifetime. I have my own bucket list that consists of 90+ things that I'd like to do in my life [getting a puppy was one of them], but I decided to put together a separate list for me and Claire. Here are some of the items, in no particular order of importance.

1. Fence in the backyard so that Claire has more room to run when we're not at the dog park.
2. Go on a vacation to the beach, just the two of us - spend our nights staying at a dog-friendly hotel and spend our days playing by the ocean.
3. Share a cone of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.
4. Walk a 5k together [I'd say that we'd run, but that would be a nightmare because she would think we were playing a game of chase, and I would die of either exhaustion or of embarrassment].
5. Have my friend and fellow photographer Erin do a photo shoot of me and Claire.
6. Let Claire lead a walk.
7. Have a birthday party in my backyard with a cake from See Spot Eat, and invite all of her friends. Send out real invitations, hand out party favors, and have decorations fit for a queen!
8. Go for a ride in a convertible. [I'll have to hold on to her so she doesn't jump out].
9. Take a picture of Claire in a field of sunflowers. Print it on a canvas to hang up in the house.
10. Get a tattoo of Claire's paw print.
11. Get 100 followers on Google Friend Connect, and reach 200 followers on our Facebook page. [This is obviously a personal goal, but I still felt that I needed to add it!]
12. Create another masterpiece and sell copies to raise money for the Nashville Humane Society.

What should I add to this list? What's on the bucket list for you and your dog?

  

true confessions of a dog owner.

It's time for some true confessions! Are you ready for this? I put together a list of twelve truths pertaining to being a dog owner. Know that I mean no offense, so I apologize in advance if anything written is taken the wrong way. But I figured it would be fun to let you all know some of my honest-to-goodness thoughts and maybe even share some of my own bad habits! Leave a comment below with some of your confessions - I love getting the scoop!

1. I am of the persuasion that raising a dog is just as hard as raising a child.

2. Every Sunday, when I go grocery shopping, I make sure to bring back a special little treat or toy for Claire.

3. It's very likely that I spend more money on Christmas presents for Claire than I do on all of my friends combined.

4. No matter how adorable I think your dog is, I'll always think that mine is cuter.

5. I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their dog. I tend to write people off if I see them treating their dog poorly.

6. It's really hard for me to like you if you don't like my dog. And please know that "like" does not mean "tolerate."

7. I have more of a problem with separation anxiety than Claire does. She usually does just fine when she's at Bark-O-Lounge while I'm on vacation. I, however, call/text a few times per day to make sure that she's all right...

8. I have been late to work a time or two solely because I've stayed in bed cuddling with Claire for too long.

9. Sometimes when we're at the park, I yell "SQUIRREL!!" really loudly because I think it's hilarious how Claire's ears immediately perk up and she looks all around to find it.

10. There have been many times where I have slept on the very edge of the bed as to not disturb the angelic sleep of Princess Claire.

11. Claire's vice is digging, and I even encourage it sometimes because I feel like it helps file those nails ;)

12. If I believed in past lives, I would definitely think that I was a dog.
  

cape cod's black dog.

I know, I know... We completely disappeared for a week. But I couldn't blog about where I was going because it was a surprise!! Now that I'm back, however, I can tell you that I took a quick trip home to see my family and to celebrate my grandparents 55th wedding anniversary -- yes, you read that correctly, they have been married for FIFTY FIVE years! Amazing, right?! And while I was spending time at the beach, Miss Claire went off to "camp" at Bark-O-Lounge. Stacey and Courtney are so amazing: they sent me a couple pictures each day of Claire playing in the pool, lounging around on Stacey's bed, giving Courtney kisses, and hanging out with her pals. I was a teensy bit jealous, actually...

While I was home, I just had to stop at one of my favorite stores of all time: The Black Dog [Seriously, I'm obsessed! I'll always accept gift cards... hint hint.] If any of you have ever been to Cape Cod, it's likely that you know about this store. They have awesome apparel for the whole family - including great gifts for your dog. Whenever I go on vacation, I always bring Claire a gift [she gets really excited if you mention that you have a present for her], and when I take trips back home, it's always something awesome from The Black Dog. This time, she got some bacon flavored treats - I was happily surprised to see that their line of treats are wheat, soy, and corn free and don't contain any of the things that Claire is allergic to. That being said, you should definitely check out their website and get some for your dog - and maybe even a comfy sweatshirt for yourself, while you're at it.

Gifts for my black dog from The Black Dog.

   

savory treats for a sweet girl.

I did a little spring summer cleaning this weekend which had me clearing out cupboards and throwing away things that aren't needed anymore. As I cleaned out Claire's cupboard, which was stocked with a variety of treats, I realized that she is allergic to 99% of the kinds that I'd been giving her for the past three years. That inspired today's mission: find some more treats that don't have any poultry, wheat, oats, yeast, apples, or bananas in them.

First, I gathered up all of the unopened bags of treats that she can't have anymore and put them in my car to bring to the nice man who sells papers at the corner of Murphy and I-40 - his dog is always with him, so on my way to work tomorrow, I'll see if he would like them.

Next, I contacted my pals at Dog Pack Snacks to check out the ingredients of their awesome treats, and thankfully Claire can still have their Liver Snaps; they are one of her favorite kinds. What I love about DPS is that their mission is to make healthy and wholesome treats - this means they use lean meats for high protein and lower fat, fruits and vegetables, and no wheat/soy/corn/by-products/sugar/salt/preservatives/colors. I know, I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it's as real as real can be! Claire is obsessed with these little snacks, so I'm glad that she can still have them!

Then I went to Nashville Pet Products to see what they had in stock, and after discussing things with the manager, I came away with ZiwiPeak's Good Dog lamb jerky treats. This product is made in New Zealand and is all natural. They are very up front about their philosophy on animal welfare, and they make it very clear that all of their animals are raised in a cage-free feeding environment and are treated humanely. That's something that I fully support!

Today's mission was a success! In addition, I'm happy to report that Claire hasn't had any of her usual symptoms of acid reflux or pancreatitis since starting her new food by California Natural. I'm hopeful that her digestive track is finally beginning to heal, and that she will continue on the path to health and wellness!

 

tasty treats.

Due to Claire's January bout of pancreatitis, she now takes a daily supplement of Digestzymez, thanks to Dizzy's Corner Store. She tolerates it well, and though I can't see her pancreas healing itself, I trust that the enzymes in this supplement are doing their job. I also have to be pretty careful of what treats I give to her, since pancreatitis is brought on and gets worse when dogs eat rich and fatty foods.

Claire can finally have two-inch raw/frozen marrow bones again, but I only give her one a week instead of two or three a week like she'd been having before. You know, just to play it safe. Now, she gets more cartilage-based treats on a regular basis: cow trachea and pig's ears and duck feet. They look disgusting. I have to gingerly pull it out of the bag and give it to her, and then I can't watch her eat it. But all three are low in fat, high in protein, and full of glucosamine chondroitin which helps her joints.

Want to get in on this for your dog? Check out any local pet boutique - my favorite option - or get some here, here, and here.

Oh, the things we do for love...

my birthday girl.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to my sweet Claire Baby!

Claire turned THREE-YEARS-OLD today!! And clearly, my girl got to celebrate in style! Thanks to Stacey at Bark-O-Lounge for working your magic and taking this picture! [Just ignore the fact that she looks terrified - this happens every time someone attempts to put any kind of clothing on her].

The little miss got to sleep in, spent the day at daycare - or "school" as we like to call it - and then got to go pick up some special homemade treats at See Spot Eat. In addition, she got a ton of birthday cards and presents in the mail from family and friends. She is one very loved dog, and every day I pray that she knows it!

    

the best thing since sliced bread. (for real).

Guys. GUYS. We received the most awesome thing in the mail. Well, Claire did, but it was actually addressed to me, so I feel like I am allowed to get excited too.


Please let us introduce you to BarkBox. Here's how it works: you subscribe to this service and you get a package delivered to your house each month that is full of hand-picked treats, toys, and products galore! Basically, it's like BirchBox for dogs - but it's even better, since 10% of each subscription is donated to shelters and rescue groups.

The goods in this month's BarkBox included...

• All natural Jumpin' Ginger Snap treats from Bing's Barkin' Bakery - Claire is obsessed with these babies. I don't know if ginger is as soothing to dogs' stomachs as it is for people [note to self: ask Anna], but that would be an added bonus with all of Claire's tummy issues lately! Either way, she can't get enough!
• Nature's Miracle bath wipes - They are supposed to freshen your dog's coat between baths, and I can tell you that they actually do! I would like to say that Claire smells like roses all the time, but that would be a lie. I have been wiping her down with these when we get home from the park, and they even remove dander. Lovely!
• Himalayan Dog Chew - Marketed as high quality and long-lasting. Don't you love when what ads claim are true actually turn out to be true? These "bones" are made from yak and cow's milk. Again, with Claire's tummy issues, I didn't want her to have the whole thing at once until I knew how she would tolerate it. I originally attacked it with a saw to try and break it into small pieces [I'm exaggerating. I mean, why would I own a saw?! I really just tried using a really sharp knife] until I read the package which said to microwave it for 30 seconds to soften it. It was much easier to cut into then. [Imagine that]. Claire's stomach handled it well and once she had a taste, she kept licking my hands until I gave her more.
• The Holobal - So far I've only stuffed this ball with treats, but I'm going to put a tennis ball inside next time to see if it will enhance Claire's fetching abilities. She's very particular about what tennis balls she will retrieve, so I'm interested to see if this will help! The only negative thing about this toy when it comes to Claire is that I have to watch her when she has it, or else she will use it as a chew toy. Given that it's 100% rubber, it won't have a long life in our household if that happens...

Want a BarkBox for your dog? A one month subscription is $25, a three month subscription is $21 per month, and a six month subscription is $17 per month. The gifts in the boxes are tailored to your dog's size, too!


BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER!!!! Depending on the number of comments on this post that show interest, BarkBox said that they would donate a subscription for a giveaway hosted by none other than... us! AHH. You know you want the opportunity to win one for you or a friend, so puh-lease leave a comment below!