The Shelter Pups

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I was scrolling through Pinterest (yes I am pintaholic) and I came across this awesome website called The Shelter Pups. They create customized stuffed dogs that you can adopt like a real dog. But, the cool thing is they can make a stuffed dog look just like your dog. All you have to do is send a photo of your dog to them and they do the magic.

The stuffed pups may be a bit pricey but its definitely worth it since you can decide to donate the money to your local shelter. Now, what can be better than that! Maybe one day I will have them create a stuffed pup of one of my dogs. Oliver with his black patch would make a cute stuffed animal. Oh wait, he already looks like one! Anyways, if you would like your own dog created into a plush dog just click here.

No place like home

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The bond between a person and a dog can be unbreakable. I know nothing can get in between me and my dogs. They complete me and make my life whole.

It is like the bond between Sweet Pea and her mom. I took her home today because her owner was missing her too much. Its good to know that her owner can still have her around for now. Hopefully they can stay together with no road blocks getting in their way. I know I could never leave my pups behind. They are family and I love them so much. But I will tell you. It was a joy taking care of Sweet Pea overnight. She is definitely a sweetie!

Introducing a new dog to your pack

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Is there ever too many dogs in a house? I mean what brings more joy than a pack of dogs, right? All the nose sniffing, ear twitching, head tilting and those eyes that can speak so much without words.

Meet Sweet Pea. She will be with me and my pack for awhile, while her owner goes through an emergency situation. So, I am pet sitting/fostering this girl. Her owner said she is a jack russell mix but I see chihuahua and beagle. Who knows but she is a sweet heinz 57 dog. Gotta love those mutts!

I had her with me for a few hours now and already I am getting to know her. Right now she is just missing her owner a lot. Keeps wanting to go outside and try to find her. Poor Sweet Pea. She lays by the door with her face turned towards it. Waiting…hoping a familiar face walks in.

I think it is very important to introduce a new dog to my pack the right way, especially if they are all gonna be living in the same home together. You dont want the new dog thinking it can dominate over the rest of the dogs. The pack can take a few days to adjust but the new dog cant bully them around.

I learned from the owner that Sweet Pea is a little possessive about her owner and her toys. Also, she has some insecurity but she is doing good so far.

Because of her past abuse and her nervousness I decided it was best to introduce her to my pack of dogs one by one. Which keeps her calmer than having a whole pack of dogs sniffing and barking at once at her.

First, I introduced Princess to Sweet Pea because she is the top dog (alpha) of my pack. If they don’t get along its a wrap. Sweet Pea did growl and snap at Princess at first but I realized she doesn’t like another dogs face right in her face. Her tail was down and she was nervous. So, I walked them together and they did fine. They seem to accept each other now. As long as Sweet Pea doesn’t try to dominate Princess everything will be fine.

After that I introduced Lady. Now, when she first meets a dog and gets excited she likes to nip and try to get the dog to play. So, I had to calm Lady down before getting her too close to Sweet Pea. A little lip went up on Sweet Pea but I stopped it before it got any worse. It is important to catch it before its too late. Lady is curious about Sweet Pea but they are tolerating each other.

Now, last but not least the boy of the pack, Mr. Oliver! There was no problem there which I knew there wouldn’t be because she is a girl. His little tail wagged and Sweet Pea just stood there trying to figure out where her mom was. I wonder if she ever got flirted with from other male dogs?

Most people would be happy with that outcome. Not me, I had to take it one step farther and see if she could walk with my pack. That is important to me. If she can handle walking next to my dogs she will do just fine. And guess what, she did! Thay all walked with each other or should I say walked me.

While she is in the house for the next few days I am going to keep her on a leash to make sure everything goes as plan. I need the ability to grab her fast if a scuffle starts between her and one of my dogs. So far so good. Once she starts settling in, than that’s when her personality will shine.

Also, I will be keeping her in a crate while I am out and about because its never a good idea to keep a new dog out unsupervised with the pack. I don’t need to come home to any hurt dogs.

As you can see she is a little over weight. Her owner spoils her a lot but while she is with me I bet she will lose some pounds with the walks and less treats. I will keep you updated on her and the pack. Remember, its always possible to introduce a new dog to a home with other dogs. It just has to be done slowly and you cant lose patience.

Preparing your dog for Hurricane Sandy

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Hurricane Sandy is heading up the east coast of the USA and I have prepared and I hope all of you have too. I am not talking about just preparing for the worse scenario. I am talking about if you can’t go out because of the horrible rain and winds that Sandy is bringing with her, what do you have to survive inside? You must plan ahead. Can you and your dog(s) survive inside if you lose electricity and heat? Think about all the situations that can happen and make sure you are prepared. Hurricane Sandy is coming fast and she is not planning on being innocent. So, here are some questions to ask yourself.

1. Do you have enough dog food?
Hurricanes bring heavy rain and gusty winds. That means there can be a lot of flooding or trees down. Also, you don’t want to go driving around during a hurricane because it is dangerous. The best thing to do is check how much dog food and if it is not enough get some more. You want your dog to be able to eat and not starve.

2. What if I can’t walk my dog or send my dog in the backyard?
This is a very common question you think about during hurricanes. Plus, there are a lot of dogs that don’t like going outside in the rain. You see, my dogs aren’t fans of heavy rain so this is a common problem I have to deal with. Dogs soiling your house is never a nice experience. I recommend stocking up on pee pee pads for your dogs. Put them in a few places and hopefully your dog uses them. If you let your dogs outside when there is a hurricane make sure to keep a close eye on them to make sure they are safe and don’t get hurt.

3. How do I keep my dog warm or cool if the electricity goes out?
Losing electricity is a very common during storms. Especially during hurricanes and tornadoes. I know I had losing electricity and I bet you do too but we can’t prevent it happening. All we can do is prepare for it. So, if it is cold in your area and you lose electricity make sure to have plenty of blankets around to keep you and your dogs warm. Now, if it is hot in your area the most important thing to do is have water for your dog. Maybe even ice cubes in the freezer. Just don’t open the fridge or freezer door too much or the cool air gets out. Also, keep your dog calm so your dog doesn’t get hot quickly.

4. How do I escape my house/apartment if there is an emergency?
I know a lot of you already have an emergency escape plan for your family but the biggest mistake a lot of families make is forgetting to include your dogs into the escape route. You should plan how you are going to get your dogs out and what they are going to need. A good idea is before the hurricane comes put a bag together of items (medicine, food, water) your dog is going to have to have if you leave your house in an emergency.

5. What if my dog freaks out?
Most dogs can sense a hurricane from a distance or just get really nervous during a bad storm. Keeping your dog calm is important. It will ease the stress of you and reduces the risk of your dog getting hurt. Every dog is different so I cant say what is the best way to keep your dog calm but it is always good to have a dog crate around. Lets say your dog is running back and forth and is over exerting itself. Putting your dog in a dog crate will reduce the ability of your dog running into things and knowing your dog is safe will help you relax. Some dogs just need to be talked to in a soft voice or held for the dog to calm down. It all depends on your dog. The last thing you want to do is yell and get frustrated with your dog because it only make the matters worse.

Remember, you can never over plan for all the different situations that can happen during a hurricane. Make sure you have everything you need and everything your dogs need. If you are prepared you will stress less and your dogs will stress less too. Hurricane Sandy is coming up fast and she is ready to make an appearance. Lets all make sure our dogs are prepared.

What a dog says about a man

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Seeing a certain dog with a man can make you think certain things about him. Some people say a man with a big dog is more manly than a man with a small dog. Other people say a man with a small dog is likely to be homosexual.
What do you see when a man has a certain type of dog?