The Daily Dog - Puppy Dog News and Daily Inspiration

[WidgiePidge]

Our HWS family would not be complete without the handsome doggy additions of Bowie (a charcoal labrador) and Chase (well mixed lab and blue heeler).  Whenever Binge or I feel blue, Bowie is always available to provide us with a free tongue-bath and Chase heroically tells us "It's okay, human".  These two are always up to something new and through our outdoor adventures and daily life in the HWS these pups are the source of a generous amount of inspiration and humor.  Chase and Bowie are never shy and would like to share with you their lives as the hard-working Hunger Doggios. 



Bowie would like to insert:  Fan mail, bones, toys, etc., etc. etc. will be happily accepted... Please PM "mom"/WidgiePidge for an address.  Play-time will be happily recorded and posted for all to enjoy.

 Times for introductions......

Chase is a working breed and our "first born".  Ever since puppy-hood, his good looks have caught the eye of many.  At 13 weeks old, Chase had been passed from family to family on Craigslist and he finally found his fifth home in our household.  Let me just say bluntly.... If you are looking for a puppy :  1.  Make sure you have time to raise, occupy, and train a puppy.  2.  Know the characteristics of your breed and make sure that it is a good fit for your lifestyle and family situation 3.  Don't just get a puppy because it is cute  4.  Do not lock a puppy in it's crate for 18 + hours a day  5.  Do not let your children (or your dog) harass the new puppy.  Can you tell that this list is not only generated from common-sense, but also from the hell that Chase had to live through until he came to live with us?



Pictures from Chase's first Craigslist ad at 6 weeks of age, much too young to be separated from Mom


Chase's first day at HWS

For the first weeks of his life, Chase was in a new home every 1-2 weeks.  He had no idea of consistency and even after we promised him "We'd never do that to you, buddy" he still had a glance over his shoulder and whined anytime we'd  leave him alone.  It took him at least a month to give us any amount of trust on this issue. 

Chase's manners when we first got him were atrocious.  He wanted to own the couch, ate our carpet and baseboards, peed on the floor non-stop (not housetrained and also had a UTI), and bit at our feet and ankles and hands.  The lady who we got him from had a very dominant personality and seemed to challenge Chase (in a bad way).  She seemed used to yelling, using her weight physically, and giving warnings and threats.  When you are training a dog (especially a very smart independent dog) you should know that you want to dog to work with and for you.  You do not want to threaten it or try to argue over dominance.  You want to establish very clear and fair boundaries and rules.  Chase is not the kind of dog to "take it".  He is incredibly intelligent and will fight back if he is being put in a bad place.  I could tell he'd been in a bad place for a long time.  I looked over at Chase, across this rude woman's deck, and he was sitting in the yard chewing on a leaf.  He was trying to play with her Akita also- but her Akita was a grumpy old ***** and wasn't having it.  Chase crossed the yard and walked up to me and sat in my lap.  $300 was a small price to pay for a life.  I had a feeling she did this sort of thing a lot - Selling and re-selling dogs/puppies on Craigslist.  I was just glad that we were able to get Chase off the market when we did.  He needed someone and we are certainly lucky to have him in our lives. 



Lots has happened since then.  At the end of this month, Chase will be having his first birthday.  He has requested Peanut butter treats and a pool party... We will see!  He no longer chews our carpet or baseboards, but he does often ingest less than edible things.  On one occasion he discovered a tasty gameboy controller and with much dedication continues to destroy his expensive crate pads.  He also eats sticks "for the fiber".  We can't give him soft toys like ropes or things that are stuffed because he will eat them and pull them apart.  His favorite thing to chew on is rib  bones and he has several West Paw Design toys that he really enjoys using for tug-of-war with Bowie. Chase is now house-trained and no longer sick.  He does have his moments where he throws temper tantrums but I believe they are more childish than out of fear.   

Chase and Bowie also met Diane, The Dog Trainer.  We go to lessons every 1-2 weeks and Diane shows Mom how to handle two crazy pups.  We are working on basic obedience (not pulling on the leash, greeting people and dogs, coming when called, off-leash obedience, sit/stay/what-have-you) and so much more. Chase and Bowie, like any good students, are always learning something new. 



This is Diane. 

https://www.facebook.com/dianethedogtrainer/

She has trained the "un-adoptable dogs" for shelters to make them able to find new families.  She also specializes in training rescued dogs and certain *cough *cough smart, independent breeds- like huskies and working dogs **Chase.  She is very patient with them and answer's all of Mom's questions. 

Chase is currently working on manners around other dogs and greeting dogs/humans politely.  Both pups are working on long-leash discipline including staying in a down or sit position regardless of where Mom is and coming when called. 


Long lead training -  The long leads give a similar experience to being off-leash but allows for easier corrections and ensures recall.

Tricks are Chase's forte.  He can spin, stand, sit, lay down, come, back up, slow down, roll over, switch sides, go under a leg, go over a leg, jump, drop something, show me his belly, give a kiss... He's super smart and constantly wants something.... ANYTHING... to do.  He is very high energy and gets bored easily so his twice-daily walks are very important for keeping him happy and healthy. 

Chase loves the river and the dog park and running as fast as possible.  He also enjoys sharing toys with Bowie.









As much as Chase would like to steal the show, we will also be introducing Bowie tomorrow.  The pups are begging me to take them out for another walk and of-course dinner is to follow.  Stay tuned


   



 

[Zanduby]

:dogegrin:
:dogegrin2:

Binge has been very generous with pics of the dogs on slack. You have some great pups. Chase has an amazing smile.

[ccarlitos2]

Such cuties. They are awesome dogs and I'm glad I got to meet them in Asheville


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[WidgiePidge]

"Why thank you" *GRIN*



The more friends the merrier

:dogegrin:
:dogegrin2:

Binge has been very generous with pics of the dogs on slack. You have some great pups. Chase has an amazing smile.

[romevi]

Ugh, I've never owned a dog but always wanted to. This post makes me want some even more. Such lovely dogs.

[infiniti]

Awesome dogs!

I miss having a large dog.  We adopted my sister's shih tzu when she migrated.  She's super chill but not as cool as the doberman I had way back when. )

[WidgiePidge]

@ ccarlitos2  The pups really liked meeting you!  We are still working on the whole "greeting process".  They have a tendency to get too exuberant and.. you know.. scare people away.  It was really kind of you to make the trip out!

@ romevi and infiniti Big dogs are awesome!  Well-trained ones are generally super chill and the best pillows   We have a Doberman that lives across the street from us and she is not very well trained (constantly running away from her owner), but I do like Dobermans as a breed. 

So- as promised- here's Bowie's intro.

I always get people asking "oh- What breed is he?".  Is he a hound?  A weimeraner?  Is he grey? 

Yes, he is grey-ish.  The technical term for Bowie's coloration is charcoal.  He is black labrador retriever WITH a dilute gene, which makes him appear as a very dark grey-brown.

Dilute genetics are somewhat controversial in labradors.  Many breeders argue that they are polluting the TRUE lab genetics and dilute labs should not even exist as a color.  The AKC does not recognize dilute colors and all puppies that are dilutes must be registered as their root color, e.g. Bowie would be registered as a black lab.  Many breeders also contest that the diluted gene was originally obtained from crossing Weimaraner genetics into the bloodline way back when.  If you are interested in dog genetics and learning more about the dilute gene here is a very interesting article

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/silverlabs.html

I'm not claiming a side... It's hard to say what exactly happened, but I do think it is interesting to learn about genetics and the theories behind it all. 

Here is a picture of the three AKC recognized colors of labs: 

Black, Yellow, and Chocolate

Their diluted counter parts are


Silver (chocolate dilute), Charcoal (black dilute), and Champagne (Yellow dilute).

It is important that when bred, these dilute labs be crossed back to normal colors (yellow, chocolate, or black) because if they are not, things like CDA (Color Dilution Alopecia) can occur.  This condition results in hair loss and often bacterial skin infections and allergies.  One of the theories behind the creation of dilute labs supposes that the dilute genes introduced into the labrador blood line came if-not-entirely from one kennel and one line of dogs so the overall gene pool for the dilutes is very small at its beginning.  Because of this, it is important that the gene pool be widened to avoid traits that often are associated with closely bred relatives. 

Bowie was not necessarily planned.  Our friend, who we often walk dogs with and have known since Chase was little, announced that she was getting a puppy.  She said about the puppy, "It's coming from a kennel in Nebraska.  They're going to drive it out here with a transporter.  And she's adorable.. it's a new thing.. a charcoal lab."  We were happy for her.  Chase was still a puppy so we thought it would be a good experience for him to have some play time with another puppy. 

A few weeks later, I was trekking through snow covered trails at a local park with Chase.  My phone rings, and it's my friend.  She says, "I know it's kind of sudden, but this breeder has more puppies that just aren't selling.  I want to make sure they go to good homes.  Would you be interested in one?"  UM YES, but my husband would probably kill me.  (LOVE YOU BINGE dearest). 



And so it all started.  As you can tell, we agreed to get the puppy and that is Bowie.  We got pictures every Friday from the breeder in NE and when Bowie was 8 weeks old he made the trek to PA with his sister, to join our families. 

I mean... really.. 3 weeks old.... He's the cutest






Spooky is Bowie's sister.  She lives with our friend and her two yellow labs, Peaches (3 years old) and Katie (7 years old).  Bowie and Spooky are basically twins.  They are very hard to tell apart unless you know them. 


From left to right: Chase, Bowie, (back)- Katie, (middle)-Peaches, and foreground right- Spooky. 



Bowie left, Spooky right

Bowie and Spooky are New Year's pups.  Their birthday is 1/1!

Unfortunately Bowie came to us with some "problems".  Poopy ones. Poopy problems.  Some blood, but mostly consistent diarrhea, was our reality for at least a month after we got him.  The breeder was top notch, but the transport van he showed up in was shady as all hell.  The thing I remember most clearly about holding Bowie for the first time was how terrible he smelled.  My eyes were literally burning from it.  After a trip to our vet, we learned that Bowie had Giardia and Coccidia- two nasty intestinal parasites.  Both Spooky and Bowie had them and had to be put on meds. The vet had to give Bowie IV fluids because he was so dehydrated.





Puppies generally sleep A LOT but Bowie was only active for a few hours every day.  He was so tired and very sick.  Many nights I would sleep down stairs with him and pet his belly until he would fall asleep.  He did not like to be away from us and often the stress of that would keep him awake. We learned that Bowie is very loyal.  He would  lay down at our feet when we were doing just about anything.. making dinner.. sitting at the computer.. washing dishes.  It was not hard to teach him to "come" to us.  He hardly wanted to be away. 



The intestinal parasites are thankfully behind us now and we have found a diet that Bowie's somewhat sensitive stomach can tolerate.  Intestinal parasites as well as medication for such parasites can really upset a dog's digestive tract... So that even though they might be cured from the parasite, they still have diarrhea.  Thank goodness we found Fromm's.  Fromm's grain-free is a limited ingredient recipe dry food diet, made in the USA, that uses whole ingredients and balanced nutrition.  They also cater to the size of the dog.  Both of our dogs eat a recipe for large-breed dogs so that their bones don't grow too fast.

Bowie is quite the character.  He really enjoys giving tongue licks and parading around with his favorite toys while shoving them in our faces.  He is very enthusiastic and easy to excite.  His tail is always wagging.  He was afraid of the river at first, but now he has realized that it is a great place to cool off after a long walk. 






Imitating Bowie's jowwwwls


I think this is a good stopping point.  Stay tuned for another Daily Dog. 

[Dernubenfrieken]

These pictures are way too cute. Making me miss my girlfriends doggo.

I would love to see some bird pictures too 

[CPTBadAss]

Ugh I want a puppy of my own now or steal back the family dog.

[Lurch]

Nice post Binger. I can't wait to get a house with the misses so we can get a pooch!

[WidgiePidge]

At HWS we literally have pancakes every morning.  Sometimes it's accompanied by bacon... sometimes by fresh fruit... sometimes both, but we always have pancakes.  Binge and I definitely connected on a pancake level when we first started dating.  It was funny.  I'd never met someone else who had an equal desire as mine for a good pancake. 

I've been working on the PERFECT pancake recipe for years.  The first ones I made were disappointing.  They were too dense and heavy.  A pancake should be light and fluffy, and moist inside.  But I kept trying... When we lived in our old apartment and I was still going to college, I'd be up late studying and just have this crazy craving for pancakes.  Our local Waffle House was actually decent so sometimes we'd make a 2 am trek there, but come on.  You just can't compare waffles and pancakes. 

You have been invited to join this episode of Cooking With Chase.  It's fun and tasty.  The star (Chase) and co-host (me) will be guiding you through our perfect pancake recipe.  After years of trying (and of course, Doggy inspiration) these pancakes are finally, definitely THE HORN to your UNICORN.  Essential.

First, make sure that you have an assistant.  An assistant will be able to sniff things and let you know if you are doing it right.  Keep an eye on the assistant, because he/she will try to put their tongue or their hair into the batter and this will not make for a tasty pancake.  If the assistant lets you proceed,and is more intrigued with what you are cooking than sniffing your crotch, you are doing it right.



Bowie, this isn't your show.  Scram.



Just kidding, you both can have a strawberry because you're super dooper cute.



It is important to always reward your assistant for their hard work.  They don't know what to do with money, but food always talks.  Chase and Bowie's favorite rewards are green beans, carrots, and strawberries.  Have you tried giving your dog fresh fruits and vegetables?  There are a whole bunch that are safe for your dog to enjoy and don't add on a lot of calories to their diet.  Fruits and vegetables are often less abrasive on their teeth and don't build up plaque like some other chewy treats do.

A neat video recipe for dogs...

https://www.facebook.com/doctor.karen.becker/videos/10154243112342748/

Yum yum yum *woof*



Most of the time, pits or seeds are harmful. 

So this recipe....

DELICIOUS Yogurt Pancakes (new and improved)

DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour
1 pinch of salt
Large Dash of Cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder ***

WET INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup? Silk Unsweetend Coconut Milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1 container of Chobani Greek Yogurt (We like blueberry, coffee, lemon, or coconut)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp melted Brummel and Brown Yogurt butter

Put the wet and dry ingredients into separate bowls.  ***DO NOT ADD THE BAKING POWDER until the very end.  The coconut milk is added in small amounts to bring the mixture to a batter like consistency.  I usually just eyeball the amount, which is why there is a question mark by coconut milk in the ingredient list.

After measuring out the flour and putting it into to the dry bowl, I wash out measuring cup and then put the 2 tbsp of butter into it.  I set the measuring cup into a low/med heat oiled pan, so that when the butter melts it stays contained in the cup.  As soon as it is melted, you can add the butter to the wet ingredient bowl. 

Use a whisk and mix the dry ingredients.  Then mix the wet ingredients.  Use a spatula to move the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl.  Mix the wet and dry ingredients using the whisk making sure that there are no clumps and the consistency is where you want it.  NOW ***add the baking powder and stir lightly, just enough so that there are no clumps.  Give the batter a little bit of time to puff up. It will go from being a batter to being very fluffy looking with lots of air holes.  It is ready to go into the pan. 

You do not want any puddles of oil in the pan.  I usually use a paper towel to make sure that there is just enough oil to coat the pan and I can keep re-oiling it between pancakes, if needed.

When the edges of the pancakes start to look dry, and there are a few bubbles on the top of the pancake it is ready to flip.  I find that these pancakes are usually able to be flipped sooner than I would flip a "normal" pancake.  They cook pretty quickly.  You want them to be a nice golden brown.

If you are unsure about whether or not your pancake is done, you can make a small cut in the middle of it and peek at the inside.  It should still be moist, but there should be no goopy-ness or batter inside.

And enjoy!  You've just made some delicious pancakes.

 
Again, give your assistant some compensation.  Perhaps some belly rubs?


Hoping that Binge and I will be able to take the pups to the PA Renn Faire this year.  Dogs are finally allowed.  Nothing better than booze and dogs, am I right?

[CPTBadAss]

I shouldn't have read that post at lunch time. So hungry now. And that list of things that puppers can eat is really helpful. I gotta experiment with Armani when I see her.

Also ugh, I've hung out with you guys a few times and we never had pancakes!

[WidgiePidge]

My apologies-  Did not want to subject you to subpar pancakes.  Next time you visit, I'm cooking breakfast no matter what time of day it is

I shouldn't have read that post at lunch time. So hungry now. And that list of things that puppers can eat is really helpful. I gotta experiment with Armani when I see her.

Also ugh, I've hung out with you guys a few times and we never had pancakes!

[CPTBadAss]

So....we're having pancakes for 3 meals a day? 

[romevi]

Finally busted out the waffle maker. Pure bliss.

[WidgiePidge]

Hahaha.  Sure 

Come hungry.

So....we're having pancakes for 3 meals a day? 

[iamtootallforthis]

My dog loves carrots, cucumbers, green beans, blueberries and peaches.

[WidgiePidge]

This morning the boys went to visit Trainer Diane.  We brought our 50 foot bright orange training leashes to work on long-distance exercises.  Diane lives out in the country, amidst small clumped cities, but mostly the landscape is fields and farms.  Today we met up at a park near her house.  It is (you guessed it) a SMALL playground, a BIG field... oh... and some horse-shoe pits up front.  There are supposedly quite a few trails near the back of the property in a highly wooded area but we have not ventured there yet. 





The scenery



The park
and a random housing development

Lead lines are great training tools.  They are often used by people who train scent-hounds and hunting dogs.  They do not have a handle on the end of the leash because 1. It can be dangerous and get hooked on something, such as a branch or root. and 2. The intent is for the person to not have to hold it.  The dogs usually drag the leash along behind them and it is used for minute corrections (which can be done by stepping on or grabbing the leash).  Most dogs are not given quite so much freedom where they are turned out in a field and it can be tempting for them to run away.  A long lead gives you a very good head start on ensuring that the dog returns/"recalls".




 Chase and Bowie are such big hams that they don't try to run.  Usually when we are practicing on our own, they will follow me once I am out of their 50 foot range.  Today was really eye-opening because with Diane as a distraction Chase sometimes but especially Bowie, did not even care about where I was or what I was doing. 

We have been having issues with the pups being rude to guests.  Don't get me wrong they are VERY friendly, and once they calm down, they are very chill and sweet- but the initial explosion is something we'd really like to avoid.  Observing Bowie's brain essentially turn "off" as soon as there was a distraction in the room was really interesting.  I had no idea his impulses were quite that strong and that he would have so much trouble focusing.  This is something that can be worked on but it will take practice, practice, practice. 

One of the exercises we did was Diane using herself or a toy as a distraction, and getting the pups really riled up and focused on her.  Then I would walk about 30-50 feet away and call them.  As soon as they would turn towards me and start to come, Diane would reward them for this behavior by throwing the toy.  This is rewarding them for focusing on me and showing them that by doing so it is the only way to get what they want. 




Diane showing me how to do the exercise

We also did an exercise where I would hold both dogs and wait for them to "sit" without asking.  Diane made herself and a toy as distracting as possible and would throw the toy. Once each dog sat, I would release him by saying "Okay Chase" or "Okay Bowie" to go and get the toy.  This rewards the dogs for sitting without asking and only proceeding towards a distraction with my "okay".  Getting a dog to sit (especially a retriever) while something is being thrown directly in front of him is RIDICULOUSLY hard. 


Toy up above, dogs sitting.  YES!

Chase is definitely at a different level than Bowie.  He quickly figures out what he has to do to get the treat or the toy.  He loves games and exercises like that.  Chase was also very eager to "come" when called.  Bowie is not quite there yet.  He wanted to chase everything that moved and he has also been jumping recently to try and get to toys.  He is so easily distracted.  Yet another thing we will have to work on!

I'm not complaining at all.  This is so much fun.  I love seeing the boys working and I can tell that they really feel fulfilled after a morning of training.  During the car ride home they usually take a long nap and then they are ready to go once we arrive at the house. 


Nap time

 The next lesson we will probably be going to a pet store with one of the pups and practicing sitting without being asked before greeting a person, and then also politely greeting (no jumping, body slamming, licking relentlessly)!  Also planning to take Chase for a play date with Diane's dog Riko.  Riko is a husky/akita mix and very much has similar issues as Chase when it comes to play-time with other dogs. He is very much in-your-face puppy style and sometimes has issues with dominant dogs. 


My toy


Puppy pile



Chase being a ham

[WidgiePidge]

One thing that is really great about dogs is that they are always up for an adventure.  Since owning dogs we have discovered so many exciting places to go.  We've lived in PA for almost 2 years and only recently did we discover the local 949 acre tree preserve.  To get there, it's a short trip on the highway and then you turn off on some very curvy (but well-paved) back roads.  Even if you're looking for the entrance, it's super easy to miss.  The entrance has a relatively bland, brown sign, and to get to the parking lot, you must travel up a very long dirt driveway.  On both sides of the driveway there are vast fields with grass as tall as a person and you really can't see much of what you are approaching.  It is a designated Conservation Area, so much of the land is left "as is".  I really like that the the swallows tend to flock to this area. 



The trails are marked mostly by spray paint dots on the trees.  Don't forget which trail you are on, because you will get lost otherwise, and there are no maps and no cell service.  I usually take the dogs on the pink and light green dotted trail.  On this trail you can hear the creek gurgling in the background and the trail is not too steep.  Some of the other trails have intense inclines and are rocky, which is just too much for Bowie to handle.  All four of us are getting stronger and more in shape, so maybe someday we will be able to venture these trails and not feel it for the next three days. 

Chase and Bowie really enjoy picking up twigs off the trail and playing tug-of-war with them while we are walking along.  I have to be super-prepared with my clicker and treat pouch to reward them for dropping (and not eating sticks), as well as heeling by my side. 


The Tree Preserve

Usually when we've gone here it's been pretty vacant, which actually is kind of nice.  I can probably count the amount of people I've run into there on one hand.  No matter what time of day or weather condition, the other park we frequent seems to always be busy.  The tree preserve is exceptionally well-shaded so it's perfect for summer afternoons and really humid days.  Just remember to wear bug spray and make sure that your dogs are on a tick preventative, to be safe.  Chase and Bowie take a garlic pill every morning that wards off fleas and ticks for 24 hours. 


A big ol' snake

The tree preserve is just one of many places that we have discovered.  One thing we've learned about owning dogs is just how much they LOVE to exercise and how much they enjoy going to a new place.  I know plenty of people who have "big yard" and think that is sufficient for their dog's well-being but imho it's only satisfying the physical aspect, and not necessarily their psychological needs.   Chase especially gets bored with places if he's been to them very frequently.  Like yesterday, Chase was non-stop picking up and chewing on sticks at the park.  Today, I am going to try to take him to the dog park.  He always seems more content once he has a change of scenery and new people and dogs to interact with. 

I've got to thank the pups for inspiring us to get exercise, leave the house, and explore many of our local parks.  Stay tuned for more adventures yet to come

 

[ccarlitos2]

Das a big ole snake...

[thaddeus]

No idea that garlic pills help to keep the ticks off. Awesome.

The photos are great, thanks for sharing your doggy adventures. For those of us currently without a companion, it's a nice treat.

[romevi]

So many posts! I have to catch up! Bookmarking to read these all on my train rides tomorrow. 

[WidgiePidge]

Ssssssssssssssss

Das a big ole snake...

These are the garlic chewables that we use.  They add desiccated beef liver to give them a decent flavor.  It still smells like garlic here in the mornings   This is a great company and they make all kinds of preventatives and health supplements for companion animals.  They use limited ingredients and really focus on putting into the pill only what is necessary.  I hate the idea of using chemicals on them and this is an alternative that we all can live with. 

https://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-chewables-dogs-natural-flea-tick-prevention-supplements/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

No idea that garlic pills help to keep the ticks off. Awesome. The photos are great, thanks for sharing your doggy adventures. For those of us currently without a companion, it's a nice treat.

YAY!  I was worried that no one was reading these, but I am so happy to share our adventures with everyone.  Thanks for staying in touch.

So many posts! I have to catch up! Bookmarking to read these all on my train rides tomorrow. 

[Zanduby]

Ssssssssssssssss

Das a big ole snake...

These are the garlic chewables that we use.  They add desiccated beef liver to give them a decent flavor.  It still smells like garlic here in the mornings   This is a great company and they make all kinds of preventatives and health supplements for companion animals.  The use limited ingredients and really focus on putting into the pill only what is necessary.  I hate the idea of using chemicals on them and this is an alternative that we all can live with. 

https://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-chewables-dogs-natural-flea-tick-prevention-supplements/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

No idea that garlic pills help to keep the ticks off. Awesome. The photos are great, thanks for sharing your doggy adventures. For those of us currently without a companion, it's a nice treat.

YAY!  I was worried that no one was reading these, but I am so happy to share our adventures with everyone.  Thanks for staying in touch.

So many posts! I have to catch up! Bookmarking to read these all on my train rides tomorrow. 

Show Image

Reading through this is becoming daily morning routine. I like the posts, just not replying to all of them.

[ccarlitos2]

Ssssssssssssssss

Das a big ole snake...

These are the garlic chewables that we use.  They add desiccated beef liver to give them a decent flavor.  It still smells like garlic here in the mornings   This is a great company and they make all kinds of preventatives and health supplements for companion animals.  The use limited ingredients and really focus on putting into the pill only what is necessary.  I hate the idea of using chemicals on them and this is an alternative that we all can live with. 

https://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-chewables-dogs-natural-flea-tick-prevention-supplements/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

No idea that garlic pills help to keep the ticks off. Awesome. The photos are great, thanks for sharing your doggy adventures. For those of us currently without a companion, it's a nice treat.

YAY!  I was worried that no one was reading these, but I am so happy to share our adventures with everyone.  Thanks for staying in touch.

So many posts! I have to catch up! Bookmarking to read these all on my train rides tomorrow. 

Show Image

Reading through this is becoming daily morning routine. I like the posts, just not replying to all of them.

Same here :) it's a good 5 minute break from work haha


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[suicidal_orange]

Oh man, dog breath is sometimes really bad naturally but you add garlic to make sure?  That's some true love right there, lucky doggies.

As a foreigner I have a question about the pancakes - how thick should the mix be in the pan when you add it?  No idea if they grow during cooking and pancakes are thin here, the idea of cutting and peeking in the middle to look for goopyness is alien )

[Binge]

Oh man, dog breath is sometimes really bad naturally but you add garlic to make sure?  That's some true love right there, lucky doggies.

As a foreigner I have a question about the pancakes - how thick should the mix be in the pan when you add it?  No idea if they grow during cooking and pancakes are thin here, the idea of cutting and peeking in the middle to look for goopyness is alien )

Our batter ends up being nearly the consistency of a weird bread dough.  Legit it is pourable, probably the viscosity of a syrup, but not as dense.  Our pancakes are very thick from beginning to end.  The pancake in the pan only gets larger as it cooks, and you'll want to check the middle to make sure it isn't goop.

[WidgiePidge]

The pancake batter (before adding baking soda) should be smooth and near the consistency of honey, if not just a little bit thicker.  Not sure what kind of batters you have experience with but it is near the thickness of a brownie batter.  If you pick it up with a spoon and drizzle it back into the bowl it should flow with ease and not just stick to the spoon. You do not want a liquid though- it should have more viscosity than that. Once you add the baking powder, the batter will change consistency to a very puffy, airy form.  You will see bubbles and it will then be kind of like a soupier whipped cream.  It will not pour like before and I usually use a silicone spatula to get it out of the bowl and into the pan. They do poof up a bit while cooking. 

I feel like I'm failing in my description, but I will take a video of this part tomorrow morning. 

Oh man, dog breath is sometimes really bad naturally but you add garlic to make sure?  That's some true love right there, lucky doggies.

As a foreigner I have a question about the pancakes - how thick should the mix be in the pan when you add it?  No idea if they grow during cooking and pancakes are thin here, the idea of cutting and peeking in the middle to look for goopyness is alien )

[suicidal_orange]

Thanks guys, I now have two great explanations how thick it should be - sounds like strange stuff!

What I was actually trying to ask was how thick deep the batter should be in the pan which I think you covered too: sounds like they grow a bit but nothing extreme, so I'm thinking 3/8" should be thick enough to risk a goopy middle.

Will await video to confirm before giving them a go over the weekend

[WidgiePidge]

@ suicidal orange (and all those interested in the pancake mystery)

Here is a short video.  Okay, it's more like 15 minutes.. of me and Chase rambling on about pancakes.  I've never done an instructional video in my life and I was having a hard time holding everything so I apologize in advance for the lack of thought process and hands.  I really need a camera stand or an assistant with hands.  ******IF I say BAKING SODA I mean BAKING POWDER.  Do NOT use Baking SODAAAAaaa

Just saw your comment suicidal_orange.  The depth of the pancakes are probably around 3/8 in when poured but they will rise to 1/2 in while cooking.  Don't worry, these pancakes usually create the depth themselves- it's not something you have to really regulate.  The batter pours out of the bowl with depth already there.

I have so much to tell you guys!  The puppies have been having such great adventures.  Promise to catch you up right after breakfast. 

[WidgiePidge]

The pups go through treats like they are Thin Mints Girl Scout cookies.  We put in an order for treats at least once a month, if not twice.  Our favorite online store to order from is Chewy.com.  Always great prices and they genuinely seem to care about their customers.  We stay in touch with them via Facebook with pictures like this.




Our most recent shipment had Zuke's mini naturals (salmon), a variety of Crunchy Nutro treats (banana, berry, carrot, apple), Wellness Crunchy Wellbars (Lamb/apple, Yogurt/Apples/Banana), Darford Grain-Free (Peanut Butter), Fromm's Grain Free (Salmon) and Triumph (Salmon, Turkey).  The dogs get treats as rewards for desired behaviors during training.  They get bigger pieces or more valued treats (something they really like) for a behavior that is more challenging than what is normally asked of them.  For example, if I normally ask them to sit/stay a distance of 15 feet and today I challenge them to hold a sit at a distance of 20 feet, they would get an increased or more valued reward.  Once the dogs are sitting comfortably at a distance of 20 feet, and after lots of practice, I will then ask them to stay at a distance of 25 feet. 

The pups are clicker training.  They get a click and a treat for each new/learned behavior. Once they know how to do something reliably, they do not get a treat for it.  However, once the dogs are asked to do this behavior in a new environment or with new/increased distractions they will again get treats for that behavior because they are again being challenged.  A lot of people I've spoken with about dog training think that the dogs are always getting a click/treat and therefore they will rely on the clicker.  The type of training we are working on with Diane focuses on building a relationship with your dog and eventually phasing out the clicker as new behaviors are learned and mastered. 


Practicing around heavy distractions at a children's soccer meet.

Here are the pups laying down this morning.  Their "lay down" command is also a "stay" command, as is the "sit". 

You can just barely see the Chase's ears under one of the trees. 

Both dogs practicing "lay down" on different surfaces.

We are also working on having each dog recognize their individual commands.  For example, I'll have Chase "lay down", then I'll go run around with Bowie, expecting Chase to stay where I left him.  Then I'll either go back and retrieve him, or ask Chase to come to me.


Working on the "come"/ recall command

"It's too hot to train, Mom"


In other news- I got a hair cut.  The humidity has been killing it but it is definitely helping me to stay cool.  Shaved on one side, and a short hair cut on the other side of the part.  This is the first time that I have had short hair in my life.  Wowza

We also hung out with the girls- Spooky (Bowie's sister), Peaches, and Katie. 




Played with toys



Got new, larger crates and crate pads-



Cooked several amazing meals with Chase


And we went to the dog park.  I will be doing another post entirely on the dog park.  There's so much to say about this amazing place.  It's acres of green grass and trees for the pups to run free!
Chase is still in training so he is on a long line.










We also spent a few evenings snuggling and watching shows together. 



Thanks for checking in

[ccarlitos2]

Great Haircut! Those puppies are so happy. I hope when I have my own dogs I can be a great owner and trainer like yourself

[cmadrid]

You want to be the very best trainer there ever was?

[thaddeus]

Good to know about Springtime, I'm sure the doggies appreciate the lack of nasty chemicals  pancake video! I a definitely making pancakes in the morning.

[WidgiePidge]

HOLY SINK-A-LLEUJAH

LOOK HOW SHINY and CLEAN.
Thank GAWD our kitchen sink is fixed.  We hired a plumber to take a 70 foot snake to it, and he also removed an unnecessary piece of pipe- both of which will allow the sink to flow more freely.  You know the little swirly thing that happens when water goes down a drain?  We have that now!  For the first time ever.  The water literally just falls down the drain.  It's so sweet.  Thankful to not have to wash dishes by hand, use drain cleaner, or have a nasty sink full of grey sludgey water.  Unfortunately, the plumbing in our house is a little shoddy and the plumber also recommended several other jobs for us to have done in the future.  Our water PSI is at 95 (during the day) and supposedly higher at night, but it only supposed to be around 80 psi or even less.  The plumber said that the excess pressure is really hard on our faucets, pipe, and water heater, and things could like.. essentially explode.  That is a very bad explanation but I'm sure you'll be hearing more plumbing stories from the HWS.


The snake going into our pipe


The humidity here has been dreadful.  Going outside means changing your clothes when you come back inside, oh, and peeling off your shirt.  The air is hard to breathe.  I find myself just coughing all the time because it's so wet and thick.  There has been a lot of flash flooding and rain recently in our area.


This is last night at the park by the tennis courts.  Do you see the "river"?


Right before the heavy rain started I was at the park walking the doggies.  Dee dee dee dee dee.  We watched the folks setting up flags and tents for the Color Run happening the next morning. 



And then BANG- A huge crackle of thunder.  Both dogs jumped about 18 inches in the air. Woah boy.  Thankfully I had a good hold on their leashes and was able to remain semi-calm.  It's important in stressful situations that you remain as calm as possible, for the sake of the dogs.  Some dogs develop serious phobias because their owners panicked or babied them at a stressful time.  I encouraged the boys and we jogged back to the car.  The rain was swirling down the roads at a depth of 1-2", and even more so on lower ground.  Driving home there were lots of cops blocking off roads and we had to take a detour from our normal route.

I was very proud of both boys in how they handled the storm.  Bowie was super afraid of loud noises when we first got him and I had trouble even walking him down the sidewalk.  Any car passing or dog barking and he would try to climb a wall to get away from it.

A few seconds after the *bang* Bowie was calm again and paying attention to my direction.  Chase took the whole situation like a champ and listened very well the whole time, behaving (I think) even more reliably than normal.  I know they like to "test" me a lot, but it's good to know that in a trying situation they are willing to overcome their fears and trust that I am looking out for them.  In one of the previous photos you can see Chase has his paw on my shoulder, "It's okay human."

This morning we met up with Katie, Peaches, and Spooky at the park.  Again, super humid and we had to wake up early to make it there before the Color Run started. 

Bowie and Chase practiced laying down, with the distraction of their friends.


Color Run set-up

The Color Run was not as busy as I expected but the parking situation and getting in/out of the park was a bear.  They had every thing blocked off except one entrance/exit to the park and only one shared lane of traffic.  As I was leaving the park I heard the announcer over the loud-speaker say that they were going to have a dance party before the run and they got the music pumpin'.  In this kind of humidity... I can only imagine the runners are going to start dropping. 


Hung out with the boys last night

SO CUTE

Chase was a stinky butt, so I gave him a bath.  Our preferred dog shampoo at the moment is Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe Fragrance Free Shampoo.  We like to use natural stuff so a lot of the shampoos I had previously bought were very smelly and herb-y.  Even tried several where the stank was supposed to help keep off fleas and ticks (that was before we used Garlic).  While the shampoos worked really well, the dogs just could not tolerate the smell.  They would roll around in their beds trying to rub it off. Earthbath Fragrance-free has a very mild smell and washes out very well.  It also does not appear to strip too much of the coat oil.

After rinsing out the shampoo I apply coconut oil and let it sit for a few minutes.  Then, I wash the oil out of the fur with luke warm water.  The boys LOVE the smell and also really love to eat coconut oil. Coconut oil can be a beneficial dietary additive but should only be given in very small amounts or it could cause digestive/intestinal upset (aka diarrhea).  I like using it topically because it leaves the dogs fur smelling great for a few days and they are always super soft.

[ccarlitos2]

That second to last picture made me think chase was the wolf in another edition of little red riding hood haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WidgiePidge]

That's hilarious ccarlitos.  The better to scrub you with!

[WidgiePidge]

We were all over the place this week - The pups dragged Binge to the park for a play-date, Binge's mom stopped by, we visited Gifford Pinchot State Park, we had a Cooking with Chase mishap, and a resulting vet trip.  Today we relaxed by visiting our local park and taking a dip in the river.  I've been slowly uploading photos to Imgur and realizing that I have more photos than I know what to do with. 



Playing fetch on the long leads with Dad at the park


"Oh yeah, that's the spot!"  Chase loves butt scritches


Bowie loves to carry his toys.  Balls and frisbees are his favorite. 
Harry Barker toys are a hit with the boys.  The toy in this picture is a pine cone made from super durable, pet-safe rubber.  This company also makes similar ball/rope toys and rubber rings that the dogs enjoy and have not been able to destroy (YET).
http://www.harrybarker.com/play/pinecone-rubber-toy.html



Cooling off in the shade after playing.


Binge's Mom is a very busy lady.  She has a job at an art supply store and always wakes up and goes to bed very early.  We were lucky that she was able to drop by and bring us a much-needed family heirloom: An old filing cabinet   Our important papers desperately need a place to live and this was just the fix.  She also delivered a shelf from Ikea where Binge can proudly display select pieces of his Transformers collection.  We took Mom out for a meal at Al's Pizza and had a great time catching up.  The deluxe burgers here are SO GOOD.  Bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, mushrooms... and a perfectly cooked piece of meat.  It rained, again.

http://www.alspizzaenola.com/
Great place to go for pizza, burgers, or beer.

When we arrived back at home we realized that we accidentally locked ourselves out of our house. Good job Binge and Wifu.  We thought we might be able to break in through a window but everything was secure.  Lucky us.  $70 and an hour later we were back into our house.  The puppies missed us and were concerned that a big burly man appeared to be breaking into our house.  Thankfully Mom stuck around to save us from the mosquitoes and (you guessed it) more rain.


Nightly snuggles.  Chase takes liberties.

Traveling to Gifford Pinchot State Park, it was a beautiful and clear day.  Here is across the Susquehanna River looking towards Harrisburg.


Park office














Dead Snake

Overall impression of Gifford Pinchot- Loved it!  I have a feeling that I only saw a small portion of what GP has to offer (over 2000 acres), but that said, the park was beautiful.  The trails were mostly dirt/rock, which I like.  It's a bit softer on the dog's feet and also gets them to use their toes to grip.  The lake was huge and people seemed to be enjoying fishing, boating, and the scenery.  I did not run into any hikers while we were on the trails, but I did discover paths that led to wood cabins that can be rented.  Unfortunately I don't think pets are allowed in these areas.  There were lots of wild flowers like Goldenrod and daisies.  Several trails became grassy areas and there were installed bird nest boxes in this area.  Nice to see a safe haven for the wild birds!  The dogs liked cooling off in the water.  I tried to follow but quickly found out that the boat ramps were coated in slippery algae.  I almost joined them for a swim :/

And then there was the cooking with Chase mishap.  Remember all of those fruits and veggies I told you about that dogs enjoy.... and how there are certain ones that they cannot eat?  Well, Chase decided that he'd like to be adventurous and try one of the more poisonous ones.  I walked out of kitchen, then remembered I had a plate sitting out.  I went to go put it up and Chase was already up on the counter gulping down some green grapes.  We tried to make him throw up at home (under vet's directions) but he wasn't having it, so we ended up rushing him to the vet. 

The vet applied a liquid to the membrane under his right eye and very begrudgingly he vomited.  I won't go into all the details...The most important thing is protecting his kidneys because that is what will try to filter out the toxins.  The vet gave him some activated charcoal to help absorb toxins and intravenous fluid to help dilute the toxin.  According to the vet there is not a set amount of grapes per kg weight of dog that can be an issue.  It all depends on the dog.  Some dogs are not affected at all.  Other dogs can die from exposure.  Raisins, since they are concentrated, are much more often deadly. 

Chase is fine, as far as we can tell.  He goes for his third blood test today to make sure that there are no rising toxic levels in his kidneys.  So far his attitude has been normal and I doubt he even knows that he ate something bad.  His blood tests yesterday looked good and his third one today (48 hours after incident) should be the final determinant to whether he really dodged the "bullet".  Symptoms after eating grapes can occur 24-48 hours after ingestion.

I feel terrible.  I have to be more careful.  I am so glad that Chase seems to be okay. I don't know what I would do without him.  My life would be broken... The boys are truly a part of our family.

Comforting Chase at the vet's office

Dog hook at the front desk

Bowie waiting for Chase to finish his blood test

Took the boys down the river to cool off and relax yesterday.  They loved it and had normal puppy energy playing in the water and picking up sticks and river vegetation.

Beautiful Chase smile








Met up with the girls this morning. Now- off to the vet's.....

[Zanduby]

Thanks for another great update Widgie, hope Chase is doing well after eating those grapes.

[suicidal_orange]

Finally watched the pancake video, not bad for a first tutorial and despite being a little overcooked and coffee flavour it still looked tasty - thanks   Still need to go shopping and actually make some...

The warning signs were there though, if strawberries can be stolen without punishment why not grapes?  Hopefully you were quick enough and the third test was all good.

[WidgiePidge]

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  As always, we've been busy yet again.  I want to share with you Chase's training session and our trip to Rocky Ridge State Park, but we are behind schedule and the puppies want to know where their morning walk has gone (It is now 4:30 pm EST  )? 

For all that inquired, Chase is feeling exceptionally well and the third blood test was perfect.  His kidneys never showed toxic levels and he is now medically "in the clear".  Good thing too because his first birthday is this Thursday!  He'll need all of his energy to party hard

Here is a video of the puppies playing with Chase's favorite squeaky ball.  More to come later......

Best,

[Zanduby]

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  As always, we've been busy yet again.  I want to share with you Chase's training session and our trip to Rocky Ridge State Park, but we are behind schedule and the puppies want to know where their morning walk has gone (It is now 4:30 pm EST  )? 

For all that inquired, Chase is feeling exceptionally well and the third blood test was perfect.  His kidneys never showed toxic levels and he is now medically "in the clear".  Good thing too because his first birthday is this Thursday!  He'll need all of his energy to party hard

Here is a video of the puppies playing with Chase's favorite squeaky ball.  More to come later......

Best,

Loved the video, that made my day watching them steal the squeaky ball from each other.

[suicidal_orange]

The one reason I could never live with a dog - squeaky toys!  They enjoy them so much it would be mean not to have tdem but how do you tolerate the noise?

[WidgiePidge]

This has been another busy, fun-filled week.  Highlights were a trip to the York Dog Park, a training session with Chase at Rocky Ridge State Park, a sunset walk at our local park, and a trip to the "duck pond".  My dad also visited and showed us the fabric my Mom plans to use for new cozie colors.

It is always a treat for us to visit the York Dog Park.  It's 30-40 minutes from our house so it's a trip that requires some planning;  However, it is one of the most beautiful places in the Central PA area for dogs to socialize off-leash. 



This is a map of the park.  There are acres of green grass and trees for ample shade.  There are 2 fields in use at one time, one for large dogs (over 35 lbs) and one for smaller dogs.  The fields are always very well-kept and mowed so that ticks are rarely an issue. 

This week we met some very gentle older Labs.  Their owner was a kindergarten teacher and in tow she had her young daughter.  Exposing a puppy (such as Chase and Bowie) to older dogs is really  beneficial because they can learn important social cues from older dogs.  Often older dogs will be the ones to growl and tell a puppy when they are being rude or getting too rambunctious.  One of the two labs growled at Chase when he began bouncing up and down in front of their face.  When the dog snapped at him (and after I gave him a warning), Chase quickly stopped.  Sometimes this type of situation to an untrained eye, can appear as though the dogs are fighting, when they are truly just establishing who is in charge and what social behavior is expected. 

In this kind of interaction, although a lunge, a "bite", or a growl may be involved- the dogs generally do not try to hurt each other.  Chase greatly enjoys the company of other dogs, but can come off as rude and annoying.  Chase is working on learning and using polite behavior both through his training sessions with Diane and by practicing at the dog park.  I usually keep him on a long leash at the dog park for training purposes but because he was doing so well he was granted extra freedom this time!


The two older labs

The little girl helped to operate the dog park fountain that provides water for humans and dogs. 

Lick, lick, lick



Great Dane alert


The boys took lots of breaks because it was so humid

Staying hydrated

Chase met a GIRL.  Check out this pretty doll!  She is a Golden Retriever / Poodle cross a couple months younger than Chase.




Bowie is a little stinker about blankets.  He doesn't like the "crunchy" sound the car blanket makes so sometimes he wads it up in the back of the car.  Are you happy now, Bowie?


Sleepy pups.

This week at training with Diane, Chase worked with Diane's dog Riko at Rocky Ridge State Park.  Riko is a very well trained 5 year old Akita/Husky mix that was very kind to teach Chase some social cues and good manners. 

The polite way to say "Hi!"

Learning to be in a restful position around another dog



Chase got lots of treats for good behavior.  Diane's treats always trump mine.  He loves Diane because sometimes she brings hot dogs and cooked chicken or ham.  My store bought treats are no competition!

Chase is on a long leash just in case I need to make a minor correction to his behavior. 

Chase also learned some new skills.  New skills help a dog to be more comfortable in their environment, alleviate boredom, and often these tasks can be "repurposed" into more complicated tasks down the line. 


Teaching Chase to go through a tunnel.

Riko loves to dig holes.  He showed Chase how it's done!


"Am I doing it right, Mom?"

Monsieur Icky Tongue

Chase and I explored the park after our lesson.  We discovered several trails that were a very fine soft dirt, and then lots of trails with unique rock formations.

The Mother of all rocks



Another memorable outing was the sunset a couple nights ago at our local park.  It was breath taking.  I didn't want to go home in the middle of it, so I stayed with the boys until the sky was dark.








We also made a trip to the "duck pond".  It's very close to our local park, and it's not really a pond.  It is definitely a river, but a lot of the locals call it the "duck pond" because there are so often ducks there.  I have only ever seen white herons, camp kids, and canoes.  There are many small fish and lots of water vegetation.  We tested out the boys new Chuck- It Water Skimmer frisbee. 
https://www.chewy.com/chuckit-water-skimmer-flyer/dp/49730

This is a super awesome toy.  You use it like a regular frisbee and when it makes contact with the water it skips a few times on the surface.  It also floats really well so it is easy and tempting for the dogs to retrieve it. 










Bowie used to be afraid of water and NOW he swims!


Yesterday morning we met up with "the girls" and went for a quick walk at the local park.  Everyone wore out quickly because it was so humid. 



And then in the afternoon my Dad stopped by for a visit and we went for a quick walk at Wildwood Park in Harrisburg.

GH represent!


My mom will be making some new cozie colors!  Check this out:  The blue chevron will go on one side and then there are two options of sugar skull patterns for the other side.  So excited!
If you do not know of cozies READ HERE https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=81947.0

Tomorrow we will be doing all of Chase's favorite things because it is his first birthday!  Chase has been with us for 8 months now and we could not ask for a better companion.  He's the smartest, roughest/toughest, goofball, celebrity and he totally deserves the best day ever. 

Sweet dreams!

[Zanduby]

Happy birthday Chase!!!

[ccarlitos2]

Happy bday chase and enjoying pampering him WidgiePidge and binge


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WidgiePidge]

Chase's Birthday Celebration was like no other.  I think we are all still recovering!  Whatever Chase wanted to do we did it, and he is a busy fellow. 

The day started with waking up Dad and snuggling in bed. 


There were plenty of belly rubs, of course.

Chase requested a strawberry with breakfast...


Chase takes "Cooking With Chase" very seriously.  When Bowie asked nicely, Chase decided to show him how it's done.


But unfortunately Bowie's debut was a flop and Chase will have to continue Cooking With Chase solo.  It's hard to find good help....

After cooking, Chase said "It's time for a walk" and we went to the local park to roll in the grass and visit some friends. 

We briefly saw Katie, Peaches, and Spooky and also an older friend (Golden retriever/poodle mix) named Honey. 
Chase and Bowie are friends with the Park Staff and Chase excels at bear hugs.  The Staff carry treats in their go-cart and every time the pups hear the go-cart, they try to make a bee line in that direction.  The Park Staff were happy to give the birthday boy as many hugs as he wanted.



Commandeering yet another park bench.

Next, we followed the nature trail down to the river...



Do you notice that the boys are being trusted off leash?  They did really well coming back to Mom, so as long as that keeps up, they'll be getting some more freedom from now on!



Chase politely visited one of the white herons.

The Pet Store is on the way home from the park so we stopped for some bones and new balls. Mom said that the wet pups had to stay in the car.



The boys have an Orbee Bone, but this is their first Orbee ball.  It looks to be made out of the same durable rubber and I like how the "countries" are raised areas that make the ball easier for the dogs to grip.  Chase's red squeaky ball has been loved so much that it actually has started to flatten out.  I'm not sure if you can tell in the picture.  Chase's old squeaky ball is on the left and it is kind of oval-ish.  The new squeaky ball is on the right and it is round and extra loud!  YAY

The bones are beef rib bones.  These bones are easier than other bones to break down and will not crack the dogs' teeth.  Some bones like cattle foreshank bones can actually crack or chip the dog's teeth because the bones are harder than the teeth. 

Chase and Bowie enjoy that there is a little bit of fat on the outside of the rib bones.




uhhhhhhhhnnnnnnng


Battling bone vs. ball


YAY

YAY

YAY

When we arrived home from the pet store there was a package waiting from a very kind HWS fan.  One of Chase's favorite things to do is to sniff the incoming mail and today's package was extra smelly (in a good way)



YAY

After Dad got off work, Chase wanted to go to Gifford Pinchot State Park and we couldn't say "no". 

Thanks for carrying the water, Dad!


It was a really beautiful afternoon.  By the time we got there it was getting late, so we were able do a little hiking and then watch the sunset over the lake.








If your dog wants a birthday party you might want to set some rules.  Then again, you might just want to go along with it   We love you, Chase.

[WidgiePidge]

Say "Hello" to the newest members of the Bow-Wow Dog Adventures Meet up group.  We recently discovered Meetup.com and not to sound like a noob (but totally a noob) so freakin' excited to meet like-minded people who love dogs and want to explore nature.  The group is composed of many ages and breeds of dogs and it a great socialization opportunity for Chase and Bowie.  The meetup usually occurs in small parks (on-leash) and also at larger parks with trails (many opportunities for off-leash training).  The energy of the "pack" keeps the dogs close-by and they love to play in the creeks and run through the forest.  We have attended two meets so far, one at the Stoney Valley Railroad Grade and the other at the Capitol Area Greenbelt loop, and both walks were so awesome.  It is obvious that the folks who attend really care about their dogs getting mental and physical exercise, and since we all come from different backgrounds, there is always a lot to talk about.  We will be going to two more meets this weekend, at Codorus State Park on Saturday and Boiling Springs Park on Sunday.



Our first meet at Stoney Valley Railroad Grade
The pack "leader" Roann is the one taking the picture.  Her dog is the black and white guy, named Bubba.









Moose - a 4 1/2 month old Chocolate Labrador Puppy.  He is so pokey and just waddles along.  At the first meet Moose was so intimidated by the "big"/ older dogs and at one point hid in the bushes, then sat down on the trail and wouldn't walk.  Finally we got him to move along and during the second meet, he was eagerly walking at the pace of the other dogs.  Becoming a pack can be really therapeutic for a dog's social skills and self esteem.  It is really relaxing to see the dogs off-leash "just beings dogs".




Afterwards- Tired....


But happy


Capitol Area Greenbelt Trail

Roann (pack leader) with Bubba





Aside from meet-ups, the pups and I still go on our twice daily walks.  This week we visited Big Boyd Tree Preserve, Fort Hunter Mansion Park, Wildwood Park, and our local Adams-Ricci Park.
Big Boyd Tree Preserve



We found several new trails and a pond.  The park now has maps (which we oh so inconveniently found at the end of our walk, and after getting lost). 

Bowie swimming


Swimming with a stick!  Proud mommy moment.

Mud wrestling



"Is there something on my face?"

Fort Hunter Mansion Park
This is a very small park.  We found one trail that is located behind the playground area.  It's a nice easy walk- flat trail composed of mowed grass.  I don't think it's more than a mile up and a mile back.  There is a inlet to the river across the street that I would like to investigate at a later date.



Inside a covered bridge

Wildwood Park

I  think the vegetation on the lake is lily pads.  Whatever it is, there is a whole heck of a lot of it. 





We found a new boardwalk trail at the other end of the park. Very awesome!


Chase "grazing", per usual.


I was thinking to myself "Should I let the pups go in?".  I decided "no"... "not today".  We walked a little further up the creek and I saw a nice creek snake swimming down the river.  Really glad I didn't have to deal with that guy.


This is the part of the park I am familiar with where most of the trails are either soft dirt or paved.

This display is part of an "art in the park" type of thing.  This is my favorite because it has birds

Adams-Ricci Park
If I ever just say "the park" without being specific, this is probably the park to which I am referring.  This park is about 1.5 miles from our house and right next to our local post office.  It is where I take the boys most often and also the location where many of our river pictures are taken.



Chase hanging out with Spooky (Bowie's sister) and practicing laydown/stay.  Good boy, Chase!





I am attempting to arrange a group meet at this park. 

Bowie playing with park trash. 

Rolling in it.


The boys got new harnesses!  Since we started training with Diane we have been using Deluxe Easy Walk harnesses.  They attach from the front and instead of becoming a tool that the dog wants to pull against, the owner is able to direct their dog's attention back toward them.  These harnesses are not a magic solution.  You must train your dog to use the harness effectively, and an important step in any kind of "tether" device is to teach the dog to pay attention to you.  Bowie and Chase are doing really well staying by my side while we are walking, a favor that I much appreciate.  They are being clicker trained so now when I notice them doing particularly well and staying by me, I will click and give them a treat.

Large size harnesses.  They are getting so big!


On a non-dog-related note, Binge and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary.  We visited our favorite coffee house, Little Amps Coffee, and picked up two nitro brews and baked goods.  The nitro brew is a cold brew and it is so delicate and smooth tasting, but packed full of flavor.  What a perfect way to start year three


Anniversary breakfast - Pancake Girl... I think she's saying "gimme a kiss!"


Looking forward to updating everyone on the upcoming meets.  Have a great weekend!

[WidgiePidge]

Well this weekend was a LOT of fun.  The boys and I went to two different meets- one at Codorus State Park and one at Spring Meadows Park.  The weather in Pennsylvania this Labor day weekend was beautiful in the 80s and 90s and very low humidity. 

Codorus State Park is in Hanover, right across the way from where Trainer Diane lives.  Although it is about an hour from our house it is a quite a pleasant drive through country settings and small towns.  Hanover is home to the Utz and Snyder's Pretzel factories which are popular tourist attractions.




We waved to Diane's house on the way past.  You may remember pictures from our lesson at the Moul Ave park which is right down the street from the Utz Factory. 


Lesson focusing on impulse control at Moul Ave Park, about a month ago.

Keep going down this road for 10-15 minutes and you will arrive at Codorus.  Chase and I also attended a lesson here at the annual Codorus Blast Fest which happens lakeside.  We really enjoyed watching the dock diving competition during which dogs excitedly jump off the end of a dock and are judged by the distance and height of their jump.
http://codorusblast.org/webroot/new2014/

The Blast fest happens at one entrance to the lake but there are many other areas where the lake can be accessed as well as over 19 miles of hiking trails.  The Bow Wow Adventures Dog Group met at 10 am at the entrance to the La Ho Trail, a 1.5 mile trail that follows the shoreline of the Wildasin Flats.  The trail was noted to be steep in areas but we found the path to be pretty easy-going.  We followed the trail loop to circle back to the parking lot and got caught in a really impressive pool of mud.  We had planned to also trek the Mary Ann Furnace Trail (a longer and more challenging trail) but after my hiking partners fell into a mud pit thigh deep, we decided to call it a day and return at a later date. 


This is the lake entrance near the ranger station.  The water was beautiful and sparkling.

Meeting up with our hiking companions, Moose (left) and Bubba (right).  Bubba is enjoying some butt scritches in this picture.

Bubba is ready to go!

We hiked for a short distance and reached the Lake.  The boys jumped right in.



A kind family gave the dogs some attention



Bowie is trying to take an attached tree root with him.

The beginning of the end......


La di dah.. Just walking along....

Look at those dogs having a blast...

Oh ****.

Surrounded by Dirt Dingoes

Bubba was definitely the Mud King.

Bear-crawling out of the mud.  Notice the photographer is not stuck in mud.  Thank goodness one of us was free to run around and take plenty of photos. 


Moose and I trekked to a place where it was "safe" to cross.




Bowie showing baby Moose how sticks work.

Bowie is basically an expert.

Still in the flats.  It's a bit mucky here, so we are searching for a cleaner place to wash off.

Time to clean up.  Chase decided to make a snack of my friend's sock.  He puked it up the next morning. 


Having a short rest. 

Chase is working on exercises that help him to relax.  People kept asking us if we needed help.  He's fine, I promise!
Next we said our "good-bye" and headed home.

These are some tired pups.

The next morning, we took Bowie to Little Amps Coffee and the Kipona festival in Harrisburg. 



Bowie did very well laying down while people and dogs passed by.  It's a busy place!


We got several hand-made soaps from a vendor at the festival.  This one is cucumber soap.

Hi Chase!

Oh, and Binge spent quite a bit of time yesterday and today crafting this cute little guy.


The next meet was to occur later that day at Spring Meadows Park.  I decided to just bring Chase since Bowie seemed exceptionally tired from Codorus and the morning adventure.  Spring Meadows is in Carlisle PA and is surrounded by farms with corn and soybeans.  Boiling Springs runs through the park and it is a wonderfully refreshing cold stream.



Soybeans



Corn



When we arrived at the park it was packed with folks.  There was some kind of festival with bounce houses and food trucks.  The parking lot was nearly full.  Amidst all these people, it was difficult to find our group.  We were supposed to meet up with three other people, but eventually discovered that no one had showed up for the dog walk. 



So- Chase and I set off on the walk alone!  No worries though.  It was a beautiful walk and still full of adventure.  It was more hot and humid than at Codorus, but the stream was a perfect way to cool off after our walk.

This is where the trail begins.











So hot....


The trails were very secluded and surrounded by beautiful scenery.

"Thanks for coming to the meet, Mom"

Tunnel under the road









Also news worthy is that I have decided to accept a position as co-organizer of the Bow Wow Dog Adventures group, meaning that I will be tasked with finding places to go and organizing meets for Bow-Wow members.  This group is so beneficial for Bowie and Chase getting the socialization that they need as puppies ready to take on the world. 

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend

[romevi]

Congrats!

[CPTBadAss]

Yay for doggy adventures! Love seeing the exploring pictures and of course the puppies. Congrats on the anniversary!

[suicidal_orange]

Looks like a good weekend was had by all

[WidgiePidge]

Thanks all for the congrats and checking in.  Good to hear from you!

Yesterday we met up with Julia and "the girls" for a quick trip to the duck pond.  The boys did great off-leash and showed no hesitation about jumping into the water.  Bowie kept picking up river trash (empty soda cans, water bottle, etc.) which is one of his favorite things to do and enjoyed tempting Spooky with the "toy" and then running away.  Chase loves to run and he bounded through the water with ease.  Julia's labs have a little trouble keeping up with him   Some jerk dumped a whole container of dried cranberries near the edge of the river.  While fresh cranberries are okay for dogs to eat, the dried ones provide little nutritional benefit, and often give the dogs messy poop and upset stomachs.  We had to keep shooing them away from the pile.  All of the dogs took down at least a few mouth fulls and paid for it this morning in the yard 











Julia brought a late birthday present for Chase which he was happy to accept.  Included were his favorite Darford Peanut Butter heart treats (which appear to have been improved to be less crumbly), a Jolly Pets Football (https://www.chewy.com/jolly-pets-jolly-football-dog-toy/dp/116181), some regular fetch balls, and a clicker with a whistle.  Chase sniffed out the treats on the car ride home, and the boys spent the rest of the night playing with their new football toy.  This football is not as hard as a regular foot ball.  It is filled with air and although the outer layer is very durable, it gives easily, so that the dogs can bite down and carry it.  When thrown, the ball takes an unpredictable path when hitting the ground, which I think Chase likes.  I'm not sure how long it will last in our household, but I am sure it will be enjoyed.


In a previous post I mentioned Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe Unscented Shampoo as our Shampoo Of Choice.  Both of our dogs seemed to be bothered by strong shampoo scents and this unscented shampoo smelled nice and mild.  When you start cutting out the bull**** a lot of companies try to go "herbally" and the shampoos as a result can get pretty stinky.  There are even some herbal-based shampoos that aim to discourage fleas and ticks through their odor.  We tried one of those once and we all said "Never again!".

This is a BAD super stinky herbal shampoo- Great all natural ingredient list.. just way too smelly.  It is almost hard to breathe around this stuff.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TA9XKK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Earthbath stuff- NOT recommended https://www.chewy.com/earthbath-oatmeal-aloe-fragrance/dp/107122

The Earthbath Shampoo seemed to be great at first.  The smell of it is definitely much more tame and there is hardly a scent at all.  However, the skin on Bowie's back and back legs became rough and dry.  He also started to loose a bit of hair in those places and developed what looks like acne/blisters on the top of his and front shoulders.  Since he is a sensitive fellow I suspected that he perhaps had an allergy or had gotten into something at the river.  The rash did not go away and the condition only seemed to get worse.  As several of you may know, Binge also started to get blisters and a rash on his hands which we thought was from working with epoxy. 

And badda bam- enough details.  I changed dog shampoo and all of these symptoms are starting to reverse.  Bowie's dry skin is now a normal skin type and his hair is growing back.  His rash and Binge's blisters have almost completely gone.  We think that Binge got the rash from his skin reacting to the shampoo and by petting the dogs.

I have to revise my original recommendation.  I checked out Chewy.com and while there are still many positive reviews of the product, the reviews that are negative seem to be extremely negative.  Sounds like a hit or miss to me. 

So here is what we have replaced our shampoo with...Lola and Max Hypo-allergenic Shampoo.  So far it appears to be working wonders to repair both of the dog's dry skin and Bowie's hair loss.  Also,  Binge no longer has blisters or a rash on his hands- so that's pretty great   The dogs coats seem much more shiny and smooth.  Hoping that we have finally found the one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BEIL26W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is a picture of Bowie's fur today 9/7/2016.  You can see that he still has some rough areas on his back and thighs but (take my word for it) his skin has already much improved.  I'll take another photo in a month and we can compare.



Another spotty issue is our lawn.  Lawn burn (yellow/brown patches and grass death) can occur from dog urine because it is so high in nitrogen content.  Especially when the dogs are being fed a "good" quality (high protein) diet, the problem is much worse.  I have been doing some research on the issue because I don't want our lawn to die entirely and fertilizing (since it is adding even more nitrogen) is not the solution.  I found this really great article that recommends using a watering can to dilute the spots where the dogs urinate, and also suggests feeding the dogs a supplement of Yucca Shidigera (binds Nitrogen).

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=1493
The Fromm diet that the dogs have been eating already has Yucca Shidigera in it so I am going to try the watering can and see if that helps at all.

The company that we buy Chase and Bowie's garlic supplement (for flea and tick prevention) from was having a labor day sale so I decided to pick two new supplements. 

--Skin and Coat Oil https://www.springtimeinc.com/product/Skin-and-Coat/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements  (A blend of 7 different oils)

Ingredients: rice bran oil (minimally processed - high oryzanol), coconut oil (organic), extra virgin olive oil (organic), pumpkin seed oil (organic), sesame seed oil (organic), sunflower seed oil (high oleic-organic), walnut oil (cold pressed-organic).

--Fresh Factors (a supplement to help with overall health including digestion, skin and coat, hips and joints).
Some of the ingredients are chondroitin, bee pollen, kelp, biotin, real beef liver.

If you want to know more about the ingredients in these supplements scroll down and click on the "Ingredients", "Studies", and "More Information" tabs on the product page.

The dogs basically run themselves ragged every time we go on an adventure so I figure these supplements should help them to stay strong and healthy for a long time.  Hope everything that is promised comes true!

Our next meet-up adventure will be on Saturday at Conewago Trail in Elizabethtown, PA.  This trail is 5.5 miles long (not sure how many miles we plan on doing).  It runs along the Conewago creek through farmlands and forest. 
 
Here is a really interesting history tidbit on the area:

"The Conewago Recreation Trail formerly served as the Cornwall-Lebanon Railroad. Robert H. Coleman, who was the owner of the Cornwall Iron Furnace at the time, built the line in 1883.[3] The railroad was built with the intention of competing with the Cornwall Railroad, and served as a transportation system for heavy loads of iron, as well a way for people to travel to the popular resort owned by Coleman, Mt. Gretna. By 1910 it had up to 8 passengers a day. Later on the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased the railroad line from Coleman. After Hurricane Agnes destroyed the tracks in 1972, the railroad line was left abandoned and untouched until 1979, when it was acquired and restored by the County of Lancaster. It is now owned and maintained by the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation"

Fingers crossed for beautiful skin/coats, less patchy grass, and a great adventure on Saturday. 

Check out our new stamps!

[WidgiePidge]

It rained cats and dogs last night. Lightening and thunder was directly overhead and we could hear the rain hitting the roof and gutters late into the night.  Our lawn was starting to get crunchy and brown so I think the precipitation was much needed.

However, the rain also led to lots of humidity and defect keys in our casting last night. 

We met up with the girls at the park at 8 am this morning and everyone was sweating buckets. Usually it takes at least until 10 am before it is unbearably gross, but today was an exception. 





For the past two days Chase has been wearing his collar only (no harness) as the harness is only meant to be a temporary training tool.  So far he is doing great and it looks like the training has stuck.  The harness is a tool that is used to teach the dog to walk to the side in a heel position and not in front/pulling.  Because the harness attaches from the front, I was able to get Chase's attention before he was in the position to pull me along.  He is being much more respectful of the leash and constantly looks up at me for guidance.



Our pet birds really enjoy their daily misting bath-time.  Sometimes, I do the same for the pups.  As much as they protest (especially Bowie) I think they like it.  They are so goofy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BX4VXI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tomorrow is our friend Justin's funeral.  The feels are real.  It's going to be a somber morning although I really hope everyone can celebrate the good times we had with him. 

I'll be doing some printing today for some very patient folks- you know who you are

Peace out, friends.  Have a great weekend.

[WidgiePidge]

The preacher at our friend Justin's funeral kept saying "This isn't how things are supposed to happen.  Parents aren't supposed to bury their children. This just isn't how things are supposed to be."  We sat through the service listening to this man speak about how life is merely a stopping point and how Justin was now waiting for us in paradise and eventually he would be there to greet the faithful at the Resurrection.  This man seemed to stumble through his words about Justin, while he seemed certain about the glory of all that was Holy.  He told us how Justin was an organ donor and how he often took care of abandoned animals, facts shared with him by Justin's parents and sister in a pre-funeral meeting.  The attendees of the funeral, family and friends, sang and methodically stood up and sat down to the demands of the congregation.  All was laid out in a booklet distributed at the doors before entering the chapel.  And I cried. 



It wasn't because I was sad.  In fact, I think everyone who had the chance to meet Justin carries a little bit of him along into their future.  Justin was a person who cared that everyone around him was enjoying themselves.  He made a point of including the shy and peculiar folks in conversation.  He was so kind and thoughtful and made a point of asking incisive questions, and when speaking with him, you could tell he was doing his very best to pay attention and learn.  He was smart and quirky and loved to laugh.  And I cried because I felt like this person that I knew and loved so much, was not fully mentioned at the funeral.  His mother or father or aunt or sister, or friends, did not say a word about Justin during the ceremony.  None of us who knew him better than the preacher did, said a word. 

And I am not religious, though I try to look for peace, motivation, and inspiration at these types of ceremonies.  I look for unique thought and hope that I find something among the words and passages that I could not have imagined on my own.  I look for something that arouses my creativity and to leave feeling a changed person, or in the case of this ceremony, a sense of closure.

If there is anything that I took away from this service it is that, perhaps, this is exactly how things were supposed to happen.  While it is not ideal for any parent to bury their child, I could easily see by the numerous friends and family in attendance, that Justin was not a person who merely passed through this world.  He affected it.  He included us.  He cared for his friends and his family and in knowing him, it is certain that he will not soon be forgotten.  Why focus on what Justin "could have been" and how he will never reach old age, or marry, or have children.  Why not focus on what he was and will continue to be.  And maybe that is how it was supposed to happen.  Maybe some people are put on this Earth to look out for others, to teach them life skills, and to be the strength that lets those people achieve something even greater than they could have imagined.  Justin believed in us, and if that's how it what supposed to happen, Justin did all he possibly could. 

The last hymn of the funeral was called "On Eagle's Wings" by Michael Joncas.  Robert and I quietly sang it in the style of HARDCORE METAL in Justin's honor.  It's what he would have wanted. 

"You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust."

Refrain:

And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.

Refrain

For to His angels He's given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Refrain"


After the service, the congregation filed into the entry way and everyone was crying and hugging.  Justin's sister was wildly crying and hugging all of her friends, professing gratefully, "Thank you so much for coming".  Justin's parents were waiting by the door.  I went up to Justin's dad and he looked at me and said, "Thank you for coming".  And I said.. "I don't know what to say", and quickly followed that by "Thank you for Justin."  His dad said, "Yeah, he was a good kid." And I said "I know." I meant it.  I hugged his dad and his mom and of course I was steadily weeping. 

Justin loved otters, so in his honor, HWS will be crafting a new key design and print.  If you see anything otter-ly adorable come out of our studio, know that it is for Justin, someone who deserves to be remembered and was a good kid.  Justin...Thank you for everything, and as his family would say, "Goodnight Sweet Prince". 

Life at our house has been moving along since the service but a lot of it has been a blur.  I have taken the dogs to quite a few outings and been printing.  Robert has been sculpting.  But I haven't much felt like writing.  Bowie and Chase are currently sleeping after an hour long romp at the Duck Pond.  I don't think I'm going to detail the past few adventures but I will do my best to give some description to the adventures coming up.  When the humidity calms down, we will be casting again, and soon we will be sending the first Photochromic orders out the door.  Thanks for your patience and support!  We couldn't do it without you.

<3






Chase with Moose

Conewago Recreation Trail

Chase, Bowie, and Eli

Gunpowder Falls Park in MD, Herding dog Meetup with Chalupa and Max





Pine forest

Ferns and deciduous




The "Duck Pond"

[Zanduby]

I have lost too many friends too early. It hurts every time and never gets easier. Thank you for sharing the story. I will be making sure to hug my kids a little extra tight tonight.

[Moistgun]

Thank you for sharing pidge

Im sorry for your loss. 

I wish I was home with my wife instead of hours away at work.

[WidgiePidge]

Recently I was ordained as co-organizer of the Bow-Wow Dog Adventures Group.  I now have the ability to establish and host meets.  Since I am familiar with the ins/outs of Adams-Ricci Park, and the boys love it there, I decided to use this park as my first meet-up adventure.  The meet-up occurred last night and we were graced with beautiful sunny weather.  It was fairly crowded but there was a good turnout and a wide variety of pooches joined the meet-  Young, old, big, and small!  The boys could hardly contain their excitement. 



We ran into Bandit, one of Chase and Bowie's long-time park friends

Moose giving Spooky a kiss (Bowie says "Ewww... gross!")


Surrounded by the cheerleading team



Spooky (Bowie's sister) stopped by and walked with us in the main park area but she left before we went down to the water (Her loss!).  We met a new dog from the area named Chyanne (sp?), a little white fluffy gal with the silkiest ears.  Chyanne's mom told us that she is 10 years old and in need of some socialization with other dogs.  She is very sweet, but very much enjoys keeping to herself and does not really get involved in the action.  I was thrilled to see Chyanne checking out the water and greeting the other dogs.  Chyanne found a river oyster which she sniffed a bunch and then rolled on top of it. 





I had several proud Mommy moments with Chase last night.  Chase did so well greeting the small puppy and Chyanne and he was very gentle with both.  He also did really well playing nicely with the other dogs when everyone was off-leash and managed his high energy level well.  He's such a good boy and I think he is beginning to realize that other dogs are not out to get him.  Having Chase in a trail/outdoor environment is great because he has lots of activities to do with the other dogs and there is less pressure during the initial greeting.  Chase, Bowie, and Moose are becoming the best of friends and love carrying around sticks together and playing in the river.  Moose's mom says that Moose always gets dirtier when he plays with my boys.  What?!  No way



Bowie and Moose surveying for sticks






Chase waiting to sample treats

Chase was even calm enough last night to lay down and chew on a stick.  I do not normally see Chase lay down at social gatherings.. He is usually just go-go-go, and go some more.  Happy to see that he is learning how to relax!



Cooking with Chase was put on hold for a while after the Grape Incident, but with new confidence, Chase has decided to take another shot at Stardom.  The show now has a new segment called the Strawberry Olympics.


"Look into my eyes, Human.  Give me ALL the strawberries."

So.... close......

Thank you Zanduby for the coffee care package!  Chase approves.  We haven't tried it yet but we will soon



Strawberry Olympics (See Flying Strawberry in top of frame)

There have been so many print orders recently that I had to make some more flat mailers.  I don't want to admit that they remind me of Lisa Frank, but I can't unsee the school folder I had with Lisa Frank print from the 90's. 



Tomorrow is the Pine Grove Furnace Meetup at Michaux State Forest.  It is a day hike so we will be gone for a few hours and taking a packed lunch.  I hear that the leaves are going to be really pretty this time of year, and the forecast says we will be enjoying some crisper, cooler weather.
http://www.meetup.com/BOW-WOW/events/233221122/

Have a great weekend everyone and thank you for your condolences and support.
<3

[Zanduby]

Glad it made it to you! Hope you guys enjoy!

[WidgiePidge]

At the castle gates, Knight Bowie gazed into the distance across the grassy plain.  Atop the posterior rampart sat a mysterious package.  Unsure whether a bomb or a bon bon, Bowie galloped towards the package with shield in paw, ready to fight any and all danger that awaited.  But no- there is no dragon in this box.  There is no artillery or explosion.  It is an offering from the land of the Honest Kitchen, crunchy morsels of blueberry and beef.  Only a thoughtful admirer could have known of Bowie's sensitive bowels and delivered such a perfect wheat-free, limited-ingredient goody.  Wherever you are, dear admirer, here is a peek for you of the very adventure you inspired. 

Thank you!

[suicidal_orange]

That video made me wonder - is Bowie clever enough to work out that being bad at catching gets him more treats or is he just bad at catching?  He seemed to be trying but I guess we'll never know for sure...

[att1cus]

At the castle gates, Knight Bowie gazed into the distance across the grassy plain.  Atop the posterior rampart sat a mysterious package.  Unsure whether a bomb or a bon bon, Bowie galloped towards the package with shield in paw, ready to fight any and all danger that awaited.  But no- there is no dragon in this box.  There is no artillery or explosion.  It is an offering from the land of the Honest Kitchen, crunchy morsels of blueberry and beef.  Only a thoughtful admirer could have known of Bowie's sensitive bowels and delivered such a perfect wheat-free, limited-ingredient goody.  Wherever you are, dear admirer, here is a peek for you of the very adventure you inspired. 

Thank you!

So glad he likes them!  I had no idea he had dietary restrictions - a happy accident

[WidgiePidge]

@ SuicidalOrange  Bowie is usually a pretty good catcher when we do the Strawberry Olympics in the morning.  Perhaps I am better at throwing when I'm not trying to film and hold and throw all at once.  Perhaps he likes strawberries better?  Bowie really enjoyed playing with the treat box, so he might have been distracted by that...  Both Chase and Bowie used to be pretty terrible at catching.  When Chase was younger I'd throw him a treat and it would just whack him in the face because he didn't respond quickly enough.  Practice makes perfect

This past weekend I took Chase to Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardeners Pa with the Bow-Wow Dog Adventures group.  The weather was slightly overcast but not damp or cold.  Fall is definitely at the doorstep waiting to come in, and I think in the next couple weeks, the leaves will really begin to change color.  Joining us was Moose (labrador), Yashi (pomeranian), Bubba (pittbull/beagle), and Benny (lab mix).  This was Yashi's first meet-up with Bow-Wow and although I think we all secretly chuckled about a hiking Pomeranian, Yashi kept up with the pack really well and was jumping over logs, running through water, and climbing rocks with ease.  Chase did really well with Yashi and was super gentle around him.  When your dog is a muscular heeler mix, you tend to worry about those sorts of things, especially when the "little guy" only weighs 7 pounds. 

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is packed with adventure.  The park is located at South Mountain of the Blue Mountain Range and contains part of the Appalachian trail and an old rail trail.  It also has two lakes- Lake Fuller, and Laurel Lake.  Our group hiked the rail trail and a trail that ran through the woods parallel to a creek.  We also climbed the Pole Steeple Trail, a very short/steep rocky trail that eventually arrives at the Pole Steeple Overlook- a quartzite rock outcropping- from where you can view the entire park.  There are no railings or fences, so hold on to your horses!  And dogs.  And don't trip.  It's a long way down.

All in all I think we hiked at least 6-10 miles, a good portion of which was up that big-ass rock.  I don't normally sweat on trails but we were all slightly damp after we made it to the top of the overlook.  The dogs really enjoyed all of the water opportunities and were readily jumping in/out of the creek.  On the trail in the woods, there were several downed trees that the dogs seemed to like jumping or climbing over.  The dogs were off-leash most of the time and had a good time sniffing, marking, and tasting anything and everything.  Moose found several really impressive sticks.

And before anyone asks- No, Bowie did not go.  Since the allergic reaction to his doggy shampoo he has been left with a less than perfect fur coat.  During the last few hikes he picked up a lot of poison ivy on his belly and chin areas (areas of thin hair).  It also seemed as if his coat was protecting him less from small scrapes and he was just in need of some serious R and R.  I'm really glad I ended up not taking Bowie because this trail was enough to put Chase and I into a coma for a straight 4 hours after arriving back home.  It was a good day but I couldn't do it every day! 

Bowie is doing much better now.  We switched out his shampoo and I've been giving him a topical coconut oil rub every other day.  The coconut oil rub helps to repair his skin, keep his hair strong,and will soften scars and scabs.  I've also started giving him two supplements with his meals that will promote fur re-growth and make him SHINY.  I'm pretty sure in a few weeks he will be as good as new.


In front of Laurel Lake

The Group!


Entrance and parking lot


Starting out- Moose (L) and Bubba (R)



Yashi







Rail Trail area



Forest Trail through the woods, near the creek








Quick break for water and snacks before heading up the Pole Steeple Trail (Laurel Lake is directly behind us)

Laurel Lake

The climb begins

Overlook area




Pole Steeple Overlook





The puppies are tired.


Looking down off the cliff we could see Laurel Lake

Planning to go to this location again when the leaves are more colorful.  I think all the pups had a great time! 

[WidgiePidge]

We have had many a folk call us crazy for having two young dogs at once.  It sure IS a lot of work to train and supervise these two crazy energetic pups.  Before we got Bowie, Chase hardly played with his toys.  He did not fetch at all.  He liked to run but would often seem bored and was very needy.  He also would scratch at the door to go out about every 30 seconds....When we brought Bowie home all of that changed.




Today I took the boys down to the river at the park.  It is so exciting to see Chase and Bowie playing together and having so much fun.  We are lucky to have two boys who can keep up with each other and have become the best of friends. 







Also ---a little shout out to off-leash exercising of dogs.  Since we have started doing off-leash adventures our pups have less behavioral problems, they are more attentive to us, and they seem more successfully drained of energy.  Dogs have a certain amount of energy that they must expend every day to feel "normal" and calm.  Watching these two crazy nuts run around I can't even imagine satisfying such high energy needs on-leash.  It is great to watch them stretch out and chase each other with true freedom.  If dogs don't use their daily energy it compounds over time and will often result in neurotic, obsessive, or stereotypic behavioral problems (http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/behaviourproblems/zooanim.html). 

Near the end of the video I call Chase over, which I refer to as a "break".  This command is to ask Chase to drop whatever he is doing and come to me.  I often ask him to do this when he is getting really involved in rough play.  I think it may come in handy some day when he is really distracted but I need his attention.

After "breaking" the dogs run off to the river where Bowie starts dragging a stick and Chase pees on a plant.  What a good life!  Love our boys.

OH HEY and if you haven't heard yet.....

[suicidal_orange]

Finally got round to writing a shopping list for pancakes but fell at the final hurdle - Yogurt Butter.  I've tried health food shop and supermarket websites but there's no sign of anything that sounds the same...  I guess I could try normal butter and more yogurt but it's probably not the same

Also this thread is too quiet - I hope that just means you're all having so many adventures there's no time to write about them...

[WidgiePidge]

Thank you suicidal_orange for checking in!  So glad to hear you tried the recipe but sad you cannot find the yogurt butter. 

You are right-- we've been having all kinds of adventures, and of course, trying to get everyone's photochromic orders out the door.  This week we've been printing package art, finishing keys, printing mailing labels, and waiting patiently on the new MAGICAT sticker to arrive. 

Went on an adventure with my dad and the pups today at Big Boyd Tree Preserve and had an absolutely beautiful walk.  Going to post some pictures as soon as I get them off my phone!

[Binge]

Finally got round to writing a shopping list for pancakes but fell at the final hurdle - Yogurt Butter.  I've tried health food shop and supermarket websites but there's no sign of anything that sounds the same...  I guess I could try normal butter and more yogurt but it's probably not the same

Also this thread is too quiet - I hope that just means you're all having so many adventures there's no time to write about them...

no need to use 'moar yogurt' the butter is just a different consistency.  You'll have less of a neutral flavor and more of a 'butter' flavor using butter.  It's really not bad as I know because we've made due in the past.

[suicidal_orange]

Finally got round to writing a shopping list for pancakes but fell at the final hurdle - Yogurt Butter.  I've tried health food shop and supermarket websites but there's no sign of anything that sounds the same...  I guess I could try normal butter and more yogurt but it's probably not the same

Also this thread is too quiet - I hope that just means you're all having so many adventures there's no time to write about them...

no need to use 'moar yogurt' the butter is just a different consistency.  You'll have less of a neutral flavor and more of a 'butter' flavor using butter.  It's really not bad as I know because we've made due in the past.

Excellent - time to go shopping for plastic cups and pancake ingredients!

Edit:  Forgot the mixing cups but did manage to make pancakes!  Here's a potato pic of my first (the plate is bright white )



I'd give my first attempt 6/10 due to poor mixing (there was still dry flour in the corners of the bowl) and being slightly undercooked (while not what I'd call goopy once it was on a plate the middle was clearly wetter and a different colour) and I guess American yogurts are bigger as the taste was only noticeable where there was a lump of fruit.  Adjustments will be made tomorrow

Also as I could have guessed the recipe makes two pretty big pancakes - that's more than I can eat for breakfast so quantities will be halved!

[Binge]

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[WidgiePidge]

Hello there and apologies for being so sparse recently.  A lot has been happening and while we have still been doing our regular adventures, I have not had the time or energy to write about them.
This past week we got our shipment of King Arthur self-rising flour.  The local stores stopped carrying this product but we are still able to order online.  We stocked up with six five pound bags so we should be good for some time      


Thank you to everyone who has been posting and describing their experiences with the pancake recipe we shared.  I do not believe I originally mentioned a serving size, and wanted to clarify that our recipe normally will serve 2 hungry people, with 2 pancakes each.  Most recently we have been halving the recipe to make ourselves 1 pancake each, and it is still a pretty filling breakfast.


Experimenting with pancake writing using a syringe

The " Husky Pack Walk" at Codorus State Park organized by trainer Diane was unfortunately not well attended.  It was a light rain and apparently that scared everyone away!  In attendance was Diane, myself, Riko, and Chase.  I had planned to work with Chase on introductions and working around other dogs, and although it was a small gathering, both dogs I think still had a good time.  Both Chase and Riko did lots of sniffing, marking, and walking.  Chase really loves to exercise and this type of adventure was perfect for him.  Even though it was rainy, the scenery was very beautiful.




I almost fell into the water here because the bridge was so slippery.  I scared Chase when I fell down on the bridge-- Poor puppy!  He retreated a little and then came back to see if I was okay and started rubbing up against me- tail wagging- almost pushing me into the water.  What a good dog! 

"Oh hello Riko....."

Chase got really excited seeing the farm animals on the way home.  We saw a bunch of goats and cattle. 
"Please just let me organize them"...



There have been several rainy days this past week and we've been trying to cast as much as possible, as well as get photochromic sale packages out the door.  Here is our current rainy day situation thanks to the city repairing our road.  Once they repaired the street we now get this beautiful pond at the end of our driveway. 


Printing packages on a rainy day

Boo rainy days

Hello sunshine!  Here is the Rockville Bridge in Harrisburg on the way to Big Boyd Tree Preserve. 



I love the scenery here and on the way home the sunsets are always amazing.

We recently had two trips to Big Boyd.  One was solo was with Bowie and Chase, and the second trip was with MY dad in tow. 

Up the driveway to Big Boyd

Playing on the rocks


We focused on some of the less-traveled trails where the environment is very natural . The trails are leaves and dirt, nothing fancy.

Check out these 'shrooms








Okay.... we might have gotten a little lost.....

Time to head home!

And the trip with my Dad...
We started off on a very "easy" trail, nice and flat.  Then, with a little encouragement from my Dad, we ventured onto some trails that I have not been on before.  It felt like we were on vacation up in the mountains of the Western United States.



Look at this 'shroom!



sniff sniff sniff

Goodnight tree preserve

The boys missed Binge and were happy to oblige with lots of snuggle when we returned home.

Last happening of the week was Bowie's lesson at Lowe's which focused on greeting people politely.  Lowe's is a dog-friendly store in the US and a great place to practice because unlike pet stores, there are lesson food/animal smells (distractions), and usually less dogs.  Bowie and Chase both occasionally jump up on people and at their size (70 + pound puppies) it's really not okay.  Once approaching a person, Diane would give the person a treat and tell them "He needs to sit for the treat".  So they'd ask him to sit, he'd calm down, and then he could get affection.  A lot of times when I'm out with the dogs and someone goes to greet them I get this response "Oh it's okay if they jump.  I love dogs.  My dog at home does the same thing", OR they just glare at me like I'm doing nothing to train my dogs.  Meep....     So we are cracking down on the jumping behavior and hopefully I will be able to enforce a calm greeting.  It would make life so much easier and I know the outcome will be worth the effort.

Laying down is a perfectly acceptable greeting.  Bowie likes to flip over and present his belly for scritches once he calms down.

Oh and we got to blow off some steam at Codorus after the lesson.  Vroom vroom!! Bowie was racing down the trails, through the water, finding sticks.. it was hard to keep up with this speedy pup.  We met several other really nice dogs there who all seemed to be enjoying the trail.



Look at this turtle!



Look at this branchy thing

"Agh!  It touched me!"


Bowie no longer has his fear of water.  He jumps right in, excitedly, any chance he can get  :DProud Mommy moment


Obligatory stick pic

The mud fiend trotting away
Had to wash Bowie off in the lake before heading out because he was a muddy mess


Tomorrow I'll be taking Chase to a meet-up at Swatara State Park.  We have never been there before, but it looks like there are plenty of miles of trails for hiking and we'll be meeting some new doggy friends also.
Have a great weekend everyone!


Playdate with the girls

[WidgiePidge]

Took Chase to a park by the lake this morning for a Bow-Wow Adventures Meet.  We met a new girl who is a Shiba Inu cross named Sunny.  Benny (lab mix) was also in attendance.
http://www.meetup.com/BOW-WOW/photos/all_photos/?photoAlbumId=27333033

Chase sliced another one of his paw pads.  He's going to have to take it easy for a little while.  Silly dog, always playing so rough!

Lake puppy got a bath

[suicidal_orange]

That slice looks nasty, why is it not bleeding

Thanks for clarifying on the pancakes  - I tried again halving everything (except the yogurt) and thought that would make one pancake, but of course it was bigger than half.  I also turned the temperature down to give it longer to cook through without burning the outside...  Result?  One very large and not very cooked pancake, even after 15 minutes.  It was much tastier than my first attempt but the middle was inedibly gooey.  Will try again in the morning if I wake up in time, it's the time of year when I need to be up before the sun which is not natural!

[WidgiePidge]

@ suicidal orange

It was bleeding- In the picture I just cleaned it.  Looks like dogs have a layer of padding (fat) there and then there is blood supply under that, so it's a pretty deep cut.  I also just added Vetricyn which is probably deterring the bleeding a little.  Will be calling the vet tomorrow morning

[suicidal_orange]

Oh wow, didn't know they made stuff for cut animals - great idea!  Hopefully the vet gives him an all clear and not too long going crazy sticking to grassy paths and carpets...

[WidgiePidge]

Yep- Vetricyn is really gentle and it keeps the wound nice and moist to help it heal.  We ended up taking Chase to the vet and our vet said that although the cut looks deep it is really just a superficial wound.  Since it is a cut on his foot we still have to treat it gingerly because letting him be too rough on that foot could cause the cut to open even larger.  The vet wrapped the foot and this will help to keep the two "sides" of the wound close together so the cut will heal together nicely, and Chase will also not be getting dirt and stuff in the wound.  I have to put a little baggie on his foot to keep it dry when we go outside because moisture can cause the bandage to constrict and get too tight.   


Suited up to go outside.  Chase has the most awesome kicks and such cute chickens.

Chase is taking it very easy today.  We have an appointment for a wound check and re-wrap on Thursday.

[suicidal_orange]

Those cones always make me chuckle but that one looks especially big, Chase really doesn't look impressed.  That's probably why he got the funky chicken bandages - to distract other doggies so they don't laugh at the cone!  Glad it's not serious anyway

Is he all fixed now?

[WidgiePidge]

Just wanted to give a quick update on Chase.  The dreaded "Cone of Shame" and "Bandage of Shame" have been removed.  He still has 2 days left of antibiotics left and he just finished his bottle of pain killers...   He does not show any signs of boo-hoo or weakness.  Chase has destroyed his cone running into the backs of our legs...running into walls and doors... banging into my computer chair... knocking over the food/water dish holder.  You name it, he's probably tried to demolish it with his cone.

You see those light lines on his cone?  Those are all places where the plastic has stressed.


And here's a progress pic of his injured foot.
BEFORE

NOW

The wound has pretty much closed and the area has scabbed over.  As soon as the foot pad regrows completely Chase will be as good as new.  The area of the pad around the scab was a bit tough so I've been soaking Chase's foot 2x daily in warm epsom salts water.  Chase isn't spoiled at all!

Chase also has another foot irregularity on his opposite back foot.  We originally thought that it might be a blister, an ailment which would normally be resolved through rest and a course of antibiotics.  Even though it is much smaller than it was a week ago this bumpy area of skin is still persisting.  We may need to revisit the vet to figure out what it is and what to do about it.  It is unfortunate that any time he uses the foot, this area rubs on the ground and then turns into a sore.


Today I took Chase for his first regular walk in about a week.  He has been so stir crazy recently and has been investigating EVERYTHING.  We can't leave anything unattended at the moment.  He also seems to have a problem with authority.  He's been like a crabby little kid- throwing tantrums like no other.

I could tell that Bowie and Chase were both really glad to go to the park today.  We walked on the soft grassy field area so as not to further agitate Chase's feet.  It was a  nice warm fall day at 82 degrees.  Who would have thought it would be like summer in fall?

Leaves are starting to change.  Loving the oranges and reds

The puppies had so much fun at the park. 

There is a well-known phrase "Good dogs are tired dogs"

Oh and Chase isn't all crazies and crunch time ALL the time.  He's also a great snuggler and a total sweetheart...

Chase taking care of moving the box full of boxes for us

"What?"

Hope our friends are well and looking forward to sending out some more photochromic orders.  I packaged up 10-15 boxes this morning and just did 5-6 more.  The boxes we picked for this round of orders are super slick and they are holding everything really securely.  So far we have packaged 32 USA photochromic orders.  Pray to the photochromic otter gods everyone! <3

[Binge]

The Daily Dog is now known as Tail Tales on hungerwork.studio,

https://hungerwork.studio/blogs/widgiepidge-dog-and-print-corner/

[lovechan]

The Daily Dog is now known as Tail Tales on hungerwork.studio,

https://hungerwork.studio/blogs/widgiepidge-dog-and-print-corner/

lovely handsome doge,woof~woof~ <3

 (ฅ´ω`ฅ)