Baby Gates

I’ve lived in DC for over 4 years – I can’t believe it has been that long! The first 3.5 years in the area I rented large houses split between 3-4 roommates, had yards, and plenty of space both indoors and out. At the end of November, I signed a lease on a small 2 bedroom apartment in an idyllic condo community, and soon after found a wonderful roommate on Craigslist. I love where I live for a variety of reasons, but adjusting to apartment living after always having a house has been trying at times.

Golden Retrievers are more of a medium sized dog breed under AKC standards, but who are we kidding – they’re still pretty big dogs. I have big furniture and a lot of stuff (it’s amazing how much you can acquire in just 4-years!) – so our lives in the apartment are quite “cozy”.

While I’m at work, both Hush (usually crated) and Milly are left in my bedroom with the door shut. I never had this problem in a larger house, with more circulation, but in the apartment the air in my bedroom gets stuffy having the door closed all day. I hate coming home to a stuffy, dog smelling bedroom at the end of a long day.

After all of the rain we have been having surrounding Hurricane Irene, I was finally fed up with my bedroom smelling like a dog, or worse, a wet dog. On Saturday, I bought a baby gate, and today happily kissed my pups goodbye, and left the door open with Milly gated inside and Hush in her crate. I can’t wait to see, or smell, the difference when I get home.

Baby gates should be added to all must-have lists for dog owners! They’re great, and at only $10, this was a very cheap solution to my problem. As Hush gains more and more freedom, I will probably pick up 1 or 2 more baby gates. They are an excellent way of slowly bridging the gap between crating and being loose, and enable your dog to have more space with you not having to worry about your dog getting into anything he or she should not.

Stop Burning Money on Useless Pet Products!

I’ve spent a lot of money on dog related products over the years, I shudder to think of the amount spent, and I’m grateful I don’t have the receipts from every dog-related purchase or I might have a heart attack if I ever saw the grand total! One thing I’ve found is I buy a product, try it out, and then find a product I like more, or learn why the product I bought isn’t quite as wonderful as I initially thought or marketing told me it would be.

I’ve gotten sick and tired of this. I waste money by not initially buying the better product, usually a bit more expensive than my first purchase, because I end up buying the cheaper product and then the more costly better product. I have a dog supply graveyard, a basket full of no longer useful training aids, grooming tools, and toys. I could have avoided this by just buying the better grooming tools and training aids from the get-go, but the toys are a bit trickier, as every dog has their own personal opinions regarding what is fun to play with!

What’s in the basket you might ask? Two slicker brushes – they work, they do the job, but I feel like they actually kind of damage the coat. They’ve since been replaced by a Chris Christensen slicker brush (which I love!) that cost the same as the two inferior ones. A Gentle Leader halter – Milly hated it, and I prefer actually training her to walk loosely on a leash. A Sporn Harness – this worked, but I’ve since replaced it with a prong collar for walks and Milly has really learned loose leash walking (even on a flat collar)! A retractable leash – they’re dangerous, they can literally decapitate your fingers, and they promote leash pulling. Nail clippers – many different types. Shampoos – many contain high amounts of alcohol and dull the coat. And that’s just the first layer of stuff in the basket!

In a world full of so many doggie doodads it’s hard to know what the better product actually is. Believe it or not, often the best dog products aren’t even available at big pet supply stores like Petsmart or Petco! They’re instead made by smaller companies who cater to the extremely educated dog owner or dog professional – whether it is a show breeder, handler, groomer, or dog trainer – and can be purchased online, at pet expo’s, dog show vendors or specialty boutiques.

In an effort to end this silly frivolous spending I contacted a Golden Retriever breeder whom I admire and respect greatly. I asked her what the best grooming tools she owns are, and why. What exactly I need, and don’t need. I’m slowly acquiring them, but there are many I’m still saving for.

Want to do the same thing, but own a different breed? Join your local breed club and contact other members for advice! You might spend a bit more up front, but you’ll save in the end!

$ave Pennies by Diluting Your Dog Shampoo

When it comes to bathing I never thought to dilute the shampoo or conditioner, especially because the directions on the type I most frequently use (Cowboy Magic) does not say to dilute, but I’ve recently learned this is the grooming secret most pet owners don’t know. Grooming salons dilute, breeders dilute, show handlers dilute – pretty much across the board shampoos and conditioners are diluted before being applied, even those that do not specify you should dilute are diluted by the professionals in the dog world. So why don’t pet owners know this? Well, first, not many basic books geared at your average pet owner discuss this. Second, have you ever taken a course on grooming? Probably not, but kudos if you have! Third, and probably the most obvious, you buy more products if you are using more of them.

I’ve started diluting 2-to-1 – two parts water for every one part shampoo. I’ve found it makes it much easier to evenly apply the shampoo or conditioner, and I can now get a nice thick lather all over. It is easier to rinse, because you are using less shampoo, and the shampoo is evenly dispersed. I like to keep my shampoo in an easy to dispense bottle, and a ketchup bottle is perfect! You can either buy the plastic kind seen at hot dog stands (that you fill yourself), or recycle an empty bottle around the house. I prefer the kind from hot dog stands, because it’s easier to squirt from. Simply fill the bottle with 1 part shampoo, and then two parts water, and shake before use. You’ll want to have a very gentle water stream as you fill the bottle to prevent lots of bubbles, and so you can actually fill the bottle with water. I’ve marked my ketchup bottle with lines so I know where to fill to with shampoo and water. I’ve found one bottle of diluted shampoo is 3-4 baths, and it is less than the amount of shampoo I was using on one bath before I began diluting.

Once I’ve applied my diluted shampoo mixture I like to use my hands to really massage the coat, but if you are bathing very frequently, you will want to massage a little less to make sure you aren’t over doing the bathing and damaging the coat.

Want to know another way companies are getting your pennies? One of the most expensive words ever created for consumers was “Repeat”. Ever read the instructions that say, Wash… Rinse… Repeat? If you are giving a good bath, and really massaging the coat and evenly applying the shampoo you won’t need to repeat. Rumor has it, this step was added to shampoo instructions decades ago when a shampoo company was trying to figure out how to improve profits without raising the price. This could be an old wives tail, but it makes sense. There really is no reason you would need to repeat a bath, but yet this instruction step remains on dog and human shampoos alike.

For detail work, or to keep your dog’s coat fresh between baths, you might be familiar with the no-rinse waterless sprays on the market. I dilute these A LOT. I put just a few capfuls of the product (yup, none of the ones I own say to dilute) in a spray bottle, and add water. Shake before using. I find when diluted the spray nozzle is less likely to become clogged, and the product works just as well diluted.

Want to save even more money? You could make a dog shampoo with products found around your house. I’ve never tried this recipe, but I’ve heard great things about it:

1 part Soft Soap (antibacterial handsoap, the clear kind, generic works fine)
1 part white vinegar
1 part water

Put all products in a bottle, and shake before use. The vinegar does a great job of cleaning the coat without damaging it and removing product build up, and the Soft Soap actually cleans and conditions.

Happy bathing!

Update: I also wanted to let everyone know that Rachel's families dogs have been found, and despite a small scrape on one's nose they are in great shape, and happy to be home!