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.

She's Still A Puppy

With Hush’s first birthday less than a month away, I have been thrilled with how much she has matured. She no longer sleeps in her crate, instead, now she sleeps on my bedroom floor with the door to the crate open so she can come and go as she pleases. She has been an absolute saint with the added freedom. The most destructive thing she has done is tear the head off of her plush duck toy that quacks. She has not chewed any furniture, nor has she gone anywhere near any of my shoes. She happily sleeps on the floor with Milly all night, and quietly waits for breakfast and her walk in the morning. When I am not home, however, I do still crate her.

With so much great behavior, I was absolutely shocked two nights ago when I heard a tearing noise and looked down to see her eating the corner of one of my books. I had two books sitting on a trunk at the foot of my bed. Of course, Hush decided to go for Tipsy in Madras, an out-of-print satirical preppy drinking guide that is selling used on Amazon for nearly $50.00. And, of course, my copy was in mint condition. I would not have cared at all if she'd gone for the beach read beside Tipsy In Madras that I snagged in a used book swap. But, alas, she went for the expensive one.

The silver lining is at least all of the words are still intact, which I discovered upon opening the book, and was promptly inspired to make a tasty beverage found on the first page I turned to. I suppose the bite marks do give the book more character, although I hope to never be in this position again. I am glad I caught her in the act so I had the opportunity to scold her, but I probably should not have left such temptations within her reach. This was the first, and hopefully only time, she ever chewed on any paper product or book... so it really caught me off guard. In many ways, you don't want to set your dogs up to fail by giving them too much freedom, but at the same time learning to just be and relax in environments is critical. I certainly will not stop letting her sleep out of her crate, though now I'll check to make sure nothing is within her reach. And, this reaffirms she still is not ready to spend longer periods of time when I am away from the house outside of her crate. Since this incident, I have made a real effort to give her lots of physical and mental stimulation, as behaviors like chewing tend to be out of boredom.

Kennel up!

Last week I was running late, but this was just too cute not to stop and photograph. I walked into my bedroom and said, "kennel up"... but, in my haste I failed to say, "Hush, kennel up" and didn't specify which dog I was talking to. When I'm not home, Milly is loose in my bedroom, but her term is "Milly, go to bed," and she lies quietly on her dog bed until I leave. This said, there was a point in time, many moons ago, when Milly was crated, and "Kennel up" was her command to go in her crate. So, now with some back story, you can imagine when I said, "Kennel up," and looked up from tying my shoes, I was completely shocked to find both Milly and Hush in the crate.

Crate Buckets!

Since starting this blog, I have noticed a trend, some of the best products at the best prices are not geared towards the general dog-owning pet enthusiast, and instead, seem to be inside secrets geared towards your dog fanciers and those who compete in various dog sports. Insiders continue to have great secrets, at great prices, but your regular dog-loving pet-owner is forced to shell out big dollars on mediocre products. I’ve seen this with grooming supplies like brushes and shampoos, leashes and collars, and now, crate pails/buckets.

About a year ago I discovered crate buckets, or crate pales. At this point in time, I had read of the benefits of elevating your pet’s food and water to prevent rushed eating and drinking, and possibly reducing the risks of bloat (whether or not elevated food and water does prevent bloat is controversial, but it certainly won’t hurt your dog), and a crate bucket seemed like a really great product. These stainless steel buckets are great for providing your crated dog with water throughout the day, without the spills associated with a regular water bowl. Most of them are flat on one side, enabling them to hang flush against the kennel or a fence in your dog yard without tipping or rolling. Being made of stainless steel, crate buckets don’t rust, crack, or chip. They’re also very easy to clean (I toss mine in the dishwasher), making them more sanitary than traditional plastic dog bowls. Some crate buckets come with a hook built into the flat side so it is easily attached to a metal cage or fence; while others are attached from the bucket handle using a double ended snap.

When I first started seeing these buckets hanging in the crates in dog fancier’s photos, I recalled seeing similar set-ups in the cages at veterinarian offices, but could not recall a single pet-owner I know using this method. I decided to purchase a crate bucket, and headed to my nearest Petsmart, where I asked, “Do you carry crate buckets?” The sales associated looked at me like I had two heads, and lead me to the crate aisle, and the bowl aisle, but neither aisle contained crate pails. I started looking online, where after some research, I found many options, but was uncertain what size to order. Months went by, and I managed to push the idea from my head.

Recently, I ordered my first crate bucket, and I am sold. I decided to get the 1-Quart size (they come in larger sizes), and it’s perfect. I would probably go up to the 2-Quart if I start using one for food, but for water, the 1-Quart is perfect. At just $7.49 this is cheaper than many dog bowls on the market, and because it is stainless steel, I anticipate having it for years to come. I am amazed that crate buckets are a trend that has not caught on with more pet owners. I wish I had discovered them much sooner!

The Journey to Get Hush

I have been such a bad blogger! I can’t believe that I have not posted yet about my trip to get Hush, and my first weeks with my little bundle of joyous fuzz!

On Halloween, my only day off in months, I boarded a flight out of Washington Dulles, with a planned connection from Detroit to Traverse City, Michigan. All was set, my breeder, of Nitelite Goldens, would pick me up at the airport take me to her house to meet Hush’s ancestors, then we’d head to Hush’s home, a winery, where I would the litter, enjoy lunch, and a glass of wine before heading back to the airport to fly back to DC. It was a jam packed trip, which started with me up before 5am to primp, out the door by 5:30. My parents met at an airport; as a result, I always look my absolute best when I fly. Four inch stilettos, an adorable dress, curled hair, not an eyelash out of place.

All seemed well as I sat in my seat on that first plane, but soon, the trip from hell would unfold. First, my second carry on, the size medium Sherpa bag, did not fit in the overhead bin. I decided to plane side check it, knowing it would fit on the next flight, and I could rearrange my other carry on. However, Delta failed to give me a tag for it when I plane side checked it. The next thing I knew, my flight was pulling away from the gate, only to have to go back to the gate because of mechanical failures. The mechanic took his merry time fixing the plane, stopping half way through to go get a bagel and cup of coffee, yes; I watched this out of my window. Needless to say, we were delayed, very delayed.

When I arrived in Detroit, I raced off the plane, eagerly bounced up and down as the person unloaded plane side checked bags, waiting for my little Sherpa so I could grab it and race to my connection, praying under my breath my connection was also delayed, knowing if it was not, I had already missed it.

After all of the bags had been set beside the plane, I inquired about mine; he picked it up, and said, “Oh, this one?”

“Yes!” I squealed as he taunted me with the pet carrier.

“I need your ticket,” he responded in an authoritative way while examining the carrier very closely.

“Don’t worry; there isn’t a puppy in it, yet…” I said while digging through my cluttered purse for my boarding pass. By this point in the trip I was quite experienced at fielding inquiries about where the puppy in said puppy carrier was. I found my tattered boarding pass and thrust it at him. My heart was racing; my nails were digging into my palms as the dismal reality of missing my flight was setting in.

“No, the baggage ticket, you were given plane side in Washington,” he explained.

“I wasn’t given one; I checked it very last minute.”

Because of FDA requirements, he cannot give me back my bag. If I would like it back, I’m going to have to go to baggage claim in Detroit to retrieve it. I want to scream; I want to shout, “I’m not going to blow up a plane with a Sherpa bag!,” But realize, if I wind up in jail for attempted terrorism, my boss will probably fire me for missing work two days before the election.

I race towards the gate, hoping to find a kind Delta representative to give me my puppy carrier and get me on the next flight to Traverse City. I think to myself, I’m in the right state; it can’t be that hard to get me there. I’ll just be an hour or so late. Wrong, so wrong. The next flight to TC was schedule to depart in three hours. I called the breeder in a panic; she was waiting in baggage claim at Traverse City for me, and assured me that no matter what, I would have my puppy today, even if it meant Hush meeting me at the airport.

The rest of the trip was a blur. I literally ran miles through the Detroit airport – at one point Tweeting that I had a new found respect for “Workout Barbie,” as blisters began to blanket my feet. In the end, I was booked on a flight that would put me into Traverse City five minutes before I would have to board my flight back to Detroit, and then back to DC. Delta offered to put me up overnight, but they wouldn’t be able to get me to DC until 10am, with two days until the election, that would not work. Because technically, my flights from TC back to DC were a separate return trip, I could not check in and acquire those boarding passes until I landed in TC. My puppy carrier was now being checked through to Traverse City. I was a nervous wreck, but a nice Delta employee assured me Traverse City is a tiny airport staffed with very nice people. If I told them as I got off my plane that I had to run to baggage claim to get my checked bag and a puppy, and would be on that flight, the last flight out for the night, they would most likely be very accommodating.

When I landed in Traverse City my feet were bleeding, my once perfectly curled hair was disheveled, my side bangs clung to my sweaty brow, my dress was wrinkled, I had coffee stains on my purse, my eyes were dark and haunting from lack of sleep during an election and mascara tear stains. I walked off the plane, in a zombie like state. I began explaining my story to the woman working the counter at the gate.

I think Traverse City airport is in an alternate fairy tale universe.

“I’ve already checked you in. Here is your boarding pass.” The kind lady said at the gate, before I had time to finish explaining my sob story.

“Your puppy is waiting with that lady right over there,” the fairy godmother Delta employee comforted as she waved her magical wand in the direction of a woman sitting by the gate, holding a puppy carrier and waving at me.

I was confused. How did this woman with my puppy get through security? I ran up to the puppy woman, Marie, the lady who owns Hush’s mom. I had so many questions. She pulled Hush from a carrier. As I walked toward her, the gate attendant explained she was personally pulling my checked bag from the plane, so I would not have to go through security.

My little Hush popped her head out of her carrier. Marie was so kind, with a bag packed of everything I might possibly need on our journey. My flight was delayed, again, but I didn’t care.

I never did leave an airport that day, I spent 20 hours running from gate to gate, mastering the art of going through security, and going from pure elation over getting my puppy after 3 years of waiting, to total meltdown over lack of sleep, work related stress, and having all of my travel plans come tumbling down around me.

But, when I finally limped off the plane in DC, exhausted, a sense of calm came over me. This was the best Halloween of my life, and I buried my face into a warm fuzzy ball of fluff, and shed a tear of joy.

Canine Camper

As you can see, the Midwest Canine Camper is quite spacious. I decided to test it out, and Milly loved having me in there with her. The Chihuahua is our friend Madeline, who Milly has known since Maddie was just 8 weeks old, and smaller than a squeaky toy.

For a long time I've wanted a portable soft crate. A soft crate is perfect for safe car rides, and many come with carrying cases. They are light enough that even little me can easily lift and maneuver the crate. Plus, many have great options like outside pockets to stash your portable bowl, a brush, a leash, or a copy of your dog's records.

After lots of thought, I went ahead and ordered the Canine Camper. I found mine new on ebay, and saved $35 by buying it there. It's a very nice hunter green, it has removable flaps that roll up to give your dog windows and ventilation, or can be left down for privacy.

Right now, I'm staying with some friends, and the soft portable crate is ideal. This way, while I'm at work, Milly can be crated, but when I'm at my friends house I can quickly and easily disassemble it (you just lift it up and zip the sides to assemble it, so it's super fast and easy, no true assembly required) and put it out of the way so there is no mess in the living room.

Milly seems to love it. I highly recommend the Canine Camper to any dog owner. I got the 36" size (that is the length), which is a bit smaller than Milly's metal crate, but she still has plenty of room in it. This size is perfect for riding in the back of my Subaru Outback, too! The 36" does fit most Golden Retrievers that are within the breed standard, just an FYI.

Functional Furniture for You, and a Den for Your Dog!

When I first adopted Milly I was living in a small apartment and had a roommate. I kept Milly’s crate beside the sofa in our living room, and used the top of it as a place to store books and magazines. What I really needed were end tables, but there just wasn’t room for Milly’s crate and end tables, so I made do. As you can see, it was cramped living.

That living situation only lasted a few months, before I realized that I was not compatible with my roommate, and decided to break the lease and move out. I ended up moving to an even smaller apartment with just Milly and I, and found I really needed to use the top of Milly’s crate for storage. At the time, I couldn’t afford to buy a fancy wooden coffee table crate, so I stained a piece of wood and placed it on top of her crate. Voila! More storage! Soon after moving, I adopted a Munchkin Cat. I kept his litter box in the bathroom, and I really wish I'd had this cat washroom at the time!

These days there are so many options available to pet owners that double as human furniture, and make having dogs in small apartments an easy reality. Whether you need a crate that doubles as a TV stand, or want a traditional side table, there is something for you! By buying pet pieces that double as furniture for humans, you will be able to maximize space, especially in a small apartment.

This looks like a trunk, until you remove the front and see that it is a crate! This more traditional crate will keep your dog happy with so much room to see out!


Or, you could get this, which actually is a trunk and perfect for storing dog food or toys! I would love to purchase a nice wooden trunk to store all of Milly's toys in!

I love entertaining, and this wooden den could easily double as a fashionable bar for cocktail hour! These are little details that you need to think about when living in a small space.

Don’t want to have large bulky baby gates separating off-limit areas from pet friendly rooms? Invest in an easy to move, sturdy, folding wooden gate that is not only fashionable, but functional, too! They are made in all wood, or if your dog is a chewer, this wood and metal one would be ideal.

I have a very classic meets contemporary style. I adore antiques, but like to pair them with more modern accessories. For me, this wooden crate would be ideal. Dogs naturally like to den and the walls with smaller slats make this crate ideal for that purpose, and will make your pet feel very secure. The beautiful oak looks great, and you can use it just like any other table!

Small dogs and big dogs can use wooden crates, as they come in a variety of sizes! If I’d had one of these crates in my first apartment I could have kept Milly’s crate in my room, and would not have needed a bedside table!

If you have a modern or retro sense of style, you can easily find great pieces that will suit your décor! I love the silver pet den!

Even with all of this furniture for dogs, there are still times when I want to let Milly on the sofa to cuddle. But, she sheds, and sheds a lot! Milly knows she is only allowed on furniture if invited, and this machine washable dog quilt from Orvis would be perfect to lie down before she hops up. Plus, it is so cute! I’d happily keep that out all the time!

Restrain Your Dog When Riding in the Car:

Whenever I visit my hometown of Camden, South Carolina one thing I don’t look forward to seeing are dogs loose in the beds of pick up trucks (I see it all the time there). I cringe every time I see this, because it is extremely risky and dangerous for the dog. Over 100,000 dogs are killed each year because they jumped out of a moving pickup truck bed or were thrown from an open vehicle as it was driving down the road or highway. Many states have tried to pass bills to regulate transportation of dogs in pick up trucks, but the legislation rarely passes. California has a law stating a dog must be in a crate or cross tied while riding in the bed of a pick up truck, and violators can be fined $50 to $250. For more information about states with tethered dog laws visit:http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/rpt/2009-R-0203.htm.

Photo by: Ferlinka Borzoi

If you must put your dog in the bed of your truck put a sturdy crate that has plenty of air vents in the center of the truck, secured down ropes or tethers. The next safest way for a dog to ride in a truck bed is tethered on a short leash, with the leash attached to a harness, not a collar. I frequently see people with seeming good intentions tying their dogs with long ropes or leashes attached to the dog’s collar in the truck bed – in the event of an accident this could cause your dog to hang to death, literally strangling your dog.

Photo by: BC SPCA

The safest method of transporting a dog in a truck is in a crate centered in the truck bed, and securely tied down.

Photo by: Super Cool Pets

At the bare minimum, a dog riding in a truck bed needs to be tethered with a secure and short leash attached to a harness to prevent strangulation and death in the event of an accident.

If you decide the bed of the truck is not the place for your dog, just putting a dog in the cab of a truck, or letting a dog ride loose in the car is still dangerous. I recently asked a vet how many patients she sees that are victims of car accidents, and she said too many to count, and then noted none had been properly restrained. Each year over 100,000 of dogs are injured, killed or become unnecessarily lost in car accidents – these injuries are completely avoidable.

You might be the safest driver, but there are some things on the road you cannot prevent. A dog in a pick up bed could jump out, you might have to swerve to miss something and the dog could fall out, you could have a blow out and the dog could go flying, or what happens if you are hit by another car? Not to mention there is a huge risk of flying debris, dust, dirt or pollen hitting the soft tissue of your dog’s eye -- resulting in infection, injury and painful trauma. If your dog rides in the car with you, no matter how tempting, please do not allow it to hang its head out the window, trust me, eye injuries are not fun. If after reading this you are still tempted to roll down the window and let your dog see the sights, please invest in a pair of Doggles for eye protection.

Photo by: Travel Pets

While this dog is wearing proper eye protection, it appears to not be restrained with a harness or seat belt.

A dog loose in a car, though a bit safer than one unrestrained in a truck bed, is still not safe. If you were to have an accident your dog most likely would fly through the windshield, and if it did survive, it might be terrified and run into on coming traffic. Also, always remember to keep your pet out of the front seat to protect him or her from airbags. An airbag deploying could very easily kill your beloved pet.

In the event of a crash, pets go from furry friends to flying objects and can cause serious injury or death to themselves and others. In fact, the British Columbia SPCA reports, a 50-pound pet, when traveling at speeds of 50km/hour (approximately 31 mph), has the weight of approximately one ton!

Types of dog restraints for automobiles:

Selecting the right restraint for your dog is enough to make your head spin – there are so many options on the market. In the end, it all boils down to personal preference based on many individual factors. Below I will explain various ways to help you make the most educated decision possible when selecting the restraint for your dog and your vehicle.

The safest way to travel with your dog is to have him crated, and this is far and away the safest if you are traveling with any equipment or tools in your car that could shift during impact. Equipment or tools can be deadly in an accident, not only to the driver, but to the dog too. The crate method, though safest, is only an option if you have the space available. The crate does not need to be tied down (though that will increase safety), but it does need to be a sturdy crate that is latched shut. The vet I spoke with said dogs that are crated in accidents frequently can survive even when the humans do not, and it makes sense. In essence, you are creating a protective barrier, much like rollover bars on a race car, for your dog. Less safe than a hard sided crate, but still a safety option, is a soft sided crate. If you go this route, I highly recommend securing the soft crate.

Photo by: UK Dog Guards

Photo by: Sterling and Omega Flat Coated Retrievers

A soft crate that could be used in a car.

Another way to restrain your dog is using a dog seat belt. These are a convenient alternative to crating, because they are small in size (about the size of a regular dog harness) and you can keep it in your car at all times. There are many different types, but they all incorporate the car’s seat belt with the special harness to restrain your dog. The only draw back with these types of harnesses is your dog has to be on the seats for them to work, and if you have nice leather seats this might not be your favorite solution. Dog seat belts are a great way to travel if you are transporting dogs that get along, but if the dogs in your car do not get along you will need to have them crated.

Photo by: Cargo Gear

Photo by: Doctors Foster and Smith

For small dogs, a dog car seat is an option. Available in numerous styles, they are secured with your seat belt or with an included restraint attachment that connects to your seat or seat belt. Dog car seats elevate small dogs so they can look out the window, and are padded for added canine comfort.

Photo by: Pet Squared

The last way, though safer than riding loose in the car, but not nearly as safe as being crated or restrained with a seat belt, is for SUV and station wagon owners – the dog barrier. These barriers, the safest are the types that are physically bolted into the car’s ceiling; prevent your dog from coming over the back seat. However, in an accident, the rear door/hatch of an SUV or station wagon may open, and the dog would not be restrained if this occurred.

Photo by: Tuffy Products

If you own a sedan or similar car your dog most likely rides on the seats anyways. To protect your seats you can purchase seat covers, and to protect your pooch for under $40 you can purchase a dog seat belt harness or similar restraint.

So before you ask your pooch, “want to go for a ride?” think about what would happen in an accident, and properly restrain your best friend. A properly restrained dog, even if an accident does not occur, will also keep the driver safe, because the dog cannot come to the front of the car, and distractions are kept to a minimum.

Why Restrain Your Dog?

• Dogs can distract the driver by moving around in the vehicle, trying to jump into the front seat, or barking excessively. Driver distractions are a leading cause of accidents..
• Heaven forbid you were involved in an accident; your pup might escape from the car and become lost. Accidents are scary, especially for dogs, and their instinct to flee the situation goes into over drive during traumatic experiences.
• In the event of an accident, your dog could be seriously injured, maimed or killed if loose in your vehicle.
• Other equipment or items in your car can injure your dog in even the smallest fender bender.

It doesn’t have to be this way! These injuries are completely avoidable. By being safe, aware, cautious and educated you can prevent this from happening to you and your pet. You can help others by taking the time to educate them and raise awareness of safe pet travel.

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